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Rocky the mascot performing

Nuggets facing lawsuit from their mascot Rocky

August 13, 2025 by Darryn Albert
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The Denver Nuggets are the subject of what might be the most bizarre sports lawsuit of the year.

The Nuggets are being sued by Drake Solomon, the man formerly inside the suit of their beloved mascot Rocky. Jennifer Brown of the Colorado Sun reported this week that Solomon, 31, is seeking unspecified damages from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Nuggets, for an alleged violation of disability protection laws.

Solomon’s father was the original Rocky, first donning the suit for the Nuggets over 30 years ago. But Solomon himself took over as the new Rocky in 2021 before eventually being diagnosed with avascular necrosis (a bone tissue condition) during the 2022-23 NBA season. He would undergo surgery for the condition and says that he returned to work for the Nuggets within 10 days. But doctors eventually recommended for Solomon to have an additional hip replacement procedure after he continued to deal with persistent pain following his return to work.

In the lawsuit, Solomon alleges that the Nuggets, after learning about his need for a hip replacement, decided to hold tryouts for a new Rocky “due to his record of impairment and their lack of confidence in his health.” Solomon also claims that he returned to a “hostile work environment” before eventually being fired in Aug. 2024 following the Nuggets’ tryouts for a replacement.

The lawsuit alleges that Solomon’s firing violated his rights under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. You can read Brown’s full report on the situation here.

Rocky, a mountain lion whose name pays tribute to The Rocky Mountains, first debuted for the Nuggets during the 1990-91 season. The mascot has gone viral in the past over his interactions with everyone from Russell Westbrook to the late Dikembe Mutombo. But now things have gone sour between the Nuggets and Rocky (or at least one of the people who used to play him).

BasketballHeadlinesLegal MattersDenver NuggetsMascotsRocky mascot
Kristaps Porzingis looks on

Kristaps Porzingis eyeing unusual post-NBA career

August 13, 2025 by Darryn Albert
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Kristaps Porzingis is apparently hoping to become like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in “Game of Death.”

The new Atlanta Hawks big man Porzingis spoke this week to Sportacentrs.com, an outlet in his native Latvia. During the interview, Porzingis revealed that he is planning to go into an unusual career after retiring from the NBA — he would like to take up mixed martial arts.

“MMA is a sport that is very close to my heart,” said Porzingis, according to a rough translation. “Number one in terms of viewing. It is something that I am passionate about, which is why I decided to participate in a new MMA project. Everything is still in progress – when we get closer to the final result, I will be able to tell you more.

“This summer I played a little tennis and padel tennis – very good sports in the summer, especially in the fresh air,” Porzingis added. “I have also tried my hand at MMA, but I promised one of the clubs I represented that I would not do it during my career. I am ‘saving up’ to start an MMA career after basketball.”

The former NBA All-Star Porzingis is now 30 years old and about to enter his 10th NBA season. As such, he is now plotting out what he wants his life to look like after basketball.

Still, Porzingis stands 7-foot-2, so he would be quite the spectacle as an MMA fighter. Those as tall as Porzingis are obviously extremely few and far between in combat sports, and the tallest fighter ever in the history of The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was Stefan Struve at “only” 7-foot.

Porzingis wouldn’t be the first NBA player to enter combat sports (though usually the ones that do are far shorter). As it stands right now, Porzingis, who landed with Atlanta last month in a multi-team blockbuster, is on an expiring $30.7 million contract for next year. Perhaps Porzingis will be eyeing one or two final contracts in the NBA before moving onto a career in the cage.

BasketballKristaps Porzingis
A play at the plate in a Phillies-Reds game

Phillies give up embarrassing Little League home run to Reds

August 13, 2025 by Darryn Albert
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The Philadelphia Phillies produced a sequence on Wednesday night that was fitting of the Benny Hill music.

During Wednesday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Phillies humiliated themselves by giving up a Little League homer. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Reds shortstop Noelvi Marte was up at the plate against Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez with a runner on second base and two outs.

Marte broke his bat and hit a bloop single to right field, scoring teammate Austin Hays (who was the runner on). Hays was able to score as the throw from left field was a little too high and skipped off the catcher’s glove.

Then Marte, who had taken second base on the throw home, decided to go for third after the ball squirted away. Sanchez, who was backing up the plate at the time, fired to third base to try to gun down Marte … only for his throw to sail into left field. That allowed Marte to waltz home for the inside-the-park home run.

Here is the video.

The @Reds create some serious chaos on the basepaths!

Noelvi Marte comes all the way around to score pic.twitter.com/AxuovN087p

— MLB (@MLB) August 13, 2025

It definitely was not the Phillies’ day as that slapstick sequence gave the Reds a 4-0 lead (they would eventually win the game by an 8-0 final score). It also marked one of the worst starts of the season for the All-Star pitcher Sanchez, who was tagged for four runs on seven hits as he took just his fourth loss of the year.

Little League home runs still do happen from time to time in the big leagues. On the bright side for the Phillies, at least they did not lose a game on a Little League home run like another MLB team did earlier this season.

BaseballCincinnati RedsPhiladelphia Phillies
The logo of the Boston Celtics at midcourt

Report: Celtics struggling to trade away 1 player

August 13, 2025 by Darryn Albert
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The Boston Celtics have already made two big trades this offseason, but they are apparently getting stiff-armed in their quest for a trifecta.

Boston is struggling to find a trade partner for guard Anfernee Simons, Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com reported on Wednesday. Afseth notes that the Celtics continue to be focused on shedding salary this offseason.

Simons, the 26-year-old former Dunk Contest champion, was just acquired by Boston last month as part of the Jrue Holiday trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Celtics then managed to create some more financial flexibility by trading away Kristaps Porzingis shortly thereafter.

With multiple 20-ppg seasons already under his belt, Simons has obvious value as a scorer. But he lacks efficiency and defensive chops and also has a bloated salary for next season at $27.7 million.

Though the Celtics managed to get under the second apron of the luxury tax by trading away both Holiday and Porzingis, 2025-26 will effectively be a punt year for them due to star player Jayson Tatum, who will likely miss the entire season as he recovers from an Achilles rupture. With Tatum owed $54.1 million next season, Jaylen Brown owed $53.1 million, and Derrick White owed $28.1 million, it doesn’t make much sense for Boston to have their cap tied up beyond that if they are not going to be competing for a championship.

On the bright side for the Celtics, Simons is on an expiring contract next year, which could be especially appealing to rival teams come the February trade deadline. But at least for now, it looks like Boston may have to prepare to open up the new season with Simons still on their roster.

BasketballFeatured StoriesAnfernee SimonsBoston Celtics
A Miami Dolphins helmet on the grass

Dolphins got embarrassed in ‘lopsided’ joint practice

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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It is hard to draw any meaningful conclusions from training camp practices, even the joint scrimmages staged between two opposing teams. Despite that, the reports out of Wednesday’s joint practice between the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions suggested one of the two teams could be in for a long season.

Reporters who attended the joint practice at the Lions’ headquarters in Allen Park, Mi. on Wednesday came away unanimous in their opinion that the Dolphins were blown off the field. Two media members even said it was the most “lopsided” joint practice they had ever seen.

Lions just out-everything’d the Dolphins for 2 hours out here.

As lopsided a joint NFL practice as I’ve ever seen.

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) August 13, 2025

That was the most lopsided joint practice I’ve ever seen. Lions dominated both sides.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) August 13, 2025

Either the Dolphins are really bad, or the Lions are just a juggernaut. Not a great day for Miami.

— Mike Payton (@AtoZ_Payton) August 13, 2025

Dolphins offense just ran 16 or so plays in the red zone vs. the Lions and didn’t score until the final play (between the second units). Miami’s first-team offense didn’t score in the 7-8 plays vs. Detroit’s first-team defense. It was ugly.

Lions’ D is having a day.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) August 13, 2025

The Lions’ official X account even managed to get a full minute’s worth of highlights of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown torching Miami’s secondary.

Amon-Ra St. Highlight pic.twitter.com/VYc0jmZNKm

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 13, 2025

Making matters worse for Miami is the fact that they had some reason to be motivated coming into the practice. Lions linebacker Grant Stuard questioned the Dolphins’ practice methods based on his past experience scrimmaging against them with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

🗣️ Detroit Lions LB Grant Stuard on joint practices with the Miami Dolphins: “I don’t know if they’re ready, I’m gonna keep it a stack… joint practiced against that team twice when I was in Tampa. I don’t know if they practice how we practice.” (@DetroitPodcast) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/x8xpxZIaXR

— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) August 12, 2025

It should be noted that wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle did not participate in the practice, so the Dolphins were not at full strength. It is entirely possible that Miami just had a bad day, but when veteran NFL reporters are this unanimous in sharing how lopsided the performances were, it is hard to ignore.

The vibes out of Dolphins camp have definitely been poor so far. There are questions about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s relationship with Hill, and coach Mike McDaniel’s sense of humor has been a little bit dark at times. One bad joint practice certainly does not dictate how their season will go, but the early word is not encouraging.

FootballMiami Dolphins
Munetaka Murakami hitting a home run

Star Japanese slugger linked to 4 MLB teams

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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Another Japanese star may make the jump to Major League Baseball this offseason, and four teams are being linked to him.

Slugging infielder Munetaka Murakami of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows is seen as likely to try to make the jump from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB this offseason. Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggested that Murakami could be a fit for the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and Boston Red Sox.

Potential fits for Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, per @JonHeyman:

Mariners, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox 🍿 pic.twitter.com/PDB1wOpXmb

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 13, 2025

Primarily a third baseman, Murakami has five 30-home run seasons in the NPB, including a 2022 season with 56 home runs. The 25-year-old could be a solution for teams looking for a long-term answer at third base this winter.

On Monday, Murakami smashed a walkoff home run for his team, with Mets team president David Stearns spotted in attendance.

Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off home run last night and watched every second of it

The 25-year-old third baseman will be signed by an MLB team this offseasonpic.twitter.com/IgjL13DrvK

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 12, 2025

We do not know how Murakami’s skill would translate stateside, but he did author a dramatic moment in the World Baseball Classic in 2023.

BaseballMunetaka Murakami
Derek Thomas punching out a batter on strike two

Umpire Derek Thomas made a big blunder behind home plate

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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It is rare, but not completely unheard of, for MLB players to lose track of the count or how many outs there are. It is particularly embarrassing when it happens to the home plate umpire.

Ultimately, that is what happened to umpire Derek Thomas during Wednesday’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tx. In the top of the fifth inning, Thomas punched out Diamondbacks catcher Adrian Del Castillo on a called strike.

There was just one problem: the strike came on a 1-1 pitch, and Thomas punched out Del Castillo on the second strike.

Umpire accidentally rung the batter up with two strikes and then on the next pitch the Rangers gun Ketel Marte out at the plate to end the inning pic.twitter.com/JuqsZKhKOm

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 13, 2025

Del Castillo wound up hitting a single into right field, but the Rangers threw Ketel Marte out at the plate to end the inning. Arizona eventually came back to win the game 6-4.

The good news is that Thomas’ theatrics did not change the course of the inning. That has actually happened earlier this season.

Thomas is in his third season as an MLB umpire. He has not exactly earned rave reviews during some of his previous work this season.

BaseballDerek Thomasumpires
A close-up of a Brewers helmet

Brewers fans are getting free burgers thanks to team’s rare win streak

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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The Milwaukee Brewers won their 12th consecutive game on Wednesday, and their fans are excited for more reasons than just the win streak.

Milwaukee-area restaurant chain George Webb has a long-standing promotion to give away free burgers if the Brewers win 12 games in a row. Previously, this had been accomplished in 1987 and 2018.

With a 12-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on Wednesday, the Brewers won their 12th straight game. That means free burgers are coming to the Milwaukee area.

🎉 THEY DID IT!!! 🎉 You know what that means? FREE GEORGE WEBB BURGERS are coming! We're buzzing with excitement and working hard to prepare. Please note: Burgers will NOT be ready right away. A special giveaway date will be announced tomorrow with all the details! Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/h4dQ26D0I6

— George Webb (@George_Webb) August 13, 2025

Brewers fans were fully aware of what was at stake. The promotion is well-known in the Milwaukee area, and burger-themed signs were spotted at the stadium during Wednesday’s game.

It’s free burger time! @George_Webb!

🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔

12 straight wins for the Brew Crew! #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/LgCUMZpjIW

— Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin (@SpectrumNews1WI) August 13, 2025

In 2018, the Milwaukee win streak actually carried into the playoffs, but the restaurant chain honored the giveaway. They have been preparing for this possibility, and estimate that they may have to give away as many as 100,000 burgers on the appointed date.

The Brewers actually won 11 straight in mid-July, but lost 1-0 to Seattle in a bid for their 12th consecutive win. Fans probably assumed that would be their only chance at free burgers this season, but the team is so hot they managed to deliver less than a month later.

BaseballgiveawaysMilwaukee Brewers
Micah Parsons looks on

Micah Parsons had 4-word comment on his contract standoff

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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Micah Parsons is leaving the ball in the Dallas Cowboys’ court when it comes to his ongoing contract standoff.

Parsons was once again present for practice in Oxnard, Ca. on Wednesday, but was once again not a participant as he seeks a new contract. When asked for an update on where things stand between himself and the team, Parsons stuck to a simple four-word answer.

“My mouth is closed,” Parsons told reporters, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Presumably, Parsons wants the Cowboys to put up or shut up. He has largely been silent throughout this whole process, aside from a few responses to perceived slights from Jerry Jones. He has publicly lodged a trade request, but there has been very little talk from either side since then.

One could take that to mean that the two sides are knuckling down and trying to reach an agreement. However, the pessimistic view is that Parsons and the Cowboys simply are not making progress, and there may be some truth to that.

Parsons is entering the final year of his rookie deal and would be in line to make $24 million this season. He wants a new deal, presumably in the $40 million annual range that both Myles Garrett and TJ Watt got earlier this offseason.

Featured StoriesFootballMicah Parsons
Myles Garrett on the field

Kevin Stefanski has strong response to Myles Garrett’s speeding ticket

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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The Cleveland Browns are not happy with Myles Garrett following his recent citation for speeding.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski sent a firm message to Garrett when asked about the recent speeding ticket on Wednesday. Stefanski said the Browns had “addressed” the Garrett situation, but made it publicly clear that the edge rusher has to change his behavior.

“Extremely disappointing. It’s been addressed with Myles and the football team. He needs to slow down for his safety and the safety of our community,” Stefanski told reporters.

#Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on Myles Garrett’s speeding ticket pic.twitter.com/ViPTt3phFV

— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) August 13, 2025

Garrett was ticketed for allegedly driving 100 MPH in a 60 MPH zone hours after the Browns’ preseason game last Saturday. He also has a history of speeding, including one incident that led to him flipping his Porsche. At the time, Garrett said that incident was a wake-up call for him.

Garrett signed a new 4-year, $160 million contract with the Browns during the offseason. That is another reason the team will be displeased with their star. They do not want Garrett getting himself hurt in an off-field accident with how much they have invested in him.

FootballKevin StefanskiMyles Garrett
Michael Penix Jr at the podium

Michael Penix Jr. got caught up in practice fight

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got in the middle of a practice fight Wednesday against the Tennessee Titans.

Penix beat the Titans defense with a deep touchdown to Ray-Ray McCloud during a joint practice Wednesday, and had some words for the Titans. That sparked a fight in which Penix apparently took some shots.

Big brawl just happened. Michael Penix Jr. looked like he was right in the middle of it and might’ve taken some shots.

Biggest fight I’ve seen so far between #Falcons and #Titans

— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) August 13, 2025

“Thy had a lot of words throughout practice, so I gave my words, and it just went a little too far,” Penix told reporters after practice.

#Falcons QB Michael Penix on the fight with the #Titans that started after a TD pass to Ray-Ray McCloud. pic.twitter.com/VPYqumAFu1

— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) August 13, 2025

Penix’s willingness to get involved in the scrum impressed his teammates, at least based on some comments made to reporters. One Falcons player said Penix was “different” after seeing him get involved.

If you think other players didn’t pay attention to Mike Penix in that fight today (in a good way) you’re wrong.
Kaden Elliss heard a teammate say “our QB different”
They were all juiced up that he showed a different edge competitively today.

— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) August 13, 2025

The Falcons are unquestionably Penix’s team at this point, and if he had not already won his teammates over before, he certainly appears to be doing so now. The Falcons would prefer that their franchise quarterback not get involved in stuff like this because of how dangerous they can be, but it certainly impressed his teammates.

FootballAtlanta FalconsMichael Penix Jr
Nebraska punter Archie Wilson crying

Nebraska punter breaks down in tears during press conference

August 13, 2025 by Grey Papke
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Nebraska’s freshman punter broke down in tears during a preseason press conference as he admitted how difficult it was for him to be away from his family at college.

Archie Wilson, an Australian-born punter, was asked about being away from his family for the first time, and gave a very raw response. The 18-year-old tearfully admitted that it was a huge challenge.

“That part’s hard. I love them a lot,” Wilson said. “I’ve got two little brothers and a mom and dad and that’s the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them. They know this is what’s best for me, and it’s good I can still talk to them over the phone. They’re coming here to see the first few games, so I’m looking forward to that.”

An 18-year-old being away from home for the first time is never easy. It’s even tougher being in a foreign country, which Wilson is. One can certainly understand why this would be an emotional experience for him, but the raw honesty deserves some credit.

Wilson is one of a number of punters recruited to college football from Australia over the last decade or so. Many have been quite successful, and there have been a few memorable figures in that group as well.

College FootballArchie WilsonNebraska Football
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in pads

Jalen Hurts reveals what he told Shedeur Sanders after joint practice

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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The Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles held a joint practice on Wednesday, and the session gave Shedeur Sanders an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network shared a video that showed Jalen Hurts giving Sanders a ride back to the locker-room area after the morning session of joint practice concluded. Hurts gave Sanders the lift after the two quarterbacks were spotted chatting with each other for a while.

A reporter later asked Hurts about the chat. Hurts called it a “very lengthy conversation” and said he preferred to keep the details “intimate.”

“He came to me and just wanted to talk. I’m always there … giving my perspective on what I see and how I’ve gone about things,” Hurts said. “Ultimately, it takes a great deal of patience and hard work and a sense of resilience. You’ve got to want it. You’ve got to want it. I’m supporting him from where I am and wishing him nothing but the best with his opportunities.”

Jalen Hurts and Shedeur Sanders had a lengthy conversation after practice and Hurts gave Sanders a golf cart ride back to the locker room.

Hurts: "I'll keep the conversation intimate. We had a very lengthy conversation. He came to me and just wanted to talk. I'm always…

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 13, 2025

Sanders had to leave the practice earlier than expected after he suffered an injury, but he was still able to pick Hurts’ brain a bit.

Like Sanders, Hurts was not viewed as a can’t-miss prospect when came out of college in 2020. The Eagles drafted Hurts in the second round, and four quarterbacks were taken ahead of him. While Hurts did not experience a shocking tumble down the board like Sanders, the former Alabama star knows plenty about being overlooked

Motivation should not be an issue for Sanders after he was drafted in the fifth round. His own team even took another quarterback in Dillon Gabriel two rounds before deciding to draft Sanders.

Sanders went 14/23 for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Browns’ 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers last Friday. A clip from that game showed a great teaching moment between Sanders and one of his own star teammates. It seems like the quarterback is determined to soak up as much veteran advice as he can, which is a positive sign for the Browns.

FootballJalen HurtsShedeur Sanders
Jerry Jones at a press conference

Jerry Jones details lengthy battle he had with cancer

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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Jerry Jones revealed in the new Netflix documentary series about the Dallas Cowboys that he was diagnosed with cancer years ago, and the 82-year-old has since shared more details about the health issues.

In the fifth episode of the Netflix docuseries “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,” which was released this week, Jones spoke about how he underwent cancer treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston roughly “a dozen” years ago. The episode did not contain any other information about the condition.

Jones was more candid in an interview with Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News that was published on Wednesday. Jones said he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in 2010 and that he beat the cancer thanks in part to a drug he called “a real miracle.”

“I was saved by a fabulous treatment and great doctors and a real miracle [drug] called PD-1 [therapy],” Jones revealed. “I went into trials for that PD-1 and it has been one of the great medicines. I now have no tumors.”

Jones said he had two lung surgeries and two lymph node surgeries over the course of a decade after his initial diagnosis. He says the cancer began as melanoma and metastasized to other parts of his body, which is why he required surgeries and treatment for tumors.

The American Cancer Society says PD-1, or Programmed Cell Death Protein 1, is a drug that helps the immune system better recognize and destroy cancer cells. Treatments similar to the one Jones described have been shown to be very effective in patients with melanoma.

There had been no known public mention of Jones’ cancer battle before the Netflix documentary was released.

Jones remains the general manager of the Dallas Cowboys in addition to being the team’s owner. He has been busy this offseason dealing with another star player’s holdout.

Featured StoriesFootballJerry Jones
Shedeur Sanders at a press conference

Shedeur Sanders suffers an injury in practice

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the talk of the NFL following a strong performance against the Carolina Panthers last week, but the rookie may not have an opportunity to build off that in his team’s next preseason game.

Sanders suffered an oblique injury while throwing passes during the early portion of practice on Wednesday. He was held out for the remainder of the joint session with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Browns and Eagles will play each other on Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., and Sanders’ status for that game is now in doubt.

Sanders went 14/23 for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Browns’ 30-10 win over the Panthers last Friday. He made several great throws and showcased his ability to extend plays by getting outside of the pocket.

While the Browns may have already decided on their Week 1 starter, Sanders’ strong play should go a long way toward helping him make the roster. The former Colorado star is competing with Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted ahead of Sanders this year in the third round.

With a crowded quarterback room like the one in Cleveland, preseason reps are extremely important. Even if Sanders’ injury turns out to be nothing major, the timing is not ideal for him.

FootballShedeur Sanders
Rory McIlroy stands

Rory McIlroy does not think Keegan Bradley should put himself on US Ryder Cup team

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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Keegan Bradley will soon have to make a difficult and unique decision regarding the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team, and Rory McIlroy knows what he would do if he were in Bradley’s situation.

Bradley is the captain for the U.S. team for the Ryder Cup, which will be played at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., from Sept. 26-28. With just two FedEx Cup playoff tournaments remaining in the current PGA Tour season, Bradley is running out of time to determine whether he will make himself one of six captain’s picks for the 12-man team.

When asked on Wednesday about Bradley potentially being the U.S. captain and playing in the Ryder Cup, McIlroy said he does not think it can be done effectively. The five-time major champion said he has been approached about the idea of captaining Team Europe while playing in the Ryder Cup but that he “shot it down.”

McIlroy said there are just too many other responsibilities to be both a player and captain, whether it be meetings or other admin tasks.

He said the event is too big now to handle both roles.

But, McIlroy said Keegan Bradley is one of the 12 best Americans right now.

— Matt Cohen (@Matt_Cohen_) August 13, 2025

Bradley has played well this season and ranks 10th in the Ryder Cup standings heading into the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club Owings Mills, Md. He would be a strong favorite to be selected as one of the six captain’s picks for the U.S. team if he were not the captain.

Bradley suggested earlier this year that he would only play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team if he were to qualify automatically by playing well. He changed his stance a bit after he won the Travelers Championship in June and said he would pick himself “if I feel like I’m going to help the team.”

Some fans have wondered whether McIlroy is trying to get into Bradley’s head. Several PGA Tour players have said they believe Bradley should pick himself. Patrick Cantlay, who is 15th in the Ryder Cup standings, told reporters this week that he would pick Bradley if he were the U.S. captain.

“Fortunately, I’m not in that predicament. Keegan, however, is in that predicament. If I was the captain, I’d pick Keegan,” Cantlay said, via ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “I think he’s played great.”

Bradley may ultimately decide that he is better served focusing solely on leading the U.S. team, which took a beating and lost 16.5-11.5 at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. Either way, the 39-year-old has already shown glimpses of the intensity he will bring with him to Bethpage.

GolfHeadlinesKeegan BradleyRory McIlroy
Sophie Brunner and her mother Darcy pose for a photo

Mother of ex-WNBA player killed in car crash

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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The mother of a former WNBA player was killed in a car accident over the weekend.

Darcy Connolly-Brunner, the mother of former Phoenix Mercury and San Antonio Stars forward Sophie Brunner, was one of two people who were killed in a head-on collision on Saturday in Freeport, Ill. Connolly-Brunner was 61.

Police revealed in a press conference on Tuesday that the driver of the other vehicle was 30-year-old Rolando Ico-Choc, who was from Guatemala. Ico-Choc was driving a Nissan Altima driving when he allegedly crossed over the middle line hit a Ford Edge that was being driven by Connolly-Brunner. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene, and no passengers were in either vehicle.

Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Steve Stovall said Ico-Choc has a criminal record and was believed to have been in the United States illegally.

According to court records that were obtained by WREX in Illinois, Ico-Choc was arrested in March 2022 and charged with driving while under the influence, not having a valid driver’s license and illegally transporting alcohol. He was arrested for DUI again in February 2023 while his license was suspended.

Ico-Choc was also arrested in June 2023 on charges of domestic battery and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Brunner was a standout basketball player at Arizona State from 2013-2017. She averaged 13.6 points per game as a senior and then signed with Phoenix as an undrafted free agent. Brunner played professionally in Italy following brief stints with the Mercury and Stars.

BasketballDarcy Connolly-BrunnerSophie Brunner
The Indianapolis Colts logo on the field

Fans all said the same thing about Colts’ gross stadium food item

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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The Indianapolis Colts may have one of the most unappealing food items in sports.

Pretzels are an extremely popular snack at sporting events, but the Colts have managed to show us that there is nothing appetizing about a horseshoe-shaped pretzel. The pretzel, which was first introduced last year, began circulating on social media ahead of Indy’s upcoming Saturday preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

Simply put, the pretzel looks like a giant turd.

Phone eats first 🤳

Thanks to @sodexo_live, we debuted our new menu items for the 2024 season! pic.twitter.com/wNXL0boAc1

— Colts Life (@ColtsLife) August 6, 2024

Fans have had predictable reactions to the snack, which the Colts must have thought was cleverly designed.

@Colts can’t believe y’all made 💩 pretzel in honor of Daniel Jones pic.twitter.com/U92f5ird3u

— El Cabron de Los-Cabrones (@LightningBoxing) August 11, 2025

I know this is supposed to be a pretzel but I’m not eating that @Colts pic.twitter.com/85RG8pAsdF

— Fat Kid Deals (@FatKidDeals) August 12, 2025

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: The Colts' new stadium pretzel looks like a giant piece of sh*t 💀💀 pic.twitter.com/qd8CQ5XOwe

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 13, 2025

The Colts tried to make a pretzel that represents their logo and just made it look like their Quarterbacks 😭 pic.twitter.com/DcT5eFRGCS

— Daily Athlete (@idailyathlete) August 13, 2025

Expectations surrounding the Colts are fairly low headed into the 2025. They have yet to name a starting quarterback between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, but there is very little optimism surrounding either player.

The Colts went 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Unless they become one of the surprise teams of 2025, they are probably going to hear plenty more jokes about their horseshoe-shaped pretzel.

FoodFootballIndianapolis Colts
The logo of the New York Mets

Mets hit so many home runs they ran out of fireworks

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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The New York Mets finally snapped their losing streak on Tuesday night, and they did so in such dramatic fashion that they ran out of pyrotechnics.

The Mets hit six home runs as a team in their 13-5 win over the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez belted two homers each to help the Mets win just their second game in their last 13 tries.

When a Mets player hits a home run at Citi Field, there is usually a brief fireworks display. The team apparently was not prepared for six homers, however, which led to a message being shown on the stadium video board that read “NO MORE PYRO.”

“Due to too many Mets home runs, we have unfortunately run out of fireworks for the night. We apologized for the inconvenience,” the message read.

After the Mets’ 6th homer of the night, Citi Field announced they’ve run out of fireworks 🤣 pic.twitter.com/oDXVUWLHnE

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 13, 2025

That was a welcome announcement for Mets fans given how poorly the team has played lately.

The Mets have fallen to five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, but they are third in the Wild Card hunt. They played so well prior to their recent skid that their playoff hopes are still very much alive.

With all the problems the Mets have had recently, running out of fireworks because they hit too many home runs was a welcome issue for the team.

BaseballNew York Mets
James Cook looks on

James Cook agrees to new contract with Bills

August 13, 2025 by Steve DelVecchio
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The contract standoff between James Cook and the Buffalo Bills has come to an end.

Cook and the Bills agreed to a four-year, $48 million extension on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed.

🚨 🚨 🚨

The #Bills have agreed to terms on a big new contract for Pro Bowl RB James Cook, agent Zac Hiller of @LAASportsEnt tells me and @TomPelissero.

It’s a 4-year, $48M deal with $30 guaranteed, locking in another young star in Buffalo for years to come. pic.twitter.com/7fNXjkVsLw

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 13, 2025

Cook’s new contract is worth slightly more than the three-year, $33 million extension that Kyren Williams recently signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

Cook had participated fully in the first full week of training camp but then began sitting out. When reporters asked what led to the change, Cook would only repeat the same one-word response.

It then appeared that Cook was going to play in Buffalo’s preseason game against the New York Giants on Saturday night, but the 25-year-old pulled a strange move.

The issues all seem to be resolved now. The $12 million average annual salary places Cook just inside the top-five highest-paid running backs in the NFL. There had been reports that he was seeking to become one of the highest-paid backs in the league, but his production is a lot more similar to Williams’ than it is to Saquon Barkley’s, who currently earns $20 million per year.

Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and made the Pro Bowl both years. He led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns last season and has been the focus of Buffalo’s running game.

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