DANY BAY

The Major League Baseball Players' Association delivered its first proposals to MLB on Wednesday as labor talks officially opened in New York.

The union proposed that the minimum salary increases nearly doubles from $780,000 to $1.5 million, and lowers free agency from six years to five years for players 30 and older. The MLBPA also proposed that each club would be guaranteed a minimum of $240 million in revenue-sharing each season.

Low-revenue clubs, such as theMilwaukee BrewersandTampa Bay Rays, would receive monetary bonuses for qualifying for the playoffs or even having a winning record.

The proposal would penalize teams for not putting the revenue-sharing money back towards players, with each club required to have a payroll of at least $150 million.

“Today, the MLBPA presented a comprehensive set of economic proposals designed to advance the rights and benefits of players at all levels,” MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer said.

“Our goal is to preserve and improve baseball’s market system, rewarding competition on and off the field. Additionally, the players’ proposals provide increased revenue sharing initially guaranteeing every small market Club a minimum of $240 [million] in revenue every season."

“This enhanced revenue sharing includes added protections to ensure clubs prioritize winning over profiteering. Ultimately, our proposals are designed to build upon the incredible momentum and popularity of our sport world-wide.”

Major League Baseball, which is expected to make its initial proposal Thursday, said that the union’s pitch will create greater imbalance in the game, with 78% of the top 15 teams in payroll qualifying for the NLCS and ALCS the past decade.

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“We appreciate the union making a set of proposals and we look forward to continuing the bargaining process and working towards solving the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us needs to be addressed," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said. “We understand their proposals are designed to benefit players. Unfortunately, they do not address, and in fact, exacerbate the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us we must address.

“The MLBPA’s proposal would reduce the amount transferred to lower-revenue clubs, weaken the competitive balance tax, and lead to even more payroll disparity that exists today. For example, under the union’s proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax penalties, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll."

The union is also seeking that more players be eligible for salary arbitration, increasing it from players who are among the top 22% in service time with at least two years of service to 44%, and increasing the minimum offer to $3 million.

The union wants qualifying offers for free agents eliminated, as well as any penalties for clubs signing free agents, while increasing benefits to low-payroll clubs who lose players to free agency.

The union also is seeking the luxury tax thresholds are increased from $244 million to $300 million while all non-monetary penalties (draft picks) are removed. Also included are more rules to combat potential service time manipulation while expanding the draft lottery to further disincentivize tanking.

“We all see the momentum in our game,” executive subcommittee member Chris Bassitt said in the union release. “Amazing players and incredible fans. Attendance, viewership, interest – by any measure you want to use, our game is moving in a positive direction. We’ve put forward proposals designed to continue that trend.

“Support, incentivize, and reward clubs who are committed to competing, especially small market clubs. Compensate players fairly for the work they are doing. Preserve the rights that generations of players have fought for and grow the game all of us love.”

The current CBA expires on Dec. 1, and if an agreement is not reached, MLB is expected to impose a lockout.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:MLB labor war begins with MLBPA proposal on revenue sharing

It's been a while since the last trip to the mailbox, and yet again it's nothing butHowdy-Do'sfrom eager realtors, loveable insurance companies andthe relentless graybeardsat AARP.

So it's back to the laptop and virtual mailbag, where there'salways some action ....

HEY, WILLIE!

The Indy-Charlotte double was quite a feat of endurancefor Katherine Legge, especially considering gender and age.

If her Cup car had not encountered the wheel issue, do you think she would have finished in the top 20 or 25?

Short answer: Probably not. Not without some attrition in front of her. That’s not fully a reflection on her, but the part-time team (Live Fast Motorsports) whose car she was wheeling — yes, on three wheels for a brief time.

Longer answer: I’m pretty sure a few women just cleared their throats and are prepared to take issue with you, as well as plenty of fit folks in their mid-40s. Especially since she only turned 19 laps at Indy before a wrecked car got in her way.

Also, as a reminder, of the other five racers who did the Indy-Charlotte double, Tony Stewart did it twice and went flag-to-flag in both races, both years.

And not once — officially or in casual conversation — did anyone ever mistake Tony Stewart for a triathlete.

He did, however, seem to borrow from the playbook of the late, great Dick Trickle, who once answered a question about a growing fitness trend by saying, “You know how I get in shape to race? I RACE!”

HEY, WILLIE!

Is NASCAR trying to kill itself with bad formats (the “All-Star Race”) and now Amazon Prime?

I know they made money, but now they must be losing viewers, namely me. Instead of trying to build interest, I think they are doing the opposite.

We’re a week into Year 2 of NASCAR’s partnership with Prime, which is a week into its five-week run as Cup race broadcaster. The complaints are fewer than they were a year ago, which I assume is due to one of two things.

Either more viewers have given in and decided Prime is yet another place to dump expendable(?) income. Or they’ve reintroduced themselves to the radio.

Meanwhile, hate to tell you, but Prime delivers a great product. Don't believe me? Ask this guy ...

HEY, WILLIE!

Thank you for adding a little common sense to the scenario being played out over Kyle Busch’s sad demise. Deepest sympathy to his family and all who loved him.

HEY, MYRNA!

Just a horrible saga all around.

But as eventually happens during the process, pragmatic thoughts spring up. Here’s one that crept in …

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Previous tragedy involving racers and untimely deaths usually happened on the racetrack. In their aftermath, the examinations often led to advancements in safety — changes to the cars, to the tracks and, in the case of Dale Earnhardt, a wide variety of measures.

Without knowing more than the basics at this time, the Kyle Busch tragedy seems to offer one obvious lesson: Don’t neglect your health if something is wrong and isn’t getting better.

I obviously have no way of knowing, but I assume there’s been an uptick in checkups this past week.

HEY, WILLIE!

Great job (as usual) on the column about Europe and Formula One (May 21). At F1, pomposity reigns.

Keep up the good work.

But that’s part of their charm, isn’t it?

HEY, WILLIE!

I struggled to recognize the names on the PGA Championship leaderboard, especially on the first day. Had you ever heard of Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jager, Min Woo Lee and Ryo Hisatsune?

Heard of them, yes. Pick any of them out of a lineup, maybe not at this stage of their careers.

None of them finished in the top 10 at week’s end, by the way, which brings to mind one of the great golf quotesnotattributed to Lee Trevino.

It was Peter Jacobsen, when briefly leading after his opening round at the 1990 Masters, who turned prophetic: “The slums of Chicago are full of first-round leaders.”

Three days later, he was tied for 30th.

HEY, WILLIE!

I’m pretty sure the first person not named France to run NASCAR (President, CEO or COO) was Mike Helton. Am I wrong?

You’re kinda right. Which might also mean kinda wrong.

A lot of us assumed Mike Helton would eventually start appearing on the France family Christmas card. His consolation prize, 26 years ago, was the NASCAR presidency.

But Bill France Jr., when not sidelined by health issues, was very much the final say through 2003, when Brian became CEO.

Currently, for the first time, there’s no NASCAR president since Steve O’Donnell was recently promoted from that position to CEO. Keep in mind, however, the family still owns NASCAR and if there’s a meeting of importance over in that GlassCar building on ISB, their chairs won’t likely be empty.

—Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal:Kyle Busch, NASCAR politics, Amazon Prime remain hot topics

Charles Barkley didn’t even wait for the final buzzer to tear into the Cavaliers during their season-ending loss, which punched the Knicks’ ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

The Cavaliers started off Monday’s elimination game strong before the Knicks overpowered them for over three quarters in whatturned into a 130-93 loss for Clevelandat Rocket Arena.

The outcome seemed destined before halftime rolled around, and Barkley took the moment to rail on the Cleveland’s lack of effort.

“Kids at home, if you want to see what the word quit means: to give up. The verb of that: CA-VA-LI-ERS,” he said on “Inside the NBA” at the half. “This is what you see… They were down 29. This is just effort here. This is just effort.”

Barkley then had the producers play clips to highlight his point about the lack of effort from the Cavs.

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“How do you give up 23 fastbreak points in a half?” Barkley asked. “Players aren’t going to say they quit, but you know what shows? Their actions.

“Lisa [Salters] and Malika [Andrews] were talking about [Cavs players] saying they believe. Well, I believed they were going to get their ass whooped and that’s what’s going to happen.”

The “Inside the NBA” crew didn’t stop there either.

After the loss, Kenny Smith said that he believed the Cavaliers “took a step backwards because it showed what you’re vulnerable to, to everyone else in the Eastern Conference.”

Smith added that the Cavaliers needed to change their offensive identity for Cleveland to take that step.

The comment was in response to comments from Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who has taken plenty of criticism this series for not using timeouts in Game 1 as the Knicks mounted a historic comeback, and comments about how the Cavaliers were winning games in an analytical sense.

CBSis facing boycott calls after endingStephen Colbert’s late-night showthis week. Some viewers now want fans to avoid CBS sports, thoughNFLsupporters appear to be split on that idea. The backlash quickly spread across social media after Colbert’s final episode aired.

NFL fans call for the boycott of CBS after Stephen Colbert’s Late Show finale

The controversy started after CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s late-night program, which reportedly had been losing around $40 million annually. The network’s decision triggered strong reactions online, with celebrities, TV viewers, and some football fans calling for a boycott of CBS programming.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel publicly backed the criticism during his own show on ABC. Kimmel told viewers, “On behalf of everyone at our show, we want to say to everyone at your show: It has been a pleasure to work alongside you.” Kimmel then hoped that those who watch his show would also tune in to CBS for the final time. “Don’t ever watch it again,” he said (viaThe Spun).

The calls for a boycott soon moved beyond entertainment. Since CBS broadcasts major sports properties, including NFL games, the NCAA Tournament, and The Masters, some users argued that sports fans should also stop watching the network this fall. One social media user wrote, “Boycott CBS, Paramount, and any Ellison product.” Another added, “Thank you, Stephen Colbert. No reason to watch CBS anymore.”

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One fanwrote, “It’s easy to support the boycott since the only show I watched on CBS was The Late Show (until NFL season starts).” Another user said that they will not watch NFL games broadcast on CBS, adding that they’ll “stick to another network” for the games.

Still, many football viewers admitted the NFL may be too powerful for any real boycott to work. One fan summed up that divide by writing, “I’m down with boycotting CBS… but there is no way on this green Earth I’m giving up the NFL!!”

Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya onMandatory.

The postCBS Under Fire as NFL Fans Demand Boycottappeared first onReality Tea.

Jacob Misiorowski put on a show for the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

It didn’t take long for the starting pitcher to add to his collection of records on the mound. In the first inning, Misiorowski struck out catcher Iván Herrera on a 103-mph fastball.

That was one of 12 strikeouts he recorded across seven strong innings in Milwaukee’s 5-1 win. He allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk while topping 103 mph multiple times. He peaked at 103.4 mph, coming up just short of his record of 103.6 mph thrown on May 8.

Despite being in the league for less than a calendar year, Misiorowski has now thrown the 12 fastest pitches by a starter. Many of them came in Monday’s game against the Cardinals.

Furthermore, in Monday’s outing against St. Louis, Misiorowskithrew 57 pitchesthat were clocked at 100-plus mph, the most ever for a starter in a single game.

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He lowered his season ERA to 1.83.

Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

In a recent episode ofBleacher Report’s “On Base” podcastwith Mookie Betts, the Milwaukee starter said he believes he can throw 105 mph.

This is baseball’s current pitch-speed barrier. The fastest recorded pitch in the history of the game was thrown by closer Aroldis Chapman on Sept. 24, 2010, and was registered at 105.8 mph.

Chapman currently has 10 of the 12 fastest pitches thrown in a major league game. All 12 pitches were thrown by relief pitchers.

Misiorowski already has the record for the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher. And he’s inching closer to topping 104.

Charles Barkley did little to hide his frustration with “clowns on TV” who’ve created a narrative that the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing “dirty” against San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

Throughout the Western Conference Finals, fans and pundits alike have argued that theThunder— namely center Isaiah Hartenstein — are bending the rules while guardingWembanyama. Following hishistoric 41-point outburst in Game 1, Oklahoma City defenders have begun grabbing, pushing, and pressuring the Frenchman in an effort to slow him down in the paint.

The physical style of play has largely gone unchecked by the referees, prompting many around the NBA to question the officiating. NBC Sports’ Reggie Miller noted during a broadcast: “[Hartenstein is] using all of his body weight. He’s grabbing him, pushing him, and constantly trying to wear him down.”

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Bill Simmons similarly called out the officials for not blowing the whistle, writing on X: “I thought Hartenstein couldn’t play in this series. But if they’re letting him grab and hit Wemby on every possession, then he should play all 48 minutes.”

On Saturday’s edition of ‘Inside the NBA,’ Barkley couldn’t help but poke fun at the overall discourse surrounding Wembanyama and the Thunder’s defense against him.

“I think we need to all pray for Wemby, because he can’t play too many minutes, they’re gonna kill him out there,” he said.

Once Kenny Smith questioned if his colleague was joking, Barkley replied: “Man I am damn sure joking, because you guys — these people — man they pissing me off. I’m watching the whole game, they ain’t playing dirty.

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“These are some of the softest fouls I've ever seen in my life. You've got these clowns on TV talking about, 'Oh, they're going to hurt poor Wemby.' I was like, ‘Hurt him? You're kidding, man.’ It drives me crazy watching these shows."

Barkley expressed a similar sentiment following the Thunder’s 122-113 victory over the Spurs in Game 2 of the series, adding: “All of you at home and on TV saying they were too physical with Wemby need to stop. I’ve had kisses harder than those contacts.

“Sure, he was bodying him up, but it wasn’t anything excessive. No hard shots, no dirty fouls. If you think that’s physical, then you’re overreacting.”

Wembanyama, to his credit, is hardly letting the Thunder’s divisive approach throw him off his game.

•Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taunted with Oscar trophy during crucial Thunder-Spurs Game 3

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In Game 4, the 22-year-old scored a game-high 33 points — eight of which came at the free-throw line — along with eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks en route to propelling the Spurs to a 103-82 win that tied up the series at two apiece.

Assessing his performance during a postgame press conference, Wembanyama told reporters: “We all have high standards, and I know I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m here for it.

“Yeah, it was better today. It wasn’t perfect. But, you know, all of us, I’m talking about the whole organization, so we’re going to have to do things that we didn’t sign up for.”

MIAMI (AP) — Heriberto Hernández hit a grand slam off Devin Williams in the ninth inning for his first big league walk-off hit, giving the Miami Marlins a 4-0 win Sunday and a three-game sweep of the New York Mets.

Mets Marlins Baseball

New York had just two runs and 11 hits in the series and has scored two runs or fewer in four straight games. The Mets (22-31), who have dropped into last place in the NL East, were shut out for the sixth time this season as they completed a 2-5 trip. They have scored one run or none in 15 games.

Juan Soto was scratched before the game because of a fever. Marcus Semien went 0 for 10 in the series, dropping his average to .214.

Miami (25-29) swept a series for the first time since its opening three games against Colorado.

Christopher Morel doubled against Williams (3-2) leading off the ninth, Javier Sanoja sacrificed, Liam Hicks walked and Xavier Edwards was intentionally walked.

Hernández took a changeup for a called strike and Williams, who had not allowed a run in his previous 10 appearance, left a changeup over the plate that Hernández hit 416 feet over the center-field wall. It was the first walk-off slam in a 4-0 win since Kansas City's Justin Maxwell in the 10th inning off Texas' Joakim Soria on Sept. 22, 2013.

Pete Fairbanks (2-2) stranded a runner at second in the ninth when Carson Benge took a called third strike.

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New York rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing threw out Sanoja at the plate when he tried to score from second on Edwards’ seventh-inning single.

Mets starter Christian Scott allowed four hits in a season-high 5 2/3 innings.

After 15 relief appearances to begin the season, Miami's Tyler Phillips started and gave up two hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Miami first baseman Connor Norby left because of left elbow discomfort after Scott hit him with a 85.6 mph fastball in the fourth.

Up next

Mets: RHP Nolan McLean (2-3, 3.57) will start the opener of a home series against Cincinnati on Monday after allowing career highs of nine runs and six earned in his last start, against Washington. LHP Nick Lodolo (0-1, 7.20) starts for the Reds.

Marlins: RHP Janson Junk (2-5, 5.07) starts Monday at Toronto against RHP Trey Yesavage (2-1, 1.07)

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The NFL released the regular-season schedules for all 32 teams two weeks ago, and one of the biggest topics of discussion among fans, pundits, and experts is the lack of rest for some teams compared to others.

Rest differential is a real thing, according to NFL analystArif HasanandWarren Sharp.Hasan describes his version as the "sum net rest days vs. opponents across all 17 games." Hasan calculates it by adding up the difference in rest days between each team and its opponent for all games. A high positive number means the team has more recovery and preparation time than the teams it faces.

Sharp uses net rest edge to general rest advantage, and notes the unfavorable historical nature of the 2026 schedule for some teams.

A rest edge in the NFL is the number of extra days a team has to rest and prepare for their game over their opponent.

An example of rest edge: if theDolphinshave a full 7-day bye week ahead of their game vs. the Bills, and the Bills play on Monday Night Football and are on a short week, the Dolphins have a rest edge of +8 days before their game against the Bills. Conversely, the Bills have a rest edge of -8 days.

Based on Hasan's version, only the Steelers,Rams, Colts, Dolphins, Saints, Jets,Raiders,Eagles, and Chargers will play against 2026 opponents on less rest than theRavens.

On the positive end of the schedule spectrum, the NFL team with the highest net rest differential in Hasan's version is theChicago Bearsat +15, a total of 15 extra days compared to their opponents. The Bears, along with theBuffalo Bills(+14) and Dallas Cowboys (+11.5), have the highest net rest differentials in the league since 2002. The Bears, Cowboys, Bills, and 12 other teams won't face a single team off a bye week in 2026.

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Warren Sharp Rest Disparity

In Sharp's version, Baltimore has a -3 in rest differential, with 11 other teams getting less rest.

Baltimore opens the season on September 13 against theIndianapolis Coltsbefore hosting theNew Orleans Saintsin Week 2. One of the most unique games on the schedule arrives in Week 3 when the Ravens face the Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking another major international showcase for the franchise.

Baltimore's 2026 slate again looks brutal, featuring matchups against playoff contenders such as the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Chargers, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens close the regular season with two massive AFC North battles against Pittsburgh in Weeks 15 and 18, potentially setting the stage for another dramatic division finish.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire:NFL scheduling metrics expose Ravens uphill battle in 2026

Novak Djokovicbegins his tilt at an outright record 25th grand slam title on Sunday 24 May, playing in the first night session of this year’sFrench Open.

The Serb - who turned 39 on Friday - opens against huge-serving home favourite Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard on Court Philippe-Chatrier, from 7.15pm BST (8.15pm local time).

Former Olympic gold medallistBelinda Bencicopens play on Philippe-Chatrier against Austria’s Sinja Kraus, while men’s second seed Alexander Zverev also plays in the day session on the show court.

ElsewhereEmma Raducanubegins her campaign against clay-court specialist Solana Sierra of Argentina on Court 13 later this afternoon, while Madrid championMarta Kostyukand wunderkindJoao Fonsecaare also in action on a busy first day at Roland-Garros.

Is the French Open on TV?

The tournament will be shown live onTNT Sportsin the UK as well as online on HBO Max.

In the US, it will be shown live on TNT Sports, Max, truTV and CNN.

French Open day one order of play

all times BST

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Court Philippe-Chatrier - 11am

• Sinja Kraus (AUT) vs [11] Belinda Bencic (SUI)

• Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) vs [2] Alexander Zverev (GER)

• [8] Mirra Andreeva (RUS) vs Fiona Ferro (FRA)

Court Philippe-Chatrier - from 7.15pm

• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) vs [3] Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Court Suzanne-Lenglen - 10am

• [13] Karen Khachanov (RUS) vs Arthur Gea (FRA)

• [26] Hailey Baptiste (USA) vs Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)

• [7] Taylor Fritz (USA) vs Nishesh Basavareddy (USA)

• Ksenia Efremova (FRA) vs [18] Sorana Cirstea (ROU)

Court Simonne-Mathieu - 10am

• [15] Marta Kostyuk (UKR) vs Oksana Selekhmeteva (RUS)

• Katie Volynets (USA) vs Clara Burel (FRA)

• Titouan Droguet (FRA) vs [26] Jakub Mensik (CZE)

• [28] Joao Fonseca (BRA) vs Luka Pavlovic (FRA)

Court 14 - 10am

• [21] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) vs Damir Dzumhur (BIH)

• Fran Jones (GBR) vs Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)

• Sofia Kenin (USA) vs Peyton Stearns (USA)

• Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA)

Outside courts - from 10am

• Ajla Tomljanovia (AUS) vs Caty McNally (USA)

• Pablo Llamas Ruiz (ESP) vs Thiago Agustín Tirante (ARG)

• Emma Raducanu (GBR) vs Solana Sierra (ARG)

• Magdalena Frech (POL) vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU)

• Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) vs Yannick Hanfmann (GER)

• Alexander Blockx (BEL) vs Coleman Wong (HKG)

• Hugo Dellien (BOL) vs Valentin Royer (FRA)

• Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) vs Tamara Korpatsch (GER)

French Open schedule

The tournament main draw gets underway on Sunday 24 May. Finals weekend is across Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June.

• 18-23 May — Qualifiers

• 24–26 May — 1st Round

• 27–28 May — 2nd Round

• 29–30 May — 3rd Round

• 31 May – 1 June — Round of 16

• 2–3 June — Quarterfinals

• 4 June — Women’s Semifinals

• 5 June — Men’s Semifinals

• 6 June — Women’s Singles Final & Men’s Doubles Final

• 7 June — Men’s Singles Final & Women’s Doubles Final

Washingtonhead coach Dan Quinn had some fun with the "Sports Junkies" on Friday.

Quinn took questions from three of the Junkies, answering only "yes" or "no" questions until they could figure out who he actually is. Jason Bishop facilitated the fun time while Eric Bickel, John-Paul Flaim and John 'Cakes' Auville attempted to guess the identity of their mystery guest.

Bickel didn't waste any time, abruptly asking, "Can we sign Stefon Diggs?" The other three Junkies broke into laughter, finding it funny that Bickel didn't want Quinn to be able to ease into the interview with any icebreaker. Bickel then took it a step further, "Can we have (Brandon) Aiyuk and Diggs?"

Quinn responded, "We're working hard and doing well with the guys we got. Adam (Peters) and his crew are always digging in and working. But we really like the crew that we are working with right now. They're absolutely busting their ass."

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When rookie WR Antonio Williams became the focal point of the conversation, Quinn reported he saw "right off the bat, this guy has feel. He already has awareness, like a big-time receiver. He's got great hands, great movement. So, he's off to a hell of a start."

Auville and Bishop both voiced to Quinn that they already have a man crush on LB Sonny Styles, picked No. 7 overall by theCommanders. "What an ideal fit for the style we want to play," exclaimed Quinn. "We (Peters and Quinnn) were thrilled when he (Styles) was there at that spot. It was a super-easy decision for Adam in that one. When that trade was made just before us (Chiefs moved up to No. 6 trading with theBrowns), those are the moments you hold your breath. When we had the chance to select him, we were pumped!"

What does Quinn think of Styles after the draft and rookie minicamp? "Being around him the last couple of weeks has only reinforced what he can bring to our club, which is really cool."

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire:Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn no-sells tough question free-agent WR

In the wake ofKyle Busch’s tragic death,Steve O’Donnellkeeps looking at one text.

Buschmessaged theNASCARCEO on May 19,just two days before he passed away, with an idea for a rule change.

“He said, ‘Hey, man. What do you think about an over-40 rule to be able to compete in all the Truck Series races next year?’” O’Donnell said, relaying the interaction during a press conference on May 22.

He continued: “I said, ‘We put that rule in place because you were winning so much.’”

Busch is the winningest NASCAR driver ever across the top three national circuits. He ranks ninth all-time with 63 Cup Series victories, and no one owns more than his 102 O’Reilly Series or 69 Truck Series wins.

In 2009, Busch captured a Nationwide Series title while also racing full-time at the Cup level. He later claimed two Cup championships in 2015 and 2019.

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His dominance on the second- and third-tier circuits partly caused a restriction nicknamed the “Kyle Busch Rule.”

In the 2010s, NASCAR began limiting the number of O’Reilly and Truck starts that experienced full-time Cup drivers could make. Currently, Cup Series racers with more than three years of experience are capped at 10 O’Reilly races and eight Truck events per season. They’re not eligible for the playoffs.

Busch's text to O’Donnell suggested ditching that directive for drivers over the age of 40. Busch turned 41 on May 2.

The topic was brought up in an internal NASCAR meeting on May 20, O’Donnell said.

“We said, ‘Damn, that’s actually good. We need Kyle in the Truck Series,’” O’Donnell said. “It was two-fold. He knew he could help the series but I think one day had a dream to race against his son (11-year-old Brexton) in a national series event.

“That was Kyle — always thinking about the sport and going forward.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal:Kyle Busch texted NASCAR CEO with Truck Series idea days before death

The 2027 summer scouting report series rolls on, as we stay in the secondary and feature Syracuse cornerback Chris Peal. Peal originally committed to Georgia, where he would play two seasons sparingly, before transferring to play for the Orange last season.

What does his summer scouting report look like? Let's talk about it.

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• Height: 6'1"

• Weight: 200 lbs

• Recruiting rank: Four-star recruit, no. 25 cornerback nationally

• Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

• Games watched: Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Boston College

Chris Peal might be one of the strongest zone defenders in the 2027 NFL Draft. His natural feel for his assignment, paired with great instincts to collapse on his man, is second to none. Peal is as reliable a tackler as you will find, as seen by his seven tackles against Georgia Tech. Ideal frame for the position with stellar top-end speed. You will rarely see Peal get beaten on the deep ball. Rangy cornerback who jams well in press coverage, but uses his length to disrupt passes.

59 targets in one season? Not bad. Zero interceptions across 59 targets, not ideal. While Peal jams well, he tends to play off a bit too much, allowing his defender to run wild after the catch. Got picked on quite a bit against Notre Dame. Only one season of tape leaves questions about his evaluation as a top cornerback prospect in the class. This season will be huge for Peal if he wants to elevate his stock to being near the top of the group.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire:2027 Summer Scouting Report on Syracuse CB Chris Peal

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Coach Mike Brown correctly pulled Hart in Game 1 for Landry Shamet. But having Hart on the court causes so much confusion for theCavaliersas they try to crossmatch, leaving an unbalanced floor and the energetic Hart in position to take full advantage with open shots and setting up teammates. When Hart wasn't finding teammates, it was Brunson finding Hart for one of his playoff-high 14 assists."It's just who Josh is. He's a gamer. He knew what he had to do in terms of adjustments he needed to make in order to be effective," Brown said. "He was great, he was decisive. We have to play fast, so we're not going against a set defense all the time."

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype:"It's just who Josh is. He's a gamer. He knew what he …

TheBig Tenholds the cards, and it’s showing theSECits hand.

The numbers are 12 or 24.

"We've had zero conversation about 16 (playoff teams)," Big Ten commissioner Tony Petittisaid at the conference’s spring meetings in California.

That’s the line in the sand.

If the SEC wants to expand theCollege Football Playoff, then the number is 24, a number set by Petitti.

Or, the playoff can stay at 12 teams, a format the Big Ten has dominated in its brief existence.

Petitti’s hardball stance amounts to a move ripped from the Greg Sankey playbook.

Big Ten steals SEC's power-move playbook

You’ll remembera few years ago, Sankey held the best cards in playoff expansion talks. The SEC's commissioner wasn’t afraid to use them.

When other conference commissioners supported an eight-team playoff that included six automatic bids for conference champions, Sankey erected a firewall.

Sankey laid out three options:

1. Status quo of a four-team playoff, which the SEC dominated.

2. An eight-team playoff with no automatic bids and only at-large selections.

3. A 12-team playoff that’d include a mix of automatic and at-large bids.

The eight-team playoff, with six AQs, died on the vine because the SEC vehemently opposed it.

After some squabbling, Option 3 emerged as the winner.

Now, the shoe has switched feet, and the Big Ten is setting the terms for the playoff’s size.

The SEC must choose between a format the Big Ten rules (12) or an expansion model the Big Ten suggested (24), instead of the format SEC headquarters prefers (16, including 11 at-large bids).

So much for theSEC-B1G buddy groupthe conferences announced two years ago, in a pledge to team up to solve problems together.

Petitti, a former MLB Network executive, took the reins of the Big Ten in 2023. He swiftly learned college athletics is a get-mine business and no place for friendship bracelets.

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A 24-team College Football Playoff? No thanks

I’m opposed to a 24-team bracket. It would turn an already long playoff into a five-round affair and bulldoze the playoff’s exclusivity, by opening access to 8-4 teams.

Most importantly, it would devalue the greatest regular season in all of sports.

Petitti likes to point to MLB’s playoff expansion — it went from eight to 10 to ultimately 12 teams — as a model for the CFP.

He’s comparing apples to oranges. It’s absurd to compare a sport with a 162-game regular season and a full complement of games each day to a sport with a 12-game regular season that turns each fall Saturday into appointment viewing.

College basketballserves as a better comparisonfor what Petitti attempts to do to college football.

In a rare act of teamwork,Sankey and Petitti helped muscle through March Madness expansion to 76 teams.College basketball’s regular season is low-stakes filler. At 76 teams, a power-conference team might need only to finish barely above .500 to earn tournament selection. The college basketball diehards watch throughout a monthslong regular season, but most folks wander in when March arrives, as the postseason nears.

Hey, that works for college basketball, which is a tournament sport. College football is distinctly not a tournament sport. It’s always been more of a rivalry-Saturday kind of a sport, where every outcome matters.

Will SEC cave to Big Ten demands?

Although I object Petitti’s vision for the playoff, I understand why he’s not motivated to meet in the middle at 16. He’s paid to represent the Big Ten, and a 16-team bracket would be a greater benefit to the SEC, based on recent history.

Plus, a mega-sized playoff like the 24-teamer the Big Ten supports would allow Fox, its media rights partner, a chance at getting a piece of the playoff pie.

ESPN, the SEC’s media partner and CFP rights holder, prefers a playoff of no more than 16.

With Petitti’s line in the sand drawn, next week’s SEC spring meetings will test Sankey’s power and mettle. They’ll also offer a peek at what size playoff the conference’s presidents and chancellors prefer. Those campus administrators are the quiet but powerful brokers in these negotiations, more so than coaches or athletic directors.

Consider the SEC a company where Sankey functions as CEO serving at the pleasure of the presidents and chancellors, who operate as the company’s board of directors.

Georgia president Jere Morehead, an influential voice among the SEC's presidents and chancellors,told The Athletica 24-team playoff would be "a mistake." Morehead added he thinks the SEC's university brass will follow Sankey's guidance.

Can Sankey persuade the SEC’s presidents and chancellors to stay at 12 teams, if 16 isn’t possible? At 12 teams,the SEC doesn't face a playoff access problem. It received more bids to the 12-team bracket in two years than any other conference. Playoff performance has become the SEC’s issue, a problem that’s not inherently solved by expansion.

A 24-team playoff likely would end conference championship games. If Sankey could convince university administrators the SEC championship game is a sacred cash cow worth saving, that might extend the life of the 12-team playoff.

Don’t expect a solution at the SEC meetings, but they’ll be a bellwether of the conference’s latest playoff mood.

The Big Ten discarded the 16-team option. The SEC has six months to decide which card to choose from the Big Ten's hand: 12 or 24.

Blake Toppmeyeris the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SEC's College Football Playoff plans for 16 teams boxed out by Big Ten

Arsenal'sPremier League winwas the team’s first in 22 years — and it alsomarked the latest trophyfor American billionaire Stan Kroenke's international stable of sports teams.

Through his Denver-based Kroenke Sports & Entertainment holding company, the 78-year-old real estate mogul owns pro football, basketball, hockey, soccer and lacrosse franchises that have each racked up at least one championship since he bought them.

Arsenal's success came after Kroenke became a minority owner of the team in 2007, and steadily increased his share beforebuying outrival co-owner and Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov in a 2018 deal that ended a standoff between the tycoons and valued the team at about $2.3 billion.

The team’s victory led independent sports business writer Joe Pompliano to declare on X that as a sports investor, Kroenke "is on a generational run right now."

But the years leading up to Arsenal becoming champions of the Premier League were marked by intense anger from the Gunners’ fans toward Kroneke, including a protest outside the team’s Emirates Stadium in 2019 over complaints that he was treating Arsenal as an“investment vehicle.”

In 2021, an even larger rallyof more than 1,000 football fans gathered for a “Kroenke out” demonstration sparked by the owner’s role in failed efforts to create a European Super League.

Kroenke is the world's 114th richest person, with a personal fortune estimated at $22.2 billion, nearly triple his 2021 net worth of $8.2 billion, according toForbes.

Last year, he became America's largest landowner with the purchase of 937,000 acres of ranchland in New Mexico, bringing his total portfolio to an estimated 2.7 million acres, according to theLandReportwebsite. His Kroenke Vineyards also produce wines from two sprawling estates in California's Santa Barbara region.

Kroenke's wife, Ann Walton Kroenke, is also a billionaire in her own right as daughter of the late Walmart co-founder James "Bud" Walton, with a personal net worth of $15 billion, according toForbes.

On Wednesday night, another of Kroenke’s teams — the Colorado Avalanche, which won hockey’s Stanley Cup in 2001 and 2022 — is set to face off against the Las Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the NHL Central Division conference finals.

Kroenke bought the Avalanche in 2000 as part of a reported $450 million package deal for the Denver Nuggets and Denver's Pepsi Center, since renamed the Ball Arena.

Three years later, the Nuggets won the NBA championship.

Kroenke's Colorado Rapids soccer team also won the 2010 Major League Soccer Cup and his Colorado Mammoth won the National Lacrosse League championship in 2006 and 2022.

Although Kroenke maintains a generally low profile that'sled to the nickname"Silent Stan," the Missouri native is widely reviled in St. Louis, where he helped relocate the Los Angeles Rams football team in 1995.

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The move came after Kroenke became a 40 percent co-owner of the Rams with socialite Georgia Frontiere, who inherited control of the team following the 1979 drowning of her sixth husband, former Baltimore Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom.

The St. Louis Rams won the 2000 Super Bowl and Kroenke bought Frontiere's 60 percent majority share for $750 million following her 2008 death.

But Kroenke — who in 1993 had tried to bring a new expansion team to St. Louis, which lost the Cardinals to Arizona six years earlier —moved the Rams backto LA in 2016 after clashing with St. Louis officials over his demand for more than $700 million in upgrades to the city's Edward Jones Dome, since renamed The Dome at America's Center.

St. Louis fans were furious, with online headlines calling him “The Most Hated Man in Missouri” and saying, “F*** You, Stan Kroenke, and the Toupee You Rode in Under.” St. Louis native Andy Cohen giving him a double middle-finger salute on his Bravo! cable TV talk show.

It appears those feelings have yet to subside. YouTube’s STL Sport Central posting a 7-minutevideoin 2021 titled “Stan Kroenke is a Liar" that included a clip of him pledging, “We're here to work hard and be very successful in St. Louis,” as well as an unidentified man in a Veterans of Foreign Wars cap being asked what he’d say to Kroenke if given the chance.

“Bye. And don't let the door hit you in the butt,” he answered.

Last year,ESPNreported that many fans attending home-field games of the United Football League’s St. Louis Battlehawks wore T-shirts and waved homemade signs referencing the Rams owner.

“It's a community experience with a shared interest in spring football and a shared hatred of Stan Kroenke," said John Lewis.

During a 2016 interview for Southern California Public Radio'sTake Twoprogram, Kroenke defended his decision to move the Rams out of St. Louis, saying “there's the emotional argument and then there's rational. And rationally, unless you argue that you should make a massive donation just to support with, it doesn't make any sense.”

When asked if he regretted it, he replied: “Well, sure, but it’s emotional.”

Kroenke later built the $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium complex in Inglewood, California, on land that included 60 acres he quietly bought in a deal that became public in early 2014, during discussions over his proposed improvements to the St. Louis stadium.

In 2022, the Rams won the Super Bowl at SoFi, narrowly defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in a come-from-behind victory late in the fourth quarter.

American former soccer player Tim Howard said Wednesday onSiriusXMthat Kroenke, his son and team co-owner Josh and manager Mikel Arteta all deserved credit for Arsenal coming out on top of the Premier League.

"I give the Kroenke family a lot of credit because it's in vogue to get rid of managers when you think you know better," he said.

"And the idea is to hire a really good manager and get the heck out of the way. And (Manchester) City have done that, Liverpool have done that and Arsenal have done that — and the others haven't."