Though the ceremony was delayed because President Donald Trump was talking to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about pausing tariffs on the country, he did eventually hold a celebration for the Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers on Monday.
Chelsea 2-1 West Ham United: Pedro Neto’s low finish and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s unfortunate own goal saw the Blues turn this London derby on its head and climb to fourth in the table
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies during a pre-Super Bowl LIX press conference with media members on Monday.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end DEI programs across the federal government in his first few days back at the White House.
Goodell was asked about the league's commitment to diversity at the press conference.
"We got into diversity efforts because we felt like it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, we’ve proven ourselves, that it does make the NFL better," Goodell said. "We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it.
"Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent in the National Football League both on and off the field as I said previously. We see that. We see how it benefits the National Football League, and so I think we’ll continue those efforts."
Goodell said the league’s DEI efforts were a reflection of the foundation of the league.
"I think it’s also clearly a reflection on our fan base and our communities and our players. People talk a lot about the Rooney Rule… for us there’s no requirement to hire a particular individual on the basis of race or gender. It’s simply on the basis of looking at a campus of candidates that reflect our communities and to look at the kind of talent that exists there, and then you make the best decision on who is hired," he added.
"So many of us, including the National Football League at our office, are doing that voluntarily at all levels because it has benefited us. And I hear that from companies on a global basis. That’s a very strong hiring practice we’re adopting also."
With Trump nixing DEI efforts in the government, some companies have rolled back their own initiatives. Walmart, McDonald’s Amazon, Ford and Lowe’s being just some of those companies.
Goodell was asked if there would be any consternation between the league and its corporate sponsors should the companies roll back DEI initiatives.
"We don’t make policies for our sponsors or any of the corporations or networks or partners that we deal with," he said. "We have a lot of conversations about the importance of it to us. We will obviously take everything into consideration… There’s a lot of corporations who have been tied to so-called changing their diversity policies and haven’t really called directly about that. There’s a lot of conversations that go on about that."
Goodell said he didn’t have time to reflect about his role in the NFL’s diversity commitment but believed it made the league better.
"I am proud of it in this sense — I believe our diversity efforts have led to making the NFL better. It’s attracted better talent. We think we’re better when we get different perspectives, people with different backgrounds, whether they're women or men or people of color — we make ourselves stronger, and we make ourselves better when we have that," he said.
"It’s something I think will have a tremendous impact on this league for many, many years. We win on the field with the best talent and the best coaching and I think the same is true off the field."
Major League Baseball announced Monday it fired an umpire for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games.
MLB said umpire Pat Hoberg was also fired for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation. The league opened up a probe into Hoberg last February after a sportsbook brought it to the attention of officials.
The league said that while the probe didn’t uncover evidence he personally bet on baseball or manipulated games, MLB senior vice president Michael Hill recommended on May 24 that Hoberg be fired. Hoberg didn’t umpire last season. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred upheld Hill's decision.
Hobert can apply for reinstatement no earlier than 2026 spring training.
"The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans," Manfred said in a statement. "An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way.
"However, his extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player he had reason to believe bet on baseball and who did, in fact, bet on baseball from the shared accounts, combined with his deletion of messages, creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline. Therefore, there is just cause to uphold Mr. Hoberg’s termination for failing to conform to high standards of personal conduct and to maintain the integrity of the game of baseball."
MLB said Hoberg’s friend made 141 baseball bets between April 2, 2023, and Nov. 1, 2023, totaling almost $214,000 with an overall win of nearly $35,000.
Hoberg had been touted as one of the best in baseball. He is among the highest-rated umpires at judging the strike zone.
He had an unprecedented "umpire’s perfect game" when he accurately called balls and strikes on all 129 pitches in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, according to computer tracking.
Hoberg, 38, issued a statement.
"I take full responsibility for the errors in judgment that are outlined in today’s statement," Hoberg said. "Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me. Major League Baseball umpires are held to a high standard of personal conduct, and my own conduct fell short of that standard.
"That said, to be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball in any way, shape, or form. I have never provided, and would never provide, information to anyone for the purpose of betting on baseball. Upholding the integrity of the game has always been of the utmost importance to me. I apologize to Major League Baseball and the entire baseball community for my mistakes. I vow to learn from them and to be a better version of myself moving forward."
MLB said the sportsbook told the league that Hoberg opened an account in his name on Jan. 30, 2024, and an electronic device associated with the account had accessed an account in the name of another person, who had bet on baseball.
MLB fired umpire Pat Hoberg for "sharing" legal gambling accounts with a poker player who bet on baseball. MLB said there was no evidence Hoberg bet on baseball himself.
Manchester United fear Lisandro Martínez could be set for months on the sidelines with the knee injury he suffered during the defeat to Crystal Palace, a source has told ESPN.
A federal jury has found in favor of the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS in the antitrust lawsuit filed against the two entities by the North American Soccer League.
With the basketball world stunned after Luka Doncic was shipped to the Lakers, it begs the question if another blockbuster trade could come out of nowhere.
