Long before he became the voice of college football Saturdays on FOX, Joel Klatt made a decision that only makes sense to anyone who grew up playing EA Sports College Football. During his freshman season at Colorado, Klatt was given No. 14 as a walk-on quarterback. He eventually had the opportunity to change it before becoming the Buffaloes' starter the following year. He never did. The reason? He knew the video game would have Colorado's starting quarterback wearing No. 14. Now, 23 years later, Klatt is the new color commentator in EA Sports College Football 27. Our team at FOX Sports caught up with Klatt to get a behind-the-scenes look at how he became the voice of the game. Whats the story behind you becoming the voice of the new EA Sports college football game, and what was the process like from that first conversation to officially landing the role? The process was actually painless. EA contacted my agency, and they did a great job of fostering that relationship. It was pretty well set before I even knew about it. I was incredibly excited. We had a Zoom with some of the executives at EA, and from that point, we signed the deal and started scheduling recording sessions. Youve spent years calling college football games. How different is it recording commentary for a video game versus calling a game in real-time on a college football Saturday? Its so different calling games for the video game. I would spend all day in one recording session just calling touchdowns. Youre not actually calling a game in sequence. Youre just trying to just take each situation for its own and give a line for that situation. Typically, each situation will have variables. You can talk about the defensive perspective, the offensive perspective, or the player perspective. It was very different and very compartmentalized, but it was certainly a cool experience. What was your familiarity with this game and was there a "this is actually happening" moment for you? Im very familiar with the game. Ive got three boys 14, 12 and nine. They play the game. I played the game when it had its previous version. In fact, when I was playing at Colorado, they just gave me the number 14 when I walked on, and I had the option to switch my jersey number before my sophomore year, which was going to be my first year as the starting quarterback. But I didnt change my number because I knew the game would have my No. 14 as the starting quarterback at Colorado. Ive loved the game for a long time, and there was certainly part of me that, as I was recording, was thinking to myself, I cant believe Im actually doing this. What actually went into becoming the voice of the game from the recording sessions, to the scripting, to trying to make reactions sound natural for so many different in-game moments? We did a lot of hard work. My first question to the folks at EA was if there was going to be AI support. They made it very clear that this was all going to be essentially manual. I would have recording sessions two hours at a time, and since they were based in Orlando, they came out and set up a little sound booth in my house. I would get on Zoom two to three times per week, typically at 6 a.m., and we would go through our sessions. I wanted to get in as many sessions as I could possibly get in before the game went to market. This was a lot of hard work. I think we ended up doing close to 90 hours of recording and thousands of lines, but it was certainly fun. They would send me a script, and the script was basically just situations. I didn't think I would do well just reading lines, so I started just getting situations. I would talk about the offensive line, the running backs fighting for extra yards and being able to move the chains. And that's how it went. With everything you learned working on the game, if you had to pick one team right now to win a national title in EA Sports College Football 27, who are you taking and why? From what I know about the game and some of the player ratings after the transfer portal, I know that Ohio State is going to be very good in the game. I think Indiana is going to be very good. I know Oregon is going to be very good, and Texas. Basically, they kind of nailed what a preseason top 10 would look like. So, any of those teams, I think, will have a great chance to win a national championship. Where does becoming the voice of this game rank among the coolest experiences youve had in your career covering college football and did it hit you at any point just how big of a deal this is for fans? I've been so fortunate in this career, and done a lot of incredible things, even outside of college football. I got to call the U.S. Open and interview the players after they finished 18 at Pebble Beach. That was incredible. I've done studio shows at the Super Bowl when I was a host. I've called Big Ten championship games and Michigan vs. Ohio State. I will tell you that this absolutely ranks up there as one of the highlights of my career. It's such an iconic brand and game. They do such an incredible job honoring college football. They love college football, and to be a part of that team and to further something that is really special in our space is a real highlight. It's certainly one of the best things that I've ever done in my career. This is very cool.

After pulling off a win on Monday, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will try to keep the momentum going

ST. CLAIR As the sixth man of the 1994 St. Clair High School boys basketball team, which won a program-record 22 games, Cliff Freeland was known for his tenacity.So, once hired as the school's girls soccer coach 24 years later, he began building around that very quality."We always had a chip on our shoulder (when I was playing) and I wanted to go back to that," Freeland said. "When I took over the program, I wanted (my players) to be a little old school gritty, tough and outwork everybody we played. We may not always be the most talented team, but nobody was ever going to outwork us."Over the next eight years, the Saints worked their way up the Macomb Area Conference and beyond. Now, after stepping down as coach on Monday, June 8, Freeland's work is done."I always said to myself that I would know when the time was right," Freeland told the Times Herald. "Everything that I do, I pour my heart and soul into it. The last couple years, when the season has been over, with my job, I've been honestly physically and mentally exhausted. I just knew it was the right time to hang it up."St. Clair went 110-31-19 over his tenure, which included six MHSAA Division 2 district championships (2018, 2021-24, 2026) and three league titles (MAC Blue, 2022-23; MAC White, 2026). The Saints never had a losing season under Freeland."My kids over-exceeded any expectations I ever had of them and their effort," Freeland said. "There's many a times that we beat teams that were probably better than us on paper, simply because we worked harder."In 2018, his first season as coach, St. Clair competed in the MAC Gold. The Saints moved up to the MAC Blue the following year. Then, in 2025, they rose to the MAC White. Next season, St. Clair will ascend once again, this time to the MAC Red the highest division in the Macomb Area Conference."I'm most proud of the culture that we built," Freeland said. "A winning culture, done the right way, with hard work and no quit. I'm just so proud that the St. Clair girls soccer program is known throughout the state now. "We're known not as a team that's just okay, we're known as a powerhouse a team that's always going to be there at the end of the season. It just means a lot. To climb like we did eight years, three divisions it says a lot about the players I had."The high school is currently accepting applications for a new girls soccer coach. Anyone interested should visit the human resources page on the East China School District website (www.eastchinaschools.org/page/humanresources). Then, click on the tab labeled "East China School District Positions.""I'm looking forward to watching the program in the future," Freeland said. "I will continue to be a giant fan. I'll be a lot of games. I'm just really excited for what the program has become. I want to see it continue with longevity and I know it will. Because (we have) great kids and just a great community that supports the team."Contact Brenden Welper atbwelper@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter,@BrendenWelper.This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Cliff Freeland steps down as St. Clair girls high school soccer coach

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the organization cannot dictate to the U.S. government who to allow into its country for the World Cup, saying that sometimes it is better to "chill and relax" over visa issues.

Some of the biggest names in the competition may be on Origin duty, but there is still plenty to play for in Round 15 of the NRL.

United States center back Chris Richards will be clear to play without a minutes restriction for the USMNT's World Cup-opening match against Paraguay on Friday.

Throughout the New York Knicks' playoff run, thousands of deliriously happy fans have flooded the streets outside Madison Square Garden, often invoking a two-word rallying cry: We outside.But for a pivotal game four of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, spontaneous outdoor gatherings wont be allowed in front of the teams famed arena. A security plan released by the New York Police Department will bar fans from gathering around the Manhattan arena unless they are going to the game or have business specific to that area.Instead, the city said it would allow 1,000 fans access to a watch party outside the Garden a scaled-down version of previous viewing parties, which the NYPD had sought to have canceled for rowdiness, before later reversing course.Otherwise, fans had to prove they had an authorized reason to be inside a security perimeter that stretches for several blocks around the arena. While bars and restaurants could stay open, they were subject to strict capacity limits, police said.The measures incensed some long-suffering fans and nearby businesses, along with the Knicks owner, James Dolan whose game-three invitation to President Donald Trump prompted another frozen zone in the area and prevented an outdoor watch party from going forward.In a statement on Wednesday, the Madison Square Garden Company accused the mayor of transforming the streets around the arena into a police state in order to freeze out fans from celebrating.Because of the restrictions, Dolan said on Wednesday afternoon that he would not be putting up TV screens for Wednesday's watch party. And he disputed the city's claim that MSG had only requested a permit for up to 999 people. Still, to some New Yorkers, the security restrictions appeared to be a betrayal of Mayor Zohran Mamdanis broader agenda, which included improving access to public spaces and limiting how the NYPD polices major events. The conflict has also focused attention once again on the shaky alliance between the mayor and his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.The NYPD is historically extremely risk-averse to disorderly behavior by crowds, whether they be celebratory or protesting, said Jeffrey Fagan, a law professor at Columbia University who studies policing. The mayor now faces a difficult calculus between the strong emotions of Knicks fans and the political risks if crowd control isnt airtight.In recent days, members of Mamdanis administration have pressed Tisch to allow some version of the watch parties to go forward outside Madison Square Garden, according to two people familiar with the meetings, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the discussions. In exchange, Tisch has advocated for the security perimeter, citing the need to control against rowdy crowds that have at times become violent and unruly. Some recent fan gatherings in Manhattan have led to dozens of arrests and several injuries to police officers.Following the Knicks' loss Monday, at least 21 people were taken into custody. The NYPD said it is currently searching for members of a group that ripped a San Antonio Spurs jersey off a man while punching and kicking him.Shaun Geddes, a Knicks fan who runs a popular podcast about the team, said he had celebrated multiple series-clinching victories outside the arena and found the vast majority of fans were respectful.Then there's a small group of people out there cosplaying as Knicks fans and doing performative things to go viral on TikTok, Geddes added. But being passionate as a Knicks fan doesnt mean assaulting anyone.The regulations have also left businesses around the arena concerned that they could face a major drop in foot traffic on what would have otherwise been one of the busiest days of the year.Its ruining my business, said Angela Reilly, the owner of Molly Wee, an Irish pub near the arena. I havent seen anything like this level of security in 46 years.In response to criticism about the closure, city officials have noted there isn't a recent precedent for the position in which they now find themselves. The Knicks have not been to an NBA Finals since 1999. Most of the citys other major sports teams play in the less-crowded outer boroughs or in New Jersey.But when the New York Rangers who also play in the Garden last won the Stanley Cup, in 1994, the NYPD took another approach to managing elated fans.Ahead of the game, police announced they would clear the area around the arena of potential projectiles, like metal trash cans or debris, but would allow fans to move freely.We expect the fans to be extremely vocal, Allen Hoehl, former NYPD chief, said at a news conference. If they want to go from here to there, well escort them in any direction.

Throughout the New York Knicks' playoff run, thousands of deliriously happy fans have flooded the streets outside Madison Square Garden, often invoking a two-word rallying cry: We outside.But for a pivotal game four of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, spontaneous outdoor gatherings wont be allowed in front of the teams famed arena. A security plan released by the New York Police Department will bar fans from gathering around the Manhattan arena unless they are going to the game or have business specific to that area.Instead, the city said it would allow 1,000 fans access to a watch party outside the Garden a scaled-down version of previous viewing parties, which the NYPD had sought to have canceled for rowdiness, before later reversing course.Otherwise, fans had to prove they had an authorized reason to be inside a security perimeter that stretches for several blocks around the arena. While bars and restaurants could stay open, they were subject to strict capacity limits, police said.The measures incensed some long-suffering fans and nearby businesses, along with the Knicks owner, James Dolan whose game-three invitation to President Donald Trump prompted another frozen zone in the area and prevented an outdoor watch party from going forward.In a statement on Wednesday, the Madison Square Garden Company accused the mayor of transforming the streets around the arena into a police state in order to freeze out fans from celebrating.Because of the restrictions, Dolan said on Wednesday afternoon that he would not be putting up TV screens for Wednesday's watch party. And he disputed the city's claim that MSG had only requested a permit for up to 999 people. Still, to some New Yorkers, the security restrictions appeared to be a betrayal of Mayor Zohran Mamdanis broader agenda, which included improving access to public spaces and limiting how the NYPD polices major events. The conflict has also focused attention once again on the shaky alliance between the mayor and his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.The NYPD is historically extremely risk-averse to disorderly behavior by crowds, whether they be celebratory or protesting, said Jeffrey Fagan, a law professor at Columbia University who studies policing. The mayor now faces a difficult calculus between the strong emotions of Knicks fans and the political risks if crowd control isnt airtight.In recent days, members of Mamdanis administration have pressed Tisch to allow some version of the watch parties to go forward outside Madison Square Garden, according to two people familiar with the meetings, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the discussions. In exchange, Tisch has advocated for the security perimeter, citing the need to control against rowdy crowds that have at times become violent and unruly. Some recent fan gatherings in Manhattan have led to dozens of arrests and several injuries to police officers.Following the Knicks' loss Monday, at least 21 people were taken into custody. The NYPD said it is currently searching for members of a group that ripped a San Antonio Spurs jersey off a man while punching and kicking him.Shaun Geddes, a Knicks fan who runs a popular podcast about the team, said he had celebrated multiple series-clinching victories outside the arena and found the vast majority of fans were respectful.Then there's a small group of people out there cosplaying as Knicks fans and doing performative things to go viral on TikTok, Geddes added. But being passionate as a Knicks fan doesnt mean assaulting anyone.The regulations have also left businesses around the arena concerned that they could face a major drop in foot traffic on what would have otherwise been one of the busiest days of the year.Its ruining my business, said Angela Reilly, the owner of Molly Wee, an Irish pub near the arena. I havent seen anything like this level of security in 46 years.In response to criticism about the closure, city officials have noted there isn't a recent precedent for the position in which they now find themselves. The Knicks have not been to an NBA Finals since 1999. Most of the citys other major sports teams play in the less-crowded outer boroughs or in New Jersey.But when the New York Rangers who also play in the Garden last won the Stanley Cup, in 1994, the NYPD took another approach to managing elated fans.Ahead of the game, police announced they would clear the area around the arena of potential projectiles, like metal trash cans or debris, but would allow fans to move freely.We expect the fans to be extremely vocal, Allen Hoehl, former NYPD chief, said at a news conference. If they want to go from here to there, well escort them in any direction.