the-u - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights



The war on trans girls in sports is going exactly the way we thought it would
When I was in school, I had a friend who was a fantastic athlete (she still is). She was tall, thin, wore her hair short and could keep up with any of the guys in gym class and outperform 90 percent of them in just about any sport. She didn’t wear makeup and her wardrobe consisted mostly of gender-n...

Diversity in hiring is working for the 49ers, and other NFL teams don't like it
The rules in the NFL apply to all 32 teams. The compensatory draft pick rules are not exclusive to the San Francisco 49ers. They have received extra selections because they assembled a staff and front office that is not exclusively white men. ...

Why would the UFL release its schedule during Super Bowl week?
There’s strength in numbers, but bad planning can weaken anything. When the XFL and USFL officially announced their merger as the UFL in December, it was to expand pro football in a country that’s obsessed over the game....

ESPN, Fox, Warner Brothers creating sports streaming service
ESPN, Fox, and Warner Brothers have announced that they will launch a joint streaming service sometime this year, dedicated to broadcasting live games across 15 networks and all big four leagues....

Saudi Arabia doesn't grant women equal rights, but plans to host WTA Finals
Saudi Arabia has already invested heavily in several sports. Now, the nation plans to make headway into women’s tennis and host the 2024 WTA Finals — if a deal can be reached....

It’s been a positive hiring cycle for Black head coaches in the NFL, but . . .
All of life’s wins should be celebrated, but parades are meant for special occasions. And despite how progressive this hiring cycle for Black head coaches in the NFL has been, anyone who has already poured the champagne is an idiot....

Jurgen Klopp and the importance of Now
“It’ll never get better than this.”...

Coco Gauff-Aryna Sabalenka is tennis' best rivalry
Women’s tennis hasn’t had a great rivalry in some time. The tour was dominated by Serena Williams for so long and no one could have managed to look her in the eye for very long. The closest was her sister Venus, yet matches between the two regularly and mostly were hard on the eyes, because both see...

Black coaches must recognize when they are Rooney Rule pawns
Are you helping yourself or are you helping them? That’s what every Black man in the NFL must ask themselves before accepting an interview for a head coaching position. The answer to the question is a personal one that affects many — just look at David Shaw....

Pacers acquire Pascal Siakam, last piece of Raptors' 2019 championship squad
The Raptors’ fire sale continues. The Indiana Pacers are finalizing a trade to acquire Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Woj, the Pacers will send Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks in the deal. The New Orlea...

Masseuse accuses James Dolan, Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault
A woman has accused New York Knicks owner and Madison Square Garden Entertainment CEO James L. Dolan of pressuring her into unwanted sex and arranging an encounter with Harvey Weinstein, who is also accused of sexually assaulting her, according to the New York Times. ...

Stephen A. Smith says he 'hates' Jason Whitlock, calls him 'a devil'
I did not get the memo that Festivus had been moved from Dec. 23 to the entire month of January. Grievances have been aired and an expansion for that holiday is the only explanation I have for why so many celebrities are beginning the year by verbally going upside the heads of those whom they dislik...