✨ 5 Inducted to Baseball Hall of Fame

Mets retire number, NHL bans players after trial, Bulls Head Coach agrees to contract, and more!

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Sportie Newsletter
July 28, 2025

⚾️ Baseball

Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, Parker, Allen take rightful spots in Hall of Fame

Rain threatened the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony, with the unfortunate possibility of the event being forced to a small, indoor venue.

But thankfully, the weather and baseball gods didn’t let that happen to this large, diverse and historically significant class and the enormous crowd of fans it attracted here Sunday. Though delayed an hour, the decorated day on the dais for Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner and the families of the late Dave Parker and Dick Allen went off without a hitch on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center.

Mets Retire David Wright’s Number 5

Years after his final game, former Mets star David Wright was honored at Citi Field in a special ceremony. The event was a reunion, with former teammates, managers, and coaches, like Terry Collins and José Reyes, all gathered to celebrate him.

Wright, who became the franchise's most accomplished position player, was deeply moved by the outpouring of support. The stadium was packed with fans wearing his old No. 5 jersey, eager to pay tribute to the player they dubbed "Captain America."

The ceremony, which included a new banner with his number being revealed above the left-field seats, highlighted the deep connection Wright had with the team and its fans, cementing his legacy as a beloved figure in Mets history.

🏒 Hockey

NHL says the 5 players acquitted of sexual assault are ineligible to join league, NHLPA pushes back

The NHL is barring five players acquitted of sexual assault from re-entering the league, announcing the decision in a statement on Friday. The five players — Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart — were found not guilty of sexual assault charges on Thursday.

The charges dated back to an incident in 2018, when the players were in London for a gala and golf tournament in honor of their championship win as part of Canada’s world junior hockey team.

With the Hockey Canada trial complete, the NHL has determined that the five players involved in the trial will be ineligible to play in the League — bluntly answering post-trial questions about the players' hockey futures.

Zito takes Stanley Cup to mammal park in Florida Keys

Bill Zito is having a fin-tastic day with the Stanley Cup in Florida on Saturday.

For his Cup celebration, the Florida Panthers general manager took the trophy to the Theater of the Sea, a marine mammal park in the Florida Keys, and showed it to some new aquatic friends.

It sure looked like the seals and dolphins were having a flipping good time with the shiny new toy.

🏀 Basketball

Bulls, head coach Billy Donovan agree to multi-year contract extension: Report

The Chicago Bulls and head coach Billy Donovan have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, ESPN's Shams Charania reports.

Donovan finished his fifth season in Chicago with a 39-43 record and a No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. That qualified the Bulls for the play-in tournament, where they lost to the Miami Heat, 112-91. He had one season remaining on his current contract.

As Bulls head coach, Donovan has compiled a 195-205 record, winning 40 or more games twice. Chicago has made the playoffs once during his stint, losing a first-round series in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks. Overall in his NBA career, including five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Donovan has a 438-362 record.

🏈 Football

Aggressive play goes 'a little too far,' sparking multiple fights at Falcons practice

As is accustomed during July in Flowery Branch, Georgia, things got heated on Sunday.

Multiple fracases – with 2025 first-round pick James Pearce Jr. involved – exceeded what defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was comfortable with, though they underscored the more physical and aggressive tone he's hoping to see.

"We're trying to develop a culture, a style of play, for sure," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, via the team website’s Terrin Waack. "Part of that is the violence in which we play – aggression, urgency and all that. Today, at times, it went a little too far. We got to learn how to manage that.

Chargers signing LT Rashawn Slater to record four-year, $114 million contract extension

Rashawn Slater showed up to training camp and subsequently got paid.

The Chargers and their star left tackle agreed to a four-year, $114 million contract extension with $92 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported on Sunday. Slater, whose extension was subsequently announced by the team, is now the league's highest-paid offensive lineman on an annual basis at $28.5 million.

Slater, a two-time Pro Bowler for Los Angeles since joining the team as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 draft, was set to play on his $19 million fifth-year rookie option, with no security beyond 2025.