The start of the college football season is almost here and many teams still are unsettled at quarterback. We break down the biggest competitions.
A scavenger hunt to find college football’s next national champion coach turns up key names
Let’s embark on a scavenger hunt to find the next college football coach who will win his first national championship.
Plaschke: Dodgers' inability to improve bullpen at trade deadline haunts them again
A lazy, lovely afternoon at Chavez Ravine was startled awake Sunday by three blue-curdling screams.
The Dodger bullpen had struck again.
Eighth inning, one out, Dodgers leading the Toronto Blue Jays by a run, rusty Blake Treinen on the mound.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., boom, nooooo!
Addison Barger, boom, nooooo!
Ninth inning, game tied, Alex Vesia on the mound acting like a closer because the Dodgers don’t have a healthy closer.
Ernie Clement, boom, not again!
Battered by three home runs in the last two innings Sunday, the Dodgers lost a game they should have won, blew a game they should have had, and planted an ominous message deep into the bowels of sweaty Dodger Stadium.
Read more:Dave Roberts criticizes Shohei Ohtani after Dodgers' frustrating loss to Blue Jays
This is a team trying to win a second consecutive championship without an adequate bullpen.
The 5-4 loss wasted a sterling start by Tyler Glasnow, frittered away 10 hits and 13 walks from a burgeoning offense, ruined a chance to sweep the team with the best record in the American League, and created a trivia question that will be bandied about the league until the last week in October.
What standout reliever did the Dodgers acquire at the trade deadline?
Nobody.
What standout reliever had their critics been begging them to acquire for weeks?
Any of them.
Maybe Andrew Friedman’s previous deadline brilliance convinced everyone into thinking he could pull something off again, and maybe the public pressure was less than usual because of the credits earned by the 2024 title, but here’s guessing much of Dodger nation woke up Monday morning after watching a reliever tagged with the loss in three of the last six games and thought...
What just happened? Is it too late to fix?
What happened was the Dodgers' belief in the recovering health of their bullpen. And, um, yeah, unless you want to bring Bobby Miller up from Oklahoma City to close games (not a bad idea, eh?), it’s not getting fixed anytime soon.
Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates should all be returning from the injured list, and the thought is that the Dodgers can find a closer somewhere in there, but you’ve seen them all and do you agree?
There is also the belief in this weird bit of Dodger closer history — the final inning in their last two championships was worked by a starter.
This is countered by the fact that the last two times Friedman didn’t make a significant pitching upgrade at the deadline they were eliminated in the first round.
So, yes, Friedman hasn’t lost any of his smarts and Dave Roberts hasn’t lost any of his savvy and they can probably piece this mess together for short periods in October.
But between now and then, you need someone to make the big pitch in the clutch situation and save the offense from itself.
You need a closer so you don’t have the eternal optimist Roberts looking oddly despondent late Sunday afternoon.
“This is frustrating because I just felt there is no way we should lose this game today,” he said.
He wasn’t so upset with Vesia and Treinen — both guys have been put in tough spots, especially Treinen, who recently came off the injured list.
He was mostly upset with the Dodger offense that made the withering bullpen — which has recorded the most innings in baseball — so necessary.
The Dodgers had a 3-2 lead after six innings. The back-to-back dingers in the eighth cost them that lead.
The Dodgers came back to tie it on a bases-loaded walk to Freddie Freeman in the eighth.
Clement’s long ball grabbed the lead again for the Blue Jays in the ninth.
“Yeah, it’s pretty frustrating,” Vesia said.
But equally frustrating was the 16 men the Dodgers left on base, including leaving the bases loaded three times, twice in the last two innings.
“We had them on the ropes numerous times,” Roberts said. “And for us not to win is so frustrating.”
Read more:Blake Snell turns in a performance befitting his 'Snellzilla' nickname in Dodgers' blowout win
How disappointed was Roberts? When is the last time you’ve heard him criticize Shohei Ohtani’s play? Well, he did it Sunday, twice in a span of a minute.
First, there was Ohtani ending the sixth inning by getting thrown out attempting to steal third base with Freeman at the plate.
“Not a good baseball play,” Roberts said.
Then there was Ohtani striking out with a wild swing on a low and outside full-count pitch from Mason Fluharty — he of the 5.15 ERA — with bases loaded in the ninth.
“We’ve got to come up with one right there,” Roberts said. “Chasing the ball down below ... is something that we can’t have.”
You know what could have prevented all this angst? A deeper bullpen. A more rested bullpen. A fixed bullpen.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
What Celtics waiving Miles Norris means for end of Boston's roster
What Celtics waiving Miles Norris means for end of Boston's roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics continued their August roster tinkering Sunday by waiving two-way forward Miles Norris.
The Celtics now have one available two-way slot that could be utilized to sign second-round draft pick Amari Williams. The Celtics previously signed fellow second-round pick Max Shulga to a two-way deal, and combined with a recent trade that delivered two-way forward RJ Luis Jr. from Utah, Boston was facing a temporary two-way log jam.
Boston signed Norris in March, and he appeared in three regular-season games. The 25-year-old forward brought an intriguing blend of size (6-foot-10) and shooting ability, but the Celtics were forced to trim after acquiring Luis Jr. from the Jazz as part of the Georges Niang deal last week.
The Celtics selected 6-foot-11 Williams with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 23-year-old big man showed some intriguing potential at NBA Summer League with his blend of playmaking and shot-blocking. Williams must show he can improve as a finisher around the basket at the pro level.
Shulga was the 57th pick in this year’s draft. Luis Jr., the Big East Player of the Year out of St. John’s, went undrafted in June but latched on with the Jazz in the aftermath.
Two-way slots are important as Boston looks to develop young, cost-efficient talent for the back end of the roster. The Celtics have utilized 2-way deals in the past to mold current roster players like Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta, both of whom could see big minutes during the 2025-26 season.
With all the departures this offseason, the Celtics could have ample opportunity for younger players to show their potential. Williams, especially with a thinned frontcourt, seems particularly important for depth purposes.
‘I don’t need anything further’: Nat Fyfe retires as a Fremantle Dockers great
Two-time Brownlow medallist to retire at end of season
‘It just feels like it’s the right time,’ says 33-year-old midfielder
Fremantle great Nat Fyfe is satisfied he has made the right decision, calling time on his glittering AFL career after a gruelling run with injury. The two-time Brownlow medallist will retire at the end of the season, ideally after helping to steer the fourth-placed Dockers deep into September.
Monday’s announcement came two days after Fyfe played just his fifth game of the season, returning from injury as Fremantle claimed a last-gasp six-point win over Port Adelaide.
Continue reading...Mabrey leads Connecticut against Golden State after 22-point game
Connecticut Sun (5-25, 3-8 Eastern Conference) at Golden State Valkyries (15-15, 7-10 Western Conference) San Francisco; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Valkyries -9; over/under is 157.5 BOTTOM LINE: Connecticut Sun visits the Golden State Valkyries after Marina Mabrey scored 22 points in the Sun's 94-86 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. The Valkyries are 9-5 in home games.
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-08-12 12:13:48
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-08-12 12:13:48
Another Contract Year, Another Opportunity For Penguins Forward Philip Tomasino
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Philip Tomasino is heading into another contract year for the 2025-26 season. He had a year left on his contract going into the 2024-25 season before he was dealt to the Penguins by the Nashville Predators last November for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Tomasino only had one assist in 11 games for the Predators before compiling 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games for the Penguins. He played up and down the lineup during the season and would have some good stretches mixed with some bad ones.
He burst onto the scene right away with four points in his first five games, three of which were goals, before going pointless for his next six games. This inconsistency would continue for the rest of the season despite Tomasino getting a lot of minutes with second-line center Evgeni Malkin. The two played 250:33 of 5v5 minutes this year, and the numbers were a mixed bag. When they were on the ice together, they had a 48.2% CF%, 48.2% of the expected goals, 50.8% of the scoring chances, and 50.4% of the high-danger chances.
Tomasino enjoys playing with Malkin, as evidenced by their good moments early in his first season with the Penguins.
"I think we just complement each other really well," Tomasino said
Head coach Dan Muse may look to give them more minutes together, but Tomasino will have to earn those minutes since the top six looks really strong on paper right now. The Penguins still haven't dealt forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, and there's no guarantee that they will before the season.
With them still in the fold, they will take up two of the top-six spots, as will Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The other two spots will be up for grabs and will have a lot of players jockeying for them, including Tomasino, Anthony Mantha, Tommy Novak, Rutger McGroarty, and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty and Koivunen looked great in their short stints to end the 2024-25 season after being called up from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. They got to spend time with Crosby and Malkin and looked ready to be full-time NHLers.
If Tomasino loses out on a top-six spot to start the season, he could still secure a third-line role with Novak if Muse and Co. are successful. Novak and Tomasino are familiar with each other from their time in Nashville, and they looked solid when they were on the same line together, albeit for a small sample. They only played 67:50 at 5v5 during the 2023-24 season, but they made those minutes count, compiling 54.7% of the expected goals, 62.6% of the scoring chances, 64% of the high-danger chances, and a 55.7% CF% rate.
Three of Tomasino's goals came on the power play last year, and he'll be a solid contender to be on the second PP unit again next season. His release is good enough to be utilized anywhere in the offensive zone, and he has a knack for scoring goals in big situations. For example, he had six game-winning goals last year, which was good for second on the Penguins. Only Crosby was ahead of Tomasino with 10 game-winning goals, which made sense because Crosby was the Penguins' best player last year. He finished the season with 33 goals and 91 points in 80 games. It was his third-straight 90+-point season despite being well into his 30s.
Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Oft-Forgotten Part Of Jake Guentzel Trade Has IntrigueHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.
The 2025-26 season will be another contract year for Tomasino after the Penguins re-signed him to a one-year, $1.75 million contract on July 1. He was originally a restricted free agent before the Penguins didn't give him a qualifying offer, allowing him to test free agency. Despite becoming an unrestricted free agent, he still decided to return to the Penguins, along with fellow forward Connor Dewar, who also wasn't given a qualifying offer by the Penguins. He signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Penguins on the same day as Tomasino.
Tomasino is slated to be a restricted free agent again after this upcoming season, so the Penguins will control his rights into next summer unless they don't qualify him again. If he's more consistent this year, the Penguins may try to sign him for longer than a year since he's still only 24. The Penguins want young players like him to take the next step at the NHL level. He'll cost a bit more, but that won't be a problem for the Penguins since they will have over $40 million of cap space next summer. They won't spend all of it since they are still rebuilding, but they'll spend enough. It won't be a situation where the Penguins have to worry about barely getting above the cap floor.
With all of that in mind, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will be keeping a close eye on Tomasino this year.
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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
From The Archive: Still The Best After All These Years
The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.
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Still The Best After All These Years - November 16, 2009 - Volume 63, Issue 09 - KC
BEST NOT TELL THE BIG BOSS about this. After all, it might affect Nicklas Lidstrom’s future with the Red Wings.
Sure, Lidstrom has been a standout for 18 seasons now, was an integral contributor to four Stanley Cups and has become one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history.
Little known fact, though: Lidstrom is a rebel. For example, two of his four boys, Adam and Samuel, play minor hockey in the Detroit Compuware AAA organization. In case you weren’t aware, Compuware is owned by Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos and is a huge rival of Wings owner Mike Illitch’s Little Caesars AAA organization.
Just so you know, Illitch and Karmanos aren’t exactly a modern-day version of Amos ’n Andy.
“I don’t even know if (Illitch) knows about it,” said Lidstrom, justifying his insubordination by explaining Compuware’s rink is about 10 minutes from his house.
Chances are, Illitch would probably be willing to overlook Lidstrom’s miscreance in return for a couple more seasons of work. Despite the fact Lidstrom turns 40 in April, there has been almost no drop-off in his performance level, as evidenced by the fact our panel identified him as having the best point shot, best first pass and being the top shut-down defenseman in the NHL, not to mention the best mentor.
There have been precious few players who have played at the elite level Lidstrom has at such an advanced age. Gordie Howe scored 103 points when he was 41 and Jean Beliveau was a point-per-game player while leading the league in playoff assists when he was 40. Doug Harvey won his last Norris Trophy at 37 and Chris Chelios was a runner-up for the Norris when he was 40.
Red Wings GM Ken Holland thinks Lidstrom could play another five seasons and chances are he’ll play at least a couple more in Detroit before hanging them up.
“I don’t think we’re going to wake up one day and say, ‘Holy cripes, what happened to this guy?’ ” Holland said.
Do a YouTube search of “Nicklas Lidstrom’s 1,000th point,” and you’ll see precisely why he’s considered the NHL’s best point man. He takes a half slapshot through a maze of skates, which hits Henrik Zetterberg’s stick and deflects to the top corner.
“THERE IS NO PRESSURE POINT WITH NICKLAS LIDSTROM”
“That really nails it,” Lidstrom said. “I kept my head up and I couldn’t get it on net, so I’m looking for Zetterberg’s stick. That’s the typical play I try to make.”
Lidstrom’s shot from the point isn’t about to blow by anybody. More than anything, it sneaks its way to where it wants to go.
Sabres Prospect Profile – Melvin Novotny
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the best deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games.
Other Sabres Stories
Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Bryan Rust
Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere
#33 - Melvin Novotny - LW (Leksands IF Jr. - Sweden)
The Sabres had a trio of seventh-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, and with the first pick (195th overall) they selected left winger Melvin Novotny. The 18-year-old had a breakout season in the SHL junior system, scoring 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 41 games for Leksands IF, and also played for Sweden at the World Junior under-18s.
According to the Elite Prospects Draft Guide, the 6’1”. 187 lb. forward is considered a smart player, who is “a chess player that uses his teammates as his pawns, throwing them pucks to retrieve while himself moving into favourable positions in the offensive zone…..He’s not the most physical player overall, but has a knack of spinning away from checks and using contact as an advantage.”
Instead of following the usual path toward playing in the SHL, Novotny is heading to North America to play with Muskegon in the USHL and is committed to playing for U.Mass (Amherst) in 2026.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
Rod Brind'Amour Feels Hurricanes' Offseason Moves Give Them A Chance To Win Stanley Cup
The Carolina Hurricanes made two substantial moves this offseason to bolster their roster in pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
The most highly coveted unrestricted free agent this offseason was arguably Nikolaj Ehlers.
After most of the top free agents had already signed with their new respective teams, Ehlers was still pondering his next move.
Ultimately, the Hurricanes won the sweepstakes for Ehlers as he signed a six-year, $51 million contract.
Carolina also took a big swing at defenseman K’Andre Miller, who has the potential to be a reliable blueliner for years to come, but he’s just yet to fully put all of the tools together.
The Hurricanes acquired Miller in a sign-and-trade from the New York Rangers, and quickly signed him to an eight-year, $60 million contract.
Rod Brind'Amour feels that these two moves put the Hurricanes over the top.
“If there's something out there that can make us better, we're going to try to figure out how to get it,” Brind'Amour said. “The additions were the best we could do. We just want to have a chance. I feel like we do.”
There Are Reportedly Over Five Teams Interested In Signing Jack Roslovic, Including The Maple LeafsTraining camps around the NHL are set to begin in just over a month, and Carolina Hurricanes forward Jack Roslovic remains unsigned.
The Hurricanes have been a top contender in the Eastern Conference for years, but have never seemed to be able to get over the hump.
We’ll have to see if Ehlers and Miller are able to change that.
Here's Why New-Look Blues Will Give Sabres A Tougher Test Next Year
The Buffalo Sabres' schedule has been out for a while now, but here at THN.com's Sabres site, we've been breaking down each Sabres opponent next season. And in this file, we're examining one of the NHL's best regular-season teams -- at the end of last season, at least -- the St. Louis Blues.
Last year, Buffalo won both games against St. Louis, but the Sabres avoided the Blues in the second half of the year, when they were an entirely different team. Buffalo and St. Louis will play relatively early this time around -- and will that make a difference in the bottom line between these two teams? Time will tell.
However, in the meantime, you can make your voice heard by leaving a comment below. And feel free to register as a community member on THN.com. Your voice is unique, and we want to hear it.
Former Ottawa Senator Mark Borowiecki Now 'Looks At Fighting From A Different Lens'
Former Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was a guest on the Sens Nation Podcast this week, the official podcast of The Hockey News Ottawa, and shared some candid thoughts about fighting in today’s NHL.
During his NHL career with the Senators and the Nashville Predators, “Boro” never shied away from dropping the gloves, often taking on some of the game’s toughest heavyweights. Borowiecki played 458 regular-season NHL games, recording 15 goals, 56 points, and 848 penalty minutes. Known for his fearless, physical style and a strong work ethic, he was a fan favourite in Ottawa.
In my wide-ranging conversation with him this week, we covered a number of topics, including a recent Predators development camp where a Nashville reporter posted on-ice video of Borowiecki, now a development coach, demonstrating fighting tactics to young prospects.
Borowiecki explained that fighting advice is a very small part of the job, and with three children under five, his perspective on fighting in hockey has changed.
“I look at it from a different lens now, which maybe is wrong of me,” Borowiecki said. “For me, it was a way to survive in the league and make a name for myself. If I was coaching my son, I’d be focused on competing, playing hard, playing with some passion and emotion — and whatever results, results.
"I’m not going to encourage him to go fight. Maybe that’s your answer there. If that’s the way I’m going to approach it with my son, I’m not going to push other kids to. I don’t really have much desire to see 17-year-old kids hitting each other. It doesn’t do it for me in the junior level.
“Again, I want to see guys go out there and compete, play with passion, play with some aggressiveness, embrace the contact, embrace the confrontation — and whatever results, results. From a coaching standpoint, for me, it’s play hard, play extremely hard defensively, play hard offensively. Have that puck, be a pain in the butt to contain, to check, to cover. You know what? Sometimes when you play that relentless, high-energy style, things are (still) going to happen.”
Borowiecki also reflected on his transition to coaching, the evolution of fighting in hockey, and the challenges faced by today’s young players. He shared insights on the Senators’ push to return to the playoffs, praised the leadership of former teammate Brady Tkachuk, and offered thoughts on the coaching styles of Guy Boucher and D.J. Smith.
He also discussed his post-career health and answered some lighthearted hockey questions, showing the same honesty and personality that made him such a respected player in Ottawa.
Watch the full interview with former Senator Mark Borowiecki on the latest Sens Nation Podcast.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
This article originally appeared on The Hockey News website:
More Sens Articles:
Keith Tkachuk On Brady's Future In Ottawa: 'I Don't Think He's Going Anywhere'
Next NHL Expansion Fee May Be 40 Times More Than The Ottawa Senators Paid
The Ottawa Senators' 2025-26 Lineup Is Probably Already Set
Should Batherson Have Been Considered For Team Canada's Orientation Camp?
Mark Stone Jokes That It Wasn't Always Easy Playing On Brady Tkachuk's Line
2018 World Junior Trial Ends: Former Senator Alex Formenton Found Not Guilty
Mets promoting top prospects Jonah Tong, Jett Williams, Carson Benge, Ryan Clifford to Triple-A Syracuse: report
The Mets are promoting four prospects in Joe DeMayo's midseason top 30 for SNY -- infielder/center fielder Jett Williams (No. 1), right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong (No. 2), outfielder Carson Benge (No. 3) and first baseman Ryan Clifford (No. 6) -- from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse, according to a report Sunday by The Athletic's Will Sammon.
Outfielder A.J. Ewing (No. 9) is also going to Binghamton from High-A Brooklyn, Sammon reported.
Tong, 22, allowed one run on three hits while striking out eight over five innings Sunday in Binghamton's 2-0 loss to the Yankees-affiliated Somerset Patriots. He is 8-5 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 20 starts for Binghamton this season.
The 21-year-old Williams was the Mets' No. 14 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Through 96 games this season for Binghamton, he is slashing .281/.390/.477 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI.
Benge, 22, was New York's first-round pick in 2024 at No. 19 overall. Promoted to Binghamton June 23, Benge has slashed .317/.407/.571 with eight home runs and 23 RBI through 32 Double-A games.
Also 22, Clifford is slashing .243/.355/.493 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI through 105 games this season for Binghamton.
Ewing, meanwhile, is 21 and enjoying a breakout year after getting promoted from Low-A St. Lucie to Brooklyn. Through 78 games for Brooklyn, he is slashing .288/.387/.388 with two home runs and 26 RBI.