Sports

5:00 AM ET Ian DarkeESPN.com writer Close Darke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.

Feb 27, 2023 The third round of the Six Nations wasn’t short of storylines but the headlines see Ireland still on for the Grand Slam after their 34-20 win in Rome against an ever-improving Italy side. England dispatched Wales 20-10 in Cardiff after a turbulent week for Warren Gatland’s side and on Sunday, France and

9:18 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim Jon Jones returns this weekend. Allow me to repeat that with appropriate emphasis and enthusiasm: Jon Jones! Returns! This weekend! I had to resist the urge to go all caps there, because this is BIG. Jones will be fighting for the first time in over three years when he steps

8:08 PM ET There was a time when a loss in boxing might have spelled an end to the Jake Paul phenomenon. Let’s say Ben Askren beat him or even Tyron Woodley in their first fight. The past two years would have been very, very different for Paul if that would have been the case.

Feb 25, 2023 Associated Press RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Panthalassa led all the way to win the $20 million Saudi Cup by three-quarters of a length on Saturday night, relegating trainer Bob Baffert’s horse, Country Grammer, to second place for the second straight year. Japan nearly swept the first four places until Country Grammer rallied

7:43 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN NEARING THE END of the NBA offseason this past September and over 5,000 miles from his adopted home of Denver, Nikola Jokic was playing alongside his Serbian national teammates in the EuroBasket tournament when a familiar face took a seat in the O2 Arena in Prague. Jokic thought he was

7:00 AM ET Jordan ReidESPN It’s a big week for HBCU prospects who could get picked in the 2023 NFL draft. On Monday, 47 players took part in the second annual HBCU combine, where scouts and evaluators from all 32 NFL teams watched workouts at the New Orleans Saints‘ practice facility. The Black College Football

8:00 AM ET Two levels of heat surround college football assistant coaches: The bad kind, for those facing pressure to keep their jobs; and the good kind, for those improving their chances of becoming head coaches. Every college football season produces a new group of hot assistants, who find themselves on the radar of athletic

Feb 24, 2023 IT WAS ALMOST a year ago that author Alan Shipnuck published Phil Mickelson’s controversial comments about the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian monarchy’s history of human rights abuses and alleged involvement in the death of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi. Mickelson, who was allegedly recruiting players to LIV Golf, told Shipnuck

8:05 PM ET The NHL trade deadline (March 3) is still more than three weeks away. But big deals are already happening, with the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring center Ryan O’Reilly, the New York Islanders trading for Bo Horvat and the New York Rangers bringing in Vladimir Tarasenko. We’re breaking down and grading all of

Feb 23, 2023 DEL MAR, Calif. — — The Breeders’ Cup has selected Del Mar to host the 41st world championships next year, marking the third time the picturesque Pacific track will stage the season-ending graded stakes races that feature the top thoroughbreds. Del Mar will present 14 Grade 1 races with purses worth more

7:00 AM ET A group of Los Angeles Dodgers hitters descended upon Kent, Washington, this offseason to swing abnormally heavy bats under the watchful eyes of Driveline analysts, all with one mission in mind: Survive. Hitting has never been more difficult, a truism that acts as the biggest impediment to Major League Baseball’s determined efforts

Feb 22, 2023 Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia — Novak Djokovic has asked American authorities for special permission to enter the United States to play tennis tournaments in California and Florida despite being unvaccinated against the coronavirus, the top-ranked Serb said Wednesday. The Transportation Security Administration has said the requirement for foreign air travelers to be

5:24 PM ET LIVERPOOL, England — Real Madrid left Liverpool on the brink of Champions League elimination after fighting back from a two-goal deficit to win 5-2 in a classic game at Anfield. Reigning European champions Real Madrid had fallen 2-0 down inside 14 minutes after goals from Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah. But

9:00 AM GMT Chelsea spent £323 million on eight new players in the January transfer window, but the arrival of a barefoot New Zealander could be the Premier League club’s most important act of recruitment. Gilbert Enoka is the leadership management and mental skills coach for New Zealand’s rugby team. The culture change he implemented

Feb 20, 2023 Associated Press HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Steve Asmussen became the first trainer with 10,000 victories in North America on Monday, when Bet He’s Ready won the fifth race at Oaklawn Park. He’s already the all-time winningest trainer in the United States and Canada, having set the mark of 9,446 on Aug. 7,