South Africa’s Marco Jansen and teammates (ANI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: South Africa are on an unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup. Except for the double Super Over against Afghanistan, they’ve steamrolled top teams, including India, whom they beat by 76 runs. On a seven-match winning streak, South Africa hopes to shed their ‘chokers’ tag.The legacy of that tag has followed the Proteas for the past two decades. It started with the 1999 World Cup loss to Australia and persisted until the 2024 T20 World Cup, losing the final to India in the Caribbean.

Now, the reigning World Test Championship winners are the team to beat in the T20 World Cup being played in India and Sri Lanka. Their winning run continued with a 5-wicket win over Zimbabwe on Sunday. Coach Shukri Conrad was asked if this brings pressure and the much-dreaded reminder of being chokers?“There’s always pressure. I think it’s what you do with that pressure and how you shift the pressure. As for the C-word [chokers], I think there’s another one for that – ‘cupcakes.’ I’m sure we kind of enjoyed that,” said Conrad.The cupcake reference relates to a TV advert in the lead-up to the India vs South Africa Super Eight match where an Indian fan jokingly told a South Africa supporter about “repeating history” from the 2024 T20 World Cup while teasing them over a cupcake. But after South Africa’s resounding win against India in Ahmedabad, that dig flipped on its head.“No, there’s always pressure and it’s really about embracing that pressure. And we don’t do things any differently. We’re going to prepare exactly the same way for New Zealand. Whether we start as favourites? Probably because we’re the only unbeaten side in the competition. But I don’t know if that adds to the pressure,” continued Conrad.“I think the semi-final is pressure enough. Playing a tough side in New Zealand is pressure enough. So there’s no added pressure.“I’m glad that we’re favourites because I always felt that as a South African team you want to be able to play as a favourite because it’s easy being an underdog. The expectation isn’t that much. But if we can continue doing what we’re doing then we need a little bit of luck along the way as well.“Hopefully that will give us the result on Wednesday and then on to our ‘home ground’ in Ahmedabad,” he finished cheekily.

The grips on your golf clubs have long been something of an afterthought. Even during a clubfitting, there’s often little time spent dialing in your grips. At the end of the process, you’re usually asked a simple question — What grip do you prefer? — and then you’re on your way.

The folks at Golf Pride don’t think this is the most prudent approach. 

“We believe we’re designing equipment for your hands,” says James Ledford, Golf Pride president. “Not handles for your clubs.”

For Ledford, that distinction is more than semantics. Golf Pride thinks about grips as a true performance category, rather than just a finishing touch. While clubheads, shafts and balls have been studied for decades with standardized testing and performance metrics, grips have largely escaped the same level of scrutiny.

“There really haven’t been established protocols for how to study grips the way the industry studies equipment,” Ledford says. “We all understand clubhead delivery numbers. We don’t really have those standards yet for grips.”

That gap is what Golf Pride wants to close.

Instead of treating grips as passive components, the company is approaching them as active performance tools that influence strike quality, consistency and, most importantly, confidence. In Ledford’s view, the grip shouldn’t be the final decision in the fitting process, but the starting point. Most golfers think about the clubhead first, then work their way up the shaft, and only finally consider the grip. The company is deliberately flipping that order.

At Golf Pride’s state-of-the-art Performance Lab in Pinehurst, N.C., players go through a Tour-level grip fitting that takes into account hand size, climate conditions, texture and firmness to narrow down possible grip choices. Then it’s time to actually hit shots on a simulator until you find the grip that feels the best for your swing. It soon becomes clear just how influential the grip can be.

“This is where we’re really trying to understand grips as equipment,” Ledford says. “It’s about building real data around how grips influence performance.”

For years, grips have been the quiet constant in the bag. Golf Pride is betting that once golfers start treating them like real equipment — not an afterthought — that silence won’t last much longer.

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The advantage of straight-course practice has been evident, with fillies from Lindsay Park taking out the top two spots at Flemington.

Ben, Will and J D Hayes’s Gin Twist and La Gitana grabbed the quinella in the Listed TAB We’re On (1000m) last Saturday, having shared an 800m jump-out on Flemington’s straight on February 20.

Ben Hayes commented that the trial was vital, unlike for the third Lindsay Park entry Jacaranda ($3.20 favourite), who missed it and finished fifth.

Luke Currie aboard Gin Twist ($3.50) guided her to a 1-¾ length success ahead of La Gitana ($5), as The Troubleshooter ($17) was 2-¾ lengths further adrift in third.

“Two-year-olds are very hard,” Hayes said.

“They either get it wrong, which we saw with Jacaranda, who dropped the bit early and didn’t look comfortable, they don’t know how to get into a rhythm, whereas the other two were professional, they jumped, got into a rhythm and gave good kicks.

“It’s a bit of a guessing game when you’re running them and I say that to the owners, they either handle it or they won’t.

“We say don’t worry about that as they will improve out of sight. Having a look and seeing how they handle it is very important.”

Hayes disclosed pressure applied by Tom Magnier of Coolmore Australia for his fillies to achieve a one-two-three.

In the midst of yearling sales season, Magnier was pushing for success from Home Affairs, sire to the three two-year-olds.

“We had a bit of pressure on us,” Hayes said.

“Tom said to us, if we didn’t get the trifecta with the Home Affairs fillies, we would be in trouble.

“Sorry Tom, we only got the quinella, hopefully that’s OK.

“It was an impressive win. I got a bit worried as she got a bit hot in the mounting yard and got a bit worked up, but she jumped, she looked like she was comfortable the whole race and went to the line quite easily.”

The stable intends to deliberate Gin Twist’s future assignments, not excluding a journey to Sydney targeting the Golden Slipper at Rosehill next month.

Find the best sports betting options and betting markets for the race on key events such as the Golden Slipper.

Best guess at this stage is that WR3 Jalen Nailor is going to be playing elsewhere in 2026.

The Vikings receiver has been a rare success story from the ten-person 2022 draft class. In fact, the argument could be made that he’s the success story as the lonely player to develop into an impact player. Redoing the event would surely lead to a team picking Nailor far higher than when he got scooped up, a sure sign that he has done well across his four seasons.

Prior to the 2025 season finishing, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (now an employee of the 49ers) pointed toward a desire to retain Mr. Nailor while nevertheless looping “economic realities” into the conversation. Doing so could be read as laying the groundwork for a goodbye.

Similarly worth remembering is that Nailor himself sounded like someone who would leave when he did his presser after the season concluded. Per Nailor, there was excitement for the arrival of free agency: “It’s going to be a pretty interesting offseason, but I’m just excited for what’s to come.”

Vikings Receiver Jalen Nailor Unlikely to Remain

More recently, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell took some time to chat with Paul Allen and Pete Bercich at the NFL Combine. O’Connell was his usually chatty and positive self, as is his wont. The Nailor question continued the trend even if the coach pointed toward where this thing is going.

O’Connell praises Keenan McCardell’s coaching as well as Nailor’s ability to persevere over early injury. There’s then a mention of Nailor being capable of doing “a lot of different things” while saying that “we’re not the only ones watching the tape.”

“We’ll see how these next few weeks play out,” O’Connell said.

To O’Connell’s eye, Nailor is a very good receiver who has pushed his game upward, largely due to being capable of getting shuffled around the offense. Nailor’s film is impressive, leading O’Connell to conclude that other teams have noticed what he’s capable of doing.

Folks, that’s the kiss of death.

The Vikings, of course, haven’t made a firm decision. Unexpected things happen all the time. Maybe reality arrives and Jalen Nailor keeps earning his pay as an employee of the Minnesota Vikings. Sure sounds, though, like Minnesota’s top coach is preparing for life without him.

Nicknamed Speedy, Nailor offered the Vikings 29 catches for 444 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025. Modest, all things considered, and yet stats that arrived as the third receiver from within a mostly impotent passing attack. Plus, RB1 Aaron Jones and TE1 T.J. Hockenson were siphoning off targets in the passing game, as well.

Going to an offense where Nailor can get featured more prominently could lead to good things.

Last season, the pass catcher averaged an explosive 15.3 yards per reception. Of the 29 catches, there were 23 that went for a 1st down. Not too bad. The season before, Nailor averaged 14.8 yards per reception while turning 24 of his 28 catches into 1st downs. Again, impressive.

Originally a 6th-Round selection (No. 191 overall), Jalen Nailor has become a success story. He had a modest opening pair of seasons before becoming a weapon in his third and fourth seasons.

Whoever adds him will be getting someone who can play outside and in the slot, be someone who picks up a fresh set of downs, and who can score. Indeed, the sense one gets is that there’s some meat left on the bone. Put differently, Nailor has the potential to offer more than what he has shown in recent years.

He is listed as being 5’11” and 199 pounds. He’ll turn 27 on Monday, March 2nd.

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

Players who cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations should be sent off, says Gianni Infantino, the president of football’s world governing body.

Infantino told Sky News, external he thought referees should work from a presumption that players have said “something they shouldn’t have”.

He was speaking less than two weeks after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt over his mouth while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game.

The Argentina international has been given a provisional one-match ban by Uefa for alleged use of racist language, which he denies.

The ban was imposed pending the result of a full investigation by an ethics and disciplinary inspector, and Prestianni could be punished further once the investigation is complete.

Infantino said individual cases should be dealt with by the relevant bodies, but football more broadly must “act and be decisive” to bring in something which has “a deterrent effect”.

The issue was discussed at the International Football Association Board (Ifab) annual general meeting in Wales this weekend.

It was agreed there would be consultation to develop measures to stop players hiding what they might be saying to an opponent.

Infantino said: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.

“There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.

“If you do not have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that.”

The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Denver Nuggets in 2024-25, winning all four of their matchups. The Nuggets are one victory away from returning the favor this season.

Denver (37-23) attempts to complete a sweep of the 2025-26 four-game series when it hosts Minnesota (37-23) at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at Ball Arena. The Nuggets won their first two meetings with the Timberwolves this campaign by double digits on the road before posting a 142-138 overtime victory at home on Dec. 25 at home.

The teams enter this showdown tied for fourth place in the Western Conference, a half game behind the Houston Rockets. Denver has lost seven of its last 11 contests, while Minnesota has won five of six.

There are 10 other games on Sunday’s NBA schedule, including a clash between the Memphis Grizzlies (22-36) and Indiana Pacers (15-45) at 5 p.m. ET at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Pacers are looking to halt a five-game losing streak, while the Grizzlies – who won the first meeting between the clubs this season – ended their three-game slide with Friday’s 124-105 triumph over the Dallas Mavericks. 

The NHL has six games on its slate, one of which has the Calgary Flames (24-28-6) visiting the Honda Center to take on the red-hot Anaheim Ducks (32-23-3) at 8 p.m. ET. The Flames are hoping to bounce back from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings as they face off against a Ducks team that has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 contests.

Almost two dozen games are on Sunday’s college basketball slate, with one being a Big Ten Conference battle between No. 13 Michigan State (23-5) and Indiana (17-11) at 3:45 p.m. ET on CBS at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Spartans enter with a three-game winning streak and cruised to an 81-60 home triumph against the Hoosiers, who have lost three straight, earlier this season.

The Nuggets are 3-point favorites against the Timberwolves in the latest consensus NBA odds, while the Pacers are 1.5-point favorites over the Grizzlies. The Ducks are -180 on the money line against the Flames and Michigan State is a 2.5-point favorite against Indiana.

Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Sunday, March 1. All times Eastern

NBA best bets, where to watch

Timberwolves at Nuggets

Time: 3:30 p.m. | Location: Denver | TV: ABC | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick — Model: Timberwolves +130

Neither team was in action Saturday but the Timberwolves have had an extra day of rest as they haven’t played since improving to 2-0 on their three-game road trip by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 94-88 on Thursday. The Nuggets are coming off a 127-121 overtime setback against the Thunder in Oklahoma City. Minnesota has performed well on the road of late, winning three straight and five of its last six, and the SportsLine Projection Model sees that trend continuing as the Timberwolves win this matchup in 59% of its simulations.

Grizzlies at Pacers

Time: 5 p.m. | Location: Indianapolis | TV: NBA League Pass | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks — Model: Under 238.5 (-107) | Expert: Jaylen Wells Under 18.5 points + rebounds (-122, PropBetGuy)

The Pacers are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, ranking 28th with an average of 111.5 points. Six of the Grizzlies’ last eight games have finished Under the projected total for this matchup, and the teams combined for 231 points in their first meeting this season. The SportsLine Projection Model doesn’t expect them to produce much more on Sunday as its simulations have the Under hitting more than 59% of the time. Jaylen Wells has recorded more than 18 combined points and rebounds in only six of his last 30 outings, and SportsLine props expert PropBetGuy (114-81, +1962 on his last 195 NBA player prop picks) believes the Memphis forward, who is primarily a spot-up shooter, will miss that mark against a Pacers club that is second in the league in defending catch-and-shoot opportunities.

NHL best bets, where to watch

Flames at Ducks

Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Anaheim | TV: ESPN+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks — Model: Under 6.5 (-121) | Expert: Ducks -1 (-116, Matt Severance)

The Ducks have scored at least four goals in every contest during their four-game winning streak, but they’re just 15th in the NHL in scoring with a total of 190 tallies. They face a Flames squad that has given up a total of three goals in its last two contests and ranks ninth in the league with 170 tallies allowed. Meanwhile, Calgary is dead-last in scoring with 144 goals and was blanked in its last outing. Therefore, the SportsLine Projection Model believes this will be a low-scoring matchup as the Under hits in well over 58% of its simulations. SportsLine expert Matt Severance (5-0-2, +502 on his last seven NHL spread picks) likes the Ducks to cover the spread against a Flames team that is just 9-18-2 on the road this season.

CBB best bets, where to watch

No. 13 Michigan State at Indiana

Time: 3:45 p.m. | Location: Bloomington, Ind. | TV: CBS | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick — Model: Indiana +2.5 (-110)

These teams are trending in opposite directions, as the Spartans have won three consecutive games and the Hoosiers have lost three in a row. Michigan State’s last two victories were close ones, as it defeated Ohio State by six points and Purdue by just two. After a pair of blowout losses, Indiana fell to Northwestern by only four points. The Hoosiers covered the spread in two of their previous three meetings with the Spartans, winning outright both times. The SportsLine Projection Model sees them keeping it close in this showdown as its simulations have them covering 59% of the time.

Sanju Samson celebrates his half century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and West Indies, at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: Moments after hitting the winning boundary, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and dropped to his knees to thank the almighty. Relief washed over the face of the right-hander who fired India into the T20 World Cup semifinals with a breathtaking knock. Even before the crowd could capture the winning moments, “Vande Mataram” played at full volume as the Indian dugout rushed out to celebrate what was a top run-chase under pressure. “Lehra Do” was up next and the laser lights joined the act as the announcer egged the crowd on. The party was only getting started in Kolkata after India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) with four deliveries to spare. Until a week ago in Ahmedabad, Sanju Samson was nowhere close to the Playing XI as India were happy with the two left-handers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma as their two openers. However, the consistent off-spin threat, which led to early wickets, forced the think-tank to rework its strategy and bring Samson, a right-hander, back to the top of the order. He had lost his spot to an in-form Kishan but the tactical call forced the left-hander down to No.3 and left-right was restored.

The move worked in the must-win game against Zimbabwe in Chennai earlier this week as it not only gave India a brisk start but also kept spin away. Although spin was introduced early in Kolkata and India lost two early wickets, Samson unlocked his maximum potential when the team had its back to the wall. Chasing a stiff target, the right-hander played an unforgettable knock to help India advance to the semi-final of the multi-nation tournament. He drove well, cut fiercely and exhibited big-match temperament in front of a capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens. Pace or spin, Samson took them down with aplomb and never lost shape in the process. He hit the ball where it was meant to be hit but his ice-cool nerves stood out during his 50-ball 97*, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.The pitch had a lot of dew and the absence of demons made batting less difficult; however, the scoreboard pressure of the virtual quarter-final made it a daunting task. Wickets falling from the other end didn’t change Samson’s approach; he continued to operate at a healthy strike-rate and kept the asking rate in check. The partnership with Suryakumar Yadav put the chase on track after the early wickets, giving it the much needed push with the breezy 42-run stand, off only 26 balls, with Tilak Varma.

Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 match against West Indies at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. (ANI)

When Hardik Pandya joined Samson, the equation was under control: 55 runs were needed off 32 balls. With batting to follow, India controlled the game from that point. Samson and Pandya put India in striking distance of the win, with Samson helping India cross the line with five wickets in hand.Earlier, after electing to field first, India’s fielding was a major disappointment, and the group let the bowlers down in excellent batting conditions. Three misfield boundaries, two dropped catches and one missed run-out opportunity cost India dearly as they were not able to peg the high-flying West Indies batting line-up back with regular breakthroughs. The situation wasn’t alarming by any means at the halfway mark, as the bowlers kept the score down to 82/1. The scoreboard could have been much worse had they taken the catch and capitalised on the run-out opportunity but it was nowhere near panic territory.Both Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy had three overs left, and Suryakumar Yadav’s smart bowling changes gave India a tactical edge going into the second half of the innings. The West Indies signalled intent as they took 17 runs off Chakaravarthy’s second over. Body language dropped ever so briefly because Eden Gardens was about to erupt in the 12th over, bowled by Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and West Indies in Kolkata. (AP)

Two wickets, including that of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, got the crowd roaring and ‘Boom Boom Bumrah’ chants reverberated in the stands every time the bowler stood on top of his mark. He had the matchup advantage over the left-hander and dismissed him in just two deliveries, adding another wicket with a slower ball that completely deceived the well-set Roston Chase. From 102/1, the scoreboard became 103/3 in the space of a couple of deliveries and India did what assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expected: fight fire with fire.When the hosts circled for the final drinks interval of the innings at the end of the 14th over, the scoreboard showed a controlled 119/3, but India still had to get a Hardik Pandya over out of the way. During the break, head coach Gautam Gambhir went straight to the all-rounder and discussed the angle he could explore against Sherfane Rutherford. Pandya executed the plan perfectly, dismissing the left-hander off the first delivery to put India in a commanding position.125/4 with just five to play wasn’t a bad position, especially with four overs from Bumrah and Arshdeep, and one from Chakarvarthy remaining. Heavy dew started to settle in but one would have backed them to do the job in those crunch situations. What unfolded, however, in the next five overs was a very calculated muscular assault from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder; together, they added 70 runs in the next 30 deliveries, taking down Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Chakarvarthy in the process.Bumrah conceded 26 runs in his last two overs, Chakarvarthy conceded 14, and Arshdeep leaked 30 from his remaining two overs. The 16th over, bowled by Arshdeep, swung momentum West Indies’ way as 24 runs came off it. The left-armer looked out of sorts, conceding two sixes, five wides and two more wides, causing shoulders to drop in the field. Bumrah gave it his all in the two remaining overs and his reaction after Varun let a ball go for a boundary summed up the overall performance in the field. Which was a big let down on their biggest evening of the tournament till date.However, a special Samson plastered all the cracks to book a semi-final date with England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.Brief Scores: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37, Rovman Powell 34; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36)India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97; Jason Holder 2-38)

This spring, the Minnesota Vikings will have to be very careful with their money as they look to add new talent to the roster.

After the NFL set this year’s salary cap at $301.2 million, the Vikings are sitting at a touch over $45.5 million in the red, according to Over the Cap. That is the second-worst salary cap situation in the NFL this spring ahead of only the Dallas Cowboys, who are $56.1 million over the cap.

Related Story: The Vikings’ Cap Space Dips a Touch as First Domino Falls
Related Story: 4 Vikings Contracts That May Not Survive the Offseason

However, on Sunday, March 1, the Vikings are preparing to make their first moves to change their salary cap fortunes. They announced to roster moves that will occur on the first day of the league year that will save them nearly $20 million against the cap.

Minnesota Vikings to Release Aaron Jones, Javon Hargrave

According to the latest reports from national pundits, the Vikings have informed both Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave that they will be released on the first day of the league year (March 11) if they are not traded beforehand.

“Sources: Vikings have informed running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that, barring a trade, they will be released at the start of the league year this month,” Adam Schefter of ESPN wrote in a post on X Sunday morning.

The Hargrave release in particular would have a pretty big impact on Minnesota’s cap space, slicing it by nearly 25% in one single swoop by saving the Vikings roughly $10.9 million. Meanwhile, the release of Jones will save the Vikings around $7.75 million.

In total, the two moves would give the Vikings about $18.65 million, trimming their salary cap deficit to right around $26.8 million. That would still give them, at least currently, the second-worst salary cap situation in the league, but it is a lost closer to bringing them above water heading into the new league year.

Additionally, if the Vikings are somehow able to find a trade suitor for either of them, that could bring their savings even higher. A Hargrave trade, maybe the more likely of the two given he can still help a defense provide a pass rushing presence at the defensive tackle position, could save just under $15 million against the cap.

Meanwhile, a Jones trade, less likely since he is a 31-year-old running back coming off an injury-riddled season for the second time in three years, could save the Vikings $9.75 million if a team talked themselves into taking on his contract.

If both trades somehow went through, the Vikings could save upwards of $24.7 million against the salary cap, bringing them to nearly 50% of the way to even.

Ultimately, the moves won’t bring Minnesota all the way back from the depths of salary cap hell, but the Vikings have begun their upward climb. We’ll see what other moves happen in the coming days.

Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey