Martin Schindler has captured his third career European Tour title, with an impressive 8-4 victory over former European Championship winner Ross Smith in the final of the 2025 Austrian Darts Open in Graz on Sunday night.
'The Wall' opened his campaign in Graz on Saturday, with a comfortable win over England’s Matthew Dennant. Continuing his strong form into Sunday, Schindler first edged past Kevin Doets 6-5 in the third round, before he then overcame Premier League Darts star Chris Dobey 6-4 in the quarter-finals, and survived a thriller against Josh Rock 7-6 in the semi-finals.
In the final, the 28-year-old German produced a composed performance to ease past Smith, who is left still waiting for a first ever Euro Tour title win.
"I'm so happy, I fought my way through today," reflected the German number one in his post-match interview with the PDC immediately following the final."It may not have been great, but it was good enough in the end."
"The relief was huge when the match dart went in. When the game is over, only then can you let go of the tension and celebrate, that's exactly what I knew," he added. "I didn't want to celebrate too early either, but I won in the end, that's what counts."
The title is already Schindler’s second of 2025, following a title win on the Players Championship circuit earlier this year. As a result, he continues to rise up the darting ranks, now up to 18th place on the PDC Order of Merit — the highest position of his career so far.
The European Tour resumes next weekend with the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen, Germany. Gary Anderson returns as defending champion, having beaten Ross Smith 8-6 in last year’s final. Schindler is among the seeded players and will be aiming to secure back-to-back European Tour titles.
International Darts Open
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 27, 2025
Swiss Darts Trophy
Austrian Darts Open
Martin Schindler celebrates his third European Tour title on a memorable night in Graz! pic.twitter.com/ZtcH4E23vs
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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.
Following his breakout year in 2023, George Pickens was expected to be the WR1 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future. He had already justified the second-round draft capital that the franchise had initially invested in him, but there were growing concerns about Pickens’ lack of maturity. Fast forward to the 2025 offseason, and even though he’s managed to produce a career total of 2,841 receiving yards throughout his first three seasons in the league, the Steelers were willing to let him go in exchange for nothing more than a 2026 third-round pick and a minuscule value swap with the Dallas Cowboys. While the team has since managed to replace Pickens’ service with that of D.K. Metcalf, fans and analysts alike are still questioning the decision. Thankfully, the self-titled host of The Rich Eisen made the most of his recent discussion with the team’s general manager, Omar Khan, by directly asking him “Why did George Pickens have to go despite developing him?” “I’ll just say, as we went through the offseason and the process, it just became evident that, for both sides, a fresh start was the best thing,” Khan explained. “It just made sense for both of us.” Suffice to say, Khan’s answer, while not very insightful, does suggest that Pickens’ relationships with various Pittsburgh personnel had become fractured beyond repair. Whether it was the Steelers or Pickens himself who was responsible for things not working out does not matter anymore, as Khan’s brief statement brings the entire saga to a somewhat definitive end. For one reason or another, it was no longer in either side’s best interest to continue working together, and that’s that. Much like the rest of his interview with Eisen, Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ organization is now moving forward. When Eisen noted that Pittsburgh’s trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have “happened over night,” Khan explained that it took “weeks” to finally get the deal done with the Miami Dolphins. Being sure to cover all of the high notes from the Steelers’ chaotic offseason, the seven-time Sports Emmy award nominee also inquired about T.J. Watt’s latest benchmark contract with the team. While he was unwilling to go into the “specifics of the numbers,” Khan did proclaim that, “I think it just reflects how we feel about him. It was important for me, and the organization, for T.J. to be a one-helmet Hall of Famer. It would be a great thing and hopefully there’s many, many more years to go with T.J., but it was just important. His numbers speak for themselves… As great of a player as he is, he’s an even better person.” At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, the aforementioned Metcalf is certainly capable of filling the Pickens-sized hole in Pittsburgh’s receiving core. Likewise, the addition of Ramsey along with their retaining of Watt will help to ensure that the defense is as stout as ever. The Steelers are going all in on the 2025 regular season with the hopes of discovering their first playoff win since January 15th of 2017 and it’s too late for them to turn back now. They’ll have to hope that they’ve made the right moves and prioritized the right signings. Otherwise they’ll risk wasting the final regular season of one of the most storied careers in all of NFL history.
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HENDERSON, Nev.—Day three of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Training Camp is officially in the books, and from inside camp, I saw plenty of things to tell you about. As your Las Vegas Raiders Beat Writer On SI, I will share what stood out to me. Please note that I will be commenting on any specific information that could harm the Raiders strategically, should their opponents process it. Additionally, please remember that the game of football is played with pads, and until Monday at 8:30 AM PT the Raiders are not in pads. For that reason, I will, in some cases, speak very generally. The Offense It is going to be fascinating to see how Chip Kelly, the Raiders' offensive coordinator, works this offense. He is an offensive genius, and that is already showing up in camp. · While I can’t and won’t share schematic details, many of the things Raider Nation has been bemoaning for the entirety of my six years covering this team are being addressed. · Certainly, a lack of pads would hasten one to tap the brakes, but early indications are that this is going to be an offense the Silver and Black faithful are going to love. · I spent significant time today with the offensive line. True offensive lineman Thayer Munford’s footwork, to me, was the best I have ever seen from the proud Buckeye. In several drills, he moved fluidly to his right and left. · Interestingly, he has played well for a young player, but it is evident he has worked diligently on that part of his game. · I shared with you last year that the Raiders liked UDFA Will Putnam. While I still think he is destined for the practice squad on a team that is loaded with offensive linemen, he is improving, appears to be in terrific shape, and is demonstrating that he may not be ready to make the 53-man roster in 2025; however, he is well on his way. · Sticking with the offensive line, I want to talk about rookie OT Charles Grant. · The youngster is an absolute sponge. He is swimming right now, in my opinion, as he makes the major leap to the National Football League, but his willingness to learn and take corrections from coaches and teammates will go a long way for the young man. · You want FAT players. Faithful, Available, and Teachable, and that is Grant. · Alex Bachman, the second-year WR, keeps doing things that show up on film. He is explosive, and his effort is impressive. · There is a spot to be won at WR on this roster, and Bachman is doing everything he can to get seen. · Multiples today, and in the offseason, he has made his presence known. Remember that young man. · Today’s ones on the OL were LT Kolton Miller, LG Dylan Parham, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, RG Alex Cappa, and RT Delmar DJ Glaze. · I wouldn’t read anything into that other than the LG battle is going to be intense, and they are experimenting and competing. · I know that RB Raheem Mostert is incredibly talented. However, he appears to be back and healthy, and today, he demonstrated his balance, which was nothing short of stunning. · His athleticism is impressive, and his balance is not reflective of a man who is injured. While I am not a doctor, his balance looked impossible, even if he was healthy, let alone if he wasn’t. · He was nearly parallel to the ground and with one hand pushed his body up like a one armed push up, regained balance and never stopped moving forward. · WOWZA. Until I learn differently, there is a block S under that jersey. · That is an easy opinion to have without pads on, but all we can judge is what we saw today, and he looked great. · Every single day, RB Ashton Jeanty does something to show off the athleticism that made him the best RB in the 2025 NFL Draft. · He made a jump cut today for a long TD that simply left the defender in his wake, trying to tackle the wind. · He is a back that runs aggressively behind his pads, something that usually doesn’t show up in shorts. Monday can’t get here soon enough to see that side of his game. · Sincere McCormick and Zamir White are firmly locked in a battle for RB3, and both had nice practices today. · McCormick broke off a long TD and continues to run angry. · Don’t construe that to be criticism of White, it isn’t. He also had a great run, and both men competing is what Pete Carroll craves, and it is what he got. · That competition is making both of those young men better, and the Raiders for sure. · While there is ZERO QB competition to anyone here at practice, that doesn’t mean that Aidan O’Connell is digressing. He isn’t. · Today, he showed off a quick release, and one that up to this point I had never seen him use. · He didn’t and hasn’t played as well as Geno Smith, but the young man is getting better, and the gap between him and Cam Miller is wider than the gap between him and Geno Smith. There is NO comparison between the Boilermaker and Smith. · O’Connell missed a terrific touchdown opportunity, but on the very next play, in the red zone, he flashed his quick release like an old west gunfighter for a quick strike touchdown in which he threw an absolute strike in a very tight window. · It is throws like that that make it easy to say we haven’t seen enough to rule him out as a QB1 in this league, and it was passes like the previous one that makes us declare we haven’t seen enough to say he is. · O’Connell is a terrific young man with a ton of talent; he now has to find consistency. Don’t bet against him; people did Geno Smith. · That touchdown pass was to TE Carter Runyon, who made a terrific bang-bang play. · I reported on Wednesday that the Raiders will consider keeping four tight ends. I am not predicting that they do it, but they are considering it, and Chip Kelly loves the weapons in that room. · Without revealing anything schematic, I can tell you that the Raiders' tight ends are very active, and Geno Smith and Brock Bowers have already established a special bond. · TE Ian Thomas is like the Energizer Bunny. He is just a steady force. He keeps making plays and is very disciplined. · I mentioned on Wednesday that Qadir Ismail, the young TE, survived the field like a QB. I was informed by his father, the legendary “Missile,” Qadry “The Missile” Ismail, that he indeed did play QB in his recent past. · QB Cam Miller isn’t NFL-ready yet. But you can see it. The young man is swimming in the NFL and should be, like most rookies. · You can also see what Tom Brady liked about him. · Raiders GM John Spytek told reporter Dan Pompei of The Athletic after the draft that, "He (Brady) liked the way (Miller) threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion." · Under pressure today, it was nice to see QB Geno Smith wait until the last second and then scramble for a TD. · Geno is not the same QB many remember from his youth. · He now uses his athleticism as a weapon, and not as a crutch like many young men, blessed with his talent, do. · That type of discipline can only come with patience and maturity, which is why people have to be patient with young QBs. · Collin Johnson, the young WR, and Darnay Holmes, the veteran CB, were battling today. It was fascinating to watch the competition at all levels of the team that Pete Carroll is building. · Carroll wants a culture of competition, and while it is early, it is developing. The Defense · Maxx Crosby is the best defender in the NFL, and at Raiders practice, he is the best player. On any side of the ball. · He anticipated the snap today on play, and was in the backfield before the OL even moved. · He nearly had another interception. · While I am not ashamed to admit my bias, is it bias if it is true? I think not. · Remember that there are officials at practice, and he spends the entire day running up and down the field wreaking havoc. · His nickname is the Condor, but it should be the destroyer. · A name I have not talked about before is JT Woods, the safety. Today, his effort was evident every time he got on the field. · I don’t think he can make the 53-man roster, but the 2nd year player out of Baylor flashed the skills that get young men on the practice squad, and the effort is what eventually earns them spots. · Pete Carroll told us today that Jamal Adams is a WILL LB. His speed is awe-inspiring. · I asked Carroll if he saw his role as primarily as a pass rusher, and he doesn’t. With that speed, he is going to let him compete as a three-down backer. · It is no secret that I like LB Amari Gainer. Today, watching him move laterally and vertically was the most comfortable I have seen him. · What else I like about the young man is that he is grabbing reps on defense and special teams. · Gainer is hungry to make the roster, and he is trying to put a ton of film out there for John Spytek and Pete Carroll to see, so he can’t be ignored. · Lonnie Johnson, the perennial special teams star and Raiders free agent, made his presence felt in a big way today at camp. · He has played well since arriving in the desert, but today, with a monster pass rush, QB Geno Smith made his only bad pass, and Johnson turned on the jets, accelerated, picked off the pass, and was off to the races. · If that man can be more than a special teams star, the Raiders are in terrific shape at S. · LB Devin White and CB Sam Webb were celebrating today after a big play. What stood out to me is what I call the “Pete Carroll Syndrome.” · Carroll is instilling in these players that they PLAY a game. They PLAY a game. They need to find their first love and start having fun. · Players having fun play fast and have more success. · Watching White and Webb was like watching a group of young men playing in the backyard at Grandma’s on Thanksgiving afternoon. · Pete Carroll’s enthusiasm is catching on, and while it was a good play, it was not the type of play that would have been celebrated like it was in my previous five seasons covering the Silver and Black, under any coach. · These men are having fun, and that says something. · Adam Butler, the talented DT, is having a terrific camp. As both a leader and a player, Butler is a disruptive force that looks to be playing like a man on a mission. · Patrick Graham and Rob Leonard love Butler, and he has done nothing but reward their loyalty to him. · I am very excited to see him on Monday with pads on. · I have seen Butler as a leader in the past, but this offseason, he has developed that into almost an assistant coach role. He is taking the young guys under his wing and there is nobody better to learn from than him. · Speaking of impressive men, Tyree Wilson is playing like the youngster we saw in college. · Hearkening back to the second half of 2023, Patrick Graham is using him inside and outside, and he is fluid, athletic, and having fun. · His athleticism, size, and physique should be illegal, but he has the perfect defensive end body, and his effort and heart are showing up. · Today, while being held, he pressured Geno Smith on more than one occasion, and spent most of the day in the Raiders' backfield. · Sure, the OL had no pads, and that is a legitimate point, but Tyree is on a mission, and Monday, for that young man, can’t come soon enough. · Many times since John Spytek signed CB Eric Stokes, I have told you that if he can back to being healthy, he can be the superstar he was as a rookie. · He sure looks it. He made more than one play today, but he is playing at a terrific pace and level right now. · He is a ball hawk, and it is evident. · If Jakorian Bennett remains healthy, and Stoke is back to 100%, the one perceived weakest part of the team could shut the mouths of many doubters. The Intangibles · The offense had two penalties today, and the defense had three. That is nearly insignificant when you consider it was the third day of practice. That was impressive to me. We'd appreciate it if you would follow us on X @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr , and let’s talk about the Silver and Black’s training camp.
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