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Little League World Series: How to watch Tuesday’s games

Four Little League World Series elimination games are scheduled for Tuesday, August 19th.
Matchups include Japan vs. Mexico, South Carolina vs. Hawaii, Canada vs. Aruba, and Washington vs. South Dakota.

Day 7 of the 2025 Little League World Series features another slate of elimination games as the tournament in Williamsport, Pennsylvania inches closer to the championship.

Eight teams will be in action on Tuesday, Aug. 19, including four that played the previous day. Each of the teams that take the field today have at least one loss, making every game a must-win situation in the double-elimination format.

The day begins with an International bracket game between Japan and Mexico. That game will be followed by a game in the U.S. bracket between South Carolina of the Southeast region and Hawaii from the West region.

In the second International game, Canada will take on Aruba from the Caribbean region before the night ends with a matchup between the Northwest region team from Washington and the Midwest region team from South Dakota.

What time does Little League World Series start today?

The first game on Tuesday, Aug. 19 starts at 1 p.m. ET with the final game starting at 7 p.m. ET. All games take place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in either Howard J. Lamade Stadium or Little League Volunteer Stadium.

Little League World Series Day 7 schedule

Tuesday, Aug. 19

All times Eastern

Game 25 (International): Japan vs. Mexico, 1 p.m. | ESPN
Game 26 (U.S.): South Carolina (Southeast) vs. Hawaii (West), 3 p.m. | ESPN
Game 27 (International): Canada vs. Aruba (Caribbean), 5 p.m. | ESPN
Game 28 (U.S.): Washington (Northwest) vs. South Dakota (Midwest), 7 p.m. | ESPN

Little League World Series 2025: TV, time and how to watch

The Little League World Series began Wednesday, Aug. 13 and concludes on Sunday, Aug. 24. Games will be presented across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Viewers can also watch with Fubo, which offers a free trial for new users.

Times: Coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+, Fubo

Stream the 2025 Little League World Series on Fubo

Little League World Series Day 6 results

Monday, Aug. 18

Game 21 (International): Venezuela 4, Japan 0
Game 22 (U.S.): Nevada 1, South Carolina 0 (7 innings)
Game 23 (International): Chinese Taipei 4, Aruba 0
Game 24 (U.S.): Connecticut 13, South Dakota 1

Little League World Series Day 5 results

Sunday, Aug. 17

Game 17 (U.S.): Washington 3, Massachusetts 2
Game 18 (International): Canada 12, Australia 0
Game 19 (U.S.): Hawaii 9, Illinois 1
Game 20 (International): Mexico 2, Panama 1

Little League World Series Day 4 results

Saturday, Aug. 16

Game 13 (International): Australia 5, Czechia 3
Game 14 (U.S.): Massachusetts 7, Texas 3
Game 15 (International): Mexico 11, Puerto Rico 5
Game 16 (U.S.): Illinois 3, Pennsylvania 2

Little League World Series Day 3 results

Friday, Aug. 15

Game 9 (International): Venezuela 4, Canada 0
Game 10 (U.S.): Nevada 5, Washington 3
Game 11 (International): Aruba 8, Panama 2
Game 12 (U.S.): Connecticut 5, Hawaii 1

Little League World Series Day 2 results

Thursday, Aug. 14

Game 5 (International): Japan 12, Czechia 0
Game 6 (U.S.): South Carolina 13, Massachusetts 0
Game 7 (International): Chinese Taipei 3, Mexico 0
Game 8: (U.S.): South Dakota 2, Pennsylvania 0

Little League World Series Day 1 results

Wednesday, Aug. 13

Game 1 (International): Venezuela 5, Puerto Rico 0
Game 2 (U.S.): Nevada 16, Illinois 1
Game 3 (International): Panama 7, Australia 2
Game 4 (U.S.): Connecticut 1, Texas 0

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Conservative ‘playbook’ to beat Democrats in court outlined in senator’s new book

One Senate Republican has crafted a blueprint for how conservatives can take on Democrats in the courts and win.

Before he was in Washington, D.C., Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. served as Missouri’s attorney general during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And during that time, he filed lawsuit after lawsuit challenging the Biden administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci and even going so far as to sue China.

And more often than not, be it through uncovering discrepancies during the discovery process or winning multibillion-dollar settlements, Schmitt was mostly successful in challenging Democratic ‘lawfare.’

‘The fact of the matter is, what our fights were, were about restoring individual liberty and pulling back the expanse of government,’ Schmitt told Fox News Digital in an interview. ‘What the Left is trying to do now with their lawfare machine was, number one, they’re trying to put their opponents in jail, but then also to defend the expanse of government, to defend the administrative state. And I think if we have the right arguments, we can win.’

Schmitt detailed how to secure those winning arguments through his own experiences in his latest book ‘The Last Line of Defense: How to Beat the Left in Court.’

He described the book as ‘a field manual from the front lines of the battles that were fought against the left-wing law machine.’ Indeed, Schmitt outlined a guide for attorneys general across the country to take on challenges at all levels, from local to federal.

‘Our playbook really is… really in response to what their playbook was, to create a manufactured emergency, a real or manufactured emergency, to aggregate power, to exercise it in ways that never were imagined to other folks who disagree and silence dissent,’ Schmitt said. ‘That’s what they were really trying to do.’

In some cases, he went beyond the country’s borders and sued a foreign country, as Schmitt did to China. He argued in the book that the Chinese Communist Party had withheld information on the COVID-19 virus, and was actively hoarding high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) while producing and selling lower-quality PPE for the rest of the world. That case resulted in an eventual $24 billion judgment earlier this year.

From there, Schmitt challenged former President Joe Biden’s student loan debt cancellation plan by focusing his case on a local student loan servicing company, a plan that was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court just months into Schmitt’s first year as a lawmaker in 2023.

Through it all, the pandemic was the ‘inflection point,’ Schmitt said, and his biggest target became Fauci.

He got an opportunity to depose Fauci, who served as the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and medical advisor to Biden, as part of his lawsuit taking on censorship and suppression by social media platforms like Facebook.

‘He wanted to silence anybody who talked about it being a lab leak,’ Schmitt said. ‘Which, of course, we know is that’s exactly what it was now. It wasn’t some bat mating with a penguin, you know, this was actually in the Wuhan Institute of Virology is where this thing came from.’

Schmitt, who is a fan of both Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Antonin Scalia — particularly Scalia’s usage of originalism, or interpreting the Constitution as it was written rather than as a living document — noted in the book that there has been a ‘complete shift’ in the courts.

In particular, conservative-leaning justices have the majority on the Supreme Court, and courts across the country are being filled, albeit slowly, with President Donald Trump’s picks.

When asked if he was at all concerned about partisan politicking coming to the bench, Schmitt countered that courts are returning to a legal system that had been ‘disrupted by the progressive era, beginning with Woodrow Wilson and the rise of the administrative state, FDR, who threatened to pack the court.’

‘The Constitution means exactly what it says, nothing more, nothing less, just like our laws,’ he said. ‘They mean what they say, nothing more, nothing less.’ 

‘I don’t want a judge to necessarily agree with my politics,’ he continued. ‘I just want a judge to adhere to the Constitution.’

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Conservative roadmap targets Medicaid, student loans for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ sequel

A conservative think tank that played a key role in shaping President Donald Trump’s ‘one big, beautiful bill’ is circulating a new roadmap of recommendations for Republicans’ second act.

The Economic Policy Innovation Center, which styles itself as ‘EPIC For America,’ has been circulating a new memo with key congressional GOP figures in recent days, a source familiar with the group’s plans told Fox News Digital.

The memo, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, advises lawmakers to broadly push for further Medicaid and regulatory reforms, crack down on federal dollars for government pensions and student loans, and use fiscal policy to extend conservative goals on abortion and transgender treatment.

Passing Trump’s massive agenda bill despite razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate was a major victory for Republican leaders. EPIC, which hails the bill as a success, argues that continued reforms are needed for meaningful fiscal reform.

‘Unfortunately, even with the victories for the American people in the OBBB, our work is far from done. We must rebuild an economy that truly works for every American, while protecting the nation’s financial foundation to ensure lasting resilience,’ the memo said.

‘The federal government is rapidly running out of fiscal space. Maintaining sufficient fiscal space is critical in order to respond appropriately to a crisis. Without space between the fiscal limit and the current level of debt, elected officials will not have room to maneuver in the event of war, a natural disaster, or a recession.’

On Medicaid, the memo advises further cuts to the cost-sharing burden on the federal government – known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) – for ‘large, wealthy states’ as well as Washington, D.C.

FMAP refers to the rate at which the federal government matches state Medicaid payments, which is currently 50%.

The memo calls to ‘end the special Medicaid subsidy FMAP treatment’ for D.C., whose minimum is 70%.

Republicans’ first budget reconciliation bill reduced certain FMAP expansions permitted under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including for emergency care for states that provide Medicaid coverage to illegal immigrants.

In turn, EPIC advises lawmakers to enhance personal and employer-based healthcare, like Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

Medicaid cuts were one of the largest sticking points during talks for the initial bill and will likely be just as politically fraught for Republicans in the second round. Meanwhile, Democrats have been using those reforms as a political cudgel, accusing the GOP of trying to take healthcare from millions of Americans. 

But conservatives have viewed Medicaid as fraught with waste, fraud, and abuse – insisting their reforms better protect the program for vulnerable people who truly need it.

The memo also advises congressional Republicans to use the budget reconciliation process to ‘reform federal bureaucrat compensation and retirement’ and ‘eliminate public sector student loan forgiveness,’ among other goals.

On the social conservative policy front, EPIC appears to view an extension of the ban on taxpayer funds to abortion providers as critical to a second reconciliation bill.

The first bill was viewed as a victory for pro-life advocates in its ban on Medicaid funds for large healthcare providers that perform abortions, which would affect Planned Parenthood and other similar organizations. But that ban is only effective for a year.

In a section titled ‘Protect Life and American Values,’ EPIC urges lawmakers to ‘extend the prohibition of taxpayer funding for big abortion providers’ as well as block Medicaid funds for gender transition care.

It also calls on lawmakers to ‘invest in election security’ and ‘impose an excise tax on higher education institutions that allow males to participate in women’s sports.’

EPIC was founded by Paul Winfree, who served as director of budget policy during the first Trump administration.

The group also has close ties to Capitol Hill, which it flexed during talks for Trump’s first agenda bill by both recommending policy initiatives and tailoring its advice through the various steps of the budget reconciliation process.

Budget reconciliation, which can be used three times during a given congressional term, allows the party in power to enact broad fiscal policy changes while sidelining the opposition – in this case, Democrats – by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51.

Brittany Madni, EPIC executive vice president and a former congressional aide, confirmed the memo’s veracity to Fox News Digital. She said the group would use the same ‘playbook’ it did during the first reconciliation process.

She said EPIC is looking to offer ‘an initial suggestion to lawmakers on what to target, and is readying to work with Republicans through the various steps of the process as details change and evolve.’

‘Mandatory spending reform is an essential target for actual fiscal change in order to stave off a debt spiral. This is why a second reconciliation bill building on the wins in the OBBB is important,’ Madni said.

Two sources told Fox News Digital that the group’s efforts so far have included a staff-level briefing with the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a 189-member-strong House GOP group that serves as its own de facto think tank for the Republican conference.

Many of the aforementioned proposals were discussed at that meeting, Fox News Digital was told, with EPIC being invited to speak as part of the RSC’s new initiative to workshop a second reconciliation bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has already publicly stated his goal of passing further reconciliation bills. But what a second bill would look like is still unclear.

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Rubio hails Trump as ‘only leader in the world’ who can broker Ukraine peace deal after talks

Secretary of State Marco Rubio applauded President Donald Trump for the progress he has made towards peace when it comes to the war in Ukraine, while he accused the former Biden administration of doing nothing to change the circumstances of the war.

Rubio appeared on Fox News’ ‘Jesse Waters Prime Time’ Monday evening after the day-long talks between U.S. and European officials that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the appearance, he praised Trump as ‘the only leader in the world’ who has proven he can broker a peace deal between Zelenskyy’s Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s Russia, adding that the Monday talks were ‘unprecedented.’   

‘After three years of deadlock, and no talks, and no change in circumstances, this is the first time where there seems to be some movement,’ the secretary said. ‘This has been going on for three-and-a-half years. A lot of people have died, a lot of territories exchanged back-and-forth, so it’s not an easy thing to unwind, but nothing was happening on this war. Literally, the only option we were given under the previous administration was continue to fund Ukraine for however much they need, for however long it takes.’

Rubio pointed out that finally, under a new administration, people are ‘actually talking about pathways toward ending [the war in Ukraine].’ 

‘It’s going to take a little bit more work, and a little bit more time, but we are making progress,’ Rubio argued. ‘It’s not me saying it, that is virtually every leader there [on Monday] said that.’

Rubio said that prior to Trump, the fighting in Ukraine was nothing more than a ‘stalemated war of death and destruction.’ He also complained that under Biden there was no plan other than to continue giving weapons to Ukraine. 

‘That’s the other dynamic that’s changed – we’re no longer giving Ukraine weapons, we’re no longer giving Ukraine money, we are now selling them weapons and European countries are paying for it through NATO. They are using NATO to buy the weapons and transferring them to Ukraine,’ Rubio pointed out. ‘That’s another big change from the way this war was approached under the Biden administration.’

Following the Monday peace talks in D.C., reports surfaced that Putin had agreed to a future meeting with Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting involving the United States.

For Rubio, just the fact that the two countries are open to talking to each other is a win and a big change from the previous administration.   

‘I’m not saying they are going to leave that room with a peace deal, but I think the fact that people are now talking to each other – this wasn’t happening for three-and-a-half years,’ Rubio told host Waters, adding that Trump has ‘made it a priority’ to bring about peace in Ukraine.

The secretary also cited six previous peace agreements that he said Trump has brokered, which Rubio said proves Trump’s commitment to peace and fewer wars.

‘President Trump is the only leader in the world – acknowledged by all the Europeans – the only leader in the world that can talk to both [Putin and Zelenskyy] and bring them both to a meeting,’ Rubio said Monday evening. ‘We should be proud that we have a president who has made peace a priority in his administration.’

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Diamondbacks go in full-on damage control mode with All-Star player

Ketel Marte publicly apologized for leaving the Diamondbacks after the All-Star break on a mini-vacation.
Ketel Marte missed his own bobblehead promotion game.
Ketel Marte insists he still has the backing of all of his teammates.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks went into full-blown damage control on Monday, Aug. 18 trying to defuse the escalating criticism of All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte.

The Diamondbacks had several meetings throughout the day, including GM Mike Hazen huddling with manager Torey Lovullo, before Marte publicly apologized for leaving the team after the All-Star break on a mini-vacation. Lovullo also defended Marte and praised him for addressing his detractors in a separate interview.

“I’m proud of him for doing that,’’ Lovullo said. “That’s not easy for him to do, and I know he showed some vulnerability. I’m really, really proud of him for digging in the way he did.’’

There has been private criticism of Marte asking for days off when not injured since at least last season, but it intensified inside the organization when Marte took a day off before the All-Star break. He played in the All-Star Game, and without telling D-backs officials, did not fly back with his fellow All-Star teammates back to Phoenix. He instead went home to the Dominican Republic and vacationed with his family.

He told D-backs officials that he would return to Phoenix for their first game after the All-Star break, but didn’t show up at Chase Field until the following Saturday afternoon, missing both games — including his own bobblehead promotion — against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Diamondbacks put him on the restricted list without pay for the two games he missed, but was not disciplined.

While several teammates and staff members were privately infuriated with Marte’s actions, he insisted Monday that he still has everyone’s support while apologizing for his unexcused absence.

“Initially the intent was to come back on Thursday and be with his team and practice,’’ Marte said through interpreter Rolando Valles. “He wants to publicly apologize for not backing that up. I mean, he obviously knew the circumstance of his situation. He got frustrated and was in a bad spot. He truly wants to apologize for his teammates and everybody else.’’

Marte insists he still has the backing of all of his teammates despite several privately airing their criticism last week to the Arizona Republic, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. Marte has missed 168 games since 2021, including 33 games this season.

“He’s had injuries in the past and that is a plan that is being integrated within the coaching staff and himself in order to keep him on the field …’ Valles said. “It’s intended to be for recovery. In those days [off], he does everything that he needs to do in order to get himself back on the field and help the team win.’’

And for the criticism that he takes off days when he’s not hurt, including in the final week of last season when the D-backs missed the playoffs by a game, he insists it will serve as motivation.

“He can’t control the outsiders and he feels fine about the fact that his intent is always to help the team win, and support his teammates, and everyone around the team,’ Valles said. “So actually sometimes that criticism helps him be more motivated to do his job, which is helping the team succeed.’

Marte, who signed a contract extension this spring through 2031 with the Diamondbacks, also reiterated that he wants to stay with the organization. He will have full control of his fate next season when he becomes a 10-and-5 player, giving him the right to veto all trades.

“In the nine years that he’s been here,’ Valles said, “he’s always tried to play hard and support the team, teammates in the organization. … He knows the quality of people here and his goal is always to be a D-back and support the organization for as long as he stays here.’

While the Diamondbacks plan to listen to trade offers for Marte this winter, they privately believe it’s unlikely any team would offer a fair package in return for a three-time All-Star who’s under contract for six more years for $92.5 million after this season. Besides, Marte said, no one on the Diamondbacks has conveyed to him that his behavior is unacceptable.

“He feels like it’s still in good condition,’’ Valles said, about Marte’s relationship with Lovullo and the front office. “They have actually been very supportive of the time he’s been here. He’s never had an issue with a player, coach or the front office in general.’’

The Diamondbacks, 60-65 entering Monday night’s game, who traded four of their players at the deadline, including All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suarez, are hoping that any unrest over Marte quickly fades away and is no longer a subject for the rest of the season. Besides, for the Diamondbacks to get any serious offers about a potential Marte trade this winter, they need the criticism to halt.

“I know he’s a great teammate,’ Lovullo said. “He goes out there and plays hard every single day for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He just wants to win baseball games. That’s it. I really don’t want to say much more than that. … So I want to put it behind us because we got baseball games we got to go out there and win.’

And, yes, perhaps a trade market to build for a certain second baseman, too.

Follow Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

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The surprise Big Ten team leading the preseason NCAA Re-Rank 1-136

Penn State tops the USA TODAY Sports College Football Re-Rank, followed by Georgia and Clemson.
The SEC and Big Ten dominate the top 30, with 10 and 8 teams each.
There are multiple matchups in Week 1 between teams in the top of the rankings.
There are multiple matchups in Week 1 between teams in the

The Big Ten and SEC lead the way in the debut USA TODAY Sports College Football Re-Rank 1-136 for the 2025 season, mirroring the very top of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.

Texas and Ohio State don’t top the list, however. Instead, the re-rank starts with No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Georgia, followed by No. 3 Clemson. The Longhorns land at No. 4 and the Buckeyes at No. 6, sandwiching No. 5 Notre Dame.

At this point, the Nittany Lions are more of a sure thing than Ohio State, which has a new quarterback, a new backfield, a largely remade defensive front seven and new coordinators on offense and defense.

The switch to Georgia atop the SEC stems from one of the biggest questions in the Bowl Subdivision entering the regular season: After beating Texas twice last season, are we really sure the Bulldogs are poised to cede control of the conference to the Longhorns?

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But this might not last past the year’s first full weekend, when Ohio State hosts Texas in one of the marquee season openers in recent FBS history. A win by either team might be enough to justify a leap into the top spot.

Rounding out the top 12 are No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Oregon, No. 9 Miami, No. 10 LSU, No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 12 Illinois. LSU is another team in line for a major boost after Week 1 should the Tigers win at Clemson.

Overall, the top 30 teams in the first re-rank include 10 from the SEC, eight from the Big Ten, five from the Big 12, four from the ACC, two from the Mountain West and one independent in the Fighting Irish.

The favorites by Power Four conference are Penn State, Georgia, Clemson and No. 13 Kansas State. The Wildcats are at the front of a very crowded top of the Big 12 that includes No. 18 Arizona State, No. 19 Texas Tech, No. 28 TCU and No. 30 Utah.

Over in the Group of Five, the preseason favorites are No. 23 Boise State (MWC), No. 35 Tulane (American), No. 48 James Madison (Sun Belt), No. 50 Toledo (MAC) and No. 55 Western Kentucky (Conference USA).

And at the bottom of the 1-136 stands a familiar face: No. 136 Kent State will begin the regular season in the same spot where the Golden Flashes ended 2024.

USA TODAY Sports college football Re-Rank 1-136

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WWE star announces pregnancy, gives up championship

Naomi’s championship reign has been halted.

The Women’s World Champion announced on the Aug. 18 edition of Monday Night Raw she will be vacating the title as she is expecting her first child.

The announcement was made with her husband, Jimmy Uso, as a preview of “What’s Your Story?” podcast with Stephanie McMahon.

”I’m pregnant and I’m having a baby,” Naomi said.

Naomi’s announcement comes one week after she was scheduled to defend her title against Iyo Sky on Aug. 11, but the match was canceled the day of because the champion was not medically cleared.

The announcement is reminiscent of when Becky Lynch gave up her title in the same fashion. In May 2020, she told Money in the Bank winner Asuka that she didn’t win a championship opportunity, but actually won the Raw Women’s Championship because Lynch was pregnant. The reveal was a shock to Asuka and fans watching in one of the sweetest moments in recent memory.

Naomi, real name Trinity Fatu, is married to fellow WWE star Jimmy Uso. She is the stepmother to Uso’s two children and she has been vocal of wanting children with her husband over the years.

With her relinquishing the championship, Naomi’s reign ends at 35 days and pauses what has been a successful year for the veteran star. Fans had been cheering for Naomi as she adopted a dark, ruthless persona amid her feud with Jade Cargill. After losing to her at WrestleMania 41 in April, Naomi won the women’s Money in the Bank match in June. She capitalized on her championship opportunity the following month at Evolution, cashing her contract in the spectacular main event match between Sky and Rhea Ripley and winning her second WWE Championship.

Her last match came on Aug. 3 when she successfully defended her title against Sky and Ripley at SummerSlam.

It is unknown when Naomi can − or will − return to wrestling. It was not revealed how long she has been pregnant, but it could be similar to Lynch, who was away for 15 months.

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Why are Flacco, Wilson and Rodgers still NFL QB1s? Count the reasons

Joe Flacco, 40, was named Cleveland’s QB1 on Monday.
Graybeards like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are also set start in 2025.
Why not opt for a youth movement behind center immediately? Let us count the ways.

Joe Flacco is once again a QB1 in the NFL. So is Russell Wilson. And Aaron Rodgers. Geno Smith, too. Heck, even Daniel Jones might be.

A kneejerk reaction of “Why?” would be understandable as it relates to these apparently faded stars and/or has-beens, yet there’s no one-size-fits-all NFL answer to that question. However old men – in terms of football years anyway – serving as Band-Aids for teams in some manner of distress actually make a lot of sense for nearly all parties involved.

It’s no secret franchise quarterbacks don’t grow on trees. There are maybe 12 teams in the league that can confidently claim they’re securely settled at the position for the foreseeable future, both in terms of performance and finances. Maybe. (And, admittedly, ‘the foreseeable future’ in the NFL has been known to shift as suddenly as the timeline of a “Terminator” movie.)

There might be another dozen or so clubs hoping they’ve got the right guy on their roster, and early returns from the likes of C.J. Stroud or Drake Maye or Bo Nix, for example, suggest that’s probably at least a solid assumption.

Then you’ve got Flacco’s Cleveland Browns. And Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers. And Wilson’s New York Giants. And Smith’s Las Vegas Raiders. With the probable exception of Smith, each of these organizations will likely start 2026 with another guy behind center. So why tread water with any of these temps now given each of these teams − save Pittsburgh − seems very likely bound for a last-place finish in 2025?

Because pro football is a unique game. It requires collective buy-in and, to some degree, selflessness other team sports don’t while also featuring a position – the ever tone-setting quarterback – which typically determines the fates of so many others on and off the field. A wideout can’t just post 25 points and 10 rebounds and call it a night – and certainly won’t routinely catch nine balls for 130 yards and TD without a reliable guy throwing to him. A linebacker on a great defense can’t hit .350 for an otherwise bad team and go home under the illusion his job is secure. Head coaches and general managers can’t opt to tank in the NFL with the assurance they’ll retain their posts after a 2-15 death march … or that such a theoretical gambit would even actually bring the can’t-miss player who would undoubtedly revitalize an organization and fan base … or that the other guys on the roster would even co-sign burning one of the (maybe) four years they get in the league with the consequential poor tape that may not earn them a subsequent shot to play elsewhere.

And so you turn to retread field generals and hope for the best – whatever that might be.

In 2023, free agent Flacco, now 40, literally rose from his couch and saved Cleveland’s season with a Comeback Player of the Year performance that landed the Browns a surprising playoff berth. He was reinstalled as the starter Monday. Last season − rightly or wrongly − Wilson took the baton in Pittsburgh and got the Steelers back into postseason. Smith surprisingly managed it, too, while supplanting Wilson in Seattle in 2022. What did it mean for those squads? Galvanized locker rooms. Captivating runs for their cities. Maybe fleeting hopes of a Nick Foles-esque magic carpet ride like the Philadelphia Eagles experienced in 2017 – or even the memorable heater Flacco and the 2012 Baltimore Ravens converted into a Super Bowl 47 triumph 12 years ago.

But more than likely, you’re enjoying short-term gains in exchange for playoff disappointment and probably another ticket to the QB hamster wheel. The Browns, Steelers, Seahawks, New York Jets – four-time league MVP Rodgers, 41, wasn’t the savior they’d hoped for – and Giants have been stuck in neutral for years while playing quarterback roulette rather than meaningfully solving the position. Same goes for the Indianapolis Colts, who continue wondering if Anthony Richardson is their post-Andrew Luck solution … even as the layovers of Flacco, Jones and Gardner Minshew suggest otherwise.

Yet what’s the alternative?

All 32 teams are deadlocked with 0-0 records ahead of their 2025 regular-season openers. Now is the time to hope Flacco or Wilson can catch lightning in a bottle, unlikely as it is that they contain it for 18 or more weeks. Yet young teammates can hope the graybeards get them on the road to the promised land and provide wisdom that seeds their own careers.

If not? Then time for new prayers.

That’s when Cleveland turns to Shedeur Sanders and/or Dillon Gabriel after they’ve had an opportunity to observe the gargantuan ask ahead of them while the Browns wait to see if Tom Brady 2.0 − or even Tom Brady 0.7 − emerges from the QB chrysalis. Similar situation for Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, confident and ready as he already seems. But why deploy him if there’s an experienced alternative like Wilson to navigate the outset of what is the league’s hardest schedule based on opponents’ 2024 winning percentages?

If the vet sinks instead of swimming, then the rook gets the belated benefit of better-informed playing time while the team likely continues sailing toward a poor record that provides better options the next year anyway.

It’s rare to see a young quarterback start, struggle and later come through a potentially confidence-shattering benching intact. It would also be folly to prematurely tab a youngster who either isn’t ready or saddled with a substandard supporting cast − think Sam Darnold with the Jets − watch him flounder and then ask someone like Wilson to make lemonade with a 2-9 record. As former running back Ricky Watters once infamously said, “For who, for what?’

At least Rodgers, his teammates and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin know they’re all chips in for 2025 … even if they’re gambling that a pair of jacks will help them secure the pot no matter how bad a hand and draft bankroll that might produce six months hence.

And so these franchises forge ahead – hoping for the best, knowing worse is likelier − desperately wishing their circumstances in the NFL’s version of purgatory have miraculously changed a year from now.

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Bengals WR has coming-out party vs. Commanders

Remember the name – Mitchell Tinsley.

The NFL preseason is all about the unknowns of the football world becoming a known, something Tinsley experienced in a big way on Monday night with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Battles for roster spots and playing time are entering the final stretch as the preseason winds down. For Tinsley, he picked the right time to shine.

On the national stage of ‘Monday Night Football,’ Tinsley capped of the first half against the Washington Commanders with a one-handed catch and two touchdowns in just 17 seconds of game action.

The stars and starters were on the sidelines, but another one might’ve been born on the field before halftime. Here’s what to know about the little-known Bengals receiver.

Who is Mitchell Tinsley?

Tinsley is a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 25-year-old is competing for a roster spot on the team, but he has been around the league for a couple seasons now.

After attending Hutchinson Community College for two years in Hutchinson, Kansas, Tinsley transferred to Western Kentucky and eventually Penn State before entering the NFL draft.

He ended up signing with the Commanders after going undrafted and was on their practice squad in 2024 after playing 10 snaps across two games in 2023.

Mitchell Tinsley stats

Despite being in the NFL since 2023, Tinsley has yet to catch a pass in an NFL game. He played two games for the Commanders that season, but only 10 snaps – three on offense and seven on special teams.

Tinsley’s junior season, his second at Western Kentucky, was a breakout year for him. The receiver finished with 87 catches, 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 games.

In 39 college games, Tinsley totaled 181 receptions, 2,356 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Mitchell Tinsley draft

Tinsley went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft and opted to sign with the Washington Commanders. Tinsley played three seasons of college football, spending two at Western Kentucky and one at Penn State.

Mitchell Tinsley on the Commanders

Tinsley’s time with the Commanders was relatively uneventful. He was on the roster in 2023, playing in two games, but saw just three snaps on offense and seven on special teams.

After being released on Aug. 27, 2024, Tinsley signed with the Commanders’ practice squad the next day. On Feb. 4, 2025, the receiver signed a futures contract with the Bengals.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Mariners player ejected after throwing bat at pitcher in Triple-A game

The Seattle Mariners’ Victor Robles was ejected after throwing his bat at a pitcher while on a Triple-A rehab assignment with the Tacoma Rainiers.

Robles later apologized for letting ‘frustration get the best of me’ after the incident in the game on Sunday, Aug. 17.

The bat-throwing incident occurred during the third inning against the Las Vegas Aviators and in Robles’ second plate appearance of the game. Aviators pitcher Joey Estes nearly struck Robles on the first pitch of the at bat, with Robles actually fouling off the pitch that almost hit him in the hands. Tempers boiled over for Robles, who already had been hit by a pitch three times in five rehab games in Tacoma. Robles hurled his bat in the direction of the pitcher and was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Joe McCarthy.

Robles wasn’t done. After he was prevented from getting to Estes, Robles returned to the Rainiers’ dugout and tossed a bucket of snacks onto the field.

Victor Robles apologizes

After his ejection, Robles posted an apology to his Instagram stories:

‘I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for my recent reaction on the field. I let my frustration get the best of me, and I understand how that may have affected not just the game, but the energy and respect we all work so hard to maintain.

‘Coming off a long rehab and being away from the game for most of the season has been physically and mentally challenging. Adding to that, the recent passing of my mother has been incredibly hard, and I’ve been doing my best to hold it together. That’s not an excuse, but some context I feel you deserve to understand where I’m coming from.

‘Getting hit 5 times in 15 at-bats added to that pressure, and I reacted in a way I’m not proud of. This game means the world to me, and so do the people who play it. I respect every one of you – my teammates, the opposing players, and everyone in this league.

‘I’m committed to being better, not just as a player, but as a teammate and competitor. I appreciate your understanding, and I’m grateful to be back on the field doing what I love. Thank you.’

Who is Victor Robles?

Robles has appeared in 10 games for the Mariners this season, but was on a rehab assignment after dislocating his left shoulder in April. Robles had a batting average of .273 in 44 at bats for the Mariners in 2025.

This is Robles’ ninth Major League Baseball season, having spent eight seasons with the Washington Nationals (2017-2024) before joining the Mariners in 2024. He was a member of the Nationals’ 2019 World Series-winning team and hit a home run in the Nationals’ NLCS Game 3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

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