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Five major storylines to watch on Canada’s men’s Olympic hockey team

Published

2 months ago

11 February 2026

When NHL players first went to compete in the Olympics back in 1998, it was memorable by Canadians for the wrong reasons. After a perfect preliminary round, a devastating shootout loss to Czech Republic — with Dominik Hasek at his best — ended Canada’s gold medal hopes with the visual of Wayne Gretzky left uninvolved on the bench.

From then on, however, the Canadian team has more or less been the one to beat at the Olympics.

In 2002, Canada won its gold medal with a 5-2 victory in the final against USA where Mario Lemieux and Joe Sakic had big Olympic moments. The 2006 event was forgettable for the Canadians, who struggled through the preliminary round before being shut out by Russia in the semis.

They returned to Vancouver in 2010 and, after a 1-1-1 preliminary round effort, launched from the extra game in the quarterfinal into a gold-medal game for the ages.

And in 2014 — the last with NHL involvement — the Canadians were utterly dominant. In six games total, Canada allowed just three goals against and shutout Team USA and Team Sweden in the semifinal and final to come away with gold. It was the first time a country had successfully defended its Olympic gold since the Soviet Union in 1988.

After a 12-year absence of NHL players, the best-on-best event is back at the Olympics, a moment players and fans alike have been waiting too long for. Canada returns as the favourite again, but only two players are back from the 2014 team.

What can we expect this time?

Ahead of Canada’s 2026 Olympic opener against Czechia Thursday (10:40 am ET), here are five storylines to keep in mind.

When Sidney Crosby was an NHL rookie in 2006, he didn’t make the cut for Team Canada’s Olympic entry. When he made his first Olympic roster in 2010, he was 22 years old.

Drew Doughty made the Olympic team in 2010 at 20 years of age in his second NHL season. He started as an extra man and ended the tournament on the ice in OT when Crosby scored the goal medal-winner.

This year, Macklin Celebrini became the youngest NHLer to ever be named to Canada’s men’s Olympic hockey team and he is the youngest player across this year’s entire men’s tournament. The 19-year-old is in his second NHL season and arrived at the break fourth in league scoring with 81 points in 55 games.

And, to start at least, he’s being put in a great position to succeed. In the pre-tournament practices, Celebrini has been lining up next to Connor McDavid, and opposite Tom Wilson, on Canada’s top line.

In the past, Canada has often been shy to include its youngest players, leaning more towards the established veterans. There was lots of discussion about including rookie defenceman Matthew Schaefer on the 2026 Canadian team, but in the end the team went with players who have more experience and competed at last year’s 4 Nations when Schaefer was in the OHL.

That makes Celebrini’s selection all the more notable. He’s a special talent and now he’s being put on the biggest stage. How will he respond and will he be able to hang next to McDavid from beginning to end?

What does the old guard still have to offer?

At the other end of the age spectrum, we have Crosby (38) and Doughty (36) as the only returning players from the 2014 Olympic team, the last that included NHL players. Brad Marchand (35) has played for Canada at the World Championship, he was the team’s leading goal scorer at the World Cup a decade ago and made last year’s 4 Nations team. Mark Stone (33), has twice been a major offensive contributor for Canada at the World Championship, and was also part of the 4 Nations team a year ago.

All four of these players have had big tournaments wearing the maple leaf in the past, but now they represent the four oldest skaters on the 2026 Olympic team. Can they keep pace with their younger teammates? Do they have the speed to make a difference later on in the tournament when the games get tougher? The seasons each have had in the NHL so far suggest they have plenty left to offer.

Crosby is leading the Penguins in a resurgent year as they push back to the playoffs. Stone has been Vegas’ second-highest scorer and the key player on their power play despite missing 16 games. Marchand is second in scoring on an injury-riddled Panthers lineup and just had another monster playoff run last spring. Doughty leads all Kings in average ice time, but won’t have to carry such a heavy load at the Olympics.

In all likelihood, this will be the last Olympic Games for each of these players. What can they deliver?

Will Connor McDavid have a generational Golden moment?

Crosby’s 2010 gold medal-winner was a moment that resonates with an entire generation the same way Paul Henderson’s 1972 Summit Series clincher did. You remember where you were and you can probably recite the play-by-play call.

Canada’s 2014 win was so dominant that the air tight defence is what’s remembered most and the absence of NHLers ever since has robbed us of anyone else having that special national highlight.

At last year’s short 4 Nations event, McDavid had his moment, scoring the OT winner against Team USA off a pass from Mitch Marner in the championship game. It was his first opportunity for a “golden moment” and when Canada needed him most, this generation’s best player stepped up at the critical time.

Ah, but the 4 Nations doesn’t hold the same cache as the Olympics, when the whole world is watching. McDavid gets to his first Olympics as this season’s NHL scoring leader, closing the gap on Nathan MacKinnon by averaging nearly two points per game since Dec. 1. McDavid will be hungry to follow his finish from the 4 Nations, seeking his own national Olympic moment and gold medal.

Who will emerge as Canada’s No. 1 goalie?

There was enough concern about Canada’s choice of netminders heading into the 4 Nations last year because no one in the running was putting forth anything close to an award-winning season. What a change that was from a country used to seeing the likes of Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy at past best-on-best events. In the end, Jordan Binnington emerged as the No. 1 and his strong finish in the championship final still gives him momentum heading into the Olympics.

But the picture is much different this time. Only Binnington returns from the 4 Nations threesome, with Sam Montembeault and Adin Hill replaced by Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper. Statistically, Thompson stands out in the NHL this season, among the league leaders in save percentage and GAA. Meantime, Binnington is statistically one of the worst netminders in the NHL, ranking last among all goalies by Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAE).

And, to be fair, Thompson played well enough to be on Team Canada at the 4 Nations last year as well. His NHL numbers were better than any of the goalies Canada named to the team, but there were other concerns.

“They didn’t put him on the team last year because there was real concern he would not handle being a backup well,” Elliotte Friedman explained on an episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.

This time, Thompson may have the best chance to unseat Binnington as Canada’s starter by the medal round.

“It’s a dream come true,” Thompson told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti of joining Canada at the Olympics. “I’m going to just go there and soak it all in and do any role that they want me to be. Whether that’s practice goalie, backup, handing out the water bottles, I’m just going to be happy to be there and I’m going to do whatever I can to the best that I can.”

Binnington will still be a factor, at least early on. Will he lose the job? Will Thompson, or Kuemper, take it from him? Will any of them quell Canadian fears that goaltending could be the country’s undoing?

How will Tom Wilson’s game translate to international competition?

It’s always difficult to fill out the final few spots on a Canadian best-on-best hockey roster, but the knock on Wilson in the past has often related to his style of play and how it might (negatively) translate to the international game, or how it might potentially cost Canada in a critical game.

Wilson plays with an edge and he toes the line between what’s legal and illegal with the ferocity in which he attacks the opponents. Wilson has been suspended six times and fined three more times in the NHL, the last coming in March 2024. His longest was a 20-game suspension (reduced after he served 16 games) for a head check in 2018.

This season, Wilson leads the Capitals in scoring and his selection to Team Canada is indicative of how he’s evolved his game in recent seasons to be more aware of when he is crossing the line.

And, now it appears the international game is also evolving to close the gap in officiating standards between how it and NHL calls games.

“Last week, one Olympic executive said that, when IIHF officials were invited to join their NHL counterparts at last summer’s orientation camp, there was special emphasis on teaching international referees not to overreact to big hits. Will it work? We’ll find out.”

However this ultimately plays out could have a massive impact on Wilson at the Olympic tournament. Can he be the physically dominating player he is with the Capitals, or will there still be a barrier between his physical skill and how international games tend to be officiated?

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IPL: Arjun Tendulkar not even on LSG bench despite four pacers in playing XI vs DC

Published

12 minutes ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL clash on Wednesday, banking on early assistance from a fresh pitch.

With both teams fielding strong XIs, the contest promises a balanced battle between bat and ball. However, a notable omission was Arjun Tendulkar, who found no place in either the playing XI or the bench. The son of Sachin Tendulkar had been traded to LSG ahead of the mini auction but remains on the sidelines.

Axar explained the decision of bowling first, adding, “We will bowl first. First match, fresh wicket, it’s a red solid wicket and might help in the first 6 overs. Data says a lot of matches are won by the team batting first, but we thought it’s the first game and we will bowl.”

He also confirmed Delhi’s overseas combination, adding, “Nissanka, Miller, Stubbs and Lungi Ngidi, our four overseas players.”

Delhi Capitals’ playing XI features KL Rahul behind the stumps, alongside Pathum Nissanka and Nitish Rana at the top. Axar leads the side with all-round responsibilities, supported by power-hitters David Miller and Tristan Stubbs in the middle order. Their bowling attack includes Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar and Ngidi, giving them variety across pace and spin.

Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, opted for a strong overseas core featuring Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran and Anrich Nortje.

Pant, who is also keeping wickets, sounded confident ahead of the match. “I think it doesn’t matter here on a wicket like this… I think it’s a completely new energy for sure. You know, we have changed our color, logo, and definitely the mindset.”

Reflecting on last season’s struggles, he added, “We’re gonna like take learning from the last season, but I think the bowlers are really fit and ready again… everyone is willing to go on the field and just make an impact.”

LSG vs DC Playing XI

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav

Lucknow Super Giants Impact subs: Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuvanshi

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar

Delhi Capitals Impact subs: Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair

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Northern Iowa tabs Iowa State assistant Kyle Green as coach

Published

25 minutes ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

NCAA Basketball: Brigham Young at Iowa State

Mar 4, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger, JR Blount and Kyle Green watch the Cyclones play the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Iowa State assistant Kyle Green accepted a five-year contract on Wednesday to become the new head coach at Northern Iowa.

The move represents a return to the university for Green, who spent 16 seasons as an assistant with the Panthers spread over three stints (2001-03, 2006-11 and 2012-21) before joining the Cyclones as an assistant prior to the 2021-22 campaign.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to become the next head coach at UNI, a university and community that has meant so much to me and my family,” Green said.

“… This is more than just a school or job to me and my family. It is a home. A place that has given so much more to our family than we could ever give back. A school with unparalleled history in men’s basketball. A tradition built by Hall of Fame coaches in Eldon Miller, Greg McDermott and Ben Jacobson. Coaches who I am fortunate to say are also mentors of mine. I don’t take the honor of carrying the torch forward lightly and cannot wait to get started. Go Panthers!”

The addition of Green comes on the heels of Jacobson accepting an offer for the same post at Utah State. Jacobson spent the past 20 seasons on the sideline at Northern Iowa before stepping down after the team’s 79-53 loss to St. John’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Panthers finished with a 23-13 record (11-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference).

–Field Level Media

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IPL 2026 sets new viewership record with 515 million opening weekend reach | Business

Published

38 minutes ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

The TATA IPL 2026 has kicked off in record-breaking fashion, with the opening weekend drawing a massive combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear television and digital platforms. Driven by two high-scoring encounters featuring successful 200-plus run chases, the tournament has already set new benchmarks in audience engagement and consumption.

Record-breaking engagement across platforms

The opening matches generated a staggering 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, marking a 26% increase compared to the previous season’s first two games. The surge in viewership highlights the growing appetite for live cricket in India, especially when paired with thrilling on-field action.

Connected TV (CTV) emerged as a major growth driver, with reach increasing by 30% and concurrency jumping by an impressive 61%. Meanwhile, linear television also saw strong gains, with the first two matches registering a 24% rise in TV ratings compared to previous seasons.

Enhanced viewing experience drives growth

A key factor behind the surge has been the introduction of innovative and differentiated viewing experiences. One of the standout features this season is the CTV Hindi feed, which includes insights from former cricketing greats such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, and Irfan Pathan. This watch-along format has added a fresh and immersive dimension, blending expert analysis with fan engagement.

Leadership speaks on IPL’s growing impact

Ishan Chatterjee, CEO, Sports, JioStar, emphasized the scale of the tournament, stating, “TATA IPL 2026 has opened at record scale, with deeper engagement than ever before across all platforms. This reinforces both the unmatched scale of live cricket in India and JioStar’s position as the definitive home of cricket.”

He further added, “We are seeing strong growth in reach and engagement, along with clear value and outcomes for all our partners. Live cricket continues to be the most effective environment to drive real brand outcomes at scale.”

IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal echoed similar sentiments, saying, “The start to the season has been extremely encouraging. The combination of high-quality cricket and enhanced viewing experiences is clearly resonating with fans across the country.”

BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia also highlighted the league’s evolution: “The opening weekend numbers are a strong reflection of the deep and enduring connection that fans have with the IPL.”

A promising season ahead

With strong sponsor backing and record-breaking numbers already in place, IPL 2026 has set the tone for what could be its biggest season yet. The early success underlines the league’s unmatched popularity and its ability to continually innovate, ensuring fans remain at the heart of the experience.

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Man City and Man United agent fees paid compared to Arsenal, Liverpool and Premier League rivals

Published

51 minutes ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

The FA have released agent fee details from February 2025 to February 2026.

19:32, 01 Apr 2026Updated 19:37, 01 Apr 2026

Manchester United spent £31,777,462 on agent fees between February 2025 and February 2026. Manchester City, meanwhile, spent 37,358,301.

In figures released by the Football Association, the total fees paid out to agents by Premier League clubs over a year are shown, along with the transactions involved. City’s total means that they spent the third-highest amount in the league, only behind Chelsea (£65.1m) and Aston Villa (£38.4m).

United, meanwhile were the team to spend the fifth-highest amount. Liverpool (£33.9m) and Arsenal (£32,1m) spent more over the 12-month period. In total, Premier League clubs paid £460,300,308 to agents over the year-long period.

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For United, the transactions document showed that payments were made for the incoming transfers of Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Bryan Mbeumo, Senne Lammens and Benjamin Sesko.

The appointment of Michael Carrick as interim manager also appears on the document. As well as Carrick there are transactions for his assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Steve Holland.

Former midfielder Christian Eriksen also appears on the document, marked as a ‘contract amendment.’ The Dane left United in the summer at the end of his contract.

United also made payments for deals that saw Marcus Rashford, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund leave the club on loan.

It comes after United’s financial results released in February showed a £32.6 million operating profit for the first six months of the fiscal year. A turnaround compared to the £3.9 million loss 12 months earlier.

For City, the signings of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan, Gianluigi Donarumma, James Trafford, Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi are included on the transaction document. As are the transfers away from the club for Manuel Akanji and Ilkay Gundogan.

Updated contracts for Rico Lewis, Nico O’Reilly and Ruben Dias are also included. Back in December, City reported a loss of £9.9 million in the 2024/25 season in their financial accounts.

Full Premier League agent fees:

AFC Bournemouth – £20,883,523

Arsenal – £32,149,359

Aston Villa – £38,444,289

Brentford – 12, 743,523

Brighton – £19,520,800

Burnley – £7,357,902

Chelsea – £65,102,247

Crystal Palace – £16,848,734

Everton – 9,990,374

Fulham £11,434,784

Leeds – £13,990,935

Liverpool – £33,881,544

Manchester United – £37,358,301

Manchester City – £31,777,462

Newcastle – £20,284,806

Nottingham Forest – £12,210,822

Sunderland – £10,627,772

Tottenham – £21,384,701

West Ham – £18,348,701

Wolves – £25,960,372

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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Various Prices

England Official Store

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

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Fakhar Zaman Challenges Two-Match Ban For Ball-tampering In Pakistan Super League

Published

1 hour ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Fakhar Zaman Challenges Two-Match Ban For Ball-tampering In Pakistan Super League

Veteran Pakistan player Fakhar Zaman was on Tuesday suspended for two matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for breaching the code of conduct pertaining to altering the condition of the ball. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the match referee found Fakhar guilty of a Level 3 offence, breaching Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during the PSL match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings here on Sunday.

According to a report in Geo News, quoting sources, “Fakhar Zaman has challenged his two-match suspension over ball-tampering charges during his side’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Karachi Kings.”

The suspected ball-tampering incident occurred just before the start of the final over, when the on-field umpires penalised Lahore Qalandars five runs and changed the ball before the last over of Karachi Kings’ batting innings.

On-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, TV umpire Asif Yaqoob, and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed levelled the charge.

Fakhar denied the offence and contested the charge at a full disciplinary hearing in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama conducted the disciplinary hearing and made the determination after reviewing all evidence and providing an opportunity for a personal hearing to Fakhar.

Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Sameen Rana, and team manager Farooq Anwar were also present during the hearing.

Lahore Qalandars are next scheduled to face Multan Sultans on April 3 at the Gaddafi Stadium and Islamabad United on April 9 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

Meanwhile, the Lahore Qalandars management has fined captain Shaheen Shah Afridi one million rupees for breaching the PSL’s security protocol at the team hotel in Lahore.

On Monday, the PCB’s disciplinary committee fined fast bowler Naseem Shah 20 million rupees for a controversial tweet that breached the conditions of his central contract with the board

Topics mentioned in this article

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IPL 2026: Rishabh Pant to continue as opener? LSG skipper reveals after defeat | Cricket News

Published

1 hour ago

1 April 2026

NewsAdmin

IPL 2026: Rishabh Pant to continue as opener? LSG skipper reveals after defeat

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant’s bold move to open the innings didn’t go as planned as Lucknow Super Giants slumped to a defeat against Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2026 opener, raising questions about his role at the top.Pant’s outing ended in a bizarre run-out in the third over. A straight drive from Mitchell Marsh was deflected onto the stumps by Mukesh Kumar, catching Pant well short at the non-striker’s end. The LSG skipper, who scored 7 off 9 balls, walked off visibly frustrated after the unlucky dismissal.

Watch

Angkrish Raghuvanshi focused only on team’s wins

Reflecting on the moment, Pant said, “I think the best way to recover from it is to ignore. I think that’s the best way looking forward because you know something like that, you can’t control, but thinking about it definitely puts you on the back-foot.” He also admitted that the team struggled to build partnerships: “See, it’s always the case, but you know the way we batted, we couldn’t get a partnership going for long.”Pant’s promotion to the top, breaking the established pair of Aiden Markram and Marsh, raised eyebrows. Addressing whether he will continue as opener, he said, “I think it’s a 50-50 call, but we’ll see. But definitely see me in the top order.”LSG’s batting faltered throughout, managing just 141 in 18.4 overs despite starts from Markram and a fighting 35 from Marsh. Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan starred with three wickets each, while Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
Rizvi, Stubbs seal win for DC

Chasing 142, Delhi were in early trouble before Sameer Rizvi (70*) and Tristan Stubbs (39*) stitched a match-winning 119-run stand. Rizvi’s fearless hitting turned the game on its head as DC chased down the target in 17.1 overs.With the opening experiment failing and LSG’s batting misfiring, Pant now faces a crucial call on his position going forward.

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2026 Valero Texas Open odds, predictions, field, favorites: PGA picks, best bets from 10,000 simulations

Published
2 hours ago
on
1 April 2026

By
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A two-event stop in Texas concludes this week with the 2026 Valero Texas Open beginning on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET at TPC San Antonio – The Oaks Course. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are both out this week ahead of major play, but there’s still a strong Valero Texas Open field headlined by top-10 OWGR players such as Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley. The latest 2026 Valero Texas Open odds via FanDuel list Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg as the +1500 co-favorites. Russell Henley (+1600), Jordan Spieth (+1800) and Robert MacIntyre (+1800) are among the other favorites. Collin Morikawa and Gary Woodland have both withdrawn from the field.
Before locking in any 2026 Valero Texas Open picks, entering any Texas Open one and done contests, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as last year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
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Now that the 2026 Valero Texas Open field is locked in, the model simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, which you can use for PGA picks, one and done contests or Texas Open DFS lineups.
2026 Valero Texas Open predictions

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Texas Open 2026: It projects that Henley barely cracks the top 5 despite being one of the favorites. Henley has yet to finish inside the top 5 in any event this year, so the model isn’t ready to project him near the top of the leaderboard. He finished fourth in this event in 2024, but didn’t play it in 2025 and he finished T52 and missed the cut in his other two Texas Open appearances. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model projects Sepp Straka as a top-10 contender despite him not being in the top group of favorites at +2700. The 32-year-old Austrian has finished inside the top 20 in four of his last five events, including a strong T8 finish at The Players Championship last time out. He struggled during his first two appearances at this tournament, but turned a corner last year, finishing T22 after a strong weekend, so the model likes his value this week. See who else to pick here.
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How to make 2026 Valero Texas Open picks

The model is also targeting several other longshots, including one at 30-1 who makes a stunning run for the title. You can only see the model’s picks here.
Who will win the 2026 Texas Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2026 Texas Open odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 16 golf majors, including three in 2025.
2026 Valero Texas Open odds, favorites

Get full 2026 Valero Texas Open picks, best bets and predictions here.
(odds via FanDuel and subject to change)
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Tommy Fleetwood +1500
Ludvig Åberg +1500
Russell Henley +1600
Jordan Spieth +1800
Robert MacIntyre +1800
Si Woo Kim +2200
Sepp Straka +2200
Hideki Matsuyama +2200
Maverick McNealy +2700
Michael Thorbjornsen +3000
Rickie Fowler +3000
J.J. Spaun +3300
Denny McCarthy +3300
Alex Noren +3300
Keith Mitchell +3500
Ryo Hisatsune +3500
Johnny Keefer +4000
Nick Taylor +5500
Sudarshan Yellamaraju +4500
Thorbjørn Olesen +4500
Richard Hoey +4500
Marco Penge +5000
Alex Smalley +6000
Tony Finau +6000
Will Zalatoris +6000
Brian Harman +6000
Jordan Smith +6500
Stephan Jaeger +6500
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +7000
Austin Smotherman +7000
Davis Thompson +7000
Matt Wallace +7000
Max McGreevy +7000
J.T. Poston +7000
Mac Meissner +7000

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Heated Words Exchanged Between Tristan Stubbs And LSG’s Prince Yadav During IPL 2026 Match. Watch

Published
2 hours ago
on
1 April 2026

By
NewsAdmin

The Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals IPL 2026 match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium saw heated words being exchanged between Delhi Capitals’ Tristan Stubbs and Lucknow Super Giants pacer Prince Yadav. The incident happened in the fifth over. After the fifth ball of the over, Prince Yadav went all the way to Tristan Stubbs and stared at the South African batter. Stubbs did not hold back and returned the gesture.

Things getting spicy in the middle
Bhojpuri ka asli mazza sirf JioHotstar par dekhiye! #TATAIPL 2026 | #LSGvDC | LIVE NOW … pic.twitter.com/PKSx9UroQ7
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— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 1, 2026

Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants put up an embarrassing batting display with some questionable tactical calls, getting shot out for 141 in 18.4 overs in their IPL match against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel opted to bowl first, and even though the Ekana Stadium wicket wasn’t a belter, there could be no tangible excuse for the LSG unit for its pathetic batting display.
A fit-again T. Natarajan (3/29 in 4 overs), Kuldeep Yadav (2/31 in 4 overs) and the brilliant Lungi Ngidi (3/27 in 3.4 overs), who bowled perhaps a contender for the ‘ball of the tournament’, made life miserable for the home team, which looked as bad on the field as it had seemed on paper, as per pre-tournament predictions.
Captain Rishabh Pant, in a surprising move from the team’s perspective, broke the successful opening pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh and promoted himself to the top of the order.
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Pant (7 off 9 balls) started with a nice back-drive off Mukesh Kumar, but in the next over was run out at the non-striker’s end when the bowler got a fingertip to a smashing straight hit from Marsh.
But, to be frank, Pant didn’t look comfortable once, despite that opening boundary, and it seemed more like a desperate attempt to get his India T20 slot back.
Aiden Markram (11) hit a six and a four, but DC skipper Axar Patel’s wicket-to-wicket delivery breached his defence.
The highly rated Ayush Badoni (0) edged one from T. Natarajan that was angled across, but it was Ngidi’s newfound confidence in executing slower deliveries that became the standout moment of the first half.
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It was a floating off-cutter that beat the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (8 off 8 balls). Pooran, whose philosophy hinges on bat speed, saw the loopy trajectory of the delivery dip late as the ball sneaked between bat and pad to hit the stumps.
In Ngidi’s case, there was no perceptible change in his arm speed as he took considerable pace off the ball.
Ngidi, who has perfected pace-off deliveries with variable lengths, tightened the noose on the LSG batters. He also accounted for Shahbaz Ahmed with a wide slower yorker, which is a difficult art to execute.
As for Kuldeep, he took some punishment initially but did the job well by dismissing the dangerous Marsh with a googly that saw the bat face turn in his hand, the leading edge flying to mid-off
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One Trade Spot Could Deliver Jeremiyah Love to Vikings

Published
2 hours ago
on
1 April 2026

By
NewsAdmin

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) scores a touchdown while being chased by Indiana Hoosiers defensive back D’Angelo Ponds (5) and Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) during the first half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. © Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Are NFL teams supposed to trade up the draftboard for running backs? Absolutely not — it’s taboo. Should the Minnesota Vikings do it anyway? Maybe — if the temptation is to grab Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. And thanks to some reporting from NFL insider Jason La Canfora, one trade partner might just do the trick if the Vikings want Love.
Cleveland could be the pivot point if Minnesota wants the Notre Dame star.
That team is the Cleveland Browns, a franchise apparently open to trading down at the No. 6 spot.
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Cleveland Could Hold the Key to a Love Deal

How much would you give up to Love?

Jeremiyah Love breaks into the open field after a catch, gaining extra yards during second-half action on Sep. 30, 2023, at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The Notre Dame running back showcased acceleration and balance against Duke, turning a routine play into a chunk gain while stressing the Blue Devils’ defensive pursuit angles. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports.

La Canfora: The Browns Are Open for Business
Jot the Browns down as a likely trade listener. La Canfora wrote this week, “With so many holes and wanting to stockpile picks, this may end up being a prime opportunity to trade down. In all likelihood, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the only offensive skill player off the board when Cleveland is up to pick, and with many executives identifying Washington as a prime spot for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and the Browns being connected with Ohio State running back Carnell Tate.”
“Perhaps they are sitting in a bit of a sweet spot in which some other team will be motivated to move up to grab their pick on the best pass catcher or runner in this draft.”
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Cleveland pulled off a blockbuster deal in the last draft, too, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to spend big in their pursuit of Travis Hunter.
La Canfora added, “The Browns have long been in the rebuilding business and the ‘asset relocation’ business, putting together an analytically-minded front office with execs from other sports involved that has left a lasting impression on owner Jimmy Haslam, even as some of those individuals have moved on.”
“Cleveland just hired an older head coach in Todd Monken, who has never done the job before, and the team seems years from contending. Even in more times of more robust rosters, the Browns were generally seen as willing listeners at the very least in regards to trades, and draft trades.”
There’s a path to Love if the Vikigns want him, at least in the rumor mill.
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Jumping in Front of the Commanders
For a while in March, the Tennessee Titans became a mock-draft darling to pick Love at No. 4. While that remains in play until draft night, the tide has turned a bit in favor of Tennessee taking the plunge with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
If the Titans don’t take Love, and the New York Giants decide Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy are enough for the 2026 backfield, the Commanders are the next logical spot for Love — at pick No. 7.
With the Browns trade, the Vikings would jump ahead of Washington, disqualifying them from the Love pick and making him a Viking. That’s the working theory behind a trade up the draftboard so high; a team might have to box out the Commanders, who have Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White on tap for running back duty in 2026.
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The Trade Price
This is the part where you avert your eyes. A trade all the way up to No. 6 in Round 1 won’t be cheap for the Vikings or any franchise.

Stacey Dales conducts an on-field interview with Jeremiyah Love during NFL Scouting Combine activities on Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Notre Dame running back discussed preparation and performance while evaluators observed closely, as prospects navigated media sessions alongside drills during one of the league’s most visible pre-draft events. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

One deal might look like this:

Vikings Get:
No. 6 Pick (Jeremiyah Love)
Browns Get:
No. 18 Pick
No. 47 Pick (Round 2)
No. 82 Pick (Round 3
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Or if the Commanders need a pass rusher like Jonathan Greenard, the swap might resemble this:

Vikings Get:
No. 6 Pick (Jeremiyah Love)
Browns Get:
No. 18 Pick
Jonathan Greenard
No. 82 Pick (Round 3)

Minnesota could also sell next year’s 1st-Rounder while possibly getting a late-rounder back from Cleveland. There are options.
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A Vikings Playground with Love, Murray, Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson
The Vikings’ rushing offense has never been solved by head coach Kevin O’Connell, although it improves each year. Trading for and drafting Love would immediately fix the problem, so long as O’Connell committed to using him like a bellcow RB1 in a balanced offense.

A Cleveland Browns helmet sits on display near the sideline ahead of kickoff on Jan. 4, 2025, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The close-up captures team branding and game-day readiness as players prepared to take the field against the Ravens in a divisional matchup with late-season implications. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images.

Minnesota already boasts a Top 3 defense over the last couple of seasons under Brian Flores; adding Love to an offense with Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson would strike fear into the hearts of, well, everybody.
If the offensive line stayed healthy — it did no such thing in 2025 — the Vikings’ roster wouldn’t really have any weaknesses, and the club would flirt with Super Bowl aspirations.
That’s the upside of dreaming big about Love in purple and gold. The Browns could hold the key.
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NBA MVP race: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić decline to campaign for award

Published
2 hours ago
on
1 April 2026

By
NewsAdmin

Getty Images

This week, reporters asked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić to make their respective cases for the Most Valuable Player award. Both MVP candidates declined to do so.
“No, I’m good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, laughing, after scoring 47 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 114-110 overtime win against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. “Thanks for asking, though. But yeah, I’m good. I let my game do the talking.”
“I never [made a case for myself],” Dončić said after scoring 42 points in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 127-113 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. “I’m not the one voting. But I think I’ve been playing pretty good, we’ve been winning, so that’s it. That’s all I got to say.”

Victor Wembanyama has changed the NBA MVP calculus, and his case is becoming increasingly hard to refute
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This year’s MVP race is particularly tight. Rational arguments can be made in favor of Gilgeous-Alexander, Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić. Since Jokić is averse to self-promotion, it appears that Wembanyama will be the only one who publicly states why he believes he should win. Last week, he told reporters in Miami that he’s the right choice because defense is 50% of the game (and he’s the league’s most impactful defender), his San Antonio Spurs almost swept the Thunder in the regular season and his impact on offense goes beyond scoring.
It would be funny if Gilgeous-Alexander (the current favorite at -350 at DraftKings) cited his league-leading estimated plus-minus and his clutch numbers. It would be amusing if Dončić rattled off his post-All-Star stats. It’s clear, though, that they’re more comfortable letting others bring this stuff up.

Player

MVP odds (via DraftKings)
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

-350

Victor Wembanyama

+250
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Luka Dončić

+1500

Nikola Jokić

+6000
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Jaylen Brown

+25000

The only other thing Gilgeous-Alexander said about the MVP race is that it’s “good for the league” because it drives interest.
“I think it’s good chatter,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters. “It gives people something to talk about. There’s a lot of good players in this league and a lot of guys in the conversation because of that.”
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That doesn’t mean, however, that he wants to participate in that conversation.

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Player	MVP odds (via DraftKings) Advertisement
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	-350
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