Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) rebounds during the second half against the BYU Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Championship Week rolls on Friday with several semifinal games on the schedule featuring some of the best teams in the country. It’s definitely more fun to make picks for semifinal games with the stakes elevated even higher.
Today’s NCAA Basketball Best Bets will feature three conference semifinal contests.
Let’s get started by talking about the Big Easy Tournament Semifinal featuring the Georgetown Hoyas and No. 6 Connecticut Huskies before moving on to ACC and Big 12 Semifinal games.
Big East Tournament – Semifinal: Georgetown vs. No. 6 UConn
Georgetown ended the regular season with a 14-17 record after going 1-7 down the stretch. They should have been an early out in the Big East Tournament, but instead, they upset Villanova to earn a spot in the semifinals. Cinderellas win all the time; could they do it again?
If the regular season is any indication, maybe. The Hoyas and Huskies played twice, UConn won both, but by a two-point margin in one (64-62) and a four-point margin in the other (79-75). But on paper, these games shouldn’t have even been close.
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My Pick: UConn -13.5 at -106
I’m a little nervous about this one because of the regular-season games being so close. But after watching the beatdown they gave Xavier, the dominant version of UConn appears to be back. The Huskies will cover this large spread.
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ACC Tournament – Semifinal: Clemson vs. No. 1 Duke
If the Clemson Tigers were wondering how to beat Duke, the Florida State Seminoles were kind enough to give them a blueprint Thursday night: hit 52% of your shots, including 10+ three-pointers, force turnovers, and generate points from those turnovers.
In Clemson’s regular-season matchup with Duke, they shot 35% from the floor, hit 6 of 24 three-pointers, and scored eight points off nine turnovers (Duke scored 13 off ten).
The Tigers are certainly competitive on the defensive end (No. 23 in the country, 66.2 points per game allowed). But not so much on the offensive end (No. 223, 77.4 points per game). They are a decent three-point shooting team (34%) and are capable of generating turnovers (11.59 per game).
My Pick: Duke -11.5
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Clemson’s defense will keep them from getting blown out, but their offense is going to struggle against the Duke defense (No. 2 in the country, 62.5 points per game allowed).
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Big 12 Tournament – Semifinal: No. 14 Kansas vs. No. 5 Houston
Kansas was the third loss in Houston’s three-game losing streak late in the season and essentially beat the Cougars at their own game: they played better defense. Houston shot a dreadful 32% in that game, while Kansas made one more shot (22 to 21) and took 16 fewer shots (50 to 66).
The Jayhawks also won the three-point line, going 7-17 while holding Houston to 5-24.
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The Cougars rebounded with three strong wins to close the regular season and had a solid outing against BYU in their tournament opener. Kansas came out on top of a battle with TCU in the quarterfinals Thursday night.
My Pick: Houston -5.5
Kansas deserved to win their first meeting with Houston, but the Cougars defense is too good not to have a better performance this time around. Houston’s balanced offense will get the job done this time against the Jayhawks defense.
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Former New York Yankees prospect Oswald Peraza smoked the ball for the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. He led the team to an 11-4 victory and delivered a barrage of hits.
While his former team manager, Aaron Boone, is happy to see him finding his groove, he admitted that Peraza’s hot streak “hurt” the Yankees immensely.
“He looked like what we were excited about several years ago. And then obviously, went through a couple of years of struggling. He’s super talented, always has been,” Boone said.
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“He’s fast-twitched, has power, can run and can do all those things. Clearly, in as good a place as he’s been in a few years.”
Peraza and Anthony Volpe were once considered the next generation of the Yankees infielders. However, over the years, Volpe further solidified his place in the lineup, and with DJ LeMahieu and Josh Donaldson being on the roster, it made things difficult for Peraza.
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Seeing his current form with the Angels after his 2025 trade, fans have been quite vocal about their frustration. One X user noted,
“No, you picked Volpe over him.”
No, you picked Volpe over him.
“Fire this guy,” another demanded.
“He will end up having a better career than Volpe now that he’s away from the Yankees,” another said.
He will end up having a better career than Volpe now that he’s away from the Yankees.
“The Yankees hurt the Yankees more than anyone else hurts the Yankees,” one added.
The Yankees hurt the Yankees more than anyone else hurts the Yankees.
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“This man is such a f***ing clown,” another X user blasted.
This man is such a fucking clown
“Went with the golden child Volpe,” one penned.
Went with the golden child Volpe.
After the Angels’ 7-1 victory on Tuesday, Aaron Boone said that Peraza “killed us.” He was supposed to be part of the solution in the Bronx, but he has now become a problem for them.
Oswald Peraza reminisces about his time with the Yankees
Oswald Peraza expressed that he has many good memories with the New York Yankees, but also understands the business side of it. He is now focusing on his time with the Los Angeles Angels and is excited to be a part of the team.
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He has now closed the chapter on his “good memories” in the Bronx and is looking ahead to his time with the Angels.
Apr 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
It is not about how you start, right?
The Boston Red Sox are hoping that is the case for the first month of the long and winding Major League Baseball season.
Following Wednesday’s series-closing win at the Minnesota Twins, Boston kicks off a challenging seven-game homestand against the surging Detroit Tigers on Friday night. The four-game set extends through Monday’s traditional 11:05 a.m. start on the Patriots’ Day holiday in Massachusetts.
“We’re (three) weeks into the season, and we feel like we haven’t played anywhere close to our best baseball. And it could be way worse,” shortstop Trevor Story said. “Once we get rolling and once we get to doing the things that we know we can do on a consistent basis, we’re excited about that.”
The Red Sox were on the verge of being swept in Minnesota, falling down 1-0 in the first inning before scoring the next nine runs on the way to the 9-5 victory. Story hit a three-run home run and drove in five, while Andruw Monasterio went 3-for-5.
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Connelly Early backed it all up with six innings of one-run pitching, and now Boston will turn the ball to left-hander Ranger Suarez (1-1, 5.02 ERA) for Friday’s start.
Suarez looks to build off his best performance in a Red Sox uniform last Saturday at St. Louis, as he allowed just three hits and struck out six while shutting out the Cardinals through six innings.
“He moved the ball around,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “It seems like his arm was a lot quicker than the first two (starts). It tells me he feels better.”
Suarez made starts for the Philadelphia Phillies against Detroit in each of the last two seasons. He went 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA across a combined 13 innings.
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Meanwhile, Detroit hopes to bottle up its recent success as winners of six straight games, including a 10-9 comeback victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Thursday. An up-and-down season has seen the Tigers go from 4-4 to 4-9 and back above the .500 mark to 10-9.
Riley Greene’s two-out, two-run double tied the score and Colt Keith’s walk-off single capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning to seal their third straight one-run win.
“Part of our DNA is our willingness to do anything, but the other part that comes with that is we’re going to play ‘til the end. We’ve had to do that,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “These are funky wins with one run, or coming up late. … Our guys play all 27 outs.”
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The Tigers, who banged out a season-high 14 hits, held a 6-1 lead after five innings before the Royals posted a six-run seventh. The game also included nearly two hours of rain delays.
Dillon Dingler hit a two-run homer — his team-leading fourth of the season — in the fifth, while Greene’s heroic swing capped a 3-for-4 day.
“We’re being clutch on both sides, with our pitching and hitting, but we’re playing really clean, good baseball right now,” Keith said. “We’re showing it on the scorecard. We’re winning.”
Like Suarez, Detroit starter Casey Mize (1-1, 3.94) is also coming off his first win of the season after throwing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball to beat the Miami Marlins last Saturday. He struck out five.
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Mize is 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox. He struck out eight in a 6 1/3-inning road no-decision on Sept. 26 of last season.
The 2025-26 NBA regular season is over, with only the Play-In tournament standing between us and the 2026 playoffs!
The Western Conference’s playoff bracket is looking especially spicy, with teams such as the Thunder, Spurs, and Nuggets all looking to add another championship banner.
And if Luka Dončić can return early, the Lakers and the 41-year-old LeBron James could make a shocking run.
But we’ve heard more than enough about those guys; what about the league’s players from schools in the West? How did they do this season?
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I’m back with my final SuperWest report of the 2025-26 NBA season, covering the top veterans, rookies, and everyone else in between.
Let’s dive in and take a look at my SuperWest selections for the best players of the year from schools in the West.
SuperWest Most Improved Player of the Year
Dillon Brooks (Phoenix Suns, Oregon)
Dillon Brooks was on his way to becoming a secondary star for the Memphis Grizzlies before he spent much of the 2022-23 season feuding with seasoned veterans such as Draymond Green and LeBron James.
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That led Green to say, “The dynasty starts after you, not with you,” when asked about Brooks. The Grizzlies finally had enough of Brooks’ antics and traded him to the Rockets.
Brooks spent a couple of seasons as a solid starter for Houston, but it seemed like his potential as a scorer and secondary option would never be realized.
So, when he was traded to Phoenix as part of the Kevin Durant to Houston trade, nobody really cared.
Most NBA fans expected the Suns to be one of the worst teams in the league, but Brooks proved everyone wrong in his age-30 season.
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Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images
Brooks put up 20.2 points a night as the team’s second option behind Devin Booker, and the Suns had an unexpected 45-win season in a stacked Western Conference.
Those stats weren’t empty calories, either, as the Suns went 13-13 without Brooks, an absence mostly due to an untimely DUI arrest.
Even with the arrest, he hasn’t been nearly as controversial as he was in his final year with the Grizzlies, and he’ll seek a big payday soon, as his contract will expire after the 2026-27 season.
Also, the Grizzlies completely fell apart and never became a “dynasty”, and one could assume that Brooks had been praying for their downfall for the past few years.
SuperWest Defensive Player of the Year
Derrick White (Boston Celtics, Colorado)
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Typically, when a two-way player gets older and realizes that they can’t keep up playing at a high level on both ends of the floor, they’ll choose to focus on the offensive side of the ball, while “coasting” on the defensive end.
The exact opposite of this has happened for Derrick White.
He just had the worst season of his career shooting the ball (52.9 true shooting percentage and 39.4% field goal percentage), but he is still an absolute menace on the defensive end.
Rhona Wise/Imagn Images
White averaged 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game this season, becoming only the third guard in the 21st century to record more than 95 blocks in a season (joining 2000-01 Tracy McGrady and 2008-09 Dwyane Wade).
White’s advanced stats are also great. He is one of two players under 6’5 with a defensive EPM (per Dunks&Threes) over +2.0 (+2.4), while CraftedNBA has his +2.6 defensive plus/minus in the 98th percentile of all players.
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SuperWest Rookie of the Year
Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies, Washington State)
For the second year in a row, a Memphis Grizzlies player who is a Washington State alum wins my Ex-SuperWest Rookie of the Year award.
As mentioned previously, the Grizzlies are imploding, but at least they have Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells for the foreseeable future.
Coward started the season on the bench, but quickly played his way into the starting lineup following multiple 20-point games.
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He was easily one of the most valuable players on the team, as he averaged an impressive +10.1 Plus/Minus Net Per 100 Possessions.
Petre Thomas/Imagn Images
Coward’s first major road bump came in the form of knee and back injuries, which kept him sidelined after the All-Star break.
However, he looked solid once he returned and finished the season strong once the Grizzlies’ fate had been sealed.
Coward put up 15.4 points in just 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 49.6% from the floor in his last 10 games of the year, and his 27-point season finale showed that he can become a star scorer one day.
The only major flaw in his game is his three-point shooting (33.8% on 4.4 attempts per game), and if he can improve that, the sky will be the limit for him.
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SuperWest Sixth Man of the Year
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat, UCLA)
From 2025’s Ex-SuperWest Biggest Letdown of the Year to 2026’s Ex-SuperWest Sixth Man of the Year, Jaime Jaquez Jr., has revived his career beautifully.
In my 2025 awards article, I mentioned how Jaquez’s 41-point performance in the final game of the 2024-25 season could help him regain his confidence, and that’s exactly what happened.
Jaquez averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists a night while shooting 50.7% from the field this season, a huge jump from the 8.6 PPG he put up last season.
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He also had an above-average PER (15.7) and VORP above 0.4 (1.1) for the first time in his career. Despite Jaquez’s success, the Heat are reportedly looking to trade most of their core after missing the playoffs.
If Tyler Herro and the modern NBA’s all-time leading single-game scorer, Bam Adebayo, aren’t safe from being dealt, then Jaquez isn’t either.
SuperWest Biggest Letdown of the Year
Brandin Podziemski (Golden State Warriors, Santa Clara)
As a Warriors fan, I am desperately hoping for a Jaquez-type turnaround for Brandin Podziemski. Podziemski famously sent the legendary Klay Thompson to the bench in his rookie season.
Despite a slow start, he ended his sophomore regular season with a bang, averaging 15.1 points while shooting 46.6% from the field and 41.0% from deep in his final 33 games of the campaign.
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Unfortunately, Podziemski struggled mightily in the 2025 playoffs, and his struggles carried over into the next season.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images
Podziemski shot below 40% in 30 games this season, and went 80 games (almost 2,300 minutes) before he had his first truly great game of the year, a career-high 30-point night in a loss to the lowly Kings.
The 2025-26 season was the first time he recorded a negative Defensive Box Plus/Minus (-0.1) and a negative Plus/Minus Net Per 100 Possessions (-0.8).
With Stephen Curry getting older and more injury-prone, Podziemski has to step up next year.
SuperWest Most Valuable Player of the Year
Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics, California)
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Kawhi Leonard had the best offensive season of his career, but since the Clippers missed the playoffs after losing to the Warriors in the Play-In, I had to pivot and give the award to Jaylen Brown.
Many expected the Celtics to bottom out due to Jayson Tatum’s injury and the lack of depth in the frontcourt. After a winless start in their first three games, the doubters thought that they were going to be proven right.
But Brown gave his blood, sweat, and tears (and yes, even a bit of his hair) to keep the team relevant.
Brown averaged 28.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on 48.0% field goal shooting before Tatum’s return in March to lead the team to a 41-21 record.
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And after Tatum returned, the Celtics looked unstoppable, going 15-5 to end the year.
Charles Krupa/AP
In all, the former Finals MVP had 35 30-point games and had career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and free throws made per game.
Even with the increased volume, he shot the best free-throw percentage of his career (79.5%) while also leading the league in two-point attempts per game (16.0).
He also averaged the highest PER (22.0), Wins Above Replacement (8.9), Box Plus/Minus (3.3), and Win Shares (6.9) of his career.
With Tatum now back and fully healthy, Brown is looking to add another championship and potentially even another Finals MVP to his resume.
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Aidin Ebrahimi covers the NBA for SuperWest Sports.
In Kaizen, you can engage in combat in different ways that suit your gameplay. Cursed Techniques are one of these options, making this Roblox title more immersive and closer to the original anime series, Jujutsu Kaisen. As of now, there are 19 of them in the game, divided into five classes (Grade 4, Grade 3, Grade 2, Grade 1, and Special Grade).
S-tier Cursed Techniques have the strongest abilities for both PvP and PvE (Image via Roblox)
The S tier features the strongest Cursed Techniques in Kaizen. These abilities provide excellent damage, mobility, and utility, making them extremely powerful in both PvE farming and PvP battles.
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Mythical Beast Amber
Notes:Mythical Beast Amber is widely considered the best Cursed Technique in the game. It offers powerful lightning-based attacks along with high mobility, allowing players to start combos easily and chase enemies effectively. Many of its moves deal heavy area damage, making it excellent in group fights and PvE farming. When paired with the Kashimo Clan, its damage potential becomes even higher.
Ten Shadows
Notes:Ten Shadows is one of the most versatile techniques in Kaizen. It allows players to summon different creatures that assist in combat, giving strong combo potential and steady damage. The Mahoraga summon is especially powerful and can overwhelm opponents in PvP or deal massive damage to bosses in PvE. However, unlocking all its abilities requires a lot of grinding.
A tier
A-tier Cursed Techniques are powerful and reliable but slightly weaker than the top-tier options (Image via Roblox)
A-tier Cursed Techniques are very strong and reliable, though they may lack the overwhelming power or versatility of S-tier abilities.
Cursed Energy Discharge
Notes: Cursed Energy Discharge focuses on large area damage, making it extremely effective for clearing enemies in PvE. Its long range allows players to control space in fights, especially when zoning opponents in PvP. While it deals serious damage, it lacks additional utility compared to higher-tier techniques.
King Curses
Notes: King Curses provides some of the highest damage potential among cursed techniques. Its powerful attacks, including Divine Flame and its Domain Expansion, can hit multiple enemies at once. It performs very well in PvE, but mastering it requires a lot of grinding and resource farming.
Idle Transfiguration
Notes: Idle Transfiguration offers a flexible moveset with both single-target attacks and area damage. It is especially effective against humanoid enemies thanks to its grab abilities. The technique is easier to obtain compared to Special Grades, making it a solid option during progression.
Pure Love
Notes:Pure Love deals serious damage with most of its base moves, making it useful for farming enemies and bosses. However, its Domain Expansion can be inconsistent in PvP, since players must reach the swords to gain stronger attacks. Despite this drawback, the technique can still perform well in combat with the right combos.
Cryofrost
Notes: Cryofrost shines in PvP due to its combo potential and ability to control enemies during fights. It can also perform well against bosses when used correctly. However, its damage output is lower than that of many high-tier techniques, which limits its effectiveness in PvE.
Straw Doll
Notes: Straw Doll is often underestimated because of its lower grade, but it offers strong utility. Its abilities can immobilize enemies, making it easier to chain combos with melee weapons or other attacks. This technique is especially useful during early progression and farming.
Grand Luck
Notes:Grand Luck mainly becomes powerful when its Domain Expansion is unlocked. Without the Domain, the base abilities are fairly weak compared to other techniques. Once the Domain is obtained, however, the technique becomes much more effective in PvE.
B tier
B-tier Cursed Techniques are decent choices that work well during progression (Image via Roblox)
B-tier Cursed Techniques provide decent performance, but they lack the power or consistency of higher-tier options.
Finger Bearer
Notes: Finger Bearer offers solid damage bursts and works well for farming enemies in the mid to late game. It is relatively easy to obtain compared to some other techniques. However, its combos are limited, which makes it less effective in PvP situations.
Shock Amplification
Notes: Shock Amplification is a good farming tool because of its strong area attacks. It is easy to obtain and helps players progress through the early stages of the game. However, it quickly becomes outdated once stronger techniques are unlocked.
C tier
C-tier Cursed Techniques are weaker than higher tiers (Image via Roblox)
C-tier Cursed Techniques have situational usefulness but are generally weaker than most other options.
Blood Manipulation
Notes: Blood Manipulation allows players to fight from a distance and focus on a ranged playstyle. Some abilities can deal serious damage when fully landed, and the associated clan buffs provide healing and speed bonuses. However, its overall damage and combo potential fall behind stronger cursed techniques.
Rot
Notes: Rot offers decent mobility and safe attacks, making it somewhat usable in PvE fights. However, its overall damage output is quite low compared to other Grade 1 techniques, which makes it a less attractive option for most players.
Devil’s Broom
Notes: Devil’s Broom provides good mobility and some utility, but its damage output is fairly weak. It can still have niche uses for weapon-focused builds since its basic attacks scale with weapon stats.
Cursed Speech
Notes: After its rework, Cursed Speech became more useful for PvE farming due to its area damage attacks. However, stronger techniques easily outperform it in both damage and versatility, limiting its long-term value.
D tier
D-tier Cursed Techniques are the weakest options and are quickly replaced later in the game (Image via Roblox)
D-tier Cursed Techniques are the weakest choices in the game. They may work in the early stages, but quickly become ineffective as players progress.
Boogie Woogie
Notes: Boogie Woogie mainly provides mobility and positioning tools rather than damage. While it can occasionally help in PvP setups, it has almost no value in PvE combat.
Construction
Notes: Construction can help players during the early stages of the game, but it becomes nearly useless once better cursed techniques are unlocked.
Cloning Technique
Notes: Cloning Technique is generally considered the weakest cursed technique in Kaizen. Its abilities provide very little damage or utility compared to other options, making it a poor choice for both PvP and PvE.
FAQs on Kaizen
What is the best Cursed Technique in Kaizen?
Mythical Beast Amber and Ten Shadows are widely considered the best Cursed Techniques in the game. Both provide excellent damage output, strong abilities, and great performance in both PvP battles and PvE farming.
Which Cursed Technique is best for PvE farming in Kaizen?
Techniques like Curse Energy Discharge, King Curses, and Ten Shadows are excellent for PvE farming because they deal massive area damage, allowing players to defeat groups of enemies quickly.
Which Cursed Technique is the easiest to obtain for beginners?
Straw Doll, Shock Amplification, and Finger Bearer are some of the easier techniques to obtain early in the game. They provide reliable damage and utility, helping players progress until they unlock stronger Special Grade techniques.
It seems as though the long-awaited meeting of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could be around the corner but, due to a delay in the fight, one venue for the rumoured November fight can now be ruled out, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn has stated that the initial strategy was for Joshua to take on Rico Verhoeven in March, who instead fights Oleksandr Usyk next month, before a stadium clash with ‘The Gypsy King’ in August. However, Joshua’s tragic car crash put his fight plans on hold.
Although, with Joshua keen to have a ‘warm-up’ fight, his proposed showdown with Fury is now understood to have been pushed back to November.
As a result, Hearn has stated that Croke Park is a no-go, but that he would like to proceed with a Taylor-topped bill at Ireland’s largest stadium, as per Belfast News Letter.
“If this (Joshua v Fury) takes place in November, it won’t be outdoors in Dublin and so therefore we just want to move forward with Katie Taylor.
“With all due respect, I don’t think it’s the place to do this fight, either. Also, absolutely over my dead body is Katie Taylor going on an undercard at Croke Park.
“We’ll find out more on Friday. We’re ready to go and are up for doing it. Not necessarily with a finalised opponent, but in terms of the costs and the running of the show.
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“Croke Park want to do it, but when they said ‘Fury v AJ would give Katie the opportunity to fight there’, I was like ‘mate, don’t f****** get the blood boiling’.”
Rajasthan Royals (RR) manager Romi Bhinder is likely to escape a serious sanction despite his “injudicious and indiscreet” behavior during the IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last week. Bhinder was seen using a mobile phone near the dugout during the match against the defending champions in Guwahati on April 10. Pictures circulated on social media captured Bhinder sitting in front of a refrigerator, with teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sitting beside him looking at the handset.
The incident happened during the 11th over of RR’s chase when Sooryavanshi was sitting beside Bhinder.
As per the Player and Match Officials Areas (PMOA) protocol, team managers are allowed to use mobile phones only inside the dressing room.
Despite his act being labelled negligent, a report in the Times of India has claimed that Bhinder is likely to walk away with a minor sanction and a warning, as there was no indication of any malicious intent or a breach of the anti-corruption code.
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“The ACSU conducted the investigation, and a formal communication has been sent to the franchise. Bhinder received a fine and a warning for using his phone in the dugout; however, investigators were convinced his medical condition necessitated its use, so there were no severe consequences. There was no discussion about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is a kid and may be the franchise can explain the rules better to him. No point intimidating a youngster,” the report quoted a BCCI source as saying
The report also added that Bhinder responded inside 48 hours after receiving BCCI’s notification, apologising to the apex board for the lapse.
Meanwhile, RR will be in action on Sunday against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens.
The Riyan Parag-led side sits third in the points table with four wins and a solitary defeat so far in the tournament.
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Apr 14, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada looks on from the dugout before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
While a handful of sterling defensive plays bolstered the pitching line on Thursday, the Houston Astros unquestionably displayed improved performances on the mound in the final two games of their three-game interleague series against the visiting Colorado Rockies.
The Astros’ 3-2 loss snapped their seven-game home winning streak. However, after entering the series with the most runs allowed in the majors, Houston stacked a strong pitching effort on top of its 3-1 victory on Wednesday in advance of a three-game interleague series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals that begins on Friday.
“We are pounding the zone,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “There’s a plan, and we just need to be better at executing that. It’ll come. We’ve just got to continue to push and help those guys to get through it.”
Right-hander Peter Lambert will make his season debut for the Astros in the series opener. He posted a 1.84 ERA in three appearances (two starts) with Triple-A Sugar Land before being added to the major league taxi squad on Thursday. Lambert, 28, last pitched in the majors in 2024, when he went 2-5 with a 5.72 ERA in 28 appearances (three starts) for the Rockies.
In his lone career appearance against the Cardinals, Lambert allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings while taking an 8-3 loss with the Rockies on Aug. 23, 2019.
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Right-hander Kyle Leahy (1-2, 5.14 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Cardinals on Friday. He was the pitcher of record in a 7-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday after permitting two runs on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts over four innings.
Leahy has a 3.18 ERA in three career relief appearances against the Astros. He faced Houston twice last season and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts in three innings.
The Cardinals won the decisive match of their three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Wednesday, claiming an afternoon affair after winning in walk-off fashion late Tuesday. St. Louis split its six-game homestand before embarking upon a six-game road trip.
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Jordan Walker, who is tied for the major league lead in home runs (eight) and total bases (49), extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a ninth-inning double in the series finale. Rookie JJ Wetherholt smacked a pair of homers in the Tuesday victory before walking twice and driving in a run on Wednesday.
In short order, the Cardinals have showcased a personality they hope will define their season.
“The one thing we wanted to anchor to and be committed to was the style of play and our preparation,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “And that’s what I’ll continue to point to when we talk about Walker, JJ … like all these guys. You’re building something that’s going to be fun to watch for a long time here, and you have to go about it the right way.
“And that’s what we’re committed to. Can we win those small moments and continue to stack them? I feel like our group continues to do that, and we can’t let up, regardless of what the outcome of the game is. Those are those little moments that we have to continue to win.”
AEW was set to make a major announcement for one of its top shows. However, a report hinted that it was delayed due to a significant reason pertaining to their rival promotion, WWE.
The Jacksonville-based promotion has collaborated with other top companies, such as NJPW, CMLL, and STARDOM, to present the Forbidden Door pay-per-view over the years. The event has featured crossover matches between some of the greatest in-ring competitors and has been well-received by fans at every edition.
Furthermore, the 2026 edition of the Forbidden Door event has been announced to take place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, on June 28. However, Bodyslam.net reported that All Elite Wrestling had to hold off the announcement until after the April 10 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, which was hosted by WWE. It could be a clause WWE has with arenas that prevents other companies from announcing their shows until the WWE event is over.
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AEW President Tony Khan issued a statement on an absent star
While Tony Khan’s promotion has been thriving with successful shows and is looking forward to more events, there are major names who have been absent from the company for a long time. One of them is top star Britt Baker. Khan recently stated that the absence of stars is on a case-by-case basis and also due to limited TV time.
“Well, I think, again, each wrestler is a case-by-case basis, but the people you named—I really liked having them in AEW, and in Britt’s case, she is a part of AEW. In Ricky’s case, he’s someone that wrestled here in the past… One thing you guys know very well—there’s a limited amount of hours. And one thing that’s been really good, that I think there’s been a real focus on, that the fans have noticed in AEW in the last year—there have been people that have come and gone—but I think the shows have had a really great flow.”
Despite some top names missing from the company, Tony Khan and his creative regime are moving ahead, with Forbidden Door a significant show for them this year. So it remains to be seen how the match card will shape up for this year’s event.
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In the aftermath of Rory McIlroy’s Masters victory, Kevin Kisner made a guest appearance on Barstool Sports’ Fore Play podcast to break down the week that was.
The nearly two-hour conversation covered a lot of bases: Rory’s triumph, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose’s near-miss, and other big moments. But when the discussion turned to the broadcast, Kisner went on a viral, profanity-laden rant about what he believed to be CBS’ shortcomings.
“I have a very biased opinion so I want to go ahead and put that out there before I start since I work for the other network,” Kisner began. “And I was so f—ing confused the entire time by trying to keep up with the behind-the-scenes CBS feed. They’re literally showing s— that I knew happened ten minutes ago all day long. It was so bad that I in fact texted Colt Knost during the show and said, ‘Do you all ever show a live shot?’ I’m better off following the f—ing app than following your feed.’”
“So your entire Masters coverage is a fantasy world. It’s bulls–t,” Kisner continued. “Whatever we all watch has already happened seven minutes ago. Could you imagine watching the f—ing Super Bowl and being like, ‘Oh yeah, Tom Brady threw that touchdown seven minutes ago, we’re going to act like it’s live here so our announcers can sound really smart and we’re going to sit here and he’s going to throw it wide open down the middle but it actually happened seven minutes ago and everyone in the stadium’s taking a p—. What are we doing, man?”
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Kisner, who became a lead golf analyst for NBC in 2024, was onsite at Augusta National working as a lead analyst for Sirius XM’s Masters broadcast team. Beyond serving as an incendiary bit of post-Masters commentary, his comments were extraordinarily unusual for a man serving as an employee of one of the PGA Tour broadcast partners, who rarely, if ever, air public criticisms of one another.
“You have no commercials,” Kisner said. “Play live shots. I don’t know. Our production team at NBC prides themselves on playing every shot that they possibly can live. And we talk about with Dan Hicks, when we can’t, we have to say a moment ago, because we’re trying to make the whole movie make sense, right? We don’t want to show you a tap-in on 16 and go ‘Oh yeah, he’s already hitting his shot on 17’ because obviously he has to walk over there. I have no idea what they’re doing. Literally no idea. They’re showing every shot on tape. It’s incredible. I don’t even know how the announcers call it.”
On Thursday, Kisner returned to the Fore Play podcast to issue an apology.
“It’s been an interesting few days, but it is what it is,” Kisner said. “I just have to apologize to the the golf team at CBS. I crossed the line probably, too much by talking about that whole content. And I know from my short time in the business how wild production is, right? It is a very difficult thing to produce a live show and make it all work and everybody does their best.
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“NBC screws up all the time, and we’re just trying to do our best, and I went too far on being critical on them, and I just want all the people associated with it to know I apologize,” he continued. “They’re our partners with the PGA Tour and they continue to showcase in a great way the game we all love, and they’re all trying to do their best, and I was too critical of them.”
You can watch Kisner’s apology in the video above, or the Fore Play podcast episode in its entirety here.
At this stage, the Vikings mock drafts are plentiful. Ideally, what’s included below will be set apart due to going the complete 7 Rounds while highlighting players whom Minnesota has shown interest in through a tangible action.
Guiding my understanding of who is within Minnesota’s orbit is the prospect tracker on PurplePTSD. The lonely exceptions — a picked player without the guidance of the tracker — occurred in a pair of the final slots when opting for a guard and receiver late. Shout out to ESPN for the mock machine.
Most will see this as a luxury pick rather than a total slam dunk. Shouldn’t the top pick go toward a need? Ideally, two birds get stoned at once: a need will get addressed while also opting for the best player available. Sadiq could be the best available and there’s a need at TE from 2027 onward.
No. 49, RD2 — Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
The Vikings would greatly benefit from an excellent young linebacker. Blake Cashman is moving into his final season. At best, Eric Wilson can replicate what he did last year (but that could be asking too much). Golday in RD2 makes sense.
No. 82, RD3 — Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
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Nov 1, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Ted Hurst (16) makes a touchdown catch against the Connecticut Huskies in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
He’s huge and fast. Something to be said for that, especially as a WR3 or WR4. At the very least, Hurst would be tasked with blazing down the field while helping on specials. Can’t teach 6’4″, folks.
No. 97, RD3 — Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
The tough part of adding Johnson has nothing to do with Johnson. In this Vikings mock, there have been a trio of picks for Kevin O’Connell and only a single one for Brian Flores. That’s very unlikely to occur. Nevertheless, Johnson is added, as per the prophecy.
No. 163, RD5 — Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
He’s the Andrew Van Ginkle clone. Pretty quietly, the Vikings don’t have perfect edge rusher depth. It’s a top heavy crew that sees a large drop off after the Greenard/Van Ginkel/Turner trio.
No. 196, RD6 — Louis Moore, S, Indiana
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Minnesota has conducted lots of research into the young safety talent. Choosing one so late isn’t the end of the world even as there’s very little chance of getting a Week 1 starter. The Vikings likely go for a DB earlier.
No. 234, RD7 — Malik Benson, WR, Oregon
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Per Lance Zierlein, Benson boasts “electric, track-caliber speed.” Not a bad swing late in the draft.
No. 235, RD7 — Rahsul Faison, RB, South Carolina
Carrying four runners can happen. What would need to occur is to see Faison turn into a helper on specials. Essentially, replace Ty Chandler. Returning kickoffs while helping with other areas for Matt Daniels means being able to exist alongside Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Johnson from the 3rd.
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No. 244, RD7 — Jaeden Roberts, G, Alabama
Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Michael Jurgens (65) anchored the line of scrimmage on Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during second-quarter action of the preseason matchup against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. The rookie center showcased his poise and technique in live reps as Minnesota’s offensive unit continued to evaluate depth and cohesion ahead of the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The rationale is ultra simple. There’s a weakness at center for the Vikings and nobody was added at a higher spot to help. Tossing in another option for guard further frees Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens — both of whom are capable of playing guard — to focus in at center.
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