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  • A.J. Epenesa on Cleveland backing out of signing him: ‘Happy that I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle’

    A.J. Epenesa on Cleveland backing out of signing him: ‘Happy that I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle’

    A.J. Epenesa couldn’t help himself.

    Asked Tuesday about the offseason drama he endured when the Browns signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million before balking at the deal weeks later (reportedly due to a failed physical), the Eagles edge rusher first took a diplomatic approach, before taking a shot at Cleveland.

    “It was a weird situation,” Epenesa said after Day 5 of Eagles training camp. “I don’t necessarily want to go back and talk on that in just a weird sense.

    “I’ll just leave that in the past and just be happy that I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle.”

    Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are in a competition for QB2 duties. And they’re trying to embrace it.

    The 27-year-old certainly looks like he’ll fit right in with the loaded edge rusher group. Epenesa, formerly of the Bills, recorded multiple would-be sacks the first week of camp and even nabbed an interception on a pass intended for wide receiver Danny Gray on Day 2.

    He looks sharp. But the fact remains that the Browns backed out of signing him because of health concerns. So, is he healthy? Epenesa, who played in 16 games last season but suffered a concussion in November as well as battling pectoral, foot, and neck injuries, didn’t hesitate when the question was asked.

    “Oh, very healthy,” Epenesa said. “Feeling good and happy to be here.”

    A.J. Epenesa (57) is part of a deep and talented pass-rushing group. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Epenesa hopes to be a key cog in an edge group that features Jonathan Greenard — who’s nursing a pectoral injury — Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, and Arnold Ebiketie. The Eagles lost Jaelan Phillips to the Carolina Panthers in free agency, so improving the group’s depth was one of general manager Howie Roseman’s top priorities this offseason. The trade for Greenard and the signing of Epenesa on June 10 signified that.

    Epenesa was mostly a rotational piece on Buffalo’s defensive line, starting just 19 games in six seasons, but he made the most of his role. His best season came in 2022, when he logged a career-best 6½ sacks, 10 quarterback hits, 14 quarterback pressures and 16 tackles.

    Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts has a day; Makai Lemon limited; Lane Johnson’s absence

    So, what drew him to the Eagles — whose defense is powered by a loaded defensive front — over another team where he could win a starting job?

    “I wanted to go to a place that could help make me better,” Epenesa said. “A place that’s going to win games and a place that has competition. I don’t want to go to a place and just be handed everything.

    “I love having this around me. These guys are making me better. They’re incredible athletes. They’ve all been in the system for two, three-plus years. So all of that knowledge that they have is leaking into me. Whether they know it or not, I’m watching.”

    A.J. Epenesa (57) was a situational pass rusher for most of his tenure in Buffalo. Bob Donnan, Bob Donnan-Imagn Ima

    Epenesa’s coaches are taking notice of this spongelike attitude. Epenesa rarely dropped back in coverage in Buffalo, but he’s quickly added that skill to adapt to Vic Fangio’s scheme. Fangio seldom goes out of his way to praise players, but he did so for Epenesa last Thursday.

    “I told A.J. this, and I said it in front of the whole team, too,” Fangio said. “For a guy that’s being asked to do a few things that he’s never done before, I thought he did a nice job. It was very encouraging.”

    Epenesa winding up in Philadelphia is a positive outcome to a bizarre situation. Now, the veteran edge rusher said, he wants wins to come with it.

    “[The Eagles] are always competitive every year,” Epenesa said. “That’s one of the key things, I think, when you’re trying to find a team. That’s something you’re looking for. And these guys, they messaged, they hit me up, they wanted me.

    I want to be on a team that competes and wants to win. And it worked out.”

  • Cleveland Sirens unveil name and branding for WNBA expansion team

    Cleveland Sirens unveil name and branding for WNBA expansion team

    CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s WNBA expansion team had three priorities for the franchise’s name.

    It had to have its own identity and not be related to the Cavaliers. It needed to tie into Lake Erie. And fans wanted something progressive.

    The Cleveland Sirens think they accomplished all three Tuesday when they introduced the name and branding during an event on Tuesday at Rocket Arena.

    The WNBA’s 16th team will begin play in 2028. Cleveland was home to one of the league’s original franchises when the WNBA started in 1997, but the Rockers folded in 2003 when owner Gordon Gund could not find a new buyer.

    Franchises coming to Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) have yet to announce names or branding. Philly’s franchise will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 76ers, and will share an arena with the Sixers and Flyers.

    Fans from Philly and beyond gather to watch the WNBA All-Star Game

    Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group, which has owned the Cavaliers since 2005, paid a $250 million expansion fee for Cleveland’s return to the WNBA.

    Janice Braxton, who played for the Rockers for three seasons (1997 to 1999), narrated a video introducing the name and the theme of “Hear the Call.”

    Braxton, along with other former Rockers players, also attended Tuesday’s event.

    “We were at dinner with them last night, and we gave them a sneak peak of the video,” Sirens president of business operations Allison Howard said, “and they were overwhelming in their support and clapped several different times.”

    The logo features a Siren underneath the name. The “S” in the wordmark also conceals “CLE.” The two shades of blue take inspiration from Lake Erie and the Rockers logo.

    “We really wanted something that people could rally behind a real character. And we’re really excited about that,” said Grant Gilbert, Rock Entertainment Group’s vice president of business and basketball operations. “I think the other aspect of the Siren name and brand that was really considered and that we get very excited about is how authentically it extends just beyond the name and branded logos itself. The potential of the name is endless.”

    Over the past year, Cleveland has had 9,000 deposits for season tickets. Howard expects that to increase now that the name has been announced.

    “This team can exist very much on the independent side of the Cavaliers,” Howard said. “And that’s also what we are seeing right now. The demographic is totally different. They eat different food, they drink different drinks, they get here earlier, they purchase merchandise differently, and they come from all over the state and even outside of the state.”

  • Dave Dombrowski and ‘loser’ Phillies get mixed reviews after underwhelming trade deadline

    Dave Dombrowski and ‘loser’ Phillies get mixed reviews after underwhelming trade deadline

    Bryce Harper got what he asked for at the trade deadline: some help. But will it be enough?

    On Monday, the Phillies traded for San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez — a three-time batting champion who leads the National League with a .324 average this season. The team also added some much-needed relief pitching help, acquiring the Giants’ Caleb Kilian and the New York Mets’ Brooks Raley.

    Each year after the deadline passes, members of the media rush to their keyboards to grade each teams’ deadline dealings. This year is no different, and the Phillies have been getting mixed reviews.

    Here’s what those in the national media are saying:

    The Athletic: B+

    The Athletics’s Jim Bowden praised Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, noting his deadline moves “proved once again why he’s a future Hall of Famer.”

    “Even with a subpar farm system, he was able to add the pieces he needed to improve the Phillies’ chances for a postseason berth,” Bowden wrote. “Arraez will create traffic at the top of the order and turn some of Kyle Schwarber’s solo homers into two-run homers. The bullpen depth is much improved, as well, with the additions of Kilian and Raley.”

    Low on prospect capital, loaded with needs, the Phillies’ best asset at the deadline turned out to be … Bryce Harper

    However, Bowden did have some reservations that prevented an “A” grade. Namely, the former baseball executive expressed concerns with how the team will adjust to positional changes made due to the acquisition of Arraez. With Arraez playing second base, Harper will move to right field, Alec Bohm to first base, and Bryson Stott to third.

    On Tuesday, Stott told the Inquirer that Harper’s willingness to move positions paved the way for the rest of the team to follow suit.

    “It should be not lost that our superstar first baseman, two-time MVP is willing to move,” Stott said. “And when you’re on a team and you see a guy do that, what are we going to say, no, we’re not moving?”

    From left: New Phillies Caleb Kilian, Luis Arraez, and Brooks Raley.Associated Press

    Yahoo! Sports: B-

    Jake Mintz of Yahoo! Sports called the positional changes “fancy problems” to have, arguing that the addition of Arraez strengthens the team, not harms it.

    “This lineup, second-to-last in OBP, needed a boost,” Mintz wrote. “Arraez should provide it and give the Phillies the contact-oriented piece they’ve lacked the past few Octobers, when they’ve collected strikeouts by the dozen.”

    Against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series last year, the Phillies hit for a combined .212 average as they were eliminated from the playoffs in four games.

    Phillies’ addition of Luis Arraez means an infield shuffle: ‘What are we going to say, no, we’re not moving?’

    Mintz also praised the bullpen additions of Raley and Kilian, writing that “one or both should find himself tossing high-leverage frames once the weather gets cold.” He then took some time to address the team’s needs that went unanswered.

    “The only two unfulfilled items on … Dave Dombrowski’s shopping list were a veteran depth starter and a righty-hitting outfielder,” Mintz wrote. “The reemergence of Andrew Painter (he looked good the other day) should solve the first problem. Dombrowski and Co. likely believe Arraez is good enough that the second problem won’t matter.”

    Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had a busy Monday leading up to the trade deadline.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    ESPN: Phillies are a deadline ‘loser’

    ESPN’s David Schoenfield did not deal out letter grades, but he did look to sort a handful of teams into two categories: winners and losers. The Phillies were placed in the latter.

    Before airing out his grievances, Schoenfield praised Dombrowski for “adding Arraez to provide some much-needed OBP at the top of the lineup plus relievers Brooks Raley and Caleb Kilian for key bullpen depth.”

    However, he felt the position changes that came with the acquisition of Arraez significantly weakened the team’s defense.

    Dave Dombrowski’s no good, very bad year (tenure?) continues at the MLB trade deadline

    “Given Stott’s inexperience at third base, the Phillies are arguably making themselves worse on defense at all four positions if they stick to this plan, which is why they’re a loser and not a winner,” Schoenfield wrote.

    He also feels that the Phillies should have added another starting pitcher.

    “Oh, and with the Phillies suddenly fighting just to win a wild-card spot, they could have used a starting pitcher, but Dombrowski failed to land one on a day when so many were traded.”

  • The annual Danny Rumph Classic tips off this Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    The annual Danny Rumph Classic tips off this Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    After an undiagnosed heart condition led to a sudden cardiac arrest and the death of Danny Rumph at the former Mallery Recreation Center in August 2005, his friends and family turned grief into action, creating the Rumph Classic a year later.

    While honoring Rumph’s legacy and raising awareness for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, this five-day pro-am tournament has also become one of the premier basketball tournaments in Philadelphia and a summer staple for the past 21 years.

    Here’s what you need to know about this year’s event, taking place from Thursday to Monday…

    What is the Rumph Classic?

    The Rumph Classic is a five-day pro-am tournament honoring the memory of Danny Rumph. It serves as the signature event for the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation.

    Eight teams will compete in this year’s men’s tournament, with four teams competing in the women’s tournament. There will also be two showcases on Monday, including a Girls and Boys Next Bright Star Showcase at 20 minutes each.

    The big theme ahead of this week’s annual Rumph Classic? Bridging the gap for a common cause.

    This year, there was a kick-off picnic on Sunday with both a youth game and a 50-and-over game. There was also a panel discussion on July 29 to discuss the tournament’s history and impact.

    The Danny Rumph Classic will be held at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center starting on Thursday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    When and where is the Rumph Classic?

    The Rumph Classic will take place over five days at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center, beginning at 5:45 p.m., Thursday and Friday.

    Four games will be played on both days, with the final game in the group scheduled for 8:45 p.m. Here’s a look at the complete tournament schedule and how to get tickets.

    Saturday will feature two men’s games at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and the women’s semifinals at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday will follow a similar format with the women’s championship at 2 p.m., and the men’s semifinals following at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

    Monday will kick off with the girls’ Next Bright Star Showcase at 7 p.m. and the boys’ Next Bright Star Showcase at 7:30 p.m. The men’s championship will follow and conclude the tournament.

    What’s the easiest way to get there?

    Drexel’s arena, the Daskalakis Athletic Center, is located at 3300 Market St., and is mainly accessible by taking SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line to the 34th Street Station stop and walking a block to 33rd. There are also a number of buses and a trolley that pass the DAC’s location.

    Need to drive? Drexel has several parking garages near the arena.

    What is the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation?

    The Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation, which puts on the Rumph Classic, was founded after Rumph’s passing in 2005. The foundation was created by friends and family with Rumph’s uncle, Marcus Owens, serving as a co-founder and the organization’s president. Rumph’s mother, Viola Owens, is the board chair.

    Rumph, a promising young basketball player who played college basketball at Western Kentucky, was 21 when he passed away.

    Viola “Candy” Owens stands for a portrait on the basketball court inside the Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center last summer. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart, is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in youth today, and the tournament and the foundation work to bring awareness to the issue.

    Mallery Recreation Center, the Germantown-based recreation center now known as the Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center, did not have an AED in 2005, nor did any of Rumph’s friends know CPR.

    From 2025 | ‘Leaps and bounds’: How the Danny Rumph Classic has grown over 20 years

    The foundation now works to raise money for youth heart screenings, and to place defibrillators in gyms in Rumph’s memory. They also provide free CPR and AED training within the Philadelphia community.

    On his way up to NBA superstardom, Celtics guard Jayson Tatum took part in the Rumph Classic. Courtesy / Rumph Classic

    Who competes in the Rumph Classic?

    The Rumph Classic usual features a collection of Philly-area players, including former college basketball players and even a few NBA players.

    In previous years, NBA champion Jalen Brunson and coach Mark Tyndale have participated. Current and former Sixers — including Tyrese Maxey and James Harden — have participated and Allen Iverson has made an appearance.

    Lou Williams, Collin Gillespie, and Bones Hyland have all also been a part of the event in past years. Last year, Blue Magic — which featured Archie Goodwin, Providence’s Ed Croswell, Trevon Duval, and Jordan Hall — won the men’s championship.

  • Here’s how Mauricio Pochettino will start his second term with the USMNT

    Here’s how Mauricio Pochettino will start his second term with the USMNT

    The long road to the 2030 men’s World Cup, and Mauricio Pochettino’s second term as U.S. men’s soccer team manager, will kick off in late September.

    FIFA this year combined the September and October windows into one long stretch in which teams can play up to four games. The U.S. will play all four, against a combination of familiar regional rivals and visitors from South America.

    Up first will be Peru on Sept. 26 in Orlando. Then it’s off to the Midwest to face Chile on Sept. 29 in St. Louis. Both of those games will be played at the local MLS stadiums.

    Next up will be a renewal of the U.S. team’s most famous rivalry, against Mexico, on Oct. 3 in Glendale, Ariz. That gets an NFL stadium stage for the 80th edition of the matchup, and the first since last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup final.

    Mexico beat the U.S. in last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup final.Ashley Landis

    Because the nations cohosted this summer’s World Cup, they didn’t have to qualify. That meant there were none of what are usually the best clashes, on each team’s home turf in World Cup qualifying. And they might not return, because the World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams means Concacaf’s qualifying groups are spread out.

    So we will be left with friendlies and hopes for meetings in the Gold Cup and Concacaf Nations League, which officially are neutral-site games, even though they’re always in the United States.

    Mauricio Pochettino stays on as USMNT manager, and promises things won’t stay the same

    The last game of the slate will be against Canada on Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minn. That will give the U.S. a chance to renew acquaintances with an old friend, the Canucks’ Wisconsin-born manager Jesse Marsch. The Princeton alumnus undoubtedly will relish that, as he so often relishes tossing barbs across the border at a U.S. program that spurned him when it first hired Pochettino.

    Who will play in the games is an interesting prospect. Though the stars from the World Cup teams might sell tickets, many fans hope to see a new era of younger players get a shot. Potential call-ups include the Union’s Cavan and Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, and Neil Pierre; Red Bull New York’s Adri Mehmeti and Julian Hall; and Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo.

    Cavan Sullivan played for the United States at last year’s under-17 World Cup. He could get a shot with the senior squad this fall.Chris Ricco

    It’s notable that MLS is playing a full round of games during the FIFA window, on Sept. 26 and 27. We’ll see how that affects Pochettino’s selections, and if he can get all the MLS-based players players he wants. (Europe’s leagues will be off.)

    Keep an eye on goalkeeper, too. One of the U.S. pool’s top prospects, Diego Kochen, went on loan from Spanish superpower Barcelona to Denmark’s Lyngby — a team part-owned by the Union — for the upcoming European season.

    Though none of the venues are near Philadelphia, they might at least make a nice quick escape for fans looking for a trip. Presales for U.S. Soccer members start Wednesday, and sales to the general public start Friday.

    Brenden Aaronson looks back at the World Cup, and ahead to his future with the USMNT and Leeds United

    After the September-October window, the U.S. will enter the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League in the November window. That will be a home-and-away quarterfinal series, and the opponent will be determined by first-round contests during that September/October window. The top four teams in the region got a bye to the quarters: the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Panama.

    The 2027 final four will be played in its usual window, next March, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

    SoFi Stadium hosted two of the United States’ group stage games at this summer’s World Cup.Jonathan Tannenwald

    USMNT schedule (all times Philadelphia time)

    Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Peru at Inter.co Stadium, Orlando, 4:30 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Telemundo 62, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)

    Tuesday, Sept. 29: vs. Chile at Energizer Park, St. Louis, 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)

    Saturday, Oct. 3: vs. Mexico at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz., 10 p.m. (TNT, Telemundo 62, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)

    Tuesday, Oct. 6: vs. Canada at Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minn., 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)

  • The big theme ahead of this week’s annual Rumph Classic? Bridging the gap for a common cause.

    The big theme ahead of this week’s annual Rumph Classic? Bridging the gap for a common cause.

    Early Sunday afternoon, the Daniel E. Rumph II Recreation Center looked unassuming. The old Germantown basketball gym was empty outside of a few local kids shooting around. Every dribble sounded like three, with the bounces echoing off the building’s cement walls.

    A few hours later, it was nearly impossible to hear the ball bounce once.

    On Sunday, the center hosted three basketball games and a community barbecue. The event brought in a large crowd, quickly filling the hallowed hall with laughter, music, and friendly jeers.

    The event was held in partnership with the Hank Gathers Recreation Center. The two Philly rec centers share a mission to spread awareness for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a condition that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. Most are unaware they have the condition until they receive a screening.

    The Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center hosted a youth game between Team Rumph and Team Hank Gathers Center on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Both Danny Rumph and Hank Gathers, the namesake for the respective centers, died from HCM while playing basketball. In 1990, Gathers, a Philadelphia native and standout at Loyola Marymount, collapsed on the court while playing against Portland in the West Coast Conference semifinals.

    It would be 15 years later when Rumph went into sudden cardiac arrest during a pickup game at the same Germantown gym that hosted Sunday’s event. It was later renamed after him.

    “Danny was at this exact rec center where he collapsed on a court, and it took a long time for an ambulance to come,” Janet Williams, a board member for the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation, said. “There wasn’t an AED here. Even though they started CPR, it still wasn’t enough. So, we’re trying to bring education to the community at large, not just youngsters in sports.”

    From 2025 | ‘Leaps and bounds’: How the Danny Rumph Classic has grown over 20 years

    The Rumph Foundation has provided every recreational center and Boys & Girls Club in Philadelphia with a defibrillator. They have also partnered with Youth Heart Watch, a program with a similar mission, to provide both CPR and AED training to the community. A majority of the foundation’s funding comes from the Danny Rumph Classic, a five-day pro-am basketball tournament.

    This year, the 21st iteration of “The Rumph” will tip off on Thursday at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center. In the past, NBA stars like Jalen Brunson, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey have graced the tournament’s floor. For the third consecutive year, the event will feature a women’s pro-am tournament, featuring local players.

    Team Rumph and Team Hank Gathers Center compete against another in a youth game on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Sunday’s event in Germantown acted as a way for the foundation to connect with the community and with those who have been crucial to its success. The afternoon started with a 50-and-over game — for the hoop veterans who have seen the foundation flourish over two decades.

    “The whole reason why a lot of us are still close to this day is the friendships that we built playing here as kids,” said Mike Morak, the foundation’s director of events. “How do we celebrate 21 years? And it was like, let’s come back to where we started.”

    From 2025 | Ayana Howard brings a famed family name to organizing the Rumph Classic women’s games

    “Let’s get everybody together,” Morak said. “People can come and go as they please. The reason we’re here and where we all started was because of this playground. So it was like no better way to just come back to the neighborhood, making sure we can all have a fun day together and then get ready for the full Danny Rumph Classic this week.”

    ‘It’s really a homecoming’

    When Morak had the idea to bring the Rumph and Gathers recreational centers together for Sunday’s event, he thought to invite Derrick Gathers — the younger brother of Hank.

    Derrick Gathers was a quick “yes,” having known Morak and the role the Rumph Foundation has played in the community. What Gathers didn’t know is that he would be given a full uniform at the door.

    “Well, I was set up by Mike,” Gathers, who played in the 50+ game, said with a laugh. “Mike set me up.”

    “I get up here, they talking about ‘suit up,’” Gathers added. “I ain’t played in a long time, but it felt good, you know, just to hang out with the guys, the guys I grew up with. … I think it’s a tribute to them for just keeping the Danny Rumph legacy going for so many years. That’s outstanding.”

    Derrick Gathers addresses members of Team Rumph and Team Hank Gathers at the Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    After Gathers’ game, which his team won, he joined Morak at center court to address the 11-and-under and 13-and-under players before their games began. Kids who played at both centers were invited to participate — but with a twist.

    Instead of matching up against each other, the centers’ teams were combined, so the players would get to know one another.

    “A lot of these kids don’t know the similarities of the story, so we want to make sure [they do],” Morak said. “Man, bring those kids up here. Let’s also explain to them how they’re all interwoven. Some kids today don’t really realize what happened to Danny. They don’t realize what happened to Hank. They don’t realize how we’re all connected.”

    Added Williams: “It’s getting the generations together, the older and the younger, and passing it down. Showing the importance of community, showing not just the importance of sports, but making sure that you stay healthy.”

    Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation board member Janet Williams (left) and volunteer Carol Oliver (right) serve food during a BBQ after basketball games at the Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Like the Classic, Sunday’s community event was powered by volunteers. Dozens of people worked behind the scenes to make sure the games and the barbeque ran smoothly. One of these volunteers was Shawn Werdt, who coached the “Team Rumph” 11U team. Werdt, who regularly runs clinics at the center, helped out because he “believes in the mission of the foundation.”

    “It’s really a homecoming,” Werdt said. “Guys always come back to this and either want to play or support it, and you just see a lot of old friends, old faces in the crowd, and it’s just a really good event. A really, really fun week of basketball.”

  • Jay Sugarman is glad ‘the Union spirit’ is back on the field, with Kai Wagner a big part of it

    Jay Sugarman is glad ‘the Union spirit’ is back on the field, with Kai Wagner a big part of it

    NEW YORK — After a rough first half of the season, Union principal owner Jay Sugarman finally has some reasons to be in a good mood.

    Though there’s still a ways to go before the club is fully back, the current three-game winning streak has lifted everyone’s spirits at Subaru Park. Saturday’s wild comeback win over Atlanta United was the latest chapter, with the tying and winning goals toward the end of eight minutes of second-half stoppage time.

    “I have to say, that spirit, it’s really the Union spirit,” Sugarman told The Inquirer as he left the meeting where Cherry Hill native Larry Berg was elected MLS’s new commissioner. “You can feel it: the guys, they’re not giving up. They want to fight to the end, and that makes me really happy.”

    You can count the reasons why, including a new-manager bounce from Bradley Carnell’s dismissal and Ryan Richter’s promotion during the World Cup break. But it’s clear that Kai Wagner’s return at left back is likely the biggest factor.

    He has created 14 scoring chances in three games so far, and officially notched three assists. It would be four if his cross for Milan Iloski’s opener Saturday hadn’t taken a deflection along the way.

    For as much as Wagner wanted to return to Philadelphia, Sugarman had to get out his checkbook to seal the deal with Birmingham City. The Union paid a $4 million transfer fee, one of the biggest in their history (though not huge by current MLS standards).

    MLS’s new commissioner will be Cherry Hill native Larry Berg, a LAFC part-owner

    But it’s certainly been worth the money so far. Wagner and his family are happy to be back, and one of the best left backs in MLS history looks like he didn’t miss a beat.

    “Kai checked so many boxes for us,” Sugarman said. “I always thought he was an incredibly valuable piece, and I think that was the piece we didn’t expect to lose. And so, say what you will about all the other decisions we made, but that was the one that was involuntary, and it had repercussions that were way beyond what we could have expected.”

    Union defender Kai Wagner has brought a spark to the team’s efforts to ascend the standings. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    He knows what fans’ responses will be to that. Some might have expected it given all the offseasons when Wagner wanted to leave; and it could have been expected that the Union would suffer a lot in losing him.

    There are other left backs in the world, though. Perhaps if the one the Union signed, Philippe Ndinga, had been better, there wouldn’t have been so much pining for what was lost.

    Ryan Richter’s courage is rewarded with a stunning late comeback win for the Union

    Sugarman knows this, because it can happen to any soccer team when a new player isn’t as good as the prior one. He also knows he might have to leave the checkbook open. But he has said often over the years that if the right move comes along, he’ll pay for it, and he did here.

    “So I was like, if you can get him back, get him back,” he said. “We paid up for him, but he’s been proven both here and there to be a difference-maker. And he’s been a difference-maker already.”

  • 🏀 The ties that hoop | Sports Daily Newsletter

    🏀 The ties that hoop | Sports Daily Newsletter

    Yesterday was a notable day in Philly sports. The Eagles kicked off a new week of training camp, the Phillies stared down the final minutes of the MLB trade deadline, and Major League Soccer’s newest commissioner is a Cherry Hill native.

    But today, we’re leading off with a Philly staple that tips off this week: The Danny Rumph Classic. Now in its 21st iteration, the Rumph returns to Drexel for five days of basketball across men’s, women’s and youth tournaments beginning on Thursday.

    But before the event tips off, the Rumph went back to its roots inside the Germantown-based recreation center with his namesake for an event that bridged young and old across neighborhoods for a common cause. It’s how we’re starting your Tuesday.

    Finally, if you had to guess, what would you say “Pongadelphia” is?

    — Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    ❓What’s your favorite city-centric event like the Rumph Classic? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

    Shuffling the deck

    Alec Bohm (left) and Bryson Stott will change positions with the addition of Luis Arraez courtesy of yesterday’s MLB trade deadline. Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

    This is not Bryson Stott’s first rodeo. At third base, that is. But it’s where Stott will find himself for the first time since his Major League debut after the Phillies traded for Luis Arraez on Monday.

    The move will now see Arraez take over second base with Stott shuffling to third and Alec Bohm moving over to first, putting Bryce Harper back in the outfield. But Stott, who found out via text from manager Don Mattingly on Monday morning, doesn’t seem too fazed by any of it.

    “I told him the same thing I’ve said for years,” Stott recalled in his conversation with Mattingly. “I don’t care. I just want to play.”

    Also…

    Next: The second of a four-game series against the Nationals continues tonight at Citizens Bank Park as part of a seven-game homestand (6:40 p.m., NBCSP).

    What we’re…

    🤔 Wondering: What Brooks Raley will bring to the table as the Phillies newest reliever, who was acquired yesterday in a trade with the New York Mets.

    👀 Watching: Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense have a day during Day 4 of training camp.

    ⚽ Hoping: That keeping Mauricio Pochettino on as the head coach for U.S. Soccer was the right call heading into the 2030 cycle.

    🏈 Reading: NFL players from the 2022 class have the option to return to college and play a fifth season, courtesy of this new NCAA rule.

    Sixers have ‘a lot at stake’

    Sixers rookie Lebaron Philon Jr. greets campers at Sunrise Day Camp on Monday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Labaron Philon Jr., looked like a steal when the Sixers selected him with the No. 22 pick in the June draft. Little did he know his selection would be the first of several dominoes that would lead to a transformational offseason that included signing LeBron James and trading for Jaylen Brown.

    Philon acknowledged that his role will change from what was originally envisioned after he ripped up Las Vegas Summer League. He knows that this season now has “a lot at stake.”

    “Who wouldn’t want to be around that?” Philon said Monday from an appearance at Sunrise Day Camp-Greater Philadelphia’s basketball clinic at Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of great guys, and [we are] just going to continue to do the right things and just make it happen.”

    Money talks

    Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo is in the final year of his current contract.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Moro Ojomo is in the final year of his current contract. It happened to be the same year he saw two of his teammates on the defensive line get paid. When both Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, Ojomo’s teammates on the interior defensive line, inked hefty contract extensions this offseason, it ignited a fire.

    Four years, $152 million tends to do that, specifically looking at Carter’s contract. But for the seventh-round selection out of Texas, getting on the field isn’t enough; he wants to have his fourth season with the Birds be so dominant that Eagles brass has no point but to dust off the checkbook

    “That just motivates me more,” Ojomo said on Monday. “I’ve always kind of been a hungry guy. Always kind of had the chip on my shoulder. So to see both of those guys succeed at a high level, I just want to succeed more.”

    Inquirer writer Olivia Reiner has more on Ojomo’s frame of mind heading into this season.

    On this date

    Aug. 4, 1961: This is more of an On This Date, and more of a Did You Know, but today, 65 years ago, fresh off the 1960 NFL Championship, the Eagles played a group of college all-stars from that season and beat them 28-14? It was a regular event called the Chicago Charities All-Star Game.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Which Sixers player was once ranked the 153rd best player in the country coming out of high school by 247Sports?

    A) Jaylen Brown

    B) VJ Edgecombe

    C) Tyrese Maxey

    D) Joel Embiid

    What you’re saying about the Phillies

    We asked: What moves did you hope the Phillies would make on Monday?

    It’s not my money, and I don’t profess to be smarter than [Phillies general manager Dave] Dombrowski and the front office. But I have a few ideas that I’m sure the baseball minds have considered. A fleet and strong right-handed outfielder. Trade [Alec] Bohm, since he is in the last year of his contract to Baltimore in exchange for Gunnar Henderson and move either him or Trea Turner to third. We need a stronger bullpen. I’ve never been a fan of [Jose] Alvarado, and [Orion] Kerkering has been a big disappointment. At this point of the season, picking up an excellent arm is more than difficult. Now that the Dodgers picked up Szubal, everyone else is playing for runner-up. The team has given us many enjoyable moments and applaud the brain trust for what they have done. With the looming work stoppage for next season, enjoy the remainder of 2026. — Nick S.

    None! No moves at all. Fact is my thinking is most teams will stand pat. No one is going to beat the Dodgers so why throw your assets away? On the other hand, any major trades that might take place will be 6-7 week rentals for free agents at the end of the season. I read yesterday that the Yankees might be willing to pay $400 million for the Detroit pitcher that the Dodgers just traded for. Did somebody say “CAP?” — Ronald R.

    Yes time is running out and Dombrowski, unlike the Dodgers, probably does not have the players to work with unless he used up front players such as [Aaron] Nola, [Bryson] Stott, Bohm, etc. The Phillies’ biggest needs are a right-handed slugger, although De La Cruz is proving to be interesting, and of course an excellent middle reliever. I am pessimistic, unfortunately. — Everett S.

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Conor Smith, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Gina Mizell, Lochlahn March, Scott Lauber, Jonathan Tannenwald, Vaughn Johnson, and the Inquirer social media team.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    That’s your quick sports hit. You have me two more times this week; I’ll be back in your inbox on Thursday and Friday. Catch you then, and enjoy today. — Kerith

  • Jaylen Brown wears Sixers jersey on Twitch stream, says he wants to ‘win more than anything’

    Jaylen Brown wears Sixers jersey on Twitch stream, says he wants to ‘win more than anything’

    Sixers fans didn’t have to wait until the season opener to see Jaylen Brown in a 76ers jersey. They just had to tune into his Twitch Stream with Harmoniq on Monday night.

    Brown donned the black classic jersey from the 2000-2001 season, which was brought back last year.

    While fans are hoping for Brown to be a good fit in Philly, his jersey wasn’t exactly a perfect fit. After struggling to get it on at first, Brown credited his time in the weight room for making the jersey fit a little snug.

    And this was just the start of a very Sixers-heavy stream.

    Brown spent a lot of time talking about his new team and one new teammate in particular.

    Labaron Philon Jr. ready for rookie season with ‘a lot at stake’ after Sixers added LeBron James, Jaylen Brown

    When discussing LeBron James signing with the Sixers and Brown’s opportunity to play with one of the all-time greats, Brown shared how excited he was to learn from the NBA’s leading points scorer.

    “What an opportunity that is,” Brown said. “I love learning, so to have the opportunity to learn from one of the, if not, the greatest player of all time, I get the opportunity to on the court, off the court, learn and gather experiences that can accumulate to my own knowledge base. But there’s also other guys you get the opportunity to learn from: [Joel] Embiid, [Tyrese] Maxey, [VJ] Edgecombe.”

    Having James as a teammate is one of the changes that Brown is adjusting to this summer. The 29-year-old spoke about what it was like to be traded by the Celtics.

    While Brown admitted he still doesn’t know where he’s going to live or know a lot about the Philadelphia area, he said he’s still grateful and excited for the opportunity.

    “It’s so many moving parts,” he said. “This summer has been such a big transition. Obviously, it’s a part of the business. I’m not complaining.”

    While he acknowledged that being traded is part of the business, Brown didn’t shy away from speaking out about how the trade made him feel about his former team.

    LeBron James could live in NYC as a Sixer. Philly’s wage tax has no exemption for a King.

    Brown said he thought he was valued for what he brought to Boston, but “found out quickly that may or may not be the case.” Fortunately for the Sixers, that has added fuel to his competitive fire.

    “I want to win more than anything,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to that journey, that approach, the leadership, the sacrifice, and whatever it’s going to take, but Philly, let’s get it.”

    He’s even gone as far as planning out a team celebration if the Sixers do manage to win it all this season.

    Edgecombe, James, Maxey, and Embiid have each been alerted about Brown’s plan to go skydiving if the Sixers win.

    Earlier this week, Brown shared a video on his Instagram of him skydiving in Egypt, but not all of his teammates share the desire to jump out of a plane, with James giving Brown a hard “no” on the idea.

    However, the Sixers still have a long way to go before anyone debates if skydiving is the best way to celebrate.

    The first step is getting Brown a jersey that fits.

  • Derek Hill’s go-ahead grand slam sparks Phillies’ comeback win over Nationals

    Derek Hill’s go-ahead grand slam sparks Phillies’ comeback win over Nationals

    Derek Hill burst out of the batter’s box, bat still in hand, toothpick in his mouth, eyes locked on his ball as it carried out towards left-center field.

    When he saw it clear the railing, the Phillies outfielder let the bat flip over his fingers. As he approached second, he couldn’t help but leap into the air with joy. His second career grand slam had turned a 3-0 Phillies deficit into a 4-3 lead over the Nationals with just a single swing.

    “Thank God for Derek Hill,” interim manager Don Mattingly quipped.

    An inning later, Bryce Harper followed it up with a two-run shot to dead center field, giving the Phillies plenty of insurance for a 6-3 win Monday night.

    Derek Hill entered Monday hitless since July 20.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    They had loaded the bases in the seventh without a hit. Bryan De La Cruz was hit by a pitch, and Bryson Stott and Edmundo Sosa drew back-to-back walks to set the table for Hill.

    The outfielder stepped into the box hitless since July 20. He had missed a few games with a nagging lower-body injury, but even after returning to the lineup, he had struggled at the plate. He’d already had one opportunity with two runners on in the fifth, but had grounded into an inning-ending double play instead.

    He wasn’t about to let it happen again. Nationals reliever Tom Cosgrove throws his sweeper over 75% of the time, and Hill was waiting for it. He watched a first-pitch sinker go by before teeing off on the sweeper, sending it 393 feet.

    “I think D’s just prepared,” Mattingly said. “He’s a guy that I think knows his role. He’s ready for it. Kind of prepared for all the moments out there. He’s been through a lot in his career, so I think he’s a guy that understands his role and his value, and he’s just ready for it. He’s prepared all the time.”

    Low on prospect capital, loaded with needs, the Phillies’ best asset at the deadline turned out to be … Bryce Harper

    And after returning to the top step for a curtain call, Hill wasn’t done.

    In the top of the eighth, with Orion Kerkering on the mound protecting a one-run lead, Hill made a spectacular diving catch in center to rob José Tena of extra bases.

    It’s not the first time Hill has had a big moment — or two — since the Phillies acquired him from the White Sox in June. He has made several highlight-reel catches, and blasted a pinch-hit, ninth-inning go-ahead homer also against the Nationals in June.

    Hill credited his preparation and the coaching staff for allowing him to come through in these situations.

    “I’m just happy to be out there playing. I mean, there’s no place I’d rather be,” Hill said. “If I could snap my fingers and be one place, it’d be on a big league field. I just go out there and have a bunch of joy, because it’s a blessing. People sometimes take it for granted, but you won’t see that from me.”

    The Phillies did not acquire another right-handed bat at the trade deadline, and will rely on Hill and De La Cruz as their two righty outfielders going forward. They will be a part of platoons in center and left field, while Harper will become the team’s everyday right fielder to open a spot on the infield for second baseman Luis Arraez.

    “The alignment, I think, is going to look fairly consistent. At least the way it feels right now,” Mattingly said.

    Hill’s big swing in the seventh seemed to awaken a Phillies offense that had slumbered for most of the game. They had failed to generate much offense while the Nationals built an early lead against starter Aaron Nola.

    Phillies’ addition of Luis Arraez means an infield shuffle: ‘What are we going to say, no, we’re not moving?’

    In the first inning, Nationals first baseman Abimelec Ortiz, recalled to replace Luis García Jr. after he was dealt to the Yankees, hammered a curveball for his first major league home run. Daylen Lile added a two-run homer in the second inning.

    “The early runs, not what we were looking for, but after that, he really was able to bear down and just kind of keep getting out of innings, keep working through, kind of got us where we needed to go,” Mattingly said.

    After the two early homers, Nola was able to keep the ball in the yard until he was lifted for Kyle Backhus in the seventh. He allowed six total hits, struck out five, and walked two.

    “Threw up zeros, kept the guys in the game as long as I could, and then D-Hill with a huge hit,” Nola said.

    The Phillies’ new reinforcements — Arraez, right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian, and left-handed reliever Brooks Raley — will report to the club on Tuesday. When they arrive, the Phillies will have a new defensive alignment, with Harper moving to the outfield, Alec Bohm moving to first, and Stott moving to third to open up second for Arraez.

    Aaron Nola holds a new baseball after the Nationals’ Daylen Lile hit a two-run home run on Monday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    In their final game with this alignment and lineup, the offense was limp at first. They mustered three hits against Nationals starter Andrew Alvarez, and harmed their own cause by grounding into two double plays.

    In the seventh, the Nationals threatened to add on after Backhus committed a throwing error fielding a bunt from Nasim Nuñez. The speedy second baseman wound up on third as De La Cruz fumbled the ball in right, but the Phillies managed to prevent him from scoring. Nuñez was caught in a run down on a ball hit back to Backhus, and he was tagged out by Bohm.

    Nationals manager Blake Butera was ejected for arguing the call.

    Bryce Harper’s desire to win was the Phillies’ biggest asset in filling one of their top needs at the deadline

    Backhus then managed to wriggle out of a jam by striking out Andrés Chaparro to strand two runners in scoring position.

    Still, the Phillies offense seemed lethargic. That is, until patience from Stott and Sosa set up Hill’s big swing, which brought life back into the stadium.

    “It’s incredible to be able to come through for the team and contribute,” Hill said. “I feel like the first two ABs, I was just barely off a little bit, and to be able to go out there and execute the plan that the hitting staff put together for us, was was pretty incredible.”

    In the ninth inning, Jhoan Duran’s 25th save of the season was sealed by an automated ball-strike challenge, which overturned a ball call into a game-ending strikeout of Jacob Young.