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Is John Cena a humble human being? It seemingly depends on who you ask.

A lot of nice things are being said about John Cena ahead of his WWE retirement next month at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. However, one former WWE Superstar was surprisingly open regarding his rivalry with Cena several years ago.

Former WWE Superstar David Otunga recently spoke with All Axxess Entertainment. When asked if John Cena was humble to work with during the Nexus storyline, as he appears to be today, Otunga didnâ€t mince words when it came to his experience with the WWE Legend in the locker room compared to how you might deal with him elsewhere.

“You want the real answer? No. I mean, come on. Heâ€s John Cena. Iâ€m gonna be honest with you,†David Otunga said. “Yes, he is that (humble), but like, heâ€s not gonna be that way with me, with the boys in the locker room.

“With general people, oh yeah, of course, heâ€s humble. But, you know, heâ€s got a different swagger to him being John Cena, 16-time World Champion. That heâ€s earned. Donâ€t take this out of context – he earned the right to not have to be humble around us in the locker room. But in general, yeah, of course, heâ€s still a nice, humble guy. But he would never be that way to us in the locker room.†[H/T: WrestleTalk]

John Cenaâ€s final WWE RAW takes place later tonight

The newly crowned Intercontinental Champion will make his final RAW appearance tonight at the worldâ€s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Itâ€s been stated that Cena will be in action, but his opponent hasnâ€t been revealed as of this writing.

Here is everything currently announced for tonightâ€s episode of RAW:

• John Cenaâ€s final WWE RAW appearance
• Womenâ€s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri
• Last Time Is Now Tournament: Solo Sikoa vs. A Mystery Opponent
• Last Time Is Now Tournament: Gunther vs. Jeâ€Von Evans

WrestleZone will have live coverage of WWE RAW later this evening.

READ MORE: Multiple Big Names Expected At Tonightâ€s WWE RAW — Report

What do you make of David Otungaâ€s comments? Are you surprised to hear that John Cena carried himself in the locker room differently than he does in a public setting? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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The Friday Four is a collection of thoughts and information on some intriguing storylines from around the NHL. On deck this week is:

• Drew Doughty trying to solidify Olympic spot

From the moment Steven Stamkos pulled a Nashville Predators sweater over his head, it just didnâ€t look right.

The bright yellow was a jarring contrast from the Tampa Bay Lightning blue we were accustomed to seeing Stamkos in for the past 16 years. For players who have spent a significant portion of their career with one franchise, it takes time for the hockey world to get used to seeing them in a different setting. While everyone is adjusting to Stamkos in a new jersey, heâ€s still trying to find his footing on the ice in Nashville.Â

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• 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

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For the second season in row, Stamkos couldnâ€t have started any colder. Heâ€s managed just three points in 16 games and has found the scoresheet once in 11 outings. Last year wasnâ€t much better during his first season in Nashville, as Stamkos scored just one goal in his first 10 games, before ultimately finishing the 2024-25 campaign with 53 points. Not a terrible season by any means, but not up to the standard Stamkos has set. In his last three years with the Lightning, Stamkos averaged 90 points and scored 40 goals in his final season before joining the Predators.

There was an expected drop-off when Stamkos arrived in Nashville because he was leaving a loaded Lightning roster, but Iâ€m not sure anyone expected the fall to be this steep. Last seasonâ€s output of 53 points looks like a fantastic season compared to this yearâ€s 15-point pace. Stamkos will turn 36 in February and still has two years after this one remaining on his deal, with an $8-million cap hit. Thatâ€s going to be a nightmare situation if Stamkos canâ€t at least get himself headed in the right direction once again.Â

So why has his production plummeted? For starters, Stamkos feasted on being part of a very potent Lightning power play. During his final season in Tampa, Stamkos had 81 points and nearly half of those (39) came with the man advantage. The Lightning power play was the best in the league that season at 26.3 per cent and Stamkos hasnâ€t played on a unit anywhere close to that in Nashville. In 2024-25 the Predators power play ranked 18th and this year itâ€s been much worse, sitting at 27th.Â

Tampa obviously has more high-end talent with Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, Victor Hedman and others, but the issue is more than personnel. With the Lightning, a lot of the time the puck was funnelled through Stamkos on the man advantage for one-timers. Kucherov would find him with a cross-seam pass on the left half boards or Hedman would nudge it over for an uncontested blast. That isnâ€t happening enough with Nashville. Heâ€s on pace for 175 shots, which is right on his pace from last year but way down from his numbers in Tampa. In his final three years with the Lightning, Stamkos averaged nearly 250 shots per season.

Stamkos is on the second power-play unit and he isnâ€t being utilized the same. Hereâ€s a Preds power-play goal from Nick Blankenburg earlier this week, where you can see Stamkos parked at the side of the net. Normally, Stamkos would be stationed on the half boards for a perfect one-timer from Blankenburg in that situation.

The other thing to consider is Roman Josi is a bit of a different power-play quarterback than Hedman was in Tampa. Josi is injured, but when healthy, he loves to shoot the puck. Hedman is averaging 2.1 shots per game for his career, while Josi comes in at 2.9. Josi has also surpassed 200 shots in eight seasons, compared to just two for Hedman. Itâ€s not that Josi and Stamkos couldnâ€t work together on a power play, but the veteran blueliner is just a lot more inclined to shoot, whereas in Tampa, Hedman was trying to find Stamkos for a shot much more regularly.Â

Another more obvious element at play here is Stamkos is losing a step or two as he enters his mid-30s. According to NHL EDGE, Stamkos has a max skating speed of 21.83 m.p.h. this season, which is nearly three m.p.h. slower than his top mark from last season. That might not seem like a drastic drop-off but in a league where time and space is always at a premium, itâ€s significant. Stamkos†skating was actually a big strength for him a year ago and he had the seventh highest top speed among all skaters. To put that in perspective, Stamkos†best speed of 24.21 m.p.h. in 2024-25 is only slightly slower than the league leader this season, none other than some guy named Connor McDavid. Stamkos will have a more difficult time getting open and creating scoring chances as he slows down.Â

With all this said, I donâ€t think Stamkos suddenly forgot how to produce and he should still be a very effective player in the right situation. He can shoot the puck really well, but the challenge is getting him enough looks in the right spot. Stamkos†bread and butter is similar to Alexander Ovechkinâ€s, setting up on his off wing for one-timers, especially on the power play. Heâ€s still shooting the puck at well over 90 m.p.h. and Stamkos should be able to park himself in the offensive zone and rip the puck on the net with great effectiveness for at least a few more years. This rocket from the other night shows heâ€s still got it, the challenge is just unlocking it more often.

Stamkos may not be able to score at the rate Ovechkin has leading up to age 40, but he still has the skillset to generate respectable numbers.

The question is where will that be? It doesnâ€t seem to be working in Nashville and for a team possibly trending toward a rebuild, how much sense does it make for Stamkos to go along for that ride? Stamkos has a full no-move clause and will control the process, but maybe heâ€d be open to a trade if things donâ€t turn around for the Predators this season. Some teams may be scared off by his contract, though with the cap making a big jump, deals like Stamkos†may not be as immovable as they once were, especially if Nashville eats some money.

Stamkos very well could have been in the perfect situation with the Lightning to continue to produce substantial offence as he ages and sometimes a change of scenery doesnâ€t always work out. If he wants to get back to being a 35-40-goal scorer, it doesnâ€t seem like itâ€s going to happen in Nashville.Â

At this time last year, Drew Doughty faced a season of uncertainty. The Los Angeles Kings defenceman suffered a broken ankle during the 2024 pre-season and missed 47 games, leading Canada to exclude Doughty from their initial roster for the 4 Nations tournament. He would eventually work his way onto the squad after Alex Pietrangelo withdrew from the team, but it was clear Doughty was trying to jump on a moving train last season.

The start to the 2025-26 campaign has been much more normal for Doughty. With a full training camp under his belt, heâ€s hit the ground running and became the Kings all-time leader in goals by a defenceman earlier this week. Now heâ€ll turn his attention to once again trying to solidify his spot on Canadaâ€s Olympic team before the best-on-best tournament in February.

Doughty will soon turn 36 and obviously isnâ€t the player he was 10 years ago, but he isnâ€t showing any major signs of slowing down. He may not be a big point producer anymore, yet Doughty continues to average nearly 24 minutes a night and is starting nearly 50 per cent of his shifts in the defensive zone. Thatâ€s the second-highest rate of his career and itâ€s clear Los Angeles still continues to trust him the most in key situations. That trust factor Doughty brings to the table is the biggest reason Canada selected him for the 4 Nations.Â

There are a lot of younger Canadian defencemen who are hungry for an Olympic spot. Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson and even Matthew Schaefer will be hoping to knock someone like Doughty out to earn a role for Canada. Doughty, though, brings a wealth of experience along with a pair of Stanley Cups and Olympic gold medals, and continues to prove he belongs on hockeyâ€s biggest stage. Some of those other blue-liners may just have to wait another four years.Â

Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning

If you were betting on which player would be the catalyst to get the Tampa Bay Lightning out of their early-season funk, youâ€d probably have to go through a handful of players before Anthony Cirelli. Weâ€re used to the likes of Kucherov, Point, Hedman, Hagel and Andrei Vasilevskiy carrying the team, but the core of the Lightning did not get off to a typical start.Â

Vasilevskiy had only one quality start in his first five games, Point and Kucherov are sitting at a combined minus-11, Hedman still hasnâ€t scored yet and it took Hagel until game No. 9 to get a goal. All that added up to the Lightning starting the year 1-4-2 and having a brief stay in the Eastern Conference basement. Since then, though, Tampa has reeled off six wins in seven games, thanks in large part to the play of Cirelli.Â

The normally defence-first centre has sparked the Lightning offence this season, scoring seven times and tallying 11 points. Cirelliâ€s career-best offensive campaign came in 2024-25, when he posted 27 goals and 59 points. At his current pace, he would shatter both of those marks. Cirelliâ€s shooting percentage is definitely going to come down as the year goes and even if he cools off eventually, this early season surge has been critical to helping the Lightning find their footing.Â

Coach Jon Cooper has come to rely on Cirelli as one of the leagueâ€s top defensive centres and itâ€s clear thereâ€s not many players he trusts more. Cirelli feels like a lock for Team Canada once again when they take to the ice in February because Cooper can count on him in almost any situation without sacrificing things in the defensive zone. That said, Cirelli is also proving thereâ€s a lot more to his game than just playing in his own end. If he gets the opportunity to play with skilled players, Cirelli can make you pay at the other end of the ice as well and he may be unlocking another facet of his game.

The Ducks are leading the Pacific Division after the first month of the season, despite getting little to no production from Frank Vatrano.Â

Itâ€s been a challenging 2025-26 for Vatrano, to say the least, as the Ducks forward didnâ€t find the back of the net at all in October and has just two points to his name. Heâ€s playing less than 13 minutes a night, which is about five minutes less per game than Vatrano skated in last season. Vatrano has averaged 27 goals over his past three seasons in Anaheim, so Iâ€m sure few around the Ducks organization saw this quiet start coming.Â

His poor play, combined with the emergence of youngsters Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson, along with the arrival of veteran Chris Kreider, has pushed Vatrano down to the fourth line. Heâ€s playing with Ross Johnston and Jansen Harkins, a pair of hardworking players who donâ€t have much offensive upside. Vatrano will be hard-pressed to find his offensive touch with his current deployment, so heâ€ll have to hope that new Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville will give him another look further up the lineup in order to get him going offensively again.Â

Youâ€d think Anaheim would be keen to do so, considering they gave Vatrano a three-year deal worth $18 million less than a year ago. Itâ€s understandable that Vatrano should have to earn his ice time, but putting him on the fourth line isnâ€t an ideal way to get the most out of him. He needs to play with more skilled players to bust out of this slump and the Ducks are stocked with them in their top nine. If Anaheim hopes to continue its strong play over the course of 82 games and push for a playoff spot, itâ€s hard to imagine them doing so without Vatrano at least making some kind of impact. Itâ€s up to both player and team to get him back on track.

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It appears Goldberg didnâ€t have many fans backstage during his early years in the industry.

WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg remains a huge icon in the business. After dominating WCW during the mid-to-late nineties, Da Man made his foray into WWE in 2003, defeating The Rock in his debut match at Backlash.

Goldberg left the company in 2004, only to make a comeback in 2016 for a program with Brock Lesnar. After sporadically working for WWE over the next nine years, he retired from active in-ring competition following his loss to Gunther at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event in July this year.

Vince Russo talks about his experience working with Goldberg

Vince Russo recently appeared on Maven Huffmanâ€s YouTube channel for a segment titled Which WWE Superstars Are Actually Jerks? When asked if he would call Goldberg a nice person or a complete jerk, Russo picked the latter and offered the following explanation:

“The most difficult personality that I ever had to work with? He just bought his own hype,†Russo said. “I needed Bill to do the job for Scott Steiner. And he refused to. I said to him, ‘Bill, can you tell me why?†And he said, ‘Because if this were real, I would kick Steinerâ€s ass.â€â€ And I said, ‘No, you wouldnâ€t. Bill, heâ€s right over there. Go tell Scott that and see what he says.â€

“But it got so bad with Bill. It got so bad that we had to fly him and his agent into Atlanta so Brad Siegel, the head of the network, could tell him, ‘You need to lose this match.†So hereâ€s the thing. We get there that night… thereâ€s no Brad Siegel. The only one there is me. Goldbergâ€s in a room. Johnny Laurinaitis comes out red in the face: ‘Vince, youâ€ve got to go talk to him. Heâ€s not doing the job.†So Iâ€m like… we flew him to Atlanta, weâ€ve been through all this, and weâ€re two hours from showtime.â€

Russo on why Goldberg refused to put over Scott Steiner

“I swear, I go in the room and itâ€s just me and him. There are two chairs like this. So I sit in the chair and say, ‘Bill, whatâ€s the problem?†He reaches down, pulls his chair toward me, and heâ€s right in my face,†Russo recalled.

“Call me naïve, call me stupid, but the only thing I could think to say was: ‘Bill, if youâ€re going to hit me, hit me, because youâ€re not going to intimidate me. So if youâ€re going to hit me, get it over with and hit me.†When I said that, it was like the air went out of the balloon. He goes, ‘Iâ€m not going to hit you.†And Iâ€m like, ‘Then whatâ€s the problem?â€

“Iâ€ll never forget this, and I have to go to his defense here a little bit.†He was playing heels in movies—he was Santa Claus killing people. So I said to him, ‘Bill, why is it that you can be a heel in movies, but you canâ€t be a heel on television?†And he said, ‘Because of the kids on TV. My name is Goldberg. They think thatâ€s who I am.â€

“And that… that was the hang-up. But itâ€s still, man, weâ€re doing a television show.â€

READ MORE: WWE Trolls Goldberg After Recent Comments About Asuka

If you use any of these quotes, please credit the original source with a link back to this article for the transcription.

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Killer Kross believes that he was the one who got worked by WWE.

Following Killer Kross†(FKA Karrion Kross) exit from WWE in August 2025, fans started to speculate that the whole situation behind Kross leaving the company might be a work and that he could return soon. However, it turned out to be legitimate, and Kross himself has discussed the circumstances of his exit on multiple occasions.

Killer Kross uploaded the third part of his documentaryon his YouTube channel. In which he talked about his life after WWE. He addressed the early rumors that his exit was a work, and stated that he feels that he was the one who got worked by WWE.

“‘Is this all a big work?†Is that what youâ€re asking me, is this a work? Is this a big, elaborate, intricate work where I come back and say ‘surpriseâ€? The answer to that question is, in a sense, yes, this was all one big work. The worst part about it, though, is that itâ€s not the work everybody thought it was because I was the one getting worked.†[H/T: Fightful]

Killer Kross Believes Matt Cardona Should Be One Of John Cenaâ€s Final Opponents

Killer Kross stated that former WWE Intercontinental Champion Matt Cardona should be one of John Cenaâ€s final opponents in the latterâ€s retirement tour.

Taking to X/Twitter, Killer Kross stated that a match between John Cena and Matt Cardona should happen before itâ€s too late.

“Matt Cardona VS John Cena is something that should happen before itâ€s too late. Let him come home.â€

Cardona was part of a storyline with John Cena in 2012, which also involved Eve Torres and Kane.

Matt Cardona recently returned to WWE television as part of the TNA Invasion angle. While he didnâ€t get the opportunity to be a part of Team TNA at the NXT vs. TNA special, he competed against Josh Briggs on the October 14, 2025, episode of NXT.

READ MORE: Samantha Irvin Reveals Extremely Long WWE Non-Compete Clause

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Jon Moxley and Darby Allin – Dynamite 10/15/25

I really appreciate AEW trying something different here with Mox and Darby having this prison-type sitdown behind the glass.

When Mox first started talking, you could see Darbyâ€s reflection in the glass and I thought that was a really cool visual. I also liked Mox starting off the conversation by asking, “What are we going to do here?†That line struck me as a guy who is at the end of his rope with Darby and is still trying to figure out how all this is going to end.

I also liked Darby admitting he thinks about joining the Death Riders every day but then thinks about how Mox turned his back on Bryan Danielson, and Darby saying to Mox, “Why would I want to go to war with someone who would stab his brother in the back?†Mox also had a line about chasing ghosts and how it never ends well. I thought that was a good look into Moxâ€s mentality and how heâ€s not trying to please anyone anymore.

I really loved everything about this sit down, until Pac came into the room with Darby and attacked him. I just feel like the attack was over-the-top, and Mox and Darby had already done enough with their words to really get their motives across. It doesnâ€t always have to end with the over-the-top violence and blood.

Overall, though, this was great work between Mox and Darby, and I really loved AEW trying something different with the glass separating them.

With Darby making Moxley quit at WrestleDream, you would think there needs to be a change in leadership for the Death Riders, right? When your leader has now quit to both “Hangman” Adam Page and now to Darby Allin, his leadership must come into question. Iâ€m just not sure who would take over the Death Riders, though.

I donâ€t think any of the current Death Riders are compelling enough to take over the leadership of the group. Do the Death Riders turn on Mox and go with Darby? Or is there a wildcard who comes in to take over the group? Iâ€m interested to see what happens on Dynamite this week.

Toni Storm and Kris Statlander with Renee Paquette – Dynamite 10/15/25

I thought the sit down with Toni Storm and Kris Statlander was well done this week, and I liked them going to the ring right after the sit down portion.

Statlander still needs to pick a lane with her character and go with it, but I thought this sitdown between the two helped push forward the respect they have for each other.

Storm as always had some great lines in this. I liked when she told Statlander, “I donâ€t know who I am without the title, but darling who the hell are you?†(I think we are all thinking that right now with Statlander)

Statlander came out of the gates strong the first two weeks after her shocking title win, I thought, but it’s clear they are still trying to figure out what her character is. Iâ€m worried that they are just going to pull the trigger and put this Womenâ€s World Title on Mercedes Moné at Full Gear.

When Storm and Statlander got to the ring to fight, I really loved the spot where they both got on their knees and dared the other one to hit them with the belt.

What I appreciate the most with Toni Storm is that her rivalries are never boring. There is always a layered story that comes with it and the promos leading up to the eventual match with her opponent are always entertaining. Sheâ€s been the MVP of AEW for a long time, in my opinion.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “Wrestling Night in America,” part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Honorable Mentions

Callis Family Dinner – Dynamite 10/15/25

Iâ€m putting this here solely for the fact Kazuchika Okada shut off the TV when Komosuke Takeshita was on it. “I hit the wrong button†was such a good line. Iâ€m also including Don Callis introducing Hechicero in the proceeding match after this promo. When Callis starts doing the hand motionâ€s that Hechicero does, it’s so ridiculous and funny.

The Acclaimed? Maybe… – Collision 10/15/25

I know a lot of people, including me, think breaking up The Acclaimed to begin with was a terrible move. Almost as terrible as allowing Billy Gunn to stick around with them as long as he did.

I am also someone who then really didnâ€t have an interest in seeing them get back together.

You really have to give Max Castor credit here, though, for getting his singles character over and lighting the spark for this Acclaimed reunion to have any life.

No offense to Anthony Bowens, but his singles career in AEW was dead on arrival. I thought this quick backstage segment they had was really good, and now Iâ€m in for the reunion and the lead up to it. Max Castor telling Tony Khan, “I have autonomy over my body†was the line of the night for both Dynamite and Collision.

By the way… Did you know you can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a PWTorch VIP Membership? Also, unlock 35+ years of archives including nearly 2,000 PWTorch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late 1980s, hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, and two decades of podcasts including Post-PPV Roundtable Podcasts dating back to the mid-2000s. Plus, new VIP-exclusive articles and podcasts throughout the week, fully compatible with the native Apple Podcasts app.

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If you are well-versed in the Book of Tiger, certain figures from his (nearly) 50 years on this earth are so familiar to you no surname or ID is required. Tida and Earl, of course. Stevie and Steiny; Butch, Hank. (For those late to the party: caddie, agent, swing coach, swing coach.) His kids, Sam and Charlie. I was on the scene for Tiger’s second U.S. Amateur title and 14 of his 15 wins in Grand Slam events. If “Jeopardy!” ever had a category called Tiger Times, I like my chances. So you can imagine my shock when I sat in a cart at the Ryder Cup last month and interviewed a man for two hours who has worked with (and on) Tiger Woods for 27 years and I had never heard of him in my life!

The man’s name was (and is) Dr. Tom LaFountain. He’s a chiropractor and the director of the PGA Tour’s chiropractic services. Our matchmaker was Johnny Wood, the caddie-turned-broadcaster who served as the U.S. team manager for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where LaFountain, who is 69 and white-haired, was in charge of all manual sports medicine for the U.S. team. “He’s probably worked on every great player of the past 30 years or so,” Johnny told me. By which he meant Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as senior golfers; Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Davis Love in their long primes; Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and scores of other Ryder Cup players through the years.

Tiger Woods got on the PGA Tour in 1996, by way of sponsor exemptions and his out-of-the-box superior play. Tom LaFountain, soft-spoken and country-strong (upstate New York), got on Tour the next year, by way of his work with all manner of athletes, most especially the legendary Olympic speedskaters Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen. Manual sports medicinewas not a phrase in circulation then, and isn’t exactly coffee-shop ready now. But it is very much a real thing. When LaFountain and the dozens of trainers and chiropractors under him (many of them coming to Tour events on a freelance basis) get to know their patients through their hands. No gloves, ever.

Their exams go from toes to neck, by way of hand. LaFountain can encounter left-ankle tightness and ask, “Are you feeling something in the first foot of the backswing?” How’d you know?Chances are good that whatever the issue is, there’s an app for that. LaFountain and his people will do their thing, and leave the player with homework, too. The player wants the work because he wants to shoot lower scores and be pain-free doing it.

More than once, a touring pro has said to LaFountain, “You’ve got good hands.” It’s a favorite compliment. He finds issues with his hands and he finds fixes problems with his hands. Shaking hands with him is like shaking hands with Babe Ruth’s baseball glove. LaFountain, in the 1960s, was a Little League legend, for his homerun prowess, in greater Utica, N.Y., where he still lives half the year. He spends the other half at the Bear’s Club, a high-end housing development in South Florida with a Jack Nicklaus golf course. Nicklaus pronounces the chiropractors last name in the French way, La-fon-taine. LaFountain pronounces it the Utica way, as in water fountain.

When LaFountain got on Tour, players were still drinking Cokes at the turn in the name of back-nine energy boosts. It was a different day. “When I got out here, there was a fitness trailer with a Universal Gym in it,” LaFountain said. A Universal Gym is that gleaming chrome weight-lifting contraption with various cables that is the centerpiece of every high school football-and-wrestling training room. “Now we’re getting to where we will have three trailers at tournaments, one for therapy, one for fitness, one for recovery.”

Tom LaFountain is the director of the PGA Tour’s chiropractic services.

courtesy tom lafountain

The original trailer was a trailer, about what you’d see at a campsite. Now the trailers are 53-feet long and eight-feet wide when they’re on the road (racking up tens of thousands of miles a year, driven by professional drivers out of North Carolina). Once these monster trucks are at tournament sites, they expand like an accordion and triple in width. The Tour spends millions on this whole operation, and gets that money back and then some by way of sponsorship. When Woods turned pro, you associated the PGA Tour with Buick and other GM cars. Now you’re more like to associate it with the Mayo Clinic, official medical source for the PGA Tour. As LaFountain sees it, it is impossible to overstate the influence Woods has had in the transformation of the Tour player into an athlete in year-‘round training.

There’s only going to be more of that. As Tour fields become smaller, and professional golf finds itself awash in money and outside investors, the approach to player health is undergoing a radical change. The day of the golfer having his own health-and-wellness entourage at every tournament is all but over. “It’s interesting, because these players are individual contractors, but our approach now is more like what you see on an NFL team.” When a field has only 70 or 80 players in it, it’s in the PGA Tour’s interest to keep everybody healthy and performing at their highest level. Some will see this as evolution, an adaptation (to use a favorite phrase of corporate America) of “best practices.” Others as another knife in the former cowboy spirit of the pro golfer. Regardless, it’s where the game is, bending in the direction of science over art.

At the Ryder Cup, there was a trainer just for the caddies. At every Tour event, there’s a Tour-sanctioned nutritionist. You want fuel (aka food) advice, the Tour has an expert on hand with answers. And the actual food to go with it.

“Tiger nailed that, years ago — he was ahead of everybody,” LaFountain said. He described Tiger’s early-career Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup team rooms. LaFountain would see players going for a second dessert while Woods was eating grilled chicken and a boiled potato and calling it a night. Everybody saw it. Many changed their ways. Now diet is a way of Tour life. Exercise is a way of Your life. Deep-tissue massage, the same. Chiropractic adjustments, the same. Three-minute plunges in 50-degree water, the same. (“You do hear some f-bombs,” LaFountain said.) Compression therapy boots. Zero-gravity chairs. Stem-cell injections. Along the way, a sea-change in dialogue.

Player: Do I have to come in even if I don’t hurt?

Physio: Yes.

Player: Am I on a ball count?

Physio: Always.

Tiger Woods’s Ryder Cup absence begs question: When, if ever, will he return?

By:

Michael Bamberger

Player: Am I heading toward surgery?

Physio: Not if I can help it.

This month, Tiger Woods underwent back surgery for the seventh time. At the end of the year, he turns 50, which means that 2026 would be the first year where he is eligible for the Senior PGA Championship (at Concession Golf Club next year, the week after the Masters), the U.S. Senior Open (at Scioto Country Club in late June) and the Senior British Open (at Gleneagles in late July). Nobody is really talking about Tiger Woods the golfer these days. Well, not nobody. Tom LaFountain is.

“Tiger is so competitive, he has so much drive, he is willing to work so hard, you can be sure he’s going to do everything he possibly can to get himself ready for those events,” LaFountain said. “He is someone who is always looking for a new challenge.”

In early March of 2019, Tiger Woods was deeply focused on the upcoming Masters. He told LaFountain, “You’ve got 33 days here.” Thirty-three days to help Woods get his body exactly where it needed to be as he tried to win his fifth Masters. As everybody knows, Woods did. Afterward, Woods said, “Tom, thanks for helping make this happen.”

Tiger Woods has good hands. We all know that. Evidently, Tom LaFountain does, too. Who knew?

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com

The Knicks, playing without a single starter and several key reserves, got worked over by the Washington Wizards, 120-103, for their first preseason loss of the year on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

In their fourth preseason game of the year, the Knicks decided to sit Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Ariel Hukporti, Mitchell Robinson, and Landry Shamet. Head coach Mike Brownsaid before the game that he intended to start Hukporti and play Shamet, who is one of three veteran players on a non-guaranteed contract fighting for one roster spot, but both were ruled out due to illness.

In their place, Malcolm Brogdon, Deuce McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Pacome Dadiet, and Guerschon Yabusele went out as the starting five with the plan to give the players of the second unit and those on the roster bubble an extended run.

“I thought our starters did not bring the energy,” Brown said after the game. “This is probably our worst basketball game overall. We did it in spurts: we weren’t very good to start the game, we weren’t very good to start the third quarter.”

Washington capitalized by shooting the lights out, 68.3 percent in the first half and 53.7 percent for the game. New York made up for the lack of defensive production with a rough shooting night, 41.9 percent in the first half and 44.4 percent for the game.

The plus-minus for the starting five was not pretty: Clarkson minus-29 in 21 minutes, Dadiet minus-20 in 24 minutes, Yabusele minus-33 in 23 minutes, Brogdon minus-30 in 18 minutes, McBride minus-26 in 28 minutes.

But, always the teacher, there was a positive to take from a game that didn’t go their way.

“Great film to learn from because we made a lot of mistakes that have been uncharacteristic of who we’ve been so far, even in practice, we’ve played a lot better than this in terms of what we’re trying to do offensively and defensively,” Brown said. “Great learning experience, we’ll all grow from it, and, hopefully take that step forward instead of just thinking we took a step backwards because we didn’t play well tonight.

Here are the takeaways…

– Dadiet took advantage of some good early looks, knocking down a pair of early threes. There were a few times when the 20-year-old looked a bit lost on the defensive end. He finished with eight points on 2-for-7 shooting (2-for-6 from deep) with six rebounds (two offensive).

 Ahead of the game, Brown highlighted how the Knicks are going to look for opportunities this year to get Dadiet time as they really like his upside.

“He’s just gotta continue to understand how big he is,” Brown said. “He’s long. He’s a big wing. And at times, he doesn’t utilize it. We always talk about playing big, playing big, playing big. And he doesn’t utilize it all the time. And that’s just being young. At times, he’s a little quiet and he’s a little unsure of what he should be saying or doing.

“So we keep trying to throw him into the fire as much as possible. It’s something that I’d like to do come regular season. I don’t know how many minutes he’s gonna get per game. But he definitely has a chance to be a player in this league for a long time, and you wanna help try to speed that development up because you see a lot of good things.

“You see he can run, you see he can cut, he’s big… you see he does a petty good job of finishing and shoot the basketball. And you couple that with his ability to play defense, and you have a pretty good young prospect, especially for his age.”

– An area of concern: The Wizards were able to get good looks and forced an early timeout by Brown. The defense is still a work in progress for this bunch of Knicks as they learn the new head coach’s system and Washington took advantage, connecting on 65 percent from the floor (13 of 20) in the first quarter for a 36-26 lead. That continued in the second, with the visitors making seven of their next 10 field goals en route to shooting 71.4 percent in the period (15 of 21 and 5 of 9 from three) for a 75-52 halftime edge. Naturally, the Wizards opened the third with an 11-0 run on their way to building a 34-point lead at one point before the Knicks clawed their way back to a more respectable deficit.

– Clarkson connected on three of his first five attempts (2-for-4 from three) in the first. He led the Knicks with 10 first-half points (4-for-7 shooting) and should have had a few assists if some open looks had gone down. It wasn’t a great shooting night from deep,  7-for-24 (29.2 percent) in the first half and 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) after the interval. Clarkson finished with 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting (2-for-5 from deep) with one rebound, four turnovers, and zero assists.

Brown said the Wizards didn’t do anything “tricky,” they were “just in the right spot defensively.”

“They tried to play the way that we’ve been playing throughout the preseason, every day in practice and it showed at times to be very good basketball,” he said, adding that overall, it wasn’t good enough. “We needed to do better collectively as a unit when it came to doing the little things, starting with boxing out we weren’t great at it. Defensively, we weren’t great in our shifts, and we’d been pretty darn good in those two area so far.”

– One of the culprits hurting Clarkson’s assist numbers was McBride, who was 1-for-5 in the first half, missing all four of his attempts from three, with two turnovers and two fouls in the first half. McBride found his range at the start of the fourth with consecutive threes to cut the deficit to 19. He finished with 11 points on 4-for-12 shooting (2-for-9 from three) with two assists and a rebound.

– Brogdon, another one of the three vets on a non-guaranteed deal, got off to a cold start shooting (2-for-7 from the floor) in the first and committed three fouls; he did add three assists. He appeared a step slow on the offensive end. His night ended with four points on 2-for-7 shooting with three assists, two rebounds, and a steal.

– Yabusele made his first three of the preseason in the first to go along with two assists in the early goings, and showed off a jump hook in the second. The new Knick made another three midway into the third, just the team’s second field goal out of their first 12 attempts of the quarter, which cut it to a 30-point deficit. He ended with 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting with five rebounds (four offensive) and two assists.

– Tyler Kolek had a solid second quarter with seven points, three assists, and a steal. He had a nice run of three straight buckets to end the third, cutting the deficit to 100-75. Kolek finished with a team-high 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting (1-for-5 from three) with six assists, four rebounds, and a steal. He finished a plus-10.

“I thought the guys coming off the bench, they did a great job, Tyler gave us great minutes,” Brown said.

– Trey Jemison IIIadded nine points with four rebounds and was a plus-11 in 15 minutes. Tosan Evbuomwan had seven points and four rebounds and was a plus-17 in 15 minutes.

Highlights

A pair of corner triples for Pacôme Dadiet pic.twitter.com/l9d0aSOSO2

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 13, 2025

Kevin McCullar Jr. from DEEP pic.twitter.com/jjVZsqGtW0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 14, 2025

What’s next

The Knicks conclude their preseason slate with a Friday night tilt against the Charlotte Hornets at MSG. Tip is set for 7:30 before New York opens the regular season on Oct. 22.

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The go-home episode of WWE RAW before Crown Jewel was a mixed bag of good and bad booking.

The show kicked off with OTC Roman Reigns as he addressed the crowd and then moved on to Bronson Reed. The latter then came out to confront Reigns with an Australian Street Fight being scheduled between the men for the PLE. Reigns was joined by Jey and Jimmy Uso backstage and confronted Jimmy over his previous comments about not accepting advice from The OTC.

CM Punk was also present on the show, with tensions between Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman rising. Becky Lynch suffered a shock defeat while LA Knight tricked Punk, who was also attacked by The Usos.

Here are all the things that worked and sucked on WWE RAW.

#3. Worked: Roman Reigns Gaslighting Jey Uso On WWE RAW

It feels like the Tribal Chief era all over again, with Roman Reigns continuing to gaslight and manipulate both The Usos. This time, he’s doing it so that Jey can fully realize his potential, and like last time, Jimmy is not on board. Instead of being the Tribal Chief, it feels like Reigns is preparing Jey as The Tribal Chief while he quietly assumes the role of The Wiseman.

“I’m not like you. Jey is NOTHING like you.”

Jimmy Uso kept it real with Roman Reigns. 😲@WWEUsos@WWERomanReignspic.twitter.com/6YVc86R4oM

— WWE (@WWE) October 7, 2025

This is an interesting development and one that can eventually culminate in a singles match between Jey and Roman Reigns.

#2. Sucked: CM Punk Needs A Fresh Feud

CM Punk returned after weeks away from WWE RAW and addressed the crowd. He made his intentions clear about wanting a shot at the World Heavyweight Title, but was interrupted first by LA Knight, and then by The Usos.

.@RealLAKnight pulled a fast one on @CMPunk, and Punk can’t believe it! 😅 pic.twitter.com/TUTl3HOulW

— WWE (@WWE) October 7, 2025

While Punk winning the world title is something all of us want to see, it may not be the right time to push him into this scenario again. The star could have gotten a new feud on the show, such as against Rusev. This would have been fresher and more appropriate than simply having him fight against LA Knight and The Usos. This feels repetitive and simply uninteresting.

#2. Worked: Maxxine Dupri Winning Against Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch may be a dastardly heel on our screens, but she is one of the only veterans who is willing to give everybody and anybody a chance. The Man carried Dupri through a great match on the show and even gave the youngster the win, albeit via countout. She played the role of the heel perfectly, so much so that the crowd desperately wanted to get behind Dupri and make her a champion babyface.

This was Dupri’s first singles match win on WWE RAW in 800 days and one that she will remember for a long time, especially against someone like Becky Lynch.

#1. Sucked: The Tag Team Division Is Still Being Neglected

AJ Styles and Dragon Lee may be a new tag team on WWE RAW, but the division itself wasn’t to be seen anywhere on the show. There was no New Day, no War Raiders, and certainly no defense of the World Tag Title.

At this point, half of the WWE Universe has forgotten the tag titles exist on RAW, and instead of giving a fresh title match, we got a six-man tag match between The Judgment Day and Styles, Lee & Penta.

It was a great match, but it does nothing for the title and does not take us closer to a great tag team feud.

#1. Worked: Paul Heyman And Seth Rollins’ Tension Is Palpable

Things are not right within The Vision. Bronson Reed has been acting more or less on his own, Bron Breakker was nowhere to be seen on the show, and Seth Rollins outright ignored his wife, Becky Lynch.

But if there’s really a breakdown happening, it is between Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins. The Visionary asked Heyman what would happen if he lost to Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel, and The Oracle promptly replied that he would have to reconsider his decision of leaving Roman Reigns for The Vision.

It seems that the dynamics between both parties are haywire at the moment, and Heyman has not shied away from letting his displeasure be known about Rollins ignoring his instructions on SmackDown.

“If you lose…I have to ask myself why I picked you over Roman Reigns.”@HeymanHustle let @WWERollins know that EVERYTHING is on the line at Crown Jewel… 👀 pic.twitter.com/TjGTxnYrTC

— WWE (@WWE) October 7, 2025

This was arguably one of the most interesting segments on WWE RAW and is shaping up to be another classic.

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In the end, the Red Sox werenâ€t good enough.

There were, along the way, illusions to the contrary. Take, for instance, a scintillating performance from ace Garrett Crochet in the AL wild-card opener that put Boston in the driver’s seat. Still, it proved to be false hope. The Red Sox faltered late in a goose-bumping Game 2 before being absolutely dominated by rookie hurler Cam Schlittler in an all-deciding Game 3.

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Why exactly Bostonâ€s topsy-turvy 2025 season ended early can be chalk-talked into oblivion. A series of unfortunate, late-season injuries to star rookie Roman Anthony and No. 2 starter Lucas Giolito undoubtedly played a role in the teamâ€s downfall. So did a string of critical mistakes in Game 2 that tipped the scales toward the Yankees, namely a failed bunt attempt by Ceddanne Rafaela, a botched diving catch by Jarren Duran and an overly passive baserunning decision by third-base coach Kyle Hudson on what would’ve been the go-ahead run. And sure, maybe manager Alex Cora left rookie southpaw Connelly Early out to dry a little too long in Game 3.

But overanalyzing such minutiae is a waste of time.

The 2025 Red Sox were simply not capable of winning a World Series. They didnâ€t have the arms, they didnâ€t have the bats, and they didn’t have the gloves. The roster, all along, was too flawed to overcome. Against the Yankees, the Sox were effectively rolling out a lineup of Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, a defensive specialist in Rafaela, a solid catcher in Carlos Narváez and five platoon players. Crucially, nobody in the lineup except for Story instilled anything resembling fear in the hearts and minds of Yankees pitchers.

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I wonder if Rafael Devers watched the wild-card series.

[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

And while the rotation showed admirably in the wild-card round, it was unavoidably obvious that even with Giolitoâ€s unexpected absence, the staff was an arm or two short. That void on the roster shines a spotlight on the clubâ€s underwhelming trade deadline. Yes, the teamâ€s premier acquisition, starter Dustin May, spent the series on the IL, but he was far from the game-changing, needle-moving force that might have swung the thing in Bostonâ€s favor.

So where do the Red Sox go from here? Are there encouraging conclusions to draw from this most tumultuous season? Or are the Sox paper tigers in a division that remains an unforgiving jungle?

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Letâ€s start with the good.

Garrett Crochet proved to be a foundational piece to build a team around. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

(Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox via Getty Images)

Anthonyâ€s emergence was the most important development of Bostonâ€s season. Anybody, fan or professional ball-knower, who saw the 21-year-old in person this year knows that he is a difference-making hitter. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who has earned criticism for some of his maneuvers since taking over in the fall of 2023, deserves kudos for signing the powerful outfielder to a long-term deal. Anthony will make a ton of All-Star Games and serve as the centerpiece of Bostonâ€s lineup for years to come.

The arrivals and successes of a pair of young southpaws, Early and the mustached Payton Tolle, also provide reason for optimism. Both hurlers should compete for rotation spots next season, evidence that Bostonâ€s pitching development apparatus has taken a nice step forward. Storyâ€s offensive bounce-back, even though heâ€s under contract through only 2027, makes the near-term outlook rosier than it might have been. Bregman was a great fit as well, despite the seven-week quad injury that derailed his season.

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But there are reasons for concern as well.

Kristian Campbell made the big-league club out of camp and showed flashes at the plate in April before falling off a cliff in May. He was demoted on June 20 and never reappeared in the bigs. Campbell is currently a defensive liability without a real position, which gives him a shorter leash to find consistency with the bat. Getting him back on track is crucial. The same is true for fellow big-name prospect Marcelo Mayer, whose 2025 ended early due to a wrist injury. Mayerâ€s inability to hit left-handed pitching is a real worry spot, as is his inability to stay on the field. He needs a healthy 2026 to get back on track.

Bostonâ€s offensive position-player group still resembles a puzzle with no edge pieces. The Red Sox probably need to trade one of their two lefty-hitting outfielders, but both Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran took massive steps back this season, hurting their trade value. Players such as Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton and David Hamilton were helpful at times but are not impactful enough to form the backbone of a World Series contender. Masataka Yoshida finished the year hot but isn’t a particularly valuable player as a DH with no power who struggles against same-sided pitching.

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Oh, and Bregman is a sure bet to activate his opt-out and retest free agency. Even if the Sox re-sign him, the lineup feels at least two bats short.

And while the club has more financial flexibility after dealing away the Devers contract, there is legitimate skepticism that Breslow and the ownership will be aggressive enough in free agency to add the necessary pieces. That dynamic, plus the disappointing seasons from Campbell, Mayer, Duran, Abreu and Yoshida, calls into question whether this core is talented enough to compete for a championship.

Thatâ€s unfortunate, given just how magnificent of a win the Crochet trade and extension have proven to be. The southpaw is an aceâ€s ace, the type of pitcher strong enough to carry the hopes and expectations of a city as demanding as Boston. But as weâ€ve seen with Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal in Detroit, one Cy Young cannot singlehandedly win a title.

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As such, Bostonâ€s front office needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of this window. Simply employing an arm such as Crochet makes the Red Sox a force to be reckoned with, but itâ€s reasonable to doubt that they will make other necessary moves on the margins, as their half-measure approach at this yearâ€s deadline showcased.

Thereâ€s an enticing foundation here, but whether the building gets built remains an open question.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Darby Allin (on Collision 9/17)

I thought this was a very strong week for promos on Dynamite and Collision. Darbyâ€s promo from Collision talking about his climb to the top of Mt. Everest makes this week’s list. I thought he really did an amazing job tying in the climb on Mt. Everest, and how he kept his word that he was going to do it, to keeping his word about protecting AEW from Moxley.

His line about “not being able to politic to the top of the world†was a really strong line, and I liked him talking about how important it is for him to keep his word, and using that to set it up later in the interview when he made Bryan Danielson promise to give Darby his word that he would not get involved in his match with Moxley at All Out.

I also liked the whisper in the ear from Danielson to Darby at the end, too. It set up a little suspense gong into the match with Moxley at All Out. Just a passionate promo from Darby and a promo that helped sell the match with Moxley at All Out even more.

“Hangman” Page and Kyle Fletcher contract signing (on Dynamite 9/17)

In a few years we are going to look back and say the feud with Hangman was really Kyle Fletcherâ€s coming out party as a top star in AEW, and not just a guy who has potential but still needs to put it together. Fletcher has really stepped up his game in this feud with Hangman, and this contact signing is a huge example.

We still need to fix the collar on that dress shirt (collar stays, Kyle), but wow was this good.

I really enjoyed Hangman mentioning how other wrestlers are tired of getting involved in every AEW World Title match because so am I. Hangman explaining to Fletcher how he needs to earn the title, and Fletcher explaining how heâ€d do anything for a title shot really emphasizes the importance of the word title, and that is the point of all this.

Every wrestlerâ€s goal should be to be world champion. Hangman explaining the weight of carrying the title, and how he knows the feeling Kyle will have the morning after All Out after he loses was rally compelling: Waking up that morning after losing a title shot, and looking yourself in the mirror is a pivotal moment of who you are and where you are going to go next. I really liked Hangman bringing that up, and making fletcher ask himself “ who will you be.â€

I thought AEW did a great job of book-ending the show with the contract signing, and the end of the show with Fletcher keeping his promise of making sure Hangman would be broken by the end of the night. More of that please, and it was also nice that no one went through the table at the contract signing. Itâ€s too cliché now, and Iâ€m happy they stayed away from that.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “Wrestling Night in America,” part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, and FTR (on Dynamite 9/17)

When AEW is in a smaller venue, and the setup involves a smaller stage, I really wish Adam Copeland would stop doing his run to both sides of the stage during his entrance. Its awkward and shows how small the venue is. I also feel like the singalong to his entrance music is becoming a little forced. When its in front of an audience when only half the audience knows the words, it becomes borderline cringy.

Alright, enough of the complaints, Taylor. This is supposed to be top promos not your top complaints. Christian standing in the ring with his arms folded, and not looking at FTR was so funny, and he was my favorite part of this promo segment. When he also corrected Copeland that its “Cage and Copeland,†I laughed out loud on my couch. He absolutely popped Dax with that microphone too, and I thought it was a great end to the segment.

The real reason I have this promo in the top three this week is because I thought Copeland did a really great job going over the backstory of the rivalry with FTR, and he didnâ€t fall into that trap he falls into too many times when he gets more concerned with trying to get over some corn line he thought of rather than trying to sell the match. I thought he had great intensity, and this was one of the best promos heâ€s had since joining AEW. He really sold the hatred he has for FTR right now.

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