Sports
Raiders, Browns look for better QB play
Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) throws the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images When the Cleveland Browns go on the road to meet the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, both starting quarterbacks will return to their posts, although Week 3 games gave reason to wonder.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew was benched for the final drive in a 36-22 home loss to the Carolina Panthers after throwing an interception in the fourth quarter. Aidan O’Connell took over and orchestrated a late 13-play, 70-yard touchdown drive.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson continues to struggle amid a revamped offense and absorbed eight sacks during a 21-15 loss to the visiting New York Giants. Watson came out of the game fine physically, although the rough afternoon could bring about trust issues.
At the outset anyway on Sunday, it will be Minshew and the Raiders (1-2) against Watson and the Browns (1-2) as they face off in Las Vegas, a town known for embracing a risk or two.
“There’s no issue. Gardner Minshew is the quarterback,” Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday.
Yet, it isn’t as if the Raiders are issue free. The Panthers handled the Raiders’ offensive and defensive lines in Week 3, with a frustrated Pierce saying afterward, when asked about the team’s effort: “… There were definitely some players that made business decisions.”
The Raiders gave up 437 yards, including 306 passing, and allowed four touchdowns to a team that was in the midst of a change from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton at quarterback. On defense, Maxx Crosby played well on a high ankle sprain, but his teammates failed to follow his lead.
Crosby missed practice Wednesday, as the Raiders work on a plan to keep their star defensive end healthy. Also sitting out practice: linebacker Divine Deablo (oblique), offensive tackle Thayer Munford (knee, ankle) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring).
“At 80 percent, (Crosby is) a lot better than any defensive end in the National Football League,” said Pierce, who added that the team will take input from Crosby before deciding the best course of action moving forward.
Watson’s rough day for the Browns came as his offensive line was in flux all around him. Pro Bowl guard Wyatt Teller (knee) was just placed on injured reserve, while tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and James Hudson III (knee) left Sunday’s game with injuries.
Watson went 21 of 37 for 196 yards with two touchdowns in the loss to the Giants as the Browns finished with just 217 total yards. Watson’s eight sacks cost Cleveland 48 yards, while the Browns also lost two fumbles.
“When you’re talking about protection, it’s everybody,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “… Everybody has a job to do in order to keep the quarterback clean. So, I got to do my part (as coach). It’s no secret we can’t let him get hit that many times. That’s not good enough and that will get fixed.”
The Browns are 31st in the 32-team NFL in total offense at 248.0 yards per game and 30th in passing at 152.3 yards per game. They have scored just 16.7 points per contest.
On defense, Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett has been playing through foot, thigh and Achilles injuries, yet still has been good enough to record two sacks. forcing a fumble on both. Cleveland is 12th in total defense at 309.3 yards allowed per game.
Garrett missed practice Wednesday but is expected to play Sunday. Also out: Wills, offensive tackle Jack Conklin (hamstring), tight end David Njoku (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (ribs, elbow), and running backs Jerome Ford (knee) and Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Two ex-Fordham players banned after betting probe
Mar 11, 2023; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Fordham Rams guard Will Richardson (1) looks to drive past Dayton Flyers guard Koby Brea (4) in the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Two former Fordham men’s basketball players received permanent bans from the NCAA on Tuesday after a lengthy gambling investigation.
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions found that Elijah Gray and Will Richardson participated in potential game manipulation for sports betting reasons.
According to the investigation, a $10,000 bet was placed on a February 2024 game involving Fordham in which the bettor wagered that the other team would win. NCAA enforcement staff identified three members of the roster with connections to the bettor, including Gray and Richardson.
Another member of the team told investigators he overheard Gray, Richardson and another student-athlete discussing the idea of throwing a game for money.
Gray admitted to agreeing to participate in the scheme in exchange for a payment of $10,000 to $15,000, but said he reconsidered and played with his normal effort and Fordham won the game. Richardson has denied involvement and he declined to cooperate with the investigation, which itself is an NCAA violation.
Gray, a 6-foot-8 forward, played two seasons at Fordham (2022-24) before transferring to Temple for the 2024-25 season. He transferred again to Wisconsin but was dismissed from the program last October amid the investigation. Gray averaged 5.7 points in 61 games (nine starts) for the Rams.
Richardson, a 6-foot-3 guard, played three seasons at Fordham (2022-25) before transferring to Albany, where he was dismissed from the program in December without appearing in a game. He averaged 7.9 points in 73 games (41 starts) for the Rams.
The bettors involved in the plot were indicted in January by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on wire fraud and bribery charges related to sports contests.
–Field Level Media
Sports
PWHL officially passes 1M attendance mark for first time
Nov 30, 2024; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Sceptres forward Jesse Compher (18) joins team mates and fans as they celebrate a goal scored by forward Hannah Miller (34) against the Boston Fleet in the third period at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The Professional Women’s Hockey League surpassed one million fans in the regular season for the first time in its three-season history, the league announced Tuesday.
In all, 120 games were played, with slightly more than 1.1 million people filling the seats for an average of 9,304 per game.
That total is an increase of 28 percent over last season, including the playoffs, and 71% over the first season of 2023-24. The average total of fans in the stands was 5,448 per game in the first season, 7,230 in the second.
On April 17, the PWHL surpassed one million fans in a single season for the first time in league history, reaching the milestone in 109 regular season games, 30% fewer than the PWHL needed to reach its first million fans.
The attendance mark was helped by the addition of the expansion Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, which The Athletic reported had the largest average attendance of all franchises at home this season. Seattle averaged 12,875 fans, with Vancouver bringing in 11,234 per game.
The league is expected to announce further expansion soon.
Before that, the league will hold the Walker Cup Playoffs beginning Thursday. The top-seeded Montreal Victoire and reigning champion Minnesota Frost will meet in one semifinal, with the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge in the other pairing. The winners of the two best-of-five series will play for the Walker Cup.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Celtics' Brad Stevens named NBA Executive of Year
Feb 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was named the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year for the second time in three seasons on Tuesday.
Stevens’ Celtics finished with the second-best record (56-26) in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26 and secured a top-two playoff seed for the fifth time in his five seasons in his current role.
Boston accomplished that despite parting ways with Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday before the season and only having All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum for 16 games after he recovered from an Achilles injury.
Stevens, who also won the award in 2023-24, is the 12th executive to receive the honor multiple times since it was first presented in 1972-73.
Stevens, 49, received 11 first-place votes and 69 total points in voting by his fellow executives. Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh was second with 41 points, one more than Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon.
Before joining Boston’s front office, Stevens served as the team’s head coach for eight seasons and tallied a 354-282 record. During his 13-year tenure with the franchise, the Celtics have made 12 playoff appearances.
The Celtics currently have a 3-1 lead in their first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers. Game 5 is on Tuesday night in Boston.
–Field Level Media
Two ex-Fordham players banned after betting probe
PWHL officially passes 1M attendance mark for first time
