The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers had to deal with a very noisy disruption during the Pistons’ 122-119 overtime win Friday at Little Caesars Arena.
During a timeout, with the Pistons up 65-64, the horn sounded to signal that the teams should return to play. But the horn blared for 13 straight minutes, delaying the game.
The horn blared after a power surge caused the overhead scoreboard to malfunction. The horn finally shut off when the arena staff shut down the overhead scoreboard, and the crowd cheered.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, left, talks with teammate James Harden during a timeout against the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit Feb. 27, 2026.(Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images)
While the horn malfunctioned, the scoreboard and clock above the baskets reset to zero. After 18 minutes, play resumed. The scoring crew used a manual airhorn when play resumed, and the overhead scoreboard was black.
The officials brought Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson to midcourt for a brief discussion before announcing the game would resume without the main scoreboard. However, moments after the game restarted, the scoreboard came back on.
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson argues with an official in the first half of a game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit Feb. 27, 2026.(Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images)
Because of the delay and overtime, the game lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes.
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Cleveland, which will host Detroit on Tuesday night, led by nine points with 2:44 left in regulation, and Cade Cunningham fouled out with 1:56 to play. But the Pistons outscored the Cavaliers 16-7 to force overtime.
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shouts directions to his team during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Detroit Feb. 27, 2026.(Duane Burleson/AP Photo)
Cunningham had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for East-leading Detroit before fouling out. Jalen Duren had 33 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons in the win.
Jarrett Allen had 25 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which played its second straight game without James Harden (thumb) and Donovan Mitchell (groin). Evan Mobley had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Sam Merrill added 20 points.
England cricketer Jonathan Bairstow (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
NEW DELHI: Cricket has been caught up in rising tensions in the Middle East, leaving players from both England and Pakistan stuck in Dubai.England Lions were in the UAE to play Pakistan Shaheens, but everything changed after Iran carried out missile and drone strikes in the region.
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As a result, the UAE closed its airspace, grounding flights and cancelling Sunday’s match. Among those stranded are Jonny Bairstow, former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, and 24 other players and staff members.With flights suspended, the team has been unable to leave Dubai. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says it is working to make sure everyone stays safe and can return home when possible. An ECB spokesperson said, “The safety and security of our teams and staff is our top priority. We are in contact with security experts and the government in relation to current events in the Middle East, and are following official advice.”“We will continue to monitor and assess the situation and official advice in relation to the future of these trips,” the spokesperson told BBC.Bairstow also shared his frustration publicly. Posting on X, he wrote, “@emirates we haven’t had any communication post flight getting cancelled. Tried the lines of communication but nothing. Could someone please be in contact.”It’s not just the men’s ‘A’ teams affected. England’s women’s side had plans for a training camp in Dubai, which will now not go ahead. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also staying in touch with the Shaheens and keeping a close watch on developments. For now, there’s no clear timeline on when UAE airspace will reopen, leaving both teams waiting for updates.
Guardiola slams boos against Muslim players’ iftar
Guardiola / @x.com/FabrizioRomano
The reaction of some Leeds United supporters has sparked controversy during the match against Manchester City, after boos and whistles rang out when play was briefly paused to allow Muslim players to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
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The match was temporarily stopped at Elland Road at sunset so Manchester City’s Muslim players could break their fast, in accordance with the Premier League protocol established in 2021.
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Guardiola calls for respect and tolerance
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola responded to the incident by calling for respect for religious diversity and greater tolerance.
“Stopping play to allow Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan is a protocol that has been in place for several years. It’s an important gesture that helps make football more inclusive for Muslim players and communities,” he said after the match.
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The Spanish coach nevertheless regretted the reaction from part of the crowd: “But as tonight showed, football still has a long way to go in terms of education and acceptance.”
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Guardiola also stressed the importance of respecting beliefs: “This is the modern world, isn’t it? Look at what’s still happening around the world right now! Respecting religions, respecting diversity, that’s what really matters! That’s how it is, unfortunately.”
He concluded with a rhetorical question: “Can they take a break, yes or no? Can they do it? Take a one-minute pause for this? What’s the problem? Is there a problem?! Obviously not.”
Sent off during the game, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke was unable to address the media. Instead, his assistant Edmund Riemer spoke up about the incident.
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“I might be the person who hears this kind of thing the least, because I’m very focused on the match. But I heard what happened. Clearly, some supporters acted this way, and we have to learn from it. It’s disappointing, and we have to do better in the future,” he said.
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has indirectly questioned the leadership at the Pakistan Cricket Board after Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026 despite signing off their Super 8 campaign with a win over Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s victory in their final Group 2 fixture was not enough to overhaul New Zealand’s superior net run rate, which meant another semifinal miss at a global event. It marked Pakistan’s fourth straight failure at ICC tournaments, following early exits at the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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Speaking on Tapmad, Akhtar did not mince words while criticising the team’s think tank. He labelled the management “clueless” and suggested that flawed selection calls over the past fortnight had cost Pakistan dearly.“Pakistan’s management looks completely clueless. Today’s team selection only confirmed that the XI picked over the last 15 days was wrong. There was one clear error — Saim Ayub should have played instead of Khawaja Nafay. Saim could have contributed with the ball as well,” Akhtar said.He pointed out that Pakistan’s strong showing against Sri Lanka highlighted what had been missing earlier in the tournament.“This selection showed that when you pick the right players for the right roles, they perform. Fakhar Zaman is a natural opener, yet he wasn’t played earlier. Today, Farhan, Fakhar and Abrar all delivered. That tells you everything.”Akhtar then shifted the spotlight towards PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, suggesting that while the chief may have good intentions, the structure around him is failing the team.“I have nothing against Mohsin Naqvi. From what I hear, he is a good person. He is one of the most powerful chairmen in Pakistan’s cricket history. He has influence, resources and authority. But if he cannot build a strong management structure, and the team has failed to qualify in four consecutive tournaments, then something is seriously wrong within the board.“I understand that he may not be a cricket expert and genuinely wants the team to do well. But is he seeking the right advice? It doesn’t appear so. This is a request to Naqvi: the people advising you are making you look bad. The selection committee is not doing you justice.“He may want success for Pakistan cricket, but the system around him is not helping. The real question is — who are these people? At this stage, Naqvi remains Pakistan cricket’s last hope, but he needs the right support structure to turn things around.”
The Survival Directive Contract in Marathon is a straightforward quest. It has two simple objectives, both of which can be completed on the Perimeter map. This contract is offered by the NuCaloric faction, and it’s a Priority Contract. Naturally, you’ll only get one crack at this, and it’s definitely worth putting in some time and effort to complete it in the game.
In this article, we will provide you with a detailed guide to help you complete the Survival Directive Contract in Marathon. Read below to know more.
Survival Directive Contract in Marathon: Walkthrough
Objectives
The Survival Directive Contract in Marathon has only two objectives, namely:
Download the Geological Survey data from the southeast building
Download the Botany Report from the second-floor terminal.
Download the Geological Survey data from the southeast building
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Here’s a step-by-step guide for the first objective:
Hop into the Perimeter map and head towards the northeast region.
Here, you will find a major orange structure. Adjacent to it, you will find a grey building. Enter here, and proceed to locate the terminal inside.
Now, download the Geological Survey data from the terminal.
Once done, you will have successfully completed the first objective of the contract.
Day 3 of the NFL Combine means the fireworks can begin. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers worked out Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. For wide receivers, it was a chance to stand out in a deep class loaded with potential. While some prospects stole the show, others left with more questions than answers.
Below, we graded the performances of the top wideouts in the CBS Sports prospect rankings, courtesy of NFL Draft analyst Mike Renner, and highlighted other standout performers.
Grade: N/A — Jordyn Tyson chose not to participate in drills or athletic testing. CBS Sports has him ranked sixth overall and as the top wide receiver in the class.
Tyson is a fascinating case in this draft class. Nobody can deny the talent Tyson has; his fluidity as a route runner and ability to create separation in the intermediate area of the field are truly special. However, Tyson has played just one full season in his career and is coming off a year riddled with nagging hamstring injuries. While seeing him run and test might have been beneficial, the most important part of the week for him may have been the medical evaluations.
Grade: B — If you were expecting Carnell Tate to run sub-4.5, the tape would suggest otherwise, and Tate’s 40 time confirmed it. Tate ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, slightly slower than my estimated 4.52. However, he posted a 1.61 10-yard split, which is solid and aligns with a player who wins with burst off the line of scrimmage rather than blazing downfield speed.
I give him a lot of props for running when others in his area-code range, ranking-wise — Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon — both chose not to run the 40. Tate did not participate in positional drills, but running the 40 reinforced both his competitiveness and the burst we see on tape. If you liked him before, nothing should change.
Grade: A — Omar Cooper Jr. didn’t need to set the track at Lucas Oil Stadium on fire, but posting an official 4.42 40 is a great result for him. Cooper’s tape leans more toward play strength and contact balance, but he has flashed the long speed and burst needed to create vertical separation. He did not participate in drills (citing a short training week, per NFL Network’s Charles Davis), but he answered any lingering speed questions without a doubt.
Grade: A- — Makai Lemon didn’t test, but man, he looked smooth throughout drills and the gauntlet. His acceleration was top-notch, he stayed straight down the line, and despite one drop in the gauntlet, he caught the ball well during routes on air. He also cleared several measurable benchmarks, including a 73¼-inch wingspan. He’s still a Round 1 lock and could go higher than people think.
Grade: A- — Many, myself included, wanted to see KC Concepcion run because he would have looked incredible, but the Texas A&M receiver limited his participation to drills on Saturday. Still, he turned in a strong workout, especially when it came to catching the football. His hands remain the biggest question in his profile after seven drops last season, but he looked confident and did not drop a pass. His acceleration through the gauntlet stood out, and I liked his quarterback-friendly tendencies, consistently coming back to the ball.
As a receiver in the second tier behind the top three, a strong workout could solidify his first-round case, and I think he locked himself into that range.
Testing: 35-inch vertical jump, 4.28-second short shuttle
Grade: C+ — Washington wideout Denzel Boston was expected to complete the full testing slate but only recorded a 35-inch vertical, which landed around the middle of the receiver group. For a player I believe has more juice than he often gets credit for, I’m curious why he skipped the remaining tests.
He did participate in the on-field workout but got off to a bit of a rough start, dropping a few passes in the gauntlet. That may have been early jitters, considering how reliable his hands look on tape. Boston rebounded afterward, showing good hip sink and finishing the workout strong. He sits in the late first-/early second-round range and needs a strong pro day to close the gap.
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Measurables: 6-foot-1¼, 206 pounds, 9⅞-inch hands, 30⅜-inch arm length
Grade: B+ — Coming to Indy, Germie Bernard faced questions about his long speed and explosiveness, and he answered them emphatically. Running below 4.5 seconds in the 40 significantly strengthens his profile as a physical, gritty receiver who complements a room rather than being a star in it. His vertical jump wasn’t elite, but he followed it with a strong 10-foot-5 broad jump.
Bernard likely isn’t a Round 1 player, but he helped himself considerably. He caught the ball well and looked smooth throughout drills. He profiles best as a high-end WR3 in an offense that moves him around and asks him to do the dirty work.
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Measurables: 5-foot-9⅜, 164 pounds, 9-inch hands, 29⅜-inch arm length
Grade: B- — Brenen Thompson was the fastest man among the wide receivers at this year’s combine, blazing an official 4.26. However, we knew he was fast going in, so that was expected. He did not participate in additional testing or on-field workouts, which leaves some questions about his deceleration and route running outside the vertical plane. Still, at 164 pounds, he must win as a downfield threat, and Thompson clearly can. We’ll see what he does at his pro day.
While many Day 2 grades among wide receivers belong to bigger X-receiver body types, Skyler Bell may have delivered the best overall workout of the group. His 11-foot-1 broad jump ranked third at the position, and his 41-inch vertical ranked fifth. He also caught the ball cleanly throughout drills.
An easy mover who finished 2025 as a first-team AP All-American, Bell likely profiles best in the slot, where his route running and strength after the catch can shine. In my opinion, he locked himself into Day 2 of the draft.
We knew Zachariah Branch was fast — that wasn’t a question at all. What stood out Saturday was how comfortable he looked catching the ball downfield. He didn’t see an expansive downfield route tree during his final season at Georgia, but he showed strong hands in the gauntlet and flashed speed throughout routes. He also had a sick catch on an inaccurate throw that wowed people in attendance. Branch is another undersized player who likely remains a Day 2 pick, but proving he can run a full route tree is a feather in his cap.
Deion Burks skipped on-field workouts, but his testing numbers may make that irrelevant until his pro day. He posted the fastest 40, highest vertical and longest broad jump in his group. A rocked-up receiver with explosive traits on tape, Burks didn’t receive many quality opportunities at Oklahoma but should rise quickly after this performance. Few players in the class move the way he does.
Measurables: 5-foot-10¼, 179 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 30-inch arm length
If you’re searching for this year’s Day 3 receiver who quickly becomes a productive rookie — a la Tez Johnson — Coleman Jr. might be your guy. He lacks ideal size and likely projects to the slot, but he plays fearlessly over the middle and consistently makes catches bigger receivers refuse to in that area. Throwing down a 4.49 40-yard dash is impressive (although I’m keeping an eye on the 1.62 10-yard split), and he looked smooth in drills. He’s a Day 3 guy, but Coleman helped his stock with a strong showing.
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Measurables: 6-foot-4⅜, 200 pounds, 10½-inch hands, 32⅝-inch arm length
If there’s anyone in the second group of receivers who made himself some money, it’s Lane. He threw down a 4.47 40-yard dash, with a 1.58 10-yard split that impressed me even more. He’s a long strider who can gain a lot of ground, but his burst looked more impressive than anything. He also caught the ball really well, even hauling in a pass while falling. His ability to adjust and pluck the ball with his large hands will appeal to NFL evaluators, and he should join the group of big-bodied X receivers selected early on Day 2.
Hurst represents one of the biggest upside bets in the class based on size, speed and vertical-playmaking ability. He ran faster than expected with a 4.42 40 and excelled tracking deep balls during drills, using strong body control to adjust mid-flight. He also flashed encouraging hip sink, suggesting upside beyond a pure deep threat. I’m very bullish on him.
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Measurables: 6-foot-3⅜, 204 pounds, 9¼-inch hands, 32⅛-inch arm length
If you haven’t heard of Bryce Lance, you’ve probably heard of his brother Trey, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Lance has the potential to be a top-100 player in this class based on the size and speed he has to be a vertical threat. He ran a blazing 4.34 at 6-foot-3⅜ and over 200 pounds and caught the ball well in the gauntlet and downfield work. His game still has some inefficiencies, but players with this athletic profile get drafted sooner rather than later.
Feb 28, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) dunks the ball during the first half of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Jaden Bradley scored six of his 10 points in a 16-0 scoring run as No. 2 Arizona took charge to deliver an 84-61 victory over No. 14 Kansas on Saturday at Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats (27-2, 14-2 Big 12) avenged their loss at Kansas on Feb. 9, which was their first of the season after a program-record 23-0 start. The victory also clinched at least a tie for the regular-season Big 12 title for Arizona.
Brayden Burries led Arizona with 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Koa Peat, who missed the Wildcats’ last three games with a lower-leg muscle strain, had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Motiejus Krivas finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona and Ivan Kharchenkov had 11 points and six rebounds. The Wildcats outrebounded Kansas 48-26 and outscored the Jayhawks 30-20 in the paint and 16-8 in second-chance points.
Darryn Peterson, out with flu-like symptoms when Kansas beat Arizona in the previous meeting, finished with 24 points for the Jayhawks (21-8, 11-5). Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. each had 13 points for the Jayhawks.
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After Arizona took a 47-35 lead with 14:45 remaining, Kansas went on a 12-2 run. Council, who made a 3-pointer early in the run, culminated it with a jumper to cut the Jayhawks’ deficit to 49-47 with 12:07 remaining.
Arizona responded with a commanding 16-0 run to go ahead 65-47 with 8:52 left. Kansas missed seven consecutive shots from the field in the stretch after making five straight.
The Wildcats’ string of seven straight made field goals pushed the lead to 76-56 with 4:42 left.
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Arizona went on a 21-2 run to build a 21-5 lead with 13:35 left in the half. During that run, Kansas missed nine consecutive shots from the field.
Arizona scored six unanswered points to take its biggest lead of the first half, 37-19, with 3:52 remaining until halftime. The Wildcats failed to make a shot from the field thereafter in the half, missing five attempts, and Kansas closed with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 39-28.
Flory Bidunga, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds in the previous matchup with Arizona, did not score and had two rebounds in the first half. He finished with two points and four rebounds.
Arizona outscored Kansas by 20 points at the free-throw line. The Wildcats were 30 of 34 at the line while Kansas was 10 of 11.
Marcus Rashford returned to action in Barcelona’s comprehensive victory over Villarreal on Saturday
08:29, 01 Mar 2026Updated 08:32, 01 Mar 2026
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Marcus Rashford’s return to the pitch for Barcelona after injury came in their 4-1 thrashing of Villarreal.
Hosting La Liga’s fourth-placed side on Saturday, it was an excellent performance by Hansi Flick’s side in what was the German’s 100th game in charge of the Spanish champions. The game was defined by Lamine Yamal’s first career hat-trick, with Robert Lewandowski adding a fourth goal in stoppage time.
Starting the game on the bench, Rashford came on in the 73rd minute for Raphinha in his first match back from suffering a knee bruise against Mallorca last month. The Manchester United loanee’s return from the sidelines came amid the latest updates surrounding his footballing future.
The report also claims the winger has helped to make it happen by considerably lowering his current wage of over £300,000-a-week, with a compromise between Rashford and Barca on his salary having since been made.
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With 23 goals and assists to his name this season, the opportunity to add to that tally remains for Rashford, who was subject to similar verdicts from the Spanish media after his bright cameo against Villarreal caught the attention.
Sport
Upon his return to full fitness, the Englishman enjoyed 17 minutes of playing time in the victory that opened up a four-point lead over Real Madrid. Carlos Monfort of Sport handed Rashford a match rating of six out of 10 and lauded his ability of causing danger on the pitch out of nothing.
Monfort also wrote that Rashford’s penchant on turning a game on its head is a major reason why Barcelona are reportedly nearing a deal to keep him at the Camp Nou permanently. He said: “He is capable of creating danger even when there is none, and this ability to unbalance the game explains why Barca is committed to keeping him permanently.”
Football Espana
The match rating of six was popular among Spanish media outlets with Football Espana also handing Rashford the grade. The game was already done and dusted by the time the England ace was brought on but he failed to add a goal or assist in his brief cameo. They wrote: “Tried his best to make a difference late on, but it wasn’t to be.”
Mundo Deportivo
Even without a goal contribution to his name, Rashford still has the ability to make his mark on a game, and that’s exactly what Xavier Muñoz of Mundo Deportivo picked up on in the home clash against Villarreal.
Muñoz pinpointed Rashford’s powerful right foot and excellent movement as aspects of his game that were noticeable during his cameo as he wrote: “He played for just over a quarter of an hour but made his presence felt with some intentional runs and his well-known foot when taking corners.”
Tribuna
For a lot of attacking players, time on the pitch without contributions to goals could be looked at as a bad day at the office. However, that isn’t the case for Rashford, who has enjoyed praise for his run out against the Yellow Submarine by several media sites, including Tribuna.
While much of the compliments were saved for the hat-trick hero in Yamal, Rashford was handed a respectable rating of six out of 10 with Oleksii Yani writing: “Active but no decisive contributions.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Stony Brook men’s basketball star Erik Pratt was suspended by the school for spitting on a fan during the team’s 82-69 loss to Monmouth Thursday.
Pratt was being heckled by fans with 2:30 left in the game with Stony Brook down 79-63. Instead of ignoring the fans, Pratt turned and spit at them and walked away.
“In light of his actions in last night’s game at Monmouth, I have made the decision in consultation with the CAA to suspend Erik Pratt for Saturday’s game at Hofstra,” Stony Brook director of athletics Shawn Heilbron said in a statement.
UW-Milwaukee guard Erik Pratt, who now plays for Stony Brook, looks to drive to the basket against Northern Kentucky in the second half of a game at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee Feb. 17, 2024.(Dave Kallmann/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network)
“I met with Erik earlier, and he acknowledged his mistake while accepting full responsibility for his actions. While emotions were high in the moment, he understands that his behavior was inappropriate and did not meet the standards we expect of our student-athletes nor those set forth by our department, institution and the CAA. Erik has expressed his commitment to learning from this experience and moving forward in a positive manner.”
At the time of his ejection, Pratt led the team with 14 points and had eight assists. Pratt is Stony Brook’s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game, and his absence for the team’s game against Hofstra on Saturday is a big one.
Milwaukee Panthers guard Erik Pratt, who now plays for Stony Brook, dribbles during the Horizon League championship against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis March 12, 2024.(Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Stony Brook is tied for the No. 5 seed in the CAA tournament, and a loss to Hofstra could drop them in the seedings.
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Pratt played at Milwaukee and Texas A&M before joining Stony Brook.
Texas A&M Aggies guard Erik Pratt, who now plays for Stony Brook, leads a fast break against the Georgia Bulldogs at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas, Feb. 4, 2023.(Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Pratt is not the only athlete to be embroiled in a spitting controversy over the last year. Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Carter spit on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the first game of the 2025 NFL season.
For all that Igor Tudor has tried to get the Tottenham squad to look forward, and look at themselves “in the mirror”, there are figures around the club who can’t get certain images from Sunday out of their heads.
The players naturally looked beaten. The hierarchy, however, were said by those present to appear “haunted”.
It was the realisation that the change of manager wasn’t going to change that much, certainly as regards the negative atmosphere around the club. It was the realisation that there was evidently no quick fix. It was that Tudor has a huge job on his hands, and maybe the most difficult in the history of the club.
Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur may well be the biggest game this weekend, in how it will tell us the most – much more than a north London derby – about what Tudor can actually do with this team.
If Spurs win, the mood will immediately lift. They’ll finally have breathing space, and just the positive feeling that would come from a first win of the year. A draw would at least show some progress, even if it’s not quite what they need.
Any kind of defeat, however, and it really is alarms blaring.
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Defeat at Fulham and alarm bells are seriously blaring for Tottenham (Getty)
The tension will be suffocating. The pressure immense.
And for all that people are rightly saying that a Spurs relegation would be the biggest of the Premier League – and probably the biggest in English football since Manchester United in 1973-74 – more relevant might be how the reasons for that reflect frankly astonishing underperformance. If they really do go down, it will be one of the most remarkable feats of reverse alchemy in football history; a shocking waste.
People point to Leeds United in 2003-04, but the manner in which they had financially overextended themselves made their decline inevitable.
Tottenham have had the opposite problem. This should have been the opposite of inevitable. It should have been impossible.
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It shouldn’t have been possible for Tottenham, the ninth-wealthiest club in the world, to face relegation (Getty)
They’re the ninth-wealthiest club in the world on revenue. The ownership now actively want to spend, and raise a relatively high wage bill even higher.
This comes in an era in which most of the sport has never been more geared towards those who are already wealthy. As has been stated on these pages many times in the past, it’s not like 1974 when there was relative parity in the old First Division. There’s a 90 per cent correlation between wage bill and league finish, and the gaps have never been greater.
So, in a skewed modern parallel of how United were relegated a mere six years after becoming European champions, Spurs could get relegated a mere five years after joining the Super League.
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Tottenham could get relegated five years after joining the Super League (Getty)
That, in its own way, says a lot about the modern game.
That should instead now be the great regret, the ghost of what might have been.
The moment is now just a peak from which they have fallen a very long way.
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Tottenham were supposed to push on from their Champions League final near miss in 2019 (PA Archive)
A greater frustration – especially for the supporters – is that there’s been no sudden drop, no hinge date from which you can trace everything. Instead, the fans have long been complaining that the very ownership approach made this more and more likely.
Questions have persisted as to what the aim of the hierarchy is. Representatives of the Lewis family would, of course, insist it is about eventually making the club a success.
Fans would counter that by pointing to limited investment over 25 years, and question whether this has just been about having a football asset there, or something you can eventually flip in a sale.
The view among some other Premier League owners and executives is that they need a sale, for a refresh. There is too much “baggage”.
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Some other Premier League owners feel the Lewis family need to sell Tottenham to give the club a fresh start (AFP/Getty)
As one senior figure argues, any club can succeed in spite of the ownership, but their outlook still dictates so much. It tends to show when they are fully immersed in victory, usually in structure and appointments.
It can also go both ways. To once again draw a contrast with the other side of north London, the Kroenke ownership are said to have really come alive once Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal started winning.
The discussion is nevertheless complicated by the fact that the Lewis family imbued Daniel Levy with so much power for so long.
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Ironically, it was the former chairman’s departure – something long desired by much of the fanbase – that has brought this greater collapse.
Daniel Levy’s much-desired departure has been followed by greater collapse (PA Archive)
That isn’t necessarily to defend or criticise Levy. His abrupt departure nevertheless prevented a transition of responsibility, so now everything has plummeted through the cracks.
The lack of football expertise has been exposed. The lack of a football idea has been exposed. The mismatched nature of the squad has been exposed, one long conditioned by the Levy-led decision to keep the player wage bill to such a low percentage of revenue when they could have afforded much more. It’s now also a squad with considerable “scar tissue” – to quote one insider – despite last season’s Europa League success. Speculation now mounts about “cliques” in the dressing room.
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Some sources would point out how Spurs employed potentially transformative figures in their recent past, such as Michael Edwards, only for them to leave.
Michael Edwards was chief analyst at Tottenham before becoming integral to Liverpool’s rise as sporting director (PA)
All of which leaves Tudor in this unenviable situation, trying to make sense of something that sees confusion at all levels.
This is what is said to have “haunted” the hierarchy on Sunday, the manner in which every issue has suddenly combined to significantly escalate; the lack of time; the pressure.
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It isn’t terminal, of course. There is still talent in the squad. Tudor is said to feel that the squad can also fit his formation.
One win could change everything, settle everyone down, set things right.
Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be overlooked that this is an incredible situation to be in. One of the wealthiest clubs in the world, a hierarchy once arrogant enough to think they should be in a breakaway league, are dependent on a Hail Mary appointment and the intangible of good feeling in order to escape a historic nightmare.
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Igor Tudor is charged with saving Tottenham from a historically humiliating relegation (PA Wire)
Naturally, discussion is already building about what relegation would bring. Spurs have a lot of very high fixed costs and partners, amid a situation where they wouldn’t have the same TV money, sponsors would change, and match-day income would dive. At the same time, some investors would see relegation as a huge opportunity to do a deal on the cheap. Spurs are seen as “set up on the business side”, which perhaps makes some difference from the rest of the club.
More interesting, if they get out of this, might be how they turn this situation around. Some football figures see it as a grand opportunity in that regard, due to the myriad advantages Spurs have.
That only sums up the situation.
To manage that, though, they need that one win to change everything back.
