The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby is in the books at Churchill Downs and the winner took everyone by surprise.  Longshot Rich Strike crossed the finish line first in the Run for the Roses on Saturday, overtaking 4-1 favorite Epicenter and Zandon in the final stretch for a stunning 80-1 upset. Trainer Eric Reed said jockey Sonny Leon gave the “greatest ride that I’ve …

How Bears plan to utilize top pick Gordon early in rookie season originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago LAKE FOREST – The Bears have big expectations for Kyler Gordon. The second-round pick out of Washington has the size, length, technique, ball skills, and demeanor to be a top-level NFL corner. When the Bears drafted Gordon with the No. 39 overall …

Nearly three years ago, in the summer of 2019, Michigan football managed to reel New Jersey native Jordan Morant, a heavily-recruited four-star safety, into the class — despite his insistence that he would take the bulk of the 2020 recruiting cycle to make a decision. 2020 was a safety-heavy class, with Morant, fellow Garden State defensive back RJ Moten, and …

Long shot Rich Strike won the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby on a cool and cloudy Saturday at Churchill Downs.  The victory is one of the most stunning in the history of the Kentucky Derby as little was expected of a horse that went off at 80-1 odds. According to NBC, Rich Strike is the second-biggest long shot to …

The first of the Jets’ three first-round picks has signed his rookie contract. The Jets announced that cornerback Sauce Gardner agreed to his deal on Saturday afternoon. It’s a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth season for the fourth overall pick of this year’s draft. Gardner is coming off a stellar career at Cincinnati that saw opposing …

There’s much more to sporting events than what happens on the field of play. From the food, to halftime acts, to giveaways and more, there’s something special about the environment on game days. The crowd is another important element that adds to the appeal of live sports, and that sentiment is especially true during the NBA playoffs and Stanley Cup …

The New York Jets reached a contract agreement with their first pick in the 2022 NFL draft Saturday, signing a deal with cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. Adam Schefter of ESPN was among the first reporters to announce the deal. Gardner, the fourth-overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft, signed a four-year, fully-guaranteed rookie deal. The team also announced the deal …

MILWAUKEE — The starters for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics spent the conclusions of Games 1 and 2 on their respective benches, with the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series ending before the final buzzer sounded in blowout victories for each team. Saturday’s Game 3 matinee at Fiserv Forum provided the first wire-to-wire contest of …

Gordon-Brisker bond can be start of something special for Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago LAKE FOREST – Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus sent a clear message with the first two draft picks of their Bears tenure. Now, they hope those two picks can create a bond that will create the foundation for this era of Bears football. Kyler …

The Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2022 season with high expectations, yet a lot of change. Despite Kansas City being the only team to win 50 regular season games and make four AFC Championship Game appearances over the past four years, the Chiefs decided to move on from longtime star Tyreek Hill and reshape the offense.  Patrick Mahomes has some …

Ahmad Gardner, the fourth pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has signed his rookie contract with the Jets. Gardner’s fully-guaranteed, four-year rookie deal is worth $38.7 million and includes a $25.3 million signing bonus, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Gardner’s contract also includes the standard fifth-year option for first round draft picks. Gardner is the quickest Jets’ first-round pick to …

Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper left Game 3 of the Avalanche’s first-round series against the Nashville Predators on Saturday after taking a stick to the eye. Kuemper was struck in the final minutes of the first period by Predators forward Ryan Johansen while he battled Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for position in front of the net. Johansen’s stick blade appeared to slide …

Sauce Gardner holds up Jets jersey Following the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jets will now work on contracts for their drafted players. Here’s the latest on who has signed and what their terms will be on their rookie deals… May 7, 4:45 p.m. The Jets announced that first-round pick Sauce Gardner has signed his rookie deal, becoming the first member …

How do the Mountain West’s wide receivers and tight ends stack up across the conference after spring practices? Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire Lots of turnover means lots of room for improvement. 12. Hawaii Projected major contributors: Zion Bowens, Jonah Panoke, Koali Nishigaya, Caleb Phillips (TE), Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, James Green III, Kameula Borden (TE) When Nick Rolovich revived the run-and-shoot at …

Detroit Lions fans are feeling pretty good about GM Brad Holmes and the team’s NFL draft class of 2022. A week after the team tabbed Chase Lucas as the final of the eight Lions selections, the grades for Holmes & Co. in their second draft are looking pretty good. It appears the rest of the league is taking a little …