Alabama Heisman Trophy candidate Ryan Williams has been working out with Eagles' star wide receiver, and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith
Andrew Brandt Aids Louisville Sports Contract Talks in New Role
The sweeping commercialization of major college sports hasn’t just created new earning opportunities for athletes—it’s also unlocked career paths for professionals who might never have envisioned working in the space. That includes Andrew Brandt, a prominent sports lawyer and former Green Bay Packers executive. For the past 12 years, Brandt has led the Jeffrey S. …
Audition could swing Marnus vs Konstas; Green surge to spark Aussie shake-up: State of play
It is a rare occasion when a domestic match abroad carries significant implications for Australia, but that will be the case when Glamorgan meets Middlesex in a match beginning on Friday in Wales.
The Giants place winless Justin Verlander on the IL with a pec strain
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants placed winless right-hander Justin Verlander on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a strained right pectoral muscle.
Verlander left his most recent start on Sunday against the Athletics early after struggling with his velocity and command because of discomfort. He threw on the side on Wednesday and still had issues, so he was placed on the injured list before the team begins a road trip on Friday in Washington.
The move is retroactive to Monday and the Giants are hopeful Verlander will be back after 15 days and missing only two starts. Verlander said the issue wasn’t related to the neck problems that sidelined him for much of the 2024 season.
The 42-year-old Verlander has struggled in his first season with the Giants and is still searching for his first win after 10 starts. He is 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA.
The three-time AL Cy Young Award winner and 2011 AL MVP has 41 strikeouts and 21 walks for his worst ratio since 2008 and is allowing the most baserunners per inning (1.404) of any season with more than two starts.
Verlander has a career record of 262-150 with a 3.31 ERA in 536 starts.
The Giants have not decided on who will take Verlander’s place in the rotation on Saturday at Washington.
San Francisco also announced that infielder David Villar cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and elected to become a free agent.
Former Brewers player Darin Ruf sues Reds over injury in Cincinnati that ended his career
CINCINNATI (AP) — Former major league outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf is suing the Cincinnati Reds for damages after he suffered a career-ending injury while crashing into an uncovered tarp roller at Great American Ballpark two years ago.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in the Hamilton County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas charges the Reds with negligence in failing to maintain safe field conditions and specifically cites the presence of the unpadded metal tarp roller.
“This didn’t need to happen,” Ruf said in a statement. “I wish it didn’t happen. Players shouldn’t have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a major league field.”
Ruf was playing first base for Milwaukee when he was injured during the third inning of the Brewers’ 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Reds on June 2, 2023. In the third inning, Ruf was chasing a foul pop when his knee hit the end of the tarp roller.
According to the complaint, Ruf suffered “permanent and substantial deformities to his knee.” Ruf went on the 60-day injured list and never played in the major leagues again.
Ruf’s complaint says the end of the tarp roller was made of sharp metal and had no protective cushioning or cap.
“This was an obvious and avoidable risk,” Tad Thomas, Ruf’s attorney, said in a release announcing the lawsuit. “There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable.”
The Reds had no immediate response to a message seeking comment.
Ruf is seeking punitive and compensatory damages. The complaint says the Reds didn’t take reasonable precautions to keep the stadium safe and also are liable for the negligent acts of the grounds crew’s “reckless” conduct.
Ruf, 38, played in the majors from 2012-23 with the Philadelphia Phillies (2012-16), San Francisco Giants (2020-22, 2023), New York Mets (2022) and Brewers (2023). He batted .239 with a .329 on-base percentage, 67 homers and 205 RBIs in 582 career games.
Report: Brad Treliving Staying On As Maple Leafs GM After MLSE Moves On From Team President Brendan Shanahan
Brad Treliving will reportedly remain on as Toronto Maple Leafs GM after MLSE announced on Thursday afternoon that they weren't renewing the contract of president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan.
The 55-year-old just finished his second season with the club, after entering the organization on May 31, 2023. At the helm of Toronto's hockey club, Treliving has one playoff series win, which came this year when the Maple Leafs eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games.
Toronto faced the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in the second round and fell 6-1 in Game 7, ending their season. With how they exited the playoffs, losing Games 5 and 7 by the same score, questions loomed about who would be getting the blame.
However, according to several reports, including from TSN's Chris Johnston and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Treliving won't be one of the management pieces getting axed.
"I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig (Berube)," said Shanahan in a statement on Thursday afternoon, "and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team."
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Treliving made significant moves going back to last summer when he signed former Panthers Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz. He also brought in Steven Lorentz and Max Pacioretty on professional tryouts before inking them to one-year contracts.
After Timothy Liljegren struggled early to keep his spot in the lineup in October, Treliving sent him to the San Jose Sharks for Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
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The Toronto GM also added Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers and Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins at the NHL trade deadline. To acquire those players, Treliving parted ways with prospects Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin, plus two conditional first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
What he wasn't able to do, though, was re-sign Toronto, Ontario native Mitch Marner to a new contract. Treliving had all of last summer and this season to negotiate, but the forward could test the open market on July 1.
‘That's Not What I'm Thinking About’: Morgan Rielly Downplays Possibility Of Moving On From Maple Leafs Amidst Uncertain OffseasonFacing questions about his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the team’s end-of-season media availability on Tuesday, the team’s longest-tenured player, Morgan Rielly, made it clear that he’s not thinking about leaving.
John Tavares' contract also expires on July 1. However, he said during the Maple Leafs' locker cleanout day that, after positive conversations with Treliving and Berube, he's confident about getting a deal done before NHL free agency opens.
It remains unknown if any other changes will come in the aftermath of Shanahan's dismissal. We'll likely know more following MLSE CEO Keith Pelley's press conference on Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
England faces ‘hard decision’ after dominant Ashes tune-up as under-pressure star sends message
England’s top three of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope all made hundreds as they piled on the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe in a one-off four-day Test in Nottingham.
"I'd Love To Stay"; Haydn Fleury Hopes To Remain A Jet Despite Log Jam Of Defensemen
Haydn Fleury mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that he'd like to remain a Winnipeg Jet despite the log jam of defensemen the Jets currently employ.
The Jets went into the playoffs with nine defensemen on their roster, dressing eight at some point during their two series. The only defenseman not to dress for a game was 24-year-old Ville Heinola. Fleury played in eight playoff games, recording two assists while averaging 15:16 of ice time, gaining the trust and increasing his role as the playoffs went on.
During the regular season, the 28-year-old played in just 39 games, registering seven assists and averaging 15:56 of ice time. He dealt with a long-term lower-body injury in the midst of the season, but when he returned, he served as a healthy scratch behind Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley.
Of the nine defensemen the Jets brought to the playoffs, Fleury is one of the two defensemen in need of a contract and the only defenseman who is an unrestricted free agent. Dylan Samberg is the restricted free agent the Jets will need to come to a deal with.
To create space on the backend, the easiest thing for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to do would be to let Fleury walk, but the following season will require him to work out contracts with UFAs Schenn, Stanley and Colin Miller, as well as RFA Ville Heinola, running the risk of losing multiple contributing defensemen. Re-signing Fleury would provide insurance, especially with a defenseman who wants to remain in Winnipeg.
"Being able to play in a city where hockey matters for me is huge," said the 6'4 defender. "And just to be able to show my kids how much a sport can do for a community is something that I'm really proud that I got a show my son this year."
The Jets need upgrades offensively, with glaring needs for a second-line center and more depth scoring in their bottom six. Allocating 30% of their salary cap towards defensemen makes achieving that very difficult, adding more to the plate of Cheveldayoff, who needs to find a way to add offence without sacrificing defence.
Fleury's speed and puck-moving ability proved to be a valuable asset in the playoffs and a trait they may be inclined to keep instead of Stanley's size.
Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Adam Lowry Hoping To Be A "Jet For Life"Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1, and is hoping to get a deal done in order to be a "Jet for life."
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Carlos Rodon, Yankees' bullpen continues hot stretch in sweep of Rangers: 'It's a collective effort'
Yankees starter Carlos Rodon had yet another strong performance in Thursday's 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers to cap off the three-game sweep, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts.
It's Rodon's second straight win, lowering his ERA to 1.90 in May over four starts and 2.88 overall on the year across 11 starts. The left-hander hasn't lost a game since April 13 when he dropped his third straight outing, going 5-0 over his last seven games.
After the win, manager Aaron Boone told reporters that this type of stretch from Rodon was exactly what he warned about earlier in the season, knowing what the lefty is capable of on the mound.
"I tried to tell you this when he gave up the three-run homers and everyone was losing their mind. He's about to roll off a bunch in a row," Boone said. "I think it's been since the start of the season. I think if you go back to Opening Day, you have the two outings that got wrecked by the three-run homer, but even in those it's been (good).
"I don't know, how many starts has he made now? Probably 10, 11? I think they've all been really, really strong. A pitch here and there in a couple of them and it's even at another level, but it's been a lot of really good."
Rodon has tossed six-plus innings in all but three starts this season, saying it's the starting rotation's goal to throw as many innings they can to help the bullpen and get the slugging offense more chances to score.
"Yeah we just got to keep going, just keep going deep into games," Rodon said. "You know, not taxing the bullpen, just getting through six, seven innings, as many outs as we can. Just getting ahead of hitters and giving our offense a chance to get in the dugout and swing the bats."
Once Rodon's day was done, Mark Leiter Jr. came in and tossed a scoreless inning, followed by another dominant outing from Devin Williams. Since losing the closer role on April 27 allowing three runs on May 7 against the San Diego Padres, Williams has an ERA of 0.00 and 10 strikeouts over seven games (6.1 IP), allowing just two hits and one walk. Williams earned his fifth hold of the year with a 1-2-3 eighth inning on Thursday.
"Devin's the man, he's obviously one of the best in the game," closer Luke Weaver said after the win. "There's adjustment periods... you're just trying to minimize mistakes. Sometimes they are completely uncontrollable and they stack up and you're trying to stop that momentum. Sometimes they're minimal and we can make those mistakes quick. Sometimes we get lucky and sometimes we don't.
"With all that being said, it's awesome to have him do his thing. I certainly wasn't worried about him for one second. He's found his rhythm, he's controlling his game, his tempo, and he's just dominant."
Weaver picked up the save (No. 7 on the year), getting two flyouts and a strikeout to seal the deal. The 31-year-old, who's pitching to a career-best 0.40 ERA across 21 games, added that everyone in the bullpen is rooting for each other's success. The Yankees own the majors' seventh-best ERA at 3.42 and are top-10 in bullpen ERA at 3.38.
"It's a collective effort," Weaver said. "Everybody is rooting hard for each other, we want to make sure that we pick each other up. There's different days where, if a guy's down and we got to go one-plus, we got to figure out ways to piece it together. We always want our starter to go nine, we're just there as backup. When the game dictates situations, we just want to be prepared. We'll give hopefully big high fives and hugs after the fact and say, 'Get 'em tomorrow.'"
After going 15-13 in April, the Yanks have gone 12-6 this month and are riding a four-game winning streak heading out West for a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies.
Brendan Shanahan Out: Why the Maple Leafs Are Moving On From Their Longtime President
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Brendan Shanahan are parting ways.
The club announced Thursday afternoon that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the franchise, would not be renewing the contract of the team's president and alternate governor when his contract expires on June 30.
In a statement, MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley praised Shanahan's contributions in the 11 years he served in his role, but added his reason to make the change.
"It was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead. The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan’s contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future."
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Pelley will address the media at Scotiabank Arena at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22.
The news comes just days after the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven games at the hands of the Florida Panthers. It had been widely reported that Shanahan was granted permission to speak with the New York Islanders about their executive openings. Permission to speak to an executive for similar positions with other franchises is usually not granted, prompting further proof that Shanahan's time in Toronto was coming to an end.
Report: Maple Leafs Grant Islanders Permission To Speak With President Brendan Shanahan Ahead Of MLSE Board ReviewAs the Toronto Maple Leafs concluded their locker cleanouts on Tuesday, their PR staff said they'd be in touch regarding future media availabilities.
While Shanahan was praised for some positive changes from the beginning of his tenure in 2014,the Leafs were unable to get past the second round during his tenure.
In a statement, Shanahan praised the organization while suggesting that Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving will remain in his role.
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"I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig (Berube), and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team," Shanhan said. "Also, I want to thank the players, they are committed and passionate about delivering a championship to this city and will do everything within their power to accomplish that goal. I wish them all the very best."
Shanahan inherited a franchise that consistently failed to make the playoffs (except in 2013 when they broke through in a 48-game season before falling to the Boston Bruins in the first round). He restored the franchise back to respectability among a fanbase by restoring relations with Leafs alumni changing previously honored numbers into retired numbers. Shanahan also added Legend Row outside of Gate 6 at Scotiabank Arena. He also changed the logo to the one it uses today ahead of the 2016-17 season, signaling a new era around a team built around it's youthful core players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.
'I Haven't Processed Anything Yet': Does Mitch Marner Want To Return To The Maple Leafs Next Season?As soon as the final horn sounded after the Toronto Maple Leafs' 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round series, Mitch Marner was the very last player to leave the ice. He looked like a player who may have played his last game with the club.
Despite holding the longest active playoff streak at nine years, the Leafs consistently lacked success in the postseason under his leadership, winning just two playoff rounds.
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Toronto Maple Leafs Won't Renew Contract Of Brendan Shanahan, Who Releases Statement
The Toronto Maple Leafs' parent company announced it will not renew the contract of team president and alternate governor, Brendan Shanahan.
The decision comes after the Maple Leafs lost in the second round to the Florida Panthers despite having a 2-0 lead in the series. Shanahan was with the Leafs since the 2014-15 season. Shanahan oversaw all of the team's operations as it made the post-season for nine straight years, but the Leafs won only two playoff rounds in that span.
“Over the past 11 seasons, Brendan Shanahan has made countless contributions to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice, off the ice and in the community,” Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president-CEO Keith Pelley said in a news release. “Brendan is one of the most respected leaders in the game, and he has instilled many of the traits that were the signature of his Hall of Fame career throughout the organization, uniting this storied franchise in the ‘Honor, Pride and Courage’ that it was founded on.”
Pelley said a new voice is needed to take the team to the next level.
Shanahan, meanwhile, released a statement after learning today of MLSE's decision.
"Toronto is where I was born and raised, where my family still lives, and being a part of this historic franchise will always be one of the greatest honors of my life," Shanahan said. "I want to thank the entire Maple Leafs’ staff for their commitment and hard work over the years - they are second to none in the National Hockey League. I want to thank the Alumni for all of their support and the tremendous work they do at our games and within the community. Many of them were my heroes growing up, and it has been a pleasure to get to know them on a personal level."
Shanahan also thanked Leafs fans for their passion and loyalty and the players for their commitment while reflecting on the job done.
"While I am proud of the rebuild we embarked on starting in 2014, ultimately, I came here to help win the Stanley Cup, and we did not," Shanahan said. "There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job."
On Wednesday, a Sportsnet report said MLSE granted the New York Islanders permission to speak to Shanahan about an opening on their squad.
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North Florida head coach Matthew Driscoll resigns to become associate head coach at Kansas State
North Florida coach Matthew Driscoll resigned after 16 years with the Ospreys on Thursday and accepted a job as the associate head coach on Jerome Tang's staff at Kansas State. The 60-year-old Driscoll and Tang have known each other for more than two decades, spending six seasons together on Scott Drew's staff at Baylor. Driscoll left to become head coach at North Florida in 2009, and led the Ospreys to three Atlantic Sun regular-season titles, the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and the NIT the following year.
College Football Playoff shifts to straight seeding model, no automatic byes for top league champs
The College Football Playoff will go to a more straightforward way of filling the bracket next season, placing teams strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions.
Nuggets remove interim tag, hire David Adelman as next head coach
"He had three games to change something, and I think he changed the energy. I think the guys were woken up a little bit. The guys had more energy. He made us believe in something, and we played good, you know? We played a seven-game series with probably the best team in the NBA, and we had opportunity. We had chances. So I think he did a really good job."
That was Nikola Jokic praising the job David Adelman did as the interim coach of the Denver Nuggets, a sentiment echoed by other veterans such as Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray, with many of them saying they hoped he got the job full-time. You can guess what comes next.
"We're going to move forward with David Adelman as our head coach," Josh Kroenke, the Nuggets vice chairman and interim president of basketball operations (after Calvin Booth was fired), said to open his end-of-season press conference. The two sides have agreed to terms.
Kronke said he originally planned to start looking outside the organization for the next head coach, but as he watched how the team bonded and played through the postseason, he realized he had the guy he wanted already in house.
Adelman was thrust into a difficult position, becoming head coach with three games left in the season when Kroenke fired coach Michael Malone and Booth, a duo that had been feuding for years, casting a cloud over the organization. Kroenke hoped the firing would jolt the team out of its slump and it seemed to as they went 3-0 in the rest of the regular season, then in the playoffs beat the Clippers in seven tough games, then pushed the Thunder seven games before falling short.
Adelman held his own in tactical adjustments with two of the better Xs and Os coaches in the league in Tyronn Lue and Mark Daigneault. He also won over the players, as they told Bennett Durando at the Denver Post.
"I love DA," Aaron Gordon said. "I hope he's here next year. I hope he's our coach. I hope he gets an entire training camp and a whole offseason."
"I'm hoping he gets that job," added Michael Porter Jr. "I think he's a great, personable coach."
Adelman, the son of coaching legend Rick Adelman, got his first NBA job as a player development specialist in Minnesota under his father. After his father retired, the younger Adelman was an assistant coach in Orlando before being hired by Denver and working his way up to being a top assistant under Malone. Adelman had interviewed for multiple NBA head coaching jobs before this one fell in his lap, but he took full advantage of it and gets to keep the gig.
Ottawa Senators Prospect Parts Ways With Organization And Signs Back Home In Sweden
After failing to earn an NHL call-up for the first time in three seasons, Belleville Senators defenceman Filip Roos appears to have put his NHL dreams on hold—for now. Färjestad BK of the SHL recently announced that they've signed Roos to a two-year contract.
Roos played 68 games for AHL Belleville this season, hoping to catch Ottawa's attention. He recorded 17 assists over those 68 games, but the Sens never came calling. With unrestricted free agency now looming, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Swedish defenceman has opted to begin a new chapter back home.
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"I'm really looking forward to it. It's still been a good season (in Belleville), but it'll be fun to come home and start with a new team, which I'm really excited about," Roos said on his new team's website.
Roos' arrival in the NHL is similar to Finnish defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo. Both 26, the two undrafted defencemen played pro hockey in their home countries for several seasons before NHL opportunities came their way.
But Matinpalo is a right shot and Roos is a lefty. Matinpalo got a chance in Ottawa this season after the right side of their blue line had trouble staying healthy.
Roos broke into the NHL in his first season in North America (2022–23), appearing in 17 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. The following season, he played just four NHL games for the Hawks before signing a one-year, two-way contract with Ottawa last summer.
At the time, after the Sens parted company with left-handers Jakob Chychrun and Erik Brannstrom, Roos and his agent probably saw an opportunity here.
But unlike the injury wreckage on the right side, Senator lefties Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, and Tyler Kleven missed only seven games this season combined, so there weren't many opportunities.
Färjestad BK is thrilled that Roos is coming home.
"We have had our eyes on Filip for a long time and we believe that he, with his qualities, will strengthen our defense in a good way," Färjestad BK general manager Rickard Wallin said in a club statement.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa
(Image credit: Belleville Senators//Freestyle Photography