Category: SPORTS

When the Formulation 1 season resumed following the Summer season Shutdown, two of the key storylines going through the grid centered on McLaren: When would they clinch their second-consecutive Constructors’ Championship title, and when would both Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris lock down the Drivers’ title?

Nevertheless, the champagne stays on ice because of Max Verstappen, who can begin excited about his personal title hopes after a dominant efficiency in Baku.

After capturing pole place in a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday that noticed a document variety of crimson flags, Verstappen went wire-to-wire on Sunday, taking the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for his second-straight win. With Piastri crashing on the opening lap, and Norris failing to capitalize after that incident and settling for a seventh-place end, Verstappen closed to inside 44 factors of Norris for second place within the Drivers’ Championship, and simply 69 factors of championship chief Piastri.

“They’re all a bit completely different, however I feel this weekend has been unbelievable for us. In fact, final weekend was already nice. However yeah, for us to win right here once more is simply unbelievable,” stated Verstappen trackside after the race. “And I feel additionally within the race, the automotive was working rather well. On each of the compounds, we had clear air on a regular basis, and you can then take care of your tyres. And yeah, it was fairly easy. In fact, it’s not simple round right here — very windy right this moment, so the automotive is at all times transferring round quite a bit. However yeah, in fact, extremely pleased with this efficiency.”

When the season resumed in late August, Norris had gained three out of 4 grands prix, together with the Hungarian Grand Prix, the place Verstappen completed a distant ninth. At that time within the season, Piastri led Norris by simply 9 factors, with Verstappen 97 factors behind the chief.

Since then, nevertheless, Verstappen has roared again into the struggle. After ending second on the Belgian Grand Prix (gained by Piastri with Norris retiring on account of a failure together with his MCL39), Verstappen has gained each the Italian Grand Prix and now the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. These two wins have jolted the title race and put the Purple Bull driver again within the combine.

With seven race weekends remaining — together with a trio of F1 Dash race weekends — Verstappen has definitely improved his possibilities of successful a fifth Drivers’ title.

Nevertheless, math and historical past might not be on his aspect, one thing the dwelling legend conceded on Sunday.

At this level final season, Verstappen loved a 59-point benefit over Norris within the Drivers’ Championship race, a spot that closed to 52 factors when Norris gained the Singapore Grand Prix in dominant style.

However that was as shut because the title chase obtained a yr in the past, with Verstappen finally clinching his fourth Drivers’ Championship in Las Vegas and finally successful the title by 63 factors.

Whereas he’s mathematically alive, as RaceFans famous through their Championship Factors Calculator, even when Verstappen had been to win the seven remaining grands prix — in addition to the three dash races — Piastri ending second in every of these occasions would see the Australian driver by means of to his first title.

Requested if the 2 current wins have given him a “smidgen of hope” that the title is inside vary, Verstappen pointed to the uphill climb.

“I imply, I don’t depend on hope. However it’s seven rounds left – 69 factors is quite a bit. So I personally don’t give it some thought,” stated Verstappen. “I simply go race by race, what I’ve been doing mainly the entire season — simply making an attempt to do the perfect we are able to, attempt to rating probably the most factors that we are able to. After which after Abu Dhabi, we’ll know.”

Past the maths is the historical past. Whereas Monza and the Baku Metropolis Circuit have been fertile floor for Verstappen, Singapore, the positioning of the subsequent race, has been a thorn in his aspect over his illustrious profession. Verstappen has by no means gained in Singapore, together with his greatest end coming a yr in the past when he completed second to Norris.

Greater than 20 seconds behind.

Verstappen famous that historical past on Sunday.

“Tough to say in the intervening time, however for certain the final two race weekends have been superb for us. Singapore — utterly completely different problem once more with the excessive downforce. So we’ll see what we are able to do there,” stated Verstappen trackside.

“Properly, I’ve by no means gained. Purple Bull has gained, proper? We’ll see. It’s utterly completely different. Excessive downforce. Plenty of deg on the tyres, so we’ll see what occurs. I actually don’t know in the intervening time,” added Verstappen.

Two spectacular weeks have put the prospects of a fifth Verstappen title again on the desk, and put the Purple Bull driver right into a place he has not been in since 2021: Because the hunter, and never the hunted.

If his large type continues by means of Singapore, and he breaks by means of together with his first win in that race?

When the Miami Dolphins prolonged quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in 2024, it was a part of a a lot bigger pattern of QBs getting paid that offseason. With the quickly rising value, groups had been incentivized to get a deal completed earlier than the following domino fell some place else and raised the value once more. The Dolphins secured Tua for the long run with a four-year, $212 million contract however as with all NFL offers, the satan is within the particulars.

Tagovailoa’s contract wasn’t as sturdy at signing as the remainder of the offers that summer time. Solely $93.17 million was absolutely assured at signing and that was his 2024 and 2025 compensation. Two years absolutely assured is on the low finish of the size for a franchise participant.

However in March of 2025, $54 million extra grew to become absolutely assured for the 2026 season. That’s as a result of the Dolphins used a rolling assure construction, which ensures a future 12 months, that primarily retains turning the deal right into a two-year dedication every offseason. As we sit right here in September 2025, Miami is on the hook for a mixed $106 million over the course of the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

In March 2026, the Dolphins may have one other resolution to make on Tagovailoa’s contract, however it’s a cheaper price level — simply $3 million of his 2027 wage absolutely ensures. Peanuts.

How can the Dolphins get out of the Tua Tagovailoa contract?

The one means the Miami Dolphins can get out of Tua Tagovailoa’s contract is by buying and selling him. In any other case they’re going to pay the entire sum in 2025 and 2026. So they should persuade one other staff to pay $55 million in 2026 money to a man the Dolphins don’t need on their staff anymore. Appears unlikely.

In the event that they launch Tagovailoa, they are going to nonetheless owe him $55 million for 2026 minus no matter one other staff pays him.

Russell Wilson is the check case for Tua Tagovailoa — kind of

When the Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson in 2022, they gave him an enormous contract extension. His 2022, 2023, and 2024 salaries had been all absolutely assured, however his 2025 compensation would turn into absolutely assured in March of 2024.

As a way to keep away from that, the Broncos launched him in March 2024 regardless of having to pay him $39 million for the 2024 season. That stored his 2025 wage of $37 million off Denver’s books.

The Dolphins may have completed that early within the 2025 offseason, releasing Tagovailoa earlier than the 2025 wage got here due. However they didn’t, and now they’re on the hook in a means the Broncos weren’t.

Kirk Cousins is the extra correct check case for Tua Tagovailoa

When the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in 2024, they gave him two years assured on his four-year contract. Then they drafted Michael Penix, who they inserted into the lineup in the course of the 2024 season. They didn’t want Cousins and his bloated wage anymore in 2025, however his wage was already absolutely assured. They’d have to discover a commerce companion to make offloading him value it.

At $27.5 million in wage plus a $10 million assured bonus in 2026, no staff pulled the set off on a Cousins commerce in the course of the 2025 offseason. Now he’s the costliest backup QB in NFL historical past. They had been going to need to pay him anyway, so no use in releasing him.

Tagovailoa’s $55 million is sort of $20 million greater than the mixed $37.5 million Cousins had coming. The Dolphins will solely add $3 million in future assured cash for Tagovailoa if the maintain him into the 2026 season. Like Cousins, there received’t be a lot of a monetary profit to transferring on from Tua subsequent 12 months, so even when the Dolphins don’t need him as their 2026 starter, he may keep on the staff the identical means Cousins has in Atlanta.

The Indiana Fever cleared many seemingly insurmountable hurdles this season on their strategy to the WNBA playoffs, however Thursday’s felt just like the tallest but. Not solely have been they matched up in opposition to the No. 2 seed Atlanta Dream, they have been tasked with dealing with them on the street in a do-or-die Sport 3.

However after being counted out time and time once more, the Fever pulled off their most beautiful win but, utilizing a layup from Aliyah Boston with 7.4 seconds left and a pair of late stops to upset the Dream and transfer onto the semi-finals of the WNBA playoffs.

“This group has been by each scenario conceivable,” head coach Stephanie White stated. “We knew that we simply needed to maintain it tight. We knew we needed to get stops and I felt like for an extended time frame we have been getting stops after which not getting scores. It simply takes a few breaks to go your method.”

The Fever obtained some key breaks within the closing minute. First, Lexie Hull turned a possession that appeared doomed to fail right into a layup simply earlier than the shot clock buzzer with 43.1 seconds left, pulling the Fever to inside a degree.

After a Rhyne Howard missed 3-pointer, the Fever obtained maybe their greatest break of the season. After a Kelsey Mitchell move supposed for Boston was batted away, Mitchell, who completed with a game-high 24 factors, chased down the free ball.

With each groups scrambling, Odyssey Sims discovered Boston, who had a double-double of 14 factors and 12 rebounds, vast open below the basket for a layup to take the lead, 86-85.

“I believe on the offensive finish, [my mindset] was, ‘Do I name timeout? Do I name outing? Do I name outing?’ However we had them in rotation,” White stated of the game-winning basket. “We had them scrambling and the hustle play from [Mitchell] to have the ability to maintain the ball alive, after which [Sims] to have the ability to see [Boston] free was big after which the end.”

Lexie Hull would steal the following inbound from the Dream, organising Sims to separate a pair of free throws. Atlanta had one final probability with 1.2 seconds left, however Bri Jones’ determined 3-point try missed, ending the sport.

“I’m simply speechless proper now, simply how we fought by this complete sport,” Natasha Howard stated. “They went on their runs, we went on our run, however on the finish of the day, it was our protection that saved us within the sport.”

Sport 3 was a fittingly bodily conclusion to a grueling collection between the 2 sides. Even given the win-or-go-home setting, it was a contest that includes loads of onerous fouls and scuffles.

It was a type of scuffles, actually, that White famous postgame was the turning level. Halfway by the third quarter, Jones and Boston obtained tangled on the free throw line earlier than the latter tossed the previous to the bottom.

Formally, the outcome was a private foul on Jones and a technical foul on Boston. However the play represented much more to the top coach.

“I felt just like the turning level for us was when [Aliyah Boston] obtained the tech, truthfully,” White stated. “There was physicality all through the course of the sport and, at that time, that was a composure test and it was a possibility proper then for us to show the tide and our group responded.”

Whereas Atlanta saved the lead after that sequence for the rest of the third quarter and a lot of the fourth, the Fever by no means let the sport get away. And as soon as the tempo slowed down within the fourth, they saved chipping away.

Bri Turner, one of many unsung heroes of the ultimate stretch of the common season and into the playoffs for the Fever, tipped residence a missed layup to tie the sport with 3:21 remaining. Atlanta instantly responded with the following 5 factors, however after Howard’s three with 2:32 remaining, they might not rating once more.

“I stated earlier than the sport began it was going to be a gut-check kind of sport,” Mitchell stated. “I believe you simply need to dig deep. I believe it’s important to actually give your self in ways in which you least count on. I do know I did from a management standpoint and simply sort of seeing and studying the sport.

“It was huge for us as a result of we may have simply given up…and we didn’t. I wouldn’t play with some other group. It’s a particular group.”

In a season stuffed with unbelievable moments and milestones, knocking off the Dream, who entered the postseason ranked No. 2 in offensive score, defensive score and internet score, on the street is the kind of win that can outline the season for years to return.

It might’t be overstated how spectacular a win that is. Successful a playoff sport is tough. Successful a playoff street sport is even more durable. Successful a collection with a spherical win is as troublesome a problem because it comes.

And that’s even below regular circumstances. This Fever season has been something however regular. Their playoff rotation options three gamers who weren’t on the crew on the All-Star break. But all three — Sims, Aerial Powers and Shey Peddy — made huge performs all through the collection and in Sport 3, particularly.

It’s a testomony to the tradition the Fever have constructed this season, largely on the fly, and the way a lot that powered them on Thursday.

“This group is simply actually particular,” White stated. “We are saying it just about advert nauseam, nevertheless it’s the resilience, the pliability, the welcome and inclusive nature of this crew, their selflessness to tug for the we over the me, the power to let every teammate be who they’re and shine at their finest and to elevate them up, in these moments, that’s good for 12 to fifteen factors. It’s.

“And also you couple that with the resilience, the toughness, the grit, the combat, the scrappiness and also you at all times give your self an opportunity. I like using with these guys. I like teaching them and I’m simply so extremely pleased with them.”