It's been a busy Saturday in the Rutledge household.
Earlier Saturday morning ESPN's Laura Rutledge revealed everyone in her family is dealing with an illness - but that's not stopping her from covering the SEC title game this morning. However, it did stop her daughter, Reese, from making her customary college football picks.
"Hey guys! Reese and Jack won’t be picking the SEC Championship game today. We were all too sick this week to do it. You’ll believe it when you hear me trying to talk today Reese will be back for the CFP and she wanted to tell y’all she misses you!" Rutledge said on social media this morning.
But that's not all that's going on in the Rutledge house today. Laura and her husband, Josh, are celebrating their 11th anniversary of being together.
"11 yeas with by best friend," Laura said before delivering a message to her husband, "I love you so much."
Laura’s husband, Josh, played in the Major Leagues from 2012-17. Josh played for the Colorado Rockies from 2012-14 before a stint with the Boston Red Sox from 2015-17. The couple allegedly met at a college football tailgate - Rutledge went to Florida, while Josh attended Alabama.
They share two children together, daughter, Reese, who is four, and son, Jack, who is just a few months from his second birthday.
Rutledge is in Atlanta this morning ahead of the SEC title game which is a rematch between Georgia and Texas from earlier in the season. The Bulldogs took down the Longhorns by a final score of 30-15 - in Austin.
Now they'll meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to find out who the SEC champion will be.
Georgia and Texas kick off at 4:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
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The Houston Astros are adding some versatility to their depth options as they near yet another postseason berth. On Friday the A's announced that recently DFA'd Logan Davidson has been claimed by Houston. Davidson was the A's first round pick in 2019 at No. 29 overall, and he finally made his MLB debut this season in late May after years of grinding in the minors and working on his versatility to get a shot at the roster. Despite being selected in 2019, he was still hanging around the A's top-30 prospect list this season, which feels uncommon for players after so many years. His debut was certainly not one that players dream of. He entered the game as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the tenth inning, replacing an injured Nick Kurtz at third base. On the first fly ball to the outfield, he tagged up and was thrown out at home as his first play in the big leagues. He'd make up for that in his first start the next day, going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the A's lone win during the 1-20 stretch in May and June. He received limited playing time in his stint with the A's, and went 3-for-20 (.150) with a .261 OBP. In the minors this season, Davidson has batted .263 with a .412 OBP and seven home runs across 73 games played with the Las Vegas Aviators. Now 27, Davidson is a versatile defender that can fill in at a number of positions, getting the most playing time at first and second in the minors this season, while also seeing time at third, shortstop and left field. While Davidson has been claimed, he was also optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. The Astros also placed left-hander Brandon Walter on the 15-day IL with left elbow inflammation, and designated Nick Robertson for assignment. Robertson had been with the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Blue Jays the past two seasons, racking up a 5.30 ERA across 27 appearances with a 1.57 WHIP between the two years, but he has yet to pitch for the Astros this season. The 27-year-old right-hander has been with the Space Cowboys all season, making 31 appearances out of the 'pen with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. In his 32 2/3 innings he'd struck out 36 batters, which is solid for an up-and-down guy, but he'd also walked 25 hitters and held a 17.2% walk rate. The question now is whether another club will scoop him up and add him to their own 40-man. He's kept the walks more under control in the past, so he may be worth taking a flier if there is roster flexibility.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese missed Thursday night's game against the Seattle Storm due to a back injury. It was the second blowout loss in as many games for the Sky, who now sit at 7-17 on the WNBA season, five losses back of a postseason spot. The injury to Reese is a concerning development for a Sky team with little to no margin for error right now. An All-Star for the second straight season, Reese has averaged 13.8 points and 12.5 rebounds in 22 games for Chicago in 2025. As they eye a date with the Indiana Fever on Sunday, the Sky have announced an official Reese update. Seen going through individual drills on Saturday, Reese was on the court seemingly testing out her back ahead of Sunday's afternoon affair in Chicago. Following her morning work, Reese was officially listed as questionable on the injury report. Reese is joined on the injury report by several of her teammates, including rookie guard Hailey Van Lith who was a surprise addition with an ankle injury. As it pertains to Reese, this update should not come as much of a surprise. While she was eventually ruled out against Seattle, she did start the day questionable, which is the same approach Chicago is taking on its latest injury report. That said, Reese not being ruled out a day in advance is good news. It indicates she has a chance to play, which also suggests the injury is not too serious — aligning with comments made by head coach Tyler Marsh who has been reiterating Reese is day-to-day with this back injury. With Caitlin Clark expected to miss this game with a groin injury, the contest could be without both she and Reese.
Being the backup quarterback isn't necessarily the most exciting role for anyone, but for a team like the Miami Dolphins, where starter Tua Tagovailoa has suffered four concussions since entering the NFL in 2020, it could be vital. As of now, a clear battle for that spot has formed between rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and veteran former first-round selection Zach Wilson as they go head-to-head. Of course, training camp is where these kinds of questions can be solved, and so far, it appears that Ewers has done a good job in putting his best foot forward. On Friday, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel gave a very positive update on the young quarterback, stating, "Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers had a strong third practice of training camp. Made several impressive, big-time throws." The update sparked conversations among many fans, both supporting Ewers and a serious showing that there's interest in seeing who comes out on top. "Show ‘em, Quinn," said one comment. "He just does a lot of things (anticipatory throws, timing throws, MOTF accuracy, etc.) that fit this system much better than what Wilson does. I think with refinement and development we could have a backup in Miami that can operate the offense efficiently…finally," said another. "Love to hear it!" a third added. A fourth stated, "I'd be surprised if he's not the backup.." "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Quinn Ewers has the physical tools to stick at the next level. It’s just a matter of shaping the rest," a fifth continued. "That’s QB2 potential QB1 in the future Glad we drafted Ewers," said another. Another big test for both Ewers and Wilson will be during the Dolphins' three preseason games, as the coaching staff will get a much better look at how these two perform during live matchups. Luckily for both, though, being the backup is all they're truly fighting for, as Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports predicts that each will make the final 53-man roster, with cuts needing to be made by Aug. 27.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the 2025 season with a new-look roster on the offensive side of the ball. The quarterback position has turned over once again, and DK Metcalf is now the top wide receiver in Pittsburgh after the organization decided to acquire him and then trade away George Pickens. Jonnu Smith has also entered the picture on offense, while Jaylen Warren will be taking over the duties as the lead running back. This is his first time taking on that role, as Najee Harris was the bell cow in Pittsburgh for the last four seasons and he never missed a game. Warren will be the main focus at running back, but the Steelers did a good job of filling out that room as a whole. Signing Kenneth Gainwell in free agency was a good way to bring a veteran presence into the room, and adding Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft was an exciting pick with a ton of value. Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the rookie running back following practice on Thursday, and he had nothing but good things to say about Johnson. "He does, he's highly conditioned and that helps development," Tomlin said. "When you're in really good shape, you can take additional reps and reps equals [getting] better. And so he handled the first leg of it. He's come in really good shape. He's really engaged and obviously he's got some talent. You guys saw that today." Tomlin said this when asked whether or not Johnson has a high floor as a rookie running back in the NFL, and the coach was clearly impressed with the way the rookie was prepared coming into camp. He also seems to know the playbook pretty well. It is hard to tell much from the early training camp practices, but he certainly stood out. The staff in Pittsburgh clearly has high hopes for Johnson, which could lead to more playing time early on. Johnson will begin the season behind Warren, but the two are expected to share the workload in some regard. The rookie has a high ceiling, and Pittsburgh is going to want to take advantage of the entirety of his cheaper, rookie deal. Many have speculated that Johnson will be the lead back by the time the 2025 season is over, with Warren returning to the role of being a third down back, similar to what he did when Harris was on the team. When Pittsburgh initially selected Johnson in the spring, some hated on the pick due to his slower 40-yard dash time. However, the back looks extremely fast on the field, and fans should get a better idea of the kind of player he can be when the Steelers put on the pads next week. Steelers’ Running Back Situation Will Be Interesting To Monitor Gainwell will likely be the third running back on the depth chart during the 2025 season, but he should have some packages and plays where he is the primary focus. He is dangerous with the ball in his hands, especially in the passing game. He and Warren have a similar skill set, while Johnson stands out in the trio. In addition to those three backs, Pittsburgh also has Cordarrelle Patterson on the roster. It was thought that he would be released by this point, but he remains in Pittsburgh for now. He could be cut at the end of camp, as it seems he is the clear fourth running back on the depth chart and he was one of the worst kick returners in the league during the 2024 season. It is known that Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith likes him and his versatility on offense. It’s his ability to play special teams as well that could keep him on the roster in 2025. What do you expect from Johnson in his rookie year?
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