Anez Cooper, a rookie offensive lineman for the New York Jets, had a strong debut in the preseason. He played well in both pass protection and run blocking, earning the highest grade among rookie offensive linemen in the first week of preseason.
Key Facts
Anez Cooper was drafted in the sixth round from the University of Miami.
He played right guard for the New York Jets in the first preseason game.
Cooper played 20 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack, hit, or hurry on the quarterback.
He showed skill both in protecting the quarterback and blocking for running plays.
Cooper received a high overall grade of 90.9 from Pro Football Focus (PFF) for his performance.
His grade led all rookie offensive linemen during the preseason’s first week.
The Jets still need to finalize their offensive line, but Cooper’s strong start gives him more opportunities.
The challenge for Cooper is to maintain this high level as the preseason continues and competition intensifies.
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Klay Thompson is set to join the Miami Heat on a two-year contract worth about $13 million after reaching a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks. Thompson, a five-time NBA All-Star and four-time champion, will help the Heat improve their 3-point shooting as they aim for an NBA title.
Key Facts
Miami Heat recently traded for two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The team needed more 3-point shooting after trading away Tyler Herro.
Klay Thompson agreed to a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks before joining Miami.
Thompson's deal includes a player option for the second year.
Last season, Thompson averaged 11.7 points per game and shot 38.3% from 3-point range.
Miami also signed Tim Hardaway Jr., who shot 40.7% from 3-point range last season.
Andrew Wiggins remains on the team with a 41.4% 3-point shooting average.
The Heat's strong frontcourt includes Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, boosting their chances in the Eastern Conference.
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DeMar DeRozan, a six-time NBA All-Star, has signed a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets worth $3.9 million. After being waived by the Sacramento Kings, DeRozan now has a chance to compete for an NBA championship with the Nuggets.
Key Facts
DeMar DeRozan was waived by the Sacramento Kings in early July to free up salary cap space.
He signed a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Denver Nuggets, choosing them over the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans.
DeRozan is a six-time NBA All-Star and one of the league’s best mid-range shooters.
Last season, he averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game with the Kings.
DeRozan has scored 26,711 points in his career, placing him 16th all-time in NBA scoring.
He has missed only 10 games in the last two seasons despite playing 17 years in the league.
The Denver Nuggets hope DeRozan will strengthen their scoring and defense alongside stars Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, and Aaron Gordon.
DeRozan has never won an NBA championship and will try to win one with the Nuggets, who won the title three years ago.
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Arsenal began their Premier League title defense with a confident 3-0 win over Coventry, showing the boost from winning the league last season for the first time in 22 years. Captain Martin Odegaard said the team aims to attack and win the title again, rather than just defend it.
Key Facts
Arsenal won their first match of the season 3-0 against Coventry City.
Last season, Arsenal won the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.
New signage at Emirates Stadium proudly says "Champions."
Captain Martin Odegaard said the team wants to attack to win the title again.
Manager Mikel Arteta reached 150 Premier League wins in fewer than 250 games.
The atmosphere at Emirates Stadium has improved, with fans supporting the team strongly.
Key players Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka started together for the first time this season.
Summer signing Christos Tzolis impressed by taking four shots, with two on target.
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Aaron Donald has not yet said if he will come out of retirement to play for the Los Angeles Rams this season. Former Rams player Jerome Bettis believes Donald will return later in the season and strengthen the Rams' defense.
Key Facts
Aaron Donald has not announced a return to the Rams this season.
Jerome Bettis thinks Donald will come back later in the year.
The Rams have already started preseason games.
The regular season opener is against the San Francisco 49ers in less than three weeks.
The Rams signed Myles Garrett, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, this offseason.
Bettis said adding Donald would make the Rams’ defense even stronger.
Donald is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year himself.
A duo of Donald and Garrett would be one of the best defensive pairings in NFL history.
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DeMar DeRozan has agreed to a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets worth $3.9 million, the veteran minimum salary. This move adds an experienced player to the Nuggets after they traded Peyton Watson to Cleveland.
Key Facts
DeMar DeRozan will join the Denver Nuggets on a one-year deal for $3.9 million.
This will be DeRozan’s fifth NBA team in his 18th season.
DeRozan has been selected as an All-Star six times during his career.
The Nuggets traded Peyton Watson, a young player who started 40 games last season, to Cleveland.
DeRozan was the ninth overall draft pick in 2009 by the Toronto Raptors.
He spent nine seasons with the Raptors before moving to San Antonio, then Chicago, and most recently Sacramento.
Last season, DeRozan averaged 18.4 points per game.
DeRozan has had limited playoff success in recent years, with few winning seasons since leaving Toronto.
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A fan threw a green adult toy onto the court during a WNBA game between the Atlanta Dream and Los Angeles Sparks. The fan was caught by security, arrested, and banned indefinitely from attending WNBA, NBA, and other related sports events.
Key Facts
The incident occurred while Sparks player Jihyun Park was shooting free throws.
Cameron Brink pushed the object off the court, and Angel Reese tried to help identify the fan.
The fan was seen fleeing and pushed an arena worker while escaping.
The fan wore a white Luka Doncic Lakers jersey.
The fan was arrested by arena security shortly after the incident.
The WNBA banned the fan indefinitely from all league and related sports events.
Throwing adult toys on the court has been a repeated problem at WNBA games in several cities during the past year.
The fan involved in this case is not believed to be connected to a group behind previous similar incidents.
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Max Holloway won a UFC fight against Conor McGregor, but the match ended quickly because McGregor injured his knee. Holloway said he is ready to fight McGregor again next year or compete for a title in either the lightweight (155 pounds) or welterweight (170 pounds) division.
Key Facts
Holloway defeated McGregor in a match that lasted only 69 seconds due to McGregor tearing his ACL.
This was Holloway's fifth win in his last seven UFC fights.
McGregor is expected to be out for about a year because of his injury.
Holloway is open to fighting McGregor again next year or fighting for a championship title.
Two title options for Holloway are with Islam Makhachev (welterweight champ) or Justin Gaethje (lightweight champ).
Gaethje recently won a big fight and previously lost to Holloway in April 2024 by knockout.
Makhachev has a 17-fight win streak and moved up a weight class to welterweight, winning the belt there.
A future fight between Holloway and either Makhachev or Gaethje seems likely at some point.
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The Dallas Mavericks and guard Klay Thompson have agreed on a contract buyout after two difficult seasons following the trade of Luka Doncic. Thompson plans to sign with the Miami Heat as soon as he clears waivers.
Key Facts
Klay Thompson was bought out by the Dallas Mavericks, ending his two-year time with the team.
Thompson intends to join the Miami Heat once he clears waivers, possibly by Sunday.
The Mavericks missed the playoffs both seasons Thompson played after Luka Doncic was traded.
Thompson came to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal from Golden State, joining a team with Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
The trade of Doncic to the Lakers and Irving’s injury hurt the Mavericks’ success.
The Mavericks won the 2026 draft lottery and picked Duke player Cooper Flagg, who was named Rookie of the Year.
Thompson mostly came off the bench this season and averaged 12.9 points with 39% shooting from 3-point range in Dallas.
Thompson won four NBA titles with Golden State and is one of the top 3-point shooters in NBA history.
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A Massachusetts charter fishing captain and his client caught a very large Atlantic blue marlin off the coast of Massachusetts. The fish weighed 1,260 pounds and is believed to be the largest ever caught on the U.S. East Coast.
Key Facts
The blue marlin measured more than 11 feet long.
It weighed 1,260 pounds, close to the world record of 1,402 pounds caught in Brazil in 1992.
The fish was caught about 100 miles off Cape Cod in an underwater canyon called Atlantis Canyon.
The fight to catch the fish lasted about three hours and was done using rod and reel.
The blue marlin is a seasonal visitor to the New England waters, which are usually too cold for it most of the year.
Scientists estimate the fish may be 25 to 30 years old.
The captain’s boat is named Castafari.
The meat from the fish was shared among about a dozen people and may be used in recipes like fish chowder.
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The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is a car race taking place in Washington DC with cars reaching speeds of 180 mph. This event marks the first major auto race in the capital in over 24 years and celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Key Facts
The race is called the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
IndyCar race cars will reach speeds of up to 180 mph on the track.
The event is part of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration.
It is the first major car race in Washington DC in more than 24 years.
About 140,000 people are expected to attend each day of the race weekend.
The BBC’s Helena Humphrey took a test drive ahead of the event.
The race is held on a special racetrack arranged in Washington DC.
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Phoenix Mercury rookie Marta Suarez painted a portrait of Diana Taurasi to honor her basketball career before Taurasi’s Ring of Honor ceremony. The Mercury will auction the signed portrait after a game, and Taurasi said she might try to buy it.
Key Facts
Marta Suarez is a rookie player for the Phoenix Mercury basketball team.
Suarez painted a portrait of Diana Taurasi to celebrate Taurasi’s career.
Diana Taurasi was officially inducted into the Phoenix Mercury’s Ring of Honor.
Suarez presented the portrait to Taurasi, who signed it.
The portrait will be auctioned after a game against the Atlanta Dream.
Taurasi said she may bid on the painting herself.
Suarez has played 14 games with the Mercury this season.
Suarez said Taurasi has been a big influence on her basketball life.
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Arsenal won their first game of the new Premier League season by beating Coventry City 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium. Goals were scored by Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard.
Key Facts
Arsenal are the current Premier League champions.
The match was the opening game of the Premier League season.
Arsenal played at their home stadium, the Emirates Stadium.
Coventry City are newly promoted to the Premier League this season.
Arsenal won the match comfortably with a 3-0 scoreline.
The goal scorers for Arsenal were Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard.
The game report was published recently.
This match marks the start of Arsenal's title defense.
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The Houston Texans signed two experienced wide receivers, Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones, after Jayden Higgins tore the ACL in his right knee and was placed on injured reserve. Both players have played for several NFL teams and will add depth to the Texans’ wide receiver group.
Key Facts
Jayden Higgins, a second-year wide receiver for the Texans, tore the ACL in his right knee during practice with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Higgins is expected to miss the entire season due to this injury.
The Texans signed Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones to strengthen their wide receiver roster.
Sterling Shepard was drafted in 2016, played mainly for the New York Giants, and last season had 39 catches for 371 yards and 1 touchdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Zay Jones was drafted in 2017 and has played for multiple NFL teams, including the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals.
Jones missed part of last season due to a torn Achilles but has since recovered.
Neither Shepard nor Jones offers the same potential as Higgins, but both bring valuable NFL experience.
Other receivers like Nico Collins and young players Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell, and Lewis Bond will have bigger roles on the Texans’ team.
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Arsenal started their Premier League title defense with a strong 3-0 win against Coventry at Emirates Stadium. The goals were scored by Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard, showing Arsenal’s determination to keep winning. Coventry, newly promoted to the Premier League, struggled against Arsenal’s fast and skilled play.
Key Facts
Arsenal won 3-0 over Coventry in the first Premier League game of the season.
Goals came from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal’s manager is Mikel Arteta, leading the team to defend their title.
Coventry returned to the Premier League after 21 years, having won the Championship last season.
Arsenal played in front of a full crowd of 60,000 fans at home.
New Arsenal signing Ezri Konsa joined from Aston Villa for £51 million and may debut soon.
Greek winger Christos Tzolis impressed in his first league start for Arsenal.
Arsenal’s next game is in 10 days against Aston Villa.
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Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce and teammate Justin Fields had a funny moment during practice when Fields said he didn’t know the band Blink-182, which Kelce mentioned from his youth. Fields, who was born in 1999, was surprised by the band Kelce called “back in the day,” since Blink-182’s most famous albums came out before or just after Fields was born.
Key Facts
Travis Kelce is 36 years old and Justin Fields is 27 years old.
Kelce talked about attending a Blink-182 concert, but Fields was not familiar with the band.
Blink-182 released early albums before Fields was born in 1999.
Their popular album "Enema of the State" came out three months after Fields was born.
Fields played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ quarterback, is recovering from an ACL injury and may miss the season opener.
Kelce and the Chiefs may play Blink-182 songs at upcoming preseason games.
The humorous exchange highlights the age difference between Kelce and Fields.
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Phil Handy, who has won three NBA championships as an assistant coach, will join the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff next season. Handy has coached with the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and most recently the Dallas Mavericks.
Key Facts
Phil Handy has won NBA titles with the Cavaliers (2016), Raptors (2019), and Lakers (2020).
He was an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2023-24 season.
Handy coached the Mist Basketball Club during the 2024-25 season outside the NBA.
He is familiar with 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, having worked together in the 2018-19 season on the Raptors.
Handy and LeBron James won championships together with the Cavaliers and Lakers.
The 76ers also hired Tommy Balcetis for a front-office position this offseason.
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Arsenal won their first Premier League game of the season by beating Coventry 3-0. Key players like Christos Tzolis and Bukayo Saka played important roles in setting up and scoring goals during the match.
Key Facts
Arsenal defended their Premier League title with a 3-0 win over Coventry.
Christos Tzolis helped create Arsenal’s second goal with a cross and showed strong effort throughout the game.
Bukayo Saka scored the second goal and had a strong performance against Coventry’s defense.
Kai Havertz scored the opening goal with a well-taken finish.
Martin Odegaard, Arsenal’s captain, scored the third goal and was central to the team’s attacking play.
Coventry struggled to stop Arsenal’s attacks and conceded three goals.
Arsenal’s defense kept a clean sheet, meaning Coventry did not score any goals.
Subs like Martin Zubimendi helped maintain the lead when coming on in the second half.
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Carnell Tate, a rookie wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans, missed several practices due to a hit but returned as the team prepares for their next preseason game. Titans' quarterback Cam Ward praised Tate for his positive attitude and strong work ethic, saying Tate plays an important role in the team’s offense.
Key Facts
Carnell Tate is a rookie wide receiver and a first-round pick for the Tennessee Titans.
Tate missed some practices after a hard hit earlier in the week but returned on Friday.
Tate played in the preseason opener but did not catch any passes despite being targeted.
Quarterback Cam Ward said Tate never gets frustrated and stays positive regardless of the outcome.
Ward praised Tate’s urgency and ability to catch difficult passes, calling him important to the offense.
The Titans will play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and the Chicago Bears the following Saturday in the preseason.
Head coach Robert Saleh has not announced if Tate will play on Sunday.
The Titans’ regular season starts on Sept. 13 against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
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ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky predicts the Cincinnati Bengals will win the AFC North division and improve their record to 13-4 in the upcoming season. He believes the Bengals have an easy schedule and a strong chance to succeed with quarterback Joe Burrow and new defensive player Dexter Lawrence.
Key Facts
The Bengals missed the playoffs for the third straight year with a 6-11 record last season.
Joe Burrow, the team's quarterback, is healthy and has expressed frustration with repeated playoff misses.
The Bengals added defensive player Dexter Lawrence to improve their defense.
ESPN’s Football Power Index rates the Bengals’ upcoming schedule as the easiest in the league.
The Bengals will face 12 games against teams with losing records from last season.
Dan Orlovsky forecasts a 13-4 record for the Bengals and winning their division, the AFC North.
Orlovsky mentions the Bengals will face some tough opponents like Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, including Patrick Mahomes.
Orlovsky believes Joe Burrow might leave the team if they continue to miss the playoffs due to lack of support, but he thinks the team will improve.
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