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Alek Manoah roasted for his tone-deaf comments about the Blue Jays

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Alek Manoah has a very high opinion of his contributions to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Los Angeles Angels pitcher Manoah sparked backlash this week with his comments about his former team, the Blue Jays. Manoah told Sam Blum of The Athletic that he he believes he played a major part in Toronto’s run to the World Series in 2025.

“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” said Manoah. “[But] I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.”

Manoah was quickly roasted for his seemingly tone-deaf remarks by social media. Take a look at a sampling.

The 28-year-old Manoah had a superb year for the Blue Jays in 2022, going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA and finishing third in AL Cy Young voting. But that was [checks notes] three full seasons removed from Toronto’s 2025 World Series run, and Manoah did not even make it onto the MLB roster in 2025 after undergoing UCL surgery on his throwing elbow in 2024.

Along the way, Manoah also had horrific and negative WAR seasons in 2023 and 2024, and even at one point pouted and failed to report to Triple-A after being sent down by the Blue Jays. As such, it is probably safe to say that Manoah was not at all “a very big piece” of Toronto’s World Series run as he … was not even a piece at all.

Mike McDaniel’s latest comments prove Jim Harbaugh has already rubbed off on him

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Mike McDaniel sounds like he’s completely buying into his new situation with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The former Miami Dolphins head coach appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday alongside Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. McDaniel, who signed on to be the Chargers’ offensive coordinator last month, was asked how the early days with his new team have gone.

“I’m invigorated. I’m juiced up,” McDaniel said. “I’m firmly aware that nobody, nobody has it better than us. And I’m living that way every day.”

The broadcast did fans a disservice by not showing Harbaugh’s reaction to McDaniel adopting his mannerisms, at least for a brief moment.

Harbaugh’s quotes about life and football have become the stuff of legend. The man was ecstatic about “coming out of the womb” for Chargers training camp in 2024. He was also bummed out when he wasn’t with his Chargers players that time they got stuck in an elevator.

McDaniel has dropped some pretty memorable quotes of his own over the years, most recently when he explained why he joined the Chargers.

The two coaches have clearly been picking each other’s brains since McDaniel joined the team. The duo was together for this week’s NFL draft combine and has spent a lot of time together over the past few weeks.

It remains to be seen whether the Harbaugh-McDaniel pairing will lead to success for the Chargers. What’s more certain is that they’ll have the most entertaining press conferences in the NFL.

LeBron James is being linked to 1 new team in free agency

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It may be the summer of 2010 all over again for LeBron James.

The New York Knicks are a team thought to appeal to the Los Angeles Lakers star James in free agency this summer, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported on Wednesday. Pincus does add though that the Knicks would have to reduce their payroll in order to sign James and would likely be out of the running if James and the Lakers pull off a sign-and-trade this offseason sending him elsewhere.

New York is one of the NBA’s top contenders this season at 37-22 (third in the Eastern Conference). They also have a long and well-documented history of interest in the four-time NBA champion James, including in 2010 before he signed with the Miami Heat and in 2018 before he signed with the Lakers.

Now 41 years old, James is playing out the final year of his contract in Los Angeles at $52.6 million. His season averages still look fairly LeBron-like overall at 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.

Of course, the Knicks do have a dicey financial situation right now and have the fifth-highest payroll already on their books for the 2026-27 season at $205.5 million. But recently, we did hear of the possibility of James maybe playing out next season on a veteran’s minimum contract and then recouping the lost money through the media streaming rights to his anticipated grand farewell tour.

That said, there have been some suggestions in the past claiming that James would never play for the Knicks. As such, perhaps one of the four other teams that James has already been linked to in free agency would make more sense instead.

Jontay Porter lands a new basketball opportunity after being banned by the NBA

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Jontay Porter is banned for life from the NBA, so he is trying his luck in another pro basketball league instead.

The notorious former Toronto Raptors big man Porter is planning to play next month in the United States Basketball League (USBL) for the Seattle Superhawks, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported Wednesday. The resurrected USBL is set to begin its new season on March 7.

“I am just trying to do what I can to provide for my family,” Porter was quoted as saying by The Athletic.

Still only 26 years old, Porter played in the NBA and the NBA G League from 2020-24. But he received a lifetime ban from the NBA in Apr. 2024 amid an illegal gambling scandal in which Porter allegedly provided confidential information about his own health to bettors so that they could cash in on his prop bets for particular games.

Porter also faced federal criminal charges over the scandal and ended up pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is still currently awaiting sentencing, and some stunning texts that Porter supposedly sent to bettors have since emerged.

Meanwhile, the USBL is about embark on its second iteration after first launching in 1985 and ceasing operations in 2008. Porter is alleged to have committed the one cardinal sin of sports betting while playing in the NBA, but now he will apparently be trying his luck with playing in the USBL.

Umpire Laz Diaz gets booed over his stunt during Spring Training

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Laz Diaz still is not doing his PR any favors.

The veteran MLB umpire Diaz was working first base for Wednesday’s Spring Training game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. During the fifth inning, Diaz tracked down a foul ball off the bat of Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra that had landed in his area.

Diaz pretended like he was going to throw the ball into the crowd to give a souvenir for the fan … but instead just pocketed the foul ball instead. As a result, Diaz was booed heavily by the fans that he had just faked out.

The boos got so loud at one point that Diaz dramatically put his hands over his ears. Here is the video.

Diaz, 62, is one of MLB’s longest-tenured umpires and has been working games since 1995 (including as a full-time umpire in both leagues since 2000). But needless to say, Diaz is not exactly Mr. Popular in the baseball world.

Among other points of notoriety, Diaz is known for having one of the worst strike zones in the game. In Diaz’s defense though, perhaps he was indeed better off keeping the foul ball considering that a fan once threw one at him during a 2024 game.

Pete Crow-Armstrong makes more inflammatory comments about Dodgers fans

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Pete Crow-Armstrong said what he said about his dislike of Los Angeles Dodgers fans.

The Chicago Cubs star outfielder Crow-Armstrong went viral a few days ago over his swipe at the Dodgers’ fanbase during a magazine feature. PCA essentially ripped Dodgers fans for not actually caring about the game (read his full remarks here).

On Wednesday, Crow-Armstrong was interviewed by “Foul Territory.” During the interview, Crow-Armstrong got asked about his comments and proceeded to double down.

“I grew up going to Dodgers games when they weren’t always good,” said Crow-Armstrong. “When they had Mannywood. But it’s like [Dodgers fans] go in phases … Putting the Giants fan in the coma stuck with me as a kid.

“Just little things,” Crow-Armstrong added. “Sitting in the stands, just nasty stuff goes on. I didn’t always experience that at other ballparks.”

Crow-Armstrong is a Sherman Oaks, Calif. native who was born in 2002 and thus grew up in an era when the Dodgers were not consistently winning. Meanwhile, he was apparently referencing San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was critically injured and placed into a coma when he was viciously beaten by two Dodgers fans (Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood) in the Dodger Stadium parking lot after a 2011 game. Both Sanchez and Norwood were eventually given sizable prison sentences (while Stow was also later awarded $18 million in damages in a separate civil suit against Sanchez, Norwood, and the Dodgers organization).

It is pretty clear that Crow-Armstrong’s animosity towards the Dodgers fanbase is not related to the team’s back-to-back World Series titles but rather based on his personal experiences from over a decade ago. The Cubs will first head to Dodger Stadium to face the Dodgers on Apr. 24, marking an opportunity for the local fans to get Crow-Armstrong back.

Report: Hall of Fame NBC analyst ‘likely out’ next season

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NBC plans to trim its roster of on-air talent next season, with a seasoned analyst potentially among those on the chopping block.

Longtime NBC analyst Tony Dungy is “likely out” as a regular on “Football Night in America,” according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. The move is considered a precursor to a few more cuts as the network aims to revamp its “Sunday Night Football” pregame show.

Per the report, Dungy has yet to be “fully informed” of the decision, which is not yet considered final. NBC could also opt to give the Hall of Famer an emeritus role, which would keep him as a part of the program, albeit with a diminished role.

Dungy has been a fixture on NBC’s “Football Night in America” for nearly two decades, joining the program alongside Rodney Harrison in 2009. Dungy has also been tapped to serve as an analyst for “Sunday Night Football,” sharing his thoughts from both the studio and the broadcast booth.

Dungy made headlines earlier this month for his involvement in Bill Belichick getting snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dungy, who was part of the committee that voted on the 2026 class, was confronted by Harrison after the former refused to disclose whether or not he voted for Belichick.

Derek Carr ‘very serious’ about coming out of retirement

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The return of Philip Rivers last season may have inspired another former quarterback to want to do the same.

4-time Pro Bowl QB Derek Carr is reportedly “very serious” about making an NFL comeback. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, there is a “strong belief” among NFL teams that Carr is interested in coming out of retirement for the right team. Per the report, there is “real interest” in Carr’s services.

Carr’s rights still belong to the New Orleans Saints, meaning any team that wants to acquire Carr would likely have to give up some draft compensation to do so.

There were rumblings earlier this month about Carr’s desire to play again. He later qualified those reports, indicating that he would only do so under two conditions: that he was 100% healthy and that the team signing him had serious Super Bowl aspirations.

The 34-year-old QB made the stunning decision to retire last offseason after it was revealed that he needed season-ending shoulder surgery. Carr stated that he did not want to “just take the Saints’ money” while sitting out the entire season.

After a year of recovery, Carr may finally be ready to take a Super Bowl contender’s team’s money.

Mike Vrabel’s comment about a blockbuster trade will excite Patriots fans

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New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is not exactly lowering expectations for the team’s offseason.

Vrabel was specifically asked about a potential trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown on Wednesday. While he largely dodged the question, he made it clear that the Patriots were eager to improve their roster by any means possible.

“Well, I think that we’ll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster. There’s a lot of things that go into trades. There’s a lot of back and forth,” Vrabel said, via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Vrabel coached Brown when the two were together on the Tennessee Titans. The coach recently said he still has a strong relationship with Brown and that the two still trade texts, though it apparently was not always that way.

Brown’s name has come up consistently in trade rumors since before the season ended amid speculation about his displeasure with the Eagles’ offense. While he has been cordial toward the team this offseason, he has still dropped some hints about perhaps wanting to be dealt to New England.

Brown, 28, caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns last season despite what was viewed as a down year. He would be a clear No. 1 receiver for the Patriots and would be coached by someone he has been successful with before.

Pat McAfee covered US hockey team’s $150,000 bar tab

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Pat McAfee went all-out to give the gold medal-winning United States men’s hockey team a memorable night celebrating their victory.

The team celebrated their victory Monday night at the E11EVEN nightclub in Miami, Fla., with a number of fans in attendance. During the evening, the attendees were treated to a video from McAfee congratulating Team USA on their success and revealing that he would be covering their tab.

The athletes and fans took full advantage of the offer. A report from Eileen Reslen and Max Winters of the Daily Mail, the bill wound up surpassing $150,000, with much of it spent on vodka, champagne, and tequila.

The celebration was part of a whirlwind 48 hours for the American players. The next day they met President Trump at the White House, but will now be going their separate ways as they prepare for the resumption of the NHL season.

As for McAfee, as hefty as the bar tab was, we know based on what he makes at ESPN that he can certainly afford it.

Ex-Virginia coach Tony Bennett hired for an NBA job

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Former Virginia Cavaliers basketball coach Tony Bennett has a new job, and it’s with an NBA team.

Bennett has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers to serve as an NBA Draft advisor. The team made the announcement via social media on Tuesday.

“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Lakers executive Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”

Bennett said that what attracted him was the opportunity to work for a storied franchise and help them out.

Bennett, 56, is the son of former Wisconsin and Washington State basketball coach, Dick Bennett. Tony won an NCAA championship as the head coach at Virginia, and is a two-time AP National Coach of the Year. His teams were known for their tough defense, and Bennett regularly had professional-quality players in his program.

Jayson Tatum takes significant step toward returning

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The chances of Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum playing this season appear to be on the rise.

ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed on “NBA Today” Wednesday that Tatum has been a “full go” in five-on-five scrimmages as he continues to rehab from his torn Achilles. While Charania did not give any solid return date for Tatum, the implication is that he has a real chance to play soon.

The buzz around Tatum has been positive for a while, even though the Celtics are being quite tight-lipped about his status and progress. This latest report will give Celtics fans even more encouragement that Tatum’s return might be in the cards.

Part of the reason Tatum might have any incentive to return at all is how well the Celtics have done despite his absence. They enter play Wednesday at 38-19, good enough for second in the Eastern Conference. The team was expected to struggle this season without Tatum, but they suddenly look capable of a deep playoff run, even without him.

The NBA’s television schedule has led some to wonder if the Celtics — or even the league — might have a specific return date in mind for the six-time All-Star to make his season debut.

Malik Willis expected to receive $30 million per season in free agency

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NFL teams appear ready to pay quarterback Malik Willis like a starter when he hits the free agent market.

Willis is expected to be targeted by multiple teams once his contract expires, with several viewing him as a potential starter. NFL reporter Jordan Schultz said it is seen as a “foregone conclusion” that Willis will receive $30 million a year in free agency.

As high as that number is, it would put Willis in the lower half of quarterbacks in terms of starting salary. He has only made six career starts, so it would be a huge investment in a quarterback who is not a sure thing, especially on a multi-year deal.

Willis has certainly flashed the talent to be a starter. He threw for three touchdowns without an interception in four appearances last season, all in relief of starter Jordan Love.

The big question will be which teams are bold enough to invest in Willis as a possible starter. There are thought to be two teams that could be at the front of the line for him.

Chris Bosh shares details about his frightening health incident

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Former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh relayed details about a major health scare he dealt with recently.

In a video posted to social media, Bosh revealed that he was getting ready for dinner when he felt a numbing sensation in his leg. He proceeded to pass out, and when he woke up, he was “covered in my own blood.”

“I’m lucky. I came back. It was just darkness. It wasn’t anything else,” Bosh said. “I have no recollection. I have no memory other than coming back here.”

Bosh was sporting a visible black eye in the video, which he said he did not attempt to cover intentionally to drive home how serious the situation was.

“It was a scary thing, and it came fast,” Bosh said. “It made me really have a different outlook on life, and how things go, what we do for ourselves, what we do for our family, and how we live our lives.”

Bosh’s NBA career was ended prematurely and against his wishes by a blood clotting condition. The former Miami Heat star did not explicitly reveal what the connection was between this health scare and his history of clotting problems.

Bosh played 13 NBA seasons and won two titles with the Heat alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his career in 2021.

Bears allow ex-Pro Bowl player to seek a trade

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The Chicago Bears are ready to move on from a former Pro Bowl member of their defense.

The Bears have given linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade, according to multiple reports. Edmunds carries a $15 million salary, which is the primary reason the Bears are ready to move on.

Edmunds has been a core part of Chicago’s defense for the last three seasons. Even though injuries limited him to 13 games in 2025, he still collected 112 tackles to lead the team. Prior to his time in Chicago, he played for the Buffalo Bills, where he was selected to two Pro Bowls.

Edmunds immediately becomes one of the best linebackers available this offseason. He is a steady, experienced tackler who has primarily played in the middle, and would serve as an upgrade for a number of teams.

The Bears entered the offseason over the salary cap, necessitating the need to make tough decisions like this one. They also have to consider the possibility of an eventual contract extension for quarterback Caleb Williams. All that means the Bears might have a few more high-profile cap casualties this offseason.

Brian Thomas Jr. could be an offseason trade target

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Just one year after being one of the NFL’s standout rookies, Brian Thomas Jr. could find himself traded.

Multiple teams are monitoring Thomas’ situation with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Ben Solak of ESPN. The Jaguars are not actively trying to trade Thomas, but would at least consider a strong offer if they were to receive one.

Despite Thomas’ talent, he has fallen down the depth chart in Jacksonville. The team traded for Jakobi Meyers last year and saw Parker Washington emerge as a real option, and still intends to have Travis Hunter contribute at least somewhat on offense. That leaves Thomas’ future role uncertain.

Thomas struggled with drops and inconsistency last year and seemed to have a hard time developing a strong rapport with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. He caught a modest 48 passes for 707 yards with two touchdowns. That is a far cry from what he did as a rookie, when he racked up 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 scores.

The Jaguars would be taking a risk by moving on from a talent like Thomas, who has already shown he can be a major contributor at the NFL level. A quality offer from a needy team might prove too tempting to pass up, however.

Cardinals might be lying about Kyler Murray

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The Arizona Cardinals do not seem to be endearing themselves to Kyler Murray with their public comments.

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort asserted Tuesday that he has spoken with Murray since the end of the season about their future plans. Ossenfort said he had a “good dialogue” with the quarterback, and that the two sides were focused on moving forward.

On Wednesday, however, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reported that Murray and Ossenfort have not spoken since the season ended, countering the GM’s assertion.

It ultimately feels like there is no real way back for Murray with the Cardinals whether he wants one or not. His name has shown up in trade rumors for months, and he and the organization simply do not seem to be on the same page. The Cardinals themselves have also seemed ready to move on for some time now after injuries limited the quarterback to five games last season.

Murray has had two of his last three seasons cut short by injury. In his one healthy campaign, he threw for 3,851 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as the Cardinals missed the playoffs.

Panthers confirm their plan to address QB depth

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Bryce Young is still viewed as the Carolina Panthers’ QB1, but there’s uncertainty behind him on the depth chart.

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton has a year left on his contract with Carolina, but he can expect some competition in the offseason for the chief backup role under center.

On Tuesday, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan told reporters at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine that he’s been vocal with Dalton about finding another quarterback to compete for the backup job. 

“I think, not just Andy, but with all the players, I try to stay honest and transparent with our plans, and it’s no different with Andy,” Morgan said, via Darin Gantt of Carolina’s website. 

“Andy knows he’s going to have to compete. We are going to try to bring somebody in here. I don’t know who that is, whether through free agency or the draft or both, you never know.”

Should Carolina find someone to add to its QB room, it should not necessarily mean the end of Dalton’s time with the Panthers, who signed him to a 2-year, $8 million contract extension in 2025.

“I think it’s really up to Andy, in terms of Andy competing,” Morgan said. “Andy’s not afraid of competition, so we’ll see what happens in free agency, we’ll see what happens in the draft, and then we’ll see how it plays out.”

A three-time Pro Bowler, the 38-year-old Dalton has a 1-6 record and 1,643 passing yards with 10 touchdowns against 7 interceptions in 13 appearances with the Panthers since the 2023 season.

Fans had the same reaction after Jesse Minter shared his plan for Lamar Jackson

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Jesse Minter is a man with a plan for the Baltimore Ravens. 

The Ravens fired John Harbaugh after missing the NFL playoffs in the 2025 season and quickly found a replacement by hiring Minter—a move that was widely praised by the team’s supporters.

On Tuesday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Minter seemed to win even more fans after dropping a hint about his plans for the Ravens’ offense, particularly regarding superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“I don’t know that he needs to run more. I actually think there’s times where he can run less if you build an offense that takes advantage of the under center, the downhill run game,” the 42-year-old Minter told Rich Eisen.

“Now that opens up a lot of boots and play actions. … I think there’s high-leverage moments where the quarterback’s willing to do what he needs to do to win the game … This is a franchise player. There’s a health element and a protection element that needs to be in place to where he’s not taking some of the hits he doesn’t need to.” 

A lot of fans loved what they heard Minter say about potentially leveraging Jackson’s rushing abilities to open up more opportunities for the Ravens’ passing attack, while keeping him safer from injury.

Jackson’s elite ability as a quarterback on the ground should remain an integral part of Baltimore’s offense, and it is up to Minter and his coaching staff to determine how they will continue capitalizing on it.

In the 2025 season, Jackson played in 13 games, rushing for 349 yards and 2 touchdowns on 67 carries.

Colts GM weighs in on Anthony Richardson’s future after 3 seasons

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Time is running out for Anthony Richardson to prove himself worthy of another contract with the Indianapolis Colts. 

But at the very least, Colts general manager Chris Ballard remains confident that Richardson will be sticking around in the NFL.

“I’m not gonna say he needs a complete fresh start,” Ballard said on Tuesday, via JJ Stankevitz of the team’s official website. “Anthony’s still young. He’s still developing. So we’ll see what the future holds. But I still believe in Anthony.”

Whether that belief translates into an extension deal for Richardson down the road remains to be seen. The former Florida Gators signal-caller still has his fifth-year option unpicked by Indianapolis, which has until May 1 to exercise it. 

The Colts could shop him for a potential trade, but there might be more equity in keeping him for at least one more year than sending him elsewhere for a lackluster return. For that reason, it’s fair to expect that Richardson will still be with Indianapolis by Week 1 of the 2026 season.

Richardson lost the quarterback battle to Daniel Jones in 2025. In the same season, he suffered an eye injury and eventually finished the campaign on the injured reserve. When Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, Indianapolis resorted to Philip Rivers and Riley Leonard for their needs under center, while Richardson watched from the sidelines.

A first-round pick by the Colts in 2023, the 23-year-old Richardson has 2,400 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 17 appearances (15 starts).

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