SPORTS HEADLINES

NFL teams only need to look back a year to see how little a Week 1 loss might mean

It’s only natural for Week 1 of the NFL season to fuel some overreactions. What happened last season was the latest example of why that might not be wise. The Seattle Seahawks won the title against the New England Patriots in February in the only Super Bowl matchup ever played between two teams that started the season with a loss. Seattle lost to division rival San Francisco but got revenge in a blowout win in the playoffs. The Patriots shockingly lost at home to the Las Vegas Raiders, who won just two more games the entire season.

Jets suspend goalie Connor Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets suspended goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on Wednesday night for failing to report to training camp. The team said general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff would address the media Thursday morning. It did not specify the length of the suspension for the U.S. Olympic star. Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, publicly requested a trade from the team on Aug. 27. In a statement posted on X by his agent, Ray Petkau, Hellebuyck said he had privately requested a trade “several months ago” and that he gave the organization time to address it “queitly and respectfully.”

With 2 more homers, the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong makes his MVP case

CHICAGO (AP) — As Pete Crow-Armstrong came up with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, the Wrigley Field crowd chanted “M-V-Pete! M-V-Pete!” — and not for the first time Wednesday night. The fans serenaded the Chicago star after his first home run, his 43rd to break Billy Williams’ Cubs record for left-handed hitters. They made their feelings known after his RBI triple and after his 44th home run. Even when Crow-Armstrong struck out on five pitches in the eighth, he still received a standing ovation on his way back to the dugout at the end of a 3 for 4 night with three RBIs and three runs in an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, his seventh multi-home-run game of the season.

US Open runner-up Ben Shelton withdraws from Laver Cup and is replaced by Brandon Nakashima

LONDON (AP) — U.S. Open runner-up Ben Shelton withdrew from the Laver Cup and will be replaced by 16th-ranked Brandon Nakashima on Team World. No reason was given for Shelton’s withdrawal but he’s slated to play Davis Cup for the United States in the Czech Republic starting on Friday. Sheltong was beaten by Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open final on Sunday. Shelton is up to a career-high No. 4 in the rankings after reaching his first Grand Slam final. It will mark Nakashima’s Laver Cup debut. He joins Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien and Francisco Cerundolo on Team World. Yannick Noah’s Team Europe features Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Flavio Cobolli, Rafael Jodar, Jakub Mensik and Casper Ruud.

Klopp wants to ‘reclaim the flag’ as Germany coach as he calls up 44 players for his first games

Jürgen Klopp says he wants to help spread national pride in Germany as he announced a super-sized first roster as national team coach with an appeal to “reclaim the flag.” Klopp’s double roster continues his unorthodox start to life in international soccer. The upcoming games against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia will be an extended audition for places ahead of the next major tournament, Euro 2028. Stars like Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz will likely be limited to a maximum of two of the games as Klopp looks to fit in more new faces and reduce the workload on players.

Yankees pull Aaron Judge for a pinch hitter in the 6th against Twins because of lower leg tightness

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New York Yankees star right fielder Aaron Judge was pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning against Minnesota because of tightness in his lower right leg. Judge struck out in both of his at-bats Wednesday against Twins starter Zebby Matthews before being lifted for Heliot Ramos. The three-time AL MVP was on the bench Tuesday for planned rest. Judge is 4 for 26 with 13 strikeouts and one extra-base hit in seven games since returning last week from a broken rib. He homered Monday at Minnesota as the Yankees clinched a postseason berth.

Paralyzed A’s minor leaguer Ryan Lasko leaves hospital more than two months after spinal-cord injury

WEST ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Ryan Lasko, a minor league prospect with the Athletics who was paralyzed in an outfield collision more than two months ago, has been released from an in-patient rehabilitation hospital. He will continue his recovery from home. The 24-year-old Lasko was released exactly two months after arriving at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey. It’s about 35 miles from where he attended college at Rutgers and became a second-round draft pick by the A’s in 2023. Staff members at the facility celebrated his departure with a “clap out” farewell ceremony as he exited the building’s main entrance.

Sandy Alcantara comes out of the bullpen on 1 day of rest and earns 1st career save for Marlins

PHOENIX (AP) — Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara has pitched more than 200 innings this season. None of them came in a save situation — until Wednesday night. With the Marlins clinging to faint playoff hopes, Alcantara came out of the bullpen for the first time in nine years and closed out a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just two days after throwing 101 pitches in a no-decision at Arizona, the 31-year-old right-hander worked a scoreless ninth inning for his first major league save and said he felt great. After going five innings Monday in Miami’s 8-7 loss, Alcantara told pitching coach Daniel Moskos he could help out Wednesday if needed.

NCAA admits replay errors, reiterates it cannot change result of Western Michigan-Michigan game

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Western Michigan and its conference have insisted Michigan should not have been given an extra second in its dramatic win over the Broncos two weeks ago. The NCAA agrees, but said it can’t do anything about it. The NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee announced Wednesday that proper replay protocols weren’t followed in Michigan’s Hail Mary win, altering the outcome of the game. The committee also reiterated it doesn’t have the authority to overturn the result. Michigan won the Sept. 5 game 13-12 on a Hail Mary pass after the replay official had put 1 second back on the clock when Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s first try was incomplete.

LSU sack leader Princewill Umanmielen served in $550K lawsuit filed by Ole Miss

LSU sack leader Princewill Umanmielen has been served legal papers related to a July lawsuit filed by the University of Mississippi which alleges that the former Rebels edge rusher owes Ole Miss $550,000 in revenue sharing money. Records filed in Lafayette County Circuit Court in Mississippi show papers were served Tuesday, five days before No. 7 LSU visits No. 8 Ole Miss in a game immersed in hype stemming from coach Lane Kiffin’s decision to leave Mississippi for LSU last fall. A person familiar with the situation says Umanmielen was served outside LSU’s football operations complex. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because university officials have not commented publicly on the lawsuit.