And it sounds like Ward is confirming that speculation.
While playing Fortnite on a livestream, he mentioned Titans running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears as the best in the league.
He also mentoned his top four receivers: Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Calvin Ridley and Treylon Burks. Burks calls Nashville home.
Earlier in the offseason, it seemed like Tennessee was more than willing to deal the first selection considering the talent atop the board. Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter, the projected No. 2 and 3 picks in our latest mock draft, could easily be No. 1 selections other years.
With Will Levis struggling in his two years with Tennessee and a new front office, it's starting to look like the Titans will go with a player who could become a franchise quarterback.
Ward broke the record for the most touchdown passes in a career in Division I history, surpassing Case Keenum's record in the Pop-Tart Bowl.
Ward led all of Division I with 39 touchdowns, and he finished as an All-American while finishing in fourth place in the Heisman Trophy voting.
During the first Sunday of the month, Bueckers helped lift UConn women's basketball back to the mountaintop. The Huskies knocked off the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks to secure Bueckers first career NCAA title.
On Sunday, sources confirmed to ESPN that Bueckers was set to ink a three-year deal with the upstart Unrivaled, a professional women's 3-on-3 league. On Monday, Bueckers was the first player selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Unrivaled is expected to pay Bueckers more over its 10-week season, than her WNBA rookie salary will yield over the league's record-high 44 games during the 2025 season. But, on Wednesday, Bueckers' April whirlwind took another spin when she announced she was an investor in Unrivaled.
The Dallas Wings rookie confirmed her investment stake during an appearance on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday.
"I mean, investments in women’s sports — I feel like the return on investment has been amazing," Bueckers said. "Even the first year (of Unrivaled), the numbers were shocking. They just blew it out of the water. And just to invest so much in women’s sports, it’s growing at an all-time high, and it’s just a great time to be in women's sports."
The average Unrivaled salary was more than $220,000. Bueckers' four-year WNBA deal’s base salary would be just under $350,000.
Bueckers is just the latest high-profile investor in Unrivaled.
In December, the league announced $28 million in funding from a group that included Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and USC star JuJu Watkins. Other investors include tennis star Coco Cauff, retired soccer star Alex Morgan and retired NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
Before she steps on the floor for Unrivaled, though, Bueckers has her rookie WNBA season awaiting her.
After making the talk-show rounds, Bueckers will be headed to Texas to make appearances and prepare for training camp, which begins April 27.
The Wings open the season on May 16 against the Minnesota Lynx, and they face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on June 27, which could represent a summit showdown of the two players expected to be the face of the league for the foreseeable future.
"Just to join a city and organization that embraces you, I’ve felt so much love already and I haven’t even set foot in Dallas yet," Bueckers said. "Everyone has been loving me and embracing me with open arms."
Caitlin Clark was not included on Time Magazine's list of The 100 Most Influential People of 2025, which released Wednesday.
Clark was left off the list despite the fact that the publication named her its Athlete of the Year for 2024.
Time also included other athletes on its "Most Influential" list on Wednesday, including fellow WNBA players Breanna Stewart and Naphisa Collier. The main premise of Stewart and Collier's place on the list is their recent launching of the "Unrivaled" women's basketball league as co-founders.
Other athletes included on the list were U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, form Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts and France's Olympic gold medalist swimmer Leon Marchand.
Clark's absence from the list prompted questions and criticisms by fans and pundits.
Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd brought awareness to the snub when with a rant during his show on Wednesday.
"That's idiotic! That's the dumbest thing I've ever seen!" Cowherd said. "That's a dumb list… she's the most influential athlete, I would argue, man or woman in America over the last year."
Other social media users agreed with Cowherd's take.
"Clark is the main reason the league is so popular and she’s not on the list?" one X user wrote.
Another user asked, "How...HOW is she left off this list[?] CRAZY!"
Clark's influence on the popularity of women's basketball over the last year has been evident in various statistics.
Clark made the Fever the most-watched team in the WNBA by a landslide in her rookie year, as the 14 most-watched WNBA games of the season all included the Fever. On top of that, she broke the record for most All-Star votes for any player in WNBA history.
In early September, Clark’s Indiana Fever played in front of a TV audience of 1.26 million viewers in a game against the Minnesota Lynx that was played at the same time as a Week-1 Friday night NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.
In Clark's first regular-season finale against the Washington Mystics on Sept. 19, the 20,711 fans that showed up at Capital One Arena set a new record for the highest-attended WNBA regular-season contest.
Clark drew a WNBA record 1.84 million viewers to her first playoff game against the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 22, while competing with an NFL Sunday. She followed it up with another record audience of 2.54 million viewers for Game 2.
But after Clark's Fever season ended, the WNBA playoffs also saw a steep drop-off in viewers.
The first game between the Aces and Liberty, a rematch of last year's WNBA finals between two of the league's most popular and successful teams, drew an audience of just 929,000, which was 50% less than the Fever's Game 1 against the Sun.
Meanwhile, in women's college basketball, after Clark played in the first women's NCAA title game to get more viewers than the men's in 2024, the sport saw a steep decline in ratings this year.
Without Clark in the tournament, the broadcasts of UConn vs. UCLA and South Carolina vs. Texas averaged just 3.9 million viewers for ESPN. It marked a 64% decrease from the record-setting 10.8 million viewers in 2024, according to Front Office Sports.
FanDuel Sports Network Braves reporter Wiley Ballard got some backlash for asking a woman for her phone number during an on-air report at a game Monday night.
But not everyone found Ballard's actions to be inappropriate, including veteran sideline reporter Olivia Harlan Dekker.
The daughter of legendary broadcaster Kevin Harlan and wife of NBA player Sam Dekker said the Ballard incident is being blown out of proportion.
Some of those critical of Ballard's actions wondered what would have happened if a female sideline reporter did what Ballard had done.
Harlan Dekker spoke from experience.
"People getting mad about the Braves reporter asking for the girl’s phone number ARE INSANE! Haha how does that offend you? It was innocuous and cute… good TV I’d say," Harlan Dekker's first post said. "It doesn’t detract from the game or season. Lighten up.
"I’ve been a team reporter, and the season is LONG. Producers are always looking for something different/memorable, ways to involve fans or show some human interest around the game. Most of those interviews are duds, so good on him for having a sense of humor and rolling with it.
"If someone can show an example of a woman getting fired over something similar, then you’ve got an argument," she explained. "Until then… you can’t just say "a woman would’ve been fired for this.
"Middle of an early season baseball game on the regional/team broadcast, his producer told him to get something colorful in the crowd, his booth is egging him on, the girl was playing into it and it wasn’t creepy. It’s sports TV, it’s entertainment! This wasn’t a board room or OR."
During his live segment, Ballard said the broadcast booth wanted him to get two women's phone numbers.
"I'm dead serious, they're saying in my ear right now," Ballard said on-air while speaking to both the broadcast booth and the women about their phone numbers. "She doesn't believe me because she thinks you guys are making this up. I'm gonna use that in the future. That's actually a pretty good move. I should've thought of this years ago,"
The segment was quickly bashed on social media, though a heated debate began with people thinking the same way as Harlan Dekker.
One X account said the segment showed "insane double standards in sports," while another went more in depth on the counterargument.
"This is the dumbest thing and the dumbest outrage. The outrage for the other person when you don't know the full interaction or how they even felt about it. You don't know what was said and done before and after the segment, too," the post said.
"Sooooo are we still gonna ask women in sports if they're only doing their job to date athletes?? We can all agree how inappropriate and nasty this is, not to mention the double standard, right?"
Harlan Dekker is an NFL reporter and host for Sky Sports and Westwood One Sports.
Top NFL Draft prospect Travis Hunter said last week he would rather quit football altogether than be drafted by a team that's not interested in using him as the two-way star he was at Colorado.
Speaking during a predraft press conference Tuesday, one head coach expressed reservations about having a player on both sides of the ball.
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta spoke to the media ahead of next week’s draft in Green Bay when the topic of Travis Hunter was raised.
"If we’re talking about a guy like Travis Hunter, we would probably want to put him at one position," DeCosta said, acknowledging the Ravens won't be able to draft a talent like Hunter with the 27th pick in the draft.
Harbaugh added that, from a coaching perspective, it would be a difficult proposition for any player in the NFL.
"It’s going to be interesting to see how they do it, wherever he goes. But to say that you’re going to be completely immersed in everything that there is to know on offense and everything there is to (know on) defense, I don’t know if there’s enough hours in the day for a player to be able to do that and to have every detail locked down.
"You could certainly do it, I would think, on one side of the ball and then have some sort of a package on the other side of the ball, which is my guess is how the team will do it, wherever he goes."
The former Colorado star said last week that not being able to play both sides of the ball would be a deal-breaker for him.
"It's never playing football again," Hunter told CBS Sports. "Because I've been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it."
Last season, Hunter played 713 snaps on offense and 748 snaps on defense and was still productive despite the high number of snaps. He had 96 catches for 1,258 yards with 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver and 35 tackles with four interceptions, 11 passes defended and one forced fumble as a cornerback.
"I assume we’ll be playing against him. So, we’re about to find out how that team does it," Harbaugh said.
Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
The PGA Tour has reportedly suspended golfer Wesley Bryan indefinitely for participating in LIV Golf's "The Duels: Miami," according to Monday Q Info.
Bryan is in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, at Puntacana Resort & Club, but not to play in the Corales Puntacana Championship, which he finished runner-up at last season.
"We had this vacation planned for months, so I decided we would still come down," Bryan, who is sharing a rental home with PGA Tour player Ben Martin, told the outlet. "It's been a long time since we had a family vacation where golf wasn't involved."
The outlet reports Bryan learning he was placed on PGA Tour probation the day after he played in The Duels: Miami, which featured many golf content creators on YouTube and other platforms.
His "Bryan Bros" YouTube channel, which involves his brother, George, is among the most popular with golf fans. As a result, LIV Golf invited them to play in the tournament, and the Bryans showed up to participate.
The event featured six golfers from LIV teaming up with the golf creators for a scramble format over nine holes. The match, which had a $250,000 purse, was won by George Bryan and Sergio Garcia's team.
Monday Q Info adds that, after speaking with "multiple sources," all golfers involved were told by a third party that potential disciplinary action could come from the PGA Tour, including exemption from events.
The reason behind the disciplinary threat could revolve around the PGA Tour's Creator Classic, which was played before The Players Championship this year at TPC Sawgrass. The Duels: Miami had the same concept of bringing in golf content creators to perform to grow the game.
Sources also told Monday Q Info that the "threats were later withdrawn except for the potential disciplinary notice to Bryan."
For example, Grant Horvat, another popular golf content creator on YouTube, revealed that he was invited to the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship, which will be played in California from July 17-20. Horvat said he hasn't accepted the invitation yet.
Horvat's YouTube video from The Duels: Miami, which was posted 10 days ago, has 2 million views and counting on the platform.
Bryan said he would follow the appeal process the PGA Tour has in place to see if he can get his suspension revoked.
"For the last eight or nine years, the opportunities have been amazing," Bryan said about playing on the PGA Tour, where he has one career win. "I'm extremely grateful to the Tour for that. I don't want this to be the end of my professional golf career."
At the same time, Bryan doesn't regret playing in The Duels: Miami.
"[Horvat's] video is one of the most powerful videos in YouTube golf," Bryan said. "We are going to continue to support Grante and grow the game through YouTube."
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf have had discussions about a potential merger, which many high-profile stars in the game on both sides have been vocal about seeing happen. However, it hasn't come to fruition yet.
After Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed golf courses, pickleball courts and other recreational opportunities for Florida state parks last summer, the Florida House voted against the plan.
The vote was 115-0 for the measure Wednesday, which now goes to the Senate, where a similar bill is moving through committees.
Supporters said public reaction and protests last year against what DeSantis called the Great Outdoors Initiative was a key factor in the governor's subsequent decision to shelve it.
"I think we were all shocked to hear what they were going to do to our precious state parks," said Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, via WUSF. "This is in direct response to that plan and in direct response to what our constituents wanted us to do."
"The public outcry, you could probably hear it all the way up to the moon or Mars," said Rep. Lindsay Cross, a Democrat from St. Petersburg who attended some protests. The bill, she added, will "make sure our wild Florida stays wild."
Development would still be allowed in the parks, but any projects must be "conservation-based recreational uses" that support activities like hiking, swimming, horseback riding, boating and nature study, according to a House staff analysis.
"Any use or construction activity must be conducted in a manner that avoids impacts to a state park’s critical habitat and natural and historical resources," the analysis added.
DeSantis' Department of Environmental Protection proposed the plans last summer, but opponents protested, and many plans were scrapped. Shortly after the proposal, DeSantis walked back the pitch, saying the plans were "going back to the drawing board."
"Our state parks are precious," Democratic state Rep. Allison Tant said. "We have our state parks that represent the real Florida."
FILING SUIT – Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit as the feud between Maine and the Trump administration rages on. A federal judge recently paused a funding freeze that was initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Continue reading …
CLOSING A CHAPTER – Stephanie Turner said she will step away from the sport amid a12-month probation issued by USA Fencing. The decision comes after Turner declined to compete against a transgender athlete on March 30. Continue reading …
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the recently-formed Title IX investigations team will investigate Stephanie Turner's disqualification from a USA Fencing event. Turner took a knee and refused to fence against a transgender competitor. Continue reading …
SPEAKING OUT – Stephanie Turner appeared on OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast with Riley Gaines to discuss being named the Courage Wins Champion by XX-XY Athletics. Turner was ejected from a fencing event last month after she took a knee and refused to face a transgender opponent. Continue reading …
MAINE VS TRUMP – Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued a response to the lawsuit filed against her state by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over policies concerning transgender athletes' participation in women's and girls' sports.Continue reading …
'NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED' – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine hopes a resolution can soon be reached as Maine and the Trump Administration continue to feud over the interpretation of Title IX.Continue reading …
GREEN JACKET – On Sunday at historic Augusta National Golf Club, a tear-eyed Rory McIlroy finally earned a green jacket, becoming just the sixth golfer to complete the career grand slam.Continue reading …
SILENT TREATMENT – Bryson DeChambeau revealed that Rory McIlroy, his playing partner for the final round at the Masters, "didn’t talk to me once." But McIlroy's sports psychologist argued it was a strategic move, not a personal or disrespectful one.Continue reading …
RIVALRY RENEWED – Suns star Kevin Durant reacted to ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith's comments concerning the amount of responsibility the NBA star should shoulder for Phoenix's latest disappointing season.Continue reading …
FROM FOX SPORTS – Hawks star Trae Young's frustration boiled over in the form of some fancy ball handling involving the referees which resulted in two technical fouls in the fourth quarter of Atlanta's play-in game against the Magic.Continue reading …
FROM OUTKICK – The Michigan football fan who wore a Wolverines hat to Ohio State's national championship celebration at the White House explained his decision to OutKick. Continue reading …
WATCH NOW – FOX Sports' Joel Klatt joined Colin Cowherd to discuss Tennessee's decision to release quarterback Nico Iamaleava following an NIL dispute. Watch here …
Justin Rose is focused on winning the RBC Heritage this week on Hilton Head Island, but he'd be lying if he said he's entirely over what went down at Augusta National Golf Club last weekend.
Rose was in contention for his first career green jacket at the Masters, and he hit a deep birdie putt on his 72nd hole of the tournament to finish 11-under and put pressure on Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy missed his par putt on the 18th green to force a playoff, a position Rose had been in with Sergio Garcia in 2017. Unfortunately for Rose, the result was the same.
Just as Garcia did, McIlroy defeated Rose on the playoff hole to complete his career Grand Slam by winning the 89th edition of the tournament.
Rose spoke with reporters Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
"A lot of outpouring from people with a lot of positive comments coming at me, so trying to absorb that, trying to absorb the week," Rose said. "But, at the same time, looking at my phone and just wishing there was a different message there."
When Rose fell to McIlroy, his grace in defeat was the same golf fans saw when Garcia defeated Rose in 2017. Garcia rallied to tie Rose that year, and after taking him down on the playoff hole, they embraced with Rose recognizing how much it meant to Garcia.
After McIlroy rose from his knees after his green jacket-sealing putt, he approached Rose, and the two had a strong embrace. Rose knew how much the win meant for the career of McIlroy, who became the sixth golfer to complete a career Grand Slam.
But it was also Rose's 20th Masters without winning a green jacket. He'd come close in the past, and after hitting that birdie putt to give himself a chance, he seemed ready for the jacket.
On the playoff hole, he put pressure on McIlroy twice with a great drive from the 18th tee in the middle of the fairway, and his approach shot gave him a close look at birdie.
But McIlroy, with ice in his own veins, bombed his drive and put his approach within two feet after spinning it off the slope behind the hole. Rose gave his birdie look a go, but it curled too far right, and he tapped in for par. McIlroy didn't miss this time.
"Don't know what the right word is," Rose said when asked to describe how he feels looking back at Masters week. "Tormented, probably, by the thought of what might have been."
Rose's golf career doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. He'll turn 45 in July, and he wants his own green jacket some day.
For now, he'll have to look ahead, starting this week at Harbour Town Golf Links, where the RBC Heritage has a $20 million purse.
The next major will be the PGA Championship, which Rose also has never won, at Quail Hollow next month.
After being fired by Stanford University over allegations of bullying and belittling staff, Troy Taylor said he has been portrayed "unfairly" and was fired "without cause."
Taylor was first investigated over a year ago, which led to him signing a warning letter Feb. 14 and a second investigation that concluded July 24.
In a statement released Wednesday, though, Taylor said he has not been subject to other complaints since then and even forfeited a raise "for the sake of the team."
"For 30 years, I have been a coach and educator at the high school and collegiate level. I have had great team success with every program that I have coached, without a single issue or complaint around my treatment of others. I applied the same approach and values to a Stanford program dealing with some upheaval," Taylor said.
Taylor said both investigations were "improperly disclosed" to the media. The first probe, Taylor said, was about "a complaint from an athletic administrator that claimed that I tried to remove her as our football administrator for an unfair reason."
Taylor said he "disagreed with the complaint" but "took it seriously and fully cooperated." The investigation, Taylor said, "concluded that I did not act unfairly," and he was given an extension and raise at the end of the next February "because I was told we were building something special."
"Later, in March 2024, a second complaint was made by a member of the compliance office regarding a discussion about the physical speed at which Stanford players could participate in a walk-through. This was resolved in July 2024. Two other witnesses (one male and one female) were present during the initial discussion about the speed at which players could participate in a walk-through. Both told me at the time that my behavior was appropriate," Taylor said.
It was after this investigation, Taylor said, that he forfeited his raise. However, university general manager Andrew Luck fired Taylor late last month, which Taylor said was "without cause."
"The media's recent portrayal of me is unfair, wrong, and contrary to my professional track record and the person I am and have always been," Taylor said. "The truth is that Stanford terminated me without cause and, as a result, is honoring the original payment terms of my contract.
"I stand by my effort to lead with integrity at Stanford and elsewhere and to build a winning team and culture that is inclusive and respectful of everyone. I strongly believe in the players, coaches, and staff currently at Stanford. While I am disappointed that Stanford has now decided that I am no longer the right person to lead the football team, I am grateful for my time at Stanford and wish Stanford and the football team all the best."
Stanford declined to comment to Fox News Digital in response Taylor's statement.
Taylor went 3-9 in both his seasons as Stanford's head coach. Frank Reich was recently hired as the interim coach.
After turning himself into police last week on a sexual assault warrant, Isaiah Bond is now suing his accuser.
The 21-year-old called the claims "patently false" after posting $25,000 bond and being released. Now, just eight days before the NFL Draft, Bond has taken legal action.
"Earlier this evening, Isaiah’s attorneys at Nesenhoff & Miltenberg, LLP filed the attached complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in response to the false allegation of sexual assault and defamatory statements made against him," Bond's attorneys said in a letter to all 32 NFL teams, via the NFL Network.
"Unlike the false narrative that has been amplified, the truth, once revealed in its entirety, will show that he was targeted by a woman eight years his senior, relentlessly pursued, enticed by explicit photos & videos and ultimately setup for financial gain.
"Isaiah, like most twenty-one-year-olds, must show a higher level of discernment in social media interactions and access, however, he is completely innocent of the allegations levied against him and will fight to clear his name. For Clubs that still feel his elite talent can help them win games for the next decade, he is eager to get back on the gridiron where he feels most at home."
"Regarding the accusation made against me, I would appreciate the time and opportunity to defend myself and prove the claims made, patently false," Bond wrote on X shortly after his arrest. "I am in full cooperation with the authorities and will remain a willing and active participant in the investigation.
"Unfortunately, claims like these prove to be harmful to all involved, absent full review. I kindly request that all reserve judgment until the authorities provide a complete report based on truth and evidence."
Bond spent his final college season with the Texas Longhorns after both Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell went to the NFL. Bond caught 34 passes for 540 yards and five touchdowns. He declared for the NFL Draft shortly after the Longhorns were eliminated from the College Football Playoff by eventual national champion Ohio State.
Before going to Texas, Bond spent his first two college seasons at Alabama. His final touchdown in a Crimson Tide uniform came from Jalen Milroe on a 4th-and-31 with 32 seconds left on the road against Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
Bond is expected to be a Day 2 selection in next week's NFL Draft.
With Nico Iamaleava leaving the Tennessee Volunteers, who stood firm against his NIL demands, it appears he's about to lose millions trying to find a new team ahead of the 2025-26 college football season.
Iamaleava's NIL drama with the Vols sent shock waves through college football because he became the first-ever college player to hold out from a program for a bigger payout. His deal was reportedly worth up to $10 million over multiple seasons.
Now in the transfer portal, Iamaleava is searching for a new team, and On3 reported Tuesday there are multiple teams ready to vie for his potential NFL talent.
However, they are open to a deal closer to $1 million.
The 20-year-old was reportedly going to make $2.2 million with Tennessee for the 2025-26 season through the school's NIL collective and Spyre Sports Group.
The deal, which he signed as a high school junior, reportedly had the potential to exceed $10 million with incentives that included championship and Heisman Trophy wins.
But that all changed when ESPN reported Iamaleava was seeking a deal of around $4 million for this season, which other quarterbacks transferring this year are getting. One of them was Carson Beck, who left the Georgia Bulldogs to join the Miami Hurricanes.
Nic Iamaleava, Nico's father, denied his son was pushing for more NIL money before the season, telling Front Office Sports on Monday, "The narrative was bulls---."
Nic Iamaleava also denied On3's report last week that mentioned his son asking for more money from Tennessee in an X post.
"More games being played off the field than on the field," his tweet said.
Vols head coach Josh Heupel's comments on the matter appeared to confirm Iamaleava was left off Saturday's spring game roster due to a financial rift.
"No one is ever bigger than the program," Heupel said. "That includes me too."
Iamaleava reportedly entered the transfer portal Wednesday with a "do not contact" tag by his profile, which indicates he has some idea where he'll be playing next. Oregon is a program that has been linked to Iamaleava since reports began to surface about his situation at Tennessee.
Former FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza died in China on Wednesday after falling from the 11th floor of a building, the Gabonese soccer federation announced in a statement. He was just 28.
Boupendza, who was currently playing for Zheijang FC in the Chinese Super League, died at his residence, according to the statement. Details of the fall were not shared by the governing body.
"Now the club is fully cooperating with the relevant departments to carry out the investigation," the statement added.
FC Cincinnati shared a statement online following the tragic news of Boupendza’s passing. He played with the club from 2023-2024 before signing a two-year contract with the club in Romania.
"We are saddened to hear of the tragic passing of former FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza earlier today at his home in China," the statement began.
"Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. He was a loved member of the FC Cincinnati family, and we offer our condolences to all who knew him. Rest in Peace, Aaron."
Boupendza played in the lower tiers of French soccer before having a breakout season in the Süper Lig, Turkey’s top football league, where he scored 22 goals in 36 games for Hatayspor.
"We have learned with deep sadness the passing of Aaron Boupendza, who played for Hatayspor and was the top scorer in the 2020/21 season," the club said in a statement on X.
"First of all, to his family and loved ones, Zhejiang FC, we offer our condolences and patience to his team and our community. Rest in peace, king."
A deadly boat incident occurred in Alabama during a Major League Fishing tournament on Wednesday morning.
The incident involved multiple boats on Lewis Smith Lake during the second day of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational, which Major League Fishing (MLF) confirmed was a "serious boating accident," the organization said in a statement.
WBMA reports that now three have been confirmed dead, while another three are injured after the multi-boat accident. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency identified one of those killed as 58-year-old Joey M. Broom from Altoona.
The MLF said that the incident also involved Flint Davis, a competitive angler from Leesburg, Georgia.
"Out of respect for those involved, and to ensure the accuracy of all information, no further details will be released at this time," the MLF said in its statement. "MLF is working closely with law enforcement and emergency officials. Additional updates will be provided as they are confirmed by the appropriate authorities.
"Our thoughts, prayers and deepest concern are with everyone affected by this tragic incident."
Davis also released a statement on his Instagram.
"I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers," he wrote. "I ask that you keep me and all of the other affected people and families in your prayers. I'll let you guys know more when I can."
The fishing tournament, which was supposed to run through Thursday, has been canceled.
Cullman County EMA confirmed the crash in the lake occurred around 7 a.m. near Miller Bottom, CBS 42 reported. There has been no word regarding the number of injuries, or worse, of anyone else involved.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is now investigating the crash.
Davis has one career win on the MLF, with 10 top-10 finishes over 63 career events. He has $127,690 in career earnings.
The New York Giants are in search of a franchise quarterback, but that solution may not come in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Giants signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason, but neither was handed long-term contract. Wilson signed for one year and Winston for two.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen said that with Wilson and Winston, the team is not going to "force" a quarterback selection with the No. 3 overall pick in next week’s NFL Draft.
"With the signing of those two players, I think we put ourselves in a position where I don’t think that’s mandatory or something that we have our feet at the fire and we have to do," Schoen told reporters on Wednesday about selecting a quarterback in the draft.
"The two guys we signed have played a lot of ball, they’ve got a lot of skins on the wall and I do think we’ve upgraded that room compared to where it was a year ago. Tommy (Devito's) still in there and he’s won games for us too and he’s still developing. We’re happy with the makeup of the room right now."
The Tennessee Titans seem enamored with Miami quarterback Cam Ward, and the expectation is that the Titans will select Ward with the No. 1 overall pick.
If the Titans do indeed draft Ward, the Cleveland Browns will have a choice between Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, Penn State star Abdul Carter and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
If the Browns don’t select Sanders, and he remains on the board for the Giants, Schoen said the value has to match up for the Giants to take the Colorado quarterback.
"If the value matches up with what we have on a player, there’s an opportunity to take any position. Not gonna force it if it’s not the right value. If the board lines up and we’re on the clock and that’s the position we want to go with, we’ll go with it," Schoen said.
The Giants have done extensive work on a bunch of quarterbacks, as they are set to host Sanders, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Louisville’s Tyler Shough for private workouts, per FOX Sports.
If they opt not to take Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick, the Giants could still select a quarterback with one of their mid-round picks, notably with the No. 34 overall pick at the top of the second round.
Not only does Howie Roseman know how to evaluate talent – he also knows how to evaluate personalities.
Roseman, of course, built the Super Bowl LIX-winning Philadelphia Eagles, and is now widely considered one of the best general managers in the National Football League.
And while winning is the most important facet of a football team, Roseman has striven to make sure that that winning team is filled with "really good people."
In March, Roseman revealed one of his "dealbreakers" when it comes to evaluating players and bringing them to Philly.
"There are just objective things that even I can't overrule… Violence against women. It's just not for us. I wouldn't even watch them; I don’t even want to talk about it. It's just a deal-breaker for us," Roseman said to Todd McShay last month. "So, I can’t go. ‘Oh, but he's really good, and he did it 10 years ago, and he learned from it.' It just doesn’t work for us."
Roseman reflected on that evaluation process during his pre-draft media availability this week.
"We have a process, we have an objective process that we use. We live in a country where you're innocent until proven guilty, and so we try to abide by the judicial process. But I think to get into the details of what we do, that's part of our internal dynamics that I probably wouldn't want to get into," Roseman said, via OutKick.
"But certainly we try not to make it subjective, is basically what I would say, [so we don’t] get in a situation where we really like a player [and] make excuses for that player. So, we try to have objective criteria when it comes to the issues that you're asking me about, but it is important to us, the people that we bring in this building and that we know we can win with really good people.
"We also know that young people make mistakes in other areas, but that was one that was on my heart when I was talking about it and something that we believe in as an organization."
Of course, that's not to say Roseman won't bring in players with troubled pasts – Jalen Carter was the ninth overall pick to Philly (they traded up to get him) despite being involved in a street race that resulted in the deaths of his former Georgia teammate and a university staffer.
Carter was charged with reckless driving and pleaded no contest.
But, domestic violence is off limits, and despite some of the game's best players having prior issues, it doesn't seem like it's affecting Roseman one bit.
The college football world saw the first player holdout due to NIL negotiations at Tennessee with quarterback Nico Iamaleava, which led many to speculate who was right and wrong in the first-of-its-kind dilemma.
Add former college football coach Urban Meyer to that mix.
Meyer discussed it on his "The Triple Option" podcast. And no, he isn't all for Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel making a stand and not giving into Iamaleava's NIL demands.
"Here's the reality — Tennessee is screwed," Meyer explained. "They got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. You have the backup quarterback left last year, and now you have a redshirt freshman that threw nine passes as a freshman. You have zero experience, and the portal opens as we speak. They are going to have to go get one."
The same transfer portal Iamaleava is heading to is where Tennessee is expected to be looking for a potential new starter heading into the 2025 season. Heupel and his program did not expect to be in this position, but he sent a stern message when asked about the quarterback dilemma he finds himself in.
"It’s the state of college football," Heupel told the Vol Network Saturday. "At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me too.
"We’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got a bunch of guys who are going to give their all for Tennessee. We move forward. Got a great group. Let’s go compete."
As Meyer mentioned, Iamaleava is expected to be a first-round talent heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. He wanted to renegotiate his reported $10 million NIL deal with the Vols, which spanned multiple years, according to ESPN.
The rift between quarterback and team was irreconcilable, and Tennessee made it known when Iamaleava was left off the spring game roster.
Many commended Tennessee for its stance, which included Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal, who made it clear to his own program that NIL holdouts wouldn't be tolerated.
"We're not going to do that at Miami, and I say that without any hesitation," he said at the Hurricanes' spring game, according to the Sun-Sentinel. "If anyone's thinking that — and they could be the best player in the world — if they want to play holdout, they might as well play get out."
Meyer, though, thinks fans are going to forget about Tennessee's stance if it's not winning. After all, Iamaleava led the team to the College Football Playoff this past season.
"Everybody's saying, ‘Nice job Tennessee, making a stand.’ I've got a little comment on that. Tennessee plays Florida usually every year in October. Can you imagine that game's going the other way and coach Heupel grabs the microphone and stands on the 50-yard line in Neyland Stadium and says, ‘It’s OK, I made a stand way back when.'"
Meyer said he doesn't have the right answer for Tennessee now that it split with Iamaleava. But as someone who has seen just about everything in college football, he can't believe the situation today.
"I, as a guy that's been involved almost 40 years in this game, I can't believe this happened," he said.
Iamaleava has been linked to Oregon as a possible destination, according to multiple reports.
Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was hit in the head by a foul ball during the seventh inning of the New York Mets-Minnesota Twins game on Wednesday.
Wendelstedt, 53, was manning first base when Tyrone Taylor slashed a line drive into foul territory. He tried to get out of the way, but the ball hit him off the side of the head.
Wendelstedt immediately went down, and Mets’ first base coach Antoan Richardson frantically signaled towards the Twins’ dugout for medical attention. The Twins athletic trainers tended to him while he lay on the ground.
Wendelstedt remained down for about a minute or two, and then was helped to his feet and walked off the field with the assistance of the Twins’ athletic trainers while a towel was being held to his head.
After Wendelstedt left the field, the game resumed with only three umpires.
"I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that happen," Mets’ announcer Gary Cohen said.
Taylor ended up grounding out to third base once the at-at resumed.
Wendelstedt is the son of Harry Wendelstedt Jr., who umpired for 33 seasons, from 1966 to 1998.
Hunter Wendelstedt has been umpiring MLB games since 1998 and has umpired in one All-Star game (2011) and a World Series (2014).
Wednesdays’ game between the Mets and Twins is the final one in a three-game series. The Mets won 5-1 on Monday, and the Twins won 6-3 Tuesday to set up the rubber match.
At the time of this writing, the Twins and Mets are tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Bill Belichicks' 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson will be competing in the Miss Maine USA Beauty Pageant in May. Hudson finished as the first runner-up in last year’s contest.
"As the daughter of displaced fishermen, I care to use my voice to protect the fleeting tradition and heritage of Maine fishing families, to prevent others from going through the same plight as what mine had to go through," Hudson wrote on Instagram.
One of Hudson's competitors will be trans model Isabelle St. Cyr.
St. Cyr will be the first openly trans contestant in the pageant's history after previously winning the local Miss Monson USA pageant in the Maine town of Monson.
"When I started cheerleading I had all the odds stacked against me. So much pushback, so many people telling me it wasn't a space for me. But I fought for what I loved and I ended up being a very successful cheerleader, winning state and national titles and inspiring people to join even if they hadn't been doing it their whole life," St. Cyr wrote in a Facebook post on March 25.
"I sense a similar trajectory in my ongoing journey with pageants. I believe I have everything it takes to be Miss Maine USA and I know that no amount of experience can match a true passion and drive to accomplish something."
Maine has been a heated battleground for the ongoing national conflict between blue state officials and the federal government over the issue of trans athletes in women's and girls' sports since February.
Gov. Janet Mills and education officials have taken a hard stand to enable trans inclusion amid immense federal pressure by President Donald Trump's administration.
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state over the issue, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced at a press conference Wednesday, and the USDA issued a funding freeze to the state on April 2.
The state has filed their own lawsuit against the Trump administration over the funding freeze, and a federal judge ordered the administration to unfreeze the funding on Friday.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Maine civilians has strongly opposed Mills and Democratic authorities since the issue began, prompting heated tension and debate among residents over trans inclusion and women's rights.
Multiple rallies have been held in the state capital of Augusta by residents who oppose trans inclusion.
A Maine parent named Nick Blanchard recently garnered national attention after he was cut off at a school board meeting in Augusta while he discussed the controversial issue and he launched a petition to have a school administrator removed from her position for supporting trans inclusion.
High schooler Cassidie Carlisle spoke at one of the rallies in Augusta opposing Mills' stance and made a trip to the White House to discuss the issue on Feb. 27. Carlisle took action after losing to a trans athlete in cross-country and Nordic skiing competitions. Six years ago, she had to share a locker room with a trans athlete during a middle school gym class.
Now, the state's ongoing culture war over trans inclusion in women's spaces could shift the upcoming Miss Maine pageant in Portland, starting May 10, as St. Cyr's presence could prompt further debate.
St. Cyr said she entered the pageant before Trump's inauguration and before the topic of transgender athletes became an issue in Maine, according to Maine's Total Coverage.
Hudson's, and potentially Belichick's presence at the competition will only brighten the national spotlight on it.
NXT Stand & Deliver has served as the perfect appetizer for pro wrestling fans who have been eager to watch WrestleMania.
The NXT brand features WWE’s next generation of young talent and over the last few years the rising stars have put on tremendous performances leading into the night.
On Saturday, Stand & Deliver will take place at 1 p.m. ET at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. There will be five matches with five titles on the line.
The card itself showcases those who are ripe for WWE stardom. Last year’s premium live event featured Bron Breakker, Roxanne Perez, Lyra Valkyria, Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes.
Breakker will defend the Intercontinental Championship in a fatal four-way match at WrestleMania 41. Perez was the runner-up in the women’s Royal Rumble match in January. Valkyria is the women’s Intercontinental champion and will look to claim tag-team gold with Bayley at WrestleMania 41.
Hayes was called up to the SmackDown roster, challenging Cody Rhodes in his first match and is now in a tag team with The Miz. Dragunov made an epic impact in his first year on the main roster but suffered an injury that cost him a few months.
If any fan wonders who is next, Stand & Deliver is the best place to look.
Here is how the card shakes out. The event can be seen on Peacock
A four-way tag-team match will take place during the Stand & Deliver Countdown Show featuring Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson, representing Meta-Four, Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade, Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne representing Fatal Influence and Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolan.
The winners of the match will become the No. 1 contenders for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Those titles will be on the line at WrestleMania 41 when Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez take on Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.
It will be an epic way to get wrestling fans’ adrenaline pumping before the main card begins.
Stephanie Vaquer relinquished the NXT Women’s Championship weeks after she became the first double champion in NXT history. It set up what would become a ladder match for the vacant championship.
Zaria has been an underrated addition to NXT. She has mostly teamed up Sol Rucia but has made her presence felt in WWE’s developmental brand. Kelani Jordan was the first NXT women’s North American champion, winning a ladder match at NXT Battleground in June.
Sol Ruca may be the favorite going into the match. Ruca’s aerial assaults have captivated the WWE audience. Though injuries set her back in previous years, Ruca has been on a roll and might walk out of Las Vegas with some gold.
Izzi Dame’s status has risen in the weeks since she turned on the D’Angelo family and joined The Culling, headed by Shawn Spears. Dame now has a chance to win the first title of her WWE career.
Thea Hail and Lola Vice joined the rest of the fray on the final NXT before Stand & Deliver. Hail made her long-awaited return to the brand and topped Karmen Petrovic in a qualifying match. Vice, the winner of the 2023 NXT Breakout Tournament, defeated Tatum Paxley.
The fatal four-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship will feature three of WWE’s boldest free-agent signings over the last year with Vaquer, Giulia and Jordynne Grace, while Jaida Parker is hungry to prove herself as the company’s home-grown star.
Vaquer won the title over Giulia at NXT Roadblock in March, cementing herself as one of the top stars on the brand. Grace has emerged as one of the top contenders for the title since she appeared at the Royal Rumble. The former TNA Knockouts champion officially joined WWE in January. She eliminated Parker in the Royal Rumble, jump-starting their road to Stand & Deliver.
Parker, a former LSU women’s soccer player, burst onto the NXT scene during the Women’s Breakout Tournament in 2023. Since then, she’s teamed with the OTM faction and has been in contention for the Women’s North American Championship. She nearly defeated Vaquer for the Women’s Championship in March and finds herself with a 25% chance to win on Saturday.
Giulia appeared in the crowd at last year’s Stand & Deliver before she even entered an NXT ring. She quickly announced herself as one of the top stars on the brand and held the NXT Women’s Championship before losing to Vaquer. She came back recently to attack Vaquer and staked her claim for the title she lost at Roadblock.
Nathan Frazier and Axiom have dominated the NXT tag-team scene since they won the belts at NXT No Mercy in September. They have defended it and won against almost anyone who has stepped into the ring with them, including WWE main roster talents like Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins and Grayson Waller and Austin Theory.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger outlasted four other teams in a tag-team gauntlet to become the No. 1 contenders for the tag titles. They topped Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura, the No Quarter Catch Crew, The Culling and Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont.
Ricky Saints has only been with NXT for a few weeks, but he’s put the brand on notice. The revolution was televised this month when he pinned Spears for the NXT North American Championship. Saints has yet to lose in singles or tag-team competition since he made his debut.
Ethan Page has been on a tear since he debuted in WWE and made his appearance on NXT last May. He quickly made an impression on the NXT roster and found himself winning the NXT Championship just 40 days after his debut. The reign, though, only lasted 86 days, and he's been trying to recapture that momentum ever since.
Saints vs. Page could be a show-stealing match as both competitors have some previous history with each other outside WWE. Page won a fatal four-way match on the final NXT show before Stand & Deliver to earn his spot against Saints.
The D’Angelo Family and DarkState finished the last NXT show before Stand & Deliver on an explosive note with a parking lot brawl. Now, they’ll get to have at it in a six-man tag-team match.
Tony D’Angelo, Channing "Staks" Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino will take on Dion Lennox, Cutler James and Saquon Shugars. Osiris Griffin could also be the third man representing DarkState in the match.
Any interaction between NXT stars and DarkState appears to get out of hand and the six-man tag match could be as explosive as the other encounters.
A triple-threat match for the NXT Championship would be the perfect end to what is set up to be an intense Stand & Deliver.
Oba Femi has run roughshod through the men’s division on his way to winning the NXT Championship at New Year’s Evil in January. He has not lost a singles competition since then, only in tag matches. A gambling man might say Femi is the favorite to win the championship.
When it comes to veterans on the NXT brand, Trick Williams is that guy. He’s done everything anyone could ask for him to do on NXT. He’s a two-time NXT champion and an NXT North American champion. He won the Iron Survivor Challenge in 2023. Now, he’s looking to reclaim the main title in an epic triple-threat match.
Je’Von Evans is the newcomer of this group. Evans has the edge when it comes to bounce and high-flying assaults that neither Femi and Williams can compare to. The 20-year-old built some momentum after his win over Page at Roadblock and could now win his first title in NXT.
DarkState has also cast a shadow over the three competitors in recent weeks. Femi, Williams and Evans even teamed up to compete against James, Lennox and Shugars and lost. DarkState is certainly set to make their presence felt on Saturday. But will they have enough in them to take on the D'Angelo Family and interfere in this match? Only time will tell.
