Category: Sport

An “aftermarket” signed 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card has bought in a non-public sale through Goldin Auctions for $2.7 million. In accordance with the public sale home, it’s a report paid for a card with an “aftermarket” signature.

“Aftermarket” signed playing cards are autographed outdoors the chain of card manufacturing; bodily autographed playing cards are both arduous signed immediately onto the floor, signed onto a hologram sticker which is later positioned onto the cardboard’s floor, or embedded as reduce signatures — autographs reduce from paperwork equivalent to checks.

Due to Jordan’s longtime unique cope with Higher Deck, signed Jordan rookie playing cards have been arduous to seek out for many years outdoors the 23 copies Jordan signed for a 2006 twentieth anniversary buyback Higher Deck promotion. However Jordan has lately began to do personal signings, together with on the Fleer rookie card, that are nonetheless thought of uncommon.

Goldin Auctions founder and CEO Ken Goldin confirmed by a consultant that the cardboard — graded a PSA Mint 9 with a ten autograph grade — was one of many 9 signed by Jordan “in personal with witnesses” at a 2024 signing.

One other card from that signing (one in every of three PSA 9s; the remaining six acquired 10 grades from PSA and, as of June, haven’t surfaced publicly) bought through Joopiter, Pharell Williams’ public sale home, for $2.5 million in late June. Goldin additionally confirmed to ESPN that this $2.7 million Jordan just isn’t a reselling of the $2.5 million Joopiter card.

“Signed rookie playing cards of greatest-of-all-time athletes, like Michael Jordan, characterize the head of sports activities collectibles,” Goldin stated in a press release. “This record-breaking sale is a testomony not solely to Jordan’s enduring legacy but in addition to the popularity of aftermarket-signed playing cards […].”

Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Lauren Betts of UCLA and Madison Booker of Texas headline The Related Press All-America ladies’s faculty basketball group launched Tuesday.

The trio have been first-team All-Individuals final spring after having stellar seasons. They have been joined on the preseason group this 12 months by UConn’s Sarah Robust and South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson. Latson transferred to the Gamecocks this 12 months after spending the primary three years of her profession at Florida State.

Hidalgo and Betts every earned 29 votes from from the 31-member nationwide media panel that chooses the AP High 25 every week. Robust garnered 28 votes whereas Booker had 23 and Latson 14.

Hidalgo is coming off a season that noticed the proficient guard turn into simply the fourth sophomore to earn All-America honors in her first two years. USC’s JuJu Watkins additionally achieved that feat final season, however is out for this 12 months whereas she’s recovering from a torn ACL she suffered within the NCAA event. Courtney Paris and Maya Moore have been additionally All-Individuals their first two seasons.

Hidalgo averaged 23.8 factors, 5.0 rebounds and three.6 assists for the Combating Irish final season. She is going to tackle a much bigger function this season with the lack of the opposite 4 starters to both the WNBA or the switch portal.

“I do know the burden of that’s heavy, the crown is tremendous heavy,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey stated. “However I really feel like she has completed an important job of surrounding herself with the proper community, the Notre Dame community, but additionally her household. She may be very grounded along with her household and her religion.”

Betts, a senior, helped UCLA attain No. 1 within the AP High 25 for the primary time at school historical past final season. The 6-foot-7 middle averaged 20.2 factors and 9.5 rebounds to get the Bruins to their first Remaining 4 earlier than they misplaced to Robust and UConn.

Robust had a sensational freshman season for the Huskies, serving to them win the college’s twelfth nationwide championship. She averaged 16.4 factors and eight.9 rebounds, and coach Geno Auriemma has stated she is even higher this 12 months. UConn is No. 1 within the preseason High 25.

“On daily basis, there isn’t a day that goes by that one of many coaches and I don’t take a look at one another and go, ‘Man, there’s simply one thing about her proper now,'” Auriemma stated. “I can’t wait. I stay up for going to follow simply to see what would possibly occur subsequent, some issues she would possibly pull off.”

Latson led the nation in scoring at Florida State final season, averaging 25.2 factors a recreation. With one 12 months left of eligibility, it’s not nearly attempting to win a nationwide championship however getting ready for the WNBA. Coach Daybreak Staley has had a variety of success producing execs, together with four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.

Latson must face Booker not less than as soon as this season within the SEC. The Longhorns’ junior wing averaged 16.0 factors, 6.6 rebounds and a couple of.6 assists final season. Booker helped Texas attain the Remaining 4 final season earlier than the Longhorns misplaced to South Carolina.

Betts, Hidalgo and Booker have been all first-team All-Individuals final spring whereas Latson and Robust have been on the second group. The AP started releasing a preseason All-America group earlier than the 1994-95 season.

In his first couple of days as UAB’s interim soccer coach, Alex Mortensen rapidly earned the respect of athletic director Mark Ingram, who was impressed by Mortensen’s composure, professionalism and regular management amid a difficult transition.

Mortensen, the 39-year-old son of late ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen, had been tasked with changing former Blazers coach Trent Dilfer, who had given him his first large break in teaching when he employed him because the crew’s offensive coordinator in 2023.

In keeping with Ingram, Mortensen was calm and assured when he met with UAB’s gamers and assistant coaches for the primary time after Dilfer was fired Oct. 12. Mortensen was polished and ready when he confronted the media the subsequent day.

“You’re speaking a few bunch of men that have been very emotional about that information, and I believed Alex dealt with that superbly,” Ingram mentioned. “He met with the workers, and I believed he dealt with that superbly. He was fabulous on the podium with [the media]. I hate to say that I used to be shocked, however I used to be sort of pleasantly shocked at how nicely he’s achieved with all of that as a result of he simply hadn’t achieved it earlier than.”

Mortensen had that very same cool and measured demeanor when he made his head-coaching debut final week, main UAB, a 21½-point underdog, to a 31-24 upset of then-No. 22 Memphis at Protecting Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.

After the Blazers punted with a seven-point lead and fewer than two minutes to play, the Tigers transformed on fourth-and-7 when quarterback AJ Hill accomplished a 21-yard cross to Cortez Braham Jr.

Then it seemed as if Memphis had a landing, with the potential to tie the rating with a PAT or take the lead with a 2-point conversion, when Greg Desrosiers Jr. broke off a 41-yard run. However replay officers dominated Desrosiers’ left knee was down on the 1-yard line.

That’s when issues fell aside for the Tigers. A false-start penalty backed them as much as the UAB 6. Desrosiers practically scored on first-and-goal however was pushed out on the 1. Then got here one other false begin, two incompletions and a delay-of-game penalty, leaving the Tigers with fourth-and-goal from the 11 with 19 seconds remaining.

What was going by means of Mortensen’s thoughts within the greatest second of his first sport in cost?

“Do we have to or wish to use a timeout in any of these conditions?” Mortensen mentioned. “What is going to we do if we don’t be ok with how we’re aligned or possibly what set they arrive out in? I’m excited about, clearly, we’ve obtained to be ready for them to run a 2-point play in the event that they rating. In the event that they tie it, I’m additionally considering how possibly we wish to deal with time beyond regulation.

“So, you realize, simply operating by means of all these issues. There was even some extent the place you’re going, ‘OK, in the event that they rating with ample time on the clock, how can we wish to deal with the two-minute state of affairs?’ Nevertheless a lot time is left, whether or not we wish to attempt to rating or whether or not we wish to take it to time beyond regulation.”

On fourth-and-goal, Lewis threw to the left facet of the top zone for Braham, who caught the ball out of bounds. As soon as replay upheld the decision, the Blazers wildly celebrated ending a three-game dropping streak and profitable for the primary time in additional than a month.

With backup quarterback Ryder Burton making his first profession begin (starter Jalen Kitna was sidelined with a shoulder harm), the Blazers had 470 yards of offense and went 9-for-13 on third down to finish the Tigers’ 10-game profitable streak.

“Clearly, the consequence was superior to see our guys play actually arduous and play poised, proper right down to the top,” Mortensen mentioned.

It was UAB’s fifth victory over an AP High 25 opponent within the 28-year historical past of this system and its first since defeating No. 13 BYU 31-28 within the Independence Bowl on the finish of the 2021 season.

“Contemplating the emotion, not simply of the week however of the season, and actually popping out of final 12 months, it was exuberant,” Ingram mentioned. “Like a positively emotional afternoon to see the gamers’ and the coaches’ and the followers’ faces and the way excited they have been. Gosh, oh man, it felt actually good.”

Mortensen referred to as Ingram on Thursday night time and mentioned, “Memphis is absolutely good.”

“My plan is to attempt to gradual the sport down as greatest I can to mitigate what they’re doing,” Mortensen instructed him. “You understand, in the event that they don’t have the ball, then they’ll’t rating. And even when we don’t rating, we will hopefully maintain it away from them. We are able to maintain it near the place we’re within the sport, as a result of if it’s low-scoring sufficient, then we’re by no means actually out of the sport.”

As a substitute of operating the fast-paced offense that had been a trademark underneath Dilfer, the Blazers have been extra deliberate and affected person. They nonetheless didn’t huddle more often than not, however they didn’t snap the ball as rapidly, taking extra break day the play clock.

There was an surprising profit from Mortensen’s plan. UAB’s offense was extra disciplined and made fewer of the errors that had plagued it up to now. The Blazers have been penalized 13 occasions for 110 yards in a 56-24 loss at Tennessee, 11 occasions for 73 yards in a 31-13 loss in opposition to Military, and 15 occasions for 128 yards in a 53-33 loss at Florida Atlantic.

That they had solely six penalties for 47 yards in opposition to Memphis.

“They have been all possibly a bit of bit extra assured of their assignments on offense,” Ingram mentioned. “Whenever you go hurry-up, you higher know what you’re doing. There’s no room for error; your margin for error actually shrinks. And by slowing down, I simply suppose there was this, like, ‘OK, all people, deep breath.'”

Ingram made the choice to fireplace Dilfer the day after the loss at Florida Atlantic dropped the Blazers’ report to 2-4.

Dilfer, a former Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback and ESPN analyst, had a 9-21 report in two-plus seasons at UAB.

“Trent mentioned to the crew after the FAU sport, ‘I don’t suppose you’re a foul soccer crew. You’re simply not enjoying good soccer,'” Ingram mentioned. “I agree with that as a result of there have been moments the place we scored or had a pleasant defensive sequence, and I believed, ‘Gosh, if we might simply maintain enjoying like that, we’ll win a whole lot of soccer video games, you realize?’ After which we simply hadn’t been in a position to preserve that.”

Throughout a gathering with Ingram on the day he was fired, Dilfer beneficial Mortensen to be the interim head coach. Earlier than Dilfer employed him, Mortensen had been a place coach for just one season, in 2012 when he was quarterbacks coach at Division II New Mexico Highlands.

Mortensen, who performed quarterback at Arkansas and Samford, spent 9 seasons as a graduate assistant and analyst at Alabama from 2014 to 2022. The Crimson Tide received three nationwide championships and went 115-12 whereas he was there.

“I believed he was one of many smartest folks that ever was concerned in our program,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban mentioned. “He actually understood soccer, had nice data and good instructing development. He was a quiet man, which is one thing that I at all times talked to him about. He wanted to be extra outgoing and extra outspoken with gamers and along with his colleagues.”

Throughout his 9 seasons at Alabama, Mortensen was uncovered to a number of offensive coordinators who at the moment are head coaches in faculty soccer and the NFL: Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Brian Daboll (New York Giants), Mike Locksley (Maryland) and Invoice O’Brien (Boston School).

Mortensen primarily labored with quarterbacks whereas at Alabama, tutoring NFL starters Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Heisman winner Bryce Younger alongside the way in which.

“He had actually good data of the place, technically,” Saban mentioned. “He was simply made out of the proper stuff. He was not a giant ego man and by no means obtained affected by all that stuff. He was a very good trainer and helped develop a whole lot of good gamers.”

Saban mentioned Mortensen stayed with him for practically a decade as a result of different faculties weren’t keen to present him an opportunity till Dilfer did.

“He might by no means break by means of and get a possibility as a result of all people would at all times say, ‘Effectively, you want expertise,'” Saban mentioned. “However he’s an instance of a man that had super resiliency professionally to persevere by means of the ups and downs and keep it up and dangle in there. He believed in himself and ready himself in order that when he did get a possibility, he would have the ability to reap the benefits of it, and he actually did that.”

One one who wasn’t shocked by Mortensen’s potential to stay unflappable and targeted within the remaining minutes of UAB’s victory in opposition to Memphis was NFL reporter Adam Schefter, who labored with Chris Mortensen for 15 years at ESPN.

Schefter, Alex Mortensen and ESPN analyst Chris Berman gave eulogies at Chris Mortensen’s funeral. Mortensen died March 3, 2024. He was 72.

“I might barely maintain it collectively,” Schefter mentioned. “[Alex] obtained up there — and it’s his father and an important determine in his life — and he was as calm and composed as anyone might ever hope to be. I by no means might be as calm and composed as he was that day.”

Chris Mortensen joined ESPN in 1991 and was an everyday contributor to the community’s NFL reveals and “SportsCenter.” In 2016, he obtained the Professional Soccer Writers of America’s Dick McCann Award and was honored in the course of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame’s enshrinement ceremony in August that 12 months.

Chris Mortensen was recognized with Stage 4 throat most cancers in January 2016. He stepped away from his function at ESPN in 2023.

“There wasn’t something that made Mort any happier than Alex,” Schefter mentioned. “When he sort of scaled again [from work], he wished to look at Alex’s groups, and he wished to look at Alex coach. That was the hope. That’s what he wished to do along with his free time. I can’t overstate how a lot he cherished Alex.”

Schefter, who stays in shut contact with Alex, watched UAB’s victory over Memphis on TV along with his household Saturday. As Schefter watched his late good friend’s solely baby information his crew to one of many greatest upsets of the season, he texted with a few ESPN colleagues.

At one level in the course of the sport, Schefter wrote, “I can’t consider how a lot I care about this sport.”

Somebody replied: “That’s what love does for you.”

“We love Mort, and we love Alex,” Schefter mentioned. “We’re very pleased with him. And in a manner, we really feel like we’re representing Mort, to take care of Alex and cheer for him and help him from afar.”

Alex Mortensen thought loads about his late father Saturday, too.

“I take into consideration my dad each single day and take into consideration what he’d inform me to do,” Mortensen mentioned. “I used to hunt his counsel on a whole lot of issues, and so I’m at all times questioning what he would inform me. Saturday was positively no totally different.”

After Burton took a knee within the victory formation to complete UAB’s gorgeous upset, Schefter despatched a textual content to Chris Mortensen’s widow, Micki, congratulating her on Alex’s win and telling her how a lot it meant to so lots of Chris’ former colleagues.

Her reply: “Blissful tears,” with a coronary heart emoji.

There have been unimaginable scenes within the Swedish high flight on Monday as Mjällby AIF, plucky upstarts and heroes of the Allsvenskan season, beat heavyweights IFK Göteborg to clinch probably the most unlikely of league titles.

The very important 2-0 victory sparked jubilant celebrations on the pitch, because the consequence cementing an unassailable 11-point lead for Mjällby on the high of the desk with three fixtures of the marketing campaign remaining. The crew who hail from the small fishing group of Hällevik (inhabitants: 800) on the Baltic Sea will play within the UEFA Champions League in 2026-27.

Mjällby’s story is made all of the extra unimaginable by the truth that they’ve been guided to glory by Anders Torstensson, a faculty principal-turned-head coach who had by no means coached skilled soccer at senior degree till 2023. Having nearly been worn out of existence while enjoying within the Swedish third tier in 2016 resulting from monetary points, the membership have additionally operated on a meagre finances which they’ve bolstered by nurturing youth expertise and shifting them on to greater golf equipment round Europe.

– Leicester’s title triumph, 10 years on: Can anybody repeat it?
– Leicester’s 2015-16 PL champions: The place are they now?
– PL’s shortest supervisor reigns as Ange fired after 39 days

Mjällby managed to seek out their ft and return to the Allsvenskan in 2020, establishing themselves as a midtable outfit. They completed fifth final season, 15 factors behind champions Malmö, however an impressive run of type and outcomes by means of the 2025 marketing campaign has seen them energy to the primary top-tier honor within the membership’s 86-year historical past.

After all, Mjällby’s underdog heroics have been in comparison with that of Leicester Metropolis, who additionally upset the bookmakers to win the Premier League in 2015-16.

And, with that in thoughts, listed below are a number of the different very unlikely title wins ever witnessed in European top-flight soccer.

After ending in a modest 14th place in 2013-14, their first season again within the Premier League, the Foxes went from 5,000-1 rank outsiders to champions of England. Claudio Ranieii’s irrepressible facet, fueled by the likes of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kanté, noticed off the entire standard contenders to win the Premier League title by a 10-point margin — the identical hole that they then managed to keep away from relegation to the Championship the next yr.

Regardless of the Italian league being graced by the likes of Diego Maradona and Michel Platini, it was the unfancied Hellas Verona who performed their technique to the Scudetto. The Gialloblu misplaced two video games all season and as Platini’s Juventus, Maradona’s Napoli, AC Milan and Internazionale all stuttered. It stays the membership’s first and, as issues stand, solely Serie A triumph.

Shortly earlier than Paris Saint-Germain embarked upon their ongoing period of dominance over the Ligue 1 trophy, it was Montpellier who managed to make sure the Parisians’ grand, Qatari-backed plan obtained off to a false begin by pipping them to the 2011-12 title. With battering-ram striker Olivier Giroud offering the vast majority of the targets, Montpellier maintained their impetus all season to complete three factors above Zlatan Ibrahimovic & Co. within the last standings. To this point, it was La Paillade’s first and final main top-flight honor, and final season they have been relegated to Ligue 2.

Following a rebrand and overhaul of the membership in 2014, Istanbul Basaksehir shone brilliant and transient within the Turkish Süper Lig, ending runners-up in 2016-17 and 2018-19 earlier than occurring to win the title in 2019-20 — turning into solely the second membership exterior of Turkey’s so-called “Massive 4” (Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor) to win the league because it was shaped in 1959.

Regardless of successful the German Cup that very same season, Kaiserslautern have been relegated from the Bundesliga in 1995-96. Die Roten Teufel have been in a position to bounce again on the first alternative, solely to then additional harness their upward momentum in reasonably spectacular vogue. Otto Rehhagel’s facet kicked issues off with a shock 1-0 win over defending champions Bayern Munich, earlier than narrowly beating them to the title with one sport of the season remaining — the one time on report {that a} newly promoted crew has gained the German Bundesliga. Rehhagel then sealed one other unlikely title by main Greece to glory at Euro 2004.

What is taken into account the best modern-day Bundesliga upset got here in 2023-24 when Bayer Leverkusen got here up on the rails to deliver an exhilarating finish to Bayern Munich’s imperious monopoly over the title. Bayern had beforehand gained 11 titles on the bounce earlier than Xabi Alonso’s slick Leverkusen outfit ended that run and completely consigned their undesirable “Neverkusen” tag to historical past. Leverkusen have been second from backside within the Bundesliga with simply 5 factors from eight video games when Alonso took over in October of 2022; the next season he cause them to a league and cup double with out shedding a home sport all season.

Chelsea will make a contemporary try to signal Spain striker Samu Agehowa, whereas Manchester United have discovered how a lot it would value to signal VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller. Be a part of us for the newest switch information and rumors from across the globe.

Transfers house web page | Males’s grades | Girls’s grades

– Forest rent Dyche as Postecoglou substitute
– Klopp refuses to rule out Liverpool return someday
– PL golf equipment involved over spending cap in Championship

– Chelsea are ready to make an £87m supply to FC Porto for striker Samu Agehowa subsequent summer time, in accordance with Report. The Blues had been near signing the Spain worldwide from Atlético Madrid in the summertime of 2024, however the transfer collapsed and he joined Porto as an alternative. Samu scored 25 objectives in his first season in Portugal, and has netted eight objectives in 9 video games up to now this time period. The 21-year-old has a contract on the Estádio do Dragão till June 2029.

– Stuttgart have set their charge for Angelo Stiller at 50 million with Manchester United among the many golf equipment who’ve expressed an curiosity within the midfielder however the 24-year-old’s valuation may nonetheless rise, in accordance with Sky Sports activities Deutschland. Whereas Stiller has a 40m launch clause, the Bundesliga membership should buy that out and make his switch charge freely negotiable. In the meantime, TEAMtalk studies that United want to January with their checklist of choices that includes Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham and Porto’s Victor Froholdt. The Crimson Devils are optimistic that they’ll reunite coach Ruben Amorim with Hjulmand for £50m regardless of the 26-year-old’s £70m launch clause, with this coming as a consequence of Sporting’s relationship with their former supervisor.

Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw was suspended one sport by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct towards a referee following Sunday’s win in opposition to the New York Giants, the league introduced Monday.

In response to the NFL’s assertion, Greenlaw “chased after referee Brad Allen and verbally threatened him as he tried to depart the sector.”

Video posted by a CBS Colorado reporter reveals Greenlaw’s encounter with Allen.

The NFL stated Greenlaw violated Rule 12, Part 3, Article 1(b), which prohibits “the usage of abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officers, or representatives of the League.”

Greenlaw has three days to enchantment his suspension underneath the collective bargaining settlement.

If he doesn’t enchantment or the suspension is upheld, he would sit out the Broncos’ practices this week and Sunday’s house sport in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys. The suspension would additionally price him a sport examine within the quantity of $192,778.

Sunday marked Greenlaw’s first sport with Denver after he signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract in March. He didn’t play within the preseason or within the first six video games of the common season due to thigh accidents.

Towards the Giants, Greenlaw performed 21 snaps and completed with six tackles and a quarterback hit because the Broncos stormed again from a 19-0 fourth-quarter deficit to win 33-32 and enhance to 5-2.

Broncos coach Sean Payton has constantly lauded the physicality and athleticism Greenlaw might convey to the Denver protection. Regardless of his accidents over time, Greenlaw, who spent his first six seasons with San Francisco, has been one of many league’s most impactful off-ball linebackers — he has had 4 80-tackle seasons and 14 profession passes defensed.