Christian Coleman wins his 100m heat at the US Athletics Championships (Caleb Bowlin)Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson eased into the 100m semi-finals at the US athletics championships on Thursday.Lyles, who captured 100m gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024, won his heat in 9.97sec to book his semi-final berth with the second-quickest time of the day behind the 9.96 posted by former world champion Christian Coleman.Richardson, the 2023 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medallist, topped the women's heats in 10.90sec.She will be a heavy favorite for the title on Friday, with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden -- a treble gold medallist at last year's world championships -- opting to race the 200m only this week.Lyles called his championships opener a good warm-up "just to get the engine firing".But he predicted a "fast final" on Friday on the Ichan Stadium track, where Usain Bolt set a 100m world record of 9.72sec in 2008 -- a mark the Jamaican eventually lowered to the current 9.58.Coleman, the 2019 world champion and the 60m indoor world record-holder, was also pleased with his "really smooth" start to the meeting."I was able to break 10 (seconds) without really hitting the gas like I know I can, so I feel good about it," said Coleman, who topped the times despite racing into a slight headwind of 0.3m/sec.Kenny Bednarek, a two-time Olympic silver medallist at 200m, won his 100m heat to advance.bb/amz

Miami is in the mix to sign a top-three class nationally, but its one of just four ACC programs to hold a top-25 class in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.The Hurricanes have held a majority of the headlines when it comes to the league and its recruiting efforts. Three of the 32 five-star recruits in the 2027 cycle according to theRivals Industry Ranking are currently committed to an ACC school. All three are pledged to The U.$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverageElsewhere in the league, Virginia Tech and Cal are making some splashes under their new regimes, while Clemson is staying steady and looking to sign another top-15 haul this winter. Georgia Tech is on the cusp of the top 25, too.Rivals takes a look at the highest-rated ACC commit at each position, as of July 23:QB:Israel Abrams MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 40 NATL. (No. 3 QB)School:Montini Catholic (Ill.)Committed Since:April 3Scouting Summary:Israel Abrams finished the weekend on fire at the Elite 11 Finals with a great pro day showing on day two and one of the better 7-on-7 sessions we saw on day three. Abrams rebounded from an up-and-down start to the weekend, and by the end of Sunday, he easily looked like one of the top quarterbacks on hand. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder has a live, pliable arm with the ability to throw from multiple angles. He can threaten all levels of the field with his velocity and arm talent. He was confident and impressive in the competitive periods throughout the weekend. Abrams really impressed during 7-on-7 on Sunday, throwing seven touchdowns while making a number of high-level throws, going tit for tat with his high school rival, Trae Taylor. The release was arguably the quickest on hand. Abrams gets the ball up and out in the blink of an eye and hes able to quickly diagnose defenses, pushing the ball downfield with authority. Abrams highlights were among the most impressive we saw at the Elite 11 Finals. This weekend backed up what weve seen from him on film at the high school level, where hes highly-productive and talented.RB: Gary Walker ClemsonRivals Industry Ranking:No. 142 NATL. (No. 8 RB)School:Creekside (Ga.)Committed Since:May 20Scouting Summary:Ascending running back with an aggressive, downhill running style. Measured in at a shade over 5-foot-11, 205 pounds prior to his senior season. Turned in a breakout junior campaign, leading his high school to an undefeated 16-0 state championship season. Decisive runner who quickly reads his blocks and works to get downhill with vigor. A one cut and go runner. Shows the ability to run through and spin out of arm tackles at the second level. Defenders will need to wrap up, as he will fight and break free, resulting in long runs. Has a loping, easy stride in the open field and shows the top gear to pull away. Can hit the home run with seven touchdowns from 40 or more yards out as a junior. Finished his junior season with 1,669 yards and 20 touchdowns at 9.4 yards per carry. Came up big in a tight state title game, rushing for 143 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Lacks verified speed metrics, but top gear looks good on film. Has limited pass-catching production. Junior season breakout gives him the look of a rising prospect who has the potential to be a bell cow at the Power 4 level.WR: Nick Lennear MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 16 NATL. (No. 3 WR)School:Miami Carol City (Fla.)Committed Since:March 5Scouting Summary:Tremendous ball tracker with natural hands that possesses savvy body control in order to put himself in the best positions to attack the football. Smoother than twitchy athlete with natural route running ability to create space at every level of the field. A clean-hands catcher of the football, he rarely allows the football to get into his frame. Will need to continue physically developing and add mass to his leaner, athletic frame. Should be able to add explosiveness to his game as he adds strength to his lower half. Would like to see more from him after the catch, but he has the hands, route-running, and ability to reel in contested catches at an extremely high level. High floor prospect that can step into an immediate complementary role at the next level.TE: Jordan Karhoff Virginia TechRivals Industry Ranking:No. 123 NATL. (No. 5 TE)School:St. Francis DeSales (Ohio)Committed Since:May 26Karhoff on Virginia Tech:I love Coach Ty Howle, he previously told Rivals. Hes one of the best tight end coaches in the country. He develops tight ends into the NFL every year. I love Coach Franklin. I love the people there, and I have great relationships with them.Karhoff finished his junior season with 31 receptions for 548 yards and five touchdowns. He also plays defense at the prep level and added 56 tackles (17 for loss) and 6.5 sacks for DeSales in 2025.OT: Joshua Sam-Epelle Georgia TechRivals Industry Ranking:No. 178 NATL. (No. 14 OT)School:Douglas County (Ga.)Committed Since:June 19Sam-Epelle on his commitment:I believed in Coach Mo (Allen Mogridge) and Coach Torrey to develop me for the next level, he told Rivals Chad Simmons. Coach Torreys years of experience coaching tackles will help me become a better athlete and a better tackle. Those guys were a big part of my decision It feels like home there. I have been there a lot and it is a great place.IOL: Jatori Williams MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 111 NATL. (No. 9 IOL)School:Central (Ala.)Committed Since:May 21Williams on his commitment: I chose Miami because the development and how I feel like they can get me to the league. They know how to develop offensive linemen, he told Rivals Chad Simmons.I like Coach Cristobal a lot. Miami has Coach Cristobal and Coach Mirabal two great offensive line coaches to work with me and develop me. It is a great situation for me.EDGE: Jaiden Bryant MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 24 NATL. (No. 4 EDGE)School:Irmo (S.C.)Committed Since:June 3Scouting Summary:Violent disruptor off the edge who plays with immense strength at the point of attack and is one of the best block shedders in the country. Tenacious defender who consistently pursues to the football. Verified 6-foot-3, nearly 260 pounds, that is extremely impressive against the run and is an elite edge setter. Has great play recognition and the foot speed to change direction and hawk down ball carriers in space. Has some hip stiffness and lacks ideal bend when rounding the corner in his pass rush. Will need to continue developing his pass-rush arsenal, but wins consistently as a power rusher due to his understanding of leverage and play strength. Threw a personal best 4711 in the shot put in his junior track and field season. Has the ability to walk in and immediately make an impact on first and second down on day one of his collegiate career. Will need to continue developing his pass-rush moves to reach his ceiling, but he has the physical ability and understanding of leverage to maximize his physical and athletic gifts.DL: Sam LeJeune Florida StateRivals Industry Ranking:No. 135 NATL. (No. 14 DL)School:Poplarville (Miss.)Committed Since:June 24LeJeune on his commitment:My best relationships would have to be with Coach Knighton, Coach Norvell, Coach White and Coach Odell Haggins made a big impact on my decision, LeJeune told Rivals Chad Simmons. Ive been praying about it. I wanted to go where my heart wanted me to be and where I wanted to play football, regardless of NIL money or anything like that. That was Florida State.LB: AJ Randle Jr. MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 66 NATL. (No. 5 LB)School:Garner (N.C.)Committed Since:May 21Scouting Summary:Toolsy defender who is one of the more physically-gifted linebacker prospects in the 2027 cycle. Listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and looks to have a big frame with plus length. Lines up as an outside linebacker for his high school. High-end combination of size and speed immediately jumps out. Covers ground quickly and shows sideline-to-sideline range. Shows palpable burst as a pursuit defender. Oftentimes looks like the fastest player on the field. Hawks down running backs in the open field. Eliminates angles with his speed. Also shows potential as a blitzer and pass rusher off the edge. Saw snaps at quarterback and wide receiver as a junior, flashing playmaking ability and athleticism. A three sport athlete in track and basketball. A star hurdler who won a state title in the 300m hurdles (37.38 seconds) as a junior. Still developing true off-ball linebacker instincts and may need time to adjust to playing as an inside linebacker at the college level. Can continue improving pop as a tackler. Has athletic bloodlines with several members of his family as college athletes, including his mother who is in Clemsons Hall-of-Fame as a track athlete. Size, athleticism, and budding skill set make him one of the higher ceiling defenders in the 2027 cycle.CB: Donte Wright MiamiRivals Industry Ranking:No. 9 NATL. (No. 1 CB)School:Long Beach Poly (Calif.)Committed Since:May 9Scouting Summary:Versatile defensive back who has shown the ability to play anywhere in the secondary. Was more of a safety early on in his career and plays a physical game with a nice edge to him. Moved to corner full time halfway though sophomore season and has the kind of size and twitch that projects really well to the next level. Boasts an athletic 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame with plenty of length. Really strong in press coverage and has the long speed to turn and run with anyone. Has a track background with personal best times of 10.66-100m and 21.80-200m. Explosive getting in and out of his breaks and is an excellent run defender. Can be overly handsy at times and will need to temper his aggressiveness but has all the physical traits and compete level to play on Sundays.S: TaShawn Poole Florida StateRivals Industry Ranking:No. 71 NATL. (No. 5 S)School:Howard (Ga.)Committed Since:July 17Poole on his commitment:The culture, the tradition and the relationships I have with all the coaches. My aunt is an alum, too. That was not a big part of the decision, but it feels great now, he told Rivals Chad Simmons. I just have great relationships with everybody there. My connections with the coaches at Florida State were different. The energy, the family, the people, the fans, the coaches, the GMs, the trainers even outside of football. Everything about it stood out to me.ATH: DAngelo White LouisvilleRivals Industry Ranking:No. 211 NATL. (No. 6 ATH)School:Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Ohio)Committed Since:Jan. 11Scouting Summary:White is a unique jumbo athlete. This is a prospect who hasoutstanding size and athleticism. Going into his junior season he was around 66,250 pounds and had a really positive junior year. He plays on both sides of the ball,could project as a tight end or edge/defensive end at the next level. And Ithink has high end upside at both positions. He can really run and create mismatches as a tight endand has some eye-popping flash plays as a pass-rusher on Friday night. There are multiple pathwaysto success with White, and we view him as one of the topjumbo athletes in the cycle.

Luke Littler beat Niko Springer and Nathan Aspinall to set up the quarter-final against Josh Rock [Getty Images]Luke Littler's World Matchplay title defence continued with a straightforward 16-7 quarter-final win over Josh Rock in Blackpool.Rock initially kept pace with the world number one as the players traded breaks to reach 5-5.But after 19-year-old Littler reeled off five legs in a row, there proved to be no way back for Rock as the defending champion, in dazzling form, cruised into the semi-finals.After throwing 17 180s with a scoring average of 109.57, Littler said: "At the minute, everything's going to plan."The teenager added: "I feel good. I can afford to miss a few doubles because the scoring's there."Once again another brilliant performance, but fair play to Josh, he put up a good fight."Littler will play unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode of the Netherlands in Saturday's semi-final.Earlier on Thursday evening, tournament outsider Van Duijvenbode survived a late surge by Gary Anderson to reach his first Matchplay semi-final.Anderson, the 2018 World Matchplay champion, threatened to close an eight-leg deficit with a fine late display including a 154 checkout, but Van Duijvenbode held on for a 16-13 win.Reflecting on his second-round tie-break win over Michael van Gerwen, Van Duijvenbode had said that shaking "like a little child crying for his mum" allowed his compatriot back into match after leading 8-4.After leading 8-4 again on Thursday, Van Duijvenbode dropped two consecutive legs but then stormed into a 14-6 lead by winning the next six without reply.However, it would be a further nine legs until Van Duijvenbode won the tie as a resurgent Anderson pushed him hard.World Matchplay Darts 2026 - Schedule, draw and prize moneyThursday's World Matchplay resultsNumbers in brackets indicate seedingsVan Duijvenbode 16-13 Anderson (12)(1) Littler 16-7 Rock (8)Friday's World Matchplay scheduleQuarter-finals - action from 20:05 BST(3) Gian van Veen vs James Wade (6)(7) Gerwyn Price vs Ross Smith (15)

Santiago Ponzinibbio is on the verge of hitting a big milestone in his fighting career. Saturday, the Argentinian will compete in his 40th professional MMA fight a number few reach in their careers."Yeah, I did know that, and that's without counting the fights from 'TUF,' which were four," Ponzinibbio told Hablemos MMA in Spanish.Ponzinibbio (30-9 MMA, 12-8 UFC), alongtime welterweight, returns against Sam Patterson (14-3-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 282 (Paramount+) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ponzinibbio revealed this wasn't the original matchup, but in a way, he's glad he drew a younger opponent, as he gets an opportunity to show he can hang with newer talent."I was supposed to fight Jack Hermansson, but he ended up getting injured, and I was offered Patterson," Ponzinibbio said. "It's a much different challenge, but it is still a challenge. It's one of those clashes of generations that the company likes to make, and it's a great opportunity to show that I'm still good and relevant and that I can hang with the new generation. I'm not focused on him. I'm focused on me."Apart from competing in his 40th fight Saturday, Ponzinibbio is also just weeks away from his 40th birthday. He knows he's reaching the end of his fighting days, but retirement is not something he thinks about much."You can try to plan everything in your head, but the truth is that you have to take things day by day," Ponzinibbio said. "I'm in a chapter where I'm starting to see the end of the tunnel. It's something I think about, but not something I want. I don't see it too close because I still feel good. Now, everything is always changing, and you have to take things fight by fight. As of today, I feel great, and I want to be competing, but I don't plan ahead too much because I know how things work and how quickly things can change."As one can imagine, Ponzinibbio has experienced a lot throughout his almost 20-year professional MMA career. Although he's checked a lot of boxes, there's one thing that he'd still like to accomplish with his time left in the fight game."Yeah, fighting in Madison Square Garden in New York, I would like to fight there," Ponzinibbio said. "That's the only thing that immediately comes to mind. I'd love to fight in that arena. It's very iconic. But beyond that, I've already experienced a lot. This is a crazy game, and all you have in your control is staying healthy, staying in shape. I'm not in Abu Dhabi, and you just have to accept and take whatever challenge comes your way."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Santiago Ponzinibbio taking career 'day by day' ahead of 40th fight

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 28: Ben Brown #77 of the New England Patriots warms up prior to the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 28, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesJerod Mayos one-year stint as New England Patriots head coach was mostly forgettable, but there are a few exceptions. One, of course, is selecting Drake Maye third overall in the draft. And while that decision will shape the franchise for years to come, it is not the only one still impacting the roster to this day.The Patriots top interior offensive line backup, for example, was also acquired under Mayo.Hard factsName:Ben BrownPosition:Interior offensive lineJersey number:77Opening day age:28 (5/19/1998)Measurements:65 1/8, 313 lbs, 10 1/4 hand size, 34 3/8 arm length, 81 3/4 wingspan, N/A Relative Athletic ScoreExperienceNFL:Cincinnati Bengals (2022), Seattle Seahawks (2023), Arizona Cardinals (2023), Las Vegas Raiders (2024), New England Patriots (2024-) |College:Ole Miss (2017-21)A three-star recruit out of St. Aloysius High SchoolinVicksburg, MS, Brown spent his college career in his home state: he joined Ole Miss in 2017, and over the course of his five seasons as a Rebel started all 40 games he appeared in; he lined up at right guard for 30 of those games, and at center for the remaining 10.Despite his versatile experience, he did not hear his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft. Instead, Brown entered the league as a rookie free agent signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. After spending his rookie campaign on the Bengals injured reserve with a biceps issue, he joined the Seahawks and Cardinals practice squads as a sophomore, playing one game in Seattle along the way.He was not retained by Arizona following the 2023 season, and joined the Raiders in 2024. However, he was later signed off Las Vegas practice squad by the Patriots. Since joining New England, he has added 31 more games and his first 14 career starts to his NFL rsum.Scouting reportStrengths:The 6-foot-5, 313-pound Brown combines good size and length with a proper athletic foundation. He is a fluid mover who has the agility to mirror in the pass game and the speed to climb to the second level or to execute as a pull and reach blocker. His spatial awareness and processing are quite solid, allowing him to recognize his targets even with moving parts around him. He generally is capable of rendering speed rushers and loopers ineffective, in part due to his vision and lateral movement skills, and also because of his active hand usage. Furthermore, his versatility is a plus.Weaknesses:Despite a good athletic makeup, Brown is not the most explosive of blockers. He can be thrown off from a timing perspective on screen and zone plays, and takes time to disengage from double-team blocks to get upfield. He is a competitive player and good mover, who will fight for the dirty yards but also occasionally runs into trouble against power. He does not have the strongest overall makeup extending from his base and anchor in pass protection, to his leg drive in the run game, to his upper body, to his general hand power and grip strength.2025 reviewStats: 21 games (4 starts) | 331 offensive snaps (24.4%), 100 special teams snaps (18.2%) | 10 QB pressures surrendered (2 hits, 8 hurries) | 3 penalties (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)Season recap: Despite joining the Patriots midway through the regular season, Brown started 10 games for them in 2024. However, heading into 2025, the circumstances had changed drastically: with a new coaching staff in town and a different offensive system to be installed, his outlook was unclear entering exclusive rights free agency. Nonetheless, the team decided to tender him and thus allowed him to compete for a roster spot again.Brown did just that, and more. Not only did he make the 53-man roster out of camp as the top interior backup behind starters Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury and Mike Onwenu, he also ended up seeing some meaningful playing time in six games mostly as a replacement for Wilson.The first such game came in Week 3 against Carolina, when the rookie left guard was out with an ankle injury. Brown reentered the lineup in Week 11 versus the Jets as a blocking tight end to help replace an injured Austin Hooper, and again the following week in Cincinnati after Wilson hurt his ankle once more (an injury that also kept him out in Week 13 against the Giants).With a concussion then forcing Wilson out of the Patriots final two regular season games against the Jets and Dolphins, Brown was able to add two more starts and his final 125 offensive snaps to his season totals. He did not see the field on offense in the playoffs but continued playing his regular role as a member of New Englands field goal and extra point protection unit.Despite his backup status and resulting uneven playing time, the Patriots new staff apparently liked what it saw from Brown in their first few months together. As a consequence, he was signed to a two-year, $5 million contract extension in December.2026 previewPosition: Center/Left guard/Right guard | Ability: Depth player/Role player | Contract: Signed through 2027 (2028 UFA)What will be his role?Brown was the next man up along the Patriots interior offensive line in 2025, and he looks like the frontrunner to earn that role again in 2026. This means that he will serve as the backup behind the starting left guard (Alijah Vera-Tucker), center (Jared Wilson) and right guard (Mike Onwenu). While that job ideally comes with no meaningful snaps, the reality of NFL offensive line play is a different one.What is his growth potential?Although some minor strides are within the realm of possibility, Brown making any significant jumps or pushing for a starting role this season is unlikely to happen. That is not necessarily a bad thing, though: a 53-man NFL roster cannot go Oops! All Starters and there is a definitive need for readily-available super subs such as Brown.Does he have positional versatility?Brown has the versatility the Patriots are long for from their interior O-linemen. He can play all three spots in the middle of the offensive line, and was even given a handful of reps as a jumbo tight end on both the left and the right side of the line in 2025. Additionally, he saw special teams action as a field goal/extra point protector in all 21 games last year and should be expected to keep playing that role.What is his salary cap situation?As part of last Decembers contract extension, Brown is carrying a $1.97 million salary cap hit into the 2026 season. That number consists of a $1.2 million base salary and a $366,666 signing bonus proration, both of which are fully guaranteed, as well as $340,000 in likely-to-be-earned roster bonuses and a $60,000 workout bonus.How safe is his roster spot?Despite not being a starter, Browns spot on the Patriots roster this year seems fairly secure. After all, he appears to be the next man up at three positions and has not been seriously challenged in a while now. New England does have some young talent along its interior O-line, but the 28-year-old is still the clear frontrunner to win any potential competition.Summary:Brown is not a household name, and likely never will be. What he is, however, is a reliable and versatile player who checks plenty of the boxes the Patriots are looking for. He therefore is an important piece of the puzzle even though his name never getting mentioned would be the best-case outlook for the teams offensive line.What do you think about Ben Brown heading into the 2026 season? Will the Patriots require his services yet again? And will he remain as the top interior backup? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.

The outline is there but nobodys filled in the details. | Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty ImagesThe thing I hate about this time of year is that it means the entire soccer world becomes an Umberto Eco novel. Every little thing is weighted with significance, evidence of some larger narrative that only the most psychotically semiotic can follow. Speculation becomes rumor becomes fact until everything spirals out of control. Sweaty access merchants like Fabrizio Roman breathlessly publish statements from agents as news as if theres the quid isnt vastly outweighed by the quo. Its discouraging to sift through and infuriating to write about. And alas, I have to wade into this meritless swamp to write about Moise Kean.Lets start with the basics. Kean is in his prime at 26. Hes under contract at Fiorentina until 2030 after extending last summer despite months of speculation. Hes Italys best striker and the only guy who came out of its failed World Cup qualifying campaign with an enhanced reputation. 2025-2026 was a down year at domestic level (8 Serie A goals in 26 appearances) as he dealt with ankle and calf injuries that sapped his effectiveness all year as well as a team context that polluted everyone it touched. Nobody thinks that version of the Moose is the real one, although his outrageous 2024-2025 is probably the ceiling rather than the norm.As Fiorentinas best player, he was always going to be a popular grist for the rumor mill this summer. New DS Fabio Paratici is tearing this squad down to the foundation, ruthlessly excising anyone with the slightest odor of Daniele Prad in his quest to reduce the wage bill. Having nearly set the club record for most expensive transfer window in the opening fortnight of the transfer window and with numerous additions pending, he needs to find money somewhere. Keans the highest-paid guy on the roster and its most saleable asset. The math is simple.Besides being simple, the math also just got cheaper. Keans extension last summer contained a 72 million release clause that extended for 365 days. Its now expired, intensifying speculation that he could be on the move. The consensus price that the Viola would accept hovers around 40 million. Id say thats about reasonable, although perhaps a bit on the low side, especially factoring in Paraticis need to balance the books after spending 90 million already. And hey, he already sold Kean at Juventus in 2019 for 30 million.Speaking of big transfer fees, Comos reportedly at the window, fueling speculation that the nouveau rich Lariani might make a bid for the striker. On the surface, it adds up: Tasos Douvikas was excellent last year but Kean represents a step up in quality from the Greek international, while lvaro Morata is 33 and on the wane despite his popularity with his teammates. Como also needs to add more players trained in Italy to meet UEFAs registration rules for the Champions League (unless the plan is to ignore those like it does FFP). Never mind the reporting that Comos only vaguely interested; something must be happening because at this time of year, on the internet, something must always be happening.The purported interest from the Superlig could make more sense. Turkish soccer has taken on a decidedly Italian feel recently, looking to Serie A for both coaches (Vincenzo Italiano, Domenico Tedesco, Vincenzo Montella) and big-name players (Victor Osimhen, Matteo Guendouzi, Sofyan Amrabat). Fenerbahe has emerged as a suitor over the past few days. After finishing 2nd for 5 straight years, the Sar-Lacivertliler have the Champions League status, the money, and the motivation to make a splashy move in search of their first title since 2014.So far, its all just speculation, of course. Its the tiniest things around the margins, though, that have the eagle-eyed and tinfoil-hatted among us talking about Things that they Noticed. The most notable is a Gianluca di Marzio Instagram post touching on the Kean-to-Como rumor a few days ago. Moises brother Giovanni replied to the post with the folded hands emoji (since deleted), which some people took as evidence that the Kean family wants to get its most prominent member out of Florence and spurring the ire of the Viola faithful.Fabio Grosso hasnt exactly thrown water on the fire, either. In his post-training media session today, he addressed the Kean situation head on: We know what the dynamics are. Id be happy to have him but if a nice thing [i.e. a big offer] arrives for him, for the club and for all of us, well be just as happy to wish him good luck. The mister also gave much-maligned Roberto Piccoli the start over Kean in yesterdays scrimmage against Gubbio, although a preseason scrimmage against a Serie C opponent shouldnt mean anything.Not surprisingly, Fiorentinas been linked to a passel of strikers recently. Tolu Arokodare, Lorenzo Lucca, and Mateo Pellegrino are the names Ive seen most often. That theyre all stylistically similarbig, rugged number 9s who are good in the air and win with physicality more than pace or technical abilityfeels pertinent. Even if its just the brain trust doing its due diligence in case a godfather offer arrives, everyones ears have perked up.And thats why I hate this time of year. I just took a bunch of piddling, unrelated things and created a narrative from them regardless of truth. Itd be just as easy to say that Keans obviously committed to Fiorentina; he got his brother to delete the Instagram comment (god thats idiotic to write) and, despite being a flamboyant and outspoken guy, hasnt issued a peep about his desire to leave. His absence is probably centered around health more than anything else. Grossos probably under orders to be noncommital about the mercato at all costs to avoid giving away the clubs transfer strategy. It could all just as easily be a nothingburger.And yet. And yet. And yet. Im a little nervous about the whole thing. Thats mostly down to the financial aspect of Paratici needing to fund his spree somehow rather than what Giovanni Kean posts on social media. Until some concrete news emerges from this morass of half-built, half-imagined gossamer, I shouldnt care. Thats the power of discourse, though. By even having to talk about this sort of stuff, we speak it into existence. Such verbal sorcery is the basis of any number of trendy YA novels over the past decade but Id rather leave that sort of fantasy confined to books instead of letting it leak all over my Fiorentina consumption.

The Brooklyn Nets still have some moves to make with the 2026 NBA offseason still containing some big names on the market that could sign as soon as LeBron James decides where he will play next. Brooklyn has made most of the moves that they're going to make prior to the beginning of the 2026-27 season, but they are projected to lead the league in cap space against next season.The Nets are projected to have $68.6 million in cap space following the conclusion of the 2026-27 campaign, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac in a post on X on Thursday. Following the Nets are the Chicago Bulls ($55.6 million), Los Angeles Clippers ($53.8 million), Detroit Pistons ($43.9 million), and Milwaukee Bucks ($43.3 million) to round out the top-5 teams in cap space that offseason.While Brooklyn is projected to have the most cap space in the league next summer, that figure would change if the Nets agree to a contract extension with forward Michael Porter Jr. at some point this offseason. Porter is eligible to sign an extension for four years and $234 million and while he is unlikely to get the maximum amount of money he is eligible for, the structure of his extension could change Brooklyn's offseason next year significantly.More to the point, the Nets reportedly signed center Mo Wagner to a two-year, $18 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, but the Wagner signing has not been made official as of this writing. However, even Brooklyn signs Wagner to the reported contract, his second year may not factor into the Nets' cap space if it is a team option that the team ultimately declines.Essentially, assuming that Porter isn't signed to a contract extension and Wagner's deal has a team option on the second year, Brooklyn will have almost $70 million in cap space to work with after next season. Some of the best unrestricted free-agents next season, excluding James, will be Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, forward Kawhi Leonard, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro.The Nets are projected to have the most cap space in the NBA heading into 2027-28. It's still early in the offseason and this number will change if Brooklyn signs Michael Porter Jr. to a contract extension and likely after they sign Mo Wagner, depending on the setup of his deal. https://t.co/7Qqzphptns Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) July 23, 2026This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets projected to have the most cap space in the NBA in 2027 offseason

Jul. 23PRICEVILLE It's a new era for Priceville football.The Bulldogs are preparing to enter their first season under new head coach Austin Burke, who was promoted to replace Seth Parker in January after Parker took the head coaching job at Bob Jones.Burke came with Parker in 2024 to be his defensive coordinator and was a key piece last year in helping the Bulldogs go 8-4 and upset No. 8 Guntersville in the playoffs before losing to eventual state champion Moody. That season of success didn't come without growing pains, however, as the Bulldogs went 2-8 in 2024 while navigating their first season after moving up from Class 4A to Class 5A.Having been at Priceville as an assistant, Burke hopes to maintain the trend of improvement."That's my hope. We've kept a lot of things the same with the scheme and in the weight room," Burke said. "I feel like we've done a good job of instilling a foundation here. My first year we struggled with kids missing practices or a workout the day after we had a hard day, and last year it was completely the opposite. It's been the same way this offseason."There's an expectation and a standard here. We've been 2-8. We know what that feels like, and we know the work it takes to have success like we did last year."Speaking of expectations, no matter who the head coach at Priceville is there's always an expectation of the Bulldogs doing one thing; running the football.Zach Linley, who has served as Priceville's offensive coordinator the last two seasons, is taking over the play-calling duties that were filled by Parker, while Burke will continue to call the defense in addition to his duties as head coach.Priceville returns running backs Colton Madewell and Zavion Camel this season as well as Jack Eubanks at quarterback who was a significant rushing threat. The Bulldogs also return three starters along the offensive line and several on the defense's front seven.Burke said you can still expect the same physical Priceville team on both sides of the ball."It's always going to be run the ball around here," Burke said. "We always have a great group of strong guys up front so why wouldn't you try to be the most physical team you can be."That physicality will be desperately needed this season.Priceville has dropped to Class 4A this year after the AHSAA contracted from seven classifications to six. But while the Bulldogs may technically be in a lower class, Burke said their schedule, which features teams like West Morgan, Deshler and Hamilton, will be just as grueling."Playing in 5A the last two years isn't going to be what saves us. Just because you're playing teams with bigger numbers doesn't necessarily mean better," Burke said. "We were in a tough region in 5A but I'd argue we're in an even tougher one now. Seven teams in our region were in the playoffs last year and three had 10 or more wins. Our schedule is going to be a bloodbath every week, a physical brand of football and we're going to have to bring our best each game." caleb.suggs@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2

Hello, and welcome back to the Pac-Mountain Pulse, a Mountain West Connection podcast. Thank you for joining us today!In this episode, Hikes Peak host Jack Thompson (@JackTalksCFB) joins Derek to discuss various Pac-12 topics, such as the hype and expectations surrounding Texas State quarterback Brad Johnson, which teams will exceed or fall below their FanDuel win total expectations and the ongoing discussions of conference realignment a couple of years down the line.View Link