On a week when the Union should be preparing for a crucial Eastern Conference semifinal against New York City FC on Sunday (7:55 p.m., Apple TV, MLS Season Pass), the prevailing news is drama of a different kind.
On Tuesday, the Guardian unveiled a monthslong report revealing alleged misconduct by the Union’s sporting director, Ernst Tanner, who is considered the mastermind of the team’s prominence in Major League Soccer over the last few seasons.
According to the report, Tanner is accused in a series of incidents involving racism, sexism, and homophobia directed toward people around American soccer. On Wednesday, we heard the latest from the stance of MLS, the club, and even Tanner himself, via his legal team after he was put on “administrative leave.”
The situation puts the Union in a bind: The technical staff is focused on advancing to next week’s conference final, while the front office seeks to distance itself from serious allegations against the guy in charge of its future.
It’s what we’re leading off your Thursday with, one expected to remain cloudy, but peaking into the 50s today.
— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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We all know the Eagles quarterback is good for a great quote or two, but what does he have to say about himself when asked? In a moment in which pundits once again are starting to doubt Jalen Hurts, here’s a snippet of what he said, gathered by Inquirer reporter Olivia Reiner:
“I guess I get a lot of attention when things are going well and when things are not going so well,” Hurts said. “So I never run away from holding myself accountable and I think that’s exactly what I’ve taken the approach of doing. Even when I look at this last game, I take great pride in what we do on offense. I take great pride in how we go out there and play as a team and what our flow is.
“So we obviously got work to do, and I think that obviously starts with me. That’s always my approach. That’s always me looking internally first in everything that we do. And in due time, rising above.”
According to Hurts, scrutiny is par for the course. But he doesn’t plan on caving in to the rumors.
Paul George wasted no time getting in on the action in his first game of the 2025-26 season. Just 36 seconds into regulation Monday, George picked up a block against James Harden and turned a quick give-and-go with Tyrese Maxey into a catch-and-shoot three-pointer. Of course, the rest of George’s night wasn’t quite as smooth.
It’s tough to draw too many sweeping conclusions from George’s season debut. But The Inquirer takes a closer look at how his return could help the Sixers improve at both ends while lightening the load on Maxey. We look at what George can give to the Sixers — and what might be a thing of the past.
The Sixers could not overcome a third-quarter surge by the Raptors in a 121-112 loss to Toronto. Tyrese Maxey paced the Sixers with 24 points, but the team committed a season-high 21 turnovers that led to 31 Raptors points.
Kyle Schwarber spent much of his first five major league seasons trying to get things right against lefties.
Joe Maddon watched the struggle up close as manager of the Cubs.
Schwarber became a complete hitter in four seasons with the Phillies — and put himself in position to cash in this offseason in free agency. As Schwarber’s market develops, Maddon sat down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss the slugger’s maturation as a hitter.
Get up to speed before kickoff as the Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner and Jeff McLane break down everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Watch here.
On this date
Nov. 20, 1997: Flyers great Eric Lindros is alleged to have bitten San Jose Sharks defenseman Marty McSorley. However, two days later, the NHL cleared Lindros of any wrongdoing, despite video appearing to show Lindros in full bite mode.
Standings, stats, and more
Want to see the full breakdown of last night’s Sixers game against the Toronto Raptors? Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.
The most important variable in any negotiation is what the other side thinks you are willing to pay. Right now, the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball have every reason to think the Phillies aren’t willing to pay Nick Castellanos anything. — The latest from Inquirer columnist David Murphy on the upside of Castellanos’ situation for the Phillies.
What you’re saying about Temple football
We asked: Can K.C. Keeler bring success back to Temple in football?
Success for Temple football is fielding a competitive team capable of earning a bid for a Bowl Game. Following four years of three-win seasons, KC [Keeler] has worked miracles on North Broad this season. He brought in 46 new players and totally revamped the culture. The team believes they can win and are on the brink of potentially qualifying for a bowl bid. Choosing a successful head coach who is committed to Temple, not the next job, is a big win for the Owls. Now, we need fans in the stands when Penn State visits next September. — Bob C.
Yes. They were competitive in the conference this year in his first year at Temple. He knows the area, he can recruit, he can coach and the American conference is not impossible to win (see Army and Navy this year and last). — Richard V.
Short answer on KC Keeler NO. Temple is not a football school. They should forget football and put all their money and efforts into becoming a big-name basketball school. Lifetime, the Owls are 499-622-52. They have played nine Bowl Games and won three. From 1887 to 2025, Penn State has had 16 coaches. From 1894 to 2025, Temple has had 34. They have played in multiple conferences and were expelled from the Big East in 2019 for a lack of commitment. Their greatest years were the Pop Warner era that ended in 1938 when I was born. Wayne Harden and Matt Rhule also had success there, but very limited success since then. —Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Kerith Gabriel, Olivia Reiner, Keith Pompey, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, and Neil Pane.
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Hey, thanks for allowing us to get your days started — or just to feel better informed. Bella returns to your inbox tomorrow to get you ready for the weekend. — Kerith