It’s still early, but there are positive signs for Vikings trench defender Caleb Banks.

The hulking DT got chosen at No. 18. So much of what made the decision surprising — one conducted by fill-in GM Rob Brzezinski — had nothing to do with talent, team need, or a lack of these things. Rather, the issue had to do with health and polish, or lack of these things. Could the kid be ready to play in 2026 given the issues with his foot?

Kevin O’Connell has been upbeat and positive for a little while about the trajectory for Banks. Some of that is standard O’Connell stuff; he’s prone to offering a pile of words, often with little value. But as it relates to Banks, the updates are consistently positive.

Warren Ludford (Daily Norseman) was out there yesterday and made the quick comment on social media, “Banks w 1D.” Translation: Caleb Banks was getting work alongside the starters.

Vikings Trench Defender Getting Run with 1s

Opting for a defensive tackle so high means boasting considerable optimism for what he can bring to the table. The perspective inside TCO Performance Center is that the team gained an unusual level of value when choosing Banks due to his injury. Essentially, the belief is that being healthy would have resulted in being a top-ten selection rather than a perceived reach at No. 18.

The Vikings therefore feel confident in where things are going with Banks.

The early word is that Brian Flores wants to lean on the rookie to function as a 3T/5T, meaning he’ll play a role that’s roughly similar to what Aaron Donald offered the Rams. But while the alignment may have some overlap and similarities, you may notice that Banks and Donald boast a different build. Donald stands at 6’1″ and weighs 280 pounds; Banks is listed as being 6’6″ and 327 pounds.

Part of the point of inserting Caleb Banks into the job of a 3-4 defensive end is to create matchup nightmares for the other side. Oftentimes, the player tasked with that DE job looks like Ty Ingram-Dawkins, a player who weighs roughly 290 pounds.

With Banks, the calculus is a bit different since he’s a massive presence. Better yet, he’s a ballerina in there, boasting excellent athleticism. Minnesota is banking on that size/speed combo for chaos.

Earlier in camp, Banks chatted with the media. On the question of whether he was completely ready, Banks offered a confident “absolutely.”

In fact, the sense coming from the powerful defensive tackle was that he felt ready to roll earlier than the team did. Minnesota kept him back, forcing him to respect the yield sign rather than roll through. Quite possibly, that’s the exact correct approach. Why push things in the summer months, especially with a player who is so young?

At the end of the day, football is a matchup sport. Offensive coordinators are going to see the Vikings on the schedule and try to devise ways to stretch Brian Flores to the point of being unable to shutdown the attack. Flores, though, isn’t going to be passive.

To the contrary, Minnesota’s DC wants to go on the attack.

In Caleb Banks, the Vikings feel like they boast somebody who changes the math. Leaving him with a single blocker could lead to a bad day at the office for that lonely blocker. Being so explosive, long, and huge could mean losing the line of scrimmage in a hurry. Do that over and over again and the Vikings will have an edge.

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The response, quite possibly, will be to double Mr. Banks, but that’s a solution that creates another problem. Devoting a pair of blockers to a single player means more room to operate for guys like Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, Jalen Redmond, and others.

Banks, 23, boasts all-world potential. Health is the first step. Continuing to demand work with the starters is the next as he looks to shine as a rookie.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Ruben Amorim will come up against his former side later in pre-season, with the former Man United boss sending a clear message to one of his players.

Ruben Amorim has told Rafael Leao that he is “lucky” to be with AC Milan amid speculation over his future. Manchester United were one of the teams credited with an interest.

The club have since distanced themselves from a move, but the Portugal international continues to be linked with an exit from Milan. Turkish side Fenerbahce are the team most heavily linked, with reports that they are in talks over a deal, with Milan setting an asking price of around €50million (£43m).

Despite the talk over his future, Leao has joined up with his teammates in Australia following his post World Cup break. He is expected to be involved in the pre-season friendly meeting with Inter on Wednesday (12pm kick-off).

Ahead of that game, former United boss Amorim has sent a clear message to the midfielder when speaking about his future.

“Rafa is lucky to be at a club like Milan, so he should be happy,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb. “I feel that he’s happy and motivated.

“I don’t know what will happen between now and the end of the window, but I feel the group is really united. I haven’t heard or seen any difference in Leao compared to the other lads.”

Amorim was appointed as Milan boss earlier this summer and is preparing for his first season in Serie A. Despite facing a Milan derby in pre-season, the manager’s full focus is on the first competitive game.

“Being pre-season champions isn’t important,” he said. “The only thing that really counts is when the referee blows for kick-off in Turin.”

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Just under a year after leaving United, the Portuguese will have a reunion on August 15 when United take on Milan in a pre-season friendly as both sides prepare for the new season.

United will hope to have some new players feature in that match, with midfielder Youri Tielemans returning from his post World Cup break this week. The club have also been linked with several other possible transfers including Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall.

In 2022, Eala was on the cover of Vogue Philippines after becoming the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam title.

But it was her victory over Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in 2025, that brought a new passion for tennis to the Philippines.

There has been a lot of love for the young star from her community, with queues to see her play growing and fans following her all over the world.

There are more than 75,000 members of the Filipino community in Washington, with a further four million across the US who will be watching her in the US Open in late August.

“To all the Filipino fans that came out and have supported, you guys are helping grow tennis around the world,” Pegula said after the match.

Fellow Filipino and former boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao, wrote on social media that her comeback showed the “heart of a Filipino” before calling her “our new champion”.

Big Cass was among those who returned to WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” and made a statement doing so.

After nearly a decade away from the company, Cass’ return was teased for weeks. He attacked Je’Von Evans after Evans defeated Ethan Page in his match.

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Big Cass faces Je’Von Evans during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

“Eight years. I was left for dead in the dirt. Eight years it took me to get back here from rock bottom,” he said in a backstage interview with Jackie Redmond. “Je’Von Evans – nothing personal, bro. You were just in the way. Make no mistake about it. I am here to stack bodies. You were just the first. You surely won’t be the last.”

Big Cass wasn’t the only one to get back in the ring on Monday.

Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer also returned.

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Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch speak during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

Lynch came out after Roxanne Perez took on Sol Ruca. Liv Morgan was caught trying to interfere in the match, which led to Perez’s disqualification. As The Judgment Day put a beatdown on Ruca, Lynch made her appearance.

Lynch made clear she was going after Morgan’s Women’s World Championship after she successfully defended the title against Iyo Sky at SummerSlam. As The Judgment Day left the ring, Vaquer’s music hit.

She chased Morgan back into the ring and got some revenge on the champion. Vaquer took out Rodriguez and Perez in the process before the trio scurried away.

Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer face off during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

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Vaquer and Lynch stared each other down in the ring as it appeared two contenders emerged for Morgan’s title.

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has been advised to stay away from the club’s home matches at the London Stadium following allegations of historic sexual misconduct.

A joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times saw the 77-year-old businessman accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour by seven women. He has categorically denied the allegations and described them as “factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life”.

Sullivan stood down as joint chairman of West Ham shortly before the investigation was broadcast but remains the club’s largest shareholder, although the make-up of the Hammers’ ownership is set to change this year, with a consortium led by Amanda Staveley agreeing a £150m deal to acquire a 25.1 per cent stake from Vanessa Gold, daughter of former co-owner David Gold, who died in 2023.

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League in May but are pre-season title favourites in the Championship as they look to bounce back at the first time of asking and begin their 2026-27 campaign with a home Carabao Cup clash against Portsmouth on Saturday.

And a spokesperson for London Stadium confirmed they had recommended that Sullivan not attend the Hammers’ home matches due to the “potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators.”

A London Stadium statement read: “Following media reports at the end of the season regarding a safeguarding matter being managed by the club, London Stadium sought further information to ensure it could fulfil its own safeguarding responsibilities.

“Based on the information provided by the club, we understand the matter was investigated and that the club does not consider there to be an ongoing safeguarding risk associated with Mr Sullivan attending the stadium.

“However, given the potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators, we have recommended to the club that he does not attend.

“We have also requested advance notice of any planned attendance so that appropriate safety and operational measures can be put in place.”

West Ham have declined to officially comment, although it is understood Sullivan intends on defying the recommendation to stay away.

The BBC Panorama and Times investigation also revealed that Sullivan has been banned by the Football Association (FA) from having contact with West Ham’s women and youth teams for three years due to safeguarding concerns.

Sullivan has said of the action by the FA: “I wish to clarify recent media reports regarding a negotiated agreement with the Football Association, which has been inaccurately described as a disciplinary ‘ban’.

“In my entire 16 years at West Ham I have never met any academy or women’s team players one-to-one, therefore I negotiated and temporary agreement with the FA not to do so until the FA resolved an outstanding complaint in relation to a single anonymous complaint regarding an event in 1981.

“The complaint had nothing to do about my time in football and it never happened. I saw it as a meaningless restriction, as it didn’t impact on my work in any way. Therefore, I accepted it for a quiet life.”

As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.

Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.

For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.

We continue with UCLA, which has played 769 games against regional foes, winning 444, losing 302, and recording 23 ties, for a winning percentage of .592.

The Bruins have recorded the most wins (58) against Cal, played the most games (95) against Stanford, and lost the most games (54) against USC.

Here is a breakdown of UCLA’s records vs. the region’s teams.

2026 Mubadala DC Open women’s champion Alex Eala poses in front of the US Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

MANILA, Philippines — Clad in a pale yellow dress with the championship trophy in hand, Alex Eala exuded the glow of a champion during her post-title photoshoot in front of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Hours after capturing her first WTA Tour title at the 2026 Mubadala DC Open, Eala traded her green match kit for a classy look to cap off a historic week in the United States’ capital.

“Serving first ✨🏆,” the WTA tournament account wrote on social media alongside photos of Eala posing with the trophy.

Serving first ✨🏆

Alex Eala | #MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/Dmk0xhsENX

— Mubadala DC Open (@mubadaladcopen) August 4, 2026

Eala rallied past American top seed Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the rain-delayed final, which was postponed to Monday (early Tuesday, Philippine time).

While not yet a long-standing tradition at the DC Open, 2025 champion Leylah Fernandez also posed for a post-title photoshoot on the steps of the Capitol after her victory last year.

Eala dethroned Fernandez in the round of 16 en route to the title.

Eala also posted a series of photos celebrating the title, including moments with the championship trophy and thousands of Filipino fans who packed the stands for the final.

“Me and my first🥹,” Eala wrote in the caption.

Eala, who is currently the world No. 20, next competes at the 2026 Canadian Open in Toronto, where she is seeded 25th and received a first-round bye.

“I think it’s really important to keep the fairness in our tour,” said Sabalenka on Monday. “Obviously, biologically, men are way stronger than women, so I feel like it would be not really fair for a woman to compete against a biological man.

“I believe it took them a little while to make this decision and I support it,” the Belarussian continued. “If they want to test us all, I’m happy to do that; it’s pretty fair, and let’s keep it that way.”

WTA introduces genetic testing

In July 2026, the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) introduced a one-time, mandatory genetic test for all players. As part of the protocol, players will be tested for the SRY gene, a segment of DNA typically found on the Y chromosome. The test can be conducted by a cheek swab or a blood test.

The new policy also includes a document players must sign highlighting disciplinary action is possible if testing is refused.

The previous WTA policy allowed transgender women to compete if their testosterone levels had been lowered to below 2.5 nmol/L continuously for the previous two years. There are no known transgender women currently playing on the WTA Tour.

Sabalenka is currently the best female tennis player in the world, and has been ranked number 1 for 92 consecutive weeks, so her endorsement carries a lot of weight. 

On top of that, she competed in the modern edition of Battle of the Sexes in Dubai in 2025 — a match she lost to Nick Kyrgios, a male Australian player. While billed as a way to generate interest in tennis, some were critical of the match-up.

World Boxing introduced it in May 2025, after a lengthy and controversial debate around gold medal winner Imane Khelif at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

World Athletics did similarly in September 2025. Then, in the decision likely to have the most far-reaching impacts, the International Olympic Committee updated their guidelines in early 2026.

How has this new policy been received?

Trans athletes have long been politicized.

Former swimmer Riley Gaines has become a conservative political activist who is known for campaigning against the participation of trans women in women’s sports. Recently, Gaines was seen supporting WNBA star Sophie Cunningham, who had said in an ESPN feature that “biological men” should not compete in female sports in order to protect young girls.

Maria Jose Martinez-Patino, whose personal experience with gender verification dramatically impacted sporting policy on the matter in the 1980s, believes new genetic testing for women at elite level is “a setback of several decades”.

“It takes me back to the 1950s and 1960s, when women practically had to go through a series of controls, had to undress in front of a panel of doctors,” Martinez-Patino told DW in an interview in 2025. “I get the impression that we haven’t advanced from a scientific point of view. We’ve made practically no progress if it’s now categorically said that women with X and Y chromosomes are not women.”

World Athletics argues that the SRY gene — present in people with a Y chromosome, usually men — “is a reliable indicator for determining biological sex.” Martinez-Patino believes though, that determining someone’s sex is not as simple as that.

“It’s not black or white. There are more than 60 genetic mutations which I think are not all that complicated to study. Something that I’ve always said is that it should be done case by case,” the Spanish former hurdler said.

Edited by: Matt Pearson