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A Basketball Hall of Famer. X-ray poker tables. The Mafia. They were all purportedly crucial to an alleged yearslong illegal poker rigging scheme that resulted in 31 federal indictments this week. The case focused on rigged poker games is one of two announced that allegedly involve prominent NBA figures.

Investigators state that the scheme to defraud players at a poker table began in April 2019 when defendant Robert “Black Rob” Stroud and other co-conspirators began devising a ruse to use technology to rig illegal poker games, usually Texas Hold ’em, against unwitting, wealthy players whom they called “fish” or “whales,” and who were aware that they were playing in illegal, high-stakes games, but believed these were “straight” games against other wealthy players. In reality, in many cases, every other person at the table besides them was in on the scheme.

The fish were also enticed to play by the presence of high-profile former professional athletes, known as “face cards,” with the biggest names revealed thus far to be Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones.

How did it all work?

The scheme started with the technology, which was primarily inside the card-shuffling machines, which read the order in which the cards were dealt and relayed the information to an off-site operator. Sometimes the games employed X-ray tables and/or hidden cameras in the poker chip tray to assist in reading the cards. Players would also occasionally wear special contact lenses or glasses that would allow them to see marked cards.

Once the operator knew the cards were on the table, they would relay the relevant information to a “quarterback” at the table, who would subtly signal to the rest of the “cheating team” what they should do.

In an example cited in a court document from a September 2024 game in Miami, defendant John Mazzola played quarterback. If Mazzola had the best hand, he would tap his arm or wrist. If another inside player did, Mazzola touched his $1,000 poker chip, and so on and so forth. If the “fish” had the best hand, Mazzola would touch his black chips, indicating to the other inside players to fold.

To maintain the charade and keep the unknowing player at the table, the co-conspirators would text about strategy in real time. They occasionally allowed the victims to win. During that same Miami game, defendant Michael Renzulli messaged a group chat of co-conspirators, telling them to let the player — in this case, referred to as John Doe No. 4 — win a hand so that he would keep playing.

Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups leaves a federal courthouse after his appearance Thursday in Portland, Oregon. AP Photo/Jenny Kane

The same concept applied to the games when Billups and Jones were involved, though there was an extra layer of nuance given their celebrity. During an April 2019 game, defendant Sophia Wei texted the group that Billups and defendant Eric “Spook” Earnest had won two improbable hands (“gutshot on the river,” or a straight draw needing to hit a middle card to make his hand) against the same player. While Stroud responded that the player “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “starstruck,” Wei insisted they insert another member of the cheating team (“the middle eastern guy”) into the game so that Billups and Earnest could purposely lose to him and dispel suspicion.

What were the organized crime connections in this scheme?

The presence of the Mafia, otherwise known as La Cosa Nostra (LCN), involved providing support and protection, often merging its own existing illegal, high-stakes poker games, which were not necessarily rigged, into the scheme.

The court documents allege that, in Manhattan, New York, the Bonanno crime family had already been backing a game at 147 Lexington Ave., while the Gambino crime family, with support from at least one Genovese crime family member, hosted a game at 80 Washington Place. In 2023, those two games merged, jointly operating the rigging scheme using the technology supplied by Stroud.

LCN furthered the scheme in at least one instance by allegedly robbing an individual identified only as “John Doe No. 7,” who was initially involved with the rigged poker games, of an altered Deckmate 1 shuffling machine which, in its unaltered form, retailed for more than $10,000.

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The Mafia and non-mob co-conspirators also managed many of the financial issues related to the scheme, often using numerous of the tactics they have become most infamous for. In November 2022, defendant Zhen Hu allegedly threatened and assaulted “John Doe No. 5” for not paying his poker gambling debts. In fall 2023, several of the co-conspirators allegedly extorted “John Doe No. 6” by invoking their Mob connections, which eventually frightened him into paying his $10,000 debt.

Additionally, defendant Anthony Shnayderman allegedly laundered the proceeds of the poker games through shell companies and third parties, ultimately paying other co-conspirators in cash or cryptocurrency.

“With the alleged involvement of three La Cosa Nostra crime families, an NBA head coach and Hall of Famer, as well as other current and former professional athletes, the investigative work that culminated with this morning’s operation are reminiscent of a Hollywood movie,” said Homeland Security Investigations New York special agent in charge Ricky Patel. “But this was not luck, and it was not theatrics.”

“Using the allure of high-stakes winnings and the promise to play alongside well-known professional athletes, these defendants allegedly defrauded unwitting victims out of tens of millions of dollars and established a financial pipeline to La Cosa Nostra,” said Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge with the FBI.

Overall, victims of the rigged poker scheme lost at least $7.15 million, according to court documents. One of the victims alone, “John Doe No. 1,” was cheated out of $1.8 million in games staged in June and July 2023.

Following his arrest, Billups appeared in court Thursday and was released from custody on the conditions of a substantial bond with the federal court in the Eastern District of New York, as well as surrendering his passport. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 24. On Thursday evening, his attorney, Chris Heywood, released a statement saying they intend to fight the charges.

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After a number of delays, Topps Pro Debut 2025 is set to release on Nov. 12. That’s good for Baseball America readers, as Iâ€m not sure thereâ€s a baseball card product on the calendar that captures the essence of BA like Topps Pro Debut.

You donâ€t buy this set just for the big chases and speculative future value—you buy this set because youâ€re a prospect nut.

This prospect-laden product features tomorrowâ€s stars in their minor league uniforms set against the styling of the 2025 Topps flagship design. And in recent years, when weâ€ve seen prices climb on flagship Bowman to a point where itâ€s almost unattainable for the average collector to get their prospect fix, Topps Pro Debut has quietly been one of the better-value products on the market for prospect autograph chasers.

With autographed cards of Nick Kurtz, Konnor Griffin, Leo De Vries, Roman Anthony and a ton of Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects, this year is sure to be a good one. Letâ€s dive into the latest Topps Pro Debut offering with a complete breakdown of what to expect for 2025.

The Most Famous Names In Topps Pro Debut 2025

At release, the 2025 Topps Pro Debut checklist features 82 of Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects, including all of the top 13. Here are the top names to look out for:

You’ll also find a number of players on the Pro Debut checklist who have recently graduated from our Top 100. So, in addition to the players listed above, be on the lookout for some of your favorites from the 2025 rookie class like, Nick Kurtz, Cade Horton, Cam Smith, Chandler Simpson, Colson Montgomery, Jac Caglianone, Kristian Campbell, Kyle Teel, Luke Keaschalland Matt Shaw.

Jumbo Autograph Relics & The Logoman Chase

A few weeks back, BA’s own Seth Mates broke the story about the MiLB ‘Logo Man†chase cards featured in this set. This is a big chase for this product, and I am compelled to put the jumbo autograph relics set right alongside it!

A warning: If you like texture with your patch cards, this may not be the set for you. Minor league uniforms and their design features are notoriously screen-printed. This doesn’t deter me from collecting these cards, but before you shell out the big bucks on a chase, keep this in mind.

(Image courtesy of Blowout Cards)

We know that there are 28 total cards in the Logoman Auto Relic set featuring 23 total players. There are some big names included in this set, including Marcelo Mayer, Walker Jenkins, Josue De Paula (x2), Colson Montgomery (x2) and Kyle Teel.

The Jumbo Auto Relic set features 27 total cards across mostly the same players found in the Logoman set. MiLB teams are known for a variety of themed uniforms and mascots, so this set has a chance to announce itself in a loud way if the swatches come out looking as bright and fun as anticipated.

New Insert Sets: Drafted, League Elites, Stars of MiLB & Ballpark Promos

One of the fun new inserts for 2025 is Drafted, which depicts each player sketched on a notepad with colored pencils lying over the top. Itâ€s a 20-card set including both Konnor Griffin and JJ Wetherholt. Wetherholt also features in the six-card autograph subset that includes Nick Kurtz.Â

League Elites is another new insert set with an autographed subset. Look for Tigers prospects Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark in the 22-card set, with Roman Anthony and Colson Montgomery featured in the 12-card autograph variation run.Â

One can assume that the 24-card Stars of MiLB set mimics the well-known insert offering from Topps Flagship. Ballpark Promos, meanwhile, is a 16-card die-cut set designed to resemble a ticket stub. Samuel Basallo is your highest-rated prospect in that set.

While the MiLB Legends insert set checklist is limited to 10 names, there are some fun inclusions to look out for, including Buster Posey, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley in both standard and autograph variations.

Who We’re Hunting

Or, rather, what we’re hunting, as I would bet there are going to be some nasty swatches in the Jumbo Auto Relic set. Iâ€ll have my eyes out for Kyle Teel (Portland Sea Dogs), Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) and Carson Williams (Montgomery Biscuits). Sign me up for a game-used swatch of a biscuit with huge googly eyes.

Seriously though, vibrant colors and unique mascots are what MiLB is all about. This set has a chance to produce some special cards.

For the collector who doesnâ€t have the money to shell out for a Konnor Griffin Bowman First auto, the top tier of autos in this set still features Griffin, as well as Kevin McGonigle, Jesús Made, JJ Wetherholt and Leo De Vries. This makes Pro Debut a really cool opportunity to tap into the traditional Topps flagship refractor colors for top prospects at a fraction of the price.

While the top of the crop is plentiful in this product, there are a number of players available who I think have a shot to make a leap up or into the Top 100 next year. Here are some players Iâ€ll be trying to take advantage of scoring some low-numbered chrome: Bryce Rainer (BA’s No. 24 prospect), Caleb Bonemer (No. 71), Slade Caldwell (No. 96), Chase Harlan, Cole Mathis, Dante Nori, Griffin Burkholder, Jack Penney, JD Dix, Ryan Waldschmidt and Tyson Lewis.

Breaker Value & Teams To Target

Topps Pro Debut 2025 is tricky for team breaking because players are featured in their MiLB uniforms. As such, I went through and deciphered every affiliation in the set as part of my pursuit of helping collectors find the best value in their breaks. Iâ€m looking at volume (of inserts, autographs, etc.) and mostly the quality of position players in the marquee sets. For this set, Autographs, Jumbo Autograph Relics and Logoman Auto Relics are my main considerations.

Below, you can find notable teams broken into tiers with value scores:

• Tier 1: Dodgers [3830], White Sox [2904], Red Sox [2501], Tigers [2433]

Surprise, surprise—the Dodgers have volume and quality. Josue De Paula and Thayron Liranzo (now a Tigers prospect but featured here with a Dodgers affiliate) each have two Logoman cards to chase. Throw in a Jeral Perez Logoman for good measure, and the Dodgers have five total. A smattering of De Paula (BA’s No. 18 prospect), Zyhir Hope (No. 21), Dalton Rushing (No. 17) and Eduardo Quintero (No. 56) add a really solid middle layer for Dodgers collectors. Autographs from Kellon Lindsey and Chase Harlan only further the intrigue, making the Dodgers the clear team to target.

Staying at Camelback Ranch, the White Sox come in at number two with five Logoman chases of their own: Noah Schultz, Colson Montgomery (x2), Jacob Gonzalez and Samuel Zavala. A heavy dose of Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery and Caleb Bonemer stoke the collectible flames even higher for the White Sox. Schultz and Hagen Smith round out the excitement as a pair of hard-throwing lefties with top-of-the-rotation potential.

For the Red Sox, Kyle Teel features in the Logoman set with the Portland Seadogs, and Marcelo Mayer joins him. Despite having only two Logoman chases, thereâ€s no shortage of Mayer, Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony autographs in this product. Franklin Arias also has a healthy offering of autographs as a lower-level prospect who comes in at No. 48 in Baseball Americaâ€s Top 100.

Itâ€s impressive to see the Tigers in this top tier given they have no Logoman chases. They may, however, have the most impressive stash of prospect autographs in the whole set. If you land the Tigers in a break, expect plenty of chances at autographs for Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Bryce Rainer and Thayron Liranzo.

• Tier 2: Twins [1872], Mariners [1569]

The Twins are buoyed by a strong helping of Walker Jenkins and Luke Keaschall—Jenkins being BA’s No. 11 prospect and Keaschall having hit .302 across 207 plate appearances in his debut MLB season. As if that pairing wasnâ€t enough to pique your interest, youâ€ll find a depth of autos in this set tied to Minnesota, including Kaelen Culpepper, who had a solid MiLB season this year by going 20-20 across two levels while hitting .289. Other Twins names of note who signed for this set include Charlee Soto, Billy Amick, Khadim Diaw and Kyle DeBarge.

The Mariners may be the deepest group in the entire set thanks to a strong group of position players who signed for this checklist. Harry Ford features as the Logoman and Jumbo Auto Relic chase. Behind him, Colt Emerson found his way into the Future Cornerstones insert set (which we believe to be autographed) and onto a triple autograph card with fellow Mariners prospects Harry Ford and Felnin Celesten. Jonny Farmelo, Michael Arroyo and Lazaro Montes are all Top 100 Prospects who have signed across multiple sets in this product. Youâ€ll find Ryan Sloan (BA’s No. 64 prospect) in there, as well. Itâ€s not the lack of player quality or depth that finds the Mariners in Tier 2 instead of Tier 1, but rather, the lack of inclusion in the chase sets.

• Tier 3: Cubs [1260], Padres [1175]

The Cubs are a little top-heavy in this product. The primary reason for inclusion in Tier 3 is the Matt Shaw Logoman and Jumbo Auto Relic chases. If Shaw isnâ€t your cup of tea, keep scrolling. Youâ€ll also find Shaw teamed with Baseball America’s No. 55 prospect Owen Caissie and NL Rookie of the Year contender Cade Horton in the Pro Debut Duals and Triples checklists. Beyond that, you can find some lower-level prospects like Ty Southisene and Cole Mathis. Jonathon Long, who hit .305 with 20 homers at Triple-A this year but is limited defensively to first base, rounds out the short list.

Whatâ€s a prospect product without the Padres? Donâ€t overthink this one—this is all about Leo De Vries. And while he was traded midseason to the Athletics, he features in this product with Padres A-Ball Lake Elsinore affiliate. Though there isnâ€t a Logoman or Jumbo Auto Relic to chase, De Vries is across the autograph checklists from base to chrome to insert autograph variations to Pro Debut Duals (with Jesús Made) and Triples (with Joendry Vargas and Sebastian Walcott). If you’re targeting the Padres, confirm where De Vries sits in the eyes of your breaker (Aâ€s or Padres), as he should be a Padre for this product. Confirm how your breaker handles multi-autographed cards with multiple organizations represented. If itâ€s not De Vries, there isnâ€t much else behind him for the Padres in this product.Â

• Avoid: Yankees [136], Braves [88]

Excluding the 2025 MLB Draft, thereâ€s not a whole lot cooking down on the farm for the Bronx Bombers right now, and that is reflected on this checklist (and, no, Cam Schlittler is not included). George Lombard Jr., the Yankees’ top prospect and No. 22 prospect overall, has a base paper and chrome auto in this set. Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham are two big, bruising pitching prospects who have autographs to accompany Lombard Jr., but overall, the checklist is weak on pinstripes.

Whoever is organizing your break should randomize any Braves hits, as there are no Logoman or Jumbo Auto Relic chases for Atlanta. They have just 11 total cards across the entire 940-card checklist. The biggest card to look for is a Cam Caminiti chrome auto. If you are a Braves fan, skip the group break and go to eBay.Â

Formats, Pricing & Where To Buy

Topps Pro Debut is a hobby-only release, and while last year the product was available in both hobby and jumbo orientations, this year it appears that there will only be one format.

Each hobby box is set to feature 144 cards (six packs with 24 cards per pack) and will have, on average, four autographs. Right now, presales for 2025 Topps Pro Debut hobby boxes are circulating on secondary markets in the ballpark of $150-$200 after initially being made available for $109.99 on Topps.com. It remains to be seen if that price will hold when the product officially drops (and goes up for sale once again) on the Topps website on Nov. 12.

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The Winnipeg Jets made sure to get potential unrestricted free agent forward Kyle Connor signed before the season of the season, and he is already paying off with a great start offensively through Winnipeg’s first three games. He is one of their best overall players and one of the best goal-scorers in the league, and now they know they have him locked in for the long-term.

Overall Winnipeg has been mostly fine through three games, losing a tough one-goal season-opener to the Dallas Stars and then beating the Kings and Islanders. They were not overly dominant wins, and some of their early-season underlying numbers are near the bottom of the league, but they did enough to get four points.

The Jets should be considered a pretty strong playoff lock in the Western Conference, and that is where all eyes are going to turn to starting goalie Connor Hellebuyc. He has been an MVP and Vezina level player during the regular season, but has struggled mightily in his past three playoff appearances. Winnipeg fans almost certainly like the regular season success and the fact he gets them to the playoffs, but now they want to see him get them a championship. He struggled in his first start of the season against the Stars, but bounced big in a big way in his second start against the Kings.

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Earning a PGA Tour card is a tremendously difficult task. But keeping it is no cake walk, either. Harder still? Winning back your card after losing it. Three PGA Tour veterans proved that the hard way on Sunday at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, where they just missed out on reclaiming their Tour privileges.

After changes to qualification rules in recent years, only the top 20 finishers at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship earned PGA Tour cards for the 2026 season. You can read all about the fortunate few who punched their Tour tickets on Sunday here.

But in this space we’re concerned with the other side of the equation, the players who have lived the life of a PGA Tour pro, fought all year on the Korn Ferry Tour to get back and came up painfully short on Sunday.

The silver lining for these three pros? They all finished high enough in the Korn Ferry standings to earn full status there in 2026, where they’ll mount new campaigns to reclaim their cards.

PGA Tour pros who missed cards at KFT Championship

Justin Suh

Justin Suh, a 28-year-old former PGA Tour pro from San Jose, has played in 90 PGA Tour events in his pro golf career, earning two top-5 and five top-10 finishes.

These 20 Korn Ferry Tour players just earned their 2026 PGA Tour cards

By:

Josh Schrock

Suh played full season of 29 Tour events in 2024. But he only made 12 cuts and failed to record any top 10s. As a result, he finished 162nd in the FedEx Cup standings to lose his playing privileges and drop back to the Korn Ferry Tour.

On the Korn Ferry Tour this season, he won the Argentina Open in March and collected two other top 10s. But it wasn’t enough to move back to the big leagues.

Entering the Korn Ferry Tour Championship at 24th in the standings, just outside the top 20 who earns cards, Suh finished T31 to remain tantalizingly close but, ultimately, short of getting his card back.

Russell Knox

A 40-year-old Scottish pro, Russell Knox played successfully on the PGA Tour for several years, earning two victories at the 2015 WGC-HSBC Championship and the 2016 Travelers Championship.

But his last full season was 2022-23, when he made 23 of 37 cuts to finish 144th in the Fedex Cup standings and lose his Tour card.

He played in 10 Tour events in 2024 and then received three sponsor invites in 2025, missing two cuts and finishing 68th at the Corales Puntacana Championship.

Knox made 21 Korn Ferry Tour starts in 2025, earning a runner-up early in the season at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic along with three other top 10s.

But a disappointing T55 finish at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship Sunday dropped Knox from 34th to 36th place in the final KFT standings, leaving him 16 spots short of reclaiming his PGA Tour card.

Dylan Wu

Twenty-nine-year-old Oregon native Dylan Wu should be familiar to many golf fans. He played 33 PGA Tour events in 2022-23, finishing 86th in the standings to maintain his card.

But in 28 starts in 2024, Wu only managed one top 10 and dropped to 119th in the FedEx Cup standings, losing his Tour card in the process. Though he got into 13 Tour events this past season and recorded some good finishes, he only got enough points to finish 170th in the standings.

He only played eight events on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025, so a T31-finish on Sunday could only improve his position from 71st to 69th, well short of the Tour card cutoff.

The final round of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Championship started with two players who needed to win to earn their PGA Tour card leading the way.

For Barend Botha and Sandy Scott, only a win would put them in the top 20 and onto the PGA Tour. But Sunday at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort was not their day. Scott quickly faded, making three bogeys on his front nine en route to a final-round two-over 74 and a T8 finish. Botha lost the lead early as Chandler Blanchet, who had already clinched his PGA Tour card for next season, opened with three straight birdies. Botha hung tough but could not catch Blanchet, who shot a Sunday 66 to post 14 under and beat Botha by two.

Blanchet’s win saw him finish the season in second place on the Korn Ferry Tour points list just behind Johnny Keefer. The 29-year-old, who will be a PGA Tour rookie in 2026, became emotional after the final putt dropped and he turned his attention to what he hopes is a long future on the top circuit.

“I hope I can lead by example,” Blanchet told Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine about having his two kids watch him chase his dreams. “Hopefully we can be on the PGA Tour for a long time, and they can see that perseverance and hard work and translate that into their life.”

The drama was everywhere at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. As the weekend leaderboard unfolded, Pontus Nyholm found himself at the center of it.

The 27-year-old Swede entered the week at 18th in the standings but fell onto the bubble over the weekend. With Botha making a weekend charge at the trophy, the pressure was ratcheted up on Nyholm to try to secure his card. On Sunday, the pressure came from Botha, who had to win to get his card, and Mitchell Meissner, who made a late charge as Nyholm leaked oil down the stretch, shooting a back-nine 40. Meissner birdied 12, 13, and 15 to enter the conversation and needed at least two more to finish to have a chance at catching Nyholm. But a wayward tee shot on 16 led to a bogey and caused Meissner to finish 21st in the standings.

“Grateful to be here and happy to have a chance.”

Mitchell Meissner finished one spot shy of earning a PGA Tour card. His emotional post round interview is worth a watch. pic.twitter.com/lRzkEvnEL0

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) October 12, 2025

“Really proud of how I fought,” Meissner told Romine after finishing one spot shy of his card. “It was cool to have a chance today. I’m grateful to be in this position. My buddy last night, he said, when I was a senior in college and going through the yips, I didn’t think I’d be in this spot. So grateful to be here and happy to have a chance.

After dodging Meissner, Nyholm just had to sweat out Botha’s Sunday charge. But once Blanchet held him off, Nyholm could exhale.

“Yeah, I’ve got a new favorite golfer in Chandler Blanchet,” Nyholm said after he secured his card.

On the other side of the coin was Zecheng “Marty” Dou. Three weeks ago, Dou was considered a long shot to make it back to the PGA Tour. But the 28-year-old posted a T2 finish at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and followed that with a solo second at the Compliance Solutions Championship to jump into the top 20. Dou entered the Korn Ferry Championship at 19 and posted rounds of 72, 69, 72 and 72 to finish T18 and punch his ticket back to the PGA Tour.

“I haven’t really put much thought into getting my card this year,” Dou told Romine after the round. “I was just looking to get into Q School, maybe second stage or third stage. Two runner-ups, and suddenly it turns out to be getting my card. Coming in at 19, I was nervous all week.

“You want to show it on the best stage. Getting it done this week, I’m just looking forward to next year.”

Chandler Blanchet interview after winning Korn Ferry Tour Championship

Check out the full list of Korn Ferry Tour graduates below, in order of their finish on the Korn Ferry Tour points list.

2025 Korn Ferry Tour graduates

1. Johnny Keefer

2. Chandler Blanchet

3. Austin Smotherman

4. Neal Shipley

5. Emilio Gonzalez

6. Hank Lebioda

7. Adrien Dumont de Chassart

8. S.H. Kim

9. Christo Lamprecht

10. Davis Chatfield

11. Zach Bauchou

12. Pierceson Coody

13. S.T. Lee

14. Jeffrey Kang

15. Hensei Hirata

16. Trace Crowe

17. John VanDerLaan

18. Zecheng Dou

19. Sudarshan Yellamaraju

20. Pontus Nyholm

While we wait for 2025 Topps Chrome Update to drop (likely in mid November), we have the new Topps Update Series checklist to tide us over. The annual update version of Topps’ flagship set is routinely loaded with rookie cards and fun auto and insert chases, and this year is no different.

The base Topps Update Series set will feature 350 cards. There are some fun new chases this year, including a twist on Golden Mirror cards and a retail release in Japan that you might want to add to your eBay search queries.

In preparation for release day on Oct. 29, here’s what you need to know about 2025 Topps Update Series, including information on names we’re hunting, inserts and autos to chase, where to buy and more.

Who We’re Hunting

At long last, 2025 Topps Update will offer flagship rookie cards for some of the hottest names in the game:

The Update base checklist also includes a second “Rookie Debut” card for these players and many others who made their debuts earlier in the season and already have flagship Topps rookie cards (including Jacob Wilson, Roki Sasaki and Jackson Jobe). So, if you love cards of young baseball talent, there are certainly plenty of options.

Kurtz, Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year, is likely to be the big chase in 2025 Topps Update. Having smashed 36 home runs in his debut performance with the A’s, his Topps flagship rookie card will be a keeper.

Inserts & Autos To Chase

Many of the popular inserts from last year’s Update return for 2025, including 1990 throwbacks, Black Gold, First Pitch, All-Star Game, Mystical and a host of patch and relic cards.

Popular chase cards such as Home Field Advantage and Heavy Lumber will return for the set, as will double and triple autograph chases, including one featuring signatures from legendary speedsters Elly De La Cruz and the late Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson.

There will be autographs galore in Topps Update, from run-of-the-mill autos to 1990 throwback autos to All-Star Game autos. There will even be a “Signature Tunes” dual auto featuring David Ortiz and musician Big Sean.

Current players with autos in the set include Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and Paul Skenes. Among the legends with autos are Ken Griffey Jr., Reggie Jackson, Greg Maddux (for both the Braves and Cubs), Darryl Strawberry and the late Fernando Valenzuela.

What’s New For 2025

Golden Mirror cards—a rare, short print featuring an alternate photo on the card front and a gold design on the card back—have long been a favorite in Topps flagship. For 2025, Topps is adding a new wrinkle with the introduction of Golden Mirror autograph cards, which will be signed with gold ink.

FIRST LOOK: Golden Mirror autograph cards have arrived 🪞âœï¸

These super short prints (all signed in gold ink) make their debut in 2025 Topps Update Series. pic.twitter.com/WeZYC8yjci

— Topps (@Topps) September 29, 2025

All 350 cards in the flagship checklist will have Golden Mirror short print variations, but only a handful will have autographed versions. Judge, Ohtani and Kurtz are among the players with Golden Mirror auto cards.

Other new insert set to target include Bleacher Reachers, Night Terrors, Most Valuable and Keegan Hall art cards.

With the Series 1 flagship release earlier this year, Topps put out “Japan Edition” hobby boxes—timed to the Dodgers-Cubs opening series in Tokyo, and only available there—that featured Japan-centric inserts. 2025 Update will also get the Japan Edition treatment, featuring mostly Dodger- and Cub-centric inserts and tons of autograph chases. Assuming they will also only be available initially in Japan, these boxes are likely to be hot commodities on eBay and in online breaks.

Topps has not indicated any huge chases yet for 2025 Update—such as the Jackson Holliday “Fun Face” card in last year’s Series 2 or the “Shoeless” Joe Jackson chase in this year’s Bowman Chrome—but they often leave cards like that off of initial checklists to increase the surprise factor. So, keep your eyes peeled, as they may very well introduce such a chase in the days leading up to the Update release on Oct. 29.

What To Know For Breaks

As has been the case with many 2025 releases, the Dodgers, Athletics, Yankees and Pirates are your friends in 2025 Topps Update thanks to the potential for big-name autos and pulls.

And as rookie-friendly as this set is, make sure to take a closer look at the checklist before buying teams in breaks. Among the rookies who debuted later in the season who are not included on the checklist are Roman Anthony, Jac Caglianone and Colson Montgomery. Add in other late-season debuts like Jonah Tong, Samuel Basallo and Bryce Eldridge, all of whom were also left out of the set, and 2026 Topps Series 1 is looking like it will be another hot release for rookie cards.

If you’re in a break that features the Japan Edition hobby boxes, you’ll also want to target the Cubs, as they are heavily featured (since they played the Dodgers back in March in the MLB Tokyo Series).

Complete Checklist

You can find the complete checklist of cards here.

Where to Buy, Formats & Pricing

The preorder on Topps.com featured three formats: value boxes (priced at $24.99), hobby boxes ($89.99) and jumbo boxes ($194.99). Hobby boxes feature one guaranteed auto or relic, while jumbo boxes feature one guaranteed auto and two guaranteed relics. It’s expected that hobby boxes will also include a silver pack featuring four 1990 throwback Chrome refractor cards, and jumbo boxes will feature two silver packs.

The Update checklist also indicates that the popular “Fanatics blasters” value boxes will be returning. Usually priced at $29.99 and sold only on Fanatics.com, the special boxes include redemption cards for autographed merchandise, with one player’s merchandise available per team. The checklist indicates that players included in 2025 Update will include Ohtani (for the Angels), Skenes, Judge and Cal Ripken Jr.

And again, don’t forget the Japan Edition hobby boxes. They will likely only be available in the United States via eBay, other auction sites or on breaker sites.

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The 45th Ryder Cup is in the books, and it was Europe holding off the U.S., 15-13, despite winning just one singles match on Sunday at Bethpage Black.

The Europeans dominated the first two days, riding its stars to a record, seven-point lead through four sessions, but a day later, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm all lost to give the Americans hope. Scottie Scheffler closed with a singles point over McIlroy, though it only salvaged a 1-4 week.

In the end, Europe claimed its ninth Ryder Cup in the last 12 editions.

Here’s how we’re grading each players’ performance:

Europe

Tommy Fleetwood – A

Record: 4-1
Strokes gained total: +6.24
Comments: Not only the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award winner but the MVP as well. Let Justin Thomas steal a singles point on the back nine Sunday, but prior to that he was nails, going undefeated in team play alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. The iron play was spectacular, and at 11-4-2 in his career – 6-0 in foursomes alone – he’s quickly climbing the ranks of all-time European Ryder Cuppers.

Justin Rose – A-

Record: 2-1
Strokes gained total: +4.59
Comments: At 45 years old, this could be Rose’s final Ryder Cup. If it is, what a way to go out for the veteran, now 16-10-3. He turned in the best putting performance of the week, by far, in Saturday four-balls while sparring with Bryson DeChambeau and a couple caddies. And he battled back against the Americans’ best player, Cameron Young, to take the opening singles match to the 18th hole.

Matt Fitzpatrick – A-

Record: 2-1-1
Strokes gained total: +4.39
Comments: This grade is relative. He entered this Ryder Cup a paltry 1-7 in his career, but he quickly established himself as the top performer in Friday foursomes alongside Ludvig Aberg. He was fine in his Saturday matches but proved his mettle once again against DeChambeau in singles, going 5 up through seven and forcing DeChambeau to make six birdies just to earn a tie.

Rory McIlroy – B+

Record: 3-1-1
Strokes gained total: +2.56
Comments: The heart and soul of the team, and he took the brunt of the New York crowd’s vitriol while still producing in a big way. He ran out of gas against Scheffler in a singles match that he described as a “pillow fight,†but the Europeans don’t win this week without McIlroy, who is now 19-14-5 in his career.

Jon Rahm – B+

Record: 3-2
Strokes gained total: +2.35
Comments: Through three sessions, Rahm was balling. He and Tyrrell Hatton quieted DeChambeau and Thomas in the leadoff foursomes match on Friday, and it wasn’t until the approach play and putter left him on Saturday afternoon that he lost a point. Xander Schauffele then dusted him, 4 and 3, the most lopsided singles defeat, to keep the Spaniard from reaching double-digits wins for his career.

Shane Lowry – B+

Record: 1-0-2
Strokes gained total: +0.10
Comments: He’ll remember that retaining point forever – and we’ll remember the celebration. Russell Henley was the best player on Sunday in strokes gained total, and Lowry beat him with a 6-under, bogey-free round. He was less sharp in his two four-ball halves alongside McIlroy, but he made some crucial putts, especially on Saturday afternoon, and doubled as a bodyguard.

Tyrrell Hatton – B+

Record: 3-0-1
Strokes gained total: -0.09
Comments: Lots of B+’s and higher on the European squad. Hatton pushed to 4-0 in foursomes alongside Rahm, whom he combined for 11 birdies with. He then jumped in last minute on Saturday afternoon to pair with Fitzpatrick and had some huge putts in a four-ball match against Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay that featured just three won holes. The putter cooled on Sunday and he drove it poorly again, otherwise we may have been looking at a 4-0 week.

Ludvig Åberg – C+

Record: 2-2
Strokes gained total: -4.73
Comments: Looked great in Friday foursomes, then not so great in the next two sessions. He ended up losing strokes everywhere except off the tee, though his 2-and-1 singles win over Cantlay marked Europe’s only full point on Sunday.

Bob MacIntyre – C

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -1.35
Comments: Looked more comfortable in his second Ryder Cup. Bounced back from a Friday foursomes loss with Viktor Hovland to win their Saturday foursomes match, then earned a halve with Sam Burns in singles, though it’s worth noting that Burns didn’t card a birdie on the back nine, which both players entered tied.

Viktor Hovland – C-

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -2.79
Comments: Gifted a free half-point after withdrawing from singles, his neck injury clearly affected him well before that and limited him to just two matches.

Sepp Straka – D+

Record: 1-2
Strokes gained total: -4.64
Comments: With a newborn in the NICU, Straka was battling more than golf this week – and considering that, performed admirably. But this is a grade solely based on his play, and Straka was statistically the worst on approach on either team. He went 1-1 alongside Rahm in four-balls, though the loss can probably be attributed to both he and Rahm equally. Then in singles he led 2 up early before letting Spaun flip the match in a big way with five bogeys.

Rasmus Hojgaard – F

Record: 0-2
Strokes gained total: -6.15
Comments: Played just twice while finishing at the bottom of the field in strokes gained total. Ben Griffin lost more strokes than any American on Sunday – and he still beat Hojgaard.

Luke Donald – A+

Comments: What else is there to say that wasn’t said in Rome? He filled door cracks, replaced shampoo and bedding, and again left no other stone unturned to build his case as the best European captain ever.

What is it about this side and set-plays?

For context, since the start of the 2023-24 season, Arsenal have scored 36 goals from corners in the Premier League – 15 more than any other side in this period.

Arsenal’s prowess from set-pieces ultimately turned this game on its head.

From the first, in the 84th minute, Arsenal took a short corner before Declan Rice swung the ball into the box.

Merino got there in front of Sven Botman to glance the ball in off the post.

And the decision to go short certainly did not go unnoticed by Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart.

“Rice was willing to do something off the cuff [for the goal],” the former Manchester City goalkeeper told BBC Sport. “That is someone who is not bothered about the problems Arsenal had faced, that was someone looking for a solution and, at that moment in time, that was the solution.

“When he needs to make the last-ditch tackles, that’s what he does and when he needs to do something special, like that kind of blind round the corner ball on to Merino’s head, that was a special bit of play that his team needed.”

Merino previously spent a season at Newcastle, but there was no chance of the Spaniard reining in his celebration as he punched the air.

But it was instructive that each Arsenal player raced back to their own half so the game could get back under way.

They sensed there was another twist to come – and it arrived in the 96th minute.

After going short for their equaliser, Arsenal went direct and another substitute, Martin Odegaard, set up Gabriel, who headed home at the near post.

The away end up in the gods could scarcely believe it – even though this side are making a habit of scoring late goals.

“That shows a lot and not only set-pieces strategy but also mentality,” Merino told Match of the Day. “Other teams, if they get six or seven corners and they don’t score, they start to lose belief in the qualities.

“But, for us, it’s a matter of keep doing what we do, doing it at the highest level and, in the end, the last one, the last second, we scored and I’m really happy.”

It is very early days, of course, but this felt like a timely test of Arsenal’s credentials as title challengers that the Gunners found a way to pass.

After watching champions Liverpool slip up against Crystal Palace on Saturday, Arteta’s team ultimately took advantage.

Rather than remaining five points behind, Arsenal have instead closed the gap.

“The character they showed today was as impressive as the result,” England women’s record scorer Ellen White told BBC Sport. “St James’ Park has been such a hard place for them to go, and they have had some difficult games there recently with maybe some things not quite going their way.

“We saw that again at the beginning of this game as well, so to show that grit, determination and togetherness and have the character to come through such a physical game – there were some big hits going in, with a lot of big tackles and relentless running as well – was so impressive.”

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EA Sports FC 26 icons are some of the best players in Ultimate Team – so here’s which legends you’ll want to get your hands on this year.

Every year, more and more legendary figures from the rich tapestry of football are added the game, with EA Sports FC 26 bringing 14 new Champions League icons to Ultimate Team: the full ratings for the game have dropped, the wonderkids are ready to be signed in Career Mode, and now you’ve got over 150 retired pros to pick from.

Along with cards for Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard, EA have added 12 new players, with two cards each for FC 26 – with each player having a ‘Debut’ card and ‘Champion’ card.

Those who have preordered the Ultimate Edition by August 26 will receive an untradeable Debut icon – available from Early Access Launch – which automatically upgrades to a Champion version in November.

Image 1 of 12

Francesco Totti(Image credit: EA Sports)

A one-club man for Roma and legend of Italian football, Francesco Totti is immortalised with two cards from the start of his career and around the time of the Giallorossi’s last league title in 2001.

Giorgio Chiellini(Image credit: EA Sports)

One of his nation’s greatest defenders ever, Giorgio Chiellinihas been reimagined from his breakthrough at Juventus to his status as the Old Lady’s rugged warrior at the back.

Marcelo(Image credit: EA Sports)

Marcelo appears from two different points in his timeline: from his early days bombing down Real Madrid’s left flank to his unstoppable best in Los Blancos’ serial-winning pomp.

Alex Morgan(Image credit: EA Sports)

One of the United States’ greatest-ever players, Alex Morgan has a new card from her 2019 peak that tops her other Icon card – along with an 86-rated card from her youth.

Caroline Seger(Image credit: EA Sports)

Swedish midfielder Caroline Seger also has a new card to top her last from European triumphs with Lyon, while her early days with the national team are relected in an 86-rated card.

Steffi Jones(Image credit: EA Sports)

German defender Steffi Jones has two new cards, with her Champion icon getting a steep upgrade from her Debut icon card.

Sissi(Image credit: EA Sports)

Brazilian star Sissi has two new icon cards from different points in her Brazil career, with a big upgrade from her Debut to her Champion card.

(Image credit: EA Sports)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is brought to life with a Champion card from his Paris Saint-Germain days – rated higher than his original icon card – while his Debut card takes stats from his Ajax stint.

Cha Bum Kun(Image credit: EA Sports)

Both cards from South Korean superstar Cha Bum Kun are of a similar quality, as EA Sports reflect him breaking on the scene and racking up over 300 displays in the Bundesliga.

(Image credit: EA Sports)

Recently retired Toni Kroosappears as a Debut and Champion card from his Bayern Munich and Real Madrid careers, respectively, as a serious option to enhance any midfield in Ultimate Team.

Oliver Kahn(Image credit: EA Sports)

Iconic stopper Oliver Kahn has two cards, as EA pay tribute to Der Titan with a five-point upgrade from Debut to Champion.

Andres Iniesta(Image credit: EA Sports)

Spanish maestro Andres Iniesta is another star with a brand new card that’s better than his original, as EA recall his peak in La Roja’s Golden Generation.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson is ready to fill the void that was left after James Conner was reportedly lost for the season.

“I don’t have a choice,” Benson told reporters after Sunday’s 16-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. “I’m going to do it for [Conner]. He’s going to be my motivation for the rest of the year and I can’t wait.”

The 2024 third-round pick ran for 42 yards on 10 carries against San Francisco.

Given the other options in Arizona’s backfield, Benson figures to get the lion’s share of touches on the ground initially.

Emari Demercado had a pretty nondescript five-year run at TCU, and he carried the ball 82 total times through his first two seasons with Arizona. Bam Knight is on his fourth team since entering the NFL in 2022 and didn’t see the field at all in 2024. Michael Carter, who’s signed to the practice squad, offers some experience but not much else.

Benson has yet to prove himself as an every-down back. Week 3 was only the third time he reached double digits in carries, and 69 yards is his single-game high so far. To this point in his career, he has run for 416 yards in 16 appearances.

The next few games will be Benson’s audition for a full-time role, and he’s well aware of the stakes based on his postgame comments Sunday.

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