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The New York Liberty have completely bounced back  For a moment, it appeared that the New York Liberty might be the next WNBA team that boasted a great roster on paper, but with a roster that didn’t meaningfully translate to on-court success. The Liberty began the season with a 3-4 record, dropping two of their first three games against the Portland Fire, the league’s new expansion team.While the roster wasn’t fully available — Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Leonie Fiebich all missed significant time — for a moment, the slew of offseason moves that initially appeared to catapult the Liberty into title favorites resulted in lackluster play.But things have since dramatically changed. New York hasn’t lost a game since May 25th, rattling off seven straight wins. Some of those victories have come against bottom-feeders — they beat the Phoenix Mercury twice and Connecticut Sun once — but on Thursday, they put together perhaps their most impressive win of the season, a 14-point beatdown of the Atlanta Dream, who were 8-3 entering the game.In that one, Breanna Stewart, who has been New York’s most consistent and available player, led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally (19 points), Marine Johannes (17 points), Pauline Austier (16 points), and Jonquel Jones (16 points) were all major contributors.Three days later, the Liberty put together a 22-point beatdown of the Washington Mystics, and Stewart recorded a career-high 7 blocks.The Liberty are 7-0 with Fiebich in the lineup; the 26-year-old missed the start of the WNBA season as she finished her season with the Spanish club Valencia Basket. Fiebich is averaging 7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game but has a +8 +/- rating, the fifth-best in the WNBA. The Liberty now have the second-best plus-minus in the league (a +7), trailing only the Lynx (who have outscored opponents by an average of 11.7 points per game).They’ve yet to face the two best teams in the league — the Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces — but they’re right on track among the best teams in the league.Stewart, who is 31, is having another MVP-caliber season. She’s averaging 19.9 points (the 6th-most in the league) and 9 rebounds (the 7th-most in the league), along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. Alongside her, Jonquel Jones (13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds) has held down the frontcourt, while Marine Johannes (11.6 points, 3.2 assists) and Pauline Astier (11.3 points, 3.9 assists)Satou Sabally, the Liberty’s biggest offseason acquisition, has averaged 10.1 points in just 16 minutes off the bench. Johannes (43.4%), Austier (45.8%), and Sabally (41.9%) have all been scorching-hot from three.All of this success has come with Sabrina Ionescu, a franchise cornerstone, appearing in only two games thus far. Ionescu missed time to begin the season with an ankle/foot injury, and was later sidelined for seven games with back soreness.Ionescu averaged 15.7 points per game last season, and should return to her All-Star caliber play again at some point this season.For now, the Liberty already look like one of the best teams in the league, their sloppy start a distant memory.  #York #Liberty #completely #bounced

The New York Liberty have completely bounced back

For a moment, it appeared that the New York Liberty might be the next WNBA team that boasted a great roster on paper, but with a roster that didn’t meaningfully translate to on-court success. The Liberty began the season with a 3-4 record, dropping two of their first three games against the Portland Fire, the league’s new expansion team.

While the roster wasn’t fully available — Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Leonie Fiebich all missed significant time — for a moment, the slew of offseason moves that initially appeared to catapult the Liberty into title favorites resulted in lackluster play.

But things have since dramatically changed. New York hasn’t lost a game since May 25th, rattling off seven straight wins. Some of those victories have come against bottom-feeders — they beat the Phoenix Mercury twice and Connecticut Sun once — but on Thursday, they put together perhaps their most impressive win of the season, a 14-point beatdown of the Atlanta Dream, who were 8-3 entering the game.

In that one, Breanna Stewart, who has been New York’s most consistent and available player, led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally (19 points), Marine Johannes (17 points), Pauline Austier (16 points), and Jonquel Jones (16 points) were all major contributors.

Three days later, the Liberty put together a 22-point beatdown of the Washington Mystics, and Stewart recorded a career-high 7 blocks.

The Liberty are 7-0 with Fiebich in the lineup; the 26-year-old missed the start of the WNBA season as she finished her season with the Spanish club Valencia Basket. Fiebich is averaging 7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game but has a +8 +/- rating, the fifth-best in the WNBA. The Liberty now have the second-best plus-minus in the league (a +7), trailing only the Lynx (who have outscored opponents by an average of 11.7 points per game).

They’ve yet to face the two best teams in the league — the Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces — but they’re right on track among the best teams in the league.

Stewart, who is 31, is having another MVP-caliber season. She’s averaging 19.9 points (the 6th-most in the league) and 9 rebounds (the 7th-most in the league), along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. Alongside her, Jonquel Jones (13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds) has held down the frontcourt, while Marine Johannes (11.6 points, 3.2 assists) and Pauline Astier (11.3 points, 3.9 assists)

Satou Sabally, the Liberty’s biggest offseason acquisition, has averaged 10.1 points in just 16 minutes off the bench. Johannes (43.4%), Austier (45.8%), and Sabally (41.9%) have all been scorching-hot from three.

All of this success has come with Sabrina Ionescu, a franchise cornerstone, appearing in only two games thus far. Ionescu missed time to begin the season with an ankle/foot injury, and was later sidelined for seven games with back soreness.

Ionescu averaged 15.7 points per game last season, and should return to her All-Star caliber play again at some point this season.

For now, the Liberty already look like one of the best teams in the league, their sloppy start a distant memory.

#York #Liberty #completely #bounced

For a moment, it appeared that the New York Liberty might be the next WNBA team that boasted a great roster on paper, but with a roster that didn’t meaningfully translate to on-court success. The Liberty began the season with a 3-4 record, dropping two of their first three games against the Portland Fire, the league’s new expansion team.

While the roster wasn’t fully available — Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Leonie Fiebich all missed significant time — for a moment, the slew of offseason moves that initially appeared to catapult the Liberty into title favorites resulted in lackluster play.

But things have since dramatically changed. New York hasn’t lost a game since May 25th, rattling off seven straight wins. Some of those victories have come against bottom-feeders — they beat the Phoenix Mercury twice and Connecticut Sun once — but on Thursday, they put together perhaps their most impressive win of the season, a 14-point beatdown of the Atlanta Dream, who were 8-3 entering the game.

In that one, Breanna Stewart, who has been New York’s most consistent and available player, led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally (19 points), Marine Johannes (17 points), Pauline Austier (16 points), and Jonquel Jones (16 points) were all major contributors.

Three days later, the Liberty put together a 22-point beatdown of the Washington Mystics, and Stewart recorded a career-high 7 blocks.

The Liberty are 7-0 with Fiebich in the lineup; the 26-year-old missed the start of the WNBA season as she finished her season with the Spanish club Valencia Basket. Fiebich is averaging 7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game but has a +8 +/- rating, the fifth-best in the WNBA. The Liberty now have the second-best plus-minus in the league (a +7), trailing only the Lynx (who have outscored opponents by an average of 11.7 points per game).

They’ve yet to face the two best teams in the league — the Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces — but they’re right on track among the best teams in the league.

Stewart, who is 31, is having another MVP-caliber season. She’s averaging 19.9 points (the 6th-most in the league) and 9 rebounds (the 7th-most in the league), along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. Alongside her, Jonquel Jones (13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds) has held down the frontcourt, while Marine Johannes (11.6 points, 3.2 assists) and Pauline Astier (11.3 points, 3.9 assists)

Satou Sabally, the Liberty’s biggest offseason acquisition, has averaged 10.1 points in just 16 minutes off the bench. Johannes (43.4%), Austier (45.8%), and Sabally (41.9%) have all been scorching-hot from three.

All of this success has come with Sabrina Ionescu, a franchise cornerstone, appearing in only two games thus far. Ionescu missed time to begin the season with an ankle/foot injury, and was later sidelined for seven games with back soreness.

Ionescu averaged 15.7 points per game last season, and should return to her All-Star caliber play again at some point this season.

For now, the Liberty already look like one of the best teams in the league, their sloppy start a distant memory.

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#York #Liberty #completely #bounced

Deadspin | Twins visit Royals after pair of walk-off losses  Jul 29, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) looks on after completing the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images   Minnesota can attest to how well Randy Dobnak has pitched since he joined Kansas City.  Meanwhile, Twins ace Joe Ryan hopes to end his current rough stretch, which included a loss to Dobnak and the Royals last Wednesday.  Looking to avoid a third straight losing decision, Ryan and the visiting Twins aim to hand the Royals their fifth loss in a row Tuesday night, with Dobnak trying to best his former team for a second consecutive start in the opener of a three-game series.  Entering Monday four games out of first in the American League Central and one back of the final wild-card spot, Minnesota looks to get back on track following two straight walk-off losses at Seattle.   To bolster their pitching staff, the Twins acquired starter Dean Kremer from the Orioles, and relievers A.J. Minter from the Mets and Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays before Monday’s trade deadline.  Minnesota also should have some confidence after going 2-1 against Kansas City at home before losing two of three to the Mariners.  Minnesota’s lone defeat during that Royals series came when Dobnak (1-0, 1.04 ERA) outpitched Ryan (6-7, 3.52), who is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three 2026 starts against Kansas City.  Ryan is also 1-4 with a 4.91 ERA over his last six starts, allowing 12 runs and 18 hits in 10 innings of the past two. Last week, he gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings against the Royals.  “Not putting the ball where I want to,” Ryan said.  “Just kind of battling some things. Just trying to figure out how I can get right. … Just got to keep digging and trying to figure it out.”   Meanwhile, Dobnak, the longtime Twin who was acquired by Kansas City from Seattle in June, has been outstanding since his debut with the Royals on July 2. In three starts, the right-hander has given up only a solo homer and 11 other hits over 16 1/3 innings.  During his return to Minnesota last week, Dobnak yielded four of those hits and a walk over seven strong innings to record his first major league win since 2021.  “He knows who he is. He knows what he does well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.  “He doesn’t try to do something else. And, he’s poised. He believes in what he’s doing, and he executes.”  After Dobnak’s strong outing, Kansas City was outscored 27-11 during a four-game losing streak. The Royals scored eight runs while getting swept at Colorado over the weekend.  However, Kansas City appears set for star Bobby Witt Jr.’s return Tuesday after missing the last 12 games with lower back tightness.  “We figured with the off-day Monday, let’s take the cautious route and have him ready to go full-go on Tuesday,” Quatraro said.  Last in the AL Central, Kansas City acquired prospects in deals that sent outfielder Lane Thomas to Atlanta last week and injured former All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.  Minnesota’s Royce Lewis is hitting .300 with two homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Twins #visit #Royals #pair #walkoff #lossesJul 29, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) looks on after completing the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Minnesota can attest to how well Randy Dobnak has pitched since he joined Kansas City.

Meanwhile, Twins ace Joe Ryan hopes to end his current rough stretch, which included a loss to Dobnak and the Royals last Wednesday.

Looking to avoid a third straight losing decision, Ryan and the visiting Twins aim to hand the Royals their fifth loss in a row Tuesday night, with Dobnak trying to best his former team for a second consecutive start in the opener of a three-game series.

Entering Monday four games out of first in the American League Central and one back of the final wild-card spot, Minnesota looks to get back on track following two straight walk-off losses at Seattle.

To bolster their pitching staff, the Twins acquired starter Dean Kremer from the Orioles, and relievers A.J. Minter from the Mets and Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays before Monday’s trade deadline.

Minnesota also should have some confidence after going 2-1 against Kansas City at home before losing two of three to the Mariners.

Minnesota’s lone defeat during that Royals series came when Dobnak (1-0, 1.04 ERA) outpitched Ryan (6-7, 3.52), who is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three 2026 starts against Kansas City.

Ryan is also 1-4 with a 4.91 ERA over his last six starts, allowing 12 runs and 18 hits in 10 innings of the past two. Last week, he gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings against the Royals.

“Not putting the ball where I want to,” Ryan said.


“Just kind of battling some things. Just trying to figure out how I can get right. … Just got to keep digging and trying to figure it out.”

Meanwhile, Dobnak, the longtime Twin who was acquired by Kansas City from Seattle in June, has been outstanding since his debut with the Royals on July 2. In three starts, the right-hander has given up only a solo homer and 11 other hits over 16 1/3 innings.

During his return to Minnesota last week, Dobnak yielded four of those hits and a walk over seven strong innings to record his first major league win since 2021.

“He knows who he is. He knows what he does well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

“He doesn’t try to do something else. And, he’s poised. He believes in what he’s doing, and he executes.”

After Dobnak’s strong outing, Kansas City was outscored 27-11 during a four-game losing streak. The Royals scored eight runs while getting swept at Colorado over the weekend.

However, Kansas City appears set for star Bobby Witt Jr.’s return Tuesday after missing the last 12 games with lower back tightness.

“We figured with the off-day Monday, let’s take the cautious route and have him ready to go full-go on Tuesday,” Quatraro said.

Last in the AL Central, Kansas City acquired prospects in deals that sent outfielder Lane Thomas to Atlanta last week and injured former All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.

Minnesota’s Royce Lewis is hitting .300 with two homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Twins #visit #Royals #pair #walkoff #losses">Deadspin | Twins visit Royals after pair of walk-off losses  Jul 29, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) looks on after completing the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images   Minnesota can attest to how well Randy Dobnak has pitched since he joined Kansas City.  Meanwhile, Twins ace Joe Ryan hopes to end his current rough stretch, which included a loss to Dobnak and the Royals last Wednesday.  Looking to avoid a third straight losing decision, Ryan and the visiting Twins aim to hand the Royals their fifth loss in a row Tuesday night, with Dobnak trying to best his former team for a second consecutive start in the opener of a three-game series.  Entering Monday four games out of first in the American League Central and one back of the final wild-card spot, Minnesota looks to get back on track following two straight walk-off losses at Seattle.   To bolster their pitching staff, the Twins acquired starter Dean Kremer from the Orioles, and relievers A.J. Minter from the Mets and Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays before Monday’s trade deadline.  Minnesota also should have some confidence after going 2-1 against Kansas City at home before losing two of three to the Mariners.  Minnesota’s lone defeat during that Royals series came when Dobnak (1-0, 1.04 ERA) outpitched Ryan (6-7, 3.52), who is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three 2026 starts against Kansas City.  Ryan is also 1-4 with a 4.91 ERA over his last six starts, allowing 12 runs and 18 hits in 10 innings of the past two. Last week, he gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings against the Royals.  “Not putting the ball where I want to,” Ryan said.  “Just kind of battling some things. Just trying to figure out how I can get right. … Just got to keep digging and trying to figure it out.”   Meanwhile, Dobnak, the longtime Twin who was acquired by Kansas City from Seattle in June, has been outstanding since his debut with the Royals on July 2. In three starts, the right-hander has given up only a solo homer and 11 other hits over 16 1/3 innings.  During his return to Minnesota last week, Dobnak yielded four of those hits and a walk over seven strong innings to record his first major league win since 2021.  “He knows who he is. He knows what he does well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.  “He doesn’t try to do something else. And, he’s poised. He believes in what he’s doing, and he executes.”  After Dobnak’s strong outing, Kansas City was outscored 27-11 during a four-game losing streak. The Royals scored eight runs while getting swept at Colorado over the weekend.  However, Kansas City appears set for star Bobby Witt Jr.’s return Tuesday after missing the last 12 games with lower back tightness.  “We figured with the off-day Monday, let’s take the cautious route and have him ready to go full-go on Tuesday,” Quatraro said.  Last in the AL Central, Kansas City acquired prospects in deals that sent outfielder Lane Thomas to Atlanta last week and injured former All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.  Minnesota’s Royce Lewis is hitting .300 with two homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Twins #visit #Royals #pair #walkoff #losses

Things, as they are want to do, have changed. Almost everyone has some truly experimental uniform combinations, uniform releases have become a part of the offseason calendar. Now an even bigger step has been taken. There are sponsor patches on college football uniforms, and they are very expensive. Last month, Ohio State and Notre Dame announced sponsorship deals worth $17 and $18 million, respectively. All for a little patch on the chest of each player.

College football is far from the first major league to add sponsored patches. The WNBA and NBA have both had them for years, as has MLB. There are even good arguments for the patches, they are bringing in big sums that typically help out NIL funds, and so far they have all been pretty unassuming. But this does feel a little different.

In this week’s college football Reacts poll, we want to know how you feel about the patch deals. Are you ok with them, or maybe just accept them as long as they fit right? Or is that a bridge too far?

#College #Football #Reacts #patch #deals #game">College Football Reacts: Are patch deals ok for the game?  There was a time really not too long ago where helmets and jerseys that were too ostentatious became a dividing line in the game. The Penn State’s of the world looked down on Oregon for daring to have designs on they uniforms.Things, as they are want to do, have changed. Almost everyone has some truly experimental uniform combinations, uniform releases have become a part of the offseason calendar. Now an even bigger step has been taken. There are sponsor patches on college football uniforms, and they are very expensive. Last month, Ohio State and Notre Dame announced sponsorship deals worth  and  million, respectively. All for a little patch on the chest of each player.College football is far from the first major league to add sponsored patches. The WNBA and NBA have both had them for years, as has MLB. There are even good arguments for the patches, they are bringing in big sums that typically help out NIL funds, and so far they have all been pretty unassuming. But this does feel a little different.In this week’s college football Reacts poll, we want to know how you feel about the patch deals. Are you ok with them, or maybe just accept them as long as they fit right? Or is that a bridge too far?  #College #Football #Reacts #patch #deals #game

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