"Freak accident, you can't really make it up, crazy," Freeman said earlier this week.
Freeman reinjured the ankle Sunday, which was an off day for LA.
"Halfway through my morning coffee, I was like, 'Oh, I'll just shower to get ready for the day.' And next thing I know I'm down in the bathtub," he said. "It's a great mental picture if you guys want to think about it. Big guy falling all over the place."
Freeman's wife and son couldn't help but make fun of him, the first baseman quipped.
"Chelsea actually made the joke, 'I thought I was going to deal with this when you're 70, not when you're 35,'" Freeman said.
The bum ankle did not deter Freeman in October. He was named MVP of the World Series, driving in a record-tying 12 runs (in just five games), four of which came on his walk-off grand slam in Game 1. He also had two RBIs in the clincher and hit home runs in each of the first four games of the series.
Freeman was thankful the ankle injury is all he's dealing with.
"It could have been much worse. I could have hit my head," he said.
Freeman has missed five of the Dodgers' eight games, but they are doing just fine without him. They're off to an 8-0 start.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell says his Seattle-area home was broken into last week.
No one was at the home at the time of the break-in. Snell was in Los Angeles for the Dodgers' home opener the following day, which he started.
"I can confirm that our home was recently broken into," Snell said in a statement, via NBC KING 5. "Thankfully no one was harmed. We’re working closely with local authorities and are incredibly grateful for their swift response and ongoing support.
"We have security footage that is actively assisting in the investigation, and we’re confident the individuals responsible will be caught and removed from our community. If you know something, say something — please contact local law enforcement."
Police were notified of the break-in March 26, one day before the game. Officers found a broken window when they arrived at the home.
Edmonds Police Commander Josh McClure said it was unclear whether anything had been stolen because "there had clearly been some high-value items that had been left there."
Snell's home was broken into the same week as former Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman's in nearby King County. The homes are separated by a 6-mile ferry ride.
"Of course, there's always the possibility that they're connected. We don't have enough information to say they're connected," McClure said.
A number of break-ins were reported at the homes of several high-profile athletes during the fall, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow, prompting alerts from leagues to use caution.
Tua Tagovailoa said he hired armed security and jokingly dared burglars to try breaking into his home.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, signed a five-year, $162 million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason, joining an already stacked squad. The Dodgers' home opener was their third regular-season game after they played a two-game set in Tokyo earlier in the month.
Women's fencer Stephanie Turner became a household name overnight among activists for women's rights in sports.
A viral video of Turner kneeling to protest a transgender opponent ignited more debate about transgender inclusion in women's sports, especially fencing.
"It will probably, at least for the moment, destroy my life," Turner told Fox News Digital. "It's very hard for me to do this."
Her decision was driven by her opposition to competing against biological males.
"This is a serious issue that is happening within all sports, and it needs to be addressed. There is a difference between men and women," Turner said. "It is a civil rights movement for women and girls, and I prioritize the safety and rights and protection of women and girls over trans-identified males."
Her belief even overpowered her lifelong political allegiance.
Turner, a long-time registered Democrat who broke from the party for the most recent election, says she is now a "new Republican conservative."
She switched parties over the issue of transgender athletes in women's and girls sports.
"A small group of people is holding a much larger athlete base hostage to extremist liberal views," Turner said.
How did it get to this point?
Turner was born and raised in Washington D.C., and now lives in deep blue Montgomery County, Maryland.
Over the years, she's been involved in a close friend group, which includes other fencers. It also includes multiple members of the LGBT community.
"They did not know I had this opinion about transgender women in women's sports. And one of them was one of my really good friends at the [fencing] club. He's in the LGBT community, and a lot of my friends are also in the LGBT community. And I don't want them to be mad at me for this. I love them on a personal level.
"I don't want them to think that I somehow hate them. And I don't want to lose them as friends."
But Turner also feels she can't have legitimate discussions with some people about the issue.
"They lie and say that estrogen can make a man a woman also to the point where you can not tell the difference, and it just becomes an insane argument."
Turner, 31, ventured into competitive fencing 12 years ago at age 19. She joined the club at the University of Maryland and has stuck with it ever since. She later qualified to compete in USA Fencing.
"I commit a lot of time and money for this," Turner said, citing travel, equipment and registration expenses.
Turner's official Fencing Tracker page shows 21 podium finishes, including a gold medal in women's foil at an event called the Trick or Retreat ROC Aug. 18 in Edison, New Jersey.
But she got to a point in her career when she had to be aware of the USA Fencing official gender eligibility policy.
The official policy allows for transgenders to compete in the women's category in both the junior and senior level after completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment. Proof of compliant hormone therapy must be provided prior to competition.
USA Fencing has a policy announced in November 2022 to give preference when selecting host cities for national tournaments to states without laws that "harm members of LGBTQ communities" and states that do not "have laws undermining the reproductive health of women."
"In fencing, personally, I see it quite often," Turner said. "I have witnessed transgender fencers in women's tournaments and girls tournaments in different age categories, specifically Y-14 (the youngest age group)."
Turner had a previous experience avoiding a trans opponent in the summer of 2013. She saw reports of a trans athlete who she had previously known as a biological male fencer, by another name. When Turner saw the athlete was listed as a competitor in that year's Summer Nationals, she decided not to go.
"I never registered because I knew that he was going to be in there," Turner said. "In previous years, when I had known about transgender fencers being present, I just didn't register."
Turner always made sure to avoid registering for events after vetting them for trans athletes.
But what she couldn't foresee was one of them registering after she did.
That happened for the first time last weekend for a Division I-A event called the Cherry Blossom Open at her alma mater, the University of Maryland. Redmond Sullivan, who previously competed in the men's division, according to Fencing Tracker, was registered and placed in the same bracket as Turner.
She only learned this at 10:30 p.m. the night before her matchup with Sullivan.
By that point, she was considering a different approach to handling the situation considering how frequent trans inclusion was becoming.
"I had contemplated in the future that I wanted to avoid not registering for events, just because a transgender person was there, because it could just be every single one of my events has a transgender person," Turner said.
"So, I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this person shows up into my event, and they're on my strip, then I will take a knee, and that would be God's will."
But Turner wanted to take things a step further, a step she knew could "destroy her life," but she did it anyway.
Just minutes before she took the strip to kneel against Sullivan, she went to one of her closest friends on the club for a favor.
"I said, ‘I’m about to do something, and I want you to film it. I'm really nervous about it, and this is your last chance to leave if you want to,' because I didn't know what the reaction was going to be," Turner said.
Her friend agreed to film the kneel, recording a scene that would be witnessed across the fencing world.
Turner was then dealt a black card, disqualified from the event and escorted out so quickly she didn't get to say another word to her teammates, trainers or anyone else.
Turner didn't want this role. She admits to being a private person without any social media channels who "enjoys anonymity."
"I was hoping someone else would come forward or the board of directors would have a change of heart," Turner said.
A nonprofit fencing organization penned an open letter to USA Fencing Board Members in December, urging the national governing body for the sport to reevaluate its stance on several issues, including transgender inclusion.
"Politics aside, it is a reasonable request to form a task force to do a deeper dive on this issue in fencing and create a safe space where the voices of all women are heard without ridicule and abuse," the letter said.
But nothing was done.
Turner is the latest combatant in the ongoing culture war over the issue of trans athletes in women's sports. She has done a televised interview on Fox News Channel, her story has been covered by multiple media outlets and she is even featured in a commercial.
The sports activist brand XX-XY Athletics released its new commercial featuring the clip of Turner's kneel Thursday.
For her, it's all worth it if it means holding institutions like USA Fencing and politicians who have continued to enable trans inclusion accountable.
"It's a litmus test for common sense in whether a politician is able to lie to your face to abide to common culture," Turner said.
"Something needs to be done."
USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the incident.
"USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and nonbinary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day," the statement said.
"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
A USA Fencing spokesperson also told Fox News Digital Turner was not penalized for her stance against trans inclusion, but simply for refusing to fence.
"In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit," the spokesperson said.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason. Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity."
The 2025 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and there are some in the football world already focused on next year’s prospects, especially Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
The son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch is finally expected to start for the Longhorns after Quinn Ewers entered the 2025 Draft class. Arch had been sitting behind the former Ohio State Buckeyes signal-caller the past two seasons.
While many are hoping to see Arch tear up his college schedule next year, one NFL insider says it's not a foregone conclusion Manning will be going pro in 2026.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter made an appearance on "Get Up" Thursday and warned NFL teams and fans not hold out too much hope Arch will be available this time next year.
"First of all, there’s no guarantees that Arch Manning’s coming out after next year," Schefter said, via the New York Post. "It sounds like he certainly could be staying beyond next year.
"I’m not a college football insider, but none of the Mannings ever went out early, and I don’t know, with NIL money being what it is, why Arch would do that? So, all of this conversation about tanking for Arch next year, he could be in the draft in 2027, not even next year."
Arch redshirted his first year in Austin, which means he meets the three years removed from high school requirement to enter the NFL Draft if he chooses in 2026.
But what if Arch doesn’t have a great season? And considering what his uncle did with the San Diego Chargers, basically forcing a trade to the New York Giants, maybe Arch won’t like teams trying to "tank for Arch," Schefter suggested.
There are a lot of what-ifs that will become more clear later this year when Arch takes over Steve Sarkisian’s offense.
In 10 appearances last season, including two starts due to Ewers’ injuries, Manning threw for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran for 108 yards on 25 carries with four touchdowns on the ground.
Arch is valued at $6.6 million in NIL money, according to On3. So, as Schefter mentioned, he doesn’t have to jump to the pros to be paid.
Ahead of a LIV Golf event at his Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami, President Donald Trump is hosting members of the tour at the course.
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan recently dubbed Trump the "facilitator" of the ongoing discussions between the two golf tours — but nearly two years since the bombshell announcement was made of a potential deal, there has yet to be one.
Trump gave his stance on what he hopes will happen on his way to South Florida.
"Ultimately, hopefully, the two tours are going to merge. That’ll be good. I’m involved in that, too," Trump said. "But hopefully we’re going to get the two tours to merge. You have the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour. And I think having them merge would be a great thing."
Trump called the LIV golfers — a roster that includes Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and others — "some of the best players in the world."
Back in February, the PGA Tour credited Trump for "[getting] involved for the good of the game," and it appears there has been movement since he got involved.
"Those talks are real. They’re substantial, and they’re being driven at the top levels of both organizations. Those talks have been significantly bolstered by President Trump’s willingness to serve as the facilitator," Monahan said last month. "President Trump is a lifelong golf fan. He believes strongly in the game’s power and potential, and he has been exceedingly generous in his time and influence to help bring a deal together. He wants to see the game reunified. We want to see the game reunified, and his involvement has made the prospect of reunification very real."
Monahan added, "We believe there’s room to integrate important aspects of LIV Golf into the PGA Tour platform," and said he could envision "a future" in which Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan can join the Tour's board.
"We’re doing everything that we can to bring the two sides together. That said, we will not do so in a way that diminishes the strength of our platform or the very real momentum with our fans and our partners," he said, adding that "hurdles remain" between the two sides.
Trump last month expressed optimism the two sides will get some type of deal done.
"They’re gonna have to get together," he said. "They’ve had a lot of discussion back and forth. They both are meaning well, and a deal will ultimately happen. I think it will happen pretty quickly. It would be nice to see the best golfers play against each other."
"They are all great people, and they want to work it out," Trump added. "So, if I can help work it out… I don’t get anything out of it. I can help them work it out. I just think golf — it’s very much an individual sport, and you want to see the best players playing against each other and not playing in two different locations."
Trump's courses have hosted several LIV events since its inception, last hosting a PGA event in the mid-2010s.
The 23-year-old Finley was released without having to post bond after being booked Wednesday on a charge of possession of stolen goods valued at $25,000 or more.
The Green Wave conducted spring practice without Finley on Thursday, when all QB duties were handled by two other transfers, Kadin Semonza from Ball State and Donovan Leary from Illinois.
After practice, coach Jon Sumrall briefly addressed Finley's suspension with reporters, largely deferring to the university's official statement but adding, "When guys make mistakes, then they have to have accountability."
During his time with Auburn nearly three years ago, Finley was arrested for allegedly evading police during a traffic stop.
The arrest came shortly after he became the first college athlete to ink an NIL deal with Amazon. He reportedly discovered there was an active warrant for his arrest after he was cited for riding a moped without a helmet on July 26 on campus and turned himself in.
Finley is now with his fifth college football program and entering his sixth college season. He transferred to Tulane after spending last season with Western Kentucky, where he played in just three games before an ankle injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. Tulane will be his fourth school in as many years.
That allowed him to take a redshirt and preserve his final season of eligibility.
The Ponchatoula, Louisiana, native began his college career at LSU in 2020. He transferred to Auburn in 2021 and spent two seasons there before moving in 2023 to Texas State, where he passed for a career-best 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns.
The parents of Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr. filed a lawsuit against Bucknell University on Wednesday, nearly a year after the 18-year-old died after collapsing during his first-ever football practice with the team over the summer.
Mike Caspino, the attorney representing the family, announced the lawsuit during a press conference, alongside Dickey’s parents.
"He was a superb athlete. He was a great student and an unbelievable human being. And on July 12, 2024, he died a very painful, very brutal death because of the football coaches at Bucknell University," Caspino said.
"Despite the fact that CJ Dickey died nearly nine months ago, the school has withheld – is not telling his parents the circumstances and the facts around why he died. They refuse to tell them the story about how their son died. … They are hiding what happened, and we are forced to file this lawsuit so that we can find out the truth."
According to Caspino, Dickey died from rhabdomyolysis, which is a rare and life-threatening muscle condition triggered by intense workouts. He was more likely to suffer from the condition after previously being diagnosed with sickle cell trait, something the lawsuit alleges Bucknell was aware of before Dickey began training camp.
The lawsuit, obtained by ESPN, claimed that Dickey performed 100 up-downs on July 9 "as punishment" after the team "messed up" at a workout and that players performing the drill noticed him "falling behind the rest of the group."
According to ESPN’s previous reporting, Dickey collapsed and was transferred to a hospital where he was put on dialysis. He underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure in his extremities, but his heart stopped and he died two days after the incident.
"He died a horrible, painful death that was 100% preventable," Caspino said Wednesday.
In a statement to several outlets, Bucknell called Dickey's death "a tragic loss" but would not comment further due to pending litigation.
"The death of a student is always a tragic loss. While the University will not comment on pending litigation, we again extend heartfelt sympathies to CJ's family, and we will continue to focus on our most important priority -- the health and safety of all Bucknell students."
According to the NCAA policy, all athletes are required to undergo sickle cell solubility testing or provide results from a test within six months of participating in sports activities. In Dickey’s case, the lawsuit alleged that he tested positive and that a trainer from Bucknell spoke to his mother prior to the incident on July 12.
The lawsuit accused the university and others of negligence and is seeking compensation and information surrounding Dickey’s death.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is not expected to be punished by the NBA for a gun-related gesture he made during a recent game.
According to ESPN, the league issued a warning to Morant but is not planning to fine or suspend him in response to the finger gun gesture the two-time NBA All-Star directed toward the Golden State Warriors' bench Tuesday.
The "[l]eague ruled the celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature, but inappropriate and should refrain," ESPN reported.
Morant has been disciplined by the NBA multiple times throughout his career, and some of those punishments were due to gun-related incidents. The league handed down an eight-game suspension in 2023 after Morant flashed what appeared to be a gun during a social media livestream at a Colorado nightclub.
Later that year, Morant appeared to flash a weapon while he was in a car during another social media video. He was suspended an additional 25 games.
"Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at the time of his second suspension.
"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.
"For Ja, basketball needs to take a backseat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."
Morant was also placed under the microscope after a January 2023 game in which an unidentified individual in the NBA star's vehicle was accused of shining a laser pointer at the Indiana Pacers' team bus. It happened after some members of Morant's entourage were involved in a confrontation with a group of people in the Pacers' traveling party.
The Grizzlies enter Thursday's game against the Miami Heat in the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings.
"Isn't it amazing how simply this can be explained? The other side likes to say this is complex, it's a complex issue. Stephanie Turner is a heroine in my eyes," Gaines told "America's Newsroom."
"This was at a junior women's Olympic qualifying event. So, it's a really big deal. These aren't scrubs. This is the pinnacle of their sport at this point. I commend her for taking this measure. It's not easy to do, ultimately deciding to boycott. But it's the most effective way to say enough is enough."
Gaines, who swam four years at the University of Kentucky, including against Penn's Lia Thomas, then took a shot at the NCAA.
"The NCAA has continued to deceive the American people, and they've deceived President Trump in this. … The NCAA is repeatedly rewarding the replacement of women in order to champion men and women's sport, which is exactly why myself and about 19 other plaintiffs are suing the NCAA.
"When they use the word inclusion, what they really mean is exclusion. And the people they are excluding are women."
Turner made her decision to forfeit the night before the event when she checked the competition pools and saw that she would be facing Sullivan, whom she had read about in an article last year.
"I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women's objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy]," Turner said. "I took a knee immediately at that point. Redmond was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So, when I took the knee, I looked at the ref, and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man. And this is a women's tournament. And I will not fence this individual.'"
Minutes later, the referees issued Turner a black card, the sport's most severe penalty, leading to her ejection from the tournament.
A USA Fencing spokesperson told Fox News Digital Turner was not penalized for her stance against trans inclusion. Instead, she was punished for refusing to compete.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Before that, Barkley attended the J.P. Morgan Tech 100 Summit, which Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, attended with husband Jared Kushner, their son Theodore and Jared's brother, Joshua.
"Had an amazing time at the J.P. Morgan tech 100 summit! Want to give a shoutout to Madhu for having me out. Want to also give a shoutout to everyone who made it amazing," Barkley posted on X.
Barkley included four photos from the event in the post, one of which included him speaking on a panel with Tom Brady and another with Trump and Theodore.
Barkley also signed Theodore's ball, "A future star!"
The Eagles' invite to the White House was somewhat controversial. There had been online rumors the team would turn down an invitation, just as it did seven years ago.
However, Karoline Leavitt said the team "enthusiastically accepted" this year.
Head coach Nick Sirianni said earlier this week he was "really excited" for the opportunity.
"I'm really excited to go, yeah. What an honor. What an honor to be able to go to the White House. Teams that have been able to win championships have been doing that for a long time, and I'm really honored to go and really excited to go," Sirianni said this week.
The Florida Panthers recently visited the president to celebrate their Stanley Cup victory last summer, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be visiting Sunday after defeating the New York Yankees in the World Series in October.
The Las Vegas Raiders are not just committing to Geno Smith for the 2025 season, they are going beyond as they agreed to a two-year, $75 million extension, according to multiple reports.
The Raiders traded for Smith earlier this offseason, reuniting the veteran gunslinger with his old Seattle Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, who took over the job in Sin City.
The 34-year-old had one year left on his Seahawks contract, leaving many to believe Smith could perhaps be a stopgap option before a younger, franchise-type player joins the quarterbacks room.
However, the Raiders are giving Smith $66.5 million in guaranteed money, per ESPN, and the total of the deal could push to $85.5 million with incentives. This all means Smith is locked in for the next few seasons as the Raiders aim to get back into the playoffs.
Smith is now contractually attached to the Raiders through the 2027 campaign.
He will play on the $31 million deal that was left in Seattle’s contract with him in 2025, and the Raiders sent a third-round pick to acquire him before free agency began. Since then, Sam Darnold has filled Smith’s void in Seattle, as he is set to be their franchise quarterback now.
The Raiders were always in the market for a quarterback after Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell didn’t work out in split duties in 2024. Minshew also moved on, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs to be Patrick Mahomes’ backup next season.
Minshew’s pending free agency paved the way to perhaps give O’Connell a clear shot at the starting role, but he hasn’t proved to be ready for that after a roller-coaster first two seasons in the NFL.
With Smith aboard, Carroll’s Raiders can compete right away in a tough AFC West division. And he’s coming off not just his best season but a record-breaking one for the Seahawks.
Smith set a new team passing yards record for a single season with 4,320, and his 70.4% completion rate for the year was also a record. He threw for 21 touchdowns, though he will want to get those 15 interceptions down in 2025.
Seattle ended up going 10-7, and that would’ve been a playoff year in past seasons, but the Seahawks just missed the postseason.
But Carroll knows just what Smith can bring to an offense after Smith was a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback with the Seahawks while he was coaching. Smith was a journeyman who flamed out with past organizations, including the New York Jets, which drafted him.
However, Smith has proven to get the job done when given the proper tools to run an offense, and that’s what Carroll hopes can happen in year 1 in Las Vegas. It’s not just one year, though, as Smith is locked in for seasons after 2025.
"This is what happens, guys — residents of Upper Darby Township — when you elect a Cowboys fan to your government," the fan said. "Twenty-nine years of losing for this team. What do you expect from the leadership?
"This is a Cowboys fan. This guy follows the Cowboys. We’re talking about the Cowboys … not a championship contender, not a championship contender. We’re talking about the Cowboys."
Brown is a 28-year resident of Upper Darby and has held a number of leadership roles, including as a director for the Upper Darby School District.
The Eagels fan, though, did have his facts straight about the Cowboys’ past 29 years. They have not won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season, which is also the last time they played in one.
Jerry Jones' Dallas squad has made the playoffs 13 times since that win, including three in the last four seasons, but it was all for naught. The Cowboys have not reached the NFC championship game since the 1995 season.
The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in February to secure the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy.
At the height of racial tension in the U.S. in 2020, a rope, tied like a noose, was found in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace's garage at a NASCAR track.
The outcry was loud, and the day after the rope was found, Wallace led a large pack of drivers and other NASCAR personnel before a race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama in solidarity amid Black Lives Matter protests.
The FBI ultimately found that the rope was a "garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose" that had been there long before Wallace took over the garage.
"One in a million, katrillion coincidences that I had that garage stall," Wallace told "The Breakfast Club" on Power 105.1 in New York during an interview on Wednesday.
Co-host Charlamagne tha God joked, "They knew you was coming," and the two shared a laugh.
Wallace said that it's still a common topic of conversation.
"It’s wild. You should see my Twitter mentions. ‘Bubba finished third. Well, was there a noose?’" It’s wild that it’s still going," he related.
Wallace said he's "moved on" from the situation, but it took a while to get used to his new reality.
"It sucks the sport was put in that situation, that I was put in that situation, our team was put in that situation, but we’ve learned a lot about who we are as a sport and competitors, and that’s all you can ask for," he said.
"The year or two after that was rough. I went from one of the more favorable drivers to the boos and stuff. That’s OK, because it’s sports. I love going to college football games and college basketball games. I’m not a person that boos other teams, because I’m in the sports world myself, and it just kind of seems childish, but fans do what they want. Booing is a part of sports in general. But the next week after Talladega, it was like, ‘holy s---, I didn’t sign up for this.’ Now, it’s, they’re making noise. I’ve always been told, when they stop making noise, it’s worse."
Two weeks before the rope was found, NASCAR officially banned Confederate flags from races, a move that Wallace said has made the sport "way better."
"We all came together as one in unison, and I think that’s all you can ask for in the sport… I can honestly say the sport has been way better without it," he said.
"I think we’re all human enough… I’m not treated differently. Everybody’s been in support and moved on."
Hailee Steinfeld complimented the Kansas City Chiefs without complimenting them.
Steinfeld, 28, was asked to say three nice things about the Chiefs, her fiancé Josh Allen’s AFC rival, in a recent interview.
"Anger the Bills Mafia by saying three nice things about their rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs," actor Michael B. Jordan asked of Steinfeld during a recent episode of "Hot Ones Versus."
"I can find nice things to say about anybody, even if I don’t like them, even if we don’t like them," Steinfeld replied.
The Chiefs have eliminated the Buffalo Bills from the playoffs four of the last five seasons. One of those losses was the AFC championship game last season, which the Chiefs won 32-29.
The sting of the playoff losses made it difficult for Steinfeld to come up with kind things to say about the football team, so the Oscar-nominated actress went in a different direction.
"Yellow and red really complement them all pretty well. They are very loud. … It’s great. You want that from a fan base," Steinfeld said.
"They go hard for their team," Steinfeld added, providing her third and final nice thing to say.
Steinfeld’s answer made her and Jordan burst out laughing before they moved on.
Allen and Steinfeld got engaged somewhere on the California coastline in November after first being linked in the spring of 2023. The couple has remained relatively private about their relationship, but Steinfeld made a red carpet appearance with Allen at the NFL Honors last month.
While the Bills fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, Allen had the best season of his career. The 28-year-old quarterback was named league MVP after he combined for 41 touchdowns while throwing a career-low six interceptions.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
An Instagram page for a film the 44-year-old starred in also announced his death.
"The entire ‘HAPS’ team deeply mourns the loss of Vittorio Pirbazari. Our thoughts are with his family. We will keep you in loving memory - thank you for your warmth, your creative spirit and for being a part of our journey. R.I.P.," the "Haps" Instagram page wrote.
The Instagram post featured a video montage of Pirbazari with a featured photo of him in black and white.
Officials in Costa Rica have confirmed the official cause of death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner who died under mysterious circumstances on March 21 while on a family vacation.
The initial investigation in the days that followed Miller’s tragic passing focused on asphyxiation, which was later ruled out. The investigation then pivoted to food poisoning as a possible cause of death, but on Wednesday night, Costa Rican Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ) Director Randall Zúñiga said the toxicology results confirmed that he died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
"It’s important to note that adjacent to this room is a dedicated machine room, where it’s believed there may be some type of contamination toward these rooms," Zúñiga said.
Zúñiga said Miller was tested for carboxyhemoglobin, a compound generated when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood. The test showed a saturation level of 64%. It is considered lethal when carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50%.
The Gardner family stayed at the Arenas Del Mar hotel in Manuel Antonio.
Earlier this week, the OIJ suggested that carbon monoxide poisoning was likely the cause of death, but officials at the hotel denied those claims. A hotel spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the levels in the hotel room "were non-existent and non-lethal."
Fox News Digital reached out to the spokesperson again following Wednesday’s announcement.
The Gardner family said in a statement following Miller’s passing that several family members fell ill during the trip.
"We have so many questions and so few answers at this point, but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st," the statement read. "Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile. He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day."
Gardner was an outfielder for the Yankees for 14 seasons and was on the team when they won their last World Series title in 2009. He spent his entire career in the Bronx, last playing in 2021.
Fox News' Ashley J. DiMella, Ryan Morik, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Milton’s lone start for the Patriots came in Week 18, when they played the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots won that game 23-16 and Milton impressed in the win, albeit playing against mostly backups and depth players for the Bills as they had clinched their seed in the AFC playoffs.
In the win, Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown, while he ran for 16 yards and a touchdown as well.
The Patriots signed quarterback Josh Dobbs in free agency to be their backup behind Drake Maye, which made Milton available for trade.
With Dak Prescott as the starting quarterback, Milton will slide in as the team’s backup quarterback. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance backed up Prescott last year and the pair started a combined nine games after Prescott sustained a hamstring injury in Week 9 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
However, Rush departed for the Baltimore Ravens in free agency while Lance still remains a free agent.
With the reported addition of Milton and the departure of Rush, the Cowboys quarterback room now consists of Prescott, Milton and Will Grier. Grier has only appeared in two NFL games since being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2019.
Milton earned the nickname "Bazooka Joe" because of his strong throwing arm. In his final season at Tennessee, he completed 64.7% of his passes for 2,813 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.
FIRST ON FOX: The 2027 Military World Games will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking the first time the event has ever been hosted in the United States.
The last Military World Games took place in Wuhan, China, in October 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic erupted from that very city, putting the event on ice for what will be an eight-year hiatus.
When the games return in 2027, it will come right in the middle of two major international sporting events that are also set to play in the U.S. – the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
President Donald Trump will preside over each of the events, and while he played a role in bringing the World Cup and Olympics to America in his first term, he has his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to thank for giving the approval of the Military World Games for North Carolina, according to the event's co-chair Eli Bremer.
Bremer told Fox News Digital that Hegseth gave the final approval for the U.S. to host the games.
"His vision for the U.S. military, creating warriors, aligns so precisely with the U.S. military engaging in elite sporting," Bremer said. "I think this aligns extremely well with the new leadership in the military. I think it's a tremendous opportunity for the U.S. military to attract amazing talent into it that aligns with the leadership of Secretary Hegseth and all the way down the Trump administration."
Bremer, a former major in the Air Force Reserves and former modern pentathlete who competed in the 2008 Olympics, recalled his experience competing with athletes from some of America's notable military adversaries in past Military World Games, and believes the 2027 event can help opposing sides humanize each other amid geopolitical tensions.
"As a young officer in the Air Force, I had contact with Iranians and North Koreans who were at those sporting events, so it gave Americans a chance to kind of make contacts with other countries and to show them we're real people," Bremer said.
The games are organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM) the world's second-largest multidiscipline sports organization, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
CISM President Nilton Romil of Brazil told Fox News Digital that there were barriers to bringing the games to the U.S., but the committee powered through a "competitive" process to get it done in America, citing the symbolic importance of global peacekeeping.
"Barriers included the complexity of hosting such a large-scale international event for the first time on U.S. soil. Navigating security, diplomatic protocols, and ensuring infrastructure met CISM standards was key. However, shared commitment and vision made success possible," Romil said.
"The significance is historic. Western allies have long been active members of CISM, and the U.S. has supported the mission from the beginning. Now, hosting the Games on American soil extends a clear message: the West is committed to global peace and unity, not just through strategic alliances, but through shared human values.
"By hosting the Games, the USA is demonstrating leadership in promoting peaceful international military engagement beyond defense cooperation—through athletics, cultural exchange, and global solidarity."
Three of the last four MWGs were hosted in BRICS nations, with China hosting in 2019, Brazil hosting in 2011 and India hosting in 2007. By coming to the U.S., the event will be hosted in a G7 nation for the first time since it was hosted in Italy in 2003.
For many Americans who are both veterans and former athletes, the 2027 games will mark a proud milestone.
Former U.S. Olympian Chad Senior, who competed in the 2004 and 2000 Summer Olympics in modern pentathlon, and served in the Iraq War and Afghanistan War as an Air Force special operations veteran, told Fox News Digital that the games will come at an important time, as he sees the military in the U.S. becoming more "partisan."
"Policies in this administration are changing, and I don't think people are in the middle of it, they're either solidly against it or solidly embrace it," Senior said.
"Will it change people's minds? I don't know. I think that's why they have these World Military Games. Any time that different miliaries can get together in a friendly environment of sports versus on the battlefield I think is a positive thing for all of us."
Former U.S. Senator from Colorado Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and served in the Air Force, celebrated the selection of Charlotte for the next MWG.
"I was thrilled to hear that the World Military Games are coming to the United States. As one who served our country in the Air Force during the Korean War and represented our country on the judo mats at the 1964 Olympic Games, I believe there is a direct correlation between the discipline and dedication required to be an elite athlete or member of an elite fighting force and competition always pushes both to higher levels of performance," Campbell told Fox News Digital.
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin moved to within three goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring mark as he netted his 892nd goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
It was the Capitals’ lone goal in their 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes. He nearly scored two in the game but was stopped at point-blank range by goalie Frederik Andersen in the second period. He ended up beating Andersen on a 5-on-3 power play later in the second.
"We have a pretty good chance in the second, first shift a breakaway," Ovechkin said. "And in this game, if you have a chance, you have to use it and I think all goalies play well tonight."
Ovechkin acknowledged the playoff atmosphere in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the third period, eight players were given game misconducts after multiple fights broke out.
"We understand there's a possibility to see them in the playoffs," Ovechkin said. "It was a playoff atmosphere out there."
Washington and Carolina are the two top teams in the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have 105 points and the Hurricanes have 96.
"The GR8 Chase" is still on, at least for seven more games. Ovechkin could close out the record by the end of the weekend with a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night and then a road game against the New York Islanders on Sunday.
Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals was once thought to be unbeatable but Ovechkin is set to defy the odds.
"(The record) feels like it's right there," Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk said. "He feels like he's still scoring every night. It’s been huge for us and awesome for him to see that he’s still doing it at this torrid pace."
The Los Angeles Dodgers heated up during the World Series and have yet to cool off.
The Dodgers improved to 8-0 on Wednesday night when Shohei Ohtani hit a walk-off home run to lift the team to a 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers are off to the best start ever by a defending World Series champion.
"Overall, not just tonight, there is a really good vibe within the team," Ohtani said through a translator after the game. "So I just think that’s allowing us to come back in these games to win."
Ohtani’s 399-foot shot sent the Dodgers faithful into a frenzy. The reigning National League MVP is 10-for-30 to start the season with three home runs and three RBI. He is batting .333 with a 1.126 OPS.
"He keeps getting into these situations and moments where you’re expecting the unthinkable out of him and he rarely disappoints. That's really saying something," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said.
Michael Conforto and Tommy Edman had home runs as well.
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Shortstop Nick Allen was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI as well.
Dodgers starter Blake Snell lasted all of four innings. He allowed five runs on five hits but was not charged with an earned run. Braves starter Bryce Elder went four innings as well, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out three batters.
The Braves fell to 0-7 to start the season. Five of their seven losses came by three runs or fewer.
