By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Guardians rookie Parker Messick loses no-hitter in ninth as Cleveland’s drought continues
The longest no-hitter drought in baseball lives on. Cleveland Guardians rookie left-hander Parker Messick lost his no-hit bid against the Baltimore Orioles on Leody Taveras‘ leadoff single in the ninth inning Thursday night at Progressive Field (CLE 4, BAL 2). After another single, closer Cade Smith replaced Messick to finish the game.
The Guardians have not thrown a no-hitter since Len Barker’s perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 15, 1981. Cleveland’s no-hitter drought is at 7,055 games and counting, far and away the longest in baseball. The Blue Jays are a distant second at 5,548 games. The only no-hitter in Toronto’s history is Dave Stieb’s against Cleveland on Sept. 2, 1990.
Here is Taveras’ leadoff single to ruin Messick’s no-hit bid. You can categorize this as well-placed, not well-struck.
Smith allowed both runners he inherited from Messick to score, so he finished the game with two runs on two hits and two walks in eight innings. He struck out nine and threw 112 pitches, the most by any pitcher in baseball this season. Messick has a 1.05 ERA in four starts and 25 ⅔ innings this season.
Messick, 25, ranked fourth in our rookie power rankings last week. The 2022 second-round pick out of Florida State made his MLB debut last Aug. 20 and pitched to a 2.72 ERA in seven starts and 39 ⅔ innings. Messick gave the Guardians a big lift down the stretch as they stormed to the AL Central title.
MLB’s no-hitter drought continues
There has not been a no-hitter since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024. There has not been a single-pitcher no-hitter since Blake Snell, then with the San Francisco Giants, no-hit the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2, 2024. The 2025 season was baseball’s first without a no-hitter since 2005.
Messick’s no-hit bid was easily the longest in baseball this season. No other pitcher or team has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning in 2026. Last year, four no-hitters were lost in the ninth inning, most notably Yoshinobu Yamamoto‘s against the Orioles on Sept. 6. The O’s made a dramatic comeback and won that game on a walk-off.
José Ramírez provided Messick with early run support with his first-inning two-run homer off Shane Baz. It was Ramírez’s 289th career home run. He is 11 homers and five stolen bases away from becoming the ninth player in history with 300 homers and 300 steals. Cleveland later tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Cleveland’s no-hitter drought is not the longest in baseball history. That record belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies, who went 8,944 games between no-hitters spanning 1906 and 1964.
Continue Reading
Rod Martin, the former Raiders All-Pro linebacker and Super Bowl record-holder, has died, the team announced on Monday. He was 72 years old.
A 12th-round pick in the 1977 NFL Draft, Martin overcame humble beginnings in the NFL to become a two-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro, and a two-time Super Bowl champion during a 12-year career that was played entirely with the Raiders.
Martin was part of a star-studded Raiders defense that also featured Hall of Famers Howie Long, Ted Hendricks, Mike Haynes, 1980 Defensive Player of the Year Lester Hayes and two-time All-Pro Lyle Alzado.
Martin etched his name in NFL history during the Raiders’ 27-10 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl XV. During the game, he intercepted Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski three times, setting a single-game Super Bowl record. Martin’s performance that day helped the Raiders become the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl.
In 1983, Martin had a sack and a fumble recovery during the Raiders’ 38-9 rout of defending champion Washington in Super Bowl XVIII. That season was the first of consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns for Martin, who was tabbed as an All-Pro in 1984 after recording a career-high 11 sacks.
A versatile player, Martin filled the stat sheet with 56.5 career sacks, 14 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries and six defensive touchdowns. From 1982-84, Martin recorded nine interceptions and returned four of those picks for scores.
“A beloved member of the Raiders Family and a favorite of Raiders fans everywhere,” the Raiders wrote in a statement. “The deepest condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Rod’s family at this time.”
Apr 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Leody Taveras (30) celebrates with team mates after hitting a grand slam in the twelfth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Leody Taveras’ grand slam highlighted a five-run 12th inning, after Samuel Basallo forced extras with a two-out RBI single in the ninth, and the Baltimore Orioles handed the host Kansas City Royals an eighth straight loss, 7-5 on Monday.
In the 12th, Basallo broke a 2-2 tie with his second RBI single of the night. Then with the bags full, Taveras sent a pitch from Alex Lange (0-2) over the center field wall for his first grand slam, which helped the Orioles win for just the second time in seven contests.
Anthony Nunez (1-0) allowed an unearned run over two innings for the victory.
Jac Caglianone hit a solo homer for the Royals, who got seven shutout innings of one-hit ball from Seth Lugo. Nick Loftin produced a three-run double in the 12th, and Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez each had three hits.
Red Sox 8, Tigers 6
Ceddanne Rafaela’s pinch-hit, two-run single in the seventh inning lifted host Boston over Detroit in its annual Patriots’ Day game.
The Red Sox exploded for six runs across their final three at-bats and finished with 12 hits, including two apiece by Masataka Yoshida, Caleb Durbin and Carlos Narvaez. Red Sox starter Sonny Gray (right hamstring tightness) exited after 2 2/3 innings, forcing seven relievers into work.
Hao-Yu Lee, Kevin McGonigle and Riley Greene had multi-hit games for the Tigers. Greene had a two-run double to key the Tigers’ three-run ninth.
Cubs 5, Phillies 1
Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer, Colin Rea threw 6 2/3 quality innings and Chicago posted a victory over visiting Philadelphia.
Rea (3-0) continued an impressive start to the season, allowing just one run on six hits. Alex Bregman had two hits for the Cubs, who won their sixth in a row.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (1-2) gave up five runs on six hits across 4 1/3 innings. Justin Crawford drove in a run for Philadelphia, which dropped its sixth straight game.
Dodgers 12, Rockies 3
Max Muncy homered twice and finished with four hits, Dalton Rushing also went deep twice, and Los Angeles beat Colorado in Denver.
Miguel Rojas homered and singled twice to reach 1,000 career hits, and Shohei Ohtani had a hit and two walks to extend his on-base streak to 52 games, one behind Shawn Green for second on the club’s all-time list since the move to Los Angeles. Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski (3-0) allowed one run on eight hits in seven innings.
TJ Rumfield homered, Jordan Beck had three hits and Willi Castro and Brett Sullivan each singled twice for Colorado. The teams split the four-game series. The Rockies haven’t won a series against the Dodgers since June 2022.
Marlins 5, Cardinals 3
Otto Lopez stroked a go-ahead double in the sixth inning as host Miami ended St. Louis’ five-game win streak.
Pete Fairbanks pitched a one-run ninth to earn his fourth save. He was part of a Marlins bullpen that combined to pitch 3 2/3 innings, allowing just that one run. Miami starter Max Meyer got a no-decision, allowing three hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker extended his hitting streak to 15 games, two games short of the career-best streak he had as a rookie in 2023. Masyn Winn had two hits, an RBI and a stolen base.
Astros 9, Guardians 2
Isaac Paredes hit his first two home runs of the season to help Houston run away with a win over host Cleveland.
Christian Walker also homered, and he, Parades and Carlos Correa each finished with three hits and two RBIs for the Astros, who had lost four straight. Spencer Arrighetti (2-0) worked five innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Brayan Rocchio went 3-for-3 with a double for the Guardians, who had won three of four. Slade Cecconi (0-3) lasted five innings but surrendered seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits.
Reds 6, Rays 1
Sal Stewart slugged a two-run homer as National League Central-leading Cincinnati won for the fourth straight time, topping Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Reds improved to 4-0 on a six-game road trip, logging their sixth win in seven games. Stewart added a double, scored twice, stole a base and made two fine defensive plays in the ninth. Cincinnati’s Rece Hinds doubled in two runs.
Tampa Bay’s Chandler Simpson was 2-for-5 with a run, but the Rays managed just six hits as they took their third loss in four games.
Braves 9, Nationals 4
Matt Olson hit a two-run home run, Bryce Elder pitched into the seventh inning and Atlanta beat host Washington for its sixth straight win.
Drake Baldwin had two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Braves. Elder (3-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits.
Daylen Lile homered for the Nationals, who were held to three hits and fell to 2-8 at home. Jake Irvin (1-3) allowed four runs (three earned) in five-plus innings.
Blue Jays 5, Angels 2
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs and Dylan Cease struck out 12 batters as Toronto defeated Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Guerrero extended his hitting streak to 11 games and Nathan Lukes drove in two runs as the Blue Jays won their second straight game. Cease (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. Jeff Hoffman struck out three in the ninth to pick up his third save.
Nolan Schanuel had a double, a run and an RBI for the Angels, who struck out 18 times while taking their third straight defeat. Reid Detmers (1-2) gave up four runs on five hits over six-plus innings.
Athletics 6, Mariners 4
Carlos Cortes, Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers hit solo homers as the Athletics rallied from an early deficit by scoring six consecutive runs in a victory at Seattle.
A’s starter J.T. Ginn allowed three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. Reliever Hogan Harris (2-0) pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings, and Joel Kuhnel worked a one-run ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Cal Raleigh and Dominic Canzone supplied solo shots for the Mariners, who had a two-game winning streak snapped in the opener of a three-game series. Emerson Hancock went five-plus innings and gave up three runs on seven hits.
–Field Level Media
The NFL draft is upon us this week, and several players from the West will hear their names called over the three-day event.
This year’s Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, and runs from April 23–25. It will be broadcast on NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes.
Coverage starts at 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, and continues at 4 p.m. on Friday, and at noon on Saturday. Streaming is available on NFL+, ESPN App, Hulu, and Disney+
Here we take a closer look at some of the players who will get selected, as well as some who may latch onto an NFL team as a preferred undrafted free agent (UDFA).
1. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Projection: Top 15
Fano is listed at around 310 pounds, which is a bit slight for elite NFL tackles, but he can add to 
that frame.
What the lineman lacks in bulk, he makes up for with length and versatility.
He has great footwork, and his strong arms make him an efficient downhill power blocker who could be an immediate factor in an NFL run-blocking scheme.
He was rarely beaten in pass protection during his time with the Utes.
His strength and technique make him versatile enough to play either tackle spot or plug in at either guard position.
2. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Projection: Top 15
A highly skilled pass catcher, the 2025 Biletnikoff winner was clearly college football’s receiver last season.
Lemon may not have the tremendous height of some NFL WRs, but he plays a lot bigger than his size.
He is a perfect fit as a slot receiver, a spot that is becoming more valued in the current NFL.
Lemon can create space from defenders with his quickness and knows what to do with the football after he catches it, leading the Big Ten in yards after catch in 2025.
He should step in and start from Day One and could develop into an All-Pro, perhaps even as a rookie.
3. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Projection: First Round
An excellent pass catcher and adequate blocker, Sadiq should hear his name called on Thursday night in the opening round.
He runs excellent routes and could prove to be a matchup nightmare with the speed to get open, along with his 245-pound frame.
While he will never be mistaken for a block-first tight end, he is even better than I think he got credit for at Oregon.
Sadiq has the strength to engage and move any linebacker, especially if he finds them on the move, and should be efficient in supporting the run game.
He has great hands and the speed to stretch the field on the middle. He will add diversity in the passing attack to the NFL team that takes him.
4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Projection: First Round
Under the tutelage of Hines Ward at ASU, Tyson has developed into an elite route runner over the last two seasons.
That will enable him to step into the NFL and be able to play at any of the three WR spots.
He does a very good job of high-pointing the ball and makes difficult catches look almost effortless.
Tyson is explosive off the ball and can create separation with his quickness.
He struggled at times with physicality at the line; adding some bulk should help, and the NFL tends to allow less hand fighting in coverage than we see in college.
5. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Projection: First Round
An extremely athletic tackle who will fit nicely into the end of an NFL offensive line.
He has the 
ability to gain leverage in tight, and finishes every block strong, even when he is out on the move.
Lomu did not allow a sack last season at Utah, and while he will need to add strength to handle NFL caliber pass rushers on a regular basis, he should be productive in pass protection.
His athletic ability and elite footwork give him huge upside for whatever team takes him.
6. Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Oregon
Projection: First Round
Pregnon is an excellent downhill blocker with the strength to develop into an elite NFL run blocker. His strength and quick hands allow him to gain leverage and push defenders.
While he can occasionally get beat to first contact in pass protection, he recovers quickly, and his upper body strength effectively neutralizes inside rushers.
Pregnon has room to improve against stunts and sustaining his blocks, but he has the tools to be an outstanding interior lineman with the ability to play guard or center.
7. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Projection: Late First/Early Second
A former basketball player who did not begin playing football until getting to Junior College, 
Iheanachor is a raw talent with a very high ceiling.
He is extremely athletic and has smooth footwork to go along with power while playing at a low base. That translates to a solid NFL tackle.
His lateral quickness allows him to handle speed rushers on the outside.
He needs to improve at sustaining long blocks in pass protection, but did not allow a sack at ASU in 2025. His strength and mass should make him NFL-ready in the run game.
8. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Projection: Late First/Early Second
A powerful receiver who has the fluidness and speed of a smaller slot/type wideout, Boston has the 
size, speed, and ball skills to be a great NFL wide receiver.
He had only two drops on 64 chances in 2025 as his 3.1% drop rate was among the best in the nation.
Once he catches the ball, he has the speed to rack up yards, and his size makes him difficult to bring down.
Boston could go as early as the middle of the first round or could fall to Day Two; it is really a case of where teams go.
The Steelers at 21 seem like a good fit, but should they go the OL route, he could slip.
9. Kage Casey, IOL, Boise State
Projection: Second/Third Round
Casey was a tackle at Boise State, but will most likely have a future in the NFL in the interior of the 
line.
He might not be long enough to play on the end in the NFL, but he did a great job for the Broncos at angling off his blocks to seal run lanes.
His lower body strength gives him an explosive leg drive while he is able to absorb contact.
All of this points to him being able to open up run lanes in the NFL. As a guard he should be effective against bull rushers.
10. Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
Projection: Second/Third Round
Coleman is a shifty back with a low center of gravity and powerful legs that keep churning.
He is 
very patient back who waits for his blockers to create holes to run through.
That patience pays off his ability to reach top speed in just a few steps, allowing him to explosively attack the hole.
A dangerous target in the passing game out of the backfield with soft hands, Coleman did not drop a pass in 2025. And he has the ability to make things happen after catching it.
11. Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC — Projection: Round 2-3
12. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford — Projection: Round 3-4
13. Carver Willis, OT, Washington — Projection: Round 4-5
14. Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah — Projection: Round 4-5
15. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon — Projection: Round 4-6
16. Alex Harkey, IOL, Oregon — Projection: Round 5-7
17. Chase Roberts, WR, BYU — Projection: Round 5-7
18. John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming — Projection: Round 5-7
19. Lake McRee, TE, USC — Projection: Round 6-7
20. Garrett DiGiorgio, IOL, UCLA — Projection: Round 6-7/UDFA
21. Noah Whittington, RB, Oregon — Projection: Round 6-7/UDFA
22. Malik Benson, WR, Oregon — Projection: Round 6-7/UDFA
23. Carsen Ryan, TE, BYU — Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
24. Brady Boyd, WR, Utah State — Projection: UDFA
25. Caden Barnett, C, Wyoming — Projection: UDFA
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
Latest posts by Stephen Vilardo (see all)
With 13 medals between them, Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall and Paul Foster headline the Scottish bowls team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
The vastly experienced duo will team up in the men’s pairs event, which they won at Glasgow 2014.
On his eighth Games selection, Marshall, who has seven medals in his collection, said: “It is always such an honour and privilege to be selected to represent Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
“To have another opportunity to be a part of a home Games is also not lost on me, and I know that Paul and I will give it our very best to try and win a medal for the team.”
Marshall’s niece Beth Riva, who won 2025 World Championship mixed pairs with Jason Banks last year, will join Caroline Brown in the women’s pairs.
Banks will also make his Team Scotland debut in the singles event.
For the first time in Games history, all of the bowls and para bowls will be played indoors at the SEC Centre.
In the para team, Pauline Wilson, Garry Brown, Robert Barr and his director Sarah Jane Ewing are all aiming for repeat golds after topping the podium at Birmingham 2022.
After stumbling out of the gates in Saturday night’s series-opener, the Dallas Stars showed up Monday night and took back a little control with a 4-2 victory to even up the first-round series before it shifts to Minnesota.
Dallas learned the hard way in Game 1 that there’s no slowing down the Wild. You can only hope to match their pace. And on Monday night, they won the race, all while matching the hockey world’s expectations of what this series should be.
It helped that the Stars received a major boost in net with a bounce-back performance by goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Blame for Saturday’s lop-sided loss wasn’t squarely on Oettinger — that was a true team-effort — but much like the rest of the roster, the No. 1 netminder’s play didn’t bode well for the series ahead. Oettinger looked shaky at times, as though perhaps a few ghosts of series past had come back to haunt him. Or, more realistically, as though his season-low regular-season save percentage might get worse under the brighter lights of the playoffs.
But the Oettinger we saw in Monday night’s victory looked like a man who’d put those struggles behind him. He was sharp right from the start, not only staving off an early Minnesota attack but shifting the momentum in the first period. Dallas’s first goal of the night would never have happened without Oettinger’s clutch save on a point-blank snipe from Danila Yurov. The stop led to a quick rush in the opposite direction for the Stars and a noticeable shift in momentum as Wyatt Johnston cashed in on a lucky bounce off the end board behind Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt.
That might have been Oettinger’s best save of the night. Or perhaps that title goes to his glove save on a Matt Boldy backhand later in the frame — one of five saves against the winger on Monday — that would have seen the Wild take a 2-1 lead. Or maybe it was his save on Boldy’s breakaway opportunity a few minutes later. Minnesota excels at finding cracks and breaking them wide open, but Oettinger’s resilience was strong enough to keep the Wild from mustering up the kind of momentum that saw them cruise to victory on Saturday. It was on full display during the Wild’s final push to tie things up, too, but even after allowing Minnesota to climb back to within one goal halfway through the third period, Oettinger stood tall.
At the other end of the ice, Wallstedt put up another strong performance — he stopped 28 of 31 shots. But this was Oettinger’s night, and the series now shifts to a best-of-five because of it.
Puck luck sides with Stars
While it clearly took some extremely clutch performances, especially from the man in the blue paint, for Dallas to even up the series on Monday night, it also took a touch of luck. The hockey god sided with the home team in Dallas.
Take their game-opening goal, for example, which saw Johnston fire a puck just behind the net only to see it take a lucky bounce off the end board, then deflect off Wallstedt and in to give Dallas the game’s early lead.
Look closely at the trajectory of Johnston’s empty-netter insurance goal in the dying minutes of the game, and you could argue a lucky bounce may have been the difference there, too. It certainly fooled Quinn Hughes, who was in hot pursuit of the puck as it rolled down the ice towards Minnesota’s wide-open cage, but slowed slightly in anticipation of it going just wide before it curled into the net.
The Hughes-Faber pairing is the best in hockey
We’re watching a masterclass of blue-line chemistry every time Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber are on the ice — which, according to Monday’s ice-time totals of 28:35 and 26:42, respectively, was pretty often.
Minnesota’s top defence pairing has been elite ever since the two teamed up following Hughes’ move from Vancouver, with Faber’s offensive game blossoming. That was certainly the case Monday night in Dallas, with the duo combining on both of Minnesota’s goals in the 4-2 loss. In addition to leading the team in shots (6), Faber registered both goals — the first and second playoff goals of his career. After being held without a point in his first two trips to the playoffs, Faber now has three in two games.
The defencemen had their fingerprints all over Saturday’s series-opening victory, too, though not in as obvious a way. Their ability to drive play from the blue line, orchestrate entries with seeming ease, and keep Dallas’ top stars (mostly) in check is unmatched. Two games in, it feels like the Wild will go as far as Hughes and Faber will take them. And we’ve only just seen the beginning.
Minnesota misses Zuccarello
Forward Mats Zuccarello was ruled out of Game 2 with an upper-body injury. The announcement came as a bit of a surprise, as Zuccarello participated in the Wild’s morning skate Monday but was later listed as day-to-day, with Bobby Brink suiting up in his place.
Zuccarello’s playmaking was missed on Monday, and never more than during Minnesota’s power plays. The winger’s pass-first game is a significant driver of the Wild’s third-ranked PP. Two of his three helpers in Game 1 came with the man advantage. Without the veteran in the lineup, Minnesota did not convert on any of its four PP opportunities. His status for Game 3 will be closely watched, as will that of Yakov Trenin. Trenin was seriously shaken up after taking a blistering (but clean) open-ice hit from Stars forward Colin Blackwell late in the first period. He was slow to get up, and went straight to the dressing room and did not return. Trenin led the league in hits this season and, despite Monday’s early exit, leads the category in the post-season, too (tied with teammate Marcus Foligno’s 16). His physical presence was missed following his departure.
You won’t have a problem finding an NFL mock draft this week, but hardly any directly connect the Minnesota Vikings to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. The draft’s top playmaker is expected to fly off the board in the Top 8 on Thursday night, but according to CBS Sports, there’s a slight chance he slides to No. 9, where the Vikings could trade up to get him.
This is the dream mock draft and trade for Vikings fans.
Of course, the theory is a long shot, but Love in purple would change everything.
Love, in Theory, Would Be a Home Run for the Vikings
How much would you trade to get Love?
Tom Fornelli: Vikings Trade, Grab Love at Pick No. 9
Fornelli didn’t disclose the trade details — more on that in a minute — but he did theorize a swap between the Kansas City Chiefs and Kevin O’Connell’s team.
He explained Love to Minnesota, “Love may not go fourth overall, but his slide ends here. The Vikings have a need at running back and nine picks in this draft. Rather than sitting back and hoping he falls, they get aggressive and snap him up.”
Fornelli later picked Tyson for Kansas City at No. 18: “After moving down from No. 9, the Chiefs are still able to land a WR who can be a difference-maker in Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.”
And there you have it: Love to Minnesota, and Tyson to Kansas City, per Fornelli.
The Trade Price
The problem, so to speak, is that trading up to Pick No. 9 is still pretty damn expensive. Here’s a look at what the trade might look like, though Fornelli didn’t offer specifics:
Chiefs Get —
Pick No. 18 (Round 1)
Pick No. 49 (Round 2)
2027 4th-Rounder
Vikings Get —
Pick No. 9 (Jeremiyah Love)
Losing the 2nd-Rounder will hurt, as Minnesota has one of the NFL’s oldest rosters entering the draft and needs all the young picks it can get to fix that. For Love, though, he might ease the pain.
Love’s Skill Set
An exceptional prospect, Love stands at 6’0″ and 214 pounds with verified 4.36 speed — a profile that immediately jumps out as a playmaker with staying power in the big leagues. Over his last two seasons at Notre Dame, he amassed 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, adding five more scores through the air. ESPN ranks him as the top player in the class.
CBS Sports‘ Dave Richard on Love: “Does he resemble Travis Etienne Jr.? Yes, but he’s a bit bulkier and clearly stronger. Does he run wild like Jahmyr Gibbs? Sure, but he’s not as polished a pass catcher as Gibbs was coming out of college. He could eventually reach that level, but the better comp for Love is Clinton Portis — a smaller running back with blazing speed, underrated physicality and good hands.”
“Love is a fantastic runner with a skill set that gives him the potential to be a three-down back as soon as his rookie year. Whether a coaching staff actually gives him that workload remains to be seen, but if he’s an early Round 1 pick, it’s easy to justify. Love deserves that kind of role because of his unique explosiveness and speed, especially when paired with the physicality he’s capable of playing with — and still improving.”
The Vikings haven’t drafted a running back in Round 1 since Adrian Peterson, nearly 20 years ago.
Richard added, “Working in an offense built on zone-scheme runs would only enhance his upside. It wouldn’t be surprising if Love becomes one of the league’s top running backs, much like former early Round 1 picks Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs.”
Actual Suitors for Love
All things considered, the Love angle for the Vikings is a pipe dream. He won’t make it past the first seven picks. He’s that dynamic.
In all likelihood, he’ll end up with one of these teams:
- Tennessee Titans (Pick No. 4)
- New York Giants (Pick No. 5 or 10)
- Washington Commanders (Pick No. 7)
The Arizona Cardinals, too, at Pick No. 3 could swerve and nab him. CBS Sports‘ Brad Crawford noted Monday, “The Arizona Cardinals are considering selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall in this week’s NFL Draft if the franchise is unable to trade down and acquire more picks, per ESPN — an unexpected early shockwave that could have ripple effects within the top 10.”
“Saquon Barkley was the last running back to go inside the top five in 2018 and, like Love, was considered a transcendent prospect at the position. Love’s versatility separates him from others in this cycle — a legitimate weapon in the passing game who can turn check-downs into chunk plays as a multi-dimensional threat.”
Here’s to hoping that Love tumbles down the board and somehow lands in Minnesota. It would reshape Vikings football for the next half-decade.
For years, Stephen A. Smith’s many football blunders have been easy enough to explain away.
He’s not an NFL guy (remember when he said the three key players for a game were three guys who weren’t playing in the game?)
Stephen A. Smith falsely claimed the Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since 2022, but Golden State reached the second round in both 2023 and 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
He’s definitely not a college football guy (remember when he called Jalen Milroe Jalen “Milroy” multiple times and then read the wrong stat line after a College Football Playoff game?).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
ESPN forces him into those conversations because First Take has to talk football, and Smith knows that football is the most popular sport in the country and he needs to be seen as an authority (even though he isn’t).
But Monday’s latest mistake is a lot tougher to excuse, because this time Smith wasn’t talking about the NFL or college football. He was talking about the Golden State Warriors, one of the defining NBA dynasties of the last decade.
In other words, he was talking about the sport and the league that’s supposed to be his bread and butter.
JALEN BRUNSON’S SISTER BLASTS ESPN AFTER STEPHEN A SMITH KNICKS RANT: ‘UTTERLY RIDICULOUS’
While discussing whether Steve Kerr has coached his last game with Golden State, Smith confidently stated the Warriors “haven’t been back to the playoffs since that championship in 2022.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr looks on during a game against the Sacramento Kings. (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)
That’s not even close to true. Not only did Golden State make the playoffs last season, but they also reached the postseason in 2023. Last year, the Warriors made the playoffs, beat the Rockets in seven games and advanced to the second round before losing to the Timberwolves. In 2023, they beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round and before losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
So, Smith wouldn’t even have been right if he said they haven’t won a playoff series since 2022. But he didn’t say that. He said they didn’t make the playoffs in any of the past four years, except they did it twice.
Yikes.
This is not an obscure piece of NBA trivia that Smith could be easily forgiven for not knowing. Perhaps he was too busy playing solitaire on his phone and just missed two of the past three NBA postseasons. That’s a tough look for the guy who fancies himself as the No. 1 NBA analyst in the country.
And it’s a terrible look for ESPN, as they keep selling Smith as one of the faces of their NBA coverage.
Stephen A. Smith made a brutal gaffe while talking Warriors playoff history
If Smith made this kind of mistake while talking about the NFL, nobody would be shocked. At this point, sports fans practically expect him to butcher football analysis. It’s almost endearing that a guy with the ego of Smith can be so consistently wrong while also delivering every “fact” with the utmost confidence. It’s part of the Stephen A. experience.
But this one hits differently because the NBA is where he’s supposed to at least know the basics. This is where Smith prides himself as being an authority figure.
Stephen A. Smith incorrectly stated the Golden State Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since their 2022 championship, despite the team reaching the postseason twice since then. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
And yet he couldn’t keep the recent playoff history of the Warriors straight. The team whose head coach is in the news every other week. The team that has won four championships since 2014. Arguably one of the most important franchises in the NBA over the past 15 years.
Yes, Golden State missed the playoffs in 2024 after getting bounced in the Play-In Tournament (although they won 46 games that season). And yes, it fell short again this season. But that’s a lot different from acting like Steve Kerr has spent four years wandering the basketball wilderness since winning that 2022 title.
He hasn’t. In fact, the team is 175-153 in the past four regular seasons.
The Warriors made the second round in 2023. They made the second round again in 2025.
Before burying Steve Kerr on national television, maybe Stephen A. Smith could take 10 seconds to confirm whether the Warriors were actually, you know, in the playoffs.
Moses Itauma is fast becoming one of the most exciting fighters in the sport and the Kent-based phenomenon looks set to be mandated for a shot at the heavyweight throne.
Itauma has fought on 14 occasions since his 2023 debut and has rose into title contention with wins over Demsey McKean, Mike Balogun, Dillian Whyte and, most recently, Jermaine Franklin Jr – who he halted after five rounds of action last month.
In the post-fight interview following that win, promoter Frank Warren unveiled plans for Itauma to return to action in July and then challenge for the heavyweight crown at the end of the calendar year.
Currently, the WBA route seems to be the most likely option, especially if Oleksandr Usyk chooses to vacate or is stripped of the title and reigning WBA Regular champion Murat Gassiev is elevated to full world champion.
Alternatively, the IBF title is another that Usyk may either relinquish or lose; consequently meaning that the winner of Frank Sanchez versus Richard Torrez Jr. could either be upgraded or positioned for a vacant title shot.
Yet, despite fans’ demand for a clash between Itauma and Usyk, it seems as though he could attempt to dethrone a different reigning champion, due to his ranking as the number one contender with the WBO.
Speaking to ThaBoxingVoice, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri revealed that Itauma is likely to be named as their mandatory challenger and ordered for a shot at the victor of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.
“In light of Moses’ recent victory, against a well-rated contender in Franklin, I will formally recommend that he be designated as the mandatory challenger of the heavyweight division in the WBO.
“If they [the committee] vote, which I presume and expect that that is going to be the vote, Moses will be designated as the mandatory. Now, the question is, when will the mandatory be enforced, in other words, called?
“That remains to be seen; it could be called immediately after the Wardley-Dubois fight or thereafter, that is a discussion that the committee has.”
Current champion Wardley and Itauma train out of the same gym, and Wardley has said that the only situation in which a fight between them would become a serious conversation is if they held all the belts and could fight for undisputed. Should he beat Dubois, fans can expect Itauma to pursue one of the other titles.
However, if Dubois becomes a two-time champion on May 9 by beating Wardley, there is nothing standing in the way of Itauma looking to enforce his mandatory position.
Carlos Alcaraz is awaiting the results of tests on his injured wrist before making a decision about defending his French Open title next month.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion picked up the injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open earlier this month before withdrawing from the tournament.
Scans showed the issue was more serious than initially thought and he then skipped the Madrid Open.
The 22-year-old also missed the Madrid Open last season due to a right leg injury, meaning he has been forced to miss his home tournament in the Spanish capital for a second year in a row.
“The next test will be crucial,” Alcaraz told Spanish television channel TVE.
“We’ve been trying to do everything we can do to make sure that this test goes well. I’m trying to be very patient. But we are good, we are just waiting a little bit.
The 22-year-old added: “We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will see how the injury is, and what the next steps will be.”
Alcaraz, who was crowned Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards on Monday, surrendered the world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner after losing to the Italian in the Monte Carlo Masters final days before his Barcelona opener, a win over Otto Virtanen.
The seven-time grand slam champion, who will begin the defence of his French Open title next month, had told reporters that the injury “is more serious than any of us expected” and said he would “need to listen to my body” to avoid further damage.
The French Open will start from 24 May in Paris, with the next possible assignment for Alcaraz coming at the Italian Open in Rome next month.
Additional reporting from Reuters
One horse is already secured by Ciaron Maher for the Listed VRC St Leger this Saturday, but the top trainer specialising in stayers desires a much larger contingent for the prominent Flemington race.
The 28 entries for the 2800-metre $200,000 prize money event include Awesome Artist, Noble Falcon, Intervened, and the Tasmanian Derby winner Dad And Dave.
Awesome Artist is on track for inclusion in the 18-runner field with four emergencies, whereas Noble Falcon and Intervened fall short of the limit, and assistant Jack Turnbull is hopeful they can gain access to this prime target.
“We feel for those three it’s a good option and all horses are going to relish the trip,” Turnbull said.
“They’re all going to furnish and they’re going to learn with racing.
“They’re just raw young horses that are bred to stay and they’ll continue to learn and mature as they get older.”
Maher looks to claim a repeat win in the historic Victorian Anzac Day race, having succeeded in 2021 via Through Irish Eyes in conjunction with David Eustace.
Dad And Dave has struggled to finish prominently in his two most recent races, the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) and Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m), but earlier Listed victories in the Launceston Guineas (2000m) and Tasmanian Derby (2400m) lock in his St Leger berth.
Awesome Artist ended 2-3/4 lengths adrift of Dad And Dave in the Galilee Final after a Canberra 2000m win, and according to Turnbull, a race run at a solid clip would suit him ideally for a potential triumph.
“They might have just went a fraction sedate throughout,” Turnbull said of the Galilee Final.
“He’s one-paced and needs a true gallop.”
Proisir gelding Noble Falcon was fourth to stablemate Ardashir last out in a 2550m Pakenham maiden, having notched his only placing previously over 2540m at Cranbourne in four career runs.
Intervened, by Kermadec, is winless and placeless in three starts, filling sixth at Pakenham this time in over 1600m and 2000m.
Further VRC St Leger hopefuls encompass fillies After Summer and Classic Gem from Dom Sutton, who placed third and fourth in the Group 1 ATC Oaks at their latest, as well as Arabian Prince, Deal Done Fast, and Savisanta from the ATC Derby.
Visit racing betting markets to find value in the VRC St Leger this Saturday.
News Videos38 seconds ago
AU Small Finance Bank Zero Balance Account #shorts
NewsBeat2 minutes ago
‘Important’ easyJet update for Spain, France and Greece travel
Business3 minutes ago
CIMB Thai Reports 8.4% Q1 Profit Increase, Citing Reduced Credit Losses and Operating Expenses
NewsBeat4 weeks ago
Manchester United reach agreement with Casemiro over contract clause amid transfer speculation
NewsBeat3 weeks ago
Steven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
Politics2 weeks ago
US brings back mandatory military draft registration
-
News Videos6 days agoSecure crypto trading starts with an FIU-registered
-
Fashion4 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Theodora Dress
-
Sports4 days agoNWFL Suspends Two Players Over Post-Match Clash in Ado-Ekiti
-
Politics4 days agoPalestine barred from entering Canada for FIFA Congress
-
Business2 days agoPowerball Result April 18, 2026: No Jackpot Winner in Powerball Draw: $75 Million Rolls Over
-
Crypto World3 days agoRussia Pushes Bill to Criminalize Unregistered Crypto Services
-
Politics13 hours agoGary Stevenson delivers timely reminder to register to vote as deadline TODAY
-
Business5 days agoCreo Medical agree sale of its manufacturing operation
-
Politics2 days agoZack Polanski demands ‘council homes not luxury flats for foreign investors’
-
Tech2 days agoAuto Enthusiast Scores Running Tesla Model 3 for Two Grand and Turns It Into Bare-Bones Go-Kart
-
Tech5 days ago‘Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender’ Leaked Online. Some Fans Say Paramount Deserves the Fallout
-
Crypto World3 days agoRussia Introduces Bill To Criminalize Unregistered Crypto Services
-
Tech6 days agoMicrosoft adds Windows protections for malicious Remote Desktop files
-
Entertainment6 days agoDave Portnoy Slams Dianna Russini: ‘Makes Zero Sense’
-
Crypto World6 days agoX Launches New Cashtag Feature for Stocks and Crypto: X
-
Sports7 days agoYounger Than Sachin Tendulkar: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Set To Make Historic India Debut
-
Entertainment7 days agoPrince Carter Brings Fans Front Row and Backstage at Boys 4 Life Tour
-
Sports5 days agoBritish climbers complete new route in Swiss Alps
-
Crypto World6 days agoBitcoin surpasses halfway mark in current halving cycle
-
Crypto World7 days agoPaxos Labs Raises $12M to Launch Crypto Yield and Lending Platform
You must be logged in to post a comment Login