Doug Haller

Cardinals' LaFleur has 'a lot of respect' for Kyler Murray, but QB's future is uncertain

Full story, with Mike LaFleur's impressions of Kyler Murray as an opposing coach in the NFC West

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said "all options are on the table," regarding the QB situation for 2026.

"We've got (Murray), (Brissett) and (Slovis) all under contract. ... We're going to look at every avenue to improve, and we're going to continue to go through our process."

Suns’ Jordan Ott grew up in small-town Pennsylvania. But his dreams were always big No other NBA head coach comes from a place so small, a fact not lost on the locals who have followed every step of Ott’s journey.

No other NBA head coach comes from a smaller place than the Phoenix Suns’ Jordan Ott.

Locals like to say there are more cows living among them than people.

I recently visited McConnellsburg, Pa., to learn about Ott’s roots, as well as the pride the community has in him. ⤵️

‘I’m in my prime’: Bobby Hurley confronts uncertainty, reflects on 11 years at Arizona State "Of course, I’m going to wonder, ‘When is that going to happen? What is this going to look like? What is my future going to look like?’’’

With March approaching, I talked with Arizona State's Bobby Hurley about his future, how he has changed as a coach and his 11 years at one of the country's tougher jobs. (gift link open) ⤵️

Suns have work to do to go from ‘nice story’ to ‘serious threat’ in the West Phoenix could be a team that needs to rest at the All-Star break, or it could be one that has started to reach its ceiling.

Nice story or serious contender?

That remains to be seen with the Phoenix Suns. ⤵️

NBA Hall of Famers. A Splash Father. Inside the single 3-pointer club Two-time NBA champion Mychal Thompson only attempted 12 3-pointers his entire career. He made one. His son Klay has made 2,836 and counting.

Representing one of the greatest ironies in league history, Mychal Thompson, father of one of the greatest 3-point shooters ever, is one of a handful of players to have played at least one full NBA season and made only one 3 www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

LeBron James addresses retirement after Cleveland return: ‘When is it over?’ After getting teary-eyed during a pregame tribute, LeBron sounded at times like he was close to hanging it up. But he hasn't decided yet.

LeBron James spoke about retirement as candidly as he ever has Wednesday night. Good luck trying to figure out which way he’s leaning www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

Who taped Bob Knight?

Really enjoyed this @doughaller.bsky.social story on the secret behind the famous Knight rant recording

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

love a story where a treasure hunter pours everything into finding an answer to the most obscure item.

here's a great one, courtesy of @doughaller.bsky.social:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

To this day, those within the IU community insist they don’t know how the 1991 rant got recorded and out into the public.

@doughaller.bsky.social reached out to 40+ players, coaches, managers, staffers and others about the leaked audio.

Here’s what they said:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

35 years ago, Bob Knight’s epic “I’m tired of losing to Purdue” rant was secretly recorded in the IU locker room.

For years an NBA exec has been rumored as the leaker. He says that’s a lie. So who did it?

Even those in the room say they aren’t sure. ⤵️

Updated head coaching carousel:

Giants — John Harbaugh
Falcons — Kevin Stefanski
Dolphins — Jeff Hafley
Titans — Robert Saleh
Cardinals
Ravens
Bills
Browns
Raiders
Steelers

NEWS: Warriors forward Jimmy Butler tore his right ACL against the Heat on Monday night and is expected to miss the rest of the season, The Athletic confirms.

More from @samamick.bsky.social ⤵️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Indiana’s rise is causing an identity crisis: Are we a football or basketball school? For decades, Indiana has been known for basketball. But over the last two years, that has started to change.

Had fun with this ⤵️

We asked over 100 people in sports which leaders they most admire.

For this list, leaders had to be an active coach, player or executive in 2025.

The Cardinals have requested to interview Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke, per source.

Burke, the play caller for the league’s stingiest defense, previously coached Arizona’s defensive line in 2022.

New issue of is out!

It has more than 125 job and internships listings in there for reporters, editors, social media gurus, and others.

Also, 11 wonderful stories I loved — on Santa, the Taylor Ham dynasty, Franzia wines, and many more.

Read: dub.sh/DfQyUsT

Subscribe: t.co/tKOtcPQaI2

Kenny Dillingham’s new contract shows Arizona State is tired of ‘sleeping giant’ narrative Dillingham said he never doubted the agreement would get done, which suggests his interest in Michigan may not have been that strong.

“I’m tired of the sleeping giant narrative. I’m tired of the concept of, ‘Man, they have so much potential.’ I want us to be the group — athletic department, coaching staff, fan base, community — that wakes it up once and for all.”
⤵️

Kenny Dillingham’s Michigan situation puts Arizona State back in familiar place In three years, Dillingham has gone from unproven head coach to one of the nation’s more respected program builders. Others have noticed.

Kenny Dillingham’s Michigan situation puts Arizona State back in familiar place ⤵️

What Lane Kiffin left behind in Oxford: The sound and fury of an Ole Miss fan base scorned Kiffin's latest job change echoes his previous exits across the country, complete with a gaslighting of fans who once helped build him up.

“The way you handle things is who you are. It’s not about what you say when things aren’t serious. It’s about whenever the (expletive) hits the (expletive), who are you?”
Good story from Oxford on Lane Kiffin by Joe Rexrode & Chris Kamrani: www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham discussing pay raise amid interest from other schools Dillingham has been linked to coaching jobs at Michigan, LSU and more, but he said he doesn't want to leave the Sun Devils.

Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham discussing pay raise amid interest from other schools ⤵️

Is baseball ready for Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame? Surveying people in the game

“Do Pete's statistics say that he should be in? Yeah. But I think character has a lot to do with it.”

He’s 2 years away from his debut on the Hall of Fame ballot. So is baseball ready for Pete Rose, Hall of Famer?

@TylerKepner.bluesky.social and I wrote about that!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

We polled 36 executives around the NBA, asking them to rank their top five front offices.

Here are our findings: www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...

We are 28.8 percent of the way through the NBA regular season.

So it’s time for our writer, Law Murray, to grade teams based on their progress so far.

Cardinals tight end Trey McBride’s path to stardom began with a hometown mentor "He was the guy from my hometown who made it. Everything he did, I wanted to do, and I think that's a huge reason why I'm here."

A Trey McBride story you may not have heard.

“He’d call me up, and we’d have this relationship, and it was like, ‘You know, this is silly. We should get to know each other.”

One tight end from Fort Morgan, Colo., helping another. ⤵️

Suns’ Dillon Brooks irritates everyone, his former Rockets teammates included In the midst of a career year, Brooks still brings the "invaluable" skill of the guy you love to see on the court — if he's on your team.

I wrote about Dillon Brooks and his old mates. ⤵️

Sam Leavitt’s possible transfer from Arizona State an all-too-familiar loyalty lesson for fans This isn't shocking. It’s how top players, especially quarterbacks, figure out their worth. But it would be another sting to ASU fans.

Sam Leavitt’s possible transfer from Arizona State an all-too-familiar loyalty lesson for fans ⤵️

If you watch Holly Rowe’s work on ESPN, you know one thing: She exudes joy.

So @rustindodd.bsky.social reached out to her with a simple question: What has she learned about joy? @sportsiren.bsky.social

I covered an Indiana football game for the first time in 30 years – and I was amazed Last season's run to the CFP was hard to understand. Perhaps a fluke. But the unbeaten Hoosiers are doing it again.

I returned to Bloomington and covered an Indiana football game for the first time since I was a student there 30 years ago.

I was amazed at what I found. ⤵️

For Suns, one possession, 10 passes and a key trait in a surprising start Winners of five of their last six games, the Suns are starting to find themselves. And their unselfishness is a strength.

I wrote about one possession last night that symbolizes this young Suns season — 10 passes, few dribbles.

And, of course, it ended in a Grayson Allen 3-pointer. ⤵️