ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brett Yormark says the Big 12 being open for business was about more than just potential expansion of the conference. A year into being the Big 12 commissioner, Yormark says that statement last year was also about exploring ways to grow revenue, diversify the conference and do things that had never been done. He said at the start of football media days that there is a plan for expansion. The Big 12 is already bigger. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became members July 1. There will be 14 teams this season before Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC next summer.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Oklahoma State has had plenty of turnover in the transfer portal. The Cowboys lost at least eight starters among 18 players who went into the transfer portal since last season. They also added 14 players from the portal. Five of the Cowboys that left went to other Big 12 schools. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy attributes the movement to the times in college football. Also at Big 12 media days, the league said its championship game will stay at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas through at least the 2030 game.
UNDATED (AP) — Patrick Mahomes already is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and AP NFL MVP before turning 28, compiling an impressive Hall of Fame-worthy resume in only six seasons. If any player is ever going to challenge Tom Brady for greatest-of-all-time status, Mahomes has the best chance. Like Brady and other superstar athletes, Mahomes still works to improve, aiming to keep the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl contention. Mahomes told the AP Pro Football Podcast he thinks about his legacy but is more focused on improving and getting better. The Chiefs are seeking to become the first repeat Super Bowl champs since Brady's Patriots in 2003-04.
UNDATED (AP) — Longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale says he has been diagnosed with cancer for a third time. Vitale tweeted Wednesday that he had surgery in Boston this week, and tests revealed that he has vocal cord cancer. He said he will undergo six weeks of radiation treatments. He says he will fight to be ready to call games when the college basketball season begins this fall. The 84-year-old Vitale has previously been treated for melanoma and lymphoma. Vitale has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NCAA has found 175 infractions of its sports-betting policy since 2018, and there are 17 active investigations. That is according to a letter from NCAA President Charlie Baker that was obtained by The Associated Press. The NCAA says less than 0.25% of its approximately 13,000 sporting events are flagged for suspicious betting patterns and far fewer actually have "actionable information.”
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the decisive penalty kick after Cristian Roldan failed to convert his attempt, and Panama beat the defending champion United States 5-4 in a shootout after a 1-1 tie to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico. Iván Anderson scored in the ninth minute of extra time. Jesús Ferreira tied the score for the U.S. six minutes later. Panama reached the final for the third time after losing to the U.S. in 2005 and 2013. The U.S. failed to reach the final for the first time since a 2015 semifinal loss.
GULLANE, Scotland (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan is set to return to work next week. Xander Schauffele says there are tough questions for him to answer about the tour's stunning commercial deal with the Saudis. And he believes Monahan has some trust to earn back from the players because of the secretive nature of the deal with the Saudi Arabia wealth fund behind LIV Golf. Schauffele says Monahan had his trust and now has a lot less of it. Jordan Spieth also said Monahan will have quite a bit of trust issues with players. Scottie Scheffler says he wishes player representatives were kept in the loop.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James plans to play next season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The 38-year-old superstar announced his intentions at The ESPYS. James accepted the record-breaking performance award for becoming the NBA's career scoring leader. James had said at the end of last season that he wasn't sure if he would be back. He says the day he can't give everything to the game he will retire, but he told the crowd, “Lucky for you guys that day is not today.” The audience in Los Angeles greeted his words with a huge cheer.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The future of a lawsuit accusing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game hinges on whether Morant will be allowed to say that he was acting in self-defense and can receive immunity under Tennessee law. A judge on Wednesday allowed Morant’s lawyers to proceed with their case that Morant was acting in self-defense when he punched then-17-year-old Joshua Holloway during a game at Morant's Memphis-area home in July 2022. Morant’s lawyers have acknowledged he punched Holloway one time after Holloway threw a basketball at Morant and the ball hit him in the chin. Morant has filed a countersuit against Holloway.