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To call the 2025-26 Dallas Stars season a disappointment would be one of the biggest understatements in hockey after their crushing opening round loss to the Wild on Thursday night. It’s left the team needing to make critical decisions this offseason which will decide whether or not Dallas can remain a contender, or takes a significant step backwards in the future.
So, what exactly went wrong with the Stars this season? Everything on paper pointed to this being a Stanley Cup caliber team, likely to compete with the Colorado Avalanche for the best in the West — and during the regular season they did for the most part, but as the playoffs commenced we saw the holes in the lineup open up, holes which aren’t easy to patch.
The trade for Mikko Rantanen made all the sense in the world last year, with the high-scoring Finn appearing to be the superstar forward they needed. Adding Rantanen to one of the highest-scoring teams in hockey should have been a boon — but the deal hasn’t really worked out.
The problem hasn’t been Rantanen (though he’s understandably the scapegoat), and more how Rantanen is playing inside the Stars system. The issue is that he’s no longer the elite goal scorer he was in Colorado without Nathan McKinnon’s puck distribution in the middle, which has forced him into being a passer from the wing. Rantanen doesn’t have a place on the top line with Wyatt Johnson being a puck-dominant center, and Jason Robertson being the go-to finisher. Throwing him on the second line hasn’t worked either, with Matt Duchene being hurt, and regressing in significant ways this past season.
This is even more problematic in looking at what the Stars gave up in the Rantanen deal. Logan Stankoven was more or less the throw in prospect to get the deal done, and he’s emerged as the Carolina Hurricanes’ key second-line center — exactly what the Stars need now.
We have a team that is dangerously top-line heavy. All the success Dallas had in the regular season was due to that front pairing of Johnson and Robertson to do the heavy lifting, with Miro Heiskanen quarterbacking things from the blue line, but the Wild were able to drag the lines deep and beat the Stars with depth.
This brings us to the toughest decision the team has to make: Jason Robertson.
The Stars are not in a good place when it comes to the salary cap. The team is projected to have $11.1M in space for the upcoming season, with a three key players set to hit the market.
It’s here the soul-searching begins, because they have to make an impossible choice. Jamie Benn is likely gone, which is fine, but the Robertson/Bourque decision is brutal. They currently do not have the money to meet the rumored salary demands of Robertson, who reportedly is looking for north of the $12M AAV that Mikko Rantanen is making — which is fair coming off a 96-point season.
Bourque is also due a significant pay raise, and could be a real risk of being poached in free agency.
The logical decision is to let Robertson walk and re-sign Bourque. Robertson isn’t a play-driver, he’s not strong on the forecheck, and his defensive contributions are resigned to stick play. The issue in applying this logic is that it’s impossible to imagine a scenario where the Stars are better without Robertson, because he is their best scorer.
It would likely necessitate moving Rantanen back to the top line, but it’s already been established that he’s not great with Johnson at center. It’s all a bit of a mess. The team might have to pray that Tyler Seguin retires to open the space to retain Robertson, which then means likely losing Bourque.
The other huge part of the Stars problems is Jake Oettinger, who was their key free agent from a year ago. Dallas decided to retain Oettinger and make him one of the five highest-paid goaltenders in hockey, and he was not good this season at all.
Oettinger finished the season at 0.899 SV%, with 2.59 GA — alarmingly, he also only had 31 quality starts in 54 games, barely above the league-average on the season. It’s just not good enough for a top-five paid player at his position.
There isn’t anything the Stars can do with Oettinger but pray he returns to form. The free agent contract is haunting them, and he’s inked for SEVEN more seasons.
The best hope is running it back, which wasn’t good enough to make a playoff impact this year. They can keep the top of their core, losing more depth in the process — or decide to part ways with Robertson, take a step back, and try to find a path forward. That would mean taking a mulligan on the season to correct some of their cap issues, but that isn’t conducive to try and take advantage of Mikko Rantanen’s prime.
This was more or less a make-or-break year for the Dallas Stars, and they broke in the first round. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
To call the 2025-26 Dallas Stars season a disappointment would be one of the biggest understatements in hockey after their crushing opening round loss to the Wild on Thursday night. It’s left the team needing to make critical decisions this offseason which will decide whether or not Dallas can remain a contender, or takes a significant step backwards in the future.
So, what exactly went wrong with the Stars this season? Everything on paper pointed to this being a Stanley Cup caliber team, likely to compete with the Colorado Avalanche for the best in the West — and during the regular season they did for the most part, but as the playoffs commenced we saw the holes in the lineup open up, holes which aren’t easy to patch.
The trade for Mikko Rantanen made all the sense in the world last year, with the high-scoring Finn appearing to be the superstar forward they needed. Adding Rantanen to one of the highest-scoring teams in hockey should have been a boon — but the deal hasn’t really worked out.
The problem hasn’t been Rantanen (though he’s understandably the scapegoat), and more how Rantanen is playing inside the Stars system. The issue is that he’s no longer the elite goal scorer he was in Colorado without Nathan McKinnon’s puck distribution in the middle, which has forced him into being a passer from the wing. Rantanen doesn’t have a place on the top line with Wyatt Johnson being a puck-dominant center, and Jason Robertson being the go-to finisher. Throwing him on the second line hasn’t worked either, with Matt Duchene being hurt, and regressing in significant ways this past season.
This is even more problematic in looking at what the Stars gave up in the Rantanen deal. Logan Stankoven was more or less the throw in prospect to get the deal done, and he’s emerged as the Carolina Hurricanes’ key second-line center — exactly what the Stars need now.
We have a team that is dangerously top-line heavy. All the success Dallas had in the regular season was due to that front pairing of Johnson and Robertson to do the heavy lifting, with Miro Heiskanen quarterbacking things from the blue line, but the Wild were able to drag the lines deep and beat the Stars with depth.
This brings us to the toughest decision the team has to make: Jason Robertson.
The Stars are not in a good place when it comes to the salary cap. The team is projected to have $11.1M in space for the upcoming season, with a three key players set to hit the market.
It’s here the soul-searching begins, because they have to make an impossible choice. Jamie Benn is likely gone, which is fine, but the Robertson/Bourque decision is brutal. They currently do not have the money to meet the rumored salary demands of Robertson, who reportedly is looking for north of the $12M AAV that Mikko Rantanen is making — which is fair coming off a 96-point season.
Bourque is also due a significant pay raise, and could be a real risk of being poached in free agency.
The logical decision is to let Robertson walk and re-sign Bourque. Robertson isn’t a play-driver, he’s not strong on the forecheck, and his defensive contributions are resigned to stick play. The issue in applying this logic is that it’s impossible to imagine a scenario where the Stars are better without Robertson, because he is their best scorer.
It would likely necessitate moving Rantanen back to the top line, but it’s already been established that he’s not great with Johnson at center. It’s all a bit of a mess. The team might have to pray that Tyler Seguin retires to open the space to retain Robertson, which then means likely losing Bourque.
The other huge part of the Stars problems is Jake Oettinger, who was their key free agent from a year ago. Dallas decided to retain Oettinger and make him one of the five highest-paid goaltenders in hockey, and he was not good this season at all.
Oettinger finished the season at 0.899 SV%, with 2.59 GA — alarmingly, he also only had 31 quality starts in 54 games, barely above the league-average on the season. It’s just not good enough for a top-five paid player at his position.
There isn’t anything the Stars can do with Oettinger but pray he returns to form. The free agent contract is haunting them, and he’s inked for SEVEN more seasons.
The best hope is running it back, which wasn’t good enough to make a playoff impact this year. They can keep the top of their core, losing more depth in the process — or decide to part ways with Robertson, take a step back, and try to find a path forward. That would mean taking a mulligan on the season to correct some of their cap issues, but that isn’t conducive to try and take advantage of Mikko Rantanen’s prime.
This was more or less a make-or-break year for the Dallas Stars, and they broke in the first round. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
To call the 2025-26 Dallas Stars season a disappointment would be one of the biggest…
Formula One champion Jenson Button backed the FIA and F1’s recent decision to make tweaks to the new regulations ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
F1 introduced new hybrid power units for 2026, with 50% of the power coming from electric power as part of its push towards sustainability. However, the new cars have come under intense criticism from drivers who have bemoaned that they are too complex and not fun to drive.
“It always takes a little bit of time to fine-tune new regulations. You need to see how it plays out first on track to understand what works and what doesn’t. I think the changes we have here will lead to a more consistent car for the drivers. They’ll have a better understanding of what it’s doing. I think they’ll be much happier,” said Button, the 2009 world champion.
“We want drivers to be out there having fun and enjoying themselves when they’re racing. So it plays a big part in it because when they get out of the car, and they’re unhappy, it doesn’t look great. So yes, I think fine-tuning was necessary,” he added.
Following the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs, the teams have had a five-week break since the previous round in Japan. Button feels this gap in the calendar would have given teams valuable time to assess things and expects the field to bunch up in Miami.
“I think we will see the field a bit closer this weekend, especially the top teams. Mercedes, I think, still has a bit of an advantage. But if they slip up, McLaren and Ferrari will be there waiting. This is quite a fun weekend because we have a sprint race. And the Ferraris are very good off the line. So if they get into the lead, it’s going to be difficult to overtake them. I think the F1 break will be positive for racing here in Miami,” the former McLaren driver remarked.
Commenting on the drivers’ championship battle between Mercedes teammates Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, Button reckoned that whoever gets on top this weekend could have an advantage.
“George, he has been very unlucky on a couple of occasions. In qualifying in Shanghai, he had an issue. So he only got out for one lap right at the end. And then in Japan, he obviously got hurt by the safety car. There was a good chance he was going to fight for victory or at least second in that race in front of his teammate.
ALSO READ | F1 drivers welcome rule tweaks, but say more change needed
“I think he’s probably a little bit frustrated knowing that he’s had the pace to win all three races. But he’s a very confident individual. So I’m sure he believes in himself that he can fight for this world championship.
For Kimi, it’s obviously very different. He’s still so young in this sport. You’ve got to take every moment you can to win races. Even if you get a bit lucky, it doesn’t matter. He was there to pick up the pieces, and he got the job done. So it’s a really exciting battle.”
“I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s interesting here in Miami because Kimi was really fast last year. So it’s going to be a tough fight for both of them this weekend. It’s an important weekend. We’re back from a big break. And whoever gets down to the top step of the podium has bragging rights. It gives them a lot more confidence,” said Button.
Published on May 01, 2026
Formula One champion Jenson Button backed the FIA and F1’s recent decision to make tweaks to the new regulations ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
F1 introduced new hybrid power units for 2026, with 50% of the power coming from electric power as part of its push towards sustainability. However, the new cars have come under intense criticism from drivers who have bemoaned that they are too complex and not fun to drive.
“It always takes a little bit of time to fine-tune new regulations. You need to see how it plays out first on track to understand what works and what doesn’t. I think the changes we have here will lead to a more consistent car for the drivers. They’ll have a better understanding of what it’s doing. I think they’ll be much happier,” said Button, the 2009 world champion.
“We want drivers to be out there having fun and enjoying themselves when they’re racing. So it plays a big part in it because when they get out of the car, and they’re unhappy, it doesn’t look great. So yes, I think fine-tuning was necessary,” he added.
Following the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs, the teams have had a five-week break since the previous round in Japan. Button feels this gap in the calendar would have given teams valuable time to assess things and expects the field to bunch up in Miami.
“I think we will see the field a bit closer this weekend, especially the top teams. Mercedes, I think, still has a bit of an advantage. But if they slip up, McLaren and Ferrari will be there waiting. This is quite a fun weekend because we have a sprint race. And the Ferraris are very good off the line. So if they get into the lead, it’s going to be difficult to overtake them. I think the F1 break will be positive for racing here in Miami,” the former McLaren driver remarked.
Commenting on the drivers’ championship battle between Mercedes teammates Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, Button reckoned that whoever gets on top this weekend could have an advantage.
“George, he has been very unlucky on a couple of occasions. In qualifying in Shanghai, he had an issue. So he only got out for one lap right at the end. And then in Japan, he obviously got hurt by the safety car. There was a good chance he was going to fight for victory or at least second in that race in front of his teammate.
ALSO READ | F1 drivers welcome rule tweaks, but say more change needed
“I think he’s probably a little bit frustrated knowing that he’s had the pace to win all three races. But he’s a very confident individual. So I’m sure he believes in himself that he can fight for this world championship.
For Kimi, it’s obviously very different. He’s still so young in this sport. You’ve got to take every moment you can to win races. Even if you get a bit lucky, it doesn’t matter. He was there to pick up the pieces, and he got the job done. So it’s a really exciting battle.”
“I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s interesting here in Miami because Kimi was really fast last year. So it’s going to be a tough fight for both of them this weekend. It’s an important weekend. We’re back from a big break. And whoever gets down to the top step of the podium has bragging rights. It gives them a lot more confidence,” said Button.
Published on May 01, 2026
Formula One champion Jenson Button backed the FIA and F1’s recent decision to make tweaks…
May 10, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Jack Della Maddalena (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Belal Muhammad (not pictured) for the Welterweight Title during UFC 315 at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images For the second time in just over three months, the UFC goes “down under” with its Fight Night card this weekend. The Octagon lands in Perth this weekend as UFC Perth takes place on Saturday, May 2, from the RAC Arena.
The main event will be a pivotal battle in the welterweight contender scene, as former champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on Carlos Prates.
This will be the first fight in JDM’s fifth year with the promotion. He started his UFC tenure 8-0, culminating with his upset of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 to capture the UFC welterweight championship. This will be JDM’s first fight since dropping the title to Islam Makhachev, which snapped an 18-fight win streak he had since dropping his first two pro bouts.
Prates has won two straight and 13 of his last 14 fights. Prates is sporting a 6-1 UFC record, with his sole loss coming to Ian Machado Garry last year. Prates enters this fight off a a second-round knockout of Leon Edwards at UFC 322.
The co-main event will be a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush and Quillan Salkilld. Dariush has lost three of his last four, entering this fight off a knockout loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 322. Salkilld, who is 11-1, is 4-0 in the UFC, entering this fight off a submission win over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 325.
The rest of the main card features Tim Elliott vs. Steve Erceg, Marwan Rahiki vs. Ollie Schmid, Shamil Gaziev vs. Brando Pericic, and Tai Tuivasa vs. Louie Sutherland.
Beneil Dariush has the experience edge in this matchup by far, and for him this is a fight he needs to “get right.” But Quillan Salkilld is currently one of the fastest rising stars in the sport, earning three finishes and three performance bonuses in his four UFC bouts thus far.
For Dariush to succeed, he’ll have to get around Salkilld’s power and three-inch reach advantage, look to get inside and take this fight to the ground. If he can do that, he might be able to go toe-to-toe well with Salkilld in wrestling. But the more the fight is standing and Salkilld is pressuring, it might be too much for the veteran to handle.
BET: Salkilld to win in under 1.5 rounds (DraftKings: -140)
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Tim Elliott is a veteran who is showing he can still hang on the big stage, entering this fight with four wins in his last five fights, including a submission win over Kai Asakura last time out. Erceg had a notable quick rise up the ranks, needing just three wins to earn a title shot. Erceg even almost beat Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title; however, it started a three-fight losing skid that was snapped with a win over Ode’ Osbourne at UFC Vegas 109.
These two are both well-rounded, and Elliott seems to stay strong even at 39. This should be a fun, back-and-forth, technical battle, whether this fight is on the feet or on the ground. I’d lean to Erceg, but it’ll be hard for either man to score a finish.
BET: Fight to end via decision/points (FanDuel: -190)
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It has been a severely tough time for Tafa in the Octagon since his UFC debut in 2023. He is 2-5 in the UFC, bringing his total MMA record down to 6-5. The fun thing about Tafa fighting is that there’s almost certainly going to be a finish. However, while he has the kickboxing background and power in his strikes, Tafa hasn’t done much to impress at either heavyweight or light heavyweight.
Christian comes into this bout 9-3 but having lost his UFC debut to Billy Elekana, who also holds a win over Tafa. Christian is also a big finisher, and while he’s less experienced than Tafa overall in combat sports, he’s got a lot of upward momentum between these two – and has a better skillset with his ground game.
BET: Christian via KO/TKO/DQ OR Submission (FanDuel: +225)
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May 10, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Jack Della Maddalena (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Belal Muhammad (not pictured) for the Welterweight Title during UFC 315 at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images For the second time in just over three months, the UFC goes “down under” with its Fight Night card this weekend. The Octagon lands in Perth this weekend as UFC Perth takes place on Saturday, May 2, from the RAC Arena.
The main event will be a pivotal battle in the welterweight contender scene, as former champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on Carlos Prates.
This will be the first fight in JDM’s fifth year with the promotion. He started his UFC tenure 8-0, culminating with his upset of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 to capture the UFC welterweight championship. This will be JDM’s first fight since dropping the title to Islam Makhachev, which snapped an 18-fight win streak he had since dropping his first two pro bouts.
Prates has won two straight and 13 of his last 14 fights. Prates is sporting a 6-1 UFC record, with his sole loss coming to Ian Machado Garry last year. Prates enters this fight off a a second-round knockout of Leon Edwards at UFC 322.
The co-main event will be a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush and Quillan Salkilld. Dariush has lost three of his last four, entering this fight off a knockout loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 322. Salkilld, who is 11-1, is 4-0 in the UFC, entering this fight off a submission win over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 325.
The rest of the main card features Tim Elliott vs. Steve Erceg, Marwan Rahiki vs. Ollie Schmid, Shamil Gaziev vs. Brando Pericic, and Tai Tuivasa vs. Louie Sutherland.
Beneil Dariush has the experience edge in this matchup by far, and for him this is a fight he needs to “get right.” But Quillan Salkilld is currently one of the fastest rising stars in the sport, earning three finishes and three performance bonuses in his four UFC bouts thus far.
For Dariush to succeed, he’ll have to get around Salkilld’s power and three-inch reach advantage, look to get inside and take this fight to the ground. If he can do that, he might be able to go toe-to-toe well with Salkilld in wrestling. But the more the fight is standing and Salkilld is pressuring, it might be too much for the veteran to handle.
BET: Salkilld to win in under 1.5 rounds (DraftKings: -140)
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Tim Elliott is a veteran who is showing he can still hang on the big stage, entering this fight with four wins in his last five fights, including a submission win over Kai Asakura last time out. Erceg had a notable quick rise up the ranks, needing just three wins to earn a title shot. Erceg even almost beat Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title; however, it started a three-fight losing skid that was snapped with a win over Ode’ Osbourne at UFC Vegas 109.
These two are both well-rounded, and Elliott seems to stay strong even at 39. This should be a fun, back-and-forth, technical battle, whether this fight is on the feet or on the ground. I’d lean to Erceg, but it’ll be hard for either man to score a finish.
BET: Fight to end via decision/points (FanDuel: -190)
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It has been a severely tough time for Tafa in the Octagon since his UFC debut in 2023. He is 2-5 in the UFC, bringing his total MMA record down to 6-5. The fun thing about Tafa fighting is that there’s almost certainly going to be a finish. However, while he has the kickboxing background and power in his strikes, Tafa hasn’t done much to impress at either heavyweight or light heavyweight.
Christian comes into this bout 9-3 but having lost his UFC debut to Billy Elekana, who also holds a win over Tafa. Christian is also a big finisher, and while he’s less experienced than Tafa overall in combat sports, he’s got a lot of upward momentum between these two – and has a better skillset with his ground game.
BET: Christian via KO/TKO/DQ OR Submission (FanDuel: +225)
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May 10, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Jack Della Maddalena (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Belal Muhammad (not pictured) for the Welterweight Title during UFC 315 at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images For the second time in just over three months, the UFC goes “down under” with its Fight Night card this weekend. The Octagon lands in Perth this weekend as UFC Perth takes place on Saturday, May 2, from the RAC Arena.
The main event will be a pivotal battle in the welterweight contender scene, as former champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on Carlos Prates.
This will be the first fight in JDM’s fifth year with the promotion. He started his UFC tenure 8-0, culminating with his upset of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 to capture the UFC welterweight championship. This will be JDM’s first fight since dropping the title to Islam Makhachev, which snapped an 18-fight win streak he had since dropping his first two pro bouts.
Prates has won two straight and 13 of his last 14 fights. Prates is sporting a 6-1 UFC record, with his sole loss coming to Ian Machado Garry last year. Prates enters this fight off a a second-round knockout of Leon Edwards at UFC 322.
The co-main event will be a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush and Quillan Salkilld. Dariush has lost three of his last four, entering this fight off a knockout loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 322. Salkilld, who is 11-1, is 4-0 in the UFC, entering this fight off a submission win over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 325.
The rest of the main card features Tim Elliott vs. Steve Erceg, Marwan Rahiki vs. Ollie Schmid, Shamil Gaziev vs. Brando Pericic, and Tai Tuivasa vs. Louie Sutherland.
Beneil Dariush has the experience edge in this matchup by far, and for him this is a fight he needs to “get right.” But Quillan Salkilld is currently one of the fastest rising stars in the sport, earning three finishes and three performance bonuses in his four UFC bouts thus far.
For Dariush to succeed, he’ll have to get around Salkilld’s power and three-inch reach advantage, look to get inside and take this fight to the ground. If he can do that, he might be able to go toe-to-toe well with Salkilld in wrestling. But the more the fight is standing and Salkilld is pressuring, it might be too much for the veteran to handle.
BET: Salkilld to win in under 1.5 rounds (DraftKings: -140)
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Tim Elliott is a veteran who is showing he can still hang on the big stage, entering this fight with four wins in his last five fights, including a submission win over Kai Asakura last time out. Erceg had a notable quick rise up the ranks, needing just three wins to earn a title shot. Erceg even almost beat Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title; however, it started a three-fight losing skid that was snapped with a win over Ode’ Osbourne at UFC Vegas 109.
These two are both well-rounded, and Elliott seems to stay strong even at 39. This should be a fun, back-and-forth, technical battle, whether this fight is on the feet or on the ground. I’d lean to Erceg, but it’ll be hard for either man to score a finish.
BET: Fight to end via decision/points (FanDuel: -190)
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It has been a severely tough time for Tafa in the Octagon since his UFC debut in 2023. He is 2-5 in the UFC, bringing his total MMA record down to 6-5. The fun thing about Tafa fighting is that there’s almost certainly going to be a finish. However, while he has the kickboxing background and power in his strikes, Tafa hasn’t done much to impress at either heavyweight or light heavyweight.
Christian comes into this bout 9-3 but having lost his UFC debut to Billy Elekana, who also holds a win over Tafa. Christian is also a big finisher, and while he’s less experienced than Tafa overall in combat sports, he’s got a lot of upward momentum between these two – and has a better skillset with his ground game.
BET: Christian via KO/TKO/DQ OR Submission (FanDuel: +225)
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May 10, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Jack Della Maddalena (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Belal…
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
The Indiana Fever surprised many last season when the short-handed Fever overcame the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs. Missing guard Caitlin Clark for all but 13 games due to a season-ending injury, the Fever’s ability to push the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces to a fifth game in the semifinals showed that coach Stephanie White’s team has legit star quality in Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
The Indiana Fever surprised many last season when the short-handed Fever overcame the Atlanta Dream…
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe told AFP that the International Olympic Committee’s decision in March to introduce testing for gender to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing, is a “very important development for the Olympic movement”.
The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports from the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD).
WA had already announced last July it was introducing the SRY gene test.
“You know, I didn’t come into World Athletics for a popularity contest, I came in to do what I think is the right thing,” said Coe ahead of the World Athletics Relays being hosted in Gaborone, Botswana.
“I’m delighted that the world is beginning to see it the way we did, but I think it’s a very important development for the Olympic movement, and I celebrate that,” he added.
The announcement by the IOC of the reintroduction of the testing for the SRY gene did not meet with universal approval, with French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari saying it was “a step backwards”.
ALSO READ | Olympic bronze medallist Alysha Newman suspended for missing doping tests
Andrew Sinclair, the scientist who discovered the gene, had said even ahead of the decision, the idea that biological sex is entirely defined by chromosomes is “overly simplistic”.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who succeeded Thomas Bach last year, had made resolving the thorny issue a priority after the 2024 Paris Games were rocked by a gender row involving women boxers Imane Khelif of Algeria and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting.
Khelif and Lin were excluded from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 world championships after the IBA said they had failed eligibility tests.
However, the IOC allowed them both to compete at the Paris Games, saying they had been victims of “a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA”.
Both boxers went on to win gold medals. Coe praised Coventry for taking the bull by the horns and coming up with a blanket policy to cover all Olympic sports.
“I’m delighted that the new president, Kirsty, has really, in her first few months as president, gone out of her way to protect the female category,” said the 69-year-old Englishman.
“If you don’t, then you don’t have women’s sport, and Kirsty, of all people, is going to protect women’s sport, so we are 100 per cent behind that position at World Athletics, it’s a position we took many years ago,” he added.
Published on May 01, 2026
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe told AFP that the International Olympic Committee’s decision in March to introduce testing for gender to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing, is a “very important development for the Olympic movement”.
The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports from the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD).
WA had already announced last July it was introducing the SRY gene test.
“You know, I didn’t come into World Athletics for a popularity contest, I came in to do what I think is the right thing,” said Coe ahead of the World Athletics Relays being hosted in Gaborone, Botswana.
“I’m delighted that the world is beginning to see it the way we did, but I think it’s a very important development for the Olympic movement, and I celebrate that,” he added.
The announcement by the IOC of the reintroduction of the testing for the SRY gene did not meet with universal approval, with French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari saying it was “a step backwards”.
ALSO READ | Olympic bronze medallist Alysha Newman suspended for missing doping tests
Andrew Sinclair, the scientist who discovered the gene, had said even ahead of the decision, the idea that biological sex is entirely defined by chromosomes is “overly simplistic”.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who succeeded Thomas Bach last year, had made resolving the thorny issue a priority after the 2024 Paris Games were rocked by a gender row involving women boxers Imane Khelif of Algeria and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting.
Khelif and Lin were excluded from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 world championships after the IBA said they had failed eligibility tests.
However, the IOC allowed them both to compete at the Paris Games, saying they had been victims of “a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA”.
Both boxers went on to win gold medals. Coe praised Coventry for taking the bull by the horns and coming up with a blanket policy to cover all Olympic sports.
“I’m delighted that the new president, Kirsty, has really, in her first few months as president, gone out of her way to protect the female category,” said the 69-year-old Englishman.
“If you don’t, then you don’t have women’s sport, and Kirsty, of all people, is going to protect women’s sport, so we are 100 per cent behind that position at World Athletics, it’s a position we took many years ago,” he added.
Published on May 01, 2026
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe told AFP that the International Olympic Committee’s decision in March…
Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Dalton Rushing against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images It’s officially May, which means it’s tougher to use the small sample size explanation for players who have gotten off to surprisingly fast starts.
Here’s our lineup and pitching staff comprised of pleasant surprises.
As a former second-round pick of the Death Star Dodgers, Rushing is almost disqualified as a surprise. But seven homers in 46 at-bats — three more than he had in 142 at-bats as a rookie last year — as the backup to Will Smith, a potential Hall of Fame-bound catcher, supersedes his draft/prospect status.
Vargas, a career .249 hitter entering the season, has a hit in all 25 games in which he’s played — 15 games longer than his previous longest streak and tied with Joe Torre for the third-longest season-opening hitting streak of the last 90 years. Vargas has also seen time at six positions. He should be the captain of this team.
Jackson’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (22/2 in 96 plate appearances) may make a full breakout unlikely. But with five homers and a .748 OPS, the former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels as an 18-year-old in 2018 is doing a terrific job filling in for the injured Jackson Holliday.
Ryan McMahon is finally stirring at the plate and still offers plus-defense, so Rosario’s early burst (four homers, 13 RBIs and an .828 OPS) will probably go down as the highlight of his season. But he’s another example of Brian Cashman’s ability to find useful short-term solutions.
With two utilityman Gold Gloves on his mantle, Dubon is well-known for his defensive prowess at a variety of positions. But he’s provided some unexpected offense — his .743 OPS would be the highest of his career — while holding down short as Ha-Seong Kim recovers from a finger injury.
Apr 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Leody Taveras (30) celebrates with team mates after hitting a grand slam in the twelfth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Anyone hitting .400, even in just 65 at-bats, is worth noting — especially Cortes, a 28-year-old who hit .254 in 648 minor league games. The Rockies look like a functional big league team thanks to savvy pickups like Johnston, a waiver wire claim who is also 28 and hitting .315 in his first extended big league action, Tavares was a two-time top 100 prospect in the late 2010s who has forced his way into a near-everyday role with the Orioles thanks to an .820 OPS that is nearly 300 points higher than last year’s mark.
Smith has four homers in 64 at-bats — one fewer than he had in 204 at-bats last year — while drawing 18 starts at DH as Atlanta waits for Sean Murphy to return. His first round-tripper, a walk-off grand slam hit fewer than two weeks after Smith’s Mom died, might be the most moving homer of the season.
These five pitchers are 21-4 with a 1.90 ERA after going 35-47 with a 4.43 ERA last year. Each hurler is between 26 and 29 years old, so there’s plenty of reason to believe this year’s improvements — and in the case of Soroka, good health following a pair of seasons lost to Achilles injuries — are sustainable over the long haul.
Baker is 31 and pitching in a late-inning role for the Rays, who change closers like the rest of us change socks. But closers are falling apart all over the place, so Baker’s seven saves — three more than he had entering the season — make him our ninth-inning guy by default.
Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Dalton Rushing against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images It’s officially May, which means it’s tougher to use the small sample size explanation for players who have gotten off to surprisingly fast starts.
Here’s our lineup and pitching staff comprised of pleasant surprises.
As a former second-round pick of the Death Star Dodgers, Rushing is almost disqualified as a surprise. But seven homers in 46 at-bats — three more than he had in 142 at-bats as a rookie last year — as the backup to Will Smith, a potential Hall of Fame-bound catcher, supersedes his draft/prospect status.
Vargas, a career .249 hitter entering the season, has a hit in all 25 games in which he’s played — 15 games longer than his previous longest streak and tied with Joe Torre for the third-longest season-opening hitting streak of the last 90 years. Vargas has also seen time at six positions. He should be the captain of this team.
Jackson’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (22/2 in 96 plate appearances) may make a full breakout unlikely. But with five homers and a .748 OPS, the former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels as an 18-year-old in 2018 is doing a terrific job filling in for the injured Jackson Holliday.
Ryan McMahon is finally stirring at the plate and still offers plus-defense, so Rosario’s early burst (four homers, 13 RBIs and an .828 OPS) will probably go down as the highlight of his season. But he’s another example of Brian Cashman’s ability to find useful short-term solutions.
With two utilityman Gold Gloves on his mantle, Dubon is well-known for his defensive prowess at a variety of positions. But he’s provided some unexpected offense — his .743 OPS would be the highest of his career — while holding down short as Ha-Seong Kim recovers from a finger injury.
Apr 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Leody Taveras (30) celebrates with team mates after hitting a grand slam in the twelfth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Anyone hitting .400, even in just 65 at-bats, is worth noting — especially Cortes, a 28-year-old who hit .254 in 648 minor league games. The Rockies look like a functional big league team thanks to savvy pickups like Johnston, a waiver wire claim who is also 28 and hitting .315 in his first extended big league action, Tavares was a two-time top 100 prospect in the late 2010s who has forced his way into a near-everyday role with the Orioles thanks to an .820 OPS that is nearly 300 points higher than last year’s mark.
Smith has four homers in 64 at-bats — one fewer than he had in 204 at-bats last year — while drawing 18 starts at DH as Atlanta waits for Sean Murphy to return. His first round-tripper, a walk-off grand slam hit fewer than two weeks after Smith’s Mom died, might be the most moving homer of the season.
These five pitchers are 21-4 with a 1.90 ERA after going 35-47 with a 4.43 ERA last year. Each hurler is between 26 and 29 years old, so there’s plenty of reason to believe this year’s improvements — and in the case of Soroka, good health following a pair of seasons lost to Achilles injuries — are sustainable over the long haul.
Baker is 31 and pitching in a late-inning role for the Rays, who change closers like the rest of us change socks. But closers are falling apart all over the place, so Baker’s seven saves — three more than he had entering the season — make him our ninth-inning guy by default.
Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Dalton Rushing against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images It’s officially May, which means it’s tougher to use the small sample size explanation for players who have gotten off to surprisingly fast starts.
Here’s our lineup and pitching staff comprised of pleasant surprises.
As a former second-round pick of the Death Star Dodgers, Rushing is almost disqualified as a surprise. But seven homers in 46 at-bats — three more than he had in 142 at-bats as a rookie last year — as the backup to Will Smith, a potential Hall of Fame-bound catcher, supersedes his draft/prospect status.
Vargas, a career .249 hitter entering the season, has a hit in all 25 games in which he’s played — 15 games longer than his previous longest streak and tied with Joe Torre for the third-longest season-opening hitting streak of the last 90 years. Vargas has also seen time at six positions. He should be the captain of this team.
Jackson’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (22/2 in 96 plate appearances) may make a full breakout unlikely. But with five homers and a .748 OPS, the former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels as an 18-year-old in 2018 is doing a terrific job filling in for the injured Jackson Holliday.
Ryan McMahon is finally stirring at the plate and still offers plus-defense, so Rosario’s early burst (four homers, 13 RBIs and an .828 OPS) will probably go down as the highlight of his season. But he’s another example of Brian Cashman’s ability to find useful short-term solutions.
With two utilityman Gold Gloves on his mantle, Dubon is well-known for his defensive prowess at a variety of positions. But he’s provided some unexpected offense — his .743 OPS would be the highest of his career — while holding down short as Ha-Seong Kim recovers from a finger injury.
Apr 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Leody Taveras (30) celebrates with team mates after hitting a grand slam in the twelfth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Anyone hitting .400, even in just 65 at-bats, is worth noting — especially Cortes, a 28-year-old who hit .254 in 648 minor league games. The Rockies look like a functional big league team thanks to savvy pickups like Johnston, a waiver wire claim who is also 28 and hitting .315 in his first extended big league action, Tavares was a two-time top 100 prospect in the late 2010s who has forced his way into a near-everyday role with the Orioles thanks to an .820 OPS that is nearly 300 points higher than last year’s mark.
Smith has four homers in 64 at-bats — one fewer than he had in 204 at-bats last year — while drawing 18 starts at DH as Atlanta waits for Sean Murphy to return. His first round-tripper, a walk-off grand slam hit fewer than two weeks after Smith’s Mom died, might be the most moving homer of the season.
These five pitchers are 21-4 with a 1.90 ERA after going 35-47 with a 4.43 ERA last year. Each hurler is between 26 and 29 years old, so there’s plenty of reason to believe this year’s improvements — and in the case of Soroka, good health following a pair of seasons lost to Achilles injuries — are sustainable over the long haul.
Baker is 31 and pitching in a late-inning role for the Rays, who change closers like the rest of us change socks. But closers are falling apart all over the place, so Baker’s seven saves — three more than he had entering the season — make him our ninth-inning guy by default.
Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Dalton Rushing against the…
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Madrid Open final on Friday.
The Italian won his 22nd straight match to book a place in Sunday’s final, where he will aim to win a record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.
With his chief rival Carlos Alcaraz out injured, Sinner is the firm favourite to triumph at the Caja Magica and add to his recent titles at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo.
The 24-year-old will face second seed Alexander Zverev or promising Belgian Alexander Blockx in the final.
Beating Sinner right now seems a near-impossible task, and the four-time Grand Slam champion started superbly against Barcelona Open winner Fils, who has impressed since returning from injury in February.
The Italian broke in the third game when Fils went long to lead 2-1.
Sinner broke again in the fifth game, with Fils, ranked 25th in the world, unable to cope with his power from the baseline.
ALSO READ: Japan’s Nishikori, who reached 2014 US Open final, to retire at end of season
The Frenchman has not yet reached a Masters 1000 final and, with Sinner in excellent form, it quickly became clear he would have to wait a little longer.
Sinner wrapped up the first set on serve after Fils found some resistance to prevent a third break.
The second set was far closer, with Fils growing in confidence.
The 21-year-old saved two break points to take a 3-2 lead and then put pressure on Sinner’s next service game, although the Italian produced two aces to hold.
Sinner broke with a down-the-line backhand winner at the end of an excellent rally to take a 5-4 lead, before serving out the match.
Published on May 01, 2026
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Madrid Open final on Friday.
The Italian won his 22nd straight match to book a place in Sunday’s final, where he will aim to win a record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.
With his chief rival Carlos Alcaraz out injured, Sinner is the firm favourite to triumph at the Caja Magica and add to his recent titles at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo.
The 24-year-old will face second seed Alexander Zverev or promising Belgian Alexander Blockx in the final.
Beating Sinner right now seems a near-impossible task, and the four-time Grand Slam champion started superbly against Barcelona Open winner Fils, who has impressed since returning from injury in February.
The Italian broke in the third game when Fils went long to lead 2-1.
Sinner broke again in the fifth game, with Fils, ranked 25th in the world, unable to cope with his power from the baseline.
ALSO READ: Japan’s Nishikori, who reached 2014 US Open final, to retire at end of season
The Frenchman has not yet reached a Masters 1000 final and, with Sinner in excellent form, it quickly became clear he would have to wait a little longer.
Sinner wrapped up the first set on serve after Fils found some resistance to prevent a third break.
The second set was far closer, with Fils growing in confidence.
The 21-year-old saved two break points to take a 3-2 lead and then put pressure on Sinner’s next service game, although the Italian produced two aces to hold.
Sinner broke with a down-the-line backhand winner at the end of an excellent rally to take a 5-4 lead, before serving out the match.
Published on May 01, 2026
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Madrid Open…
Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) talks to the press during Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit:Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Two wrongful death lawsuits were filed this week in connection with the December plane crash in North Carolina that claimed the lives of former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others.
Biffle, 55, was killed along with his wife, Cristina, and their two children, family friend Craig Wadsworth, and the pilots, Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack.
The Dutton estates filed the suits earlier this week, each seeking $15 million in damages, according to an ESPN story published Friday.
The lawsuits allege that Biffle, as the owner of the aircraft, was responsible for ensuring its proper maintenance. The suits claim that inadequate maintenance contributed to the Dec. 18 crash that occurred shortly after takeoff near the Statesville (N.C.) Regional Airport.
According to a preliminary report this winter from the National Transportation Safety Board, Dennis Dutton was flying the Cessna 500 Citation II and Jack Dutton was in the copilot’s seat.
The report found that some of the plane’s instruments stopped working and that Dennis Dutton briefly turned control over to his son before the fiery crash.
Investigators concluded that neither Biffle nor Jack Dutton held the necessary endorsement on their pilot’s licenses to serve as second-in-command on that plane — a two-pilot operation under Federal Aviation Administration rules.
The NTSB is still investigating the accident and has not released a final report.
Biffle was a longtime presence in NASCAR, winning 19 races at the Cup Series level and capturing championships in both the Truck Series (2000) and Busch Series (2002). He was also recognized for humanitarian work, including relief efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
–Field Level Media
Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) talks to the press during Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit:Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Two wrongful death lawsuits were filed this week in connection with the December plane crash in North Carolina that claimed the lives of former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others.
Biffle, 55, was killed along with his wife, Cristina, and their two children, family friend Craig Wadsworth, and the pilots, Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack.
The Dutton estates filed the suits earlier this week, each seeking $15 million in damages, according to an ESPN story published Friday.
The lawsuits allege that Biffle, as the owner of the aircraft, was responsible for ensuring its proper maintenance. The suits claim that inadequate maintenance contributed to the Dec. 18 crash that occurred shortly after takeoff near the Statesville (N.C.) Regional Airport.
According to a preliminary report this winter from the National Transportation Safety Board, Dennis Dutton was flying the Cessna 500 Citation II and Jack Dutton was in the copilot’s seat.
The report found that some of the plane’s instruments stopped working and that Dennis Dutton briefly turned control over to his son before the fiery crash.
Investigators concluded that neither Biffle nor Jack Dutton held the necessary endorsement on their pilot’s licenses to serve as second-in-command on that plane — a two-pilot operation under Federal Aviation Administration rules.
The NTSB is still investigating the accident and has not released a final report.
Biffle was a longtime presence in NASCAR, winning 19 races at the Cup Series level and capturing championships in both the Truck Series (2000) and Busch Series (2002). He was also recognized for humanitarian work, including relief efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
–Field Level Media
Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series…
![WATCH | Sanjay Manjrekar breaks down the technical change behind Sanju Samson’s recent success It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83. This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHZKfnILQsI[/embed]It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters “The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained. Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”Published on May 01, 2026 #WATCH #Sanjay #Manjrekar #breaks #technical #change #Sanju #Samsons #success](https://i0.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/eqrakg/article70928975.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/APTOPIX_India_IPL_Cricket_74271.jpg?ssl=1 "WATCH | Sanjay Manjrekar breaks down the technical change behind Sanju Samson’s recent success It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83. This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHZKfnILQsI[/embed]It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters “The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained. Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”Published on May 01, 2026 #WATCH #Sanjay #Manjrekar #breaks #technical #change #Sanju #Samsons #success")
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.
He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83.
This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style.
It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters
“The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained.
Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.
”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.
“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.
Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”
“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”
Published on May 01, 2026
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.
He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83.
This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style.
It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters
“The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained.
Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.
”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.
“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.
Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”
“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”
Published on May 01, 2026
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from…
2026 Kentucky Derby contender Right To Party works during a morning training session during Kentucky Derby week. The horse is trained by Kenny McPeek. April 29, 2026 Right to Party was scratched from the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Friday, the day before the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
The decision was made by regulatory veterinarians on hand in Louisville, Ky. The vets diagnosed the horse with right front lameness, an abnormality that could affect its gait and pose danger to the horse and jockey.
Right to Party was a 30-1 longshot on the morning line before the scratch and was set to start in the No. 5 post position, which has been a favorable spot in past races. He was replaced by Robusta, a 50-1 longshot who will start from Gate 23.
This is the third horse to be replaced in advance of the 20-horse race. Silent Tactic, another longshot, was replaced by Great White.
Ocelli took the spot of Fulleffort, who was scratched Thursday. Ocelli carries 50-1 odds and will attempt to become just the fourth horse to gain its first career win at the Kentucky Derby. That last was done in 1933 by Brokers Tip.
Right to Party is trained by Ken McPeek, who won his first Kentucky Derby in 2024 with Mystik Dan involved in a three-horse photo finish. Jockey Christopher Elliott was set to ride Right to Party on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
2026 Kentucky Derby contender Right To Party works during a morning training session during Kentucky Derby week. The horse is trained by Kenny McPeek. April 29, 2026 Right to Party was scratched from the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Friday, the day before the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
The decision was made by regulatory veterinarians on hand in Louisville, Ky. The vets diagnosed the horse with right front lameness, an abnormality that could affect its gait and pose danger to the horse and jockey.
Right to Party was a 30-1 longshot on the morning line before the scratch and was set to start in the No. 5 post position, which has been a favorable spot in past races. He was replaced by Robusta, a 50-1 longshot who will start from Gate 23.
This is the third horse to be replaced in advance of the 20-horse race. Silent Tactic, another longshot, was replaced by Great White.
Ocelli took the spot of Fulleffort, who was scratched Thursday. Ocelli carries 50-1 odds and will attempt to become just the fourth horse to gain its first career win at the Kentucky Derby. That last was done in 1933 by Brokers Tip.
Right to Party is trained by Ken McPeek, who won his first Kentucky Derby in 2024 with Mystik Dan involved in a three-horse photo finish. Jockey Christopher Elliott was set to ride Right to Party on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
2026 Kentucky Derby contender Right To Party works during a morning training session during Kentucky…
