When former NFL wide receiver Laveranues Coles was arrested for theft, he heard the clang of a jail cell door behind him. Now, he's on the other side of the law.

How good are Michigan and Purdue? According to KenPom ratings, they are the best two teams through four weeks of the last 15 years. Blurbs in this week’s Top 25 on Michigan, UConn, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Michigan State, Kansas, Vanderbilt, Iowa and St. John’s: www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Wrote about football. And people. And the wonderfully weird world of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Happy Thanksgiving. www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Special Teams Series Sunday @theathletic.com: 🏈 My story on long snappers, and their football nirvana: www.nytimes.com/athletic/6802946 🏈 @mikedugar.bsky.social on Marquette King: www.nytimes.com/athletic/6810455 🏈 @danrobson.bsky.social on a kicking revolution: www.nytimes.com/athletic/6814741

Marquette King boomed punts downfield, then celebrated with moves tailored to his opposition, carving out a distinct persona at a position known for anonymity. That persona may also be the reason he has spent the last several years out of the NFL: www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

"I tell people, my life's not real." To be an NFL long snapper is to have your worth measured by a half-dozen plays every week. It's also a shot at football nirvana. A story for @theathletic.com on the sport's last happy men, and what they're chasing. www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

From @theathletic.com: Behold the long snapper, the last happy man in football. At a position more or less immune to the bloodthirst of the sport — to the idea of earning a living by inflicting pain — a snapping career can be a rapture. nyti.ms/3LPTjRR

It's Long Snapper Story Day! Or I wrote stuff about them for @theathletic.com, anyway. 🏈 On the NFL's last happy men, and the football nirvana they're chasing: www.nytimes.com/athletic/6802946 🏈 On Jon Dorenbos, who turned tragedy and football into magic: www.nytimes.com/athletic/6780425

To be an NFL long snapper is to have your worth measured by maybe a half-dozen plays every week. Behold, the last happy man in football. 🔗: http://dlvr.it/TPMqwH

"I'm about to kick some ass!" Jon Dorenbos tells an arena full of people at a Tony Robbins event. While reporting on long snappers, I went on a ride - in every way - with the most famous one in the world. Life is magic, indeed. @theathletic.com story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

"I tell people, my life's not real." To be an NFL long snapper is to have your worth measured by a half-dozen plays every week. It's also a shot at football nirvana. A story for @theathletic.com on the sport's last happy men, and what they're chasing. www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

There’s a kicking revolution afoot in the NFL, a league that has seen 46 field goals of 60 yards or longer in its 105-year history, more than half coming since 2020.

I went on a journey — to Las Vegas, San Diego, Dallas, and Buffalo — to learn about the NFL’s long-distance kicking revolution. From a camp of pro hopefuls to Brandon Aubrey, Cameron Dicker, Cam Little and more. Here’s my story on the art of kicking. www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

The third College Football Playoff rankings of the season are out. ◻️ Oklahoma moves into top 10 ◻️ Alabama’s slide should raise flags for Oregon ◻️ Winning out might not be enough for Vandy Read more: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Six days after he was fired, James Franklin went on ESPN’s “College GameDay” and made it clear he wanted to coach again. Now he's the first major hiring of the coaching carousel. Details: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Alabama dropped to No. 10 while No. 22 North Texas moved into the rankings for the second time in school history and first since 1959. The latest AP Poll Top 25 ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

what in the blue hell is going on in College Station

The costs of college football games have swelled out of control. What was once an affordable autumn excursion for a family of four has become a series of $1,000 (or more) weekends. 🔗: http://dlvr.it/TPHMJh

We started in Week 1 with a simple question: Is college football pricing out the middle class? Our answer involves 9-figure stadium renovations, rev-sharing and a lot of people like Ann, an 83 YO retired grade school teacher who's been going to games since 1960. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

AJ Dybantsa is projected to be one of the top three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, largely because of his physical skills. But as his BYU coaches have come to learn, he also possesses an intellectual curiosity that sets him apart.

What makes BYU star AJ Dybantsa special? His size, athleticism and skill obviously. But his separator might be a curiosity that reminds one of his coaches of a young Shane Battier: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

It’s not far-fetched to think Matt LaFleur is fighting for his job as the Packers head coach for the rest of this season. Monday night’s loss to the Eagles at Lambeau Field might’ve been rock bottom. 🔗: http://dlvr.it/TPCWcw

Brian Kelly has filed a lawsuit against LSU, asking a Louisiana court to confirm the school fired him without cause and that he is owed the full remaining value of his contract. His full buyout is about $53 million. 🔗: http://dlvr.it/TPC4sd

In this week’s Top 25, I hit on the offenses of Arizona, Alabama, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan State: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Brian Daboll was finally burned by playing with fire with Jaxson Dart’s health. The quarterback left Sunday’s game with a concussion between the third and fourth quarters after Daboll said he alerted trainers that Dart, “just didn’t seem right.”

Thousands of sorority women from the 18 houses that power Alabama’s Greek life take part in a tradition born of football religion that’s become its own cultural rite, platform and ecosystem. More on the phenomenon ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

In Mike Trout’s prime, the three-time MVP was a baseball god. Now, the 34-year-old is coming off the worst offensive full season of his career. So how did the best player in his generation just… fade away?

Mike Trout is a generational MLB talent, a player who should have been plastered on Times Square billboards and cereal boxes. But he's faded from the sport’s consciousness. How?

College basketball’s most famous broadcaster almost lost his voice — and his life. Now, he’s back in a headset. “I told my oncologist that is the best medicine I could receive. It really is. I love the game. I love the people.” ✍️ @brendanmarks.bsky.social

Love that college hoops is here but opening day/week could be way better. My ideas to improve scheduling to draw more attention to the sport: www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Right now, a Giants celebration seems a thousand light-years away. And for good reason. The Giants are a lousy football team. But Jaxson Dart is going to be a star, maybe a big star, at the only position in the NFL that really counts. www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

◻️ Out-of-nowhere Virginia leads the ACC ◻️ Georgia is either extremely fortunate or extremely tough ◻️ The 9-0 Hoosiers are just merciless @slmandel.bsky.social college football Week 10 takeaways:

Could Jimbo Fisher make his return to the sidelines? It wouldn't be an Auburn coaching search without a wild card or two… @brucefeldmancfb.bsky.social candidates to watch for the Auburn coaching vacancy: www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Throwing this story on Jeremiyah Love back out there, because I feel like his greatest achievement is knowing exactly how much to care about people's feelings www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

ah, yes, jeremiyah love being good at the football and so forth

Shohei Ohtani has spent career establishing new standards. Now he faces his biggest challenge yet. Pitching Game 7 of the World Series while also serving as leadoff hitter and DH: http://dlvr.it/TP18GM

If I learned nothing else about SMU today, it's that Rhett Lashlee's long-sleeve dri-fit shirt was 🔥

The Athletic spoke with 10 people who have been part of LSU football in recent years and/or have worked for Brian Kelly. They described a coach who delegated too much authority, didn’t prioritize recruiting and failed to bond with his players: www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

From @theathletic.com: A few years ago, Matt Berninger, the singer-songwriter and frontman of The National, was stuck with writer’s block. “I started getting depressed by notebooks.” So he wrote on a baseball instead. Then the words kept coming. nyti.ms/3WtMo2Q

So BQ spent five and a half hours in Matt Berninger's garage, talking writing and music and baseball and life That's cool [screams into pillow for the rest of the day]

Bucky McMillan has lived his entire basketball life with people saying, “No way you’ll be able to do that,” and him firing back, “Watch me.” The next test for the new Texas A&M coach is showing his style can work in the SEC: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

Some preseason college hoops rankings over here @theathletic.com: Men's: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675... Women's: www.nytimes.com/athletic/674...

More on the 24 hours that escalated Brian Kelly's end at LSU. www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

Potential candidates for LSU football's coaching vacancy, according to @brucefeldmancfb.bsky.social: ◽️ Kenny Dillingham - Arizona State
◽️ Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss ◽️ Eli Drinkwitz - Mizzou
◽️ Clark Lea - Vanderbilt ◽️ Jon Sumrall - Tulane

As another once-promising season falls apart in Baton Rouge, a conversation that had only begun to percolate is now steaming hot. Is Brian Kelly’s time at LSU almost out? @chrisvannini.com explains: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

The NBA gambling indictment involving Chauncey Billups is in such stark contrast to the man that writer Jason Quick had been around the past four-plus years. 🔗: http://dlvr.it/TNtWlK

On Thursday, federal prosecutors arrested more than 30 people as part of a multiyear investigation into illegal betting activities. “This is the insider trading saga for the NBA,” said FBI director Kash Patel. Three takeaways from the indictments ⤵️

Our staff ranked the best of the best college football stadiums. Thoughts? 👀 Reasoning: http://dlvr.it/TNqKt0

Whoever wrote the 'Snack Homiez' skit on SNL deserves all the awards. Or whatever awards are given out by people who listen to adolescent boys talk every day. "Some vegetables are fire, and some vegetables low-key be a fruit" belongs in all the annals.