Month: September 2025

ESPN star Molly Qerim abruptly resigned from “First Take” this week. Who could replace her?

Brittany Mahomes and her husband, Patrick, have been cheering on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Mahomes since they were in high school. The power couple also recently elevated their status when they joined Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at his NFL game.

TMZ Sports caught up with Jordon Hudson while she was working at a Raising Cane’s and found out that Bill Belichick thinks she’s Tree Paine. Get the details.

Piers Morgan’s controversial Jake Paul comment has prompted the media personality to clarify his remarks online. He’s also opening up about his recent struggles with mental health.

Combat Sports encompass a wide range of disciplines that involve physical contact with an opponent under specific rules. Whether it’s boxing, wrestling, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), or one of the many other forms of martial arts, these athletic endeavors require discipline, strategy, and mental toughness. They’re also incredibly entertaining, keeping fans on the edge of their seats with fast-paced action that blends technique with instinct.

The most popular modalities of Combat Sports include boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and wrestling. Each has its own unique philosophies, techniques, and style. The nuances of each sport allow athletes to tailor their training to fit their personal goals and preferences, while enhancing their overall fitness and physical development.

In fact, a recent study showed that kids who participate in combat sports improve their motor competence and muscular fitness significantly more than those who don’t practice these high-contact activities. The research involved 120 healthy eight-year-olds divided equally into two groups. One group practiced combat sports for at least a year, while the other did not participate in structured physical activity. They were evaluated on a number of measurements, including the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and a variety of strength tests—standing broad jump, grip strength, 30 s sit-ups, bent arm hang, and medicine ball throw.

When compared to a self-defense engagement, which is often a rock-and-sock ’em robots affair with variables such as age, size, weight, and physical prowess playing significant roles in the outcome, a sport fight is an opportunistic, calculated battle where the combatants can suss out each other’s tendencies, responses and reactions through footwork, single strikes, combinations, fakes and feints.

As sports become more integrated into our culture, technology helps us better understand how athletes train and compete. Advanced technologies are also transforming how sports leagues and teams engage with fans. These trends have the potential to bring sports to new audiences and generate revenue for sports facilities.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are revolutionizing the sports tech industry by providing immersive experiences that transform fans into active participants. For example, ESPN’s AR application helps viewers visualize data collected during the match. Additionally, the NBA’s augmented reality app allows fans to play virtual pop-a-shot games.

AI-powered analytics are transforming sports team performance by analyzing gameplay footage and providing actionable insights. These systems enable teams to create strategic game plans, scout talent, and improve player development. Moreover, predictive algorithms help identify injury risks and prevent potential accidents.

Athletes are increasingly using wearable technology to track and improve their training. Tiny sensors embedded in athletic apparel or footwear can measure key metrics such as heart rate, speed, distance travelled, and force of impact. These data are aggregated in real-time and fed to coaches and trainers for analysis and feedback.

Smart stadiums are integrating various technologies to enhance fan engagement and increase ticket sales. For example, a football stadium may have interactive seating with personalized entertainment options like seat upgrades and in-seat ordering. In addition, a soccer stadium could have AR features that display real-time player statistics or betting odds during the game.

Formula 1 standings track the relative performance of teams and drivers in a sport where one tiny mistake can cost you dearly. Twenty drivers, two from each team, race for championship points across a demanding calendar of races and shorter, preliminary events known as Sprint races. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins the prestigious World Constructors’ Championship, which carries considerable financial benefits in the form of prize money.

There’s also the Drivers’ Championship, a title that recognizes an individual driver’s outstanding skill behind the wheel. Points are awarded for finishing positions in each race and for setting the fastest lap. It’s been won by a wide variety of talent since the championship was established in 1958, with some of the sport’s most celebrated names including Jim Clark, Alain Prost and Lewis Hamilton.

F1 teams battle for victory across a demanding schedule and, in an era of ever-rising costs, there is no room for error. It has been a long time since the days when the four major pre-war manufacturers (Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault) dominated F1; today, a more equitable distribution of prize money along with the introduction of the halo cockpit safety system has helped level the playing field for teams at both ends of the table.

Nevertheless, it has come down to the final race of the season eight times in 74 years of F1 history. A remarkable feat, when you consider that in 2007 it was won by just a single point between Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton.

Social media has transformed the relationship between athletes and their fans, enabling them to engage in real time and to feel that their needs, viewpoints, and presence matter. This connection humanizes athletes and draws them closer to their audience, resulting in an increased level of engagement and loyalty.

Athletes can use their platforms to interact with fans in real-time through live videos and direct messages, and they can share behind-the-scenes content that makes them feel more connected to their teams and their personal journey. They can also create community engagement through interactive features, such as hashtags, comments, and challenges.

Through these tools, athletes can reach new audiences that might not otherwise be exposed to their stories or to sport. They can draw in young people at the beginning of their athletic career, and these fans are often highly engaged for the duration of a career, even beyond its end.

In addition to enhancing their brand, engaging with their followers on social media also helps athletes build their mental performance and emotional resilience. This is particularly important for young athletes, who may need help navigating the challenges of social media in sports and avoiding negative comparisons. Athletes can harness the positive power of social media by establishing a clear usage policy and ensuring they are using it in a healthy way. They can also learn how to use their platform for training motivation, friendship building, or accessing communities that aren’t traditionally available in physical space.

When a sports moment captures the world, it transcends its sport and becomes a cultural touchstone. Whether it is Michael Jordan’s tears, Dell Curry’s genetics or the NBA’s avatar-building that turns its players into symbols and paragons, there are moments in the game that are so awe-inducing that they leave everyone in attendance—from athletes to spectators—in disbelief, amazement and utter joy.

Viral sports moments are a rare thing indeed and can take many forms, from an athlete’s impromptu dance-off to a sports league mascot going bonkers or a star athlete showing some skin on social media. But there are certain criteria that any viral sports moment must meet to be considered one of the best. These include the Awe Factor, the Ubiquity Factor, the Holy Shit! Factor and the Will You Talk About This in 25 Years? Factor.

This Olympic Games was no exception, with head-scratching moments all over the place. From the casual Turkish shooter to the polarizing performances of Rachael Gunn, this year’s Olympics has had plenty to get people talking.

There were also a few off-field moments that went viral this year, including a darts player’s drunken antics and the slapdown between former heavyweight champions Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Trying to pick the best ones is a tough task, but these wacky moments captured the lighter side of sport and got people talking.

The Masters leaderboard is stacked as the top-10 players in the world are within six shots of Justin Rose at Augusta National. That means the dream of a Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler winning three green jackets before turning 29 is very much alive.

Overnight rain softened the conditions at Augusta National for Round 2 on Friday, and the players took advantage of a course that yielded low scores all around. Overnight leader Justin Rose had to work for his 1-under 71, but he managed to hold on to the top spot.

McIlroy, seeking to complete a career Grand Slam at the Masters, flipped the script on Thursday’s second-nine meltdown by firing a second-round 6-under 66. The defending champion made six birdies and had one of the best iron shots in the tournament on No. 13, a 4-iron from the pine straw that wasn’t meant to go straight at the flag but did and barely found the green.

He is tied with Corey Conners in third at 6 under, while U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is one back after posting a second-round 4-under 68. The two-time Masters winner is in contention after battling a rib injury, and his bid to win a third green jacket before turning 29 has the look of a major classic.

There are plenty of other names to watch for, too, including Viktor Hovland and Jason Day at four under through 15 holes. Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa and Patrick Reed are in the group at five under. All three are former Masters champions, and Matsuyama and Reed have both won majors this year. If no player wins the Masters after 72 holes, a sudden-death playoff begins on the 18th hole and then moves to the 10th if needed.

The Asian Games is Asia’s biggest multi-sport event, held every four years and involving 45 participating countries and regions. The Games foster friendship across borders and contribute to world peace by celebrating diversity in sports.

The 2026 Asian Games will be hosted by Japan in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City from September 19 to October 4. This is the third time that the country has hosted the multi-sport event, after 1958 and 1994.

During the Games, more than 15,000 athletes and officials from all over Asia will gather in Aichi-Nagoya. They will stay at the ‘Games Village’, where they will get all the amenities that they need to compete and feel like home away from home. The venue will also feature a ‘floating village’, where 4,600 athletes and officials, or one-third of the total, will stay aboard a luxury cruise ship docked at the Kinjo Pier in Nagoya Port. The float will offer all the usual services that athletes can expect from the Games Village, and it will have a view of the beautiful ocean and sky.

The ‘floating village’ is expected to help athletes have a unique experience of the Games, which will be held in the peak typhoon season. Athletes will be briefed on what to do if the weather turns bad during their stay. For instance, they will be taught how to use life vests and the safety measures that should be taken if they are in danger in the water.

With a busy free agency period now behind them, NFL teams turn their attention to shoring up their rosters through the draft. With a number of high-profile prospects expected to go in the top 10 picks, 2025’s NFL draft could be one of the most entertaining ever.

The basic order of the draft starts with each team’s win-loss record from the previous season. The team with the fewest wins gets first pick, then the next lowest, and so on. Teams can trade their picks up to and during the draft, but no team has yet done so with their first round pick.

The 2025 draft begins Thursday April 24 with the first round, followed by rounds two through seven on Friday and Saturday. Each round lasts an hour and a half, with the exception of the seventh round which only takes 45 minutes.

In addition to selecting new players, the three days of the draft also include a host of in-venue fan engagement moments that keep the energy up in the venue. These can include team roll calls, t-shirt tosses and live fan cams, as well as special guest appearances.

In the case of the first round, there’s a clear favorite for the No. 1 overall pick in the Tennessee Titans’ Cam Ward. Ward, a Miami Hurricanes quarterback, is considered to be the best player in the class and could become an instant star for the franchise. He is a gunslinger who has some growing to do, but has a huge ceiling in the league.

Hockey is played on ice between two teams of five players each, using curved sticks to maneuver the rubber puck into their opponent’s goal. A game consists of three 20-minute periods with two 15-minute intermissions. In Olympic competition, games cannot end in a tie; deadlocks are broken by either a four-on-four overtime period or, for playoff games and the gold medal game, a shootout.

The 1980 Lake Placid “Miracle on Ice” game was a major upset that sent shockwaves across the United States and shook the Soviet Union, which had won all of the previous gold medals in men’s ice hockey. The American team featured future NHL stars like Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros, as well as the legendary goalie Vladislav Tretiak.

After the first period, the Soviets took a 1-0 lead, but in the second period, Buzz Schneider scored to tie the game at 1-1. Then, with only a few seconds left on the clock, Mark Johnson sent a slap shot toward Tretiak’s net. It deflected off the left shoulder of the goalie and crossed the goal line, earning Johnson a spot in Olympic history and saving the Americans from defeat.

The 1998 tournament saw a change in the format, as an agreement was reached to allow NHL players to play in the Olympics. The tournament began with a preliminary round without NHL players or the top six teams (Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States), followed by a final round that included those players.