Rory McIlroy questions what value Rahm and DeChambeau have brought to LIV
With all the chatter about what value top LIV players like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau might bring to the PGA Tour if they choose to return, Rory McIlroy was pointed in a question. He asks what value they have brought to LIV Golf? The rival league is trying to survive without the backing of Saudi money and the future is in doubt. LIV CEO Scott O'Neil says there is a deadline for players to commit to 2027 without saying when it is. Scottie Scheffler is OK with them coming back but under a penalty.
Texans receiver Jayden Higgins is out for the season with a torn ACL, AP source says
Houston Texans receiver Jayden Higgins is expected to miss the season with a torn ACL, a person with knowledge of his injury tells The Associated Press. Higgins fell awkwardly while running a route during a joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday in Houston. Coach DeMeco Ryans said at the time that Higgins was being evaluated for a leg injury. The second-year receiver was expected to team up with No. 1 wideout Nico Collins in the Texans offense led by quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Cavs acquiring Peyton Watson and trading Max Strus to Clippers in 4-team deal, AP source says
CLEVELAND (AP) — Peyton Watson is heading from Denver to Cleveland as part of a four-team trade that will also have the Cavaliers sending Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers. A person familiar with the trade said Wednesday night that Watson will sign a four-year contract with the Cavaliers worth $88 million that includes a player option and trade kicker. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced. Watson was a restricted free agent who spent his first four NBA seasons with Denver.
No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd of the Dallas Wings is set for season-ending surgery on sore knee
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd is set for season-ending surgery on a sore knee that has sidelined this year’s No. 1 overall pick for the past five games. The team says Fudd will have arthroscopic surgery on her right knee next week in Connecticut. That's where she starred for UConn before becoming the Huskies’ second consecutive top overall pick by Dallas. Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers was the No. 1 choice last year. Fudd was eased into the lineup as a rookie, coming off the bench for the first six games. She scored 24 points in that sixth game and immediately became a full-time starter.
Max Verstappen extends F1 contract with Red Bull to 2030
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Max Verstappen has extended his Formula 1 contract with Red Bull to 2030, the team has announced. Verstappen has won four world driving championships since making his debut with the team in 2016 and has 71 Grand Prix victories. The announcement Thursday ahead of Verstappen’s home Dutch Grand Prix this weekend ends speculation he could seek a blockbuster move to another team. It comes despite Red Bull struggling to match the pace of leading team Mercedes this season.
Seahawks sign 2-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs while Terrion Arnold remains unsigned
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks signed cornerback Trevon Diggs on Wednesday. A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press the contract is expected to be a one-year deal. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the terms hadn’t been announced. Diggs is a two-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in interceptions in 2021 with Dallas. His performance has declined over the last few years, in part because of two major knee surgeries. Diggs gives the Seahawks another option in the secondary. Seattle is hoping to bring in cornerback Terrion Arnold, but his status for 2026 is uncertain because he faces felony charges.
A left tackle can make $4M in college football, not the NFL. Is this pay for play?
College sports are undergoing a transformation with the rise of NIL deals, allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. Dan Moore of the Tennessee Titans notes that college players can now earn significant sums, unlike many NFL linemen. Mike McGlinchey of the Broncos highlights the shift from local endorsements to large collectives paying top dollar to attract talent. The College Sports Commission is working to regulate these deals, ensuring fair compensation and valid business purposes. Meanwhile, discussions in Washington aim to address transparency and potentially increase revenue-sharing for athletes.
Orioles call for more technology after Pete Alonso's near-homer is ruled foul vs. Yankees
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are calling for Major League Baseball to use technology to determine whether balls are fair or foul. The Orioles felt aggrieved Wednesday night against the New York Yankees after Pete Alonso’s deep fly to left field in the seventh inning was ruled foul — and the call was upheld on a review. The play occurred with the game tied at 3-all, and the Yankees went on to win 5-3. Alonso says baseball should do something like football with its pylon camera. Manager Craig Albernaz says there's no reason not to use ball-tracking data on calls like that.
Scottie Scheffler on the cusp of breaking a PGA Tour mark Tiger Woods has held for 26 years
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is fresh off an eight-shot victory to start the PGA Tour postseason and he goes for another at the BMW Championship at Bellerive. There's something else at stake. Scheffler is in position to replace Tiger Woods as the career earnings leader on the PGA Tour. Woods has held the mark for more than 26 years. Scheffler doesn't much care about it. He realizes Woods is a big reason golfers play for more money. LIV Golf also helped. The way he keeps score is Woods has 82 career wins. Scheffler says he's not even one-fourth of the way there.
2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike announces she's retiring after this season, her 15th in league
Eight-time All-WNBA forward Nneka Ogwumike says she is retiring after this season, her 15th in the league. The 36-year-old announced her intentions in an interview with Boardroom Talks. Ogwumike was Rookie of the Year in 2012 and MVP in 2016 when she helped lead the Los Angeles Sparks to the WNBA championship. Ogwumike made the All-Star Game for an 11th time and is averaging nearly 17 points a game in her first season back with Los Angeles after two years in Seattle.
