Sports
How Philly fans and a Jordan Walker vs. Kyle Schwarber showdown made the new Home Run Derby format work
PHILADELPHIA — I was ready to be angry. Hell, I was angry. I wrote a whole column about how mad I was at myself for getting angry regarding the Home Run Derby format change. I still prefer the clock, but Monday night’s event in Philadelphia had positives. A good number of them.
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber and the Citizens Bank Park crowd sprang to life and stole the show late, making it an incredibly fun night before Cardinals breakout star Jordan Walker made an unlikely late surge to win it. This Derby was a rousing success.
The potential problems with this Home Run Derby format
On the negative side, a new solution to a nonexistent problem is never a good idea. You know the old saying, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it?” Yeah, the Home Run Derby was not broken. It had been great ever since slapping a clock on it. The players and crowd making the event fun doesn’t mean the format change was necessary.
You see, the Derby used to have a problem. By 2014, it had become a relative bore. The hitters were taking far too many pitches, either because they wanted a mini-rest in the batter’s box or because they were far too selective on the pitches they were seeing — really, it was a combination of the two. Then, Major League Baseball, prior to the 2015 Midsummer Classic in Cincinnati, decided to fix the problem. The league put a clock on the Home Run Derby, creating an urgency and preventing the players from taking pitches. It was a glorious recovery of an event that had gone sour.
Now, here in 2026, the format of the event was changed. For the worse, in my opinion.
Fortunately, it wasn’t nearly as unwatchable as the 2014 version, and there were plenty of fun moments early. It’s a Home Run Derby. Of course there will be fun moments. Schwarber said after the event that this new format “gives us a little bit of a breather” and allows players to “pace it out a bit.” That’s fair. If someone said something along the lines of, “we don’t need to exhaust these guys just for our entertainment in a meaningless event,” I wouldn’t have a great rebuttal to that.
Further, the taking of pitches was not nearly as big of a problem as it had become in the 2011-14 Derbies. There were pitches taken, but it wasn’t excessive. Willson Contreras took too many pitches in the second round, but he was facing off against a Philllies player, and the crowd booed lustily every time he didn’t swing. That part was actually funny. There was a repeat of this in the final round when Walker batted. We’ll get back to this fun. The final two matchups — Schwarber vs. Contreras and Schwarber vs. Walker — salvaged an event that looked doomed to disappoint.
In all, the event didn’t drag on. It wrapped up in about two-and-a-half hours. The last few years, as the league continued to add extra time bonuses, the Derby probably went a bit too long. There’s a shelf life for watching bomb after bomb and once you hit the three-hour mark, you start to lose the crowd’s energy a little bit. Even Monday night in Philadelphia, the Junior Caminero and Walker portions of the second round were met with a veritable yawn from the crowd, and these are two of the most exciting, young sluggers in the game. There’s only so long you can cheer watching the same thing over and over.
The place felt sleepy.
How the Philly crowd helped save the night
Enter Schwarber and the Philly Phaithful.
The Schwarber vs. Contreras bout in Round 2 was excellent theater, and the crowd was a big reason why. Sure, they were cheering a bunch for Schwarber, but Contreras’ turn was the most fun of the night. The crowd was booing the entire time he was up, quite loudly, until he’d hit a home run (they’d quiet) or swing and not hit a homer (raucous explosion). It was the most fun I’ve had with a Home Run Derby crowd since Todd Frazier walked things off in Cincinnati the first year with the clock.
Then came the finals, and the crowd wasn’t done. It was absolutely electric for Schwarber’s entire turn (and the MLB homer leader hitting 11 home runs in 15 swings before finally falling short on his 16th swing had a lot to do with it). They never had time to settle down. He just kept launching ball after ball into the night.
“Philly, I just wanna say thank you guys for all the support,” Schwarber said afterward. “You guys were amazing. I was trying to represent you guys the best I can. You guys showed out tonight. I can’t wait to see you guys tomorrow at the All-Star Game.”
Then came Walker’s turn and, again, the crowd was incredibly loud with the boos, quiet during homers and loud again during balls that fell short. It was top-notch entertainment. The crowd only deflated when Walker hit six home runs on his last six swings to steal the win from Schwarber.
“My thought was ‘Philly is brutal,’ honestly,” Walker said with a smile as he held a press conference with the trophy sitting in front of him. “But I think it’s pretty special because they love their players. That’s what you want from your home — where you play. I’ve never heard people cheer so loud for Schwarber and (Bryce) Harper. And those guys did their thing, for sure. But, you know, I can’t hate ’em because that’s their hometown guys.”
Contreras loved the scene, too. “I feel like I won,” he said (via Boston Globe).
Should the clock come back?
We also had a chance to enjoy the majesty of the most prodigious of home runs. Without the clock, the pitchers were able to give a little time between pitches and the hitters could watch their shots fly into the stands. Everyone in the crowd — and at home — could watch the full flight path of the balls in the air without worrying about losing the next shot. We didn’t need to be overly reliant on the scoreboard and were able to easily count the number of home runs versus the number of remaining swings.
It felt less frantic, too.
You know what, though? I liked the frantic nature of action provided by the clock. It was a feature for me, not a bug. As an in-person product, I sure missed the drama of the clock. This is a once-a-year event with some of the strongest power hitters in the world. I loved that balls were flying all over the yard at a pace that most humans couldn’t keep up with. I liked being able to look at the scoreboard and think, “oh wow, he’s already to 13?” I liked glancing back and forth between the ball flying out of the yard and the clock and trying to figure out how many more home runs the hitter could squeeze in there.
Now, there was some urgency at the end of the first round, notably involving both Phillies. Schwarber needed a late surge to surpass Munetaka Murakami, and then Bryce Harper made a run at taking out his teammate for the fourth and final spot. It was fun. The finals with Walker storming back to take out Schwarber with the four straight home runs was incredible, too.
I just found myself clamoring for the clock. Even the Contreras and Walker rounds, when they faced Schwarber, having a clock wouldn’t have eliminated the fun the crowd was having. It still would’ve been a funny mix of boos and cheers.
Not everyone is going to agree with me. Plenty of people were excited about the format change and enjoyed a return to just leisurely watching bombs leave the yard with time before the next pitch.
Me? Gimme back the clock and all the chaos with it. I enjoyed Monday night for the most part; I just missed the clock. But man, the Philly crowd fueled by the Schwarber run to the finals salvaged things before Walker took the air out of the place.
Katie Douglas on House GOP calls to protect Caitlin Clark
Former WNBA All-star Katie Douglas emphasizes the need for change, noting the increased physicality Clark faces and distinguishing fouls from normal contact. Her comments follow the House GOP’s call for WNBA intervention to protect the star player.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
When Alyssa Thomas put a fist to the throat of Caitlin Clark, she was not punished in the immediate aftermath.
She ultimately was given a one-game suspension and a Flagrant 2 foul after the WNBA conducted a review, but that apparently was almost not the case.
According to the Sports Business Journal, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was not planning on suspending Thomas but was ultimately convinced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Caitlin Clark watches the action during the Indiana Fever’s highly anticipated matchup with the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images))
Engelbert was reportedly worried that a suspension for a play that was not called on the court was too harsh a penalty. However, Silver said there was evidence of a flagrant foul and implored Engelbert to hand down the punishment.
The outlet reported that the league operated under usual protocols for potential flagrant fouls. However, it also said Engelbert does not want to show favoritism toward Clark because of her popularity while also trying to “appease players who believe they’ve been overshadowed by” her. On the flip side, the SBJ said Engelbert has not been to an Indiana Fever game since Clark was drafted.
The WNBA told SBJ that the report is “absolutely false” – neither league immediately responded to an email from Fox News Digital.
HOST CLAIMS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT CANCELED INTERVIEW AS CAITLIN CLARK CONTROVERSY MOUNTS
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference prior to the NBA Japan Games 2019. (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Silver told reporters on Tuesday that they will “have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like” regarding Engelbert’s role in the WNBA.
“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” Silver said, citing her “tremendous progress.”
Clark has fallen victim to numerous hard fouls and boastful trash talk while being the clear face of the league. The Thomas incident prompted Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., to join a group of lawmakers to write a letter to Engelbert, saying she has a responsibility to ensure every player competes “in a safe and professional environment.”
The letter said “the face of your league” is subject to “repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence.” It concluded by urging the league to take stronger action.
“The league has an extraordinary opportunity to inspire the next generation of female athletes to pursue athletics, but that opportunity is undermined when its brightest stars are not adequately protected,” the letter reads. “Your fans deserve better, and so do the young girls who look to the WNBA as a model for excellence, sportsmanship, and opportunity.”
Connecticut Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa (10) fouls Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Clark recently went after the WNBA, saying it needs to do a better job of protecting its players both on and off the court. Thomas said she received death threats after the foul.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
‘Better to be a has-been than a never-been’: Ben Stokes fires back at Ian Botham | Cricket News
Ben Stokes has responded to criticism from England great Ian Botham with a tongue-in-cheek social media post after announcing his retirement from international cricket.Stokes, who retired from international cricket during the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand last month, was the subject of a light-hearted remark from Botham on the Test Match Special podcast. Reflecting on Stokes’ retirement, Botham joked that the England captain had now joined an exclusive club. “As we know Michael Vaughan & I. We don’t know what we’re talking about. Couple of old has-beens. “Ben, if you’re listening congratulations you’ve joined the club. You’re now a has-been,” Botham said. Stokes quickly responded on X, referencing a famous quote often attributed to Botham himself. “The quote ‘It’s better to be a has-been than a never-been’ originates from Lord Ian Botham,” Stokes posted.
Ben Stokes post
The exchange comes shortly after Botham had publicly criticised Stokes following an incident in which the England captain and fast bowler Gus Atkinson breached the team’s midnight curfew while celebrating England’s victory in the first Test against New Zealand. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Botham questioned Stokes’ judgement and said he was disappointed by the episode, especially given the support he had previously shown the all-rounder during difficult moments in his career. “Some people just don’t learn, do they? It’s as simple as that. We as a club, when he had the problems in Bristol, we stood by Ben Stokes, and I stood by him as chairman, but I really can’t see how you can justify what happened after the game,” Botham said. Stokes retired as one of England’s greatest all-rounders, bringing down the curtain on a 15-year international career that included more than 250 appearances across formats and numerous memorable performances for his country.
Wide receiver Jordan Addison is one of the rare success stories for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s drafting, generally a waste land of missed picks and poor trades. The Vikings 1st-Round selection from 2023 may nevertheless be a demotion candidate.
At the very top of the position is Justin Jefferson — a top receiver in the NFL. Nobody is taking the WR1 crown off Jefferson’s head. Can the same be said for Mr. Addison as it relates to his job as Minnesota’s WR2? The presence of Jauan Jennings makes things dicier for the homegrown young fella who has sometimes gotten into trouble off the field.
Vikings 1st-Round Selection Faces True Challenger for WR2
If the desire is to get more physical and more unpredictable — the coaches say that’s the case, but talk is cheap — then leaning on Jennings makes a lot of sense.
He was referred to as a dirtbag by Kyler Murray at minicamp, a descriptor meant to highlight the grit, ruggedness, and compete within the receiver’s game. He can bulldoze defensive backs in a way that’s unique in the NFL. Accordingly, the Vikings can be a considerably more dangerous team when running the ball when operating out of 11 personnel: 1 running back, 1 tight end, and 3 receivers.
There’s a case to be made, though, for Jennings being the second receiver when Minnesota leans on 12 or 21 personnel. In these formations — ones that feature either a second running back or a second tight end — there are only a pair of receivers.
Jefferson claims one spot. Addison is the assumed option to run alongside Jefferson, but Jennings will have something to say about that seemingly foregone conclusion.
During the 2025 season, Jauan Jennings piled up 643 yards and 9 touchdowns within his 55 catches. Averaging 11.7 yards per catch is good but a touch below his career average of 12.3 yards. His longest catch of the season went for 42 yards and he averaged 3.3 yards after the catch. Jennings offered these statistics within fifteen games and within the context of the 49ers having some passer turmoil.
Meanwhile, Jordan Addison was putting together his most modest season as a pro. The reasons are twofold. To begin, there was his three-game absence due to suspension. He then had to sort through a horrendous quarterback situation, a reality that impacted everybody.
Addison had 42 catches for 610 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 14.5 yards-per-reception average is better than his career average: 13.7 yards. His longest catch went for 81 yards. So, too, did he offer a pair of runs, totalling 81 rushing yards and a touchdown. Like Jennings, Addison averaged 3.3 yards after the catch.
Consider those statistical details alongside what is known about these Vikings.
Recent seasons has featured a pile of 11 personnel. Last year, for instance, Minnesota was in that formation for close to 64% of their plays, coming in at tenth in the NFL. Back in 2024, the Vikings finished off at twenty-second in the NFL with a bit above 57% of the snaps being out of 11 personnel.
Where does the team land in the upcoming season?
If the football gods have mercy on the Vikings — not something that occurs very often — then Kevin O’Connell will finally figure out how to run the football. Doing so effectively will require a consistent commitment to moving the pigskin on the ground. Doing so effectively will be aided by being unpredictable and by blocking well.
Jennings can catch well and be a terrific blocker. Addison has the potential to be a very good receiver and just an average blocker. What that means for each player’s snap count remains to be seen, but insisting that Jennings only displaced Tai Felton on the depth chart can’t be assumed.
Jennings is a great football player who helps a team win even when the ball isn’t in his hand. Can Addison say the same?
Addison, 24, is moving into his fourth season as a pro. The Vikings picked up his 5th-year option, meaning he’s under contract for two more seasons. Jennings is operating on a single-season deal worth a maximum of $13 million.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Sumer Sports, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
What to expect from England v Argentina?
Tonight’s semi-final will be an intriguing clash between two historic rivals but how do England fans think the game will go?
Mike Jones15 July 2026 18:24
Does Messi have enough around him?
It is obvious that Messi has fully defied the odds by, at 39, carrying his team on his shoulders, scoring eight goals and securing a semi-final appearance for what might be seen as a weakened Argentina side.
This has been a workable tactic for every other game against the likes of Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland – but all of those games were probably too close for Argentina’s liking.
Coming against a team like England, one of the best teams in the world, it is uncertain if Messi will have the man power behind him to ward off a well balanced team like England.
The likes of Enzo Fernandez and Alex Mac Allister have been ample so far, but the centre back pairing of Martinez and Cristian Romero, whilst clutch at the other end of the pitch are prone to silly errors at the back.
James Hicken15 July 2026 18:20
Police out in numbers at Atlanta Stadium
Many reports ahead of the game focused on the mixing of the two sets of fans and the necessary security operation, but it’s all been friendly enough so far.
“Part of that could be down to the extent of the policing, of course. Helicopters are flying ahead and the local fire brigade, county police, state police and even DEA police are out in numbers in the areas surrounding the Atlanta Stadium.”
Chris Wilson at Atlanta Stadium15 July 2026 18:15
Morgan Rogers to start
It is being reported that Thomas Tuchel has favoured Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers on his right-flank over Noni Madueke who started against Norway.
Madueke look at sea at times against Norway, you can’t fault his attacking intent, but the end product was often not there. Rogers has proven week-in-week-out for Villa that he can produce and did so for England against Croatia, when given the chance.
He has since been a good feature but nothing ground breaking, hopefully he will prove to be another good playmaking threat to draw Argentinian players away from Kane and Bellingham.
James Hicken15 July 2026 18:10
Reece James to start at right back for England?
Another potential move from Thomas Tuchel is to switch out both of England’s full backs with Reece James and Djed Spence rumoured to be brought back into the starting XI.
That would mean Nico O’Reilly drops out and one of Ezri Konsa or John Stones who began the game against Norway.
Mike Jones15 July 2026 18:07
Fans arriving at Atlanta Stadium
Fans from England and Argentina are arriving at the Atlanta Stadium ahead of this World Cup semi-final.
Build-up continues to kick off at 8pm with team news officially dropping inside the hour.
Mike Jones15 July 2026 18:02
England’s reliance on Kane and Bellingham
At this World Cup so far Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored a record 12/13 of England’s goals, save one from Rashford against Croatia.
That is 92.3% of all England Goals in the competition, which is a record for any team that has scored 10 goals or more.
Their closest competition are Hugi and Ballamann of Switzerland in 1954 who scored 90% of their teams goals.
It is also worth mentioning that the recently eliminated France had 13/16 goals scored by either Mbappe or Dembele which is the fourth highest on the list.
Many have criticised what they an call ‘over reliance’ on Kane and Bellingham, but what are world class players there for if not to be leant upon at the biggest tournament in the world?
James Hicken15 July 2026 17:50
Sir Geoff Hurst predicts toughest test yet for England
Hurst, became the first player to ever score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, as I’m sure your aware, in 1966 when England beat West Germany 4-2 in their only World Cup triumph.
“You can talk about [Lionel] Messi being past his best, with his age, he’s still performing, he’s still scoring and he’s a big danger if you allow him to do so,” Hurst told the BBC.
“You can talk about them being past their best, I don’t necessarily agree with that. If you think they are past their best and we are going to walk away with it, those guys must be dreaming.
“There’s no way we are going to be winning three-nil at half time or walking away with it.”
James Hicken15 July 2026 17:40
England’s World Cup journey so far
England, like Argentina, are undefeated in their seven games so far, but it has not been as easy going. After an electric first game against Croatia, thing began to look and feel a bit more difficult.
Nevertheless, they are all wins in the column:
- England 4-2 Croatia
- England 0-0 Ghana
- England 2-0 Panama
- England 3-2 Mexico
- England 2-1 Norway
James Hicken15 July 2026 17:35
North America’s softest sports day has been saved by soccer.
Typically, the day after the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is a real snoozer, with the four major leagues on this continent on some form of break. Baseball won’t be back until Thursday, the NFL is still weeks away from pre-season games and the NHL and NBA are in deep slumbers, with the off-season news cycle — save for the occasional interesting flicker — grinding to a halt.
Enter Lionel Messi and Harry Kane.
For a change, this mid-July Wednesday in North America will be alive with high-stakes sports, as Argentina and England battle for a spot in the 2026 World Cup Final.
Still, this brief hiatus from the Big Four club sports in Canada and the U.S. offers a moment to zoom out and have some fun that incorporates the quartet of circuits. As such, we decided to take a World Cup concept — the Group of Death — and rank the 10 toughest divisions across the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB.
An NFC West team has represented the NFC in the Super Bowl in five of the past eight seasons and the NFC Championship has featured a West team in six of the past eight winters. Last January, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams — two of four NFC West clubs along with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals — played an NFC title game that was basically the Super Bowl. Of course, Seattle went on to down the New England Patriots in the actual league championship contest, so the current champ resides in the NFC West. Additionally, the division is home to reigning league MVP Matt Stafford of the Rams and the NFC West also features a pair of top coaches in L.A.’s Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers. And, of course, Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald is a newly minted member of the “Awesome Coach” club thanks to the ring he won in February.
Thank goodness Seattle, L.A. and San Francisco have the Cardinals to kick around.
If there’s one thing that dampens the optimism of hopeful Atlantic clubs, it’s looking around the group and realizing what a death match it’s going to be just to get into the playoffs.
Two teams — the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning — have won a pair of championships while advancing to three Stanley Cup Finals apiece. The 2026 champs from Carolina were the first non-Atlantic team to advance to the final since the Washington Capitals in 2018. (Technically, the Lightning were representing the “Discover Central Division” during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, but you get the point.)
In 2022-23, the Boston Bruins set an NHL record with 135 points.
A couple years ago, top-flight Atlantic teams Toronto, Florida, Tampa and Boston could always kick around Buffalo, Montreal, Detroit and Ottawa. Now, the Habs and Sabres are two of the best up-and-coming clubs in the NHL.
Toronto finished second-last in the Eastern Conference last season, but is adding a first-overall talent in Gavin McKenna, a Hall of Fame-bound goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and a top-flight defenceman in Darren Raddysh.
The Bruins always find a way to be competitive, and don’t write off the Senators just because Brady Tkachuk left; Ottawa has a superstar blue-liner in Jake Sanderson, depth down the middle and the Sens made the playoffs this past season despite not really getting a save until March. They’re not falling off a cliff.
That leaves Detroit as, potentially, the weakling of the eight teams and the Wings still have foundational stud pieces Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond.
This is more about a high floor than a high ceiling. All four NFC North teams — the Bears, Packers, Vikings and Lions — finished above .500 last year, while every other NFL division had at least one team lose 11 or more games. (The NFC South didn’t have a single team finish with a winning record.) Two years ago, in 2024, the Lions tied for the NFL lead with 15 victories, and Minnesota was just one behind at 14. Chicago is helmed by one of the best young quarterbacks in the game in Caleb Williams, Detroit could re-emerge as a true league power with better injury luck, Green Bay is hoping to get a full, healthy season from elite pass-rusher Micah Parsons — acquired from Dallas last summer — and Minny has made an upside play by pairing former Cardinals QB Kyler Murray with its quarterback-whisperer of a coach, Kevin O’Connell.
Until Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Final, it seemed very plausible that the Northwest Division would produce its third Larry O’Brien Trophy winner in four years. The Denver Nuggets won in 2023 and the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the NBA in ’25. The Thunder — led by two-time defending league MVP Shea Gilgeous-Alexander — were in prime position to return to the Finals with a Game 7 on home court in the West final, but the San Antonio Spurs of the Southwest Division were able to knock them off. Still, OKC is poised to contend for titles for years to come, while Denver is still in the championship mix as long as Nikola Jokic is on the team. Between Jokic and SGA, the Northwest has five of the past six MVPs.
And, honestly, it would surprise no one if Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed an MVP one of these seasons. Though they have not made the final during Edwards’ time in Minny, the Wolves have won five playoff series in the past three springs.
The Portland Trailblazers are on the rise and climbed over .500 last year, while the division’s fifth team, the Utah Jazz, could soon make a huge leap with high draft picks Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson leading the way.
Assuming the Kansas City Chiefs rebound from a 6-11 showing, the AFC West will feature some stalwart clubs in 2026. Maybe the Chiefs — with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes returning from a torn ACL — won’t be the pre-season Super Bowl favourite the way they have been for most of the decade, but it’s easy to bet on KC being very competitive, assuming Mahomes is healthy.
The arrow is pointing way up in Denver, where the Broncos could have made the Super Bowl last season had starting QB Bo Nix not been injured in a playoff win over Buffalo and missed the AFC title contest one week later versus the Patriots. This fall, Nix will have a new weapon at his disposal after Denver acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins.
The Chargers always seem to have pre-season smoke, but there’s legit intrigue this time out with offensive guru Mike McDaneil joining the club calling plays for big-armed Justin Herbert.
Even the lowly Las Vegas Raiders enter the year with a competent QB duo of veteran Kirk Cousins and 2026 first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
The past two Presidents’ Trophy winners in the NHL reside in the Central, with the Colorado Avalanche finishing first overall last season, while the Winnipeg Jets topped the league standings in 2024-25.
At the high end, Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota represent three of the best teams in the NHL. If the Jets, who missed the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, rebound, the Central will be that much tougher. Throw in an ascendant Utah Mammoth squad and you’ve got one difficult division.
That said, the bottom three clubs — Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville — make it impossible to put the Central over the Atlantic as the NHL’s toughest group.
The Central teams in both leagues are often overshadowed by the coastal elites, but there’s no tougher MLB division top to bottom in 2026 than the NL Central. The division-leading Milwaukee Brewers have the second-best winning percentage (.615) in baseball after the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers (.629), and the Central is the only division with four teams — the Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates — over .500 entering the back half of summer. Those four clubs also have a positive run differential, while no other division has more than three teams in the black. The Central’s fifth squad, the Cincinnati Reds, have the second-best record of any last-place team in its division. Which brings us to …
For years, the AL East was the go-to example for a gruesomely difficult group. And before this season, it seemed plausible — on the heels of the Toronto Blue Jays nearly winning the World Series — that four of the six American League playoff teams would come from the division with the Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Orioles.
As it happens, the Rays and Yankees still have the best two records in the AL, but the Jays, Sox and Orioles have all disappointed. Boston ended the first half on a nine-game heater, leaving Toronto with the best record of any club last in its division.
The good news for all the struggling East clubs is the overall stinkiness of the AL this year still leaves the door open to snag a post-season berth.
The still-celebrating New York Knicks headline the division as defending league champs, while the Toronto Raptors are still hoping to welcome difference-maker Kawhi Leonard back to the fold this summer. The Boston Celtics will have star Jayson Tatum back and fully healthy after he sustained a torn Achillies tendon in the 2025 playoffs, while the Philadelphia 76ers benefit from Boston’s shocking decision to trade Jaylen Brown — 1B on the Celtics to Tatum’s 1A for years — to a division rival.
Even if the Brooklyn Nets are roadkill, the Atlantic will be a tough group.
Really, this is just an acknowledgement that the Padres, Diamondbacks, Giants and Rockies must deal with the juggernaut that is the Dodgers more than any other squads in baseball.
The Dodgers, of course, are gunning for a third straight World Series title and surely hold the unofficial title of North America’s premier sports club across the four major leagues.
Arizona and San Diego are both .500 teams, and the latter must always be recognized for its willingness to, without blinking, trade its best prospects for Major League talent. While the Giants are having a down year, San Francisco is usually a quality club and has three World Series titles in the past 16 years.
Of course, the Rockies’ ineptitude is basically the counterbalance to the Dodgers’ dominance at the top of the division.
You may not realise it, but weekend sport has a strange power over otherwise reasonable people. By Friday afternoon, you can be calmly checking fixtures. By Saturday morning, you’ve somehow formed strong opinions about a lunchtime football match, a rugby handicap, a racing outsider and a late GAA result that depends on a team you only half-follow but suddenly trust with your whole chest.
That’s part of the fun. Sport gives you stories before anything has happened. A team needs a response after a poor result. A striker’s due a goal. A province has a point to prove. A favourite looks short but hard to oppose. An underdog feels dangerous because the weather’s grim and the crowd will be loud.
A sportsbook brings all of those little arguments into one place. The trick isn’t pretending you can predict every twist. It’s knowing how to read the weekend without letting the fixtures bully you into backing everything with a start time.
The Early Kick-Off Is Usually the Trap
The early kick-off always looks harmless. It’s sitting there at the top of the day, waving politely, acting like a sensible place to start. Then the team news lands, one full-back is missing, the favourite starts slowly and suddenly your carefully planned Saturday has taken a personal insult before lunch.
That’s why early matches deserve more respect. They often carry a much different energy. Players may look flat. The crowd may take time to warm up. Managers may choose caution because nobody wants to spend the rest of the weekend explaining a silly defeat.
Before you get too attached to the first fixture, ask whether the price suits the setup. Is the favourite away from home? Has there been rotation? Is the underdog organised enough to make it awkward? Does the match need goals, or are you only hoping for them because it’s the first thing on screen?
One Strong Opinion Beats Six Loose Ones
Every sports fan knows the danger of a weekend slip that grows legs. One football pick becomes three. Then a rugby selection joins in. Then racing looks tempting. Then someone mentions darts, and suddenly you’re emotionally invested in a match you didn’t know existed 20 minutes earlier.
That’s where using the betmaster.ie sportsbookis more useful when you arrive with a plan instead of a wandering thumb. A good sportsbook gives you plenty to choose from, but choice only helps if you know what you’re looking for.
The better approach is to build around your strongest read. Maybe it’s a football match where the team news supports your view. Maybe it’s a rugby market where the handicap looks too generous. Maybe it’s a racing selection where conditions suit the horse better than the headline price suggests.
Live Sport Changes the Argument
Pre-match thoughts are useful, but sport has no manners. It changes the argument as soon as the action starts. A football favourite may dominate the ball without creating anything. A rugby side may lose discipline early. A horse may drift before the off for a reason the casual viewer has missed.
That’s why watching matters. Not in a dramatic, notebook-at-the-ready way. Just enough to see whether your read still makes sense once the event begins. Sometimes the market moves because something real is happening. Sometimes it moves because everyone’s reacting to noise.
In football, watch whether pressure is turning into chances or just possession. In rugby, look at territory, penalties and set-piece control. In racing, pay attention to ground, pace and how the market behaves close to the start.
Live sport gives you extra information, but it also tempts you into quick decisions. The key is staying picky. If the match has changed in a way you understand, fair enough. If you’re only reacting because the odds moved and your tea went cold, maybe take a breath first.
The Best Weekend Bets Survive a Second Look
The most useful test is simple: would you still like the selection if it weren’t starting soon? Urgency can make an average idea feel better than it is. A match being live, televised or widely discussed doesn’t automatically make it worth backing.
A good weekend pick should survive a second look. You should be able to explain the case without relying on vibes alone. Why this team? Why this market? Why this price? What would make you change your mind? If those answers are fuzzy, the bet may be more boredom than belief.
This applies across sport. A favourite can still be too short. An outsider can still be too hopeful. A goals market can look lively but lack the setup. A rugby handicap can feel tempting until you check the weather, rotation or recent away form.
Choose the angles that actually make sense, enjoy the rest and let Saturday be chaotic without letting your bet slip join in.
Morgan Rogers is set to be England’s only change for their colossal World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta tonight.
The Aston Villa midfielder, 23, has started just once so far the tournament, in the final group game against Panama, but impressed off the bench against Norway in the quarter-finals.
He is set to play on England’s right, taking the place of Noni Madueke, which means Bukayo Saka once again starts on the bench.
Thomas Tuchel has an almost fully fit squad of players to pick from, with Declan Rice fully recovered and able to start in midfield for the Three Lions after illness.
Ezri Konsa is set to keep his place over Djed Spence at right back, John Stones in line to partner Marc Guehi at centre-back.
Jarell Quansah remains suspended, while injury-prone Reece James could be saved for later in the game. Jordan Henderson’s wrist injury rules him out.
Argentina’s side is settled, with either Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez, both back in scoring form for the Albiceleste, starting alongside Lionel Messi.
It will be the first time Messi takes on England, thanks to an “anti-football” red card to miss a 2005 friendly, with Tuchel admitting that he could use man marking to combat the No 10.
“I was thinking about [how to deal with Messi],” Tuchel said in his pre-match press conference. “If we do an old school man mark, not sure if we follow through with this idea, but it crossed my mind. Everyone knows the space he wants to show up. Everyone knows he sees stuff before everyone else.”
Thiago Almada and Nico Gonzalez bring attacking options in midfield, but Leandro Paredes could offer more defensive cover and is the favourite to start in the other key decision for Lionel Scaloni.
The winner will face Spain after Luis de la Fuente’s side eased past France in a comprehensive 2-0 victory in Dallas.
England predicted starting line-up: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Rogers, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Argentina predicted starting lineup: E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Li. Martinez, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez
File phot of India coach Gautam Gambhir© AFP
Gautam Gambhir took charge as the Indian cricket team coach in July 2024. In the two years at the helm, Gambhir has won the Champions Trophy 2025, the 2026 T20 World Cup as well as the Asia Cup 2025. However, his tenure has also been marked by Test series losses at home against South Africa and New Zealand. India also lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His tenure also saw the high-profile Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. In T20Is too, India lost two back-to-back series against Ireland and England.
Mohammed Kaif and Zaheer Khan were asked about Gambhir’s tenure as coach. Here’s what they said.
“I will deduct marks. I will rate him 4 out of 10. You are talking about transparency, right? There are a lot of talks about Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. That picture is not becoming clear. It’s not clear whether they are talking or not. You can see he is talking with (Shubman) Gill and Rohit (Sharma). It is the responsibility of the coach to communicate with the player if there is any problem, to keep everyone on the same page,” Kaif said on Cricbuzz.
“There will be wins or losses, but that communication is important. If one player is dropped, the reason behind it should be clear. If Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir are not working together, this is not good news for us. If they are not on the same page, it is bad news for the fans of Indian cricket. We are talking about the 2027 World Cup; you need the support of seniors. The coach needs to talk with the seniors. When we played under John Wright, he was transparent. I am deducting marks for that. He had a chance to do more with this team.”
Zaheer said: “Under his leadership, we have won the T20 World Cup. His highs are also there. I will give him 6. As far as improvement, transparency and communication are concerned, it is a work in progress. You can call it a concern. Whenever you talk about Indian cricket, one thing you will see is talent and ability. You have all the ingredients. How to use them and make the best out of them is up to you.”
Recently, according to a report, Gambhir and Kohli were notably not interacting with each other ahead of the first India vs England ODI, despite the India coach spending a lot of time with other members of the squad.
Featured Video Of The Day
FIFA World Cup 2026 | Argentina Fans Sing & Dance After Dramatic Comeback Against Egypt
Topics mentioned in this article
Norwegian Soren Waerenskjold launched a long-range sprint to claim victory at the Tour de France on Wednesday in the fastest stage in the race’s history.
Dutchman Olav Kooij took second ahead of Belgian Jasper Philipsen at the end of the 161km 11th stage from Vichy to Nevers.
At an average speed of 50.91kph, it was the fastest ever road stage in the 113 editions of the Tour.
Once again, there was a fairly disjointed sprint finish with none of the teams able to organise a sprint train to set up their fast man.
Kooij’s lead-out rider Cees Bol launched off the front as the main sprinters hesitated, but Waerenskjold was the first to chase after the Dutchman.
He instantly put several bike lengths of daylight between himself and the rest and although both Kooij and Philipsen caught him by the line, they did not have enough strength to edge past Waerenskjold.
It was the second Tour stage victory for the Norwegian Uno-X Mobility team, which is in its first year as a World Tour outfit, after Jonas Abrahamsen succeeded once last year.
The team also held the yellow jersey for two stages this year with Torstein Traeen before he crashed out with a concussion and broken ribs.
Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar finished safely in the pack to retain his overall lead of more than three and a half minutes to two-time former winner Jonas Vingegaard.
A four-man breakaway had set off early into the stage which began in the ancient spa town of Vichy.
They were never allowed a longer leash than 1min 40sec and four became three when Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, a former world champion and yellow jersey-wearer, was dropped on a short climb with around 40km left.
But Anthon Charmig, Mathis Le Berre and Nelson Oliveira collaborated well together to resist the inevitable return of the peloton.
With 10km to ride their lead was down to just 20sec.
But within four kilometres, their resistance was over and the expected sprint took centre stage.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Great Yorkshire Show day two sees temperatures rise
Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Q2 2026 Commentary (MUTF:FAFTX)
Cantor and Securitize collaborate on blockchain-based IPOs
-
Fashion6 days agoLoro Piana Fall 2026 Enters Houston’s Art Scene
-
Fashion5 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner
-
Sports6 days ago2026 Genesis Scottish Open Thursday TV coverage: Round 1
-
Sports5 days agoSuper Eagles star Moses Simon opens up on Liverpool transfer regret
-
Tech6 days agoCharacter.AI enters the microdrama arena with its own productions, but there’s a twist
-
Politics6 hours agoYoung campaigners urge incoming PM to act on outdoor junk food ads
-
News Videos23 hours agoXRP BOMBSHELL… XRP OMBOARDED FOR TRANSACTIONS!!!
-
Tech2 days agoGet Your ESP32 Sunny Side Up With This Solar Dev Board
-
Tech22 hours agoDark Secrets Emerge When Jailbreaking LLMs
-
News Videos7 days agoCrypto Just Entered Its Most Important 6-Month Candle (Could Decide Everything!)
-
Tech6 days agoLevel Infinite Launches Gangstar Mirage City in India with Pre-Registrations
-
NewsBeat6 days agoMajor update after Huntingdon train attack as man enters plea
-
News Videos2 days agohow to make coin bank box with cardboard #scienceproject #money #diy #shorts
-
Tech2 days agoCloudflare Precursor Watches Your Mouse and Keyboard To Decide If You Are Human
-
Entertainment1 hour agoDisney’s Most Ambitious Failed Star Wars Attraction Is Coming to SDCC
-
Tech7 days agoEntra passkey enrollment vishing targets Microsoft 365 users
-
Crypto World7 days agoDeFi Dashboard Zapper to Shut Down After 7 Years
-
Crypto World1 day ago
Ripple, Coinbase, Circle Join Linux x402 Foundation to Help Shape AI Payments
-
Crypto World7 days agoMark Cuban-Backed DeFi Dashboard Zapper Shuts Down After 7 Years
-
Tech6 days agoClaude’s New Reflect Dashboard Wants To Help You Log Off Of Claude
You must be logged in to post a comment Login