“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
ATLANTA 12 LA ANGELS 5
DETROIT 6 PITTSBURGH 3
ST. LOUIS 7 MINNESOTA 3
KANSAS CITY 4 NY METS 0
LA DODGERS 10 OAKLAND 1
HOUSTON 3 CLEVELAND 2
SEATTLE 6 BOSTON 3
NY YANKEES 7 TAMPA BAY 2
TORONTO 4 BALTIMORE 1
TEXAS 11 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1
WASHINGTON 3 MILWAUKEE 2
SAN DIEGO 11 COLORADO 1
MIAMI 9 PHILADELPHIA 8 (12)
CHICAGO CUBS 16 CINCINNATI 6
SAN FRANCISCO 4 ARIZONA 2
BOX SCORES: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/scoreboard.asp
STATS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/index.asp
PLAYER NEWS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/news.asp
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
GWINNETT 6 INDIANAPOLIS 0
WISCONSIN 4 SOUTH BEND 2
GREAT LAKES 5 FORT WAYNE 2
WNBA
DALLAS 76 SEATTLE 65
TRANSACTIONS
BASEBALL
Major League Baseball
American League
CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Recalled RHP Jimmy Lambert from Charlotte (IL).
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Recalled SS Brayan Roccho from Columbus (IL).
HOUSTON ASTROS — Recalled RHP Ronel Blanco from Sugar Land (IL). Optioned LHP Matt Gage to Sugar Land.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Activated RHP Dominic Leone. Optioned RHP Victor Mederos to Rocket City (FSL).
NEW YORK YANKEES — Announced OF Willie Calhoun elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment.
National League
ATLANTA BRAVES — Placed RHP Daysbel Hernandez on the 15-day IL, retroactive to August 1. Activated LHP Brad Hand.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Reinstated LHP Wade Miley from the 15-dy IL. Optioned SS Owen Miller to Nashville (IL).
NEW YORK METS — Sent RHP Edwin Uceta to the Florida Complex League (FCL) on a rehab assignment.
SAN DIEGO PADRES — Activated DH Ji Man Choi and 1B Garrett Cooper. Placed RHP Alek Jacob on the 15-day IL. Designated RHP Brent Honeywell for assignment. Recalled LHP Ray Kerr from El Paso (PCL). Optioned C Brett Sullivan to El Paso.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Activated LHP Robert Garcia. Optioned RHP Hobie Harris to Rochester (IL).
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association.
NBA — Suspended San Antonio G Devonte’ Graham for two games without pay for pleading guilty to a charge of impaired driving.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — Promoted Josh Dershon to director of basketball intelligence/assistant general manager of the Iowa Wolves, Jeff Newton to assistant coach/quality control coach and James White to player development assistant.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
DENVER BRONCOS — Placed WR Tim Patrick on injured reserve.
DETROIT LIONS — Signed TEs Darrell Daniels and Daniel Helm. Placed CB Emmanuel Mosely on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Waived TE Derrick Deese Jr.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Signed TE Jacob Hollister.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Signed OL Tommy Kraemer. Waived OT Scot Lashley with an injury designation.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Placed CB Cory Trice on injured reserve. Signed S Trenton Thompson and CB Isaiah Dunn. Waived RB Alfonzo Graham with an injury designation.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
ANAHEIM DUCKS — Signed RW Troy Terry to a seven-year contract,
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Signed LW Drew O’Connor to a two-year contract.
Minor League Hockey
ECHL
WORCESTER RAILERS — Signed F Blade Jenkins.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
PHILADELPHIA UNION — Signed F Tai Baribo to a two-and-a-half-year contract, pending receipt of his international transfer certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa.
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC — Signed M Ranko Veselinovic to a contract extension through 2026.
INDIANA SRN VOLLEYBALL AREA WATCH LIST
REESE DUNKLE, CENTER GROVE (NORTHWESTERN)
DAKOTA ELLIOTT, PERRY MERIDIAN
ZYON FRANCIS, FRANKLIN CENTRAL
BREONNA GOSS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (DUKE)
RYLEIGH HAMILTON, SOUTHPORT
SCARLETT KIMBRELL, FRANKLIN
REESE RESMER, NOBLESVILLE
RILEY RESMER, NOBLESVILLE (HARVARD)
MIKALA ROSS, PENDLETON HEIGHTS
TIFFANY SNOOK, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (MEMPHIS)
ABBY SOLLENBERGER, BROWNSBURG
LOGAN BELL, RONCALLI OREGON)
RAEGAN DURBIN, WESTERN BOONE
LAUREN EVANS, CARMEL (BUTLER)
HADLEIGH FILIPOVICH, LUTHERAN
LAUREN HARDEN, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
TAYLOR LEWIS, CATHEDRAL (VILLANOVA)
ALEXIS MAESCH, AVON
LINDSEY MANGELSON, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (INDIANA STATE)
SOPHIA MAYO, PERRY MERIDIAN (FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL)
LAUREN PASKA, LAPEL
ISABELLE POEHLEIN, ZIONSVILLE (BOSTON COLLEGE)
ALALEH TOLLIVER, NORTH CENTRAL (BUTLER)
AVA UTTERBACK, PLAINFIELD (LOUISVILLE)
ISABELLE BROWN, AVON
MADISON BROWN, NOBLESVILLE
ABBY GRAVES, FRANKLIN CENTRAL
MACY HINSHAW, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (SANTA CLARA)
AVA HUNTER, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
EMERY MOORE, NORTH CENTRAL (PENN)
MAKENNA RANKINS, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL
JANIE RANSOM, WESTERN BOONE
LEAH RICHMOND, LAWRENCE NORTH (WESTERN MICHIGAN)
AYSA THOMAS, BROWNSBURG
KENNEDY URBAN, FRANKLIN
KAMRYN UTLEY, CATHEDRAL
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
| BOYLE COUNTY (KY.) | AT | GIBSON SOUTHERN | 6:00 PM | ||
| CENTER GROVE | VS. | ST. EDWARD (OHIO) | 12:05 AM | ||
| SOUTHSIDE HOMESCHOOL | AT | PHALEN ACADEMY | 5:00 PM |
HSFA’S TOP HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECRUITS IN CLASS OF ’25
(HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AMERICA…highschoolfootballamerica.com)
No. 1 Bryce Underwood, QB – Belleville (Michigan) – Uncommitted
No. 2 Ryan Williams, WR – Saraland (Alabama) – Alabama
No. 3 Elijah Griffin, DL – Savannah Christian (Georgia) – Uncommitted
No. 4 Armondo Blount, DL – Miami Central (Florida) – Uncommitted
No. 5 Devin Sanchez, CB – North Shore (Texas) – Uncommitted
No. 7 David Sanders, OT – Providence Day (North Carolina) – Uncommitted
No. 8 Elyiss Williams, TE – Camden County (Georgia) – Georgia
No. 9 Jordan Davison, RB – Mater Dei (California) – Uncommitted
No. 10 Jaime Ffrench, WR – Mandarin (Florida) – Alabama
No. 11 Na’eem Offord, CB – Parker (Birmingham, Alabama) – Uncommitted
No. 12 George MacIntyre, QB – Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) – Uncommitted
No. 13 Zayden Walker, EDGE – Schley County (Georgia) – Uncommitted
No. 14 Caleb Cunningham, WR – Choctaw County (Mississippi) – Uncommitted
No. 15 Chris Ewald, CB – Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) – Michigan
No. 16 Micah DeBose, OT – Vigor (Alabama) – Georgia
No. 17 DJ Pickett, S – Zephyrhills (Florida) – Uncommitted
No. 18 KJ Lacy, QB – Saraland (Alabama) – Texas
No. 19 Nasir Wyatt, LB – Mater Dei (California) – Uncommitted
No. 20 Andrew Marsh, WR – Katy Jordan (Texas) – Uncommitted
No. 21 Justus Terry, DL – Manchester (Georgia) – Georgia
No. 22 Dakorien Moore, WR – Duncanville (Texas) – Uncommitted
No. 23 Iose Epenesa, DL – Edwardsville (Illinois) – Uncommitted
No. 24 Donovan Johnson, RB – IMG Academy (Florida) – Uncommitted
No. 25 Anquon Fegans, S – Thompson (Alabama) – USC
BIG 10 WEEKLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA
WEEK 2
MARYLAND VS. CHARLOTTE
PENN STATE VS. DELAWARE
MINNESOTA VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS AT KANSAS
INDIANA VS. INDIANA STATE
IOWA AT IOWA STATE
NEBRASKA AT COLORADO
PURDUE AT VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. RICHMOND
RUTGERS VS. TEMPLE
MICHIGAN VS. UNLV
NORTHWESTERN VS. UTEP
WISCONSIN AT WASHINGTON STATE
OHIO STATE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
WEEK 3
MICHIGAN VS. BOWLING GREEN
WISCONSIN VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
INDIANA VS. LOUISVILLE (IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN)
MINNESOTA AT NORTH CAROLINA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN AT DUKE
ILLINOIS VS. PENN STATE
PURDUE VS. SYRACUSE
MARYLAND VS. VIRGINIA
RUTGERS VS. VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. WASHINGTON
IOWA VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY
WEEK 4
INDIANA VS. AKRON
ILLINOIS VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC
PENN STATE VS. IOWA
NEBRASKA VS. LOUISIANA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MARYLAND
NORTHWESTERN VS. MINNESOTA
OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME
MICHIGAN VS. RUTGERS
PURDUE VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 5
PURDUE VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. INDIANA
MINNESOTA VS. LOUISIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
NORTHWESTERN VS. PENN STATE
RUTGERS VS. WAGNER
WEEK 6
NORTHWESTERN VS. HOWARD
OHIO STATE VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS VS. NEBRASKA
IOWA VS. PURDUE
WISCONSIN VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 7
MARYLAND VS. ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN VS. INDIANA
WISCONSIN VS. IOWA
RUTGERS VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. OHIO STATE
PENN STATE VS. UMASS
WEEK 8
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MINNESOTA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHWESTERN
OHIO STATE VS. PENN STATE
INDIANA VS. RUTGERS
ILLINOIS VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 9
PENN STATE VS. INDIANA
NORTHWESTERN VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
WISCONSIN VS. OHIO STATE
NEBRASKA VS. PURDUE
WEEK 10
MINNESOTA VS. ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN VS. IOWA (IN CHICAGO, IL)
MICHIGAN STATE VS. NEBRASKA
RUTGERS VS. OHIO STATE
MARYLAND VS. PENN STATE
MICHIGAN VS. PURDUE
INDIANA VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 11
ILLINOIS VS. INDIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MARYLAND
PENN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NORTHWESTERN
IOWA VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 12
IOWA VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. MICHIGAN
INDIANA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
OHIO STATE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NEBRASKA
NORTHWESTERN VS. PURDUE
PENN STATE VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 13
NEBRASKA VS. IOWA
FRIDAY, NOV. 24
PURDUE VS. INDIANA
RUTGERS VS. MARYLAND
ILLINOIS VS. NORTHWESTERN
MICHIGAN VS. OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN STATE VS. PENN STATE
MINNESOTA VS. WISCONSIN
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 0
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
NOTRE DAME VS. NAVY (DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 2:30 P.M. | NBC
MERCER VS. NORTH ALABAMA (MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE VS. UTEP | 5:30 P.M. | CBSSN
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. UMASS | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. OHIO | 7 P.M. | FS1
VANDERBILT VS. HAWAI’I | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
JACKSON STATE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
USC VS. SAN JOSE STATE | 8 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
LOUISIANA TECH VS. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 9 P.M. | CBSSN
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WAKE FOREST VS. ELON | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UCF VS. KENT STATE | 7 P.M. | FS1
GEORGIA STATE VS. RHODE ISLAND | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN VS. ST. FRANCIS (PA) | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN VS. NC STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA | 8 P.M. | FOX
MISSOURI VS. SOUTH DAKOTA | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH VS. FLORIDA | 8 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UAB VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE VS. SOUTHERN UTAH | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. HOWARD | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 7 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) VS. MIAMI (OHIO) | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH VS. LOUISVILLE (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
KANSAS VS. MISSOURI STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I VS. STANFORD | 11 P.M. | CBSSN
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1
KENTUCKY VS. BALL STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
LIBERTY VS. BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SMU VS. LOUISIANA TECH | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
TENNESSEE VS. VIRGINIA (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE) | 12 P.M. | ABC
TCU VS. COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OKLAHOMA VS. ARKANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN
OLE MISS VS. MERCER | 2 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
IOWA STATE VS. UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TEMPLE VS. AKRON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO VS. LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
AIR FORCE VS. ROBERT MORRIS | 2 P.M. | ALTITUDE SPORTS
OREGON VS. PORTLAND STATE | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
AUBURN VS. UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
WESTERN KENTUCKY VS. SOUTH FLORIDA | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
WASHINGTON VS. BOISE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
PITT VS. WOFFORD | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
CINCINNATI VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS VS. RICE | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
APPALACHIAN STATE VS. GARDNER-WEBB | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS VS. WESTERN CAROLINA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS VS. CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
SYRACUSE VS. COLGATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
GEORGIA VS. UT MARTIN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
CHARLOTTE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. MONMOUTH | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN VS. THE CITADEL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
JAMES MADISON VS. BUCKNELL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL VS. ALBANY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. MAINE | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
USC VS. NEVADA | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
TEXAS A&M VS. NEW MEXICO | 7 P.M. | ESPN
UL MONROE VS. ARMY | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
VANDERBILT VS. ALABAMA A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
COLORADO STATE VS. WASHINGTON STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
BAYLOR VS. TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON VS. UTSA | 7 P.M. | FS1
KANSAS STATE VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE VS. CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS VS. ALCORN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. NORTH CAROLINA (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
WYOMING VS. TEXAS TECH | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
LOUISIANA VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH VS. OLD DOMINION | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TULANE VS. SOUTH ALABAMA | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP VS. UIW | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
BYU VS. SAM HOUSTON | 10:15 P.M. | FS1
UCLA VS. COASTAL CAROLINA | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. IDAHO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | CBS
SAN JOSE STATE VS. OREGON STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
FLORIDA STATE VS. LSU (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
DUKE VS. CLEMSON | 8 P.M. | ESPN
NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – AUGUST 3
N.Y. JETS VS. CLEVELAND (NBC), 8:00
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10
HOUSTON AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:00
MINNESOTA AT SEATTLE, 10:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11
N.Y. GIANTS AT DETROIT, 7:00
GREEN BAY AT CINCINNATI, 7:00
ATLANTA AT MIAMI, 7:00
PITTSBURGH AT TAMPA BAY, 7:00
WASHINGTON AT CLEVELAND, 7:30
DENVER AT ARIZONA, 10:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
INDIANAPOLIS AT BUFFALO, 1:00
TENNESSEE AT CHICAGO, 1:00
N.Y. JETS AT CAROLINA, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT DALLAS, 5:00
PHILADELPHIA AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
L.A. CHARGERS AT L.A. RAMS, 9:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13
KANSAS CITY AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 4:00
WEEK 2
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18
CAROLINA AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT ATLANTA, 7:30
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19
JACKSONVILLE AT DETROIT, 1:00
MIAMI AT HOUSTON, 4:00
BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH, 6:30
CHICAGO AT INDIANAPOLIS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
TENNESSEE AT MINNESOTA, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT L.A. RAMS, 9:00
DALLAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 7:05
MONDAY, AUGUST 21
BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00
WEEK 3
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24
PITTSBURGH AT ATLANTA, 7:30
INDIANAPOLIS AT PHILADELPHIA (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25
DETROIT AT CAROLINA (CBS), 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT TENNESSEE, 8:15
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 10:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT KANSAS CITY, 1:00
ARIZONA AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 6:00
CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON, 6:05
MIAMI AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
BALTIMORE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:00
LAS VEGAS AT DALLAS, 8:00
L.A. RAMS AT DENVER, 9:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 27
HOUSTON AT NEW ORLEANS (FOX), 8:00
WEEK 1 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
DETROIT LIONS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (THU) 7:20P (CT) 8:20P NBC
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
HOUSTON TEXANS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX
DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC
BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN/ABC
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: MARLINS RALLY REPEATEDLY, BEAT PHILS IN 12
Jesus Sanchez hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning as the Miami Marlins rallied multiple times to defeat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 on Wednesday night.
The Marlins trailed 5-0 in the sixth but came back to tie the game in the ninth. They also fell behind in the 10th and 11th innings before winning on Sanchez’s bloop hit. The teams scored a combined seven runs in extra innings.
Alec Bohm went 4-for-6 with three RBIs, including a run-scoring single in the 11th, for the Phillies. Brandon Marsh slugged a two-run homer in the top of the 10th.
Miami’s Jorge Soler tied the score 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer.
Cubs 16, Reds 6
Dansby Swanson homered for the fourth time in three days, newcomer Jeimer Candelario recorded his second straight four-hit game and host Chicago routed Cincinnati for the second night in a row.
Christopher Morel homered and drove in three runs, Ian Happ clubbed two late solo homers and Seiya Suzuki also went deep for the Cubs, who overcame deficits of 3-0 and 5-2 to win for the 12th time in 15 games and set a team record with 36 runs in a two-game span. They won 20-9 on Tuesday.
Chicago’s starter, Drew Smyly, went 4 2/3 inning and gave up five runs on six hits, including three homers. Winning pitcher Michael Fulmer (2-5) and three more Cubs relievers held Cincinnati to one run from there. Cincinnati reliever Buck Farmer (3-5) took the loss.
Braves 12, Angels 5
Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley homered and Matt Olson added his National League-leading 37th blast to pace host Atlanta over Los Angeles in the deciding game of a three-game series.
The three home runs, which gave Atlanta six for the series, increased their major-league-best total to 206.
Acuna was 0-for-6 in the series before he went deep against Lucas Giolito with one out and two on in the third inning to break a scoreless tie. Acuna finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs. Riley and Olson hit back-to-back homers to highlight a six-run fourth inning. It was the sixth time the two have hit consecutive homers this season.
Giants 4, Diamondbacks 2
J.D. Davis lined a tiebreaking, two-run double in the sixth inning and host San Francisco rode the big arm of Logan Webb to a victory over Arizona.
The Giants won for the fourth time in five games, while the Diamondbacks lost for the third time in four games.
Webb (9-9) went seven innings and allowed only a pair of first-inning runs. Camilo Doval tossed a perfect ninth to pick up his 32nd save. Diamondbacks reliever Tyler Gilbert (0-2) took the loss after yielding two runs in his lone inning.
Dodgers 10, A’s 1
Amed Rosario hit his first home run as a member of the Dodgers and Miguel Rojas went deep for the first time in more than a year as Los Angeles powered to a victory over visiting Oakland.
Mookie Betts and Jason Heyward each added a home run while Freddie Freeman had three hits for the Dodgers, who will try to sweep the three-game series on Thursday. Los Angeles’ Tony Gonsolin (6-4) gave up one run on five hits over five innings.
Shea Langeliers hit a home run for the A’s, who fell to 2-5 on a three-city, eight-game road trip that concludes Thursday.
Nationals 3, Brewers 2
Aided by two errors, host Washington scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a win over Milwaukee.
Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams (5-3) inherited a 2-1 lead to start the final inning but never recorded an out. With the bases loaded, Alex Call hit a grounder to third, but the Brewers’ Andruw Monasterio threw wildly to the plate seeking a forceout, and two runs scored.
The Brewers had the late lead thanks to an opposite-field RBI double down the left field line in the sixth inning by Christian Yelich.
Astros 3, Guardians 2
Chas McCormick clubbed a pair of homers and drove in three runs as host Houston edged Cleveland to complete a three-game sweep.
McCormick hit a two-run blast in the second and later broke a 2-2 tie with a solo shot in the sixth. Yainer Diaz went 2-for-4 for the Astros, who have won four of their last five games. Reliever Phil Maton (3-3) threw one scoreless inning for the win.
Oscar Gonzalez had three hits for the Guardians. Reliever Nick Sandlin (5-4) took the loss.
Cardinals 7, Twins 3
Alec Burleson hit a three-run homer and Lars Nootbaar added a two-run shot as host St. Louis beat Minnesota, the Cardinals’ fourth win in 12 games.
Tyler O’Neill and Jordan Walker added solo homers for the Cardinals, while Dakota Hudson (2-0) made a successful return to the rotation, allowing three runs on two hits over seven innings while replacing Jack Flaherty, who was traded this week.
Matt Wallner hit a three-run homer for the Twins, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. Joe Ryan (9-8) allowed seven runs on nine hits, including four homers, in four innings. Ryan has served up eight homers in his past three games.
Mariners 6, Red Sox 3
Julio Rodriguez’s broken-bat single brought home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and capped the rally with a steal of home as Seattle defeated visiting Boston.
The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh homered for the fifth time in six games against Boston this season. Seattle took two of three games between the American League wild-card contenders.
Matt Brash (7-3) pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the victory, and Andres Munoz worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save. Boston reliever John Schreiber (1-1) took the loss.
Padres 11, Rockies 1
Gary Sanchez homered twice and finished with three hits, Juan Soto and Ha-Seong Kim also went deep and finished with two hits apiece as San Diego beat Colorado in Denver.
Fernando Tatis Jr. added a three-run homer, and Xander Bogaerts had three hits for the Padres, who have won five of their past six games.
San Diego’s scheduled starter, Joe Musgrove, was a late scratch due to soreness in his pitching shoulder. Nick Martinez served as the opener and tossed three shutout innings before giving way to Ray Kerr (1-1), who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso earlier in the day.
Tigers 6, Pirates 3
Zack Short drove in three runs with a double and a single as Detroit held on to win at Pittsburgh for a split of a two-game series.
Riley Greene and Jake Rogers hit solo home runs and Javier Baez had an RBI single for the Tigers, who had lost six of their previous seven games.
Detroit starter Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5) pitched six innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. The outing came one day after Rodriguez declined a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Blue Jays 4, Orioles 1
Toronto scored three runs in the sixth inning without a hit and defeated visiting Baltimore.
The Blue Jays took the lead on three walks, two hit batters and an error, all with two outs. The victory was only the second in nine games for Toronto against the Orioles this season.
Toronto left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (9-3) allowed one run on six hits in six innings. Baltimore right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (2-3) gave up three runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Yankees 7, Rays 2
Giancarlo Stanton hit a tiebreaking three-run homer to cap a five-run third inning and tied a season best with four RBIs as New York beat visiting Tampa Bay to avoid a three-game sweep.
Rookie Anthony Volpe hit a game-tying, two-run homer off Shane McClanahan (11-2) to start New York’s big inning. Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (10-2) settled down after a shaky beginning and allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings.
McClanahan allowed five runs and five hits in four innings as the Rays had their three-game winning streak end.
Rangers 11, White Sox 1
Corey Seager and Josh Jung each homered and drove in three runs, leading Texas to a win over Chicago in Arlington, Texas.
Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer and scored three runs for the Rangers. Texas starter Dane Dunning (9-4) tossed 7 2/3 innings, allowing just one run and striking out a season-high 11.
Dylan Cease (4-5) was knocked out after 1 2/3 innings, having matched a season worst by allowing seven runs. Seby Zavala hit a solo home run for the White Sox.
Royals 4, Mets 0
Cole Ragans tossed six scoreless innings in the longest start of his major league career as host Kansas City ran its winning to five games by blanking New York.
Michael Massey laced a two-run double in the first for the Royals, who have won five straight — their longest streak since winning six in a row from July 20-26, 2021. The Mets were shut out for the 10th time this season.
Ragans (3-3), who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha prior to the game, gave up seven hits and one walk while striking out a career-high eight. He was acquired on June 30 as part of the trade that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers.
YANKEES PUT RHP DOMINGO GERMAN (ALCOHOL ABUSE) ON RESTRICTED LIST
The New York Yankees placed right-hander Domingo German on the restricted list on Wednesday due to alcohol abuse.
Earlier this season, German tossed the 24th perfect game in major league history.
“Domingo German has agreed today to voluntarily submit to inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse,” the Yankees said in a statement. “He will be placed on the Restricted List for the time that he is away from the club.
“It is critical that Domingo completely focuses on addressing his health and well-being. We will respect his privacy as he begins this process.”
German, who turns 31 on Friday, is 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA in 20 appearances (19 starts) this season. The highlight was the perfect game in Oakland on June 28.
In May, German was suspended 10 games and fined by Major League Baseball for violating policies regarding the use of foreign substances.
On Monday, German was initially scratched from a start against the Tampa Bay Rays due to armpit discomfort. But he later entered the game and pitched five innings of two-hit ball during a 5-1 loss.
Since his perfect game, German is 0-2 with a 4.61 ERA in five appearances (four starts).
Overall, German is 31-28 with a 4.41 ERA in 112 appearances (89 starts) since reaching the majors with New York in 2017.
German was 18-4 in 2019 before his season ended in September when MLB placed him on administrative leave due to suspected domestic violence. He was suspended for 63 games (making the total 81 for his punishment) in January 2020 and missed the entire COVID-19 shortened season.
New York also added right-hander Keynan Middleton to the active roster one day after acquiring the 29-year-old at the trade deadline.
Middleton had a 2-2 record and a 3.96 ERA in 39 appearances for the Chicago White Sox this season. He has two saves in four opportunities and struck out 47 batters in 36 1/3 innings.
NFL NEWS
HALL OF FAME GAME: JETS-BROWNS PREVIEW, PICK
Never mind that franchise quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson won’t sniff the field Thursday night, the annual Hall of Fame game provides starving fans with live football – and a chance to get in a little action for themselves.
The Cleveland Browns are the “home” team for the preseason kickoff event against the New York Jets in Canton, Ohio, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
QUICK PICK
The Jets have held steady as 1.5-point favorites, and given the heightened expectations, kicking off the preseason with a victory would provide a little extra spark. The line has held steady at BetMGM, where New York has drawn 53 percent of the spread-line bets and 59 percent of the handle.
The Browns have been the more popular play on the moneyline, drawing 59 percent of the total bets at +105, while the Jets have been backed by 53 percent of the money at -125 after opening at +100.
Out of the primary markets, we’ll take the Jets -1.5 points.
BATTLE OF BACKUP QBs
Zach Wilson hasn’t instilled much confidence in Jets fans through his first two NFL seasons, but he will get the starting nod in the preseason opener while Rodgers sits out. Rogers hasn’t taken a preseason snap since 2018, and it’s possible that his first snap for the Jets could come in the Sept. 11 season opener against Buffalo.
Meanwhile, the Browns are going even deeper down their quarterback depth chart with plans to start Kellen Mond, who is battling for a roster spot. Cleveland won’t play starter Deshaun Watson or backup Joshua Dobbs, instead splitting playing time between Mond and fifth-round draft pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who is expected to debut in the second half.
Mond was a third-round draft pick in 2021 by Minnesota, where current Browns coach Kevin Stefanski used to be the offensive coordinator.
“I think Kellen’s done a great job,” Stefanski said. “There was a period of just getting to know him early in the season last year. So he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. I’ve been very impressed with him both in the meeting room and on the practice field. And the fun part for our players, as you know, is to play these games. So I think Kellen’s excited about the opportunity.”
NAME TAGS, PLEASE
With both teams having longer training camps and an extra preseason game, the Jets and Browns are expected to take cautious approaches with their starters. The second half could look more like a USFL all-star game than an NFL contest.
KEY STAT
The Browns will make their sixth appearance in the Hall of Fame Game, with former All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas being enshrined into the Hall on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Jets will make their first appearance since 1992 with cornerback Darrelle Revis and defensive lineman Joe Klecko also headed for the Hall.
RULES WATCH
This will be the first game with the new rules that places any fair catch off a kickoff or safety at the receiving team’s 25-yard line. NFL owners agreed to a one-year trial of the rule, the same as the one used in college since 2018. Players can still return free kicks in an attempt to get beyond the 25-yard line, but the rule’s goal is to reduce injuries suffered on those plays.
THEY SAID IT
“I’m really good when it comes to the cerebral side of football and being able to grasp a playbook, go out there and execute. But this is my first time having to call plays in the huddle, having to get it in a headset and being able to spit it out, and we don’t have the shortest of play calls, so that’s probably the number one thing I’m going to be focusing on for sure. Making sure I can get guys lined up and making sure that everybody’s on the same page.” — Thompson-Robinson on his NFL debut
JAGUARS WR CALVIN RIDLEY CHANGES CLEATS, ALLEVIATES TOE SORENESS AND PRACTICES IN FULL
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley switched cleats Wednesday to alleviate toe soreness.
Coach Doug Pederson initially said Ridley would be limited in training camp because of his achy toe, but Ridley found a solution by wearing different shoes. He responded by taking part in every practice drill, although he dropped at least four passes.
Ridley left practice early on Tuesday, took off his shoulder pads and shoes and chilled on a metal bench. The Jaguars provided no update on him until Pederson addressed reporters before practice Wednesday.
“Just sore. He’ll be fine,” Pederson said. “We were sort of cautionary with him (Tuesday). He’ll be back out there today and we’ll just monitor him and limit the amount of running he’ll do.”
Ridley was the clear star during Jacksonville’s first week of camp. He made crowd-pleasing catches every day and showed little rust after nearly two years away from the game, first to deal with his mental health and then because of a yearlong suspension for gambling on games.
The Jaguars traded for him last October, counting on Ridley to return to form and help build one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.
He caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020 despite dealing with a broken left foot. He had 31 receptions for 281 yards and two scores before sitting out the final two months of the 2021 season to focus on his mental health following a home invasion he detailed in an article for The Players’ Tribune.
Jacksonville limited contact for rookie right tackle Anton Harrison (shoulder soreness) and safety Andre Cisco (hamstring tightness).
CHIEFS AND QB PATRICK MAHOMES WILL BE LEANING ON NEW BUNCH OF UNTESTED WIDE RECEIVERS
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs allowed wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to walk away in free agency, and in their place they signed a couple of relative unknowns while taking a gamble on an injury-prone talent and unproven draft pick.
The expectation this season is that Patrick Mahomes can make it work, just as he has for so many years.
It helps that All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce is still producing at a level that few wide receivers can match, and the Chiefs return a deep backfield led by Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. It also helps that the interior of their offensive line is one of the best in the NFL, which should help give Mahomes time to find all those new options.
Now it’s up to them to catch some passes.
SAINTS’ ALVIN KAMARA EXCUSED FROM PRACTICE TO MEET WITH NFL COMMISSIONER GOODELL
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — New Orleans Saints star running back Alvin Kamara was excused from practice on Wednesday so he could meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York to discuss a recently settled criminal case stemming from a February 2022 fight in Las Vegas.
“It shows initiative on Alvin’s part to want to get out ahead of this and get his side of the story out in terms of visiting with the commissioner,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said after practice. “We felt like, and he felt like, it was the right thing to do.
“I don’t want to really get into all the details,” Allen continued. “We’ll let the process play and then we’ll react to whatever decisions are made.”
Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis have said the Saints have yet to receive an indication of if, or when, the NFL could decide on whether to discipline Kamara, who has been among New Orleans’ leaders in yards from scrimmage since 2017, when he was selected as the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The NFL on Wednesday declined comment on Kamara’s meeting with Goodell or any timeline for potential discipline.
Kamara played throughout the 2022 season while the NFL waited for a resolution to his court case, which also involved cornerback Chris Lammons.
The two players were accused, along with two other defendants, of beating Darnell Greene Jr., of Houston, unconscious following an altercation that spilled out of an elevator and into a hallway.
Kamara and Lammons pleaded no contest on July 11 to misdemeanors and agreed to each pay just more than $100,000 toward Greene’s medical costs. The deal allowed the players to avoid trial and possible prison time after initially being charged with felonies. The plea agreements came in conjunction with a settlement of a civil case Greene filed. Financial terms of that deal remain undisclosed.
Under the NFL’s player conduct policy, the league office may issue suspensions for conduct that is “illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsible puts innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others in the game, and undercuts public respect and support for the NFL.”
A conviction is not required for the NFL to suspend a player. The league reserves the right to take an independent view of available evidence, which in Kamara’s case, includes security video of the fight.
In 15 games last season, Kamara gained 1,387 yards from scrimmage — 897 rushing and 490 receiving. He scored two TDs rushing and caught two scoring passes.
For his career, Kamara has 8,888 yards from scrimmage (5,135 rushing, 3,753 receiving) and has scored 71 TDs (49 rushing, 22 receiving).
Kamara has not done any interviews since training camp began last week, but had participated in every practice of camp until his trip to NFL headquarters in New York.
JETS OFFENSIVE TACKLE MEKHI BECTON IS SET TO PLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 2 YEARS
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mekhi Becton last stepped onto a football field to play in a game nearly two years ago.
It seems more like a lifetime to the New York Jets offensive tackle.
Moments of pain, worry, anger and doubt have marked the past 688 days. But so have hope and an improved outlook, especially during the hundreds of hours of rehab since Becton’s right knee went out during the 2021 season opener in Carolina.
Now, the 24-year-old Becton is ready for his big comeback. It’ll finally come Thursday night in the Jets’ preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
“Yeah, it’s definitely significant,” Becton said. “I’m treating this as if it’s a regular game, for sure. I don’t even care if it’s preseason or whenever.”
In 2020, Becton was the big attraction for the Jets — and not just because it was hard to miss him at 6-foot-7 and 370-plus pounds. The 11th overall pick in the draft that year was a pancaking left tackle who looked every bit a potentially dominant building block for the Jets’ offensive line as a rookie.
Then came that game against the Panthers during which he was carted off the field with a knee injury. He had surgery and came back last summer, but another injury to the same knee in training camp ended his season before it even started. Major knee surgery followed and the comeback was put on hold again.
Until now.
Coach Robert Saleh said Becton will play against the Browns and probably stay in for about 20-25 snaps.
“I’m just ready to go put my hands on somebody else other than a green jersey,” Becton said. “So I’m ready to go. I’m excited.”
Becton, who has played in just 15 of a possible 50 games since he has been with the Jets, has already been labeled a “bust” by some frustrated fans. He saw a lot of what people were saying on social media about him and he acknowledged it was negatively affecting him.
Used to blocking defenders on the field, Becton began blocking the keyboard warriors off it.
“I was trying to get my mental right because you’ve got a lot of people that say stuff about you,” Becton said. “Just trying to not let the words get to me. That’s probably been the hardest part.”
He looks dramatically different from the most recent time he played, dropping his weight from a scale-tipping 400 pounds to a svelte 350 — the lightest he has been since his college days at Louisville.
Becton’s role remains uncertain this season as does his status with the team after the Jets didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on his contract. He’s working at both the right and left tackle spots, but hasn’t practiced with the starting offense during training camp. Becton figures to be behind Duane Brown on the depth chart on the left side and Max Mitchell and Billy Turner on the right.
“It’s definitely my goal to be the starter for Week 1,” he said.
He still has a lot of work to do before that happens, but Becton had a good week of practices leading up to the preseason game.
“There’s no denying his talent, so right now it’s just about building confidence, building strength, building the endurance,” Saleh said. ”And once all that comes, then we’ll take that next step of, ‘All right, let’s see how he can perform with the ones’ and all that.”
Left tackle or right, it doesn’t really matter at this point to Becton.
“I just want to be on the field,” he said. “Yeah, that took some maturing. That’s the big thing for me. I just want to play.”
Becton missed a practice last week while dealing with soreness in his knee — “I’m still in the healing process of my recovery” — but is feeling good now.
In May, Becton told Newsday he thought his knee injury last year was due in large part to the coaching staff playing him at right tackle, which put added pressure on his surgically repaired right knee. He backtracked a bit Tuesday, saying a major reason actually was him choosing the wrong surgery in 2021. Becton wanted to return quicker, but his knee still wasn’t completely healed before he got hurt again last season — and then had the major surgery he acknowledged he should’ve had in the first place.
That’s all in the past now.
He said since his promising rookie season, he has changed a lot — more tattoos, a baby boy, a better handle on his mental and physical health and a new perspective on the game he missed for so long.
“I’m not the same person I was three years ago,” Becton said. “I definitely look at this as a fresh start, for sure.”
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 2023 SEASON PREVIEW: SUPER BOWL OR BUST?
Eagles Team Preview
What to Know: Offense
The biggest storyline for the Eagles’ offense is their offensive coordinator, Brian Johnson. He’s replacing Shane Steichen, who became the Indianapolis Colts‘ head coach. Johnson has only called plays in college, so this season will be a big adjustment.
However, Johnson has one of the best offensive lines in football. He’s got one of the greatest quarterbacks in football. He’s got talent throughout the roster on offense. I suspect this transition will be seamless. However, if it doesn’t go well early in the season, be aware of the rumble.
What to Know: Defense
The Eagles’ vaunted defense nearly broke the NFL record for sacks last season with 70. (The 1984 Bears had 72.) They were ranked highly in almost every category that matters. Now, they have new defensive coordinator Sean Desai taking over for Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.
Desai will be challenged because the Eagles lost several excellent defensive players this offseason, including Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave. Plus, general manager Howie Roseman has decided to rebuild that defense a bit through the draft. It’ll be interesting to see how Desai handles that influx of new, young talent on defense.
Biggest Off-Field Storyline
Be aware of the Super Bowl-loss hangover. Here’s what sometimes happens, only if you allow it. The players, and sometimes it’s subconsciously, get pulled from every direction, and they think they can show up on the field and just get it done. I’m assuming coach Nick Sirianni is going to be all over this.
He’s going to have to be hard on the details. He can’t let anything slide, and they’ll be back in the big game this coming season. They’ll be back to where you want to go if they can avoid the dreaded Super Bowl hangover.
Breakout Player Prediction
DT Jalen Carter out of Georgia is my breakout player prediction. What a pick Carter was. The young man slid to No. 9 overall because of some off-the-field reasons and the Eagles may have picked up the very best player in the draft. Expect him to start and to be highly productive as a rookie.
Move the Eagles Should Make
They’ve got Sydney Brown, Reed Blankenship, Terrell Edmunds and K’Von Wallace at the safety position. Some of the Eagles’ opponents could think the safety position is one of the weaknesses this defense didn’t have last year. Let’s see if the Eagles infuse some more talent at that safety position.
2023 Season Expectations
Well, it’s obvious. Anything less than winning in a Super Bowl will be underappreciated. The expectations are sky-high, maybe too high. Be aware of the Super Bowl hangover. Make sure that your hard work and preparation are getting done.
Then, you’ll be right back there in the Super Bowl with a chance to win it with the great Jalen Hurts at quarterback and talent all over the roster. As long as the Eagles stay healthy, it looks like they’re poised for a deep playoff run.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 2023 SEASON PREVIEW: WILL THE OFFENSE IMPROVE?
Commanders Team Preview
What To Know: Offense
How much influence is offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy going to have and what is it going to look like on the field?
Sam Howell or Jacoby Brissett? Both of those quarterbacks are underrated. Then you throw in Bieniemy and his expertise. I know Bieniemy just a little bit now. I’ve seen him work just a little bit. This man is detailed. He’s to the point. He’s tough. He doesn’t let anything slide. Bieniemy’s influence will have a positive effect on the Commanders’ offense.
What To Know: Defense
Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio brought that defense from a disappointing 2021 to one of the top defenses in 2022. Their challenge is to remain at the top of the NFL defensively.
Biggest Off-Field Storyline
The top off-field storyline is the change in ownership. The Commanders have been sold, and a new owner is in town.
Coach Ron Rivera needs to make a heck of an impression in 2023. A new owner might want to select his own head coach. Rivera has to make a heck of an impression, and he has the tools to do it with Bieniemy as offensive coordinator and Del Rio as a defensive coordinator.
Will this have a positive, negative or no effect at all on the players? You will likely see little to no effect on the young players. There may be some effect on the veteran players, who may have had a personal relationship with the owner. But the biggest effect is going to be dictated by Rivera making that first-year impression on the new ownership team.
Breakout Player Prediction
Look for Logan Thomas to have a heck of a year. It’s all set up for that. The tight end position is so important to Bieniemy’s philosophy, his scheme and how he goes about his business play calling.
Thomas and the other tight ends should have a much bigger influence on the Commanders’ offensive output.
Move the Commanders Should Make
Look for the Commanders to add an offensive lineman or two. That spot looks like it may be their weakness, but if they add some depth, it could become a strength.
2023 Season Expectations
The 8-8-1 Commanders might have overachieved in 2022. Can they get two games better in 2023? That’s a big challenge and a big ask with new ownership and a new offensive coordinator.
At worst, the Commanders’ defense is stingy and will keep them in games. Bieniemy’s influence might help get them over the hump offensively.
The Commanders could be a possible surprise in the NFC East. They’re looking up at the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. But if they win two more games than last season, they could end up in the playoffs. If they get there, they could win in a game or two.
DALLAS COWBOYS 2023 SEASON PREVIEW: WILL THEY WIN THE NFC EAST?
Cowboys Team Preview
What To Know: Offense
The decision to move on from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and have head coach Mike McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer run the offense is easily the biggest story here.
We’ll see Dak Prescott thrive in a “Texas Coast” offense, whatever that means. McCarthy is really, truly taking over. He’s done playbook install and will call plays with important guidance from Schottenheimer, who was in an analytics role last year.
So, what does this mean? It means they’re going to be more conservative. No more leading the league in interceptions, Mr. Prescott. Schottenheimer’s teams have finished top five in rushing in four of his years as offensive coordinator. The change means less emphasis on Prescott as a passer and more on the ground with Tony Pollard as the lead character.
Which begs the question: After moving on from Ezekiel Elliott, which running back on the roster shares the load with Pollard, who is recovering from a broken fibula last year? That is either some combination of Malik Davis, free agent Ronald Jones or my favorite guy, who was drafted last year, the diminutive Deuce Vaughn out of Kansas State. One of those guys has to fill the gap.
What To Know: Defense
If the biggest storyline on defense doesn’t involve Micah Parsons, then it’s not No. 1 when it comes to the Dallas defense. Anything that makes him more impactful helps the entire defense. Moving him from less of a hybrid role to a more dedicated defensive end role should help increase production. This move also sets the stage for contract negotiations in a year.
The defense should improve because of some of their key additions. The Cowboys drafted Mazi Smith, a 6-foot-3, 330-pound nose tackle out of Michigan in the first round. Then they traded for CB Stephon Gilmore to solidify a secondary that was depleted last year by injury. His addition fulfills a need defensive coordinator Dan Quinn saw.
These moves only help the best defensive player in football — Parsons — get better.
Biggest Off-Field Storyline
Just like the Giants and Saquon Barkley, the Raiders and Josh Jacobs, the franchise tender for running back Pollard has been the consistent story this offseason. Unlike the other two, Pollard signed his tender back in March. Though the deadline to extend has already passed, he’s at least guaranteed to play in 2023. I don’t know what that means for his long-term prospects.
Is this his last year in Dallas? We’ll see. At the least, he’s making $10.1 million and will be the primary runner this season.
Breakout Player Prediction
Predicting the breakout player for this team was fun because I didn’t know who the breakout player was going to be. They have plenty of great talent on the roster that’s already been showcased. However, after reviewing this roster, it became pretty easy. I’m going to go with tight end Jake Ferguson.
Dalton Schultz signed with the Texans, and this tight end room is pretty wide open. Ferguson started eight games last season and played in 16. If you’re into advanced statistics, no tight end was more open than him.
Prescott loves working in the middle of the field and targeting talented receivers like CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and trade acquisition Brandin Cooks. It will be easy for teams to overlook the second-year tight end.
They drafted Luke Schoonmaker in the second round this year, but he’s more of a tight end who stays on the line of scrimmage. This is a good year for Ferguson to be the next big thing in Big D.
Move the Cowboys Should Make
They may like some of their depth at wide receiver, but there’s nothing really proven behind Lamb, Gallup and Cooks. Jalen Tolbert and Simi Fehoko caught five passes last season. Behind them are a collection of free agents, seventh-round pick Jalen Brooks and second-year return man KaVontae Turpin. None have any experience playing wide receiver, and injuries are a fact of life in the NFL.
If they don’t have any proven options, it could be a problem. So look for the Cowboys to consider signing a veteran once camp cuts start, possibly sooner rather than later.
2023 Season Expectations
The key for the Cowboys is to have a healthy offensive line. Tackle Tyron Smith hasn’t started a full season since 2015. They had a rookie, Tyler Smith, who moved to left tackle last season, and it forced Tyron Smith to play right tackle when he came back because of the injury to Terence Steele.
Expect a combination of those three will be the left tackle, left guard and right tackle. If they survive 17 weeks, this group will be dominant.
The Cowboys are a clear contender in the NFC, though the East is a beast as always. New York got better. Washington is presumably ascending if it can find a quarterback. But of the three teams not wearing green in this division, Dallas possesses the most complete roster.
The Cowboys won 12 games for the second year in a row, and they made all the right moves in the offseason. We’ll definitely see these guys when the calendar turns to 2024.
NEW YORK GIANTS 2023 SEASON PREVIEW: CAN GIANTS RECREATE 2022 SUCCESS?
Giants Team Preview
What To Know: Offense
The biggest storyline for the Giants’ offense changed dramatically this week with Saquon Barkley signing his contract and attending camp. That’s great news. They’re no longer dealing with his potential holdout and everything that goes with it. But now they’re facing different challenges.
One of the biggest challenges of giving guys new contracts — whether it be the long-term deal that Daniel Jones got or what Barkley just signed — is it comes with different personal expectations. What happens is players will force things to justify the new dollar amount they got. The Giants don’t want that. They want Jones and Barkley to realize they’re being paid for all the good things that they did. Jones and Barkley don’t have to try to force it and make plays because that’s how they’ll get into problems.
It’s hard for players to understand, especially in this league because they want to make sure the team is happy with who they are, and the outside perception is justified in terms of the new money they’re getting. The challenge for the organization is they didn’t get any better. Jones and Barkley are the same two players they were last season. They are just more expensive.
That’s great. I’m happy for both of those players, and I’m happy for the Giants’ fan base. But those two players haven’t changed dramatically. They’re the same guys but a lot more expensive than a year ago.
What To Know: Defense
The biggest storyline has got to be cornerback Deonte Banks, whom they drafted in the first round (24th overall) out of Maryland. He had a freakish combine.
He’s going into a defense run by Wink Martindale, who either is at the top of the league in terms of pressure, which he was last season, or close to the top of the league every year. That will put Banks in a lot of situations where he’s in man coverage with zero help. So, he’s got to play against better competition as a rookie, and he’ll have to do it with little help over the top. That’s challenging.
I coached one of the best young rookie cornerbacks ever, Darrelle Revis, who went on to become a Hall of Famer. There is a learning curve for those guys as they get used to the system, the calls, the communications, the level of competition and all of those difficult aspects.
Now, add the component of not very much zone defense and a high level of pressure. It’s a big task for Banks, and how well and quickly he adjusts will play a huge role in the success of the defense overall.
Biggest Off-Field Storyline
It’s got to be the schedule they inherited. It seemed like the league was mad at the Giants for the success they had last season when they put this together. They’ve got seven out of the first 10 games on the road, and they play three games in the first 11 days of the season, which is unprecedented.
I can’t remember a team that’s faced a schedule as challenging as this, especially this early in the season. So it’s going to be interesting to see how coach Brian Daboll orchestrates the significant amount of travel they have along with the number of games they have in such a short time early in the season.
Every year, coaches try to put their guys in the best position to succeed, and they look at things they did the previous year or things they’ve experienced over the course of their careers. I don’t know what Daboll looks at to get a gauge of how best to handle this because we haven’t seen something as challenging as what they’re facing early on.
Breakout Player Prediction
The best possible outcome for the Giants at the end of the season is that quarterback Daniel Jones proves he’s worthy of his new four-year, $160 million contract. One of the best things he did last year was control the turnovers. That was one of his biggest issues. He did a great job with interceptions. He threw five, which was the fewest among quarterbacks with more than 10 starts. Oftentimes the starting point is not beating yourself, and he showed he could do that.
Now, a big contract brings big expectations, and that comes with pressure. Sometimes players will try to be something they’re not. Hopefully, Jones grows from where he was last year and doesn’t try to push to be something he’s not. At the end of the season, they’ll know if they have a guy they can win with every year. That would mean last season wasn’t a one-off but an indicator of where Jones is going to go.
2023 Season Expectations
They’re going to be a playoff contender, but it’s going to be a hard road. They won’t be sneaking up on anybody. Nobody’s underestimating them. They also have the challenge of learning to deal with success, which is a skill, just like dealing with adversity.
The Giants are facing this unprecedented, difficult schedule to start the season. I love what Daboll has done, but it will be challenging for him to do it again. They didn’t go out and get other marquee guys. Now, we’ve got to see whether or not they can live up to those same expectations and performances they had last season.
KEN RILEY WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 3 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH
When Ken Riley entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick by Cincinnati in 1969 after a successful college career as a dual-threat quarterback at Florida A&M, he was greeted with a harsh reality.
In an era when the model QB was a tall, drop-back passer, mobile QBs such as Riley from historically Black colleges typically got moved to other positions. So Riley was immediately told by Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown that his NFL career would be at cornerback not quarterback.
“That’s not an easy thing to accept,” said former Bengals teammate Dave Lapham. “I know he felt like he could have played quarterback in the National Football League. But he accepted the move to the corner and more than accepted it, he excelled at it.”
Riley excelled at the position switch so much with 65 career interceptions — tied for the fifth-most ever — and five returned for touchdowns that he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, just more than three years after his death.
Riley took to the position switch right away with four interceptions as a rookie and never really slowed down until he retired after intercepting eight passes and earning first-team All-Pro honors at age 36 following the 1983 season.
“He worked hard just to master his craft, worked hard to accomplish what he was able to accomplish,” former Bengals receiver Isaac Curtis said. “To come in as a quarterback and be able to play 15 years in the NFL at cornerback, having never been a cornerback before, it just shows you the kind of work ethic and kind of athlete that he was. He prepared and played the game at a high level. You almost didn’t really realize it because he’s so low key and quiet. But at the end of the day, you look at what he accomplished was amazing.”
Riley used his background as a quarterback to excel at shutting down the opponent’s passing game. A copious note taker and studier of film, Riley kept detailed books with his own scouting reports on receivers around the league.
He combined that preparation and knowledge with great athleticism to shine at the position. His seven seasons with at least five interceptions are tied for the most in the Super Bowl era.
“He was very aware of like route combinations and route trees,” Lapham said. “He saw the game through a quarterback’s eyes, having played that position all the way through his collegiate career. He read routes. He would break on them in a timely manner. He kind of saw it before it happened. He just had an extraordinary feel back there and the ability to make plays on the football.”
But Riley was known as much for being a great teammate and leader as he was for his play, with younger Bengals saying he took them under his wing and taught them how to handle themselves as professional football players on and off the field.
Those skills led him to return to his alma mater after his playing career where he coached for eight seasons and later served as athletic director at Florida A&M.
“He wasn’t a rah-rah in-your-face guy,” said former Bengals cornerback Louis Breeden. “He just had a way of communicating with people. When Ken Riley said something, people paid attention to it. It’s not like some guys who talk all the time I think sometimes just to be talking. Ken Riley? Oh, damn it’s Ken Riley talking. Usually it is pretty good and it’s pretty on point.”
Riley is just the second player who spent the majority of his career with the Bengals to make it into the Hall of Fame, joining former teammate Anthony Munoz, a nine-time All-Pro tackle who was inducted in 1998.
But the honor comes too late for Riley to enjoy as he died of a heart attack in 2020 at age 72, questioning whether he would ever get the recognition he deserved.
“It’s kind of bittersweet. But he’s in now and we’re just very excited,” said his son, Ken Riley Jr. “I didn’t doubt it. I think he started to doubt it after the centennial class. I thought we were going to get in at that time. When that didn’t happen, he was disappointed. But one of the last things I told him was ’You’re going to get in if that’s the last thing I do.’ I definitely was making sure that we try to keep him relevant. … He finally got in. I can exhale now.”
BUCS OC:TRASK-MAYFIELD QB BATTLE EVEN
The race to replace Tom Brady as starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is tightening midway through training camp.
Any edge Baker Mayfield had over Kyle Trask was largely erased with Monday and Tuesday showings by Trask, a backup to Brady in Tampa the past two seasons.
“It just took a couple of days for Kyle to really settle in and then what we saw in the last two practices, Kyle really showed what he can do, stretching the field with his arm, getting the ball out quickly, and making decisions,” offensive coordinator Dave Canales said.
Mayfield signed as the presumed starter after making three stops in a whirlwind 2022. He was traded to the Panthers by the Browns, started the season as the No. 1 quarterback in Carolina only to be released and signed by the Los Angeles Rams.
The offensive scheme is new to Mayfield but the Buccaneers also changed coordinators, from Byron Leftwich to Canales. Most of the concepts are fresh to Trask, too.
“He is mastering the concepts,” Canales said of Trask. “The more that he can, in a pre-snap way, gather information and really start to progress. You know in any pass concept that you have, you could have as many as three or four progressions, but you do not have time to check all three. It is kind of like a true sprinkler type of read. When guys start to play comfortable and play fast, is when they eliminate one and two, then they are getting to three and four in the same rhythm they would. That is what I am seeing from him that I am excited about. Then the other thing too is just — what is happening with Kyle is, as I call a play, he is finishing the play — the sentence before I can finish it. That just speaks to him studying the offense, studying the formations, and being really comfortable with what we are calling.”
Canales said veteran offensive assistant Tom Moore charts and times every throw in practice. The coaches, including QB coach Thaddeus Lewis, huddle to discuss practice plans and performance as part of their plan not to name a starting quarterback in April or May.
“I think what we are seeing is a couple of guys who both have to put themselves into that starter mind frame going into the practices, knowing, ‘Hey, today is my day. I get to roll with the ones. I get a few more reps,’” he said. “It is pretty much even. Even with the way we go ones and twos, the way we do it. I just see the two guys really challenging each other. Then the cool part is in our room, which a lot of people don’t get to see and hear, is just rule number one, we are here to help the Bucs win. Whatever that is, we do that.”
Mayfield, 28, is 31-38 as a starter since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in 2018.
Trask, 25, has only appeared in one game since Tampa Bay drafted him in the second round in 2021.
DE EYIOMA UWAZURIKE ACCUSED OF BETTING ON BRONCOS, IOWA STATE GAMES
Eyioma Uwazurike allegedly bet on five Denver Broncos games and two Iowa State games while he was part of those teams.
A formal complaint filed in Story County, Iowa, on Tuesday includes other former Cyclones teammates.
Uwazurike, 25, faces a charge of tampering with records stemming from the alleged wagers, as does returning starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers. An attorney for Dekkers said he would not play or practice while defending himself from charges, which also include tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor.
Uwazurike was suspended indefinitely last week by the NFL for betting on games. He was the 116th overall pick in the 2022 draft.
Iowa prosecutors asserted Uwazurike placed 801 bets online for more than $21,300, with four wagers on Iowa State football games. He also made bets on at least one NFL game in which he played as a rookie in 2022 — Week 15 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Uwazurike and Dekkers, along with two other Iowa State athletes named in the complaint, are all scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 16.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
REPORT: BIG TEN DISCUSSING ADDING 4 FROM PAC-12, INCLUDING OREGON
The Big Ten has begun preliminary talks about potentially expanding membership to 18 or 20 teams, sources told Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports.
The Pac-12 appears to be the Big Ten’s biggest target in case of a potential expansion. If the conference opts to add two new schools, Oregon and Washington are reportedly being considered. Stanford and Cal would also be under consideration if the Big Ten moves to 20, according to Wetzel. The Big Ten will also welcome USC and UCLA next year.
A final decision apparently isn’t imminent, as the Big Ten may also hold out for a resolution between the Pac-12 and Big 12 before deciding to add more members.
“It’s a discussion, but it’s a wait and see,” a source told The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach.
The Big Ten appeared to address the reports in a statement Wednesday.
“The Big Ten conference is still focused on integration of USC and UCLA, but it’s also the commissioner’s job to keep conference chancellors and presidents informed about new developments as they occur,” the statement reads, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
The Pac-12’s future is uncertain. In addition to USC and UCLA going to the Big Ten, the league will lose Colorado to the Big 12 after the 2023-24 season. Several other current Pac-12 members have been linked to the Big 12, including Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah.
The Pac-12’s current TV deal expires at the end of the upcoming season, but commissioner George Kliavkoff recently presented a new media rights package to his membership. The deal relied heavily on games appearing on an Apple Plus subscription streaming service and had revenue estimates as low as $20 million per school annually, according to Wetzel.
Big Ten schools will make at least $50 million per year with games appearing mostly on CBS, Fox, and NBC. That number is expected to grow annually. The Big 12 has a $31.7 million per year deal for schools.
Potential Pac-12 additions wouldn’t have full revenue shares in the Big Ten like USC and UCLA, sources told Rittenberg.
EX-NORTHWESTERN LINEMAN ALLEGES HAZING, RACISM IN LAWSUIT
A former Northwestern offensive lineman is filing a lawsuit against the school, alleging he was hazed and mocked for his Mexican heritage, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Ramon Diaz, who was with the Wildcats from 2005-08, said he also experienced the sexualized acts previously alleged by other former players.
Diaz’s lawsuit claims that former offensive line coaches Bret Ingalls and James Patton made “racist, embarrassing, degrading, and harassing remarks.”
Diaz, who battled injuries throughout his career and did not appear in any games, told ESPN that the derogatory comments about his race “haven’t left me since I finished playing.” At a news conference Wednesday in Chicago, he said he attempted suicide in 2007 as a result of the “bigotry, racism and emotional abuse I suffered.”
Diaz’s lawsuit also alleges that assistant coach Matt MacPherson, now the defensive backs coach and associate head coach, and former tight ends coach Adam Cushing either witnessed the hazing or should have been aware of the mistreatment.
“There is a culture that has been condoned by the athletic department and university that has allowed these coaches to behave the way they do,” Diaz told ESPN. “I believe focus should be shifted toward the athletic department specifically, but Northwestern at large. The atmosphere will not change systematically if that does not happen.”
Patton is now the offensive line coach at Miami (Ohio). Ingalls is an offensive analyst at Michigan. Cushing coaches the offensive line at Duke.
Patton declined to comment on the lawsuit. Ingalls and Cushing did not respond to ESPN’s requests for comments.
Northwestern said in a statement to ESPN that it is reviewing the allegations against MacPherson.
“We will review any specific allegation involving current coaches or players and will take the appropriate disciplinary actions based on the facts,” the school said. “We are committed to do whatever is necessary to address hazing-related issues and ensure that our athletic program remains one that our entire community can be proud of and one that is fully aligned with and reflects our values.”
Diaz is the ninth former Wildcats player to sue the school since it fired longtime head coach Pat Fitzgerald on July 10.
Northwestern announced Tuesday that it has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct an independent review of its athletics programs and culture.
COMPLAINT: IOWA PK AARON BLOM BET (AND WON) THE UNDER IN 2021 CY-HAWK RIVALRY GAME
Iowa placekicker Aaron Blom is accused of underage betting, including one “under total points” wager in the 2021 Cy-Hawk rivalry game with Iowa State.
Blom was a backup kicker in 2021 and did not appear in the game. He was 1 of 3 on field-goal attempts last season before Drew Stevens became the starter.
He was added to the criminal complaint resulting from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s sports gambling investigation. The complaint also alleges that Iowa State starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers bet on his team.
Files from the Johnson County Attorney’s Office show Blom is accused of placing “approximately 170” wagers on sports — one bet on an Iowa football game. He’s accused of using his mother’s identification to play the “under total points” on the 2021 Iowa-Iowa State football game. The over-under line for the game was 45. The Hawkeyes won the game, 27-17.
The complaint states that Blom made the bets with his mother’s “consent and knowledge.”
In Iowa, the legal betting age is 21 and NCAA rules prohibit betting on college sports and professional sports in which the NCAA has a championship.
NCAA rules changed recently to allow for the complete loss of eligibility as punishment for gambling.
NEBRASKA’S MYLES FARMER ENTERS THE TRANSFER PORTAL AFTER GETTING SUSPENDED FOR THE START OF PRACTICE
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska defensive back Myles Farmer entered the transfer portal Wednesday after coach Matt Rhule suspended him for the start of preseason practice.
Farmer was the team’s second-leading tackler last season and had been expected to be the anchor of the Cornhuskers’ secondary. A Nebraska spokesman confirmed Farmer’s name is in the portal.
Rhule didn’t disclose the reason for Farmer’s suspension other than to say it had to do with a failure to adhere to team standards.
The previous coaching staff suspended Farmer for the game against Michigan last November after he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
NORTH CAROLINA QB MAYE PICKED AS FAVORITE FOR HIS SECOND STRAIGHT ACC PLAYER OF YEAR AWARD
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is the preseason pick to win his second straight Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year award.
Maye came out on top over Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis in a vote of 176 media members, the results of which were released Wednesday. Maye, who won the league’s 2022 player of the year honors as a freshman, also was selected as the preseason All-ACC first-team quarterback.
Maye, who is from Huntersville, North Carolina, had 3,847 yards and 35 touchdowns passing, along with 629 yards and six TDs rushing.
He finished with 88 votes, with Travis in second with 66. Clemson tailback Will Shipley was third in preseason player voting, followed by Tigers linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and a tie for fifth between Duke quarterback Riley Leonard and Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis.
Clemson, picked Tuesday as the preseason favorite to win its eighth league title in the past nine years, led all teams with five players and seven spots on the 27-member All-ACC preseason team.
Shipley was voted in as the team’s running back, its all-purpose player and specialist.
Florida State had four selections while North Carolina, Duke and Miami were next with three.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: TEXAS TECH
2022 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-4 in Big 12
Head Coach: Joey McGuire, 2nd year: 8-5
1954.
1954 was the last time the Texas Tech football program won an outright conference championship. It went 3-0-1 to take the Border.
The 1976 team shared a Southwest Conference title, and Spike Dykes came up with a 4-3 league campaign to take a piece of the 1994 SWC.
That’s it. Outside of the various bowl appearances and a whole lot of offensive stats, there’s not a ton to the Texas Tech football resumé over the last 45 years.
Fine, so there might have been a fun win over Texas in the amazing 2008 season, but even then Oklahoma and UT ended up getting more respect in the three-way tie in the Big 12 South – the Sooners played for the national title, the Longhorns beat Ohio State in the Fiesta, and the Red Raiders got rim-rocked by Ole Miss in the Cotton.
And it gets even worse.
Kansas, West Virginia, and Texas Tech. Those are the only three current Big 12 schools – not counting the four newbies – who have yet to play in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas got close with an 11-0 start in 2007 before losing to Missouri, and West Virginia has only been in the league since 2012 – and won the Big East title the year before.
And it gets even worse.
Nine. That’s how many winning Big 12 seasons Texas Tech has enjoyed in 27 years of being in the league, and that’s with a strong coaching lineage of Dykes, to the late Mike Leach, to Tommy Tuberville, to Kliff Kingsbury, to – yeah, but he was coming off a great season – Matt Wells.
To Joey McGuire, and that’s where this all starts to look up.
In his first year as the head man – his first head coaching gig outside of a long high school tenure – McGuire not only turned things around fast after the rough run under Wells, but he pulled off the first winning season in conference play since 2009 – Leach’s final season with the program.
It took 12 years for Texas Tech to be above .500 again in the Big 12, and McGuire did it in one of the toughest and most balanced seasons the conference has ever seen. And now he appears ready to forge his own legacy at a program that – forgive how brutal this comes across – doesn’t really have one, at least in the Big 12.
There’s about to be an opportunity for someone to be one of the big stars in the new Jan Brady Big 12 in 2024. It might as well be Texas Tech.
The conference is expanding, but Kansas State just won the Big 12 and TCU just played for the national title. Baylor recently won a conference championship. Before that, Oklahoma and Texas won the previous 11, and they’re bolting to get paid more for the right to beat their heads against the SEC wall year after year.
This is all a way-too-long way of saying Texas Tech and its insanely patient fan base are very, VERY due to get their turn. From the extremely early returns, and with a loaded team coming back for 2023, McGuire might just be the guy who finally breaks through.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview: Offense
The Texas Tech offense was good, but it could, should, and likely will be better. Head coach Joey McGuire is more of a defensive coach, but his offensive coordinator certainly knows what he’s doing – Zach Kittley is on the verge of getting his own head coaching gig very, very soon.
The former offensive coordinator who cranked up the passing game with QB Bailey Zappe at Houston Baptist moved over to do the same for a year at WKU, and last season Kittley took over the same gig at Texas Tech, but without quite the same success. The Red Raiders averaged 462 yards and 34 points per game, and they led the Big 12 with over 300 passing yards per game. And now …
They need their quarterback situation to be settled and consistent. For a third straight season, former Oregon Duck Tyler Shough comes into the season as the starter – and with all the tools and skills to blow up into a top pro prospect – but he has to stay healthy. The 6-5, 230-pounder showed why he was supposed to be another Justin Herbert, throwing for 436 yards against Oklahoma in the regular season finale last season before hitting Ole Miss for 242 yards and 111 rushing yards and two scores in the Texas Bowl win.
Shough has only played 22 games over four seasons – again, injuries – and 2022 leading passer Donovan Smith left for Houston. Fortunately, Behren Morton is more than just a good backup; he can step in and the O wouldn’t skip a beat.
The receiving corps is loaded with veteran talent. Jerand Bradley and Myles Price tied for the team lead with 51 catches, Xavier White made 45 grabs, and in all the top five wide receivers return along with the solid tight end combination of Baylor Cupp and Mason Tharp. Making things even better is the addition of Drae McCray from Austin Peay – he might end up leading the team in receptions.
The ground game is hardly ignored. Tahj Brooks ran for 681 yards and seven scores, and sophomore Cam’Ron Valdez will get more of a role with second-leading rusher SaRodorick Thompson done.
The O line is good enough to get Brooks the openings to fly though, but the pass protection needs to be stronger – Texas Tech was last in the Big 12 in sacks and tackles for loss allowed. The addition of WKU C Rusty Staats at center allows the line to shift around a bit, and the veterans at tackle should be even stronger.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview: Defense
The defense was good enough. It might not have been Georgia, but it held up well, was great at bending but not always breaking, and it generated a consistently terrific pass rush.
Top end Tyree Wilson is a Las Vegas Raider, but Tony Bradford is a strong interior pass rusher and Jaylon Hutchings is a strong anchor on the nose coming off a 50-tackle season. More help is coming in on the outside with Syracuse transfer Steve Linton working in a hybrid role at one spot.
The linebacking corps loses top tacklers Krishon Merriweather and Kofi Eldridge, and now it’s up to 245-pounders Jesiah Pierre and Jacob Rodriquez to be the new tackling stars – Pierre in the middle and Rodriguez on the outside. Pierre can get behind the line.
There might be a little maneuvering in the front six and a few new parts, but the secondary is loaded with talent and experience in place. S Dadrion Taylor-Demberson led the team with three picks to go along with 74 stops, Tyler Owens is in his fifth year working in the mix at the other safety spot, and coming in from San Diego State is CJ Bakerville as a stat-sheet filler at the team’s Star position.
The corners are set, too, with the return of Rayshad Williams and Malik Dunlap, coming off a huge year breaking up 12 passes and 33 tackles.
Preview 2023: What Will Happen
Chill on the turnovers. For all the pyrotechnics and all the winging it around the yard, Texas Tech offenses have been relatively okay with the giveaways over the last several years. Under Mike Leach the turnovers were part of doing business – the 2003 team blasted away for over 7,500 yards of total offense but gave it up a whopping 35 times – but that started to change a bit.
The 2014 team gave it away 28 times in Kliff Kingsbury’s 4-8 season – some freshman Mahomes guy was responsible for part of that – and there haven’t been close to that many since last year when the O turned it over 25 times. The problems came in the meltdowns.
Texas Tech turned it over a combined 13 times in three losses to NC State, Kansas State, and Baylor. It went 9-2 when turning it over fewer than four times.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
WR Drake McCray in from Austin Peay, QB Donovan Smith gone to Houston. If Tyler Shough is close to the player he should be, then it’s okay. If Shough gets hurt again and Behren Morton shines with yet another opportunity, then it’s okay. But if Smith turns out to be just that good with his combination of next-level skills – and if he rocks on September 30th when he and Houston come to Lubbock – that’s going to hurt.
The Texas Tech receiving corps was going to be good no matter what, and now it adds a guy who was a dominant force in the FCS. The 5-9, 185-pound catching machine grabbed 129 passes for 1,888 yards and 17 touchdowns over his last two years. Watch for him explode on the bigger stage.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Key Player
Rusty Staats, C Sr. He’s a 6-5, 325-pound All-Conference USA center at WKU last year who knows exactly what he’s doing in this type of offense. If he comes in and takes over in the middle and plays like he’s supposed to, the rest of the front five suddenly looks like a possible strength. He allows the coaching staff to play around with the combination.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Key Game
at Baylor, Oct. 7 There will be plenty of huge moments over the first half of the season, but this is when Texas Tech should be able to show whether or not it’s a serious player in the Big 12 chase.
It has a brutal final six games after this – more on that at the end – and it needs to avenge the 45-17 clunker from last year. It’s 1-4 in the last five meetings with the Bears.
Texas Tech Red Raiders 10 Best Players
1. Tyler Shough, QB Sr.
2. Malik Dunlap, CB Sr.
3. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S Sr.
4. Jerand Bradley, WR Soph.
5. Drae McCray, WR Sr.
6. Tony Bradford, DT Sr.
7. Jaylon Hutchings, DT Sr.
8. Tahj Brooks, RB Sr.
9. Austin McNamara, P Sr.
10. Steve Linton, EDGE, Sr.
Texas Tech Red Raiders 2022 Fun Stats
– Fumbles: Texas Tech 20 (lost 7), Opponents 13 (lost 9)
– 4th Down Conversions: Texas Tech 33-of-52 (63%), Opponents 11-of-33 (39%)
– 3rd Quarter Points Allowed: 62; 4th Quarter Points Allowed: 129
Texas Tech Red Raiders Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Set The Win Total At: 7.5
It’s not like there were any cheap losses last season.
The Red Raiders got blasted by Baylor, but other than that the other four losses were in decent fights against NC State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and TCU – and all on the road. And that’s the Big 12 now, more than ever – every game is a 50/50 toss up at best. The same goes for this season at a whole other level.
There isn’t a game on the slate the Red Raiders can’t win, but they’ll likely be the underdog in the regular season finale against Texas and in the home game against Oregon. Everything else is almost even.
TCU, Kansas State, UCF, and Houston – they’re all home games, and so is the showdown date against the Ducks early on. There’s no Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, and missing Cincinnati and Iowa State isn’t bad, too.
The road dates? Again, the Texas game is the problem, and no one likes to go to BYU, but West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas, and a quirky season opener at Wyoming. That’s not a breeze, but all things considered it could be a whole lot worse – and it should be far easier than last season’s road slate.
Getting to six wins and a bowl game shouldn’t be too hard, but again, this is the problem with so many games that could go either way – it’s going to take a whole lot of right breaks to push through enough to make this a special run.
Even so, Texas Tech has the talent and experience at least match the eight wins of last season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: BAYLOR
2022 Record: 6-7 overall, 4-5 in Big 12
Head Coach: Dave Aranda, 4th year: 20-16
Is Baylor college football’s Bret Saberhagen?
Bret Saberhagen was a fringe Hall of Fame pitcher – mostly with the Royals – from the mid-1980s into the late 1990s with a few Cy Youngs and a World Series ring, but he will forever be known for his bizarre run of seasons early in his career when he dominated in odd numbered years and was awful in even numbered ones.
Baylor needs a bigger sample size to go full Saberhagen, but no program has fluctuated like this one over the last four seasons.
In 2019 and 2021 it got to the Big 12 championship – winning in 2021 – on the way to the Sugar Bowl in each campaign. The 2020 team went 2-7, the 2022 version crashed with four straight losses to close with a 6-7 record, and, of course, now it’s 2023.
So why the roller coaster? 2020 was the head coaching change from Matt Rhule to Dave Aranda, and last year’s team couldn’t get its defensive groove back from 2021 and had the horrible scheduling break of closing with Kansas State (eventual Big 12 champ), TCU (played for the national title), and at Texas (Longhorns showed up at home) before losing to Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl.
This year’s schedule is as nice as it can possibly get until mid-November – more on that later – the defense is going to be stronger with plenty of experience and a defensive-minded coach in Aranda who’s brilliant at fixing glitches – again, the teams on the schedule were the problem last year more than a fundamental issue – and with a potentially massive upgrade offensively because …
Baylor Bears Preview: Offense
Welcome to the Barrington brothers. The Baylor offense wasn’t awful in the mix of a loaded Big 12 – it finished 44th in the nation in total O, was okay on the ground, and averaged 32 points per game – but it could be stronger.
The pass protection was decent, but the line didn’t take over like it needed to in key situations late in the year. That’s where BYU transfers Campbell and Clark Barrington come in. The line already had a few decent parts, but now it has its left tackle in Campbell and a dominant NFL-level interior option in Clark, who’ll can work at guard or center.
Now the running game has to get going behind the improved front five. Richard Reese and Oklahoma State transfer Dominic Richardson should, at times, be a devastating 1-2 punch to take the heat off everyone else and control the clock. Reese led the team with 972 yards and 14 scores. Richardson ran for 1,139 yards and 15 scores in his three years in Stillwater, and he became an improved receiver last season. Now …
Is Blake Shapen really the main man at quarterback, or can Mississippi State transfer Sawyer Robertson step in and rip it up? Shapen was fine last year, but he was inconsistent throwing for close to 2,800 yards with 18 touchdowns and ten picks. Robertson is a 6-4 pure passer with the ability to spread the ball around, but he’s missing the time logged in that Shapen has. Fortunately …
The receiving corps is good. Five targets caught 26 passes or more, but WR Gavin Holmes – he averaged 20 yards per catch on 26 grabs – and 31-catch TE Ben Sims are gone. Monaray Baldwin led the team with 33 catches – averaging over 17 yards per pop – Hal Presley and Josh Cameron are good veterans, adding even more explosion is deep threat Ketron Jackson from Arkansas, and North Texas TE Jake Roberts.
Baylor Bears Preview: Defense
The defense was hardly awful. It didn’t generate any sort of a pass rush and couldn’t come up with a third down stop, but it was third overall in the Big 12 and certainly wasn’t any sort of a disaster.
However, being Dave Aranda’s defensive coordinator is a little like making a plate of nachos for Guy Fieri, so coordinator Ron Roberts is out and Matt Powledge has moved up from assistant to the big gig.
First for foremost, the front six has to start getting behind the line again. Last year’s defense generated ten sacks in the first four games, 11 combined against Texas and Texas Tech, and three against everyone else.
Big Siaki Ika is gone from the middle and off to the Cleveland Browns, but 6-6, 296-pound Gabe Hall is a good interior pass rusher, TJ Franklin is a big end with the upside to do more, and in from Louisiana Tech is 6-3, 341-pound Jerrell Boykins to be the new Ika and clog up the middle.
The linebacking corps might have lost leading tackler Dillon Doyle, but Liberty transfer Mike Smith is destined for All-Big 12 stardom coming off an 85-tackle, ten TFL season with three forced fumbles. He’s fantastic, third-leading tackler Matt Jones will make plenty of plays, and the 6-7, 247-pound Garmon Randolph should be an interesting hybrid on the outside.
The addition of Isaiah Dunson from Miami should help the corner situation, but most of the main parts are done. The secondary is likely going to be loaded with all underclassmen who’ll get time to grow into their respective jobs, but again, more of a pass rush is a must.
All of the improvements need to lead to …
Baylor Bears College Football Preview 2023: Keys To The Season, Top Players, What Will Happen
More third down stops. The 2021 defense allowed teams to convert 34% of their chances and gave up more than 46% of their conversions just twice. The 2022 defense allowed teams to hit 46% of their third down tries, and after not letting anyone get to 30% over the first three games, never dipped below 40% over the last ten.
Even so, the Bears were great at controlling the clock and the time of possession battle. Get that D off the field more, and all of a sudden the team that needs to control the tempo and narrative should be able to dominate.
Baylor Bears Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
C/OG Clark Barrington in from BYU, OG Micah Mazzccua gone to Florida. The Bears didn’t suffer that many huge transfer losses – at least nothing that can’t be replaced – but the line certainly would’ve found a spot for the 6-5, 331-pound Mazzccua somewhere in the interior.
Clark Barington was a fixture on the BYU offensive line for the last several seasons working as a dominant guard, but now he might kick over to center. At 6-6 and 305 pounds he’s got NFL length and the versatility to play anywhere in the interior, opening up the rest of the front five – including his brother, fellow BYU transfer Campbell Barrington at left tackle – to figure out the right combination.
Baylor Bears Key Player
Blake Shapen, QB Jr. The Bears have an improved O line, the receiving corps is full of deep threats and veterans, and the running back situation might quietly turn into the best in the Big 12. Everything is there for to shine as long as the quarterback play is stronger.
Shapen was fine. The ten interceptions were too many, but six of them were concentrated in three games. The 18 touchdown passes weren’t enough, but they were steady. What he didn’t do is throw accurately enough on a consistent basis, failing to get to 60% in three of the last four games – all losses. It’s his gig, but Mississippi State transfer Sawyer Robertson is right there ready to go.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
REVIEW OF NCAA’S BUSINESS PUSHES ASSOCIATION TO GET CREATIVE IN SUPPORTING SCHOOLS, ATHLETES
A review of the NCAA’s business suggested the association find creative ways to support member schools and conferences with things like developing a deeper pool of game officials, creating a national platform for online streaming of events and purchasing in bulk certain goods and services that most schools use.
The review was one of the first items on NCAA President Charlie Baker’s to-do list when he took over in March. The review was done by the firm Bain & Company and a summary of its key findings was released Wednesday by the NCAA. It said college sports was at a “crossroads.”
The message: College and universities and college sports are facing growing pressures related to:
— A decline in the college-age population and rising costs of attendance.
— More professional options for athletes to forgo college.
— Social media, sports betting and other outside influences having a potential negative impact on college athletes.
— The changing landscape of media creating uncertainty for traditional partners.
“College sports remains in a period of dramatic transformation, and the NCAA must evolve in response to and anticipation of these changes,” Baker said in a statement. “We can no longer pretend things are as they always have been — and our new way of doing business will ready the national office to move forward with urgency, purpose and a plan.”
The review looked at trends in college sports from all perspectives — athletes, fans, schools and business partners — in an effort to find ways the NCAA could better do its job.
“To address these trends, the NCAA must have an operating model and mission that are explicit and understood by all,” the review stated. “And there must be a more rigorous approach to business planning and follow through, with a new sense of urgency.”
The review also surveyed the more than 500 NCAA employees about how the association operates internally.
One of the takeaways was the need for more clear roles and goals for NCAA staff.
“Identify top 15-20 decisions within the national office and map out stakeholders and clear decision rights,” the report said.
The report recommended the NCAA become more creative in how its supports member institutions.
Among the suggestions was the NCAA working with members to develop a deeper and better-trained pool of game officials. Poor treatment by fans and teams and growing pressures of the job have led to a shrinking number of young officials.
The review suggested the NCAA could give members better access to not just things like equipment or technology but mental health services for athletes.
“Work with interested member institutions to create pool of qualified suppliers who agree to discounted prices that institutions could opt-into,” the report suggested.
The report also said the NCAA should aid members who produce their own broadcasts of sporting events to stream online by exploring “a single digital hub for viewing competitions.”
The NCAA should be more creative with its championship events to grow untapped potential, the report said.
Baker has acknowledged that the NCAA’s current media deal that bundles numerous championships, including the women’s basketball tournament, does not capitalize on the growing interest in sports beyond football and men’s basketball.
The NCAA is likely to unbundle those events when the current deal with ESPN ends next year.
The review suggested a “dramatic” expansion of content and sponsorship for the women’s basketball tournament.
ACC’S FINANCIAL PLAN PROMPTS FLORIDA STATE TO CONSIDER EXIT
The college sports alignment shuffle could see another major university make a move, as Florida State officials are pondering an exit from the Atlantic Coast Conference unless the league changes its financial model.
The ACC gives more money to schools that perform well in basketball and football, while Florida State would prefer the benchmark being teams’ marketability and television ratings.
University president Richard McCullough told the school’s trustees on Wednesday, “We are seeing large media deals that have been made like the Big Ten and the SEC, which in many ways — and perhaps it’s an exaggeration — have created an existential crisis in many ways for Florida State University.
“We will be $30 million per school, per year behind in our gap in conference distribution with contracts that are said to go through 2036. This current situation presents a very difficult situation for us. …
“Without increasing revenue, we will face major challenges in being able to compete in football, as the landscape is changing dramatically, with our ability to compete in NIL, coaching salaries and attractive facilities to continue to build our brand and be competitive.”
McCullough added, “Our goal would be to continue to stay in the ACC, but staying in the ACC under the current situation is hard for us to figure out how we remain competitive unless there were a major change in the revenue distribution within the conference. That has not happened. Those discussions are ongoing at all times.”
Florida State trustee Drew Weatherford told Action Network, “It’s not a matter of if we leave (the ACC), but how and when we leave.”
Trustee Justin Roth asked the university to develop a plan to leave the ACC in the next 12 months, The Athletic and Action Network reported.
Colorado was the most recent major university to change conferences, announcing a move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. Other pending moves will see Texas and Oklahoma join the Southeastern Conference, while Southern California and UCLA are set to join the Big Ten.
NBA NEWS
TESTS REVEAL 76ERS F MONTREZL HARRELL HAS TORN ACL
Philadelphia 76ers forward Montrezl Harrell might miss the entire regular season while recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee.
Harrell underwent testing to determine the cause of swelling in his knee, which confirmed the injury, the team said Wednesday two weeks after re-signing Harrell to a one-year deal.
Harrell averaged 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 11.9 minutes in 57 games (seven starts) with the team in 2022-23.
Harrell, 29, has career averages of 12.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 515 games (36 starts) with six franchises.
He was a second-round pick (32nd overall) by the Rockets in 2015 and the 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year with the Clippers.
SPURS G DEVONTE’ GRAHAM SUSPENDED 2 GAMES FOR 2022 DWI
The NBA issued a two-game suspension to San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham on Wednesday for his 2022 arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Graham pleaded guilty to a charge of impaired driving and was sentenced last week to 12 months of unsupervised probation following an arrest in his hometown of Raleigh, N.C., in July 2022.
The two-game suspension without pay will commence with the next NBA regular season game for which Graham is eligible and able to play.
Graham was arrested after police pulled him over at 2:39 a.m. on July 7, 2022, for driving 63 mph on a street where the speed limit was 40. Officers suspected impairment during the traffic stop and he submitted to a breath test.
His results were a 0.11 breath-alcohol concentration, above the state maximum of 0.08. Graham was then taken to the Wake County Detention Center in Raleigh.
Graham, 28, was a member of the New Orleans Pelicans at the time of his arrest. New Orleans traded him to San Antonio at the trade deadline in February.
He averaged 5.3 points in 53 games off the bench for New Orleans last season. After the trade, he averaged 13.0 and 4.0 assists in 20 games (eight starts) for the Spurs.
Graham has career averages of 11.6 points and 4.5 assists in 313 games (171 starts) over five NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets (2018-21), Pelicans (2021-23) and Spurs.
WNBA NEWS
ARIKE OGUNBOWALE POURS IN 27 AS WINGS TOP STORM
Arike Ogunbowale recorded 27 points and four steals to help the Dallas Wings notch a 76-65 victory over the host Seattle Storm on Wednesday night.
Satou Sabally had 18 points, nine rebounds and three steals as Dallas (15-11) won for the ninth time in the past 12 games. Teaira McCowan added 12 points for the Wings.
WNBA scoring leader Jewell Loyd put up 31 points for Seattle (6-20) despite missing 5:04 of the first quarter due to a right ankle injury. The 30-point outing was Loyd’s eighth of the season.
Ezi Magbegor added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Storm, who made 40.6 percent of their shots overall and went 6 of 20 (30 percent) from behind the arc.
The Wings shot 36.4 percent from the field, including 8 of 22, also 36.4 percent, from 3-point range. Dallas held a 44-30 rebounding edge and collected 17 offensive boards. The Wings’ Natasha Howard grabbed 12 rebounds.
Notre Dame products Loyd and Ogunbowale each made five 3-pointers.
Dallas led 46-33 at halftime and increased the lead to 17 on Sabally’s layup with 2:06 left in the third quarter.
Loyd answered with a 3-pointer to start a 9-2, quarter-ending run for the Storm. Gabby Williams hit a floater at the buzzer to bring Seattle within 65-55.
Ogunbowale scored 13 points in the third, while Loyd had 12 points.
Sabally opened the final quarter with five straight points to push Dallas’ lead back to 15. However, Loyd scored six points during a 10-4 run as the Storm crept within 74-65 with 3:08 remaining.
McCowan made two free throws 62 seconds later, the final points of the contest.
Ogunbowale scored 14 first-half points to help the Wings lead by 13 points at the break. Loyd scored 13 in the half for the Storm.
After making a basket with 7:33 left in the first quarter, Loyd came down on the foot of Sabally and turned her ankle. Play continued as she was prone on the court in pain. When the action was stopped 11 seconds later, she was treated and eventually helped off the floor.
Just nine seconds after her return, Loyd knocked a 19-footer and was on her way to another high-scoring game.
MEN’S GOLF NEWS
2023 WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW, PROP PICKS, BEST BETS
The reduced FedEx Cup Playoff field this season has proven to be a windfall for the Wyndham Championship.
With only 70 players qualifying for next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, the regular-season finale has heightened drama this year. Previously an event many of the marquee players skipped to rest up for a playoff run, there are several big-name players in this week’s field making a last-ditch attempt to keep their seasons alive.
Former major champions and No. 1-ranked players in the world Justin Thomas and Adam Scott are in Greensboro, N.C., as is 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry. They are in a featured pairing the first two rounds, with each needing strong weeks to punch their tickets to Memphis for the first playoff leg.
Our golf experts break down the Wyndham Championship, which begins Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Greensboro, N.C., Aug. 3-6
Course: Sedgefield Country Club (Par 70, 7,131 yards)
Purse: $7.6M (Winner: $1.368M)
Defending Champion: Tom Kim
FedEx Cup leader: Jon Rahm
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: @WyndhamChamp
PROP PICKS
–Adam Scott to Beat Justin Thomas Round 1 (-110 at DraftKings): Both players have their playoff backs firmly against the wall and need four solid rounds to advance to next week. That has been a problem for Thomas and Scott, who each have one sub-70 opening round in their past five events. It has been even rougher for Thomas, whose first-round scoring average has been 75 in the five cuts he has missed in his past seven starts. Scott did play at Sedgefield last year, where he opened and closed with rounds of 68 despite scuffling to a T76.
–Denny McCarthy to Finish Top 20 (+110 at BetMGM): McCarthy feels like he has been knocking on the door of his first career PGA Tour victory almost weekly this year. Along with a runner-up at the Memorial, he has three other top 10s in his past eight starts. McCarthy is coming off a missed cut at The Open in his last start and hasn’t yet shown the ability to close on Sunday, so we’re hedging our bet a bit by not taking the bait of the +220 odds for another top-10.
–J.T. Poston to Beat Chris Kirk (-120 at DraftKings): Kirk produced one of the top feel-good stories of the year with his win at the Honda Classic. However, he has only one top-10 in 14 starts since while missing five cuts – including four of his past six. Poston is coming off a T2 last week and finished a solid T21 at last year’s Wyndham. The last time Poston finished runner-up in an event, he went on to win the following week at the 2022 Travelers.
2023 Prop Picks Record: 35-45-2
BEST BETS
–Hideki Matsuyama (+2000 at BetMGM) is coming off a T30 at the 3M Open as he seeks his first victory since the 2022 Sony Open. He missed the cut in his most recent start at the Wyndham in 2021. Matsuyama is second in the field with 6.6 percent of the total bets and 7.9 percent of the money backing him to win, making the Japanese star the book’s third biggest liability.
–Si Woo Kim (+2000) is the top player in the FedEx Cup standings in the field at No. 18. Despite missing his past two cuts, Kim has been the most popular player in the field, drawing 6.7 and 11.1 percent of the action, respecitively, since opening at +3300 at BetMGM. He’s the book’s biggest liability.
–Russell Henley (+2000) is among the pre-tournament favorites despite his last top-10 coming at the Masters in April. He is also +2000 at DraftKings, where Henley is second in the field with 8 percent of the money backing him to win. Henley did tie for fifth here last year.
–Denny McCarthy (+2500) missed the cut last year but enters a career-high 32nd in the world rankings with three top-7s in his past five starts. He has been the most popular player with the same odds at DraftKings, where he has been backed by 9 percent of the bets and 13 percent of the money to claim his first PGA Tour victory this week.
–Sam Burns (+2500) has five top-10 finishes this year as he seeks his sixth career PGA Tour victory.
–J.T. Poston (+2800) is coming off a runner-up at the 3M Open. He is BetMGM’s second biggest liability, having been backed by 5.4 percent of the bets and 7.6 percent of the money since opening at +3000.
–Justin Thomas (+3300) has missed his past two cuts and his three top-10s thus far are his fewest in any season as a pro.
NOTES
–This is the final regular-season event, with only the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings after this event qualifying for the first leg of the playoffs. Austin Eckroat currently occupies the No. 70 spot. Notable names that are currently outside of the Top 70 include Lowry (76), Thomas (79) and Scott (81).
–Lowry needs at least a tie for 23rd this week to remain eligible for the playoffs. Thomas, who has reached the playoffs every season of his career, needs a solo 18th or better to have a chance to extend that streak to nine and a three-way tie for fourth to secure his spot in the Top 70. Scott and Matt Kuchar are the only players to qualify for the playoffs every year since their inception. Scott needs at least a tie for ninth to remain eligible for the playoffs.
–Akshay Bhatia earned full PGA Tour membership with his win at the Barracuda Championship, but he remains 99th in the FedEx Cup standings.
–Wesley Bryan outlasted his brother, George, in the Monday Qualifier playoff to earn a spot in the field.
PHIL MICKELSON APPLAUDS TIGER WOODS JOINING PGA TOUR POLICY BOARD
Although he jumped ship to LIV Golf, Phil Mickelson was still happy to see Tiger Woods join the PGA Tour Policy Board as a player director.
“This is great to see,” Mickelson tweeted on Tuesday. “Players having equal representation on the board, Tiger getting more involved, and accountability across the board. Awesome news.”
As a player director, Woods has the authority to approve or decline any potential changes to the Tour. His appointment to the board comes in the wake of a wave of disappointment from multiple members of the Tour who are upset with PGA commissioner Jay Monahan and the proposed LIV-PGA merger.
“I am honored to represent the players of the PGA Tour,” Woods said in a press release from the PGA Tour. “This is a critical point for the Tour, and the players will do their best to make certain that any changes that are made in Tour operations are in the best interest of all TOUR stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and players.
“The players thank Commissioner Monahan for agreeing to address our concerns, and we look forward to being at the table with him to make the right decisions for the future of the game that we all love.”
Mickelson, 53, joined LIV in June 2022. He was a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, including six major championships.
Mickelson has yet to win on the LIV circuit. In his most recent event, Mickelson finished tied for 40th at LIV Golf Invitational London at the Centurion Club. He is currently readying for LIV Golf Greenbrier, which begins Friday in West Virginia.
BIG NAMES CHASE PLAYOFF SPOTS AT WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Justin Thomas, Irishman Shane Lowry, Australia’s Adam Scott and other desperate golf dignitaries are making their last push toward the FedEx Cup playoffs when the Wyndham Championship tees off Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.
The PGA Tour’s regular-season finale at Sedgefield Country Club serves as the last opportunity to qualify for next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of three legs of the playoffs. Only the top 70 in FedEx Cup points will be in the field for the initial leg of the playoffs, which is pared down further before the annual Tour championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Thomas, a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, has been fighting through a slump all summer. He missed the cut in five of his last seven events and has just one top-10 finish since February. Thomas enters the Wyndham No. 79 in the FedEx Cup standings, and making the United States Ryder Cup team looks like a longshot.
“That is the reality of golf, like it’s all on you,” Thomas said Tuesday. “You’re not relying on any teammates to bail you out, to hinder you, it’s all on you. There’s just guys that have played better than me this season whether they’re ranked first in the world or 101st in the world. But now I have an opportunity to play well this week, get into the playoffs and to go to three courses that I love.”
Thomas is far from alone in his last-minute quest to make the playoffs.
Lowry, the 2019 Open Championship winner, is 76th in the standings after a quiet season with just one top-10. Scott, another major champion, had a run of good results in May but has played just 16 PGA Tour events this season, leaving him No. 81 in points.
Scott and Matt Kuchar are the only two players who have qualified for every FedEx Cup Playoffs since its creation in 2007.
“I’m really thinking about winning the tournament, not just trying to squeak in next week,” Scott said. “I probably have to have a pretty high result to get in anyway, so I may as well think about winning. That’s what I would like to do the most this week.”
The player currently “last man in” at No. 70 is Austin Eckroat. Other notable names fighting for their playoff lives include K.H. Lee of South Korea (No. 73), Matt Wallace of England (No. 80) and Joel Dahmen (No. 82).
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is comfortably on the right side of the line at No. 56, but he’ll tee it up in Greensboro aiming to improve that standing. This year, the playoff fields will be trimmed from 70 to 50 to the traditional 30 for the Tour Championship.
Tom Kim of South Korea won the Wyndham last year — improbably overcoming a quadruple bogey on his first hole of the week. Still going by Joohyung Kim at that point, he was playing on a PGA Tour special temporary membership at the time and his victory earned him his full tour card.
But Kim tore a ligament in his ankle during The Open Championship two weeks ago, and although he fought through the pain and climbed the leaderboard to a T2 finish, he withdrew from the Wyndham to heal up for the playoffs.
Past champions who are in the field include Jim Herman (2020), J.T. Poston (2019), Brandt Snedeker (2018, 2007) and Si Woo Kim of South Korea (2016).
ADAM SCOTT APPLAUDS TIGER WOODS FOR JOINING PLAYER BOARD
Stressing the need to have the desires heard of all PGA Tour players, veteran Adam Scott said he is ecstatic that Tiger Woods will be part of making that process happen.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Woods now is part of the board that will help steer the direction of the PGA Tour, which agreed to player demands that will prohibit making changes in the future without the approval of player directors. With Woods’ addition, players now outnumber independent board members by six to five.
“I applaud Tiger for volunteering to go up on the board,” Scott said Wednesday in advance of this week’s Wyndham Championship, which is the final event before the FedEx playoffs. “I think it’s fantastic for the Tour moving forward, and I think he also kind of has earned the right to have an opinion about how the Tour looks moving forward, to be honest.”
On Monday, a number of the PGA Tour’s members sent a letter to Jay Monahan, the tour’s commissioner, asking for changes to PGA Tour operations, driven by the decision to join forces with the DP World Tour and LIV Golf without player input.
In a statement Tuesday, Monahan said the tour and its members agreed to a number of conditions to make it a player-first organization. Among the agreements were the addition of Woods to the board.
And Scott, 43, said he thinks it’s a fine move.
“I think it’s just to get that balance right,” said Scott, a native of Australia, who has 14 PGA Tour victories, including the 2013 Masters. “This is a players’ organization and off the back of some of the events this year and maybe in years past, it had felt like maybe that voice wasn’t heard enough. I think the players have generally tried to get a bit organized recently and act responsible as members of this Tour and get that balance right going forward.”
Scott certainly has more to worry about. Sitting 81st in the FedEx Cup standings, he needs to make up 11 spots this week to advance to the opening round of the playoffs next week at TPC Southwind in Memphis. He is one of two players that have made every FedEx Cup playoffs since it began in 2007.
But the cause of the PGA Tour players remains on the forefront of his mind anyway.
“I certainly don’t think the players want to be running the Tour, that’s for sure. We need a lot of help with that,” Scott said. “But I think getting that balance right so that the membership is heard accurately is kind of what this is.”
MEN’S SOCCER
MESSI SCORES TWICE, HIS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME WITH A GOAL, AS INTER MIAMI BEATS ORLANDO CITY 3-1
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Lionel Messi continues to add goals in bunches while still adapting to a new team.
Messi scored in his third straight game and had his second consecutive multi-goal performance for Inter Miami in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City on Wednesday night.
“Something I said early on when we started, with him the most difficult things have become easier,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said. “But we are talking about a player that at the highest level of competition scores 40 goals a season.”
The Leagues Cup Round of 32 match was delayed 95 minutes because of thunderstorms.
Messi scored seven minutes into the match then added a second strike in the 72nd minute. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has five goals in three games since his highly-anticipated MLS debut July 21.
As he eluded the Orlando City backline, Messi stopped a pass from Robert Taylor on his chest, dribbled a couple of yards near the edge of the 6-yard box and converted a shot that landed under the crossbar.
The goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 lead before Orlando tied it 11 minutes later.
Messi struck again when he received a centering pass from Josef Martinez and flicked a right-footed shot inside the left post and put Inter Miami ahead 3-1.
“It is not illogical to think that he has scored five goals in three matches,” Martino said. “Sometimes I feel we overdo it coming up with greater adjectives. It just comes down to talking about the best player in the world.”
Martino also was quick to indicate how the second strike Wednesday came from Messi’s right foot instead of the celebrated left foot that has scored from various angles in different situations.
“He’s been doing the same for 17-18 years,” Martino said. “He said he was coming here to compete and win. He is fulfilling what he said.”
The win advances Inter Miami to the tournament Round of 16 against Dallas FC.
Inter Miami also had a scare early in the second half when Orlando’s Mauricio Pereyra collided with Messi. Messi remained on the ground, favoring his jaw for a couple of minutes.
Messi received his first yellow card with Inter Miami after he was cited for a hard foul in the 21st minute.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba made his Inter Miami debut when he entered the match in the 64th minute.
The game was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., but didn’t begin on time because of the storms.
Messi and his Inter Miami teammates appeared on the DRV PNK Stadium field for warm-ups 45 minutes before the scheduled start. The heavy rains began approximately 20 minutes later.
After stadium crew drained water puddles around mid-field, Messi and his teammates re-appeared for a second round of pre-game warm-ups.
Messi has not dealt with inclement weather in his first two Leagues Cup matches since joining the MLS club. He scored the game-winning goal against Cruz Azul and added two goals in a victory over Atlanta United.
AUTO RACING NEWS
JIMMIE JOHNSON VOTED INTO NASCAR HALL OF FAME
It was a no-brainer.
How could you keep a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 83 career victories out of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility?
Clearly, the Hall of Fame Voting Panel agreed with the absurdity of that prospect, electing Jimmie Johnson overwhelmingly to the Class of 2024.
Joining Johnson in next year’s class is the crew chief who guided him to those seven championships and 81 of his 83 Cup wins.
Chad Knaus, widely considered an inseparable part of the Hendrick Motorsports pairing that won a record five straight Cup titles from 2006 through 2010, will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall in 2024 alongside his driver.
As announced by NASCAR president Steve Phelps at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday, the Hendrick duo will be joined by Donnie Allison, who was chosen from five nominees as the 2024 inductee from the Pioneer Class.
In addition, Phelps announced that motorsports pioneer Janet Guthrie, who finished 15th in the 1976 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in her NASCAR debut, will receive the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Johnson was named on 93 percent of the Modern Era ballots cast on Voting Day at the Charlotte Convention Center.
“It is an incredible honor to be voted into the @NASCARHall with the Class of 2024,” Johnson said on social media. “What makes this moment even more special is being inducted with @chadknaus. We re-wrote the record books together, so it’s only fitting we are inducted together. Congratulations also to Donnie Allison for joining the Hall of Fame and Janet Guthrie on the Landmark Award.
“Joining the elite company of so many who have contributed to our sport is truly overwhelming and I am forever grateful.”
After three starts in NASCAR’s foremost division late in 2001, Johnson — with Knaus as his crew chief — made an immediate mark on the sport during his 2002 rookie season.
After earning the pole position for the season-opening Daytona 500, Johnson went on to win three times, claiming his first Cup victory at his home track in Fontana, Calif., before adding a pair of wins at Dover, which would become one of his most productive tracks.
For the next 15 years, the 47-year-old native of El Cajon, Calif., would win at least two races per season on the way to his 83 total — tied with NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth-most all-time. Johnson’s high-water mark came in 2007, when he won 10 times en route to his second straight championship.
To secure that title, Johnson needed a remarkable run of four straight victories in races six through nine of the Chase to overtake Hendrick teammate and fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, after the two drivers battled head-to-head for most of the season.
Johnson won three more titles in the next three years, eclipsing Yarborough’s record of three straight fashioned from 1976 through 1978.
Adding championships in 2013 and 2016, Johnson earned the nickname “Seven-Time” for tying inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class members Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the Cup Series record.
Even though he was an obvious choice, the selection nevertheless seemed surreal to Johnson.
“I know — and I feel like Chad feels much the same — we just wanted to go racing,” Johnson said. “From a very young age, racing was in our life. Our parents raced, our families raced. We just wanted to be racers.
“And sure, I know I tried to dream big, but I couldn’t have dreamt this big. And to have everything play out as it has — even looking back on those moments in time, with five in a row and seven championships in total, the super moments along the way — I still can’t believe it’s happened.
“I guess it’s just … when you’re a kid, dream big, and who knows, it might end up happening.”
Knaus received 81 percent of Modern Era votes. His record is inexorably linked to Johnson’s, with a couple of notable exceptions. In 2006, Johnson won the first of his two Daytona 500s and the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas while Knaus was serving a four-race suspension for aerodynamic alterations to the rear window of the No. 48 Chevrolet made before qualifying at Daytona.
Substituting for Knaus, Darian Grubb is the crew chief of record for those two victories.
In 2020, Knaus added a win to his record that’s not part of Johnson’s resume. Knaus guided William Byron to his first Cup victory in the August race at Daytona before turning the crew chief reins over to Rudy Fugle the following season, as Knaus assumed the role of vice president of competition at Hendrick.
Up until the moment his name was called, Knaus wasn’t convinced he would be selected in his first year of eligibility.
“As I was watching the video that played, once Jimmie was nominated, and I saw the way we grew up together,” Knaus said, “and as I sat back and was watching him, and I was thinking, ‘My gosh, how much I’ve learned throughout my career just because of Jimmie,’ and I was really proud of that.
“I was probably more proud of the fact that he’s in there than actually I am. For me personally, it’s a huge, huge day. Very, very proud. Very proud of everybody that’s helped me, and it’s an honor to be here with Jimmie.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Jimmie Johnson, in a lot of different ways.”
Allison, one of the founding members of the famed “Alabama Gang,” was named on 53 percent of the Pioneer ballots, with car builder Banjo Matthews second in the voting. Allison follows brother Bobby Allison, a member of the inaugural class, into the Hall.
Ironically, in each of Donnie Allison’s first three NASCAR Cup Series victories, Bobby followed Donnie, as the brothers ran 1-2 at Rockingham in 1968, Charlotte in 1969 and Bristol in 1970.
All told, Donnie Allison won 10 times at NASCAR’s highest level, but he is perhaps more famous for a race he didn’t win. Allison was leading the 1979 Daytona 500 when he and Cale Yarborough banged fenders repeatedly on the final lap, ultimately eliminating both cars.
The drivers exited their crippled machines and confronted each other, with Bobby Allison soon joining the fray. That race, the first NASCAR event with live flag-to-flag coverage on national television, and the fight that followed put the sport on the map.
“It’s really nice,” Allison said during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of patience.
“It’s always been a joy to be a part of racing like I’ve been. To have a career like I had and to go on to help young guys like Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, different guys like that, and my grandson Justin, it’s just an honor to be inducted into this Hall of Fame.”
Guthrie raced sports cars and IndyCars before making her foray into NASCAR racing. In 33 NASCAR Cup Series starts, she posted five top 10s, with a best finish of sixth at Bristol in 1977.
NHL NEWS
ALL-STAR FORWARD TROY TERRY GETS A 7-YEAR, $49 MILLION CONTRACT EXTENSION FROM THE ANAHEIM DUCKS
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — All-Star forward Troy Terry agreed to a seven-year, $49 million contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
Terry’s new deal keeps the sides out of arbitration and runs through the 2029-30 season.
The 25-year-old Terry has 75 goals and 101 assists in 274 games with the Ducks, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2015. Terry was selected to each of the past two All-Star games, and his play has been a bright spot on one of the NHL’s worst teams.
Terry had 23 goals and 38 assists in 70 games last season. The Colorado native posted a career-high 67 points in the 2021-22 season, scoring 37 goals and racking up a 16-game points streak.
Terry and the Ducks were scheduled for an arbitration hearing Wednesday after exchanging initial proposals earlier in the week.
TOP INDIANA NEWS/RELEASES FROM ORGANIZATIONS
INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANS SHUT OUT DESPITE ANOTHER MULTI-HIT EFFORT FROM ANDÚJAR, 6-0
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – A three-run seventh inning put the Indianapolis Indians way in a shutout loss to the Gwinnett Stripers to even the series at one game apiece, 6-0.
Despite the loss, Indians right fielder Miguel Andújar logged his 27th multi-hit game of the season with an opposite field single in the fourth inning and a double down the left field line in the sixth. On the heels of a four-hit night, Andújar raised his clip one point to a league-leading .362, and elevated his OPS three points to 1.003. He is now 6-for-9 to open the month of August after hitting .380 (38-for-100) in July.
The Indians (49-54, 16-13) couldn’t muster anything against Gwinnett starter Darius Vines (W, 1-0), who worked 5.1 shutout innings in just his second Triple-A start of the season. The bullpen tandem of Brian Moran and Seth Elledge finished the job, allowing just one hit over 3.2 combined innings in relief.
After Indianapolis opener Andre Jackson worked a 1-2-3 first, left-hander Kent Emanuel (L, 7-5) threw 5.0 innings of relief and allowed a two-run triple to Stripers second baseman Braden Shewmake and an RBI groundout to catcher Joe Hudson. Gwinnett (46-57, 13-15) added three more in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by RBI hits from right fielder Dalton Guthrie and shortstop Vaughn Grissom.
The Indians and Stripers continue their six-game set on Thursday night at 7:05 PM ET at Coolray Field. Right-hander Luis Ortiz (3-4, 4.40) starts for Indianapolis against Gwinnett left-hander and No. 9 Braves prospect Dylan Dodd (2-5, 7.94).
COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS SIGN WR AMARI RODGERS, WAIVE WR JOHNNY KING
Westfield, Ind. – The Indianapolis Colts today signed free agent wide receiver Amari Rodgers and waived wide receiver Johnny King.
Rodgers, 5-9, 212 pounds, has played in 32 career games (two starts) in his time with the Houston Texans (2022) and Green Bay Packers (2021-22) and has compiled 20 receptions for 249 yards and one touchdown. He has also totaled three carries for 18 yards, 40 punt returns for 305 yards (7.6 avg.) and 17 kickoff returns for 321 yards (18.9 avg.). Rodgers has appeared in one postseason contest and has registered two punt returns for 11 yards (5.5 avg.) and three kickoff returns for 66 yards (22.0 avg.). He was originally selected by the Packers in the third round (85th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson.
In 2022, Rodgers played in six games (one start) with the Texans and tallied 12 receptions for 154 yards and one touchdown. He also had two carries for seven yards. Rodgers began the season with the Packers and appeared in 10 games with the team. With Green Bay, he finished with four receptions for 50 yards, 20 punt returns for 139 yards (7.0 avg.) and six kickoff returns for 122 yards (20.3 avg.).
King, 6-5, 209 pounds, was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2023. Collegiately, he appeared in 36 combined games (31 starts) at Southeast Missouri State (2020-22) and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2019) and registered 142 receptions for 1,836 yards and 14 touchdowns.
INDY ELEVEN W SOCCER
INDY ELEVEN LEAD USL W LEAGUE WITH FOUR ALL-LEAGUE SELECTIONS
TAMPA, Fla. (Wednesday, August 2, 2023) – The USL W League today announced its 2023 Teams of the Year, which featured first-team all-league selection Sam Dewey and three additional selections. Dewey, who was also named the W League’s Central Conference Player of the Year, was joined by second-team all-league selections Nona Reason, Grace Bahr and Alia Martin. The four Indy Eleven placements were more than any other W League club in the country.
The Girls in Blue finished the season USL W League Champions, posting a 12-1-1 overall record. Indy Eleven won its division for the second consecutive season, only allowing three regular-season goals, while scoring 40.
The 16 goals scored in the June 30 match against St. Charles FC are a club record for Indy Eleven and the total and margin of victory were the most in league history. In 14 matches, Indy scored 3-plus goals seven times and shut out opponents on 10 occasions.
“I am very happy for all four ladies,” said Head Coach Paul Dolinsky. “Their individual contributions were so important in helping the team find the success it did, and I am happy to see them recognized for their efforts.”
Sam Dewey | Indianapolis
Dewey played in nine matches during the Eleven’s championship run, starting all of them. She shared the team lead with nine goals, including a hat trick in Indy’s record-breaking 16-0 win against St. Charles FC. The Indianapolis native also added an assist in the USL W League Semifinal victory over San Francisco Glens SC. Her insurance goal against Flint City AFC in the Central Conference Semifinal earned the No. 4 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10.
Nona Reason | Noblesville, Ind.
Reason started all 10 matches played for the Girls in Blue only allowing five goals in 885 minutes of action and registering six clean sheets. In the Eleven’s four-match playoff run, Reason only allowed three goals in 390 minutes of action and posted a pair of shutouts.
Grace Bahr | Broadview Heights, Ohio
A mainstay on the backline for Indy, Bahr started all 13 matches played in 2023 and tallied three goals and a pair of assists. Bahr scored the match winner off a penalty kick in Indy’s conference semifinal winner against Flint City AFC and added goals against Kings Hammer FC and St. Charles FC.
Alia Martin | Carmel, Ind.
Scoring back-to-back match winners for Indy in the National Semifinal and Final, Martin was also named the MVP of the USL W League Final. She played in five matches, starting four, totaling 418 minutes of action in 2023.
“We are extremely proud of the achievements of not only these four individuals, but of the Indy Eleven W League team as a whole,” said Greg Stremlaw, Indy Eleven President and Chief Executive Officer. “To not only win the league’s Central Conference, but the overall W League Championship, is an amazing feat considering the talent across the W League’s 65 teams from coast to coast. The team has accomplished many things in its first two seasons, and we look forward to more as we continue to grow.”
First Team
GK: Bailey Herfurth – Tampa Bay United
D: Laurel Ansbrow – NC Courage U23
D: Tianna Harris – Minnesota Aurora FC
D: Elle Piper – SF Glens SC
M: Bella Gaetino – Flint City AFC
M: Mia Oliaro – NC Courage U23
M: Nia Christopher – Eagle FC
M: Katie Shea Collins – Tennessee SC
F: Sam Dewey – Indy Eleven
F: Baylee DeSmit – Christos FC
F: Nadia Gomes – SF Glens SC
Second Team
GK: Nona Reason – Indy Eleven
D: Madison Cox – Tampa Bay United
D: Carly Smith – Eagle FC
D: Grace Bahr – Indy Eleven
M: Hannah Adler – Minnesota Aurora FC
M: Kennedy Berschel – Chicago City SC
M: Alia Martin – Indy Eleven
M: Lauren Martinho – NC Courage U23
F: Claire Manning – Morris Elite
F: Mariah Lee – Oly Town FC
F: Giana Riley – Cal Storm
INDIANA FOOTBALL
EVANS TABBED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST FOR RAY GUY AWARD
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Junior punter James Evans was selected for the Ray Guy Award preseason watch list, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Wednesday (August 2).
Evans currently holds the program’s all-time punting average mark at 43.1 yards after he finished No. 2 on the single-season punt average charts (44.3) in 2022, tied with Jim DiGullio (1992). He finished 2022 ranked No. 2 in punting average (44.3) and No. 3 in total punts (75) in a season, tied with Tyson Beattie (2005). In his career, Evans has 17 career punts inside the 10-yard line and 43 downed inside the 20-yard line.
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team’s success.
The 50 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters make up the initial list and candidates are added as the season progresses. The complete list of candidates will be released on November 6th and ten semifinalists will be announced on November 10th.
A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 22nd. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during TheHome Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December 2023.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
VETERAN PUNTER JACK ANSELL MAKES RAY GUY AWARD WATCH LIST
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the first time in his career, Purdue punter Jack Ansell earned a spot on the Ray Guy Award Watch List. The Augusta Sports Council released the watch list for the award, honoring the nation’s top punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 2).
Ansell, Purdue’s starting punter for 26 games over the past two seasons, was one of only five Big Ten punters to make the watch list.
Entering his junior campaign, the Australian has punted 99 times as a Boilermaker. That includes 13 punts longer than 50 yards and 26 punts pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line. Last season, he showed off his leg against FAU by averaging 55.3 yards per punt, including a career-long 67-yard boot.
Off the field, Ansell earned Academic All-Big Ten honors at the conclusion of the 2022 season as a selling and sales management major.
In exactly one month, Ansell and the Boilermakers begin their 2023 campaign. Purdue hosts Fresno State in the season opener and the first game under head coach Ryan Walters (Sept. 2). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on BTN.
BUTLER FOOTBALL
BUSHKA, ZURAK SELECTED TO 2023 PRESEASON ALL-PFL TEAM
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Butler quarterback Bret Bushka and kicker/punter Luka Zurak were each selected to the 2023 Preseason All-Pioneer Football League Team on Wednesday afternoon after a vote from the PFL head coaches. The duo are two of 30 student-athletes to earn the honor, including 12 returning First Team All-PFL selections. Returning players named to the league’s 2022 All-PFL Teams were placed automatically on the 2023 Preseason All-PFL team, in order of head coaches voting.
Four of the PFL’s five major award winners from 2022 return for the 2023 season, led by Bushka, the reigning PFL Offensive Player of the Year. Zurak is also back for the Bulldogs after being named PFL Special Teams Player of the Year a year ago.
Bushka accounted for 3,004 yards of total offense for Butler in 2022. He averaged 216 yards passing and 57 yards rushing per game. While under center, Bushka scored 25 touchdowns for the Bulldogs and ranked 16th in the FCS in total offense per game (273.1). He heads into his redshirt-senior season with 4,135 passing yards to go along with 30 TD’s. Bushka also needs just 58 rushing yards to reach 1,000 in his BU career.
Zurak handled field goals, kickoffs and punting for the Bulldogs in 2022. He averaged 41.5 yards per punt a year ago and pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line eight times. When the Bulldogs needed to flip field position, Zurak would deliver with seven punts traveling over 50 yards throughout the season. Zurak used his powerful leg to record 17 touchbacks on kickoffs and approached the school record with a 56-yard made field goal. In total, Zurak hit 12 of his 15 field goal attempts in 2022.
Drake defensive lineman Finn Claypool earned a Preseason All-PFL nod as well after earning Freshman Defensive Player of the Year recognition in 2022. Stetson quarterback Brady Meitz also returns after claiming Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors but was not selected to the Preseason All-PFL squad.
Defending PFL Champion St. Thomas claimed six preseason selections with returning First Team All-PFL selections in wide receiver Andrew McElroy and linebacker Jonathan Bunce leading the group. Also notching a Preseason All-PFL spot for the Tommies are running back Shawn Shipman, offensive lineman Alec Rasmussen, defensive back Yusef Leak, and McElroy with a second nod at return specialist.
Dayton had four student-athletes named to the Preseason All-PFL team. Davidson, Drake, and San Diego had three honorees each. Marist, Morehead State, and Valparaiso saw two student-athletes named to the Preseason All-PFL squad while Stetson and Presbyterian grabbed one preseason selection each.
The upcoming 2023 season marks the 31st year for the Pioneer Football League. The league will feature 11 teams each playing an eight-game schedule to determine the league champion and recipient of the automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Championship.
ZURAK LANDS ON FCS PUNTER OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESEASON WATCHLIST
Augusta, Ga. – The Augusta Sports Council announced the preseason watchlist for the 2023 FCS Punter of the Year Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter in the FCS. Butler’s Luka Zurak was included after being named PFL Special Teams Player of the Year in 2022.
The 17 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Championship Series (FCS) punters. The 2023 watch list was compiled based on the 2022 FCS Punter of the Year watchlist, the 2022 All-Conference teams, and the 2022 All-American Teams.
Zurak helped Butler lead the PFL in net punting (36.9) and rank second in punt return defense last season. He has handled punting for the Bulldogs in each of the last three seasons averaging 41.5 yards per punt in Spring of 2021, 39.8 yards in Fall of 2021 and 41.8 yards per punt in 2022.
The First Team All-PFL selection punted the ball 38 times last year covering 1,576 yards. He pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line eight times and forced a fair catch nine times. Zurak only had four touchbacks in 2022 and boomed the ball over 50 yards seven times! His longest punt of the 2022 campaign traveled 67 yards at Davidson (10/1).
The FCS Punter of the Year Award winner will be voted on by the FCS Punter of the Year Award/Ray Guy Award Committee and will be announced after regular season play commences.
2023 Preseason Watchlist
Aaron Trusler, Richmond
Austin Dunlap, Southeastern Louisiana
Bradley Porcellato, Samford
Evan Matthes, Valparaiso
Grant Burkett, Missouri State
Jack Culbreath, VMI
Josh Sanchez, Arkansas Pine Bluff
Kaedin Steindorf, North Dakota State
Luka Zurak, Butler
Matt Noll, Jackson State
Patrick Haughney, Holy Cross
Ryan Kost, Delaware
Shelby Pruett, Colgate
Trey Wilhoit, FAMU
Tyler Pastula, University at Albany
Will Lynch, LIU
Will Whitehurst, William & Mary
BUSHKA NAMED TO 2023 WALTER PAYTON AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler quarterback Bret Bushka is one of 35 players to make the preseason watch list for the 2023 Walter Payton Award. Presented by FedEx Ground, the Walter Payton Award is an honor that Stats Perform presents to the National Offensive Player of the Year in Division I FCS college football. All 15 FCS conferences, which combine to form 13 leagues, are represented on the watch list, which includes 12 past finalists. Bushka was added to the watch list mid-season last year (Oct. 20) in the middle of a BU five-game winning streak.
The 2022 season was one to remember for Bushka. The 2022 Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year threw for 2,377 yards and 20 touchdowns while also leading the Bulldogs with 627 rushing yards and five TD’s. Bushka led the PFL in completion percentage (64%), passing efficiency, passing touchdowns, total offense, and yards per pass attempt. Butler also led all FCS teams in red zone offense with Bushka under center.
Season-high statistics for Bushka in 2023 included 338 passing yards vs. Dayton and 102 rushing yards at Davidson. Bushka passed for four touchdowns in the season opener vs. St. Thomas (Fla.) and would move forward with at least one TD pass in 10 of Butler’s 11 games. His 2,377 passing yards were the eighth most in school history in a single-season. Bushka also moved to eighth all-time at Butler in career passing yards (4,135).
First awarded in 1987, the Payton has watched past recipients such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance move on to the NFL. The 2022 winner was UIW quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. Fordham quarterback Tim DeMorat finished second in the voting and Monmouth running back Jaden Shirden was third.
Scott Jr. had 28 first-place votes to lead the results with 195 total points. DeMorat kept it close with 18 first-place votes to earn 171 points. First-place votes are worth five points, second-place votes are four points, a third-place vote gets you three points, a fourth-place vote goes for two points and a fifth-place vote is one point. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.
Quarterbacks
Bret Bushka, Butler, R-Sr., 5-10, 205 (Pioneer Football League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Gr., 6-4, 217 (Southland Conference)
Theo Day, Northern Iowa, R-Sr., 6-5, 231 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Cole Doyle, Saint Francis, R-Jr., 5-10, 170 (Northeast Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Zevi Eckhaus, Bryant, Jr., 6-1, 205 (Big South-OVC Football Alliance)
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-3, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Nolan Groomes, Yale, Sr., 6-2, 188 (Ivy League)
Miles Hastings, UC Davis, Jr., 6-1, 189 (Big Sky Conference)
Michael Hiers, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 211 (Southern Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Gevani McCoy, Idaho, R-So., 6-2, 185 (Big Sky Conference)
Parker McKinney, Eastern Kentucky, R-So., 6-3, 208 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Jr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Justin Miller, Southern Utah, R-So., 6-3, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
Reece Poffenbarger, UAlbany, R-So., 6-0, 210 (CAA Football)
Davius Richard, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Tommy Schuster, North Dakota, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Patriot League) – 2022 Finalist
Running Backs
Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Ailym Ford, Chattanooga, R-Sr., 5-9, 213 (Southern Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Narii Gaither, Gardner-Webb, Sr., 5-10, 181 (Big South-OVC Football Alliance)
Malik Grant, Sacred Heart, Gr., 5-9, 200 (Northeast Conference) – 2021 Finalist
Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri, R-Sr., 5-8, 222 (Big South-OVC Football Alliance) – 2021 and 2022 Finalist
Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State, Sr., 5-10, 200 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire, Sr., 5-10, 204 (CAA Football)
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Jr., 5-7, 168 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Dominic Roberto, Furman, R-Sr., 5-11, 231 (Southern Conference)
Jaden Shirden, Monmouth, Jr., 5-9, 185 (CAA Football) – 2022 Finalist
Tamerik Williams, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 227 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 205 (CAA Football)
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 207 (Patriot League)
Devron Harper, Mercer, Sr., 5-9, 168 (Southern Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Hayden Hatten, Idaho, R-Jr., 6-2, 205 (Big Sky Conference)
Ty James, Mercer, R-Sr., 6-2, 200 (Southern Conference)
Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 210 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Marshel Martin, Sacramento State, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MARIAH KING JOINS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACHING STAFF
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State 12th-year head women’s basketball coach Brady Sallee has added a new addition to his coaching staff with the hiring of assistant coach Mariah King.
“I am very excited to add Mariah to our staff,” Sallee said. “Her experiences playing for me and as a pro will add an incredible perspective for the current and future players in our program. Her successful playing career speaks for itself, and I look forward to watching her coaching career take off.”
King spent the 2022-23 season as the assistant coach at her alma mater Eastern Illinois, where she was a student-athlete from 2009-13. She played under the tutelage of Sallee for three seasons.
As a player, King was a three-time Ohio Valley Conference Second Team recipient (2011, 2012 & 2013) and earned OVC Player of the Week honors on three separate occasions.
For her career, she scored 1,440 points, pulled down 654 total rebounds and played in 128 games for the Panthers.
After graduation, King spent nine seasons playing professional basketball in Europe.
“So grateful I have this opportunity,” King said. “It is a chance to do something different and make a difference.”
King joins fellow Ball State assistant coaches Casey Morrissette and Moriah Monaco along with associate head coach Audrey Spencer for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
SPENCER SHRADER LANDS A SPOT ON GROZA AWARD WATCH LIST
University of Notre Dame graduate student place kicker Spencer Shrader has been named to the 2023 Lou Groza Award Watch List. He is one of 30 kickers from around the country on the list for the award, which is presented annually to the top placekicker in college football.
Shrader transferred to Notre Dame as a graduate student for the 2023 season after a prolific kicking career at USF. A 2022 Phil Steele All-AAC Third Team selection and 2021 Groza Award semifinalist, Shrader has connected on 20 of his last 25 field goal attempts in the past two seasons, including an 11-for-12 mark in 2021 – a season in which he connected on nine straight field goal attempts.
A former walk-on at USF after pursuing a professional soccer career, Shrader has rushed for a touchdown in his career (22 yard run against UConn in 2019) and has missed just one PAT kick in the past three seasons. The Indianapolis, Indiana, native is a four-time AAC All-Academic Team selection.
Notre Dame has never had a place kicker win the Groza Award. David Ruffer was one of three finalists for the award in 2010.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 9th. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, November 28th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced in December during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Baltimore | 66 | 42 | .611 | – | 32 – 21 | 34 – 21 | 23 – 14 | 18 – 7 | 10 – 7 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Tampa Bay | 66 | 45 | .595 | 1.5 | 37 – 19 | 29 – 26 | 20 – 14 | 16 – 4 | 11 – 11 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Toronto | 60 | 49 | .550 | 6.5 | 30 – 23 | 30 – 26 | 8 – 22 | 16 – 6 | 14 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Boston | 57 | 51 | .528 | 9 | 30 – 23 | 27 – 28 | 16 – 11 | 11 – 8 | 12 – 10 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| NY Yankees | 56 | 52 | .519 | 10 | 33 – 26 | 23 – 26 | 15 – 21 | 11 – 8 | 14 – 11 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 55 | 54 | .505 | – | 30 – 24 | 25 – 30 | 12 – 17 | 21 – 15 | 11 – 8 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Cleveland | 53 | 56 | .486 | 2 | 28 – 24 | 25 – 32 | 7 – 8 | 17 – 16 | 13 – 12 | 4 – 6 | L 3 |
| Detroit | 48 | 60 | .444 | 6.5 | 22 – 30 | 26 – 30 | 3 – 16 | 18 – 12 | 9 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 43 | 66 | .394 | 12 | 23 – 29 | 20 – 37 | 6 – 16 | 17 – 16 | 9 – 16 | 2 – 8 | L 3 |
| Kansas City | 34 | 75 | .312 | 21 | 20 – 36 | 14 – 39 | 5 – 15 | 13 – 27 | 4 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 5 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 62 | 46 | .574 | – | 36 – 20 | 26 – 26 | 14 – 11 | 16 – 5 | 17 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| Houston | 62 | 47 | .569 | 0.5 | 31 – 25 | 31 – 22 | 6 – 7 | 11 – 11 | 24 – 13 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Seattle | 56 | 52 | .519 | 6 | 31 – 26 | 25 – 26 | 11 – 13 | 12 – 11 | 15 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| LA Angels | 56 | 53 | .514 | 6.5 | 29 – 23 | 27 – 30 | 12 – 11 | 14 – 8 | 16 – 14 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Oakland | 30 | 79 | .275 | 32.5 | 15 – 39 | 15 – 40 | 7 – 19 | 7 – 11 | 5 – 26 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 69 | 37 | .651 | – | 37 – 20 | 32 – 17 | 22 – 6 | 13 – 2 | 11 – 9 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Philadelphia | 58 | 50 | .537 | 12 | 28 – 20 | 30 – 30 | 11 – 16 | 11 – 8 | 14 – 13 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Miami | 58 | 51 | .532 | 12.5 | 34 – 23 | 24 – 28 | 14 – 18 | 11 – 9 | 10 – 12 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| NY Mets | 50 | 57 | .467 | 19.5 | 26 – 23 | 24 – 34 | 16 – 14 | 5 – 14 | 15 – 13 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| Washington | 46 | 63 | .422 | 24.5 | 22 – 34 | 24 – 29 | 10 – 19 | 9 – 14 | 14 – 14 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Cincinnati | 59 | 51 | .536 | – | 28 – 26 | 31 – 25 | 12 – 11 | 14 – 21 | 16 – 9 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Milwaukee | 58 | 51 | .532 | 0.5 | 29 – 24 | 29 – 27 | 10 – 9 | 22 – 10 | 8 – 15 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 55 | 53 | .509 | 3 | 29 – 27 | 26 – 26 | 8 – 14 | 20 – 14 | 9 – 8 | 8 – 2 | W 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 48 | 59 | .449 | 9.5 | 26 – 28 | 22 – 31 | 7 – 6 | 11 – 15 | 16 – 15 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| St. Louis | 48 | 61 | .440 | 10.5 | 24 – 30 | 24 – 31 | 10 – 9 | 13 – 20 | 9 – 14 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 61 | 45 | .575 | – | 33 – 20 | 28 – 25 | 11 – 7 | 16 – 14 | 14 – 11 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| San Francisco | 60 | 49 | .550 | 2.5 | 32 – 24 | 28 – 25 | 10 – 12 | 18 – 9 | 17 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Arizona | 57 | 52 | .523 | 5.5 | 28 – 28 | 29 – 24 | 13 – 15 | 11 – 10 | 18 – 13 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| San Diego | 54 | 55 | .495 | 8.5 | 29 – 25 | 25 – 30 | 13 – 13 | 8 – 15 | 14 – 14 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Colorado | 42 | 66 | .389 | 20 | 25 – 30 | 17 – 36 | 14 – 17 | 8 – 10 | 7 – 21 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1906 Senator right-hander Tom Hughes becomes the first pitcher to post a 1-0 victory in an extra-inning game with his home run. Long Tom’s solo shot off Fred Glade in the top of the tenth frame proves to be the difference in the team’s victory over the Browns at Sportsman’s Park.
1914 In the seventh inning of the 4-1 loss to Detroit at the Polo Grounds, Yankees’ catcher Les Nunamaker has three assists to become the first catcher to accomplish the feat since 1887. The 25-year-old guns down Sam Crawford and Bobby Veach trying to steal and picks off Hugh High off second base in the frame, marking the only time a backstop has three assists in the same inning this century.
1933 A’s southpaw Lefty Grove limits New York to five hits, going the distance in Philadelphia’s 7-0 victory at Yankee Stadium. The left-hander’s shutout marks the first time that the Bronx Bombers have not scored a run a game since August 2, 1931, a span of 309 games.
1940 During the Reds’ road trip in Boston, backup catcher Willard Hershberger is found dead in his room after taking his own life at the Copley Plaza Hotel. Having talked with his fragile player for hours after the game, Cincinnati skipper Bill McKechnie thought he had consoled the worn-out backstop, who was distraught about leaving runners on base in every at-bat with his 0-for-5 performance at the plate.
1948 Negro League legend Satchel Paige makes his first major league start, hurling seven innings, leading the Indians over the Senators, 5-3. Before today’s game, the future Hall of Famer made eight appearances in relief, compiling a 1-1 record for the Tribe.
1957 Pirates manager Bobby Bragan hears he has been fired on the radio and replaced by Philadelphia third-base coach Danny Murtaugh. Pittsburgh general manager Joe L. Brown leaked news of the hiring before informing his disposed skipper.
1959 For the first time in major league history, a second All-Star Game occurs in the same season. The American League post a 5-3 victory at the Los Angeles Coliseum when White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox singles in Tony Kubek with the decisive run in the top of the seventh inning.
1959 In the third inning of the second All-Star Game this summer, Yogi Berra’s two-run home run off Dodgers right-hander Don Drysdale at the LA Memorial Coliseum proves to be the difference in the American League’s 5-3 victory over the Senior Circuit. The home run will be the last one hit by a Bronx Bomber in a Midsummer Classic game for 41 years until Derek Jeter goes deep in 2001.
1961 In the largest shutout score in a National League night game, the Pirates beat the Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park, 19-0. Harvey Haddix throws a four-hit complete game for the Bucs in a game that takes only two hours and thirty-six minutes to play.
1962 With his sixth home run in three consecutive games, Frank Thomas ties a National League record when he goes deep off Cincinnati’s Joey Jay in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Mets 8-6 loss at the Polo Grounds. The right-handed slugger, who equaled the mark with a pair of round-trippers in each game, will add another homer to his club-leading total in tomorrow’s contest.
1967 Charlie Finley fires his manager Alvin Dark after the two disagree over the owner’s handling of player discipline. ‘Charlie O’ had fined and suspended Lew Krausse, Jr. for the pitcher’s reported rowdy behavior on a team flight, prompting the team’s first baseman Ken Harrelson, who will also be released, to call the A’s owner a menace to the sport.
1967 The Red Sox obtain catcher Elston Howard from the Yankees for cash and two players to be named later, with pitchers Peter Magrini and Ron Klimkowski being sent to New York to complete the trade. The 38-year-old backstop will hit only .147 for his new team, but his veteran presence will contribute to Boston capturing the American League pennant.
1967 The Braves set a club mark by hitting seven home runs in a 10-3 victory over the Cubs, thanks to Tito Francona, Joe Torre (2), Clete Boyer (2), Denis Menke, and Hank Aaron all contributing to the record. Atlanta’s round-trippers come during the first five frames of the Wrigley Field contest, and all are solo shots, except for Boyer’s two-run blast in the third inning.
1967 “The pennant should be decided in the traditional manner.” – Warren Giles, National League President. A joint meeting held in Chicago, foreseen as a formality, turns into a four-hour fierce debate when American League and National League owners strongly disagree on implementing divisional play for next season. The AL owners unanimously agree to the plan, but the Senior Circuit brass makes it clear they will oppose any effort by the American League to implement the change by itself, citing the scenario that an AL division winner could be a fourth-place club could play a pennant winner in the World Series.
1969 Rich Reese’s pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning helps the Twins beat the Orioles and Dave McNally at Metropolitan Stadium, 5-2. The defeat is the southpaw’s first loss of the season, ending his fifteen-game winning streak.
1975 Denny Doyle, acquired from California in June for a player to be named (Chuck Ross) later and cash, extends his hitting streak to 22 games with a first-inning home run in the Red Sox’s 6-4 victory over Detroit at Fenway Park. The usually light-hitting infielder will bat .310 for Boston after playing a pivotal role in Boston’s successful pennant drive.
1978 In a 5-4 victory against the Dodgers at Candlestick Park, Giants’ first baseman Willie McCovey hits his 504th home run off Don Sutton, establishing him as the National League all-time left-handed home run leader. Southpaw swinger Eddie Mathews had previously led the NL, collecting 503 round-trippers playing for the Braves and Astros, with another nine for Detroit in the American League at the end of his 17-year career.
1979 At Yankee Stadium, over 51,000 mourners attend a memorial service for Thurman Munson. The Bronx Bombers’ captain died yesterday, piloting a plane that crashed 1,000 feet short of the runway at Akron-Canton Airport.
1979 The Yankees purchase Lenny Randle from Pittsburgh to fill the roster spot of Thurman Munson, who died in a plane crash yesterday. The 31-year-old former Pirates utility outfielder and designated hitter will appear in only 20 games for the Bronx Bombers, with Jerry Narron replacing the Captain as the team’s backstop.
1982 Frank White hits for the cycle for the second time in his career. The second baseman completes the feat with a two-out triple in the ninth inning, giving Kansas City a 6-5 walk-off victory over Detroit at Royals Stadium.
1982 At the players’ request, the Angels retire their first number in franchise history, honoring Gene Autry with the #26 to commemorate the team’s first owner as the 26th man on the club’s roster. The ‘Singing Cowboy,’ well-known for his roles in Hollywood westerns, acquired the American League expansion club in 1960, owning it for 38 years until he died in 1998.
1986 First ballot inductee Giant first baseman Willie McCovey, the BBWAA’s only choice, is enshrined in the Hall of Fame, along with the Veterans Committee’s selections of Red Sox second baseman Bobby Doerr and the late Ernie Lombardi, a catcher best known for his playing days with the Reds and Giants. Pirates announcer Bob Prince and Cincinnati beat writer Earl Lawson, respectively, accept the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
1987 Home plate umpire Tim Tschida throws out Joe Niekro after discovering an emery board on the Twins’ starting pitcher. The 42-year-old knuckleballer will receive an automatic ten-day suspension from the American League for defacing the ball.
1987 After his ejection in the bottom of the 12th inning for arguing a close call at first, the Columbia Mets manager Butch Hobson yanks the base out of the ground and brings it into the clubhouse in protest. The bounced skipper is convinced to return the stolen property to the field because the team has only one set of bases, but not before he sprays the bag orange to make it easier to see for the umpire.
1989 The Reds set a major league record for the most hits in the first inning with 16 as they score 14 runs at Riverfront Stadium off woeful Astro pitching. The half of an inning lasts 38 minutes, with the Reds winning the contest, 18-2.
1995 Making his first start for the Rockies since being acquired from the Mets, Brett Saberhagen gives up 13 hits and walks three batters but gets the win in the team’s 9-4 win over the Dodgers. The sellout crowd gives their new hurler an enthusiastic standing ovation when he departs with one out in the seventh inning.
1997 Jeromy Burnitz, coming off the bench in the Brewers’ 6-5 loss to Seattle at County Stadium, homers as a pinch-hitter for the second consecutive time, tying an American League record. The major league mark for consecutive pinch-hit appearances with a home run is three, shared by Lee Lacy (Dodgers – May 2, 6, and 17, 1978) and Del Unser (Phillies – June 30, July 5, and 10, 1979).
1998 In the eighth inning of the Astros’ 11-3 loss to Florida, C.J. Nitkowski hits three consecutive batters, becoming only the third hurler to accomplish the rare feat in major league history since 1900. The Houston southpaw shares the dubious distinction with two other hurlers who also spent time in Columbus (OH) as minor leaguers, Dock Ellis (1974 Pirates) and Wilbur Wood (1977 White Sox).
1998 In the team’s 14-1 loss to the Yankees at Network Associates Coliseum, A’s starter Mike Oquist gives up fourteen earned runs, becoming the first pitcher to give up that many runs in an appearance since 1977 when Bill Travers accomplished the dubious feat hurling for the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander, giving up 16 hits to the 32 batters he faces in five innings, sets a franchise record for runs allowed, staying in the game to save the bullpen for tomorrow’s doubleheader against the Bronx Bombers.
2000 After looking at the artists’ renderings of the new proposed enlarged Fenway Park that includes a monstrous 3,000-car garage, Diane White suggests the Red Sox, New England’s team, relocate to Hartford, Connecticut. The Boston Globe columnist believes the gigantic ballpark complex will dominate the quaint neighborhood, riling against the “bunch of rich and powerful guys” who will ask for taxpayer assistance to fund their “multi-million-dollar playground.”
2000 The independent Western Baseball League expels Kevin Mitchell of the Sonoma County Crushers for the rest of the season for punching the owner of an opposing team. The former National League MVP allegedly hit Solano Steelheads owner Bruce Portner, who had come on the field after a brawl caused by a pitch thrown behind Mitchell had ended.
2002 Darin Erstad agrees to a four-year contract extension worth $32 million to stay in Anaheim through 2006. The Angels’ center fielder joins Troy Glaus, Garret Anderson, and Tim Salmon as one of the key players the organization has signed at least through the 2004 season.
2002 In just the first four innings, Edgar Martinez ties the major league record for sacrifice flies in a game with three. The Mariners’ designated hitter becomes the 11th player in history to accomplish the feat, doing it in his first three at-bats in Seattle’s 12-4 victory over the Indians.
2004 In a game where Cardinal first baseman Albert Pujols becomes the first player in history to hit at least 30 homers in each of his first four big-league seasons, Tony Batista goes deep twice, knotting the score with a two-run blast in the ninth and hitting a grand slam in the 12th. The Expos’ third baseman’s 199th and 200th career blasts help Montreal beat St. Louis in extra innings, 10-6.
2006 The home run ball hit by Barry Bonds to pass Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time career list fetches $220,100 during a ten-day eBay auction. The money, which will go to Andrew Morbitzer, the fan who caught #715, is much less than the $800,000 dished out in 2004 for the ball the Giants’ left fielder hit for his 700th career homer.
2008 Francisco Liriano, sent down to the minors after an 0-3 start in April attempting to come back from Tommy John surgery, blanks the Indians for six innings in his return to the Twins’ rotation. The right-hander’s performance propels Minnesota into first place in the American League Central with the eventual 6-2 victory over the Tribe and a White Sox loss.
2010 Alex Herrnberger bats for two different teams in two other cities on the same day, first pinch-hitting a double for the Reno Aces in the ninth inning against the Rainiers. Then, after the team’s loss in Tacoma, the Diamondbacks’ minor leaguer take a 30-minute plane flight to Yakima (WA) to play in the Bears game, where he pinch-hits again, popping out in the short-season affiliate’s 8-0 win over the Eugene Emeralds.
2011 The Jamestown (New York) Jammers wear special game jerseys during their NY-Penn League game against Tri-City to commemorate Lucy Ball’s 100th birthday and in conjunction with the Festival of Comedy being held in her honor in Jamestown this week. The uniforms, featuring Lucy and Desi on the front and the event logo on the back, will be autographed by the players and auctioned to benefit the Lucy-Desi Center.
2011 After driving in the winning run yesterday, Jacoby Ellsbury, who never had a walk-off hit, does it in consecutive contests when he blasts a two-out ninth-inning homer, giving the Red Sox another dramatic victory over Cleveland. The center fielder becomes the first Red Sox player with game-ending hits on consecutive days in the regular season since Butch Hobson accomplished the feat in 1978.
2012 The Upton brothers go deep each recording their 100th career homer hours apart in different ballparks when Diamondback outfielder Justin goes yard at Citizens Bank Park, and his older sibling B.J. hits a Tropicana Field round-tripper for the Rays. On July 20, the boys from Norfolk (VA) also hit their 99th homer on the same day.
2013 Max Scherzer becomes only the third pitcher in the last 44 years to begin the season with a 16-1 record when the Tigers beat the White Sox, 3-0, at Comerica Park. Detroit’s 29-year-old right-hander joins Roger Clemens (2001 Yankees) and Dave McNally (1966 Orioles) in getting off to a historically fast start.
2013 The first-place Dodgers set a franchise record, winning their 13th consecutive game on the road with their 3-0 victory over the Cubs in Chicago. The Giants established the National League mark in 1916 when the team won 17 straight games away from the Polo Grounds.
2015 Mike Hessman breaks the minor league home run record with the 433rd round-tripper of his nearly 19-year career, a grand slam against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the Mudhens’ 10-8 extra-inning International League (AAA) loss at Toledo’s Fifth Third Field. The 37-year-old first baseman, who played parts of five seasons with the Braves, Tigers, and Mets, surpasses Buzz Arlett, who established the mark in 1936 while playing for the Minneapolis Millers.
2015 Adrian Beltre becomes only the fourth player in baseball history to hit for the cycle three times and the first to accomplish the feat since 1933, when Babe Herman collected a single, double, triple, and a home run for the Cubs. The Rangers’ third baseman, also joins Bob Meusel (1928) and John Reilly (1890), completed the task with a fifth-inning home run in the team’s 12-9 victory over Houston.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
ALAN TRAMMELL
Shortstop
For 20 seasons, Alan Trammell was the face of the Detroit Tigers.
And during those 20 years, Trammell’s all-around excellence led the Tigers to victories while putting him on the path to Cooperstown.
Born on Feb. 21, 1958, in Garden Grove, Calif., Trammell was drafted by the Tigers in the second round of the 1976 amateur draft. He made his big league debut at the age of 19 on Sept. 9, 1977, and by 1978 Trammell was the Tigers starting shortstop – finishing fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 1980, Trammell earned his first All-Star selection, batted .300 for the first time and won his first of four Gold Glove Awards. In 1983, Trammell hit .319 with 14 homers, 66 RBI and 30 stolen bases and was awarded the Comeback Player of the Year in the American League following two straight years where he hit .258.
In 1984, Trammell battled shoulder tendinitis to finish fifth in the AL batting race (.314) and eighth in on-base percentage (.382). The Tigers went 104-58 to win the AL pennant and the World Series. Going 9-for-20 with two homers and six RBI, Trammell was named World Series MVP.
Tigers manager Sparky Anderson asked Trammell to move from the two hole to cleanup in 1987, and Trammell responded with his best season. He became the first Tiger to have 200 hits and 100 RBI in a season since 1955 and finished in the league top 10 in batting average (.343), RBI (105), hits (205), runs (109), total bases (329), on-base percentage (.402) and slugging percentage (.551).
Trammell finished second in MVP voting that year to Toronto’s George Bell. That season, Trammell became the first player in big league history to hit at least .340 with 28 home runs and 100 RBI in a season while playing at least half his games at shortstop.
Trammell retired following the 1996 season with six All-Star Game selections, three Silver Slugger Awards and four Gold Glove Awards. He batted better than .300 seven times in his career, finishing with a .285 batting average, 185 home runs, 1,003 RBI, 412 doubles and 2,365 hits. Three times he finished in the Top 10 in AL MVP voting.
In 1978, the Trammell was paired with second baseman Lou Whitaker. By the time their careers were over, Trammell and Whitaker played in 1,918 games together – the most by any double-play combination in history.
Trammell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Steelers Use “Air-Laynes” for 43-16 Win
That is our Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the day from the Pittsburgh Press from August 3, 1960 about an exhibition game played the day prior. August 3, 1960 – The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL 43-16 in an exhibition game between the NFL and CFL at CNE Stadium in Toronto, Ontario. The Steelers used the wider Canadian field to showcase their big armed quarterback Bobby Layne and his quartet of talented wide outs in Buddy Dial, Preston Carpenter, Jimmy Orr and Jack McClairen to put on an ariel attack. In just one half of play Layne was 10 of 13 for 177 yards and two touchdowns. The Steel City team raced out to a 36-3 halftime lead playing under the Canadian rules and never looked back. The article goes on to say that Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney stated that he was delighted with the CFL rule on punt coverage where defenders had to give the returner a 5 yard cushion to make a play on the ball thus eliminating a need for the fair catch in Canadian football. Rooney stated that this might be something the NFL may want to explore.
Champs and the All-Stars
August 3, 1962- The 29th Annual Chicago Charities College All Stars game sees the Green Bay Packers routing the All Stars 42-20 before 65,000 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The MVP award, always given to the college player team, happened to be John Hadl the Kansas quarterback.
August 3, 1970 – The NFL work stoppage ends as the Players Association and the NFL agree on a $19.1 Million deal.
August 3, 1986 – The first ever NFL’s American Bowl exhibition game takes place at London’s Wembley Stadium as the Chicago Bears defeated the Dallas Cowboys 17-6.
August 3, 2020- Duane “The Rock” Johnson with partners Dany Garcia and private investment firm RedBird Capital purchased the bankrupt XFL for the sum of $15 million from Alpha Entertainment LLC. The Johnson and Garcia entertainment multi-platform company Seven Bucks Companies plan on working hard to make the XFL entertaining for the fans. The creator of the restart XFL happened to be The Rock’s former boss, Vince McMahon and prior to that Duane J. played college football on the 1991 National Champion Miami Hurricanes. The ironic Hollywood twist to this tale is thatJohnson portrayed the acting role on the HBO show “Ballers” where his character was a retired NFL player that bought the KC Chiefs. Life truly does imitate art!
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
JIM BALLARD
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1990-1993
Place of Birth: Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Date of Birth: Apr 16, 1972
Jersey Number: 13
Height: 6-3″
Weight: 220
High School: Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cuyahoga Falls HS)
After transferring from Wilmington College (Ohio), Jim Ballard broke numerous school, conference and NCAA records en route to leading Mount Union to its first-ever Division III National Championship in 1993. A two-time First Team All-America pick in 1992 and ’93, Ballard broke 17 Division III records and threw for over 12,000 yards and over 150 touchdowns. The two-time recipient of the Mike Gregory Award, which is given to the Ohio Athletic Conference’s top offensive back, he was a two-time All-Conference selection and suffered only one OAC loss during his prolific career. Ballard won the inaugural Melberger Award as Division III’s Player of the Year and owned every Mount Union passing record by career’s end. The Ohio native played in the NFL, Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League during his 10- year professional career and led the Scottish Claymores to an NFL Europe World Bowl title in 1996. Inducted into the Scottish Claymores Hall of Fame in 2001, Ballard currently serves as the commissioner of the Continental Indoor Football League in North Canton, Ohio.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
5 – 31 – 47 – 24 – 25 – 44 – 1
August 3, 1914 – New York Yankees catcher Les Nunamaker threw out three Detroit Tigers’ runners to 2nd base during the 1st innings, only time in 20th Century
August 3, 1921 – MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Landis hands out life bans to 8 Chicago White Sox players accused in Black Sox scandal despite their acquittal by a Chicago jury
August 3, 1930 – Lightning strikes twice! For the 2nd time in the year, Phillies outfielder Chuck Klein hits safely in 26 straight games, run halted in 2nd game of doubleheader v Boston Braves
August 3, 1933 – Philadelphia A’s defeated the New York Yankees, 7-0. Why is that special? Well it was the first time in 308 games the Yankees team was shut out
August 3, 1941 – Joe DiMaggio, Number 5 goes 0-4 in Yankees 6-2 loss v St. Louis Browns, ending his on-base streak of 74 games, 2nd in MLB history
August 3, 1948 – Negro League veteran pitcher Satchel Paige, Number 31 at the age 42, debuts in Cleveland after controversial signing, goes 7 innings in 5-3 win v Washington
August 3, 1949 – Basketball Association of America (BAA) & National Basketball League (NBL) merge to form National Basketball Association (NBA), Maurice Podoloff elected head of new league
August 3, 1960 – For the only time in MLB history teams exchange managers as Detroit trades Jimmy Dykes (44-52) for Cleveland’s Joe Gordon (49-46)
August 3, 1962 – New York Met Frank Thomas, Number 25 hit his 6th home run in 3 games
August 3, 1986 – Willie McCovey (Number 44), Bobby Doerr (Number 1) and Ernie Lombardi (So many numbers) were all inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY
August 3, 1987 – Detroit Tigers ace Jack Morris wearing Number 47 had a bad day of control when he tied the American League record with 5 wild pitches in a 4-2, 10 innings loss to the Kansas City Royals
August 3, 1989 – Future Baseball Hall of Fame left fielder Rickey Henderson, Number 24 set an AL mark of 50 stolen bases in 9 of his first 11 seasons in MLB
August 3, 1999 – Arsenal FC completed a huge signing coup snapping up ace French striker Thierry Henry, who wore Number 14 that season, for a bargain £10 million from Italian club Juventus.
August 3, 2017 – Brazilian soccer forward jersey Number 10, Neymar transferred from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record transfer fee of €222 on a 5-year deal
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| LPGA: Scottish Open | 9:00am | GOLF |
| PGA: Wyndham Championship | 2:00pm | GOLF |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Philadelphia at Miami | 12:10pm | MLBN NBCS-PHI Bally Sports |
| Chi. White Sox at Texas | 2:05pm | MLBN Bally Sports NBCS-CHI |
| NY Mets at Kansas City | 2:10pm | Bally Sports SNY |
| Baltimore at Toronto | 3:07pm | MLBN MASN/2 Sportsnet |
| Arizona at San Francisco | 3:45pm | Bally Sports NBCS-BAY |
| Houston at NY Yankees | 7:15pm | FOX ATTSN-SW YES |
| Pittsburgh at Milwaukee | 7:15pm | FOX ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports |
| Minnesota at St. Louis | 7:45pm | Bally Sports |
| Cincinnati at Chi. Cubs | 8:05pm | MLBN Bally Sports MARQ |
| Seattle at LA Angels | 9:38pm | Root Sports Bally Sports |
| Oakland at LA Dodgers | 10:10pm | MLBN NBCS-CA Sportsnet |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| SRX: Grand Rapids | 9:00pm | ESPN |
| NFL PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Hall of Fame Game: NY Jets at Cleveland | 8:00pm | NBC |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| FIFA Women’s World Cup: Korea Republic vs Germany | 6:00am | FOX |
| FIFA Women’s World Cup: Morocco vs Colombia | 6:00am | FS1 |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Atlanta vs Phoenix | 10:00pm | Prime |