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The 2025-26 NBA season tips off Tuesday, marking the beginning of on-court storylines. However, that doesn’t mean players didn’t stay busy off the court during the offseason.

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From LeBron James picking up golf as a new hobby to Nikola Jokic celebrating with his horse, the NBA’s biggest names made the most of their offseason. Unlike 2024, which had the Paris Olympics, this summer had an open schedule, meaning limited NBA action and more time to hit the road.

Here’s a look at the top offseason moments, as told by social media.

Klay hard-launches new relationship

Klay Thompson sent shockwaves across the pop culture world with his July 12 Instagram post. Captioned “Sweet Bells son,” the Dallas Mavericks guard posted a photo collage of a recent vacation, but with a twist — he seemingly posed with rapper Megan Thee Stallion in one of the pictures.

Fans quickly speculated that the two were dating, sparking rumors of the relationship. It prompted comments from Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard and Ty Jerome, who wrote: “Woah hard launch.”

The two took the red carpet in New York days later, confirming their relationship.

LeBron, Bronny hit the golf course

A viral development of the offseason centered on LeBron James discovering his love for golfing. His first post arrived July 4, his second day playing. James said: “Boy o boy it’s a mind f— to say the least! But I think I enjoy that part of it a lot.”

He opened up about it on the “360 With Speedy” podcast last month.

“It’s hard as s—,” James said. “… I wanted a challenge, man, and I like being uncomfortable. Golf is like one of the few places where I can go where I don’t get bothered as much.”

LeBron wasn’t the only one with the golf itch in the James household — his oldest son and Los Angeles Lakers teammate, Bronny, also picked up the sport. Bronny had a smooth swing for someone who began playing four months before the video was posted.

French stars own the chessboard

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s love for chess is no secret, with the center playing games in a New York City park last December. He took that affinity to another level during the offseason, hosting the “Hoops Gambit” tournament in his hometown of Le Chesnay, France.

Dozens of people competed, including Minnesota Timberwolves center and fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert. The two even faced off in a game.

DEFENSE VS DEFENSE âŸï¸

Rudy Gobert pulled up to the Hoop Gambit event to play against Wemby 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/3xsRw10ivi

— Chess.com (@chesscom) July 20, 2025

A celebration heard across the world

There aren’t many things Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic loves more than his horses — and he had the celebration to prove it.

Jokic was emotionally celebrating after his horse won a race in Subotica, Serbia, in late July. He teared up before hopping the gate to meet his horse and driver, then dumped champagne on the group and himself.

Days earlier, the NBA and Nuggets also posted a photo of Jokic tending to horses while in Beijing.

Allen makes his wedding dance worth it

In a summer full of weddings and engagements, Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen really nailed the execution. He made the most of his wedding with an impressively choreographed dance with his wife, Jordyn.

The couple found inspiration from the 2006 Disney film “High School Musical.” The final musical of the film is called “We’re All In This Together,” where the school joins in on a dance.

Allen and his wife performed the dance to the song at their wedding. The 6-foot-9 center also themed their wedding after the musical, captioning his wedding post on Instagram: “#We’reAllenThisTogether.”

Different continent, same demeanor

No opponent is safe from trash talk when it comes to Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards — not even a retired center.

Edwards traveled to China as part of Adidas’ “Believe That” tour with stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. During the trip, Edwards ran into Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming.

Of course, the 6-foot-4 guard had to remind the 7-foot-6 Chinese center he wouldn’t be spared from being dunked on.

Durant trade news hits at perfect time

Arguably the biggest transaction of the offseason was the Phoenix Suns trading Durant to the Houston Rockets. Reported in late June, Houston sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks for Durant.

Durant had been the subject of trade rumors since the previous NBA trade deadline. However, the news of the deal broke at a time when cameras could catch Durant’s reaction.

The two-time NBA champion was being interviewed on stage at Fanatics Fest when the deal was reported. He could only smile as the crowd went wild.

A new way of staying ready

Vacations can sometimes interrupt proper workouts, but Russell Westbrook found a way to get around it.

The current Sacramento Kings guard was vacating on his yacht when videos caught him putting shots up. Westbrook had a hoop where he practiced dribbling and put up a jumper.

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The nature of Jacob Fatu’s injury has seemingly been revealed.

The report of the heavyweight star dealing with an injury first came out earlier this week. At the time, it was reported that he was dealing with a major injury that could keep him out of action for a long time but no other details were given.

Fightful Selectrecently provided an update on the situation. They revealed that the former US Champion has actually been dealing with a dental injury and he’s told people that he will be out of action for at least a month:

“It was confirmed by Fightful Select that the injury Jacob Fatu was written off with is a dental injury that will keep him sidelined. He was telling people he wouldn’t be back for at least a month.”

The Samoan Werewolf was written off TV with an angle on this week’s SmackDown. He was originally scheduled to compete in a singles match with Drew McIntyre in the main event of the show.

Nick Aldis confirmed the match to be #1 Contenders bout for the WWE title during the episode. Just before the bell, however, Fatu was shown to have been attacked backstage, and the match was called off. Cody Rhodes then had an impromptu match with McIntyre which ended in a DQ and a big brawl.

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Aston Villa told matchday stewards they would not have to work during the clubâ€s Europa League fixture against the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv, citing possible “concerns†over safety, it has been reported.

West Midlands police decided to ban Maccabi fans from the forthcoming match, after saying the force would not be able to police the fixture safely owing to “violent clashes and hate crime offences†at a previous match in Amsterdam in 2024.

The Home Office has offered extra support to West Midlands police in an effort to reverse its ban. A meeting with Birminghamâ€s safety advisory group (SAG) has been set up for next week.

The BBC reported that Villa had informed stewards they had permission to skip their duties on the day of the fixture, Thursday 6 November, before the decision to ban fans was made by police.

In an email apparently sent on 3 October, stewards were told that “regarding the upcoming fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv … we appreciate that some of you may have concerns about attending workâ€, the broadcaster reported.

Those who were meant to work on the day were told they would “be able to submit a one-off absence requestâ€, and this “will allow you to register your absence for this specific fixtureâ€.

Aston Villa had also made clear that “this type of absence will not affect your contractual minimum attendance of 80%â€.

This email was reportedly sent after a number of stewards allegedly raised concerns over safety on the day, and it is unclear how many stewards will not work on the day of the fixture. A request to not work would have to be submitted four days prior to the matchâ€s scheduled date.

West Midlands police had said on Thursday they had classified Villaâ€s home fixture against Maccabi as “high risk†based on intelligence. The police force also highlighted violence that occurred during a 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi in Amsterdam, where more than 60 people were arrested over the violence that was called a “toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger†by authorities.

Four local people were given short jail terms for the violence against Maccabi fans. A report by Dutch police into the disorder during the 2024 Amsterdam match found Maccabi fans had torn a Palestinian flag down from a local building and burned it, shouted: “Fuck you, Palestineâ€, and vandalised a taxi. Maccabi fans were also taped chanting “Olé, olé. Let the IDF win, fuck the Arabs.â€

The ban imposed by West Midlands police came after pressure from the local independent MP, Ayoub Khan. Khan told BBC Twoâ€s Newsnight on Thursday: “We cannot conflate [this issue with] antisemitism when we look at what some of these fans did in Amsterdam in 2024 … Weâ€re talking about violent fans and I think the prime minister should stay out of operational matters.â€

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said on Friday it was notifying Birmingham city council and West Midlands police of its intention to bring a judicial review against the ban of Maccabi fans, which it said was “pernicious†and had “angered the whole countryâ€.

Keir Starmer called the police forceâ€s decision “wrongâ€, saying “we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streetsâ€. Uefa, the governing body of European football, has urged local authorities in Birmingham to allow Maccabi fans to travel to the match.

In a statement on their website, Aston Villa said: “The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.â€

Aston Villa have been approached for comment.

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Rory McIlroy’s priorities have shifted. At this week’s DP World India Championship, the impact of those changes is materializing.

When LIV Golf arrived on the scene three years ago, McIlroy took up the mantle of PGA Tour spokesperson. He was front and center defending the PGA Tour in its moment of need. He worked to try to reshape the PGA Tour with Signature Events and mandatory appearances. But when the Framework Agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV was announced, McIlroy shifted his focus. He resigned his board seat, skipped Signature Events and even ditched a FedEx Cup Playoff stop to focus on playing a more global schedule.

McIlroy hoped pro golf would come together and form a more global tour that would send the sport’s stars around the world, and not just from Florida to California with the occasional stop in the U.K. But he clearly understands that the fractured world of pro golf isn’t going to magically reunify any time soon, so he’s taking it upon himself to go to all corners of the globe. He’s focusing on national opens, from Canada to Ireland and Australia, and playing where he wants, when he wants.

That brings us to this week’s inaugural DP World India Championship, where McIlroy touched down in India for the first time in his career. Now, McIlroy isn’t doing this for free. He understands his value and is getting an appearance fee, as are Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Ben Griffin and Luke Donald. But it would be unfair to assume he’s doing it just for the money. McIlroy has pledged to start playing a more global schedule and is starting to back that up. He recently cited tennis superstar Roger Federer as an inspiration to start taking his talents to places that don’t normally see him tee it up.

“I think India has a wonderful culture,” McIlroy said Wednesday about his first time in India. “I think the people are unbelievably welcoming and hospitable and gentle. … Golf has become quite a big sport in this country, but hopefully I can help it become even bigger.

“I’d love more people to watch golf. That would be amazing,” McIlroy said later about his long-term hope for golf’s growth worldwide. “But I would be more interested in getting more people to play the game, and I think when people play the game, then they learn and they can acknowledge what golf is, what it represents, and the sort of etiquette and the values that you need to adhere to when you play the game.”

Regardless of appearance fees, the special thing about what’s taking place in India this week is that this event has never happened before. The event was created out of thin air to give a golf-loving country a groundbreaking new event. The sponsorship for this event from DP World included a $4 million prize fund and a relationship that was integral to getting McIlroy and others to show up in a country starved for golf. The downstream impact of people watching Rory McIlroy hit a golf ball, Roger Federer swing a tennis racket or Steph Curry shoot a basketball is unquantifiable.

On Thursday, during the first round of the DP World India Championship, the crowds around McIlroy and Viktor Hovland showed the impact an event like this can have.

There were similar scenes at DLF Golf and Country Club when Bryson DeChambeau competed in the International Series India in January.

“Educate, entertain, inspire are my main three principles of why I play the game of golf,” DeChambeau said in January of his decision to play in India. “I think this is an amazing opportunity for all of golf to come together and see what India can truly produce for the world. And it’s a growing economy, it’s a growing population that need golf. There’s a lot more to come, so that’s why I’m here.”

Raj Khosla, president of Delhi Golf Club, has said that the McIlroy-headlined tournament is a “landmark moment” for Indian golf. The hope is that this event will continue to attract global stars and elevate golf in the world’s most populous country.

The scenes on Thursday and at DLF in January show the impact the world’s best can have when they break new ground. Rope lines packed to the gills as fans try to get a glimpse of the golf stars that have parachuted in. Thousands of eyeballs transfixed on players many probably never thought would peg it in their country. The impact isn’t felt just by those outside the ropes.

“It’s something I have dreamt a lot of times, watching Rory, Tommy on TV and thinking one day that I want to be playing next to them,” home favorite Dhruv Sheoran, who shot four under in Round 1 to beat McIlroy by a shot, said. “It’s a dream come true in a way. I couldn’t sleep at night thinking that I’m going to be playing alongside them, so it’s really surreal to be playing here.”

For McIlroy, competing in places that don’t normally see him, or have never seen him in person, is something he plans to cement in his schedule. He’s still the PGA Tour’s needle, but his priorities are making a global shift as he focuses on a grander goal to bring golf to countries with untapped potential to become golfing hotbeds.

“I would say as time goes on, my schedule will get hopefully more international,” McIlroy said. “Because that’s what I’ve enjoyed doing. I’ve always said that. But I think over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed it even more. I’ve enjoyed the travel. I’ve enjoyed getting to play in front of people that I’ve never played in front of before.”

On Thursday, the scene spoke for itself.

WWE invaded the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia on Saturday for the seventh Crown Jewel PLE, and John Cena’s final trip Down Under as an active Superstar. The wrestling world continues to debate the history-making event, and Dave Meltzer is receiving backlash for his remarks on a certain match.

Stephanie Vaquer and Tiffany Stratton did battle for the first-time-ever at WWE Crown Jewel III on Saturday night. Representing RAW, the current Women’s World Champion defeated the current Women’s Champion of SmackDown in just over 10 minutes to be crowned the second-ever Women’s Crown Jewel Champion.

The Women’s Crown Jewel Championship match aired as the second match of the night, right after Bronson Reed pulled off a big upset shocker in defeating Roman Reigns in their 21-minute Clash In Paris rematch, held under Australian Street Fight rules. The finish saw fans cheer in anticipation for Vaquer to hit the Devil’s Kiss, but Stratton countered as the back-and-forth continued. Vaquer finally nailed The Devil’s Kiss, and ended up blocking the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.

WWE officials booked Vaquer vs. Stratton as the shortest match by far at Crown Jewel 2025, and that has been a hot topic of discussion during today’s fan debates on the match. The opener went 21 minutes, John Cena vs. AJ Styles ended at just over 27 minutes, The Kabuki Warriors’ loss to IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley went just under 20 minutes, and the main event went almost 30 minutes as World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins of RAW dethrone Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes of SmackDown, who became the inaugural Crown Jewel Champion last year.

Dave Meltzer Blasts Stephanie Vaquer vs. Tiffany Stratton At WWE Crown Jewel

Tiffany Stratton vs. Stephanie Vaquer was discussed by Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, and Meltzer could not get past the crowd reactions. He declared this to be the worst bout on the five-match WWE Crown Jewel card.

“No heat. There was no heat until The Devil’s Kiss, [the crowd] popped for The Devil’s Kiss, [the crowd] popped for nothing else, and then they went right for the finish from The Devil’s Kiss. I thought it was… very underwhelming. The crowd was… they had to follow a match the crowd was very, very hot for, and from what I was told, this was the match that the people kind of took as the bathroom break match. … Yeah, the match was there. I was underwhelmed by it, I thought it was easily the worst match on the show, but yeah… just, no heat,” Dave Meltzer said.

Alvarez disagreed for the most part, noting that Stratton is “hit or miss” most of the time, but he thought the WWE Women’s Champion was mostly hitting here at Crown Jewel. Alvarez said this was far from the match of the night, but it was fine. Meltzer chimed in again.

“It was fine, it was just there. I didn’t think either of them did anything particularly wrong. It just was 10 minutes, it didn’t really have time to build and the crowd wasn’t into it, so… other than the one move, which they were really into, they really popped the crowd with that move but that move will always be over, but as far as moves go, they were fine, everything was fine there. It never got exciting,” Dave Meltzer said.

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Life as a professional golfer can be brutal, isolating and level you with crippling self-doubt. For every star, countless guys are scraping and clawing to get a foothold in the professional game, keep their heads above water and build a career for themselves.

Guys like Steven Fisk.

The 28-year-old PGA Tour rookie had a trying first year on the top circuit. The Georgia Southern product made 13 cuts in 22 starts but only had one top-10 finish, which came at the Puerto Rico Open. The summer was especially tough for Fisk, who carded just one top-30 finish in his final eight starts of the PGA Tour regular season, leaving him well outside the top-100 bubble entering the FedEx Cup Fall Series.

Fisk finished T30 at the Procore Championship, which Scottie Scheffler won as a Ryder Cup tune-up. That left him at 135 on the FedEx Cup points list entering this week’s Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi. Fisk opened with a two-under 70 but then fired back-to-back seven-under 65s to get within two shots of 54-hole leader Garrick Higgo entering Sunday’s final round.

After a year spent getting a crash course in the realities of professional golf, Fisk knew he had to make the most of Sunday. With the fall season dwindling down and a trip back to the Korn Ferry Tour staring him in the face, the final round in Jackson might be his last, best chance to keep his head above water on the PGA Tour.

Steven Fisk’s final round highlights at Sanderson Farms Championship

Fisk turned in three-under 33 and then birdied the 11th to grab the outright lead. Higgo, a two-time PGA Tour winner, responded with birdies at 13, 14 and 15 to tie Fisk at 21 under. With three holes left and a career-changing win hanging in the balance, Fisk closed in style. He rolled in a 41-foot birdie putt at No. 16 to match Higgo and stay tied at 22 under.

On 17, Higgo hit his approach to six feet, but Fisk stuck it inside him. Higgo’s birdie attempt from three feet slid past the hole, opening the door for Fisk, who tapped in his two-foot birdie putt to take a one-shot lead to the 72nd hole. Fisk striped his tee shot and then stuffed his approach shot to three feet, 10 inches. Higgo’s final birdie attempt didn’t scare the hole, ceding the stage for Fisk to walk through a door that can change everything.

“[I had] an attitude that nothing was going to stop me,” Fisk told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis after the win. “No matter what happened, no matter what shots I hit. I just felt like I’d be standing right here, right now before today started.”

When asked why he still felt that way after a trying rookie season, Fisk offered a glimpse into the uphill climb he has been attempting and the relief that irrational confidence and four good October rounds in Jackson, Mississippi, can deliver.

“Self-belief. Grit. I know I’m good enough. I thought I could do it,” Fisk said.

“It’s a lifelong dream, honestly. Sometimes you doubt yourself. I don’t know. I knew I could do it. And to have some job security is pretty nice. It has been a long, hard year.”

After rolling in the finishing birdie, Fisk embraced his caddie Jay Green. He then turned to find Edith, who was racing toward the green. She leaped into his arms, and his eyes started to tear up. She started crying, and then so did he. They exited the putting surface toward Green. Edith and Green hugged. The three held each other in a moment of relief and celebration, smiles beaming from all of their faces. The road here had been trying. Team Fisk has traversed a trying year together and endured personal tragedy along the way.

Fisk lost his father, Christopher, earlier this year after a battle with cancer. Green, who started caddying for Fisk last year, caddied for the late Grayson Murray when he won the Sony Open in 2024. After the win, the two will travel to Raleigh for the Grayson Murray Classic.

Fisk is certain that he and Green weren’t alone on their Sunday charge in Jackson.

“I think he nudged a couple of putts in for me for sure, maybe him or Grayson,” Fisk said of his father on Sunday. “I had a couple of helpers out there. I miss him very much, and I know he’d be really proud of how I played all week and especially today to keep my composure and just kind of go about my business the best way I know how.”

This day brought Fisk a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour as well as a spot in the PGA Championship and the Players Championship. Where he started the week worrying about his FedEx Cup points rank and what the future might hold if the putts didn’t start dropping over the next month-and-a-half, Fisk now can exhale. He no longer has to worry about whether or not he can make it on the PGA Tour. With a finishing birdie flurry at the Country Club of Jackson, Steven Fisk did what he and his father always believed he was capable of.

“I’d like to think that he knew this day would happen,” Fisk said.

I spent the week at Bethpage Black covering this year’s Ryder Cup. It was, at different moments, inspiring, ugly, deafening, silent, raucous, joyous, tense and absolutely thrilling.

After a day to reflect (and a full night’s sleep!) I flipped back through my notebook. Here are 10 scenes I’ll take with me.

1. “There’s only oneeeee Shane Lowry”

The songs still stuck in my head tell the story.

Europe will own the soundtrack of the Ryder Cup for the foreseeable future; it’s hard to imagine that advantage flipping unless American golf fans start spending a lot more time in European soccer (or football, choose your own adventure) stadiums. It doesn’t matter that the Ryder Cup only comes along every two years; Team Europe’s fans can launch into song and get full buy-in from the surrounding crowd before they reach the second line. And don’t take my word for it. Just ask Justin Thomas:

“Yeah, the chants — I don’t know how the Europeans do it. It’s really impressive, to be honest. I don’t know if there’s like a group text of 10,000 people that they just come up with these things, but they’re pretty awesome and impressive,” he said early in the week. He added this detail:

“Our daughter’s name is Molly, and the amount of times I had that Tommy Fleetwood chant stuck in my head and both Jill and I have caught ourselves singing ‘Mol-ly,’ right along to the ‘Tom-my’ song…”

The Tom-my Fleet-wood chant

That’s a good place to start, with the anthem of the Cup’s highest points-getter, Tommy Fleetwood, whose catchy chant just goes:

Tom-my.
Tom-my, Tom-my.
Tom-my, Tom-my.
Tom-my, Tom-my FLEET-WOOD.

And then it goes again. And again. Fans deployed the same chant early and often for the similarly syllabic Ro-ry Mc-Il-roy, though you have to elide his surname a bit.

Rory McIlroy — he’s in your head

Speaking of McIlroy, this was the loudest song (and most layered in meaning — he was in everybody’s head). To the tune of the Cranberries’ “Zombie”:

He’s in your heeaaaad
In your heeeeead
Ro-o-ry, Ro-o-ry, Ro-o-ry, ry, ry

Shane Lowry’s song

And then there was the emotional heartbeat of the team — and the man who retained the Cup:

There’s only oneeeee Shane Lowry!
Oneeeee Shane Lowry!

Europe’s on fire…

Finally there was this now-classic, which echoed around Marco Simone in 2023, to the tune of Gala’s ‘Freed From Desire’:

Europe’s on fire
USA is terrified
Europe’s on fire
USA is terrified
Europe’s on fire
USA is terrified
Europe’s on fire
Hoo!
Na na na na na na na na na na na na…

The song absolutely rips. It has an interesting history; it’s from the 90s but has seen a resurgence in the last decade as an anthem across European football (or soccer) stadiums (and elsewhere) for years, so it’s hardly a Ryder Cup exclusive. But when I went back to read those original lyrics, they seem particularly fitting for this European team’s mindset…

…my love has got no money
he’s got his strong beliefs
Want more and more
people just want more and more
Freedom and love
what he’s looking for…

A few more European sing-song highlights, most (all?) of ’em borrowed from other stadiums:

As the first-tee crowd got quiet:
Is this a library

As Europe built a massive lead:
Caaan we play you
Can we play you
Can we play you every week

As Europe got five points up:
Shoes offfff
If you’re five points up

As the Americans started filing out:
Is there a fire drill

The home crowd, on the other hand, had a few notable misfires, including:
-A series of cringey first-tee chants
-An overreliance on “U-S-A,” which inevitably peters out if there’s nothing really happening
-Their emcee getting booted after chiming in on a round of “f–k you Rory”
-On Friday and Saturday mornings, AFTER the cringey first-tee chants, the first-tee music was cut off for long stretches beginning at 7 a.m. ET to avoid interrupting NBC’s ‘Breakfast at Bethpage’ show, hosted by Colin Jost, which was airing live off the right side of the tee. This was a bit of a vibe-killer.

Worth noting: The best first-tee vibes for the home team actually came on Sunday, despite the U.S. team down seven points. The sun was out, the stands were full, the music was blasting. The peak came when Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy came out to the Killers’ Mr. Brightside, which seemed to hit a real sweet spot for the crowd.

2. The enraged, caged fans

By now you’ve read and probably watched videos of the Saturday afternoon atmosphere on course, particularly around Rory McIlroy’s group, so you hardly need my confirmation. But here it is anyway: yeah, it was nasty. There are two lines you shouldn’t cross as a golf fan — don’t get personal when someone’s family is literally right there and don’t interfere with someone’s actual golf shot — and fans raced across both. I joined the McIlroy/Lowry vs. Thomas/Young group near the end of the front nine and when I arrived, everyone who’d been walking with them — families, vice captains, support staff, media members — looked a bit shell-shocked by just how toxic the atmosphere had gotten. Things got marginally better once security presence increased, but it was still a different tenor than anything I’ve heard in the better part of a decade in this job.

Why was it so bad? I think it’s fair to start with [gestures at the comment section of any post on any form of social media] the general temperature of our cultural discourse and the way we’ve gotten use to talking to each other. But it’s also worth unpacking the mechanics of why this match and this session, specifically. I was a hole ahead of this group at one point and started to understand things a bit more clearly.

The home team was getting drubbed, so fans didn’t have much to cheer for. There were tens of thousands of fans on course and only four matches, which meant people weren’t able to see much and they were on edge. A segment of those fans had been drinking all day. And McIlroy’s group came through first, which meant that every hole he and Lowry arrived at, they encountered fans frothing at the mouth; they’d been waiting for two hours for this moment and got ready to unleash the nastiest invectives they could think of. McIlroy is the most famous of the Euros and has lived his life in the public eye; he also likes to give it back to the fans as he is, in his words, “quite an impulsive character.” As a result he can end up as both lightning rod and blast shield.

Rory McIlroy on crowd behaviour at the Ryder Cup:

“Look, I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week. Golf has the ability to you unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons.… pic.twitter.com/in1S2HOulx

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) September 29, 2025

Sunday was a far happier scene because none of the above was true. Fans didn’t start drinking early in the morning given the first tee time was at noon, both sides had something cheer for, there were 11 matches on the course instead of just four, Rory McIlroy was third out instead of first, etc. etc. There was still plenty of hostility. But I’m sure there are lessons to take from the mechanics of the matches that could limit the level of toxicity going forward.

3. The thrown beer

I was standing directly behind the 17th green on Saturday some 20 minutes after that McIlroy / Lowry match finished when Rory and his wife Erica came racing back down the hill to cheer on the Euros in the remaining matches — and to celebrate with the European fans. One particular group of supporters was in full celebration mode, embracing the fact that, with a day still to go, the Cup was essentially already theirs. (Or so it seemed at the time.) McIlroy dished out a few high-fives to a group of revelers who’d been dancing and singing and then, as he turned away, something happened: a drink came flying from the crowd, ricocheting off the front of Erica’s hat.

It was clearly a jarring moment for Erica and for Rory and for the entire Euro support staff, and with good reason — as bad as these personal insults were, “we’re throwing beers” marks an acceleration to an entirely different level of hostility. To their credit, nobody escalated the scene and they moved on, no doubt disturbed. But here’s the thing, and I’m cautious to even bring it up because I don’t want to be dismissive of the rest of scene: It’s actually still a little tough to tell how intentional this was. I was standing with my coworker James Colgan and we rewatched the video, zoomed, slowed down, over and over. The drink hadn’t technically been thrown; it had been slapped out of somebody’s hand from the middle of that Euro contingent. That leaves us with two possibilities:

a. The beer was hit intentionally in the McIlroys’ direction. This seemed pretty likely in real time and still seems pretty likely given the way it flew directly at them; it would be a strange coincidence for an accidental hit.

b. The beer was launched either by accident or just with excitement but wasn’t intended to fly towards either Erica or Rory.

Which was it? I genuinely have no idea. I don’t want to downplay the fact that somebody appeared to have tossed a beer at a player and/or his wife. I also think it’s possible it was an unfortunate accident. Does it matter? Yes and no. There was so much other nastiness happening around them that it’s not like this was a make-or-break incident. Still, it’s nice to stick to the truth, where we can. And the truth is that, in this case, I’m not quite sure — even standing right there.

4. Europe’s response

First there was Europe’s on-course response; their play showed that poking the bear isn’t always the right move. McIlroy and Lowry responded by ham-and-egging their way to a fist-pumping, fiery victory, and behind them Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose took it to the high-wattage American duo of Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau in a match that included a near dust-up between players and caddies and about a thousand feet of European made putts. They finished the session 3-1 to open up a seven-point lead on the way to singles.

Then there was the off-course response. McIlroy was measured (for once) in his comments post-round when asked if things had gone too far outside the ropes.

“It’s not for me to say. People can be their own judge of whether they took it too far or not,” he said. “I’m just proud of us for being able to win today with what we had to go through.”

Lowry said he’d embraced it all.

“Yeah, it was intense. It was like something I’ve never experienced. But this is what I live for,” he said. “This is it. This is, like, honestly, the reason I get up in the morning, for stuff like this. This is what I love doing. I love being a part of this team.”

Rose, too, wanted the focus on the match and the quality of the golf. “Yeah, I’m really disappointed that this has to be the talking point at the end of a really cool match. The level of golf was incredible,” he said.

“Very happy with how strong our team is, the firepower they have, the intensity. It kind of the anti-fragile mentality,” Donald added. “Things got tougher out there, and it fired them up even more. They were able to get better through those difficult moments out there. That is what makes me most proud as a captain, just their ability to take the punches and come back even stronger.”

It was the perfect response. They didn’t cry foul — even though they would have been justified in doing so. Instead they focused on themselves and the pride they had in each other.

In the words of the slightly less subtle Curt Schilling: “I’m not sure I can think of any scenario more enjoyable than making 55,000 people from New York shut up”.

5. Scottie’s pick-me-up

It was unfathomable to see World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who’s been winning at an historic clip, start the Ryder Cup 0-4. On Sunday, after he’d picked up a point against Rory McIlroy, he admitted just how tough it had been on him, too. But it was telling to hear how much he’d leaned on his teammates Saturday night to move past it.

“This week did not go how I anticipated it going for myself, and I’m a little bit bummed, but these guys on this team, they picked me up when I needed it last night, and we’ve got a great team,” he said, choking up after logging his first point on Sunday night.

Scheffler expanded on that answer in the team’s press conference.

“I can’t tell you how much I needed these guys this week, and it’s just a really special group,” he said. “It was probably one of the lowest moments of my career, but it turned out to be one of the most special just because I’ve got great friends in this room and I was really proud to be battling with these guys for three days.”

6. Xander’s pump-up speech

Enough American players referenced this in their post-round interviews that it must have left an impression. On Saturday night, down an historic margin, Keegan Bradley delivered a pump-up speech — and Xander Schauffele added a clear message: Play to the whistle.

From DeChambeau: “I just thought back to what Xander said: ‘It’s not over till the whistle blows.’ And I wasn’t willing to give up for this team.

From Cameron Young, after his win: We said we’d play to the whistle, and it looks like the guys are doing that now.

From Justin Thomas:

7. Bryson’s run

As the U.S. began its impossible charge on Sunday afternoon, Young made an inspired birdie putt at 18 to win 1 up, and Thomas made another to also win 1 up, and DeChambeau made a clutch par putt to complete a 5-down comeback. And then, as the rest of the U.S. contingent hopped into golf carts to rejoin the action some holes back, DeChambeau waved off a cart driver and took a full-adrenaline sprint down the length of the par-4 18th. It felt like a release of sorts, a moment of relief after days of tension and disappointment. Now the comeback was on, there was hope in his heart and there was the satisfaction of knowing he’d done what he could to help.

The good news is his run was mostly downhill. But 400-plus yards is a long way to go at full speed, so when DeChambeau hit the uphill back by the 18th tee box, he finally accepted the help from a passing cart.

8. Viktor’s neck

I’ve seen various viral posts basically implying that Viktor Hovland was faking the injury that kept him out of Sunday singles, some of them joking but some presumably not. Whatever you may think of the Envelope Rule (which at this point probably is antiquated, and also seems particularly silly in this exact situation, when one side needs a massive comeback and every half-point is precious), there’s no way that Viktor Hovland would have voluntarily sat out of a singles match. After all, before he was a last-minute scratch on Saturday afternoon he’d played 13 of a possible 13 sessions in his Ryder Cup career.

Also, Hovland was out supporting Team Europe on Sunday afternoon and a couple times I saw people wish him well and he’d do the thing you do when you’ve messed up your neck where you stiffly turn your entire body just to rotate a few degrees left. Get well soon, Vik.

9. Erica’s defense

There were countless meaningful moments in the European winner’s press conference, but as always it felt like McIlroy was the main character; he fielded the most questions, his eyes tearing up more than once as he basked in the satisfaction of a sixth Ryder Cup win.

Since the 2023 Ryder Cup McIlroy has made it clear what means the most to him as he nears 20 years as a professional; that short list includes winning at meaningful venues, winning another major (preferably the Masters) winning an away Ryder Cup. This year he won at Pebble Beach and at TPC Sawgrass against big-time PGA Tour fields. He won at Augusta National, completing the career Grand Slam in the process. He added on an emotional win at his home Irish Open. And then he went 3-1-1 at Bethpage Black to win his sixth Ryder Cup.

But it was a particularly touching moment to hear him talk about his wife Erica, given she was the target of so much abuse at the hands of the fans. McIlroy plays golf at a superhuman level and he’s been a celebrity for more than half his life, but this was a particularly human moment as he spoke about Erica and his teammates chimed in behind him.

McIlroy: “It should be off-limits, but obviously it wasn’t this week. Erica is fine. She’s a very, very strong woman. You know, she handled everything this week with class and poise and dignity like she always has. I love her — and we’re going to have a good time celebrating tonight.

Justin Rose: “Can I just pick up on that, if you don’t mind, because I actually had no idea that Erica had a beer thrown at her yesterday, so fair play to Erica. She didn’t bring that to the team room. We didn’t make that a big deal. That’s news to me. That says a lot about the strength of Erica and everybody on this team.”

Shane Lowry: “I was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy, and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing and the way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.”

10. Luke’s shampoo

I’ll start this final point by acknowledging that every point won in this and every Ryder Cup was won by superior golf shots and by fewer strokes taken. There’s no crowd chant that can teach you to stuff an iron shot to five feet under unfathomable pressure. Also, the U.S. absolutely dominated the singles session and nearly pulled off the most improbable comeback in the event’s history.

WITH THAT SAID, it’s hard to look at the decades of European success in this event, particularly the team portions, and wave it away as randomness or nonsense. They’re better at the little stuff. And they’re bought in on the idea that the little stuff is the big stuff. Y’know who believes that? Luke Donald, who Bradley (among others) called the greatest captain the European side has ever seen. Does this somehow mean they make more putts? It’s hard to say for sure but, as silly as it sounds, you certainly can’t dismiss the idea.

“My job is literally to give these guys a better chance to win. It can be as simple as some very small things,” Donald said. Those small things?

“I’ll give you an example. At the hotel rooms this week, the doors to our hotel rooms had a big crack that let in light. We brought things that covered the light. We put different shampoos that had a better smell. We changed the bedding because the beds weren’t very good, and they just had sheets, and we created much nicer beds so guys could sleep. They could have more energy. Those are just little things.”

One final bit of Donald philosophy:

“That’s a big part of my captaincy is to create an environment where these guys are having the best weeks of their lives, honestly. We’ll always remember this.”

Based on the bus rides, I think he’s right…

Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

every time I see a video of this Euro team on their bus it looks like the most fun you could ever have. also ‘freed from desire’ absolutely ripspic.twitter.com/yoGc6KojvX

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) September 30, 2025

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  Alden GonzalezSep 30, 2025, 05:10 PM ET

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  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

Ron Washington, who missed more than half of the 2025 season after undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery, will not be returning as manager of the Los Angeles Angels in 2026, he told The Athletic on Tuesday.

Interim manager Ray Montgomery also will not get the full-time manager role in 2026, a source confirmed to ESPN, as the Angels will search for their sixth manager in nine years.

Washington told The Athletic that general manager Perry Minasian told him that the team’s decision to not pick up his contract option was based on the team’s performance — the Angels went 36-38 prior to him leaving — rather than the manager’s health.

“You know, when you’re a competitor, and you’re in charge, none of that stuff comes into play,” Washington told The Athletic. “Sometimes you’ve got to make chicken salad out of chicken s—.

“I have to accept that. I can’t go back to argue with them to try and tell them different when they’ve made a decision. … We were starting to perform better.”

Ron Washington said he had the Angels “going in the right direction” prior to him having heart surgery. “I think the team took on my personality. We were definitely showing that. When everything goes not the way people wanted, you take the blame for it.” Robert Gauthier/Getty Images

Washington, who turns 74 in April and was the oldest manager in the majors this past season, told The Athletic that he never had the opportunity to talk about the team’s decision with Angels owner Arte Moreno. He also said that he’d like to continue managing or join a team’s coaching staff.

The Angels finished with a 72-90 record, accounting for their 10th consecutive losing season. They’ve made the playoffs just once since 2009.

After Mike Scioscia stepped down at the end of the 2018 season, ending a 19-year run that included the franchise’s only World Series championship, the Angels went through Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon and Phil Nevin as managers over a five-year stretch. None produced more than 77 wins.

Washington, the former Texas Rangers manager and highly regarded infield instructor, was brought in ahead of the 2024 season in hopes that he could mentor a young nucleus headlined by Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe, Nolan Schanuel and Jo Adell. However, the team finished with a franchise-record 99 losses.

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The 2025 team showed some promise but wound up finishing last in the American League West for the second straight year, 25½ games out of first.

“I think I had the team going in the right direction, I really did,” Washington told The Athletic. “And it was just too bad that my health came into play. There’s nothing that I can do about that.

“It was my team. I think the team took on my personality. We were definitely showing that. In this business, this is the kind of stuff that happens to you. When everything goes not the way people wanted, you take the blame for it. And I’m OK.”

Washington last managed a game on June 19, when he left the Angels after experiencing shortness of breath and appearing fatigued during a four-game series against the New York Yankees.

He eventually underwent quadruple-bypass surgery but stressed last month that he was in good health and wanted to return as the Angels’ manager in 2026.

“What happened to me saved my life,” Washington said earlier this season, adding that he has quit smoking, changed his eating habits and is sleeping better.

Overall, Washington was 99-137 in two seasons with Los Angeles.

Montgomery’s option also will not be picked up. The rest of the Angels’ coaching staff also had 2026 options, but their status is not yet known.

Perry Minasian, who just finished his fifth season as the Angels’ general manager, is under contract through 2026, though the team has not made a formal announcement about his status.

Albert Pujols and Torii Hunter, two decorated former Angels who currently serve as special assistants with the team, are considered strong candidates to become the next manager — unless owner Arte Moreno seeks someone with more experience.

Washington was the winningest manager in Rangers history, compiling a 664-611 record from 2007 to 2014. He led them to their first two World Series appearances, in 2010 and 2011. After initially returning to the Athletics organization for the 2015 and 2016 campaigns, Washington joined the Atlanta Braves’ staff from 2017 to 2023 and was part of their 2021 World Series championship team.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 27-21 in Monday’s AFC East matchup, but they lost Tyreek Hill to what appeared to be a significant knee injury in the process.

Yet the wide receiver’s ability to tell jokes to his teammates before he was carted off the field apparently served as an inspiration for the Dolphins for the rest of the game.

“He was inspiring in that situation, and I think his teammates benefited from that,” head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters.

Hill suffered the injury when his leg was twisted underneath him as he was being tackled following a catch. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the fear was he suffered a dislocated knee, and he was taken to the hospital after he was removed from the field.

The star receiver appeared to be in good spirits, though, as he was smiling and waiving to the crowd as he exited.

Hill finished with six catches for 67 yards.

A dislocated knee would end his 2025 campaign, which would put more of the spotlight on Jaylen Waddle to be the team’s primary option in the aerial attack. Miami also has Malik Washington and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as secondary receivers.

Tight end Darren Waller could be a reliable target in his return to the NFL, as he hauled in two touchdown catches in Monday’s victory. Running back De’Von Achane can also make plays as a receiver out of the backfield.

Still, the Miami offense is far less dangerous when Hill is not on the field, which makes the injury all the more concerning despite the team’s first win of the year.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has had a relatively quiet start to the season, catching seven passes for 104 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets through three games.

On Friday, Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase told reporters that he’s advocated Higgins to go ask for more looks if he wants.

Last season, Higgins amassed 109 targets in 12 games, or just over nine targets per game on average. He’s seen 4.67 targets per game this year, although one can guess that number will rise soon enough.

Simply put, Higgins is too talented to not be featured more prominently. Over six seasons, the former Clemson star has a 17-game average of 78 receptions for 1,094 yards and eight touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.

Higgins (and the Bengals’) biggest challenge this year will be traversing the majority of the season without superstar quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury that is expected to keep him out for a minimum of three months.

Jake Browning has replaced Burrow under center. He racked up the yards (241) and touchdowns (two) in a 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, but he also threw three interceptions.

Nothing went for the Bengals on either side of the ball last Sunday in a 48-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Browning threw for 140 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Ultimately, the Bengals still have a very talented offense skill position crew that could turn it around in short order.

Higgins has faith he and Chase will get going.

The Bengals are hitting the road in Week 4 to visit the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.

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