Training camp is rolling along for the Jacksonville Jaguars.The team has completed four of their preseason practices and are set to conduct their first padded practice on Aug. 3. Intensity and physicality will surely ramp up as the team starts to allow more contact.However, head coach Liam Coen still wants to emphasize the message of making sure the team stays healthy. It's continuing to take care of one another and staying off the ground," Coen said of what the focus will be on as the team moves to the next block of practices. "I'm showing them in the team meetings, we've got to protect each other.Like, this is such a time where the acclimation period, man, we're trying to get good work, but we're not evaluating how tough you are today."Week 1 Observations: 5 things we learned from Week 1 of Jaguars training campWide receiver Jakobi Meyers has a simple message to his offensive teammates: Be the agressors."It's easier to go backwards than to go out there, try to feel it out and get hit in your mouth," Meyers said. "Now you think you're about to go hit somebody and it's not going to work like that. Be the aggressor first and let them go pull you back." With the team set to conduct their first padded practice of the season, here are a few things we'll watch: Jacksonville Jaguars will get their first look at real trench playThere's a natural intensity that comes with football. That intensity is set to be taken up a notch as the team transitions to their first padded practice of the preseason. Obviously it won't be as intense as the first regular season game, but there is an excitement in the air after hearing the first thud and crackle of players clashing.This is a time where trench play can be evaluated on both sides of the field. With players ramping up the intensity, the physicality will also increase. Josh Hines-Allen getting some Sunday morning work in at Jaguars training camp #Jaguars | #DUUUVALpic.twitter.com/CFQL2R3Gp4 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) August 2, 2026Josh Hines-Allen noted that physicality is an area he's focused on this season, so it'll be interesting to see him and the other defensive linemen go up against Jacksonville's offensive line. Speaking of the offensive line, Anton Harrison has gotten a few reps at left tackle to start camp as Cole Van Lanen recovers from last year's season-ending injury. It's not a huge deal as of now, but don't rule out how key these reps are for the former first-round pick.It's not an audition as of now, but eyes will be on the trenches as the team transitions to a new phase of practice."We're still evaluating physicality and we're still evaluating hand placement and striking and footwork and all of those details, whether we have pads on or don't have pads on," offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said. "Everything we do, whether it's in a live rep in a team setting or it's a walkthrough, we're building habits on the football field."Jaguars' running game vs. top run defense in the leagueSpeaking of the trenches, the Jaguars boasted the top run defense in the NFL last season. Their rushing attack was a bit lacking last year. It's going to be interesting to see the two sides go against each other, especially to see if Bhayshul Tuten can separate himself as the surefire lead back. He has been the top option out of the backfield all offseason as Chris Rodriguez recovers from an offseason injury. Rodriguez got his first 11-on-11 reps on Day 4 of training camp, potentially setting up more reps in pads and beyond. Then there's LeQuint Allen Jr., who has taken the next most reps behind Tuten. He never runs away from physicality, so padded practices are right up his alley. We'll see how it unfolds as the two sides go against each other. Wide receiver vs. cornerback 1-on-1 battles we're interested in seeingWe can expect to see offense vs. defense 1-on-1 drills return as pads go on. That means we'll see the pass catchers and defensive backs go at it. There are several matchups we'll be tuned in to see. Brian Thomas Jr. versus Buster Brown will pit the top receiver and cornerback against each other. We've seen the two battle throughout the offseason and early days of camp, but it'll be good to see them up close and personal. Jourdan Lewis against Parker Washington could be an electric meeting. Washington is having an outstanding start to camp and Lewis has worked his way back into the starting rotation after missing the entire offseason. The slot battle will pit experience against willpower. 100th of many @Dream_Finders | #DUUUVALpic.twitter.com/sWINR82943 Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 2, 2026CJ Williams versus Jabbar Muhammad would be a battle between two players who had good summers and have carried that momentum into training camp. Williams has made a play every day since being drafted while Muhammad looked like one of the top defensive backs on the roster this offseason. Two young players who are vying for play time, it'll be a good undercard to the main event matchups. Lastly, Travis Hunter versus his teammates on offense and defense. It'll be interesting to see which side Hunter spends more time with. In 1-on-1 reps last season, Hunter mostly played as a wide receiver and made a few nice grabs against Jacksonville's defense. But it's assumed that will be flipped this season as he takes on more defensive responsibility. Hunter facing off against Thomas would be a clashing of two top players for the team. The same could be said of Hunter facing off against Brown. He'll definitely be someone we're watching as the team puts the pads on. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 3 things to watch as Jaguars host first padded practice of preseason

Theres the evil empire, and then there are the Dodgers the merciless mega-team that just made baseballs nightmare scenario official. On Saturday night, with a day and a half to spare before Monday's deadline, Los Angeles traded for reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. Take that in. The best pitcher on the planet is now on the best team in baseball. In the days and hours leading up to the blockbuster trade, it started to feel less like a shock and more of an inevitability that Skubal would land in Hollywood. The surprising part was how little it took to acquire two months of Skubal, who is set to become a free agent after this season. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris settled for a meager return that included outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. That package, which has since sparked fury and countless opinions within the industry about the smaller value that Los Angeles gave up, netted Detroit two top-100 prospects without gutting the top of the Dodgers' farm system. So, whats the fallout? Let's dive into what's next for the Dodgers, and how the trade impacts the starting-pitching market and the rest of the National League now that the deadlines biggest domino has fallen. What's Next For The Dodgers? The defending back-to-back champions just got scarier, and they didn't even have to touch their major league roster to do it. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman leaned on his organizational depth to add the best pitcher in baseball to a rotation that already owned the third-best ERA (3.79) in the NL, and he did it thanks to a strong farm system that rival front offices have envied for years. The Dodgers didnt need Skubal, but that hardly mattered. If you can go and get the arm that can win you a third consecutive championship, you do it. Now, Skubal slots in as the unquestioned Game 1 starter in October. Following an early-season elbow procedure, he's back to his usual Cy-Young self, posting a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 16 starts and 96 innings this season, including a 2.03 ERA in July alone. Skubal joins a ridiculously talented staff that includes reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, All-Star Justin Wrobleski, and right-handers Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki. The Dodgers are still confident Shohei Ohtani (left knee soreness) will pitch again this season, while Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow continue working their way back from the injured list. If everyone is healthy for the postseason, Wrobleski, Sheehan, and Sasaki will shift to the bullpen. Its a mind-numbingly dominant pitching staff that should mentally suppress opposing hitters before they even step into the box. There's also another layer to this that shouldn't be overlooked. Part of Friedmans motivation to land Skubal was presumably to keep the southpaw away from the Brewers and Rays, two smaller-market clubs with the only other top farm systems that could compete with the Dodgers offer and pose a more serious threat in the playoffs. His trade for Skubal could also be viewed as an admission that he was starting to get nervous about the competition. Now, Friedman has increased the gap between Los Angeles and everyone else. Skubal gets to experience life on the West Coast and use it as a trial run for a possible long-term future with the Dodgers. In the offseason, hell have the opportunity to sign there as a free agent. Theres the evil empire, and then there are the Dodgers. What's Next For The Starting-Pitching Market? Skubal was always going to set the market, and now that the biggest name is off the board, the rest of the deadline has a clear runway to accelerate. Rival executives had been holding their breath on Skubal for weeks, in part because landing spots for the market's other arms Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Casey Mize, George Kirby, Sandy Alcntara, Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano and more were always going to hinge on which contenders whiffed on Skubal first. The group of starting pitchers who are available and could be on the move is unusually deep this summer, and now it's about to get picked apart in a hurry. The next domino was Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in the early afternoon on Sunday. Miami has held firm on Alcntara for most of the summer, but with Monday's 6 p.m. ET deadline bearing down, that stance will be tested by every team that missed on Skubal and still needs an upgrade. Toronto's Gausman, a veteran rental on a last-place club, is squarely in the mix for teams like the Phillies, Cubs, Braves, Brewers and Rays. Now, though, you have to wonder if the price for all these pitchers has changed after what Skubal went for. Almost everyone in the industry is shocked the Dodgers didnt have to give up one or more of their top three prospects for their new ace. Peralta netted the Mets three Rays prospects, ranked Nos. 15, 26 and 27 in Tampa Bay's system, according to MLB Pipeline. Peralta has struggled this season with a 4.99 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 22 starts, but his track record indicates he's capable of better results. Still, with the deadlines headliner gone, expect the next 24 hours to bring a flurry of moves as several contenders all of whom now know they're chasing a fortified defending champion scramble to find their next-best option before the board clears out. What's Next For The Rest Of The National League? If you're the Braves, Phillies, Cubs or Brewers, Saturday night just moved the goalposts regarding what winning in October will require. The Dodgers were already the team to beat. Now they've added the pitcher with the third-highest strikeout rate in baseball to a roster that already looked primed for a three-peat. Every other NL contender just got a very public reminder of how far behind theyre playing. Milwaukee, sitting on one of the best farm systems in the sport, was viewed as one of the few threats with enough ammunition to actually pry Skubal away. Instead, the Brewers watched the Dodgers get him without touching a single big leaguer. That had to sting. That had to be a gut check for a Milwaukee front office that had been patiently building for this kind of moment. Atlanta and Philadelphia, both connected to Skubal in recent weeks, now have to decide whether to go hard for Gausman or another rotation arm just to keep pace. Or they can stand pat because theyll run into the buzz saw that is the Dodgers, anyway. How deflating is that? There's a psychological cost to all of this that shouldn't be understated. Every contender in the NL now has to build its deadline plan around the assumption that if it meets the Dodgers in October, it's facing peak Ohtani (whenever his knee cooperates), Yamamoto and now Skubal in a playoff series. Especially with MLBs Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring and a lockout looming, it might push rivals to get aggressive before the deadline. Either that, or contenders can face the uncomfortable truth and accept that 2026 was always going to run through Los Angeles anyway.

India batter Abhishek Sharma returned to form in style, smashing 233 off just 91 balls in a local match for Amritsar Men Senior against Tarn Taran in the Punjab State Inter District Senior One Day Limited Overs Tournament 2026-27 on Sunday (August 2).The 25-year-old left-handed opener struck 15 fours and 25 sixes during his innings, scoring at a strike rate of 256.04.Abhishek and Abhay Choudhary gave Amritsar a strong start, putting together a 305-run opening partnership. Abhay made 93 off 85 balls.Abhishek was the first batter to be dismissed, with Ashish Lowrance removing him on the fourth ball of the 25th over.His innings helped Amritsar Men Senior post a huge total of 533/8 in their 50 overs. CricCrazyJohns (@CricCrazyJohns) Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-batter Salil Arora was also part of Amritsar's playing XI. Batting at No. 4, he scored 29 runs from 18 balls.One of Abhishek's sixes from the innings has gone viral on social media.A regular member of India's T20I side, Abhishek had a disappointing series against Zimbabwe recently. Playing all three T20Is, he managed scores of 1, 8 and 2, drawing criticism for his performance with the bat.Abhishek is next expected to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games, which will be held in Japan in September.

Tarik Skubal will return to Detroit later this month, and not just to pick up his belongings.The Los Angeles Dodgers play the Tigers at Comerica Park on Aug. 28-30, which will mark the return of Detroit's now-former ace and two-time reigning Cy Young winner. Skubal was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers on Sunday in a blockbuster move ahead of Monday's trade deadline.Skubal, 29, is expected to make his first start for the Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. The question Tigers fans want to know: Would that put him line to start against Detroit at Comerica Park?The simple answer is: Stay tuned.If he starts Tuesday and the Dodgers stick to pitching him every five games, then he would just miss the Tigers series (assuming the Dodgers don't have any rainouts). But the Dodgers also have three days off between now and then, so if they decide to pitch Skubal every five days, then he would be in line to start against the Tigers, the team that drafted him in the ninth round of the 2018 draft and developed him into one of the best pitchers in the game.A closer look:If Skubal pitches every five games: Tuesday at Cubs, Aug. 10 vs. Royals, Aug. 15 vs. Brewers, Aug. 21 vs. Pirates, Aug. 27 at BravesIf Skubal pitches every five days: Tuesday at Cubs, Aug. 9 at Diamondbacks, Aug. 14 vs. Brewers, Aug. 19 at Rockies, Aug. 25 at Braves, Aug. 30 at TigersOf course, the Dodgers could do a combination of both days and games between starts for Skubal. If they value making his starts at Dodger Stadium (why wouldn't they), the every-five-games scenario lines up much better.Skubal made his last start for the Tigers at Comerica Park on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits in 6 innings against the Baltimore Orioles in a game the Tigers lost, 10-9, in 12 innings after leading 7-0.Skubal left in the seventh inning to a standing ovation from Tigers fans.tpaul@detroitnews.com@tonypaul1984This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Dodgers visit Tigers Aug. 28-30: Will Tarik Skubal pitch in series?

A pair of Detroit Lions exited Sunday's training camp practice early to be evaluated for potential injuries.Per Detroit Lions senior writer and insider Tim Twentyman, rookie defensive end Derrick Moore (groin) and tight end Miles Kitselman (leg) both exited practice early to be evaluated for potential injuries.The Lions selected Moore in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 44 overall pick, trading up with the New York Jets in order to do so. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound EDGE had 30 tackles and 10 sacks last season at Michigan. The Baltimore, Md., native also added 10.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2025.Moore registered 95 tackles, 21 sacks, eight passes defended and three forced fumbles in his Michigan career.The following players left practice early today to be evaluated for potential injuries:TE Miles Kitselman (leg)DE Derrick Moore (groin) Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) August 2, 2026The Lions inked Miles Kitselman as one of its nine undrafted free agent signings in May. Kitselman, a 6-foot-5, 251-pound tight end, caught 50 passes for 572 yards and six scores during his college career, including 26 grabs for 253 yards and a pair of scores last season at Tennessee.On the positive end of the equation, defensive back Christian Izien made his training camp debut with the Lions after being sidelined on the NFI with the flu. Lions starting left guard Christian Mahogany is also now off the NFI, returning to the fold last Friday.Per Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman, guard Ben Bartch and EDGE Payton Turner were among those that didn't practice on Sunday. Rookie offensive tackle Blake Miller also appeared to be limited on Sunday. Miller went through walkthroughs and individual drills, but he did not take any full-team reps and was not participating in 1-on-1s.Larry Borom and Miles Frazier split time at right tackle with the first-team offense.For moreLionscoverage, follow us on X,@TheLionsWire, and give ourFacebookpage a like.Follow Josh on X,@JoshOnLionsThis article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions duo exit Sunday practice early to be evaluated for injuries

Details: Jos Mourinhos plan for Jude Bellingham at Real MadridAn insight into the plans of new Real Madrid head coach Jos Mourinho for midfield standout Jude Bellingham has this weekend been provided.This comes amid the understanding that the Englishman will be utilised in his favoured position under the watch of his new headmaster.Bellingham is of course yet to report back to Spains capital this summer. Following his exploits on the international stage at the World Cup, the former Borussia Dortmund man has been afforded an extended break.In his absence, the aforementioned Mourinho has shown his hand in pre-season friendly fixtures, making use of a 4-2-3-1 formation across all three of Los Blancos outings.At the heart of these line-ups has been Arda Gler, afforded the free role in the no.10 position. And the Turk has taken full advantage of his chance, impressing in the attacking midfield berth to date.If the latest word stemming from Spain is anything to go by, however, then Arda need not get too comfortable in this spot.As per a report from Diario AS this weekend:The numberten positionwill go to Jude Bellingham.Who, if hes been watching the friendlies, is starting to understand whats expected of him.Gler is leaving him clues along the way.Mourinho, a huge fan of Arda, will in turn attempt to find a different role for the 21-year-old, who will also act as backup for Bellingham in the 10 this season.Conor Laird GSFN

When Wales won a bronze medal in the visually impaired mixed pairs bowls on Tuesday, four medals were awarded. One each for Steffan James and Julie Thomas, as well as their directors John Wilson and Jamie Jones. But there is a fifth member of the team that is just as important, Thomas' guide dog Yoko."She's absolutely essential for me," she said."I couldn't take part and do these things without her."She enables me to get around, to walk independently and to actually function at these Games, because she's just my lifeline."I think she's also quite a nice thing for the rest of the team because she's so calming and relaxing.I'm very calm on a bowls green, but if something doesn't go your way, you can just go off and give her a little kiss and a cuddle and it's fine."A mission for the ChefTeam Wales chef de mission Gethin Jones surprised Julie and Yoko with the kit on Sunday. [BBC Sport]Thomas has competed at three Commonwealth Games with Yoko and each time has made a request."It was mentioned for the very first time in 2018 when we went to the Gold Coast," she continued."'Oh, we must get Team kit for Yoko,' and it didn't happen."Then they assured me I was going to have it in 2022. It didn't happen."Come the Glasgow Games, Thomas was still keen for Yoko to don the kit.The man tasked with facilitating this request? Team Wales' Chef de Mission Gethin Jones."At the start of these Games I told her, 'Julie, I don't think it's going to be possible'," he said."In the meantime, I'd been working on a little project. "We had a Wales kit made especially for Yoko, and it's finally arrived."Yoko's birthday falls on the same day as the closing ceremony."She will be there, so this is also a little birthday present to celebrate her big day."'I need you to measure the dog'Team Wales volunteer Eirian Thomas was drafted in with for this side quest, and has been busy for requests for her needle and thread."It actually started off because sewing is my hobby," she said."Rebecca [Edwards-Symmons, Team Wales chief executive officer] found out that I sew and volunteered my services to members of the Team Scotland board."I ended up altering four kilts so they could wear them without them falling down."Then I came in one morning and Rebecca said to me, 'I may have volunteered you to make a dog coat out of a T-shirt'."Eirian then went about making a kit for Yoko, though it was not the most simple of tasks."I was looking at pictures of the dog because I'd never seen her in person," she continued."She looked about the same size as my dog at home, so I phoned my husband and said, 'I need you to measure the dog'. "He just said, 'Okay, that's fine,' with no questions."Perfect presentTeam Wales volunteer Eirian Thomas adapted a t-shirt for Yoko the guide dog. [BBC Sport]The lovingly-adapted kit feature some special touches, including Yoko's name written in Braille on the back."I'm quite touched by it all, to be honest," Para-bowls bronze medallist Thomas said."To be honest, I thought they might just get a shirt and put a few holes in it."But to have gone out of their way and done something so special, it's just amazing. It makes me feel like a real part of the team."So Julie and Yoko will walk out together at the closing ceremony on Sunday, which also happens to be Yoko's birthday. The perfect present.

Swimmer Meg Harris (centre) won the most gold medals at Glasgow 2026 [Getty Images]After 10 days of action across 10 sports, a grand total of 215 gold medals have been handed out at Glasgow 2026.Australia have dominated the medal table, winning 70 golds - 16 more than the combined total of England, hosts Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together - and 171 medals overall.England finished second with 29 golds, ahead of Canada and India, while Scotland (13 golds) were fifth, Wales ninth (nine golds - four of them belonging to cyclist Emma Finucane) and Northern Ireland 12th (three golds).In all, 45 nations or territories out of 74 won medals.Australia won a staggering 37 gold medals and 76 in total in the swimming pool, with Meg Harris leading the way with six individual golds.They also finished top of the athletics, track cycling and 3x3 basketball medal tables."We just really love the Commonwealth Games," said Sam Short, who won four swimming golds. "That and the Olympics is what Australia seems to live for."We've just been flogging ourselves in training all year. This is the target. We've got Pan Pacs (Pan Pacific Swimming Championships) in a couple of weeks but the general public in Australia don't really care about that, it's all Commonwealth Games."Representing the Green and Gold is a big honour."Selfies, signatures & social media - how Kerr embraced Glasgow GamesChad le Clos' Commonwealth medal tally now includes seven gold, five silver and nine bronze medals across five editions of the Games [Getty Images]Le Clos sets all-time medal recordSouth Africa swimmer Chad le Clos became the most successful athlete in the history of the Games when he won his 21st Commonwealth medal with bronze in the men's 4x100m medley relay.The 34-year-old, who made his Games debut at Delhi 2010, moved one clear of fellow swimmer Emma McKeon of Australia."Looking back on the whole Commonwealth Games journey, from India through to now, I never thought I'd be standing here," Le Clos said."To stand alone in history is unbelievable."Louise Hoskins won gold on her Commownealth Games debut [Getty Images]Hoskins, 76, becomes oldest gold medallistAnother record-breaker was 76-year-old Louise Hoskins who became the oldest Commonwealth Games gold medallist, winning the Para-bowls women's pairs title at the age of 76 years and 173 days.Partnered by 44-year-old Serena Bonnell, Hoskins broke the record held by Scotland's George Miller, who was 75 when he won Para-bowls mixed pairs gold at Birmingham 2022."It just goes to show anyone can do it ," said Hoskins. "Young, old - bowls is for anyone."Hoskins' gold was one of a record 141 Para-sport medals awarded in Glasgow.Head to the official Commonwealth Games website for results

Theres a chance that former Pittsburgh running back Desmond Reid returns to college for a fifth season. According to On3s Pete Nakos, Reid is exploring a return to college football after Colorado Judge Charlotte Sweeney ordered the NCAAto declare eligible all class of 2022 athletes who finished their four seasons this past spring. Reid spent the previous two seasons with Pittsburgh, finishing the 2025 season with 278 yards and two touchdowns. He ended his Pitt tenure with 1,244 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. MORE:Former FSU quarterback Thomas Castellanos plans to explore a potential return to college footballPrior to Reids time with Pittsburgh, he spent two seasons with Western Carolina and had his best season with that program in 2023, compiling 897 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 283 yards during that season.In four collegiate seasons, Reid racked up 2,965 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns, while also hauling in 117 passes for 1,391 yards and seven touchdowns. The 2026 college football season is set to start in four weeks, so it remains to be seen if Reid goes back for a fifth season. He was part of the 2022 recruiting class and was a three-star recruit, per 247Sports Composite rankings.Pittsburgh will open the 2026 season against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter

The Raiders were in shells for the first time as they ramp up to their first day in pads. The big plays on offense weren't there as much as they were in their previous practice, but there was still some interesting moments and some standouts.CB Greedy VanceThe biggest play of the day was when Fernando Mendoza attempted a pass short on the left side and Vance read it all the way, stuck his foot in the dirt and picked it clean. He was in stride with nothing but green in front of him for a no-doubter pick six.RB Roman HembyWith the entire line driving to the left, Hemby took a run backdoor and shot through untouched all the way to the house. Even if there were contact he'd have been gone on that one. The rookie showed some great burst and speed on the play.WR EJ Williams JrAnother Indiana rookie who made a big play on the day. He got behind Devyn Perkins deep up the right sideline, Aidan O'Connell launched it and Williams hauled in the catch and was gone for the touchdown.DE Keyron Crawford Beat Dalton Wagner off the snap and was instantly in the backfield to blow up a run play for what would have been a huge loss on the play.This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 4 standouts on Day 4 of Raiders training camp