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In a 23-year career with ESPN, Trey Wingo has had his run-ins with the sports elite.

But as he told GOLF’s Subpar co-hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz on this week’s episode of the podcast, there was one day that was unrivaled for star power.

Wingo began by explaining that a lot of his run-ins involved his former ESPN colleague, the late Stuart Scott, because “Stuart knew everybody.”

At the 2003 NBA All-Star game, Wingo was staying at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Atlanta when he got a text from Scott.

“Hey, come down,” the text said. “I’m having lunch with somebody you probably want to hang out with.”

That person was none other than Tiger Woods.

Trey Wingo’s bold idea to help the U.S. Ryder Cup team

By:

Jessica Marksbury

“[I] go into a little restaurant, back booth, there’s Stuart and I turn, there’s Tiger having lunch with Stuart,” Wingo said. “I’m like the hugest— From the moment Tiger came onto the scene, I was like, this guy is just got it. I have a whole file in my computer of all the things in the awards and all the tournaments he won, all 82 of them. I’m like geeking out.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, hey.’

“Tiger looks up and goes, ‘Hey, Trey.’”

Wingo was like all of us. He lost all memory of how to act.

Woods could only stay for about 20 minutes and Scott left shortly after that. So Wingo did what any of us would have done in that situation: he raced out to call his dad.

“I’m getting ready to call on the old flip phone and the elevator opens in the Ritz in Atlanta,” Wingo said. “Like an idiot, instead of waiting, I just barge in because I am not thinking right. I’m like, I got to tell my dad, I just had lunch with Tiger Woods. This is amazing.

“So the elevator opens — it’s NBA All-Star weekend — and I just walk in and I run smack dab into this wall of a human being. And it’s just solid as can be. And I look up and he goes, ‘Wingo, watch where you’re going.’”

It was Michael Jordan.

“I’m like, ‘Michael, sorry, that’s on me. It’s my bad.’ So I went from having lunch with Tiger and texting, and I run into Michael Jordan,” he said. “Tiger and the MJ in like a 15 minute span. And I was like, yeah, I could die today.”

For more from Wingo, including the story of the golf slip that almost ruined his career, listen to the full episode of Subpar here, or watch it below.

NEW YORK — Sometimes, the problem that is out of your control presents more difficulties than the one you caused yourself.

In the case of the National Hockey League and the upcoming Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, news that the arena in Milan may not be ready on time landed with a thud, just as the NHL held its Board of Governors meeting Wednesday in New York.

“We’ve had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink — both rinks, but mainly the main one,†said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Local organizers confirmed to the Associated Press on Wednesday that the primary test event scheduled for December at the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena — the under-20 world championship from Dec. 8-14 — has been moved to a smaller rink, and that no new test event has been scheduled.

It seems possible at this point that the first hockey game played in the new Olympic arena will be the first game of the Olympic tournament.

“Itâ€s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,†Milano-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently, according to the AP.

What will the NHL do if the arena isnâ€t ready on time?

“It’s the IOC’s responsibility,†said Bettman, referencing the International Olympic Committee. “We’re invited guests, but they know of our concerns and we’re expecting that they’re going to make good on all the promises to have a facility that is, from a competitive standpoint, first-class.â€

Does the NHL have a contingency plan?

“You’d better talk to the IOC,†directed Bettman. “It’s not our issue.â€

It will become the leagueâ€s issues, however, if the ice presents a safety concern. The NHL and the players†association will not be enamoured with placing the lionâ€s share of their best players at risk for an Olympic committee that can not provide a safe surface on which to play.

“If we have concerns, we’ll express them,†Bettman said on Wednesday in New York. “We are constrained in what we can and can’t do, request and demand, and if it reaches a certain point we’ll have to deal with it. But I’m not speculating, and we’ve been constantly assured by the IOC and the IIHF that it will be ok.

“Obviously the Players’ Association will share our concerns if there are any that are necessary.â€

The U-20 tournament has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey arena, which was built inside a giant convention centre on Milanâ€s outskirts. That venue will host secondary matches during the games. When complete, the Santagiulia venue will be Italyâ€s largest indoor arena.

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The governors talked about the NHLâ€s international schedule, as part of a meeting that Bettman termed “nuts and bolts,†covering issues like hockey operations, an officiating update, a safety and security update and the topic of facilities standards.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said plans for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey are on schedule.

“We’ve had constructive conversations with the IIHF recently. We would hope that, if anything, we will be done by the end of the month, hopefully,†he said.

Daly said the NHL held workshops in Toronto and Zurich in recent weeks, and garnered much interest from potential host cities.

“We’re expecting 18 bids in in North America, 10 bids in in Europe, and we expect to be in a position to evaluate those bids at the end of this year, beginning of next year, and make decisions in February,†hew said.

Between the Olympics, a pending World Cup and the annual Global Series, the governors are in constant discussion over where the NHL should bring its game to next.

The fact that the gameâ€s best player and the NHLâ€s best European player — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — have not played a game outside North America in their NHL career seems like something that should be remedied.

“It’s sort of at some point inevitable that that’ll happen,†said Edmonton Oilers President Jeff Jackson. “But nothing’s planned at this point.â€

Asked about that, Bettman had “Nothing Iâ€m prepared to announce.â€

“We’re focused on what we can be doing more outside of North America to continue to grow the game on a worldwide basis,†he said. “That’s becoming an increasing focus and priority for us, because we believe we’re the most international — certainly in our player composition — of the four major sports in North America.â€

No news is good news on the expansion and salary cap fronts.

Bettman claimed expansion was not even discussed on Wednesday, despite stated interest from two groups in Atlanta and bubbling interest for a return to Phoenix.

“There is, and continues to be, interest from lots of places. But none of it has reached the level that we need to focus on at this point,†he said.

Will that door open in time for the next meetings in December?

“It’s not a door that we open. If somebody knocks on the door, we’ll peek around to see who’s knocking and then decide what to do with it,†he said.

On the salary cap, Bettman would not stray from previously announced numbers of an increase to $104 million for next season, and $113.5 million in 2027-28.

“Thereâ€s no change. It is what weâ€ve already agreed to.â€

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Sai Sudharsan will have one final chance to cement his place in Indiaâ€s Test side as the second match against West Indies starts tomorrow at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Batting at No. 3, a position of huge responsibility, Sai has shown glimpses of promise but needs to deliver consistent performances to secure his spot. The Tamil Nadu batter made his Test debut earlier this year in England during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In that series, he scored 140 runs with a highest of 61 and averaged 23.33. While these numbers reflect potential, they fall short of the level expected for one of Indiaâ€s top-order slots. Selectors have backed him despite a modest first-class record, which sits below an average of 40. They are investing in his potential, given his explosive form in the IPL 2025, where he scored 759 runs to win the Orange Cap. Yet, the challenge of translating T20 dominance into the rigours of Test cricket remains. Devdutt Padikkal and other young batsmen are waiting in the wings, ready to step in if Sai fails to impress.

Shubman Gill on ODI captaincy: Leading India with lessons from Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli

The stakes are high. Chief selector Ajit Agarkarâ€s remarks about Karun Nairâ€s recent exclusion highlight the expectations: “We expected more from him. He scored 205 runs in the series with a highest of 57 and average of 25.62. It shows that talent alone is not enough at the Test level.†Sai now faces a similar scrutiny, and tomorrowâ€s game may define his immediate future in India colours. Captain Shubman Gill has expressed faith in Sai, saying young players need opportunities to find their footing. Yet, with the West Indies†bowlers unlikely to pose a huge threat, the spotlight will be on whether Sai can seize the moment and solidify his role at No. 3. Tomorrow is not just another Test; it could be a defining moment for Sai Sudharsanâ€s Test career.

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Matt Riddle might be known as the King of Bros, but heâ€s now teasing a new title—Governor of Florida.

During his TMZâ€s Inside the Ring appearance, the former WWE star took a break from wrestling talk and got surprisingly political. What started as a throwaway line quickly turned into something more serious. “Matt Riddle, governor of Florida…†But then Riddle made it clear heâ€s not just joking around.

“You know, I think itâ€s about time for a change. I think Iâ€m very relatable. I feel like right now the country is so separated in two. We need to meet in the middle.â€

Riddle emphasized that heâ€s not a hardcore Republican or Democrat, placing himself squarely in what he called the “gray area.â€

“I think the majority of us are very much in this gray area. Thatâ€s where Iâ€m at — Iâ€m in the gray area.â€

When asked whether heâ€d affiliate with a party, he didnâ€t commit either way:

“Weâ€ll see where the favor lies. Honestly, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party — theyâ€ve changed greatly over the years.â€

He spoke on Floridaâ€s political makeup and why he thinks he can represent such a divided population.

“Floridaâ€s very diverse. People think itâ€s all conservative, but itâ€s not. The rural areas lean conservative, but the cities are very liberal. Itâ€s got a balance.â€

Riddle believes someone like him—whoâ€s lived all over the state, wrestled in every corner of it, and sees both sides—could make a real difference.

“I think there needs to be a middle. I think thatâ€s where I come in.â€

Whether or not he files the paperwork remains to be seen, but one thingâ€s clear: Riddle isnâ€t just trying to entertain anymore. Heâ€s eyeing something bigger than the squared circle.

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Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Would you support Matt Riddle as governor? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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The WNBA pushed back on the idea it’s intentionally stalling in negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement with an Oct. 31 deadline only weeks away.

A league spokesperson told The Athletic’s Ben Pickman the narrative is “not accurate.”

“We continue to negotiate in good faith and remain focused on delivering significant increases to salaries and benefits for players while building a league that can thrive for decades for the benefit of all,” they said. “We already have several meetings scheduled with the WNBPA to move this forward and get it done in as timely a manner as the Players Association wishes.”

Those remarks were in response to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson saying the WNBA and its team owners “look to be trying to play the only card they have, and that is running out the clock.”

Regardless of the details behind it, the lack of progress between the WNBA and players’ union is impossible to ignore.

The two sides met in July to touch base and perhaps work toward a firm agreement. The WNBPA came out of that discussion saying the league’s proposal “fails to address the priorities we’ve voiced from the day we opted out: a transformational CBA that delivers our rightful share of the business we built, improves working conditions, and ensures the success we create lifts both today’s players and the generations that follow.”

Months later, it doesn’t look like the situation has changed much.

Chicago Sky forward Elizabeth Williams, who’s the union secretary, told Sportico’s Eric Jackson in August she was “cautiously optimistic about striking a bargain prior to the deadline but that it’s “probably not going to happen.”

Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum, a WNBPA vice president, provided an even more grim picture to The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant in September.

“There’s been multiple proposals that have gone back and forth, and neither is close,” Plum said. “It feels almost the more that we have presented, the further away we are, which is just unfortunate. But at the end of the day, I think it’s just about the principle of not budging. And we have leverage, we have unity, we have a common goal, particularly in salary, and we’re just not where we want to be.”

The stunning statement from the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier, who’s another union VP, on Tuesday only heightened the tensions. Collier told reporters the WNBA has “the worst leadership in the world,” and she called WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to task for what she believes is the league’s unwillingness to address big issues.

Engelbert said in a subsequent statement that her “focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA.”

But Collier’s statement has led some people outside of the WNBA to say Engelbert should resign.

A league spokesperson had to refute a report from Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal that Engelbert may step down once a new CBA is in place.

At the very least, it’s looking less and less likely the WNBA and WNBPA find common ground before Oct. 31.

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