Justin Verlander already knows when the Detroit Tigers will celebrate his career.
What he still does not know is whether he will get to finish it where he wants to finish it: standing on a Major League mound.
Verlander is expected to throw off a mound Saturday as he continues working back from left hip inflammation and a left hamstring strain, according to MLB's latest Tigers injury update. If his body responds, the 43-year-old could advance to a rehab ***** ignment and potentially pitch for Detroit before his retirement becomes official at the end of the season.
That makes Saturday considerably more important than a routine September bullpen session.
Verlander has already announced that 2026 will be his final season. Detroit has already planned the goodbye.

#tigers #mound #left #justin

Texas A&M's six remaining home games during the 2026 season will serve as critical recruiting opportunities for coach Mike Elko and his staff, especially in the 2028 recruiting cycle, as five-star quarterback Donald Tabron III and four-star Edge Chance Archangel serve as the lone commits in the class and will make their way back to campus this fall.
Plenty of intriguing names in the cycle will visit this weekend when the Aggies host Arizona State on Saturday afternoon, while five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark recently placed Texas A&M in his top 12 program list and will visit College Station on October 3 when the Aggies host Arkansas.
Under Mike Elko, Texas A&M has developed NFL talent at nearly every position, especially after a record-tying 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft back in late April. Elko's background as one of the best defensive coordinators in the country, currently serving as the Aggies' defensive playcaller, has continued to make its way to the eyes and ears of up-and-coming defenders, including 2028 four-star Edge David Dotson.
During his recent interview with Rivals insider Sam Spiegelman, Dotson named Texas A&M among several programs that "have his attention" heading into the fall months.
"Texas, Oklahoma, SMU, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, LSU, and Alabama all have my attention," Dotson continued. "They've each shown me why they want me and how I could fit into their program. The relationships with the coaches, player development, culture, academics, and overall fit are all important to me."

#star #aggies #elko

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has dismissed Elliot Anderson's jibe that City are "kings of Manchester" ahead of Sunday's derby.
Already trailing five points behind their bitter rivals, United will face Manchester City at Old Trafford with Anderson's taunt ringing in their ears.
Anderson joined City from Nottingham Forest for £116 million ($156 million) in the close-season after United refused to enter a bidding war for the England midfielder.
The 23-year-old can expect a hostile reception from United fans after adding fuel to the Manchester rivalry.
"For as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester," Anderson said following his arrival at the Etihad Stadium.

#anderson #kings #already

Drake Maye walked into Lumen Field on Wednesday night looking to open his season with a statement win over the defending Super Bowl champions. Instead, the young Patriots quarterback endured one of the toughest nights of his career.
Maye completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, but three interceptions and three sacks piled up as New England fell 13-10 to the Seattle Seahawks. Still, Maye showed his toughness on the ground, carrying the ball seven times for 47 yards.
One of those runs turned into a scary moment. In the first quarter, as Maye stepped out of bounds, Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall shoved him well after the play had ended.
MORE: Drake Maye, Patriots set unwanted NFL record against Seahawks
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) took a hit against the Seattle Seahawks. Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

#maye #england #three

NEW YORK (AP) — After missing more than three months, Aaron Judge is ready to return to the New York Yankees.
The three-time MVP was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Monday night, an off day for the Yankees. They open a three-game series at home Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.
Judge hasn't played since May 31 because of a broken right rib, but the slugger traveled with the Yankees on their recent trip to the West Coast. He took batting practice on the field multiple times last weekend in San Diego and ran the bases as he worked toward his return.
The outfielder will rejoin New York's active roster without going on a minor league rehab ******* ignment first. Throughout his absence, Judge said he wouldn't need a stint in the minors to get ready.
"If I tell them I'm ready to go play, I think we're ready to go play," Judge said on Aug. 27. "I'm not a pitcher. I'm a position player. I can get my reps down here in the cage. I'm in every game. I'm sitting there in the dugout watching every game, feeling the environment, feeling the energy, so I don't think there's going to be much of a difference."

#night #going

George Russell passes Pierre Gasly for lead of Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton drops back after battling with Charles Leclerc
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli started 19th because of his own penalty
Antonelli 'disrupting rules of fandom' in Ferrari's Italy
Select audio icon for Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 commentary (UK only)

#george #lewis #hamilton

Manchester City have won 1-0 today against stubborn Coventry City side at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon. A Erling Haaland header in the 26th minute was just enough for City make it three wins from three matches to start the new Premier League season.
When the starting lineups were announced, Enzo Maresca had made only one change to the starting lineup which dispatched Crystal Palace 4-1 last weekend. Iliman Ndiaye replaced Phil Foden in the starting lineup as the Senegalese international made his Premier League debut from the start today. Enzo Fernandez was on the bench for today's game. However, that changed 15 minutes before kickoff. Nico O'Reilly suffered an injury in the warm up and Enzo Fernandez replaced him in Manchester City's starting lineup.
Manchester City began the game dominating possession, however it was Coventry City who should have taken the lead inside the opening eight minutes. First, Abdukodir Khusanov played a ball back to Gianluigi Donnarumma on his own goal line. The Italian had a poor first touch which almost trickled over the goal line to give Frank Lampard's side the lead in the 6th minute.
However, two minutes later, Coventry City should have taken the lead. Antoine ****** yo played a dangerous ball from the right into midfield which Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi intercepted. Awoniyi surged clean through on goal with only the keeper to beat. But he fired his shot wide of the post with Gianluigi Donnarumma rushing out to save his team's blushes. Taiwo Awoniyi's chance was a clear warning shot to Enzo Maresca's side that today's match wouldn't be a walk in the park.
Manchester City's first shot on target would arrive in the 16th minute. Elliot Anderson was fouled in midfield and he quickly took the free kick and set free Rayan Cherki. Cherki surged into ****** e and played in Erling Haaland with a quality through ball. Haaland fired in a powerful low drive from inside the Coventry penalty area across goal which Coventry City keeper Carl Rushworth got down well to save.

#city #haaland #first #side

BERLIN (AP) — The FIBA women's World Cup begins Friday with the U.S. in search of a fifth consecutive championship.
The Americans have won 30 straight games in the tournament, dating to a loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. They'll have a young group of players trying to extend that run led by Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who are making their debuts in the event.
It's not all youth for the U.S. as gold medal collector Breanna Stewart, who has already won three Olympic and three World Cup championships leads the squad.
France will be the main competitor for the Americans, having lost by only one point in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game. The French team is hungry to avenge that loss. Other teams that could be a threat to end the U.S. streak include Spain, Belgium and China. The Chinese team lost to the Americans in the 2022 World Cup final.
The 16 teams were put into four groups and each will have a round-robin stage. The second- and third-place teams in each group will advance to a qualification round while the winner of the pool will advance to the quarterfinals. The four winners of the qualification rounds will then advance to the quarterfinals as well. In the 2022 World Cup there were only 12 teams and two pools. Teams had to play five games in six days before advancing to the quarterfinals. FIBA will be using two sites in Berlin to play the 36 games.

#teams #americans #berlin #fiba

The NBA world wants to see Stephen Curry continue contending for championships. Unfortunately for Curry, the Golden State Warriors are not considered competitive in the 2026-27 season. The Warriors retained their core from the previous season and did not add a new star player.
Golden State retained veteran big men Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Draymond Green. They also re-signed De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II on short-term deals. Guard Brandon Williams and seasoned forward Georges Niang joined the Warriors this summer.
Because of the team's near-passive offseason, former six-time NFL Pro Bowl star Chad Johnson suggested Curry should move on. On Tuesday's episode of "Nightcap," Johnson said the NBA star should end his career on a high note.
Apr 1, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) talks with guard Gary Payton II (0) during a timeout against the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
"Are you sure he's a one-jersey guy?" he said. "Knowing you don't have a chance, don't you want to finish your career with the opportunity to win a ring again? Why not end it on a high note? Golden State is not prepared to compete in the West, let alone win a championship."

#Warriors #star #gary #johnson

Newcastle United's search for an additional attacking reinforcement is showing no signs of slowing down, with Matthias Jaissle's side exploring several possibilities as the transfer window enters its final stretch.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo remains the No. 1 target, with Newcastle nearing an agreement with Lille, but the Magpies could have turned their attention toward another versatile attacker from Italy's Serie A.
According to Foot Mercato's Santi Aouna, Newcastle is interested in Roma's Matias Soule and contact between the parties is already underway.
"Newcastle is interested in Matías Soulé of AS Roma," Aouna reported. "Contact is ongoing between the parties."
TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey subsequently provided further details, reporting that Soule has been added to Newcastle's attacking shortlist alongside Fernandez-Pardo and Stuttgart's Bilal El Khannouss.

#matias #pardo #attacking #parties

The departure of DeWanna Bonner from the Phoenix Mercury saw Alyssa Thomas step up even more for them as the 34-year-old forward led the way against the Toronto Tempo in their strong 101-69 win on Saturday.
Ahead of the FIBA World Cup Break, Alyssa Thomas made everything click on offense for the Mercury after dishing out 12 ***** ists along with six rebounds, four points, and a steal. Her playmaking against the Tempo tied her average ***** ists this season with Caitlin Clark at 8.4 APG.
Though already out of playoff contention after they lost to the Atlanta Dream, Bonner's eventual employers about a week ago, the Mercury are looking to make use of their remaining games as a barometer of where they'll start for the next season.
As Thomas and the Mercury climb out of their slump, Sabrina Ionescu's shooting has been in a rut despite the New York Liberty winning 85-66 against the Chicago Sky on Sunday.
The four-time WNBA all-star's dismal shooting was on full display as she went 0-for-10 from the field and 0-for-3 from three-point range. She only got her two points for the night through the charity stripe.

#tempo #four #points #shooting

The Philadelphia Eagles will enter the 2026 season with six rookies on their initial 53-man roster. Five members of Philadelphia's eight-player draft class survived roster cuts. Undrafted rookie Rocco Underwood also made the team after securing the long snapper position.
The Eagles retained each of their selections from the first six rounds but waived all three seventh-round picks. Cole Wisniewski, Uar Bernard and Keyshawn James-Newby will be available to other teams before Philadelphia can attempt to add them to the practice squad.
Buy Philadelphia Eagles tickets
Here are the six Eagles rookies who made the initial roster.
Round: First

#first #rookies #initial #undrafted

Suryakumar Yadav has admitted that he only has himself to blame for failing to establish a longer career in ODI cricket, despite becoming one of India's most successful T20 batters.

The former India T20I captain played 37 ODIs and scored 773 runs at an average of 25.76, numbers that never quite reflected the impact he had in the shortest format. His final ODI appearance came in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia, and he has not featured in India's 50-over setup since.

Suryakumar, who led India to T20 World Cup glory earlier this year, acknowledged that his ODI career remains a source of disappointment. Rather than pointing to selection calls or circumstances, he accepted responsibility for not doing enough to adapt to the demands of the format.

"Hypothetically, we can say anything - that if I had come into the team in 2016, I could have played Tests and probably done well in ODIs too. But the reality is that I played only one Test and one innings. After that, the other players came back and started playing again, so it didn't happen. But definitely, I am disappointed with myself when it comes to ODI cricket.

"It was a white-ball format, just like T20s, but to be very honest, I personally feel I did not put in as much effort as I should have for that format," Suryakumar Yadav said on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel.
While T20 cricket has allowed Suryakumar to thrive with his aggressive strokeplay, he believes ODI cricket demands a far more calculated approach from batters.

He described the 50-over game as the most difficult format for a batter because situations can change rapidly, particularly for those coming in at No. 4, 5 or 6.

"I feel ODI cricket is probably the most difficult format to play as a batter, whether you are batting lower down the order or anywhere else. You can be two down for zero if you are batting at No. 4, or four down for 24 if you are batting at No. 6. Anything can happen. You have to bat almost like you do in a Test match. You see off the bowlers initially, give them respect and slowly build your innings. You may bat at a strike rate of 50 or sometimes 75, then take it to 100 and eventually finish at 130 or 140, much like you do in T20 cricket," he added.

According to Suryakumar, the challenge was not simply about batting in a different format. He struggled to work out exactly how he needed to construct an innings in ODI cricket, particularly in the middle order.
Suryakumar revealed that he knew he was likely to occupy a middle-order role, but failed to put the same level of preparation into ODI cricket that he now gives T20 cricket.

"Personally, I feel I could not crack how to approach that format. I knew I was probably going to bat at No. 5 or 6, but even then, I did not work hard enough to understand the format. By the time I could blink, those 20-25 games had gone. I don't even know when it happened or how it went by. And yes, I definitely regret not playing more ODI cricket. I wonde

23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst will miss the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona on Aug. 29, the race team announced hours before the green flag.
Herbst, the driver of the No. 35 Toyota, won't race after waking up on race day morning with "lingering effects from last week's incident" at New Hampshire.
Harrison Burton will race in the No. 35 for the ******* e Zero Sugar 400. Herbst had qualified the car in fifth, but Burton will have to move to the rear of the field due to the driver change.
"After a strong effort in qualifying yesterday, Riley woke up with lingering effects from last week's incident and, along with the team, decided it was in his best interest to step out of the car for tonight's race at Daytona International Speedway," the team said in a statement on social media.
Herbst, 27, crashed hard in turn 3 at New Hampshire after contact from Michael McDowell.

#driver

Jamal Musiala used to be the fun, new at Bayern Munich that could do no wrong. He twisted and turned past all the defenders with his mesmerizing dribbling and dazzled the crowds with the #42 on his back.
That time is over now, though. Musiala has given up the #42 for the #10 for both club and country while becoming one of Bayern's biggest earners and most important players all at the same time. With this added pressure comes the need to perform despite that baggage.
However, Musiala has a system for dealing with this pressure. Speaking to Sport Bild (as captured by iMiaSanMia), he elaborates on what he does: "I need no pressure from outside because I put enough pressure on myself. What I say about myself carries more weight than what others say. That naturally influences your self-image. When I make a mistake and then dwell on it too much, it doesn't help me. I try to stay calm and keep a cool head."
Bayern Munich will hope Musiala can take that cool head and use it to catch fire in the 2026/27 season. Of course, the recent developments with his "neurological absences" have cause concern for fans, but Musiala appears confident that he can overcome the ailment and get back to his old self soon.
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#self

The Washington Commanders will play their third preseason game on Friday evening against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. It's a mere hop, skip, and jump away from where the Commanders play in Landover, so while it's an away game, there's very little travel involved.
Ahead of their Friday evening preseason game, the Commanders and Ravens held a joint practice, and it wasn't pretty for the burgundy and gold. Most of the practice was dominated by the Ravens, save for the end of the day when the Commanders seemed to figure things out. After practice, right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. spoke with reporters about the day.
First, Conerly is asked for his ***** sment of the joint practice. "A little bit of ups and downs from our side," Conerly said.
"Overall, I feel our communication was right, and we were flowing. We started out slow, and then picking it up, picking it up, and we finished alright." He saw some positives in their communication and pass protection, but mentioned the run game needed some attention.
"Really just getting the call a little bit more. I feel like we were just out of sync a little bit with our combos, and there was a little bit of mix-up in the lineup as well. So there were some guys next to each other that haven't worked next to each other at all this whole camp. But we made it work, and we got going eventually."

#little #conerly #Friday #preseason

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan has warned that the country could find it increasingly difficult to arrange bilateral series with top teams if the national side continues to struggle. Moin, who played 69 Tests and 219 ODIs for Pakistan, also criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the national selectors for the way the cricket system has been handled in recent years.
Moin said Pakistan have struggled across formats, particularly in Test cricket. He fears the situation could get worse if the team's poor results continue.

"We have been struggling in all formats but notably in test matches and if this trend continues I am afraid people will lose interest in Pakistan cricket," Moin said on a podcast.

He warned that Pakistan could slip down the cricketing order and face problems in attracting top teams for bilateral series.

"We might find ourselves relegated to the bottom half of the cricket world finding it difficult to get bilateral series with top teams.

"I blame the frequent changes being made by the board in the cricket system including appointments/removal of captains, coaches, players and the inexplicable calls made by the national selectors.

"Unless you don't have continuity, stability and faith in a captain, coach or players, how can you expect to achieve good results," he said.
Moin said repeated changes in domestic cricket and the national team have affected Pakistan badly. According to him, the uncertainty has also resulted in players losing confidence in the system.

The former wicketkeeper-batter also said the PCB often makes decisions based on the people in power at a particular time rather than following a consistent institutional approach.

"Whenever a chairman and management team is changed you see things change in our cricket system which are not necessarily productive. So where is the stability?," he asked.
Moin also held some of the players responsible for the current situation. He expressed disappointment with the approach of players who, according to him, are not spending enough time improving their skills and cricketing temperament.

"I don't want to harp on the past but to me it seems most players nowadays don't give enough time to developing their skills and cricket temperament. It is more about how much money we can make in leagues rather than setting and reaching personal goals of excellence as a cricketer."

He said financial rewards would follow if a player first focused on performing successfully for the national team.

"When I played we earned in lakhs. Nowadays players earn in crores but players must also remember nothing is greater than playing for your country with success."
Moin said he had given similar advice to his son, Azam Khan, who has played T20 internationals for Pakistan. He said representing the country should take priority over private leagues.

"I guess priorities have changed for players now. The PCB and selectors have not helped by devaluing the P

The New York Giants have one preseason game left before the 53-man cutdown. Many players on the back end of the roster received ample playing time in the Giants' 26-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Josh Ezeudu played 47 snaps for the Giants in Miami and was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2028 seventh-round pick. Some possible starters received snaps, but most of the first-team rested.
Nevertheless, we saw a Jameis Winston rushing touchdown, 81 J.C. Davis snaps, and a suffocating defense versus a Malik Willis-less — already bad — Dolphins' offense. Here are some tales from the timeline after preseason Week 2.
Arvell Reese played 10 snaps for the Giants and showed his physicality against the Dolphins' 21 personnel package; Reese took on the fullback at the line of scrimmage and created no rushing room in the B-Gap. Reese's fit in the 4-hole to the weak side forced Jaylen Wright (5) into the arms of three Giants' defenders. The upgrade at linebacker for the Giants will secure the continuity of the defense, which should inspire discipline and confidence.
Tyler Nubin (27) breaks on a football just outside his opposite hash. New York ran Cover-2 third-and-10, and Nubin initially opened to his deep half responsibility, but quickly turned to almost intercept the seam pass. Tyler Nubin tied the Minnesota Golden Gophers' interception record with 13 and has yet to secure a regular-season interception through two seasons.
Dru Phillips (22) has always been effective around the line of scrimmage. He's had 63 STOPs over his two-year career. He surrendered a 30-yard catch earlier in the drive above, but he bounced back by showcasing his strength. He does, though, need to get better in coverage to earn a larger snap share in Wilson's scheme.

#Giants #tyler #back

Enes Kanter Freedom is banned from Chicago Sky games at Wintrust Arena.
In a rare interview with Chicago-based media members, Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter denounced the actions of former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who attended Sunday's game at Wintrust Arena between the Sky and Indiana Fever.
"It was pretty clear to us that his purpose of coming here was trying to be provocative and just see how much attention he could get," Alter told reporters.
Freedom was removed from the third quarter of Sunday's game after an altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. Weeks before Sunday's game, Freedom, an 11-year NBA veteran who last played in 2022, declared for the 2027 WNBA draft, claiming he identifies as a woman.
Alter said Freedom is not allowed back into Wintrust Arena "unless sometime in the future, he's able to prove to us that he's able to abide by our rules without being a potential threat." A Sky spokesperson confirmed Freedom is banned indefinitely from the team's home games.

#freedom

Botafogo lost to Athletico-PR 3-2 on Monday night (24) in a match valid for the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship. Alvinegro's two goals were scored by Santi Rodríguez in the 39th and 46th minutes of the second half.
Botafogo's next match is on Sunday (30), at 4:00 p.m., against Flamengo, in the 25th round of the Brasileirão, at the Maracanã.
MATCH DETAILS:
Date and Time: 08/24/2026 (Monday), at 8:00 p.m. Venue: Nilton Santos Stadium
Referee: André Luiz Skettino Policarpo Bento (MG) **** istant 1: Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO) **** istant 2: Joverton Wesley de Souza Lima (RO) 4th official: João Paulo Cunha Ribeiro (GO) VAR: Pablo Ramon Gonçalves Pinheiro (RN)

#Monday #assistant #round #rodr

Sean McDonough has called college football in some capacity since George H.W. Bush was in office. And after spending nearly four decades inside every major cathedral the country has to offer, he's come to the conclusion that Ole Miss is home to the worst broadcast booth in the sport.
"The booth is tiny," McDonough said in a recent appearance on The Brandon Walker College Football Show, explaining that Vaught-Hemingway Stadium's press box used to have more room before the athletic department reclaimed seats from it. "To the point where our stats guy has to be behind us, because it's not wide enough for myself, the spotter, Greg McElroy, Zach, our spotter, and me. There can't be a fourth person, because it's not wide enough."
Cramped quarters aren't even the worst of it. McDonough said the booth's angle relative to the field turns Ole Miss's frequent noon ET kickoffs into their own kind of miserable.
"You're a little to the left of the 50-yard line, but we have a lot of those noon Eastern starts there, which are 11 Central, and the sun is hitting you right in the face," he said. "I don't like to wear sunglasses on TV, because you look like you're doing a Hollywood shot, but you almost have to there when the game starts, because you're just getting blasted in the face. It's just a really uncomfortable place to do a game."
McDonough is entering his fourth straight season alongside McElroy on ESPN's No. 2 college football broadcast team,
with Katie George stepping in as their new sideline reporter in place of Molly McGrath, who moved to an NFL-focused role. That booth was voted No. 1 in Awful Announcing's 2025 college football announcer rankings, drawing the highest raw number of A grades of any crew in the poll, and McDonough was individually named the National Sportscaster of the Year.

#broadcast

Hannah McNair is hyping up Houston Texans fans ahead of the 2026 NFL campaign. McNair, who is married to principal owner Cal McNair, serves as the Chief Community Officer and Vice President of the Houston Texans Foundation.
In a recent video, it looks like she's taking community outreach to a new level.
McNair was spotted mingling with some fans when she showcased her love of Houston by breaking out the iconic Southside dance. The dance was created by the 1997 Houston hip-hop anthem "Southside," by Lil Keke.
Once she broke out the move and went viral, the internet and Texans fanbase lost its collective mind.
MORE: Predicting the AFC playoff teams ahead of the 2026-2027 NFL season

#community #fans

Eric Garcia says Hansi Flick wants him to play at full-back this season for Barcelona after Wednesday's Gamper Trophy win over Al Ahly.
The versatile Barcelona star has played at full-back, center-back and in midfield during his time with the Catalan giants and is expecting to be on the flank in the 2026-26 campaign.
"The manager told me he'd like to try me out there this year. It's a position I'm happy in. I already told him I'd be happy wherever I played. I feel good at full-back," said. "It's a privilege for me to be one of the captains, even if it's just for now."
Eric also spoke about the No. 9 position and feels Barcelona can cope without a new striker but would welcome any more new additions before the transfer window closes.
"Both of our center forwards have left. I think we have plenty of options up front. Anthony (Gordon) can play there, Karim (Adeyemi), Rapha has played there; even Lamine," he added.

#back #position

After finishing a disappointing ninth in the Women's Super League last season, Aston Villa have freshened things up by adding Scandinavian talent to their squad.
Players from Scandinavia are no novelty in the WSL, it is a well-sailed passage across the North Sea for players from the region.
But Villa signing four Scandinavian players this summer - three from Norway and one from Denmark - among eight senior arrivals, having previously had none, is notable.
The total number of senior players from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark in the WSL is 42 across 14 clubs, and Villa now have the fourth largest contingent behind Tottenham (10), Manchester United (seven) and Liverpool (six).
Manager Natalie Arroyo and the Villa recruitment team have turned to Scandinavia to help plug senior squad gaps left by the departures of Kirsty Hanson to Spurs and Ebony Salmon to West Ham, and the retirement of Lucy Staniforth, among others.

#players #norway #denmark #super

For Kentucky Basketball's 15th and final roster spot, Mark Mitchell is priority No. 1 for now, while names like Jaxon Kohler and Keyshawn Hall are other potential transfer candidates to fill that spot.
We now have another name that's worth monitoring for the Wildcats.
On Tuesday, On3's Joe Tipton reported that Yale forward Nick Townsend would enter the transfer portal. The 2026 Ivy League Player of the Year instantly becomes one of the best available players following a four-year career with the Bulldogs.
Now, there's been nothing connecting Kentucky to Townsend just yet, but on paper, he looks like someone who Mark Pope should be taking a hard look at.
A 6-foot-7, 240-pound native of Chappaqua, New York, Townsend averaged 16.3 points on 51.1% shooting (46.3% on 3.2 3-point attempts per game), 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 ****** ists, and 1.1 steals across 33.4 minutes per contest. He shot 48.3% from deep on 1.9 attempts per outing in the 2024-25 season. A big man who can ****** e the floor is something Pope loves having, especially when said player is hitting nearly half of his 3-point attempts.

#townsend #spot

Indianapolis Colts fans may not have cracked the top half of a new overall NFL fandom ranking, but they rose to the surface when it came to engaging with their team online.
Nielsen unveiled its inaugural Scarborough NFL Fandom Index this month, evaluating NFL markets through eight different measures of fan engagement.
Indianapolis finished 17th overall in the index, but ranked fourth among NFL markets in social media engagement, via the Nielsen data.
Nielsen specifically described Indianapolis as a "social-media-forward market."
The study considered apparel purchases, general interest, attendance at live events, betting intent, social media engagement, radio listening, streaming habits and traditional television viewership.

#engagement

Looking to gear up in Adidas swag?
Colorado State officially announced Aug. 4 a switch in apparel provider from Under Armour to Adidas.
It was a hurried change that took place over a matter of months, rather than the course of roughly a year as is usually the case in a move like this.
Given the quick turn, CSU athletic director John Weber told the Coloradoan "our public Adidas merchandise will be a bit limited" to begin, with more inventory rolling out in the coming months.
But there is Adidas gear to be found. Where? The Coloradoan checked it out and here's what we found.

#months #Colorado

FC Basel 2-5 FC Barcelona: Five at Sankt Jakob-Park – FC Barcelona
Adeyemi scores on his first start, Bisiwu bags a late brace and Lamine Yamal returns with a goal and an ***** ist as the Blaugrana win 5-2 in Switzerland.
HIGHLIGHTS | Basel v Barça – FC Barcelona
All the action from the preseason friendly in Switzerland.
Hansi Flick: 'A good test and a good result' – FC Barcelona
The Barça coach and new boy Adeyemi react to the big win against FC Basel.
Adeyemi and Bisiwu score first goals for FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona
German scores first of the five in Basel and Belgian comes on to score a speedy brace late in the game.
Anthony Gordon makes FC Barcelona debut – FC Barcelona
The English winger completes his first 45 minutes as a Blaugrana with glimpses of his strength and pace.

#Barcelona #bisiwu #switzerland #scores

The Colorado Rockies have done it: They've won their 50th game this season, something they have not achieved since they won their 50th game on August 28, 2024.
In honor of this feat, and the excellent community we have here on Purple Row, we'd like to do a giveaway!
To enter, comment with your favorite Rockies win of 2026.
We will select two winners after the game on Sunday, and they will receive one of two Larry Walker bobbleheads.
Since we'll also be celebrating Larry Walker getting a (long-overdue) statue this weekend, it seemed like a perfect time for this particular giveaway.

#game #walker #Colorado

Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney is one of the players that the Nets could sign to an contract extension if the franchise was inclined to keep him in the fold moving forward. When it comes to Brooklyn and how they approach the rest of its rebuild, every decision has to be weighed against what could be so it's fair to wonder if the Nets should extend Clowney.
Keith Smith of Spotrac recently put together a primer of every player that's eligible for an extension this offseason, broken into different aspects of how someone could be extended and when. For someone like Clowney, he is one of 22 players from the 2023 NBA Draft class that is eligible for rookie-scale extensions after San Antonio forward Victor Wembanyama signed his earlier this summer.
"Over the years, Brooklyn has taken care of some of their own drafted-and-developed players, while others haven't been extended. Clowney may be more in the latter camp, like Day'Ron Sharpe was before him," Smith wrote on Clowney earlier this summer when giving his prediction. Granted, Sharpe was re-signed by Brooklyn this offseason on a two-year, $20 million deal so it's fair to wonder if the Nets will go the same way with Clowney.
"The challenge for Clowney is that the rim-protecting, stretch-big archetype is still there, but it's also still unrealized," Smith continued with his prediction. "If he had shown just a bit more consistency on both ends, an extension might have come. As it is, the Nets will continue to prioritize flexibility and let things play out to restricted free agency in 2027."
Smith predicted earlier in the summer that Clowney would not be signed to his rookie-scale extension, but that doesn't mean that his future with Brooklyn ends after this season if an extension is not reached. Clowney, 22, is coming off the best season of his three-year career as he averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 ***** ists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from behind the three-point line last season for the Nets.

#Nets