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Caitlin Clark paints masterpiece in Fever's win over Mercury

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Caitlin Clark paints masterpiece in Fever's win over Mercury

INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton couldn’t contain himself. The Indiana Pacers star, who was sitting courtside Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, wasn’t just watching basketball. He was watching art.

And Caitlin Clark was painting a masterpiece.

With each pinpoint pass from the Indiana Fever’s No. 1 pick, Haliburton moved closer to the edge of his seat until he finally jumped out of it. Haliburton knows what a great pass looks like. He led the NBA in assists last year. But this full-court dart from Clark to Kelsey Mitchell for a fast-break layup made him react like he’d just seen a magic trick.

First, his hands went up in the air. Then, they went on his head in disbelief.

“Hope y’all seeing what 22 doin at Gainbridge,” Haliburton shared via X.

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Clark’s dime to Mitchell in the second quarter was one of many highlights in the Fever’s 98-89 victory over the Phoenix Mercury. The resounding win, against a team with a trio of newly crowned Olympic gold medalists, secured Indiana’s first season sweep against any opponent since 2020 and the franchise’s first season sweep against the Mercury since 2015.

Back then, Clark was 13 and the Fever was in the WNBA Finals. The team has had only one playoff appearance since, and after a month-long break for the Olympics, it’s fighting for another. Friday was simply the first of 14 remaining regular-season bouts, and Clark came out swinging.

The 22-year-old scored or assisted on 17 points in the first quarter, one more point than the Mercury scored as a team. Clark was doing whatever she wanted: nailing deep 3s, converting and-1 layups and dishing out passes as if she has a sixth sense.

“I think just getting to know my teammates and playing with them, it’s just a comfortability,” Clark said. “It was gonna take me a little bit of time to get used to. It was hard to adjust, and once I kind of found my groove so far, I think we’ve just been getting better and better.”

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Clark finished with 29 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. She’s reached the 25-point, 10-assist threshold twice in her last five games. All other rookies in WNBA history combined have done it only once, per Stat Mamba.

Mitchell has been one of the main beneficiaries of Clark’s growing command of Indiana’s offense. The fellow All-Star guard scored a season-high 28 points against the Mercury, including 10 points off passes from Clark. Eight of those points were in the fourth quarter and helped stave off a furious Phoenix comeback.

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“Basketball is a language,” Mitchell said. “You gotta get on the same page with your counterparts. I think me and C-Squared like to play a certain way and that’s fast and up-tempo, so I’m gonna always align (with her) based on how she’s playing and how the game is going.”

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Fever coach Christie Sides said she challenged Clark over the break to “empower her teammates” even more when the season resumed. That message resonated with Clark, evidenced by how she trusted her counterparts when Phoenix stormed back from a 28-point second-quarter deficit and briefly took a 62-61 lead late in the third quarter.

Instead of getting frustrated, which Clark visibly displayed earlier in the season, she remained poised and kept the ball moving. Lexie Hull nailed a 3-pointer to put the Fever back in front, and at the end of the period, when Clark could’ve taken a 3-pointer that everyone in the crowd was hoping she’d shoot, she passed it to Katie Lou Samuelson.

The veteran forward had yet to attempt a shot, but she nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Those were her only points of the night.

“She was wide open,” Clark said through a smile. “She was almost like too open.”

There were moments Friday, particularly in the third quarter, when it looked like the Fever were going to fold. It had been a theme at the beginning of the season: building a big lead only to get bullied into a brutal loss. The Mercury tried that approach and became the aggressor behind All-Star Kahleah Copper, who finished with a game-high 32 points, and clawed its way back into the game.

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But Clark didn’t panic and neither did her teammates. After Mitchell took exception to how Phoenix’s Natasha Cloud was defending her in the third quarter, Mitchell shoved Cloud in the chest and was whistled for an offensive foul. The two came face-to-face and were given technical fouls.

“Sometimes having passion for the game, some moments can spike your team up to go and play well,” Mitchell said. “I had a moment myself. … But I think it kind of helped us. The grit and the game in those third quarters and when teams make runs is how you win a game in the WNBA. You just gotta be gritty. You gotta be able to get trenchy a little bit.”

However, there’s a big difference between being “trenchy” and being in the trenches. The latter is mainly where the Fever have resided ever since Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings retired after the 2016 season. This year, with Clark holding the paintbrush, could be a different picture.

“I always say that C-Squared is one of those players where her IQ is gonna take us a lot of places,” Mitchell said. “So, you really gotta fill in where you fit in as far as knowing how to read and adjust off her. And once you make that adjustment, I think obviously it’s really good basketball.”

 (Photo: Darron Cummings / Associated Press)

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Dashcam video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon rear-ending vehicle on Connecticut highway

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Dashcam video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon rear-ending vehicle on Connecticut highway

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Police have released new video showing former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon speeding before crashing his 2024 Bentley Continental GT into another luxury car on a Connecticut highway last summer.

McMahon appeared to be followed by a state trooper in Westport moments ahead of the eventual collision. McMahon’s vehicle reached speeds of more than 100 mph, state police said.

A trooper’s dashcam video showed McMahon accelerating and then braking too late to avoid rear-ending a BMW. The car McMahon was driving then swerved into a guardrail and careened back across the highway. A cloud of dirt, apparently mixed with vehicle debris, was visible in the immediate area of the crash.

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WWE owner Vince McMahon enters the arena during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium on Apr 3, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)

“Why were you driving all over 100 mph?” a state trooper asked McMahon after catching up to the wrecked Bentley.

“I got my granddaughter’s birthday,” McMahon replied, explaining he was on his way to see her. The encounter was recorded on police bodycam video.

No serious injuries were reported in the July 24 crash, which happened the same day former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack in Florida.

In an image taken from Connecticut State Police police bodycam video, Vince McMahon is questioned in his car after an accident on July 24, 2025, in Westport, Connecticut. (Connecticut State Police via The Associated Press)

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Aside from the damage to the rear of the BMW, another vehicle driving on the opposite side of the parkway was struck by flying debris. The driver of that third car happened to be wearing a WWE shirt, police video suggested.

McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely. In October, a state judge allowed him to enter a pretrial probation program that could erase the charges if he completes it successfully.

He was also ordered to make a $1,000 charitable contribution. His attorney, Mark Sherman, called the crash simply an “accident.”

“Not every car accident is a crime,” Sherman said. “Vince’s primary concern during this case was for the other drivers and is appreciative that the court saw this more of an accident than a crime that needed to be prosecuted.”

Vince McMahon attends a press conference to announce that WWE Wrestlemania 29 will be held at MetLife Stadium in 2013 at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 16, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images)

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State police said a trooper was trying to catch up to McMahon on the parkway and clock his speed before pulling him over. They said the incident was not a pursuit, which happens when police chase someone trying to flee officers. They also said it did not appear McMahon was trying to escape.

“I’m trying to catch up to you, and you keep taking off,” State Police Det. Maxwell Robins said in the video. 

“No, no no. I’m not trying to outrun you,” McMahon clarified.

An accident information summary provided to the media shortly after the crash did not mention that a trooper was following McMahon.

The trooper’s bodycam video also shows him asking McMahon whether he was looking at his phone when the crash happened. McMahon said he was not and added he hadn’t driven his car in a long time.

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After Robins tells McMahon that his car is fast, McMahon replies, “Yeah, too (expletive) fast.”

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to obtain the police video, which was first acquired by The Sun.

McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He also resigned as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, in 2024, a day after a former WWE employee filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against him. McMahon has denied the allegations. The lawsuit remains pending.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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‘Just go out and pitch.’ Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow is efficient in his first spring start

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‘Just go out and pitch.’ Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow is efficient in his first spring start
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Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow is an admitted overthinker. But you wouldn’t know it based on his efficient first spring training start Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.

Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, retiring the first six batters before coming out after giving up a single to start the third inning. Using a pitch mix that included a fastball that sat at 97 mph, Glasnow struck out the side in the first inning before recording another strikeout to close out the second. Having thrown just 28 pitches, Glasnow started the third inning and threw three more pitches before coming out of the Dodgers’ 7-6 win.

“Very in rhythm,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Very efficient, used his entire pitch mix, it was really good. Good to see him get into the third inning. Positive day.”

The 32-year-old entering his third season with the Dodgers credits his coaches for keeping his mechanics on point.

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“It allows me to just go out and pitch and be athletic,” Glasnow said after his outing. “I’m able to just go out and play baseball as opposed to trying to tinker and fix certain stuff.”

Though he was plagued by injuries in his second season with the Dodgers, Glasnow finished on a high note, giving up just four earned runs over 21-1/3 postseason innings, good for a 1.69 ERA, pitching as a starter and a reliever. It was Glasnow’s first taste of the postseason as a Dodger, since a right-elbow injury ended his 2024 campaign in August, and was highlighted by his first career save in Game 6 of the World Series.

Glasnow called the experience “great.”

“When you go in with all those nerves and that pressure and that excitement, it’s just such an unbelievable feeling to go out [there],” he said last week. “Especially to be a starter and a reliever and just to be thrown into different situations. It was awesome. It was extremely memorable for me, and I’m craving to do it again. And hopefully we can do it again and get a three-peat.”

Looking to build off his impressive postseason, Glasnow enters the season with a newfound confidence.

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Last year Glasnow was placed on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation at the end of April and did not pitch again until just before the All-Star Break. The Santa Clarita native has a long history of injuries — including Tommy John surgery in 2021 — and never has clocked more than 135 innings in a season.

Over the winter he got married and made adjustments that he hopes will better his health. A successful season means staying off the IL.

“Pitching well and staying healthy,” Glasnow said when asked about goals. “Just doing all that and trying to make as many starts as I can, and just executing every start and being healthy in the postseason.”

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Tage Thompson Responds To MAGA Hat Criticism After Team USA Gold: ‘Proud To Be An American’

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Tage Thompson Responds To MAGA Hat Criticism After Team USA Gold: ‘Proud To Be An American’

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It’s been a long few days for Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson. He scored a critical goal for Team USA in the team’s semifinal match against Slovakia, and then went on to help the U.S. ultimately defeat Canada on Sunday to capture the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Thompson admitted after Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, the first NHL game for Buffalo since the Olympic break, that he was tired, rusty and sluggish on the ice. But most fans wouldn’t know it. Thompson scored Buffalo’s first goal of the night and assisted on the second as the Sabres emerged with a 2-1 victory over the Devils. 

New Jersey Devils’ Jack Hughes, right, and Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson gesture to fans before an NHL hockey game in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Jack Hughes, a Devils star and the Team USA skater who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat Canada, was honored by the team during a pregame ceremony. Hughes pulled an incredibly classy move and brought Thompson out to center ice, so the crowd could cheer the pair together. 

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Still, as impressive as Thompson’s return to the ice was, the story for much of the media following Team USA’s historic gold medal win revolves around the team’s trip to the White House and appearance during Tuesday’s State of the Union address by President Trump. 

White House Visit, MAGA Hat Photo Spark Backlash

Thompson, in particular, found himself in the crosshairs of the radical left-wing media mob because he was photographed wearing Trump’s famous “Make America Great Again” hat alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt and several teammates. 

Karoline Leavitt shared a photo to social media posing with deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, and several members of Team USA. The photo included Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Jack and Quinn Hughes, and Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson. Both Hughes brothers wore red and white USA hats, while Thompson sported a “Make America Great Again” hat, prompting widespread backlash on social media.   (Karoline Leavitt via Instagram)

I asked Thompson after the game if he had any response to the criticism over his hat choice. 

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“I’m proud to be an American, and I have my own faith, my own beliefs, and everyone’s entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, as well,” Thompson said diplomatically as he sat at his locker after the game. “I think we should be able to live in peace knowing that not everyone’s going to agree with you.” 

Speaking of Thompson’s faith, I also asked him about his Christian beliefs that helped shape everything in his life. 

“Jesus is everything to me. Obviously, we’re made imperfect. We’re all sinners, and we need him. And I fall short every single day, and he’s the one I rely on,” Thompson said. 

Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson (72) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

“I think when you have that sense of hope, the grace and the mercy that I receive every day from him is something that gives me peace and joy in life, no matter what I do. And he’s blessed me with this game and this opportunity to play the game I love at a high level, a beautiful family and friends, people surround me that I love. And I’m just very grateful.” 

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I think American hockey fans can confidently say they are grateful to Tage Thompson and all the players on the Team USA men’s hockey squad that helped deliver one of the most monumental gold medals in U.S. Winter Olympics history. 

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