Charlie Curnow

Earlier this summer, Conor Orr at Sports Illustrated published his annual list of 12 teams that could realistically win the next Super Bowl this upcoming season.

Rather than a ranking, Orr’s list was published alphabetically by city name. To summarize a bit, however, his predicted Super Bowl matchup is the Buffalo Bills vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

About the Eagles, last season’s Super Bowl champions, Orr says that while they lost some brainpower this offseason in OC Kellen Moore (who took the Saints’ top job) and had some departures on the defensive line, the team still has great talent. Including linebacker Zack Baun.

Most importantly, however, Orr says, Philadelphia has maintained the roster advantages that won them a title last year. To put it simply, they’re still too big and too strong for other teams to handle.

On the whole, Orr says he doesn’t see how the Eagles aren’t still the best team in the NFC—if they’re able to sustain their success from an ego standpoint. Meaning that, for example, receiver A.J. Brown is still willing to accept diminished targets and block with gusto. And the offense as a whole is still eager to be, in essence, conducted by quarterback Jalen Hurts before the snap in order to put the group into better run situations.

About the Bills, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in last year’s AFC Championship, Orr says he’s less impressed that they added edge rusher Joey Bosa than he is about the team having real competition at almost every defensive line position. Because depth is key.

That sort of depth is how the Eagles demolished teams last year, Orr says. As evidenced by the fact that defensive tackle Milton Williams, a complementary player, got a $104 million contract from the Patriots this offseason.

The growth of young players such as wide receiver Khalil Shakir emboldened Bills GM also Brandon Beane to focus on the defense in the draft, Orr says. This was crucial because last year Buffalo was suspect against the pass and merely solid against the run. If the defense improves and quarterback Josh Allen is again in MVP form, watch out.

Other teams mentioned by Orr included the AFC’s Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers in addition to the Chiefs. And from the NFC, the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders.

With the NFL Preseason wrapping up this weekend, the regular season will kick off on Thursday, September 4 with a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

“More Songs About Buildings and Food,” the 1978 second album by the band Talking Heads, was re-released this July in a Super Deluxe Edition from Rhino Records.

Unveiled as the band celebrates its 50th anniversary, the collection captures a pivotal moment in Talking Heads’ evolution. And marks the first of three albums produced with Brian Eno.

The 3-disc Super Deluxe Edition features the remastered album alongside 11 rarities, including four previously unreleased alternate versions of album tracks. The set also includes a live recording of the band’s August 1978 show at New York’s Entermedia Theatre. 

According to the press release from Rhino, the seeds for “More Songs About Buildings and Food” were planted in London in 1977. When the band met Eno while touring behind their debut album, “Talking Heads: 77.”

“When we went over to his flat, there was the immediacy of recognizing in his library books [and records] from our own collections,” said keyboardist and guitarist Jerry Harrison. “There was both mutual respect and a sense of shared sensibilities—all harbingers of a comfortable and successful collaboration.”

Soon after, plans were made to record together. Sessions began in March 1978, when the band traded their drafty Long Island City lofts for the Bahamas’ sunny beaches. They set up shop for several weeks at Island Records producer and founder Chris Blackwell’s newly built Compass Point Studios, becoming the first band to record there. 

Having been road-tested over a long tour, the new songs were ready to go.

Drummer Chris Frantz recalls Eno’s most significant contribution was to slow the tempo of the song “Take Me To The River.” The band had been used to playing the song at a pretty fast tempo like Al Green’s original, but they gave it a try. The song became the band’s first radio hit.

The Polaroid mosaic that gives the album its striking visual identity came together later, back in New York City. Principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist David Byrne suggested the cover concept, says bassist Tina Weymouth.

Byrne took the pictures of Frantz, Harrison, and Weymouth on the roof above Frantz and Weymouth’s loft. Weymouth took the pictures of Byrne.

Released on July 14, 1978, “More Songs About Buildings and Food” earned the band their first appearance on the Billboard 200. Their reimagining of Green’s “Take Me To The River” cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and became a left-field radio success, helping introduce the band to a wider audience.

At the time, critics took note of the album’s sharp songwriting and Eno’s layered production—with The New York Times naming it the “No. 1 disk of 1978” and Vogue calling Talking Heads the “most fascinating experimental rock band in the world.”

Upon this 2025 re-release, Will Hermes at Rolling Stone said the album has always been a dark horse candidate for Talking Heads’ all-around greatest.

While there’s nothing earthshaking among the bonus cuts (10 alternate takes plus an instrumental version of “Electricty,” which would appear on the later album “Fear of Music”) Hermes says, they do shine light on process.

The instruments are more clearly defined on the alternates, before, one assumes, Eno artfully smeared the final takes, according to Hermes. His touches made all the difference however, pulling the songs into a pulsing turbo-charged whole.

Side two of the finished LP in particular, was one of the great house party soundtracks during the era of its original release.

That version of Talking Heads, the house party dance band, gets showcased on this Super Deluxe Edition’s third disc through a cleaned up copy of a widely-circulated concert bootleg. Recorded just a short walk from the band’s early home base of East Village music club CBGB.

The MLB’s trade deadline for the 2025 season passed on Thursday, July 31, marking the final date in the regular season that teams can trade players on their 40-man rosters. 

At The Athletic, Jim Bowden graded each team on their overall trade performance. In all, he gave out 5 A’s, 15 B’s, 7 C’s and 3 D’s in pre-deadline activity that he says saw several teams stock up on young talent in exchange for controllable veteran players. 

The Seattle Mariners got an A from Bowden, acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks in separate deals. Bowden now thinks the Mariners are the favorites to win the AL West, and that they have a real shot to win their elusive first World Series in franchise history. 

The San Diego Padres also got top marks, however, picking up pitchers Mason Miller and JP Sears from the Athletics and hitters Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano from the Orioles.  

Bowden says the Padres have put themselves in a strong position to not only catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but also to again be legitimate candidates to reach the World Series. 

Close behind with an A- were the Philadelphia Phillies, who landed the best available relief pitcher in Jhoan Duran from the Twins.  

The Phillies’ NL East rivals the New York Mets, however, also got the same grade from Bowden for doing the best job of building bullpen depth. Adding three former closers in Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto. 

Meanwhile, over in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox only earned a C- from Bowden.

Earlier in June, the Red Sox made a blockbuster trade with the San Francisco Giants of Rafael Devers for Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, Jose Bello and James Tibbs III.  

While the Red Sox have played much better since the Devers trade, Bowden says, they still likely didn’t do enough with their pre-deadline pitching acquisitions to catch their division rivals the Toronto Blue Jays or New York Yankees. Who earned a B and B+ for their trade deadline activity, respectively. 

All in all, Bowden’s grades were based on based on how much teams improved their situation through their pre-deadline trade activity—whether they’re rebuilding, trying to make the playoffs or pushing to win a championship. 

Scottie Scheffler won golf’s Open Championship by four shots to capture his fourth major overall and second of 2025 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this weekend.

Only Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have won the Open, Masters and PGA Championship before age 30. On Sunday, Scheffler, 29, joined them.

It was 1,197 days between Woods’ first and fourth major wins, notes Gabby Herzig at The Athletic. It was 1,197 for Scheffler as well.

As Scheffler stormed to his four-shot 54-hole lead by making almost every putt within 10 feet and salvaging pars from places others would consider difficult-to-impossible, he made the championship feel like it was already over. It was, says Herzig.

Scheffler’s chasers did what they could to make up ground. The entire course and country pulled for this year’s Masters champion Rory McIlroy, their hometown hero, one pairing ahead.

Chants for McIlroy echoed throughout the Royal Portrush property, several directed at Scheffler himself. But they did not propel the Northern Irishman as he would have liked.

McIlroy shot 69, and finished seven strokes behind Scheffler. American Ryder Cup hopeful Harris English, for the second time this year, finished second to Scheffler in a major, behind by six strokes at the PGA and four at the Open.

In 2024, Scheffler won seven PGA Tour tournaments, including the Masters, Players Championship, Tour Championship and four signature events. He also claimed the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

Perhaps that’s why his restless and defensive edge revealed itself this winter, when a hand injury stalled his return to the PGA Tour and his intended results weren’t transpiring, says Herzig. Scheffler missed all of January and went without a win in February, March or April.

Scheffler’s frustrations boiled over at the Players. When asked about those emotions becoming visible, Scheffler retorted: “You’ve played golf before, right?”

It didn’t take very long for the tone of Scheffler’s voice to subdue with three victories in four starts in May and June, however, according to Herzig. Including Scheffler’s third major victory at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and a hometown win at the Byron Nelson by eight shots.

The intensity of Scheffler’s competitive fire is one of his more underreported attributes, Herzig says. And is what makes him a constant threat.

If Scheffler isn’t hitting the ball how he wants to, he figures out a way to get it into the hole. If he’s missing putts, his ball-striking makes up for it. He always finds a way, and his competitors know that.

McIlroy on Sunday even called him not just a “complete player,” but “inevitable.”

Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Wimbledon tennis finals match on Sunday, July 13.

Sinner’s win meant the tournament’s No. 1 seed prevailed over the No. 2 seed in the tight match. One ultimately decided by two stunning set points, according to Charlie Eccleshare and Matthew Futterman at The Athletic. As well as Alcaraz’s malfunctioning grass tools and Sinner’s steadiness behind and against second serves.

It was Sinner’s first Wimbledon title, and his fourth Grand Slam title. The win Sunday also snapped Sinner’s streak of five successive defeats against Alcaraz. Taking their head-to-head in ATP matches to 8-5, still in the Spaniard’s favor.

Earlier in Paris, Sinner had suffered the ultimate heartbreak of having three championship points and not winning the French Open, said Eccleshare. No one had ever missed that many in a Grand Slam final. He also had a chance to serve out the match, but faltered there, too.

Which is why when Sinner’s first serve deserted him at 4-3 up in the fourth set, flashbacks started coming thick and fast, Eccleshare said. Alcaraz went on to earn two break points, and the chance to level the set at 4-4.

But in response, Sinner locked in, saving one break point with a powerful second serve and the other with a 134-mile-per-hour rocket out wide. Alcaraz returned the latter brilliantly. But then he went for too much with a forehand.

Sinner eked out the hold. But then he had to do what he couldn’t manage at Roland Garros: serving it out at 5-4 in the fourth set.

As the players got off their chairs, the crowd cheered, “Carlos, Carlos,” desperate to will this into a fifth set like five weeks before. They did so again when Sinner went up 15-0, forcing him to wait to hit a serve. And ramping the tension up even further.

A big serve and backhand winner down the line later and it was 30-0. Then even Alcaraz couldn’t chase down a backhand volley from Sinner, and the Italian had three championship points. Just like in Paris, Eccleshare said.

Alcaraz saved the serve. But finally, with one last heave of his right arm, Sinner slammed a shot down that Alcaraz could barely get a racket to.

Just over a month later, Sinner had found redemption.

“Remembering Now” is the latest album by Van Morrison, released in June 2025.

The album represents Morrison’s first collection of original music since 2022. And follows the covers albums “Moving On Skiffle” and “Accentuate The Positive.” The new album’s launch was accompanied by the long-awaited single “Down To Joy.” Which received its first official release after featuring in Kenneth Branagh’s 2021 Oscar and BAFTA winning film “Belfast.”

“Remembering Now” sees Morrison returning to the transcendent, uncategorizable rhapsodies that make him unique, according to the album’s press release. The music is in conversation with soul, jazz, blues, folk and country while being limited by none of them.

“Down To Joy,” the single, suggests Morrison has gone back to his soul and gospel roots, with a strong emphasis on an uplifting big band arrangement and evocative strings.

Morrison’s band on the album includes Richard Dunn (Hammond organ), Stuart McIlroy (piano), Pete Hurley (bass) and Colin Griffin (drums and percussion). Who have worked with Morrison since the album “Three Chords and the Truth” in 2019.

Beyond his key band members, the album also features an array of accomplished collaborators. The strings were arranged and directed by Fiachra Trench (Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello). Whose association with Morrison goes back to “Avalon Sunset” in 1989. Strings performances are by the Fews Ensemble, led by Joanne Quigley.

Other contributions come from Michael Beckwith, the founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center. As well as the renowned lyricist Don Black (Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Quincy Jones), and the acclaimed folk artist Seth Lakeman.

According to Thom Jurek at AllMusic, “Remembering Now” embraces the musical rearview, but refracted through the lens of the present. Morrison revels in the brands of Irish R&B, Celtic blues, country, soul and balladry that made him. But that he pursued so intimately on questing albums like 1979’s “Into the Music” and 1991’s “Hymns to the Silence.” At the same time, the album’s lyrics also reveal what Morrison has learned in 80 years.

“Remembering Now” is thus aptly titled in its manner of observing personal history through the lens of life in the process of being lived in the moment.

“Tracks II: The Lost Albums” is the new box set by Bruce Springsteen released on June 27, 2025.

Released 27 years after the original “Tracks” compilation, this new set is composed of seven full and distinct standalone albums recorded by the veteran northern New Jersey rock musician between 1983 and 2018. And largely unknown to even the most devout Springsteen cryptographers, according to the collection’s description on Apple Music.

Individually, the albums demonstrate a number of logical extensions of Springsteen’s classic songwriting. As well as some tantalizing, disciplined and fully realized genre exercises that have no real precedent in his discography.

As a whole, the collection begs nothing less than a wholesale reevaluation of an already deeply considered career, Apple Music says.

“LA Garage Sessions ’83,” the first disc, is a collection of gussied-up home recordings that bridges the gap between 1982’s “Nebraska” and 1984’s “Born in the U.S.A.” Disc 2, “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions,” is an entire album in the subdued synth-pop vein of the 1990s Springsteen singles “Streets of Philadelphia” and “Secret Garden.”

The third disc, “Faithless,” is an atmospheric soundtrack to a shelved western. Disc 4, “Somewhere North of Nashville,” is an album of pure honky-tonk. “Inyo,” disc 5, is an album influenced by Mexican music. Disc 6, “Twilight Hours,” is an album of loosened-bow-tie jazz-standard style torch songs. And disc 7, “Perfect World,” is an album of full-bore, more recent-vintage rock songs.

According to Mark Deming at AllMusic, if these shelved LPs have anything in common, it’s that they largely fall outside what the average Springsteen fan would expect from him. And often find Springsteen working in styles that are new to the artist.

That’s why it’s so impressive that “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” never sounds like a box full of also-ran material, says Deming.

And it could make the case that Springsteen is an even more eclectic and ambitious artist than he sometimes lets on.

Sunday night’s victory of the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, 103-91, marked the end of the 2024-2025 season.

It was also a coronation of sorts, as for much of this season, everything had pointed toward the Thunder winning the NBA championship, according to Zach Harper at The Athletic. OKC dominated in historic fashion, finishing first in the Western Conference with 68 wins during the regular season, and a lead of 16 games.

The only thing that might have had observers questioning was the unprecedented youth of the team while playing at this level.

And yet, Sunday’s Game 7 victory also might have felt deflating for many viewers. And even a bit hollow for many basketball fans outside of the OKC fan base, Harper says.

That’s because of what happened seven minutes into the game. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had been nursing a calf strain for days, took a bad step and immediately hit the ground. He started yelling “No!” And many might have been able to tell immediately what happened.

Haliburton’s father confirmed to ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters during the game that it was an Achilles injury.

The game was tied at 16 when Haliburton fell and turned the ball over due to the injury. And the Pacers were down by two when he left the game, carried from the court to the locker room.

Perhaps the critical thing, however, was that Haliburton was dominating the Thunder, Harper says. He had three 3-pointers in the first seven minutes of the game, shot from all over.

While typically scoring is very tight in a Game 7 because nerves are especially rattled, Haliburton looked loose and ready to go, Harper says. Prepared, even, to embrace 48 minutes of clutch moments. But he never got the chance.

The Thunder still could have absolutely won the game even if Haliburton had stayed healthy. OKC point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, now the NBA Finals MVP, had 29 points (8-of-27 shooting) and 12 assists. He could have outdueled Haliburton throughout a full game.

We just didn’t get to see that great finish, says Harper. The one that to many might have seemed inevitable in Game 7’s first seven minutes.

In June 2025, Neil Young released the new album “Talkin to the Trees.” It’s Young’s debut album recorded with the Chrome Hearts, the new band formed by the veteran rocker in 2024 after 60 years of record-making.

As the album’s release notes on Apple Music observe, “Talkin to the Trees” joins previous Young recordings “Barn” and “World Record” as part of a growing body of late-period albums. Works that affirm Young’s almost supernatural ability to continue to make art.

Young’s outrage is there on tracks like “big change” and “Lets Roll Again.” As is his tenderness on songs like “Bottle of Love” and “Thankful.” Young’s ability to make global concerns feel as personal and digressive as diary entries is present, too, on songs like “Talkin to the Trees” and “Family Life.”

The Chrome Hearts, Young’s backing group on this album, include guitarist Micah Nelson, bassist Corey McCormick and drummer Anthony Logerfo of the band Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. With Lukas Nelson, who is Willie Nelson’s son, those musicians previously backed Young on several albums and tours.

On this album, the Chrome Hearts also include veteran Muscle Shoals keyboardist Spooner Oldham. Who first played with Young on 1978’s “Comes a Time.”

As Mark Deming notes for AllMusic, a sole constant in Young’s body of work is that he’s going to do what he feels like doing in the moment. This usually means plenty of change from album to album.

But it also often finds Young touching upon sounds that have long been his mainstays. Including country-leaning rock, noisy guitar workouts in the manner of his longtime backing band Crazy Horse and emotionally intense folk-influenced numbers.

Apple Music recalls a 1996 tour incident, documented on the live album “Year of the Horse,” in which a heckler told Young that all his songs sound the same. Young replied that “It’s all one song.”

The comeback appears to be philosophically truer the more songs Young writes.

No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz beat No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in the 2025 French Open men’s singles tennis final on Sunday, June 8 after an intense, fast-paced match that lasted more than five hours.

The 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) match was ultimately decided by Sinner’s dominance on short points, and Alcaraz’s newfound ability to impose his variety, according to Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare at the Athletic. As well as one of the greatest surges in Alcaraz’s career.

It was Alcaraz’s fifth Grand Slam title and his second at the French Open. It was also the first comeback in the career of Alcaraz, age 22, from two sets to love down.

The match also takes the head-to-head matchup between Alcaraz and Sinner to 9-4 in Alcaraz’s favor. And extends his winning streak over Sinner, age 23, to five matches.

Anyone might have predicted that Sinner would have the edge on short points, Futterman said. His serve is bigger, and incudes more errors on return than most top players.

Sinner more than doubled Alcaraz’s tally on points of four shots or fewer through the first set and into the start of the second, 32-14. Meanwhile, Alcaraz was in the lead for shots that lasted more than four shots, 23-11. Sinner’s short-point edge then quickly climbed to 38-14 over the first three games of the second set, when he took early command.

These numbers provide a nice snapshot of each player’s strategy, Futterman said. Alcaraz wanted to get into points, especially on Sinner’s serve. He wanted to move the Italian across the baseline. Meanwhile, Sinner wanted to play first-strike tennis and avoid points where Alcaraz controls his opponent like a puppeteer.

The dichotomy on point length gave Alcaraz an opportunity. But the effectiveness of Sinner’s serve, combined with the laws of elite tennis—in which short points make up a majority of points played—quickly wiped the Spaniard’s advantage away, Futterman said.

By the start of the third set, Alcaraz was still up in longer points 24-29. But Sinner’s advantage in the shorter ones was at 61-48. Sinner was playing over 60 percent of the match in a game state where he held an overwhelming advantage. Even as Alcaraz wiped out Sinner’s two-set lead, Sinner’s advantage in short points held firm.

It’s no coincidence that in the peak of his domination, Sinner was winning 66 percent of points on his first serve, compared with a little under 60 percent for Alcaraz, Futterman said.

Sinner switched from a platform (feet apart) stance in his serve to a pinpoint (feet together) launch two years ago. He soon became the world No. 1, although beating Alcaraz remained a struggle.

By the end of the match, the supremacies of either player were even, Futterman said. Sinner was 108-95 on 0-4 shot points, and Alcaraz was 97-84 on anything longer. Resulting in a deficit of 13 each way erased to nothing as a deciding fifth set turned into a tiebreaker game.

In the end, it was Alcaraz who made his edge count. During his tiebreak surge, eight of the 12 points played were five shots or longer. Alcaraz won seven of them.

Overall, this first major final between the two standout players in men’s tennis enshrined this young rivalry’s place in global sport, Futterman and Eccleshare said. And produced a classic that will hopefully go down as the first installment in something epochal.