Browsing: Wasnt

And yet all of them received more five-on-five ice time than Elias Pettersson against the Penguins. Pettersson played 9:29 — nearly six fewer minutes than Raty (15:06), one minute fewer than Aman (10:32) and nearly a minute fewer than Sasson (10:22).Â

When considering how depleted Vancouverâ€s forward lineup was on Tuesday, why didnâ€t coach Adam Foote lean more on his No. 1 centre at five-on-five?

“He (had) eight minutes (on) special teams and probably (had) two shifts in the last eight minutes because we were down 5-1,†Foote said Thursday, before the Canucks faced the Nashville Predators. “When youâ€re playing eight minutes on special teams, mainly because of our injuries, those are harder minutes, killing penalties, things like that.â€Â Â

Despite scoring on the first shot of the game Tuesday, Petterssonâ€s line with Conor Garland and Jake DeBrusk finished with 6:40 of even-strength ice time — third behind Ratyâ€s (9:22) and Sassonâ€s (8:25) lines.Â

The 5-1 loss at Pittsburgh was the third time in seven games this season that Pettersson played fewer than 10 minutes at five-on-five. His 11:25 average ice time at five-on-five — down from 13:41 per game last season — ranks 237th out of 359 forwards who have played at least five games.Â

Foote noted that Petterssonâ€s average ice time on special teams has risen from 3:46 per game last season to five minutes this season.

“Harder minutes are going to be special-team minutes, which his are up from last year,†Foote said. “So when youâ€re up at the eight-minute mark (Tuesday) and youâ€re down 5-1 and youâ€ve had three games in three-and-a-half days, youâ€re trying to manage the guy physically, not put him in a place to get injured, either.â€

Pettersson, who is under constant pressure to live up to his $11.6 million-a-year contract, has been active defensively but somewhat quiet offensively. He has 10 scoring chances in all situations (1.43 per game), according to Sportlogiq. Also, he has won just 40.9 per cent of his faceoffs, which ranks 86th out of 93 players who have taken at least 15 per cent of their teamâ€s total draws. (Pettersson went 5-for-22 in the faceoff circle Tuesday, including 1-for-9 versus Sidney Crosby in the defensive zone.)

Foote also said Thursday morning that Brock Boeser will play against the Predators after missing the past two games for personal reasons. Boeser, who has three goals in five games, will start on a line with Sasson and DeBrusk. Evander Kane most likely will replace DeBrusk on Petterssonâ€s line, opposite Garland.Â

Source link

Despite all the love she has for her father, Natalya modeled her WWE career on being everything Jim Neidhart wasn’t.

Natalya was the guest on Tuesday’s episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, promoting her new book that is set to be released on October 28. She discussed the current character evolution that she’s going through in the ring. After spending so much time just trying to make other people happy, Natalya is now focused on bringing a different side of herself with her “Nattie Neidhart” persona.

“I’ve done so many first-evers. I’ve had great matches. I’ve had monumental moments. I’ve had so much fun,” Natalya said. “But it was a character that I felt like I had to do to survive and make sure everybody was happy. I wanted to make the girls in the locker room happy. I wanted to make management happy. I wanted to make my family proud.”

Jim Neidhart (who passed away in 2018) had a Hall of Fame career in WWE as a member of The Hart Foundation, but his life was a tumultuous one and he was let go by the company multiple times. Because of that, Natalya was determined to always be dependable and do what was asked of her.

Natalya believes the difficulties her father went through were due to Neidhart suffering from brain trauma dating back to his early days playing football.

“I wanted to just, you know, be everything that my dad wasn’t,” she said. “Which, you know, my dad wasn’t — he wasn’t stable. He wasn’t reliable. He was going through, which I talk about in the book, he was going through the hardest times of his life, suffering from — my dad had a very serious brain injury. And nobody knew that, but I just knew growing up, like, he got let go from WWE so many times. I was like, I am bound and determined to be everything everybody needs from me so I’ll never be like my dad and I’ll never let anybody down.â€

When Natalya re-signed with WWE in 2024, she did so knowing that she still wanted to grow and evolve in her career. She is less of a people-pleaser than she used to be, and it’s been liberating for her to showcase her authentic self as “Nattie Neidhart” outside of WWE in promotions like GCW Bloodsport and the NWA. The persona is a more gritty and ruthless version of who fans have come to know her as.

Natalya said WWE and Paul “Triple H” Levesque have been very supportive in giving her permission for these outside appearances. Her hope is that she can now parlay her new character into WWE.

“While it’s taken me a long time for my ship to really come in, I really want to go on a powerful run in WWE. That’s my goal. That’s my dream,” she said.

Exclusive access to podcasts and newsletters

previous story

Source link

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was promoted to backup quarterback this week, but getting playing time on Sunday apparently wasn’t an option without an injury.

Despite struggles from fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, head coach Kevin Stefanski said “he never pondered” putting Sanders in the game, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.

Last week, the Browns traded veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, confirming Gabriel’s role as starter and moving Sanders from No. 3 to No. 2 on the depth chart.

Gabriel did little to impress in his second start, throwing for 221 yards on 29-of-52 passing with no touchdowns. That followed a performance against the Minnesota Vikings in which he recorded 190 yards and two touchdowns.

Though he has yet to see any action this season, Sanders has remained somewhat optimistic with the recent changes.

“I’m in a great mental space overall,” Sanders told reporters last week. “So I would say you tend to get a little bit more excited when you see a light at the end of the tunnel, for sure… Whatever my role is here, I’m thankful. I’m happy just to do that.”

Considering he started the season No. 4 on the Browns’ depth chart and is now in a backup role, it’s fair to say Sanders is in a better place now than he was a month ago.

But taking over as Cleveland’s starter will likely be a bigger task than earning QB2 honors. Though Gabriel struggled on Sunday, the fact that Stefanski didn’t consider putting in Sanders indicates that he plans on being patient with Gabriel as he figures things out.

The Browns are 1-5 and seem like a long shot to make the playoffs, so the remainder of the 2025 season might be dedicated to developing Gabriel rather than experimenting with Sanders under center.

Source link

It remains one of the most dramatic afternoons in Premier League history. On May 13, 2012, Manchester City sealed their first Premier League title with almost the final kick of the season, Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time strike sealing a 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers and breaking Manchester United hearts in the process.

Following the chaos of Manchester City’s comeback, accusations and conspiracy theories have swirled. Some, including former Manchester United man Wayne Rooney, have claimed QPR had gone easy on City in the dying minutes after hearing their own safety was confirmed via results elsewhere.

“I’m not going to take this accusation any longer,” Cisse tells FourFourTwo on behalf of Poker Strategy. “I was celebrating with Samir Nasri. I didn’t celebrate with Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero or anybody else. I celebrated with my brother, Samir, who had been a friend of mine for 15 years.

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

“I was happy for my friend and also that we managed to stay up. I don’t care about Man City. My friend finally won the Premier League after many years in England and I was happy for him and also for me. That’s all.”

Cisse’s frustration is understandable. The Frenchman, who had joined QPR midway through that season, scored six goals in just eight starts to help the club avoid relegation. On that famous day at the Etihad, QPR went 2–1 up despite being reduced to ten men after Joey Barton’s red card. For much of the second half, they defended heroically, with goalkeeper Kenny producing a string of saves as City poured forward in desperation.

Yet even as City’s comeback began in stoppage time, Cisse insists there was never any question of his side easing off.

Wayne Rooney has shown bitterness over the whole game (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Manchester United lost the Premier League title because they dropped points throughout the season,” he says. “It was nothing to do with me or QPR. What Rooney said isn’t cool. He took out his frustrations on me. It’s not my fault.

“If we had wanted Man City to win the league, would it not have been a little risky to have waited until the very last minute to let them score? We could have let them win 4–0 or 5–0 and gone home. But we played a strong team, the manager wanted to win that game. It wasn’t our reserve team.”

Indeed, QPR were fighting for survival, and results elsewhere – notably Bolton’s draw at Stoke – meant they were safe only after the final whistle. What’s more, Queen’s Park Rangers led until the 92nd minute and even threatened on the counter once City’s comeback began. Aguero’s winner was seen as a sucker punch.

Source link

Philadelphia Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith said the Birds weren’t “on the same page” at times in the passing game during Sunday’s 21-17 loss against the Denver Broncos. It’s become a theme for Philly’s offense this season.

“We made improvements in certain areas,” Smith added. “We still could be a lot better. Shot ourselves in the foot a lot.”

Smith suggested that some of the in-game signals between quarterback Jalen Hurts and his pass-catchers weren’t quite there.

“There’s times where we’re looking at him, and he may give a signal before or after we look, and ultimately we have to be on the same page,” he noted. “We have to see that signal no matter what. It was just little things within the routes. He may have seen something pre-snap and sometimes we didn’t see it.”

Hurts, however, said he “doesn’t remember any of those things happening” and that he would need to discuss any specifics with Smith to understand what he meant.

Whatever the case may be, the Eagles are loaded with playmakers offensively but have continued to be pretty mediocre on that side of the ball. Hurts did throw for 280 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, but the offense failed to move the ball for most of the second half, blowing a 17-3 lead. And coming into Sunday, the Eagles ranked 31st in passing yards and were incredibly inconsistent.

Until Sunday, it wasn’t hurting the team in the win column, as the Birds started 4-0. But it finally bit them against the Broncos, and it’s clear something isn’t quite jelling on the offensive side of the ball for the defending Super Bowl champs right now.

Source link

Bully Ray recently commented on the departure of a WWE star, suggesting that a lack of passion and drive for professional wrestling may have played a role in their decision.

Jazmyn Nyx was a member of the Fatal Influence faction alongside NXT Womenâ€s Champion Jacy Jane and Fallon Henley, and was recently written off television. While the on-screen explanation was a backstage attack, reports revealed the real reason was her decision not to renew her WWE contract. She later revealed that, financially, the deal didnâ€t make sense for her long-term plans, leading to her exit.

Although Nyxâ€s reasoning appeared logical, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray (formerly Bubba Ray Dudley) argued that passion, or the lack thereof, was another major factor in her decision to leave.

Bully Ray’s Reasoning For Comments On Jazmyn Nyx’s WWE Departure

Speaking on the latest episode of Busted Open Radio, the former WWE Tag Team Champion stated that if she had trained in a wrestling school before her in-ring career began, she might have developed more of a passion for it, as most wrestlers are willing to go through the grind to achieve their dream.

He explained that when a talent is recruited from a different field of sport, such as soccer, like Jazmyn Nyx was, the level of commitment often isnâ€t the same. He provided the example of Stephanie Vaquer, who has previously expressed what wrestling meant to her and how much she was willing to sacrifice to pursue her dream.

According to Ray, Nyx possibly lacked this hunger, which ultimately led to her leaving the Stamford-based promotion:

If Jazmyn Nyx would have trained at a wrestling school, wrestling would have been her passion and her dream. She most likely would have stayed put and grinded it out. There’s one thing about wrestlers, they will accept the grind to chase the dream.

But when you get pulled in from soccer, MMA, football, or whatever, it’s not the same. You don’t have that burning sensation, that burning passion. Like Stephanie Vaquer, who told me that wrestling was her nourishment when she didn’t have enough food to eat.

That doesn’t burn in Jazmyn Nyx. It’s not that same mental state, not that same pit-of-your-stomach grind where you need to do it, you need to make it.”

You can hear Bully Ray’s comments in the clip below, which was shared by Busted Open Radio on their X/Twitter account:

“When you get pulled in from soccer, MMA, football, whatever – [the passion] isn’t the same.”@BullyRay5150 breaks down Jazmyn Nyx’s exit from NXT, on the latest edition of Busted Open: The Masterâ€s Class.

Subscribe Now: https://t.co/9KUPhGNrk2pic.twitter.com/BcLV6eb0P3

— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) September 29, 2025

Stay tuned to ITR Wrestling for the latest news, updates, and rumors from WWE and more.

Source link

In the wake of the Mets’ season ending with them falling all the way out of the playoffs, there will be no shortage of takes about what went wrong with a team that entered the year as an expected World Series contender.

There will be discussions about the inconsistent offense, the subpar defense, the coaching, the trade deadline, the decisions made by manager Carlos Mendoza, and the team’s failure to win a single game they trailed after eight innings.

And while it’s understandable to want to point fingers in a whole bunch of different directions, it can be argued that doing so is kind of a waste.

Yes, there seemed to be a spark missing at times.

Sure, the offense could’ve been more consistent.

And yes, there were injuries that threw a wrench into things.

But as the dust settles on the 2025 Mets and the 2026 team starts to take shape, it’s pretty easy to determine the main culprit for what went wrong.

It was the starting rotation.

The rotation is the nerve center of a team. Everything flows from there. If there isn’t enough length provided (the Mets finished 27th in MLB in innings pitched per start) it negatively impacts the bullpen, which becomes overworked.

If the starting pitching is constantly putting the team in holes, there’s that much more pressure on the offense to dig out of it.

It’s a vicious cycle.

/ Sep 21, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (21) reacts as he exits the game against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at Citi Field.

Take Game 162 for an example.

The Mets had simply run out of starting pitchers to rely on. That led them to start a struggling Sean Manaea, who was pulled after 1.2 innings. From there, it was a march of relievers — Huascar Brazobanfor 1.0 inning, Brooks Raleyfor 0.2 of an inning, Ryne Stanek for 0.1 of an inning, and Tyler Rogers for 0.1 of an inning.

By the time Edwin Diaz was called on to stop the bleeding in the fifth inning, the Mets were in a 4-0 hole. And the season, for all intents and purposes, was over.

You can question Mendoza’s decision to pull Raley as quickly as he did, or to go to Stanek. But the fact of the matter is that he was managing the last three and a half months of the season with one hand tied behind his back. That’s because the starting pitching was simply not good enough in any aspect, and it took the rest of the team down with it.

So this was a collapse, sure. But it’s one with an asterisk, because it can be easily argued that the 2025 Mets were irretrievably flawed from the start.

Looking at how things were shaping up back on Feb. 18, following Frankie Montas‘ injury (and the questionable decision to sign him in the first place), the Mets’ rotation still had a high ceiling. But the floor was alarmingly low.

As I laid out at the time, there were injury concerns with Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes was transitioning from reliever to starter, Sean Manaea‘s late-season results in 2024 were perhaps unsustainable, and David Peterson had yet to put together back-to-back strong seasons.

Meanwhile, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, and Paul Blackburnwere fine as depth options, but counting on two out of three of them in the rotation could be asking a lot. Regarding Brandon Sproat, his initial struggle with the transition to Triple-A meant that it could possibly take longer than expected for him to become a big league option.

To put it simply, there were lots of what-ifs — too many for a team with championship aspirations. And while the starting staff excelled over the first few months of the season, the cracks were easy to see.

That included regression from Canning, who had a 5.90 ERA from May 23 to June 26, when he tore his Achilles. And it included the struggles of Megill, who had a 5.79 ERA from May 4 through June 14, which was his last appearance of the season as he dealt with injuries.

Jun 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill (38) reacts during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

When the injuries hit Canning, Megill, and then Senga, the Mets — who were also without Manaea — were left in a precarious spot.

It would’ve seriously impacted any team, but the way New York chose to address it was puzzling.

They in effect punted a handful of games as they relied on bullpen games, four starts from Paul Blackburn(losses on June 13, 18, 23, and 28), and one start from Blade Tidwell.

The bullpen game strategy cost the Mets two games in July, and came at a time when Nolan McLeanwas dominating for Triple-A Syracuse.

Against the backdrop of David Stearns choosing to not promote McLean, the Mets kept losing games that were winnable.

It’s impossible to know how McLean would’ve fared if he was called up a month or so before his debut on Aug. 16. But it’s hard to believe his presence in the rotation wouldn’t have led to at least one more win, which would’ve resulted in the Mets making the playoffs.

You can also point to not adding a starting pitcher around the trade deadline, but the scarcity of available arms and the high price tags make that one a lot more understandable than the strategy they employed over the summer as the injuries mounted — when it at times felt like New York thought a giveaway loss here or there wouldn’t matter.

Still, it all comes back to the way the starting rotation was put together during the offseason. There was just not enough certainty, and it put the team in a precarious spot really quickly — one Stearns and Co. were unable to wrest themselves out of.

Given Stearns’ history of success and analytical nature, it’s fair to believe he’ll take a different approach to the rotation for 2026 — one that places an emphasis on track record over hope.

Source link

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – European captain Luke Donald claimed Thursday that he wasn’t taking a shot at the Americans when he said in his speech at the opening ceremony that his team plays for “something money can’t buy.â€

Donald’s comment raised eyebrows as the pay-for-play issue has once again come to the forefront at Bethpage Black, with the Americans, for the first time, receiving a $200,000 stipend to compete in the biennial matches.

Ever since the announcement last December that the Americans would be paid a six-figure sum, in addition to a $300,000 donation to each player’s charity, Donald and the Europeans have been quick to weaponize the issue. Earlier this week, Donald told Sky Sports that he and the rest of the European team feel as though “this isn’t a week to get paid.†Though the Europeans players aren’t being directly compensated this week, profits from Ryder Cups hosted by Europe are used to subsidize the DP World Tour and its other circuits. Many, if not all, of the Americans said this week that they intend to donate the entire $500,000 amount to charitable organizations.

“Being able to steward that money in our own communities at home, I think that’s a great thing,†Sam Burns said. “The PGA of America giving us the opportunity for us to do that is really special.â€

In his speech on Wednesday, however, with U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and the Americans seated behind him, Donald said that the Ryder Cup is “not about prize money or world-ranking points. It’s about pride. It’s about representing your flag, your shirts, and the legacy you leave behind.†He continued, “We are fueled by something money cannot buy: Purpose, brotherhood, and a responsibility to honor those who came before us, while inspiring those whose time is yet to come.â€

Donald was asked about the perceived dig at the Americans when he met with the media following the unveiling of the Friday foursomes pairings.

“Well, it wasn’t directed at the U.S.,†he said. “My speech was directed at my players. I wrote that speech six months ago. We have been very consistent where we stand and what we play for. We’re not concerned about what the U.S. are doing.â€

Donald was previously asked by a reporter whether the captains should get paid for what amounts to a two-year job. He laughed and said, “Oh, I’m going to stick with my team. I think if the captain gets compensated and the players don’t, that’s a little bit murky. So, no.â€

Image credit:
Kevin McGonigle (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

In the final game of the 2025 season, Kevin McGonigle struck out three times. It was a rare thing for the Tigers shortstop, as it had happened only twice over his previous 190+ games as a professional.

Unfortunately for McGonigle and the Erie Seawolves, this came at an inopportune time. Erie, playing in its fourth consecutive Eastern League final, fell to Binghamton 8-2 in a deciding game three.Â

Despite a massively productive season, it has, in some ways, also been a season defined by second-place finishes and runner-ups for the Tigers’ top prospect, On Monday, Baseball America named Konnor Griffin the 2025 Minor League Player of the Year. Two days later, Erie and McGonigle fell in that Eastern League final.Â

Still, you canâ€t tell the story of the 2025 minor league season without McGonigle.

Currently No. 2 among BA’s Top 100 Prospects, McGonigle is a dynamic player with one of the most polished hit tools weâ€ve seen in the minors in some time. The 21-year-old has an old-school gamer mentality, and he gets into more power and speed than his physical tools might suggest.Â

For many evaluators outside the Tigers’ organization, McGonigle is the top prospect in the game and praise has been effusive. It’s left Tigers fans wondering if McGonigle—a player who is capable of doing everything well and brings a winnerâ€s mentality—could have provided a spark to a free-falling major league team over the final month of the season.Â

In many ways, McGonigle is the final cog in a rebuild thatâ€s taken a decade and spanned multiple general managers. Alongside Tigers teammate Max Clark, he has found success throughout his minor league career, racking up winning records at every stop along the way. The Tigers hope the dynamic duo can do the same when they reach Detroit in 2026.Â

What sets McGonigle apart from other top prospects is his robust and well-rounded set of tools at the plate. While Griffin is the best all-around player in the minors, it wouldnâ€t be wrong to say that, at the moment, McGonigle is MiLB’s best hitter.

The data backs this statement when comparing McGonigle to minor league averages across his skill metrics:

Miss%IZ-Miss%Chase%Swing%Chase-Swing%Kevin McGonigle18%13.60%20.20%45.20%25%MiLB Avg.27%19.20%25.10%45%19.60%Difference-9%-5.60%-4.90%+0.20%-5.40%

Here we see that McGonigleâ€s skill-based metrics are well above minor league averages. On paper, his numbers roughly equate to a 70-grade hit tool (or better), as he shows elite contact and swing decisions.

Where McGonigle really separated himself from other highly-skilled hitters this season, though, is in his ability to hit for power. After hitting just five homers in 2024, McGonigle smashed 19 across three levels in 2025.

Again, we find standout metrics:

Avg. EV90% EVMax. EVPullAir%xWOBAHard-Hit LAKevin McGonigle91.5 mph105.3 mph113.3 mph24%0.38517.4MiLB Avg.86.2 mph101.5 mph108.4 mph18.60%0.29410Difference+5.3 mph+3.8 mph+4.9 mph+5%+0.091+7.4

McGonigle not only displays elite plate skills, but his power numbers compare well to other top prospects, too. He shows above-average raw power based on major league averages with strong launch angles that allow him to drive his best-struck contact in the air.

Where McGonigle really stands out compared to other prospects is with his optimized swing path. His ability to hit the ball hard in the air to his pull side has allowed him to get to more of his power and likely will lead to 20-plus home run totals annually in the majors.

In many ways, McGonigle is what a fully-optimized hitter looks like: few holes in his swing, a discerning eye at the plate and a swing optimized for power. And while he may have experienced a season of close-call finishes when it comes to awards and trophies, with a future as bright as any in the game, we may one day see McGonigle reach the gameâ€s greatest heights.

Source link

In what was his sixth international outing across all formats, Cox’s maiden half-century easily surpassed his previous best of 17 in an England jersey.

After leading The Hundred in runs scored and being named Most Valuable Player as he helped the Oval Invincibles to a third consecutive title last month, he said he had looked to bring some of that confidence to his international return.

“It’s only a ball coming down, don’t worry about it. Whoever is bowling it, just have a bit of fun and show what you can do. That’s what I tried to do.

“I seemed to do well in that Oval shirt so I just was like ‘come on, this is just franchise cricket and I’m playing for the Oval, just enjoy it and have a bit of fun’.

“That’s what I do when I’m there so why not try and do it everywhere?”

Cox said he has “really struggled” with missing out on a Test bow against New Zealand last winter.

In his absence, 21-year-old Jacob Bethell made his Test debut on the tour and now seems sure to be a part of the squad that will be named this week for this winter’s Ashes series in Australia.

Cox added: “To have the opportunity to play for your country in Test cricket is something that I always dreamt of doing, and am still dreaming about doing, so to get that taken away was really hard.

“My friends and family, the people closest to me, said it would have happened for a reason. If that means I wasn’t quite ready to play Test cricket yet, that was someone telling me I wasn’t ready.

“There’s a reason why I didn’t play; there was a reason why Bethell did and why he did so well. But I really struggled with it.”

Source link