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LSU enters game week with an ex-NFL player practicing, maybe more to come

National Sports

BATON ROUGE, La. — Former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright participated in a walk-through practice conducted by first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin on Monday as the 11th-ranked Tigers prepared for Saturday night’s season opener against Clemson. Whether Wright or a couple other players who spent part of this offseason with NFL clubs — defensive lineman Zxavian Harris and defensive back Blake Cotton —- ever suit up for LSU remains in doubt because of litigation. Like other power leagues, the Southeastern Conference last week passed a rule barring pro players from ...

As Chase begins, a look at the contenders in the 16-man field

Local Sports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The NASCAR Cup Series standings have been reset. Denny Hamlin, the regular-season champion, had his sizable advantage slashed to 25 points over Ryan Blaney as the series shifts into playoff mode. The Chase for the championship begins at Darlington Raceway in South ...

LaBrae leverages experience to top Jackson-Milton, 4-2

Local Sports

NORTH JACKSON — The Jackson-Milton soccer team was just a couple steps slow early on during Monday’s contest. The more-experienced LaBrae squad used that soccer knowledge to score three first-half goals, besting the Blue Jays 4-2 at Jackson-Milton High School. “We’re working on a new mentality around here,” LaBrae head coach Isaiah Carmichael said. “We’re looking for the simple pass, building up from the back third all the way to the attacking third. Rather than playing the kick-and-chase game, we’re looking for the long run.” The Vikings (4-1) struck first after a ...

Aaron Donald ends his brief retirement and returns to the Rams

National Sports

LOS ANGELES — Aaron Donald returned to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, ending his retirement after 2 1/2 years to chase another Super Bowl title. The 35-year-old Donald made his decision after several weeks of discussion and nearly three months of intensive workouts for a star defensive lineman who reigned atop his position in a Rams uniform from 2014 until his retirement in early 2024. Donald joined a light practice at the Rams’ training complex later Sunday, shaking hands and exchanging hugs with Myles Garrett and the rest of his teammates, both old and new. While he hasn’t ...

Steelers still hoping to sign Porter Jr. to new deal

Local Sports

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said cornerback Joey Porter Jr. knows how the club feels about him. The team, however, doesn’t feel strongly enough to adjust its long-held standard of not negotiating during the season in hopes of getting something done. While Khan declined Monday to get into specifics about talks with Porter — who is about to enter the final season of the four-year rookie deal he signed after being the first pick in the second round of the 2023 draft — he reiterated that the team wants Porter to finish his career in ...

Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka win US Open matches on Monday

National Sports

NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz was nervous. He was excited. Best of all, he was pain-free. Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday, showing no problems with the right wrist injury that had sidelined the 23-year-old Spaniard since April. “I don’t know how it looked from outside, but from inside, my feeling was that I was hitting normal,” Alcaraz said. “I was playing pretty normal, playing my style, and yeah, the arm, the wrist, everything felt great.” In that case, don’t rule out a run at a repeat. Following fellow two-time U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka ...