Sports News

Antonio Inoki, a combat sports trailblazer, influential politician and larger-than-life figure in his native Japan, died Friday at the age of 79. The announcement was made by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the promotion he founded. The cause of Inoki's death was not released, but he had fallen ill in recent years and was relegated to a wheelchair. Inoki retired from politics in 2019. Though he touched many parts of Japanese culture in his lifetime and became one of the most famous people in the country, Inoki was most known for his work in combat sports as a pro wrestler, promoter and fighter -- most notably, his bout with Muhammad Ali. Inoki was the most important professional wrestler in the history of Japan, selling out countless arenas and stadiums from the 1970s and on. He was also the first Japanese wrestler to win the WWF championship (though the reign is not currently recognized by WWE) and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. On June 26, 1976, Inoki fought Ali in...

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit his 701st home run, connecting Friday night in a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pujols launched a slider from former teammate Johan Oviedo over the Big Mac Land sign in left field at Busch Stadium, his 22nd homer of the season. The solo drive in the fourth inning made it 1-all. Pujols faced Oviedo for the first time and made the 24-year-old righty the 456th different pitcher he has homered against. "It was a good pitch to hit and I just put the best swing on the night on it,'' Pujols said. "That was it. A 1-2 count, just not trying to do too much.'' The St. Louis star hadn't homered in a week since hitting No. 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium last Friday. Pujols had gone 10 at-bats without a home run after two starts and one pinch-hit appearance. The Busch Stadium crowd gave the 42-year-old Pujols a long standing ovation before he came out of the Cardinals dugout to tip his cap...

Quarterback Arch Manning broke his high school's records for career passing yards and touchdowns on Friday, marks previously held by his uncles, Eli and Peyton Manning. Coming into Friday's game, Arch Manning was 110 yards away from breaking Eli's career passing record at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Arch broke that mark, along with Peyton's record of 93 career touchdowns after tossing five in the first half.  Manning is the No. 2 prospect in the 2023 class and the No. 2 quarterback behind Malachi Nelson, a USC commit. He's a 6-foot-3, 204-pound recruit who is the son of Cooper Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning. His recruitment was widely covered and highly anticipated given his lineage. After taking visits and considering schools, including Georgia, Clemson, Ole Miss and others, Manning committed to Texas.

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans because of a hamstring injury. Center Corey Linsley, with a knee issue, and tight end Donald Parham Jr., also with a hamstring injury, are questionable. Cornerback J.C. Jackson, who has been dealing with an ankle issue, and quarterback Justin Herbert, who has fractured rib cartilage, will play. The Chargers are 1-2 and have been dealing with a host of injury issues, which included placing left tackle Rashawn Slater and edge rusher Joey Bosa on injured reserve earlier this week. Allen suffered the hamstring injury in Week 1 and has not played since. Earlier in the week, coach Brandon Staley expressed growing confidence that Allen might be able to return against the Texans. However, on Friday, Staley said that Allen "kind of felt something" during individual drills at...

The independent law firm probe into Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka found that he used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman, an element that significantly factored into the severity of his one-year suspension, sources told ESPN.  Those investigative findings -- which described verbiage on Udoka's part that was deemed especially concerning coming from a workplace superior -- contribute to what is likely a difficult pathway back to his reinstatement as Celtics coach in 2023, sources told ESPN. The power dynamic associated with a superior's improper relationship with a staff member was the primary finding and policy violation cited in the law firm's report, which was commissioned by the Celtics and completed early last week, sources said. At a news conference last week, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said the suspension -- which extends through June 30, 2023 -- was a product of...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Despite a surprise appearance at the start of practice Friday, New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones will not play in Sunday's road game against the Green Bay Packers, the team announced. Jones has what doctors diagnosed as a severe high ankle sprain that would cause many to have surgery and is likely to miss multiple games, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones suffered the injury in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens when 6-foot-8, 307-pound defensive lineman Calais Campbell landed on him. Veteran Brian Hoyer, now in his 14th NFL season, will start in Jones' place. Coach Bill Belichick repeated multiple times earlier this week that the Patriots were taking it "day by day" with Jones. Earlier Friday, when asked what he would need to see from Jones for him to play, Belichick added: "That will be a decision made by the medical people, in consultation with Mac, of course." Belichick said there are...

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers because of his left ankle injury. Jones was ruled out after making a surprise return to the practice field Friday. His injured ankle was wrapped tightly as he moved gingerly during the brief portion of the workout open to media, and he was officially listed as not practicing by the Patriots. Veteran backup Brian Hoyer had been designated by coach Bill Belichick as the starter against Green Bay if Jones couldn't play. Before practice, Belichick said the Patriots were still in a wait-and-see mode regarding Jones' potential availability. "Ultimately, that will be a decision made by the medical people, in consultation with Mac, of course," Belichick said. "He's no different than any other player. I mean he is, but I'm just saying the process is the same. Medical evaluation, talk to the player, and as a coach you, at whatever point, get the information...

MIAMI -- Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has combed through the events leading up to Tua Tagovailoa's injury Thursday night several times -- right down to his own play call. But he's not second-guessing how the team handled Tagovailoa throughout the week. Tagovailoa was taken to a hospital Thursday after hitting his head on the turf while being sacked by Cincinnati Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou in the second quarter. He remained on the turf for roughly 12 minutes before he was carted off the field on a stretcher and eventually taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with a concussion and neck injury. He was diagnosed with a concussion and is in the protocol with no timetable for a return, according to the Dolphins. Tagovailoa took to Twitter to thank everyone for their support and said he's "feeling much better." The injury occurred four days after a similar incident during Miami's game Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, in...

BEREA, Ohio -- Myles Garrett said that he's "definitely grateful" to be alive after his single-car crash Monday and that he's "recovering pretty quickly" from the left shoulder and right biceps injuries he suffered in the accident. "Definitely grateful to be here," the star Cleveland Browns pass-rusher said Friday. "With what I saw right after ... the pictures. "It was a helluva event." Garrett hasn't practiced since the crash, but he was listed as questionable for Cleveland's game Sunday at the Atlanta Falcons. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said after Friday's practice that the team will see how Garrett responds to treatment over the next two days before deciding on whether he'll play. Speaking for the first time since the crash, Garrett said the decision to play will be up to the training staff and coaches, but he added that he "would love to go" if it were up to him. "That's just my competitive spirit and my nature," Garrett said. "Physically, we have...

The Errol Spence Jr.-Terence Crawford undisputed welterweight championship fight is in jeopardy because of a lingering dispute regarding the contract, sources told ESPN. If the pay-per-view fight set for Las Vegas is finalized, it won't take place on the targeted date of Nov. 19 but rather in December or even January, sources said. Spence and Crawford had agreed to terms, with Crawford set to earn the short end of the financial split, ESPN reported earlier this month. The issue: Crawford wants transparency related to event expenses since the contract contains no guaranteed purse, sources said. Since Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) will earn a percentage of the net revenue, he wants the ability to approve expenses, sources said. Crawford is a promotional free agent after parting ways with Top Rank, but sources said the proposed deal includes a bilateral rematch clause. If the rematch clause is triggered, the winner will earn the majority of the revenue for the return bout,...

Minnesota Vikings tailback Dalvin Cook has been cleared to play Sunday in London against the New Orleans Saints, coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Friday. Cook suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder in the third quarter of the Vikings' 28-24 victory in Week 3 over the Detroit Lions. He sat out the rest of the game and also missed the team's practice Wednesday. But he returned to practice Thursday, traveled with the Vikings to London and participated fully in Friday's practice there. Cook has a history of shoulder injuries. If he should suffer a setback, the Vikings would turn to backup Alexander Mattison, who rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown on seven carries against the Lions.

The Boston Celtics agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed contract with veteran forward Blake Griffin on Friday, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Griffin will provide Boston with some depth in the frontcourt after forward Danilo Gallinari tore an ACL last month playing for Italy in FIBA World Cup qualifying, and after starting center Robert Williams III had knee surgery last week that will keep him out of basketball activities for the next eight to 12 weeks. Including Griffin, the Celtics now have 11 fully guaranteed contracts on their roster, though that number does not include Al Horford's mostly guaranteed deal. Boston entered training camp with several players -- including NBA veteran forwards Noah Vonleh, Denzel Valentine, Justin Jackson and Jake Layman -- competing for roster spots at the back end of the roster, while center Luke Kornet is also expected to make the team. Griffin, 33, has...

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions could be missing two key offensive players Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, as wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has been ruled out and running back D'Andre Swift is considered unlikely to play, according to coach Dan Campbell. St. Brown suffered a sprained ankle during Detroit's Week 3 loss at Minnesota, while Swift is battling an ankle injury and aggravated a shoulder sprain. Both players missed practice all week. "Listen, man. That's what it's all about. It's next man up. We've still got [T.J. Hockenson], we've got [DJ] Chark, we've got [ Kalif Raymond], we've got [Quintez] Cephus, we've got Jamaal [Williams]," Campbell said. "And we've got this O-line and a quarterback that can throw it, so we feel good." St. Brown leads the Lions in receiving yards (253) and touchdowns (3) this season while continuing a streak of nine straight games with at least six...

Junior welterweight Luis Quinones died Thursday night, five days after being hospitalized following a knockout loss to Jose Munoz at Coliseo Elias Chegwin in Barranquilla, Colombia. He was 25. Quinones' brother, Leonardo Quinones, confirmed his passing on Facebook. "You went ahead of us my loving brother, now you are with your heavenly father, whom you adored and served, I love you my brother Luis Quinones, forever and ever in our hearts," Leonardo Quinones wrote. Cuadrilatero Boxing, the fight promoter, released a statement on social media saying: "Cuadrilatero Boxing is deeply saddened by the death of Luis Quinones, an exceptional and disciplined human being, who always showed the greatest commitment to this sport. Luis was passionate about boxing, so much so that he left his hometown of Barrancabermeja to continue his career in Barranquilla and become a national athlete. His idol was Julio Cesar Chavez." Quinones was declared brain-dead on Thursday, but he was still connected...

LONDON -- New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston is doubtful to play in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings in London. If Winston can't go, backup quarterback Andy Dalton would replace him, marking the third time Dalton would start a game in London -- including a 27-27 tie against Washington and current Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2016 -- and his first regular-season start for the Saints. "I think it's doubtful that Jameis plays in the game, so our plan right now is to have Andy ready to go," Saints coach Dennis Allen said Friday. "We'll see how things go overnight, but Andy will be ready to go if that's the direction that we go." Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has been ruled out after missing the practice week with a foot injury that he suffered against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (ankle), who was also injured in that game, is questionable to play,...

Marcus Dupree, who rose to fame in Mississippi and beyond after a brief but impressive football career that became the subject of an ESPN documentary, is speaking out about his alleged role in a sprawling welfare fraud case that has also entangled Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre and dozens of others. A lawsuit filed in May by the Mississippi Department of Human Services alleges Dupree was illegally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal welfare money that was intended for the state's neediest families. On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN. "I don't appreciate being lumped into something like I took money," Dupree said. "I worked too hard on my reputation to do the right thing and be the right person, and I don't like what's going on." Dupree, 58, grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his highlight-reel-worthy performances as a high school running back made him the most sought-after football recruit in the country. Dupree was a...

SAITAMA, Japan -- Klay Thompson will not play in either of the Golden State Warriors' preseason games in Japan, coach Steve Kerr announced. Kerr said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution as the Warriors go through a condensed training camp. "Just feel more comfortable giving him a little more of a ramp up," Kerr said ahead of the Warriors' 96-87 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday. "He's just not quite ready to play at this point just based on where, you know, we're so early in camp. We just want to be safe and make sure he gets a good ramp up before he plays in games." The Warriors held just three practices in San Francisco before boarding the 11-hour flight to Japan last Wednesday. "Just coming off the two years with the injuries, this is really unique to play a game after 3½ practices so we're just being cautious and trying to do the smart thing," Kerr said. Thompson was under a strict game restriction last season -- starting...

SAITAMA, Japan -- Klay Thompson will not play in either of the Golden State Warriors' preseason games in Japan, head coach Steve Kerr announced. Kerr said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution as the Warriors go through a condensed training camp. "Just feel more comfortable giving him a little more of a ramp up," Kerr said ahead of the Warriors' 96-87 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday. "He's just not quite ready to play at this point just based on where, you know, we're so early in camp. We just want to be safe and make sure he gets a good ramp up before he plays in games." The Warriors held just three practices in San Francisco, before boarding the 11-hour flight to Japan last Wednesday. "Just coming off the two years with the injuries, this is really unique to play a game after 3 1/2 practices so we're just being cautious and trying to do the smart thing," Kerr said. Thompson was under a strict game restriction last season --...

CINCINNATI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital and later released after suffering head and neck injuries on a second-quarter sack in Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins said shortly before halftime that he was conscious and had movement in all his extremities at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A source confirmed to ESPN that Tagovailoa was later released from the hospital and flew back with the team to South Florida. Tagovailoa was in "good spirits" upon returning to his home in South Florida on Friday, a source told ESPN. Initial tests showed no structural damage, another source confirmed to ESPN, and Tagovailoa, who wore a neck brace as a precaution, will have an MRI.  Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground when he was sacked by Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou, and his arms appeared to seize up almost immediately. He remained on the field...

CINCINNATI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital and later released after suffering head and neck injuries on a second-quarter sack in Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins said shortly before halftime that he was conscious and had movement in all his extremities at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A source confirmed to ESPN that Tagovailoa was later released from the hospital and flew back with the team to South Florida. Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground when he was sacked by Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou, and his arms appeared to seize up almost immediately. He remained on the field for roughly 10 minutes before he was loaded onto a stretcher and taken away. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa called for him when he went down. "I could tell it wasn't the same guy that I was used to seeing," McDaniel said. "It was a scary moment....

American soccer legend Abby Wambach told ESPN that she intends to fully divest herself from a concussion drug company that is backed by Brett Favre and is at the center of a Mississippi welfare fraud case. Wambach, a World Cup winner and two-time gold medalist who is in the National Soccer Hall of Fame, was a member of the sports advisory board for Odyssey Health, a drug company that has said it is developing a nasal spray designed to treat concussions. Odyssey Health's top investor is Favre. According to a lawsuit filed by the state of Mississippi, $2.1 million that was supposed to go to welfare recipients was instead directed to Odyssey Health. The company, previously known as Prevacus, was linked to the fraud case when arrests were first made in February 2020, with many of the case's details reported by nonprofit news organization Mississippi Today. In an email to ESPN on Thursday, Wambach indicated it wasn't until she was contacted earlier in the day that she first became...

SYDNEY -- Team USA wasn't pleased with how it played at times in its 33-point win Thursday over a gritty Serbia squad in the 2022 FIBA World Cup quarterfinals, no matter the final score. But in Friday's semifinal, the Americans didn't leave any ambiguity about how strong they're looking in their quest to earn their fourth consecutive World Cup championship, demolishing Canada 83-43 to advance to the gold-medal game Saturday at 2 a.m. ET. They'll play China -- which beat Australia in the other semifinal 61-59 -- in a rematch of their group stage meeting, which the U.S. won by 14. Top-ranked USA scored the first 15 points of Friday's game and never looked back, holding Canada -- the No. 4 team in the FIBA world rankings -- to a seven-point first quarter and an eight-point third period, as well as 22% shooting from the field. The United States has now won 29 consecutive World Cup games, dating back to the bronze-medal match in 2006. Team USA has dropped just one game in a major...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- John "Jack" Zilly, who played on two national championship football teams for Notre Dame in the 1940s, has died. He was 88. The school said Saturday that Zilly died Friday in Narragansett, R.I. Zilly was a right end on Notre Dame's 1943 championship team. He then joined the Navy and served two years in the Pacific during World War II. He returned to school and celebrated another national title in 1946. Zilly was a sixth-round draft pick by San Francisco of the All-American Football Conference. He wound up playing for the Los Angeles Rams from 1947-51 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952. Zilly joined the Montana State coaching staff in 1955 and spent three years coaching ends at Notre Dame from 1956-58.

ANAHEIM, Calif. --  Shohei Ohtani has provided Angels fans with plenty of highlights this season. He almost topped them all Thursday night. Ohtani, the Angels' two-way phenom and the reigning AL MVP, pitched no-hit ball into the eighth inning and extended his hitting streak to 14 games as Los Angeles pushed its winning streak to four with a 4-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics. "Every time he takes the mound, you can anticipate something special happening," Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said. "He had everything working. When he got through the seventh, I thought it was going to happen. Unfortunately, we'll wait until next time." Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara that he was surprised he got through eight innings. He said he wasn't happy with his fastball and went with more breaking balls than normal. "To be honest, the velocity on my fastball wasn't as fast as normal," he said. "But my slider was doing its thing and was working. I'm...

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani took a no-hitter into the eighth inning Thursday night in a 4-2 win against the Oakland Athletics before Conner Capel singled with two outs to break it up. Capel hit a sharp grounder that deflected off sliding shortstop Livan Soto's glove and into left-center field. Even if Soto had been able to field it, he would have had trouble throwing out Capel. Dermis Garcia followed with a clean single to left before Ohtani retired Shea Langeliers on a grounder to third to end the inning. The Angels lead 4-0. Ohtani also extended his hitting streak to a career-best 14 games with an RBI single in the first. It is the longest current streak in the majors. The right-hander issued a leadoff walk to Tony Kemp before retiring the next 22 batters in order. After walking Kemp, Ohtani struck out Vimael Machin and got Sean Murphy to ground into a double...

CINCINNATI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital with head and neck injuries suffered on a second-quarter sack in Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins said shortly before halftime that he was conscious and had movement in all his extremities at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A source confirmed to ESPN that Tagovailoa was later released from the hospital and flew back with the team to Soufh Florida. Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground when he was sacked by Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou, and his arms appeared to seize up almost immediately. He remained on the field for roughly 10 minutes before he was loaded onto a stretcher and taken away. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa called for him when he went down. "I could tell it wasn't the same guy that I was used to seeing," McDaniel said. "It was a scary moment. He was evaluated for a...

The New York Mets are calling up top prospect Francisco Alvarez for this weekend's pivotal three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, according to multiple reports Thursday. Alvarez, a 20-year-old catcher, was ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in ESPN's midseason list published in August.  Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2018, Alvarez has had a meteoric rise through the Mets' minor league system over the past two years. He slashed .260/.374/.511 with 27 home runs this season while splitting time between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.  While he missed three weeks in August with a right ankle injury, he finished the minor league season by hitting .371 with a 1.107 OPS and three home runs in his final 35 at bats for Syracuse. A right-handed hitter, Alvarez could help the Mets at DH, especially against left-handers, against whom he hit .315 with a 1.019 OPS this season.  New York has received little...

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar was found dead Wednesday in an apparent rock climbing accident near Idyllwild, California. He was 31. The Riverside County sheriff's coroner's office on Thursday identified Escobar along with one other climber, 33-year-old Chelsea Walsh. Firefighters found them dead after a climbing accident involving two people was reported around noon Wednesday near Tahquitz Rock in the San Bernardino National Forest. Officials indicated Escobar and Walsh died at the scene while climbing a "rock face." A small amount of rain fell in the area earlier in the day, but officials didn't immediately say if weather was a factor in the deaths. Escobar was the Cowboys' second-round pick in 2013 and spent three seasons with them. He also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins. He last played in the NFL in 2018, finishing his career with 30 catches and eight...

The Houston Rockets are acquiring center Derrick Favors and a 2025 second-round draft pick in an eight-player trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN on Thursday night. The Thunder will acquire two draft exceptions and save $1 million in salary in a deal that sends Favors, guards Ty Jerome and  Theo Maledon and forward Moe Harkless to the Rockets for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss, sources said. The Thunder are sending a 2025 second-round pick acquired this week in another trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sources said. The deal drops the Thunder approximately $10 million under the luxury tax threshold. After the trade, both the Thunder and Rockets have 18 guaranteed contracts on their respective rosters and will need to pare them down to 15 by Oct. 17. Harkless, who was acquired in the trade with Atlanta, can be moved again because he was absorbed...

Tennessee All-SEC receiver Cedric Tillman underwent "tightrope" surgery on his left ankle early last week with the hopes of not being out an extended period of time, sources told ESPN. Tillman missed the Vols' matchup against Florida this past weekend after suffering a high ankle sprain in the team's 63-6 win over Akron in Week 3. He had 17 catches for 246 yards in his first three games. The No. 8 Vols are off this week. They visit LSU on Oct. 8, and then host Alabama on Oct. 15. Coach Josh Heupel was not asked specifically if Tillman had surgery when he spoke to the media Wednesday. "Obviously, we're a long way away from game time," Heupel said of the fifth-year senior's status for the LSU game. "We're hopeful that he will continue to make progress and be available when we go down there." The tightrope surgery is the same procedure quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had twice while at Alabama. It uses a high strength suture (surgical thread) instead of traditional metal...

CHARLESTON, S.C. --  Joel Embiid is an American citizen. Born in Cameroon, Embiid said Thursday he was sworn in as a citizen two weeks ago in Philadelphia. The NBA scoring champion and Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center said his family -- Embiid and his Brazilian girlfriend, Anne de Paula, have a 2-year-old son -- played a pivotal role in his decision. "I've been here for a long time," Embiid told The Associated Press at Sixers training camp at The Citadel. "My son is American. I felt like, I'm living here and it's a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?" Embiid, 28, graduated from a Florida high school and played a season in college at  Kansas before the 76ers drafted him No. 3 overall in 2014. The natural question raised is, which country could Embiid potentially represent in international basketball? Embiid defused speculation and said it was way too early to think about the Olympics or other international tournaments. "I just want to be...

East Rutherford, N.J. -- The rookie-year version of New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has returned. He can see it when he watches film of himself from the first three weeks of this season. Barkley is second in the NFL with 317 yards rushing and two touchdowns on a healthy 6.0 yards per carry. "Yeah, not to be arrogant, but when you see plays like when I went back and watched film on the touchdown run I had on Monday, making that jump cut inside a hole, making those two guys miss and finding a way to score, those are plays where it just puts a smile on your face when you're like, 'That is the guy I know,'" Barkley said on Thursday of his 36-yard touchdown run against the Cowboys.   Barkley was named Offensive Rookie of the Year after compiling over 2,000 total yards in 2018. But he has struggled to stay healthy since. He was limited the past three seasons by ankle injuries and a torn ACL in his right knee. Even when Barkley played last year (13...

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is confident that "anything's possible," for new teammate Ben Simmons now that the talented swingman has "peace around him" in his basketball life. Irving, like coach Steve Nash, is confident that Simmons will be able to fit in quickly to the framework of the team. "That level of talent, and IQ and motivation and drive -- anything's possible," Irving said. "He has that 'it' inside of him so now we just have to slowly develop him where he knows that he can just go out there and be himself. We want him to be his highest potential of himself As a player, be able to accomplish things out on the floor that he wasn't able to do the last few years. And just have some fun being at peace around him. "Having a point guard 6-10, 6-11, I'm also a point guard, lead guard, whatever you want to call my position. It's good to get off the ball and have him get up and down the floor. It's going to take time obviously for...

The NCAA placed Air Force's football program on probation for two years Thursday and issued other penalties for recruiting violations committed during COVID-19 dead periods. The NCAA said the Air Force Academy and four individuals involved in the alleged violations reached an agreement with enforcement staff about penalties. A fifth unnamed individual is fighting the allegations, and his case will be resolved through an infractions hearing. The Action Network, citing sources, reported in May that the Falcons were being investigated for hosting high school prospects on campus during dead periods in 2020 and providing them with improper benefits. Former Falcons defensive line coach Bill Sheridan was one of the coaches involved in the investigation, according to the Action Network. Sheridan, who coached the defensive line at Air Force, resigned as Wisconsin's inside linebackers coach on May 13. According to the NCAA, Air Force and the four individuals who didn't...

Sunday night's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will continue to be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa as originally scheduled, the NFL announced Thursday. The NFL had selected U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as a contingency site for the game after the Bucs had evacuated the area because of Hurricane Ian. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the many thousands in the Southwest Florida region who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Ian," the Bucs said in a statement Thursday. "We are also very thankful that the Tampa Bay area was spared the most damaging consequences of this powerful storm. "We have informed the NFL, after consulting with local and state agencies, that we are ready to play Sunday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium as originally scheduled." The Bucs also expressed gratitude to first responders and emergency personnel "who are already battling the elements,...

NEW YORK -- — Use of pitch clocks cut the average time of minor league games by 25 minutes this year, a reduction Major League Baseball hopes is replicated when the devices are installed in the big leagues next season. The average time of minor league games dropped to 2 hours, 38 minutes in the season that ended Wednesday, according to the commissioner's office. That was down from 3:03 during the 2021 season. Clocks at Triple-A were set at 14 seconds with no runners on base and 19 with runners. At lower levels, the clocks were at 18 seconds with runners. Big league nine-inning games are averaging 3:04 this season. MLB announced on Sept. 9 that clocks will be introduced in the major leagues next year at 15 seconds with no runners and 20 seconds with runners, a decision opposed by the players' association. Pitchers are penalized a ball for violating the clock. In the minors, violations decreased from an...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has made positive strides throughout the week and is expected to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, a source told ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. Miami's  Terron Armstead, Xavien Howard and Jaylen Waddle are all expected to be available against the Bengals after being listed as questionable, a source confirmed to ESPN. Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion after hitting the back of his head on the ground during the second quarter. He stumbled while trying to jog back to the huddle after the play, prompting the Dolphins to evaluate him for a concussion on the sideline and ultimately in the locker room. Tagovailoa said he passed the league-mandated concussion protocol at halftime and was allowed to return to the game. He was not placed in the concussion protocol. The decision was made Thursday morning that Tagovailoa is...

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was issued a citation for "failure to control his motor vehicle" in the wake of Monday's single car-crash, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a release to ESPN. Garrett also was traveling at an "unsafe speed for the type of roadway" he was on, which contributed to the accident, the highway patrol said. According to the crash report released to ESPN, Garrett was driving 65 mph on a road with a 45 mph speed limit. The star pass rusher suffered a left shoulder sprain and a right biceps strain as well as cuts and bruises after his vehicle went off the side of the road and flipped over. Garrett also complained of pain in his right hand while speaking with officers, according to body cam footage provided to ESPN by the highway patrol. Garrett was at home resting Wednesday but was back at the Browns' training facility Thursday. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods said Garrett wouldn't practice Thursday. Browns...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has made positive strides throughout the week and is expected to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, a source told ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. Miami's  Terron Armstead, Xavien Howard and Jaylen Waddle are all expected to be available against the Bengals after being listed as questionable, a source confirmed to ESPN. Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion after hitting the back of his head on the ground during the second quarter. He stumbled while trying to jog back to the huddle after the play, prompting the Dolphins to evaluate him for a concussion on the sideline and ultimately in the locker room. Tagovailoa said he passed the league-mandated concussion protocol at halftime and was allowed to return to the game. He was not placed in the concussion protocol. The decision was made Thursday morning that Tagovailoa is...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has made positive strides throughout the week and is expected to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, a source told ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. Miami's  Terron Armstead, Xavien Howard and Jaylen Waddle are all expected to be available against the Bengals after being listed as questionable, a source confirmed to ESPN. Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion after hitting the back of his head on the ground during the second quarter. He stumbled while trying to jog back to the huddle after the play, prompting the Dolphins to evaluate him for a concussion on the sideline and ultimately in the locker room. Tagovailoa said he passed the league-mandated concussion protocol at halftime and was allowed to return to the game. He was not placed in the concussion protocol. The decision was made Thursday morning that Tagovailoa is...

The PGA Tour filed a countersuit against LIV Golf on Wednesday, claiming the Saudi Arabian-financed circuit has interfered with existing contracts it had with its members. The counterclaim was filed as part of the PGA Tour's response to LIV Golf's federal antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, in which LIV Golf claims the PGA Tour illegally suspended players for competing in LIV Golf tournaments and is wielding its monopoly power to squash competition. The tour claims that LIV Golf has executed a campaign to pay its players "astronomical sums of money to induce them to breach their contracts with the Tour in an effort to use the LIV Players and the game of golf to sportswash the recent history of Saudi atrocities and to further the Saudi Public Investment Fund's Vision 2030 initiatives." The PGA Tour argued that LIV Golf officials have advised players that their agreements with the PGA Tour are unenforceable, while entering into their own agreements with LIV players that "impose...

Golfer Patrick Reed's attorneys refiled his $750 million defamation lawsuit against the Golf Channel and analyst Brandel Chamblee in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday, while adding other Golf Channel employees and media groups to the complaint. The lawsuit accuses the Golf Channel, Golfweek and its parent company, Gannett, as well as employees Chamblee, Damon Hack, Shane Bacon and Eamon Lynch, of conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and tortious interference. Reed originally filed the lawsuit in federal court in Texas on Aug. 16. The lawsuit alleges the defendants are co-conspirators for their "anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive practices in order to destroy the upstart LIV Golf Tour, Mr. Reed, and fellow LIV Golf players in order to annihilate any competition with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour even if it means violating antitrust laws and going to extreme and scandalous measures to conspire to defame, falsely injure and tortiously...

Rory McIlroy on Wednesday said golf is "ripping itself apart" as tensions between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf continue to divide the sport. McIlroy, a 22-time winner on the PGA Tour, said the divide comes at the detriment of players on both sides. "I don't want a fractured game," McIlroy told reporters Wednesday at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. "I never have. You look at some other sports and what's happened, and the game of golf is ripping itself apart right now. "It's no good for the guys on, you know, this side or the sort of traditional system, and it's no good for the guys on the other side, either. It's no good for anyone. There is a time and a place for it. I just think right now, with where everything is, it's probably not the right time." Things are even starting to heat up in court, as multiple golfers challenged bans they had received from other tours for participating in a LIV event. "I've always said I think there is a time and a place...

Major League Pickleball’s immediate plans will be to expand from 12 to 16 teams.

TORONTO -- New York Yankees star Aaron Judge hit his 61st home run of the season Wednesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, tying Roger Maris' American League record. It took Maris until Oct. 1, the final game of the 1961 season, to hit his 61st, which broke Babe Ruth's single-season mark of 60 home runs set in 1927. Judge did it Sept. 28, in Game No. 155 for New York. A day after the Yankees clinched the American League East title, Judge, batting leadoff as the designated hitter, took Toronto's Tim Mayza deep in the seventh inning with a runner on base. Judge -- who walked in his first at-bat, popped out in his second and grounded out in his third -- had gone seven games without a home run since managing a solo shot during New York's 6-0 homestand. He and the Yankees then headed to Toronto looking to make history at Rogers Centre. He went 1-for-3 with a single in the series opener Monday and walked four times in Tuesday's division clincher,...

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre's charity, Favre 4 Hope, donated more than $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation from 2018 to 2020, according to tax records obtained by ESPN on Wednesday. During this same period, Favre was trying to raise money for a new volleyball stadium at the university, where he played football and his daughter was on the volleyball team. Funds for that stadium are under scrutiny in the largest public fraud case in Mississippi state history. Favre 4 Hope, whose mission statement says it provides support "for disadvantaged and disabled children and breast cancer patients," receives public donations. Tax records show that in 2018, the foundation gave the USM Athletic Foundation $60,000. Every other organization received $10,000. In 2019, the USM Athletic Foundation received $46,817. The next highest donation, to the Special Olympics of Mississippi, was $11,000. The next year, Favre 4 Hope donated $26,175 to the USM...

The UFC has closed off Saturday's UFC Fight Night card at its Apex facility in Las Vegas to the public as well as the media. The company declined to provide a reason for the closure at the time of the announcement earlier this week, but UFC president Dana White said Tuesday that he just wanted to give the media "a night off." However, women's strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern, who is fighting in Saturday's main event, told reporters Wednesday that the reason behind the closure is Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg. Speaking at a media day Wednesday in Las Vegas, Dern (12-2), who is scheduled to face China's Yan Xiaonan (15-3), provided her understanding that the closure is linked to Zuckerberg. "I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event," Dern said. "I know he'll be there, but I don't know if it's literally him, his wife or if he'll have friends -- some type of party. But from someone who wanted a main event with a crowd, [it's now] going to...

"She broke ground and shattered expectations."

Texas A&M beat Oklahoma on the recruiting trail on Wednesday when ESPN 300 defensive lineman  David Hicks chose the Aggies over the Sooners. Hicks is the No. 17 prospect overall and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman from Katy, Texas, had originally cut his list to Alabama, Miami, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M before committing. Ultimately, the Aggies came out on top and are adding one of the more highly sought defensive prospects in the class. "They have a really great coaching staff and I have a really great relationship with everyone on staff," Hicks told ESPN about Texas A&M. "They've been recruiting me since eighth grade and I can stay close to home." The Aggies had gotten off to a slow start in the 2022 cycle after signing the No. 1 ranked class in 2021. Prior to September, Jimbo Fisher and his staff had four ESPN 300 recruits. The staff has...

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa and left tackle Rashawn Slater were placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Bosa suffered a groin tear in the first quarter of Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. "It's a tough loss for our defense," safety Derwin James Jr. said. "But it's on us to have his back and hold things down until he gets situated." Bosa, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, will undergo surgery, but coach Brandon Staley said it's anticipated that he will return this season. "It's going to be a ways, but we expect him to come back," Staley said. "He's optimistic and ready to attack it. He's in a really good frame of mind. It's never easy when you have an injury like that." The Chargers are 1-2 as they prepare for back-to-back road games at Houston (0-2-1) and Cleveland (2-1). In Bosa's absence, second-year pro Chris Rumph II and veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy are expected to...