CLOSE SportsPulse: Steven Ruiz breaks down how Trey Lance fits with the San Francisco 49ers and details his ceiling and floor as a prospect. USA TODAYAfter all of the speculation and adamant proclamations by analysts that the San Francisco 49ers would use the third overall pick of the NFL draft on Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, draft day finally arrived, and with it came the selection that stunned many around the league but felt just right for Niners brass.San Francisco, one of the NFL's most storied franchises, snatched up one of the draft's great mysteries in North Dakota State's Trey Lance and crowned him as the quarterback of the future.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2021/04/29/trey-lance-san-francisco-niners-nfl-draft-kyle-shanahan-smokescreen/7407392002/

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The alternate “Monday Night Football’’ telecast on ESPN2 gave Manning brothers an optimal platform to show they’re not your typical retired NFL QBs.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/01/18/manningcast-peyton-eli-manning-winners-losers/6560825001/?gnt-cfr=1

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ALCS preview: Red Sox vs. AstrosSportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the AL Championship Series matchup between the Red Sox and Astros.HOUSTON — The withering attacks from their peers did not stop them. The trash cans tossed on the field, the long, lusty boos, the chants of 'Cheater!' from fans coast to coast did not stop them. Perception is that the 2017 Houston Astros were and always will be cheaters, and perhaps, from a purely character standpoint, a case could be made.But it's now 2021, with safeguards apparently in place to guard against schemes such as the '17 Astros' electronic sign-stealing, yet one thing hasn't changed: The historic dominance of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in October.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2021/10/15/astros-red-sox-alcs-game-1-carlos-correa-jose-altuve/8477638002/

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Here is a week-by-week look at the 2021 NFL schedule for the New England Patriots:Sept. 12 - Miami Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) Sept. 19 - at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Sept. 26 - New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET (FOX) Oct. 3 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) Oct. 10 - at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Oct. 17 - Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) Oct. 24 - New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Oct. 31 - at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS) Nov. 7 - at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Nov.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/patriots/2021/05/12/nfl-schedule-2021-new-england-patriots-game-dates-times-tv-info/5030004001/

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Indianapolis Colts safety Khari Willis suffered a calf injury against the Tennessee Titans and was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game. During the second quarter, Willis left the game with a calf injury and was listed as questionable to return. Halfway through the third quarter, the Colts ruled Willis out. With Willis out, the Colts will have to turn to George Odum and Josh Jones, who was elevated from the practice squad. With Julian Blackmon out for the season with an Achilles injury, the safety room is thin for the Colts.

https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2021/10/31/colts-khari-willis-calf-injury-titans-nfl-week-8/

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CLOSE NASA's flight engineer Shane Kimbrough and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will conduct two spacewalks this week to install two new solar arrays on the International Space Station. (June 14) AP DomesticNASA is sending a mannequin around the moon and you can help name it. Slated to launch this November, a mannequin will be on board an uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft, NASA said in a press release.Its mission? Collect data to help astronauts on future trips.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/06/18/vote-on-name-nasa-mannequin-space/7745111002/

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The 2020-21 men's basketball season was one of the most tumultuous in recent memory due in large part to the coronavirus pandemic, which ravaged many teams and even forced some programs to skip the campaign. Despite the setbacks, Division I NCAA basketball successfully pressed on all the way through March Madness to its grand finale in Indianapolis. COVID-19 took its toll on every conference in one way or another, though the playing field was anything but even between the various leagues. Nonetheless, some saw greater success than others, and CBS Sports' David Cobb took it upon himself to construct a power ranking of the top conferences in the nation now that the dust has all settled.

https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/09/college-baskletball-conference-power-rankings-sec-cbs-sports/

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The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder to the fold as they took on the Indiana Pacers, a team who would be without key players in Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon among others. Despite a short-handed roster, the Pacers gave the Lakers everything they had, as Caris LeVert and JaKarr Sampson, an unlikely hero, pushed Los Angeles to the final seconds of the contest. The Lakers extracted a 122-115 win with James scoring seven of his 24 points in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter, while adding eight assists and seven rebounds to his stat sheet.

https://lebronwire.usatoday.com/gallery/lakers-photos-the-best-photos-from-saturdays-win-against-indiana/

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If you are just getting around to the news cycle today, we're here to tell you that the Ohio State basketball team landed its first commitment for the 2023 class. Combo-guard, George Washington III out of the Christian Academy in Louisville, Kentucky announced his decision Wednesday morning on his Twitter account. At A 6-foot-2, 165-pounds, Washington III is ranked as the No. 9 combo guard and 50th overall prospect in the 2023 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. With the commitment, head coach Chris Holtmann continues his ability to land some of the top guards coming out of each class.

https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/2021/11/03/ohio-state-basketball-recruiting-george-washington-iii-commits-2023-class/

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Sports Seriously: Deep dive on Gruden scandal, Ray Allen and NBA season PreviewIn this episode we talk latest on Gruden and we go one-on-one with NBA legend Ray Allen to preview the upcoming season.Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss the next week due to an abdominal strain, according to reports.The Lakers want to be "caution with James' injury early this season," Shams Charania of the Athletic and Stadium reported Thursday.Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least one week with abdominal strain, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2021/11/04/lakers-lebron-james-expected-miss-week-abdominal-strain/6287651001/

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On Sunday, Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Allen will be trying to bring down a quarterback who shares his name — albeit, in a more recognizable manner. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is in the midst of a fantastic follow-up to his breakout season last year, and he's a real MVP candidate once again. But he'll be facing against the other Allen, who brought down Seattle quarterback Geno Smith twice last week in what was his best game of the year. 'I know we're about to play against another freaking Josh [Allen].

https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/2021/11/05/josh-allen-reflects-on-his-growth-in-year-3/

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