Washington Commanders rookie linebacker Sonny Styles has already shown that he is going to be a beast on the field this fall. While Frankie Luvu has largely been the one setting the defense during training camp, that role could easily shift to Styles before the season begins. Because of Styles' success and larger-than-life personality, everyone wants to talk to him, including former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his podcast, Taking Laps with Dale Earnhardt Jr. The podcast sees interviewees sitting beside the former NASCAR driver, answering questions while he drives them around a NASCAR track. It's worth noting that Earnhardt is a huge Commanders fan. Dale Earnhardt Jr. interviewed Sonny Styles pic.twitter.com/NIkurkoys4 CommandersMuse (@CommandersMusee) August 6, 2026The conversation between the two is friendly and comfortable; they talk with ease. Earnhardt wants to know who texted Styles first, and the answer was surprising: Laremy Tunsil. Then Earnhardt asks what Jayden Daniels said to Styles about joining the team."Man, Jayden's so cool," Styles says. "There's no big speech he gave me, just excited to get to work. It's kind of like the whole locker room; everyone in there, we have a bunch of good dudes. It kind of reminds me of Ohio State, like a bunch of good people in the building."Next, Dale asks what Styles' favorite assignment is on the field. Styles likes to be "mugged up" and lined up across from a running back. "You're lined up in the A-gap, you'll see where they're sliding, you'll see the running back staring at you, and you're like, you know you got him. It's time. I know a lot of running backs don't really like to block, so it's a fun time for a linebacker to get to tee off on the running back."He's not wrong; most running backs don't like to block. But it likely has less to do with the actual blocking than understanding the size difference between a running back and a linebacker. Still, when Dale asked his final question, the answer won't surprise you after hearing that.Which player or position is Styles excited to face? "I'm just excited to face a bunch of greats," Styles said. "Lamar Jackson, to see Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley." Shocker. Two of the best running backs in the league, and probably two of the biggest as far as size, are two of the three players mentioned by name.Styles has never been shy about wanting to be the best at what he does, and he's worked his tail off to be as good as he is. Facing the top players in the league is the best way to test himself. Measuring himself against top talent will tell him exactly where he stands and what he needs to do to become truly elite.This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Sonny Styles reveals who texted first after he was drafted

FEATURE | Everything must go Inside the financial crisis engulfing MarseilleThere is an everything must go feel to Marseille this summer. A new president, sporting director, and coach have arrived at the Vlodrome, tasked with rebuilding from the ruins of a sporting project that collapsed spectacularly last season.Yet years of short-term thinking, financial gambling, and relentless squad turnover have left Les Olympiens short of financial room for manoeuvre this summer. With the 2026-2027 season on the horizon, it is only now that the club is reckoning with the consequences.And as the new regime began taking stock, the message behind the scenes was strikingly simple: everyone was for sale. GFFNunderstood at the beginning of the summer transfer window Marseilles new hierarchy were prepared to listen to offers for virtually every member of the first-team squad. Even players who are considered as central to the clubs plans could leave if the right offer arrives.Mason Greenwoods 39 million departure to Fernabahe was the first movement to be completed, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang followed out the door with a move to Deportivo La Corunna. Local boy Bilal Nadir was allowed to leave on a free transfer, before a deal was agreed with Manchester City for number one keeper Gernimo Rulli. According to Lquipe, another deal has been agreed with Bayer Leverkusen for the sale of defender Facundo Medina. Marseille have also reached an agreement to sell Nayef Aguerd to Real Sociedad.Even over the course of writing this article, Newcastle have made captain Pierre-Emile Hjbjerg a target, Coventry have made enquiries for English midfielder Angel Gomes, and Como are interested in Amine Gouiri. Sources contacted by GFFN also confirm that English clubs are still interested in CJ Egan-Riley, who could move for as much 10m.We knew nothingThe sales are, however, only the symptom of a deeper issue which runs to the heart of the clubs governance and leadership by US billionaire Frank McCourt. On the 17th June, UEFA confirmed that Marseille had failed to meet the final target of the settlement agreement signed with European footballs governing body in 2022. OM were fined 10m, restricted in their ability to register new players for European competition this season and, most significantly, handed a suspended exclusion from UEFA competition.Should Marseille fail to meet the required financial target during the 2026/27 season, the next European competition for which they qualify within the following three seasons will be played without them. UEFA also confirmed that OM had breached its squad-cost rule, with spending on the playing squad exceeding the permitted 70% ratio in 2025.What makes Marseilles position all the more remarkable is that this is not a club that has lacked investment. According to investigative journalist Romain Molina, Frank McCourt has injected more than 700m into OM since purchasing the club in 2016, repeatedly covering enormous structural losses. In some seasons, the American was required to contribute close to 100m simply to plug the gap.That willingness has now reached its limit. Molina reported earlier this year that McCourt had privately made clear that he no longer wanted to continue signing cheques to absorb Marseilles losses, while attempts to attract a minority investor had so far failed to produce a solution.The extent of that disconnect was laid bare by former director of football Medhi Benatia this week. Speaking toFrance Football, Benatia said he only became aware of the seriousness of Marseilles financial position during a meeting with McCourt and Longoria in Kuwait in January.At that point, I understood that we had to sell, Benatia recalled. After questioning why the sporting department had not been made aware of the change in circumstances, he said: He realised that I didnt know, and I realised that, with De Zerbi, we knew nothing. Benatia described the meeting as a breaking point. I was fighting and discovering the finances at the same time. I felt betrayed.Benatia also rejected the idea that the current financial situation could simply be blamed on the final sporting regime during the 2025-2026 season, pointing out that OM were already under DNCG restrictions when he arrived and that the clubs enormous transfer churn predated him. The 35 transfer movements per transfer window existed before I arrived, he said.McCourt had essentially deferred the day to day running of the club to former president Pablo Longoria, whose six-year association with Marseille came to an acrimonious end in March.Pablo Longorias legacyHis departure came only weeks after the collapse of the Roberto De Zerbi project and the wider restructuring of OMs sporting hierarchy. Yet the reasons behind the collapse of confidence between him and McCourt are symptomatic of the wider problem in Marseille. The Spaniard oversaw an extraordinary level of transfer activity during his time at the club, with 2-3 cycles of complete squad rebuilds totalling at around 259 transfer movements, according to Transfermarkt.Romain Molina made a series of serious allegations concerning the way certain transfers and mandates were handled during Longorias presidency. Among the most striking concerns is Geoffrey Kondogbias move from Atltico Madrid in 2023. Molina alleges that Marseille initially had an agreement to sign the midfielder for 8m, before the structure of the deal changed in order to involve Spanish agent Eugenio Botas, a long-standing associate of Longoria. According to Molina, Atltico ultimately received 9m, with the additional money allowing Botas to obtain a mandate on the Spanish clubs side of the transaction and receive a commission.Molina has also questioned Botas role in Marseilles attempts to sell Mason Greenwood. He reports that the agent had previously been given a mandate which could have entitled him to 10% of a potential transfer to Atltico Madrid.He also reports that Longoria ultimately received more than 1m as part of the agreement surrounding his departure from OM, despite the increasingly strained relationship between the former president and McCourt during the final months of his tenure.Ultimately, Longoria was working under an owner who continued to significantly fund Marseille whilst remaining largely removed from the clubs day-to-day decision-making. That distance left McCourt reliant on a shifting circle of advisors, consultants, and external agencies. The downside is not necessarily the money being put into the club, but the lack of oversight over how it was being spent. That pattern has continued even since Longorias departure and the nomination of Stphan Richard as president.Who is advising owner Frank McCourt?According to Molina, McCourt enlisted Excel Sports to assist with the search for a new sporting director, with the agency producing a shortlist which included Paul Mitchell, Florian Maurice, Julien Fournier and eventual appointment Grgory Lorenzi. The irony was difficult to miss: OM had paid an external company to identify a group of executives already well established within French football.Lorenzis arrival has not brought an end to the use of outside intermediaries either. La Provence reported this week that an external agency had been mandated to help Marseille generate offers for players and accelerate sales this summer. Several sources told the newspaper that the instruction came directly from McCourt, something OM formally denied.Molina has separately reported that Unique Sports has been brought into the process of facilitating departures. That creates an unusual situation in which Lorenzi is attempting to rebuild the squad while external actors are simultaneously being tasked with helping dismantle it. That decision has also reportedly taken players and their agents by surprise, with Unique Sports taking commission off every transfer of the club whether they have or not been involved in the deal.The use of money around the club has not only concerned football operations. McCourt has long relied upon Image 7, an influential communications and lobbying agency headed by Anne Maux, as one of his principal sources of advice in France.The companys role has stretched well beyond conventional public relations. Lquipe reported recently that Image 7 had dedicated resources to lobbying French parliamentarians over the reform of professional football governance, a cause strongly supported by McCourt and his entourage.Molina has also alleged that McCourts entourage used a British communications company as part of a strategy which included placing negative stories concerning Lyon in the English media.The allegation is particularly striking given the unusual access afforded to The Telegraphduring the latter stages of the Longoria era. Both Longoria and Roberto De Zerbi gave extensive interviews to the newspaper, while in May the outlet published an exclusive report claiming Lyon faced potential UEFA sanctions over alleged failures to comply with financial obligations. OL publicly rejected the substance of that report, describing it as one-sided.There is, however, no evidence establishing that The Telegrapharticle was commissioned by Marseille or that the newspaper was aware of any wider communications strategy.The episode is another example of the unusual ecosystem that developed around McCourt: significant sums being spent not only on players and agents, but also on advisers, external agencies and communications battles far removed from what happened on the pitch.There are smaller examples too. GFFN understands that concerns have been raised internally over spending away from the sporting operation. In one instance, a senior club employee declined the use of a vehicle made available by OM and instead accumulated a substantial expenses bill through private transport paid for by the club.There are other curious remnants of the previous regime still to be resolved. Ali Zarrak wasone of Medhi Benatias closest collaborators within the sporting department, but still remains employed by Marseille despite being moved away from the clubs headquarters.Zarrak is expected to relocate to the Paris region and take responsibility for scouting in le-de-France, effectively removing him from the daily environment at La Commanderie without ending his association with OM altogether.Meanwhile GFFN understands that sporting coordinator Bob Tahri, another figure closely associated with Benatia, is set to leave the club. Tahri was notably on the receiving end of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangs overzealous use of a fire extinguisher during an extraordinary squad lockdown at the Commanderie last season.Patience in MarseilleNew manager Bruno Gnsio arrived without the fanfare which accompanied Roberto De Zerbi two years earlier, but the former Lyon and Lille coach is generally well regarded by those around the club. There is also little sense that he was sold a false picture of the circumstances awaiting him in Marseille. Gnsio has spoken openly about the restrictions facing OM and, crucially, appears to have accepted that the squad he began pre-season with may look considerably different by the end of August.GFFN was present at La Commanderie in late July as Gnsio addressed that reality directly. Asked about the possibility of losing further important players, the Marseille coach separated his own sporting wishes from the financial requirements imposed upon the club.When you are a coach, there are two aspects, Gnsio explained. The sporting aspect: obviously, when you have good players, you want to keep them. Then there is the second aspect, the financial aspect. That is not my domain, it is the domain of my president and Greg Lorenzi. We know the constraints fixed by the DNCG. I came here fully aware of the situation. I know things can move.It was a notably sober assessment for a club where summers have so often been accompanied by declarations of renewed ambition. Gnsio would naturally prefer to preserve an experienced spine to his team, but Marseille no longer have the luxury of treating sporting continuity as the only consideration.I think it is important to keep stability on a sporting level, he added, stressing the value of players who already understand the club, Ligue 1 and the particular pressures of Marseille. But you have to know how to be patient. It is a balance that has to be found.That has been the image of Bruno Gnsio throughout the pre-season. He is an experienced manager that has seemingly earned the respect of his players and the club and hasnt attempted to disguise the circumstances in which he is working.Patience has become the key word. For supporters watching some of their best players leave, for a manager attempting to construct a competitive team from an ever-changing squad, and for a sporting director whose reputation was built on extracting maximum value from limited resources, the coming weeks will demand plenty of it.GFFN | George Boxall Reporting from Marseille.

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesNovak Djokovic has called for a drastic overhaul of scoring rules in tennis, and a former World No. 1 doesnt agree with him at all.Novak Djokovic has won more major titles than any other player in mens tennis history. And now, in the twilight of his career, it seems he has some ideas on how to change the game entirely.Djokovic spoke recently about how scoring in tennis needs to change. He advocated for sets to be played to four games instead of six, and even wanted to do away with the tiebreaker concept.All this is in service of supposedly making the sport shorter and thus more entertaining. A lot of long-time tennis fans disagree with Djoker, and now former US Open champ Kim Clijsters has added her voice to theirs.Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for the International Tennis Hall of FameKim Clijsters thinks there is nothing greater than fiercely competitive, long games of tennisClijsters has been at the pinnacle of the game herself, she held the World No. 1 ranking for 20 weeks. On top of this, she has won both the Australian Open and the US Open.As one of the most recognisable voices in the modern game, she has now given her take on Djokovics ideas. And she thinks the current format is something which helps make tennis great.I think theres nothing greater than seeing a four or five-hour match, Clijsters said, during an appearance on the Love All podcast. And they dont happen every day, right?But to have a few of them in a tournament, especially if you can have a Novak against Sinner or Novak against Rafa, Rafa against Roger, like those moments I feel stand out so much in the history of our sport.And it would be a shame if we dont have that It would make things a lot easier for a lot of parties that are investing into the sport. But I think as a player Im also kind of old school, I dont like to see a lot of changes in our sport.Djokovics suggestions might be a bit too different to get implemented any time soon. But its good to hear the other side of the argument from another ambassador of the game.Read more:Novak Djokovic wants tennis to drastically change scoring rules and claims it is best for everyoneNovak Djokovics key to winning Wimbledon might be this World Cup Connection Toni Nadal believes Novak Djokovic is nearing retirement: We are witnessing his final season

Brandon Clarke was named in the NBA's All-Rookie First Team in 2020 [Getty Images]Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke's death in May was caused by the "effects of heroin and cocaine", the Los Angeles authorities have revealed.The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner ruled that the death was accidental.The 29-year-old was found unresponsive in a bedroom at a house in San Fernando Valley on 11 May, 2026 and was pronounced dead by paramedics.The medical examiner's office also listed the "combined effects of multiple prescription medications" as a "significant" contributor to his death but did not state what the medications were.The medical examiner added that its full report would be available at a later date.The Canada-born player was a first-round draft pick in 2019 but played only two games in the 2025-26 season because of injuries.Paying tribute at the time, the Grizzlies said they were "heartbroken" by the loss, adding he was an "outstanding team-mate and an even better person whose impact on the organisation and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten".Clarke played 309 NBA games, including 50 starts, and scored an average of 10.2 points per game.A month prior to his death, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges that included speeding and possession of a controlled substance.Clarke was born in Vancouver and was a dual citizen of Canada and the USA.After playing college basketball at San Jose State and then Gonzaga, he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder and traded to the Grizzlies soon after.

Aug 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz reacts after giving up a two run walk off home run by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt in the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Dodgers came tantalizingly close to a win on Friday night, but Edwin Daz saw a slider deposited over the wall for a two-run home run, turning a one-run lead into a stunning walk-off loss to the Diamondbacks.After the Dodgers seventh straight loss, manager Dave Roberts talked about Daz, who since returning from the injured list has allowed four runs in three innings in his four appearances, including a home run in each of his last two games. From Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:I think thats about right, Roberts said of Diazs self-assessment. I thought the fastball was good. I thought the fastball life was good, but the slider just isnt having much effect. And he left one close to Waldschmidt, and he hit a homer.He just hasnt had the feel for that pitch since he got back. But the fastball seems to be getting better, command of it, the life of it. But the slider is something that youve got to have something go left and get swing and miss with that pitch, too.LinksJarrett Seidler at Baseball Prospectus looked at five potential industry-wide objections to the Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal, learning that each had at least some kernel of truth to them.I think the Dodgers and Tigers both accomplished what they needed to do here in the moment, Seidler wrote. Los Angeles overpaid in terms of comparable trades, but they did so by moving players for whom they were unlikely to ever find room. The Tigers got a return that surpassed what I expected them to get.Speaking of Skubal, hes slated to start Monday against the Kansas City Royals in his first start at Dodger Stadium while with the Dodgers, followed by Blake Snell coming off the injured list to start Saturday. Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic has more.

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