Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. has plenty of optimism about new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
MLB to use automated ball-strike challenge system for 2025 All-Star Game
MLB to use automated ball-strike challenge system for 2025 All-Star Game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The future could be on display at the MLB All-Star Game next week.
MLB officials confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday that the automated ball-strike challenge system will be used for the July 15 contest in Atlanta.
The ABS system, which has been used in spring training and minor leagues, could be a permanent part of the major league as early as next year, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
Here’s how the ABS system works:
- Each team gets two challenges with the ability to retain them, if successful.
- Only a pitcher, catcher or hitter can signal for a challenge and it has to happen almost immediately after the pitch is thrown and the umpire makes the call.
- The player can tap his helmet to ask for a challenge, and the pitch is immediately reviewed and called correctly as a ball or a strike within seconds.
- When the review is initiated, an animated replay of the pitch will be shown on the scoreboard and the home plate umpire will either uphold the call or overturn it.
- ABS uses Hawk-Eye system technology to track pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone.
The MLB competition committee will meet later this summer to determine the future of the ABS system. While this way wouldn’t ensure that every pitch is called correctly, it would maintain the human element of an umpire behind the plate with the ability to fix blatantly incorrect calls — especially in critical moments.
The 2025 All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park, home of the Braves, next Tuesday at 5 p.m. PT on FOX.
Ex-Maple Leafs Assistant Dave Hakstol Lands New NHL Coaching Job
Dave Hakstol is back behind an NHL bench.
The Colorado Avalanche announced on Tuesday that Hakstol was hired by the club as their new assistant coach.
Hakstol served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs under then-head coach Sheldon Keefe during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. During his time in Toronto, Hakstol was a key part of Sheldon Keefe's coaching staff, focusing heavily on the team's defensive systems and penalty kill. His analytical approach was a significant asset as the Maple Leafs navigated those two seasons.
We have hired Dave Hakstol as Assistant Coach.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 8, 2025
Welcome to Colorado, Dave! pic.twitter.com/QosruRCrOF
He departed after being hired by the Seattle Kraken as their first head coach in franchise history. It was there that Hakstol led the club to their first postseason berth in 2023 after posting a 46-28-8 record. Hakstol was also a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, handed out annually to the NHL’s top coach. However, the Kraken failed to make the playoffs in his third season with the club, and he was dismissed in the weeks that followed.
During his year away from the NHL, Hakstol served as an assistant with Team Canada at the annual Spengler Cup hockey tournament.
It’s Hakstol’s fourth stop behind an NHL bench. He made the jump to an NHL head coach when he was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015. Before that, he spent the previous 15 years coaching the men’s University of North Dakota team, the last 11 as head coach. He also spent three years as a player for that college team, serving the last two as team captain.
The defensive-minded coach should be an excellent fit for an Avalanche team that is regularly in contention in the postseason. If Hakstol’s second go-around as an NHL assistant is anything like his second go-around as a head coach, he should be able to help a team improve from a defensive standpoint in a very competitive Central Division.
(Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)
'I Know I'm A Better Player Than I Was In Utah': Matias Maccelli Believes He's Ready For Top-Six Role With Maple LeafsMatias Maccelli was attempting to make a putt when his friend began yelling about a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Marlies Sign Five Players, Including Four Players From Past Maple Leafs Development CampsThe Toronto Marlies have made more additions to their club ahead of next season.
Marc Johnstone Re-Joins Maple Leafs Organization With Two-Year Marlies Contract, Goaltender Ken Appleby And Reese Johnston To One-Year DealsThe Toronto Marlies are beginning the process of filling out their roster beyond players signed to NHL contracts, and they have signed three players, including a familiar face up front. Anton Frondell Would Fit In On 2025-26 Chicago Blackhawks
With the 3rd pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish forward Anton Frondell. This came after the New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer and the San Jose Sharks took Michael Misa.
Due to Chicago's overwhelming depth on defense and the prominent forward draft class, it was always certain that they'd end up taking a forward. A lot of factors went into Frondell being the guy.
Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are seen as the catalysts up front for the Blackhawks at this time. Each of them is there to create offense. Both of them are undersized but widely talented with the puck. Kyle Davidson wanted to make sure to balance things out with his forwards selected in 2025.
Frondell, a 200-foot center, is exactly the type of player that the Blackhawks needed. He can provide offense, but you know you're getting an honest two-way effort from him on every shift.
Everything that makes Frondell a high-end prospect is what makes him a great fit for Chicago's roster in 2025-26. He isn't going to be a star right away, but he has the tools to help the team as soon as he touches NHL ice.
If the Blackhawks are up a goal late and need to protect the lead, Frondell may be someone tapped to go out there and defend it.
Frondell compared himself to Aleksander Barkov after he was drafted. Well, being one of the greatest two-way players of all time is a stretch. However, that play style is welcomed by every team in the league.
Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) on XAnton Frondell (2025) out here breaking ankles at the 5 NationsAnything can happen, and there are things in Frondell's game that need work, but he declared that his goal is to make the team out of camp. The current state of the franchise makes that goal attainable.
If the Blackhawks had Bedard, Nazar, and Frondell as a three-headed monster down the middle, they'd have three lines that bring something different.
Frondell is also the perfect age for this group. Most of the roster is going to be under 24 years old in 2025-26, so they can grow up together.
At first, it seemed like Frondell was destined to go back to Sweden for one season. Now, there is a very real chance that he begins in the NHL right away.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Canadiens’ Top 10 Moments Of The 2024-25 Season
It was a rollercoaster of a season for the Montreal Canadiens, they went from the depths of despair, where you only visit when you lose three games in two weeks, in which you give up six goals or more, to the elation of qualifying for the playoffs in the very last game of the season with plenty of ups and down along the ways.
With the main side listing its top-10 moments of the NHL season, I figured it was more than time we did the same for the Canadiens. Choosing just 10 moments wasn’t easy, but it had to be done.
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Canadiens: Could Hughes Take A Big Bite Out Of The Salary Cap?
Canadiens: It’s Now Or Never For Joshua Roy
1. The Canadiens make the playoffs
It wasn’t easy, but Martin St-Louis finally got over its jitters and managed to seal the deal on a playoff participation after failing to do so in its first three attempts. For a few games, it looked like the moment was just too big for the inexperienced Habs as they lost to the Ottawa Senators (5-2), the Toronto Maple Leafs (O 1-0), and the Chicago Blackhawks (O 4-3). But eventually, they pulled it together and scored a 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
2. Lane Hutson wins the Calder Trophy
The diminutive blueliner had an incredible season, putting all the naysayer in their place and showing them that he could be successful at the highest level. He broke the Canadiens’ franchise record for the most points by a rookie defenseman. He tied Larry Murphy’s record for most assists by a rookie defenseman in league history, on top of becoming the fourth-highest scorer ever amongst rookie defensemen. More than the numbers, though, Hutson brought back joy in the Bell Center. Whenever he touched the puck, people got excited; he got people out of their seats the way P.K. Subban used to before being traded.
3. Ivan Demidov joins the Habs
The most optimistic fans had hoped it would happen, but logic and Demidov’s contract led us to believe the youngster wouldn’t join the Canadiens before the start of next season. Once SKA St. Petersburg was eliminated from the playoffs, though, they let the offensive wizard come over, and in his very first game, he scored a goal, sending the Bell Center into a frenzy.
4. Kent Hughes lands the top trade target hours before the draft
As everyone was speculating about who the Canadiens would pick with the 16th and 17th overall picks, the Habs' GM knew who he wanted to select: Noah Dobson. The Canadiens had been looking for another quality puck-moving defenseman who shot right for quite some time. Once Hughes was made aware that Dobson was available, he worked tirelessly to land his man, and he did, at a very reasonable price. He was also able to sign him to a long-term contract, adding yet another piece to his young core.
5. Brendan Gallagher receives the jersey he had worn in his mother’s honour
The alternate captain lost his mother after she courageously battled against brain cancer for years, his teammates supported him through the ordeal, and he received lots of messages from fans online. Still, one of them went above and beyond. Lucie Lachance offered to give him the Hockey Fights Cancer jersey he wore to honour his mom’s battle years ago. Lachance had won it in an auction, but she still wanted to give it to him. Her favourite player offered a jersey swap on the “Jersey Of Our Backs” night, and it led to a very moving moment on the red carpet at the Bell Centre ice.
6. Jakub Dobes bursts onto the scene
Cayden Primeau had an awful start to the season, and by the time Christmas rolled around, the organization and St-Louis had lost faith in the netminder. After the holiday break, he was sent down to the Laval Rocket, and the young Czech netminder was called up. He blanked the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in his first game and started his career with a five-game winning streak, winning over the Canadiens’ fans easily.
7. Hughes trades Justin Barron for Alexandre Carrier
After trading Jonathan Kovacevich in the off-season, probably because he believed Logan Mailloux or David Reinbacher might have been ready to make the jump to the NHL, he realized he needed more depth on that side. He went out and swapped underachieving Justin Barron, who was struggling to find his footing with the Canadiens, for Alexandre Carrier. The Quebecer’s arrival stabilized the defense, and he played a significant part in the Canadiens’ qualification for the postseason.
8. Patrik Laine shows his knack for scoring
The Canadiens’ GM went out and got the Finnish sniper from the Columbus Blue Jackets to bolster his attack, and it worked, especially on the power play, where he scored 15 of his 19 goals on the season. On December 17th, not long after coming back from a serious knee injury, he scored a hat trick in the Canadiens' 6-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, blowing up the roof off the Bell Centre.
9. The Canadiens win their home opener
The Habs started the season with a duel with their enemy, the Leafs, and while Toronto offered a dominant performance, it wasn’t as dominant as that of Samuel Montembeault. The Canadiens’ goaltender made 48 saves to blank Auston Matthews and co., starting the season in the best possible way. It would be the first of four shutouts for the netminder, who had only had one before the start of the season. At the end of the campaign, he had a 31-24-7 record, a career high in wins, and a 2.82 goals-against average, also a career high.
10. Nick Suzuki became a point-per-game player
It was only a matter of time before the captain would achieve the feat, but he did it with a lot of panache this season, carrying the team on his back to lead it to the playoffs and showing just how much of a leader he is. In 82 games, he scored 89 points, and as usual, he appeared in every game. If there were any doubts about his being a first-line center, he annihilated them this season.
Are you looking forward to what this team has in store for next season? You should be…
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NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-07-11 00:12:08
Celtics preseason schedule 2025: Dates, times and opponents for all four games
Celtics preseason schedule 2025: Dates, times and opponents for all four games originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics announced their four-game 2025 preseason schedule Wednesday, and it includes a couple familiar opponents.
There will be two games against the Toronto Raptors — at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 10 and at TD Garden on Oct. 15.
The C’s will travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Oct. 8 in the preseason opener. They’ll also host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 12.
All four preseason games will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston.
The preseason will be a good opportunity for Boston’s young players to showcase their talent in a game setting and make a case for more playing time in the regular season.
Players to watch for in the preseason include 2024 first-round pick Baylor Scheierman and 2025 first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez, as well as recent free-agent additions Luka Garza and Josh Minott.
Here’s the full 2025 preseason schedule for the Celtics:
Archer back to face India at Lord’s as Wood makes surprise bid to return in fifth Test
Archer only change for third Test as Tongue drops out
Fellow pace bowler Wood targeting final Test at The Oval
Jofra Archer will start his first Test match in more than four years after being named as the only change in the England team to face India in the third Test at Lord’s on Thursday.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse are both retained after the defeat to India at Edgbaston which squared the series 1-1, with Josh Tongue making way for Archer.
Continue reading...Why the Big Ten desperately wants to rig College Football Playoff
If Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti’s College Football Playoff plan seems rigged in favor of his conference, that’s only because it is.
D-White aptly sums up Mazzulla's mindset entering uncertain Celtics season
D-White aptly sums up Mazzulla's mindset entering uncertain Celtics season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Expectations have changed for the Boston Celtics — and that’s an understatement.
A year ago, they were fresh off winning their 18th NBA title and had the inside track on raising Banner 19 after bringing back their entire championship core. Twelve months later, they’re preparing for a season without five key members of that title squad.
With Jayson Tatum out for most or all of the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon and Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and (likely) Al Horford all gone, the Celtics are viewed as a fringe playoff team at best as they enter what many believe will be a “reset” season.
But if you know anything about Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, he’s not going to accept mediocrity.
🔊 Celtics Talk: Derrick White tackles trade rumors, a new-look Celtics roster and excitement to prove doubters wrong | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
“Yeah, he’s probably going to love it,” Celtics guard Derrick White said of how Mazzulla will approach a season with lowered expectations during an exclusive interview with Celtics insider Chris Forsberg on the Celtics Talk Podcast.
“That’s just the type of guy he is. He’s going to be excited about this opportunity, people doubting us, people not believing in us. Knowing him, he’s going to come into training camp so excited and ready to go.”
While Mazzulla’s love of adversity is well-documented, don’t be surprised if the Celtics adopt the mindset of their head coach. Tatum’s absence will thrust players like Jaylen Brown, White and Payton Pritchard into larger roles, and they fully intend to embrace that opportunity while playing with a chip on their collective shoulders.
“That’s kind of how my whole NBA and basketball journey has been,” White reflected. “That’s a fun position to be in. But I mean, we didn’t win the championship last year, so we’ve got a lot to prove, and we’ve got to get better.
“(When) you play for the Boston Celtics, that’s what it is, and we all understand that. So, it’s going to be a fun position to prove people wrong, but we also just have to be ready to go.”
The Celtics have reached the NBA Finals in two of the last four seasons and the Eastern Conference Finals in six of the last nine seasons, so it’s been a while since they’ve been true underdogs. But if any group can embrace that role, it’s the core of Brown, White and Pritchard, who have all played with something to prove throughout their NBA careers.
And there’s no better coach to lead them than the darkness-embracing Mazzulla.
White also shared his perspective on being involved in trade rumors, talking with Jayson Tatum amid his recovery and more. Check out the full episode here or on YouTube.
Giants catcher Bailey makes history with game-ending, inside-the-park home run
SAN FRANCISCO — Patrick Bailey’s entrance into the Major League Baseball record books on Tuesday night began with a tight swing that sent a fastball from Phillies reliever Jordan Romano into Triples Alley.
It ended with Bailey chugging his way around third base then getting mobbed at home plate by his teammates after becoming the third catcher in major league history to hit a game-ending, inside-the-park home run.
The three-run shot had an exit velocity of 103.4 mph and bounced off the brick wall at the Giants waterfront ballpark. It ricocheted back toward center field as Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh gave chase.
Bailey said his initial thought was to get a triple before he saw third base coach Matt Williams waving him in.
“Off the ball I just knew I got it well,” Bailey said. “I saw it was towards Triples Alley and I was like, ‘Oh I gotta go. I at least gotta get to third.’ Once I saw the bounce, I was like ‘All right, just don’t fall over.’ ”
It’s the ninth time this season that the Giants have won in their final at-bat, tops in the majors.
It was also the first time in nearly nine years that a player has hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run in the majors. Cleveland’s Tyler Naquin was the last to do so on Aug. 19, 2016.
The three-run home run lifted the Giants to a 4-3 victory that had the Oracle Park crowd roaring as Bailey crossed the plate.
“He has gotten some big hits this year,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “In big situations he’s come through. Not as much as he would like. Hopefully that’s something that catapults him. Haven’t seen him drive a ball like that in a while.”
Bailey couldn’t recall if he had previously hit an inside-the-park home run at any level. And as nice as this one was, Bailey said that he would have preferred to hit a regular home run.
“Tired,” Bailey said when asked how he felt. “I wished it would have gone over the fence.”
The Spin | Dear cycling: a letter and a warning from cricket’s golden free-to-air summer in 2005
The last Tour de France on ITV is a stark reminder of the final terrestrial Test summer
Dear cycling, hello from 2005. It’s dusty back here, piles of unloved pagers, a cityscape of VHS towers and chest freezers packed with Turkey Twizzlers.
It’s been a strange sort of summer – switchbacking in mood. On 6 July, London won the rights to hold the 2012 Olympics, a last-minute heist from under the Parisian nose; the next day terrorists murdered 52 people on the London transport network. The country was in a state of high alert, but the Australian cricket team, who had landed in early June, stayed to play in the Ashes. I’ll always be grateful for that decision – it turned out to be not only our last summer, but also our greatest.
Continue reading...Christian Horner sacked by Red Bull after 20 years as principal at F1 team
Laurent Mekies appointed as Horner’s replacement
Red Bull have had turbulent time on and off track
Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull’s team principal with immediate effect. Horner, who has been in charge of Red Bull since the team was formed in 2005, will be replaced by the principal of sister team Racing Bulls, Laurent Mekies.
Horner’s surprise removal as principal and chief executive of Red Bull Racing was confirmed in a statement from Red Bull’s parent company on Wednesday morning and comes just over 17 months since Horner was embroiled in a scandal involving accusations of inappropriate behaviour by an employee, though he was later cleared by an investigation.
Continue reading...Kings' Maxime Raynaud details friendship with Nique Clifford before NBA Draft
Kings' Maxime Raynaud details friendship with Nique Clifford before NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford will begin their NBA journeys as teammates – and old friends.
You see, although the two rookies didn’t share the court leading up to being selected by the Kings in the 2025 NBA Draft, they both established a bond leading up to one of the most important days of their respective careers.
During an interview with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan on “Kings Central,” Raynaud, Sacramento’s No. 42 overall selection, detailed how his relationship with his new teammate formed leading up to the draft.
“I think we were both kind of in awe of the process, sharing advice on the workouts,” Raynaud told Ragan. “We also got to know each other even more and joke around.
“Funny enough, I think we got along pretty well right away. There was no little awkward time when you meet someone new.
“He was in the hot tub, and I was in the cold tub. We actually talked for so long that once I came out, I couldn’t move anymore. It just happened naturally.”
The 7-foot center was a star at Stanford, earning First-Team All-ACC honors as a senior after averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals.
A round earlier, on the other hand, Sacramento traded up into the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft for the No. 24 overall pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder, acquiring the rights to Colorado State’s Clifford in exchange for a protected 2027 first-round pick.
Despite not knowing where they would end up, both rookies quickly established a bond in between pre-draft workouts.
The rest, as we know, is history.
“Once I got drafted by Sacramento, I was like, ‘Oh, he got drafted by Sac, too,’” Raynaud concluded. “That was a full-circle moment. I was super excited for him.
“He’s also someone that we played against when he was at Colorado in the Pac 12. And seeing him perform well at Colorado State this year was amazing. I’m super happy it ended this way.”
Raynaud and Clifford, as teammates and friends, now will look to make a positive impression in Sacramento.
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese named NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition cover athlete
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese named NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition cover athlete originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Angel Reese isn’t just a WNBA All-Star — she’s a NBA 2K cover star.
The Chicago Sky forward was named the cover athlete for the NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition video game coming out in September.
Reese joins NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and future Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony as cover stars for this year’s NBA 2K slate. Gilgeous-Alexander is the cover athlete for the Standard Edition of the game, while Anthony is the face of the Superstar Edition. Reese, Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony stand together on the Leave No Doubt Edition.
As part of the announcement, Reese also announced her first signature shoe with Reebok, the Reese 1.
“Being on the cover of NBA 2K26 and debuting my first-ever signature shoe with Reebok on that cover, the Angel Reese 1, is more than a milestone — it’s a statement,” Reese said in a press release. “It’s about representation and showing young girls they can be confident, bold, and take up space unapologetically.
Introducing the Angel Reese 1. Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/0ik9cBR7f2
— Reebok (@Reebok) July 9, 2025
Reese, now a two-time WNBA All-Star in just her second season, joins a list of illustrious WNBA players to be featured on an NBA 2K cover.
NBA 2K20 was the first edition of the game to include the full list of WNBA teams. Two-time WNBA MVP and three-time champion Candace Parker was the first woman to grace an NBA 2K cover with the NBA 2K22 WNBA 25th Anniversary Edition. Diana Taurasi (NBA 2K23), Sue Bird (NBA 2K23), Sabrina Ionescu (NBA 2K24) and A’ja Wilson (NBA 2K25) have since starred on the WNBA Edition covers.
“To be cemented in NBA 2K history is a special honor that reflects not only my journey, but also all the veteran WNBA players who have paved the way before me and the growing impact of the league as a whole,” Reese said. “I’m proud to be part of a game that continues to elevate women’s basketball and can’t wait for fans to see how NBA 2K26 brings our game to life like never before.”
2K Games announced that NBA 2K26 will be released on Sept. 5. The Standard Edition will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The other editions will be exclusive to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The WNBA Edition will be exclusively available at GameStop in the U.S.