Denver Broncos helmet rests near the field at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium before an AFC West matchup with Kansas City, with the team’s orange-and-navy logo standing out under the stadium lights. On Oct. 12, 2023, the equipment sat ready as Denver prepared to face the Chiefs in a primetime divisional game. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports.
The first couple of weeks in July are typically the slow section on the Minnesota Vikings’ calendar, and for the most part, that’s true, aside from a few rumors.
Rookies report to training camp on July 26th — so about two weeks away — but in the meantime, let’s glance at the first batch of rumors for the week.
Denver Theory Headlines Vikings’ Latest July Chatter
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy scans the field from the pocket during first-quarter action against Chicago at U.S. Bank Stadium. On Nov. 16, 2025, McCarthy prepares to deliver a pass as Minnesota opens its divisional matchup with the Bears and begins working through the early portion of its offensive game plan. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Rumor: The Broncos would be a good fit for J.J. McCarthy as a QB2.
Podcaster David Marshall advanced the idea on the David Talks Broncos show last week: “McCarthy was kind of a disaster last year after his time at Michigan. You could see here at Michigan, National Champion, he’s got all the traits and tools you’re looking for, and you saw here during his time in the NFL.”
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“He tore his ACL in 2024, so he didn’t get a lot of time to actually improve his game. He played in a pro-style offense under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, and I think he’s got the brains to operate this offense with Sean Payton and Davis Webb.”
Denver’s backup right now is Jarrett Stidham, who filled in for Bo Nix during the AFC Title game in January.
Marshall added, “He needs to fine-tune his mechanics, his footwork, and that’s where the Broncos do some of their best work. I think J.J. McCarthy in terms of not looking at him as a franchise quarterback because we’ve got that in Bo Nix, but as that franchise backup. That next guy that can be here for a few years.”
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It makes exactly no sense for McCarthy to request a ticket out of Minnesota so that he can be the backup quarterback in Denver. Zilch.
Rumor: Minnesota should explore free-agent DaQuan Jones and sign him.
Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox identified seven defensive free agents with new possible destinations, and Jones was picked for the Vikings: “Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones will turn 35 in December and missed multiple games with a calf injury this past season. However, he remains a starting-caliber interior defender who has started every game in which he has appeared since his sophomore season in 2015.”
“Jones started 12 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, finishing with 22 tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. He still possesses a strong anchor in run defense with penetration ability to boost an interior pass rush.”
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Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones stretches on the turf during a training camp practice in Pittsford, New York, preparing his body for another demanding session. On Jul. 25, 2022, Jones worked through warm-ups with teammates as Buffalo continued its summer preparations and evaluated the defensive front before the preseason schedule began. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports.
Adding Jones would be a fantastic idea for most Vikings offseasons, but Minnesota has plenty of DTs in 2026.
Knox added, “Jones would make a lot of sense for the Minnesota Vikings, who are hoping to leap back into NFC North contention this season. While much of the offseason focus has been on the looming QB battle between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray, Minnesota faces the challenge of reloading its defensive front.”
“The Vikings parted with both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen early this offseason. While they did sign Isaiahh Loudermilk while drafting Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, adding DaQuan Jones would round out the defensive rotation while adding veteran leadership to the group.”
Rumor: Kyler Murray is the favorite to win the Vikings’ QB job because Kevin O’Connell has cooked with veteran quarterbacks.
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The quarterback competition is the top storyline for most Vikings fans, and O’Connell addressed it directly. He said to D.J. Siddiqi this week, “We’ve had a lot of success with different veteran quarterbacks at different stages of their career, whether it was Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins, and now we want to do everything we can to provide Kyler Murray with a great opportunity and see what he can do with it.”
“Kyler has always been a player. I’ve known him for a long time, and obviously having coached against him at multiple spots, and the talent you talked about bringing that different dimension. I think what he’s really done over seven years in the NFL is really maintain that dimension.”
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray warms up near midfield after the national anthem before a road game against Seattle at CenturyLink Field. On Dec. 22, 2019, Murray prepares for the NFC West matchup during his rookie season as Arizona closes the regular year against a familiar division opponent under the stadium lights. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports.
O’Connell’s right: when he has a veteran quarterback, his team usually wins. When O’Connell has a rookie passer, his team mostly loses.
O’Connell added, “But also the growth, the way he sees the field, the way he can throw with anticipation, and ultimately where he’s at in his career is a unique time. Having had the success that he had at his previous stop and ultimately wanting to build upon that and us having the opportunity to bring him to Minnesota, it felt like a great fit.”
A battle will still occur in Eagan, but O’Connell seems to hint that Murray is the frontrunner, which corresponds with oddsmakers’ opinion.
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Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Erling Haaland and Norway have ripped through the World Cup scoring for fun and toppling global powers in their path, but facing England in the quarterfinals, how far can this team go? Norway have already made history defeating Brazil and will be securing their best-ever finish at a World Cup, but they’ll be looking for more as they face Thomas Tuchel’s England on Saturday. But, with how Norway play, can it be done?
Of course, having Haaland means that there are limitless possibilities to what Norway can do, but they’ll have the slight issue of trying to stop Harry Kane on their hands. Norway like to cede possession to their opposition, and they’ve allowed the third most shots of any team at the World Cup, which signifies that England will have plenty of chances in the match. Norway play with fire, but having Haaland score eight goals means that they can get away with that.
Facing Brazil, Norway needed a penalty save as their defense allowed 10 shots and an xG of 2.61, their highest against in the World Cup so far. Brazil’s lack of a true striker and the absence of Raphinha allowed Norway to get away with that, but it’s not something that will be able to be replicated against England.
Harry Kane is in the running for the Ballon d’Or for a reason, as he has been lethal as a finisher for Bayern Munich and England, and he’s the most well-rounded number nine in the world. Against Mexico, he took his chance well to score a penalty but also created a chance for Jude Bellingham due to being just as comfortable dropping deep into midfield and creating for others.
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Brazil were missing a player who could be the focal point to create for others in Raphinha, and depending on whether Bukayo Saka starts, England may have four as they can overwhelm Norway in possession. The defense may struggle with Haaland, but one doesn’t have to stop Haaland to win; they just have to outscore him, and the Three Lions can do just that. They’ve played a few high-scoring games against Croatia and Mexico during this World Cup and have dug deep to secure wins despite the questions about mentality that surrounded them.
Now, England will enter as favorites yet again against a team that has been rowing their way through the tournament. Born in Leeds, Haaland also could have represented England, and with Marc Guehi and Rico Lewis in the England defensive corps, there are also players involved who are used to defending against him in the Premier League. On the attacking end, with Kane and Bellingham, the Three Lions will have plenty of chances, and they can come from all over the pitch.
If Norway are going to make noise, the wings will be critical because if they aren’t going to hold possession, they need to hit England over the top. The Brazil game shifted when Alexander Sorloth was taken off for Andreas Schjelderup, and proper wingers were in the lineup, and that’s something that Norway manager Stale Solbakken will need to consider when setting up his lineup for the match. England will allow space for attacks, but if Norway are going to exploit it, they’ll need their natural wingers to shine and not a striker masquerading as one, which has been a struggle so far during the World Cup.
Even so, Norway will go as far as Haaland and Martin Odegaard can take them, and while it’s been an impressive task getting to this point, England have so many ways that they can get out of a game. Tuchel is an obsessive who will have a plan for attacking this game, even with England’s flawed squad coming into the World Cup. Defensively, they aren’t up to their expected strength, but flexibility-wise, this is a side with plenty of ways to make a team pay.
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England’s worst enemy is themselves, so a fast start will be critical, but after surviving the Azteca, they’ll feel much better coming into a match in Miami, as their travels during the World Cup have taken them all over the United States and Mexico. Norway will provide a challenge, but as long as England can survive Haaland, they’ll book a trip back to Atlanta to face the winner of Argentina and Switzerland and keep their World Cup dream alive and well.
Taking to X after their meeting at the All England Club, Tendulkar reflected on their long-standing friendship. “Some rallies never end. Our friendship is one of them. Always a pleasure spending time with you, Roger. Until we meet again,” Tendulkar wrote. The reunion came during another memorable visit to Wimbledon for the former India batter, who was among the distinguished guests invited to watch Friday’s semi-final from the prestigious Royal Box. Also present was India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, who experienced Wimbledon from the Royal Box for the first time. Gill, currently in England with the Indian team, will return to cricket action later this month for the ODI series against England. One of the highlights of the day was Tendulkar’s interaction with West Indies batting great Brian Lara, bringing back memories of one of cricket’s most celebrated rivalries. Although the two once battled fiercely on the international stage, they have since featured together in exhibition and charity matches. Gill also appeared to enjoy the occasion, taking a break from international commitments to soak up the atmosphere on Centre Court. The star-studded guest list also included Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe, with several prominent names from the sporting world attending the Championships. On the court, Alexander Zverev booked his place in the Wimbledon final for the first time with a convincing 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 victory over British wildcard Arthur Fery. The second seed overcame a competitive opening set before taking complete control of the contest on Centre Court. Fresh from winning his maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last month, Zverev has now reached his fifth major final and extended his winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments to 13 matches. He will now be one victory away from securing a second successive major title.
Jul 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas (20) celebrates in the dugout after his home run during the eighth inning against the Athletics at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
An overdue outburst propelled the Chicago White Sox to a lopsided victory against the visiting Athletics on Friday night.
The White Sox will aim to keep slugging and earn a series victory on Saturday afternoon.
Chicago rolled 14-1 in the series opener after managing two combined runs over three straight home losses to Boston this week.
“It’s nice to get these fans some runs,” White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci said. “They’ve been bearing with us the past few days.”
Tristan Peters highlighted Friday’s eruption, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs while becoming the first White Sox player to hit for the cycle since Jose Abreu in 2017.
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“That was incredible,” Peters said. “To do it in front of these folks, it’s awesome. It’s amazing.”
The slumping Athletics lost their season-high seventh consecutive game and have been outscored 58-20 over that stretch. Tyler Soderstrom drove in the lone run Friday with a solo homer in the seventh inning.
The team placed outfielder Zack Gelof (right knee laceration) on the 10-day injured list Friday and may soon follow suit with All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz (right thumb strain).
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“I talked to the team (Friday) about adversity and no one feeling sorry for us,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “We have to come together here with a next-man-up mentality to go help us win games.”
Right-hander Erick Fedde (4-6, 4.34 ERA) is likely to be the bulk pitcher for Chicago with left-hander Bryan Hudson (3-2, 2.25) serving as the opener. Fedde, who is seeking his third consecutive win, worked as a bulk reliever in Cleveland on Sunday, spacing three runs, two earned, and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Fedde took a no-decision against the visiting Athletics on April 18, allowing three runs on two hits in 4 2/3 innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
Although he has pitched ineffectively in his past two outings, Athletics left-hander Gage Jump hopes to find a jolt against a White Sox lineup that has struggled against rookie southpaws lately.
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Jump has yielded 11 runs (10 earned) and 19 hits in 7 2/3 innings since recording a career-best nine strikeouts over five shutout innings at San Francisco on June 24. That includes the first four home runs he has surrendered in his career after keeping opponents in the ballpark in his first six starts.
Still, the White Sox showed susceptibility versus Boston’s young lefties. Red Sox starters Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett limited Chicago to six hits in 13 shutout innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Kotsay challenged Jump and the rest of the rotation to improve after the rookie allowed six runs (five earned) and eight hits over three innings in Sunday’s 9-8 home loss to Miami.
“That’s something we’re in the middle of right now,” Kotsay said, “really getting the details to how we’re going to go about attacking and pitching going forward.”
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Chicago first baseman Munetaka Murakami went 1-for-5 with four strikeouts and an RBI double Friday in his first game since sustaining a right hamstring strain on May 29.
Twitch streamers Ludwig Ahgren and Blaire “QTCinderella” have officially announced their engagement. On July 10, 2026, Ludwig took to X to reveal that QTCinderella had accepted his marriage proposal. He shared a photo of an open pizza box with the words “Will you marry me?” and QTCinderella wearing a wedding ring.
The Streamer Awards host took to the Elon Musk-owned social media platform later that day and wrote:
“We will be having the wedding at Maddison Square Garden everyone can come”
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Thousands of fans on X have shared their thoughts on the streamers‘ announcement, with many leaving heartfelt comments.
Popular internet personalities, such as Jimmy “MrBeast,” Connor “ConnorEatsPants,” and Maya Higa, have also commented on the Mogul Money Live host’s post.
“Congrats brah Make sure your love for her never dims or go down Keep the fire burning forever.. all the best” X user @2021wonderkid posted.
“Finally, the mission has been approved 😂 congratulations , protect that happiness” X user @kuria254k wrote.
“She was surprised at the proposal” – Ludwig addresses the community after announcing his engagement with QTCinderella
During a livestream on July 10, 2026, Ludwig discussed his engagement with QTCinderella, and at the 13-minute mark, he stated that his significant other was surprised by his marriage proposal.
Explaining how he proposed to QTCinderella, Ludwig said:
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“‘How did you propose? Was she surprised?’ She was surprised. She was surprised at the proposal. She just basically went to do Wine About It (podcast), and I had asked Rae. Rae helped me out. She was my accomplice. So, like, changed the time and get her out at a certain time, and when she was gone, I decorated the house. I printed out a bunch of pictures throughout our entire relationship and hung them up. I played a Taylor Swift song about you killing yourself with your loved ones.”
Timestamp – 00:13:05
The content creator then joked that the “best part” about his engagement with QTCinderella was that people would now “stop yelling at him” for not starting a family.
The 2026 Genesis Scottish Open hits the weekend on Saturday, July 11, with the third round at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. You can find full Genesis Scottish Open tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post.
Genesis Scottish Open Round 3 tee times: What to know
The World No. 2 made five birdies against one bogey for a 66 in Friday’s second round, leaving him at nine under for the tournament at the halfway point.
McIlroy shares the top spot with Jordan Smith and three-time PGA Tour winner Tom Kim. On Saturday, McIlroy will be trying to position himself for a shot at his second Scottish Open title and 31st Tour win overall.
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McIlroy will tee off for Round 3 on Saturday at 10:24 a.m. ET alongside Matt Fitzpatrick.
You can watch Saturday’s third round of the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on Golf Channel and 12-3 p.m. ET on CBS. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting early Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. ET, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 3 tee times and groupings for the Genesis Scottish Open below.
2026 Genesis Scottish Open tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)
Tee No. 1
4:10 a.m. – Yuto Katsuragawa 4:18 a.m. – Eugenio Chacarra, Viktor Hovland 4:28 a.m. – J.J. Spaun, Adam Scott 4:38 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Jesper Svensson 4:48 a.m. – Shaun Norris, Adrien Saddier 4:58 a.m. – Scott Jamieson, Mac Meissner 5:13 a.m. – Davis Riley, Nico Echavarria 5:23 a.m. – Rasmus Højgaard, Jacques Kruyswijk 5:33 a.m. – Jon Rahm, Max Greyserman 5:43 a.m. – Eric Cole, Brian Harman 5:53 a.m. – Tom McKibbin, Nacho Elvira 6:03 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Alejandro Del Rey 6:18 a.m. – Matti Schmid, Francesco Molinari 6:28 a.m. – Laurie Canter, Mikael Lindberg 6:38 a.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Si Woo Kim 6:48 a.m. – Corey Conners, Nick Taylor 6:58 a.m. – Sahith Theegala, Andrew Novak 7:08 a.m. – Chris Kirk, Johnny Keefer 7:23 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Casey Jarvis 7:33 a.m. – Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 7:43 a.m. – Ryan Fox, Andrew Putnam 7:53 a.m. – Justin Thomas, Calum Hill 8:03 a.m. – Andy Sullivan, Hennie Du Plessis 8:13 a.m. – Cam Davis, Ricky Castillo 8:29 a.m. – Oliver Lindell, Marcus Armitage 8:40 a.m. – Kevin Roy, Patrick Reed 8:51 a.m. – Ryan Gerard, Guido Migliozzi 9:02 a.m. – Darius Van Driel, Wyndham Clark 9:13 a.m. – Nicolai Højgaard, Michael Thorbjornsen 9:24 a.m. – Karl Vilips, Danny Willett 9:40 a.m. – Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Keita Nakajima 9:51 a.m. – Victor Perez, Chris Gotterup 10:02 a.m. – Robert MacIntyre, Joost Luiten 10:13 a.m. – Nicolai Von Dellingshausen, Min Woo Lee 10:24 a.m. – Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy 10:35 a.m. – Tom Kim, Jordan Smith
There’s only so much a rookie can do in his first Summer League game to establish any kind of value at the NBA level.
It’s not that hard to diminish it. It’s never an encouraging sign when a first-round draft pick looks overwhelmed, even if the rosters are populated by a wide swath of experienced pros working hard to keep their opportunities afloat.
But it’s a much better story when a recent draftee shows up in Las Vegas and plays pretty much exactly how he played to get drafted in the first place.
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There are multiple ways to evaluate the performance of Toronto Raptors rookie Allen Graves in his first professional game.
The most obvious is his box score contributions, which were impressive on their own. Even if Summer League games are ultimately meaningless, the level of competition is high and the defensive intensity is tangible as players try to ace their collective job interviews.
So it’s not for nothing that the versatile six-foot-eight forward Graves popped off for 22 points, 13 rebounds (five on the offensive end), three steals and two blocks while converting three of eight three-point attempts in what ended up being an 83-80 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.
But there was music between those high notes that brought the whole piece together.
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The simplest way to explain Graves’ showing — with all the ‘it’s just one game’ caveats in place — is that the 19-year-old from Santa Clara has a real knack for playing basketball. He’s got great timing, good hands and the kind of vision that allows him to always be in motion, finding the next opportunity to get a hand on a ball or track a rebound or cut off an opposing ball handler. His feet keep moving, and he flows from one opportunity to the next.
It’s hard to explain. He had a steal and two offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game. Down the stretch of what ended up being a fun, competitive contest, Graves was even better. He missed his first four looks from three but then hit three straight in the fourth quarter and overtime. With the Raptors down three on the final possession, Graves secured not one but two highly contested offensive rebounds in the last 13 seconds to set up potentially game-tying threes for his teammates. It was impressive.
“He’s got gifts, that’s all I got for you,” said Chucky Hepburn, the second-year point guard who struggled with his shooting (4-of-16, 1-of-9 from three) but was otherwise sound in his first competitive game since he had knee surgery last season. “He just reads the game really well, and when you got a guy that already plays hard like he does, and reads the game really well, like how he does. It’s just natural for him (to make plays).”
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The Raptors have a few players on their roster who have similar attributes, headlined by Scottie Barnes, with second-year forward Collin Murray-Boyles — who was held out of this game with a sprained index finger — having a lot of those qualities too.
But Barnes and Murray-Boyles are elite NBA athletes. They can make things happen at times because they are bigger, stronger or faster. Graves is certainly athletic but doesn’t have quite the size or burst that that pair do. It’s one of the reasons he was available for the Raptors to take with the 19th pick in the draft a couple of weeks ago. There were some questions about whether Graves’ ability to be active and disruptive would translate at the NBA level, given he played for a smaller school outside of the glamour college conferences.
Graves wondered too, but he felt confident as he took the floor at Cox Pavilion on campus at the University of Las Vegas that he would find a way, mostly because he always has.
“I mean yeah, I was (curious), but also I knew that (my game would) translate very well because of my IQ,” he said. “I feel like I can adapt at an elite level, and I feel like that’s what I’m going to do and continue to do as I’m going forward, is just use my brain. That’s my biggest asset. So you know, finding ways to impact the game, no matter what I’m doing, whether that’s offensive rebounding, whether that’s shooting a three, whether going to dive on the floor.”
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It has impressed Ivo Simovic, the Raptors assistant who is the head coach of their Summer League entry.
“He’s a high-IQ guy. I don’t have to tell him twice to do something,” said Simovic. “We talk about offensive rebounding. The guy goes out and rebounds. He wants to win. That’s the main thing. I think he has an amazing feel for a game. When that ball goes up, he really has a great feel for where the ball gonna bounce after the shot. Certain players they have really good nose for that type of stuff.”
They are the elements of Graves’ game that the Raptors were excited about when they drafted him and in his professional debut they were obvious for all to see.
It’s a team thing: The Raptors regulars were out in good numbers and sitting courtside to watch the Summer League version go at it, with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Jamal Shead, Immanuel Quickley, Jamison Battle and Trace Jackson-Davis on hand. They were vocal and Graves listened.
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“I mean, they’re my vets.,” he said. “They’re the people I want to listen to. I want to learn and grow from. So definitely was listening to them. They were telling me to get an angle, get in help position, just stuff like that. Just trying to listen to them, trying to learn.”
Block party: The Raptors finished with 12 blocked shots with Nate Bittle — newly signed to a training camp deal — counting six of them and seven-foot-five Jamario Sharp checking in with four. The Raptors are intrigued by Bittle, the 23-year-old undrafted centre out of Oregon. The seven-footer has long arms, sets decent screens and stepped out and hit a pair of threes to go along with eight points and 10 rebounds.
When in doubt, keep shooting: Graves shot 41.3 per cent from three in his one college season but averaged just 2.6 attempts. His career high for attempts in college was eight. But Graves showed no hesitation on Friday night, even after his first four attempts didn’t drop.
“I want to shoot the ball at a high level, and you know, that’s what I’ve worked on, just trying to get more consistent with it,” he said. “And like you said, the first two didn’t fall, but just knowing, you know, keep shooting. That’s the that’s the only mindset that I can have. You know, don’t get disappointed.”
Peter Fury has helped develop some of boxing’s biggest names over the last two decades, and the veteran trainer believes another member of the Fury family has all the attributes needed to reach the top.
Known for guiding nephew Tyson Fury to his famous victory over Wladimir Klitschko and the unified heavyweight championship in 2015, Peter has also enjoyed success with son Hughie Fury and former undisputed super-middleweight champion Savannah Marshall. More recently, he earned widespread praise for his work with Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven, who gave Oleksandr Usyk a competitive night’s work in last month’s heavyweight world title challenge.
Now, Peter’s attention has turned to another nephew, James Dean Fury, who recently announced his decision to join the professional ranks.
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A multiple-time national amateur champion and cousin of former heavyweight king Tyson Fury, James Dean has made no secret of his ambitions after signing with BOXXER.
Speaking to Boxing King Media following the announcement of his professional move, the young heavyweight said he has no doubts about where he can eventually reach.
“At the minute, all that I want to do is get to the best version of myself and achieve my dream of becoming a world champion and whoever that may be, at the time, will get it for sure. I believe in my own self, I believe that I am the best in the world and all I need is the experience and the rounds and then I will definitely get there, for sure.”
Peter Fury is equally convinced. Speaking to About Boxing, the respected trainer admitted he is especially motivated by the opportunity to guide another member of his family to world honours.
“I’m really excited about him because he is as good as he speaks, if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be with me. He has been with me from a child, he is close to me, I look at him like he is my boy, like he is my son. I’ve got a vested interest in him because he is my boy, isn’t he? He is my brother’s son and I have had him from a baby.
“So there is a big reward for me to see this young kid strive to the top – and he will. He will because I will make it that way and, if I have got anything to do with it, he will. Believe me, he is a talent.”
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Having already signed promotional terms with BOXXER, James Dean Fury is now expected to learn the date and venue of his professional debut in the near future, with an official announcement anticipated soon.
NFL insider Albert Breer believes that retired quarterback Tom Brady might have had communication with the Seattle Seahawks before last season’s Super Bowl game. They reeled in ex-offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the Raiders new coach following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl LX victory over Brady’s former team, the New England Patriots.
On Friday on “98.5 The Sports Hub,” Breer theorized how Brady might have helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl to build Kubiak’s reputation before he joined the Raiders.
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“Tom Brady was hiring his offensive coordinator during those two weeks,” Breer said. “Brady was in the process, with the Raiders, of hiring Klint Kubiak, who was the offensive coordinator of the Seahawks at the time. It would behoove the Raiders for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl because it makes their hire look better if Klint Kubiak is coming off of a Super Bowl championship.
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“Brady had also just called the NFC title game. So, Brady was in the booth for the Seahawks beating the Rams. And so, there was a level of communication there too.”
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The Raiders had hired ex-Seahawks coach Pete Carroll last season. However, following a disappointing 3-14 record, he was fired in January after just one season.
Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza reveals Tom Brady’s lessons ahead of his rookie season
The Raiders’ experiment with Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith went horribly wrong last season. Thus, the team focused on revamping the roster this offseason. After trading Smith to the Jets, they drafted 2025 national champion Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Last month, the Raiders YouTube channel posted an interview with the ex-Indiana quarterback. Fernando Mendoza spoke about the advice he received from Tom Brady on leadership.
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“I usually like to keep the talks betweeen Tom and me private,” Mendoza said as per PFT. “But I do think what he said as a quarterback is you need to be the most everything. You neeed to be the most competitive. You need to be the most leader–you have to have the most leadership.
“You need to be the toughest, mentally and physically. You’ve got to embody all these things and lead by example before getting the respect from your teammates, in order to lead effectively. That really resonated with me.”
The Raiders kickoff the 2026 season with a Week 1 game at home against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.
In recent seasons, Pinstriped has been a regular competitor in the late winter weight-for-age races.
However, following an extended break after his spring campaign last year, Pinstriped is set to aim for a fitness advantage over his spring rivals when he contests the Sportsbet Fixed Odds Exotics Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
For the past three years, trainer Enver Jusufovic has initiated Pinstriped’s spring campaign in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, scheduled for next month.
Jusufovic is again planning to target that race, where Pinstriped has previously finished second twice and seventh last year. This time, however, the Cranbourne-based horseman wanted the gelding to have an earlier run.
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Pinstriped hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham in December, but he has completed two jump-outs in preparation for his Saturday appearance.
Jusufovic granted Pinstriped a more substantial break after last year’s spring, feeling the gelding was not performing at his best.
“Physically, I thought he was in great shape, he just didn’t really come up,” Jusufovic commented.
“He was hesitant to go into the barriers on most occasions and then slow out and was getting that pair further back than you would have liked.
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“I made the effort to give him a long break. He had a good four months, and I thought I would work him a little bit different this time, more from a sprinting mould and he’s come back really nice and bright.
“His action is good, his back is brilliant, I couldn’t be happier with it, and you see him rolling all-the-time now.
“He does a lot of dressage and is leading on his right leg and he’s done so much of it, he could go to a show.”
Pinstriped experiences ‘kissing spine’ issues, prompting Jusufovic to utilise dressage rather than opt for surgery.
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Jusufovic explained that the dressage work functions as conditioning, analogous to human gym workouts, for developing the hindquarters of horses.
“With dressage, you are getting them to use their body properly,” Jusufovic said.
“He’s using his hind quarter which builds them up, so it is a bit similar to gym work where you do the exercises properly to build those areas.”
Jusufovic has not outlined any plans beyond the P B Lawrence Stakes, preferring to evaluate Pinstriped’s performance on Saturday and in his subsequent outing.
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“Lachie Neindorf trialled him last week and was of the opinion to keep him on the fresh side and he suggested 1400 (metres) first-up,” Jusufovic relayed.
“This race came up and while he’s got 62 kilos, he’s a big horse and can carry it.
“He probably deserves the weight and it’s a good time to kick him off, nice and early, and after this run, he can have a week off.
“He can go to the P B Lawrence but after that, nothing’s set in concrete and it all depends on each performance, keep him fresh, rather than go two weeks, two weeks, two weeks.
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“It appears there’s a bit more depth in the Group 1 ranks this year, so we can pick what we want to do.
“Hopefully I don’t have the same prep I had with him last time, otherwise there might not be another prep with him.”
Keen to get involved in the betting for Saturday’s Caulfield races? Explore the available betting markets for the race at betting sites.
In a significant development for Australian racing, The Golden Eagle has been elevated to Group 1 status for the upcoming 2026-27 season, increasing the national tally of elite races to 77. This announcement came with the assurance that the Metropolitan, Victoria Derby, and Railway Stakes will maintain their Group 1 standing, having been reviewed for potential downgrades.
The Australian Racing Federation (ARF) has indicated that 30 races have either received upgrades or newly acquired stakes status. New South Wales benefits significantly, with 22 races seeing enhancements. Among these, the Concorde Stakes, Kingston Town Stakes, Craven Plate, and City Tatts Lightning Stakes have all been promoted from Group 3 to Group 2. The Heritage Stakes also moves up from Listed to Group 3.
Several NSW races are being introduced to stakes status for the first time. The Invitation, Russell Balding Stakes, and 7 Stakes are now designated as Group 2 races. The Five Diamonds and The Gong have been upgraded to Group 3, while The Silver Eagle, Golden Gift, Big Dance, The Warra, The Hunter, and The Beauford have been confirmed as Listed races.
Victoria sees upgrades for the Poseidon Stakes, Cap D’Antibes Stakes, Spring Preview, and Chautauqua Stakes, all moving from Listed to Group 3 level.
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Some races considered for elevation have retained their current classifications. The Shorts remains a Group 2 event, and the San Domenico Stakes and Toy Show Quality continue as Group 3 races.
The ARF had placed the Metropolitan, Victoria Derby, and Railway Stakes under scrutiny for possible downgrades, but ultimately decided to uphold their Group 1 status.
The Golden Eagle, a race exclusively for four-year-olds, was established in 2019 and has rapidly become one of the season’s premier events, justifying its promotion to Group 1.
The mare Autumn Glow enhanced the race’s growing reputation with her victory over Sepals and Evaporate last year. International winners Obamburumai (2023) and Lake Forest (2024) preceded her triumph.
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Past winners of The Golden Eagle include Kolding (2019), Colette (2020), I’m Thunderstruck (2021), and I Wish I Win (2022).
These changes to the black-type race structure follow the Asian Pattern Committee’s assumption of responsibility for the Australian Pattern system from Racing Australia late last year.
The APC held a special meeting last week to finalise the status of Australian black-type races for the commencement of the new racing season on August 1.
“A key purpose of this special meeting was to enable the ARF to assist the Australian industry to be fully informed of any changes ahead of the next running of these races, while other races in Racing Australia’s application are to be further considered by the APC at its next meeting in September,” the ARF statement read.
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“The ARF has been clear on the requirement that Racing Australia establish a functioning system operating in accordance with the APC Ground Rules, and will provide a further update when it is considered appropriate for the above arrangements to end (or any other necessary actions to be taken by the ARF if such a system is not established).”
Racing Australia was formally advised of and agreed to the Pattern changes last week.
The ARF stepped in to manage the black-type races after the Australian Pattern Committee had become ineffective for several years due to internal disagreements among state racing bodies.
A seven-member Black Type Advisory Group, comprising industry leaders such as Sebastian Hutch (Inglis), Barry Bowditch (Magic Millions), Antony Thompson (Widden Stud), Andy Makiv (Godolphin Australia), Jon Freyer (Arrowfield Stud), Duncan Grimley, and Adrian Hancock, subsequently presented recommendations to the APC for a significant overhaul of the nation’s black-type races.
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“(The handicappers) held a special conference to determine the end-of-season 2025/26 ratings for horses rated above 112 in the ARF jurisdictions (including Australia), as well as the ratings for the first four placed horses in all Group 1 races run in the ARF Pattern,” the APC statement said.
“These ratings were considered by the APC in the relevant decision-making process.”
As The Golden Eagle ascends to Group 1 status, consider exploring the competitive racing betting markets available.
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