2025-04-08 12:14:50.361

Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp was visibly distraught after his team's 65-63 loss to the Florida Gators in the national championship game. His last-second decision to bounce the ball instead of attempting a three-pointer proved costly, leading to a turnover and sealing the Cougars' fate. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Gator star Walter Clayton Jr. showed remarkable sportsmanship, consoling Sharp after the final buzzer. CBS cameras captured Clayton putting his arm around Sharp and offering words of comfort. The moment highlighted the emotional intensity of the game and the class displayed by Clayton. Sharp finished with 8 points, while Clayton was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player with 11 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.

2025-04-05 12:00:36.266

Atlanta Falcons legend Julio Jones, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and the franchise's all-time leading receiver, announced his retirement on Friday. The 36-year-old played 11 games in 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles, recording 11 catches for 74 yards and four touchdowns. His career spanned 13 seasons, including time with the Atlanta Falcons (2011-2021), Tennessee Titans (2011), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022). With the Falcons, Jones set franchise records with 848 receptions for 12,896 yards and 60 touchdowns. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and a three-time second-team All-Pro. In 2015, he led the NFL with 1,871 receiving yards and 136 receptions. He also led the league in receiving yards in 2018 with 1,677. Overall, Jones amassed 914 catches for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns in his NFL career. In his retirement announcement, Jones expressed gratitude towards the city of Atlanta, Alabama, and his former college coach, Nick Saban.

2025-04-05 06:03:11.501

Dean Wells, a former NFL player who spent nine seasons in the league following a standout college career, died Thursday at the age of 54 after a two-year battle with cancer, the Carolina Panthers confirmed Friday. Wells, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2023, underwent a bone marrow transplant last spring. In an interview last year, Wells expressed his determination, stating, “Show me who to tackle and I can do that. This is in the doctors’ hands and it’s in God’s hands.” A Louisville native, Wells played for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he set the team's single-season sacks record (10) and single-game record (5). The Wildcats remembered him on social media, highlighting his three-year starting role and contributions to the team. Drafted in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, Wells played six seasons with the team, becoming a starter in his third season and recording a career-high 107 tackles in his fourth. He consistently recorded at least 45 tackles in his final six seasons. He concluded his NFL career with three seasons playing for the Carolina Panthers. Throughout his career, he amassed 529 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three interceptions. Wells is survived by his wife and two sons.

2025-04-01 06:00:45.53

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 80 games without pay for violating Major League Baseball's joint drug prevention and treatment program. MLB announced Monday that Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that aids in testosterone production. The suspension is effective immediately, costing Profar $5,806,440 of his $12 million salary. He will be eligible to return June 29. Profar expressed regret, stating he would never knowingly cheat. Braves manager Brian Snitker said the team was disappointed but that it presented an opportunity for other players. This is the second such suspension for the Braves since 2015. Profar's suspension follows others this year, including Noelvi Marté and Orelvis Martínez. The Braves also acquired outfielder Stuart Fairchild in a trade with Cincinnati.

2025-04-01 06:00:45.519

MIAMI (AP) — For the MIT-educated physicist behind the torpedo bat, it’s more about the talent of the players than their lumber at the plate. The torpedo model — a striking design in which wood is moved lower down the barrel after the label and shapes the end a little like a bowling pin — became the talk of major league baseball over the weekend. The New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers that traveled a combined 3,695 feet on Saturday. Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all went deep using a torpedo bat. New York’s 15 homers through the first three games matched the 2006 Detroit Tigers for the most in major league history. Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz used a torpedo bat for a game for the first time on Monday night. He hit his first two homers of the season and finished with a career-high seven RBIs in a 14-3 victory over Texas. “At the end of the day it’s about the batter not the bat,” said Aaron Leanhardt, a former physics professor at the University of Michigan who is being credited with the design. “It’s about the hitter and their hitting coaches. I’m happy to always help those guys get a little bit better but ultimately it’s up to them to put good swings and grind it out every day. So, credit to those guys.” The 23-year-old De La Cruz said the torpedo bat felt good. Asked if he planned to use it again after his performance, he just laughed in response. Leanhardt, 48, a field coordinator for the Miami Marlins, said the origin of the bat dates to 2023, when he worked for the Yankees. He said several versions were tested that didn’t create the desired effect. Leanhardt was approached by major league and minor league players early in the design stage, seeking information on the bats. “I’ll let the players always talk about their own experiences. I’m not going to drag anyone into this,” Leanhardt said Monday. “But there were definitely guys on the major league side and on the minor league side in 2023 that were definitely asking me questions and offering design advice and demoing them.” Leanhardt said the past couple of days had been “surreal.” Some of Miami’s players joked around with him as he answered questions from the media before their game against the New York Mets. “The industry as a whole was probably a little bit more aware of this maybe than you guys were,” Leanhardt said. “Guys have been asking me about it. Guys have been wanting to swing them.” Bat manufacturer Victus Sports dropped off a batch of torpedo bats for the Phillies just before first pitch of their home opener on Monday. Alec Bohm grabbed one, took about five swings and decided to use one. His logic seemed sound: Look how it might have aided the Yankees. “You see a team hit 20 homers and you’re gonna try it,” Bohm said. “It didn’t work.” Bohm managed just one single with his new lumber. He noted it “felt just like a normal bat” and wasn’t sure if he would swing with a torpedo again any time soon. “It’s a bat. It’s different,” he said. “It’ll probably run its course.” Victus and Marucci Sports started selling torpedo bats online on Monday. Each company highlighted its offerings on social media. Chandler Bats also had new torpedo bats on its website. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said he didn’t feel like the bats had any effect on their opening series against the Yankees. “I think they have a lot of really good players. That’s probably the biggest factor in how that went,” he said. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said shortstop Francisco Lindor used a similar bat in their series at Houston. He got the models late in spring training. “Nothing new for us,” Mendoza said. “This is something that every team, every player continues to look for an edge and find ways to improve within the margins. And this is a perfect example.” ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

2025-03-28 06:00:43.51

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell won his Dodgers debut, Teoscar Hernández hit a three-run homer and Los Angeles defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-4 in its home opener Thursday. Shohei Ohtani launched his second home run of the season and scored twice for the Dodgers. Tommy Edman also went deep. Snell (1-0), a two-time Cy Young Award winner who signed a $182 million, five-year contract with Los Angeles as a free agent in the offseason, allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked four. Hernández connected off Tarik Skubal (0-1) on his first pitch with two outs in the fifth, putting the Dodgers back in front 4-2. Ohtani reached on a fielder’s choice and Mookie Betts walked to set up Hernández. Ohtani’s solo homer in the seventh extended the lead to 5-3. The Dodgers improved to 3-0, having opened the season with two wins over the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo this month. The defending World Series champions and a sellout crowd of 53,595 saw the Commissioner’s Trophy arrive on the field in a blue convertible driven by rapper Ice Cube before the game. Snell’s wild pitch led to Spencer Torkelson scoring the Tigers’ first run in the fourth. Snell gave up back-to-back singles to Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene before walking Torkelson to load the bases in the fifth. Detroit took a 2-1 lead on Manuel Margot’s sacrifice fly. Torkelson homered to cut the Tigers’ deficit to 4-3 in the seventh. They again got within a run in the eighth on Kerry Carpenter’s sacrifice fly off Tanner Scott. Key moment: Blake Treinen entered to pitch the ninth with the Dodgers leading 5-4. He put two runners on, then retired Trey Sweeney and Colt Keith for the save. Key stat: Skubal, last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner, gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked one. Up next: RHP Jack Flaherty, who left the Dodgers in the offseason to return to Detroit, makes his 2025 debut. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 1.80 ERA) goes for Los Angeles.

2025-03-27 06:01:38.526

Fourteen-year-old Miller Gardner, son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, died suddenly while vacationing with his family at an upscale resort in Costa Rica. Doctors who treated the boy revealed that he was unresponsive upon arrival and could not be revived despite over 30 minutes of CPR. Dr. Kevin Gannon, who led the medical team, stated that they could not determine a cause of death at the scene. The family, including Brett and Jessica Gardner and their other son, Hunter, had all experienced vomiting after dinner the previous night. While initial speculation pointed to food poisoning or an allergic reaction, Dr. Gannon deemed these unlikely due to the time elapsed before Miller's collapse. Authorities initially suspected asphyxiation from food poisoning but later ruled it out. A new theory suggests a possible allergic reaction to medication, but Dr. Gannon considers this improbable as well. Toxicology tests are pending, but results could take months. The resort is attempting to distance itself from reports of food poisoning. The sudden and unexplained death has left authorities and the public searching for answers.

2025-03-27 06:01:38.518

Former NFL player LeShon Johnson is facing federal charges after authorities allege he ran a large-scale dog-fighting operation. The U.S. Department of Justice announced a 21-count indictment, stating that Johnson possessed nearly 200 pit bull-type dogs used in an "animal fighting venture." Federal law enforcement seized 190 dogs in October 2024 under the Animal Welfare Act. Officials from the DOJ condemned the alleged crime, with Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson calling it a disruption of a major source of dogs for dog fighting. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the alleged animal abuse as "cruel" and "depraved." FBI Director Kash Patel referred to dog fighting as a "twisted form of entertainment." Court documents allege Johnson operated at least two dog-fighting operations in Oklahoma through "Mal Kant Kennels," selectively breeding dogs for fighting and selling stud rights and offspring to other operations. This is not Johnson's first offense; he pleaded guilty to state charges related to animal fighting in Oklahoma in 2004. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count. Johnson played five years in the NFL, including a season with the Giants in 1999.

2025-03-26 18:05:46.945

Former New York Yankees star Brett Gardner is mourning the tragic loss of his 14-year-old son, Miller, who died unexpectedly while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica. Costa Rican authorities have reported that determining the cause of death may take up to three months due to an overwhelming number of homicides in the country, which has led to a significant backlog in autopsies. The increase in homicides, reaching an all-time high in 2023, is attributed to an ongoing gang war involving immigrant groups fighting for drug trafficking territories. Miller was found dead in his bed at a resort after falling ill the previous night. While initially believed to be asphyxiation due to food poisoning, authorities now suspect an allergic reaction to medication administered by a hotel doctor. Despite the high homicide rate in Costa Rica, the resort where the Gardners were staying is considered relatively safe. The US State Department has issued a travel alert for Costa Rica, advising increased caution due to crime.

2025-03-26 00:03:22.114

The death of 14-year-old Miller Gardner, son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, is under investigation in Costa Rica. Initial reports suggested asphyxiation due to possible food poisoning, but Costa Rican authorities have since ruled out asphyxiation as the cause of death. The Gardner family fell ill after a dinner at a hotel in Manuel Antonio, experiencing stomach discomfort. Miller was found deceased in his hotel room Friday morning. Authorities are reviewing security footage, interviewing hotel staff, and awaiting toxicology results to determine if food poisoning was the cause of death. The family has left Costa Rica. Brett and Jessica Gardner described their son as beloved and full of life.