Louisville has a long history of high-powered offense. Coach Jeff Brohm has a much more balanced group of Cardinals these days.
India to host 2030 Commonwealth Games – next stop the 2036 Olympics?
Ahmedabad is also bid city for 2036 summer Games
Concerns over mismanagement and governance issues
India will be formally approved as hosts of the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 next month as the country steps up its ambitions to stage the 2036 Olympics.
Commonwealth Sport says its executive board had recommended Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, as the host city for the 2030 Games ahead of what it called an “ambitious bid” by Nigeria. The decision still needs to be ratified by a general assembly in Glasgow on 26 November, but multiple sources described that process a formality.
Continue reading...Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer seeks redemption after worst start of his career
For the first time since transferring from Washington State, John Mateer is forced to try to bounce back from a loss.
No. 4 Texas A&M faces tough road stretch to maintain undefeated season
No. 4 Texas A&M has played only one game away from home in its undefeated start to the season. The Aggies will travel to Arkansas for the first of three straight road games where a win will give them their first 7-0 start since 1994.
3 Things We Learned From Blackhawks’ First Home-Stand Of 2025-26
The Chicago Blackhawks are now through four games. The first two came on the road against the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, followed by the next two at home against the Montreal Canadiens and Utah Mammoth. Chicago is 1-2-1 with 3 standings points.
One thing that is evident through the first four games is that the Blackhawks are going to be involved in a lot more games. All four were either a Blackhawks win or losses by one goal. They are fast, have more skill, and play hard for Jeff Blashill.
There were some things that we learned about the team during the first two road games. Now that they have played two at home, we know even more about them. These are the three things that the first homestand of 2025-26 told us about the Blackhawks:
Ilya Mikheyev can impact games
Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev is not a star player, but he did score a cool 20 goals in 2024-25. With no power play time, that is an impressive total.
Coming into this year, it was fair to wonder how he would follow that up. So far, he’s been an impactful player all over the ice once again, which was evident in the two home games.
In the home opener against Montreal, the Blackhawks found themselves on the penalty kill 10 times. They killed off eight of them, which is a great job by those units. Mikheyev is one of the key pieces to that success, as he was all over the ice during those kills.
As a result of his work on the PK, and how frequently it was needed, he hardly had any even strength ice time. That’s the kind of warrior that helps build great cultures in the NHL.
Two days later, when hosting the Mammoth, Mikheyev was rewarded with two goals. One was a beautiful effort to drive the net, and the other was an empty-netter. After the sacrifices he made against Montreal, he deserved to be on the scoresheet more than once a day later.
Having bottom-six forwards who can do it all for your team is important. Right now, Ilya Mikheyev is a proven player who can impact games. His work on this homestand is a great sign that it will continue.
Developing a "killer instinct" is a must
In the first game of the homestand, the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, the Blackhawks allowed the game-winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation. They were that close to at least getting a point, and giving themselves a chance to win in overtime.
Once the game was over, Nick Foligno talked about developing a killer instinct. That is something that has lacked in recent years. The Blackhawks have become known for blowing leads late or letting their opponent find a way to win in the final minutes.
One game later against the Mammoth, they did the opposite. Once Andre Burakovsky gave them a 2-1 lead, they did not allow Utah to get it tied. Instead, they threw one into the empty net and won 3-1 for their first victory of the season.
Like Foligno said, having that "killer instinct" can be the key to winning hockey games. One game after talking about it, the team showed signs of improvement in that area. Seeing that become more of a trend is a must this year if they want to take a step as a group.
Spencer Knight may be a high-end NHL starting goalie
Spencer Knight was a first-round draft pick by the Florida Panthers in 2019. Being selected so high is rare for a goalie, but Knight had the pedigree to live up to it.
After some struggles on and off the ice in Florida, along with some flashes of incredible play, the Panthers included him in the trade to get Seth Jones. With Sergei Bobrovsky as their main man in net, they were able to make that deal to get another solid defenseman.
With the Chicago Blackhawks, Knight is getting the opportunity he deserves to be a number one in the NHL. He got himself off to a good start when he came over at the end of last season, but he's gone to another level to start this year.
Knight played both games at home and allowed only four total goals. His goals against average currently sits at 2.35 while his save percentage is .920. Knowing his team is outshot in every game, these stats look even better.
The first game of the season on the road wouldn't have been close without Knight's brilliance. He came home and started both games, and his team had a shot to win each because of him.
Is he going to compete for Vezina Trophies or lead them to deep playoff runs? That remains to be seen. All we know is that he dominated this homestand and looks like he may be a high-end NHL goalie.
If Knight can continue saving 81 of every 88 shots, the Blackhawks will be more than pleased.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Mets signing left-handed reliever Joe Jacques
The Mets have made their first player move of the offseason, signing left-handed reliever Joe Jacques to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to big league spring training, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Per MLB.com, the deal will be worth a prorated $800,000 if Jacques is on the major league roster.
Jacques, 30, has pitched in 25 big league games (24 relief appearances, one start across 2023 and 2024) for the Red Sox and Diamondbacks.
He has a career 5.46 ERA and 1.65 WHIP.
In seven minor league seasons, Jacques has a 4.19 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, including a 6.02 ERA and 1.66 WHIP this past season as he split time between the Triple-A affiliates of the Dodgers and Mariners.
The Mets will be rebuilding their bullpen this offseason, with A.J. Minter (returning from lat surgery) and Brooks Raley the only 2025 bullpen members who seem like locks to be back.
Other members of the Mets' 40-man roster who could be relief options next season include Drew Smith (who should be ready to go after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery), Huascar Brazoban, Jonathan Pintaro, and Dylan Ross.
Edwin Diaz is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, though it stands to reason that the Mets will make a strong push to re-sign him.
Reed Garrett, who has been a mainstay the last two seasons, is expected to miss the entire 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Embattled Florida coach Billy Napier could be fired as soon as this weekend
Three people with direct knowledge of situation tell USA TODAY Sports Florida coach Billy Napier could be fired as soon as this weekend.
Yankees' Max Fried, Ryan McMahon named 2025 Gold Glove Award finalist
Finalists for 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards were announced on Wednesday morning, and Yankees lefty Max Fried and third baseman Ryan McMahon were on the list.
McMahon, who played 54 games with the Yankees following a midseason trade, is a finalist for the NL Award at third base, dating back to his time with the Rockies. His 6 Outs Above Average ranked in the 92nd percentile, according to Baseball Savant.
Fried is finalist for the AL pitching Gold Glove, along with two other players with New York ties -- Jacob deGrom and Luis Severino.
Fried has long been one of the best fielding pitchers in all of baseball, as evidenced by his three NL Gold Glove Awards with the Atlanta Braves. The southpaw took home the award in three straight seasons from 2020-22.
Fried did commit a career-high four errors in 2025, but he also set career-best marks with 39 putouts, 10 defensive runs saved above average, and seven pickoffs. Fried allowed just six stolen bases all season and runners were caught stealing five times.
The Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 8:30 p.m.
Mets' David Peterson, Luis Torrens finalists for 2025 Gold Glove awards
Mets pitcher David Peterson and catcher Luis Torrens are finalists at their positions for 2025 MLB Gold Glove awards.
The finalists were announced by Rawlings on Wednesday morning.
Peterson's competitors for the award are Matthew Boyd of the Cubs and Logan Webb of the Giants.
Torrens' competitors are Carson Kelly of the Cubs and Patrick Bailey of the Giants.
Torrens was truly elite behind the plate this past season.
He was in the 100th percentile when it came to caught stealing above average, 97th percentile in pop time, and 82nd percentile in framing. The only area of his defensive game that was a tad below average was blocking.
The last Met to win a Gold Glove was Juan Lagares, who took home the award for his performance in center field in 2014.
Harper named as Gold Glove finalist; Turner, Stott snubbed
Harper named as Gold Glove finalist; Turner, Stott snubbed originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove nominees were announced Wednesday, and a familiar Phillies name is back among the finalists at first base.
For the second consecutive year, Bryce Harper will be in the running for defensive hardware after a strong 2025 campaign.
Harper, 32, began playing first base in July 2023. An outfielder by trade, he was coming off Tommy John surgery and volunteered to step in after Rhys Hoskins’ season-ending injury. What started as a temporary fix quickly became a long-term move.
Harper showed flashes of brilliance at first, giving the organization confidence to make him the full-time starter in 2024. That decision not only gave the Phillies flexibility in the outfield — it also worked.
Statistically, Harper ranked in the 93rd percentile in Outs Above Average (OAA) last season, a range-based metric that quantifies how many outs a player has saved. He earned a Gold Glove nomination, but Christian Walker of the Diamondbacks took home his third straight award.
In 2025, Harper was once again well above average, ranking in the 73rd percentile in OAA. For a player who spent the first 8½ years of his career in the outfield, excelling at a new position in back-to-back seasons is no small feat.
Gold Glove finalists are determined through a combination of manager and coach voting (75%) and the SABR Defensive Index™ (25%), which draws from data tracked by Statcast, Sports Info Solutions and STATS Perform.
Based on those metrics, a few other Phillies had a case to be included.
Trea Turner, who struggled defensively in his first two seasons in Philadelphia (-9 OAA combined), was one of baseball’s best shortstops this year. He ranked fourth at the position in OAA (17) — third in the National League — and played what was easily his most consistent defense since joining the Phillies.
Bryson Stott also had a legitimate argument. Known for his reliability at second base, Stott ranked in the 94th percentile with +8 OAA, good for second at the position in the NL. Milwaukee’s Brice Turang was named a finalist despite finishing at -2 OAA, 21 percent below league average.
Ranger Suárez and Harrison Bader might’ve been in the mix as well, but Suárez’s shortened season due to injury hurt his case, while Bader’s midseason trade from Minnesota split his defensive metrics between leagues.
If Harper beats out Atlanta’s Matt Olson and Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer, he would become just the second Phillies first baseman in franchise history — and the first since Bill White in 1966 — to win the award. The most recent Phillie to take home a Gold Glove was Zack Wheeler, who earned NL pitcher honors in 2023.
The Gold Glovers will be announced Sunday, November 2 on ESPN.
Arkansas coach John Calipari says he’ll retire before becoming ‘transactional’ coach
Arkansas' John Calipari offered insight at SEC media day on Oct. 14 into when he'll retire from coaching.
Mike Dunleavy has matter-of-fact answer to what success looks like for Warriors
Mike Dunleavy has matter-of-fact answer to what success looks like for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If the expectations and goals for the Warriors in the 2025-26 season weren’t clear before, general manager Mike Dunleavy came to help.
Despite how loaded the Western Conference is, Dunleavy will measure Golden State’s success on one primary thing.
“Success here by the standards that have been set is probably winning your last game. We know what that means,” Dunleavy said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Beyond that, we can have a successful, rewarding season in a bunch of different ways. But you’re judged by banners here.”
Clear enough?
The Warriors want to maximize what’s left of the final years of Steph Curry’s career, hoping they can win another title with their core of Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Golden State made key acquisitions over the offseason to help boost its chances, too, including adding veteran center Al Horford and guards De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry to the mix, in addition to finally coming to a contract agreement with young and athletic wing Jonathan Kuminga.
“This year, we feel like we have a team that can [win a championship]. We want to be in the mix. And I think we’ve given ourselves a chance in that regard. You need health, you need some good fortune, you need some of those things to go your way for sure.
“But I think with this group, the experience we have, the skill level we have, we’re going to be right there in the mix as soon as we have all those other things we need, like health and good fortune.”
The Warriors already are being judged by their age, but it wouldn’t be the first time they won a title when the odds were against them.
And as the league has come to learn, Golden State prefers to be the underdogs.
Fantasy Basketball 2025 breakout picks: Can Reed Sheppard, Toumani Camara, more take a leap?
We are now one week away from the start of the NBA season, which means many of our pre-season pipe dreams and fantasy scenarios will be doused in cold water from the reality of real NBA games. However, some of our pre-season darlings will emerge through the first few weeks and announce their arrival as players to keep an eye on in this new season.
Below is a breakdown of some of my favorite breakout candidates for the 2025-26 NBA season. Some of them have already flashed star upside, some of them showed it in college, and others are going to demonstrate it to the NBA fanbase for the first time. But let's dig in and find out why I think these players are get to soar to new heights this year. Eric
Breakout Players for 2025 Fantasy Basketball Season
Trey Murphy III (SF/PF, NO) - ADP: 52
I know it's weird to call a player with an ADP nearly inside the top 50 a breakout, but I just believe there's another level for Murphy. Last season, he averaged career highs in points (21.2), rebounds (5.1), and assists (3.5), but he played just 53 games due to injury, so his performance kind of went under the radar. People were also harping on his turnover rate increasing and his three-point shooting efficiency decreasing, but I think that's the nature of a young player stepping into a bigger role; there are some growing pains along the way.
Murphy is a talented player who can do a bit of everything and will start for a Pelicans team that will be without Dejounte Murray (Achilles) for a while. Zion Williamson is not the picture of health himself, so there could be stretches where it's just Murphy and Jordan Poole asked to shoulder the load for the Pelicans. I think Murphy's efficiency will continue to improve, and I'm going to bet on a player with his natural talents to continue to succeed.
Stephon Castle (PG/SG, SAS) - ADP: 109
You could argue that Castle started to breakout at the end of last season, when he averaged 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists over 26 games without De'Aaron Fox in the lineup. However, I don't think enough people are accounting for continued growth here. Castle was the fourth overall pick in last year's draft and won NBA Rookie of the Year, but he doesn't really come up in many conversations about ascending young talents.
Yes, Fox should be back a some point early in the season when his hamstring injury heals, and the Spurs drafted Dylan Harper with the second pick, but Castle doesn't really need the ball in his hands to be successful. He's an excellent slasher and understands the spacing of the floor well enough to cut into open lanes. We've also seen him look more comfortable shooting from behind the arc this preseason, which would be a major box ticked in the evolution of his game.
I don't expect him to become an elite shooter by any means, but it's just another tool in a pretty loaded toolbox.
Matas Buzelis (SF/PF, CHI) - ADP: 101
Buzelis is everybody’s breakout pick, and his ADP on Yahoo sites alone is now inside the top 80 picks. A lot of that is because of what he has done this preseason, but also because he showed what he can do in a high-usage role last season when he averaged 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 27 minutes per game over his final 33 games. There will be some inconsistencies because he's still a young player who just turned 21 years old this week (CHEERS!). Still, Buzelis will assuredly find himself in a high-usage role for a rebuilding Bulls team that lacks many playmakers apart from Josh Giddey and, sometimes, Coby White. Buzelis can do a little bit of everything, and I think he should be able to improve on those numbers we saw in the final 33 games, but do it for an entire season.
Toumani Camara (SF/PF, POR) - ADP: 110
Can I call somebody a breakout just because I like their vibe? I enjoy the way Camara plays basketball, and his nickname is “The Shadow,” which is almost enough of a case for him to appear in this article, but there are legitimate on-court reasons as well. Camara is an excellent defender, which will help you with STOCKS, but also will keep him on the court for major minutes. Last season, he also took a big step forward offensively, improving his usage rate and becoming more efficient as a scorer. However, he scored only 11.3 points per game, so I think another step is coming. With Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton out of town, there is more opportunity to go around, so I think Camara will see his usage rate increase again this year. He's not likely to be an elite scorer off the dribble, but he continues to improve as a shooter, so if we think of him as a 3-and-D wing with the tools to add a little value as a slasher and finisher in transition, there's a chance he pushes for top-50 value.
Reed Sheppard (PG/SG, HOU) - ADP: 111
Yes, Sheppard didn’t do much last year and played only 12.6 minutes per game, and is on a team that just traded for Kevin Durant, so he's clearly not going to emerge as a major offensive force in his second season. Still, Sheppard was the 3rd pick in last year’s draft and was a "high floor" prospect who could shoot, play defense, and see the floor well. Even as a rookie, he posted elite deflection rates that backed up his strong block and steal numbers from college. He's a strong shooter and should push for the starting PG job with Fred VanVleet out. Even if he settles in somewhere around 10-14 points per game, he's going to make some threes every game and initiate offense for a Durant-led team that should give him solid assist numbers to go along with STOCK upside. I think he can help across all nine categories.
Mitchell Robinson (C, NYK) - ADP: 182
Robinson has already “broken out” if you’re a New Yorker who has been waiting for him to start and be healthy forever. When he's on the court, his rebound numbers are insane, and he's an efficient scorer around the rim. However, things could be much better for Robinson this season. With Mike Brown now coaching the team, Robinson looks likely to start in New York with Karl Anthony Towns at power forward. That alone will allow Robinson to post tremendous rebound numbers with solid points/blocks. Yet, another level of breakout could happen because Mike Brown wants the Knicks to play fast and get out and run. Even though Robinson isn't the athlete he was as a rookie before all of his lower-body injuries, he's a great athlete for his size and could thrive in a transition-based offense. This could be a big year for Mitch.
Isaiah Jackson (C, IND) - ADP: 185
The breakout case for Jackson is simple since he will likely start at center with Myles Turner gone on a Pacers team that also needs to replace the scoring and usage of Tyrese Haliburton. Fantasy baseball drafters are aware of this, and Jackson is zooming up boards; however, there is plenty of breakout potential here. He has been great per minute as a reserve, and should have plenty of value for a team that is desperate for people to step up. Even if his offensive game doesn't take a huge step forward, he will have plenty of value in rebounds, blocks, and steals. We also need to note that he is coming off a torn Achilles, so the only question will be how quickly he actually does get back to 100%.
Adem Bona (C, PHI) - ADP: 226
Bona was basically a defense-first, high-efficiency big man off the bench for the vast majority of last season. However, he started 11 games at the end of the season with Joel Embiid hurt and posted 14.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals in those games. That's the kind of upside you're dreaming on here, and we know his breakout potential is fully tied to Embiid's health. However, Embiid is never healthy and is coming off yet another knee injury. Bona was solid for Turkey in EuroBasket, and I think he's ready for a bigger role this season. He won't be a huge scorer, but is a good athlete, with plenty of block/rebound value.
Moussa Diabate (C, CHA) - ADP: 228
The breakout case for Diabate is a little bit less for him to emerge as a star and more for him to emerge as a solid NBA starter. I think he can take over the starting center role in Charlotte, but he will have to beat out Ryan Kalkbrenner. When he was given the chance to start last year, he showed elite rebounding value and also solid STOCK value as well. He has always been a great rebounder and high-motor player, but he's also evolving as a scorer, and we've seen some nice post moves from him in the pre-season. I think he can get more involved in the offense this season, and his defense will keep him on the floor, which means he could be a legitimate double-double threat every night this season.
Ryder Cup triumph being remembered for the wrong reasons, says Rory McIlroy
Focus on unruly fans ‘is obscuring Europe’s performance’
‘I’d like to shift the narrative,’ says Northern Irishman
Rory McIlroy is eager to shift discussion of last month’s Ryder Cup from the dominant theme of unruly spectators to the “incredible” strength of Europe’s display.
Luke Donald and his European team secured back-to-back Ryder Cup wins after reaching what ultimately proved an unassailable position within two of the event’s three days.
Continue reading...Stay or Go: Should the Mets re-sign Starling Marte?
Starling Marte's arrival in Queens for the 2022 season wasn't quite a seismic moment for the Mets, but the impact on that year's team was enormous.
In 118 games that season, Marte slashed .292/.347/.468 with 16 homers, 24 doubles, five triples, and 18 stolen bases. In the outfield, while Marte's range wasn't what it once was, he provided serious value with his arm.
For his efforts, Marte earned an All-Star nod and received down-ballot MVP support after the season.
And his absence for the last three-plus weeks of the regular season arguably had as much to do with the Mets surrendering first place to the Braves as anything else.
Before Marte was forced out of the lineup on Sept. 7 after getting hit in the hand by a 96 mph fastball from Mitch Keller the day before, the Mets were 85-51.
And while they didn't totally wilt down the stretch before eventually losing the division on a tiebreaker, the offense wasn't the same without Marte -- something that was most apparent when they suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of the Braves in the second-to-last series of the season as New York mustered just seven runs.
Marte returned for the playoffs, but he wasn't himself as the Mets went down to the Padres in three games in the Wild Card Series in front of a Citi Field crowd that spent most of the series shellshocked by how the regular season ended. Just like that, a year where the Mets had legitimate World Series hopes ended before the NLDS.
Marte hasn't come close to replicating his 2022 season over the last three years, with injuries playing a big part. But he had a bounce back of sorts in 2025 and has been a key part of the clubhouse during his tenure.
With Marte set for free agency, should the Mets bring him back?
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO LET MARTE GO
Since playing 118 games in 2022, Marte has played 86, 94, and 98 games, respectively, over the last three seasons.
A lot of that has to do with the double groin surgery Marte had after the 2023 season -- the groin issues impacted him in 2023 and lingered throughout 2024 while seriously impacting his availability and production.
Over the last year-plus, Marte's ability to play the outfield on a regular basis also went away.
After starting 85 games in right field in 2024 (and serving as the designated hitter nine times), Marte became mainly a DH option in 2025 as he served in that capacity 77 times and started in the outfield just eight times (six in left field, two in right field).
Entering his age-37 season in 2026, it's fair to believe that Marte will be in a DH only role or in a hybrid role where he isn't relied on to play the outfield much.
If he returns to the Mets, the club would in effect be giving up any kind of defensive versatility with that roster spot. And it's hard to make an argument for doing so since Marte isn't a classic DH.
While Marte has some pop, he slugged just .410 while hitting only nine homers in 2025. That's not going to cut it.
In a world where New York's regular DH for 2026 is someone who was on the roster in 2025, the guess here is that it's Mark Vientos -- though his Mets future is also up in the air.
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO RE-SIGN MARTE
Despite his limitations, Marte was still an above average offensive performer in 2025 -- posting an OPS+ of .111.
He was also largely healthy, with his only issue being a bone bruise in his knee that kept him out of action for two weeks in July.
It's also likely that Marte will be a relatively inexpensive, one-year option.
That's kind of where the argument ends, though.
While Marte was above average at the plate in 2025, he doesn't mash lefties, which means he isn't really a fit for the short end of a DH platoon.
Meanwhile, his advanced offensive metrics this past season -- except for his bat speed -- all graded out as below average.
VERDICT
Marte has been an important Met during his four years in New York, but the writing seems to be on the wall here.
With Marte not a strong fit at DH, no longer able to provide much value in the outfield, and with the Mets looking to become a more defensive-oriented team, it's time for the two sides to part ways.