Sports

Bianchi

As someone who has spent all of my adult life as a registered Democrat identifying with the traditional values of social liberalism — equality, fairness, compassion for marginalized groups, etc. — I say what I am about to say with both conviction and regret: When it comes to the debate over transgender athletes competing in […]

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1 month ago

June 10, 2025

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When it comes to the debate over transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, too many of my fellow social liberals have abandoned honesty in favor of ideological propaganda. And in doing so, they’ve allowed the far right to seize the moral high ground on an issue where they never should have had it in the first place.

If you need a perfect example of this intellectual dishonesty, look no further than a recent USA Today column by sportswriter Nancy Armour, who criticized former college swimmer Riley Gaines for advocating against transgender participation in women’s sports — while lauding legendary gymnast Simone Biles for standing up for it.

Let me be clear: I admire Simone Biles tremendously. She is a courageous athlete and a generous human being. I also understand the importance of defending transgender people, who face appalling rates of discrimination, harassment and self-harm. And I would never, ever dismiss the emotional weight that comes with being a transgender athlete trying to find a place in the sports world.

But if we are going to have an honest, productive conversation about transgender athletes in organized sports, it has to begin with one basic truth:

Biological males — even those who transition — do retain athletic advantages over biological females.

This isn’t a matter of prejudice. It’s a matter of physiology.

And when a talented and respected journalist like Nancy Armour declares in her column, with a straight face, that “there is no scientific evidence that transgender women athletes have a physical advantage over cisgender women athletes,” it undermines her entire argument. She loses all credibility.

Really, Nancy?

If there’s no evidence, why do we have sex-segregated sports at all? Why not just have a single, open category?

If there’s no evidence then why did the top six high school boys in Central Florida recently run faster times in the 100 meters than defending women’s Olympic gold medalist Julien Alfred?

And if there’s no evidence, what do we make of Lia Thomas — the University of Pennsylvania swimmer who couldn’t qualify for the NCAA Championships as a man, but became a national champion as a woman? Ironically, Armour herself references Lia Thomas in her own column — without a mention on how Thomas’ dramatic improvement following her transition just might suggest that biological advantages exist.

Ignoring reality doesn’t help the cause.

It damages it.

I understand why some progressives resist this conversation. They rightfully worry that bad-faith actors on the right are using transgender athletes as a political wedge issue, drumming up fear and hate against a vulnerable population.

But when we deny obvious truths in the name of protecting marginalized people, we only play into the hands of the very people we oppose.

In fact, I would argue that my fellow Democrats’ unwillingness to acknowledge biological realities is precisely what allowed President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other right-wing opportunists to turn this issue into political red meat.

The left-leaning New York Times reported recently that even ultra-liberal former President Joe Biden himself believed transgender women should be limited from competing in women’s sports, but kept his position private. Consequently, Biden and Kamala Harris opened the door for Trump to dominate this issue.

Democratic politicians need to understand that their constituents aren’t just going to blindly deny what we know to be true: that male puberty confers lasting physical advantages in height, muscle mass, lung capacity, bone density and fast-twitch muscle response. And that even with hormone therapy, many of these advantages do not fully reverse.

You don’t have to be a Republican to grasp this. In fact, a recent poll by the New York Times found that 67 percent of all Democrats believe it is unfair for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.

This isn’t because Democrats have suddenly turned against transgender people. It’s because they still believe in fairness and because they understand the difference between compassion and competitive integrity. Breaking news: Defending fairness is not bullying.

Which is another frustrating element of Armour’s column; the way she frames Gaines as some sort of frothing bigot while canonizing Biles for advocating inclusivity.

I admire Biles for her courage and compassion, and I understand why she wants to stand up for transgender athletes. But why is Gaines — a former University of Kentucky swimmer who was one of those who had to compete against Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships — vilified simply for aggressively defending the basic concept of sex-based categories in sports? Isn’t this a principle that has underpinned women’s athletics since ancient Greece?

Another question: Would Biles have a similar stance if she had to compete against males in men-specific gymnastics events like the still rings and pommel horse — events that emphasize upper-body strength and power?

Gaines isn’t calling for the exclusion of transgender people from society. She’s calling for a fair playing field in women’s sports — something that champions of gender equity like Martina Navratilova and many other women’s sports advocates also support.

Navratilova — one of the fiercest LGBTQ advocates in sports history — has publicly stated that transgender women should not compete in girls and women’s sports if they have gone through male puberty. Is she a bully, too, as Gaines is portrayed in Armour’s column?

Navratilova, like me, is utterly disappointed in the inaction of our chosen political party on this topic.

“I hate that the Democrats totally failed women and girls on this very clear issue of women’s sports being for females only,” Martina wrote in a post on X.

Of course, you don’t have to be women’s sports pioneer like Navratilova to understand that it’s not hateful to say that women’s sports exist for a reason — and that reason is the physical differences between the sexes.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: This isn’t about bigotry; it’s about biology.

Yes, we should treat transgender people with compassion and dignity. We should defend their rights in education, employment, housing and society at large. But fairness matters, too.

Women and girls have fought too hard for too long to carve out a space where they can compete on an even playing field. If we ignore physiology in order to appear more inclusive, we risk undermining the very concept of women’s sports.

And, if you ask me, the intellectual dishonesty surrounding this issue may actually be hurting the transgender cause.

By pretending that no physical differences exist, or that concerns about fairness are driven solely by bigotry, we alienate the very moderates and liberals whose support is crucial to protecting transgender rights.

We force them to choose between compassion and common sense. And as a result, the Republican right is exploiting this issue because many on the Democratic left refuse to engage with it transparently.

We must stop denying simple truths and acknowledge that male puberty provides physical advantages that persist even after transition. Transgender rights are way too important to tie to claims that are blatantly, obviously and scientifically dishonest.

Don’t get me wrong, I admire Armour and what she stands for as writer. In my mind, she has always adhered to the long-standing journalistic commitment of “comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.”

But in this case, she has it backward.

By ignoring basic biology, she isn’t comforting the afflicted; she’s gaslighting the majority of Americans who see what is plainly true.

She, me and everyone else should support transgender rights, but we can’t do it by denying reality and sacrificing the integrity of women’s sports.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

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Delaware State launches $20 million Field House project

Delaware State University (DSU) is entering a new era of growth and excitement. With fall football around the corner and the presence of former NFL star DeSean Jackson, momentum is building at Alumni Stadium. The HBCU is investing in a major facilities upgrade, hiring a star head coach, and transforming its athletic future. DSU Launches […]

Published

39 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

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Delaware State University (DSU) is entering a new era of growth and excitement. With fall football around the corner and the presence of former NFL star DeSean Jackson, momentum is building at Alumni Stadium. The HBCU is investing in a major facilities upgrade, hiring a star head coach, and transforming its athletic future.

DSU Launches Athletics Transformation Project

In 2024, DSU introduced the Athletics Transformation Project. The goal is to improve athletic facilities and student-athlete experiences. A big part of that effort is the construction of a new 70,000-square-foot field house.

On July 1, Delaware’s state bond bill included $20 million in funding for the project.

“It’s going to inject a lot of energy and goodwill into our campus,” DSU Athletic Director Tony Tucker told Adam Denn of the Delaware News Journal.

DSU hired former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson as head football coach in December 2024. His arrival created instant buzz.

“He’s brought a lot of energy to the football program, as well as the university,” Tucker said.

Tucker was promoted to athletic director just before Jackson’s hiring. He calls this moment a “perfect storm” of progress and opportunity.

“This is the perfect time for Delaware State athletics,” he said. “We can reach heights never seen before by the university,” he said to Delaware Online.

DeSean Jackson Delaware State HBCU Football

What Will the DSU Field House Include?

The new DSU field house will sit next to Alumni Stadium. The design includes:

A 50-yard indoor turf field
Team meeting rooms
Player lounge areas
Updated locker rooms for all sports

Jackson believes the facility will improve recruiting immediately.

“Coming from a big school like Cal and seeing them transform, I think it’s really gonna help,” he said. “We’ve lost talent to schools like Norfolk and Howard. Having better facilities will make a huge difference.”

Tucker said the facility will also serve students beyond athletics.

“Other sports that train indoors will use it. Non-athletes will also have access to lounge and meeting areas.”

DSU Eyes New Convocation Center

In addition to the field house, the state included language supporting a future DSU convocation center. The center would host basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and major events.

This new arena would replace Memorial Hall, the current 1,800-seat venue. The new space is projected to cost $90 million.

“Our location could become a key venue for high school sports,” Tucker said. “We’re in the center of Delaware.”

In 2024, DSU hosted the Delaware state football championships at Alumni Stadium after issues with rental fees at the University of Delaware.

“It’s about creating a better experience for athletes and families,” Tucker said. “Families from Southern Delaware shouldn’t have to drive to the north of the state for big games.”

Jackson Wants to Level the Playing Field

Coach Jackson hopes these changes close the gap between DSU and the University of Delaware.

“Delaware has been getting a lot of talent over us,” he said. “If we can offer similar resources, we’ll get players we’ve missed in the past.”

What’s Next for DSU Athletics?

The field house doesn’t have a firm start date yet. Tucker said the goal is to finish construction in 18 to 24 months.

The convocation center will take more time and funding. But Jackson remains optimistic.

“The sky’s the limit,” he said. “Success this season will open eyes. We’ll be hard to overlook.”

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Sports

Italy Men’s Water Polo Tops Serbia in Shootout at World Champs

World Championships: Italy Tops Serbia in Shootout on Second Day of Men’s Water Polo Italy capped a long day at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a penalty shootout win over Serbia, 17-16, on Monday in Singapore. The day opened with the United States stopping Brazil, 16-7, and included a 13-11 thriller won by Croatia […]

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50 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

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World Championships: Italy Tops Serbia in Shootout on Second Day of Men’s Water Polo

Italy capped a long day at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a penalty shootout win over Serbia, 17-16, on Monday in Singapore.

The day opened with the United States stopping Brazil, 16-7, and included a 13-11 thriller won by Croatia over Montenegro.

Giacomo Cannella was the hero for Italy, scoring in the fifth round of the shootout to put the Italians over the top. The first six scorers all scored before the goalies had their say. Italy’s Gianmarco Nicosia stopped Boris Vapenski in the fourth round and Milos Cuk in the fifth. His opposite number, Lazar Dobozanov, stopped Alessandro Velotto in the fourth round, but Cannella found a way past in the fifth to send Italy top of Group A by a point over Serbia.

Getting a point from the game was a great result for Serbia, which trailed 13-10 with 3:53 left in regulation after Matteo Iocchi Gratta scored. Dusan Mandic scored a penalty goal then on the power play, and Vasilije Martinovic’s power-play tally with six seconds left sent the game to the shootout.

Nicosia led the Italians with 13 saves. Iocchi Gratta shot 3-for-3 from the field. Francesco Di Fulvio added three goals and two assists. Cannella scored four times but took 15 shots to get there.

Mandic characteristically led Serbia with six goals on nine shots. Martinovic was 4-for-4 shooting on the day. Radoslav Filipovic stopped 14 shots in regulation before giving way to Dobozanov.

Marko Bijac made 11 saves, including one with 18 seconds left, as Croatia pulled out a wild one over Montenegro. The Montenegrins pulled within one goal on three occasions in the fourth quarter before Rino Buric’s goal with one second left sealed the game for Croatia.

Luka Bukic scored three times for Croatia. Konstantin Kharkov and Loren Fatovic had two goals and two assists apiece for Croatia, and Marko Zuvela chipped in a goal and four assists.

Djuro Radovic and Dusan Banicevic scored three times each for Montenegro, which got eight saves from Petar Tesanovic.

The Americans started the day by handling Brazil, 16-7. The lead was 8-1 at half. Max Irving and Ryder Dodd scored four goals each, Irving adding two assists. Adrian Weinberg stopped 11 shots. Chase Dodd had a goal and four assists.

The U.S. leads Group C with six points, with a game remaining against last-place Singapore. The host country dropped a 22-10 decision to Canada, thanks to seven goals from Reuel Mark D’Souza and four from Bogdan Djerkovic.

Hungary and Spain won to set up a showdown for the Group B crown in Wednesday’s nightcap. Hungary outlasted a feisty Japan side, 23-18, behind four goals from Zsombor Vismeg. Marton Vamos had two goals and six assists, and Adam Nagy contributed three goals and two helpers. Seiya Adachi and Taiyo Watanabe scored four times each for the Japanese, who are ahead of Australia for third in the group on goal differential.

Spain kept Australia muted in a 10-7 win. The Spanish led 4-0 after one quarter and 9-2 at half despite shooting just 10-for-35 (29 percent) for the game. Roger Tahull scored twice. Alvaro Granados and Bernat Sanahuja scored two goals and an assist each, but they combined to shoot just 4-for-16.

Greece kept the pressure on Croatia and Montenegro in Group D with a 26-5 win over China, thanks to a 12-0 first-half margin. Dimitrios Nikolaidas had a second-quarter hat trick and finished 5-for-5 shooting. Nikolaos Gkillas and Efstathios Kalogeropoulos scored four times each.

Romania deluged South Africa, 24-5, though with a 47-19 edge in shots, it could’ve been worse. Vlad Georgescu and Francesco Iudean scored four goals apiece.

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Sports

Mizzou Track & Field Adds Five Signees: The Buzz

Mizzou track and field coach Brett Halter announced the signing of five new additions to his roster for the 2025-26 season on Monday, consisting of four transfers and one freshman. Here is a breakdown of each athlete the Tigers are getting: “We are thrilled to welcome in high-character student-athletes into our program,” Halter said in […]

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Mizzou track and field coach Brett Halter announced the signing of five new additions to his roster for the 2025-26 season on Monday, consisting of four transfers and one freshman.

Here is a breakdown of each athlete the Tigers are getting:

“We are thrilled to welcome in high-character student-athletes into our program,” Halter said in a news release. “Brianna, Pheline, Nora, Raymond and Teegan will help us continue to set the standard of winning national championships while competing in the best conference in the nation.”

44 days.

“To this day, if someone was capable of doing this, if they gave me 22 players, no assistant coaches, no telephone, just 22 players and to play another coach with 22 players of equal ability, the one coach I would fear the most was Don Faurot. He could coach every position.”

– Dan Devine

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2025 MLB Draft

The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft came to a close on Tuesday evening. Day two of the draft was for rounds 4-20 and the Cincinnati Reds spent a whole lot of their picks on pitchers. In fact, on day two they selected 10 pitchers. That doesn’t include the two pitchers that they selected on the […]

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Here’s a quick look at how the entire draft played out for the Cincinnati Reds:

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School
1	9	Steele Hall	SS	Hewitt-Trussville HS
2	51	Aaron Watson	RHP	Trinity Christian Academy
3	83	Mason Morris	RHP	Ole Miss
4	114	Mason Neville	OF	Oregon
5	145	Eli Pitts	OF	North Atlanta HS
6	174	Braden Osbolt	RHP	Kennesaw State
7	204	Justin Henschel	RHP	Florida Gulf Coast
8	234	Kyle McCoy	LHP	Maryland
9	264	Kien Vu	OF	Arizona State
10	294	Ty Doucette	1B	Rutgers
11	324	Jake Brink	RHP	College of Charleston
12	354	Carson Latimer	RHP	Sacramento State
13	384	Brady Afthim	RHP	Connecticut
14	414	Bryce Archie	RHP	South Florida
15	444	Andrew Shaffner	RHP	NC State
16	474	Maison Martinez	RHP	Florida State
17	504	Dylan King	C	Central Florida
18	534	Ethan Moore	SS	Oak Park and River Forest HS
19	564	Myles Upchurch	RHP	St. Albans HS
20	594	Leamsi Montanez	C	Leadership Christian Academy

If you want to read reports, see videos, check out the stats, and get more information on all of these guys – we’ve got you covered over at RedsMinorLeagues.com. What we’re going to look at from day two are a few of the more intriguing players for one reason or another from the final day of the draft.

The College Quarterback

In the 14th round the Reds took Bryce Archie. He originally attended Coastal Carolina as a quarterback in 2022. He then transferred to South Florida where he was on the football team as a backup quarterback in 2023 and the start of 2024 before taking over as the starter a few games into the 2024 season.

The 2024 season was also his first year that he played college baseball. He struggled that season on the mound as a reliever. In 2025 he turned things around and posted a 3.25 ERA in 44.1 innings. Archie has a fastball that’s been up to 96 MPH and he flashes a quality slider.

The Home Run Champ

Cincinnati began day two of the draft by taking Mason Neville. He led the country in home runs this past season with 26 of them for Oregon. There’s a ton of power in his game, but he’s struggled to make contact in his career – though he did improve his contact rate in 2025 (but it was still a well below-average rate). He hit just .290 thanks in part to his struggles putting the bat on the ball.

The .400 hitter

A few rounds into day two the Reds selected Kien Cu out of Arizona State. In 2024 there was something a bit strange going on in college baseball and everyone was hitting everything and the offensive environment was up nearly everywhere. Vu, though, was doing stuff very few guys were doing as he hit .413 on the season. This year he “only” hit .354 for Arizona State.

A Reds Connection

In the 17th round the Reds took catcher Dylan King out of Central Florida. He hit well in his first season as a starter, posting a .326/.442/.652 line. His dad Brad King played minor league baseball from 1996-2003. In the 2000 season he played for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in the Cincinnati farm system. He only played in 41 games that season and hit .250/.364/.352. Two years prior to that he played in Daytona when they were a Cubs affiliate.

Sports

USA Women Unbeaten Through Group Play At World Championships With 26-3 Victory Over Argentina

Story Links Singapore – July 14 – The USA Women’s National Team went unbeaten through group play at the World Championships with a 26-3 win over Argentina. Ava Stryker scored six goals to lead the offense with Isabel Williams recording 11 saves in the cage. Team USA advances straight to the quarterfinals on Saturday and awaits […]

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Singapore – July 14 – The USA Women’s National Team went unbeaten through group play at the World Championships with a 26-3 win over Argentina. Ava Stryker scored six goals to lead the offense with Isabel Williams recording 11 saves in the cage. Team USA advances straight to the quarterfinals on Saturday and awaits their next opponent. Live streaming of all USA matches will be available on Peacock (login required).

Team USA got going right away as Tara Prentice scored first on the opening possession of the game. Shortly thereafter, Emily Ausmus rang the register on a penalty strike before Jenna Flynn did the same for a 3-0 lead. Next, it was Jovana Sekulic who scored from set and then Stryker joined the mix with a skip shot goal for a 5-0 lead. Argentina got on the board with about one minute remaining in the quarter but Rachel Gazzaniga returned the favor to give the Americans a 6-1 lead after one.

Gazzaniga started the second period with her second goal of the day for a 7-1 lead. Ausmus put home her second score after a nice shot fake and then, midway through the quarter, Flynn floated home a lob shot from six meters to make it 9-1. Argentina scored another goal on its next possession and then Stryker put home back-to-back goals for a hat trick and an 11-2 lead. With just over one minute left in the half, Stryker stepped up to convert a penalty shot before Ella Woodhead found the back of the net to push the lead to 13-2 before the break.

Jewel Roemer got free on the counter attack for a 1-on-1 with the Argentinian goalkeeper to begin the third quarter and she put it away with ease. Two minutes later, Emma Lineback scored to make it 15-2 before Stryker went cross cage for her fifth goal of the day. Midway through the quarter, Roemer and Sekulic converted penalty shots for an 18-2 lead. Just over one minute later, Sekulic netted her third goal and then Argentina put away their third score of the day on a penalty shot. From there, Sekulic extended the USA lead before Julia Bonaguidi made it 21-3 after three with a penalty shot conversion.

The final frame saw the Americans get goals from Prentice (2), Lineback, Malia Allen, and Stryker as the United States rolled to the 26-3 victory.

Team USA went 6/10 on power plays and 8/8 on penalties while Argentina went 1/7 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.

Quotes

“It’s always an honor anytime you get to put on this suit. I’ve been training with this team for a long time [and now] being at my second World Championships and playing in more games than my first time through is such a privilege. Being around these teammates, many of whom I’ve played with in college or on younger national teams, is an amazing experience. We have all grown up in the program together and being able to play at the highest level of water polo has been awesome.” – Ella Woodhead

Scoring – Stats

USA 26 (6, 7, 8, 5) A. Stryker 6, J. Sekulic 4, T. Prentice 3, E. Ausmus 2, J. Flynn 2, R. Gazzaniga 2, E. Lineback 2, J. Roemer 2, M. Allen 1, J. Bonaguidi 1, E. Woodhead 1

ARG 3 (1, 1, 1, 0) J. Auliel 1, A. Bacigalupo 1, M. Canda 1

Saves – USA – I. Williams 11 – ARG – N. Stegmayer 3, L. Canales 1

6×5 – USA – 6/10 – ARG 1/7

Penalties – USA – 8/8 – ARG – 1/1

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Sports

Minnesota Twins making major investment in future of women's sports

Minnesota Twins making major investment in future of women’s sports – CBS Minnesota Watch CBS News The Minnesota Twins are the first MLB team to fully fund a youth girls baseball team. The 14 and under team was celebrated at yesterday’s game ahead of a big tournament they’re competing in later this month. In this […]

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Minnesota Twins making major investment in future of women’s sports – CBS Minnesota

Watch CBS News

The Minnesota Twins are the first MLB team to fully fund a youth girls baseball team. The 14 and under team was celebrated at yesterday’s game ahead of a big tournament they’re competing in later this month. In this week’s Women in Sports, Marielle Mohs shows us the impact this has on the players.