Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 draft pick, threw a touchdown pass in his first preseason game for the Las Vegas Raiders, who lost 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals. Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown, showing promise despite the team's defeat.
Key Facts
Fernando Mendoza is the top overall draft pick and played his first preseason game for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mendoza threw one touchdown pass to Jack Bech on a six-yard throw.
He completed 10 of 16 pass attempts for 97 yards.
Mendoza is the first top pick to throw a touchdown pass in a preseason debut since Baker Mayfield in 2018.
The Raiders lost to the Arizona Cardinals with a final score of 27-14.
Kirk Cousins and Jacoby Brissett, each starting quarterbacks for their teams, threw touchdown passes in their single series played.
Some key players like Cardinals’ Carson Beck and Raiders’ Maxx Crosby did not play due to injury or coaching decisions.
Rookie Jeremiyah Love of the Cardinals rushed for 58 yards in his preseason debut.
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Terrion Arnold, a former Alabama football player and 2024 first-round NFL draft pick, was released last month due to legal issues. The Seattle Seahawks, helped by a recommendation from Arnold’s former Alabama teammate Jalen Milroe, signed Arnold shortly before the new NFL season.
Key Facts
Terrion Arnold was a first-round NFL draft pick in 2024.
He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was an All-American.
Arnold was released from his first NFL team after legal troubles and possible felony charges.
The Seattle Seahawks signed Arnold weeks before the regular season began.
Jalen Milroe, a Seahawks quarterback and Arnold’s former Alabama teammate, recommended him to the team.
Arnold had workouts with multiple NFL teams before signing with Seattle.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said they are aware of Arnold’s off-field situation but remain open to working through it.
Arnold may face a suspension and will potentially miss multiple games before playing again.
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Conor McGregor, recovering from ACL surgery, shared his prediction for the upcoming UFC 330 fight between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry. Despite Makhachev being favored to win, McGregor expects Garry to cause an upset and win the match.
Key Facts
UFC 330’s main fight is between Islam Makhachev (28-1) and Ian Machado Garry (17-1).
Makhachev has won 16 fights in a row against strong opponents.
Machado Garry won 10 of his last 11 UFC fights and has beaten notable fighters like Belal Muhammad and Michael “Venom” Page.
McGregor predicts Garry will win by a high kick to the head.
Makhachev is the favorite with odds of -350 on FanDuel.
McGregor praised Garry’s skills and training at SBG (Straight Blast Gym).
Many experts believe Makhachev is the toughest opponent Garry has faced.
McGregor is currently recovering from ACL surgery but remains active in following UFC events.
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Ben Shelton won the Canadian Open tennis title again by beating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 in the final. Shelton’s victory marks his fourth tournament win this season and his second Canadian Open title in a row.
Key Facts
Ben Shelton defended his Canadian Open title by defeating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Shelton has won four tournaments this season, including Dallas, Munich, and Stuttgart.
Shelton is the fourth male player this century to win back-to-back Canadian Open titles.
Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic also won consecutive Canadian Open titles in past years.
Shelton’s match lasted 1 hour and 27 minutes, with strong serving from both players.
Brandon Nakashima lost to Shelton for the sixth time and has not yet won a Masters 1000 title.
At the Cincinnati Open, Cameron Norrie and Martin Landaluce won their opening matches.
Norrie will face top-seeded Alexander Zverev in the next round of the Cincinnati Open.
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The Alabama Crimson Tide football team is choosing a new starting quarterback after Ty Simpson joined the Los Angeles Rams. Two players, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, are competing for the position during fall camp, with Russell showing moments of strong playmanship recently.
Key Facts
Ty Simpson left Alabama to join the Los Angeles Rams.
Alabama is deciding between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell for starting quarterback.
Austin Mack was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 73 overall in the 2023 class.
Keelon Russell is a five-star recruit and ranked No. 2 overall in the 2025 class.
Russell has shown ability to make big plays, including running with the ball and throwing touchdowns.
Mack has been consistent in practice, completing 74.3% of his passes with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in two seasons.
Russell has less game experience but has completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Coach Kalen DeBoer has not yet named a starting quarterback.
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Tyrese Haliburton, a key Indiana Pacers player recovering from an Achilles injury, expressed surprise at the team's season-opening game being away against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pacers and Pelicans both had losing records last season and are not featured prominently on TV compared to other teams.
Key Facts
Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon during the 2025 NBA Finals and missed 16 months recovering.
He was surprised to see the Pacers start their season on the road against the Pelicans.
Both the Pacers and Pelicans had losing records last season and did not make the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA schedule often highlights games with more popular or successful teams on TV.
Haliburton’s last healthy season stats included 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
The Eastern Conference has become more competitive with stars like LeBron James joining the 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Miami Heat.
The Pacers will host the 76ers on October 28, a game televised by ESPN.
The Pacers plan to play the New York Knicks, the reigning champions, at home on November 13.
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Rich Hill, a 46-year-old baseball pitcher, has not officially retired and is considering a comeback to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2027. Hill, who has played for 14 MLB teams over 21 seasons, including the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals, said he plans to prepare over the offseason to pitch again, potentially as a relief pitcher or starter.
Key Facts
Rich Hill started his MLB career in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs.
He has played for a record-tying 14 MLB teams.
Hill pitched last in 2025 for the Kansas City Royals, with two starts.
He never officially retired by filing papers with MLB.
Hill said he might pitch in 2027 but isn’t certain yet.
He is inspired by another pitcher who uses a submarine-style pitch, throwing the ball with a low arm angle.
Hill’s career stats include 90 wins, 76 losses, and a 4.02 earned run average (ERA) over 388 games.
He plans to train in the offseason to find a new pitching style to help a team either as a bullpen pitcher or a starter.
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Lamar Jackson, quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, said he feels a strong urgency to win a Super Bowl as he gets older. Jackson has been a top player in the NFL but has not yet played in or won a Super Bowl. The Ravens have a new coach this season and aim to improve after missing the playoffs last year.
Key Facts
Lamar Jackson won the NFL Most Valuable Player award twice, in 2019 and 2023.
He has never played in or won a Super Bowl.
Jackson feels time is running out for him to achieve a championship.
Last season, the Ravens had a 6-7 record in games Jackson started, missing the playoffs.
The Ravens fired longtime coach John Harbaugh and hired Jesse Minter this year.
Baltimore is predicted to win about 11.5 games this season but is favored to win slightly fewer.
The Ravens and Buffalo Bills share the second-best odds (+1000) to win the Super Bowl this year, behind the Los Angeles Rams.
The Ravens start their season on September 13 against the Indianapolis Colts.
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The Seattle Seahawks signed cornerback Terrion Arnold, a first-round NFL draft pick previously with the Detroit Lions. Arnold faces pending legal issues, and the NFL will decide if he should be placed on a special exempt list while those are resolved.
Key Facts
Terrion Arnold was a first-round pick (24th overall) by the Detroit Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Arnold had 60 tackles, one fumble recovery, and 10 passes defensed in his rookie year.
In 2025, he recorded 31 tackles, 8 passes defensed, and his first interception before a shoulder injury ended his season.
Arnold faces eight felony charges related to a robbery and kidnapping from February.
The NFL will consider placing Arnold on the Commissioner’s Exempt List during the legal process.
The Seahawks’ defensive back group already includes Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Nick Emmanwori, and Ty Okada.
Arnold played college football at Alabama, with a total of 108 tackles, one sack, 20 passes defensed, and six interceptions from 2022-23.
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The Seattle Mariners sent infielder Colt Emerson back to their minor league team after he struggled to hit well during his time in Major League Baseball (MLB). Emerson started strong in May but his performance dropped significantly in June and July, leading the team to replace him on the roster.
Key Facts
Colt Emerson was the Mariners’ top prospect and began playing in MLB in May 2024.
He had a good first month with a batting average of .244 and a solid OPS of .852.
In June and beyond, Emerson’s hitting declined sharply, batting below the Mendoza Line (.200).
Over 69 MLB games, Emerson hit .190 with a high strikeout rate of about 34%.
His poor recent game against the New York Yankees, where he struck out four times, led to his demotion.
The Mariners plan to call up infielder Brock Rodden to replace Emerson on the team.
Other infield players like Brendan Donovan and Cole Young might also take on new roles.
Emerson had success in Triple-A before his MLB debut and aims to improve for a return.
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Major League Baseball held a game at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, where 26 Hall of Fame players appeared before the Minnesota Twins faced the Philadelphia Phillies. The event included special moments like fireworks from the cornfield and references to the movie, creating a unique atmosphere for fans of baseball and the film.
Key Facts
The game was played on August 13, 2026, at the Field of Dreams location in Dyersville, Iowa.
26 Hall of Fame baseball players appeared during the pregame, walking out from the cornfield.
The teams playing were the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies.
The crowd size was about 8,000 people.
Fireworks were launched from the cornfield during the national anthem.
Phillies player Kyle Schwarber hit a notable early home run in the game.
Kevin Costner, star of the original 1989 movie, did not appear but narrated a pregame video.
Twins All-Star Byron Buxton quoted a line from the movie’s character Terence Mann during the pregame.
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Josh Kushner and Bob Iger agreed to buy the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter for $12.5 billion, the highest price ever paid for a sports team. Kushner is a tech investor and business leader, while Iger recently stepped down as CEO of Disney.
Key Facts
Josh Kushner is a 41-year-old tech investor and head of Thrive Capital.
Bob Iger, 75, is the former CEO of Disney who led the company into streaming.
They bought the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion from Mark Walter.
This purchase sets a record for the most expensive team sale in sports history.
Kushner’s firm invested early in companies like OpenAI and SpaceX.
Kushner is married to supermodel Karlie Kloss.
Kushner and Iger were introduced by their partners about eight years ago.
Mark Walter owned the Lakers for only about 10 months before selling.
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The NBA released the full schedule for the upcoming season, including the Los Angeles Lakers' games. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said the Lakers have a strong offense led by Luka Doncic, but he ranked them fifth in the Western Conference and stressed that the team and fans expect a championship.
Key Facts
The Lakers open their season on October 21 at home against the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, returns to play the Lakers on Christmas Day.
Kendrick Perkins called Luka Doncic one of the best offensive players in the NBA.
Perkins ranked the Lakers fifth in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver, and Minnesota.
The Lakers lost LeBron James in the offseason but added Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes to the team.
Doncic had multiple games scoring over 50 points last season; teammate Austin Reaves also scored 51 points in a game.
Kessler is known for getting double-doubles (points and rebounds) but missed much of last season due to injury.
Perkins said the Lakers fanbase expects championship-level performance despite the team's current ranking.
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The Kansas City Royals signed pitcher Tony Gonsolin, who won a World Series and was an All-Star in 2022, but he is currently recovering from elbow surgery. The team added him to the injured list and removed another pitcher from their roster to make space, as the Royals face a shortage of healthy starting pitchers.
Key Facts
Tony Gonsolin is a right-handed pitcher and World Series champion.
He was an All-Star in 2022 with a low earned run average (ERA) of 2.14.
Gonsolin last played in 2025 and has a career ERA of 3.34 over six seasons.
He had elbow surgery in August 2025 and is still recovering.
The Royals put Gonsolin on the 15-day injured list after signing him.
To add Gonsolin, the Royals removed pitcher Eli Morgan from their roster.
Multiple Royals starting pitchers are out long-term due to Tommy John surgery.
The Royals’ starting pitchers rank near the bottom in ERA this season, putting pressure on the team to strengthen their pitching.
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The Detroit Pistons will play the Philadelphia 76ers on October 25, offering an early test for the Pistons and their star player, Cade Cunningham. The game is notable because the Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, and the 76ers recently added LeBron James to their team.
Key Facts
The Pistons will visit the 76ers on October 25 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Cade Cunningham is a young and highly regarded player on the Pistons.
The Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference in the previous NBA season.
The 76ers have added LeBron James to their roster for this season.
This game is seen as a significant early test for the Pistons’ ability to maintain their success.
The matchup between Cunningham and James creates extra interest in the game.
The 76ers will be playing at home and are motivated to show strength early in the season.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo will return to Milwaukee on January 28 to play against his former team, the Bucks, now as a player for the Miami Heat. This game is expected to be special because Antetokounmpo spent 13 seasons with the Bucks, helped win a championship, and then left in a major trade to the Heat.
Key Facts
The Miami Heat will play the Milwaukee Bucks on January 28 at 9:30 p.m. EST.
Giannis Antetokounmpo spent 13 seasons with the Bucks and won an NBA championship in 2021.
Antetokounmpo was traded to the Heat in a deal involving players Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, and four first-round draft picks.
The Bucks also had another trade offer from the Boston Celtics centered on Jaylen Brown.
Nate Ament and Brayden Burries are two new young players added to the Bucks as part of their rebuilding process.
Antetokounmpo is considered one of the greatest players in Bucks history, surpassing even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in years played there.
The game will mark Antetokounmpo’s first return to Milwaukee’s arena wearing a Heat uniform.
The matchup will be emotionally significant for fans and players due to Antetokounmpo’s history with the Bucks.
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The NBA season will begin with a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs on October 20. Both teams have strong players and are expected to be top contenders in the Western Conference this season.
Key Facts
The Thunder and Spurs played an exciting seven-game series in last season’s Western Conference Finals.
The opening game will feature a matchup between star players Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) and Chet Holmgren (Thunder), both 7-foot-tall players.
Oklahoma City also has key players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams leading the team.
The Thunder lost some players from last year, including Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe.
New players like Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara, and Bennett Stirtz have a chance to become important for the Thunder.
The Spurs have strong guards including De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
Tobias Harris joined the Spurs to add strength to their wing players.
This game is expected to be more exciting than a normal season opener because both teams are highly competitive.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders apologized to reporters for his behavior during a previous press conference. He said he got frustrated because he felt some questions created divisions within the team.
Key Facts
Shedeur Sanders is competing with Deshaun Watson for the Browns' starting quarterback job.
Sanders apologized for how he acted during his last media session.
He said he dislikes when situations create separation or division in the team.
Sanders explained he sometimes shuts down because it does not help the team win.
At his last press conference, Sanders avoided answering a question about the competition.
Sanders answered other questions and showed no unusual frustration or anger during that session.
His apology may help improve his relationship with the media and fans.
Sanders has a reputation for attitude issues but is showing some regret for his earlier behavior.
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The Cleveland Browns drafted two wide receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, in the 2026 NFL Draft. While many expected Concepcion to be the team's top receiver, rookie Denzel Boston is showing strong performance at practice and may become the Browns’ main wide receiver soon.
Key Facts
The Browns picked KC Concepcion 24th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Concepcion had a successful college career at Texas A&M with 919 yards and 15 touchdowns in his junior year.
The Browns also drafted Denzel Boston in the second round.
Boston has impressed during training camp, making notable catches with quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
Boston is 6-foot-4 and was a strong player at the University of Washington with 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in his senior year.
Analysts compare Boston to top NFL receivers like Courtland Sutton and Mike Evans.
Brown’s other receiver, Jerry Jeudy, had a quiet previous season with 602 yards and two touchdowns.
The Browns are focusing on improving their wide receiver group by drafting both Concepcion and Boston early.
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The Cleveland Browns are considering bringing back Za'Darius Smith, a former top pass rusher who recently came out of retirement. Smith played for the Browns from 2023 to 2024 and remains available as a free agent after a brief retirement.
Key Facts
The Browns traded star pass rusher Myles Garrett this offseason and have been looking for another top player at that position.
The team previously worked out Jadeveon Clowney, who signed with the Houston Texans instead.
Za'Darius Smith played two seasons with the Browns and earned All-Pro honors in 2020.
Smith retired suddenly during the 2024 season but has since returned to active status.
In his career, Smith has three Pro Bowl selections and is known for strong defensive statistics like sacks and tackles for loss.
Smith’s recent performance with the Philadelphia Eagles was limited due to playing only five games before retiring.
The Browns are making roster decisions before their preseason games starting August 19, 2024.
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