If Davis Martin wants to keep the good times rolling, hell need to find a way to stymie the big bat of Yordan Alvarez.Coming out of the All-Star break neck-and-neck with the Cleveland Guardians, the Chicago White Sox knew they had to hit the ground running. With two road series on deck against the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers, winning each respective series was all that mattered and the White Sox did exactly that.Thanks to a recent slip in form for the Guardians, the White Sox now hold a slim 1 1/2-game lead in the AL Central. With the Guardians having to face the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds on the road the next six games, the time is now for the White Sox, starting with this first game against the Houston Astros.Another series win would likely keep their lead in the division before the big, bad New York Yankees come into town. With the Tampa Bay Rays and red-hot Boston Red Sox on deck after that, results are imperative here in this series.The same goes for the Astros, who may not be benefiting from stealing signs any longer but are certainly taking advantage of an unusually weak AL West division. Although they come into this series with a 50-54 record, they somehow find themselves just two games out of first.Looking to turn the tide of their poor season, the Astros turn to Spencer Arrighetti to toe the rubber tonight. Arrighetti started out the season as one of the best pitchers in the American League but has since fallen off a cliff. After jumping out to a blistering 7-1 record and an ERA of 1.34 in his first eight starts, Arrighetti has yet to record a single win since. He posted an ERA of nine in the month of June before settling down with an ERA of six in three starts so far this month.Arrighetti excels at limiting hard hits, but thats pretty much all he does well. Much like Vin Diesel, hes mostly a one-trick pony. Arrighetti is simply average in every other metric that matters. As a matter of fact, hes quite poor at getting batters to swing and miss, and with a fastball that sits slower than 93 miles per hour he cant blow anybody away, either. As long as the White Sox stay disciplined and patient, they should have plenty of opportunities to score some runs tonight.As for the White Sox, they have Davis Martin on the hill and its clear why hes largely considered the teams ace. His results have diminished as of late, with blowups against the Minnesota Twins, Yankees and Red Sox of late. With that being said, hes been unfortunate to be without a win since June 10, with Davis having four starts since then allowing just two runs or less.Martin excels at getting hitters to chase this year, which hell need to continue if he wants to have any chance against a player like Yordan Alvarez tonight. With Alvarez being the only qualified player on the Astros with an OPS better than .800 this season, if Martin can limit the damage he causes the White Sox should be able to take care of the Astros. Unfortunately, thats a much easier task than it may seem on paper.Here are the starting lineups for the Chicago White Sox:Here are the starting lineups for the Houston Astros:First pitch is 6:40 p.m. CST. You can watch on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. Let us know your thoughts and predictions below!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

ST. PETERSBURG, FL In 2025, the American Conference became the first conference in college sports to institute a "minimum investment" threshold for its members.That meant every school in the conference would be required to spend at least $10 million over a three-year period on revenue sharing. Some schools, like Memphis, cleared that in one year. Others were further away, but Pernetti told The Commercial Appeal at conference media days on July 24 that it's gone well so far.There have been conversations about expanding it, he said.We have talked at our annual meeting with the ADs about the idea of, Okay, were a year in to this thing. Were further ahead than everybody expected we would be. We should have two conversations. The minimum should maybe be higher, and then do we want to designate specific minimums to specific sports."Asked specifically about a minimum investment threshold for just basketball, Pernetti said those have only been "conversations" and it doesn't mean anything is imminent.The American's basketball level has struggled to keep up with its football level over the past few years. While the conference has been the top Group of Five conference in football over the past two years and sent Tulane to the College Football Playoff in 2025, basketball has lagged behind. The American has been a one-bid league to the NCAA Men's Tournament for the last two seasons.Pernetti has been trying to fix that. He hired former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese as an advisor in 2025 and said he also wants to look at other things like how they schedule conference games.Weve made a concerted effort," Pernetti said. "We have a basketball working group thats working together. We have Mike Tranghese working on it. Were looking at scheduling, scheduling alliances, how we schedule inside the league, minimum investment in basketball to elevate that. Because we know how important that is to our future.Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.comor on X @thejonahdylan.This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: American Conference having 'conversations' about basketball-specific spending floor

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 18: Nick Vannett #38 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to the NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on December 18, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesNick Vannetts stint with the Los Angeles Rams last season wasnt very notable, nor are most of his stints noteworthy, but nevertheless the tight end is staying in the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks signed Vannett on Friday, on the eve of their first day of training camp. Vannett, who was originally drafted by the Seahawks in 2016, appeared in seven games with the Rams in 2025, including getting a snap against the Carolina Panthers in the wild card round.Vannett is a long shot to make Seattles roster, but could share some very minor insights into his short time with the Rams.The Seahawks are Vannetts ninth different team since he was traded by Seattle to Pittsburgh in 2019. Here are all of his stops:2019: Seahawks and Steelers2020: Broncos2021: Saints2022: Saints and Giants2023: Chargers2024: Titans2025: Vikings and Rams2026: SeahawksThe former Ohio State tight end has 1,012 career yards in 10 seasons.He had zero catches with the Rams in 2025 and is likely to stay at 1,012 career yards, but he will get one more shot and stay in the NFC West. For now.

Jul 24, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Ryan Braun is introduced before an alumni game at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesWelcome back! The Brewers are following todays regular game with what theyre calling an Alumni Legends Game, a very fun concept after the success of last seasons Alumni Home Run Derby. Stick around after the game to see franchise legends like Ryan Braun, Geoff Jenkins, Jeff Bianchi, and Brad Boxberger!In all seriousness, this should be a great time as we see some of our favorite Brewers from the 21st century, including a few who we dont often see in Milwaukee. Personally, Im jazzed to see Richie Sexson, Bill Hall, Dan Kolb, and Doug Davis. Full rosters below.The stage is set. The Legends are ready.Come out to tomorrow's Legends Game to watch these guys compete after our game vs. the Rockies and enjoy $2.50 beers and brats before first pitch https://t.co/ztgpJrgfxupic.twitter.com/55PWhsdHp7 Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 23, 2026If youre looking for todays game recap, find that here.

Wide receiver Chris Moore is back in Baltimore. The NFL's daily transaction report shows that Moore worked out for the Ravens on Friday and multiple reports say that he is signing on for a second tour of duty with the team. Moore was a 2016 fourth-round pick and spent his first five seasons with the AFC North club.Moore had 47 catches for 511 yards and four touchdowns during that stint. He spent time with the Texans, Titans and Cardinals before playing in 14 games for the Commanders last season. He had 11 catches for 207 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens worked out wideouts Sterling Shepard, Dante Pettis, and Casey Washington along with Moore. Offensive tackles Hakeem Adenjii and Geron Christian also worked out while quarterback William Atkins handled the throwing during the tryout.

Training camp is where offensive depth becomes more than a list of names.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have established pieces across the offense, but every summer creates opportunities for under-the-radar players to force their way into the conversation. Some are trying to become trusted reserves. Others are fighting for special-teams roles, practice-squad consideration, or enough preseason momentum to make roster decisions more difficult.For Tampa Bay, the sleeper list on offense features several rookies with intriguing traits and a few players looking to turn limited expectations into real opportunity.Here is one sleeper to watch in each offensive position group.Quarterback: Jalon DanielsDaniels enters camp as an intriguing rookie quarterback from Kansas. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds, he is not expected to threaten Baker Mayfields role, but developmental quarterback reps matter throughout training camp and preseason.For Daniels, the focus will be command. He needs to show he can handle the huddle, process quickly, protect the football, and operate the offense with rhythm when given opportunities. Young quarterbacks can help themselves by avoiding unnecessary mistakes and showing steady improvement from one practice to the next.His roster path may not be simple, but strong preseason work could make him a player worth developing.Running back: Kadarius CallowayCalloway gives the Buccaneers a rookie running back with size to evaluate. Listed at 6-foot and 213 pounds, the New Mexico State product will need to show he can do more than carry the football in preseason games.Backup running backs must contribute on special teams, protect the quarterback, and handle receiving assignments. Calloways clearest path is proving he can be trusted in those areas while also showing enough burst and physicality as a runner to remain in the conversation.If he flashes with the ball and holds up in protection, he could become one of the more interesting offensive long shots on the roster.Wide receiver: Ted Hurst IIIHurst is the wide receiver sleeper to watch because his skill set gives Tampa Bay something valuable. The Buccaneers official site described him as a serious threat after he combined for 127 catches, 1,965 yards, and 15 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Georgia State.Hursts path will depend on how quickly he proves his vertical ability translates against NFL defensive backs. Tampa Bay already has Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson in the receiver room. Still, Hurst can help himself by showing he can stretch the field, win contested throws, and contribute on special teams.If he stacks explosive plays during camp, he could force the coaching staff to find a role for him.Tight end: Bauer SharpSharp is one of the more interesting offensive rookies because of his background and versatility. Tampa Bays official site noted that he is a quarterback-turned-tight end who can line up as a traditional tight end, fullback or H-back.That gives him a real sleeper case. Versatile tight ends can make rosters by helping in multiple packages, especially if they can block, find soft spots in zone coverage, and contribute on special teams. Sharp does not need to become a featured receiver immediately. He needs to prove he can handle assignments, play physically, and give the offense flexibility.His football background could help him process the game quickly.Offensive line: Billy SchrauthSchrauth is the offensive line sleeper because interior depth always matters. The Buccaneers added the former Notre Dame guard in the fifth round, and the teams official site noted that he played both guard spots while bringing physicality, football intelligence, and the ability to identify stunts and blitzes.That gives Schrauth a clear path to making an impression. Tampa Bay needs young linemen who can develop into reliable depth, and training camp will show whether Schrauth can handle NFL power, communication, and pass-protection demands.If he proves he can play either guard spot, his value rises quickly.The Buccaneers offensive stars will command most of the attention entering camp, but the back end of the roster matters. Daniels, Calloway, Hurst, Sharp, and Schrauth each have a different path to relevance.If one or two emerge, Tampa Bay could leave training camp with a deeper and more flexible offense than expected.This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: One Buccaneers sleeper to watch in each offensive position group

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired a new offensive coordinator every offseason since 2023. Former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is the next coach up, taking over for Josh Grizzard after an 8-9 season in which the offense averaged 5.2 yards per play, the lowest over the past three seasons and a full yard less than what they enjoyed under current Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen in 2024.Robinson will be left to his own devices while Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles presumably pilots the defense to a top-three blitz rate for the eighth consecutive campaign. Robinsons two-year yards per play average (5.5) in Atlanta, plus potential refinements in Robinsons play-calling processes, inspire cautious optimism. 2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stats (Rank)Points per game: 22.4 (18th)Total yards per game: 320.4 (21st)Plays per game: 62.8 (13th)Dropbacks per game: 41.2 (8th)Dropback EPA per play: 0.06 (18th)Designed rush attempts per game: 26 (16th)Rush EPA per play: -0.09 (24th) Can new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson maximize the Buccaneers passing game potential?Former Buccaneers No.1 wide receiver Mike Evans tenure with the team came to an end after 12 years this offseason, yet Tampa Bay still fields an intriguingly deep wide receiver corps, backed up by a pair of capable pass-catching running backs.Enter Robinson, whose 2024-25 Falcons offenses averaged 65.9 offensive plays per game (10th), a 54.9 percent neutral game pass play rate (26th), a 17.9 percent play-action pass play rate (32nd), a 67.6 percent shifts and motion rate (eighth) and a 66.3 percent 11 personnel rate (11th).For an understudy of Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, Robinsons play-action pass play rate is baffling, although he at least improved from a 13.8 percent rate in 2024 to a 22.0 percent rate in 2025. Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton said this week that Robinsons scheme involves a lot of play action. Hopefully, another substantial increase is on the way. In 2025, NFL offenses averaged 7.76 yards per pass play with play action and just 6.72 without.While the NFL shifts toward heavier personnel packages, Robinsons wide receiver-heavy preference fits well with the Buccaneers personnel. The locked-in starters can produce reliably on a weekly basis, while the Nos. 3-5 wide receivers frequently deliver usable best ball stat lines. Passing GameQB: Baker Mayfield, Jake BrowningWR: Emeka Egbuka, Kameron Johnson, David Sills V, Eric Rivers Jr.WR: Chris Godwin, Tez Johnson, Dennis Houston, Dean PattersonWR: Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst, Garrett GreeneTE: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko KieftBuccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfieldrecently revealed that he played through MCL and PCL sprains suffered in Week 2 last year. He also played through a foot/toe injury in Week 3, a throwing-arm biceps contusion in Weeks 4-5, an oblique injury in Week 8 and suffered a sprain in his previously injured left shoulder in Week 12. He averaged just 6.8 yards per pass attempt and a 71.9 percent adjusted completion rate. Both figures are the lowest in his Tampa Bay tenure, yet he managed to finish as the overall QB12. A bounce-back should be expected, good health pending. He can be viewed as a mid-to-low QB1 candidate.Buccaneers 2025 rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka played an extended season in 2024, going straight from Ohio States College Football Playoff championship to training for the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. He was the overall PPR WR3 in Weeks 1-5 total scoring, but his multi-year campaign eventually caught up with him, leading to September and October hamstring injuries and a steep decline in productivity. He generated 23.5 PPR points in Week 10, following the Buccaneers Week 9 bye, but never once cleared 12.0 PPR points thereafter. He finished the year as the overall PPR WR23.Fantasy managers should cautiously expect a return to form in 2026.Robinson expects Egbuka, 23, to take huge, huge strides, and Egbuka told reporters in June that he is feeling refreshed and was able to pack on lean muscle this spring, after taking needed time off early in the offseason. He will compete with wide receiver Chris Godwin, 30, for the Buccaneers WR1 role this summer.Godwin had collected a league-high 50 receptions in Week 7, 2024, when he suffered a season-ending fibula fracture and ankle dislocation. He retook the field for the first time in Week 4, 2025, but was sidelined from Weeks 6-12 after suffering another fibula injury.He averaged 1.36 yards per route run (YPRR) in 2025 after averaging 2.36 in 2024.As of June, Godwin reportedly looked sharp and smooth at organized team activities, but it is fair to wonder if he is best-suited to a complementary role at this point. Godwin could end up as the teams top target earner, though finishing below Egbukaand another Buccaneers wide receiveris possible.Buccaneers wide receivers Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst are competing for the Buccaneers wide-open WR3 role. A preseason neck injury derailed McMillans 2025, second NFL season, sidelining him until Week 15. Over the final four weeks, he ranked sixth in his teams positional targets (15), while leading the group with 2.14 YPRR. Dating back to his Week 11, 2024, rookie season bye, McMillan has averaged 1.75 YPRR and a 16.8 percent target rate, creating an uneven receiving profile.Johnson finished as the PPR WR67 in his 2025 rookie season, producing five double-digit fantasy-point outings as the offense navigated wide receiver injuries mid-season. He averaged just 1.08 YPRR across the full season and averaged 1.27 in his productive Weeks 5-12 run, during which he scored five touchdowns. Johnson reportedly stood out at organized team activities and mandatory minicamp this year.McMillan (6-foot-1, 192 pounds) and Johnson (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) possess inside-outside versatility, though neither player fills the X-receiver void left by wide receiver Evans, who joined the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. The team has made clear that Hurst, a 6-foot-4, 206-pound third-round rookie, is a candidate to assume the vacated role, which could make him the most natural fit in three-wide receiver sets, given Egbuka and Godwins alignment versatility.Hurst received praise from both the Buccaneers beat and coaching staff this spring.All three wide receivers are worthwhile best ball dart throws entering training camp. They can be easily dropped as late-round, August re-draft picks as well. Hurst could offer the highest upside.Otton finished as the PPR TE22 last season, earning 80 of his position groups 84 targets. He is a best ball TE3. Running GameRB: Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell, Sean TuckerOL (L-R): Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch, Luke GoedekeThrough six seasons, left tackle Tristan Wirfs boasts five Pro Bowl nods, two first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection and a spot on the 2020 PFWA All-Rookie Team. He makes a strong case for being the best left tackle in football. The rest of the line features two capable pass protectors, left guard Ben Bredeson (76.0 PFF pass-blocking grade) and right guard Cody Mauch (66.4 PFF pass-blocking grade), plus run-game mauler, center Graham Barton (66.0 PFF run-blocking grade) and all-around stud right tackle Luke Goedeke (79.3 PFF offense grade). They form one of the NFLs best offensive lines.Foot and shoulder injuries sidelined running back Bucky Irving from Weeks 5-12, and reportedly took a mental toll on the then-second-year player. Irving enters 2026 as the de facto starter, but free agent signee running back Kenneth Gainwell used spring practices to work his way up to 1B status, and Robinson notes the two backs possess similar skill sets. Gainwell could challenge for the starting role this summer or in-season.Buccaneers No. 3 running back Sean Tucker could also retain his late-season role as a short-yardage and scoring-position specialist, though he would likely produce unreliably if this is the case. Treat him as a high-upside bench stash.Irving underwent surgery in February to correct the shoulder issue. He resumed practicing in June, and told reporters this week that he will be good to go for training camp. Veterans report for training camp on July 28th.Pre-injury, Irving was the overall PPR RB9 in Weeks 1-4. Among 33 NFL running backs with at least 35 rushing attempts during that span, Irving ranks fifth in rushing attempts (71), ties for 12th in missed tackles forced per rushing attempt (0.21), ranks 27th in yards after contact per rushing attempt (2.4) and last in first down and/or touchdown rate (9.9 percent). Among 15 NFL running backs with at least 15 targets during that span, Irving ranks fifth in targets (19), ninth in target rate (20.9 percent), third in YPRR (2.12) and ties for first in catch rate (100.0 percent). He finished as the overall PPR RB34 last year.Gainwell broke out in his fifth NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, finishing as the overall PPR RB16. Including the NFL playoffs, Gainwells 77 receptions tie for third at the position. Among 32 NFL running backs with at least 35 targets across the full season, Gainwell ranks second in target rate (24.5 percent), seventh in YPRR (1.44) and catch rate (88.5 percent). Among 45 NFL running backs with at least 120 rushing attempts, Gainwell ranks last in rushing attempts (120), yards after contact per rushing attempt (2.4) and first down and/or touchdown rate (15.6 percent). He ties for 21st in missed tackles forced per rushing attempt (0.18).Both Irving (5-foot-10, 195 pounds) and Gainwell (5-foot-9, 200 pounds) are undersized. Employing a committee approach makes sense. Among the 2,884 targets earned by NFL running backs across the full 2025 season, 399 were earned during the two-minute drill (13.8 percent) and 331 were earned on third- and fourth-and-long (11.5 percent). Among the 390 rushing touchdowns scored by NFL running backs across the full 2025 season, 318 were scored in the red zone (81.5 percent) and 281 were scored in the green zone (72.1 percent).Identifying the Buccaneers starter, passing game specialist and scoring position specialist is critical for maximizing fantasy value in this backfield. 2026 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win TotalDraftKings Over/Under: 8.5Pick: Under (-136)Sharp Football Analysis lists the Buccaneers with the 10th-toughest strength of schedule. A 9-8 season is within reason. If the Cincinnati Bengals continue their slow early-season-start trend, albeit at home, the Buccaneers could eke out a victory in Week 1. Home games against the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings are winnable in Weeks 2-3, but Tampa Bay could end up suffering a Week 4 home loss to the Green Bay Packers before picking up another loss, this time on the road, against the Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers ensuing three-game slate vs. PIT, @ CAR and vs. ATL could net three wins. They must then face the vaunted Chicago Bears on the road before going on bye in Week 10. At this point in the season, a 6-3 record is less likely than a 4-5 record. Going 1-4 post-bye, playing @ DET, vs. CAR, vs. LAC, @ BAL and vs. NO, is possible. Netting a road win against the Falcons in Week 16 would be a nice way to enter the final two-game stretch vs. LAR and @ NO.

Patrick Mahomes has made a remarkable recovery from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. The Chiefs quarterback injured his knee in a Dec. 14 game and underwent surgery the following day.A little over seven months later, he is cleared for training camp.Mahomes said he consulted with several players who went through a similar rehab.I talked to Tom [Brady] early in the process because he had the same injury, a very similar injury that I had, Mahomes said Friday, via Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star. Brady tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during the season opener in 2008 before winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2009.Its just talking to guys that have been through this process and just saying how you have to stay on top of it, Mahomes said. Its a long process. I remember sitting on the table and watching us play those last few games and how much it hurt me, but I knew that if I continued to work, I could be at this spot where I get cleared for practice. Now Im just trying to get to that spot where Im cleared to play in the regular season on that first week.Mahomes also talked to former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and veteran tight end Zach Ertz. Mathieu tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in 2013 and had another ACL tear in 2015, and Ertz tore his ACL a week before Mahomes' injury.His conversations with Ertz turned into a rehab competition.We kind of had like competitions on where we were at, and where we were rehabbing, Mahomes said of Ertz. It would start off as how much deadlift what youre deadlifting, where youre at and then [we would] send little videos. Hes jumping and doing certain acceleration things, and Im sending him next week doing cutting and stuff like that.It keeps the competition going because its a long process and you feel like sometimes youre lonely because youre doing stuff by yourself, and youre just competing against yourself, so it gave me someone else that I can compete with to push my competitive drive.

HIGH POINT High Point University has announced changes in its track and field and cross country programs following the retirement of longtime coach Mike Esposito.Remy Tamer has been named the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country. He has been the women's cross country coach since 2016, winning nine straight conference titles and earning seven straight Big South Coach of the Year honors.Dr. Scott Hall becomes the program's first-ever general manager. He will oversee the administrative duties for the programs.Shamoya Pruitt has been promoted to associate head coach, focusing on sprints hurdles and horizontal jumps, while Collin Post has been promoted to associate head coach, focusing on throws.Anne Akagi-Koons and Zach Ferrara have been hired as assistant coaches.Akagi-Koons will coach women's distance after spending last year at Radford. She graduated from Charleston Southern in 2024 after setting school records in the 800 and 1,500 meters.Ferrara will coach pole vault coach after seven seasons at Nazareth. He was Niagara Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024 and coached multiple NCAA qualifiers and conference champions.Hillary Holmes returns for her fifth season as an assistant coach, while former All-American Cole Wilson joins the staff as director of operations/assistant coach.HPU PLACES OVER 300 ON BIG SOUTH HONOR ROLLCHARLOTTE High Point University placed 309 student-athletes on this year's Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll.The Panthers had 84.66% of their 365 eligible student-athletes earn the academic honor, ranking third among Big South institutions behind Longwood (85.77%) and Radford (85.04%). The conference average was 77.49%.The Big South recognized 2,320 of 2,994 eligible student-athletes on the Presidential Honor Roll, which requires a 3.0 GPA or better for the school year.Conference-wide, a record 294 student-athletes earned the Commissioner's Award for a perfect 4.0 GPA. Another 703 received Gold Awards (3.75-3.99 GPA) and 560 earned Silver Awards (3.50-3.74 GPA), giving the league 1,557 student-athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA.High Point produced 32 Commissioner's Award recipients, recognizing student-athletes who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2025-26 academic year.HPU EARNS IWLCA ACADEMIC HONORSNORTHBOROUGH, Mass. The High Point University women's lacrosse team has been named an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Honor Squad for the 12th year in a row while nine Panthers were tabbed to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll.HPU was represented by graduate student Caitlyn Baehr; seniors Reese Dowgiallo, Rachelle Gauthier and Sydney Martin; and juniors Sarah Johnson, Ella McKay and Eva Thorn.These Panthers were among 1,212 student-athletes honored who posted a 3.50 GPA and were a junior, senior or graduate student across 122 different institutions.It was the third straight IWLCA Academic Honor Roll submission for Baehr, while it's the second in a row for Dowgiallo, Gauthier and Martin and the first for Johnson, McKay and Thorn.As a team, the Panthers were one of 357 schools across all divisions to post a 3.2 GPA or higher.ROCKERS LOSE AT LEXINGTONLEXINGTON, Ky. The High Point Rockers lost 8-3 against the Lexington Legends in Atlantic League baseball Thursday at Lexington's CommonSpirit Ballpark.Ryan McCarthy, who had two hits, and Alex Dickerson each homered for the Rockers (39-42 overall, 10-8 second half), who led 2-0 in the first but fell behind 8-2 in the sixth. Ty Hubbard, who doubled, also had two hits.Nic Laio took the pitching loss, striking out six in seven innings.High Point, which dipped into a second-place tie with Southern Maryland behind Lexington atop the South Division's second-half standings, will continue its six-game series at Lexington through Sunday.The Rockers will host Charleston for a six-game set next week.

Edit via Liam McGuireThis week, the sports media world gasped as layoffs hit high-profile names across ESPN, including at NFL Network and the show NFL Live. But while ESPN may be cost-cutting in the wake of its January 31 acquisition of NFL Network and RedZone, its counterparty is rolling in it.The NFL exchanged those two media assets (plus its fantasy football platform) for 10 percent of ESPN, and that deal is already boosting the bottom lines of its teams. The Green Bay Packers, the only team in the NFL to publicly report earnings, told reporters today on a call that a massive $133.6 million jump in non-operating income was due to investment gains, as well as the NFL Network transaction. The year before, non-operating income was $1.9 million.Its a gain, said Maureen Smith, the Green Bay Packers chief financial officer. It is on the balance sheet. Our 1/32nd share of this investment. In addition, any gains or losses of that entity flows through our non-operating income. So that would reflect the ESPN deal and any other gains or losses that happen within that investment entity.A few observations. The Packers would not offer the next mathematical step and break down how much of the nearly $134 million is divided between securities profits and the value of the ESPN investment. And a spokesman added the figure also includes gains from other NFL equity investments.But most of those investments were live a year ago when non-operating income was nearly flat, and the ESPN transaction is the only one the Packers corporate hierarchy went with.Thats almost a 7,000 percent increase, team president Ed Policy said of the jump in non-operating income. Now that increase is really due to two things. There are two drivers there. One is gains in our investment in the corporate investments in the corporate reserve fund. Its been a good year for those investments, and the other one is the NFL sale of the NFL Network to ESPN for a 10% equity stake in ESPN. The ESPN transaction was valued at $3 billion at the time of closing.The jump in non-operating income masked a rare loss in operating income, the first one for the Packers since 1989 (not including 2020 the pandemic year). The team reported $753 million of operating revenue (that puts the team in the second quartile of NFL clubs) but $754 million of expenses, with the team blaming NFL player contracts for the evaporation of the previous years cushy profit.The teams mega trade for Micah Parsons not only saw the club sign the linebacker to a major contract, but by trading Kenny Clark, the team could no longer amortize his bonuses over the remaining years of his contract, and had to account for them all in the most recent fiscal year. The team had several other similar contracts that led to a $1.1 million loss from operations (it was $83.7 million the year before).Player costs were $447 million even as the cap was $279.2 million. The cap is largely an accounting figure, the real number for teams is cash out the door. The Packers much larger player-cost figure reflects benefits and payments.There are a couple more observations to make from the Packers call, both of which are labor related. The NFLs labor deal expires in 2031, though the skirmishing has already begun, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suggesting at the leagues annual meeting how the salary cap is structured might need to be revisited.The Packers are very unlikely to report future losses on operations, but they might not be as robust as past years. Assuming this somewhat reflects the rest of the NFL, one could see the league pounding the table that margins are shrinking and that threatens future investments (this was the line in 2011 before the lockout).At the same time, the NFLPA will surely look at that gain on the NFL Network sale, and say players got nothing from it but it was built on their backs. So at the very least, when determining margins, that should be included in the calculation.This is the difference between saying the important figure in the Packers earnings is the loss in operating income; to arguing instead the figure that counts is the $132.5 million gain in net income, which includes the non-operating bonanza.As 2031 advances, NFL reporters better get their econ hats on.The post Packers financials signal ESPN equity stake potentially a nine-figure boon for NFL teams appeared first on Awful Announcing.