Whenever the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffer an unfavourable result in the Indian Premier League (IPL), owner Sanjiv Goenka inevitably becomes a focal point of social media discourse. Goenka, a man of undeniable passion for the sport, is often seen engaging in on-field conversations with his players. A recent exchange with captain Rishabh Pant immediately drew comparisons to his animated discussion with then-skipper KL Rahul during the 2024 season. After fans shared edited clips of the interaction with Pant online, it sparked a fresh wave of controversy. In an exclusive interview with NDTV’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal in “Walk The Talk”, Goenka opened up about becoming a “punching bag” for social media platforms seeking views through unjust narratives.

The “Scolding” Myth

Addressing the recent chat with Pant, Goenka clarified that the interaction was far from the “scolding” it was portrayed to be.

“Look, with a player like Rishabh, there is never a ‘daat’ (scolding) situation,” Goenka explained. “But on social media, even if Sanjiv Goenka moves his hands a certain way, it becomes breaking news. I’ve become a very convenient punching bag. If you run a headline saying ‘Sanjiv Goenka scolds his player,’ you get instant views.”

He emphasised that the public’s perception is often skewed by isolated moments. “People need to understand that one incident doesn’t define a person. We make mistakes, we learn, and we ensure we don’t repeat them. The dressing room is happy, and the environment is positive; these outside narratives aren’t actual issues.”

Goenka admitted that his natural communication style, specifically his hand gestures, has been repeatedly misinterpreted. This has reached a point where he is consciously trying to alter his physical presence during conversations.

“It’s funny how a simple gesture or hand movement outside the field becomes a national headline,” he remarked. “I am naturally someone who speaks with a lot of hand movements, but seeing how things get misinterpreted, I am now literally learning to keep my hands behind my back while talking!”

On Allegations of “Interference”

As a businessman leading a high-profile sports franchise, Goenka has frequently faced accusations of interfering in technical cricketing matters. He countered these suggestions by pointing out the illogical nature of such a move.

“How do I respond to critics who say I interfere? Honestly, for someone who has never played professional cricket, it would be foolish of me to tell my players how to play. I have a massive team of experts who handle the technical side of the game.”

While acknowledging his deep personal investment in the franchise’s success, he drew a firm line between passion and professional coaching.

“Yes, I am passionate about the team. I want them to succeed and do well, but I don’t understand the nuances of cricket the way an expert does. It would be completely out of place for me to give ‘cricketing lessons’ to professional athletes. My role is to support the team, not to coach them,” he asserted.

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Vikings Territory Breakdown

Next week is the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Vikings go into it with a number of picks (eight overall and four in the first two days) but no seasoned general manager to call the shots. Cap guru Rob Brezinski is the Vikings’ acting GM (and he has Matt Thomas to help shepherd the process), so we know little about how it might go. 

Will they trade up or back in the draft (as former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did in the past); will they stand pat and take the BPA (best player available); will they surprise fans and take a QB (very doubtful, but you never know); or will they strengthen the offensive and defensive lines, which will rank low on the “wow” meter?

It’s anyone’s guess what the team will do because the decision makers are new to the position. But it’s the job of the fellas at Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast—Joe Oberle, senior writer at vikingsterritory.com and purplePTSD.com and Mark Craig, NFL and Vikings writer for the Star Tribune and startribune.com—to speculate and postulate, regardless. And so we will.

This week on the podcast, we look at some mock drafts offering their latest best guesses, and even offer up what we think the Vikings might do. The Vikings are loaded with picks, and the roster still has plenty of needs. The future is wide open for the Purple and it begins with the draft next Thursday. Tune in here to see what that future might bring. Skol!

Listen to Vikings Territory Breakdown here or on you favorite podcast network.

Joe Oberle is a veteran sportswriter/editor/reporter and has covered the Vikings since 2008. The author of three books, he … More about Joe Oberle

There’s been a lot of twists and turns in the saga of quarterback Taylor Elgersma and the start of his football career, but for now, he will be a Winnipeg Blue Bomber. Elgersma, a U Sports product from Canada, got a shot with the Green Bay Packers, despite being a top CFL prospect, last offseason. Elgersma was let go by the Packers at the cutdown deadline and did not re-sign with the team’s practice squad, but he did receive several visits with other teams during the 2025 season.

This offseason, he signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and even practiced with the team leading up to their season, but he ultimately ended up back up north. He also threw at the 2026 scouting combine as an extra arm during the event, likely a last-chance opportunity to show his skills to NFL teams before deciding between the UFL and CFL.

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According to 3DownNation, Elgersma’s rookie contract with the CFL will take him through the 2028 season. Elgersma was taken 18th overall, a second-round pick, by the Bombers in 2025, with the hopes that he would eventually end back up in Canada. The Canadian scouting service ranked Elgersma as the 14th overall prospect in the 2025 CFL crop, behind just one other quarterback, Kurtis Rouke. Rouke was picked 25th, behind Elgersma, in part because he was drafted in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers that year. Rouke has yet to sign with a CFL team.

3DownNation also has stated that Elgerma’s work visa was an issue with him playing at the UFL level. To play in the league, he would have had to be an unpaid player

Now, the question is how quickly Elgersma will get on the field. At the moment, Winnipeg has Zach Collaros, Terry Wilson, Bryce Perkins, Payton Thorne and Chase Artopoeus under contract at the position. Canadian quarterbacks playing the position in the CFL are viewed as “ratio breakers,” as there are rules about how many non-Canadians can be on the field at one time. Generally, Americans play quarterback up north, so the fact that Elgersma can credibly line up under center could allow the Bombers to play another American elsewhere on the offense.

The Bombers also hold the rights to 11 other quarterbacks, according to their negotiation list, including the likes of Haynes King, Diego Pavia and Mark Gronowski, who are quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft class.

The NFL Draft is here, and the Fantasy landscape is about to change dramatically. Some draft picks will work in our favor, while others will cause chaos. It’s the same drill every season, and it’s fun to react to the rookies.

Prior to the NFL Draft, we have our wish list for each AFC West team — pros and cons — of what we want to see happen. While the obvious choice is upgraded offensive lines across the board, we won’t get into that here. We also want to avoid as many crowded backfields as possible.

Ultimately, we want situations that will make our Fantasy rosters better. Hopefully, that’s what will happen when the NFL Draft is done.

Denver

Picks: Round 2 (62 overall), Round 4 (108), Round 4 (111), Round 5 (170), Round 7 (246), Round 7 (256), Round 7 (257)
Team Needs: TE, LB, DL, IOL, OT, CB, S
Fantasy Want: Tight end
Fantasy Don’t Want: Wide receiver

The Broncos addressed two significant needs this offseason by trading for receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami and re-signing free agent running back JK Dobbins. The receiving corps is now loaded with talent with Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr., so no additions are needed there. I would draft Waddle in Round 4 in the majority of leagues, and Sutton is worth drafting in Round 6. Dobbins and RJ Harvey will share the workload in the backfield, and Harvey will likely need another Dobbins injury to maximize his Fantasy value, which is what happened last year. The earliest I would draft Harvey is Round 5, and Dobbins is worth drafting as early as Round 6. Tight end is the only potential area of need for the Broncos’ skill players after Evan Engram disappointed with his production in 2025. He’s also 31 and will be a free agent after this year, so finding his eventual replacement in the NFL Draft is a good idea.

Kansas City

Picks: Round 1 (9 overall), Round 1 (29), Round 2 (40), Round 3 (74), Round 4 (109), Round 5 (148), Round 5 (169), Round 5 (176), Round 6 (210)
Team Needs: CB, OT, S, DL, RB, EDGE, WR, TE
Fantasy Want: Running back depth
Fantasy Don’t Want: Wide receiver

Kansas City’s receiving corps is a little thin right now, with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy locked into the top two spots, and Tyquan Thornton is currently the No. 3 receiver. While the Chiefs will likely add someone to that group, I want to see Rice, Worthy and Travis Kelce get as many targets as possible, especially if Patrick Mahomes (knee) is healthy for Week 1. Rice is worth drafting as early as Round 2 in the majority of Fantasy leagues, and Worthy and Kelce should be mid-round selections. Kansas City can also try to find its tight end of the future since Kelce, 36, will likely retire after this season. I can also see the Chiefs adding another running back for depth behind Kenneth Walker III, and that rookie could be the handcuff to target with a late-round pick. While Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado have potential, I don’t see either one as a featured running back if Walker were to miss any time due to injury.

Los Angeles Chargers

Picks: Round 1 (22 overall), Round 2 (55), Round 3 (86), Round 4 (123), Round 6 (204)
Team Needs: IOL, DL, EDGE, LB, CB, S, WR
Fantasy Want: Wide receiver depth
Fantasy Don’t Want: Running back depth

I’m excited about the Chargers this season, and I like most of their personnel as is. The biggest thing for Los Angeles is keeping the offensive tackles healthy after Rashawn Slater (knee) and Joe Alt (ankle) missed most of the 2025 campaign. The addition of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is fantastic, and I expect Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton and Ladd McConkey to be Fantasy starters all season, while Quentin Johnston and Oronde Gadsden II offer sleeper appeal. I could see the Chargers looking to add another receiver, but I want to see what Tre Harris or KeAndre Lambert-Smith can do in an expanded role this season. Hopefully, the backfield remains as is with Hampton, Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell as the top three options. Hampton is one of my favorite breakout candidates for 2026, and Vidal proved capable of being a solid handcuff when Hampton missed time due to a foot injury as a rookie in 2025. Mitchell will also get touches, but I don’t want someone to mess with Hampton’s upside. He’s someone to target in Round 2 in all Fantasy leagues this year.

Las Vegas

Picks: Round 1 (1 overall), Round 2 (36), Round 3 (67), Round 4 (102), Round 4 (117), Round 4 (134), Round 5 (175), Round 6 (185), Round 6 (208), Round 7 (219)
Team Needs: QB, WR, CB, S, DL, IOL, RB, OT
Fantasy Want: Wide receiver
Fantasy Don’t Want: Tight end depth

The Raiders need a lot, starting with a quarterback, but we know they plan to select Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. He will hopefully become a starting Fantasy option sooner rather than later, but he’s only worth a late-round flier in one-quarterback leagues this season. Ashton Jeanty is a top-10 Fantasy running back, and he’s worth drafting as early as Round 2 in the majority of leagues. I wouldn’t be surprised if Las Vegas drafted his backup or at least someone to compete with Dylan Laube, so keep an eye on what happens there. Wide receiver could use an upgrade as well, even though the Raiders added Jalen Nailor as a free agent this offseason. The rest of the receiving corps is led by Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., so adding to that group is a priority. As it stands now, I wouldn’t plan to draft any of the Las Vegas receivers until Round 10 at the earliest, and Nailor would be the one to target first. Tight end is set for the Raiders with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, so no one else is worth adding in the NFL Draft. Bowers should be the TE2 in all Fantasy leagues behind Trey McBride, and I would draft Bowers toward the end of Round 2.

Ingle has come a long way since beginning her junior career with Vale Wanderers, a boys’ team in Barry.

She was forced to give up the sport when aged 12 because Football Association of Wales (FAW) rules meant she could no longer play with the boys.

Thankfully for Welsh football, Ingle returned to the pitch when her Vale Wanderers coach set up a girls’ team when she was 14.

She then played for Dinas Powys Ladies and Cardiff City Ladies before joining Chelsea for the first of two spells in 2012.

By that stage, Ingle was an established Wales international, having made her senior debut in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Azerbaijan three years earlier, only a matter of weeks after her 18th birthday.

Ward scored Wales’ goal in Baku, with Ingle coming off the bench.

“It was a horrible game, horrible pitch, but this kid just made it look like she’d been doing it her whole life,” Ward remembers.

“She’s just a top player… technique is unbelievable, the way she reads a game, the way she can find a pass.

“She’s my favourite footballer in the world.”

Adrian Tucker was the manager who gave Ingle her first cap, in an era when the landscape was very different in women’s football.

“She was good technically but she was also really good on the physical side, which was a really big thing at that time,” he says.

“Did I think she would go on to win 150 caps? In 2009, I didn’t think Wales would play 150 games. We were struggling to get five games a season.

“But since then there has been a boom in women’s football and Sophie has been on the crest of that wave.”

R Vaishali delivered a composed and resilient performance in the final round to defeat Kateryna Lagno, securing the Women’s Candidates Tournament crown outright on Wednesday. After a tense phase in the game, Vaishali regained control at a crucial moment and turned things around brilliantly to finish on 8.5 points and seal the title.

A Defining Career Breakthrough

Open Section: Sindarov Emerges on Top

In the Open Candidates, Javokhir Sindarov secured his spot as the challenger for the world title after drawing with Wei Yi in the final round. He will now face reigning world champion D Gukesh.

Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa signed off his campaign with a draw against American star Hikaru Nakamura.

Key Performances in Final Round

Anish Giri secured second place overall, finishing 1.5 points behind Sindarov after defeating Matthias Bluebaum. Fabiano Caruana also ended on a high note with a win over Andrey Esipenko.

In the women’s section, Bibisara Assaubayeva drew with Divya Deshmukh, while other boards saw competitive finishes involving Anna Muzychuk, Zhu Jiner, Tan Zhongyi, and Aleksandra Goryachkina.

Vaishali’s triumph marks a significant milestone, reinforcing India’s growing influence on the global chess stage.

At 37, Tyson Fury’s career is entering its final chapter, much like those of his long-time heavyweight rivals. While still a driving force in the sport, Fury has identified one heavyweight as “the future” of the division he has twice ruled.

After sparring Ohio’s Jared Anderson during the build-up to his legendary fights with Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury named ‘The Real Big Baby’ as the heir to his throne, believing Anderson to be his eventual successor.

However, since then, the Anderson hype-train has slowed down, with a devastating knockout defeat to Martin Bakole forcing the American to pump the brakes on a surge toward title contention and take a more considered route to the top.

Now, Fury has named a new man as the heavyweight scene’s champion-in-waiting, telling Tyrone Gordon that 21-year-old Moses Itauma is the ‘future’ of the division, during a game of word association.

Despite his youth, Itauma is being lined up for a world title shot before the end of the year, potentially against Murat Gassiev for the WBA ‘regular’ title, or the winner of Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez Jr for the IBF belt, should Oleksandr Usyk vacate.

Itauma is set to return to the ring in July, as he attempts to best prepare himself for the opportunity to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions in history. He will look to build on a fifth round stoppage over durable Jermaine Franklin last month – notable due to Franklin pushing both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte the full distance in the past.

Along with the high praise for Itauma, Fury has also said that he has no interest in fighting the rising star, content with fighting the men of his generation, notably Joshua, before a final retirement.

The Vikings need help at linebacker. The top trio of Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace aren’t without some promise, but a high-end young fella would make quite the difference.

As a result, the recent news surrounding a Bearcat ‘backer should cause those who follow Vikings football to take notice. KTSP’s Darren Wolfson offers the word, writing, “Add Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday to the list of #Vikings draft visitors. Hear that he’ll be in later this week. He was 1st team All-Big 12 in 2025.”

Vikings Digging into Jake Golday

Lance Zierlein grinds through draft profiles; Golday didn’t elude his pre-draft research.

Check out the assessment: “Golday is a big, explosive linebacker with a game best suited for work near the line of scrimmage. He attacks climbing blockers with heavy, aggressive hands. He also shows the strength to stack, compress gaps and finish with authority. While his performance at the point of attack stands out, he can be a little late diagnosing play design and needs to work with a more preemptive downhill trigger at times. He’s more powerful than elusive as a blitzer and is average in coverage. Golday’s traits, explosiveness and field demeanor should make him an early special teams standout with the potential to eventually start at Sam or inside linebacker.”

Lots to like within the description. Possessing good size and being explosive will always fascinate football evaluators, but there are other intriguing details in the short blurb.

A linebacker wants to pack electricity in his mitts. Quite often, being able to fend off climbing blockers — an unfair fight due to not having the same size — involves powerful hands that can knock a lineman back. Having long arms and bad intentions certainly helps in this regard.

Zierlein’s assessment is that he’s more of a downhill player who needs polish to become stronger in all aspects of being a linebacker, but that’s to be expected of a young fella going in the 2nd. Having close to zero flaws means going in the top ten, not the top fifty.

At 6’4″ and close to 240 pounds, Jake Golday comes in with a build that’s closer to Anthony Barr (6’5″, 255) than Eric Kendricks (6’0″, 230). Blending their abilities would be a nice win, but that’s quite a lofty standard. In theory, Golday should be someone who can hang with tight ends due to his size, wrestle in the trenches, and chase down runners with his long arms and 4.6 speed.

During the 2025 season, Golday tossed up 105 tackles. He did so while also putting 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble onto the stat sheet.

A large part of what makes him a fit for the Vikings is that he got shuffled around. Per PFF, Golday’s most recent season involved picking up 314 snaps in the box, 248 snaps in the slot, and 117 snaps along the defensive line. That’s the sort of versatility that can be hard to come by, but Brian Flores tends to value those players.

As mentioned, both of Wilson and Pace similarly played linebacker at Cincinnati while in college. Furthermore, the Vikings have been looking into Jack Dingle, another Bearcat linebacker. The interest in Golday is therefore following a well-worn path.

With a 9.85 RAS Score, Golday grades as an elite athlete. He’s 22.

The 2026 NFL Draft is a week away.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.