Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. returned to the lineup for the first time after he tore his ACL last season in the team’s 2-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Friday night at Truist Park.

Acuna, 27, looked like he hadn’t skipped a beat. On the first pitch he saw from San Diego Padres starter Nick Pivetta, the 2023 NL MVP demolished it 467 feet for a towering solo home run. 

Acuna said he "had a feeling" he might do something special in his return. 

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"To me, that's just the culmination of all the work I put in," he said.

Unfortunately for the Braves, Acuna’s solo home run was the lone run they scored, as Pivetta shut the Braves' offense down afterward.

Pivetta ended up pitching six innings while he scattered four hits and struck out seven Braves’ hitters. 

PIRATES GM SHUTS DOWN PAUL SKENES TRADE RUMORS DESPITE DISAPPOINTING START

Padres third baseman Manny Machado broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth inning with a solo home run off Raisel Iglesias to give the Padres a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. 

The loss drops the Braves to 24-26, who are still looking to rebound after an 0-7 start. The team hopes the return of Acuna can help spur them back into postseason contention. 

"He’s one of those players that you better not go get a beer or whatever, because you might miss something really cool, you know?" Braves manager Brian Snitker said. 

"I mean, he’s that type of force, I think, in the game. I think he’s going to energize everybody. Gonna energize the fans. Gonna energize his teammates."

"It's huge," third baseman Austin Riley said of Acuna’s return. "The talent is there. The energy he brings, having Ronald up there at the top of the lineup. ... he can change a game at any point."

The Braves and the Padres will play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. 

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Former NFL player Ryan Clark issued an apology to Robert Griffin III for bringing his wife into a debate about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark earlier this week.

Griffin said in a social media post that Reese "hates" Clark. Following the post, Clark suggested that RG3 is "not having conversations at home about what Black women have to endure in this country," considering his wife is White.

"All of it started over an Angel Reese take that he felt was a sports take that I didn't feel that way about. I felt it was away from the court, I felt it was away from basketball . . ." Clark said in a recent YouTube post. "I took a take that was personal to another person and made it personal to myself, and I shouldn't have done that."

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Clark admitted his personal feelings and seemingly prior beef with Griffin "played a part in how I felt."

"I wanted to defend a young Black woman, which ended up being an attack on him, he felt, or at least he said, an attack on his family. And that was never the case, or never the intent, of mine," Clark said.

"She should not have been brought up in me trying to make a point about how having Black women close to you, and the things that you learn from them, can help you in the way that you approach and speak to and about them. She didn’t need to be the illustration of that. I can speak positively about what they are without making the insinuation that it’s something that non-Black women don’t do well…

CELEBRITY BOXING FOUNDER INVITES BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER AND CURRENT PARTNERS TO 'SETTLE BEEF' IN THE RING

"To Grete, I was out of line. I was out of bounds. I apologize. To all the people who don’t like RG’s take or takes or the way that he moves, or even if you just, in this conversation, take my side and want to support me, leave his family alone… Families should be off limits. I started that by bringing her into it. I see that. No matter what my intent was, the impact was different. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it a different way."

Clark made the comment while calling out Griffin for boarding "the hate train" after Reese's scuffle with Clark over the weekend, while making Clark "heroic." 

Sage Steele, who, like Griffin, is a former ESPN colleague, called Clark's words toward Griffin "classless, divisive, gross, (and) unnecessary." Steele and Clark have had issues in the past, even getting to a point where Clark asked producers to have someone other than Steele host a segment following previous comments she had made about former president Barack Obama.

Griffin later said that Clark's comments showed "how low of a person he is."

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Bill Belichick went viral in November 2023 after appearing shirtless on doorbell camera footage outside a home.

The video resurfaced shortly after rumors of Belichick's later confirmed relationship with Jordon Hudson began. Reports originally stated that the home belonged to Hudson.

But according to Pablo Torre, it was actually an AirBnB in Winthrop, Mass., and he had the couple who owned the home on his show to speak about the shock when they realized that the eight-time Super Bowl champion was on their doorstep.

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"We saw the Ring video in the morning, not knowing who this was," the woman, who opted to stay anonymous, said, "but it was an older gentleman with a very young woman who checked in the night before."

The woman's husband then butted in, bringing up his wife's concerns about this mysterious man.

"She’s said, ‘She’s with this creepy old guy.' She thought her relative or a drug dealer was the first thing because of the age discrepancy. Remember you went, ‘Must be a freaking coke dealer.’ I was like, ‘What? Come on.

"So that was her first reaction. And then I start looking [and] I’m like, ‘That does look like Belichick!’"

CELEBRITY BOXING FOUNDER INVITES BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER AND CURRENT PARTNERS TO 'SETTLE BEEF' IN THE RING

The owners of the home said Hudson had booked the stay. They added they had invited her to play golf, and that she had replied that she preferred a "men's senior shaft."

"I didn't think anything of it at the time," the woman said.

Belichick and Hudson's relationship was confirmed, but reports have said they began dating in early 2022. It's been rumored that they met on an airplane the year before.

Hudson recently ripped Torre for "factually incorrect, slanderous, defamatory and targeted" reporting.

Torre previously reported that Hudson had been banned from the University of North Carolina football complex earlier in May. However, the university released a statement denying that report shortly after Torre's report came out. 

The 73-year-old and 24-year-old made their relationship public last year. And Hudson gained more notoriety last month when she interrupted a CBS interview with Belichick.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Audio has been released of when Gregg Popovich reportedly suffered a medical emergency at a San Antonio restaurant last month.

The now-former San Antonio Spurs head coach was dining at a steakhouse when he reportedly fainted. Popovich then left in an ambulance.

The caller said Popovich was "not responding" at first. He updated dispatch that Popovich was "barely responding" and had "passed out for a little bit," according to TMZ.

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Popovich reportedly did not suffer any life-threatening injuries or illnesses, and he was alert by the time he entered the ambulance.

The 76-year-old had already been recovering from a stroke that led to him missing all but the first six games of the 2024-25 season.

Shortly after the reported medical scare, Popovich stepped down as head coach.

"While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach," Popovich said in a statement earlier this month. "I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me."

PACERS' GAME 1 HERO'S GIRLFRIEND TAKES SHOT AT KNICKS AFTER PLAYOFF COLLAPSE

Popovich will transition full-time to president of basketball operations.

Popovich’s tenure comes to an end after a nearly three-decade run that saw him coach the Spurs to five NBA Championships. He remains the league’s all-time wins leader and has the most playoff wins with one team by any coach in NBA history. His career, which also included being named NBA Coach of the Year three times and an Olympic gold medal, earned him a place in the Hall of Fame in 2023. 

The team missed the playoffs this year after Victor Wembanyama missed a healthy chunk of the season with blood clots.

The Spurs have the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, two years after selecting Wembanyama first.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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A scary moment occurred on an Alabama baseball diamond Friday during the SEC tournament, as two outfielders collided while going for a ball.

Arkansas, down 5-1 in the second inning, was desperate for some runs, with Cam Kozeal at the dish.

The left-handed batter drilled a ball into the right-center gap that both center fielder Isaac Humphreys and right fielder Ryan Moerman went after.

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They both made valiant efforts to make the grab, but instead, they crashed right into one another, causing the ball to roll all the way to the outfield. As the fielders collided, accessories flew everywhere.

It was good news for the Razorbacks, as Kozeal scored quite easily for an inside-the-park homer. Humphreys attempted to get the ball and throw it in, but he could hardly throw the ball in. Moerman, meanwhile, lay on the field for quite some time.

Humphreys somehow stayed in the game, but Moerman was taken out. Their injury diagnoses were not immediately known.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF REVAMPS FORMAT AFTER FIRST 12-TEAM TOURNAMENT EXPOSED FLAWS: REPORT

"Obviously a scary moment for everybody, especially when you get two guys go down," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said, via On3. "You never know. Bumped heads, concussion, and all kinds of injuries. But at first, we weren’t sure if it was some type of head injury, just because Ryan complained of his right knee, and then as he got up and started to move around it was his left knee. I think it’s one of those, it’s pretty traumatic, guys running full speed in the moment, and he actually came out of the game because they just wanted to really check him out because they weren’t really sure what was going on."

The Razorbacks were blanked for the rest of the day, and the Rebels took a 5-2 win into Saturday's semifinal against LSU.

The winner of that will take on the winner of Vanderbilt and Tennessee in Sunday's championship for an automatic bid into the College World Series.

It is unclear whether either player will be available on Saturday.

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After a reported dispute between Bill Belichick's current girlfriend and his ex, the two have an offer to duke it out in the boxing ring.

Linda Holliday and Jordon Hudson both reportedly attended the Dreamland Stroll Party on December 6. Holliday's daughters, Ashley and Kat Hess, were DJing the party.

Holliday, according to People, got "aggressive" with Hudson, and the two reportedly shared an intense moment.

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Now, they have a chance to hash it out once and for all, thanks to Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman.

"I heard about the situation with Bill Belichick's ex, Linda Holliday, as she ran into his current girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. They got into it at a party a couple months back," Feldman said, via TMZ Sports. "So I wanted to reach out, and I want to give them the opportunity and the platform here at Celebrity Boxing to settle that beef in the ring. Let's get it girls."

A staffer wrote in an incident report obtained by TMZ that "Ms. Hudson was a paying guest. No concerns had been raised regarding her behavior nor had any issues been reported up until that point in the evening (the event began at 7pm)."

JORDON HUDSON SLAMS JOURNALIST FOR 'SLANDEROUS, DEFAMATORY' REPORTS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH BILL BELICHICK

"Ms. Holliday felt her presence was inappropriate, since the event was widely advertised as a party headlined by her daughters. She asked that I remove Ms. Hudson from the premises, to which I responded that I would speak with Ms. Hudson after contacting Dreamland executive director Alicia Carney to discuss the matter."

Security footage then showed Holliday confronting Hudson in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by roughly 200 people.

Holliday was apparently irked because it "involve[d] my girls," and her "momma bear" emerged.

Neither Holliday, Hudson nor the Nantucket Dreamland organization immediately responded to requests for comment.

Hudson and Sapini were eventually escorted out by that staffer shortly before the lights came on at the party, TMZ reported.

Holliday dated Belichick from 2007 to 2022. Hudson and Belichick, who have a 49-year age gap, made their relationship public last year.

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The New York Knicks were not safe from getting trolled by the Indiana Pacers' superstar, or his girlfriend, after their epic Game 1 collapse.

The Knicks blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday. They had also led by 14 with 2:50 to go, and nine with under 60 seconds.

All they've done since then is now lose at home again to trail 2-0 in the series. Nobody has ever won a conference final after losing the first two games at home.

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But back to Game 1. After storming all the way back, Tyrese Haliburton chucked up a long shot that hit the back iron and dropped in. With former Pacers hero Reggie Miller just feet away, calling the game for TNT, Haliburton mimicked Miller's signature choking signal he directed at Spike Lee back in the 1990s.

Haluburton's shot wound up being a two, putting the game into overtime, but the Pacers came away with the victory.

After the game, Haliburton's girlfriend, Jade Jones, joined her boyfriend to take her own shot at the Knicks.

"finally got to see the ball drop in NYC," she posted on Instagram with a smirking emoji.

KNICKS FALL BEHIND 0-2 IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS SERIES VS. PACERS

Teams leading a playoff game by nine-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff game had been 1,414-0 since 1998 entering Wednesday. Also, since 1997, teams are now 4-1,640 when trailing by seven-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff game – the Pacers have won three of those games this season alone.

New York came back for revenge on Friday, but the Pacers pulled away late to take a commanding series lead. This time, it was Pascal Siakam leading the way with 39 points.

It was tied at 81 after three, before the Pacers opened the fourth with a 13-4 run to move ahead 94-85 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining. They would quickly push the margin back to around there every time the Knicks got any momentum, and it was 110-100 after another basket by Siakam with 2:45 to play.

The Knicks scored nine straight to make it 110-109 on Josh Hart’s basket with 14 seconds to go. Aaron Nesmith made two free throws for the Pacers, Brunson was well off on a 3-point attempt and Turner finished it out with two free throws.

Jalen Brunson had 36 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who need a quick turnaround or their first appearance in the conference finals in 25 years will be a brief one. 

Game 3 is in Indiana on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The New York Knicks have fallen to a place that no team in NBA history has ever overcome. 

After a historic collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks let Game 2 slip through their fingers, in a 114-109 loss. 

No NBA team has ever lost the first two games at home and come back to win a series in the conference finals.

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Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points, and the Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

"We have a long way to go and it’s only going to get tougher for us," Siakam said.

Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who lost to the Lakers in 2000 in their only NBA Finals appearance.

Siakam finished 15 for 23 from the field on a night nobody else on the high-scoring Pacers had more than five baskets.

"Special game," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "In the first half he was the guy that got us going and got us through some difficult stretches."

Jalen Brunson had 36 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who need a quick turnaround or their first appearance in the conference finals in 25 years will be a brief one. They defended much better after their crushing collapse in a 138-135 overtime loss in Game 1, but couldn’t find enough scoring to come back after a bad start to the fourth quarter.

THUNDER'S SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER WINS FIRST CAREER NBA MVP AWARD

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Knicks, but Towns played just 28 minutes as coach Tom Thibodeau went longer with backup Mitchell Robinson, a much better defender who grabbed nine rebounds.

"Going into the fourth quarter it’s a tie ballgame. We’ve just got to make better plays, more winning plays," Thibodeau said.

It was tied at 81 after three, before the Pacers opened the fourth with a 13-4 run to move ahead 94-85 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining. They would quickly push the margin back to around there every time the Knicks got any momentum, and it was 110-100 after another basket by Siakam with 2:45 to play.

The Knicks scored nine straight to make it 110-109 on Josh Hart’s basket with 14 seconds to go. Aaron Nesmith made two free throws for the Pacers, Brunson was well off on a 3-point attempt and Turner finished it out with two free throws.

The 50th playoff meeting between the rivals — the Pacers lead 28-22, all since 1993 — more closely resembled their defensive battles of the 1990s than the shootout of two nights earlier.

Indiana raced to a 19-9 lead, but the Knicks quickly caught them when Robinson and Deuce McBride entered and the game remained within a single-digit margin nearly the entire rest of the night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick shared the agony of her relationship and breakup with NFL star Aaron Rodgers, during an appearance on the Sage Steele Show. 

"The breakup with Aaron in 2020, because it was sudden," Patrick said when asked what was the most painful experience. 

"It felt like it was my life. So when you live with somebody, it’s your whole life… And because the nature of the relationship was emotionally abusive, so that wore me down to nothing." 

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Patrick claims that Rogers "leaves a trail of blood."

"Someone that you know, people could never imagine that I would lack any confidence, or belief in the simple things about who I am. Everything was torn to bits. He leaves a trail of blood. I don’t think I’m saying too much earth-shattering stuff after we — there’s been enough out there," Patrick said. 

"But it gave me the greatest gift, which is myself. It gave me the greatest gift of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself."

Rodgers and Patrick went public with their relationship in January 2018 after first meeting at the ESPY Awards in 2012. 

FORMER NASCAR DRIVER DANICA PATRICK ANNOUNCES PIVOT TO TENNIS

At the time, a rep for the "Pretty Intense" podcast host and entrepreneur confirmed to Fox News that the pair were an item. 

Meanwhile, Patrick told The Associated Press that she and Rodgers first crossed paths in 2012 at The ESPY Awards.

"I told him a long time ago I’d always root for him as a player," she recalled to the outlet. "Now I am probably going to cheer for the whole team. Take out the word ‘probably.’ Now I’m going to cheer for the whole team."

In November 2019, the pair appeared to be going strong, with Patrick even joking on "The Jenny McCarthy Show" about a proposal.

When asked when she’d get married, Patrick jokingly responded, "Um, [tomorrow] — wait, no, what?"

Back in August 2017, Rodgers opened up to ESPN, explaining it’s not always easy dating when all eyes are on you.

"When you are living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely… it’s difficult," he said. "It has some extra constraints because you have other opinions about your relationship, how it affects your work and, you know, just some inappropriate connections… There’s some horrible media outlets that… you say something or do something, where there’s a story, and they just go with it and run with it."

The couple then confirmed their breakup in July 2020. 

Patrick later opened up on the breakup during an appearance on National Geographic's "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" and told the survivalist that she learned a ton about herself during the public breakup.

"I think we learn the most about ourselves through relationships, but there's nothing like heartbreak to really throw you in the deep end of that," Patrick said, according to Yahoo! Entertainment. "But I've learned a lot and as broken open as I was on the sad end, I have felt so much joy in so many more instances and so many more unlikely places than I ever have, so it's like my heart got broken open to both ends of the spectrum."

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Bill Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, deleted an Instagram story early Friday calling out journalist Pablo Torre for his reports about Hudson and Belichick's controversial relationship. 

"Pablo Torre’s ‘findings’ have been nothing short of factually incorrect, slanderous, defamatory and targeted," Hudson wrote in the deleted post. "Can y’all please stop giving credibility to this ‘reporter?’"

Hudson's post came the same day Torre released a podcast episode that included an interview with the owners of an Airbnb property that Belichick was seen leaving early in their relationship in 2023. 

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"We saw the Ring video in the morning, not knowing who this was, but it was an older gentleman with a very young woman who checked in the night before," the female owner of the Airbnb told Torre.

Then the male owner of the Airbnb told Torre, "She’s with this creepy old guy who’s either her relative or a drug dealer was the first thing [we thought]. Because of the age discrepancy, you go, ‘He must be a freaking coke dealer. And then I started looking. I’m like, ‘That does look like Belichick.’

"At first, we thought she was like a dancer or an escort," the male owner added. "She said she was a dancer. Something was off. It just didn’t make sense."

Hudson's since-deleted Instagram story included a screenshot of text messages with the Airbnb owner discussing unauthorized guests and parking.

Torre provided a statement to People addressing Hudson's claims. 

"I find it bizarrely appropriate, at this point, that Jordon Hudson would post that and then delete it," he said, "But to be perfectly clear: I stand by our reporting and the episodes we published."

Torre previously reported that Hudson had been banned from the University of North Carolina football complex earlier in May. However, the university released a statement denying that report shortly after Torre's report came out. 

PRESSURE RAMPS UP ON KEY BILL BELICHICK DATE AMID SCRUTINY ON RELATIONSHIP

"While Jordon Hudson is not an employee at the University or Carolina Athletics, she is welcome to the Carolina Football facilities. Jordon will continue to manage all activities related to Coach Belichick’s personal brand outside of his responsibilities for Carolina Football and the University," the unversity's athletic program said in a statement.

Torre also said he had heard from sources in the Belichick family there is a "deep worry" that Hudson could be "detrimental" to his legacy.

Torre released a statement of his own, doubling down on his reporting on Hudson being banned at UNC.

"The University of North Carolina can choose to describe or change its position on Jordon Hudson’s involvement however it wishes, following the publication of our episode. We requested comment and filed dozens of FOIA requests that were not satisfied. And we stand by the specific reporting in our episode, which came from the highest levels of the football program," he said.

The 73-year-old and 24-year-old made their relationship public last year. And Hudson gained more notoriety last month when she interrupted a CBS interview with Belichick.

Belichick has been publicly linked to the 24-year-old Hudson since 2023. 

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A school district in a state with a Democratic governor has voted to keep biological boys out of girls sports.

The Quilcene School District in Washington voted 3-2 to keep sports competition based on athletes' birth gender.

The ruling defies a policy by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), enacted in 2007, that allows transgender students to participate based on their gender identity.

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According to Fox 13, board member Ron Frantz said "Title IX is the law," and sports should be kept based on birth gender.

But another member, Vivian Kuehl, said it is "immoral" to keep transgender females out of girls and women's sports, according to The Seattle Times.

The vote was taken May 7. The state's governor, Bob Ferguson, defeated Republican nominee Dave Reichert in November. The state has not had a Republican governor since John Spellman, from 1981 to 1985.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February to keep biological boys out of girls and women's sports, but Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said the order defies state law.

"State law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and we will not back down from that," Reykdal said at the time.

Later that month, Reykdal said it would be "inaccurate" to say there are only two genders.

Bills that would prohibit transgender athletes from participating in girls and women's sports have been introduced in the state but have not passed.

HALL OF FAMER BRIAN URLACHER REITERATES STANCE ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN SPORTS: 'COMMON SENSE'

However, the issue became so concerning for residents that the WIAA announced a proposal in December to create a separate open division for transgender athletes to compete in. 

In May, a trans athlete competed in a girls cross-country championship and won. 

The athlete won the 400-meter heat race in the girls division with a time of 55.59 seconds. The second-place runner finished in 58.83 seconds. In the finals, the trans athlete won with a time of 55.75 seconds, a full second ahead of the second-place runner who finished in 56.75.

In February, a civil rights complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights on behalf of a teenage girl in Washington state who was allegedly punished for refusing to play a basketball game against a trans athlete. 

The complaint said the Tumwater School District in Washington is investigating 15-year-old Frances Staudt for "misgendering" the opponent and violating the district's policies against bullying and harassment. 

Several other states have defied Trump's executive order on the issue, resulting in Maine temporarily losing federal funding.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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The Florida Panthers dominated Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. 

Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain, offered a blunt assessment of how the game went. 

"An a-- whooping," Staal told Walt Ruff.

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The Hurricanes' loss was their 14th straight in a conference final, dating back to sweeps in 2009, 2019 and the 2023 round with the Panthers.

"I think we're all a little bit at a loss," Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall said.

At one point, fans started chanting, "Shoot the puck! Shoot the puck!" The Hurricanes managed just 17 shots on goal in the loss. 

STARS, OILERS PLAYERS BRAWL AS GAME 1 OF THEIR STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS MATCHUP ENDS

"This game is mental," Staal said. "I mean, it's all about the brain and your focus and the thoughts that can creep in. It's got to be the thoughts we've been thinking all year, and that's playing our game and focusing on our shifts and our battles and doing what we do.

"When you let those thoughts like that come in, it never looks good. I think we've got to believe in the group and what we have and what we've done all year and go steal one in Game 3."

Carolina's last conference final win was in Game 7 in 2006 against Buffalo during the franchise's lone Cup title run. Current head coach Rod Brind'Amour was the captain of that team who scored the third-period winner against the Buffalo Sabres. 

Now Brind’Amour will hope to lead a turnaround in Game 3, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Caitlin Clark has been the brunt of hard fouls and side chatter since Day 1 of her WNBA career - but Jemele Hill says it's "just competition."

Clark became a phenom in college with a record-breaking career at Iowa when she became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men and women.

In April of last year, she was the No. 1 overall pick and practically just as she stepped on a WNBA court, the conversation began about whether her popularity was due to her race. In fact, it was a claim that WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson had made, saying that Clark being White was a "huge thing" when it came to Clark's popularity.

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Then came some hard fouls, trash talk and allegations of racism at Indiana Fever games, and this season, we've already seen Clark separated from opponents twice in just three games.

One of those instances came on Thursday night against the Atlanta Dream, but Hill said on social media that it's just the nature of basketball.

Jason McInture saw the clip of Clark and Rhyne Howard going at it, to which he posted, "Here we go with wnba players going after Caitlin Clark again."

Hill then replied, "Y'all really need to stop this," adding, "We need to stop with this idea that Caitlin Clark is specifically attacked. Think she would find this extra insulting. A lot of this s--t is just competition. Y’all do not do this with men. Like, ever."

ANGEL REESE'S SHOOTING WOES HIGHLIGHTED IN VIRAL SEQUENCE AS LIBERTY DOMINATE SKY

With less than 30 seconds to go in the first quarter, Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard exchanged some words and had to be separated. Howard was playing full-court defense on Clark, who was dribbling up the court. 

Refs whistled the play, and the two bumped into one another. Both appeared to extend an arm, and Clark began to walk away from the situation before Howard took a step forward. But one of Howard's teammates quickly stepped in and led Howard away.

"I'm not scared of you," Clark appeared to say, and she was backed by her teammates.

It was a slow night overall for Clark, who had just six points heading into the fourth quarter. She had 27 points two nights earlier against Atlanta. 

Indiana trailed, 75-71, with just over two minutes to go, but it ended the game on a 10-1 run to earn an 82-76 win. Clark added five points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager Ben Cherington made it clear that, despite the team’s brutal start to the season, they will not trade ace Paul Skenes. 

Skenes, 22, has taken MLB by storm since his debut last year and is already one of the sport's best pitchers. Fans and experts have theorized that moving Skenes now would garner a return in a trade that could propel the Pirates back into contention. 

However, Cherington shut that notion down. 

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"No, it's not part of the conversation at all," Cherington said on Wednesday.

The Pirates are 17-34 this season and last in NL Central, and no team has scored fewer runs in baseball. They have scored 151 runs this season, 13 runs less than the next closest team, the Chicago White Sox. 

The Pirates' team batting average is .219, which is the second-lowest in baseball. A trade of Skenes, while he remains under team control for the rest of the decade, would provide the Pirates with a bevy of talent that could infuse their lineup. 

Cherington knows the lineup is an issue, but does not want to trade Skenes. 

COLORADO ROCKIES MAKE MLB HISTORY WITH WORST 50-GAME START IN MODERN ERA

"We've just got to get better," Cherington said. "Let’s play better baseball, and that’s going to lead to winning more games. Then, let’s wake up and see where that takes us when we get to July."

"We want guys from Triple-A to pound the door down," Cherington said. "That would be good. I still think that can happen this year. We want more of it over time. . . . Everybody knows we’ve got to score more runs. That’s not going to happen just by saying it and hoping for it. You’ve got to do the work to do it."

Skenes last start was against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, in which Skenes limited the Phillies to three hits while throwing the first complete game of his career.

The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton a couple of weeks ago, but that hasn’t changed their losing ways. 

The starting rotation has been solid but has received little help from the lineup or bullpen.

Skenes (2.44), Mitch Keller (3.88), Andrew Heaney (2.91) and Bailey Falter (3.50) have all been great, yet they also have a combined record of 11-21.

In 33 career starts, Skenes is 14-8 with a 2.12 ERA and an astounding 232 strikeouts in 195.2 career innings pitched. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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President Donald Trump hosted top investors for one of his cryptocurrency projects at his luxury golf course in Northern Virginia on Thursday, and one of them was former NBA star Lamar Odom.

Protesters gathered outside the club holding signs that said "stop crypto corruption" and "no corrupt fools." 

The ex-Laker was not absolved from those same protesters - but he was not fazed.

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"I’m just about to pass through security and officially walk into the Trump Gala. Honestly… I’m fired up," Odom said in an X post. 

"Think about it—what meme coin has ever done this? $ODOM isn’t just a token, it’s taking the stage at a presidential gala tonight!"

Odom also said in the post, "This is the most authentic soulful experience in crypto history."

Among those protesting outside the golf club were Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon. 

"This is the crypto corruption club," the Times quoted Merkley as saying. "This is like the Mount Everest of corruption." 

TIMBERWOLVES' JADEN MCDANIELS SHOVES NBA MVP SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER AS THUNDER TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD

Three days before Trump took office on Jan. 20, he announced the creation of the $TRUMP meme coin, describing as a way for his supporters to "have fun." 

Trump’s meme coin saw an initial spike in value, followed by a steep drop. Its creators, which include an entity controlled by the Trump Organization, have made hundreds of millions of dollars by collecting fees on trades, according to the Associated Press. 

Critics have raised concerns that the president's connection with cryptocurrency ventures could open the door to conflicts of interest and influence peddling. 

Odom played 14 seasons in the NBA, 12 of them with the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers. He won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in the 2010-11 campaign.

Fox News’ Greg Norman, Eric Revell and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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After being swept in a four-game series by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, the Colorado Rockies fell to 8-42 on the season. 

The Rockies' horrendous start to the season is the worst 50-game start in the modern MLB era. 

In their 2-0 loss on Thursday, Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez pitched into the seventh inning. It was the Rockies' seventh shutout loss this season. 

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On the season, the Rockies are just 5-20 at home this season. 

Last season, the Chicago White Sox set the modern record for most losses in modern MLB history, as they went 41-121. This year’s Rockies team is on pace to be even worse, as they are on pace to lose 136 games.  

After Thursday’s games, the Rockies are 23 games behind the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. 

ORIOLES STAR WOULD PUT PETE ROSE IN HALL OF FAME, BUT 'I GET BOTH SIDES'

They are on pace to finish 74 games out of first place and 58 games to finish fourth place in the NL West, according to ESPN. Both of those deficits would set the all-time record for most games out of first place with ease.

While the Rockies continue to stumble, the Phillies have surged as they have won seven in a row and been especially good on the road, as they have won 11 of their 12 road games. 

Their current run has taken the Phillies to the top of the NL East, as they have passed the scuffling New York Mets for the top spot. 

The Phillies (32-18) will try to up their winning ways when they play the Athletics (22-29) on Friday at 10:05 p.m. ET. The Rockies (8-42) will try to turn things around when they take on the American League East-leading New York Yankees on Friday at 8:40 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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"The double" has not been completed since 2001, despite several valiant attempts since then, but Kyle Larson is looking to add his name in the history books.

The Indy 500 is set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, five hours and 15 minutes before the green flag will come out in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Coca-Cola 600.

The flight between the two tracks is roughly an hour and a half, but Larson wants to brave it out.

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"The main why is I love to race. I like to challenge myself, you kind of learn new cars and all that. And I like to compete in the biggest races in the world. So to do two of those in the same day, it’s pretty cool," Larson said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

"For me, I want to do it while I’m in my prime. I’m only 32, feel like I’m at the top of our sport, I felt like the timing is right for that. I don’t know how long my NASCAR career will last… I think it’ll be really fun to do a road course race, just to experience that sort of feel of cars that have a lot of power and sliding around, no power-steering, the physicality of it. And also, getting to race with guys in their territory and see what they grew up doing, and just seeing the caliber and level they race at, because it would be different than what us NASCAR guys see and feel on a road course."

HOW A BOND BETWEEN FATHER AND SON BLOOMED A TWO-TIME INDY 500 CHAMPION

Five drivers, including Larson, have attempted the feat, and some have been able to run both races. However, Tony Stewart, who finished sixth at Indy and third in the Coke 600 in 2001, remains the only driver to accomplish all 1,100 miles. The last person to run both races is Kurt Busch, who finished the Indy 500 in sixth in 2014, but engine failure in Charlotte cost him the completion of that race.

Larson attempted the double last year, but rain delayed the Indy 500, and that same storm prevented him from competing in Charlotte later on in the day, despite making it to the track.

"I had fun last year, it helped prepare me for this year. There's still a lot of good that came from last year even though I didn't get to run both. Hopefully the weather stays good, as it looks like it should, we can have everything on time, and do a good job in the races too and run up front."

For beginners, Larson has one main goal: "Finish all the laps."

"But then, you look at where the bar’s at," he continued, mentioning Stewart's accomplishment. "You’re like ‘I want to beat that.’ If you can win one of the two, that’d be great. But it is hard to win a NASCAR race, which I do every week," Larson said.

"Winning the Indy 500 would be tougher, but it can definitely be done at the same time. The fastest car, best driver, doesn’t technically always win the race. If you just execute the details the best you can and don’t make any mistakes, you can have an opportunity to win at the end. If we can just do a good job, the results can take care of itself and we can have a great day."

It would be nearly impossible to win both, but Larson knows which one he would rather have.

"I’ve won the 600, I would take the Indy 500," he said. "But if I can win one of the two, it would be amazing."

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The Oklahoma City Thunder took a commanding 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals, but it did not come without some tensions rising before the final whistle.

OKC was beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-86 with just over six minutes to go. The New York Knicks recently showed that that was not an insurmountable lead.

However, the Wolves were frustrated with their performance, and one player went after the NBA MVP.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on the court just 24 hours after receiving the prestigious honor, the first of his career, and he reminded people why he deserved it with 38 points.

However, Jaden McDaniels shoved him from behind, resulting in a flagrant 1 foul.

Several players had to be separated from one another.

McDaniels wanted a foul called on Gilgeous-Alexander for grabbing McDaniels' arm, to which McDaniels then retaliated. After the game, McDaniels said he then wanted to foul the MVP "for real."

NBA REFEREE SCOTT FOSTER BLOODIED AFTER TAKING HIT TO FACE DURING PLAYOFF GAME

"I wasn't even mad. I just had fouls to use," McDaniels explained, via CBS Sports.

The Thunder won the game, 118-103, and are now two wins away from making their first NBA Finals since 2012.

Jalen Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Chet Holmgren added 22 points for the Thunder.

Minnesota closed to within 10 in the final period, but Oklahoma City kept the Timberwolves at bay late.

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points, but it took him 26 shots to get them. Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 17 for the Timberwolves.

Now, Minnesota gets to go home, where they are 4-1 in the playoffs. Game 3 is Saturday in Minneapolis.

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Thursday night did not go well for the Chicago Sky, and it certainly was not a pleasant night for Angel Reese.

The Sky went up against the reigning WNBA champions in the New York Liberty and fell, 99-74. However, it was a moment that occurred early in the game with Reese that was a preview, and somewhat of a microcosm, of the night.

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Less than three minutes into the game, Reese recorded five offensive rebounds in a 19-second span thanks to her own misses.

Reese missed four shots from right underneath the basket, two of which were blocked. Reese finally kicked out a pass to Kia Nurse, but she missed the three-pointer, and it was a rebound Reese was unable to get.

The moment quickly went viral on social media, with many making fun of Reese - one even said she was "not beating the allegations."

The former LSU star averaged a double-double last season and set the WNBA record for the most rebounds in a single season (an injury cut her season short, and she was surpassed by A'ja Wilson). However, she has often been criticized in that the rebound stats are inflated due to missing layups and grabbing her own rebound.

CAITLIN CLARK GETS CHIPPY WITH OPPONENT, DELIVERS A DAMNING MESSAGE: 'NOT SCARED'

Reese wound up missing all eight of her shot attempts on the evening, scoring just two points and grabbing 12 rebounds - eight of them were offensive, and five of them had come in that sequence alone.

It was the first time since 2021 that she failed to make at least one basket, ending a streak of 136 games, college and professional.

Earlier in the season, Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to record both 450 points and rebounds.

Meanwhile, New York set a WNBA record with 19 three-pointers in their victory (the Las Vegas Aces once had 22 in a playoff game). Eight of nine Liberty players who attempted a 3-pointer made at least one from deep. Natasha Cloud and Kennedy Burke each hit four of them.

New York shot 55% overall and made 16 of 17 free throws, a stark comparison to Reese's night.

The Liberty play in Indiana against Caitlin Clark on Saturday, and Chicago visits Los Angeles on Sunday.

An NBA referee got one of the more brutal blows during a playoff game on Thursday night.

During Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, longtime official Scott Foster was bloodied after taking a hit to the face.

Foster was putting up a jump ball between Lu Dort and Julius Randle in the first quarter, and as Dort was coming back down, he rocked Foster right in the face.

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Foster immediately ran toward the scorer's table, holding his hand beneath his nose to stop blood from getting on the court.

He was attended to by trainers and given towels before plugging his nose to stop the bleeding.

Foster has been an NBA official since the 1994-95 season. He has often been dubbed as "the extender," because it has become rather notorious that teams that are trailing in a playoff season often win games he is officiating.

CAITLIN CLARK GETS CHIPPY WITH OPPONENT, DELIVERS A DAMNING MESSAGE: 'NOT SCARED'

He has also become rather synonymous with Chris Paul, who went 3-17 in playoff games officiated by Foster. Paul was sitting courtside when the injury occurred. 

The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead with the help of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who, 24 hours after being named the NBA's MVP, dropped 38 points. OKC won, 118-103.

"I feel like all my emotions were so high, but I was a little bit tired out there, especially at the start," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I was a little too juiced up. Special moment. I’m happy we won, so I can really enjoy the last couple days and soak it up. That really helps."

Jalen Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Chet Holmgren added 22 points for the Thunder.

Minnesota closed to within 10 in the final period, but Oklahoma City kept the Timberwolves at bay late.

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points, but it took him 26 shots to get them. Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 17 for the Timberwolves.

Now, Minnesota gets to go home, where it is 4-1 in the playoffs. Game 3 is Saturday in Minneapolis.

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