He's gotten to become a better defensive player. He's picking up a lot of different things from rebounding and steals and making himself a total player and not just a scorer. And that's what we're trying to do more than anything else because he has the abilities. He's long, he's fast, he's intelligent, and he can become the best defensive guard on the team.
I wasn't feeling well myself, it was a mix of everything, plus the pubalgia which I think is now behind me, but I wasn't happy playing and I think it showed. For the last week or so I've been feeling much better, I have that desire to smile on the pitch that I haven't had for a long time and I'm very happy, now I'm happy playing.
Potential is a scary word when it comes to prospects, but Williams was (and still is) loaded with it. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, he has excellent arm strength and the ability to create on the move. He's a true playmaker and an artist, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022, then throwing for 3,633 yards and accounting for 41 total touchdowns for USC in 2023.
Last season, Haugh was a key reserve for the Florida team that cut down the nets in San Antonio. This season, he is a bona fide All-America candidate and first-round NBA draft prospect who could lead the Gators to their second back-to-back national title reign in program history. His scoring average has increased from 9.8 to 16.9 points while maintaining a similar impact on the glass with 6.0 rebounds per game.
It's a bit of a no-brainer. We're women, we've all got different shapes and sizes. As a 20-year-old, wearing a dress would have been fine for me, but if you put me on court now I couldn't think of anything worse than wearing a netball dress. - Coach Tamsin Greenway on Mavericks' kit innovation
He twisted (in his swing) before, where his body would almost get twisted behind his back. Now, we're basically trying to keep him more square, longer, with the way he loads and swings. Using the ground first and then going ground up.
Austin, 34, has spent the past six seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He originally signed in NPB after spending parts of four big league seasons with the Yankees, Twins, Giants and Brewers, during which he posted a .219/.292/.451 slash with 33 homers in 583 turns at the plate.
"I spoke to him the first time he was called up to the first team and I told him how proud I was and the full confidence I had that he was fully capable and valid to take on that challenge," he told Sport. "For me he is a player who can be perfectly in the first team squad. Obviously he has to continue taking his steps and more now after being injured. He has to regain the trust of Barça Atletic with Belletti.
In the final days of the January window, AC Milan secured the promising Serie B talent Alphadjo Cissè, a signing that Peppe Di Stefano believes is reminiscent of the old Milan. The transfer was announced on the final day of the window and in the statement, it was confirmed that the attacking midfielder would remain at Catanzaro on loan. Then, in the summer, he will be at Massimiliano Alleghri's disposal at least for the pre-season.
On a roster filled with far too many guards, the two young ones most likely to be part of Chicago's long-term plan, Jaden Ivey and Rob Dillingham, played little to no minutes. Replacing them were two older players who likely won't even be on the team next year. So, today's players from the 2026 NBA Draft to watch this week will be potential replacements for them, but, knowing this coaching philosophy, they might struggle to see the floor on this team anyway.
The Dallas Cowboys officially introduced Christian Parker as the team's new defensive coordinator during a press conference on Wednesday. Parker has arrived in Dallas as the new architect of the defense, signaling a fresh start for a unit that struggled mightily last year. The change will bring a new scheme and hopefully renewed energy within the facility. The road to this hiring was anything but brief.
Marty Pevey returns as manager of the Iowa Cubs for the 14th consecutive season, extending his franchise-record tenure while his 822 victories are also a franchise mark. Entering his 18th season in the organization, he has over 30 years of professional experience, beginning with 13 seasons as a player. All told, Pevey owns a 1,466-1,511 minor league managerial record and his 1,466 victories are fifth-most among active minor league skippers through 2025. The I-Cubs last year went 74-75 in the International League West Division.
Former player Robinson Chirinos will return to the Orioles but in a new role. The club announced that he will be working as a special assistant in the baseball operations and player development department. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to relay the news, adding that Chirinos will "support players, coaches, and staff across our lower levels, providing leadership, mentorship, and reinforcement of organizational philosophies."
Now, none of this is to say that every penny the Miami Marlins have put into their off-the-field infrastructure the past few years hasn't been essential. If you don't have the resources to buy your way out of trouble in free agency, and to afford to be able to swing and miss on a big contract, you need to be really good at making sure you maximize the talent you do have. Drafting and developing the best you can, not just cutting the biggest check.
I've worked and played in many other countries: Germany, England, even the United States. Different cultures, different football. But we're in Italy and we have a strong culture: the important thing is that we change the process and mentality a little. We're here to help our players develop.
It's been four-and-a-half years since Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) took over at Newcastle United. On the pitch, a first trophy for more than half a century has been delivered, as has a return to club football's biggest stage, when Eddie Howe's men qualified for the Champions League at the end of the 2022/23 season. Progress off the pitch following the controversial 305 million takeover has been somewhat slower,
They pay the money, they spend the money, I mean they're a great team. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way. They understand where they need to put their money into, but also - people don't look at this either - their draft and their development is unbelievable. They draft then they develop then they trade those guys for big name guys and they can spend the money.
"On paper, it could be [the best]," Roberts said, per Bill Plaschke of the LA Times. "Looking at the guys in their prime, the experience, the talent, the starters, the pen, the depth of the young players ... probably the best team we've had on paper."
In a period where continuity and leadership can define a club's trajectory, Bayern Munich has chosen stability (at least for now) at the heart of their defense and belief in a player who has steadily grown into one of Europe's most complete center-backs. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen emphasized both development and unity when reflecting on the extension. "Dayot Upamecano has matured into a top-level player with us. We're delighted he'll continue his journey at Bayern, also proving once again our status in international football.
This is the first time that TalkNats has published a separate part of this annual-ish guide for the coaching staff. But these are unusual times. The manager and all but one of his twelve coaches are entirely new to the Washington Nationals organization. All but one of them are younger than the oldest active MLB player. Some confusion, as we try to figure out who's who in the dugout, is understandable.
Like any class, college football's group of 2023 recruits has high-profile hits along with some notable whiffs. Our projections are based off college impact and NFL upside. There are 13 prospects from our original top 25 who are on Mel Kiper's Big Board rankings. Other high-profile prospects such as quarterbacks Arch Manning and Dante Moore decided to return to college even with high NFL grades. Both are listed in Matt Miller's top early 2027 NFL prospects.
