Thomson is out after a 9-19 start in which the Phillies fell 10 games below .500 for the first time since 2017. After a 1-3 start, the Phillies won five of their next six games to push their record to 6-4. Then, the losing started, including four of six before a 10-game losing streak that left them duking it out for last place in the NL East with the similarly struggling New York Mets. Twenty-eight games into the season is one of the quickest firings for a manager in recent history.
2018
Reds
Bryan Price
18
2015
Brewers
Ron Roenicke
25
2026
Red Sox
Alex Cora
27
2026
Phillies
Rob Thomson
28
2016
Braves
Fredi Gonzalez
37
2025
Pirates
Derek Shelton
38
2015
Marlins
Mike Redmond
38
Thomson, 62, took over as Phillies manager after Joe Girardi was fired in June 2022. The Phillies that season went 65-46 under Thomson, securing the third and final National League wild-card spot. From there, they won their first NL pennant since 2009 but ultimately lost the World Series to the Houston Astros in six games.
The following season, the Phillies turned a wild-card spot into an NLCS run and then won the NL East title in back-to-back years. The 96 wins last season were their most in a season since 2011. Thomson received Manager of the Year votes in 2022, 2024, and 2025. He finished third in the voting just last year.
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As manager, Thomson made the playoffs four times in his first four seasons. He won two division titles and a pennant. He’s 355-270 overall. The Phillies signed Thomson to a contract extension through the 2027 season in December, so they fired him only 28 games into his new contract.
Speculation about Cora landing with the Phillies was an easy talking point in the immediate aftermath, but Cora turned down an offer before the team pivoted to Mattingly, according to The Athletic. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski originally hired Cora to manage the Red Sox in October 2017 and the two won the World Series together in 2018. They’re said to remain close.
Mattingly, 65, has an 889-950 career managerial record with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-15) and Miami Marlins (2016-22). He spent the 2023-25 as bench coach with the Toronto Blue Jays and was part of their AL pennant-winning coaching staff last year.
Philadelphia also promoted third base coach Dusty Wathan to bench coach. Triple-A manager Anthony Contreras has been promoted to third base coach.
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Preston Mattingly, Don Mattingly’s son, is Philadelphia’s general manager under Dombrowski.
Feb 11, 2026; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang looks on during the first half against he Cincinnati Bearcats at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images
Former Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang is returning to Baylor as the associate head coach, ESPN reported on Tuesday.
Tang reportedly was working with the university to finalize a multi-year contract to rejoin longtime coach Scott Drew’s staff.
Tang, 59, spent nearly two decades on the Bears’ coaching staff, including when Baylor won the national championship in 2021. He was an assistant coach from 2003-17 and associate head coach from 2017-22.
Tang replaced Bruce Weber as head coach at Kansas State in 2022, forging a 71-57 record in three-plus years at the helm. Tang directed the Wildcats to a No. 3 seed and an Elite Eight appearance in his first season, but he followed that with three straight sub-.500 records in Big 12 play.
He was fired with cause by Kansas State on Feb. 16, four days after going on a postgame rant after the Wildcats suffered a 91-62 loss to Cincinnati in front of a home crowd listed at 7,274 at the 13,500-seat Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan., that included several students wearing paper bags over their heads.
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“This was embarrassing. These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year,” Tang said after the game in which the Wildcats never led. “Like, I am embarrassed for the university. I am embarrassed for our fans, our student section. You know, it is just ridiculous.”
In announcing the firing days later, Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor said, “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. … Basically, his comments about the student-athletes and the negative reaction to those comments from sources, both nationally and locally, is where it kind of felt like I needed to make the decision.”
Tang issued a statement at the time disagreeing with how the university characterized his firing.
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“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination,” Tang said in a statement. “I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach. … I remain proud of what we built together and confident that I have always acted in the best interests of the university and our student-athletes.”
Drew and Baylor experienced their own struggles last season, finishing 6-12 in the Big 12 and missing the NCAA Tournament despite having at least two players expected to be picked in June’s NBA Draft.
The longest-tenured coach in the conference, Drew expressed empathy for Tang after his firing when Baylor lost 90-74 to Kansas State on Feb. 17.
“Nineteen years together, he’s family,” Drew said. “We won championships together. It’s been emotional for me, our staff and our program, because everyone can relate. If you’ve got a brother or a friend and they go through hardship, you feel it.”
Neil Robertson established a narrow 5-3 lead over John Higgins in a fiercely- contested opening to their World Championship quarter-final.
Higgins compiled breaks of 61 and 56 to take the first frame and the fourth to draw level at 2-2.
However, the emotional and physical toll of defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan 13-12 in an all-time Crucible classic on Monday appeared to weigh on the Scot at times.
The four-time champion made six unforced errors before reaching the mid-session interval and was far from his best in a scrappy affair.
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Australia’s Robertson, who won the world title in 2010, also failed to hit the heights despite enjoying runs of 77 and 70 and at one point he even had to have his chair repaired, adding to the protracted nature of their contest.
While he took the final two frames of the session, his pragmatic approach and an unfortunate run of the balls contributed to a drawn-out eighth frame that lasted almost 52 minutes and delayed the start of the evening sesssion.
Robertson and Higgins resume on Wednesday at 10:00 BST.
In contrast, Hossein Vafaei and Wu Yize are level at 4-4 after an entertaining start to their best-of-25 encounter.
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With both players seemingly focussed on attacking snooker, Iran’s Vafaei knocked in a break of 66 to lead 2-1 before Wu underlined his status as one of the game’s burgeoning talents with runs of 90, 56 and 56 to pull 4-2 ahead.
Vafaei, who had to win two qualifiers before advancing past Si Jiahui and world number one Judd Trump in a thriller, responded with a break of 71.
And he restored parity when Wu failed to knock in a presentable long black to the top left corner, clearing the table up to and including to pink.
They return for the second session of their best-of-25 encounter on Wednesday at 14:30 BST.
A Minnesota Vikings fan watches the game unfold from the stands, reacting to the action as Minnesota controls the matchup during second-half play on Sep 7, 2014, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. The season opener marked the start of Mike Zimmer’s head coaching tenure with a commanding victory. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports.
Were you impressed and excited by the Minnesota Vikings’ draft haul? If so, some portions of national media didn’t share the enthusiasm. The Athletic ranked all the NFL’s draft classes on Monday, and sadly, Minnesota checked in at No. 29 — also known as fourth worst.
Minnesota made a calculated bet on upside, and the final verdict needs real football.
When it comes to the draft, the Vikings just can’t seem to win.
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Banks Can Become the Saving Grade
It’s another lousy draft verdict for you-know-who.
Minnesota Vikings Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski joins a discussion with KFAN’s Paul Allen and analyst Pete Bercich at the NFL Scouting Combine, with Feb 25, 2026 marking the Indianapolis setting as he outlines roster-building philosophy. The conversation highlights Minnesota’s offseason approach and front-office decision-making priorities. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
The Athletic: Vikings at No. 29 for Draft Haul
According to The Beast author Dane Brugler, only the Los Angeles Rams (No. 30), Denver Broncos (No. 31), and Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 32) produced worse draft classes than the Vikings.
But when Bruger explained the placement on his list, he had nothing bad to say about Minnesota: “Favorite pick: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati. This is true for most prospects, but Golday’s landing spot was going to be pivotal for his rookie-year success. Drop his rangy athleticism into a Brian Flores-led defense, and he’ll have a chance to make an immediate impact.”
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“Day 3 pick who could surprise: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin. Aside from Demmings always being a great quote, he leaves everything he has on the field. With his cover athleticism and mental toughness, Demmings was a worthy bet in the fifth round, and he landed with a team that needed cornerback depth.”
He just thought 28 teams drafted better players — evidently.
No Real Reasoning for the Poor Assessment
The strange part? In addition to Brugler provided no context for why he deemed the Vikings’ draft class a poor haul, the team didn’t have a reduced allotment of picks. For example, Minnesota left the 2025 NFL Draft with just five players due to the expensive Dallas Turner trade in 2024. Ranking near the bottom of draft-grade lists made sense.
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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell speaks with reporters at the Indiana Convention Center during the NFL Scouting Combine, with Feb 25, 2025 capturing his media availability in Indianapolis. O’Connell addresses roster outlook, team direction, and offseason priorities as Minnesota evaluates talent ahead of the upcoming league year. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
This time, it does not. The Vikings brought home nine players and only notably missed out on a 4th-Rounder, which was offloaded during the Cam Robinson trade of 2024.
Therefore, Brugler apparently didn’t enjoy the Banks selection in Round 1 — or something like that.
Vikings Zagged when NFL World Thought They’d Zig
From late February to late April, the NFL masses thought for certain that Minnesota would draft Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Over 90% of mock drafts connected Thieneman to the Vikings, so much so that it felt like a foregone conclusion he would be the pick, although not a single soul within the Vikings organization or those close to it gave credence to the theory.
Then, when draft week arrived, momentum built for Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, but the New York Jets unexpectedly wiped him off the board before Minnesota could consider him at No. 18.
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Meanwhile, the NFL draft community had decided that Banks was a 2nd-Round pick after he broke a bone in his foot at the NFL Combine. He’s a big dude, and big dudes with broken bones in their feet are often non-starters for 1st-Round draft discussions.
Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) observes drills during Pro Day at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, with March 26, 2026 marking the showcase as NFL evaluators monitor his performance. Banks tracks the action closely while awaiting his turn, offering scouts a closer look at his movement and physical tools ahead of the draft. Mandatory Credit: Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
The Vikings didn’t care. They drafted Banks at No. 18, rather than getting cute by trading down the board. Some intel later revealed that other teams picking immediately after Minnesota had their eyes on Banks, and that the media-driven draft big board misvalued Banks’s draft stock.
USA Today‘s Jacob Camenker and Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz gave the Banks pick a ‘C’ grade and explained, “It’s easy to see the appeal of Banks, a 6-6, 327-pound interior force with unparalleled explosion off the ball. Yet Banks has been waylaid by multiple foot injuries in the last year, and staying healthy could be a considerable concern.”
“Banks also struggles to finish plays as a tackler once he gets in range of a ball carrier. There’s massive upside here for him to thrive in Brian Flores’ scheme, but this could also go awry if Banks can’t become a consistent performer.”
A Verdict in 3 Years or So
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The fun part about draft grades and draft rankings? They’re merely entertainment in the days after the draft. There’s just no way to grade a rookie haul right after the event, and in fact, one should usually wait until a few years down the road to gauge the trajectory of young players. For example, when Minnesota drafted Danielle Hunter in 2015, some of the powers that be of NFL draft coverage called the pick silly. Eleven years later, Hunter is a five-time Pro Bowler.
Draft grades for the 2026 draft class should be distributed during the 2029 offseason at the earliest.
Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales, who is the same age as Floyd Mayweather, has offered his take on the 49-year-old’s expected rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
The two pound-for-pound icons are set to collide in a professional contest on September 19, headlining a Netflix event at The Sphere, Las Vegas.
Their second encounter did, however, appear to be in jeopardy after Mayweather claimed last month that it would be an exhibition match.
Their first encounter, in 2015, saw Mayweather secure a unanimous decision victory in what swiftly became known as the most lucrative boxing event of all time.
Now, though, the 47-year-old is hoping to scupper Mayweather’s 50-0 record after ending a near four-year hiatus from professional boxing last July.
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But while the Filipino came away with a draw against Mario Barrios, the then-WBC world welterweight champion, many have suggested that he and Mayweather should not be entering the ring at this stage in their lives.
One of them is Morales, who fought Pacquiao three times, winning their first encounter but losing the next two. He told Fight Hub TV that this rematch will be won by whichever Hall of Famer has declined the least.
“We are not at an age to be in fights. But hey, it’ll be interesting. The one who arrives the least hurt, and is a little faster, [will win].”
Erik Morales predicts Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2‼️‼️
“We are not in the age to be in fights… It’ll be interesting, the one who will win has to arrive to fight less hurt and a little faster!”- Erik Morales
The mayor of Vancouver also wants to #SAVETHECAPS.
In a long message he posted to social media Tuesday, Vancouver mayor Ken Sim called on the Vancouver Whitecaps ownership and the British Columbia provincial government to lay out the steps that will be required for the team to remain in Vancouver.
“We are calling on the team’s ownership to publicly and clearly articulate what they need to stay here in Vancouver, and we are calling on the provincial government to come to the table and make that a reality,” Sim wrote.
He later added: “To all Vancouver Whitecaps fans, to the Southsiders, and to all of the supporter groups, we need you to keep the fight going. We need you to stay strong, and we need you to stay loud.
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“Losing the Whitecaps is not an option.”
This statement from Kim comes on the heels of a Major League Soccer spokesman saying on Monday that the league “will evaluate all options” when it comes to the future of the Whitecaps — including keeping the team in Vancouver or moving it to another market.
Those comments came after The Athletic published a story earlier on Monday saying the league has told its 29 other owners it is exploring relocating the team, with Las Vegas being the top candidate for the new market.
Nov 17, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Mexico Coach Javier Aguirre Onaindia speaks to the media ahead of his Mexican National Team match against Paraguay at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Jefferson-Imagn Images
Mexico’s FIFA World Cup roster began to take shape Tuesday with a dozen Liga MX players invited to the camp that begins on May 6.
Manager Javier Aguirre’s crew will be joined in training later in the month by players who are based in Europe and elsewhere. His final roster for this summer’s tournament is due at the end of May.
The 12-member Liga MX contingent includes 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora of Club Tijuana, Toluca forward Alexis Vega, Club America defender Israel Reyes and five players from Chivas: goalkeeper Raul “Tala” Rangel, forward Armando Gonzalez and midfielders Brian Gutierrez, Roberto Alvardo and Luis Romo.
Also on the list are goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo of Santos Laguna, defender Jesus Gallardo of Toluca, midfielder Erik Lira of Cruz Azul and forward Memo Martinez of Pumas.
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Mora is rounding into shape after missing two months with a groin injury and has a chance to become Mexico’s youngest World Cup participant, supplanting 18-year-old Manuel “Chaquetas” Rosas in 1930. Seven 17-year-olds have participated in the tournament, including Brazil’s Pele in 1958.
Mexico is co-hosting the FIFA World Cup along with the U.S. and Canada. Mexico is currently ranked No. 15 in the world, one spot ahead of the Americans.
Placed in Group A with South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic, Mexico opens the World Cup against South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City.
Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets. (Image: BCCI/IPL)
Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey produced a sensational finish, stitching an unbeaten 77-run partnership off just 32 balls to guide Rajasthan Royals to a thrilling six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Match 40 of IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.With the chase finely poised after 14 overs and the required rate climbing beyond 12, the duo turned the game on its head. Ferreira and Dubey targeted the pace attack with precision, capitalising when the spinners were out of the attack. Arshdeep Singh was taken apart for three boundaries in an over, while Marco Jansen also leaked crucial runs. Their fearless hitting ensured RR cruised home with ease, handing PBKS their first defeat of the season.
Sooryavanshi Sets the Tone
Earlier, Rajasthan’s chase was ignited by a stunning cameo from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. After being given the strike by Yashasvi Jaiswal, the youngster made an immediate impact.Despite Arshdeep starting with pinpoint yorkers, Sooryavanshi counterattacked brilliantly, smashing 6, 4, 4 in the opening over. He continued his assault against Lockie Ferguson and Jansen, racing to 43 off just 16 balls (3 fours, 5 sixes) before being dismissed.In the process, he reached 400 runs in just 167 balls at a staggering strike rate of 238.09, the fastest to the mark in an IPL season. RR stormed to 66/1 in just four overs, setting the foundation for the chase.After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, Yashasvi Jaiswal took charge, playing a composed yet aggressive knock. He brought up a 26-ball fifty, finishing with 51 off 27 balls. However, PBKS fought back through Yuzvendra Chahal, who removed both Jaiswal and Riyan Parag (29) in quick succession. Along with Dhruv Jurel’s slow 16 off 20, RR’s momentum dipped, managing just 25 runs across four overs.At one stage, the equation read 100 needed off 52 balls, with the pressure firmly back on Rajasthan. Just when PBKS looked to regain control, Ferreira and Dubey flipped the script. With clean hitting and calm composure, they dismantled the bowling attack in the death overs.Ferreira led the charge with a blazing 52, while Dubey played the perfect supporting role as RR chased down the target in 19.2 overs without losing another wicket. Earlier: Stoinis Powers PBKS to 222Batting first, Punjab Kings posted a strong 222/4, thanks to a late blitz from Marcus Stoinis (62 off 22).Prabhsimran Singh (59) anchored the innings, while Cooper Connolly (30) and Shreyas Iyer (30) chipped in with useful contributions. Stoinis’ explosive finish ensured PBKS crossed the 220 mark.
The Philadelphia Eagles‘ offense is undergoing some massive changes this offseason. Yes, Nick Sirianni is still the head coach and Jalen Hurts is still the quarterback, but star wideout A.J. Brown is on his way out, the Eagles fired offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and replaced him with Sean Mannion, and the franchise no longer has their most important assistant: Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland.
Stoutland announced in February that he was leaving the organization after 13 seasons served. He is regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the world, and was a part of Philly’s two Super Bowl campaigns. Eagles offensive linemen have racked up a league-high 27 Pro Bowls since 2012. Stoutland turned a seventh-round rugby star into one of the best left tackles in the NFL with Jordan Mailata, helped Lane Johnson set the standard for right-tackle play, worked with the legendary Jason Peters and oversaw Jason Kelce as he morphed into a frachise legend.
Speaking of Kelce, he and brother Travis Kelce recently had Stoutland on their podcast, “New Heights”, and he was asked what went wrong for the Eagles in 2025. It goes without saying that last season was a tumultuous one for Philadelphia. Not only were the Eagles unsuccessful in defending their Super Bowl title, but the offense was the worst of the Sirianni era. Philly averaged 22.3 points per game (19th in the NFL), 311.2 total yards per game (24th) and 116.9 rushing yards per game (18th).
Stoutland said that play-calling and execution were two reasons why this Eagles offense failed to live up to expectations.
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“I think anytime things don’t go well, and I don’t want to sound like I’m in an interview, but it’s the truth. It’s execution, it’s calling the right play at the right time, and not running bad plays into bad defenses,” Stoutland said. “I mean, it ain’t that hard. I’m not going to sit here and make up all these … that’s pretty much it.”
On paper, the Eagles had one of the best offenses in the NFL. A reigning Super Bowl MVP at quarterback in Hurts, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year at running back with Saquon Barkley, one of the best offensive lines in the NFL that was still a top 10 unit despite multiple injuries, and then plenty of pass catchers, such as Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. However, moving the ball down the field was a chore this past season.
There’s more to this story than Stoutland is revealing. ESPN reported that Sirianni and Patullo started incorporating changes to the run game in an effort to get the offense off the ground last season. Stoutland, the run-game coordinator, was not consulted about these changes, “to what he felt was an appropriate degree,” a source told ESPN. Stoutland’s agent, Alan Herman, indicated that his client felt like his voice was not being heard in the organization.
Stoutland reportedly didn’t plan on retiring right now, but clearly didn’t like how this past season went down on the field and off the field.
Cooper Flagg has been named the 2025–26 NBA Rookie of the Year after an outstanding debut season with the Dallas Mavericks.
The award was selected by a global media panel of 100 voters. Flagg finished ahead of Kon Knueppel by 26 points, the second-smallest margin since the current voting format began in 2002–03. VJ Edgecombe placed third.
Flagg led all rookies in scoring with 21 points per game. He also averaged 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks, showing his all-around impact.
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At 19 years old, he is the second-youngest winner in history, behind only LeBron James.
He also led Dallas in total points, rebounds, assists and steals. The only other rookie to do that since steals were first tracked is Michael Jordan.
One of his standout moments came in a 51-point performance against the Orlando Magic, making him the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points. He also became the first rookie since Allen Iverson to record four 40-point games in a season.
A 135-rated hurdler, Eachtotheirown ran out a four-and-a-quarter length winner over Blake (17/2) from the Noel Meade yard.
The runner-up, ridden by Donagh Meyler, had a two-and-three-quarter length advantage over Le Labo (9/1) and John Gleeson at the line.
El Cairos (2/1), the Gordon Elliott-trained favourite, disappointed, eventually finishing in fourth place, a further length-and-a-half behind the third-placed horse.
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