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Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi named Player of the Matchday | MLSSoccer.com
Messi is the first player in league history to post at least 5g/5a through his first five games of the season. Additionally, he joined Thierry Henry (11 in 2012), Landon Donovan (10 in 2008) and Raúl Díaz Arce (10 in 1997) as the only players with at least 10 goal contributions in their first five games to begin a season.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is also now tied for most goal contributions (10) in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake’s Cristian Arango. Since his arrival in July 2023, Miami have a 5W-0L-2D record in league games where Messi produces a goal or an assist.
The MLS Player of the Matchday is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75% of the vote, while an X (formerly known as Twitter) fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
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Antonio Gates allegedly hosted and played in a rigged Miami poker game, according to a new report.
Sports investigative journalist Pablo Torre reported on Sunday that the Hall of Fame tight end hosted and participated in an allegedly rigged game that was organized by Curtis Meeks, who was indicted by federal prosecutors as part of the massive gambling scandal that rocked the NBA.
Details were limited, but Torre’s report follows a report by The Post on Saturday, where one purported victim said that he and his friends had been scammed of nearly $1 million, with an ex-NFL player serving as the “face card” for a game in which Meeks was a main participant.
The federal indictment that was unsealed last week named more than 30 people and painted a picture of separate elaborate sports betting and rigged poker game schemes that involved Trail Blazers head coach Chauncy Billups, Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Billups had been involved as a “face card” for the rigged poker games, with mob-linked organizers using him to lure “fish” into the high-tech scheme.
Gates has not publicly commented on the report and it’s unclear if his alleged involvement is related to the rigged poker scheme that federal prosecutors had been probing.
Follow The Post’s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:
The source that spoke with The Post could not say if the game he played in was part of the same poker ring, but he said Meeks was participating in the game that they were playing in and noted that “we would never have been there if not for the professional athlete.”
The person did not name the athlete in The Post’s report.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.
- Ernest Aiello — reputed Bonanno mobster
- Nelson “Spanish G” Alvarez
- Louis “Lou Ap” Apicella
- Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh
- Saul Becher — professional poker player
- Chauncey Billups — Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
- Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino
- Eric “Spooky” Earnest
- Lee Fama — professional poker player
- John Gallo
- Marco Garzon
- Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo — reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for beating porn star girlfriend
- Jamie Gilet
- Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
- Kenny Han
- Shane “Sugar” Henne
- Osman “Albanian Bruce” Hoti
- Horatio Hu
- Zhen “Scruli” Hu
- Damon “Dee Jones” Jones — NBA player from 1998 to 2009
- Joseph Lanni
- John “John South” Mazzola
- Curtis Meeks
- Nicholas Minucci
- Michael Renzulli
- Anthony Ruggiero Jr.
- Anthony “Doc” Shnayderman
- Robert “Black Rob” Stroud
- Seth Trustman
- Sophia “Pookie” Wei
- Julius Ziliani
The federal indictment sent shockwaves through the sports world and the idea that athletes from outside the NBA could be involved is sure to shake things up even more.
Gates was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August after spending his entire career with the Chargers.
In 16 seasons in the NFL, Gates recorded 11,841 receiving yards and 116 receiving touchdowns.
He last played in 2018.
The Miami Hurricanes are looking to get back on track against the Stanford Cardinals and it starts with one of the best players on the team having an eltric day.
Malachi Toney has been the best wide receiver to come out of Coral Gables in some time. In a new ranking from ESPN, Toney sits at the top among all other freshmen in the country as the best.
1. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
One of the youngest players in the country, Toney reclassified into Miami’s 2025 class and wasted no time proving he was undervalued as a three-star recruit. Even in an upset loss to Louisville, he was a bright spot with nine catches for 135 yards, a 12-yard reverse for a TD, and a 2-point conversion pass. Toney already has a knack for showing up against the Hurricanes’ toughest opponents.
He averaged 85 yards per game against Miami’s three AP Top 25 opponents, and he tallied a then-career-high 107 yards and two touchdowns in the Canes’ 28-22 win over Florida State. At 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, he has become Carson Beck‘s most reliable target, leading Miami in receptions (38) and yards (510) through six games. Both of those marks rank in the top 10 in the ACC. With secure hands, quickness after the catch and fearlessness in traffic, Toney looks like Miami’s next great playmaker.
2. Malik Washington, QB, Maryland Terrapins
3. Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU Cougars
4. Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan Wolverines
5. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB, California Golden Bears
6. Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon Ducks
7. Michael Carroll, OL, Alabama Crimson Tide
8. Bo Jackson, RB, Ohio State Buckeyes
9. Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke Blue Devils
10. Dontrell Glover, OG, Georgia Bulldogs
11. Brandon Finney Jr., CB, Oregon Ducks
12. Demetres Samuel Jr., CB, Syracuse Orange
13. Zahir Mathis, DE, Maryland Terrapins, and Sidney Stewart, DE, Maryland Terrapins
14. Graceson Littleton, CB, Texas Longhorns
15. Michael Fasusi, OT, Oklahoma Sooners
Toney is on pace to break nearly every freshman record in program history. So far this season, He has 38 receptions, 510 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.
He also leading the country with the most receptions without a drop among all FBS receivers.
Most receptions WITHOUT a drop among ALL FBS WRs:
Malachi Toney, Miami (FL): 38
Ian Strong, Rutgers: 37
DeAree Rogers, Northern Illinois: 35
Carnell Tate, Ohio State: 34
Braden Pegan, Utah State: 34
Que’Sean Brown, Duke: 31
Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, ODU: 30
Read More: Miami Freshman On Pace to Break Several Program Records
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
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