Feb 17, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Bruce Mouat in action against Canada in a men’s curling round robin match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — World champions Great Britain nabbed a steal of two in the final end to beat Switzerland 8-5 in a thrilling semifinal clash on Thursday in the men’s curling competition at the Winter Olympics, setting up a final against Canada.
Switzerland appeared to have the upper hand in the early stages, but the decisive moment of the contest came in the seventh end, when a brilliant takeout from Bruce Mouat cleared away four stones and forced the Swiss to relinquish the hammer for just a point.
From then on, Britain did well to restrict its opponents and though Switzerland had the last stone of the game, Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel was not able to get the connection he needed.
For Switzerland, the first men’s team to go unbeaten in their round-robin campaign at the Olympics since Kevin Martin’s Canada in 2010, it was a crushing defeat after what had been an excellent week.
Britain and Switzerland also met in the final of the world championships last year, when Team Mouat took a 5-4 victory.
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“We weren’t having our best in the first five ends and then really flipped it around in the last five. So just really proud of us for sticking together, supporting each other and believing in each other,” Mouat said.
CANADA BEATS NORWAY IN IMMEDIATE REMATCH
Two sheets over, Canada’s Brad Jacobs, who won gold at the 2014 Games in Sochi, navigated his team through a defensive battle to prevail 5-4 over Norway.
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The game went to an extra end after Jacobs’ attempt for a double takeout only got rid of one stone, but when Norway handed over the hammer with their two-pointer, it was easy enough for Canada to inch ahead and get the win.
The two teams had met just hours before in the final round-robin session of the men’s competition, in which Magnus Ramsfjell’s Norwegians were 8-6 victors, though it was not against a full-strength Canada line-up with Ben Hebert rested.
“They were tough all day. Magnus made a ton of great shots, starting in that first game. Those guys were virtually lights out,” Jacobs said.
“They gave us everything we could handle. I was just grateful that we had hammer in that game, and we got off to a good start. We were able to manage the scoreboard, because they were not going away easy.
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“They played awesome. Just happy to be able to get through them in that semifinal.”
Britain will meet Canada in the gold medal game on Saturday, while Switzerland and Norway will face off for bronze on Friday.
Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (22) walks the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
All spring and summer last year — consistently without missing a beat — cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. frequented the Minnesota Vikings’ rumor mill. Now, with free agency two and a half weeks ago, Minnesota could once again be in the mix for Samuel Jr., who is free to sign anywhere in the NFL next month.
Samuel Jr.’s market looks softer this time, and that keeps the Vikings’ idea alive if they want a free-agent CB swing.
Zany rumors connected Samuel Jr. to the Vikings in 2025, but this go-round, it could be as simple as a recruiting pitch and a pen to paper.
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Samuel Jr. Buzz Alive Again for Vikings
Last year’s Samuel Jr. agenda is alive and well.
Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (22) kneels near midfield prior to kickoff against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Dec 28, 2025. The veteran defensive back prepared for a late-season divisional matchup as Pittsburgh pushed toward the postseason. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
SI.com Identifies Samuel Jr. as a Vikings FA Candidate
Samuel Jr. is probably gettable this offseason for a contract worth $10 million to $12 million over two years. He’s still very much in a “prove it” zone after a scary neck injury in 2024 and subsequent recovery throughout 2025.
SI.com’s Joe Nelson listed him as a Vikings free-agent target this week and noted, “There will be bidders for a player of Samuel’s caliber, but for a projected price of a one-year, $5.5 million prove-it deal, Samuel could be an ideal addition to Flores’ defense. He returned from a career-threatening neck injury to play seven games with the Steelers this past season, and he performed admirably.”
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“He finished with a 70.1 defensive grade from PFF and a 68.0 coverage grade. He allowed seven catches on 10 passes into his coverage, and he also had an interception.”
After a year of theories from fans — one that even originated from Samuel Jr. allegedly wearing a Vikings hat in a Florida nightclub last offseason — Minnesota finally has a chance to put the man in purple. It won’t be terribly difficult.
Vikings Met with Him Last Year (Midseason)
Meanwhile, this relationship should already have inroads. Samuel Jr. went on a world tour of sorts in November 2025 before signing with the Steelers. One of his stops? Eagan, Minnesota — with the Vikings, presumably talking with head coach Kevin O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
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The possible free-agent relationship this year already has the seed planted. Indeed, Samuel Jr. picked Pittsburgh over Minnesota, but with Mike Tomlin now removed from the Steelers, perhaps he’ll see the light and work for Flores. It’s not an outlandish take.
The Numbers
Samuel Jr. appeared in six games for the 2025 Steelers, banking 222 defensive snaps and a 67.2 Pro Football Focus grade.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) dives through traffic between Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (22) and linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during first-half AFC Wild Card action at Acrisure Stadium on Jan 12, 2026. The play unfolded amid heavy contact in the playoff clash. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
In 2023, his last season as a full-time player, Samuel Jr. quietly posted one of his best years, earning a 73.9 PFF grade, a level of performance Minnesota would enjoy.
Here’s a look at his PFF grades since 2021:
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2021: 56.4
2022: 72.6
2023: 73.9
2024: 59.3
2025: 67.2
Although his grade dipped in 2024, his performance in the previous two years indicates he can be a reliable starter. If the Vikings can get him back to his 2022–2023 form, the signing could prove to be a real win. He’s still young, has experience covering top receivers, and is a good fit for Flores’ man-heavy defensive scheme.
Financially, this appears to be a low-risk, short-term move. A one-year “prove it” deal should be relatively inexpensive.
PFF’s Mason Cameron made the case this week for Samuel Jr. to the New Orleans Saints, noting, “Now a free agent, the 26-year-old cornerback can navigate the market for a solid opportunity to reestablish himself. One enticing franchise that should pick up the phone is the Saints, pairing Samuel with his former coach and current Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.”
“Under Staley, Samuel enjoyed the best seasons of his career, earning 75.0-plus PFF coverage grades as a starter in both 2022 and 2023.”
Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor is on tap for free agency in 2.5 weeks.
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Cameron added, “While the Saints aren’t in dire need of outside cornerback help, with young players Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley already in the fold, Samuel would be a high-upside, cost-effective depth option as New Orleans navigates Alontae Taylor’s expiring contract and Isaac Yiadom’s potential release.”
Would Samuel Jr. Be Enough at CB?
Suppose the Vikings make the Samuel Jr. rumor come true, alas. The 2026 cornerback room would look like this before the draft:
Byron Murphy Jr.
Isaiah Rodgers
Asante Samuel Jr.
Dwight McGlothern
Zemaiah Vaughn
Minnesota would then have a decision to get filthy deep at cornerback, possibly drafting a Round 1 corner like Mansoor Delane (LSU), Avieon Terrell (Clemson), Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), Colton Hood (Tennessee), or Brandon Cisse (South Carolina). The upcoming draft is already known for cornerback depth, so Flores and friends might be in good hands.
Nov 13, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) lines up defensively during first-quarter action against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Nov 13, 2022. Samuel tracked receivers in coverage during the Chargers’ road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Even without a shiny CB in Round 1, the Vikings could be in decent shape with the above-listed roster, assuming they sign a veteran CB4, like Fabian Moreau from the last couple of seasons.
Only the nerdiest golf fans know what the acronym PAC stands for, and that’s probably for the best. (It’s Player Advisory Council, a low-hanging branch of PGA Tour government.) The meetings and decisions of the Tour’s player-focused operations are only occasionally interesting, but more often are cumbersome and conservative.
Frankly, that’s how they’re supposed to be.
Sports leagues with 50-plus years of history should have a sustainable (if not profitable) baseline. And the Tour very much did . . . until LIV Golf came along. When LIV stole away a number of players from the Tour — including a few on the Advisory Council! — everything changed, including those PAC meetings.
Golf fans know the history well now. The Tour immediately began shifting its competitive structures to maintain dominance in the pro-golf ecosystem. Not everyone was pleased about the changes. One way of doing something about it has always been to air out those grievances with the 16 members of the PAC, a group that changes every year, which essentially works as a congress for the PGA Tour.
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On 10 different occasions, Lucas Glover was voted to be one of those 16 representatives; he declined every time. The 11th time around, he agreed, and soon after was elected the committee’s chairman. In 2026, unlike most years, that actually means something.
Glover ran against the sitting chairman, Adam Scott, for that role atop the PAC, and the Tour announced this week that he won the race. The main reason it matters is not because Glover will oversee the PAC in 2026, but rather because the PAC chairman graduates at the end of his term to not only hold a spot on the PGA Tour Policy Board for 2027-2030 but also the board of PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm of the Tour that will determine the league’s future.
Glover may sound reserved on his account of his Southern drawl, but in reality he is one of the Tour’s most outspoken voices, and recently has been one of the most ardent critics of the Tour’s direction (i.e., fewer members, elevated events, no-cut tournaments, etc.).
In less than a year, Glover will join those boards and own one of their precious votes. On the Enterprises side, he’ll be one of 13, joining six other players directors (Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell, Camilo Villegas and Joe Ogilvie), along with Joe Gorder, Jay Monahan and four investor directors (John Henry, Sam Kennedy, Arthur Blank, Steve Cohen).
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In one sense, Glover, who is 46, is arriving to the party a bit late, because the Tour already has hired a new CEO (who is interested in making change) and taken on massive investment from others who are similarly minded. Also, the board has been reviewing models of a future Tour schedule for months, a process that is a locomotive with only a few more stops on its journey.
In another sense, Glover stands as a new voice representing the center of the bell curve. In his career, he’s spanned both sides of it, accomplishing something few ever will — win a major — while also battling the absolute depths of a yippy putter. Few players have that kind of range. He has struggled woefully at times, leading him to lose his status, and he’s risen above all those challenges to redefine his game and win in his mid-40s. More than anything, Glover will be the only pro golfer this year to win an election voted on by the membership, and that means something. On the surface, he seems to represent something a lot of pros care about.
But it’s also not hard to wonder what mindset Glover will bring to Tour governance. He sees the pro golf world in a certain way — and isn’t afraid to say so, evidenced by his musings on his Sirius XM Radio show — and that doesn’t always align with how other board members see the pro golf world.
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One easy point of criticism is that Glover has, at times, talked loudly while acknowledging he doesn’t know all the facts. Sixteen months ago he suggested you need a “Nobel math scholar” to understand the FedEx Cup Fall. While we can respect the call for simplicity, you don’t need to master calculus, trigonometry or anything above Algebra 101 to understand FedEx Cup points, particularly if they hold the importance of retaining your job.
In August 2023, in an interview with Golfweek, Glover called the PAC “useless” and said the Tour’s slimming down of its playoff positions was a “contrived” and “silly” move. He was open with his opinions, and plenty of his peers loved him for it, but at times showed a lack of commitment to understanding the fine print.
He said the Tour “couldn’t continue down the road” it was going financially and needed to make changes as it tried to compete with the well-bankrolled and “inevitable” LIV Golf. But then, just a few months later, speaking with Golfweek again, he said, “I’ve yet to figure out what’s so bad out here that we had to do all the things we’ve done”; he was referring to limited-field Signature Events. Glover’s interviews, while revealing, often suggested problems without offering solutions.
A month after investors wrote a $1.5 billion check to the Tour and formed the entity known as PGA Tour Enterprises, immediately granting players like Glover multi-million-dollar ownership equity in its future, Glover had yet to watch any of the informational videos the Tour made for players to better understand the program.
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At that time (and often since) he has begrudged the idea of LIV players returning to the Tour, starting one such rant with, “Now that we have a second entity, PGA Tour Enterprises or whatever it’s called…”
That was 2024, and this is now, when LIV golfers have come back, a decision green-lit by members of PGA Tour Enterprises. Over that time, it would appear Glover has warmed, if only slightly, to the Tour’s new path. This week, in yet another interview with Golfweek, Glover said he’s now inspired to represent his fellow pros. He says he’s matured and admitted, “I don’t know how any of this stuff works yet. I’m picking guys’ brains and trying to figure out what’s what. Before I form any opinions, I want to get as much info as I can.”
The PAC chairman often gets to observe the Tour’s boards in the year before he assumes a seat, but, in Glover’s case, plenty of what he stands for already has been displayed in interviews and radio hits from recent years: an affection for the Tour’s traditional structures and rituals.
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He loves Innisbrook, for example, the course that hosts the Valspar, which isn’t exactly a course (or tournament) of preference for the Tour’s future schedule. Glover called it the best Tour course in Florida.
Glover’s last few years have allowed him to, at times, plan his playing schedule with certainty months in advance. He knows how valuable that can be, and how uncomfortable life can get without those assurances. A mistake, at this point, would be suggesting alterations to the Tour wouldn’t guarantee that predictability. If anything, a trimmed-down Tour — in regards to membership and events — would bifurcate a true PGA Tour and PG(B) Tour, creating more predictable schedules for all.
Glover’s schedule — and press conferences at the John Deere Classic, for example — suggests he believes in a sense of loyalty between player and tournament, and he clearly believes in the value of winner’s exemptions. That issue is one of the trickiest corners of the Tour’s future. Tournament winners receive a lot of benefits, some that extend for years, regardless of a player’s form. Can those benefits live forever on a Tour examining every piece of its competitive model? Probably not at the going rate.
Then there are the sponsor exemptions that seem to unfairly benefit the same few players, and the case of 62-year-old Vijay Singh, who raised eyebrows when he used a career exemption to compete in the Sony Open — and made the cut. Other sports simply don’t allow for a pro twice the age of its core membership to punch in when he or she pleases. Pro golf is different, but that doesn’t always make it edge-of-your-seat compelling or commercially viable. Pro golfers largely respect tradition, but business minds, including the Tour’s new CEO, rarely bind themselves to it.
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Which group will Glover fall into? We’ll find out soon enough. He just has some homework to do first.
Zimbabwe players celebrate during the match against Sri Lanka during the T20 World Cup at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Getty Images)
TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: It was a three-and-a-half-hour party at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. The match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe was a dead rubber, but fans didn’t disappoint, nor did the 2026 T20 World Cup “underdogs” — Zimbabwe.There were around 30,000 Sri Lankans with drum bands in each of the stands cheering for the co-hosts. But there were also a handful of Zimbabwean fans clapping, shouting, dancing and making their presence felt whenever a Sri Lankan wicket fell or when Sikandar Raza tonked long sixes into the stands.
T20 World Cup | Zimbabwe assistant coach Dion Ebrahim on underdogs and shock wins
Zimbabwe’s 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Tadiwanashe Marumani says he has never played in front of such a big crowd. “It was really loud and that was my first experience actually. It was really exciting and a bit nerve-racking,” he told reporters in the ICC mixed zone after his team’s thumping six-wicket win over Sri Lanka.The atmosphere must have been intimidating for Zimbabwe cricketers, but they crossed the finish line. There was hardly any celebration after Brian Bennett hit the winning runs.“I don’t think anybody gave us a chance to be where we are. To win people’s hearts and earn their respect, it’s a wonderful position to be in,” Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said at the post-match presentation.Inspirational leader
Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza leads his team onto the field during the T20 World Cup cricket match against Sri Lanka in Colombo. (AP)
At the post-match presentation, Sikandar Raza told former Zimbabwe cricketer and commentator Pommie Mbangwa how everybody loves an underdog story.Zimbabwe had already defeated two previous champions, Australia and Sri Lanka, in the group stage. In the Super Eight, they will lock horns against two-time champions West Indies and India, and South Africa, the runners-up of the previous edition. Zimbabwe captain Raza calls his team underdogs, but by no means are they pushovers. They are gaining momentum and have a skipper who knows a thing or two about chasing against the odds.After humbling Sri Lanka, Raza vowed his side is not done; reaching the Super Eight is simply part of a larger goal to bring lasting recognition to cricket in his country.“If we can win two out of three games, who knows what can happen. Everyone loves an underdog story,” said Raza, oozing confidence after conquering Colombo.
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If we can win two out of three games, who knows what can happen. Everyone loves an underdog story
Sikandar Raza
In a professional career spanning close to two decades, the 39-year-old Raza has seen more dark days than shiny ones.Raza’s journey from Sialkot in Pakistan to Zimbabwe was far from straightforward. It took him through unexpected detours that included dreams of becoming a pilot and earning a degree in computing from a university in Glasgow, before cricket finally took centre stage after his family moved to Africa.After some sombre years in international cricket, followed by a life-threatening bone marrow infection in 2021, the all-rounder, now in the twilight of his career, has reinvented himself as a bonafide globetrotter across T20 leagues worldwide.For Marumani, Raza is an inspirational figure whom everyone looks up to. “A person like Raz in our changing room, who’s played all around the world, who’s played more franchise leagues and who’s been in different changing rooms, I think that experience and that inspiration coming from him has played a really big role for everyone in our changing room,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s Graeme Cremer, left, celebrates with captain Sikandar Raza the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
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Meanwhile, Zimbabwe assistant coach Dion Ebrahim suggests the squad and coaching staff are in the presence of brilliance with Raza around.“He is a global superstar. He is up there with the greats and he will go down as one of the greats. I’m personally pleased to be in the presence of brilliance,” he said.When coaxed on what Raza brings to the dressing room, the former player added: “He brings all those superlatives. You could say the inspiration, the motivation, the passion. But what he does consistently is lead through his actions. He’s vocal in the dressing room, but people follow him because of the brilliance he performs with and his level of intensity. He is meticulous in how he prepares and consistently tries to improve, and I think that’s what keeps him going at the level he’s operating at.”David vs Goliath
India and Zimbabwe cricket team (Agency Image)
In a week’s time, Zimbabwe will be up against favourites India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.“I think rankings and every other measurement will state us as the underdogs, which is perfectly fine. When we came into the World Cup this year, we were definitely the underdogs in the group, and it’s a place we like to operate in,” said Ebrahim.“The advantage of being underdogs is that we go into these games with very little pressure, while most of it sits with India, playing at home, in familiar conditions, in a format they have grown stronger in over time.“Our biggest challenge will be ensuring we are not overwhelmed by the occasion, the crowd or the atmosphere, especially when India inevitably gain momentum. The confidence from today’s win, where we wrestled back momentum multiple times in front of a strong Sri Lankan crowd, helps.“In terms of preparation and planning, we are comfortable that we have ticked the right boxes. T20 is a fickle format, often decided by a moment or two. We just need to keep performing at the level we know we are capable of, as we have over the last three games,” said the batting coach.The fall and the rise of Zimbabwe cricket
Zimbabwe’s players celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Ben Dwarshuis during the T20 World Cup cricket match. (AP/PTI)
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After missing out on the previous T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean, Zimbabwe were forced into sub-regional qualifiers against teams such as Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles and Gambia. Defeats to Namibia and Uganda at the African finals in 2023 meant the world’s 11th-ranked side became the only Test nation to miss the 2024 event, pushing them to restart their next qualification cycle from the bottom in Kenya.Australia, as joint hosts with New Zealand, are assured of a place at the 2028 T20 World Cup despite an early exit this year, their first group-stage elimination since 2009. Zimbabwe, in contrast, have already sealed qualification for 2028 by knocking Australia out and reaching the Super Eight, completing a remarkable turnaround after years of navigating the hard way through qualifiers.Zimbabwe’s history at major ICC tournaments has been a rollercoaster. It dates back to their maiden 50-over World Cup appearance in 1983, when they announced themselves on the global stage by stunning Australia by 13 runs in the nation’s first-ever ODI.More recently, Zimbabwe’s struggles at major tournaments have been stark. They failed to qualify for the 10-team ODI World Cup in England in 2019 for the first time in 36 years after losing to the UAE at a global qualifier hosted at home. The setbacks continued as they missed the 2021 T20 World Cup following an ICC suspension over government interference, and then fell short again in the qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup in India after home defeats to Sri Lanka and Scotland.
Zimbabwe stunned Pakistan by one run in the 2022 T20 World Cup. (PTI)
There were brief highs. Zimbabwe reached the Super Eight stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup for the first time and stunned Pakistan by one run in Perth. But a shock five-wicket loss to Uganda in 2023 marked a new low. Sikandar Raza later said that humiliation triggered a shift in mindset, setting Zimbabwe on a new path that has now delivered their best showing at a major tournament since 1999, when they beat India and South Africa.“I remember when we were told that we had to play the sub-regional Qualifier B in Kenya,” Raza said after his side secured their spot in the Super Eight with a washout against Ireland on Tuesday.“I remember sitting down with the squad and saying either we feel sorry for ourselves and be ashamed or understand the reality. The reality was that it was because of us that we were in this mess and only we could get ourselves out of it. We got together and worked towards a singular goal, which was to win the qualifiers, get to the World Cup and then write our own history and story.“We all sat down and laid out a plan. Along the way, we knew we would have bad games and that a lot of criticism would come our way. But if we stayed true to our plan, kept trusting each other and created a better culture and environment for the team to thrive in, we would be fine. To see the results after almost two years is certainly very pleasing.”
Jonny Clayton described as a “great honour” his impressive victory on night three of the BetMGM Premier League season in Glasgow.
In his quarter-final Clayton beat Gerwyn Price 6-3 – ending a run of 10 straight defeats against his fellow Welshman – then thrashed world champion Luke Littler 6-1, after the 19-year-old went straight into the semi-final due to the absence of Michael van Gerwen, who missed out due to illness.
Clayton was again in fine form in the final, comprehensively beating 23-year-old Dutchman Gian van Veen – playing in his second final in three weeks – 6-2 with a magnificent 156 checkout to go top of the table with nine points.
The 51-year-old said: “Yeah, it’s a great honour to win one of these nights against these players.
“The first job was trying to get Gerwyn out…that little thing of losing to him 10 times. That was a big relief really because I’ve had a few chances against him before, but not taken them.
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“It was nice to get that monkey off my back. It really was.
“You think, how do I beat him? I need to take my chances, what do I do to do this?
“So tonight it worked for me, I was quite solid against him and it was just my night and I am chuffed to bits with that. So tonight I took my chances and it just got better.
“I didn’t expect to beat the best darts player on the planet 6-1 and then to beat Gian in the end, you know, it’s my night. It’s my night, and that’s all that counts.
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“I was nervous in that first game against Gerwyn, Luke didn’t play to his best but I took my chances and that is the game of darts.
“You need a bit of luck. Obviously you need to play well but if he doesn’t hit and I do, then the ball’s in my court and that’s what happened tonight.
“It put a smile on my face.”
Littler was blown away by Clayton in a one-sided last-four clash after levelling to make it 1-1.
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In his quarter-final Clayton raced into a 2-0 lead over Price and kept his nose in front at 3-1, 4-2 and 5-3 before clinching it 6-3.
In the first semi-final, van Veen came from 3-1 down to beat reigning champion Luke Humphries 6-5 in a thrilling encounter.
Humphries led 1-0, 3-1 and 4-2 but van Veen kept chasing. Humphries missed the bull for 5-3 which allowed van Veen to draw level at 4-4 then hit a double 14 at the second attempt to go 5-4 ahead. Humphries levelled but van Veen came through in the end.
In his quarter-final, van Veen averaged over 104 to beat Stephen Bunting 6-3. Humphries had shown his class in his opener to win 6-2 against Northern Irishman Josh Rock.
Shakur Stevenson was stripped of his WBC lightweight world title two weeks ago, but he may still return to the division.
Stevenson schooled Teofimo Lopez in New York to get his hands on the WBO super-lightweight world title and simultaneously become the third-youngest four-division world champion in boxing history.
In an interview with FightHype.com, WBC super-featherweight ruler O’Shaquie Foster proposed an offer to pay Stevenson’s fee in order for the WBC to reinstate Stevenson as their champion, but only if Stevenson is willing to give him an immediate shot at the throne.
“It is most definitely the fight that I want and that is the fight that I am trying to actively make. So, as you know, he got stripped because he didn’t want to pay the sanctioning fee.
“So, we sent them an offer, I gave him my offer – that I would pay the sanctioning fee, the $100,000 that he didn’t want to pay for the last fight. He gets reinstated as the WBC champion at 135lbs, but he has to fight me next.
“That is the offer. I will take care of the fee, but he has got to fight me next. We are waiting, we will just see if he takes it, it is a great offer.”
Of course, the sanctioning body has the final word on whether late payment of the sanctioning fee would result in the reinstatement of Stevenson as their lightweight champion, and Stevenson himself seems to have held a grudge for how things unfolded, meaning he may actively avoid competing for any WBC belts in future. A fight with Foster does intrigue him however, mainly due to bad blood from past comments.
Woods told the story on Tuesday in a press conference ahead of this week’s Genesis Invitational, an event in which he’s the host. Woods knows Riviera well. He made his first PGA Tour appearance at the Los Angeles course, as a 16-year-old at the 1992 L.A. Open. (If you’re curious, Woods shot rounds of 72 and 75 and missed the cut by six shots.) Before that, he attended the tournament with his dad, Earl.
It was in that stretch, Woods said, where he first heard some words.
“Banter back and forth between the pros and the gallery,” he said.
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In retelling the scene, Woods then said he had “kind of a cool story.” It came at one L.A. Open, as Woods said he was watching the action on the 8th green.
“And this golf ball comes slamming in there,” he said, “I go running over to it, and it’s a Ram golf ball. I’ve never heard of Ram. What is Ram? I’m 8 years old, right?
“So I go running over there, and I’m just looking at it, and this caddie just pushes me out of the way. ‘Kid, get out of the way.’
“I look up, and I don’t know who he is at that time, and later find out it was Bruce Edwards caddying for Tom Watson. So I used to give him a lot of grief about that.
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“He said, ‘Yeah, you were in the way.’”
Woods then laughed.
Only at Riv.
“For me, that’s part of the neat things being here at Riv,” he said, “being able to go back in time as a kid.”
Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) throws a pass during the 2023 NFL Pro Day at the Condron Family Indoor Practice Facility in Gainesville, Florida, on March 30, 2023. Silhouetted against a large window, Richardson showcases his arm talent while representatives from multiple NFL teams evaluate his performance. Mandatory Credit: Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK.
After a Minnesota Vikings win in 2024, head coach Kevin O’Connell greeted Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson at midfield, telling him to keep his chin up after a recent demotion. A year and a half later, Richardson has been suggested as the Vikings’ big offseason quarterback addition.
Richardson remains a volatile bet, but Minnesota’s QB situation keeps his name in the conversation as a swing-for-upside option.
Minnesota will add another quarterback next to J.J. McCarthy in the coming weeks, and according to Bleacher Report, the Vikings should be on a shortlist for a Richardson trade.
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Richardson Talk Lingers as Vikings QB Board Widens
BR’s Alex Kay sized up four destinations for Richardson, and in addition to the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota got a nod.
He wrote, “After going 14-3 with Sam Darnold at the helm in 2024, the Minnesota Vikings could be in the market for another rehabilitation project. Richardson would fit the bill as a promising talent who hasn’t come close to meeting the lofty expectations set by his first-round draft position.”
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“While Minnesota will be working to build up J.J. McCarthy after a rough sophomore campaign, the No. 10 overall pick in 2024 has proved to be injury-prone early in his NFL career. He already missed his entire rookie season and seven games in 2025, making quarterback depth a priority this offseason.”
Richardson isn’t a dream fit for the Vikings’ current offense, but he does have the raw tools to mature into a long-term QB1 if nurtured properly.
Kay added, “O’Connell seems to believe Richardson has real potential to develop into a superstar despite the rough start to his career. After his Vikings bested the Colts midway through the 2024 season — a game Richardson spent on the bench backing up Joe Flacco — O’Connell went out of his way to heap praise upon the young QB.”
“Richardson could do far worse than landing in the Twin Cities this offseason. He’ll have a fantastic opportunity to develop his game and could even end up starting if McCarthy goes down with another injury in 2026.”
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The IND Experiment Winding Down
Last offseason, the Vikings attempted to re-sign Daniel Jones, but he preferred the Colts as his free-agent destination because he figured he could win a starting job there over Richardson, while McCarthy felt like the preordained starter. Ultimately, Jones was correct.
He toppled Richardson somewhat easily during training camp and in the preseason, paving the way for Jones as the unabashed QB1, which he rewarded the Colts by starting the 2025 season white-hot.
Jones would later tear his Achilles tendon, but Richardson was battling an injury, too, so the Colts had to scramble and wound up mind-bogglingly signing Philip Rivers, who hadn’t played football in five years.
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Every Colts quarterback outcome in 2025 involved a quarterback not named Anthony Richardson. Therefore, it feels like he’s the odd man out and must head elsewhere.
Just Another Version of McCarthy?
The problem with a Vikings trade for Richardson? He has two shortcomings: his performance shows extreme flashes of brilliance, followed by woeful inconsistencies. He also can’t stay healthy.
Does that sound familiar? It should — those are McCarthy’s bugaboos through two seasons. Finding a way to obtain Richardson would feel like onboarding another version of McCarthy. That is — he might eventually become consistent if he can stay healthy, but no one knows if either will occur.
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Sep 7, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) loosens up during pregame warmups at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sep 7, 2025, ahead of a matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Richardson prepared for another season under center as Indianapolis opened its 2025 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Kay also noted on Richardson to Minnesota, “O’Connell is considered one of the league’s premier quarterback whisperers, coaxing some truly impressive seasons out of Pro Bowlers like Kirk Cousins and Matt Stafford in addition to maximizing the talents of written-off or unheralded talent such as Darnold and Josh Dobbs.”
“Daniel Jones, the passer who edged out Richardson for Indianapolis’ starting job last year, said the handful of months spent in Minnesota with O’Connell ‘made a big impression’ on him.”
Other Trade Options
Of course, Richardson isn’t the only trade option for the 2026 Vikings. If one assumes that established quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, and Dak Prescott are not for sale — why would those players’ teams trade them? — a realistic list might look like this:
Derek Carr
Mac Jones
Drew Lock
Jalen Milroe
Jameis Winston
Justin Fields
Will Levis
Davis Mills
Kyler Murray
Spencer Rattler
Minnesota would also explore Malik Willis’s free agency; he’s the QB2 for the Packers, who is on the cusp of netting a handsome free-agent contract, with hopes of breaking out big in 2026.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addresses media members during OTAs at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota, in 2025. O’Connell, hired in 2022, has steered the franchise to one of the league’s better records through the 2024 season. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
Any Vikings trade for a quarterback like Richardson can happen at anytime. The team doesn’t have to wait until free agency begins on March 9th.
Richardson will turn 24 in May. Youth is his friend.
On a day which many expected to be dominated by one teenager, it was a different, former teen star with a very different story who took centre stage, winning Olympic gold with a dazzling performance at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
Self-styled ‘alt girl’ Alysa Liu – a charismatic former teen star who retired from the sport after burning out before rediscovering her love of skating and returning to competition – set the stadium alight with her distinctive loose, free-flowing style and glitzy Donna Summer routine.
Team gold medallist Ilia Malinin, another to bear the weight of expectation, was among those to cheer on his fellow world champion, who jumped for joy and beamed as she left the ice.
The 20-year-old set a season’s best of 150.20 points – nearly four points clear of her previous best – to lay down a marker to the final two skaters to go.
Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan missed a major combination, which cost her significant points in an otherwise powerful and elegant routine to an Edith Piaf medley.
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The 25-year-old, competing in her final Olympics before retirement, waved to the crowd but was in tears as she entered the aptly named kiss and cry, knowing it wasn’t enough for gold.
Sakamoto finished just shy of two points behind Liu, while 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai, competing in her first Olympic Games, produced a peerless short programme and nearly matched that by finishing third overall on Thursday.
The teenager beamed as she took to the ice and the smile rarely left her face as she floated through a lyrical and beautifully executed programme – barring one underrotated jump – to take bronze.
She looked on the verge of tears of joy as Liu hugged her when her final score came in. “I love you both,” Liu said, the picture of happiness.
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Liu has no triple axel and no quad jump in this routine, but her sheer vivacity and joy of skating shone through in a performance as glittering as her sparkling gold dress.
It was a far cry from the world of Russian teenager Adeliia Petrosian, who had been the one to dominate the build-up to this Olympic Games. But the 18-year-old finished well down in sixth overall.
Liu embraced bronze medallist Ami Nakai of Japan (Getty Images)
Petrosian’s very presence struck at the heart of a problem which has once again taken centre stage at the Olympic Games.
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In four years’ time Petrosian may be able to compete under the Russian flag, without any pretence of representing nowhere in particular. The IOC has made noticeable overtures towards Russia in recent weeks; separately, the Paralympics have allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags in just a few weeks time, much to the disapproval of hosts Italy.
Petrosian was widely expected to be the first ‘neutral athlete’ to win a medal, although earlier on Thursday Nikita Filippov took that dubious honour with a silver in ski mountaineering. Petrosian winning another was not out of the question, despite a short programme many believed was over-marked.
The 18-year-old has largely been shielded from the world; the only notice many had of her potential was in the ‘Skate to Milano’ qualifying event she won prior to the Games.
How she is welcomed by the figure skating world may be telling in the ongoing saga of where Russia finds itself in international sport in the coming years.
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Petrosian is coached by the highly controversial Eteri Tutberidze, who achieved notoriety for publicly berating 15-year-old Kamila Valieva after she fell several times in her free skate in Beijing four years ago, days after the news of her positive doping test came to light.
Japan’s three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto took silver in her final Olympic Games (Getty Images)
Tutberidze was found not guilty by Wada and avoided any sanction over the Valieva doping affair, and was granted accreditation for this Olympics as a coach of Georgian skater Nika Egadze.
Wada president Witold Banka said earlier this month that Tutberidze’s presence made him “uncomfortable”, but the coach was approved nevertheless.
But she has been spotted at the 18-year-old’s practice sessions and has been loud about skirting around the regulations: she said in a documentary featuring pre-Olympics qualifying competitions: “I specifically moved away so that we wouldn’t cross paths anywhere, because they were really watching us.”
Her influence is all over Petrosian’s routines, from the non-traditional jumping technique, to the high-kicks and ragged transitions between sequences.
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Liu’s free-spirited performance wowed the crowd and the judges (Getty Images)
Petrosian’s free skate was an improvement on a somewhat spiky short programme, aside from a fall on an under-rotated quad loop – the only quad any skater has attempted in the competition.
She fell repeatedly on the quad in practice and if rumours of a groin injury are true, perhaps it would have been the correct call from her coaching team – whatever it may be officially or unofficially composed of – to suggest she avoid it.
So it was for the better, for reasons both political and psychological, that Petrosian failed to make the podium on Thursday night: a win for less damaging methods of coaching, and for wider sport.
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US national champion Amber Glenn made up for a heavily penalised mistake in her short programme – a triple jump that was awarded zero points as it was downgraded to a double – with an excellent free programme, bar a hand down on a triple loop.
Petrosian did not react as her score came in (Getty Images)
Glenn stood up and applauded for several of the competitors to go after her; it was interesting that she only smiled and blinked knowingly at the camera as the camera panned to her after Petrosian’s skate. The teenager went into second, less than four-tenths behind Glenn, but remained stone-faced as the scores came in.
Glenn was to finish just off the podium in fifth, with her compatriot Liu winning an individual gold to go with the USA’s overall team gold from last week.
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Liu is the reigning world champion and among ice skating’s biggest stars. She retired at 16 – a similar age to when many of Tutberidze’s stars retire – after falling out of love with the sport and the restrictive nature of her training.
But a few years later she returned, having taken time away to be a regular teenager, going on holiday, learning to drive, spending time with her friends. By the time she came back to the ice she had reclaimed her agency and taken control of her own skating, from the costumes she wore to the way she approached the sport. “I’m older and I’ve learned so many lessons. I’m so much better at protecting my peace and knowing why I do the things I do,” she said last autumn.
As Liu jumped around and celebrated in Milan on Thursday, it was hard to argue that this wasn’t a victory for skating as it should be.
KMK Academy graduate Handsome Alexander has signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a three-year deal with Armenian club FC Ararat, marking a major milestone in his young career.
The move comes after years of hard work and steady development at KMK Academy, where he was nurtured and prepared for the professional stage.
Taking to social media, KMK Academy confirmed the transfer and praised the player’s progress. The academy wrote:
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“ BIG NEWS!
Our very own Handsome Alexander has officially signed his first professional contract — a 3-year deal with FC Ararat.
From the training ground to the professional stage… this is what hard work, discipline, and belief can achieve.
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We are incredibly proud of your growth, your commitment, and the hunger you’ve shown every single day. This is just the beginning of something special.
Armenia today. Greater heights tomorrow.
Join us in congratulating Handsome in the comments.”
Alexander is expected to begin his professional journey in Armenia, with hopes of reaching greater heights in the future.
Ace jockey Tommy Berry is convinced a Queensland summer jaunt has realigned the formerly difficult Ninja, and he’s backing the gelding to hold his own against premier three-year-olds at Rosehill.
From a handy draw and armed with fresh legs, Berry hopes his partner can pounce.
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“Even though it’s a quality field with horses like Attica and Autumn Boy, they’re probably going to get back with the barriers they’ve drawn and be better suited when they get to the mile and further,” Berry said.
“He’s at a distance he’s proven to be good at in the past and if he can’t perform against them on Saturday, then he’s going to struggle to go to the Randwick Guineas against them.
“It’s a good test for him but one that we think he’s well and truly up to.”
One of the fresh faces is Shangri La Boy, with co-trainer Adrian Bott keeping expectations grounded.
“I do think he’s meeting a couple who have a fitness advantage on him and have kicked off their campaigns already. Naturally, they will probably be a bit sharper over the 1400 metres,” Bott said.
“He will try to go through that path of the Guineas races and potentially onto a Derby. With that, there’s good improvement to come.”
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