Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne has taken heat from a different source after struggling in a loss to Cal: Angry sports bettors.
Thorne said on The Next Round podcast Tuesday that he has heard from some fans in person and on social media while others “hit you up on Venmo, all types of stuff.”
“They’re definitely not sending cash,” said Thorne, who was intercepted four times in the 21-14 upset loss on Saturday. “It’s funny, when they lose money, they want the money back, but when they win money on the parley, no one’s ever saying they want to pay the money.”
Thorne went 14-of-27 passing for 165 yards and a touchdown against Cal. One of his four picks led to the Golden Bears go-ahead touchdown early in the second quarter.
Former Michigan players suing NCAA and Big Ten Network >> Former Michigan football stars Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards are suing the NCAA and Big Ten Network with other former Wolverines players, claiming they lost out on more than $50 million during their college careers because of the association’s now-lifted ban on athletes being compensated for name, image and likeness.
The federal class-action antitrust lawsuit, dated Monday, was filed in the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of all Michigan football players who played before 2016.
The NCAA and major college conferences are in the process of trying to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to athlete compensation for name, image and likeness. They have a settlement agreement in place to pay $2.78 billion in damages to hundreds of thousands of college athletes, dating back to 2016.
Motor sports
Larson will again run the Indy 500 >> With NASCAR and the Coca-Cola 600 the promised priority, Kyle Larson will again attempt the Indianapolis 500 next season with the caveat he must leave if rain again ruins his bid to complete “The Double.”
Larson in May became the fifth driver in history to attempt to complete 1,100-miles of racing on the biggest day in motorsports.
The start of the Indy 500 was delayed several hours by rain, and because Hendrick Motorsports had spent so much money on the effort, they decided to keep him at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It was unfinished business,” team owner Rick Hendrick said. “Weather just cost us a lot.”
Larson was a total star all of May, where he qualified fifth but a late-race speeding penalty took him out of contention and he finished 18th. He was still named top rookie of the race.
NBA
The Lakers will honor West this season with a uniform band >> The Los Angeles Lakers will honor Jerry West in the upcoming season with a uniform band featuring his No. 44.
The Lakers announced their plan Tuesday to remember West, who died in June at 86.
The purple band on the left shoulder of the Lakers’ uniforms has No. 44 in gold at the center. West played his entire 14-year NBA career for the Lakers, becoming one of the greatest scorers and most versatile guards of his era while earning 14 All-Star selections and earning the nickname “Mr. Clutch.”
NFL
Craig and Anderson are among the senior nominees for Hall of Fame >> Versatile running back Roger Craig, former MVP Ken Anderson and 2024 finalist Art Powell are among the players nominated in the Seniors category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
The Hall released a list of 183 nominees to be considered by a newly created Seniors Screening Committee. That group will reduce the list to 50 players over the next several weeks.
A separate Seniors Blue Ribbon Committee will reduce that list to the three finalists to be considered by the full selection committee in early 2025. The three seniors will be grouped with one coach and contributor with at least one and no more than three of those finalists getting in based on voting.
NFL investigating lawsuit filed against Browns QB Watson >> The NFL said it is investigating the latest civil lawsuit filed against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson to determine if he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
On Monday, a woman in Texas accused Watson of sexual assault in 2020 while he played for Houston.
According to the lawsuit filed in Harris County, Texas, the woman alleged Watson forced himself on her sexually during an incident at her apartment four years ago.
Steelers preparing to start Fields against the Broncos >> The Pittsburgh Steelers are planning to stick with Justin Fields over an injured Russell Wilson as they get ready for a trip to Denver in Week 2.
Fields was steady if not spectacular against the Falcons, completing 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards and running for 57 more while not turning the ball over as Pittsburgh relied heavily on its defense and kicker Chris Boswell.
Wilson, who tweaked the calf injury last Thursday, was feeling better on Tuesday.
Still, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin does not anticipate the nine-time Pro Bowler being able to be a full participant in practice on Wednesday.
NHL
Kraken agree to 4-year extension with defenseman Larsson >> The Seattle Kraken and veteran defenseman Adam Larsson reached an agreement on a four-year extension that will keep one of their top blue liners under contract through the 2028-29 season.
Larsson’s extension is worth an average of $5.25 million per season and retains one of Seattle’s selections from the 2021 expansion draft for the long term.
The 31-year-old from Sweden has played in 245 of a possible 246 regular-season games during his first three seasons with the Kraken.
Soccer
Pocchetino hired as US men’s national team coach >> Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was hired Tuesday to succeed Gregg Berhalter as U.S. men’s national team coach, 21 months before the Americans host the 2026 World Cup.
A 52-year-old Argentine, Pochettino became the 10th U.S. coach in 14 years and its first foreign-born leader since Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011-16. Pochettino has coached Espanyol in Spain (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19) and Chelsea (2023-24) in England and Paris Saint-Germain in France (2021-22), leaving after winning a Ligue 1 title.
Pochettino had been in negotiations since mid-August. Matt Crocker, the USSF’s sporting director in charge of the search, was Southampton’s academy director when Pochettino started at that club.
While the contract length wasn’t specified, the USSF said Pochettino will lead the team at the World Cup.
Kane scores twice in his 100th game for England >> Harry Kane marked his 100th game for England with two goals and celebrations with his family in a 2-0 win over Finland in the UEFA Nations League.
Before kickoff, Kane was joined by his family as he was presented with a commemorative golden cap by former players Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, both of whom played more than 100 times for England.
The Bayern Munich striker is the first England player since Wayne Rooney in 2014 to get to 100 caps and, at 31 and still one of world soccer’s most lethal strikers, is on track to break former goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s record of 125 appearances for the national team.
Tennis
WADA has at least 3 more weeks to appeal Sinner case >> The World Anti-Doping Agency has yet to decide whether to appeal the decision to exonerate U.S. Open champion Jannik Sinner of blame for his positive steroid tests, and has another three weeks to do so.
WADA shared details of the appeal deadline with The Associated Press on Tuesday showing that the World Anti-Doping Code — the global set of rules for international sports — gives the Montreal-based agency at least until the end of September to file an appeal in the Sinner case.
WADA and Nado Italia, Italy’s anti-doping agency, are the only two agencies that could challenge the decision by an independent tribunal announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Aug. 20.