Sports

Trading Micah Parsons doesn’t help the Cowboys in 2025 but could end up being a rare win-win deal

Trading Micah Parsons is a bold move only a general manager who happens to be the team owner can make. Parsons is a generational player, an elite talent in his prime. Quarterbacks fear facing the two-time All-Pro pass rusher. Offensive coordinators have sleepless nights thinking about ways to game-plan against him. Parsons has been wreaking havoc in backfields since his rookie season in 2021. Any team would love to have a game-wrecker like him on their side. Yet, the Dallas Cowboys were willing to send Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster trade Thursday following a lengthy, messy contract dispute.

Taylor Townsend is in the spotlight at the US Open after her confrontation with Jelena Ostapenko

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Townsend does not have the star power or the name recognition of fellow Americans Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula, and she’s not even seeded in singles play the U.S. Open. Still, she’s set to play in prime time at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night. Townsend has been thrust into the spotlight at the Grand Slam tournament after her post-match argument with Jelena Ostapenko and the subsequent discourse surrounding it. A supportive crowd witnessed Townsend and doubles partner Katerina Siniakova win Thursday. Townsend hopes the attention brings more people to tennis.

Nerves and pressure get to Coco Gauff at the US Open before she wins again

NEW YORK (AP) — Coco Gauff kept wiping the tears welling in her eyes between points in her second-round match at the U.S. Open. She was trying to stay composed and trying to give herself a chance to win Thursday night. Gauff’s serving troubles were again an issue, just as they were two nights earlier, just as they’ve been for a while now. The two-time Grand Slam champion teamed up with a new coach recently to try to fix that aspect of her game, and while there clearly is still work to be done, Gauff did figure out how to stay in the tournament, beating Donna Vekic 7-6 (5), 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Kyle Schwarber has 21st 4-homer game in MLB, drives in Phillies-record 9 runs

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit four home runs Thursday night against Atlanta to become the fourth Phillies player and 21st major leaguer to accomplish the feat. Schwarber was 4 for 6 with a Phillies-record nine RBIs in the 19-4 victory. He took the outright National League homer lead with a career-high 49 and moved within one of Seattle’s Cal Raleigh for the major league lead. Schwarber leads the majors with a career-high 119 RBIs. Mike Schmidt was the last Philadelphia player to hit four homers in a game, doing at the Chicago Cubs in April 1976. Schwarber had the third four-homer game of the season, following Eugenio Suárez and Nick Kurtz.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attend Nebraska-Cincinnati game after engagement

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have made their first public appearance since announcing their engagement. They attended the Nebraska-Cincinnati game at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night. Kelce, a former Bearcats player, spent time on the field before joining Swift in a suite for the game. On Tuesday, the couple revealed their engagement on Instagram after dating for about two years. Swift’s publicist confirmed the engagement ring is an old mine brilliant-cut diamond. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kelce’s brother, Jason, were also present at the game. The Chiefs are gearing up for their season-opener against the Chargers next Friday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Micah Parsons joins other NFL stars traded away during their primes

The Dallas Cowboys have traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay after four dominant seasons. This move mirrors the 2018 trade of Khalil Mack from the Oakland Raiders to Chicago, both involving failed contract talks and first-round picks. Dallas also received defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The 2018 trade didn’t work out for either team, with Mack moving to the Chargers and the Raiders’ picks not yielding long-term success. The article also highlights other notable NFL trades, including Herschel Walker, Charles Haley, and Randy Moss, showcasing how trades can significantly impact teams’ fortunes.

So far, so good for Naomi Osaka and her new coach at the US Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Naomi Osaka is back in the third round of the U.S. Open for the first time since 2021, the year after she won her second championship at Flushing Meadows. She’s playing rather well at the moment, too, under the guidance of a new coach. Just don’t expect Osaka to weigh in on whether she feels as if she is ready to make another deep run at the place. Osaka eliminated American Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 6-1 in the second round in just 70 minutes Thursday. Other winners included Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner.

British cyclist Froome ‘in good spirits’ after surgery on injuries from training accident

TOULON, France (AP) — Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome underwent successful surgery after sustaining a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs in a training accident in France. The 40-year-old British cyclist crashed on a training ride Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital in Toulon. His Israel Premier-Tech team says in a statement Friday that had “successfully undergone surgery.” The team says Froome “is in good spirits and grateful for the excellent medical support he has received.” Froome won the Tour de France in 2013 and three in a row from 2015-17.

F1 tension builds as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris resume title fight at the Dutch GP

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — The Formula 1 title race is back and the tension is building. The Dutch Grand Prix is the first race in four weeks. The season resumes with Oscar Piastri just nine points ahead of his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris. Norris won three of the last four races before the mid-season break. Piastri has won praise for his ability to stay cool in his first season as a true title contender. He admits the nerves are there, even if they’re not always obvious.

South Florida routs No. 25 Boise State 34-7 for 1st win over ranked team since 2016

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Quarterback Byrum Brown ran for two touchdowns, Keshaun Singleton caught a 45-yard touchdown pass on a fake punt and South Florida routed No. 25 Boise State 34-7 on Thursday night in the opener for both teams. South Florida beat a Top 25 opponent for the first time since topping then-No. 22 Navy 52-45 on Oct. 28, 2016. The Bulls had lost 18 straight against ranked teams. Brown was 16 of 24 for 210 yards and added 43 yards on the ground. Singleton had five catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, while Chas Nimrod had three catches for 96 yards. Boise State’s Maddux Madsen was 25 of 46 for 225 yards with a touchdown pass to Chris Marshall.