The softball team from Westchester Del Rey Little League won the West Regional in San Bernardino on Friday, beating Tucson 12-2 in a five-inning mercy rule to advance to the Little League World Series in Greenville, N.C.
Pitcher Gabriela Uribe started the game with three scoreless innings and ended up finishing.
Gabriela Uribe pitched Westchester’s softball team to the Little League World Series with a win in the West Regional.
(Craig Weston)
After an early 2-2 tie, Westchester broke the game open. Westchester’s pitching has been very good behind Uribe and Kaylee Braunlich.
Basketball usually took a backseat in early conversations between Eric Musselman and prized recruit Alijah Arenas.
On one side was a teenage phenom navigating an early jump to college. On another was a USC men’s basketball coach seemingly more interested in other aspects of Arenas’ life, including his mood, when he woke up and how he made sense of the people and the world around him.
So when USC’s coach stood in front of the Galen Center’s vibrant new scoreboard Friday morning — two days after it was announced that Arenas would miss six to eight months with a knee injury — Musselman found himself stammering, stitching together the words to encapsulate what the freshman meant to him.
“I probably feel closer to him than anybody that I’ve coached in a two-month span since he’s been on campus,” Musselman said.
The bond has already weathered more than most would in four years.
First came the reclassification — Arenas skipped his senior year of high school to join USC. Then came the rush course into collegiate basketball as he prepared spring practice. Then, on April 25, Arenas was in a serious car crash that led to him being placed into a coma.
After recovering from his injuries, Arenas was barely two weeks back from being medically cleared to practice when he sustained a slight meniscus tear and bone bruise.
But even in those 14 days — and just one full practice with Musselman present — Arenas proved enough to be the centerpiece of his coach’s vision for USC.
“We built the roster around some of the stuff that he could do, and knowing that he could play the one and the two, and when he played the one, would have great length,” Musselman said. “And I told people from the beginning of the recruiting process what a great passer he was.”
At 6 feet 7, Arenas averaged 30.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game at Chatsworth High before landing 13th in ESPN’s Class of 2025.
In Arenas’ absence, Musselman said he has weighed adding a 14th player to the roster, but would do so only if it “could help us.” The bigger hurdle, the coach added, would be revenue-sharing limits.
Arenas will still be traveling, learning and rehabbing alongside USC. And he’ll continue to shadow Musselman in a role the coach never had to explain to him.
“To some people during the recruiting process, you call them and you can’t wait to get off the phone, and you’re just kind of calling them to try to develop a relationship,” Musselman said. “The reason that Alijah and I are in such a good spot is because he picked up the phone when I called him.
He added: “We already had a built-in trust before he got here.”
Etc.
Musselman said Friday that Terrance Williams II (wrist), whose injury he called “one of the weirdest injuries I’ve seen,” will return Aug. 25 when the Trojans report for practice on the first day of the academic year. … Musselman noted that Jordan Marsh has been the team’s “biggest surprise” of the summer, while Rodney Rice will take over as the Trojans’ primary ball handler.
LAS VEGAS — It’s easier for everything to go according to script when you have one.
As DeShaun Foster strode across the stage inside a convention center here Thursday afternoon, the UCLA football coach clutched several pages of prepared remarks that helped him navigate a lengthy opening monologue with poise and confidence.
Poking fun at his widely mocked and memed performance from a year ago, when he delivered a short, unrehearsed address filled with awkward pauses and an uneasy smile, Foster indulged reporters in a short recap of the lowlights.
“Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,” Foster said. “But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we’re proud to be in L.A. This year we’re ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders.”
The Bruins can only hope their turnaround on the field is as stunning as their coach’s transformation onstage.
A year ago, as UCLA stumbled to a 1-5 start, “We’re in L.A.” became a catchphrase freely wielded to ridicule a team that often looked as lost as its coach had while delivering his opening remarks inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Rather than run from his troubles, Foster barreled ahead like a running back who found an opening in a wall of defenders. The rookie coach found his footing with a team that won four of its last six games, narrowly missing an opportunity to play in a bowl game.
His offseason was even more impressive. Foster overhauled his staff (only two assistants from last season remain) and redoubled his recruiting efforts, leading to a 2026 high school class ranked No. 21 nationally by 247Sports.com. Landing Nico Iamaleava from the transfer portal after the quarterback’s spring of discontent at Tennessee generated immediate buzz.
“We’re just excited to have a playoff quarterback, somebody that was able to lead his team to the playoffs,” Foster said. “They might not have gotten the outcome that they wanted, but he still was able to play. He showed how tough he was in that game. Just being able to come back home and be comfortable and being in a familiar environment, I think the sky is the limit. We’re excited about this.”
While Iamaleava’s arrival isn’t expected to vault the Bruins into contention for the Big Ten title, much less the College Football Playoff — UCLA was picked to finish 15th in the 18-team conference by a media poll conducted by Cleveland.com — there is recent precedent for teams taking a big leap in their coach’s second season.
Colorado finished 9-4 last season after going 4-8 in Deion Sanders’ debut season and Arizona State went 11-3 and made the CFP one year after going 3-9 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season. Foster said he hopes this season goes as well as his second in the NFL, when he helped the Carolina Panthers reach the Super Bowl.
Questions abound, particularly on a defense that loses every key playmaker, as the Bruins prepare to open training camp in Costa Mesa on Wednesday. The team will practice off campus for the first time since training in San Bernardino in 2016 because of the installation of a grass field outside the Wasserman Football Center.
Some changes around the program feel more than cosmetic. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said that Foster’s willingness to make wholesale changes on his coaching staff after just one season and the associated recruiting surge are signs that this is a program on the rise.
“He’s just brought a vibe back, a buzz and energy about UCLA football that we haven’t had since I’ve been here, quite honestly,” Jarmond said. “And that’s what you want to see.”
A few hours before Foster took a few sips of water and dabbed his head with a handkerchief before ascending stairs to the podium inside the Mandalay Bay, his boss predicted that he would have a better showing than he did last year.
“I think he’s just more comfortable,” Jarmond said. “You know, everybody is new at something and you don’t nail the landing every first time. And so, thankfully, you’re not graded on what you say; you’re graded on how you perform and how you lead, and that’s what he’s done exceptionally well. I mean, the last half of the season, we finished 4-2 — the momentum he had going into the second half of the year and then the recruiting, that’s what matters, what you’re doing with the program.
“So I think he’s excited about today. I think he’s going to feel more comfortable because he’s done it before. And that’s just part of the deal. But he’s going to be himself and he’s going to be great.”
Foster said his verbal stumbles from a year ago taught him a valuable lesson.
“Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection,” he said. “Our players saw me being human, and it brought us closer together. We’ve been joking about it for about a year now. The players know that that same genuine approach is how we coach, recruit and build this program.”
Entering his second season, Foster said he expected significant improvement not just from his team but also from himself.
“Growth is part of the process, and we’re all committed to being better than we were last season,” Foster said. “I know there are questions about our progress, expectations and how well we’re performing in this conference. That’s totally fair. We’re here to earn respect, not demand it. However, I can tell you this: My team is ready. They’re confident. They’re prepared, and they’re hungry to show up and show out and redefine what UCLA football can be. So, yes, we’re still in L.A. We’re proud to be Bruins, and we’re ready to make it happen starting now.”
And with that, Foster announced that he was happy to take any questions, having answered a big one about himself.
SAN DIEGO — As the Chargers’ team bus rolled down the freeway past Poway and toward San Diego, Tony Jefferson couldn’t help but smile.
This feels like home.
Eight years after the Chargers left San Diego, the organization is reintroducing itself to the city with two days of training camp this week. Fans who couldn’t secure tickets to practice at the University of San Diego on Tuesday still clamored for a glimpse from the top of a nearby hill. Jefferson, a San Diego native who grew up rooting for the Chargers, has been happy to see the support grow after the franchise’s contentious departure.
“With any sports team that leaves the city, [fans] feel empty when it comes to that spot,” said Jefferson, who signed with the Chargers last year. “But I think we’re gradually filling that void back.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh’s numerous ties to San Diego and instantaneous winning appeared to smooth out a potential reunion with the city. When team executives approached him about returning to San Diego for training camp, the coach eagerly agreed. He suggested the University of San Diego campus, where he got his head coaching start in 2004 for the Toreros.
More than two decades later, this week’s practices are a homecoming for Harbaugh, but it’s not an olive branch for the Chargers organization, he insisted.
“It is all about the great fans we have,” Harbaugh said in June. “We want to go to our fans. We want to go to our Chargers supporters and they’re everywhere.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh instructs players during training camp in San Diego on Tuesday.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
Although the Chargers returned this week, they didn’t throw the doors open to all fans. Both of their practices were limited in attendance. Tuesday’s practice was open to only active-duty military and veterans. Wednesday’s is reserved for season ticket holders.
Players signed autographs for almost an hour after practice Tuesday. Quarterback Justin Herbert looped back twice in front of a swath of fans that ran three bus-lengths long. Safety Derwin James Jr., who never played in San Diego after getting drafted in 2018, was in awe of all the No. 3 jerseys he saw in the crowd.
“It made my heart warm just having so much support,” James said. “I can’t wait to give them something to cheer for.”
Harbaugh’s history as a player has helped the Chargers tap back into their roots while celebrating their most iconic players. The coach who played two seasons for the Chargers called former teammate Rodney Harrison to inform the safety that he would be inducted into the Chargers’ Hall of Fame in October. Legendary tight end Antonio Gates will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in less than two weeks. Five years after playing the final season of his 17-year career with the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Philip Rivers reversed course to put a more fitting punctuation mark on his career by announcing Monday that he would officially retire as a Charger.
Doubling down on the nostalgia, the Chargers unveiled throwback alternative navy jerseys that were a hit among players and fans. Seeing the navy uniform with gold-lined white lightning bolts “struck me at the core,” Jefferson said. It was just like the first NFL jersey he owned: a Junior Seau jersey he received for Christmas.
The Chargers were at the center of almost all of Jefferson’s core NFL memories growing up. He sat in the nosebleeds with his girlfriend at his first NFL game between the Chargers and Raiders. He played his last high school football game for Chula Vista Eastlake High in Qualcomm Stadium.
Chargers running back Omarion Hampton runs through a drill during training camp in San Diego on Tuesday.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
But the stadium grew outdated, prompting the Chargers to relocate. Now when Jefferson drives south on Interstate 15, he still hates looking to his right because he misses the familiar venue.
“This type of stuff just happens,” Jefferson said. “It happened to the Raiders. They’re our rival and they’re pretty big in what they represent organization-wise and they moved, too. It’s just the business.”
The Padres are the only remaining major pro sports team in San Diego and the city pride runs deep. When the Chargers celebrated the Dodgers’ World Series title last year, die-hard Padres fan Jefferson recoiled at the sight of a floor-to-ceiling congratulatory message in the Chargers practice facility.
But with no pro football in the city, Jefferson, who still lives in San Diego, tries to remind fans that this team is still the Chargers.
“Us just being two hours away, SoFi is a perfect venue for fans, I don’t see why we shouldn’t have the San Diego fans,” Jefferson said. “I think coming here is just opening up the arms again and letting them know.”
Etc.
Rashawn Slater missed a third consecutive day of practice and is “working through something,” Harbaugh said. The coach characterized the undisclosed injury as minor, tip-toeing around suggestions that Slater is trying to wait out negotiations for a contract extension. … The Chargers signed running back Nyheim Hines to bolster a position that is still waiting for Najee Harris’ return. Harris remains on the non-football injury list after suffering an eye injury from a fireworks accident, but has been attending team meetings. While signing Hines, the Chargers waived offensive lineman Savion Washington with a failed physical designation. Washington was on the physically unable to perform list.
A Long Beach Poly assistant football coach offered a warm greeting to Mater Dei football coach Raul Lara on Saturday morning before the start of a summer passing tournament at Poly.
Lara, a Poly graduate who won five Southern Section championships in 13 seasons as the Jackrabbits’ head coach, was struck by some of the changes he saw, such as an all-weather sports field and bungalows on the old baseball field. The school has begun a $450-million construction project.
“I haven’t been here in a while,” Lara said. “They’re doing a lot of reconstruction. It’s pretty neat. It will be interesting when it’s completed. We didn’t have this. We had a dirt track, regular grass field. We used to have a pole by those two trash cans and we had a coach, Don Norford, that every time he yelled, ‘Hit the pole,’ everybody knew they were in trouble.”
Lara won a Southern Section Division 1 title and state championship last season in his first year at Mater Dei, and his team is a heavy favorite to repeat thanks to strong offensive and defensive lines as well as a receiving group that includes receiver Chris Henry Jr., who has commited to Ohio State, and tight end Mark Bowman, who has committed to USC.
“That group is special,” he said of his receiver group that includes Ohio State commit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Georgia commit Gavin Honore and senior Koen Parnell.
Still to be decided is who starts at quarterback, with Wisconsin commit Ryan Hopkins competing with Minnesota commit Furian Inferrera. Asked if he could end up playing both, Lara said it was possible.
Asked if he was still having fun, Lara said, “It’s a different kind of fun. It’s more of a CEO fun. I have an awesome staff. All I do is make sure it’s functioning. They do a fantastic job.”
Saturday’s competition featured a rarity in that three outstanding tight ends were in the spotlight — Bowman, a USC commit; Andre Nickerson of Inglewood, an Southern Methodist commit; Jaden Hernandez of Poly, a Colorado State commit. Defensive backs were pushing and shoving and the tight ends were having none of that.
Long Beach Poly tight end Jaden Hernandez makes a catch.
(Craig Weston)
Mayfair has two college-bound defensive backs in Chaz Gilbreath (UC Davis) and Miles Mitchell (Air Force). Mitchell has a 4.5 grade-point average.
Poly’s Donte Wright is a junior cornerback committed to Georgia with a big upside because he’s 6 feet 2 and still growing with track speed. The Jackrabbits made it to the final of their tournament before losing to Mater Dei.
Teams are winding down their summer seven-on-seven passing tournament schedules. Coaches are starting to pass out shoulder pads because official practice begins July 28.
It was a summer day in June, but Daiyan Henley was dressed for a prime-time moment. Fitted with long socks, white pants and a sleeve on his elbow, the Chargers linebacker’s practice jersey was complete with game-ready lightning bolts on each shoulder.
Other team’s practice jerseys are plain. They’re looser. They’re more breathable.
“But this is us,” Henley said, running his fingertips over his crisp blue jersey. “This is clean.”
“This,” he added, “is the Harbaugh way.”
Entering his second season at the helm as training camp begins Thursday, Jim Harbaugh is firmly woven into the fabric of the Chargers organization. The coach responsible for the franchise’s best single-season turnaround in 20 years was the mastermind behind the team’s new practice jersey patches. Already outfitted with their elevated practice jerseys, players now wear their biggest accomplishments on their chest with patches that celebrate personal victories while pushing for collective success.
The patches represent eight accomplishments: Playoff wins, Chargers records, NFL records, All-Pro seasons, seasons as a team captain, Walter Payton Man of the Year, the NFL’s Ed Block Courage Award, and the block of granite award determined by the Chargers strength and conditioning staff.
Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. talks about the patches on his practice jersey during a news conference in June.
(Michael Gonzalez / Los Angeles Chargers)
The only player who has at least one of each is Derwin James Jr.
The four-time team captain’s right chest is plastered with three playoff appearances, three Chargers records, three NFL records, two nominations for man of the year, four All-Pro honors and one each of the courage and block of granite awards. He wants to collect enough patches to reach down to his ribs.
“At the end of the day, we’re all professionals, this is a professional league, but [the patches] kind of keep us connected and get a little bragging rights in the locker room,” James said. “Guys want to compete for their jersey to look like that too.”
At Michigan, Harbaugh used helmet stickers to symbolize each player’s accomplishments. The jersey patches remind the coach of the stripes on a general’s uniform.
“Some day, they’ll be able to put that jersey up in a frame, put it on a wall, say something really good about themselves,” Harbaugh said. “It’ll be what they accomplished as a pro football player.”
The patches are Harbaugh’s latest culture-setting innovation. He outfitted the locker room with personalized locker name tags that list each player’s hometown, college, high school and recruiting ranking to promote team bonding. The coach handed out metal lunch pails and blue-collar work shirts customized with embroidered name tags to symbolize the team’s hard-working mentality. Hoodies celebrated major victories such as the team’s thriller against the Cincinnati Bengals, a late-season Thursday night victory over the Denver Broncos and the playoff-clinching win over the New England Patriots.
“He wants it to be close-knit, in house,” Henley said. “Everything is love and football and family, and that’s how we go about our business. Now that we have another year under our belt, we’ve had bad games and good games and we’ve gone the distance and also didn’t accomplish what we wanted to, all of that wrapped into one, is what’s motivating us and pushing us forward.”
After going 11-6 in Harbaugh’s first regular season, the Chargers won’t be a sleeper playoff contender again. With momentum from a successful start to the Harbaugh era, the team hopes to make consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 2009.
“We’re far ahead of where we were last year, but there’s still a lot of work to do,” quarterback Justin Herbert said during minicamp. “I think guys have done a great job this offseason of showing up mentally prepared and being focused day in and day out.”
Herbert’s jersey patches require multiple rows of lightning bolt tally marks to display his numerous NFL and Chargers records. Yet the quarterback is missing a playoff win mark.
Not only is he 0-2 in the postseason, both losses came in spectacular disasters. The Chargers blew a 27-point lead against Jacksonville in a 2022 wild-card game. He threw four interceptions against the Houston Texans last year.
Despite Herbert’s elite athleticism and arm talent, the 27-year-old will remain an afterthought in the quarterback hierarchy until he finds the playoff success that follows contemporaries Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
The prize they’re all chasing is worth much more than a new jersey patch.
Etc.
The Chargers placed five players on the physically unable to perform list before training camp: S Elijah Molden, WR Mike Williams, WR Jaylen Johnson, LB Del’Shawn Phillips and T Savion Washington. Molden, who signed a three-year extension in February, underwent offseason knee surgery and missed all of the offseason program. He said in April that he expected to be ready for training camp.
Seth Hernandez has imagined his name being announced for years at the MLB amateur draft. It finally happened Sunday. The Gatorade national player of the year and two-time L.A. Times player of the year from Corona High School was chosen No. 6 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates have been successful with Southern California pitchers, having drafted Gerrit Cole (Orange Lutheran), Paul Skenes (El Toro) and Jared Jones (La Mirada) in the past. And they took Warren pitcher Angel Cervantes in the second round on Sunday.
It was an historic opening draft for Corona High, because for the first time, a single high school produced three first-round draft picks. Shortstop Billy Carlson went No. 10 to the Chicago White Sox and third baseman Brady Ebel went No. 32 to the Milwaukee Brewers in joining Hernandez.
“It’s nuts,” said Corona coach Andy Wise, who went to gatherings at the Hernandez and Carlson houses. “It’s an absolute honor to have those kids in our program, and I couldn’t be happier for their families.”
Hernandez was considered the best right-handed high school pitcher in the draft after a sensational senior season in which he struck out 105 batters in 53 1/3 innings while walking only seven using a 99-mph fastball. His ERA was 0.39.
Wise said he has coached no one better. Hernandez missed his first two years of high school being home schooled. The last two seasons his pitching record was 18-1. He has a very good slider and changeup. He’s uniquely ready for the pressure and exposure ahead, having been watched closely for years by scouts and interviewed over and over.
Shortstop Gavin Fien from Great Oak was taken No. 12 by the Chicago White Sox.
In the second round, shortstop Cooper Flemming from Aliso Niguel went to Tampa Bay and shortstop Quentin Young from Oaks Christian was selected by the Minnesota Twins. Tennessee shortstop Dean Curley, a Northview grad, was chosen by the Cleveland Guardians.
The Colorado Rockies made USC third baseman Ethan Hedges the second pick of the third round. He’s a former Mater Dei standout. Former Lakewood pitcher Anthony Eyanson from LSU was selected by the Boston Red Sox at No. 87. Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame first baseman Jack Gurevitch of San Diego went to the St. Louis Cardinals at No. 89. Former Huntington Beach pitcher Ben Jacobs of Arizona State went No. 98 to the Detroit Tigers.
High school shortstop Eli Willits from Oklahoma was taken No. 1 by the Washington Nationals.
MILWAUKEE — As a tour group gathered in the press box at American Family Field on Monday, the stadium guide looked down at the diamond and tried to identify the hitter in a Dodger blue T-shirt taking thunderous swings in an afternoon batting practice session.
“I’m not sure which player that is,” the tour guide said.
One knowledgeable Dodger fan in the group recognized it wasn’t a big-leaguer at all — at least not yet.
“That’s Dino Ebel’s son,” the fan said. “He’s gonna be a top draft pick next week.”
Brady Ebel might not be a household name yet around the sport but in Dodger circles, the rise of the Corona High infielder, and 17-year-old son of longtime third base coach Dino Ebel, has long been a proud organizational story in the making.
Six years ago, Brady and his younger brother Trey (a 16-year-old junior on a loaded Corona team last season), first started tagging along to Dodger Stadium with their dad after the Dodgers hired him away from the Angels at the start of the 2019 season.
Brady Ebel could be one of three Corona High baseball stars to be selected in the first round of the MLB amateur draft next week.
(Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
Back then, they were like many of the other children of players and staff that the family-friendly Dodgers would welcome around the ballpark. Not even teenagers yet, Ebel’s sons would be taking ground balls and shagging in the outfield during batting practice before the start of Dodger games.
Now, they are both standout prospects with major college commitments (Brady to Louisiana State, Trey to Texas A&M) and expected futures in pro ball.
On Sunday, Brady is expected to be a Day 1, and very possibly first round, pick in the MLB draft — a rise borne of his own physical gifts, but also aided by a childhood spent growing up in the presence of big-league players.
“I’m so blessed, me and my brother,” Brady said this week, after accompanying his dad on the Dodgers’ recent road trip in Milwaukee. “It’s my favorite thing to do. Come to the stadium with my dad. Get better. And watch guys go about it. Because I know I’m gonna be here soon. This is what I’m gonna be doing.”
The physical traits that make Brady a coveted prospect are obvious: His 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame; his smooth, compact left-handed swing; his defensive feel and strong throwing arm from the left side of the infield.
What sets Brady apart from the typical high school prospects that populate draft boards this time of year is his unique upbringing in the game, having absorbed countless lessons on his trips to work with his dad.
“Watching those guys do it every day, just being able to be in the clubhouse and walk around and see how guys act, has helped me and my brother a lot,” Brady said, shortly after peppering balls all over the outfield stands at the Brewers’ home ballpark. “I take pieces from everybody.”
Corona High infielders (from left): second baseman Trey Ebel, shortstop Billy Carlson and third baseman Brady Ebel.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The Ebel sons first got an up-close look at major league life in Anaheim, marveling as young boys at superstars such as Mike Trout and Albert Pujols during Dino’s 12-year stint on the Angels’ coaching staff.
When their dad was hired by the Dodgers, their first-person education continued at Chavez Ravine, where many Dodgers players and staffers have marveled at their own evolution into coveted recruits and MLB draft prospects.
“As a dad, I love it, because I get to spend more time with them, and I get to watch them get better,” Dino said. “The process of watching them work with major league players is something I’ll never forget.”
Many days in recent summers, the pair have been a constant presence at the ballpark.
There have been ground rules to follow, as Dino noted: “Stay out of everybody’s way. When you shag, get in the warning track. When you go eat, if a player is behind you, you get in the back of the line.”
The fundamental lessons they’ve learned, from watching players hit in the cage, to catching balls at first base during infield drills, to talking to other members of the coaching staff during quiet stretches of the day, have been endless. The fingerprints it has left on their game have been profound.
“Process, approach, work habits, how to respect the game, how you go about your work every day,” Dino said. “For them to see that, from guys at the top of the chain of elite superstars in the game … that’s what I’ve seen them take into their game. Trying something different. Listening to what the players are telling them in the cage, on the field.”
Brady, for example, has become a keen observer of Freddie Freeman’s work in the batting cage during recent years.
“There’s stuff he grew up doing that he still continues to do,” Brady said of Freeman. “Different drills. Keeping your hands inside. Driving the ball up the middle. I’ve been doing that since I was 8. And he’s 30-whatever, still doing it. It’s the simple, little stuff.”
As the Ebel boys have gotten older, Dino noticed how they would get home from the stadium, go to a practice field the next day, and replicate specific drills and techniques they’d witnessed the night before.
“It’s pretty special for me, as a dad, to watch them go through this process,” Dino said. “And then, as a coach, how they’re getting better each day they come out here.”
Such roots haven’t been lost on evaluators. Most scouting reports of Brady note his advanced approach and discipline at the plate. MLB Pipeline’s write-up of him ahead of the draft lauded his baseball IQ, and that “his experience working with big leaguers for a long time was clearly on display” as a prep player.
In Baseball America’s latest mock draft, Brady is projected to go 33rd overall to the Boston Red Sox — where he could join Corona teammates Seth Hernandez and Billy Carlson as the highest-drafted trio of high school teammates in the event’s history.
Looming seven picks after that, however, are the Dodgers, a team that would need no introduction to a player that grew up before their eyes.
“That would be really cool, just to be with my dad’s organization,” Brady said of possibly winding up with the club. “We’ll see what happens on draft day. You never know.”
Kobe Bryant was in a great mood as the Lakers assembled in El Segundo for their 2009 media day.
And for good reason. The Lakers had just won their 15th NBA title a few months earlier and were favored to win No. 16 at the conclusion of the upcoming season (spoiler alert: they did).
The Times’ article covering that preseason kickoff event described Bryant as “beaming” as he posed for photos and filmed various promotional videos, including one intended for use at Dodger Stadium.
At one point, Bryant stood with a baseball bat ready to take a swing. At another, he placed an oversized, blue foam finger over his hand. Throughout the process, the reigning Finals MVP wore his full Lakers uniform.
On Thursday, the Dodgers unveiled a Bryant bobblehead that seems to have been inspired by that day nearly 16 years ago. The late Lakers legend is wearing his basketball uniform, holding a bat and standing in a batter’s stance.
And he is beaming.
The Dodgers will be giving away the bobblehead to the first 40,000 ticketed fans when they play the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 8 at Dodger Stadium.
Bryant and daughter Gianna were among the nine people who died in a Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash in Calabasas. During a pregame ceremony honoring Bryant on his birthday (Aug. 23) that year, every Dodgers player and coach took the foul line wearing a gold Lakers jersey featuring either No. 8 or No. 24, the two numbers he wore during his Hall of Fame career.
The team also honored Bryant by giving fans special Dodgers jerseys designed in his honor at one game each in 2023 and 2024.
Long Beach City College football coach Brett Peabody has agreed to resign following backlash from a profane direct message he sent to an online publisher who is critical of President Trump.
On the day of Trump’s inauguration in January, Peabody sent a private message to Aaron Rupar, who has nearly 1 million followers on X. Rupar, in turn, made the message public.
“You’re done you sorry fascist scumbag, hope you get held accountable for the bulls— that yiu e spread. Justice is in the horizon kiddo,” Peabody’s direct message read. He then added “you’ve*” to correct his own typo.
Rupar shared the message on his X account and added, “I get lots of threatening DMs but I usually don’t get them from head coaches of college football programs.” That post has been viewed 1.2 million times and reposted by 4,200 users as of Wednesday.
Records obtained by the Long Beach Post show that Peabody has agreed to resign. Emails the Post obtained indicate Peabody was placed on paid administrative leave in February and a month later he agreed to resign at the end of the year.
Peabody will remain on paid leave through December and will be paid a six-month severance of approximately $60,000, according to a settlement agreement obtained by the Post.
Marques Cooper was named LBCC acting head coach in March. Cooper had been the defensive coordinator and has been an assistant coach at Azusa Pacific, El Camino College and Santa Monica City College.
Peabody told the Long Beach Post in January that sending the message to Rupar was “dumb” and “was clearly not the best decision.” He apologized to LBCC, saying the tone of the post was “harsh and regrettable,”
“It was not a threat in any way, shape or form,” Peabody said. “If you read it, I’m not sure how it could be construed as a threat. … I’d like to see journalists held at a higher standard.”
A petition to reinstate Peabody that was posted on change.org by LBCC players and associates of Peabody has 68 signatures. “Throughout his tenure with us, [Peabody] has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and a true, burning passion for helping athletes develop both their skills and character,” the petition reads.
Peabody took over as head coach at LBCC in 2013, leading the Vikings to conference titles and bowl wins in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Previously, he was head coach and an assistant at L.A. Harbor College and head coach at South High School in Torrance.
For fans, parents and sportswriters,Edison’s seven-on-seven passing tournament, known as the Battle at the Beach, on Saturday is a key moment in the summer passing season, leading to the start of official football practice at the end of the month.
It’s not about wins and losses on Saturday but seeing which teams and players have made progress in the offseason and getting a first look at transfer students to see how they might fit in. It’s also a sensitive time for coaches trying to keep players happy so they don’t transfer to another school just as the season is about to begin.
The opportunity to see top skill-position players performing for their teams before pads come on next month is always the attraction of the well-run Edison tournament. The 9 a.m. games offer perhaps the best matchups of the day: Edison vs. Santa Margarita, Cathedral vs. St. John Bosco and Servite vs. Mission Viejo. One of those teams almost certainly will be crowned champion by the end of the day.
Edison coach Jeff Grady understands players are fresh and focused at the start of a long day, so that’s the time you learn the most about a team.
4 more days away from our annual Battle at the Beach Tournament as the Pool Play and Bracket Schedules are officially set
— Edison Football ⚡️ (@EdisonChargerFB) July 9, 2025
Mission Viejo, having beaten Mater Dei to win its own tournament last month, gets the favorite’s role behind quarterback Luke Fahey, an Ohio State commit. Santa Margarita will receive lots of attention in its first appearance since Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer was named head coach. There will be lots of focus on quarterbacks, from St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu to Palos Verdes’ Ryan Rakowski.
Coaches invited to this event know their players are expected to act classy with no fights. The officials use the event to get into shape for the season ahead and try out new officials. Players get to high-five their friends after intense competitions knowing they’re still friends, win or lose.
No one wins an 11-man championship based on seven-on-seven success (linemen are important), but there are so many good receivers and defensive backs in this tournament that it‘s always entertaining to watch and check out if any new players are ready to make an impact.
This picture of Renee Smajstrla was taken at Camp Mystic on Thursday, her uncle wrote on Facebook
Young attendees and staff at summer camps are among the victims of flash floods in Texas – along with teachers, a football coach, and a “hero” father who smashed open a window to free his family amid rising water.
Authorities say at least 104 people are known to have died – most of them in Kerr County. At least 27 girls and staff died at one location, Camp Mystic, alone.
Many of the victims have been identified in the US media by their relatives. Here is what we know so far about those who have been named – many of whom were children.
Renee Smajstrla
Camp Mystic is a nearly century-old Christian summer camp for girls on the banks of the Guadalupe River near the community of Hunt.
Operated by generations of the same family since the 1930s, the camp’s website bills itself as a place for girls to grow “spiritually” in a “wholesome” Christian atmosphere “to develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem”.
Renee Smajstrla, 8, was at the camp when floodwaters swept through, her uncle said in a Facebook post.
“Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly,” wrote Shawn Salta.
“We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday,” he wrote. “She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.”
Watch: Volunteers help lead search for their neighbours after Texas flooding
Lila Bonner
Nine-year-old Lila Bonner, a Dallas native, was found dead after flooding near Camp Mystic, according to NBC News.
“In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time,” her family told the news outlet.
“We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly.”
Eloise Peck
Eloise Peck, 8, was also confirmed dead after the deluge at Camp Mystic, according to CBS News Texas. US media reported that she was best friends with Lila Bonner.
A sign posted outside Eloise Peck’s home said “she lost her life in the tragic flooding”, and asked for privacy for the family.
Sarah Marsh
Camp Mystic
Sarah Marsh, a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary School in Alabama, would have entered third grade in August.
She, too, was attending Camp Mystic and her grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, posted online to say that her granddaughter was among the girls killed.
“We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever!” she wrote.
In a post on Facebook, Alabama Senator Katie Britt said she was “heartbroken over the loss of Sarah Marsh, and we are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time”.
Janie Hunt
Nine-year-old Janie Hunt from Dallas, was attending the same camp and died in the floods.
Her grandmother Margaret Hunt told The New York Times she went to Camp Mystic with six of her cousins, who were all safe.
Margaret said Janie’s parents had to visit a funeral home and identify their daughter.
Janie was a great-granddaughter of the oil baron William Herbert Hunt.
Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence
Twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 8, also died after attending Mystic, their grandfather told the Miami Herald.
“It has been an unimaginable time for all of us,” grandfather David Lawrence Jr told the newspaper in a statement. “Hanna and Rebecca gave their parents John and Lacy and sister Harper, and all in our family, so much joy.”
David had earlier clarified that the twins’ elder sister Harper was safe.
Watch: Senator Ted Cruz talks about the children lost at Camp Mystic
Dick Eastland
Richard “Dick” Eastland, the longtime co-owner and co-director of Camp Mystic, died while being flown to a Houston hospital.
The news was confirmed by Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who attended Bible study with Dick and described him as a pillar of the local community.
Dick’s wife, Tweety, was found safe at their riverside home, according to Texas Public Radio.
The Eastlands had run Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River, since 1974, becoming the third generation of their family to do so.
According to the Washington Post, the couple had 11 grandchildren and much of the extended family was involved in camp life.
The couple’s eldest son, Richard, manages the camp kitchen and their youngest, Edward, directs operations with his wife.
Chloe Childress
Chloe Childress was one of Mystic’s camp counsellors. The 18-year-old’s death was announced by her former high school.
“Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave. She understood what it meant to be part of a community, and more than that, she helped build one,” the headteacher of Kinkaid School wrote in a letter.
She was due to start studies at the University of Texas in Austin later this year, ABC News added.
Jane Ragsdale
Heart O’ the Hills
Jane Ragsdale was described as the “heart and soul” of Heart O’ the Hills camp
Heart O’ the Hills is another all-girls’ camp that sits along the Guadalupe River, which was in the path of Friday’s flood.
Jane Ragsdale, described as the “heart and soul” of Heart O’Hills, “did not make it”, a statement shared on the camp’s official website said on Saturday.
Ragsdale, who started off as a camper then a counsellor, became the director and co-owner of the camp in 1976.
“We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the statement said.
No campers were residing at the site when the floods hit and and most of those who were there have been accounted for, according to the statement.
Julian Ryan
GoFundMe
As floodwaters tore through their trailer in Ingram, Texas, Julian Ryan turned to his fiancée Christina Wilson and said: “I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all” – Christina told Houston television station KHOU.
His body wasn’t recovered until hours later, after waters had receded.
Julian had just finished a late dishwashing shift at a restaurant when the Guadalupe River overflowed early Friday.
He and Christina woke to ankle-deep water that quickly rose to their waists. She told the station their bedroom door stuck shut and with water rushing in, Ryan punched through a window to get his family out. He severely cut his arm in the process.
Their 13-month-old and 6-year-old sons and his mother survived by floating on a mattress until help could arrive.
“He died a hero, and that will never go unnoticed,” Connie Salas, Ryan’s sister, told KHOU.
Katheryn Eads
Katheryn Eads, 52, was swept away by floodwaters in the Kerrville area of Texas, early on Friday morning after she and her husband, Brian, who told The New York Times, fled their campervan as rising water surged around them.
Another camper had offered them a ride and they made it across the street before the vehicle stalled in the flood.
Moments later, both were pulled into the current. Brian said he lost sight of his wife after being struck by debris. He survived by clinging onto a tree until he reached dry land.
Katheryn’s body was later recovered.
“God has her now,” her mother, Elizabeth Moss Grover, wrote on Facebook.
Amy Hutchinson, director of Olive Branch Counselling in Texas, where Katheryn had worked, told The Washington Post she was “a hope and a light to all who knew her… a stellar counsellor and professor.”
Jeff Wilson
Humble ISD
Teacher Jeff Wilson was also killed in Kerrville, according to the local school authority, which said he was a “beloved teacher and co-worker” who had served the district for more than 30 years.
His wife and son were still missing, according to the post by the Humble Independent School District.
The group were on a camping trip when flooding struck, CBS News Austin reported.
Reece and Paula Zunker
The death of another teacher, Reece Zunker, was announced by a second Texan schools authority.
The football coach died alongside his wife Paula, according to Kerrville Independent School District. Their two children are still missing, the district’s Facebook post added.
“Reece was a passionate educator”, the Facebook post said. Paula, a former teacher, also “left a lasting mark”, the impact of which continued to be felt.
Blair and Brooke Harber
Two sisters from Dallas – 13-year-old Blair Harber and 11-year-old Brooke Harber – were staying with their grandparents along the Guadalupe River when their cabin was washed away, CBS News reported.
The deaths were confirmed by St Rita Catholic Community, where Brooke was due to start sixth grade. Blair was preparing to enter eighth grade.
“Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead,” said Father Joshua J Whitfield in correspondence with church members.
The girls’ parents were in a separate cabin and were not harmed. Their grandparents are still unaccounted for.
Bobby and Amanda Martin
Husband and wife Bobby Martin, 46, and Amanda Martin, 44, also lost their lives, Mr Martin’s father told the New York Times.
They, too, were said to be staying near the river when their vehicle was swept away by rising flood waters.
Bobby was described by a friend who spoke to the Houston Chronicle as a keen outdoorsman and attentive friend, and Amanda was the “same shining light”.
Tanya Burwick
Walmart employee Tanya Burwick, 62, was driving to work in San Angelo when flood water hit early on Friday, family members said.
Her empty vehicle and later her body were found the same day.
“She lit up the room and had a laugh that made other people laugh,” her daughter Lindsey Burwick was quoted as saying by the AP news agency.
Sally Sample Graves
Grandmother Sally Sample Graves was another victim of the flooding in Kerrville, according to her granddaughter, who posted a tribute on Facebook.
A huge wave is said to have destroyed Sally’s home.
“Her unwavering dedication to family has left an indelible mark on our lives,” Sarah Sample wrote. Her father survived the incident, she added.
Kaitlyn Swallow
The death of 22-year-old Kaitlyn Swallow in Williamson County was announced by county officials on Saturday.
She was from the Liberty Hill area, and her body was recovered alongside the remains of another person. Officials did not give further information.
Quarterback Makena Cook, injured during the girls’ soccer season, should be ready to go this fall. Cook, whose ability to throw spirals with precision and length helped make her the No. 1 quarterback in the state, will need to adjust to a major rule change that allows defenses to start from just one yard away from the ball instead of seven yards.
That is expected to lead to fewer points scored, quarterbacks forced to release the ball quicker and fewer long passes. It also creates the opportunity for coaches to deploy more sophisticated defenses, such as deciding how many defenders to rush and mixing up their coverages.
Shielding the quarterback long enough to give them time to throw will be the big challenge. Blocking and screening is illegal, so teams need to figure out ways to disguise plays or trick defenses long enough to create opportunities for big plays.
There’s lots of discussions happening in the Sherman family. Kristen is head coach for Orange Lutheran’s flag football team. Her husband, Rod, is head coach for the Lancers’ 11-man team. Film night isn’t “Top Gun: Maverick.”
“In the Sherman house, we’ve been watching a lot of film for boys and girls,” Rod said.
There should be no problem creating interest in finding players. The City Section is up to 85 flag football teams and growing. Chaminade and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame are adding teams in the Southern Section, with Harvard-Westlake set for next year when it opens its new River Park athletic complex.
With the Chargers and Rams providing support and the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 having a flag football competition, the sport is set for major growth.
Cook became one of the stars last season and still has two more years of eligibility, making her the early face of excellence at the quarterback position in Southern California.
Chandler “the Jet” Jones, a local football legend who set records as a wide receiver at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance and San José State University, died at age 33 in a freeway accident in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to the L.A. County medical examiner.
Jones was hit by a Toyota RAV4 near the Centinela Avenue off-ramp of the 90 Freeway around 2 a.m. Sunday, the California Highway Patrol told MyNewsLA.
“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of alum, Chandler Jones ‘09,” Bishop Montgomery High School said in a Facebook post. “Jones was a standout player on Bishop’s football team and still holds the record for longest kick-off return (97 yards) and longest fumble recovery (98 yards).”
Jones was a star wide receiver as a San José Spartan and, after a brief stint in the pros, went on to hold coaching positions at his alma mater, as well as the College of Idaho and the Montreal Alouettes.
“Forever in our hearts, #89,” the San José State football program wrote on X. “In loving memory of Spartan wide receiver and coach, Chandler Jones.”
For the record:
9:44 a.m. June 24, 2025A previous version of this article listed the wrong university for coaches Brent Brennan and Greg Stewart. They coach at the University of Arizona, not Arizona State University.
His former San José State football coach Brent Brennan, who now coaches at the University of Arizona, said on X that his heart was broken by the news of Jones’ death.
“From his freshman year as a WR, to coaching on our staff, he made @SanJoseStateFB better everyday,” said Brennan. “The Jet was special. Love you brother.”
During his 2013 season at San José State, Jones ranked No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference in receiving yards per reception. During that season, he caught he caught 79 passes for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns from quarterback David Fales, who went on to play for the Chicago Bears, according to reporting from CBS Sports. Jones also ranks second on the Spartans’ career leaderboard in receiving yards with 3,087.
After finishing his Spartan career, Jones went on to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns practice squads in 2014. He joined the Montreal Alouettes practice squad in 2015 and played for the team in 2016, before returning to San José State as a coach in 2017.
“My heart is truly broken — My good friend and my fellow coach welcomed me with open arms when we met in Idaho,” wrote University of Arizona assistant football coach Greg Stewart on X. “Chandler “The Jet” Jones was the real deal, I will always cherish my time with you my brother.”
Middlesbrough have appointed ex-Luton Town manager Rob Edwards as their new head coach.
Edwards, 42, moves to the Riverside Stadium on a three-year deal as the replacement for Michael Carrick, who was dismissed earlier this month.
He led Luton to the Premier League in 2023 but could not avoid relegation from the top flight 12 months later and was then dismissed by the Hatters in January when they were 20th in the Championship.
His job is now to improve a Boro team who ended last season in 10th place, four points outside the play-off spots.
“It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to be head coach of this great football club,” Edwards told the club website., external
“It’s something that’s not lost on me, how big this is, how important this is, and what it means to people. There is an amazing fanbase.”
Ben Howland planned it like this. Of course he did.
This was a coach so engrossed in details that he would grumble about the room temperature at news conferences and call a timeout when his team was in the middle of a big run just so that he could set up his defense.
So it should come as no surprise that before his 10-year run as UCLA’s basketball coach ended in 2013, Howland had schemed for his dream retirement.
In 2011, he bought a four-bedroom, ranch-style house in his native Santa Barbara close to so many old friends and family, knowing the full remodel job would take years. The Howlands moved in three years ago, after the coach’s final season at Mississippi State.
The home is now his departure point for frequent trips to see another old friend — the program he guided to back-to-back-to-back Final Fours from 2006-08. Howland likes to leave many hours before tipoff, arranging his schedule so that he can visit friends or fit in a doctor’s appointment.
He recently learned that he was only one day younger than former Bruins star forward David Greenwood, who died earlier this month from cancer.
“It’s sobering, you know? Sixty-eight now seems young,” Howland said between bites of a Tuscan chicken sandwich inside the Luskin Center on the campus that once served as his basketball home. “But there’s always something. You’ve got to make sure you’re on top of your colon and your prostate, and that’s one of the reasons I come to UCLA for all my doctor appointments.”
The old coach remains close to several retired doctors he’s known for many years, including Jean B. DeKernion, the former longtime chair of UCLA’s urology department, and Bennett Roth, the gastroenterologist who established the school’s endoscopy unit.
Perhaps nobody at the school can put a smile on his face like the current basketball coach. Mick Cronin and Howland have known one another since the former helped run Sonny Vaccaro’s ABCD Camp in the 1990s, going on to forge a friendship rooted in mutual respect.
UCLA coach Ben Howland celebrates after a basket by Malcolm Lee against Michigan State in the 2011 NCAA tournament.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
There’s so many similarities between the coaches, from their demanding practices to their relentless defenses to their wry senses of humor to their lack of hair to their admiration for things that are difficult but worthwhile.
“Coaching’s changed and I can still appreciate Mick because he comes from the old school and what he’s doing is no different than what [Bob] Huggins and [Rick] Pitino did as he’s working for them and watching these guys, who are both Hall of Famers, two of the greatest coaches ever,” Howland said.
“And because you’re demanding — I mean, I think my players always knew at the end of the day that I loved them and was trying to get the most out of them, I’m trying to push them to be their very best, but as long as they know that you really love them and care about them and you want what’s best for them most of all, then they respect that and I think he does that.”
A regular at UCLA practices and games, Howland sometimes comes alone and other times brings his wife, Kim, and some combination of children Meredith and Adam and grandsons Benjamin, Elijah, Asher and Abraham.
“I really enjoy it,” Howland said of coming to games at Pauley Pavilion. “I mean, I’m a fan too. I was yelling like crazy during that Wisconsin win. I’m telling you, I was so pumped up; that was such a great win, really, really exciting because they were good and you knew how important that game was. The same thing with the Michigan State win, that was an incredible win.”
During his first year of retirement, Howland received a standing ovation during a timeout when he stepped onto the court as an honorary captain. Fans who recognize him during games shower him with appreciation, telling him that he did a great job or they really love him or they treasured his decade-long run at UCLA that was the longest by any Bruins coach since John Wooden’s 27-year reign ended in 1975.
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, right, sits next to then-UCLA coach Ben Howland during a news conference at Honda Center in December 2006.
(Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)
Howland said he agreed with those who believe the school should honor its Final Four teams with a banner inside Pauley Pavilion alongside those that recognize national championships.
“I mean, in this day and age, it’s incredibly difficult to, No. 1, get to the Final Four,” Howland said, “and we can’t be arrogant to where we don’t recognize that.”
Maybe the game that gets mentioned most in any conversation with Howland is the comeback from 17 points down against Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 of the 2006 NCAA tournament. In the final seconds, with his team trailing by only one, Howland could be seen in front of the UCLA bench mimicking the defense he wanted his players to apply, waving his arms wildly.
Cedric Bozeman and Jordan Farmar complied, trapping J.P. Batista in the backcourt before Bozeman knocked the ball loose. Farmar grabbed the ball and threw a lob to teammate Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, whose layup put UCLA ahead with 9.2 seconds left. In an even more remarkable display, Mbah a Moute tackled the ball at midcourt to force a jump ball, giving the Bruins possession on the way to an eventual 73-71 triumph.
“That’s incredible — I’ve never seen that,” Howland said of Mbah a Moute’s heroic defense. “The best thing about it was the whole idea that you never stop, you keep fighting the entire time until the clock is at 0:00.”
The clock ran out on Howland’s time at UCLA after a season in which the Bruins won the Pac-12’s regular-season title but lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The coach whose admiration for UCLA went back to watching Wooden’s first national championship in 1964, held a farewell news conference to convey his gratitude.
“It was a real blessing to be here,” Howland said, “and I wanted to leave taking the high road, doing it the right way.”
By that point, a narrative had emerged that Howland had changed his ways, forgoing the sort of grinders such as Mbah a Moute and Lorenzo Mata-Real who had fueled his early success in favor of more prolific scorers. Howland disagreed, pointing out that he left replacement Steve Alford with five eventual NBA players — Zach LaVine, Norman Powell, Kyle Anderson, Travis Wear and Jordan Adams — upon his departure.
UCLA coach Ben Howland prepares to talk to his players during a timeout against Washington in December 2010.
(Katie Falkenberg / For the Times)
Having been offered a job by a Big Ten school — he won’t say which one — during his second-to-last-year at UCLA, Howland remained a coveted coach. He agreed to go to Mississippi State in 2015, ringing a cowbell at his introductory news conference and getting to know quirky football coach Mike Leach. (“He loved the microphone, loved to be on camera, very funny,” Howland said of the late Leach.)
Yet the recruiting challenges in rural Starkville, Miss., made winning far more difficult than it was in Westwood.
“Kids aren’t growing up saying, ‘I always wanted to be a Mississippi State Bulldog’ like they do a Bruin,” Howland said.
The Bulldogs went to one NCAA tournament in Howland’s seven seasons, losing in the first round, though they were on the bubble during a COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season that ended after they had secured a double bye in the Southeastern Conference tournament. The school dismissed him in March 2022.
The timing proved fortuitous in that it allowed Howland to come home and spend two years with his mother before she passed away. Other family remains nearby. Howland’s son, Adam, is a deputy district attorney based in Santa Barbara and his daughter, Meredith, is a nurse who lives in Valencia. A granddaughter is expected to arrive in October.
Howland said he misses the relationships with his players and assistants, not to mention the practices and games. But old friends abound. He recently went to a Dodgers game with Mata-Real, and several links to his time at UCLA remain on campus. Doug Erickson is the do-everything director of basketball administration, Chris Carlson an associate athletic director, Kenny Donaldson a senior associate athletic director and Alex Timiraos the director of athletic communications.
“I hired Kenny as our academic coordinator,” Howland said. “Now he’s [athletic director] Martin Jarmond’s right-hand guy, along with Chris.”
The current UCLA players might as well be Howland’s given his glowing praise. Consider his takes:
On transfer point guard Donovan Dent: “Boy, to have him coming in here as the point guard next season, it’s such a critical element.”
Donovan Dent is among the new players on coach Mick Cronin’s UCLA roster for the 2025-26 season.
(David Richard / Associated Press)
On transfer big man Xavier Booker: “I watched him in our game here [against Michigan State]; I was like, who’s that guy? I liked the way he moved, I liked his athleticism. He just needs minutes. I think Mick will get a lot out of him to help his team.”
On returning forward Eric Dailey Jr.: “He had big games in big games. He’s just got to consistently bring that, but he’s only a junior.”
Howland acknowledged being “heartbroken” that center Aday Mara transferred to Michigan on the cusp of a huge season after two years of development under Cronin.
“They had done such a great job of bringing him along,” Howland said, “and he was finally going to really have the kind of year that he’s capable of this year. I think he’ll be heartbroken that he’s not here come this next season.”
One guy who can be counted on to be there at big games for the foreseeable future is a face familiar to a generation of UCLA fans, clapping wildly, his heart full, a Bruin until the end.
Dan Keeler, the new captain of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, called up his football coaches from his days at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High earlier this week, along with his English teacher, to give them a salute for the impact they made on a teenager now in charge of one of the Navy’s most powerful ships.
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Capt. Dan Keeler recognizes his Sherman Oaks Notre Dame teaches and coaches during a changing of command ceremony for the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The speech by Keeler on Wednesday in Coronado at a changing of the command ceremony offered the real reason coaches coach and teachers teach — to make a difference in a student’s life.
“I learned more about hard work, grit, determination and how to handle pain, honestly, from this group,” he said.
He recalled when Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney gave him a recommendation letter for the Naval Academy: “Coach Rooney, when you handed me the letter, you said, ‘I think you’re going to be good at this,’ and you were right.”
Keeler added, “There were plenty of championships, but I don’t think that’s how these people measure success. I was a very mediocre backup quarterback and defensive back. If I was playing in a football game, we were winning by a lot.
“Those metrics of winning and losing weren’t the only things that mattered. They were important. These educators took all the time to get the best out of their students and I was one of them. They saw something in me and chose to make a positive impact, and I am forever grateful.”
“So that’s always on the agenda. There’s always a bit of scanning to see who’s available, but the focus right now is on Steve and the team and on getting to USA, Mexico and Canada in 2026 and replicating the Germany experience [Euro 2024] for the Tartan Army.”
Scotland begin their quest for a place at World Cup 2026 away to Denmark on 5 September, with Greece and Belarus the other Group C opponents.
“The discussion has always been about getting to the World Cup,” Maxwell said. “Steve is desperate to get there.
“We’ve got a squad that are desperate and fully capable of getting there. We’ve got a nation that want him to get there. We need to get behind everybody to make sure that we find ourselves in USA, Mexico and Canada next year.”
Clarke took over after a second spell for Alex McLeish and is just two games away from equalling the record 71 matches overseen by Craig Brown from 1993-2002.
However, Scotland have only won four of their latest 14 outings, with Monday’s 4-0 friendly win over minnows Liechtenstein needed to lift the gloom after successive Hampden defeats by Greece and Iceland.
“I think, since Steve came in, the missing link for him is the World Cup,” Maxwell added. “He’s been to back-to-back Euros. He’s taken us from League C to League A in the Nations League.
“So I would take a much broader view than the last 12 months. I think that’s too short an outlook.
“We need to be aware of the substantial impact that the team have had, the substantial improvements in the team from where we were and, as I said, focus everybody’s energy on getting to the next World Cup.”
Postecoglou’s style of play at Spurs proved divisive, with a notoriously high line featuring prominently before being ditched for the crucial Europa League run-in.
Frank is known for his use of data in the game, previously stating he is not a lover of shots from outside the box.
Last season, 23% of Brentford’s efforts came from outside the area – the lowest in the league – compared to 28% for Spurs.
Last season Brentford attempted 675 crosses, while Spurs delivered 752. Frank may bring with him the need to be more picky in wide areas.
A statistic that stands out is his side’s willingness to compete in the air, with last season’s 1,210 aerial duels the highest figure in the league and dwarfing Tottenham’s 872.
Expect Tottenham to contest things that bit more but, as with shots from range or crosses, Frank seems to want to be smart when it comes to competing.
Brentford fouled far less than Spurs across the past two seasons – indeed, only Manchester City committed fewer fouls than Brentford last season.
Wales captain Ramsey had taken temporary charge as Cardiff were relegated from the Championship last month, Omer Riza having been sacked with three games of the season remaining.
But while it is not clear if a final decision has been made, Barry-Murphy is now the frontrunner to land a first senior manager’s position since leaving Rochdale in 2021.
He would become the Bluebirds’ ninth manager in four years as they prepare to play in the third tier for the first time since 2003.
The Irishman has been on Cardiff’s radar for some time having been under consideration to replace Mick McCarthy in 2021.
Barry-Murphy is a former midfielder with Cork City, Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday, Bury and Rochdale, becoming player-coach at the latter in 2014 at the age of 35.
He succeeded Keith Hill as manager in 2019, winning praise for the side’s style of play and work with homegrown talent despite the team’s relegation to League Two in 2021.
Barry-Murphy resigned from the job to take to take up the role at Manchester City’s academy, succeeding future Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and winning two youth titles, coaching the likes of Cole Palmer, Oscar Bobb and Romeo Lavia while working under Pep Guardiola.
After quitting the Etihad three years later, Barry-Murphy went on to be named as part of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s backroom staff at Leicester in December 2024.
But Barry-Murphy had been keen for a frontline role of his own and could now be handed the challenge of returning Cardiff to the Championship.
Buckingham, who guided Oxford to League One promotion in May 2024, has also held talks with Cardiff.
The 40-year-old is currently without a club having left the Kassam Stadium in December following a poor run of results.
Buckingham, who previously coached in New Zealand and managed City Football Group clubs Melbourne City and Mumbai City, had previously been under consideration by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) before the appointment of Craig Bellamy as national boss.
