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F1’s new changes will lead to a more consistent car for the drivers, says former champion Jenson Button 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 #F1s #lead #consistent #car #drivers #champion #Jenson #Button

F1’s new changes will lead to a more consistent car for the drivers, says former champion Jenson Button

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

#F1s #lead #consistent #car #drivers #champion #Jenson #Button

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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

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UFC Fight Night Perth Betting Picks: Top Bets and Predictions | Deadspin.com <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-0 py-0 pb-4 undefined"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200/1777647941513" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200/1777647941513" alt="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" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">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<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>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.</p><p>The main event will be a pivotal battle in the welterweight contender scene, as former champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on Carlos Prates.</p><p>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 <a href="https://deadspin.com/jack-della-maddalena-ends-belal-muhammads-title-reign-at-ufc-315/" target="_blank">at UFC 315</a> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2 id="beneil-dariush-vs-quillan-salkilld" class=" uppercase break-words">BENEIL DARIUSH VS QUILLAN SALKILLD</h2><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p><strong>BET: Salkilld to win in under 1.5 rounds (DraftKings: -140)</strong></p> </section><p><span class="inline-block mr-3 uppercase shrink-0 font-bold">Our Current Best Offers</span></p><p>Channel debug: <span class="font-semibold text-gray-700">betting</span></p><br/><section id="section-3"> <h2 id="tim-elliott-vs-steve-erceg" class=" uppercase break-words">TIM ELLIOTT VS STEVE ERCEG</h2><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p><strong>BET: Fight to end via decision/points (FanDuel: -190)</strong></p> </section> <p><span class="inline-block mr-3 uppercase shrink-0 font-bold">Our Current Best Offers</span></p><p>Channel debug: <span class="font-semibold text-gray-700">betting</span></p><section id="section-5"> <h2 id="junior-tafa-vs-kevin-christian" class=" uppercase break-words">JUNIOR TAFA VS KEVIN CHRISTIAN</h2><p>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 <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/04/30/ufc-perths-junior-tafa-on-absence-of-brother-justin-it-sucks/" target="_blank">fun thing about Tafa fighting</a> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p><strong>BET: Christian via KO/TKO/DQ OR Submission (FanDuel: +225)</strong></p> </section><p><span class="inline-block mr-3 uppercase shrink-0 font-bold">Our Current Best Offers</span></p><p>Channel debug: <span class="font-semibold text-gray-700">betting</span></p> </div> #UFC #Fight #Night #Perth #Betting #Picks #Top #Bets #Predictions #Deadspin.com

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Aaron Rodgers announced on Wednesday that this season will be his final year in the NFL.

Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, just inked a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are wandering the quarterback desert without a true long-term plan.

And that’s only part of what makes Rodgers’ retirement announcement feel somewhat unlikely. He’s entering his 22nd season in the NFL, meaning that he’s been in the league half as long as he’s been alive.

A retirement announcement seems expected. He’s going to be 43, he’s played for two decades and has made over $400 million in NFL contracts and bonuses. But Rodgers feasts on attention. Over the last few seasons, his free agency decisions have been long, drawn out processes. But the NFL gives Rodgers that attention that he might not be able to find elsewhere.

There’s nothing left for Rodgers to accomplish on the field. He’s one of the all-time greats, especially in this generation of quarterbacks. But off the field, stepping away from being an NFL player will dim some of the limelight that Rodgers seemingly desperately craves.

Of course, he could become a television analyst or podcast personality. He’s already had standing segments on the “Pat McAfee Show” that received tremendous ratings. But they delivered big ratings because Rodgers was an active player who wasn’t shy about voicing his hesitations about conspiracy theories including his hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccination to play in the NFL.

Without the status of an active NFL player, Rodgers’ whole shtick turns into just another random ex-athlete with bizarre takes and beliefs. There are plenty of other ex-athletes doing this already. Rodgers being an active player is what made his schtick so unique.

There’s been no shortage of controversies surrounding Rodgers over the last few seasons. At one point, he was a mysterious figure that had a falling out with his parents. In recent years, we’ve seen him show dishonesty to the media surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status and yearly threats to retire from the NFL in order to host “Jeopardy!”.

The league will have a void without Rodgers in it. Love him or hate him, he’s a polarizing figure that won’t be the same once he retires, even if he maintains an active voice in football conversation. The NFL has plenty of weird players, and even a few weird quarterbacks, but none of them have the allure and intrigue that Rodgers was able to manufacture over the last two decades.

Maybe the retirement announcement was another exaggeration. This time next year, maybe he’s signing another one-year contract with a Pittsburgh team stuck in neutral. But if it is the end, what a crazy ride it has been.

#Aaron #Rodgers #Retiring #Walk #Deadspin.com">Aaron Rodgers Is Retiring, But Will He Actually Walk Away? | Deadspin.com Aaron Rodgers announced on Wednesday that this season will be his final year in the NFL.Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, just inked a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are wandering the quarterback desert without a true long-term plan.And that’s only part of what makes Rodgers’ retirement announcement feel somewhat unlikely. He’s entering his 22nd season in the NFL, meaning that he’s been in the league half as long as he’s been alive.A retirement announcement seems expected. He’s going to be 43, he’s played for two decades and has made over 0 million in NFL contracts and bonuses. But Rodgers feasts on attention. Over the last few seasons, his free agency decisions have been long, drawn out processes. But the NFL gives Rodgers that attention that he might not be able to find elsewhere.There’s nothing left for Rodgers to accomplish on the field. He’s one of the all-time greats, especially in this generation of quarterbacks. But off the field, stepping away from being an NFL player will dim some of the limelight that Rodgers seemingly desperately craves.Of course, he could become a television analyst or podcast personality. He’s already had standing segments on the “Pat McAfee Show” that received tremendous ratings. But they delivered big ratings because Rodgers was an active player who wasn’t shy about voicing his hesitations about conspiracy theories including his hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccination to play in the NFL.Without the status of an active NFL player, Rodgers’ whole shtick turns into just another random ex-athlete with bizarre takes and beliefs. There are plenty of other ex-athletes doing this already. Rodgers being an active player is what made his schtick so unique.There’s been no shortage of controversies surrounding Rodgers over the last few seasons. At one point, he was a mysterious figure that had a falling out with his parents. In recent years, we’ve seen him show dishonesty to the media surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status and yearly threats to retire from the NFL in order to host “Jeopardy!”.The league will have a void without Rodgers in it. Love him or hate him, he’s a polarizing figure that won’t be the same once he retires, even if he maintains an active voice in football conversation. The NFL has plenty of weird players, and even a few weird quarterbacks, but none of them have the allure and intrigue that Rodgers was able to manufacture over the last two decades.Maybe the retirement announcement was another exaggeration. This time next year, maybe he’s signing another one-year contract with a Pittsburgh team stuck in neutral. But if it is the end, what a crazy ride it has been. #Aaron #Rodgers #Retiring #Walk #Deadspin.com

received tremendous ratings. But they delivered big ratings because Rodgers was an active player who wasn’t shy about voicing his hesitations about conspiracy theories including his hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccination to play in the NFL.

Without the status of an active NFL player, Rodgers’ whole shtick turns into just another random ex-athlete with bizarre takes and beliefs. There are plenty of other ex-athletes doing this already. Rodgers being an active player is what made his schtick so unique.

There’s been no shortage of controversies surrounding Rodgers over the last few seasons. At one point, he was a mysterious figure that had a falling out with his parents. In recent years, we’ve seen him show dishonesty to the media surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status and yearly threats to retire from the NFL in order to host “Jeopardy!”.

The league will have a void without Rodgers in it. Love him or hate him, he’s a polarizing figure that won’t be the same once he retires, even if he maintains an active voice in football conversation. The NFL has plenty of weird players, and even a few weird quarterbacks, but none of them have the allure and intrigue that Rodgers was able to manufacture over the last two decades.

Maybe the retirement announcement was another exaggeration. This time next year, maybe he’s signing another one-year contract with a Pittsburgh team stuck in neutral. But if it is the end, what a crazy ride it has been.

#Aaron #Rodgers #Retiring #Walk #Deadspin.com">Aaron Rodgers Is Retiring, But Will He Actually Walk Away? | Deadspin.com

Aaron Rodgers announced on Wednesday that this season will be his final year in the NFL.

Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, just inked a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are wandering the quarterback desert without a true long-term plan.

And that’s only part of what makes Rodgers’ retirement announcement feel somewhat unlikely. He’s entering his 22nd season in the NFL, meaning that he’s been in the league half as long as he’s been alive.

A retirement announcement seems expected. He’s going to be 43, he’s played for two decades and has made over $400 million in NFL contracts and bonuses. But Rodgers feasts on attention. Over the last few seasons, his free agency decisions have been long, drawn out processes. But the NFL gives Rodgers that attention that he might not be able to find elsewhere.

There’s nothing left for Rodgers to accomplish on the field. He’s one of the all-time greats, especially in this generation of quarterbacks. But off the field, stepping away from being an NFL player will dim some of the limelight that Rodgers seemingly desperately craves.

Of course, he could become a television analyst or podcast personality. He’s already had standing segments on the “Pat McAfee Show” that received tremendous ratings. But they delivered big ratings because Rodgers was an active player who wasn’t shy about voicing his hesitations about conspiracy theories including his hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccination to play in the NFL.

Without the status of an active NFL player, Rodgers’ whole shtick turns into just another random ex-athlete with bizarre takes and beliefs. There are plenty of other ex-athletes doing this already. Rodgers being an active player is what made his schtick so unique.

There’s been no shortage of controversies surrounding Rodgers over the last few seasons. At one point, he was a mysterious figure that had a falling out with his parents. In recent years, we’ve seen him show dishonesty to the media surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status and yearly threats to retire from the NFL in order to host “Jeopardy!”.

The league will have a void without Rodgers in it. Love him or hate him, he’s a polarizing figure that won’t be the same once he retires, even if he maintains an active voice in football conversation. The NFL has plenty of weird players, and even a few weird quarterbacks, but none of them have the allure and intrigue that Rodgers was able to manufacture over the last two decades.

Maybe the retirement announcement was another exaggeration. This time next year, maybe he’s signing another one-year contract with a Pittsburgh team stuck in neutral. But if it is the end, what a crazy ride it has been.

#Aaron #Rodgers #Retiring #Walk #Deadspin.com
#WNBA #players #waived #week #doesnt">3 WNBA players were waived this week, but it doesn’t mean that’s the end There are more roster spots in the WNBA than ever before — more than 200, to be exact.That’s in large part due to league expansion; with the addition of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo this season, the league has a record 15 teams. And, alongside 12 standard roster spots, each team has two developmental player slots, as agreed upon in the latest CBA.Still, with an influx of overseas talent coming to the WNBA in addition to droves of elite college players, holding on to a roster spot remains difficult for those who are on the fringe. As such, even two weeks into the season, good players are getting waived every day.Since Monday, three players have been waived: Grace Vanslooten by the Seattle Storm, Ashten Prechtel by the Golden State Valkyries, and Aubrey Griffin by the New York Liberty. Vanslooter was a 2026 third-round pick after a standout career at Notre Dame. Prechtel was a 2023 third-round pick who won an NCAA championship with Stanford. And, Griffin was selected in the third round of the 2025 draft out of UConn.Before those three cuts, the Phoenix Mercury waived Anneli Maley and Peyton Williams, the Connecticut Sun waived Shey Peddy, and the Portland Fire waived Jordan Harrison.Sometimes, these cuts are expected: players signed hardship contracts in the wake of injuries and knew that their tenures would likely be temporary. Other times, cuts seemingly come out of left field; Kate Martin, who was waived by the Valkyries after training camp (and after being a rotation player for the team last season) is an example.And, getting cut isn’t always a death sentence. There’s a long list of players who were waived by a WNBA team, only to eventually blossom elsewhere. That list includes Veronica Burton, who was waived by the Dallas Wings two years ago before becoming an elite two-way point guard for the Valkyries last season. It also includes veteran players like Erica Wheeler and Alysha Clark, who were cut early in their careers. That didn’t stop either: Wheeler has played 11 seasons, and Clark has played 14. Both are some of the league’s most established vets.Players who get cut might look to go overseas in the meantime, or they might try to find a home elsewhere (Hailey Van Lith was recently cut by the Chicago Sky, and immediately joined the Connecticut Sun).For some, it’s the end of the road. For others, it’s just the beginning. #WNBA #players #waived #week #doesnt

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