AP Sports

Jets owner says firing of Saleh will bring ‘new energy’ to one of franchise’s ‘most talented teams’

Woody Johnson sensed his struggling New York Jets needed a change and now. So the owner made the stunning decision Tuesday to fire coach Robert Saleh just five games into his fourth season after the team’s 2-3 start following a 23-17 loss to Minnesota in London on Sunday. Johnson said the current Jets squad is one of the most talented in the franchise’s history. Saleh was 20-36 as coach of the Jets. His firing marks the first time in Johnson’s 25-year tenure that a head coach has been fired during the season. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season.

Luis Tiant, the charismatic Cuban who pitched the Red Sox to the brink of a championship, dies at 83

BOSTON (AP) — Luis Tiant has died at the age of 83. The charismatic Cuban with a horseshoe mustache and mesmerizing windup pitched the Red Sox to the brink of a World Series championship and pitched himself to the doorstep of the Hall of Fame. He was known as “El Tiante.” Major League Baseball announced his death in a post on X on Tuesday. The Red Sox confirmed that he died at his home in Maine. Tiant’s death comes one week after that of all-time baseball hits leader Pete Rose, whose Cincinnati Reds faced Tiant’s Red Sox in the 1975 World Series — still considered one of the greatest matchups in baseball postseason history.

Muggers ripped watch off Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler’s arm, police say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police in California say thieves surrounded Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler last month and ripped a pricey watch off his arm. Police said Tuesday that Buehler was not threatened during the Sept. 28 incident at the Santa Anita Park horse racing track in the Los Angeles surburb of Arcadia. Police investigated two more incidents of watch theft on the same day. Police say the victims were all targets of organized groups who steal high-end watches in large crowds during events. It came weeks after another professional athlete in California was the victim of a brazen mugging.

Hurricane Milton forces Bucs and Lightning to leave Florida early and other teams to alter games

The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton to practice the rest of the week. The Bucs departed Tuesday morning, relocating to New Orleans, where they’ll face the Saints on Sunday. The Lightning left Monday night for Raleigh, North Carolina, to continue preparations for their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. Milton, currently a Category 4 hurricane, is projected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday night. The Lightning’s home opener against Carolina is set for Saturday night and is on as scheduled for now.

Georgia WR Colbie Young arrested on charges of battery and assault on an unborn child

Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young has been arrested on charges of battery and assault on an unborn child. Athens-Clarke County jail records show Young was booked at 4:18 a.m. Tuesday on the misdemeanor charges. A police report obtained by The Associated Press said his arrest followed an altercation with a 20-year-old woman who described herself to police as Young’s ex-girlfriend and told officers she went to Young’s apartment “to speak about their relationship.” Young’s attorney, Kim Stephens, told the AP in a statement Young did not harm the woman.

US Ryder Cup captain Bradley says security will be watching if Bethpage Black crowd gets nasty

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley wants the New York crowd to be loud and proud. But he says security will be watching from inside the ropes if the notorious Long Island fans get a little over the top. That’s been a concern for the 2025 matches at the first truly public course to host a Ryder Cup in America. Bradley and European captain Luke Donald staged a year-out news conference in Manhattan on Tuesday. Donald says he expects a hostile crowd. He says the Ryder Cup is supposed to be passionate. He just hopes it doesn’t affect the matches.

Mike Tomlin doesn’t think the Steelers have a George Pickens problem as wideout’s playing time slips

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says the decision to reduce star wide receiver George Pickens’ playing time is about load management and not about his attitude. Pickens played a career-low 34 snaps in a 20-17 loss to Dallas. The 23-year-old appeared to sulk while on the sideline in the second half. At one point, he slammed his helmet so hard in frustration that it bounced over the bench. Tomlin said he has no issue with Pickens’ effort level and that he would address problems with him privately. The Steelers travel to Las Vegas in Week 6.

SEC, Big Ten leaders mulling future of fast-changing college sports

The Big Ten and SEC already have the upper hand in college football. At meetings this week, their leaders are setting the stage to exact even more control over the sport’s future. Among the talking points when a task force made of members from the conferences meets in Nashville, Tennessee, are the future of the expanded college football playoff and a possible scheduling agreement between the two conferences that would indirectly make it harder for the rest of college football to compete for the 12 or possibly 14 spots available in the postseason.

Royals face the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS, their first home playoff game since 2015 World Series

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals and Yankees will face off in Game 3 of the AL Division Series on Wednesday night in the first playoff game in Kansas City since the club won the 2015 World Series. The Royals evened the divisional series at a game apiece by winning 4-2 in New York on Monday night. Clarke Schmidt will make his first postseason start for New York after pitching well in the regular season, while the Royals will turn to Seth Lugo, who held the Yankees in check in two starts against them this season.

Buzz in the Beehive State as Black Desert Resort welcomes PGA Tour back to Utah: Analysis

There’s a buzz in the Beehive State as the PGA Tour returns to Utah for the first time in 61 years with the Black Desert Championship. Most of that buzz is for the golf course. Black Desert Resort was carved out of ancient black lava with a backdrop of red rock mountains. It’s the last championship course Tom Weiskopf designed before he died in 2022. His partner Phil Smith finished it. The man behind the $2 billion project is Patrick Manning. He saw the property 20 years ago and was so amazed he left the Florida keys for southeastern Utah.