STARKVILLE Jeff Lebby was tight-lipped and attentive at the podium on Tuesday at the Seal Complex.Mississippi States head coach did not have much to say regarding the possible additions of edge rusher Malick Sylla and safety Jahron Manning. ESPNs Pete Thamel reported on Monday night that the Bulldogs are in the process of adding them back in light of a recent court ruling in Colorado that would give Division I athletes from the high school class of 2022 a fifth year of eligibility.The NCAA is currently trying to fight the ruling. If it gets overturned, it would make Sylla and Manning ineligible.There's not really anything else to say because they're not eligible, so they've got to go through a process, Lebby said. They're back in the building. We'll see how it all plays out.Lebby added that the two have not been able to practice because they're ineligible and that there are a lot of boxes that need to be checked for them to be eligible this coming season. In the meantime, hes focused on the present.My mind's on the guys that I know that are going to play on that first Saturday in Davis Wade, he said. If they come back, my mind will go there. But right now, again, I'm completely concerned and tuned in to the guys that are eligible for that first Saturday.As for Mondays practice, Lebby felt it wasnt where they wanted it to be. He saw lulls in energy, something the team will need to avoid in order to continue to play the fast and physical style of football that he values.Lebby did, however, see an uptick on Tuesday morning.There was better intent. There was physicality. There was more juice. Defensively, we had a really good day today, he said. You want great back and forth. You want great competition. But the energy at all times has got to be what it needs to be.I was pleased that our guys came back and answered to the challenge and had a good day.Watched DogsA handful of Bulldogs have been named to different watch lists and preseason teams over the past several days.Offensive lineman D.J. Chester was selected to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list and wide receiver Anthony Evans to the Hornug Award watch list. On Friday, Kyle Ferrie made it onto the watch list for the Lou Groza Award.Kelley Jones was named to two preseason all-American teams. He was named an all-American by Pro Football Network and a first-team all-American by On3sports.Defensive lineman Jaray Bledsoe, meanwhile, is part of Bruce Feldmans annual Freaks List. The list highlights some of the best pure athletes in college football heading into the season.

In the Indianapolis Colts' joint practice with the New England Patriots, the team's cornerback depth was tested.With Charvarius Ward sidelined, several other players were tasked with stepping up in his place.According to the Indy Star's Joel Erickson, Mekhi Blackmon appeared to be the primary defender on "big plays" to AJ Brown and Mack Hollins. He was then responsible for a busted coverage on another play.Cam Taylor-Britt, who Erickson acknowledged has had a good training camp, was "giving up plays" in the joint practice while playing both outside and nickel cornerback positions.Jaylon Jones had "issues" as well.A promising development was the play of Sauce Gardner, who "acquitted himself well against Brown.Also in the secondary, Cam Bynum had an interception, while Erickson notes that Justin Walley and Jonathan Owens could have had two more.This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Depth of Colts defensive position group tested in joint practice

Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesWe dont know exactly what transpired between New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini, how long it lasted, or how it might have impacted his personal or professional life.But we do know that whatever was happening was apparently resolved during personal counseling that kept him away from Day 3 of the NFL Draft.Vrabel and the Patriots initially tried to bury their heads in the sand around the scandal until the head coach finally offered a mea culpa for something. And while the strategy didnt seem wise, it does feel as though he and the team are going to make it to the start of the season with the chance to put it behind them (at least until Russini does her inevitable tell-all or the Patriots go 0-4 to start the season).While the Patriots media peppered Vrabel with a few questions about his presumedly inappropriate relationship with an NFL reporter, theyve mostly let the topic die as the preseason has gone on. However, the coach did get one roundabout question related to the situation on Tuesday, when he was asked about all that counseling he had mentioned.You said this offseason that you were seeking counseling, a media member asked, via the Patriots press conference transcript. I wanted to follow up on that and see what you learned from that counseling, and how did you balance that personal commitment with getting ready for this season?I think we always look at improvement, Vrabel responded. As we talk about getting ready for the next season, we always look at improvement and ways that we can improve individually and how we can improve as a team. Its really critical that we continue to do that on and off the field. I believe in that. I believe in everything that we can do to help this football team, to help our coaches, to help myself and everybody else included. This journey that we are going to go on is going to be completely different than the one we went on last year. Thats all of our jobs, is to prepare for it now. So, really focused on our improvement individually and as a team, and thats something that we can do today.You look at the O-line, and we talk about them and their ability to play together as a unit. There are so many combination blocks that they are involved in, and we have to be better. Again, five O-linemen have to be able to sustain a line of scrimmage, and I just walked into that meeting room and said, How do we improve? How do we improve our combination blocks? We are not asking you to block everybody 1-on-1. So, I think we all have areas that we can improve on, and that includes the coaches.Honestly, well played.Vrabels answer reminded me of a tactic that crisis management expert Jeff Hunt recently shared with me.I have this thing I call building blue water between the question and your answer, which is to say, move the reporter further and further away from the question, said Hunt. Go into the depths of the game you played last night. Dissect it, break it down the way people would want you to do on a normal day, but you dont always do. But do it because that sort of carves up time and gets you further and further away from the issue and the question.It sounds like someone gave Vrabel some very similar advice.The post Mike Vrabel deflects question about what he learned from offseason counseling session appeared first on Awful Announcing.

MIAMI (AP) Eury Prez allowed three hits over seven innings, Esteury Ruiz homered and the Miami Marlins beat Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 on Tuesday night.Prez (6-9) struck out three straight Pirates to start the game and surrendered only three singles two in the third and one in his final inning. The right-hander fanned seven and walked two, throwing 100 pitches. He hasn't surrendered a homer in seven straight starts.Michael Petersen struck out two in the eighth and Pete Fairbanks retired the side in order in the ninth for his 18th save in 21 opportunities.Skenes (9-11) left after five innings and 65 pitches. He allowed two runs one earned on five hits. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner struck out four and walked one after entering with a 3-3 record and a 6.26 ERA in his previous eight starts.Ruiz hit his sixth home run, a one-out solo shot in the third to put Miami ahead.Skenes struck out Owen Caissie with runners on second and third to end the fourth and keep it 1-0.Ruiz was hit by a one-out pitch in the fifth before pulling off a delayed steal. Xavier Edwards reached on an infield single and Ruiz scored on shortstop Jacob Gonzalezs throwing error on the play. Bryan Reynolds robbed Griffin Conine of a two-out homer to left field to keep it 2-0.Yohan Ramrez followed Skenes and allowed only a walk, striking out four over three scoreless innings.Miami (61-59) finished off its 12th shutout and has won three straight following a four-game skid.Pittsburgh (58-63) has lost two straight and six of its last seven after being shut out for the 12th time.Miami placed first baseman Kyle Stowers on the 10-day injured list before the game with a left hamstring strain. The Marlins recalled Graham Pauley from Triple-A Jacksonville to take his place.Up nextThe Pirates have not announced what pitcher will start Wednesday opposite Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (5-7, 4.63).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Defending champion Ben Shelton of the United States celebrates a quarter-final victory over Czech Jakub Mensik at the ATP Montreal Masters (Minas Panagiotakis)Ben Shelton took another step toward defending his ATP Montreal Masters title on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-1 quarter-finals hammering of Jakub Mensik for his 10th straight victory in Canada.World number 10 Shelton, the last top-10 player in the field, was never challenged by the Czech in advancing to a Wednesday semi-final against fellow American Learner Tien, who ousted Spain's Daniel Merida 6-3, 6-2 in 72 minutes."It was a great performance for me, super happy with that and to be in the semis again," Shelton said.Spanish teen Rafael Jodar booked a semi-final spot in only his fifth ATP Masters 1000 event by holding off France's Arthur Fils 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.The 19-year-old will face the oldest remaining player when he plays 25-year-old American Brandon Nakashima in a Wednesday battle for a place in Thursday's final.Nakashima reached his breakthrough Masters semi in 77 minutes as he imposed his game on Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-3, setting up three match points with his 11th ace as winning as the Italian missed on a drop shot.It's the first time since 1992 that three American men have reached the last four in Canada.Shelton was on fire in his 72-minute thrashing of Mensik, the American producing 18 winners and only three unforced errors.Shelton has yet to lose a set at this event."I felt great, I played well form the ground from point one," Shelton said. "I'm right where I want to be. I maintained a high level throughout the match. I hope to continue to build on this in the semis."Jodar shrugged off a slight tweak of his ankle in the second set against Fils and remained calm throughout as his French opponent smashed a racquet after being broken early in the second set.Jodar, who does not turn 20 until after the US Open, has won 34 matches this season and risen to 15th in world rankings, but sees improving his game as more important than his ranking."That shouldn't be your primary thing and your goal," he said. "My goal is to have fun on court and to enjoy all the tournaments that are new for me."Fils, back after injury, saved three match points in the final game before Jodar lanced a winner to the empty court after an hour and three-quarters."I played a very high level today against a tough player like Arthur," Jodar said. "I had to give my best to win this match."Nakashima, who won his fifth quarter-final of the season, credited his serve with the win."My serve was super important. It got me out of some tough holes," Nakashima said."I also took my opportunities on return when I needed to. I knew I had to open up the court. He was hitting his spots really well."Nakashima, into his 16th career semi-finals, put his confidence "at an all-time high" after his seventh victory in eight matches following a Washington semi-final run.str/js

Ahead of his freshman season at Tennessee, Faizon Brandon has landed a high-profile NIL deal. He is the latest athlete to join forces with Rhoback, the company announced via social media.Brandon is the latest notable athlete to join forces with Rhoback. The company announced it recently re-signed Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and Notre Dame wide receiver Jordan Faison to NIL deals ahead of the 2026 season. The brand has also brought in Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht and Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula to its Rhoback U campaign.$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverageBrandon currently has a $1 million On3 NIL Valuation as he prepares for his freshman year on Rocky Top. He is battling George MacIntyre for the starting quarterback job under Josh Heupel this season.Faizon is ready to take the next step, make his mark on Rocky Top and we couldnt be more proud to be a small part of his team, Rhoback said in an Instagram post. We cant wait to see whats ahead for him.Brandon arrived at Tennessee this spring as a highly rated prospect out of Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley. A five-star prospect, he was the No. 10 overall player and No. 3-ranked quarterback from the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.As Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre go through the quarterback competition in Knoxville, one question Heupel faced at SEC media days was about the duos lack of experience. However, he pointed to his history with freshmen quarterbacks, including Sam Bradford and Dillon Gabriel, as well as the need for the right mentality regardless of who wins the job.At the end of the day, the players got to go earn it and they got to compete for it every single day, Heupel said in Tampa. I do think its really important that the guys around him function and play at a really high level to limit the negative opportunities, the adverse situations a quarterback can be put in. They got to learn how to take care of the football first and foremost.You have to play with a competitive edge, allow your play-makers to go make plays as well. The beauty of the game with your quarterback is each one of thems a little bit different. Theyre the artist. You have to hand them the paintbrush and let them go paint it.

Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump waves goodbye after the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesIn December 2025, United States President Donald Trump announced the first-ever Patriot Games as a way to celebrate Americas 250th birthday.In the fall, we will host the first-ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented 4-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory, Trump announced from the Oval Office.The 2026 Patriot Games were held at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, and athletes were tested on the skills from the Presidential Fitness Test, go through a military-inspired boot camp circuit, and finalists will compete in an obstacle course designed to test strategy and skill.Trump arrived on Tuesday to watch the games in person, and interestingly enough, one of ESPNs biggest stars was awaiting him when he exited the plane. An official government account on X posted a video of Pat McAfee welcoming Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland as Trump arrived for competition, before then smiling for photos with the President and walking to Marine One, the presidents helicopter..@POTUS is greeted on the tarmac by @PatMcAfeeShow and proceeds to Marine One.Next stop: SPIRE Academy for the 2026 Patriot Games final! https://t.co/qstwgxp8LLpic.twitter.com/HJuYX3qEeQ Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 11, 2026Then, McAfee was spotted sitting next to the President as the pair took in the final live.President Donald Trump sitting with @PatMcAfeeShow at the 2026 Patriot Games final in Ohio: pic.twitter.com/45u4cItgw0 Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 11, 2026Political or not?Some fans on social media were incensed that McAfee, who often claims to be apolitical, was seated with such a controversial President.McAfees smugness is truly the worst part about him. He will come out and say he isnt political and that this doesnt mean anything as he gleefully sits there with a sh*t grin, one fan posted on X.Clay Travis made millions whining for years that ESPN was too woke and to keep politics out of sports. Now ESPNs highest paid employee is sitting next to the president and he wont say a word about it, someone else added.If you even remotely like Pat Magafee youre an op, one person wrote.Not his first time with TrumpMcAfees relationship with the Trump administration goes back to last year, when he interviewed the president live on ESPN for a Veterans Day broadcast. He went on to blast critics of the interview, saying, if youre against what happened yesterday, I would like to say, you hate the troops, and you should go ahead and swallow that, and you can take that to where you want to go.PerFront Office Sports Ellyn Briggs, McAfee was invited to attend the event as a guest of President Trump, though its unclear what, if anything, hell do at the final.The post Pat MAGAfee: Outrage mounts after Pat McAfee makes appearance with Donald Trump appeared first on The Comeback: Todays Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Baltimore Orioles catcher Yohel Pozo left in the third inning against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday after he was struck by Josh Bell's bat on the back of his left hand.Pozo reached for a pitch that Bell swung at. Bells bat connected squarely with Pozo's mitt and knocked it off his hand. The Twins designated hitter was awarded first base due to catchers interference.After being examined by trainers, Pozo walked to the dugout and continued up the tunnel to the clubhouse. He was replaced by Carlos Narvaez. The team later said Pozo was suffering from left index finger pain.Pozo is hitting .256 with a home run and seven RBIs in 24 games this season. The Orioles claimed him off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on July 17 and called him up to the majors 10 days later.Baltimore is thin at catcher after trading All-Star Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox at the deadline. The Orioles' remaining starter at the position, Samuel Basallo, is on the injured list.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

With preseason games on the horizon, Tuesday brought us our first taste of joint practices across the NFL this summer and with joint practices came injuries and fights. The Los Angeles Rams had an eventful day, with All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett missing Tuesday's practice, while wide receiver Puka Nacua left early with a groin injury. Following a competitive quarterback competition, the Minnesota Vikings named Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback. Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant is undergoing knee surgery and expected to miss the next four-to-six months, while San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa deals with tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee as he eyes a Week 1 return. Catch up with all the updates across the NFL: The Los Angeles Rams held defensive end Myles Garrett out of Tuesday's joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys due to knee swelling. Head coach Sean McVay didn't appear concerned and labeled the decision to reporters as precautionary. "I dont know what 100% is going to look like, but it must be pretty good if thats 85%," McVay told reporters. "Hes so tough, he wanted to be able to be out there. ... Theres nothing to be concerned about. It was just kind of us erring on the side of caution. There wasnt any setbacks, anything like that." Wide receiver Puka Nacua left Rams practice early with trainers, leaving McVay without an immediate update on his status. It was later revealed that the star receiver is dealing with general groin soreness and the team plans to take a cautious approach with Nacua, NFL Network reported. Following practice, quarterback Matthew Stafford downplayed concerns regarding Nacua's early exit, telling reporters he didn't believe the issue was major. "I'm not really sure what the issue was, but nobody ran up to me in a panic," Stafford said. "I don't think it was anything too major." After weeks of split reps, film study, and heavy debate, the Minnesota Vikings have made their decision at quarterback. Head coach Kevin OConnell is rolling with Kyler Murray over J.J. McCarthy this season,the team announced Tuesday. Murray signed a league-minimum deal with the Vikings this offseason and every indication suggested he would eventually win the job. The team was desperate for stability at the position after a year that saw McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer all take snaps under center. Not only did Murrays Arizona Cardinals tenure end abruptly, but his lack of production in recent seasons was hard to ignore. With OConnells strong reputation as a quarterback whisperer, Murray signing with the Vikings felt like the ultimate opportunity to potentially reignite his career. In seven NFL seasons, Murray has never reached the 4,000-yard mark and has thrown 25 passing touchdowns only once. OConnells system is built to elevate passing numbers; just ask Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, who both hit those benchmarks under his watch. Now that the dust has settled on the competition, all eyes turn to McCarthy. Entering his third season, the former national champion finds himself on the bench, now leaving his long-term future in Minnesota suddenly up in the air. San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Nick Bosa hasnt played since week three of last season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee. Hes been working on his recovery all offseason, but hit a setback this week after head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed hes dealing with tendinitis. Shanahan and the rest of the coaching staff dont appear concerned, as they described it as"a pretty normal thing with ACLs." Still no firm timetable for Bosa's return, but Shanahan gave an update Monday saying that Bosa is currently week-to-week with tendinitis. He also said he has "no concerns" about Bosa's long-term status and expects him ready for the Week 1 opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Joint practice sessions brought physical play and multiple altercations between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tennessee Titans before both squads are scheduled to face each other in preseason action Thursday. The two teams were reportedly involved in four separate scrums during the first 10 minutes of their joint session, NBC Sports Bay Area reported. One of the altercations was reportedly initiated following a hit by 49ers cornerback Renardo Green on receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. This led to immediate responses from players on both teams before coaches stepped in to separate the groups. Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant has undergone knee surgery following a recent training camp injury, significantly shifting his recovery timeline. He is now expected to miss four to six months while recovering from the procedure, the team announced. Chicago remains hopeful that the veteran defensive back could return in time for a potential postseason run. Bryant signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Bears this offseason after winning the Super Bowl last season with the Seattle Seahawks. With Bryant now sidelined, the defense will be looking at Oregon first-round pick Dillon Thieneman, Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks and Xavier Woods to fill out the safety room. The Arizona Cardinals are heading into the season with plenty of question marks, but that wont stop head coach Mike LaFleur from playing his starters in the preseason. He revealed to the media on Monday afternoon that he plans to play all of his starters on Thursday night. Not only will rookie running back Jeremiyah Love finally see some game action, but veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett will also take the field. "Theyre all going to play, so well have our guys out there," LaFleur said. "How much? Its not going to be much. Could be one drive, max of two for those main guys. Theyll be playing and they know thatthat includes Jacoby [Brissett].

DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 5: Nick Martinez #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesGo Rays!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!