If NBA referees called every travel they saw, games would never end, but blowing the whistle every now and again to remind players that they can't take an infinite number of steps would be appreciated by all involved. Unfortunately, the exact opposite precedent was set during the season opener between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat on Wednesday.
LaMelo Ball put on an impressive performance in his official debut for Minnesota, scoring 21 points and dishing out six assists in his team's 131-106 victory on the road, but three of his 21 points should not have counted.
Just over three minutes into the first quarter, Ball dribbled around a well-set screen that got his defender off balance. Instead of driving towards the basket, he opted to pick his spot beyond the three-point line, but forgot to put the ball on the floor on his way there.
Ball appeared to take every bit of four full steps without taking a dribble. The carry was so egregious that each of the announcers on the broadcast couldn't help but call out how bad the no-call was.
The 25-year-old guard immediately talking trash to some courtside fans after he made the three made the whole scene that much worse. Then again, Ball and essentially every other player in the league have gotten away with traveling with the basketball throughout their NBA careers.
Oftentimes, the missed travel calls take place with players driving to the basket and getting away with an extra half-step while carrying the basketball. For Ball not to get whistled while standing well beyond the three-point line is a bit of a surprise, even by NBA standards.
As for the contest itself, the Timberwolves looked as good and entertaining as expected with their new two-headed monster of Anthony Edwards and Ball in the 25-point win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat.
Edwards finished the night with 45 points, including nine made three-pointers, to go along with 10 rebounds.
While the duo of Ball and Edwards combining for 66 points stands out, maybe the most promising stat line to look at if you're a Minnesota fan is that the two only turned the ball over five times total in the win.
QatarEnergy has signed two long-term agreements to purchase up to 4 million tonnes of U.S. liquefied natural gas annually from Cheniere Energy through 2054, as the Gulf producer continues to...
El Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) ha actuado este jueves de oficio al elevar una petición razonada al Tribunal Administrativo del Deporte (TAD) por las manifestaciones realizadas por el presidente de LaLiga y vicepresidente de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF), Javier Tebas, contra el Real Madrid.
The numbers are in, and they paint a disturbing picture for NASCAR as the series barrels toward its championship race in three short weeks.
Bottom line? Fans are leaving the sport ... in droves.
Nobody is watching. And those who are watching, are complaining. A lot. About the car. About the tracks. About the lack of drama, and personality, and, frankly, about the TV channel.
Most folks have turned it off completely. Those who have stayed aren't thrilled.
I don't need to tell you guys, but that's not a great place to be.
Take a look:
Why are fans leaving NASCAR? It's simple.
Last Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix drew a pathetic audience of just 1.2 million viewers. That number is alarming, folks. I've seen a lot of bad TV numbers for NASCAR over the years. Believe me.
It's not like they're hard to find.
But that's a low number. It's an unfathomable number given the series is smack dab in the middle of its playoffs. I never thought we'd see the day where a NASCAR Cup Series race drops below the Mendoza line (1 million), but we're getting close. Too close.
For comparison's sake, NASCAR averaged more than 4.5 million viewers per race in 2016, which was a really bad time for the sport. That's when viewers were fleeing left and right. Jeff Gordon had retired. Tony Stewart was on his way out. Dale Jr. was right behind him.
There's been a nearly 50% drop-off in viewership since then! Through 33 races this season, the Cup Series is averaging 2.3 million viewers per race. Through seven Chase races (that's what we're calling the playoffs this season), the number drops to 1.5 million.
So, yeah â I'd imagine alarms are going off in the big glass building across from Daytona International Speedway this morning. At least they should be.
Now, the obvious question they'll be asking themselves is ... why? Why is this happening? Where are fans going? Why are they leaving?
To me, it's a fairly simple answer if everyone is just honest with themselves for 30 seconds. I'll go in order from what I consider most pressing, to least:
The TV deal stinks. It brought in a lot of money, but it's really poor for exposure. Do you know how many races have been on network TV this season? Seven. Seven! Six on FOX, one on NBC. That means there has been one race on network TV since the spring (Daytona in August). That's awful. Asking folks to hunt down the USA Network, and TNT, and then download Amazon Prime, and also find FS1 for 26 of your 33 races is a slap in the face.
The schedule stinks. I don't mean the tracks themselves, I mean the time of year. NASCAR is putting its 10-race "Chase" right up against college football and the NFL. That's like taking a knife to a gun fight. No sport is going to win that fight, much less NASCAR. Chase Elliott said it years ago, and it's still true today: The season needs to end around Labor Day weekend. There's no upside in going up against the NFL.
The Next Gen car has been a bigger turnoff than a Kamala Harris cackle. Fans despise it. Drivers despise it. You can't pass. You can't push the car. God forbid you try to run in "dirty air." Folks aren't stupid. They've seen what it's done to these races, and they've lost interest.
To steal a phrase from the great Rick Pitino, "Dale Jr. is not walking through that door." There's no real personality in the garage anymore, beyond Carson Hocevar. Like him or hate him, Carson has moved the needle all season. Nobody else does. Chase Elliott is your "Most Popular Driver" year in and year out, and he was supposed to be NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. replacement. That hasn't worked out. Chase has no interest in carrying that torch.
Jeff Gordon is gone. Dale Jr. is gone. Tony Stewart is gone. Kyle Busch, tragically, died. He was, perhaps, the last of the "old guard" when it came to NASCAR. Beyond hoping someone goes viral and physically attacks Carson Hocevar every week, I'm not sure who NASCAR is looking at to bring in new fans. He doesn't exist.
And finally ...
Let's be honest, the drama isn't there anymore. At least it's not what it's been over the past decade. Yes, the shift back to The Chase format was popular amongst hardcore NASCAR fans. I get it. But the sport gave up elimination races in the process, which is naturally going to hurt interest from casual fans. People like drama. Having an elimination race every third race in the fall certainly helped with interest. Those are gone now.
OK, that was a long-winded "30 seconds" of honesty, but you get the picture. You add all those up, and I think it's fairly easy to see how the series has cratered in terms of viewership over the past few years.
As for the answers? I don't know. I'd shorten the season and own the summer. That's probably atop my list. Utilize midweek races in June and July. End the regular season in July, and end the postseason on Labor Day weekend.
The TV deal is done, so I'm not sure you're changing that any time soon. A new-era car would take a while to build, so that's probably a ways off, too. As for the lack of personalities in the garage ...
Tony Romo's loss has been J.J. Watt's gain at CBS â and now it's permanent.
Watt on Thursday was named lead analyst for the NFL on CBS in a new multi-year contract agreement. The announcement was made by David Berson, Chairman of Skydance's Global Sports Group.
Watt will continue to call the networkâs top NFL games alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as CBS Sportsâ lead NFL announce team, including during the 2027 season when they call Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta.
"Iâve had a front-row seat to J.J.âs growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his Hall-of-Fame playing career," Berson said in a release by the network. "Heâs insightful, entertaining, passionate, meticulous in his preparation, and the ultimate teammate. He has a unique ability to see things and communicate to fans of all levels. We are thrilled to have him leading our NFL coverage."
Watt didn't start the 2026 NFL season in his current role. That belonged to Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
But Romo ran afoul of his assignment when he was arrested on July 23, after a traffic stop on southbound Interstate 43 near downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later pleaded no contest to a first-offense OWI, with the sentence including a six-month revocation of his driving privileges and an alcohol-assessment requirement.
CBS said on July 31 that Romo was on leave "until further notice," but then the network announced on Oct. 2 that it had "mutually agreed to part ways" with its long-time lead analyst.
Watt, meanwhile, was the next man up. He has served as the network's lead analyst since the start of the season and that now becomes a permanent role after what was obviously a successful trial period.
The network chose the man in the seat over other possible permanent replacements for Romo, Greg Olsen and others among them.
"I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special," Watt said in a statement. "From the brotherhood of The NFL Today to my crews calling games, I couldnât ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey.
"I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision and trust. I love this job and canât wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!"
Watt joined CBS Sports in 2023 as a studio analyst on The NFL Today. Last season, Watt moved to the booth to call games with Ian Eagle and Evan Washburn.
Watt was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was honored as the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
Palin posted on her Instagram Story on Wednesday asking for prayers for the former NHLer.
Duguay spent his first six NFL seasons with the Blueshirts before joining the Detroit Red Wings for the better half of three seasons and a short stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He returned to the Rangers for two seasons and wrapped up with the Los Angeles Kings.
"The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history," the team said in a statement.
"Ron's signature skating style, with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice, captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron's friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time."
In his 864 games, he scored 274 goals and handed out 346 assists.
Duguay, who made his NHL debut in 1977, continued to play in other leagues until finally hanging up the skates in 1999. He began his pro career with the Ontario Hockey League in 1973.
Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., is asking the Atlantic Coast Conference to disclose its policies governing online sports betting by conference employees, referees and other individuals connected to its competitions.
In a letter sent Thursday to ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and the conferenceâs board of directors, Patronis said the request was prompted by the ACCâs support for the Protect College Sports Act, a sweeping federal proposal addressing NIL rights, revenue sharing, athlete health and safety, transfers and other issues in college athletics.
"Seeing as the ACC is asking Congress for help with NIL, I believe we must have transparency regarding each bodyâs policies and how they navigate online betting," Patronis wrote.
The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, S. 4668, by a 77-22 vote on Sept. 28. The legislation now awaits consideration in the House. Supporters describe the bill as an effort to establish national standards for NIL compensation, revenue sharing, scholarships, medical coverage and the preservation of womenâs and Olympic sports.
Patronis asked the ACC to provide its online gambling policies before Congress returns in November, including rules governing staff members, officials and "other interested parties." He also questioned how the conference is protecting the integrity of college sports as sports betting becomes more widespread.
The NCAA has continued to enforce restrictions on wagering that could affect the integrity of college competition. The association says violations can result in severe penalties, including the loss of athletic eligibility, while warning that betting-related harassment and pressure can affect athletes, coaches and officials.
At the same time, the NCAAâs Division I Administrative Committee has moved toward allowing athletes and athletics staff to bet on professional sports, while preserving restrictions involving college competitions. The NCAA said conferences and schools may impose additional rules of their own.
The ACC has been involved in lobbying efforts surrounding the Protect College Sports Act, which conference leaders have described as a way to create more consistent national rules for college athletics
Welcome to Screencaps, "America's Best Daily Column," as named by the readers. Screencaps, which publishes seven-days-a-week, is a mix of sports, pop culture, and emails from sane readers from around the world. This column isn't for the coastal elites. Give us a week to steal your heart. Our track record is pretty good. Let's have some fun.
Thank you, Paige
Ladies, have you been wondering how to tee up a golf ball? You're in luck, Paige and her playing partner have created a step-by-step lesson plan.
I have to give credit to Paige. She spent years as OutKick's No. 1 ranked golf influencer in the world, but the content was just Paige in some costume and it started to get old. Once she started doing this playing partner thing where she leans into just being Paige, giggling, dropping innuendo jokes and having fun, the content HAS POPPED.
The formula seems to be rather simple: Create content that neanderthals will share in their golf group chats.
"Good girls bend at the knee, bad girls bend at the hip . . . Or something like that . . . might be the other way round," some guy named Rich, who's clearly in a golf group chat, wrote on Instagram.
By the way, that's Kendall Toole, the former Peloton instructor golfing with Paige. I'm sure some of you who rode a stationary bike during COVID remember her.
I deserve an IMDb entry after doing this voice work for the Cal McCallister show
In case you've been in a coma, OutKick's Matt Reigle created this show and has been using OutKick talent to voice many of the characters. In this episode, my voice talent is on display. Give it a watch and rate my performance.
Speaking of OutKick coworkers, I have to give props to OutKick senior WNBA writer (I gave him that title; it's not an official role) Dan Zaksheske for this single piece of content
This is about as perfect as it gets and shows exactly what it's like to be an OutKick outsider going into many of these environments where the Big Js and the team media staffs absolutely despise you. But, someone has to do it.
Dump Dinners: Are the Millennial parents doing this stuff so they can collect 'Likes' on social media or is it to actually have fun with the kids?
I'm on the fence here. Part of me feels like this would be fun with toddlers who are a complete mess anyway, why not let them go wild. The other part of my brain tells me this is just another dopamine hit for Millennial parents who want to throw this content on Instagram so their yuppie friends smash that like button.
Random Mailbag Time®
⢠Kevin F. in Naples, FL writes:Food that is hard to screw up? Nachos. A sign of a bad restaurant is when their nachos are terrible.
Kinsey: Hold up, nachos are screwed up at an astounding rate. In fact, a few years ago, I told Mrs. Screencaps that there wasn't a single place within 20 miles of our house that can do nachos correctly.
Burning shredded cheese onto chips isn't nachos. I got to the point where I couldn't even trust the Mexicans to produce a legit plate of nachos. I get where Kevin's going here, but they're easy to screw up because these places don't put in the effort.
⢠Kevin in Frederick checks in:Checking out the site and the Astros chick made me think about the ALCS and WS. I had to jump on the 4 letter website to see where the ALCS stood - the World Series starts Friday, after all, right? Just checked, and apparently it's over (Go Rays!). Didn't even know.
It serves MLB right to have to show the Trop for at least 2 games. Place is a soulless shâbox unlike American Family Field (aka Miller Park). Would cheer for the Brewers if Uke was still kicking it. Would love to hear him call a WS for the home team.
Never really been a MLB fan since the days of the Cubs afternoon games interrupting the 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM window of Scooby Doo and Tom and Jerry - stupid Cubs.
Pulling for TB, (another fan base that does not deserve a title) as I lived there while Sapp was playing. He was always a jerk. His philosophy was always he wouldn't take pics or sign anything because someone would be left unhappy - so he just made everyone unhappy. At least he was consistent.
Finally, The WNBA finals fix is in!. Atlanta beats GSV on the road and gets 15 more FT's than the home team? The WNBA decided they've got the chance to ride the Angel Reece train and they are gonna do just that - by any means possible. This is going 7 games for sure...and crowning her as the new face of the WNBA. Can't promote CC over a WNBA champ can you?
⢠Greg writes on the world of fast-food buffets: KFC has a good all-u-can-eat buffet here in Tallahassee.
⢠CF in Kansas tells me: We went to Wendyâs drive-thru the other day and "lo and behold!" there was an older lady working the window. We had a smooth experience for a welcome change. Perhaps that Wendyâs manager reads your column and was smart enough to take your advice. Bring back the old ladies!!!!!!
Kinsey: Thank you for this report, CF. The quicker Wendy's rids itself of the meth addicts and prison-release system workers, the sooner this brand restores order. Now, I'm concerned that too much damage has been done, but it's a great step. Remember how Cracker Barrel created an unnecessary mess with that whole logo change idea from the Rachel Maddow ripoff CEO? She learned a valuable lesson, left and now look at the stock: It hit $69/share this week.
Bring back the Superbar. Fire the meth addicts. I'd even sell monthly Superbar subscriptions. VIP lines like you're waiting for a ride at Cedar Point. You know what Chick-fil-A doesn't have? A f'ing SUPERBAR! DO IT, WENDY'S!
⢠Greg shares his experience with Warren Sapp:I graduated Univ of Miami in 1978 and have been a huge Cane fan since 1974, my first year on campus. I donât recall the exact year but it was likely around 2004, I was returning back to Florida from Nassau, and Warren Sapp was on the same plane. After we landed, I was standing in the terminal with some Cane fans who just wanted to shake his hand and perhaps get a picture. He could not have been more UNFRIENDLY AND RUDE as he ungraciously denied their request. I knew from that moment on that despite being a great football player, he was a lousy human being. It is no wonder you donât see too many endorsement deals for this miserable person.
How to sync your TV to NFL radio broadcasts
â Tom T. says: Finally! You are covering a topic on which I am an expert. I have been listening to NFL home team broadcasts synced with the TV since Sonny & Sam were calling the Washington REDSKINS back in the 80's and 90's. Back then, over the air AM radio was already synced perfectly with cable TV, so all we had to do was mute the TV and turn on the Technics receiver pre-tuned to 960 AM.
Nowadays, I listen to the skins on BIG100 out of DC, over the Internet. It is normally about 60 seconds ahead of the cable TV broadcast, so I have to pause TV1 AND pause TV2, which shows Redzone channel. I usually sync on the opening kickoff. I also have to avoid looking at my fantasy football scoreboard until commercial breaks, so I can remain in the 60 second "cone of silence".
A funny thing happens around 5pm, however. At that time, BIG100 starts telling me that I am out of the authorized listening area, so for 4pm or night games, I have to rely on an NFL+ subscription, which runs about $13 per month to listen to any game.
Most of the time, everything stays synced up, but occasionally it is necessary to re-sync. If you can handle that, it is the BEST way to watch your favorite team. I was travelling for work on Monday, and I ended up watching the second half on mute, because I was sooooooo tired of Buck and Troy sucking up to Kyle Shanahan and talking about how much the REDSKINS stink..... I can't handle the truth.
Kinsey: I'm still not hearing how you sync the broadcast with the radio when the radio is running ahead of the video stream. Are you guys pausing the radio broadcasts for a set amount of time? Have you determined the exact amount of delay the TV stream is on and then you use some sort of counter to get this stuff perfectly synced?
â Steve C. in Kentucky writes:You have to delay and pause both the tv and radio apps then sync them by myself. After a while it is pretty easy.
That should be more than enough content to get the juices pumping on a Thursday morning. The sun is still out here in Ohio. The weather has been absolutely phenomenal. I'm talking 69, sunny, no wind, no clouds. Just amazing for this time of year which means we're probably going to get pummeled in about seven days.
Anyway, let's enjoy life. Let's get some work done and get one step closer to the weekend.
The NBA season arrived Tuesday night with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons opening the 2026-27 campaign in a matinee matchup. The new-look Philadelphia 76ers, featuring four-time MVP LeBron James, followed by spoiling the New York Knicks' banner night as the franchise celebrated its long-awaited title from last season.
The San Antonio Spurs, whom the Knicks defeated in the Finals, then fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2025 champions, to close out the league's three-game opening-night slate.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took notice as the NBA season got underway and weighed in Wednesday while the leagueâs other teams played their opening games.
"As the NBA season begins this week, remember: 26 out of 30 NBA owners are billionaires â getting richer every day. Meanwhile, the average ticket price to see the Knicks play the Sixers last night cost $1,894. No. You should not have to be rich to take your kids to a ball game," Sanders wrote on X.
Sanders did not make mention of player salaries in his criticism.
Sanders has regularly spoken about affordability, and this is not the first time he has addressed ticket prices for major U.S. professional sports leagues. On Aug. 20, Sanders pointed to the tax dollars often used to help fund the construction of new sports venues.
"31 out of 32 NFL owners are billionaires. 26 out of 30 NBA owners are billionaires. 26 out of 30 MLB owners are billionaires. Your tax dollars helped build their stadiums," the senator from Vermont wrote on X at the time. "But today, the average person can't afford the price of a ticket to a sporting event. That must change."
Steve Ballmer is the wealthiest person who currently owns an NBA franchise, according to Forbes' latest estimates, with an estimated net worth of $166 billion. He is also suspended from attending Los Angeles Clippers games, the team he owns, and participating in all league activities for one year. The suspension followed an NBA investigation that determined Ballmer was "knowingly" involved in "seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities."
The year-long probe looked into whether the Clippers circumvented salary-cap rules to sign Leonard. The Clippers were fined $30 million and ordered to forfeit multiple first-round draft picks.
Clippers' opening-night ticket prices on Ticketmaster for Wednesday ranged from $51 for standard-admission terrace-level seats to $163 for lower-level center-court club seats on the secondary market. The prices did not include taxes or additional fees.
Tickets for Wednesday's Portland Trail Blazers-Phoenix Suns game were listed for as little as $50 on Vivid Seats, a secondary-ticket marketplace. That price also excluded taxes and fees.
Season-ticket prices vary widely from team to team, with the Golden State Warriors becoming the first NBA team to introduce a personal seat license program.
The fee, which several NFL teams use to help offset stadium construction costs, requires fans to pay an upfront fee per seat for the right to purchase season tickets in a specific location.
The location of the seats determines the license fee. Half of the seating options at the $1 billion Chase Center initially were sold with license fees of $15,000 or less, while the other half cost more, according to ESPN.
À l'issue de neuf étapes, l'arrivée finale du Tour de France Femmes se fera au sommet du Puy de Dôme en 2027, ont annoncé jeudi les organisateurs à Paris. Il y aura aussi pour la première fois un contre-la-montre équipes.
The WNBA is still having a heck of a time definitively saying what a woman is, but according to a letter from league commissioner Cathy Engelbert to Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are not it â women, that is.
Stutzman joined OutKick's Dan Dakich on the Wednesday edition of "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" to discuss it.
Dakich asked the representative point-blank what the league needed to put in writing so that this discussion â which Dakich called "dumbest conversation ever" â could be put to rest.
Stutzman had a pretty straightforward solution and one that would even allow the league to wipe its hands of criticism from the lefties by passing the buck.
"Well, I think they could just follow another organization's definitions," Stutzman suggested. "Say they're going to follow the Olympics organization's definition. They don't even have to define it themselves â there are already other organizations that define what a biological woman is."
That's about as easy as it gets. The International Olympic Committee took one on the chin from the pro-men in women's sports crowd, and, would you believe, the IOC is still, at last check, alive and kicking.
Still, as Stutzman pointed out, the league shouldn't even need to hide behind another organization, because it does seem to know the difference between men and women.
"But apparently it's not hard, because Cathy Engelbert can decide that Enes Freedom is a male without even meeting him in person," Stutzman said. "So, it can't be that hard."
There was no group to stand with her in solidarity. No teammate to lean on.
We've seen other girls cross country runners in Washington state walk off the start line in protest of having to compete against a boy, but Elise Bierer was the first to do it all by herself.
It happened Wednesday during the Greater St. Helens League District Meet, where a runner for Camas High was competing as a girl after starting the year racing against the boys. And when the gun went off for the women's varsity race, Bierer walked off the line toward her mother, Sheona, who embraced her tearful daughter.
This was certainly not how Elise, a sophomore at Battle Ground High, pictured her season ending when the school year began. She was the second-fastest female cross country runner on her team, and almost certainly would have advanced to regionals had she participated Wednesday.
But as her mom explained, Bierer had been anticipating a moment like this for a couple of years, and was prepared to stand â or more precisely, walk â on principle.
"Before she entered high school â she's a sophomore â I told her that it's a real possibility that this could come into play, that she might be forced to race against a male. When we talked about that, she said if that were to happen, she would stand up for what was right and just not compete," said Sheona Bierer, speaking for a daughter who didn't feel comfortable being interviewed.
So two Tuesdays ago, when Battle Ground met Camas in a dual meet, Bierer and other teammates decided that they were simply not going to compete. But there really wasn't a whole lot on the line in that race. This time, though, it was districts. This time, a protest meant saying sayonara to her season.
Sheona said Elise and other Battle Ground girls who didn't want to compete against the biological boy were pressured into running in the JV race Wednesday. This would maximize Battle Ground's chances of finishing in the top three of four teams to advance to regionals.
Two things, though. 1) Because of all this controversy, only five Battle Ground racers even showed up for Wednesday's women's varsity race (the other three teams had seven apiece). And 2) Elise felt it was her rightful place to line up with the varsity. She'd earned that position.
Sheona said that the initial plan was for other Battle Ground girls to walk off the start line with Elise. But those plans changed before the race, leaving Elise to make a statement all by herself.
What was that like to watch as a mom? I asked.
"I'm super proud. I'm still overwhelmed," said Sheona, adding that Elise has been running since sixth grade but would not return to the team next year if she had to run against the Camas boy. "I know this is really hard, but I love her, and I'm so glad that she's going to stand up for what's right, even when everybody else is walking away from what's right and chose to buckle under pressure."
Sheona said Elise didn't inform Battle Ground coach Patricia Tester of her plan for fear of being relegated to JV. I attempted to ask Tester about Bierer after the race â and about the exodus of female runners from her team â but she wouldn't even offer a no comment.
Then, another Battle Ground coach stepped in.
"Go away, please. That's my comment," he said.
I told him I was just trying to get answers about an athlete who protested.
I can't speak for other writers â and there were quite a few of them out there Wednesday â but I'd love to leave the kids alone. Unfortunately, Washington state law allows high school males to compete against high school females if they identify as the latter â leaving myriad girls distressed.
The Camas boy finished second out of 26 runners Wednesday, officially displacing a biological girl from competing in regionals â as only 21 can advance. He also helped lead his Papermakers to first place in the women's varsity team results. Earlier this season, he finished first in a varsity dual meet despite placing 76th among boys a couple weeks prior.
People are tired of this â and not just those on opposing teams. Eight days ago, about a dozen of the runner's own female teammates walked off the starting line for Camas.
One of them was Holly Burns, who spoke at a pre-meet rally attended by scores of supporters of Initiative 638, a Nov. 3 ballot measure in Washington state that would require K-12 athletes to compete according to their sex at birth. She had no idea her walking off the start line would spark the reaction it has â but it helped turn Wednesday's meet into the kind of media spectacle rarely seen in high school cross country.
"When I was talking about it with the girls, we were kind of like 'what's the point of even doing this?' It's not like it was going to change anything," said Burns, who, according to one parent, is one of 18 girls from Camas to have quit the team entirely. "But it seems like it definitely made a wave."
This won't be the only OutKick column from Wednesday's meet. There is much more to be written about the adults who are finally showing the courage that's been almost exclusive to the high schoolers so far.
But this one is dedicated to Elise Bierer, who showed what real integrity looks like. Her coach wants us to leave her alone. No. Not when she had the guts to stand alone.
Le parcours du Tour de France 2027 a été dévoilé jeudi à Paris. Il va offrir pendant trois semaines un terrain de jeu à tous les types de coureurs, avec l'ambition affichée de "brouiller les cartes". Au programme : un départ d'Écosse, deux chronos individuels et un dénouement attendu dans les Pyrénées avant de finir sur les Champs-Élysées.
Former San Jose State University (SJSU) volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose alleges a school official told her transgender player Blaire Fleming could not compete at one point during the 2023 season because Flemingâs testosterone level exceeded the eligibility limit.
In a new interview with OutKick, Batie-Smoose, who is now the head volleyball coach at Cisco College, claimed SJSU associate athletics director Laura Alexander informed her of Fleming's failed test before the womenâs volleyball team left for its first conference match.
"So it was told to me by our associate AD, confirming to me that Fleming was not showing up for the test, the blood test," Batie-Smoose said.
"And that Fleming had one day left before we were going to leave for our first conference match, and that he needed to come in and test. And then, then she proceeded to tell me the next day that after the test, that the testosterone levels were too high, and Fleming is ineligible to play and will not be going on the trip that day."
The coach added that the alleged failed test was kept "a secret" from the rest of the team.
The allegation also appears in Batie-Smooseâs Oct. 13 federal lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) trustees and 11 SJSU employees.
Fleming then missed a long stretch of the 2023 season. SJSUâs athletics website claimed the player had not competed since Sept. 16 of that year "due to injuries," in a November 2023 game recap.
Batie-Smoose said, "The injury happened the day that Fleming went to go get tested, and it was very questionable."
Batie-Smoose believes the injury explanation helped keep the alleged eligibility issue secret. Her lawsuit also describes that conclusion as her belief.
"Around the same time the testosterone results were revealed, Fleming thereafter missed conference matches because of a reported hand injury, which Plaintiff believes was an excuse to hide his ineligibility to play because of his hormone level," the lawsuit states.
SJSU's own game records confirm that Fleming missed matches, but they do not establish whether a testosterone test result played a role in the absence.
In 2023, NCAA rules allowed transgender women to play on womenâs teams, but they had to meet requirements for hormone treatment and testosterone levels. The NCAA kept that policy, known as Phase Two, in place through the 2023â24 school year.
Under that framework, transgender women had to complete at least one year of testosterone suppression treatment before competing on a womenâs team. They also had to provide blood-test results that met the NCAAâs limit for their sport. For womenâs volleyball, the Phase Two limit was below 10 nanomoles per liter of total testosterone in the blood.
The requirements applied before an athleteâs first competition in each season segment, including nonconference games. Schools had to submit eligibility documents for an NCAA medical panel to review before the athlete competed. The requirement did not begin only when conference play started.
Schools also had to certify athletesâ eligibility before allowing them to compete. If an athlete became ineligible, NCAA rules required the school to immediately keep that athlete out of competition.
Batie-Smooseâs account does not establish that Fleming played while ineligible. Fleming did return in November of that season, missing 17 matches.
SJSU has declined to respond to a request for clarification.
"Due to pending litigation, San Jose State is unable to respond to your inquiry," a university spokesperson told OutKick.
OutKick also reached out to Fleming, the NCAA, the Mountain West and the CSU for comment, but did not receive a response.
Batie-Smooseâs allegations extend beyond Flemingâs eligibility. She also says her relationship with head coach Todd Kress unraveled as their political views grew apart â and accuses him of using her support for Trump to turn players against her.
She described Kress as a longtime friend who once shared her conservative beliefs.
"Todd was a conservative Republican, and we shared the same views on a lot of things. And thatâs why we were friends for so long," she said. "And then somewhere in the craziness, he went left and really extreme left."
Asked when she noticed that change, Batie-Smoose said it happened "before the first Trump election."
The two continued discussing politics, she said. But she alleges Kress began raising their differences in front of athletes, crossing a boundary she wanted to keep between their personal disagreements and their coaching jobs.
"Oh, yeah. We talked about politics all the time," she said. "You know, once he turned, it was more, um, he would bring it up in settings that I felt like it was very inappropriate."
"We can talk and debate on those subjects when weâre in a room together, but not in front of student athletes. I feel like that is not the time and the place to speak on that."
Batie-Smoose said the treatment intensified after they arrived at SJSU in 2023. She believes Kress brought up her political and religious views to mock her and weaken her relationships with the team.
"Especially once we arrived at San Jose State, and Iâve referred to this before, this man was unrecognizable," she said.
She alleged that Kress knew which players would object to her views and raised the subject in front of them to create division.
Asked whether Kress told those players that he had once held similar conservative beliefs, Batie-Smoose replied: "Oh, no way. No way. He would never state that."
She said she did not share his past political views with the athletes herself.
"I do not talk about those things in front of athletes ever," she said.
Her lawsuit alleges that Kress called her a "Trump lover." It also says she repeatedly expressed her religious belief that "God made man and woman," and that she believes his treatment reflected hostility toward her faith.
She further alleges that he cornered and berated her during an office confrontation in about August 2023, after a canceled recruiting visit. The complaint says he threatened that he could get her fired.
Batie-Smoose says she reported the encounter to administrators and human resources. She alleges they told her Kress was her boss and she needed to listen to him.
Her attorney, Vernadette Broyles, described what she sees as a broader effort to silence her client.
"There was a watchdog that was assigned to be at every practice and to travel with Melissa to watch what she said, to watch what she did," Broyles said.
The lawsuit identifies a university administrator in connection with that allegation. The complaint presents the claimed purpose as Batie-Smooseâs belief.
CSU has defended its handling of Batie-Smoose in its March lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education.
The employment dispute grew as the volleyball controversy spread.
During the 2024 season, former SJSU co-captain Slusser publicly challenged Flemingâs participation, and several opponents refused to play against SJSU. Batie-Smoose filed a Title IX complaint Oct. 29 alleging unequal treatment and failures to address concerns inside the program.
SJSU placed Batie-Smoose on paid leave days later. Its suspension letter cited several grounds, including alleged disclosure of private student information, differential treatment of athletes and unprofessional conduct. Batie-Smoose disputes those grounds.
On Jan. 31, 2025, the university told her it would not renew her temporary appointment. Batie-Smoose then filed an employment lawsuit against SJSU last September.
Then, this year, on Sept. 4, Judge Noël Wise dismissed her second amended complaint in an earlier employment case. Wise found that her allegations did not adequately show that SJSU punished her because of her sex or for raising complaints protected by law. The judge emphasized the complaintâs account that SJSU acted after she shared student information with the media despite instructions to keep it confidential.
Wise allowed her to amend. The ruling addressed whether that complaint stated a valid legal claim. It did not decide the dispute after a trial.
The October filing accuses officials of violating her rights to speak, practice her faith and hold political beliefs. It also alleges unequal treatment under the law. Batie-Smoose seeks reinstatement or a comparable job, compensation and correction of adverse personnel records.
Federal investigators have separately challenged SJSUâs handling of the volleyball program.
In January, the Education Departmentâs Office for Civil Rights concluded that the school violated Title IX over athletic participation, facilities and its response to complaints. The agency also raised concerns about unequal treatment in employment, while acknowledging that incomplete records limited its conclusions.
CSU disputes the federal findings. The system sued the Education Department in March, arguing that SJSU followed the law and NCAA rules that governed the seasons under review.
Batie-Smoose says legal advice shaped how much she shared publicly as the dispute unfolded.
"When this all began, I did not have legal representation," she said.
L'organisation du Tour de France a dévoilé ce jeudi 22 le tracé de la 114e édition. Le grand départ s’effectuera le 2 juillet en Grande-Bretagne pour trois étapes. La course se terminera le 25 juillet à Paris.
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