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  • Gambling scandal will shake public confidence in NBA, experts say

    Gambling scandal will shake public confidence in NBA, experts say

    Attorney Bill Pascrell III was made aware of the incoming NBA gambling scandal involving Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and coach Damon Jones late Wednesday night, but said the magnitude of the findings “was much greater than I had expected.”

    The news of the investigation broke early Thursday morning, with the FBI arresting Billups, Rozier, and Jones, who were among 34 people across 11 states charged in connection to two schemes: defrauding sports gamblers and a rigged poker game run in connection with New York City mafia families.

    Pascrell, a gambling expert and Princeton Public Affairs Group partner, said the incident is “a black eye on the NBA.”

    “I think [the NBA] has done a very good job of getting ahead of it now,” Pascrell told The Inquirer by telephone, “and I’m sure there’s going to be a multitude of actions and punishments, and I think there needs to be an assessment by the NBA of additional internal controls.”

    “When it comes to the NBA,” Pascrell added, “they have a responsibility to the players in the league, the coaches, the referees, the families, the fans, and it’s going to take a lot of work to bring about confidence back into the system.”

    What to know about Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and cash handoffs in Philly

    Particularly, the involvement of Jones, who allegedly provided bettors injury information regarding two of the Los Angeles Lakers’ best players while he was volunteering with the team during the 2022-23 season, was “very troubling,” Pascrell said.

    “Those are things that are very disturbing that the league has to be vigilant about doing a better job policing,” Pascrell said. “I think the NBA is a great brand. I think they have done a great job, and, unfortunately, this mishap is going to be a tough challenge for them to re-instill confidence in the integrity of the game.”

    Dangers of prop bets

    Rozier’s involvement in the gambling scheme by leaving games or altering his performance to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on prop bets was especially concerning to George Diemer, an associate professor in Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.

    Diemer, whose research focuses on gambling, particularly in college basketball, supports sports betting being legalized but has strong opposition to prop bets and the issues the practice brings to gambling.

    “Although I do like the gambling market — I am in favor of legalizing sports gambling — I’ve always said to myself and anybody that asks, I’m really worried about these prop bets, and they probably should not be legal,” Diemer said by phone. “A lot of my research is in trying to figure out how point spreads are impacting the game outcome. … Generally speaking, the data suggests that, for instance, like point shaving — maybe there’s too many games where the favorite team is winning the game but failing to cover the point spread, things like that. And I suspect that if I ran a similar investigation for these prop bets, I would probably find something there as well.”

    But Diemer added that, “I think these things were identified by and because sports wagering has been legalized. If we lived in a world where sports wagering was illegal, they very well could have still been doing this, but nobody would have known about it because it would have been a complete underground economy.”

    Rozier’s alleged involvement comes on the heels of former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter leaking “confidential information to sports bettors” about his planned poor performances and pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for allegedly faking illness or injury to leave games early.

    While Pascrell does not agree that prop bets should be banned in the wake of the scandal, saying that “prop bets aren’t the problem, criminal activity is the problem,” he agrees with Diemer that the monitoring systems in place to detect and notify unusual gambling activity “are going to learn a lot from this, and it’s only going to improve the integrity of the game.”

    “I’m not saying monitoring integrity isn’t an evolutionary process. There’s nothing that’s bulletproof,” Pascrell said, “and by passing laws to bet prop bets, you’re only going to move people to the dark side, which is only going to make it more challenging to discover.”

  • Vic Fangio’s evaluation of Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett is ‘incomplete.’ Will he get a closer look?

    Vic Fangio’s evaluation of Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett is ‘incomplete.’ Will he get a closer look?

    Vic Fangio labeled his evaluation of Jakorian Bennett as “incomplete” earlier this week.

    The Eagles have not had a stable counterpart to Quinyon Mitchell because of injury and poor play. But Bennett, the player they acquired in early August in exchange for rotational defensive tackle Thomas Booker, hasn’t really had his chance.

    He was eased into Fangio’s defensive scheme after getting a late start in training camp and found himself behind Adoree’ Jackson on the depth chart when the season began. Bennett, 25, spelled Jackson in all three of the Eagles’ first three games, a total of 24 defensive snaps. But a torn pectoral muscle landed him on injured reserve after the team’s Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

    Incomplete? Bennett said he agreed with Fangio.

    “I really haven’t showed everything I can do,” Bennett said. “It’s time for me to just go out there and put on for a whole game and show him, show the players, the rest of the coaches, everybody who I am. Show them that they didn’t bring me here for no reason.”

    Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett played in three games this season before being injured.

    The Eagles opened Bennett’s practice window this week. He was listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday and was upgraded to a full participant Thursday. He likely will be activated for Sunday’s game vs. the New York Giants. His role remains to be seen. Jackson remained sidelined from practice Thursday because of a concussion and is trending toward being unavailable for the game.

    Brandon Graham brought the same old ‘juice’ in his first practice back with the Eagles

    The Eagles have had a bit of a revolving door over the last few weeks at the position. Jackson missed Week 4 with a groin injury, allowing Kelee Ringo to start for the first time. Ringo then stayed in the starting spot for Week 5 even after Jackson returned. He again got the call for Week 6, but was yanked in favor of Jackson early in the game, only to return after Mitchell was hurt. Jackson started Sunday vs. Minnesota, but Ringo came in for him after the concussion.

    Meanwhile, Bennett could only watch while a potential opportunity to make a difference passed.

    “That was probably the toughest part,” Bennett said. “I got traded here for a reason, to try to help the team win and be part of that. For me to just kind of watch that was tough. You’re watching the game, and you just kind of visualize yourself making plays and doing whatever to help the team win. I’m a competitor. I’m a team player. I’m just trying to go out there and help the guys.”

    Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett has only played 24 defensive snaps this season and hasn’t been available since Week 3.

    Bennett said he wasn’t sure what his role would be for Sunday. Fangio said he thinks Ringo “can eventually be better than he’s been. His opportunities will keep coming, probably, and hopefully he’ll turn the corner.”

    Regarding his “incomplete” evaluation of Bennett, Fangio said, “I just never felt like I had a good handle on what he is and what he isn’t. I just don’t think he played enough to answer that with definitive conviction.”

    Eagles vs. Giants in Week 8: Here are the numbers that matter

    Bennett said he feels like he has the defense down and is ready to contribute. He sees opportunity, too, given what has transpired at the position over the past several weeks.

    “I’m a competitor and I know the type of player I am,” he said.

    Bennett’s most recent play with the Eagles was exciting. Jordan Davis may have never scored after his game-sealing field goal block in Week 3 if not for Bennett, who leveled Rams punter and holder Ethan Evans as he tried to recover the football. His pectoral injury had already happened, Bennett said a few weeks ago after he hit injured reserve.

    In Bennett’s locker stall Thursday at the NovaCare Complex was a bottle of Caymus Vineyards wine.

    A welcome back present? No, Bennett said, it was a gift from assistant special teams coordinator Joe Pannunzio, who treated the field goal block unit to a bottle of the Napa Valley wine.

    The welcome back present is just playing football again.

    “It feels good to be healthy, good to be back on the field, just play ball,” Bennett said. “I got tired of sitting around and healing up.”

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was absent from practice for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

    Injury report

    A.J. Brown (hamstring) was absent from practice for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The Eagles also were without Cam Jurgens (knee), Azeez Ojulari (hamstring), and Jackson.

    Four players were limited: Grant Calcaterra (oblique), Landon Dickerson (ankle/back), Moro Ojomo (shoulder), and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (ankle).

    Dallas Goedert (calf) was upgraded to a full participant.

    The Eagles also opened Darius Cooper’s practice window Thursday. The rookie wide receiver, who is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, was a full participant.

    Tune in Sunday at 11:30 as The Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner and Jeff McLane preview the Eagles’ rematch with the New York Giants.
  • What the national media is saying about the Eagles-Giants rematch

    What the national media is saying about the Eagles-Giants rematch

    The Eagles suffered their worst loss of the season at MetLife Stadium against the Giants just two weeks ago. One week later, the Giants suffered their worst loss of the season, a fourth-quarter collapse against Denver.

    New York is winless on the road in 2025, and headed into the NFL’s most hostile environment with a rookie quarterback. Can the Birds get their revenge?

    Here’s what the national media is saying about Sunday’s game …

    How good are the Eagles?

    The Giants’ star rookies gained a confidence boost after blowing out the Eagles two weeks ago. But a total collapse in Denver may have stalled that progress, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on Get Up, so he still expects an Eagles win.

    Though the Eagles might win, Orlovsky isn’t bullish on the Birds’ chances in the long term, although he’s “intrigued” by what Jalen Hurts showed in the passing game against Minnesota.

    Eagles vs. Giants: These numbers explain the Week 8 matchup

    “This team can’t win a Super Bowl the way they’re running the football,” Orlovsky said. “They can win games, they can beat good teams, but they can’t run the football. My question is, is what we saw offensively last week going to be who you’re going to be for the rest of the season?”

    Can the Giants rebound?

    The Giants’ collapse against Denver is the type of loss that can cause a team to emotionally spiral. But Manti Te’o said on NFL Network that he doesn’t expect that to linger for New York on Sunday.

    “When I see a team fall off like that, that’s just situational,” Te’o said. “Let’s be honest, I don’t think the Giants even anticipated they would be up that much. There’s a way to play the game, and there’s so much youth there that it may have slipped by them. I am buying that they will respond and build off of it.”

    Does A.J. Brown want out?

    Even after Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown dominated in the passing game in Sunday’s win, there’s still drama with Brown’s social media posts.

    Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    On Instagram following Sunday’s game, Brown posted a photo with the caption, “using me but not using me.” Brown caught two touchdowns on four catches for 121 yards, his best game of the season. So what exactly does he mean by that caption? On First Take, Orlovsky said he believes Brown is indicating he still wants to be traded.

    “I believe A.J. Brown prefers to be traded,” Orlovsky said. ”There’s been this consistent disconnect, whether it’s the lack of production, they don’t throw the ball enough, or they go on the road, he has [four catches for 121 yards], the game-sealer, and he’s still tweeting that out. I’m not trying to read too much into it, this is a Super Bowl-contending team, but for that to continuously happen, I do think there’s parts of A.J. Brown that would prefer to be traded.”

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown stiff arms Minnesota’s Isaiah Rodgers during Sunday’s game.

    Ryan Clark didn’t go that far, but said that Brown was opening himself up to those rumors with his actions.

    “He also has to understand the consequences of his actions,” Clark said. “When you tweet out ”using me but not using me,” read books on the sidelines, said certain things you’ve said in postgame interviews, people are going to try to connect the tea leaves and come to their own conclusions. It could honestly be, finally in this game they used me.”

    For all the attention on Brown, Smith also had his best game of the year against the Vikings, with a 79-yard touchdown as the highlight among his nine catches for 183 yards.

    Escape The Linc: We raced to find the fastest way out after an Eagles game

    “Because of all the attention on A.J. Brown, because of the drama, DeVonta’s kind of being overlooked as a top-10 receiver in the NFL,” Mina Kimes said. “I think he’s capable of that.”

  • Thursday’s Flyers game against the Senators will feature familiar faces aplenty

    Thursday’s Flyers game against the Senators will feature familiar faces aplenty

    OTTAWA, Ontario — There’s a lot to be said for a coach who has been in the shoes — or skates — of his players.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said he is “sensitive to it, when you pull people in and out,” of the lineup. On Thursday, he’s making another shift, with Rodrigo Ābols going in for Jett Luchanko as the fourth-line center.

    “I mean, it’s obviously tough,” Ābols said. “Not even the physical part, it is just more like the timing and the feeling kind of, once you do get in, like five-on-five tonight, to not overthink too much [the] situations, because you haven’t been in those situations for a while. So that’s, I guess, the goal is to just kind of not overthink, keep it simple, and just do the things that make me an effective hockey player.”

    Owen Tippett is setting the tempo for the Flyers, both on the ice and with the aux cord

    One thing that will certainly help is that the Latvian will be skating alongside Garnet Hathaway — who he has played with on a line for the majority of his 24 NHL games, all with the Flyers — and Nikita Grebenkin.

    The latter two played together last year for Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League once the Russian was acquired in March from the Toronto Maple Leafs. There is familiarity and chemistry, but that doesn’t mean Ābols won’t be on the ready.

    “It may be similar with [Matvei Michkov] to expect the unexpected, I guess. So you see the pass he had last game that went to Garnet there, across the blue, so you kind of just always be ready with the stick on the ice,” said Ābols, who played with Michkov a few times last season and can communicate with Grebenkin in Russian, one of four languages the Latvian speaks fluently.

    “You see him in the corners, there’s so many times you feel like he’s lost the puck, and then he somehow comes out with it, said Ābols of Grebenkin. ”So that’s just an exciting player to play with, because that means you can get more offensive zone time.”

    Hello old friends

    The Senators have several familiar faces slated to skate on Thursday.

    Of course, there is Claude Giroux, the former Flyers captain who skated in his 1,000th game before being traded two days later to the Florida Panthers — Owen Tippett was part of the return — in March 2022.

    “It’s always going to be special playing against Philly,” Giroux said on Thursday. “Played a lot of years there, and not a lot of players left when I played, but the organization, and Danny Brière being the GM, so it’s always special to play them.”

    Ottawa’s Claude Giroux played 15 seasons for the Flyers, including several as the team’s captain.

    The players still in Philly are forwards Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny, and defensemen Nick Seeler, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Egor Zamula (two games).

    Nick Cousins skated in 107 games for the Orange and Black after being selected in the third round of the 2011 draft. The forward won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024.

    But while those guys left Philly long ago, Olle Lycksell was with the team last season. The Swede, who had dinner Wednesday night with Adam Ginning, Sam Ersson, and Ābols, was recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and is slotted into the fourth line for the Senators.

    “I just felt like I maybe needed a little change of scenery, and trying to find myself in a lineup,” he said of making the move to Ottawa. “I felt like we had good talks, and felt like they believed in me. And yeah, I got the opportunity now, and I’m really happy that I got here.”

    Flyers takeaways: Power play finally fires; Nikita Grebenkin announces his presence

    Lycksell has played three games this season for the Senators, registering three shots on goal while averaging 10 minutes, and 58 seconds of ice time. A sixth-round pick of the Flyers in 2017, the 26-year-old Swede had one goal and 11 points in 45 games for Philly.

    “I’m so honored of being a Flyer for a long time,” he said. “And even though I didn’t play that many games, I [had] still been in the organization for a while, and it’s great people. And it’s going to be special [tonight].”

    And there’s also a familiar face for Tocchet, who was a teammate of Travis Green’s for a year in the desert.

    “There’s always some coaches that you talk to a lot, even when one of us isn’t working, or one of us got fired, or one of us got hired, we’ve always kept in touch and just pick each other’s brain,” said Tocchet, who gave Green a ton of credit for how things have gone in Ottawa.

    So, any bets or dinners on the line?

    “We had dinner last night. He paid. It was a cheap one,” said a grinning Tocchet. “Philly’s gonna be an expensive one, but that’s all right.”

    Breakaways

    Dan Vladař will start for the third straight game. “He’s been playing pretty good, right? That’s why I’m starting him,” Tocchet said. Sam Ersson’s last game was a week ago, in a 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Any concerns? “No, not at all,” Tocchet said. “I could easily go with Sam and be comfortable. Sam will get in there.”

    Around the Rinks

    Between now and March 31, girls and women in the ball hockey community — players, organizers, referees, etc., and in Philly or beyond — can apply for the 2 AND 10 Women’s Ball Hockey Scholarship via their Facebook account. The scholarship, which “recognizes women who give their all to the game, both on and off the rink, and are ready to take the next step as athletes, leaders, and role models” can be used toward college or trade school. … Submit entries for Around the Rinks, which highlights the local ice, ball, and inline hockey scenes, Thursdays online and Fridays in the paper, by noon every Thursday with Around the Rinks in the subject line to jspiegel@inquirer.com. Entries can include information about your league, big moments on the ice, upcoming rivalry games, favorite players, and more.

  • NBA sports betting bust: What to know about Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and cash handoffs in Philly

    NBA sports betting bust: What to know about Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and cash handoffs in Philly

    A sports betting scandal involving Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has roiled the NBA and threatens to undermine the $13 billion sports betting industry.

    Billups and Rozier are among 34 people across 11 states charged in connection with two separate schemes — defrauding sports gamblers and a rigged poker game run in connection with New York City Mafia families.

    Among those said to be involved was Shane Hennen, 40, a professional gambler originally from the Pittsburgh suburbs who allegedly handed off cash to his coconspirators in Philadelphia.

    Former Cleveland Cavaliers player-turned-coach Damon Jones was also arrested for allegedly selling inside information on injuries and participating in the illegal poker scheme.

    “This is the insider trading scandal for the NBA,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a news conference Thursday announcing the charges, which include wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracies to commit extortion and robbery.

    Officials accuse Rozier and others of altering their performance to get big payouts

    Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

    In the sports betting case, Rozier and others are accused of leaving games early or altering their performance to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on prop bets, defrauding both sportsbooks and other legitimate gamblers.

    In one example, provided by New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly told his coconspirators he was planning to exit a 2023 game early due to a supposed injury.

    “Using that information, members of the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on his under statistics,” Tisch said. “Rozier exited the game after just nine minutes, and those bets paid out, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit.”

    “The proceeds were later delivered to his home, where the group counted their cash,” Tisch added.

    Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, described it as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the U.S.”

    Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, told CNN in a statement his client “looks forward to winning this fight.”

    The accusations mirror the actions that led the NBA to ban former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter from the league for life after its investigation revealed he leaked “confidential information to sports bettors” to win under bets. Porter later pleaded guilty to charges that he faked injuries or illnesses to leave games early.

    The NBA had investigated Rozier and announced in January it “did not find a violation of NBA rules.” The league said Thursday it takes the new allegations “with the utmost seriousness.”

    Nocella said the indictment also details the actions of unnamed players on teams that include the Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The indictment remained sealed online Thursday.

    Two of the unnamed coconspirators were from Pennsylvania, according to the indictment.

    Cash was handed off in Philly, officials said

    Philadelphia skyline as seen from Lancaster Avenue.

    Prosecutors allege Rozier colluded with Hennen, who figures prominently in the most recent indictment — and in an earlier gambling probe involving Temple University’s basketball team, which led to his arrest in January.

    Hennen, known as “Sugar” in gambling circles, used nonpublic information that he obtained through his NBA contacts to facilitate a series of fraudulent bets over the last three years, according to one of the complaints unsealed Thursday. In one instance, he allegedly used Philadelphia as a meeting point to dole out the ill-gotten proceeds to other bettors.

    On March 28, 2023, Mississippi-based sports handicapper Marves Fairley traveled to Philadelphia to meet Hennen to collect proceeds from wagers the duo had placed on one of Rozier’s games earlier that month, federal authorities contend.

    Rozier had, according to the complaint, planned to “exit prematurely” from the March 23 matchup between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier played the first nine minutes of the game but then withdrew, citing a foot issue.

    Authorities say the scheme involved other men. De’Niro “Peyso” Laster, a former college linebacker, allegedly met with Fairley in Philadelphia on March 28 to collect tens of thousands of dollars in cash based on more fraudulent winnings linked to the same game.

    The suit alleges that Rozier paid for the costs of Laster’s travel to the city, and that Fairley and Laster then drove from Philadelphia to North Carolina to meet with the player at his home and count their winnings.

    On March 29, the day after prosecutors allege they met up in the city, Hennen posted a photo of himself and Fairley sitting courtside at a Sixers game.

    Hennen also appears to be linked to a point-shaving scheme involving former Temple University basketball player Hysier Miller, in what is likely a related investigation, according to reports by Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

    Earlier this year, the NCAA revealed it was investigating unusual bets placed around a March 7, 2024, game between Temple and Alabama-Birmingham. An ESPN report linked that game to Hennen, who was arrested by federal authorities in January while attempting to board a flight to Panama.

    Miller was released by the team in October 2024, with sources indicating that his departure was likely linked to the gambling investigation.

    Damon Jones appears to have sold inside info on LeBron James while a coach for the Lakers

    Damon Jones (left), seen here with LeBron James in July 2010. The two were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Jones, who served as an unofficial assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season, is accused of tipping off the team’s decision to rest a “prominent NBA player” ahead of a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023.

    The unnamed player appears to be LeBron James, who sat out that game due to a sore left ankle. James had played with Jones on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but there is no indication the NBA superstar was aware of the illegal betting scheme.

    “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out!” Jones texted, according to the indictment.

    According to the indictment, Jones leaked inside information he had to coconspirators multiple times during the season, including before a January 2024 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Billups accused of teaming with mob figures for illegal poker game

    Chauncey Billups was used to make the illegal poker games seem fair, officials said.

    In a second case, Billups is charged with participating in a nationwide scheme involving New York City Mafia figures to rig illegal poker games.

    Officials said members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families rigged the poker contests in their favor, cheating players out of millions of dollars and resorting to violence when victims wouldn’t pay up.

    Tisch said Billups’ presence at the games was meant to lull victims into thinking it was a legitimate game, making them think “they were sitting at a fair table.” Officials said he was aware and in on the scam.

    Losses totaled more than $7 million, with one victim losing nearly $2 million, Tisch said.

    Hennen also figured prominently in the second case. According to the indictment, he provided the “cheating technology” for the illegal poker scheme in exchange for a portion of the proceeds.

    “Bringing four of the five families together in a single indictment is extraordinarily rare,” Tisch said. “It reflects how deep and how far this investigation reached and the skill and the persistence it took to get here.”

  • The biggest squash event in America is at the Specter Center in University City this week

    The biggest squash event in America is at the Specter Center in University City this week

    If you aren’t watching squash, now might be the time to start.

    With the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles set to welcome the sport for the first time, an early look at American hopefuls arrived this week during the U.S. Open Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter Squash Center.

    The event, located on Drexel’s campus in University City through Saturday, serves as a precursor to Los Angeles and showcasing that the work begins now for top competitors and youth prospects.

    Sisters Amanda (left) and Sabrina Sobhy play against each other during the 2025 Comcast Business U.S. Open Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center on Tuesday.

    “If you really think you can be an Olympian in two-and-a-half years, then come on, prove it,” Nick Taylor, head coach of U.S. Squash, told The Inquirer this week. “Get the hard work done.”

    This year, the semifinal and final rounds of the Open will be streamed for the first time live on Peacock, with the broadcast deal marking a big step forward for the continued growth and exposure of the sport.

    “It’s millions of millions of potential viewers,” Taylor said, “ … that in itself is just amazing for us.”

    Hunting season

    The U.S. Open fields 32 male and female players from the Professional Squash Association, ranging from U.S team members like No. 4-ranked Olivia Weaver to wild cards like men’s U.S. junior champion Alex Carnell, who attends Penn.

    As players compete in best-of-five sets to see who moves onto the next round, the focus is on players’ rankings ahead of the Olympics.

    “These players have to just continue to work day in, day out, and just have the Olympics as a massive goal,” Taylor said. “I’m not overly concerned about, you know, the hard decisions of having to select players. I think that will look after itself to a degree.”

    Philly native Olivia Weaver, seen here in earlier competition, will compete in the semifinal of the U.S. Open this weekend at the Specter Center.

    The early rounds of the event have already seen major drama, with No. 9-ranked Yousef Ibrahim downing No. 4-seeded Joel Makin this past Wednesday, securing Ibrahim’s place in the semifinals. Weaver, a Philadelphia-born-and-raised competitor, will also feature in the semifinals after defeating No. 18-ranked Sana Ibrahim.

    As the competition roars on, Lee Beachill, chief operating officer of the Professional Squash Association, hopes fans tune in to see how entertaining the sport can be.

    “To make our debut on such a massive platform like NBC, Peacock specifically, is a big deal for our sport,” Beachill said. “It’s a perfect event to do it. The center has been fantastic. It highlights just what a good position U.S. Squash is in at the moment.”

    Finally recognized

    The squash community has pleaded for a bid to the Olympics for years, only to face rejection after rejection. When the sport finally received its ticket to the big stage in October 2023, U.S. coaches and players were surprised.

    “I didn’t even know there was a bid,” said Marina Stefanoni, competing this week and currently the No. 25-ranked women’s player in the sport. “I didn’t even know we were still vying. Someone must’ve slipped it under the door, and all of a sudden, we are in the Olympics. It was a shock.”

    Top women’s squash player Amanda Sobhy (right) poses with 13-year-old Laila Robison during the 2025 Comcast Business U.S. Open Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center on Tuesday.

    With the Specter Center acting as the home of U.S. Squash, special in-house preparations have already begun to train Olympic hopefuls ahead of 2028.

    “We have done a lot of tweaking and changing of how we think the program needs to exist,” Taylor said. “ … the Olympics are two-and-a-half years away, which is not that long.”

    Beat Egypt

    Egypt has dominated the professional scene for decades.

    Since 2003, an Egyptian athlete has won the men’s world championship 15 times, while also winning 10 straight times on the women’s side. Reigning world champions Mostafa Asal and Nour El Sherbini are set to meet in the U.S. Open final, with semifinal bouts scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

    Aly Abou El Einen (left) yells out while playing Baptiste Masotti during the 2025 Comcast Business U.S. Open Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center earlier this week.

    As the USA stays on Egypt’s heels, Taylor hopes to overtake Egypt at the world championships in 2027, just in time for the team’s chance for a gold medal at the Summer Games.

    “I think we have a really good shot at becoming world junior champions and beating Egypt in 2027,” Taylor said. “That would be a game changer.”

  • These are the latest Eagles-Giants odds and a look at player props for Jalen Hurts, Jaxson Dart, and more

    These are the latest Eagles-Giants odds and a look at player props for Jalen Hurts, Jaxson Dart, and more

    Coming off a big win over the Minnesota Vikings, the Eagles (5-2) will return to Lincoln Financial Field to host the New York Giants (2-5) on Sunday. As both teams prepare for their second matchup of the season, here are updated odds and interesting prop bets from two of the biggest sportsbooks…

    Eagles vs. Giants updated odds

    The Eagles and the Giants are meeting for the second time in two weeks, following a 34-17 Eagles loss to New York at MetLife Stadium in Week 6.

    Earlier in the week, both sportsbooks had the Eagles listed as 7.5-point favorites. Since then, the odds haven’t changed as they enter Week 8.

    FanDuel:

    • Spread: Giants +7.5 (-118), Eagles -7.5 (-104)
    • Moneyline: Giants (+320), Eagles (-405)
    • Total: Over 43.5 (-114) / Under 43.5 (-106)

    DraftKings:

    • Spread: Giants +7.5 (-120), Eagles -7.5 (+100)
    • Moneyline: Giants (+330), Eagles (-425)
    • Total: Over 43.5 (-118) / Under 43.5 (-102)

    Passing yards props

    Jalen Hurts is coming off an excellent performance in which he threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns to earn a perfect passer rating, making this the third consecutive week the quarterback has thrown for over 270 yards.

    Jaxson Dart is coming off a Giants’ loss to the Broncos where he threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Dart has thrown for over 200 yards in two of his last four games.

    For this week’s matchup, both sportsbooks have Hurts’ over/under set at around 205 passing yards, and Dart’s over/under is set at just under 200 passing yards.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Passing TDs

    Hurts has thrown for eight touchdowns in his last four games, while Dart has thrown for seven. In their last matchup, both quarterbacks recorded one passing touchdown. For this week’s matchup, both sportsbooks have Hurts’ over/under set at 1.5 passing touchdowns and Dart’s over/under set at 0.5.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Rushing props

    In six of seven games, Saquon Barkley has rushed for under 70 yards. Last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year is coming off a game that saw him rush for 44 yards in the Birds’ win over the Minnesota Vikings.

    Giants’ running back Cam Skattebo is coming off a game that saw him rush for 60 yards against the Denver Broncos.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Receiving props

    A.J. Brown missed practice on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury. The receiver played 46 offensive snaps against the Vikings, recording four receptions for 121 yards. Meanwhile, DeVonta Smith also stood out with nine receptions for 183 yards.

    However, neither sportsbook has player props listed at the moment. Instead, they have the odds for Dallas Goedert and Barkley’s over/under in receiving yards. In the team’s last game against the Giants, Goedert finished with nine receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown. Barkley had two receptions for 9 yards.

    For the Giants, Wan’Dale Johnson is coming off a game that saw him finish with six receptions for 95 yards. Giants tight end Theo Johnson added to that with three receptions for 66 yards.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Touchdowns

    In Week 7, Smith and Brown scored for the Eagles. For the Giants, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Dart, Daniel Bellinger, Johnson, and Skattebo found the end zone.

    In their last meeting, Hurts and Goedert scored for the Eagles. Skattebo dominated on the ground, rushing for three touchdowns. Dart and Robinson also made their way into the end zone.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

  • Temple’s 1-0 approach, more drama at Penn State, and have you heard about Eastern U?

    Temple’s 1-0 approach, more drama at Penn State, and have you heard about Eastern U?

    It’s starting to get really fun keeping track of Temple football again.

    While it might be a bit too soon to suggest that head coach K.C. Keeler has revitalized the program, it’d be unfair to suggest that he hasn’t brought in a fresh perspective bolstered by a new coaching staff and a belief that his roster can deliver results.

    It’s worth noting that Keeler, who could pick up his 276th win as a head coach this weekend with a road matchup against Tulsa on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN+), has been honest with his team — and the media — on his expectations.

    K.C. Keeler earned his 275th career win. The first-year Temple coach recounts how he got there.

    But it also seems like he’s put the right people in place — on the field and off — to deliver.

    “I feel like they are just starting to figure out that they are a good football team,” Keeler said this week. “That’s what showed when we played Charlotte. When we played them, I think it finally came out that we’re a good football team.”

    The Owls (4-3, 2-1 American) have a winning record at this juncture of the season for the first time since 2019. Now, they are eyeing a real possibility of being bowl eligible in Keeler’s first season.

    After Tulsa, the road doesn’t get any easier as teams like East Carolina (Nov. 1) and Tulane (Nov. 22) await. But both of those matchups are at home, where the Owls are 2-2 and could be 3-1 if not for a late flop against Navy two weeks ago on homecoming weekend.

    It appears that Temple is applying the same mentality to its season that Penn State has vowed to employ. Each week, the Owls say they are going into games trying to be “1-0.” Defensive end Allan Haye says that approach is motivating them ahead of this weekend’s game.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Temple athletics right here!

    “Just 1-0,” Haye said during Monday’s press conference. “Last week, we went 1-0, so now it’s 0-0 coming into this week. We’re coming into this game like it’s a clean slate; and every game from now on is our Super Bowl. Every game is very important because it’s the next game. That’s just how we move and how we think.”

    Who would have believed that mindset would be working better for the Owls than the Nittany Lions?

    Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki can’t put a finger on what’s plaguing the Nittany Lions’ offense.

    Choice of words

    Speaking of Penn State, Andy Kotelnicki might’ve wanted to use more time to think about his response when asked about what’s plaguing the Nittany Lions’ offense.

    “I don’t really have a good explanation,” he said when asked Wednesday.

    Now, more was said in context, which is available on the team’s website, but that’s not what fans want to hear about a team that currently ranks 97th in the FBS in total offense with around 355 yards per game.

    Temple, meanwhile, is 72rd with 381.4 yards per game. And while playing UMass and Howard isn’t the same as playing Oregon and Iowa, we’re talking about a team that went from No. 2 in the nation to an afterthought in two months.

    ‘We all failed Coach Franklin:’ Penn State enacts some of the philosophies of its former coach

    Needless to say, Kotelnicki’s response is getting the business on social media forums from irate Penn State fans who are looking for a little more insight into the collapse of a team that reached the semifinals of the College Football Playoff just a season ago.

    Fortunately, Kotelnicki and the Nittany Lions have some time to figure it out as a bye week provides a few more days before a showdown with No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 (noon, Fox29).

    In one week …

    Lincoln Financial Field becomes the home to one of the most anticipated HBCU college football games of the season when former Eagles Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson go head-to-head as coaches on Oct. 30 (7 p.m., ESPNU, tickets).

    Vick’s Norfolk State will take on Jackson’s Delaware State on the same field where the two made memories for themselves and Eagles fans alike.

    But arguably the most memorable moment didn’t happen at the Linc; it happened in 2010 against Washington at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., when Vick threw an 88-yard pass to Jackson on the first play of the game, part of a six-touchdown outburst by Vick.

    Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide threw five touchdowns on just 13 passing attempts against Hampton last Saturday.

    Three questions

    🏈 How the heck did Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide throw five touchdowns on just 13 pass attempts in a rout of Hampton last week, and can he do it again against Albany at home on Saturday (3:30 p.m., FloSports)?

    🏈 Will Penn pick up its first 3-0 start in conference play after knocking off last season’s co-champs in Dartmouth and Columbia in the last three weeks? This week, a road trip to Yale (noon, ESPN+) will answer that question.

    🏈 How come no one told us about how good the football is over at Eastern University? The Division III Eagles, who play on the campus of Valley Forge Military Academy, are off to a 5-1 start to their season and are on a three-game winning streak. They’ll look to make it four in a row when they travel to take on Misericordia University on Saturday (1 p.m., watch live).

    Saquon Barkley says Penn State firing his former coach James Franklin ‘definitely hurts’

    The BIG number

    20: That’s the number of consecutive home victories Villanova would have with a win over Albany this week. The Wildcats already own the second-longest active home winning streak in college football and are coming off a 56-14 win over Hampton last weekend at Villanova Stadium.

    Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed will lead the Aggies into Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., to take on No. 20 LSU on Saturday.

    Game of the week

    No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., 6ABC)

    LSU’s fall to No. 20 is considered surprising, but there’s a real chance to prove naysayers wrong against SEC opponent Texas A&M, the No. 3 team in the nation. Vegas only has the Tigers as a 2.5-point underdog, and that’s because LSU boasts a 4-0 record at Tiger Stadium this season.

    Looking for a channel flipper? Consider No. 25 Michigan at cross-state rival Michigan State happening at the same time (7:30 p.m., NBC10).

  • Giants prepare Jaxson Dart for playing in Philly: ‘He’s about to get introduced to all [of his haters]’

    Giants prepare Jaxson Dart for playing in Philly: ‘He’s about to get introduced to all [of his haters]’

    Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has quickly become a fan favorite in New York, leading the Giants to a 34-17 win over the Eagles in Week 6 and flashing potential for the future.

    But he will get his first experience with the environment in Philadelphia on Sunday. Here’s what the Giants are saying about their second matchup in three weeks with the Birds:

    Eagles vs. Giants: These numbers explain the Week 8 matchup

    ‘It’s going to be intense’

    Dart and the Giants are 2-1 at home, including that win over the Eagles, but haven’t won a road game this season (0-4).

    Lincoln Financial Field is one of the toughest stadiums for a road team to play at in the NFL — especially for division rivals.

    “It’s going to be intense, for sure,” said Dart, a first-round pick out of Mississippi. “I can’t wait to go out there and compete and feel the hostility in the air and the rivalry between the two organizations. I kind of compare it to an SEC rivalry.”

    Former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is anticipating the environment at Lincoln Financial Field being similar to an SEC rivalry game.

    ‘Stick close to your brothers’

    Dart’s teammates are trying to prepare him for the environment at the Linc. Eagles fans certainly will be out to give Dart and fellow rookie Cam Skattebo a warm Philly welcome.

    “I mean, if he didn’t have any haters, he’ll find out where they all live,” Giants receiver Darius Slayton said Wednesday. “He’s about to get introduced to all of them.”

    Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    “You’ve got to stick close to your brothers in the locker room, just stay tight as one group, because that team and that fan base, they’re going to get a little gritty on the sidelines,” tight end Daniel Bellinger told the New York Post. “I would tell him, ‘Listen, focus on you, focus on the team, and stick together and not worry about the outside noise.’”

    Facing Dart again

    The Eagles and Giants played just two weeks ago. Before that Thursday night showdown, Dart had started just two games, so the Birds had minimal NFL tape on which to evaluate him.

    The Eagles and Vic Fangio now have firsthand experience. Dart said this is the first time in his career that he’s played the same team twice in such a small window of time. How will the Giants respond to that challenge?

    Jalen Carter, Landon Dickerson, Nakobe Dean among five reasons Eagles will win the rematch vs. Giants

    “[Fangio’s] done a great job in this league for a long time,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said. “I can’t answer what he would do or what he wouldn’t do. You watch your game, you see how they played you. [Jalen] Carter’s back. Does that make a difference relative to the scheme and what they want to do? I don’t know.

    “I just know that Vic’s a challenging coordinator to game plan against. Again, Jaxson’s played a good amount of football in his career. These last four weeks, he’s got a routine down, and we do everything we can do to get him ready to play.”

  • Elijah Robinson and Fran Brown wanted to ‘build a program together.’ The two are fulfilling that dream at Syracuse.

    Elijah Robinson and Fran Brown wanted to ‘build a program together.’ The two are fulfilling that dream at Syracuse.

    Syracuse coach Fran Brown and defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson played football together at Camden High School. The two also overlapped at Temple and Baylor as assistant coaches from 2014 to 2017.

    From a young age, they shared a dream to eventually work on the same sideline.

    “We’ve talked about it for a long time, early in our careers, about one of us having the opportunity to become a head coach at some point, and that we would love to build a program together,” Robinson said. “I’m grateful for him wanting me to come and join him on his path.”

    One of Robinson’s greatest coaching success story came while serving as Temple’s defensive line coach from 2014-16. Former Eagles defensive end Haason Reddick, now with the Buccaneers, joined the Owls as a walk-on in 2012. Robinson coached Reddick during his three of five years as an Owl, helping the future two-time Pro Bowler go from an unrecruited prospect to an early first-round draft pick.

    “[Hasson’s] somebody that everyone can look up to,” Robinson said. “He went about his day as a pro — the way he prepared, the way he practiced, and he just continued to develop. He’s a guy that had to fight, pay his own way, and he didn’t get a scholarship until his senior year in college.”

    After three seasons at Temple and one at Baylor, Robinson was hired as Texas A&M’s defensive line coach, where he helped starters DeMarvin Leal (Steelers), Micheal Clemons (Jets), McKinnley Jackson (Bengals), and Jayden Peevy (Saints) earn NFL contracts.

    Before the 2022 season, Robinson added assistant head coach and run game coordinator to his job titles. The following year, after Texas A&M fired head coach Jimbo Fisher with just two games remaining, Robinson got the job on an interim basis.

    Temple’s players starting to believe that this team is in fact good

    “I was just honored to be chosen to lead that group of young men for the remainder of that time,” Robinson said. “They needed some leadership; they needed someone that cared about them, that was going to stick with them through it all.”

    On Nov. 28, 2023, Fran Brown was hired as Syracuse’s head coach, and Robinson was announced as his defensive coordinator just days later.

    Elijah Robinson was interim head coach at Texas A&M in 2023.

    At that point, Texas A&M had about a month left of practices and a bowl game remaining.

    “When Coach Fran got the job [at Syracuse], there only would’ve been one way that kept me from coming to join him,” said Robinson. “That was [being] the head coach at Texas.”

    The reason that Robinson accepted the defensive coordinator job at Syracuse was because the Aggies had already found his replacement. On Nov. 27, 2023, Texas A&M hired Mike Elko to be its next head coach, though he wouldn’t take over his new role until after the 2023 season.

    “I appreciate [Syracuse] for allowing me to finish it out with those guys [at A&M] until their head coach came and took over,” Robinson said.

    While Robinson was a big addition for Syracuse in terms of player development, he may have been even more valuable for his recruiting. In 2022, the Penn State alum won 247 Sports’ recruiter of the year award, an honor Brown received two years later.

    Despite a surprising slide, Penn State doesn’t intend to play scared under interim coach Terry Smith

    But when Robinson arrived at Syracuse, he took a firm stance against recruiting players from his old job.

    “[Texas A&M] treated my family and I really well, and I built a lot of great relationships there,” said Robinson. “So, I wanted nothing but that program to have success, and for me to tell players or encourage players to leave, I wasn’t going to do that.”

    Now in his second season at Syracuse, Robinson isn’t closing the door on becoming a head coach. Last November, Brown was asked about the possibility of both Robinson and offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, who also has Temple ties, potentially taking what was a vacant head coaching job with the Owls.

    “When we continue to win the way that we’ll continue to win, I think there’ll be opportunities that open up that’ll put them in the same Power Four level, instead of trying to have to go down a level to coach,” Brown said.

    But as of now, Robinson has his focus elsewhere.

    “At the end of the day, you got to be where your feet are, something I learned as a player,” Robinson said. “I think if I start looking at opportunities too far ahead, they’ll never show up.”