The Buffalo Sabres will receive the number one overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft after winning Wednesday’s lottery. They have received the first pick twice in the past four years. They used the first pick in 2018 to acquire Rasmus Dahlin.

The Sabres won only 15 games this season, which was the fewest in the league. They were the lowest-ranked team in the NHL and scored only 37 points. They had a 16.6 percent chance to receive the first pick.

The Seattle Kraken receive the second pick while the Anaheim Ducks won the third spot. The Ducks had a 12.1% chance to receive the first pick while the Kraken had a 10.3% likelihood. The Kraken is the NHL’s newest expansion team.

The draft order for the first 10 picks now stands as such:

• 1. Buffalo Sabres
• 2. Seattle Kraken
• 3.Anaheim Ducks
• 4. New Jersey Devils
• 5. Columbus Blue Jackets
• 6.Detroit Red Wings
• 7. San Jose Sharks
• 8. Los Angeles Kings
• 9. Vancouver Canucks
• 10. Ottawa Senators

The Arizona Coyotes were not eligible to win the lottery. This was due to a violation of NHL combine testing policies during the 2019-2020 season, which forced them to give up their first-round pick. The Coyotes were also relieved of their second-round pick in last year’s draft.

“It’s a great moment for our franchise,” said Sabres manager Kevyn Adams during the lottery. “It’s obviously been a tough year for a number of different reasons… It’s a step in the right direction. We need to get better in every area in every way.”

The Sabres do not have a clear pick at number one. Matthew Beniers and Owen Power from the University of Michigan have been floated as possible picks. Power was recently ranked as the best recruit in North America by NHL Central Scouting. Other prospects include William Eklund and Simon Edvinsson from the Swedish Hockey league.

The NHL draft will begin on July 23 with the first round. Round two to seven will finish on July 24.

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University’s men’s basketball head coach, is now set to retire after the 2022 season. Krzyzewski, who is nicknamed “Coach K”, has led the Duke program since 1980. He came to Duke from United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was a head coach for five years. He has the most wins out of any college basketball coach with 1,170. At Duke, he has won 1,097 games and has collected five national championships. This puts him at second on the all-time list for championships as a coach. Krzyzewski has also lead the USA National Basketball Team to three Olympic gold medals. Krzyzewski is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of fame.

Jon Scheyer has been tapped as the successor to Krzyzewski for the head coaching role at Duke. Scheyer previously served as the associate head coach under Coach K at Duke. Scheyer was a player at Duke from 2006-2010. He was named a captain in the 2010 season, in which the team claimed a national championship. Many have questioned this choice as Scheyer has no head coaching experience. However, Duke and Krzyzewski have expressed their confidence in Scheyer. “He represents our best path forward,” Krzyzewski said.

“This is absolutely humbling… Coach K has built the premier program in our sport thanks to his unwavering competitive edge,” Said Scheyer about the role.

“My family and I view today as a celebration,” stated Krzyzewski. “Our time at both West Point and Duke has been beyond amazing and we are thankful and honored to have led two college programs at world-class institutions for more than four decades. That, coupled with 11 unforgettable years as the United States National Team coach, has resulted in a remarkable journey. Certainly, I have been blessed to coach some of the finest young men and greatest players in basketball history as a direct result of these unique opportunities.”

Roy Williams, head coach at arch-rival University of North Carolina, praised Krzyzewski, saying “Mike’s been fantastic for the game of basketball.” He also called Krzyzewski “a good friend” and a “guy I’ve respected a great deal.”

Duke was notably absent from this past year’s NCAA tournament. The last time this happened was in 1995.

Scheyer will participate in a news conference on June 5 to discuss the future of the program.

Danny Ainge, who was the President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics, has announced that he will retire. Current head coach Brad Stevens will step down from the coaching job to fill Ainge’s vacant role, the team announced Wednesday. This means that the Celtics must begin to search for Stevens’ replacement after his eight years at the helm.

Ainge won championships with the Celtics as a player and manager. He is the only person in team history to accomplish this feat. Ainge played a part in 15 playoff appearances for the franchise, including seven conference finals, two finals appearances and a championship in 2008. The Celtics also had the most playoff victories in the NBA since 2007 under Ainge.

“Helping guide this organization has been the thrill of a lifetime and having worked side-by-side with him since he’s been here, I know we couldn’t be in better hands than with Brad guiding the team going forward,” stated Ainge.

Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck also praised Ainge. “Danny has made all the difference over the past 18 years,” Grousbeck said. “Our record of winning percentage and playoff victories is near the top of the league during that time. He has always been a relentless competitor and a winner. Red Auerbach told us Danny is ‘lucky’ and he was right, but a lot of the luck comes from his intense drive and his incredible basketball insights.”

Stevens joined the Celtics in 2013 after a six-year stint as head coach at Butler University. His overall coaching record will stand at 354-282. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN previously reported that Stevens was feeling “worn down” in his coaching role, and was looking at possible changes.

“I’m grateful to ownership and to Danny for trusting me with this opportunity,” Stevens said. “I’m excited to tackle this new role, starting with a wide-ranging and comprehensive search for our next head coach. I love the Celtics and know the great honor and responsibility that comes with this job. I will give it everything I have to help us be in position to consistently compete for championships.”

Ainge will oversee the team’s transition to new personnel over the summer.

Jacob deGrom‘s ERA is now 0.71 after the New York Mets’ 6-2 victory on Monday over the Arizona Diamondbacks. That is the lowest ERA by a pitcher in the month of May since 1964 when Chris Short of the Philadelphia Phillies held a 0.64 ERA. deGrom’s ERA is also the fourth-lowest of any player after their first eight starts since the early 1900’s.

In the contest against the Diamondbacks, deGrom pitched six innings with no runs allowed. He held Arizona to zero hits until the fifth inning. He also only allowed two hits, had eight strikeouts and registered zero walks. This was the right-hander’s 11th career game with over eight strikeouts, zero walks and zero runs allowed. This moves him to fourth on the all-time list for this statistic, the same spot which Hall of Famer Walter Johnson occupies.

“He was tremendous, you see this guy, it’s almost like he’s getting better and better every time he goes out there,” praised Mets manager Luis Rojas

deGrom was also noted for the velocity of his pitches on Monday night. He threw 27 of his pitches north of the 100 MPH mark, which is the third-highest in a single game since 2008.

Even in Arizona, fans could be heard chanting “M-V-P” during deGrom’s superb performance on Monday.

“What we’re watching is definitely something special. In my mind, he’s in a league of his own,” commented Merril Kelly, pitcher for the Diamondbacks.

deGrom has allowed only four earned runs in the 51 innings he has pitched thus far this season. Through eight starts, he has permitted zero runs in three games, one run in four games and three unearned runs in one outing.

deGrom was previously on the injured list with pain on his right side. Monday’s game was deGrom’s second start since a two-week absence.

deGrom also hit 1-3 on Monday, moving his batting average to .450. “I’m trying to be the best hitter, as well, I don’t want to be an easy out up there,” assured deGrom.

Stay tuned for more updates on deGrom’s prolific season. He is the early favorite to win the National League Cy Young award.

Roger Federer was victorious in his French Open match on Monday against Denis Istomin. This 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 victory marked his return to Grand Slam tennis after a slight absence. His reinstatement comes after two knee surgeries which caused him to miss most of the 2020 season. Federer entered the tournament as the eighth seed and was the champion of the tournament in 2009.

“What a pleasure to be back,” said Federer. “Overall I’m very happy [with my movement], I can attest to that, as well. I moved pretty well today. I also kept rallies short purposely so I wouldn’t get dragged into long rallies. Always throw in the drop shot. We’ll see what happens.”

This was Federer’s fourth match and third tournament of the year. He debuted in Geneva and Doha at ATP 250 events, where he claimed two victories and one defeat. His defeat was at the hands of Pablo Andujar, who was ranked 75th internationally. Istomin was ranked 204th in the world, which is the lowest spot of anyone Federer has played against this year.

Federer took down Uzbekistan’s Istomin quite handily, extending his win streak over him to eight. Federer did not face a break point in the contest. He also won 80 percent of his points after converting his first serve. Additionally, he won 15 of 19 points off of his second serve. Federer recorded 48 winners in the match, 15 of which occurred in the first 22 minutes. He even attempted a between-the-legs shot (also known as a “tweener”) but was unsuccessful as he hit the ball out of play. The all-time great was very successful when serving and volleying, winning 79 percent of his net points (19 of 24). The crowd at Court Phillipe Chatrier, although limited to 1,000 people, showered Federer with applause

“I just felt overall much clearer, much better,” Federer said. “Clearly also maybe the type of opponent allowed me to have many different ways to win the point. I knew if I came to the net, that was an option. Hitting a drop shot was always an option. Taking the ball early was an option,” reflected Federer.

His victory moves him to the second round of the French Open, as he looks for another win in his Grand Slam return. Federer will face Croatian Marin Cilic, who defeated Arthur Rinderknetch in the first round 7-6 (6), 6-1. 6-2.

Cilic is currently ranked 47th in the world and will face Federer for the 11th time. Federer has won nine of the 10 meetings between the two athletes, however, Cilic has won all nine matches he has played in 2021. It will be difficult for Cilic to extend his 2021 win streak against one of the best players to ever take the court. Cilic’s lone victory against Federer came all the way back in 2014, when the Croatian ousted the all-time great from the US Open semi finals. Their last meeting came in the finals of the 2018 Australian Open. Federer won that match in a hard-fought five-set contest 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Wednesday’s contest will be the duo’s first matchup against each other in the French Open.

It has been three years since the two competitors have faced off. Cilic will be looking for the second-round upset in what should be a great match between the 39-year-old Swiss and the 32-year-old Croatian.

Naomi Osaka of Japan has exited from competing in the 2021 French Open. She announced through Twitter on May 31 that she will “take some time away from the court now.”

Osaka declared that she would not talk to the media before the commencement of the French Open, citing concerns for her own mental health. Osaka was fined $15,000 for refusing to engage with media outlets. This came after she skipped Sunday’s post-match press conference following her win over Patricia Maria Tig.

“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs or achievement, said Grand Slam Organizers in a statement. “As a sport there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while others honor their commitments.” The Grand Slam Organizers are a coalition of officials from Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open. They went on to say that Osaka would face more consequences if she continually refused to speak to the media.

Osaka further explained her withdrawal from the tournament. “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” Osaka said. “I never wanted to be a distraction, and I accept that my timing was not ideal and our message could have been clearer.”

“First and foremost, we are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka,” stated Gilles Moretton, who is president of the French Tennis Federation. “The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland Garros is unfortunate. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery and we look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year.” Moretton also assured the media of the Grand Slam’s commitment to the mental health of athletes.

Celebrities such as Stephen Curry and Coco Gauff have shown support for Osaka on social media in the midst of her withdrawal controversy.

As Kyrie Irving exited TD Garden on Sunday, a water bottle was seemingly thrown at this head. This occurred after the Brooklyn Nets‘ 141-126 victory against the Boston Celtics in Boston on Sunday.

The fan responsible for this was arrested soon after this incident took place. The bottle missed Irving’s head, but the fan was arrested for “throwing an object” according to a TD Garden Statement.

“A guest was arrested by Boston Police at the end of tonight’s Boston Celtics game for throwing an object. We will support and provide assistance to Boston Police as this incidence is under review. We have zero tolerance for violations of our guest code of conduct, and the guest is subject to a lifetime ban from TD Garden,” stated Tricia McCorkle, a spokesperson for TD Garden.

The suspect was identified to be 21-year-old Cole Buckley of Braintree, Massachusetts. He faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. This is a felony in Massachusetts and could lead to 10-years in prison. He will be arraigned on Tuesday in a Boston Court.

“You’re seeing a lot of old ways come up,” Irving said of the incident. “It has been that way in history in terms of entertainment, performers, and sports for a long period of time and just underlying racism and just treating people like they’re in a human zoo. Throwing stuff at people, saying things. There is a certain point where it gets to be too much,” added Irving, who recorded 39 points in the win.

“Fans got to Grow up at some point… Grow the F— up and enjoy the game. It’s bigger than you,” said teammate Kevin Durant to media representatives.

Similar fan incidents have been occurring as of late. For example, a Philadelphia 76ers fan showered Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards with popcorn and a New York Knicks fan went as far as to spit on Trae Young.

Irving is no stranger to this sort of abuse, citing incidences of racism by fans that he has experienced in the past. The Nets will look forward to closing out the series against the Celtics, which they lead 3-1.

The Milwaukee Bucks will lose starting guard Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the playoffs. The Bucks made an announcement Friday regarding the issue. DiVencenzo has suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle. DiVencenzo was made aware of the details of the injury by an MRI on May 28.

DiVincenzo suffered this injury during a drive to the basket in the second quarter of Thursday’s Game 3 victory over the Miami Heat. He went to plant his left foot, before immediately stopping play and limping off of the court. He then continued to the locker room for assessment. It was announced shortly thereafter that he would not be playing in the remainder of the game due to a foot contusion.

The Bucks still pulled out a 113-84 win against the Heat, moving their advantage in the series to 3-0. DiVincenzo put up 2.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a steal per game prior to his injury. Milwaukee managed to take care of business in Game 4 with DiVincenzo and swept the Heat.

DiVincenzo had been a solid starter for the Bucks this season. He averaged 27.5 minutes played while posting 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He also started in 66 games and shot 37.9% from the three-point arc. This has been DiVincenzo’s best season, which came after rumors of a trade that would have moved him to Sacramento for Bogdan Bogdanovíc.

Although DiVincenzo is not a massive scoring threat, he provided much-needed support with his rebounding and ability to space the floor. The Bucks will also lose a valuable player that added depth to their team. The Bucks lost much of their depth in a trade which gave them Jrue Holiday. Up to this point, the Bucks have heavily relying on their starters. They have also seen lots of support from P.J. Tucker, Pat Connaughton, Bryn Forbes and Bobby Portis. The Bucks must now make the most of a difficult situation, as their pool of dependable players shrinks.

After defeating the reigning Eastern Conference champs, the Bucks await the winner of the Nets-Celtics series.

Shohei Ohtani was scratched from his role as starting pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels’ Thursday contest with the Oakland Athletics. A traffic jam was the eventual cause of Ohtani’s absence from the starting pitcher spot. The Angels ended up slotting Ohtani in at designated hitter for the game.

Ohtani was a passenger on an Angels’ bus en route to RingCentral Coliseum, in a drive that would usually take around 45 minutes. Catcher Kurt Suzuki was also a passenger on this bus. However, an accident on the Bay Bridge ended up causing massive delays. As the traffic seemed to be seeing no improvement, Ohtani was forced to employ another strategy. He returned to his hotel and opted to take the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s translator, told the team that “there was an issue with the transfer on the BART”. Ohtani arrived at the stadium much later than usual.

“For us, Shohei’s most comfortable, he’s pretty much regimented to get everything going about 4 o’clock for his start,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “It exceeded that by maybe an hour so we started calling the audible at that point to not pitch him tonight. And if we’re not going to pitch him we’re going to DH him.”

The Angles started Patrick Sandoval in the 5-0 loss to Oakland. Sandoval held his own, however, as he allowed zero runs across five innings while posting four strikeouts and two walks. Oakland’s Chris Bassit still managed to lead his team to a 5-0 victory despite Sandoval’s honorable showing. Ohtani went 0-3 from the plate with a walk.

BART commented on this matter through Twitter, writing “First, wow, what an honor to host a baseball superstar like Shohei Ohtani on BART. We did not experience any issues on our end. We confirmed with Operations Control Center there was no delay for any Coliseum-heading train during the Bay Bridge incident.”

Ohtani, barring any additional traffic jams, is set to return as the starting pitcher for Friday’s game.

Mickey Callaway, pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels, has been fired by the organization. This development comes after Callaway was placed on the Ineligible list until the end of next year at the very least. He will be able to apply for reinstatement at the end of the 2022 season.

The decision to fire Callaway resulted from an investigation by Major League Baseball into reports of sexual harassment and misconduct. Callaway was suspended on February 2, 2021 after accusations against him were made public.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stated that the league “concluded that Mr. Callaway violated MLB’s policies and that placement on the ineligible list is warranted.” Manfred did not reveal the actual findings of the MLB’s examination of the case.

The Angels made their acceptance of the verdict clear, announcing that they “appreciate Major League Baseball’s diligent investigation and support their decision.”

Callaway was accused by five anonymous women who work in media. They brought their stories to The Atlantic, claiming that he sent unsolicited pictures and displayed other reprehensible, unwanted behavior. These accusations are said to have taken place across half a decade and three teams. Callaway previously worked as a pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and was the manager for the New York Mets.

Pal Dolan, Owner of the Indians, claimed that “there was no finding against the Cleveland Indians related to the Callaway matter.” Dolan did say, however, that “the information the commissioner’s office shared reinforces our own conclusion that we did not do enough as an organization to create an environment where people felt comfortable reporting the inappropriate conduct they experienced or witnessed.” Dolan went on to say that they are working with experts in “workplace culture and reporting practices” in an attempt to “strengthen the organization.”

The Mets did not issue a new statement. They highlighted their previous statement by their president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson. Alderson said that the team did not vet Callaway effectively before hiring him.

Callaway’s legal representation commented that he and his family “fully support MLB’s strong stance against harassment.” Callaway apologized to the women for making them feel “uncomfortable.”

“I never intended to make anyone feel this way and didn’t understand that these interactions might do that or violate MLB policies,” Callaway added. “I take responsibility for the consequences.” 

It has recently been revealed that the case against Deshaun Watson could remain ongoing until the early portion of next year. This comes according to the docket of Watson’s case, which states that he cannot be deposed until February of 2022. This means he will not be able to respond to questioning under oath until this time.

Watson is currently being sued for sexual misconduct and assault by 22 women. The avalanche of cases began in March, as the first three women brought their cases against Watson.

The case has just entered the pre-trial discovery phase. In this stage, both parties will accumulate evidence from the other side, along with any other necessary sources. The legal system will no doubt take its time in this instance.

Rusty Hardin, the attorney for the Houston Texans player, made it apparent that the women would be deposed before Watson. They are scheduled to begin deposition in September. Hardin also stated that the quarterback has not talked to any of the accusers about a settlement in this case. Hardin accused Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the women, of attempting a settlement various times. Buzbee has denied this claim.

Watson was already in conflict with the Texans Organization before the accusations, which no doubt added to the tension. Watson is not attending Houston’s OTAs amid this controversy, as he looks to be traded to another franchise in the future. Watson is still on the Texans’ roster.

The NFL has been looking into the issue separately. The league has not imposed any sanctions on Watson as of yet. Even if he is not found guilty of a charge, the NFL can still choose to impose disciplinary action. No one is really sure what the league has in store for Watson. Only time will tell how this season will play out for the highly touted quarterback.

Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz has been named the Sixth Man of the Year for the 2020-21 NBA season. This award is only given to players who did not start in the majority of games that they played in. The 6’4 guard averaged a personal high of 18.4 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists while playing 26.7 minutes per game through 68 games. Clarkson also sunk 203 three-pointers in total, which is the fourth-most in NBA history for a bench player.

Clarkson received 65 first-place votes, winning out over Derrick Rose of the New York Knicks and his own teammate Joe Ingles. Ingles was second in voting, receiving 34 first-place votes while Rose finished with one first-place vote. This marks the first time two teammates have finished first and second in voting for this award. A variety of sports media professionals were responsible for the voting.

Ingles presented Clarkson with the award during an interview on TNT with Ernie Johnson.  After Johnson posed several historical questions about the Sixth Man of the Year award, he asked them how many Jazz players had won the award. Clarkson said that zero had, which would have been true before this year. Ingles then presented the trophy to Clarkson.  “Thanks for passing me this ball, man,” said a joyful Clarkson. “He stole it from me,” Ingles said jokingly  “I should’ve stopped passing him the ball.”.

“I tried to get him the ball as much as possible so he could win Sixth Man of the Year,” Ingles elaborated. He also praised Clarkson for taking pride in his role coming off the bench.

Utah looks to a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, after dropping their first contest against the eight seed on Sunday. This occurred as Donovan Mitchell was inactive for the game due to an ankle sprain.

Clarkson was appreciative of the award but made it clear he was looking for a championship, stating that the team has “bigger goals ahead”.

Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays center fielder, has been dealing with a peculiar injury regarding his left eye. This injury was described by the Associated Press as “left eye irritation stemming from an eyelash.”.

Kiermaier was forced to leave the contest against Saturday with this injury. He did not start in a game against the Blue Jays the next day.

“A couple of minutes in, I was like dang it, I got an eyelash in my eye,” Kiemaier told reporters. “There was an eyelash in there and then we rinsed my eye, and then it disappeared or kind of went into one of these crevices or whatever. Once that happened, everything took a turn for the worse.” Kiermaier said.

“Just one of those weird things” Kiermaier stated. “It seems like this stuff could only happen to me. Got to get through it and roll with the punches I’ll be fine. I assume I’ll be 100% whenever my eye chooses to cooperate.” This is not the first time Kiermaier has suffered an odd injury. His past history includes a hand injury from a slide and an injured wrist during a falling catch.

“Wasn’t happy or proud about (coming out) at all,” Kiermaier added. “These things happen, unfortunately… After being on the (injured list) a couple of times already, this is the last thing I want to deal with. I’ll be fine. But definitely didn’t want to miss any other time other than what I have already, especially with the fluky thing like this,”

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash revealed that the organization did not plan to start him in Sunday’s game, but he was an option if needed.

Kiermaier also reported that he was still feeling “a little bit of a scratch or irritation, whatever we’ve got going on in there” but that his condition had improved slightly.

Professional baseball is currently experiencing an unprecedented surge of no hitters. In just the past week, Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull logged a no-hit performance against the Mariners on Tuesday and Corey Kluber of the New York Yankees delivered a no-hitter the following day. Overall, there have been six pitchers to throw a no hitter through the first two months of the MLB season.

Clayton Kershaw made it clear that he was not amused by this recent trend. “Well, it’s not good. I’ll tell you that. I think whatever the intention was with the new ball or whatever it may be, it really hasn’t done anything. There might be less home runs, which I guess they want, but I don’t know the stats on all that. I think I saw some stats for April that it was the worst hitting month in the history of something,” the Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher commented.

Kershaw is referring to a change made by the MLB in which they “deadened” the ball. This resulted in balls that were made slightly lighter and less bouncy. This change came as a result of an ever-increasing home run rate. This purpose has been seemingly served as home runs have decreased to 1.14 per game from 1.28 in the previous year. Offensive production as a whole has decreased sizably this season as well, with batting average and hits per game at all-time lows. Strikeouts, however, have increased to record levels, as around 24 percent of batters are striking out.

“No-hitters are cool,” said Kershaw. “I have all the respect in the world for Corey Kluber and [Madison Bumgarner] and all those guys that have thrown no hitters. But to have one happen every night, it seems like it’s probably not good for the game. Fans want to see some hits, I get that and some action, and not many people striking out. I appreciate the attempt that MLB has tried to do but I think it seems like they missed the mark so far. We’ll see. I don’t Know,” Kershaw, who is likely a future Hall of Fame pitcher, concluded.

Tim Tebow is now an official member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. This comes as Tebow signed a contract with the team on Thursday morning.

Tebow won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback with the University of Florida. Urban Meyer, who coached Tebow during his 2007 Heisman season, was recently hired as the head coach of the Jaguars.

Tebow will participate in offseason activities with teammates until OTA workouts commence on Monday.

“I want to thank the Jaguars for the opportunity to compete and earn the chance to be part of this team,” said Tebow. “I know it will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I embrace. I am dedicated to taking the direction of our coaching staff and learning from my teammates.”

Meyer told Cris Collinsworth, “There’s a thought going around. He was in the best shape of his life, asked to see if he could work out with a couple of our coaches.” Meyer stated that he wasn’t even present for the workout. “They came back to me and said ‘Wow, this guy’s in incredible shape.’ Then I went another time and watched him try out,” the coach added. Meyer explained that Tebow worked on certain aspects of his game as recommended by the Jaguars, and came back looking even better than before. The coach tabbed Tebow as a “competitive maniac” and said that they would “give it a shot.”

Tebow has not competed in an NFL contest since 2012 when he was a member of the New York Jets. Tebow will reportedly try out as a tight end, a switch many critics recommended over a decade ago. This signing likely occurred as a result of a lacking tight end corps in Jacksonville along with Tebow’s strong workout performance.

Tebow, despite his high profile, is by no means a lock to make the final roster. Around 90 players are signed by a team in June, with many of them being cut by the end of summer. This signing has sparked outrage among critics of Tebow, but in reality, even if he makes the final roster, he likely won’t see a lot of playing time. This is definitely a situation to monitor.

Kevin Pillar, an outfielder for the New York Mets, has sustained multiple nasal fractures. This occurred on Monday night as Jacob Webb of the Atlanta Braves drilled him in the face with a 94.5 MPH pitch.

“I feel good, actually. Despite not looking so good, I feel as close to normal as possible,” said Pillar to the media. He did state, however, that he is experiencing “a little bit of swelling” in his right eye and that he “can’t really breathe out of [his] nose.”

Pillar even made an appearance at the Mets facility just one day following this incident. Pillar told Mets manager Luis Rojas and Braves manager Brian Snitker that he would have played in the contest “If [he] could see a little better.” Pillar even brought out the lineup card for the Mets’ Tuesday game.

“It was such a scary moment, It’s unbelievable that he’s here and walking around,” Rojas told media outlets.

Nevertheless, Pillar was still placed on the 10-day injured list. Pillar spent Monday night at a nearby hospital, where he underwent examination and a CT scan. Pillar also met with a facial specialist in Atlanta, who advised him on the recommended next steps. He joins a lengthy list of injured players on the Mets, as Taijuan Walker was also forced to exit the game on Monday with muscle tightness.

Pillar holds no grudge with Webb, telling reporters that “I know this guy didn’t want to hit me, didn’t want to hit me in the face” and that “accidents do happen. I know he feels bad. Me and him talked last night and today,”

“I wasn’t trying to hit him,” Webb confirmed. “It definitely came out of my hand weird. I knew right away when I threw it.”

“Glad he’s doing alright and hoping for a speedy recovery for him” offered Webb, who has expressed his guilt in the situation.

Wilfredo Tovar, Syracuse Infielder, has been chosen to fill in for Pillar while he makes a recovery from the incident.

LeBron James sunk a game-winning three-point shot in the final minute of the contest versus the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

James made the shot from 34 feet to break a 100-100 tie score as Stephen Curry closed out on defense. This was the farthest James had scored from during this season. James claimed that he was also poked in the eye by Draymond Green, which made the shot even more difficult. “After Draymond’s finger to the eye, I was literally seeing three rims out there so I just shot at the middle one,” commented James.

Anthony Davis added that James was sparked by trash talk from Juan Toscano-Anderson, who had the assignment to guard James most of the night.

Curry, who scored 37 points in the loss, called this feat by James a “great shot.” He elaborated, stating that It “was a tough one because you don’t really expect to go in… Everything changes when it goes in. All-time great players make great shots.”

“Our guys really, really just battled and competed, and I couldn’t be more proud of the team for what they’ve become over the last couple of months,”  Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told the media. “This was our game and we couldn’t get it done.”

The game was close throughout, but the Warriors had jumped to a 55-42 lead by halftime. The Lakers had their fair share of offensive troubles, with James and others converting at a low percentage. The Lakers’ defense, however, managed to keep them in the game. The Lakers turned up the heat in the third quarter, as they outscored the Warriors by 11 points.

The win moves the Los Angeles Lakers forward to the playoffs and matches them up with the second-seeded Phoenix Suns. The Lakers are favored to win the series with -300 odds as per Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. This is the first time that a seventh seed is favored to beat a second seed in 30 years, says ESPN.

The Warriors will now contend for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Golden State will face off with the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.

Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert has been prohibited from registering horses in contests at New York racetracks. New York racing authorities announced this development on Monday. This means that Baffert will not be able to run any horses at courses such as Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. This comes along with an investigation into his horse Medina Spirit, who failed a drug test following a win at the Kentucky Derby. Baffert will not be able to compete with Medina Spirit at the Belmont Stakes.

“In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public, and racing participants,” stated David O’Rourke, chief executive of the New York Racing Association. O’Rourke also referenced “failed drug tests in the recent past” by Baffert that caused “the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas.” Five doping violations have been leveled against Baffert’s horses in these states.

Baffert did not make it official that he would compete with any horses for the third piece of the triple crown, but was apparently looking at entering other contests on the day of the Belmont Stakes. These regulations will prevent Baffert, his racehorses, and his assistants from setting foot on the grounds of any New York racetracks. This is an outcome that will without a doubt be unpleasant news to the owners of the various horses that are trained under Baffert.

Craig Robertson, Baffert’s lawyer, has made it apparent that he is appealing the decision and is in talks with Baffert about possible next steps.

“A final determination regarding the length and terms of Mr. Bafferts suspension will be based on information revealed during the course of the ongoing investigation in Kentucky, such as the post-Kentucky Derby Test results of Medina Spirit,” O’Rourke said in regards to the sanctions on Baffert.

Juantarius Bryant is a former defensive back who played at Austin Peay State University. Bryant earned First-Team All Ohio Valley Conference in 2019, which was the last season he participated in. He also registered 108 total tackles and four broken-up passes. He recently revealed that he was seemingly given an opportunity to try out for the Atlanta Falcons, which he later discovered to be a hoax.

Bryant, In a statement posted to a Twitter account, announced that the “opportunity of attending rookie minicamp with the Atlanta Falcons was not a legit opportunity”. He expanded upon his statement, detailing that “someone contacted [him] from a 404 area code number pretending to be Dean Pees, the DC for the Atlanta Falcons” with the offer to attend the minicamp.

Bryant revealed that he “did not realize it was not a legit opportunity until [he] traveled to the facility for Rookie Minicamp check-in on Wednesday.” He characterized this experience as “one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to [him].”

“At the end of the day, this will not make or break me. I will still continue to fight for my dreams because I know it’s what I really want,” Bryant concluded.

“Juan has handled this situation with class. I hate the situation and have talked with representatives at the Atlanta Falcons. All parties involved are frustrated but [Bryant] will get his opportunity soon,” said Corey Alexander, Bryant’s agent.

Bryant announced on May 17 that he will participate in a HUB Football event on May 23 after receiving an invitation. HUB football was created by well-known agent Don Yee and is described as a “developmental product specifically designed to help propel street free agent professional football players toward their next professional football destination.” Players can only attend the HUB event if they have been invited. Several NFL teams, such as the Falcons, will be in attendance, according to a tweet by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

LeBron James and the Lakers look to face the Warriors on Wednesday, May 15. The winner will earn a first-round matchup with the Phoenix Suns while the loser will play either the ninth-seeded Grizzlies or the tenth-seeded Spurs.

“It’s always been level respect that’s even beyond the game of basketball,” James commented on what it means to him to compete with Warriors’ star Stephen Curry after defeating the Pelicans on May 16. “I mean, just look at what he’s done this year,” he added, “I don’t know anything else if you’re looking for an MVP. If Steph is not on Golden State’s team, what are we looking at?” James further commented on Curry, adding “We get caught up in the, OK, who has the best record, instead of just saying who had the best season that year. And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year.”

Curry has averaged 31.8 points per game and claimed the scoring title in the NBA this year. He further cements his status as an all-time great as he is entered into an elite group of players to win several scoring titles, MVPs, and championships. The only other players to do this are Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The Lakers finished the season with a five-game stretch of victories. James posted 24.5 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in the last two games he has played after missing all but two of the team’s preceding 28 games. A championship for the seventh-seed Lakers would be unprecedented, as the highest-seeded team to win the trophy was the sixth-seeded 1995 Rockets.

James further commented in the face of this, stating “I don’t look at our seeding. It doesn’t matter. Obviously, we know we wanted to play a lot better this season but the injuries took a toll on our team,” referencing his personal ankle injury along with the calf and Achilles problems of Anthony Davis. James concluded with “But I look forward to the challenge. It’s another challenge for me in the postseason. I’m looking forward to it.”