Minnesota Teams

No Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, Wild, Lynx, United, or Gophers news surfaced in today's top stories. Check back tomorrow — March Madness and NFL free agency are eating up most of the oxygen this week.

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NFL

The big free agency shuffle is underway. Kyler Murray (quarterback) signed with a new team, and wide receiver Mike Evans landed with the San Francisco 49ers — considered a perfect fit for both sides. Justin Fields was also traded from the Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs, giving the reigning Super Bowl contenders a new backup option.

Darius Slay hung up his cleats. The veteran cornerback — basically a defensive back whose job is to cover wide receivers — announced his retirement after 13 seasons and six Pro Bowl selections. He won a Super Bowl this past February.

Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins are still unsigned quarterbacks. Both veterans are still on the market as teams figure out their rosters heading into next season.

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NBA

Lakers beat the Nuggets... but with an asterisk. Los Angeles came back late to win, but the NBA confirmed afterward that Austin Reaves was incorrectly sent to the free-throw line with 9.2 seconds left in regulation — the defender actually made a clean play. The call stood, and the Lakers won.

Playoff picture heating up. With less than a month until the playoffs start, the Lakers and Houston Rockets are jostling for position in the Western Conference standings. Every game counts right now.

The NBA is getting closer to expanding. The league appears on track to add teams in Seattle and Las Vegas, possibly by 2028. That would mean 32 teams total, up from 30.

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MLB

Spring training vibes — baseball is almost back. Opening Day isn't far off, and writers are already debating big questions: Can Shohei Ohtani top his record-setting numbers? Could Juan Soto hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season? Those kinds of feats are extremely rare — only a handful of players have ever done it.

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NHL

Colorado Avalanche are still the team to beat. The Dallas Stars are right on their heels in the power rankings heading into Week 22 of the season. The playoff race is tight across both conferences.

San Jose Sharks making a surprise push. The Sharks — who were widely expected to be one of the worst teams this year — are now in contention for a wild card playoff spot. That would be a genuine upset story if they pull it off.

Brent Burns, old guy chasing a Cup. The veteran defenseman is among the notable players who have never won the Stanley Cup but are still in the hunt this season. Hockey fans love rooting for these guys.

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College Sports

March Madness is here. The First Four — four play-in games to decide the last spots in the 64-team NCAA Tournament — tips off Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. Texas plays NC State, and UMBC faces Howard. The full bracket starts Thursday, March 19.

Alabama has a pregame problem. Star player Aden Holloway, the team's second-leading scorer, was arrested on a felony drug charge right before the tournament and has been temporarily suspended. A huge blow for the Crimson Tide heading into March Madness.

A player chose loyalty over money. Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, named the Big Ten's best player this year, turned down a $7–9 million offer from Kentucky to stay with his current team. That kind of money comes through college sports' NIL system, which allows players to get paid.

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Other Sports

English soccer clubs are in trouble in Europe. Six Premier League teams (England's top soccer league) are all in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League — Europe's biggest club competition — and none of them won their first-leg games. There's now a real possibility all six could be eliminated in the next round, which would be a historic embarrassment for English soccer.

Manchester City vs. Real Madrid is the marquee matchup. These two powerhouses face off in the second leg of their Champions League tie this week. City needs a result to stay alive; Madrid are the favorites heading in.