By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Miller: This Time, Tucson Gets the Final Four it Deserves
A trip to the Final Four is on the line tonight when Arizona takes on Purdue in San Jose.
The entire season has led up to this moment. It’s the culmination of the Tommy Lloyd era in Tucson. Can he deliver the result and break the two-and-a-half-decade-long drought?
Or will this be another season that comes to a heartbreaking end in the Elite 8?
Here’s my preview of the matchup.
(Full disclosure: I’m a lifetime Arizona supporter. Be sure to read my bonus fan rant in the boxed section at the bottom.)
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 1 Arizona
Saturday, March 28
5:49 pm PT, TBS
San Jose, CA
There are only a handful of opportunities that a program ever gets to reach a Final Four.
One of those moments is here and now for the Arizona Wildcats.
The fanbase has too many traumatic memories of losing in the Elite 8.
2003, 2005, 2011, 2014, and 2015.
The City of Tucson can’t handle another one. This has to be the team that finally breaks through.
Standing in the way is the Purdue Boilermakers, a new-age blue blood built on elite coaching and loyalty.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith were all on that 2023-24 squad that beat Arizona in Indianapolis and went on to the Final Four later that season.
They know what it takes to get there because they’ve done it before.
On the other hand, none of the Arizona players were even born the last time the Wildcats made it beyond this game.
The Final Four drought is the only thorn in the side of the fanbase’s psyche.
It’s the only chirp that hits home. Because it’s true.
Arizona hasn’t been to the Final Four in 25 years. A 25-year dry spell for one of the most storied programs in college basketball. Five consecutive losses. Five missed Final Fours.
But that streak ends tonight. It ends with this team.
Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, and Ivan Kharchenkov. The three freshmen who have put together one of the best seasons in program history have a chance to cement their legacy.
And it’s not just the freshmen. The Cats are led by a senior point guard, upperclassmen bigs, and a coaching staff that has found its sweet spot.
It’s a storybook synergy that deserves to break the drought.
So, how do they get it done?
You guessed it: defense and rebounding. Arizona is No. 9 in field goal percentage defense and No. 4 in rebounding margin.
KenPom has UA at No. 3 overall in defensive efficiency.
How can they take advantage of that? By pushing the tempo.
Purdue operates at a much slower pace than Arizona. Get them into a high-possession game, and empty trips down the court will happen.
The Boilermakers are awful in the fastbreak, coming into the matchup No. 303 nationally in fastbreak points per game. Speed them up, don’t allow them to grind the game down into the halfcourt, and play efficient on offense.
And for the love of God, do not let Loyer get hot from three. The senior can change the game and single-handedly beat Arizona if he gets going from deep.
The X-Factor, though, is Koa Peat.
Known as “Mr. Arizona,” Peat understands what this game means. He knows the weight that comes along with playing for UofA.
From the first game of his career, he has willed Arizona to this moment. Without him, this team wouldn’t be in this position.
If Peat can finish around the rim with efficiency and knock down his free throws, Arizona will be in a good position.
Go win it for the City, Koa.
Lord knows we deserve it.
Redemption? Or Am I Wrong About Purdue Again?
Opinion: Dane Miller
This one is personal.
Flashback to December 16, 2023.
Arizona is the No. 1 team in the country, matched up against No. 3 Purdue in downtown Indianapolis.
Trusted sources had informed me that the Boilermaker guards were not very good, and I sent a provocative pre-game tweet claiming they were outclassed.
Suffice it to say that the take was a major whiff.
I’ll do the honors: @OldTakesExposed
— Dane Miller (@DaneMiller_SWS) December 16, 2023
Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith combined for 53 points on 20-for-33 from the field, leading the Boilermakers to victory.
After the game, Purdue Twitter made it go viral and the Big Ten Network even posted a graphic of the tweet to troll me. A total of 270,000 views for what was easily the worst take of my career.
But this Arizona squad is nothing like that 2023-24 team. And the Boilermakers don’t have Zach Edey.
Am I supposed to be afraid of Trey Kaufman-Renn? Or should I be more worried about the dirty play reputation that the Boilermakers have?
But wait, I know what it is.
Arizona fans should be concerned about Oscar Cluff.
You know, the guy who went to junior college just outside of Tucson in an attempt to catch the attention of the Arizona staff.
The same guy that Tommy Lloyd refused to recruit because he wasn’t good enough.
The same guy who was held to three points on 1-for-5 shooting in his lone game at McKale Center.
Yes, that’s the guy that I should be worried about.
Please.
This Arizona team is destined for the Final Four. I don’t even need to get into the analytics, or the metrics, or any of the blah, blah, blah.
This team wants it more. This city needs it more.
F*#%k Purdue.
Another rare opportunity to reach a Final Four is within reach for the Arizona Wildcats, and this is their time.
With all the noise surrounding Tommy Lloyd, driven primarily by has-been North Carolina fans desperate to stay relevant, this is the time to take advantage.
You want more real analysis for how Arizona will win? Defense, rebounding, and forcing turnovers. All while keeping Loyer from killing you from three.
Play physical against Smith, keep elbows out against Kaufman-Renn, and bully Cluff whenever he gets the ball.
Arizona has the better players. Arizona has the better system. Arizona is deeper.
Go bring a Final Four banner back to McKale.
And send a message to Purdue while you’re at it.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
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One of the endgame activities, Pure Fiction, has received a new cycle in Honkai Star Rail 4.1. With that, players now get fresh challenges with brand-new enemy lineups. Since the activity is quite tough to beat, players are compelled to build top-of-the-line teams to get all the rewards it offers.
This article lists the best teams for the Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinions.
Exploring the best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction, Virtual Made Manifest
Let’s take a look at all the buffs you can use in Honkai Star Rail 4.1’s Pure Fiction:
- Memory: When Surging Grit gets triggered, it regenerates 3 Skill Points and all enemies take 30% more damage from DoTs.
- Streets Abuzz: While Surging Grit is active, all allies deal 50% extra Follow-Up ATK damage. When an allied character unleashes a FUA, the entire team gains a Resound stack.
- Commotion: During Surging Grit, all allies’ SPD gets boosted by 35%. When an allied unit consumes Resound, a Skill Point will be replenished.
Node 1
While the enemy lineup in every stage of the Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction is different, they somewhat share the same weakness types. However, the first three stages aren’t that challenging compared to the last one. The first Node of Stage 4 features Argenti, the Knight of Beauty. Here are some teams you can use to clear the first Node:
- Sparxie, Yao Guang, Sparkle, and Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
- The Herta, Anaxa, Tribbie, and Dan Heng PT
- Phainon, Cerydra, Sunday, Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
Since Argenti is weak to the Fire and Physical Elements, we have recommended the Sparxie Elation and Phainon hypercarry compositions. Both teams are exceptionally powerful and are capable of dealing damage to multiple enemies simultaneously.
On the other hand, The Herta team can be used in this Node as Anaxa can place weakness types on the enemies. Hence, you can easily use this composition in both nodes. Since there is not much difference in these teams, you can just use the Commotion buff.
Node 2
As for Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction’s Node 2, you will fight Sam, alongside some others. The Stellaron Hunter is weak to Quantum, Lightning, and Imaginary Elements. The following section lists some teams that can help you clear Virtual Made Manifest:
- Kafka, Black Swan, Hysilens, and Huohuo
- Ashveil, Sunday, Tribbie, and Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
- Archer, Sparkle, Yao Guang, and Dan Heng PT
The Kafka DoT team is quite strong in this particular cycle, as the Memory buff can boost the entire team’s damage output by a substantial amount. Since Kafka wields the Lightning Element, she can easily deal toughness as well as DoT damage to Sam.
Moving over to the Archer and Ashveil teams, both work differently because of their unique playstyle. However, their damage output is exceptionally high, and they specialize in defeating one enemy at a time. Like the Kafka team, these two also deal consistent damage throughout the fight.
For more articles related to this turn-based gacha title from HoYoverse, Honkai Star Rail, check out the following section:
Are you stuck on today’s Wordle? Our Wordle Solver will help you find the answer.
Edited by Argha Halder
Horner, who led Red Bull to eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships, and Wolff endured a rivalry for much of the past decade.
In January Alpine said Horner was among “multiple interested parties” to have discussed investment with the team.
Wolff and Mercedes are also looking at buying private investment firm Otro Capital’s 24% shares in Alpine.
Wolff said there is “no connection” with Horner in regards that investment and it would be “quite sad” if that was a consideration.
“I am in two minds about it [Horner returning to F1]. The sport is missing personalities. And his personality was clearly very controversial and that is good for the sport,” Wolff said.
“I said to [Ferrari team principal] Fred Vasseur that it needs the good, the bad, and the ugly. And it is now only the good and the ugly left. The bad is gone.
“Would I consider that he could ever be an ally or someone that shares objectives? I don’t think so.
“But even when I had the biggest frustration, and anger with him, you need to remind yourself that even your worst enemy has a best friend, so there must be some goodness.
“If there wasn’t that competitive rivalry over so many years, and if there was more water down the river, I am sure I could have had hung with him over dinner and a had a laugh.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won four consecutive drivers’ titles from 2021 to 2024, ending Mercedes’ dominance with Lewis Hamilton, who was controversially denied five straight titles.
Horner, who has said he has “unfinished business” in F1, was last year overlooked to take over at Aston Martin.
“Over those years it was just too intense, too fierce, and things happened which even today I cannot comprehend why he has done them,” Wolff said.
“I don’t know if he is finding his way back, and in which function. I certainly don’t wish him bad. And we need to give each other credit. There are not many team principals who have done what he has done.”
The Minnesota Vikings will add at least nine new players from the 2026 NFL Draft, barring trades, a significant jump from the number last year, when the purple team had just five picks entering the event. And because nine newcomers are on the way, some existing players may be demoted sooner rather than later.
Several Vikings could lose ground when the rookie class arrives.
Here’s a look at the players hoping to avoid demotions, listed in alphabetical order.
Current Minnesota Players Facing the Most Draft Pressure
Job security is at risk.
Blake Brandel | C
Ryan Kelly retired a few weeks ago, and the Vikings signed zero center replacements in free agency. For now, the starting job appears to belong to Brandel, though third-year center Michael Jurgens might contest that this summer.
But if the Vikings draft one of these men in the draft’s first four rounds, Brandel could be back to his do-everything OL role:
- Connor Lew (Auburn)
- Sam Hecht (Kansas State)
- Jake Slaughter (Florida)
- Logan Jones (Iowa)
- Parker Brailsford (Alabama)
It’s worth noting that Brandel improved each week last season at center in relief of Kelly.
Tai Felton | WR
Felton played 46 offensive snaps as a rookie, used primarily as a special teamer, which is fine, but most onlookers thought a 3rd-Round wideout would be used on offense. No cigar.
The Vikings didn’t re-sign Jalen Nailor, as the speedster vamoosed for Las Vegas, his hometown, to be the Raiders’ WR1 or WR2. That leaves Felton in a league of his own at WR3. There is no other wide receiver on the depth chart to even remotely compete for the WR3 job.
Still, if Minnesota drafts one of these men, Felton could be on notice, at least as far as the WR3 job is concerned:
- Makai Lemon (USC)
- Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
- Denzel Boston (Washington)
- Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M)
- Chris Bell (Louisville)
- Chris Brazzell (Tennessee)
- Germie Bernard (Alabama)
- Zachariah Branch (Georgia)
- Antonio Williams (Clemson)
- Malachi Fields (Notre Dame)
- Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)
- Ted Hurst (Georgia State)
- Skyler Bell (UConn)
- Bryce Lance (North Dakota State)
- Deion Burks (Oklahoma)
- Ja’Kobi Lane (USC)
Minnesota met with Hurst from Georgia State this week.
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins | DT
Like Nailor leaving for the Raiders, Ingram-Dawkins’s DT teammates, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, found new homes with the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers, respectively.
But just like Felton, if the Vikings draft one of these defensive tackles next month, Ingram-Dawkins may remain a reserve commodity:
- Peter Woods (Clemson)
- Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)
- Caleb Banks (Florida)
- Lee Hunter (Texas Tech)
- Christen Miller (Georgia)
- Domonique Orange (Iowa State)
- Gracen Halton (Oklahoma)
- Darrell Jackson Jr. (Florida State)
- Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati)
- Zane Durant (Penn State)
- Zxavian Harris (Mississippi)
- DeMonte Capehart (Clemson)
- Chris McClellan (Missouri)
- Kaleb Proctor (Southeastern Louisiana)
- Tim Keenan III (Alabama)
Ingram-Dawkins saw defensive action on roughly 250 snaps as a rookie, a worthwhile amount for a late-round rookie.
Zavier Scott | RB
Scott probably has the shakiest job security on the list. By trade, he’s a practice squader who was promoted to the active roster last year. That may not last long.
Minnesota has 31-year-old Aaron Jones back for another run, and Jordan Mason is tentatively expected to fill the RB1 job. Most fans agree that Kevin O’Connell’s team needs an early-round running back from the draft for the first time since the Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison days. All signs point to Minnesota acquiescing to the fans’ request.
If you see the Vikings draft one of these tailbacks, that could be the end of the road for Scott on the 53-man roster:
- Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)
- Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)
- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)
- Jonah Coleman (Washington)
- Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
- Nick Singleton (Penn State)
- Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest)
- Kaytron Allen (Penn State)
- Kaelon Black (Indiana)
- Seth McGowan (Kentucky)
The Vikings have formally met with Washington Jr. and Johnson via pre-draft visit.
Jay Ward | S
If Harrison Smith retires — he probably would’ve announced that by now, so most assume Smith will be back for Year No. 15 — Ward’s job security will rocket to the heavens. Ward was surprisingly effective in 2025, even snatching Theo Jackson’s starting job in December.
But like all the men on this list, Ward must dodge the draft selection of one of these safeties:
- Caleb Downs (Ohio State)
- Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
- A.J. Haulcy (LSU)
- Kamari Ramsey (USC)
- Genesis Smith (Arizona)
- Zakee Wheatley (Penn State)
- Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina)
- Bud Clark (TCU)
Thieneman is a massive draft darling for the Vikings at the moment. After you close this article, type into Google “NFL mock draft,” and we’re willing to bet that article connects Thieneman to Minnesota with the 18th pick.
Reigning and undisputed ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion and former Muay Thai king, ‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty of the United Kingdom, is known for his powerful teep kick, which he has worked on for his entire life.
But that kick didn’t come about naturally. It was painstakingly developed over the years through repetition and practice.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Haggerty talked about developing his teep kick.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
‘The General’ said:
“My teeps were just part of my game from a very young age. I was building that technique from the very beginning. I was quite tall for my weight category growing up through the ranks in the UK, and using the teep was quite effective. So I just continued building it brick by brick. Why stop if it’s working, you know? I just kept building what works, really.”
‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty is set to defend his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship against Japanese star Yuki Yoza at ONE SAMURAI 1, which will take place live at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, April 29.
Fans in the United States and Canada can visit ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how to watch the event live from their location.
Jonathan Haggerty admits that ‘getting in that ring is very scary’: “I fight better with fear”
‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty will be the first to admit that climbing into the ONE Championship ring is one of the most harrowing ordeals a fighter can experience. But because of that fear, he says he can fight at his best.
He told the Mulligan Brothers in an interview:
“When I think of fear, I think of my body shaking, adrenaline, and like scared. To overcome it, just block it out. I just block it out. As I said, getting in that ring is very scary. It’s a lot of fear. And getting past that. I need fear to fight. I fight better with fear.”
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Jonathan Haggerty’s next fight.
Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa kicked off his campaign at the prestigious Candidates Tournament by breaking through the defenses of Dutchman Anish Giri to secure a full point and now shares the lead after the first round with American GM Fabiano Caruana and Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov in Paphos. In an eventful first round, World Cup champion Sindarov showcased his excellent tactical skill to turn the tables on Russia’s Andrey Esipenko, while pre-event favourite Caruana stunned fellow American Hikaru Nakamura. The other game of the eight-player double round-robin tournament between Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum and China’s Wei Yi ended in a stalemate with both players sharing a point.
In the women’s section being held simultaneously, Indian Grandmaster and Women’s World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh drew with Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk, a last-minute replacement for Koneru Humpy, while R. Vaishali survived some anxious moments before sharing the point with Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva.
It was, in fact, a day of stalemates in the womens’ section as Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina drew with compatriot Kateryna Lagno and the all-Chinese clash between Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi also ended in a shared point.
Praggnanandhaa had been struggling in recent months leading up to the Candidates but has now bounced back in style, and Giri, one of the most consistent and solid players on the circuit, was simply no match for him on Saturday.
It was a battle of nerves as the Indian began with the Grand Prix Aatack to challenge Giri’s Sicilian Defense with the black pieces, and whether the opening achieved its intended effect is debatable, but it certainly gave Praggnanandhaa a valuable lead on the clock.
Giri is not used to surprises and while he was resourceful enough in the early middle game and equalised, Praggnanandhaa won a pawn in the ensuing rook-and-minor-pieces endgame.
Giri, running low on time, blundered in a lost rook-and-pawns endgame with a pawn less. The rest was easy for Praggnanandhaa.
But perhaps the most impressive game was played by Caruana who used his white pieces to perfection.
Nakamura was close to levelling the game as the middle game arrived, but the American, who is currently more active as a streamer than as a player, found himself in an opposite-coloured bishops middle game where his bishop was restricted to a passive role.
Caruana sealed the game with precise calculation in the endgame.
The Candidates is being contested in both the Open and Women’s sections to determine the challengers for the next World Championship matches against reigning champions D Gukesh and Ju Wenjun of China.
Results (round 1) Open: R Praggnanandhaa (Ind) beat Anish Giri (Ned); Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb) beat Andrey Esipenko (Rus); Matthias Bluebaum (Ger) drew with Wei Yi (Chn); Fabiano Caruana (USA) beat Hikaru Nakamura (USA).
Women: Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus) drew with Kateryna Lagno (Rus); R Vaishali (Ind) drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz); Divya Deshmukh (Ind) drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr); Jiner Zhu (Chn) drew with Zhongyi Tan (Chn).
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Topics mentioned in this article
By SuperWest Sports Staff
As Arizona prepares to play in its fifth all-time Final Four on Saturday, we’ve compiled a list of all such appearances by schools in the West.
The region boasts 19 Final Four teams, 12 of which have made two or more appearances, led by UCLA with 19, Arizona with five, and Utah and UNLV each with four.
But before we get to the list, for those who may be interested, a little history.
The NCAA recognizes Final Four appearances since the first tournament in 1939, even though only eight teams participated in the tournament from 1939 to 1950.
Between 1939 and 1950, there were only eight teams in the tournament, so half of the teams can claim a Final Four appearance.
However, since 1985, all have been required to play at least three games to make the Final Four.
Here is the list of participating schools from the region.
All-Time Final Four Appearances by Schools in the West
| Appearances | School | Most Recent |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | UCLA | 2021 |
| 5 | Arizona | 2026 |
| 4 | Utah | 1998 |
| 4 | UNLV | 1991 |
| 3 | Cal | 1960 |
| 3 | San Francisco | 1957 |
| 2 | Gonzaga | 2021 |
| 2 | Oregon | 2017 |
| 2 | Stanford | 1998 |
| 2 | Oregon State | 1963 |
| 2 | Colorado | 1955 |
| 2 | USC | 1954 |
| 1 | SDSU | 2023 |
| 1 | New Mexico State | 1970 |
| 1 | Seattle | 1958 |
| 1 | Washington | 1953 |
| 1 | Santa Clara | 1952 |
| 1 | Wyoming | 1943 |
| 1 | WSU | 1941 |
NEW DELHI: Former India captain Anil Kumble believes a resurgent Rohit Sharma could spell trouble for the rest of the IPL, after the Mumbai Indians opener announced his return in style with a match-winning knock against Kolkata Knight Riders.Rohit smashed a scintillating 78 off just 38 balls to power MI to a six-wicket win in their season opener at the Wankhede Stadium, ending their long-standing jinx of losing the first match of an IPL campaign.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kumble was particularly struck by the authority and ease with which Rohit dominated quality bowling, calling it a sign of a dangerous new phase in his career.“Rohit Sharma seems to have arrived in his 2.0 avatar, and his innings showed he is ready to dominate again. The way he hit the ball all around the ground reminded me of his prime,” Kumble said on Star Sports.The former India coach highlighted how Rohit made light work of a potent spin attack featuring Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, along with pacer Blessing Muzarabani.“It is not easy to hit sixes against bowlers like Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Blessing Muzarabani, but he made it look easy. He has worked a lot on his fitness… when you come back after a short break, it takes time to find rhythm,” Kumble noted.“This was a fantastic innings… the six-hitting looked easy, and even though the boundaries were small, those shots were going into the stands. This knock shows that Rohit means business and this version of him will worry all IPL teams,” he added.KKR’s spin strategy under scrutinyWhile praising Rohit, Kumble also pointed out tactical lapses from Kolkata Knight Riders, particularly their under-utilisation of key spinners.“KKR are relying too much on Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, and Narine did not even complete his quota, which was surprising. The disappointing part was that Ajinkya Rahane did not bring him on in the Powerplay,” he said.According to Kumble, the delay in introducing Narine proved costly as Mumbai’s openers had already taken control.“By the time Narine came on, the damage was already done… they need to use their resources better. When you have two world-class spinners, you need to use them well,” he added.
Sports
Terence Crawford trainer ‘BoMac names’ the one fighter everyone should avoid: “Stay away from him”
Terence Crawford‘s long-term trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre believes there is one man that all other fighters would be wise to avoid sharing the ring with.
For many years Crawford was a fighter who appeared to be avoided himself, before finally landing the big fight he craved when he took on Errol Spence in an undisputed welterweight title showdown in July 2023.
Crawford dominated that bout and claimed a ninth round stoppage win, and that was seen as the biggest win of his career until he stepped up to 168lbs and dethroned Canelo Alvarez to become undisputed super-middleweight champion in September.
That looks set to be the final time ‘Bud’ will step into the ring as he hung up the gloves in December, paving the way for a new fighter to take Crawford’s place and emerge as a superstar of the sport.
Crawford’s well-respected coach BoMac appears to found someone who possesses the skills to do just that, as he told Fight Hub TV that other fighters should avoid Shakur Stevenson due to the skill level of the unbeaten star.
“Shakur has got a great boxing mind. That’s just it. Once he put his mind to it he gets the job done. You probably want to stay away from that kid man.”
BoMac also heaped praise on Stevenson for the performance he produced in his recent victory over Teofimo Lopez to become WBO super-lightweight champion.
“He looked so smooth, calm and relaxed. It was a boxing lesson. The future young guys in the amateurs just turning pro, watch that, it was beautiful.”
That win saw Stevenson become a four-weight world champion, and at just 28-years-old, it certainly appears he can go on to achieve plenty more within the sport.
The Minnesota Vikings set sail on the 2026 NFL Draft in 25 days, so let’s take a look at the past to size up the best selections in franchise history. Next week, we’ll profile the naughty list: the worst selections by Minnesota since 1961.
Ranking the Franchise Picks That Delivered the Biggest Payoff
The criteria are simple: the Vikings players who put the biggest thumbprint on the team.
Ranking the Franchise Picks That Delivered the Biggest Payoff
Counting down from Justin Jefferson to an obvious No. 1.
8. Justin Jefferson | WR
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 6
Drafted: Round 1 (2020)
1st-Team All-Pro: 2
Pro Bowls: 4
Here’s the stat to know about Jefferson:
Most Receiving Yards
thru First 6 Seasons of Career:
Justin Jefferson (8,480)
Randy Moss (8,375)
Torry Holt (8,156)
Jerry Rice (7,866)
Calvin Johnson (7,836)
Julio Jones (7,610)
DeAndre Hopkins (7,437)
CeeDee Lamb (7,416)
Mike Evans (7,260)
A.J. Green (7,135)
Antonio Brown (7,093)
Marvin Harrison (7,078)
Larry Fitzgerald (7,067)
A.J. Brown (7,026)
Sterling Sharpe (7,015)
Not bad.
7. Adrian Peterson | RB
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Drafted: Round 1 (2007)
1st-Team All-Pro: 4
Pro Bowls: 7
Peterson’s off-the-field antics have turned wacky as of late, but before that, he was the best running back of his era in the NFL. In fact, no one has quite replicated him stylistically since he left the sport in 2021. Derrick Henry came close, but he’s just not quite as fast.
The only player with more rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in NFL history than Peterson is Emmitt Smith, who was an obvious Hall of Famer.
Peterson will be up for Hall of Fame Consideration soon; he better get in right away without any voter shenanigans.
6. Chris Doleman | DE
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Drafted: Round 1 (1985)
1st-Team All-Pro: 3
Pro Bowls: 8
Doleman spent 10 years in Minnesota, appearing in 154 games and logging 96.5 sacks along the way. He navigated the rough stretch of mid-1980s Vikings football and helped get the Dennis Green era off the ground in style.
He ranks seventh all-time in sacks on the “unofficial” leaderboard and fifth on the official version. He would’ve ranked No. 5 on this list, but No. 5 fundamentally changed how the sport is played.
5. Randy Moss | WR
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 12
Drafted: Round 1 (1998)
1st-Team All-Pro: 4
Pro Bowls: 6
Moss is widely known for revolutionizing the passing game in both the NFL and during his exciting 7.5 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jerry Rice is the only wide receiver in NFL history with more receiving yards and receiving touchdowns than Moss.
4. Randall McDaniel | G
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 14
1st-Team All-Pro: 7
Drafted: Round 1 (1988)
Pro Bowls: 12
Though offensive guards rarely receive top billing, McDaniel’s accomplishments warrant consideration, as his resume speaks for itself.
From 1988 to 1999, McDaniel anchored Minnesota’s offensive line with remarkable consistency and versatility. After his departure to Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl the following season.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
3. Carl Eller | DE
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Drafted: Round 1 (1964)
1st-Team All-Pro: 5
Pro Bowls: 6
Eller was a cornerstone of the Purple People Eaters and a Hall of Famer. Before joining the Vikings, Page starred at the University of Minnesota, further enhancing his already impressive credentials.
He ranks 19th all-time in sacks on the unofficial leaderboard, which includes numbers from before 1982, when official sack tracking began.
2. Alan Page | DT
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 15
Drafted: Round 1 (1967)
All-Pro: 5
Pro Bowls: 9
Page’s 148.5 sacks rank eighth all-time, a remarkable achievement for a defensive tackle. While the choice between him and Eller for this spot was extremely close, Page’s statistics give him a slight edge, earning him the No. 2 spot.
He also served on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1993 to 2015.
1. Fran Tarkenton | QB
Total Years as a Starter in NFL: 18
Drafted: Round 3 (1961)
All-Pro: 1
Pro Bowls: 9
Tarkenton’s No. 1 spot stems from three key factors: his position as quarterback, the most impactful on the field; his unexpected arrival to the Vikings as a 3rd-Round pick 65 years ago; and his remarkable longevity with the team.
Tarkenton’s career spanned roughly the length of Harrison Smith’s current tenure, plus another rookie contract — all while playing quarterback. Imagine Smith playing until 2029; that’s Tarkenton’s career.
Upon his retirement in 1978, he held the league’s top records in major passing categories, marking the end of an era closely tied to Minnesota’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Honorable Mentions
Sports
Michigan and Arizona have shown they’re the 2 best teams in college basketball. It’s just a shame they won’t play for the title
CHICAGO — Even back in November, when the nascent college basketball season was barely a ripple on the national sports radar, Michigan and Arizona were eying each other like boxers in opposite corners, waiting for the bell to ring.
Though their paths did not cross, they were practically mirror images, their dominance made obvious by the wins they were racking up against quality teams — often by big margins. As far back as Thanksgiving week, when Michigan polished off the Players Era tournament with a 40-point win over Gonzaga while Arizona had already banked wins over Florida, UConn and UCLA, it would not have been a hot take to suggest they would be on a collision course for the Final Four.
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“There were glimpses of this happening,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said Sunday amid the net-cutting celebration at United Center, where the Wolverines had dominated Tennessee, 95-62. “But there was a long season.”
A long season that will end much as it began: With the two teams who flashed the earliest Final Four potential facing each other in the Final Four.
“We always wanted to play against that team,” Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg said. “That’s what everybody goes to college basketball for, to play those blockbuster-type games. They got a bunch of NBA guys. We got a bunch of NBA guys. It’s gonna be a fun matchup, man, and I hope everybody’s ready to play because I am.”
Yaxel Lendeborg and the Michigan Wolverines have won every game this NCAA tournament by more than 20 points. (Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS)
Is it the de facto national championship game? That’s probably unfair. UConn and Illinois, who will be paired in the other semifinal, are excellent teams.
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Should the Final Four be reseeded? Now that’s a good debate topic because it certainly appears that the two best teams — and the two best teams all season long — are going to be playing Saturday night rather than Monday.
How hard is it to be as good as Michigan and Arizona from start to finish? Well, you saw it Sunday when Duke, the overall No. 1 seed, melted down in the second half against UConn.
College basketball deciding its champion with a single-elimination, six-round tournament has long been the sport’s blessing and curse. It makes the stakes of every game sky high and creates Cinderella storylines out of nowhere. It also means the national champion is sometimes not the best team but rather the team that got hot at the right time and avoided bad luck or injury. The uniqueness of March Madness has made that tradeoff worthwhile.
But thanks to Michigan and Arizona making it this far, there will be no such caveats this year.
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Even before conference play began, you could have reasonably watched those two teams shred everyone in sight and conclude they were on a level above everyone else.
This wire-to-wire trend, however, goes against much of what we’ve learned over the decades about college basketball. Sure, there have been a handful of outlier teams that were locked and loaded from the beginning, but coaches have generally looked at the season as a way to prepare and peak for March.
When a team flashes national championship potential so early the way Michigan did — there was a 10-game stretch in November and December when the Wolverines were beating teams by an average of 34.5 points, including some true quality opponents — it’s almost problematic.
“The most difficult part is that everyone starts getting so much more attention, advice — literally everything they get more of,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “And it’s difficult not to make it about you because the people you’re talking to are making it about you. There’s just a lot of distracting information, and if you’re not mature and you’re not connected to this group and not willing to be held accountable by the staff and each other, then it’s not going to work.
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“And once it creeps in, it’s almost impossible to weed it out. So our guys never let it in. And trust me, they all had different fires that were ignited.”
Brayden Burries and the Arizona Wildcats haven’t lost since Feb. 14. (Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS)
If you lump this tournament in with last year, where all four No. 1 seeds made it to the Final Four, it seems like we may be moving away from an era of parity in college basketball and toward a cluster of superpowers. Michigan won its four tournament games by an average of 22.5 points, while Arizona’s margin was 20.5. Neither faced a true second-half challenge on their way to winning their regional.
Tennessee was a top-15 team in the predictive metrics and not some overachieving mid-major, but it was almost comical how overmatched the Vols looked trying to generate decent offense against this Michigan squad.
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“Some teams have a little more room for error than others,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
In a way, college basketball and college football have switched roles in the NIL era. Whereas there used to be no parity at all in college football because of how stacked the superpowers like Alabama and Georgia used to be, conference commissioners are now talking about expanding the playoff beyond 12 because we might be leaving out viable teams.
Meanwhile, March Madness has played out pretty true-to-form for two straight years.
It’s hard to know exactly what to make of that. You can point to the transfer portal and the ability for a program like Michigan to go get an established star like the 23-year-old Lendeborg out of UAB, but here’s Arizona with three freshmen in its starting lineup. Perhaps there’s something to the idea that teams like Michigan and Arizona, which play big frontcourt lineups and don’t rely on making a bunch of 3-pointers to win, aren’t as susceptible to being upset.
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Still, college basketball programs are judged by what happens in March. And we have decades of history telling us that it’s extremely hard, and rare, for two teams to be on a collision course all season and actually end up playing each other in the Final Four.
“This was obviously one of the goals because of the talent we had,” May said. “We have a sign in our locker room — “April Habits” — and from Day 1 we’ve challenged these guys to develop championship-level habits that would allow us to win a Big Ten championship and would also allow us to turn the calendar from March until April. Now we put ourselves in position to do that.”
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Even though Michigan and Arizona showed four months ago that they were probably on a level above almost everyone else in college basketball, there was no guarantee they’d actually get to settle it on the floor. So many obstacles to overcome and landmines to avoid.
But they will finally touch gloves next Saturday in Indianapolis. Let’s get ready to rumble.
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