Slot's Liverpool Still Below Elite Standard — and more

Despite a 5-2 win over West Ham, underlying metrics show Liverpool's performance wasn't dominant (xG 1.75-1.84). Teams have successfully countered Slot's continental style with low blocks and transitional traps, forcing the manager to adopt a more pragmatic approach focused on corners and set-pieces.

The irony is stark: after a £450m summer rebuild supposedly designed to elevate creativity, Liverpool's most reliable weapon has become the dead ball. While effective and necessary this season, this represents an admission that the initial blueprint was misjudged, with defensive vulnerabilities in transition still a concern.

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — A $6 million, multi-year partnership, was recently announced by SPIRE Academy and Vensure Employer Solutions, said SPIRE Academy Chief Executive Officer Steve Sanders.

“The partnership connects youth athlete development with workforce innovations, a growing trend as brands look to engage families in trusted high-attention environments,” a press release from SPIRE states.

The sponsorship represents one of the largest youth sport financial partnerships ever created, according to the release. During a phone interview, Sanders said the sponsorship will include direct naming rights to different aspects of the SPIRE portfolio.

“SPIRE is developing the next generation of leaders, and their impact in youth sports and education is growing fast,” said Phil Urso, chief sales officer at Venture HR. He went on to say the SPIRE commitment to the full person connects with Venture HR’s work to create stronger teams and develop talent, he said.

“Youth sports sponsorship is no longer a niche market,” said Amy Liles, head of partnerships and tournaments at SPIRE. “It’s one of of the most effective ways to meet families in an authentic, trusted environment.”

“What makes this partnership special is the alignment between our missions. Vensure HR and other partners like Third Federal Savings and Loan, Waffle House and Chick Fil-A are not just putting their names on our facilities, they are investing in what matters: future talent, performance development, and community impact,” Liles said.

The agreement includes brand visibility across high-profile SPIRE moments, the release states, with examples being national basketball events at the academy and naming rights to the Venture HR SPIRE Performance Research Center.

Vensure HR is the largest privately held organization in the HR technology and service sector, dealing with a wide variety of solutions for companies and organizations.

SPIRE Academy is a growing sports organization that continues to expand in influence. Kevin Boyle, a national championship coach, runs the academy’s basketball program after he was hired last summer from Monteverde Academy.

The academy sponsors a wide range of sports, with more on the horizon, Sanders said.

The Detroit Lions are not going to place a restricted free-agent tender on defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat, per a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

As a result, Wheat will hit the open market and become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins.

“The Lions are not placing a restricted tender on DL Tyrus Wheat, per source. He will be a free agent,” Fowler reported.

The move was widely expected, as the minimum restricted tender would have cost Detroit nearly $3.5 million, a steep price given Wheat’s role and production.

Why the Decision Makes Sense

Wheat appeared in 15 games during the 2025 season, recording:

• 1.5 sacks
• 7 solo tackles
• 1 forced fumble

While he provided rotational depth along the defensive line, Detroit appears comfortable moving on as it reshapes the front seven under its evolving defensive vision. With limited cap flexibility and a need to prioritize impact players, the Lions opted against committing guaranteed money at that level.

What’s Next for Detroit

The Lions are expected to continue exploring cheaper depth options, potential re-signings at a lower cost, and additions through the 2026 NFL Draft to bolster their defensive line rotation.

For Wheat, the decision opens the door to a fresh opportunity elsewhere as free agency approaches.

The post Detroit Lions Make Decision on DL Tyrus Wheat appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.

Conneaut coach Keith Sherman said his team wrestled about the way he expected during the Division II district tournament Saturday at Kenston High School.

Six Spartans placed at the tournament, three of which earned a spot in this weekend’s Division III District Tournament, also at Kenston.

Wyatt Distel led the way by taking the 190-pound championship.

Wyant Dobran finished second at 150 and Ben Griswold took third at 285.

The Spartans also received sixth-place finishes from Trea Butler (106), Jacob Wells (120) and Hunter Bilbrey (132).

“I think we got the guys through that we expected to get through,” Sherman said. “We would have liked to have maybe gotten one more, but things didn’t go our way. Other than that, though, I thought we wrestled well.”

Distel won the title by recording two pins, then won a 4-1 decision over Kent Roosevelt’s Nick Kurtz.

In the championship bout, Distel escaped from Madison’s Josh White with 51 seconds remaining in the third period, and was able to stay neutral for a 4-3 win.

“Wyatt has been wrestling with a lot more confidence,” Sherman said. “He’s getting better all the time, and he continues to wrestle well.”

Dobran advanced to the championship mat by pinning Medina Buckeye’s Carter Hershkowitz. He then ran into 2025 state placer Chance Schlauch from Perry, and was pinned.

Against Hershkowitz, Dobran trailed in the match, which Sherman said is not unusual. But it’s also not unusual for him to come back to win.

“That’s just how he wrestles,” the coach said. “He always seems to be behind early. He works his way back into the match and he gets a lot of pins.”

Griswold was denied a trip to the championship mat by Madison’s Cam Mullen, who pulled out a 1-0 win, getting an escape in the second period, for the only point in the bout.

It was the second time Griswold lost to Mullin this season. A slip on the mat at the Chagrin Valley Conference Tournament cost him there.

“That’s a match that could have gone either way,” Sherman said. “He couldn’t get off the bottom, but we have confidence that match could have gone the other way.”

It will be the second time wrestling in a district tournament for Distel and Griswold, except last year, Conneaut was at Independence in Division III .

Dobran advanced, but only as an alternate.

Sherman did not take a wrester to Columbus last year, but had done so the two previous years.

He said his wrestlers will travel across the state line in preparation for what will be the biggest tournament of their wrestling careers.

The Pennsylvania State tournament is this weekend, and Sherman will have his wrestlers at Erie Cathedral Prep, working with wrestlers preparing for the Keystone State’s highest honors.

“We get a good work out with some good Pennsylvania wrestlers,” Sherman said. “Wrestling those kids, that they know are good, that really helps their confidence.”

Also at the Kenston sectional, Madison qualified five wrestlers, including a pair of sectional champions.

Chase White (215), and Jordan McCullough (113) both breezed through their brackets, getting first-period pins in every match.

Mullen recorded a pair of pins before falling to Perry’s Trent Taylor in the 285 championship match, to post second.

Josh White won back-to-back close matches before falling in another close to Distel to place second.

Vicente Navarro placed third at 150.

Dom Gephart was fifth at 144 for Madison.

Like Sherman, Madison coach Andrew Tomaso said his wrestlers did pretty much what he expected of them.

Tomaso said seeing Josh White go out and take second exceeded his expectations a bit.

“That was a nice surprise,” Tomaso said. “I thought he had a chance to go; I just didn’t expect him to be a runner-up and lose a close match at that.

Edgewood, which also copeted at Kenston, received a fourth-place finish from Carter Cline at 106.

Sex mål mellan Detroit och Nashville. Tre av de gjordes av svenskar – inklusive avgörandet. Doldisen Albert Johanssons 3–2-mål blev tungan på vågen när Detroit tog hem matchen med 4–2.