It really is a "full circle" year for Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.At a time when Rodgers was seemingly creating a kinder, gentler vibe as he embarks on his final year in the NFL, Rodgers brought the knives out during a Monday appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show.Rodgers started by taking the Fifth Amendment in response to McAfee's first question. Rodgers then went off on Dr. Anthony Fauci, who last week repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment in testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs."You got a pardon, and you're in front of and you pleaded [the Fifth] over 100 times?" Rodgers said. "What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science. I thought you [were], 'I am science.' And you get up there and you can't answer a question?" The vitriol extended to ESPN, the owner of the channel on which he was appearing."How much time did the network spend on that?" Rodgers said. "How much time do they spend on my responses every week? On my vaccination status, on Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce's] wedding? Did they do even a minute? Did they do even a minute on Tony Fauci? No, I bet they didn't." Rodgers then made reference to ESPN's conspicuously scant coverage of the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini situation."Then there was another scandal this offseason, too, involving a voter for MVP, for coach of the year," Rodgers said. "How much time did your network spend on that?"Later in the segment (after it migrated from ESPN to YouTube only), Rodgers returned to the Russini story."Like, you have literally an individual that maybe used to work at ESPN that covers our league at the highest level, and there's a major scandal, and it's just, like, nobody can fucking talk about it," Rodgers said. "What are we even doing here? . . . [I]f it's affecting certain things, if there's leaks going on, if there's tampering going on, if that person is also an MVP voter and a coach of the year voter."Rodgers also referred to ESPN as a "gutless organization" with "no integrity."As to Fauci, Rodgers eventually called him "an absolute criminal" while repeatedly labeling him an "absolute coward." (Rodgers at one point suggested that Fauci's wife is Ghislaine Maxwell's sister, before adding "allegedly.")Here's the part where I say some things about what Rodgers said.First, Rodgers is right about ESPN looking the other way on the Russini-Vrabel story. It's still not clear why that happened. Given that the relationship (whatever it was) between Russini and Vrabel apparently existed during Russini's time with ESPN, and to the extent it tainted her work (e.g., the 2021 reporting prior to the Julio Jones trade), ESPN prefers not to peer down that rabbit hole. What did the producers know about the situation, and did they perhaps welcome the benefits it generated for Bristol? Those questions haven't been asked by ESPN, and surely won't be.Second, as to Fauci's decision to repeatedly invoke the Fifth Amendment, Rodgers doesn't seem to realize that Fauci's pardon wouldn't apply to any effort to paint anything he said last week as perjury. Considering some of the specious (to say the least) prosecutions that have been attempted by the current administration, anything Fauci said could have been called perjury. Even if it wasn't.The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something anything that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words quote behind bars, Fauci said in his opening remarks to the committee run by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.).Third, Rodgers did not mention the one specific thing that caused him to attract the ire of many in 2021. In August of that year, Rodgers publicly lied about being vaccinated. Well, he didn't lie per se. He played a deliberate word game about being "immunized," forcing someone to ask a followup question about whether "immunized" means "vaccinated." (The followup question wasn't asked.)Rodgers had every right to not be vaccinated. He wanted to avoid the protocols the league developed (right or wrong) for unvaccinated players, including wearing a mask during press conferences. (Rodgers didn't wear one during the press conference when he claimed he was "immunized.") If he hadn't tested positive in November 2021, the hair-splitting never would have come to light.It's kind of amazing that folks are relitigating the fog-of-war niceties of a pandemic that killed more than a million Americans, and which prompted people to say and do all sorts of things (including a suggestion by a fairly influential person to inject bleach) in an effort to get it under control. The issue has been dusted off for one reason: To motivate voters who may be inclined to stay home for the upcoming midterm election, due to growing apathy and/or flat-out antipathy regarding the person who mused about bleach as a potential treatment for the virus.Bottom line? Rodgers's decision to take the high road as to his family is hardly an indication that he has fully committed to that path. On Monday, Rodgers took an extended jog on the low road to the likely dismay of the executives at ESPN who had to hold their breath and count the seconds until it all finally ended.

The Chicago Cubs had a clear strategy at the 2026 MLB trade deadline: Grab starting pitching. A day after the team brought in veteran Kevin Gausman, the Cubs have also traded for Miami Marlinsstarter Braxton Garrett, according to ESPNs Jeff Passan.Garrett, 28, has spent the majority of the 2026 MLB season in the minors. Hes been excellent at Triple-A this season, with a 2.90 ERA over 77 2/3 innings.The Chicago Cubs are acquiring left-hander Braxton Garrett in a trade with the Miami Marlins, sources tell ESPN. Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026Garrett, a lefty, was a top-100 prospect all the way back in 2017. He eventually reached the majors in 2020 and after a few middling years turned in a promising 2022, posting a 3.58 ERA over 17 starts. He came back in 2023 with another strong year, posting a 3.66 ERA over 30 starts.Injuries wrecked Garretts 2025 season. He made just seven starts, posting a 5.35 ERA before going down with an elbow issue.He returned to action in 2026 and despite performing well in the minors face-planted in two major-league starts with the Marlins in May. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his first start with Miami in 2026, giving up five runs. In his next outing, he gave up two runs over three innings.Since then, the Marlins have opted for other starters over Garrett when injuries have struck the rotation, a sign Garrett may have fallen out of favor with the organization. He should get a fresh start, and an opportunity to pitch in the majors again, with the Cubs.

The Mets have made the move to trade arguably their most valuable reliever with less than three hours to go until Major League Baseball's trade deadline.According to multiple reports, the Mets have agreed to trade Luke Weaver to the Pirates. The New York Post's Joel Sherman was the first to announce the trade discussions. The Mets are reportedly receiving shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura, the Pirates' No. 8 prospect, in the deal.Weaver was one of the top relievers on the trade market after signing a two-year, $22 million deal to join the Mets in the offseason. The 32-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 44 innings.Weaver has only given up one earned run in 30 innings across 32 appearances since the calendar turned to May.Check back for more updates and analysis as Luke Weaver is on the move to the Pirates.This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Mets trade Luke Weaver to Pirates ahead of trade deadline, report says

The Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships air live Thursday through Sunday on NBC Sports and Peacock from Phoenix.The men compete on Thursday (10 p.m. ET, Peacock and NBCSN) and Saturday (7:30 p.m., Peacock and NBCSN). The women compete on Friday (10 p.m., Peacock and NBCSN) and Sunday (6 p.m., NBC and Peacock).The men, led by 2024 Olympic bronze medalists Frederick Richard and Stephen Nedoroscik, are competing for spots on the team for October's World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.The men's all-around champion at nationals gets the first spot on the five-man team, should he also place in the top three on at least three of the six apparatus this week.The rest of the men's world team will be named by the end of Sunday.For the women, led by 2024 Olympic gold medalists Jade Carey (competing in her hometown) and Hezly Rivera, nobody can clinch a world team spot at nationals.The top gymnasts will advance to a selection competition in early autumn in Crossville, Tennessee, after which the five-woman world team will be named.Carey returned to elite competition this season for the first time since the Paris Olympics.Rivera, who was the youngest U.S. athlete across all sports at the Paris Olympics at age 16, can become the second woman to repeat as U.S. all-around champion in the last 13 years after Simone Biles, who won a record nine titles.Other contenders include Skye Blakely, the runner-up to Biles at the 2024 Nationals before rupturing an Achilles, and Leanne Wong, the 2025 World all-around silver medalist.2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships ScheduleDayTime (ET)EventPlatformThursday10 p.m.-1 a.m.Men Day 1Peacock, NBCSNFriday10 p.m.-12 a.m.Women Day 1Peacock, NBCSN Saturday4-6 p.m.*Women Day 1NBC7:30-10:30 p.m.Men Day 2Peacock, NBCSN Sunday1:30-3:30 p.m.*Men Day 2NBC6-8 p.m.Women Day 2Peacock, NBCSN *Delayed broadcast2026 U.S. Gymnastics Championships FieldMen Hasan Aydogdu Fuzzy Benas Sasha Bogonosiuk Crew Bold Taylor Burkhart Asher Cohen Brandon Dang Lincoln Dubin Elliot Foster Yotam Gabay* Jesse Hanny* Ty Herzing* Kyler Hinson Christopher Hiser Troy Holman* Xander Hong Patrick Hoopes Jun Iwai Michael Jaroh Cash Johnston Joshua Karnes Cooper Kim Nicolas Kuebler Zaiden Kyte Charlie Larson Ben Letvin Danila Leykin Riley Loos Aaronson Mansberger Yul Moldauer Stephen Nedoroscik Kameron Nelson Alexandru Nitache Alex Noel Justin Park David Ramirez Ori Reilly Dante Reive Frederick Richard Nathan Roman Anthony Ruscheinsky Kellen Ryan Daniel Sanjuanico* Garrett Schooley David Shamah Owen Shepherd Hunter Simpson Landon Simpson Brian Solomon Parker Thackston Colt Walker Shane Wiskus *Competing in the junior day 1 sessionWomen Isabella Anzola Skye Blakely Charleigh Bullock Jade Carey Dulcy Caylor Lavi Crain Ally D'Amelio Tatum Drusch Reese Esponda Addy Fulcher Jayla Hang Greta Krob Zoey Molomo Caroline Moreau Claire Pease Lila Richardson Hezly Rivera Alessia Rosa Simone Rose Izzy Stassi Leanne WongFields subject to change.Jade Carey thought her elite gymnastics career was over. Now shes back for a last Olympic runJade Carey competes at the U.S. Classic on Saturday, live on Peacock and NBCSN. Nick Zaccardi,

Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. doesnt view his time breaking records as Florida A&M footballs quarterback as the glory days.Instead, he dishes on his experiences as a student-athlete at The Highest of Seven Hills in building a successful program, much like the way the Rattlers won two Black College Football National Championships during Grays college football career from 1997 to 2001.As head coach, Grays team is living in an on-campus residence hall during preseason training camp.We went old school with the way we approached camp, said Gray, whos entering his first season at the helm.We put everybody out of their apartments, we brought everybody to the dorms to Sampson Hall, where we stayed during camp when I was in school here.Housing over 500 students, the all-male Sampson Hall is named after George Sampson, a FAMU athletics pioneer and math professor who helped organize the colleges sports teams and co-founded the Rattler football team with Jubie Bragg in 1899.Dorm life is a bonding mechanism Gray adopted from his head coach, Billy Joe. It builds chemistry in the mind before even touching the gridiron.Just making sure that everybody got a chance to know each other on a deeper level instead of surface level, the FAMU head coach explained. For us, weve got to know how each other reacts in pressure situations. Youve got to know how your brother reacts when things go sideways.The Rattlers reported to training camp on July 29 and started practicing on July 31. The team is four practices in as of Monday, Aug. 3, and approaching a week since the team report date.The season begins on Saturday, Aug. 29, when Grays former team, Albany State, visits Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.Every day, we share stories from every player. To get to know each other and help each other, where we understand who we are and what weve been through, will definitely help us on Saturdays when adversity strikes.So far, so good in the dorm room and on the practice fields.FAMUs identity is starting to form, Gray revealed.As coaches, we help foster that with things that we do outside of the dorm, he added. Activities we have in meetings, activities we do before meetings. Bringing these guys together so we can understand that this is a family.Gray said the team will be in Sampson Hall for the next week and a half before FAMU students begin moving in for classes on Aug. 24.Aug. 22 is the final day of training camp.Florida A&M football 2026 scheduleSaturday, Aug. 29: vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TVSunday, Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State, Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium, 3 p.m., ESPNUThursday, Sept. 10: at Miami, 8 p.m., ACC NetworkSaturday, Sept. 19: vs. Tennessee State, 7 p.m., HBCU GOSaturday, Sept. 26: vs. Alabama A&M (SWAC), 7 p.m., SWAC TVSaturday, Oct. 3: BYESaturday, Oct. 10: at Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GOSaturday, Oct. 17: at Jackson State (SWAC), 3 p.m., ESPN NetworkSaturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming), 3 p.m., HBCU GOSaturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GOSaturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TVSaturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TVSaturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of theFlorida A&M Rattlersat the Tallahassee Democrat under the USA TODAY Network.Follow his award-winning coverage onRattlerNews.comand contact him via email atGDThomas@Tallahassee.comor on the app formerly known as Twitter@3peatgee.This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Quinn Gray revives 'old-school' FAMU football training camp tradition

Moving into an apartment is an exciting milestone, but protecting everything inside your home is just as important as choosing the perfect place to live. Whether you're renting your first apartment or relocating to a larger space, Apartment Insurance from Bloomingdale Insurance Services helps protect your belongings, your finances, and your peace of mind. Many renters mistakenly believe the...

The Brewers have added a veteran starter to their rotation, as Milwaukee traded for St. Louis Cardinals' righty starter Dustin May, per The Athletic. The Brewers are also receiving reliever JoJo Romero in the deal. May signed a one-year deal for 2026 with the Cardinals this past offseason, and possesses a 4.38 ERA in 109 innings and 21 starts. The 6-foot-6 hurler is striking out a career-best 8.8 batters per nine, but has had some poor luck with the defense behind him: his batting average on balls in play is .322, and the result of that is an adjusted ERA of 3.14 the Brewers are hoping playing in front of a better team will mean better real-world results. Romero has been an effective reliever for St. Louis, with the lefty posting a 3.35 ERA after a career-best 2025 with a 2.07 ERA. Romero is striking out a batter per inning and 2.7 times as many batters as he's walking, giving the Brewers another reliable option out of the bullpen. May has a $20 million mutual option with a $500,000 buyout for 2027. May was also dealt at the 2025 trade deadline, from the Dodgers to the Red Sox in exchange for prospect James Tibbs.

Renting a home or apartment gives you flexibility and convenience, but it also comes with responsibilities. While your landlord's insurance protects the building itself, it does not protect your personal belongings or provide liability protection for your everyday life. Choosing Renters Insurance through Bloomingdale Insurance Services helps protect your valuables while...

BYU defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga instructs during a practice March 6, 2026, in Provo. | Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo Its not that Kelly Poppinga hasnt been a major college defensive coordinator before. Its that he has to produce and follow some pretty good defensive coaches.Those names hover over his head. They can be haunting and bring lofty expectations.BYUs recently-minted defensive coordinator, Poppinga, fresh off a successful stint as special teams coordinator for the Cougars, opens the 2026 season replacing Michigan-bound Jay Hill.By an obvious consensus, Hill was a remarkable defensive coach at BYU. Heck, he was a tremendous head coach at Weber State. Good at recruiting, great at motivation and teaching, and a master strategist and in-game coach, he accepted an invitation to follow his friend Kyle Whittingham to Michigan and work in The Big House.Poppinga received the call to step up in Hills stead. This, after he made his mark as co-defensive coordinator with Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia before a short stop at Boise State.Does he ever get weary of folks bringing up Hill and Mendenhall when addressing him about his own coaching acumen?I think thats how it goes, said the veteran coach and former Cougar linebacker. When youve worked with other people, and you were one of their assistants, like Bronco Mendenhall or Jay Hill, theyre always going to get the initial attention.Poppinga actually uses it. He leans into those associations.I respect both of them a ton. Ive learned a lot from both of them, even in my short time with Jay.Poppinga worked with Hill for three years.Three years is actually an eternity in college football, but I learned a ton from Jay. He really taught me a lot of the schemes that Kalani likes to run.And I learned a ton of stuff from Bronco, too. I think the whole picture of my whole career is all coming together, grabbing the things that I think are best from both of those worlds and some stuff that I learned at Boise State and combining that all together is going to give us the scheme that well initially start with. Well see if our players continue to produce and play well under that. But I just feel blessed because Ive learned a lot from some really good coaches and some really good people.Poppinga says the Hill/Mendenhall experience was far more than Xs and Os and what to do on the football field.They taught me a lot of the off-the-field (stuff), the way to be able to manage people and players and the organization and structure and accountability, he said. All these different things are actually very similar in that part of it, as far as their structure off the field. It was just fun to see it done in a little different way than how Bronco did it from Jay.Theres a reason why Jays had a lot of success because I think hes super good in a bunch of different areas, not just the football part, said Poppinga, speaking at the BYU football media golf tournament at Timpanogos Golf Club last week.Poppinga has yet to hold a fall practice session as defensive coordinator for the Cougars, but his offseason work has already drawn a lot of praise by recruiting experts when the Cougars got early Class of 2027 commitments from three big-time cornerbacks.Much of that work came through Poppingas two new hires, Demario Warren and Lewis Walker. Hiring Warren came when longtime BYU cornerback coach and recruiter Jernaro Gilford accepted a job with Hill at Michigan. Poppinga cannot discuss specific recruits by name until signed, but he said the summer recruiting efforts yielded what he believes may be the best corners BYU has ever put on campus.According to 247Sports, BYU received hard commits from Ryan Wooten of Jersey City, New Jersey, Demichael Burks from Desert Pines High in Las Vegas, and Kamoni Adams of Marietta, Georgia.Adams reportedly holds offers from eight SEC schools, including Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. His other offers are from Maryland, ASU, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia and SMU to name a few.Wooten has offers from Boston College, Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Washington, among others.If BYU holds on and signs the defenders committed so far, it would be a big first step for the Cougars new defensive coordinator and staff.In the meantime, fall camp opens this week, and Poppinga inherits a very talented returning group of defenders in both the front and back end. Kelly Poppinga looks on during Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech Dec. 6, 2025. | Aaron Cornia, BYU Photo

First baseman/catcher Liam Hicks hit .282 through his first 101 games this season for the Miami Marlins. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPIMIAMI, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The Miami Marlins agreed to trade catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks to the Tampa Bay Rays for three prospects.Sources told MLB.com, ESPN and The Athletic on Monday that the Rays agreed to send pitcher Jacob Kisting and infielders Brayden Taylor and Adrian Santana to the Marlins in the swap.Hicks hit .282 with 14 home runs, nine doubles, a triple and 62 RBIs through 101 appearances this season. The 27-year-old infielder hit .247 with six homers, 13 doubles, a triple and 45 RBIs over 119 appearances in 2025.He joined the Marlins through the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. Hicks is not arbitration eligible until after the 2027 season.Taylor, 24, was the Rays' No. 16 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft hit .284, with 17 home runs, 16 doubles, three triples, 56 RBIs and 20 stolen bases over 88 appearances this season for the Triple-A Montgomery Biscuits.Liam Hicks hit 20 home runs through the first 220 appearances of his MLB career. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPIHe hit .235 with 50 homers, 61 doubles, 16 triples, 176 RBIs and 77 stolen bases over the first 335 minor league appearances of his career.Kisting, 23, was the Rays' No. 26 prospect. The right-handed pitcher went 6-0 with a 1.67 ERA over 18 starts this season for the Bowling Green Hot Shots, a High-A affiliate of the Rays.Former Miami Marlins infielder Liam Hicks hit .247 over 119 appearances during his 2025 rookie campaign. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPIThe 14th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2024 MLB Draft joined the Rays in a November trade. He posted a 2.65 ERA over the first 48 minor league appearances of his career.Santana was the Rays' No. 27 prospect. The Miami native joined the Rays as the No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He hit .311, with three home runs, eight doubles, a triple, 24 RBIs and 23 stolen bases over his first 54 minor league appearances this year.Liam Hicks (R) was a ninth-round pick by the Texas Rangers in the 2021 MLB Draft. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPIThe 21-year-old shortstop hit .263, with two homers, 13 doubles, two triples, 43 RBIs and 47 stolen bases over 89 appearances last year for the Hot Rods.The Marlins have the eighth-best batting average (.250) so far this season, led by shortstop Otto Lopez's .321 mark.Liam Hicks (C) made his MLB debut March 28, 2025, for the Miami Marlins. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPIElevated play by first baseman Kyle Stowers (.234 with a team-high 16 homers) and catcher Joe Mac (.245 with 11 homers) gave them flexibility to trade Hicks for the trio of prospects.The Marlins (58-55) won six of their last seven games, including their last three, and sit in third place in the National League East, 9.5 games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves (67-45). They are 1.5 games back in the National League wild card race.The Braves will host the Marlins at 7:15 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Atlanta.The Rays (65-46) have the top batting average (.258) in the American League and are tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second-best mark in baseball, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers (.262). They hold a 2.5 game lead on the second-place New York Yankees (63-49) in the American League East.The Rays will play the Colorado Rockies (45-67) at 8:40 p.m. Monday in Denver.