Brandon Nimmo throws out Wilmer Flores at second
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Fox News
7 minutes ago
- Fox News
Noah Lyles stares down Olympic teammate after comeback victory, gets shoved afterward
Olympic sprinters Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek had some extracurricular activity during, and after, a tense 200-meter run on Sunday. The pair of two-time Olympians battled it out in an unforgettable race, in which Lyles again won the United States championship in Eugene, Oregon. Lyles, the reigning 100-meter gold medalist and three-time 200-meter world champ, came back from behind to defeat Bednarek and the rest of the field, crossing the finish line in 19.63 seconds, four-hundredths of a second faster than Bednarek. However, before they crossed the line, Lyles turned toward Bednarek and stared him down as they finished the race, which prompted a shove by Bednarek. Lyles stopped and turned around, before Bednarek apparently realized his mistake and extended his hand for a handshake. Lyles obliged. Perhaps Lyles felt a need to celebrate considering what happened in Paris last summer - days after Lyles won gold in the 100-meter, he was aiming to become the first American runner since Carl Lewis in 1988 to win the double in the Olympics. The 200-meter has always been Lyles' specialty. However, he settled for bronze as he revealed he battled COVID-19 - Bednarek won silver. Despite their handshake, there still appeared to be some bad blood between the two during a joint interview with NBC. "I tell ya, if you've got a problem, I expect a call," Bednarek said, as the network's Lewis Johnson moved the mic between the runners. Lyles replied, "You know what, you're right. You're right. Let's talk after this." It didn't stop there - Bednarek made more comments after both runners left the track. "What he said didn't matter, it's just what he did," Bednarek said. "Unsportsmanlike (expletive) and I don't deal with that. It's a respect factor. He's fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that's all I can say. Next time we line up, I'm going to win. That's all that matters." Bednarek referenced some long-simmering issues between the two. "Just some personal stuff we've got to handle," he said. This isn't the first time Lyles has had a beef with a fellow USA runner. He and Fredd Kerley have also exchanged verbal pleasantries over the last year-plus. Lyles, of course, has had an apparent rivalry with Tyreek Hill, as well.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Jerry Jones unplugged. He talks Micah Parsons contract
OXNARD, CA — Jerry Jones is clearly in no hurry. Why has it taken so long to strike a deal with Micah Parsons? 'It took a long time with Emmitt Smith,' the Dallas Cowboys owner replied, turning back the clock to the Hall of Fame running back's epic holdout in 1993. 'Same thing with (Zack) Martin two years ago. (Cee Dee) Lamb last year. When you have the ability for players under contract to basically renegotiate or say, 'I'm not going to play the contract,' then you have those things happen.' And here's what else can happen: Parsons, the All-Pro defensive end, rocked the NFL universe on Friday when he took to social media to publicly demand a trade, intimating that negotiations for a new contract have stalled to the point of no return. Two days before Parsons' bombshell, though, Jones seemed to have already drawn a line in the sand during an interview with USA TODAY Sports that might have indicated where these negotiations with the defensive centerpiece could be headed. He mentioned that Dak Prescott, who last year become the NFL's first $60 million-per-year man, played out his rookie contract and was twice franchise-tagged before landing his four-year, $240 million megadeal. And he referenced the two franchise tags the team used on since-departed defensive end Demarcus Lawrence before he signed a five-year, $105 million deal in 2019. 'Both of those players, they played their contract out,' Jones said. 'To me, you're going through a process where a player wants to see if they can get an extended contract. And if they don't they play their contract out.' MORE: George Pickens could be explosive for Cowboys – one way or another It should also be noted that Lamb, the star receiver, didn't play out his contract or get franchise-tagged before landing a four-year, $136 million extension that averaged $34 million. But Lamb also forced the issue by holding out of training camp last year. Parsons seemingly gave up leverage by reporting to camp and proceeding as a so-called 'hold-in' while not practicing. The Cowboys exercised the fifth-year option on Parsons' rookie contract, which guarantees a $24.007 million salary for 2025 and a huge bump from the $4.269 million for the first four years of his deal. With the Cowboys yet to negotiate with Parson's agent, David Mulugheta, the frustration is boiling over. Parsons is reportedly seeking a deal that could reset the market again for defensive stars after T.J. Watt's package with the Pittsburgh Steelers averages $41 million per year, which tops the $40 million average that Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett received earlier in the offseason. Yet with the franchise tag in play, the option for Parsons to merely 'play out' his contract as Jones suggested, could allow the Cowboys to prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent until, gulp, 2028. And the NFL's highest-rated soap opera, let's call it "As The Cowboys World Turns," is back for another season. 'This business is business-first, right?' Prescott said during an interview with USA TODAY Sports. 'We always say this game is a business, but it's business first.' While Prescott and other players vehemently support Parsons in his efforts to land a new deal, it can't be good for the business of winning to have the distraction weighing on training camp. No, the Cowboys are not the only NFL team with a lingering contract issue for a key player. But some teams manage such business with much less drama, while the Cowboys always seem to have some drama in the wind. As for Parsons' trade request, Jones, speaking to reporters at camp on Saturday, had a message for Cowboys fans: 'Don't lose any sleep over it.' In other words, Jones seems willing to call Parsons' bluff — and quite content to keep the drama flowing. 'This is really nothing new, at all, with Micah,' Jones said at one point during the 1-hour, 10-minute interview over lunch in his training camp office. I asked him about the negative reaction from his massive fan base, which goes far beyond the fans at camp who chanted 'Pay Micah!' The extended negotiations over the past two years involving Prescott, Lamb and Martin added to the perception that the Cowboys lack urgency when it comes to signing key players to extensions. Does the perception that the Cowboys drag their feet concern Jones? 'Let me say this just right,' Jones replied. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't do it that way. I should be trying to get the most value for the Cowboys. I've seen players I wish we had renegotiated their contracts earlier and I've had several that I was sorry I renegotiated their contract earlier. The idea that if you wait there's more money (spent) forgets that in between that wait, you get to evaluate and you frankly get to see if you're dealing with the same physical elements of it.' As he pondered this, Jones grabbed a legal pad and began doodling – with circles, arrows and straight lines – to make a point. 'It's almost akin to an option quarterback,' he said. 'He can step out, he can either hand it to that guy going down the line, or he can come on out and keep it, or he can pitch it. Three different things. The longer you give him to get to the sideline, the better chance you've got to make the better play. 'So, I've never, in any way, forgotten all the things that can happen to you if you go too quick. And that list of going too quick is just as long as the negative of getting it done early every time.' That we're talking about Parsons, who is just the second player in NFL history (the first was the legendary Reggie White) to notch at least 12 sacks in his first four seasons, doesn't move Jones off his point. MORE: One fight. Then another. And another. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer had seen enough There's also a sense with Jones that no one has the NFL money matters figured out quite like he does. He thinks, as the NFL's most powerful owner and essential player in driving the league's media rights deals and labor pacts, that he's more 'in the weeds,' as he put it, with the league's revenues, able to 'look around the corner' at increasing revenues. And with Jones' marketing, the Cowboys have long been the NFL's most valuable franchise, last year becoming the first $10 billion sports franchise in the annual Forbes rankings. 'Nobody could possibly have the feel for whether to go early on him or wait,' Jones said, alluding to revenue and salary cap projections. Of course, skeptics and championship-starved Cowboys fans alike, counter the financials with the football bottom line. The Cowboys, for all of their sustained popularity, have a 29-year drought since last appearing in a Super Bowl. Jones, who also serves as the team's GM, addressed the question before it was even asked. He's not giving up that part of the equation, reiterating his typical stance. 'I'm not in any way revisiting the mentality that I have about how I go about negotiations,' he said. 'Not at all. The buck does stop here.' As usual, the buck is wrapped in so much intrigue. Jones mentioned the Smith holdout from a generation ago. Smith missed the first two games in 1993, and the defending Super Bowl champions started 0-2 without their MVP. After Charles Haley planted a helmet into a locker room wall near Jones following the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Smith's contract talks suddenly heated up. And it ended well. Smith got his new contract and it sparked the Cowboys to a repeat Super Bowl crown. Ah, the drama. Yet that was then. And this is now. Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@ or follow on social media: On X: @JarrettBell. On Bluesky: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Exclusive: Jerry Jones talks Micah Parsons contract
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 offensive keys for Penn State's in 2025
Penn State is heading into one of the most anticipated and most hyped seasons in the James Franklin era. The Nittany Lions are feeling confident about what comes back on offense and what has been added through the transfer portal. Is this a season where the offense clicks in the biggest moments to get this program over the hump against the best of the best on the schedule? If so, this could be a magical season in Happy Valley. Here are five quick keys to a successful Penn State offense in 2025. Drew Allar must be THE guy Drew Allar is entering his senior season with the weight of the program on his shoulders. He's already racked up nearly 6,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. But in 2025, he needs to go from solid to elite — especially in tight games. If he commands the huddle and thrives in big moments, Penn State has a real shot to run the table. Offensive line must keep building One of the biggest strengths this season is the return of multiple offensive line starters. The unit showed flashes in 2024, but the consistency wasn't always there. If this group can dominate in the trenches, especially late in games, it will give Allar time and open lanes for the run game. Balance between Singleton and Allen The duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen is one of the best backfield combos in the country. What they need in 2025 is rhythm. That means finding the hot hand, committing to the run, and using them more in the passing game. They're too talented not to get 30+ combined touches a game. Wide receivers must step up Penn State attacked the position through the transfer portal to bring in much-needed help, but we will have to see it pay off on the field rather than go on hype. Kyron Hudson, the USC transfer, is a big-time red zone threat, and the addition of Trebor Pena from Syracuse gives Penn State another big-time target to lock in with. These receivers need to consistently create separation and help stretch the field to keep defenses honest. Clean football wins games Penn State's offense can't afford turnovers, stalled red-zone drives, or mental errors. Finishing possessions, owning third downs, and protecting the football are what separate a 10-win team from a championship one. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: How Penn State's offense can fuel a 2025 championship run
