🏆 Y! Sports AM: Champions at long last

Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning. 🚨 HEADLINES 📺  End of a TV era: Ernie Johnson confirmed Wednesday that he will step down as host of "Inside the NBA" after this season, ending a tenure that began in 1990. Charles Barkley, who said last month that he and Johnson "are a package deal," could also exit the show at season's end. 🏒  Streak snapped: The Canadian women's hockey team finally took down the U.S., winning Wednesday's friendly in Ontario , 5-3, to snap the Americans' eight-game winning streak in the rivalry. They'll face off again tomorrow in Michigan before heading to Finland for the World Championships. 🏈  Chiefs sign Tucker: With Harrison Butker struggling this season (11-16 FG), the Chiefs have signed disgraced kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. The five-time All-Pro hasn't played since 2024 after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple massage therapists. 🏒  McDavid makes more history: Connor McDavid had two more assists in the Oilers' 4-0 win over the Flames , setting a new NHL record for the longest season-opening assist streak (13 games). He's now up to 36 points (8 G, 28 A), 12 more than his teammate Leon Draisaitl in second place. ⚾️ Dodgers not for sale: Mark Walter has sold his stakes in two teams (Lakers, Chelsea) and is looking to sell a third (Sparks) amid a federal investigation into potential fraud. But he insists he will keep the Dodgers "no matter what." See what else is trending on  Yahoo Sports . 🏆 CHAMPIONS AT LONG LAST The Milwaukee Brewers are your 2026 World Series champions, capping off a historically dominant postseason on Wednesday with a 4-1 win over the Rays . Welcome to the club: It was a cathartic evening for the Brewers, who were previously tied with the Padres as the oldest MLB team to have never won a World Series. They are now permanently off that list , and an army of Wisconsinites made sure they were there to witness it. Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports: They came from Wisconsin. From Waukesha and Menomonie and Lake Nebagamon and, of course, Milwaukee. They flew and drove through the night and skipped class and played hooky to witness history and make forever memories and drink the Gulf Coast dry. Into this dome, they crammed an entire state and 56 years of dreaming and generations of heartbreak. So when the Brewers finally did the darn thing, capturing the franchise's first World Series title, Florida sounded like Wisconsin. As players charged from the dugout, leaping and jumping and cussing in disbelief, the traveling faithful thundered in joyous unison. Tears, everywhere. Soon, fans began cramming themselves four or five deep atop the third-base dugout, just to get as close to the action as possible. When the trophy ceremony finally commenced, Tropicana Field was still nearly 60% full, mostly with Brewers fans. It was a remarkable sight. World Series recaps: For the Brewers, finally winning a title is a celebration decades in the making For the Rays, being the best team in the American League simply wasn't enough We'll dive deeper tomorrow with more World Series coverage and MLB talk. How'd the Brewers do it? What's next as the offseason begins and CBA negotiations continue? Will there be baseball in 2027? 💯 BIG NUMBERS 🧠 74.5% In August, a study estimated that roughly 25% of former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE. A few months later, a new study — authored by many of the same researchers — estimates that approximately 74.5% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head. What they're saying: "It's hard to learn what the guys who built the game have suffered through," former NFL QB Matt Hasselbeck, an ambassador for the study, said in a statement. "We have to learn from this data to make the game safer, because we can't accept these numbers for the next generation of players." 🏀 79 players A whopping 79 players were listed with an injury or illness on the afternoon NBA injury report ahead of Wednesday's 12-game slate. That's 15% of the entire league! Among those listed was Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), the latest star to go down. What's causing this? No, you're not imagining things. Injuries are perhaps the prevailing storyline through the first week of the NBA season, continuing a recent trend in the sport. One culprit? Pace of play is through the roof right now, with games averaging 203 possessions , a 9% increase from 15 years ago (186). 🏈 40-20 Vikings safety Harrison Smith recorded his 40th career interception on Sunday, making him just the third player in NFL history with at least 40 picks and 20 sacks in a career. The others? Hall of Famers Charles Woodson and Ronde Barber. Last dance: Smith, 37, contemplated retirement this offseason before signing a one-year deal with Minnesota, where he's spent his entire 15-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler recently confirmed that this will be his last year "for sure." Leading the undefeated Vikings' No. 1 scoring defense is a pretty great way to start your final season. ⚽️ IN PHOTOS: A FLEETWOOD FAIRYTALE Fleetwood, England — Fourth-tier club Fleetwood Town pulled off the unthinkable on Tuesday in their cozy 5,000-seat venue,* toppling mighty Arsenal in the fourth round of the EFL Cup in perhaps the biggest upset in the competition's 67-year history. Match recap: Each side scored once in regulation, and with no extra time in EFL Cup games until the semifinals, the game went straight to penalties, where the home side erupted after netting the game-winner . David vs. Goliath: Fleetwood Town are in 18th place (out of 24 teams) in League Two, a full 84 spots below the reigning Premier League champions, who are second in England's top flight. And how's this for lopsided? Arsenal's squad boasts a market value of $1.54 billion, nearly 500x as much as Fleetwood's ($3.12M). Meet the Cods: Fleetwood Town's origins date back to the 1880s, but the current iteration of the club — located in what was once the UK's third-largest fishing port , but has since fallen on hard times — was formed in just 1997. Investment brought them seven promotions in 15 years, from obscurity to the EFL. Now, they've been fully thrust into the spotlight. Fun fact: Fisherman's Friend lozenges , a brand you've almost certainly seen in your local drug store, was founded and remains manufactured in Fleetwood. What they're saying: "The biggest night in the club's history. It's unbelievable for the town," said Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor. "We just came up with some magical moments and obviously that's one to tell the grandkids, isn't it?" Meanwhile, in the stands: "I don't even know my own name right now," one supporter told BBC Radio. "[This is] not just my best night in football, it's the best night of my life. To have a moment like that for our little football club … is absolutely remarkable." Last teams standing: Fourth-tier Fleetwood and third-tier Bradford City are the lone clubs outside the Premier League still alive in the EFL Cup. The other quarterfinalists: Manchester City, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sunderland and either Everton or Newcastle (playing today). *What are the odds? Tuesday's match was played at Fleetwood's Highbury Stadium, named for the adjacent road. Before Arsenal moved into Emirates Stadium in 2006, they played in a venue known as… Highbury. But there's no relation: It's 230 miles southeast of Fleetwood, and named for the London district in which it was located. 🏈 NFL POWER RANKINGS The 49ers (6-1) remain atop our power rankings despite losing their first game on Sunday. But their lead is tenuous with the Bills (5-1), undefeated Vikings (6-0) and Chiefs (5-1) lurking in the rearview. Coming up: We highlight the best ranked matchups every week of the college football season, so why not do the same in the NFL? Here are the five Week 8 games between teams ranked in our Top 16. No. 9 Ravens at No. 2 Bills: Lamar Jackson (ankle) is expected to return for this one, pitting the 2023 MVP against 2024 MVP Josh Allen. No. 5 Bears at No. 7 Seahawks: Chicago's offense is elite with a healthy Caleb Williams under center, but they face a tall task this week against Seattle's top-ranked defense (by DVOA*). No. 3 Vikings at No. 10 Lions: Minnesota ranks first in scoring defense (12.3 points per game), while Detroit ranks second in scoring offense (30.7). Which side of the ball will prevail? No. 4 Chiefs at No. 12 Broncos: Denver is 5-1 since losing to Kansas City in the season opener. Seven weeks later, they meet again with first place in the AFC West on the line. No. 16 Browns at No. 14 Steelers: 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers vs. beleaguered Deshaun Watson for first place in the AFC North. Just as we all expected. *DVOA, explained: Defense-adjusted Value Over Average evaluates teams, units or players by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent. In other words, a 5-yard run on 3rd and 4 is more valuable than a 5-yard run on 1st and 10, and a sack against an elite offense is more impressive than a sack against a bad one. That's why Seattle's defensive DVOA skyrocketed after it held the undefeated Chiefs to 3 points and 213 total yards last week. 📺 WATCHLIST: THURSDAY, OCT. 29 🏀 WNBA Finals, Game 6 A champion could be crowned tonight — er, today — in Atlanta (12:30pm, USA) , where the Valkyries (up 3-2) are a win away from the title. Can the Dream protect home court and force Game 7? Busy day: State Farm Arena will also host tonight's game between the Hawks and Cavaliers (8pm, NBA) . It will take 2,500 staff roughly four hours to transform the venue between games, so things could get dicey if Game 6 goes to overtime! 🏈 Panthers at Packers Green Bay hosts Carolina tonight at Lambeau Field (8:15pm, Prime) in a battle of NFC playoff hopefuls who've combined to win five of their last seven games. If you ain't first, you're last: The Packers (4-3) sit in last place in the NFC North, but they'd be leading the decidedly less impressive NFC South — a half-game ahead of the first-place Panthers (3-3). More to watch: 🏈  NCAAF: Troy at James Madison (7:30pm, ESPN2) … There's still a narrow path to the playoff for JMU (7-1) despite last week's loss. 🏒  NHL: Canadiens at Stars (8pm, ESPN+) ; Islanders at Wild (8pm, ESPN+) … Montreal and Minnesota both seek a fourth straight victory. ⚽️ Women's Champions League: Manchester City vs. PSG (4pm, CBSSN) … One of four games to close out Matchday 3. ⛳️ PGA: Mexico Open (4pm, Golf) … Wyndham Clark, seeking his Tour-leading fourth win of the season, headlines the field in Nuevo Vallarta. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.  Get tickets now! 🏀 NBA TRIVIA Nikola Jokić posted his 200th career triple-double on Wednesday, joining Russell Westbrook (209) as the only players in NBA history to reach that milestone. Question: Can you name the only other five players who have recorded even 100 career triple-doubles? Hint: Three point guards, one forward and one center. Answer at the bottom. 🥊 JOE LOUIS VS. ROCKY MARCIANO, 75 YEARS LATER In a segregated America, Joe Louis became something extraordinary: a Black heavyweight champion celebrated as a national hero, who gave his country everything only to spend his final years buried in debt to its government. 75 years after his final fight, Louis' remarkable life and heartbreaking decline tell a story that extends far beyond the boxing ring. Ben Fowlkes, Uncrowned: When it was over, America's hero lay more out of the ring than in it. Body sprawled on the apron. One foot hooked over the bottom rope. His head hanging over the edge as sportswriters at ringside reached up to keep him from falling to the floor. His bald spot was on prominent display, as if the world needed another reminder that the ravages of time had brought him here as much as that final right hand that put him all the way out. But that's not completely true. The fact is Joe Louis probably never would been in that ring at all if he weren't so deeply in debt to the United States government. His service during World War II, once lauded as so vital to America's war effort, wasn't enough to keep the Internal Revenue Service from hounding him over past due taxes. Louis had earned millions as a beloved champ, the first Black man since Jack Johnson to win boxing's world heavyweight title. He'd also spent, gambled, or just plain frittered away his fortune many times over, with Uncle Sam constantly picking through the lint in his pockets to find whatever might be left. That tale of woe dampened few spirits in the opposing corner on Oct. 26, 1951 — 75 years ago Monday. The 28-year-old Rocky Marciano, who'd come into this fight as a betting underdog, was celebrating a victory over the man who'd once been his hero. Back home in Brockton, Massachusetts, they were counting their winnings and planning the victory parade, which would eventually include a cake 10-feet high. "An old man's dream ended," Red Smith would write of the fight in the New York Herald Tribune. "A young man's vision of the future opened wide. Young men have visions, old men have dreams. But the place for old men to dream is beside the fire." Beyond the final bell: The story of how both men arrived at that intersection of boxing's past and future is a familiar one to any fight fan. It's the classic and also tragic tale of how the sport makes the young eat the old to secure their own place at the table. It's a story about what it meant — and what it was worth — to be a hero in post-war America. Even now, 75 years later, it remains a saga of hard triumphs and unpleasant realities. And still it has plenty to teach us about life in and out of the ring. Keep reading: The last days of Joe Louis, and the terrible cost of greatness Trivia answer: Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138), LeBron James (125), Wilt Chamberlain (109), Jason Kidd (107) We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM , our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.