AV’s H -Town Sports Minute
Astros Edge Giants To Claim Series
(San Francisco, CA) — The Astros generated just enough late offense to edge the Giants 2-1 from San Francisco. Nick Allen lifted a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to take the lead. Nelson Velazquez did the same in the previous frame to tie the score as Houston claimed the three-game series. Keaton Winn surrendered the go-ahead run in relief for San Fran, which has dropped four-of-five.
Expert Highlights Concussions As High School Football Practice Ramps up
(College Station, TX) — With high school football season now here in the United States, a sports medicine specialist is highlighting some facts about concussions. Stephen Line at Texas A&M University says some signs include a hit to the head, headaches, neck pain, confusion and not following directions properly. If those signs are there, he says the diagnoses will then entail a sideline examine that checks for eye movement, pain and memory tests to determine if the athlete can return to practice or the game. He says there’s no set number of concussions in order to be disqualified from a sport but if you’ve had three or four, you need to be careful going froward.
Jets CB Stiggers Out Of Hospital After Collapse
(Florham Park, NJ) — New York Jets cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers is recovering after a scary incident at Tuesday’s practice. The team announced this morning that Stiggers was released from the hospital just hours after collapsing on the practice field. There’s been no official word on what caused Stiggers to pass out and be stretchered away.
Watson Named Starting QB For Preseason Opener
(Berea, OH) — The Browns have named a starting quarterback for their preseason opener. Veteran Deshaun Watson will be the first signal caller under center when Cleveland takes on the Chicago Bears on Saturday. The hope is to play Watson for one half. Shedeur Sanders will start the team’s second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. The two quarterbacks have been alternating first team reps in practice.
Report: Steelers Bring Back LB Elandon Roberts
(Pittsburgh, PA) — A familiar face is returning to the Steel City. According to ESPN, veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts reached an agreement with the Steelers on a one-year deal. Roberts played in Pittsburgh during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and started 16 of 17 games for the Las Vegas Raiders last year. He has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. The Steelers host the Green Bay Packers in their preseason opener Thursday at Acrisure Stadium.
JJ McCarthy Says QB Decision Out Of His Control
(Eagan, MN) — JJ McCarthy is finding peace with being named the Vikings’ backup. McCarthy said Wednesday the decision to name Kyler Murray the team’s starting quarterback was out of his control. The 23-year-old mentioned that a number of things were out of his control, citing Wednesday’s heat as a potential factor. Minnesota selected McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 draft. The Vikings open the preseason when they visit the New York Giants on Saturday.
Falcons To Start Tua In Preseason Opener
(Flowery Branch, GA) — Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is gearing up for his first preseason start. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said today that Tua and the rest of the healthy starters will play one series against the Denver Broncos on Friday night. Stefanski was quick to point that he has not settled on a starting quarterback for the regular season. Tagovailoa is competing with Michael Penix Junior to be QB-1.
Steelers’ Rodgers Finds No Advantage In Preseason
(Latrobe, PA) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn’t know yet whether he’ll play in the preseason, but is making it clear he doesn’t want to. The 42-year-old said at training camp on Tuesday that the exhibition games are “not real football,” citing teams’ desire to limit the playbook so future opponents can’t learn anything from the film. The Steelers will host Rodgers’ first team, the Green Bay Packers, tomorrow night in the preseason opener.
Chiefs WR Calls Jail Stint A “Reality Check”
(St. Joseph, MO) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is reflecting on his recent jail stay. Speaking to reporters for the first time about his 30-day stint for a probation violation, Rice called the experience a “reality check.” The 26-year-old said it was mentally tough, but taught him to focus on the present. Rice was locked up in May when he failed a drug test while on probation for his role in a high-speed crash near Dallas in 2024.
Josh Kushner, Bob Iger Buying Lakers For $12B+
(Los Angeles, CA) — Businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are reportedly buying the Los Angeles Lakers for more than 12-billion dollars. It would be a record-breaking price, if the sale is approved by the NBA Board of Governors. Mark Walter bought a controlling interest in the Lakers from the Buss family for approximately ten-billion dollars last October and is now agreeing to sell. He also owns the Dodgers and parts of several other sports teams. Kushner and Iger had been involved in the process to bring an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas. ESPN reports they made an aggressive pivot to buy the Lakers.
NBA Unveils Group Play Slate For In-Season Tournament
(Undated) — With the NBA’s Opening Week and Christmas Day schedules out, the league is revealing the Emirates NBA Cup slate. The reigning champion New York Knicks will tip off the in-season tournament on October 30th against the Philadelphia 76ers in a rematch of their season opener. Each team will face four conference foes in group play before the knockout stage and championship game at the iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Games will be broadcast by Prime Video, NBC and ESPN.
NBA Point Guard Russell Westbrook Retiring
(Undated) — All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook is retiring after 18 seasons. Westbrook announced his decision Wednesday on social media with a video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan. The 2017 NBA MVP was drafted fourth overall out of UCLA in the 2008 NBA Draft by the then-Seattle SuperSonics. He played eleven seasons with the franchise after it relocated and became the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook spent time with six other teams, including the Sacramento Kings in the 2025-26 season.
WNBA Task Force Discusses Trans Athletes
(New York, NY) — A WNBA task force made up of team presidents and general managers is meeting to discuss transgender athlete participation. However, according to a league statement provided to ESPN, the task force did not adopt any eligibility rules. The issue has drawn increased attention in recent weeks, with supporters and opponents of transgender inclusion holding demonstrations outside Indiana Fever games. This follows comments by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham backing restrictions on transgender participation in women’s sports. The WNBA does not have a publicly available policy on transgender or intersex athlete eligibility, and while its 2026 collective bargaining agreement states that only women may play in the league, it does not define the term.
