Jaguars thrash the depleted Ravens 33-10 for their 5th win in 6 games
BALTIMORE (AP) — Trevor Lawrence threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, and the Jacksonville Jaguars had little trouble with Joe Fagnano and the Baltimore Ravens in a 33-10 victory. Fagnano made his first career start with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley injured, and the 25-year-old rookie threw for only 60 yards. Baltimore has lost four straight. Jacksonville did not need to do anything extraordinary to beat a badly weakened Baltimore team. The Jags have won five of their last six to take command of the AFC South, where they have a 3 1/2-game lead.
Fagnano endures rough first NFL start in Ravens' loss to Jags
BALTIMORE (AP) — Joe Fagnano had three days to prepare for his first NFL start. During the Baltimore Ravens’ 33-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night, it often looked like it. Summoned into duty with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley hitting the injured reserve list, Fagnano completed 10 of 18 passes for 60 yards and threw two interceptions in the Ravens’ fourth straight defeat. The Ravens leaned heavily on a Wildcat formation led by running back Derrick Henry to protect Fagnano, who entered training camp fourth on Baltimore’s quarterback depth chart before Skylar Thompson’s season-ending injury. Before Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Ravens are expected to add Jacoby Brissett, who started Arizona’s first eight games.
Left-leaning Washington and Colorado join more conservative states in banning transgender athletes
Voters in Washington and Colorado have approved measures to ban transgender athletes from participating in school sports. Washington's Measure 638 prevents students assigned male at birth from playing in female sports. It also requires a healthcare provider's statement to verify gender. Colorado's Proposition 134 mandates sports be designated male, female or coed, limiting participation to the sex assigned at birth. These measures were passed in states where Democratic-led governments had not enacted such bans, leading activists to put the issue on the ballot instead. The votes highlight bipartisan support for these issues, which were once seen as conservative wedge topics.
5 retired MLB umpires — including Joe West — sue benefit plan, alleging they are owed more money
NEW YORK (AP) — Five retired umpires have sued their retirement plan and its committee, claiming they are owed additional money. Joe West, Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Larry Vanover and Jerry Layne filed the lawsuit in federal court in New York. They allege their benefits were not correctly calculated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Their lawyer, Paul B. Holmes, said the amount owed exceeds $2 million. West said he was offered a small sum when he raised the issue. Major League Baseball declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit.
Portugal coach says he had not anticipated Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement despite their falling out
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal coach Jorge Jesus says that he had not expected Cristiano Ronaldo to retire from international soccer despite their recent public falling out. Jesus said he anticipated Ronaldo being available when he presented his Nations League squad on Friday, a day after Ronaldo announced that he was ending his long and illustrious career for his nation. Ronaldo’s final appearance with Portugal was on Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League. Jesus kept Ronaldo on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one. Ronaldo responded by leaving the team’s training camp.
LIV and let die: Rival league tells bankruptcy court it will wind down operations
LIV Golf is winding down its operations instead of launching a new version because of a lack of financial support. A lawyer representing the organization announced the decision in a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday in New Jersey. LIV Golf lost Saudi Arabia funding in April after having spent more than $5 billion since 2022. LIV filed for bankruptcy in September. Since announcing plans for a new version, top players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have bailed. Instead of planning for a new version for 2027, LIV enters a liquidation phase.
Bill Belichick again is among five coaching candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Bill Belichick again is among five coaching candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan join Belichick in the Coach category for possible election into the Hall’s Class of 2027. The list was announced Thursday by the Canton, Ohio-based Pro Football Hall of Fame. Members of the Hall’s coaching subcommittee made their selections from an original field of 14 nominees. The subcommittee will select one candidate to be considered when the Hall’s selection committee determines a new class of enshrinees in early 2027. All five reached this stage last year when Belichick advanced in the process.
Election over, the clock starts ticking again on landmark college sports bill in lame-duck House
Next week, Congress could begin debating a bill to overhaul college sports, amid uncertainty from recent Democratic election victories. The House, still Republican-led, will decide what to do with the Protect College Sports Act, which passed the Senate last month. The bill regulates athlete pay and protects Olympic sports but faces opposition. Supporters argue it prevents smaller sports from disappearing, while critics say it lacks sufficient protections. Major sports conferences like the SEC and Big Ten are considering their own governance if Congress doesn't act. They hope for federal guidance to manage spending wars for athletes.
The nature of Ronaldo's international retirement is in stark contrast to his great rival Messi
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s glorious Portugal career ultimately ended in acrimony. What a contrast to his great rival Lionel Messi, who also retired from international soccer this year, but only after leading Argentina to back-to-back World Cup finals. As has been the case throughout their record-breaking careers, it is impossible not to compare the two greatest players of their generation and, for many, the greatest of all time. While Ronaldo’s video message to announce his retirement on Thursday was undoubtedly emotional, it came after a bitter fallout with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus that led to the Manchester United and Real Madrid great walking out on what turned out to be his last international call up.
Saint Louis forward Robbie Avila, the A-10 player of the year, gets injunction to play this season
Saint Louis forward Robbie Avila has been granted a preliminary injunction to play a fifth season of college basketball for the Billikens. St. Louis City Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser made the ruling Thursday. He also announced that Saint Louis can have a 16th roster spot for Avila until a trial is held, which could be several months from now, effectively clearing the 23-year-old to play for the entire season. The Billikens have a high-profile game against Missouri on Friday night. Avila, the reigning Atlantic 10 player of the year, led the Billikens to a 29-6 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season.
