Seconds after quarterback Diego Pavia kneeled to secure Vanderbilt’s first win against Alabama since 1984, Nick Saban appeared on the jumbotron at FirstBank Stadium. “The only place you’re going to play in the SEC that’s not hard to play is Vanderbilt,” said the legendary coach turned ESPN personality, in a clip from his appearance on…

This article is part of The Athletic’s series marking UK Black History Month. To view the whole collection, click here. Lassana Diarra was preparing for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  The midfielder, who had spells with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Portsmouth in the Premier League, was coming off the back of a difficult first…

TALLADEGA, Ala. — As Denny Hamlin was digesting the reaction to his race team filing an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR this week, fiancée Jordan Fish sent him a clip from the film “Moneyball.” “The first guy through the wall — he always gets bloody,” the actor depicting Boston Red Sox owner John Henry says in…

Avoid the HOV lanes, and get yourself a Jer-Force One. That’s what I learned this week. Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner who’s turning 82 in a few days, made quite an entrance by landing his chopper right on the field during practice. But hey how about a helicopter at practice… (fanbase triggered) pic.twitter.com/mYNV10CwN0 —…

NEW YORK — New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was sitting before a room filled with reporters and TV cameras a day before he was set to start Game 1 of the American League Division Series versus the Kansas City Royals. He had just been asked something he had never thought about before. Is there…

It was only 22 months ago that Sonny Dykes and TCU could do almost nothing wrong. The Horned Frogs were the surprise story of the 2022 season. Their unlikely run to the College Football Playoff national championship game — which included a 12-0 start, heart-stopping finishes, the “Hypnotoad”, psychedelic postgame victory videos and a Fiesta…

Erik Ainge’s best moments for the New York Jets in 2009 had nothing to do with the passes he threw. That’s life as a third-string quarterback — especially then, on a Jets team that often carried four players at the position. During the 2009 season, Ainge would spend most of his days studying film, taking…

NEW YORK — The moment that defined a rivalry came 47 years ago Sunday. It was a cool fall night in the Bronx, Game 2 of the 1977 ALCS, and Hal McRae stood on first base. The Kansas City Royals were trailing the New York Yankees 2-1 in the sixth inning, but McRae had an…

As Howie Rose’s call of Pete Alonso’s season-saving home run began playing over the public address system on the New York Mets’ joyous charter flight out of Milwaukee, the veteran broadcaster briefly cupped his hands to his ears. From his seat on a plane full of Mets players and staffers, Rose, 70, was embarrassed. No…

Amid a currently undefeated season with the first-place Orlando Pride and high-profile retirements from Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair, Brazilian superstar Marta said she plans to play professional soccer for at least two more years. “I don’t know if I’m gonna be in Orlando. But my thought is like, play at least two more years,”…