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. 

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"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."

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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. 

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"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." 

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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. 

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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."

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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."

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"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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Pete Rose is finally eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but he may not be as much of a lock as people think he is.

Rose's on-field resume speaks for itself - he is MLB's all-time hit king, won three World Series and was a 17-time All-Star with a career .303 batting average.

However, his gambling spurned his baseball life.

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In 1989, amid accusations Rose had bet on the game while he was playing and managing, he was handed down a lifetime ban from the game. Two years later, the Hall of Fame said that anyone on baseball's ineligible list would not be eligible to be voted on.

However, MLB announced earlier this month that ineligibility ends after death, thus making Rose a candidate for Cooperstown. In all likelihood, Rose will get in, but some will always feel a type of way - including current All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

"He's obviously one of the game's greatest hitters. I don't know. I get it, but at the same time, he's one of the game's greatest players of all time. Leader in hits. Glad to see it, but also get both sides of it," the Baltimore Orioles star said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital, but Henderson eventually begrudged. 

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"I would let him in. I mean, he's just too great of a player to not be in it," he obliged.

Henderson spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of VKTRY, as he has been wearing their insoles since spring training. He said he saw their ads on Instagram, wore them, and never looked back.

"I was kind of intrigued by the idea behind it and the science behind it. So it was really cool when I had the opportunity to join the team," he said. "I kind of tested them out in spring training this year. For me, stability is a big thing, especially in the infield, in the box. That was the biggest thing I had to check off the list, and they passed the test."

Henderson is batting .301 with an .883 OPS in his last 23 games, so it is easy to see why he is a fan VKTRY insoles. However, he is going to have to wear them for a long time if he has any hopes of catching up to Rose.

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Professional boxer Georgia O'Connor, 25, has died after a bout with cancer, the professional boxer's promoter, Boxxer, said. 

The promoter described the late young fighter as "a true warrior inside and outside the ring."

"Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends here at Boxxer. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time," a statement from Boxxer obtained by The Guardian read.

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In a January Instagram post, O'Connor revealed that she had learned of her cancer diagnosis. She said she suffered through debilitating pain for weeks leading up to the diagnosis.

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"For 17 weeks since the start of October, I’ve been in constant pain, going back and forth between Durham and Newcastle RVI A&E knowing deep down something was seriously wrong," O'Connor captioned a photo of her in a hospital bed. 

"I said from the start I felt it was cancer. I KNEW the risks. I have colitis and PSC, two diseases that dramatically increase the chances of getting it. I KNOW how high my risk is and they do too. They always did."

O'Connor added that doctors refused to take her concerns "seriously."

"But not one doctor f---ing listened to me. Not one doctor took me seriously. Not one doctor did the scans or blood tests I begged for whilst crying on the floor in agony," the Instagram post continued. "Instead, they dismissed me. They gaslit me, told me it was nothing, made me feel like I was overreacting. They refused to scan me. They refused to investigate. They REFUSED to listen. One even told me that it’s ‘all in my head.’ And now? Now the cancer has spread."

In February, O'Connor spoke out about another devastating personal circumstance.

"The last few months have been a rollercoaster," O’Connor wrote. "I’ve been pregnant with a beautiful baby, suffered a miscarriage, then got diagnosed with ‘incurable’ cancer. But I still feel on top of the world!"

More recently, O'Connor celebrated a milestone. She announced that she had "married that love of" her life on May 9. 

O'Connor was able to maintain her undefeated boxing record despite her battle with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. She went pro in 2021. She earned medals at the 2017 and 2018 Youth World Championships during her amateur career.

O'Connor was born in Durham, England.

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Tensions were high in the early going between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream Thursday night.

The two teams were 48 hours removed from a battle that came down to the final seconds, which the Dream won, 91-90. So, maybe there was some carryover.

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. 

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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.

Despite the tense moment Thursday, they shared a funny one earlier this month in the preseason, when Howard jokingly picked at Clark's ear after their exhibition, prompting a laugh from Clark.

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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. Clark added five points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.

Clark's teammate, Natasha Howard, led the way with 26 points, while Rhyne Howard dropped 24.

The scuffle between Clark and Howard came five days after Clark and Angel Reese had to be separated. Clark was called for a flagrant foul on Reese, who then had words for Clark. 

The incident prompted an investigation into alleged hateful comments toward Reese by fans at the game. Reese reposted a TikTok that said she is "unsafe" playing in Indiana.

The Fever are back in action Saturday against the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty in Indianapolis at 1 p.m. ET.

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The rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has sparked more discussions across the sports world and beyond.

Tempers flared between Reese and Clark after the Fever guard committed a flagrant foul on the Sky forward.

It was one of the bigger moments of Indiana's 93-58 blowout win Saturday. 

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Both players downplayed the incident. Clark told ESPN's Holly Rowe after the third quarter there was "nothing malicious" behind the foul.

After the game, Reese described the foul as a "basketball play." 

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"Refs got it right. Move on," Reese told reporters.

Three-time national championship-winning coach Dawn Staley weighed in on the rivalry between the two WNBA stars.

"I think it's great for our game," Staley said. "It's a sport. Treat us like a sport. … It happens in every sport — soccer, basketball, football ... so let it be."

Staley added that she believed the game officials made the right call. 

"I’m going to take the lead of Angel and Caitlin, and that lead is they said it was a foul. The officials got it right, and we’re moving on." Staley said.

"I think it pulls people in." 

"I do think there are new fans that haven't watched our game. I just hope that they'll open their eyes to the rest of the talent that is there. The product is incredible, and it's in high demand. We played Caitlin in the national championship last year. … Twenty million (viewers), whatever it topped off at."

Staley also expressed her excitement for future Clark-Reese matchups. 

"I’m looking forward to the next time they play, too," Staley said. "I’m going to be glued in just like everybody else. I'm a fan."

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An ex-Major League Baseball player is blaming a former opponent for his career-ending injury.

Darin Ruf played first base for the Milwaukee Brewers June 2, 2023, in a game against the NL Central rival Cincinnati Reds. Little did he know it would be the final game of his career.

In the third inning, Ruf was chasing a pop-up in foul territory when his knee crashed into the end of the field tarp roller. Ruf badly cut his knee and limped off the field with the help of a trainer.

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Ruf's complaint says the end of the tarp roller was made of sharp metal and had no protective cushioning or cap. The TV broadcast of the game said there was a "significant hunk of metal … that doesn't give very much."

Ruf went on the 60-day injured list and never played in the major leagues again.

His initial injury, aside from the laceration, was ruled a non-displaced fracture of his patella. But, according to Ruf's complaint, he suffered "permanent and substantial deformities to his knee." 

"This didn't need to happen," Ruf said in a statement. "I wish it didn't happen. Players shouldn't have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a major league field."

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"This was an obvious and avoidable risk," Tad Thomas, Ruf's attorney, said in a release announcing the lawsuit. "There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable."

The Reds did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The situation is similar to Dustin Fowler's. In his major league debut in 2017, he injured a knee in Chicago after running into an electrical box while chasing down a pop fly. Fowler, who would have led off the next inning for his first plate appearance in the majors, sued the White Sox for negligence. 

The Yankees traded him roughly a month after the injury for Sonny Gray, and Fowler's first MLB hit came against Gray the next year.

Ruf, 38, played in the majors from 2012 to 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies (2012-16), San Francisco Giants (2020-22, 2023), New York Mets (2022) and Brewers (2023). He batted .239 with a .329 on-base percentage, 67 homers and 205 RBI in 582 career games.

At the time of the injury, Ruf was playing in his 11th game with the Brewers after playing in nine games in his second stint with the Giants. He had been designated for assignment by San Francisco before joining Milwaukee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The College Football Playoff is reportedly undergoing a slight makeover.

The playoff made a major change from four to 12 teams last season, which brought with it some flaws.

Last season, the four highest-ranked conference champions had automatic byes and received the top four seeds. This year, the playoff bracket will be filled with straight seeding, with five spots still reserved for conference champions, according to ESPN.

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"After evaluating the first year of the 12-team playoff, the CFP management committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment," CFP Executive Director Rich Clark said in a statement. "This change will continue to allow guaranteed access to the playoff by rewarding teams for winning their conference championship, but it will also allow us to construct a postseason bracket that recognizes the best performance on the field during the entire regular season."

If the new format were put in last year, Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Penn State would all have had bye weeks. Instead, Texas and Penn State both had to play in the first round and won convincingly. The Longhorns beat No. 12 Clemson (15th in the country), 38-24, and then defeated No. 4-seeded Arizona State, which had a bye as the Big 12 winner but was ranked 11th in the country, in double-overtime.

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ASU would have played Ohio State in a matchup of the No. 11 and No. 6 seeds, while Boise State would have gone against Indiana in a battle between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds if straight seeding was used last season.

Instead, Boise State, the Mountain West winner, had a bye in the quarterfinals as the No. 3 seed but was routed in the Fiesta Bowl by Penn State, a No. 6 seed, despite being ranked third in the country. The Nittany Lions defeated No. 11 SMU, 38-10, in the first round.

All four conference champions lost in the quarterfinals.

No. 8 Ohio State wrecked every team in its path en route to a national title despite playing in the first round. However, the Buckeyes didn't do themselves many favors with their seeding. They lost at home to Michigan to end the regular season. But they were ranked No. 6 by the committee despite their No. 8 seed.

This rule change now makes Notre Dame, an independent team that does not have a conference affiliation, eligible for a bye week.

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Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks struggled in the team’s 5-1 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday at Fenway Park. 

Hendriks, 36, gave up three earned runs on three hits, and was charged with the loss. 

The reliever took to social media on Thursday morning and posted that fans were sending him and his wife death threats. 

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"Threats against my life and my wife’s life are horrible and cruel. You need help," Hendriks wrote on his Instagram story. 

"Leaving comments telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile."

"Maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate your life’s purpose before hiding behind a screen attacking players and their families."

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Hendriks announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in January 2023. The three-time All-Star returned to the mound less than five months later and pitched for the Chicago White Sox.

However, after just five appearances since returning to the field after his bout with cancer, Hendriks needed Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract in 2024 in his recovery, but Hendriks did not pitch last season as he rehabbed. 

"Whether you (send death threats) from your ‘fake accounts’ or are you dumb enough to do it from your real account. I think I speak for all players who have to deal with this in their career when I say," Hendriks wrote.

"Enough is enough."

Hendriks has struggled this season with the Red Sox, as he has a 5.56 ERA in 11 games. 

In his 14-year career, Hendriks has a 33-35 record with a 3.85 ERA with 738 strikeouts in 661.1 career innings pitched. 

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Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher recently spoke against transgender athletes in sports and reiterated his stance Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Urlacher appeared on the "Global View" podcast and wondered why it is even a debate. On Wednesday's edition of "America Reports," he said it is "common sense."

"Athletically, it's just not fair. You know, men are meant to play with men," Urlacher said. "That's why there's the NBA and the WNBA or LPGA and PGA Tour. They're different. I just don't understand how people think it's OK for a male to participate in a woman's sport. 

"There are just so many biological differences. You have the guy that was swimming with the women there from Penn a couple years ago with Riley Gaines and some of her teammates, and you saw how he was with the men compared to with the women. It's just not fair. It's pretty obvious to most people."

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Urlacher also questioned why other girls and women are not speaking out but pointed out that doing so has hurt them.

"You see these girls stand up, and it's really hurting themselves when they stand up because they're not competing because they don't want to compete against a man. So, they're stepping down from their competitions," he added.

"And it's kind of funny coming from people who push women's rights, and they want to fight for women's rights, but they don't wanna fight for women's rights in sports. They want men to come in there and dominate the sports against the women. It's just, it's not fair. It's common sense. I think we've seen President Trump talk about it since he's been elected. It's pretty much common sense just to not have men in women's sports.

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"It's just not fair. You know, I saw a track athlete in South Carolina a couple of years ago doing the same thing, just winning every event. There's biological differences. Men should not be competing against women. It's not fair. It's dangerous. You saw the volleyball player, the man spiking the ball, hitting the woman in the face. 

"It's … not fair and it can be really dangerous. It's funny what Aaron [Rodgers] said. You don't see women try competing against men in our sports. You don't see them trying to play football. You don't see them try and do things that they wouldn't be as good at or could get hurt at."

Illinois, where Urlacher spent his NFL career, has become a hotbed of controversy over the issue of trans athlete inclusion in recent days after a biological male competed in a seventh-grade track meet against biological females at the Naper Prairie Conference Meet.

Several other states have defied President Donald 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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As California's transgender athlete conflict escalates, one high school athlete has resorted to changing clothes in her car to avoid uncomfortable situations. 

During a Lucia Mar Unified School District (LMUSD) school board meeting this week, junior Audrey Vanherweg revealed her decision. 

"I strongly disagree with what is going on in the girls' locker room and on the girls track team, so much so that I change in my car for track practice because I feel way more comfortable in my car than I do in my own school's locker room," Vanherweg said. 

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Vanherweg isn't the first LMUSD girl to express anxiety over the track and field locker room this season. 

During a meeting in April, fellow junior track athlete Celeste Diest recounted her experience having to change in front of a biological male trans athlete before practice while that athlete allegedly watched her undress. 

"I went into the women's locker room to change for track practice where I saw, at the end of my row, a biological male watching not only myself, but the other young women undress. This experience was beyond traumatizing," Diest said, beginning to cry. 

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"Adults like yourself make me and my peers feel like our own comfort was invalid, even though our privacy was and still is completely violated."

Both meetings included several parents speaking in opposition to trans athletes in attendance, while other community members spoke in support of trans inclusion. Both meetings also included just as many speakers advocating for transgender athletes. 

At this week's meeting, a trans track and field athlete described the decision to join the girls' team while wearing a transgender pride flag. 

"When I joined track last year, I was terrified," the athlete said. "I was alone, and I feared for my life. When I started going to track practice, I was too afraid to make friends. I thought they would reject and mock me for being transgender. At my first meet, I sat alone, on the wet, muddy ground.

"I fear that somebody would accuse me of a heinous crime, so I walked on razor-thin ice. I never spent longer than three minutes in the locker room. I never made eye contact with people," the athlete said. "And yet, people still accuse me, someone who deals with sexual harassment on a daily basis, of being a predator. So, I'm here to say that I am not the villain, I am the victim."  

Women's rights activist and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a leader in the national movement to protect women's and girls' sports, previously told Fox News Digital she believes trans athletes involved in the current culture war are victims. 

"I view them as victims, too. I really do. They have fallen victim to the movement. They have unfortunately fallen for the lie that they weren't created uniquely and intentionally in God's perfect image. And that is a horrible message to send to anyone," Gaines said. 

"I believe they're victims, too, which is the sad reality of the gender ideology movement." 

California has allowed transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports since 2014. California's high school sports league, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), was one of the first in the country to openly defy President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order after it was signed on Feb. 5. 

The CIF is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for potential Title IX violations over the issue. 

California's state legislature failed to pass two GOP-backed bills to reverse the current policies that allow males in girls' sports after every Democrat voted against them on April 1. 

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