“Wow, you’re really setting the bar high for me!” the most decorated swimmer of all time said jokingly in reply. Sitting beside him at a news conference Wednesday, Phelps’ long-time coach Bob Bowman chipped in: “Reality check there.” The Pan Pacs start Thursday and run through the weekend. It’s stage two of Phelps’ comeback from retirement — the first was qualifying for the U.S. team. Now Bowman is predicting Phelps will lower his best times in his butterfly, medley and freestyle, saying the challenge of going faster was the only reason the 18-time Olympic champion came back to the sport....

Anonymous players previously called Sam an “American prima donna,” and the feeling hasn’t gone away. His teammates have had enough of the attention thrown in his direction, according to the Montreal Gazette. PHOTOS: Openly gay athletes | MORE: Sam admits he was nervous in debut Sam being placed on the 46-man roster and collecting game checks despite being away from the team for the first part of the season became a point of frustration, the Gazette claims....

And according to a former team executive, that day may not be coming anytime soon based upon what happened with Michael Sam. With a 2014 National Health Interview Survey identifying 1.6 percent of Americans as either gay or lesbian, it’s likely that closeted draft prospects or veteran players have crossed the NFL radar since Sam made his proclamation three years ago. But rather than embolden others to follow suit with their own announcements, ex-Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner believes the opposite has occurred....

But this mind trick wasn’t ready for the likes of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh. MORE: How the Top 25 fared in Week 11 Before Saturday’s game between the Hawkeyes and Wolverines, the Michigan equipment staff covered the entire locker room with custom Michigan wallpaper, flags and navy blue tarps. Boss move, Michigan.

It was reported on Thursday Michigan is being investigated by the NCAA for several Level II rules violations, with a Level I violation of Harbaugh allegedly misleading investigators tacked on. The allegations were reportedly delivered to the school Thursday, meaning there’s now a 90-day window before official notice will be given to Michigan. Michigan has made back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoffs, having lost in the semifinals in each of the past two seasons....

Protesters took part in a drive-in rally, dubbed “Operation Gridlock,” on Wednesday to show their opposition to the stay-at-home order issued by Whitmer due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Operation Gridlock” was listed on Facebook as an event hosted by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund. Many demonstrators got out of their vehicles by the state capitol building in Lansing and brandished signs bearing messages including “Michigan Against Gretchen’s Abuses” and “Stop The Fear, End The Lockdown....

The lift of the ban comes two weeks after it was first enforced. Governor Whitmer put the ruling in motion in late September, saying that teenager’s use of vaping and e-cigarettes constituted a public health emergency. The ban went into effect at the beginning of October. The court decision is a reaction to a lawsuit filed by two Michigan-centered vaping-based business, 906 Vapor and A Clean Cigarette. The ruling is a preliminary injunction, which means that the decision will remain suspended while complaints are litigated....

Some might feel Jim Harbaugh has a top-10 team entering his third season, and that was reflected in both the Coaches Poll and SN’s preseason rankings. Others would point out the Wolverines have lost 17 starters, and that it’s easy to question whether Michigan is overrated heading into 2017. MORE: Harbaugh expects more from Michigan — so should you It’s easy to see why that second narrative exists. Harbaugh is polarizing because of the social media phenomenon he has created since coming to Ann Arbor....

According to the latest data provided by Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Sunday’s figures bring the state’s overall death count to 5,656 confirmed since the pandemic’s onset, with an additional 239 deaths marked “probable” on its coronavirus dashboard. An additional infographic charting daily deaths recorded by MDHHS throughout the outbreak shows three fatalities reported on Saturday and one on Sunday. The last time Michigan confirmed a lower incidence of daily fatalities was on March 20, four days after its first virus-related death was reported....

On Tuesday, Michigan is dealing with an unexpected one. Fifth-year starting senior center Jack Miller is not returning to the team, TheWolverine.com reported. MORE: Multi-position threats | SN Top 50 players | Best QBs | RBs Miller started all 12 games last season and owned 16 career starts. He was give the team’s award for top offensive lineman last season. Miller participated in some spring practices in Jim Harbaugh’s first season....

Several sources told NFL.com their teams have done “background work” on the Michigan Man. One source said they believed Harbaugh would consider a return to the NFL, while another said they believe he would be open to at least discussing a return to the league. However, Harbaugh made quick work shutting down those rumors Sunday evening, telling reporters he will be back in Ann Arbor in 2023. His name is certain to draw intrigue despite him denying a possible move....

It wasn’t the freshman’s first time making that shot. Poole hit a near identical buzzer-beater in high school. Overtime shared a video on Instagram that includes the two identical shots. MORE: March Madness 2018: Michigan sinks buzzer-beater to eliminate Houston A post shared by Overtime (@overtime) on Mar 18, 2018 at 11:22am PDT The buzzer-beater in high school wasn’t a game winner like Saturday’s, but it was still impressive....

The display was put up outside Quality Coatings on Carr Street in Fowlerville, Michigan, by its owner Dave Huff around three weeks ago, the Detroit Free Press reported. But it caused outrage after Kathy DeTroyer drew attention to the display in a post on Facebook last week. Her pictures show the display featured a blood-splattered Trump holding a black rope with an Obama mask attached to it. Trump also appears to be stepping on a Hillary Clinton mask in the display....

On Monday, Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti put forth a mask mandate for students and staff. This decision comes as the Delta variant is spreading across Michigan. As of now, a vaccine isn’t available for children under 12 years of age. “The district is going to abide with the CDC recommendation for universal masking inside school buildings,” Vitti told local news station WWJ. Vitti stated that the mandate is required for all students and staff members, regardless of vaccination status....

Obviously, fans of the Spartans aren’t too happy with this. To make matters worse, Michigan drew a 2-seed in the West region against the weakest of the 1-seeds (Gonzaga). Selection Committee chair Bernard Muir explained after the selections were announced that Michigan State leapfrogged Kentucky by winning Sunday. SN’s MARCH MADNESS HQPrintable bracket | Predictor tool | Best bracket names | Tickets Kentucky fans are probably thankful because it means an easier draw in the Midwest region....

Line: Michigan State -2.5, Total: 128.5 (current lines for Sunday’s Elite Eight games) One thing is for sure, two of the best coaches in college basketball will have their teams ready for what promises to be an intense Elite Eight game. Louisville’s Rick Pitino is trying to lead his squad to the Final Four for the third time in four years and has seven Final Four appearances in his coaching career overall....

Michigan State is no stranger to tournament success. The Spartans have reached the Final Four seven times under Tom Izzo, and this Cassius Winston-led team has the capability to win a national championship. LSU, meanwhile, advanced on Tremont Waters’ near-buzzer-beater against Maryland in the second round. The Tigers to this point have well handled the turmoil of coach Will Wade’s indefinite suspension. SN’s MARCH MADNESS HQLive NCAA bracket | Live scoreboard | Full TV schedule​...

Now, three years and two hip surgeries later, Albrecht has been granted his release from the program and will play a fifth season elsewhere, ESPN.com reported. MORE: Most-hated college basketball players ever | Best comebacks in history “I just didn’t feel like I was helping the team this year,” Albrecht said. “I wasn’t close to 100 percent, but now I feel great and want to find a good situation where I can play and help a team....

This time, the 11-seed Bruins beat 1-seed Michigan 51-49 to advance to the Final Four. The story of this UCLA team will be told for some time in Westwood, and Johnny Juzang (28 points, 11-of-19 shooting, two rebounds) will have a chapter or two to himself. He was clearly the most dominant player on the court, even after he suffered a twisted ankle early in the second half, allowing Michigan to close the gap....

He’ll still have his moments where photographers or television catch him shouting an instruction, or perhaps some friendly advice to a referee, and he’ll look a shade maniacal. After games, though, you almost never will see him celebrate a victory or grieve a defeat. You won’t find YouTubes of his press conferences that become instantly legendary through Twitter or Facebook sharing. MORE: Is Cronin a potential fit for N.C. State?...