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31 August 2025, Nashville Superspeedway Pato O'Ward fulfilled the first part of his weekend goal. The Mexican driver from Arrow McLaren team secured pole position for Sunday's Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix with a two-lap average of 202.621 mph. For O'Ward, this is his second pole position of the season but first on an oval in his career. Drama-filled qualifying David Malukas from A.J. Foyt Enterprises found himself on the verge of his first career pole position for the second consecutive time with a speed of 201.922 mph. Just like last week in Milwaukee, he was knocked from provisional first place during the final qualifying attempts. Christian Lundgaard from Arrow McLaren secured third place with an average of 201.713 mph. Four-time champion Alex Palou, who has already clinched the title, took fourth place, while six-time champion Scott Dixon qualified fifth. O'Ward seeks first pole position victory For the Mexican driver, this weekend presents a speci...

31 August 2025 No NFL team is universally perfect. Some teams excel at one position more than another, reflecting how organizations allocate resources within salary cap and roster spot constraints. Evaluation methodology Unit rankings were compiled based on teams' expected depth charts and 2024 player ELO ratings. The analysis covers six categories: pass catching, pass defending, pass rushing, pass protecting, run blocking, and run stopping. Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead in pass catching (ELO: 0.93) The Buccaneers don't have the top player at any single position, but their overall collection surpasses the San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay features a trio of quality receivers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and rookie Emeka Egbuka, two solid running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, plus good tight end Cade Otton. Only three teams have at least five starting-caliber players with a minimum 92% catch rate. The Bucs and Eagles are the only ones with at least three players having th...

30 August 2025, Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi prepares for an unforgettable Africa Cup of Nations final, where tournament surprise Madagascar faces two-time champions Morocco. The Barea are just one step away from their first title in history, while the Atlas Lions aim for a third trophy. Dramatic path to the final Both teams endured grueling tests in the knockout phase. Madagascar defeated Sudan 1-0 only in the 116th minute of the semifinal extra time, while their quarterfinal against Kenya was decided on penalties 4-3 after a 1-1 draw. Morocco went through an equally dramatic journey - their semifinal against Senegal was decided on penalties 5-3 after a 1-1 draw in extra time. In the quarterfinals, they narrowly beat Tanzania 1-0. The Atlas Lions have won 16 of their last 17 matches and scored the most goals in the tournament (8). Contrast of styles and stories Madagascar plays their first major tournament final in national team history. The Barea improved as the tournament progresse...

  31 August 2025, Stamford Bridge The west London derby between Chelsea and Fulham represents a rivalry based more on geography than balanced results. The Opta supercomputer gives the home side a 59.4% chance of victory in Saturday's encounter. Chelsea's historical dominance The Premier League record speaks clearly - 22 wins for Chelsea against three for Fulham. Of teams that have played the Cottagers more than six times, only Manchester United (2.30) and Arsenal (2.22) have a better points-per-match average than Chelsea (2.14). However, Fulham can draw confidence from last season's rare 2-1 triumph at Stamford Bridge, which ended a 21-game winless streak against Chelsea in all competitions. They have never won consecutive matches at Stamford Bridge, though. Current team form Chelsea started the season similarly to last year - failing to score in a home match (1-1 with Crystal Palace) but then netting five goals away (5-0 West Ham). João Pedro shines with four goals ...

31 August 2025, Elland Road Newcastle United arrive in Leeds as favorites according to the Opta supercomputer with a 44.7% chance of victory. Both teams face significant personnel problems ahead of Saturday's encounter. Newcastle seeking stability Eddie Howe's team started the season with a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa and a dramatic 3-2 defeat at Liverpool. The Magpies have lost three of their last four league matches, which is more than in the previous 11 fixtures combined. The positive is a series of eight consecutive wins against promoted teams, scoring at least three goals in seven of them. Harvey Barnes will want to continue his impressive record against Leeds - he has scored five goals in six league matches against this opponent. Leeds after a difficult week Daniel Farke's team began with a 1-0 win over Everton but followed with a 0-5 thrashing by Arsenal and penalty elimination by Sheffield Wednesday's reserves in the League Cup. Nevertheless, Leeds rema...

30 August 2025, Old Trafford After the shocking defeat to Grimsby Town in the League Cup, Ruben Amorim will desperately seek his first win of the season when Manchester United host Burnley at Old Trafford. The Opta supercomputer gives the home side a 67.9% chance of victory. Manchester United's crisis The Portuguese manager has endured one of the worst results of his career - elimination by fourth-tier Grimsby Town on penalties after a 2-2 draw. This debacle means Amorim has won only 35.6% of his 45 competitive matches in charge of United - the lowest success rate of any manager since Alex Ferguson's departure. In the Premier League, United lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the opening round and drew 1-1 with Fulham, with Bruno Fernandes missing a penalty. Since the start of April, United have earned the fewest points of all ever-present top-flight teams - just six points (1 win, 3 draws, 7 losses). Home troubles Particularly concerning is United's form at Old Trafford, where t...

28-31 August 2025, TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts The LPGA Tour enters the second edition of the FM Championship with one of the highest prize funds of the season. The tournament with $4.1 million prize money has attracted an elite field to the iconic TPC Boston course. Star-studded field Norton welcomes 36 of the top 40 players from the Rolex world rankings, including all five major champions from 2025. A total of 70 LPGA Tour winners and 20 of a record 22 different winners this season create one of the strongest fields of the year. World number one Jeeno Thitikul from Thailand will lead the favorites alongside world number two Nelly Korda, who is seeking her first victory of the season. Defending champion Haeran Ryu from South Korea returns to the site of last year's dramatic playoff triumph over Jin Young Ko. Home hopes Three golfers from Massachusetts compete on home soil. Megan Khang from Rockland serves as tournament ambassador and has been preparing for weeks for ...

  Can a team be the best in franchise history even without winning the Super Bowl? In the NFL, the answer is yes. Unlike MLB or the NBA, there are no seven-game series, so even elite teams can fall in single-elimination situations. TRACR Methodology Historical TRACR (Team Rating Adjusted for Competition and Roster) normalizes performance across eras and enables comparison of teams from different periods. It measures how many points per 10 drives teams are better or worse than the league average in a given season, including playoffs. Top 5 Best Teams Since 1991 1. New England Patriots 2007 (20.6 TRACR) The highest TRACR since 1991 belongs to the Patriots with Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The historic undefeated 16-0 regular season ended with a surprising 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. 2. Green Bay Packers 1996 (16.5 TRACR) During Brett Favre's peak, the Packers won their final eight games by an average of 21.2 points. Favre won his second MVP ...

  The ability to score consistently ranks among the most valuable attributes of any football team. Throughout Premier League history, several clubs have managed to create impressive runs of consecutive matches with at least one goal scored. Arsenal 2001-2002: Untouchable record of 55 games The record for the longest streak of consecutive Premier League matches with a goal belongs to Arsenal by a considerable margin. While the Invincibles of 2003-04 are more celebrated, Arsène Wenger's 2001-02 title winners achieved something that remains unmatched - they scored in every single one of their 38 league matches. The streak began after disappointment from a goalless draw against Newcastle. Ashley Cole started the scoring run with a goal in a 3-2 defeat at Southampton. After winning the title with 100% scoring success in 2001-02, the streak finally ended on 7 December 2002 with a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, where Thierry Henry came close to extending the run. Tottenham 2023-2024: M...

24 August 2025, Milwaukee Mile, Wisconsin Alex Palou once again confirmed his mastery across all types of tracks. The fresh four-time IndyCar Series champion secured pole position for the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 as the last driver in qualifying on the world's oldest active race track. Dramatic qualifying to the last moment The Spaniard started as 27th and last in qualifying, but his two-lap average of 162.971 mph on the 1.015-mile oval was enough for pole position. "I knew I had a good car. I just wanted to get everything out of it," he commented on his sixth pole position of the 2025 season. David Malukas finished a close second with an average of 162.256 mph in his Clarience Technologies Chevrolet, matching his best qualifying position in his career. Pato O'Ward completes the front three with 162.078 mph. Contrasting strategies Qualifying showed different approaches to tire warming. While Malukas warmed tires at 159.264 mph, Palou saved his Firestone Fireh...

24 August - 7 September 2025, New York The last tennis Grand Slam of the season arrives with historic records. The 145th edition of the US Open starts on Sunday, August 24, at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with a record prize fund of $90 million, representing a 20 percent year-over-year increase. Record prize money Financial rewards have reached new heights. Singles winners will receive $5 million (39% increase), with finalists earning $2.5 million. Even first-round losses are better compensated - $110,000 represents a ten percent increase. The main singles competition budget amounts to $31.62 million, confirming the US Open as one of the world's most lucrative tournaments. Format innovations For the first time in history, the tournament lasts 15 days with a Sunday start. The first women's final will take place on Saturday, September 6, with the men's final traditionally on Sunday. Mixed doubles was moved to qualifying week and reduced to 16 pairs. Sta...

24-30 August 2025, Wuhan, China The snooker world returns to Wuhan for the third edition of the prestigious ranking tournament. Wuhan Open 2025 with a record prize fund of £700,000 and winner's prize of £140,000 represents the third ranking event of the 2025-26 season. Home defender Home hero Xiao Guodong defends his first ranking title after last year's triumph over Si Jiahui 10-7. The Chinese thus celebrated an all-national final for the second consecutive year, confirming the growing strength of local snooker. "It is fantastic to host a tournament in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province and a vibrant city of 11 million people. There is a vast appetite for snooker among fans in China," comments Steve Dawson, WST Chairman. Significant absences However, the tournament will miss several stars. Ronnie O'Sullivan, world number four, withdrew for medical reasons. Neil Robertson pulled out after winning his qualifying match, while 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel...

  22 August - 27 September 2025, England The biggest women's rugby celebration in history is upon us. The jubilee 10th World Cup takes place in England with a record sixteen teams and for the first time with the official name "Women's Rugby World Cup". The final will be held at sold-out Twickenham with a capacity of 82,000 spectators. Revolutionary tournament scale Records are falling even before the first kick-off. The tournament's total capacity reaches 470,000 seats compared to 180,000 in New Zealand 2022. Already 375,000 tickets have been sold - three times more than the previous championship. Eight stadiums across England host matches, with Stadium of Light in Sunderland serving as the venue for the opening ceremony and opening match. Twickenham as the home of rugby hosts the final and third-place match, while Bristol welcomes both semifinals. Historic sixteen-team participation For the first time in history, sixteen national teams start. Automatic qua...

  22-31 August 2025, Managua, Nicaragua The most prestigious basketball tournament of the American continent returns with a historic premiere. FIBA AmeriCup 2025 is held for the first time in history in Nicaragua, specifically in the capital Managua, bringing the jubilee 20th edition of the continental championship. Return to traditional cycle After the pandemic postponement of the previous tournament, AmeriCup returns to the traditional four-year cycle. The tournament, which was held every two years from 1993-2017, now follows FIBA's new global competition system. Argentina as defending champions will lead the favorites after an exciting final against Brazil in the last edition. Stalwarts also include the USA with a dominant 7 gold medals, Brazil with 4 titles, and Puerto Rico with 3 titles. Fascinating participant field Twelve qualified teams bring interesting storylines. Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Puerto Rico maintained perfect participation records in all tournament e...