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Team Falcons and The MongolZ powered through the quarterfinals Friday to reach the final four of the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas event.
Falcons outlasted GamerLegion 2-1 to set up a semifinal date with Team Vitality. The MongolZ posted a 2-0 victory over Aurora Gaming and will face MOUZ in the semis.
The $300,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event began with 16 teams divided into two double-elimination groups. The group winners clinched playoff semifinal berths.
The group runners-up entered the quarterfinals as high seeds, and the two third-place teams moved into the quarterfinals as low seeds. The other five teams in each group were eliminated.
All matches in the group stage and the playoffs are best-of-three except for the grand final on Sunday, which will be best-of-five.
The winning team will earn $125,000, and the runner-up will make $50,000.
On Friday, Falcons sandwiched 13-8 victories on Ancient and Inferno around a 13-9 setback to GamerLegion on Nuke. Russia's Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov posted 54 kills and a plus-17 kills-to-deaths differential for Falcons. Oldrich "PR" Novy of the Czech Republic paced GamerLegion with 47 kills.
The MongolZ defeated Aurora 13-11 on Dust II and 13-6 on Mirage. The all-Mongolian roster leaned on Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold (39 kills, plus-16) and Usukhbayar "910" Banzragch (36 kills, plus-10). Ali "Wicadia" Haydar Yalcin of Turkey had 34 kills for Aurora.
The playoffs continue Saturday with the two semifinal matches:
--Team Vitality vs. Team Falcons
--MOUZ vs. The MongolZ
Intel Extreme Masters Dallas prize pool
1. $125,000
2. $50,000
3-4. $25,000
5-6. $12,500 -- GamerLegion, Aurora Gaming
7-8. $7,000 -- G2 Esports, HEROIC
9-12. $5,000 -- 3DMAX, FURIA, FaZe Clan, Team Liquid
13-16. $4,000 -- Legacy, Lynn Vision Gaming, BC.Game Esports, NRG
More must-reads:
- Texas' Arch Manning has concern on OL after season-ending injury
- Browns' Shedeur Sanders addresses missing practice with arm soreness
- The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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Seattle Mariners Send Right-Handed Reliever Outright to Triple-A Tacoma
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners added to their minor league bullpen depth by sending a familiar face to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on Sunday. Mariners right-handed reliever Collin Snider was designated for assignment on July 30 following the club's trade acquisition of left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson. Snider cleared waivers and he was sent to Tacoma outright. Snider hasn't made an appearance for Seattle in the majors in nearly two months. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor strain June 4. He began a rehab assignment with Tacoma on July 5 and made nine appearances with the club. Snider was activated off the injured list the same day he was designated for assignment. Snider posted a 5.47 ERA with the Mariners with 24 strikeouts in 26.1 innings pitched across 24 appearances this year. While with the Rainiers, he had a 5.06 ERA with nine strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched. Seattle claimed Snider off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Feb. 6, 2024, and had a career resurgence with the M's in 2024. Snider had a 1.94 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 41.2 innings pitched across 42 outings with the Mariners last season. Snider will provide Seattle with crucial reliever depth in the minors for the final two months of the season. The Mariners lost right-handed reliever Trent Thornton with a torn left Achilles tendon Thursday. Snider's will join many other Tacoma relievers who have made major league appearances for Seattle this season, including Troy Taylor, Tayler Saucedo, Casey Lawrence, Jesse Hahn, Jhonathan Diaz and others.
Spurs risk roster issues with De'Aaron Fox extension
When the San Antonio Spurs traded for De'Aaron Fox midway through last season, their guard rotation appeared to be wide open. Stephon Castle was the only other long-term ball-handling prospect on the roster and, despite a strong year, was still a rookie. However, the NBA Draft has seen the addition of Dylan Harper, another young guard with All-Star potential, and the ability to one day lead the Spurs franchise next to Victor Wembanyama. Harper's addition and Castle's emergence as the 2025 Rookie of the Year raised questions about Fox's fit and long-term future in Texas. The problem was that Fox was eligible for an extension this summer. On Monday the Spurs inked Fox to a four-year $229M deal, with no player option for the final year. The new contract, which will see Fox earn approximately $57.25M per year, will kick in next summer. Suddenly, San Antonio has a young guard rotation of Harper, Castle and Fox, all of whom struggle to score on the perimeter, and have shown issues when letting shots fly off the dribble. "The Spurs already had two point guards who struggled from distance in Stephon Castle, whom they spent the No. 4 overall pick on in 2024, and De'Aaron Fox, whom they acquired in a deal with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the February trade deadline," Bryan Toporek wrote for Forbes on Saturday. "Castle shot 28.5% from deep on 4.1 attempts per game as a rookie, while Fox is a career 33.0% three-point shooter who has shot 32.5% or worse from downtown in five of his seven NBA seasons." Fox's new salary will ensure teams will think twice about trading for him. He is, after all, a high-level talent, but not one capable of spearheading a roster. In truth, San Antonio may have repeated the Chicago Bulls' error from when they paid Zach LaVine $215M over five years back in 2022. We saw how difficult it was for Chicago to move on from LaVine. Fox is a tertiary star on a contending roster. And now, he's being paid like one of the top talents in the NBA. The Spurs would have been wiser to cut their losses with Fox and build around Castle and Harper as their guard rotation. Still, the decision has been made, and Fox is now cemented as the lead guard for the next half a decade (once you include the upcoming season), giving Castle and Harper room to grow as two guards who can complement Fox's play style and add some grit or explosiveness to the rotation. San Antonio is a franchise that rarely puts a foot wrong. However, the decision to pay Fox may come back to haunt it as a costly misstep. In the modern NBA, you can't have three non-shooting guards in the same rotation. Yet, somehow, head coach Mitch Johnson must figure out how to make it work. Not the greatest task for a young coach heading into his first full season with the franchise.
Steelers Fans Watch As Stephen A. Smith Destroys George Pickens In Epic Rant: 'Pick Up A Book'
Now, the Steelers’ wide receiver room is in an interesting spot. With Pickens gone, Metcalf is the clear number one option, but there are questions about who will step up behind him. Meanwhile, Pickens seems to be enjoying his time in Dallas. He has taken a few subtle jabs at the Steelers, suggesting he is in a better place and even praising the Cowboys for their Super Bowl history. His comments have raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. One person who wasn’t impressed was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. During a passionate segment on First Take, Smith ripped into Pickens for his remarks about the Cowboys being a Super Bowl team. He reminded Pickens that the Steelers are the more successful franchise and questioned whether the receiver understood what he was saying. Smith didn’t hold back, calling on Pickens to "pick up a book" and making it clear that he found the comments not only disrespectful, but uninformed. "Let me pause for a second and look in the camera for a second at George Pickens," Smith said. "I like George Pickens. He can ball, and I am sorry that he is gone from the Steelers and has now been contaminated by that Dallas Cowboys fan base." Pickens’ comments were very interesting. It’s no secret he feels a certain way about how the Steelers traded him. He’s been trying to keep a positive mindset about his new situation in Dallas, but it’s clear he’s made it a priority to throw in a few subtle jabs. Pickens said he understands the camaraderie in Dallas more than he ever did with the Steelers. He also claimed the Cowboys are synonymous with Super Bowls, which was a controversial statement considering the Steelers have more championships all-time than Dallas. "Here’s the deal," Smith said. "George Pickens, do you have any idea? When you talk about the Super Bowl and the Cowboys, you do understand that the Steelers are the more successful franchise. Did you know that? Did you know that? Do you understand what the he** you are saying? I mean, my God, you talk about a brother who needs to pick up a book. I am sorry, but I just have to call him out on that." Smith made it very clear that he thinks Pickens is a great football player and that he’s still a fan of his, even though he’s no longer on the Steelers. When you consider what Pickens was able to accomplish during his three seasons in Pittsburgh, it’s impressive. He played in one of the worst offenses in the NFL, yet he still managed to produce and deliver some truly exciting moments despite the team’s struggles. Steelers Fans Still Curious About George Pickens Now he finds himself in a much better offensive situation in Dallas, but from a franchise and team standpoint, the Cowboys are in a worse position than the Steelers. That’s why Pickens’ recent comments didn’t make much sense and why Smith felt the need to call him out during his epic rant. Many Steelers fans remain divided on the Pickens trade. Although he’s no longer in Pittsburgh, a lot of fans will continue to keep tabs on how he performs with the Cowboys. Whether out of frustration, curiosity, or lingering support, Pickens' journey in Dallas will be closely watched by Steeler Nation.
Packers 53-Man Roster, Practice Squad Predictions Before Preseason
On Aug. 26, the Green Bay Packers will have to cut their roster from 90 players to 53. A day later, they can form their 16-player practice squad. Obviously, with three preseason games and two joint practices coming up, a lot can happen over the next three weeks. On the other hand, only seven of 16 training camp practices remain, so time is running short. Here is our second Packers roster projection, with predictions on who will make the roster and practice squad for a 70-player roster. Quarterbacks (4) Veterans: Jordan Love, Malik Willis, Sean Clifford. Rookies/first-year: Taylor Elgersma. On the 53 (2): Jordan Love, Malik Willis. Practice squad (1): Elgersma. What changed: Nothing. Why: The Packers are in an enviable position with Love as the starter and with Willis having proven he can win games off the bench. Tough decision: This is Clifford’s third training camp so, obviously, he’d be more game-ready than Elgersma. This position is about the long term, though. At this point, the Packers know everything there is to know about Clifford. Is there some sort of untapped potential? Or can Elgersma eventually be better through patience and coaching? Running Backs (7) Veterans: Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks, Israel Abanikanda. Rookies/first-year: Amar Johnson, Jalen White. On the 53 (4): Jacobs, Lloyd, Wilson, Brooks. Practice squad (1): Johnson. What changed: Moving Brooks from the practice squad to the 53. Why: Lloyd, a third-round pick last year, is injured. Again. The Packers have great expectations for the explosive runner but they’d be foolish to put too many eggs into his basket. Thus, a fourth back is practically a necessity. Brooks’ value showed on one of the first plays of Family Night, when he stepped up to take on the blitz to allow Jordan Love to complete a pass. His ability to be a tackle-breaking running back and effective fullback will be valuable. Tough decision: The practice squad. The preseason and joint practices will determine whether Johnson or White, a pair of undrafted free agents, or Abanikanda, a fifth-round pick by the Jets in 2023, is worthy of a year of development. Maybe Johnson’s speed will give him the edge. Receivers (12) Veterans: Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Mecole Hardman. Rookies/first-year: Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, Sam Brown, Will Sheppard. On the 53 (6): Doubs, Reed, Wicks, Golden, Williams, Hardman. On PUP: Watson (ACL). Practice squad (2): Heath, Brown. What changed: Picking Hardman over Heath. Why: The No. 6 receiver – perhaps a placeholder until Watson is back – might not be so much about picking the best receiver as much as it’s filling the most important need. Tough decision: Watson isn’t just a size-speed receiver. He’s also an excellent blocker. Heath could happily fill that role. With Reed, Golden and Hardman, the Packers would be small at receiver. Organizationally, taking Keisean Nixon and Reed off returns makes sense. Hardman has a strong track record as a returner. Perhaps the Packers can re-sign Heath to the practice squad and elevate him to the gameday roster, especially if Williams isn’t quite ready for primetime. Just like at running back, the young-receiver role for the practice squad will be determined by the preseason games. An ankle injury derailed Brown’s strong start, and Johnson and Sheppard have taken advantage. Sheppard seems comfortable fielding punts, for what it’s worth. Tight Ends (6) Veterans: Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Ben Sims, John FitzPatrick. Rookies/first-year: Messiah Swinson, Johnny Lumpkin. On the 53 (3): Kraft, Musgrave, FitzPatrick. Practice squad (1): Sims. What changed: FitzPatrick over Sims on the 53; Sims over Swinson on the practice squad. Why: FitzPatrick’s size screams physical blocker. That he made a couple of impressive catches on offense this week shows he can be more than just an extra offensive tackle. Tough decision: If the choice does wind up being FitzPatrick, there’s probably not much reason to bring back Swinson, who had a brief stay on Carolina’s 53 last year before returning to Green Bay’s practice squad. Sims is a quality prospect who should be an asset on special teams. If the Packers need him to play, he’ll be ready. Offensive Line (16) Veterans: LT Rasheed Walker, LG Aaron Banks, C Elgton Jenkins, RG Sean Rhyan, RT Zach Tom, T/G Jordan Morgan, T/G Kadeem Telfort, T/G Travis Glover, C/G Jacob Monk, C Trey Hill. Rookies/first-year: T Anthony Belton, G/T John Williams, G/C Donovan Jennings, T Brant Banks, G Tyler Cooper, G J.J. Lippe. On the 53 (9): Walker, Banks, Jenkins, Rhyan, Tom, Morgan, Belton, Monk, Glover. Practice squad (4): Williams, Jennings, Cooper, Banks. What changed: Glover to the 53; releasing Telfort and Williams. Why: Glover, who bombed when thrown into the fire against the Eagles in the playoffs, took a bunch of first-team reps at the start of training camp when injuries forced Sean Rhyan to play center. So, the Packers haven’t given up on him. He was off to a strong start – certainly much stronger than Telfort. Williams (back) still hasn’t practiced. Tough decision: Releasing Williams. In 2022, Walker was a seventh-round pick. He missed most of his rookie training camp, returned late and snuck onto the 53. That was a great decision by general manager Brian Gutekunst, whose foresight was rewarded with a starting left tackle. So, maybe it’s not too late for Williams.
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