ew Page 9 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Kentucky, Gonzaga agree to end hoops series early
Scheduled to face off for two more seasons, perennial basketball powers Kentucky and Gonzaga on Wednesday announced an agreement to end their series early. ,In a joint statement, the schools said the decision was made "to allow each program freedom to re-evaluate future scheduling priorities, includ...

Joe Burrow confident Bengals will win Super Bowl this season
Joe Burrow is so impressed with the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason roster upgrades that the star quarterback is predicting the team will be hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February in Inglewood, Calif.,After missing the playoffs the last three seasons and coming off a 6-11 campaign, the Bengals...

Liberty hoping to add star power in contest vs. Valkyries
The New York Liberty are hoping to get back two All-Stars -- point guard Sabrina Ionescu and power forward Satou Sabally -- on Thursday night when they host the Golden State Valkyries.,Ionescu missed New York's first four games due to a left foot injury. However, she returned to practice on Monday.,...

NHLCA monitoring Vegas’ 'unprecedented' denial of Bruce Cassidy interviews
The NHL Coaches Association is speaking out against the Vegas Golden Knights' refusal to let former head coach Bruce Cassidy interview for other head coach positions.,Cassidy, who led the Golden Knights to the 2023 Stanley Cup championship, was fired near the end of his fourth season with Vegas on M...

Hurricanes brush off layoff, face speedy Canadiens in Game 1
The Carolina Hurricanes finally return to game action on Thursday.,Key word: Finally.,The Hurricanes have been awaiting their opposition for the Eastern Conference finals since May 9, and the respite ends when they take on Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 in Raleigh, N.C.,Carolina's 11-day layoff is the...

Report: Joey Chestnut to compete in hot dog contest despite guilty plea
Seventeen-time champion Joey Chestnut won't be banned from this summer's July 4 Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest for his recent guilty plea to a misdemeanor battery charge, according to a report from Front Office Sports.,The charge stems from a March 21 altercation at an Indiana bar. US Weekly...

Jim Furyk, Keegan Bradley named Presidents Cup assistants
Jim Furyk, who captained the U.S. to a Presidents Cup win in 2024, and Keegan Bradley, who also contributed to that victory, were added to team skipper Brandt Snedeker's staff as assistant captains for this fall's tournament.,The Americans will look to make it 11 straight Presidents Cup victories ag...

Switzerland's Rodriguez, Xhaka make fourth World Cup rosters
Defender Ricardo Rodriguez and midfielder Granit Xhaka will each take part in their fourth World Cup after being named to Switzerland manager Murat Yakin's 26-player roster.,The pair have each equaled Xherdan Shaqiri's Swiss record of 12 World Cup finals appearances.,On the other end of the experien...

Renovated TPC Craig Ranch hoping to present bigger challenge for Byron Nelson
Moments after Scottie Scheffler tied the PGA Tour scoring record on TPC Craig Ranch last year, they started tearing up the course.,That's only a slight exaggeration. Former pro golfer Lanny Wadkins was tagged to lead a two-year renovation that took a brief pause when the course hosted the CJ Cup Byr...

Scottie Scheffler eyes repeat at new-look CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Scottie Scheffler bolted out of the blocks and didn't look back last year at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.,Scheffler recorded a scintillating 61 during the first round and a 63 in the second and fourth rounds as part of his eight-stroke, wire-to-wire victory. The 29-year-old Dallas resident set the tourn...

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers says 2026 will be final season
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed in a press conference Wednesday that the 2026 season, his 22nd in the NFL, will be his last.,"Yes. This is it," the four-time NFL MVP said when asked if this would be his final season.,Rodgers, 42, officially signed a one-year, $25 million cont...

Trail Blazers lay off 'significant' number of employees
The Portland Trail Blazers laid off an unspecified number of employees on the business side of the organization as part of a restructuring by new ownership.,The Blazers confirmed the job cuts in a statement to The Oregonian on Wednesday but did not specify an exact number or their job duties.,ESPN c...

Sabres' Lindy Ruff receives 2-year contract extension
The Buffalo Sabres rewarded Lindy Ruff for ending the team's lengthy postseason drought on Wednesday by signing him to a two-year contract extension.,Financial terms were not disclosed by the team for Ruff, who will remain with the Sabres through the 2027-28 season.,The winningest head coach in fran...

Sparks, Mercury both seeking more 'punch' on defense
The visiting Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury enter Thursday's game searching for answers following home losses to the expansion Toronto Tempo.,The Mercury (2-3) and the Sparks (1-3) have each dropped three of their last four games.,Los Angeles will play its first game on the road while Phoeni...

Ex-caddie takes blame for Garrick Higgo's PGA tee-time flub
Garrick Higgo's former caddie shouldered responsibility for a missed tee time penalty that proved costly at last week's PGA Championship, saying he "fell short" of his duties.,Austin Gaugert was fired by Higgo on Monday.,Last Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., Higgo was one minu...

LIV Golf 'firmly focused' on funding solution amid bankruptcy possibility
LIV Golf plans to move ahead with its new business model to potential investors amid a report that the league is putting pieces together for potential bankruptcy if it doesn't find new financing beyond this season.,Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund announced last month that it will not financial...

Spain's Fermin Lopez (foot) confirms he'll miss World Cup
Fermin Lopez of Spain is out of the World Cup following surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot, he announced Wednesday on social media.,The surgery took place on Monday. The midfielder is expected to be sidelined for three months.,"Life -- and football -- can be cruel precisely when you leas...

Mariners reinstate RHP Matt Brash from injured list
The Seattle Mariners reinstated right-hander Matt Brash from the injured list and optioned left-hander Robinson Ortiz to Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday.,Brash, 28, landed on the 15-day IL on May 1 with inflammation in his right lat. He is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 14 relief appearances this season with S...

Fleet teammates among PWHL Defender of Year finalists
Boston Fleet captain Megan Keller, teammate Haley Winn and the Vancouver Goldeneyes' Sophie Jaques were named finalists for 2026 PWHL Defender of the Year honors on Wednesday.,The award is presented to the defender who showcases the most outstanding ability at the position throughout the regular sea...

Esports World Cup coming to Paris this summer
The 2026 Esports World Cup will take place in Paris from July 6 to Aug. 23, organizers announced on Wednesday.,More than 2,000 players and 200 teams from 100-plus countries are expected to compete in 24 games with a total prize pool of more than $75 million, according to the Esports Foundation.,The ...