Longtime MLB umpire Bruce Froemming has died at the age of 86, his family confirmed to The Athletic.

Froemming’s sons told The Athletic and Associated Press that Froemming fell at his home in Wisconsin on Tuesday and hit his head on the hardwood floor. He was taken to a hospital in Milwaukee, according to his family, before succumbing to a brain bleed that medical personnel were unable to stop. Froemming had been on blood thinners.

Froemming worked 5,163 MLB games, which is the third-most games by an MLB umpire, over 37 consecutive baseball seasons beginning in 1971. Among those games, he worked five World Series and was on the field for 11 no-hitters.

Froemming was behind the plate for no-hitters by Milt Pappas (1972), Ed Halicki (1975), Nolan Ryan (1981) and José Jiménez (1999).

Froemming retired in 2007, when his total games worked stood second behind Bill Klem’s 5,373. Both Froemming and Klem were surpassed by Joe West, who worked 5,460 games before he retired in 2021.

Following his retirement, Froemming served as a special assistant to the league’s vice president on umpiring.

INDIANAPOLIS – By definition, the NFL draft is inherently a young man’s game.

But while there are no literal graybeards among this year’s class of prospects, a number of players are set to become rookies despite resembling veterans in age. And they’re doing so at a moment when personnel decision-makers have reconsidered a longstanding aversion to older prospects.

‘If it’s close between players and you have a 20-year-old and a 25-year-old, obviously you’re going to take the 20-year-old,’ NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said this week at the scouting combine. ‘But teams are not as concerned with the age going through this process.’

With the NCAA in 2020 granting an extra year of eligibility to all players, the NFL saw a three-year spike in draftees who were 24 years or older, peaking in 2024 with 56 selected. This year’s total won’t approach that high-water mark, with a smaller group constituting the last wave of sixth-year seniors.

But with the NIL boom driving a substantial reduction in underclassmen declarations – 63 this year, less than half the number (128) from five years ago – it’s readily apparent that the latest class is continuing to skew older and more experienced. And NFL front offices, having already rethought their previous norms around age, are prepared.

‘I don’t believe a 25-year-old is old,’ Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said. ‘I think a 25-year-old is young, still has a lot of football left in his body. It’s a data point. It’s something we’re aware of. It might affect the longevity down the road. But sometimes it can also be a benefit in a guy being more mature in his body or a little more stable in how he conducts himself in his personal life.

‘Age is a number. Guys are playing longer these days. It’s a factor, but it’s not a big factor for us.’

‘A seasoned rookie’

There’s a clear choice for the flagbearer of this year’s 24-and-up movement.

Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor, who will turn 25 in April prior to the draft, wears his age proudly. The Ottawa native blossomed in his final season with the Hurricanes, recording 12 ½ sacks and helping lead the charge for the Hurricanes’ run to the national championship game. Now, he could join Rueben Bain Jr., his more highly hyped pass-rushing partner, in the first round.

For Mesidor, his atypical timeline for arriving in the pros is a source of strength.

‘You can call me a seasoned rookie – whatever you want to call it,’ Mesidor said with a smile at the combine. ‘I’m coming in more mature, with a different approach and a different mentality than a lot of younger guys.’

There are a handful of other 24-year-old offensive and defensive linemen joining Mesidor in this class. In recent years, the fronts have often featured the heaviest volume of similarly aged players, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said.

An age outlier, however, can be found at almost any position.

The phenomenon was thrust into the spotlight in 2024 when quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were each selected in the top 12 picks despite being sixth-year seniors who were already 24 on draft day. Tyler Shough represented an even more extreme test case for teams, as the seventh-year senior and eventual second-round pick of the New Orleans Saints turned 26 before making his first start last fall.

This year, UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano – a former Maine transfer and possible late-round pick – also was invited to the combine after staying in the collegiate ranks for eight years.

At running back, South Carolina’s Rahsul Faison turned 26 last week. He’s multiple months older than both the Dallas Cowboys’ Javonte Williams and the Los Angeles Rams’ Kyren Williams – each of whom has logged more than 800 carries in the NFL and already signed a second contract.

When it comes to positions that allow for shorter career windows, the notion of using a pick on a player who has a limited time left to remain at or near his athletic peak can be daunting. Miami cornerback Keionte Scott, who played a has a counterargument.

‘I’ve heard that going around, but I feel like this game that we play is a win-now game,’ said Scott, 24. ‘That takes a lot of the age things away.

‘These teams, some of these coaches don’t have time to waste. … When you play this game, it doesn’t matter how old you are.’

First-year Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan agrees, but with a caveat.

‘I think if you can help it, you don’t want a player close to going into a second contract around 30 years old,’ Sullivan said. ‘Having said that, with the climate of college football, there are situations where you’re going to have to consider that to get good football players.’

But Jeremiah cited a running joke in football circles: Amid all the focus on second contracts for older draft prospects, general managers are also seeking additional contracts of their own – and therefore pursue immediate assistance in whatever form it might come.

‘Let’s try to get 4-5 good years out of this player, and if he gives us that and we move on, it’s a good pick,’ Jeremiah said.

Back to the board

The reality of the current draft dynamic hit Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach in January. That’s when the league holds its annual underclassmen declaration deadline.

With so many players opting to go back to school, the Chiefs removed approximately 25 prospects from the team’s board of the overall top 75-100.

‘It really impacts the draft, and there are some older prospects as you go on,’ Veach said. ‘I don’t think that’s gonna change anytime soon, and that’s something that we have to adapt to until there are some wholesale changes on the college side. I think this is just the way things are gonna work now.’

Gutekunst, however, isn’t so sure that the draft landscape will remain this way for the foreseeable future.

‘I think for the next year or so that we’ll be in that window, and then we’ll gradually graduate out of it,’ Gutekunst said.

The biggest fallout for the league can be in its developmental pipeline. This is often reflected on Day 2, Veach said, which is frequently the landing spot for some players who have a wide gulf between their promise and their pro readiness.

‘Typically in the second or third round would be those guys who didn’t play a lot, but they’re young,’ Veach said. ‘Well, now they’re just bouncing to another school and getting paid while playing. So with these younger developmental guys, you’re getting a bit more of a finished product.’

Regardless of whether the pool of prospects changes, NFL decision-makers have already made up their minds on the issue.

In his first draft as general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, John Spytek selected two players who had already turned 24: third-round cornerback Darien Porter and sixth-round wide receiver Tommy Mellott. With a robust roster reset at hand, Spytek didn’t want age to be a disqualifying factor.

‘Our analytics department gets mad at me anytime we put a guy up there who’s a little bit older,’ Spytek said. ‘But we’re just looking for good football players.’

Minnesota Timberwolves’ guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for throwing the game ball ‘with force’ into the stands during halftime of Minnesota’s 124-121 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at the end of the second quarter, when Edwards snagged a rebound off a Portland miss, then faked a heave to end the half. After the buzzer had already sounded, Edwards launched the ball toward the basket and struck someone standing nearby.

Edwards did not throw the ball out of anger or frustration, but the ball did clearly hurt the bystander.

WATCH: The heave that cost Edwards $25K

You can watch the full video of the incident here, on nba.com.

Has Edwards been fined before?

He’s certainly no stranger to fines. Last year, Edwards was fined $420,000 across eight transgressions, mostly for foul language used in interviews with the press following games.

Has anyone else been fined for similar actions?

Funny enough, Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane was also fined $25K for throwing a ball into the stands ‘with force’ during the team’s Tuesday night win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bane’s incident occurred at the end of the game.

You can watch that incident here.

They always find out.

Students have tried for years to hide report cards from their parents after getting bad grades in school, but no forged signature is ever enough to prevent the truth from coming out. While the NFL won a grievance against the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on Feb. 13 to prevent the annual release of ‘Team Report Cards,’ it wasn’t enough to stop the leak.

The Miami Dolphins ranked No. 1 in the report cards for the third consecutive season, according to the report that was obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings ranked second and the Washington Commanders rounded out the three highest-rated franchises for 2026.

There was a change at the bottom, however, as the Pittsburgh Steelers checked in at No. 32 for the first time in the report card’s four-year history. Pittsburgh received low marks, especially for facilities. The results included owner Art Rooney’s ranking last for willingness to invest in facilities and the Steelers’ locker room, which also received a failing grade.

The team’s field ranked last ‘by a wide margin,’ highlighting a need for more investment to increase the standard. Acrisure Stadium’s grass turf was the subject of discussion after it was particularly torn up during a Week 6 game between the Steelers and Browns.

Also ranking in the bottom-three were the Arizona Cardinals at No. 31 and Cleveland Browns at No. 30.

This year’s survey includes results from 1,759 players and it was open from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11.

The overall grades range from A-plus to F-minus across 17 different categories. Those categories are:

• Treatment of Families
• Home Game Field
• Food/Dining Area
• Nutritionist/Dietician
• Locker Room
• Training Room
• Training Staff
• Weight Room
• Strength Coaches
• Position Coaches
• Offensive Coordinator
• Defensive Coordinator
• Special Teams Coordinator
• Team Travel
• Head Coach
• General Manager
• Team Ownership

Players awarded only 15 A-plus grades across the league, with the Commanders receiving the most with three different categories. There were nine F-minus grades, with the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals each getting one in two different categories.

It’s unclear how the league will react to the leak, since the grievance claimed that the report cards shouldn’t be released because they violated the collective bargaining agreement between the two parties. The ruling also barred the NFLPA from ‘publishing or publicly disclosing the results of future player Report Cards.’

Following the decision, the NFLPA said it would continue to collect the survey results, but wouldn’t release them.

Players, both current and former, were quick to criticize the grievance decision. Now those results have, at least in part, been revealed.

They just won’t be going on the fridge anytime soon.

As February turns to March and the men’s college basketball season winds toward its conclusion, there are plenty of high-stakes offerings on this weekend’s schedule for your viewing enjoyment. We can’t promise two top-five clashes like we had last week in this space, but the slate makes up for that in quantity with no fewer than a half dozen USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Top 25 showdowns over the course of the weekend.

That lineup begins Friday night in the Big Ten and continues into a Saturday marathon that opens with a first-place showdown in the ACC and also features a doubleheader in the SEC.

BRACKETOLOGY: A new No. 1 seed emerges in March Madness projection

Without further ado then, let’s get to this week’s Starting Five – plus a few coming in off the bench.

No. 3 Michigan at No. 11 Illinois

Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox.

The Wolverines are three games clear in the Big Ten race entering the regular season’s penultimate weekend, and in all likelihood they’ve already done enough to merit a No. 1 NCAA regional seed. The Fighting Illini’s recent run of tough overtime losses cost them both of those goals, but a win here would provide a huge confidence boost heading into March. The good news for Brad Underwood’s squad is Illinois is one of the few teams with the frontcourt strength and depth to match up with the Wolverines. The Illini also have more reliable perimeter shooting, thanks mainly to Keaton Wagler, but Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau shook off his rough outing against Duke with a more accurate night against Minnesota.

No. 12 Virginia at No. 1 Duke

Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ESPN.

It’s a surprising fight for the top position in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Blue Devils of course were expected to be in this position in the ACC. The new-look Cavaliers were more of a mystery at the start of the season but have meshed together well in Ryan Odom’s initial campaign. Duke’s Cameron Boozer is the odds-on favorite to be named league player of the year, but UVa’s Thijs De Ridder has a strong case for all-conference accolades putting up 16.0 points and 6.3 rebounds a game.

No. 14 Kansas at No. 2 Arizona

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN.

The Wildcats shook off their recent two-game skid and have retaken control of the crowded Big 12. The wildly inconsistent Jayhawks go for a rare season sweep of Arizona, but leaving the McKale Center with a win is never easy. KU’s defensive effort against Houston in its most recent outing was arguably its best of the season, and Flory Bidunga and the rest of the Jayhawks will have to be just as connected to handle the Wildcats’ numerous offensive threats. Arizona will still likely be without Koa Peat due to a leg injury, but Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley are also capable of taking over a game.

No. 16 Texas Tech at No. 5 Iowa State

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, CBS.

Elsewhere in the Big 12, the Cyclones look to add to their collection of quality home-court victories and stay in the hunt for a No. 1 NCAA seed. The game is no less important for the Red Raiders, who need to show they can still compete for a championship despite losing their best player. With J.T. Toppin sidelined, Texas Tech has relied more on long-range scoring from Christian Anderson and Donovan Atwell, but LeJuan Watts has also stepped up to help on the glass. Iowa State can get points in a variety of ways but is at its best when the ball finds Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson close to the bucket.

No. 18 Alabama at No. 22 Tennessee

Time/TV: Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN.

In truth these SEC contenders are more than likely playing for second place in the league at best, but securing a top-four seed in the upcoming conference tournament is an important priority. That became a concern for the Volunteers with their midweek loss at Missouri. Usually their solid team defense would give them an excellent chance to successfully defend their home court, but they need to find Crimson Tide sharpshooters Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway quickly. While it might appear at times that defense is optional for Alabama, the Tide at least need to limit second-chance opportunities for Vols standout freshman Nate Ament.

Villanova at No. 15 St. John’s

Time/TV: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox.

The Red Storm must put Wednesday night’s dismantling at the hands of Connecticut behind them quickly as they return home to the more friendly environs of Madison Square Garden. But the game is just as vital for the Wildcats, whose March staying power remains very much in question. St. John’s desperately needs a fast start to erase the memory of the 0-for-24 finish at UConn, which will likely mean getting Zuby Ejiofor involved early. Villanova will need Duke Brennan to hold his own on the boards and stay out of foul trouble.

No. 17 Arkansas at No. 7 Florida

Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

The Gators look to run their winning streak to nine and in the process lock up the SEC regular-season title. The Razorbacks must win in Gainesville then get some help in order to catch Florida, but they’re also looking to continue the momentum of five wins in six games. The presence of Darius Acuff gives Arkansas a shot in every game, howevert the improved production from the Gators guard tandem of Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland has raised the team’s ceiling considerably.

No. 9 Gonzaga at Saint Mary’s

Time/TV: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

The day concludes with a final edition of West Coast Conference after dark, though there will probably be yet another encounter between these long-time league rivals in a little over a week before Gonzaga departs for the new Pac-12. Gonzaga has the top seed clinched, but the Gaels would nevertheless like to leave the Zags with one last impression of their Moraga, California, campus before the programs part ways. Graham Ike and the rest of Gonzaga’s veteran lineup won’t be rattled by a hostile student section, but the Saint Mary’s interior defense of Andrew McKeever and Paulius Murauskas could prove more difficult to solve.