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Fernando Mendoza references Tom Brady when asked about draft position

Fernando Mendoza references Tom Brady when asked about draft position

By every measure, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to be the first player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, when the Las Vegas Raiders are officially on the clock.

But meeting with the media Friday in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, Mendoza offered perhaps the perfect answer regarding his draft position.

Mendoza’s dream season, which included guiding the Hoosiers to their first national title in school history while securing the Heisman Trophy along the way, has put him at the top of the quarterback board leading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Given that this year’s crop of collegiate passers is not as deep as in year’s past, that has only helped solidify Mendoza’s stock as QB1. And with the Raiders among many teams at the top of the board that need a quarterback, he should not have to wait long to hear his name called.

However, he would be happy to hear it called at all, even if it comes at pick No. 199.

Friday in Indianapolis the quarterback said he would grateful to be selected, “whether it’s the No. 1 pick or whether it’s, you know, the 199th pick.”

Of course, that reference to the “199th pick” comes for a reason. After all, that is where Tom Brady came off board during the 2000 NFL Draft.

You know, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and a minority owner of the Raiders.

Mendoza conceded that he has already met with the Raiders — during which Brady called in to offer a “brief hi” to the Indiana quarterback — and said it was a “fantastic” meeting.

“I was lucky enough to interview with the Las Vegas Raiders,” Mendoza said Friday morning at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. “It was a fantastic interview. Coaching staff was in there. We went over some of my previous plays and did plays on the board. I thought it was a great meeting.

“I know they have the No. 1 pick, but anything can happen in the draft. Excited for the opportunity and whatever team drafts me, I am going to give everything I got to them.”

And while Mendoza is fine wherever he lands, even if it is not with the Raiders, he admitted that the chance to be mentored by Brady would be ideal.

“Yeah, I mean, who hasn’t admired Tom Brady? I mean, more Super Bowl rings than anybody … anybody!” Mendoza said. “So, that opportunity would be fantastic. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time — by a wide margin — and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him, would … mean so much.

“Especially to learn, and I’m all about learning. So from Day 1, you know, I’ve got to learn a lot. It’s gonna be a long journey, and to potentially have a mentor like that, it would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.”

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Deadspin | Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks  Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images   CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.  McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.  “I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”  The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.  “It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”  The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.  “I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”   The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.  “We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.  Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.  “At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”  The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.  “Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #KnicksApr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.

McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.

“I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”

The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.

“It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”

The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.


“I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”

The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.

“We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.

Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.

“At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”

The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.

“Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #Knicks">Deadspin | Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks  Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images   CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.  McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.  “I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”  The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.  “It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”  The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.  “I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”   The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.  “We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.  Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.  “At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”  The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.  “Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #Knicks

Four Indian boxers — Preeti Pawar, Priya, Arundhati Chaudhary and Sachin — have been promoted to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group following their impressive performances at the 2026 Asian Boxing Elite Championships, while three others have been inducted into the Development group.

The decision was taken during the 172nd Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting on Wednesday.

Preeti (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati (70kg) were crowned gold medallists at the continental meet in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia earlier this month, while Sachin (60kg) secured a silver.

The Mission Olympic Cell, which reviews athlete performances under the TOPS framework, based its decision on a detailed assessment of recent results, world rankings and performance progression.

Preeti is set to compete in both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled later this year. Alongside Preeti will be Jaismine (57kg), Priya (W60 kg), Arundhati (W70 kg), and Sachin (M60 kg).

Preeti, Priya and Sachin are also competing at the Asian Games. These boxers made it to CWG 2026 and Asian Games 2026 based on direct qualification, according to the selection policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

Boxing is also one of the main medal contention sports for India at CWG 2026, with the event not featuring a plethora of sports where India could have bagged more medals, for instance, in shooting, badminton, wrestling, field hockey, and more.

The MOC, additionally, Wednesday included three boxers — Aditya (65kg), Deepak (70kg), and Harsh (90kg) — in the TOPS Development group following their performances at the Asian Championships.

Also read | FIVB revokes Volleyball Federation of India’s provisional recognition due to non-compliance of requirements

Narender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) group, where the 31-year-old will receive support until the Asian Games 2026..

Harsh and Narender secured bronze medals, while Aditya and Deepak reached the quarterfinals at the Ulaanbaatar meet earlier this month.

India bagged an impressive haul of 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze, at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The TOPS Development group serves as a feeder system to the Core category, offering promising athletes structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress towards elite performance levels.

With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group currently features seven boxers, the Development group features 25 boxers and the TAGG scheme features one boxer, as preparations intensify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle.

Published on Apr 22, 2026

#Preeti #Arundhati #elevated #TOPS #Core #Group #golden #show #Asian #Boxing #Cships">Preeti, Arundhati elevated to TOPS Core Group following golden show at Asian Boxing C’ships  Four Indian boxers — Preeti Pawar, Priya, Arundhati Chaudhary and Sachin — have been promoted to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group following their impressive performances at the 2026 Asian Boxing Elite Championships, while three others have been inducted into the Development group.The decision was taken during the 172nd Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting on Wednesday.Preeti (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati (70kg) were crowned gold medallists at the continental meet in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia earlier this month, while Sachin (60kg) secured a silver.The Mission Olympic Cell, which reviews athlete performances under the TOPS framework, based its decision on a detailed assessment of recent results, world rankings and performance progression.Preeti is set to compete in both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled later this year. Alongside Preeti will be Jaismine (57kg), Priya (W60 kg), Arundhati (W70 kg), and Sachin (M60 kg).Preeti, Priya and Sachin are also competing at the Asian Games. These boxers made it to CWG 2026 and Asian Games 2026 based on direct qualification, according to the selection policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).Boxing is also one of the main medal contention sports for India at CWG 2026, with the event not featuring a plethora of sports where India could have bagged more medals, for instance, in shooting, badminton, wrestling, field hockey, and more.The MOC, additionally, Wednesday included three boxers — Aditya (65kg), Deepak (70kg), and Harsh (90kg) — in the TOPS Development group following their performances at the Asian Championships.Also read | FIVB revokes Volleyball Federation of India’s provisional recognition due to non-compliance of requirementsNarender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) group, where the 31-year-old will receive support until the Asian Games 2026..Harsh and Narender secured bronze medals, while Aditya and Deepak reached the quarterfinals at the Ulaanbaatar meet earlier this month.India bagged an impressive haul of 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze, at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.The TOPS Development group serves as a feeder system to the Core category, offering promising athletes structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress towards elite performance levels.With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group currently features seven boxers, the Development group features 25 boxers and the TAGG scheme features one boxer, as preparations intensify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle.Published on Apr 22, 2026  #Preeti #Arundhati #elevated #TOPS #Core #Group #golden #show #Asian #Boxing #Cships

FIVB revokes Volleyball Federation of India’s provisional recognition due to non-compliance of requirements

Narender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) group, where the 31-year-old will receive support until the Asian Games 2026..

Harsh and Narender secured bronze medals, while Aditya and Deepak reached the quarterfinals at the Ulaanbaatar meet earlier this month.

India bagged an impressive haul of 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze, at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The TOPS Development group serves as a feeder system to the Core category, offering promising athletes structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress towards elite performance levels.

With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group currently features seven boxers, the Development group features 25 boxers and the TAGG scheme features one boxer, as preparations intensify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle.

Published on Apr 22, 2026

#Preeti #Arundhati #elevated #TOPS #Core #Group #golden #show #Asian #Boxing #Cships">Preeti, Arundhati elevated to TOPS Core Group following golden show at Asian Boxing C’ships

Four Indian boxers — Preeti Pawar, Priya, Arundhati Chaudhary and Sachin — have been promoted to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group following their impressive performances at the 2026 Asian Boxing Elite Championships, while three others have been inducted into the Development group.

The decision was taken during the 172nd Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting on Wednesday.

Preeti (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati (70kg) were crowned gold medallists at the continental meet in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia earlier this month, while Sachin (60kg) secured a silver.

The Mission Olympic Cell, which reviews athlete performances under the TOPS framework, based its decision on a detailed assessment of recent results, world rankings and performance progression.

Preeti is set to compete in both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled later this year. Alongside Preeti will be Jaismine (57kg), Priya (W60 kg), Arundhati (W70 kg), and Sachin (M60 kg).

Preeti, Priya and Sachin are also competing at the Asian Games. These boxers made it to CWG 2026 and Asian Games 2026 based on direct qualification, according to the selection policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

Boxing is also one of the main medal contention sports for India at CWG 2026, with the event not featuring a plethora of sports where India could have bagged more medals, for instance, in shooting, badminton, wrestling, field hockey, and more.

The MOC, additionally, Wednesday included three boxers — Aditya (65kg), Deepak (70kg), and Harsh (90kg) — in the TOPS Development group following their performances at the Asian Championships.

Also read | FIVB revokes Volleyball Federation of India’s provisional recognition due to non-compliance of requirements

Narender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) group, where the 31-year-old will receive support until the Asian Games 2026..

Harsh and Narender secured bronze medals, while Aditya and Deepak reached the quarterfinals at the Ulaanbaatar meet earlier this month.

India bagged an impressive haul of 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze, at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The TOPS Development group serves as a feeder system to the Core category, offering promising athletes structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress towards elite performance levels.

With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group currently features seven boxers, the Development group features 25 boxers and the TAGG scheme features one boxer, as preparations intensify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle.

Published on Apr 22, 2026

#Preeti #Arundhati #elevated #TOPS #Core #Group #golden #show #Asian #Boxing #Cships

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