Sports
Report: Zinedine Zidane to take over as France coach this summer
Jul 26, 2024; Paris, FRANCE; Zinedine Zidane during the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games along the Seine River. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-Imagn Images French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over his national team’s head coaching duties following this summer’s FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported Monday.
Zidane, 53, reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Federation Francaise de Football to replace Didier Deschamps, who has held the role since 2012.
Zidane, who managed La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid for two stints (2016-18, 2019-21), has long been expected to eventually become the skipper for France.
As a player, the dynamic midfielder won the 1998 Ballon d’Or and was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000 and 2003). He helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and finish second in 2006. He was infamously sent off during the final of the latter World Cup when he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Magic pick Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as next head coach
May 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant head coach Sean Sweeney observes the second half of play during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images San Antonio Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney is set to become head coach of the Magic, edging out two veteran finalists to replace Jamahl Mosley in Orlando.
According to multiple reports, Sweeney and the Magic are in agreement on the deal, which will be finalized as soon as San Antonio’s season ends. The Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder square off Saturday in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
Mosley was fired by the Magic after Orlando blew a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the 2026 playoffs to the Detroit Pistons. He landed on his feet and was hired as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Former University of Florida, Thunder and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy, also a former NBA head coach, were also finalists. But Orlando went with Sweeney after he reportedly “wowed” the team’s brass in a meeting Wednesday in San Antonio.
Sweeney, 41, was Jason Kidd’s top assistant coach in Dallas and helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals in 2024. He jumped to San Antonio prior to this season to work for Mitch Johnson after being a finalist for the head coaching jobs with the Hornets, Pistons and Suns.
In his only season with San Antonio, Sweeney was primarily responsible for the Spurs’ defense. He has been an assistant coach and worked with a plethora of prominent All-Star-level talents such as Victor Wembanyama (Spurs), Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mosley spent five seasons as head coach in Orlando and accumulated a record of 189-221. Orlando won 41 or more games each of the past three seasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Giants' Abdul Carter: 'No beef' with Jaxson Dart over President Trump intro
Apr 25, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, US; New York Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter officially cleared the air Friday about his since-deleted tweet criticizing New York quarterback Jaxson Dart for introducing President Donald Trump at a political event earlier this month.
Talking after Friday’s OTA practice, Carter wasn’t apologetic for what he said. However, he made it clear it hasn’t affected his relationship with Dart.
“First off, I’m going to say that some things are bigger than football, and this is one of those things. Jaxson is one of our leaders. He’s the face of our franchise. He not only represents himself and what he does, but he represents all of us, and that goes for anybody who wears a Giants uniform,” Carter said.
“But if he chooses to align himself with a man like President Trump, it’s my responsibility based on what I believe and what I stand on to not only show my teammates that I’m against that, but to show the world.
“That doesn’t mean that we have to spread hate. It doesn’t mean that me and Jaxson hate each other or we have beef. I sit next to Jaxson every day, every team meeting. We’re close. We talk. As long as we make sure we’ve got the same goal as a team and our goals align, which they do, I feel like that’s all that matters. I just want to move past this.”
Dart introduced Trump last week at festivities supporting the campaign of Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s Hudson Valley in Congress and is running for a third term.
Dart’s presence and on-the-mic role at the rally sparked a reaction from Carter, the third overall draft pick in 2025 – the same year in which the Giants selected Dart with the 25th pick.
“Thought this (s-) was AI,” Carter wrote in a since-deleted post on X that showed the video featuring Dart’s introduction of the president. “What we doing, man?”
Dart, who also talked to the media on Friday, opened with a statement which shared his side of the story.
“This was a unique opportunity, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States,” Dart said. “My thinking was pretty simple, in the fact of, I’ve always loved this country. I have extended family members who have fought in wars. I have two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy and served themselves. And I even have a great-grandfather who served as the Secretary of the Treasury at some point.
“The president position has always been a position that I have a lot of respect in, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party. My intentions were just that.”
Dart added that some productive conversations amongst Giants players have come out of this situation.
“We have a real brotherhood. We’ve had a lot of honest conversations with each other, as a team, and I’d like to keep those things private between me and my teammates.”
Carter, who was seen embracing Dart during Friday’s workout, made it clear he isn’t looking for Dart to apologize.
“I don’t want him to say he’s sorry. Stand on what you believe in,” Carter said. “But it can’t be a problem when I stand on what I believe in. That’s all that matters to me. As long as we have that understanding, it’s all good.”
Backup quarterback Jameis Winston, a 12-year NFL veteran, shared his veteran perspective as for how valuable it can be for two guys entering their second seasons to come out the other side of something like this.
“I think these two young guys being resilient and showing that uncomfortable situations and coming to a, not a compromise, but coming to a position of strength, of authority, of the impact that they have, that we have as athletes with this platform to the world, is so good for them to experience,” Winston said.
“Because guys, they were drafted together. You don’t have a tighter bond than that. They sit next to each other in the team meeting room. That’s what we see in this world. Sometimes we try to normalize just opinions, people’s opinions. Everybody wants to jump on, oh, he said this, she did that, but we don’t normalize togetherness. We don’t normalize perspective. Everyone has that.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Nationwide buying 37% stake in Crew at $900M valuation
Columbus Crew fan waves a flag in the first half of the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Nationwide Mutual Insurance has agreed to a deal to purchase a 37% stake in ownership of the Columbus Crew, according to multiple media reports.
The deal was reportedly made at a valuation of $900 million. It still needs to be approved by MLS’ board of governors and is set to be finalized in the next few weeks.
Nationwide is buying 30% of the stake from Haslem Sports Group and 7% from the Edwards family. The Haslems, who also own the Cleveland Browns, were awarded an expansion NWSL team in Columbus last month for what was reported to be a record $205 million fee.
Nationwide and the Edwards family are also in the NWSL ownership group.
The Haslem and Edwards families took over operation of the Crew from MLS in 2018 for $150 million. Even with selling 30%, the Haslems will remain the majority owners with 40% of the ownership stake.
The reported club valuation for Columbus is a bit higher than a few other recent MLS franchise sales. Real Salt Lake and the NWSL’s Utah Royals were sold last year for just under $600 million, and Sporting Kansas City’s majority ownership stake was sold earlier this year at a valuation of $700 million.
–Field Level Media
