After a patient rebuild, Future History has found top form again and Ciaron Maher is hopeful the veteran can continue his winning streak in Monday’s Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm.
The former French import has been in sparkling form this preparation, chasing a fourth straight victory after successive wins in Sydney and Melbourne.
“He’s in a good spot and when he gets that right race shape, I don’t think it matters what the trip is,” Maher said.
“It took a long time for him to come good after that,” he said.
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“He’s just a horse that is fit, well and thriving now. This race was always a target and I ran him in the other ones because I thought he could win.”
Maher is yet to decide whether stablemate Saint George will take his place in the race, with longer-term plans focused on the Roy Higgins Quality (2600m).
Those assessing the Australia Day Cup can review the latest betting markets for the race ahead of Monday’s feature.
Jan 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) reacts after missing a scoring chance against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
A month ago, the Colorado Avalanche were chasing NHL history as one of the best regular-season teams, but with one game left before the Olympic break, they are struggling and feeling pressure in the standings.
Colorado is 3-5-2 in its last 10 games and is coming off its first scoreless game of the season but can enter the hiatus with some momentum when it hosts the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.
The Avalanche still lead the league with 81 points, but the teams in second and third place are in their division — Minnesota and Dallas, which have won four and five games in a row, respectively. The Wild have 76 points and the Stars 75, narrowing the gap on Colorado in recent weeks.
Injuries have played a part, but the Avalanche did get defenseman Devon Toews back from a 12-game absence in Monday night’s 2-0 loss to Detroit, and forward Martin Necas is expected to return Wednesday night. He has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.
Necas is second on the team with 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists), well behind Nathan MacKinnon, who has 91 points (40 goals, 51 assists). MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals and is second in points.
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One bright spot for Colorado is goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood’s performance. He has allowed only one goal, making 51 saves on 52 shots in two games against the Red Wings.
“He’s stringing together some nice games here,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s getting back in the swing of things. … He’s given us a chance to win every night.”
Blackwood’s former team visits on Wednesday night, led by 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini. The young center ranks fourth in the NHL with 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists) and has registered four goals and five assists in his last five games.
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San Jose has struggled lately as well, having lost its last three games and four of its last six. Wednesday night will wrap up a five-game road trip and is the final of three matchups against the Avalanche this season.
The Sharks beat Colorado in overtime on Nov. 1 but were routed 6-0 in the second game on Nov. 26.
San Jose won’t have enforcer Ryan Reaves in the lineup Wednesday night after he was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. That opens a roster spot, which will likely be filled by forward Kiefer Sherwood, who would make his Sharks debut.
Sherwood (upper body) was acquired from Vancouver two weeks ago but hasn’t played since Jan. 10. Sherwood, who played 27 games for the Avalanche between 2020 and 2022, has 17 goals and six assists and is two goals away from matching his career high set last season.
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San Jose is currently outside the playoff picture in the competitive Western Conference, so every point matters.
“We’ve got one game left until the (Olympics) break,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We’ve got to really zero in on the things we need to do that have made us have success up to this point.”
Mikel Arteta hailed a magical night after Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final to reach a first Wembley final in six years.
Leading 3-2 on aggregate, the hosts weathered late pressure at the Emirates before Kai Havertz scored on the break in the seventh minute of stoppage time to set up a meeting with either Manchester City or Newcastle on March 22.
Not since Arteta’s first season in charge when the Gunners lifted the FA Cup inside an empty national stadium during the coronavirus pandemic have the team given themselves the chance to play for silverware, but their recent domestic wobble appears to be firmly behind them after they dug deep in a game of few chances.
“It’s the best vitamins we can put in our bodies,” said Arteta.
“We’re playing every three days. The fact that we worked so hard to achieve this moment and to have this moment together, it’s just magical. You can see the joy, the smiles, the energy in the dressing room.”
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A buoyant atmosphere inside the ground helped Arsenal over the line, with the mood transformed from the nervousness that appeared to affect the team during January’s goalless draw with Liverpool and defeat to Manchester United here.
“The crowd was brilliant,” said Arteta. “They brought so much energy and belief to the team in different moments when it was very much needed. We deserve to be together at Wembley in a few weeks.
“The energy was very good. From the beginning I sensed that it was different.”
Saturday’s 4-0 win away to Leeds, which ended a three-game winless run in the Premier League and sent the team six points clear, also seemed to restore much of the confidence that fired their ascent to the summit during the first half of the season.
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Questions will likely continue to surround Arteta and his team until the 22-year wait for the title is ended but the manager was confident that booking their place at Wembley can provide a springboard.
“It’s about learning from previous experiences,” he said. “Today was a very different game from the (fist leg) at Stamford Bridge. We dealt with it really well, the way the team competed and understood what we had to do. Really impressive. Now let’s win the final.”
For Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior, defeat ended a five-game winning run.
It was, though, a significantly improved performance from the first leg which came during a turbulent week just a few days after his appointment.
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“In the first leg, I’m not making excuses, but we had an illness go through the camp on the day of the game – we had four players missing – and I’d been in charge for three days,” he said.
“I cannot fault the application, intensity or the fight of the players.
“What we need to do is remember this is the start and I’m really, really happy with a lot of things I’m seeing.
“You want to get the results, but we need to make sure we rest and recover and we keep improving as we go.”
The MCC said the revisions were aimed at keeping the laws “up to date and fit for the modern game”.
NEW DELHI: In one of the most significant updates to cricket’s rulebook in recent years, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced 73 changes to the Laws of Cricket, with the amendments — the first new edition since 2022 — set to come into effect from October this year. The governing body said the revisions were aimed at keeping the laws “up to date and fit for the modern game” while ensuring greater clarity and inclusivity across formats and levels.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Among the headline changes is a new rule mandating that the final over of a day in multi-day matches must be completed even if a wicket falls, a move MCC believes will preserve the drama and competitive balance of the game.The MCC explained that it was “unfair” when a fielding side took a late wicket but the batting team avoided sending out a new batter, adding that the unused deliveries only had to be made up the next day and often reduced the spectacle. Under the revised law, the over will now be bowled in full provided playing conditions remain suitable.
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Key law changes announced by MCC
Mandatory completion of final over
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If a wicket falls during the last over of the day in multi-day cricket, the over must be finished.
MCC said the change restores drama and prevents incoming batters from escaping a testing period late in the day.
Wicketkeeper positioning clarified
Keepers will no longer be penalised for having gloves marginally ahead of the stumps during the bowler’s run-up.
The law now states that the wicketkeeper must be wholly behind the stumps only after the ball is released, aligning it with fielder positioning rules.
‘Bunny hop catch’ removed
Fielders going beyond the boundary may touch the ball only once while airborne and must then land fully inside the boundary for the remainder of the play.
If a fielder parries the ball from outside to a teammate inside and then steps out again, it will be ruled a boundary.
Laminated bats legalised in open-age cricket
Laminated bats — made by bonding multiple pieces of wood — are now permitted beyond junior levels.
MCC believes the move could help tackle rising bat costs, though elite players are still expected to use traditional single-willow bats.
New ball sizes for women’s and junior cricket
The governing body introduced Size 1, Size 2 and Size 3 balls.
While Size 1 (traditionally used in men’s cricket) remains unchanged, uniform margins now create clearer categories tailored to different levels of the game.
Overthrow defined for the first time
An overthrow is now officially described as a throw at the stumps to prevent runs or attempt a run-out.
Misfields near the boundary will no longer be treated as overthrows.
Fielding captain’s role in deliberate short runs
The fielding side gains additional authority to decide which batter faces the next ball in cases of deliberate short running, expanding existing provisions.
Ball considered ‘finally settled’ sooner
The ball will be deemed settled when held by any fielder or stationary on the ground.
It no longer has to be in the bowler’s or wicketkeeper’s hands.
The MCC said the sweeping revisions were shaped through consultations at its World Cricket Connects forum, including input from current and former women’s players as well as equipment manufacturers.(With inputs from PTI)
Take Two Interactive’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, recently confirmed that GTA 6 will not be using generative AI to procedurally generate its world. Ever since the game’s development was officially announced, enthusiasts discussed whether Rockstar Games was using any Artificial Intelligence to build it. While modern titles often use different kinds of AI, GTA 6 will not be using Generative AI.
Speaking to Games Industry.biz, Take Two Interactive’s CEO explained that Rockstar Games create their games very carefully, developing every single world detail from the ground up. He added that because of such attention to detail, they can make gripping and immersive entertainment products.
Here’s what Strauss Zelnick said:
“Specifically with regards to GTA 6, Generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building. Their worlds are handcrafted. That’s what differentiates them. They’re built from the ground up, building by building, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. They’re not procedurally generated, they shouldn’t be. That’s what makes great entertainment.”
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This is not the first time Zelnick has spoken against generative AI. In a conversation with CNBC a few months ago, he explained that anything created using the technology cannot be protected or copyrighted. Additionally, it might not be as good as real developers, creating a title from the ground up.
Despite GTA 6 not using Generative AI, Take Two CEO shows interest in use of AI in games
While Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed that GTA 6 will not use generative AI, he stated that he has always been interested in other AI tools being used in the gaming industry. Speaking to Games Industry.biz, he said that Take-Two has been an industry leader in using various Artificial Intelligence, which have helped their studios save time and money.
Here’s what he said:
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“On the topic of AI, I’ve been enthusiastic since the very beginning. This company’s products have always been built with machine learning and artificial intelligence. We’ve actually always been a leader in the space, and right now we have hundreds of pilots and implementations across our company, including within our studios. And we’re already seeing instances where generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies.”
One of the most commonly used AI in video games is when developers create NPCs (non-playable characters). These are characters that roam around or drive around the game world. They can react to various incidents and even remember the protagonists and their actions.
It is safe to say that GTA 6, which is set to release on November 19, 2026, will have a great NPC system, along with various other AI tools.
Those runs complete, he’ll spell ahead of the Group 1 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick this October, a contest where he was third last year behind Ka Ying Rising.
Maher utilised Tuesday’s session at Caulfield with Jimmysstar to build toward the William Reid, now programmed for March 21 on that circuit.
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Caulfield suits Jimmysstar superbly, evidenced by his Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) conquest first-up last autumn and recent Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) victory in November.
“He spelled well and I’ve just been ticking him over,” Maher said.
“He hasn’t done a lot, but I thought we could bring him away to a nice surface today and warm the cockles up a little bit.
“He seems great. His condition is really good, his action, I’m happy with it.
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“I don’t want to give him too taxing an autumn with a view to having him pretty right for a shot at The Everest again.”
Jimmysstar thrives more at 1400m than sprint distances per Maher, but unleashes devastating acceleration when returning fresh.
Post-Everest third, the stayer nabbed Randwick’s Russell Balding (1300m) before prevailing in Melbourne’s CF Orr.
“He got better as he went along and as the distances slowly increased, winning the Russell Balding and then down here,” Maher said.
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“The 1400 metres is probably his pet distance, and we keep him fresher for the ones shorter.
“He likes coming here to Caulfield, he’s got a good record here, and the William Reid, being run here, the conditions suit him and the track suits him.
“So far, so good.”
For those eyeing the William Reid Stakes, the racing betting markets are heating up with solid value available.
SAN FRANCISCO – Charles Haley knows exactly what it takes to win the Super Bowl – he should know, since he won it five times in his Hall of Fame career.
The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys legend actually got a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy a sixth time Tuesday, as the NFL tabbed him to unveil it at the Super Bowl LX fan experience as part of honoring a longtime FedEx employee.
“He’s on my team now, he’s an All-Pro to me,” Haley told Fox News Digital of Jesse Alvarado, a FedEx driver of 32 years.
Charles Haley of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the field during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at 3 Comm Park in San Francisco.(Tom Hauck/Allsport)
Haley saw similarities between Alvarado and the five championship teams he was on.
“Hard work, dedication, and keeping that hunger going,” Haley said. “It’s the players. When you talk about the team, you talk about the Cowboys, Jerry [Jones] was selling the star, but the players are the stars. That’s what’s gotta be understood. Everything comes down to the players – the way they gel, the way they practice, the way they sacrifice for each other, that’s going to determine who’s going to be here next year.”
Charles Haley address the crowd during halftime during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings at Levi Stadium on September 14, 2015, in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Vikings 20-3.(Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
Haley’s five rings helped him earn a bust in Canton a decade ago, but he had to wait his turn. He did not get into the Hall of Fame until his sixth ballot.
Somehow, some way, both Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft will be waiting until at least next year. It’s led to calls for changes in the voting system, but Haley urged Belichick, Kraft and anybody else to simply be patient.
“I think it’s fair now. They changed the way it was, you have to earn it,” he said. “I was on number six before I got in. I’m not the one to ask about that. If you deserve to be there, you’ll get there.”
Charles Haley of the San Francisco 49ers in action during an NFL football game circa 1988 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Haley played for the 49ers from 1986-91 and 1998-99. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Haley retired with 100.5 sacks and two First-Team All-Pro nods. Belichick and Kraft each have six Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, while Belichick has two more from his days as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator.
Craig Kessler, in his still newish role as LPGA commissioner, already has steered some big and impactful decisions for his tour: brokering a new broadcast deal; forging partnerships that will put more money in his players’ pockets; affixing the LPGA adjacent to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s indoor golf league, TGL.
But last Sunday presented Kessler, who is 40, with a different kind of business challenge: how best to determine the outcome of the LPGA season’s opener, in real time and with the eyes of the golf world (and fingers of golf Twitter) squarely on him. Complicating matters further: Kessler wasn’t on site at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona in Orlando — he was 1,000 miles away, at home in Dallas, frantically trying to keep up with reports from the ground. “On the phone, reading materials from sunup until sundown,” Kessler told GOLF.com in an interview Tuesday. “Constantly trying to source as much information as possible in order to make an informed decision.”
That information — about the evolving course conditions, unseasonably cold weather and logistical concerns around pushing the event to a Monday finish — was coming from a variety of sources: Kessler’s deputies, tournament and rules officials, players and caddies, the grounds crew, even marketing partners. But ultimately the decision about whether to shorten the event to 54 holes and declare world No. 2 Nelly Korda the winner without her striking a single shot Sunday sat in Kessler’s lap.
“One of the tougher calls I’ve had to make in my six months with the LPGA,” he said. “No matter what we decided, there would be some who understood it and respected it, and others who didn’t. The questioning was there from the beginning.”
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That second-guessing centered around whether the Tom Fazio-designed course, which awoke to below-freezing temperatures Sunday morning was playable for such a high-level tournament — or, more to the point, whether it would become playable as the day progressed and the mercury crept out of the 20s and into the 40s. When Amy Yang, one of eight players who didn’t complete their third rounds Saturday, arrived on property Sunday to prepare for the 10 a.m. resumption of Round 3 she said the greens were “frozen” and “unplayable.”
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Ricki Lasky, who is the LPGA’s chief tour business and operations office, added: “What we found was when we got on site and talked to several of the players when they were warming up was that the grounds was really hard and it was changing the trajectory of their shots as they were practicing. The balls were releasing when they weren’t supposed to be so, so we pushed back [starting times].”
Reasonable minds might counter that contending with the elements — assuming water isn’t pooling or wind isn’t blowing balls off greens — is central to the game, but Laski and her team didn’t like what they were seeing and hearing.
The start was pushed from 10 a.m. local time to 11 a.m. . . . then noon . . . then 1 p.m. . . . before the LPGA finally settled on 2:15 p.m., by which point there was not enough daylight remaining to complete both Rounds 3 and 4.
Many observers noted the decision to postpone play so deep into the afternoon was a curious one given the temperatures (and golf course) were at least playable enough for the contingent of celebrities also competing in the event; they’d been dispatched to the course hours earlier, at 10 a.m. Among the participants in the celeb division was LPGA legend and Lake Nona resident Annika Sorenstam, who after bundling up and playing nine holes Sunday told Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek: “I don’t know why they’re not playing. There’s pitch marks. I mean, I hit some crispy shots today and the ball even stopped. I am surprised. It’s difficult, it’s cold but it’s as fair as anything.”
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Yang, after signing for a third-round 69 that secured her runner-up honors, also described the course as “playable.” “It got much better,” she said. “It is still very cold but compared to this morning 9 a.m. when I was warming up, much better condition.”
Still, Kessler said he had other concerns beyond just the competitive integrity of the setup — namely the risk the frigid turf posed to his players. This worry was not communicated to either players or the public Sunday, but in a memo — a mea culpa, really — that Kessler emailed to players Tuesday, he revealed that he was “worried that our athletes might be injured given the way record overnight low temperatures hardened the course.” Kessler acknowledged in that note that “while the decision was a tough one and ran counter to prior statements we shared, I made a judgement call.”
There is precedent, of course, for calling tournaments after 54 (or even 36) holes, but nearly always it happens only in instances when it’s clear that severe weather (the wet and/or windy variety) will prevent play from being completed not only on Sunday but also Monday. There is little, if any, precedent for a professional golf tournament being called on account of concerns of players jamming a wrist or a catching a stinger.
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But Kessler said the circumstances in Orlando, from what he deduced, were highly unusual. “Hand on heart, based on the information I had available when the call needed to be made, I had real concern about the potential for player injury,” he told GOLF. “Particularly in week one of the season, I think that’s something that has to be taken very seriously, and we took it very seriously.”
So seriously that Kessler made the decision to declare a champion after the third round. When the dust (frost?) had settled, Nelly Korda, who’d shot a stunning eight-under 63 in windy and chilly conditions Saturday, was named the winner by three.
After picking up her first win since November 2024 and her 16th LPGA title overall, Korda sounded largely supportive of the LPGA’s decision to shorten the event, saying, “At the end of the day, what we have on the line versus what the celebrities have on the line is a little bit different. I think the LPGA made the decision to look after their players, and at the end of the day we can’t do anything about that.”
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Another question still loomed, though: Why not finish the tournament on Monday, as is customary on the PGA Tour when an event cannot be completed on Sunday?
“We weren’t fully prepared,” Kessler said.
Pressed on what that meant exactly — i.e., not prepared in terms of onsite logistics? Necessary support teams? Broadcasting needs? — the commissioner said: “It’s the whole nine yards. Think about the complexity of running a golf tournament. You’ve got sponsored considerations, player considerations, fan considerations, volunteer considerations, folks who actually show up to bring the tournament to life.”
The last Monday finish on the LPGA Tour coincidentally came at the Tournament of Champions, in 2020, but that round included only two players — Gaby Lopez and Nasa Hataoka — who after five playoff holes Sunday were still deadlocked, forcing the players to return to the course Monday morning. Logistically, there is, of course, a big difference catering to two players playing a couple of extra holes vs. 39 players returning to the host site to play a full round. Whatever the reason for the LPGA’s inability to extend to Monday, the tour was not equipped for a fifth day of competition.
“In hindsight, I wish we had spent a little bit more time thinking about solutions that would have allowed us to get all 72 holes in,” Kessler continued. “I’m not sure it makes sense to go back and sort of relitigate all of the details, but what I do know is that going forward, we’re gonna work like hell to make sure, if we’re ever in a position like this again, we’re ready to go with those creative solutions.”
Kessler declined to say what those solutions might be, but beyond being better prepared to push to Monday, presumably that could mean, in the case of an ominous Sunday forecast, squeezing in more golf on Saturday. Kessler said he has no regrets about shortening the tournament, but in his memo to players he did acknowledge that “this decision, and others we made in real time, were confusing and disappointing to our fans. And our communication around the decision wasn’t clear or timely enough. Your frustration is valid — I own that, and I’m sorry.”
Asked what, in retrospect, he would have done differently, Kessler said, “I think there are two major themes. The first is around preparation — making sure we’re ready for plan A, B and C, and we’ve thought through all the logistics from start to finish, so that if we’re met with exceptional circumstances, we’re ready to go. The second is communications and making sure that when we communicate with the people who matter most, our fans, our players, the media, our partners, we’re communicating in plain English so that people read our statements and understand exactly what we decided and why we made the decision.”
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Kessler will have a minute to process his learnings. The next LPGA event, in Thailand, doesn’t begin until Feb. 18. That tournament kicks off a three-week swing in Asia before the tour returns to the U.S. in mid-March.
“I know I made a tough call from a very good place,” Kessler said. “I realized that there’s been fallout, and there are some people who are upset with the decision that I made. At the same time, I’m just deeply proud of what we’ve done, and the momentum we’ve created, and the culture we’re starting to create with our team here. I really hope as quickly as possible we can get back to that.”
One of the most hilarious viral moments over the weekend was Caitlin Clark’s reaction to Reggie Miller comparing her to Payton Pritchard. Some people thought that it was disrespectful coming from an Indiana legend, while others just can’t stop teasing Clark on social media.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, it seemed like Clark was feeding into her memeable reaction to the comparison. She retweeted a post by the NBA showing Pritchard’s midrange basket against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. She also dropped a few smirking emojis just for fun.
“😏😏😏,” Clark tweeted.
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While Payton Pritchard is not a bad comparison since he can shoot the basketball, Caitlin Clark has usually been compared to Steph Curry. Clark has range, though her court vision is an underrated part of her game. She led the WNBA in assists as a rookie.
Clark failed to show off her improvement in her second season in the league due to injuries. She was limited to just 13 games after suffering multiple muscle-related injuries, mainly to her hamstring and groin. She also had a sprained ankle while recovering from a groin injury that kept her from returning for the playoffs.
The Indiana Fever went to the WNBA semifinals without her, pushing the eventual champions Las Vegas Aces, to five games. Even Game 5 was a nailbiter, with the Aces needing overtime to dispatch an injury-plagued Fever squad.
Clark returned to the court last December after being invited by Team USA to participate in a mini-camp as part of their preparation for this year’s World Cup.
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Sophie Cunningham reacts to Caitlin Clark’s reaction to Reggie Miller’s comparison
Caitlin Clark was a guest analyst on NBC Sports’ “Sunday Night Basketball” over the weekend. Clark helped cover the LA Lakers vs. New York Knicks matchup, alongside NBA legends such as Reggie Miller, Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
Speaking on the “Show Me Something” podcast, Sophie Cunningham shared her honest reaction to Caitlin Clark’s analyst debut, as well as Miller’s comp.
“First of all, I think she did a really good job,” Cunningham said, according to Sports Illustrated. “She was a natural up there. … I mean, she’s a dweeb. She knows the game, so that’s no shock.”
Cunningham added that Miller didn’t compare Clark to Payton Pritchard as a sign of disrespect. It was a genuine take from the Indiana Pacers legend. Miller even called Clark the best shooter in Indiana history, over himself and Tyrese Haliburton.
James Harden (1) of the LA Clippers in action against the New York Knicks during a game at Madison Square Garden on November 6, 2023, in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Clippers 111-97. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
In return, the Clippers are getting Darius Garland and a second-round pick.
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Harden, 36, is averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists this season.
James Harden (1) of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 5, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.(Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Garland, 26, is putting up 18.0 points and 6.9 assists this year, but a right foot injury has kept him off the court since Jan. 14.
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) warms up prior to game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome on Apr 26, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif.(Jayne Kamin/Oncea-Imagn Images)
Harden sat out the Clippers last game against the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
How do you stop Arsenal causing chaos from set-pieces?
It’s the question everyone keeps asking – but few find an answer.
The Gunners are Europe’s leading force in scoring from set-plays over the past couple of seasons and it has proved to be such a formidable tactic.
Step forward Liam Rosenior and Chelsea, who tried an innovative way of stopping them in their Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg tie on Tuesday night – just days after former Manchester City and Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given had suggested similar on Match of the Day.
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While it wasn’t able to stop the Gunners securing a 1-0 win – and 4-2 aggregate success – to book their place in the EFL Cup final, it might at least have given rivals some food for thought.
Just as Arsenal were about to whip in their two corners, Chelsea sent three players sprinting from defence to attack – forcing the hosts to quickly react and send players back themselves.
Monaco and Crystal Palace have also left players up against Arsenal‘s set-pieces before – but no team has attempted such a late attempt at forcing Mikel Arteta’s men back towards their own half.
Perhaps they had been listening to Given on Match of the Day on Saturday night.
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After watching Arsenal score from two set-pieces in their 4-0 thrashing of Leeds, he said: “I wish someone would try something different.
“Take nothing away from Arsenal, but I see the same set-up every week – Arsenal players loaded at the back and causing carnage. Every set-up is the same.
“Someone can try something different to stop this brilliant form of attack. What can teams do different to create more space? If they leave three up, Arsenal have to leave at least three, maybe four players back.
“Then, in the defending box, that leaves a lot more space for the defenders and the goalkeeper. Yes, it leaves more space for the forwards as well, but all those numbers caused so much confusion.”
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Since the start of last season, Arteta’s men have scored 53 goals from set-pieces across all competitions – 13 more than anyone else in the Premier League.
And Chelsea‘s tactic – while not enough to secure them a place in the EFL Cup final – at least stopped Arsenal from scoring from a set-play.
Ex-Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp was less impressed though.
He told Sky Sports: “I like the plan, but my problem is Enzo Fernandez was left marking Gabriel and he has 10 yards to attack the ball.
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“Chelsea are trying to negate there being too much traffic in the area, which Arsenal try to cause chaos with. They obviously have a plan but if Arsenal have the right delivery, Enzo Fernandez has no chance.”
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