NEW DELHI: French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja was crowned champion of the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters after holding Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi to a draw in the final round on Wednesday, while world champion D Gukesh endured a disappointing campaign, finishing last in the elite tournament.Firouzja finished the competition with 4.5 points after scoring two victories and five draws across seven rounds. The Frenchman, who began the event with back-to-back wins, maintained his consistency throughout the round-robin tournament to claim the title and take home the winner’s prize of Rs 25 lakh.

Firouzja holds nerve to clinch title

Heading into the final round, Firouzja held a crucial half-point advantage over closest challengers Erigaisi and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov.While Firouzja only needed a draw against Erigaisi to secure the championship, Abdusattorov needed a victory with the black pieces against Dmitry Andreikin to keep his title hopes alive.However, Abdusattorov’s ambitious approach backfired as he went down against Andreikin in 37 moves. That result meant Firouzja’s draw with Erigaisi was enough to seal the crown.Playing with the white pieces, Erigaisi attempted to create winning chances, but Firouzja handled the pressure confidently. The two players eventually agreed to a draw after 41 moves in a rook-and-pawn endgame, with the Indian Grandmaster unable to find a realistic path to victory.The Chennai Grand Masters featured eight Grandmasters competing in a round-robin format, with a total prize purse of Rs 75 lakh and valuable FIDE Circuit points at stake.

Gukesh’s difficult run continues

While Firouzja celebrated a memorable triumph, it was a tournament to forget for India’s reigning world champion D Gukesh.The Chennai youngster struggled to find his rhythm throughout the event, losing three of his seven games and finishing at the bottom of the standings with just two points.Gukesh managed to avoid another defeat in the final round, drawing against Hans Niemann, but it was not enough to lift him from eighth place in the final standings.The result marked a rare low point for the 20-year-old, who has enjoyed a historic rise over the past year after becoming the youngest world chess champion.

Andreikin finishes unbeaten, Erigaisi among runners-up

Andreikin ended the tournament as the only unbeaten player apart from Firouzja, finishing with four points after defeating Abdusattorov in the final round.Erigaisi also ended with four points, while Abdusattorov, Nihal Sarin and M Pranesh shared fourth place with 3.5 points.The final-round results saw Gukesh draw with Niemann, Nihal Sarin draw with Pranesh, Firouzja draw with Erigaisi, and Andreikin defeat Abdusattorov.

A few weeks ago, Kevin O’Connell made some comical quips about being hurt by not getting to play golf alongside Harrison Smith when the safety was in the town. Maybe putting in a round alongside Scottie Scheffler helps make up for any hurt feelings.

Charley Walters is a veteran sports writer who works for The Pioneer Press. He took to social media to make the simple point: “Kevin O’Connell playing with Scottie Scheffler in 3M pro-am this morning at TPC.” In just a few days, Coach O’Connell will need to put away his golf bag in favor of picking up the coach’s whistle in preparation for a pressure-packed season.

Kevin O’Connell Plays Golf with Scottie Scheffler

Mr. Scheffler knows a thing or two about playing golf.

Nobody on the planet is truly within his stratosphere. Not right now, at least. Rory McIlroy will be remembered as one of the best ever. Likewise, the era will bring up memories of some of the special things that Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and various others have done. Scheffler is better than them all and it’s not particularly close.

Presumably, Kevin O’Connell feels privileged to share a round of golf with such a dominant force. Is that a two-way street?

Coach O’Connell is widely regarded as being among the game’s great coaches. To my eye, he’s above average but far from dominant, largely due to his inability to construct a formidable ground attack. Introducing true balance to his play calling and the manner in which he can attack the opponent would do wonders for the Minnesota Vikings.

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But then there’s the reality of what’s coming up: Kevin O’Connell is desperate for a playoff run.

Prior to coming to Minnesota, O’Connell was the OC for Sean McVay’s Rams. The skipper therefore came to the Twin Cities with a ring on his finger and the upside of ensuring that those in Minnesota could snag some rings, too. He has since gone 0-2 in the playoffs.

Not too many coaches are capable of having a Marvin Lewis career. The former Bengals coach was in Cincinnati for a long time, putting in work from 2003 to 2018. He went 0-7 in the playoffs during that time. Expect O’Connell to get canned well ahead of being allowed to lose 7 playoff games if there are zero counterbalancing wins.

Kevin O’Connell, in other words, needs to put things together before too long. His roster boasts a pile of talent but everybody is focusing on the high-profile quarterback battle. Safe to say, folks, that O’Connell has never made a more important decision than the one he’s about to make for who starts at quarterback.

The coach then needs his o-line to improve, a run game that’s more than just a casual part of the mix, ongoing excellence from the Brian Flores defense, and the specials to continue being very good (Will Reichard = an assassin who kills the opponent 3 points at a time).

The Vikings welcome rookies to training camp on Sunday, July 26th. A couple of days later, the veterans get to Eagan. O’Connell has plenty of work ahead of him. Maybe Scottie Scheffler will be able to pass along some tips about a well-rounded attack that can elevate on the largest stage.

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

The wait is over. The Arizona Cardinals resolved one of their two quarterback disputes on Wednesday, as players reported to training camp. However, it wasn’t with Jacoby Brissett. It was the easy quarterback contract.

They signed quarterback Carson Beck to his four-year rookie contract, the team announced. He was their only unsigned rookie.

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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the four-year deal is worth $7.4 million.

Beck was selected 65th overall in the draft, the first pick of the third round, out of Miami. He was one of only a handful of unsigned draft picks.

He started 43 games in college between Georgia and Miami, and he led Miami to the College Football Playoff national championship game, losing ultimately to Indiana.

Many are intrigued about the possibility of Beck starting football games this season. It isn’t off the table, but he took third-team reps during OTAs and minicamp. He will presumably begin the season as the third-string quarterback behind Jacoby Brissett, who is currently in a contract dispute with the team, and Gardner Minshew, who took all first-team reps in the offseason program.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals sign QB Carson Beck to rookie contract

Yuvraj Singh shares a heartfelt message on NEET protest

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has shared a heartfelt message on the ongoing protests over the alleged NEET examination paper leak, urging all stakeholders to pursue dialogue and ensure that children and students are able to learn in a safe and peaceful environment.Taking to Instagram, the 2011 World Cup hero avoided political commentary and instead focused on the welfare of students, stressing that every child deserves the opportunity to pursue education and their dreams without fear.“To every child, student, woman and man: you deserve the opportunity to learn in peace, grow with safety and chase your dreams. Your well-being is the foundation of a brighter India,” Yuvraj wrote.He concluded his message with an appeal for unity and constructive engagement.“Let’s come together to build communities of care, opportunity, and hope. Through dialogue we can find an amicable solution for the sake of India’s future.”Yuvraj’s comments come at a time when protests linked to the alleged NEET paper leak have intensified across the country, with the issue continuing to dominate political and public discourse.

Parliament deadlock and legal scrutiny continue

The controversy escalated after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) organised its ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest in New Delhi on July 20, where demonstrators were met with police action.Opposition leaders alleged that protesters were subjected to lathi-charge and tear gas, accusations that have further intensified the political confrontation over the issue.The impasse has also disrupted Parliament, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessing repeated adjournments. Opposition parties have continued to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and sought a discussion on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak under a specific parliamentary rule.The government has maintained that it is prepared to debate the issue but has objected to what it described as additional conditions being imposed by the Opposition.Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered 10 FIRs in connection with the protests.The Delhi High Court has also stepped into the matter, issuing notices to the Centre and Delhi Police on three public interest litigations alleging excessive use of force during the demonstrations. The court has directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage and other electronic records related to the incident.

Manu Bhaker had also voiced concern

Yuvraj is not the first prominent Indian sportsperson to speak on the issue.Earlier, double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker expressed concern over the plight of students, saying every child deserves access to education, safety and equal opportunities.“At this point, it’s about the lives of the future of our nation. It’s about us,” Bhaker wrote on social media.Calling the issue bigger than politics, she added that every child deserves “access to education, safety, and a fair chance at life,” while stressing that such rights should never be viewed as privileges.Bhaker also said it was heartbreaking to see students suffer and urged greater accountability to protect their futures.

One not-quite-elite season, and Justin Jefferson’s star seems to have fallen, at least from the perspective of some onlookers. The biggest question for the Minnesota Vikings this season is whether Kyler Murray is the man who can help Jefferson re-find elite production levels.

Is Kyler Murray the Answer to Vikings Superstar’s Return to Prominence?

The 2025 season was a disaster in Minnesota, and there has been plenty of fallout from it.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been replaced as general manager by Nolan Teasley, fresh from being the assistant general manager for the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks. Kevin O’Connell kept his job as head coach, and Brian Flores’ services were retained as defensive coordinator to give the team some continuity.

The big question looming over the Vikings as we came into the offseason was what the team would do at quarterback. After using three different starting QBs because of injuries last season and not having much success with any of them, something had to change.

The answer for Minnesota was to sign Pro Bowl QB Kyler Murray in free agency following his release by the Arizona Cardinals, allowing the Vikings to pick Murray up on the cheap.

Murray arrives in Minnesota on the back of a season in which he played only five games due to injury and then falling out of favor in Arizona. He may not have fully lived up to his first overall pick status or improved on back-to-back Pro Bowls in his second and third seasons in the league.

However, Murray is a dynamic athlete and an accurate passer. If he can maintain the standards he’s set for a 17-game season average of just shy of 4000 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, the Vikings and Jefferson should have a good season.

Jefferson’s Still the Best

As far as I am concerned, Justin Jefferson is still the best wide receiver in football.

If you wank to make your own case for Puka Nacua, Ja’Marr Chase, or the rising star – Jaxson Smith-Njigba – then that is fine, but at this point Jefferson has been doing it for longer and his 2025 season doesn’t change things. Jefferson was often cited as being “QB proof,” and in 2025 we discovered that was only partially true.

Jefferson’s stats for the 2025 season read: 84 catches on 141 targets for 1,048 yards and two touchdowns. It was a career low for receiving yards, touchdowns, and also first-down catches (47), with Jefferson scoring better numbers even in the 2023 season where he only started nine games because of injury. A 1000-yard season is respectable but not what we expect from a guy who has pushed to try and break the 2000-yard mark in the past. His two touchdown catches were a very disappointing return.

In their recent wide receiver rankings for the 2026 season, Pro Football Focus still looked at Jefferson favorably, ranking him in third place – below Nacua and Smith-Njigba. PFF was not about to forget the career Jefferson has put together so far, while also showing confidence that Murray is the right man to help Jefferson:

Inconsistent quarterback play led to Jefferson posting career lows in PFF grade (80.5). Still, Jefferson deserves a high placement on this list based on what he has accomplished throughout his career.

Jefferson’s 8,480 career receiving yards are the most by any player through his first six NFL seasons. His 93.4 career PFF grade ranks second among wide receivers since 2020. With Kyler Murray now throwing him the football, expect Jefferson to return to his elite form in 2026.

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Murray and Jefferson have the potential to be an exciting partnership, and that is what everyone of a Vikings persuasion will be hoping for. It’s what Minnesota needs to be competitive in a strong NFC North division if they hope for a return to playoff football this season.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after losing to Spain in the World Cup final. (AP Photo)

The mystery surrounding Lionel Messi‘s viral dressing-room speech before Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final has finally been addressed, with Alexis Mac Allister’s father dismissing speculation of an internal crisis and insisting the captain’s words were taken completely out of context.Carlos Mac Allister revealed that even he briefly wondered whether something had gone wrong inside the Argentina camp after watching footage of Messi repeatedly telling his teammates to “forget everything” before the final against Spain. The clip quickly spread across social media, fuelling theories that Argentina’s squad was dealing with tensions behind the scenes before suffering a 0-1 extra-time defeat in New Jersey.However, according to Carlos, there was nothing sinister about Messi’s message.ALSO READ: Were Argentina under more pressure than usual? Messi’s tunnel pep talks fuel fan theories – WATCH

‘I asked Alexis what had happened’

According to La Nación’s report, Carlos admitted the video initially left him puzzled.“I sent a message to Alexis asking him: what happened in the dressing room? Did something happen? If I had started to wonder, then imagine what others thought,” he said.The speculation stemmed from footage released by ESPN showing Messi urging his teammates to stay calm before the biggest match of the tournament.“Come on, lads, stay calm. The most important thing is that you stay calm,” Messi said.The Argentina captain then added the line that sparked widespread debate.“Let’s forget everything. Let’s just play. Let’s focus on the match, lads,” Messi added.Those words prompted countless theories online, with many fans interpreting them as evidence that something had happened behind closed doors before kick-off.According to Carlos Mac Allister, the reality was far less dramatic.

Messi’s message was purely tactical

Carlos said his son immediately dismissed any suggestion of unrest inside the dressing room.Instead, Alexis explained that Messi was simply reminding the players to focus on their football and stick to Argentina’s tactical plan.“He told me they talked about going out to play in the footballing sense, to keep it on the ground, keep the ball moving, build triangles, and not just lump it forward. That’s what they were referring to,” Carlos said.He added that the short clip circulating online lacked the surrounding context, making it easy for people to reach incorrect conclusions.“Since then, a lot of doubt has come up over these past few days because of that post that went around, and a lot of people have reached out to me about it,” he further added.Carlos insisted there were no arguments, no dressing-room divisions and no internal crisis before the final.

Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister (20) reacts after Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the goal. (AP Photo)

Scaloni also dismisses speculation

The rumours gained further momentum after reports claimed Messi and head coach Lionel Scaloni had disagreed over Argentina’s tactical approach.Scaloni, however, rejected those suggestions after the match.“I don’t look at social media. I don’t know anything. I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the Argentina coach said.When questioned further, he added: “I can’t believe what you’re asking me. We’re going in a completely different direction, guys.”Carlos also rejected claims that anything other than Spain’s performance decided the World Cup final.According to him, every Argentine player gave everything they had, but Spain simply proved to be the better team on the night.The clarification comes after days of intense speculation generated by Messi’s emotional speeches before kick-off and at half-time, with the captain repeatedly urging his teammates to stay calm, show personality and focus only on football.While the viral footage sparked endless theories across social media, Carlos Mac Allister’s account offers the clearest explanation yet.

Major League Soccer says it is investigating allegations of tampering by Inter Miami after the club signed Brazil midfielder Casemiro.

On Wednesday, Miami announced they had signed the 34-year-old – who left Manchester United at the end of last season – on a deal that runs to the end of the 2027 MLS campaign, with an option to extend until June 2029.

But moments later, the MLS released a statement saying it was “reviewing a tampering allegation” against the club.

“The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete,” it added.

“While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the discovery priority [first rights] to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation.”

The investigation concerns Casemiro’s discovery rights, an MLS regulation that gives a specific club first refusal over a player should they want to join.

A club may have up to five players on their discovery list at any time and can add or remove players.

Los Angeles Galaxy held the discovery rights for Casemiro but in announcing the player’s signing, Inter Miami said they had acquired the rights from the Galaxy.

Casemiro announced in January that he would depart Old Trafford at the end of the 2026-27 season following a mutual decision not to renew his contract.

He won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid before moving to United in 2022, who played for Brazil as they reached the last 16 at this summer’s World Cup.

“What motivates me the most, and I think this is true for every player, is winning and continuing to grow,” he said.

Casemiro made 160 appearances for United, scoring 26 goals and providing 14 assists as he won one EFL Cup and one FA Cup.

In the wake of Casemiro’s departure, United have prioritised midfield reinforcements in this window, buying Andrey Santos for £50m from Chelsea, and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m.

Before the announcement of the investigation, Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham said of Casemiro: “He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home.”

At Miami, Casemiro is set to join former Real and Manchester United team-mate Sergio Reguilon as well as Argentina’s World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.

It is not the first time Inter Miami have been probed over transfer dealings.

In 2021 they were fined $2m after breaking MLS rules with the signing of France midfielder Blaise Matuidi from Juventus the previous year.

The MLS said Matuidi had been paid more than was allowed, effectively giving the team four “designated players” last season rather than the permitted three. Designated players’ wages do not count towards the MLS salary cap.

Known as the ‘Beckham rule’, it was introduced when the ex-England captain joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.