Browsing: historic

Bodhana Sivanandan (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Ten-year-old British chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan achieved a remarkable victory by defeating former World Champion Grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece on Sunday, becoming one of the youngest chess players to take down a former World Champion.Born in London in 2015 to parents from Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, the young player from north London secured this historic win while representing the 12th-seeded team She Plays to Win Lionesses.

Total Chess World Championship Tour Explained: Norway Chess Answers Fans’ Queries | Exclusive

Despite her team’s 3-1 loss to Turkish Airlines in Round 1, Sivanandan’s victory stood out.The win was particularly significant as Muzychuk, the world number 13 with a FIDE rating of 2485, ranked 280 points above Sivanandan’s 2205.”She seems to be beating a GM every week now!” said English Grandmaster Danny Gormally.”It’s not every day a 10-year-old defeats a GM (and former World Champion) in such style,” remarked England’s number-one Grandmaster David Howell.Grandmaster Susan Polgar, Women’s World Champion from 1996 to 1999, described Sivanandan’s game as “impressive”.Earlier this year, Sivanandan became the youngest female chess player to defeat a grandmaster when she beat 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool.Her victory at 10 years, five months and three days surpassed the 2019 record held by American Carissa Yip. During the same event, she also became the youngest player to secure a WGM norm.The Harrow schoolgirl, who started playing chess during lockdown, made history in 2024 as the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.”English chess has been in the doldrums for so many years. We’ve had good players coming through, don’t get me wrong, but we haven’t had great players coming through for many years,” said Gormally.”And now we’ve suddenly got a generation with GM Shreyas Royal and Bodhana, and FM Supratit Banerjee and FM Ethan Pang and others who are actually exciting. We don’t know how strong they’re going to be.”Sivanandan is part of a new generation of English chess talent making their mark in international competitions.

Source link

Going into the 2025 season, the writing was on the wall for a potential Dolphins implosion. Ownership chose to ignore the signs and opted to bring back head coach Mike McDaniel for another run.

That decision proved to be a massive misstep, as Miami has gone into a tailspin and looks further from relevance than it has in quite some time.

After being embarrassed by the Indianapolis Colts in the opener, the ‘Phins have gone on to lose five of their past six games. Their lone victory came by less than a touchdown against a fellow dysfunctional franchise in the New York Jets.

This collapse shouldn’t have been unexpected. Miami had a questionable offseason, one in which star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and top pass-catching tight end Jonnu Smith were dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick despite not having obvious replacements for either in-house.

The team’s draft class has been underwhelming too, with first-round pick Kenneth Grant making a limited impact along with most of the rest of the team’s rookies—players who this depleted roster direly needed to step up in order to find success in 2025.

Perhaps most pivotally, the team failed to implement a much-needed culture shift. After Bradley Chubb shed light on how the Dolphins were “lying” about changing the culture last year—a season that ended with superstar wideout Tyreek Hill appearing to quit on the club—similar issues continued to crop up in 2025.

Things came to a head when Tua Tagovailoa took to the podium following a Week 6 loss and criticized teammates for their tardiness to player’s-only meetings. While the quarterback did issue a retraction and said he needs to do better as a leader, it showed that there are still issues lurking under the surface in South Beach.

Considering there were whispers that McDaniel had already lost the locker room last season, Tua’s recent comments along with the 1-6 start suggests there was a good bit truth behind those reports.

The ‘Phins are now going to have a tough time navigating themselves back into contention in wake of this disastrous season.

Not only does Miami need a new coaching staff, but the roster has several glaring holes including at the quarterback position.

It’s now uncertain whether Tagovailoa is the right signal-caller for this unit, as the veteran’s well-documented injury issues and inconsistencies—including throwing a league-high 10 picks and benching late in a Week 7 defeat—makes it tough to trust him. Tagovailoa’s regression, coupled with a blockbuster contract that runs through the 2028 campaign, will hamstring roster construction unless he returns to Pro Bowl form.

While the Dolphins do have an out from Tua’s deal after the 2027 campaign and will likely give him another opportunity to prove himself under a new head coach next season, there’s a strong chance that this arrangement won’t work out and that Miami doesn’t get things figured out for a few more years.

Source link

The Miami Dolphins reportedly were hoping to avoid making major changes during the 2025 season, but Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns could be the last straw for head coach Mike McDaniel.

During Monday’s episode of SportsCenter, ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained that the Dolphins’ patient approach likely changed after the team fell to 1-6 with an abysmal 31-6 loss against a Browns squad that was starting rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

“I can tell you that the organization had been planning, and I emphasize the word planning, not to make any changes and didn’t want to do anything. Now, we’ll see whether they stick to that or whether one of the worst losses in franchise history, and I think I can call it that safely, would change their plans,” Schefter said.

McDaniel was already on the hot seat entering the 2025 season, but the team’s regression this year could signify the end of his tenure in Miami. The play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been particularly concerning, as he threw for just 100 yards and three interceptions in Sunday’s loss before being benched for rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Schefter added that it appears to be an inevitability that McDaniel will be out of a job, but the only question is when will the franchise make that decision.

“Look, I think everybody knows the pressure that the organization is under. I think everybody knows that there are going to be changes that come to the organization,” he said. “The question is how soon do they come and does ownership decide to make any sort of change today? After the game yesterday, the plan was no. But I would say last week the Titans also were not planning any changes and then they wound up firing their head coach on Monday. And sometimes owners want certain things done.”

Still, Schefter noted that Miami’s philosophy has been patience, so there’s a chance that McDaniel gets to finish the season. He will focus on preparing the team for next Sunday’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, but another loss would surely exasperate things further.

“Again, their thinking all along has been to be patient and to wait before making any changes,” Schefter said.

Source link

The Jacksonville Jaguars struggled to get anything going in Sunday’s 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London, but star rookie Travis Hunter finally reached the end zone in a standout performance.

Hunter finished with team highs of eight catches for 101 yards and his first career touchdown on 14 targets in the loss. It was also his first career 100-yard game. He snagged a 34-yard pass from Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence and took it past the goal line in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout after the Rams took a 28-0 lead.

Jacksonville’s offense had a hard time moving the ball throughout the game after Los Angeles went ahead early and was able to play more aggressively on defense. Still, Hunter did his best to make the most out of his touches.

Hunter didn’t see any defensive snaps until the second half, and he didn’t record any tackles. He managed to make a nice pass breakup while defending Rams star receiver Davante Adams in a one-on-one matchup on a deep pass.

Hunter’s lack of action on defense was somewhat surprising, as he had been used more on that side of the ball in recent games.

The Jags will be on a bye in Week 8 before returning to action on Nov. 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Hunter will surely be looking to build off of Sunday’s impressive performance, so the team will have to use the time off wisely.

Source link

One fan is hoping to cash in on a part of Shohei Ohtani’s incredible performance during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

Ohtani launched three home runs in the 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, which propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series with the NLCS sweep. Video showed David Flores ended up with the third home run ball, and he said he plans on selling it.

“I have a 12-year-old son and his college is in his future,” Flores said, per Josh Peter of USA Today.

He also said, “It ricocheted to me and I just caught it like a baby and I squeezed it nice and tight, and it just happened that I stayed calm and I remained calm.”

Peter noted Carlo Mendoza said he found Ohtani’s second homer in bushes after it went over the right-center field pavilion roof, although there is no video to confirm as much. Steve Brener, who is in the Dodgers’ public relations department, “expressed skepticism about Mendoza’s claim,” per Peter.

Mendoza said he prefers to give the ball back to Ohtani.

The fate of the first home-run ball is unknown at this time.

Hitting three monster home runs in front of a raucous home crowd to lead the team to a second straight World Series would be an incredible performance on its own. But Ohtani also started the game on the mound as a pitcher.

All he did in that role was strike out 10 and allow two hits in six scoreless innings of work. It was another brilliant starting pitching performance for the Dodgers in the series after Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow impressed in the first three games.

Given what was at stake and the overall showing, it was arguably the most memorable game of Ohtani’s legendary career. It fully highlighted how unique of a player he is across all sports as he single-handedly took over the victory in multiple ways.

A souvenir from that performance could certainly be worth plenty of money, and Flores is hoping to receive the windfall.

Source link

One fan is hoping to cash in on a part of Shohei Ohtani’s incredible performance during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

Ohtani launched three home runs in the 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, which propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series with the NLCS sweep. Video showed David Flores ended up with the third home run ball, and he said he plans on selling it.

“I have a 12-year-old son and his college is in his future,” Flores said, per Josh Peter of USA Today.

He also said, “It ricocheted to me and I just caught it like a baby and I squeezed it nice and tight, and it just happened that I stayed calm and I remained calm.”

Peter noted Carlo Mendoza said he found Ohtani’s second homer in bushes after it went over the right-center field pavilion roof, although there is no video to confirm as much. Steve Brener, who is in the Dodgers’ public relations department, “expressed skepticism about Mendoza’s claim,” per Peter.

Mendoza said he prefers to give the ball back to Ohtani.

The fate of the first home-run ball is unknown at this time.

Hitting three monster home runs in front of a raucous home crowd to lead the team to a second straight World Series would be an incredible performance on its own. But Ohtani also started the game on the mound as a pitcher.

All he did in that role was strike out 10 and allow two hits in six scoreless innings of work. It was another brilliant starting pitching performance for the Dodgers in the series after Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow impressed in the first three games.

Given what was at stake and the overall showing, it was arguably the most memorable game of Ohtani’s legendary career. It fully highlighted how unique of a player he is across all sports as he single-handedly took over the victory in multiple ways.

A souvenir from that performance could certainly be worth plenty of money, and Flores is hoping to receive the windfall.

Source link

The San Francisco Giants “closing in” on hiring Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello as their next manager, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal.

If a deal is completed, Vitello would replace Bob Melvin in the manager’s chair.

It’s unclear what the terms of a deal would be, though Baggarly, Ghiroli and Rosenthal noted Vitello is currently the second-highest-paid coach in Division I, as he has an annual salary that exceeds $3 million.

Vitello is getting his first crack as a professional coach at any level after spending the last 23 seasons working in the college ranks. He had stints as an assistant at Missouri (2003 to ’10), TCU (2011 to ’13) and Arkansas (2014 to ’17) prior to being hired as Tennessee’s head coach in June 2017.

In eight seasons with the Volunteers, Vitello led the program to a 341-131 record with two SEC regular-season and tournament titles. He also led them to the first national championship during the 2024 season.

After the Giants finished a disappointing 81-81 in 2025, president of baseball operations Buster Posey announced on Sept. 29 the firing of Bob Melvin.

Melvin went 161-163 in two seasons with San Francisco. The Giants are looking to find a manager who can get them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Posey, entering his second season running baseball operations in San Francisco, will hope that Vitello can be the answer they have sought out.

The Giants have been one of the most aggressive teams in terms of pursuing free agents in recent years, but they haven’t had a lot of hits. Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Carlos Correa were among the notable players they attempted to bring in.

Correa had an agreement in place with the Giants that fell apart before it became official due to concerns over his physical.

Rather than try to wait out free agency again, Posey was able to strike during the 2025 regular season with the deal that seemingly came out of nowhere to acquire Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox.

Devers gave the Giants exactly what they wanted with a .236/.347/.460 slash line and a 130 OPS+ in 90 games after the trade. Willy Adames, who was their big free-agent signing last offseason, overcame a slow start to become the first Giants playerto hit 30 homers since Barry Bonds in 2004.

There’s a good nucleus of talent in place for the Giants to be a playoff contender in 2026. They still have Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee and Logan Webb to build around.

If the Giants can make a couple of decent roster additions this offseason, along with the potential hiring of Vitello as manager, they have a good chance to end their four-year playoff drought next season.

Source link

Shohei Ohtani ended his playoff slump in spectacular fashion on Friday night, hitting three homers and striking out 10 in six innings in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

As the Dodgers are trending toward becoming a dynasty, Mookie Betts invoked Michael Jordan’s name to describe Ohtani’s historic performance on Friday night.

“It’s like we’re the Chicago Bulls,” Betts told reporters after the game, “and he’s Michael Jordan.”

The Jordan comparison might actually be underselling how amazing Ohtani’s feat in this game was. His stat line is one that has never been accomplished in the history of Major League Baseball.

Even more fitting is Ohtani did that at the same time his postseason struggles were starting to draw scrutiny. He did have a very un-Ohtani-like slash line of .202/.336/.384 in 25 playoff games dating back to last season, though some of his 2024 numbers were impacted by a torn labrum suffered in Game 2 of the World Series that required offseason surgery.

Whatever issues Ohtani was having at the plate, it didn’t impact what he was doing on the mound. His first playoff pitching performance in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies saw him allow three runs on three hits with nine strikeouts in six innings.

The Dodgers have steamrolled their way through the NL to reach the Fall Classic for a second consecutive year. They are 10-1 in the postseason with wins over the Brewers, Phillies and Cincinnati Reds.

Ohtani and the Dodgers will await the winner of the ALCS between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the World Series on Oct. 24.

Source link

Two days before perhaps the greatest game in baseball history, Shohei Ohtani took one of the best rounds of batting practice anyone in attendance had seen.

It started with a swing-and-a-miss, Ohtani goofing around after his walk-up song blared through the Dodger Stadium speakers and his teammates gathered in the dugout with anxious anticipation.

Advertisement

Then came some nondescript line drives, Ohtani getting into the real work of trying to fix a swing that had abandoned him for much of this postseason.

Finally, one ball went over the fence. Then another. Then another. In 32 swings, Ohtani hit 14 home runs. Many of them were moonshots. One even clanged off the roof of the right-field pavilion.

“He didn’t disappoint,†Max Muncy later recounted. “He hit a ball out of the stadium.â€

On that off-day workout between Games 2 and 3 of the National League Championship Series, Ohtani looked like a man on a mission.

Over his previous seven games, going back to the start of the NL Division Series, he had two hits in 25 at-bats. He had recorded 12 strikeouts and plenty more puzzling swing decisions. And he seemed, at least in the estimation of some around the team, unusually perturbed as public criticisms of his play started to mount.

There were questions about his out-of-sync swing mechanics. Second-guessing of his poor quality of at-bats. Mostly, speculation centered on whether the physical toll of his two-way duties was starting to impact his potentness at the plate.

Advertisement

“All those things,†manager Dave Roberts said, “I think were fuel to his fire.â€

Thus, the soon-to-be four-time MVP decided it was time to change something up.

On the teamâ€s flight home from Milwaukee the previous night, Ohtani informed the clubâ€s hitting coaches he wanted to take batting practice on the field — a break from his normal routine that signaled his urgency to get back on track.

When he arrived at the ballpark, he joked about his slump with teammates and brushed it off in a pre-workout news conference.

What came next was his memorable BP session.

Then, two days later, a tour de force performance that will be talked about forever.

Advertisement

In a 5-1 defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers that completed an NLCS sweep and gave the Dodgers their 26th pennant in franchise history — plus a return trip to the World Series to defend last yearâ€s championship — Ohtani put on a show of unbelievable proportions.

Three home runs as a hitter. Six-plus scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts as a pitcher. And one stadium-shaking, mind-bending, unprecedented moment after the next.

“That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time,†Roberts said.

Advertisement

“He pulled the ultimate unicorn move tonight,†teammate Kiké Hernández concurred.

In the first inning, Ohtani struck out three batters, then walked up to the plate and took José Quintana deep with a 446-foot blast deep into the right-field pavilion — becoming the first pitcher in MLB history (regular season or playoffs) to lead a game off with a home run.

In the fourth, he escaped his biggest threat by stranding a leadoff double with consecutive punchouts that had him fist-pumping off the mound, then returned to the dish and hit a ball straight out of the stadium — clearing the roof of the right-field pavilion with a titanic drive of 469 feet.

He finished his pitching outing with his only hint of frustration, exiting with no outs in the seventh after a leadoff walk and ground-ball single. But then, he turned a spectacular night into the unthinkable, becoming just the 12th player in postseason history with a three-homer game by lining an opposite-field shot to the left-field seats.

Advertisement

“He woke up this morning with people questioning him,†said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, during an alcohol-soaked celebration in the clubhouse afterward. “And 12 hours later, heâ€s standing on the podium as the NLCS MVP.â€

It was the kind of game the baseball world dreamed about when the two-way phenom first arrived from Japan. It fulfilled the prophecy that has accompanied his near-mythical standing in a sport that had gone a century since its last two-way superstar.

“The limitations of the human brain, we can’t comprehend just how special this is and how unique,†Friedman added.

Advertisement

Ohtaniâ€s take?

“This time around, it was my turn to be able to perform,†he said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I think just looking back over the course of the entire postseason, I haven’t performed to the expectation.â€

Expectations, of course, are nothing new to Ohtani.

When he first arrived in the majors with a 100-mph fastball and a majestic swing from the left side of the plate, the comparisons to Babe Ruth were already underway.

At first, his transition to the majors came with some early growing pains, and the first of his two career Tommy John surgeries. But over the last five years, he has blossomed into the definitive face of the game.

All that had been missing, in a resume chock-full of MVPs and All-Star selections and records so unattainable even the Great Bambino never reached them, was a signature performance as a two-way player in October. A game in which he dominated on the mound, thrilled at the plate, and single-handedly took control in a postseason environment.

Advertisement

That it came on Friday, amid one of the worst hitting slumps of his career, surprised no one with the Dodgers.

Friedman said he could sense something special, noting that “you can only contain Shohei for so long.â€

His teammates were also awaiting a breakout, voiced by Muncyâ€s post-Game 3 prediction to “expect the incredible.â€

By that point, the Dodgers had already seen Ohtaniâ€s batting practice session. They had felt the dissatisfaction that was stirring within him.

“There was a lot of talk that he was scuffling at the plate, he doesn’t swing the bat well when he’s pitching,†Roberts said. “So, today when he took the mound, you could see the focus, the intent.â€

Advertisement

“Itâ€s kind of like an expectation for him,†Mookie Betts echoed. “For only him.â€

Ohtaniâ€s start on the mound — his first pitching performance since that NLDS opener that began his cold spell with the bat — began with shaky command and a leadoff walk to Brice Turang.

But then, the overpowering right-hander recorded three straight strikeouts, two with 100-mph fastballs and a third with a swing-and-miss sweeper.

Shohei Ohtani pitches during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers. Ohtani struck out 10 over six scoreless innings for the Dodgers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

When his first home run followed barely five minutes later, “it was kind of like, ‘All right, itâ€s gonna be that kind of night,â€â€ Muncy recalled thinking. “Letâ€s have fun.â€

The most fun was had on Ohtaniâ€s next home run in the fourth inning, when he hit one even farther than his off-day BP bomb.

Advertisement

The moment he connected on the swing, drilling an inside cutter from Brewers reliever Chad Patrick, mouths dropped in the Dodgers dugout. As the ball kept sailing, players put their hands to their face with looks of disbelief.

“That ball is no less than 500 feet,†Muncy proclaimed. “It didn’t land on the roof. It went over the roof.â€

Added Betts, who got an up-close view from on-deck: “I think that took everybodyâ€s breath away.â€

In the Dodgers†executive suite, Friedmanâ€s amazement was summed up in a Slack message he sent in a chat to the rest of the front office.

“This is the greatest four innings ever played in postseason history,†it read.

Advertisement

From there, it would only keep getting better.

By the fourth inning, Ohtani went in full cruise control upon finding a feel for his splitter, which induced a whiff all five times the Brewers tried to swing at it. From the fourth to the sixth, he retired nine batters in a row, and six of them on strikeouts. A crowd of 52,883 roared with every pitch.

“He got his split going, and he was able to do whatever he wanted,†pitching coach Mark Prior said. “It just opens up everything else.â€

After Ohtani left the mound — and got an assist from left-handed reliever Alex Vesia, who stranded both of the runners he left behind — he returned to the plate one last time in the seventh and lasered a third home run that by that point was almost expected.

Advertisement

“No one even questioned it,†Muncy joked.

“Just so that people donâ€t say he only pulls homers, he went oppo really far too,†Hernández also deadpanned.

Dodgers president Stan Kasten watched that one from his office, reacting in private with “something completely unprintable.â€

Friedman, meanwhile, went back to his Slack channel.

“Thereâ€s no question it was the greatest postseason performance ever,” he said.

By nightâ€s end, Ohtani had been named MVP of the series — busting out of his slump and straight into October history.

Dodgers players and coaches celebrate after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

And now, the already unstoppable Dodgers will enter the World Series with an aura of invincibility. They have a star-studded rotation, which set a league championship series record with a 0.63 ERA. A 9-1 record this postseason, which now includes the first NLCS sweep in club history. And, at long last, the confidence of seeing Ohtani dominate in a way that only he can.

Advertisement

“I can’t wait for when I’m a little bit older and my kids are asking about, ‘What’s the greatest thing you’ve ever seen in baseball?’†Muncy said. “I can’t wait to pull up this game today.â€

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Source link

TNA Wrestlingâ€s Bound For Glory 2025 turned into a night fans will never forget when The Hardys and Team 3D clashed one last time.

The event took place on Sunday, October 12, at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it featured Matt and Jeff Hardy battling Bully Ray and Brother Devon in a Tables Match for both the TNA and NXT Tag Team Championships.

Brother Runt, known to WWE fans as Spike Dudley, accompanied his brothers to the ring, adding even more nostalgia to the historic showdown. Fans were already on their feet from the opening introductions, but the match itself lived up to its billing with all the chaos youâ€d expect when these two legendary teams collide.

Team 3D pulled out their signature moments as Bubba Ray screamed “D-Von, get the tables!†and the arena erupted in chants. Matt Hardy nailed a Twist of Fate on the outside, followed by Jeff Hardy climbing to the top of the ladder to hit a Swanton Bomb on D-Von through two tables in a jaw-dropping spot. The Hardys finished the match by sending Bubba through a table, securing the victory and walking away as both TNA and NXT Tag Team Champions.

What happened after the bell is what truly made the night unforgettable. With broken tables littering the ring, the two teams embraced in a show of respect. Then, in a symbolic moment, Bully Ray and D-Von removed their boots and left them in the ring, handing them to the Hardys. The gesture signified the official retirement of Team 3D after decades of defining tag team wrestling across ECW, WWE, and TNA.

The Hardys stood tall with the championships, while Team 3D closed the chapter on their in-ring careers in front of an emotional crowd. For longtime fans, it was the end of one of wrestlingâ€s most storied rivalries and the final farewell to the Dudley legacy inside the ring.

Do you think Team 3Dâ€s retirement moment with The Hardys was the perfect send-off, or should they have one more match before walking away for good? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

October 12, 2025 10:19 pm

Source link