Kirby Smart whipped out a disrespectful celebration after beating Alabama
Kirby Smart wanted Alabama fans to know who was holding the belt after Georgia won Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Georgia survived a physical second half to outlast Alabama on the road. The two teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 17, with a Georgia field goal being the difference in a 20-17 Bulldogs win.
Smart was all smiles as the clock hit zero. The veteran coach ran straight to the Georgia fan section, took off his visor, and made a whipping motion as if he were delivering a belt spanking.
Kirby Smart runs to Georgia fan section and does the belt to ass move https://t.co/ltK9IYIvt1
— Hunter De Siver (@HunterDeSiver) October 11, 2026
Despite Smart’s theatrics, Saturday’s game was far from a butt-whooping. Georgia needed a little help from the referees late in the game, as the Bulldogs got away with a blatant pass interference call that could have changed the game’s result entirely.
Georgia also benefited from Alabama cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. losing his cool on the game’s final drive. The Crimson Tide defender got called for a personal foul that gave his opponents an automatic first down with about two minutes left, allowing the Bulldogs to run out the clock for the victory.
But all that mattered for Smart and the Georgia fan base was the win, keeping the team’s record at a spotless 6-0.
Kalen DeBoer confronts Alabama player in heated on-field moment
Kalen DeBoer laid into one of Alabama’s stars late in Saturday’s loss to Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Alabama was on life support, trailing 20-17 as Georgia had possession approaching the two-minute timeout. Facing 2nd-and-3 in the backfield, Georgia had a run fall short of a first down to give the Crimson Tide a little more life.
However, Alabama cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. got tangled up with Georgia wide receiver Craig Dandridge. Lee smacked Dandridge in the helmet twice after the play was whistled dead, leading referees to call a personal foul against the Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs got an automatic first down, which virtually ended the game.
Dijon Lee Jr. was called for a personal foul on this play in the 4th quarter of Georgia-Alabama. https://t.co/E2kImg5Tib
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 11, 2026
DeBoer was furious at Lee for robbing Alabama of the team’s final chance to deal Georgia its first loss of the season. The veteran coach lambasted Lee as ESPN cameras captured the heated moment.
“You just cost us the damn game! What the f–k are you doing? You just cost us the game!” DeBoer appeared to scream at Lee.
“YOU JUST COST US THE DAMN GAME” Kalen DeBoer GOING OFF on the sideline 😭 https://t.co/adgNEzdxbN
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 11, 2026
During his postgame press conference, DeBoer called Lee out for failing to show the “emotional maturity” needed against a tough opponent in Georgia.
Lee chose the worst possible time to get involved in on-field shenanigans. DeBoer was already in a bad mood after Georgia’s blatant pass interference went uncalled just a few plays prior.
Alabama got hosed by controversial non-call against Georgia
Georgia escaped Saturday with a win over Alabama in part because of a blatant missed penalty that should have been called on safety KJ Bolden.
The Crimson Tide trailed the Bulldogs 20-17 with under four minutes left at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Facing 2nd-and-10 at Georgia’s 34, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw deep to wide receiver Rico Scott, seeking a go-ahead touchdown.
Scott got trucked by Bolden near the end zone, robbing the Alabama wideout of any chance to make a play on the ball. Bolden appeared to make no effort to defend the pass as he rammed into Scott, but the referees kept their flags in their pockets.
how is this not pass interference WOW https://t.co/EsWUo2aES7
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 11, 2026
Here’s another angle of the play.
A no-call on pass interference on this play 😬 https://t.co/UtlUkwemtu
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) October 11, 2026
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer understandably went ballistic as he watched the replay himself on the stadium’s big screen.
Kalen DeBoer Upset that no PI was called on Georgia https://t.co/wdJT68CWqs
— Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) October 11, 2026
Russell got sacked for a 9-yard loss on third down, knocking Alabama well out of field goal range to potentially tie the game.
A personal foul on Crimson Tide cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. sealed the contest for the Bulldogs, who ran out the clock for a 20-17 win.
Kentucky fans give middle fingers to Lane Kiffin after upset win over LSU
Lane Kiffin got dunked on by Big Blue Nation on Saturday.
Kiffin and the No. 10-ranked LSU Tigers lost an overtime heartbreaker to the unranked Kentucky Wildcats by a final score of 35-34. Kentucky overcame two crucial missed kicks by Adam Zouagui and defeated the Tigers on a gutsy two-point conversion after both teams traded touchdowns to open the overtime period.
THERE’S A STORM IN LEXINGTON KENTUCKY KNOCKS OFF LSU!!! https://t.co/jbKyyMJ8zD
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 11, 2026
Exuberant Kentucky fans stormed the field after the final whistle at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The LSU head coach Kiffin quickly ended up getting the worst of it as he was being escorted off the field by police.
The ESPN broadcast showed multiple Kentucky fans flashing the middle finger to Kiffin while they were trailing him from behind and filming him. Here is the video.
LANE KIFFIN IS GETTING SWARMED BY THE STORM https://t.co/EBdZ99DT7u
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) October 11, 2026
Kiffin, 51, is very much a reviled figure in Kentucky. For one, he has been the head coach at several of the Wildcats’ SEC rival programs over the years (including Tennessee, Ole Miss, and now LSU).
For his part, Kiffin has leaned into the villain role and has had plenty of fun at Kentucky’s expense in the past. But on Saturday, it was the Wildcats (and their bird-happy fans) who got the last laugh on Kiffin and the Tigers.
Video shows John Mateer trolling Texas after Oklahoma’s win
John Mateer did his best Baker Mayfield impression after beating No. 1-ranked Texas on Saturday.
Mateer and the Oklahoma Sooners pulled off an upset 27-24 victory over the Longhorns in dramatic fashion. Oklahoma picked off Texas star quarterback Arch Manning during the final minute of the fourth quarter at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas and won the game on a 47-yard field goal by kicker Tate Sandell as time expired.
After the final whistle, the Sooners QB Mateer was seen in a viral video trolling Texas. Mateer waved around a large Oklahoma flag and dramatically planted it on the edge of the end zone.
The redshirt senior Mateer could also be seen turning and flashing the “Horns Down” sign to Longhorns players as they walked off the field. You can see the video at the link here.
Mateer, 22, did not even do a whole lot during Saturday’s game. He went 18/26 for a modest 155 passing yards and zero touchdowns.
But Mateer, who has been prone to turnovers throughout the season, kept the mistakes to a minimum and stayed out of the way otherwise. That was good enough for a stout Sooners defense and run game to carry them to an upset win over the top team in the country.
DK Metcalf had disrespectful response to question about Sauce Gardner
DK Metcalf has provided Sauce Gardner with some bulletin board material ahead of their Week 5 face-off.
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, with the Metcalf-Gardner matchup circled as one of the key duels to watch. But if you ask DK, he doesn’t believe he has anything to worry about heading into the contest at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Metcalf had an interesting response when a reporter threw a question at him about battling with Gardner.
Reporter: “What do you have to be mindful of when you go up against a guy like Sauce Gardner?”
Metcalf: “Who?”
Reporter: “Sauce Gardner. What do you have to be mindful of when you prepare to face him?”
Metcalf: “Winning my matchup.”
Reporter: “What does he do well that you’ve gotta..”
Metcalf: “I don’t worry about what a DB does well. They’ve got to guard me.”
#Steelers WR DK Metcalf on facing Colts CB Sauce Gardner on Sunday: "Who?" "I don’t worry about what a DB does well. They gotta guard me." https://t.co/yRRmxBq0CH
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 11, 2026
The reporter may have gone into the scrum seeking a quote from Metcalf to use in an article about Gardner or his looming matchup with Metcalf. The Steelers veteran had no plans to give him anything.
Metcalf either genuinely had no clue who Gardner was or intentionally dissed the All-Pro cornerback by pretending not to know him.
Either way, Metcalf just added a little extra spice to Sunday’s Colts-Steelers clash.
Kings player leaves the court in a wheelchair after a scary incident involving Stephen Curry
A Sacramento Kings player may be facing a long absence after suffering an apparent injury in Saturday’s preseason game against the Golden State Warriors.
Sacramento second-year center Maxime Raynaud was trying to set a screen for rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. when he seemingly hurt his knee.
Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry tried to fight through Raynaud’s screen, but it was unclear whether his collision with the two-time NBA MVP left Raynaud hurt or whether Acuff was responsible.
Here is a video of that moment.
Maxime Raynaud With A Knee Injury, That’s Not What You Want To See. Get Well Soon. 🙏 https://t.co/lQ6NJwKwWB
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 11, 2026
The severity of Raynaud’s injury is still being determined, but it was painful enough that he had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair.
Maxime Raynaud gets carted off the court after an apparent knee injury https://t.co/7pOfQ4FhGt
— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) October 11, 2026
It was not a great sight for the Kings and their fans, especially this close to the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Depending on how serious Raynaud’s injury, he could miss some games — if not more.
Before he left the Warriors game, the 23-year-old Raynaud had 10 points on 3/3 shooting with five rebounds, a block and a steal in only nine minutes. The Warriors won the game, 108-104, but Raynaud’s health is a bigger concern for Sacramento, which will open its season on Oct. 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
As a rookie last season, Raynaud was among the bright spots on a bad Sacramento team, averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 57.1% from the floor.
Lincoln Riley gets ripped for his bizarre move against Penn State
Lincoln Riley officially appears to have jumped the shark.
No. 19 USC played on Saturday against unranked Penn State. The two Big Ten rivals met at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa.
At halftime, USC and Penn State were tied 17-17. Then during the second half kickoff, the Trojans head coach Riley tried to get a little too cute with it.
Riley bizarrely called for an onside kick to open up the half. Penn State was not fooled at all however and easily recovered the kick to set up great field position inside USC territory.
USC rolls the dice with an onside kick BUT Penn State comes away with the recovery! Big Ten Saturday Night: USC at Penn State on NBC & Peacock https://t.co/f3MTEFjmQq
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 11, 2026
As a result, Riley was thoroughly roasted over social media. Here were some of the cruelest posts at his expense.
Lincoln Riley just had his Scott Frost moment. Onside kick to start the half against this below average Penn State team. That’s where we’re at. Embarrassing.
— Gabriel Greenlee (@TheTrojanBlade) October 11, 2026
Why would Lincoln Riley try an onside kick to start the second half in a 17-17 game? Penn State recovered and is driving
— Mark Schipper – 5th Down CFB (@5thDownCFB) October 11, 2026
Lincoln Riley just tried an onside kick in a tie game and handed Penn State the ball at midfield. Man’s out here making decisions like he’s trying to speedrun a loss.
— The cfb lliason (@realfbllliason) October 11, 2026
Onside kick? Really??? There are times when I think Lincoln Riley actually wants to force a buyout. AK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) October 11, 2026
USC did manage to hold Penn State to just a field goal on the ensuing drive. But that was hardly the situation that called for that kind of dice-roll by Riley, who has been facing firing rumors for the better part of a year now that may only be growing louder.
Trae Young gets thrown out of a preseason game after a heated confrontation
Tensions flared during the third quarter of Saturday’s preseason game at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., between the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards, with Trae Young at the center of it.
As the Wizards were bringing the ball up the court, Young and Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins were seen having an exchange near the sidelines.
Young then shoved Jenkins, who retaliated with the same move. Play was immediately stopped, but Jenkins was apparently still heated and gave Young a push in the back as cooler heads tried to de-escalate the situation.
Young and Jenkins were eventually both tossed out of the court, as the refs decided they had seen enough of the shenanigans in what was essentially a meaningless preseason game.
Here is a video of that heated interaction between Young and Jenkins.
Trae Young and Daniss Jenkins each received double techs after a scuffle during Wizards Pistons 😮 Both were ejected from the game. https://t.co/WFVr59AMDf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 11, 2026
There wasn’t really a need for Young or Jenkins to get into it, but spontaneous moments like that are common in pro sports, regardless of what’s on the line.
Young hit the showers early with only two points on 1/4 shooting. He had eight assists, but turned the ball over five times in 23 minutes of action in a 114-108 overtime win by Washington.
Jenkins, on the other hand, had a much better performance than his counterpart, scoring 12 points on 4/6 shooting with four assists and only a turnover in 18 minutes.
The 28-year-old Young is preparing for his first full season with the Wizards after being traded by the Atlanta Hawks to Washington in January.
Fans all said the same thing about Kalen DeBoer’s risky call vs. Georgia before half
Kalen DeBoer was looking more like Sam Cassell out there on Saturday night.
No. 6-ranked Alabama had a huge game on Saturday against No. 2-ranked Georgia. The showdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. pitted two undefeated SEC powerhouses against each other.
During a Crimson Tide drive right before halftime, the Alabama head coach DeBoer rose to the occasion. On a 3rd-and-goal play from the Georgia 1-yard line with just three seconds left, DeBoer elected to go for it all.
He called for a run play instead of a field goal. The decision immediately paid off for the Tide as running back EJ Crowell punched it in for a go-ahead touchdown to give Alabama a 14-10 lead heading into halftime.
Alabama gambles and it pays off! The Crimson Tide go for the TD instead of the field goal and EJ Crowell bounces it outside and finds the end zone to take a 14-10 lead into halftime. https://t.co/oFfpKIVP7x
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 11, 2026
In response to the gutsy decision by DeBoer, fans all made the same joke over social media. They cracked “big balls” dance jokes in reference to DeBoer.
Deboer rn https://t.co/cOb6cuonNC
— ham stroker’s ejacula (@HazeRedux) October 11, 2026
KALEN DEBOER https://t.co/cFQ9HpbTQf
— MyBookie – Bet With The Best (@MyBookie) October 11, 2026
Deboer going for the TD with 3 seconds left in the half instead of the tie… https://t.co/kr3sZVxRIb
— JG (@SoonerJG) October 11, 2026
Kalen DeBoer https://t.co/CVf5X1yMSd
— The Narddog (@_the_narddog) October 11, 2026
Most coaches might have just kicked a field goal in that situation to take the guaranteed points instead of taking the risk of coming away with nothing from the one-yard line. But big-time games require big-time decisions, and DeBoer’s certainly paid off against Georgia (continuing on a theme of Alabama successfully going against conventional wisdom lately).
Video catches Pat Fitzgerald making a vulgar gesture during game against Illinois
Michigan State Spartans head coach Pat Fitzgerald got a little carried away during Sunday’s game against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
A fired-up Fitzgerald was caught on camera seemingly flipping the bird while celebrating on the sidelines in the fourth quarter at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.
Here is the video of an animated Fitzgerald flashing his middle finger.
Pat Fitzgerald flips off the opposing sideline https://t.co/ayyxgDddNb
— Bob Zuppke (@BobZuppke) October 10, 2026
It is unclear whom Fitzgerald directed the obscene gesture at, but it may have been aimed at either the officials or the Illinois team.
In any case, the Fighting Illini came out on top when it was all said and done.
Michigan State was down by 13 points at the half, and by 16 points after a field goal by Illinois to star the scoring in the third quarter. But Michigan State turned things around and scored 10 points in the third frame before finding the end zone twice in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Illinois struck first in overtime with a touchdown. The Spartans responded with a score of their own but failed on a two-point conversion attempt, allowing Illinois to secure a 38-37 win.
Michigan State has now lost four games in a row. The Spartans are 2-4 overall with a 0-3 record against Big Ten opponents.
An intriguing game is up next for the Spartans, as they will host Fitzgerald’s former team, the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 17.
Jokes pour in after Arch Manning’s disastrous turnover against Oklahoma
Disaster struck the No.1 Texas Longhorns on Saturday, with quarterback Arch Manning at the center of it.
The Longhorns star quarterback committed a costly turnover late in the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.
With less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation and the score tied at 24-24, Manning threw an interception on 2nd-and-10 at Oklahoma’s 49-yard line.
Oklahoma tried to blitz Manning on that play, and it worked, as the quarterback made an errant throw that Sooners sophomore defensive back Courtland Guillory read perfectly before coming away with an interception.
Here is a look at that play.
ARCH MANNING THROWS A COSTLY INTERCEPTION WITH 20 SECONDS LEFT!! https://t.co/Hq9o38IUzf
— ESPN (@espn) October 10, 2026
Jokes immediately flooded the timelines following Manning’s turnover.
Arch Manning with the game on the line https://t.co/jF8ZHy5WHK
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) October 10, 2026
Arch Manning vs Oklahoma: 19/31 260 passing yards 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions https://t.co/6ANzCEXmfQ
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) October 10, 2026
“ARCH MANNING DROPS BACK TO PASS…… HES GOT A WR WIDE OPEN AND…..” https://t.co/E3RNXx4HDf
— 🫡 (@YordanForHOF44) October 10, 2026
Texas fans to Arch Manning https://t.co/gzW7cEopF8
— Underdog (@Underdog) October 10, 2026
The Longhorns still had a chance to force overtime if they could make a stop after Manning’s second interception of the game, but Oklahoma drove into field-goal range, allowing kicker Tate Sandell to nail a 47-yard field goal for a walk-off 27-24 Sooners victory.
Manning finished the game with 260 passing yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions on a 19/31 pass completions.
Texas’ record is now unblemished, as the Longhorns dropped to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play. The Longhorns will look to bounce back against the Florida Gators at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 17.
Rangers could turn to retired goalie after Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury
A retired NHL goalie could be answering the call of the New York Rangers for help between the pipes.
The Rangers lost star netminder Igor Shesterkin for the rest of the 2026-27 NHL season after he suffered a lower-body injury during Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. New York would later provide a brutal update on the goalie, saying that he is done for the remainder of the campaign.
Compounding the Rangers’ troubles in front of the net is another goalie injury situation, with backup Joonas Korpisalo also hurt with a lower-body issue.
The difficult situation has put the Rangers in a position to potentially ask former Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick to unretire.
“Jonathan Quick, 40, is comfortable in retirement and now serves as NYR’s Director of Goaltending Development. But if the Rangers asked him to play, sources believe he could be a possibility,” Emily Kaplan of ESPN shared via a post on X.
In case Quick does indeed wear his pads again to play in the league, he shouldn’t be very rusty, having just retired at the end of the 2025-26 season.
The 40-year-old Quick played his final three seasons in the NHL with the Rangers, during which he posted a 35-30-6 record with a 2.94 goals against average and a .899 save percentage.
For now, New York is relying on a rookie Dylan Garland for the team’s goalie needs.
The Rangers are a t 4-2-0 through six games this season.
Dylan Raiola gets crushed on social media for his awful performance
The Dylan Raiola hype train has come to a rather brutal end after his performance for the Oregon Ducks on Saturday against UCLA.
Starting in place of the injured Dante Moore, Raiola served up an awful performance at home against the Bruins. In roughly three quarters of action, the highly-touted transfer quarterback went 6/19 for just 43 yards with two interceptions. He was finally benched in favor of Brock Thomas in the fourth quarter.
Raiola looked awful. His second interception was a backfoot heave that was pretty easy fodder for UCLA’s defense.
Dylan Raiola with another back foot floater for his And One mixtape. https://t.co/BX5QAy2YUF
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) October 10, 2026
Raiola, a one-time top recruit at Nebraska, immediately took heat for his performance on social media. There were even jokes about the fact that he has long drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, and a number of other cracks about how far his star has fallen.
Dylan Raiola’s estimated NIL valuation at Oregon is $2M as Dante Moore’s backup. That’s the same amount Drew Lock makes backing up Sam Darnold.
— Covers.com Football (@Covers_Football) October 10, 2026
Maybe we should start comparing Dylan Raiola to Jackson Mahomes. 🤷♂️ https://t.co/xcEDPIU54J
— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) October 10, 2026
The “ Dylan raiola is better than Dante Moore “ debate https://t.co/l3N4hcqqv5
— John (@iam_johnw) October 10, 2026
It is worth remembering that Raiola was originally going to be Oregon’s starter this season before Moore made the surprise decision to return to the Ducks for one more season. Oregon has already been a major disappointment this season, but they might have been in even worse shape if Raiola had been playing since the start of the season.
Raiola was one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the country at Nebraska, and there is no reason to think that has significantly changed after his move to Oregon. The Ducks are certainly not getting their money’s worth.
Sophie Cunningham responds to writer calling on Fever to get rid of her
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is responding to a column that urged the team to get rid of her ahead of next season.
The column, written by Candace Buckner of The Athletic, suggested that the Fever should move on from Cunningham this offseason because she has become a distraction. Buckner argued that Cunningham’s play on the court is not enough to justify her presence on the team, as she is too “turbulent.”
On her podcast, Cunningham had a fairly strong response to the article.
“That’s why I literally don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore,” Cunningham said, via Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. “Because I’ve said this so many times: If you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate. The majority of these people have never picked up a ball in their entire lives, and they’re just, like, thirsty to have attention or be relevant in some type of way. No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet. So for you to not say I’m effective, or any of that, whatever. Suck it.”
Cunningham has largely served as Caitlin Clark’s enforcer on the Fever, and has not been afraid to court controversy both on and off the floor. She averaged 7.9 points per game for Indiana this season, and will be an unrestricted free agent during the offseason. Whether the Fever actually intend to bring her back or not remains to be seen.
Braves are being linked to a former World Series MVP after playoff exit
The Atlanta Braves may be ready to take a big swing after a fifth consecutive year of failing to make it past the NLDS.
Atlanta could potentially pursue Texas Rangers star shortstop Corey Seager this offseason, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported this week. Sherman adds that the Braves have already registered interest in Seager in years prior.
Seager, a five-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP, turns 33 next April. This season for the Rangers, he hit a career-low .227 with 20 home runs and 51 RBIs over 102 total games.
That means there could be a prime buy-low opportunity right now on Seager. Texas is also facing a crossroads at the moment after going 80-82 this year and missing the playoffs for a third straight season.
As for the Braves, they need a jolt after losing in the NLDS this year to the Los Angeles Dodgers (marking the fifth straight season now that they have been unable to reach the NLCS). Meanwhile, shortstop was a position of relative weakness for Atlanta as Ha-Seong Kim, Mauricio Dubon, Jorge Mateo, and Jim Jarvis all rotated there this year.
Seager is still owed $31.5 million per season all the way until 2031. But he could be just the breath of fresh air that the Braves need, especially with some of their longtime pieces quickly growing stale.
Red Sox pitcher played through insane injury during playoffs
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock unknowingly pitched through an absurd injury down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs.
Whitlock spent the latter part of the season pitching on a fractured tibia, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. The injury was initially misdiagnosed by Boston’s medical staff.
The injury was only discovered via imaging following the team’s loss to the New York Yankees during the American League Division Series. Whitlock was never sent for imaging despite spending the last month or so of the season in pain.
Whitlock struggled in his only playoff appearance, but did not allow an earned run in 7.1 September innings. That is quite remarkable considering the pain he was apparently pitching through.
The Red Sox training staff might face some questions over Whitlock being misdiagnosed. That comes after the front office has also faced some questions over its methods in the past year.
Deshaun Watson fined $15k by the NFL
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s comeback campaign has been interrupted by a hefty fine.
Watson was fined $14,926 by the NFL for an illegal celebration during the team’s Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. While nothing was obvious on the television broadcast, Watson supposedly took part in a smoking celebration after a touchdown run by Quinshon Judkins, who was also fined.
The NFL fined Browns QB Deshaun Watson $14,926 and RB Quinshon Judkins $14,397 for unsportsmanlike conduct (illegal celebrations and vulgar acts). Nothing was obvious on the TV broadcast, but source said it was a "smoking" gesture after Judkins’ TD last week.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2026
The NFL even frowns on beer chugging celebrations, so it is not a huge shock that they would object to smoking, either. Watson, who makes an average of $46 million annually, will certainly be able to absorb it.
Watson has thrown for six touchdowns against two interceptions this season for the 3-1 Browns. He has even started to win over some Browns fans, which seemed like an impossible task just a few weeks ago.
Bill Belichick was cracking jokes after his first ranked win
Bill Belichick was in a chipper mood after scoring his first ranked win as head coach at North Carolina.
The Tar Heels beat Pitt 21-17 at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday, marking Belichick’s first win over a ranked opponent during his tenure with the school. After the game, he was, by his standards, quite relaxed, and even had some jokes.
Interviewer Quint Kessenich noted that the Tar Heels overcame a slog of a third quarter, which included three combined interceptions and three total punts between the two teams. Belichick, however, cracked a grin and said he found the first quarter, in which the Tar Heels gave up a touchdown without scoring, to be far worse.
"I thought the first quarter was worse." Coach Bill Belichick had jokes after picking up his first ranked win with UNC 😅 https://t.co/8fDTZURfsA
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 10, 2026
Belichick is experiencing quite the turnaround this season. Saturday’s win improved them to 3-2, and they would very easily be 4-1 if not for a collapse against Clemson earlier in the season.
The coach has been looking and acting more like himself this season. Expectations were low for Belichick at the start of the campaign, but the Tar Heels appear to be exceeding them.
UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava makes an embarrassing mistake against Oregon
Nico Iamaleava got an ill-timed case of the butter fingers during Saturday’s pivotal game.
No. 21-ranked UCLA played Saturday against No. 13-ranked Oregon. In the first quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., disaster struck for the Bruins quarterback Iamaleava.
On the first play of a UCLA drive from their own 10-yard line, Iamaleava took the snap from the shotgun formation. Upon being pressured by the Oregon pass rush, Iamaleava panicked and went for a quick throw.
Unfortunately for Iamaleava, the ball slipped out of his grasp before he even got set with his throwing motion. The ensuing fumble was recovered by Oregon’s Koi Perich at UCLA’s 1-yard line.
Nico Iamaleava https://t.co/GT51BhGOE5
— Reason (@the_real_reason) October 10, 2026
Here is a closer angle of Iamaleava’s costly mistake.
Not what Nico was hoping for… https://t.co/lJyW7gIY3i
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 10, 2026
Oregon would then score a touchdown on the very next play for their opening score of the game. UCLA settled down from there however and went on to score 14 points unanswered to take back the lead into the second half.
The senior Iamaleava had helped the Bruins to a 4-0 start to the season with 820 passing yards and four touchdowns (plus an additional 143 yards and one touchdown on the ground). But in the biggest game of the year so far against Big Ten rival Oregon, Iamaleava had some old issues rear their ugly heads again.
