Denver Broncos linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite was arrested in Denver on a charge of second-degree assault on a peace officer on Sunday, jail records showed.
Wilhoite, 38, was booked into the Downtown Detention Center in Denver and was set for a court appearance on Monday morning in Denver County Court.
"We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information," the Broncos said in a statement, via 9 News in Denver.
Details about the incident were not immediately known.
Wilhoite was an undrafted free agent out of Washburn when he got his first taste of NFL action in 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers. He played for the 49ers through the 2016 season.
He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 and only played one year for them.
Wilhoite set his sights on the NFL coaching ranks in 2019 when he signed as a special teams assistant with the New Orleans Saints on Sean Payton’s staff. He was then on the Los Angeles Chargers’ staff in 2021as their linebackers coach. He was let go after the 2022 season.
In 2023, he rejoined Payton but with the Broncos.
The Broncos went from a team at the bottom of the league in points and yards allowed in 2023 to one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2024 – ranked third in points allowed and seventh in yards allowed.
Denver made the playoffs but lost to the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round.
Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball guard Duke Miles suffered a horrific injury while diving for a loose ball during the team’s win over Mississippi State on Saturday.
Miles tried to get the loose ball, but he face-planted on the hardwood floor of the Lloyd Noble Center. Images showed the senior transfer from High Point spitting out pieces of his teeth as he appeared to be in tremendous pain as he lay on the court.
Oklahoma held a 73-64 lead with 6:57 left in the game at that point. The Sooners beat the Bulldogs 93-87.
The school’s trainer, Seth Tisdale, told the school’s radio broadcast team that Miles chipped two teeth.
"Our team dentist was in [the locker room] when I went to do radio," Sooners head coach Porter Moser said, via CBS Sports. "His teeth aren't that pretty right now. He was doing fine when I left. He was just hustling, diving for a ball."
Miles did return to the floor after the incident. He had three points in 16 minutes for Oklahoma.
He started his collegiate career at Troy and played through his junior season. He transferred to High Point before the 2023-24 season and averaged 17.5 points per game with a 52.8% shooting percentage.
He has started in each of the 27 games he’s appeared in for the Sooners this season. He is averaging 10.1 points and 2.1 assists per game.
Oklahoma is 17-10 on the season and 4-10 against SEC opponents. The Sooners are hoping to clinch a spot in the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament.
When Game 5 of the World Series ended with the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrating at Yankee Stadium, every fan of the pinstripes had to hear Frank Sinatra’s timeless "New York, New York" ring out as they exited their seats.
If losing the World Series was not enough, hearing that song, which is played win or loss at Yankee Stadium throughout the season, poured salt on the wound for some.
Well, it seems that Yankees tradition will be no more, as a team spokesman confirmed to the New York Post on Sunday that "Theme From New York, New York" will not play after losses in the Bronx.
Instead, a rotation of songs will be played after the Yankees lose at home. An example was Sinatra’s iconic tune, "That’s Life," which played after Sunday’s spring training loss to the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
The Yankees have been a team with long-standing tradition, and it remains that way. However, some tweaks to those traditions are being made, and the song blaring over the Yankee Stadium speakers is just the latest.
The biggest change, which has been called for by many on and off the field, is a new facial hair policy.
The move was considered stunning because, since 1976, facial hair other than a mustache was not allowed by any Yankees player, coach or staff member. Now, general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner announced on Friday that a "well-groomed" beard can be seen on a player, coach or staff member’s face.
"In recent weeks, I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees — spanning several eras — to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy, and I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback," Steinbrenner said in the statement.
"These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years. Ultimately, the final decision rests with me, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward. It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy."
The Yankees’ team manual used to read, "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches [except for religious reasons], and scalp hair may not be grown below the collar. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned."
Now, what exactly deems a well-groomed beard remains to be seen, but this is a big deal for the Yankees and its fan base – "seismic," as longtime play-by-play commentator Michael Kay put it.
Yankees captain Aaron Judge, who said he would not be growing a beard despite the rule change, noted what Steinbrenner hinted at regarding players potentially not wanting to join the Yankees in free agency because of the no-beard rule.
"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 said.
With the no-beard rule scrapped (to an extent), and no more upbeat Sinatra being played after a loss, the Yankees are heading into the 2025 season looking to get back to the World Series with a new look and feel.
Fresno State men’s basketball is mired in a sports gambling scandal, and ABC 30 Action News learned two of the three athletes involved allegedly bet on games they played in.
The Bulldogs removed forward Mykell Robinson from the team while suspending guards Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins for alleged sports betting.
ABC 30 Action News reports Robinson and Weaver placed bets that their team would go under their projected points and rebounds totals. This is a clear violation of NCAA rules, which prohibit student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff members from betting on games or providing information to anyone involved in or associated with any type of sports betting.
ABC 30 Action News also reports that Fresno State men’s basketball head coach, Vance Walberg, was the one who discovered his players' alleged gambling and notified the university. After an initial internal investigation, the NCAA got involved with an investigation of its own.
Fresno State told ESPN that Weaver and Collins were "being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter."
These are two of the Bulldogs’ top scorers this season, with Weaver averaging 12.5 points per game, while Collins is close at 12.0 points per game and leads Fresno State with 4.7 assists per game.
Meanwhile, Robinson has not been on the team since Jan. 11.
Fresno State Athletics also told ABC 30 Actions News it would no longer comment on the matter "at this time."
The Bulldogs have lost 10 straight games, owning a 5-23 record this season, which is a record for most losses in a single campaign.
With three players away from the team, the Bulldogs only dressed seven players in Saturday’s 72-69 overtime loss to Air Force.
After eight seasons in the NFL, Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Keanu Neal is retiring.
Neal, who also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, announced his retirement with an Instagram post.
"God has blessed my family and I in so many ways," he began his caption. "20 years ago, I started this journey. Today, I am retiring from the NFL. Gods’ timing is always the right timing."
Neal went on to thank everyone along that journey he started 20 years ago.
"Wanna give a big thank you to the Atlanta Falcons for drafting and giving me a chance to make an impact. To the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Bucs, and Pittsburgh Steelers.. Thank you for allowing me to continue my career with you. All top notch organizations.
"I am incredibly grateful for the coaches and teammates I had the privilege of working with along the way. Sumter County, South Sumter High, Wolfpack, University of Florida, my family and friends..THANK YOU! All the lessons learned through the game has helped mold me into who I am today. #Enforcer."
Neal didn’t play the 2024 season after failing a physical with the Steelers, the team he played with in 2023.
Neal was one of the top prospects heading into the 2016 NFL Draft after a successful college career at the University of Florida, leading to the Falcons taking him 17th overall that year.
He made an immediate impact as a rookie, tallying 106 tackles, five forced fumbles and eight passes defended over 14 games.
Neal would follow it up with his first and only Pro Bowl campaign, totaling a career-high 116 combined tackles with one interception, six passes defended, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Injury got in the way in 2018, when Neal tore his ACL in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then in 2019, Neal tore his Achilles in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Falcons would exercise the fifth-year option for Neal, so 2020 was a contract year that worked out in his favor. He had 100 tackles, nine for loss, with one interception.
But Neal ended up signing a prove-it contract the next season with the Cowboys, a one-year deal worth $5 million. He did so as a reunion with his old head coach, Dan Quinn, who was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
Neal ended up switching to linebacker from safety with the Cowboys and played 14 games with 72 tackles.
In 2022, Neal signed another one-year deal, this time with the Bucs on a $1.272 million deal to go back to strong safety. He had eight starts out of his 17 games, posting 63 tackles, one interception and four passes defended.
Finally, Neal joined the Steelers in 2023 but was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 18, ending his season prematurely.
For his career, Neal had 523 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and 22 passes defended.
Hooters of America is reportedly working with creditors to restructure its debt of $300 million through a Chapter 11 filing.
The chain is working with the law firm Ropes & Gray to prepare for a filing, per Bloomberg, but the plans are not final.
Hooters has closed several locations throughout the country as its business declined. Around 40 locations have shut their doors, but none where Booker is in Arizona.
Bloomberg also reported the company sold around $300 million in asset-backed bonds in 2021.
While Hooters battles to stay afloat, Booker is hoping to do the same with his Suns this season.
Phoenix is 27-29 on the year despite a talented roster, and if the season ended today, it wouldn’t make the Play-In Tournament because it is 11th in the Western Conference.
The 28-year-old is averaging 26.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds in his 10th NBA season, all of which have been in Phoenix.
Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has declared a stance on a hot debate on the course.
AimPoint, a method of finding a putting line on the green, has been criticized by those who don’t use it, saying that it affects the pace of play on the PGA Tour.
Spiranac is in that camp after what she saw on the LPGA Tour – a player going through their AimPoint routine a foot from the hole.
"Ban Aim Point," Spiranac posted on X over a picture of the LPGA Tour player.
Slow play has been a controversial topic in golf recently, especially with rounds in tournaments like the Farmers Insurance Open taking almost six hours to complete.
PGA Tour golfer Lucas Glover said on SiriusXm PGA Tour Radio that, while it isn’t proven AimPoint is causing these pace of play issues on the course, it can take too long to get the read and the results are not any better than other methods.
"AimPoint statistically hasn’t helped anybody make more putts since its inception on the PGA Tour, statistics have borne that out," Glover said.
Glover also pointed out how the method requires players to walk near the hole and make their way back to the ball.
"It’s also kind of rude to be up near the hole and stomping around, figuring out where the break is in your feet. It needs to be banned. It takes forever," he said.
There are others, however, who believe if AimPoint was adopted by more, the game would move quicker.
"It would speed up play as it takes an average of 10 seconds to get a read," Europe’s senior instructor Jamie Donaldson told Golf Monthly.
Collin Morikawa, who uses AimPoint, heard what Glover had to say and retorted with a proposed ban on "long putters," which the latter uses.
As of now, the PGA will continue to allow AimPoint, but pace of play will continue to be a hot topic moving forward.
Former Green Bay Packers star Brett Favre offered a short response on social media to the proposal from Wisconsin’s Democratic governor to replace "mother" with "inseminated person."
But it was far from the only proposal in Tony Evers administration’s budget recommendation. Other so-called gendered terms were also called on to change, including "paternity" to "parentage," "wife" or "husband" to "spouse" and "father" to "parent." The word "mother" was also recommended to change to the phrase "parent who gave birth to the child."
"Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ latest left-wing push isn’t just out of touch, it’s offensive to mothers," Republican Governors Association executive director Sara Craig said in a statement. "Being a mother is the greatest privilege I will have in my lifetime, and every mother I know feels the same. If Tony Evers can reduce motherhood to an ‘inseminated person’ then our society is lost."
Evers said his plan would eliminate income tax on tips, prevent homeowners from seeing property tax increases and improve the state’s infrastructure, among other things, when he introduced the budget proposal.
However, he made no mention of the language in the bill.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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."
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.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?"
"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."
"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.
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.
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.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
" 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
"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."
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.
