The long-awaited House Settlement was finally approved by Judge Claudia Wilken early in June. Now, ESPN pundit Paul Finebaum sees that there is a clear winner of the agreement.

For the short term, at least, Finebaum explained on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, that for the time being the Power Four commissioners won with the House Settlement. However, there is reason for concern on the horizon still.

“Today they did,” Paul Finebaum said. “And I think that’s why you see such bullishness from the four Power Four commissioners. I think what’s behind the curtain is what always concerns and keeps people that run college athletics up at night. If something is challengeable, you know enough and play golf with enough attorneys, it will be challenged. I don’t suspect, I know attorneys are sitting around right now — they’re not sitting, they’re actively moving — trying to figure out where the best route is, where the best lawsuit lies.”

In part of Judge Wilken’s decision, she shared that all the decisions in the House Settlement are challengeable in the court of law. That’s why Finebaum is concerned about further lawsuits, which could undo aspects of the settlement.

“I don’t mean to cast aspersions on the entire legal profession, although I will. They’re in business to make money as opposed to what I always thought they were supposed to do, which is protect people, defend people, and seek the truth and justice. But there will be a bevy of lawsuits and the same cats who filed this lawsuit are the ones I think you need to keep your eyes on,” Finebaum said. “And I think that’s where this is gonna get uncomfortable. Everybody’s speculating on where it goes.”

Even with the House Settlement, there has been a push for further changes within the sport. In particular, federal government involvement to set further laws regarding college sports. That even recently included Donald Trump meeting with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua. Still, even with all of that, one thing Finebaum doesn’t expect is more help from Congress.

“I think the second part of it is Congress. I heard everyone yesterday talk about the need to get Congress involved. Well, I don’t believe we’re any closer to that than we were the day before or a year ago or three years ago,” Finebaum said. “Because Congress is not a body made to make decisions. The reason why people like divided leadership is nothing ever gets done because people in business really don’t want anything to get done.”

The House Settlement is going to bring with it several major changes to the college sports world. That, notably, includes revenue sharing with athletes. It’s also going to impose roster limits on sports, new NIL restrictions, and lead to back damages being paid.

“Despite some compromises, the settlement agreement nevertheless will result in extraordinary relief for members of the settlement classes,” Wilken wrote in her 76-page final opinion. “If approved, it would permit levels and types of student-athlete compensation that have never been permitted in the history of college sports, while also very generously compensating Division I student-athletes who suffered past harms.”

Plenty of questions linger over college sports, even with the House Settlement in place. It forms a new enforcement agency called the College Sports Commission. On top of that, it contradicts several state laws, including one in Tennessee that allows schools and their NIL collectives to continue to pay above the cap. How successful it slows down third-party NIL deals also remains to be seen.

2025 College World Series schedule

(Charles Schwab Field; Omaha, Neb.; all times PT)

Friday, June 13

Game 1: Arizona (44-19) vs. Coastal Carolina (53-11), 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 2: Louisville (40-22) vs. Oregon State (47-14-1), 4 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, June 14

Game 3: Murray State (43-15) vs. UCLA (47-16), 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 4: Arkansas (48-13) vs. LSU (48-15), 4 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, June 15

Game 5: Arizona/Coastal Carolina loser vs. Louisville/Oregon State loser, 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 6: Arizona/Coastal Carolina winner vs. Louisville/Oregon State winner, 4 p.m., ESPN2

Monday, June 16

Game 7: Murray State/UCLA loser vs. Arkansas/LSU loser, 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 8: Murray State/UCLA winner vs. Arkansas/LSU winner, 4 p.m., ESPN

Tuesday, June 17

Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 4 p.m., ESPN

Wednesday, June 18

Game 11: Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 11 a.m. ESPN

Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 4 p.m., ESPN

Thursday, June 19

Game 13 (if necessary): Game 11 winner vs. Game 11 loser, time TBD, ESPN

Game 14 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, time TBD, ESPN

Saturday, June 21

Championship series Game 1, 4 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, June 22

Championship series Game 2, 11:30 a.m., ABC

Monday, June 23

(if necessary) Championship series Game 3, 4:30 p.m., ESPN

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — There’s a giant, gold-outlined rat emblazoned on the hat that dangles in Brad Marchand’s locker.

The scrappy NHL veteran has been likened to the tiny rodent for much of his career, notoriously known as “The Rat” among hockey fans for his brash play.

So when Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida back in March, it didn’t take long for him to embrace Panthers fans’ longstanding tradition of tossing plastic rats onto the ice after wins.

“I hope we get some rats thrown at us,” Marchand quipped at his locker on Sunday, before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. “I just hope it’s on the ice and not outside.”

Marchand got his wish. After the Panthers routed the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 on Monday, those unmistakable gray pests rained down on the ice in a tradition that has lasted three decades. As they’ve done after most games this postseason, Marchand’s teammates fired the rats at his legs before exiting the ice.

For Marchand, getting the rats thrown at him is like a badge of honor — a tiny, symbolic moment that represents how the Panthers have been able to keep things lighthearted while going for their second straight championship.

“This group has a ton of fun,” Marchand said. “It’s an incredible environment to be a part of. In the room, on the ice, even just in the city, there’s a lot of excitement around right now.”

The rat-throwing tradition goes back 30 years

Before their 1995-96 season opener, Panthers players were waiting to take the ice in a cramped, makeshift dressing room at the now-demolished Miami Arena when a large rat scampered in.

“Players were jumping on top of their stalls … big, tough hockey players,” said Billy Lindsay, Panthers left wing from their expansion season in 1993 to 1999, “most of us were pretty scared of this big rat running around. We were ducking for cover everywhere.”

Right wing Scott Mellanby then grabbed his stick and one-timed the rat into the wall. The rodent went flying across the dressing room. It died as soon as it hit the wall. Players later memorialized it by circling the small dent in the blood-stained wall and placing a rat statue there for the year.

The Panthers went out and beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 that night. Mellanby scored a pair of goals with that same stick.

“Scott Mellanby didn’t even have time to really tape his stick,” Lindsay said. “So he’s got a little rat and blood there on his stick and went out there and scored a couple of goals.”

In his postgame news conference, goalie John Vanbiesbrouck noted that Mellanby had the NHL’s first “rat trick.”

The incident was in the local paper the next day. About a week or so later, a toy rat hit the ice after a home game. The next game, there were a couple more. By the end of that season, which included Lindsay scoring the game-winning goal that clinched Florida’s first ever playoff series win, the rat throwing had become such a phenomenon that the team earned a sponsorship from the pest control company Orkin.

“And funny enough, it’s still around today,” Lindsay said, “which is quite strange.”

‘It’s a feeling you can’t replicate’

Sports traditions are ubiquitous. Some are sacred. Many are quirky. And they can include just about anything. There’s the Lambeau Leap at Green Bay Packers games. The “Gatorade Bath” after a win in the NFL. LeBron James’ patented pregame chalk toss. Detroit Red Wings fans occasionally celebrate wins by throwing octopuses on the ice. The Nashville Predators have their catfish toss.

For the Panthers, who at the time were in just their third season as an NHL franchise, the rat throwing — buoyed by the fact that Florida made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final that year — became the first real way they got the South Florida fans in a non-traditional hockey market to embrace their team.

Colin Fox, 32, a Panthers fan from Boca Raton, Florida, said it’s “a thrill” to be a part of the rat throwing at the end of games.

“Even when they weren’t very good, when they weren’t on these hot streaks, there were still rats on the ice,” said Fox, who wore a throwback Mellanby jersey to Game 3 of the final. “It’s something that has persevered through the years.”

For opposing teams, the rats are often a nuisance, Lindsay said, recalling how some goalies would hide in their net between goals to try and escape them. So many hit the ice after that initial season the NHL changed its rules to say such in-game celebrations could lead to penalties, though the league still allowed rats to be thrown after games.

There’s plenty of rat-themed memorabilia for sale at Panthers games, and the plastic rodents themselves can be purchased all over Miami. At gas stations. Party stores. Some fans order them online.

The rats that Panthers fan JP Kirkpatrick, 23, tossed onto the ice after a game this season came from a fan sitting next to him who brought plenty of extras.

“It’s a feeling you can’t replicate,” said Kirkpatrick, an Orlando, Florida, native. “It’s something you can’t get (anywhere else). You’ve got to be there to get it. You can’t watch it on TV. You can’t get it in the parking lot. You’ve got to be out there, be in the seat. The fans, everybody there, it’s electric.”

No one from that 1995 Panthers group thought they’d be a part of creating a lasting, iconic symbol for the team, but as they look back on that moment amid all the Panthers’ recent success, they’re proud of what it’s become.

“There’s been enough people from back then to hang on to the tradition and pass it along,” Lindsay said. “And now you get this unparalleled success where you get three Stanley Cup appearances in a row, you win a Stanley Cup championship, you’re looking for a second. And that rat is just (still) going.

“It just makes me proud of what we started.”

Fisk University will close its groundbreaking women’s gymnastics program following the 2026 season, marking the end of a pioneering chapter in HBCU athletics.

The Nashville institution made collegiate sports history in 2023 as the first historically Black college or university to establish a women’s artistic gymnastics team. However, the same pioneering status that brought national attention ultimately contributed to operational challenges that led to the program’s discontinuation.

Unlike Fisk’s other athletic programs, the gymnastics team competed outside the HBCU conference structure, creating significant logistical hurdles. The team faced difficulties securing nearby competition and was required to travel extensively for meets, straining both budget and scheduling resources.

“While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,” said Athletic Director Valencia Jordan. She praised the dedication of the gymnasts, coaching staff, and support personnel who built the program from inception.

The university has committed to supporting affected student-athletes and staff through the transition process as the program winds down over the next two seasons.

The announcement comes shortly after the departure of Morgan Price, the program’s most celebrated athlete. Price, a three-time All-American who achieved the historic milestone of becoming the first HBCU gymnast to score a perfect 10, recently transferred to the University of Arkansas to compete alongside her sister Frankie.

Fisk’s gymnastics experiment briefly inspired similar efforts across HBCU athletics. Talladega College in Alabama launched its own women’s gymnastics program in 2024, though financial constraints forced that program to close after just one season.

The end of Fisk’s gymnastics program reflects broader challenges facing smaller institutions attempting to expand into sports outside traditional conference structures, where shared travel costs and regional competition provide crucial support systems for emerging programs.

American International College has appointed Patrick Tabb ’03 as its new Head Ice Hockey Coach, marking a significant milestone in the program’s history. Tabb, who previously served as an assistant coach at AIC for a total of ten seasons, has a proven track record, including leading teams to four straight Atlantic Hockey Association Championships. His strong connections to the local hockey community and coaching experience positions him to positively influence the future of AIC Hockey. Tabb expressed gratitude for the opportunity and emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards set by the program’s alumni and community. He aims to build on his previous successes while fostering new talent.

By the Numbers

• Tabb served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons at AIC across two separate terms.
• He coached the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s Springfield Pics to a USPHL Elite Division title in 2013-14.

State of Play

• Tabb is the ninth head coach in AIC’s ice hockey history.
• He has deep ties to the hockey community and a track record of player development.

What’s Next

Looking ahead, Tabb aims to leverage his experience and community connections to enhance the AIC hockey program’s competitiveness, while focusing on player development and recruitment for upcoming seasons.

Bottom Line

Patrick Tabb’s appointment as head coach signals a new chapter for AIC Hockey, with expectations for sustained success and community engagement as he builds on the program’s legacy.

USA Gymnastics is under the national microscope after its biggest star, Simone Biles, ignited mass backlash for attacking Riley Gaines over the issue of trans athletes in women’s sports. Biles has since apologized for her remarks against Gaines, but the impact of public perception to her and the organization is only just setting in. 

Former Team USA and NCAA champion women’s gymnast Dee Worley, spoke out against USA Gymnastics after it was revealed that the organization’s webpages outlining its transgender athlete policy and resources were offline, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

Worley, a former USA Gymnastics athlete and board member, revealed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital her thoughts on the state of leadership for the nation’s governing gymnastics body, as the U.S. is set to host the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. 

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Team USA gymnasts Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Hezly Rivera pose with their gold medals. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

“I think there’s been a steady decline in its ability to have backbone and its leaders’ ability to have backbone for some time now,” Worley said of the organization and its recent quiet distancing from trans inclusion policies. “When you don’t have principles that you are willing to be dyed in the wool about and be ten toes down about, then you are going to blow with every wind.”

Worley, who competed for the U.S. national team as early as high school in the late 1980s, made history at the University of Alabama as a 17-time All-American, a four-time champion and a nine-time regional champion. As a senior in 1993, she set an NCAA record with perfect 10’s in five consecutive meets. She later says she served as a USA gymnastics board member. 

Now, Worley is a women’s sports rights advocate and a member of the Independent Counil on Women’s Sports (ICONS) network. 

And she went so far as to say the organization is exhibiting “cowardice,” with its past stance and currently unclear stance on the issue now. 

“I don’t like their cowardice in any instance. Whether it means they have the trans information up in the first place or they took it down when it got hot in the kitchen. I don’t admire cowardice and I think you know find your position stand on it, but be ready for the fight if you are standing on an issue that is going to be at the detriment of women in your sport who have made your sport what it is,” Worley said. 

Previous links to three of the organization’s pages outlining its transgender eligibility policies are currently offline. When the pages were officially taken offline is currently unknown. 

One link previously led to a November 2020 announcement that the organization no longer required trans athletes to undergo sex reassignment, legal gender recognition, and hormone therapy in order to compete in the gender category of their choosing, as seen in an archive by the Wayback Machine. That page still shows up in search results, but the link now goes to a 404 error page. 

Another link previously went to a three-page PDF pamphlet of USA Gymnastics guidelines for transgender and non-binary athletes, as seen in a Wayback Machine archive. That link is now inaccessible, but is still a top result on search engines. 

Another link previously went to a nine-page PDF USA Gymnastics pamphlet titled “Transgender Athlete Inclusion Resources: Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Athletes,” as seen in a Wayback Machine archive. That link is also no longer accessible. 

Worley predicts that the organization will announce an official amendment to its policy, but not one that goes far enough as she’d like. 

“I predict they will amend the language leaving lots of loopholes and flexibility for them to be just nebulous enough for them to change their minds if and when the time comes,” Worley said.

“I think they are very pressure driven an externally focus driven instead of being principle driven. So you cannot depend on any organization that does not stand on anything or have actual values that they refused to bend on.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to USA Gymnastics for comment. 

SIMONE BILES DOESN’T REALIZE WHAT SHE’S ADMITTING ABOUT TRANS WOMEN IN HER POSTS, RILEY GAINES SAYS

Simone Biles married Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens in Apr. 2023.  (Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

For Worley, the organization’s recent stance in letting biological males compete in the women’s category represents a leftward political shift by the organization in recent years. She believes it began in after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“When I was a part of USA Gymnastics it was really rigid… USA Gymnastics was really about being team USA. It was about representing the United States well,” Worley said of when she competed in the 90s and early 2000s. 

“So that’s my recollection of it and it has gone way left now. In my opinion, USA Gymnastics has been absolutely plaqued by incredibly faulty leadership for many, many years and has also bent its knee to the woke mob. Which is unfortunate because it has nothing to do with gymnastics.” 

Worley recalls a shift by the organization de-prioritizing the protection of athletes after the public treatment of Gabby Douglas at the 2008 summer games. 

“I did notice that and that was kind of the tipping point for me, I noticed some type of fall off in terms of the protection of the athletes,” Worley said. 

Other major Team USA sport governing bodies have quietly amended their transgender policies amid rising opposition to trans inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports. 

USA Track and Field (USATF) official transgender eligibility policy now references the World Athletics guidelines on its official webpage. 

USATF previously referenced the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s policy, as seen in an archive via Wayback Machine. 

The IOC allows biological males to compete in the women’s category, while World Athletics bans any athlete who has undergone male puberty from competing as a woman.

USA Fencing announced in April that it is preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy, after a viral protest by women’s fencer Stephanie Turner sparked mass backlash and federal intervention by protesting a trans opponent. 

The organization said it is preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is “forced” to change it. 

“In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex,” the announcement read. 

The proposed updated policy ensures that the women’s category “will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex.” The men’s category “will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition.”

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Worley hopes that the next generation of gymnasts can help contribute to substantial change in their governing body. 

“If any female gymnasts are in a position where there is a male competitor who is claiming to be a female and wanting to compete against females, I would say to them ‘push back,’” Worley said.  

“One don’t compete if you opt out there is no one for them to compete against. Two really put pressure on the governing body who is supposed to have your back. Supposed to be supporting you of your progression in the sport. Don’t let them get away with checking the woke mob box and doing whatever they think they should be doing for optics for a very small percentage of the population at the sacrifice and compromise of your career.” 

Fox News Digital’s Connor McGahan contributed to this report.

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