Some NFL preseasons are loaded with the excitement of training camp battles, especially those among quarterbacks vying for the top spot the the depth chart heading into Week 1. This is not going to be one of those preseasons.
After a notably underwhelming quarterback class in the 2026 NFL Draft, there aren't too many starting jobs up for grabs heading into the coming season. Nearly every team has a veteran already entrenched in starting jobs behind center, and only a few teams have even a hint of uncertainty about which quarterback will be their QB1 in Week 1.
Outside of those teams, the most excitement in the lead up to the regular season might come from various quarterbacks' races against the clock to return from injury. Kansas City Chiefs veteran Patrick Mahomes and Denver Broncos third-year Bo Nix each sustained season-ending injuries late last year, though both have stated their desire to be available to start Week 1. A few other quarterbacks outside of the AFC West face similar ticking clocks after their own season-ending injuries.
With roughly two months to go before the start of the 2026 regular season, USA TODAY Sports predicted the starting quarterbacks for all 32 NFL teams in Week 1:
NFL QUARTERBACKS: From the Chiefs to the Jets, ranking every team's QB situation

#outside #preseasons #heading

We knew Taysom Hill could run and pass, but he proved he could catch on this 45-yard touchdown reception against the Carolina Panthers. That's an easy choice for our New Orleans Saints Play of the Day.
Hill may have scored on this play, but it was Drew Brees' day to remind everyone just how lethal he could be so late in his career. The future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback cruised to 253 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon, going 19-of-30 and completing passes to eight different players.
With that said, this play was all Hill's doing. The versatile playmaker ran a crossing route and lost the defender trailing him to get wide open short of the first down marker -- then he cut upfield to pick up 20 yards. A timely block by his teammate Tre'Quan Smith cleared a lane to get Hill to the 5-yard line before the Panthers defense closed in, but he fought through tackles by Tre Boston and Jermaine Carter Jr. for the score. Watch it for yourself right here.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Taysom Hill's 45-yard touchdown catch is the Saints Play of the Day

#hill #yard

Indiana Fever fans have long admired Caitlin Clark and Flau'jae Johnson's relationship. Clark and Johnson have maintained their dynamic despite their battles in college. On Tuesday, Clark's gesture towards Johnson after the Indiana Fever's 105-95 win against the Seattle Storm won everyone's hearts.
The superstar guard seemingly asked Johnson to keep her chin up after a rough game. The rookie finished with 16 points, but shot a measly 26.7% from the field and was 0-for-6 from long distance. Johnson's night also wrapped up slightly early after she committed her sixth foul on Clark with 1:15 left in the game.
Here's the video of Clark and Johnson's postgame embrace:
After seeing Clark's gesture, several Fever fans dropped heartfelt comments on her relationship with Johnson.
"You shoulda been a fever four I'm sorry, I'll never forgive you Amber," one fan said.

#indiana #relationship #caitlin

The Florida State Seminoles have been picked to finish 11th in the ACC Preseason Media Poll, the conference announced on Tuesday.
The Seminoles received 1,439 points and three first-place votes out of 188, which was the fifth most of any team. The Miami Hurricanes were picked to win the conference, receiving 165 first-place votes and 3,159 points.
The SMU Mustangs finished second with 2,759 points and the Louisville Cardinals third with 2,569 points. Despite finishing fourth, the Clemson Tigers received the second most first-place votes with seven, SMU received six. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets round out the top five with 2,006 points and two first-place votes.
The Seminoles will open ACC play against SMU on Sept. 7 in ******* Howser Stadium. They will follow it up with two non-conference games before they host Virginia on Oct. 3. Their first road ACC games will be the following weeks, with them playing at Louisville and Miami.
They will follow that stretch up with a bye before hosting Clemson on Oct. 31. They will return to the road, playing at Boston College and at Pittsburgh on Nov. 7 and Nov. 13, respectively. They will end their ACC slate at home, welcoming NC State to Tallahassee on Nov. 21.

#points #place #received #state

Rotherham United have signed Sheffield United full-back Jili Buyabu on a season-long loan deal.
The 22-year-old scored seven goals in 37 appearances during a loan spell with National League side Forest Green Rovers in the 2025-26 season.
He is the fifth player to join the Millers, who were relegated from League One last season, so far this summer.
Buyabu could make his competitive debut for Alex Bruce's side when they host West Bromwich Albion in the EFL Cup first round on Saturday, 8 August.
All done deals in July 2026

#league #national

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin on the night of July 23, according to police records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Romo, who currently works as a TV **** yst for CBS Sports' NFL coverage, is accused of operating a vehicle while under the influence. The former NFL quarterback was booked by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office after his arrest at 6:18 p.m. CT on July 23 and was released at 11:01 p.m., according to police records.
According to a copy of Romo's arrest-detention report obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Romo was stopped going southbound on I-43 and "performed poorly on SFSTs (standard field sobriety tests)."
More: Detroit Amps earn first BIG3 win with upset of unbeaten Triplets
A charge of OWI (operating while under the influence) would be the first for the former Cowboys quarterback, who grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin.

#sports #milwaukee #wisconsin

The midfielder Arda Guler was one of the very few Real Madrid players who avoided any meaningful criticism, despite being a regular starter, for the failure of the last season. He remained a key player for both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, and the highest point of his season came in the second leg of the quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich, in which his two goals kick-started the Merengues’ comeback, although they ultimately fell short of achieving its objective.
Guler also participated in the World Cup with Turkiye where he also impressed, but his team was eliminated in the group stage. As a result, he returned to Valdebebas before any other World Cup player, last Monday.
According to Diario AS, the sessions over these five days have been enough for the Turk to impress his new coach, Jose Mourinho, and his staff. He has returned from holidays in excellent physical condition and mentally driven to continue playing an important role at Real Madrid. Some members of the coaching staff can be heard saying: “Güler is flying!”
The midfielder will find increased competition for his starting spot going into the next season. Bernardo Silva has been one of the major bets made by the Merengue club this summer, and he will compete directly with Guler for the attacking midfield spot. Meanwhile, Endrick’s ability to play on the right wing also means more competition in this position for the Turk.
However, he has the advantage of already being in Mourinho’s good books. The Portuguese manager wanted to have him in his team when he joined Turkish side Fenerbahce, and later had a meeting with the player in Istanbul.

#real #World #midfielder

Patrick Kane has a new home, same as his old home.
Kane has resigned with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he spent the first 16 seasons of his NHL career, the Blackhawks announced Wednesday morning.
"Welcome back 88," the Blackhawks wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
Kane is signing a two-year contract worth $16 million, or $8 million annually, according to published reports, after spending the last three seasons playing for the Red Wings. He was an unrestricted free agent.
Chris Chelios said on Chicago radio recently that Kane was down to the Blackhawks or Buffalo Sabres.

#blackhawks #wednesday #seasons #twitter

Real Madrid forward Endrick has been appointed as UNICEF’s newest ambassador in Brazil, the organization announced on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old joins a select group of Brazilian public figures who use their platforms to raise awareness about children’s rights and support UNICEF’s initiatives throughout the country. Fellow ambassadors include television presenter Maísa, actor Renato Aragão, singer Daniela Mercury, actor Lázaro Ramos, actor Bruno Gagliasso, and the iconic comic character Mónica.
UNICEF has worked with ambassadors around the world since 1954, selecting artists, athletes, and other influential personalities who are not only widely recognized but also demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the lives of children and adolescents.
According to UNICEF Brazil representative Joaquín González-Alemán, Endrick’s influence and example make him an ideal choice for the role.
“The work of UNICEF ambassadors is fundamental to mobilizing society in defense of children and adolescents. Endrick is an exemplary young man who inspires millions of children and adolescents and has enormous potential to convey messages about children’s rights throughout Brazil.”

#children #adolescents #real

Rockets star Fred VanVleet thinks Rockets can repeat what shocked the NBA last season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Despite being without their starting point guard Fred VanVleet for the entire last season, the Houston Rockets put together a stellar regular season under head coach Ime Udoka.
The team's success came despite also dealing with injuries to superstar Kevin Durant. However, Houston's promising season ultimately came to an end when they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
Even with that disappointing finish, VanVleet is entering the upcoming season with plenty of optimism. In a recent interview, the veteran guard expressed complete confidence in Houston's ability to compete for the NBA championship next season, like the New York Knicks did last season.
"I believe we can win a championship next year, but that's down the road. The journey leading up doesn't really matter. We just saw the Knicks pull it off… ***** ody expected them to do it," VanVleet said.

#vanvleet #last #fred #guard

Tennessee and South Carolina will renew their football series in 2026. The Vols and Gamecocks last played in 2023 with Tennessee winning, 41-20, at Neyland Stadium.
The Gamecocks will host Tennessee on Oct. 24 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. The last time the two schools faced each other at Williams-Brice Stadium was on Nov. 19, 2022. South Carolina was victorious, 63-38.
Shane Beamer enters his sixth season as the Gamecocks' head coach in 2026. He took part in SEC football media days on Tuesday in Tampa, Florida and reflected on the 2022 Tennessee-South Carolina contest.
"That was a great night back in 2022," Beamer said. "There's no doubt about it. We know it will be a huge challenge when they come to town this year. Another one, I got asked about playing Georgia again. It's been weird not playing Tennessee the last couple of years, so it will be great having Tennessee back on the schedule this season, too, along with Florida. Three old SEC East opponents and rivals for South Carolina.
"Got a ton of respect for coach (Josh) Heupel and the way he does things. We know he's going to have a really good team coming to town. I was so impressed just watching SEC media day yesterday, the three players that he brought. I mean, so impressed with those three guys just as people and some of their comments for sure. No, that will be a big one when we get to that one, and hopefully we can have the offensive output that we had the last time they were in town."

#town #williams

Corinthians is very close to completing the return of forward Wesley, currently at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. According to ge, there is a verbal agreement for the loan of the 21-year-old player, who is a request from head coach Fernando Diniz.
Despite interest from Brazilian clubs, Wesley reportedly made it clear that his absolute priority would be returning to Parque São Jorge. The forward has a strong emotional bond with Timão, in addition to having family in São Paulo.
To make the deal possible and fit within the financial reality of the São Paulo club, the young player agreed to take a pay cut. Al-Nassr, which needs to free up a foreign-player spot in the squad, will cover part of his wages, while Corinthians will pay the rest.
The biggest obstacle to signing the contract, however, is the punishment imposed by FIFA. Corinthians is currently dealing with two transfer bans that prevent the registration of new players.
The debts that led to the punishment are related to the signing of defensive midfielder José Martínez from Philadelphia Union and to a fine imposed by FIFA itself. Combined, the amounts are around R$ 9 million.

British Open schedule 2026: Day-by-day TV coverage to watch Open Championship golf on NBC and stream online originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The British Open is heading to Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, for the 11th time in the history of the tournament. The historic 7,223-yard par-70 has hosted the British Open more than any course other than St. Andrews.
The 2026 field features a star-studded lineup of elite players, including returning tournament winners and the world's top-ranked golfers. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler will be in the spotlight as he attempts to repeat his incredible performance from last year, alongside a competitive field chasing the historic Claret Jug.
Other top competitors include Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.
Here's everything you need to know about watching the 2026 British Open, including the schedule, channels, live streams and more.

The MMCS All-Star senior league team advanced to the second round of the elimination bracket with a 10-0 win over DuBois in DuBois on Monday.
After going scoreless in the first inning, MMCS scored four of its 10 runs in the bottom of the second, with Greyson Stevenson, Konnor Mascitti, Jared Grubbs and Santino Trenga all scoring.
Colton Redden had two RBI for MMCS. Landen Klink struck out two over 3.2 innings, walking two and allowing four hits.
MMCS split its two games Sunday, defeating Chester Valley 6-2 in the first round before falling to Hanover Area 8-4 in the next round.
Against Chester Valley, Gavin Reynolds doubled and had two RBI, while Klink had a double and an RBI. Mason Potosky tripled.

Major League Baseball signed a bunch of new TV contracts this year.
As a result, the Home Run Derby is being carried exclusively on Netflix. If you don't subscribe to Netflix, well, you'll just have to follow along here.
Here are the eight participants:
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will certainly be the hometown favorites at Citizens Bank Park. Harper won the 2018 Home Run Derby as the hometown guy in Nationals Park in Washington — with Schwarber finishing second. Schwarber also participated in 2022.
The format of the Derby has changed this year. Details in this MLB.com article; here are the basics:

Chelsea news conference: Watch Xabi Alonso speak to the media for the first time since becoming manager at the top of this page
Alonso was sacked by Real Madrid last season and replaces Liam Rosenior, who Chelsea dismissed in April after three months in charge
It is hoped Alonso will have the personality, gravitas from his playing career and tactical acumen to bring the club back to the standards it expects, writes the BBC's Nizaar Kinsella
Get Chelsea news throughout the summer and all season on our dedicated Chelsea page
ICYMI: Andoni Iraola had his first news conference as Liverpool head coach earlier - read a recap here

Alexander Zverev was seen taking an injection during the men's Wimbledon final clash against Jannik Sinner as he looks to win the tournament for the very first time.
Having won the first set 7-6, Zverev was leading the second set 3-2 when he sat down on a courtside chair, at the switch of ends, and unveiled a medical pouch. He took out an insulin pen and injected it into his leg before resuming the match.
The French Open champion was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four and the injection was a dose of insulin to manage his glucose levels both on and off court. His diagnosis is also the reason he can also use a phone during matches despite a ban on players doing so.
That is due to a medical exemption so that he can track his glucose monitor on his phone instead of using constant finger-prick checks which is quite common for people with diabetes.
An interview with BBC Sport in the build-up to the Wimbledon final saw Zverev talk about the reasons behind his phone use the German explaining "that's why the umpires allow me to check my phone, so I don't have to poke my finger every changeover".

The Detroit Lions 2026 season will be getting started soon as training camp opens on July 25. In the meantime, let's relive the incredible highs and lows of the 2024 season through the lens of the Top 10 Injury News - with present day updates.
Here are the top two spots as seen in 2024 Revisited: Lions Top 10 Injury News with Present Updates:
October 13, 2024:
Hutchinson missed the final 13 games that season, but still led the team with 7.5 sacks.
Where are they now: Hutchinson had an excellent recovery from his leg fracture playing in all 17 games in the 2025 season. In October 2025, he inked a four-year, $180 million extension. He finished the season with 14.5 sacks, earning Pro Bowl and 2nd-team All-Pro accolades. Going into the 2026 season, he should be even stronger.

In some past seasons, we've written up every pick the White Sox make in the draft with individual stories. This year, we'll let a constantly-updated Day 2 draft tracker do all the work, but overall we will have individual features on the first five White Sox picks (Nos. 1, 34, 44, 77, 105).
An exciting twist to our coverage this year is having Melissa Sage-Bollenbach in Philadelphia and on the grounds covering for us. That should mean details and quotes you won't see anywhere else, as well as video and other postings on all our social media channels (southsidesox.bsky.social on Blue Sky, South Side Sox on Facebook, sss_south_side_sox on Instagram, southsidesox_ on TikTok, sss_south_side_sox on Threads and SouthSideSox on Twitter/X).
To kick off our coverage of today's five picks and the following 16 on Sunday, here's a How to Watch guide. But really, let us do the heavy lifting and just stay tuned to the real-time updates of South Side Sox!
2026 MLB draft
Day 1: Saturday, July 11 (Rounds 1-4)
Noon-12:30 p.m. CT Preview show (NBC/Peacock)
12:30-1:30 p.m. CT Lottery picks 1-10 (NBC/Peacock)
1:30-3:30 p.m. CT Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
3:30-6:45 p.m. CT Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)
10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. CT Rounds 5-20 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)

Four games into his first grand slam semi-final, 23-year-old wildcard Arthur Fery produced the sort of moment of magic for which he has rapidly become famous. Having had his serve broken by Alexander Zverev, the Brit responded with ferocity, playing a superb backhand return before racing to a Zverev drop shot, replying with a stunning angled passing shot that flashed across the net, and which the German could only scoop up and wide.
Fery leapt for joy and punched the air to a huge round of applause. Zverev hit long in the next rally to concede the break and send the Centre Court crowd leaping to their feet in raptures, too. It was the kind of moment that summed up the Brit's tournament: opportunity created out of nothing, his on-court intelligence putting him one or two steps ahead, and helping him wrestle himself back into contention.
Ultimately, it was not enough: Zverev dominated the first set tie-break and played with an authority that has not always come naturally, the world No 3 winning 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 to reach his first Wimbledon final. Having previously never gone past the fourth round here, the French Open champion is in ominous form, saying: "Once you win a major, you know how to do it and you feel like you can do it again. You have this feeling inside of you."
Faced with that, Fery said later he did not feel quite as "at ease" as in his previous rounds, and he was unfortunate to run into Zverev at his very best, his forehand piercing and serve precise and powerful. "He was always putting constant pressure. I didn't get much rhythm, just not many rallies," he said. "Balls coming back a little bit faster than the other days and what I'm used to, not as sharp with my footwork and mentally. Against a player like that, it adds up pretty quick."
But Fery's fortnight has been astonishing on every level. Having only previously won two grand slam matches, he won five in a row to reach the last four, twice coming from two sets and breaks down, seeing off former Wimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov and recent French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli in his last two matches. As the world No 114, he was something of an odd one out in that final four, alongside the current world No 1, the sport's most recent major winner, and a man with a casual 24 major ******* les to his name.

For the seventh and final match at Boston Stadium, city bars were jam-packed and soaking in the final moments of international soccer in New England this summer.
At pubs like the Dubliner, there was barely any room to stand while tv’s played France and Morocco’s quarterfinal match.
France defeated Morocco 2-0 and will advance to the semifinals of the World Cup.
“The energy in the city’s been electric,” said fan Patrick Lowndes Thursday at the Dubliner. “It’s been really cool to see everyone get behind a bunch of nations.”
France fans celebrated inside the Dubliner after the semifinal berth.

What can we expect from new Boston Celtics big man Mitchell Robinson? The Celtics used their full midlevel exception to sign the Knicks champ to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with a player option in third season as perhaps their biggest addition this 2026 NBA offseason, a move which some ****** ysts praised as a brilliant basketball move from an ****** ytical point of view, while cap nerds expressed some concern about the length and guarantees for a player who rarely plays more than 60 games in a season -- and sometimes considerably less.
So what to expect, then? We can always look to his highlights to get a better idea of his play style and how it might mesh with Boston's other big men. A top offensive rebounder and very good rim protector, he will undoubtedly boost the Celtics center rotation when he is able to suit up.
The man behind the eponymous "Tomasz Kordylewski (Timi)" YouTube channel put together a clip of the best of Robinson's play with New York last season. Check it out below!
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will face the Phoenix Mercury for the third and final time of the regular season on Thursday, July 9.
Thursday's game in Phoenix will be the first matchup between the teams since June 24, when Phoenix beat Indiana 111-109 and Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas pressed her fist against Clark's throat in a move that sparked controversy.
The WNBA upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 after officials failed to call a foul at the time, and Thomas was suspended for a game.
More: Zach Nunn presses WNBA to protect Caitlin Clark from violence
Here's how to watch the Fever's 22nd regular-season game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information.

Wimbledon has been the biggest trouble throughout the early stages of Coco Gauff's star-studded career. But the Delray Beach, Florida native has a prime chance to win her first **** le on tennis's biggest stage if she can get past Karolina Muchova today and into Saturday's final.
The seventh-ranked player in the world and two-time major champion, Gauff lost in the first round of two of her previous three trips to the All England Club. But this year saw her into the quarterfinals for the first time, where she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula after dropping the first set, a rally repeated from her Round of 16 match against last year's Wimbledon semifinalist Belinda Bencic.
With pre-tournament favorites Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and defending champion Iga Swiatek falling out, this marks the 22-year-old's best opportunity to take home the Rosewater Dish. Gauff is the highest-ranked player remaining, with Muchova, Linda Noskova and Marta Kostyuk also making their first appearances in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Watch Coco Gauff at Wimbledon live
Here's what to know about Gauff's next match, including how to watch on TV and streaming.

Kipp Popert has made history at the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open.
With a 63 during his final round at Woodmont Country Club on Wednesday, the 28-year-old Englishman became the first male in USGA history to win the same championship four years in a row.
South Korea's Simon Seungmin Lee came in second place, finishing six shots off Popert's lead.
Moments after Popert's celebration, Kim Moore joined him on the 18th green to make history of her own.
The 45-year-old Indiana native nailed her par putt to become the first three-time female Adaptive Open winner. She won by six shots over Bailey Bish and Sunyoung Kim.

There are 180 players in the WNBA. That’s not a lot. I often say it’s one of the toughest jobs to land (and keep) in the country. In any given year, about 400,000 girls play high school basketball. Only 1.2% of them will go on to play Division I basketball, and of those, only 0.8% of the top players are expected to make a professional team, according to the NCAA.
I talked about parity a few weeks back, and how there is so much movement in the league standings this season because the teams are evenly matched and the talent pool is vast. Well, it’s time to shine a light on the players you don’t always see in the headlines. Here are some names who deserve a little more recognition:
The Liberty won the Commissioner’s Cup ******* le over the Las Vegas Aces last week, the first team to repeat as champions. Breanna Stewart won MVP and Sabrina Ionescu made some clutch three-pointers down the stretch. But Gardner stepped up huge in her minutes for New York. She tallied seven points in 12 minutes and shot 60% from the field.
The UCLA product was a 31-year-old undrafted rookie in 2022, after balling out overseas in Turkey, Romania and Spain. She burst on to the scene with the Chicago Sky, earning a spot on the All-Rookie team. Now, she’s playing a significant role off the bench for a deep Liberty squad; she takes on the toughest defensive ******* ignment, is efficient with her shot selection (50.7% on the season), and has stayed healthy – something the Liberty desperately needs.
After Smith was traded to the Aces from the Dallas Wings midway through last season, she says she “fell in love with the game again”. This season, she’s playing like a champion, starting alongside four-time MVP A’ja Wilson and showcasing some of the best basketball of her career. Through 21 games, Smith has the highest field-goal percentage in the league at nearly 66%. In the overtime win against the Sky last Friday, she posted a season-high 29 points on 11-for-14 shooting – without Wilson, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury. “She’s truly our glue,” Wilson said of her teammate. “She does all the little things.” Smith has been tasked to step up in the superstar’s absence, and she’s more than proved she can answer the call.

Josh Robbins: The second season on Khris Middleton's new three-year sign-and-trade deal with the Wizards will be partially guaranteed, while the third season will be non-guaranteed, per source.
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Khris Middleton's contract has just one fully guaranteed year

Legendary UConn head women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma remembers when Caitlin Clark was a relative unknown in the basketball world. Iowa knew her, of course. Diehard women's basketball fans were very much aware of the stat sheet-stuffing guard. And basketball junkies in general could wax poetic about her potential.
But she wasn't a household name during the 2020-21 season, when Paige Bueckers, also a freshman at the time, made history by sweeping all the National Player of the Year awards for which she was eligible while starring for Auriemma's Huskies.
Since then, however, Clark's popularity has soared, and so has that of women's hoops, with Auriemma partly attributing Clark's meteoric rise to her patented logo 3s and her rivalry with Angel Reese.
Auriemma expounded on those factors and a whole lot more during his early July appearance on Richard Deitsch's "Sports Media Podcast" after he was asked about the state of the never-ending conversation surrounding Clark, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer and now a three-time All-Star for the WNBA's Indiana Fever.
The 12-time national championship-winning head coach said Clark involuntarily became "a cause" and the fouls against her aren't "a referendum on America."

USA vs. Belgium live score, result, highlights from USMNT's 2026 World Cup knockout game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The United States will meet Belgium for a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
Both sides overcame adversity to punch their ticket into the Round of 16, with the USMNT dispatching of Bosnia and Herzegovina despite a red card to leading goal-scorer Folarin Balogun. The Red Devils, meanwhile, battled back from a two-goal deficit to ******* a 3-2 win over Senegal at the death.
They also have overlapping histories. In 2014, an aging U.S. side and fresh-faced Belgian bunch faced off in the same round. Tim Howard stopped a World Cup-record 16 shots in the match, which dipped into extra time before Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku pushed the Red Devils out in front for good.
The lead-up to Monday's match has been mired in the controversy surrounding Balogun's availability after FIFA reversed its one-game ban in a highly unusual move over the weekend. Balogun will be allowed to play despite protest from Belgium and many of soccer's global sanctioning bodies.

Folarin Balogun was sent off in the USMNT'S Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a second-half red card, originally counting him out of the Round of 16 game against Belgium.
In FIFA regulations, if a player receives a red card, he must miss the following match. However, after an appeal from U.S. Soccer, Balogun's red card decision was overturned and the striker will be available to play this evening's game.
President Donald Trump said he initiated the appeal process by reaching out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
"I spoke to Gianni," Trump told reporters. "That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other."
The call was controversial from the start, but under Article 66.4 of the FIFA regulation, "A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures."