Senators’ brutal mistake leads to the fastest goal in Panthers history
Those who blinked right after the opening face-off between the Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., missed something historic.
It took just eight seconds before the first goal of the contest was scored, with Florida forward Noah Gregor finding the back of the net after a miscommunication between Ottawa defenseman Jordan Spence and goalie Linus Ullmark.
Panthers blueliner Seth Jones sent the puck to the offensive zone during the face-off, and it bounced off the boards. Ullmark was supposed to play the puck, but seemingly thought Spence would control it. Gregor took advantage of the mix-up and scored, giving the Panthers a quick 1-0 lead.
Here’s a look at that play.
Noah Gregor sets Panthers record for the fastest goal to begin a game (:08) pic.twitter.com/4j0xs61Qu7
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 31, 2026
With that goal, Gregor now owns the record for the fastest goal in the history of the Panthers franchise. The previous record was held by Johan Garpenlov, who lit the lamp 10 seconds into a meeting with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
Gregor’s historic goal was the start of the five-goal barrage by the Panthers in the first period. The Senators never recovered from that, as Florida came away with a 6-3 win.
Ottawa’s loss was a significant blow to its playoff chances, with the Senators dropping to 38-26-10 for 86 points. They are on the outside looking in of the wild-card picture in the Eastern Conference with eight games to go on their schedule.
Meanwhile, the 36-35-3 Panthers are virtually out of the playoff race with 75 points to their name, but at least they made history.
Tony Vitello’s interview takes a wild turn with a Kanye West nod
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello is among the youngest skippers in the big leagues, which makes it less surprising that he sneaked in a Kanye West reference during an interview following his first-ever win as an MLB manager.
Vitello, 47, had a wild celebration with his team after the Giants’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif. That victory must feel so good for Vitello and the Giants, as it came after getting swept by the New York Yankees in a three-game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif.
Following the Padres game, Vitello addressed the team’s mood amid its rough start to the 2026 season, somehow even making Yeezus a topic.
“I really don’t feel like there’s been a tightness, like waiting for bad things to happen, or guys yelling at each other,” Vitello said, via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic.
“I just think there’s been an emotional charge of really wanting to do well. If you ask Kanye — I think he’s out with a new album — if you try hard, you die hard. Strange fellow, but he don’t miss much on the music, not that you asked.”
Vitello was right, though. Kanye just released a new album, “Bully,” which came four years after “Donda 2.”
As for the lyrics he referenced, it was from “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” a track from Kanye’s “Graduation” in 2007, when Vitello was still in his late 20s.
Vitello could have all of the lights on him if he successfully leads the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2021 in his first season on the job.
Notable update emerges about Billy Donovan’s future
Billy Donovan may indeed be in his final days as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
There is “a growing chance” that the Bulls head coach Donovan will leave the team if executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas stays. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times made that revelation in a report on Tuesday.
The news comes with the Bulls having recently been eliminated from postseason contention. At 29-46 on the year, Chicago is out of the running for even the NBA play-in tournament.
Donovan, 60, is in his sixth season as head coach of the Bulls after taking over in 2020. But he sits at a subpar 224-251 (.472) overall during his time in Chicago and has only gotten the Bulls to the playoffs once (a five-game loss in the first round during the 2021-22 season).
Meanwhile, Karnisovas has also been with the Bulls since 2020 and was one of the decision-makers behind the team’s initial hire of Donovan. Clearly though, the two are no longer seeing eye-to-eye amidst Chicago’s continued losing. Notably, a report earlier this month also claimed that Donovan might be on the outs with the Bulls, and now we know that Karnisovas’ presence may just have something to do with it.
If Donovan does ultimately decide to walk away from Chicago, he might already have a strong job opportunity waiting for him elsewhere. In recent days, the former NCAA national champion head coach Donovan has been linked to a potential return to the college ranks with a prestigious program.
Shohei Ohtani has a funny brain fart during game against Guardians
Even Shohei Ohtani sometimes forgets what Shohei Ohtani can do.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Ohtani drew attention online over his hilarious brain fart during Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Ohtani is now healthy as a pitcher to begin the season for the first time as a Dodger and drew the start against Cleveland on Tuesday.
In the fifth inning at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., Ohtani got Cleveland’s Steven Kwan to hit into an inning-ending flyout with one runner on to preserve a 1-0 lead for the Dodgers. As he was coming off the mound, Ohtani slowly proceeded in the direction of the dugout to sit down.
But Ohtani suddenly realized that he had to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning as a batter and quickly did an abrupt U-turn towards his awaiting helmet and bat. Here is the funny video.
Shohei forgot he was leading off the inning pic.twitter.com/zTuRChpnVV
— MLB (@MLB) April 1, 2026
The reigning two-time NL MVP Ohtani had a superb night on the mound Tuesday. He fired six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six before exiting with a 2-0 lead.
Ohtani has been far less effective at the plate thus far though and entered play on Tuesday hitting just .167 with zero RBIs through four games. But after Ohtani had a rough outing as a pitcher in Game 7 of last season’s World Series, it is great to see him get his mojo back on the hill in his first official start since then.
Dillon Brooks picks up a technical foul less than 2 minutes into return from injury
Dillon Brooks wasted absolutely no time going full Dillon Brooks during Tuesday’s game.
The Phoenix Suns swingman Brooks returned to the lineup on Tuesday against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. It marked Brooks’ first game back after missing over a month due to a fractured left hand.
Roughly a minute-and-a-half into the first quarter, Brooks began talking trash to Magic star Paolo Banchero. Just seconds later, Suns star Devin Booker and Magic guard Desmond Bane also had a heated run-in with each other.
Booker, Bane, and Brooks all ended up getting technical fouls for the two-part disturbance. Here is the video.
Things are getting chippy in Orlando
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) March 31, 2026
Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane all picked up technicals. pic.twitter.com/eItJuOEJSD
The former All-Defensive selection Brooks would go on to struggle in his return from injury. He managed just nine points on 4/13 shooting as the Magic beat the Suns by a final score of 115-111.
But as for Brooks’ very quick technical foul, that was quite on-brand. He now leads the NBA with 17 technical fouls on the season and also recently had to serve a suspension due to his misbehavior on the court.
CB Bucknor gets laughed at by Brewers, Rays after awful missed call at first base
CB Bucknor does not even need to be behind home plate these days to prove how incompetent he is.
The veteran MLB umpire Bucknor went viral during Tuesday’s game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays for his latest horrific whiff. Bucknor was working first base at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisc. and made a baffling call during the sixth inning.
Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers hit a rocket to the right side that was knocked down by Rays second baseman Ben Williamson. After diving for the ball, Williamson attempted to throw across his body to get Williamson at first base, but the throw sailed wide.
Unbelievably however, Bucknor ruled that Bauers had failed to touch first base and called him out. Instant replay showed that Bucknor could not have been more wrong though and actually appeared to be ball-watching at the time that Bauers touched the bag.
Milwaukee quickly decided to challenge Bucknor’s call, and it was promptly overturned. As a result, Bauers got to return to his rightful spot at first base and eventually came around to score as the Brewers went on to win by a final of 6-2.
A number of figures on both teams were seen laughing at Bucknor after the blown call was overturned, including Bauers, Brewers manager Pat Murphy, and Rays manager Kevin Cash. Here is the video of the full sequence.
The managers and players were laughing at CB Bucknor for missing the easiest call of all-time pic.twitter.com/z5aMCbQmrH
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 1, 2026
Bucknor, 63, has quite the resume of missed calls at this point of his MLB umpiring career and is already adding plenty more entries this season. During a game last weekend, Bucknor drew ridicule for having six completely different calls of his behind the plate get overturned by ABS.
Report: Mavericks are eyeing 4 candidates to replace Nico Harrison
The Dallas Mavericks have their shortlist for Nico Harrison’s successor.
Dallas is eyeing four particular candidates to potentially replace their fired ex-general manager Harrison, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported on Tuesday. Those four candidates are Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti, Minnesota Timberwolves president Tim Connelly, Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens, and Cleveland Cavaliers GM Koby Altman.
The Mavericks are looking for a new full-time GM after firing Harrison last November. Harrison, the former Nike executive, was the architect of the franchise’s disastrous Feb. 2025 trade of superstar Luka Doncic and lasted just nine months in his position after trading away Doncic.
Dallas’ basketball operations are currently being led by a notable duo in the meantime. Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi were appointed as co-interim general managers for the Mavericks after Harrison’s firing.
As for the Mavericks’ four potential full-time GM candidates, Presti and Stevens are by far the biggest names … and would also be the toughest to get. The former is the reigning NBA Executive of the Year and is now widely regarded as the single best executive in the league after bringing the Thunder to the 2025 NBA championship. Meanwhile, the latter is also a former NBA Executive of the Year as well as a recent NBA champion with the Celtics and recently turned down a huge basketball job that just opened up elsewhere.
An executive in the tier of Connelly or Altman would be a far more realistic get for the Mavericks, particularly if their respective current teams suffer early playoff exits. In particular, Connelly was rumored a couple of years ago to be facing an uncertain future in Minnesota (before ultimately signing a contract extension).
Karl-Anthony Towns pulls a curious move during the Knicks’ latest loss
The vibes are not great in New York right now.
The New York Knicks lost again on Tuesday night, falling to the Houston Rockets by a final score of 111-94 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The loss marked the third straight defeat for the Knicks, immediately following a seven-game win streak earlier this month.
Video went viral of a curious moment that Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns had in the middle of the game against the Rockets. During a Houston challenge in the third quarter, the Knicks were huddled together on the sideline as part of the stoppage.
While the other Knicks players were locked into the team huddle, Towns was sitting far away from his teammates on the very end of the bench. You can see the video at the link here.
Towns actually led the Knicks with 22 points and eight rebounds but did so on just 7/17 shooting. Before another recent game, Towns also raised eyebrows with an interview in which he said that he was still trying to figure out his role on the Knicks … some 75 games in the season.
"I'm still trying to figure out where I could impact our team and winning the most."
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 29, 2026
KAT speaks with Zora Stephenson ahead of Knicks Thunder on NBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/cv4k1hZ2cz
The six-time All-Star Towns, 30, has seen his numbers take a slight hit this season (20.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, and a career-low 0.5 blocks per game). There were rumors a couple months ago that Towns was upset with the Knicks as well as something is clearly not working for Big Purr in New York this year.
Jerry Jones makes non-financial case to have 18th NFL game
Jerry Jones and other NFL owners are starting to bang the 18th game drum even louder.
The Dallas Cowboys owner was among the figures present this week at the NFL annual league meeting in Phoenix. One of the hottest topics on deck was the possibility of expanding the season to 18 games.
While the financial reasons are obvious, it’s also an added injury risk for players, and dilutes the importance of every other game just a little bit. Jones was asked what players would get from an 18th game aside from a larger paycheck. The Cowboys boss felt it was a better use of the player’s time and effort.
“I think it’s a better application of their careers and talent,” Jones said. “Less preseason, more playing in games that have the right balance of financial reward as well as exposure.”
There’s something humorous about a billionaire in Jones claiming NFL athletes would get more “exposure” as if they were a starving artists trying to get their name out there.
The NFL plans to offset the physical load of an extra game by lowering the number of preseason games from three to two. But given the huge gap in intensity between an exhibition game and one that counts, it’s far from a commensurate exchange.
The NFL players’ union is just a few years removed from approving a 17th game, which came into effect in 2021. It felt like just a matter of time before the league pushed to make the number even.
While the risk-reward of an 18th game remains subject to debate, fans may indirectly score a big win if the change pushes through.
Steelers owner gives estimated timeline for an Aaron Rodgers decision
Once again, nobody knows whether or not Aaron Rodgers will play in the 2026 NFL season or head to retirement.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are anxiously waiting for the answer, but owner Art Rooney II said on Tuesday that he expects a decision from Rodgers sometime before the 2026 NFL Draft.
Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II said he anticipates a decision from Aaron Rodgers will come before the draft.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) March 31, 2026
Rodgers had everybody waiting a long time last offseason before eventually signing a one-year contract with Pittsburgh in June.
After the 2025 season came to an end, reports came out that the expectation was that Rodgers would return and play for the Steelers in 2026. On top of that, former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was hired as Mike Tomlin’s replacement, and he and Rodgers spent a long time together in Green Bay.
If Rodgers heads for retirement or if he decides not to play in Pittsburgh, the only other quarterbacks on the roster for McCarthy are Will Howard and Mason Rudolph.
Kirk Cousins has been named as an option, and the Steelers could also address the hole in the draft, but the hope is that Aaron Rodgers returns for one more season, and it sure sounds like the ownership is expecting some sort of finality soon.
Tiger Woods makes major career announcement after arrest
Tiger Woods has decided to take a step back and get treatment.
Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence following a car crash last Friday, and now he has decided to step away from golf temporarily.
Woods made the announcement with a social media post on Tuesday.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” Woods wrote.
“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time,” Woods concluded.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 31, 2026
Woods was arrested and charged with DUI after a rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Fla., on March 27. The pro golfer was also arrested for a DUI in Florida in 2017.
More details came out on Tuesday, stating that Woods was “sweating profusely” and that he showed “several signs of impairment” at the time of the arrest.
Woods was playing in the new indoor TGL golf league, and he had hopes of participating in The Masters in 2026, although that seems unlikely given the latest announcement.
MLB insider gets blunt on Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson contract extension
Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson won’t be a free agent for three more years, but they are trying to lock him up on a long-term extension.
However, the chances continue to look dim for Baltimore, and MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said the chances of an extension getting done are “extremely low.”
“I would say that the odds of the Orioles signing Gunnar Henderson long-term are extremely low,” Rosenthal said.
The odds of Gunnar Henderson signing a long-term extension with the Orioles are likely "extremely low," says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/HPYG7tKO08
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 31, 2026
As Rosenthal mentions, Henderson’s agent is Scott Boras, who is well-known for guiding his clients to hit the open market instead of signing long-term deals.
On the other hand, the Milwaukee Brewers just signed prized prospect Cooper Pratt to a new deal, and he is also a Boras client, although Pratt has yet to make his MLB debut.
Henderson recently said he is “open ears” to a new contract whenever the Orioles are ready to have those discussions.
Henderson turns 25 years old in June, and he won the American League Rookie of the Year award and a Silver Slugger award in 2023, as well as making the AL All-Star team in 2024.
Henderson was part of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, so the young Orioles star should be in for a big payday whenever he does get a new deal.
Jaguars will have a new home for 2027
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be playing home games in Orlando, Fla., during the 2027 NFL season.
The Jaguars currently play at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., but the NFL owners voted to allow the team to play at Camping World Stadium in Orlando due to ongoing stadium renovations.
It's unanimous!
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) March 31, 2026
We'll play our 2027 home slate in ✨Orlandoooo✨ at @CWStadium. pic.twitter.com/kG44vuKu85
The Jaguars are slated to play the 2026 season at EverBank Stadium, although the capacity will be limited due to the $1.4 billion renovation plan.
Camping World Stadium has a capacity of 65,000, and it has been the site of the last six Pro Bowls.
There are some obstacles for the Jaguars, however. The plan is to use the Jacksonville facilities during the week and make the 150-mile trip south for the games in Orlando.
However, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is looking at the bright side.
“I do think it could be a way to connect with a new fan base,” Coen said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.
“[Are] there going to be challenges and stressors and things that we have to work through? Absolutely. But I do think generally for our brand and for Jacksonville Jaguars football, I don’t think it’s going to kill us,” Coen added.
So, it doesn’t seem like he is worried about the travel change, and the Jaguars could capture some new fans from another city.
Blue Jays pitcher gets injury diagnosis after 1st MLB game in five years
The Toronto Blue Jays suffered their first loss of the season in a 14-5 final against the Colorado Rockies at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, on Monday night.
Cody Ponce got the start on the mound for Toronto, making it his first MLB appearance since 2021. However, Ponce was carted off in the third inning after suffering a knee injury.
On Tuesday, the injury diagnosis came in, and Ponce is expected to miss “significant time” due to an ACL sprain.
Full tear avoided. Recovery may not need surgery but extensive rehab
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) March 31, 2026
Ponce went 2.1 innings, giving up just one run on one hit before falling to the ground while fielding a groundball.
Cody Ponce had to be carted off the field after an awkward step in stride while trying to field a ball.pic.twitter.com/IedJOV4UnQ
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 31, 2026
Ponce pitched sparingly in 2020 and 2021 for the Pittsburgh Pirates before going to Japan. Then, he joined South Korea’s KBO league, and he won MVP in 2025.
That ended up with Ponce drawing interest from other teams, including the San Francisco Giants, but the Blue Jays gave him a three-year deal worth $30 million despite his lack of experience in MLB.
Ponce was expected to be a big part of the Blue Jays’ rotation this year, so this injury certainly changes things just a few days into the regular season.
Ben Roethlisberger thinks 1 AFC team’s title window is ‘closing’
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered a pretty hot take about one AFC team he believes has missed its chance to win a championship.
In an appearance on the “Deebo & Joe” podcast, Roethlisberger answered who he would pick to win the AFC North next season right now. The former quarterback considered the Baltimore Ravens due to Lamar Jackson, but he went on to say that he thinks their best days are behind them.
“I probably would have said Baltimore because what they have going on there, Lamar and all that, but I think that their window’s closed,” Roethlisberger said. “I should say it’s closing.”
Ben Roethlisberger on the Ravens' Super Bowl chances:
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) March 30, 2026
"I think that their window is closed. I should say it's closing."
via @deeboandjoe pic.twitter.com/GqrxreWV1r
On one hand, the Ravens are coming off an underwhelming year that saw them go 8-9 and miss the playoffs despite playing in a relatively weak division. Their trajectory is not great, though there is plenty of precedent for the organization bouncing back from poor seasons in the past.
The flipside of that is that the Ravens have overhauled their staff and brought in a new head coach in Jesse Minter. They have also made some key free agent additions, and there are no real indications that Jackson is regressing as a quarterback. Health will be a big deal, but it’s entirely possible Jackson bounces back under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Roethlisberger has pointed out some shortcomings in Jackson’s game before. He does not seem to be buying the Ravens as legitimate going forward, which could age very poorly in light of the talent they still have.
LeBron James has been linked to an intriguing new team
As speculation continues over where LeBron James might play next season, an interesting new team has been named as a possibility.
According to Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps of ESPN, multiple NBA sources have floated the Denver Nuggets as a possible landing spot for James next season. James and Nuggets president Josh Kroenke are friendly, and it was argued that the chance to play with Nikola Jokic would be extremely tempting.
“Who is the only guy on [James’] level from a basketball IQ standpoint in the league?” one executive asked. “Go there and team up with that guy.”
The Nuggets have pursued James before, though it remains to be seen if they would consider doing so again. Since winning the NBA title in 2023, Denver has failed to get past the second round, and another early exit this season could be a motivator for them to do something big.
James has been linked most frequently to the Cleveland Cavaliers, though another team has also gotten plenty of buzz. The Nuggets would definitely be a dark horse, but it could be a fit.
Jaden Ivey accused of asking invasive questions of reporters
New details continue to emerge about Jaden Ivey’s conduct prior to his release from the Chicago Bulls.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times shared some details about Ivey’s interactions with reporters during his brief time in Chicago. According to Cowley, Ivey frequently asked reporters if they had been “saved” and quizzed them about whether they had “fornicated before marriage.”
Cowley added that Bulls players were not necessarily upset to see Ivey go, as the guard proved to be a distraction.
The Bulls cut ties with Ivey on Monday, just hours after he referred to the NBA’s decision to hold Pride Night as a celebration of “unrighteousness.” The organization said his release was down to conduct detrimental to the team, which likely covers these supposed interactions with reporters.
Ivey had recently posted multiple lengthy videos on social media in which he went off on religion-themed diatribes, causing some fans to worry that he might be having a mental breakdown.
The former Purdue star Ivey was the No. 5 overall draft pick by the Detroit Pistons in 2022 and ended up as an All-Rookie selection in 2023. He peaked with 17.6 points per game in 2024-25, but his development was derailed by a number of injuries (including an ugly freak injury during a game last season). He was traded by the Pistons to the Bulls as part of a three-team deal last month, but only made four appearances for the team before being ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
Jerry Jones discusses the possibility of a Maxx Crosby trade
The Dallas Cowboys have been consistently mentioned as a team that might try to rekindle trade talks for Maxx Crosby, but Jerry Jones is not willing to go that far.
Jones said it was unlikely that the Cowboys would make another attempt to acquire Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders after a trade to Baltimore fell through. He did not shut the door entirely, however.
“I don’t anticipate, standing here right now, revisiting that situation,” Jones told reporters. “Is it possible? Yes.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on if Dallas would re-visit making a move for Maxx Crosby pic.twitter.com/EZqFyGPIdW
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) March 31, 2026
The Cowboys were one of the teams to try to trade for Crosby, but they failed to meet the Raiders’ asking price. They might be back in the picture now that the deal with the Ravens is off, but that depends at least somewhat on how the Cowboys feel about Crosby’s medicals.
Since the failed trade with Baltimore, the Raiders have been adamant that they plan to keep Crosby and go into camp with him. That could just be a ploy to make sure his trade value does not drop too much, as other reports have indicated that they are still at least willing to consider the right deal if another team comes in with a strong offer.
Referee defends Dan Hurley after alleged headbutt incident
The referee involved in the bizarre headbutting incident involving UConn coach Dan Hurley has defended the coach.
ESPN’s Seth Greenberg revealed that he spoke to referee Roger Ayers, who was involved in the face-to-face moment just after the Huskies’ Braylon Mullins hit the game-winning shot against Duke in the Elite Eight. Ayers told Greenberg that the incident was nothing.
“I talked to Roger today. He said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He literally didn’t know what I was talking about,” Greenberg said. “He said, ‘Nothing happened. The ball went in. I was running back. They were celebrating. Danny leaned in and said something to me. I said something to him. It was absolutely nothing.’”
Greenberg said he also spoke to Hurley, who said he was leaning in because he did not understand what was going on.
Seth Greenberg: "I talked to [Roger Ayers]… He said, 'What are you talking about?' He literally didn't know what I was talking about. He said, 'Nothing happened'… That was social media trying to create something out of nothing because of Dan Hurley's 'allegedly' reputation." pic.twitter.com/hsmp0AixR4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 30, 2026
We can only go off what Greenberg is saying here, but as long as he’s telling the truth, it sounds like the incident got much more attention online than it did from those actually involved in it. Some even felt Hurley should have been hit with a technical over the situation.
Hurley is not helped by his reputation for being unreasonable toward referees. In this instance, though, none of the people who matter seem to have an issue with how things went down.
College basketball’s tallest player is entering the transfer portal
The tallest player in the history of college basketball will be available in the transfer portal this spring.
Florida center Olivier Rioux announced Tuesday that he is entering the portal. The 7-foot-9 center thanked Florida in his statement, but said he made the decision to transfer “after taking time to reflect on my journey and what’s best for my future.”
Rioux provided many viral moments for the Gators in each of the last two seasons. He took a redshirt season in 2024-25, but garnered attention for managing to cut down the net without a ladder after the Gators won the national title. He was used sparingly this past season, though he did score seven points in 11 games.
Two of those points came in Florida’s first-round win in the NCAA Tournament, which caused the Gator bench to go nuts.
Olivier Rioux with the slam and the bench goes wild!!! pic.twitter.com/FGuAljK0bF
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 21, 2026
Rioux will likely be in the hunt for more playing time in order to show what he can do. The former three-star recruit can certainly impact a game when he is in it and would probably be a terror at a smaller school.
