Noah Lyles and ShaCarri Richardson both won their third 100-meter national title on Friday.First, Richardson stormed through the field with a time of 10.77 seconds, matching her best time since throwing down a 10.71 at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2024. Then Lyles similarly surged to the win in 9.79 seconds, matching the career-best time that won him Olympic gold in Paris.It was a cathartic day for the two American sprinters who found success in Paris two years ago but have struggled to maintain that level in the time since. They presented their breakthroughs in vastly different ways.For Richardson, it was the culmination of a lengthy effort to get in a better place, via her interview with NBC Sports:It just feels phenomenal to be back in a better place healthy mentally, physically, emotionally. And it shows that hard work pays off. Everything me and coach [Dennis Mitchell] have been working on is starting to show consistently.Lyles, meanwhile, cut a wrestling promo about how this is nothing compared to what he has planned in the coming two years:Shoot, I was just playing around this year. Im scared for you all next year. Im real scared, because youre not going to have this nice Noah who goes around and just thinks its all lollygagging and good. Next year, I got plans. I got places to run fast. So you better pray, go to sleep and dont get scared when I run up on you.Lyles time is the new worlds best in 2026, surpassing Jamaican rival Oblique Sevilles 9.82 last month. Its a reversal from last years world championships, when he finished third behind Seville and Paris silver medalist Kishane Thompson.He started behind in this race, with 2019 world champion Christian Coleman moving a step ahead of him off the blocks. As Lyles did in Paris, he finished strong and took gold. And made sure everyone knew how he did it:In my head, the distance was already made up. I put my hand in their pocket. Dont let them get away. I saw where Christian was and I said Ill get my hands all the way in there. And I just pulled them back and I did what I do.Richardson, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist, dealt with an unspecified injury in 2025 and wound up finishing only fifth in the world championships with a season-best 10.94 seconds. She has already bested that mark five times in 2026.

In part 2 of an Action News exclusive, we go one-on-one with the legendary "Dr. J," one of the most creative and influential dunkers in basketball history.But his impact goes well beyond the court, becoming an inspiration to so many.Photojournalist Tim Mader sat down with the beloved 76er, who helped win the city's last NBA championship in 1983.SEE ALSO | Dr. J reflects on the art of the slam dunk | Exclusive

India are set to play the second of their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.They arrived with a run of six consecutive defeats in the format hanging over them, but a clinical performance in the first game helped them turn around their fortunes.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi turned up the heat in familiar conditions and scored a 18-ball 50 to bring up his first international half-century. Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav finished with 2/18 figures after making a comeback to the national team after 21 months.CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABETAfter getting hammered by Ireland and England, Shreyas Iyer will hope to find it easy against Zimbabwe and wrap up the series with a match to spare on Saturday.The Sporting News brings you the pitch report, key T20I records, and everything you need to know about the ground in the shortest format.Add The Sporting News as a preferred news sourceHarare Sports Club pitch report: Is it a batting or bowling wicket?Harare Sports Club generally offers a good surface for batting, with true bounce and a fast outfield that rewards stroke play once batters are established. The venue sits at an altitude of roughly 1,500 metres, which aids carrying.Seam bowlers can find early movement in the opening overs, particularly under cloudy skies, while spinners come into play as the surface slows in the second half of an innings. Chasing sides has generally been comfortable here.What is the average T20I score at Harare Sports Club?A total in the range of 150 to 165 is typically considered competitive at the venue, though scores have risen sharply in recent years. The 2025 T20 World Cup Africa qualifiers produced several totals beyond 200 on the same surfaces.Highest score by a team at Harare Sports Club in T20IsThe overall record belongs to Zimbabwe, who smashed 259 for 5 against Botswana in September 2025 during the Africa qualifiers. Namibia posted 241 for 5 against Kenya and 235 for 6 against Nigeria at the same venue that month.Among Full Member nations, India holds the highest total on the ground, having made 234 for 2 against Zimbabwe in July 2024 during their tour of the country.Lowest score by a team at Harare Sports Club in T20IsThe lowest total recorded here is Malawi's 71 against Namibia in September 2025. Among Full Member sides, Sri Lanka's 80 against Zimbabwe in September 2025 stands as the lowest, followed by Zimbabwe's own 90 for 9 against Afghanistan in 2022.India has their own unwanted entry on the list, having been bowled out for 102 by Zimbabwe in July 2024, a defeat that came in the opening match of that series.Highest individual score at Harare Sports Club in T20IsThe individual batting record belongs to Aaron Finch, whose extraordinary 172 from 76 balls against Zimbabwe in July 2018 remains one of the greatest T20I innings ever played. The Australian struck 16 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 226.31.Best bowling figures at Harare Sports Club in T20IsBangladesh all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain produced the finest spell at the ground, claiming 5 for 20 from his four overs against Zimbabwe in July 2022. It remains the only five-wicket haul recorded at the venue in the format.Most runs at Harare Sports Club in T20IsSikandar Raza leads the run-scoring charts at his home ground with 883 runs from 44 innings between 2015 and 2026, striking at 125.39 with five half-centuries.Brian Bennett sits close behind with 865 runs from 30 innings at an average of 29.82 and is the only batter to score a century at the venue with his 111.Most wickets at Harare Sports Club in T20IsRichard Ngarava holds the bowling record at the ground, taking 41 wickets in 35 innings between 2021 and 2026. The left-arm quick averages 24.85, with best figures of 4 for 34 at the venue.DafabetBEST ODDS AND OFFERSCLICK TO BET

George Kittle has been one of the NFL's loudest voices on player safety and turf, and he laid out his full argument on "Chris Simms Unbuttoned" ahead of the San Francisco 49ers' training camp."What I've learned from turf is that I am significantly more sore the day after," Kittle said. "Your feet, your ankles, your knees, your hips everything's just more sore, and it takes you a couple more days to bounce back." On grass, he said, the soreness from contact is still there, but the joint stiffness isn't. "You don't have that ankle stiffness, those knees, the hips. I've been feeling that since I was a rookie."Kittle said the sentiment is nearly universal among the players he's talked to: "I would say 90-plus percent of players that I talk to are like, 'Oh, dude, give me grass every single day of the week.'"Kittle isn't alone. Several other notable NFL players have publicly pushed for grass at NFL stadiums, especially after the World Cup mandated NFL stadiums use grass for soccer matches this summer.The 49ers star pointed to the league's financial priorities over player safety as why the change hasn't happened. "You're building all these new stadiums with all this beautiful technology $100 million stadiums. Like, why can't you just put in a way to use grass?" Kittle said. "At the core of it, you're making most of your money off of players playing on your grass. So let's make a good surface."Short of a full switch to grass, Kittle said he'd settle for consistency across turf fields."Every turf field I play on is different. I go to New England, it's different than Seattle. Seattle's different than Cincinnati," he said. "Can we at least just have one turf, so you know what you're getting yourself into when you play on a turf field?"Kittle connected the issue directly to injuries, referencing his own ankle injury the week before he tore his Achilles. "Injuries do happen, but they happen less on the grass field," he said, adding that head injuries are a concern too: "If you get a concussion on the turf, you see guys' heads just go bounce on it like a basketball. You see that significantly less on a grass field."Whether or not teams listen remains to be seen. But with the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations not happening until 2031, players will have to make do with these arguments before they see any real progress.This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: George Kittle continues to make the case for grass fields over turf

Jun 30, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Serena Williams of the United States leaves the court after losing her match against Maya Joint of Australia on day two at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Susan Mullane-Imagn ImagesSerena Williams has shared her thoughts on Aryna Sabalenka, highlighting a striking similarity between their on-court personalities. Although the 23-time Grand Slam champion observed a contrast in how their anger has been received, she had nothing but praise for Sabalenka and the greater acceptance of emotional expression.What Serena Williams Said About Aryna Sabalenkas Fiery On-Court TemperamentWilliams recently made a return to professional tennis during the grass-court season, with her singles comeback stealing the spotlight at Wimbledon. Although the American lost to Maya Joint in the first round and sustained a knee injury that forced her out of the doubles event, she showed encouraging signs on the court and has hinted at a return during the North American hardcourt swing.During an appearance at Fanatics Fest in Manhattan, Williams joined Kevin Hart for an episode of Cold as Balls, where she showered praise on Sabalenka. She expressed admiration for the Belarusians tendency to display her anger after defeats, explaining that she loved seeing Sabalenka express emotions in a way she was never allowed to during her own career.Sabalenka is No. 1 and shes such a spitfire and she really gives her all when shes out there. I see myself in that and so I love that, I love that about her. And when she loses, shes mad and I wasnt allowed to express my anger, but I love how she is allowed to express her anger. I love it, she said.The 23-time Grand Slam champions praise for Sabalenka comes as no surprise, since she recently spoke about how she enjoyed watching the world No. 1 succeed at Grand Slams after her retirement.Seeing Sabalenka just kind of do so well in so many of those Grand Slams has always been really cool to watch her. I love her intensity out there, Williams said in a press conference at Wimbledon.The admiration goes both ways. While speaking to the media at Wimbledon, Sabalenka described Williams comeback as amazing and said she was excited to watch her compete again. She also pointed out that the 44-year-olds return was a major boost for tennis, given the attention it generated.I dont know how far. Im super excited to see her play. Thats incredible. I heard she said shes doing that for her kids to see her play. They really get excited about that. Its amazing what shes doing. Also its Serena Williams, everyone was talking about that. Shes bringing more eyes on tennis. Its a good thing for tennis. Im really excited to see her play, Sabalenka said.MORE:Aryna Sabalenka Reunites With Her Sister and Mother, Shares Rare Hometown PicturesSince falling short in the fourth round of Wimbledon, Aryna Sabalenka has been making the most of a well-deserved break. After a relaxing trip to Greece with her fianc, Georgios Frangulis, the world No. 1 returned to her native Belarus, where the couple enjoyed quality time with her family.Sabalenka will soon turn her attention to the North American hardcourt swing ahead of her return to the tour at the Canadian Open. The WTA 1000 event is set to begin on August 2.As for Serena Williams, it remains to be seen where she will compete next. However, the 44-year-old has shared a promising update, revealing that her knee is finally getting better.

Source: Polaris To be the best, you've got to beat the best. Polaris is claiming they are such, and the company is so confident that it's putting money on it. And not small change, either; we're talking about $50,000 here. The brand is putting a big 'ol $50k smackaroos up for grabs for any non-Polaris driver that can beat them in the Baja 400, and if nobody can, that purse carries over to the Baja 1000. Any takers? Source: Polaris Polaris' SCORE Challenge is more than the actual race itself, and it is leaning heavily on the RZR Factory Racing team to kick ass and take names. the Pro UTV Class is its domain, and it has Brock Heger, Cayden MacCachre, Ethan Groom, and Joe Terrana to do battle on its behalf. Consider Polaris locked and loaded."The goal of the SCORE Challenge is to reward top racers for racing Baja and create even more opportunities for head-to-head competition at the highest level," said Alex Scheuerell, Polaris' Director of Off-Road Motorsports. "When the best teams and drivers compete, everyone benefits-the sport grows, the competition gets stronger, and the fans get the racing they want to see.So, long story short, Polaris is offering up $50k to any racer that can beat it on what is effectively its home turf. We wouldn't wage that battle, but we do know other manufacturers might. And to take that whole "king of the castle" notion, there's a lot of mindset behind it.Anyways, we salute Polaris for the challenge they set. We'll let Muse do the rest of the talking for us: Best, you've got to be the best You've got to change the world And use this chance to be heard Your time is now (your time is now) You heard them. Now.

Rich Paul believed LeBron James was headed back to the Heat before choosing the 76ers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.LeBron James is now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, which was a long time coming. After exiting the Los Angeles Lakers, the rest of the league wanted James despite him being 41. That just goes to show his longevity is elite because he is still getting league-wide offers at his age.While he considered plenty of teams, there were some favorites, including his former team, the Miami Heat. His superagent from Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, thought Miami was the destination throughout the past few weeks. However, it seems LeBron felt it was right to join the 76ers after seeing their roster.LeBron James almost went back to Miami in the 2026 offseasonLeBron is still one of the league's best players at 41, so it is not a surprise that teams fought for his signature. At the end of the day, he made the decision that will best suit his goals of winning a championship, and the 76ers were the team that stood out to him.Mike Gansey and Bob Myers have done an awesome job of re-constructing the team that Daryl Morey built. They entered the season with the current team and Paul George and with some savvy moves, they now have James and Brown on the same roster.MORE:What LeBron James joining the 76ers means for the Warriors, Heat, and CavaliersIt is one of the most prolific offseasons of any team in recent memory. Pulling off the trade for a recent All-NBA Second Team player like Brown and then signing quite possibly the greatest player in NBA history on top of that is a masterclass by the 76ers' front office. However, they almost missed out on LeBron had they not traded for Brown."I spoke to Rich Paul about that about an hour ago; he said for a lot of the time he thought it was going to end up being Miami. That seemed to be a nice fit and story, but he said, 'When you've been to a place before, when you've won at a place before, if you go back it may not be the same.' You kind of want to leave those memories where they were, as they are. They had a great time together when they won two titles down in Miami," Ramona Shelburne said on ESPN about the Heat missing out on Bron.The Heat could have had Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo pairing with James. They still have an impressive roster with those two, but they could have had a much better roster with James as the star player. It will be a fun matchup to watch because the Eastern Conference is loaded with top-level talent now.More NBA news:How much LeBron James has earned for all his teams throughout the NBAJoel Embiid and Jaylen Brown join the list of LeBron James' best teammates everPredicting if Jaylen Brown could be the #1 option for the 76ers with LeBron James and Joel EmbiidCharles Barkley calls LeBron James a doofus after his 76ers decision ruined his golf plansHow LeBron James is ranking among the best players in the 76ers' history

The tight end position has not been a major strength for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since having Rob Gronkowski years ago, as Matt Okada ofNFL.comrecently named it the biggest remaining issue on the roster.Former fourth-round pick Cade Otton has been the primary tight end for the last few seasons, posting respectable, yet mundane numbers.On Wednesday, PFF ranked all 32 starting TEs, with Otton ranking No. 29."Otton was one of the more sure-handed tight ends in the league this past season, dropping just two of his 61 catchable targets," PFF's Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick wrote. "Thats allowed quarterback Baker Mayfieldto trust him a lot over the past two seasons, as his 1,172 receiving yards since 2024 are 11th in the NFL."Despite his consistent catching ability, Otton is not very dynamic in the passing game,as the former Washington pass catcher has just 11 touchdowns in four seasons with Tampa Bay.Last year, Otton recorded 59 catches for 572 yards and just one touchdown, with his lone score coming in the final game of the season against the Carolina Panthers.Otton did post a few big performances throughout the regular season, including a 12-catch game against the New England Patriots.This production was enough forOtton to earn a3-year, $30 million contract, but the Bucs are still waiting for him to take the next step.Outside of Otton, Tampa doesn't have many options, asDevin Culp and Payne Durham were the only two other TEs to record a reception last season, combining for two catches and 17 yards.LSUtight endBauer Sharpis a new face in the room, as Tampa moved up to select him with the No. 185 pick in this past year's draft.Following a lone year in Norman, OK, Sharp transferred to LSU for his senior campaign. With the Tigers, Sharp notched 24 catches for 252 yards and two scores, starting all 13 games.While Sharp could grow into a solid player, he is not ready to take on a huge role, leaving the Bucs without a potential game-breaking player at the position.One intriguing option for the Bucs, should they look to add to the room, is free agent TE Jonnu Smith.Smith spent one season with thePittsburgh Steelersbefore being released and is yet to sign with a team.While Smith's numbers in Pittsburgh don't jump off the screen, he has shown the ability to be a difference maker in the vertical passing game.Just two seasons ago, Smith put together the best season of his career with theMiami Dolphins, racking up 88 catches for 884 yards and eight scores.According to Spotrac, Smith has a market value around $7 million annually, which may have dropped considering his reluctance to sign a deal.Taking a flier on Smith could be a gamble that pays off, as he plays a similar style of tight end to theAtlanta Falcons'Kyle Pitts, who had a career season under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in 2025.Join the CommunityDon't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

The tight end position has not been a major strength for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since having Rob Gronkowski years ago, as Matt Okada ofNFL.comrecently named it the biggest remaining issue on the roster.Former fourth-round pick Cade Otton has been the primary tight end for the last few seasons, posting respectable, yet mundane numbers.On Wednesday, PFF ranked all 32 starting TEs, with Otton ranking No. 29."Otton was one of the more sure-handed tight ends in the league this past season, dropping just two of his 61 catchable targets," PFF's Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick wrote. "Thats allowed quarterback Baker Mayfieldto trust him a lot over the past two seasons, as his 1,172 receiving yards since 2024 are 11th in the NFL."Despite his consistent catching ability, Otton is not very dynamic in the passing game,as the former Washington pass catcher has just 11 touchdowns in four seasons with Tampa Bay.Last year, Otton recorded 59 catches for 572 yards and just one touchdown, with his lone score coming in the final game of the season against the Carolina Panthers.Otton did post a few big performances throughout the regular season, including a 12-catch game against the New England Patriots.This production was enough forOtton to earn a3-year, $30 million contract, but the Bucs are still waiting for him to take the next step.Outside of Otton, Tampa doesn't have many options, asDevin Culp and Payne Durham were the only two other TEs to record a reception last season, combining for two catches and 17 yards.LSUtight endBauer Sharpis a new face in the room, as Tampa moved up to select him with the No. 185 pick in this past year's draft.Following a lone year in Norman, OK, Sharp transferred to LSU for his senior campaign. With the Tigers, Sharp notched 24 catches for 252 yards and two scores, starting all 13 games.While Sharp could grow into a solid player, he is not ready to take on a huge role, leaving the Bucs without a potential game-breaking player at the position.One intriguing option for the Bucs, should they look to add to the room, is free agent TE Jonnu Smith.Smith spent one season with thePittsburgh Steelersbefore being released and is yet to sign with a team.While Smith's numbers in Pittsburgh don't jump off the screen, he has shown the ability to be a difference maker in the vertical passing game.Just two seasons ago, Smith put together the best season of his career with theMiami Dolphins, racking up 88 catches for 884 yards and eight scores.According to Spotrac, Smith has a market value around $7 million annually, which may have dropped considering his reluctance to sign a deal.Taking a flier on Smith could be a gamble that pays off, as he plays a similar style of tight end to theAtlanta Falcons'Kyle Pitts, who had a career season under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in 2025.Join the CommunityDon't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

No offseason move was going to ruin Charles Barkleys plans except this one. The Sixers legend was planning a relaxing Friday on the golf course, but LeBron James bombshell free-agency decision abruptly ruined those plans. He had to make a quick pivot to join his frenemy Stephen A. Smith on Straight Shooter, and the Hall of Famer made no secret of his frustration after James chose his team over heavy favorites like Cleveland.Immediately after LeBron James decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers, SAS had Barkley on his show. A simple how do you do turned into Chuck venting his annoyance over the timing of the announcement.I was good till yall ruined my damn day. I was heading to the damn golf course. I had to turn around because yall this doof** make this announcement. Man, dont interrupt my damn summer schedule. I dont play golf every day this week, and now yall pi me off on a Friday. Its the weekend and I got to talk about this thing. So now Im not happy right now, Stephen A.Calling Bron a doof** is nearly making Chucks reaction overshadow James decision on the Internet. Fans are beyond amused that his weekend plans were upended because ofLeBron James after he spent most of the last two weeks discouraging James from joining the Sixers.Since Cleveland and Miami were frontrunners, Sir Charles admitted he was thoroughly shocked by James picking Philadelphia over a homecoming.Shocked, he told Smith was his initial reaction Because I wanted him to go back to Cleveland. I mean, he has no affiliation with the 76ers. He has no affiliation with the Warriors. Do the Miami thing. I could deal with that honestly if he went back to Miami, but he has no affiliation to the Sixers or the Warriors. So, I was just hoping he went I was really hoping hed go back to Cleveland, Barkley explained.But he also knew why James picked the most unlikely team. I think the the kicker was Jaylen Brown. He wouldnt have come to Philly if they didnt get Jaylen Brown this move here makes the Sixers the team to beat in the East.The move marks a stark contrast to Barkleys recent pre-decision comments on The Insiders, where he argued that a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers was the only rightful farewell tour for James.He warned that joining the Sixers or the Warriors would look like cheatinghis way to another championship or chasing Michael Jordans imaginary ghost.However, James issued his own passionate public statement after signing a two-year, $8 million veteran minimum deal.This is my last decision. Im not going for money. Im not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship, James posted on social media.By taking a massive pay cut to join Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, James has completely reshaped the Eastern Conference contender hierarchy.Though Barkley remains disappointed that James bypassed a storybook Cleveland ending, Chuckster now has the confidence to claim his Sixers are championship favorites.Trending ArticlesLeBron James Explains $93M Sacrifice in 76ers Announcement After Snubbing Warriors, Cavs, HeatWNBA Takes Notice as Paige Bueckers, Aja Wilson & Others Steal the Spotlight on the All-Star Orange CarpetUSA TODAY Executive Refuses to Distance Herself From Nancy Armours Controversial Column Around Caitlin ClarkWNBA Reporter Alleges 3-Point Record Holder Snubbed All-Star Event, but She Calls It a LieGet the Essentially Dunk Newsletter. League-wide coverage every day on the All-Stars, MVPs, iconic legends, and the drama defining the NBA.The post This Doof** Makes This Announcement: Charles Barkley Calls Out LeBron James for Ruining His Day With 76ers Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.