Duke's gauntlet of a non-conference schedule for the upcoming season has been finalized and announced.
Sabres Notes: Theme Nights, Helenius Heading To Rookie Showcase
The Buffalo Sabres announced details for a single-game ticket presale beginning Tuesday, and that individual game tickets will go on sale to the public next Tuesday, September 3rd. The club also announced 17 theme nights for the 2025-26 regular season, beginning with the home opener against the New York Rangers on Thursday, October 9th.
More than half the theme nights will feature giveaways, such as a rally towel for the opener, a Sabretooth Beanie Hat for the game against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday, October 18th, a Sabres butter dish for the Sunday pre-Thanksgiving contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, a Rasmus Dahlin pin for the February 5th game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and a Tage Thompson bobblehead for Fan Appreciation night against Dallas on Wednesday, April 15. The club will also be wearing their red, black, and white “goat’s head” jersey for a significant portion of their 41 home games, which will be announced before the season.
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The National Hockey League Players’ Association and Upper Deck will host the 15th annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia, with over 30 NHL prospects and rookies scheduled to attend, one of which will be Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius.
The 19-year-old was named to the AHL All-Rookie team after scoring 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in his first season in North America, after being selected 14th overall at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. Other players attending will be 2025 top overall pick Matthew Schaefer of the NY Islanders, and Team USA World Junior gold medal winners Zeev Buium(MIN), Ryan Leonard (WAS) Gabe Perreault (NYR), and Jimmy Snuggerud (STL).
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
Cavaliers' sharpshooting wing Max Strus out 3-4 months following foot surgery
Cleveland Cavaliers wing Max Strus — who started all nine playoff games for the team last season and will have a key role in the rotation — will miss the first few months of the NBA season after undergoing foot surgery, the team has announced.
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 26, 2025
A Jones fracture involves the fifth metatarsal, the bone that connects the little toe up to the base of the foot near the ankle, with the fracture higher up on the bone. It's a relatively common injury in basketball, but healing times can vary because the affected area is not part of the body that has strong blood flow.
The timeline provided by the Cavaliers would have Strus missing at least the first 20 games of the NBA season — past Thanksgiving and into December — and that number could very well climb up closer to 30 or higher.
Strus averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds a game last season, shooting 38.6% from beyond the arc. He started all nine playoff games for the Cavaliers and averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a night in the postseason. Look for De'Andre Hunter to be the starter at the three with Strus out.
It's possible the Cavaliers could jump into the free agent market for a wing to fill minutes with Strus out. However, the Cavaliers have the highest payroll in the league and are already well over the second apron of the luxury tax, meaning they can only offer a minimum contract and would be subject to a steep tax bill for any additional players signed. The Cavaliers reportedly have shown some interest in Malik Beasley, who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and remains available, but that signing seems unlikely (Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation, however, he is still a subject tied to the investigation and it is possible he could face a charges in the case).
What we learned as Justin Verlander bounces back in Giants' win over Cubs
What we learned as Justin Verlander bounces back in Giants' win over Cubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made waves earlier this month when he mentioned the possibility of expansion teams leading to realignment. If it happens, the Giants might want to petition the league to join the NL Central.
After taking two of three from the first-place Milwaukee Brewers, they returned home and beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2. Both Central teams are headed for the MLB playoffs, but the Giants have had their number this season. Tuesday’s win moved them to 8-3 against the Brewers and Cubs.
It also gave Justin Verlander his second win in orange and black and No. 264 for his career. Verlander did his part over six innings, and Matt Chapman provided a cushion with a two-run blast in the sixth. The homer was Chapman’s first in a month.
Bouncing Back
Verlander didn’t hide his displeasure after last week’s loss at Petco Park. The defense let him down, but he also failed to limit the damage, allowing seven earned runs.
On Tuesday, Verlander completed six innings for just the second time in the second half. He scattered seven hits and gave up two earned on two walks and five strikeouts. The first strikeout moved him past Walter Johnson on the all-time MLB list, and he’s now just 14 away from catching Giants Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry and moving into eighth all-time. Verlander would need 40 after that to catch Don Sutton, and it looks like he’ll take a shot at it this season.
The 42-year-old threw 101 pitches on Tuesday night, reaching triple-digits for the third time in five August starts. He was still touching 95 mph in the fifth inning.
Matos Mania
Verlander was in line for a win thanks to Luis Matos, who has taken off since getting an everyday role. He returned from Triple-A last Thursday and went 8-for-15 on the rest of the road trip with two homers, two doubles and a triple, and his hot streak continued back home.
Matos thought he homered again in his first at-bat Tuesday, but his 381-foot drive was caught on the track in left-center. With the Giants trailing in the bottom of the fifth, he went the other way for a double off the bricks. Heliot Ramos brought him home with a two-out double and then scored the go-ahead run on Rafael Devers’ single.
The Path To 27 Outs
The final 31 games are an open audition of sorts for 2026 bullpen spots. Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval are gone and Randy Rodriguez and Erik Miller both seem unlikely to pitch again this season because of elbow injuries. Rodriguez went on the IL on Tuesday with a right elbow sprain and likely will seek a second opinion as he figures out next steps.
Joey Lucchesi took the seventh and then retired lefty Pete Crow-Armstrong in the top of the eighth. He handed the baton to trade deadline acquisition Jose Butto, who breezed through the rest of the inning.
Ryan Walker opened the season as the closer and returned to that role when Rodriguez’s elbow started barking. He worked around a one-out single in the ninth and picked up his 12th save.
What we learned as Justin Verlander bounces back in Giants' win over Cubs
What we learned as Justin Verlander bounces back in Giants' win over Cubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made waves earlier this month when he mentioned the possibility of expansion teams leading to realignment. If it happens, the Giants might want to petition the league to join the NL Central.
After taking two of three from the first-place Milwaukee Brewers, they returned home and beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2. Both Central teams are headed for the MLB playoffs, but the Giants have had their number this season. Tuesday’s win moved them to 8-3 against the Brewers and Cubs.
It also gave Justin Verlander his second win in orange and black and No. 264 for his career. Verlander did his part over six innings, and Matt Chapman provided a cushion with a two-run blast in the sixth. The homer was Chapman’s first in a month.
Bouncing Back
Verlander didn’t hide his displeasure after last week’s loss at Petco Park. The defense let him down, but he also failed to limit the damage, allowing seven earned runs.
On Tuesday, Verlander completed six innings for just the second time in the second half. He scattered seven hits and gave up two earned on two walks and five strikeouts. The first strikeout moved him past Walter Johnson on the all-time MLB list, and he’s now just 14 away from catching Giants Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry and moving into eighth all-time. Verlander would need 40 after that to catch Don Sutton, and it looks like he’ll take a shot at it this season.
The 42-year-old threw 101 pitches on Tuesday night, reaching triple-digits for the third time in five August starts. He was still touching 95 mph in the fifth inning.
Matos Mania
Verlander was in line for a win thanks to Luis Matos, who has taken off since getting an everyday role. He returned from Triple-A last Thursday and went 8-for-15 on the rest of the road trip with two homers, two doubles and a triple, and his hot streak continued back home.
Matos thought he homered again in his first at-bat Tuesday, but his 381-foot drive was caught on the track in left-center. With the Giants trailing in the bottom of the fifth, he went the other way for a double off the bricks. Heliot Ramos brought him home with a two-out double and then scored the go-ahead run on Rafael Devers’ single.
The Path To 27 Outs
The final 31 games are an open audition of sorts for 2026 bullpen spots. Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval are gone and Randy Rodriguez and Erik Miller both seem unlikely to pitch again this season because of elbow injuries. Rodriguez went on the IL on Tuesday with a right elbow sprain and likely will seek a second opinion as he figures out next steps.
Joey Lucchesi took the seventh and then retired lefty Pete Crow-Armstrong in the top of the eighth. He handed the baton to trade deadline acquisition Jose Butto, who breezed through the rest of the inning.
Ryan Walker opened the season as the closer and returned to that role when Rodriguez’s elbow started barking. He worked around a one-out single in the ninth and picked up his 12th save.
Celtic and Leeds both beaten: Champions League and Carabao Cup clockwatch – as it happened
Penalties did for both Leeds and Celtic, with Kairat Almaty beating the Scots 3-2 after a drab goalless draw, and Leeds beaten 3-0 by Sheffield Wednesday
Joe Pearson has filed a half-time match report: “As a retired football fan in central Indiana, I always enjoy the opportunity to watch an early afternoon weekday match,” he enthuses. “But. This match is dire. I feel I have made a bad life choice.”
Still no sign of a goal in this tie, but the two teams now have 15 minutes to come up with a plan to create one.
Continue reading...Mets' David Stearns: Jonah Tong 'conquered everything we put in front of him'
David Stearns had to state the obvious in discussing the Mets’ decision to promote 22-year-old Jonah Tong for his MLB debut just two weeks after promoting him to Triple-A.
“This is fast, there’s no question, this is fast,” the Mets’ president of baseball operations said Tuesday.
“He’s pushed us on this because of his performance,” Stearns continued. “We think he’s ready for this. We also acknowledged that this has gone faster than any of us would have anticipated at the start of this year.”
Across 22 minor league starts, Tong has pitched to a 1.43 ERA and 0.924 WHIP, surrendering just 20 runs (18 earned) on 58 hits and 47 walks over 113.2 innings while striking out 179 batters. A 14.2 strikeout per nine-inning rate. Now, he is expected to make his next start Friday night in Queens against the Miami Marlins.
And it speaks to how highly the Mets organization thinks of the young right-hander that the rationale is just this: In a tight wild card race, you need to have your best players on the roster at the business end of the season.
“As you roll into the last month of the season, you want to have the best roster you possibly can,” Stearns said. “And we think Jonah has the chance to be among that. He’s earned the opportunity. And so we’re gonna give him the start and look forward to seeing how it goes.”
In his two outings with Syracuse, he tallied 39 whiffs on 91 swings (43 percent) with a 39 percent called strike-whiff rate.
So how did the Mets end up here, with Tong going from pitching in the MLB Futures Game while at Double-A to getting promoted twice in the span of 45 days?
“Combination of where a player is development-wise and then opportunity,” Stearns said. "And this went fast for Jonah. But to his credit, he really conquered everything we put in front of him. He exceeded our expectations throughout this year, and he put himself in a position where he deserved to be considered for a day like this.”
On the first part, the development of the right-hander’s stuff this season has been something that has left the team pleasantly surprised and quite excited.
“He’s obviously got the fastball that plays, and that’s been his calling card throughout his time in the minor leagues,” Stearns said of the heater, which averages around 96 mph and touched 98 mph at Triple-A. “What’s impressed us the most is the speed with which he’s expanded his arsenal in a really effective way. He’s added a changeup this year that’s been really good.
“And we’ve seen outings that have shown tremendous maturity on the mound where something’s not working and he’s able to switch an approach, go to the slider more, throw a few more curveballs. And allow himself to get through outings really successfully even if he’s not following the exact plan that he thought he was gonna follow when he went into the game.”
Stearns pointed to Tong’s two Triple-A outings in which he's pitched 11.2 scoreless innings, allowing eight hits and three walks with 17 strikeouts. “He’s had success in two straight starts in different ways, and that’s encouraging to see,” he said.
But in order to get that chance, opportunity must knock. And Stearns first laid out the possibility of giving some of the club’s top minor league arm talent opportunities down the stretch after the All-Star break, but it was seen thatNolan McLean and Brandon Sporat were the most likely candidates, as both had Triple-A experience and were seen as closer to being big league ready. McLean, who was called up on August 16 for his MLB debut, has made two fine starts and seems to have found himself as the Mets’ fifth starter. With New York looking for a sixth man, which should be a boost for Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes, coupled with Tong’s domination at Syracuse, the decision seemed to be made for them.
“Then ultimately, as we got into planning this week and planning the next series out, it lined up well for him,” Stearns said. “He’s gonna be on normal term, he’s throwing the ball well in two starts in Triple-A, and we’re comfortable giving him the ball.”
And, like with McLean, the Mets are going to go “turn by turn” with the rotation for the time being.
“It’s gonna be a combination of what the matchups are, who we think matchup well, how are guys are throwing, who we think needs rest, who doesn’t need rest,” Stearns said. “I think in September, we try not to plan too far ahead.”
Colorado football live buffalo mascot Ralphie VI is retiring after four seasons
Ralphie VI, Colorado's live buffalo mascot, is retiring after four seasons in the role and moving to live on a ranch.
The truth behind Dave Portnoy’s Ohio State ‘ban’ + the new SEC conference game schedule
Did Ohio State really ban Dave Portnoy from their stadium? What will the 9-game SEC conference schedule look like? Plus, the big changes Baylor is making to their football team this year.
Colorado’s live mascot Ralphie VI retires from field, replacement in training
For the time being, the Buffaloes will take the field without their mascot. Deion Sanders and the team open the season by hosting Georgia Tech.
Can Ovechkin Break Gordie Howe's Single-Season, Age-40 NHL Record?
Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ ageless wonder, seems to set a different scoring record every year.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Capitals captain adds another one to his gaudy list in 2025-26: most goals scored by an NHL player in his age-40 season.
On Sept. 17, the left winger turns 40, an age when most players have already retired and are starting the second phase of their careers.
But Ovechkin is just getting a second wind.
Ovechkin is coming off a season in which he scored 44 goals – tied for third in the NHL – despite missing 16 games because of a fractured left fibula. It was a season in which he passed Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals and became the league’s all-time leading regular-season scorer with 897 career goals.
Now, he has a chance to top the single-season record for a player in his age-40 season. The record is held by Gordie Howe, who at 40 scored 44 goals for the Detroit Red Wings in 1968-69, according to quanthockey.com.
'Defies Logic'
Ovechkin “defies logic and Father Time and everything else,” Washington GM Chris Patrick told NHL.com. “I’ll just be happy to watch it and kind of savoring every time we get to see him go out in a Caps uniform. So we’ll just see what he does this year.”
Just three players – Howe, Boston’s Johnny Bucyk (36 goals in 1975-76) and Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne (31 in 2010-11) – reached 30 goals in their age-40 seasons. Three others managed 20 or more goals at that age: Minnesota’s Dean Prentice (26 in 1972-73), Tampa Bay’s Dave Andreychuk (21 in 2003-04) and Gary Roberts (20 in 2006-07, playing for Florida and Pittsburgh).
Only 21 players in NHL history have reached double figures in goals during a season that started when they were 40.
Ovechkin, of course, had lots of motivation last year as he started the season needing 42 goals to surpass Gretzky.
Ovechkin Gifted All Capitals’ Players, Coaches & Staff Custom Watches After Breaking RecordWashington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be the first to say that scoring goals truly takes a village, and when it comes to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, it’s a feat that he couldn’t reach alone.
New Motivation
Now, he figures to be motivated by the Capitals’ loss to Carolina in the second round of last year’s playoffs. He will be aiming for the second Stanley Cup in his storied career.
There is also the matter of what will happen after Ovechkin’s five-year contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. Will he sign an extension with Washington and try to reach (gulp) 1,000 goals? Decide to return to Russia and play in the KHL? Hang up his skates and retire?
No one knows at this point.
While personal milestones are in the back of his mind, Patrick believes Ovechkin’s focus will turn more toward team goals and “What do I need to do to help the team win?”
In Howe’s age-40 season, he not only had 44 goals but contributed 59 assists, 104 points and a plus-45 rating in 76 games. He scored on 15.5 percent of his shots.
No one is expecting Ovechkin to crack 100 points at age 40 – he hasn’t done that since 2009-10 – but scoring 44 goals, as the Great Eight showed last season, is certainly not out of the question.
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Switching schools doesn’t mean switching conferences for some QBs
Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. wasn’t necessarily looking to stay in the Big Ten when he decided to leave Maryland and enter the transfer portal. It just worked out that way.
Alabama, West Virginia agree to cancel 2026-27 series and schedule Group of Five opponents
Alabama said it was making adjustments to its nonconference schedule in response to the announcement that the SEC would go from playing eight to nine league games starting in 2026.
Virginia Tech strips Caleb Woodson of captaincy following his DWI arrest
Virginia Tech removed co-captain Caleb Woodson from his leadership position and declared his playing status for the Hokies’ season opener vs. No. 13 South Carolina as undecided following his DWI arrest.
BTS singer V surprises broadcasters at Dodger Stadium by being athletic
V from BTS got to be the devoted fanboy for once Monday night at Dodger Stadium, where he was lucky enough to share an embrace with Shohei Ohtani and give a deep bow on the field to Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The K-pop heartthrob posed for photos in the dugout with three-time MVP Ohtani, who returned to the mound this season in addition to continuing as the Dodgers' designated hitter, and more pics on the field with pitching ace Yamamoto, who helped the team beat the Padres in San Diego on Sunday. Dude even spent a few minutes chatting up the legendary Clayton Kershaw.
Read more:BTS plots comeback with new album and tour in 2026
Seems V — real name Kim Taehyung — might be a fan of pitching in general?
That's a good thing, if true, because the K-pop star was at Chavez Ravine to deliver the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers shut out the Cincinnati Reds 7-0. BTS fans were definitely there in the crowd to support him.
The seven members of BTS — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, Jung Kook and V — surfaced on social media in July after a long hiatus to announce that a new album would be coming in spring 2026, now that they all completed their mandatory 18-month South Korean military service.
Announcer Todd Leitz referenced the band's "highly anticipated" reunion over the stadium PA system Monday. "NO more waiting now, V. The mound is yours!" he said.
Read more:K-pop superstars BTS were on hiatus in 2023. It may have been their most interesting year yet
Taking the mound, V delivered a strike to Yamamoto, who was crouched down as the honorary catcher. The pop star earned a "wow, what a pitch" from Leitz and screams from the fans in the stands.
"He's been on the field for 30 minutes. We finally hit the crescendo with the first pitch tonight for V from BTS," a voice is heard saying in a video chronicling the moment.
"Yeah, and he dotted up a strike, man," another voice adds. "Good for him. He's been out here practicing every 13 seconds. We got the crowd going nuts, we don't know why. He's over there playing catch, throwing halfway down the left field line. And you put the guy on the mound, turns into a pretty good strike thrower."
After the pitch, V also got to speak the five legendary words that open every home game for the boys in blue: "It's time for Dodger baseball."
Read more:BTS' Suga offers fans 'deep apologies' for driving electric scooter while intoxicated
“Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music," the band said in a statement July 1. "Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas. We’re approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.”
BTS last released an album, "Proof," in June 2022 and performed live together later that year in their home country. Each member has released solo material since then, including Jung Kook’s song “Seven,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, and RM’s “Right Place, Wrong Person,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s album chart last year.
Times pop music critic Mikael Wood contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.