General Sports 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 2:45 PM ET
College Basketball
Saint Louis locked in coach Josh Schertz with a contract extension after he led the Billikens to an Atlantic 10 regular-season title, while Providence parted ways with Kim English following a loss to St. John's that ended his three-year tenure. The NCAA tournament continues to drive massive betting interest, with U.S. sportsbooks expecting approximately $3.3 billion in wagers across men's and women's tournaments, marking a slight year-over-year increase according to industry estimates.
NFL
The Atlanta Falcons made a bold move by bringing in Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for their starting quarterback job, Falcons GM Ian Cunningham confirmed Friday. The move signals Atlanta's aggressive approach to finding their franchise quarterback after a turbulent 2024 season.
Horse Racing
Cheltenham Festival suffered tragedy when Envoi Allen, scheduled to retire after the week, collapsed and died on the walk back to stables following the Gold Cup. The Irish-trained gelding had been a fan favorite, winning all five of his previous Cheltenham starts. In the Gold Cup itself, Gaelic Warrior delivered a dominant performance, with Harry Redknapp-owned Jukebox Man finishing eighth in the prestigious race.
Rugby Union
Scotland stand on the brink of rugby paradise in Dublin, writes Tom English, after their stunning win over France following earlier struggles in Rome. Captain Sione Tuipulotu described the team's journey as going "to hell and back" to become Six Nations contenders. Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada expects a must-win from Wales in Saturday's finale in Cardiff, while France will honor 120 years of rivalry by wearing a special pale blue edition shirt against England.
Formula One
Lewis Hamilton sounded the alarm about Ferrari's power unit deficit after qualifying fourth for Saturday's Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, estimating the gap to Mercedes costs "a lot of time" per lap. The seven-time champion's assessment highlights Ferrari's ongoing struggle to match Mercedes' performance in the 2025 season.
Combat Sports
The UFC set a blockbuster middleweight title fight with Sean Strickland challenging Khamzat Chimaev in May, while boxing analysts continue to debate potential matchups including Haney vs. Garcia 2 and the status of Mayweather vs. Tyson. The combat sports landscape remains in flux with multiple high-profile negotiations underway.
Winter Sports
Haiti's Ralf Etienne achieved a historic milestone as his nation's first Winter Paralympian, sixteen years after losing his leg in the devastating earthquake. Meanwhile, Britain's Neil Simpson faced bitter disappointment after failing to finish his opening giant slalom run in the men's visually impaired event at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics, alongside guide Rob Poth.
Coaching
France's Fabien Galthie drove transformative change through ruthless standards and divisive methods, helping Les Bleus rediscover their competitive edge despite making enemies along the way. His uncompromising approach has yielded results but also created tension within French rugby circles.
Doping Scandal
Six Georgia rugby players and a team official faced sanctions for anti-doping rule violations described as "an orchestrated scheme," marking a significant blow to the nation's rugby program and raising questions about oversight in Eastern European rugby development.