How are the Fever still here? Plus, more CFB madness

Good morning! Hit a fair ball today. Coming up: 

🤨 Indiana’s incredible season

↩️ NFL back to college?

📺 McAfee, everywhere

Every year, in every sport, a talented team crumbles due to outside factors. For as much as we value on-field production and statistics, chemistry and mental health are critical when a group of people is expected to work together over a long period to achieve success. 

In any other universe, this year’s Indiana Fever would’ve unraveled by now. Their star player, Caitlin Clark, has been a “political football” ever since she entered the league three years ago. Another player, Sophie Cunningham, recently fueled a frantic debate about trans athletes in women’s sports. Fair or not, this team has been the subject of more political segments this season than anything it’s accomplished on the court. 

Which is a bummer, because this team is — somehow — very, very good. 

At 24-12, Indiana is third in the WNBA standings, five games back of the first-place Lynx. They’ve won five straight games and 10 of their last 12 heading into a big game against the Wings and Paige Bueckers tonight. Clark and Bueckers are already building a new great WNBA rivalry, too.

So let’s talk about the basketball. How are they so good, with all the noise? Here’s what Sabreena Merchant told me: 

💬 “It’s the backcourt. Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are just really good, and this year is the first time Fever coach Steph White has gotten to work with them both. Las Vegas’ Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young have been the gold standard of WNBA backcourts for a while now, but Indiana has taken that title.” 

Strong words. Sabreena also pointed out that center Aliyah Boston is adept from distance now, shooting 42 percent on her 3-point attempts this year. Add that to Clark (22.1 points per game) and Mitchell (24.3 points a game), and there’s a lot of firepower. 

Clark has been so good that our writers published an argument today for her inclusion in the MVP debate. You can read that here. 

My final question to Sabreena: Can Indiana realistically win a title this year? “I think so,” she told me. 

As Brian Hamilton wrote in a great story this week, the Fever have mettle. I’d say so. 

P.S. An aside on Dallas: Azzi Fudd, this year’s No. 1 pick, will undergo knee surgery next week and miss the rest of the season, the team announced, which is a genuine downer. The news came on the same day we got a glimpse of Fudd and Bueckers talking openly about their relationship as a couple for the first time.

Let’s keep going:

A judge and another CFB transfer wrinkle

Last weekend, former LSU defensive end and current Buccaneers rookie Jack Pyburn recorded two sacks in Tampa Bay’s preseason game against the Jets. Yesterday, after a judge granted a temporary restraining order, we learned Pyburn and 15 others could return to college football this season. The NCAA will likely appeal the decision, though the timing — college football starts in two weeks, NFL a week later — is hairy. Read our full report here. 

I do want to get a temperature check on this, though, via a Pulse Poll. How do we feel about this development?

It sucks.

This is our new reality. Let ‘em play.

I’ve lost interest.

Leave your vote in the comments or head back to the newsletter to cast your vote there. We’ll run the results tomorrow.

McAfee’s ESPN role expands

Pat McAfee will be omnipresent on ESPN screens by the time fall rolls around, as the former Colts punter will join the “Monday Night Countdown” desk this season. That’s in addition to his current duties as daily talk show host and “College GameDay” panelist. This all comes as he’s in talks with ESPN for a contract extension worth around $60 million a year. Read our full report.

LIV needs peace to survive

In a news conference yesterday, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil called on the pro golf tours of the world to work together to achieve harmony among its elite players. It’s funny timing, as most of the world tours have worked together to … shut LIV players out of their competitions. And, as Brody Miller reported yesterday, LIV needs its roster to even make it to the tour’s second iteration, and its roster needs to play a full schedule to survive as pro golfers. Brody’s story is worth a read. 

There is also a sentiment floating around, crystallized by Rory McIlroy, who said this yesterday when asked about the value LIV golfers would bring back to the PGA Tour: “Have they brought value to LIV?” Ouch. CBS’ Jim Nantz agreed.

More news:

A sheriff’s deputy attempted to serve Colorado coach Deion Sanders with papers on campus last week but was unsuccessful. Read our report.

The Nuggets traded Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers in a three-team deal that also sent Max Strus to the Clippers. See the full trade.

Mavericks fans are frustrated by what they’re calling a “bait and switch” with season ticket packages. More here.

The Buccaneers and star nose tackle Vita Vea made up, temporarily, via a one-year, $30 million extension. Details inside.

Michigan Stadium, aka The Big House, will be getting ads for the first time next season.

WNBA legend Nneka Ogwumike is retiring after this season. More on her career here.

Two big EPL transfer stories brewing: Tottenham are in deep talks to acquire Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, while Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

Hard not to wince at this one: The Edmonton Marathon apologized after miscalculating the length of the race. Whoops.

📰 Find more news here 24/7.

The Yankees beat the Orioles 5-3 last night in a game that mattered to both teams for postseason standing. It also contained one of the more brutal calls you’ll see.

In the seventh inning, Baltimore designated hitter Pete Alonso hit what he (and the entire Orioles dugout) thought was a go-ahead home run. It was called foul. Here’s the relevant replay:

After further review, the ball was ruled foul.

No home run for Pete Alonso. pic.twitter.com/xnzXUDDHpn

— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) August 20, 2026

If that angle is to be believed, the ball is a home run, as it travels directly over the foul pole. Alonso and the Orioles were furious after the game, understandably, while Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he thought it was foul.

The Orioles are 1 1/2 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot. Read a full explanation of last night’s shenanigans here.

📺 NFL: Raiders at Texans

8 p.m. ET on ESPN

It’s football on our televisions, but specifically come to watch Fernando Mendoza get some work against a good defense. The Raiders keep insisting that Kirk Cousins is the clear starter, but I wonder if more impressive play from Mendoza changes that soon. Stick around for 49ers-Chargers on NFL Network at 10 p.m. 

📺 WNBA: Fever at Wings

8 p.m. ET on Prime Video

If football’s not your thing, watch this.

There is legitimate reason for hope this year for the Cowboys, and that starts with offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. Jourdan Rodrigue nerded out with him and came away with a great story. 

A perfect idea from Sean McIndoe: remembering the time your NHL team got smoked by a rookie during his debut. Yes, all 32 teams. 

A rugby player’s career ended with a traumatic brain injury. Now, he’s running 100 ultramarathons in 100 days. I would call him crazy, but he seems pretty sane in this wonderful story. 

A new evolution in sports gambling is coming: shorting (or going long!) on a team. Read Jon Greenberg’s interesting scoop on the stock market coming to sports. 

Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story on Ketel Marte’s absence from the Diamondbacks. 

Most-read on the website yesterday: Nick Kyrgios’ positive test for cocaine.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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