In a major decision that will greatly impact the future of sporting events at the Olympic level, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday announced that all transgender women will be banned from participating in the women’s division of any event in the Olympic Games, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
According to IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the decision to limit women’s events to biological women has been taken to keep the competition fair and safe for all athletes. She also confirmed that all sex tests conducted for athletes will be a once-in-a-lifetime assessment.
How will the IOC determine athletes’ eligibility for women’s sports?
The IOC will determine eligibility for the women’s category primarily through SRY gene screening, a scientific test used to identify the presence or absence of the SRY gene, which is associated with male sex development.
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Athletes who test negative for the SRY gene will be considered eligible to compete in the female category. This test is typically conducted using a saliva sample, cheek swab, or blood test, and in most cases, it is treated as a one-time assessment unless there is reason to question the result.
The IOC states that the presence of the SRY gene remains constant throughout life, making it a reliable biological marker. As a result, athletes who test positive for the SRY gene will generally not be eligible to compete in women’s events, including both individual and team events.
IOC to consider exceptions
While confirming that the result of the SRY gene screening will be final, the IOC also said there are rare exceptions, such as athletes diagnosed with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or certain other differences in sex development (DSDs), where individuals do not benefit from testosterone-related performance advantages. In such cases, eligibility may still be considered.
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Athletes who are not eligible for the women’s category can still compete in other classifications, including men’s events, mixed categories, or open divisions, depending on the sport.
Why did the IOC decide to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports?
The IOC introduced stricter eligibility rules following a comprehensive review conducted between September 2024 and March 2026. The process incorporated recommendations from the Working Group on the Protection of the Female Category, along with broader consultations and evolving considerations in international human rights law.
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According to the IOC, the policy is also closely tied to its broader objectives around gender equality and representation. These include ensuring equal opportunities for female athletes in finals and podium finishes, as well as maintaining balanced participation across Olympic events.
Gender-based controversies in the Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympics saw two major gender-based controversies over the participation of boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the women’s category. Both athletes had previously been disqualified from a 2023 world championship by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after failing unspecified sex verification tests.
However, the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris, arguing that the earlier disqualifications were based on “sudden and arbitrary” methods. Notably, both boxers went on to win gold medals in their respective events.
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The decision triggered widespread debate, with many raising concerns about fairness and athlete safety, while the IOC maintained that its eligibility rules were more consistent and appropriate.
The episode became a key flashpoint, accelerating discussions around clearer and more uniform policies for the women’s category in global sport.
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Eligibility policy limited to IOC events only
The IOC has clarified that its new eligibility policy is strictly limited to Olympic-level competition and applies only to events conducted under its authority.
The guidelines are intended to be adopted by International Federations (IFs) and other governing bodies such as National Olympic Committees (NOCs), national federations, and continental associations — but only when implementing rules for IOC events.
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This policy also replaces all previous IOC frameworks on the issue, including earlier guidelines on fairness, inclusion, and non-discrimination based on gender identity and sex variations.
Importantly, the IOC has stressed that the rules do not extend to grassroots or recreational sport, meaning local and community-level participation remains unaffected.
How have critics reacted to the IOC’s restrictions on transgender athletes?
The IOC’s new eligibility guidelines have drawn strong criticism from human rights, sports, and scientific organisations, including voices linked to the United Nations.
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Critics have described the policy as a “blunt and discriminatory response” that they argue is not supported by scientific consensus and may violate international human rights law. Concerns have been raised over the introduction of mandatory genetic sex testing and rigid biological criteria, with experts saying such measures could infringe on athletes’ rights to equality, non-discrimination, dignity, privacy, and bodily autonomy.
According to a media report from The Guardian, legal and academic experts, including Professor Paula Gerber of Monash University, have also warned that strict binary definitions of sex risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes and undermining progress towards gender equality.
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Additionally, several UN-linked experts have emphasised that any eligibility testing should be individualised and evidence-based, rather than broad, uniform measures that could be seen as arbitrary or invasive.
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
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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
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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.
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.
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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.
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“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.
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“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
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Often mentioned alongside her younger brother R Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali has now stepped firmly into the spotlight with this landmark achievement. Her victory earns her a place in the upcoming World Championship match, where she will challenge reigning champion Ju Wenjun later this year. In doing so, she joins Koneru Humpy as another Indian to reach this stage, highlighting the continued rise of women’s chess in the country.
Open Section: Sindarov Emerges on Top
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
At the Masters last week, our fleet of content producers told a lotof stories — but not all of them! As ever, they came home with unused material still in their notebooks and noggins, which we’d couldn’t bear to see to go waste. So kick back, pour yourself one last Azalea and enjoy a few of our untold tales.
What Rory’s nervy moment looked like up close
by Dylan Dethier
Rory McIlroy’s most stressful moment on Masters Sunday? It didn’t come until after he’d hit his tee shot on the 18th hole.
“I’d say walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was,” McIlroy said post-round. “It could go anywhere. It could be anywhere.”
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He was right to be concerned; he needed just bogey to win but had blasted driver so far right that it was well out of his sight and, as social-media griping will tell you, out of the reach of CBS’s cameras, too.
But based on sheer luck I was, at that moment, wandering up the right side of the 18th hole with a couple writers, including our James Colgan. A spotter found the ball first, a crowd began to swarm and form around it, and we joined the fray.
When McIlroy arrived on the scene he seemed to sigh with relief. His ball had traveled so far right that he had a window. Punching back to the 18th fairway would have been treacherous, but an easier line existed: He could look up the 10th hole instead, allowing him to hit a high hook around and over the trees (and the massive leaderboard by the 18th green) to settle somewhere around the putting surface.
Two problems remained. The first was there were suddenly about a thousand people in his way. McIlroy and caddie Harry Diamond walked up their target line, working with marshals to try to push back the patrons. But McIlroy’s start line was so far right, and so many more people were flowing into the area, that eventually he seemed to just give up. He and Diamond had a short discussion: McIlroy confirmed that his ball would come out spinny, because it was sitting on pine straw. And then he readied to hit.
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Then came the second problem: Actually executing that high hook, off pine straw, starting it over the heads of a massive group of patrons. I’m sure I see worst-case scenarios differently than one of the best golfers in the world, but I wondered if there would be any flinch from McIlroy, knowing that if he slipped and thinned one — or something similarly catastrophic — he could drill someone and blow the Masters all at once.
But McIlroy played quickly, as he had all Sunday afternoon. He hit a high hook, definitely a little hookier than necessary; I wondered if he’d started it a little further left, subconsciously, to avoid my catastrophic scenario. And then, as he strode after his ball, following its flight, the crowd began to close in around him.
This sort of swarm never really happens at the conclusion of the Masters, at least not in recent decades; the rope lines are well established. (Granted, Tiger Woods was nearly taken out at the knees in a similar situation in 2019.) But quickly, almost from nowhere, security appeared from the crowd and the trees, and an informal barrier went up to give McIlroy a lane to hustle back to the fairway. We headed up the right side of the hole and around the green, hoping for a glimpse of the final putt, glad to have had a front-row seat to the final full swing of an historic Masters.
The *other* happiest place on Earth
by Josh Berhow
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At the Masters, you’ll find cheap sandwiches, really green grass and well-behaved patrons. Those are givens. But what always gets me is that everyone is so happy.
And they should be! Think about it — where else on Earth is everyone universally thrilled to be in one place? (As a parent who went to Disney World a week before the Masters, I can promise you Magic Kingdom is not the answer.)
And that blissfully hypnotic state lingers well after patrons leave Washington Road. Because the second-happiest spot I found last week? It was the tiny bar at the Augusta Regional Airport, where, as I waited for my return flight home, a Masters after-party was in full swing.
Few of the revelers knew one other but happily mingled at shared tables. Drinks were flowing, and the bartender generously poured doubles. Everyone shared stories about where they went and what they saw and what they ate and how it felt. Most were sunburned, several were clad in Masters gear and everyone agreed the course is — stop us if you’ve heard this one before — way hillier than it looks on TV.
One guy from Iowa paid John Daly $100 to sign his brother’s stomach and had the video to prove it. Another from Minnesota raved about his first time in swanky Berckmans Place. Plastic bags stuffed with thousands of dollars’ worth of Masters merchandise — hats, mugs, polos, posters — lined the floor.
“The only thing I didn’t get was a gnome,” one man said. “I’d offer anyone $200 for one right now.”
I smiled and nodded. He seemed so happy I didn’t have the heart to tell him what was hiding in my backpack.
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My favorite Masters Sunday tradition
by Alan Bastable
At a tournament defined by traditions, my colleagues and I have one of our own: Masters Sunday lunch in the Augusta National clubhouse.
Around 11:30 a.m., before the leaders have put their pegs in the ground in earnest, seven or eight of us pile into golf-cart shuttles outside the Press Building for the short ride to the shuttle drop-off by the leader board near the golf shop. From there, it’s a short hike up a tightly mown slope, a hard left turn at the famed old oak where golf’s sparkly people convene (is that . . . Sir Nick?!) and in through the back door of the clubhouse where a guard carefully eyes our credentials. Then it’s a few paces through a well-appointed dual-winged reception room and up a spiral staircase to a floor that houses, to your left as you exit the stairwell, the Champions Locker Room, and, to your right, a rectangular dining room that spills out on to a veranda that offers bird’s-eye views of all the sparkly people and even glimpses of the first tee.
If there’s a better way to start your Masters Sunday (other than smoothing balls on ANGC’s range in preparation for a starting time), I’d like to hear it! Some years we get a table outside; other years, like this one, the only available tables are in the dining room, which lacks the more casual al fresco appeal of the balcony but comes with its own perks such as having a front-row (table?) seat to such miscellany as the names on the Augusta National Jamboree honors board or the display case with President Eisenhower’s stylish knit polo.
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Comme nos maîtres (not ANGC’s version!).
The menu, like just about everything else at the club, is clean, simple and elegant. Green ink on white stock. The kitchen’s offerings aren’t fancy, either. Cheeseburger, flounder sandwich, spicy chicken nachos, a sampler plate with three of Augusta’s signature sandies, etc. In one of the dining room’s corners, a door leads to a small men’s room, where you’ll find a framed print of “Comme nos maîtres,” a famous cartoon by the French artist Boris O’Klein that playfully depicts seven dogs doing their business on their hind legs. The name of the piece translates to “Like their masters.” That’s another thing about Augusta, you notice something new on every visit.
But back to our meal. It’s always an in-and-out affair — maybe 45 minutes tops — but in the quiet of the clubhouse, away from the pressures of our keyboards and cameras, time has a way of slowing down. We share stories from the week, toast with Azaleas (pro move: swap out of the vodka for tequila) and generally enjoy one another’s company in a setting unlike few others. Then the check comes. Back to work.
Loitering with intent (around Tommy Fleetwood!)
by Michael Bamberger
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Over the past maybe eight years I have noted, in the pages of this website, that my three favorite golfers are Tommy Fleetwood of England, Franceso Molinari of Italy and Jordan Spieth of Dallas. My guess is that Molinari knows my face and name, that Spieth knows my face but not my name and that Fleetwood knows neither, despite my various efforts. Once, for instance, I told him that, by coincidence and during the last British Open there, I was seated next to his aunt at an outdoor café on a Sunday in downtown, Birkdale, England, during a British Open. Tommy said he knew the café and that she likely was eating there after church. You may know that the Open is returning to Birkdale this year.
On Sunday, Fleetwood went off a full two hours before Rory McIlroy, his Ryder Cup teammate, but Fleetwood stayed around after his middle-of-the-pack finish to see how the whole thing would play out. When McIlroy won, Fleetwood was among the players hanging by the clubhouse to congratulate him. What a lovely thing to do — but what else would you expect from this golfing gent? There’s a reason he’s in my Top 3. By the way, and a quick aside, his final-round 63 at Shinnecock Hills at the 2018 U.S. Open has to be one of the best rounds of golf ever played. I would say that’s like shooting a 60 at Augusta National on Masters Sunday. You may know that the U.S. Open is returning to Shinnecock in June.
Maybe 20 or 25 minutes after McIlroy made his winning six-inch putt on Sunday, Fleetwood was standing on front of the clubhouse, waiting on a ride. By the front I mean the side of the clubhouse at the end of Magnolia Lane, facing Washington Road. I have heard some people refer to this as the back of the clubhouse, which I don’t understand, except that it is back if you have a course-centric view of the world. That part I do get.
Anyway, Fleetwood was standing there, by himself, waiting on a ride and not wearing anything with a Swoosh, as he is no longer a Nike brand ambassador or whatever the right term is for that. He was wearing what seemed to be a custom-made pair of sort of beige beltless pants with a billowy legs. The Eisenhower Era meets the Jerry Ford years.
“In the ‘70s a lot of guys used to wear pants like that,” I said. I was loitering with intent, looking for something to write about. That is, something to write about related to the winner. They did wear pants like that, to a point. The pants then were much tighter, often garish in color and made of polyester. Fleetwood’s pants seemed to be made of a fine lightweight wool. “They were called Sansabelts. Johnny Miller wore ’em. Tom Weiskopf. Lot of guys.”
“Sansabelts,” Tom said.
“From the French, sans belt.”
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That is, without.
Tom nodded, with ever-so-modest enthusiasm. Soon, his ride arrived. He finished T33. — Michael Bamberger
Rory McIlroy’s good luck charm
by James Colgan
One of the unusual pleasures of watching the Masters broadcast is that most of the views are totally unobstructed. Nobody other than the players, the caddies, the camera crews and Dottie Pepper fill the camera shots inside the ropes — the throngs of golf dignitaries, sponsors, agents, managers and scribes are left outside the ropes with the rest of the people.
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Pepper has an unusual honor in the center of the fold. Since 2020, she has served as the only inside-the-ropes broadcaster in Masters history, tracking the highest-leverage groups for the network and collecting datapoints from the middle of the action.
But that’s where this story gets funny. Over the last two years, nobody has seen more of Rory McIlroy at the Masters up close than Dottie, who followed the back-to-back green jacket winner for the seventh time since the start of the 2025 Masters on Sunday afternoon.
Yep, you read that right, Pepper has been on McIlroy’s bag for seven of eight tournament rounds since the start of his star-crossed 2025 Masters start, seeing all but Friday’s second-round rebound in 2025 from the best seat in the house.
In that time, she’s seen some underrated gems — like McIlroy’s second on the 5th on Sunday in 2025 — and some true stinkers, like his tee shot on the 18th with the tournament on the line last Sunday. That’s when Pepper and the rest of the CBS team were thrust into an unenviable position, when McIlroy’s mega-right drive resulted in a mad search for his chunky second-shot, which the broadcast team briefly lost as it traveled from the pine straw into the front-left bunker.
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The moment was a reminder of the vagaries of golf TV broadcasting, though nobody at home struggling to make sense of the most consequential moment of the tournament had much patience for it. McIlroy didn’t help matters by playing his second and third shots as if he was worried the meter in the Champions Parking Lot was about to expire.
Eventually, Pepper restored order with a quick blurb on the location, the forthcoming shot and the quality of the lie. And McIlroy soon delivered a tournament-clinching tap-in.
No guarantees that Pepper will be on McIlroy’s bag at the beginning of next year’s Masters, but McIlroy surely won’t squeal if she is. They have a good thing going.
Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A close-up of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s helmet before kickoff against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium, featuring his trademark No. 18 and reflective visor as he prepared for the NFC North clash. The shot captures Jefferson’s signature game-day focus and style. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
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.
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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.”
Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baylor Bears tight end Michael Trigg (1) is unable to hold on to a catch as he is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) and defensive back Tre Gola-Callard (6) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
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.
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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.
Dec 16, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) celebrates with linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
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.
NBA Play-In begins as Teams fight for Final Playoff spots
The National Basketball Association Play-In Tournament has officially started and will run until 18th April, with teams battling for the final playoff spots.
Twelve teams have already secured their place in the playoffs after finishing in the top six of their respective conferences. The remaining four spots will now be decided through the Play-In.
In the Eastern Conference, the Charlotte Hornets have already beaten the Miami Heat, eliminating Miami and keeping their own season alive. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are also in action as they battle for a place in the playoffs.
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In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers are competing for the final positions.
The Play-In continues today with the Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Orlando Magic. The winner will earn the 7th seed, while the loser gets one more chance to get to the playoffs.
Three-division world champion Gervonta Davis continues to be linked to a comeback, but a petition for him to face his number one contender may scupper his proposed fight plans, or remove him from his favourable position in the lightweight division.
Davis has not won a fight since he knocked out Frank Martin almost two years ago, drawing with Lamont Roach Jr in his solitary outing since, in what was the first blemish of his now 30-0-1 professional record.
Earlier this year, after being issued with an arrest warrant for a domestic violence charge, the WBA named ‘Tank’ ‘champion-in-recess’, meaning that he would be given the opportunity to regain his belt upon return.
In response, the WBA’s number one lightweight contender, Floyd ‘Kid Austin’ Schofield has entered a petition with the sanctioning body, lobbying for either a mandated fight with Davis or the opportunity to fight for the vacant title.
In a clip posted by FightHype, the Texan’s trainer and father, Floyd Schofield Sr, explained the situation in further detail.
“We are, right now, in a petition with the WBA to get the ‘Tank’ Davis fight mandated, because we have been the number one contender for 11 months now and didn’t get a shot.
“It is like they are skipping over us. Right now, we have got that petition going to find out what the WBA and ‘Tank’ are going to do. They are saying ‘Tank’ wants to go up to 140lbs to fight Pitbull [Isaac Cruz], but that has put us on hold.”
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Should Davis-Cruz II go ahead, it is expected to take place this summer, with coach Calvin Ford recently confirming that ‘Tank’ is back in training ahead of his return to boxing.
Despite standing as the highest-ranked program in the country as recently as Sunday, No. 3 Maryland women’s lacrosse suffered a total team collapse in one of its worst losses in recent memory.
With the Terps shooting 13.3% on the night and failing to stop No. 11 Michigan’s fiery attack, they suffered their second-largest loss since 2021. Following a 13-0 start to the season, Maryland dropped its second straight game, a 15-4 blowout defeat Thursday in Ann Arbor.
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Michigan’s prized attacker Emma Bradbury opened up the scoring 42 seconds into the contest before scoring ceased for the following eight minutes. Each team failed to score on five shot attempts during that stretch.
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Then Maryland’s offense exploded for a pair of goals. Kristen Shanahan netted the Terps’ first — a point-blank strike with seven minutes left in the opening frame — before Lauren LaPointe matched her a minute later.
But those were the only two scores it mustered in the period. Head coach Cathy Reese has emphasized a 50% shooting percentage goal for all her players, but Maryland fell well short Thursday, scoring twice on seven total attempts in the first quarter.
These misfires allowed Michigan to launch a 6-0 run on just seven shots in a six minute span. The Wolverines completely dismantled JJ Suriano, who posted a 27.2% first-half save percentage in one of her worst performances of the year as shot after shot slipped past the junior’s extended stick.
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Coming off her best offensive performance to date, Kayla Gilmore struggled to control possession in the circle during this stretch. Michigan claimed three of the five draw controls over this period and kept that aspect of the game competitive — Maryland won 11 of 20 draws.
Following the destructive run, Shanahan stopped the bleeding on yet another highlight-reel shot. The graduate student curled around the crease and was checked to the ground, but still found nylon from a seated position a meter outside the cage with 10 minutes left in the half.
However, this was the bright spot of the first half for the Terps, as a whole-field collapse settled the game. The backline only caused a single turnover over 30 minutes, and lost the first-half ground ball battle, 5-2. Meanwhile, Maryland couldn’t find the frame, only shooting 6 of 14 attempts on goal. It struggled to claw back, falling to a five-goal deficit.
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The Wolverines offensive dominance was largely due to a faulty Terp man-to-man concept. Michigan’s attackers employed isolation tactics, putting immense pressure on individual Maryland defenders to perform.
This allowed the Wolverines to continue their momentum into the third frame, scoring two goals in 13 seconds four minutes into the half.
Both recent Terp draftees struggled mightily in Thursday’s bout. Kori Edmondson logged just one point and was a large factor behind the offensive stagnation, committing three of Maryland’s 14 turnovers. Maddy Sterling stumbled in her role as well, struggling to mark Bradbury all night long and as the attacker notched four goals.
The Wolverines exploded once more in the third quarter, going on a 5-1 run with a precise 55.5% shooting percentage. Maryland outshot Michigan 10-9 in the frame, but the Terps only put four of those shots on frame and scored just once — on a LaPointe snipe with seven minutes left in the period.
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With Calli Norris securing a hat trick just two minutes into the fourth quarter, the officials instituted a running clock as Reese shrugged on the sideline. After a swift, painful fourth quarter, Maryland sulked off the field following the first loss to Michigan in program history.
Three things to know
1. Couldn’t find the net. Despite boasting one of the nation’s strongest attacks and netting double-digit goals all but once this season, the Terps failed to put the ball in the goal. A nine-save performance from Michigan’s Elizabeth Johnson combined with lackluster shooting and passing saw Maryland tying its lowest single-game goal total since 1982.
2. First round bye slipping away. The Terps have led the Big Ten standings since the start of conference play, but back-to-back losses have all but removed them from contention in the race for the lead. Even a win on Saturday at Ohio State will still likely leave Maryland in second place in the Big Ten heading into the conference tournament. 3. Mental lapses. Reese claimed that locker room vibes remained positive following the narrow loss to Northwestern and that the team was focused on cleaning up strategic and on-field errors. But after Thursday’s monumental loss, the Terps may struggle to stay positive and patch up exposed holes for a quick two-day turnaround.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been on a roll recently on the recruiting trail. While the 2026 squad has been busy with spring practice, head coach James Franklin and his staff have hosted numerous recruits. It’s led to three commitments since March 19 — all out-of-state players and defensive linemen.
On Thursday, the Hokies added another one, as four-star defensive lineman James Buchanan became Virginia Tech’s latest commitment. Buchanan, a 6-foot-3.5, 260-pounder from the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland, plays on the edge currently, but possesses the type of frame to eventually move inside.
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Several colleges were recruiting Buchanan as a defensive tackle, but will Tech give him a chance at defensive end. Buchanan weighed in on his position earlier this year.
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Here’s Buchanan’s commitment announcement:
How impressive was this addition? Regardless of position, Buchanan had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, LSU, Georgia, Oregon and Tennessee, among others.
Again, Virginia Tech wasn’t even in the conversation for these types of players before James Franklin arrived. His arrival, alongside defensive line coach Sean Spencer and VT’s renewed commitment to football has the Hokies in a much better position moving forward.
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Spencer joins Alexander Taylor (Baltimore, Md.), Brock Frisby (Severn, Md.), and Xavier Perkins (Durham, N.C.) in Virginia Tech’s 2027 recruiting class.
With the spring game on Saturday, who knows, more good news could be coming for the Hokies.
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