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DALLAS — Jeff Gladney, a defensive back for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, died Monday in a car crash in Dallas. He was 25.Gladney’s death was confirmed by the Cardinals and his agent.Advertisement“We are devastated to learn of Jeff Gladney’s passing. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all who are mourning this tremendous loss,” the team said.The crash occurred on the service road of Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas, KTVT-TV reported. Another person also died.AdvertisementThe Dallas County sheriff’s department said no one was available on the Memorial Day holiday to talk about the crash.Gladney played at TCU before becoming a 2020 first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings. He played in 16 games that year but was released before the 2021 season, when he was charged with assaulting a woman.Gladney was found not guilty in Dallas County, Texas, in March and was subsequently signed by the Cardinals. He participated in team drills last week.“We are asking prayers for the family and privacy at this most difficult time,” agent Brian Overstreet said.The NFL said Gladney’s death was a “tragic loss.”

An unfortunate accident in the weight room has forced infielder Jonathan Villar to the injured list.The exercise band Villar was using snapped back into his mouth, causing a freak injury that will require significant dental work. The Chicago Cubs placed him on the 10-day IL before Monday’s doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers, retroactive to Friday.AdvertisementThe Cubs recalled outfielder Nelson Velázquez, who made his big-league debut with a Game 1 start in right field. Velázquez is rated the Cubs’ No. 16 prospect by MLB.com and was Arizona Fall League MVP last year. He was promoted to Triple A in early May and hit .253 with nine doubles, one triple, 12 homer runs, 25 RBIs and a .914 OPS in 41 games between Double A and Triple A.“Everything is a dream come true,” Velázquez said. “It’s everything I wished for in my life.”AdvertisementA clearly happy Velázquez is reunited with longtime minor-league teammate Christopher Morel.“He’s my bestie,” said Velázquez, who is two lockers down from Morel’s.[ [Don’t miss] Marcus Stroman’s best start ‘by far’ goes to waste as the right-hander closes out an impressive month for Chicago Cubs ]Right-hander Matt Swarmer’s contract was selected from Triple-A Iowa. The 28-year-old, a former 19th-round pick, got the start in the first game versus the Brewers. Right-hander Ethan Roberts (right shoulder inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day IL to create a 40-man spot for Swarmer.Swarmer posted a 2.08 ERA in nine games (five starts) at Iowa.“The reports are he’s been throwing the ball really well,” manager David Ross said. “I think he’s made some adjustments in his game a little bit. He’s off to a good season.”Right-hander Anderson Espinoza also earned his first major-league call up, brought up from Double-A Tennessee to serve as the 27th man for the doubleheader. Espinoza, 24, was acquired from the San Diego Padres in July for Jake Marisnick.“It’s been a been a morning of congratulating a lot of guys for being up here,” Ross said. “Happy for a lot of those guys that have put in the hard work and you get the reward to come up and be in an environment like today.”

Northwestern rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Arizona State 8-6 on Sunday night and earn the final berth in the Women’s College World Series.It’s the sixth WCWS appearance for the NU softball program and the first since 2007. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament begins Thursday in Oklahoma City, with the best-of-three championship series starting June 8.AdvertisementThe Wildcats will face top seed and defending champion Oklahoma in the tournament’s opening game (1:30 p.m., ESPN). The Sooners have won four of the last eight national titles, and slugger Jocelyn Alo is the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and the Division I career home run leader. After trailing 5-0 through three innings, the Wildcats scored four runs in the fourth and one each in the fifth and sixth to take the lead in Game 3 of the NCAA super regional in Tempe, Ariz.AdvertisementA pair of insurance runs in the seventh provided enough cushion for pitcher Danielle Williams, who allowed six hits, walked five and struck out seven. The Sun Devils scored one in the seventh and brought the winning run to the plate before Williams got out of the jam.Catcher Jordyn Rudd led the NU offense, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs, while shortstop Maeve Nelson had three hits and third baseman Hannah Cady hit her 10th home run of the season.The rest of the WCWS field has UCLA, Texas, Florida, Oregon State, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

MIAMI — Jayson Tatum scored 26 points, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each added 24 and the Boston Celtics held off a frantic rally in the final seconds to beat the Miami Heat 100-96 on Sunday night and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.Al Horford added 14 rebounds for the Celtics, who never trailed on the way to pulling off a Game 7 win on the road — not including the bubble, the first such victory for the storied franchise since beating the Milwaukee Bucks for the 1974 NBA title.AdvertisementNext up for the Celtics: the Golden State Warriors in a series that starts Thursday in San Francisco.Jimmy Butler, who willed the Heat into Game 7 by scoring 47 points Friday in Boston, led the Heat with 35 points in what became their season finale. Bam Adebayo added 25 for the Heat, who were down 11 with less than 3 minutes to go before trying one last rally.AdvertisementAn 9-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Max Strus with 51 seconds left, got the Heat within 98-96. They had a chance for the lead with about 17 seconds to go when Butler tried a 3-pointer from the right wing, but it missed — and the Celtics escaped.The Celtics forced the Heat into nine consecutive misses during a crucial stretch of the fourth quarter, using that stretch to turn an 82-79 lead into a 90-79 edge — and the Celtics, who had lost each of their last four trips to the East finals, found a way to hold on.Kyle Lowry scored 15 for the Heat. Grant Williams finished with 11 for the Celtics.

In the back of Marcus Stroman’s mind, he prepared to go to third base.Stroman did not hesitate during the sixth inning of a scoreless game Sunday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs pitcher aggressively fielded his position on Danny Mendick’s sacrifice bunt attempt with nobody out — charging off the mound, barehanding the ball and firing a strike to third baseman Patrick Wisdom, who tagged out Josh Harrison.Advertisement“I‘m usually off the mound pretty quick,” Stroman said, “so if it’s not a perfect bunt, I usually feel like I have an opportunity to get the guy at third. And I kind of peeked real quick while I was running over there and I knew I had a chance, and Wizzy made a great play.”The sequence was part of a stellar performance from Stroman that featured seven shutout innings — which the Cubs wasted in a 5-4 loss in 12 innings at Guaranteed Rate Field.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: Despite comeback win, White Sox fans still seeking a reason to believe in this team — and its manager ]Holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh thanks to sloppy Sox defense, Stroman successfully navigated a bases-loaded, one-out spot. He attacked Sox catcher Reese McGuire and got him to whiff on three pitches out of the zone. Two pitches later, Harrison lined out to second to end the threat.An amped Stroman slapped his mitt walking off the field.“We had a really good mix of pitches going on, keeping them very off balance, getting weak contact,” Stroman said. “Defense was amazing as well. So just being aggressive and taking that same mentality into each start.”Cubs starter Marcus Stroman stands on the mound in the seventh inning against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 29, 2022. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Manager David Ross called Stroman’s start “by far” his best outing with the Cubs. For most of the afternoon, Stroman pounded the zone and took advantage of the Sox’s aggressiveness. He recorded 17 outs on three pitches or fewer.“He mixes well and changes his timing and stuff,” Sox third baseman Jake Burger said. “It was keep the same process going, look for something over the middle of the plate. He threw well, though, I’ve got to give him credit for that.”The Cubs, however, didn’t capitalize on Stroman’s start. Catcher P.J. Higgins didn’t block a swinging strike that David Robertson induced in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Sox to tie the game. And the Sox tallied two runs apiece off Scott Effross and Robert Gsellman in extra innings to prevent the Cubs from a two-game sweep.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Playing three extra innings was not ideal for the Cubs ahead of nine games in the next seven days, including a doubleheader Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs will call up right-hander Michael Swarmer from Triple-A Iowa to start Game 1. Left-hander Drew Smyly will get the ball for Game 2.Swarmer, a 19th-round pick in 2016, has pitched well for Iowa. In nine games (five starts), the 28-year-old has a 2.08 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks in 39 innings.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Analysis: Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs must learn from mistakes to build the franchise’s next title contender ]Stroman still is looking to get in a rhythm and isn’t where he wants to be mechanically. Despite that, he finished May with a 1.50 ERA (four earned runs in 24 innings) in four starts while also being sidelined by COVID-19 during the month.It’s encouraging Stroman is able to put the Cubs in position to win while not being at his best. The Cubs will be relying more on their veteran starters with Wade Miley on the 15-day injured list.The bullpen has been reliable two months in, but the group will wear down quickly if the Cubs don’t get consistent innings from the rotation.“I feel like I’m someone who’s always going to go out there and compete regardless of how I feel,” Stroman said. “I’m always going to throw myself out there every fifth day regardless of anything and do my best to put everything aside and to compete.“I just know I can be better. So that’s what’s frustrating is that I know that I can be better each and every time out. I’m just trying to get to that point.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Marcus Ericsson had to leave Formula One to become a global superstar — a goal achieved Sunday when the Swedish driver won the Indianapolis 500.Ericsson took control of Sunday’s race late and had it under control for Chip Ganassi Racing until a crash by teammate Jimmie Johnson with four laps remaining brought out a rare red-flag stoppage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.AdvertisementIndyCar is among the purest forms of motorsports and rarely throws artificial cautions or issues stoppages that might change the outcome. But a crowd of more than 300,000 — only a few thousand shy of a sellout and the largest sporting event since the pandemic began — roared when IndyCar called the cars to pit road.The stoppage gave Pato O’Ward and the rest of the challengers almost 12 minutes on pit road to strategize how to catch Ericsson for the win. The race resumed with two laps remaining and Ericsson easily got the jump on O’Ward, but the Mexican got one final look for the lead that Ericsson defended.AdvertisementA crash back in traffic brought out the caution and Ericsson coasted to the victory podium under yellow.It is the fifth Indy 500 victory for team owner Chip Ganassi, who caught a ride to the victory podium on the side of Ericsson’s car. Ericsson is the second Swede to win the Indy 500 in 106 runnings, joining 1999 winner Kenny Brack.He poured his jug of milk all over his face, then handed the bottle to Ganassi so the boss could take his own swig. Ganassi had not won the 500 in 10 years and sent five legitimate contenders to Indy to end the drought.O’Ward, who signed an extension with Arrow McLaren SP on Friday, finished second. The Mexican was trying to give his country a banner celebration on the biggest day in motorsports; Sergio Perez opened Sunday with a win in the Monaco Grand Prix.Tony Kanaan was third in a Ganassi car and followed by Felix Rosenqvist, another Swede, who was fourth for McLaren.American drivers Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly finished fifth and sixth, Rossi for Andretti Autosport and Daly for Ed Carpenter Racing.Helio Castroneves, last year’s winner, finished seventh and one spot ahead of Meyer Shank Racing teammate Simon Pagenaud. Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou finished 10th in another Ganassi entry.Honda drivers took six of the top nine spots, along with the win.

Wade Miley’s return from the injured list was short lived.The veteran left-hander landed on the 15-day IL Sunday with a left shoulder strain. The move comes after just three starts for the Chicago Cubs after he was sidelined all of spring training with left elbow inflammation. Miley, 35, made one rehab start before his Cubs debut May 10.AdvertisementTo replace him, the Cubs recalled right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. Miley expressed optimism to the Tribune Saturday when discussing his shoulder discomfort. He felt something during his last start May 22 but was able to pitch through it. Ultimately, the Cubs opted to let Miley fully heal on the IL rather than risk it lingering.“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal,” manager David Ross said of Miley’s injury. “He’ll be back soon. I’m not too worried.”AdvertisementLeiter can give the Cubs innings, which the pitching staff will need with two doubleheaders this week and no off days.Right-handed reliever Chris Martin went on the bereavement list before Sunday’s game and Triple-A outfield prospect Nelson Velázquez shared on Instagram that received his first big-league call up, which should become official Monday. The Cubs will need a 27th man for the doubleheader in addition to Martin’s replacement.“You have to take each game individually and give your self a chance to win that game,” Ross said. “And if it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility, you try to mentally also have tomorrow in mind with all of the innings we could have coming up.”Right fielder Seiya Suzuki did not start Sunday because of his sprained left ring finger. He played catch pregame and was expected to hit in the cage to test the finger. Ross said Suzuki would be available to pinch hit if he came out of pregame activities feeling OK.

Eloy Jiménez’s rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte got off to a less than ideal start when the outfielder exited Saturday’s game in Durham, N.C., with right leg soreness.He left after singling to right field in the second inning.Advertisement“He did feel a tug in one of his swings, not running,” Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Sunday. “So after a couple at-bats, they backed him out. I talked to (head athletic trainer James) Kruk. It’s not perfect, it’s not what you would hope, but it still doesn’t change the expectation that he’s healing and on his way. Just have to be careful with him.”Jiménez has been out since April 23 when he suffered an injury that required surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee.AdvertisementHe went 1-for-2 before leaving Saturday’s game. La Russa said it was described to him as “part of the healing.”“He’s just not completely 100% yet,” La Russa said of Jiménez, who is now day to day. “He knows what he feels, and we have to rely on it.”White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn walks back to the team’s complex after his morning workout at Camelback Ranch on March 17, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Sox pitcher Lance Lynn has joined Jiménez with the Knights and is the scheduled starter Sunday night against Durham.Lynn is working his way back from right knee surgery to repair a torn tendon. He is eligible to be reinstated from the injured list June 6.Back at Guaranteed Rate Field, Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada was not in the starting lineup for a third consecutive game. General manager Rick Hahn said Moncada, who last played May 25, was “dealing with a quad.” “It’s not an IL situation but something we want to nip in the bud sooner than later before it becomes something large,” Hahn said Saturday.La Russa said, “Our expectation is — and we’re hopeful — that he would be able to play Tuesday (at Toronto). But he doesn’t feel right yet, so it may not be Tuesday.”Luis Robert singles in the fifth inning against the Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 2, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Center fielder Luis Robert might be back by then. He has been on the COVID-19 related injured list since Tuesday.Advertisement“He was much improved today,” La Russa said. “And if we get the go ahead, it’s likely that he would be OK to make the trip to Toronto with us. He’s made that much of an improvement. And he feels a lot better, a little tired when he does some work. It would be good to see him.“He has done some work so hopefully we get the green light and he can work out here (Monday morning) before we take off.”

A stampede of frightened and panicked fans capped Saturday night boxing at Barclays Center.Not long after crowd favorite Gervonta Davis knocked out Rolly Romero with a left counter, a rumor of gunshots sent exiting spectators into a frenzied dash from the concourse back inside the arena. An NYPD detective told ESPN that 10 people were sent to the hospital with minor injuries as a result of the melee, but he believed the rumor that a gun had been fired — which was echoed by spectators and members of Barclays Center staff at the time — was a false alarm.AdvertisementHundreds spilled back into the arena, running through the largely empty stands. Others, like tennis star Naomi Osaka, were apparently shuttled into a closed room.“I was just in the Barclays center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running, then we were being yelled at that there was an active shooter and we had to huddle in a room and close the doors,” Osaka tweeted, “I was so f–king petrified.”AdvertisementConfusion added to the chaos. In the hallways of the event level by the TV trucks, an arena employee was telling people to stay put until he received an update on his walkie talkie.[ Loud noise sparks shooting scare at NYC Barclays Center boxing match, 10 hurt in panic ]Two cops then sprinted around the corner. Arena announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. told his Showtime colleague Jim Gray, “the quicker we get out of here, the better.”Tensions were building inside Barclays Center before the chaotic exit. A fight in the stands occurred in the first round of the main event between Davis and Romero. Another fan fight erupted after Davis won. The sold out crowd of nearly 19,000, which included Madonna and Michael Strahan, set the record for the highest-grossing boxing event in Barclays Center history.They saw Davis retain his lightweight championship with a sixth-round spectacular knockout, sending Romero headfirst into the ropes. Romero got up but was dazed and the referee waved off the bout.“The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw (my knockout left hand counter) that hard,” Davis said. “He just ran into it.”

The Chicago Cubs’ process to creating another World Series contender requires again overhauling the major-league roster.There is nothing disputable about the statement. Whether this is called a rebuild depends on the perspective. Don’t expect any Cubs personnel to refer to the organization’s current undertaking as such, but, ultimately, it’s semantics. The Cubs clearly have major work to do to compete for a division title — or even a postseason appearance.AdvertisementTaking a long-view lens while trying to compete in the short term requires balance, and sometimes that means sacrificing one for the other. Their offseason transactions reflected this approach with a mix of short-term deals, particularly the multitude of one-year contracts for pitchers, and those of Marcus Stroman and Seiya Suzuki. And when the trade deadline arrives in about two months, team President Jed Hoyer will be forced to weigh how his moves affect the Cubs’ long-term approach.“You’re forced oftentimes to decide is this a move I want to make right now that is going to have a negative impact on our future, and when those have come up, I feel like I’ve leaned strongly toward the future,” Hoyer said Saturday before the Cubs’ 5-1 win against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. “And I feel strongly about that.”AdvertisementCubs fans want — and deserve — transparency with how the franchise intends to turn around its shortcomings and leverage what should be considerable financial resources to supplement player development. Hoyer has been through this before as Theo Epstein’s right-hand man when they joined the organization before the 2012 season.Cubs President Jed Hoyer talks with reporters on April 7, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)“Obviously if people don’t feel like we’re being as transparent, then I think I have to own that and I should think about our messaging,” Hoyer said. “How you guys (the media) choose to label that, that’s your decision.”Hoyer circled back on the topic during his 25-minute conversation Saturday.“I think there’s a desire for transparency, which I totally understand,” Hoyer said. “If I’m not doing a good job of that, then I need to work on how I explain things. But at the same time I also don’t think it’s my job, or it’d be foolish to sit here and tell everyone exactly how much money we’re going spend, who we want to sign and what our exact timeline is. That’d be giving us a competitive disadvantage because no one else is doing that either.”The Cubs organization is in a much better spot now than when it initiated its rebuild 10 years ago. A strong infrastructure is in place, especially on the pitching side, while the farm system isn’t in complete shambles, especially after the influx of young talent the last two years.It’s important to remember that when Epstein and Co. embarked on their rebuild, creating sustained success was a reoccurring mantra. Those painful 2012-14 seasons when they averaged 95 losses weren’t supposed to happen again. Building a strong foundation was supposed to yield a franchise that reloaded every few years. The Cubs made clear they did not want to repeat their rebuilding efforts again anytime soon. The big-picture messaging and long-term view they have taken on is challenging after producing five playoff appearances and six winning seasons in the last seven years.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 32Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, with his glove, walks out to the field for a workout at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Unfortunately, this is where Hoyer and the organization find themselves. But none of the Cubs’ attempts to turn things around matters if they don’t learn from what went wrong the first time. It all comes back to a failure to create sustained success.Hoyer acknowledged the previous regime’s shortcomings.Advertisement“I mean, I don’t think any person would deny when we built it the first time obviously the goal was to be able to sustain that success,” Hoyer said. “And ultimately what we achieved was, it burned incredibly bright, but it was probably for a shorter amount of time than we had hoped.“So we are in a period where we are actively thinking about our future again. We’ve built something really special once. I have no doubt we’re going to build it again.”Looking back on their six-plus years of a contending window, Hoyer believes the Cubs were aggressive in trading prospects and spending money. And as prospects reached the majors, the organization didn’t do a good enough job of developing the next wave behind the Kris Bryants, Javier Báezes and Kyle Schwarbers: “That hurt us.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Those shortcomings helped pave the way for last season’s trade-deadline sell-off. The Cubs got into a no-win position by not extending any of the core World Series players or trading them before they reached their final season of team control. The only way out was hitting reset. The foundation of success started and stopped with the group that won the 2016 title, a blueprint the Cubs must avoid this go-around.“We held on to a group players until really the very end — replenishing along the way is something that other teams have done, candidly, better than we did it,” Hoyer said. “To be willing to make some trades earlier, to replenish. I mean, young players are the lifeblood of a championship team, and we got to a place where we didn’t have that.“We didn’t make any of those moves several years earlier in order to continue that cycle.”AdvertisementHoyer doesn’t regret giving the championship group one last shot in 2021 to try to run it back to the postseason. And once one-third of the opening-day roster was traded in July, the call-ups served as a glaring reminder of the organization’s developmental struggles.The Cubs must nail this rebuild and develop and execute a strategy in which they aren’t repeating this approach every six years.“I think you have the ability to look back on what we accomplished in that run and be really proud of what we accomplished but also look back and say, ’OK, what are the things we should do differently, what are the things we didn’t do as well,’ ” Hoyer said. “I am incredibly self-critical about those things, and we didn’t get it perfect.“I have no doubt we’re going to build something really special and I’ll do it with a knowledge of the things we did really well but also some of the things that we could have done better.”