Team Napheesa Collier dominated Team Caitlin Clark from start to finish and picked up a 151-131 win in the WNBA All-Star came on Saturday night behind a record-setting night from the Minnesota Lynx star.

Collier finished with 36 points in the game. She broke the scoring record that was set by Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale in the 2024 game.

Collier is a five-time All-Star and is averaging 23.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as she’s helped the Lynx back to the top of the WNBA standings at the break with a 20-4 record.

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She was named the WNBA All-Star Game MVP.

Seattle Storm star Skylar Diggins, of Team Collier, set a record for most assists in an All-Star Game and became the first player to record a triple-double in the event. She had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists

Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell led Team Clark with 20 points.

However, the talk of the game was about the players’ message about a pay increase amid tense collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations during the break.

Each WNBA All-Star wore a shirt that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us," during warm-ups before the game. Fans were heard chanting "Pay them," during the award presentation.

"The crowd is saying it for us," Collier said when asked to share her message.

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike praised the players for using their platform.

WNBA STARS SEND MESSAGE TO LEAGUE BEFORE ALL-STAR GAME AMID CONTENTIOUS CBA NEGOTIATIONS

"I’m just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there," she said. "That’s really what it’s all about. Because the more that happens, the more that we’re going to be able to get things done. I think today we’re going to be able to use this conversation to start rolling the ball on things."

Despite the contention, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Saturday night that she was optimistic a deal would get done.

"I'm still really optimistic that we’ll get something done that would be transformational," she said. "And that, next year at All-Star, we’ll be talking about how great everything is. Obviously there’s a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there."

The players met with league officials Thursday, and the sides did not reach a deal. Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was one of many WNBA players who have expressed criticism of the league's handling of negotiations. 

"It was an eye-opener for me. Like, hearing the things and hearing the language of things and not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful the things that we were sent back, the proposal that we were sent back," she said Friday.

"It's important to be able to be vocal. If I sit back, it looks like I don't care."

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu said the players weren't going to settle for "the minimum" in negotiations, while Phoenix Mercury player Satou Sabally called the league's latest CBA offer a "slap in the face."

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WNBA stars fired off a message to the league before the All-Star Game Saturday night when players expressed frustration with negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The players wore T-shirts that said "Pay Us What You Owe Us" during warmups. 

The shirts included the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) logo.

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The game featured Team Caitlin Clark against Team Napheesa Collier. Both players were named captains for the game. Both of the All-Stars emerged wearing the shirts. Clark did so even though she is sidelined for the game because of a groin injury.

The players met with league officials Thursday, and the sides did not reach a deal. Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was one of many WNBA players who have expressed criticism of the league's handling of negotiations. 

"It was an eye-opener for me. Like, hearing the things and hearing the language of things and not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful the things that we were sent back, the proposal that we were sent back," she said Friday.

ANGEL REESE OPENS UP ABOUT CYBERBULLYING FROM FANS AFTER 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

"It's important to be able to be vocal. If I sit back, it looks like I don't care." 

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu said the players weren't going to settle for "the minimum" in negotiations, while Phoenix Mercury player Satou Sabally called the league's latest CBA offer a "slap in the face."

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Associated Press after the meeting that the meeting was "constructive."

"It was very constructive dialogue. I think, you know, obviously, part of the process is to go back and forth and listen to the players. They listen to us and the owners who represent the Board of Governors," Engelbert said. "I still feel really optimistic that we can get something transformational done by the end. But it’s a process."

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Caitlin Clark may be unable to play in the WNBA All-Star Game Saturday because of a groin injury, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to put the competitive fire out on the bench.

Clark was named one of the team captains for the event, and she will be helping New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello from the sidelines. 

Ahead of the tipoff, Clark was with counterpart Napheesa Collier on ESPN and was asked what her coaching mentality was going to be for the game.

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"I think I gotta heckle the refs a little bit," she said. "I don’t know who’s reffing yet, but that will determine how much I’m going to heckle them. Usually, when it’s an All-Star Game, it’s some better ones, but maybe I could get a technical (foul) or something.

"Honestly, just have a good time."

The Indiana Fever star then wondered whether the All-Star Game had ever had an ejection.

ANGEL REESE OPENS UP ABOUT CYBERBULLYING FROM FANS AFTER 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Clark is no stranger to working WNBA officials. She’s routinely talking to referees or expressing her displeasure with some of the calls, like a lot of her WNBA colleagues.

Before she left Tuesday night’s game with a groin injury, Clark had to be pulled away from a referee during a timeout against the Connecticut Sun.

Clark was named as one of the All-Star Game captains after receiving the most fan votes. She isn’t playing because of an injury she sustained against the Sun.

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Richard Jefferson played with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James for two seasons from 2015 to 2017 and won an NBA championship before his 17-year career ended.

But playing with James, considered the best player in the NBA during the prime of his career, wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies. 

James’ competitiveness was otherworldly.

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Jefferson explained on the "Road Trippin’" podcast the possibility of James getting a buyout from the Los Angeles Lakers and rejoining the Cavaliers at the end of his career.

"Playing with LeBron sucks because you’re trying to win a championship," the current ESPN NBA broadcaster said, via Awful Announcing. "He is one of the most competitive human beings in the history of American sports and sports in general. 

"Does it suck when you’re showing up, and he’s already been practicing for four hours and you’re like ‘Oh s---?' When he’s watching film and you mess up a play, and he’s just like, ‘Motherf-----, what are you doing?’"

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But Jeferson said the upside was he was playing with one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

"And it’s like, ‘Yeah, those are the cons.’ But there were cons for playing with (Michael) Jordan. There were cons for playing with Kobe (Bryant). There were cons playing with players that were so great that they demanded excellence. There were cons for playing for Pat Riley or (Gregg) Popovich or (Erik) Spoelstra. There’s always cons when you’re trying to win at the highest level."

James’ future with the Lakers may be in question, but he’s reportedly expected to be with the team.

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Chicago Sky All-Star Angel Reese opened up about some of the cyberbullying she’s experienced since she played for the 2023 LSU Tigers women’s basketball national championship team.

Reese said in an interview with ESPN that she’s since started a campaign to raise awareness about cyberbullying since then.

"I’ve experienced it. It was hard for me in the beginning," Reese told ESPN’s Elle Duncan.

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"After I won the national championship, my whole life changed, and that was the first time I had seen negativity like that on social media. I thought I had a huge following before, but it skyrocketed to millions. It was bigger than basketball when they were finding my address, my car. I had to change my whole lifestyle. 

"It doesn’t bother me as much anymore just because I feel like I’ve built a thicker skin, but not everybody has a thick skin. And that’s why I think players always come up to me and ask me, ‘Are you OK? How are you doing?’ I don’t really know what’s genuine, but I’m starting to open up and branch a little bit."

Reese's 2023 national championship game was highlighted by her incident with Caitlin Clark. It started the on-court rivalry between the two women's basketball stars.

Reese said she’s gotten closer to the All-Stars on her team this year, more so than in 2024 when it was the WNBA team going up against the U.S. Olympic team before the Paris Games.

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"This is the closest I’ve been to these players this year. Last year, I wasn’t that close. When I was in Phoenix (the host of the 2024 All-Star Game), I was very quiet," she explained. "I didn’t talk to anybody. And that’s what I really love about this league, being able to have sisters.

"I don’t have any sisters. Being able to have sisters here who really, really care about me and knowing I can take that and transform that into the community. There’s a lot of cyberbullying going on. Not everybody is as strong as I am, and I was like, ‘Why not flip a negative into a positive and give back?’ I try to give back as much as I can."

Reese will play in her second WNBA All-Star Game. She’s averaging 14 points and 12.6 rebounds for the Sky.

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Chris Martin has been the talk of social media this weekend after an embarrassing jumbotron moment during a Coldplay concert caught the CEO of Astronomer and its head of human resources cozying up.

A different Chris Martin took the mound for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers Friday night. 

Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti used the moment to reference the controversy.

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"CEOs beware …. Chris Martin is here. Out of the Rangers bullpen," Benetti said as Martin took the mound.

Benetti was far from the only person in the sports world to poke fun at the moment.

Martin has pitched in the majors since the 2014 season with the Colorado Rockies. He’s played for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. He won a World Series with the Braves in 2021.

He struck out one batter in his relief appearance, and the Rangers won the game, 2-0.

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Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigned from his job Saturday.

"As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding," the company said in a statement Saturday to Fox News. "Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and, recently, that standard was not met."

Astronomer said Byron tendered his resignation, and the board of directors accepted.

The unspecified relationship between Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot was revealed to the nation Wednesday night when they were spotted by the concert's "kiss cam."

Cabot hurriedly turned and covered her face, while Byron awkwardly ducked behind a stadium seat, catching Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin's gaze.

"Oh, look at these two," Martin joked to the crowd. "All right, c'mon, you're Ok. Oh, what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."

A social media frenzy started almost immediately, which led to Byron’s resignation.

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Scottie Scheffler was the leader at the end of the third round of The Open Saturday at Royal Portrush.

Scheffler, 29, continued his dominant play Saturday, finishing 4-under par to move to 14-under for the tournament. 

The three-time major champion played bogey-free golf and had an eagle and two birdies. Scheffler’s eagle came on the seventh hole while his two birdies were on the eighth and 16th holes, respectively. 

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If Scheffler can hold and win tomorrow, he will be three-fourths of the way to the career slam and win his second major tournament of the year. Scheffler won the PGA Championship in May. 

If Scheffler does win The Open Sunday, he will join an exclusive list of players to win the Masters, PGA Championship and The Open before turning 30. 

The only three players to achieve that feat are Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. 

While Scheffler stayed in first place atop the leaderboard, there was a lot of movement behind him.

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Matt Fitzpatrick entered the third round in second place at 9-under par but shot even par and dropped into third place. Li Haotong overtook second place from Fitzpatrick and shot 2-under par to move to 10-under par for the tournament. 

There is a four-way tie for fourth place as four different players surged to put themselves into contention going into the final round. 

Rory McIlroy shot 5-under par to move to 8-under for the tournament. Chris Gotterup, Harris English and Tyrrell Hatton all went 3-under par Saturday to improve to 8-under par for the tournament. 

Brian Harman entered the day in a tie for third at 8-under par but struggled Saturday and went 2-over par to drop into a tie for ninth place. 

Below is a list of the leaderboard entering the final round of The Open:

1. Scheffler, 14-under par

2. Li, 10-under 

3. Fitzpatrick, 9-under

T-4. McIlroy, 8-under

T-4. Gotterup, 8-under 

T-4. English, 8-under

T-4. Hatton, 8-under

8. Xander Schauffele, 7-under  

T-9. Russell Henley, 6-under

T-9. Nicolai Hojgaard, 6-under

T-9. Robert MacIntyre, 6-under

T-9. Rasmus Hojgaard, 6-under

T-9. Harman, 6-under

The first pairing will tee off at 8:30 a.m. ET in the final round of The Open. 

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Jason Buck was a defensive lineman for the Washington Redskins when the team topped the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI during the 1991 season.

The Redskins’ name changed in 2020 to the Washington Football Team and then to the Washington Commanders. 

As the team begins to build a legacy as the Commanders, team owner Josh Harris has no plans of going back to the old name.

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President Donald Trump recently suggested that he believed the organization made a mistake changing the name.

Buck, a Native American, told TMZ Sports he wants to talk to Trump about the name and would tell him, "Stand with us and stand for common sense.

"It's like your grandma passed away, and your grandpa marries a new woman, and she comes in and takes all the pictures out of the house and puts hers up," he added.

"It's like, you just lost your family. It was devastating to everybody."

Commanders owner Josh Harris told Bret Baier on "Special Report" in April that, despite his plan to bring the team back to Washington, D.C., at the site of the old RFK Stadium, the Redskins name wouldn’t be coming back. 

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"The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building," Harris said. "So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders, and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they're ranked. 

"And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and, obviously, we're in a military city here. There's more military personnel than anywhere else. So, we're kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that and not looking back."

While he may not have changed the name, Trump thinks any team that wins will stick with fans no matter what. That’s exactly what Washington did last season, reaching the NFC championship game for the first time in almost three decades under new quarterback Jayden Daniels.

"But, you know, winning can make everything sound good," Trump said earlier this month. "So, if they’re winning, all of a sudden Commanders sounds good. But I wouldn’t have changed the name."

Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

Pro wrestling great Buff Bagwell underwent surgery to have his right leg amputated above his right knee, his friend Steve Stasiak wrote on social media on Friday.

Bagwell, whose real name is Marcus Bagwell, due to complications from injuries he suffered in a car crash in 2020, Stasiak wrote on Facebook. Stasiak said the injuries never fully healed.

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"I’ve known Buff a long time. I’ve seen him in the spotlight, I’ve seen him behind the scenes, and I’ve seen him fight through things most people never even hear about. This one… this is hard," Stasiak’s post read. "For him. For everyone who knows and loves him.

"The injuries from his 2020 accident never fully healed. He gave it everything he had to avoid this outcome—but that fight led him here. And now begins a whole new kind of battle.

"Buff was one of the brightest stars of a wild era in wrestling. He made you look. He made you care. But it’s who he is as a person—past the lights, past the persona—that I hope people think about today."

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The pro wrestling world offered their thoughts and prayers for Bagwell on social media as word reached X that he had had the surgery.

Bagwell, 55, competed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1991 to 2001 and then briefly in WWE after WWE bought its rival North American promotion. He also competed for Total Nonstop Action wrestling and others.

He was a five-time WCW tag-team champion and was ranked No. 66 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Top 500 wrestlers of 1999.

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Rory McIlroy had a sensational third round that saw him surge up the leaderboard at The Open on Saturday at Royal Portrush, yet the shot he may remember most is when he hit two balls with one swing. 

McIlroy, 36, hit an errant drive on the 11th hole and the ball landed where the fans stand. McIlroy’s ball had a decent lie, as the ground had been trampled on throughout the last few days. 

However, what McIlroy didn’t know, was that directly underneath his ball, was another golf ball submerged in the ground that could not be seen, as it was buried below the surface.

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As McIlroy swung, his ball went 117 yards into the fairway, and when he made contact with the ground, the other ball popped up a few feet in the air and landed between his feet. 

McIlroy almost immediately looked down and picked in the ball in disbelief. 

"Oh my God," McIlroy said as he picked up the ball he unearthed with his swing. 

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McIlroy eventually threw the ball into a bush and asked NBC’s on-course analyst Roger Maltbie, "Have you ever seen that before?"

"That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I have ever seen," McIlroy said after the round. 

McIlroy ended with a bogey, and a discovered ball on the 11th hole. The bogey on the 11th hole was his only blemish on the day.

The Grand Slam winner came out hot as he birdied three of his first four holes. After his bogey on the 11th hole, he responded by draining a 56-foot eagle putt on the 12th hole to get the stroke back. 

McIlroy notched another birdie on the 15th hole, and finished 5-under par for the day, and is 8-under for the tournament. 

At the time of this writing, McIlroy is in a tie for fourth place and five strokes behind the leader, Scottie Scheffler. 

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Caitlin Clark's boyfriend Connor McCaffery managed to give her a kiss on-camera at WNBA All-Star weekend, but just barely. 

Viral footage of an interaction between the couple surfaced on Friday night, when Clark approach McCaffery in the ramparts of Gainbridge Field House. With cameras on them, McCaffery leaned in to kiss Clark, but as he did, she turned her head. 

McCaffery managed a light kiss, on the side of her hair, as she walked away. McCaffery then put his head down. 

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The video prompted mixed reactions from fans, with many expressing suspicion and others expressing mockery.

McCaffery is an assistant men's basketball coach at Butler University in Indiana. He was previously mocked on social media during a loss to Austin Peay in November, when the Fox College Hoops broadcast showed Clark sitting in the stands. 

The broadcast name card identified her as "Caitlin Clark 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year." Then, when the camera turned to McCaffery on the sidelines, a name card identified him as "Connor McCaffery WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark's Boyfriend."

But the broadcast even had to get McCaffery's little brother involved in the gimmick. 

After disregarding McCaffery's title, his brother Patrick McCaffery, who is a player on Butler's team, was shown with a name card that read, "Patrick McCaffery WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark's Boyfriend's Brother." 

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Like Clark, Connor played basketball at the University of Iowa, where the couple met. He played in 166 games at Iowa, all for his father, former Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery.

Connor dealt with injuries throughout the majority of his college career, but a redshirt year and COVID-19 campaign allotted him six seasons. He reached the NCAA tournament in each of his full seasons, apart from his COVID season. He averaged 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds, and played in 111 wins, tying Jordan Bohannon for most in program history. His career assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.59 (527 assists to 147 turnovers) is the second best in NCAA history.

The couple started dating in April 2023 after Clark had led Iowa on a run to the NCAA title game. But McCaffery was a senior at that time, and he began his coaching career right after graduating. 

In May of that year, he began his career as an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers. McCaffrey ended up with a job in Indiana before Clark even knew she was going to be playing for the Indiana Fever. By fate, the Fever finished with a bad enough record last season to earn the top pick in the WNBA Draft lottery this year, which sent Clark to Indiana, too.

Now, even with McCaffery's new job, the Butler campus would be just seven miles from the Fever's arena, Gainbridge Field House. So, their fates will stay in Indianapolis together for now. 

Last August, during the WNBA Olympics break, the couple made a trip to New York City to watch a Yankees game. However, only Clark was seen being given a tour of the Yankees clubhouse, and only Clark took photos with star players Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo and Juan Soto. 

Clark sent a birthday Instagram post in honor of McCaffery last Sunday as she and the team took on the Dallas Wings. Clark shared several snaps of her and McCaffery on social media as he turned 27.

"Happy happy happy birthday con. you make everyday better and I couldn’t be more grateful. may this be the best year yet, i love you," she wrote in the caption of the post.

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John Parry hit the first hole-in-one at The Open during the third round on Saturday at Royal Portrush. 

Parry, 38, hit an 8-iron on the 192-yard 13th hole. The ball landed on the green, took a couple of bounces and went straight into the hole. 

Parry took his hat off and embraced Justin Leonard, whom he was playing with, in celebration. 

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The English golfer guessed that it was "about" the 10th hole-in-one of his career. 

"Definitely the best one, 100%," Parry said.

Parry said he felt his shot "was going to be close" after he hit it.

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"I did hit a really good shot for once, so it was quite nice. It was quite a comfortable shot where I knew I had a big window to land the ball in," Parry said, according to the Open's website.

"It was either going to pitch short, hit the downslope and feed down or - it went in a bit stronger than I thought it would from that distance for what club I hit. But I felt like it was going to be close."

Emiliano Grillo hit a hole-in-one on the same hole when The Open was at Royal Portrush six years ago. 

Parry's hole-in-one was the 31st at The Open since 1981.

Parry is 3-under for the tournament overall after he shot a four-under-par 67 on Saturday. 

"It was a great day. Obviously the sort of experience you get making a hole-in-one - the atmosphere was absolutely amazing," Parry said after the round via The Open's website.

At the time of this writing, Scottie Scheffler is leading the major tournament at 12-under par. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. uncorked the potential throw of the year during the team’s 7-3 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Truist Park. 

The Braves were up 3-0 in the top of the third inning with runners on first and second with one out. The Yankees’ Cody Bellinger was up to bat as the tying run. 

Bellinger hooked Braves’ starting pitcher Spencer Strider’s slider down the right field line with a sky-high fly ball. Acuna caught the fly ball a step off the warning track. 

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The runner on second base, Jorbit Vivas, tagged up and went to third base. As Acuna caught the ball, he turned and fired a rocket to third base off his back foot. 

Acuna’s laser beam of a throw never hit the ground, and he nabbed an unsuspecting Vivas for the final out of the inning at third base. 

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Vivas was "deked" out by the Braves third baseman, Nacho Alvarez Jr., who made it seem like no throw was coming in until he caught the ball and tagged Vivas out in one swift motion.

Vivas never slid and looked thoroughly confused after being tagged out.

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"That just can't happen. I did that all my career at third base. Just kind of play dumb, play dead. And that's what (Vivas) read. The body language of Alvarez there, just deked him. He knew it was a deep fly ball, so it caught up to him. . .  It's a lesson that that can't happen on a baseball field, especially in that situation," Boone said. 

The play was especially costly for the Yankees, because Aaron Judge was looming on deck and with one swing of the bat, he could have tied the game 3-3. 

"His accuracy is stupid," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Acuna’s throw. 

"He's a weapon in right field. His arm is so strong and accurate, and the ball carries, release is good. He's special out there."

Acuna said that his throw came out of anticipation. 

"I just always try to anticipate those plays," Acuna said through an interpreter. That's really what I always try to focus on, anticipating the play before it happens. I really wasn't trying to do anything besides that. Thankfully, I have a good arm."

The Braves (43-53) will look to build on Friday’s win when they take on the Yankees (53-44) in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Indiana Fever player Kelsey Mitchell spoke about the perceived treatment of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese by fans. 

While speaking to reporters at the WNBA All-Star game, a reporter asked Mitchell her thoughts on the "negativity" directed toward Reese, "as a Black woman." 

"I think it's important to make sure that we keep it less about color and more about just human to human," Mitchell answered. "I think if you just have decency and common decency about what we do as women on the floor, you know that Angel Reese is a bad woman on and off the floor. And we as women have to represent that." 

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When asked what Mitchell would say to the fans who direct negativity at Reese, Mitchell said, "God bless you." 

"I hope your spirit is in heal a stage to where you don't have to make these comments cuz it's really bashful. Um we as women. We come on here and we try to compete and connect and use hoop to, you know, express ourselves," Mitchell said.

"Like it's not always going to go our way and the people that bet on us and the people the nasty comments that we get about the people we do and don't play with, it's like it's disrespectful to what we trying to do, like give us the benefit of the doubt and I hope that people see us as humans." 

Reese is one of the league's more popular and polarizing players, and has built a passionate following largely on her ongoing rivalry with phenom Caitlin Clark dating back to their college days. Clark's and Reese's rookie season in 2024 saw the league break multiple viewership and attendance records, particularly due to games featuring Clark and the Indiana Fever. 

Reese was criticized for a gesture at the end of the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game where she pointed to her ring finger to taunt Clark after Reese's team won. The moment boosted Reese's public profile and incited polarizing attention, with many of Clark fans hurling criticisms at Reese online.  

However, one instance of alleged mistreatment of Reese was investigated and not substantiated. 

WNBA INVESTIGATION FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL COMMENTS TOWARD ANGEL REESE

After a reported incident of fan harassment against Reese during the Fever and Sky's first game of the season on May 17, the WNBA launched an investigation into the matter. But the league announced 10 days later that the allegations of "hateful comments" were "not substantiated."

"We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," the Fever said in a statement. 

"At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball."

Added the WNBA, "Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report]. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct."

U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind, called on the WNBA and the Fever to apologize to Fever fans after that investigation found no evidence. 

"(Reese) accused the Indiana Fever fan base of being racists. They investigated it. They said those accusations were false. The least that she could do is apologize to our great state and the fans that show up at these games and say, ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’ Obviously, she’s not going to do that," Banks said Tuesday during an appearance on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."

"Those are awful accusations. They weren’t true. The fans weren’t shouting racial slurs towards Angel Reese or opposing players. I mean, where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA saying that that investigation? There shouldn’t have been an investigation. The allegations were false. Where’s the apology? It’s disappointing." 

It is unclear whether Reese notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports "when everyone else did." However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her. 

"It’s so demeaning to our state and to the fan base to go through something like that. The least they can do is apologize to the fans," Banks added. "That’s the kind of garbage that gets thrown around all the time." 

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Former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne is still not letting The New York Times off the hook for a controversial 2022 story on her that used a headline which included the phrase "Sex Sells."

The November 2022 article, titled "New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells," described Dunne as "a petite blonde with a bright smile and a gymnast’s toned physique." The article went on to argue that Name, Image and Likeness business in women's college sports "rewards traditional feminine desirability over athletic excellence."

Dunne spoke out against the newspaper in an interview on the "What's Your Story?" podcast. She recalled the paper's staffers allegedly telling her to wear the outfit that they ended up putting the infamous headline over.

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"They came to our gymnastics facility at LSU, took pictures of me. They said, ‘wear your team-issued attire, put on a leotard,’' and they took a picture of me standing in front of the beam, like any gymnast would, and then they blew it up on the screen and put the headline, ‘Sex Sells,’" Dunne alleged on the podcast. 

"Okay, well, you just came into the facility and took pictures of me in our team-issued attire and blew it up on a screen… So I was like, ‘okay, well, this is crazy.’ And there was obviously a lot of backlash to the New York Times because of that." 

Dunne then recounted how she mocked The New York Times on social media for the design decision, and ended up getting a modeling offer from Sports Illustrated as a result. 

"I decided I was going to put that same picture that they posted and captioned ‘sex sells’ on my Instagram story and write ‘at The New York Times, is this too much?’ Because, come on, you know what you're doing. You just put a picture of me in a leotard for clicks and then caption it 'sex sells," Dunne said. 

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"And then people loved that. They were like this is so great because no, it's not too much. You're in your team-issued attire, which is a leotard for gymnasts. There was a lot of positive feedback from that. So, Sports Illustrated reached out  to my agent. I was so excited about that. That was always a dream of mine. There's some legends and some amazing athletes that have been in Sports Illustrated." 

Dunne has previously spoken out against the newspaper for the piece.

During an appearance on the "Full Send Podcast" in summer 2023, she called the piece "BS," and claims the reporter asked her "weird" and "odd" questions. 

"It was complete BS. I mean, they called me on the phone in November and they told me that they were going to write about my accomplishments and stuff and I was like, ‘OK, for sure. That’s awesome. The New York Times. That’s huge,'" she said. 

"The interviewer called me and he was asking me very odd questions. It was worded quite weird," she explained. "He was like, ‘So, how does it feel to be a small petite blonde gymnast doing so well with NIL.’ I was just like, ‘Why does it matter that I’m petite and blonde.’ You can just ask me about NIL without you having to use these weird ways of saying it."

Dunne has been one of the most-followed athletes on social media since she joined LSU. She boasts more than 8 million followers on TikTok and another 5.4 million on Instagram. She helped the Tigers to a national championship in 2024, but her final year with LSU was derailed because of an injury.

Since then, she’s been spotted cheering on her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, as he makes waves in MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have received their Super Bowl LIX rings, and showed them off on social media Friday night.

The rings were made by Jason of Beverly Hills, and feature a pair of Lombardi trophies to signify the team's second Super Bowl win after its first in 2018. 

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The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, denying the Chiefs their third-straight Super Bowl and avenging their Super Bowl XLVII loss to Kansas City just two years earlier. 

CAITLIN CLARK NEEDS TO BE HELD BACK IN HEATED CONFRONTATION WITH WNBA REF

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts won Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. 

The Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys for their Week 1 opener in September, and they'll celebrate their recent championship one final time that night when they hang their Super Bowl banner in the rafters at Lincoln Financial Field.

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In Caitlin Clark's absence from the WNBA All-Star game, Sabrina Ionescu won the 3-point contest on Friday night. Ionescu won the event for the second time in her career.

The Liberty’s star guard, who also won the title in 2023 with a record performance, had a strong final round, scoring 30 points to beat defending champion Allisha Gray. 

"It’s fun, I was so excited for her, we were talking about it before we even came out here," Ionescu said. "About being able to participate in it together and cheer each other on."

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Ionescu’s effort was less than her record-breaking mark of 37 two years ago, when she made 25 of 27 shots — the most ever in either the WNBA or NBA. The total of 30 matched the second-highest in the event, matching Allie Quigley’s mark. Quigley is the only other player to win the contest more than once, doing it four times.

Ionescu didn’t participate in last year’s WNBA All-Star 3-point contest as she was focused on getting ready for the Olympics. But she was in Indianapolis for the NBA one, competing against Steph Curry in a special shootout. She fell just short then, but wouldn’t lose again in Indianapolis.

CAITLIN CLARK NEEDS TO BE HELD BACK IN HEATED CONFRONTATION WITH WNBA REF

"I called Steph and showed off the trophy," Ionescu said.

Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull, who was a fill-in for Indiana teammate Caitlin Clark, who injured her right groin on Tuesday night, scored 20 points to finish fourth. Clark hyped up the crowd from the sideline before Hull’s turn.

Meanwhile, Ionescu's Liberty teammate Natasha Cloud won the skills competition.

Cloud had the fastest time in the first round of the obstacle course that combines passing, dribbling and shooting. She needed to beat Seattle’s Erica Wheeler’s mark of 37.5 seconds in the finals. Cloud won despite missing all three of her shots from the corner over the windmill defender. She was able to get through the obstacle course in 36.4 seconds — 1.1 faster than Wheeler.

Cloud received $55,000 from Aflac as part of a partnership with the WNBAPA. She also receives $2,575 from the league for the victory, which was part of the collective bargaining agreement. Ionescu earned $60,000 for her win from Aflac plus the $2,575 from the league.

This was Cloud’s first All-Star weekend appearance in her 11-year career. She had never been invited to compete in the skills contest or play in the All-Star Game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Bucks waived star guard Damian Lillard. 

On Thursday, ESPN reported the nine-time All-Star and the Portland Trail Blazers were finalizing a three-year contract to reunite Lillard with the only other NBA franchise he'd played for.

Lillard was drafted by the Trail Blazers and spent his first 11 seasons with Portland. 

He holds the record for the most points in franchise history. On Friday, Lillard took to social media to express his excitement about the reunion.

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"RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!," Lillard wrote in a post on X that featured a video panning the lockers of multiple Trail Blazers players, including Lillard’s No. 0.

The video concluded with a short message: "Together Again."

Lillard will likely be sidelined the entire 2025-26 season as he continues to recover from the Achilles tear he sustained in the NBA playoffs in late April.

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The Bucks still owe Lillard $113 million, and payments are expected to be stretched over the next five years, according to the report. The 35-year-old's salary for the 2025-26 season will climb to $70 million due to his earnings from the Portland and Milwaukee deals.

The Blazers struggled without Lillard, finishing last season with a 36-46 record and falling short of the playoffs.

ESPN also reported that Lillard drew interest from multiple "NBA contenders," but he chose the team with which he had the most familiarity.

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Ticket prices for the WNBA All-Star Game steeply dropped after it was announced Caitlin Clark would miss the game with a groin injury. 

Clark was slated to be an All-Star team captain in just her second season and would lead Team Clark on her home floor at Gainbridge Field House in Indianapolis. 

The cheapest ticket prices on TickPick were as high as $126, with an average resale price of $262, the highest in league history. 

Front Office Sports reported the record prices on Wednesday, before Clark announced she would miss the game.

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At the time of publication, the cheapest tickets on TickPick were $65, a 48.4% decrease.

Clark said Thursday she will not participate in the WNBA All-Star Game or its festivities after she appeared to aggravate a groin injury she sustained earlier in the season.

"I’m so excited for Indy to host WNBA All-Star this weekend. I want to thank the Indianapolis Host Committee and all of the people that have put endless work in over the past year to put this event together," she said. "I know this will be the best All-Star yet.

FEVER COACH SAYS CAITLIN CLARK'S ALL-STAR GAME APPEARANCE UP IN THE AIR AS TEAM FOCUSES ON 'LONG-TERM' HEALTH

"I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy (Brondello) coach our team to a win.

"Can’t wait to see you all out there."

Clark sustained the injury in the waning moments of the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun Tuesday night. She appeared to tweak her upper leg on a bounce pass to Kelsey Mitchell.

Injuries have been the main storyline for Clark this season. She’s missed nearly a dozen games because of injuries but still managed to lead fan voting for the All-Star Game.

It’s unclear how long Clark will be out.

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The Philadelphia Phillies appeared to reference the sudden controversy involving Astronomer CEO Andy Byron during Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Citizens Bank Park jumbotron was seen playing a Coldplay song during its kiss cam. Byron was infamously seen allegedly being caught on the jumbotron with the company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot, at a recent Coldplay concert. 

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The Philadelphia crowd exploded in laughter and applause when the song began to play. 

Jason Martinez of Fox 29 got the moment captured on camera, posting it to his X account. 

Astronomer posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the controversial matter involving its CEO. 

"Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability," the company shared. 

"The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly."

The company emphasized that no other employees appeared in the video, and confirmed that Alyssa Stoddard, the Senior Director of People at Astronomer, was not present at the concert. 

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The Coldplay concert Kiss Cam turned into viral chaos after frontman Chris Martin joked that a couple on screen were "either having an affair or just very shy." 

Fox News has confirmed Cabot and her husband filed for divorce in 2018 and court documents appear to show their divorce was finalized in 2022. No divorce records have been found for Byron, who appears to still be married.

According to New Hampshire property records, Kristin and Andrew Cabot purchased a home as a married couple in April 2024. 

Several other sports teams have referenced the sudden controversy.The St. Louis Cardinals posted a picture of Albert Pujols hugging Adam Wainwright, captioning it "When Coldplay starts playing your song."

The Seattle Mariners also offered up Cal Raleigh's services for dumping, considering his nickname is "Big Dumper."

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Netflix also highlighted a moment in their recent "Quarterback" series when Kirk Cousins praised the band.

Michael Jordan's racing company also poked fun at the incident.

Fox News Digital's Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.

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