Tuchel 'delighted' over Bellingham and Foden return
England manager Thomas Tuchel has backed midfielders Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham following their return to the squad for games against Serbia and Albania.
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The Sports Report: Dodgers bring back Muncy, Vesia, but not Dean, Gonsolin
From Jack Harris: The now two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers made their first moves of the offseason on Thursday.
The biggest one will ensure will ensure a familiar face is back for their pursuit of a three-peat next year.
The team picked up its $10-million club option for third baseman Max Muncy, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly, bringing the now longest-tenured member of the roster back for what will be his ninth season in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers also picked up a $3.55-million club option for reliever Alex Vesia (keeping him out of arbitration), according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. Additionally, they shook up the 40-man roster with a series of maneuvers that included Tony Gonsolin being designated for assignment.
None of the moves were overly surprising, starting with the option the Dodgers exercised at the end of a two-year, $24-million deal Muncy signed in the 2023 offseason.
From Ryan Kartje: The drill is simple. Just a basic throw-and-catch warm-up, called “Pat-and-Go,” that USC and many other football programs do virtually every day. Quarterbacks loosen their arms, while pass catchers get their legs warm, running routes on air. It’s the sort of drill where it’s easy enough to slough off a rep or two. Or to get a little casual, like playing catch in the yard.
But when Makai Lemon lines up during Pat-and-Go, there is nothing casual about what comes next. Every rep is taken seriously, every reception reeled in with intention. The junior has taken thousands of these reps, caught thousands of these passes over three seasons at USC, each filed away as a data point for Lemon to later access.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one he didn’t catch game-like,” USC coach Lincoln Riley says. “Rarely does he ever take a rep that isn’t very intentional.”
It’s a fitting snapshot of the Trojans’ top receiver, one that captures more than just his prowess as a football player. Every action with Lemon is deliberate, every detail accounted for. That singular focus has made him the most reliable receiver in college football and, come April, a surefire first-round NFL draft pick, all while somehow maintaining a strikingly low profile for a pass catcher of his caliber.
UCLA BASKETBALL
From Ben Bolch: At her players’ request, Cori Close showed up inside Pauley Pavilion five hours before tipoff. The UCLA women’s basketball coach was joined by her assistants and managers for pregame shooting at 6:30 a.m., so many players filling the court that the sessions had to be staggered.
Three days after a lackluster showing in their season opener, the Bruins felt they had something to prove in their first game at home. The additional work before facing UC Santa Barbara on Thursday reflected their commitment.
“I mean, I never have to coach this team’s work ethic,” Close said. “That is never in question. And so that’s a really fun place to be in.”
The day’s biggest gratification would come later, the third-ranked Bruins resembling an All-Star team at times during an 87-50 rout of the Gauchos that showed glimpses of the firepower they hope to fully unleash by season’s end.
Forward Gabriela Jaquez revealed one of the best long-range shooting displays of her career, making four of seven three-pointers on the way to 21 points. Point guard Kiki Rice was a constant playmaker in her return to the starting lineup while scoring 20 points, grabbing eight rebounds and distributing three assists. Shooting guard Gianna Kneepkens added another dimension to the offense with four more three-pointers and 20 points.
LAKERS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The only way that game could have ended was with a free throw.
Thanks to two missed free throws from San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie with 0.2 seconds remaining, the Lakers survived 118-116 Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs in a disjointed game that dragged on for nearly three hours and included 66 total fouls and 84 free throws.
The Lakers (7-2) won their fifth consecutive game, fighting through exhaustion from playing in their third game in four days and a short rotation without guard Austin Reaves. At halftime, players and coaches acknowledged how tired they felt. Coach JJ Redick said when he woke up at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday “it was like a bus had hit me.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Ex-NBA player accused of selling LeBron James injury secrets pleads not guilty
CLIPPERS
Jalen Green scored 29 points in his Phoenix debut, Devin Booker added 24 points and the host Suns beat the short-handed Clippers 115-102 on Thursday night.
Green, who missed the Suns’ first eight games with a right hamstring strain, played 23 minutes and was 10 of 20 from the field, including six of 13 from behind the three-point line.
Grayson Allen, playing through an illness, scored 18, Mark Williams had 13 points and nine rebounds and Royce O’Neale scored 17, 11 in the third quarter when Phoenix outscored the Clippers 40-23 to take a 91-74 lead.
The Clippers lost their third straight. They played without James Harden, who missed the game for personal reasons, and Kawhi Leonard, sidelined with a right ankle sprain.
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra returns from a game in Denver to find his home on fire
KINGS
Brad Marchand scored two goals and Sam Reinhart got the go-ahead goal on his 30th birthday in the Florida Panthers’ 5-2 victory over the Kings on Thursday night.
Anton Lundell got a short-handed goal in the third period and Sam Bennett also scored for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who rebounded from a 7-3 loss against the Ducks to get their first victory on their four-game West Coast road trip.
Marchand has scored a goal in three straight games since returning to the Panthers from a one-game absence to travel to Nova Scotia to support a close friend who lost his daughter to cancer last month. The veteran tied the game late in the first period after taking the puck from Anton Forsberg behind Los Angeles’ net, and he added his ninth goal of the season in the third.
DUCKS
Leo Carlsson‘s short-handed goal midway through the third period proved to be the winner as the Ducks rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 7-5 on Thursday night.
Carlsson scored on a slap shot 10:38 into the third period to give the Ducks a 6-4 lead. Troy Terry had an assist on the goal.
Chris Kreider scored twice, Cutter Gauthier, Olen Zellweger, Ian Moore added goals and Mason McTavish added an empty-netter for the Ducks, who’ve won five consecutive games and seven of their last eight. Lukas Dostal finished with 21 saves.
2028 OLYMPICS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: With no permanent structures to build for the 2028 Olympics, LA28 hopes the lasting legacy of the Summer Games will live on in the hearts of Angelenos through one of the largest volunteer programs ever.
The private organizing committee launched registration for an expanded volunteer program on Thursday, allowing potential volunteers to express interest in participating in community events now, helping with the Games in 2028 or both.
LA28 will partner with local organizations and nonprofits for community volunteering events that will begin before the end of 2025. Potential volunteers for the Olympics, which begin on July 14, 2028, and follow with the Paralympics opening on Aug. 15, can also register their interest now, but applications will not open until summer of 2026.
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1943 — The Detroit Lions and New York Giants play the last scoreless tie in the NFL.
1968 — Red Berenson scores six goals, including four in the second period, to lead the St. Louis Blues to an 8-0 victory over Philadelphia.
1974 — South Africa is awarded the Davis Cup against India. India refuses to play in the final because of its opponent’s apartheid policy. It’s the first time the final is not played.
1985 — Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, the former middleweight boxer convicted twice of a triple murder in 1966 and the hero of a Bob Dylan song, is released after 19 years in prison. Carter, 48, is freed after a federal judge rules the boxer and a co-defendant were denied their civil rights by prosecutors during trials in 1967 and 1976.
1991 — Magic Johnson, who helped the Lakers to five NBA championships, announces he has tested positive for the AIDS virus and is retiring.
1998 — Awesome Again steals Skip Away’s thunder and the $5.12 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs with a three-quarter length victory over Silver Charm. Skip Away finishes sixth and misses becoming the first horse to earn $10 million.
1999 — Tiger Woods becomes the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win four straight tournaments, capturing the American Express Championship.
2003 — The defending champion U.S. baseball team fails to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, losing to Mexico 2-1 in the quarterfinals of a qualifying tournament in Panama City, Panama.
2008 — Jerry Sloan is the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games with one team when his Utah Jazz beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 104-97. Sloan, 1,000-596 with the Jazz, has an overall coaching record of 1,094-717 with the Jazz and Chicago Bulls.
2009 — Zenyatta comes from last after a poor start and fights off Gio Ponti in the stretch to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 5-year-old mare, ridden by Mike Smith, beats a loaded field of 11 males and becomes the first female to win the race in its 26-year history.
2010 — Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning starts his 200th consecutive game, a 26-24 loss at Philadelphia. Manning joins Brett Favre as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to start 200 consecutive games.
2016 — Stephen Curry sets an NBA record with 13 three-pointers — one game after missing all his long-range attempts for the first time in two years — and the Golden State Warriors beat the winless New Orleans Pelicans 116-106. Curry finishes with 46 points, three days after his league-record streak of 157 games with at least one three was snapped.
2018 — For the second straight year, France wins the Six Nations Rugby Championship on points difference from Ireland.
2021 — Kyle Larson holds off Martin Trues Jr. in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway to earn his 10th win of the season and claim his first Cup Series championship.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Controversial County Kookaburra ball trial scrapped
The experiment of using Kookaburra cricket balls in some rounds of the County Championship has been scrapped.
Kookaburras have been used in some rounds for each of the past three seasons, but the move was largely unpopular due to the trend of bat dominating ball.
Directors of cricket from the 18 first-class counties expressed their desire to end the experiment in October.
And the decision was confirmed by a meeting of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s professional game committee (PGC) earlier this week.
It means all 14 rounds of the 2026 County Championship season will be played with balls manufactured by Dukes.
Dukes are the traditional supplier of cricket balls for first-class cricket played in England. Dukes balls are hand-stitched and, in general, offer more assistance to bowlers.
Kookaburra balls are machine made and are mainly used in countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The Kookaburra ball was introduced into the County Championship with the idea of preparing English players for overseas conditions. The theory was that it would encourage bowlers of higher pace and lead to spin having an enhanced role.
It was used for two rounds of matches in 2023, and expanded to four rounds for 2024 and 2025.
Two rounds of Kookaburra matches earlier this summer, played in June, resulted in a lot of dull cricket. The average first-innings total across the Championship was 430, 59 individual scores of 100 or more were made and Surrey racked up 820-9 declared against Durham at The Oval.
The ECB’s high performance arm – those involved in the England teams rather than the county game – still stands by the decision to use the Kookaburra, however, which points to the conflicts within the game.
Speaking last month before the decision was confirmed, ECB men’s performance director Ed Barney said: “We valued the Kookaburra ball. Has it achieved what we intended to? Yes, 100%.
“To be most effective with the Kookaburra ball you have to bowl at a higher speed. Has it drawn more spin bowling into the domestic game? Yes it has.”
Statistics from the past three County Championship seasons shows the optimal bowling speeds with the Kookaburra were around 85mph, but 75-79mph with the Dukes.
Forty per cent of deliveries were bowled by spinners during Kookaburra rounds but only 25% when using the Dukes.
“Ultimately the domestic game has a decision to make of whether it wants its core purpose to be about producing and developing players for international cricket or whether its core purpose is about a product that is competitive and appealing to the domestic context,” added Barney.
“That is the choice the domestic game and ECB has to make, and it is quite difficult for it to co-exist together.”
The move to return to the Dukes for the entire Championship season comes after counties rejected proposals to restructure the competition.
A new set-up of 12 teams in the top flight and six in the bottom tier, with each side playing 13 matches, was turned down in favour of the current system.
The Championship will remain with 10 teams in Division One, eight in Division Two, all playing 14 matches.
Ex-NBA player accused of selling LeBron injury info pleads not guilty
NEW YORK — Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he profited from rigged poker games and provided sports bettors with non-public information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Jones, a onetime teammate of James, said little during back-to-back arraignments in federal court in Brooklyn, letting his court-appointed lawyer enter not guilty pleas in a pair of cases stemming from last month’s federal takedown of sprawling gambling operations.
Jones, 49, acknowledged he read both indictments and that he understood the charges and his bail conditions, which include his mother and stepfather putting up their Texas home as collateral for a $200,000 bond that will allow him to remain free pending trial.
Jones’ lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, told a judge that they “may be engaging in plea negotiations.” He is due back in court for a preliminary conference with other defendants on Nov. 24.
Jones was among more than 30 people arrested in the gambling sweep. The others included reputed mobsters and prominent basketball figures, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
Sports bettor Marves Fairley also pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges alleging he cashed in on information about injuries to NBA players, including some that prosecutors say Jones provided to him.
Jones, an NBA journeyman, earned more than $20 million playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008 and he served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’ Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.
According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public information to bettors that James was injured and wouldn’t be playing in a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”
James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ injury report at the time of the text message, but the NBA’s all-time scoring leader was later ruled out of the game because of a lower body jury, according to prosecutors, and the Lakers lost the game 115-106.
On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors said, Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ forward and center at the time, would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.
Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, prosecutors said, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee, prosecutors said.
Jones, a native of Galveston, Texas, who played college basketball at the University of Houston, is charged in both cases with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. As part of his bail agreement, his travel is restricted to parts of Texas and New York City. He was allowed to keep his passport to use as identification for flying until he obtains a REAL ID, which his lawyer said should happen soon.
A hot hand from outside the three-point arc, Jones once proclaimed himself in an interview with Insidehoops.com as “the best shooter in the world.” He played in every regular season game for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006.
After his playing days, he worked as a “shooting consultant” for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016.
In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table.
According to the indictment, Jones was paid $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat by paying close attention to others involved in the scheme. His instructor likened those people to James and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, prosecutors said. When in doubt, Jones was told to fold his hand, prosecutors said.
In response, according to prosecutors, Jones texted: “y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”
The poker scheme often made use of illegal poker games run by New York crime families that required them to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonnano crime families, according to prosecutors.
Members of those families, in turn, also helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, officials said in court documents.
Sisak writes for the Associated Press.
Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown extradited to US to face second degree attempted murder charge
Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown has been extradited from Dubai to the United States to face a charge of second degree attempted murder relating to a shooting incident in May.
The Miami Police department said the former Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was “located in Dubai and was apprehended” before being “extradited to Essex County, NJ (New Jersey), by US Marshals”.
The added Brown was being held there prior to being moved to the Miami-Dade County Jail.
Following an investigation into the incident in May, police issued an arrest warrant in June which alleged Brown took a gun from a security guard and fired two shots at a man he had brawled with earlier on.
No arrests were made at the time and no injuries were reported.
Brown had been detained by police at the time of the incident before being released.
“I was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewellery and cause physical harm to me,” claimed Brown in a social media post. “Contrary to some video circulating.
“Police temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me. I went home that night and was not arrested.”
Brown played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and scored a touchdown as they beat the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at the end of the 2020-2021 season.
Clippers, playing without Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, are no match for the Suns
PHOENIX — Jalen Green scored 29 points in his Phoenix debut, Devin Booker added 24 points and the host Suns beat the short-handed Clippers 115-102 on Thursday night.
Green, who missed the Suns’ first eight games with a right hamstring strain, played 23 minutes and was 10 of 20 from the field, including six of 13 from behind the three-point line.
The guard was acquired from Houston in the offseason in the seven-team trade that sent Kevin Durant from Phoenix to the Rockets.
Grayson Allen, playing through an illness, scored 18, Mark Williams had 13 points and nine rebounds and Royce O’Neale scored 17, 11 in the third quarter when Phoenix outscored the Clippers 40-23 to take a 91-74 lead.
The Clippers lost their third straight. They played without James Harden, who missed the game for personal reasons, and Kawhi Leonard, sidelined with a right ankle sprain.
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Cam Christie scored 17 off the bench, John Collins had 13 and Bogdan Bogdanovic 12.
Bradley Beal, in his return to Phoenix, had a miserable night for the Clippers. The veteran guard was two for 14 from the field and finished with five points. Beal played two seasons in Phoenix but was frequently sidelined by injuries. He was booed during introductions and every time he touched the ball during the game.
The Suns took their biggest lead at 104-79 on Allen’s three-pointer with 7:53 to go.
In-form Denver Broncos hold on to pip Las Vegas Raiders in NFL
The Denver Broncos ground out a narrow 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders to maintain the best record in the NFL.
In a tight game, just three points scored in the whole second half but they were vital as Wil Lutz scored a 32-yard field goal to send the Broncos to an 8-2 record.
They had more penalties than first downs in a stop-start game at Mile High Stadium but are top of the AFC West after a seventh straight win.
Coach Sean Payton said his team can refine their style as they look to keep on winning games.
“We’ve got to clean up some of the penalties. We’ve got to clean up the execution and that is an ongoing thing that probably never ends,” he said.
Kings’ struggles at home continue in loss to Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand scored two goals and Sam Reinhart got the go-ahead goal on his 30th birthday in the Florida Panthers’ 5-2 victory over the Kings on Thursday night.
Anton Lundell got a shorthanded goal in the third period and Sam Bennett also scored for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who rebounded from a 7-3 loss against the Ducks to get their first victory on their four-game West Coast road trip.
Marchand has scored a goal in three straight games since returning to the Panthers from a one-game absence to travel to Nova Scotia to support a close friend who lost his daughter to cancer last month. The veteran tied the game late in the first period after taking the puck from Anton Forsberg behind the Kings’ net, and he added his ninth goal of the season in the third.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves.
Anze Kopitar got the first goal of his 20th NHL season and Corey Perry also scored for the Kings, who have lost three of four.
Forsberg stopped 19 shots for the Kings, who have started 1-4-2 at their downtown arena after being the NHL’s best home team last season.
Bennett put the Panthers ahead just 2:06 in, controlling and converting the rebound of Jeff Petry’s long shot.
Kopitar scored on the power play midway through the first, and Perry put the Kings ahead on a breakaway set up by a spectacular long pass from Mikey Anderson.
Reinhardt put the Panthers back ahead in the second, getting to the slot and firing a backhand for his seventh goal.
Lundell scored on a short-handed breakaway in the third after a turnover by Adrian Kempe.
Several members of the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers were the Kings’ guests at the game, getting multiple loud ovations.
Up next for Kings: at Pittsburgh on Sunday to open a six-game trip.
Sao Paulo Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton says F1 needs to address lack of ‘transparency’ of race stewards
He added: “It’s something that definitely needs to be tackled. But that’s probably something that needs to be done in the background, I would imagine.”
Hamilton made an oblique reference to the 2021 championship decider in Abu Dhabi, where he controversially lost out on the title to Verstappen as a result of former race director Michael Masi failing to apply the rules correctly during a late-race safety car period.
At the time, race stewards declined to overturn Masi’s decisions. The Australian was later fired by governing body the FIA, before a report into the incident concluded that Masi’s decisions were the result of “human error”.
Speaking before this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “I don’t know if they’re aware of the weight of their decisions. They ultimately steer careers. Can decide results of championships, as you’ve seen in the past. Some work needs to be done there, I’m sure.”
The FIA does not comment on stewards’ decisions as they are meant to operate independently from the governing body.
Ducks go on scoring spree to beat Stars for fifth consecutive win
DALLAS — Leo Carlsson‘s short-handed goal midway through the third period proved to be the winner as the Ducks rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 7-5 on Thursday night.
Carlsson scored on a slap shot 10:38 into the third period to give the Ducks a 6-4 lead. Troy Terry had an assist on the goal.
Chris Kreider scored twice, Cutter Gauthier, Olen Zellweger, Ian Moore added goals and Mason McTavish added an empty-netter for the Ducks, who’ve won five consecutive games and seven of their last eight. Lukas Dostal finished with 21 saves.
Wyatt Johnston had two goals, Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas, which lost for the third time in four games. Miro Heiskanen had four assists and Jake Oettinger made 18 saves.
Dallas had its seven-game points streak halted.
Up next for the Ducks: at the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Ismaila Sarr shines in Crystal Palace Europa Conference League win
Sarr has four goals in his past three appearances and is already close to matching his tally from last season – 12 goals across all competitions.
Palace signed Sarr from Marseille for a fee of about £12.5m in 2024 in an attempt to replace winger Michael Olise, who had joined Bayern Munich that summer.
That is a piece of business that now looks incredibly shrewd, particularly with Eze also leaving the club this year.
Boss Oliver Glasner called the former Watford forward “an important player” for the club.
“It looks like he is dealing really well with this – we know when he has pace, he is really good,” the Austrian said.
“He has such great runs, such great finishes. I remember, more or less, the same finish he had against Brighton [last season].
“He had the same finish against Arsenal in the FA Cup [last season]. He is the one with the pace, and more runs in behind, the most sprinting difference. It helps he creates space for the others. He has done really well.”
The Conference League has been won by an English team in two of the past three tournaments and Palace are among the favourites to add their names to that list this term.
After a shock defeat by AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park last time out, Glasner said the victory in front of their home supporters was much needed.
“I hope it won’t be the last,” he said.
“The first time you always remember, there was a great atmosphere. I think everyone enjoyed it and goes home pleased with the result and the performance.”
Freshman phenom Layla Phillips wins City Section girls’ golf title
No one has won the City Section individual golf championship four times, but Layla Phillips has a chance to be the first.
The 14-year-old freshman from Harbor Teacher Prep carded a five-under-par 67 on Thursday at Balboa Golf Course in Encino, good enough for a six-stroke victory over Macy Lee of El Camino Real.
“She’s been playing since she was 2,” explained her father Kasey, who was there to watch his daughter’s round and could not have been more proud. “Our old house was right off of Maggie Hathaway Golf Course and balls were constantly flying onto our property. It was an annoying thing and my wife was afraid the kids might get hit playing in the backyard. So we complained about it and they offered us free lessons as kind of a peace offering.”
As fate would have it, Layla and her sister Roxanne, one year younger, both took to the sport like fish to water.
“We started taking lessons at Chester Washington Golf Course because they had a better driving range there,” said Layla, who started playing the Toyota Tour Cup series 18 months ago. “We get along great and we practice together everyday. She’s following in my footsteps. We’re opposites. I get really nervous but she just hits the ball and doesn’t care. At times, we have to take advice from each other.”
After bogeying the first hole, Phillips birdied the second, eagled the third and birdied the fourth to vault to the top of the leaderboard. She maintained at least a two-shot lead the rest of the way. A bogey on No. 6 was followed by two pars and three consecutive birdies that stretched the margin to six.
“I can’t be too mad with my performance today but there’s always room for improvement,” said Phillips, who got to six-under before bogeying 18 and who finished two strokes off the City finals record of 65 set last year by Palisades senior Anna Song, now a freshman at Stanford. “I’ve only played this course twice before and I’d never played the back nine.”
Phillips tries to get a round in once a week and plays a two-day tournament every month. She shot six-under (equaling her personal best) to win a Southern California PGA Junior Tour championship in Palm Springs in December. She has won around 50 SCPGA Junior events since she was 10. In March, Roxanne won the L.A. City Junior championship by 15 shots on the same course when she was only 12.
“School lets out at 3:30 so I’m practicing from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at Los Verdes [in Palos Verdes] or Victoria [in Carson],” said Phillips, who finished in the top 10 at the Junior World Golf Championship last year in San Diego.
Phillips longs to play college golf (maybe at USC, which is only a 30-minute drive from where she lives in Harbor City). When told she could potentially be the first four-time City champion, she said: Yeah, it’s a possibility. My best competition in City might be my sister. She’s beaten me a couple of times already.”
She will also have to contend with fellow ninth grader Lauren Song (Anna’s sister) who shot a 75 to finish alone in third Thursday to help Palisades (+55) win its fifth straight team title, one shy of the City record accomplished twice by Granada Hills. The Highlanders finished second by 64 shots Thursday but still advanced to next week’s SoCal Regionals.
New Rangers dawn as far away as ever in European Groundhog Day
May 30 was meant to be the day of a new beginning for Rangers.
New investment. New regime. New manager en route. A new outlook, all triggered by the arrival of a US-based consortium vowing to get the club “back to the top”.
Already the Trumpesque “Make Rangers Great Again” merchandise seen back then has been parked. The star-spangled banners in the Ibrox stands now replaced with statements of protest, accompanied by howls of dissatisfaction.
Five harrowing months on from when the group led by Andrew Cavenagh walked in the big door in the Bill Struth Stand, the feel-good has been has been banished amid interminable disappointment.
It’s been catastrophic so far. A new head coach, Russell Martin, has been and gone – smuggled away in the back of a car – after 123 days.
The process of appointing his replacement garnered ridicule as candidates were in and out like a managerial Hokey Cokey, all before Danny Rohl re-emerged to take charge after earlier withdrawing from the race.
Fans have been seen accosting board members in hotel lobbies and airports, while on the pitch the team languish 14 points off the Premiership summit as Europe continues to to be a traumatic experience.
The latest torturous episode came courtesy of a Roma team who played most of their 2-0 Europa League victory at Ibrox in second gear.
In truth, there was no real need to reach for a third against a Rangers team which was again complicit to stay anchored on zero points.
There have been flickers of improvement under German Rohl, who has won two of his first five games.
Some Rangers fans will be willing for a January window to come quickly, but is there any real faith that it will be their saving grace?
Gabriela Jaquez and UCLA dominate in win over UC Santa Barbara
At her players’ request, Cori Close showed up inside Pauley Pavilion five hours before tipoff. The UCLA women’s basketball coach was joined by her assistants and managers for pregame shooting at 6:30 a.m., so many players filling the court that the sessions had to be staggered.
Three days after a lackluster showing in their season opener, the Bruins felt they had something to prove in their first game at home. The additional work before facing UC Santa Barbara on Thursday reflected their commitment.
“I mean, I never have to coach this team’s work ethic,” Close said. “That is never in question. And so that’s a really fun place to be in.”
The day’s biggest gratification would come later, the third-ranked Bruins resembling an All-Star team at times during an 87-50 rout of the Gauchos that showed glimpses of the firepower they hope to fully unleash by season’s end.
Forward Gabriela Jaquez revealed one of the best long-range shooting displays of her career, making four of seven three-pointers on the way to 21 points. Point guard Kiki Rice was a constant playmaker in her return to the starting lineup while scoring 20 points, grabbing eight rebounds and distributing three assists. Shooting guard Gianna Kneepkens added another dimension to the offense with four more three-pointers and 20 points.
It was the first time the Bruins had three players score 20 or more points since four of them did it against Bellarmine in November 2023.
“There’s so many weapons that I feel like it’s hard for the defense to choose what to take away,” Kneepkens said, “so I think really what makes this team special is that on any night it could be someone’s night, so that’s a really hard thing to scout.”
The challenge for the Bruins (2-0) could be to maximize all that talent.
Close said Rice had sent her an Oklahoma City Thunder news conference in which the team talked about building rhythm with its offense by best utilizing the players who were hot on any given night.
“We’re not quite there yet,” Close said. “We’re not playing with great rhythm. … I think we just haven’t totally found that flow yet.”
UCLA guard Kiki Rice drives to the basket past UC Santa Barbara guard Zoe Shaw during the second half Thursday.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Part of that could be pinned on Rice still rounding into form from a shoulder injury and fellow point guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (eight points, seven assists, three steals) playing in only her second game since returning from a lengthy injury layoff.
The Bruins were also without Sienna Betts (lower leg) and Timea Gardiner (knee) for a second consecutive game. Close said there remained no timetable for Betts’ return even as she continued to progress.
But Close said she liked the way her players responded after describing them as “flat all the way around” in their opener, a 24-point victory over San Diego State.
“The film session after that was not fun. Practice was not fun,” Close said. “And their willingness to say, ‘This is what we need. We need to be challenged. We didn’t meet the standard’ — I’m really impressed with their willingness to do that.”
After some lackadaisical UCLA defense in the first quarter, there was a stretch in the second quarter in which the Bruins made it difficult just to get the ball past halfcourt.
Jaquez stuck out a hand, tipping an outlet pass to herself before going in for a driving layup in which she was fouled. On the Gauchos’ next possession, Leger-Walker came up with another steal, leading to a Rice layup.
It wasn’t long before Jaquez and teammate Lauren Betts (12 points, seven rebounds, six assists) used a double team along the sideline to force another turnover.
Closing the half on a 19-2 run, the Bruins surged into a 51-26 lead. UCLA also benefited from an oddity midway through the second quarter when the Gauchos (1-1) were assessed a technical foul for having a player wearing a jersey number that didn’t correspond with the scorebook.
For UCLA, the biggest challenge might have been scheduling the game.
Close said she’s struggled to get teams to agree to play the Bruins after their Final Four run, calling every school in the state from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Most of UCLA’s marquee nonconference games, starting with a showdown against Oklahoma on Monday in Sacramento, will be at neutral sites.
“They kept saying it’s the Lauren Betts factor and I was like, ‘No, it’s the you’re scared factor. Come on,’ ” Close said. “I actually really lose respect for people who aren’t willing to step up and play hard people.”
The Gauchos eagerly complied in part because they were Close’s alma mater and the spot where she coached for nine years.
“Thank you to them for stepping up and coming into Pauley,” Close said, “and wanting to get better at their craft and growing the game.”
For the Gauchos, given the way things went, they might be owed a Christmas card as well.
Early to rise, the Bruins also put an early end to any upset hopes.
‘Teacher’ Martin O’Neill with work to do as Celtic taught another lesson
The overriding questions remains, though. How long will O’Neill have to improve Celtic?
His return, alongside assistant Shaun Maloney, has brought back a feelgood factor but that was only going to last so long.
The laughs had over O’Neill’s matchday fit have faded, while Celtic’s deep-rooted problems have returned in stark fashion.
Captain Callum McGregor was at the heart of the happiness on Sunday, scoring in the extra-time win, but he was quick to assure no-one had got carried away.
“Nothing’s been solved after a really good game at the weekend,” the midfielder said after defeat in Denmark. “We know that we don’t get too up or too down.
“We come away here against a really good side, a good club, who do a lot of good things and they know what they are.
“There’s a lot of growth still left in our team as well. We know where we are and we know where we want to get to.”
It appears Celtic are far from the latter, and it’s lined up to be an almighty task to get them there, for whoever is charged with taking them there.
On a sobering night, it’s not the interim manager who will take the heat. It’s not even the players being taught by him.
It’s the board who have managed to quieten the clamour aimed in their direction for a few days with the reinstatement of O’Neill who will be feeling the pressure once more.
Dodgers pick up club option on Max Muncy, retaining key part of roster
The now two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers made their first move of the offseason on Thursday.
It will ensure a familiar face is back for their pursuit of a three-peat next year.
The team picked up its $10-million club option for third baseman Max Muncy, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly, bringing the now longest-tenured member of the roster back for what will be his ninth season in Los Angeles.
The decision was not surprising. This year, Muncy had perhaps his best all-around season at the plate since a 2021 campaign in which he received MVP votes. He hit .243, his highest mark since that 2021 season, with 19 home runs, 67 RBIs and an .846 OPS in 100 games. He atoned for a relatively quiet postseason by hitting a crucial home run in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, setting the stage for the team’s ninth-inning comeback and eventual extra-innings, title-clinching victory.
Muncy was in the final season of a two-year, $24-million extension he signed in the 2023 offseason. And injuries have been a problem for the 35-year-old in recent years (he was limited this past season by a knee contusion in July and an oblique strain in August).
However, the $10-million option was a relative bargain for a player who, prior to second-half injuries, had shaken off a slow start to the year by being one of the hottest hitters in the majors in May and June.
His return will also help keep a key part of the club’s veteran core intact, bringing back a player who — in the wake of Clayton Kershaw’s retirement — has been with the Dodgers longer than anybody else.
Muncy’s 2025 season did not start well. After an offseason in which trade rumors involving Nolan Arenado swirled, and a spring training spent working through the lingering after-effects of an oblique and rib injury that limited him in 2024, Muncy hit .176 through his first 34 games, and had only one home run.
In early May, however, he started wearing glasses to address an astigmatism in his right eye. Around that same time, he also found a breakthrough with his swing, one that helped him begin punishing fastballs up the zone. From May 7 to the end of June, he hit .315 with 12 home runs and a 1.039 OPS, one of the best stretches of his 10-year, two-time All-Star career.
That streak was derailed on July 2, when Muncy suffered his knee injury after being slid into at third base. His return a month later was cut short, too, when his oblique began bothering him during a batting practice session in August.
Those IL stints preceded a September slump that carried into the postseason, when Muncy hit just .173 entering Game 7 of the World Series.
But that night, he collected three hits, had the pivotal eighth-inning home run off Trey Yesavage that got the Dodgers back within a run, and became one of six players to contribute to all three of the Dodgers’ recent World Series titles.
“It’s starting to get a little bit comfortable up here,” he joked from atop the stage at the Dodgers’ World Series celebration on Monday. “Let’s keep it going.”
On Thursday, the team ensured his run with the Dodgers will, for at least one more season.
Alex Vesia’s option also picked up
The Dodgers on Thursday also picked up their $3.55-million club option for reliever Alex Vesia in 2026, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. That was also not a surprise, though Vesia still would’ve been under team control and eligible for arbitration if they hadn’t.
Vesia was one of the few consistent performers in the Dodgers’ bullpen this year, posting a 3.02 ERA in a career-high 68 appearances. He was also one of their most trusted relief arms in the playoffs, bouncing back from a two-run outing in the wild-card series opener with 4 ⅓ scoreless innings the rest of the way.
Vesia was not available for the World Series as he and his wife dealt with what the team described as a “deeply personal family matter.” But he figures to be a key cog in their bullpen again next season, in what will be his last before reaching free agency.
Football gossip: Toney, Rodrygo, Rice, Paz, Tonali, Botman, Rashford
Ivan Toney could be offered a route back to England with Tottenham, Real Madrid are keeping tabs on Declan Rice, and Chelsea enquire about Nico Paz.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank could look to reunite with 29-year-old Al-Ahli and England striker Ivan Toney – who he managed at Brentford – in January. (Talksport), external
Real Madrid’s Brazil forward Rodrygo, 24, is also high on Tottenham’s list of attacking targets. (Teamtalk), external
Arsenal have placed a 150m euro (£132m) valuation on England midfielder Declan Rice, 26, who is admired by Real Madrid. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Chelsea have enquired about Como’s Nico Paz, 21, but face strong competition from Real Madrid, who could look to re-sign the Argentina playmaker. (TBR Football), external
Newcastle are “relaxed” about Sandro Tonali’s comments on his future, and will not begin formal talks about a new contract for the 25-year-old Italy midfielder until later in the season. (Mail Plus – subscription required), external
Newcastle are in talks with Netherlands defender Sven Botman, 25, over a new contract, but Sweden defender Emil Krafth, 31, is drawing interest from FC Copenhagen. (Mail Plus – subscription required), external
Barcelona are planning to open formal talks with Manchester United over a permanent deal for 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford. (Teamtalk), external
Napoli could reignite interest in Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20, in January. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external
Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Leeds, Everton, Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the other clubs interested in Mainoo. (Caught Offside), external
Borussia Dortmund are keen to re-sign England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United. (Football Insider), external
Real Madrid are hoping to sign Bayern Munich and France defender Dayot Upamecano, 27, on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season. (Sky Germany – in German), external
Atletico Madrid are keeping tabs on Chelsea’s Spain defender Marc Cucurella, 27, but do not want to move for him until next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Ajax have approached their former manager – and ex-Manchester United boss – Erik ten Hag over a return after suspending head coach John Heitinga. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland dies of apparent self-inflicted gunshot
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police in Frisco, Texas, said Thursday. He was 24.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
The Frisco Police Department said it was called at approximately 10:39 p.m. Wednesday to help the Texas Department of Public Safety to find a vehicle that had entered the city during a pursuit. The state-level law-enforcement agency said in a statement Thursday that it had attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation, but the driver had refused to stop.
The vehicle was soon found unoccupied, crashed on southbound Dallas Parkway near Warren Parkway. A man — later identified as Kneeland, a resident of nearby Plano — was reported to have fled the scene on foot.
Frisco police were told during the search that Kneeland had expressed “suicidal ideations,” the department said in a statement. “Kneeland was later located at 1:31a.m., deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The cause/manner of death will be determined by the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.”
The Plano Police Department had visited Kneeland’s residence at the request of Frisco police at 11 p.m. Wednesday night but officers were unable to make contact with anyone there. At 11:40 p.m., Plano police said, officers responded to a separate call for a welfare concern associated with Kneeland at the same address, but again were unable to make contact.
Kneeland was selected by the Cowboys out of Western Michigan in the second round of the 2024 draft, less than three months after his mother, Wendy Kneeland, died suddenly of an undisclosed illness. Kneeland told the Dallas Morning News last year that he carried some of his mother’s ashes with him everywhere in a tiny urn on a chain around his neck.
“She helped me a lot in my younger years getting into football,” Kneeland said. “I always had the dream. I always told her, ‘I’m going to the NFL’ and I made it. It’s a hard situation just knowing she got to see me potentially going to the NFL and going through [the process]. She’s still with me. I got this urn of her ashes I carry with me everywhere. I still feel like she’s there watching over me.”
Kneeland played in 18 games, including four starts, and had 26 tackles, four quarterback hits and one sack. On Monday night against the Arizona Cardinals, Kneeland recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for his first NFL touchdown.
“I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys,” Kneeland’s agent, Jonathan Perzley, said in a statement. “Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit, and goodness is a pain I can hardly put into words.”
Kneeland’s family also released a statement Thursday.
“We are devastated by this tremendous loss and are still processing the depth of our grief,” the family said. “As Marshawn was making his mark on the football field with the Dallas Cowboys, he held an even more special place off the field — as a devoted son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend. He was kind, determined, humble, and full of love. His light shone brightly in every life he touched, and his spirit will continue to live on through the countless hearts he inspired.”
Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.
Birmingham sees Maccabi-Villa demos amid ‘unprecedented’ policing
Phil Mackie,Midlands correspondent and
Tanya Gupta,West Midlands
ReutersHundreds of protesters have descended on Birmingham ahead of the controversial Aston Villa match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
A huge police operation with more than 700 officers, dogs, horses and drones is under way for the Uefa Europa League match, which kicks off at 20:00 GMT.
Ch Supt Tom Joyce said several groups had been expected to protest, including pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli campaigners, in the wake of the controversial decision to ban away fans from the game.
“We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot. We deal with all sorts of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest, the level of concern around this match is pretty unprecedented,” he said.
ReutersPolice arrested six people before the match started, three on suspicion of racially-aggravated public order offences.
A man, 21, was arrested for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask, and a boy, 17 was held for failing to comply with a dispersal order. Another person was arrested for a breach of the peace.
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza.
A counter protest of pro-Israeli campaigners marched down a road outside Villa Park. Five flatbed vehicles were also driven past the ground prior to kick-off of the Europa League match, carrying electronic billboards showing messages opposing antisemitism.
One message, beside a Star of David, read “Ban hatred not fans” while another carried a quote from Thierry Henry saying football is not about goals but bringing people together.
PA Media
PA MediaOn Thursday, numbers of officers from the West Midlands force were boosted by police from 10 forces across the country.
Ch Supt Joyce, Birmingham’s police commander, said police had prepared for the possibility of people turning up looking for a fight.
“We recognise that those groups who won’t engage with this are probably turning up with different motives to those who want to protest lawfully,” he said.
“The policing operation you can see is partly a reflection of the need to deal with that.”
He told Sky News that “significant levels of hooliganism” among the Maccabi fan base was the reason for the ban.
Police are using Section 60 powers – which allow officers to stop and search anyone – in an area stretching from Aston and Perry Barr to Birmingham New Street and the city centre, which started at midday and run until 03:00 on Friday.
PA MediaVilla supporter Adam Selway turned up for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colours of the home side and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The 48-year-old said he felt sympathy with fans unable to attend and simply wanted to watch a football match, but that he was not making any political statement.
“It’s not about politics, it’s about football,” he said. “It’s not the Villa fans that don’t want anyone here – the Villa fans want the away fans here.”
Earlier, those living and working in the city near Villa Park saw shops and schools close early.
Meanwhile, Jewish Villa fan Elliot Ludvig described his apprehension about attending the match.
Mr Ludvig, who was going to the game with his son, told the BBC: “I’m apprehensive about what’s going to happen. I’m apprehensive about the potential for violence for one thing.
“I’m apprehensive about various unpleasantries that we might encounter along the way, both outside the stadium and inside the stadium.”
EPA‘Football unites us’
He said his other major emotion was “disappointment”.
“Is it worth going to a football game to potentially put myself at some sort of risk and or expose my son to to all sorts of unpleasantries which you might not want to?,” he asked.
Those who called for calm included one fan group, the Punjabi Villans, which urged people to respect each other and for everyone to get home safely, posting on social media: “We’re in this together. Football unites us.”
On Wednesday night, the chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv Jack Angelides said it was “incredibly sad” his side’s fans could not be there, adding: “Politics should never be drawn into football.”
As plans for protests were drawn up earlier in the week, Naeem Malik, chair of West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said there had been national outrage over the hosting of the Israeli team.
“The calls to cancel this match have been ignored despite the risks that it carries, therefore we must urge activists to unite in protest against this match,” he said.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Kashmir solidarity campaign and Palestinian Forum in Britain had called for the match to be cancelled and jointly organised one of the protests.
Reuters
ESPN takes name off betting app and partners with DraftKings
ESPN is shifting its strategy on online sports gambling, ending its partnership with Penn Entertainment.
The companies announced Thursday they were terminating an agreement that offered ESPN equity in Penn, which operated the ESPN Bet sportsbook app. The app will no longer carry the familiar red ESPN logo. It will operate under a new name.
ESPN said it will partner with DraftKings, a leading sports betting company, which will provide odds and other gaming-related data for the Walt Disney Co. unit’s programs and its digital platforms. ESPN’s on-air staff will use DraftKings’ odds starting Dec. 1.
According to people familiar with the ESPN-Penn arrangement, the app simply didn’t reach its financial targets in the highly competitive business, which operates in the 31 states where online gambling is legal.
In 2023, Penn agreed to pay $1.5 billion in cash over the next 10 years for the rights to use the ESPN name on its app. As part of the deal, ESPN promoted the product across its programming and provided access to on-air talent. ESPN had the right to purchase up to 31.8 million shares of Penn stock for $500 million over the 10-year period.
“When we first announced our partnership with ESPN, both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of Penn Entertainment. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration.”
The end of the deal comes shortly after an FBI investigation led to the arrest of Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, who allegedly pulled out of a game claiming injury to deliver a win on one of his prop bets.
ESPN’s decision is unrelated to the recent news, as the company has been in talks for months with DraftKings about a new partnership. But no longer having the ESPN name on a betting app will keep the brand out of the line of fire if the NBA case escalates.
Beginning in December, DraftKings will have its app exclusively integrated across ESPN’s platforms.
The companies said they will “collaborate to advance their shared commitment to responsible gaming, by dedicating prominent assets to educate, raise customer awareness and promote responsible play through campaigns and integrations.”
DraftKings will provide the betting tab within the ESPN app and its customers will receive special promotions for ESPN’s newly launched direct-to-consumer streaming product.
DraftKings operates in 28 states and in Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada, and has more than 10 million customers across its products.