Night Three of the 2025 Premier League Darts will be completed in Dublin later tonight. For both players and fans, the hope is there will be a better reception than in Glasgow last time out, when whistling derailed the entire night's action.
Last week, Night Two of the Premier League saw the players travel to the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. As mentioned, throughout the night though, players had to deal with whistling from the crowd. "Obviously, we wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone," world champion Luke Littler assesses in quotes collected by Oche180. "But if that was the worst case, then I am sure a player…I don’t know, has he got the right to walk off stage? Maybe. Or maybe not.”
Would Littler himself walk off stage though? “Well, if a player does walk off stage, then I’m sure, obviously the security have got to do their job and obviously kick whoever is, whoever’s whistling or what they are doing, just kick them out. And then I’m sure us players, we can get on with it," he says thoughtfully. “Obviously, it’s not a good thing for any fans to be whistling, whether it’s me or my opponent."
Littler saw the benefits of the crowd getting on his opponent's back last week, as he fought backnfrom 5-1 down to defeat Rob Cross in the quarter-finals. "But, for example, Rob Cross, when he missed two at double 18, then they whistled, he missed. Obviously, I’d probably say it was the crowd’s fault that he did miss those doubles because you never see Rob miss double 18. And then I just had to take my chance and go five each," Littler assesses. "So just looking back on it for myself to come back against an in-form Rob Cross with a 110 average, it just goes to show how well I did play. I finished the match on a 104 and, obviously, Rob dropped off a bit and that’s when I did pounce on him.That could be the turning point in qualification for the top four. For example, I could finish four joint points with someone and I could go through on nights won."
In Dublin, Littler will take on Gerwyn Price in the quarterfinals. The 18-year-old Englishman has lost his last four matches against Price. However, Littler is not bothered by the statistics. He added: "I wouldn’t say he’s my bogeyman. Obviously, he played out of his skin in Bahrain. I couldn’t do much against him. Obviously, he’s played brilliant against me near enough every time," he concludes. “For myself, I’ve just got to make sure tomorrow night win that first game and guarantee myself some more points on the board.”
️ “We’ve just got to get on with our job. If the fans are whistling against our opponents then it will certainly help us.”
— Oche180 (@Oche180) February 19, 2025
Luke Littler talks ahead of Premier League night three in Dublin. #PLDarts pic.twitter.com/o2zufgJrzK
More must-reads:
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
The Green Bay Packers offense was dealt a bit of a blow early in training camp. Friday, third-round rookie wide receiver Savion Williams was a spectator for practice after suffering a concussion. Williams, chosen by the Packers with the No. 87 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is aiming to climb the depth chart at a crowded wide receiver position this summer. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, Williams ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.48 seconds during the NFL Combine and has the profile of potentially becoming a reliable possession receiver and after-the-catch weapon for quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense. Reaching those benchmarks and climbing the depth chart will have to wait, though, as Williams works his way through the concussion protocol and back onto the field for practices during training camp and the preseason this summer.
The New York Yankees made quick roster moves following Friday night’s blowout loss to the Phillies. After the bullpen gave up 10 earned runs in a 12–5 loss, the team optioned right-hander Scott Effross and infielder Jorbit Vivas to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, opening two roster spots ahead of Saturday’s game at Yankee Stadium. One spot will go to Ryan McMahon, who was acquired Friday in a trade with the Colorado Rockies. The third baseman is expected to join the Yankees and be active for Saturday’s game. The other move? Likely bullpen help. The Yankees’ relief corps has been battered in recent weeks, with Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough all on the injured list. A fresh arm, either from Triple-A or via trade, is the logical next step. Still, there was buzz among Yankees fans on Friday night about top prospect Spencer Jones, especially after his explosive three-homer performance earlier this week. The 6-foot-6 outfielder now has 13 home runs in just 19 Triple-A games and leads all of minor league baseball with 29 home runs this season. Fans were clamoring for the Yankees to call up the “left-handed Aaron Judge.” That’s doubtful. Jones was scratched from Scranton’s lineup Friday night with lower back spasms, putting any potential call-up on hold. While fans remain hopeful, the Yankees are unlikely to promote him until his back issue clears. They are also unlikely to base a decision on 19 games, and Jones still has a lot to prove. So now, all eyes are on the bullpen. With Clarke Schmidt out for the season and Luis Gil still working back from injury, the Yankees could also consider a bigger pitching move before the MLB trade deadline. But after Friday’s disaster, they simply need an arm that can get outs.
What could have been a very exciting offseason for Golden State Warriors fans has turned into one of dread. They haven’t made any major additions to the roster, aside from a couple of late second-round picks from the Draft, and the Jonathan Kuminga situation has gone from bad to worse. It’s clear that the Congolese baller no longer wants to be part of the Dubs. He wants to be a first or second option, and Head Coach Steve Kerr hasn’t been able to run the team with Kuminga as the centerpiece. The issue, however, has been finding a way out. Kuminga has placed a high value on every trade package, one that other teams have been unwilling to match. As a result, Kuminga hasn’t agreed to a contract that would allow the Warriors to sign-and-trade him, leaving him to explore free agency, an option that likely won’t land him a big payday. Recent reports, however, have linked him to the Sacramento Kings, a franchise the Warriors were previously reluctant to deal with regarding Kuminga. Warriors insider Anthony Slater revealed in an ESPN podcast that Kuminga has had contact with Kings’ General Manager Scott Perry for the first time, and was impressed with what they were offering. “He liked the pitch that Scott Perry gave, and he’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento,” Slater said. “And I think part of that pitch is, you’re talking starting role, you’re talking bigger opportunity than the Warriors are [giving] necessarily now. And I think that’s the part that shouldn’t get lost in this whole situation.” Slater then emphasized that Kuminga isn’t just chasing money, he’s also looking to be the star in a new team. And the Kings, for now, seem to be the only team that can make that happen. “Kuminga is not just looking for the exact contract he wants and free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court,” Slater concluded. Kuminga was selected seventh overall in the 2021 Draft and played a supporting role in Golden State’s championship win during his rookie season. Expectations were high, but it soon became evident that he wasn’t part of Kerr’s long-term plans. To his credit, Kuminga didn’t shy away from calling the Warriors out in front of the media. It appears the relationship between the two is now beyond repair. A move away, and soon, would be best for both parties, especially for the Warriors, who are looking to clear salary space to make additions ahead of the 2025–26 campaign.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!