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OXNARD, Calif. -- If CeeDee Lamb wants to know what a prolonged holdout from training camp feels like, he can reach out to Dallas Cowboys teammates Zack Martin and Ezekiel Elliott. Martin missed three weeks of training camp last year before getting an adjustment made to his contract. Elliott missed all of camp and the preseason games in 2019 before signing a six-year, $90 million contract that included $50 million in guaranteed money. Lamb's holdout is just three days and two practices old as he looks for a megadeal that would make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday he had talks with Lamb's agent, Tory Dandy, on Thursday. Jones also spoke with Todd France, the agent of Dak Prescott, as they try to work out a deal. Martin and Elliott called missing camp a "tough situation." "You're just at home, man, by yourself," Martin said. "I was just at home for a couple weeks. My family...

Snoop Dogg is among a handful of celebrities and world class athletes anticipating the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics. The panel discusses what to expect in Paris.

The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-hander Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, addressing their clearest need with an in-division trade that bolsters their starting rotation. Eflin was regarded as one of the best pitchers available before the July 30 deadline, and the Orioles -- who at 61-41 are tied for the best record in the American League with Cleveland -- turned to him with the sky-high prices for front-line left-handers Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet. In return, the Rays received outfielder Matthew Etzel, super-utility man Mac Horvath and right-hander Jackson Baumeister. Eflin, 30, has been a stalwart in the Rays' rotation since signing a three-year, $40 million free agent contract with the team before the 2023 season. With Eflin's salary set to jump to $18 million next year and multiple starting pitchers returning from injuries, the Rays made it clear to teams that he was available in a deal. Baltimore, which has lost...

The NCAA, its five power conferences and lawyers representing a class of Division I athletes filed the detailed terms of an antitrust lawsuit Friday that has the potential to reshape the business of college sports. The parties agreed in late May to settle a trio of lawsuits (House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA and Carter v. NCAA) about the various ways schools compensate their athletes. Friday's filing is the first of several important steps toward formalizing the agreement. The new details outline how past athletes will share the $2.78 billion in damages that the NCAA has agreed to pay, sets up a new system for revenue sharing and outlines new roster limits for a long list of college sports, among other items. "This is another important step in the ongoing effort to provide increased benefits to student-athletes while creating a stable and sustainable model for the future of college sports," the NCAA and its power conferences said in a statement Friday evening. "While there is still...

The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-hander Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, addressing their clearest need with an in-division trade that bolsters their starting rotation. Eflin was regarded as one of the best pitchers available before the July 30 deadline, and the Orioles -- who at 61-41 are tied for the best record in the American League with Cleveland -- turned to him with the sky-high prices for front-line left-handers Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet. In return, the Rays received outfielder Matthew Etzel, super-utility man Mac Horvath and right-hander Jackson Baumeister. Eflin, 30, has been a stalwart in the Rays' rotation since signing a three-year, $40 million free agent contract with the team before the 2023 season. With Eflin's salary set to jump to $18 million next year and multiple starting pitchers returning from injuries, the Rays made it clear to teams that he was available in a deal. Baltimore, which has lost...

Russell Westbrook's deal to join the Denver Nuggets will be a two-year, veteran minimum contract with a player option for 2025-26, his agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is worth $6.8 million, a source told ESPN. Westbrook, who was in Denver to sign the deal Friday, is joining the Nuggets after he was traded by the LA Clippers to the Utah Jazz last week in a sign-and-trade deal for guard Kris Dunn. That trade, which included a second-round pick swap, was made to pave the way for the former MVP to sign with Denver once Utah waived Westbrook, which happened Saturday. The Nuggets can use a veteran backup point guard who can provide energy, defend and be a spot starter after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free agency. Westbrook, who started the season as the starting point guard before moving to a sixth-man role after the Clippers traded for James Harden, joins...

Top-10 senior Darius Acuff, one of the elite guards in high school basketball, announced his commitment to John Calipari and Arkansas on Friday -- becoming the first five-star prospect off the board in the 2025 class. Acuff chose the Razorbacks over Kansas, with Michigan also on his final list of three. The Jayhawks were perceived to be the favorite back in the spring, with Acuff taking a visit to Lawrence in late April. But Calipari made him a priority over the past several weeks and ultimately won out. "We have a great relationship. We have been tight for a year and half," Acuff said of Calipari. "Growing up I knew what type of guard coach he was. He built the best relationship with me. He keeps it real. It's like he is already your coach when you speak with him. He has been there from the start. That was a separator. History speaks for itself. All the guards he has put in the league. I want to be part of that." Acuff took a visit to Arkansas' campus in May. "I...

The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-handed starter Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Tampa Bay will receive three minor leaguers in return for one of the top starters available. Eflin was 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts in his second season with the Rays. He joins an Orioles team that entered Friday's games tied with the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in the American League and two games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East. The Athletic first reported the trade.

MIAMI -- The  Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension, the largest in franchise history, his agency told ESPN's Adam Schefter.  The $53.1 million average value of the contract places Tagovailoa third among the league's highest-paid quarterbacks, behind only the  Jacksonville Jaguars'  Trevor Lawrence and the  Cincinnati Bengals'  Joe Burrow ($55 million).  The deal includes $167 million guaranteed, eighth most among quarterbacks. Miami is the only team in the NFL with three offensive skill players making at least $70 million in guaranteed money -- wide receivers Tyreek Hill ($72.2 million) and Jaylen Waddle ($71.6 million) being the others. Their combined $310.8 million guaranteed is the third most for any offensive skill trio (QB, RB, WR, TE), per Roster Management System. The agreement ends a "fluid" first two days of training camp, during which...

Russell Westbrook was in Denver on Friday to sign a two-year, $6.8 million deal with the Nuggets, a league source confirmed to ESPN. Westbrook's deal with the Nuggets will be a two-year, veteran minimum deal with a player option for 2025-2026, his agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Westbrook was expected to join the Nuggets after he was traded by the LA Clippers to the Utah Jazz last week in a sign-and-trade deal for guard Kris Dunn. That trade, which included a second-round pick swap, was made to pave the way for the former MVP to sign with Denver once Utah waived Westbrook, which happened this past Saturday. The Nuggets can use a veteran backup point guard who can provide energy, defend and be a spot starter after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson left in free agency. Westbrook, who started the season as the starting point guard before moving to a sixth-man role after the Clippers traded...

IRVINE, Calif. -- New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Jake Haener said he's been diagnosed with skin cancer. The 25-year-old player did not disclose what type of cancer he has but said that it's rare to see it at his age. "It's not going be like a life-threatening thing right now," said Haener, who was sporting a small bandage on his face during Friday's practice session. Haener said he will have a consultation with doctors Thursday of next week to determine the next steps. "I have to get a different procedure done on my face," he said. "So we're just trying to take the necessary steps in order to see how long I can wait until I have to get that procedure done." Haener said he first noticed something was wrong when an "odd-looking bump" formed on his face and continued to grow. A biopsy done the week before camp revealed that it was cancerous. "I was kind of worried about it; my family was kind of worried about it," he said. Haener said the only concern is...

PARIS -- Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River. On-and-off showers did not seem to hamper the enthusiasm of the Olympians, with some holding umbrellas as they rode on boats down the river in a showcase of the city's resilience as authorities dealt with suspected acts of sabotage targeting France's high-speed rail network. Widespread travel disruptions triggered by what French officials called coordinated arson attacks on high-speed rail lines as well as the weather had dampened the mood ahead of the ceremony. Crowds crammed along the Seine's banks and bridges and watching from balconies "oohed" and "aahed" as Olympic teams paraded in boats down the waterway. Undeterred from the festivities, many of the hundreds of thousands of spectators huddled under umbrellas and jackets as the rain intensified,...

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- In response to a question about what he has altered entering the 2024 season compared to his previous two years with the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Deshaun Watson said Friday that he's focused on blocking out external factors. "Honestly, it's really just blocking out all the bulls--- outside. Stuff coming in two years, different environment, different team, different all that," Watson said. "So, you come in and your character is being mentioned this way and it kind of flip on you and you're trying to get people to like you or improve. But now it's like, at the end of the day, it's two years in and if you don't like me or you have your own opinion, it is what it is. "[I'm] blocking out all the noise and focusing on me, focusing on what I need to do to be the best Deshaun Watson I can be for myself, for my family and for my teammates." Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sidelined again with an illness. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player didn't practice Friday after returning briefly Wednesday. According to the team, Jackson "continues to undergo further evaluation and receive care from our medical team." Jackson made his camp debut on Wednesday but left an hour into practice. He didn't look like himself, completing one pass in team drills and throwing one interception before exiting midway through practice. Jackson looked weary in walking off the field Wednesday. Josh Johnson, Baltimore's 38-year-old backup, ran the first-team offense. Jackson has now missed four of the first five practices in training camp. This has been a recurring issue for Jackson, who has missed at least one practice due to illness in each of his first seven NFL seasons. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is scheduled to talk to reporters after practice. In February, at the age of 27, Jackson...

The most interesting potential free agent target in the NBA might be a 61-year-old who retired nearly 25 years ago. TNT Sports analyst Charles Barkley told The Athletic on Friday that he would listen to NBA partners ESPN/Disney, NBC and Amazon if the remainder of his current 10-year contract with the cable network is not honored. TNT Sports lost out on the NBA in the league's recently announced 11-year, $76 billion rights agreement. "My deal is 10 years, $210 million," Barkley told The Athletic. "[TNT Sports] has to come to me ASAP and they have to guarantee my whole thing or they can offer me a pay cut, which there is no chance of that happening and I'll be [a] free agent. "My thing was, 'Wait, y'all f---ed up, I didn't f--- up, why do I have to take a pay cut?'" During the NBA Finals, with it a known possibility that TNT Sports might lose its media rights, Barkley said he would retire if he found himself out of a job. He still has seven years remaining on his deal....

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sidelined again with an illness. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player didn't practice Friday after returning briefly on Wednesday. According to the team, Jackson "continues to undergo further evaluation and receive care from our medical team." Jackson made his camp debut on Wednesday but left an hour into practice. He didn't look like himself, completing one pass in team drills and throwing one interception before exiting midway through practice. Jackson looked weary in walking off the field Wednesday. Josh Johnson, Baltimore's 38-year-old backup, ran the first-team offense. Jackson has now missed four of the first five practices in this year's training camp. This has been a recurring issue for Jackson, who has missed at least one practice due to illness in each of his first seven NFL seasons. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is scheduled to talk to reporters after practice. In February, at the age...

PITTSBURGH -- For the second day in a row, Mr. Unlimited's participation was very limited at Steelers training camp. Coach Mike Tomlin opted to sideline quarterback Russell Wilson again out of an abundance of caution following the quarterback's calf injury during the team's conditioning test Wednesday afternoon. "We were doing a sled-push thing and just tweaked it a little bit," Wilson said. "... It was the fourth, fifth time we did the sled push, I felt a little something. ... I feel good. It's nothing to panic about or to worry about at all." Wilson wore a baseball cap and sneakers at the Steelers' second training camp practice. He didn't participate in individual or team drills. He did light throwing with the quarterbacks during warmups and tossed around a football with teammates between drills. "The good thing is I'm getting a lot of the mental reps and throwing stuff on the side and the post practice [work]," Wilson said. Though Wilson didn't have a...

Warner Bros. Discovery filed a lawsuit against the NBA on Friday, alleging that the league breached its contract by declining its offer for a new media rights deal and instead signing with Amazon. The lawsuit was filed in New York Supreme Court, and a summons obtained by ESPN stated that the NBA has 20 days to respond. "Given the NBA's unjustified rejection of our matching of a third-party offer, we have taken legal action to enforce our rights," TNT Sports said in a statement Friday. "We strongly believe this is not just our contractual right, but also in the best interest of fans who want to keep watching our industry-leading NBA content with the choice and flexibility we offer them through our widely distributed WBD video-first distribution platforms -- including TNT and Max." "Warner Bros. Discovery's claims are without merit, and our lawyers will address them," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said Friday. The lawsuit comes two days after the NBA signed a new 11-year media rights...

ASHBURN, Va., -- The Washington Commanders did not anoint second overall pick Jayden Daniels as the starting quarterback entering training camp. That's just fine with Daniels. He has been in this spot before -- and it worked out quite well. Washington has stuck with the plan laid out by general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn, alternating Daniels and Marcus Mariota with the first group. The last time Daniels was in a similar spot: two years ago at LSU. He won the job and a year later won the Heisman Trophy. That's why he is not bothered by whether or not he's designated as the starter with the season more than a month away. "I like competing," Daniels said. "Regardless if I'm announced as the starter or not I still have to compete. You can't be content with your job or [be] comfortable. So for me it's not a problem at all. It's up to DQ and AP for the decision but for me I can control how hard I practice and I compete." During the first...

ASHBURN, Va., -- The Washington Commanders did not anoint second overall pick Jayden Daniels as the starting quarterback entering training camp. That's just fine with Daniels. He's been in this spot before -- and it worked out quite well. Washington has stuck with the plan laid out by general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn, alternating Daniels and Marcus Mariota with the first group. The last time Daniels was in a similar spot: two years ago at LSU. He won the job and a year later won the Heisman Trophy. That's why he's not bothered by whether or he's designated as the starter with the season more than a month away. "I like competing," Daniels said. "Regardless if I'm announced as the starter or not I still have to compete. You can't be content with your job or (be) comfortable. So for me it's not a problem at all. It's up to DQ and AP for the decision but for me I can control how hard I practice and I compete." During the first three days...

The Boston Red Sox acquired left-hander James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league infielder Moises Bolivar on Friday, attempting to fortify their rotation as they chase a playoff spot in a wide-open American League landscape. The deal for Paxton, 35, comes after Los Angeles designated him for assignment Monday. Paxton had thrown 89⅓ innings of 4.43 ERA ball over 18 starts this season, helping stabilize an injury-riddled rotation as he had done in 2023 with Boston. Paxton's return to the Red Sox, whom he left to sign a one-year, $7 million free agent deal with Los Angeles, gives Boston seven potential starting pitchers, with Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello, Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski, who is currently pitching out of the bullpen. The Red Sox's surprising run -- they're one game back of the Kansas City Royals for the final AL wild-card spot -- has left...

The Boston Red Sox acquired left-hander James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, attempting to fortify their rotation as they chase a playoff spot in a wide-open American League landscape, sources told ESPN. The deal for Paxton, 35, comes after Los Angeles designated him for assignment Monday. Paxton had thrown 89⅓ innings of 4.43 ERA ball over 18 starts, helping stabilize an injury-riddled rotation as he'd done in 2023 with Boston. Paxton's return to the Red Sox, whom he left to sign a one-year, $7 million free agent deal with Los Angeles, gives Boston seven potential starting pitchers, with Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello, Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski, who is currently pitching out of the bullpen. The Red Sox's surprising run -- they're one game back of Kansas City for the final AL wild-card spot -- has left the team looking to improve on the margins. While Paxton's...

Georgia wide receiver  Rodarius "Rara" Thomas was arrested early Friday morning on multiple family violence charges and was being held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail, according to jail records. Thomas, a senior from Eufaula, Alabama, was charged with cruelty to children-family violence, a second-degree felony, and two misdemeanor counts of battery-family violence. He was jailed at 3:20 a.m. ET Friday and is being held without bond. "This is a pending legal matter, and we'll have no further comment," Georgia athletic department spokesperson Steven Drummond told ESPN. Under University of Georgia Athletic Association guidelines, Thomas faces an immediate suspension after being charged with a felony. It is Thomas' second arrest on family violence charges since transferring to Georgia from Mississippi State in 2023. In January 2023, Thomas was arrested by University of Georgia police and accused of felony false imprisonment because he allegedly confined and detained...

By around 8 years old, McKenna "Mak" Whitham knew she wanted to be a professional soccer player. What she probably didn't know is how soon that dream would become a reality. Whitham, who turns 14 on Saturday, has signed a professional contract with NJ/NY Gotham FC, the reigning National Women's Soccer League champions, making her the youngest signing in NWSL history. "I processed it, and it's still new to me," Whitham said about the achievement, in an exclusive interview with ESPN. "But, I mean, I'm not going to be cocky about it. I'm going to stay humble, and I'm still going to keep developing. My goal is to be a top player in the NWSL, and I know that Gotham will help me become that player." Whitham's guaranteed contract runs through 2028 and will become effective on Jan. 1, 2025. Whitham's pro debut, however, could come Sunday, one day after her 14th birthday. Gotham has signed her as a  United States national team replacement player for Sunday's game...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots and safety Jabrill Peppers are finalizing a three-year extension with a base value of $24 million that can be worth up to $30 million, a source told ESPN's Field Yates. Patriots coach Jerod Mayo confirmed the extension before the team's Friday practice at training camp. "He really embodies everything that you want on the field. He's very selfless out there, flying around all the time, and it's good to get that deal done," Mayo said. The 5-foot-11, 217-pound Peppers teams with Kyle Dugger to form a hard-hitting, and now highly paid, combination at safety. Dugger signed a four-year, $58 million extension earlier in the offseason after initially being assigned the transition tag by the Patriots. The extension continues an offseason theme for the Patriots, who have re-signed or extended the contracts of 11 players. Their cash spending ranks in the top 10 of the NFL. Peppers started 15 games last season and...

Georgia wide receiver Rodarius Thomas was arrested early Friday morning on multiple family violence charges and was being held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail, according to jail records. Thomas, a senior from Eufaula, Alabama, was charged with cruelty to children-family violence, a second-degree felony, and two misdemeanor counts of battery-family violence. He was jailed at 3:20 a.m. ET Friday and is being held without bond. Georgia athletics department spokesman Steven Drummond told ESPN, "This is a pending legal matter and we'll have no further comment." Under University of Georgia Athletic Association guidelines, Thomas faces an immediate suspension after being charged with a felony. It is Thomas' second arrest on family violence charges since transferring to Georgia from Mississippi State in 2023. In January 2023, Thomas was arrested by University of Georgia police and accused of felony false imprisonment because he allegedly confined and detained a person "without legal...

Georgia receiver Rodarius Thomas was arrested early Friday morning on multiple family violence charges and was being held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail, according to jail records. Thomas, a senior from Eufaula, Alabama, was charged with cruelty to children-family violence, a second-degree felony, and two misdemeanor counts of battery-family violence. He was jailed at 3:20 a.m. ET Friday and is being held without bond. Georgia athletics department spokesman Steven Drummond told ESPN, "This is a pending legal matter and we'll have no further comment." Under University of Georgia Athletic Association guidelines, Thomas faces an immediate suspension after being charged with a felony. It is Thomas' second arrest on family violence charges since transferring to Georgia from Mississippi State in 2023. In January 2023, Thomas was arrested by University of Georgia police and accused of felony false imprisonment because he allegedly confined and detained a person "without legal...

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- Max Verstappen faces a 10-place grid penalty from wherever he qualifies at the Belgian Grand Prix after he exceeded his quota for engines this season. A grid penalty was always likely for the Red Bull driver after he suffered a failure on a new engine during Friday practice at the Canadian Grand Prix. "I knew of course that it is coming," Verstappen said on Thursday when asked about the likelihood of a penalty. The amount of power unit components used by each driver per season is limited, with the quota for internal combustion engines set at four before incurring a penalty for using a fifth. Red Bull's decision to fit a fifth engine at Spa-Francorchamps is in part a tactical one as the circuit is one of the season's easier tracks to overtake on, giving Verstappen the best chance of coming back through the field. "Some tracks naturally are a bit better than others," Verstappen said. "Of course, on a street circuit, you wouldn't want to have...

Simone Biles has submitted an original skill on the uneven bars ahead of the Paris Olympics that will be the American's sixth move named after her, and the first on bars, if she can successfully complete it. The new skill is a clear hip circle forward with 1.5 turns to handstand, a variation of an element named for Canadian Wilhelm Weiler that Biles has performed for much of her career, the International Gymnastics Federation said. FIG's technical committee awarded it a difficulty value of E on a scale from A to J, meaning it is worth 0.5 in difficulty. USA Gymnastics teased the move on social media Friday. The four-time Olympic champion already has five elements named after her: two vaults -- including the Yurchenko double pike -- two tumbling skills on floor exercise and a dismount on balance beam. She would become the only active gymnast to have an eponymous skill on all four events. Only Nellie Kim, a retired Soviet and Belarusian five-time Olympic gold medalist,...

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley will miss the rest of the season after suffering a "significant injury" during Thursday's practice. Badgley suffered a torn hamstring, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The team will place Badgley on injured reserve and he is expected to have surgery, according to Lions coach Dan Campbell. "We feel awful for Badge," Campbell said. "He worked his tail off to get ready for this season. He was having a good spring and was ready for camp. It's tough." Badgley converted all seven of his field goal attempts in the 2023 regular season and postseason and was re-signed by Detroit in February. He is 56-of-58 (96.6%) on field goal attempts inside of 40 yards throughout his career and was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13 of the 2022 season. The Lions will now look to rely on Jake Bates, the former UFL kicker who was signed to a two-year contract in the offseason. Detroit has already...

France's high-speed rail network was hit Friday with widespread and "criminal" acts of vandalism including arson attacks, paralyzing travel to Paris from across the rest of France and Europe only hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympics. French officials condemned the attacks as "criminal actions," although they said there was no sign of a direct link to the Games. Prosecutors in Paris opened a national investigation, saying the crimes could carry sentences of 10 to 20 years. There were no known reports of injuries. As Paris authorities geared up for a spectacular parade on and along the River Seine, three fires were reported near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantique, Nord and Est, causing disruptions that affected hundreds of thousands of travelers. Among them were two German athletes in showjumping who were on a train to Paris to take part in the opening ceremony but had to turn back in Belgium because of the closures and will now miss the...

Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker said new information from Soccer Canada showed suspended women's coach Bev Priestman was likely aware of the drone use that has caused a scandal at the Paris Olympics. The COC removed Priestman on Thursday after her suspension by Canada Soccer. The decision followed complaints from New Zealand that Canada flew drones over two of their training sessions before the two sides met in their opening Olympic fixture, which Canada won 2-1. Assistant Andy Spence will coach Canada for the remainder of the Games. Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said he would not consider removing the Canadian team from the tournament.  "I feel frustrated about the distraction it has created but I have not considered withdrawal of the team," he said during a Friday news conference. "Primarily because we feel like we have addressed the situation swiftly and significantly. ... The players have not themselves engaged in...

Snoop Dogg, 52, has been a hit musician, reality TV star and even Olympics broadcaster. On Friday, he added Paris 2024 torchbearer to that list. He carried the Olympic flame in an area next to the Stade de France stadium in the northern Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis. His part of the relay -- the penultimate leg before Friday night's opening ceremony -- went off without a hitch. The same can't be said for France's railway network Friday morning, which has been hit with major disruption ahead of the opening ceremony. Vandals targeted France's high-speed TGV network with a series of coordinated actions. The state-owned railway operator said arsonists had targeted installations along the lines connecting Paris with cities such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the west and Strasbourg in the east.

The city will host the 2034 Winter Olympics after a major concession.

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Vandals targeted France's high-speed TGV network with a series of coordinated actions that brought major disruption to some of the country's busiest rail lines ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday. The state-owned railway operator said arsonists had targeted installations along the lines connecting Paris with cities such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in west and Strasbourg in the east. It urged all travellers to postpone their journeys. Repairs were underway but traffic would be severely disrupted until at least the end of the weekend. Trains were being sent back to their points of departure. "Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations," the SNCF said in a statement. The coordinated strikes on the rail network will feed into a sense of apprehension ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony in the heart of Paris later on...

The Seattle Mariners, starving for offense and in desperate need of a spark, have acquired All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays, the teams announced Thursday night. Two lower-level minor leaguers, outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins, will go to the Rays in the trade, as will a player to be named later. Arozarena is in the midst of a down year, batting .211/.318/.394 with 15 home runs and 16 stolen bases in his first 100 games. But he was arguably the most coveted outfielder in this year's trade market for his dynamic abilities and propensity for elevating his play on the biggest stages, most notably during the 2020 American League Championship Series and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The Mariners are hoping Arozarena can bring a jolt to a team that has lost eight of its past nine games and has seen a once-sizable lead in the AL West slip away. The Mariners held a 10-game cushion on June 18 but now are a game...

The Seattle Mariners, starving for offense and in desperate need of a spark, have acquired All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays, the teams announced Thursday night. Two lower-level minor leaguers, outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins, will go to the Rays in the trade, as will a player to be named later. Arozarena is in the midst of a down year, batting .211/.318/.394 with 15 home runs and 16 stolen bases in his first 100 games. But he was arguably the most coveted outfielder in this year's trade market for his dynamic abilities and his propensity for elevating his play on the biggest stages, most notably during the 2020 American League Championship Series and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The Mariners are hoping Arozarena can bring a jolt to a team that has lost eight of its past nine games and has seen a once-sizable lead in the AL West slip away. The Mariners held a 10-game cushion on June 18 but now are a game...

The Seattle Mariners are finalizing a trade to acquire outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays, a source told ESPN on Thursday night, confirming multiple reports. The Rays will receive minor league outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins and a player to be named, according to sources. Arozarena, the AL Rookie of the Year in 2021, joins a Mariners team that lost star outfielder Julio Rodriguez and shortstop J.P. Crawford to the injured list earlier this week. After leading the AL West by 10 games, Seattle has gone 9-20 since June 19 and sits one game behind the first-place  Houston Astros. Arozarena is batting just .213 this season but has 15 homers. Smith, a 20-year-old outfielder taken in the fourth round of the MLB draft last year, was hitting .284 with nine home runs, 42 RBIs, 63 runs scored and 28 steals this season for Single-A Modesto. The 22-year-old Hopkins, a sixth-round pick last year, also was...

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins on Thursday night, the first major trade of a deadline season that has been slow because of a lack of teams unloading players. Miami, one of the few teams expected to be busy subtracting from its major league roster before the July 30 trade deadline, received slugging infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar in the trade. Puk, 29, began the season in the Marlins rotation as they tried to transition him back to a starting pitcher after two excellent years in the bullpen. He returned to a relief role in mid-May and has been one of the most effective pitchers in baseball since, posting a 2.08 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings and an opponent slash line of .159/.204/.252. Arizona, the defending National League champion, is 53-50 and one game back of the third wild-card spot. The Diamondbacks' bullpen in particular has struggled,...

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins on Thursday night, the first major trade of a deadline season that has been slow because of a lack of teams unloading players. Miami, one of the few teams expected to be busy subtracting from its major league roster before the July 30 trade deadline, will receive slugging infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar in the trade. Puk, 29, began the season in the Marlins rotation as they tried to transition him back to a starting pitcher after two excellent years in the bullpen. He returned to a relief role in mid-May and has been one of the most effective pitchers in baseball since, posting a 2.08 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings and an opponent slash line of .159/.204/.252. Arizona, the defending National League champion, is 53-50 and one game back of the third wild-card spot. The Diamondbacks' bullpen in particular has...

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins on Thursday night, the first major trade of a deadline season that has been slow because of a lack of teams unloading players, sources told ESPN. Miami, one of the few teams expected to be busy subtracting from its major league roster before the July 30 trade deadline, will receive slugging infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar in the trade, sources said. Puk, 29, began the season in the Marlins rotation as they tried to transition him back to a starting pitcher after two excellent years in the bullpen. He returned to a relief role in mid-May and has been one of the most effective pitchers in baseball since, posting a 2.08 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings and an opponent slash line of .159/.204/.252. Arizona, the defending National League champion, is 53-50 and one game back of the third wild-card spot. The Diamondbacks'...

LOS ANGELES -- Anticipation consumed the better part of his past eight months, and excitement colored the better part of his past few days. Then, in the third inning of his first start back at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, Clayton Kershaw encountered a sobering reality: two runs on the scoreboard, two runners on base, nobody out. It triggered a familiar feeling: survival. "There's some part of it," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "where you just default to having gone through that -- and it's not about your first start back, it's not about how you feel. It's about getting an out and getting out of that inning and minimizing damage. People that have been in those kinds of battles have that to fall back on. That was his only thought in that moment." Kershaw came back to record three consecutive strikeouts, limiting damage, setting the stage for another Dodgers victory -- this one by a 6-4 score over the division rival San Francisco Giants -- and...

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- The Las Vegas Raiders have made a habit of late of poking the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won three of the past five Super Bowls, including in February at Allegiant Stadium. That continued Thursday in a since-deleted viral video that involved Kermit the Frog and made a jab at Patrick Mahomes. Raiders fan Josh Jacopetti dressed up a Kermit doll to look like the Chiefs quarterback -- whose voice has been compared to that of the Sesame Street star -- and brought it to the Raiders' training camp practice. And while players went through an autograph line, Kermit was passed to rookie safety Trey Taylor, who put the green guy on his hand and had a laugh. A Raiders fan took video of what happened and posted it on social media.  The Chiefs and their fans took notice. Mahomes' athletic trainer simply wrote on X: "We will remember." The fan, who wanted to be known as Andrew Q, said he was sorry for posting the video and...

Canada's women's national team head coach Bev Priestman has been removed from the country's Olympic soccer team over a scandal involving the use of drones to spy on opponents' practice, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC)  announced Thursday. The COC said it made the decision after Canada Soccer decided to suspend Priestman for the remainder of the tournament. The episode began earlier this week when Canada's opening opponent,  New Zealand, complained to the International Olympic Committee's integrity unit after it said drones were flown over closed practice sessions. "The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team Head Coach Bev Priestman from the Canadian Olympic Team due to her suspension by Canada Soccer," the COC statement read. "Assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the Women's National Soccer Team for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games." The announcement followed a report from TSN that Canada's...

EAGAN, Minn. -- Dallas Turner suddenly stopped Thursday as he walked onto the Minnesota Vikings' practice field. The rookie linebacker turned and  kneeled at one of the memorials the team has set up for Khyree Jackson, a fourth-round pick who was killed in a car crash earlier this month. Turner, who played two seasons with Jackson at Alabama before the pair were reunited in the Vikings' 2024 draft class, spent more than a minute in solitude before rising and joining his teammates. Speaking to reporters for the first time since Jackson's death, Turner said: "I talk to him all the time ... and get the chills every single time I talk to him. So I know he's watching over me." Turner had the most personal history with Jackson among Vikings players, coaches and staff. He has placed Jackson's nameplate above his own in the Vikings locker room -- "As long as I'm alive," he said, "I'll rep his name." -- and will attend Jackson's funeral on Friday along with...

CINCINNATI -- Bengals three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase did not practice for the second straight day, although coach Zac Taylor stressed on Thursday his absence was part of an agreed-upon plan "in place" between himself and Chase. Taylor, speaking after practice, declined to specify when Chase will be available to practice. Taylor confirmed that Chase is healthy, which then raises the question on whether Chase is in the midst of a "hold-in" amid his desire for a contract extension on his rookie deal. When asked if it was contract-related, Taylor referred to Chase's absence as being part of the staff's plan. Taylor also gave a similar answer regarding any potential concern that this could be an extended absence for Chase, who was wearing a ballcap instead of a helmet Thursday while observing the team as it continued its first week of training camp. "I've got clear communication with all these guys," Taylor said, while adding that Chase's specific...

CINCINNATI -- Bengals three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase did not practice for the second straight day, although coach Zac Taylor stressed on Thursday his absence was part of an agreed-upon plan "in place" between himself and Chase. Taylor, speaking after practice, declined to specify when Chase will be available to practice. Taylor confirmed that Chase is healthy, which then raises the question on whether Chase is in the midst of a "hold-in" amid his desire for a contract extension on his rookie deal. When asked if it was contract related, Taylor referred to Chase's absence as being part of the staff's plan. Taylor also gave a similar answer regarding any potential concern that this could be an extended absence for Chase, who was wearing a ballcap instead of a helmet Thursday as he observed the team as it continued its first week of training camp. "I've got clear communication with all these guys," said Taylor, while adding that Chase's specific...

The subject of trade rumors as Tuesday's deadline approaches, Oakland Athletics All-Star right-handed closer Mason Miller landed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a fracture of his left pinky finger. The move is retroactive to Tuesday. To fill Miller's spot on the 40-man roster, the A's activated right-hander Ross Stripling (elbow) to start Thursday night's series opener against the host Los Angeles Angels. Per MLB.com, Miller broke the finger while preparing to exercise in the trainers room inside the A's clubhouse after Monday's win over the Houston Astros. The rookie placed his left hand on the training table in an awkward position, causing the injury. Miller had sealed the 4-0 victory with an 11-pitch, 1-2-3 ninth inning. However, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Miller was apparently frustrated about something after the game and pounded his left hand on a table. Miller, 25, has five years of team control remaining after this...

NICE, France -- Trinity Rodman was nervous on the bus ride into the stadium Thursday night. It was her first Olympic game for the United States women's national team, and Rodman knew she needed to get touches on the ball before she'd really feel comfortable. Turns out, that wasn't a problem. Rodman's dazzling spin move -- she proudly called it a "Trin Spin" -- led to a gorgeous goal early in the first half and stood as the highlight of a 3-0 victory over Zambia that wasn't nearly as close as the scoreline might indicate. Mallory Swanson scored the other two goals for the Americans just over a minute apart to give new coach Emma Hayes a straightforward win in her major tournament debut, but Rodman's turn on defender Martha Tembo was the standout moment that made the small but spirited crowd at the Allianz Riviera take notice. Taking a pass from Lindsey Horan in the 17th minute, Rodman whirled around in an instant before calmly finishing...