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After the Vanderbilt Commodores eliminated the Tennessee Vols from the SEC Tournament last month, Vandy infielder Riley Nelson took a shot at the UT baseball program.
Nelson told reporters that it was "awesome" to beat the Volunteers in the SEC Tournament, before telling recruits that they should choose Vanderbilt over Tennessee if they're getting recruited by both programs.
"It's awesome," said Nelson. "We don't like those guys, they don't like us. I think it's the best rivalry in college baseball right now. If you're a young kid getting recruited by both of these schools, I think you know which school you should choose."
Nelson's comment doesn't look so great after Vanderbilt was knocked out of the Nashville Regional on Sunday by Wright State.
Vanderbilt, in fact, didn't even reach the Nashville Regional final. The Commodores were the first No. 1 overall seed since 1999 to not reach their Regional final.
THE FINAL OUT. @WSURaidergang eliminates (1) Vanderbilt to advance to the Regional Final!#RoadToOmaha x ESPN+ / @WSURaidergang pic.twitter.com/TC5iTCFD0T
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 1, 2025
Tennessee, meanwhile, won a thriller against Wake Forest on Monday night in the Knoxville Regional final to advance to the Super Regional (the Vols will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville).
If high school recruits and transfers watched what went down in Regional play, I'm guessing most of them noticed that Tennessee, the defending national champs, played with passion and energy while on their way to the program's fifth straight Super Regional. And I'm sure they also noticed that Vanderbilt's season is now over.
Seems pretty easy to guess which program seems more enticing right now to high school recruits and transfers. And it's not Vanderbilt.
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Bears receive new stadium pitch from Chicago mayor
It might be too little, too late, but the Chicago Bears received a new pitch from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson about building the new stadium project in the city. The Bears are moving full steam ahead with the site in Arlington Heights. Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the Chicago Bears in Chicago During an appearance on 670 The Score, Johnson argued that the Bears “belong” to Chicago and wants to keep them in the city for the next 100 years. “Look, the Bears belong in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said on the “Rahimi Harris Show." “And I believe that people know that. There’s a tremendous momentum. As you know, Joe Mansueto with the Fire, we’re talking about hundreds of million dollars to build a new stadium. The 1901 Project on the west side of Chicago, you’re talking about millions of dollars of investments… “We’re on a nice little hot winning streak here. So, my door’s going to remain open. And the hope is that Chicago Bears fans will rally around this moment to challenge all of us to come together to figure out a path to make sure the 100-year history doesn’t end in this moment and we can set ourselves up for the next 100 years.” Johnson points to low crime rates in Chicago Johnson touted declining crime rates as a reason for the Bears to stay in the city. “Homicides are down 32%, shooting victims are down almost 40%,” Johnson said. “We’re seeing unprecedented levels of investment. So, my door still remains open. And perhaps because I am a Cubs fan, I just remain optimistic, no matter what the circumstances are. But they really do belong in the city of Chicago.” Johnson hasn’t had conversations with the Bears in the last two weeks. For now, CEO Kevin Warren and the organization are trying to get enough government support to start building in Arlington Heights as soon as possible. If Warren doesn’t get the help he needs, the Bears could again try to angle for lakefront property in Chicago.
Will Howard's preseason-ending hand injury could make the Steelers' upcoming decision at quarterback a lot harder in a few weeks
No player on the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster was building their hype heading into preseason Week 1 like Will Howard was. But on Tuesday, Howard was seen exiting the field with a hand injury that Mike Tomlin seemed skiddish about after the fact. Now we know why, as Howard has broken his hand and will miss the preseason, which complicates the Steelers' quarterback room... Steelers QB Will Howard breaks his hand in training camp "Steelers rookie QB Will Howard, who banged his throwing hand in practice, suffered a fractured small bone in his hand, sources say," posted Ian Rapoport on X. "He’s having additional tests, but it’s likely no surgery is required. He’s expected to miss at least 3 weeks, but more info coming . . . " . . .Will Howard has been impressing at camp, but now out the rest of the preseason. More reps for Mason Rudolph and added opportunity for Skylar Thompson." Howard was steadily improving as training camp went on in Latobe. The rookie signal caller saw his reps go from dead last on day one, to working into the first team during 7on7 before Week 1 of camp ended. He developed a rapport with WR Roc Taylor, and he was delivering the ball both efficiently and explosively. So the question now turns to what happens with the quarterback room. For one, the team will likely sign a quarterback before Saturday's preseason game. While it's unknown if Aaron Rodgers will play Saturday, if at all in the preseason, there is a strong chance he doesn't. So the team isn't going to send just two players out via Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. That means there will be three quarterbacks vying for what will likely be the last quarterback spot on the 53-man roster after Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. The only quarterback of those three who won't be able to show off what he's got in the preseason: Will Howard. So I'm not saying he gets cut. That would be a shock. But would the Steelers go into the season with only one backup who has NFL experience and a rookie who misses the entirety of the preseason with an injury? Do they go against the grain and carry four quarterbacks onto the 53-man roster? The latter feels very unlikely with how deep the defense is. So in the interim, the Steelers need another body for Saturday night. But in a few weeks, they will have to figure out their quarterback room and this injury only complicates that.
Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump
The Boston Celtics have made yet another curious offseason move, trading 32-year-old 3-point specialist Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for RJ Luis Jr., an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract. On the surface, this trade was more or less a salary dump. While a rebuilding team, the Jazz are expected to absorb Niang’s 2024-25 salary ($8.2 million) in the trade exception they generated from shipping John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. This reduced Boston’s luxury tax by $50 million, according Third Apron salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan. For their efforts, the Jazz not only got a pair of second-rounders but a veteran that can teach their young players the nuances of professionalism. Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump Though the Celtics obviously wanted to reduce their bill, the deal wasn’t just about that. Boston genuinely wanted Luis, per ZAGSBLOG draft expert Adam Zagoria. With that in mind, he entered the 2025 NBA Draft out of St. John’s, he played his freshman season at local UMass. That season, he averaged 11.5 points per game on 45.5 percent from the field. He also earned 10 starts, averaging 15.5 points per game in those contests. As a junior in 2024-25, Luis exploded for 18.2 points per game. His season ended on a low note. In a nine-point loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, he went just 3-17 from the field, scoring nine points. Nonetheless, his body of work shouldn’t be overshadowed by the last sentence. Nor should the pedigree he enters the NBA with. In 2024-25, he was a Consensus All-American. His father, Reggie Charles, was a professional basketball player who spent 15 seasons overseas. For the last two seasons of his college career, he was coached by Rick Pitino. The Celtics undoubtedly have a complex history with their former head coach but there’s no denying his greatness at the collegiate level. What Can RJ Luis Jr. Bring To The Celtics? Flawed though he may be, Luis is a good get for Boston, especially on a two-way contract. With Jayson Tatum likely to miss at least the first half of 2025-26 after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics have a lot of minutes to fill in at forward. As a result, players like 2023 No. 38 pick Jordan Walsh and 2025 No. 28 pick Hugo Gonzalez have a real chance of barging into the rotation. In a vacuum, they’re both rotation-caliber forwards but they’re raw, particularly offensively. That being said, if they’re trying to step into Tatum’s shoes, their limitations at that end are problematic. Tatum’s one of the most dangerous scorers in the league, averaging 27.5 points per game over the past five seasons. Luis probably won’t explode onto the season looking like a perennial All-Star. Still, he’s a more masterful scorer than either Walsh or Gonzalez right now. In the open court, he’s exciting, like many athletic wings with his length (6-foot-7). Yet, he’s not refined to impacting the game on the break. In the halfcourt, he’s able to use his handle and footwork to create space whether in the drive or in the post. Indeed, utilizing his instincts and body control, he’s actually pretty nifty with the ball in his hands. He even follows up his own shot, leading to frequent putbacks. Though he doesn’t have elite efficiency in any area, he’s a multifaceted offensive player who also has a knack for playmaking, particularly with regard to pocket passes. To improve his efficiency, he should cut down on his off-the-dribble attempts due to his tendency to take tough jumpers. All the same, while Boston waits for Tatum to return, the 22-year-old could play an important role.
Athletics catcher's historic performance part of team's 16-run onslaught against Nationals
The Athletics have not had much to smile about in 2025, but Tuesday night was a totally different story. The Washington Nationals, who had lost five straight coming into the game, had no answer for the offensive onslaught as the Athletics won handily, 16-7. Led by the trio of catcher Shea Langeliers, right fielder Brent Rooker and center fielder JJ Bleday, the Athletics combined for 16 runs, 24 hits and never looked back after a five-run first inning. Langeliers became the first Athletics catcher with a five-hit game since 1972, three of which were for home runs. He got the scoring started for the Athletics in the first inning with this 402-foot shot to center field off Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore. Langeliers' second homer of the night came in the fifth when he hit a 387-footer to left off reliever Orlando Ribalta to give the Athletics a 10-1 lead. He capped his second career three-homer game with a 419-foot home run to center off a 94 mph four-seam fastball from Andry Lara to give the Athletics the 11-3 advantage in the seventh. He joins Travis d'Arnaud, Gary Carter and Johnny Bench as the only catchers with multiple three-home run games, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs. Langeliers is the first player since at least 1900 to have three homers in his first career game starting at leadoff (h/t Elias Sports). This double in the eighth secured the five-hit game for Langeliers. Per Langs (h/t Elias Sports), his 15 total bases are tied for the most by a catcher in a game since at least 1900 with Wes Westrum (1950) and Walker Cooper (1949). According to MLB Stats, Langeliers joins Cal Raleigh, Mike Piazza, Earl Williams and Rudy York as the only catchers to hit 20 or more home runs in three of their first four MLB seasons with a minimum of 50 percent of their games at catcher. The Athletics (50-65) are still last in the AL West and have struggled to find any consistency all season. Despite the struggles, Tuesday night was a needed distraction from that on a historic night at the plate from Langeliers.
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