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Caitlin Clark's scoring record makes her historic. Her greatness makes her unmatched

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Caitlin Clark's scoring record makes her historic. Her greatness makes her unmatched

IOWA CITY, Iowa — After the record had fallen but before the celebrations really kicked off, Caitlin Clark found herself on an island.

She had known the general plan for the night if she made history, if she became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball.

Photos. A commemorative basketball. A quick interview for the fans in the arena.

But she didn’t know about the video. She wasn’t prepared for that.

With all eyes on her and five television cameras stationed just a few feet in front of her, Clark leaned up against the scorer’s table — the same spot where she has checked in and out of games hundreds of times over the past four years — and looked up at the big video board. She folded her arms and braced herself. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry on this night.

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But then her parents Brent and Anne appeared onscreen first with her golden retriever, Bella, and after, both of her brothers, Blake and Colin.

“A huge milestone, huge number,” Anne said. “But remember, it’s all the smiles, memories and so many special moments that are behind that number that are yours for a lifetime.”

Brent was the first person to put a basketball in Clark’s hands. Her first coach. The person who wouldn’t allow her to shoot those long-range 3s as a little kid because she wasn’t strong enough … yet. He had her do form shooting over and over again. Torture at the time. A gift in hindsight.

Her mom is the one whose mind and memory most resemble Caitlin’s, they say. Her brothers are the two who, as kids, toughened her up, and now, have acted as confidants and best friends in her rise to the top of the sport. In what has been a whirlwind of a year, Clark’s family has been her refuge and her protection.

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So, on a night that existed to honor Caitlin Clark the Player and everything she has accomplished in and for Iowa City over the last four seasons, this was the moment that finally felt too big. Her family, seated in real life 20 feet to her right, stared down at her from the big screen above the court and reflected back to her what this journey has meant.

From the scorer’s table, Clark pulled at the neck of her jersey, wiping her eyes and nose.

“There have been so many famous and cool people, and people I idolized growing up, that say a lot of really nice things about me, but when it’s people who have had your back through the ups and downs and been there every step of the journey — whether it was good or bad — and have seen the hard days, have seen the good days,” Clark said, “that’s when it means the most.”

Everyone knew the record would fall Thursday night against Michigan. Clark was only 8 points away, which for her is just a decent quarter of hoops. But even in warmups, her shot had a little extra juice. She was loose. In a good way. Yet, she felt the pressure. Also in a good way.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder has seen this version of her senior star before. Clark doesn’t just love these moments; she exists best in these moments. It’s why Clark has all the game winners, the clutch shots, the big performances. It’s why Bluder and assistant Jan Jensen knew during the Big Ten tournament title game last season — when Clark put up a triple-double (30 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds) — that something special could happen in March, and maybe April. Clark was operating then in that alternative plane she can sometimes occupy. When she’s there, she can carry with her the rest of the Hawkeyes. That game spurred their NCAA Tournament run to the national championship game in Dallas, but it started with a historic performance from Clark in Minneapolis.

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On Thursday night in Iowa’s home arena, with 8 points to go to set the scoring record, Clark was back on that plane.

She hit her first shot — a spin move to the baseline off the glass.

Six points to go.

She hit her second shot — a 3, coming right to left, off a perfect Gabbie Marshall screen.

Three points to go.

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Then, in a moment that seemed almost too perfect, Clark had the ball in her hands, dribbling up the left side of the floor in transition. She has devastated opponents in this exact manner countless times before. On any scouting report of Clark, almost certainly, a section says in all caps: LOVES TO SHOOT TRANSITION 3S STEPPING TO HER LEFT. DO NOT LET HER TAKE A DRIBBLE TO HER LEFT. ANYWHERE IN TRANSITION IS WITHIN HER RANGE.

Clark crossed half court, took one dribble to her left and launched. She watched the ball hit the bottom of the net and then turned to the crowd and flexed.

The record was hers.

“You all knew I was going to shoot a logo 3 for the record,” Clark joked after the game. “C’mon.”

The arena erupted. Bluder didn’t call a timeout quickly enough, so Clark playfully lamented that her tired legs had to play some defense after that shot. But when Bluder finally called a timeout, Iowa just spent the huddle in silence allowing Clark to reflect.

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Of course, the fans didn’t stay silent. They stayed on their feet and paid homage to the player who delivered the program its first national championship appearance, and now, a scoring record. This is why they had come, why most had shelled out hundreds of dollars to be in the arena for this night.

Because when Clark is in the arena, history can be made. And Thursday, it was. Clark scored a single-game program-record 49 points, recorded a career-best nine 3-pointers and led No. 4 Iowa to a 106-89 victory against Michigan. She now has 3,569 career points.

When the video ended, Clark met her teammates at half court. They sported custom Nike shirts that read: “You break it, you own it.” They passed around copies of a Des Moines Register (Clark’s hometown newspaper) with a full-page photo of Clark with a bold headline: “UNMATCHED.” They posed for a team photo, and they lost their minds when Clark began to dribble her commemorative ball. (What else would you expect Clark to do with a ball?)


Caitlin Clark signs autographs after beating Michigan in a record-setting performance. (Matthew Holst / Getty Images)

As the celebrations continued on the court, kids lined up along the benches and at the risers leading out of the arena. With posters and T-shirts in hand, they didn’t stay silent either. The shrieks of “Caitlin! Caitlin! Caitlin!” have become the postgame soundtrack for Iowa women’s hoops and, flanked by her two security guards, Clark makes her way through as many as she can after every game.

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It was no different after she made history, after a video on the video board made her cry. As her impact and fame have grown, she has attempted to stay as accessible as possible, however that might look. She tries to sign as much as she can, take as many selfies as possible. To her, this is the most important part of her postgame routine. It feels all too recent, in some ways.

It was just more than a decade ago that Clark attended her first WNBA game. She was 11 or 12, and Brent drove her to Minneapolis to see a Lynx game. The franchise was in the middle of a run that included four titles in seven seasons, and the Lynx were the closest team to the Clarks’ West Des Moines home. For Caitlin, it was a chance to see Maya Moore play for the first time in person.

After the game, Lynx players held an event on the court. Clark, seeing an opening, ran out and hugged Moore. She didn’t have a pen or marker or anything for Moore to sign, but she wanted to be near her. Just wanted to be in the aura of Moore’s greatness.

“Ten seconds can go a long way in somebody’s life,” Clark said.

At 22, now one of the most prominent athletes in the nation, Clark still thinks about that moment.

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Thursday night, fans paid hundreds (some, thousands) of dollars to enter Carver-Hawkeye Arena to watch Clark make history, just to be in the aura of Clark’s greatness. She wants them to remember that. But she also wants to remember the 10 seconds she might be able to have with them. She wants them to remember the joy she and her teammates have and the fire with which she plays.

When she signed her last autograph and jogged up the tunnel, Clark did so as the unmatched leader in women’s basketball, a player whose game has helped transform the game.

She was surrounded still by media and security, but Clark now has put herself on an entirely different island.

(Top photo of Caitlin Clark: Matthew Holst / Getty Images)

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Russell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons

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Russell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons

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Russell Wilson has announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons, a career highlighted by a Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler and the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, announced his retirement in a video posted to social media.

A third-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft, Wilson became one of the league’s most recognizable quarterbacks, tallying 46,966 passing yards and 353 total touchdowns during a career that also included stints with the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

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Russell Wilson of the New York Giants walks off the field following the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

This announcement from Wilson comes after he reportedly finalized a deal to become a CBS Sports NFL analyst. When news broke of his sports media deal, it was unclear if he wished to call it quits for his playing career, or simply take a season off to think about it. But Wilson posted a lengthy video on his social media, where he reflected on his time with the game and confirmed that he would be joining CBS Sports. 

“I remember the moment I fell in love with football. Waking up before sunrise with my dad and brother. Deep post routes and ‘moon balls.’ Yeah, that’s where it all began. But somewhere along the way, my love for football turned into more than just passion. It was an obsession,” Wilson narrated as clips from his childhood to college, to the NFL Scouting Combine, to his career highlights. 

Wilson found quick success in the NFL after a college career that began at NC State, but flourished at Wisconsin. He went 11-5 in his first NFL season, as the Seahawks quickly became a feared squad in the NFC. 

EX-NFL STAR IMPLORES RUSSELL WILSON TO HANG IT UP ‘DO YOUR TV THING’

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Accompanied by the “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, Wilson and the Seahawks walked into MetLife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII and put on a rout of the Denver Broncos, 43-8, to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It was just the second season for Wilson, who cemented himself as the future at quarterback for Seattle under head coach Pete Carroll, who he shouted out in his video. 

“To Coach Carroll, thanks for taking a chance on the young, 5’11″ black kid from Richmond, Virginia who was told he was too small to ever make it in the NFL. We knew what winning was like,” Wilson said.  

Wilson wasn’t able to win the trophy again, ultimately falling to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIV in heartbreaking fashion. Instead of running with Marshawn Lynch on the goal line, the Seahawks infamously chose to pass, and Wilson was picked off by Malcolm Butler to seal victory for yet another Tom Brady ring. 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson passes during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

In 10 seasons with Seattle, Wilson had 37,059 passing yards with 292 touchdowns and a 104-53-1 overall record. Wilson told Seattle fans, “You raised me,” in his video.

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It wasn’t as sweet for Wilson once he was traded to the Broncos before the start of the 2022 season, as he started to face some serious adversity and public rifts with head coach Sean Payton. Wilson went 4-11 in his inaugural season with Denver, and after going 7-8 in 2023, the team moved on despite his massive contract looming. 

As a result, Wilson took a veteran minimum deal to join Mike Tomlin and the Steelers during the 2024 campaign. He went 6-5 in his starts, earning his 10th and final Pro Bowl bid. The Steelers made the playoffs, but didn’t make it out of the Wild Card Round. 

Finally, the Giants signed Wilson before the start of the 2025 season, though they drafted Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss to be his successor. That quickly changed after just three starts for Wilson, as Dart took over in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Wilson never regained the starting role, though he was as classy as ever, talking about his mentorship of Dart. 

Throughout the years, Wilson enjoyed working with every coach, teammate and the fans of each franchise across his football journey.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Jan. 4, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)

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“To every teammate I’ve had the privilege of sharing the locker room with, thank you for the sacrifices, the brotherhood, the memories. None of this is possible without you,” he said. 

“To every fan who supported, through the highs and the lows, your belief, your energy and your passion meant more than you’ll ever know.”

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‘SNL’ star Marcello Hernández to host 2026 ESPYs as show leaves L.A. for New York

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‘SNL’ star Marcello Hernández to host 2026 ESPYs as show leaves L.A. for New York

Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” standout Marcello Hernández will host this year’s ESPY Awards, ESPN announced Wednesday.

The event, honoring excellence in sports performance, will be broadcast live on ABC and the ESPN app from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on July 15, making it the first ESPYs in New York City since 1999. For the last 25 years, the awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles.

“I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” Hernández said in a statement. “It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYs this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”

Hernández recently headlined the biggest Spanish-language comedy show ever at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix Is a Joke Festival in May, and wrapped up his fourth season of “SNL” soon after. His first stand-up special, “American Boy,” premiered on Netflix in January.

He’s also a sports enthusiast, having grown up playing soccer and competing at the collegiate level during his time at John Carroll University in Ohio.

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“Marcello is one of the most electric, young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year’s ESPYs,” Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of the ESPYs, said in a statement.

Hernández succeeds last year’s emcee, comedian Shane Gillis, as well as past hosts that include Jimmy Kimmel, John Cena, LeBron James and Peyton Manning.

In January, Puck reported that the change in venue is an effort to capitalize on the popularity of Fanatics Fest, the massive sports festival taking place in New York’s Javits Center from July 16-19, which also coincides with the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

“This return to the heart of Manhattan brings the celebration of sports back to its roots for an unforgettable night at an iconic cultural landmark,” an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement.

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AJ Brown trade outcome: Dianna Russini paid a heavy price while Mike Vrabel emerged unscathed

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AJ Brown trade outcome: Dianna Russini paid a heavy price while Mike Vrabel emerged unscathed

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Mike Vrabel and A.J. Brown were winning on Tuesday because the long-rumored trade that reunited them was finally complete. Brown was free of his recent unhappiness with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Vrabel spoke easily and smartly about how his Super Bowl team was getting better.

It was one lovely victory lap for everybody.

Except for Dianna Russini.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates after the AFC championship game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 25, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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MIKE VRABEL BREAKS HIS SILENCE ON DIANNA RUSSINI CONTROVERSY

Yes, this is about her as much as Vrabel and Brown. Those three names will be linked for a long time in NFL circles based on what happened going back as far as September of 2025, and then definitely through this offseason that was about, well, the relationship between the coach and the reporter.

If you aren’t up to speed on that relationship, you’ve got homework. And you will probably catch up easily because the reference material is everywhere — the photos of Russini and Vrabel together, the denials of anything untoward between two married people, the collapse of the professional friendship narrative, and everything after.

So, to the uninitiated, you’re excused. Go now and read the soap opera’s opening chapters. Because this might be the saga’s end, barring a major surprise.

And let me cut to that end:

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown walks on the field during an NFL training camp in Philadelphia on July 29, 2025. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

Brown wins. He’s wholly unscathed, in fact, and happy as a clam with a new team he grew up adoring.

Vrabel wins, too. Yes, he took some lumps, suffered some humiliating moments in front of reporters and had some family conversations he termed “very difficult,” but he’s ultimately none the worse for wear.

And then there’s Russini. She lost. Big time.

FORMER NFL REPORTER MICHELE TAFOYA WEIGHS IN ON WHY RUSSINI’S CREDIBILITY IS GONE

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It was saddening to watch Vrabel’s presser because it was Russini who first reported teams were calling the Eagles about Brown back in September of 2025. She first reported the Eagles weren’t interested in trading Brown.

Russini called it when she told everyone the Patriots were interested (so were the Los Angeles Rams, by the way). And she was right again when she said earlier this year that Brown wouldn’t be traded around the start of the league year in March but watch out for June.

She was dead-on accurate with practically all of it.

Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are shown in a split composite image featuring Russini with an ESPN microphone and Vrabel on the Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)

But everyone has surmised all that information came out of her relationship with Vrabel. All that insider work came from other alleged inside work.

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Russini’s information was great but how she seemingly attained it eventually led to her resigning from The Athletic. And sullying her professional reputation.

Losses.

MIKE VRABEL STEPS AWAY INDEFINITELY TO SEEK COUNSELING

Vrabel? He seemed just fine on Tuesday.

About the hardest thing he had to do was answer a question about Brown’s obvious displeasure last year in Philly.

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“I don’t know what happened,” Vrabel said. “I’m not trying to figure out what happened in Philadelphia. I’m trying to focus on what’s going to happen here and trying to get him acclimated to what we do and how we do it.”

Vrabel, during this press conference, congratulated a reporter for winning a marathon. He thanked Executive Vice President for Player Personnel Eliot Wolf for making the trade happen. And he took a bunch of football questions.

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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There was not one question about whether he indeed for months leaked to Russini details of where the Patriots and Eagles talks were. Not one question about how his family “counseling” sessions are going or if his marriage is certain to survive.

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There was nothing uncomfortable because it seems the local media lost interest or its curiosity on a day the story that Russini beat them on for months was laid bare before them.

And, the thing is, if Vrabel didn’t have to sweat this occasion, he’s probably in the clear. He’s not likely to get tough questions about the whole affair (pardon the pun) again unless more facts come out that raise the issue from the grave.

So, yeah, Mike Vrabel has survived. He’s won.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

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