1:30 AM ET PITTSBURGH — Finally, blessedly, the Backyard Brawl returned to college football on Thursday night. Fans saw a game to tell their grandkids about, but were also reminded of the emotion, hatred and yes — profanity-laced chants — that go hand-in-hand with this lost rivalry. Eleven years separated the most recent matchup between
10:04 PM ET ESPN News Services ATLANTA — Rookie Spencer Strider had 16 strikeouts to set a Braves record for a nine-inning game and allowed just two hits in eight innings to lead Atlanta to a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night. Strider fanned his last two batters with two runners on
4:10 PM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles acknowledged Thursday that it will require time for the team to repair its relationship with linebacker Roquan Smith after contract talks fell through last month. Poles expressed optimism that a path of reconciliation could lead the two parties to eventually agree on
6:05 PM ET SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For as surprised as the San Francisco 49ers were that they were able to retain quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on a significantly reduced contract, that paled in comparison to how Garoppolo himself thought his dramatic offseason would end. On Thursday, Garoppolo spoke to Bay Area media for the first
9:41 PM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com NEW YORK — In their first match together in over four years, and 25 years after their debut as a pair at the tournament, Venus and Serena Williams were unable to rediscover their signature magic and lost to Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the first round
8:30 AM ET Jeff Thorne was ready to drive 13½ hours from Illinois to New Jersey in January to see a friend, until his son, Payton, took the wheel. Riding shotgun, Jeff, a successful Division III coach at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, was weighing two potential leaps to the Division I level: a
Aug 31, 2022 U.S. men’s national team striker Ricardo Pepi has joined Dutch Eredivisie club Groningen on a season-long loan deal from Augsburg, the clubs confirmed Wednesday. There was not expected to be an option to make the transfer permanent included in the deal. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.) Pepi, 19,
11:39 AM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has suspended free agent pitcher Carlos Martinez for 85 games for violating its joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. MLB said Thursday the punishment is retroactive to June 19. Under the policy, Martinez will participate in a confidential evaluation and treatment
4:27 PM ET COLOGNE, Germany — Dirk Nowitzki now has a number retired on two continents. Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks’ legend whose number 41 was raised to the American Airlines Center rafters last season, was similarly honored by the German Basketball Federation on Thursday during the opening day of EuroBasket 2022. Nowitzki became the first
Aug 31, 2022 Kendra AndrewsESPN Following his fourth NBA title and Finals MVP win, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry often used the phrase “What are they going to say now?” in regards to his professional résumé. But now, the same goes for his college career. On Wednesday, Curry was inducted into Davidson College’s Hall