Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have announced that they are ending their 10-year relationship. They shared a joint statement expressing gratitude and respect for each other and their community, while also saying they will end their podcast collaboration.
Key Facts
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have been together for 10 years before deciding to separate.
They announced their split in a joint statement posted on Togethxr.
They met at the 2016 Rio Olympics and publicly shared their relationship after Bird came out in 2017.
The couple became engaged in October 2020.
They co-created a production company and podcast called "A Touch More," which will end following their split.
Sue Bird had a distinguished basketball career with the Seattle Storm, retiring in 2022, and won five Olympic gold medals.
Megan Rapinoe retired from professional soccer in 2023 and is a U.S. women’s national team legend with two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal.
Both athletes are highly celebrated in their sports, with Bird inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and Rapinoe winning major awards like the Golden Ball and the Ballon d’Or.
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LeBron James discussed rookies from the last NBA draft on a podcast with Steve Nash. During the talk, LeBron made a joking comment about Dylan Harper’s dad, Ron Harper, who is also a former NBA player and coach. LeBron supports his sons' basketball careers but doesn’t tolerate criticism of his family.
Key Facts
LeBron James and his son Bronny James may play together in the NBA postseason.
LeBron and Steve Nash talked about top rookies from last year’s NBA Draft on the "Mind the Game" podcast.
They mentioned players like Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Dylan Harper.
LeBron made a joke about Dylan Harper’s dad, Ron Harper, a five-time NBA champion and former assistant coach.
Ron Harper has two sons playing in the NBA: Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs) and Ronald Harper Jr. (Boston Celtics).
LeBron said he never pushed his kids to play basketball and supports their choices.
Bronny James plays for the Los Angeles Lakers; Bryce James plays college basketball for Arizona Wildcats.
Both Ron Harper’s sons’ teams are in the NBA Playoffs and could meet in the Finals.
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The Los Angeles Rams released a short film to promote their NFL draft picks. The film is inspired by the 1995 comedy movie "Friday" and features the sons of actors Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, along with Rams players and some celebrity guests.
Key Facts
The short film is a teaser for the Rams' NFL draft event.
It takes inspiration from the 1995 comedy movie "Friday."
The actors' roles are played by the sons of Ice Cube and Chris Tucker.
Several Los Angeles Rams football players appear in the film.
The film also includes appearances by some celebrities.
The teaser is meant to create excitement around the team’s new player selections.
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Marie-Louise Eta will become the first female head coach of a men’s team in the German Bundesliga when she leads Union Berlin. Her appointment is seen as an important step for more women to take leadership roles in men’s professional football.
Key Facts
Marie-Louise Eta will coach Union Berlin in a Bundesliga match against FC Wolfsburg.
She is the first woman to lead a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five football leagues.
Eta was previously the first female assistant coach in the Bundesliga in 2023.
Some experts say this should be the start of normalizing women’s leadership in men’s football.
Union Berlin’s management fully supports her despite some online sexist abuse after her appointment.
Women have served as referees in men’s games, but are still underrepresented in top coaching and decision-making roles.
Clara Harrison, CEO of Women in Football, says cultural barriers remain in men’s football, even though formal obstacles have lessened.
Eta wants the focus to be on football and team success, not just her historic role.
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Pellegrino Matarazzo is the coach of the Spanish football club Real Sociedad. He has a unique background, having grown up in New Jersey with Italian roots, studied mathematics at Columbia University, played football in lower leagues in Italy and Germany, and then became a successful football manager in Germany before joining Real Sociedad. He helped Real Sociedad avoid relegation and reach the Copa del Rey final for the first time in 39 years.
Key Facts
Matarazzo grew up in New Jersey with Italian as his first language and later learned German and Spanish.
He earned a degree in applied mathematics from Columbia University.
He played football in Italy's fourth division and in German regional leagues.
Matarazzo managed VfB Stuttgart and Hoffenheim in Germany, achieving promotions and European competition qualification.
He joined Real Sociedad in December when the team was facing relegation.
Under his leadership, Real Sociedad moved to safety in the league and reached the Copa del Rey final.
The Copa del Rey final is Real Sociedad’s first in 39 years and offers a chance for the club’s fourth-ever major trophy.
Matarazzo describes this period as a "special moment" for the club, the city, and himself as a coach.
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Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce, brothers and retired and current NFL players, announced a new book called "No Dumb Questions: And All of Our Dumbest Answers." The book is based on a popular segment from their podcast "New Heights," where they answer unusual questions from fans.
Key Facts
Jason Kelce retired from the NFL in March 2024 and now works on ESPN.
Travis Kelce plays his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jason won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017.
Travis won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs, including beating the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
The Kelce brothers started the "New Heights" podcast in September 2022.
Their new book "No Dumb Questions" is available for preorder on Amazon in audiobook, hardcover, and Kindle formats.
The book answers quirky and varied questions about topics like sports, relationships, and parenting.
Travis has recently appeared in entertainment projects and performed with Taylor Swift.
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Breanna Stewart has signed a new three-year contract with the New York Liberty in the WNBA, confirming she will stay with the team. The contract is a standard maximum deal under the league's new salary rules, and the Liberty also signed other key players to strengthen their team after winning their first WNBA title in 2024.
Key Facts
Breanna Stewart is staying with the New York Liberty and signed a three-year maximum contract.
The standard max contract is about 17% of the team's salary cap and starts at $1.19 million under the new collective bargaining agreement.
The WNBA salary cap increased to $7 million from $1.5 million last season.
The Liberty also signed Satou Sabally to a two-year fully guaranteed contract and kept Jonquel Jones on a multiyear deal.
Stewart, Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty to their first WNBA championship in 2024.
Stewart previously won two WNBA championships with the Seattle Storm and has multiple national and international basketball titles.
The Liberty are seen as a strong team for future championships, especially after adding a fourth key player to their group.
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WrestleMania 42 will feature a surprise in the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match. Nikki Bella cannot compete due to an ankle injury, and former WWE and AEW star Saraya Bevis, known as Paige, is reported to replace her as Brie Bella’s tag team partner.
Key Facts
Nikki Bella was injured and not cleared to wrestle at WrestleMania 42.
The match is a Fatal Four-Way for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Paige, also known as Saraya, signed with WWE again to replace Nikki Bella.
Paige had retired from wrestling due to neck injuries but returned in non-wrestling WWE roles.
Paige wrestled for AEW for nearly three years and won the AEW Women’s World Championship once.
WWE confirmed Paige’s return through reports, and she rehearsed the match this week.
The match will take place on April 18 and can be watched on the ESPN app.
Paige’s return is considered a major event for WWE’s biggest show of the year.
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During a baseball game in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league, umpire Takuto Kawakami was hit in the face by a bat that flew from a player's hands. He was immediately taken to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery. The league said they will review safety measures after this serious accident.
Key Facts
The incident happened during a game between the Yakult Swallows and Yokohama BayStars.
Player José Osuna fouled a pitch and his bat slipped from his hands, hitting umpire Kawakami.
Kawakami collapsed and was helped by both teams and other umpires on the field.
Medical staff used a stretcher to carry Kawakami off the field.
He was taken to a local hospital and had emergency surgery.
Nippon Professional Baseball called the incident very serious.
The league plans to check if their safety measures for umpires are enough.
The game was in the eighth inning, and the score was 2-0 at that time.
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is not attending the team's offseason program because he wants a new contract with more guaranteed money. The Cardinals have not named a starting quarterback yet and are also interested in drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Key Facts
Jacoby Brissett is holding out from the Arizona Cardinals offseason program to seek a new contract.
Brissett is set to make $9.06 million this season but has only $1.5 million guaranteed.
The Cardinals' general manager, Monti Ossenfort, has not decided on the starting quarterback.
The team is trying to install a new playing system under coach Matt LaFleur.
ESPN reported that the Cardinals are interested in Ty Simpson, a quarterback from Alabama.
The Cardinals may trade up in the NFL draft to get a first-round pick for Simpson.
The NFL draft starts on April 23.
The situation suggests the Cardinals are looking for long-term options at quarterback.
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Nikki Bella will not compete at WrestleMania 42 because of an ankle injury sustained at the end of March. This injury forces WWE to change plans for the women's tag team championship match involving Nikki and her sister Brie Bella.
Key Facts
Nikki Bella injured her ankle during a "Friday Night SmackDown" show in late March.
She is not cleared to compete in WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Nikki and Brie Bella were scheduled to defend the women's tag team championship in a four-way match.
Other teams in the match include Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and the current champions Nia Jax and Las Legend.
WWE may change the match by removing Brie Bella or turning it into a three-team competition.
WWE is considering different options, such as finding a new partner for Brie Bella or pairing the Kabuki Warriors in the match.
Last year, WWE had to quickly replace an injured Rey Mysterio with Rey Fénix at WrestleMania.
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Rhea Ripley, a WWE wrestler, is preparing for WrestleMania 42 where she will compete to win the WWE women's championship. She shared that she has been facing a lot of online harassment, which has affected her mental health and made it hard for her to use social media.
Key Facts
Rhea Ripley is a 29-year-old WWE wrestler and a former women's champion.
She is set to fight Jade Cargill for the WWE women's title at WrestleMania 42.
Ripley has faced years of negative and harmful comments online from fans.
The online harassment increased due to the ongoing storyline feud with Jade Cargill.
Ripley finds it difficult to use Twitter because of the constant negativity about her body and her work.
Despite the challenges, Ripley hopes to win her fourth women's world title at WrestleMania.
The feud started with physical confrontations and verbal exchanges between Ripley and Cargill.
Ripley spoke about her struggles on the "Pod Meets World" podcast.
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Rapper Cam’ron and WWE star Jey Uso are involved in a public conflict leading up to WrestleMania 42. After a physical confrontation during a podcast, Cam’ron warned Jey Uso that something would happen at the event in Las Vegas, where Jey will compete in a six-person tag team match.
Key Facts
Cam’ron and Jey Uso had a fight during Cam’ron’s podcast, where Jey tried to punch Cam’ron but was stopped.
Cam’ron posted a video saying he recovered quickly and plans to confront Jey at WrestleMania 42.
Jey Uso is part of a six-man tag team match at WrestleMania 42 on April 18-19 in Las Vegas.
Jey’s team includes his brother Jimmy Uso and LA Knight.
Their opponents are YouTube star iShowSpeed, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory.
Cam’ron suggested he could interfere in the match or cause problems for Jey’s team.
The event will be streamed on the ESPN subscription app.
This public feud is part of WWE’s promotional build-up for WrestleMania 42.
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Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon women’s singles champion, has been charged with refusing a doping test after she denied a doping control officer entry to her home. She says mental and physical stress caused her to react out of fear, and experts have confirmed she has anxiety and stress-related health issues.
Key Facts
Vondrousova refused a visit from a doping control officer at her home in December 2025.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) charged her with refusing a doping test.
Players must log their daily location to allow unannounced doping tests outside matches.
If found guilty, Vondrousova could face up to a four-year ban.
She said the officer did not properly identify themselves and she felt scared and unsafe.
Experts diagnosed her with acute stress reaction and generalized anxiety disorder.
Vondrousova has not played since January 2025 due to shoulder pain.
She referred to past attacks on Czech player Petra Kvitova as part of her fear.
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LeBron James, a 41-year-old NBA player, is finishing his 23rd season and has not decided whether he will retire. Reports say he does not plan a retirement tour and is focused on playing, especially with the Lakers facing injuries in their upcoming playoff series.
Key Facts
LeBron James is 41 years old and has played 23 professional NBA seasons.
He is a four-time NBA champion.
Rumors about his retirement have been common but he has made no final decision.
Sources say James does not want a farewell tour, despite speculation.
The Los Angeles Lakers will start their first-round playoff series without injured players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Doncic and Reaves suffered strains that may keep them out of the whole series.
The Lakers play the Houston Rockets in the playoffs starting Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
James is expected to carry a heavy load during the playoff series due to the absence of key teammates.
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The Los Angeles Clippers traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) in 2019 and regret the decision because he became a top NBA player. Now, the Clippers have Bennedict Mathurin, a young, talented player showing similar potential, and they must keep him by offering a new contract. Mathurin is entering restricted free agency, and other teams are expected to offer him large contracts.
Key Facts
In 2019, the Clippers traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George.
Gilgeous-Alexander has become an MVP winner and led the Thunder to an NBA title.
Paul George is now 35, less productive, and no longer on the Clippers.
Bennedict Mathurin joined the Clippers in 2026 and continued strong performance, averaging about 17 points per game.
Mathurin is 23 years old, athletic, and a versatile scorer with room to improve.
He plays a sixth-man role but shows potential to be a starter.
Mathurin will be a restricted free agent, meaning other teams can offer him contracts, but the Clippers can match those offers.
Other young players with similar potential have recently signed large contracts, showing the market demand for players like Mathurin.
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The family of the late San Diego Padres owner, Peter Seidler, is close to selling the baseball team. The buyer is private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, with the sale expected to reach $3.9 billion, a record price for a Major League Baseball team.
Key Facts
The Padres are expected to be sold for $3.9 billion, the highest price ever for an MLB team.
Jose E. Feliciano, co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital, is the main buyer.
Feliciano and his firm were part of the group that bought Chelsea, a Premier League soccer team, in 2022.
The Seidler family started looking to sell the Padres in November 2025, two years after Peter Seidler passed away.
Peter Seidler became the team’s primary owner in 2020 and was known for investing heavily to build a winning team.
The Padres have made MLB playoffs four times in the last six years, a team record.
The team is San Diego’s only major professional sports franchise and plays at Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
The Padres have set attendance records in the past three seasons, drawing over 3.4 million fans last year, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson signed a new three-year contract worth $150 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback player in the NFL. Anderson surpassed Micah Parsons, who previously held the record with a $188 million deal over four years. Anderson’s contract includes a rare no-trade clause, and he has been recognized as one of the NFL’s top defensive players since his draft in 2023.
Key Facts
Will Anderson signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension with the Houston Texans.
His contract has $134 million guaranteed and includes a no-trade clause, rare for NFL players.
Anderson is the highest-paid non-quarterback player in NFL history.
Micah Parsons held the previous record with a four-year, $188 million contract from the Green Bay Packers.
Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
He won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice.
Anderson recorded career-best stats last season, including 54 tackles and 12 sacks.
His no-trade clause is only the ninth in the NFL and the only one held by a non-quarterback.
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Train tickets to the World Cup games at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey now cost $150 for a 30-minute trip, much higher than usual fares. Fans and officials have criticized these prices as very expensive, especially since previous World Cups offered free travel, and there are no discounts for children or seniors.
Key Facts
A train trip from Penn Station, Manhattan to MetLife Stadium costs $150, a much higher price than the normal $12.90 return fare.
Shuttle bus tickets to the stadium cost $80 and both train and bus tickets cannot be transferred or refunded.
MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches, including England’s group game and the final on July 19.
Previous World Cups in Russia and Qatar had free travel for fans, but in the US this is not the case despite promises.
New Jersey’s governor criticized FIFA for not funding transport and said local commuters should not pay the high costs.
Other host cities have lower or free transport prices; for example, Arlington offers free shuttles and Philadelphia keeps usual fares.
The Football Supporters' Association says the high costs make fans feel unwelcome and unfairly charged with no discounts available.
Similar high prices were also set for matches at Gillette Stadium near Boston, with train fares at $80 and coach tickets at $95.
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Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown shared his memories and tribute to his late teammate Alex Manninger, who passed away recently at a young age. Keown recalled Manninger's strong start at Arsenal in 1997 and how he stepped up impressively when the team's main goalkeeper, David Seaman, was injured.
Key Facts
Alex Manninger joined Arsenal in the summer of 1997, when he was 20 years old.
He was part of a group of new players signed before Arsene Wenger’s first full season as Arsenal manager.
Manninger became the first-choice goalkeeper after David Seaman’s injury in January 1998.
Martin Keown admired Manninger’s dedication and work ethic during training even while Keown was injured.
Manninger helped the team during important games, including a match against Manchester United when Arsenal won 1-0.
Keown expressed sadness and shock at Manninger’s recent death and remembered their strong friendship.
Manninger was considered an important but sometimes overlooked player in Arsenal’s successful late 1990s teams.
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