Sports
QB watch on as No. 25 Texas A&M hosts Bowling Green
Sep 14, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images All eyes are on No. 25 Texas A&M’s quarterback situation this week as the team prepares to face Bowling Green on Saturday in College Station.
Starting quarterback Conner Weigman remains “day-to-day,” Aggies coach Mike Elko said Monday. Freshman Marcel Reed, who had a terrific game in leading A&M past Florida last weekend, is the other option.
“We’ll continue to manage the quarterback room very similar to how we have and play the guy Saturday that we think gives us the best chance to win,” Elko said.
Reed looked the part in his first college start against the Gators, completing 11 of 17 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 83 yards and a TD in the 33-20 win. That performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Outside of the quarterback situation, A&M has had little to complain about since its season-opening loss to Notre Dame. The Aggies rolled past McNeese on Sept. 7 and then had little trouble getting by Florida in the Swamp.
The season is young, but the Aggies have shown signs of a strong running game, averaging 263 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, they have a combined 15 tackles for loss and five interceptions.
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler understands the challenge ahead for his team. The MAC has held its own so far against power schools, notably Northern Illinois stunning Notre Dame and Toledo routing Mississippi State. Bowling Green almost joined the list, holding a halftime lead against No. 10 Penn State before falling 34-27 last weekend.
This is another opportunity for the Falcons to make a statement but, in reality, there is a reason oddsmakers had them open as a 23 1/2-point underdog.
“We’ve got our hands full,” Loeffler said. “This is a very, very talented team. There’s some things where they’re very, very strong at that’s kind of our weaknesses a little bit.
“So, we’ve got to find different ways to get things done because they’re big, they’re powerful, super strong, athletic. Everything that you would think of when it comes to an SEC team.”
The Falcons are led by a former SEC quarterback, Connor Bazelak, who started his college career at Missouri. Bazelak has completed 65.6 percent of his passes so far with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also rushed for a score.
Bowling Green’s playmakers include tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who had 11 catches for 137 yards and one TD at Penn State.
“It’s a really experienced offensive group,” Elko said of Bowling Green. “They present a lot of stress on you with how they run their system. They do a really, really good job. And so this is a talented group for sure.”
For Elko, the matchup also brings back some fond memories of his early coaching days. He was Bowling Green’s defensive coordinator from 2009-13 under Dave Clawson. The Falcons went 10-4 in 2013, Elko’s final season as DC.
“Our family absolutely loved that town,” Elko said. “We have a lot of really fond memories, a lot of really good friends that live up in Bowling Green. A lot of respect for that school, a lot of respect for that university and their program.”
This will be the first meeting between Bowling Green and A&M.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
Mar 15, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic (19) runs with the ball during the second half against New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic has departed the club, the team announced on Wednesday.
Tanasijevic, 28, joined NYCFC in February 2024 and made 43 appearances across all competitions.
“We would like to thank Tana for the commitment and professionalism shown throughout his time with the Club,” sporting director Todd Dunivant said. “This move provides an opportunity for Tana to pursue the next step in his career while also giving the Club additional roster flexibility. We wish Tana and his family all the best moving forward.”
Tanasijevic played for several clubs in his native Serbia prior to joining New York City FC.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
Nov 27, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after a Philadelphia 76ers foul during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images LeBron James told Time magazine that he believes he is the greatest basketball player of all time.
When asked the age-old question of who is the GOAT in the NBA, James embraced his own name.
“I’m not taking nobody over me,” he told Time in a profile published Monday. “There’s no question.”
James, however, admitted the NBA has other all-time greats, namely Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird and Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
“But I think Mike will say the same thing,” James said. “Rest his soul, Kobe will say the same thing. Magic will say the same thing. Bird will say the same thing. Shaq could say the same thing. The late great Wilt (Chamberlain), Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). I don’t think none of us are going to take somebody else.
“If there’s a general manager and he’s eyeballing all of us on a baseline, with the No. 1 pick, it’s gonna be hard not to take me, champ.”
James, 41, just completed his record-setting 23rd NBA season, and the league’s all-time leading scorer is heading into unrestricted free agency.
“It’s up to the mind,” James told Time about whether he will suit up next season or retire. “Where the mind goes, the body will lay. When I’m not in love with getting to the arenas on game days five hours before to start my preparation, if I’m out of love with getting to practice 2 1/2 hours beforehand, then I know I’ll be done. Because then I’m going to start cheating the game.”
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds this season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 22-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion is the all-time leader in games (1,622) and points (43,440).
–Field Level Media
Sports
WNBA champion Aces not invited to White House
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates as she receives the MVP trophy after defeating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 to win the WNBA Championship in a four-game sweep in Game Four of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on Oct. 10, 2025, in Phoenix. The Las Vegas Aces did not receive an invitation to the White House after winning the 2025 WNBA title in October, a team spokesperson confirmed to USA Today on Wednesday.
The decades-old tradition of championship sports teams visiting 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. has not included any WNBA or NBA teams during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
The New York Liberty did not visit the White House after winning the 2024 WNBA championship. The 2024-25 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder did not go either, due to what the team called a timing issue.
The Aces, who will be in Washington, D.C., for a July 22 game against the Mystics, have won three of the past four WNBA championships. They visited the White House twice during the Biden Administration.
The Aces had considered visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture as an alternate way of commemorating their championship during next month’s trip to the nation’s capital, but ran into a scheduling conflict, per USA Today.
–Field Level Media
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
