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Duke's Nate Sheppard Emerges as Doak Walker Award Contender

Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard has become a contender for the Doak Walker Award.

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Sep 13 • 3:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Florida's Jadan Baugh Remains True Contender for Doak Walker Award

Florida Gators star running back Jadan Baugh is off to a great start in the 2026 season.

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Sep 13 • 2:38 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
2026-27 Season Preview: Saginaw Spirit

A mix of new faces and serious returning prospects see the Spirit sit as a potential real contender in the West.

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Sep 13 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How worried should Cardiff be about wasteful finishing?

If football matches were decided on chances created alone, Cardiff City would be among the Championship's early contenders.

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Sep 13 • 2:07 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Dan McGrath: At least the Bears have a football team to talk about

As the season opens, the good news is the Bears have the look of a legitimate playoff contender. Just don't ask about the stadium problem.

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Sep 11 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
Gorilla Heavy Hitters hosts Night of Champions in Midland

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – This weekend, local boxing promotion Gorilla Heavy Hitters will be hosting its “Night of Champions” event. Multiple local boxers will be featured, showcasing West Texas talent, as Big Belt Champion and featherweight contender Conrad Martinez headlines the main event, facing off against the undefeated (15-0 13 KO) Victor “Jalapeno” Hernandez. Night […]

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Sep 10 • 4:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Big 22 Contender: Poland’s Chase Jones

Watch the video above to hear from this WKBN Big 22 2026 contender!

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Sep 9 • 8:04 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
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Georgia Tech’s Season Could Get Ugly Fast

Georgia Tech has a problem. The Yellow Jackets entered 2026 hoping to build off last season and potentially become a legitimate ACC contender. Instead, they’re 0-1 and already facing a massive game. Georgia Tech’s 14-13 loss to Colorado was ugly. The offense didn’t score a single touchdown, Tech managed just 51 rushing yards , committed…

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Sep 9 • 3:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Nine Years Since Brighton's First Ever Premier League Win

Relive the historic afternoon a Pascal Groß masterclass dismantled West Brom, sparking a transformative journey from top-flight newcomers to European contenders under the lights of the Amex.

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Sep 9 • 1:39 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
One Area Trail Blazers Must Win On-Court This Season

High-flying highlights won't save Portland if transition defense lags. The Blazers must match their offensive electricity with disciplined back-pedaling to transform from a highlight reel into contenders.

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Sep 8 • 8:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Telluride 2026: The 6 best movies we saw at the film festival

Some major Oscar contenders were forged, notably Andrew Scott and Julianne Moore, as the exclusive Colorado film showcase pulled off a successful edition.

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Sep 8 • 12:32 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
My National Championship Contenders After Week 1

It’s only Week 1. I’m not eliminating anybody from the College Football Playoff conversation yet, but after finally getting to watch these teams play, nine programs stand above the rest as my national championship contenders. This isn’t a ranking. There is no particular order. Ohio State Ohio State looked exactly like the No. 1 team…

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Sep 8 • 12:01 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Week 1

Through week one, we are already starting to have some clarity as to who the top teams in the Group of Six are. North Dakota State has looked dominant through two games, Boise State almost pulled off a massive upset against a National Championship contender, and the Air Force defense looks improved. It is certainly […]

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Sep 8 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Where do the Broncos rank among NFL’s Super Bowl contenders?

Who are the NFL's Super Bowl contenders this season, and where do the Broncos rank among them?

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Sep 7 • 9:01 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Season debut shows why Ropes football is a regional contender

Ropes coach Beau Riker isn't concerned about rankings or outside projections, but Friday showed why many think highly of the Eagles.

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Sep 7 • 5:08 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Arsenal deliver statement fightback to end Chelsea's flying start

Arsenal delivered an emphatic response to Chelsea's emergence as potential Premier League title contenders with a 2-1 win that ended their rivals' unbeaten start on Sunday.But the champions showed why they are firm favourites to retain the title with a blistering response to that early setback.

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Sep 6 • 1:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
London mayoral contenders limber up for a race that is Sadiq Khan’s to lose

Tories and Reform hope to unseat the incumbent by tempting some Labour voters to shift to the right

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Sep 6 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
“We’ll be a real contender”

Anne Butzelaar, Women's Football EditorLucy Bronze believes Chelsea showed enough in their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa to demonstrate their credentials for the season ahead, despite admitting the Blues ...

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Sep 5 • 12:55 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Watch: All 8 Arsenal Goal of the Month contenders

The shortlist includes goals from the men’s, women’s and academy sides, with supporters now able to choose their favourite.Arsenal have opened voting for August’s Goal of the Month, with eight s...

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Sep 5 • 6:05 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Bears Handed Intriguing Josh Sweat Take Amid 49ers Speculation

The San Francisco 49ers will likely be in the market for pass rush help if they are contenders once the trade deadline rolls around. Nonetheless, the question will be: Which pass rusher would make sense for the Niners?There are a couple of veteran pass rushers on rebuilding teams that could be a good fit for […] The post Bears Handed Intriguing Josh Sweat Take Amid 49ers Speculation appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 4 • 10:04 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (30%)
Former Browns Wide Receiver Earns Tryout With NFC West Contender

This fan favorite wide receiver who was recently released by the Cleveland Browns has earned a tryout with the reigning Super Bowl champions. The post Former Browns Wide Receiver Earns Tryout With NFC West Contender appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 3 • 9:39 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Science: Cockroach Milk Called Theoretically Superior

The reporting on cockroach theoretical milk makes perfect sense: Cockroach milk is among the most nutritious substances on Earth. It’s three times richer in calories than buffalo milk (the previous top contender for the most protein- and calorie-rich milk). …it tasted like pretty much nothing. You could, in theory, splash it into coffee or pour … Continue reading Science: Cockroach Milk Called Theoretically Superior →

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Sep 3 • 9:15 PM EDT • Science • flyingpenguin.com
Yankees news: Cole opines on Angels sale

Cole on Angels sale; Scouting notes on several Yankees; Yankees tampons; Remaining strength of schedule for contenders

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Sep 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
From true contenders to tankers, ranking all 32 NFL teams by tiers entering the season
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Sep 3 • 1:13 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (35%)
With UFC contract bagged, Gabriel Lorenco wants Anthony Wint next

Gabriel Lorenco is tracking Anthony Wint, a fellow UFC contract-earner from Dana White's Contender Series.

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Sep 2 • 6:50 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Fraud Alert: Which College Football Playoff contenders are fooling us?

Every season brings preseason darlings that fail to reach the CFP. These 2026 contenders have enough red flags to make us wonder if they're next.

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Sep 2 • 4:57 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Deadline day: Enzo Fernandez makes £125m Manchester City move

Manchester City have equalled the British transfer record by signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez for £125 million ($169 million) at the end of a dramatic deadline day in the Premier League. From title contenders to relegation candidates, teams across the division spent big to bolster their squads before summer window closed at 11 pm (2200 GMT) on Tuesday.

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Sep 1 • 8:49 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Ex-Bears Cornerback Joins NFC Contender After Controversial Cut

A former Chicago Bears cornerback has joined up with another NFC contender after the team's controversial decision during roster cuts. The post Ex-Bears Cornerback Joins NFC Contender After Controversial Cut appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 1 • 8:39 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Caio Borralho Calls for Fight at UFC 334

UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho called for a fight at the upcoming UFC 334 card in his return to the Octagon.Borralho, the No. 6-ranked middleweight in the Meta UFC Rankings, was supposed to fight Joe Pyfer at UFC 330 but was forced to pull out due to injury.He is now getting back to full health […] The post Caio Borralho Calls for Fight at UFC 334 appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 1 • 1:48 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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PS5 Officially Has 5 GOTY Contenders Coming in September

Too many new games, too little time

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Aug 31 • 9:00 PM EDT • Technology • polygon.com
Progressive candidate is gaining on top two rivals in N.H. congressional race

While the establishment-backed top contenders, Stefany Shaheen and Maura Sullivan, are locked in a close contest, a progressive push by Carleigh Beriont may be gaining momentum.

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Aug 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • bostonglobe.com
Super Bowl Contender Cuts Former Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn

Former Dallas Cowboys RB and draft pick Deuce Vaughn was cut by a Super Bowl contender. The post Super Bowl Contender Cuts Former Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 29 • 8:26 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (13%)
UFC Shanghai Results: Nurmagomedov vs. Song

Top bantamweight contenders Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong face off at UFC Shanghai

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Aug 29 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
☹️ Negative (-75%)
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Jon Ossoff, usually a head down senator, has found a formula to excite Democrats

Ossoff should be among the most vulnerable Senate incumbents this year. Instead, the Georgia Democrat has opened a steady lead in polls and is increasingly seen as a potential 2028 contender.

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Aug 27 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • npr.org
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Persona 4 Revival Hands-On: The New Stuff Still Needs to Be Dialed In, but It Remains Awesome at Its Core

In the pantheon of the Persona series, its fourth entry is held in high regard, and time will tell if Persona 4 Revival will prove to be the best of the bunch. The little bit I got to see is at least making it a pretty strong contender for that award, and it still very much feels like Persona 4. But anyone who has played it before knows it’s a very long game, so we will have to wait and see whether it's worth tuning in for or changing the channel.

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Aug 26 • 5:00 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com
Bella Mir has some lofty combat sports goals

Bella Mir headlines Tuesday Dana White's Contender Series event against Alex Apodaca.

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Aug 25 • 3:01 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
There is still some unsettled business in the NHL offseason: Red Wings GM, Dylan Larkin, Connor Hellebuyck, Adam Fantilli and more

The start of the 2026-27 NHL season is a little more than a month away, and there are still a few big storylines that still need to be settled around the league. Let’s talk about some of them… 1. The Detroit Red Wings still need a general manager, and that person has to figure out what to do with Dylan Larkin The Red Wings are definitely not the worst team in the league, but this is still a pretty chaotic situation where things are looking quite grim from the outside. They have not really done much to meaningfully improve a roster that has proven time and time again it is not good enough to make the playoffs or be a contender. They still have $19 million in unused salary cap space. The Yzer-plan has officially come to an end with general manager Steve Yzerman being moved elsewhere in the organization, while ownership seems to be taking its sweet time finding a replacement. One of their top young players, defenseman Simon Edvinsson, remains unsigned as a restricted free agent and has nobody to negotiate a new contract with at the moment. The longer that drags out into training camp, the worse that is going to be for the team, himself and his development. They still have the Dylan Larkin situation lingering over everything as their captain, longest-tenured player, and one of their best players has a trade request that has yet to be fulfilled. The entire situation is also on hold until a new general manager comes in and figures out what to do with Larkin and whether or not his request will be honored. But the latter point brings up another potential question and issue: What if a new general manager comes in and is able to convince Larkin to stay in Detroit? Is that beyond the realm of possibility? Is it really a stretch to think that Larkin’s issue was more of an Yzerman issue than a Red Wings issue? While Larkin has never said anything specifically about his relationship with Yzerman, it’s pretty clear that he did not share the vision for the franchise, or the way the team was being run and constructed. Now that somebody else is going to be running the show, there might be a door for Larkin to walk back in through. Even that brings its own set of potentially chaotic outcomes and questions, ranging from whether or not the Red Wings locker room will welcome him back as their captain, to whether or not the fan-base will be willing to do the same. I imagine the former will be a far easier sell than the latter, and even then nothing cures issues in professional sports quite like winning. They just need to find somebody that can actually turn them back into winners. For now, and based on everything we know, Larkin’s trade request still stands, and still includes just four teams he is willing to accept a trade to, including the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars. Minnesota remains the best potential fit from a hockey and positional standpoint, but the Wild simply do not have the type of trade assets or young talent that should interest the Red Wings. None of the other three teams seem to be in any better of a situation. Nothing about this seems fun for the Red Wings. 2. Will Connor Hellebuyck be a Winnipeg Jet this season? Subscribe

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Aug 24 • 11:39 PM EDT • Business • adamgretz.substack.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (13%)
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Yankees, Dodgers Outfielder Castoff Joins Surging AL Contender

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten an update on a promising outfield option.

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Aug 20 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Ex-Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill Tabbed to Join AFC Contender

Prior to the 2022 season, the Miami Dolphins traded for All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs. Back-to-back playoff appearances and the two best individual seasons by a wide receiver followed for the Dolphins after the trade. Unfortunately, for as high as the highs were during Hill’s tenure in Miami, his time with the […] The post Ex-Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill Tabbed to Join AFC Contender appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 18 • 10:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
☹️ Negative (-4%)
wow
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CD-11 Democratic primary results

He faced two other contenders.

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Aug 18 • 7:56 PM EDT • Politics • mynews13.com
Cavaliers & Hornets check-in, Fever looking dangerous + contender check-in
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Aug 18 • 1:40 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
2 Dan Sullivans Face off in Alaska's US Senate Primary, Which Also Features a Former Congresswoman

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska voters are choosing candidates for November's general election in a series of primary contests Tuesday, including a U.S. Senate race that will be among the most closely watched in the nation this fall. The campaign featured over a dozen contenders in each of the top ...

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Aug 18 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • usnews.com
Live Results: Alaska midterm primaries

Alaska voters will narrow down a long list of contenders Tuesday for a competitive U.S. Senate seat that’s expected to play a pivotal role in determining which party will hold a majority in the chamber next year.

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Aug 17 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Apple retains clear smartwatch market lead, but a new contender is rising in a key wearable segment

No one can threaten Apple's smartwatch market supremacy right now, although Google and Garmin are making very interesting progress with a relatively new type of wearable.

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Aug 17 • 9:38 AM EDT • Technology • phonearena.com
Heisman Trophy contenders from Florida high schools: Who leads pack?

Ohio State All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Miami star receiver Malachi Toney are among the top contenders for the 2026 Heisman Trophy.

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Aug 17 • 6:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
FT and Standard Chartered Business Book of the Year Award 2026

Contenders include three former winners and titles on power, innovation and society

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Aug 16 • 11:00 PM EDT • Business • ft.com
Trail Blazers' Schedule Reveals Brutal Early Test

A grueling six-game road trip and back-to-back matchups against title contenders force Ja Morant and the new-look roster into a high-stakes gauntlet less than a month in.

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Aug 15 • 2:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Sizing up the 2028 Republican presidential contenders

Can anyone win by distancing themselves from President Donald Trump?

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Aug 14 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
College football championship contenders: Favorites, long shots, and playoff candidates

College football preview season rolls on today at SB Nation. While we previously released our own Top 25 ahead of the campaign, we are diving into those rankings a bit more today, breaking them down by what teams can truly be considered title contenders. Some are longshots, others need a break or two to make […]

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Aug 13 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Sizing up the 2028 Democratic presidential contenders

There’s a long list, but some are getting more traction than others.

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Aug 13 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Eagles Linked to Interesting QB Trade Proposal With NFC Opponent

The Philadelphia Eagles appear to be a contender in the NFC once again. Even after trading star wide receiver A.J. Brown, the team looks set up for success.With preseason about to begin, the Eagles will have some tough roster decisions coming up soon. One of those decisions will come at the quarterback position.Obviously, Jalen Hurts […] The post Eagles Linked to Interesting QB Trade Proposal With NFC Opponent appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 13 • 12:38 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL Tiers: Which Teams Are Title Contenders Entering 2026?

Here’s how Nick Wright breaks down the league tiers entering Week 1 of the preseason.

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Aug 12 • 9:42 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com
Beyond The Swamp: Your guide to 2026-27 Gators sports

Tucked in between Saturdays in The Swamp and camping in front of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for basketball games are national championship contenders, Olympians, rising stars and some of the most exciting sporting events on campus. Whether you’re looking for a fun new activity, an indoor escape from the Florida heat or your next favorite team, here’s what you need to know before every Gator season begins.

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Aug 12 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • alligator.org
Are The Chicago Bears a Super Bowl Contender in 2026?
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Aug 12 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
As Henry Ford Health searches for a new HQ office, here are the other buildings that could be in play

The health system wouldn’t specify what other properties were in the mix, but there are a few large buildings in the area that could be contenders — at least in theory.

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Aug 12 • 5:45 AM EDT • Health • crainsdetroit.com
Caitlin Clark Has Strong Words About Indiana Fever

Caitlin Clark gets real if the Indiana Fever can be title contenders this season.

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Aug 11 • 8:53 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
What Can Fans Expect From Reed Sheppard This Upcoming Season?

As a crowded backcourt threatens his minutes, the bulked-up sharpshooter must trade finesse for physicality to anchor Houston’s rotation and emerge as a Sixth Man contender.

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Aug 9 • 9:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
love
100%
Von Miller stirs Bills return rumors: 'Unfinished business'

The Bills defense can use all the help it can get. Von Miller is seemingly hinting about a return to the Bills with the Super Bowl contenders desperate for help along the defensive line. Miller,...

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Aug 7 • 11:30 AM EDT • Business • nypost.com
Yahoo Sports' Preseason College Football Top 25: No. 11 Alabama strives to be a true national title contender again
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Aug 7 • 8:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Worrying Update On Former Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes’ Future

Minnesota dramatically reshaped its roster last December by acquiring former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes in one of the most significant trades in franchise history.Although many expected Hughes to end up with one of two Eastern Conference contenders, the Wild ultimately emerged as the surprise destination. He wasted little time becoming […] The post Worrying Update On Former Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes’ Future appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 6 • 11:51 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Buffalo Bills Predicted to Land Monster 300-Pound Defender

The Buffalo Bills will once again head into the upcoming 2026 NFL season as a top-tier Super Bowl contender in the AFC. With Josh Allen leading the way, they are always going to have a shot at winning a championship.During the offseason, the Bills clearly decided to go all-in on winning now. They went out […] The post Buffalo Bills Predicted to Land Monster 300-Pound Defender appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 4 • 7:52 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
UFC 330 Card Called ‘Underwhelming’ by Welterweight Contender

UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady called the upcoming UFC 330 card “underwhelming” ahead of its taking place.UFC 330 takes place on August 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The main event features UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry, while the co-main event sees UFC women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern battle […] The post UFC 330 Card Called ‘Underwhelming’ by Welterweight Contender appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 3 • 11:41 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Buffalo Bills Land Big Josh Allen Update During Training Camp

The Buffalo Bills and superstar quarterback Josh Allen will enter the 2026 NFL season being viewed once again as a top-tier Super Bowl contender in the AFC.Over the last handful of years, Allen and company have been a top pick to win a championship. Unfortunately, the team has come up short time and time again […] The post Buffalo Bills Land Big Josh Allen Update During Training Camp appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 3 • 6:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
If Not AOC, Then Who?

What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵

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Aug 3 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Washington state's primary

Nine contenders for one of the nation’s most hotly contested congressional seats will compete in the Washington state primary on Tuesday.

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Aug 3 • 7:55 AM EDT • Politics • wsls.com
Seahawks Lose out on Re-Signing Jadeveon Clowney: Report

Despite the Seattle Seahawks expressing interest in bringing back defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the veteran signed with an AFC contender. The post Seahawks Lose out on Re-Signing Jadeveon Clowney: Report appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 2 • 8:02 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Jean Silva Vs. Yair Rodriguez Set To Headline Noche UFC

The upcoming Noche UFC card on Sept. 12 from inside Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, finally has a main event showdown as featherweight contenders Jean Silva and Yair Rodriguez will battle it out atop the Paramount+ card. This is according to a recent report by ESPN Brasil. See below: Silva, 29, is coming off […]

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Aug 1 • 9:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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2026 MLB Odds: Dodgers Become Major Liability Amid Skubal Trade Talks

The Dodgers, as well as a few surprise contenders, have become major sportsbook liabilities ahead of the trade deadline. Patrick Everson breaks it down.

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Jul 31 • 5:37 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com
Johnson's appeal, business instincts making his Legacy team Chase contenders

Jimmie Johnson's Legacy Motor Club has never made NASCAR's postseason, but with the money he's raising, the team owner has the Chase in his sights.

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Jul 31 • 11:33 AM EDT • Business • espn.com
Michael Morales-UFC 330 rumors on potential fight debunked

Budding contender Michael Morales stirs up a possible fight booking on social media. Reports suggest otherwise, though.

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Jul 29 • 9:48 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Where governor candidates stand on incentives, data centers and other business issues

Crain’s asked each contender to respond to seven questions ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, when voters will decide which Democrat and Republican will face off in November.

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Jul 29 • 5:45 AM EDT • Business • crainsdetroit.com
Arsenal Mulling Move For Real Madrid, Brazil Star Vinícius Júnior

Arsenal have emerged as shock contenders to land Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior as his contract stand-off at the Santiago Bernabeu continues.

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Jul 25 • 4:24 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com
Democrats zero in on Nevada and South Carolina to kick off 2028 presidential primary calendar

Nevada and South Carolina are the leading contenders to be recommended to head Democrats’ 2028 presidential primary calendar, according to conversations with members of a powerful panel within the Democratic National Committee.

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Jul 22 • 7:13 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
2026 MLB trade deadline bold predictions: Tigers send Tarik Skubal to NL contender; Yankees, Cubs get busy

Mike Axisa uses his crystal ball to predict the biggest moves (and non-moves) before the Aug. 3 deadline

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Jul 22 • 8:45 AM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com
Tarik Skubal trade prediction has Tigers frustrating most of MLB

This Tarik Skubal prediction would frustrate many contenders around MLB.

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Jul 21 • 3:50 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
ESPN names two Texans players to 2026 All-Backup Team

The Houston Texans seem to have one of the more complete rosters entering 2026 among AFC contenders, so with a total staff, who would make the all-backup team this season?

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Jul 20 • 5:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
SEC Power Rankings Heading Into 2026 Season

The SEC enters the 2026 season looking as loaded as ever. National title contenders are scattered throughout the conference, and even the middle tier features programs capable of pulling major upsets. Here’s how the league stacks up heading into Week 1. 1. Georgia Bulldogs Kirby Smart once again has the SEC’s most complete roster. Gunner…

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Jul 20 • 4:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
‘Mercenary’ Cowboys Defender Called Logical Fit for Multiple Contenders

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox called Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney a logical fit for Patriots and Seahawks in free agency. The post ‘Mercenary’ Cowboys Defender Called Logical Fit for Multiple Contenders appeared first on HEAVY.

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Jul 20 • 1:50 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Miami Hurricanes have a built in advantage that other title contenders don't, and it could be their ticket back to the playoff
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Jul 20 • 1:22 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
What's the oldest weapon in the world?

There are a few contenders for the world's oldest weapon, and one is over 400,000 years old.

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Jul 19 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
Colby Covington Scared For Ben Askren’s Health Ahead Of RAF 11 Debut

Ben Askren is expected to make an inspirational return to the wrestling mat this weekend at RAF 11, but some people believe it’s too soon for the former UFC fighter. This includes the always critical Colby Covington, who is headlining RAF 11 against UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan. In case you completely forgot, Askren nearly […]

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Jul 17 • 8:30 PM EDT • Health • sports.yahoo.com
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Kansas City business owner wins Verizon’s live pitch competition timed to World Cup

Liz Benditt scored the final goal Friday, securing victory in a national pitch competition that began with more than 500 contenders before narrowing to a live, Shark Tank-style round at New York New Jersey Stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup final.

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Jul 17 • 5:21 PM EDT • Business • startlandnews.com
Andy Burnham is declared leader of UK's Labour Party, pledges to restore hope

The former mayor of Greater Manchester was the only contender in the center-left party's leadership contest to replace departing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was forced out by a rebellion within his party.

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Jul 17 • 2:41 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it

From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.

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Jul 16 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • iai.tv
Astronomers Find an Atmosphere on a Nearby Earthlike Planet

It’s the first potentially habitable world known to host an atmosphere, making it a lead contender in the search for life beyond our solar system.

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Jul 16 • 2:27 PM EDT • Science • nytimes.com
Could any Giant factor into the awards races?

With 66 games left, could some of the improving Giants become awards contenders?

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Jul 15 • 6:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Kendrick Perkins’ bold Anthony Edwards statement causes a stir

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ trade for LaMelo Ball turned them into championship contenders in some fans and analysts’ eyes. Others believe the star point guard will bring out the best in Anthony Edwards, helping him win the NBA‘s highest individual award.…

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Jul 14 • 10:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
New England Patriots Dealt Harsh Linebacker Verdict in NFL Rankings

The New England Patriots spent the past two seasons rebuilding a defense capable of carrying a contender.NFL evaluators still see a weakness right in the middle of it.No Patriots player appeared in ESPN’s ranking of the NFL’s top 10 off-ball linebackers for 2026. New England also failed to place anyone among the honorable mentions or […] The post New England Patriots Dealt Harsh Linebacker Verdict in NFL Rankings appeared first on HEAVY.

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Jul 14 • 12:01 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Daytime Emmys reveal first nominees for 2026, including Best Actor in a Drama

The competitive contenders in the Daytime Talk Series Host field have also been revealed ahead of the full nominations announcement.

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Jul 13 • 4:38 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Bears Get Strong Joey Bosa Message Amid 49ers Speculation

Joey Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers have been in the speculation conversation this offseason as a potential fit for the two sides. Bosa might be looking to play for a contender, while the Niners need help with their pass rush situation. Last season, the 49ers put together 20 team sacks. Still, the team is […] The post Bears Get Strong Joey Bosa Message Amid 49ers Speculation appeared first on HEAVY.

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Jul 13 • 2:58 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (14%)
love
40%
wow
33%
ahah
27%
Are power rankings being fair to Bengals right now?

The Bengals feel like contenders. But power rankings don't seem to agree.

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Jul 12 • 7:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Can Rashawn Slater Return to His Elite Form?

Can Rashawn Slater regain his place among the NFL’s elite left tackles? If he stays healthy in 2026, his return to All-Pro form could be one of the biggest reasons the Chargers take the next step as a legitimate AFC contender.

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Jul 12 • 12:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Apple and MLB announce August Friday Night Baseball schedule: key dates, how to watch

Iconic rivalries, repeat appearances from top contenders, and more round out the August slate.

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Jul 11 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • mashable.com
Derek Carr Reveals True Thoughts on Saints QB Tyler Shough

The New Orleans Saints are looking to win the NFC South, and they finally have the QB who will allow them to aspire to become a playoff contender this upcoming 2026 NFL season. Last season, rookie signal-caller Tyler Shough burst onto the scene and made it known that he’s the Saints’ answer at QB. During […] The post Derek Carr Reveals True Thoughts on Saints QB Tyler Shough appeared first on HEAVY.

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Jul 11 • 12:57 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (20%)
wow
54%
love
46%
The Pitcher Who Made the Tigers Feel Big Again

After decades of pitching mediocrity, Justin Verlander’s arrival signaled a shift in Detroit. His dominant swagger and electric fastball transformed the Tigers from AL bottom-dwellers into championship contenders.

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Jul 8 • 8:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Who is Valli Geiger? Meet the Maine Dem that Platner is urging to run for Senate

Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger said Graham Platner encouraged her to consider replacing him in the Senate race but he has not dropped out yet and others are being discussed as possible contenders.

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Jul 8 • 5:15 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Warriors not among teams in LeBron James' free-agency hierarchy, per Shams

The Golden State Warriors are no longer viewed as a major contender to land LeBron James in this year's NBA free agency cycle.

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Jul 7 • 9:00 PM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsbayarea.com
Marine Le Pen’s political future at stake with ruling on electoral ban imminent

Leader of France’s far-right National Rally and a contender for the presidency to get appeal decision on Tuesday

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Jul 7 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Democrats Clash With Trump, as Political Tensions Rise on America’s 250th

Gavin Newsom and Wes Moore, potential 2028 contenders, cast President Trump’s record as a betrayal of American ideals, while the president disparaged their party as extreme.

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Jul 4 • 5:01 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
UFC Abu Dhabi adds former welterweight contender to lineup

Santiago Ponzinibbio is back at UFC Abu Dhabi

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Jul 3 • 7:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com