The Golden State WNBA expansion team announced Tuesday its name and brand identity: the Golden State Valkyries.

The name, which originates from Norse mythology, refers to a "host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering -- flying through air and sea alike," a team release said. "This brand is Golden State's modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce."

The team's primary color is "Valkyrie Violet," which signifies "power, ambition, nobility, and women's empowerment, much like purple has been used symbolically in modern history," the team said.

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"It feels like we've arrived," Valkyries president Jess Smith told ESPN. "As much as I've loved saying 'WNBA Golden State,' that was a placeholder, and this is who we are. To be able to put that stake in the ground and begin building the brand equity and begin bringing our community together around this, it's a really special moment."

The Golden State Valkyries will begin competition in the 2025 WNBA season as the league's 13th active team and first expansion franchise since 2008. The organization will host home games at San Francisco's Chase Center and practice in Oakland at the former practice facility for the Golden State Warriors, the Valkyries' NBA affiliate.

The branding offers a "big nod" to the legacy of the seven-time NBA champion Warriors, Smith said, but ensures "we're also building a legacy of our own and something that is distinctively ours."

Smith, the organization's first hire, previously helped turned the NWSL's Angel City FC into what's considered the most successful commercial women's sports brand in the world.

"The beautiful thing about Valkyries is that it's plural and it's together," Smith said. "We need everybody -- the on-court visual representation of these athletes coming together in games, but how we win together, with partners and fans and broadcast and league and everyone else by our side, is really where the real impact will be. We hope that being a Valkyrie, and for folks to kind of find their inner Valkyrie and where they're going to be a piece of that puzzle, becomes a big piece of what makes this strong."

The organization's logo depicts the Bay Bridge, a call to the team's cross-bay roots, and is shaped as a V, signifying "the unity of a group of Valkyries in flight, and standing for victory," the release said. The bridge tower in the logo doubles as a sword and the bridge cables as wings -- both features associated with Valkyries. The five triangles created by the cables on either side of the tower represent five players facing off on a basketball court, while the 13 lines emerging from the top of the tower allude to Golden State's arrival as the WNBA's 13th team.

"We wanted to be inclusive of that Golden State name," Smith said. "We want to be inclusive of all women's sports, for people to know that we are a pillar of the strength of where this is going and how we can build and bring people together. But most importantly, we want to build a brand that is incredibly inclusive and one that people like to be a part of because of what it means through the strength of Golden State and the Valkyries. So we feel like every decision that we made along the way allowed us to nod to all of those audiences."

The development of the brand, led by Warriors senior vice president of marketing Amanda Chin, started in October 2023, when the expansion franchise was officially announced. The franchise used the agency Cartwright while also looking to community input -- Smith pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle write-in survey in which 25% of respondents suggested "Valkyries" for the team name.

The team, which has surpassed 7,500 season-ticket deposits and last week introduced its newly hired general manager in Ohemaa Nyanin, will hold a Valkyries block party on Saturday at Thrive City in San Francisco to celebrate the launch of the team's identity.

"We are going to be relentless in building this brand and building a successful brand and one that we think leads to pay equity by building a successful business, but it's going to take everybody coming together to do that," Smith said.

Kirk Cousins says he doesn't believe it's constructive to have hard feelings with his new team over its surprising draft pick.

Cousins, the productive veteran quarterback, signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in March. Last month, the team stunningly took a quarterback -- Michael Penix Jr. of Washington -- with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.

Cousins' agent Mike McCartney told ESPN's Pete Thamel at the time that there was confusion and frustration coming from Cousins' camp since the Falcons acquired his successor before he even put on an Atlanta helmet and the team didn't do anything with its top-10 pick to improve for 2024.

Cousins spoke for the first time about the situation in an interview with the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast that published Tuesday. When asked if there was any beef with the Falcons over drafting Penix, Cousins said, "I don't think there can be."

"I don't think it's helpful. We're trying to win a Super Bowl and it's hard enough. It's hard enough. Let's all be on the same page and try and go win a Super Bowl."

Cousins, 35, said three years ago that he was golfing on draft night when he played for the Vikings. Klint Kubiak, then the Vikings' offensive coordinator, called him and told him that Minnesota might draft a quarterback. So, Cousins said he has "understood for a while" that teams are always thinking of succession plans.

"This isn't like a foreign concept," Cousins said. "There's an awareness that this is the NFL, anything can happen."

The Falcons start OTAs this week after rookie minicamp last week. Cousins' 2023 season ended in Week 8 due to a torn right Achilles tendon. Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Friday that Cousins is able to be "pretty much full go" with everything the team is able to do at this point of the offseason program.

Cousins said he texted Penix, who took Washington to the national championship game this past season, on draft night. Cousins said he wanted Penix to have his number, so he can be a resource to the rookie QB.

"And then just congratulated him on an awesome college career," Cousins said. "I lived it. It's hard to do. And what he did is at the top of the top in terms of college success. So, just wanted to let him know that I have the utmost respect for what he's done and we're ready to get to work. And I'm here if he needs me."

Aaron Rodgers' comeback season will open in prime time, as the New York Jets will travel to the San Francisco 49ers to face the defending NFC champions Sept. 9 on ESPN's "Monday Night Football," it was announced Tuesday morning.

This marks the second straight season that Rodgers and the Jets will play a prime-time game in Week 1. His Jets debut last Sept. 11 turned into a season-altering disaster for the Jets, as the four-time MVP tore his left Achilles on the fourth snap and missed the remainder of the season.

It's a fascinating quarterback matchup, as Rodgers squares off against Brock Purdy, the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant who has turned into one of the NFL's biggest success stories. The 49ers are coming off a crushing defeat in Super Bowl LVIII, a 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jets are coming off a 7-10 season that was marred by quarterback instability.

Rodgers has a 6-3 career mark against the 49ers. This is a homecoming of sorts for Rodgers, who grew up in Chico, California, and attended UC Berkeley. In 2005, Rodgers had thought there was a chance he'd be drafted first overall by the 49ers, but they opted for Alex Smith.

The two coaching staffs have strong ties. Jets coach Robert Saleh served as the 49ers' defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan before taking the Jets job in 2021. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is a former 49ers linebacker whom the 49ers showed interest in hiring as their defensive coordinator after last season.

Long-serving Harlequins prop Will Collier will leave the club at the end of the season to play in the French Top 14.

It has not been confirmed where Collier is going but the 33-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Castres Olympique.

He joined Quins in 2009 and made 240 appearances - winning two Premiership titles - and has played twice for England.

It has been a tough decision to leave but I feel now is the right time to take on a new challenge and adventure in France," Collier said.

Having been part of Harlequins since the age of 14, I have been lucky enough to call The Stoop home for almost 20 years.

"I have been a lifelong fan of this club and playing here has been a dream come true."

Barcelona are considering moves for Guido Rodríguez and Xavi Simons but the final decision on any signings cannot be made until the club know how much money they will be able to invest this summer, sources have told ESPN.

Rodríguez, 30, is off contract with Real Betis this summer and will be available as a free agent. Barça are keen to strengthen their midfield, with coach Xavi Hernández pinning this season's struggles on a lack of balance in the middle of the pitch.

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Xavi's priority is to add a defensive midfielder to the squad -- beyond the signing of Rodríguez -- and there is also interest in Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad's Martín Zubimendi, although both would command a significant fee. Everton midfielder Amadou Onana has also been linked.

Simons, 21, has spent this season on loan at German side RB Leipzig and is due to return to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

However, the Dutch international -- an attacking midfielder who came through Barça's academy before moving to PSG in 2019 -- could be available on loan again next season.

While free transfers and loans should be within Barça's reach when the transfer window opens, the Catalan club are still not sure what their budget will be for incomings.

They are over 200 million ($216m) in excess of their LaLiga-imposed annual spending limit, which is currently fixed at just over 200m. That means they can only spend a percentage of what they raise in transfer fees or save in wages on bringing in new players.

Sources have told ESPN the is hope that limit will rise for next season as Barça work on various ways of raising money.

They are optimistic of reducing the wage bill, signing an improved agreement with Nike and offloading a number of players, starting with those who have been out on loan and are not part of coach Xavi's plans.

Barça were in a similar position last summer and it meant the only player to arrive for a fee was Oriol Romeu, who joined from Girona for 3.5m ($3.7m) but he could be moved on this summer. Other players, such as Ilkay Gündogan, joined as free agents.

Vitor Roque arrived in January for an initial 31m ($33m), which could potentially rise to to 60m ($65m), but he is only registered until the end of the season due to the financial restrictions at the club and his future is the subject of much debate.

The Brazil striker has played just 13 times since joining, with his agent calling for more minutes or a permanent transfer elsewhere. With Xavi reluctant to use him, he could be one player who leaves this summer, although sources told ESPN that all major decisions have been parked until the end of the LaLiga season this month.

Barça will also listen to offers for a large part of their squad, including defender Ronald Araújo, as previously reported by ESPN, if it enables them to invest elsewhere.

Therefore, the planning for the upcoming transfer window is dependent on a number of factors and sources detail how the recruitment team -- led by sporting director Deco -- are preparing for various scenarios, with Rodríguez and Simons among the potentially low-cost options.

Manchester United have announced that Raphaël Varane will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season after three years with the club.

Varane arrived in a 40 million ($50.2m) deal from Real Madrid in 2021 and has made 93 appearances for the club. He was a key part of Erik ten Hag's team last season as United finished third in the Premier League and won the Carabao Cup.

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But he has struggled with injury this term and hasn't featured since the 4-3 defeat to Chelsea on April 4.

Ten Hag has consistently said Varane could still play a part in the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley on May 25.

United decided against triggering a one-year extension in his contract which would have kept him at the club until 2025. The 31-year-old, who won the Champions League four times during a 10-year spell at Real Madrid, has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia or a return to former club Lens.

Sources have told ESPN that United are looking to sign a new centre-back in the summer. They have shown interest in Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, who is available on a free transfer in the summer, but Newcastle United are leading the race for his signature.

"To you guys, supporters of Manchester United, it's been an amazing few years playing for this special club and wearing that shirt," Varane said in a post on social media.

"The first time I went to Old Trafford as a Man United player it was insane, the atmosphere was amazing. I fell in love with the club and the fans. You have to play for Man United to understand what that represents.

"Despite the fact we had a difficult season, I'm very positive for the future. The new owners are coming with a clear plan and a great strategy. I'll see you at Old Trafford to say goodbye for the last home game of the season.

"It's going to be a very emotional day for me, for sure."

The New York Yankees' bullpen, after posting the lowest ERA in the majors in 2023, is a very different group this season. Key players departed over the winter, replaced by relatively obscure newcomers, while others are out early with injuries. A decline would've made sense.

But the Yankees' relief corps is again among the best in the sport, with the second-highest Win Probability Added and second-best ERA in the majors. The anchor is the most prominent holdover: Clay Holmes, the only qualified reliever yet to surrender an earned run in 2024.

With the Yankees off to a 27-15 start, fueled in part by their standout bullpen, Holmes just might be the best closer in baseball.

"STUD -- all capital letters there," Yankees reliever Luke Weaver said.

Holmes, in his second full season as New York's closer, has registered 21 strikeouts with three walks in 17 innings and leads the American League with 12 saves. And ask anybody in the Yankees' clubhouse: Holmes' performance in Baltimore earlier this month is still a talker.

The Yankees, six outs from victory, were nursing a 2-0 lead after falling to the Orioles in the first two games of the four-game series. A third straight loss to their chief competition for the American League East would be as backbreaking as it gets on May 1. The first two Orioles reached base in the bottom of the frame. Moments later, with one out and the top of the Orioles' order looming, Yankees manager Aaron Boone summoned Holmes for a five-out save. What followed was an electric, eye-popping performance.

Holmes struck out Gunnar Henderson, named the American League Player of the Month two days later, with a pair of sharp sliders and a 97 mph sinker. He then whiffed Adley Rutschman, the Orioles' All-Star catcher, on two hard sinkers over the plate, followed by a slider that nearly dropped Rutschman to a knee. Crisis averted. Holmes then kept the middle of the Orioles' explosive lineup scoreless in the ninth to secure the victory.

"That's about as nasty as it gets," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said after watching the display. "When you're throwing 97 mph bowling balls with a slider, it's going to be tough to score against."

Veteran catcher Jose Trevino was around for Holmes' All-Star season in 2022. He has caught some of Holmes' most dominant outings. But that was the best he has ever seen from the closer.

"And I told him that," Trevino said.

Now in his fourth season with the Yankees, Holmes has the second-highest ERA+ ever for a Yankees reliever with at least 160 appearances -- behind only Mariano Rivera. He was an All-Star in 2022, snatching the closer job from Aroldis Chapman midseason. He was effective again in 2023, his first full season in the role, with a 152 ERA+ in 66 appearances.

But he has been even better in 2024. And with Holmes starring at the back end, the Yankees' bullpen boasts a 2.69 ERA, trailing only the Cleveland Guardians, even after a near meltdown Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. All this despite the significant year-over-year turnover.

Michael King, the Yankees' shutdown multi-inning weapon last season, was traded as part of the package for Juan Soto. Wandy Peralta, their best left-hander in 2023, is also in San Diego, after signing a four-year deal with the Padres in free agency. The hard-throwing Jonathan Loáisiga underwent season-ending elbow surgery after three appearances last month. Tommy Kahnle, currently on a minor league rehab assignment, has yet to throw a pitch in the majors this year.

The Yankees acquired left-handers Caleb Ferguson and Victor González from the Dodgers during the offseason. They signed Dennis Santana, on his fourth team in four years, to a minor league deal. They converted Weaver, a 30-year-old former first-round pick, from starter to reliever.

Ian Hamilton, one of the few relievers from 2023 still on the roster, had allowed eight earned runs in 15 appearances over three seasons when he signed with the Yankees before the start of last season. The 28-year-old right-hander was a revelation, recording a 2.64 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 39 games.

"There's a lot of reassurance, of showing what we do can get people out all the time," Hamilton said of the Yankees' coaching staff. "It sounds ridiculous, but then [there's] the Yankee Effect. When you're in the bullpen here, you just want to perform, and you want to show off for the Yankees. It doesn't make it easy, but that motivation is like always here. There's always that drive."

Boone credited the Yankees' front office for its ability to identify undervalued arms and maximize their abilities. The expertise has produced bullpens that have finished in the top five in ERA over the past three seasons. Nobody embodies the organization's knack for bullpen construction better than Holmes.

The Yankees acquired the 6-foot-5 right-hander from the Pittsburgh Pirates in July 2021 for infielders Diego Castillo and Hoy Park. Holmes had a 4.93 ERA in 42 innings that season at the time of the trade. He owned a 5.57 career ERA over parts of four seasons. Nothing indicated dominance was around the corner.

"We feel like he's going to be a guy that is already very tough on righties," Boone said at the time, "but we feel like he has the stuff and the repertoire to go to another place."

The Yankees had Holmes ditch his curveball for a sweeper to complement his sinker and gyro slider. The sweeper, a slider with a bigger break, plays better against right-handed hitters. The gyro slider, a harder offering, is more effective against lefties. He allowed just five runs in 25 outings to close the regular season.

Three years later, Holmes has yet to give up a hit on either of his sliders while posting the second-highest ground ball rate (71.1%) among qualified relievers behind a devastating sinker averaging 96.3 mph. He has a 61.5% whiff rate on the 34 sweepers he has thrown -- all to righties -- with six strikeouts. His gyro slider ranks as the best slider in the majors, according to the stat Run Value/100 Pitches.

"A lot of it for me is nailing my direction," Holmes said. "I'm able to just move down the mound faster and I just think it helps my body move a little better. Just kind of knowing my lanes, the direction I need to get going. It's a product of me just moving down the mound better. It frees up my arm. The stuff moves from that."

Holmes' only blemish so far this season came after shortstop Anthony Volpe's error on a routine play led to three unearned runs in the 10th inning of a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 3. On Friday, the Rays nearly ended his scoreless innings streak, but he escaped a bases-loaded jam with his third strikeout of the inning, closing out a 2-0 win and keeping his 0.00 ERA.

"Clay's pretty much the same person every day: Calm," Hamilton said. "He's ready to get put in the game pretty much any day. However many times it takes."