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Idle Flyer sets sights on 2026 Queen Of The Turf Stakes starting in Wenona Girl Quality

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Matthew Smith is charting a course towards Group One honours for gifted four-year-old mare Idle Flyer.

The offspring of Dundeel prepares to launch back in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) over Randwick’s track this Saturday, with the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) firmly in her sights as the pinnacle.

Holder of a Group Three scalp from spring racing, Idle Flyer was heavily backed into $3.60 favouritism for the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, only to tire badly and end up last to Pride Of Jenni.

Idle Flyer’s training regimen drew no criticism from Smith, who included two trials, seeing the weekend assignment as a prime kickoff to proceedings, with jockey Zac Lloyd engaged.

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“She’s going great,” Smith said.

“I can’t fault her, her work has been really good. I’m expecting her to run really well, mindful that there’s a few sharper ones in there over that distance but I think she’ll be hitting the line strong late.”

“That will set her up nicely to go to 1500 metres second up in the Emancipation on the 28th of March, then the Queen Of The Turf.”

Potential had long been evident in Idle Flyer, according to Smith, who highlighted her previous preparation as the breakthrough, highlighted by a brace of benchmark conquests followed by a decisive win in the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) before heading to the Empire Rose.

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“We liked her but she was quite immature the prep before, so when she came back and won first up, we thought well, we’re in business,” Smith said.

“Her work leading into that group win at Randwick had gone to another level, and her work going into Melbourne was outstanding.”

“She never really got comfortable, she’d just been out of her comfort zone in Melbourne all the way.”

Smith remains optimistic about the Queen Of The Turf fitting Idle Flyer to a tee, despite the uncertainty over whether unbeaten marvel Autumn Glow will appear following the George Ryder Stakes.

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“If Autumn Glow doesn’t go there I reckon we’re a great chance,” Smith said.

“We won’t be drilling her on Saturday, just comfortable and make sure she hits the line strong and hopefully runs top three and then go to the Emancipation, same thing and then to the mile cherry ripe.”

Idle Flyer is the $3.60 second choice in Wenona Girl Quality markets behind $2.80 leader Gangsta Granny this Saturday, and at $15 for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Visit betting sites to find the keenest racing odds for the Wenona Girl Quality.

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Inside golf’s most exclusive event: 2026 Seminole Pro-Member field

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The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, a Signature Event, and the 2026 Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament, are next on the schedule. The 2026 Masters is only four weeks away. But arguably the most exclusive golf tournament of them all goes down on Monday: the Seminole Pro-Member.

Held annually at the iconic, Donald Ross-designed Seminole Golf Club, the Seminole Pro-Member pairs members of the club, often high-profile business executives, with star pro golfers.

The event regularly attracts star-studded fields. That’s thanks in part to how great the course is. Seminole is ranked 32nd in GOLF’s Top 100 Courses in the World. It’s also a chance for pros to network with business tycoons and investors.


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The historic club is located in Juno Beach, Fla., which is just down the coast from Jupiter Island, Fla., home to hordes of pro golfers. The close proximity to home gives pros more incentive to play, as does the prohibition of media and public spectators.

The Seminle Pro-Member is a one-day event, and since this week’s PGA Tour event (the Arnold Palmer Invitational) is also held in Florida, the tournament presents limited travel issues for the stars of the PGA and LPGA Tours.

How much star power are we talking exactly? Tiger Woods is a regular participant.

But when the tee times and pairings for this year’s event were released, Woods was missing from the tee sheet. He’s still prepping for a possible return at the Masters.

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Here’s a closer look at the star golfers who are playing this year’s Seminole Pro-Member.

Notable stars in 2026 Seminole-Pro-Member field

Let’s start at the top, with the biggest star in the field: World No. 2 Rory McIlroy. McIlroy is a big get this year, coming off his 2025 Masters and Ryder Cup wins. The five-time major champion has played in two Tour events so far this year, earning a T2 at the Genesis Invitational.

As with most of the PGA Tour players in the field, Rory will be playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational later this week to try and secure his first victory of the year. Unlike the other pros in the field, McIlroy gets to play the Seminole Pro-Member with family.

McIlroy’s father, Gerry, is a member of Seminole, and the father-son duo will attempt to take home the 2026 title together.

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Rory McIlroy celebrates bunker hole-out on Sunday at the 2026 Genesis Invitational at Riviera.

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Kevin Cunningham



McIlroy isn’t the only five-time major champion in the field, though. Brooks Koepka, who is making his return to the PGA Tour this year after a stint with LIV Golf, will also make his return to the Seminole Pro-Member field. Koepka will play alongside Brett Overman on Monday.

Other notable PGA Tour players teeing it up at Seminole include two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, World No. 3 Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler and victorious European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald.

Shane Lowry, fresh off his late collapse on Sunday at the 2026 Cognizant Classic, is also in the field.

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But the LPGA is providing star power, too. World No. 2 Nelly Korda and her sister Jessica Korda are both in the field. Nelly is paired with John Waldron, while Jessica will play with Mike Troy.

You can check out the full list of tee times and pairings for the 2026 Seminole Pro-Member below.

2026 Seminole Pro-Member pairings, tee times: Monday, March 2

Tee No. 1

7:15 a.m. – John Bannon, Jhonattan Vegas, Scott Malpass, Nico Echavarria
7:24 a.m. – Eugene Schatz, Chris Gotterup, Tom Lape, Jacob Bridgeman
7:33 a.m. – Paul Salem, Corey Conners, Brad Richards, Taylor Pendrith
7:42 a.m. – Jerome Brown, Sungjae Im, Fred Perpall, Ryo Hisatsune
7:51 a.m. – Kevin Kenny, Joe Highsmith, Jimmy Kenny, Matt Fitzpatrick
8:00 a.m. – Buddy Marucci, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haugland, Austin Eckroat
8:09 a.m. – Lee Stylinger III, Sepp Straka, Greg Mondre, Rasmus Hojgaard
8:18 a.m. – Gerry McIlroy, Rory McIlroy, Ed Herlihy, Shane Lowry
8:27 a.m. – Jimmy Dunne III, Ryan Fox, Brett Overman, Brooks Koepka
8:36 a.m. – Johann Rupert, Tommy Fleetwood, David Novak, Collin Morikawa
8:45 a.m. – Brad Bradbeer, Ben Griffin, Michael McBride, Ryan Gerard
8:54 a.m. – Bret Baier, Bud Cauley, John Powers, Lucas Glover
9:03 a.m. – Scott Mahoney, Andrew Novak, Tom O’Toole Jr., Keith Mitchell
11:45 a.m. – John Baer, Chad Ramey, Gerry van Arkel, Justin Lower
11:55 a.m. – Mike Barbosa, Christo Lamprecht, Mike McCoy, Nick Dunlap
12:05 p.m. – Matt Wright, Danny Walker, Tom Frazier, Sam Ryder
12:15 p.m. – Carlton Forrester, Matt Kuchar, David Dorman, Stewart Cink
12:25 p.m. – Bob Ford, Matt Cahill, Nathan Smith, Jacob Modleski
12:35 p.m. – Rick Hopkins, David Ford, Brian Roberts, Ryan Palmer
12:45 p.m. – Thad Eshelman, Jim Furyk, Seth Waugh, Justin Leonard
12:55 p.m. – David MacFarlane, Garrick Higgo, Mike Walrath, Thorbjorn Olesen
1:05 p.m. – John Waldron, Nelly Korda, Mike Troy, Jessica Korda
1:15 p.m. – Brooke Cooper, Carla Bernat Escuder, Thomas Parker, Rachel Kuehn
1:25 p.m. – Jeff Smith, Bo Van Pelt, Tom Roush, J.B. Holmes
1:35 p.m. – Paul Kaneb, Brett Quigley, Robert Gerwin II, Mark Calcavecchia

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Tee No. 10

7:15 a.m. – Mike Castelforte, Matt McCarty, Frank Dolan, Austin Smotherman
7:24 a.m. – Mark Flaherty, Charley Hoffman, Tom Gilbane Jr., Johnny Keefer
7:33 a.m. – Jimmy Kirchdorfer, William Mouw, Andy Armstrong, Lee Hodges
7:42 a.m. – Tom Wall IV, Michael Brennan, David May, Sam Stevens
7:51 a.m. – Steve Siegfried, Denny McCarthy, John Carey, Patrick Fishburn
8:00 a.m. – David Hulme, Pierceson Coody, Danny Yates, Davis Thompson
8:09 a.m. – Andrew Biggadike, Luke Clanton, Rod Piatt, Neal Shipley
8:18 a.m. – Frank Edwards, Mackenzie Hughes, Jim Smith, Kevin Roy
8:27 a.m. – Ray Robinson, Matti Schmid, John Pinkham, Erik van Rooyen
8:36 a.m. – Wayne Chambless, Steven Fisk, Rob Manfred, Eric Cole
8:45 a.m. – John Idol, Beau Hossler, Brett Pickett, Adrien Dumont de Chassart
8:54 a.m. – Jarrett Kling, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ray Celedinas, Cam Davis
9:03 a.m. – Herb May, Karl Vilips, Tom Lister, Paul Peterson
11:45 a.m. – Kelly Miller, Gordon Sargent, Fleming Wilt, Brandt Snedeker
11:55 a.m. – David Brown, Alejandro Tosti, Mark McBride, Zac Blair
12:05 p.m. – Nathaniel Crosby, Isaiah Salinda, Roman Martinez V, Marcelo Rozo
12:15 p.m. – Peer Pedersen, Kevin Kisner, Chris O’Donnell, Max Homa
12:25 p.m. – Michael Martin, Max Kennedy, David Grain, Harry Higgs
12:35 p.m. – Eric Gleacher, Luke Donald, Steve Lessing, Paul McGinley
12:45 p.m. – Tom Ryan, Brad Faxon, Tim Neher, Trevor Immelman
12:55 p.m. – Gary Hendrickson, Billy Hurley III, David Abell, Nick Price
1:05 p.m. – Chuck Witmer, Jason Caron, Chris Quick, Steve Allan
1:15 p.m. – Alan Breed, Dani Holmquist, Vinny Giles, Gary Koch
1:25 p.m. – Bill ArgaBrite, Jay Haas, Dick Siderowf, Jerry Pate
1:35 p.m. – Walter Driver, Billy Andrade, Allie Sweeney, Matt Gogel

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Jack Grealish posts new injury update as Man City star enters crucial period

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Jack Grealish is still nursing the season ending injury he suffered while at Everton, but the Manchester City ace has uploaded a new update regarding his fitness battle

Manchester City forward Jack Grealish has expressed his resolve to “come back stronger” in his latest update since his season-ending injury. The 30-year-old was sent on loan to Everton at the start of season and impressed with his performances.

Before his loan move, opportunities in the first team under Pep Guardiola began to dry up, particularly after the likes of Omar Marmoush arrived in the 2025 January transfer window. It looked as if he had found a new home at Hill Dickinson Stadium under David Moyes, as he contributed two goals and six assists in 20 appearances under the ex-Manchester United manager.

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However, his promising campaign was immediately ended after sustaining a stress fracture in Everton’s 1-0 victory over his former club Aston Villa on 18 January. Moyes subsequently confirmed in a press conference that Grealish would undergo surgery and would miss the rest of the season.

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Just a few days later, Grealish took to social media post-surgery, confessing he is “gutted” but pledged to return “fitter, stronger and better than before”. He also hinted at potentially staying at Everton beyond his season-long loan, expressing gratitude for the support he has received since his transfer.

Now, three weeks post-surgery, Grealish has shared another update. In an Instagram story featuring him exercising at the gym, the England international captioned: “So so locked in to come back stronger than ever” with a flexed bicep emoji and a football emoji.

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Before his season-ending injury, Grealish had become an integral part of Moyes’ starting line-up. The Scot was devastated to lose him for the remainder of the season.

“It’s really disappointing for the player, and for the club and all of us,” Moyes said in January. “He’s such an important part, a big character, big experience for us. We will miss him, he’s done a lot of good things for us.”

Since Grealish’s absence, Everton have produced inconsistent results, securing two victories, two draws and two defeats across the six matches he has sat out. The Toffees did, however, deliver an impressive 3-2 triumph at Newcastle United in their most recent outing.

Strikes from Jarrad Branthwaite, Beto and Thierno Barry secured Everton’s second consecutive victory at St James’ Park, strengthening the club’s ambitions of securing European qualification. With Grealish not expected to feature again this season, the question will soon turn to what his next move would be.

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In the summer, he will enter the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium. With Antoine Semenyo arriving from Bournemouth in January and Rayan Cherki also joining last summer, the chances of Grealish forcing his way into the City eleven look slender.

It remains to be seen whether Everton will feel comfortable about signing him permanently after he suffered such an agonising injury. Either way, this summer will be a massive one for Grealish when it comes to making his next move.

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Omorinsola Babajide Hails WAFCON Triumph as Career High

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Super Falcons and AS Roma Women winger Omorinsola Babajide has described Nigeria’s victory at WAFCON X under coach Justin Madugu as the highlight of her career.

The 27-year-old joined the Nigerian national team in 2023, having switched her international allegiance from England two years earlier. She quickly made an impact, scoring and setting up a goal in Nigeria’s match against Tunisia during the 2024 WAFCON tournament.

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Reflecting on the tournament, Babajide recalled the thrilling final against Morocco, where the Super Falcons overturned a two-goal deficit.

“At half-time, I just felt like we had a never-say-die mentality. It was a final; there was no second leg. So we knew we needed to give more,” she said. “We had more energy. And I feel like that’s what allowed us to come back and get the winner. We really wanted to win, and we made it happen. We made our dream come true.”

Babajide added, “I’m Nigerian. As big an achievement as it was and with how successful Mission X was, it’s been the pinnacle of my career to date. The proudest moment of my career so far would definitely be lifting the WAFCON trophy in my first-ever mainstream tournament. That has to be the greatest.”

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The former Liverpool Women winger also holds the distinction of being the only Nigerian to win Liverpool Women’s Player of the Season award, which she claimed in the 2019/2020 campaign.

With her stellar performances in both club and country colours, Babajide continues to inspire a new generation of Nigerian footballers, blending skill, determination, and leadership on the field.

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T20 World Cup semifinals, IND vs ENG, SA vs NZ: From on-field umpires to match referees – Full details | Cricket News

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T20 World Cup semifinals, IND vs ENG, SA vs NZ: From on-field umpires to match referees – Full details
Suryakumar Yadav and Harry Brook (Image credit: Agencies)

NEW DELHI: India’s Nitin Menon has been included in the elite panel of match officials appointed for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semifinals, set to be played on March 4 and 5.The first semifinal will see South Africa take on New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 4. Defending champions India will then face England in the second semifinal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on March 5.

Team India arrives in Mumbai after sealing semifinal spot | T20 World Cup 2026

For the clash between South Africa and New Zealand, Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf have been named as the on-field umpires. Illingworth had officiated South Africa’s emphatic semifinal win two years ago, when they bowled Afghanistan out for 56 and cruised to a nine-wicket victory. Wharf, meanwhile, stood in New Zealand’s group-stage win over Afghanistan in the ongoing edition.In Kolkata, Nitin Menon will perform duties as the third umpire, with Rod Tucker appointed as the fourth umpire. Javagal Srinath will serve as the match referee.The second semifinal in Mumbai between India and England will be overseen on the field by Chris Gaffaney and Allahuddien Paleker. The two teams also met at this stage in 2024, a match India won by 68 runs, with Gaffaney part of the officiating team. In the current tournament, he has stood in India’s matches against South Africa and the West Indies.Paleker has officiated two England fixtures — against the West Indies and Scotland — along with India’s win over the Netherlands.Adrian Holdstock has been assigned as the third umpire for the Mumbai semifinal, while Paul Reiffel will be the fourth umpire. Andy Pycroft will take charge as the match referee.

T20 World Cup Semi-Final 1: South Africa vs New Zealand

Kolkata, Wednesday, March 4On-Field Umpires: Richard Illingworth & Alex WharfThird Umpire: Nitin MenonFourth Umpire: Rod TuckerMatch Referee: Javagal Srinath

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T20 World Cup Semi-Final 2: India vs England

Mumbai, Thursday, March 5India v EnglandOn-Field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney & Allahuddien PalekerThird Umpire: Adrian HoldstockFourth Umpire: Paul ReiffelMatch Referee: Andy Pycroft

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Iranian women’s soccer team refuses to sing national anthem at Asian Cup

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The Iranian women’s national soccer team made quite the statement on Monday night during the opening match of the Women’s Asian Cup, as they refused to sing while their national anthem played over the speakers at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. 

The players were in their customary line before their match against South Korea, when the Iranian national anthem began to play. The women, looking straight ahead and barely moving, were stoic as it appeared there were jeers from the crowd. Later, applause erupted from those in attendance following the 3-0 South Korea victory.

Iran’s manager, Marziyeh Jafari, was also seen smiling as she looked upon her players’ silence from the sidelines. 

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Team Iran listen to national anthem

Team Iran listen national anthems before the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between South Korea and Iran in Gold Coast on March 2, 2026.  (Izhar Khan / AFP)

This silence is particularly deafening following the confirmed U.S.-Israeli strikes over the weekend that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since counterattacked by firing missiles and drones at Israel and regional countries that host U.S. allies or military bases, including Bahrain and Qatar. 

During questioning by media on Sunday, Iran women’s national team captain Zahra Ghanbari, alongside Jafari, was asked about Khamenei’s death. The question was shot down quickly. 

Jafari answered in Farsi, but an AFC media representative cut off her response without any translation, according to ESPN. 

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“OK, I think that’s all for your question. Thank you for asking. Let’s just focus on the game itself,” the media rep said before questioning continued. 

While the content of Jafari’s response remains unknown, the team’s stoic nature during the national anthem, which is usually met by at least some players singing, says enough. 

The U.S. and Israel’s massive joint military operation, known as “Operation Epic Fury,” left many of Iran’s major leaders dead, including Khamenei. President Donald Trump warned on Sunday against any Iranian retaliation, saying if Iran were to “hit very hard,” they would be met with “a force that has never been seen before.”

The attacks have impacted the sports world as well as the rest of the country; the football federation’s president shared a bleak outlook about playing in this year’s FIFA World Cup. Iran has already qualified for the tournament and is set to face New Zealand in Los Angeles in June to kick off its Group G schedule.

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Atefeh Ramezanizadeh peace sign

 of Islamic Republic of Iran walks out for the start of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 match between Korea Republic v Islamic Republic of Iran at Gold Coast Stadium on March 2, 2026 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” football president Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 on Sunday. 

“The US regime has attacked our homeland, and this is an incident that will not go unanswered.”

FIFA also noted it will be monitoring the situation with Iran. 

Iran’s national team will not be preparing for the World Cup at this time, as a 40-day mourning period following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is in effect. However, the women’s national team was allowed to compete in the Asian Cup.

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Elsewhere in the sports world, Fox News Digital learned that Israel’s national gymnastics team suspended all training and team activities amid the counterattack, with the Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) providing a statement announcing that the violence has caused “unavoidable disruptions.”

The current security situation in our region has resulted in unavoidable disruptions to our regular training schedule and has created significant uncertainty regarding the national teams’ professional plans, particularly as we are at the outset of the international season,” the statement read.

Team Iran takes photo

Team Iran poses for a group photo before the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 match against South Korea in Gold Coast on March 2, 2026. (Izhar Khan / AFP)

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A source within the team also told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the gymnasts have been moving between bomb shelters since Iran’s counterstrikes began. 

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Iranian airstrikes killed at least eight Israelis on Sunday, when a missile barrage landed just miles from Jerusalem in Beit Shemesh. 

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Vikings Must Fix an Ugly Problem in 2026

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Kevin O’Connell walks off the field at U.S. Bank Stadium during a Vikings game.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell heads toward the sideline at U.S. Bank Stadium during a Nov. 20, 2022 matchup, departing the field after the second quarter as Minnesota struggled against Dallas. The moment captures a tense afternoon in Minneapolis, with O’Connell assessing adjustments before halftime amid mounting pressure. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

The 2025 Minnesota Vikings were a sloppy football team across all three phases. I wrote about the fact back in November, and while the team did tidy some things up in the latter stages of the season. There was too much sloppy football for the Vikings to be a playoff team — that has to change for the 2026 season.

Minnesota’s Penalties And Mistakes Can’t Follow Them Into 2026

When mistakes and mental errors mount up and spread across a team, it’s a bad look from top to bottom. As head coach, Kevin O’Connell is tasked with correcting the problems of 2025, with help from the coaches working under him. There were a lot of mistakes made on O’Connell’s offense and not just at the much-talked-about QB position.

Viking head coach Kevin O'Connell at SoFI Stadium in 2024. Vikings sloppy football 2026.
Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell watches game action against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.

Play on the Vikings’ special teams unit was strewn with mistakes, so much so that special teams coordinator Matt Daniels can feel a touch fortunate he still has his job. Even the Vikings’ defense, which was the team’s strength in 2025, had moments of sloppy play that need to be cleaned up for the 2026 season.

The Stats Do Not Paint A Pretty Picture

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The Vikings’ sloppiness in 2025 is illustrated through the stats. Starting with penalties, Minnesota drew 111 flags (for 886 yards), for 6.5 penalties per game. Far too many, and consistently putting yourself behind the chains is a recipe for defeat.

The Vikings did so far too often on both sides of the ball. It also happened on special teams with alarming regularity, much to the detriment of Vikings returner Myles Price, who had big returns, including a massive touchdown, wiped off the board due to others’ indiscretions.

Vikings special teams coach Matt Daniels in August 2025
Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels looks on before the game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Vikings’ QB problems have been well documented; there were far too many errant throws, leading to 21 interceptions among the three starting QBs. Who were let down by 19 dropped catches, some of which were made more difficult by inaccurate throws, but not all of them.

The offensive players also had a fumble problem, with 23 fumbles throughout the season. Finally, the defense’s Achilles Heel was missed tackles, with 107 in 17 games. That’s too many mistakes happening all across the team.

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Solutions for 2026

First and foremost, the Vikings must be better at QB in 2026. Errors came from everywhere, but a lot of them started at QB and snowballed out of control. Whether it’s J.J. McCarthy or someone else, Minnesota needs to keep its offensive line healthy to give its offense the best chance of functioning properly. The injuries on the OL last season were just too much to overcome.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy in 2025 against the Washinton Commanders
Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

New personnel will be coming into the mix, with several changes already made to the coaching line-up. As we get through free agency and the draft, there will be a shake-up to the roster. New players can make a difference, but ultimately, when a team needs to change its sloppy nature, then the leadership needs to come from the top.

Coach O’Connell needs to run a tighter ship in 2026 for his team to have more success.


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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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No. 1 Duke takes outright ACC crown by blasting NC State

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NCAA Basketball: Duke at N.C. StateMar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts with guard Isaiah Evans (3) and guard Caleb Foster (1) after being fouled during the first half against the NC State Wolfpack at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Cameron Boozer scored 26 points and No. 1 Duke won its final road game of the season by drilling North Carolina State 93-64 to claim the outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship Monday night at Raleigh, N.C.

Duke (28-2, 16-1 ACC) had wrapped up the top seed for the ACC tournament with Saturday’s romp past then-No. 11 Virginia and now the Blue Devils have added to that.

Dame Sarr poured in 16 points to go with eight rebounds, Isaiah Evans notched 12 points and Patrick Ngongba II provided 11 points for the Blue Devils, who shot 32 for 58 (55.2%) from the field. Boozer, who made eight of 10 shots from the field, also pulled in nine rebounds.

Darrion Williams provided 17 points and Quadir Copeland had 11 points for NC State (19-11, 10-7), which has lost three games in a row and five of its last six. The Wolfpack were considered a team safely in place for an NCAA Tournament bid just a couple of weeks ago, but that status is sliding in the wrong direction.

The Blue Devils were efficient enough in the first half to prevent the home crowd from roaring consistently as NC State was seeking its second late-season triumph against a nationally ranked neighboring school after toppling North Carolina last month

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For Duke, it was an ideal tune-up for Saturday night’s rematch with rival North Carolina, which handed the Blue Devils their only ACC defeat.

Duke was so crisp that it collected 21 assists on 32 baskets, though it was a pedestrian 18 for 27 on free throws. Caleb Foster provided seven assists. The Blue Devils were charged with seven turnovers.

NC State shot 35.4% from the floor.

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The Blue Devils finished with 11 baskets from 3-point range, while the Wolfpack went 7 for 29 from beyond the arc. Williams was 3 for 11 on 3s.

Duke built a 47-30 halftime lead. The margin grew to 62-36 in the first five minutes of the second half.

–Field Level Media

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PV Sindhu returns to India after being stuck in Dubai amid Middle East conflict | Badminton News

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'Back home and safe': PV Sindhu returns to India after being stuck in Dubai amid Middle East conflict
PV Sindhu (Image credit: PTI)

NEW DELHI: Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu has safely returned to India after a tense few days in Dubai, where she was stranded due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.Sindhu confirmed her return through a post on social media, sharing that she is back home in Bengaluru after an anxious period abroad.

Indian cricket team leaves from Kolkata, fans go mad for Sanju Samson

“Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say. For now, it’s time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps,” Sindhu posted on X (formerly Twitter).Sindhu and her support staff — including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama — had been stranded in Dubai. They reportedly experienced a close call after an explosion occurred near the area where they were staying.Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu is set to to miss the All England Championships, which begin on Tuesday. The Indian star was scheduled to take on Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round.

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Perez Hilton reacts after Alex Pretti’s mother posts heartfelt note on what would have been his 38th birthday

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Alex Pretti’s mother, Susan, shared a heartfelt note on Instagram on what would have been her son’s 38th birthday. The ICU nurse was fatally shot by the US Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on January 24 this year.

Alex Pretti was in Minnesota when he was being restrained by some Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents before being fatally shot. He became the second US citizen to have been killed by ICE agents in January, after Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota. It led to a huge backlash and protests against the organization.

On Sunday, March 1, Pretti’s mother, Susan Pretti, shared a story on Instagram about her son’s birthday. She shared a picture of him with the caption:

“Today should be your 38th birthday… When you lose your son, you lose more than a child. You lose a piece of your heart and your joy. Life is forever altered and nothing can ever fill that space. Yet in my soul, he remains, my precious boy, forever loved. His laughter, his smile and his love are woven into who I am.”

“My love for him will never fade. You are my pride and my joy. You’ve made a chance that cannot be broken,” she added.

Blogger Perez Hilton has reacted to this post from Susan on his website, writing:

“Ugh!! Just devastating!! So, so heartbreaking. Our thoughts continue to be with Susan and the rest of the loved ones Alex left behind. He will always be remembered.”

Alex Pretti is survived by his parents, Susan and Michael, and his sister, whose name hasn’t been publicly revealed. He also has an ex-wife, Rachel Canoun.

Also Read: What did Barack Obama & Bill Clinton say about Alex Pretti’s death? Details explored after Megyn Kelly claims “no good crisis is wasted”

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When Alex Pretti’s parents opened up about their son’s death

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations - Source: GettyFederal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations - Source: Getty
Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations – Source: Getty

Alex Pretti’s parents, Susan and Michael, reportedly live in Colorado and got to know about their son’s death through the Associated Press. Following his death, they also gave an interview to the outlet, expressing their grief, but also anger at the alleged lies being spread against him. They also revealed that they had last spoken to their son two days before his death.

Susan and Michael’s statement read:

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand, and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper-sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”

After Alex Pretti’s death, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE claimed that agents shot him in self-defense. They stated that he was carrying a gun when he was restrained.

However, it was later revealed that Pretti had a valid permit for his firearm. Moreover, videos released from the incident showed that he never brandished his gun against any officer. He only had his phone in his hand when he was being restrained.


Also Read: “Sickening to watch”: Jimmy Kimmel breaks down while speaking about Alex Pretti’s killing by ICE agents

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