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Flamengo: 2025 Copa Libertadores Champions
Brazil's unprecedented domination of the Copa Libertadores -- no country has ever come close to winning seven titles in a row -- has come about despite the mammoth amount of minutes the nation's top players have to play.
Gotham FC: 2025 NWSL Champions
The last time Rose Lavelle scored in an NWSL Championship, she was on the losing side, a member of the Seattle Reign team that lost to Gotham in 2023.
A Rose on any other team is an MVP.
For the second time, Gotham FC are the NWSL Champions, defeating the Washington Spirit 1-0. Gotham is now two-for-two in the Championship match. Lavelle’s goal earned her MVP honors – and her first NWSL Championship.
It took until the 80th minute for someone to break a scoreless, but heated, match. Bruninha’s fancy footwork on the left side of the box bought Lavelle time to get in place before nailing it home past a diving Aubrey Kingsbury.
The pressure from Gotham started almost immediately. With possession to start the first half, Gotham launched the ball from midfield down to the 18-yard box. It was an aggressive approach that ties back to GM Yael Averbuch West, who scored the fastest goal in NCAA history by the same method.
And that single play is emblematic of Gotham’s win – constant pressure.
Emily Sonnett was part of that Seattle Reign team that lost in 2023, but she and Lavelle are both on the right side of the game this time around.
No one in the league has more playoff minutes than Sonnett. She is now a three-time NWSL Champion, but this is her first with Gotham. Sonnett’s experience is invaluable to this Gotham team, GM Yael Averbuch West said.
“She deserves more recognition than maybe she's gotten,” Averbuch West said at NWSL media day. “She’s an important force for us in the field, and a huge leader for us in terms of the example she sets and how she plays a game.”
In front of a sold out crowd at PayPal Park in San Jose, the players of Gotham danced in the streamers soaking up the moment. The No. 8 seed, but not the underdog. No, those are champions.
Saskatchewan Roughriders: 2025 Grey Cup Champions
WINNIPEG — The Saskatchewan Roughriders are champions once again.
Saskatchewan scored three rushing touchdowns and came down with a trio of interceptions to take down the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg.
After trailing 7-1 at the end of the first quarter, the Riders scored 24 unanswered points to take a commanding lead in the second half. Montreal battled back to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, but Saskatchewan was able to halt the Alouettes comeback attempt with a fumble forced near the goal line.
AJ Ouellette scored once and Tommy Stevens added a pair of majors at Princess Auto Stadium to help the Riders capture their first Grey Cup win since 2013.
Marcus Sayles, Rolan Milligan Jr. and Tevaughn Campbell each added an interception in a dominating night for the Green and White defence.
Montreal’s starting pivot Davis Alexander was under pressure all game, finishing with no touchdowns and three interceptions. Backup pivot Shea Patterson and running back Stevie Scott III scored Montreal’s touchdowns on the ground.
It was Alexander’s first loss a starter in the CFL.
Saskatchewan’s defence opened the game with a statement. After a quick first down for the Alouettes, Marcus Sayles jumped a deep ball from Alexander to earn the game’s first takeaway. Montreal’s defence was able to stop the Green and White’s following march, as Kabion Ento knocked down a second-and-three attempt. The Riders added one point to the board when Jesse Mirco‘s punt was downed in the end zone for a single.
Montreal’s next drive didn’t go far, but punter Joseph Zema was able to pin down the Roughriders on their own three-yard line. That made things difficult on Harris and the offence, who ended up having to punt deep into their own territory after a second-and-nine pass to Kian Schaffer-Baker fell incomplete. The return gave Montreal good field position and they immediately capitalized. Alexander aimed deep and found a streaking Tyson Philpot, who gained 37 yards before he was downed by defensive back Tevaughn Campbell at the 16-yard line. The Canadian receiver followed up with another first-down catch to set up first-and-goal, but Saskatchewan’s defence raised the wall on two straight plays to force third-and-goal from the one-yard line. Third time is the charm, though, as Patterson broke the plane of goal to score the first touchdown of the night and give Montreal a 7-1 lead late in the first quarter.
The Roughriders responded with their own long march. Harris connected with Schaffer-Baker on a jumping pass and the veteran receiver added yards-after-the-catch to move the ball into Montreal territory. The pivot then threw another dart, this time to Emilus, who also gained ground after the catch to set up first-and-10 from the 12-yard line. On second-and-five, Emilus was tackled short of the sticks, forcing the Roughriders to make a decision on third down. Harris and the offence stayed out there, but a short pass attempt fell incomplete as the Alouettes forced the turnover on downs. However, the Riders challenged the ruling on the field and upon review, the Alouettes were flagged for defensive pass interference. Stevens came in for the first-and-goal and added his own rushing touchdown to give Saskatchewan an 8-7 lead with the point after by Brett Lauther.
A punt by the Alouettes allowed the Riders a chance to add to their lead. Harris got things going by throwing a short pass to Ajou Ajou on an in-breaking route, before connecting with Schaffer-Baker for another first down across midfield. The quarterback then found a wide-open Ouellette in the flat for a 32-yard gain. A holding penalty pushed the Green and White back, but they rallied back to make it third-and-one. Stevens converted again to give Saskatchewan first-and-goal from the five, and Ouellette finished the job with his trademark tackle-breaking ability coming through on a five-yard touchdown run. The score gave Corey Mace’s squad a 15-7 lead with 2:38 to go in the first half.
After two quick punts by both teams, Montreal got the ball back with 31 seconds left in the second quarter. Alexander moved the ball with his legs, then connected with Cole Spieker over the middle to enter Saskatchewan territory with three seconds left. The pivot escaped the pocket in an attempt to throw it deep, but the pass with intercepted by Rolan Milligan Jr. to end the half.
Mario Anderson Jr. opened the third quarter with a long kickoff return that set up the Riders in Montreal territory. Harris connected with Schaffer-Baker for a quick first down, then found Tommy Nield deep between the hashes for a 34-yard gain all the way to Montreal’s one-yard line. Stevens took care of business once more, scoring his second touchdown of the night, again on a one-yard sneak. The major extended the Riders lead to 22-7 with 11:59 to go in the third quarter.
Later in the third, Alexander got the Als on the move with a 24-yard pass to Charleston Rambo. Two plays later, the pivot escaped the pocket and tried to find someone deep, but instead found Campbell for the game’s third takeaway. The turnover led to three more points for the Riders via Lauther’s leg from 48 yards away.
Montreal kept fighting as Alexander threw a strike to Snead to move the ball across midfield and kickstart a scoring drive for the Als. The signal-caller then planted his back foot and threw another dart, this time to Philpot, who dodged an incoming Campbell to advance the ball into the red zone. A pass interference penalty on Saskatchewan’s defence inched the ball closer to the end zone, and Scott III capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. The point after made it 25-14 at the break between the final two quarters.
The defence forced a quick two-and-out to send Alexander and the offence back onto the field. Montreal turned to the quick passing game to move the ball, gaining a pair of first downs with Philpot and running back Travis Theis. A roughing the passer penalty against Saskatchewan moved the sticks to the 11-yard line, but the Roughriders defence was able to make a stop and force the field goal attempt. The kick made it a one-possession game with 7:47 left in the fourth quarter.
Harris quickly moved the Riders into scoring position, but Lauther’s field goal attempt sailed wide right to keep the lead at eight points. Jason Maas’ team almost made the most of it, shifting field position with a deep pass from Alexander to Snead that went for 51 yards to the Saskatchewan 24-yard line. Scott III added another first down on the ground, but a fumble near the goal line by Patterson was recovered by Campbell in the end zone, keeping Saskatchewan’s lead intact.
Harris and the offence were able to burn some of the clock, but were forced to punt it back to Montreal with a little over a minute left in the game. The Alouettes gained a couple of first downs, but a late attempt by Alexander fell incomplete as the Riders won their first Grey Cup since 2013.
Don't Worry. Don't Panic. #FFXIV #meme #HonkaiStarRail #GenshinImpact #w...
Don't Worry. Don't Panic. #FFXIV #meme #HonkaiStarRail #GenshinImpact #wuwa
Los Angeles Dodgers: 2025 World Series Champions
TORONTO -- The landing spot was a familiar one for this building in this setting. But the prevailing sound as Will Smith rounded the bases was that of silence.
Smith’s go-ahead solo shot off Shane Bieber in the top of the 11th stunned the Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre crowd Saturday night, as the Dodgers broke hearts and broached dynasty status with a comeback 5-4 victory in a Game 7 of the World Series that lived up to its lofty billing and merited its own month on the MLB calendar.
The Dodgers are repeat champs, thanks to both Smith, who smacked the first extra-inning home run in a winner-take-all in World Series history, and Miguel Rojas, who tied the tilt with a solo shot in the top of the ninth, hitting heroic homers to virtually the same spot where Joe Carter had once ended a Toronto title triumph. And thanks to the durable Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- named World Series MVP -- coming on in relief on zero days’ rest and stranding the tying run at third in a scoreless bottom of the 11th.
Alejandro Kirk hit into the game-ending double play, which the Dodgers turned before meeting near the mound for a well-earned celebration at the conclusion of an epic World Series.
"Man, this is a special group of guys," Smith said. "We just never gave up, kept fighting, pitching our [butts] off, hitting, taking great at-bats, finally punched through there. Man, that was a fight for seven games -- that’s a really good Toronto Blue Jays team. Oh, man. I’m just excited. There’s nothing better than this.”
The Blue Jays had come so close to capping their first crown since Carter and Co. won it all in 1992-93, but instead it was the Dodgers becoming the first MLB club to mount a successful title defense since the 1998-2000 Yankees.
Rojas’ game-tying blast off Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman in the top of the ninth ultimately made this just the sixth Game 7 in history – and the first since the Cubs-Cleveland classic in 2016 – to go to extra innings. It was a fitting end to a World Series in which these two evenly matched teams had exhausted each other for 18 innings in Game 3.
The finale was baseball at its best, two evenly matched teams going the distance in the Series and in Game 7 itself to determine a champion.
Heavily favored coming in, the loaded Dodgers wound up having to pull out all the stops – and all the starters – to take down a tough Toronto team that had been just two outs from glory.
Bo Bichette’s three-run blast off Shohei Ohtani in the third had Rogers Centre rocking, and Ernie Clement slid in at home with a valuable sixth-inning insurance run on an Andrés Giménez double, just two innings after tensions flared and benches and bullpens cleared when Giménez was plunked by a pitch.
The Dodgers, though, came up with the late- and extra-inning answers.
This Game 7 had pitted two compromised future Cooperstowners against each other: Ohtani going on short rest after, you know, also DH’ing a night earlier, and Max Scherzer, at 41, becoming the oldest Game 7 starter in history.
So no one was expecting the second coming of 1991 Jack Morris to take place (though Morris, along with Paul Molitor, did throw out a ceremonial first pitch).
Still, it was fascinating to watch these luminaries try to gut through Game 7 as long as their managers would let them.
Scherzer immediately surrendered an Ohtani leadoff single in the first and recorded some loud outs in the first two innings, but it was Ohtani who blinked first by surrendering the Bichette blast that knocked him out of the ballgame.
An inning prior to his homer heroics, Bichette had led off the second with a walk and advanced to second on an Addison Barger single. But two outs later, when Clement ripped his 28th hit of the postseason, Bichette, still compromised by the bum left knee that had him off the Blue Jays’ ALDS and ALCS rosters, was only able to advance to third. It cost Toronto a run, as Ohtani struck out Giménez with the bases loaded.
In the third, though, Bichette would not need to run. Ohtani gave up a leadoff single to George Springer, who moved to second on Nathan Lukes’ sacrifice bunt. With first-base open, Ohtani – in a change in roles, after he himself had been intentionally walked five times in this Series – gave Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a fast pass to first.
So up came Bichette, the pending free-agent who paired with Guerrero as a cornerstone callup in 2019. Whereas Guerrero is locked in for life, Bichette’s future with the Jays is unknown. Except that now he’ll be remembered here forever for what he did to Ohtani’s first-pitch slider.
Bichette obliterated the ball, 442 feet to left-center, then watched it fly as he slowly inched toward first and emphatically dropped his bat. It was the third-longest home run of Bichette’s career and the second-longest Ohtani, whose night on the mound was now over, has allowed in his career.
As for the sound in Rogers Centre as Bichette trotted home with the 3-0 lead, well, that can’t be calculated. But even with the roof above, you could probably hear it across the border in Buffalo.
It would take much more than that to win this one, though.
Scherzer pitched himself into a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but manager John Schneider trusted the veteran to get out of it, and all Scherzer allowed was the Teoscar Hernández sacrifice fly to center that made it 3-1. The inning showcased the Blue Jays’ MLB-best defense, with Daulton Varsho making a terrific diving catch in center on the Hernández liner to prevent extra bases, and Guerrero making a great pick in foul territory near first of a Tommy Edman liner to escape the inning.
Things got testy in the bottom of the fourth, when Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski threw up and in on three consecutive pitches to Giménez. When the last one plunked Giménez, he and Wrobleski jawed at each other, and both benches cleared. Warnings were issued to both teams.
Though the Dodgers would keep pressing by manufacturing another run off Chris Bassitt on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth, Giménez, perhaps channeling his emotion from earlier, gave the Jays some needed separation in the bottom of the inning.
After Clement, who would go on to set a new single postseason hits record (31), led off with a single off Tyler Glasnow and stole second, Giménez smacked a line-drive double to right, and Clement lost his helmet as he hustled home and slid in safely to make it 4-2.
The Jays turned to their rookie wonder Trey Yesavage to protect that lead in the seventh, and, after walking Ohtani, he got help from his defense when Guerrero fielded a Freddie Freeman grounder and gamely initiated a 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Plays like that were monumental in a nip-and-tuck nail-biter befitting its Game 7 stature. Yesavage bent a bit when Max Muncy pounded his splitter out to right for a solo shot in the eighth to make it 4-3, but he quickly shook that off to retire Hernández for the second out of the inning before turning it over to Hoffman for the four-out save opportunity.
Hoffman retired Edman on a groundout to end the eighth, and he got Kiké Hernández swinging for the first out of the ninth.
But after working the count full, Rojas added yet another layer of drama to this epic Series with his solo swat to left. As the ball landed in roughly the same spot as Carter’s famous blast from ‘93, the Dodger dugout erupted and the home crowd groaned.
It was a brand new ballgame going into the bottom of the ninth.
"Yeah, I wasn’t trying to hit a home run," Rojas said. " I think this is my first home run against a right-handed pitcher during the whole year, and it came to the biggest part of my life and my career, in front of these fans and the city of L.A. and my teammates. Kinda like, battling and I can’t really describe right now the emotions that I feel, not just starting the game but giving the opportunity to bring Yamamoto for another spectacular performance. That guy is everything you can ask for. I have to put my teammates in front of me because I wouldn’t have been able to do whatever I did today without the confidence of Doc, my teammates and everybody that believed in me."
Though ninth-inning leadoff man Guerrero’s bid to cap his epic postseason with a walk-off winner died just in front of the warning track in center, Bichette came through again with a one-out single off Games 1 and 5 starter Blake Snell to set the table. Barger then drew a walk, and the Dodgers turned to yet another one of their starters – Yamamoto, who had shined in Games 2 and 6 – on precisely zero days’ rest.
Yamamoto immediately plunked catcher Alejandro Kirk with a pitch to load the bases. Varsho ripped a ground ball to second base, but Rojas added to his great game with a great play, firing home in time to nab pinch-runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa. A replay review upheld the out.
And when Clement came up with two outs and gave the ball a ride to left-center, Andy Pages was able to run it down and make the catch despite colliding with teammate Kiké Hernández to end the inning and send it off to extras.
It was tight in the top of the 10th. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out against Seranthony DomÃnguez. But Pages grounded to short, and Giménez fielded it and made a perfect strike home to nab Mookie Betts with the second out. Then, when Kiké Hernández bounced one to the right-hand side, Guerrero fielded it and flipped to DomÃnguez covering at first just in time for DomÃnguez to get his left foot on the bag for the third out.
The room exhaled, momentarily.
But after Yamamoto kept the Jays quiet in the bottom of the 10th, Toronto turned to starter Bieber in the 11th. Bieber got the first two outs, but he hung a slider over the middle to Smith, who swung hard and forever etched his name into October lore.
Genshin Impact: Genshin Misadventures - Nod-Krai Chronicles, Day 7
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Genshin Impact: Genshin Misadventures - Nod-Krai Chronicles, Day 6
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FFXIV Misadventures: All Saints Wake 2025 (With Bonus Hunt Coverage)
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Las Vegas Aces: 2025 WNBA Champions
PHOENIX -- THE MORNING after A'ja Wilson hit the game-winning shot in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals -- the basket that gave her Las Vegas Aces a 3-0 series lead and became the defining image of Wilson's already storied basketball career -- Aces coach Becky Hammon texted her superstar a graphic comparing an elk and a deer.
Hammon had used the comparison for Wilson weeks earlier, but Wilson, like most people, wasn't aware of the difference between the two. But when you see the bigger, stronger elk, said Hammon, who grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, you realize it's in a class of its own.
Brisbane Broncos: 2025 NRL Premiers
The Broncos have claimed their first premiership since 2006 with a stunning 26-22 triumph over the Storm.
With Reece Walsh producing one of the finest performances of his career, the Broncos came back from 22-12 to make amends for the loss to Penrith two years ago.
In front of 80,223 fans at Accor Stadium the Broncos capped a magnificent season as Ben Hunt savoured redemption for 2015 and Adam Reynolds grabbed a second premiership 11 years after his first.
Michael Maguire joins Wayne Bennett, Chris Anderson, Jack Gibson, Tim Sheens and Phil Gould as the only coaches to have won titles with two clubs.
The Misadventures: 2025 NRL Grand Final Special Edition
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How banned Yankees fan Austin Capobianco’s life has changed since his infamous World Series moment
How banned Yankees fan Austin Capobianco’s life has changed since his infamous World Series moment
By Brendan Kuty
Feb. 5, 2025
Updated Feb. 26, 2025
Austin Capobianco has grown accustomed to the blowback. It’s been more than three months since the 38-year-old Connecticut man grabbed and pried open the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts in Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. He’s received hundreds of texts and voicemails from strangers telling him to go to hell or worse.
He’s been excoriated on social media — just one penance for a sin witnessed live on television by 16 million people and replayed countlessly online since.
Brisbane Lions: 2025 AFL Premiers
THE LION dynasty has arrived. Take me home, two straight flags.
Brisbane has done it. Chris Fagan has etched his Lions into history as only the fourth club this century to win back-to-back premierships, with the Lions masterclass overcoming Geelong in an engrossing Grand Final on Saturday.
And this one might be better than the first.
After season-ending injuries, form setbacks and a qualifying final loss to the Cats that looked likely to spell the end of their quest for consecutive premierships, Brisbane secured its fifth flag of the AFL era - and 13th including Fitzroy's history - in dominant fashion after half-time.
The Lions kicked 13 to six goals after the main break to lock in the 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) triumph, with their gamble on picking Lachie Neale after his calf injury paying dividends as the co-captain gathered 17 disposals after being subbed into the contest in the third quarter.
Charlie Cameron turned the game Brisbane's way in that third term, with the bays of Brisbane fans singing John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads on repeat after each of his four goals just one of a highlight reel that got better and better as the game went on.
But Brisbane's victory was as even as it was sweet.
Particularly for superstar midfielder Hugh McCluggage, who was blanketed in the qualifying final three weeks ago but returned to the MCG with a point to prove, booting four goals from 26 disposals in a brilliant display.
Fellow midfielder Will Ashcroft backed up his outstanding 2024 Grand Final with another 32 disposals, 10 clearances and a goal, while dynamo Zac Bailey could have sewn up the Norm Smith was he more accurate in front of goal (23 disposals, 3.6).
Captain Harris Andrews was impenetrable as was Darcy Gardiner, with Dayne Zorko and Jaspa Fletcher both excellent.
Geelong will rue a second half fadeout and a game where its best players couldn't impact. Far from their dominant showing three weeks earlier against the Lions, the Cats were cornered by Brisbane's pressure and eventually overwhelmed.
GEELONG 2.3 5.6 6.8 11.9 (75)
BRISBANE 1.6 5.6 9.9 18.14 (122)
GOALS
Geelong: Dempsey 4, Blicavs, Bowes, Close, Holmes, Mannagh, Mullin, Neale
Brisbane: Cameron 4, McCluggage 4, Bailey 3, Lohmann 2, L.Ashcroft, W.Ashcroft, Morris, Neale, Rayner
BEST
Geelong: Dempsey, Holmes, Humphries, Atkins, Smith
Brisbane: McCluggage, Andrews, Bailey, Cameron, W.Ashcroft, Gardiner
INJURIES
Geelong: Cameron (arm)
Brisbane: Starcevich (head)
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jack Martin replaced Rhys Stanley in the fourth quarter
Brisbane: Lachie Neale replaced Sam Marshall in the third quarter
Crowd: 100,022 at the MCG
Honkai Star Rail: Star Rail Misadventures, Day 57
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Matt Rowell: 2025 AFL Brownlow Medal Winner
GOLD Coast star Matt Rowell has won the 2025 Brownlow Medal in a stunning count on Monday night, racing to an early lead and powering home to become the second winner in the Suns' history.
Rowell, who helped lead his club to an historic first finals campaign in a career-best 2025 season, outshone the leading pre-count contenders to poll 39 votes, winning from Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos (32) and Geelong gun Bailey Smith (29).
The No.1 pick from 2019 became the first player in Brownlow Medal history to poll three votes in each of his first four games, going on to secure eight best-on-grounds and polling in 16 games as he joined dual medallist Gary Ablett as a Gold Coast winner.
The 24-year-old's final tally was the second most in history, behind last year's winner Patrick Cripps (45), with the brutish onballer catching the umpires' attention early and polling relentlessly in a season that also saw him also earn All-Australian selection for the first time.
Collingwood superstar and pre-count favourite Daicos achieved his third consecutive podium finish after being pipped in the final round in 2023 and finishing runner-up in a record-breaking 2024 count, which saw him poll 38 votes.
The Magpies' midfielder threatened to make a move with three consecutive best-on-grounds from round 15-17, cutting Rowell's lead to two votes. But the Suns' ball-winner held him off and then charged home in a run of eight vote-getting games to write his name into the history books.
He was declared the winner after round 22, winning the prestigious award after a terrific season that saw him rank No.2 in the AFL for clearances (8.5), No.3 tackles (8.6), and No.3 for contested possessions, averaging a career-best 26.3 disposals.
"I can't believe I'm standing up here tonight … a lot of boys could have been standing up here tonight, so I feel very humbled and very honoured," Rowell said.
"I'm pretty speechless to be honest.
"My family are massive supporters and they're everything to me. They're at every game and support me so much … it's why I'm standing up here today."
Rowell, who joined 2008 winner Adam Cooney as the only other No.1 draft pick to win a Brownlow Medal, said he had always dreamed of playing in the AFL and "lived and breathed" the game growing up.
A childhood Carlton fan, the Carey Grammar and Oakleigh Chargers product admitted to being a "footy weirdo" after developing a habit in recent seasons of eating turf off the AFL playing surface before games.
"I started doing that a few years ago. You try a lot of weird things and that was kind of like a grounding process that I wanted to do before games," he said.
"Feel, sight, taste obviously. Those are the kinds of things you do."
Rowell also paid tribute to teammates Touk Miller, David Swallow and Jarrod Witts who "did a lot of the grunt work" for Gold Coast before his arrival.
Re-signed until the end of 2027 after signing a contract extension mid-year, he thanked the Suns and singled out midfield sidekick Noah Anderson.
Rowell had been expected to share votes with his captain on Monday night but hoarded them for himself early as Anderson polled just two votes in the first 10 rounds, eventually finishing with 25 after entering as a leading contender.
Rowell's ability to poll more prominently than expected through the early stages of the season saw him race to 15 votes by round seven in a burst that defined the count.
second through the middle stages and trailing Rowell by just one vote after round 14 as Smith and Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson also climbed the leaderboard into the top five.
None of them could bridge the gap to Rowell, however, who became a first-time winner, receiving his Medal from 2024 winner and dual medallist Patrick Cripps in the ceremony at Crown Melbourne.
2025 Brownlow Medal, Top 10
Matt Rowell - 39 votes
Nick Daicos - 32
Bailey Smith - 29
Jordan Dawson - 27
Andrew Brayshaw - 26
Noah Anderson - 25
Marcus Bontempelli - 25
Caleb Serong - 25
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera - 23
Max Gawn - 23
Oakland Ballers: 2025 Pioneer Baseball League Champions
Oakland Ballers win first Pioneer League Championship, reviving city's love for baseball
By Amanda Hari
September 21, 2025 / 11:25 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco
The Oakland Ballers have won their first Pioneer League Championship. They beat the Idaho Falls Chukar 8-1 in Game 5 Sunday night.
It's the first baseball championship since the Oakland Athletics left the city, and fans are feeling the magic of baseball again.
"It's a blessing, because there's that void, that gap, and they filled it beautifully," said Ballers fan and Oakland native Danny Gomez.
The Baller have only existed for two seasons, and Gomez has supported the team since the beginning.
"My son and I, we came to the first game of the first season last year and we've been coming ever since," Gomez explained.
He was at the game Sunday with his son to see the team secure its first championship.
It's even more special for Gomez because he has loved baseball for a long time. He started attending Oakland A's games when he was just 10 years old.
"Actually, my brother and I went to the first season in 1968 and then I went with my son last season," Gomez remembered.
He stopped supporting the A's when they left Oakland, but he says he's found something even better with the Ballers.
"Intimacy," Gomez stated, about what's so special about independent baseball. "Intimacy. In the major leagues, you don't have the Major League Baseball players walking in front of you and signing autographs. They're too pompous for that."
And that difference makes the experience even more special for the youngest fans.
Jensen Tollner is still in middle school, but he has dreams of being a baseball player one day.
Getting to interact with the Ballers is something special. He got his glove signed before the final game of the 2025 season.
"It's a lot cooler than MLB because they actually come over every single time and sign your stuff," Jensen explained about the experience with the players. "It's super cool."
When the Ballers secured Game 5, his father, Mike Tollner, knew they needed to come see it.
"This is a memory he'll probably never forget," Mike Tollner stated. "So be able share the first time these guys are out here for a championship, that's pretty cool."
It's a memory he thought he would never share with his son when the A's announced they were leaving, but the Ballers stepped up and brought a championship to Oakland.
Even Mayor Barbara Lee attended the game and spoke directly to the fans.
"Thank you all for believing in the Ballers," Lee said to the full stadium.
Most fans agreed, win or lose, it's the community that has been built around the Ballers that makes it so special.
"Same thing," said Gomez about what he would do if the team won or lost. "Just enjoy the night. Enjoy the day, have some good company with good people either way. Either way, we'll greet them and say good season. And we'll be ready for next year."
Be The Gift That Keeps On Giving! Long Beach Gives 2025 Livestream! Sept...
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Chelsea: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Champions
Chelsea FC have been crowned the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup™ champions after a superb performance by Cole Palmer guided the Premier League side to a resounding final victory over ten-man Paris Saint-Germain.
In a blockbuster final at the MetLife Stadium, Palmer scored twice in an eight-minute spell in the opening half and then set up Joao Pedro just before the break to set up the Blues for a deserved triumph over the European champions.
Luis Enrique's side, who were chasing a quadruple of major trophies during the 2024/25 campaign, were rocked by Chelsea's first-half onslaught and looked a shadow of the team who demolished Real Madrid C.F. in the semi-finals.
The Londoners' devastating performance provided a fitting climax to a hugely successful tournament and cements their status as one of the teams to beat in both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League next season.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca made two changes from his side's semi-final victory over Fluminense FC, with Levi Colwill and Reece James coming in for Tosin Adarabioyo and Christopher Nkunku respectively, while Joao Pedro kept his place up front.
These moves paid off, with the Blues looking extremely dangerous from the outset. Palmer showed his intent when he came close to opening the scoring in just the seventh minute with a curling left-footed effort that flew just wide.
PSG soon found their footing and Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella reacted brilliantly to block a dangerous pass across goal by Desire Doue that was directed towards Achraf Hakimi.
But Chelsea continued to push and took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute when Joao Pedro attacked down the right and squared the ball to Palmer, who found the corner of the net in style.
With confidence now soaring, Palmer doubled Chelsea's lead with a copycat effort when he weaved his way forward to the edge of the PSG area and caressed a sublime left-footed effort into the same bottom corner.
The England international then capped an incredible first-half display when he weighted a perfect through ball to Joao Pedro, who chipped the ball neatly over Gianluigi Donnarumma for his third goal in two games.
PSG had no answers for Chelsea's defensive set-up and Liam Delap almost scored twice after coming on as a second-half substitute.
Any hopes of a comeback ended when Joao Neves was sent off six minutes from time for pulling Cucurella's hair as Chelsea held on to seal their place in football history.
Quotes
"It’s a great feeling. The gaffer put a great game plan out. He knew where there would space and tried to free me up as much as possible. I just had to repay him and score some goals. He [Enzo Maresca] is building something special. I feel we’re going in the right direction."
Cole Palmer, Chelsea midfielder
“I have no words for the players. For me, we won the game in the first ten minutes. We set the tempo, we knew the way we wanted to play. Today we found a position for Cole [Palmer[ where there was more space to attack. The effort from all the players has been fantastic.”
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea coach
"It's not just when you win that you do a good job. What we did this season was something we'd never done before. Thirteen years ago in Paris, I'd never competed for titles like this. Of course, we wanted to take this trophy home, but that doesn't erase what we did this season."
Marquinhos, Paris Saint-Germain defender
Counting Stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars
Yeah, we'll be counting stars
I see this life like a swinging vine
Swing my heart across the line
And in my face is flashing signs
Seek it out and ye shall find
Old but I'm not that old
Young but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
I feel something so right doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be, we'll be counting stars
I feel your love, and I feel it burn
Down this river every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
And I feel something so wrong doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be, we'll be counting stars
Oh, take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars, we'll be, we'll be counting stars
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money ,watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned!
Oklahoma City Thunder: 2024-25 NBA Champions
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the court for the final time this season, collapsed into the arms of coach Mark Daigneault and finally smiled.
It was over.
The climb is complete. The rebuild is done. The Oklahoma City Thunder are champions.
The best team all season was the best team at the end, bringing the NBA title to Oklahoma City for the first time. Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers - who lost Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes - 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.
“It doesn’t feel real,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, the Finals MVP. “So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”
Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season.
Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more.
It’s the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There’s nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title.
In October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner.
“They behave like champions. They compete like champions,” Daigneault said. “They root for each other’s success, which is rare in professional sports. I’ve said it many times and now I’m going to say it one more time. They are an uncommon team and now they’re champions.”
The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away.
“Deflated, but proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” Pacers guard TJ McConnell said.
Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers - who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship - had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn’t have enough in the end.
Home teams improved to 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic “bubble” in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year’s title.
And now, the Thunder get their turn. The youngest team to win a title in nearly a half-century has reached the NBA mountaintop.
The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's 12 seasons. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner.
“It really hurts on the one hand,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “On the other hand, this team has given all of Pacer Nation something to be very proud of.”
Florida Panthers: 2025 Stanley Cup Champions
SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers are the top cats in the NHL again.
Sam Reinhart scored four goals, Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves, and the Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday.
“It’s amazing,” Bobrovsky said. “Obviously, it’s not easy to do and not many people can do that, but this group of guys is unbelievable. It’s a privilege to be their goalie.”
Reinhart’s four goals tied the record for most in a Stanley Cup Final game, and he became the second player in NHL history with four goals in a Stanley Cup-clinching win. He also had the first four-goal game and hat trick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Panthers history.
Reinhart scored the winning goal when Florida defeated Edmonton 2-1 in Game 7 of the Cup Final last season to capture its first championship.
“He scored a game-winner in Game 7 last year and he banged in four,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Nobody’s going to say whether there was a goalie in the net and nobody’s going to care. He just scored four goals. That was a pretty good story.”
Reinhart credited the Panthers' depth, though.
“That’s the beauty of it,” he said. “Everyone steps up at different times. That’s what makes it so special.”
Carter Verhaeghe had three assists, Aleksander Barkov had two assists, and Matthew Tkachuk also scored for Florida, which became the NHL’s first repeat champion since the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 and the first team to defeat the same opponent in the Cup Final in consecutive seasons since the Montreal Canadiens against the Boston Bruins in 1977 and 1978. Florida also reached the Cup Final in 2023, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
“You look to all the bad days, long trips, all the stuff, this just makes it all worth it,” said Tkachuk, whose first period goal was the game-winner. “Lifting that Cup, it’s just insane. I don’t know what to tell you guys. It’s just the most special thing.”
Florida outlasted Edmonton in seven games in the Cup Final last season after letting a 3-0 series lead slip away. The Panthers avoided another Game 7 with a strong defensive effort against Connor McDavid and the Oilers’ high-powered offense. Vasily Podkolzin scored Edmonton’s lone goal, and Stuart Skinner made 20 saves.
“We lost to a really good team,” said McDavid, the Oilers captain. “Nobody quit, nobody threw the towel in, but they’re a heck of a team. They’re Stanley Cup champions back to back for a reason.”
Skinner was back in net for the Oilers after backing up Calvin Pickard in Game 5 on Saturday, a 5-2 loss. He was pulled in the previous two games. In Game 3, a 6-1 loss, Skinner was removed in the third period after giving up five goals on 23 shots. He was then replaced by Pickard to start the second period of Game 4, a 5-4 overtime win, after allowing three goals on 17 shots.
Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. The forward led the NHL with 15 goals and had seven assists in 23 postseason games.
Bennett was one of six Florida players with at least 20 points this postseason. Reinhart (11 goals, 12 assists), Tkachuk (eight goals, 15 assists) and Verhaeghe (seven goals, 16 assists) led the way with 23 points each. Bennett and Barkov (six goals, 16 assists) each had 22 points, and Brad Marchand had 20 (10 goals, 10 assists).
“The depth of this team, it’s remarkable,” Bennett said. “The amount of guys that stepped up this year and had incredible years, incredible playoff runs, [the Conn Smythe] truly could’ve went to anyone.”
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said that depth was the biggest difference between the Panthers last season and this season, noting the contributions they got from their third line of Eetu Luostarinen (one goal, five assists), Anton Lundell (one goal, five assists) and Marchand (six goals), who each had six points in the Cup Final.
"I think they were better,” Draisaitl said. “Just deeper. Their third line scored how many goals? Until tonight, [when] it was their top two lines, their third line did a lot of damage."
McDavid finished the Cup Final with seven points (one goal, six assists) but had only two points (one goal, one assist) in the last four games, including one at even-strength, on a goal in Game 5. Like in Game 7 last season, he was held without a point on Tuesday.
Draisaitl led Edmonton with eight points (four goals, four assists) in the Cup Final but also was held without a point in Game 6.
The Panthers did not trail in the final two games of the series after blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 4.
“I thought we played pretty well the majority of the games and a couple of overtime games that went either way, but it just shows the character,” Bennett said. “Guys were willing to do whatever it takes to shut them down and some guys played some big minutes shutting down two of the best players in the world. That’s not an easy job by any means. So it really took everyone and everyone bought in.”
Reinhart gave Florida a 1-0 lead by scoring with a great individual effort 4:36 into the first period. After intercepting defenseman Evan Bouchard’s pass outside the Edmonton blue line, Reinhart chipped the puck past defenseman Mattias Ekholm in the left circle and cut to the slot before unleashing a shot while falling that went in past Skinner’s glove.
It was Reinhart’s fourth consecutive game with a goal and the fifth game in a row in which the Panthers scored first.
“I was just trying to take it to the net,” Reinhart said. “Got the puck in the right spot and as I was going down, I was able to elevate it.”
Tkachuk made it 2-0 with 47 seconds remaining in the first. The Panthers counterattacked after a Bouchard turnover at the offensive blue line, and Luostarinen pulled up at the top of the right circle before feeding the trailing Tkachuk, who let go a wrist shot from the high slot that went through Lundell’s screen in front and beat Skinner to the glove side.
Florida headed to the locker room for the first intermission leading 2-0 or 3-0 for the fourth consecutive game.
Bobrosky made 10 saves in the first period and 10 more in the second. His best in the first was a right-pad stop on Bouchard’s slap shot from the high slot at 10:12. In the second, he hugged the left post to stop a quick shot from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the left side at 9:26 to keep Florida ahead 2-0.
The Panthers increased their lead to 3-0 on Reinhart’s second of the game at 17:31 of the second. After Skinner left a rebound in the left circle on Verhaeghe’s initial shot, Barkov’s centering pass deflected in off Reinhart’s skate.
Reinhart made it 4-0 with an empty-net goal at 13:26 of the third period and scored another into an empty net for a 5-0 lead at 14:55.
Podkolzin broke up Bobrovsky’s shutout, making it 5-1 at 15:18. By then, however, the Panthers fans were already celebrating in anticipation of seeing their team win the Cup on home ice for the second straight season.
“It’s a special feeling,” said Barkov, the Panthers captain, “and we’re just really happy to do it.”
NOTES: Prior to Reinhart, the only other player with four goals in a Cup-clinching game was Babe Dye, who did it with the Toronto St. Patricks in Game 5 of the 1922 Final against the Vancouver Millionaires. The other players to score four in a Cup Final game are: Newsy Lalonde (Montreal Canadiens, Game 2 in 1919 against the Seattle Metropolitans); Frank Foyston (Metropolitans, Game 3 in 1919); Ted Lindsay (Detroit Red Wings, Game 2 in 1955 against the Canadiens); and Maurice Richard (Canadiens, Game 1 in 1957 against the Bruins).
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