Author: Charles

Known as the Celtic Dragons for 18 years after the formation of the Elite League in 2005, Wales’ NSL franchise was rebranded to become Cardiff Dragons for the 2024 season, in which they finished eighth out of 10 teams.

With reduced numbers in 2025 the Wales-based side finished last of eight in the revamped professional NSL.

Despite question marks about the franchise’s finances Drane believes the Dragons can prosper.

“I think that they will have been disappointed last year and I think they have a right to be disappointed,” said Drane who played in the 2013 Grand Final during her 14 years with Celtic Dragons.

“They have tremendous amounts of potential and they will have been working their socks off last year and to not get some of those wins that you could feel when you were there, you could feel that they were coming.

“They will be working hard to convert all of the hard work that they’re doing in training into those results this year and never write Dragons off.

“Let’s not forget that Dragons have been top. They have been in a final in the previous Netball Super League and it just takes a team to come together and work through some of those challenges.

“That takes investment of time, effort, energy, investment of fans and investment of businesses and organisation into netball, that’s what we need.”

McLaren Racing has ended its contract with its Driver Development Programme member and Rodin Motorsport Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne with immediate effect.

In a brief statement, the team announced: “McLaren Racing has ended its contract with McLaren Driver Development Programme member Alex Dunne. It has been a pleasure to work with Alex over the last year and to have been able to contribute to his success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development programme.

“Alex will be released with immediate effect. We wish Alex all the best for his career going forward.”

No reason was given for this sudden exit after the Irishman was added to the outfit’s development stable in May 2024. The 19-year-old was a prominent name in the papaya-coloured team, with him also holding a role as reserve and development driver in the NEOM McLaren Formula E team. 

He’s also been given mileage this Formula 1 season, with him driving the MCL39 during Free Practice 1 at the Austrian Grand Prix and at the Italian Grand Prix. 

“I don’t even know where to start,” he said after his time in the car in Austria. “Super happy, I think it’s safe to say it went pretty well.

Alex Dunne, Rodin Motorsport

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

“I think we knew going through the session that the goal wasn’t necessarily for performance it was more to help out with the car, help Lando [Norris] and just help the team improve as much as they can for FP2, FP3 and then onwards into the weekend.

“So to have the pace that I had and show what I’m capable of on the F1 stage is something pretty special, so massive thank you to McLaren and everyone for the opportunity. I’m extremely grateful.”

Following this, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was highly complimentary of the driver, making this sudden decision even more interesting. 

Dunne released his own statement via Instagram.

“From today I’ve mutually decided to part ways with the McLaren Driver Development programme.

“I’d like to thank every individual at McLaren that has helped me develop and improve as a driver. To have my first opportunity to drive an F1 car followed by two FP1 sessions is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart, I wish them all the best for the future.

“Thank you Papaya family. Still two important rounds left to focus on this year, very excited for what’s to come.”

Motorsport.com is seeking further information on this sudden news. 

People who grew up watching Shaquille O’ Neal or later Zion Williamson, have seen exceptionally strong players, but there is no comparison between either of those guys and Wilt Chamberlain.

Chamberlain is known to have benched between 400-500 lbs. He could deadlift over 700 lbs. and could do 30 sit-ups with 250 lbs. on his chest. He could throw a football 90 yards underhanded and…well, it would be easy to go on. This video does a much better job of explaining his near superhuman strength.

One witness describes Chamberlain picking up a car to help change a tire. Another talks about Chamberlain asking him if he could “flagpole” (you’ll be amazed, trust us).

In one of the more amazing stories, after his basketball career, Chamberlain briefly played professional basketball. One of his teammates got mad and walked off the court. In the locker room, Chamberlain warned him to “never do that again.”

His teammate didn’t respond well to that, and he said Chamberlain put his hand on his head, lifted him off the ground and repeated…“never do that again.”

Sufficiently chastened, his teammate meekly said he would comply and Chamberlain put him back down.

The man was beyond unbelievable.

• Brownston Central grad Jack Benter was runner up for Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2024.
• After a bout with pneumonia, he redshirted as a freshman. He rebuilt his strength and worked out against Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn this summer.
• Kaufman-Renn and Purdue coach Matt Painter know they have a reliable role player, however many minutes that means, in Benter.

WEST LAFAYETTE — When Purdue men’s basketball’s frontcourt cleared out of Cardinal Court for the summer, Jack Benter moved into that vacancy. 

New Boilermakers big man Oscar Cluff had not yet arrived, waiting for his visa issues to clear in Australia. Returning big man Daniel Jacobsen was overseas, too, helping Team USA win gold at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Second-year big Raleigh Burgess and incoming North Florida transfer Liam Murphy were both recovering from surgery. 

So Benter, who ran a lot of point during his stellar Brownstown Central career, spent a lot of time at the four spot. 

“I let the game come to me, so I don’t force anything,” Benter said. “I know how our system is so I just play within our system. I feel like it was honestly pretty easy to play the four.” 

Benter did not come to Purdue expecting a future at power forward. Now it might be his best path to minutes this season. The work he put in to reshape his body during a redshirt freshman season — and the Boilers’ roster situation — puts him in position to help Murphy back up Trey Kaufman-Renn. 

If Purdue’s frontcourt spots seem full, the backcourt is even more stacked. In a perfect world — and perhaps in his Purdue future — Benter better fits as a conventional wing. Yet he has also played too well this offseason to stay buried behind a deep guard rotation. 

“We just kind of put him there, and he naturally does some really good things,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “He can put the ball on the floor, he can shoot to 30 feet, he can really pass the basketball. He’s competitive. 

“So he’s put himself in a good position.” 

Benter, runner-up in the 2024 Indiana Mr. Basketball race, came out of that summer’s annual All-Star series against Kentucky ready to contribute. 

He now wonders if he possibly picked something up that week. On his second day at Purdue, he started getting sick. A few days later, he was back home. Soon after that, he was at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.

That bout of pneumonia put him in the hospital for three days. A redshirt might have made sense for Benter anyway, but that illness brought the conversation to the forefront.

“I feel like, from there, I was behind a little bit, and it was tough for me to get into practice when I got back,” Benter said. “In the fall, it was pretty obvious that I was going to redshirt.

“They did a good job communicating with me. I got extra work in, so it really paid off in the end.” 

Benter and Jacobsen, at the time recovering from a fractured tibia, became part of director of strength and conditioning Jason Kabo’s road crew. After team dinners and shootarounds, they and the Boilermaker walk-ons hit the team hotel’s fitness center for extra workouts. 

After arriving at around 218 pounds summer of 2024, Benter’s pneumonia battle dropped him to 198. He worked all the way back up to 225 — even for a “big guard,” that was too big. He’s down in the 210-212 range now, yet stronger and more built than when he arrived.

He needed that extra size for those summer battles with the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Kaufman-Renn. The All-Big Ten big man came away impressed.

“He’s gonna be ready — this year,” Kaufman-Renn said. “He’s playing against probably one of the most physical players in the country in me. Him doing that every day and watching him really put up a fight and really try hard … I’m excited to see him play.” 

Kaufman-Renn could still occasionally play center. Maybe both other big men need a seat. Maybe Purdue needs to maximize its shooting efficiency for a stretch. 

Benter could then play alongside Kaufman-Renn. Painter will have a lot of options, and Benter helps set that up. 

“I think Jack’s gonna have a really special year,” Jacobsen said. “I think a lot of people forgot about him since he had a redshirt, but he’s gonna surprise a lot of people. I know first hand how much work he’s put in — in the weight room, on his game, on his body.”

Spending so much time in the frontcourt was never part of Benter’s long-term plan. Maximizing his minutes there has definitely become at least a short-term focus.

Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.

The first fight had some close rounds which could have gone either way, with the pair engaging in a number of exciting striking exchanges.

There were also three stoppages in the bout – two for accidental groin shots, which Nurmagomedov was deducted a point for, and one for a clash of heads which split Hughes’ forehead open.

Hardy said Hughes will need to be busier if he wants to be victorious in the rematch.

“I think Hughes’ volume will increase, he lost on volume in the rounds he lost,” added the 43-year-old.

“Even though Usman’s kicks weren’t as impactful, it’s racking up points on the scorecard and a smart team around Paul, which I know he has, will be thinking we have to do more on the scorecards this time around.”

Nurmagomedov’s team includes former UFC lightweight champion and cousin Khabib, who retired having won all 29 of his fights, and ex-UFC lightweight title holder Islam Makhachev.

The team have built success around world-class grappling, but Hughes was able to nullify much of Nurmagomedov’s takedown threat in their first fight.

Real Madrid are experiencing a noticeable shift under Xabi Alonso. Players who once enjoyed a sense of untouchable status under Carlo Ancelotti no longer have the same authority. 

The new management has brought tactical changes and fresh expectations, and while Kylian Mbappe’s rise has grabbed headlines, the focus now also turns to Jude Bellingham’s place in the starting lineup.

According to MARCA, on the surface, Bellingham still looks indispensable, but the performances of Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono are making the midfield competition fierce. 

The two are impressing

Guler, in particular, has emerged as a key leader. The midfielder combines creativity, composure, and game intelligence, making him an ideal partner for Mbappe. 

He can sail through the tight spaces, receive the ball under pressure, and craft plays seemingly out of nowhere. In the match in Kairat Almaty, Madrid’s rhythm clearly revolved around Guler’s influence.

Mastantuono has also impressed with his competitive drive and commanding presence. The Argentine brings energy, intensity, and balance to the squad. 

He presses relentlessly, drives the right flank, and adds both defensive solidity and attacking support. 

If Guler represents vision, Mastantuono represents strength and dynamism. Together, they provide Madrid with balance and versatility in the midfield.

Bellingham faces a real challenge

This development creates a dilemma for Bellingham. The Englishman remains a complete midfielder, but his natural position is the centre of midfield – the same space now dominated by Guler. 

While Alonso understands the need for squad rotation in a team as deep as Real Madrid, Bellingham currently finds himself at a disadvantage.

What seemed unlikely just a few months ago has now become reality. Guler and Mastantuono are performing at a level that makes it extremely difficult for Bellingham to reclaim his regular starting spot. 

For the midfielder, this is a test of resilience and patience. He must adapt, stay sharp, and seize any opportunity that comes his way if he hopes to maintain his influence in Madrid’s midfield.

© IMAGO – Arne Slot Liverpool

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out nine while pitching into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers broke it open with a four-run sixth inning to beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 on Wednesday night and advance to the National League Division Series.

After hitting a franchise playoff-tying five home runs in a 10-5 win in the NL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday, the Dodgers eliminated the Reds by playing small ball and rapping out 13 hits — two fewer than in Game 1. Mookie Betts went 4 for 5 with three doubles.

The Dodgers advanced to face the Phillies in the NLDS starting Saturday in Philadelphia. The teams last met in the postseason in 2009, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series for the second straight year.

After the Reds took a 2-0 lead in the first, Yamamoto retired the next 13 batters.

The Dodgers rallied to take a 3-2 lead before the Japanese right-hander wiggled his way out of a huge jam in the sixth. The Reds loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles by TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer and former Dodger Gavin Lux.

Austin Hays grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop and Betts fired home, where catcher Ben Rortvedt stomped on the plate to get Friedl. Yamamoto then retired Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz on back-to-back swinging strikeouts to end the threat.

With blue rally towels waving, Yamamoto walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd of 50,465.

He got the first two outs of the seventh before leaving to a second ovation. The right-hander allowed two runs, four hits and walked two on a career-high 113 pitches.

For the second straight night, the fans’ mood soured in the eighth. Reliever Emmet Sheehan gave up two runs, making it 8-4, before the Reds brought the tying run to the plate against Alex Vesia. He got Friedl on a called third strike to end the inning in which Sheehan and Vesia made a combined 41 pitches. On Tuesday, three Dodgers relievers needed 59 pitches to get three outs in the eighth.

Rookie Roki Sasaki pitched the ninth, striking out Steer and Lux on pitches that touched 101 mph.

The Dodgers stranded runners in each of the first five innings, but they took a 3-2 lead on Kiké Hernández’s RBI double and Miguel Rojas’ RBI single that hit the first-base line to chase Reds starter Zack Littell.

Shohei Ohtani’s RBI single leading off the sixth snapped an 0-for-9 skid against Reds reliever Nick Martinez. Betts added an RBI double down the third-base line and Teoscar Hernández had a two-run double that extended the lead to 7-2.

Yamamoto could have had a scoreless first but Teoscar Hernández dropped a ball hit by Hays that would have been the third out. Hernández hugged Yamamoto in the dugout after the Japanese star left the game.

Stewart’s two-run RBI single with two outs eluded a diving Freddie Freeman at first for a 2-0 lead. It was Cincinnati’s first lead in a postseason game since Game 3 of the 2012 NLDS against San Francisco.