The son of John Elway’s late agent, Jeff Sperbeck, paid tribute to his father in a heart-wrenching Instagram post on Sunday.
Jackson Sperbeck put together a slideshow of photos, remembering the times he spent with his father before his tragic passing late last month. The photos ranged from the time Jackson was a child to his older years.
"Your footsteps gave me direction. I’ll walk the rest with purpose," he captioned the collage. "I love you dad."
Jeff Sperbeck, 62, died from injuries sustained in a golf-cart crash in California. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office ruled that his death was accidental due to blunt head trauma.
"The Cause of Death is 'Blunt Head Trauma,' and the Manner of Death is ‘Accident,’ and the Mode of Death (How the injury occurred) is ‘Passenger fell from golf cart.’" the coroner's bureau said in the statement obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this month.
"I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck," Elway said in a statement, via ESPN.
"There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me.
"My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Jeff’s wife, Cori; his children Carly, Sam and Jackson; and everyone who knew and loved him. Jeff will be deeply missed for the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of so many others."
Fox News’ Chantz Martin contributed to this report.
American Olympic rugby star Alev Kelter will face a judicial hearing and potentially lengthy suspension after being sent off in a women’s rugby test on Saturday for stamping on the head of an opponent.
Team USA was playing against Australia, who went on to celebrate a 27-19 victory in Saturday's contest.
Upon a video review, referees issued a red card around the 79th minute of action in the Pacific Four Series test. Officials determined Kelter forcefully stamped on the head of Australian center Georgie Friedrichs.
Microphones picked up a referee saying, "Twelve, blue (Kelter), is going to receive a permanent red card because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play.
"She’s clearly stamped on the head of the Australian player. That’s reckless, that’s dangerous and she’s going off."
Friedrichs appeared to avoid any major injuries in the incident. Team USA coach Sione Fukofuka later apologized to the Australian players.
Foul play in rugby that involves contact with the head is treated with extreme seriousness. Rugby, like many contact sports, has changed its rules in an effort to limit the danger of concussion and other head injuries.
Kelter is a three-time US Olympic representative in rugby sevens and won a bronze medal in Paris last year. She previously played ice hockey and soccer for the University of Wisconsin.
In rugby, judicial hearings over foul play usually take place within 48 hours of a match.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy pushed back on allegations that "hateful comments" were reportedly made toward Angel Reese during the Chicago Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever.
The WNBA launched an investigation on Sunday. The remarks were allegedly made toward the second-year Sky star during Saturday’s matchup, according to The Associated Press. The league said it "strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms."
No specifics were presented, and Portnoy cast doubt on whether the comments happened and speculated that internet trolls could have been behind it. Portnoy was at the game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and sat courtside in a Caitlin Clark jersey.
Portnoy said in a video posted to his X account that the only "hate" he saw came from Reese against Clark after the Fever star hit Reese with a hard foul in the third quarter. Reese let Clark know emphatically that she did not like it. Clark was given a flagrant foul but said there was "no malicious intent" behind it.
"Listen, I was at the game. If there was somebody being racist or saying s---, obviously boot ’em. Never let them back," Portnoy said. "I would be stunned beyond belief if that was the case. … The crowd at the Fever game? Little girls, families, ladies, nice crowd. Were we mad when Angel Reese attacked Cailtin Clark for no reason? Yeah. Did we boo her? Yeah. Is it sports? Yeah.
"For the WNBA, and now the Indiana Fever, to issue statements, ‘We’re investigating,’ unless something so preposterous happened that nobody in the stadium saw — there’s not an ounce of proof, there’s not a video of it, there’s not camera phone of it — unless something happened, which I know it didn’t. For them to acknowledge this and, again, kind of paint Indiana Fever fans, like, by just saying ‘We’re investigating the hate’ … even though it’s 100% false, by acknowledging ‘We don’t condone hate,’ and not seeing that this was an internet rumor founded of complete bulls---, you’re lending credence to this."
Portnoy added that the crowd was good and that Reese "deserved" to at least be booed but had a message for the WNBA.
"Angel Reese deserved to get her a-- booed when she attacked Caitlin on a normal foul," he said. "Other than that, what are you talking about? The WNBA, talk about killing the golden goose. Like, you guys are lucky you have Caitlin Clark. You are lucky you have the Indiana Fever. It makes the league relevant. All you do is s--- on ‘em.
"And for the Fever, by the way, to even put out that statement, I’ll eat my words if you find one iota, or if there’s even one person who is doing something. Being in that crowd, seeing that crowd, being at the game, zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero chance there’s any truth to this. And you add validity when you acknowledge the statement, ‘We don’t condone hate.’ There was no hate. The only hate was coming from Angel Reese attacking Caitlin Clark."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement on the issue as well.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport," the statement said. "Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The Fever acknowledged the investigation was taking place, as did the Sky.
"We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players," Sky CEO Adam Fox said.
The Sky and Fever have four more matchups on the docket this season.
The Florida Panthers bashed the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and moved on to the conference finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers scored three goals in the first period and three more in the second in the 6-1 win. Florida had six different goal scorers – Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, Jonah Gadjovich, Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand.
Marchand scored in the latter stages of the game, capping off his history-making effort.
In the win over the Maple Leafs, the NHL said Marchand became the first player to win five winner-take-all games against the same team. Marchand was with the Boston Bruins when the team won four Game 7s against Toronto. Florida’s win was his fifth.
"I grew up a Leafs fan, and I enjoy playing against the Leafs," Marchand said after the game. "I enjoy interacting with fans. It’s fun. I don’t take myself too seriously. I love getting made fun of, and I love making fun of people. If you can’t take it, then so be it. I’m going to enjoy the moments that I have.
"When I come in here and I get booed, I’m good. I’m going to show it. I’m going to enjoy that."
Florida acquired the veteran from the Bruins at the trade deadline, and it was for the extra push when it came to the postseason.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also kept his Game 7 winning streak alive. He is 6-0 in Game 7s as a head coach.
"Game 7s are for the players," Maurice said. "It doesn’t matter how your hands feel. It doesn’t matter how your body feels. It doesn’t matter how well you execute. If it’s how comfortable you are in hard situations, then you have a chance."
The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
A rookie driver celebrated an unlikely pole victory for the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
While Team Penske was disqualified before the final two rounds of qualifying, Robert Shwartzman won the pole.
The 25-year-old was driving for PREMA Racing and became the first Indy 500 rookie to qualify for the pole since 1983. Shwartzman, who has dual nationality in Israel and Russia, initially raced under the Russian flag. He currently competes under the Israeli flag, which makes the Tel Aviv native the first driver from Israel to make "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Until Shwartzman's win, Teo Fabi was the last rookie to qualify for the Indy 500 pole. Coincidentally, he was an Italian — just like Prema, which was also founded in 1983. Prema is established in Europe and races in the Formula 2 series. It made its IndyCar debut this season.
Prema is the first team making its debut in the Indy 500 to land on the pole since Mayer Motor Racing put Tom Sneva there in 1984.
The event also marked Shwartzman's racing debut on an oval. He said the victory felt like a dream.
"Honestly it feels like I'm dreaming. I just had it in my dreams when I was going how would it feel to do such a good job in quali," he said. "It's the Indy 500. It's the main race of the year. Honestly it feels unbelievable."
Shwartzman had been pursuing a career in Formula 1 and was part of the Ferrari development program as well as its reserve driver from 2021 until the end of last season. Prema then nabbed him for its two-car team.
The pole was first wide open for the taking when Team Penske was disqualified from qualifying for an illegal modification on the cars of two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Then, Scott McLaughlin destroyed his car in a Sunday morning crash during practice.
The three Penske drivers all started on the front row last year, but will be 10th, 11th and 12th in the fourth row together next weekend.
Rory McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam last month. The reigning Masters champion recently arrived in Charlotte for the second major of the 2025 season, the PGA Championship.
McIlroy ended the tournament in a three-way tie for 47th place, finishing the major at 3-over. Sunday, the final day of the tournament, also marked McIlroy's fourth consecutive day of declining to speak with members of the media assembled at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
Speculation swirled that the Northern Irishman avoided making any public statements to the press in light of the situation with his driver leading up to the tournament. The United States Golf Association (USGA) ruled that McIlroy's driver was non-conforming. The ruling forced McIlroy to make a switch.
McIlroy's name was linked to the failed the test and eventually became public knowledge, likely via a leak. USGA policy prevents the organization from disclosing the name of any player who receives a failed test.
McIlroy was ultimately just one of multiple competitors who was forced to make an equipment change for the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele, who won last year's PGA Championship, hinted that Scottie Scheffler also had to make a change.
"I think Scott is winning the tournament, and I think he switched to his backup, too," Schauffele told Golfweek. "See, you don't even know, because he's so good. We can deal with it because the (equipment) reps are so good now."
Scheffler and McIlroy are endorsed by TaylorMade. As of Sunday evening, the brand had not released a public statement about the golfer's drivers.
Schauffele said that testing every competitor's clubs helps "protect the integrity of the field."
"I think they should test everyone's driver," he said. "It's not right to just test 50 guys. It just doesn't make sense if you're in it for the spirit (of the game). The whole point is to protect the integrity of the field. If you don't test everyone across the board, I don't think you're protecting the whole field."
Amid the controversy, the PGA of America released a statement.
"We can confirm that the USGA was invited to do club testing at the PGA Championship, at the PGA of America's request," the statement read in part. "That testing program is consistent with the same level of support that the USGA provides to the PGA Tour and other championships, as part of their regular programs for driver testing. The standard process is for about a third of the field to be randomly tested under the program. That was the case at Quail Hollow this week. Finding driver heads that have crept over the line of conformance is not an unusual occurrence, especially for clubs that are hit thousands of times over a long period of time."
Scheffler went on to win the PGA Championship on Sunday to earn the third major victory of his career.
The Thunder's pursuit of its first-ever NBA championship since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City remains alive.
While the franchise did reach the mountaintop when the team called Seattle home in 1979, the team has yet to win a title since settling in OKC. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 35 points as OKC steamrolled the Denver Nuggets in Sunday's Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The 125-93 victory punched the Thunder's ticket to the Western Conference Finals. OKC will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals, which begins on Tuesday.
Elswehere, the New York Knicks will face off against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA's other conference finals. The Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973. The Pacers won their most recent title that year — in the ABA.
When Commissioner Adam Silver hands one of those teams the Larry O’Brien Trophy next month, it’ll mark a league first — seven championship franchises in a seven-year span.
There hasn’t been a back-to-back NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors won in 2017 and 2018. From there, the list of champions goes like this: Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston last season.
It’s the longest such run of different champions in NBA history; Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NFL have all had longer ones, and not too long ago, either.
Despite dealing with what ESPN reported as a "Grade 2 hamstring strain," Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon played on Sunday. He finished the loss with 8 points during his 25 minutes on the court.
While the season is over for 26 of the NBA's 30 clubs, the fun is just starting for the last four teams standing.
Angel City defender Savy King has been released from the hospital, just more than a week after she collapsed on the field during a match and needed surgery to treat a heart abnormality.
King posted a photo of herself in the hospital holding a heart-shaped pillow and giving a thumbs up on social media Sunday.
"I’m still finding the words to express just how much your love and support have meant to me over these past few days. What I do know is that I wouldn’t be getting through this without my incredible family by my side, my amazing teammates who have shown up for me and prayed for me, the fans, the entire soccer community, and the outstanding medical team here at ACFC who saved my life and cared for me every step of the way," she wrote on the post. "I know God’s got me and I’m looking forward to recovering and getting back out on the field!"
Angel City issued a statement that said King had been released from the hospital the day before.
King, 20, collapsed during the second half in a National Women's Soccer League match between Angel City and the visiting Utah Royal on May 9.
She was treated on the field for more than 10 minutes before she was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Once there, doctors discovered a heart abnormality and she underwent surgery on Tuesday. Her prognosis was good, the team said.
Players and fans alike were shaken by the incident, but the match continued, a move that was widely criticized. The league later said it was reviewing its policies.
The NWSL Players Association was among those that said the match should not have continued.
"These moments demand humanity, sound judgment, and restraint. Any medical emergency that requires the administration of life-saving care should bring play to an end. The match should not have continued," the NWSLPA said.
On Friday, a league statement expressed regret for allowing the match to continue.
"The health and well being of the entire NWSL community remains our top priority, and in any similar situation going forward the game should and would be abandoned," said the statement.
Angel City visited Bay FC in a match on Saturday night, the team's first since King's collapse. Before kickoff at San Jose's PayPal Park, both teams wore shirts with ‘SK3’ printed on the front as a tribute to King. Angel City captain Sarah Gorden also held up King’s jersey during the team photo.
NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman spoke to reporters at halftime.
"All we could do is learn from the experience and conclude that in a future situation, we will ensure that our policies and protocols do not allow the game to continue," she said in her first comments about King's collapse.
King was the second-overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by expansion Bay FC and played 18 games for the club. She was traded to Angel City in February and had started in eight games for the team this season.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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Scott McLaughlin had a harrowing practice experience at the Indy 500 on Sunday. His car went airborne after it slammed into the wall on the track just ahead of Pole Day qualifying.
Video showed the car sliding and spinning across the track after the hard collision with the wall before finally coming to a stop. McLaughlin is not the first driver to flip over.
McLaughlin was able to emerge from the wreckage and appeared to avoid any major injuries.
Mclaughlin received a medical evaluation. Shortly after he was released from a care center, he said he was "fine." He also offered an apology to Team Penske.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mclaughlin said. "I'm just really, really sorry for everyone at Team Penske, the guys on the #3 car and everyone who builds these fantastic cars. It (the car) was talking to me and I sort of felt it and I probably should have backed out. But you try to complete a run to see what it feels like. Was it (worth) the risk? Probably wasn't. Incredibly sad. That's basically what it felt like. You just try and brace yourself, and I was just hoping I didn't go into the catch-fence. Very grateful to IndyCar, the safety, my team, the SAFER Barriers and everything like that, because it kept me safe."
Shortly before the crash, McLaughlin managed to propel to the top of the charts in Fast 12 practice. The disastrous moment happened during Turn 2 on Sunday.
The left-rear wheel suffered visible, severe damage immediately upon impact. The racing line next to the Turn 2 exit was left with a noticeable gouge. There was a stoppage in action and crews were deployed to make repairs.
The SAFER Barrier also suffered considerable damage.
McLaughlin, last year's Indy 500 pole-sitter, will not participate in Fast 12 qualifying. Therefore, McLaughlin's official starting position on the Indy 500 grid will be No. 12.
The Indy 500 will be broadcast May 25 on FOX with pre-coverage starting at 10 a.m. ET. It will also be available to stream live on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports app.
For the first time in his career, Scottie Scheffler was able to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy.
Scheffler survived a fourth-round charge from Jon Rahm and kept golfers J.T. Poston and Bryson DeChambeau at enough distance to win the PGA Championship on Sunday. Scheffler previously had four top-five finishes at the golf major and missed the cut entirely in 2022.
After the chaos that occurred at last year’s PGA Championship, which featured him getting arrested and booked into jail, Scheffler was able to pull out the incredible victory. He finished 11-under par.
Scheffler started the tournament five strokes behind Colombian Jhonattan Vegas and three strokes behind Ryan Gerard. But he played strong in the second round, shooting a 68.
The third round was where he started to take control. While a bunch of the top golf stars in the event fell to the wayside, Scheffler had an eagle on 14 and seven birdies. He shot a 65, and it was enough to push him to the top of the leaderboard.
"I’m so proud of you," his wife, Meredith, told her husband as he came over to greet her.
He maintained the dominant pace through the fourth round.
Scheffler had four birdies in the day and overcame three bogeys on the front nine to win the tournament. He had birdies on 2, 10, 14 and 15.
Rahm closed in on Scheffler early in the final round. He shot a 67 in the third round and had three birdies through the first 11 holes. But the birdie on 11 was the last of his day.
He was wide on a par attempt on the 16th role. It would have kept him to within two strokes of Scheffler down the stretch. But the bogey extended Scheffler’s lead late in the tournament,
The Spaniard had a tougher time on 17, double-bogeying the hole and dropping even further behind Scheffler.
DeChambeau, Harris English and Davis Riley all finished tied for second with 6-under par. DeChambeau finished second at the PGA Championship last year as well.
Poston ended up tied for fifth with Vegas and Taylor Pendrith.
Xander Schauffele, last year’s winner, was tied for 28th.
The New York Jets split with Aaron Rodgers became official in February. The breakup came nearly two years after the four-time NFL MVP's high-profile arrival in New Jersey.
In the months since, Rodgers has reportedly drawn interest from the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and other teams. In March, the Vikings announced they would move past their discussions with the free-agent quarterback.
Rodgers recently visited the Steelers' facilities, and multiple outlets reported he met with the team's coaching staff. But, Rodgers has still yet to decide if he will continue his NFL career in 2025 or step away from the game all together.
As the clock continues to tick, Ian O'Conner — who interviewed Rodgers and hundreds of others as he gathered research to compose the quarterback's biography — offered a prediction on where the star signal caller will ultimately end up.
"I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], ‘Listen, I’m gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all.’ So that’s where I think he is," O’Connor said during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan.
The Steelers' mandatory minicamp runs from June 10 through 12.
O'Conner went on to describe the Steelers as the "perfect place" for Rodgers to bring his storied career to a close.
"He knows it was an embarrassment in New York largely, and he’s the face of that embarrassment," O’Connor said. "Whether that’s fair or not, that’s the case. It may be me as an optimist, but I think this is gonna work out. Do I think the Steelers will win the Super Bowl next year? No. But if you told me 11-6 with at least one playoff victory . . . I think that’s realistic."
Bill Belichick pulled back the curtain on how he was able to keep the relationship between quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Antonio Brown in a good place while he was the head coach of the New England Patriots.
The Patriots signed the wide receiver toward the beginning of the 2019 season following his abrupt departure from the Las Vegas Raiders. He ended up playing one game for New England and had four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Even as he was a one-hit wonder in Foxborough, Brady and Brown cultivated a relationship that lasted into their Tampa Bay Buccaneers years.
Belichick, now head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, opened up on "The Pivot" podcast about the secret ingredient to keeping their relationship afloat — $5,000 milk. Host Ryan Clark pointed to a chapter in Belichick’s book, "The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football," about star players.
"One of the funniest stories in the book is the Antonio Brown story. He was only with the Patriots for 11 days," Belichick said. "And, Tom’s very nutrition-oriented. Antonio wanted to… Tom had Antonio come and stay at his house, wanted to embrace him, bring him onto the team and so forth.
"Antonio ordered this special milk for Brady, it cost $5,000. To make a long story short, it kinda got mixed up and ended up in the mailroom for too long, and the milk went bad."
Belichick said the Patriots staff got $5,000 worth of milk to give Brown a helping hand.
"So, now we turn in this expense report — $5,000 worth of milk. Sometimes, you’ve just got to do the right thing, and I didn’t want to ruin the relationship between Brown and Brady on this spoiled milk," he said.
While Brown’s time with the Patriots didn’t last long, he and Brady did go on to win a Super Bowl while they were with the Buccaneers during the 2020 season.
The WNBA on Sunday said it launched an investigation into reports of "hateful comments" that took place during the Indiana Fever’s blowout win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The comments were reportedly directed at Angel Reese by fans during the game.
The league didn’t get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
The Fever-Sky game featured a heated moment between Fever star Caitlin Clark and Reese in the third quarter. Clark fouled Reese hard, sparking an outburst from the Sky forward, but cooler heads prevailed.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The WNBA on Sunday said it launched an investigation into reports of "hateful comments" that took place during the Indiana Fever’s blowout win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The league didn’t get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
The Fever-Sky game featured a heated moment between Fever star Caitlin Clark and the Sky's Angel Reese in the third quarter. Clark fouled Reese hard, sparking an outburst from the Sky forward, but cooler heads prevailed.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Max Homa’s up-and-down PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, continued in the final round of the major golf tournament on Sunday.
Homa lined up on the fairway for his third shot on the third hole. He missed the green on the stroke and threw his club down the fairway in disgust.
Six holes later, he would double bogey again, as his hopes of pulling off a miracle final round to get back into contention for the lead faded quickly. Through the first 12 holes, he had three bogeys and three birdies to go along with the double bogeys.
Homa was 4-over par through 12 holes and was 4-over par for the tournament. He started the PGA Championship with a 73 and made the cut thanks to an outstanding 64 in the second round.
On Saturday, Homa fell off the pace with a 76. He had four bogeys, a double bogey and a birdie.
Homa’s best finish at the PGA Championship came in 2022, when he was tied for 13th. He has six career victories on the PGA Tour.
Scottie Scheffler was at the top of the leaderboard to start the day. He tees off at 2:40 p.m. ET with Alex Noren. Davis Riley and J.T. Poston were set to tee off at 2:30 p.m. Noren trailed Scheffler by three strokes.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway ended in controversy on Saturday as Corey Heim spun out while racing Layne Riggs on the final lap.
Heim and Riggs raced hard in overtime. Heim was leading with Riggs on his bumper as they took the white flag. Heim claimed the high line as Riggs went low. Heim slid up the track and Riggs was right on his door as they went down the backstretch.
As the came around Turn 2, Heim spun out. Chandler Smith was able to maneuver around Riggs and took home the victory. Riggs finished in second place.
Heim delivered a message to Riggs after the race.
"Calm down or else I'm going to take care of you," he said.
Needless to say, Heim was upset with how Riggs raced him and confronted him about it once everyone was back on pit road. Heim called Riggs’ decision on the final lap "scum racing."
"Just why? More than anything. He tried to do it to the 7 (Carson Hocevar) last week for the win, and mission accomplished for him," Heim said, via NASCAR.com. "I guess, this week – and it cost him one, too. I don’t know. We’ve given up so many of them this year after dominating the race. The 38 (Smith) was the only other guy that was rightfully good.
"I felt like he deserved to win over anyone else, not the 34 (Riggs). I got really loose into (Turn) 3. Just struggled being loose on the short runs, and he had an opportunity, and he wrecked me. Just disappointed."
Riggs defended his "strong move."
"If I have a reputation of going for wins, I’m not going to regret that at all," Riggs said. "You know, I feel like I came from short-track racing, last-lap battles, and feel like that’s what this kind of racing is made for. I feel like it’s not like we’ve seen at Martinsville in the past, and gotten upset. I feel like it was a strong move, and I thought it was going to pay off.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham turned heads on Saturday afternoon with her outfit before the team’s win over the Chicago Sky.
Cunningham wore a black jacket over a black sheer outfit and heels and walked the Fever’s carpet, which they had rolled out for the outfit checks before the game. She posed for a few pictures of herself and with teammate Lexie Hull.
Unfortunately, Cunningham put on sweats instead of a Fever jersey. She was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.
The Fever acquired Cunningham in a trade with the Phoenix Mercury in the offseason. She averaged 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games. She shot 37.8% from 3-point range and 42.9% from the field in all.
Cunningham went viral a few times during the 2024 season with some of the outfits she wore before games. One "Love Island" dress even became the talk of social media, but she told Fox News Digital in August that it was mom-approved.
She took the attention as a sign of the times as more interest has been paid to the WNBA since Caitlin Clark entered the league. Pregame "fit checks" have been one of the ways the league has captured attention on social media.
"I do think it's super cool that people are interested in what we do off the court now," Cunningham told Fox News Digital last year. "Our tunnel fits have been a fashion show, and people are so excited and intrigued about what we're going to wear."
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen took a major hit on Sunday as Major League Baseball announced that closer Jose Alvarado has been suspended for 80 games after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
MLB said that Alvarado had tested positive for exogenous testosterone and violated the league’s drug policy.
"The Phillies fully support Major League Baseball's Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today's news of Jose’s violation," the team said in a statement.
Alvarado will be ineligible for the postseason should Philadelphia make it.
The left-handed pitcher has been one of the best relievers in the league since he joined the Phillies from the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. He lowered his ERA from 2021 to 2023 from 4.20 to 1.74. He had a 4.09 ERA in 66 appearances in 2024.
Alvarado appeared in 20 games for the Phillies this season. He had a 2.70 ERA with seven saves and 25 strikeouts. He went viral earlier this month when he wrote a sweet message to his mom on his hat for Mother’s Day.
Losing Alvarado is a major obstacle for the Phillies. The team will have to lean on Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering even more as the season wears on.
Philadelphia were 27-18 and in second place in the National League East division as they entered Sunday.
Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston was stunned on Saturday when she learned she had eceived a technical foul during Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s tiff in the third quarter.
Clark was hit with a flagrant foul after she fouled the Chicago Sky before the second-year forward went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground but got up and got into the face of Clark. Boston tried to come in between both players.
The referees determined that Clark’s foul had crossed the line of a natural basketball player because she had used her left hand to push Reese to the ground. The referees also gave Boston a technical foul.
"I got the tech? Oh, no!" she said in the postgame press conference.
Boston continued to be shocked as Clark explained the foul on Reese.
"Let's not make it something that it's not," Clark said. "It was just a good play on the basketball. I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that's up to their discretion. It's a take foul to put them at the free-throw line. I've watched a lot of basketball in my life, that's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am."
Clark said she appreciated Boston having her back, even though she made clear that it had been just a routine basketball play. She added that she would pay Boston’s fine.
Reese also downplayed the hoopla, calling it "a basketball play."
Indiana won the game 93-58. Clark had a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebound and 10 assists. Boston had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Pro wrestling star Saraya Bevis posted a message for fans who come see her during autograph signings and photo-ops following a bizarre incident on Saturday.
Bevis wrote on social media that no fan should be trying to kiss her, especially on the mouth.
"Crazy I have to say this but. If you come to my signings.. please don’t try to kiss me anywhere. Especially ON MY MOUTH. He wasn’t able to because I moved. But Jesus f----g Christ," she wrote on X.
She explained in a subsequent video that the incident had occurred during a photo opportunity. She added that she was doing "OK" following the strange encounter.
"I managed to get away and he ended up leaving, so it’s good," she said. "But I just want to put a PSA out there, I am a hugger. I’ve always been a hugger when it comes to my fans but going forward I would love if we just stick to handshakes just to be safer and to have a little bit of a boundary.
"We shouldn’t have to worry about that kind of stuff. So, going forward, I just want to stick to that."
Bevis is known in the pro wrestling world as simply Saraya following her time with All Elite Wrestling. She was known as Paige during her run in WWE.
She was a two-time WWE Divas champion and was the youngest when she won it at 21. She was also the only WWE wrestler to hold the WWE Women’s Championship and NXT Women’s Championship simultaneously.
In AEW, she won the Women’s World Championship once.
Bevis’ journey to professional wrestling was chronicled in the movie "Fighting with My Family."
