Sports
Q&A: Partner, chance to play in Long Beach reignited AVP star Taylor Crabb’s Olympic fire
Taylor Crabb is no stranger to South California beaches. The Long Beach State alum returns home this weekend to compete in AVP League matches.
It marks the first time AVP will compete in Long Beach since 2020 and allows players to compete at the 2028 Olympics beach volleyball venue.
Crabb, 34, made his AVP debut in 2013 with his brother, Trevor, and advanced from the qualifier in Manhattan Beach before finishing 25th in his first tournament.
After years of competing with various different partners, Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh have delivered the top performances this AVP season.
The following interview with Crabb has been edited for clarity and length.
Are you excited to compete in this weekend’s event at Long Beach?
Crabb: Very excited. A lot of my college teammates and part of the school have reached out, saying that they’re gonna come. So I’m excited to get a chance to play in front of them again.
When was the last time you were in Long Beach?
Crabb: I always try to go down there for alumni events or any big games they have. I went to UCLA against Long Beach last year, when it was No. 1 versus No. 2, so I always try to get down there and support them.
You missed out on the chance to compete in the 2020 Olympics because of COVID-19 restrictions and chose not to pursue a spot at the 2024 Olympics. Are you fired up to try to compete in the 2028 Olympics, knowing that Long Beach will host the competition?
Crabb: Yeah, it’s definitely an exciting time having the Olympics in Long Beach, and we kind of get to break it in this weekend. As you said, Tokyo didn’t go the way I wanted, but I’m going full force now. I have a great partner in Andy Benesh, who obviously went to the Paris Olympics, and if it weren’t for the Olympics being in Long Beach, and me getting a partner like Andy, I’m not even sure I’d be going for it, but because of those two things, I want to make the most of it.
You mentioned that if it wasn’t for a partner like Andy, you wouldn’t be going for it. What do you mean by that?
Crabb: I didn’t feel motivated by playing in all the international events, but now, I think, sitting out kind of lit the fire under me, and I’m really motivated now.
You’ve had different partners throughout your time. What other motivation does Andy give you?
Crabb: He’s been, in my mind, the top blocker for the U.S. the last four or five years. Seeing the professionalism he brings every day to practice, on and off the court, while traveling and when showing up to tournaments, it rubs off on you and that’s really motivating to see. And I just want to make him proud.
Why do you love volleyball?
Crabb: A lot of reasons, but it’s just a feeling I have when I’m out there on the court. It feels natural. It feels like home. I was born into a volleyball family. I had a volleyball in my hands my entire life, so I’ve always just enjoyed it.
Sports
Brazilian soccer player, who fell through hole in shocking viral goal celebration, gives injury update
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Jacy Maranhao, the Brazilian soccer player whose goal celebration led to a horrific scene as he fell through a hole at the stadium, gave a health update on Tuesday.
Maranhao admitted he got “carried away” after scoring for his Coritiba club in Brazil at Estádio Major Antônio Couto Pereira. He said he was trying to find his wife in the crowd, which led to him jumping over the barrier on the pitch.
But a trap door was open on the other side of the barrier, which Maranhao never saw. He fell down the hole, injuring his ankle in the process.
Jacy Maranhão of Coritiba looks on during a Brasileirão 2026 match between Athletico Paranaense and Coritiba at Arena da Baixada on March 22, 2026, in Curitiba, Brazil. (Getty Images)
“I scored the goal and wanted to celebrate with my wife because she’s pregnant,” the 29-year-old defender and captain of Coritiba, which plays in Brazil’s top league, said, per Brazilian outlet Globo.
“But then I remembered it was my first goal at Couto Pereira stadium, and I also wanted to celebrate with the fans, but I hadn’t remembered there was a moat there.”
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Maranhao said it felt like a dream when “you’re falling from a building.”
And to make matters worse, VAR review negated Maranhao’s goal, as he was ruled offsides. But Coritiba managed to win 2-1 in the end.
To everyone’s relief, though, Maranhao was able to continue playing the rest of the half despite his injury. He ended up subbing out before the game was finished.
Jacy Maranhão of Coritiba controls the ball during a Brasileirao 2026 match between Coritiba and Sao Paulo at Couto Pereira Stadium on Feb. 25, 2026, in Curitiba, Brazil. (Getty Images)
“I twisted my foot there. It’s a bit sore, but I’m fine. Center-backs hardly ever score goals. So, when you do score…I just got carried away,” Maranhao added.
The Jamaica Observer also noted Maranhao giving a quick update on social media after the viral moment hit online.
“At first it was more of a scare than anything else,” he wrote, per the outlet.
“During the match my foot was quite painful and I couldn’t really put weight on it, but today I’m feeling much better and recovering well.”
Jacy Maranhão of Coritiba battles Jonathan Calleri of São Paulo for the ball during a Brasileirao 2026 match at Couto Pereira Stadium in Curitiba, Brazil, on Feb. 25, 2026. (Getty Images)
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Maranhao played for Operário in 2024 and 2025 as well.
Maranhao is in his second season with Coritiba, which entered Série A this season after playing in Série B last year. He has scored one goal this season across 19 matches played.
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Sports
Angels fire pitching coach Mike Maddux and two assistants in staff shakeup
The Angels fired pitching coach Mike Maddux and two other major league pitching coaches Tuesday, the latest decision in interim general manager John Mozeliak’s aggressive push to revitalize the moribund franchise.
One week after trading eight players off the major league roster to launch a long-overdue rebuilding effort, Mozeliak fired Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott and bullpen coach Dom Chiti.
The Angels have a 4.53 earned-run average, ranking 24th among the 30 major league teams. They lead the majors in walks, and they have blown 20 of 36 save opportunities. They posted a 4.89 ERA last season, ranking 28th.
The Angels have the worst record in the major leagues and are on pace for the first 100-loss season in franchise history. Their hitters have fared no better than their pitchers: The Angels rank 26th in the majors in runs scored.
The interim pitching coach, Tim Leveque, will be the Angels’ sixth in seven years.
The contract of manager Kurt Suzuki expires at the end of the season. If the Angels hire a new manager for next season, he would become the team’s sixth manager in eight years.
When Mozeliak joined the Angels in June, he said he had told Suzuki and the coaches “they’re all fine for this year.”
In a statement Tuesday, Mozeliak said: “After spending time discussing with Kurt where we are as a coaching staff and where we want to go in the future, we felt it was best to make a change. With seven weeks remaining, we plan to use this time to evaluate what additional steps are needed to elevate our entire pitching program and best position us for success moving forward.”
Maddux, a pitching coach for five major league teams, and Scott each was in his first season in Anaheim. Chiti is a longtime associate of Perry Minasian, fired as the Angels’ general manager in June.
The interim pitching coach: Leveque, the Angels’ double-A pitching coach and a longtime pitching instructor under Mozeliak with the St. Louis Cardinals. The interim bullpen coach: Michael Wuertz, the Angels’ assistant minor league pitching coordinator.
Mozeliak said last week that he had yet to discuss with the Angels owner Arte Moreno and team president Molly Jolly whether he would continue as the Angels’ top baseball operations official, although many baseball insiders believe he would like to do so. The Angels have committed only to filling that position by the end of the season.
Sports
Quinnen Williams agrees to $105.9M contract extension with Cowboys, locking him in through 2030 season
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The Dallas Cowboys and veteran defensive tackle Quinnen Williams agreed to a three-year extension prior to the start of the 2026 NFL season that will make him one of the highest-paid players at his position.
Williams agreed to an extension worth $105.9 million, including $101 million in guaranteed money and $63.35 million guaranteed at signing. He is also getting a signing bonus worth $31.85 million.
Williams, who has made the last four Pro Bowls, was traded to the Cowboys before the deadline last season in a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets.
Quinnen Williams of the Dallas Cowboys smiles during training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif., on Aug. 3, 2026. (Getty Images)
The Jets, who were in the middle of another lackluster season, decided to trade away Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner (Indianapolis Colts), parting ways with two top four NFL Draft choices as they continue to rebuild.
Williams’ trade was interesting considering the Jets inked him to a four-year extension worth $96 million with $66 million guaranteed in 2023. The Jets acquired a second-round pick in 2026, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith in exchange for Williams.
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Now, the Cowboys have one of the best at the position locked in through the 2030 campaign – a priority that team executive vice president Stephen Jones mentioned at the start of training camp.
Williams became the fourth defensive tackle to sign a deal averaging more than $30 million per season, joining the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter (four years, $152 million), Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons (three years, $105.8 million), and Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones (five years, $158.75 million).
Quinnen Williams of the Dallas Cowboys participates in Pro Bowl team practice during the NFL Pro Bowl Games at Moscone Center South in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2026. (Getty Images)
And the Cowboys have not been shy about flexing their finances, as fellow defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa was signed to a four-year, $80 million extension to remain a key piece on defense next to Williams.
With Kenny Clark, who was acquired in the Micah Parsons trade to the Green Bay Packers, and Rashan Gary, the former Packers defensive end who joined the team in free agency this offseason, also on board for the Cowboys, they have a revamped defense that can match the firepower their offense clearly showcased in Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach in 2025.
In his seven games with Dallas last season, Williams tallied 21 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits.
Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Oct. 26, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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For his career, Williams has totaled 343 combined tackles – 62 for loss – 41.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and earned a First Team All-Pro nod during his breakout 2022 campaign with the Jets, where he had 12 sacks.
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