Author: Shaun P Kernahan

NFL Season Predictions (That Will Absolutely Age Poorly)

We’ve made it. Fantasy draft boards are wiped clean, preseason panic attacks are in the rearview, and the NFL season kicks off tonight. Dallas heads to Philadelphia, and Jerry Jones is once again basking in the spotlight—not because the Cowboys are contenders, but because he just traded away one of the league’s best defenders. Only Jerry.

So, with chaos already underway, here are the NFL predictions that will almost certainly go wrong.

AFC Picks

East: Buffalo Bills
North: Baltimore Ravens
South: Houston Texans
West: Kansas City Chiefs
Wild Cards: Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals

The AFC is quarterback country. Each division winner boasts the top QB in that group, plain and simple. The Broncos? Not a one-year wonder—defense upgraded, offense loaded, and Drake Maye ready to pop. The Bengals? They’ll need fireworks weekly to cover up their defense, but Joe Burrow & Co. can drop 50 on anyone. Surprise miss: the Chargers stumble out of the picture.

NFC Picks

East: Philadelphia Eagles
North: Green Bay Packers
South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
West: Los Angeles Rams
Wild Cards: Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers

The Eagles stay perched atop the East, but Washington isn’t going away. Micah Parsons boosts the Packers into division glory, while Baker Mayfield keeps the Bucs rolling. The Rams emerge from a crowded West where everyone hangs around into December. Minnesota rides JJ McCarthy into a playoff berth, and Carolina is the shocker—sliding in while Detroit, with two new coordinators, slides out.

Awards & Big Finish

MVP: Joe Burrow
Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ashton Jeanty
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Malaki Starks
Super Bowl: Ravens over Packers

Book it, screenshot it, and come laugh at it in January.

F1 Netherlands Recap: Piastri Surges, Weug Shines, and Chaos Everywhere

The summer break is over, engines are hot, and Formula 1 is officially back. Both the F1 Academy and the big show delivered a weekend full of drama, milestones, and messy storylines.

F1 Academy: Home Heroes & Birthday Magic

Qualifying started on a damp track and wet tires, red flags flying before a single lap time stuck. Lia Block gambled early on slicks, but it was Maya Weug—roaring in front of her home fans—who stormed to pole.

Race One flipped the grid for the top eight, putting Nina Gademan on pole on her 22nd birthday. After Tina Hausmann crunched her PREMA into the wall, Weug carved from eighth to third, Block scored her first podium, and Gademan held on for a storybook maiden win.

Race Two had heartbreak before the lights: title contender Chloe Chambers never got off the line. Weug did, leading wire to wire for a home-soil victory. Alisha Palmowski and championship leader Doriane Pin rounded out the podium, while Esmee Kosterman made history as the first wild card to score points.

With two rounds left, Pin leads Weug by just 20 points, Chambers slipping to third. The championship fight is officially alive.

F1: Piastri Pounces, Norris Burns, Haas Gambles

Max Verstappen opened his home weekend by beaching himself in FP1. Lance Stroll crashed in FP2. By FP3, Lando Norris looked untouchable, topping all three sessions and flirting with the track record. \

Qualifying turned brutal for Lance Stroll, who crashed his Aston again, while both Haas cars bowed out in Q1. Norris lit up the timing sheets with back-to-back track records in Q2 and Q3, but Oscar Piastri had the final word—snatching pole with an even quicker lap and setting the stage for Sunday’s showdown.

Sunday’s race was chaos from lap one. Verstappen hounded Norris early, Hamilton found the wall in the wet on lap 23, and Haas rolled the dice by not pitting under safety car. Somehow, it worked.

The carnage piled up: Sainz tagged Liam Lawson and ate a controversial 10-second penalty, Leclerc pulled a wild gravel-dragging overtake on Russell, then got sent into the wall by rookie Kimi Antonelli—who stacked 15 seconds worth of penalties by day’s end. That wreck handed Haas their lifeline, pitting late and landing both cars in the points despite being eliminated in Q1.

The hammer blow? Norris’ McLaren coughing smoke on lap 65, turning a near-title fight into breathing room for his teammate. Piastri took the flag, Verstappen salvaged second, and rookie Isack Hadjar stole Driver of the Day with his first podium.

The Numbers That Matter

Drivers’ Championship: Piastri 309, Norris 275, Verstappen 205
Constructors’ Championship: McLaren +324, Ferrari second but just 12 points clear of Mercedes
Next stop: Monza, where the Tifosi will demand blood-red redemption after Ferrari’s double DNF.

Only Jerry: Cowboys Ship Off Parsons, Keep the Circus Alive

I was born in the mid-80s, but it was the early ’90s that stamped my sports fandom. Like most kids, I latched onto a team—though these days, after nearly 15 years covering sports, my rooting interest has morphed. Now it’s less about colors on a jersey and more about the people I’ve met, the players I respect, and, of course, my fantasy squads. (Yes, I still sneak in a guy or two from my childhood team. No, I won’t draft their rivals. Some habits die hard.)

That childhood team? The Dallas Cowboys. Blame—or credit—Drew Pearson. When I was five or six, my uncle took me to a sports bar plastered wall-to-wall with Cowboys memorabilia. Pearson, the legend himself, handed me a hat and signed it “Drew Pearson 88.” Next thing I knew, I was watching Dallas lift Lombardi Trophies in ’92, ’93, and ’95. Hook, line, sinker.

Thankfully, adulthood and a press pass pried me out of that fan-cage. I’ve been spared the heartbreak of watching Jerry Jones sabotage his own empire for three decades.

But Thursday? That old Cowboys sting flared again. Jerry traded away Micah Parsons—yes, the perennial DPOY candidate—for two first-rounders and Kenny Clark. On any other team this would be shocking. In Dallas? It was a classic “Only Jerry” moment.

The move echoes the Khalil Mack trade from 2018, when the Raiders shipped their star to Chicago. Difference is, the Raiders at least waited for the offseason. Jerry pulled the trigger a week before a primetime opener against the defending champs and division rival. Brilliant timing.

And the return? Let’s do the math. Mack netted the Raiders two 1s, a 3rd, and a 6th. Those became Josh Jacobs (a hit) and a cast of forgettable names like Damon Arnett and Bryan Edwards. Not exactly franchise-saving. Now Dallas is banking on Green Bay’s late-20s first-rounders. Look at their own recent picks in that range: Tyler Smith, Mazi Smith, Tyler Guyton. Two solid linemen, sure. But Mazi was supposed to fix the run defense already—and now Kenny Clark is here to cover that same hole.

The draft record is decent, but even that success often feels like it happened in spite of Jerry. Flash back to 2014 when the room had to drag him away from Johnny Manziel so they could take Zack Martin. One’s a bust. The other’s a future Hall of Famer. Guess which side Jerry was on.

Even if Dallas nails these two new first-rounders, what are the odds they stick around? Parsons bolted because contract talks went nuclear. Jerry openly admitted negotiating with Parsons himself instead of his agent—a move that might’ve crossed the CBA. Dak Prescott’s extension dragged to the last minute. CeeDee Lamb’s wasn’t any cleaner. This isn’t team-building, it’s soap opera scripting.

The truth is, Jerry doesn’t just want to win. He wants the spotlight. He’s the only owner who doubles as GM, makes weekly media rounds, and hires coaches who never actually get to steer the ship. Despite being 82, there’s zero sign he’ll loosen his grip.

So Cowboys fans, buckle in. That 30-year Super Bowl drought isn’t ending soon. Parsons gone, dysfunction steady, and the Jones Show still center stage. Only Jerry.

Bordeaux, Heaps, and Legend Pass Their First Big Test

Game two of the Jake Heaps era at Legend High School looked nothing like the walkover of week one. A week removed from a 63–10 demolition of Fruita Monument, the Titans hosted Grandview on Thursday night in a game that delivered lightning—literally—and a much stiffer challenge.

Heaps isn’t your average high school coach. He doubles as Russell Wilson’s personal QB coach, a connection that brought Denver Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles into the fold as Legend’s Director of Player Development. When he’s not protecting Bo Nix on Sundays, Bolles is in Parker mentoring the Titans’ offensive line. That’s a serious coaching pedigree for a Colorado 5A program.

And Heaps has a serious quarterback to work with. DJ Bordeaux, a prized transfer and three-star Boston College commit, now leads the Titans’ offense. Bordeaux’s high school journey has been a nomadic one—Highlands Ranch to Alpharetta, GA, to Douglasville, and back to Colorado—but he looks settled at Legend under Heaps’ tutelage. His quickness jumps off the page. Against Grandview, he was pressured all night by Utah State commit Brody Flores, who routinely bent the edge and got by would be blockers. Still, Bordeaux used his legs to turn would-be sacks into positive yards, showing exactly why Power Five programs wanted him.

It wasn’t all pretty. Kickoff was delayed 30 minutes by lightning, and the first half was equally stormy with flags everywhere. Bordeaux threw two interceptions on Legend’s first three drives, part of a sloppy opening stretch.

Across the field, Grandview countered with another Division I quarterback, Blitz McCarty—yes, an all-name team lock—who’s committed to play in the Kibbie Dome at Idaho. Both QBs traded first-half touchdown passes, and Legend added a late rushing score to take a 15–6 halftime lead.

McCarty cut the margin to 15–13 with a third-quarter strike, and a Grandview field goal early in the fourth gave the Wolves their first lead at 16–15. That’s when Bordeaux settled in. The senior orchestrated a pair of touchdown drives in the final quarter, flipping the script and locking down a 28–16 Legend win.

The road gets no easier. Legend heads to Columbine on September 5, the first of three straight away games. Grandview will travel once more, to Ralston Valley on September 4, before its home opener against Legacy on September 12. Both teams showed flashes—and flaws—but with D1 quarterbacks at the helm, expect to hear from the Titans and Wolves again come playoff time.

What to Watch This Labor Day Weekend (Aug 29–Sept 1)

College Football Week 1 is here and it’s glorious — five straight days of real games, real stakes, and real irrational confidence. Plus F1’s back from the beach, the Cup Playoffs fire up at Darlington, Liverpool–Arsenal headlines Sunday, The Hundred crowns a champ, and baseball serves pennant-race spice.

College Football (Week 1)

Texas @ Ohio State

Sat, 12:00 PM ET — FOX
On January 10, Ohio State ended Texas’ season on the way to a national title. Eight-plus months later: run it back to open 2025. Arch vs. the Shoe. Yes, please.

Alabama @ Florida State

Sat, 3:30 PM ET — ABC
Both stumbled last year — Bama dropped four, FSU barely found wins — so someone gets a clean slate and someone gets a fresh bruise.

LSU @ Clemson

Sat, 7:30 PM ET — ABC
Death Valley vs. Death Valley. Tigers win. (We are contractually obligated to make that joke.)

Virginia Tech vs South Carolina (Aflac Kickoff — Atlanta)

Sun, 3:00 PM ET — ESPN
Beamer vs. his past, Hokies vs. the logo they love to hate, and it’s indoors so no weather excuses.

Notre Dame @ Miami

Sun, 7:30 PM ET — ABC
Not quite Catholics vs. Convicts, still a delicious Sunday-night brawl to close your weekend proper.

TCU @ North Carolina

Mon, 8:00 PM ET — ESPN
It’s the head-coaching debut of… Jordon Hudson—er, Bill Belichick—in Chapel Hill. Monday Night college ball and a pregame studio show on-site.

Formula 1

Dutch Grand Prix — Zandvoort

Sun, 9:00 AM ET — ESPN (Race)
Summer break’s over. Max gets a home roar, McLaren’s title push has teeth, and the banking’s still a rollercoaster.

F1 Academy is on the card, too — live via F1’s official channels (YouTube/X) and F1 TV, with select U.S. sessions on ESPN+. Tune in across Sat/Sun.

MLB

Cardinals at Reds — Busch bats vs. Cincy kids with the NL Central wobbling week-to-week.
Mariners at Guardians — Two bullpens you trust with your life and lineups you don’t; October leverage in August.
Tigers at Royals — Greene/Tork vs. Witt Jr.: the AL Central future, present tense.
Brewers at Blue Jays — Power vs. prevention; sneakily huge Wild Card ripple series.
Diamondbacks at Dodgers — NL West heat check in Chavez Ravine; vibes vs. vibes-and-a-billion-wins.

(Find them on MLB.TV/local RSNs; national windows rotate across FOX/FS1/ESPN/TBS.)

Soccer

Liverpool vs Arsenal (Premier League)

Sun, 11:30 AM ET — USA Network (stream: Peacock)
High-tempo, high-line, high-drama. Title-caliber litmus test before your Sunday dinner.

NASCAR

Cup Playoffs — Cook Out Southern 500 (Darlington)

Sun, 6:00 PM ET — USA Network
The Lady in Black opens the postseason with a tire-eating, wall-kissing reality check. Someone’s championship dream leaves with stripes.

Tennis — US Open (NYC)

Middle Sunday rolls with wall-to-wall coverage (day session around 11:00 AM ET, evening session around 7:00 PM ET), and Labor Day’s Round of 16 begins Monday at 11:00 AM ET. Park it on the couch; hydrate accordingly.

Cricket — The Hundred (Finals Weekend)

Eliminator on Saturday at The Kia Oval; Final on Sunday at Lord’s. In the U.S., watch on Willow TV. Perfect coffee cricket before your afternoon football.

Your Remote-Optimized Itinerary

Sat: Texas–Ohio State → Alabama–FSU → LSU–Clemson. Sprinkle in Dutch GP quali replays and a late Dodgers–D-backs nightcap.
Sun: Dutch GP with breakfast → Liverpool–Arsenal → Hokies–Gamecocks → Southern 500 → Notre Dame–Miami nightcap.
Mon: Belichick’s UNC debut under the lights.

From First-Rounders to Forgotten: Breaking Down Backup QB Tiers

Ranking lists are fun, but this time of year—smack in the middle of fantasy football draft weekend—tiers matter just as much as straight rankings. And now that NFL rosters are cut down to 53, it’s the perfect time to sort out the backup quarterback landscape.

So instead of just rattling off names, let’s group these guys into buckets. Some inspire hope, some inspire panic, and some inspire the same feeling you get when you find an old Blockbuster card in your wallet.

I Was a First-Round Pick, Now I’m Not Even QB1

Buffalo – Mitchell Trubisky
Miami – Zach Wilson
Indianapolis – Anthony Richardson
Las Vegas – Kenny Pickett
Los Angeles Chargers – Trey Lance
New York Giants – Jameis Winston & Jaxson Dart
Washington – Marcus Mariota
Minnesota – Carson Wentz
Atlanta – Kirk Cousins
Carolina – Andy Dalton
Tampa Bay – Teddy Bridgewater
San Francisco – Mac Jones

This is the “fallen angels” tier. Some are permanently relegated to backup status, but a few still have life left in the career arc. Cousins is the obvious “could start again” guy, while Richardson just needs health and improved decision making to reclaim his job. Jones, Wilson, and Pickett are still under 30, which in QB years is young enough to dream of resurrection. Dart? He’ll get thrown in at some point since they did just spend a first rounder on him.

You Know I Started a Super Bowl, Right?!?!

Los Angeles Rams – Jimmy Garoppolo

Matthew Stafford’s health is always a headline, but somehow people forget the Rams have one of the most decorated backups in football. Garoppolo is basically the walking, talking version of “break glass in case of emergency.” And for what it’s worth, Stetson Bennett IV looked sharp this preseason too.

Shipping Off Kenny Pickett Cleared Things Up

Cleveland – Dillon Gabriel & Shedeur Sanders

Joe Flacco holds the starter’s seat while Deshaun Watson waits on the PUP, but the depth chart behind him is rookies. Gabriel is technically QB2, but no rookie got more preseason airtime than Shedeur Sanders. ESPN might as well rename their morning block “First Take, Then Shedeur.”

We’re Screwed If He Plays

Baltimore – Cooper Rush
Cincinnati – Jake Browning
Philadelphia – Tanner McKee/Sam Howell

No offense—okay, maybe a little offense—but these guys are ok at best. The problem is they back up Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Jalen Hurts. That’s a Grand Canyon–sized talent gap.

We’re Screwed No Matter Who Starts

New Orleans – Tyler Shough

Kellen Moore handed the starting job to Spencer Rattler, leaving Shough as the backup. Both would be QB3s on half the rosters in the league. Saints fans deserve hazard pay this season.

Haven’t Heard That Name in a Minute

Pittsburgh – Mason Rudolph
Jacksonville – Nick Mullens
Tennessee – Brandon Allen
Denver – Jarrett Stidham
Kansas City – Gardner Minshew
Detroit – Kyle Allen
Seattle – Drew Lock

They’ve all started NFL games. They’ve all been forgotten just as quickly. Minshew at least has a cult following, but the rest? If you walked into a room full of them with prefilled nametags, you’d probably mess up at least three.

At Least It Would Be Interesting

Dallas – Joe Milton III

Nobody knows if Milton can actually play NFL quarterback. But the arm strength is cartoonish and the athleticism is legit. If nothing else, it’d be must-see chaos.

Proper Backup QB Situations

New England – Joshua Dobbs
New York Jets – Tyrod Taylor
Houston – Davis Mills
Chicago – Tyson Bagent
Green Bay – Malik Willis
Arizona – Jacoby Brissett

This is what a team wants in the room: guys who’ve started before, can step in without changing the scheme, and won’t completely sink the ship. They’re not franchise saviors, but they’re professional quarterbacks.

Backup QBs are one of the NFL’s strangest ecosystems—halfway houses for washed starters, landing pads for rookies, and random storage bins for names you forgot were still on payroll. But as history keeps reminding us, you never really appreciate a backup until you’re watching one play in December with your season on the line.

What to Watch This Weekend: August 22-24

Every Friday, we’re cutting through the clutter and telling you what’s actually worth your eyeballs this weekend. Big stage, small stage, and the stuff hiding in the corner that you’ll be glad you found. Let’s roll.

Football

Forget the fake preseason stuff—real football is here. Week 0 drops Saturday with FBS and FCS action, and it’s juicier than usual.

Iowa State vs. Kansas State — Dublin, Ireland (Sat, Noon ET, ESPN)
This isn’t your sleepy Week 0 cupcake. Two ranked Big 12 teams, two future NFL quarterbacks in Rocco Becht (Iowa State) and Avery Johnson (K-State), and playoff stakes already in the air. Add in the novelty of Irish pints before kickoff—this one’s appointment viewing.
Incarnate Word @ Nicholls (Sat, 1 PM ET, ESPN2)
Don’t sleep on the FCS. Southland rivals, a Top-5 squad in UIW, and a Nicholls team trying to bounce back from a flop season. Should be spicy down in Thibodaux.
Stanford @ Hawaii (Sat, 7:30 PM ET, CBS)
Normally, this is perfect midnight-on-the-mainland Rainbow Warrior chaos. Instead, we’re stuck with a standard kickoff. Still, plenty to watch: Andrew Luck is running Stanford’s GM chair, Frank Reich is on the sideline, and transfer QB Ben Gulbranson just beat out freshman Elijah Brown for the starting gig. New era vibes for the Cardinal.

Baseball

Rivalry weekend, full blast.

Red Sox at Yankees (capped by Sunday Night Baseball, ESPN) — two clubs fighting for positioning in the Wild Card standings
Dodgers at Padres — San Diego gets another swing at the reigning champs of the NL West.
Mets at Braves — Braves fans haven’t had a ton to cheer for this season, but they always get up to root against the Mets.

And don’t forget: Little League World Series Championship hits Sunday (1 PM ET, ABC). U.S. vs. International, bragging rights for life.

Golf

The Tour Championship is live from East Lake, with $40M on the line. Scottie Scheffler has the inside track, but there are plenty ready to wreck his repeat bid.

Rugby

The Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. The U.S. opens against the hosts at the Stadium of Light (CBS Sports, late Friday night/early Saturday morning stateside). Pour one more and root for the Eagles.

Soccer

Europe’s back in full swing, and there are some tasty matchups to keep on your radar this weekend:

Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig (Fri, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+)
Bundesliga action from the Allianz Arena. Bayern usually dominates Leipzig, but Leipzig loves a statement game.

West Ham vs. Chelsea (Fri, 3:00 p.m. ET, USA Network/Universo)
West Ham hosts Chelsea at London Stadium in a clash that could set the tone for the rest of the season. Expect drama, late tackles, and maybe a surprise upset.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham (Sat, 7:30 a.m. ET, USA Network/Universo)
Early bird gets the goals. Pep’s squad at home, Spurs looking to prove a point. It’s a Premier League heavyweight bout that kicks off bright and early stateside. Coffee mandatory.

Sure, there’s more. But these are the headliners, the sneaky gems, and the built-in excuses not to mow the lawn. The couch is calling—answer it.

College Football 2025 Preview: The Year of the Quarterback

Week 0 kicks off this weekend, which means one thing: football is officially back. Let’s break down the biggest storylines, conference winners, and my playoff picks for the 2025 season.

The Year of the Quarterback

Every season leans quarterback-heavy, but this year’s depth is on another level. There’s no Trevor Lawrence-style “lock” for the No. 1 pick, but the overall talent pool is stacked.

Cade Klubnik – Has Clemson back in the title mix.
Garrett Nussmeier – Could end up the top pick in next year’s draft.
Drew Allar – Returns after a breakout campaign.
LaNorris Sellars – Might be the most physically gifted QB in the country.

And that’s just the start. Arch Manning remains the sport’s most famous name, while John Mateer makes headlines for both his play and off-field drama. Carson Beck takes over for Cam Ward in Miami, and Gunner Stockton leads Georgia on another playoff push. Looking further ahead, DJ Lagway at Florida is already generating 2027 draft buzz.

For dark-horse Heisman talk, I like Sam Leavitt at Arizona State, but don’t sleep on Blake Horvath at Navy — who could be prepping for Army-Navy even while packing for New York.

Conference Champions

ACC – Clemson
They slipped into the CFP last year, and the roster’s even better now. Miami and SMU will make them earn it.

Big 12 – Arizona State
Toughest pick of the bunch — Kansas State, Iowa State, and Texas Tech all have legit claims. But ASU’s schedule sets up nicely.

Big Ten – Penn State
Ohio State may be ranked higher early, but QB uncertainty tips this to Penn State. Oregon and Michigan will be in the hunt, and Iowa could be sneaky dangerous with SDSU transfer Mark Gronowski.

SEC – Texas
The roster is loaded, but so is the SEC. Georgia, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida all have playoff potential.

Group of Five Picks

AAC – Navy
Tulane is a real threat, but Navy with Horvath at QB has the edge.

Conference USA – Liberty
Weakest FBS conference this year. Even after losing Kaidon Salter to Colorado, Liberty’s depth should carry them.

MAC – Toledo
The kings of MACtion again.

Mountain West – Boise State
Last year’s G5 playoff rep looks ready for a repeat. UNLV with Michigan transfer Alex Orji will push them.

Sun Belt – James Madison
Since moving up to FBS, the Dukes have been nearly unstoppable. Texas State should meet them in the title game.

Playoff Picture

Automatic bids go to conference champs:

Texas (SEC)
Clemson (ACC)
Penn State (Big Ten)
Arizona State (Big 12)
Boise State (G5 highest-ranked champ)

I see two Group of Five teams getting in — Boise State and Navy.

Final Seeding:

Texas
Penn State
Georgia
Clemson
Ohio State
LSU
Oregon
Arizona State
Florida
South Carolina
Miami
Navy

Bye weeks now go to the top four seeds, regardless of conference champion status — which is how Georgia sneaks into the top four.

Title Game: Penn State over Texas

Lower-Division Picks

FCS: Montana State
DII: CSU Pueblo
DIII: Mount Union

This season’s quarterback depth, loaded playoff race, and Group of Five parity make 2025 one of the most unpredictable years we’ve had in a while — and that’s exactly how we like it.

China’s Golden Week: World Games End in Chengdu Coronation

The World Games in Chengdu closed on a high, but the week began in heartbreak. Italian orienteer Mattia Debertolis was found unconscious on the course August 8 and tragically passed away days later at just 26. A civil engineer and PhD student at Stockholm University, Debertolis was more than an athlete — he was a rising mind and a competitor taken too soon. His loss hit the Games with a weight that no medal tally can balance.

But as it always does, sport pressed forward — and the action was fierce.

Speed climbing stole the spotlight. Six golds were up for grabs, and China made it clear this was their wall. On the men’s side, world record holder Sam Watson looked ready to cash in, but home favorite Shou Hong Chu snatched gold with a 0.16-second edge that might as well have been a mile at that pace. The women’s podium? Forget balance — China slammed the door, sweeping all three spots. Li Juan Deng held off Yu Mei Qin by one-hundredth of a second. Yes, 0.01. That’s literally the blink of an eye. Qin doubled up on silver in speed 4, while Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dwei broke through for gold. Jianguo Long’s personal best 4.74 in the men’s event added more proof: this was China’s house.

The relays drove the point home. Chinese women finished one-two like it was a national training run, and the men put the United States in their rearview to claim another gold. At that point, the only question left was how much hardware the hosts could carry out of their own building.

Flag football brought one of the few shocks of the week. Team USA — heavy favorites and looking like a lock — got clipped by Mexico in the women’s gold medal game, 26–21. It was the kind of upset that flips a script and reminds you why trophies aren’t handed out on paper.

By the time the curtain dropped, the medal count looked like a demolition. China racked up 64 total medals, 36 of them gold — double Germany’s haul, and then some. Italy finished second in total hardware with 57, while Germany’s 17 golds kept them just barely in the conversation less than half of the hosts while still being nation with the second most athletes standing at the top of a podium.

Now the torch moves to Europe. Karlsruhe, Germany, gets the next crack at hosting in 2029. The question: can anyone else make it their Games, or will we be talking about China’s dominance all over again in four years?

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Lock in RBs Early, Clean Up WR Value Late

Round 1: Best Available… But Watch RBs Closely

Go “best player available” in the first round, but if you have a shot at an elite running back, take it. The RB pool dries up fast. In a 12-team league, there are 24 starting spots at minimum, and several managers will flex an RB too. By the time you’re looking past the top 24, you’re in uncertainty territory — think the Giants, Cowboys, or Jaguars backfields, where no one knows who will hold the job all year.

That’s why my early priority is to secure two, ideally three, strong RBs before the talent cliff hits.

WR: Depth for Days

The top WRs are elite, but this position is loaded. You can find quality starters well after round five. Even outside the top 24, you’ll see names like Zay Flowers, Jameson Williams, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Jacoby Meyers, Calvin Ridley, Stefon Diggs, and Jerry Jeudy — plenty of upside without an early-round price tag.

With that in mind, I’ll bulk up on WRs later, aiming for high-upside flyers like Keon Coleman or Luther Burden in the late rounds. Both have breakout potential if the situation breaks their way.

TE: The Shallow End of the Pool

Tight end is top-heavy. If you wait until the very end, you’re staring at Tyler Warren, Dallas Goedert, or Dalton Kincaid — decent players, but not difference-makers. Unless you’re punting the position entirely, grab one before the drop-off.

QB: Depth That Lasts All Draft

Quarterback is the opposite story — it’s deep. Even after backups are taken, you can still find intrigue. Drake Maye could deliver with his rushing ability and the Patriots’ upgraded offense. JJ McCarthy is another late-round lottery ticket.

Here’s the case for McCarthy: Sam Darnold — yes, that Sam Darnold — finished as a top-10 fantasy QB last year in Minnesota. Now McCarthy, a first-round pick with legit mobility, steps into that same offense. Risk? Sure. But top-10 upside is there.

Bonus Rule Change: Reward the 60+ Yard Bombs

Kicker scoring hasn’t caught up to the modern game. Right now, most leagues give:

3 points for 0-39 yards
4 points for 40-49 yards
5 points for 50+ yards

That made sense when 50-yarders were rare. Now they’re routine. We’re seeing 60+ yarders regularly — even a 70-yarder from Cam Little this preseason.

CAM LITTLE 70-YARD FIELD GOAL

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/OCIZ1W5M5f
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025

My fix: make 50-59 yards worth 5 points, and add a 60+ yard category worth 6 points. It would boost the value of big-leg kickers from afterthoughts to potential draft targets.