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Record rankings: The Euro finals (6.43 million viewers) and Sunday’s Copa América (6.02 million) were on Fox most and second most watched football broadcasts outside the World Cup.
Aiyuk requests exchange: 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade amid stalled contract negotiations. Here are five likely landing spots if the Niners force it.
Little Papi: With the 567th pick in the draft, the Red Sox selected infielder D’Angelo Ortiz, the 20-year-old son of franchise legend and Hall of Famer David Ortiz.
Nadal wins in return: Rafael Nadal won on Tuesday in his first singles match since his early exit from the French Open. And speaking of famous children, his opponent was Leo Borg, son of 11-time Grand Slam champion Björn.
Woods responds: Tiger Woods fired back at Colin Montgomerie on Tuesday, days after the former Ryder Cup champion suggested Woods should retire: “As a former champion, I am exempt [from The Open] until age 60. Not Colin. He’s not a former champion, so he’s not exempt.”
RIP, Mr. Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Kobe’s father and an eight-year NBA veteran, died on Tuesday after suffering a stroke. He was 69 years old.
Why the chaotic World Cup does not (necessarily) mean the ruin of the 2026 World Cup
The chaos that surrounded much of the Copa América, which grew into an ugly scene ahead of Sunday’s final, left many wondering whether it would spell doom for the 2026 World Cup, also hosted in the United States. The answer? Not necessarily.
From Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports:
It was enthusiastically announced as a warm-up for the World Cup. The 2024 Copa América, held in the United States, was seen by some as a dress rehearsal. It arrived, audaciously, in Atlanta, then in Dallas and then in 12 other cities in the USA, like a football party. It also felt like an appetizer for the biggest sporting event on the planet – the men’s World Cup, which will arrive in North America in 2026, bigger and more bombastic than ever.
But over the course of four complicated weeks, the Copa América fell apart. On Sunday, everything collapsed. And so, instead of whetting American football’s appetite, it raised all sorts of questions and concerns about the country’s preparation for 2026.
The concerns are broad and understandable. The 2024 tournament, the Pan-American championship, was always marked by heat, empty places, criticism of the fields, unprofessional peculiarities and, in the end, disorder. The semi-final ended in a fight between players and fans. The final, delayed by security failures, left thousands of fans in pain – at the 2026 World Cup venue, the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
But no, the events of the last four weeks do not necessarily spell doom for 2026.
This was a sloppy tournament organized by CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation. FIFA, football’s global governing body, has already spent far more time, money and manpower planning the 2026 World Cup – the first it will manage entirely on its own, rather than delegating that responsibility to a local organizing committee.
Keep reading.
The world in photos
Arlington, Texas – The AL resumed winning ways with a 5-3 victory over the NL thanks to Jarren Duran’s goal two-run home run in the tiebreakerwhich earned him the MVP on an electrifying night in which Paul Skenes pitched a scoreless inning and Shohei Ohtani, naturally, a three-shot bomb exploded.
Madrid — Real Madrid officially presented Kylian Mbappé to more than 80,000 fans this Tuesday at the Bernabéu. The French star, who signed a five-year contract with the Spanish giants, said he “spent endless nights dreaming of playing for Real Madrid and today I am a happy guy”.
Washington DC – The USWNT faced Costa Rica to a goalless draw in their final Olympic preparation, battling scorching heat in the nation’s capital that was “a perfect preparation for Marseille,” coach Emma Hayes said of the sweltering city where they will play the Olympics. groups. .
Troon, Scotland – The marijuana bunkers at Royal Troon are no joke.
Reed Sheppard, the emerging star of Summer League
Reed Sheppard may have been the third player off the board in last month’s draft, but so far in Summer League the Rockets’ prospect looks like he could be the best rookie in the NBA.
Great first impression: The 6-foot-2 guard from Kentucky is averaging 20 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3 steals and a block while shooting 49% from the field and 38% from deep in his first three games with the Houston. And more than the numbers, he simply looks like he belongs.
What they are saying: “He’s a guy who makes all the right plays,” Rockets forward Amen Thompson told Yahoo Sports after watching Sheppard defeat second-ranked Alex Sarr in Sunday’s win over the Wizards. “He’s a great passer, he can shoot and defend. I’m excited.”
Was this expected? Well, yes and no. He was the third pick for a reason, and he shot 52 percent three seasons ago for the Wildcats. But he was rarely a starter and usually played more with the ball alongside Rob Dillingham, who threw five picks later for the Timberwolves.
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He wouldn’t be the first Kentucky draftee to make a jump to the NBA after more modest stats in college, as the Wildcats’ perennial depth sometimes caused former coach John Calipari to get creative with his lineups.
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Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, for example, each played just 21 minutes per game in their only season in Lexington — the same season, in fact — before quickly becoming NBA stars.
The last word: “Sheppard could end up being a franchise starting guard with how well he’s playing and his immense versatility on both ends of the court,” writes Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. She continues:
Summer League is always a time to evaluate new players and see how they fare in their first NBA experience. League executives and scouts watch other teams to see who potentially hits or misses certain prospects. It’s safe to say the Rockets have done well with Sheppard, and he’s proving to be a player who can step in right away and contribute in his first year.
More Summer League: Five highlights that can make an impact on fantasy | No. 2 pick Alex Sarr posts 0-15 on shooting night
July 17, 1941: DiMaggio’s hitting streak ends
83 years ago today, Joe DiMaggio’s Record Streak of 56 Consecutive Games finally came to an end as the Yankee Clipper went 0-3 with a walk in the win over the Indians.
By the numbers: DiMaggio was 91-for-223 (.408) with 21 hits and just five strikeouts during the streak (yes, he struck out five times in 56 games and just 13 times all season!). But one of my favorite baseball facts is that Ted Williams — who famously batted .406 that year — had a higher batting average than DiMaggio during his streak (.412).
More about this day:
*All-time walks leaders: Barry Bonds (2,558), Rickey Henderson (2,190), Ruth (2,062), Williams (2,021).
Watch list: end of first half
WNBA First Half Ends Tonight in Dallas (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)where the last-place Wings host Caitlin Clark and the Streaking* Fever in the final game before the All-Star break.
Where is it: If the season ended today, these eight teams would make the playoffs: 1. Liberty (21-4), 2. Sun (18-6), 3. Storm (17-8), 4. Aces (16-8), 5 . Lynx (16-8), 6. Mercury (13-12), 7. Fever (11-14), 8. Sky (10-14)
More to watch:
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Exhibition: USA x Serbia (12pm, FS1) … The Americans face Nikola Jokić’s team in Abu Dhabi.
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MLS: Nashville x Orlando (8:30 p.m., FS1); LAFC x Salt Lake (10:45 p.m., FS1) …Plus, 12 other games on Apple.
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NBA Summer League: Eight games (3pm to 10pm, ESPN/ESPN2/NBA)
*Gaining momentum: The Fever (11-14) has won eight of its last 12 games, with Clark averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists.
NBA Fun Facts
Patrick Beverley signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, perhaps ending his 12-year NBA career during which he played for seven different teams.
Question: Can you name all seven?
Tip: Four West, three East (one of which is pictured)
Reply at the bottom.
Training camp has begun
NFL training camps are underway. The Texans became the first team to officially open camp today, beginning the on-field portion of the offseason. By this time next week, the other 31 teams will have followed suit.
Training camp primer: What matters and what doesn’t matter
Trivia answer: Rockets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Lakers, Bulls, 76ers, Bucks
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