Denny Hamlin is fairly amused with the thought of winning the 2024 NASCAR Cup championship in the midst of his team’s — 23XI Racing — legal battle against the series and the most powerful family in all of NASCAR. 

“Yeah, I would like to have that problem, truthfully (laughter),” said Hamlin last weekend. “I always say if you have an issue, you cross that bridge when you get there, but it is a problem that I would love to have, but I would understand the responsibilities of a champion and certainly, knowing what I’m representing, I think I would be able to do a good job of separating the two.”

The hearing to decide whether 23XI Racing will be able to keep their charters while the lawsuit is ongoing takes place on November 4 — just days before the title-decider in Phoenix. NASCAR has made it clear that they don’t want that to happen.

It’s not been easy for Hamlin on or off the track lately, and his dream of winning his first Cup title in his 19th year of trying while facing off against NASCAR is beginning to look like a very difficult task. The most impressive part of his 2024 playoff run is the fact that he’s still in it.

After losing nearly half his bonus points due to an engine penalty just before the postseason arrived, Hamlin was already in a position where there was no room for error. And yet, there have been many errors. Conservative strategies backfiring, multiple incidents, and a myriad of mistakes on pit road have plagued his 2024 playoff run.

Las Vegas was no different and the fact that he used a fuel mileage gamble to finish eighth after such a sloppy race was actually quite an accomplishment. The No. 11 pit crew struggled throughout the day and the car itself was not very fast. But ‘okay’ finish like that won’t be good enough in this round. Hamlin is already 27 points below the cut-line.

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Yahoo! Toyota Camry

Photo by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images

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“Not a clean day,” admitted Hamlin afterwards. “That certainly sums it up. You’ll have that. We did the best we could to get the best finish. I thought Chris [Gabehart, crew chief] did a great job to get some sort of finish. Once we lost the track position early, he was doing the best he could to try to get it back through strategy, and then it goes long there, and we fall to the back. Just part of it.”

Hamlin continued: “We are not running quite as strong as we were earlier in the year, and we are definitely not as clean, execution wise, as we were. We will just have to clean it up and go to Homestead and try to win it.”

Hamlin advanced into this semi-final round of the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, but missed the final four by single-digit margins on both occasions. The idea of him winning the title with this lawsuit ongoing in the background would be quite the dream outcome for Hamlin but for the time being, it is only that — a dream.

Russo becomes the fourth Arsenal player to win the award in the past decade, while Ellen White and Lucy Bronze have both won it twice in that time.

Winners (since 2014):

2023-24 – Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

2022-23 – Mary Earps (Manchester United)

2021-22 – Beth Mead (Arsenal)

2020-21 – Ellen White (Manchester City)

2019 – Lucy Bronze (Lyon)

2018 – Ellen White (Birmingham City)

2017 – Jodie Taylor (Arsenal)

2016 – Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal)

2015 – Lucy Bronze (Manchester City)

2014 – Toni Duggan (Manchester City)

Dana White has taken his praise of Jon Jones to new heights.

Jones will defend the UFC heavyweight title for the first time Nov. 16 at UFC 309 against Stipe Miocic in the main event at Madison Square Garden. White has spent the better part of 2024 standing his ground about Jones being the best ever, and the current No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the promotion despite not competing since winning his second divisional title at UFC 285 in March 2023.

Now, White says Jones’ greatness extends beyond the UFC and MMA, but to all of combat sports — and beyond,

“I think he’s the greatest combat sports fighter of all time,” White said on Outta Pocket With RGIII. “I think he’s the greatest fighter of all time. Big back and forth with me and the media right now about Jon Jones over all of this stuff, but Jon Jones is probably the baddest dude to ever walk the face of the Earth. Even the guys I love like Ali and Tyson, and a lot of the great heavyweights that’s existed throughout the history of combat sports, Jon Jones can do it all.

“Jon Jones will grab you, maul you, elbow you, he can do everything.”

Jones, the multi-time light heavyweight champion, never lost the belt in a fight during his 205 pound run. He was either stripped, or vacated the championship — the latter happening in 2020 following a controversial decision win against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020. “Bones” spent over three years building up his body for heavyweight before his long-awaited return, where he submitted Ciryl Gane in the first round at UFC 285 to win the vacant title.

The comeback trail is off and running for a few starting quarterbacks — two from injury and one from the career backup abyss. 

Let’s check out the odds to win the award via DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 22.

2024 Comeback Player of the Year Odds:

Kirk Cousins, Falcons: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
J.K. Dobbins, Chargers: +330 (bet $10 to win $43 total)
Joe Burrow, Bengals: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Aaron Rodgers, Jets: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Damar Hamlin, Bills: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Nick Chubb, Browns: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Kyler Murray, Cardinals: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Sam Darnold, Vikings: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)

Sam Darnold had been atop the oddsboard for weeks, but after the Vikings dropped to 5-1 with a loss to Detroit in Week 7, Darnold drifted from +200 two weeks ago to +1600 this week.

The new favorite is Kirk Cousins, even though his Falcons lost 34-14 at home to Seattle in Week 7.

Cousins is fourth in the NFL in passing yards (1,840) and tied for seventh in touchdown passes (10). He missed a majority of last season with a torn Achilles.

Also charging up the board is Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, who was at +1000 on Oct. 9, and now sits second at +330. He’s third in the league in rushing yards (478), after also missing most of last season with a torn Achilles.

Lastly, Cincy’s Joe Burrow is now third on the board, after sitting at +1200 two weeks ago. Burrow missed the conclusion of last season with a wrist injury.

The Bengals have won three of their last four, and Burrow has 1,759 passing yards (sixth), 14 TDs (fourth) and only two picks on the season.

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CRYSTAL PALACE would reportedly consider David Moyes as a potential replacement for Oliver Glasner should the under-fire boss leave Selhurst Park in the near future.

Glasner’s job is currently under threat due to Palace‘s terrible start to the Premier League campaign.

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The Eagles are yet to win a match this season, having lost five out of eight.

They now sit 18th in the table with just three points, only above Southampton and Wolves.

Glasner has found himself under increasing pressure, with his fate expected to be determined by results prior to the next international break.

Should he fail to improve things, the club have already earmarked his potential replacement.

According to talkSPORT, former West Ham boss Moyes could be a contender for the job.

The Scot is ready to return to management after leaving the Hammers at the end of last season.

Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish is also a long-term admirer of ex-Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter, who has been out of work for the last 18 months.

The Eagles face Tottenham, Wolves and Fulham in the Premier League before the international break.

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Glasner could be granted some extra time at the helm given his impressive end to the 2023-24 season.

Palace enjoyed their best-ever finish to a Prem campaign, securing 10th spot on the final day.

Austrian boss Glasner joined the club in February following the departure of Roy Hodgson.

It looks like almost the entire UFC featherweight title picture is in Abu Dhabi, and it was just a matter of time until paths were crossed during UFC 308 fight week.

Champion Ilia Topuria and former champ Max Holloway clash this Saturday in the main event of UFC 308 in a highly anticipated bout. And keeping a close eye on the result is former champ Alexander Volkanovski, who’s angling for a shot to reclaim his title.

On Tuesday, both Topuria and Holloway, separately, crossed paths with their former and potentially again future rival, Volkanovski, at the host hotel. It was all respect between them despite the history and potential implications.

You can watch videos of their cordial interactions below:

It’s all respect between Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski 🤝

🎥 @alexvolkanovski #UFC308 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/2FEeYZjgQr

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 22, 2024

Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski have a respectful interaction during #UFC308 fight week. 🤝

Is a fourth fight coming after Saturday? pic.twitter.com/nI73fdFT9a

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 22, 2024

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.