AP – Sports
October 2, 2026
Man City lodges ‘comprehensive’ appeal after guilty verdict in financial rule-breaking scandal
Manchester City says it has lodged a “comprehensive” appeal following the publication of a report by an independent commission detailing large-scale financial rule-breaking by the club. City says “the club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.” City says the appeal was made on Thursday evening. City has protested its innocence throughout a long-running case that dates back to 2018. It reached a milestone on Tuesday when the Premier League published a verdict saying the Abu Dhabi-controlled club was “guilty of all charges related to serious breaches” of the competition’s financial rules from 2009-18.
CBS announces Tony Romo’s permanent exit following arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated
CBS Sports and Tony Romo have officially parted ways one month after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Romo had been on leave since his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. He had been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017. CBS Sports announced Romo’s exit in a statement that said they had mutually agreed to part ways. Romo was arrested following a traffic stop as he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin.
Browns didn’t ‘swing and miss’ with Deshaun Watson after all
Maybe the Cleveland Browns didn’t strike out when they made that blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson. A deal that was a disaster for four years is suddenly producing some hits. After Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called the trade “a big swing and miss,” Watson beat out Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. It appeared the experiment would only last two weeks and Sanders would start the home opener in Week 3 in front of the fans Watson called out in training camp for cheering when he got hurt in 2024.
Braves may have to wait to see when ‘warrior’ Sale can start against Dodgers in NL Division Series
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss says Chris Sale is “a warrior” after recording the final four outs of the 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the decisive game of the National League Wild Card Series. Sale pitched in relief only two days after starting the series opener. It is not known when Sale will be available to start in the Braves’ NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves’ starter in Game 2 against the Phillies, Tyler Mahle, had a scare with an abdominal pull, adding to the team’s season-long injury woes in their rotation.
Robot umpires flip 54% of challenged calls in ABS debut as teams learn to time appeals
NEW YORK (AP) — Robot umpires overturned 54% of challenged calls in the first season of the Automated Ball-Strike System. Catchers were more successful than batters. The Cincinnati Reds benefited the most from overturns, with a projected net gain of 16.8 runs, according to Baseball Savant. Houston’s Jose Altuve topped batters with 5.6 projected runs gained. Milwaukee’s William Contreras led catchers with 5.2 projected runs prevented. Players have been more aggressive with challenges in late innings, knowing they lose the right to challenge after two incorrect appeals. The success rate for video reviews has dropped slightly compared to previous years.
Dak Prescott and Brian Schottenheimer test their trust in fallout from Cowboys’ brutal loss
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and star quarterback Dak Prescott have been through a test of their trust in the fallout from a brutal loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Schottenheimer said he used a word he wished he hadn’t and that it affected Prescott’s mindset before a failed third-down play that forced Dallas to settle for a tying field goal. Other game management mistakes put the Ravens in position for a winning field goal on the final play of the 34-31 victory in Rio de Janeiro. Prescott says trust is still there and lauded coaches for taking accountability along with himself. The Cowboys visit Houston on Sunday.
Marcus Mariota to start for Commanders against Colts in London with Jayden Daniels ruled out
WATFORD, England (AP) — Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will get his second straight start in place of the injured Jayden Daniels on Sunday when Washington faces the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision Friday after practice at the team’s luxury hotel accommodations outside London. Daniels returned to practice this week after dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He’s been wearing a protective brace and expressed no concerns about further damage.
Former Falcons center Jeff Van Note, a six-time Pro Bowl center, dies at 80
ATLANTA (AP) — Jeff Van Note, a six-time Pro Bowl center who spent all 18 seasons of his NFL career with Atlanta and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2006, has died. He was 80. The Falcons announced the death on Friday. The team did not give a cause of death. Van Note was selected out of Kentucky in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft. He originally joined the Falcons as a linebacker before being moved to center by then-coach Norm Van Brocklin. He started 226 of 246 games over his 18-season career.
There are two horses named in memory of Johnny Gaudreau and they’re running in the same race
Vincent Conanan grew up playing hockey with and against Johnny Gaudreau, the NHL winger who died along with his brother, Matthew, while riding their bicycles near their hometown on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding in August 2024. His son has started asking about “Johnny Hockey,” so Conanan pledged to name a horse after Gaudreau. After going to school in the Columbus, Ohio, area where Gaudreau played his final two seasons, Devon Bradley had the same idea. On Saturday, the horses — Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau — will run in the same race at Belmont Park, with the winner qualifying for the Breeders’ Cup.
PWHL introducing 2 6-team conferences and adding a quarterfinal playoff round entering Year 4
The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s addition of four new teams is translating into more games, an expanded playoff format and the introduction of two six-team conferences entering its fourth season. The PWHL unveiled major adaptations in releasing its 180-game regular-season schedule running from Dec. 5 to April 18. And the PWHL’s popular “Takeover Tour” series is back and expanding from 16 to 24 outings, with the neutral site locations yet to be revealed. The 180 games — with each team playing 30 — is up from 120 last season as a result of the PWHL growing to 12 teams with the addition of four expansion franchises.
