Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., reacted to Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ spat with President Donald Trump over the issue of transgender inclusion in women’s sports.

Trump signed the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order earlier this month to ensure that no transgender athletes compete against women or girls in sports. Some states, like Maine, have bucked the executive order.

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It all led to a public dustup between Mills and Trump on Friday. Trump threatened to withhold federal funding if the state continued to allow trans athletes in women’s sports. Mills retorted, "We’ll see you in court." 

Blackburn talked about Maine’s decision in an interview on "Fox News Live" with anchor Mike Emanuel.

"This is one of those defining issues between the left and the right," she said. "We fully believe that President Trump is right on this. It is the policy of the federal government that we will support Title IX, as there, for women and women's sports, and we will not support men, biological men in women sports. and as President Trump said that this is the federal position and therefore the governor should be enforcing that. 

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"She should want to protect women and women's sports. It is unbelievable that she would choose to not do that."

The executive director of the primary governing body for high school sports in the state of Maine said athletic teams will continue to determine eligibility based on a student's stated gender identity, despite the president's executive order seeking to keep "men out of women's sports."

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who serves as the chairman of the National Governors Association, talked about Mills and Trump’s spat.

"As governors, we have our prior initiative that we continue to work on is to disagree better," Polis said.

"We always hope that people can disagree in a way that elevates the discourse and tries to come to a common solution around... what the issue is. I don't think that that disagreement is necessarily a model of that," he continued, adding that some governors may not have known the origins of the fiery exchange at the time.

Fox News’ Charlie Creitz and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Bucknell University students may not have been fans of former MLB star Alex Rodriguez before Sunday, but the ex-New York Yankees third baseman definitely turned their perception.

Rodriguez attended the Bucknell-Army game with his business partners Marc Lore and Jordy Leiser. The baseball star was called upon to deliver a clutch shot at halftime.

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He stepped up to midcourt at the Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and banked the halfcourt shot into the basket. The Bison student section went wild. One student won $10,000 because of Rodriguez's make.

Lore and Leiser graduated from Bucknell – Lore in 1993 and Leiser in 2006. Lore, Leiser and Rodriguez helped start Jump, which is a technology company aimed at building relationships between fans and professional sports organizations. Lore and Rodriguez were also partners in the recent acquisition of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.

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The three men spoke at a Bucknell Forum event before tipoff.

Rodriguez went to high school in South Florida before he turned pro and was the No. 1 pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 1994 draft. Since his retirement from baseball, Rodriguez has turned into a prominent businessman.

Aside from his relationship with Lore and Leiser, he started A-Rod Corp and has made investments in several companies, including Snapchat, Vita Coco and Hims and Hers, among other major companies.

Bucknell won the game, 84-53.

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The BYU Cougars topped the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night in a wild game that featured a controversial call, an incident between players and an explicit chant from the crowd in Tucson.

The Cougars won the game 96-95. 

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The Wildcats had the ball with under 12 seconds to play. Caleb Love was searching for some heroics and was fouled as he made a shot. But instead of receiving the possibility of completing a three-point play, Love was given only two free throws. He hit them both and put Arizona up 95-94 with a few seconds to play.

BYU moved the ball up the floor quickly. Cougars star Richie Saunders drove the lane and tried to float one toward the basket. He fell trying and a late whistle was heard. Arizona’s Trey Townsend was called for a foul. Saunders made both free throws and BYU won the game.

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Players had to be separated as they were in the handshake line after the game. Furthermore, fans of the No. 19-ranked Wildcats were heard changing "f--- the Mormons" as BYU left the floor.

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd disagreed with the last-second foul call.

"It’s a bad call. I mean like, whatever. What am I going to say? You hate for a game to be decided by that," Lloyd said, via Sports Illustrated. "(Townsend) played good defense. The guy’s pivoting, pivoting, pivoting, throws his shoulder into him, throws up a shot and falls down. It’s a foul with two seconds to go. I mean listen, it’s the Big 12. That’s what I’m told. And the guy who called it is one of the best refs. So we’ve got to live with it."

Arizona officials also issued an apology for the fans’ chant.

"Following tonight’s men’s basketball game, it was brought to our attention that an unacceptable chant occurred," athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois said in a statement.

"On behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department, we apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches and fans. The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ayesha Curry stressed the importance of maintaining her relationship with her husband, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, in an interview published on Thursday.

Steph and Ayesha Curry were married in 2011 and have four children together. Ayesha talked about how they are as parents in an interview with People magazine.

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"I think for us, our relationship always comes first. Then we're parents," she said. "And that works for us because then you have two happy people raising the kids in the house. So the family sector in our lives always comes first.

"And then honestly, it's just surrounding ourselves with people that are smarter than us and know what they're doing and can make the things run. And they allow us the space to be creative and they allow us the space to truly show up however we choose to. And I think that's what's really worked for us."

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Steph and Ayesha met when they were young teenagers but did not start dating until a few years later. The two welcomed their fourth child last May.

Ayesha Curry was still on hand rooting for the NBA star as he helped Team USA capture a gold medal over France at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Recently, Ayesha Curry had to shut down one of her Sweet July brick and mortar shops in Oakland, California, over safety concerns.

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Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic developed into a three-time NBA MVP and champion from a second-round pick out of Serbia.

The Nuggets’ selection of Jokic in the 2014 draft out of Serbia was famously announced as the ESPN broadcast showed a Taco Bell commercial. As Jokic rose to prominence in the last few years, NBA fans couldn’t believe that someone like the star center’s selection was seemingly passed over.

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He said in an interview with the Nuggets’ social media team he never ate at the fast-food chain ever again.

"I think I’ve never had Taco Bell just because of that," he said.

Jokic didn’t come to the NBA until the 2015-16 season and developed into a player who could contend for the starting role. He started in 55 games in his first season and 59 games in his next season. He then started 73 out of 75 appearances in the 2017-18 season.

MAVERICKS LEGEND DIRK NOWITZKI CALLS SEEING LUKA DONCIC PLAY FOR LAKERS 'WEIRD'

The Nuggets star earned his first All-Star appearance in 2019 and his status grew from there. He was a back-to-back MVP in 2021 and 2022 and then again during the 2023-24 seasons. Denver also won the NBA title in 2023.

He’s one of the best players in the league and potentially one of the best international players the NBA has ever seen.

This year, Jokic is averaging 29.4 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists for the Nuggets. He’ll be in contention for the NBA MVP once again.

Denver is 37-20 as of Sunday and third in the Western Conference.

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Hockey legend Bobby Orr came to the defense of Wayne Gretzky in an op-ed on Saturday as "The Great One" took flak for his appearance as Team Canada’s honorary captain for the 4 Nations final.

The majority of the criticism came over Gretzky’s apparent support of President Donald Trump. Gretzky was seen as a victory celebration in Florida when Trump won the 2024 presidential election and was at his inauguration in January. Trump has also teased Canada, calling Justin Trudeau the "governor" of the "51st state." Trump has even floated the idea of Gretzky becoming the next governor of Canada.

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Orr wrote in the Toronto Sun that he was filled with "disappointment" as he read the criticism against someone he considers one of the "greatest Canadians ever."

"How fickle can people be, when someone who has given so much time and effort to Canadian hockey is treated in such a way," Orr’s column read. "Listen, we all have our personal beliefs as they pertain to things such as religion and politics. Wayne respects your right to such beliefs – why can’t you respect his?"

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Orr highlighted Gretzky’s charitable acts toward fellow Canadians throughout his professional career and after it.

"Please, let’s take a time out. Extend a little grace, and a little respect for a good man and a great Canadian."

Gretzky has not spoken one way or the other about Trump’s support.

"I was with Wayne Gretzky. I said, 'Wayne, would you like to be the governor of Canada?’ I can't imagine anybody doing better than Wayne," Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago press conference earlier this month. 

"Wayne was not too interested. But he probably would have liked statehood," Trump added. "He's a friend of mine. He's a great guy. He's the great one. We call him the great one, right? He's a great hockey player."

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Aaron Rodgers will hit free agency this offseason as the New York Jets announced their intent to part ways with the four-time NFL MVP.

He spoke to TMZ Sports after he left a workout last week and was asked about the "factors" he will be looking for in his next team.

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"If they want you" and "if they got a good team," he told the reporter in the parking lot before getting into his vehicle.

Much like Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Rodgers’ decision on whether he decides to hang it up or keep playing will be a major storyline going into the offseason. He joined the Jets via trade from the Green Bay Packers in 2023 but missed the entire regular season after he tore his Achilles a few plays into Week 1.

He came back and started all 17 games for the Jets in 2024. He had 3,897 passing yards and 28 touchdown passes. But New York finished 5-12.

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New York team owner Woody Johnson, general manager Darren Moughey and head coach Aaron Glenn said earlier this month the team decided to part ways with him.

"I personally want to thank Aaron for his time at the New York Jets," Johnson said in a statement. "His arrival in 2023 was met with unbridled excitement and I will forever be grateful that he chose to join us to continue his Hall of Fame career. 

"From day one, he embodied all that it meant to be a New York Jet, embraced our fans, and immersed himself in our city. That is what I will remember most when I look back at his time here. He will always be welcome, and I wish him only the best in whatever he chooses to do next."

The Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers are the three main favorites to land Rodgers in the offseason should he decide to continue his career, according to DraftKings.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave an update on pitcher Bobby Miller after he was hit in the head by a line-drive comebacker during a spring training game.

Miller still had a bit of a headache but had been feeling better in the wake of the 106 mph liner that hit his head against the Chicago Cubs, Roberts said Friday. He added that there was no fracture or any significant bruising sustained in the incident.

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"He has a little bit of a headache, but there’s no fracture," Roberts said, via the Los Angeles Times. "Today, he’s just gonna lay low, but he feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon. But he’s just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track."

Roberts relayed that Miller told him he had a "hard head" and was in "good spirits."

"He feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon," the manager added. "But he's just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track."

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Roberts didn’t give a clear timeline of Miller’s return.

Miller was the Dodgers' first-round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft and made his debut three years later. He had a decent rookie season, pitching to a 3.76 ERA in 22 starts, but his sophomore campaign was a different story.

The 25-year-old was up and down between the majors and minors, as he racked up an 8.52 ERA in 13 major league starts while also missing time with shoulder inflammation.

Los Angeles is coming off their second World Series win since 2020, and they only got better by adding Blake Snell, Kirby Yates and Roki Sasaki.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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The major question lingering over the Kansas City Chiefs’ heads going into the start of the 2025 offseason is whether Travis Kelce will return to the sideline for at least one more season.

Rumors swirled during the 2024 season about whether Kelce had lost a step and would angle toward stepping away. He had an increase in catches year over year – 93 in 2023 and 97 in 2024 – but had a decrease in receiving yards and touchdown catches.

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He had 823 receiving yards in 2024 and 984 in 2023 and had three touchdowns in 2024 and five in 2023. He only had two 100-plus receiving-yard games in 2024.

Kelce didn’t give any indication which way he was leaning during Super Bowl LIX week. He said in January he had full support from his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, to keep playing if he desired.

Jason Kelce, the Chiefs tight end’s brother, said on Saturday’s episode of "The Steam Room" that he believed the three-time Super Bowl champion already knows what he’s going to do.

TOM IZZO ON MICHIGAN STATE'S 'BAD TURNOVERS' VS. MICHIGAN: 'JUST ASK THE CHIEFS'

" I think he probably, in his heart, already knows what he wants to do. That's the reality of it," the former Philadelphia Eagles center said, adding that the two had discussed it a "little bit" already.

Jason Kelce said when he retired he was very much done with the game and was able to focus on other aspects of his career.

"We’re very similar people, but we also have different ways of thinking about things. Sometimes I can way overanalyze situations, and any big decision I’m having in my life I’ll think about the negatives and what about this or that, and I want to do too much, and my brother has this way of being like, ‘Hey man, you want to play or you don’t want to play.'"

The Chiefs star is a lock to be a Pro Football Hall of Famer whether he retires this year, next year or 10 years from now. He’s a 10-time Pro Bowler, three-time First-Team All-Pro selection and was on the 2010 All-Decade Team.

He has 1,400 catches for 12,151 yards and 77 touchdowns in 175 career games.

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Baseball fans have learned over the last few years that the players they cheer for take fantasy football extremely seriously and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt reminded them of that.

Bassitt’s punishment for going 4-10 during the 2024 season – becoming the team’s bat boy, according to Sportsnet. He served as it for the team’s spring training game on Saturday against the New York Yankees. He wore "4-10" on the back of his jersey.

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It was also the MLB veteran’s 36th birthday.

Fantasy football was a hot topic of conversation between Joc Pederson and Tommy Pham in 2022. Pederson, then with the San Francisco Giants, and Pham, then with the Cincinnati Reds, got into an incident over fantasy football. It led to Pham slapping Pederson over the whole ordeal.

The one-time All-Star is entering his 11th season in the majors and third with Toronto. He had a 4.16 ERA in 31 starts for the team last season. He also had 168 strikeouts.

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Bassitt finished 10th in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023. He led the American League with 16 wins, 33 starts and 826 batters faced. He pitched in a career-high 200 innings.

This season, Fan Graphs projected Bassitt to be the No. 3 starter in the team’s rotation behind Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios. The Blue Jays are also expected to have Max Scherzer and Bowden Francis as well.

Toronto was 74-88 in 2024.

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Donovan Munger, a former college football defensive lineman who played for the 2014 Ohio State national championship team, has died, his mother announced on social media. He was 30.

A cause of death wasn’t announced.

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"My heart will never beat the same. It is with my deepest sadness that I formally announce to the world the passing of my eldest child Donovan Munger. Pray for my family," his mother wrote in an Instagram post.

Munger was a standout high school football player and committed to Ohio State as a four-star recruit. He was diagnosed with a blood clot before the start of the 2013 season, which forced him to sit out a year, according to 247 Sports.

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He eventually made appearances for Ohio State starting in the 2014 season. He had five total tackles and one tackle for a loss during the season. 

The Buckeyes finished 14-1 and won their first College Football Playoff National Championship against the Oregon Ducks.

He returned to the team in 2015, appearing in 11 games.

But the blood clot eventually caused him to retire from football altogether.

Ohio State fans paid tribute to Munger on social media as his death was announced.

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A transgender basketball player was absent from a girls’ playoff game in California on Saturday night after a week of national media attention and controversy.

The trans athlete had led San Francisco Waldorf’s girls’ basketball team to a 9-8 record and a playoff meeting against Cornerstone Christian School. 

But in the trans athlete’s absence, San Francisco lost to Cornerstone 56-30. 

No reason has been given for the athlete’s absence. San Francisco Waldorf has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Multiple protesters attended Saturday night’s game on the Cornerstone campus wielding signs with anti-trans messaging. But those signs were not flown in the gymnasium after protesters realized the trans athlete wasn’t there, sources told Fox News Digital. 

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The athlete played on Waldorf’s girls’ volleyball team in the fall, prompting a playoff forfeit by Stone Ridge Christian in November. 

However, Cornerstone Christian vowed to compete in Saturday’s game against the trans player, which Fox News Digital was first to report on Tuesday. 

News that Cornerstone would play ignited national media coverage, amid an ongoing conflict between the state of California and President Donald Trump’s administration over the issue of trans inclusion in girls’ sports. 

Additionally, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is under investigation by Trump’s Department of Education (DOE) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) as it continues to instruct schools to allow trans athletes to compete as women in defiance of the president's executive order.

The DOE’s deputy general counsel, Candice Jackson, previously told Fox News Digital that the department was monitoring the state’s girls’ basketball playoffs as it conducts its investigation. 

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"CIF sets the parameters under which schools compete in these playoffs, and they have responsibility as recipients of federal funds to comply with Title IX. OCR’s investigation into CIF is continuing as it appears that CIF’s disregard for Title IX is continuing," Jackson said.

Trump’s executive order would cut federal funding for any institution that enables trans athletes to compete against girls and women.

According to USA Facts, California public schools receive about $16.8 billion per year, which is 13.9% or one in every seven dollars of public school funding, which is well above the national average. 

The CIF has not responded to a request for comment on the situation involving the upcoming playoff game.

The CIF previously told Fox News Digital that it will continue to follow state legislation, which has been in effect since 2014, on the issue of trans athletes.

"The CIF provides students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete in education-based experiences in compliance with California law [Education Code section 221.5. (f)] which permits students to participate in school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with the student’s gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the student’s records," the statement reads.

A law called AB 1266 has been in effect since 2014 and gives California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to "participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."

However, California lawmakers have introduced multiple bills to reverse this law in 2025. 

California state Assembly member Kate Sanchez announced one such bill on Jan. 7, then Assembly member Bill Essayli introduced a similar one on Feb. 14.

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San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had a "mild stroke" in November, hasn't coached since, and he's reportedly not expected to return to the bench this season.

The 76-year-old missed six games earlier this season before the team announced he had the stroke. He coached the team's first five games of the season.

ESPN reported Saturday night that Popovich's future is uncertain amid his recovery.

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"This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me," Popovich said in December. "As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way.

"While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization and our family and friends."

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At the time, Popvich had not ruled out a comeback, saying tongue-in-cheek, "No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process. They’ve quickly learned that I’m less coachable."

The team said he was expected to make a full recovery. Mitch Johnson has been leading the Spurs in Popovich’s absence. 

The news comes after it was recently revealed Victor Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder.

Popovich is the NBA’s career leader with 1,401 victories and another 170 postseason wins while winning five NBA titles. He is in his 29th season, all with San Antonio.

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

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A high school football coach in Alabama was arrested for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Robert Carter, the coach of Clarke County High School, was arrested in Niceville, Florida, after a traffic stop, according to FOX10. He allegedly fled Alabama during an investigation.

Carter, 55, was arrested on 11 counts and is being held at the Okaloosa County jail on $122,000 bond.

The charges include four counts of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student, four counts of distributing or soliciting obscene material from a student and three counts of soliciting a sex act with a student.

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Before his arrest, Clarke County School placed him on administrative leave.

"As the leader of Clarke County Schools, I expect professionalism and integrity from my faculty and staff," Clarke County Schools Superintendent Ashlie Flowers said in a release. 

"I and the school system take reports of misconduct by employees seriously and work closely with the school administration or law enforcement to ensure appropriate action is taken. The safety and well-being of our students is always a top priority. I appreciate the outstanding work of our administrative team, dedicated school resource officer and local law enforcement during this process."

Carter became the school’s coach in 2023, going 15-10 in his two seasons. He was previously the head coach at Beauregard High School, where he won a state title in 2016, and he coached at Sylacauga in 2021 and 2022.

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Different team, still the same Juan Soto. 

In his first spring training at-bat with the New York Mets, Soto crushed a 426-foot opposite field home run off the Houston Astros’ Colton Gordon to give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the first inning Saturday.

Soto signed the most lucrative contract in professional sports history this offseason, a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. 

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In signing Soto, the Mets hoped to propel the team to the World Series after making a surprise run to the NLCS last season, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The addition of Soto had fans wondering if the team would be able to retain first baseman Pete Alonso, also a free agent this offseason.

Alonso later re-signed with the Mets, giving Soto some important protection in the lineup. 

Soto, a four-time All-Star, had the best season of his career with the Yankees last season. He hit .288 with a career-best 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. 

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In the Yankees’ run to the World Series, Soto elevated his game, hitting .327 with four home runs in 14 games. 

Soto debuted with the Washington Nationals in 2018 and helped them win the World Series over the Houston Astros in 2019. 

Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline, and the Padres traded him to the Yankees prior to the 2024 season. 

Despite playing for three different teams prior to the Mets and being just 26 years old, Soto has a remarkable resume. 

In addition to his four All-Star game appearances, Soto is a five-time Silver Slugger and won the batting title in the shortened 2020 season. 

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Former NFL player Steve Smith Sr. found himself at the center of social media drama Saturday after a man took to X accusing the ex-wide receiver of having an affair with his wife, who the man claims is a member of the Baltimore Ravens marching band.

The social media user posted a series of messages on X early Saturday morning, including one in direct response to one of Smith's posts.

"Hit me up. Does your wife know you've been f---ing my wife?" the user, who later changed his profile picture to one of Smith, wrote.

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The man then shared several screenshots of what appeared to be sexually explicit text messages between his wife and Smith. Some of the posts also included images of Smith allegedly sent to the woman. 

Later on, a video posted to the account appeared to show the man confronting someone on the phone. The man recording the video appeared to call Smith by name. 

"Yo Steve," the man in the video says. A man on the other end of the line responded, "What's up?"

"You've been f---ing my wife, bro?" the man asked. "What you gotta say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry," the other person responded.

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"You're sorry? You f---ing knew she was married. You're not a f---ing idiot, man. You're f---ing Steve Smith Sr. What kind of dumb s--- was that?"

The man on the other line never responded again and hung up.

The man claimed in a separate post online that his wife was a member of the Ravens' marching band. Neither the Ravens, the band, nor Smith's agency have responded to emails from Fox News Digital.

Smith performed with the band during a game early in the 2024 season. He spent three seasons with the team after playing for the Carolina Panthers for 13.

Smith has been married since 2000, and he and his wife have four children.

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Just because the New York Yankees are allowing their players to rock beards for the first time in nearly 50 years, it doesn't mean everyone is going to.

Captain Aaron Judge told reporters on Saturday that despite the policy getting a makeover, he answered "No" when asked if he would grow some facial hair.

"I got drafted by this organization, so the very first day I was here, I’ve been shaving since 2013," Judge said. "This is what I know, this is what I’m used to. I look around the building, look at old photos of the past legends and people that played here, they all followed that rule, so I just tried to follow on their path."

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However, he is all for the change, echoing the same sentiments team owner Hal Steinbrenner did - Steinbrenner, who lifted the rule that his dad, George, implemented in 1976, hinted that he was afraid that players would not come to the Yankees in the future because of the rule. Note that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., MLB's next big free agent, has had a beard a majority of his career. 

"I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal until it got brought up the past couple weeks. I think the rule will be good. I think it’ll help a lot of guys. If it gets us a couple more players that’ll help us win games, everybody will be on board for that," Judge continued.

YANKEES ANNOUNCER MICHAEL KAY REACTS TO TEAM'S 'SEISMIC' FACIAL HAIR POLICY CHANGE

Steinbrenner told reporters Friday, "If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire to make us better, to get us a championship, did not want to be here, and if he had the ability, would not come here, because of that policy … that would be very, very concerning."

Yankees Hall of Famers CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter have both grown beards since retiring. Players often grow facial hair when leaving the Yankees or during the offseason.

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Nearly 50 years after New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner implemented a policy banning facial hair, the team made the shocking announcement to end what Hal Steinbrenner came to learn was an "outdated" rule that could have potentially serious consequences for the organization. 

Hal Steinbrenner announced the change on Friday prior to the Yankees’ spring training opener and delved into the process that led him to make a new policy where players can now sport "well-groomed beards."

As Steinbrenner explained, facial hair has become the new norm. He pointed to our nation’s leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, as an example of how times have changed since the policy was first implemented in 1976.

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"This generation, the vast majority of 20s, 30s into the 40s, men in this country have beards. Our new vice president has a beard, members of congress have a beard – the list goes on and on and on in this country and in this world," he told members of the media during a press conference.  

"It is part of who these younger men are, it’s part of their character, it’s part of their persona. Do I totally relate to that? It’s difficult for me, I’m an older guy who’s never had a beard in his life. But it’s a very important thing to them and they feel it defines their character." 

Steinbrenner went on to explain that knowing this led him to a "real concern" that the policy could potentially be detrimental to the Yankees’ ultimate goal of winning its first World Series title since 2009.

YANKEES ANNOUNCER MICHAEL KAY REACTS TO TEAM'S 'SEISMIC' FACIAL HAIR POLICY CHANGE

"If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire, to make us better, to get us a championship, did not want to be here, and if he had the ability, would not come here because of that policy – as important as it is to that generation – that would be very, very concerning.

"I am fairly convinced that’s a real concern," he said. 

Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008, said he had considered the issue for some time, but said he spent this season actively discussing the issue with players and others. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Angel Reese put on a show Friday night in the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league.

The 2023 NCAA champion scored 22 points and grabbed 21 rebounds for the first 20-20 game in the league's young history.

That was before she fouled out of the contest.

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Playing for the Rose Basketball Club, Reese was posting up down low when her defender took a charge. The defender might have sold the call, but it was enough to get Reese, who had dominated all night, out of the game.

Reese thought the refs made a bad call, so she wanted her coach to challenge the call, and she was emphatic about it.

There was no challenge, and Reese was done for the rest of the game. Her team held on for a 72-63 win.

ANGEL REESE REACTS TO PASSENGER PAYOUT OFFER FOLLOWING PLANE CRASH: 'WAIT THAT'S IT?'

After the game, a fan of Reese posted to X to not "be on the wrong side of history" when her career is over, saying "Reese is exactly who she thinks she is."

It was a compliment, but Reese seems to want her haters to keep on hating.

"no. tell them stay on that side. please," she replied.

Reese was the seventh pick in last year's WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky after a dominant career at LSU that included a national championship win over Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023.

In her rookie year, Reese broke the record for most rebounds in a single season, but multi-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson later surpassed her.

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Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was on a family vacation when news of the seismic Luke Doncic-Anthony Davis trade broke, but he found out about it quickly. 

"When I saw the news, I was actually all across on the other side of the world. I was on vacation with the family in the Maldives. . . . Actually about to go to lunch, and then we’re leaving that day to travel back, and my phone starts blowing up," Nowitzki said during an appearance at 96.7 The Ticket’s Ticketstock event. 

Nowitzki and Doncic overlapped for one season in Dallas and formed a strong relationship. He said they texted after the trade went down. 

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"Fast-forward coming home, obviously Luka, we texted a bit. I felt a little disappointed and sad for him. He obviously didn’t see this coming. He invited me to come out to his first game in (Los Angeles), and I felt like I had to support him," Nowitzki said. 

"I played with him in my last season. We got close. I tried to mentor him, I tried to help as much as I can in the last few years."

Mavericks fans hoped that Doncic would be like Nowitzki, the superstar who stayed in Dallas his whole career and won a title for them. 

LUKA DONCIC TRADE TO LAKERS COULDN'T BE VETOED, NBA COMMISH SAYS

Doncic, like Mavericks fans, was "disappointed" with the trade. Nowitzki attended Doncic’s first game with the Los Angeles Lakers in support of Doncic, and not the Lakers. 

"He’s a good kid, so I felt like I had to go out there and support him in this new chapter. It was reported that he was pretty down and disappointed how it went down, so I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to be there for his family and show support," Nowitzki said. 

"You guys saw my face, it was weird. It was surreal to see him play for the Lakers. I’ll never be a Lakers fan, but I must always be a Luka fan."

Doncic said that Nowiztki being there for his Lakers debut was "amazing," via the Dallas Morning News. 

The centerpiece of the return in the Doncic trade for the Mavericks was Anthony Davis. Davis injured his groin in one of his first games with the Mavericks and has been out since. 

The Mavericks and Lakers are set to face off for the first time since the trade on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 10:00 p.m. ET. 

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