Red & White (& Pink) Army | Sunderland AFC via Getty ImagesYesterdays match was a rarity for me: a pre-season game that looked to have something approaching an actual atmosphere.I wasnt overly fussed about the Lads North American tour.Im pleased it all went well but sinking $25 Michelob Lights with a side of grits in the PricewaterhouseCoopers THUNDERDOME isnt my idea of fun. Knocking the froth off a few Saint-Omers in glorious sunshine, however? Yes, please. Incredibly jealous of all the lovely lads and lasses out there, and a comfortable 2-0 win was just the cherry on top for them all. Sant!Even with all the usual caveats around pre-season friendlies Results dont matter, Its about fitness, etc, etc I feel yesterdays friendly was as close to being important as you can get this time of year.Lens have been a consistently strong side for a number of years and are looking to retain their title of Best Of The Rest After PSG as well as having a Champions League campaign ahead of them.Theyre no mugs, as the old adage goes, and a strong Sunderland side (more on this later), Granit Xhakas first run-out and a packed Stade Bollaert-Delelis added on extra layers of intrigue to the fixture.Maybe that sense of importance rubbed off on the players too as we were at it straight from kick-off.Our pressing throughout the game in particular was a delight to watch. We largely controlled the first half without being dominant and, while it looked like we still had gears to move up through, Lens barely landed a punch.Xhaka was Xhaka, Brian Brobbey was Brobbey and Trai Hume was Hume, including a gorgeous volley that left the crossbar quaking like Lewis Hall. Just lovely lads, arent they? Thomas Meunier looked very accomplished, which youd expect, and was unlucky to have his header chalked off.After their subdued first half, Lens stepped it up after the break and it took us a little while to settle after Xhaka and Meunier went off, although we never looked anything other than comfortable at the back.Robin Roefs didnt have a save to make until after the seventieth minute. We probably did lack something going forward so Rgis Le Bris turned to Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor, and it was this second round of subs that sealed the game.Rigg continued his fine pre-season and just looks like the real deal the more you see of him. A lovely assist for Hume and a key role in creating the second for Isidor, and it just feels a huge season is ahead for Sunderlands favourite son.Always lovely to see Isidor on the scoresheet and Le Bris was very firm afterwards in shutting down any talk of a move away which was nice to see. Isidor, to me, just feels like a Europa League striker and I cant wait to see whether that plays out or whether Im just chatting shite again.Depending on Nordi Mukieles availability, thatll likely be our starting XI for Ipswich in a couple of weeks and Im absolutely fine if thats the case.Theres obviously been a little bit of noise around the clubs perceived inactivity in the transfer window. I would say Im probably calmer than most about this, the club have very much earned that trust, however Id be lying if I claimed a few small niggles hadnt started to creep in. Seeing the line-up yesterday and watching them go about their business, however, was the perfect antidote.Given how monumental last season was, it feels odd that Id momentarily forgotten how fucking class the Lads are. If we cant find value until later in the window and have to crack on for a few weeks with the XI that finished seventh and stuffed the Mags twice, so be it.All in all, a hugely successful day at the office although I did come away with one minor concern.Watching Big Dan Ballard throw every fibre of his being towards any potential sign of danger is a joy; however, it does bring to mind the likelihood of him and Omar Alderete picking up niggly injuries here and there throughout the season and perhaps increases the need for defensive reinforcements more than Id appreciated.Id normally try to end on a positive but, seeing as Ive somehow talked myself into a negative space, I might as well go all in: the pink strip is crap.Love the link up, loved the roll-out and love the idea of a man eating a load of burgers and dying on the toilet, but the actual kit? Rubbish. Just really hope we get to wear our home kit for the Europa League final.

Cavaliers, Hawks, Clippers, Bucks in bidding war for $11M NBA champion, 23-year-old young star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.NBA rosters for the upcoming season are still being adjusted with free agency continuing to unfold. LeBron James' decision held up the process for several organizations and players looking for new homes, and there are still plenty of major moves left to be made.One player searching for a potential new home is Peyton Watson, who is a restricted free agent. Watson and his camp are reportedly seeking a hefty contract as negotiations continue.Peyton Watson and his camp want something in that $28 million north range and the offers so far have been fluctuating between that $20-24 million per year range When you're Peyton Watson, you want more than Christian Braun," ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel wrote.The biggest challenge for Watson is that, as a restricted free agent, he cannot simply choose whichever team he wants. A deal has to be worked out between Watson and the Denver Nuggets, which would likely come in the form of a sign-and-trade. However, with Denver in a difficult financial situation, there has been discussion about Watson potentially accepting his qualifying offer instead.The top restricted free agents Jalen Duren, Peyton Watson and Bennedict Mathurin are now all considering taking their qualifying offers to become unrestricted in 2027. As negotiations stall out across the board, these three could become trendsetters against the RFA process, NBA reporter Evan Sidery posted.Denver does not want to lose Watson, but the organization's financial situation could ultimately force its hand. Teams such as the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers have all expressed interest in getting a deal done for the young wing.That is why teams like the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks have all expressed sign-and-trade interest in Watson over the last month. Interest from the Clippers, Bucks, and Cavs is real, yet there are still some limitations to each potential sign-and-trade scenario, Siegel wrote.The teams clearly want Watson, but the Nuggets are not going to let him leave unless they receive a package they believe is worth it.Watson has earned $11 million throughout his young NBA career. Given Denver's current financial situation, the Nuggets also do not have much flexibility to work with in a potential trade. For now, the Hawks, Cavaliers, Clippers and Bucks will continue battling for Watson's services. If none of those teams can get a sign-and-trade completed, Watson could ultimately take his qualifying offer and enter unrestricted free agency in 2027.More NBA news:Lakers' Austin Reaves' future in limbo after Walker Kessler's blockbuster trade, says NBA insiderHeat, Warriors, Cavaliers reportedly in battling for $305M future Hall of Famer, 17-year veteranLakers trade idea ships Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt for $46M NBA champion in mega 3-team dealLakers, Heat receive troubling ex-Warriors Klay Thompson buyout update from Mavericks

ODI Tri-series is back! ECB Chief says triangular ODI series' being planned after Shubman Gill comments originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:ECB chief Gould confirms England remains open to tri-series fixtures.India captain Shubman Gillwants multi-team tournaments back.Several tri-series already scheduled under ICC's 2023-2027 FTP cycle.Richard Gould backs Shubman Gill's call for ODI tri-series revivalEngland and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould has responded positively to Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill's appeal for the return of triangular cricket tournaments, confirming that several tri-series fixtures are already lined up over the coming 12 to 18 months.Gill has thrown his support behind the ICC's decision to leave the 50-over format untouched, describing the ODI World Cup as cricket's most prestigious global event. Rather than trimming matches down to 40 overs, he believes reviving multi-team formats like tri-series and quadrangular tournaments would do far more to reignite excitement around ODI cricket."I grew up watching 50-over cricket a lot, and it remained an integral part of my childhood," Gill said ahead of the first ODI in Birmingham against England. "When I think of the World Cup, the first thought that comes to mind is the 50-over World Cup. For me, the 50-over World Cup is the most prestigious World Cup. I don't think it should be changed to 40 overs."Gill also fondly recalled watching several triangular series growing up, particularly those involving India, Australia and Sri Lanka, and described them as genuinely entertaining to follow."One thing is that we used to play a lot of triangular series and it was really fun to watch. India, Australia and Sri Lanka used to play those tournaments," he said."If I ever get a chance to play in a triangular series, it will be fun because you are not playing one team continuously. If we want to make this format more interesting, instead of having bilateral series, we can have triangular or quadrangular series. That'll be interesting to play and to watch."MORE:India's 2036 Olympic bid receives ECB supportECB confirms tri-series remain part of future schedulingAccording toDainik Jagran,Gould acknowledged that there's still room within international cricket's calendar for tri-series to make a comeback.He noted that England's own scheduling priorities currently lean toward formats that don't stretch the calendar excessively, though the ECB remains open to exploring tri-series as a viable option going forward.MORE:Brett Lee ignores Sachin Tendulkar as ex-Australia star names his pick Getty/BCCI & Creimas Which upcoming tri-series are already planned in the ICC's FTP schedule?Several tri-series tournaments have already found their way back into cricket's calendar under the ICC's Future Tours Programme covering 2023 to 2027.Pakistan hosted a tri-series in February 2025 involving New Zealand and South Africa, serving as a warm-up event ahead of that year's ICC Champions Trophy.Looking further ahead, a T20I tri-series is scheduled for August-September 2026 in Windhoek, Namibia, bringing together South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, the three co-hosts of the 2027 World Cup.Pakistan is also set to host another tri-nation series in October 2026, featuring two visiting nations as part of the broader FTP schedule.MORE:'Sooryavanshi has skill but': Dhawan gives his verdict on VaibhavWhy does bringing back a tri-series make sense for ODI cricket?Gill's argument taps into something cricket fans have quietly missed for years. i.e. the unpredictability and variety that triangular tournaments once brought to the format.Bilateral series are easy enough to slot into a calendar, but they rarely bring the kind of shifting challenge that comes from facing several different opponents within one tournament window. Tri-series used to deliver exactly that as teams had to constantly adjust their tactics against contrasting styles of different teams, which kept things interesting for viewers.Bringing the format back on a larger scale won't be simple, though. Cricket's calendar is already stretched thin, and squeezing in more multi-team tournaments will be difficult. The cricket administrators should find a way to balance them against existing bilateral series and league commitments without burning out players further.Gould's measured stance, leaving the door open for tri-series without treating them as an urgent priority, seems like a reasonable way forward. Done right, rather than tacked on as an afterthought in the schedule, this format could bring back some of the spark ODI cricket has been missing, without piling even more strain onto an already packed calendar.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to ourFacebook,InstagramandX (Twitter)pages.

MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 5: Uli Hoeness (former FCB President ) with wife Susi (L) Jamal Musiala of FC Bayern Mnchen Michael Olise of FC Bayern Mnchen pose during the football club's annual visit of the Oktoberfest beer festival Wiesn and the Kfer tent in Munich, southern Germany on October 5, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesMichael Olise might not be the loudest or most visible player away from the pitch, but Uli Hoene believes that does not prevent him from becoming one of the faces of Bayern Munich.In fact, Hoene seems to believe that Olises reserved personality is part of what makes his rise at the club so interesting.Everyone has to live life the way they are. And Michael is a rather introverted type who focuses heavily on his career and has little desire to constantly express himself online or on social media. We dont have that many others like that, but society has others. This focus on his career, on his sport, and on the responsibility of providing entertainment for our fans, and what has developed from that, is, of course, a very nice thing, Hoene told DAZN (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). Olise does not appear interested in constantly being in front of cameras, posting on social media or turning himself into a celebrity away from the pitch. His focus is football.And that might actually make his emergence as one of Bayern Munichs biggest stars even more compelling.The Frenchman lets his football do the talking. His performances, creativity, goals and assists have quickly made him one of the most important players in the squad, even though he is not necessarily the type to dominate headlines with his personality.When asked if Olise is the opposite of Thomas Mller, Hoene offered a typically blunt response and one that might not make Mller fans (especially the #MllerMafia) very happy.But Thomas was talking more than playing football in the end of his time here. In the end, he was just the press officer, and I really have no problem with him. But he was very good at selling himself, even when he was on the bench for us, Hoene remarked. The contrast could hardly be clearer.Mller was one of the most charismatic and entertaining personalities in Bayern Munich history, while Olise is much more reserved and private.But both approaches can work.Mller became a club icon through his personality as well as his football. Olise may follow a different path entirely allowing his performances to build his reputation while he keeps his private life largely private.At Bayern Munich, there is no single formula for becoming a face of the club.Sometimes you talk.Sometimes you let your football do the talking.Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

The Seattle Seahawks held their annual Football Fest at Lumen Field, their third year under Super Bowl champion head coach Mike Macdonald. On the plus side, the Seahawks practiced in pads after having non-padded practices over the last two public sessions, but the downside was once again not seeing Jadarian Price due to lower body soreness. Marshawn Lynch was on the field talking to Mike Macdonald, Sam Darnold, throwing footballs into the crowd, but he was neither signed nor practiced. It wouldve been cool, though.After practice, myself, Dan Viens, Bryce Coutts, and Josh Hite got together for a post-practice recap. In front of the Lumen Field sign, we did a nice and digestible 9-minute video going through what we saw, who shined, who came away from practice a little banged up, and we do our best to overcome a loud Jesus Saves guy whom I swear was nowhere near us when we started recording and naturally decided to move in our direction. He is obviously in violation of the Field Gulls No Religion policy.Anyway, one of our biggest takeaways is another standout performance by second-year defensive tackle Rylie Mills, who proved to be hard to handle throughout practice and has been a star in camp. Well have a more thorough write-up on Saturdays practice on Sunday, after which we can actually gear up for preseason football at last!Video

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