The 2023 NFL regular season is over, and the league’s defensive leaders have been decided. Final 2023 NFL interceptions leadersARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 23: DaRon Bland #26 of the Dallas Cowboys intercepts a pass intended for Jahan Dotson #1 of the Washington Commanders during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) credits: Getty Images | source: Getty Images DaRon Bland of the Dallas Cowboys topped the NFL with 9 interceptions Final 2023 NFL sacks leaders BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 06: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after a sack in the third quarter of a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 06, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Ge…

The day John Aldridge turned up at Real Sociedad’s Zubieta training ground in September 1989, he was confronted by graffiti saying foreigners weren’t welcome. A year on, he had been so good they welcomed two more of them, this time with open arms. For almost 30 years, la Real didn’t have a player from outside the Basque Country; now they had three, all from Britain and Ireland.

They were in San Sebastián together for one season and not even a particularly good one, la Real finishing 1990-91 in their lowest position since returning to the first division 22 years earlier, but Aldridge, Kevin Richardson and Dalian Atkinson left an indelible mark, says Jonan Larrañaga. “I have lovely memories of all three,” the then club captain adds…

Martín Zubimendi isn’t tired of the constant comparisons to Xabi Alonso but he reckons Xabi Alonso might be. “He’s an idol, a role model, so I’m delighted that he says nice things about me,” the Real Sociedad midfielder says, smiling not blushing, the attempt to embarrass him with eulogies from his hero, the footballer he most admires, having failed. The words are welcome, on one side at least. “Thing is, I think it’s the other way round,” he says. “I get asked about him so much he must get bored of hearing me talk about him. He’ll be tired of me going on about how good he is.”

If the responses are inevitable, the questions are too. “Martín has the mark of Zubieta,” Alonso once said, and he knows. Zubieta is the R…

Chelsea beware: at 5.15pm on Saturday Pep Guardiola expects Manchester City to show precisely how little sorrow they feel for themselves after being dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.

The FA Cup semi-final comes 72 hours after Wednesday’s penalty shootout heartbreak and, maybe, too soon for Mauricio Pochettino’s team as a smarting City aim to forget their lost double-treble and take another step in their bid to become the first English men’s club to claim a double-double.

Kyle Walker urges Manchester City to channel the pain after ‘cruellest’ defeatRead more

As Guardiola said: “We don’t have another option and don’t want to feel sorry for ourselves. We performed at our best but were n…

The Carolina Hurricanes said Thursday that forward Jesper Fast underwent neck surgery and is not expected to play in the 2024-25 season. Fast, 32, had the surgery Aug. 6 after suffering an injury in the final game of the regular season April 16 and missing Carolina's playoff run. Fast told reporters in May that his neck issue was a re-injury, declining to get into specifics. He was still undergoing evaluations at that time. Fast has played 11 seasons in the NHL, the past four coming with Carolina. He has 36 goals and 65 assists across 281 games in a Hurricanes sweater, including six goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances in 2023-24. In 703 career games spent with the New York Rangers (2013-20) and Hurricanes (2020-24), Fast has tallied 248 points (91 goals, 157 assists) with a p…

Olympic women’s curling begins Wednesday (extremely late Tuesday evening in North America) with Team USA playing Japan at 12:05 a.m. ET. Defending gold medal winner Canada’s first game will be against 2014 bronze medalists Great Britain at 6:05 a.m. ET. The top four teams after the 10-team round-robin will advance to a playoff. NBC Sports will be streaming every game online live. It’s going to be a magical two weeks. With that in mind, here’s a preview of each team from Deadspin curling correspondent Matt Sussman and British Columbia-based curler and comedian John Cullen. Team Canada is projected to eat everyone else’s souls, to the extent that one can do that in curling. Photo: Andy Wong/ [object Object] Canada The team: Rachel Homan (skip), Emma Miskew, Joanne Courtney, Lisa …

Some people are fans of the Tennessee Titans. But many, many more people are NOT fans of the Tennessee Titans. This 2015 Deadspin NFL team preview is for those in the latter group. Your team: Tennessee Titans Your 2014 record: 2-14. That includes blowing a 28-3 lead to Cleveland. At home. “ I’M PISSED OFF. HOW ABOUT THAT?!” Your coach: Ken Whisenhunt. EVERYONE BEATS THE WHIZ. When are people gonna stop giving this man quarterbacks to ruin? Jake Locker RETIRED this offseason. Jake Locker is 19 years old. He had to retire because Whiz coaches all his quarterbacks to plant your face in the defender’s chest prior to releasing the ball. Classic throwing motion. Good thing they didn’t draft another slender, speedy quarterback who might be similarly frail! Oh wait… Your quarte…

Yes, everyone's favorite lizard conversationalist, Darren Daulton, has a website to promote his metaphysics "starter kit" so everyone can be prepared for falling buildings, tidal waves, and John Cusack's erratic piloting. [ Dutch2012.com] …