“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
LA DODGERS 6 BALTIMORE 4
CLEVELAND 11 PITTSBURGH 0
TEXAS 3 TAMPA BAY 2
DETROIT 3 KANSAS CITY 2
LA ANGELS 4 NY YANKEES 3 (10)
BOSTON 7 OAKLAND 0
SEATTLE 7 MINNESOTA 6
SAN FRANCISCO 2 CINCINNATI 2 (GAME SUSPENDED IN SEVENTH-INNING)
ST. LOUIS 6 MIAMI 4
WASHINGTON 7 CHICAGO CUBS 5
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
WNBA
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
ALL-STAR GAME WEDNESDAY
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1
FRIDAY
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
COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 – 10-11 A.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 8 – 9-10:30 A.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 10 – 9-10 A.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 15 – 9-10 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 – 6-8 P.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 17 – 6-8 P.M.
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
MONDAY’S TRANSACTIONS
BASEBALL
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BALTIMORE ORIOLES — RECALLED RHP GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ FROM NORFOLK (IL). OPTIONED RHP EDUARD BAZARDO TO NORFOLK (IL). AGREED TO TERMS WITH OF MAC HORVATH.
BOSTON RED SOX — REINSTATED LHP RICHARD BLEIER FROM THE 15-DAY IL. DESIGNATED RHP JAKE FARIA FOR ASSIGNMENT.
DETROIT TIGERS — AGREED TO TERMS WITH OF MAX CLARK.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS — PLACED RHP CHRIS DEVENSKI ON THE 15-DAY IL, RETROACTIVE TO JULY 16. RECALLED RHPS JIMMY HERGET AND GERARDO REYES FROM SALT LAKE (PCL). OPTIONED RHP ZACK WEISS TO SALT LAKE.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS — AGREED TO TERMS WITH SS JACOB WILSON.
TAMPA BAY RAYS — REINSTATED 3B YANDY DÍAZ FROM THE PATERNITY LIST. DESIGNATED RHP YONNY CHIRINOS FOR ASSIGNMENT. REINSTATED LHP SHANE MCCLANAHAN FROM THE 15-DAY IL. OPTIONED 2B JONATHAN ARANDA TO DURHAM (IL).
TORONTO BLUE JAYS — AGREED TO TERMS WITH SS ARJUN NIMMALA.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CINCINNATI REDS — PLACED SS KEVIN NEWMAN ON THE 10-DAY IL, RETROACTIVE TO JULY 14. SELECTED THE CONTRACT OF 3B CHRISTIAN ENCARNACION-STRAND FROM LOUISVILLE (IL).
PITTSBURGH PIRATES — DESIGNATED OF TRAVIS SWAGGERTY FOR ASSIGNMENT. SELECTED THE CONTRACT OF RHP QUINN PRIESTER FROM INDIANAPOLIS (IL). RECALLED C ENDY RODRIGUEZ AND SS LIOVER PEGUERO FROM INDIANAPOLIS. OPTIONED C JASON DELAY TO INDIANAPOLIS. OPTIONED OF JOSH PALACIOS AND RHP CODY BOLTON TO INDIANAPOLIS.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — AGREED TO TERMS WITH OF TRAVIS HONEYMAN, RHPS JACOB ODLE, TYLER BRADT, C GRAYSEN TARLOW AND HP RYAN TEPERA. AGREED TO TERMS WITH 1B ROSS FRIEDRICK ON A MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACT. DESIGNATED LHP GENESIS CABRERA FOR ASSIGNMENT.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS — REINSTATED LHP PATRICK CORBIN FROM THE PATERNITY LIST. RECALLED LHP JOE LA SORSA FROM ROCHESTER (IL). CLAIMED RHP RODDERY MUÑOZ OFF WAIVERS FROM ATLANTA AND OPTIONED HIM TO ROCHESTER (IL). OPTIONED RHP JOAN ADON TO ROCHESTER (IL). PLACED RHP HUNTER HARVEY ON THE 15-DAY IL, RETROACTIVE TO JULY 16.
BASKETBALL
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
PHOENIX SUNS — ANNOUNCED THE COMPLETION OA A TRADE WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS, ACQUIRING A FUTURE PROTECTED SECOND-ROUND PICK IN EXCHANGE FOR SUNS G CAMERON PAYNE, A FUTURE SECOND-ROUND PICK AND CASH CONSIDERATIONS.
FOOTBALL
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DETROIT LIONS — SIGNED RB JAHMYR GIBBS TO A ROOKIE CONTRACT.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — SIGNED CB KELEE RINGO TO A ROOKIE CONTRACT.
CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — ANNOUNCED WR KENNY LAWLER IS RETURNING TO THE TEAM AND IS NOW ELIGIBLE TO PLAY.
HOCKEY
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
ARIZONA COYOTES — SIGNED F MATIAS MACCELLI TO A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT.
BOSTON BRUINS — SIGNED G MICHAEL DIPIETRO TO A ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT. SIGNED D ALEC REGULA TO A ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT. AGREED TO TERMS ON A ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT WITH D REILLY WALSH.
BUFFALO SABRES — SIGNED LW LINUS WEISSBACH TO A ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS — SIGNED C CONNOR BEDARD TO A THREE-YEAR, ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT.
FLORIDA PANTHERS — AGREED TO TERMS WITH D CASEY FITZGERALD ON A ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS — SIGNED RW OLIVER WAHLSTROM TO A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT.
WINNIPEG JETS — SIGNED C MORGAN BARRON TO A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT.
SOCCER
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
COLUMBUS CREW — MUTUALLY AGREES TO TERMINATE G ELOY ROOM’S CONTRACT.
MLS NEXT PRO
NORTH TEXAS SC — ANNOUNCED THEY HAVE RELIEVED JAVIER CANO OF HIS DUTIES AS HEAD COACH AND THAT ASSISTANT COACH JOHN GALL WILL ASSUME HEAD COACHING DUTIES ON AN INTERIM BASIS WHILE MICHEL GARBINI WILL CONTINUE IN HIS ROLE AS ASSISTANT COACH.
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: RANGERS RUN PAST RAYS ON WILD PITCH
Josh H. Smith raced home on a wild pitch to send the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in Arlington, Texas.
With the game tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, Josh Jung roped a leadoff double to center off Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks. Smith then came on for Jung as a pinch runner.
After Adolis Garcia struck out, Smith moved to third on a groundout by Nathaniel Lowe and scored when Fairbanks (0-3) uncorked a wild pitch during an at-bat against Mitch Garver.
Texas reliever Aroldis Chapman (5-2) registered the victory. Chapman, who earned his first save in a Rangers uniform on Saturday, struck out the side in a dominant top of the ninth.
Dodgers 6, Orioles 4
Chris Taylor hit a grand slam and Freddie Freeman added three hits to power Los Angeles to a victory at Baltimore in the opener of a three-game series.
Freeman went 3-for-5, scored twice and finished a homer shy of hitting for the cycle. The Dodgers trailed 4-1 before scoring five times in the sixth inning, a rally capped by Taylor’s blast.
Adley Rutschman homered and Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Orioles, who had their season-high, eight-game winning streak snapped. Bryan Baker (3-3) gave up Taylor’s grand slam.
Cardinals 6, Marlins 4
Nolan Arenado drove in four runs to power St. Louis past visiting Miami.
Dylan Carlson went 2-for-4 with a walk, three runs and an RBI for the Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (6-5) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings.
Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez each homered for the Marlins, who fell to 0-4 since the All-Star break. Luis Arraez went 1-for-5 with an RBI as his batting average dropped to .378. Reliever Dylan Floro (3-5) took the loss.
Nationals 7, Cubs 5
Keibert Ruiz clubbed a two-run homer and he and Stone Garrett each had three hits as visiting Washington beat Chicago.
Jeimer Candelario also hit a two-run homer as the Nationals topped Chicago for a fourth straight time this season. MacKenzie Gore (5-7) allowed five runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.
Two of the hits Gore allowed were two-run homers by Ian Happ and Patrick Wisdom, but Chicago dropped to 1-3 since the All-Star break. Cubs starter Drew Smyly (7-7) yielded five runs and eight hits in six innings.
Tigers 3, Royals 2
Matt Vierling delivered a go-ahead, two-run double during a three-run eighth inning as visiting Detroit rallied past Kansas City.
Brendan White (2-2) recorded two outs in the seventh inning for the win. Jason Foley pitched a scoreless eighth before Alex Lange retired the Royals in order in the ninth for his 15th save.
Freddy Fermin had three hits and an RBI for the Royals, who lost the opener of a four-game series despite outhitting the Tigers 6-5.
Guardians 11, Pirates 0
Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer and an RBI double and six pitchers combined on a four-hitter as visiting Cleveland cruised past Pittsburgh.
The Guardians’ Xzavion Curry, making his first start of the season in what was a bullpen game, pitched three scoreless innings. Michael Kelly (1-0) tossed 1 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Pittsburgh starter Quinn Priester (0-1), making his major league debut, gave up seven runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Pirates’ starting lineup featured six rookies, with Priester’s batterymate and fellow touted prospect Endy Rodriguez also making his big-league debut.
Giants 2, Reds 2 (suspended in eighth inning)
Following a weather delay of 1 hour, 55 minutes, the game between visiting San Francisco and Cincinnati was suspended with the score tied.
The game will be resumed 90 minutes prior to Tuesday’s regularly scheduled game. The contest will pick up with San Francisco batting in the top of the eighth and runners on second and third and one out.
Before the rains came, the teams combined for four solo home runs, from the Giants’ Wilmer Flores and Austin Slater and the Reds’ Matt McLain and Jonathan India.
BRAVES’ ACUÑA IS ON PACE TO SET NEW BASEBALL STANDARD FOR POWER-SPEED DOMINANCE
ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. is on pace to do more than just join an elite 40-40 club in baseball history.
The Braves outfielder is threatening to obliterate the previous high mark for power-speed combination in a season.
Of the four players who have delivered seasons with at least 40 homers and 40 stolen bases, none accomplished the feat with more than 46 steals. Acuña is on pace for 41 homers and 77 steals. He could become the charter member of baseball’s 40-50, 40-60 and 40-70 clubs.
“It would mean a lot to me personally just because I feel like not a lot of players have been able to accomplish something like that,” Acuña, who is from Venezuela, said Sunday through a translator. “But my goal maintains the same, just try to stay as healthy as possible and help the team win.”
Acuña’s 23 homers and 43 steals, already a career high, are big reasons the Braves (61-31) boast the majors’ best record as they prepare to open a three-game home series against Arizona on Tuesday night.
Even after losing two of three to the Chicago White Sox to end their streak of 11 consecutive series wins, the Braves led second-place Miami by 9 1/2 games in the NL East entering Monday night’s games.
Acuña is only part of a powerful Atlanta lineup that also features Matt Olson’s NL-leading totals of 30 homers and 77 RBIs. Even Olson is blown away by Acuña’s all-around dominance.
“He’s doing things that I’ve never seen before,” Olson said Sunday. “He’s got all the tools. He works good at-bats and hits the ball 500 feet and steals bases and throws guys out and makes great plays in the outfield. He does it all. We love having him on our squad and leading off every night.”
Acuña already is the first player to hit 20 homers with 40 steals and 50 RBIs before the All-Star break.
He ranks second in the National League with his .333 batting average while leading the majors in runs and hard-hit balls.
Perhaps most impressive is the plate discipline Acuña has demonstrated even while being an aggressive batter who attacks first pitches. Acuña’s strikeouts have declined each month this season. He has only two strikeouts with seven walks in 43 July at-bats.
“I think he’s going up there and I think he’s keeping it simple but keeping a precise plan and he’s going up there and executing,” said Braves third baseman Austin Riley. “I think there’s something to be said about keeping things simple, especially in this game, and I think he’s doing that.”
Riley has played with Acuña since low Class A. He says he’s always seen five-tools talent in Acuña’s game. Riley says he’s seeing something different this season as Acuña is determined to take advantage of his good health, now fully recovered after tearing the ACL in his right knee in 2021.
A healthy Acuña is seizing every opportunity to run. His 43 stolen bases are tied with Oakland’s Esteury Ruiz for the major league lead.
“You’ve always seen the talent there and now I feel like he’s got that will or something,” Riley said. “I don’t think he’s trying to prove a point or anything, I just think he’s got that sense of urgency about him this year, especially when he’s running the bases. I think that’s been the most impressive thing about him this year. He gets on first and the next thing you know he’s on third. It’s been very impressive to watch.”
Oakland’s José Canseco had 42 homers and 40 steals in 1988. San Francisco’s Barry Bonds also had a 42-40 season in 1996. In 1998, Álex Rodríguez hit 42 homers with 46 steals for Seattle, and Alfonso Soriano hit 46 homers with 41 steals for Washington in 2006.
Acuña came close to a 40-40 season in 2019, when he hit 41 homers with 37 steals before he was shut down late in the season by a hip injury.
The 2021 knee injury prevented Acuña from participating in the Braves’ World Series championship. Atlanta is in position to make another postseason run, and Acuña says he’s driven by that team goal more than his chance to make statistical history.
“I think the conversations are always going to be had,” he said. “That’s just because of the data. That’s just not what my focus is on. My focus is on the team winning and helping the team win.”
REPORT: ANGELS WON’T TRADE OHTANI TO DODGERS
The Los Angeles Angels are eliminating at least one suitor in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.
“Would they trade him to the (Los Angeles) Dodgers? No,” MLB Network’s Jon Heyman said Monday. “I spoke to somebody with the Dodgers, they realize he’s not getting traded to the Dodgers. Even if you think that he can sign long term with the Dodgers, (Angels owner) Arte Moreno is not going to do that.”
Heyman noted, however, that the Dodgers have a good chance to sign Ohtani long term once he hits free agency this winter, regardless of what happens prior to MLB’s Aug. 1 trade deadline.
Moreno would seemingly not like to facilitate that union, though, and keep the two-way superstar away from the Angels’ nearest rival.
Heyman notes that there’s a roughly 25% chance of him getting dealt at all and also counts the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres as potential landing spots this winter.
With the Angels falling further out of postseason contention, conjecture has grown that the team will make Ohtani available via trade, mere months away from him potentially leaving on the open market. The Halos are 46-48, nine games back of the first-place Texas Rangers and six back of the final AL wild-card spot.
The 29-year-old is the current favorite to win his second AL MVP award, hitting .301/.386/.665 with 34 homers and 11 stolen bases. Meanwhile, on the mound, he’s authoring a 3.50 ERA and 3.97 FIP over 18 starts while currently battling through blister issues.
REPORT: METS DON’T PLAN TO TRADE ALONSO BEFORE DEADLINE
The New York Mets are planning to keep Pete Alonso.
New York isn’t expected to engage with other clubs about a potential deal involving the star first baseman before the Aug. 1 trade deadline, according to Andy Martino of SNY.
Alonso, who’s arbitration-eligible through 2024, has gone deep 26 times with a .790 OPS over 85 games this season en route to becoming an All-Star for a third time in five years.
The underachieving Mets reportedly haven’t discussed specific players with other clubs yet. However, trade talks could intensify in a week if the team doesn’t go on a big winning streak, a source told Martino.
Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, David Robertson, and Omar Narvaez are likely names to watch on the trade market since they’ll be free agents after the 2023 campaign.
The Mets enter Monday’s action 8.5 games out of the NL’s final wild-card spot and 18.5 games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves.
SLUMPING REDS ADD ANOTHER TOP PROSPECT, INFIELDER CHRISTIAN ENCARNACION-STRAND
CINCINNATI (AP) — Hoping to spark a struggling offense, the slumping Cincinnati Reds promoted another top prospect on Monday and inserted Christian Encarnacion-Strand into the starting lineup against San Francisco for his major league debut.
The 23-year-old infielder was batting seventh as the designated hitter. He was among four rookies in the Reds starting lineup, joining third baseman Elly De La Cruz, shortstop Matt McLain and pitcher Brandon Williamson.
“It means a lot,” Encarnacion-Strand said. “Now I get to play with a really, really good group of guys. The guys have been always welcoming. The same thing in spring training, the were super, super nice to me. I don’t feel pressure or anxiety to go in there with them.”
A native of Walnut Creek, California, Encarnacion-Strand hit .331 with 21 doubles, 20 homers and 62 RBIs with a 1.042 OPS in 67 games this year for Triple-A Louisville. He led the International League with 177 total bases.
“He’s played well,” Reds general manager Nick Krall said “He deserved a shot with Kevin on the injured list. “It was the perfect time to bring him up. “He made adjustments over the last couple of months. He is taking better at bats. With that he’s still shown power. … He has been able to hit outside of the zone but cutting down his chase rate brought the zone more to him. It allowed him to get better at the Triple A level.”
Infielder Kevin Newman was placed on the 10-day injured list with gastritis, a move retroactive to Friday.
Cincinnati entered Monday with a four-game losing streak after getting swept in a three-game series at Milwaukee. The Reds were shut out in three straight games before Sunday’s 4-3 loss.
Encarnacion-Strand was Minnesota’s fourth-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft. He was acquired last August with infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer and left-hander Steve Hajjar for right-hander Tyler Mahle.
NFL NEWS
GIANTS AND RUNNING BACK SAQUON BARKLEY FAIL TO REACH CONTRACT EXTENSION
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension by Monday’s deadline for franchised players, leaving the star running back with the option of playing for the tag-mandated $10.1 million salary or maybe taking the season off.
The Giants gave the franchise tag to the 26-year-old Barkley in March, giving the two sides four months to reach an agreement on a new deal by the July 17 deadline at 4 p.m. Talks went down to the wire and an agreement was not reached.
The Giants had no immediate comment after the deadline.
“It is what it is,” Barkley tweeted.
Barkley was not happy being tagged, especially after running for a career-best 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns and sharing the team lead with 57 receptions last season in what was his second Pro Bowl season. It was a big reason why New York reached the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The $10.1 million salary will leave Barkley among the NFL’s highest-paid running backs, but the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year felt it was a sign of disrespect after being one of the main faces of the franchise for the past five years.
San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey ($16 million) New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara $15 million) and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry ($12.5 million) and Cleveland’s Nick Chubb ($12.2 million) are the top four earners among the NFL’s running backs in average annual salary. Dalvin Cook, who was to earn $12.6 million with Vikings, was cut in a salary cap move and Joe Mixon of Cincinnati recently took a cut to stay in Cincinnati.
Giants players report to training camp on July 25 and there is a chance Barkley, who has not signed the tender the Giants gave him after being franchised, may sit out a major part of the camp.
Barkley had added agent Ed Berry of Creative Artists Agency to help Kim Miale of Roc Nation reach a deal last month, but the two sides never got it done.
The Giants and general manager Joe Schoen seemed content with the tag, possibly because of Barkley’s history with injuries and the devaluation of the running back position in recent years.
During this past season, the Giants had offered Barkley a deal that would have paid $12 million to $14 million annually, but they withdrew it after the season ended to work on new deals for quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and to help with signings in free agency.
Barkley’s injury history is a concern. He was spectacular as a rookie out of Penn State, rushing for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 91 passes for 721 yards and four more TDs. An ankle injury caused him to miss three games in 2019, but he still ran for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 438 yards and two TDs.
An ACL injury against Chicago in the second game of the 2020 season ended that campaign and he wasn’t the same player coming off the injury in 2021, rushing for 593 yards.
He returned to being the Barkley of old under Brian Daboll last season as the Giants posted a 9-7-1 record and beat Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. New York was blown out by the eventual NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the second round.
Six teams franchised players this year with the Giants putting a non-exclusive tag on Barkley, meaning he was free to negotiate with other franchises but New York could match any offer or receive first-round draft picks as compensation.
The three non-running backs all received long-term deals. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson got a five-year $260 million contract. Washington defensive lineman Daron Payne got $90 million over four years and Jacksonville tight end and former Giant Evan Engram received $41.25 million in a three-year deal.
Barkley and fellow running back Josh Jacobs of Las Vegas and Tony Pollard of the Dallas didn’t get deals. Pollard signed his tender offer unlike Barkley and Jacobs.
JOSH JACOBS AND THE RAIDERS FAIL TO REACH LONG-TERM DEAL, AP SOURCES SAY
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders, who led the NFL in rushing last season, failed to reach an agreement on a long-term extension by Monday’s deadline, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.
Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. One person was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and the other because of its sensitivity.
The failure of the two sides to reach a deal could prompt Jacob to sit out training camp and perhaps even this season. Jacobs doesn’t have anything to lose financially by missing camp, but he would be forfeiting paychecks by not playing games.
The Raiders placed the franchise tag on Jacobs on March 6, which means he would play on a $10.1 million deal this season if he returns to the team. The veterans report July 25, and training camp opens the following day.
Jacobs has been clear about his position all along, even saying at one point he would be a “hero turned villain” if forced to play under the tag.
He is the latest example of the changing climate for running backs, who have gone from a prominent position of being able to help lead teams to Super Bowls to an expendable spot where workhorse backs are less valued.
Though Jacobs led the league with 1,653 yards rushing, the Raiders went 6-11 last season.
Jacobs’ expected absence adds another element of uncertainty to Las Vegas. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and defensive end and first-round draft pick Tyree Wilson didn’t participate in organized team activities because of foot injuries.
AARON RODGERS’ TRAINING CAMP DEBUT WITH THE NEW YORK JETS IS GETTING A ‘HARD KNOCKS’ CLOSE-UP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) The New York Jets made it official Monday: Their first training camp with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers is getting the “Hard Knocks” treatment.
The team announced its featured role in the long-running HBO and NFL Films show, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at preseason work for an NFL team. The premiere for the 18th edition of the show is Aug. 8.
Rodgers’ arrival in New York after 18 stellar seasons with Green Bay certainly made the Jets an appealing subject for the show.
Coach Robert Saleh said last month that the Jets weren’t interested in being the show’s subject, but Rodgers made it clear last week during the American Century Championship golf event in Lake Tahoe that they’d have to do it anyway.
“There’s a lot of eyes on me, a lot of eyes on our team, a lot of expectations for our squad, so they forced it down our throats and we’ve got to deal with it,” Rodgers said.
This is the Jets’ second appearance on “Hard Knocks” and first since Rex Ryan’s team did it in 2010, which also marks the most recent time the Jets made the postseason in the longest-active skid in the league.
NFL PREVIEW: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
It’s been a long time since the Saints sustained their relevance.
Since winning Super Bowl XLIV, New Orleans has only been victorious in one divisional playoff game. Now, entering its second season under coach Dennis Allen, and competing in a hideous NFC South, it’s time for the franchise to take advantage of signing quarterback Derek Carr this offseason.
While Carr isn’t a star, he’s a quality player. In eight years playing for the Raiders, Carr has thrown for more than 4,000 yards on four occasions. Now, he’s surrounded by a good offensive line and significant weaponry, including receivers Chris Olave and Michael Thomas, and running back Alvin Kamara. Of course, the big question is in regards to Thomas’s health: the pass catcher has played 10 games across the last three seasons.
If the offense can produce, the defense should be solid as well. Although New Orleans lost edge rusher Marcus Davenport, and defensive tackles David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle, there’s still plenty of talent. In the secondary, safety Tyrann Mathieu and corner Marshon Lattimore are studs, while the front seven has perennial All-Pro candidates in defensive end Cameron Jordan and linebacker Demario Davis.
The Saints have their issues, but in a division as weak as the NFC South this year, they could easily be a playoff threat.
Biggest gamble this offseason: Signing Carr to a four-year deal
New Orleans needed to upgrade under center, and it did so with the signing of Carr. Giving him four years is another conversation.
Looking at his deal, Carr is locked in for two years. If the Saints want to move on before the third, they’d have to eat $17.1 million, unless they go the post–June 1 route. Ultimately, it’s a smart gamble by general manager Mickey Loomis, although the cavalcade of annual cap crunches won’t be helped by another serving of potential dead money.
With Carr, though, the Saints have an opportunity to not only win their division, but also advance in the postseason. The conference is weak, and the Superdome is one of the best home fields in sports.
For this deal to ultimately be worth it, Carr must finally win a playoff game or two, plus form a good partnership with Allen. Anything short of that, and both time and money has been wasted.
Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 2 to 6
The Saints will be spending plenty of time away from home to start the season.
After opening at the Superdome in Week 1, New Orleans hits the road for four of its next five. This stretch starts with a date against rookie quarterback Bryce Young and the Panthers before heading north for a battle with the Packers.
In Week 4, the Saints go home for a clash with the Buccaneers before going back on the road for two more, starting with the Patriots and ending with the Texans. The opponents aren’t brutal, but the travel is.
Breakout player to watch: DT Bryan Bresee
The Saints don’t have a litany of contenders for this category, but Bresee makes ample sense.
For starters, Bresee is a 2023 first-round pick who, while at Clemson, notched 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks across three seasons. Now, he enters a defensive line which is undergoing a facelift, having lost the aforementioned Tuttle and Onyemata on the inside. As a result, Bresee should see a decent share of snaps alongside free-agent addition Khalen Saunders.
With veterans next to him in Saunders and Jordan, Bresee has a chance to make a quick impact for a team with playoff aspirations.
Position of strength: Secondary
At 31 years old, Mathieu may not be the first-team All-Pro he was with the Chiefs, but he remains a savvy veteran who created four turnovers last year. He’s a smart, valuable piece on the back end next to Marcus Maye, who has been a steady contributor during his six-year career when healthy.
However, the crown jewel of the back end is Lattimore. One of the best corners in football, Lattimore is a four-time Pro Bowler who consistently draws top assignments and comes out ahead. After playing only seven games last year, the 2017 first-round pick will look to bounce back.
Position of weakness: Outside linebacker
While Davis is one of the most underrated stars of the past decade, he is flanked by two big question marks at the second level.
Zack Baun and Pete Werner were both top 100 picks who have plenty to prove. Werner has shown flashes in his first two years, totaling 80 tackles and two forced fumbles across 12 games last season. As for Baun, he’s done very little, playing no more than 17 percent of defensive snaps in any of his three campaigns.
If New Orleans’s defense is going to remain a top 10 unit, getting increased contributions from Baun and Werner would be a boon.
X-factor: What does Trevor Penning contribute?
If there’s a player—outside of Carr—who could make or break the Saints, it’s Penning.
A first-round pick in 2022, Penning only played in six games and started one as a rookie. New Orleans needs the offensive tackle to not only stay healthy, but also lock down Carr’s blindside. With the right edge held down by All-Pro Ryan Ramczyk, the Saints could have solid bookends, giving the immobile Carr time to scan and throw.
However, if Penning is either injured or ineffective, New Orleans could be forced to rely on the short game, taking away Carr’s prolific deep-ball ability.
Sleeper/fantasy pick: RB Kendre Miller
In his final season at TCU, Miller rushed for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns. He could see an expanded role to start his NFL career if Kamara is suspended. In that scenario, Miller would be the second option behind Jamaal Williams. I’d take a late-round flier on the rookie. —Michael Fabiano, SI Fantasy
Best bet: Take the over on Chris Olave’s 1000.5 receiving yards
Olave had 1,042 receiving yards in 2022 with uneven QB play. Carr is a solid upgrade, and I don’t buy into the idea that Michael Thomas will be a threat to Olave’s opportunity. —Jennifer Piacenti, SI Betting
Final record: 9–8, second in NFC South
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LSU’S SUCCESS IN BASEBALL, WOMEN’S HOOPS RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON KELLY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Brian Kelly and LSU face much higher expectations going into his second season as coach.
He can look in the mirror for raising those standards after winning the Southeastern Conference ‘s Western Division title in his debut year. The success of fellow LSU coaches in their second seasons didn’t help either.
Not one little bit.
“Certainly at LSU, all we can think about is championships after what Jay Johnson did in baseball and Kim Mulkey in basketball,our success in gymnastics,” Kelly said Monday at his second Southeastern Conference Media Days.
Kelly views the challenge as opportunity going into the SEC’s final season with divisions as LSU and Texas A&M chase Alabama as most likely challengers to Nick Saban’s traditional stranglehold on the West before Texas and Oklahoma join the league in 2024.
He made clear his Tigers have to keep improving to compete in college football’s best conference. That won’t be easy no matter how excited they are about going 10-4 in 2022 and beating Alabama to reach the SEC championship game before losing to eventual national champ Georgia.
“The foundation of success is built in consistency,” Kelly said. “Alabama and Georgia continue to hold that mantle of consistency in terms of playing for championships, and that’s what we’ll be looking to be at LSU, is playing for championships consistently, year in and year out.”
The SEC kicked off the first of its four days talking football Monday in Nashville, an event postponed from 2021 so Music City could team together to throw a big party for the league where the motto is “It Just Means More” with a free concert in the Lower Broad entertainment district on Tuesday night.
Commissioner Greg Sankey opened up this event noting three SEC teams have combined to win four straight football national titles and five different teams have won 13 of the past 17 national championships.
Sankey also mentioned the SEC led all conferences for a 17th straight year with the most players drafted by the NFL at 62.
Everyone in the SEC and college football currently are chasing Georgia, the reigning back-to-back national champ. LSU will only have a chance to measure up against the Bulldogs if they defend their division title and reach the league title game in Atlanta on Dec. 2. They lost to Georgia 50-30 in that game last year.
“If we continue to do what we’re doing, we’re going to have a roster that can compete against Georgia, and then it’s just a matter of getting it done on the playing field so everybody then can assess they’ve closed the gap,” Kelly said.
One thing in LSU’s favor this season is the Tigers host Texas A&M on Nov. 25 after losing 38-23 on the road. That snapped a five-game winning streak for Kelly that included a 32-31 win over Alabama. But LSU also must visit Alabama on Nov. 4.
Kelly has quarterback Jayden Daniels among eight starters back on offense. The LSU coach has a bigger challenge on defense replacing seven starters. Running back Josh Williams said the national titles won by two other LSU coaches in their second seasons have brought a lot of expectations.
“We would love to make everybody happy and win the national championship and have that cycle continue,” Williams said. “It would be amazing.”
Coach Jimbo Fisher is going into his sixth season at Texas A&M and last before Texas becomes a league rival again. Fisher said that will be great for both college football along with Texas and the Aggies to renew an old rivalry.
First, he has to manage expectations and this final season in the SEC West, which Fisher called “the best league in ball, in the SEC period.” He has to guide Texas A&M through seven straight SEC games starting with Auburn on Sept. 23 and trips to Tennessee and Mississippi.
Fisher also hired Bobby Petrino in January as offensive coordinator. Asked who will be calling plays during games, Fisher said Petrino was hired for a reason.
Texas A&M is trying to bounce back from a 5-7 season where five losses came by a combined 19 points.
“I see a different chip on their shoulder, and I see a demeanor and a leadership within that group that’s been excellent,” Fisher said.
RED RIVER RIVALRY RETURNS AS THE NAME FOR THE TEXAS-OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL MATCHUP
DALLAS (AP) — The Red River Rivalry is back.
The name, that is. The game itself never went anywhere.
Allstate was announced Monday as the new title sponsor of the Texas-Oklahoma football matchup played every year at the Cotton Bowl amid the Texas State Fair in Dallas.
And with it comes the return of the “Red River Rivalry” nickname for the game, ditching the unpopular “Red River Showdown” used since 2014. The game was long known as the Red River Shootout before being changed to the Red River Rivalry in 2005.
The rivalry dates to 1900 and this year’s meeting on Oct. 7 will be the 119th matchup between the Longhorns and Sooners. It will be the last for both schools as members of the Big 12. Texas and Oklahoma move to the Southeastern Conference starting in 2024.
This year’s Allstate Red River Rivalry will be broadcast on ABC. Texas lead the series 63-50-5.
“Our annual, iconic matchup with the Longhorns each October features more than a century of tradition between our two programs, so it’s fitting that we revive the ‘Rivalry’ name,” Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione said.
FORMER NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL PLAYERS HIRE CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE HAZING
CHICAGO (AP) — Eight former Northwestern football players have retained attorneys following a hazing scandal that led to the firing of coach Pat Fitzgerald and criticism of university leadership for its initial response to the allegations.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the Chicago-based Levin & Perconti personal injury law firm announced Monday that they have “uncovered a vast array of incidents of abuse in the Northwestern football program.” They also said more athletes are expected to join the legal action and it will expand beyond Northwestern football to other college athletic programs.
Crump has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and others in high-profile civil rights cases.
Fitzgerald was fired last week after a university investigation found allegations of hazing by 11 current or former players, including “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature,” Northwestern President Michael Schill wrote.
Fitzgerald, who led Northwestern for 17 seasons, has maintained he had no knowledge of the hazing. After Northwestern initially suspended but did not fire him, The Daily Northwestern published an article including allegations from a former player who described specific instances of hazing and abuse and suggested Fitzgerald may have been aware.
Fitzgerald said after being fired that he was working with his agent, Bryan Harlan, and Chicago defense attorney Dan Webb. who recently represented Fox News in a defamation case, to “protect my rights in accordance with the law.”
Defensive coordinator David Braun, hired away from North Dakota State after last season, has been elevated to interim coach at Northwestern for the upcoming season.
SEC COMMISSIONER CALLS ON CONGRESS TO SET NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ATHLETE COMPENSATION
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey made clear Monday that only Congress can truly set a national standard for name, image and likeness compensation in college athletics.
Sankey said NIL isn’t a partisan issue and that state legislatures haven’t yet enforced their NIL laws, some of which would bar the NCAA and conferences from adopting and enforcing their own standards.
“Congressional action is then the only way to provide a national uniform standard for name, image, and likeness activity and to draw the lines around the boundaries that do not become simply pay for play,” said Sankey, echoing the stance of the NCAA on one of the most divisive issues in college sports.
Asked if a uniform NIL standard would help LSU, coach Brian Kelly said the challenge is there’s not much regulation now. That leaves coaches trying to control what they can, which is difficult because NIL involves groups separate from universities.
Different laws in each state leaves the SEC unbalanced, he said.
“I’m not here to fix it. I’m here to navigate it. If I can lend my experience in any shape or fashion, I will do that,” Kelly said. “But I can tell you what we’re living, and that’s third-party involvement and different rules of engagement by different states.”
Sankey said the league heard again in late June from athletes asking for uniform NIL rules. They want help trying to decide which university to attend and to even the competition on the playing field in the SEC.
“Uniformity will ensure a high school student and his or her family do not have to investigate potentially dozens of different state laws or university policies to figure out how they can be active in this name, image and likeness world,” Sankey said.
Sankey said the SEC and its 14 schools are used to providing support to athletes. But he said the students want protection for themselves and for international teammates to access NIL “that are consistent across the country” and not just a “patchwork” of state laws.
“Our student-athletes deserve something better than a race to the bottom at the state legislature level,” Sankey said.
An area where state lawmakers can help, according to Sankey: Gambling regulations. He said too often SEC athletes and officials deal with threats from bettors angry over plays, calls and game results.
“Every state with legalized sports gambling must act to ensure enforcement of gaming regulations and put in place clearly stated laws that protect participants from hostile behavior, particularly barring individuals who engage in that behavior from any further involvement in sports gambling,” Sankey said.
HELLO TEXAS
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the 2024 edition of SEC Media Days will “light up the Dallas skyline” between July 15-18 at the Omni Hotel. It will mark the first time that the event will be held in Texas, home to Texas A&M, a league member since 2012.
Both Oklahoma and Texas join the SEC next year, expanding the league to 16 teams.
REMEMBERING THE PIRATE
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey opened the league’s annual media days not wearing a necktie specifically to honor former Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, who died last December at the age of 61.
Sankey said he talked backstage about the uselessness of neckties during media days in Atlanta a year ago.
“It was a conversation that went much longer than I anticipated and ended in the rhetorical question of why neckties survived, but powdered wigs went away,” Sankey said. “That conversation was with Mike Leach. … We’re going to miss Mike, but he’s not going to be forgotten.”
Leach coached three seasons at Mississippi State from 2020-22, leading the Bulldogs to a 19-17 record.
VANDY SPLASH
Before SEC Media Days kicked off in its backyard, Vanderbilt announced that it signed coach Clark Lea to a contract extension. The private university did not disclose terms.
Lea is entering his third season as Commodores coach. He led his alma mater to a 5-7 record in 2022, a three-win improvement from his debut year. Vanderbilt, which went 1-24 in SEC play from 2019-21, won multiple conference games last season for the first time since 2018.
Athletic director Candice Lee said she’s thrilled with the program’s development under Lea.
“He is relentless in his commitment to build a foundation that yields sustainable success,” Lee said. “He approaches each day with the pride of an alumnus who personally understands the opportunity that lies before us, and the determination of a coach and leader who has the vision to fulfill it.”
HONORING FIRST RESPONDERS
Sankey honored four of the first responders to the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. Dets. Ryan Cagle and Michael Collazo, Sgt. Jeff Mathes and Det. Zachary Plese of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department were in attendance.
The commissioner said each will receive an SEC football helmets autographed by all 14 coaches. They also will be the league’s guests in March at the SEC men’s basketball tournament in Nashville.
BIG 10 FOOTBALL: MARYLAND PREVIEW
2022 Record: 8-5 overall, 4-5 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Mike Locksley, 5th year: 21-28, 9th year overall: 23-54
After an all-time rough run at New Mexico and a tough start at Maryland, head coach Mike Locksley is delivering.
Of course nothing is easy in a division with Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State, but the Terps have found their niche. Win the games that can be won, and at least push hard in the uphill climb battles.
So what has Maryland done to come up with back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013-2014, and with the 15 wins over the span the most since 2002-2003? Talent. It’s coming in.
Everything is still building, and it’s still going to take a little while for the program to be more of a factory, but Maryland had five players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, and that doesn’t even count a few stars from last year – especially at receiver – who’ll likely make the free agent cut. That doesn’t necessarily mean everything – Northwestern had four players drafted in April – but in this case it’s a sign that things are working.
Locksley has always been a great recruiter who was a half-step ahead of his time. He’s perfect for the new world of the transfer portal and with NIL now a part of the deal, and it shows by loading up with a slew of nice, new, proven parts to fill in.
This year’s team should be very, very dangerous. No, there’s not enough to win the Big Ten East, and there are still massive issues that need to be worked on – penalties, both lines, pass protection, pass rush, more penalties – but again, it’s working.
The offense should be even better at the skill spots. You’re not okay to lose wide receivers are good as Rakim Jarrett (Buccaneers), Jacob Copeland (Titans), and TE CJ Dippre (Alabama), but in comes Tyrese Chambers from FIU and Kaden Prather from West Virginia to go along with Jeshaun Jones and TE Corey Duchess – the team’s top two yardage guys from 2021.
Give QB Taulia Tagovailoa a few nice targets and a little bit of time, and look out. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 18 touchdowns with eight picks, but this year he should be closer to the 26 touchdown passes of 2021. He can run a little bit, but he doesn’t need to with a strong 1-2 punch of Roman Hemby – an All-Big Ten performer with close to 1,000 yards and ten scores – and 235-pound Antwain Littleton to handle the work. However …
The offensive line has to be far, far better. Awful in pass protection and too leaky at allowing tackles for loss, this is the one area that needs a big boost. Delmar Glaze is one of the Big Ten’s top tackles, and in comes Gottlieb Ayedze – a 6-5, 300-pound blaster from Frostburg State – for the other side.
All things considered, the defense wasn’t that bad. SMU and its high-powered attack went off, but only three other teams were able to push past 400 yards – Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State.
The pass rush has to show up, though, after coming up with just 24 sacks with none in three of the last four games. That’s where edge rusher Donnell Brown from St. Francis and tackle Jordan Phillips from Tennessee should help, but the rest of the line needs an overhaul after getting hammered hard by the transfer portal.
The linebacking corps should be the early strength. Jaishawn Barham is a force on the inside and Ruben Hyppolite has all-star potential on the outside if he can get into the backfield more. Depth will be a problem for a bit, but the starting group will be fine.
Ja’Quan Sheppard is a huge get from Cincinnati to take over one of the corner gigs – he should be the next drafted Terp defensive back. S Beau Brade led the team with 85 tackles, there’s plenty of experience and decent depth for all five spots – getting S Avantae Williams from Miami helps – and now all they need is more of a pass rush.
Offense rocks, team wins. Offense doesn’t rock, team loses. It’s just that simple. Maryland was able to slug past NC State to take the bowl game even though O wasn’t great, but in the regular season it was 0-5 when failing to get more than 402 yards and 7-0 when it did. In 2021, the team was 7-0 when coming up with more than 451 yards, 0-6 when it didn’t.
Maryland Terrapins Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
WR Tyrese Chambers in from FIU, DT Mosiah Nasili-Kite off to Auburn. Take your pick of any one of a number of top transfers coming in, and yes, West Virginia’s Kaden Prather could be the most dangerous wide receiver in this free agent class. However, the slippery-smooth Chambers – 96 catches for 1,618 yards and 13 touchdowns in two years at FIU – should be better right away. Losing athletic defensive tackles is a killer, and Auburn just got itself a good one in Nasili-Kite. He’s not massive, but he can hold up and get into the backfield.
Maryland Terrapins Key Player
Donnell Brown, DE, Jr. The Terps desperately need a game-wrecking edge rusher, and the hope is for the 6-3, 240-pound transfer from St. Francis can be just that. A flash off the ball, he came up with 10.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss over the last two seasons.
Maryland Terrapins Key Game
at Michigan State, Sept. 23. The Terps have a tough date to kick off the Big Ten season, but there’s a bigger problem coming soon with a trip to Ohio State after Indiana fills in as the sandwich game. However, win this in East Lansing, and with Michigan and Penn State coming to College Park, the Big Ten East pecking order – with an upset or two – could get interesting
NBA NEWS
JOEL EMBIID WANTS NBA TITLE, ‘IN PHILLY OR ANYWHERE ELSE’
Joel Embiid might be done trusting the process in Philadelphia if the 76ers fail to play for a championship in the near future.
Embiid was named NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2022-23 season and enters his eighth season with the franchise contemplating his next move.
“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes,” Embiid said in an interview with Maverick Carter that took place Thursday at the UNINTERRUPTED Sports Film Festival. “I don’t know where that’s gonna be, whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one and then you can think about the next one. It’s not easy, but it takes more than one or two, three guys. You got to have good people around you and myself every single day, I work hard to be at that level so I can make it happen. So, every single day, I’m working towards that.”
Embiid said he “loves the challenge” of hearing other players mentioned for MVP and proving himself.
“I understand the business, it’s fun at the end of the day I think of it like this: I’m extremely blessed,” Embiid said.
Embiid was in Los Angeles to launch his own new film studio, but appears to have no control over who’ll be his co-star next season.
He has been paired with Ben Simmons and James Harden as the 76ers attempt to break through in the Eastern Conference. Simmons was traded for Harden, who returned last season for less than a maximum contract only to request a trade entering the 2023-24 season. Harden reportedly informed the 76ers he wants to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Embiid said last month he was hopeful Harden would still change his mind.
Embiid signed a four-year, $213 million contract extension in 2021 that runs through 2026-27 and averages more than $52 million per season.
76ERS SIGN BIG MEN FILIP PETRUSEV, AZUOLAS TUBELIS
The Philadelphia 76ers signed big man Filip Petrusev, a 2021 draft pick, to a contract on Monday.
In addition, they inked undrafted rookie Azuolas Tubelis to a two-way deal.
Per team policy, the 76ers didn’t disclose details of either contract.
The 6-foot-11 Petrusev, who played collegiately at Gonzaga from 2018-20, was the No. 50 selection in the 2021 NBA Draft after playing with KK Mega Basket in the Adriatic Basketball Association in his native Serbia. That season, he was league MVP, and the following season, he played in 72 games for Serbian club Crvena zvezda, averaging 11.0 points and 4.9 rebounds and shooting 57.3 percent.
The 23-year-old joined the 76ers’ team in the Las Vegas Summer League and shot 61.1 percent, averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games.
Tubelis, 21, was a second-team All-American in 2022-23 for Arizona. He averaged 19.8 points and 9.1 rebounds, both team highs, in 35 games (34 starts) for the Wildcats.
Tubelis, who also is 6-11, was named first-team All-Pac 12. The Lithuanian also was selected as the most outstanding player in the conference tournament.
NHL NEWS
AVALANCHE SIGN FORWARD ROSS COLTON TO A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT AND AVOID ARBITRATION
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche have avoided arbitration with forward Ross Colton, signing him to a four-year contract.
The deal is worth $16 million with a $4 million annual salary-cap hit, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke Monday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team doesn’t disclose contract terms.
Colorado acquired Colton from cap-strapped Tampa Bay prior to the NHL draft for the 37th pick. Colton was a restricted free agent whose arbitration rights could have hurt the Lightning, making him their top trade candidate.
Colton, now 26, scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for Tampa Bay in 2021. He was also with the Lightning the following year when they lost to the Avalanche in the final.
“Ross is a hard-working, two-way center with a championship pedigree,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said at the time of the trade. “He has physicality to his game, is ultra-competitive and his versatility will make him a valuable addition to our lineup in a lot of ways.”
The Robbinsville, New Jersey, native has 83 points in 190 NHL regular-season games with Tampa Bay.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AND NO. 1 OVERALL DRAFT PICK CONNOR BEDARD AGREE TO 3-YEAR CONTRACT
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks and forward Connor Bedard have agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract for the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The team said Monday the deal through the 2025-26 season will mean a $950,000 annual salary cap hit, the maximum allowed. It was announced on Bedard’s 18th birthday.
“Signing Connor is a huge step in building a new foundation for our organization,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “We’re excited to see him grow and play a large role in pushing our team forward for many years to come.”
Bedard became the second No. 1 pick in Blackhawks history, joining Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007 and helped form the core of a team that won three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015. Kane’s tenure in Chicago ended in February when he was traded to the New York Rangers.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Bedard spent the past three seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats and on the international stage.
The native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was the WHL’s first player — and seventh in Canadian Hockey League history — to be granted exceptional status, allowing Bedard to play in the major junior ranks at 15. In 2021-22, he became the youngest WHL player to score 50 goals, finishing with 51 in 62 games. Last season, his 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists in 57 games) were the most in the league since 1995-96.
Internationally, his 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) in 16 world junior championship games rank fourth on the tournament list behind Peter Forsberg (42 points in 14 games), Robert Reichel (40 in 21) and Pavel Bure (39 in 21).
“Being drafted by an Original Six team has been such a surreal experience and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this team’s future,” Bedard said. “The Blackhawks organization and the city of Chicago have such a rich sports history and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA TO OPERATE A 2ND WOMEN’S POSTSEASON TOURNEY FOR TEAMS THAT DON’T MAKE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The NCAA announced Monday it is creating another women’s college basketball tournament that it will operate like the men’s NIT as a second option for 32 teams that do not make the NCAA Tournament.
The Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, which will be first held this season, brings the men’s and women’s NCAA postseason opportunities to an equal number. An NCAA-operated second option for women was one of the key focuses of an external gender equity report on the NCAA.
Women’s teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in the past had the opportunity to play in an independently operated WNIT — with a 64-team field — in which teams bid to host games and paid most of their own travel expenses.
Hosting in that tournament could cost a school tens of thousands of dollars if they advanced far enough.
This past season was the 25th anniversary of that tournament, which saw Kansas beat Columbia for the championship.
The women’s NIT has been a nice springboard for schools in the past to make NCAA runs after winning it. UCLA, Michigan, Indiana and Arizona all have won it in the past nine years.
“A lot of people are saying (the new tournament) is great for women’s basketball. but I’m not sure it is,” said Seton Hall coach Tony Bozzella. “With the WNIT and NCAA we had 132 teams, now we have 100. Is it better for women’s basketball, we will see.”
The new Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament will lessen the financial burden on teams. It’s unclear what will happen to the postseason WNIT with the start of this new tournament.
The NCAA said it will come up with a selection committee, host sites, bracketing principles and the selection process later this summer.
“Women’s basketball is at an all-time high with records being set for national championship and Final Four viewership, and the tournament was the most viewed since 2009,” said Jamie Boggs, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee. “This tournament will create an additional NCAA-funded postseason opportunity for women’s basketball, and it comes at a time when we are seeing tremendous growth in popularity for women’s basketball.”
AUTO RACING NEWS
MARTIN TRUEX JR. WINS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR 1ST TIME IN 30 RACES
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. had just chewed up the competition to win at the same New Hampshire track where his dad won a regional stock car series race in 1994 when he clutched a 22-pound live lobster given to the winner and chomped on a claw.
“I’d … sure like to throw him on the grill right now if you can find him,” the younger Truex said later of the crustacean.
Maybe Truex can save the feast for a meal on the saltwater fishing boat the veteran driver says he’s buying this week. Truex had long wanted one — when he didn’t tag along as a kid with his mom and little brother to the racetrack, he worked on his dad’s clamming boat — but the pull of another day at the race shop or the commitments of long NASCAR weekends always made him put it off.
Not now.
“I won’t fish for lobster on my boat,” Truex said, laughing. “I’ll fish for fish. Tuna.”
Sounds perfect for retirement.
Truex has few boxes left to check in his career. The latest came in yet another masterful Monday matinee when he won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the first time in 30 career Cup tries. The win did more than earn him a big meal — it triggered melancholy memories from his childhood at the same track where he watched his dad share space with some of racing’s greats.
New Hampshire was where Truex saw Dale Earnhardt tinker with his carburetor under the hood of his car. It’s where Truex got his first taste of the sights, smells and sounds of a NASCAR garage.
It’s where a few hours after the 43-year-old Truex led 254 laps in the No. 19 Toyota and won his third Cup race of the season, he pondered just how much longer he wanted to continue his NASCAR career.
Team owner Joe Gibbs wondered why Truex would give it up.
“I really felt like he’s having such, I think, a great year, and I think he’s having fun, and so I’m hoping that we get a good answer for us here,” Gibbs said.
Time is ticking on a decision. Truex announced last June that he would return for 2023 and he hasn’t made up his mind yet on 2024. Gibbs needs an answer. So do the sponsors and all other interested parties affected by Truex’s decision.
“I think it is, though, very important for us to kind of have some pressure here because it’s pressure for all of us,” Gibbs said. “It’s a huge deal for us.”
Truex, the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, said he was close to choosing. He is still driving at an elite level and has stamped himself again a serious contender for the Cup championship. But the choice is much more complicated for Truex than making it about simply wins and losses.
“They deserve the very best driver, the guy that wants it more than anyone else, and I’ve been that guy,” Truex said. “I want to make sure that if I come back, I’m willing to do that. It takes a lot. It’s not just show up at the track, drive the car, go home. It takes a lot. It takes a lot of commitment. It’s a lot of travel. A lot of time missing things with family and friends and all those things that I’ve done for 25 years. Do I want to keep doing it and am I willing to sacrifice all those things again for my team?”
JGR hopes the answer is yes.
“Our focus is on this championship and winning that, and we’ll worry about next year come December,” crew chief James Small said.
At the Magic Mile, the answer could wait another day; it was simply time for an overdue celebration.
“This one’s been eluding me for a long, long time,” Truex said.
Truex led with 15 laps left when JGR teammate Christopher Bell, last year’s New Hampshire winner, smacked the wall to bring out the eighth caution.
“We should have a company policy that says when one of your teammates is leading, don’t crash by yourself,” Truex said over the radio.
It really didn’t matter for Truex. He pulled away off the restart with nine laps left and could taste victory — and soon enough, the lobster that traditionally goes to the winner.
There was no such tasty prize in 1994 when the elder Truex won at New Hampshire. The Truex family went to the track so often that younger brother — and fellow driver Ryan Truex — tweeted a family photo of the kid brothers and mom in the grandstands.
About as soon as Truex could race at New Hampshire, he won. Truex had just turned 20 when he won a regional stock car series race at the track. Pretty cool. Even better? His father finished fifth in the same race.
“This place is a big reason why I got to where I am,” the younger Truex said.
Truex found early success in Loudon once he transitioned to Cup in 2006, rattling off a third-place finish and a fifth in 2007 when the series still raced here twice a season and a fourth and seventh in 2008. He had six straight top 10s from 2016 to 2020 and led 172 laps from the pole last season before he faded to fourth. Truex said his JGR team “panicked” with a late call for two tires that backfired and cost them the checkered flag.
“It’s always been one that I wanted so bad, and maybe I think too bad at times,” Truex said.
The wait is over.
With 34 wins, a championship and three season runner-up finishes, Truex has built his case for the Hall of Fame.
If only he can pull off the perfect ending.
“It would be pretty awesome to win the championship and walk off into the sunset,” he said.
OTHER FINISHES
Joey Logano finished second. Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.
BUSCH BUMMER
Kyle Busch was forced to drive his backup car after the No. 8 Chevrolet suffered damage in both practice and qualifying. Busch hit the wall early in the race and was forced out after 71 laps. The two-time Cup champion finished last. Busch had one win and finished in the top 10 in each of his last seven races.
“I’ve been lacking right-rear grip the whole time we’ve been here,” he said. “Just couldn’t get the right-rear feel in the race track.”
UP NEXT
The series shifts to Pocono Raceway, where Chase Elliott is the defending race winner — even though he failed to finish first. Denny Hamlin had his Pocono win thrown out and so did runner-up Kyle Busch because of failed inspections. Hamlin was the first winner DQ’d since 1960.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: CANADA TEAM TO BEAT IN GROUP B
Group B
Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
The favorite: It might be a dead heat between Canada, the highest-ranked side in the FIFA World Rankings not to receive one of the eight top seeds in the World Cup draw, and co-host Australia. Each co-host received one of those eight seeds. Australia clearly has been in better form of late, with recent friendly wins over European powers England and France that were part of a longer stretch of nine wins in their past 10 senior international matches.
Best matchup: You’d think this would be Australia and Canada in the group finale. In reality, it might be Australia’s opener against the Republic of Ireland, the side with the best chance to upset the presumed group hierarchy. If Ireland can’t get a result there or against Canada, it’s possible both the Matildas and the Canadians could have their places in the knockout phase already secure when they meet on Matchday 3.
History lesson: At 40 years old, Canada striker Christine Sinclair has 190 international goals — the most scored by anyone in the world, male or female, for a national team. She is still starting regularly for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, for whom she has scored three times this season. She (and Brazil’s Marta) will attempt to become the first player ever to score in six World Cups.
Players to watch: While Sinclair will get all the attention coming in, this could be a breakout moment for Canada’s 22-year-old Jordyn Huitema, who already has a career-best four goals in the NWSL for the OL Reign. Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer Sam Kerr has found the net everywhere she’s played. And it’s a testament to her own high standards that her 12-goal campaign for Chelsea this season was considered a down year.
Up next: It won’t be easy for both teams that advance from Group B, as they will face one of the top two finishers from a balanced Group D, but winning the group could mean avoiding Euro 2022 winners England. From a narrative perspective, it wouldn’t get much better than the Matildas facing their former colonial power before a raucous Australian crowd in the round of 16.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: MOROCCO MAKES DEBUT IN LOADED GROUP H
Group H
Colombia, Germany, Morocco, South Korea
The favorite: Germany is a heavy favorite to advance and take on the runner-up in Group F, which could be Brazil or France. Germany finished as runner-up in the European Championship (2022) and has one of the most dynamic players in the entire event with striker Alexandra Popp. South Korea could be a serious contender but last escaped this stage in 2015.
Best matchup: Germany vs. Colombia. South Korea may be the second favorites, but Colombia’s squad is an intriguing one that reached a Copa America final and played admirably in a 1-0 defeat to Brazil. That kind of effort suggests at least a puncher’s chance at earning a result against the Germans. If they do so, it will throw the group expectations out the window and create potential chaos on the final day. If not, Germany may meet South Korea with both teams’ fates already sealed.
History lesson: This is the first World Cup for Morocco and the Atlas Lionesses drew a difficult group for a debut. Consistency has been a challenge, with a pair of losses in friendlies to the Czech Republic and Romania creating doubt of a massive upset in Group H.
Players to watch: Even at 32, Popp rates among the top forwards in the World Cup and scored a pair of goals in the 2022 Euros semifinal win over France. Daniela Montoya (Colombia), also 32, found the net in the 2015 World Cup match with Mexico and has pure passing ability few can match. Morocco is carried by Rosella Ayane, who opted to play for her father’s home country rather than England and scored seven goals in her first 15 matches in international play. Ji So-yun, another 32-year-old, has legend status in South Korea and international soccer with 67 career goals. She won six WSL titles in eight years with Chelsea.
Up next: There are several groups in this tournament that make the expansion to a 32-team field feel like too much, too soon, but this is not one of them. Three sides credibly have a chance to advance, and Morocco is the best of the tournament’s fourth seeds. It’s hard not to see Germany moving on, but you could envision a second-place finish. Either way, they could be in for a mouth-watering second-round match against France or Brazil that would feel more like a quarterfinal.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: NORWAY ALL THE WAY IN GROUP A?
Group A
New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
The favorite: This may not be the same Norwegian squad that dominated in the 1980s and 1990s, but consider them slim favorites in one of the more balanced groups in the tournament. On paper, New Zealand would be pegged as the third-best team in the group as the 26th-ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings behind Norway (12th) and Switzerland (20th). But home-field advantage often plays a role in these tournaments.
Best matchup: It won’t be where the round of 16 qualifiers are decided, but for sheer pomp and circumstance, it’s tough to compete with the co-host Ferns opposing the Norwegians in the tournament opener in Aukland.
History lesson: The 2023 Philippines squad will be the first men’s or women’s team from the nation to contest a World Cup finals or Olympic tournament. They got here by the narrowest of margins, advancing past Chinese Taipei on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the quarterfinals of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Players to watch: Norway’s Ada Hegerberg won the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018 as the world’s best player and is a six-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winner with Lyon. She is appearing in her first World Cup action since 2015 after a five-year hiatus from the national team to protest the Norwegian federation. New Zealand fullback Ali Riley will wear the captain’s armband for the co-hosts and is the team’s only NWSL-based player with Angel City FC.
Up next: This is one group where finishing first or second might not matter nearly as much, with the teams that advance facing the top two finishers in Group C. In that group, Spain and Japan will be heavily favored to advance, with little between them in quality.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: TESTED ENGLAND TOP OF CLASS IN GROUP D
Group D
England, Haiti, Denmark, China
The favorite: Top seed England won the 2022 Euro championship and came in third at the 2015 Women’s World Cup and fourth at the 2019 Women’s World Cup. However, a speed bump is evident in their recent form, having not won an official match in regulation since February, albeit while testing themselves against other powers such as Brazil, Australia and Canada, which was an unofficial match played behind closed doors.
Best matchup: Denmark and China are ranked 13th and 14th by FIFA, respectively, and meet on Matchday 1 in Perth in what could be a winner-take-all situation. With England also in the group, it’s likely there isn’t room for both the Danes and the Chinese in the next round, so the winner will be at a major advantage. Should the sides draw, it could come down to who can beat debutants Haiti by a larger goal difference.
History lesson: China may be the most accomplished women’s soccer nation never to win a World Cup. The Steel Roses are nine-time champions of Asia, including last year after topping Japan on penalties in the semifinals and beating South Korea in the final. Similar to their regional rivals Japan, they also have fallen short twice against the United States in a final — at the 1996 Olympic Games and then the 1999 World Cup.
Players to watch: England’s Rachel Daly is arguably in the best form of anyone in a crowded battle for time at striker, having scored a record-tying 22 goals in the WSL for Aston Villa to win the Golden Boot in the English top flight. Denmark all-time leading scorer Pernille Harder had eight league goals and three more in the UEFA Champions League before making a summer move from Chelsea to Bayern Munich. China’s Wang Shenshan is the rare prolific international striker who at times doubles as a defender.
Up next: If England move on as group winners, their most likely opponent in the round of 16 might be co-hosts Australia. However, Canada and the Republic of Ireland are also solid possibilities.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: GROUP C THERE FOR SPAIN’S TAKING
Group C
Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
The favorite: Spain seeks its first trip past the final 16 of the World Cup. It has only one trip beyond the last eight of the European Championships but edged out Canada for the final top seed in the World Cup draw based on some stronger recent form.
Best matchup: With Spain and Japan both likely to advance from one of the most top-heavy groups in the tournament, the most compelling group stage action could come when second-time qualifiers Costa Rica and debutants Zambia meet on Matchday 3. Neither side might have a chance at advancing from the group at that point, but both could likely be looking to make history with a first-ever World Cup win.
History lesson: While Spain are the group favorites, Japan is easily the most seasoned nation in Group C, having won the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup before finishing second to the United States in 2015. The latter was a second consecutive defeat to the Americans in a final after a 2-1 loss in the gold-medal match at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Players to watch: Spain’s Alexia Putellas is one of the world’s great playmakers, but she was limited to five league appearances for Barcelona this season — all off the bench — after an extended layoff due to a knee injury. Japan center back and captain Saki Kumagai is the only member of the current national team who was a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad.
Up next: If the group goes as expected, Spain and Japan could be favored against whoever will be their second-round opponents from Group A. After that, though, the group winner could be rewarded by avoiding a possible quarterfinal against the two-time defending champion United States, who will be favored in Group E.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: GROUP G UP FOR GRABS
Group G
Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
The favorites: Sweden is one of the world’s most consistent women’s sides throughout the World Cup era. The team easily has the most talent and pedigree in a somewhat soft Group G. But recent results — including 4-0 defeats to England in the Euro 2022 semifinals and to Australia in a friendly last November — suggest they just might be beatable by a lesser team having a really good day.
The best matchup: Argentina and Italy are national teams on the rise and countries with a shared history and lineage. When they meet on Matchday 1, a place in the next round could be on the line given Sweden is tabbed to take the top spot.
History lesson: South Africa plays in the World Cup for a second time after debuting in 2019. But whether or not they can pull off a major upset in group play, they’ve already re-written the history books on their continent by capturing their first African Cup of Nations in 2022. They’re only the third nation to win the tournament after Nigeria, which has dominated with 11 titles, and Equatorial Guinea, which has two.
Players to watch: Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfo plays as an attacking fullback at club level for FC Barcelona, but internationally she is one of her nation’s most important scorers. She had five goals in eight qualifying games, and three goals and two assists in Sweden’s run to the 2020 Olympic Games semifinals. Argentina’s Yamila Rodriguez won the 2022 Copa America Golden Boot by scoring six goals en route to her team’s third-place finish.
Up next: If Sweden wins the group as expected, there are two ways for the remaining group teams to look at a second-place finish and potential second-round matchup with the United States: an almost-certain exit, or a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pull off a major upset on the biggest stage.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: FRANCE, BRAZIL IN FOR FIGHT IN GROUP F
Group F
France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
The favorite: France are the group’s top seed, but this could be a dead heat with Brazil, which has a generation of young talent coming into the squad to support all-time great Marta. Les Bleus have won more games in the buildup, but the Selecao have played the more difficult schedule, including a draw against England in the 2023 Finalissima (before losing on penalties) and a 2-1 friendly victory over Germany.
The best matchup: The good news for neutrals is that those two aforementioned sides will meet on Matchday 2 of group play in Brisbane, before either can have secured qualification to the round of 16. And both teams will probably feel pretty comfortable about their chances to dispatch Jamaica and Panama, meaning there will be incentive to play aggressively in search of the top group spot — potentially avoiding a second-round meeting with Germany out of Group H.
History lesson: Jamaica appears in the Women’s World Cup for the second time, and this is the first for Panama. Their meeting on Matchday 2 will be the first time ever two nations from CONCACAF have met in a men’s or women’s World Cup in group play. Typically, World Cup draws are organized to keep teams from different federations — other than UEFA, which qualifies more teams than there are groups — from meeting in the first round. But Panama qualified through intercontinental playoff victories over Papau New Guinea and Paraguay to reach the tournament after their playoff spot was drawn in Jamaica’s group.
Players: At age 37, Marta looks to write a Lionel Messi-like final chapter of her career. The six-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year has won club titles in Sweden, Brazil and the U.S., and is a four-time Copa America champion with Brazil. But she still seeks her first global trophy after one second-place World Cup finish and two in the Olympics. With star striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto still out due to an ACL tear, France will lean heavily on her PSG teammate Kadidiatou Diani, who is coming off a career year with 17 league goals and four more in the UEFA Champions League.
Up next: The group draw might feel like an easy one for the two heavyweights, but the landscape could change very quickly after that. It’s conceivable one of these teams would have to defeat World No. 2 Germany and defending European champions England just to reach the semifinal.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW: GROUP E HEADLINED BY UNITED STATES
Group E
United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
The favorite: It would be among the biggest shocks in women’s soccer history if the USWNT — who have won the last two World Cups — failed to advance from the group. The Americans are still holding onto their No. 1 spot in the FIFA World Rankings, and after a three-game losing streak against strong European opposition last fall they have now won nine consecutive matches while conceding only two goals. But this is no easy group with 2019 finalist Netherlands lurking.
Best matchup: In part due to a friendly path in the knockout phase, the Netherlands reached the 2019 final and were handed a 2-0 defeat to the United States on goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle. In 2023, they’re the most likely to challenge the USA for supremacy in Group E. With their meeting coming on Matchday 2, when it’s still impossible for anyone’s place in the next round to be secure, both teams will lock into turbo mode to go for all three points on the line.
History lesson: Surprisingly, Portugal will be playing in their first-ever Women’s World Cup despite their relatively storied history in the men’s game and despite their role in growing the women’s game worldwide. The Portuguese federation has hosted the Algarve Cup since 1994, the most prestigious annual international tournament in women’s soccer.
Players to watch: As Rapinoe prepares to bow out, a new cohort of American talent could break out, led by Sophia Smith, who has 10 goals in 13 appearances for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns this season. Lieke Martens, the winner of the FIFA 2017 Best Women’s Player award, will be heavily leaned upon by a Dutch side that is without several of its other top options up front.
Up next: It’s possible that the United States could face the second- and third-place finishers from 2019 by the second round. If they have a hiccup and finish second in the group, they’d face a Group G winner that is most likely to be World No. 3 Sweden. The 2019 bronze medalists are drawn in what appears to be one of the easiest groups of the tournament.
MEN’S SOCCER
CRISTIANO RONALDO: SAUDI LEAGUE IS BETTER THAN MLS
The rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remains intact even with the soccer stars now plying their trade in different continents.
One day after Messi, the 36-year-old Argentinian forward, was officially signed by Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, Ronaldo took a verbal shot at his longtime foe, maintaining that his new league in Saudi Arabia is better than MLS.
Ronaldo, the veteran Portuguese forward, joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr earlier this year.
Ronaldo said Monday, according to Lisbon sports newspaper A Bola, “Returning to Europe, for me, is a closed possibility, I’m already 38 1/2 years old and … it’s not worth it.
“Europe lost a lot of quality. The only one that is one of the best is the Premier League, the Spanish league lost its level, the Portuguese one is not ‘top,’ the German one also lost a lot of quality. The USA? No, the Saudi championship is much better than the USA.”
Since Ronaldo’s arrival, the Saudi league has also attracted other international stars such as France’s Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, Brazil’s Roberto Firmino, Senegal’s Edouard Mendy, Serbia’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Croatia’s Marcelo Brozovic.
Ronaldo added, “In one year, more and more top players will come to Saudi. In a year the Saudi league will overtake the Turkish league and Dutch league.”
Ronaldo made his remarks after Al Nassr lost 5-0 in a preseason friendly against Spanish top-division side Celta Vigo at Faro, Portugal.
SPORTS NEWS
ESPN’S JEFF PASSAN EXPECTS TO HEAL FROM BROKEN BACK
ESPN baseball reporter Jeff Passan expects to make a full recovery from a broken back, an injury that occurred when a tree limb fell on him.
Passan tweeted on Monday, “During cleanup after a big storm in KC, a large tree limb decided to fall and crush me. The good news: I still have use of my arms, legs and Twitter fingers. The bad news: I have a broken back.
“The vertebra fracture will heal. I will be better. I’m hoping the pain subsides between now and the trade deadline, though painkiller-fueled tweets could be a fun time.”
He went on to thank his family, ESPN colleagues and the staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Passan, one of the top baseball journalists in terms of breaking news, added, “And to those who are so vital to helping me deliver news this time of year especially: My back may be shot, but my phone still works.”
Passan worked for the Kansas City Star and for Yahoo Sports before joining ESPN in 2019.
TOP INDIANA NEWS/RELEASES FROM ORGANIZATIONS
INDIANS BASEBALL
NO. 35 MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT ENDY RODRÍGUEZ RECALLED BY PIRATES
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pittsburgh Pirates today recalled catcher Endy Rodríguez, their No. 3 prospect and the No. 35 rated prospect in Minor League Baseball according to MLB Pipeline. He will join Quinn Priester in making his major league debut tonight vs. Cleveland and six other members of the 2023 Indianapolis Indians to debut this season, including right-handers Osvaldo Bido, Cody Bolton, Carmen Mlodzinski, outfielder Henry Davis and infielders Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo.
Rodríguez, 23, has hit .268 (73-for-272) with 25 extra-base hits, 38 RBI, 36 walks and a team-leading 54 runs in 67 games with Indianapolis this season. After walking twice and scoring a run in his only two plate appearances of the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 8, Rodríguez returned to the Indians lineup and launched his first career grand slam while tying his career high with five RBI on July 14 at Omaha. He has reached base safely in 16 of his last 19 games with nine multi-hit performances, batting .351 (27-for-77) with 11 extra-base hits, 18 RBI, 13 walks against only 11 strikeouts, a .441 on-base percentage and .986 OPS.
As the No. 5 rated catching prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Rodríguez has registered a .994 fielding percentage (three errors in 490 total chances) in 464.0 innings behind the dish this season. He’s also logged 67.0 innings at first base without committing an error.
Rodríguez was traded to Pittsburgh from New York (NL) on Jan. 19, 2021, as part of a three-team, seven-player exchange that saw left-hander Joey Lucchesi shipped to the Mets from San Diego, and right-hander Joe Musgrove sent to the Padres from Pittsburgh in exchange for right-handers David Bednar and Drake Fellows, left-hander Omar Cruz and outfielder Hudson Head. He was originally signed by New York (NL) as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2018.
COLTS FOOTBALL
ONE BIG COLTS TRAINING CAMP QUESTION, OFFENSIVE LINE: DOES BERNHARD RAIMANN TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Bernhard Raimann’s rookie season can be summed up in a couple of ways.
First: He improved as the year went on. From Week 9 on, Raimann earned a Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade of 76.5, good for 18th among tackles with at least 200 snaps in the second half of the season.
But Raimann, too, allowed seven sacks – second-most in the NFL – from Week 9 through Week 18.
“I’ve always been a perfectionist,” Raimann said. “You could have 70 good snaps and then you get one or two bad ones in there, you’re gonna think about those the most the next day, especially if you don’t win as a team. So you just kind of get in your own head a little bit, but that’s also something you gotta learn is it’s a week to week league and you got to learn from the mistakes, and then improve them. But looking back at the last season, obviously you kind of watch those bad plays over and over again, and just gonna make sure they don’t happen again.”
Those two numbers don’t have to be as contradictory as they seem, though. On a play-to-play basis, Raimann held his own, especially against some of the NFL’s top pass rushers. To put it another way: Raimann didn’t allow a sack on 323 of his 330 pass blocking snaps between Week 9 and Week 18.
Still, there’s plenty of room for growth for Raimann, the No. 77 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“I think the trajectory is heading the right direction with him,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said this spring. “As a young player in this league, struggles as a rookie, they’re not uncommon. Those things do happen. He’s got some talent; he’s got a great mentality around the building. He’s really in the – whether it’s our meetings offensively or Coach (Tony) Sparano Jr.’s meetings sort of offensive line wise. He’s asking the right questions; he’s working to get better. A lot of times in this league, I think, going from Year 1 to Year 2 can be one of the biggest steps you’ll have in your career.”
Proving Cooter’s point: From 2012-2021, 19 left tackles were selected in the first three rounds of an NFL Draft and started at least 10 games in their first and second years in the league. On average, those players took incremental steps forward; some took major leaps while a handful regressed.
Raimann put on 15 pounds this offseason and feels more prepared – mentally and physically – for what’s to come as he looks to make a Year 2 leap in 2023.
“You put on a couple pounds, you work on your technique, you build more chemistry with the guys – which has been huge,” Raimann said. “You just get more comfortable with the other guys, but also with playbooks with the speed of the NFL and everything. I’m just looking forward to the season now.”
INDIANA BASEBALL
THREE TABBED SUMMER LEAGUE ALL-STARS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After helping the Indiana baseball program to the NCAA Lexington Regional championship game, rising juniors Carter Mathison and Brock Tibbitts and rising sophomore Devin Taylor were selected as All-Stars in their respective summer baseball leagues.
Mathison and Tibbitts (Brewster) each earned All-Star nods in the Cape Cod Baseball League, with Mathison will represent Cotuit on the West squad, while Tibbitts will be a part of the East team for Brewster. Taylor will be one of four Keene Swampbats on the West Division All-Star squad in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
Mathison is among the league’s top 10 in batting average (.345; No. 7) and walks (18; No. 2), to go along with 20 hits, seven RBIs and 13 runs scored over 18 games played. He has a .500 on-base percentage and has reached base in 16 straight games. Tibbitts is hitting .289 with 10 runs scored and 10 RBIs over 21 games played. His 12 walks and 22 hits bolster a .387 on-base percentage and he has two doubles.
Taylor ranks No. 2 in the NECBL in home runs (6) and is No. 12 overall in RBIs (17) at the break. He owns 25 hits – eight for extra bases – and has a .291 batting average to go along with a .347 on-base percentage. His active six-game hitting streak is his longest of the season and he carried a streak of five straight games with an RBI from July 3-July 8.
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
TATUM THRILLED FOR BIG TEN OPPORTUNITY
Tatum Q&A
After an outstanding freshman campaign at Cincinnati, Avry Tatum made the move to Bloomington to continue her collegiate career with the Indiana volleyball team.
Originally from California, the 6-foot-2 opposite hitter/middle blocker has found a new home in the Midwest where she will bring experience and talent into a deep rotation of hitters for the Hoosiers this season.
Led by assistant coach Kevin Hodge and associate head coach Rachel Morris during her prep days at WAVE and La Costa Canyon High School, Tatum is no stranger to the high level style of volleyball that the Big Ten Conference brings.
We caught up with the Solana Beach, Calif. ahead of the final weeks of summer before fall camp starts and the volleyball season gets underway in Bloomington.
What has your adjustment to IU been like?
“All the girls are super sweet. They automatically brought me in and have helped me feel like I’m not a new person. Bloomington is amazing. It’s a cute little town. It’s different than what I’m used to but it already feels like home.”
When did you begin taking volleyball seriously?
“I started playing around 14. I began at a club and realized that volleyball could turn into dreams and if you stick with it, you can grow and go to college. I never knew what that process looked like but going on throughout the years I realized I wanted to play college volleyball at the highest level.”
What was the process of being approached by schools like for you?
“Both my parents were recruited but they decided to skip the whole college experience and just go with their careers. My mom is an interior designer and real estate agent and my dad transitions surf trucks. I’m kind of the first one out of the family to go through the whole process of being recruited.”
What was it like playing high level club and high school volleyball?
“It was really crazy. We really didn’t have a break. High school volleyball is usually a little bit more lax but in California it’s a really big deal. There’s no breaks. It’s as intense as club. It was nice because you never really snapped out of it, you had to be levelheaded and ready for every match.”
What was the recruiting process like during COVID-19 for you?
“I had to send practice film to coaches every single week. I never thought I’d watch as much film as I did. It was weird to have zooms and phone calls and then have to take a leap of faith with where I originally was and not being able to visit.”
How did your first year at Cincinnati go?
“It was really fun and a great experience to get a look at what college volleyball really is. It’s extremely competitive and a whole new animal of volleyball.”
You played high-level teams early on, how did you adjust quickly to the college level?
“I don’t even know. I couldn’t even think about it. I just went out there and did it. You just have to play and acclimate immediately against teams like those because they’re no joke.”
What was the process of getting to IU especially with some connections already in the program?
“When I talked to her [Rachel Morris] after jumping in the portal, she knew what I needed to hear and was honest. I immediately knew this is what I wanted to be a part of. Talking to Steve [Aird] and his vision for the program and how the next years are going to be amazing, it was incredible. And playing Big Ten Volleyball has always been a dream.”
What’s the level of excitement about playing in the Big Ten like?
“I feel like it’s every volleyball girls’ dream to play in this conference. You play a championship match every single day. It’s exciting and the adrenaline is so different. I’m excited. I crave the adrenaline of matches and that environment of playing different teams. I’m excited to play some of the best kids in the nation.”
How do you keep yourself level headed in big situations?
“I’ve come into a routine of calming myself down and being super levelheaded to play a level like this. This game is a game of mistakes so you can’t get hard on yourself. I try to stay very mellow but try and get the job done when it’s needed.”
What can IU fans come to expect from you?
“If the match super tight, I will get fired up. When it’s up-and-down, I just want to help and get the job done. I’m very tunnel visioned.”
PURDUE ATHLETICS
EDEY, HUDSON SELECTED PURDUE MALE & FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After setting numerous Purdue records, men’s basketball’s Zach Edey and volleyball’s Eva Hudson were selected 2022-23 Purdue Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
Together, the pair led the Big Ten in scoring/points and propelled their respective teams to top-five national rankings over the course of their seasons, with men’s basketball earning the No. 1 spot and volleyball climbing to No. 5.
In Hudson’s first year on the collegiate scene, she became the first freshman in program history to receive an All-America Honorable Mention nod. The most decorated freshman in Purdue volleyball history was also named Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman Team after leading the entire league in kills (503) and points (570.5).
Hudson’s status as the most accomplished freshman Purdue has ever seen is not confined West Lafayette – in fact, she is one of the most accomplished freshmen the Big Ten has produced, having earned more Big Ten Player of the Week awards than any newcomer before her, all in addition to her six Freshman of the Week accolades.
She is Purdue volleyball’s first newcomer to make an All-Big Ten or honorable mention list since 2005.
Hudson is one of four Boilermakers to post at least 1,420 attacks in a single season and one of five Boilermakers to register 515 kills this century. Meanwhile, she is the only one to accomplish the feats during her first year.
The Fort Wayne, Indiana native produced at least 15 kills in 21 matches this season and recorded a hitting % of .300 or better 11 times, including six at a hitting clip of .400% and above. She averaged 4.78 points per set, 4.22 kills per set and 2.04 digs per set while tallying seven double-doubles over the campaign. Nationally, Hudson ranked eighth in total attacks (1,420), 14th in total points (583) and 16th in total kills (515).
Hudson joins the ranks of fellow volleyball players Grace Cleveland (2021), Sherridan Atkinson (2018) and Ariel Turner (2012) as recent representatives for Purdue Female Athlete of the Year.
Edey, the most-dominant player in college basketball during the 2022-23 season, won all six National Player of the Year awards, winning the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, The Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA), Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year and The Sporting News National Player of the Year. In addition, he has won the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top center.
He was named a first-team All-American by every outlet and recently was named a finalist for the top Male College Athlete ESPY award by ESPN.
Edey became the first Boilermaker since Glenn Robinson in 1994 to win National Player of the Year accolades. He is also the fifth Big Ten Player in the last 14 years to be named National Player of the Year joining Evan Turner (2010), Trey Burke (2013), Frank Kaminsky (2015) and Luka Garza (2021) as National Players of the Year.
Edey earned Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year after a remarkable junior season at Purdue. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, the second straight season that Purdue has had a consensus All-American (Jaden Ivey, 2022), after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.
He became the first player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) to record at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season, ranking sixth nationally in scoring, second in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 21st in field goal percentage (.607), the only player in the NCAA database to rank in the top 25 of all four categories in the same season.
He finished the season ranking sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), fifth in field goals made (290), 14th in field goal percentage (.607), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27).
Both Edey and Hudson return for the 2023-24 campaign. Edey looks to lead the Boilermakers to back-to-back Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. The men’s basketball team is ranked in the top five of all the “way-too-early” top-25 polls. Volleyball preseason rankings will be announced in August.
PURDUE SWIMMING
6 WINS, 8 NATIONALS CUTS FOR SWIMMERS AT SENIOR STATE
By: Ben Turner
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Six event victories and eight national time standards for upcoming USA Swimming meets highlighted the annual Indiana Senior State Long Course Championships for Purdue swimming & diving.
At the July 13-16 summer showcase, held this year at the IU Natatorium in Downtown Indianapolis, Boilermaker Aquatics produced a combined 30 medalists. Boilermaker Aquatics placed third third in both the men’s and women’s scoring while ranking second overall in the combined totals.
Masy Folcik’s career-best time of 1:10.09 while winning silver in the 100-meter breaststroke doubled as a 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials cut. She also qualified for the TYR Pro Championships, set for July 26-29 in Irvine, California.
Joining Folcik as qualifiers for the national meet later this month included Kelsey Cooper (200m back), Hannah Hill (50m free), Raymond Whittaker (100m & 200m breast), Dylan Burau (200m back), Coleman Modglin (200m breast) and incoming transfer Max Blume (100m Breast).
Whittaker, Modglin and Blume teamed up for a 1-2-3 finish in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke (Modglin competed for the Zionsville Swim Club). The women duplicated the feat in the 200-meter freestyle, with Kendra Bowen teaming up with Reagan Mattice and Kali Sayovitz for the 1-2-3. Cooper accounted for the other individual victory with a win in the 200-meter backstroke.
Boilermaker Aquatics won three of the four women’s relays in which it had an entry – sweeping the medley relays plus another victory in the 200 free relay. Ana Rojas, Cecilie Wiuff, Bowen and Folcik were all part of multiple relay winners.
Aaron Frollo enjoyed another strong showing at Senior State. While racking up 4,300 meters (2.67 miles) of live racing action across five individual events, the rising senior won four medals (3 silver, 1 bronze) and finished top six in all of his events. Mattice (2 silver, 1 bronze) won three medals while finishing top four in four of her events, logging 3,700 meters (2.30 miles) of live racing.
Andy Kelly finished top 10 in four individual events and also qualified for the A final of the 100-meter free before scratching the event to focus on the 20-meter back, in which he won silver. Griffin Poulsen, Maggie Love, Gabe Eschbach, Modglin and Whittaker all accounted for three top-10 individual finishes. Modglin also helped the Zionsville Swim Club sweep the men’s medley relays.
Incoming freshman Brody Friend (Indianapolis/North Central HS/Washington Township Swim Club) was recognized as the male recipient of Indiana Swimming’s Gene Lee Outstanding Swimmer of the Year award, which honors a graduating one graduating senior of each gender for outstanding achievement in swimming, academics, community service and leadership.
PURDUE AT THE 2023 INDIANA SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 13-16 – All Events are Long Course Meters
U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS CUTS
• Masy Folcik – 100 Breast, 1:10.09 (2nd in A Final)
TYR PRO CHAMPIONSHIPS CUTS
• Raymond Whittaker – 200 Breast, 2:17.42 (Event Winner); 100 Breast, 1:02.92 (3rd in A Final)
• Kelsey Cooper – 200 Back, 2:15.05 (Event Winner)
• Dylan Burau – 200 Back, 2:02.42 (1st in Prelims)
• Max Blume – 100 Breast, 1:02.91 (2nd in A Final)
• Coleman Modglin – 200 Breast, 2:17.67 (2nd in A Final)
• Masy Folcik – 100 Breast, 1:10.09 (2nd in A Final)
• Hannah Hill –50 Free, 25.97 (3rd in A Final)
1-2-3 FINISHES
• Women’s 200 Free – Kendra Bowen, Reagan Mattice, Kali Sayovitz
• Men’s 200 Breast – Raymond Whittaker, Coleman Modglin, Max Blume
EVENT WINNERS
• Kendra Bowen – 200 Free, 2:04.11
• Kelsey Cooper – 200 Back, 2:15.05
• Raymond Whittaker – 200 Breast, 2:17.42
• Women’s 200 Free Relay – Hannah Hill, Maggie Love, Kali Sayovitz & Ana Rojas, 1:45.28
• Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Ana Rojas, Masy Folcik, Cecilie Wiuff & Kendra Bowen, 1:55.46
• Women’s 400 Medley Relay – Abby Marcukaitis, Masy Folcik, Cecilie Wiuff & Kendra Bowen, 4:12.57
MORE TOP 5 FINISHES
MEN
•Aaron Frollo – 2nd in 400 Free, 4:00.69; 2nd in 800 Free, 8:25.46; 2nd in 1500 Free, 16:09.37; 3rd in 400 IM, 4:28.44
• Max Blume (Incoming Boilermaker) – 2nd in 100 Breast, 1:02.91; 3rd in 200 Breast, 2:18.21
• Coleman Modglin – 2nd in 200 Breast, 2:17.67; 5th in 100 Breast, 1:03.83
• Andy Kelly – 2nd in 200 Back, 2:05.14; 5th in 100 Back, 56.92
• Lance Lesage – 3rd in 100 Back, 56.74; 3rd in 200 Back, 2:05.47
• Raymond Whittaker – 3rd in 100 Breast, 1:02.92; 5th in 200 IM, 2:06.94
• Gabe Eschbach – 3rd in 400 Free, 4:03.57
• Griffin Poulsen – 5th in 400 Free, 4:05.07; 5th in 800 Free, 8:31.49; 5th in 1500 Free, 16:16.39
WOMEN
• Reagan Mattice – 2nd in 200 Free, 2:05.25; 2nd in 1500 Free, 17:23.23; 3rd in 400 Free, 4:24.61; 4th in 800 Free, 9:03.54
• Masy Folcik – 2nd in 100 Breast, 1:10.09; 3rd in 200 Breast, 2:35.43
• Kate Mouser (Incoming Boilermaker) – 3rd in 400 IM, 4:57.35; 3rd in 800 Free, 9:02.40
• Abby Marcukaitis – 3rd in 100 Back, 1:03.85; 4th in 200 Back, 2:20.72
• Hannah Hill – 3rd in 50 Free, 25.97; 5th in 100 Back, 1:04.49
• Kali Sayovitz – 3rd in 200 Free, 2:06.32
• Cecilie Wiuff – 4th in 200 Fly, 2:15.77
• Brinly Hardy – 5th in 100 Fly, 1:02.25; 5th in 200 Fly, 2:17.54
• Maggie Love – 5th in 200 IM, 2:20.41; 5th in 200 Breast, 2:36.60
• Kendra Bowen – 5th in 100 Free, 57.27
RELAYS
• Women’s 400 Free Relay (2nd) – Kendra Bowen, Maggie Love, Hannah Hill & Kali Sayovitz, 3:52.92
• Men’s 200 Medley Relay (2nd) – Dylan Burau, Max Blume, Wyatt Blair & Andy Kelly, 1:43.30
• Men’s 400 Free Relay (2nd) – Andy Kelly, NMU’s William LaCount, Connor McCarthy & Charlie King, 3:30.02
• Men’s 200 Medley Relay (3rd) – Lance Lesage, Raymond Whittaker, Andrew Alders & NMU’s William LaCount, 1:44.45
MORE INDIVIDUAL A FINALISTS
• Dylan Burau – 1st in Prelims of 200 Back (Scratched), 2:02.42; 8th in 100 Back, 56.77
• Andy Kelly – 6th in 50 Free, 23.60; 6th in Prelims of 100 Free (Scratched), 51.91
• Keira Kask (Incoming Boilermaker) – 6th in 200 IM, 2:21.35; 8th in 200 Fly, 2:19.90
• Maggie Love – 6th in 50 Free, 26.47
• Wyatt Blair – 6th in 100 Fly, 56.14
• Kelsey Cooper – 6th in 100 Back, 1:04.53
• Mahala Erlandson – 6th in 200 Breast, 2:36.91
• Aaron Frollo – 6th in 200 IM, 2:07.09
• Griffin Seaver – 7th in 100 Fly, 56.24
• Cecilie Wiuff – 7th in 100 Fly, 1:02.63
• Gabe Eschbach – 7th in 800 Free, 8:34.98
• Brody Friend (Incoming Boilermaker) – 8th in 50 Free, 23.93;
WON B FINALS
• Ana Rojas – 100 Back, 1:04.93
•Andrew Alders – 100 Breast, 1:03.99
•Maggie Love – 100 Breast, 1:12.30
• Andy Kelly – 200 Free, 1:55.77
3+ TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
•Aaron Frollo – 2nd in 400 Free, 2nd in 800 Free, 2nd in 1500 Free, 3rd in 400 IM, 6th in 200 IM
• Raymond Whittaker – 1st in 200 Breast, 3rd in 100 Breast, 5th in 200 IM
• Reagan Mattice – 2nd in 200 Free, 2nd in 1500 Free, 3rd in 400 Free, 4th in 800 Free
• Griffin Poulsen – 5th in 400 Free, 5th in 800 Free, 5th in 1500 Free
3+ TOP 10 INDIVIDUAL FINISHES (Group Above Plus…)
• Andy Kelly – 2nd in 200 Back, 5th in 100 Back, 6th in 50 Free, 9th in 200 Free
• Coleman Modglin – 2nd in 200 Breast, 5th in 100 Breast, 10th in 200 IM
• Maggie Love – 5th in 200 IM; 5th in 200 Breast, 6th in 50 Free
• Gabe Eschbach – 3rd in 400 Free, 7th in 800 Free, 10th in 1500 Free
HOW FAR DID THEY RACE?
• Aaron Frollo – 4,300 meters (prelims & finals total)
…400, 800 & 1500 Free; 200 & 400 IM
• Reagan Mattice – 3,700 (prelims & finals total)
…100, 200, 400, 800 & 1500 Free
INDIANA STATE SOCCER
INDIANA STATE 2023 SOCCER SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State University head soccer coach Paul Lawrence has announced the 2023 schedule which commences Aug. 17 at Louisville. Coach Lawrence’s inaugural season at the helm of the Sycamore soccer program features eight home games and 10 road games, including an eight-game nonconference slate followed by 10 games of Missouri Valley Conference action.
The 2023 home opener is Thursday, Aug. 24 when the Sycamores host Marshall, and the squad opens MVC play Sept. 17 at Belmont.
“The nonconference schedule was carefully constructed with consideration to player experience and preparation towards conference. It was important we locate regional games that allowed our team to experience the demands of travel weekends, and the challenges that come through those shared experiences,” said Coach Lawrence. “These games provide a competitive platform and chance for us to learn more about our team going into my first season as this team’s coach in the Valley. A notable game against Louisville is something we can really look forward to but make no mistake, we are preparing our group like we would any game, delivering a game plan to give them the best chance to win.”
In preparation for their season opener at Louisville, the Sycamores will play two exhibition matches, first at Purdue Aug. 9 followed by hosting Bellarmine Aug. 13.
ISU officially opens the season on the road for five of its first six games, including the opener at Louisville followed by a trip to Miami Ohio Aug. 20. After that, the Sycamores return to Terre Haute where they welcome Marshall to Memorial Stadium Aug. 24.
The Sycamores head back out on the road for three straight contests including Eastern Illinois Aug. 27, Robert Morris Aug. 31, and Youngstown State Sept. 3. After that, ISU returns home for back-to-back home matches to close out the nonconference slate. The Sycamores host UT Martin Sept. 7 and SIUE Sept. 10 before traveling to Belmont Sept. 17 for their first taste of Valley action.
ISU hosts Valpo Sept. 24 followed by another road trip where the Sycamores hit Drake Sept. 28 and UNI Oct. 1. After that, ISU hosts UIC Oct. 5 before heading to Southern Illinois Oct. 8.
The Sycamores play three of their last four regular season games at Memorial Stadium, starting with back-to-back home matches against Missouri State Oct. 12 and Illinois State Oct. 15. ISU travels to Evansville Oct. 19 before returning home to close out the regular season against Murray State Oct. 22.
The First Round of the MVC Championship is set for Oct. 26 with the Championship game set for Nov. 5.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S GOLF
OLAFSDOTTIR HELPS ICELAND TO 13TH AT EUROPEAN LADIES’ TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
HÄMEENLINNA, Finland – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s golfer Anna Olafsdottir competed with the Iceland Women’s National Team this past week, helping her home country to 13th place at the European Ladies’ Team Championship.
The Iceland native played two rounds of stroke play and three rounds of match play. After the two rounds of stroke play, Iceland finished 13th among the 19 countries that traveled to Finland for the event.
In round one, Olafsdottir had her score taken as the fifth player. She shot a 78 thanks to three birdies. In round two, her 77 was one of two on the team that tied for the fifth score to be taken. She had a pair of birdies in her second round. In round two, Iceland moved three spots up the leaderboard. They jumped past Wales, Finland and Slovakia. The Icelanders also topped Belgium, Slovenia and Turkey.
Olafsdottir won her match against Slovakia on Friday (July 14) 4&3. She fell in her matches with Denmark and Italy. Iceland finished sixth in its flight for match play.
Sweden finished first in stroke play with a 44-under 676 and Spain won the top flight in match play.
Olafsdottir returns for her senior season at Purdue Fort Wayne, which opens on September 2 at the A-Ga-Ming Invitational in Kewadin, Michigan.
MARIAN FOOTBALL
2023 MARIAN FOOTBALL HOME GAME PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCED
INDIANAPOLIS – Marian University Athletics is excited to announce the promotions for the upcoming 2023 home football schedule. The Knights are coming off of a season with a 9-2 record, reaching the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals. They will host five regular season home games at St. Vincent Field in the program’s 16th season.
Marian football season tickets are on sale now, both single game and season. For information on tailgating and parking, visit Marian’s M-Club website.
Additional promotions and recognitions will take place throughout the season. Stay tuned for more details on additional promos by following the Knights social media accounts, both @MUKnights on Twitter and Instagram, and Marian University Knights on Facebook.
Game-by-Game Promotions
Vs St. Xavier
September 9 6:05 PM
Promotion: Marian Football Alumni Day / Fireworks Night
Theme: Blue out
Fans are encouraged to wear Marian navy blue
Student Giveaway: 2023 Football Schedule T-Shirt
Vs Olivet Nazarene
September 16 1:05 PM
Promotion: Marian Cheer Clinic
Student Giveaway: Pit Viper Sunglasses
Vs Lawrence Tech
September 30 1:05 PM
Promotion: Homecoming and Family Weekend
Student Giveaway: Marian University Fanny packs
Vs St. Francis
October 21 1:05 PM
Promotion: Franciscan Bowl
Theme: Yellow out
Fans are encouraged to wear Marian yellow
Student Giveaway: Themed Marian T-shirt
Vs Siena Heights
November 11 1:05 PM
Promotion: Senior Day / Military Appreciation Day
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 |
| Tampa Bay | 60 | 37 | .619 | – | 35 – 15 | 25 – 22 | 17 – 10 | 16 – 4 | 9 – 8 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Baltimore | 57 | 36 | .613 | 1 | 29 – 19 | 28 – 17 | 16 – 11 | 18 – 7 | 10 – 7 | 8 – 2 | L 1 |
| Toronto | 53 | 41 | .564 | 5.5 | 26 – 18 | 27 – 23 | 7 – 20 | 16 – 6 | 11 – 8 | 8 – 2 | W 4 |
| Boston | 51 | 44 | .537 | 8 | 26 – 22 | 25 – 22 | 16 – 11 | 11 – 8 | 11 – 6 | 8 – 2 | W 2 |
| NY Yankees | 50 | 45 | .526 | 9 | 28 – 23 | 22 – 22 | 13 – 17 | 8 – 8 | 14 – 9 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 48 | 47 | .505 | – | 26 – 22 | 22 – 25 | 12 – 17 | 18 – 12 | 8 – 5 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Cleveland | 46 | 48 | .489 | 1.5 | 24 – 22 | 22 – 26 | 7 – 8 | 13 – 13 | 13 – 9 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Detroit | 42 | 51 | .452 | 5 | 20 – 25 | 22 – 26 | 3 – 16 | 16 – 11 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 40 | 55 | .421 | 8 | 21 – 25 | 19 – 30 | 6 – 16 | 15 – 11 | 9 – 14 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| Kansas City | 27 | 68 | .284 | 21 | 14 – 34 | 13 – 34 | 5 – 12 | 8 – 23 | 4 – 11 | 2 – 8 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 56 | 39 | .589 | – | 31 – 18 | 25 – 21 | 12 – 11 | 14 – 5 | 16 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 4 |
| Houston | 52 | 42 | .553 | 3.5 | 25 – 22 | 27 – 20 | 5 – 5 | 8 – 11 | 19 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Seattle | 47 | 46 | .505 | 8 | 26 – 22 | 21 – 24 | 7 – 11 | 9 – 8 | 15 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| LA Angels | 47 | 48 | .495 | 9 | 25 – 22 | 22 – 26 | 9 – 9 | 11 – 8 | 16 – 14 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 25 | 71 | .260 | 31.5 | 12 – 36 | 13 – 35 | 5 – 19 | 7 – 11 | 4 – 23 | 2 – 8 | L 8 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 61 | 31 | .663 | – | 31 – 17 | 30 – 14 | 22 – 6 | 8 – 1 | 10 – 7 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Miami | 53 | 43 | .552 | 10 | 30 – 18 | 23 – 25 | 13 – 16 | 11 – 7 | 9 – 10 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| Philadelphia | 51 | 42 | .548 | 10.5 | 25 – 17 | 26 – 25 | 9 – 15 | 9 – 4 | 14 – 13 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| NY Mets | 43 | 50 | .462 | 18.5 | 21 – 21 | 22 – 29 | 13 – 13 | 5 – 14 | 15 – 13 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Washington | 38 | 56 | .404 | 24 | 15 – 32 | 23 – 24 | 9 – 16 | 7 – 11 | 9 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 52 | 42 | .553 | – | 26 – 21 | 26 – 21 | 6 – 1 | 20 – 9 | 8 – 15 | 7 – 3 | W 4 |
| Cincinnati | 50 | 44 | .532 | 2 | 23 – 24 | 27 – 20 | 12 – 11 | 12 – 17 | 9 – 6 | 5 – 5 | L 4 |
| Chi Cubs | 43 | 50 | .462 | 8.5 | 22 – 25 | 21 – 25 | 6 – 14 | 12 – 11 | 9 – 8 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 41 | 53 | .436 | 11 | 22 – 25 | 19 – 28 | 5 – 5 | 11 – 15 | 14 – 14 | 2 – 8 | L 4 |
| St. Louis | 41 | 53 | .436 | 11 | 20 – 26 | 21 – 27 | 8 – 9 | 11 – 14 | 7 – 13 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 54 | 39 | .581 | – | 29 – 16 | 25 – 23 | 11 – 7 | 15 – 12 | 14 – 11 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| San Francisco | 52 | 41 | .559 | 2 | 26 – 22 | 26 – 19 | 10 – 9 | 16 – 7 | 15 – 10 | 6 – 4 | W 5 |
| Arizona | 52 | 42 | .553 | 2.5 | 26 – 24 | 26 – 18 | 11 – 14 | 10 – 5 | 17 – 11 | 2 – 8 | L 4 |
| San Diego | 44 | 50 | .468 | 10.5 | 25 – 23 | 19 – 27 | 13 – 13 | 7 – 13 | 12 – 13 | 6 – 4 | L 3 |
| Colorado | 36 | 58 | .383 | 18.5 | 22 – 25 | 14 – 33 | 11 – 14 | 8 – 10 | 6 – 19 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1882 Without wearing a fielder’s glove, Louisville hurler Tony Mullane pitches with both arms in an American Association game against the Orioles. The natural right-hander’s ambidextrous efforts are to little avail when the home team defeats the Eclipse at Baltimore’s Newington Park.
1891 In a North Dakota Red River Valley League contest, the Fargo Red Stockings and Grand Forks Black Stockings each use one pitcher when they play to a 25-inning, 0-0 tie at the State Militia Training Grounds in Devils Lake, a neutral site selected to attract more fans. The umpire ends the longest scoreless game in history, a four-hour, ten-minute nightcap of a twin bill, after the bottom of the 25th to allow the players to catch a train.
1907 At South Side Park, Al Orth becomes the first pitcher to win 100 games in both the American and National League, tossing a two-hitter, beating future Hall of Famer Ed Walsh, who also throws a complete game in the Highlanders’ 4-0 victory over the White Sox. The 34-year-old New York right-hander, known as the Curveless Wonder, broke in with Philadelphia, winning precisely 100 games during his seven seasons with the club, before jumping to the Junior Circuit in 1902, signing with the Washington Senators, along with many of his Phillies teammates.
1921 At Navin Field in Detroit, Babe Ruth becomes the all-time home run leader when he hits his 139th career blast as a major leaguer. The Yankee slugger’s 36th homer of the season, a mammoth shot that travels over 500 feet, puts him ahead of Roger Connor, who connected for 138 round-trippers during his 18 years in the National League.
1923 Phillies’ owner William Baker demands the police arrest 11-year-old Robert Cotter for pocketing a foul ball hit into the Baker Bowl bleachers during the Phillies’ game against the Cubs. After the young spectator spends the night in a house of detention for larceny, Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Brown frees him, saying the boy was “following his most natural instincts,” leading to the team being the first to allow fans to keep balls hit out of play.
1927 Ty Cobb becomes the first major leaguer to collect 4,000 career hits. The 40-year-old A’s outfielder reaches the milestone with a first-inning double off Sam Gibson in Philadelphia’s 5-3 loss to the Tigers at Shibe Park.
1935 The Cardinals extend their winning streak to 14 games, beating Boston, 13-3, behind the five-hitter tossed by Paul Dean and the offensive output of Burgess Whitehead and Ripper Collins, both collecting four hits in the Redbirds’ 18-hit barrage at Sportsman’s Park. The fourteen victories mark the longest stretch of games without a loss in franchise history.
1939 The Red Sox send farmhand Pee Wee Reese to the Dodgers for $35,000, Red Evans, and three minor leaguers due to a less-than-enthusiastic scouting report by player-manager Joe Cronin, who deliberately downplayed the prospect’s talent to keep his infield job. The Louisville Colonels’ 21-year-old regular shortstop, a future Hall of Famer, will become a crowd favorite, helping Brooklyn win seven pennants during his 16 seasons with the team.
1947 The Yankees’ American League record-tying nineteen-game winning streak, which began on June 29th, comes to an end at Briggs Stadium when Detroit right-hander Fred Hutchinson blanks New York, 8-0. The Bronx Bombers will run away with the Junior Circuit flag after compiling 31 victories during 34 games.
1948 Pat Seerey hits four home runs in the White Sox’s 12-11 extra-inning victory over the A’s. The Chicago outfielder’s homer in the top of the eleventh inning proves the difference in the Shibe Park contest.
1948 After the first two Cubs get on base in the bottom of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field, Phillies 21-year-old rookie right-hander Robin Roberts appears to pitch out of trouble by getting the next two batters out. However, the future Hall of Famer plunks the next two batters, Phil Cavarretta and Andy Pafko, with a pitch, giving Chicago a 3-2 walk-off victory.
1949 Jackie Robinson testifies in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, reading a carefully worded statement with the help of Dodger GM Branch Rickey. The Brooklyn second baseman’s remarks clarify he disagrees with singer and actor Paul Robeson’s belief that American Negroes would refuse to fight in any war against Russia due to racial discrimination toward blacks.
1954 In the fifth inning at Sportsman’s Park, Babe Pinelli forfeits the second game of the twin bill to the visiting Phillies. The umpire makes the rare call when the Cardinals, trailing 8-1 in the not-yet-official contest and darkness approaching, delay the game by bringing in three new pitchers during the inning.
1961 In consecutive doubleheaders played at Busch Stadium, Cardinal first baseman Bill White ties Ty Cobb’s 49-year-old record by collecting 14 hits in four games when he goes 3-for-4 in both ends in today’s sweep over the Cubs. Ironically, the future NL president started the streak on the day the Georgia Peach died, going 8-for-10 in yesterday’s twin bill and against Chicago.
1962 For the first time in major league history, teammates hit grand slams in the same inning when Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew both go deep with the bases full in the first frame at Metropolitan Stadium. The Twins sluggers’ four-baggers contribute to the 11-run inning, a team record, in the 14-3 rout of the Indians.
1964 At Crosley Field, Pete Rose blasts a grand slam, a fifth-inning shot off Dallas Green in the Reds’ 14-3 rout of Philadelphia. The round-tripper will be Charlie Hustle’s only bases-loaded home run among his major league record 4,256 hits.
1970 Giants outfielder Willie Mays, in his 2,639th major league game, singles off of Expos right-hander Mike Wegener for his 3000th hit. The ‘Say Hey Kid’ reaches the milestone in the second inning of San Francisco’s 10-1 rout of Montreal at Candlestick Park.
1972 Denny Doyle’s RBI single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning spoils San Diego 26-year-old starter Steve Arlin’s bid for a no-hitter. The Philadelphia second baseman advances to second on a balk by the right-hander, scoring on Tim Hutton’s single, but gets Greg Luzinski to fly out to center, preserving the Padres’ 5-1 victory at Jack Murphy Stadium.
1976 After the Red Sox dropped eight of 11 games, the fifth-place team (41-45) fires Darrell Johnson, naming third-base coach Don Zimmer to replace their manager, who led the team to the American League pennant last season. Although last year’s AL’s champs, posting a mediocre 41-45 record and trailing the division-leading Yankees by 13 games, climbed above the .500 mark earlier in the month, they couldn’t overcome their poor start, when they lost 15 of their first 21 decisions.
1980 The Mets play their 3,000th game in franchise history, dropping an 8-3 decision in the nightcap of a twin bill sweep by Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium. The Amazins have compiled a 1300-1694 (.434) record and six ties since playing their first game in 1962.
1983 The first-place Phillies, with an unimpressive 43-42 record, fire manager Pat Corrales and replace him with the team’s general manager, Paul Owens. The ‘Pope’ will lead the ‘Wheeze Kids’ to the National League pennant.
1986 The Royals announce manager Dick Howser, who led the team to the World Championship last season, will undergo treatment for a brain tumor, missing the rest of the campaign. After attempting a comeback during spring training, the Kansas City skipper will lose his courageous battle against cancer in June.
1986 Jack Morris throws his third consecutive complete-game shutout, limiting Texas to two hits in Detroit’s 5-0 victory at Tiger Stadium. The 31-year-old right-hander’s scoreless streak, which spans 31 innings, will end in the first frame of his next start.
1987 With his home run leading off the top of the fourth inning off Jose Guzman in the Yankees’ 7-2 loss to Texas at Arlington Stadium, Don Mattingly ties Dale Long’s 1956 major-league record by homering in eight consecutive games. Ken Griffey Jr. will equal the mark in 1993 with the Mariners.
1988 Mariners hurler Gene Walter balks four times in 2.1 innings during the team’s 12-3 loss to Detroit at the Kingdome. The southpaw becomes the third AL pitcher this season to tie the major league record due to a new balk rule requiring a pitcher to come to a “single complete and discernible stop, with both feet on the ground,” replacing the former edit of coming to a “complete stop.”
1990 The Red Sox and Twins establish an American League record when the teams turn ten double plays at Fenway Park. After pulling off two triple plays in yesterday’s contest, Minnesota completes six of the double killings in their 5-4 loss to Boston.
1993 The Braves trade Melvin Nieves, Vince Moore, and Donnie Elliott to the Padres to acquire Fred McGriff, who will help spark the team to a 51-19 record en route to the NL East Division title. None of the prospects sent to San Diego will prove to have a significant impact on their new organization.
1994 Trailing 11-0 after the first three innings, the Astros pull off a major comeback to defeat the Cardinals. Houston’s 11-run frame in the sixth inning puts the team ahead to stay in the 15-12 victory at the Astrodome.
1994 In Seattle, officials close the Kingdome after four ceiling tiles drop nearly 180 feet into the stands behind home plate. Due to the mishap, the Mariners embark on a 22-day road trip, cut short by the players’ strike.
1995 Lee Smith becomes the third hurler in major league history to give up two game-ending grand slams in the same season when Albert Belle goes yard, giving the Indians a dramatic 7-5 victory over the Angels at Jacobs Field. At the end of last month, the 37-year-old closer yielded a walk-off four-run round-tripper to A’s slugger Mark McGwire.
1998 The Red Sox hit four homers in the fourth inning to become the first American League team to accomplish this feat with two outs. Donnie Sadler and Darren Lewis go deep off Frank Castillo, and Nomar Garciaparra and Mo Vaughn clear the fences off Dean Crow in the team’s 9-4 victory over Detroit at Tiger Stadium.
1998 The late Ted Kluszewski, a four-time All-Star and a member of the Reds Hall of Fame since 1962, has his #18 retired posthumously by the club, and his widow, Elenor Guckel, throws out the ceremonial first pitch in a pregame ceremony at Cinergy Field. Unlike the others on the Cinergy Field wall, the left-handed slugger’s depicted nine-foot replica jersey is sleeveless because the first baseman needed to cut off the sleeves to make his massive upper arms fit into the tight flannel shirts the team wore.
1998 The Mariners’ promotion “Turn Ahead the Clock Night” features the team donning futuristic uniforms with an oversized compass rose logo, caps worn backward, untucked jerseys, cut sleeves, and spray-painted metallic cleats. After Star Trek actor James Doohan arrives at the pitcher’s mound in a DeLorean to toss the ceremonial first pitch, Seattle beats the visiting Royals, wearing yellow gold vests featuring royal blue sleeves and white pants trimmed in blue and gold.
1999 On Yogi Berra Day at Yankee Stadium, 36-year-old David Cone becomes the 16th pitcher in major league history and the third Yankee to toss a perfect game when he beats the Expos, 6-0. Don Larsen threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Yogi in pregame ceremonies, commemorating his 1956 World Series perfect game.
2000 Hitting four doubles in a game, which has occurred only 37 times in the last century, is accomplished twice today. In a 12-4 defeat of the Cubs, Royals leadoff hitter Johnny Damon accomplishes the rare feat, as does Shannon Stewart of the Blue Jays in an 11-7 loss to the Mets at the Skydome.
2001 The commissioner’s office announces pitch counts and pitch-count averages will not be used “as measures of umpire performance.” The baseball’s reversal is in response to the World Umpires Association’s grievance, which believed the proposed criteria for evaluation attempted to get the umps to reduce the number of pitches in a game by inducing them to call strikes on pitches that weren’t strikes.
2001 The game between the Diamondbacks and Padres is halted at the end of the second inning after a Qualcomm Stadium transformer catches fire, causing a whole section of spotlights above centerfield to explode. The suspended game will resume tomorrow.
2001 Detroit’s Roger Cedeno collects four extra-base hits, including a double, triple, and two home runs. The outfielder’s offensive output enables the Tigers to defeat the Yankees, 12-4, in Game 2 of a day-night doubleheader at Comerica Park.
2006 After signing a one-day contract with the KC T-Bones and being ‘traded’ during the Northern League All-Star Game game to Fargo-Moorhead, 94-year-old Buck O’Neil walks twice, once for each team. The Negro League star becomes the oldest player to make a plate appearance, surpassing Jim Eriotes, 83, who struck out for the Sioux Falls Canaries but didn’t break the mark of Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, who threw one pitch for the Schaumburg Flyers in 1999 at the age of 96.
2006 With a 14-5 victory over the Cardinals, the Braves become the first team since the 1930 Yankees to score ten or more runs in five consecutive games. During the streak, which includes two 15-run victories, Atlanta has tallied 65 runs.
2006 Jason Varitek, calling a 1-0 pitching gem thrown by rookie southpaw Jon Lester, establishes a new team record, catching his 991st game with the Red Sox. The Boston captain surpasses the mark previously held by Hall of Fame backstop Carlton Fisk (1969-80).
2008 Recently released Richie Sexson signs with the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers are hoping the former Mariners’ first baseman, who has the lowest batting average in the major leagues, hitting just .218 overall but .344 against lefties, can add a potent bat when the club faces southpaws.
2008 In the last concert hosted at Shea Stadium, Billy Joel gets a little help from his friends as Paul McCartney joins him on stage and sings “I Saw Her Standing There,” to a tremendous ovation from the sold-out crowd of 55,000 stunned fans. ‘Sir Paul’ tells the crowd the Beatles had a ‘blast’ playing at Shea that night in 1965, the year after the Mets home ballpark opened.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
DAVE WINFIELD
Right Fielder
Dave Winfield was the first athlete in history to be drafted by four different leagues, but in the end he chose Major League Baseball over the NFL, the ABA and the NBA – and found a home in the National Pastime.
The outfielder didn’t spend a single day in the minor leagues following a stellar career at the University of Minnesota. He began his career with the San Diego Padres just days after becoming the fourth overall pick in the 1973 MLB Draft.
A five-tool talent who had four seasons with at least 20 stolen bases, Winfield was named to the first of 12 All-Star Games in 1977 and topped the .300 mark in batting average for the first time the year after that.
Winfield found success even when his team did not. In 1979, he had a National League-best 118 RBI in a season when the Padres only scored 603 times. Winfield finished third in the NL Most Valuable Player voting that season when he also won the first of seven Gold Glove Awards in right field.
From San Diego, he moved onto New York following the 1980 season as a free agent, signing a 10-year deal worth $23 million – the richest contract in professional sports history. He helped the Yankees win the American League pennant in 1981 and recorded six 100-RBI seasons in seven years from 1982-88.
After missing the 1989 campaign due to a back injury, Winfield returned in 1990 and was traded to the Angels early in the season. Following the 1991 season, Winfield became a free agent and joined the Toronto Blue Jays.
At the age of 40, Winfield drove in 108 runs as Toronto’s regular designated hitter, earning a fifth-place finish in the AL Most Valuable Player voting. In Game 6 of the World Series against the Braves. Winfield’s 11th-inning double plated two runs and was the difference in the 4-3 victory that gave the Blue Jays their first World Series title.
Following his one year with the Jays, he went back to his hometown and played for the Twins in 1993 and 1994. He collected his 3,000th career hit with Minnesota in 1993 before finishing his career with the Indians in 1995.
Winfield was a 12-time All-Star selection who amassed 3,110 hits, 465 home runs and 1,833 RBI.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
July 18, 1969 – NY Jets quarterback Joe Namath agrees to sell his share of Bachelors III, to stay in the NFL thus withdrawing his threat of retirement that was made earlier in the off season. Namath and the AFL’s Jets had recently won Super Bowl III by knocking off the NFL’s Baltimore Colts. The two leagues had merged on June 8, 1966 but they still played separate regular seasons until the 1970 season. There was still plenty tensions evident between the forces from each league in 1969. To NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle’s credit though the night club Bachelors III was apparently attracting some shady characters from the underworld, and Rozelle and the NFL wanted to distance themselves from the like as much as possible. They finally got Broadway Joe to see their wisdom and he sold his stake in the club.
July 18, 1994 – The New York Jets sign USA soccer goal keeper, Tony Meola to be their place kicker. The former Team USA goalie had just competed in the FIFA World Cup and he wanted to catch on in the US as a football player while many of his former USA teammates signed lucrative soccer contracts abroad. Unfortunately for Meola, the Jets had just recently signed a guy by the name of Nick Lowery. Lowery was at the time one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history but at 38 year old and the fact that a rules revision had moved the free kick line from the 35 yard line to the 30 it was thought that a strong legged soccer player like Meola may be able to play a part in the kicking game. Meola though had technique issues with kicking the unfamiliar more oval shaped football as opposed to the sphere shaped soccer ball he was trained to kick and the Jets and Meola parted ways after a short stint.
July 18, 2005 – The great wide receiver Tim Brown retired from playing pro football. According to NFL.com Brown was a nine time Pro Bowl selection as well as a member of 1990’s Hall of Fame All-Decade Team. He holds a few Raiders franchise records including 1070 receptions, receiving yards claiming 14,734 in his career there & 99 receiving touchdowns. These are all tops in Raiders history. The Notre Dame product and 1987 Heisman Trophy winner spent 16 seasons with the Raiders franchise as a player and one one final year with the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2004.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS
July 18, 1905 – George “Mike” Wilson was a halfback from LaFayette College during the 1926 through the 1928 seasons who was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988 according to the National Football Foundation website. As a sophomore in the 1926 season, he began the year with a 69-yard run against Muhlenberg, scoring the first touchdown in Lafayette’s new stadium. The story of Wilson’s 1926 story opened with a bang and it also closed big when he finished with runs of 60 and 46 yards against Lehigh in the finale. Oh and what about the games in between, well he had a five-touchdown game in a 68-0 rout of Susquehanna and three-score contests against opponents Rutgers and Dickinson. Wilson a powerful hallfback only had two years of football experience under his belt but ended up leading the nation in scoring that season, aided by 20 touchdowns, as he and his Leopard teammates went unbeaten with a 9-0 record and was named to the NEA (Newspaper Enterprise Association) All-America team.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
3 – 5 – 4
July 18, 1913 – It was bound to happen as all great thing eventually end. After 68 straight innings New York Giants ace Christy Mathewson gave up a walk.
July 18, 1915 – Boston Braves started a truly historic climb that moved them from last place to become the eventual world series champs of 1915.
July 18, 1921 – Babe Ruth, who would eventually wear Number 3 smacked his 139th career home run and with it became the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor. The home run set another baseball record as well. The shot traveled an MLB record 575 feet in New York Yankees’ 10-1 win over the Tigers at Detroit’s Navin Field.
July 18, 1927 – Ty Cobb reached a milestone with his 4000th career MLB hit.
July 18, 1948 – Pat Seerey, wearing Number 5 for the Chicago White Sox had quite a game against the Philadelphia Athletics. The Chicago slugger smacked 4 pitches out of the park in an 11 inning game to help propel Chicago to a 12-11 thrilling victory. On June 2 that year the Cleveland Indians traded Seerey to the Sox due to his lack or production and an over abundance of outfielders on their roster. He sure was productive in the Windy City on this day!
July 18, 1960 – The National League brass voted to add the Houston and New York Mets franchises after pressure of a Continental League forming forced expansion.
July 18, 1962 – What an amazing start! Minnesota Twins Bob Allison, Number 4 and Harmon Killebrew, Number 3 hit grand slams in the 1st inning against the Cleveland Indians. The Twins power hitting tandem became the first players in history to hit bases loaded homers in the same inning. Minnesota went on to score a club record 11 runs in the beginning frame and defeat the Indians, 14-3.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
LAVAR ARRINGTON
Position: Linebacker
Years: 1997-1999
Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, PA
Date of Birth: June 20, 1978
Jersey Number: 11
Height: 6-3
Weight: 233
High School: North Hills HS (Pittsburgh, PA)
Known for the “LaVar Leap” where he would jump over the offensive line, LaVar Arrington was one of the most feared linebackers in the late 1990s. The Pittsburgh native becomes the 19th Penn State player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
The 12th Nittany Lion ever selected as a two-time First Team All-American, Arrington earned unanimous honors in 1999. In 1999, he was the recipient of the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker and the Bednarik Award as the country’s top defensive player. A finalist for the Nagurski and Lombardi awards, Arrington finished ninth in the 1999 Heisman Trophy voting. A two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree, Arrington became the first sophomore to ever be named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year when he received the honor in 1998.
The 1999 Jack Lambert Award recipient led the Nittany Lions to three bowl games, including wins in the 1999 Outback Bowl and the 1999 Alamo Bowl. Penn State finished with top 20 national rankings all three years of his career, highlighted by a No. 11 finish in 1999. Arrington racked up 173 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, 19 sacks and three interceptions while playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno. The Big Ten Network named him to its “Mount Rushmore of Penn State Football,” and he was elected to the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2011 for his excellence at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh.
The second overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team, Arrington played for Washington from 2000-05 and then for the New York Giants in 2006. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Following his NFL career, Arrington began a successful broadcasting career. Currently working for FOX Sports Radio, he is the co-host of the network’s weekday morning show “2 Pro’s and a Cup of Joe” alongside Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox. He is also co-host of the nationally-syndicated weekend program/podcast “Up On Game” with TJ Houshmandzadeh and Plaxico Burress. Arrington has also been featured on FOX Sports television programs, including FS1’s “Speak for Yourself.”
TV SPORTS TUESDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Milwaukee at Philadelphia | 6:40pm | Bally Sports NBCS-PHI |
| LA Dodgers at Baltimore | 7:05pm | Spectrum MASN/2 |
| Cleveland at Pittsburgh | 7:05pm | ATTSN-PIT Bally SPorts |
| San Diego at Toronto | 7:07pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Chi. White Sox at NY Mets | 7:10pm | NBCS-CHI SNY |
| San Francisco at Cincinnati | 7:10pm | NBCS-BAY Bally Sports |
| Arizona at Atlanta | 7:20pm | Bally Sports |
| Miami at St. Louis | 7:45pm | Bally Sports |
| Tampa Bay at Texas | 8:05pm | Bally Sports |
| Washington at Chi. Cubs | 8:05pm | MASN/2 MARQ |
| Detroit at Kansas City | 8:10pm | Bally Sports |
| Houston at Colorado | 8:40pm | ATTSN-SW ATTSN-RM |
| NY Yankees at LA Angels | 9:38pm | MLBN YES Bally Sports |
| Boston at Oakland | 9:40pm | NESN NBCS-CA |
| Minnesota at Seattle | 9:40pm | MLBN Bally Sports Root Sports |
| SOCCER MATCHES | TIME ET | TV |
| Club Friendly: West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur | 7:00am | CBSSN |
| UEFA Champions League: Struga vs Žalgiris | 11:00am | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Maccabi Haifa vs Hamrun Spartans | 1:00pm | Paramount+ |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Minnesota vs Atlanta | 7:00pm | NBATV |
| Connecticut vs Phoenix | 10:00pm | CBSSN |