THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY JULY 18, 2025

YouTube: youtube.com/@IndianaSRN

Twitter: twitter.com/@IndianaSRN

Facebook: facebook.com/IndianaSRN

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“THE SCOREBOARD”

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WNBA SCORES

ALL-STAR BREAK

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NBA SUMMER LEAGUE

DETROIT 108 MIAMI 88

INDIANA 91 NEW YORK 88

ATLANTA 92 MEMPHIS 88

CHARLOTTE 106 SAN ANTONIO 81

PORTLAND 102 HOUSTON 83

BOSTON 87 LA LAKERS 78

TORONTO 81 GOLDEN STATE 69

DENVER 81 LA CLIPPERS 76

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MLB SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

WED., JULY 23: PRACTICE (10-11 A.M.)

THUR., JULY 24: PRACTICE (10-11 A.M.)

FRI., JULY 25: PRACTICE (10-11:15 A.M.)

SAT., JULY 26: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)

MON., JULY 28: PRACTICE (10-11:15 A.M.)

TUE., JULY 29: PRACTICE (10-11:30 A.M.)

THUR., JULY 31: PRACTICE (8-10 P.M.)

SAT., AUG. 2: PRACTICE (10-11:35 A.M.)

SUN., AUG. 3: PRACTICE (10-11:30 A.M.)

SAT., AUG. 9: PRACTICE (4-5:10 P.M.)

SUN., AUG. 10: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)

MON., AUG. 11: PRACTICE (4-5:40 P.M.)

THUR., AUG. 14: PRACTICE (3-5 P.M.)

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2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

ACC FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

BIG TEN FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

BIG 12 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

CONFERENCE USA FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

INDEPENDENTS FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

NOTRE DAMEUCONN

MAC FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

PAC-12 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

OREGON STATEWASHINGTON STATE

SEC FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

SUN BELT FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

EAST APP STATE | COASTAL CAROLINAGEORGIA SOUTHERN | GEORGIA STATEJAMES MADISON | MARSHALL | ODU

WEST

ARKANSAS STATE | LOUISIANASOUTH ALABAMA | SOUTHERN MISSTEXAS STATE | TROY | ULM

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NFL TRAINING CAMP DATES

TEAM	SITE	LOCATION	ROOKIES	VETERANS
ARIZONA CARDINALS	STATE FARM STADIUM	GLENDALE, ARIZ.	7/22	7/22
ATLANTA FALCONS	IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD	FLOWERY BRANCH, GA.	7/23	7/23
BALTIMORE RAVENS	UNDER ARMOUR PERFORMANCE CENTER	OWINGS MILLS, MD.	7/15	7/22
BUFFALO BILLS	ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY	ROCHESTER, N.Y.	7/15	7/22
CAROLINA PANTHERS	BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM	CHARLOTTE, N.C.	7/21	7/22
CHICAGO BEARS	HALAS HALL	LAKE FOREST, ILL.	7/19	7/22
CINCINNATI BENGALS	KETTERING HEALTH PRACTICE FIELDS	CINCINNATI	7/19	7/22
CLEVELAND BROWNS	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE CAMPUS	BEREA, OHIO	7/18	7/22
DALLAS COWBOYS	STAYBRIDGE SUITES	OXNARD, CALIF.	7/21	7/21
DENVER BRONCOS	BRONCOS PARK POWERED BY COMMONSPIRIT	ENGLEWOOD, COLO.	7/16	7/22
DETROIT LIONS	DETROIT LIONS TRAINING FACILITY	ALLEN PARK, MICH.	7/16	7/19
GREEN BAY PACKERS	LAMBEAU FIELD	GREEN BAY, WIS.	7/18	7/22
HOUSTON TEXANS	HOUSTON METHODIST TRAINING CENTER	HOUSTON	7/22	7/22
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS	GRAND PARK	WESTFIELD, IND.	7/21	7/22
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS	MILLER ELECTRIC CENTER	JACKSONVILLE, FLA.	7/19	7/22
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS	MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY	ST. JOSEPH, MO.	7/21	7/21
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS	INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH PERFORMANCE CENTER	HENDERSON, NEV.	7/17	7/22
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS	THE BOLT	EL SEGUNDO, CALIF.	7/12	7/16
LOS ANGELES RAMS	LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY	LOS ANGELES	7/22	7/22
MIAMI DOLPHINS	BAPTIST HEALTH TRAINING COMPLEX	MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.	7/15	7/22
MINNESOTA VIKINGS	TCO PERFORMANCE CENTER	EAGAN, MINN.	7/20	7/22
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS	GILLETTE STADIUM	FOXBOROUGH, MASS.	7/19	7/22
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS	OCHSNER SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER	METAIRIE, LA.	7/22	7/22
NEW YORK GIANTS	QUEST DIAGNOSTICS TRAINING FACILITY	EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.	7/15	7/22
NEW YORK JETS	ATLANTIC HEALTH JETS TRAINING CENTER	FLORHAM PARK, N.J.	7/19	7/22
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES	NOVACARE COMPLEX	PHILADELPHIA	7/22	7/22
PITTSBURGH STEELERS	SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE	LATROBE, PA.	7/23	7/23
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS	SAP PERFORMANCE FACILITY	SANTA CLARA, CALIF.	7/15	7/22
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS	VIRGINIA MASON ATHLETIC CENTER	RENTON, WASH.	7/15	7/22
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS	ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING CENTER	TAMPA, FLA.	7/21	7/22
TENNESSEE TITANS	ASCENSION SAINT THOMAS SPORTS PARK	NASHVILLE, TENN.	7/22	7/22
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS	ORTHOVIRGINIA TRAINING CENTER AT COMMANDERS PARK	ASHBURN, VA.	7/18	7/22

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2025 NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – JULY 31

L.A. CHARGERS VS. DETROIT (NBC), 8:00

*****WEEK 1*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
LAS VEGAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

DETROIT AT ATLANTA, 7:00
CLEVELAND AT CAROLINA, 7:00
WASHINGTON AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:30

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

N.Y. GIANTS AT BUFFALO, 1:00
HOUSTON AT MINNESOTA, 4:00
PITTSBURGH AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
DALLAS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
TENNESSEE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
N.Y. JETS AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

MIAMI AT CHICAGO, 1:00
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 4:05

*****WEEK 2*****

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

TENNESSEE AT ATLANTA, 7:00
KANSAS CITY AT SEATTLE, 10:00

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

MIAMI AT DETROIT, 1:00
CAROLINA AT HOUSTON, 1:00
GREEN BAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
NEW ENGLAND AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 1:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 4:00
BALTIMORE AT DALLAS, 7:00
L.A. CHARGERS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
ARIZONA AT DENVER, 9:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO (FOX), 8:00

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00

*****WEEK 3*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

PITTSBURGH AT CAROLINA, 7:00
NEW ENGLAND AT N.Y. GIANTS (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

PHILADELPHIA AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
ATLANTA AT DALLAS, 8:00
MINNESOTA AT TENNESSEE (CBS), 8:00
CHICAGO AT KANSAS CITY, 8:20

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON, NOON
INDIANAPOLIS AT CINCINNATI, 1:00
L.A. RAMS AT CLEVELAND, 1:00
HOUSTON AT DETROIT, 1:00
DENVER AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT MIAMI, 7:00
BUFFALO AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT ARIZONA, 10:00

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2025 NFL WEEK ONE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 4, 2025
DALLAS COWBOYS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES	8:20P (ET)	8:20P	NBC
FRIDAY, SEPT. 5, 2025
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (SAO PAULO)	9:00P (BRT)	8:00P	YOUTUBE
SUNDAY, SEPT. 07, 2025
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS	12:00P (CT)	1:00P	CBS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW YORK JETS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
TENNESSEE TITANS AT DENVER BRONCOS	2:05P (MT)	4:05P	FOX
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS	1:05P (PT)	4:05P	FOX
DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS	3:25P (CT)	4:25P	CBS
HOUSTON TEXANS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS	1:25P (PT)	4:25P	CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT BUFFALO BILLS	8:20P (ET)	8:20P	NBC
MONDAY, SEPT. 8, 2025
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS	7:15P (CT)	8:15P	ABC/ESPN

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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

WNBA NEWS

CAITLIN CLARK PULLS OUT OF ALL-STAR WEEKEND BECAUSE OF GROIN INJURY

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark is out of All-Star weekend.

The Indiana Fever guard injured her right groin on Tuesday night in the final minute of the team’s win over the Connecticut Sun. She said Thursday in a message posted on X that she had to rest her body.

“I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game,” Clark said in the message posted by the Fever. “I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping (Liberty coach Sandy Brondello) coach our team to a win.”

Clark was supposed to compete in a loaded 3-point contest Friday night and is captain of one of the All-Star teams. The second-year guard was the leading vote getter from the fans and has been a huge reason the league has had a boon in attendance and ratings over the last two seasons.

Clark sat out the team’s 98-77 loss against New York.

Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark had imaging done Wednesday afternoon and deferred to the team’s training staff for more details except to say that she considered it good news.

Clark got hurt with under a minute left. She walked downcourt holding her right groin after assisting on the Fever’s final basket. As teammate Aliyah Boston tried to console her, Clark walked to the basket stanchion and banged her head against it before heading to the bench. During the timeout, she covered her head with a towel and appeared to be holding back tears.

Clark had been durable throughout college and her first season in the WNBA, never missing a game. Now she’s had four different muscle injuries so far this year.

She missed the preseason opener with tightness in her quad but played the next day in an exhibition game at her alma mater, Iowa. She suffered a quad strain against New York on May 24 that kept her out for five games. Clark returned June 14 and played in five games before suffering another injury to her left groin that kept her out for four contests and the Commissioner’s Cup final.

WNBA PLAYERS SAY LEAGUE’S PROPOSAL FOR NEW CBA FALLS SHORT AFTER ALL-STAR BARGAINING MEETING

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Backed by what they said was their largest attendance ever for collective bargaining negotiations, WNBA players met with the league Thursday with the sides far apart in discussions for a new deal.

All-Stars Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese were among about 40 players, most wearing business suits, who took part in the first face-to-face meeting featuring players since December. The two sides met for a couple of hours.

“I’m encouraged, you know, I’m just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there,” WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said. “That’s really what it’s all about. Because the more that happens, the more that we’re going to be able to get things done. I think today we’re going to be able to use this conversation to start rolling the ball on things.”

Players opted out of the current CBA last October and are seeking a better revenue sharing model, increased salaries, improved benefits, and a softer salary cap. All of those will help many of the younger players down the road like Reese.

“It was something that was very informative for me. First time being able to see and hear, the wording, from both sides,” Reese said. “I was really eager to know and understand what was going on. So I’m very aware of what’s going on right now. We won’t stop until we got what we want.”

The sides are far apart in preliminary discussions and agreed to another meeting.

“I don’t know that I’m going to say progress, but we had spirited conversation,” said Terri Carmichael Jackson, the executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association,.

If a deal isn’t done by the end of October, some players, including Napheesa Collier and Reese, have mentioned the potential of a walkout, which could present some immediate problems. The league has two new teams in Portland and Toronto starting next season and the expansion draft has typically been in December. Free agency usually starts in January.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Associated Press after the meeting that both sides are in listening mode.

“It was very constructive dialogue. I think, you know, obviously part of the process is to go back and forth and, listen to the players, they listen to us and the owners who represent the board of governors,” Engelbert said. “I still feel really optimistic that we can get something transformational done by the end. But it’s a process.”

The league has never lost a game to a work stoppage since it started in 1997. Jackson said the sides would eventually get to a new deal, even if they may not have gotten any closer to it Thursday.

“I think we’re on track to get back to meeting, and to engaging in conversations that will lead us to a CBA,” she said.

Jackson was particularly impressed by the number of young stars such as Clark who have helped spark unprecedented growth across nearly every business metric from attendance and viewership.

There’s also the new $2.2 billion media rights deal that will start next season and the league plans to expand to 18 teams by 2030, with each of the three new teams paying $250 million expansion fee.

“This business is booming – media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales – are all up in historic fashion,” the union statement said. “But short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever.”

Players sent the league an initial proposal in February that the league finally responded to last month. But both sides said they are still confident a deal can be reached

“I think we have plenty of time,” Jackson said.

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NBA NEWS

REPORT: DEAL BEING FINALIZED TO RETURN DAMIAN LILLARD TO TRAIL BLAZERS

Nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, ESPN reported on Thursday.

Per ESPN, Lillard now will receive a salary of $70 million between his existing deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and his new contract with the Trail Blazers. He also will have a player-option in 2027 and a no-trade clause in a deal that returns Lillard to the franchise with which he spent his first 11 NBA seasons.

Lillard, who turned 35 on Tuesday, saw his season come to an abrupt end on April 27 after an excruciating torn left Achilles tendon knocked him out of the rest of the playoffs.

He is expected to miss the 2025-26 season.

Lillard was hurt in the first quarter of the Bucks’ 129-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series in just his third game back after dealing with a blood clot in his right calf. He missed the final 14 games of the regular season and the first contest of the playoff series against the Pacers.

Lillard requested a trade out of Portland in the summer of 20xx and the team obliged. The Trail Blazers were entering a transition into a rebuild and Lillard wanted to go to a team in which he could compete for a championship.

Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 regular-season games during his second season with the Bucks. He was waived by Milwaukee on July 7.

Lillard owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 900 regular-season contests. His 2,804 3-pointers rank fourth in NBA history and his 22,598 points rank eighth among active players.

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NFL NEWS

CHIEFS WIDE RECEIVER RASHEE RICE SENTENCED TO 30 DAYS IN JAIL OVER DALLAS HIGH-SPEED CRASH

DALLAS (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail on Thursday after authorities said he and another speeding driver caused a chain-reaction crash that left multiple people injured on a Dallas highway last year.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury in the March 30, 2024, crash. As part of a plea agreement, Rice was sentenced to five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail as a condition of his probation, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said he was also required to pay the victims for their out-of-pocket medical expenses, which totaled about $115,000.

Rice was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph (191 kph) when he made “multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic” and struck other vehicles, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said that after the crash, Rice failed to check on the welfare of those in the other vehicles and fled on foot.

The news release from prosecutors included a statement from Rice that was released by his attorney. Rice said in the statement that he’s had “a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole.”

“I am profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property,” Rice said in the statement. “I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families.”

FORMER EAGLES SPECIAL TEAMS ACE BRYAN BRAMAN DIES FROM RARE FORM OF CANCER AT 38

Bryan Braman, a key special teams player for the Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl championship team, has died from a rare and aggressive form of cancer. He was 38.

Braman was diagnosed earlier this year and had multiple surgeries in recent months in an attempt to treat the illness. He died Thursday morning, according to a statement issued by the team.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bryan Braman,” the team said. “During his four seasons in Philadelphia, Bryan was a loyal teammate, a supporter of the community, and a valuable member of our Super Bowl LII-winning team. More importantly, he was a devoted father who passionately loved his family and everyone around him. We extend our deepest condolences to Bryan’s family and all who are grieving his loss during this difficult time.”

Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Texans in 2011, Braman played seven seasons in the NFL. He spent his first three in Houston and last four in Philadelphia. The Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl in Braman’s final game on Feb. 4, 2018. He gave a fiery speech in the locker room before that game.

Braman had 56 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 97 career games.

THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS MAKE STAR LINEBACKER T.J. WATT THE NFL’S HIGHEST-PAID DEFENDER

PITTSBURGH (AP) — T.J. Watt has wanted to be a “one-helmet guy” from the second he arrived in Pittsburgh eight years ago.

The star outside linebacker took one big step toward that goal on Thursday, agreeing to a new pact that will make him the league’s highest-paid defender and keep the perennial All-Pro in black-and gold well into his 30s.

Watt, who was entering the final season of the four-year extension he signed in 2021, is scheduled to make $123 million over the course of the three-year agreement, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been made public.

ESPN first reported the extension.

Watt appeared to celebrate by making a rare Instagram post on Thursday afternoon, sharing a picture of him flexing in his signature No. 90 jersey. Watt also posted a photo in his Instagram stories of him posing alongside protégé and third-year Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig.

The agreement’s average annual value of $41 million eclipses the previous record contract for a defender set by Cleveland defensive lineman and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in March.

The annual average salary is also tick above what Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase received when he (briefly) became the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback a few days after Garrett agreed to terms with the Browns.

The fact that Watt’s extension is worth 2.5% more per season than Garrett’s (whose overall total value of $204 million is still higher than Watt’s) is not a coincidence. Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, has long believed he is the best edge rusher in the NFL.

For the second time in four years, he’s being paid like it, though he might not hold the distinction of being the league’s highest-paid defender for long. Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is also due for an extension that — given Parsons’ age (26) and the league’s ever-rising salary cap — figures to set the bar even higher.

Watt, who turns 31 in November, took the unusual step of skipping mandatory minicamp last month in hopes of putting pressure on Pittsburgh’s front office to get something done. Head coach Mike Tomlin brushed off Watt’s absence, saying it was only a matter of time before things worked themselves out.

The timing couldn’t be better. The new-look Steelers — now led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers — report to training camp at Saint Vincent College next Wednesday.

They’ll do it with a familiar face in tow. Watt, who tied an NFL record by racking up 22 1/2 sacks in 2021, is the linchpin of a defense that will be relied on heavily if the Steelers want to end a playoff drought that stretches to the 2016 AFC Championship, a few months before the Steelers selected Watt with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

While Watt is putting together a Hall-of-Fame worthy resume, the one thing he is lacking is any sort of postseason success. Watt’s singular brilliance has helped keep the Steelers competitive during his tenure, Pittsburgh is winless in the postseason with Watt in the lineup, most of them losses in which the defense has struggled.

Watt, who has 108 sacks in 121 regular-season games, has just one in four playoff appearances.

The Steelers are taking a flyer on 2025 — signing Rodgers and trading for veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey, among other notable moves — and are intent on trying to find their next franchise quarterback in the 2026 draft, which just so happens to be taking place in Pittsburgh.

The lack of star power under center, however, has given the team the financial flexibility to take care of Watt now, hoping he can remain an impact player into his mid-30s in the same way longtime teammate Cam Heyward has done.

NFLPA EXEC DIRECTOR LLOYD HOWELL JR. STEPS DOWN AMID CONTROVERSY

Lloyd Howell Jr. stepped down as executive director of the NFL Players Association on Thursday night following weeks of scrutiny for multiple blunders, including a reported conflict of interest and a decision to hide key parts of an arbitration ruling from the players.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said in a statement. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.

“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years. I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football’s future.”

Last week, ESPN reported that Howell held a part-time role as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of a small handful of private equity firms that the NFL has approved to pursue minority ownership in franchises.

ESPN’s reporting included a former lead outside counsel for the NFLPA, Jim Quinn, calling it “an outrageous conflict for the head of a labor union to have an interest in a third party that is aligned with the NFL.”

It was not the first blow to Howell’s reputation this offseason. In June, the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast published an arbitrator’s report from January, when the NFLPA and the league were at odds over potential collusion by team owners to tamp down the growth of quarterback contracts.

The arbitrator, Christopher Droney, ruled that there wasn’t sufficient evidence of collusion between owners — but he went on to say that “by a clear preponderance of the evidence,” commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL’s general counsel encouraged owners to restrict guaranteed money in player contracts.

Howell and the union reportedly had a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to keep the full report from getting out. Howell briefed the players but didn’t provide them copies of the report, according to ESPN.

Furthermore, Howell sits on the board of OneTeam Partners, a group licensing firm that is under investigation by the FBI.

CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVER MIKE WILLIAMS DECIDES TO RETIRE FROM NFL AT AGE 30

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams has retired from the NFL at age 30.

His agent, Tory Dandy, told general manager Joe Ortiz on Wednesday night, hours before the Chargers became the first NFL team to open training camp Thursday.

Williams signed a $6 million, one-year deal in mid-March to return to the Chargers for his second stint with the team. On Monday, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury and two days later called it quits.

“It’s obviously a tough situation,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “Football, at the end of the day, is a game and there’s more to life than just football and I’m just hoping for the best for him.”

Williams played eight seasons in the NFL, including stints with both the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.

“I don’t want to say shocking,” safety Derwin James said of the news, “but definitely I’d love to have him out there with me.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh made no mention of Williams’ decision when he spoke to media earlier Thursday.

“Mike has always done such a great job of just showing up and working. He’s been an excellent leader and teammate,” Herbert said. “That’s what we appreciate and love the most about him. It’s definitely tough to replace a guy like that. There’s not too many guys like Mike and we’re definitely going to miss him.”

The Chargers drafted Williams in the first round with the seventh overall pick in 2017. He had 330 career receptions, 5,104 receiving yards and 32 touchdown receptions over his eight-year career.

Williams’ pro debut was delayed by a back injury that caused him to miss training camp. He sat out the first six games of the regular season before seeing action. He was sidelined by a knee injury in Week 13.

In 2021, Williams and Herbert built a rapport early on, with Williams totaling six receiving TDs and 471 receiving yards in the team’s first five games. That set the stage for a breakout season, with Williams setting career highs in receptions (76), targets (129) and yards (1,146) while scoring nine TDs.

After the 2021 season, Williams signed a $60 million, three-year extension with the Chargers.

In 2022, Williams had a back fracture that kept him out of the team’s opening playoff loss to Jacksonville. The following season, Williams sustained a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3. He was released by the Chargers early last year.

Soon after, Williams signed a one-year deal with the Jets. He was later criticized by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for running the wrong route on a pass intended for him, leading to a game-clinching interception in a loss to Buffalo.

Last November, the Jets traded Williams to the Steelers for a fifth-round draft pick. He had a combined 21 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown for both teams.

Williams helped Clemson win the national championship in 2017 and then decided to forego his senior year to enter the draft. In 2015, he broke a bone in his neck after colliding with the goal post as he caught a touchdown pass.

Wide receiver Tre’ Harris signed with the team Thursday, ending a brief holdout. He was a second-round pick out of Mississippi.

The Chargers also signed tackle Ryan Nelson from the UFL.

Nelson started 22 of 28 games for the Michigan Panthers over the last three years in the UFL, including an appearance in the league’s championship game last year.

Nelson, who is from nearby Buena Park in Orange County, played four seasons at Virginia.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

NORTH CAROLINA, BILL BELICHICK FLIP 4-STAR OHIO STATE COMMIT

Four-star safety Jakob Weatherspoon flipped his commitment from Ohio State to coach Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Buckeye State prospect from Avon High School is ranked No. 14 at his position and No. 9 in Ohio by the 247Sports composite in the 2026 recruiting class.

Weatherspoon, who committed to Ohio State on Jan. 2 during its run to the national championship, took a visit to Chapel Hill in early June and changed his pledge on Wednesday.

He is the fifth four-star commitment in Belichick’s first recruiting class at UNC. The class ranks 17th nationally, per the 247Sports composite.

Belichick, 73, won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots from 2000-23. His first game with the Tar Heels is at home against TCU on Sept. 1.

KENTUCKY LB ALEX AFARI JR. CHASING NEIGHBOR IN MULTI-CONTINENT FOOTBALL PURSUIT

Kentucky can thank former Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson for helping unearth versatile gem Alex Afari Jr., a self-made success as a high school cornerback now starring in the middle of the Wildcats defense.

Johnson is headed to training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers this month, a path Afari would like to follow after the childhood neighbors learned to compete against each other as 8-year-olds in their Ohio backyards.

Entering his senior season with 21 starts in 38 games in Lexington, Afari’s path to this point was anything but predictable. He was born in Italy, moved to Ghana for four years and it was in that African nation he first learned what he was told was football, the game with a round ball going by a different name in the United States.

When he moved to Ohio with his family at the age of 8, Johnson and his grandfather offered to introduce Afari to American football. Johnson’s grandfather signed him up to play and shuttled him to the first practice, Afari recalled Thursday at SEC Media Days.

“First day of practice, they put a helmet on me and some shoulder pads. I said, ‘this is not what I signed up for,’” Afari said. “But he didn’t let me quit. He let me stay with it. Just blessed to be here now.”

Afari, a 227-pounder who played cornerback in high school and his first two seasons in Lexington, was an inside linebacker last season. He finished third on the team in tackles and wowed with a 10-tackle game against Tennessee and during a career night against Florida with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

“He’s had a great career. We actually recruited him as a cornerback,” Kentucky’s Mark Stoops said Thursday. “Grew into a safety, then became a hybrid. Last year moved to inside linebacker. Just picked it up in a big way. Is a great leader and person for us.”

Afari said he picked up the new game over time, improving by bringing down Johnson in their backyard football games. Johnson, drafted 83rd overall in April, forced a total of 78 missed tackles and gained more than 1,000 rushing yards after initial contact at Iowa.

Completing a tackle of Johnson wasn’t exactly remedial football, especially for someone brand new to the game.

“I wouldn’t say natural. I started really becoming good at football in seventh grade. It took me some time,” Afari recalled Thursday, adding he wasn’t clear on the rules when he began picking up the game. “I just learned off the fly. Kaleb Johnson’s grandpa brought me to the football field every day with him. We were just practicing out in the backyard.”

Afari said he can’t find jollof rice — a traditional dish with tomatoes and chiles common in West Africa, where his parents were born — in Lexington but the summer humidity and high seasonal temperatures are well shy of the oven he experienced in Ghana for nearly four years.

While he now understands the tabulation for placement kicks worth either one or three points in American football, Afari continues pushing for the next step in his journey. He wants to continue growing as a prospect and have a chance to prove he can still bring down his old backyard buddy in the NFL.

“I got stronger in the weight room. I got way stronger, way more explosive. I feel it’s going to translate on the field,” he said. “I feel like the strength coach has done a great job with all our players, changing our bodies, making us stronger and more explosive and faster.”

DODGERS DRAFT PICK, MIZZOU QB SAM HORN PICKS LACES OVER ACES

Dodgers draft pick Sam Horn is putting pitching on the backburner, choosing laces over aces to compete for the starting quarterback job at Missouri in 2025.

Horn, who also plays baseball for the Tigers, was selected in the 17th round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday. He celebrated with his family, took a call from a few friends and coaches, and then got a ring from Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz.

Other than offering congratulations to Horn and his parents, Drinkwitz said he was compelled to remind his QB that workouts would start before 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

“I called him the day of the draft to make sure he was having a draft party. I called him after he got drafted,” Drinkwitz, who commonly deals in equal parts sarcasm, bluntness and dry humor, said Thursday at SEC Media Days. “I told him the day he got drafted I was proud of him, and I would see him at 6:30 workouts in the morning.”

Penn State transfer Beau Pribula is Horn’s primary competition to replace Brady Cook at quarterback. Pribula left the Nittany Lions after starting quarterback Drew Allar decided to play another season and pass on the NFL draft.

Horn has a chance to turn pro now or later as a power pitcher.

“What an awesome accomplishment, awesome opportunity for that young man to be that good of an athlete, to be able to play, I think he threw 15 innings this year and had an outstanding season. We’re so proud of him to be able to compete in two sports,” Drinkwitz said. “Sam has been adamant this whole time to compete and win the job in the SEC, play quarterback at the highest level. Had conversations with his representatives. He was going through his Tommy John surgery, or the rehab process going through spring. That really hasn’t changed.”

He touches the high 90s with his heater on the mound. He recovered from Tommy John surgery and returns to Columbia for fall camp in two weeks with two years of eligibility remaining. Drinkwitz said Horn is going year-to-year with his decision.

“We had discussed it, Sam had relayed the message, his agent had relayed the message to all the baseball organizations that he was going to play football this fall. So nothing’s changed,” he said.

The 565th pick in the draft informed teams through his agent he planned to stay in college. He has several options.

Players drafted have a deadline of 4 p.m. on July 28 to sign with an MLB organization. He can sign and still play baseball, or opt to pass on the deal with the Dodgers and re-enter the draft next season after playing another season of football and baseball with the Tigers.

SEC COACHES AND PLAYERS DEFEND THEIR DOMINANCE AMID BIG TEN’S RECENT SUCCESS

ATLANTA (AP) — There was not a Big Ten player, coach or fan in sight this week as the College Football Hall of Fame hosted SEC Media Days. Still, the SEC’s No. 1 rival found its way into conversations all week long.

It’s no secret the rivalry has intensified in recent years. Over the last decade, the SEC has won six of the 10 national championships. Two were won by Clemson in that stretch but the last two were won by Big Ten rivals, Michigan last year and Ohio State in January.

The recent success has put a dent in the SEC’s reputation as the nation’s dominant conference. SEC coaches, players and Commissioner Greg Sankey have no question they’re still No. 1.

“For all those of you who like to speculate about super-conferences, welcome to one,” Sankey said to open this week’s event. “We have common-sense geography, restored rivalries, record-breaking viewership. If you take the consumed viewership hours on linear TV, almost 40% of that viewership was focused on games involving Southeastern Conference universities and teams. Big Ten was next, right around 30%.”

The SEC also boasted 79 NFL draft picks in 2025, more than any other conference and beating the Big Ten by eight.

No one put it more plainly this week than Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz when asked if he thought the SEC was the top conference in college football.

“The top? The top, as in number of draft picks in the NFL? Top as in most viewership? Overall top, deepest conference in college football? Look, the more teams you add to the tournament, there’s greater variance to it,” Drinkwitz said. “You’ve got 16 of the toughest competitors in the world who are head coaches in this league. We’re all driven to achieve the best, whether that’s internally or externally.”

The Big Ten and SEC draw outsized attention in college football for other reasons. The two will soon have a bigger say over the format of the College Football Playoff — they currently differ on that — and their teams are in the mix for the top recruits every year.

Early bragging rights this season between the two behemoths include Texas at Ohio State in a CFP rematch from last season, Michigan at Oklahoma and Wisconsin at Alabama, all before mid-September. The real measuring stick in this league rivalry is always going to be the postseason.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer knows excellence is the expectation when it comes to SEC football.

“That’s our responsibility, to be at the top, right? That’s the expectation. I know at Alabama, but also the expectation for the SEC as a whole. I still feel that the SEC top to bottom is as strong as you’ll find,” DeBoer said.

DeBoer isn’t wrong when he says it’s the expectation. In fact, it’s the standard and fan bases from Austin to Gainesville go beyond team cheers on game day. “S-E-C, S-E-C” chants on a fall Saturday are not a rare occurrence.

The excitement is part of what drew Cam Ball to Arkansas.

“Growing up, my father would wake me up on Saturdays. If we didn’t go to the barber shop, we was at home, just sitting on the couch watching the game, mainly watching SEC games,” he said.

Playing in the conference he grew up watching still feels surreal.

“Sometimes in a game, it’s the first play, and I’ll just look up and see an SEC opponent’s helmet, and I’ll be like, ‘Wow, I’m really here. God is good.’ This conference in general, it’s just a blessing to be here,” Ball said.

Alex Afari Jr.’s recruiting journey ended promptly after receiving the call from Kentucky. It was his first and only SEC offer. The decision was easy: Who wouldn’t want to play SEC ball?

“Playing in the SEC means a lot,” Afari said. “I always want to play against the best players. When I got the SEC offer and that’s my only one — I had like Big Ten offers or whatever, but this is my only SEC offer, and I took that chance.”

To Afari, no other conference compares.

“It’s not even close, really. I feel like we just got the o-linemen, the d-linemen are just different, the skill players as well. We put the most players in the NFL,” he said. “Every SEC team can beat each other, every SEC team is not weak, so I feel like that’s the difference. We don’t have any bad teams in the SEC.”

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

ROCK BOTTOM? ROCKIES TRY TO AVOID WORST MARK OVER 162-GAME SEASON AS THEY EMERGE FROM ALL-STAR BREAK

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies had a projected top pick slide to them at No. 4 in baseball’s amateur draft last weekend.

It’s a win, and these days they’ll take any “W” they can get.

At 22-74, the Rockies are in the midst of a historically dismal season. They’re on pace for 125 losses a year after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121, which is the worst mark since baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. The Cleveland Spiders have the most losses in a season, going 20-134 in 1899.

Colorado’s struggles led to the firing of manager Bud Black in May. Recently, the team announced plans to restructure the front office. Last Sunday, a glimmer of hope for down the road as they drafted Ethan Holliday, an 18-year-old infielder from Oklahoma. His father, Matt, remains an icon in the Mile High City after sparking a magical late run in 2007 (dubbed “ Rocktober ”) that delivered the franchise’s only World Series appearance.

Since that time, there have been nearly as many 100-loss seasons (two, 2023 and 24) for Colorado as playoff spots (three, the last in 2018).

Meanwhile, winning is happening in the city all around the Rockies. The Colorado Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022 and the Nuggets earned the franchise’s first NBA title a season later. The Broncos broke an eight-year playoff drought last season behind rookie QB Bo Nix.

“You start getting a reputation,” said Tom Zeiler, a professor of history at the University of Colorado who’s written several books on baseball. “Honestly, if the Rockies turned it around and became a playoff team … they’d look back and laugh about this kind of thing.

“Winning changes everything.”

Few wins

There just hasn’t been much winning this season, especially at Coors Field. The Rockies have yet to win back-to-back homes games in 2025. They’ve lost 17 straight home series dating to last season. Should they drop two of three this weekend against the Minnesota Twins, it would be the longest home losing series streak in league history, according to OptaSTATS.

“It’s been a year of ups and downs. A lot of downs,” said Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak, whose team trails the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 35 1/2 games. “We’re just trying to learn from everything.”

The team’s 74 losses prior to the All-Star break are the most since 1933 (the first All-Star Game). It’s a mark that had belonged to the White Sox, who were 27-71 last season at the break.

“We’re all in it together,” Colorado first baseman Michael Toglia said. “Everyone’s grinding.”

Black’s dismissal

Jobs, though, have been the fallout.

Black, the all-time winningest manager in team history, was let go. Taking over on an interim basis has been Warren Schaeffer, who’s gone 15-41.

Last month, the Rockies announced a change in the front office and promoted Walker Monfort, the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort. Walker Monfort will serve as the executive vice president of the Rockies and work alongside outgoing president and COO Greg Feasel, who’s stepping down at the end of the year.

Between the losing and the lucrative deals that haven’t panned out (See: Kris Bryant ), a growing number of fans are calling for the Monfort family to sell the team.

“We’re frustrated as well,” Walker Monfort said in a recent interview with Denver’s KUSA-TV. “We know we can be better. … There’s no reason to do this if you’re not going to try to win.”

Youth movement

Nine players have made their debuts this season, including outfielders Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández, shortstop Ryan Ritter and pitcher Chase Dollander. Charlie Condon, the third overall pick a year ago, could be an arrival at some point this season.

The experience of a year ago certainly helped All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, who’s hitting .277 with 17 homers this season.

“That was something I was looking to hopefully take place,” general manager Bill Schmidt said of the growth from younger players. “I’d say they’re like your kids — they don’t always mature when you want them to.”

The humidor

Maybe it’s time to ditch the humidor? Let the baseballs soar again.

The Rockies installed a humidor room at Coors Field in 2002 to control the moisture level in baseballs, which helps keep them from becoming dried out in Denver’s thin air. They scored 658 runs at cavernous Coors Field in 1996 compared to 396 last season.

“I don’t see it,” Schmidt said eliminating the humidor. “It was a different game.”

Steady attendance

One thing that really hasn’t been hurt by the slide is attendance. The Rockies are currently averaging 30,128 fans at Coors Field this season. That’s on pace with last season (31,360) and higher than their World Series run in 2007 (28,979).

Part of the explanation for steady attendance is the opposition: The New York Mets and Dodgers, for instance, remain big draws when they come to town.

Part of it is promotional: The Rockies invited every “Ryan” to attend a game on June 20 for a gathering of “Ryans.” Fittingly, Ryan McMahon homered on “Ryan Day” in a 14-8 loss to Arizona.

And part of that is simply setting: Coors Field, which opened in 1995, remains a popular gathering place. It boasts “The Rooftop” in right field, with a view of the Front Range.

“Baseball,” Zeiler said, “is wonder.”

Improving play

Since a 9-50 start, the Rockies have gone 13-24. Should they keep winning at that rate (.351 winning percentage) they would avoid surpassing the White Sox’s loss mark. But that doesn’t factor in the trade deadline later this month, where the Rockies have players such as McMahon and reliever Jake Bird who might garner interest from contending teams.

“We’ve got two options,” Moniak explained. “We can tuck our tails between our legs and hide or we can face this head on and try to grow and try to get better from it.

“I think every person in this clubhouse is choosing the latter.”

REPORT: MLB WEIGHING ESPN, 2 OTHERS FOR ‘SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL’ RIGHTS

ESPN has reentered the fray for Major League Baseball broadcasting rights, several months after the network and the league mutually opted out of their current deal, which was originally set to expire in three years.

This week, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke with CNBC, revealing that three broadcast partners were negotiating for those expired rights, and that one of them — along with NBC and Apple — is ESPN, the current rightsholder of “Sunday Night Baseball,” the Home Run Derby and the wild-card playoff round.

Manfred elaborated that he’d like to finalize those rights, currently valued at $550 million a year for the next three years, within the next 30 days, and that the rights could be split between two bidders.

“Our goal would be to accumulate all of our rights (national and local), go to the table, and develop in concert with the potential buyers packages that are most valuable to them,” Manfred said. “I think our goals would be to have more national exposure, increase our reach.

“In addition, we think we have a cluttered environment right now. There’s a lot of places you have to go if you’re a fan of a particular team, and we think that we should strive to create a more fan friendly environment.”

ESPN reentered the picture partially due to its desire to become a home for local distribution digitally of individual MLB teams, as several are in the process of disconnecting from regional sports networks — opening the door for ESPN to fill that gap with its streaming services.

That represents a drastic 180 for both ESPN and the MLB, after Manfred distributed a memo (acquired by The Athletic) critical of the network following their split this spring.

“Unfortunately in recent years, we have seen ESPN scale back their baseball coverage and investment in a way that is not consistent with the sport’s appeal or performance on their platform,” the statement said in part. “Given that MLB provides strong viewership, valuable demographics, and the exclusive right to cover unique events like the Home Run Derby, ESPN’s demand to reduce rights fees is simply unacceptable. As a result, we have mutually agreed to terminate our agreement.”

Per CNBC, ratings are up 6 percent for MLB games on ESPN this season, while the Home Run Derby was up 5 percent itself. The average MLB broadcast is attracting 1.71 million viewers, the highest average in eight years.

MLB’s other main broadcast partner on linear TV is Fox.

RANGERS ACQUIRE JOSÉ RUIZ AND CASH FROM THE BRAVES FOR DANE DUNNING IN SWAP OF RIGHT-HANDERS

ARLINGTON, Texax (AP) — The Texas Rangers acquired right-hander José Ruiz and cash considerations from the Atlanta Braves on Thursday for right-hander Dane Dunning.

The 30-year-old Ruiz has split the season between Philadelphia and Atlanta and both teams’ Triple-A affiliates. He will report to Triple-A Round Rock.

Ruiz made 16 relief appearances for Philadelphia before being designated for assignment June 1 and claimed off waivers by the Braves on June 7. He pitched in two games for Atlanta, and is 1-0 with an 8.82 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings in the 18 combined games.

The Venezuelan is 11-9 with a save and a 4.62 ERA in 282 career games in nine seasons with San Diego, the Chicago White Sox, Arizona, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

The 30-year-old Dunning had a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings without a decision in five games this season for Texas. After being acquired from the White Sox in December 2020, he was 26-32 with a 4.36 ERA in 122 games for Texas.

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NHL NEWS

NHL SCHEDULE RELEASE: WHAT TO WATCH FOR NEXT SEASON, FROM MATTHEW SCHAEFER TO MORE OVECHKIN

The NHL released its 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday, 1,312 games set to be played from Oct. 7-April 16 before the chase for the Stanley Cup.

Soon, there will be 1,344, with each of the league’s 32 teams playing 84 games starting in 2026-27. But until that happens, here’s a look at some of the best hockey has to offer next season:

Schaefer’s debut?

No. 1 draft pick Matthew Schaefer is no sure bet to make the New York Islanders out of training camp. If he does, Schaefer would be in line to make his NHL debut on Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Crosby, 38, is entering his 21st season. Schaefer turns 18 just a little over a month before opening night.

Schaefer would be the second top pick in three years to start his pro career against Crosby on the road. Chicago’s Connor Bedard also did so in 2023 on the way to winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

Full slates

The back-to-back defending champion Florida Panthers are set to raise their second consecutive Stanley Cup banner as part of an opening night tripleheader on Oct. 7, and it will not take long for fans to see way more games on the same day.

There are 16, with every team in action, for the first time this season on Saturday, Oct. 11. That happens again on Tuesday, Oct. 28 with game times staggered from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. EDT.

Each of the three final Saturdays of the season features 15 games.

Special events

The Penguins and Nashville Predators face off in a pair of games in Stockholm on Nov. 14 and 16. The New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins in the “Thanksgiving Showdown” on Black Friday, Nov. 28.

The first Winter Classic in Florida takes place Jan. 2 when the Panthers host the Rangers at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark with a retractable roof. A surefire open-air game across the Sunshine State comes roughly a month later when the Tampa Bay Lightning play Boston in the Stadium Series at the home of the NFL’s Buccaneers.

The Islanders’ UBS Arena is expected to hold a pre-Olympic sendoff event when the season pauses Feb. 6 for players to participate in the Milan Games. The event is in lieu of All-Star festivities, which are being rethought for future years after the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

Milestones in reach

Alex Ovechkin is three goals away from 900 after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record in April. Whatever number Ovechkin finishes at — he turns 40 in September and this is the final year of his contract with the Washington Capitals — will become the new 894 that seemed unapproachable until the successful “GR8 Chase.”

Ovechkin has not closed the door on playing beyond his 21st season, but if this is it, game 81 is against Crosby in Washington. The finale is at Columbus against the Blue Jackets, against whom Ovechkin debuted in 2005.

Crosby is 13 points away from becoming the ninth player in league history with 1,700. Ovechkin would be the 10th if he records 77.

Three-time MVP Connor McDavid, coming off another Edmonton loss in the final to Florida, is far and away the leading scorer since entering the league in 2015. He’s 18 points away from 1,100, while longtime Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl needs 53 to get to 1,000.

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GOLF NEWS

MCILROY MAKES AMENDS IN PORTRUSH HOMECOMING WITH FIRST-ROUND 70 AT BRITISH OPEN

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy experienced that sinking feeling again on the first hole at Royal Portrush.

OK, the returning hometown hero hadn’t hit his drive out-of-bounds this time. No spectator’s phone had been smashed. He hadn’t made a quadruple bogey, either. So, for sure, this wasn’t as bad as 2019.

But McIlroy had just missed a par putt from 3 feet, eliciting groans from the spectators around the green who had flocked to the Dunluce Links on Thursday to welcome back their favorite son.

Was it happening again?

Not quite.

Six years after opening with a 79 and missing the cut when the British Open returned to this corner of his native Northern Ireland, McIlroy made partial amends with a 1-under 70 in his first round that at least hasn’t played him out of the tournament.

“I felt like I dealt with it really well today,” McIlroy said. “Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago.”

Yet it was far from perfect.

Starting with an opening shot that he pulled into wispy rough, McIlroy struggled off the tee throughout a turbulent round played in better-than-forecast conditions and to a backdrop of Rory mania.

He hit just two fairways — on Nos. 8 and 9 — all day, losing his cool at No. 17 after another drive left into deep rough.

“It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time,” McIlroy said. “So to shoot under par was a good effort.”

Yet the locals never stopped willing him on and the cries of “Come on, Rory” followed him around Portrush, even during a run of three bogeys in four holes from No. 11 when McIlroy’s round was threatening to unravel as the wind picked up.

From being 3-under par after 10 holes, McIlroy was at even par as he faced a tough second shot at the 17th. He somehow hit it to 12 feet and holed the birdie putt.

There were throaty roars from the grandstand around No. 18 as he walked to the green for a 45-foot birdie putt that slipped by the hole. He tapped in, raised his putter and thanked his fans. They’ll be back in droves on Friday morning, no doubt.

“I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in,” he said, “but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So there’s that little bit of added pressure.”

Especially on the first tee, which McIlroy walked onto in 2019 not quite realizing the emotions he’d soon feel playing an Open on Northern Irish turf for the first time. He handled it badly and the wind that swept in off the North Atlantic coast wound up blowing him out of the tournament.

“This time I had a better idea of what was going to be coming my way,” he said.

In 2019, McIlroy started his second round 13 strokes off the lead and a charging 65 on Friday wasn’t enough to make the weekend.

Six years later — and now in the exclusive career Grand Slam club — he is three shots back and very much in the mix for a second claret jug.

McIlroy and his legion of fans will definitely take that.

“I’m surprised 4 under is leading,” he said. “I thought someone might have gone out there and shot 6 or 7 (under) today.

“Only three back with 54 holes to go. I’m really happy with where I am.”

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA PACERS

GAME REWIND: PACERS 91, KNICKS 88 (SUMMER LEAGUE)

The Indiana Pacers clashed with the New York Knicks on Thursday in a Summer League edition of one of the NBA’s most storied rivalries. Both summer squads are 1-2 in Las Vegas, but sought an opportunity to climb back to even with a win on Thursday afternoon. Indiana secured the victory, 91-88, as the Pacers held off a fierce comeback by the Knicks.

Quenton Jackson, RayJ Dennis, and Johnny Furphy did not play in the Pacers’ fourth game of Summer League. The vacancies created more opportunity for new draftees like Kam Jones and Taelon Peter to operate in expanded roles.

“With guys out, a lot of guys [were] stepping up today,” Summer League coach Isaac Yacob said. “Great opportunity for them, and I thought some guys took full advantage of it.”

By the 5:40 mark of the first quarter, Jones already recorded three assists. He penetrated the defense to get two feet into the paint frequently, and created an abundance of shot opportunities for his teammates.

Indiana used a 18-3 run in the second quarter to acquire a 14-point advantage over the Knicks behind Steven Ashworth’s spark of offense. Ashworth came off the Indiana bench to provide instant offense as he drained two 3-pointers and dished out multiple assists.

Jones and Enrique Freeman connected on the highlight play of the first half as Jones lofted a pass from a step within the 3-point line that Freeman slammed home at the rim. Jones connected with Peter for another dunk as the two tag-teamed a fastbreak.

“Most definitely, I knew I was going to throw it up to him,” Jones said. “I saw him running, you know, kind of made eye contact. And when I first got to Indy, and we were talking about basketball, he told me ‘I’m ready for the lob.’ So I told him, ‘I’m going to throw it.’”

Jones recorded nine points and six assists in the first half, and Ashworth did work from the lead guard position, too. Ashworth finished the half with six points and three assists, while Freeman was a game-high +18 with his 12 points and five rebounds.

“He had a little juice going against his former teammate,” Yacob said of Jones playing against Kolek, who is another Marquette product. “He was great. I’m seeing him get to the rim, creating and hitting shots, getting to the paint…all that stuff.”

The Pacers led, 52-38, at the close of the first half.

Peter opened the second half with a late-clock layup, then drew a foul on the following offensive possession.

New York went on a 13-5 run in the third quarter to cut Indiana’s lead back to single digits, 64-56, with three minutes remaining in the period. The Knicks would get within five points of the lead before Jones took over to close the third frame. Jones connected on two layups and an assist to Freeman to give the Pacers a 9-point cushion at the buzzer, 68-59.

The Knicks surged again, closing the gap to just four points when Keisei Tominaga drove hard to the rim. He was fouled and split the free throws to hold off the Knicks for another trip down the floor.

In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, New York’s Tyler Kolek knocked down a jumper to tie the game at 85. The Knicks held the Pacers scoreless on the next trip down the floor, and it led to Kolek converting a layup through a foul to give New York a 2-point lead with under a minute to play.

Jones and Freeman ran a pick and roll, and Freeman finished at the rim to tie the game again at 88. After a defensive stop on the other end, Buddy Boeheim drew a foul, and made his first free throw. Boeheim missed the second, but Freeman gobbled up the rebound, got fouled, and converted his two free throws to give the Pacers a 3-point lead.

Indiana weathered the storm on the other end, giving a tough 3-point attempt to Kolek, to secure a 91-88 win over the Knicks.

Both Freeman and Jones finished with double-doubles. Jones led the way for the Pacers with 21 points, three rebounds, 11 assists, and just a single turnover. Freeman recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists on 7-for-9 shooting.

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

OLIVIA MILES DECIDED TO SKIP WNBA DRAFT AND STAY IN COLLEGE FOR ONE MORE SEASON

Olivia Miles might have been playing this weekend along with WNBA rookie Paige Bueckers at the league’s All-Star Game.

But Miles decided to return to college this year instead of going to the WNBA draft as a projected lottery pick. The former Notre Dame star transferred to TCU to try to improve her game, earn some extra NIL money and continue to grow her brand.

“I think it was a mixture of me listening to my body and what I needed and also just another year to develop, you know be in a system where it’ll favor me and I’ll have great teammates and a great coach around me,” Miles told The Associated Press. ”I’ll have a lot of fun so I’m just very excited for that.”

Miles missed the 2023-24 season while recovering from an ACL tear she suffered in the regular-season finale the year before to end her sophmore campaign. She became the first men’s or women’s freshman to post a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament in 2022, and was putting the final touches on a season that had made her an Associated Press second-team All-American when she crashed to the baseline after her right knee buckled on a drive at Louisville in 2023.

“I just felt like I had a lot more left in me in the tank,” she said. “Being far, far removed from my injury, mentally, physically, emotionally, was what I was telling myself, so, it was a lot of back and forth.”

Miles said she literally waited until the last minute to decide what she wanted to do, something she’d love to see the WNBA change in the future.

“I didn’t decide until the very end, as you know, we have 48 hours to make a huge life decision, which is really hard,” Miles said.

One thing she’s happy about when she does enter the WNBA next season is that there will be a new collective bargaining agreement that should include an increase in player salaries. Right now the rookie salary is about $75,000 for top picks. She’ll make a lot more than that in college this year. The low salaries were one factor in Miles’ decision, but she said it wasn’t a major one.

Then when she decided to stay in school, Miles made another big choice to enter the transfer portal and leave Notre Dame.

“I knew it was gonna be a big story. I knew it was gonna (upset) a lot of people,” she said. “I knew it was gonna cause a lot of commotion, but I ultimately was selfish one time with my career. I was talking to a bunch of power schools and then ultimately I really just wanted to go somewhere where I’d be able to showcase my abilities the best that I can.”

Miles didn’t get into specifics on why she decided to leave Notre Dame, but did say it was hard to tell Irish coach Niele Ivey that she was leaving.

“I was her first recruit so there was always a special kind of connection there, so when you have to have a hard conversation about people you care about, it’s tough, but it had to be done,” Miles said. “I didn’t want her to find out, apart from me, so I had to grow up in that moment we had the conversation and we kept it going.”

Miles said that Ivey reassured her that she’d “always be a part of the family and that she loves me. I’m doing what’s best for me, she’s doing what’s best for her so there’s always respect there from my end.”

She said she liked a lot of what TCU has done the last few years under coach Mark Campbell.

“I won’t be restricted anywhere, I’ll be able to kind of flow and have fun and really showcase before I get to the league,’ she said.

FOUR FORMER IRISH SET FOR WNBA ALL-STAR GAME

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The WNBA’s midseason classic is set in Indiana for the first time ever, and four former Notre Dame women’s basketball players will get to take part, the second-most of any school in the nation.

Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics — Citron is one of three rookies to earn the All-Star nod, joining teammate Kiki Iriafen and Dallas Wings’ guard Paige Bueckers. She is averaging 14.1 points per game this year, second amongst WNBA newcomers and 25th in the league. Citron has already rewritten the record books in Washington, becoming the first rookie in franchise history to post a 25+ point and 10+ rebound game. She was also the first rookie in the 2025 class to reach 100 points this season.

In addition to being a reserve for Saturday night’s game, Citron will participate in the WNBA 3-Point Contest on Friday night at 8 p.m.

Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm — Diggins is the most veteran of the Irish group, as the South Bend native will be making her seventh appearance in the midseason showcase. Having one of the best seasons of her career thus far, Diggins is posting 17.5 points and 5.8 assists per contest, both of which are leading the Storm.

Like Citron, Diggins will have an extra competition on Friday night. The veteran will showcase her arsenal in the WNBA Skills Challenge.

Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx — For the fifth time in her career, McBride is a WNBA All-Star. The guard is averaging 14.3 points per game, good for 24th in the league. Now in her 12th season, McBride ranks 27th in WNBA history with 5,086 career points and seventh all-time with 669 made triples. The Lynx are a league-best 20-4 this season.

Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces — The former No. 1 overall pick will be making her fourth consecutive appearance in the All-Star Game. A native of Princeton, Ind., Young will return to her home state after posting an impressive first half of the season. She is averaging 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Her scoring mark is the second-highest of her career, and a 90.5 free throw percentage to date is the best of her career thus far.

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game — live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse — will air on ABC on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. Additional information and complete rosters for the game can be found here.

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INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

SYCAMORES SIGN NORWEGIAN SIVERT NORDHEIM

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball head coach Matthew Graves announced the addition of Sivert Nordheim to the roster.

Nordheim hails from Norway and will join the Sycamores for the upcoming 2025-26 season. In 2024-25, the 6-6 guard played in the Norway-BLNO league for Centrum based in Oslo, Norway.

“We are ecstatic to add Sivert to our roster for the 2025-26 season,” said Coach Graves. “He will bring tremendous versatility with his ability to shoot, cut, and drive the ball. More importantly, Sivert is a great young man with high character, and we are very excited for him to be a Sycamore. He has gained great experience through playing for Centrum, one of the most well-respected clubs in the Nordic countries, as well as playing for Norway’s national team.”

For Centrum, he played in 36 games with 1,080 total minutes played. He scored 582 points, including hitting 74-of-192 attempts from deep (38.5%). He averaged 5.2 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. Nordheim converted on 90-of-106 attempts from the line (84.9%).

In 2024, he played for the FIBA U18 EuroBasket team where in seven games he averaged 15.6 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 1.3 assists per game.

Nordheim also played for the Norwegian Men’s National Team. In two games he played 27 minutes, scoring 14 points on 3-of-5 from the field, knocking down his lone three-point attempt. He grabbed seven total rebounds.

The Sycamores in 2025-26

Returning: Bruno Alocen, Cooper Bean, Markus Harding, Caden Huttenlocker, Derek Vorst, Camp Wagner, and Jayan Walker.

Signed: Sivert Nordheim, Jo Van Buggenhout, Hunter Harding, Xavier Hall, Zyair Greene, Sterling Young, Ian Scott, Enel St. Bernard, and Martin Kaupanger.

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

July 18

1882 — Ambidextrous pitcher Tony Mullane of Louisville pitched with both hands in a major league game at Baltimore. Normally a right-hander, Mullane switched to the left hand in the fourth inning. He eventually lost 9-8.

1912 — The Chicago Cubs had 21 hits in 11 innings but still lost to the Philadelphia Phillies when Gavvy Cravath stole home.

1921 — Babe Ruth achieves 139 home runs and becomes the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor.

1927 — Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics doubled off the glove of Harry Heilmann for his 4,000th hit.

1948 — Pat Seerey of the Chicago White Sox hit four home runs in a 12-11, 11-inning victory over the Philadelphia A’s in the opener of a doubleheader. Seerey hit two mammoth shots off Carl Scheib, one off Bob Savage and the game-winner off Lou Brissie in the top of the 11th.

1962 — Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins each hit grand slams in the first inning of a 14-3 rout of the Cleveland Indians.

1970 — Willie Mays bounced career hit number 3,000 through the left side of the infield off Mike Wegener in the second inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 10-1 romp over the Montreal Expos. Mays becomes the 10th player to get 3,000 hits.

1987 — New York’s Don Mattingly tied Dale Long’s 31-year-old major league record when he hit a home run for the eighth consecutive game in the Yankees’ 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

1999 — With Don Larsen on hand to help celebrate Yogi Berra Day at Yankee Stadium, David Cone pitched a perfect game. Cone dazzled the Montreal Expos, throwing the 14th perfect game in modern history to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory.

2001 — Roger Cedeno was 4-for-5 with a double, triple, two homers and six RBIs in Detroit’s 12-4 win over the New York Yankees in the second game of a day-night doubleheader.

2006 — Atlanta became the first team since the 1930 New York Yankees to score 10 or more runs in five straight games following a 14-5 victory over St. Louis. The Braves have scored 65 runs during their offensive explosion that included two 15-run games.

2016 — A federal judge sentenced the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals to nearly four years in prison for hacking the Houston Astros’ player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs. Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis.

2018 — As has been rumored for some time, the Dodgers trade for All-Star SS Manny Machado, who will become a free agent at the end of the season. The price is steep for what amounts to a short-term rental: five prospects, including AA OF Yusniel Diaz, one of the stars of the most recent Futures Game. The Dodgers have a gaping hole to fill, however, having recently lost SS Corey Seager for the remainder of the season.

2022 — Youth is served in the annual Home Run Derby, held at Dodger Stadium on the eve of the All-Star Game as 23-year-old Juan Soto defeats 21-year-old rookie Julio Rodríguez in the final round, but not before 42-year-old Albert Pujols manages to upset NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber in the initial round. Two-time defending champion Pete Alonso goes down before Rodríguez in the semi-finals. Soto misses the title of youngest-ever winner ever by one day, behind 1993 winner Juan Gonzalez.

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July 19

1909 — Cleveland shortstop Neal Ball pulled off the first unassisted triple play in modern major league history.

1910 — Cy Young registered his 500th career victory as the Cleveland Indians beat the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings.

1933 — Rick Ferrell of the Boston Red Sox hit a home run off brother Wes, pitching for the Cleveland Indians. Wes also homered in that game, marking the only time the two connected in the same contest.

1940 — Buddy Rosar of the New York Yankees hit for the cycle in a 15-6 rout of the Cleveland Indians.

1960 — Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants made his major league debut by pitching a one-hit, 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. He retired the first 19 batters before walking Pancho Herrera in the seventh inning. Clay Dalrymple singled to center with two outs in the eighth inning. Marichal struck out 12 and walked one.

1974 — Dick Bosman of the Cleveland Indians pitched a no-hit, 4-0 victory over the world champion Oakland A’s.

1977 — Joe Morgan opened the All-Star game with a home run off Jim Palmer and the National League jumped out to an early lead by scoring four runs in the first inning. The Nationals added three more runs and held on for a 7-5 win. It was the NL’s sixth straight win. NL starter Don Sutton gave up one hit over three innings and was named MVP.

1982 — In the first Old-timer’s All-Star Classic, played at Washington’s RFK Stadium before 29,000 fans, the AL won 7-2. Luke Appling, 75, led off for the AL and hit a home run over the shortened left-field fence off Warren Spahn.

1994 — The Kingdome, home of the Seattle Mariners, was closed after four ceiling tiles fell nearly 180 feet into the stands behind home plate. The Mariners were forced into a 22-day road trip before the season was cut short by the players’ strike.

2001 — Randy Johnson struck out 16, a major league record for a reliever, and came within four outs of combining with Curt Schilling on a no-hitter as Arizona beat San Diego 3-0 in the completion of their suspended game. Wiki Gonzalez hit an opposite-field single to right with two outs in the eighth for the Padres.

2013 — Rookie Brad Miller hit his first two major league homers and drove in five runs, and Seattle overcame rookie Brandon Barnes’ cycle in a 10-7 win over Houston. After doubling in the eight to complete his cycle, Barnes singled in the ninth to finish 5 for 5 and become the first Astro to collect five hits since Hunter Pence did it in May 2008.

2015 — After 20 years and 1,609 consecutive home games, the Los Angeles Angels finally lost another game to rain. Heavy downpours turned Angel Stadium’s outfield into virtual marshlands, forcing the postponement of their game against the Boston Red Sox. The Angels were rained out at home for just the 16th time in their 55-year franchise history.

2022 — The American League wins its 9th straight All-Star Game, 3 – 2 over the National League. The NL scores twice against Shane McClanahan in the bottom of the 1st, but is then limited to a single hit over the final 8 innings. In the 4th inning, the AL gets all its runs against Tony Gonsolin on a two-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton and a solo shot by Byron Buxton. Stanton is named the game’s MVP.

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July 20

1906 — Malcolm Eason of Brooklyn pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against the Cardinals in St. Louis.

1925 — Brooklyn’s Dazzy Vance struck out 17 batters as the Dodgers tripped the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in 10 innings.

1933 — Babe Herman hit three home runs, including a grand slam, to pace the Chicago Cubs in a 10-1 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field.

1941 — New York’s Joe DiMaggio had three doubles and a homer in a 12-6, 17-inning Yankee victory over the Tigers in Detroit.

1958 — Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers threw a no-hitter, beating the Boston Red Sox 3-0 in the first game of a doubleheader.

1970 — Bill Singer of the Dodgers pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies for a 5-0 victory in front of 12,454 at Los Angeles.

1973 — Wilbur Wood of the Chicago White Sox lost both ends of a doubleheader to the New York Yankees, 12-2 and 7-0.

1976 — Hank Aaron hit the 755th and final home run of his career to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-2 win over California.

2008 — Francisco Rodriguez became the fastest pitcher to 40 saves in big league history when he closed out the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-3 victory over Boston. Rodriguez, who struck out the side in the ninth inning, reached 40 saves in 98 games — 10 faster than John Smoltz did five years ago.

2009 — Matt Holliday homered twice, including a tying grand slam in the seventh inning, and Jack Cust followed with another shot, helping the Athletics rally from a 10-run deficit — the largest comeback in Oakland history — and beat the Minnesota Twins 14-13.

2013 — The Seattle Mariners manage only one hit but manage to beat the Astros 4-2.

2015 — Women’s baseball is played in The Pan American Games for the first time.

2017 — Matt Carpenter hits three home runs and two doubles as the Cardinals defeat the Cubs 17-5.

2021 — The Oakland, CA City Council votes to approve a non-binding term sheet for the Oakland Athletics′ ballpark project at Howard Terminal. A negative vote would have almost certainly meant the departure in short order of the team from what has been its home city for over half a century, but even with the positive vote, relocation could still happen. team President Dave Kaval having stated earlier that the A’s were not satisfied with the terms proposed for the vote. At issue is the A’s wish to see the city invest up to $855 million in public funds for land development around the project, something that may prove impossible in the current pandemic environment.

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July 21

1921 — The Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees combined for an AL record 16 doubles in the Indians’ 17-8 victory. Cleveland had nine doubles and New York seven.

1945 — The Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Athletics played 24 innings in a 1-1 tie. Les Mueller pitched 19 2-3 innings for the Tigers.

1956 — Brooks Lawrence of the Cincinnati Reds had his 13-game winning streak broken when Roberto Clemente’s three-run homer led the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 victory.

1970 — San Diego’s Clay Kirby held the New York Mets hitless for eight innings but was lifted for a pinch hitter by manager Preston Gomez. With the Padres trailing 1-0 with two out in the eighth, Gomez elected to go for the win instead of letting Kirby finish. The Padres lost the no-hitter and the game, 3-0.

1973 — Hank Aaron of Atlanta hit his 700th home run in the third inning of an 8-4 Braves loss to Philadelphia. Aaron connected on a 1-1 fastball off Phillies pitcher Ken Brett.

1975 — Joe Torre of the New York Mets grounded into four double plays in a 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Felix Millan had four singles but was wiped out each time by Torre.

2001 — In their highest-scoring game in 58 years, the Los Angeles Dodgers routed Colorado 22-7. The 22 runs were the most scored by the Dodgers since Brooklyn beat Pittsburgh 23-6 on July 10, 1943, at Ebbets Field.

2006 — Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 450 home runs when he homered in the New York Yankees’ 7-3 loss to Toronto. Rodriguez also got his 2,000th career hit.

2007 — Jamie Moyer and David Wells face off. The two combine for 88 years and 307 days of age, making it the second-oldest matchup of starting pitchers in major league history. The only older duel was between Don Sutton and Phil Niekro in June of 1987.

2008 — Detroit’s 19-4 victory at Kansas City marked the third time this season the Tigers scored 19 runs. The Boston Red Sox were the last team to accomplish that feat, scoring 19 or more four times in 1950. Detroit beat Texas 19-6 on April 23 and Minnesota 19-3 on May 24.

2015 — Shin-Soo Choo hit for the cycle, leading the Texas Rangers past the Colorado Rockies 9-0. Choo, who had three RBIs, doubled in the second inning, homered in the fourth and singled in the fifth. He completed the cycle with a triple to center to start the ninth.

2019 — The 2019 Hall of Fame Class is inducted in Cooperstown, NY, with six former players being honored: Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith. All are present, save for Halladay, who passed away in a plane crash in 2017 and, who is represented by his wife, Brandy. Rivera, the first player to be elected unanimously to the Hall, gets the honor of speaking last, befitting his status as the greatest closer in history.

2021 — Eddy Alvarez is named one of two flag-bearers for Team USA at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that will take place in two days – after a full year’s delay. A member of the U.S. baseball team, Alvarez previously won an Olympic medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in short-track speed skating and is vying to become one of the few athletes ever to win medals in both a summer and a winter Olympics. Sue Bird, a member of the women’s basketball team, will join him as a flag-bearer.

2024 — The Hall of Fame inducts its four newest members, constituting the Class of 2024, at its annual ceremony held in Cooperstown, NY. Honored today are 1B Todd Helton, C/1B Joe Mauer, 3B Adrian Beltre and manager Jim Leyland.

July 22

1905 — Weldon Henley of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a no-hitter, defeating the St. Louis Browns 6-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. It was the highlight of Henley’s 4-11 season.

1906 — Bob Ewing pitched the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies without a single assist by teammates.

1923 — Washington’s Walter Johnson struck out opposing pitcher Stan Coveleski for his 3,000th career strikeout. The Big Train, the first player in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts, struck out five and allowed one run to give the Senators a 3-1 win over Cleveland.

1926 — Cincinnati had four triples in an 11-run second inning as the Reds beat the Boston Braves, 13-1. Curt Walker hit two in the inning to tie an NL record for most triples in an inning.

1932 — Philadelphia’s Mickey Cochrane hit for the cycle and drove in four runs to lead the Athletics to an 8-4 win over the Washington Senators.

1962 — Floyd Robinson of the Chicago White Sox had six singles in six at-bats in a 7-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

1964 — Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell hit for the cycle, drove in three runs and scored four times in the Pirates’ 13-2 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals.

1967 — The Atlanta Braves used a major league record five pitchers in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The pitchers were Ken Johnson, Ramon Hernandez, Claude Raymond, Dick Kelley and Cecil Upshaw.

1997 — Atlanta’s Greg Maddux turned in a masterful pitching performance, using 76 pitches in a complete game 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2000 — Seattle’s 13-5 win over Texas was interrupted for 54 minutes when a rainstorm drenched fans at Safeco Field and the $517.6 million stadium’s roof wouldn’t close because of a computer problem. The roof finally began closing about 20 minutes later.

2006 — Alfonso Soriano had three doubles, a triple and scored two runs to lead Washington to a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2012 — Seth Smith hit a tying homer in the ninth inning, Coco Crisp singled home the winning run in the 12th and the surging Oakland Athletics rallied from four runs down to stun the New York Yankees 5-4 and complete a four-game sweep. The Yankees had not been swept in a four-game series since May 2003 against Toronto.

2013 — Ryan Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, was suspended for the rest of the season and the postseason, the start of sanctions involving players reportedly tied to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The Milwaukee Brewers star accepted the 65-game ban, 15 games more than the one he avoided last year when an arbitrator overturned his positive test for elevated testosterone because the urine sample had been improperly handled.

2014 — The Minnesota Twins turn a triple play against the Yankees.

2022 — In their first game after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays set a team record for runs in a 28 – 5 beatdown of the Red Sox.

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July 23

1925 — Lou Gehrig hit the first of his major league record 23 grand slam homers as the New York Yankees posted an 11-7 triumph over the Washington Senators.

1930 — Pie Traynor won both ends of a doubleheader for the Pittsburgh Pirates with home runs. In the first game, Traynor homered in the ninth and in the second game, he connected in the 13th.

1944 — Bill Nicholson of the Chicago Cubs hit four home runs in a doubleheader split with the New York Giants. Nicholson hit a home run in the opener, which the Cubs won 7-4. He hit three straight in the second game, but the Giants won 12-10. In that game, Nicholson was walked with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

1955 — Bob Cerv and Elston Howard of the New York Yankess hit consecutive pinch-hit home runs to force extra innings against Kansas City. The Athletics won 8-7 in the 11th inning on Hector Lopez’s RBI-single. Trailing 7-5 entering the top of the ninth, Cerv batted for pitcher Tommy Byrne and homered of Alex Kellner. Tom Gorman replaced Kellner and Howard, hitting for Irv Noren, tied the game.

1964 — Bert Campaneris of Kansas City hit two home runs in his first major league game. He homered on the first pitch off Minnesota’s Jim Kaat, and then connected again in the seventh to lift the Athletics to a 4-3 win.

1974 — Write-in starter Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers singled and doubled to lead the NL to a 7-2 victory over the AL in the All-Star game at Pittsburgh.

1985 — Oddibe McDowell became the first player in Texas Rangers history to hit for the cycle in an 8-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

2000 — Ryan Klesko hit a game-tying solo homer in the ninth inning and a two-run shot in the 10th to lift San Diego over Colorado 6-4.

2009 — Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history, a 5-0 win over Tampa Bay. It was the first since Randy Johnson’s on May 18, 2004. Buehrle threw 76 of 116 pitches for strikes and fanned six in his second no-hitter — the first coming on April 18, 2007, against Texas.

2011 — The Red Sox extend Seattle’s losing streak to 14 games, tied for the longest in team history, with a 3 – 1 win at Fenway Park which is also Terry Francona’s 1000th as Sox manager. Josh Beckett is the winner.

2014 — Padres OF Cameron Maybin is handed a 25-game suspension for testing positive for amphetamines; he is the first major leaguer suspended for PED use this season.

2016 — Trevor Story hit two home runs to set an NL rookie record for shortstops and Colorado beat Atlanta 8-4. Story had four hits including his 25th and 26th homers to pass his mentor, Troy Tulowitzki, who had 24 for the Rockies in 2007. Nomar Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox set the major league record for shortstops with 30 in 1997.

2020 — Commissioner Rob Manfred springs a surprise on everyone as he announces a modified postseason format for this year only. There will be eight teams participating from each league: the two teams with the best records in each division, and the ones with the two next best records in the league. The teams will be seeded one to eight. The Wild Card Game will be replaced by a preliminary round with all teams participating, played in best-of-three format, with all games played in the better-ranked team’s ballpark.

2021 — Cleveland baseball team announced the team will be called the Guardians beginning in 2022.

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July 24

1909 — Nap Rucker of the Brooklyn Dodgers struck out 16 batters in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1931 — In an 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh, Babe Herman of Brooklyn hit for the cycle for the second time in the season.

1947 — Jackie Robinson stole home for the first time in his major league career in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 4-2 win over Pittsburgh.

1948 — Chicago White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey become the first major leaguer to strike out seven times in a doubleheader.

1949 — Cleveland pitcher Bob Lemon hit two home runs to lead the Indians to a 7-5 victory over the Washington Senators in the opener of a doubleheader.

1968 — Hoyt Wilhelm of the Chicago White Sox passed Cy Young’s major league record when he made his 907th appearance. He retired with 1,070 appearances.

1973 — Bobby Bonds homered and doubled to lead the NL to a 7-1 rout of the AL in the All-Star game at Kansas City.

1983 — The “Pine Tar” home run was hit by the Kansas City Royals’ George Brett off New York pitcher Rich Gossage at Yankee Stadium. Brett’s shot came with two outs in the top of the ninth to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. Brett’s homer was ruled an out because the amount of pine tar exceeded what was allowed. After a protest by the Royals, the final out and the Yankees’ half of the ninth was completed on Aug. 18.

1993 — Anthony Young of the New York Mets extended his record losing streak to 27 games when he walked in the winning run in the 10th inning for a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1999 — In their biggest victory in 46 years, the New York Yankees routed the Cleveland Indians 21-1 as Chili Davis went 5-for-6 with six RBIs.

2010 — Tampa Bay won in Cleveland for the first time in nearly five years. The Rays snapped an 18-game losing streak with a 6-3 win against the Indians. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon snapped an 0-21 personal losing streak as the visiting manager that began when he was the Angels interim manager in 1996.

2016 — Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza are inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Cooperstown, NY. Griffey obtained the highest percentage of the vote ever – 99.3% – in being elected in his first year of eligibility by the BBWAA, while Piazza made it on his fourth try. A crowd estimated at 50,000, the second-largest ever at Cooperstown, is on hand to witness the event.

2022 — The induction ceremony is held for the Class of 2022 at the Hall of Fame. Three of the seven men inducted – David Ortiz, Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva – are present to receive the honor. The others, all deceased, are represented by relatives – Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso and Buck O’Neil – while Dave Winfield introduces 19th century black baseball pioneer Bud Fowler. Over 35,000 persons are present in Cooperstown, NY to witness the ceremony, and Dominican flags and Boston Red Sox gear, in honor of Ortiz, are well in evidence in the crowd.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

July 18

1896 — James Foulis wins the U.S. Men’s Open golf championship at Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, N.Y.

1921 — Babe Ruth achieves 139 home runs and becomes the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor.

1927 — Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics doubles off the glove of Harry Heilmann for his 4,000th hit.

1951 — Jersey Joe Walcott, at 37, becomes the oldest fighter to win the world heavyweight title with a seventh-round knockout of Ezzard Charles at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

1970 — San Francisco’s Willie Mays gets career hit number 3,000 off Montreal’s Mike Wegener in the second inning.

1975 — The trial of Dave Forbes, the first pro athlete to be indicted for a crime committed during play, ends in a hung jury. Forbes, of the Boston Bruins, was indicted for excessive force used on an opponent. Forbes’ victim was Henry Boucha in a game on Jan. 4 against the North Stars at Minnesota. The prosecution decides not to seek a retrial.

1987 — New York’s Don Mattingly ties Dale Long’s 31-year-old major league record when he homers for the eighth consecutive game in the Yankees’ 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

1993 — Greg Norman shoots a 64 on the final day to set a record with a 13-under 267 and wins the British Open. Norman wins by two strokes over defending champion Nick Faldo.

1995 — Britain’s Jonathan Edwards breaks the 10-year-old world triple jump record, leaping 59 feet in the Salamanca Provincial meet. Edwards tops the previous mark of 58-11½ set in 1985 by Willie Banks of the United States.

1999 — Jean Van de Velde’s triple bogey on the 72nd hole sets the stage for Paul Lawrie to become the first Scotsman to win the British Open in his native land since Tommy Armour in 1931. Lawrie, 10 strokes behind when the final round began, wins the four-hole playoff over Van de Velde and Justin Leonard, making birdies on the last two holes to complete the biggest comeback in a major.

1999 — David Cone dazzles the Montreal Expos, throwing the 14th perfect game in modern history to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory.

2005 — In Oklahoma City, the United States loses a tournament title game for the first time since 1997, falling 3-1 to Japan in the championship of the inaugural World Cup of Softball. The Americans, which lost to Canada earlier in this tournament, lost to Australia 1-0 in the championship game of the 1997 Superball, held in Ohio.

2010 — Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa shoots a 1-under 71 for a seven-stroke victory at 16-under 272 in the British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews. Lee Westwood of England finishes second.

2021 — Colin Morikawa wins the Open Championship 15-under par at Royal St. George’s by two strokes over Jordan Speith. It was Morikawa’s second major championship win following his 2020 The Masters win.

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July 19

1877 — Spencer Gore beats William Marshall in 48 minutes (6-1, 6-2, 6-4) in the first men’s singles tennis championship at the All England Club, Wimbledon.

1909 — Cleveland shortstop Neal Ball pulls off the first unassisted triple play in modern major league history.

1910 — Cy Young wins his 500th career game as the Cleveland Indians beat the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings.

1922 — Johnny Weissmuller is the first swimmer to break the 1 minute barrier for the 100 meter freestyle; 58.6s.

1936 — Future Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller makes his MLB debut.

1957 — Don Bowden is the first American to break the four-minute mile with a 3:58.7 time at Stockton, Calif.

1980 — The Summer Olympics open in Moscow without the United States and 64 other boycotting countries.

1986 — Tim Witherspoon KOs Frank Bruno in 11 for heavyweight boxing title.

1987 — Nick Faldo of England wins the British Open by one shot when American Paul Azinger bogeys four times on the back nine.

1990 — Pete Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader, is sentenced to five months in prison and an additional three months in a halfway house for cheating on his taxes.

1997 — Daniel Komen of Kenya shatters the 8-minute barrier for the 2-mile run and sets a world record of 7:58.61 at the Hechtel Night of track in Belgium. Haile Gebrselassie had set the world record of 8:01.08 on May 31.

2008 — In the WNBA’s first outdoor game, the Indiana Fever overcomes the heat and humidity in New York to beat the Liberty 71-55. Arthur Ashe Stadium, home of the U.S. Open, had a basketball court laid on top of the tennis court.

2009 — Tom Watson squanders a chance to become golf’s oldest major champion. The 59-year-old misses an 8-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the British Open, then loses a four-hole playoff by six shots to Stewart Cink.

2009 — Eighty-one-year-old Hershel McGriff becomes the oldest driver to take part in a national NASCAR series race, finishing 13th in a Camping World West Series event at Portland International Raceway.

2014 — Shoni Schimmel, a rookie who doesn’t start for her own team, puts on a record-breaking performance — scoring 29 points to help the East beat the West 125-124 in the first WNBA All-Star game to go to overtime. Tamika Catchings makes a layup with 6.9 seconds to go to give the East the lead and then knocks the ball away from Skylar Diggins on the defensive end to seal the victory.

2020 — World Formula 1 drivers champion Lewis Hamilton wins a record 8th Hungarian Grand Prix.

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July 20

1858 — Fans are charged for the first time to see a baseball game. Approximately 1,500 fans pay 50 cents to see the New York All-Stars beat Brooklyn 22-18 at Fashion Race Course on Long Island.

1958 — The PGA championship calls for medal play for the first time and Dow Finsterwald beats Billy Casper.

1963 — Mary Mills wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship by three strokes over Sandra Palmer and Louise Suggs.

1974 — Carl Rosen’s Chris Evert beats Miss Musket by 50 lengths in the winner-take-all match race at Hollywood Park.

1975 — Sandra Palmer wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship by four strokes over Nancy Lopez, Joanne Carner and Sandra Post.

1976 — Hank Aaron hits his 755th and last home run.

1980 — Tom Watson wins the British Open by four strokes over Lee Trevino. Watson shoots a 13-under 271 at Muirfield Golf Links at Gullane, Scotland. Watson becomes the fourth American to win three Open titles, joining Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus.

1997 — Justin Leonard closes with a 65 to win the British Open at 12-under 272 at Royal Troon. Leonard, whose closing round is one of the best in major championship history, takes the lead from Jesper Parnevik with a birdie on No. 17.

2002 — Tiger Woods, trying to win the third leg of the Grand Slam, shoots his worst round (81) as a professional, knocking himself out of contention.

2008 — Padraig Harrington is the first European in more than a century to win golf’s oldest championship two years in a row. Harrington pulls away from mistake-prone Greg Norman and holds off a late charge by Ian Poulter for a four-shot victory in the British Open.

2009 — Lauren Lappin homers to start a three-run rally in the third inning, and the United States beats Australia 3-1 in the World Cup of Softball championship game at Oklahoma City.

2013 — China’s Wu Minxia and Shi Tingmao wins the first diving gold medal at the world championships in Barcelona, Spain. Wu earns a record sixth world title in the women’s 3-meter synchronized springboard.

2014 — Rory McIlroy completes a wire-to-wire victory in the British Open to capture the third leg of the career Grand Slam. McIlroy closes with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler. McIlroy, winner of the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2012 PGA Championship, joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players with three different majors at age 25 or younger.

2015 — Zach Johnson rolls in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and outlasts Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a three-man playoff to win the British Open. Jordan Spieth, looking to win his third straight major, falls one shot short of joining the playoff.

2020 — Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first man to score 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League.

2021 — The Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Phoenix Suns 105-95 in game six of the NBA Finals to win their second NBA Championship. It was the fourth win in a row after falling behind 2-0 in the series. The Bucks’ F Giannis Antetokounmpo was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

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July 21

1876 — Princeton takes the team championship in the first IC4A (Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes Association) track and field meet.

1957 — Lionel Herbert wins the PGA championship with a 2-1 final round victory over Dow Finsterwald.

1957 — 1st black to win a major US tennis tournament (Althea Gibson).

1963 — Jack Nicklaus wins the PGA championship by two strokes over Dave Ragan to become the fourth golfer to win the three major United States titles.

1968 — Arnold Palmer becomes the first PGA golfer to earn $1 million over his career despite losing by one stroke to Julius Boros in the PGA championship.

1973 — Hank Aaron hits home run number 700 off of Phillies Pitcher Ken Brett.

1974 — Sandra Haynie edges Carol Mann and Beth Stone by one stroke to win the U.S. Women’s Open championship.

1979 — Spain’s Seve Ballesteros captures the British Open by three strokes over Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus.

1985 — John Henry, the greatest money winner in horse racing history, is retired. The 10-year-old won 39 races in 83 starts and earned $6,597,947 in total purses.

1985 — Sandy Lyle wins the British Open by one stroke over Payne Stewart.

1989 — Mike Tyson knocks down Carl “The Truth” Williams with a left hook and stops him 93 seconds into the first round of his heavyweight title defense. It is the fifth shortest heavyweight title fight in history.

1996 — Tom Lehman shoots a final-round 73 for a 72-hole total of 13-under 271 to win the British Open, two strokes better than Ernie Els and Mark McCumber.

1996 — Wayne Gretzky signs a 2 year deal with NY Rangers.

2002 — Ernie Els squanders a three-stroke lead but outlasts Thomas Levet of France to win a four-man playoff that produces the first sudden-death finish in the 142-year history of the British Open.

2007 — Bernard Hopkins, in the twilight of his fighting days, ends Winky Wright’s 7 1/2-year unbeaten streak with a unanimous decision in their 170-pound bout in Las Vegas.

2009 — China’s Guo Jingjing easily wins her fifth straight world championship in 3-meter springboard. She captured her first springboard world title in 2001, and hasn’t lost since in the every-other-year competition.

2013 — Phil Mickelson wins his first British Open title with a spectacular finish. He birdies four of the last six holes for a 5-under 66 to match the best round of the tournament.

2013 — Britain’s Chris Froome wins the 100th Tour de France, having dominated rivals over three weeks. He rides into Paris wearing the yellow jersey he took in Stage 8 in the Pyrenees and never relinquished.

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TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Friday, July 18

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)

5:35 a.m.

FS2 — AFL: Western at Brisbane

11 p.m.

FS2 — AFL: Port Adelaide at Hawthorn

2 a.m. (Saturday)

FS2 — AFL: North Melbourne at Sydney

5:30 a.m. (Saturday)

FS1 — AFL: Melbourne at Carlton

AUTO RACING

3 p.m.

FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, Streets of Toronto, Toronto

5 p.m.

FS1 — ARCA Menards Series: The General Tire 150, Dover Motor Speedway, Dover, Del.

BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

FS1 — The Basketball Tournament: War Ready vs. X-Rayted, Round of 64, Lexington, Ky.

9 p.m.

FS1 — The Basketball Tournament: La Familia vs. Stroh’s Squad, Round of 64, Lexington, Ky.

CFL FOOTBALL

8:30 p.m.

CBSSN — Calgary at Winnipeg

CYCLING

6:30 a.m.

PEACOCK — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 13, Loudenvielle / Peyragudes, France

6 a.m. (Saturday)

PEACOCK — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 14, Pau / Luchon-Superbagneres, France

FLAG FOOTBALL (BOY’S)

10 a.m.