Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy participates in his first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, taking snaps and directing the offense during early action in August 2024. McCarthy later suffered a meniscus tear during the outing, an injury that sidelined him for the entire season while veteran Sam Darnold handled starting duties. Mandatory Credit: (YouTube).
The Minnesota Vikings signed two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray on Thursday evening, and that means J.J. McCarthy, the man once viewed as the franchise’s QB1 solution — not very long ago — could be traded, according to the Pioneer Press‘s Charley Walters.
The Vikings’ quarterback conversation got weird in a hurry this week.
McCarthy has not expressed discontent since the Murray signing, nor has he requested a trade, but Walter’s warning is out in the open.
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Kyler Murray Chatter Opened the Door for a New Round of Speculation
That didn’t take long.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy reacts with emotion after reaching the end zone during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. McCarthy helped spark early momentum for Minnesota while directing the offense in front of a hostile crowd during the contest played on Dec 14, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.
Walters: Vikings Could Trade McCarthy
Walters is never shy about expounding on Vikings-themed rumors, and he took the plunge on McCarthy’s status last weekend.
He wrote, “Now that Kyler Murray seems set to be the Vikings’ starting quarterback next season, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team entertains a trade for J.J. McCarthy. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns seem like teams that might have an interest in McCarthy, potentially as a starter.”
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“The Los Angeles Chargers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, who coached McCarthy to a national championship at Michigan in 2004, would seem a third possibility as a backup to Justin Herbert. The Chargers do not have a designated backup QB. Last season, it was Trey Lance from Marshall, Minn. A trade for McCarthy would require a high enough draft pick. Don’t be surprised, if the Vikings were to trade McCarthy, if they bring Carson Wentz back to play behind Murray.”
McCarthy has missed 70% of all games since joining the Vikings in 2024, so it’s safe to say his stock is at its lowest.
The Browns Fit
The Browns have several quarterbacks; the Browns may not have a quarterback, which presents a problem.
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These men are the 2026 depth chart at the moment:
Deshaun Watson
Shedeur Sanders
Dillon Gabriel
Cleveland could not be overly nimble at quarterback this offseason because they’re still mitigating the sin of trading for and signing Watson at $230 million fully guaranteed. However, in 2027, offloading Watson will become slightly less painful, and by then, the Browns will have a clearer indication of whether Sanders has taken the next step as the franchise guy.
In the meantime, per the Walters theory, Cleveland could acquire McCarthy and basically throw in the towel on Gabriel, a 3rd-Rounder from last year.
Cleveland.com‘sMary Kay Cabot noted on the Browns’ quarterback situation last week, “They’re not trading for Anthony Richardson, despite widespread rumors during the first week of free agency that they’d pursue him, sources say. It’s never been a serious consideration for them, although they usually do their due diligence on available veterans to see if it’s a fit.”
“But Richardson was never in their plans, and the rumors were unfounded. At this point, the Browns are prepared to move forward with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders as their top two contenders for the 2026 starting job, unless their remaining work on the draft-eligible quarterbacks alters those plans.”
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The Steelers Fit
Most believe, at least tentatively, that Aaron Rodgers will return in 2026, his 20th season in the pros. Rodgers said last summer that 2025 would probably be his last ride, but then the offseason rolled around, and he became noncommittal about his future. It’s what Rodgers does every year, and his old friend, Brett Favre, used to do annually with the Green Bay Packers. The two share an extreme and befuddling passion for milking offseason suspense. Nobody on the planet enjoys it except for those two guys.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy addresses reporters during a press conference introducing him as the franchise’s new head coach at the PNC Champions Club inside Acrisure Stadium. McCarthy answered questions from media members during the event held on Jan 27, 2026, marking the start of his tenure leading the Steelers. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
If Rodgers retires, the Steelers would look down at the roster and find Will Howard’s name, a 6th-Rounder from last year’s draft. If Pittsburgh is not enthused about HowardMania, it could call Kirk Cousins for a one-year bridge to get it to the 2027 NFL Draft, which is on deck to be stuffed to the gills with quarterbacks.
Otherwise, the Steelers could send a late-round pick to Minnesota for McCarthy, and the youngster could marinate behind Rodgers for a season or battle Howard for the job this summer.
It could be The McCarthy & McCarthy Show in Pittsburgh: Mike & J.J.
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The Chargers Fit
This is the weirdest of them all — unless the Chargers are secretly biding their time to end the Justin Herbert era. And why on earth would they be doing that?
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with quarterback J.J. McCarthy following a touchdown pass against Michigan State during the third quarter at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. The Wolverines extended momentum during the rivalry matchup played on Oct 21, 2023, as Harbaugh acknowledged his quarterback on the sideline. Mandatory Credit: Nick King-USA TODAY NETWORK.
Sure, McCarthy and Harbaugh won a championship together at Michigan, but does that mean McCarthy wants to join Harbaugh in Los Angeles as Herbert’s backup? He has a better chance of dethroning Kyler Murray this summer than sniffing the Chargers’ lineup as the QB1. What’s more, Murray isn’t necessarily Iron Man; he could miss a few games, casting McCarthy back into the QB1 spotlight.
McCarthy to Los Angeles only makes sense if the Vikings have an urgent need to get rid of him, and Harbaugh comes knocking accordingly.
Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted his own failure at the top hurt Chennai Super Kings as they slumped to a heavy loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, elaborating on key moments in the post-match press conference. CSK were rocked early in the chase of 250, collapsing to 30 for 3 after losing Ruturaj, Sanju Samson and Ayush Mhatre. That early damage proved decisive despite a spirited response later. Reflecting on the fightback, Ruturaj said in the post-match conference: “Well, even I was surprised, to be honest. Great fight by Sarfaraz, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, even to some extent Shivam Dube. So I think, maybe I would have, contributed more top of the order, you never know, we would have chased it down. So definitely it’s on me today.” He highlighted how the efforts of Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton kept CSK in the contest briefly, but admitted the game had already slipped due to the poor start. Ruturaj also elaborated on a crucial moment in the field that could have shifted momentum. Virat Kohli was dropped early, and RCB capitalised fully. Speaking about that phase, he said: “We would have had, as you rightly said, if we would have taken early chance of Virat Kohli, I think that was, I mean, maybe we would have had momentum to ourselves. But I think, we still had the game in our hands till the 13th, 14th over, and that’s when the momentum really shifted.” That shift came dramatically at the death, when Tim David tore into the CSK attack. Ruturaj pointed out that they almost had an opportunity to dismiss him earlier. On that moment, he said in the press conference: “Well, you’re right, KP. I think, Anshul almost got a wicket of him. Unfortunate to be illegal delivery, but yeah, after that, he just smacked all around the park and, as you rightly said, hats off to him.” RCB’s late surge, powered by Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar and David, took the game away completely. For Ruturaj, the takeaway was clear. Missed chances, an underwhelming start with the bat, and a brutal finish from the opposition combined to seal CSK’s fate.
United, along with Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, are among the clubs who have been contacted about the potential availability of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, 25. (Teamtalk, external)
Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic, 19, currently on loan at Hamburg, has suggested he could return to White Hart Lane despite interest from major clubs in Europe. (The Standard, external)
Bayer Leverkusen will try to retain star forward Yan Diomande, 19, with a deal for a further year, despite numerous clubs being interested in signing the Ivorian. (Fabrizio Romano, external)
Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, right, with Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo)
Mohammed Shami delivered a clinical spell to guide Lucknow Super Giants to a five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, later explaining the tactical shift behind his success. The veteran pacer returned outstanding figures of 2 for 9 in his four overs, including a remarkable 18 dot balls, setting the tone early as LSG ripped through SRH’s top order. The hosts eventually recovered to 156 for 9, but the total never looked enough. Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Shami revealed that his decision to rely more on slower deliveries came from observing trends from the previous season. “Last year I was here, a lot of slower balls were bowled. That was in my mind, the bowlers and the opponents bowled a lot of slower balls, so I thought why not I try it too,” Shami said at the post-match presentation. His impact was immediate. Shami struck in the opening over to remove Abhishek Sharma for a duck and soon sent back Travis Head, leaving SRH rattled early. Ishan Kishan also fell cheaply, as the innings spiralled during the Powerplay. At 22 for 3 and then 26 for 4, SRH were staring at a collapse before Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen stitched together a crucial 116-run stand to revive the innings. Shami stressed that the victory was important after a setback in the previous game and spoke about the need to maintain rhythm and fitness through consistent cricket. “We are very happy because we had lost the previous match at home, so it was very important for us to win this match to build momentum. Once you get that start, the winning momentum continues. (on his preparation for this IPL) If you like cricket, and if you want to play at any level, then it is important to be in touch with the game,” Shami said. He also underlined the importance of preparation and adaptability, highlighting how staying match-ready helped him execute his plans effectively. “If you want to perform at a good level, it’s very important to maintain your fitness. First, you have to be fit then you can show your skill. Regarding domestic cricket, my plan was to be in touch with the game, so that I can be in the flow. That’s why I played all the matches. (on his changes to his bowling today) Without skill and without experience, nothing works. It’s about quickly adapting to the conditions and reading them is very important,” he added. Despite SRH’s late recovery, LSG stayed in control during the chase, with the skipper leading from the front with an unbeaten 68 to seal a comfortable win.
Kym Davison, the trainer from Albury, has savored his maiden city triumph on a premier occasion of the Sydney autumn carnival in 2026, accomplishing it almost accidentally.
He acted as a standby instead, and obligated to stay in Sydney for any possible withdrawals, Davison elected to pay the entry fee for the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) as a fallback option.
“First city winner, so not a bad one to crack the ice with,” Davison said.
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“I was hoping to be in the next race, but great consolation.
“I saw this race and said, ‘well, we’re going up there anyway, so we’ll go and have a throw at the stumps’.”
Autumn Break ($8) duly obliged, prevailing by a nose over Kilman ($31) prepared by Chris Waller, who controlled the race until the final stride, as Matias ($6.50) trailed by a short head for third.
The result offered solace in a distressing phase for the Davison household, with Kym’s brother succumbing to his illness just a week prior.
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“It’s been a hard week. We lost my brother a week ago,” he said.
“He had been unwell for a while. But you’ve got to pick yourself up.”
Davison, managing eight horses in his Albury stable, will now spell Autumn Break with intentions of targeting The Kosciuszko (1200m) early in his next campaign in October.
“The Kosciuszko, he’d go alright in that,” he said.
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“His first start was over 1200, and he should have won that Highway (Handicap) here, that was 1200 first-up, so we’ll try to push onto that if we can.”
Discover leading betting sites offering racing odds for the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes.
Even in a crushing 43-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings quietly ticked off a major milestone that adds an interesting layer to the evolving scoring trends in the IPL.Most 200-plus totals in the IPL37 – CSK36 – RCB33 – PBKS32 – MI30 – KKRCSK’s 207 all out while chasing 250 at the Chinnaswamy took them to 37 totals of 200-plus in IPL history, the most by any team. They have now edged past RCB, who are on 36, with Punjab Kings (33), Mumbai Indians (32) and Kolkata Knight Riders (30) following behind.What makes the stat intriguing is the timing. In an era where 200-plus scores are becoming increasingly common and often not enough to guarantee wins, CSK’s record came in a match where they were comprehensively outplayed. Chasing a massive 250, they still managed to cross 200, but the gap in quality and execution was evident throughout the contest.The night belonged entirely to RCB’s power-packed batting unit. Devdutt Padikkal laid the platform with a well-paced 50, but it was the late assault that completely blew the game open. Rajat Patidar and Tim David dismantled the CSK bowling attack with a ruthless fourth-wicket stand. Patidar’s unbeaten 48 off 19 balls and David’s brutal 70 off 25 lifted RCB to a towering 250 for 3, with 97 runs coming in the last five overs.In response, CSK never really found stability. Early wickets left them struggling at 30 for 3, and the chase was effectively over in the powerplay itself. Sarfaraz Khan showed intent with a quick half-century, while useful contributions from the lower middle order helped them go past 200, but the target remained far out of reach. The match summed up the modern IPL perfectly. Big scores are frequent, momentum shifts quickly, and even crossing 200 does not carry the same weight it once did. On this occasion, CSK ended up on the wrong side of the result, but still moved to the top of a high-scoring chart that continues to grow with every season.
Feb 28, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) is interviewed after the game after defeating the BYU Cougars at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Honor Huff scored 38 points and made eight 3-pointers to help West Virginia rally for an 89-82 overtime victory over Oklahoma in the College Basketball Crown championship game on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Chance Moore added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers (21-14), who trailed by 13 points in the second half before rallying. Brenen Lorient scored 15 points in the program’s first postseason tournament title since winning the 2007 NIT.
Nijel Pack led Oklahoma (21-16) with 24 points and seven assists, followed by Tae Davis’ 19 points and Xzayvier Brown’s 13.
Oklahoma scored the first six points of overtime, taking an 82-76 lead on Pack’s layup.
Jasper Floyd then hit his first 3-pointer of the game, followed by Huff’s triple to tie the score with 2:14 remaining. After Pack missed a 3-pointer, Floyd hit another trey to give the Mountaineers an 85-82 lead.
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West Virginia got stops on its next two possessions and Huff drilled four straight free throws to seal the championship win.
Oklahoma pushed its four-point halftime lead to 10 on Pack’s 3-pointer, forcing a West Virginia timeout less than four minutes into the second half.
Brown’s jumper extended the margin to 13, before Huff’s three-point play and Moore’s layup cut the deficit to 59-51.
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Lorient’s basket at the 5:23 mark pulled West Virginia within three. Derrion Reid and Davis scored on Oklahoma’s next two possessions, giving the Sooners a 71-64 lead.
From there, Huff scored five straight points and Lorient made a layup to tie the score at 71 with 1:45 remaining.
After an Oklahoma timeout, Pack and Huff traded triples. Davis then turned the ball over and committed a foul on Huff, who drained two free throws with 33 seconds left.
Davis’ ensuing layup tied the score at 76. Huff missed a go-ahead 3-pointer on the other end, sending the game to overtime.
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The Mountaineers connected on eight of their first 10 3-point attempts, including Huff’s three straight triples to build a 26-11 lead.
Oklahoma answered with a 16-2 run, cutting its deficit to a point on Pack’s mid-range jumper with 5:25 left in the first half.
After Moore’s layup snapped a four-plus minute West Virginia scoring drought, the Sooners scored nine straight points, taking a 36-30 advantage. Davis closed the first half with a three-point play to give Oklahoma a 41-37 halftime lead.
The decision on whether Gin Twist forges ahead to another start or enters a spell phase hinges on her performance in a track gallop.
Lindsay Park’s two-year-old filly is a potential runner in Saturday’s Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, contingent on a satisfying showing in Monday’s gallop.
She was the hot favourite dispatched in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington March 28, leading early before stopping to take third.
Ben, Will and J D Hayes prepare Gin Twist, who was accounted for by more than three lengths by the Sydney mare Satono Glow.
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Ben Hayes mentioned optimism surrounds the filly’s readiness for Saturday, as she exhibits no adverse aftereffects from the race.
“We’ll make a decision on Monday whether she runs or not after she does some work,” Hayes said.
“We feel that one, she raced a bit fresh last week and two, she didn’t handle the heavy track, but she has pulled up fine.
“It is a good opportunity for her and if she doesn’t work well, we won’t run her, but if she works well, we’ll run her.”
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The filly had previously claimed the Listed Festival Stakes (1000m) victory at Flemington on February 28, and was next in line as third emergency for Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
Lindsay Park refrained from interstate travel for her, aware a start was improbable.
Hayes is of the view that Gin Twist copes with 1200m and merits another attempt on a good track.
“I think she is a very fast horse, and 1200 metres is her limit,” Hayes said.
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“But it is hard to judge her off that run over 1200 metres, which was down the straight, and on a heavy eight (track).
“We can find out if she can the trip and then we’ll know how to place her next prep.”
Secure the best value with betting sites offering markets for the Redoute’s Choice Stakes.
Liv Morgan broke character to comment on her relationship with WWE star Rhea Ripley. Both Ripley and Morgan will be challenging for major titles at WrestleMania 42.
In an interview with Esteban Ramirez, Liv Morgan broke character to comment on her relationship with Rhea Ripley. The Judgment Day star noted that she knew her former rival was going to be a star while they were in NXT together and left Ripley her locker when she got called up to the main roster.
Thanks for the submission!
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“Rhea and I have quite a bit of lore. I remember back in the Performance Center when I saw her, I knew that she was gonna be a star. It was just very evident to me. So when I had gotten called up to the main roster, I had left Rhea my locker. I told her, ‘You can have my locker, you can move your stuff into my locker.’ She didn’t even have a locker yet,” said Morgan.
The Women’s Royal Rumble winner added that they will always be connected and compared their rivalry to Batman and The Joker.
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“I came back on the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour and took everything that she loved including Dominik, the Judgment Day and the Women’s World Championship. So I feel like we are both the heroes and villains in each other’s stories. She is the Batman to my Joker, and I am the villain in her hero’s story, and she is the villain in my hero’s story,” she added. [H/T: WrestleTalk on X]
You can check out the interview in the video below:
Morgan will be challenging Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Liv Morgan comments on recent WWE injury
WWE RAW star Liv Morgan recently discussed her injury last year that caused her to miss several months of WWE television.
In an interview with Brad Gilmore, the 31-year-old noted that the injury was devastating for her last year as she was on an upward trajectory. The WWE veteran added that she was upset about the situation during her hiatus last year.
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“I do feel like in the moment that I got injured, I was on a very upward trajectory. And so the injury obviously devastated me. I was very, very angry the whole entire time I had off time,” she said.
Liv Morgan says she was “angry the whole time” when she was recovering from shoulder injury: “I was mad the whole entire time,” Morgan said. “I got injured in a moment [when] I had multiple things going on for me. I was really enjoying and loving what I was doing. So to have all
Only time will tell if Liv Morgan can defeat Stephanie Vaquer to become champion once again at WWE WrestleMania.
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It’s all square between Marhoona and Tempted with one victory apiece, though one will claim superiority in their first encounter since the Golden Slipper of last year on The Championships’ Day Two at Randwick.
Both coming off Group 1 triumphs, Marhoona and Tempted gear up for the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, after juvenile meetings split by Tempted’s 2025 Reisling Stakes (1200m) win and Marhoona’s Slipper.
Still, Tempted’s placing trailing superstar Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m) then Group 1 capture in the Surround Stakes (1400m) marks her as strong favourite, opposite Marhoona’s $11 quote.
Marhoona’s preparer Michael Freedman knows the size of the job but has no complaints about his filly’s form.
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“We did beat her in the Slipper, and she beat us in the Reisling,” Freedman said of the rivalry with Tempted.
“She is obviously a very, very good filly and she will take a bit of beating here next Saturday.
“I think Marhoona is going as well as she ever has. We’ll see when barriers come out, that can play a part, but she is in good order.
“Zac Lloyd has picked up the ride on her.”
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Marhoona put paid to any Golden Slipper legacy issues last time, upsetting hardened sprinters for The Galaxy (1100m) success at Rosehill.
The trainer described the result as proof of her resilience and fight, praising the youngster’s record in minimal outings.
“She is such a tough, game filly. She’s not overly big, but she hates getting beaten,” he said.
“It was a big thrill to come out and win a race like that with her after winning the Slipper.
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“She won a Listed in the spring as a three-year-old, so it’s great credit to her. She’s only had eight lifetime starts and she has won two Group Ones.”
Pallaton from the same barn could enter the Arrowfield, fitted with blinkers post his colt-like display finishing out of contention in the Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m).
The stable will watch Profoundly, Saturday’s Adrian Knox Stakes champ, for her shot at the ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) barring any issues this week.
Visit leading betting sites to find the top racing betting markets ahead of the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.
Apr 5, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May during a press conference ahead of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Michigan head coach Dusty May informed Michigan officials that he would not take part as a candidate in North Carolina’s coaching search — nor any other — ESPN reported on Sunday.
May, 49, has guided the Wolverines to the NCAA Championship Game in his second season in Ann Arbor. A year after he took them to the Sweet 16, May has the Wolverines sitting at 36-3 ahead of Monday’s championship matchup with UConn.
The Tarheels have been in pursuit of a new coach since firing Hubert Davis on March 24. The school is now facing a looming deadline of sorts with the transfer portal opening on Tuesday, yet it has also been doing due diligence with coaches still in the tournament.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd had been squarely in North Carolina’s sights until Friday, when Lloyd was given a significant contract extension to remain with the Wildcats. That provoked speculation that the Tarheels could turn their attention to another Final Four coach.
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As Lloyd’s new deal became public, May — whose buyout is $7 million — also addressed job rumors on Friday, reiterating his commitment to Michigan.
“After last year, I decided that I’ll never, ever respond to any job speculation,” May said. “I think it’s well-documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important.”
Interestingly, Lloyd and May squared off on Saturday, with May’s Wolverines winning a one-sided affair, 91-73.
North Carolina finished 24-9 with a first-round exit in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger and Alabama’s Nate Oats have also publicly taken themselves out of the running in recent days. Other reported candidates include the Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan and Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington, among others.
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