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Brush fire breaks out just before the Daytona 500

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NASCAR is set to kick off its season Sunday with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., but an unexpected issue popped up less than an hour before the green flag.

Fans and media members observed a brush fire that broke out behind turn one at Daytona. While not extremely close to the track, the fire was close enough to be clearly visible from the speedway.

Making matters worse, high winds were blowing the smoke and haze toward the track.

There were no indications that the start of the race would be impacted, though the fire’s proximity to the track certainly makes it worth keeping an eye on. Drought conditions have impacted Florida for some time, though rain is in the forecast later Sunday.

It has been a rather bizarre weekend for fires at sporting events. Ideally, this one will not have much of an impact for the race itself.

Bryce Harper still sounds frustrated with Phillies

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Bryce Harper still might have some lingering hard feelings toward the Philadelphia Phillies and team president Dave Dombrowski over offseason comments.

Harper addressed Dombrowski’s offseason remark about the first baseman not having an elite season in 2025 at spring training on Sunday. He said he was not drawing any motivation from the comments, but suggested that he was bothered by the comment being made publicly when he believed such things were to be kept in-house.

“When we first met with this organization, it was, hey, we’re always going to keep things in house, and we expect you to do the same thing. When that didn’t happen, it kind of took me for a run a little bit.

“My numbers weren’t where they needed to be. I know that. And I don’t need to be motivated to be great in my career or anything else. That’s just not a motivating factor for me. For Dave to come out and say those things, it’s kind of wild.”

Harper made it quite clear during the offseason that he was bothered by Dombrowski’s comments. The Phillies president had said Harper’s 2025 season was not elite by his standards, and questioned whether the first baseman could post such numbers again.

Dombrowski was not necessarily wrong. Harper hit .261 with 27 home runs last season, which is good but not star-level production. Harper simply seems to have thought that did not need to be aired publicly, and would have liked to see the organization stick up for him.

Penny Hardaway was angry about Utah State running up the score

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Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway had words for the Utah State Aggies after what he saw as needless showboating during the Aggies’ 99-75 win.

With the game already well in hand, Utah State closed on a 13-2 run with virtually no letup despite the lopsided score. Most egregiously, guard MJ Collins threw down a windmill dunk when he simply could have run out the clock on the game.

Hardaway was visibly unhappy in the handshake line and could be seen chastising both Collins and Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun. He later told Memphis radio that the Aggies’ play down the stretch had been totally unnecessary.

“We came out here to play this game. You gotta have more class than that,” Hardaway said. “It ain’t even just that last one, it was just the rest of them.”

Piling on points when a game is already decided is generally frowned upon no matter the sport. In this instance, Collins could have easily held the ball and ran down the clock, though Hardaway seemed to take offense at all their play down the stretch.

Hardaway is probably feeling a lot of frustration over how poorly the season is going, and that may have factored into his reaction too. Memphis fell to 12-13 with the loss, though they are 7-5 in conference play.

Jaylen Brown accuses police of shutting down his event

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Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown accused Beverly Hills police of shutting down an event he was holding Saturday night without a good reason.

Video emerged showing Brown being confronted by a police officer at a culture and leadership panel he was hosting in Beverly Hills during All-Star Weekend. The officer tells Brown that the event is being shut down because it lacks a permit, and when asked what constitutes an event for permit purposes, the officer says the situation is “beyond my pay grade.”

Brown posted on X about the panel’s cancellation, calling the city of Beverly Hills “trash” and adding that he was “offended” at being shut down. In the video, he had said he felt like he was being targeted with the shutdown edict.

Details were scarce on the event Brown had been seeking to hold. He described it as a panel about “the future of culture” featuring streamers and influencers.

Brown was voted as a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Stars, even though the event itself will take place with a USA vs. World format. He recently shared his own idea to make the All-Star Game more compelling for fans.

Carter Bryant makes tough admission about his dunk contest experience

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San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant had the Slam Dunk Contest in his grasp Saturday night, but let it slip away in the final round.

Bryant was unable to land a between-the-legs alley-oop dunk in the final round of the dunk contest, effectively conceding the win to Miami’s Keshad Johnson. After the contest, Bryant admitted that he was devastated by the outcome, and was even near tears after falling short.

“Losing is the worst thing on planet earth. It’s the worst feeling,” Bryant admitted. “It just runs deep. It stings. It hurts. So, I mean, it is what it is, but it is not going to be a feeling that’s forgot.”

Bryant had the only 50-point dunk of the night and would have been a worthy winner. Unfortunately, luck abandoned him at the worst possible time, forcing him to throw down a pedestrian dunk in the final round that Johnson was able to beat.

Bryant’s effort had to be appreciated, especially in the context of some of the other attempts Saturday night. Whatever the case, it is at least refreshing that the dunk contest seemingly meant a lot to some of its participants, who really wanted to win it no matter how much it has declined in prestige.

NBA All-Star Saturday looked depressing with seemingly empty arena

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The festivities during NBA All-Star Saturday no longer put butts in seats like they used to.

During a weekend that was supposed to highlight the NBA’s brightest stars and young talent, the headline for most was how empty the arena was during NBA All-Star Saturday, which features the three-point shootout and slam dunk contest.

Photos and videos taken during Saturday’s events spread across social media, with many pointing out that there were far more empty seats than those occupied by screaming fans.

The Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., tried to conceal the poor attendance with bright LED lights that lit up every seat. But some felt the lights highlighted the lack of fans more than anything.

It didn’t help that the night’s main event, the dunk contest, was devoid of any star power. Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson won the event with a forgettable performance, besting a laughable effort from Jaxson Hayes and a near-injury-inducing attempt from Jase Richardson.

Tickets to watch the NBA All-Star Saturday cost hundreds of dollars, and it’s no surprise that fans weren’t willing to shell out funds to get through the Intuit Dome gate. The NBA would have been better served by distributing those tickets for free to fans off the street or elementary school kids who probably would have been cheering their hearts out.

Ron Harper throws shade at LeBron James’ parenting style

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LeBron James probably won’t appreciate the jab Ron Harper made about the four-time MVP’s parenting style.

Harper was fielding questions alongside his two sons, Ron Harper Jr. and Dylan Harper, during NBA All-Star Saturday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The Harper sons both participated in the Rising Stars event the night prior.

One reporter asked the elder Harper if he had envisioned his two sons eventually making the NBA. LeBron caught a stray with Harper Sr.’s answer.

“I’m not LeBron James. I’m not going to tell my kids what they have to do,” Harper Sr. said.

“I just want them to play, and enjoy the game. … Once upon a time, I told them that with every opportunity that you have, you should get a chance to play in the NBA.”

Ron Harper Sr.’s words were in reference to James using his influence to get his son, Bronny James, a roster spot on the Los Angeles Lakers. While the USC product does have some talent, questions have been raised about Bronny getting special treatment thanks to his last name.

The Harper youngsters had different but equally stunned reactions to their dad doing his best LaVar Ball impression at LeBron’s expense.

“Yooo,” Ron Jr. said while looking at Dylan, who felt the need to cover his face in embarrassment.

Dylan was probably realizing that he may be the one to have to deal with the repercussions of his dad’s comments. Ron Sr. has long been retired, while Ron Jr. doesn’t get much playing time as a two-way player for the Boston Celtics.

The Lakers and Dylan’s San Antonio Spurs no longer have any regular-season matchups remaining this year. But if the Lakers and Dylan’s San Antonio Spurs face off in the NBA playoffs, James may be out for revenge.

Jaylen Brown pitches new event to save NBA All-Star Weekend

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Jaylen Brown believes he has the fix to spark interest in NBA All-Star Weekend again.

The Boston Celtics star spoke to reporters Saturday ahead of his first-ever start in the NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. With ratings for the weekend’s festivities going down the drain over the years, Brown put his creative hat on and pitched a new event to NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Brown touted that a 1-on-1 tournament could be the answer. The Celtics star admitted that he’s been tuning into the 1-on-1 tournament hosted by Unrivaled that features several WNBA stars and believes a similar format could stoke the competitive fires among him and his peers.

“I actually love watching it, because it reminds me of the purity of the game,” Brown said. “It’s mano-a-mano. It’s got people on the court talking trash. You’ve got to play two sides. You’ve got to be the offensive player and the defensive player. I think that’d that to be great.”

Brown added that the event could allow some players to call out others they want to face, as fighters do in boxing and the UFC. The Celtics star even named players he would want to take on in such a contest. Brown’s hit list includes the likes of Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Donovan Mitchell.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend hasn’t exactly been setting social media ablaze with memorable moments. The NBA dunk contest was a disaster that saw one contestant nearly suffer a concussion.

If the new USA-World format of the All-Star Game doesn’t save the weekend, Silver may want to give Brown’s idea a shot.

Fans flee as popcorn machine catches fire during Georgia-Oklahoma game

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Action heated up in more ways than on Saturday during a college basketball game between Georgia and Oklahoma.

Fans were seen fleeing from their seats five minutes into the first half at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. The panic was caused by a popcorn machine at a concession stand catching fire midway through the contest.

The SEC Network had comprehensive coverage of the popcorn machine fiasco that had the scene at a standstill.

Here’s another angle of the popcorn machine that was set ablaze.

The fire was put out by the venue’s emergency sprinkler system, which drew praise from Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser.

“I’m just glad the sprinkler system worked just for the safety of everybody but also that we were able to resume play,” Moser said, via KOCO News 5. “I literally looked up and I’m like, ‘This is just, I mean, add it to the list’ in terms of stuff I’ve never seen like it. I mean, it was a huge flame.”

Nobody could have guessed that the sprinkler system would be the MVP of Saturday’s Georgia-Oklahoma game. The Sooners appropriately caught fire in the second half of the contest, outscoring the Bulldogs by 18 points to secure a 94-78 win.

Fans said the NBA dunk contest was dead after watching Jaxson Hayes’ attempt

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Jaxson Hayes had a chance at NBA dunk contest glory Saturday, but instead entered the competition’s unofficial Hall of Infamy.

The Los Angeles Lakers center was the best-known contestant in a field of relative unknowns at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Hayes was competing against the likes of youngsters Jase Richardson, Keshad Johnson, and Carter Bryant — names that wouldn’t be familiar to most casual fans.

Instead of going viral for throwing down a sick first dunk, Hayes may have accelerated the contest’s downfall. Check the dunk out for yourself before reading what other folks had to say.

Several fans saw Hayes’ mediocre first attempt and called the NBA slam dunk contest officially dead.

Fans often see better dunks while watching players fool around during pregame warmups. It’s one thing if it were 5’9″ Nate Robinson doing a basic dunk like that, but it’s another when it’s 7’0″ Jaxson Hayes.

Hayes’ second dunk was at least a bit better. He put his own spin on the classic Eastbay dunk, putting a jolt into the crowd for at least a brief moment.

Hayes’ first dunk got a 44.6 from the judges — the lowest in the first round. His second one received a more respectable 47.2, which mercifully wasn’t enough for him to advance to the finals.

While Hayes embarrassed himself in the dunk contest, at least he didn’t end up with a potential concussion as Richardson did.

Will Wade puts NC State on blast after colossal meltdown against Miami

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The final result of Saturday’s game between the NC State Wolfpack and the Miami Hurricanes left the crowd at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., absolutely stunned. It also had Wolfpack head coach Will Wade going off at his team during the postgame press conference.

The Wolfpack held a seven-point lead with 1:07 remaining in the second half after a tip-in by senior forward Ven-Allen Lubin, but Miami responded with eight straight points to steal a wild 77-76 win in enemy territory.

Asked how the Wolfpack can use the painful experience of losing in such a manner come March Madness, the 43-year-old Wade indicated that he does not even see his team worthy of a ticket to The Big Dance.

“We’re a long way from the NCAA Tournament,” Wade said, via “The Field of 68.” 

Wade added: “This team, shoot. We lost to Georgia Tech. I mean, damn. You’re skipping way ahead, worried about the NCAA Tournament. I hope we can get to date.” 

Wade then called out his team for being soft, which is apparently an issue his team has been dealing with all season long.

“That’s just who we are. We’re soft. We’re a jump shooting team,” Wade shared. “That’s who we are as a group. Not saying we got soft players, but that’s who we are as a group. We’re just a jump shooting team. I don’t embrace that.”

No coach would be happy seeing their team get outrebounded on the offensive glass as the Wolfpack did. Miami grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, while NC State managed just 21 defensive boards. The Hurricanes also lit up NC State’s interior defense for 56 points in the paint.

Despite what Wade said about his team, the Wolfpack are still in a good position to make the NCAA Tournament, as they have three Quadrant 1 victories and eight Quadrant 2 wins. Nevertheless, there is clearly lots of work left to do for Wade and his team that will next face a tough No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels squad on Tuesday in Raleigh.

Jase Richardson suffered scary fall during NBA dunk contest

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Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson had fans gasping for a different reason Saturday during the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Richardson needed at least a score of 47.5 on his second slam to advance to the final round of the dunk contest at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The rookie had prepared a 360 tomahawk jam on a pass off the side of the backboard to stay alive.

The pass, however, stayed a little too close to the baseline, leading to Richardson getting stuffed by the backboard and landing hard on his back. His head appeared to slam into the hardwood, leaving some fans concerned that he may have suffered a concussion.

Here’s another angle of the play.

Johnson was able to recover quickly enough to get another attempt in. The Magic youngster threw down a 360 slam that didn’t get him to the finals, but at least didn’t leave him lying on the ground.

Richardson, son of NBA dunk legend Jason Richardson, finished last among the field of four with a first-round total of 88.8.

Damian Lillard confirms future plan to Giannis Antetokounmpo after winning 3-point shootout

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Damian Lillard has yet to see action in the 2025-26 NBA season, and he likely won’t for the rest of the campaign. But he has a trophy to show already in his return to the Portland Trail Blazers after winning the 2026 edition of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest on Saturday.

With his latest 3-point shootout win, Lillard became just the third player in the history of the NBA to win the event three times. The others are Larry Bird and Craig Hodges. No one has won it more than three times, and it appears that Lillard is going to go for it next season.

While celebrating his win with his former Milwaukee Bucks teammate and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lillard confirmed that he’ll join the event again in 2027.

Here’s the interaction between the two superstars.

Lillard edged Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and rookie Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets in the final round of the event, as the Blazers star scored 29 points. Booker and Knueppel finished second and third with 27 and 17 points, respectively.

The 35-year-old Lillard, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury, was also the 3-point shootout king in 2023 and 2024.

Jeremy Swayman breaks his silence on major blunder against Denmark

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The U.S. is still undefeated at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, as it took care of business on Saturday against Denmark at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy.

However, the victory did not come without a scare for the Americans, as goalie Jeremy Swayman allowed three goals to Denmark.

Two of those came in the first period, which ended with the U.S. down 2-1. The second goal allowed by Swayman, who plays for the Boston Bruins in the NHL, was an embarrassing one, as it was a 95-foot wrist shot by Denmark defenseman Nicholas B. Jensen.

Here is a look at that improbable goal against Swayman.

Following Team USA’s come-from-behind 6-3 win over Denmark, Swayman opened up about the goal he surrendered to Jensen.

“No [I didn’t see it], it was a flash screen,” the 27-year-old netminder told reporters, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post.

“It was just the perfect height, right between that stands and board level. I truly lost it… No matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one.” 

One possible culprit behind Swayman’s unlucky misplay was the dark boards, which may have made it harder for him to track the puck — but he didn’t use that as an excuse.

“I’m colorblind, so it doesn’t matter to me,” Swayman joked.

All told, Swayman turned away 18 of Denmark’s 21 shots on goal. 

Fortunately for him and the U.S., they had the firepower to cover up for his poor performance, with the team scoring three goals in the second period and two more in the final frame.

Rick Pitino responds to Providence fans after wild fight

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St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino had a lot to say about what transpired during his team’s game on Saturday against the Providence Friars at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence,  R.I.

The game got a lot of attention for the wrong reasons, with a fight erupting in the second half following a dangerous foul by Friars senior Duncan Powell on former Providence star and Red Storm senior forward Bryce Hopkins. The situation nearly devolved into an all-out brawl, but players, officials and even police were able to contain it before things got worse.

After the game, the 73-year-old Pitino came to Hopkins’ defense against Providence fans.

“I think the crowd lost objectivity of what they’re here for,” Pitino said following the contest, via Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “If they’re just here to poke fun at Bryce Hopkins and not get a win for the Friars, that’s not the Friars I remember in [1987].

“I think you’ve got to try to win. We’re really excited to get a W, because we were without a lot of players. I’m proud of our guys.”

Pitino has seen a lot during his legendary college coaching career, and that now includes the wild scene against Providence.

A total of six players were tossed from the game as a result of that ugly moment, as the action was paused for nearly 20 minutes. 

When it was all said and done in the contest, it was Pitino’s Red Storm who came away with a win to the tune of a 79-69 score. It was St. John’s 11th straight victory, with junior guard Dylan Darling pacing the team, coming off the bench and firing 23 points. 

Everyone had the same reaction to Damian Lillard’s 3-point contest win

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Damian Lillard shocked the NBA world by managing to win Saturday’s Three-Point Contest despite not having played in a game in roughly ten months.

Lillard posted a first-round score of 27 to advance to the final, then narrowly beat Devin Booker with a 29-point round to win his third career Three-Point Contest. While it is not shocking that Lillard would win the event, the fact that he did so while recovering from an Achilles tear left everyone rather stunned.

Even Lillard’s fellow players were stunned. Spurs forward Carter Bryant and Lakers center Jaxson Hayes were both seated courtside to watch the event, and their faces said it all.

Lillard’s shot clearly has not suffered during his rehab. He looked like his vintage self, though obviously the Three-Point Contest is no substitute for an actual NBA game. Still, this should provide plenty of encouragement for Blazers fans who are hoping to see the 35-year-old come back strong next season.

Saturday’s win made Lillard the third player in NBA history to win the Three-Point Contest three times, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges.

SEC basketball game paused due to fire at concession stand

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Saturday’s SEC basketball game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners was briefly delayed during the first half thanks to a rather significant fire in the arena.

With 15:31 left in the first half during Saturday’s game at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., the game was abruptly stopped when fans, players, and officials alike all noticed a large fire on the concourse. A popcorn machine had caught fire, and it was easily visible from the court.

The arena sprinkler system did its job and kept the fire in check long enough for someone to grab a fire extinguisher and put it out. The situation was under control within a minute.

Oklahoma can take solace in the fact that things could have been a lot worse. The damage was limited, and the game was able to continue without any further incident.

The Sooners perhaps channeled the fire into their performance. They wound up winning 94-78, thanks in large part to their scorching 14/25 mark from three.

Raiders’ DC hire may appeal to Maxx Crosby

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The Las Vegas Raiders may be trying to appeal to Maxx Crosby with their choice of defensive coordinator.

The Raiders are promoting defensive line coach Rob Leonard to the defensive coordinator position, according to multiple reports. Many were quick to note that Leonard is known to be very close with Crosby, leading some to question whether that was at least part of the reason for the promotion.

Leonard is certainly qualified for the position regardless of his ties to Crosby. He joined the Raiders in 2023, having previously worked for the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and New York Giants. He and Crosby developed a strong rapport, so his promotion at least does not hurt the Raiders’ chances of retaining their star player.

Crosby’s future has been the subject of speculation after tension developed between him and the organization late last season. It is no certainty he will be dealt, though some insiders believe it to be more likely than not.

Crosby, 29, remains one of the most feared defensive players in the NFL. Despite battling through injuries, he still collected 10 sacks through 15 games in 2025, marking the fourth time in his career that he has reached double-digit sacks.

Adam Silver threatens severe punishment for tanking NBA teams

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver suggested Saturday that the league has considered even greater punishment for teams that are determined to be tanking.

Silver was asked Saturday whether the league had considered taking draft picks away from tanking teams. His response indicated that it was at least being considered.

“There is talk of every possible remedy to change this behavior,” Silver told reporters.

Silver’s comments come less than a week after the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were both fined for tanking. The Jazz were particularly upset about the punishment, but the team has not done a very good job of disguising their intentions in recent games.

The best way to punish teams would be to take away the incentive to tank, and that means docking draft picks. It is a significant punishment, however, for behavior that can be pretty hard to prove. Silver appears to be well aware that levying a fine against billionaire ownership groups is not exactly going to fix the problem.

Silver has said in the past that even more radical proposals were at least considered to stop tanking. The league seems serious about trying to fix the issue now, but as is always the case, it will be much easier said than done.

Chris Paul’s wife takes shot at Clippers

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Chris Paul and his family appear to be harboring some hard feelings toward the Los Angeles Clippers over their handling of Paul’s December exit.

The Clippers posted a tribute video to Paul after the legendary point guard officially announced his retirement on Friday. That did not necessarily go over well with many fans, who were quick to point out that the Clippers essentially drove Paul into retirement by sending him home in what was meant to be his final NBA season.

Among those critics were Paul’s wife Jada. She responded to the Clippers’ tribute with a dismissive “girl, bye.”

One can certainly understand the hard feelings. Paul joined the Clippers to play one final season while living with his wife and children, and the organization was strongly criticized for the way they handled his departure. To date, Paul has not said much about the situation, though he dropped some hints about his feelings on social media.

Paul’s decision to retire led to another wave of criticism aimed at the Clippers. One can understand why they wanted to post a tribute video, but the decision only seems to have alienated people more.

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