"I just don't think he gets the due he deserves" - Jason Kidd places John Stockton on the same pedestal as Magic Johnson

Most young point guards in the '90s grew up idolizing Magic Johnson. Five rings, Showtime swagger, and a new definition of what a floor general should be. For others, Isiah Thomas was the closest comparison, having guided the Detroit Pistons to consecutive titles with his quickness and ball-handling that everybody tried to copy.

Jason Kidd, However, he found his inspiration elsewhere. What stood out to him was not the rings or the accolades, but the unwavering consistency. John Stockton displayed over more than a decade. For Kidd, Stockton's discipline, dependability, and selflessness placed him right alongside Magic on the all-time tier of great point guards.

Kidd was deeply impressed by Stockton

Magic, of course, brought unmatched flair, size and scoring ability as a 6'9" playmaker. But Stockton represented something more subtle and enduring: consistency and precision. Aware that his 6'1" frame wouldn't allow him to dominate physically, Stockton developed exceptional game awareness.

He mastered the art of reading plays, intercepting passes, and turning defense into quick offensive opportunities. As a result, once he started averaging over 14 points per game and leading the league in assists, he cemented his status as a generational point guard.

Moreover, by the time J-Kidd entered the league in 1994, Stockton led the league in assists for an eighth consecutive season. Then, in Kidd's sophomore campaign, Stock led the Utah Jazz to the Western Conference Finals.

What stood out to Kidd the most in this process was Stockton's ability to impact the game without needing high-scoring numbers; his leadership and playmaking elevated the team's overall winning ability.

"John Stockton, Magic Johnson. I think those two are the best to ever play," Kidd said about the best point guard during his appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show." I think he (Stockton) had 5000 more assists than I did. When you look at those records, it's amazing. I just don't think he gets the due he deserves. I think sometimes he's left out of the mix of the greatest point guards.

Furthermore, Stockton, who was well past his prime during most of the years he played against Kidd, still managed to average 12.9 points and 9.3 assists over 28 games, which added to his credit with Kidd.

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Inspired an entire generation of point guards

Today's fans, especially those who often place more weight on championships and accolades, may focus more on Stockton's inability to capture a title, especially when he had Karl Malone as his running mate; thus, his legacy is sometimes unfairly downplayed.

But the admiration he earned from fellow point guards like Kidd reflects the deep respect Stockton commanded among his peers. For those who came up watching him, his consistent brilliance was the blueprint for what success at the point guard position truly meant.

Who knows? If Stockton had won even a single championship, the narrative surrounding his career would likely be very different.

Had John been a player who would have never prioritized elevating Karl Malone's potential and instead tried to chase the MVP trophy himself, who knows, today's fans might have shown more respect for his name. But as things stand, those who played in his era knew the value Stock had.

Related: John Stockton recalls being heckled in Kansas City as a rookie: "It was so quiet in the gym and I heard someone say, 'Stockton CBA!'"

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Elly De La Cruz comes through as Reds beat Rays, secure series win

Elly De La Cruz certainly looks well-equipped for a playoff race. In fact, the Cincinnati Reds all do when they're rolling like they are right now.

But it was De La Cruz, as fans chanted his name, who came up big and brought a crowd of 39,848 to its feet with the game-winning hit against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 26. De La Cruz drove in two runs on a bloop, bases-loaded, two-out single that lifted the Reds over the Rays, 6-2, on a night at Great American Ball Park when hits were in short supply for both clubs for much of the contest.

"Everybody likes the big moments," De La Cruz said. "Big crowd, tight game. It was a tight situation."

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The victory lifted the Reds to 55-50, equaling the five-games-over-.500 high-water mark they had already achieved once in 2025. Cincinnati will enter the July 27 series finale against Tampa Bay with the series win in hand and one game back in the race for the No. 3 Wild Card spot in the National League, trailing the San Diego Padres , who beat St. Louis.

Graham Ashcraft was the winning pitcher for the Reds. Andrew Abbott started the game and allowed one run and two hits in six innings as his ERA dropped from 2.13 to 2.09.

We're playing really good baseball right now," Abbott said. "I think we kind of sat down and had a discussion as a team where we're just kind of like, let's keep stacking series wins. Let's control the things that we can control. Obviously, trying to put ourselves in a situation to be buyers, to be in the playoffs and we're right on the door knocking. We're really just trying to focus on the things that we can do.

"So, really just trying to focus on the things we can do and try to get in there, and keep playing well all the way through the end and hopefully at the end, we're in the postseason."

A pitchers' duel through five innings, both clubs started to gain traction offensively in the sixth.

Yandy Diaz opened the scoring with a solo home run to left-center field to lead off the sixth. The Reds, who wore blue throwback-style caps with a National Baseball Hall of Fame patch in honor of this weekend's induction festivities, came back to take the lead in the bottom of the inning when a hard-hit Austin Hays grounder slid under the glove of Rays' shortstop Taylor Walls.

Tampa Bay tied the game in a controversial manner in its next at-bat. Graham Ashcraft appeared to have hit the strike zone for a would-be called third strike against the Rays' Josh Lowe, but home plate umpire Willie Traynor called the pitch a ball.

The next pitch from Ashcraft was lined into left field for a game-tying single. Reds manager Terry Francona then appeared to argue with Traynor from the dugout and was ejected. Francona came out to the field to continue the dispute and crew chief Todd Tichenor diffused the exchange.

Then, De La Cruz delivered his game-winning hit on a full count after initially falling behind, 0-2, against Rays lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger.

The patience he has, he's seeing the ball really well over the last couple weeks, or the last couple months, actually," said Reds bench coach Freddie Benavides. "For him to put it in play, especially against one of their top left-handed relievers, so, it was a great at-bat and great things happen when you put it in play.

Benavides was the acting manager for Cincinnati after Francona's ejection.

T.J. Friedl and Matt McLain added more insurance runs in the eighth inning. Friedl hit a dribbler single that got past Lowe, who entered the game at shortstop. A McLain single made it 6-2.

The Reds will go for a sweep of the Rays on July 27, (1:40 p.m.) as Cincinnati's Brady Singer (7-8, 4.84 ERA) is scheduled to start against Tampa's Shane Baz (8-6, 4.66 ERA).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Elly De La Cruz comes through in the clutch as Reds beat Rays, take series win

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Saturday night Orioles game thread: vs. Rockies, 7:05pm ET

Where to watch: MASN/MASN+

Probable pitchers: LHP Trevor Rogers (3-1, 1.74 ERA, 35 K) vs. RHP Antonio Sanzatela

Losing sucks. Losing 24-2 against the Reds on Easter sucked. Dropping a game against Tampa after leading 8-0 sucked. Watching former Oriole Kyle Stowers hit three home runs at Camden Yards in an 11-1 loss to the Marlins sucked.

But losing to a Rockies team on pace to tie the record for most losses in a season, especially after taking an early 4-0 lead, that has to be the moment that sucked the most this season. The loss to Colorado in the opening game of the series felt like the true point of no return for this season. In previous years, such a loss would have been a "sound the alarms" moment. Now, with the trade deadline five days away and the O's nine games out of a Wild Card spot, there's no reason to get alarmed because there's nothing left to salvage.

One thing that should bring Birdland members at least some sense of joy is another outing from Trevor Rogers. The 27-year-old left-hander has been one of very few silver linings around the dark cloud hovering over the 2025 campaign. He's pitched so well in his seven starts that he's third on the Orioles with a 2.0 bWAR, first among Baltimore pitchers. Rogers' development might give the O's a jump start on rebuilding this rotation for 2026 , but he will need to maintain his current level over his remaining 10-12 starts this year.

Despite spending the first 4+ years of his career in the National League, Rogers doesn't have a lot of experience facing the Rockies. He first faced Colorado during his All-Star season in 2021, when he pitched 7 IP, allowed 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB and struck out K in an 11-4 Miami win. His only other appearance against the Rox came in Denver and didn't go as well, as Rogers allowed five runs, five walks and only lasted 3.2 innings.

The good news for Rogers today is that he doesn't have to face this Rockies team at Coors Field, and his starting at Camden Yards has generally been a great thing for the O's. In two starts in Baltimore this year, Rogers has allowed only one run and five hits over 14.2 innings while striking out 12.

Offensively, the Orioles should be able to take advantage of Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela. The 30-year-old from Venezuela has the most losses in baseball and the most hits allowed. His 6.41 ERA would be the second-worst among qualified starters, except he has struggled so much in his 20 starts that he doesn't have enough innings to qualify.

Orioles Lineup

1. Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
2. Jordan Westburg (R) 3B
3. Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
4. Ryan O'Hearn (L) 1B
5. Ramón Laureano (R) RF
6. Colton Cowser (L) LF
7. Tyler O'Neill (R) DH
8. Cedric Mullins (L) CF
9. Jacob Stallings (R) C

Rockies Lineup

1. Tyler Freeman (R) RF
2. Ezequiel Tovar (R) SS
3. Hunter Goodman (R) C
4. Jordan Beck (R) LF
5. Thairo Estrad (R) 2B
6. Mickey Moniak (L) CF
7. Kyle Farmer (R) DH
8. Warming Bernabel (R) 1B
9. Orlando Arcia (R)

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NY Giants Barely Represented on SI.com's All-Quarter Century Team

Based on how the last few years have gone in the Meadowlands, really the last decade, many New York Giants fans are always eager to jump into a time machine and go back the glory days .

Whenever a media outlet compiles a list of top players from the last 25 years, there is seemingly an opportunity to reminisce about all the success the team enjoyed in the first 10-plus seasons of the millennium. Well, Sports Illustrated is not being so generous when it comes to representing the Giants on their all-quarter-century team .

Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan was the franchise's only representative, earning enough votes to make the third-team edge rusher group.

Although he had a huge part in two of the most unforgettable plays in NFL history and defeated the dynastic New England Patriots in two separate Super Bowls, quarterback Eli Manning was not considered for this all-quarter century team.

The quarterback position was a loaded group, with Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Peyton Manning all getting their due. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson was the only other signal-caller to collect votes.

Manning's uneven regular season numbers cost him first-ballot enshrinement in Canton, Ohio , and it keeps him out of this grouping of modern greats.

Apart from the two-time Super Bowl MVP, other notable former Giants players missed the cut. Odell Beckham Jr. was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL during his five-year tenure with New York, earning two Second-Team All-Pro selections and reaching 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns three times. Injuries surely hurt his chances here.

Defensive ends Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul each earned First-Team All-Pro honors once during their respective tenures with the Giants and were all difference-makers for several years.

Chris Snee, who is currently works as a scout For the Giants, he was a crucial component of New York's offensive line. The retired right guard was both durable and imposing, earning a spot on two All-Pro teams and becoming a four-time Pro Bowler.

Jeremy Shockey established himself as an elite tight end during his six seasons with the Giants.

None of these men could meet MMQB's standards. It is important to appreciate the one who did, though.

This legend is one of the greatest ever of the NY Giants

While no one can replace Lawrence Taylor on the field, a strong argument could be made for Michael Strahan, who helped define a new era of Big Blue football while displaying the in-game ferocity that fans had grown accustomed to seeing during the celebrated Bill Parcells era.

Strahan was a monster on the field, recording 141.5 sacks, which ranks 10th all-time, along with 663 solo tackles, 131 tackles for loss, 24 forced fumbles, and four interceptions in 216 regular-season games with the Giants.

He won the 2001 "Defensive Player of the Year" award and was a four-time First-Team All-Pro. The 22.5 sacks he recorded that season are tied with T.J. Watt for the most in NFL history (Al Baker's 23.0 in 1978 is the unofficial record, as the stat was not tracked then).

1993 second-round draft pick was a juggernaut on the gridiron and a respected leader in the locker room. He has parlayed his larger-than-life personality into a highly prosperous television career and remains one of the most recognizable athletes in the media today.

Strahan left a permanent imprint on the Giants and NFL, so his placement on MMQB's all-quarter century team is certainly justified. Present and future players will try to follow his example and craft their own special legacy in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook . Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here .

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/giants as NY Giants Barely Represented on SI.com's All-Quarter Century Team .

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Hines leads UCWGA Championship heading into the final round

KINGSTON, N.Y. — While the challenging conditions at Green Acres Golf Course confused most of the competitors in the second round of the Ulster County Women’s Golf Association (UCWGA) Championship, the top of the leaderboard didn't change much when the scores were posted at the end of the round on Saturday, July 26.

First-round leader Kim Hines, a science teacher from the Saugerties School District, remained in first place heading into Sunday's final round at the Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston.

Hines' 19-over-par 91 was the lowest score recorded among the dozen players in the UCWGA championship flight at Green Acres. Coupled with Friday's 13-over 83 at Woodstock Golf Club, Hines has a two-round total of 32-over 174.

Kathy Murphy of the Swan Country Club in Saugerties remained in second place with a 36-hole total of 178, following a 93 at Green Acres. She started with an 85 at Woodstock.

Saugerties resident Kathy Murphy hits from a fairway bunker on the par-4 11th hole during the second round of the Ulster County Women's Golf Association (UCWGA) Championship on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Green Acres Golf Course in Kingston, New York. Rick Remsnyder/Daily Freeman

Kristen Osterhoudt (88-92-180) from the Shawangunk Golf Course at Stoeckeler Memorial Park in Ellenville moved into third after UCWA tournament director Diane Myers (88-96-184) dropped into fourth. Myers had a tough front nine at Green Acres, shooting a 50 that included needing nine strokes to finish the challenging par-3 seventh hole.

Hines felt she was too cautious with her short game, especially trying to negotiate the fast and severely sloped greens of Green Acres.

I was tentative on putting and chipping," said Hines, who will be seeking her fourth UCWGA title and first since 2013. "That's what got me in trouble today. I should have just chipped it past the hole and putted or chipped back up to the hole instead of trying to get cute and let it roll on. Green Acres owner Brian Bonesteel has done a great job with this course, but you have to know how to play it. Sometimes, I think we gave the greens too much respect and left the putts short. But it is what it is and tomorrow's another day.

Hines said she's looking forward to playing Wiltwyck, but admitted it has gotten the best of her at times.

It's hard for me to score there," Hines said. "But I just have to go out and keep it in the fairway. The greens are always in good shape. It's going to be tough and it's going to be long. I don't know what the weather is looking like. They say rain overnight into the morning. I hope we get it in.

Murphy, who started the second round two shots behind Hines, tied the score when she parred the first three holes at Green Acres.

After turning with a 44 compared to Hines' 45, Murphy was still within one stroke of Hines until back-to-back triple bogeys on holes 11 and 12 derailed what was a promising round.

Murphy's approach shot came out of a fairway bunker on the par-4 11th hole and went straight into a hazard, resulting in a triple bogey. Then she hit her tee shot on the par-3 12th hole into a pond, leading to another triple bogey, falling six strokes behind the leader.

Murphy birdied two holes over the final six to get within four shots of Hines, giving her a realistic chance to claim her first UCWGA title in Sunday's final round at Wiltwyck.

If I can keep my drives in the fairway, I play much better at Wiltwyck," Murphy said. "If I hit it into the rough, it usually takes me an extra shot.

With the UCWGA field teeing off in a noon shotgun start on Sunday, Myers is hopeful to finish the 54-hole tournament. But if the round is called at any point after the completion of nine holes by all competitors, Myers said the tournament would be cut to 45 holes, with whoever was ahead at that point being declared the champion.

Results of the 67th Ulster County Women’s Golf Association (UCWGA) Championship after Saturday's second round at the par-72 Green Acres Golf Course in Kingston:

Championship flight

Kim Hines 83-91-174

Kathy Murphy 85-93-178

Kristen Osterhoudt 88-92-180

Diane Myers 88-96-184

Frances Murphy 91-93-184

Yvonne Merck 95-97-192

Ellen Densen 102-92-194

Diana Decker Kuster 104-94-198

Marianne Albamont 105-98-203

Hannah Murphy 97-107-204

Christine Wesserling 103-105-208

Joann Burns 115-131-246

First flight

Madison Paddock 90

Linda Depuy 104

Jaime Paddock 107

Colleen Martin 112

Marge Bennett 119

© 2025 Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y. Visit www.newsrealtime . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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5 standouts from Day 4 of Patriots training camp practice

The New England Patriots We are back out on the practice field for Day 4 of training camp on Saturday. There was a greater intensity with this session following Friday's walkthrough practice.

This was no mere dink and dunk session in the competitive periods between the offense and defense. Quarterback Drake Maye didn't have his strongest practice of the year, but he did air the ball out more than once, resulting in a couple of major highlight reel plays .

With that said, the offense ran into trouble against the defense in this game. Maye missed some throws, and the offensive line struggled in pass protection. It has looked like a game of musical chairs along the offensive front, and the Patriots are hoping they can have a more stable core before the start of the season.

Here were the top five standouts from Day 4 of training camp:

WR Demario Douglas

Demario Douglas was heating up at practice on Saturday with multiple highlight-reel catches, including a 50-yard bomb for a touchdown and a beautiful reception over cornerback Marcus Jones, where he high-pointed the ball.

There has been so much talk about Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams that people have seemingly forgotten about Douglas, who should be even better in Josh McDaniels' offense. His growing connection with Drake Maye could ultimately lead to a breakout season.

S Jabrill Peppers

Safety Jabrill Peppers let a potential Drake Maye interception slip through his fingers earlier in camp. He didn't make the same mistake twice when coming up with a tip drill interception from linebacker Jack Gibbens against backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. There is no question that Peppers is a difference-maker when he's on the field. He's one of those players who consistently seems to be in the right place at the right time.

WR Javon Baker

After three quiet practices, Javon Baker finally broke out by hauling in a 60-yard touchdown reception from Drake Maye. The second-year wideout beat veteran safety Jaylinn Hawkins badly with a double move and made one of the most impressive plays of the day in seven-on-sevens. Whether he keeps that momentum going the rest of the way or not remains to be seen.

EDGE Keion White

Keion White has been a constant disruptive force along the defensive front through the first week of training camp. He was at it again on Saturday with two would-be sacks. Rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell has held his own in the head-to-head matchups, but it will be fun to see that competition when the pads finally come on Monday.

RB TreVeyon Henderson

Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson looked solid catching passes out of the offensive backfield. His speed and receiving skills are going to be real weapons for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Receivers struggled to separate in New England throughout the 2024 season. If that somehow remains the case in 2025, Henderson is a real mismatch that the Patriots should be able to use to their advantage.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 5 standouts from Day 4 of Patriots training camp practice

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Denny Hamlin gives explanation for expensive NASCAR crash after two-word verdict

Denny Hamlin shed light on what exactly caused his costly mistake during NASCAR Cup Series qualifying for the Brickyard 400.

On Thursday, Hamlin - who recently made a final decision on his future with Joe Gibbs Racing after winning last week's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 - suffered a big hit on his qualifying lap at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

While pushing his car to the limit, Hamlin slapped the outside wall in Turn 2 and damaged his right rear toe-link - causing the No. 11 Toyota to spin out at the entry of the backstretch and slam hard into the inside wall.

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Hamlin was over two-tenths of a second faster than the pole time before the scary collision, but will now have to race on Sunday from P39 driving a backup car. On social media, he revealed what went wrong by bluntly writing: "Over send."

Speaking to reporters moments after being released from the infield care center, Hamlin admitted that he had little time to react before realizing something was about to go wrong. "I saw that other guys had issues there and the wind picked up, which made for some pretty tight conditions off of Turn 2," he explained. "And so if you're not pointing correctly, it's not going to turn. I wasn't pointing correctly."

Given the fact that he crashed out in the early stages of qualifying, Hamlin admitted that he was unable to get a firm understanding of how his car was performing. "Yeah, I don't know. It bounces okay," Hamlin noted. "I didn't get a couple of corners on it. The car was great in practice. Obviously, we'll just have to fix the backup."

Hamlin has achieved no lack of success this season , accumulating 11 top-10 finishes, 10 top-5s and four race wins over 20 events. Looking ahead to the Brickyard 400, however, the 44-year-old expressed little confidence that he would be able to dig himself out of the hole he had dug.

Just try to do the best I can," Hamlin said about his mindset. "There's nothing I can do to change the outcome for tomorrow. Just give it the best I can, try to get all the points I can. Stage points are probably nearly impossible from where we're starting. We just have to try to get the best finish.

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All hope is not lost for Hamlin considering the fact that Ross Chastain emerged victorious in this year's Coca-Cola 600 despite starting in last place at Charlotte Motor Speedway - thereby becoming the first driver to win the event after beginning at the back of the field.

Upon being reminded of Chastian's heroics, Hamlin asserted that the situation he currently finds himself in is far different. "Apples and oranges," Hamlin said. "Two different tracks. A lot more passing at Charlotte than this track. A lot of different distance. Obviously, we'll have to have some big breaks go our way."

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NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 26, 2025

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections , the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets more and more difficult—so we've provided some hints and tips to help you get over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest. Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT ' latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic , the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then try these:

• Yellow: Skateboard
• Green: How a horse moves
• Blue: Track stars
• Purple: Rookie playmakers

Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Parts of a Skateboard
• Green: Gaits of a Horse
• Blue: First Names of U.S. Track and Field Stars
• Purple: First-year NFL Head Coaches

Looking for Wordle today? Here is the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #306 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Parts of a Skateboard - GDECK, GRIP TAPE, TRUCK, WHEELS
• Gaits of a Horse - CANTER, GALLOP, TROT, WALK
• First Names of U.S. Track and Field Stars - GABBY, NOAH, SHA'CARRI, SYDNEY
• First-year NFL Head Coaches - COEN, GLENN, MOORE, SCHOTTENHEIMER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands .

If you're looking for more puzzles, newsrealtime now has games! Check out our Games Hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow newsrealtime on MSN.

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Micah Parsons, discouraged by the lack of contract movement, but shows up to Cowboys practice: "I'm not here for" Jerry Jones

Micah Parsons is not a holdout. As of Tuesday, he is not a hold-in.

But that doesn't mean he's pleased with the state of his contract discussions with the Dallas Cowboys.

As Cowboys training camp started in earnest on Tuesday with the first practice of the summer in Oxnard, California, Parsons showed up. After the padless session in which Parsons was a limited participant, Parsons spoke candidly with the assembled media about the lack of movement on a contract extension as he approaches the final season of his five-year rookie deal.

"We'll see," Parsons said. "We'll just see how long things take."

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You wish you had the same type of energy

Parsons was then asked if he's "discouraged" by the absence of a new contract. He pointed to new deals for fellow All-Pro pass rushers T.J. Watt, Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett in his response.

Honestly, yeah," Parsons responded. "When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys. I see T.J. got taken care of. Maxx got taken care of. Myles got taken care of.

"He's got two years left on his deal. You see a lot of people in our league getting taken care of, you wish you had that same type of energy."

Crosby signed an extension valued at $35.5 million per year. Garrett's and Watt's extensions will pay them more than $40 million per season. Parsons is projected to sign a deal that matches or exceeds Watt's three-year, $123 million deal. That is if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is willing to pay Parsons his market value.

Parsons responds to shots fired by Jerry Jones

Parsons' comments come a day after Jones raised eyebrows with his own comments Regarding negotiations with Parsons. During a single sentence at a press conference, Jones managed to take an unsolicited swipe at Parsons and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Just because we sign him doesn't mean we're going to have him," Jones said about Parsons. "He was injured six games last year. Seriously. I remember signing a player for the highest-paid at the position in the league and he got knocked out two-thirds of the year - Dak Prescott.

So there are a lot of things you can think about, just as the player does, when you're thinking about committing and guaranteeing money.

Jones' comment about Parsons' games played was not accurate. Parsons missed four games due to injury last season, not six. Before 2024, Parsons had missed one regular season game in his three NFL seasons.

Not here to please another grown man

Parsons was asked about Jones' comments on Tuesday afternoon and whether he had spoken with Jones since Jones' press conference.

"I'm gonna talk to him," Parsons said of Jones. ... "At the end of the day, I'm here for my teammates. I'm not here to please another grown man. ...

"I'm here for these guys. I'm not here for him."

So, what's next?

The longer Parsons' contract situation lingers, the bigger the story will become.

And according to Jones, little progress is being made. He told reporters on Monday that he was not engaged in active discussions with Parsons' agent David Mulugheta about an extension.

So Parsons is participating for now, and he says he's doing so for himself and his teammates. But the pads aren't on yet. The Cowboys aren't scheduled for a full practice with pads until Sunday.

If Parsons and the Cowboys remain without a deal this weekend, his status for the first hard-hitting practice of camp could be the next turning point in this story.

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NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 22, 2025

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections , the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets more and more difficult—so we've provided some hints and tips to help you overcome the challenge.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest. Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT ' latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic , the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded, with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then try these:

• Yellow: Same conference
• Green: Italian football
• Blue: All-time hurlers
• Purple: Related to the legendary Heat player

Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: SEC teams, without the S
• Green: Serie A teams
• Blue: Nicknames for Hall of Fame pitchers
• Purple: Associated with Dwayne Wade

Looking for Wordle today? Here is the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #302 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• SEC teams, without the S - BULLDOG, GAMECOCK, RAZORBACK, VOLUNTEER
• Serie A teams - ATLANTA, INTER, MILAN, NAPOLI
• Nicknames for Hall of Fame pitchers - ECK, MAD DOG, MOOSE, THE BIG TRAIN
• Associated with Dwayne Wade - 3, BANANA BOAT, MARQUETTE, MIAMI

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands .

If you're looking for more puzzles, newsrealtime now has games! Check out our Games Hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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Why Bengals owner Mike Brown starts every training camp with mock turtle soup

Every year during our newsroom planning meetings, I hear about the Cincinnati Bengals ' annual Mock Turtle Soup Day.

And every year I have the same two thoughts:

1.) "Why do they serve mock turtle soup?"

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2.) "What even is mock turtle soup?"

It turns out owner Mike Brown is fond of it, which is why the team serves it during media day every year ahead of training camp .

I knew there was more to the story, though, so I bravely attended the famed Mock Turtle Soup Day to learn more and to try the dish myself.

What is mock turtle soup?

For people, like myself, who know nothing about mock turtle soup, it's apparently a local culinary tradition . (I did my research before driving down to Paycor Stadium.)

It was a mainstay at the German saloons that once graced Over-the-Rhine, where it was often ladled out free (or at least cheap) along with cold glasses of lager.

The soup is a reimagination of the once-famous (and a bit more pricey) turtle soups that were made with actual terrapins and once graced the menus of white-tablecloth restaurants in places like London and New York City. It was so popular the turtles with which the soup was made were nearly hunted to extinction.

Thus came the invention of mock turtle soup, which eventually usurped its namesake, becoming the preferred version for special occasions and appearing on menus at famed hotels. While it surged in popularity in the 19th century and through the middle of the 20th , the passion for it ultimately waned, and it is now hard to find anywhere.

Unless you're in the Queen City.

"There is one place in the country where the love of mock turtle soup never went away – Cincinnati," Natasha Frost of the popular website Atlas Obscura wrote in 2017 .

These days, mock turtle soup is mostly available at diners and casual restaurants. It's also available in cans at local grocery stores , produced by Worthmore Food Products Co., which Boone Brands , of North Carolina, purchased in 2023 .

The first iterations of mock turtle soup tried to mimic the complex flavors and textures of turtle meat. These days it largely consists of ground beef, veal, ketchup, eggs, Worchestershire sauce, lemon and – in many cases – grocery store-bought ginger snaps.

So ... why do the Bengals Serve it?

I'll admit, it's a little intimidating going to Bengals' media day to ask about... soup.

I stood beside reporters asking about topics that ranged from the Paycor Stadium lease to the recent signing of quarterback Desmond Ridder .

But I had a job to do.

I learned the mock turtle soup tradition goes back to when the founder Paul Brown, Mike Brown's father, hosted the media luncheon at the Queen City Club .

"We had lunch there, and they served mock turtle soup," Brown told me. "It was pretty good. So we came down here (to Paycor Stadium), and we tried to emulate it. I don't know that we ever quite got to the original standard, but I still like it."

"So we have it, and I'm not unhappy about that. I sure look forward to it."

What about other Bengals staff members?

"I love mock turtle soup," head coach Zac Taylor said. "I've come to really have a fondness for mock turtle soup."

The consensus?

I expected this event to be like most other media lunches: buffet style.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn the Bengals had servers, who brought out a four-course meal, the mock turtle soup being the second. (A salad came first, and the main dish was fish, steak, potatoes and garlic green beans. We had sherbet for dessert.)

My colleagues provided a range of reviews. Sports editor Jason Hoffman is a massive fan. He called this his favorite event of the year. Executive editor Beryl Love , however, didn't seem too thrilled to eat the dish, based on his past experience with it. Bengals beat writer Kelsey Conway wouldn't even take a bite.

Then came the moment of truth: I tried it myself.

The sweetness of the soup was familiar, almost like Cincinnati-style chili. We love our food with a hint of sweetness here. However, the chewy consistency, which I assume mocks turtle meat, and the added egg (which we mixed into the soup after they sprinkled it on top) threw me off a bit.

I still enjoyed it.

It was unique and I could see it being something that grows on you. And heck, I wouldn't mind throwing it on a coney. I see why Brown enjoys it, especially if it also gives him a dose of nostalgia.

Like our chili, though, it's not for everyone.

"I'm undecided," said Bengals beat writer Pat Brennan , who also tried it for the first time.

Maybe, he'll change his tune next year.

Enquirer food writer Keith Pandolfi contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Bengals owner Mike Brown starts every training camp with mock turtle soup

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We Are D3 Surprises Boeheim's Army in TBT (Donna Ditota's Quick Hits)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Jamil Wilson made his Boeheim’s Army appearance Monday night. Flight issues, said Boeheim’s Army GM Shaun Belbey, prevented Wilson from getting here in time for Saturday's game.

Boeheim's Army played We Are D3, a scrappy team over the TBT years.

The crowd was expected to be good. TBT reported that 2,800 fans showed up on Saturday to watch Boeheim’s Army play the Herkimer Originals. That number is essentially a sellout, though TBT probably could have fit a few more people into the SRC Arena.

Adrian Autry, Brenden Straughn, Dan Engelstad, Alex Kline and Eugene Tulyagijja were at the game.

Halftime score: Boeheim’s Army 41, We Are D3 35. Final: We Are D3 81, Boeheim’s Army 78.

Boeheim's Army missed three free throws in the Elam Ending portion of the game. That was one of its many issues.

Here's what happened:

Ty Nichols, a 6-foot guard who graduated from Keene State in 2019, scored 16 first-half points for WAD3.

The guy is lightning quick and knows how to get open to shoot threes. He can also get to the rim.

Nobody from Boeheim's Army could keep up with him until Charles Pride entered the game and at least slowed him down.

He was, essentially, D3's entire first-half offense.

And he kept on scoring in the second half. He had 32 massive points when the game went into the Elam Ending. Which means he scored 32 points in 32 minutes. Defending him was seemingly impossible for Boeheim’s Army.

Nichols also made the game-winner and finished with 36 points.

36!!

Here's who started the fourth quarter for Boeheim’s Army: Buddy Boeheim, Jimmy Boeheim, Jacob Gilyard, Malachi Richardson and Frank Mason.

The Army quickly found themselves down five to start that quarter.

It was a puzzling lineup.

These games can get away from teams very quickly in the fourth quarter. You play for five minutes, try to build a lead and then get to the Elam Ending. The first few minutes of the fourth quarter are really important.

It happens in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, We Are D3 led 72-68 after yet another Nichols 3 and they smartly called time to set up the target score. Which was 80. At that point, WAD3 led 72-68.

Boeheim's Army had its chances. Buddy Boeheim missed 3s. Elijah Hughes missed 3s. Boeheim made a big one to get Boeheim's Army within 2.

But mostly, Boeheim's Army could not get enough stops in the Elam Ending.

And Nichols drained the game-winner to kill the mood at OCC. (Except if you were a D3 fan.)

We Are D3 did a nice job limiting the shots Boeheim's Army shot from the three-point line.

BA was 5-of-14 from 3 in the first half. The perimeter was not nearly as open as it was in the first game against the Herkimer Originals. The Army had very few open 3s.

Boeheim's Army was 10-of-31 from three.

WAD3 (so many long TBT names) is a connected group that I'm guessing teams overlook every year because, well, they played D3 basketball and nobody who plays D1 basketball knows much about those guys.

They prepare like no other TBT team. They do not miss free throws. They don't take bad shots. They guard you. And they have a killer in Nichols.

Rebounds were a problem for Boeheim's Army. Like, a big problem. WAD3 grabbed 10 more of them in the first half, despite being smaller at virtually every position.

Total rebound numbers: WAD3 45, BA 30.

There were plays like this from Jacob Gilyard and Chris McCullough in the first half.

McCullough seemed oddly underutilized. He's a quick, mobile, athletic 4 man and there aren't many TBT guys who can guard him.

He scored eight first-half points. Gilyard had nine and Elijah Hughes had eight to lead the Army at the break. McCullough did not play a minute in the fourth quarter until late in the Elam Ending. Which was weird.

Ryan Boatright drained a wide-open 3 to give the Stars of Storrs, the UConn team, a 78-76 win over the Green Mountain Men in the first game on Monday night.

The game was close the whole way. GMM could have easily won it. That team missed two free throws to win it, then made a free throw to get to within 1 of the target score of 77, but still could not pull it out.

Notes: Rakeem Christmas, who starts in the middle for Boeheim’s Army, sustained some sort of injury to his right shoulder early in the game. He went over to presumably see a trainer, but eventually returned to the game. He never really seemed right after that.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit newsrealtime. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Paul Skenes shuts down Tigers as Pirates take series opener

Any hopes the Detroit Tigers had of building momentum after snapping their six-game losing streak on Sunday night were quickly dashed by Paul Skenes.

The 23-year-old All-Star pitched six shutout innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Tigers 3-0 on Monday night at PNC Park.

The Tigers (60-41) have scored just three runs in four games since the All-Star break and have now been shut out twice. They'll face the Pirates (40-61) two more times this week.

Skenes, who started the All-Star Game for the National League and is a leading contender for the NL Cy Young Award, handled the Tigers' lineup with relative ease. Detroit's best scoring opportunity came in the third inning when Parker Meadows led off with a double and Matt Vierling followed with an infield single. But Skenes retired three straight batters to escape the threat.

He's really good," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters in Pittsburgh after the game. "I felt like we put up some tough at-bats as the game went on. He got into the game pretty easily, and then we had a couple things going where we had to find a way to scratch across a bleeder or a bullet or a big hit to dent what he's doing. He's going to get his punchouts. He's really good at using his elite stuff, and he's a hard measuring stick.

Tigers starter Jack Flaherty continued his Jekyll-and-Hyde season, striking out six but issuing three costly walks in a start that lasted just three innings.

They dumped a few hits in there, hit a couple balls well, some untimely walks, and you look up and he's closing in on 80 pitches," Hinch said. "I was glad he held it to three runs because it felt like it could've been worse. Then our pen came in and kept it close, to where they had to use a couple of their guys to finish us off.

One positive sign for the Tigers: the bullpen seems to be stabilizing after a difficult period leading into the break. Dietrich Enns, Chase Lee, and Tommy Kahnle combined for five scoreless innings in relief.

Kahnle entered July with a 1.77 ERA but had allowed 14 runs in 3 1/3 innings before Monday's scoreless outing.

That was a positive outing for Tommy," Hinch said. "I was hoping to get a lower-leverage situation where he could come in and work on a few things, have a little bit of breathing room. Ideally, we were going to be up 5-0 or 6-0. But I think just him walking off the field with a positive feeling is a step in the right direction.

BOX SCORE

Next up : The Tigers and Pirates meet again on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.

Tigers' right-hander Casey Mize (9-3, 3.15 ERA) will face Pirates' right-hander Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.48).

Mize is making his first appearance since a relief outing in the All-Star game on July 15.

Keller has spent his entire career with the Pirates since being drafted out of high school in the second round in 2014.

Keller has a 2.32 ERA over his last seven starts (42 2/3 innings).

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Charlie Woods Faces an Uphill Task to Make the Cut at the U.S. Junior Amateur After a Difficult Start

After the first round of the prestigious US Junior Amateur, Charlie Woods faces an uphill battle to reach the knockout stages after scoring 11 over par with a 81 at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Texas.

The 16-year-old's legendary dad Tiger, who is recovering from Achilles surgery , was in attendance, but he witnessed his son make a slow start.

Beginning on the 10 ^th , Charlie made successive bogeys on his opening two holes, before his first par of the day came at the 484-yard par 4 12th. ^th .

However, rather than marking the start of better things to come, Woods' fortunes went the other way with a costly double bogey on his fourth hole of the day, the par 4 13. ^th .

After his first six holes, Woods was five over for his round, with his third bogey of the day coming at the 615-yard par 5, 15. ^th .

Unfortunately for Woods, that wasn't the end of his problems. Successive double bogeys followed at the par 3 16. ^th and par 4 17 ^th , before he finally found some relief with his first birdie of the tournament at the 432-yard par 4 18 ^th , his ninth hole of the day.

Even with that glimmer of hope, by that point, Woods was eight over, and his chances of making it into the top 64 and ties at the 36-hole stage to progress were already looking doubtful.

As he made the turn, Woods was languishing in T228 in the field of 264 players, 10 strokes behind the position he needed to maintain in order to continue after Tuesday's second round at Trinity Forest Golf Club.

Still, the birdie at least gave him a foothold, and with 27 holes to play, all was not lost. Sadly for Woods, another bogey came on his 10th hole of the day, with his fourth double bogey of his round on his 12th.

Finally, he then found some consistency with four consecutive pars between his 13th and 16th holes of the day, before he closed out his round with his fifth bogey of the day and his second birdie at the 18th. That leaves him at 11 over, and, as it stands, nine behind the position he needs to progress in T242.

Woods is not the only son of a current or former PGA Tour star in the field. The defending champion is Trevor Gutschewski , son of Scott, and he finished the day very well placed at three under, just two back of the lead, which is held by Kailer Stone and Qiyou Wu.

Jonathan Byrd's son Jackson is also in the field and is on even par after his first round, while Matt Kuchar's son Cameron is also playing and heads into Tuesday's action at three over.

Another notable name in the field is Tyler Watts , who Gutschewski beat a year ago. He advances to the second round at four under.

Miles Russell, who last year, aged 15, became the youngest player to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event and has gone on to make PGA Tour appearances, is just one shot behind the leader, tied for third at four under.

Woods qualified for the US Junior Amateur , which his father famously won three times in a row between 1991 and 1993, in June. That guaranteed his second appearance at the event after competing in 2024.

Back then, he finished the first round 12 over at Oakland Hills, and that proved too much for him to come back, eventually missing the cut after finishing 22 over for the tournament in T240.

After his struggles on day one, his prospects aren't much brighter heading into the second round of this year's tournament.

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Trump demands Commanders, Guardians restore old names, threatens to derail D.C. stadium deal

President Trump said he may move to block Washington Commanders ' new stadium as he called on the NFL team and also MLB's Cleveland Guardians to restore their old names.

The big picture: The Commanders changed their name from the Washington Redskins and the Guardians from the Cleveland Indians in the wake of an anti-racism movement that swept the U.S. after the 2020 murder of George Floyd and following years of activism and protests against the names that many Native Americans considered offensive.

• The Commanders had urged the D.C. Council to get the RFK Stadium redevelopment approved or risk Trump's intervention, according to Axios. Cuneyt Dil . The president can influence the NFL stadium project due to the power of the White House and through federal design commissions, Dil notes.

Driving the news: "The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team," Trump said on Sunday. post to Truth Social.

• "Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past," he said.
• "Our great Indian people, in large numbers, want this to happen," added Trump, without providing evidence.

Zoom in: In a later post , Trump said he "may impose a restriction" on the Commanders "if they don't change the name back.

• "I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington," he added.
• Trump went on to attack Matt Dolan - a former state senator who is the son of the late Cleveland Guardians owner Larry Dolan , whom AP reports is no longer involved with the team.

For the record: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a Monday briefing that Trump was "serious" about his comments on the Commanders.

• "Sports is one of the many passions of this president, and he wants to see the name of that team changed," she said.
• "You've seen the president gets involved in a lot of things that most presidents have not," Leavitt added.
• He's a nontraditional president. He likes to see results on behalf of the American people, and if you actually poll this issue with sports fans across the country, and even in this city, people actually do support the president's position on this and the name change.

What they are saying: Chris Antonetti, the Guardians' president of baseball operations, said in a media statement he hadn't paid much attention to the matter of changing the team's name back.

• "But I would say generally, I understand that there are very different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago," Antonetti said.
• Obviously it's a decision we've made and we've had the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future.
• The Commanders declined to comment on the matter.

The Native American Guardians Association said in an emailed statement on Monday that it stood with Trump in the push.

• Renaming the sports teams was a "scam to demonize proud Native identifiers in sports and the mainstream," added the group, which filed a lawsuit against the Commanders' name change that a federal judge dismissed last year.

Suzan Shown Harjo, an enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and a Native American activist, urged the Commanders on Facebook post to "keep up the good work" and "keep on the path of righteousness" after Trump's post.

• "Guardians, you were right to dump 'Chief Wahoo' and to scrap the 'Indians' name and egregious behaviors," wrote Harjo, a poet, who has long campaigned to end racist Indigenous mascots in sports.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with a comment from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Native American Guardians Association, and to reflect that the Washington Commanders declined to comment.

Axios' Russell Contreras contributed the report.

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Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Jon Horst Indicates a Possible Position Change for Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2025-26

One of the most surprising decisions in the entire NBA this offseason was the Milwaukee Bucks deciding to waive and stretch nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard . Unfortunately, two seasons of seeing Lillard paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo Did not produce the final results that the team had hoped for, though it was through no fault of either superstar.

Indeed, Giannis and Lillard were the highest-scoring duo in terms of points per game in NBA history. However, due to injuries, they only played 29 minutes together in the postseason.

With Lillard expected to be out for most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season, and due to other circumstances, the Bucks decided it was best for the organization to move on, waiving him and spreading out his salary cap hit over the next five seasons.

The Milwaukee Bucks Used the Salary Cap Savings to Build Around Giannis Antetokounmpo

Waiving and then stretching Lillard allowed the Bucks' salary cap space to be used to sign players better suited to play alongside Giannis. And while most of their moves were to re-sign their own players, such as Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince, they also made a huge splash in free agency.

That, of course, was luring center Myles Turner away from the hated Indiana Pacers to replace Brook Lopez (who signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers). The stunning signing of Turner is still one of the bigger topics in the NBA, as Turner is a defensive wizard who will complement Giannis on that end of the floor quite well.

And while Milwaukee also re-signed point guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, as well as acquiring Gary Harris in free agency, they did not make as big of a splash in the point guard market as many had expected.

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Jon Horst Indicates Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Play Point Guard

Recent comments that Bucks general manager Jon Horst made to Eric Nehm of The Athletic may indicate why Milwaukee did not feel the need to replace a nine-time All-Star at the point guard position, Lillard, because they plan on having Giannis run point himself.

He truly is becoming a real point guard — or a real point forward, like Doc calls it — so I think that allows us to dive even deeper into it than we have in the past, but I think those have always been some of our most successful lineups and groups. Putting him out there with a bunch of shooters and ball movers and let him just dominate. You stop him, he passes it. You don’t, he dunks it. And I feel like we’ve got a number of those guys.

This past season, Giannis tied his career-high in assists per game with 6.5. He also averaged 3.1 turnovers per game, which was his lowest mark in that category since the 2017-18 season.

Obviously, having the Greek Freak play point guard may be what the Bucks choose to do on the court for large portions of the game, but he will still play defense as a front court player. His rebounding is far too valuable.

In this case, the Bucks will likely still start another guard like Rollins, Porter, or even AJ Green so that Giannis can kick the ball to them for wide open threes.

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Nets SL player grades: Danny Wolf scores 18 in 94-90 win over Magic

The Brooklyn Nets (1-3) came into Wednesday's game against the Orlando Magic hoping that they could finally get their first win of the Las Vegas Summer League. Despite Brooklyn playing on the second night of a back-to-back and missing Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore, and Tyson Etienne due to various ailments, the Nets found a way to make enough plays to come away with the victory.

The Nets left Thursday's game with a 94-90 Victory over the Magic thanks to two of Brooklyn's rookies having their best games of the summer league. Forward Danny Wolf scored 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists while Egor Demin contributed 14 points and five rebounds, including shooting 4-of-8 from three-point range to keep the Nets in the game towards the end.

Brooklyn had its fair share of trouble defending Noah Penda, Wendell Moore Jr., and Jalen Crutcher, but Brooklyn had built up enough of a lead to give themselves a cushion to withstand Orlando's furious comeback. Here are the Nets player grades following their game against the Magic in which they won their first game in the summer league:

Egor Demin: B-

Demin had a tough time on the offensive end in this one as he couldn't find his touch from three-point range and had trouble getting all the way to the basket outside of an impressive coast-to-coast dunk. Demin did a good job of rebounding from the point guard position, but he turned the ball over too much for him to get much out of his playmaking.

Caleb Daniels: C

Daniels started another game, but he wasn't able to replicate the performance he had in Tuesday's loss to the New York Knicks. Daniels didn't get the ball as much as he did in the other game, but he also couldn't find his shooting touch from the outside to make the defense pay for leaving him open at the three-point line. Daniels did a great job of rebounding the basketball, but he also fouled too much when trying to guard his man.

Tosan Evbuomwan: B+

After missing time due to a hip contusion, Evbuomwan was able to return to the court for the Nets, and he had a solid game. Evbuomwan had some moments where he looked unsure of himself on the offensive end, but he also had some instances where he showed his veteran presence on the court. Evbuomwan was a threat on perimeter defense as he was constantly accumulating steals thanks to his awareness and quick hands.

Danny Wolf: B+

Wolf had his best game of the summer league as he had all his game working, from his scoring to his passing and everything in between. Wolf has had games where he either didn't shoot well or didn't showcase his all-around game that made him a first-round pick coming out of Michigan. This game should have shown Nets fans that Wolf will be an interesting player for the team next season.

Grant Nelson: C-

Nelson drew another start, but he wasn't able to make much of an impact outside of his rebounding during his time on the floor. Nelson did not take many shots, and while summer league can be tough on big men who don't get the ball consistently, there were times when Nelson could have asserted himself. Nelson did a great job on the glass, but he also picked up too many fouls while trying to defend in the paint and at the rim.

Quincy Olivari: B+

Olivari saw plenty of minutes in this game, as some players were unable to play for various reasons, and he took advantage for the most part. Olivari did not shoot the ball well at all, but he was aggressive on the offensive end of the court and he was one of the main playmakers on the court. Olivari did a great job of generating free-throws and he took care of the basketball when he had it in his hands.

Tyrese Samuel: B

Samuel got some extra playing time in this game because some players couldn't participate in the matchup, and he had one of the better games on the team. Samuel was effective on the offensive end of the court and was aggressive to the point that he generated some free throws as a result. Samuel could have been more active during the rebounding phase of the game, but he was also disruptive on the defensive end of the court.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets SL player grades: Danny Wolf scores 18 in 94-90 win over Magic

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Open Championship star heartbroken as caddie banned from entering UK

Harris English has spoken about his "disappointment" after his caddy was denied a visa to work at The Open Championship. due to a conviction for dealing drugs.

Eric Larson, who has been looping for English for the past eight years, was denied a visa by the UK Government despite exhaustive efforts by the five-time PGA Tour winner, lawyers and Open officials. Larson was unable to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority visa, with new rules granting the power to refuse entry to the UK for anyone who has spent a year or more in prison.

Larson spent 10 years and three months in prison after admitting his crimes, and he was released in 2006. He has since worked for Anthony Kim, Jeff Overton, and English. Larson and English have formed a close bond, but the former is stuck back home in the U.S. and will have to watch the action at Royal Portrush from the couch. It comes amid the devastating news that A 28-year-old golfer was killed on the course, leaving fellow players asking major questions about the circumstances. .

READ MORE: What Rory McIlroy did moments after missing out on the Scottish Open showed true colors

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English said, legal experts and golf authorities did "everything they could to help" sway the UK Government's decision, and he made it clear he does not agree with the logic behind it.

"I did everything I could to help," English said. Bunkered. He had a lot of people helping him out, and I guess it just didn't get into the right hands or the right people to see that he is not a threat to society. That he's just going to be over here caddying for me for two weeks and helping me do the best I can to try to win an Open Championship. I think it is a bit silly.

We've had a good major run. I mean, 12th in the Masters, second in the PGA, didn't play great at Oakmont [US Open], but I made the cut. It is what it is, but it sucks. He's just disappointed. I think he had a lot of optimism that he was going to be able to come over.

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English believes Larson, who caddied for Mark Calcavecchia before his conviction, has served his time and learned from his mistakes, and he should no longer be punished.

I mean, he's not really proud of what he did," English said. "He knew he was in the wrong and he knew do the crime, do the time. He knew he messed up but he's turned his life around and he's been awesome.

Whatever he can do to help me or whatever I feel like is best is what he's going to do, and he's been awesome for me. It's just disappointing trying to win an Open without him this week. "I miss having him. He has one of the best attitudes I've ever seen.

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English will have Ramon Bescansa carrying the bag in Northern Ireland. The 35-year-old had Joe Etter, Davis Thompson's caddie, working for him at last week's Scottish Open. But Thompson earned one of the final spots in the Open field, meaning English had to turn to Bescansa.

English is ranked No. 19 in the world and he is in the hunt to qualify for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage in September, making the news of Larson's absence even more frustrating for the form Georgia native.

English won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January before finishing in a share of second place at Quali Hollow in the PGA Championship. He also finished in a tie for fourth place at last month's Travelers Championship.

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What We Learned About MN Twins Top Pick Marek Houston – MSF Exclusive

On Sunday evening, just before the start of this year’s All-Star Game festivities, Major League Baseball ushered in the next wave of big league talent via the 2025 MLB Draft, where the Minnesota Twins selected 21-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Marek Houston 16th overall , from Wake Forest.

Yes, another shortstop , which happens a lot in professional baseball, because at all levels of the game, shortstop is where teams usually play their best athletes. And for these kids' entire lives, up until they are drafted, that's always been them.

Like last year at Wake Forest, when Marek Houston proved to be far better than his collegiate competition, slashing .354/.458/.597 (1.055 OPS) with 14 doubles, 15 home runs and a 46/46 K/BB ratio. Oh, and he successfully stole 19 of the 21 bases he tried to steal, too.

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Related: Report: Minnesota Twins Prepare for a Quiet Trade Deadline

Now, the superstar Demon Deacon is looking forward to his first professional opportunity, which will come quickly. Luckily, before his life became too hectic, I was able to catch up with Houston a couple of days after he was drafted by the Twins.

Marek Houston not a fan of the MLB Draft process, but MN Twins fans will love him

In our brief conversations, I got to know Minnesota's latest top just a little bit. And it didn't take more than a few messages back and forth before I realized that this kid is an old-school type gamer who takes pride in his defense (more on that below). No doubt, I expect Houston to grow on the fanbase rather quickly, if he plays well.

I'm a competitor. I like to compete, and once the game starts it's about winning. As a hitter I'm looking to get on base and see what the situation holds for me. Defensively I want to be reliable and take away hits from the other team. — Marek Houston

Houston tried to soak in the draft process as much as possible, and told me that he had a great meeting with the Minnesota Twins and loved the people they have in the organization. He described the overall draft process, however, as confusing.

The 6'3", 205 lb athlete He said he had an idea of where he would go, but "when the time comes, it's all a big mystery." Overall, it sounds like going through the steps of getting drafted and dealing with all the outside noise added more unnecessary stress than anything else. Without a doubt, he sounds happy that it's over and excited to be a Twin.

The draft process was honestly very confusing. You have an idea of where you may go, but when the time comes it's all a big mystery. I had a great meeting with the Twins a couple days before and loved what they were about and the people they have... I'm excited to be a part of an organization that I have already heard so many great things about. — Marek Houston

When Houston lands in Minneapolis to put pen to paper, he will be visiting the state for the first time. He has seen plenty of Target Field, from afar, and knows some of the stars who have worn the Minnesota Twins uniform.

Houston can stick at shortstop, ready to prove the offense is legitimate.

Before he can think about living in the Twin Cities, though, he has to fight his way up the minor league ladder. Defensively, there's no reason why Marek Houston can't stick at shortstop.

In fact, MLB Pipeline tagged him as the best defensive shortstop in the 2025 MLB Draft. That now gives the MN Twins two consecutive drafts where their top pick could genuinely remain at SS, after they selected Kaelen Culpepper in 2024. He represented the Twins in the MLB All-Star Futures Game this year

Offensively, Houston's game took off during his final collegiate season, especially from a power standpoint. After posting just 12 home runs in his first 119 college games, Marek overhauled his offensive approach last season and it led to some incredible results.

I'm looking to keep improving at all levels of my game. You can always get better if you are putting in the work. I think the most exciting part about pro ball is the high level players and pitchers you face. I think I will learn a lot just from being around those types of players. — Marek Houston

Now, he's determined to prove to himself and anyone else who cares that he was worth the 16th overall pick, and hopefully even more.

MLB Commissioner: Minnesota Twins Sale is Imminent

With a significant amount of college experience behind him, and a polished defensive game, he could be a fast riser. Look for the MN Twins to send him to Fort Myers initially, but a promotion to Cedar Rapids by the end of the year makes sense.

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Tour de France stage 11 preview: Route map, profile and start time as Ben Healy wears yellow in Toulouse

The Tour de France Rarely disappoints, but this year's race has been utterly absorbing from the get-go when crosswinds blew apart the peloton on stage 1 , and there's every reason to think stage 11 will serve up another thrilling day.

Not many predicted the breakaway artist from Ireland Ben Healy would own the famous yellow jersey on the first rest day of this Tour, but that's exactly what has unfolded after some tactical brilliance on Monday's stage 10 helped him gain more than three minutes on Tadej Pogacar to depose the reigning champion at the top of the GC standings, while Simon Yates won the stage itself.

Not that Pogacar – who enjoyed coffees and a large burger on Tuesday's rest day – plans on lending Healy the yellow jersey for long.

We will see if Ben can hold on to the yellow jersey for a couple of stages," Pogacar said. "I think he has already spent a lot of time in the breakaway, so I hope he feels tired and we can fight again for the yellow in the next coming stages, maybe not [stage 11 around Toulouse], but Hautacam and then the time trial [at Peyragudes] and Superbagneres – it's going to be three really nice climbing days.

That's all to come later in the week but Healy has a strong chance to still be wearing yellow by the end of the day, as the Tour resumes in Toulouse with a 154km route to and from the city. The stage is officially categorised as "flat" by race organisers, but it is hilly enough to ruin some of the sprinters' hopes if the pace is high, which it may well be – stage 9 was the second fastest stage ever recorded, and stage 10 never let up either.

Each had their own unique set of circumstances driving the peloton's high pace, but there's every reason to suspect another breakaway will form early here on stage 11, with the sprinters' teams forced to chase if they want to set up their rider. Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick-Step), Kaden Groves (Alpecin–Deceuninck), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Biniam Girmay (Intermarche–Wanty) and Arnaud de Lie (Lotto) all hope for a bunch sprint to the line.

But that is no foregone conclusion, with five categorized climbs to clear, including four in the 50km, and power riders might be discouraged by the finale: a loop around the city with a few short, sharp climbs such as the Cote de Pech David (800m at 12.4%) with 9km to go.

The final 6km is flat, so will we see the sprinters there for a showdown or will it be a puncheur breaking clear over the hills who steals the stage?

Route map and profile

Start time

Stage 11 starts at 12:45 pm BST with an expected finish time of around 4:10 pm.

Prediction

This is a tricky stage to predict, with the sprinters' teams desperate for a calm day followed by a dash to the line, but facing the prospect of having to chase down a determined breakaway looking for the stage win themselves. It could even be a day for a solo artist to escape clear, just as Ben Healy so expertly triumphed on stage 6 .

I would like to go for a romantic option – Julian Alaphilippe He is one of the greatest one-day riders of his generation but has not triumphed at the Tour de France since 2021. If he gets into a strong breakaway, then he has the racing nous to time a decisive launch to the line.

But more realistic is a rider with the legs to crest the hills and a sprint to outgun their rivals down the home straight. Jonathan Milan and Kaden Groves both have the firepower to do just that, but I fancy Wout van Aert to take an opportunistic win, either by getting himself in the breakaway or by taking a messy sprint.

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