National Sports.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) is mobbed by teammates as he makes a choking motion after hitting a shot against the New York Knicks at the end of regulation to tie Game 1 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference final, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Haliburton might be seizing reputation as NBA’s top closer like Pacers seized Game 1 from Knicks

Jalen Brunson has the award voted to the NBA’s best clutch player and landed the endorsement of Reggie Miller, one of basketball’s famed finishers. He had earned the reputation as the league’s top closer in this postseason. Tyrese Haliburton might be seizing that the same way the Indiana Pacers seized Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals away from the New York Knicks. With three memorable shots in nearly impossible-to-imagine comeback victories, Haliburton has become the heir apparent to Miller as the Pacers’ man of the (last) moment and has them three wins from the NBA Finals. Game 2 is Friday night.

Read More »
President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington, as head coach Todd Golden, listens at right. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Florida coach Todd Golden reaps rewards of national title, including reloading his roster

It would be tough to top the month Florida coach Todd Golden has enjoyed since winning the national championship. Golden and the Gators visited the White House, a trip that included an invitation to the Oval Office. He landed one of the top guards in the transfer portal, Arkansas’ Boogie Fland. He threw out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs game. He received the Winged Foot Award at the New York Athletic Club — along with a yearlong membership to the famed golf club. And he signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension. Golden says “there’s no guarantee that you’ll ever get this opportunity again.”

Read More »
FILE - Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill watches during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Chicago Blackhawks hire Jeff Blashill as head coach, hoping for a turnaround

The Chicago Blackhawks are giving Jeff Blashill a second chance to prove himself as a head coach in the NHL. The 51-year-old Michigan native coached the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons. He was let go after the team went 32-40-10 during the 2021-22 season. While Blashill had an underwhelming stay with Detroit, he has a player development background that likely was appealing for the rebuilding Blackhawks. He has coached in the AHL and USHL, along with the college ranks. Blashill spent the last three seasons as an assistant to Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Read More »
Jonathan Tincher's prison tattoos are seen as he holds back the tail of a mare while she undergoes an ultrasound on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Nicholasville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Horses on a Kentucky farm are helping men build sober lives, gain work and reunite families

Thoroughbred horses on a sprawling Kentucky farm are helping men trying to carve out clean and sober lives. The farm is home to a program that offers addicts who’ve never been around the 1,000-pound animals a chance to care for them with the goal of landing a job related to the racing industry and putting themselves on a new path. The Stable Recovery program teaches horsemanship over the course of a year while providing housing, food, clothing, transportation and income to men who’ve tried and failed numerous other times to escape addiction. Among its success stories are the sons of two prominent veterans of the racing industry.

Read More »
Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund (64) celebrates a goal with teammates Jason Robertson (21) and Mason Marchment during the third period in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Stars not getting shut out on power play in this West final against Oilers

The Dallas Stars aren’t getting shut out on the power play in the Western Conference final against Edmonton this time. Dallas had three power-play goals in a game-turning 5:26 span early in the third period of their 6-3 series-opening victory Wednesday. It comes a year after going 0 for 14 in six playoff games against the Oilers. Miro Heiskanen scored the first power-play goal only 32 seconds into the third period. Mikael Granlund tied it 3, and Matt Duchene put the Stars ahead to stay. Dallas is only the second team since 1934, when power-play goals were first officially tracked, to have three of them in the opening six minutes of a playoff period.

Read More »
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) is mobbed by teammates as he makes a choking motion after hitting a shot against the New York Knicks at the end of regulation to tie Game 1 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference final, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Pacers tie it on Haliburton’s jumper at buzzer, then beat Knicks 138-135 in OT of East finals Game 1

Tyrese Haliburton tied it with a long jumper that bounced high off the back of the rim and in as time expired in regulation, then the Indiana Pacers went on to finish off their stunning rally by beating the New York Knicks 138-135 in overtime Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks led by 14 points with under 3 minutes remaining in regulation, but Aaron Nesmith brought the Pacers back with a flurry of late 3-pointers. Haliburton hoped he had won it with another, but replay confirmed his toe was on the line and it was a 2-pointer that tied it at 125. Andrew Nembhard eventually made the go-ahead basket with 26 seconds remaining in OT.

Read More »
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) makes a choke motion towards the New York Knicks after hitting a shot at the end of the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference final, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Choke! Haliburton brings back memory of Pacers’ postseason past in front of Reggie Miller

Tyrese Haliburton was waiting for the right time to bring back Reggie Miller’s choke signal from the Pacers’ postseason past. A big shot at Madison Square Garden with Miller in the building seemed perfect — even though his celebration turned out to be premature. Haliburton ran toward the crowd along the sideline with his hands around his neck after hitting a long jumper as time expired in regulation Wednesday night. He hoped it was a 3-pointer to beat the New York Knicks, but video replay showed that his toe was on the line and it was a 2 that had tied the game. The Pacers went on to win 138-135 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Read More »
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks toward a referee after being called for a foul during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Bueckers crosses another first off career list as homecoming leaves Wings with latest loss to Lynx

Paige Bueckers admired the Minnesota Lynx as a kid while cheering on each of the four WNBA championships that played a part in her ascension to becoming the first overall pick in the draft last month. Beating the Lynx might be a different story for Bueckers. Her Dallas Wings have lost to Minnesota twice in the first five days of the season. That included her WNBA debut in Dallas and her first homecoming game as a pro. She had 12 points, 10 assists and three steals in the 85-81 defeat on Wednesday by the Lynx.

Read More »
Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund (64) celebrates a goal with teammates Jason Robertson (21) and Mason Marchment during the third period in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Stars score 3 PP goals in 5 1/2 minutes early in 3rd, rally to beat Oilers 6-3 in Game 1

Miro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene scored power-play goals in a 5:26 span early in the third period and the Dallas Stars opened their Western Conference final rematch against the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-3 victory Wednesday night. Dallas began the third period with a two-goal deficit and a man advantage from a penalty that carried over from the second. Heiskanen scored 32 seconds in, Granlund tied it and Duchene put the Stars ahead to stay with a second-effort score that made it 4-3. Tyler Seguin had two goals and an assist for the Stars. Esa Lindell added a empty-netter that went almost the entire length of the ice. Game 2 is Friday night in Dallas.

Read More »

Indianapolis Colts’ music-loving owner Jim Irsay dies at age 65

Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts’ owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died Wednesday at age 65. Pete Ward, Irsay’s longtime right-hand man and the teams chief operating officer, made the announcement in a statement from the team. He said Irsay died peacefully in his sleep. “Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed,” Ward said. “Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them.”

Read More »
Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA 2028, the organizing committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics, is interviewed at an NBCUniversal and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee press preview event to promote the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

After NFL approval, LA28’s Wasserman is optimistic MLB players will also find a path to the Olympics

The organizers of the Los Angeles Olympics remain optimistic that Major League Baseball will find a way to join the NFL in sending the world’s best athletes in their respective sports to the 2028 Games. LA28 president and chairman Casey Wasserman said he has been in close contact with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred about the decision that must be made by both the league and the players’ union on whether to send players to the Olympics in the middle of the 2028 MLB season. There’s no current timetable for the decision. Wasserman says MLB participation is the right thing for everybody involved.

Read More »
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy smiles after speaking during a news conference at the NFL football team's facility, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Brock Purdy avoided offseason drama before signing 5-year, $265 million extension with the 49ers

After watching drama-filled offseasons when it came to contract negotiations the past two years with his San Francisco 49ers teammates, Brock Purdy was intent on doing his best to avoid a repeat in his situation. Purdy and the  49ers managed to do just that when they agreed on a five-year extension worth $265 million following talks that had had no public acrimony. Purdy described said the initial offer from the 49ers as “respectful” and made a point of showing up to the start of the offseason program last month as a sign of good faith. That all led to the deal to the deal getting finalized quickly.

Read More »
President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Trump hosts NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House

President Donald Trump has honored the 2025 NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House, proclaiming that “lesser teams would have crumbled” during its nail-biting title game victory. “It was looking bad,” Trump said, noting that Houston led by as many as 12 points in a game Florida rallied to win 65-63 in San Antonio in April. ”Did you think you were going to win?” Wednesday’s East Room ceremony featured top Trump administration leaders from Florida, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Florida Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody.

Read More »
Scottie Scheffler, wife Meredith pose with their son Bennett after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Scottie Scheffler goes for 3 in a row by jumping right back in at Colonial after PGA win

Scottie Scheffler is skipping some of his usual prep work for the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial after winning the PGA Championship last weekend. The world No. 1 doesn’t want an emphasis on rest and recovery to be misunderstood. Scheffler says he didn’t show up at Colonial “to just walk around and celebrate last week.” Scheffler’s third major also set him up to be the first player since Dustin Johnson in 2017 to win three consecutive PGA Tour starts. The streak started with a win in his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson north of Dallas. Davis Riley is the defending Colonial champion.

Read More »
The winning car that Josef Newgarden drove to victory in the 2024 Indianapolis 500 is shown in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

IndyCar explores independent governance after Penske cheating scandal

IndyCar is exploring the creation of an independent governing body absent of any Roger Penske employees in the wake of the Team Penske cheating scandal ahead of the Indianapolis 500. Penske owns three-car Team Penske, IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. He fired his top three racing executives Wednesday after two of its cars were found to be illegal ahead of Indy 500 qualifying.

Read More »
FILE - Australia's James Magnussen smiles as he hold the gold medal he won in the Men's 100m freestyle final at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

A new sports festival in Las Vegas is letting athletes use performance-enhancing drugs

The Enhanced Games is a sports festival that bills itself as better than the Olympics because it allows athletes to benefit from using performance-enhancing drugs. It will kick off next year in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. The inaugural event in Sin City will feature swimming, track and field and weightlifting. The event is designed to disrupt a status quo in the international anti-doping movement.

Read More »
President of Team Penske Tim Cindric, left and driver Josef Newgarden wait for the start of during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Penske fires top 3, including Tim Cindric, from IndyCar organization as part of cheating scandal

Roger Penske has fired team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer in the wake of an Indianapolis 500 cheating scandal. Penske said in a statement Wednesday that “nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams.” Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden and teammate Will Power were found to have an illegally modified part on their cars ahead of Sunday’s final round of qualifications for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Read More »
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) works the floor against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Edwards, Timberwolves seek answers to Thunder’s ‘AAU’ defense to avoid 2-0 deficit

The Minnesota Timberwolves will need to solve Oklahoma City’s ‘AAU’ defense to avoid a 2-0 deficit in the Western Conference finals. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards used the term to describe Oklahoma City’s young, aggressive unit after the Thunder held the Timberwolves to 34.9% shooting in a 114-88 victory in Game 1. Edwards said the first key for him is to be more aggressive. He didn’t like that he took just 13 shots in the Game 1 loss. Minnesota made just 15 of 51 3-pointers in the opener and committed 17 turnovers. Game 2 is on Thursday night.

Read More »
Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during first period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Panthers look every bit like reigning Stanley Cup champs in routing Hurricanes to open Eastern final

The Florida Panthers showed their championship mettle from last year’s run to the Stanley Cup by taking control early in their 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes to open the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night. Florida scored two tone-setting goals in the first period and never trailed. They also got goals from five different players. That came roughly 48 hours after they had to win a Game 7 on the road to advance here. They beat a Hurricanes team that had won all five of their home games in the playoffs so far.

Read More »
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dribbles the ball up court against Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder beat the rested Timberwolves 114-88 in Game 1 of West finals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 of his 31 points in the second half, and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, had nine assists. He made 8 of 14 field goals after halftime. Julius Randle scored 28 points for Minnesota, but just eight in the second half. Anthony Edwards, who had been averaging 26.5 points per game in the playoffs, was held to 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Oklahoma City was just two days removed from eliminating Denver in Game 7 of the conference semifinals. Minnesota hadn’t played in a week.

Read More »
Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) has his shot frozen by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Reigning Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Eastern final opener

Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday night’s opener of their Eastern Conference final series. A.J. Greer added a goal by finishing off a perfect 2-on-1 transition chance in the second period for Florida. Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen scored in the third period. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake scored Carolina’s lone goals in the opener of a series that is a rematch of the 2023 Eastern final. Game 2 is Thursday night at Carolina.

Read More »
Mike Elias, executive vice president and general manager for the Baltimore Orioles, speaks to the media before a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Orioles GM Elias speaks 3 days after firing manager, says he’s evaluating reasons for team’s decline

Orioles general manager Mike Elias has broken his silence about his decision to fire manager Brandon Hyde. Elias said Tuesday he’s doing an across-the-board evaluation to determine what has caused Baltimore’s remarkably rapid decline. Elias fired Hyde on Saturday, and since then, the team has gone 0-4. Until Tuesday, only players and interim manager Tony Mansolino had answered questions about the firing. Elias praised Hyde for getting the Orioles back into contention but said the time had come for a new voice. He says he didn’t take questions earlier because it’s been “a pretty hectic few days.”

Read More »
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani jogs back to the dugout after grounding out during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Ohtani mixes in breaking pitches for 1st time as he rehabs from elbow surgery

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has mixed in breaking pitches for the first time in a throwing session. The right-hander had been limited to fastball and splitters previously as he works to return to pitching this season following elbow surgery. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani is getting closer to facing live hitting for the first time since he underwent his second Tommy John procedure in September 2023. Ohtani’s return to the mound has been expected to come near the All-Star break in July

Read More »
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Judge homers late and Yankees beat Rangers 5-2 behind Warren and Rice

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, rookie Will Warren struck out a career-high 10 and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 5-2. Ben Rice also went deep for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series between the past two American League champions. Anthony Volpe blooped an RBI double after Rice drove in the first two runs. New York has won nine of 12 to move a season-best nine games over .500. Texas manager Bruce Bochy was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres with Judge batting in the sixth inning, and the Rangers lost for the third time in four games following a six-game winning streak. Jonah Heim’s two-run homer off Ian Hamilton with two outs in the ninth prevented a shutout.

Read More »
New York Mets' Juan Soto flips his bat after striking out against Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler during the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Mendoza: Frustration may have played a role in Juan Soto’s lack of hustle on base hit

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza wouldn’t get into specifics on any conversion he had with slugger Juan Soto after a lack of hustle left him with a single rather than extra bases in New York’s series opener at Boston. Mendoza said frustration may have played a role in Soto’s response to a line drive in the sixth inning Monday night that bounced high off the Green Monster as Soto stood and watched from the batter’s box in the Mets’ 3-1 loss. Mendoza sounded somewhat more understanding Tuesday than he did after the game Monday night, when he said he would have a chat with the $765 million star who is in his first season with the Mets.

Read More »
FILE -State Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks with a colleague, Feb. 14, 2023, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Supreme Court orders Maine House to restore vote of GOP lawmaker who ID-ed trans teen athlete online

The Supreme Court is siding with a GOP state lawmaker in Maine who was blocked from voting after she identified a transgender student athlete in a critical social-media post. The court majority on Tuesday ordered the Maine House to allow Rep. Laurel Libby to cast legislative votes while her lawsuit over the censure plays out. The case comes after the Democratic-controlled state House found that Libby’s viral post had violated its code of ethics by putting the student at risk. She was blocked from speaking and voting on the floor after refusing to apologize. Libby said the punishment violates her right to free speech and leaves her district without representation.

Read More »
FILE - Arkansas guard Boogie Fland (2) runs a play against Florida during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, File)

Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland commits to national champion Florida

Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland, widely considered the top guard in the transfer portal, has chosen to play for defending national champion Florida. Fland committed to coach Todd Golden following a two-day visit to Gainesville and posted his decision on Instagram. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Fland averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 21 games with the Razorbacks last season. He joins Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee and Ohio University transfer AJ Brown in Florida’s revamped backcourt.

Read More »
FILE - Josef Newgarden crosses the finish line to win the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, file)

Indy 500 announces first grandstand sellout since 2016 with 350,000 expected for the race on Sunday

The Indianapolis 500 is sold out for the first time in nearly a decade. That means about 350,000 fans, or about 1 for every 1,000 people living in the U.S., will be at the historic racetrack for the 109th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday. It also means the local TV blackout that has been in place since 1951 has been lifted so fans living in central Indiana will be able to watch the race live. The last sellout was in 2016 for the 100th running of the race. Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles says general admission infield tickets are still available.

Read More »
FILE - New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the second half of Game 3 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

Knicks and Pacers set for Round 9 in their playoff rivalry, with the winner going to the NBA Finals

When Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton glared at each other in a WWE wrestling ring last summer, it seemed like a fitting next step in the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks that’s already featured headbutts and chokes. The teams go at it again starting Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Knicks’ first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 25 years, with the winner of their ninth playoff matchup headed to the NBA Finals. The Knicks and Pacers met six times in an eight-year span starting in 1993, then again last year when Indiana won Game 7 at Madison Square Garden in the second round.

Read More »
Former Team Penske driver and Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud works on the timing stand as a driver coach for Scott McLaughlin during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Pagenaud easing back into motorsports after serious injury in 2023. Finding a new career outside car

Simon Pagenaud’s career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he’s still battling nearly two years later. He wants no sympathy and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Frenchman now is Scott McLaughlin’s driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It’s just the start for Pagenaud’s transition: Théo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States.

Read More »
FILE - Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney answers a reporter's question, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Bruins give GM Don Sweeney a 2-year extension to lead rebuild after first playoff miss since 2016

The Boston Bruins have signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension, trusting him to rebuild the roster after the team missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2016. The move comes a month after team president Cam Neely said he needed to think about whether to keep Sweeney around after a decade in which the Bruins have seen unprecedented regular-season success followed largely by playoff flops. Sweeney fired coach Jim Montgomery in November and then sold off the roster at the trade deadline when it failed to respond under interim Joe Sacco.

Read More »
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is shown at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Reimagined and reopened museum at Indianapolis Motor Speedway aims to be more than just a museum

The rebuilt and recently reopened museum at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is more than just a bunch of old cars and artifacts hidden behind glass. It is an immersive experience designed to appeal to more fans — especially young ones — and better tell the story of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” It took nearly 18 months and cost more than $60 million to complete. But when it opened last month, it was met with rave reviews. The museum, tucked inside Turns 1 and 2 of the speedway, is preparing for its busiest week of the year. The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday.

Read More »