Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson takes the field before kickoff against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, preparing for his regular-season debut as the franchise’s young signal-caller while fans fill the stadium for an AFC South matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jenna Watson-USA TODAY NETWORK.
NFL free agency is 16 days away, and many of the rumors in the Minnesota Vikings’ orbit will receive verdicts. Until then, the rumor mill continues, focusing this week on quarterback and — you guessed it — free agents.
Three Vikings rumors to track: Richardson as an upside swing, Hilton as a Flores fit, and McCarthy trade buzz rising.
An offseason is markedly more interesting when a football team doesn’t have an official general manager.
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The Purple Rumor Mill before the NFL Combine
A peek at the purple gossip for the week.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. delivers a throw during training camp on July 28, 2025, at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, working through drills as coaches evaluate timing, footwork, and arm strength ahead of the preseason while teammates cycle through reps in a competitive summer practice environment. Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
Rumor: Anthony Richardson is a serious trade option for the Vikings.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay mapped out four possible landing spots for Richardson, and alongside the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Vikings made the list.
He scribed, “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 doesn’t profile as a seamless fit in Kevin O’Connell’s current scheme, yet the physical upside remains obvious. The arm strength, mobility, and off-platform flashes still intrigue many.
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 scenario hinges on how aggressive Minnesota wants to be at quarterback. The Vikings may explore upside swings like Richardson if they don’t prefer a more experienced veteran passer. Will Levis falls in this category, too.
Rumor: Minnesota could target veteran corner Mike Hilton in free agency.
Pro Football Focus‘s Mason Cameron broke down ideal landing spots for the NFL’s top five free-agent cornerbacks this week, and Hilton somehow popped up as a fit for Minnesota. That raised some eyebrows, given Hilton isn’t typically grouped among the splashier names in this year’s class. Cameron, however, sees the Vikings as a natural fit. .
He wrote, “Best Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a reputation for running the most aggressive, blitz-heavy defenses in the NFL. That scheme requires multifaceted cornerback play, particularly in the slot, where the Vikings frequently deploy Byron Murphy Jr. Although talented, Murphy struggled inside in 2025, ranking in the sixth percentile in slot PFF coverage grade (49.3).”
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“Adding a full-time slot cornerback to better fill out the roster would allow Murphy to remain outside, where he’s far more effective. While Mike Hilton saw limited time on the field in 2025, his overall profile suggests he has far more to contribute in the right situation.”
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton reacts after a defensive stop in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, celebrating a turnover on downs during a tense late-game sequence that shifted momentum in a tightly contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports.
Hilton’s calling card has long been his willingness to attack. He thrives near the line of scrimmage and fits comfortably in pressure-heavy structures, which makes the Flores connection logical rather than surprising.
Cameron added, “Hilton could step in and man the slot role to a high level, evidenced by his 76.3 slot PFF coverage grade since the start of 2023 — the seventh-highest mark in the NFL over that span.”
“Additionally, the veteran cornerback could be used as a versatile weapon in blitz packages, as he has been in previous stops with the Bengals and Steelers, with whom he generated seven or more pressures in each full season of his career.”
Hilton, as a 2026 addition, would serve as a short-term stabilizer rather than a long-term solution. At 32, he’d be a steady presence who can solidify the slot and elevate pressure packages.
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But he’s not a long-term remedy.
Rumor: Per ESPN, J.J. McCarthy already needs a change of scenery.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz named a player from each team this week who needs a “change of scenery.” For Minnesota, Schatz picked McCarthy.
Schatz explained, “This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career.”
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“Yes, you want a young quarterback to be with an offensive mind such as Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell for the purposes of his development. However, things went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy last season that it might be best to get him out of the shadow of Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy embraces a fan following the game against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, sharing a postgame moment after a divisional battle as supporters linger near the tunnel to greet players exiting the field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
The only way to give McCarthy a chance of scenery right now — he has up to three years left of team control on his rookie deal — would be a trade, presumably one in which the Vikings package a player for a better quarterback.
Schatz’s idea is unlikely, but it’s not absolutely out of the realm of possibility.
Just Fine’s form has wavered since his initial Australian hat-trick of dominant wins.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott gets the impression the sparingly raced eight-year-old is about to rewind to peak condition this autumn.
Tulloch Lodge enters Just Fine, Hoo Ya Mal, and previous season’s Brisbane Cup winner Campaldino into Rosehill’s Group 3 Parramatta Cup (1900m) this Saturday, as Bott reminds punters to respect his chances.
“I feel he’s back to where we had him originally,” Bott said.
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“His last couple of trials have been encouraging. We’re pleased with him at home and in his work.
“Maybe out of our three, he seems the most forward, and the most suited by the race. Hopefully he can show that on his return.”
The Mornington Cup (2400m) in April marked Just Fine’s last run, well beaten, with Hoo Ya Mal likewise fresh off a long break.
With a 2022 English Derby second placing, Hoo Ya Mal’s standout Australian run was Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) runner-up status a year on, though Bott holds faith in the gelding’s ability.
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“The talent is there, but he’s a horse that does need a lot to go his way in the run,” he said.
“I want to see something from him first, but he’s got the potential to be very competitive in these types of races.”
First-up post his breakthrough Brisbane Cup (3200m) victory in June, ex-Kiwi Campaldino was trialled for spring but lacked sharpness.
Opting for extended rest, his connections eye autumn with the Sydney Cup (3200m) in view.
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“He showed enough potential for us to pursue him as a tried prospect out of New Zealand, and he went from strength to strength last campaign when he went through his grades nicely and finished up with a very good win in the Brisbane Cup,” Bott said.
“We might have to be a bit more negative from that draw, which will make the task more difficult for him, but he’s got a nice campaign ahead.”
Out in gate 14 of 14, Campaldino topped Tulloch Lodge betting at $7.50 midweek, Just Fine next at $9.50, Hoo Ya Mal $16.
The second edition of the Niger Delta Games has been officially declared open in Benin City, Edo State, with leaders calling for more investment in youths and women through sports.
The opening ceremony took place on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where Edo State’s culture and heritage were displayed in colourful fashion.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, said sports remain a strong tool for unity and empowerment. He praised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for sustaining the initiative and said his government is focused on developing people alongside infrastructure.
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“The maiden edition showed that when government provides the platform, youths will respond,” Tinubu said.
“Niger Delta youths are creative and ready to compete. Beyond medals and trophies, this game is about talent discovery. Nigeria must lead. Young talents must see sport as a pathway to career and global recognition.”
He added, “I must task the sponsors, NDDC, to expand its opportunities and invest in initiatives that empower the youths and women. Sports remained an instrument of unity and empowerment known to mankind.”
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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, announced a reward of N20 million for the winning state and N10 million for the runner-up. He said the games represent more than competition.
“The games are a powerful statement that the Niger Delta is not only defined by its resources, but also by its resilience, talent, and boundless human potential,” Okpebholo said.
“Through sports, discipline is taught. Through sports, character is built. Through sports, boundaries disappear.”
He urged athletes to compete with pride and integrity, adding, “You are the pride of the Niger Delta. You carry the dreams of millions of young people who look to you for inspiration.”
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NDDC Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, called on state governors to support the games and confirmed the commission’s commitment to continue sponsoring the event.
“This competition is aimed at the amateur. From here they will be professional. All athletes come from their respective states. Let us use what we have to groom our athletes,” Ogbuku said.
“This competition has come to stay. This is part of our intervention in sports.”
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Asuquo Ekenyoung, also promised National Assembly support for youth development and entrepreneurship initiatives.
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More than 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states are taking part in the seven-day sports festival, which is organised by Dunamis Icons and sponsored by the NDDC.
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic had 38 points and 11 assists, Austin Reaves added 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Los Angeles Clippers down the stretch for a 125-122 victory Friday night.
LeBron James had 13 points and 11 assists for the Lakers in their return from the All-Star break. They blew a 15-point lead in the second half, but Doncic scored 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers split the four-game season series with their crosstown rivals.
Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points before missing the final 5:10 with an apparent ankle injury for the Clippers (27-29), who fell just short of getting back to .500 in incredible fashion after their 6-21 start to the season.
Bennedict Mathurin had 26 points and seven rebounds in his second straight outstanding game for his new team before fouling out with 1:49 to play. The athletic guard acquired from Indiana for center Ivica Zubac dropped a career-high-tying 38 against Denver on Thursday.
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Derrick Jones Jr. scored on consecutive possessions to trim the Lakers’ lead to 123-120 with 46 seconds left. Nicolas Batum then stole James’ pass in the final seconds, but the Frenchman missed a tying three-point attempt with four seconds left.
Doncic, James and Reaves were able to play together for only the 11th time in the Lakers’ 55 games this season, thanks to a rare moment of full health for the Lakers coming out of the break. They responded with a prolific offensive performance, even while James managed just two points in the second half.
In Doncic’s return from a four-game absence followed by a five-minute All-Star Game appearance due to a mildly strained hamstring, the Slovenian superstar scored 17 points with four 3-pointers in a dynamic first quarter for the Lakers, who made 16 of 17 shots in one stretch.
Leonard, who had just one bucket in the first, answered with a 19-point second.
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The Clippers’ John Collins was helped off the court with 18 seconds left in the first half after he bloodied his face on a hard landing while trying to catch a long pass at the rim.
Igor Tudor has acknowledged Tottenham are in an “emergency situation” but believes the quality of the squad can steer them clear of Premier League relegation worries.
Tudor faced the media for the first time on Friday and fielded questions on Spurs’ precarious league position, a hefty injury list and the daunting prospect of a managerial debut in a north London derby against Arsenal.
The 47-year-old is no stranger to a crisis situation after taking over at Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in difficult moments and was defiant before his maiden Premier League match on Sunday.
“Style of play comes from pre-season when you have 50 days and you have 20 players. Of course when you have the style, very concrete, but now this is an emergency,” Tudor pointed out after he declared to be “100 per cent” confident of survival.
“An emergency situation when you need to find fast what suits the 10 (outfield) plus three players and it’s totally different.
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“You have to go day by day, week by week.
“Let’s see what we can do. If you ask me what we are going to see on Sunday? Then I believe something concrete, good that the people will like, but it’s also about working, doing your best and then you will see on Sunday.”
Igor Tudor will take charge of his first Tottenham match in Sunday’s north London derby with Arsenal (Will Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)
Arsenal are favourites to win a first league title since 2004, but even if they had not been the most dominant team in the division, this would still be one of the most difficult fixtures for a new Spurs head coach to make his debut in.
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Yet Tudor pushed back by saying: “Is it a good time to play against Arsenal at home? It’s always a good time to play against Arsenal at home.
“Good if you are not in a good moment, of course. If you are not in a good moment, of course, so let’s go.
“We respect them but we play at home. Let’s see what will happen. We need to have courage, confidence. We have good players, they have good players, so let’s see what will happen.
“Be humble but brave, intelligent. The right things to do to put in the pitch. We play at home, eh?”
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This is Tudor’s 12th different managerial role since he started out at Hajduk in 2013, but he bristled at the suggestion of sampling life in London during his time off over their next three months.
The former Croatia centre-back was also quizzed on the meaning of the term ‘Spursy’ and claimed to “never heard” of the popular social-media phrase.
While the task at hand is sizeable given Tottenham have won only two of their last 17 league fixtures, Tudor’s belief was unwavering.
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“I come here not to visit the city, I have come here to make a job at a very difficult moment for this club,” Tudor insisted.
“What I saw this week is the quality of the player, we have enormous quality in the players even though some of them are not with us, but they will come back.
“On Sunday we will have 13 good players. It’s about that.”
The Lindsay Park-trained Evaporate remains without a Group 1 win to date, but his handlers are convinced that top-tier glory awaits the four-year-old soon.
Ben, Will and J D Hayes have the galloper primed for an autumn opener in Saturday’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Evaporate is a more seasoned athlete this preparation, as per Ben Hayes, setting him up nicely for what lies ahead.
He boasts five prior Group 1 runs, achieving podium finishes thrice: third in the Caulfield Guineas, second place in the Toorak Handicap, and third most recently in the C F Orr Stakes behind Jimmysstar.
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In his younger days as a three-year-old, Lindsay Park entered him in the Cox Plate, where Via Sistina beat him comprehensively, and he ran fourth behind Mr Brightside in last year’s Futurity Stakes before heading overseas to New Zealand.
Following the Orr placing, Evaporate took a quick spell before the customary Lindsay Park two jump-outs leading into Saturday.
“I think he’s trialled up very well this time around,” Hayes said.
“What we really like is he seems a lot more relaxed and has shown us a really good turn of foot in both his jump-outs and his work at home.
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He’s a horse that has always shown us above average ability and it’s a race he can run very well in.
“He has already shown that he is capable at weight-for-age before and he’s a more hardened horse now.”
Co-trainer Hayes sees Evaporate tougher now, but Treasurethe Moment represents a tough hurdle on Saturday.
She resumed victorious in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes last spring, at Caulfield over 1400m, upsetting Mr Brightside.
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“It would be nice to get that Group 1 on his CV,” Hayes said of Evaporate.
“He’s a Group 1 horse, but we’re going to run into a horse like Treasurethe Moment who was amazing last spring campaign.
“But I think we’ve improved, which we have to, to beat her.”
Joni Taylor is the 2026 recipient of the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award. The Texas A&M women’s basketball coach received the award after a unanimous vote from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley took to X to give Taylor her flowers.
“@CoachJoniTaylor, there’s not a big enough bouquet of flowers to celebrate you for who you are and what you represent to us! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Much deserved!” Staley wrote.
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Joni Taylor started her coaching career as an assistant at Troy. She took up the job shortly after graduating from Alabama, where she starred as a power forward and center.
Taylor had other stints as an assistant, namely with Louisiana Tech, Alabama, LSU and Georgia. She became the Georgia Bulldogs coach in April 2015. Taylor spent seven seasons in the role, posting winning records each year.
Taylor became the Texas A&M coach on March 23, 2022. She’s looking to guide the program to success in the uber-competitive SEC. The Aggies are currently 11-11 (4-9) in the 2025-26 season. They’re fresh off an 82-74 win against the No. 21-ranked Tennessee Vols, and their next game is against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Dawn Staley and Joni Taylor made history in 2021
History was made at the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Georgia Bulldogs. That game was the first time two Black women head coaches met in a Power Five conference tournament championship.
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Dawn Staley coached the Gamecocks to a win over Joni Taylor’s Bulldogs. The duo embraced before and after the showdown.
“You can’t dream what you can’t see,” said Taylor after the game.
“So (the SEC title game) was a chance for people to dream something that they haven’t seen before.”
Taylor has since taken her talent to Texas A&M, while Staley remains South Carolina’s coach. The latter is vying for a winning season, while the latter is aiming for yet another national championship to add to an impressive haul.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in on the controversy over the American-born Olympic skier Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China over the U.S.
During an interview on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” on Friday, Bessent suggested Gu “sold out” with her decision to compete for America’s greatest adversary, comparing her to billionaire Democrat donor George Soros.
“It was just like this young Olympic athlete that the Vice President was talking about earlier on the previous show. America was great to her, she sold out to China. America was great to Mr. Soros,” Bessent said.
Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China falls in the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Qualification 1 on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Air Park on Feb. 19, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Bessent referenced comments made by Vice President JD Vance in response to a question about Gu during a Tuesday interview on Fox News’ “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said on “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
“So, I’m going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for in this Olympics.”
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Gu responded to Vance’s comments on Thursday.
“I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” Gu said of Vance’s comments, per USA Today.
Gu was also asked if she currently feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics” after her competition on Thursday.
“I do,” she said, per USA Today. “So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.
“And also, because I win. Like if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”
Gu has previously said she was “physically assaulted” for her decision to represent China.
“The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed,” Gu told The Athletic. “I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever.”
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Gu has been the subject of global criticism since her decision to represent China dating back to the original decision in 2019, and her first Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022. This year, that criticism has ramped up, as she has won two silver medals and even responded to a question about President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Olympian Hunter Hess for being critical of the current state of America.
“I’m sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so unrelated to the spirit of the Games. It really runs contrary to everything the Olympics should be,” Gu told reporters Monday. “The whole point of sport is to bring people together… One of the very few common languages, that of the human body, that of the human spirit, the competitive spirit, the capacity to break not only records, but especially in our sport, literally the human limit. How wonderful is that?”
Gu also claimed she had been “caught in the crossfire” herself.
Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China poses for photos after the awarding ceremony of the freestyle skiing women’s freeski big air event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Wang Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
“As someone who has got caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,” Gu said. “I hope that they can ski to their very best.”
Gu will compete in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe final on Saturday after winning silvers in her first two events.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Cross-country skiing, biathlon and speedskating are on the docket for Olympic Morning on Day 15. Coverage starts on Saturday at 4:50 a.m. ET / 1:50 a.m. PT.
Welcome! Where are you, you ask. I’m calling this the Weekend 9. Think of it as a spot to warm up for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We’ll have thoughts. We’ll have tips. We’ll have tweets. But just nine in all, though sometimes maybe more and sometimes maybe less. As for who I am? The paragraphs below tell some of the story. I can be reached at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
“Golf is a game played by human beings. Therefore, it is a game of mistakes. Successful golfers know how to respond to mistakes.”
I’ve always liked that thought. It comes from “Golf Is Not A Perfect Game,” the well-read book from Dr. Bob Rotella, the famed sports psychologist. And over the past week, we saw some of that play out — from three golfers, interestingly. One rebound has been seen over the past few weeks. Another played out over a few years. The third, even longer.
What the struggle was: Slow starts. Two weeks ago at the WM Phoenix Open, Scheffler opened with a 73. Last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Scheffler opened with a 72. This week at the Genesis Invitational, more of the same — Scheffler shot a 74 in the first round.
What followed: At Phoenix, Scheffler tied for third, and at Pebble Beach, he tied for fourth. On Friday, he shot a second-round 68.
How he responded: Scheffler said he stayed calm. And calm is not panicking. And panicking is blowing things up.
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“I think these are some of the weeks when you look back,” Scheffler said Sunday, “I’m very proud of sticking with it, not giving up even when I felt like things were going against me this week. Just kept fighting, kept trying to hit shots, kept trying to execute.”
He added this, too: “Sometimes it’s just scoring stuff. Like we came around here the first round and I looked at Teddy [caddie Ted Scott] about the 15th, 16th hole and I feel like I’m doing kind of good and I’m 10 shots back. It’s a funny game. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes things don’t.”
Collin Morikawa’s two-plus-year winless drought
What the struggle was: Morikawa won the 2023 Zozo Championship. Then he searched for two-plus years.
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What followed: Morikawa won last week at Pebble.
How he responded: Morikawa said when he was young, he played golf. Then he got older, and he went fishing, looking for new methods. All of it was in good spirit — he wanted to win more. But one thought, he said, helped him win again: Just play golf, man.
“I think I’ve been trying to make golf so perfect trying to hit these shots and trying to make these putts in a certain way,” Morikawa said Sunday, “that maybe others are doing it that you forget how to play the game of golf.
“I think looking back when I was 10, 12, 15 growing up on Chevy Chase, playing 10 holes, dropping three balls, like I played golf.
“And I’ve gone so far away from that, that creativity that I think the last two days, I went to go play golf. I caught myself today even after the bogey on 5 — I was like, man, I love being in this position. Like I hadn’t felt that in such a long time. And you feel that in the team events, you feel that here and there, but I just told myself like, man, like it just felt so good to be in that position.
“And I knew when I was able to convince — not convince myself, but just talk to myself in my head that way that I was ready. Whether it went great or it didn’t go great, I was ready to go execute the shots, play golf and not worry about the wind, not worry about the rain, not worry about, man, if I make bogey on 8 and I go try and make pars on 9 and 10 — it was very in-the-moment stuff. But I think it all comes back to how you start the day. I started the day this morning telling myself, yeah, let’s go out and win this thing.”
Anthony Kim’s 12-year absence from golf
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What the struggle was: Anthony Kim returned to pro golf in 2024 following a 12-year absence. His last win came in 2010.
What followed: On Sunday at LIV Golf’s Adelaide event, Kim won.
How he responded: I learned this from my interview this week with Matt Killen, Kim’s swing coach. Much like Scheffler, they didn’t deviate from who he once was. They just worked to find that again. Ahead of an event in early January where Kim needed to finish in the top three in order to play another season with LIV, Killen and Kim had this conversation:
“I don’t think either one of us was like, ‘OK, I hope you play good.’ We were like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to go do this. Like, how are you going to do it?’ And he said he’s going to do it. And so then backtracking, like what shots do you need, how are you going to manage that, what information do we put in that is helpful but doesn’t take away the ability for him to be an athlete.
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“And what that means is letting subconscious take over. You don’t even think about positions or complex swing thoughts when you need to hole it. … You’ve got to play golf.”
Another instruction tip for your weekend
2. Let’s stick with instruction. I thought the video below (in the second slide), shot after Morikawa’s win, was good.
Another instruction tip for your weekend
3. I thought the video below was good. It came from the “All Square” show on SiriusXM, and it features GOLF Top 100 Teacher Adam Schriber — and a talk he once had with Michael Jordan.
One takeaway from the week that was
4. The 2024 Genesis was the last event Scheffler played with a blade putter — and he’s since gone on to win 14 PGA Tour events with a mallet, including three majors.
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Why has it helped him so much?
“So going to mallet where I don’t have to line the ball up,” Scheffler said, “and it gave me a better visual for what I wanted to see really just freed me up to where I don’t have to — I was never really a guy that was super good at, like — I don’t know if lining things up is the right word, but for me less is more typically.”
One takeaway for the weekend
5. Should you be looking for someone to watch this weekend, Njoroge Kibugu might be your player. The 22-year-old Kenyan will be playing in front of his home crowd at the DP World Tour’s Magical Kenya Open — and below are two videos showing how he made the cut:
Tony Johnstone’s description of the shot is good, too. “Oh, it’s heaven. You little beauty.”
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Five stories (!) that interest me
6. I thought this story here, which was first spotted by My Golf Spy’s Brittany Olizarowicz, was interesting. Written by 11 authors for the European Journal of Sport Science, it looks at riding a cart versus walking.
7. I also thought this story here, written by John Garlock of KTVO, was interesting. It explains why firefighters in northeast Missouri purposefully set a golf course on fire.
8. And I thought this story here, written by Maggie Kent of 6ABC, was interesting. It describes how a woman in Roxborough, Pa., said her house is being hit by golf balls, even though she doesn’t live by a golf course or driving range.
9. I thought this story here was interesting, too. Written by Marc Fortier of NBC Boston, it describes how a New Hampshire man was sentenced after fraudulently obtaining Covid relief funds and using them to buy a golf course.
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10. Let’s do 10 items! I also thought this story here was interesting. Written by Golf Business News, it describes the life of Jeremy Chapman, who recently died — and was once called the “Tiger Woods of golf tipsters.”
What golf is on TV this weekend?
11. Let’s do 11 items! Here’s a rundown of golf on TV this weekend:
In Dyche’s case, a dressing room can be lost very quickly, after succeeding Ange Postecoglou to become Forest’s third permanent manager this season.
Dyche’s reign went downhill after a good start, with BBC sources suggesting he struggled to bond with some players who questioned his methods and tactics, as he focused on the squad’s physicality.
Players’ opinions were also canvassed after defeat at Leeds United and they did not give Dyche their full backing.
So how quickly can a dressing room turn against a manager – and could it even happen before he steps through the door?
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Sutton said: “Players talk when a new manager comes in. Some players may have experienced that manager before, or there may have been fall-out. I think instant impact is important.
“Certain managers will go into a club and want to do things their own particular way. They may leave out a club legend who’s already there, or a strong character, then that person won’t be happy and might be influential in the dressing room.”
Murphy believes every manager gets a chance, but warned: “It can change within three or four games.
“It can happen after a few bad results and performances, when you feel like you’re really struggling, getting beaten heavily, not competing in games.
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“So maybe a month. One of the difficulties is when you have a dressing room where there is a little bit of pushback because some players are OK with the manager.
“This can become toxic as well because what you don’t want is a group of players who feel differently, because then you don’t have that cohesion and togetherness.
“But I would suggest when it starts going wrong it becomes a majority quite quickly.”
;)
