Sometimes it takes a while before it hits us what we’re watching. One minute, we’re just doing what we do, tuning into baseball in 2024. The next, it begins to dawn on us. We’re witnessing something special. Then we ask: Just how special? Next thing we know, we’ve taken a trip back in time, to…

Nearly 20 years ago, Conrad Piccirillo attended his first Indiana Fever game. The WNBA franchise was just five years into its existence and on the brink of its best year to date, but he admittedly was not there for the basketball. His daughters, 10-year-old Caitlyn and 11-year-old Claire, were members of the Fever Inferno’s youth…

ANAHEIM, Calif. — In the days leading up to Mike Trout’s expected return from a torn meniscus, team officials asked the three-time MVP to sit down with them. They had cobbled together videos depicting the evolution of his swing since 2016. The Angels were trying to discern why Trout was striking out more, walking less…

BERLIN — “As far apart as you are on a tennis court, you can actually feel the other one very intimately.” The Athletic is sitting courtside in Berlin at the Laver Cup next to Andre Agassi, as he explains the rhythms and dynamics of the sport he once conquered. Agassi won eight Grand Slam titles in…

INDIANAPOLIS — Fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. It’s the time to use one of your best, go-to plays. It’s time to send in a call that you’re 99.99 percent certain will work for a touchdown. What did offensive coordinator Shane Waldron call for the Chicago Bears against the Indianapolis Colts in that situation in the…

PITTSBURGH — For the second time in six weeks, Justin Herbert is in a walking boot. And as the Los Angeles Chargers return home after more than a week on the road, something must be asked of this organization: Who is going to protect Herbert from himself? Herbert aggravated his right high ankle sprain in…

An hour after the final whistle has blown on Sunderland 1-0 Middlesbrough, Chris Rigg re-emerges onto the pitch where he has just settled a local derby with a piece of improvised magic, a backheel from nowhere that has made a stadium gasp and a national audience take note. The netting has been taken down and…

The Week 3 slate brought a reality check for some, and some glimmers of hope for a couple of the NFL’s winless teams. It also featured some significant moments for a couple of coaches and quarterbacks. SAQUON BARKLEY 65-YARD TOUCHDOWN. 📺: #PHIvsNO on FOX📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/830L0j9R8o — NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024 The Baltimore Ravens…

Hello, and welcome to my weekly College Football Playoff bracket. I’ll be updating every week based on new results. They are based solely on my own opinions and likely will differ from Austin Mock’s much smarter, scientifically based projections. Also, be sure to check out David Ubben’s Bubble Watch every Monday. My five conference champions — Ohio…

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — More than four months have passed since Caitlin Clark began her WNBA career at Mohegan Sun Arena against Connecticut Sun on opening night of the 2024 season. But during the Indiana Fever’s playoff debut Sunday against those same Sun, it felt a lot like May. Connecticut was the more composed, veteran team,…