Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Will Fries celebrates in the end zone after a second-quarter touchdown midway through Jan. 4, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a matchup with the Green Bay Packers. The moment captured linemen pride as Minnesota’s offense capitalized on strong execution. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett–Imagn Images.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first three seasons as the Minnesota Vikings general manager all led up to the 2025 free agency, when the Vikings spent the second-most money on players, second only to the New England Patriots.
While the Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl, the Vikings’ season had long since finished after failing to make the playoffs. Finally given the chance to spend big, Adofo-Mensah got it horribly wrong, and it cost him his job.
Overall Assessment of the Vikings’ 2025 Free Agency Class
The 2025 free agency class was his last, and Adofo-Mensah hasn’t left the Vikings with much for the long term, after also failing in the short term. In total, Adofo-Mensah made 16 signings for a total of $269,532,500. A year later, how has the class aged? The short answer is not very well.
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Will Fries (Guard) – 5-year, $87.7 million contract.
Minnesota made a significant commitment to Will Fries, investing time and money in a five-year contract worth over $87 million to make Fries their long-term right guard. There was an element of risk to this move, with Fries having a breakout season in 2024 but only from a five-game sample due to a broken tibia. Fries was fit and ready to start the season and was the only Vikings linemen to play every game—a major plus on an OL that was ravaged by injury.
Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Will Fries (76) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Fries was solid in his debut season in Minnesota, being called for 3 penalties and allowing 37 pressures and 3 sacks across 989 snaps on offense, earning a 61.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. Those stats would be acceptable if Fries were being paid $3-4 million, but his contract is worth $17 million a year.
Verdict: Minnesota needs more from Fries to justify that contract and will hope that a year on the field post-injury and more comfort in the system will help bring that about. The Vikings also have a new OL coach for the 2026 season in a bid to improve the whole unit.
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Byron Murphy (Cornerback) – 3-year, $54 million contract.
Byron Murphy got a big payday on the back of his first-ever Pro Bowl season, where he was a ball hawk – leading the league in interceptions (6) among CBs in 2024. Murphy didn’t snag his first INT until Week 15, following it with another in Week 16. Simply put, he failed to recapture that Pro Bowl form that got him paid.
Verdict: Murphy is a good CB, but he’s not a lockdown CB1 and never has been. The decision to pay him $18 million a year doesn’t look wise right now.
Jonathan Allen (Interior Defensive Lineman) – 3-year, $51 million contract.
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The Vikings invested heavily in the interior of the defensive line, emphasizing interior pass rush. Once one of the league’s best interior defenders, the gamble on Jonathan Allen re-finding his form after injuries and a down year didn’t pay off. Allen brought 34 pressures and 4 pressures to the team, and a solid run defense, but we have another case of a player not living up to his contract.
Verdict: The three-year deal given to Allen means there are no significant savings this year, so it is set to be another year of solid veteran play on top-end wages for the Vikings – unless Allen suddenly returns to his best football at 31.
Javon Hargrave (Interior Defensive Lineman) – 2-year, $30 million contract.
Rinse and repeat. Former top-end interior pass-rusher who’s had injuries and a drop in play. Big money was paid, but the contract was not honored. Hargrave had a better season than Allen, but is two years older and only got a two-year contract. Significant cap savings can be made on Hargrave this year.
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Verdict: Needing to find $40 million get salary cap compliant, saving $11 million by cutting Hargrave looks imminent. Baltimore has been rumoured as a trade candidate for Hargrave, which would save a further £5 million – an even better result. It’s for the Vikings to get younger at this position through the draft.
Ryan Kelly (Center) – 2-year, $18 million contract.
Ryan Kelly was just what the Vikings needed at center: experienced, knowledgeable of the position’s nuances, and solid in both the run and pass games. Unfortunately, his history of concussions followed him to Minnesota, and his future has to be in doubt heading into the 2026 season.
Verdict: Kelly played in just eight games because of three separate concussions. Most concerning was Kelly coming back to play with a guardian cap only to suffer another concussion. The Vikings need to start looking at a long-term solution at center.
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Isaiah Rodgers (Cornerback) – 2-year, $11 million contract.
Week 3 saw one of the single greatest individual performances you will ever see from a defensive player. Isaiah Rodgers was inspired against the Bengals. Rodgers scored two defensive touchdowns, one from an interception and one from a fumble he forced and recovered himself. He added another forced fumble and a couple of passes defended in an inspired performance that earned Pro Football Focus its first-ever perfect grade. That was Rodgers’ ceiling, and the floor was a lot lower.
Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) practices before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images.
Verdict: Rodgers spent too much time playing closer to his floor than his ceiling. He never got near the level of performance he had in that Bengals game again. 2025 was his first season as a starter in the NFL. If he is going to keep that role, he needs to find a lot more consistency.
Eric Wilson (Linebacker) – 1-year, $2.6 million contract.
Undoubtedly, the signing of the season. Eric Wilson returned to where his NFL journey began, and with great success. An injury to Blake Cashman gave Wilson a chance to start, and when Cashman returned, he kept his place ahead of Ivan Pace. Brian Flores used him as a pass rusher to great effect, with Wilson tallying 6.5 sacks – more than double his previous season best.
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Verdict: With Wilson and Pace both hitting free agency, I don’t think there’s much argument that Wilson is the one the Vikings need to bring back.
Jeff Okudah (Cornerback) – 1-year, $2.35 million contract.
The last in a lengthy line of Adofo-Mensah failed first-round pick reclamation projects. Once the third overall pick by the Detroit Lions, it’s never quite worked out for Jeff Okudah, who has had several injury problems across his career. He played in the first six games of the season before getting a concussion and never being seen again after being put on IR.
Verdict: Okudah wasn’t good when he played, and the first-round reclamation projects should be binned now that Adofo-Mensah has left town.
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Rondale Moore (Wide Receiver) – 1-year, $2 million contract.
Rondale Moore was set to be the team’s punt returner and WR4 before a knee injury suffered in a preseason game saw him ruled out for the entire 2025 season.
Verdict: A sensible signing with a glaring need at return specialist, but with his injury leaving the path clear for undrafted rookie Myles Price to shine. I don’t expect Moore to return next season.
Justin Skule (Tackle) – 1-year, $2 million contract.
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Minnesota needed a backup tackle who could start if Christian Darrisaw wasn’t ready to assume his role at left tackle when the season started. Not only did that prove to be the case, but Brian O’Neill has also missed time due to injury, and Darrisaw finished the season back on IR with the same troublesome knee. The Vikings opted for Justin Skule, and he was called upon more than would have been preferable, with nine starts and 578 snaps on offense.
Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Justin Skule (67) during an NFL International Series game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Verdict: There were times when Skule visibly struggled, giving up 29 pressures and 7 sacks across the season. However, he held down the fort reasonably well for a backup tackle. The veteran deserves to come back again for training camp, at least with Darrisaw’s knee issue still lingering.
Carson Wentz (Quarterback) – 1-year, $1.4 million contract.
Minnesota was initially set to go with Sam Howell as QB2, but after undrafted rookie Max Brosmer outshone him, it was time to think again. Carson Wentz was brought in to be the veteran presence behind JJ McCarthy and found himself thrust into action as early as Week 3. Wentz had his struggles, but a 2-3 record while toughing it out through a dislocated shoulder that included a torn labrum and fractured socket, before eventually having season-ending surgery, was a commendable effort.
Verdict: The boy raised in North Dakota got to live out his childhood dream for five weeks and kept the Vikings competitive. I wouldn’t hate seeing him back to compete in training camp.
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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
High-profile sports and talent agent Casey Wasserman announced to staff he will be selling his talent agency in the aftermath of recently released emails between him and Ghislaine Maxwell, The Associated Press reported Saturday.
Wasserman, the founder and CEO of Wasserman Agency and chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, exchanged flirtatious emails in 2003 with Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s right-hand woman, according to documents included in the most recent release by the Department of Justice.
The memo arrived days after the LA28 board’s executive committee met to discuss Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files. The committee said it and an outside legal firm conducted a review of Wasserman’s interactions with Epstein and Maxwell with Wasserman’s full cooperation.
Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA2028 Olympics Organizing Committee, speaks during a ceremonial lighting of the LA28 Olympic cauldron at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles Jan. 13, 2026, ahead of the launch of ticket registration for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
“We found Mr. Wasserman’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented,” the committee said in a statement, adding that Wasserman “should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful games.”
Wasserman has said previously he flew on a humanitarian mission to Africa on Epstein’s private plane at the invitation of the Clinton Foundation in 2002. He said in his memo to staff that his interactions with Maxwell and Epstein were limited and that he regrets the emails.
“It was years before their criminal conduct came to light, and, in its entirety, consisted of one humanitarian trip to Africa and a handful of emails that I deeply regret sending. And I’m heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks,” the memo said.
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Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28, speaks during the IOC session at the Main Media Centre MPC at Allianz MiCo Feb. 3, 2026, in Milan, Italy.(Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Wasserman said in a prior statement. “As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
United States women’s national soccer team legend Abby Wambach announced earlier this week she was leaving the agency. Chappell Roan also left the agency.
In the email exchanges, Wasserman told Maxwell, “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?” Another exchange showed Maxwell asking Wasserman whether it would be foggy enough during an upcoming visit “so that you can float naked down the beach and no one can see you unless they are close up?” Wasserman responded, “or something like that.”
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Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend a performance by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005, in New York City.( Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Caleb Wilson is North Carolina’s best player and emotional leader; big man Henri Veesaar is North Carolina’s second-best player by every metric. UNC knew it was not going to have Wilson a fracture in his left hand was discovered earlier this week, but Veesaar was under the weather and was held out of Saturday’s home tilt against Pitt.
And yet, the 11th-ranked Tar Heels comfortably held off Jeff Capel’s Panthers 79-65 in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated without a starting front line that had been as dominant as any frontcourt in college basketball outside of Michigan, Florida and Arizona.
Pitt is one of the ACC bottom-feeders, but UNC played well and showed glimpses of the new way it’s going to have to win ballgames with Wilson sidelined indefinitely.
It’s time for Luka Bogavac to get it rolling. The international veteran had been shifted to a second-unit role, but he got re-inserted into the starting lineup and balled out with 15 points and four assists in 33 minutes. His individual creation is something this UNC offense needs to create some semblance of a jolt.
Alabama transfer Jarin Stevenson also shined in an expanded role. Stevenson didn’t shot-hunt at all. He just took what the defense gave him, and that resulted in 19 points on just seven shots. Stevenson drilled three triples and all four of his free throws. He played 36 turnover-free minutes. That’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
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One guy can’t replace Wilson’s production, but Stevenson and Bogavac have to raise their level.
They did just that on Saturday.
Can they do it again?
Don’t expect much on the offensive glass
UNC averages over 12 second-chance points, which ranks in the 77th percentile nationally, per CBB Analytics, thanks to the relentless effort from Wilson and Veesaar.
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Unsurprisingly, UNC was not able to be an impactful offensive-rebounding team against the Panthers. UNC totaled just six offensive rebounds on its 32 missed shots. That 18.8 offensive rebound rate is the second-lowest mark of the season for UNC.
The Tar Heels’ shot selection is going to have to be even better moving forward because those second-chance points that have fueled the Heels for long stretches this season is not going to be a strength while Wilson is on the mend.
Dixon’s steady hand steers the ship
Ball control will be even more paramount for UNC without the offensive rebounding to serve as a buffer. That means a freshman like Derek Dixon just has to play clean basketball.
He was great against Pitt. He had seven assists and just one turnover. He got the ball where it needed to go and was super unselfish in setting the table for this group and getting the ball where it needed to go. Backup big man Zayden High delivered a career-high 15 points, but it was Dixon who expertly set up High left and right.
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More of that, por favor.
Interior defense pros and cons
Pitt got whatever it wanted in the paint against UNC. The Panthers shot 13 for 20 at the rim and totaled 34 paint points. Pitt big man Cam Corhen got rolling early with some pick-and-pop treys and then started eating inside the arc on his way to a 23-point showing. He was terrific. UNC also struggled to contain versatile forward Roman Siulepa (14 points on 10 shots) for stretches.
It just is what it is with High as the primary shot-blocker. There’s just very little resistance when High and Stevenson are the primary interior defenders.
But Saturday was the worst it could be. Veesaar’s return is imminent — he’s expected to suit up for Tuesday’s road tilt against rival N.C. State — and UNC’s defense needs its 7-footer on the floor as soon as possible. Wilson will be unquestionably missed, but Veesaar can keep UNC’s defense afloat with his interior rim protection and mobility on the perimeter. Thankfully for UNC, none of its next three opponents (NC State, Syracuse and Louisville) has that bruising center that you’re terrified of.
U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn said she can finally return home after multiple surgeries.
She is six days removed from an infamous crash just 13 seconds into her run at the women’s downhill in Milan Cortina. She has had four surgeries while pent-up in an Italian hospital.
“Surgery went well today! Thankfully, I will be able to finally go back to the US,” Vonn wrote in an Instagram post.
The United States’ Lindsey Vonn arrives at the finish area of an alpine skiing women’s downhill training at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Vonn held back from revealing certain details about her condition.
“Once I’m back I will give you more updates and info about my injury,” she added.
“I have been reading a lot of messages and comments saying that what has happened to me makes them sad. Please, don’t be sad.”
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Vonn became one of the top stories of the Winter Games, making her return to the world stage after a temporary retirement. She was competing just days after an ACL rupture. When the crash happened, it sent countless American fans into shock and sent Vonn to the operating table for extensive medical procedures.
“When I think back on my crash, I didn’t stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences. I knew what I was doing. I chose to take a risk. Every skier in that starting gate took the same risk. Because even if you are the strongest person in the world, the mountain always holds the cards,” she added.
“I was willing to risk and push and sacrifice for something I knew I was absolutely capable of doing. I will always take the risk of crashing while giving it my all, rather than not ski to my potential and have regret. I never want to cross finish line and say, ‘what if?’ And to be perfectly honest, I was stronger physically in that moment than I have been often in the past.”
The United States’ Lindsey Vonn concentrates ahead of an alpine skiing women’s downhill training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
She says she believes she felt “stronger” for this year’s games with a ruptured ACL than she was in 2019 at the time of her first retirement.
“Certainly stronger than I was when I ended career in 2019 where I got a bronze medal in the World Championships. And mentally…. Mentally I was perfect. Clear, focused, hungry, aggressive yet completely calm… just as I had practiced over the past few months when I was on the podium in every downhill this season. 2 wins and leading the standings… that was all a test to prepare me for the Olympics. Mentally, I was more ready than I have ever been,” she said.
“But just because I was ready, that didn’t guarantee me anything. Nothing in life is guaranteed. That’s the gamble of chasing your dreams, you might fall but if you don’t try you’ll never know.”
Her medical procedures may not be over. She suggested she would need additional surgeries in a Friday Instagram post.
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“I’m finally feeling more like myself but I have a long, long way to go,” Vonn said Friday.
The United States’ Lindsey Vonn is airlifted after a crash during an alpine skiing women’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“Tomorrow, I’ll have another surgery, and, hopefully, that goes well. And then I can potentially leave and go back home, at which point, I’ll need another surgery. Still don’t know exactly what that entails yet until I get some better imaging.”
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.
Scotland travel to Cardiff as hot favourites, but without three players from the Calcutta Cup. Victory has come at a cost.
Jack Dempsey, belligerence on legs, Jamie Ritchie, a warrior in his 40 minutes, and Jamie Dobie, class in every area after a rough experience in Rome, are not going to make it to Wales.
Dempsey and Ritchie might not be seen again in the championship.
Townsend could have done without those blows, but he’s used to the carnage of Six Nations rugby. He also has decent deputies in store for the trip to the Principality Stadium.
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One win must become two or else the significance of what happened at Murrayfield goes away like so many of the other victories over England. Unless it’s properly built upon then it’s a one-off and everybody connected with this team is fed up with one-offs.
All the self-doubt Scotland owned now transfers to England. It’s a heavy burden. It’s said, endlessly, that Scotland get up for England more than they get up for any other opposition. We can debate the accuracy of that until the cows come home.
The relevant question about this England team, and the ones that have come before them in a run of five defeats in six against the Scots is why don’t they get up for Scotland?
The dawning of reality should be close at hand now for England players – ‘maybe it’s not you, Scotland, maybe it’s us’.
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Tuipulotu said on Friday his team were desperate and he wanted to see that desperation visited upon England. He got his wish.
We know Scotland had this kind of performance deep within them – there’s been plenty, if fleeting, evidence of their class – but what we didn’t know, what we could not take on trust, was their ability to deliver this kind of controlled fury for 80 minutes.
But they did. This was as dominant a Scotland performance as you’ll get over England, a thing of thunder and beauty, class and heart, ruthlessness and intelligence. All those combined Calcutta Cup teams that people did pre-match – Scotland had an average of three or four players in a joint side – were ripped to shreds. A new version would have more tartan than a shortbread factory.
It was a game that threw up dozens of cameos to ponder, not just the creation and execution of the Scotland tries but the bare-knuckle stuff they delivered in defence. To a man, starting team and bench, they stood up.
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Stood up for themselves, for their coach, for their supporters.
With each demonic play in defence during that second half you got a snapshot of how difficult this past week has been for them and how they were prepared to do anything – anything – to make it better.
Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad (García, Vinícius Júnior x2 & Valverde). A great performance with goals to match… This is my immediate reaction to the big win. Get more: Player ratings, interviews and a post game podcast.
Real Sociedad presented one of the biggest challenges so far Álvaro Arbeloa and his Real Madrid side, and the team would be without the likes of Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes. Gonzalo García would get the nod, ahead of even Kylian Mbappé, as he was joined by Vinícius Júnior in attack. Trent Alexander-Arnold was back, allowing Fede Valverde into the midfield. Castilla player of the season (so far) Cesár Palacios was called into the bench. Fede Valverde was the captain.
What should have been a challenge became quite the opposite, when Gonzalo García delicately poked the ball past the keeper after a superb Trent Alexander-Arnold cross picked him out. Dean Huijsen then gave away a penalty, which was scored by Mikel Oryazabal – before Vinícius Júnior scored one of his own moments later. Fede Valverde then extended the lead to make it 3-1 come half-time.
Vinícius Júnior got the second half going with another penalty kick, scoring to make it 4-1 and add another to his tally. This sadly put the game to bed early, and other than a penalty shout for Sociedad – little happened of note for the next half an hour. Madrid were playing well, though – and Trent Alexander-Arnold in-particular was earning a lot of plaudits on his return to action. Real Sociedad had a goal disallowed with five minutes left to play, before Vinícius was denied his hat-trick with a disallowed goal of his own in added time. Full-time: 4-1 to Real Madrid, and a great performance from the team. What are your thoughts?
One of the annual highlights of NBA All-Star Weekend features the league’s best marksmen competing from beyond the arc, and the 2026 NBA 3-Point Contest will take place on Saturday. The NBA 3-Point Contest field features two past winners in Devin Booker and two-time champion Damian Lillard, as well as All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray and Norman Powell. Veteran Bobby Portis and rookie Kon Knueppel round out the field. The event takes place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles during NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which has a start time of 5 p.m. ET.
Knueppel (+250) and Lillard (+430) are the top-two favorites to win, per the latest 2026 3-Point Contest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, with Booker at +600. Murray is +600, followed by Mitchell (+650) and Tyrese Maxey (+750). There’s potentially value at the bottom of the odds board in Powell (+1100), a former LA Clipper who is familiar with the Intuit Dome rims, and in Portis (+1600) who leads the field in 3-point percentage.
Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.
Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately as he enters the All-Star break on a 40-17 run on NBA picks (+2014). He is coming off a dominant 2024-25 NBA season, finishing 239-178-2 and returning $3,209 to $100 bettors. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Barner is fading Damian Lillard (+430), despite him being one of the favorites and a two-time winner of this event (2023, 2024). Lillard has not played this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles, which poses two issues. One is that his movement around the ball racks may be a bit limited compared to his prior contest appearances. Another is that he will likely lack rhythm having not played a competitive game in nearly 10 months.
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While Lillard has played just one game at the Intuit Dome, which came last season, it’s worth noting his 3-point shooting in that contest. He went 1 for 9 from beyond the arc for an 11.1% rate. Among his 50 games last season with at least 7 attempts from downtown, that 1 for 9 performance was his worst all year. Thus, Barner doesn’t see Lillard joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time winners of the NBA 3-Point Contest. See more predictions at SportsLine.
Barner has studied the NBA 3-Point Contest from every angle and predicts the winner will “make history” with his performance. See who it is over at SportsLine.
“No silver bullets to creating stars,” the LPGA commissioner said at the CME Group Tour Championship in November.
At the end of a year defined by parity, the LPGA and women’s golf faced a conundrum as it looked to find its breakthrough moment: Is it better to have one or two superstars win and win a lot, or are parity and depth the answer?
One of Kessler’s top priorities as he took over as commissioner was to find a way to create and market his stars. The way, he said, was to identify those who connect with fans, are willing to show up outside the ropes to build their brand and whose play meets the necessary level.
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“You have the best players, you have the most marketable players, and you have the ones who are actually willing to lean in and do the work,” Kessler said. “It’s the handful of players at the center of that Venn diagram that we are going to invest our resources against in order to create global superstars and create that player and fan connection.”
Of course, it’s no secret who the needles are in women’s golf at the moment. It’s the same two players who Kessler specifically mentioned by name as players who have done things outside of golf to raise their star profile: Nelly Korda and Charley Hull.
While the outside-the-ropes stuff is important, Korda and Hull winning more, and doing so on the biggest stages in 2026, would be the most beneficial thing for the LPGA and women’s golf.
Korda went winless in 2025 after her seven-win 2024. Hull won once, capturing the Kroger after World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul four-putted on the 72nd hole. It’s not a surprise that the two biggest moments of the 2025 season were Korda’s Sunday charge at the U.S. Women’s Open and Hull’s final-round flurry at the AIG Women’s Open, both of which came up just short.
A year in which Nelly and Charley win and win a lot would be the foundation for the climb toward a breakthrough that Kessler and all of the stakeholders in women’s golf envision.
That’s what made the controversial start to the LPGA’s season so head-scratching. Korda shot a sterling 64 on Saturday in chilly temperatures in Orlando to grab the lead. Everything was set up for the ideal Sunday, with the LPGA’s marquee star looking to snap a winless drought to open the 2026 season. But the decision to shorten the tournament to 54 holes due to the cold conditions meant Korda won the tournament on the driving range and won’t hit another shot for a month.
Kessler apologized for the way the decision was handled and communicated. He vowed to learn from it. There’s no doubt the controversial shortening overshadowed what could have been the ideal scenario for the LPGA’s opening weekend.
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But Korda did still win. When she tees it up again, talk of a drought will be over, and she’ll be eyeing win No. 2 on the season.
“I did a lot of good last year,” Korda said after her 54-hole win. “Just kind of wasn’t going my way. I guess I was just so focused on being really present, which I told myself to do that last year, too. Maybe the outside noise did make its way in a little bit more than I wanted to. I learned a lot.
“Just very happy to get the first win of the year, and hopefully that leads into a great year.”
And on Saturday, women’s golf’s other needle mover fired a final-round 65 to storm back and win the PIF Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour.
Hull birdied six of the final eight holes at Riyadh Golf Club to nip Akie Iwai and Cassandra Alexander by one.
“It feels great,” Hull said after securing the win. “Wow, it’s gone a bit too fast today. I was only two-under through nine holes and then I made a charge on the back nine. It was funny because last time I was around here my boyfriend said to me go out and make loads of birdies to begin with. He said to me last night, ‘Make loads of birdies coming in, you love chasing.’ And that’s what I did.”
The LPGA’s confounding decision to shorten the season-opening Tournament of Champions turned a Korda dream start into a question-filled debacle.
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But on February 14, both Korda and Hull, the two biggest stars in women’s golf, have both won. Hull will tee it up again in two weeks at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, while Korda will return to action at the Fortinet Founders Cup in the middle of March. There’s a chance that one or both could have multiple wins by the time the first major rolls around at the end of April.
The answer to the LPGA’s stars vs. depth question was always going to answer itself. Just one month into the 2026 season, Korda and Hull already appear well on their way to delivering the expected answer: stars move needles and transcend sports. Wins are the accelerant.
That’s as close to a silver bullet as you’ll find.
Manchester City were poor in their FA Cup win over Salford but an own goal was added to late on by substitute Marc Guehi.
Manchester City are through to the FA Cup fifth round after a dismal home win over League Two Salford City. An early cross from Rayan Ait-Nouri was inadvertently pushed into the net by Salford’s Alfie Dorrington but the Blues failed to stamp their authority on the game beyond that despite enjoying the vast majority of possession.
Salford twice went close to beating James Trafford and could feel hard done by that they did not get more out of a game where they posed a significant threat. Pep Guardiola brought Rodri, Antoine Semenyo, Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly on in the second half in an attempt to turn the game back in City’s favour.
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It worked, with a set-piece won by Semenyo ending with Guehi putting it in the back of the net. Here are the player ratings from the Manchester Evening News.
The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
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NBA’s All-Star Saturday night used to be anchored by the dunk contest. It was the flagship event of the night, as the league’s top players showcased their athletic feats with jaw-dropping dunks. Players who weren’t competing often filled the sidelines, and fans were always enthralled by the nightcap.
However, over the last 10 years, the dunk contest has lost its cachet, while the 3-Point Shootout has gotten all the hype. The 3-Point Shootout has delivered in ways the dunk contest hasn’t in recent years, with nail-biting finishes as everyone watches in awe as the league’s elite shooters show off their skills. While we don’t get the top dunkers for All-Star Saturday night in Los Angeles, the top shooters are regularly lining up to compete in the 3-point competition, giving us a star-studded event every year.
While the dunk contest doesn’t have high-level names, we’ve still seen some impressive dunks in the last two years thanks to two-time champion Mac McClung, who has decided not to defend his title this weekend.
As we prepare for the night’s festivities, here’s everything you need to know.
The 3-Point Shootout will be the first event of the night. Eight players will compete, and we’ll have a new winner, as reigning champion Tyler Herro is not competing to defend his title.
The second event of the night will be the Shooting Stars challenge, which hasn’t been held since 2015. It will replace the Skills Challenge, with four teams competing by making various shots on the floor, including a half-court shot.
Shooting Stars field
As usual, the last event of the night will be the dunk contest. Four participants will compete to be crowned the league’s best dunker. McClung won’t be back to defend his title, as he’s said that he’d rather focus on earning a full-time roster spot in the NBA rather than just being known as the guy who’s a really good dunker. Though the field of dunkers is filled with relative unknowns, it serves as the perfect stage for someone to make a name for themselves if they can wow the crowd.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5 ends with Aurelius facing Gorlas in a duel. Aurelius wins but chooses mercy instead of killing his opponent. Gorlas kneels, showing respect, and the fragile alliance shifts.
This act of compassion secures temporary loyalty, yet Aurelius suffers a serious wound. His injury raises doubts about whether mercy can truly protect Britain’s future.
Moreover, the episode highlights how old grudges and political distrust continue to challenge the Pendragon brothers. Merlin’s presence reinforces that fate cannot be avoided. Aurelius’ choice changes Britain’s path, but the cost of leadership remains high and uncertain.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5 recap: Did Aurelius’ mercy secure loyalty or invite more doubt?
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 (Image via Facebook/Pendragon Cycle)
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5 ends with Aurelius defeating Gorlas in a duel. Despite the fact that he has the opportunity to murder him, Aurelius choose to show mercy. As a sign of respect, Gorlas bows down to Aurelius, recognizing his power and leadership.
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However, the decision comes with a significant price tag. There is a major wound sustained by Aurelius, which serves as a reminder to everyone that leadership requires sacrifice.
The conclusion throws into doubt whether or whether mercy will bring the kings together, or whether it will leave Aurelius open to the possibility of future betrayal. His injury is also a metaphor of the precarious status of Pendragon authority, which is characterized by the fact that every victory has long-lasting repercussions.
Merlin struggles with fate
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5, meanwhile, again highlights the theme of Merlin’s inability to change his fate, even if he wants to. His sadness over the death of Ganeida, and Custennin’s anger, both help to highlight his limitations in terms of his political power.
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In this episode, it is seen how Merlin prays rather than uses his magic to survive when he is captured, showing again how he survives by faith rather than force. In this case, however, it is to reinforce the idea that one cannot escape one’s own fate.
In the later parts of the story, it is seen how Merlin is adamant that Aurelius will become king, but there are still concerns expressed by other characters. His visions and his continued sadness, however, seem to imply that his role is not only to help, but to suffer his own fate, however difficult it might be.
The growing divide between Aurelius and Uther
In the fifth episode of The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1, the growing gap between Aurelius and Uther is revealed to them. While Uther is focused on respecting traditional norms and making no compromises, Aurelius is guided by his compassion and faith.
Although the connection between them remains strong, they differ on their perception of Britain. This is revealed in their duel with Gorlas. While Uther’s stand leads to a duel, Aurelius is trying to bring about peace. As revealed in the conclusion, their unity may be threatened if they are forced to yield to pressure from other monarchs. Aurelius’s magnanimity may work to his favor, but Uther’s stand may cause their fragile alliance to break.
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In the future, they will be forced to face a situation where their rivalry and suspicion of each other because of their heritage will overshadow their reign.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5 ends with the character of Aurelius wounded but respected, Merlin weighed down by the weight of fate, and Uther standing firm in defiance of change. The themes of the episode are well connected, bringing together the ideas of belief, loyalty, and sacrifice, and leaving the viewer pondering the possibility of bringing about unity through mercy.
The ending leaves the viewer in suspense about the possible conflicts that will be faced in the future of Britain. The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin season 1 episode 5 is available to stream on DailyWire+.
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![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-400x240.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-80x80.jpg)
