TORONTO, CANADA: Washington Wizards' forward Michael Jordan (R) gets tangled with teammate Christian Laettner and Raptor guard Voshon Lenard (L) during second half NBA action against the Raptors in Toronto on 15 December, 2002. Washington defeated Toronto 95-82, despite Jordan's career-tying game low of two points. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
More than 300people have worn Raptors’ jerseys in the NBA. Not all of them are well known. So we randomly picked a former Raptor to profile in the year 2026. Here is the storyof Voshon Lenard.
What do y’all know about Voshon Lenard?
I would assume the answer to be, “not much.” Which is a shame, because the more you dig into what Lenard’s career on the Raptors looks like, the more fascinating things get.
TORONTO, CANADA: Washington Wizards' forward Michael Jordan (R) gets tangled with teammate Christian Laettner and Raptor guard Voshon Lenard (L) during second half NBA action against the Raptors in Toronto on 15 December, 2002. Washington defeated Toronto 95-82, despite Jordan's career-tying game low of two points. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Lenard was a 6’4” shooting guard who played 11 seasons in the NBA, and suited up for Toronto in the 2002-2003 season. He played 63 games and started 24 of them, playing more than 30 minutes a night. He had his highest career scoring average this year, with 14.3 points per game. By that point, Lenard’s sharpshooting abilities cooled off after a blistering start on the Miami Heat, but he could still be called upon to knock down a three.
And the Raptors needed every one of them they could get in this injury riddled season, where Vince Carter missed significant time due to injury, and for the first time in three years, Toronto did not make the playoffs. All together, while Lenard was a solid piece for the Raps, he joined the franchise at the beginning of the “bad times,” and left before things improved.
That year, however, Voshon Lenard did what most NBA players of the day could only dream to do, and that was to literally beat Michael Jordan at his own game. On March 5th, 2003, Lenard was the Raptors’ second leading scorer in a victory against the Wizards, where he netted 15 points, making two three-pointers.
That same game, Michael Jordan only scored four. And sure, that might have been because of back spasms, but as any Raptors fan knows, he never could have stood against the Lenard onslaught either way.
In 2020, Rob Williams of the Daily Hive ranked Voshon Lenard as the fifth best of the ‘one-hit wonders’ that the Raptors ever had, owing to his scoring production in 2003.
Bleacher Report interviewed him post-retirement in 2011. There, he talked about his charity work, and the state of the Miami Heat at the time. When asked about a possible return to professional basketball, he answered simply, saying that “I thought my time was up. Now I’m just trying to sit back and enjoy life with my family.”
In some ways, Lenard is living the dream. The man carved out a niche for himself as a professional athlete, retired after making more than $25 million dollars, and kept his family close while still remaining active in meaningful work. This former Raptor made it out of the NBA alright, and should be remembered for his contributions to Toronto sports history, and whipping MJ and the Wizards really good that one time.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 27: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 27, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks play the New York Knicks tonight in the first game of a back-to-back, still seeking their first road W of the season. Milwaukee’s rookies continue to look solid, with Brayden Burries stringing together some impressive performances as a starter, and Nate Ament finding the floor more and making the most of his minutes. The same cannot be said for Milwaukee’s bigs, however, as Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware have struggled lately and could use a bounce-back performance. The Knicks, meanwhile, are 5-4 and, despite their relative success, don’t look close to what they did a few months ago on the biggest stage.
The Task Ahead
While it may not look like it at first, the Knicks are currently playing a more efficient, better version of the game the Bucks are playing. Both teams are heavily prioritizing rebounding and second-chance points, but over the last few games the two teams have swapped rankings: the Bucks were previously in the top five, and the Knicks have played to their strengths and now sit where the Bucks were. Even more striking is that, beyond Karl-Anthony Towns, who is off to an All-NBA-caliber start to the season, the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation is breaking down and has struggled overall. Landry Shamet is their current backup PF, and Andre Drummond hasn’t looked up to the level, struggling to finish at the rim and shooting just 42% from the field.
If it is a mirror, though, it may be a mirror into the future; one where a fully formed team can still make its lack of depth work. Despite these front-court limitations, the Knicks can still find their spots and shoot at a high percentage and volume. When you look at their shot charts on 3Step, it is clear that even when you know where they want to go, it doesn’t matter: they get to their spots and hit their shots. This is largely because of Captain Clutch himself, Jalen Brunson, who is leading the Knicks’ offense at 115.7 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby is anchoring a stellar defense, holding opposing teams to 107.9 points per 100 possessions. There is no way around it: the Bucks will have their hands full trying to both contain New York’s offense and break through its defense. That said, should one of the Bucks’ guards be able to set the table better than we’ve seen in the last couple of games for the offense, and they win or keep close the rebound and second-chance points battles, there is a real chance Milwaukee can pull out the W. While it may sound lofty, the Bucks did both of those things against Minnesota and Toronto to carry leads late in the game.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Tyler Herro: Questionable (knee)
Knicks:
Josh Hart: Questionable (ankle)
Player to Watch
Going for a two-for-one here: both Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner need a get-right game. Turner arguably needs it more as a veteran, but both bigs have left a lot to be desired. There are probably many ways to dissect how bad it has been, but the eye test is enough; against Boston, Ware got tossed around by Robinson, and Queta had his way against Turner. If either big man bounces back tonight, it would go a long way toward the Bucks making it close late.
Projected Starters
Bucks
Position
Knicks
Brayden Burries
PG
Jalen Brunson
Tyler Herro
SG
Josh Hart
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SF
Mikal Bridges
Kyle Kuzma
PF
OG Anunoby
Myles Turner
C
Karl Anthony-Towns
Game Details
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (1-9) vs. New York Knicks (5-4).
Brayden Burries has been a major bright spot in an otherwise dreary stretch of basketball, and I expect him to be ready for the bright lights of the Big Apple with a 20/10/5 game!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning in game one of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A very merry Tuesday to all of you who celebrate. We have 22 days left of regular Hot Stove baseball until the owners lock out the players, so be sure to open up your lockout advent calendar for today.
Brett Taylor has more on López as well. In short, the guy throws in the upper-nineties although his control is poor, he missed all of 2026 and he only has six innings above rookie ball. But the Cubs have two years to straighten him out now.
There’s a real crisis in this country in that men don’t read anymore. That’s not entirely true, men do read some non-fiction books, usually about politics, war or history. Reading non-fiction is good. But so is reading fiction. Young men and boys, especially, have fled from reading fiction. This creates a vicious circle, as publishers are less apt to publish fiction geared towards men, because female-oriented fiction is more profitable. This causes even fewer men to read and the cycle repeats itself.
If you don’t believe me, just go to your local Barnes & Noble and look at the new fiction books. You’ll find very few male authors and a lot of books written by women with female protagonists. It’s not anti-male discrimination. It’s just capitalism.
Now there’s no reason that men can’t read a book written by or about women. Anyone familiar with my movie picks knows that I love crime fiction/hardboiled noir. And a ton of that these days is written by women for women. I do read some of the stuff written for women—I found Out by Natsuo Kirino to be excellent, for a recent example. But sometimes you want to read something that’s written mostly for you and that gets me turning to the classics of the past—Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett or Mickey Spillane. I’ve seen several Mike Hammer movies, but I’m just starting to read Spillane. Some of what Spillane wrote was clearly sexist and racist: it was a product of white men of the early fifties. But it’s also the literary version of a “guy movie” with tough guys and lots of action.
I guess my point here is that everyone should read more and they should read more from all sorts of points of view. Read books by both men and women. Read books by both Americans and from other cultures. If that happens, we’ll get a better variety at Barnes & Noble.
Finally, guitarist Richard Lloyd of Television died at 75 on Saturday. If you don’t know Television, they were one of the bands who played the legendary New York Club CBGBs in the mid-1970s. The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads and Patti Smith Group went on to big fame. Others like Television, the Dead Boys and Richard Hell and the Voidoids went on to become cult heroes. But Television’s two albums before breaking up: Marquee Moon (1977) and Adventure (1978) are considered classics by anyone who has listened to them. Unlike a lot of the punk bands of the era, Television were generally quite talented musicians and Lloyd was a very good guitarist. Unlike a lot of those punk bands, Television had longer songs with long instrumental jams and dueling guitarists in Verlaine and Lloyd. I went back to my old Trouser Press Record Guide and they wrote “A tendency to ‘jam’ onstage caused detractors (and, paradoxically, British fans) to refer to them as the Grateful Dead of punk.” I always found that description funny.
Lead singer Tom Verlaine passed away in 2023 and bassist Fred Smith died earlier this year. The aforementioned Richard Hell, who left the band before their first recording contract, is still with us, as is drummer Billy Ficca, who would go on to be the drummer for The Waitresses after Television.
Here is the title track of Marquee Moon. I picked it because it features Lloyd’s guitar playing prominently. Also because it’s awesome. But most of Television is.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 23: A general view of the Giants equipment rack before the start of the game between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants on May 23, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we continue looking back at the 2026 San Francisco Giants, today I thought we would take a look at another compilation that the team’s social media team put together. This time of the best defensive plays of the season.
So grab your coffee, settle in, and enjoy!
What was your favorite defensive play of the 2026 season?
In what may constitute a slight upset, the more slugger-ish Goose Goslin took down the more singles-and-speed Sam Rice to claim the “first sequel” of greatest Washington Senators.
Sam Rice (1915-1933): 2,889 H, 479 2B, 183 3B, 346 SB, .323 BA, .804 OPS, 113 OPS+, 54.1 bWAR. An outfielder who hit left-handed but threw right-handed, Rice was the ultimate speed-and-contact player for the Senators. After a stint in the U.S. Navy and a stop with the Petersburg Goobers of the Virginia League, he twice led the league in hits, once in stolen bases, and once in three-baggers. His career hit total—2,987—remains the closest to 3k of any retired player without reaching that milestone, a fact that may have kept him out of the HOF until the Veteran’s Committee voted him aboard in 1963. Perhaps best known for a controversial catch in the 1925 World Series.
Joe Judge (1915-1932): 2,291 H, 421 2B, 157 3B, 210 SB, .299 BA, .802 OPS, 115 OPS+, 48.3 bWAR. As a batsman, Judge was functional and fleet. But in an era known for shoddy defense with bad baseballs and awkward hand-wear, Judge was a consummate glove-man at the first sack. At retirement, he led the American League in fielding percentage, putouts, assists, total chances, & double plays. The kid from Brooklyn—discovered by his block’s postal worker, who gave young Joe his first glove—preserved Walter Johnson’s only MLB no-hitter with a fantastic snare for the final out in 1920. Ironically, he effectively ended the Big Train’s career in 1927 when he smashed a BP bottle-rocket into the hurler’s shin and broke his ankle. Judge died at the age of 68 in 1963 while shoveling snow outside of his D.C. home.
Buddy Myer (1925-1927, 1929-1941): 1,828 H, 305 2B, 113 3B, 118 SB, .303 BA, .801 OPS, 109 OPS+, 42.3 bWAR. A college baseball star at Mississippi State, Myer was the Nick Punto of his era—bouncing around multiple infield positions as a proto-utility player. At the plate he was known for a keen eye, with OBPs routinely at .370+ (including five .400+ OBP years). Buddy’s 1935 season was his apex, seeing him take home a batting title (.349), score & drive in 100 runs, and finish 4th in MVP voting to slugger Hank Greenberg. Never one to back down from a challenge, the diminutive (5’10”) Myer once brawled with Ben Chapman (surprise, surprise) when Chapman spiked Myer and hurled antisemitic insults at him—leading to fans charging the field and multiple disorderly conduct arrests.
Clyde Milan (1907-1922): 2,100 H, 1,004 R, 495 SB, .285 BA, .706 OPS, 109 OPS+, 40.8 bWAR. Before Ty Cobb re-wrote the record books for speed on the base paths, Clyde “Deerfoot” Milan was the gold standard of stolen bases. Twice leading the American League in bags swiped (88 in 1912; 75 in 1913), Milan averaged 40 steals per season over his 16-year MLB career. What Clyde lacked in Dead Ball Era power numbers (17 career round-trippers) he made up for by choking up on the lumber and compiling a .353 career on-base percentage. In 1911-1913 he garnered three consecutive top-9 AL MVP finishes. Milan could man all three OF stations and often led the league in assists, double plays & Range Factor. A high error total speaks as much to Clyde’s ability to even have a chance at suppressing more flying spheres than his contemporaries.
Joe Cronin (1928-1934): 1,090 H, 242 2B, 72 3B, 51 HR, 577 R, 673 RBI, .304 BA, .842 OPS, 118 OPS+, 37.0 bWAR. Joe Cronin played just seven seasons for the Senators—but he certainly made the most of them. A doubles and triples machine (once leading the league in each), the swaggering shortstop cracked the 100+ RBI mark five times in Washington via his penchant for clutch knocks. Per Connie Mack: “With a man on third and one out, I’d rather have Cronin hitting for me than anybody—and that includes Cobb, Simmons, and the rest of them”. In 1933, he became a player/manager—and in his first year at the helm led the Nats to a pennant (alas, a World Series loss to Bill Terry’s New York Giants). Joe would join the Cooperstown ranks in 1956—then be named American League President in 1959. During his tenure (‘59-‘73), the AL would expand by four markets and shift around four other franchises.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 05: Carlos Narváez #27 of the Baltimore Orioles prepares for a pitch during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles have known their plan at catcher every season since Adley Rutschman was drafted first overall in 2019. But now that Rutschman himself has been traded away, there are question marks at the position moving forward. Samuel Basallo will obviously factor into it, though it seems like the team prefers him to spend at least half of his time at DH. That leaves a void behind the plate without a clear solution. Carlos Narváez got first crack at the job in the post-Rutschman era, and it did not go particularly well.
Narváez was part of the return package in the deal that sent Rutschman (and fellow catcher Jake Rogers) to Boston. While more than a “throw in”, Narváez was certainly not the headliner in the haul coming back to Baltimore. That distinction belongs to either Anthony Eyanson or Enddy Azocar, two of the four prospects included in the deal. But Narváez’s inclusion was still important, because it gave the Orioles what seemed to be a viable option behind the plate to at least buy them time to figure out what comes next.
Heading into 2026, Narváez was expected to share the catching role in Boston with Connor Wong in what would be a competent duo with modest upside. Narváez had been quite good in 2025, posting a 100 OPS+ in the box while being a highly-regarded defender behind the dish. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference valued him at 2.8 WAR on the season.
The 2026 season, however, was more of a struggle. Narvaez was OK through May, owning a .220/.298/.321 batting line, though he had just seven extra base hits over 37 games. Even still, his glove was good enough to keep him in the lineup. But that didn’t matter much by the end of June. Narváez slumped badly, hitting .097/.143/.129 on the month. And it was not much better in July, where he put together a .172/.242/.276 slash line.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox surged, going 21-4 in July, and clawing their way back into the playoff race. Narváez was a weak link, and the team sought out an upgrade at the position. They would end up landing one of the biggest fish of the trade season, and they paid a steep price to do it, acquiring Rutschman from the Orioles on August 3. Narváez went in the other direction.
When Narváez arrived in Baltimore, he stepped back into an everyday role. Basallo was on the IL at the time, which left Yohel Pozo as the only other active catcher on the roster. It was Narváez’s job for the time being.
The Venezuelan-born backstop brought his ice cold bat with him to Baltimore. Through his first 15 games, he went 3-for-41 with two walks and 14 strikeouts. After that, his production ticked up, but just barely. From August 25 through the end of the season, Narváez hit .139/.244/.167 with one double, three walks, and 10 strikeouts. In his 33 games as an Oriole in 2026, Narváez had one extra-base hit and zero RBI.
While it would be ideal for a team’s major league catcher to be viable as a hitter, it is less important than the work he does on defense. And fortunately that is where Narváez shines.
According to Baseball Savant, Narváez was worth five fielding runs over the entire 2026 season, which ranks him in the 76th percentile of all fielders. His top skill appears to be blocking. He had 13 blocks above average, which is in the 99th percentile. Nine of those 13 came with the Orioles, even though he had half as many block opportunities compared to his time spent with the Red Sox. He also receives plus marks for his pitch framing, and prior to 2026 he had strong numbers in steal prevention as well, though that can be impacted by his battery mate.
MASN’s Roch Kubatko said last month that he expects the Orioles to be “in the market for another catcher with more offensive upside” than Narváez this offseason. That tracks with how the team has explained their plans at the position. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said in August that the “plan with [Basallo] was always to kind of rotate him though and have him catch more like half or fewer than half of the games.” That set-up requires a legitimate primary catcher on the roster to play the lions share of defensive innings. Right now, it does not seem like the Orioles have that person in the organization.
That said, it is still reassuring to have Narváez on the roster. He is a major league caliber defender, will play the entire 2027 season at just 28 years old, and he has minor league options remaining. If the team is able to land an upgrade at the position, they would then have better organizational depth at catcher than they did all of 2026, which required substantial time on the big league roster for Pozo and Sam Huff.
The Orioles do have two interesting catching prospects that could be ready for big league reps sometime in 2027. Creed Willems spent most of 2026 in Norfolk, where had a .254/.347/.414 batting line, but there are questions about his defensive mechanics as a catcher. Ethan Anderson is right behind Willems in terms of development. He just had a cup of coffee in Triple-A last year, but had a big year in Double-A (.271/.363/.518) and could be the better offensive fit in the near-term.
Narváez will factor into the Orioles 2027 catching plans in some way. He has useful skills and offers roster flexibility. But he has already squandered his best chance to prove that he should be trusted as the team’s primary backstop going into the season. Now, if they hope to compete, the O’s will need to look elsewhere.
Jonathan Clark added a Fall Stars appearance to his desert résumé this week. | (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The Arizona Fall League is underway, and Chicago has seven prospects in the Grand Canyon State. The crew includes Mathias LaCombe, RHP (No. 17); Colby Shelton, INF (No. 23); Nick Altermatt, RHP; Jonathan Clark, RHP; Grant Magill, C; Tommy Vail, LHP and Garrett Wright, RHP.
The team added Vail after Pierce George, RHP (No. 18), suffered an olecranon fracture in his pitching elbow. While it sounds like an awful injury, he is expected to participate in 2027 Spring Training. Anthony DePino, INF (No. 21), was also originally on the Dogs roster, but instead underwent shoulder surgery. He should also be ready for spring.
Caleb Bonemer, 3B/SS/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 27), concluded his fall stint on Oct. 24 after slashing .286/.364/.633 with a .996 OPS in 13 games. Over his 49 at-bats, he hit four doubles, two triples and three homers, with six walks, 12 RBIs and an equal number of Ks. Shelton also appears done for the season, as he’s no longer listed on the Dogs’ roster. He finished hitting .277/.379/.511, with an .890 OPS in 15 games.
The White Sox prospects are suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs (9-17), sharing the dugout with hopefuls from the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Glendale Desert Dogs 2, Surprise Saguaros 0 (11/4/26) Magill’s struggles at the plate continue, as he went 0-for-3 with two Ks. Clark earned his first save despite loading the bases in the top of the ninth. Fortunately, he pitched around the traffic and secured the final out.
Mesa Solar Sox 6, Glendale Desert Dogs 3 (11/5/26) It’s been a messy fall for LaCombe, and this outing didn’t help. He entered in the top of the seventh and got a ground out before loading the bases on a single and back-to-back walks. A strikeout put him one out from escaping the jam, but a two-run single ended his afternoon. Altermatt took over and got the final out, then returned for the eighth. After retiring the leadoff hitter, he had to work around an error by the second baseman. A single, ground out and double brought home two unearned runs, and a free pass put runners on first and second with two gone. Altermatt finally shut the door on the inning with a grounder.
NL Fall Stars 7, AL Fall Stars 4 (11/8/26) Both Bonemer and Clark earned spots on the AL Fall Stars squad, but only Clark saw action in the NL’s win. Bonemer wrapped up his fall stint on Oct. 24, while Clark faced three batters in relief. The righthander stopped the bleeding in the bottom of the eighth, entering with two outs, a runner on second and three runs already across. He struck out Wyatt Sanford to end the inning, then returned for the ninth and needed just one pitch to get a fly out before surrendering a single and getting the hook. His runner eventually scored after a walk, single and throwing error, leaving Clark with an unearned run on one hit over two-thirds of an inning, with no walks and one K.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Carter Jensen #22 and third base coach Vance Wilson #17 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate a solo home run hit by Jensen during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Carter Jensen finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Major League Baseball revealed the final results Monday night. Jensen placed behind winner Kevin McGonigle (Tigers) and received 31 points in the voting. McGonigle led with 204 points, including 28 first-place votes.
Jensen received four third-place votes, nine fourth-place votes and one fifth-place vote.
This season, Jensen produced a special rookie campaign. He hit .239 with 27 home runs (team high) and 81 RBIs (also team high) while finishing with a 3.3 WAR in 149 games.
Bobby Witt Jr won the Royals Les Milgram Player of the Year award (as voted by the local KC BBWAA chapter).
Witt, 26, has won the award five consecutive seasons. He ranks second behind Royals Hall of Famer George Brett — who took home the honor eight times in his career.
“Bobby, five times winning the Player of the Year, probably not going to be the last either,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You know, I mean, just the special talent, the humility, the person. All the things we love about him. You know, from his standpoint, and I’m sure he’ll tell you, he didn’t feel like he had a good year and he’s still an MVP candidate.”
Michael Wacha won the Royals pitcher of the year award and Salvador Perez won the Royals special achievement award.
Wacha earned Pitcher of the Year honors after one of the most durable seasons of his 13-year Major League career.
The 35-year-old right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.32 ERA in 32 starts, recording career highs in starts, innings (200 2/3) and quality starts (21). He led the American League in both innings and quality starts, becoming the third Royal to lead the AL in both categories, according to Elias Sports Bureau, following Bret Saberhagen in 1989 and James Shields in 2013.
A most deserving trio!
Congratulations to Michael, Bobby, and Salvy for earning our 2026 team awards! pic.twitter.com/cw5eWPbgrb
MLB mothership has 2027 Rookie of the Year candidates for each team.
Royals: Lucas Braun, RHP (No. 16) Braun’s stuff is never going to wow anyone, but he’s spent the past three years at the upper levels and is ready for a shot. He scuffled a bit after getting dealt from the Braves to the Royals at the Trade Deadline, but he’s been a very durable starter, topping 140 IP twice in the last two years (over 130 IP this past season) and could be a very solid inning-eating back-end starter in 2027.
Mizzou footbal is big mad about the officiating against Texas.
Mauricio Pochettino, current USMNT coach, is apparently the favored candidate to replace the not-yet-fired (at least as I typed this) Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
The Jaguars made a flurry of trades, highlighted by getting DT Jordan Davis from the Eagles.
Arizona Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew maybe tore his UCL in his throwing arm. Soooo…TJ surgery for a football player? How odd. They may not do surgery.
Jensen Huang, the Nvidia CEO, is in some hot water (different link than Max’s yesterday).
Your song of the day is Electric Guest with Oh Devil.
MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 31: Sergei Murashov (1) of the Pittsburgh Penguins tends net during the warmup period of the NHL game between the Pittsburg Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens on October 31, 2026, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sergei Murashov might have a new friend to greet when the Penguins play the visiting Calgary Flames later this month.
Murashov shouted out Flames netminder Devin Cooley, who has gone viral for postgame interviews in which he has offered thoughts on the psychology behind goaltending, after the Penguins’ Saturday win at the Los Angeles Kings.
“I want to pass a media message to Devin Cooley. I saw he was really popular recently, and I think most of the goalies going through something like he’s talking about, but not a lot who actually speaks aloud. So thank you to him for what he’s saying. It helps. It genuinely just helped me a little bit too,” Murashov said Saturday.
Cooley was then asked about Murashov’s comments after the Flames claimed an overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers the following day.
“I heard about it from multiple people telling me. I heard it was awesome,” Cooley said Sunday. “I’ve gotten messages from other guys in the league that have reached out, too. I’m like, ‘Man, that’s really cool.’”
He laughed, “I’m glad I can do something instead of just play a sport, because that doesn’t really make a huge impact on humanity.”
Cooley added Monday he had gotten a chance to watch Murashov’s interview and that it would “be great to meet him,” per CalgaryFlames.com’s Chris Wahl.
Devin Cooley's interviews are the gift that keeps on giving 😂
Cooley went viral last month when he said in an interview he “felt nothing” during a 34-save win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“The problem with me is that I have a lot of fun playing, but when I start having too much fun it makes me from an unconscious goalie to a conscious goalie,” Cooley explained. “And my conscious brain is really bad at playing goalie, so I have to let my unconscious brain do the work, because it reacts a lot quicker.”
Murashov has been put in a tough situation for his first season as a full-time NHLer. He has been regularly shelled (Murashov ranks 16th in shots against per 60 minutes) behind a defense that has given up the fourth-most high-danger shots in the NHL so far this season, per MoneyPuck.
The Penguins will hope Cooley’s insight can help their rookie goaltender adjust to that demanding workload as his team looks to bounce back from their ongoing 1-4-1 stretch over the five games remaining before a Nov. 25 matchup against Cooley and the visiting Flames.
George told reporters before the Celtics’ shootaround that it feels like “a regular game.”
“Had I been here eight, nine, 10 years, different story,” he said. “I was here two years. Obviously, we didn’t have the best of luck or had a great, I think, partnership in terms of my ability to stay healthy and on the floor. So that kind of played into a lot of it.
“But obviously, it’s a tremendous fan base, a great sports town to play in. So that was appreciated. There’s no ill will for me. It’ll be fun to just compete. And outside of that, it’s a normal game.”
George did play well on both ends of the floor for much of the 2026 playoffs. He helped the Sixers come back to win a seven-game first-round series against the Celtics in historic fashion. The nine-time All-Star also brought a veteran steadiness to the Sixers’ locker room and was glad to mentor younger players like VJ Edgecombe.
“Just his routine … even when he got hot, he didn’t try to force it,” Jabari Walker said Tuesday morning. “His game was smooth and I think that’s how he is as a person, just not forcing anything and having a calm energy.”
George has certainly enjoyed his early days as a Celtic.
Through nine games, he’s averaged 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. Boston will enter Tuesday night’s matchup second in the Eastern Conference standings at 8-2, the Sixers first at 9-2.
“I’ve been kind of blown away,” George said. “I think it exceeded my expectations since being in Boston. You never know how much culture is involved and how much culture changes your outlook on things and the effect it has mentally, physically, just being in an environment … and the culture that Boston presents.
“So I’ve been thrilled. I’ve been playing some of my best basketball of late, and just been enjoying grinding it out with these guys out here. It’s a fun style of play and I can’t talk (enough) about just the thrill, the happiness and the excitement and joy that it has brought being here.”
He was asked what sort of reception he expects from Sixers fans.
“Not sure,” George said. “In some ways, I helped land them a future piece for them. So with that, not sure how the reception would be.”
LeBron James’ latest week with the Sixers included a sip of a stranger’s wine, yet another number no NBA player had reached and a return to the city where his career began.
It also included his worst performance with Philadelphia, followed less than 48 hours later by his highest-scoring game with the team.
Welcome to the fourth edition of the LeBron Log.
A SIP OF PHILLY
No chronicle of James’ first season in Philadelphia could omit the time he helped himself to a fan’s wine during a game.
James chased Tyrese Maxey’s transition pass into the stands during the third quarter of the Sixers’ Nov. 2 win over the Bulls. He collided with Philadelphia native Troy Clemons, spilled some of Clemons’ wine and sampled what had landed on his arm.
Clemons did not keep the cup as a souvenir. He threw it away and got another drink.
James returned to the court and later broke into a dance after scoring over the 6-foot-1 Tre Jones. The wine clip generated millions of views across social media and became the defining image from an otherwise ordinary 19-point Sixers victory.
The following night in Detroit, James offered a broader explanation for why Philadelphia has already looked comfortable together.
“We’ve got a good team,” James said. “Guys vibe with one another. Guys like each other. Guys enjoy being around each other. That has a lot to do with it, too. It makes the game a lot easier when you enjoy being around people.”
Eleven games into his Sixers career, James appears to be doing exactly that.
Just interviewed Troy Clemons, the Sixers fan whose wine LeBron took a sip of during tonight’s game
James finished the Sixers’ 112-106 victory with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. The near-triple-double helped Philadelphia improve to 8-1 and avenge its only loss of the season.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ranks second in league history with 15,837 made field goals. Karl Malone is a distant third at 13,528. James is the only active player with more than 12,000.
His scoring record has long been secure. James passed Abdul-Jabbar in career points in February 2023 and later overtook him in made baskets. The round number in Detroit still illustrated the distance he has created between himself and every other scorer.
James began his career by making 5,361 field goals across seven seasons with Cleveland. He added 3,510 in Miami, returned to make 3,691 more for the Cavaliers and made another 3,421 during eight years with the Lakers.
Basket No. 16,000 belonged to Philadelphia.
The Sixers’ 8-1 start also carried a notable James connection. Each of his previous four teams to begin a season at least 7-1 reached the NBA Finals.
James was not ready to entertain that conversation in early November.
“It’s too early to be talking about the Finals and things of that nature,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to buy into what we want to do.”
HELL, HEAVEN AND EVERYTHING BETWEEN
Two nights later, James returned to the place where nearly half of those 16,000 baskets were made.
His first game in Cleveland as a Sixer brought out jerseys from every stop of his career. Cavaliers colors filled Rocket Arena alongside Heat black, Lakers purple and the Sixers’ throwback look.
James received a warm ovation when he was introduced last among Philadelphia’s starters. When he checked out late in the fourth quarter, with the result decided, the crowd stood for him again.
James has experienced both ends of Cleveland’s emotional range.
He returned as a member of the Heat on Dec. 2, 2010, to one of the most hostile receptions in NBA history. Six years later, he delivered the Cavaliers their first championship and ended Cleveland’s 52-year major professional sports title drought.
“I’ve seen the depths of hell when it comes to a reception here, all the way to the heavens above,” James said. “Anything in between is easy money.”
The reception fell somewhere in the middle. His performance landed much closer to the bottom.
James finished with eight points on 3-for-12 shooting, three assists and six turnovers in the Sixers’ 119-95 loss. It was his first single-digit performance in Cleveland since he scored three points against the Rockets on Dec. 30, 2004.
He had scored at least 10 points in 396 consecutive regular-season games in the city. The run covered his first stint with the Cavaliers, every visit as an opponent and his entire second tenure with the organization.
It ended during his first trip back in a Sixers uniform.
“I definitely did not feel in a good rhythm offensively,” James said. “A couple of them were careless. A couple of them were just trying to make the right play and not being successful with it.”
It was only the 10th single-digit regular-season game of James’ 1,630-game career. He still took time afterward to consider what an eventual jersey retirement in Cleveland could represent.
“The journey from being an 18-year-old rookie, to leading a franchise to a championship,” James said. “And everything in between.”
THE PASS HE HAD TO WATCH AGAIN
James did not carry the rough night into Chicago.
Less than 48 hours after struggling in Cleveland, he scored a season-high 22 points in the Sixers’ 127-121 victory over the Bulls. Thirteen came during the second quarter, when James helped Philadelphia turn an early deficit into a halftime lead.
His first basket produced another milestone.
James entered Sunday trailing Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,895 points for the most scored against the Bulls in NBA history. His first-quarter three-pointer moved him into the lead. He ended the afternoon with 1,916.
The most interesting play from his night was a pass.
With the Sixers ahead by four and 2:20 remaining, James drove into the paint. Three Chicago defenders collapsed toward him. Maxey stood between the left wing and corner, but even he did not believe James could see him.
James fired the ball through the defense. Maxey sidestepped Isaac Okoro and made the three-pointer, pushing Philadelphia’s lead to seven.
After his postgame interview, James pulled out his phone and watched the play again.
“He didn’t think I saw him,” James called out from his locker as reporters asked Maxey about the possession.
Maxey acknowledged that he had positioned himself to rebound because he expected James to shoot.
“Honestly, I was like this,” Maxey said, raising his hands. “I thought he was about to shoot a layup.”
James has spent the opening weeks of the season teaching his new teammates to expect the unexpected pass.
“You’ve got to become a wide receiver or a catcher at that point,” Maxey said. “You never know when you’re going to get the ball.
SAN FRANCISCO – It might be too premature, but the Golden State Warriors look like one of the best teams in the Western Conference, let alone the NBA.
The early results indicate that at the very least, they are one of the hottest in the association. The Warriors have won eight straight games after blowing out the New Orleans Pelicans, 138-87, at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday, Nov. 9. Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski each scored 25 points.
Golden State extended their win streak to eight games and advanced to 8-3 after an 0-3 start to the season which caused many to panic. Guard De'Anthony Melton told USA TODAY Sports for a split moment the team was in a "dark place" after the slow start.
"We knew we couldn't win games and stuff like that," Melton said after scoring 16 points in the win. "Nobody wants to see 0-3, but at the same time I think after we lost our third one, the next day the vibes were still high. Like we were 0-3 but we're still just enjoying being around, having fun, playing cards, stuff like that."
There was additional outside noise, chatter of where the Warriors might finish. They were already counted out to begin the year, projected to finish 41-41. When they got off to the 0-3 start, that's all they heard.
"It's hard not to hear it, but you don't ever play into it," Curry told USA TODAY Sports. "I know I've seen some memes with the towel over my head, staring into the distance, trying to figure out what, you know, we needed to do. People put an existential crisis on those looks. We hate losing. So you want to respond to all of that. You hear it, but, we've been around long enough to know, you gotta be able to block all that stuff out, just be who you are."
Everyone outside of the Bay Area might be surprised at the Warriors hot start. But within the team, they remained calm and poised. There was a needed regroup that contributed to their hot streak.
"We're doing all the things we need to to convince ourselves that we are the team we think we can (be)," Curry said. "You know, starting 0-3, like, nobody's panicking, but it's still a feeling that you don't like where you haven't been rewarded for the effort that you're putting in."
The jury is still out on whether the Warriors are turning the page to becoming a great team, but Curry likes the direction they're heading in.
"My take is that we're a very resilient team and that matters to become part of a good, maybe a great team down the stretch of the year," Curry said. "If you can withstand some rough nights, whether shooting the ball, turnovers, or whatever, still find a way to win... I'm proud of everything we're doing. We just gotta keep it going."
There have been enough games to have a sample size of the Warriors' potential. Their first three games weren't enough to write them off, but they did display some fixable bad habits. One of their main concerns was taking care of the basketball. The Warriors turned the ball over 45 times in their first three games of the season.
Forward Draymond Green was asked to assess where the team is at through 10 games. Green told USA TODAY Sports he'd give them a "B" grade.
"I think we have a lot of things we can get better at. We're still not quite where we want to be, as far as turning the ball over," Green said. "We're executing better, but the execution isn't where we want it to be. Defensively, we've gotten a lot better since game one. That's been kind of our calling card right now and allowing us to win these games."
"A lot of room for growth, but yeah, no one's complaining, either," he added. "We're pretty… excited about where we are as a team, but it's equally as exciting (that) we have so much room to grow."
How Golden State turned things around early on
The Warriors don't look like the same team that began 0-3. They've since cleaned up their game and put attention into the small details of the game.
Defense. Grittiness. Connectivity.
Head coach Steve Kerr discussed the goal of being a top-10 team in both offense and defense. It's one of the traits that makes a championship team.
Golden State currently ranks 3rd in defensive rating (103.5) in the early 2026–27 NBA season, according to NBA Advanced Leaders.
"The whole thing is about our process," Kerr told USA TODAY Sports. "Can we take care of the ball? Can we execute offensively, get good shots for each other? And then defend like we have been in recent games, taking care of transition defense, taking away the easy stuff. So, it's not magic. We have a formula, and we're trying to get the guys to play to that formula, that standard night in and night out. We're on a good path, but this will be a great test for us on this road trip, so we'll see how we can do it."
Golden State has to lean into a team identity where there's a reliance upon every player, 1 through 15, to be ready when their name is called. The Warriors suffered losses to Brandon Williams and Will Richard, who will both seemingly be out for some time.
"We got guys that have been around the league, we always want to encourage them, if somebody's down, be ready to play," Melton said. "No matter what, it's the NBA, and we're trying to win games as a team because at the end of the day when we hold up the trophy, that's for everybody. So I think it's always going to be next man up."
Melton added that Curry, Green and Al Horford have breathed confidence into whoever is coming in the game to make an impact.
"(Curry) spoke to the team after the game (against the Magic) about the contributions of the bench," Kerr said. "He mentioned how much trust that he and the vets have in the young guys, and so we've got a good thing going. We've got a good vibe. Guys are all competing for each other. Playing really hard."
Offensively, the Warriors rank 5th in the NBA in offensive rating at 116.7 points per 100 possessions early in the season. They are led by Curry, their longtime superstar, but rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is making his imprint on the team as well, averaging 21.4 points and 7.2 rebounds.
"Our second best player right now is a rookie," Green said about Lendeborg. "He's gonna continue to get better. And as you can see, how good he's already made us, as he gets better, we'll continue to get better. But I think we got a lot of room for growth, and that's exciting."
Sep 23, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Ali Sanchez (39) and relief pitcher David Bednar (53) celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Edwin Diaz makes $23 million a year to close out games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that has seemed to stop caring about a payroll budget at all. This year’s qualifying offer is $23.15 million, meaning if Yankee closer David Bednar accepts the one-time, one-year deal, he’ll be the highest paid closer in baseball for one season, a season in which we’re not quite sure what the baseball landscape will look like.
Of course Bednar has the right to negotiate a longer-term deal with the Yankees or any other team after declining the QO, and something like the three-year $51 million contract Devin Williams inked with the Mets might be more in line with what he wants —less money per year, but more of a long-term commitment especially if 2027 sees games be lost.
The Yankees were burned by the qualifying offer last year, extending it to Trent Grisham only for the alleged centerfielder fail to reach a full win of value, and the club was clearly worried about a similar misfire should they put the QO tab on Jazz Chisholm Jr. I think there’s considerably less risk in having Bednar around, even at a slight annual overpay, than either of those two guys, but there’s also less risk with an accepted QO than there is with signing him for more than one more year.
Let’s start with the good — a 2.47 ERA that dropped to a 2.15 in the second half, Bednar brings a very old school, bulldog-like mentality to the ninth, seems to be eager to get the ball in the pressure moments, and makes me feel relaxed when he’s on the mound with a two-run lead.
But the Yankee ability to pick up a turnip and turn it into a middle reliever with a 98 mph sinker and 2.61 ERA, which they do at least once a year, keeps expenses on relief pitching low. The team committed just $24,840,763 to the bullpen this year, a million bucks and change more than the Dodgers paid for Diaz alone while putting together a better unit albeit by ERA. The one team with a better relief ERA, the Red Sox, spent more than half of that (let’s round up) $25 million on Aroldis Chapman, who had an excellent season, but the Yankees could recreate the proverbial aggregate for less money.
As always, I don’t care about Hal Steinbrenner’s wallet, but he does, and that kind of flexibility in filling out a bullpen gives the Yankees a wide range of options — they are almost always able to make deals at the trade deadline because they have a little extra money that they DIDN’T give to someone like Aroldis Chapman or Edwin Diaz or Josh Hader, or they can give that extra money to a headlining free agent, or they can buck their fungible relief trend and have Bednar for one expensive year.
At one year I don’t mind ballooning the relief budget, especially when the free agent class is pretty underwhelming. I don’t think the Yankees will make a push for Tarik Skubal, Jazz can go play somewhere else, and while I want Teruaki Sato, I don’t imagine I’d consider Brian Cashman a failure if he can’t sign the NPB MVP. At three or four years, I no longer want Bednar — his fastball was down a full mile per hour in 2026, and while I don’t mind a 33-year-old closer, I worry a lot about a 34 or 35 year old.
That kind of commitment also restricts the pot of money that can be given out in the 2028 or 2029 FA classes, both stronger than the ‘27 cohort. Lastly, I think a multi-year deal to closers locks them in a role because of the money they’re owed; the closer is the closer because he’s the closer. Relief pitching is exactly where you want to maintain your flexibility, one year with David Bednar sounds like a great time. Much more than that locks up resources in the side of the roster the Yankees are best at tinkering with.
While they are still wading through the on-ice and mental obstacles that have bedeviled them all season long, the Philadelphia Flyers finally managed to record their fifth win of the season, besting the lowly Vancouver Canucks 3-1 on Monday night in a contest that had the potential to be scary.
Before this game even started, though, Flyers head coach made a pair of intriguing lineup changes that weren't exactly expected. Scrappy winger Michael Bunting replaced Cole Knuble, and after three weeks on the bench, prospect defenseman David Jiricek drew in for Simon Benoit.
The Bunting move, in particular, paid off, as he opened the scoring with a strong effort chasing down a bouncing puck in a mad scramble, eventually popping one past Canucks goalie Leevi Merilainen to open the scoring just over two minutes in.
Overall, the first period was predictably boring, as the Flyers out-shot the Canucks 9-4, and neither team did anything of consequence at either end of the ice. Bunting's goal was fortunate, but he's on the team to be on the right side of those plays at this point in his career.
In the second period, the Canucks didn't bother showing up, recording just two shots on goal to the Flyers' six.
On the somewhat controversial topic of shift lengths and ice time, Matvei Michkov overstayed his shift on the power play and made it count, delivering a nifty short-side pass to the second unit's Travis Konecny for a power play goal, doubling the Flyers' lead to 2-0.
But, that's not the second period Michkov moment that's going to be talked about the most.
With the Flyers already up 2-0, Michkov again possessed the puck, wheeling through traffic and doing his signature floater shot from the center of the ice, which was saved comfortably by Merilainen.
Defenseman Nick Seeler, who activated from the left point, was calling for the puck from Michkov and tapping his stick on the ice before skating away to defend in transition and apparently turning to say something to Michkov on his way back.
At the other end, Michkov backchecked to stick lift Canucks defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who was primed for a one-timer on a 3-on-2 opportunity, making an amazing defensive play.
During the subsequent TV timeout, cameras spotting Michkov and Seeler having a heated exchange on the bench, where Michkov slammed a water bottle against the bench and had to be restrained by teammates Noel Acciari, Porter Martone, and Noah Cates at different points in the bust-up.
We'll discuss this more in the future, to be sure, but it certainly didn't fire the Flyers up...
In the third period, the Flyers were out-shot by the Canucks 13-2, with the Flyers' first shot of the period being Travis Sanheim's empty-net goal with 59 seconds left.
A Bunting high-stick penalty gave the Canucks a power play, which allowed Jonathan Lekkerimaki to bang in his seventh of the season.
The Canucks certainly gave the Flyers a scare and had their chances to tie it, but they were dreary with the extra attacker, and that allowed Sanheim to ice the game at 3-1.
This third period is just one piece of the bigger picture for the Flyers, who continue their habit of coming up completely limp in the third periods of games.
Needless penalties from Bunting and Konecny, on top of a penalty on Joseph Woll for knocking his own mask off, put the Flyers in disadvantageous positions with the Canucks pressing for goals.
And, much like the Calgary game one night ago, these are mistakes made by players who should know better, especially against an awful team like Vancouver.
This shows that the Flyers, for better or worse, are very much in the same category as the dreadful Canucks.
Fortunately, Woll played a very solid game, stopping 18 of 19 shots, while Michkov and Porter Martone looked like their usual selves. With a two-assist game, Christian Dvorak deserves a lot of credit, too, on the second leg of this back-to-back.
And, despite rotting away for three weeks, Jiricek didn't look out of place and fired two shots on goal, with a few others getting blocked. He, Michkov, Bunting, and Martone were the only Flyers with multiple shots on goal against the bottom-feeding Canucks.
So, the Flyers got their much-needed win to again lower the temperature building around the organization, though another Michkov incident and an epically bad third period loom large.
Then, on Wednesday, they'll have to figure out how to handle the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid, who is currently on pace for 49 goals and 213 points this season. Gulp.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks "3 Standouts From The Game." In this recurring series, The Hockey News' Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver's last game. This article will focus on the Canucks' most recent 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Jonathan Lekkerimäki was one of Vancouver's most notable forwards. He scored the Canucks' only goal and finished the night with five shot attempts. One of those attempts almost tied the game late as Lekkerimäki beat Dan Vladař, but the puck hit the crossbar and stayed out.
Lekkerimäki's development has been a positive storyline this season. The Swedish forward looks more comfortable with the puck on his stick and is already up to seven goals on the campaign. If Lekkerimäki keeps ripping pucks as he did on Monday, he should finish near the top of the team's goal list this year.
Ian Beckenstein And Andrew Shaw
For those who may not know, Ian Beckenstein and Andrew Shaw are Vancouver's Video Coach and Assistant Video Coach. The two came in clutch for the team on Monday, identifying an offside that nullified a Flyers goal early in the third period. With the goal called back, the Canucks are now 1-0 on Coach's Challenges this year.
After the game, Head Coach Manny Malhotra credited Beckenstein and Shaw for a job well done. "Yeah, they did a great job of pulling up the different angles that they had and saw that the weak-side defenseman was off. So we weren't holding our breath too much on that one."
Filip Hronek
It felt like Filip Hronek never left the ice on Monday. The right-shot defender set a new career high in ice time for a regular-season game with 31:11 and logged 22:10 at even strength. For comparison, only center Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Zeev Buium had more total minutes than Hronek played at even strength.
Unsurprisingly, Hronek has been a workhorse for Malhotra this season. He is averaging 26:21 a night and has played at least 27 minutes on nine occasions. This year Hronek, ranks eighth among NHL defensemen in power play minutes at 67:53 and ranks second in total ice time among NHLers with 526:56.
Nov 9, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki (88) shoots around Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Oliver Bonk (59) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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