Browsing: praises

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is dreaming big after his team’s 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders in CeeDee Lamb’s return to the field.

Prescott went 21-of-30 for 264 yards and three touchdowns as Lamb hauled in five passes for 110 yards and one score. George Pickens also had 82 receiving yards.

When it comes to the offense at least, Prescott doesn’t believe the unit is going to let up anytime soon.

“Those guys aren’t by any means complacent or great and settled with what they’ve done,” he told reporters. “They want the ball. They have high expectations. We have high expectations for each other… Who knows what we can accomplish? The sky is the limit.”

Dallas is averaging more yards (390.6) than any other team and ranks third in points (31.7). Prescott is on pace to set career highs in passer rating (107.6) and QBR (79.2), per Pro Football Reference.

The three-time Pro Bowler reflected on how this might be the most fun he has had in a Cowboys offense.

“Not a knock to any other group that I’ve been a part of, but the chemistry, the camaraderie, the trash talking, the emotions and passions of this unit, it’s there as much as I’ve ever seen it,” he said. “Sure, we’ve got some youth that’s probably a big part of it, but we’ve got guys who just work their tails off every day.”

In terms of the bigger picture, though, the Cowboys will probably go as far as their defense can take them. Allowing more yards (401.6) than any other team tends to put a ceiling on a contender’s playoff hopes.

Dallas’ 3-3-1 record also speaks for itself. Brian Schottenheimer’s squad has yet to string together back-to-back wins in 2025.

If the Cowboys can strike a better balance between their electric offense and porous defense, then the sky might really be the limit.

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In the present day, wrestlers such as Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns are often credited as the faces of WWE. According to WWE star Natalya, however, the true heroes of WWE lie backstage in the form of producers.

“They’re really the unsung heroes, in my opinion, of WWE,” Natalya told “Toronto Sun.” “They’re the first ones at the building. They’re the last ones to leave. They’re in so many different meetings where they’re collaborating with upper management and they’re bringing ideas of talent. They’re like the liaison between talent and management, but a good portion of them are people that used to do this.

“In WWE, you have Jamie Noble, you have TJ [Wilson], you have Adam Pearce, Abyss, his real name is Chris Parks. You have Ken Doane, Petey Williams, Jason Jordan, and Shane Helms. The list goes on and on. Bobby Roode. They used to be wrestlers. What I love about the producers is that they know what it’s like to perform. They’re not just guys in suits that are telling people what to do. They’ve been in the trenches.”

In addition to communicating ideas and plans between WWE higher-ups and talent, producers also typically coordinate matches for the company, with TJ Wilson being a notable go-to for those in the women’s division. Elsewhere, Rhodes has described Chris Parks, better known as Abyss, as one of the best producers WWE has to offer, especially after helping him and Damian Priest put together their match for WWE Crown Jewel 2023.Â

Producers are on site for all of WWE’s televised, live, and premium live events. The most recent PLE was WWE Crown Jewel, which emanated from Perth, Australia on October 11.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Toronto Sun” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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All-rounder Alice Capsey says new captain and coach duo Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards have given England a freshness as they look to stretch their unbeaten run in the World Cup against Pakistan.

Sciver-Brunt’s side have beaten South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka so far, and will be favourites against a winless Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday.

Capsey, who is batting at seven and providing a fourth spin option, also emphasised the importance of taking winning momentum into crunch games at the end of the group stage against India, Australia and New Zealand.

“The change in leadership with Nat and Lottie coming in has been really refreshing, in the sense that we’re talking about the game in a different way,” Capsey told BBC Sport.

“Lottie is so experienced, and being able to learn from her not only as a coach but from what she achieved as a player, it’s amazing.

“It would be greatly appreciated [to face India still unbeaten]. But every team brings a different challenge, and especially in these conditions a team like Pakistan can definitely pose a threat, perhaps a different one to what we are used to.

“I know they haven’t won a game so far but they are definitely not a team we are taking lightly.”

Capsey made a vital 20 in the tense, low chase against Bangladesh but fell for a duck against Sri Lanka as she was victim to sharp turn from Inoka Ranaweera.

The 21-year-old has significant T20 experience in India from playing for Delhi Capitals but is playing in her first 50-over World Cup, and says the spin-friendly conditions are posing a new challenge for her.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said Capsey.

“All the pitches during the WPL were quite flat and there wasn’t anything like the turn and bounce we’ve had so far. It’s been a real learning curve but an amazing one to learn from.

“I’m expanding my game and developing as a batter as we go, and just watching how Nat and Heather Knight have gone about it has been hugely important for me, being able to pick their brains when I need to.”

Should England beat Pakistan, they will be in a very strong position to seal a semi-final spot before they play India in Indore on Sunday and defending champions Australia at the same venue the following Wednesday.

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Texas football enjoyed an emphatic 23-6 win over arch rival (and No. 6 ranked) Oklahoma 23-6 on Saturday afternoon.

Any victory for Texas in the Red River Rivalry should be a cherished one, but this was a huge win for the program after the Longhorns fell 29-21 last week to Florida, who was 1-3 going into the game.

To their credit, Texas shut out any outside noise, worked hard and got the job done, and head coach Steve Sarkisian was thrilled with the process and result.

Sarkisian talked about the team’s resiliency and response more broadly in his opening statement after the victory.

Texas began the season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press preseason poll. However, that lasted only one week after Ohio State shut down the Texas offense en route to a 14-7 victory.

The Longhorns then rolled off three straight wins by a combined score of 120-17 over San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston.

The UTEP game did cause some concern, as Texas’ passing game didn’t really get going, with quarterback Arch Manning connecting on just 11-of-25 passes for 114 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Still, Texas was on a three-game win streak going into its first SEC game. However, Florida took control of that game early and never really relented, with the team out-gaining Texas 457-341 and possessing the ball for 34 minutes.

That loss knocked Texas out of the AP poll entirely, so it’s clear folks were negative on the Longhorns, especially after their high expectations.

To their credit, though, the Longhorns bounced back strong on Saturday in all three phases. The defense stepped up, intercepting starting quarterback John Mateer three times and holding the Sooners to just 48 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Texas’ offense played clean, efficient and turnover-free football. Manning went 21-of-27 for 166 yards and a touchdown, and running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 94 yards on 22 carries.

And then the special teams excelled courtesy of Ryan Niblett, who returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to help give Texas a 20-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Texas will look to keep the positive momentum rolling on Saturday when the team visits Kentucky.

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Paul “Triple H” Levesque is grateful to have Cody Rhodes leading the WWE roster right now.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Levesque praised the work ethic Rhodes has shown heading into Crown Jewel: Perth, crediting him for how he’s taken the time to do media and charity work — along with still working out in the gym — despite a hectic travel schedule. He praised Rhodes for showing the quarterback-type leadership that it takes to be a top WWE star.

People only see results… they donâ€t see what it takes to achieve them.

14 hours to Dubai
Find a gym in the airport… grind
10 more to Perth
Straight to @ESPN hit… meet @MakeAWish families

QB1 stuff. What it takes to be a @WWE Superstar.

Thank you to all.

(Sorry… pic.twitter.com/KnHYl12RhA

— Triple H (@TripleH) October 8, 2025

“People only see results… they donâ€t see what it takes to achieve them,” Levesque wrote. “14 hours to Dubai. Find a gym in the airport… grind. 10 more to Perth. Straight to @ESPN hit… meet @MakeAWish
families.

“QB1 stuff. What it takes to be a @WWE Superstar. Thank you to all. (Sorry @CodyRhodes, felt like I needed to share)”

Rhodes — the WWE Champion — is facing World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel this Saturday. Neither of their titles are on the line, but the winner will become the Crown Jewel Champion for 2025. Rhodes is looking to repeat after defeating Gunther last year to become the first-ever men’s Crown Jewel Champion.

Saturday’s PLE has a start time of 8 a.m. Eastern, streaming live on the ESPN app in the United States and Netflix elsewhere. The women’s Crown Jewel Championship match will pit WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton against Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer.

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Even though the Cleveland Browns couldn’t hang on for a win in Dillon Gabriel’s first career start, Myles Garrett praised the effort of the rookie quarterback in Sunday’s 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Garrett said Gabriel was “composed” throughout and gave them a chance to win.

“[Gabriel] looked like he usually does. Composed, making the plays that we know he can make,” Garrett said. “He put us in position to win. We’ve got to help ourselves out.”

One of the reasons that the Browns made the change at quarterback to Gabriel from Joe Flacco was turnovers. Flacco was tied for the NFL lead with eight turnovers (six interceptions) through the first four weeks.

Gabriel solved that problem, for at least one game, with no turnovers. He finished 19-of-30 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time a Browns quarterback had multiple touchdown passes without a turnover since Jameis Winston in Week 11 last season.

The Browns took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter on Gabriel’s nine-yard touchdown pass to David Njoku. They held that advantage for most of the fourth quarter before the Vikings engineered an 80-yard drive that was capped off by a Jordan Addison touchdown catch with 25 seconds remaining.

Even though the Browns failed to reach the 20-point threshold for the fifth consecutive game to start this season, this was the first time their offense really looked like a competent NFL operation.

The combination of Gabriel and Quinshon Judkins, who ran for 110 yards on 23 carries, has given fans in Cleveland something to hold their hat on going forward.

Gabriel will lead the Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Week 6 looking for his first victory as a starter in the NFL.

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On the September 10 edition of “AEW Dynamite,” Toni Storm and Skye Blue battled in a Philadelphia Street Fight, which was one of the most extreme matches on the company’s flagship program this year. Kendo sticks, a staple gun, a street sign, and a garbage can were used throughout the contest, but nothing was more gruesome than watching Storm go through a table of mouse traps on the outside of the ring. Storm would eventually pickup the win after twelve minutes of nonstop action, leading AEW President Tony Khan to call the match one of the best street fight’s in women’s wrestling, while putting over the New-Zealand born star as possibly the greatest performer in the industry today.

“One of the greatest hardcore women’s street fights you’ll ever see with Skye Blue challenging the champion, Timeless Tony Storm, who I think is the top star arguably in the entire sport and one of the really important people in AEW,” Khan said in a recent interview with Barstool’s Frank The Tank. “I think one of the really important wrestlers in the world is Timeless Tony Storm who transcends TV and the star stage and screen as well.”

Despite having defeated Blue, Storm would lose the AEW Women’s World Championship in her next match at AEW All Out, as Kris Statlander pinned her to capture the title in a Four Way Match with Jamie Hayter and Thekla.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Frank The Tank Fleming” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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On a night when A’ja Wilson struggled to find a consistent rhythm, the Las Vegas Aces were able to steal Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury thanks to Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd off the bench.

After the Aces’ 89-86 victory, head coach Becky Hammon praised the “huge” performance from the bench as being the biggest difference in the game.

“We have weapons. We want to use them all because we’re harder to guard that way,” Hammon said. “It was just a really great time for our bench to come up and have a big game. … Oh my goodness, our bench was huge.”

The Aces got 41 of their 89 points from the bench, with Evans and Loyd contributing 39 of them. They accounted for nearly half of the team’s 33 made field goals, shooting a combined 16-of-29 from the field.

Evans and Loyd were so impactful in the game that Hammon kept them on the court with Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young for the final quarter. It was a brilliant move because Evans, in particular, made a huge difference with nine points on 3-of-4 three-point shooting.

The Aces needed those contributions because they trailed by four entering the fourth quarter. Evans’ second three of the period gave Las Vegas a 78-77 advantage, its first lead since early in the third quarter.

Prior to Friday night, Evans highest scoring outing in the playoffs was 14 points in Game 1 against the Indiana Fever. She dropped 21 against the Mercury. Loyd’s 18-point effort was her highest-scoring game since the regular-season finale.

Las Vegas needed those contributions because Wilson was held in check, at least by her usual standards. The four-time MVP finished with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, though she did add 10 rebounds and five assists.

The Aces were able to steal a win despite the Mercury doing a good job overall. They will look to take a 2-0 lead when these two teams meet in Game 2 at Michelob Ultra Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

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PALM DESERT, Calif. — Three days shy of a year after Bronny James made his preseason debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in this desert arena, the NBA’s most famous son resumed his quest to show he belongs in the big leagues.

Though his 1-for-12 shooting performance in the Lakers’ opener wasn’t ideal, James felt his effort Friday night was another step forward in a process that’s already showing results to coach JJ Redick.

Bronny James scored eight points while LeBron James and Luka Doncic sat out of the Lakers’ 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

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Bronny’s 40-year-old father is progressing deliberately in his return from a minor nerve injury to begin his record 23rd NBA season, while Doncic is also ramping up with caution after his busy summer playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket.

That left plenty of playing time in the Coachella Valley for depth players like Bronny James, who hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal. He missed his other seven 3-point attempts while struggling for buckets alongside fellow 2024 draft pick Dalton Knecht, who was 2-for-10 with 1-for-7 shooting from distance.

“I felt like they were pretty good shots,” said Bronny James, who turns 21 on Monday. “Not rushed, not forcing anything. Didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to, so a lot of them were short, but most of them were on line. I felt like I could have made those. I felt like I took some good shots.”

Bronny’s confidence was undiminished by those misses after the Lakers opened their preseason in the same arena where Bronny James first played alongside his famous father in October 2024.

The Palm Springs-area fans who rumbled with anticipation whenever Bronny touched the ball a year ago didn’t react much this time. The novelty of Bronny’s presence has faded while he continues to grow into something much more than a sideshow.

Bronny James struggled through a 1-for-12 shooting performance in his preseason debut, but Lakers coach JJ Redick said he is “a totally different player than he was a year ago.” Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Bronny was in the Lakers’ first substitution group, and he played nearly 23 minutes. He gave a consistent defensive effort with intermittent effectiveness as he works to become the impact defender that Redick believes he can become with more growth.

“Definitely felt like I was more comfortable, especially with the ball in my hands, and with the defensive and offensive schemes,” Bronny said. “But I’m just trying to feel it out. Feeling my way still and just continuing to grow.”

Bronny appeared in 27 games for the Lakers during his rookie season, even making basketball history by playing alongside his father in the opener. But Bronny accomplished much of his growth in the G League, where he averaged 21.9 points and 5.5 assists for the Lakers’ affiliate.

After a summer of hard work, Bronny is demonstrating progress to Redick.

“He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player,” Redick said of Bronny. “Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings, and doing it 5-on-5. … He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.”

Austin Reaves scored 20 points to lead the Lakers’ starters, which included newcomers Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia with Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Bronny James wasn’t the only Lakers player trying to stand out on defense. Ayton had eight rebounds and just one point while taking only two shots in 18 minutes, but he also blocked two shots while demonstrating his commitment to protecting the rim.

The Lakers’ preseason continues Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. Redick said Doncic also will sit out that game in San Francisco, as will LeBron James.

That means Bronny James will have more chances, and he remains determined to seize them.

“I’m just trying to feel it out, trying to get some reps in with the guys,” Bronny said. “There’s probably not going to be as many opportunities during the season, so I’m just coming out and defending hard, playing my game, doing the nonnegotiables. So if JJ sees that, maybe he’ll give me an opportunity.”

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While the Indiana Fever’s 2025 WNBA playoff run came to an end on Tuesday night, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was still impressed with the team’s overall performance.

“Ton of injuries, bunch of midseason additions, resilient all year,” Haliburton wrote in a post on X. “Inspiring s–t.”

The Fever suffered a 107-98 overtime defeat at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals, narrowly losing the best-of-five series.

Indiana’s playoff appearance and subsequent postseason run was particularly impressive considering the numerous season-ending injuries to key players that the team experienced, headlined by star point guard Caitlin Clark appearing in just 13 games.

The Fever also lost four of their first six games to begin their 2025 campaign and struggled with inconsistency throughout the year. They eventually closed out the season on a high note, ranking No. 3 in the league in net rating over the final 10 games of the regular season (via WNBA.com).

Indiana quickly faced elimination to open its first-round playoff matchup with the Atlanta Dream by losing Game 1, but went on to emerge victorious in the next two contests against the Dream to win its first playoff series since 2015.

Haliburton, who has made appearances at several Fever games throughout the year, applauded the team’s final effort.

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