Members phkrause Posted January 7, 2025 Author Members Posted January 7, 2025 ? Good morning! Bill Belichick is now on X, and he's already chirping Duke. In today's edition: TGL explained, NDSU wins FCS title, Mike Evans matches Jerry Rice, athletes vs. the elements, Padres family fight, Jerry Jones can act, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? NFL coaching carousel: The Jaguars fired Doug Pederson (and kept GM Trent Baalke); the Bears requested permission from the Cowboys to interview Mike McCarthy; Rex Ryan is confident he'll get the Jets job; Antonio Pierce believes his job is safe in Las Vegas. ? Bison back on top: North Dakota State staved off a second half comeback to beat previously undefeated Montana State, 35-32, and win its record 10th FCS national championship, all of which have come since 2011. ? AP polls: Tennessee, the only remaining undefeated team in D1 men's hoops, stayed atop the rankings for the fifth straight week; the Big Ten and SEC each have four teams in the top 10 of the women's poll, led by No. 1 UCLA. ? Merger Monday: Disney is merging its Hulu+ Live TV streaming service with FuboTV in a deal that will create one of the country's largest pay TV providers. It also clears the way for Venu (Disney's joint venture with WBD and Fox), which Fubo had sued to stop from launching. ⚽️ Captain America delivers: Christian Pulisic's sensational season continued Monday when he scored the equalizer to help AC Milan beat rival Inter Milan, 3-2, in the Supercoppa Italiana Final. ⛳️ HYBRID GOLF NOW ON THE TEE: TGL IS HERE AT LAST The short game complex at SoFi Center. (TGL) TGL, the new tech-infused golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and backed by the PGA Tour, finally tees off tonight (9pm ET, ESPN) after a one-year delay, Jeff writes. Who's playing? Six teams of four will play a 15-match regular season (followed by semifinals and a championship) starting tonight and running through late March. Jupiter Links Golf Club: Tom Kim (world No. 23), Max Homa (40), Kevin Kisner (828), Woods (1,129) Boston Common Golf: McIlroy (3), Hideki Matsuyama (5), Keegan Bradley (12), Adam Scott (19) Los Angeles Golf Club: Collin Morikawa (4), Tommy Fleetwood (9), Sahith Theegala (13), Justin Rose (49) New York Golf Club: Xander Schauffele (2), Cameron Young (34), Matt Fitzpatrick (41), Rickie Fowler (75) The Bay Golf Club: Ludvig Åberg (6), Wyndham Clark (7), Shane Lowry (27), Min Woo Lee (50) Star-studded field: Those 24 golfers have a combined 231 PGA Tour wins and 33 major titles between them. Woods, of course, has over one-third of those wins (82) and nearly half the majors (15). Look at the size of that screen! (TGL) The stadium: TGL matches will be played at the 1,500 seat SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida — a purpose-built venue that mixes virtual golf with the real thing. Each hole begins with a tee shot into a massive screen that measures 64 feet high by 53 feet wide. Subsequent shots from more than 50 yards out are still hit into the screen, but they're played off real grass hitting areas that are cut to the length of the fairway or the rough, depending on the lie. For fairway bunkers, players will hit out of the same sand used at the Masters. For shots within 50 yards of the hole, play switches to the stadium's short game complex, which comprises an actual green (made of an artificial and real grass hybrid), three bunkers (with real sand) and a surrounding chipping area (artificial turf). Fully customizable green: The putting surface sits on a series of 567 hydraulic jacks to create countless different slopes and undulations. The green has seven cup placements and rotates 360 degrees to change the angle of approach for each hole. Pro tip: Try to avoid the lava. (TGL) And about those holes… Rather than playing virtual renditions of existing courses, TGL will use 30 new holes from three designers that can be played in any order. Many of the holes — like Augustín Pizá's "Serpent," Nicklaus Design's "Riptide" and Beau Welling's "Pin Oak" — are traditional designs. But others lean into the creativity afforded by TGL's virtual nature. For example: "Flex" (pictured above) is a 528-yard par 4 set in an active volcano, and "Sterling" is a sword-shaped hole split down the middle by a bunker that resembles a war-time trench. How matches work: Teams go head-to-head for 15 holes, with matches split into triples (holes 1-9, alternate shot) and singles (holes 10-15). The made-for-TV matches are designed to last just two hours with the help of a 40-second shot clock. Each hole is worth one point, with no points for ties and no carryovers. If the match is tied after 15 holes, a closest-to-the-pin competition determines the winner. A win is worth two points in the standings, and like hockey an overtime loss is worth one. The top four teams will advance to the single-elimination semifinals. A fun twist: To raise the stakes on certain holes, team can throw "The Hammer," which switches hands after every use. If accepted, the hole is worth two points; if declined, the hole is conceded. ? Tweet of the day… "If hitting the first ever shot in TGL history tomorrow night wasn't nerve-racking enough, imagine if I miss the 60 ft screen ??." (@ShaneLowryGolf) ? ALWAYS OPEN HISTORIC FEAT: EVANS MATCHES RICE (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) Mike Evans made history on Sunday, joining Jerry Rice as the only NFL players with 11 consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. The streaks: Rice accomplished the feat from 1986-96 and finished his career with 14 seasons of 1,000+ yards. Evans has, of course, benefitted from the 17-game season, but his streak dates all the way back to his rookie year in 2014. He's never not surpassed 1,000 yards. Food for thought… Rice is widely considered the best wide receiver in NFL history. Where does Evans rank? Top 10? Top 20? He's criminally underrated, in my opinion. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 8, 2025 Author Members Posted January 8, 2025 Who ya got for NFL MVP: Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson? Cast your vote at the bottom of today's newsletter, and we'll share the results tomorrow. In today's edition: Wooden Watchlist, NFL rewind, NBA power rankings, college football's next battlefield, Cavs-Thunder in a battle of first-place teams, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Ice Trae: The Hawks beat the Jazz, 124-121, thanks to a ridiculous half-court buzzer-beater from Trae Young, who also had this third 20-20 game of the season (24 points, 20 assists). ⛳️ TGL's opening night: The Bay crushed New York in the inaugural TGL match, which debuted to mostly positive reviews and good vibes, even if it didn't always necessarily feel quite like golf. ? No more unbeatens: No. 8 Florida hammered No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43, to hand the Vols their first loss. And just like that, there are zero undefeated teams left in men's D1 hoops. ? Coaching (and GM) carousel: The Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce after one season; the Titans, who own the No. 1 pick, fired GM Ran Carthon; the Cowboys denied the Bears' request to interview Mike McCarthy. ⚾️ Verlander to the Bay: The Giants signed Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15 million deal. The three-time Cy Young winner, who turns 42 next month, had a career-worst 5.48 ERA last year in Houston. ? PLAYER OF THE YEAR THE WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP 25 Johni Broome has led No. 2 Auburn to a 14-1 start. (Stew Milne/Getty Images) Two seniors and a freshman headline the men's Wooden Award midseason Top 25, released Tuesday. Johni Broome, Sr. (Auburn): 18.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.7 blocks Cooper Flagg. Fr. (Duke): 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals Kam Jones, Sr. (Marquette): 19.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals Watchlist: The rest of the top 25 is made up of 12 seniors, six freshmen, two sophomores and two juniors. Freshmen: Ace Bailey (Rutgers), Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma), Dylan Harper (Rutgers), Kasparas Jakučionis (Illinois), Tre Johnson (Texas), Derik Queen (Maryland) Sophomores: PJ Haggerty (Memphis), Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State), Juniors: Alex Karaban (UConn), Braden Smith (Purdue) Seniors: Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), RJ Davis (UNC), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), Eric Dixon (Villanova), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Chaz Lanier (Tennessee), Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga), Maxime Reynaud (Stanford), Mark Sears (Alabama), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee) Past 10 winners… Purdue's Zach Edey (2023-24), Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (2022), Iowa's Luke Garza (2021), Dayton's Obi Toppin (2020), Duke's Zion Williamson (2019), Villanova's Jalen Brunson (2018), Kansas' Frank Mason III (2017), Oklahoma's Buddy Hield (2016), Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky (2015). Hannah Hidalgo has led No. 3 Notre Dame to a 12-2 start. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Two sophomores and a senior headline the women's Wooden Award midseason Top 25, also released Tuesday. Hannah Hidalgo, So. (Notre Dame): 25.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 4.0 steals JuJu Watkins, So. (USC): 25.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.5 steals Paige Bueckers, Sr. (UConn): 19.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.9 steals Watchlist: The rest of the top 25 is made up of 13 seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Freshmen: Sarah Strong (UConn) Sophomores: Madison Booker (Texas), Audi Crooks (Iowa State), Khamil Pierre (Vanderbilt) Juniors: Flau'Jae Johnson (LSU), Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Raegan Beers (Oklahoma), Lauren Betts (UCLA), Ta'Niya Latson (FSU) Seniors: Georgia Amoore (Kentucky), Aziaha James (NC State), Yvonne Ejim (Gonzaga), Kiki Iriafen (USC), Ayoka Lee (Kansas State), Olivia Miles (Notre Dame), Aneesah Morrow (LSU), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Te-Hina Paopao (South Carolina), Sedona Prince (TCU), JJ Quinerly (West Virginia), Harmoni Turner (Harvard), Hailey Van Lith (TCU) Past 10 winners… Iowa's Caitlin Clark (2023-24), South Carolina's Aliyah Boston (2022), Bueckers (2021), Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu (2019-20), South Carolina's A'ja Wilson (2018), Washington's Kelsey Plum (2017), UConn's Breanna Stewart (2015-16). ? 1-30 NBA POWER RANKINGS (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) The Cavaliers and Thunder, who play tonight in Cleveland, top our latest NBA power rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach. There is a lot of average basketball being played in the NBA's regular season. Do not get me wrong: Average for this league is pretty damn good. But 11 teams are within two games of .500. You wonder who is winning. The Timberwolves are as average as it gets. No Jimmy Butler. No Ja Morant. No Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Everyone on the Magic is injured. The Suns, Bucks and 76ers cannot decide whether or not they want to be good. LeBron James is 40 years old. Even the Celtics are slumping. There are only a handful of truly good teams, if that, and two incredible ones. The Cavaliers and Thunder are on pace to win 73 and 70 games, respectively. Of note: 7 of the top 10 teams are in the Western Conference, and all three Texas teams are in the top 11 (Rockets at No. 4, Spurs at No. 9, Mavericks at No. 11). Historic matchup: Cleveland (31-4) and OKC (30-5) have the second-best combined winning percentage (.871) for any regular-season game in NBA history. And for the first time ever, a team riding a 15-game win streak (Thunder) will play a team riding a 10-game win streak (Cavs). More to watch: ? NBA: Spurs at Bucks (9:30pm, ESPN) … Wemby vs. Giannis in the nightcap. ? NHL: Avalanche at Blackhawks (7:30pm, TNT); Panthers at Utah (10pm, TNT) ? NCAAM: No. 9 UConn at Villanova (6:30pm, FS1); No. 10 Texas A&M at No. 17 Oklahoma (9pm, SEC); Arizona State at No. 11 Kansas (9pm, ESPN2) ? NCAAW: No. 9 Ohio State at No. 25 Michigan (7pm, B1G+); No. 4 USC at No. 8 Maryland (8:30pm, FS1); No. 12 Kansas State at No. 22 Utah (9pm, ESPN+) *Pregame reading: The Cavs are one of the most dominant teams we’ve ever seen (Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports) ? MVP POLL WHO YA GOT: JOSH OR LAMAR? (Greg Fiume/Getty Images) The NFL MVP race is incredibly close. With all due respect to Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley, it comes down to Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Who ya got? Click to vote: Josh Allen Lamar Jackson Your vote will be recorded once you click. Thanks for participating! We'll share the results tomorrow. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 10, 2025 Author Members Posted January 10, 2025 ? Good morning! It's a great week to be a football fan. Whoopsies: I messed up the links yesterday, so we need to run the NFL MVP poll again. My bad! Cast your vote (for real this time) at the bottom of today's newsletter, and we'll share the results tomorrow. In today's edition: Football heaven, Cavs beat Thunder, the best remaining MLB free agents, the NFL's cellar dwellers stunk it up, D-II basketball genius, and more. ? Dickie V is cancer free: Dick Vitale's vocal cords are cancer free and he's been cleared to return to work. The 85-year-old hopes to be back on the sidelines calling games this month. ⚾️ HOF voting update: Ichiro Suzuki (100% of the vote), C.C. Sabathia (90.7%), Billy Wagner (84.7%) and Carlos Beltran (76.3%) are all trending towards Hall of Fame induction with roughly one-third of ballots publicly known. ? L.A. wildfires: The devastating wildfires led to an NHL postponement and have impacted numerous athletes and their families. More postponements could be coming in the NBA, and the NFL is considering moving Monday's Rams-Vikings playoff game to Phoenix. ⛳️ TGL was a hit: Tuesday's TGL debut averaged nearly 1 million viewers on ESPN, double the PGA Tour's final round broadcast of The Sentry on Sunday. ? Hockey in the sunshine: The NHL will hold the Winter Classic and Stadium Series (annual outdoor games) in Miami and Tampa next season. "It's going to be a little unusual," said commissioner Gary Bettman. ? WIN OR GO HOME 5 DAYS OF FOOTBALL (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) January has always been a good sports month, but the expanded College Football Playoff has made it great. Consider what's coming: The next five days are football heaven, with eight win-or-go-home playoff games in the span of 96 hours. Tonight: CFP Semifinal (Orange Bowl) Friday: CFP Semifinal (Cotton Bowl) Saturday: NFL Playoffs (3 games) Sunday: NFL Playoffs (2 games) Monday: NFL Playoffs (1 game) Plus: Add in the NBA, NHL, college hoops, soccer, golf, the first tennis Grand Slam of 2025 and more, and you've got one of the best sports weekends of the year, full stop. The big picture: The front part of the year (Jan-Feb) is getting better for sports (and will get even better when the NFL inevitably adds an 18th game), while the summer is getting worse. Colin Cowherd talked about this in a recent interview with Ryen Russillo. ⚾️ UNSIGNED MLB FREE AGENCY: THE BEST PLAYERS STILL AVAILABLE (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) 29 of our top 50 MLB free agents (including seven of the top 10) have signed this offseason, but you can make a solid squad with the players who are still available, Jeff writes. The All-Free Agent Team: ? Yasmani Grandal, 36: The veteran's best days are behind him, but he can still provide value as an experienced backup. 1B: Pete Alonso, 30: Since his debut in 2019, only Aaron Judge has hit more homers than the Polar Bear. 2B: Jorge Polanco, 31: A knee injury led to a career-worst season in Seattle, but he's an intriguing buy-low candidate closing in on 1,000 career hits. 3B: Alex Bregman, 31: The longtime Astro just snagged his first Gold Glove and has hit at least 23 homers in three straight seasons. SS: Ha-Seong Kim, 29: The elite and versatile defender posted a career-high walk rate and career-low strikeout rate last season in San Diego. OF: Anthony Santander, 30: His 44 home runs last year in Baltimore were the fifth-most ever by a switch hitter. OF: Jurickson Profar, 32: It took (much) longer than expected, but the former wunderkind finally broke out in 2024 with a career-high .839 OPS and his first All-Star nod. OF: Randal Grichuk, 33: He's quietly put up 10 straight seasons with double-digit homers and posted a career-high 140 OPS+ last season in Arizona. DH: Justin Turner, 40: You can't overlook the age, but the wily veteran is still an above-average hitter and would be an excellent clubhouse presence. Rotation: RHP: Rōki Sasaki, 23: The most coveted free agent behind only Juan Soto, the Japanese flamethrower is available via the posting system for next to nothing thanks to his age. RHP: Jack Flaherty, 29: The former superstar had a career resurgence last year with the Tigers and Dodgers, and should see a hefty raise considering he's on the right side of 30. RHP: Nick Pivetta, 32: Surprising stat alert: Among the 112 pitchers who've thrown at least 200 innings since 2023, Pivetta's 30% strikeout rate ranks fifth. LHP: Jose Quintana, 36: A lefty with a sub-4.00 ERA in three consecutive seasons? Yeah, that'll play. RHP: Max Scherzer, 40: Injuries limited him to just nine starts last year in Texas, but the future first ballot Hall of Famer should still land a one-year deal. Bullpen: LHP: Tanner Scott, 30: Scott's 4.0 WAR last season ranked second among all relievers. RHP: Jeff Hoffman, 32: The first-time All-Star has become one of the most reliable relievers in baseball. RHP: Carlos Estévez, 32: His 57 saves over the last two years are the ninth-most in the league. ?️ Fresh pod: Free agent roundup (Baseball Bar-B-Cast) ? CELLAR DWELLERS THE NFL'S BOTTOM 10 STUNK IT UP IN 2024 (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) The NFL's cellar dwellers collectively had one of the worst seasons in recent memory in 2024, Jeff writes. By the numbers: The worst 10 teams averaged just 4.1 wins this season, which is by far the fewest of the 17-game era. In fact, the wonky COVID season (when teams played 16 games) was the only year since 2008 during which the bottom 10 averaged fewer wins. The bottom 10: Bears: 5-12 Saints: 5-12 Panthers: 5-12 Jets: 5-12 Raiders: 4-13 Jaguars: 4-13 Patriots: 4-13 Giants: 3-14 Browns: 3-14 Titans: 3-14 Consider this: In each of the last three seasons, three teams in the bottom 10 won seven games. This year, no teams in the bottom 10 won more than five. Meanwhile, at the top… A record 15 teams won at least 10 games this season, with the obvious caveat that they now have 17 games to accomplish that feat. ? CFP SEMIFINAL WATCHLIST: THURSDAY NIGHT (COLLEGE) FOOTBALL (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) Penn State and Notre Dame meet tonight in the Orange Bowl* (7:30pm ET, ESPN) with a spot in the CFP title game on the line. Two wins from history: In 2019, Penn State's James Franklin said his goal was "to be the first African-American football coach to win a college national championship." Five years later, he and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman are two wins away from doing just that. More to watch: ? NBA: Timberwolves at Magic (7pm, NBA) ? NCAAM: No. 20 Purdue at Rutgers (6pm, FS1); No. 15 Oregon at Ohio State (6pm, BTN) ? NCAAW: Texas A&M at No. 2 South Carolina (5pm, ESPN2); No. 14 Duke at No. 19 UNC (7pm, ACC); No. 18 Alabama at No. 5 Texas (8pm, SEC+) ⛳️ PGA: Sony Open (12pm, ESPN+; 7pm, Golf) … At Honolulu's Waialae Country Club. ? MVP POLL WHO YA GOT: JOSH OR LAMAR? (Greg Fiume/Getty Images) The NFL MVP race is incredibly close. With all due respect to Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley, it comes down to Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Who ya got? Click to vote: Josh Allen Lamar Jackson Your vote will be recorded once you click. Thanks for participating! We'll share the results tomorrow. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 11, 2025 Author Members Posted January 11, 2025 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. NFL MVP voting: Josh Allen earned 63.4% of the vote in yesterday's poll, beating out Lamar Jackson at 36.6%. Thanks to the 10,157 readers who voted! In today's edition: Notre Dame wins Orange Bowl, ranking every Super Bowl matchup, the rise of Cade Cunningham, Australian Open preview, wild Ravens stat, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? L.A. wildfires update: Monday's Rams-Vikings playoff game has been moved to Arizona, and the NBA postponed Thursday's Lakers-Hornets game. ? Crosby climbs scoring list: With a goal and two assists, Sidney Crosby passed Joe Sakic for ninth on the NHL's all-time scoring leaderboard with 1,643 points. ? Hurts trending towards playing: Jalen Hurts was elevated to a full practice participant on Thursday after missing the last two weeks with a concussion. ? McCain out for year: 76ers guard Jared McCain was on his way to being Rookie of the Year. Now, his season is over (torn meniscus). ? Beck enters portal: Georgia QB Carson Beck, who'd previously declared for the NFL draft, will instead enter the transfer portal and play one more college season. ? SURVIVE AND ADVANCE THE FIGHTING IRISH ARE MOVING ON (Rich Storry/Getty Images) For the first time in 12 years, Notre Dame will play for a national championship after beating Penn State, 27-24, in the Orange Bowl. Frantic finish: Both teams combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter after scoring just 20 in the first three quarters. Mitch Jeter made a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left to lift the Fighting Irish to victory. The kick came after Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar threw a pick with 33 seconds to go. Wild stat: Prior to Jeter's game-winning field goal, kickers were 0-4 in CFP history on go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter. Allar after throwing a costly INT. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images) The losing side: Will James Franklin and Penn State ever get over the hump? (Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports) James Franklin seemed destined to break the skid: 12 consecutive losses to top-five opponents, a miserable eight-year drought. But the 11th-year Penn State coach was on the way to snapping that streak. He was en route to ending the nasty stretch, to quieting the critics, to shutting down the talk. Here in South Florida, inside Hard Rock Stadium against, of all teams, one of the biggest brands in the sport, Franklin's skid seemed over and done with. His team led 10-0 in the second quarter, 24-17 in the fourth quarter and held offensive possession in the final seconds of a tied game. And then, in a nightmare of a play, his quarterback threw one of the most costly interceptions in College Football Playoff history. Skid continues. Streak extended. What's next: Notre Dame will face the winner of tonight's Cotton Bowl (Texas vs. Ohio State) in the CFP championship game on Monday, Jan. 20 at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. ? ROAD TO NOLA ALL 49 SUPER BOWL MATCHUPS, RANKED (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) With the playoffs now set, we know all 49 possible matchups for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans — and Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee ranked them all. The top 10: Lions vs. Bills: Call it the Validation Bowl, call it the Long-Suffering Bowl, call it the At-Freaking-Last Bowl. Whatever you want to call it, this is absolutely the best possible matchup, from both an on-field and narrative standpoint. Bring it. Vikings vs. Bills: Eight combined Super Bowl appearances, zero wins. Somebody's got to end their streak of 0-4 futility here, right? Bonus: These are two talented squads, and this would be a fantastic game. Lions vs. Chiefs: Admit it, you want to see what kinds of trick plays Andy Reid and Dan Campbell cook up for this one. We could see everything from the ol' hidden-ball trick to full-scale Broadway productions in the backfield. Eagles vs. Bills: This game needs to be played in the snow. That will be a difficult task to pull off in a dome in New Orleans, but I have faith in the NFL. Vikings vs. Chiefs: A rematch of Super Bowl IV, which Kansas City won 23-7. They ought to play this one with 1970s equipment and under 1970s officiating rules, just to see who's really the toughest. Rams vs. Bills: The two teams responsible for one of the great points-scoring shootouts of the 2024 season? Sure, that'll work. Eagles vs. Chiefs: A rematch of Super Bowl LVII a couple years back, where Philly led going into the 4th quarter, but — stop us if you've heard this one before — Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to victory. Lions vs. Ravens: This would be a ground-game Super Bowl for the ages. Sonic & Knuckles vs. King Henry. Who ya got? Rams vs. Chiefs: The two teams responsible for one of the greatest regular-season games of all time? Sure, that'll work too. Buccaneers vs. Bills: The Bucs have been a mystery all season — dominant some weeks, barely good enough to win others, but always somehow in the hunt. Prediction: The Bills post a four-touchdown lead and watch in horror as Tampa Bay crawls back into the game. ? GRAND SLAM AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIEW Rod Laver Arena during last year's Australian Open. (Phil Walter/Getty Images) The first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday in Melbourne (Saturday night in the states), as 256 players begin their quest to win the 2025 Australian Open, Jeff writes. Storylines: The defending champs: The top-ranked man (Jannik Sinner) and woman (Aryna Sabalenka) both won here last year, kicking off incredible seasons in which they combined for 12 titles and four majors. Sabalenka, who won last week in Brisbane, can become the first woman this century to win three straight Australian Opens. Djoker chases No. 25: Novak Djokovic, who failed to win a Grand Slam last year* for the first time since 2017, is one away from breaking a tie with Margaret Court (24) for the most ever. And no one is better in Melbourne than the Serb, who's won a record 10 Australian Opens. Coco's on fire: 20-year-old Coco Gauff has been red-hot since her fourth-round exit at last fall's US Open, winning two of her three tournaments since then — including the WTA Finals — while also leading the U.S. to victory in last week's United Cup. Ending the drought: No American man has won a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick in 2003, but there's plenty of talent to get the job done in Melbourne, with five seeded players: Taylor Fritz (4), Tommy Paul (12), Frances Tiafoe (17), Ben Shelton (21) and Sebastian Korda (22). King Carlos: Carlos Alcaraz is already a four-time Grand Slam champ at 21. Now the Spaniard is an Australian Open shy of becoming the fifth man in the Open Era (1968) to achieve a career Grand Slam (Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic). *Djoker's up-and-down year: Djokovic also failed to win any ATP Tour titles last year for the first time since 2005, but it wasn't all bad: He finally captured that elusive Olympic gold medal in Paris in his fifth Summer Games. ? ON THE RISE CADE CUNNINGHAM: THE FACE OF DETROIT (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) The Pistons are making noise in the East again, and star point guard Cade Cunningham, their undisputed leader, is touching team records only reached by two men, Isiah Thomas and Grant Hill. It's been 22 years since the Pistons' last true resurgence, and Cunningham being drafted No. 1 in 2021 could be the start of another one — even if there have been some fits and bursts. His six triple-doubles this season trail only LeBron James' eight and Nikola Jokić's 14. He's currently on the doorstep of being the 18th player in NBA history to average 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds; the other 17 instances were All-Stars, a who's who of greats — Oscar Robertson, James, Jokić, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Luka Dončić, etc. Cunningham hasn't shied away from his ambitions. His demeanor is soft-spoken and low-key, but the clarity belies his youth. He wants to win in Detroit. The Pistons, NBA royalty with their championships, defined play with periods of contention from previous decades but haven't won a playoff game since May 26, 2008. It was the back end of a championship run guided by Chauncey Billups, a man whom Cunningham shares a birthday with — as Cunningham will point out. "I would watch his clips. To see that team, the history of the organization," Cunningham said of Billups. "I would love to have my own chapter." ? WIN OR GO HOME WATCHLIST: PLAYOFF WEEKEND (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) Football fans, rejoice: We've got six playoff games across college and the NFL in the next three days, starting with a heavyweight clash tonight at Jerry World. Friday: Ohio State vs. Texas* (7:30pm ET, ESPN) … The Cotton Bowl is indoors, but a major snowstorm in Dallas could impact travel. Saturday: Chargers at Texans (4:30pm, CBS); Steelers at Ravens (8pm, Prime) Sunday: Broncos at Bills (1pm, CBS); Packers at Eagles (4:30pm, Fox); Commanders at Buccaneers (8pm, NBC) More to watch: ? Australian Open: First round (Sat-Sun, ESPN2/ESPN+) ? NBA: Thunder at Knicks (Fri. 7:30pm, NBA) ? NHL: Bruins at Panthers (Sat. 1pm, ABC); Avalanche at Jets (Sat. 7pm, NHL) ? NCAAM: No. 3 Iowa State at Texas Tech (Sat. 2pm, ESPN); No. 5 Alabama at No. 10 Texas A&M (Sat. 8pm, ESPN); No. 6 Kentucky at No. 14 Mississippi State (Sat. 8:30pm, SEC) ? NCAAW: No. 5 Texas at No. 2 South Carolina (Sun. 1pm, ESPN) ⛳️ PGA: Sony Open (Fri-Sun, Golf/NBC/ESPN+) ? High School Football: Navy All-America Bowl (Sat. 1pm, NBC) … At the Alamodome in San Antonio. ? WILD STAT HISTORY SAYS BET ON BALTIMORE (Giphy) The Ravens have won the Super Bowl every 12 years this century (2001, 2013), and both title-winning teams were led by 28-year-old QBs (Trent Dilfer, Joe Flacco). Well, it's been 12 years since Baltimore hoisted the Lombardi Trophy… and Lamar Jackson is 28. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 14, 2025 Author Members Posted January 14, 2025 Yankees fans who interfered with Mookie Betts during World Series banned from all MLB games NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has banned two fans who interfered with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts during a World Series game at Yankee Stadium from attending any games at big league ballparks. https://apnews.com/article/yankee-stadium-fans-banned-betts-3b218f739079203c0647760ba2064674? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 14, 2025 Author Members Posted January 14, 2025 ? Good morning! Welcome back. In today's edition: Wild card weekend, sports photos of the year, college football's All-Midwest finale, the best MLB players of the century (so far), Baker's Dozen, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Vrabel comes home: Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls in New England, has been hired as the franchise's next head coach. ? Flagg goes off: Cooper Flagg gave the Cameron Crazies a thrill on Friday, scoring an ACC freshman record 42 points (11-14 FG, 4-6 3PT, 16-17 FG) and adding 7 assists and 6 boards in Duke's 86-78 win over Notre Dame. ? All-Pros: The Ravens, Eagles and Lions each had an NFL-best six players named to the All-Pro rosters. Baltimore (QB, FB, LB, CB) and Detroit (WR, RT, S, P) led the way with four first-team selections. ⚽️ Barça win El Clásico: Barcelona routed Real Madrid, 5-2, to win the club's record-extending 15th Spanish Super Cup title. ⚾️ Ballpark ban: The two Yankees fans who interfered with Mookie Betts during Game 4 of the World Series have been banned from all MLB ballparks indefinitely. ? NFL PLAYOFFS DOINK! Phew. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) The Commanders ended their 19-year playoff win drought in dramatic fashion on Sunday night when Zane Gonzalez's kick bounced through the uprights as time expired to clinch a 23-20 win over the Buccaneers. "THEY DOINKED THEIR WAY TO THE DIVISIONAL ROUND! UNBELIEVABLE!" — Mike Tirico (NBC) "THE CARDIAC COMMANDERS ARE THE CLUTCH COMMANDERS! WE'LL SEE YOU IN DETROIT!" — Bram Weinstein (radio) Victory at last: This is Washington's first playoff win since Jan. 7, 2006, which also came against the Bucs. Only the Dolphins (Dec. 30, 2000) and Raiders (Jan. 19, 2003) entered the season with longer active droughts. A generational curse has been lifted. Rookie sensation: Jayden Daniels impressed as he has all season, becoming the first rookie QB since Russell Wilson in 2012 to win a road playoff game. Wild stat: Alex Ovechkin scored 848 NHL goals between the Commanders' two most recent playoff wins. Scoreboard: None of the other four games this weekend were particularly close… Bills 31, Broncos 7: Buffalo cruised past Denver to set up a tantalizing matchup: Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson on Sunday night in Buffalo, where the stakes will be much bigger than which one wins MVP. Ravens 28, Steelers 14: Derrick Henry (186 yds, 2 TD) steamrolled the Steelers, who became the first 10-win team in NFL history to end the season on a five-game losing streak and have now lost four consecutive playoff games by 11+ points. Eagles 22, Packers 10: The highlight of this game may have been the saxophone national anthem from this dude in a custom Starter jacket. Telling stat: The Packers finished 0-6 against the Eagles, Lions and Vikings this season. Texans 32, Chargers 12: "For 17 regular-season games, it felt different for the Chargers. All of it. The scheme, the energy, the resilience and joy. And maybe most of all, the backbone," writes Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson. "Then came Saturday." Of note: The lack of close games during wild card weekend is becoming a theme… Since the NFL expanded the playoffs to 14 teams, just five of the 29 wild card games have been decided by less than a touchdown. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports) Divisional Round: Texans at Chiefs (4:30pm ET) and Commanders at Lions (8pm) on Saturday, followed by Vikings/Rams at Eagles (3pm) and Ravens at Bills (6:30pm) on Sunday. ? WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS SPORTS PHOTOS OF THE YEAR (Jerome Brouillet) Over 2,000 photographers from nearly 100 countries submitted entries for the 2025 World Sports Photography Awards. The contest awarded Gold, Bronze, Silver and Special Merit honors in 24 sports categories, and also selected three overall winners, shown here. ? "Golden Moment" — Brazil's Gabriel Medina recorded the highest single wave score in Olympic history (9.90) this past summer in Tahiti, and this shot of him exiting the wave might just be the coolest photo I've seen in my entire life. Just incredible. (Petr Slavik) ? "Heaven" — Biathlete Deedra Irwin racing through the clouds at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Utah. A truly epic shot. (Anton Anestiev) ? "Zebra Crossing" — A rally car driver appeared in no mood to slow down as zebras crossed the road during the East Africa Safari Classic in Kenya. ? ALL-MIDWEST TITLE GAME THE GRAND FINALE: BUCKEYES VS. IRISH (Yahoo Sports) The first national championship game of the 12-team College Football Playoff will feature two Midwest schools — neither of whom won a conference championship game — facing off in the heart of SEC country, which won't have a team in the title game for the second straight year. When: Jan. 20 (8pm ET, ESPN) Where: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) How they got here: The eighth-seeded Buckeyes beat No. 9 Tennessee and No. 1 Oregon by a combined score of 83-38 before taking down No. 5 Texas, 28-14, in Friday's thrilling semifinal. The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish handled No. 10 Indiana and No. 2 Georgia before squeaking past No. 6 Penn State, 27-24, on Thursday. By the numbers: 9.5 points: Ohio State opened as a 9.5-point favorite (via BetMGM), which would be tied for the second-largest spread in a CFP title game if it holds. Georgia was -13.5 against TCU in 2022 (won 65-7) and Alabama was -9.5 against Ohio State in 2020 (won 52-24). 9-1: Speaking of betting lines, favorites are 9-1 outright and 8-2 against the spread in this year's playoff. They'd be undefeated if it wasn't for a surge of late money on Thursday that made Penn State a slight favorite over Notre Dame before kickoff. 33.4 million: That's the viewership record for a CFP title game, set back in 2014 when Ohio State played Oregon in the first title game of the four-team era. Could that number be topped a week from today when the sport's biggest draw and most prestigious brand face off? $4,088: The average ticket price was $4,088 as of Sunday, per TicketIQ, making this the most expensive national championship ticket since they began tracking it in 2011. For those seeking just to make it through the gates, the get-in price currently stands at $2,223. Head-to-head: This is the ninth meeting between these two programs. Notre Dame won the first two games nearly a century ago (1935-36), but Ohio State has won all six since then (1995, 1996, 2006, 2016, 2022, 2023) to take a commanding lead in the all-time series. Jack Sawyer takes it the house. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images) Good read: How Jack Sawyer punched Ohio State's ticket to the title game in 83 long, glorious yards (Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports) Sawyer was Ryan Day's first-ever commitment after he was elevated to head coach. He's an Ohio kid from the Columbus suburb of Pickerington, a town of about 23,000 where he grew up with a Scarlet and Gray-painted room covered in Buckeyes decals. He's a two-year starter, a three-year letterman and was the highest-rated recruit in Ohio State's 2021 signing class. More recently, you may know him as the guy who prevented Michigan players from planting the flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium. Perhaps, the Wolverines sparked something in this team. The Buckeyes are playing like we all thought they would — the most talented roster in the sport and the preseason national championship favorites. ⚾️ BASEBALL'S BEST PLAYERS OF THE CENTURY (SO FAR) (@MLBNetwork/X) From MLB.com: In 1999, as the world anticipated the turn of the century and the dawn of a new millennium, MLB named its "All-Century Team," selecting 30 players to represent baseball's best of the 1900s. 25 years later, it’s a good time to consider the best players of the 2000s… so far. Our take: MLB.com made this list by selecting the player at each position with the highest Baseball Reference WAR (wins above replacement) since 2000. That's certainly a valid way to identify the "best players," and we mostly agree with the results. But there are three cases where we'd give the nod to someone else, cumulative WAR be damned… Shortstop: Francisco Lindor (49.6 WAR) is a stud, but this spot belongs to Derek Jeter (47.9). That's to say nothing of Alex Rodriguez, who compiled 35.9 WAR in the four seasons he spent playing shortstop this century before joining Jeter in New York and shifting to third. Third base: Speaking of A-Rod… for as good as Adrián Beltré (89.5) was, you simply can't have a team-of-the-century without including Rodriguez (54.0), who won two MVPs in pinstripes while solidifying himself as one of the greatest players of all time. Right field: Mookie Betts (69.6) may have already secured his spot in Cooperstown, but Ichiro Suzuki (60.0) is arguably the best hitter to ever live and might soon join Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous Hall of Famers when votes are announced next week. Close calls: Justin Verlander (more K's, better in postseason) vs. Clayton Kershaw (better ERA, higher peak) is a fascinating conversation … Robinson Canó (68.1 WAR) is the answer at second base, but Chase Utley (64.5) is much closer than you'd think … Buster Posey (better bat) vs. Yadier Molina (better glove, longevity) is a discussion on what we value behind the dish. ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS (Graham Denholm/Getty Images) ? First-round shocker: Unseeded American Alex Michelsen took down No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first major upset of the Australian Open. ? Historic comeback: Pittsburgh rallied from a 32-point deficit on Sunday to stun SMU and tie the largest comeback in NCAA women's basketball history. One of the nuttiest box scores I've ever seen… 28-0 (!!!) third quarter. ⚽️ Spurs avoid disaster: Tottenham needed extra time to beat Tamworth, a tiny club with part-time players that is currently 16th in the fifth tier of English football. It was 0-0 after 90 minutes before Spurs exploded for three goals. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) ⛳️ Playoff Nick: Nick Taylor chipped in from 60 feet for eagle on the 72nd hole at the Sony Open to force a playoff, where he beat Nico Echavarria for his fifth PGA Tour victory — and third straight in a playoff. ? Streaks snapped: The longest winning streak in D1 men's hoops (12 games) and the NBA (12 games) both ended this weekend, with UC San Diego losing to UC Irvine and the Cavaliers losing to the Pacers. ⚽️ He's back: David Moyes is returning as Everton manager 12 years after his first stint at Goodison Park — an 11-year run that saw the Toffees reach the Champions League and the FA Cup Final. ? ONE SPOT LEFT WATCHLIST: WILD CARD MONDAY The Rams will try to make Glendale feel like home. (Arizona Cardinals) The Vikings and Rams meet tonight (8pm ET, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2) in Glendale, Arizona, for the final spot in the divisional round. Neutral site: Tonight's game was relocated from SoFi Stadium due to the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles. Minnesota moved from a 1-point favorite to a 2.5-point favorite after the news broke on Thursday. More to watch: ? Australian Open: First round (7pm, ESPN+; 11:30pm, ESPN2) ? NBA: Grizzlies at Rockets (8pm, NBA); Spurs at Lakers (10:30pm, NBA) ? NHL: Flames at Blackhawks (7:30pm, NHL) ? NCAAM: No. 22 UCLA at Rutgers* (6:30pm, FS1) *Wrong kind of history: The Scarlet Knights (8-8), led by freshman standouts Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, are trending towards becoming the first team ever to miss the NCAA Tournament despite having two top-5 NBA draft picks in the same season. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 17, 2025 Author Members Posted January 17, 2025 ? Good morning! What's better than a buzzer-beater? A buzzer-beater by a guy named Boopie. NFC poll results: 61% said the Lions and Eagles will advance, 30% said Lions and Rams, 7% said Commanders and Eagles and 2% said Commanders and Rams. By comparison… AFC poll results from Tuesday: 53% said Chiefs and Bills, 33% said Chiefs and Ravens, 8% said Texans and Bills and 6% said Texans and Ravens. In today's edition: Contemplating Steph Curry's future with the Warriors, Canada has the recipe for breaking the Cup curse, dunk of the night (that didn't count), another athlete's home was burglarized, stadium trivia, and more. ? ICYMI headlines ? NCAA to pay women's tourney teams: Starting this year, the NCAA women's basketball tournament will feature financial rewards for participating teams (similar to the "performance units" earned in men's hoops). NCAA D1 members voted unanimously in favor of the measure. ? Class of 2025: Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Michael Vick headline the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025, which includes 18 players and four coaches. ⚾️ A's land Japanese phenom: The Athletics have signed 18-year-old two-way phenom Shotaro Morii. He's the first Japanese player to sign with an MLB team directly out of high school, and his path to the majors could shake up the posting system as we know it. ? Ewers entering draft: Texas QB Quinn Ewers has declared for the NFL draft, clearing the path for Arch Manning to take over as the Longhorns starter. He'll be a redshirt sophomore next season and can turn pro as early as 2026. ⛳️ LIV's new leader: Scott O'Neil is taking over as CEO of LIV Golf, ending Greg Norman's three-year run at the helm. O'Neil was previously CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 76ers and Devils. See what else is trending on Yahoo Sports. ? POST-DYNASTY SHOULD STEPH MOVE ON FROM THE WARRIORS? (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports) The Warriors are middling and boring, and Steph Curry is practically waving the white flag on this season. Should the four-time champion and two-time MVP move on from the only franchise he's ever known? From Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor: The state of the franchise is dark. The team's effort is uninspiring. The arena feels lifeless. This isn't the joyful, chaotic Warriors team that revolutionized basketball. That energy is gone, replaced by a snooze of a team playing a style that the league figured out. It feels like Tom Brady's last season in New England all over again. Back in 2020, the Patriots were headed for cap hell, the roster was aging, and it was clear the franchise was gearing up for a retooling phase. Brady saw the writing on the wall, left for Tampa Bay and won his seventh ring. Now, Steph is facing a similar crossroads: Does he ride it out in Golden State no matter how bleak it gets? Or does he pull a Brady and chase rings elsewhere? Unlike Brady, Curry can't walk in free agency: He's signed through 2026-27 for $122.21 million after inking an extension last offseason. So if Steph wanted out, he'd have to request a trade. Curry is eligible to be traded this season, though he'd have more clarity about Golden State's situation this summer. By June he'll know where the Warriors land in the draft and whether there's a superstar trade worth pursuing. But actions speak louder than words, and everything Golden State has done so far screams that they're not serious about contending right now. Curry on the bench during Monday's loss to the Raptors. (Cole Burston/Getty Images) What he's saying: Earlier this month, Curry criticized the Warriors' two-timeline plan (i.e. win now with veterans, while also developing young talent through high draft picks), saying the postmortem on it would be "not great." He changed his tune this week, emphasizing the importance of "keeping the franchise in a good spot" and not sacrificing the future to save the present. Draymond Green and Steve Kerr made similar comments. It sure is strange for three of the NBA's greatest competitors to just be giving up on this season. The messaging reads like some sort of coordinated PR campaign about mindful trading. Maybe the team is preparing to tank with Steph dealing with lingering knee pain, and Green with a back issue. Or maybe it's just the cold reality: the run is over. If Curry hits the trade market, the possibilities are endless. Imagine pairing him with Nikola Jokić in Denver, flanking Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio, or supercharging the Magic, Rockets or Timberwolves. Any of these would provide him a greater shot to win a fifth or sixth ring than the Warriors realistically could. Leaving could also be for Golden State's best. After all, as Steph himself said: There is a responsibility of keeping the franchise in a good spot once he's done. So what's better: Hover around .500 for the foreseeable future or trade Steph for a haul before he declines and then rebuild? It's quite clearly the latter. Bottom line: Maybe the Warriors luck into a top pick in the next two drafts. Maybe a star that fits becomes available. Maybe Steph sticks around long enough for the team to reload for more runs. But right now, the championship window is shut, so Curry has six months to ponder which door he walks through: the one that keeps him where it all began, or one that dares him to chase something even bigger. ? NORTH OF THE BORDER COULD ALL 7 CANADIAN TEAMS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS? Hunter the Lynx (Oilers), Fin the Whale (Canucks), Spartacat (Senators), Carlton the Bear (Maple Leafs), Youppi! (Canadiens), Mick E. Moose (Jets) and Harvey the Hound (Flames) at the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills Challenge. (Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) It's been nearly 40 years since we last saw all seven Canadian teams reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Could this be the year it finally happens again? Where it stands: The Winnipeg Jets (63 points), Edmonton Oilers (59), Toronto Maple Leafs (56) and Calgary Flames (49) are currently in playoff position, while the Vancouver Canucks (48), Ottawa Senators (47) and Montreal Canadiens (46) are all within 1-2 points of a wild-card spot and firmly in the mix. There are no stragglers. The Canadiens pose for a photo after defeating the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images) Wind the clocks back: The last time seven Canadian teams made the playoffs was in 1985-86, back when they made up a third of the 21-team NHL. Heck, we haven't even seen six make the field since 1992-93. Coincidentally, the Canadiens won the title in both of those seasons, and Montreal's 1993 triumph is the last time a team from Canada won the Stanley Cup. That's right, folks… It's been 31 long years since Canada hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup, a trophy donated in 1892 by the sixth governor-general of Canada, to be presented to "the championship hockey club of the Dominion of Canada." It's a drought so long you almost have to call it a "curse." Fortunately, I'm pretty sure we just discovered the formula for breaking it: Step 1: Get 6-7 teams into the playoffs (ensure one is Montreal) Step 2: Let the Canadiens cook Looking ahead: All seven teams north of the border will be in action on Saturday for the 25th edition of Hockey Day in Canada. And if everything goes right over the next couple days, all seven will be in playoff position when the celebrations begin. ? CRIME WAVE ATHLETES' HOMES KEEP GETTING BURGLARIZED Evgeni Malkin's home was broken into on Saturday, and the Penguins star says his three Stanley Cup rings are missing. It's the latest in a rash of burglaries at the homes of professional athletes while they were playing games or traveling, Jeff writes. Recent burglaries: NBA: Thieves stole jewelry from Mike Conley Jr. and more than $100,000 worth of property from Karl-Anthony Towns when their Minnesota homes were broken into on consecutive days in September. In October, Bobby Portis was robbed of "most of my prized possessions," and Luka Dončić had $30,000 worth of jewelry stolen last month. NFL: Patrick Mahomes (jewelry, trophies, jerseys) and Travis Kelce (a watch, $20,000 in cash) were robbed on consecutive days in October, and Joe Burrow's Ohio home was broken into last month while he was playing in Dallas. NHL: Stars center Tyler Seguin reported that $500,000 worth of watches were stolen while he was playing a home game in late November. Organized crime: The FBI issued a warning in December that "organized theft groups" from South America were behind these robberies. These groups are sophisticated, often conducting advanced recon by making "attempted home deliveries" or "posing as joggers." They have the ability to bypass alarm systems and security cameras, and the break-ins are designed to take place when athletes aren't home, which is fairly easy to know thanks to team schedules. Is the Malkin heist related? It's unclear whether these criminal gangs were responsible, but certain details about the break-in (the Penguins were playing the Senators at the time, and Malkin's alarm system and cameras weren't functional) suggest there may be a link. ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS ? Michigan's dynamic duo: Conventional wisdom says you can't play two 7-footers together. Nobody told the Wolverines, who are dominating opponents when starters Danny Wolf (7-foot) and Vlad Goldin (7-foot-1) share the floor. ? Third time's the charm: What do Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz have in common? They all won the national championship in their third year as Notre Dame's head coach. You'll never guess what year Marcus Freeman is in. (h/t Yahoo Sports AM reader Richard Rothschild) ? Historic streak snapped: The Iowa State women's basketball team went nearly 30 years making at least one 3-pointer in every game. That 945-game streak (NCAA record) ended Wednesday when they went 0-of-7 from deep in a win over Texas Tech. ? A tricky problem to solve: How do you stop football players from faking injuries? College coaches discussed that issue at a conference this week, and emerged with a proposal: Any injured player would be sidelined the rest of the drive unless a team used a timeout to reinstate the player. A head coach fine was also discussed. ? PART II WATCHLIST: THE REMATCH The NBA's two best teams meet again tonight (7:30pm ET, TNT), as the Thunder and Cavs square off in Oklahoma City just eight days after Cleveland won Round 1 at home, Jeff writes. No close second: The Cavs (34-5) and Thunder (33-6) hold comfortable leads atop their respective conferences, with Cleveland leading Boston (28-12) by 6.5 games and OKC leading Houston (27-12) by 6 games. More to watch: ? Australian Open: Third round (7pm, ESPN+; 9pm, ESPN2) ? NHL: Red Wings at Panthers (7pm, ESPN); Oilers at Avalanche (9:30pm, ESPN) ? NCAAM: No. 18 Memphis at Temple (7pm, ESPN2); No. 20 Michigan at Minnesota (7pm, FS1); No. 16 Gonzaga at Oregon State (11pm, CBSSN) ? NCAAW: No. 17 Georgia Tech at No. 3 Notre Dame (6pm, ACC); No. 2 South Carolina at No. 19 Alabama (7pm, SEC+); No. 18 Cal at No. 16 Duke (8pm, ACC) ⚽️ Premier League: Manchester United vs. Southampton* (3pm, USA) ⛳️ PGA Tour: The American Express (11:30am, ESPN+; 4pm, Golf) … At PGA West in La Quinta, California. *Bottoming out: Man United (6-5-9, 14th place) are on pace for their worst Premier League finish ever, and Southampton (1-3-16, last place) are off to the worst 20-game start in league history. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 18, 2025 Author Members Posted January 18, 2025 NFL preview Eight teams are still alive for the divisional round of the playoffs this weekend. The two top seeds, Kansas City and Detroit, are both heavy favorites. Here’s how to watch and everything you need to know. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 19, 2025 Author Members Posted January 19, 2025 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! It's a great day to have a great day, so have one. Programming note: We'll be off Monday for MLK Day. See you back here on Tuesday morning to recap the CFP title game. In today's edition: The future is now for women's sports, Baseball Hall of Fame voting update, previewing the NFL Divisional Round, another teen wins in Melbourne, Jeremiah Smith's path to stardom, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI Headlines ? Upsets galore: Three ranked men's college basketball teams were in action on Thursday, and they all lost to unranked teams. Minnesota beat No. 20 Michigan (via buzzer-beater!), Oregon State took down No. 16 Gonzaga, and Temple beat No. 18 Memphis. ⚾️ HOF voting update: Ichiro Suzuki (100% of the vote), C.C. Sabathia (93.3%), Billy Wagner (84.7%) and Carlos Beltran (80.4%) are trending towards Hall of Fame induction with just over 40% of ballots publicly known. The final results will be announced on Tuesday. ? Ovi makes history: Alex Ovechkin scored the game-winner in OT to lift the Capitals past the Senators and break the NHL record for most goaltenders scored on (179). He also moved within 21 goals of passing Wayne Gretzky for most all-time. ? Thunder get revenge: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (40 points) and the Thunder destroyed the Cavaliers in OKC, 134-114, in a battle of the NBA's two best teams. This comes a week after the Cavs beat them in Cleveland. ? RIP, Bob: Bob Uecker, the longtime voice of the Brewers also known for his iconic role in "Major League," passed away on Thursday at 90 years old. He was "the soundtrack of our summers," the team said in a statement. Rest easy, legend. See what else is trending on Yahoo Sports. ? UP AND TO THE RIGHT WOMEN'S SPORTS: BUSINESS IS BOOMING (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) It wasn't long ago that the WNBA struggled to draw viewers. Now, there's a big enough appetite for women's basketball that an entirely new league is launching today with record salaries,* big name backers, blue chip sponsors and a $100 million media rights deal, Jeff and I write. The future is now: Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 league featuring 36 WNBA players, is a direct reflection of how much has changed in a few short years. Women's sports is no longer merely "on the rise" or "a space to watch"; it's a thriving industry where surging fan engagement is driving sponsorship dollars, athlete earnings and investor interest through the roof. Building on a huge year: Thanks in no small part to the rising tide that is Caitlin Clark, the women's sports boom leveled up in 2024 (and the first few weeks of 2025) across just about every category. Valuations and earnings: Angel City FC was sold for a women's sports record $250 million, pushing the average NWSL franchise valuation over $100 million (up 57% YoY). The world's 15 highest-paid female athletes earned $221 million in 2024 (up from $174 in 2023). The WTA and LPGA awarded historic prize money, and women's basketball teams will earn performance pay during this year's March Madness due to the tournament's surging media value. Media and investment: The WNBA's new $2.2 billion broadcasting deal is worth 6x its current deal, and Netflix signed a "landmark" deal with FIFA to secure the U.S. rights for the next two Women's World Cups. Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang pledged $30 million to U.S. Soccer to grow the women's game (plus $4 million to fund women's rugby), and Whoopi Goldberg launched the All Women's Sports Network. Viewership and attendance: The NCAA women's national championship (featuring Clark) was ESPN's most-watched college basketball game ever (18.9M viewers), and the WNBA Finals were the most-watched in 25 years (1.6M). The NWSL had record attendance (11,250 per game) and viewership (5x jump from 2023), UConn women's basketball reported more ticket sales ($3.25M) than 75 public men's programs, and the PWHL on Sunday set a U.S. women's hockey attendance record (14,108). Expansion and creation: The NWSL added two expansion teams (Bay FC, Utah Royals) and announced a third (Denver**), while the WNBA added one expansion team (Golden State Valkyries) and announced two more (Portland, Toronto). Three new leagues debuted (PWHL, USL Super League, League One Volleyball), and three were announced (Women's Lacrosse League, Women's Professional Baseball League, Major League Volleyball). But wait, there's more: The Paris Olympics were the first ever to achieve full gender parity, the NWSL's KC Current opened the world's first stadium built specifically for a women's pro team, both Time (Clark) and Sports Illustrated (Simone Biles) named women as their Athletes of the Year, and bars dedicated to women's sports continue to open across the country. *Unrivaled money: Players have been given equity in the new league, and their average salary ($222,222) is nearly twice as much as the WNBA's ($119,500) and the highest among all women's team sports. **Consider this: Denver secured the NWSL's 16th franchise at an expansion fee of $110 million, which is 55x (!!!) the league's expansion fee just three years ago ($2 million). If that isn't evidence of explosive growth, I don't know what is. ? THE FINAL EIGHT DIVISIONAL ROUND PRIMER (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) The NFL's final eight teams will battle it out this weekend in the Divisional Round, which often delivers the best set of games* all year, Jeff writes. Texans (+8.5) at Chiefs (Sat. 4:30pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Kansas City's road to a third straight Super Bowl begins after a historically strange season. Their +59 scoring differential is 62 points worse than any other 15-win team in NFL history, and was just the 11th-best mark in 2024. X-factors: Houston needs star defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter (whose 26% pass rush win rate led the league) to bother Patrick Mahomes. KC needs Trent McDuffie to shut down Nico Collins, the Texans’ only remaining truly dangerous receiver. A streak and a drought: The Chiefs have made six straight AFC title games (every year since Mahomes became the starter), while the Texans have never made it there in 22 years as a franchise. Commanders (+9.5) at Lions (Sat. 8pm, Fox): Two long-struggling franchises enjoyed their best season in years (if not ever), as Detroit scored the fourth-most points in NFL history and Washington found increasingly clutch ways to win behind rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. Sonic and Knuckles: The league's best RB tandem is back in action with David Montgomery (knee) rejoining Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit's backfield. That's bad news for Washington, which allowed the third-most rushing yards per game this season. Three decades later: The Commanders haven't reached the NFC Championship since 1991, when they beat the Lions (!) en route to their third Super Bowl. Rams (+6) at Eagles (Sun. 3pm, NBC): Two of the league's most electric offensive players — Saquon Barkley (2,005 rushing yards, eighth-most ever) and Puka Nacua (3.7 yards per route run, third-best mark since 2007) — take the field in Philly, where snow is in the forecast. Stifling defense: Good luck scoring on the Eagles, who've won 13 of their last 14 games and have allowed more than 20 points just twice in that time. Wild stat: This will be Rams head coach Sean McVay's 13th career playoff game and he's never faced the same team twice. Ravens (-1) at Bills (Sun. 6:30pm, CBS): The weekend concludes with one of the most tantalizing playoff matchups in recent memory, as MVP favorites Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson square off in Buffalo, where the temperature is expected to feel like 0 degrees. Josh vs. Lamar: Jackson leads the regular-season series, 3-1 (including a 35-10 shellacking in Week 4), while Allen won their only postseason matchup four years ago. But something's gotta give: Josh hasn't won consecutive playoff games since 2021 and Lamar never has. Wild stat: Buffalo and Baltimore had nearly identical seasons. The Bills scored 525 points with a +157 differential, while the Ravens scored 518 points with the same +157 differential. *Think about it: Wild Card Weekend doesn't include either conference's best team, and while the Conference Championships and Super Bowl are obviously both great theater, they don't actually feature much football. The Divisional Round strikes a perfect balance. ? AUSTRALIAN OPEN ANOTHER TEEN WINS IN MELBOURNE (Paul Crock/AFP via Getty Images) 19-year-old qualifier Learner Tien knocked out No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in a five-setter on Thursday, becoming the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open's third round since Pete Sampras in 1990, Jeff writes. The kids are alright: Tien is the third teenager this week to defeat a top-10 opponent, joining Brazil's João Fonseca (No. 9 Andrey Rublev) and Croatia's Jakub Meník (No. 6 Casper Ruud). Australian Open recap: Day 5 ? CFP CHAMPIONSHIP WATCHLIST: COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S GRAND FINALE (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) We'll be off Monday for MLK Day, so we won't be back in your inbox until after the CFP National Championship. Enjoy the holiday weekend! Ohio State and Notre Dame meet on Monday night in Atlanta (7:30pm ET, ESPN) for the first national championship game of the 12-team era, Jeff writes. Overwhelming favorite: The Buckeyes (-8.5) are huge favorites over the Irish, whom they have beaten six straight times dating back to 1995. More to watch: ? NFL: Texans at Chiefs (Sat. 4:30pm, ESPN); Commanders at Lions (Sat. 8pm, Fox); Rams at Eagles (Sun. 3pm, NBC); Ravens at Bills (Sun. 6:30pm, CBS) ? Australian Open: Third Round, Round of 16, Quarterfinals (Fri-Mon, ESPN+/ESPN2) ? NBA: Magic at Celtics (Fri. 7pm, ESPN); Grizzlies at Spurs (Fri. 9:30pm, ESPN); Timberwolves at Grizzlies (Mon. 2:30pm, TNT); Celtics at Warriors (Mon. 5pm, TNT) ? NHL: Golden Knights at Hurricanes (Fri. 7pm, NHL); Maple Leafs at Canadiens (Sat. 7pm, NHL); Rangers at Canadiens (Sun. 7pm, NHL); Lightning at Maple Leafs (Mon. 7:30pm, NHL) ? NCAAM: No. 4 Alabama at No. 8 Kentucky (Sat. 12pm, ESPN); No. 17 Purdue at No. 13 Oregon (Sat. 3pm, NBC); No. 21 Ole Miss at No. 15 Miss. St. (Sat. 6pm, ESPN2); No. 19 Illinois at No. 12 Michigan St. (Sun. 12pm, CBS) ? NCAAW: No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 2 South Carolina (Sun. 3pm, ESPN); No. 7 Texas at No. 8 Maryland (Mon. 5:30pm, Fox) Plus: The USMNT hosts Venezuela (Sat. 3pm, TNT) and Inter Miami hosts Club América (Sat. 10pm, Apple) in a pair of friendlies; UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome (Sat. 10pm, ESPN+ PPV); The American Express at PGA West (Fri-Sun, ESPN+/Golf); Unrivaled's opening weekend in Miami (Fri-Mon, TNT/truTV). ? DIAPER DANDY PREGAME READING: JEREMIAH SMITH'S PATH TO STARDOM (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith has had such an incredible freshman season that many believe he'd be the No. 1 pick if he were eligible for this year's NFL draft. And to think: It all started with a snub from a youth football coach. From Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg: Somewhere in the Miami area is a youth football coach who unknowingly fueled the rise of a record-breaking wide receiver. This is the coach who told Jeremiah Smith he didn't make the Miami Gardens Ravens after the 7-year-old tried out to play football for the first time. Much like the high school basketball coach who cut Michael Jordan, the snub ignited a fierce determination to be great within Smith. As he told Fox's Tom Rinaldi in November, "I was just a whole different type of person from that day forward. It just made a kid more hungry, that's all I can say." The cut also inspired Smith's father to do more to help his son maximize his talent and achieve his goals. Chris Smith spent endless hours alongside J.J. (as he's known to family and friends) at the park, the field or the gym, instilling the work ethic that made his son an elite prospect before anyone knew he would grow to become a 6-foot-3, 215-pound genetic marvel. Hailed as the next great Ohio State receiver when he arrived in Columbus, Smith has achieved feats that even Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson could not. The cousin of Seahawks QB Geno Smith has smashed Cris Carter's school records for receptions, yardage and touchdown catches by a freshman. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said Smith would "easily be the No. 1 pick in this year's draft" if he were eligible for it. NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay has said the same. "The guy is NFL-ready," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after the Rose Bowl. "He's that talented, that special." Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 19, 2025 Author Members Posted January 19, 2025 ? New name in women's hoops The Unrivaled league's Rose team practices yesterday in Medley, Fla. Photo: Marta Lavandier/AP A new 3-on-3 league that could revolutionize women's basketball launches today in Miami, Axios' Everett Cook writes. Unrivaled — founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier— is part of the explosive growth of women's sports. ⛹️♀️ Between the lines: WNBA players have long played overseas in the off-season to supplement their meager league salaries. Unrivaled gives them a chance to earn extra cash in the U.S., while growing the American fan base. Unrivaled says it has the highest average salary in women's sports history, at $222,222 per season — higher than the WNBA's maximum salary. ? Most of the WNBA's biggest stars, including Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese and Brittney Griner, are playing in Unrivaled. The glaring exception is Caitlin Clark. The season tips off tonight at 7pm ET on TNT. Go deeper. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 20, 2025 Author Members Posted January 20, 2025 ? Parting shot Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images Taylor Swift chats with Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever during the AFC Divisional Playoff between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium yesterday. The Chiefs won, 23–14. Over in Detroit, the underdog Washington Commanders beat the No. 1 seeded Detroit Lions, 45–31. Commanders' rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels put on a flawless performance. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 21, 2025 Author Members Posted January 21, 2025 ? Ohio State = champs Gee Scott Jr. celebrates with the trophy after Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the college football national championship. Photo: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images The Ohio State Buckeyes are the college football champions, after defeating Notre Dame 34-23 last night. Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, but had to withstand a Notre Dame rally in the second half. ? "It's a great story about a bunch of guys who have just overcome some really tough situations ... where there's a lot of people that counted us out (they) just kept swinging and kept fighting," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Ohio State's title run. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 21, 2025 Author Members Posted January 21, 2025 Ohio State was the first team to win the four-team College Football Playoff in 2015. 10 years later, they're the first team to win the 12-team playoff. In today's edition: Bow down to the Buckeyes, Aussie Open update, Divisional Round recap, two-man race for NBA MVP, golf is hard, Baker's Dozen, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI Headlines ? NFL coaching carousel: The Bears are finalizing a deal to hire Lions OC Ben Johnson as their next head coach; the Jets are hosting Lions DC Aaron Glenn for a second interview today; Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer is now the betting favorite to take over in Dallas. ⚾️ MLB free agency: The Dodgers signed RHP Rōki Sasaki ($6.5M bonus) and LHP Tanner Scott (4 years, $72M), the top starter and reliever on the market; switch-hitting slugger Anthony Santander is joining the Blue Jays (5 years, $92.5M). ? Tigers are unanimous: Auburn is the first unanimous No. 1 team of the men's college basketball season. Rounding out the top five in this week's poll: Duke, Iowa State, Alabama and Florida. ? McDavid suspension: Oilers superstar Connor McDavid has been suspended three games for cross-checking. It's the longest suspension of the three-time MVP's career, and his first since 2019. ? Historic extension: South Carolina's Dawn Staley signed an extension through 2030 that will make her the highest-paid coach in NCAA women's basketball history. Her salary starts at $4M and goes up by $250k each year. ? O-H-I-O THE BUCKEYES WIN IT ALL Less than two months after a heartbreaking loss to Michigan, Ohio State got its vindication: A 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in college football's grand finale to win the program's seventh national championship. From Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel: 51 days ago, Ryan Day stood frozen as the victorious (again) Michigan Wolverines planted a flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium. All around him were tears and jeers and calls for his job. Players fought. Pepper spray wafted through the air. It felt apoplectic then. It is national champions now. In one of college football's great reversals of fortune, Ohio State shook off that dreadful loss to their archrivals, took advantage of the second chance the sport's newly expanded playoff provided, and challenged themselves to be better in every way. That started with their coach, who as bad he coached then, has been equally as brilliant since, peeling off a playoff run to win it all. The Buckeyes capped it with a victory on Monday in Atlanta. … The cries were of joy now, not confusion and disappointment. How it happened: The Buckeyes dominated the first 40 minutes, building a 31-7 lead behind Will Howard (17/21, 231 yds, 2 TD) and Quinshon Judkins (100 rush yds, 3 total TD). Riley Leonard (22/31, 255 yds, 3 total TD), Jaden Greathouse (128 rec yds, 2 TD) and the Fighting Irish punched back, scoring 16 unanswered to make it 31-23 with 4:15 left. A long completion to freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith (88 rec yds, TD) iced the game for Ohio State, which finished with 445 total yards to Notre Dame's 308. The rich get richer: Ohio State spends more money on athletics than any other public university (approaching $300 million annually), and they spent about $20 million in NIL funds to build their championship-winning roster, as first reported by Yahoo Sports. (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) Postgame reading: In the biggest game of his life, Will Howard rose to another level (Ross Dellenger) How Riley Leonard made himself an Irish legend despite the loss (Jay Busbee) Way-too-early Top 25 for next season (Nick Bromberg) ?️ Fresh pod: Title game reactions (College Football Power Hour) Viral clip: The driver of the golf cart carrying Day, Howard and other Buckeyes to the postgame press conference crashed into a wall pretty aggressively (everyone was fine). ? DOWN UNDER LIVE UPDATES: AUSTRALIAN OPEN Carlos Alcaraz plays a forehand during the opening set. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) The Australian Open quarterfinals are underway in Melbourne, where some of the world's best players took the court while you were (hopefully) sleeping. Catch up quick: Alcaraz vs. Djokovic (live now!): Carlos and Novak split the first two sets of their blockbuster — a rematch of last year's Wimbledon and Olympics final. Tune in now on ESPN2 to see who advances! Down goes Coco: No. 11 Paula Badosa upset No. 3 Coco Gauff in straight sets to snap the American's 13-match winning streak. Gauff finished with 41 unforced errors, including six double-faults. Sabalenka moves on: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dispatched No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to advance to the semis and move within two wins of a repeat title. Zverev tops Paul: No. 2 Alexander Zverev beat No. 12 Tommy Paul to reach his ninth Grand Slam semifinal, the most among active players who have not won a major. Americans still standing: Gauff and Paul were two of the five Americans to reach the quarterfinals. The other three — Emma Navarro, Madison Keys and Ben Shelton — take the court tonight. Find out who and when they're playing in our "Watchlist" below. ? FINAL FOUR The Commanders, Eagles, Bills and Chiefs are headed to the NFL's Final Four after a drama-filled weekend that featured a shocking upset, two snow games (one much snowier than the other), a Taylor Swift-Caitlin Clark sighting, and a battle of MVP favorites. Detroit — The Commanders' dream season continued with an impressive 45-31 victory over the top-seeded Lions, as Jayden Daniels (350 total yds, 2 TD) and Washington's defense (five takeaways) led the underdog Commanders to their first NFC title game since 1991, Jeff writes. Philadelphia — The Eagles held off the Rams' late comeback in the snow, winning 28-22 behind another masterful performance from Saquon Barkley (232 total yds, 2 TD), who accounted for a ridiculous 534 scrimmage yards in Philly's two wins over the Rams this season. Orchard Park, N.Y. — Josh Allen ran for two touchdowns and Lamar Jackson threw for two, but in the end the battle of MVP favorites came down to Ravens TE Mark Andrews, who dropped the would-be game-tying two-point conversion with 90 seconds left in the Bills' 27-25 win. Kansas City — The Chiefs didn't play their best football on Saturday, but as was the case for most of the season they still found a way to win, beating the Texans, 23-14, with the help of a few controversial calls to reach their seventh straight AFC title game. Looking ahead… The Eagles (+180 at BetMGM) are the current favorites to win the Super Bowl, followed by the Chiefs (+240), Bills (+250) and Commanders (+700). ? CREAM OF THE CROP NBA MVP RACE: SGA OR JOKIĆ? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić have separated themselves from the pack in the MVP race as the NBA season's second half gets underway, Jeff writes. Overwhelming favorites: SGA (-350 at BetMGM), who finished second last season, and Jokić (+250), who won last year for his third MVP this decade, are the only players with better than 40-1 odds to hoist the trophy. Gilgeous-Alexander: 31.5 points (t-1st in the NBA) on 53.2/35/90 shooting splits, 5.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.1 steals (2nd) and 1.1 blocks for the first-place Thunder (35-7). Jokić: 30.1 points (3rd) on 56.1/47.1/80.6 shooting splits, 13.2 rebounds (3rd), 9.9 assists (2nd), 1.8 steals (4th) and 0.6 blocks for the fourth-place Nuggets (26-16). What they're saying: Who was the MVP of the first half? Our NBA experts are split… Dan Devine (SGA): "He's leading the NBA in scoring while also playing a vital role on the NBA's best defense. … The Thunder are in position to be one of the most dominant regular-season teams we've ever seen, and all of that starts with SGA." Ben Rohrbach (Jokić): "Gilgeous-Alexander has been incredible for the West's best team, but I can't help but think, if they switched teams, this wouldn't even be a conversation. Jokić would win in a landslide." Vincent Goodwill (SGA): "Jokić is the best player, bar none. But even the advanced statistical models have Gilgeous-Alexander pulling even on the stats that sway MVP. It's no slight to Jokić if SGA wins it, it just ramps up expectations for May and June." Morten Stig Jensen (Jokić): "The numbers (both the raw and the advanced) speak for themselves, but just watch a handful of games, and it's obvious that he's once again, by far, the most influential player in the game. He's earned it." Other MVP candidates: Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (+4000) is a very distant third, followed by Boston's Jayson Tatum (+5000), San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama (+10000) and Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell (+20000). ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS ?️ Iconic shot: Lewis Hamilton is officially part of Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes, and his Day 1 photo goes extremely hard. (Note the seven windows, representing each of his F1 titles, and a door to an eighth.) ? Have a night, kid! Pittsburgh's Alex Nedeljkovic made history on Saturday, becoming the 16th goalie to score in the NHL and the first to ever record a goal and an assist in the same game. Did I mention he also made 40 saves to lift the Penguins to victory? ? 40-point blowout: The Celtics beat the Warriors, 125-85, on Monday to hand Golden State its worst home loss in 40 years. The Dubs (21-21) have now gone 9-18 since their 12-3 start and are in 11th-place out West. ⛳️ Golf is hard: PGA Tour rookie William Mouw completely fell apart on Friday at the American Express, where he carded a 13 (!!!) on the par-5 16th hole. Worth a watch, if only to feel slightly better about your own game. ? Bueckers tops them all: UConn women's basketball has had no shortage of superstars through the years. None of them reached 2,000 career points faster than Paige Bueckers, who achieved the milestone in 102 games, six fewer than Maya Moore (108). ? The rise of Vuori: The 10-year-old apparel company has ridden the athleisure wave to a $5 billion valuation. But "it's still early days," founder Joe Kudla told the New York Times. ? AUSTRALIAN OPEN WATCHLIST: AMERICANS IN ACTION Three Americans are still alive at the Australian Open, and they play back-to-back-to-back quarterfinal matches tonight in Melbourne (where they're 16 hours ahead of EST). Schedule: No. 19 Madison Keys faces No. 28 Elina Svitolina (7:30pm ET, ESPN+) and No. 8 Emma Navarro faces No. 2 Iga Świątek (9pm, ESPN2) in the women's quarterfinals. Then it's No. 21 Ben Shelton vs. unseeded Lorenzo Sonego (10:30pm, ESPN2) for a spot in the men's final four. More to watch: ? NBA: Knicks at Nets (7:30pm, TNT); 76ers at Nuggets (10pm, TNT) ? NHL: Hurricanes at Stars (8pm, ESPN+); Capitals at Oilers (9pm, ESPN+) ? NCAAM: No. 14 Mississippi State at No. 6 Tennessee (7pm, ESPN2); No. 25 Louisville* at SMU (9pm, ACC); No. 18 Wisconsin at UCLA (9:30pm, Peacock) ⚽️ Champions League: Matchday 7 (12:45-3pm, Paramount+) … Liverpool vs. Lille headlines the nine-game slate. ⛳️ TGL: Atlanta vs. New York (7pm, ESPN) … Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Billy Horschel vs. Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young. ? NCAA Women's Hockey: BC vs. Harvard (4:30pm, ESPN+); BU vs. Northeastern (7:30pm, ESPN+) … Boston's TD Garden hosts the 46th annual Beanpot. *The Cards are back: Louisville is ranked for the first time in four years and has already won more games this season (14) than the last two seasons combined (12). This is the Cardinals' 657th appearance in the Top 25, which is sixth-most among D1 programs. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 24, 2025 Author Members Posted January 24, 2025 ? Record ratings for college football playoff Ohio State players celebrate after winning the national championship Monday in Atlanta. Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The first iteration of the 12-team College Football Playoff set records in TV ratings, attendance and ticket sales, Axios' Maxwell Millington reports. Over 22 million viewers watched the Ohio State-Texas semifinal, making it the most-watched Cotton Bowl on record. Under the old four-team format, Ohio State and Notre Dame probably wouldn't have qualified. Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn told Axios the first-round game against Indiana was "one of the greatest atmospheres I've ever been a part of." "There's going to continue to be a push towards expanding the CFP to 14 or 16 teams," Quinn said. These games are "so good for the schools and for TV ratings." Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 24, 2025 Author Members Posted January 24, 2025 Shoutout Madison Keys, who played the best tennis of her life to advance to the Aussie Open final. An incredible match to watch over breakfast. In today's edition: The key to victory in the NFL playoffs, baseball's new Evil Empire, the rise of women's wrestling, NBA in Paris, Caitlin can't miss, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Last two standing: While you were sleeping, Madison Keys beat Iga Świątek in an electric third-set tiebreak and Aryna Sabalenka beat Paula Badosa to reach the Australian Open final. ? Jets hire Glenn: In 1994, the Jets drafted Aaron Glenn with the 12th overall pick. 31 years later, they've hired him as their new head coach after a successful stint as Lions DC. ? SGA's first 50-piece: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 54 points in OKC's win over the Jazz for the first 50-point game of his career. ? CFP viewership: 22 million people watched Monday's CFP title game. That's down from last year (25 million) but still makes it the most-watched non-NFL sporting event over the past year. ⚽️ City’s nightmare continues: Manchester City gave up four unanswered goals in a 4-2 loss to PSG, and now the struggling English giants must win next week to avoid elimination from the Champions League. ? PROTECT THE BALL WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, WIN THE GAME Washington's defense celebrates one of its five takeaways against the Lions. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Historically, NFL teams that win the turnover battle win the game roughly 70% of the time. But recently, in the postseason, those teams have been nearly unbeatable, Jeff writes. By the numbers: Teams are 7-0 in these playoffs when winning the turnover battle, and they're 22-1 in the last 23 games. That lone exception came last year when the Chiefs, who turned it over just once, beat the Bills. The Final Four: Kansas City, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington have combined for 15 takeaways against zero turnovers so far this postseason, mastering the art of taking care of the ball — and stealing it back. The Bills committed just eight turnovers during the regular season (tied for the fewest ever) and haven't lost the turnover battle in 21 consecutive games, the longest streak since at least 1960. The Chiefs have gone eight straight games without a turnover, the longest streak of the Super Bowl era. Their last one? Against the Bills in Week 11, when they lost their first game of the season. The Eagles and Commanders have both recorded 6+ takeaways and zero turnovers through their first two playoff games. Only two other teams have ever done that, and they both went on to win the Super Bowl (1998 Broncos, 2004 Patriots). QBs lead the way: Josh Allen (0.9% interception rate), Jalen Hurts (1%) and Patrick Mahomes (1.1%) have three of the four lowest interception rates in playoff history (min. 200 attempts), and Jayden Daniels might just be the best rookie ever. ⚾️ MONEYBALL BASEBALL'S NEW EVIL EMPIRE The Dodgers have flexed their might this offseason as baseball's new Evil Empire, fortifying what was already a superteam and solidifying themselves as the overwhelming favorites to repeat as champions, Jeff writes. The latest: Los Angeles added Japanese wunderkind Rōki Sasaki ($6.5 million signing bonus) and All-Star closer Tanner Scott (4 years, $72 million) over the weekend, securing the top starter and reliever on the market. Those were just the latest deals in a busy offseason during which they've also signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell (5 years, $182 million), extended last year's NLCS MVP Tommy Edman (5 years, $74 million) and re-signed slugger Teoscar Hernández (3 years, $66 million). Combine that with the fact that $700 million man Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound this year, and it's easy to see why the other 29 teams and their fans are a bit disheartened heading into 2025. "From an entertainment perspective, it's underwhelming, dispiriting. The rich are getting even richer, the strong even stronger. Chavez Ravine, it seems, is hogging all the hardball joy." — Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports By the numbers: The Dodgers have dished out $478.5 million this offseason, more than $200 million more than any other team besides the Mets, whose league-leading sum ($972 million) went mostly to Juan Soto ($765 million). L.A.'s 2025 luxury tax payroll ($372.2 million) is by far the highest of any team. But even that number belies how much their roster actually costs due to their unprecedented use of deferrals, which allow them to spend freely while incurring smaller penalties. The Dodgers have a staggering $1.38 billion in deferred money on their active contracts. The Mets and Red Sox are the only other teams to even top $50 million, notes the L.A. Times. Competitive imbalance? Whether or not you think MLB's salary system is broken, you have to admit that what the Dodgers are doing at least feels antithetical to fostering competition. Their $1 billion of deferred cash is worth as much as the entire Marlins franchise! That said, they're operating well within the rules and aren't the first franchise to outspend their foes to this degree. In fact, exactly two decades ago, the payroll gap between the Yankees (the old Evil Empire) and the rest of the league was even bigger. Bottom line: The Dodgers have built a juggernaut on paper, and they're huge World Series favorites. But instead of crowning them before the season even begins, consider this: No team has won back-to-back World Series in a quarter-century, and just two reigning champs in that time have even made it back to the Fall Classic the following year. ? NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS SPORT ON THE RISE: WOMEN'S WRESTLING Iowa's Kennedy Blades slams her opponent during U.S. Olympic Trails last April. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) Women's wrestling has been approved as the NCAA's 91st championship sport. The first championship will be held in 2026, and will feature athletes from all three divisions. Fully emerged: Women's wrestling had previously been designated as an "emerging sport," part of a NCAA program established in 1994. Six of those sports (all women's) have now been elevated to championship status: Rowing (1996) Ice hockey (2000) Water polo (2000) Bowling (2003) Beach volleyball (2015) Wrestling (2025) Sport on the rise: Women's wrestling is America's fastest-growing high school sport. Participation numbers have quintupled over the past decade, and they shot up 60% last year alone to over 50,000 girls nationwide. Team USA has won four women's wrestling gold medals in each of the last two Olympics, and few athletes were more dominant in Paris than phenom Amit Elor. Iowa junior Kennedy Blades took home silver this past summer and will now get the chance to compete for an NCAA title as a senior next season. The last word, courtesy of Jackie Paquette, the first female executive at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (via AP): "When women first had a chance to participate in sports in an organized fashion, it was in sports that were considered feminine. It was tennis, it was golf, it was swimming. Wrestling is the opposite of that in a sense, so it has been hard for some to accept women in that form. But we are finding out now that the world is changing." ? HOMECOMING WATCHLIST: NBA IN PARIS The NBA returns to Paris this afternoon (2pm ET, NBA) for the league's fourth game in the French capital, as the Pacers face the Spurs in a homecoming game for Victor Wembanyama. Pregame reading: Why NBA games on European soil are so important, especially when Victor Wembanyama is involved (Morten Stig Jensen, Yahoo Sports) More to watch: ? Australian Open: No. 2 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 7 Novak Djokovic (10:30pm, ESPN); No. 1 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 21 Ben Shelton (3:30am, ESPN) … Men's semifinals. ? NBA: Heat at Bucks (7:30pm, TNT); Celtics at Lakers (10pm, TNT) ? NCAAW: No. 8 Maryland at No. 12 Ohio State (6pm, BTN); No. 1 UCLA* at Rutgers (7pm, FS1); No. 17 Tennessee at No. 7 Texas (9pm, SEC) ? NCAAM: Wichita State at No. 24 Memphis (7pm, ESPN2); Maryland at No. 17 Illinois (9pm, FS1); San Francisco at Saint Mary’s (9pm, CBSSN) ⛳️ PGA: Farmers Insurance Open (11:45am, ESPN+; 3pm, Golf) ⛷️ X Games: Day 1 (7pm, Roku) *Best start ever: UCLA is off to a program-record 18-0 start, and the Bruins are one of just two undefeated teams left in the nation (No. 5 LSU, 20-0). Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 24, 2025 Author Members Posted January 24, 2025 ? 1 for the road: Commanders on Super Bowl brink Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin during the NFC divisional playoff game last weekend. Photo: Brooke Sutton/Getty Images After 33 years, six presidential transitions, 12 head coach changes, 35 starting quarterbacks, three owners, two stadiums (and maybe soon another), one long nickname controversy, and whatever the absolute hell this play was ... Washington's football team is back at the gates of the Super Bowl. One more win in the NFC Championship on Sunday, and the Commanders will head to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. ?️ Axios' Michael Graff — a DMV native, now Southern bureau chief for Axios Local — writes about what this moment means to him: I just wish I could tell my granddad. He was the biggest fan I knew, and nobody came a close second. I have so much to tell him. Mostly about Jayden Daniels, the young man out of LSU who may be the best rookie ever to play the game. For most of us who grew up back then, "special" was what we thought all seasons would be. Forever. I have vague memories of wearing my first plastic burgundy and gold helmet on a January evening in 1983, when my parents took us to a Super Bowl party. There I was again last Sunday night after the win over the Lions, smiling quietly in my living room while my kids were asleep, thinking of their great-granddad and craving a Miller Lite and a song. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 25, 2025 Author Members Posted January 25, 2025 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. In today's edition: Jokić matches Wilt, Djokovic retires due to injury, 4th down conversions, Mamba forever, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Aussie semifinals: No. 1 Jannik Sinner beat No. 21 Ben Shelton in straight sets and No. 2 Alexander Zverev won in a walkover against No. 7 Novak Djokovic, who withdrew with a leg injury after losing the first set. ? MVP finalists: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Saquon Barkley and Jared Goff are the finalists for NFL MVP, one of eight end-of-season awards whose finalists were revealed on Thursday. ? Bettman's future: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is preparing to retire in "a couple years," according to a team owner, and the league is in the process of finding a successor. ? Coen to Jacksonville: Buccaneers OC Liam Coen has reportedly agreed to become the next head coach of the Jaguars, reversing his decision to sign an extension with Tampa Bay. ⚾️ Braves signs Profar: Outfielder Jurickson Profar is headed to Atlanta on a three-year, $42 million deal. He was No. 15 on our Top 50 MLB free agents list. ? 35-22-17 HAVE A NIGHT, NIKOLA Nikola Jokić went nuclear in Thursday's win over the Kings, notching his fifth straight triple-double (35 points, 22 rebounds, 17 assists) to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA players to record a 35/20/15 game. But wait, there's more: He also made the sixth-longest shot in NBA history, an 80-foot heave to beat the third-quarter buzzer. And to cap off his historic evening, Jokić was the leading vote-getter among Western Conference All-Stars, receiving more than 3.7 million votes from fans… All-Star starters: The starting lineups were announced Thursday ahead of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16 in San Francisco. West Jokić (Nuggets) LeBron James (Lakers) Kevin Durant (Suns) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) Stephen Curry (Warriors) East Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) Jayson Tatum (Celtics) Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) Jalen Brunson (Knicks) Wild stat… LeBron has started every All-Star Game since 2005. ? SNAPSHOTS Paris — Victor Wembanyama put on a show in his native France, recording 30 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks in the Spurs' 140-110 blowout win over the Pacers. The two teams will play again tomorrow. Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner pose for a photo in the Plaque Gallery. (New York Yankees/Getty Images) Cooperstown, New York — The Baseball Hall of Fame's three newest members gathered Thursday for the new inductee press conference, where Ichiro cheekily invited the lone voter who left him off his ballot to "have a drink together … and a good chat." Seattle — Alex Ovechkin scored his 22nd goal of the season in Washington's 3-0 win over Seattle, putting him 20 shy of passing Wayne Gretzky. At his current pace, he'll break the record in the final week of the season. ? GO FOR IT STAT DU JOUR: 4TH DOWN CONVERSIONS Just four NFL teams had a 4th-down conversion rate over 70% this season. Perhaps not so coincidentally, all four are still playing. By the numbers: The Commanders (87%), Bills (72.7%), Chiefs (70.6%) and Eagles (70.4%) were the best in the league at grinding out a couple extra yards when it mattered most. All four converted at least once last week, so expect more aggressive play on Sunday. ? FINAL FOUR WATCHLIST: CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND The NFL's final four take the field on Sunday to determine the matchup for Super Bowl LIX, Jeff writes. Commanders (+6) at Eagles (3pm ET, Fox): For Jayden Daniels to make history and become the first rookie QB to start a Super Bowl, Washington will have to slow down Saquon Barkley, who's rushed for 324 yards through two playoff games. Bills (+2) at Chiefs (6:30pm, CBS): Will Kansas City get a chance to complete the unprecedented three-peat? Or will Buffalo return to The Big Game for the first time since losing four straight in the early '90s? More to watch: ? Australian Open: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 19 Madison Keys* (Sat. 3:30am, ESPN); No. 1 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 2 Alexander Zverev (Sun. 3:30am, ESPN) … Finals. ? NBA: Spurs vs. Pacers in Paris (Sat. 12pm, ESPN); Nuggets at Timberwolves (Sat. 3pm, ABC); Celtics at Mavericks (Sat. 5:30pm, ABC); Lakers at Warriors (Sat. 8:30pm, ABC) ? NCAAM: No. 21 Michigan at No. 11 Purdue (Fri. 8pm, Fox); No. 7 Houston at No. 12 Kansas (Sat. 6:30pm, ESPN); No. 6 Tennessee at No. 1 Auburn (Sat. 8:30pm, ESPN) ? NCAAW: No. 5 LSU at No. 2 South Carolina (Fri. 5pm, ESPN); No. 1 UCLA at No. 8 Maryland (Sun. 2pm, NBC); No. 25 Baylor at No. 9 TCU (Sun. 3pm, ESPN2) ? NHL: Golden Knights at Stars (Fri. 7:30pm, ESPN); Avalanche at Bruins (Sat. 1pm, NHL); Devils at Canadiens (Sat. 7pm, NHL) ⛳️ PGA: Farmers Insurance Open (Fri-Sat, Golf/CBS/ESPN+) ? Unrivaled: Week 2 (Fri-Sat, TNT/truTV) ⛷️ X Games Aspen: Days 2-4 (Fri-Sun, ABC/ESPN) *Welcome back! This will be Keys' second Grand Slam final appearance after reaching the 2017 U.S. Open final. That eight-year gap between her first two Slam finals is the longest ever. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 26, 2025 Author Members Posted January 26, 2025 Vegas, baby! Sin City to host the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas will host the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game. https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-2027-national-championship-354f0601dfc83c49b9ef92649ef44ffb? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 27, 2025 Author Members Posted January 27, 2025 Super Bowl LIX Two familiar foes are set to face off once again for the NFL's biggest prize. The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on February 9. In Sunday's AFC Championship game, the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 32-29 in a tight contest. Kansas City and their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, now have a chance to make history as the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls. But standing in their way are the Eagles and their dominant quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who defeated the Washington Commanders 55-23 in the NFC title game on Sunday. Two years ago, the Eagles and the Chiefs faced off in Super Bowl LVII where Kansas City dramatically won on a field goal with eight seconds to play. ? Super Bowl LIX is set: Chiefs vs. Eagles Taylor Swift celebrates the Chiefs' win with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Photo: Perry Knotts/Getty Images Patrick Mahomes and his two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs knocked off the Buffalo Bills in a 32-29 thriller for the AFC championship last night, clinching their fifth Super Bowl trip in six years — and giving them a chance for a three-peat in New Orleans on Feb. 9. Saquon Barkley celebrates a touchdown and says "goodnight" to the Commanders. Photo: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images They'll face the Philadelphia Eagles, who thrashed the Washington Commanders 55-23 for the NFC championship, with a three-touchdown performance from star running back Saquon Barkley. The Empire State Building was lit up for the Eagles last night. Photo: Empire State Realty Trust ? In sportsbooks, the Chiefs opened as slight favorites — 1.5 points — over the Birds. More betting data ... Super Bowl lookahead ... Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 27, 2025 Author Members Posted January 27, 2025 ⚽ Women's soccer's first million-dollar player Naomi Girma is unveiled as a Chelsea player at Stamford Bridge in London. Photo: Harriet Lander/Chelsea FC via Getty American defender Naomi Girma is moving from the San Diego Wave to English club Chelsea for the first seven-figure transfer fee in women's soccer history — $1.1 million. Girma, 24, is one of the world's best defenders, and was a breakout star for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics. ?By the numbers: This is the third time the record has been broken in one year, in an indication of the money now flowing into the women's game. Prior to 2022, the women's record was around one-quarter what Chelsea paid for Girma. The men's record is $261 million, which Paris Saint-Germain paid Barcelona to sign Brazilian forward Neymar in 2017. More data. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 27, 2025 Author Members Posted January 27, 2025 ? Good morning! Monday editions are my favorite. So much happens every weekend, and figuring out how to best fit everything into a single newsletter feels a lot like completing a jigsaw puzzle. Thanks as always for reading! In today's edition: Chiefs vs. Eagles (The Rematch), WNBA and NHL blockbusters, Sinner and Keys crowned champs, the "Quad God" completes the three-peat, Vandy's victories are getting expensive, Baker's Dozen, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? WNBA blockbuster: Seattle is trading six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas in a three-team deal that will send three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft to Seattle (via LA). ? NHL blockbuster: The Hurricanes acquired superstar winger Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche and former MVP Taylor Hall from the Blackhawks in a three-team trade on Friday night that sent shockwaves through the NHL. ? The last vacancy: The Raiders hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll and the Cowboys hired "career assistant" Brian Schottenheimer, leaving the Saints as the only NFL team without a head coach. One name to watch: Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury. ? Prayers for Tereza: Czech skier Tereza Nová underwent brain surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a horrifying crash ahead of the World Cup women's downhill in Bavaria, Germany. ? Penn State poaches Knowles: Penn State hired away Ohio State DC Jim Knowles on a three-year, $9.3 million contract that makes him the highest-paid coordinator in NCAA football history and resets the market for college assistants. ? THE BIG GAME SUPER BOWL LIX: CHIEFS VS. EAGLES In 2023, the Chiefs beat the Eagles in one of the best Super Bowls ever. Two years later, they'll meet again in Super Bowl LIX after punching their tickets to New Orleans on Sunday. Chiefs 32, Bills 29: Kansas City vanquished Buffalo (again) to inch closer to becoming the first three-peat champion in NFL history and the first in any of the "Big Four" leagues since the Shaq-Kobe Lakers at the turn of the century (2000-02).Eagles 55, Commanders 23: Philadelphia scored the most points ever in a conference title game (and the seventh-most ever in a playoff game) to win for the 15th time in their last 16 tries and end Jayden Daniels' quest to become the first rookie QB to start a Super Bowl. Opening odds: The Chiefs are slight favorites (-1.5 at BetMGM) to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 9 at the Superdome, and the total (over/under) sits at 49.5. The new "Four Falls of Buffalo": Jim Kelly's Bills lost four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s, and now Josh Allen's Bills have lost four straight playoff games to the Chiefs in the 2020s. It's the Patrick Mahomes era, and we're all just living in it, Allen included. Notes: Running wild: Saquon Barkley (15 carries, 118 yards, 3 TD) scored on his first two touches, and the Eagles had seven rushing touchdowns. That's tied for the most in a playoff game with the 1940 Bears, who also did it against Washington. Bills Mafia, look away: Teams that score 4+ touchdowns and commit zero turnovers are 21-2 in the playoffs since 2020. The two losses? Bills at Chiefs in the 2021 divisional round, and Bills at Chiefs on Sunday. Hurts so good: Jalen Hurts (20/28, 262 total yards, 4 TD) did it all for Philly, and head coach Nick Sirianni made sure to address his doubters after the game: "How about our quarterback? He's a stud. I knew he was gonna play that way. I knew it. Don't doubt him. All he does is win!" GOAT trajectory: Mahomes has been an NFL starter for seven seasons. In five of those seasons, he's led the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. In the other two, he lost in overtime of the AFC championship game. We've never seen anything like this. ?️ Football 301 Podcast: Nate Tice and Matt Harmon recap Championship Sunday, preview the Super Bowl and conduct postmortems for Washington and Buffalo. Listen now. ?️ ? STORM THE COURT VANDY'S VICTORIES ARE GETTING EXPENSIVE Vanderbilt upset an AP Top 10 team on its home court for the second straight Saturday, which was thrilling for the fans who got to storm the court — and not so thrilling for the university, which has to foot the bill. Costly celebrations: In 2023, the SEC increased fines in an attempt to deter fans from storming courts and fields. Schools must now pay $100,000 to the opposing team for their first offense, $250,000 for their second, and $500,000 for subsequent violations. Third-time offenders: The Commodores have paid $850,000 to their rivals in the past four months. ? Oct. 15: Upset No. 1 Alabama ($100,000) ? Jan. 18: Upset No. 6 Tennessee ($250,000) ? Jan. 25: Upset No. 9 Kentucky ($500,000) Was it worth it? That depends on who you ask. Athletic director Candice Lee was pleading with students not to rush the court on Saturday ("Let us use the money for NIL to make a great team next year"), while first-year head coach Mark Byington had a different message: "Let the fans enjoy it. We've got to start a GoFundMe page or something to pay fines. We'll figure it out." Vanderbilt Athletics brings in an estimated $125 million in annual revenue, per CNBC, so another $500,000 fine isn't going to cripple the Commodores. But with schools laser-focused on saving money as they prepare for revenue sharing, don't be surprised if they beef up security before No. 1 Auburn comes to town next month. Winning fixes everything: Vandy could recoup all these fines (and then some) by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, which comes with a ~$2 million payday and increases with each March Madness win. The Commodores, who have already won seven more games (16) than they did all of last season (9), are currently projected to make the field, per ESPN's Bracketology. ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS ? No. 15 forever: The Nets raised Vince Carter's No. 15 jersey to the rafters on Saturday in Brooklyn, three months after the Raptors did the same in Toronto. That makes Carter the 17th NBA player* to have his number retired by multiple teams. ? Young and old: The Bears are hiring 28-year-old Declan Doyle as their new OC, making him the youngest coordinator in the NFL. This comes two days after the Raiders hired Pete Carroll, who will be the oldest head coach in NFL history (74) when he takes the field next fall. ? A real thing that happened: Mesrobian High School senior Nick Khatchikian scored 102 points in a game (California record), and his brother Dylan had 35 assists (also a state record), 15 rebounds, 13 steals… and 0 points on 0 shot attempts. The score was 79-0 at halftime, and 119-25 when the final buzzer sounded, putting an end to whatever this was. ⚽️ Still perfect: Christian Pulisic buried a penalty kick during AC Milan's 3-2 win over Parma on Sunday. He's now 10-for-10 in his professional career for club and country. ⚾️ Skenes card goes to auction: The Pirates offered season tickets for 30 years, among other prizes, to an 11-year-old from Los Angeles who pulled a highly-coveted 1-of-1 Paul Skenes rookie card that has since been graded a Perfect 10. But the young collector turned them down, opting instead to sell the card at auction, where it could fetch six figures. *Who does he join? Bill Russell (league-wide); Wilt Chamberlain (Warriors, 76ers and Lakers); Pete Maravich (Hawks, Jazz and Pelicans); Shaquille O'Neal (Magic, Lakers and Heat); Kobe Bryant (Lakers and Mavericks); Michael Jordan (Bulls and Heat); Nate Thurmond (Cavaliers and Wizards); Bob Lanier (Pistons and Bucks); Charles Barkley (76ers and Suns); Earl Monroe (Knicks and Wizards); Clyde Drexler (Trail Blazers and Rockets); Oscar Robertson (Kings and Bucks); Moses Malone (Rockets and 76ers); Julius Erving (76ers and Nets); Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Bucks and Lakers); Dikembe Mutombo (Nuggets and Hawks) ? COLLEGE HOOPS WATCHLIST: TITLE FAVORITES IN ACTION The current title favorites in men's and women's college basketball take center stage tonight, with South Carolina (+250 at BetMGM) and Duke (+450) both in action. NCAAW: No. 2 South Carolina, fresh off beating previously undefeated LSU, visits No. 17 Tennessee* (7pm, ESPN2) in a battle of ranked SEC giants. NCAAM: No. 2 Duke hosts NC State (8:30pm, ESPN) as freshman sensation Cooper Flagg and the Blue Devils seek their 14th consecutive victory. More to watch: ? NBA: Pistons at Cavaliers (7pm, NBA); Clippers at Suns (9:30pm, NBA) … The first-place Cavs (36-9) have lost three straight games. ? NHL: Kings at Red Wings (7pm, NHL) … Lucas Raymond (DET) has 19 goals and 33 assists; Adrian Kempe (LA) has 24 goals and 20 assists. ? PWHL: New York at Ottawa (7pm, YouTube) … Sarah Fillier (NY) ranks second with 12 points; Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) ranks first with a .934 save percentage. ⛳️ TGL: Jupiter Links vs. Boston Common (6:30pm, ESPN) … Tiger Woods, Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner vs. Rory McIlory, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott. *Welcome back, mom! Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell will be back on the sideline tonight exactly one week after giving birth to her first child, Conor. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 28, 2025 Author Members Posted January 28, 2025 ? Good morning! The Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) is absolutely electric. Please do yourself a favor and watch this championship-winning home run trot from Monday's Game 7. Quote of the night: "I feel like Kobe," said rising Rockets star Amen Thompson after his first career game-winner sunk the Celtics and kept Houston's historic hot streak alive. In today's edition: The best rookies in sports history, from "Big Three" to "Big Two," dispatch from Paris, "The Diff," photo finish, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Butler saga continues: The Heat suspended Jimmy Butler indefinitely after the disgruntled star walked out of their Monday morning shootaround amid trade demands. It's his third suspension this month. ? Rising up draft boards: Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter's odds to be the No. 1 pick have shot up from +1000 to +200 in the past week amid "best player in the draft" hype. He now trails only Miami QB Cam Ward (+120). ? 55 straight: No. 2 South Carolina beat No. 18 Tennessee, 70-63, for their 55th consecutive SEC victory. The Gamecocks (20-1) have also won 15 straight overall, including the last five against top-20 opponents. Defending champs looking dangerous. ⚖️ Golden cleared: The University of Florida cleared men's basketball coach Todd Golden of a Title IX complaint that included allegations of sexual harassment and stalking of multiple women, including Florida students. The school said it found "no evidence" of a violation. ? Tragedy in Colorado: A spectator was killed on Sunday at a high school track meet in Colorado Springs when a hammer weight flew past the barriers and struck him in the stands. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. ? YEAR 1 THE BEST ROOKIES EVER (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) Commanders QB Jayden Daniels just completed one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history. How does it stack up against other first-year campaigns in the NFL and beyond? We picked our top three rookies across the "Big Four" North American sports leagues (plus some honorable mentions). This is a subjective list! You're allowed to disagree! ? NFL WR Randy Moss, Vikings (1998): Perhaps the best WR ever not named Jerry Rice, Moss caught a league-high 17 TDs and finished third in MVP voting. And who can forget one of the most iconic stat lines in NFL history: 3 catches, 163 yards and 3 TD on Thanksgiving Day, Jeff writes. LB Lawrence Taylor, Giants (1981): The only rookie ever to win Defensive Player of the Year, L.T. dragged the Giants back to the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades. And thus began arguably the greatest defensive career the sport has ever seen. QB Jayden Daniels, Commanders (2024): Speaking of dragging teams to the playoffs, Daniels set NFL rookie QB records for rushing yards (891) and completion percentage (69%) and took a franchise that went 4-13 last season to its first NFC title game since 1991. Honorable Mention: RB Jim Brown, Browns (1957); CB Ronnie Lott, 49ers (1981); RB Eric Dickerson, Rams (1983); QB Dan Marino, Dolphins (1983); DE Jevon Kearse, Titans (1999); RB Edgerrin James, Colts (1999); QB C.J. Stroud, Texans (2023) ⚾️ MLB CF Mike Trout, Angels (2012): The best player of his generation might have had his best all-around season right out of the gates, amassing a career-high 10.5 WAR that ranks as the third-best non-Barry Bonds mark by any player this century. RHP Dwight Gooden, Mets (1984): Doc broke into the majors with a bang at just 19 years old, winning the NL Cy Young while leading all of baseball in strikeouts (276), WHIP (1.073), hits per nine innings (6.6) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.4). CF Fred Lynn, Red Sox (1975): Lynn led the league in runs, doubles and OPS en route to becoming one of only two players in MLB history to win ROY and MVP in the same season (Ichiro). Did we mention he also made the All-Star Game and won a Gold Glove? Honorable Mention: 2B Jackie Robinson, Dodgers (1947); 3B Dick Allen, Phillies (1964); LHP Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers (1981); C Mike Piazza, Dodgers (1993); RF Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners (2001); 1B Albert Pujols, Cardinals (2001); RF Aaron Judge, Yankees (2017); 1B Pete Alonso, Mets (2019) ? NBA C Wilt Chamberlain, Warriors (1959-60): Wilt averaged a hilarious 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds en route to becoming the first of two rookies (Wes Unseld) to win MVP. There's a reason the NBA recently renamed its ROY award after him. PG Oscar Robertson, Royals (1960-61): The Big O nearly averaged a triple-double (30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 9.7 assists) for Cincinnati. He finished third in MVP voting and was named All-Star Game MVP following his 23-point, 14-assist, 9-rebound performance. SG Michael Jordan, Bulls (1984-85): Jordan joined Robertson as the only rookies to average 25-5-5, so the stats were obviously there. But it was MJ's impact on the game and the culture that really moved the needle. His arrival changed the NBA forever. Honorable Mention: C Wes Unseld, Bullets (1968-69); C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bucks (1969-70); PG Magic Johnson, Lakers (1979-80); SF Larry Bird, Celtics (1979-80); C David Robinson, Spurs (1989-90); C Shaquille O'Neal, Magic (1992-93); C Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (2023-24) ? NHL RW Teemu Selänne, Jets (1992-93): The Finnish Flash scored a rookie-record 76 goals, which is still tied for the fifth-highest mark by any player. He added 56 assists for a career-high 132 points, which is 23 more than any other rookie in NHL history. C Wayne Gretzky, Oilers (1979-80): The Great One began his NHL career by winning his first of eight consecutive Hart Trophies (MVP) at the tender age of 19. He wasn't technically considered a rookie after spending a year in the WHA, but we're counting him anyway. LW Alex Ovechkin, Capitals (2005-06): The Great Eight (52 goals, 54 assists) narrowly edged Sidney Crosby (39 goals, 63 assists) for the Calder Trophy after finishing third overall in scoring. He remains the only rookie this century to top 50 goals. Honorable Mention: G Terry Sawchuk, Red Wings (1950-51); G Tony Esposito, Blackhawks (1969-70); RW Mike Bossy, Islanders (1977-78); D Ray Bourque, Bruins (1979-80); C Mario Lemieux, Penguins (1984-85); G Martin Brodeur, Devils (1993-94); C Sidney Crosby, Penguins (2005-06) ? GEN Z KINGS OF THE COURT: THE "BIG TWO" RISES Jannik Sinner is as unassuming as superstars come, but whatever he lacks in swagger he more than makes up for in performance, with his latest triumph in Melbourne continuing one of the hottest stretches of tennis in recent memory, Jeff writes. By the numbers: The Italian sensation has gone 80-6 over the past 12 months, winning three Grand Slams, the ATP Finals, the Davis Cup and five other trophies. On Sunday, he became the first man in history to win 10 straight matches against top-10 players without dropping a set. Sinner is the fifth man this century to win three majors in a span of five (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz) and the fifth ever to win three straight hard court majors (Federer, Djokovic, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe). Since first ascending to No. 1 in June, he's gone 47-3, which is tied for the best record ever through the first 50 matches as the top-ranked men's player. Exclusive club: Sinner is the eighth man to win each of his first three Grand Slam finals, joining Alcaraz as the second to accomplish the feat in the past seven months. Changing of the guard: While Djokovic remains a serious threat to win majors at age 37, the "Big Three" era has largely given way to the "Big Two" era, with the 23-year-old Sinner and the 21-year-old Alcaraz emerging as the faces of the sport. There's still plenty of time for a third rival to emerge, perhaps from the stacked crop of youngsters at the top of the rankings (seven of the top 20 are under 24). But for now, Jannik and Carlos have separated themselves from the pack, combining to win the last five majors. Their budding rivalry has been fascinating so far, with the flashier Spaniard claiming more attention, more Slams (4-3) and a head-to-head edge (three straight wins), while the reserved Italian has put together the more dominant run and currently looks unbeatable. The lost generation: Sinner's latest victim, world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, is among a group of players born in the 1990s who couldn't get past the Big Three at the tail end of their reign and are now getting shut out by the Big Two at the beginning of theirs. The numbers tell the story: Players born in the 1980s have won 80 Grand Slams and players born in the 2000s have already won seven, with Alcaraz and Sinner a perfect 7-0 in finals. Meanwhile, players born in the 90s have won just two Grand Slams (Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem). They've reached 22 major finals but lost almost all of them to Djokovic (8), Nadal (5), Sinner (3) and Alcaraz (2). Looking ahead: Sinner has aced nearly every on-court test recently, but soon he'll face a critical off-court battle, too. In April, the Court for Arbitration of Sport will hear an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency regarding two positive steroid tests that Sinner returned last March. He maintains his innocence, but faces the possibility of a one- or two-year ban. ? COACH RICK WATCHLIST: THE PITINO SPECIAL Rick Pitino's current program takes the court tonight as a ranked team, and so do the two programs where he spent the majority of his coaching career. No. 15 St. John's at Georgetown (6:30pm ET, FS1): The Red Storm are 17-3 in their second season under Pitino and have their highest ranking since 2014. No. 12 Kentucky at No. 8 Tennessee (7pm, ESPN): Pitino coached the Wildcats from 1989-97, reaching three Final Fours and winning the 1996 national title. Wake Forest at No. 21 Louisville (7pm, ACC): Pitino coached the Cardinals from 2001-17, reaching three Final Fours and winning the 2013 national title (vacated). More to watch: ? NBA: Lakers at 76ers (7:30pm, TNT); Bucks at Trail Blazers* (10pm, TNT) ? NHL: Capitals at Flames (9pm, ESPN+); Stars at Golden Knights (10pm, Disney+) *Coming in hot: Damian Lillard returns to Portland fresh off recording his first two triple-doubles as a Buck, followed by a 35-5-8 performance on Monday. Will the Blazers' all-time leading scorer fill up the stat sheet against his former team? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 30, 2025 Author Members Posted January 30, 2025 ? Good morning! Happy Hump Day. In today's edition: The college GM arms race, five teams to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline, January baseball, Embiid misses his 400th game, $300 million for one goal, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? 57.4 million: That's how many viewers Sunday's Chiefs-Bills game averaged on CBS, making it the most-watched AFC championship game ever. The Eagles-Commanders NFC title game, which kicked off at 3pm ET, delivered 44.2 million viewers on Fox. ? WNBA All-Stars on the move: Phoenix is acquiring five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas from Connecticut, while 10-time All-Star Brittney Griner is leaving Phoenix to sign with Atlanta. ? "The call came from inside the house": The person who tipped off the NCAA about Connor Stalions' sign-stealing scheme came from Michigan's own campus, according to a document obtained by Yahoo Sports. They appear to have worked at the school, at least at one point. ⚾️ The rich get richer: The Dodgers added one of the best relievers on the market, signing two-time All-Star Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million deal that pushes their projected payroll to $379 million — the largest in MLB history. ? Sixth-most steals: LeBron James moved past Maurice Cheeks for sixth on the NBA's all-time steals list (2,311). The only players with more steals: John Stockton (3,265), Jason Kidd (2,684), Chris Paul (2,671), Michael Jordan (2,514) and Gary Payton (2,445). ? NOW HIRING THE GM ARMS RACE: USC POACHES BOWDEN USC has poached a key contributor to Notre Dame's national championship game run, hiring general manager Chad Bowden to man the same position for the Trojans. "[Bowden's] outstanding body of work in recruiting and roster management is recognized throughout the country. Chad's hire is vital to the future of our program and sends a strong message about the direction of USC football." — Lincoln Riley, USC head coach Brave new world: A few years ago, there was no such thing as a college sports GM. Now it's a highly-paid position (Bowden will earn over $1 million annually) and one of the most important roles in major college athletics as programs navigate the NIL landscape, manage the transfer portal and prepare for the revenue-sharing era, which will be here soon. Hottest job on campus: A handful of Power 5 football teams had GMs in the early 2020s, and it wasn't long before basketball powerhouses followed suit. Since then, the role — which involves everything from roster management and recruiting to fundraising and alumni relations — has become decidedly more high-profile thanks to some big names taking the job. Andrew Luck recently returned to Stanford to become the GM of the football team. "The transfer portal was intense," he told the New York Times after the December window closed. "If I had any romantic notion of the thing, the business side, it was lost there." Adrian Wojnarowski shocked the world in September when he retired from ESPN to return to his alma mater and become the GM of the St. Bonaventure men's basketball program, which came with a 99% pay cut. Longtime NFL executive Michael Lombardi is the new football GM at North Carolina, where Bill Belichick plans to operate an NFL-type model. "The job is obviously too big for one person," said Belichick. "You need a general manager, a coach and salary cap manager." From coach to GM: We've even seen a head coach trade in his whistle for a taste of manager life. Baker Dunleavy (son of Mike) resigned as Quinnipiac's men's basketball coach in 2023 to become the GM for Villanova's men's and women's programs. Looking ahead: The demand for college sports GMs — and the demands of the job itself — will only increase once revenue-sharing arrives. If you think big-time football and basketball programs already operate a lot like pro sports teams, just wait until they're paying players (legitimately this time) and monitoring the salary cap. ? BUYERS AND SELLERS NBA TRADE DEADLINE: 5 TEAMS TO WATCH Speaking of general managers… The NBA trade deadline is one week from tomorrow, and just about every team is looking to play some kind of angle, writes Yahoo Sports' Dan Devine. For a handful of upper-crust squads, it's about trying to find the last piece of the championship puzzle. For plenty more, it's about attempting to separate yourself from the pack and make a postseason push in a congested conference where a handful of wins separates home-court advantage from a lottery spot. For the rest, it's about continuing a rebuilding project by trying to snag a second-round pick or two on the fringes of bigger deals… or, if nothing else, looking to duck the luxury tax and save your owner a few million bucks. Whatever game they're playing, front offices across the NBA are working overtime trying to find the help they want at the price they need. 5 teams to watch: Heat: Jimmy Butler desperately wants out of Miami, and he's the best actually-gettable player on the market right now. Suns: Phoenix is where Butler is reportedly angling to go, but their path to landing him all but certainly means moving Bradley Beal and his gargantuan contract. Bulls: Chicago is the only team that hasn't made any deal, of any type, at any of the last three deadlines. Expect that to change. Pistons: Detroit is firmly in the playoff hunt (a surprise to many) and is the only team with meaningful cap space ($14 million). Lakers: Anthony Davis, who left Tuesday's game with an abdominal strain, believes this team is 1-2 pieces away from contending for a title and said he hopes they add a center at the deadline. Will they? More deadline buzz: The Kings are open to dealing All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox, who reportedly wants to join Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio … The Rockets might be one piece away from serious title contention. ❤️ PAY IT FORWARD YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SEE IT When Ravens tight end Mark Andrews dropped a critical two-point conversion in Baltimore's loss to Buffalo two Sundays ago, Bills fans responded by donating $145,000 (and counting) to an organization he supports. Returning the favor: Ravens fans are now rallying around Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid, who dropped a critical pass of his own in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, donating $30,000 (and counting) to an organization he supports. Bottom line: Andrews and Kincaid have both received their fare share of hate online, which is sadly not surprising. But most people are good people. "Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there's still a lot of light in this world," Andrews wrote on Instagram. "I'm now going to do my part to bounce back and contribute to it." Donation links: Here's the GoFundMe page for Breakthrough TD1 (Andrews), a juvenile diabetes research and advocacy organization. And here's the GoFundMe page for The Summit Center (Kincaid), which provides behavioral health and autism services for children and young adults. ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS ⚾️ Three stars, one cover: "MLB The Show 25" will feature multiple cover athletes for the first time ever, with Paul Skenes (Pirates), Elly De La Cruz (Reds) and Gunnar Henderson (Orioles) sharing the honors to celebrate the game's 20th anniversary. ? Part-time employee: 76ers center Joel Embiid missed his 400th game on Tuesday, which is almost as many games as he's appeared in (446) since debuting in 2016. The 2023 NBA MVP earned $266 million during that time and has four years, $248 million guaranteed remaining. ? Gasquet matches Federer: Roger Federer is one of two players to win at least one ATP Tour-level match in 24 consecutive seasons* (1998-2021). The other? Richard Gasquet (2002-25), who joined him on Tuesday when the 38-year-old Frenchman advanced at the Open Occitanie. ? No. 9 forever: The Warriors will retire Andre Iguodala's No. 9 jersey next month, making the four-time champion and 2015 Finals MVP the franchise's seventh player to earn the honor. The other six: Wilt Chamberlain, Al Attles, Chris Mullin, Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond and Tom Meschery. ? Fans brawl in St. Louis: A massive fight broke out in the stands at Chaifetz Arena on Tuesday night, delaying the end of Saint Louis' 78-69 win over VCU. *Of note: Jimmy Connors won Tour-level matches in 25 different seasons, but not consecutive. He went 0-3 in 1990 and appeared headed for retirement… only to make an improbable run to the U.S. Open semifinals the following year. Click here to travel back in time to 1991. ? CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WATCHLIST: WHO WILL ADVANCE TO THE ROUND OF 16? The "league phase" of the new-look Champions League concludes today with all 36 teams in action simultaneously (3pm ET, Paramount+), as Europe's top clubs fight to secure their spot in the knockouts — or at least the playoff, Jeff writes. How it works: The top eight teams automatically advance to the Round of 16 and the bottom 12 are eliminated, while spots 9-24 will enter a playoff to complete the field for the knockout round. 16 of today's 18 matches feature at least one club with something to play for, and no match is bigger than Manchester City's must-win game vs. Brugge. More to watch: ? NBA: Nuggets* at Knicks (7:30pm, ESPN); Thunder* at Warriors (10pm, ESPN) ? NCAAM: TCU at No. 22 Texas Tech (7pm, ESPN2); No. 4 Alabama at No. 14 Mississippi State (9pm, SEC); Texas at No. 23 Ole Miss (9pm, ESPN2) ? NHL: Flyers at Devils (7pm, TNT); Penguins at Utah (9:30pm, TNT) *MVP favorites in action: Denver's Nikola Jokić (+240 at BetMGM to win MVP) has nearly as many triple-doubles this month (8) as anyone else has all season (LeBron James, 9). OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-325) leads the NBA in scoring (32.1 ppg) for the first-place Thunder, who are a half-game ahead of the Cavs for the best record in the league. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 30, 2025 Author Members Posted January 30, 2025 ? Good morning! Bill Belichick wants the NFL to rename the Lombardi Trophy after Tom Brady, because "he won seven of them." Respectfully, sir, I disagree. In today's edition: The NBA's triple-double boom, riding giants at Nazaré, the Utah Hockey Club needs a name, Scheffler makes his return, FireAid benefit concert in L.A., and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Tragedy in Philly: Tyler Sabapathy, an 18-year-old freshman at Temple University, died on Sunday after he fell from a light pole on the streets of Philadelphia celebrating the Eagles' NFC championship win. ? 10-minute quarters? NBA commissioner Adam Silver floated the idea of 10-minute quarters (down from 12) on Wednesday, citing TV presentation and consistency with international basketball (other leagues play 40-minute games, as does college basketball). ⚽️ Moving on: Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Leverkusen, Lille and Aston Villa clinched berths in the Champions League knockout stage during the "league phase" finale, while Manchester City survived to earn one of the 16 playoff spots. ? Clark declines invite: Caitlin Clark won't participate in a special 3-point shootout during NBA All-Star Weekend. She wants her first 3-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star this summer in Indianapolis. ⚾️ Rays sign Kim: Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is headed to Tampa Bay on a two-year, $29 million deal. He was No. 20 on our Top 50 MLB free agents list, which includes 13 players who are still available. ? STAT SHEET STUFFERS THE TRIPLE-DOUBLE BOOM The once-elusive triple-double is now commonplace in the NBA, writes Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh. Nikola Jokić has been the face of the statistical surge. The three-time MVP been on a tear recently, tallying six triple-doubles in his last eight games, including a preposterous 35-point, 22-rebound, 17-assist masterpiece against Sacramento. But it's not just Jokić. All told, 27 players have registered a triple-double this season, some seemingly out of nowhere. On Saturday, Houston's Amen Thompson accomplished the feat after not tallying more than five assists in any previous game this season. We're on a historic pace here, folks. We're not even at the All-Star break and there have been 86 triple-doubles this season, putting the league on track for 155 triple-doubles, which would break the record of 142 triple-doubles set in 2020-21. To put 86 triple-doubles in perspective, the NBA had not seen that many in a full season until 2016-17 — and we still have about half the season left. Actually, there have been more triple-doubles this month alone than the entire 82-game slate in 2009-10. So, what's going on? Explore the rise of a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. ? SHRINE BOWL SANDERS: "I'M THE MOST GUARANTEED RISK YOU CAN TAKE" ARLINGTON, Texas — Shedeur Sanders is among the NFL prospects who will take the field tonight in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. Here's Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald with a dispatch from Jerry World: Shedeur Sanders' impact on the East-West Shrine Bowl was felt, even though the University of Colorado QB did not practice or take part in anything outside of meetings with QB-needy teams at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft. There was an unusual flood of media to the Shrine Bowl this year, cementing Sanders' status as one of the best and more fascinating players, a likely top-five pick in this year's draft class. Long gone are the days of this game being filled with players who would just hope to be considered for a roster spot in the NFL — now there are legitimate prospects, Sanders aside, who want to come and showcase their talents on the field. While Sanders feels like he has taken a leap on the field recently, there's also the looming, enormous fact that he has been in the spotlight for a long time largely because of his family. Stepping into the life of a highly drafted QB is different from where he's been, but the idea of fame being new doesn't apply here. Being the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders has given him a clear answer on how he feels the pressures of being an NFL QB. "I don't," Sanders said bluntly to Yahoo Sports. "That's why the pressure doesn't faze me. That's why no situation would ever faze me. That's why I know I'm the most guaranteed risk you can take." ? PEBBLE BEACH WATCHLIST: SCOTTIE'S BACK Scottie Scheffler will look to pick up where he left off when he makes his season debut today at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am (11:45am ET, ESPN+; 3pm, Golf), his first competitive round in eight weeks, Jeff writes. Back from injury: Why the long layoff? Scheffler, who won nine of his 21 starts last year, suffered a "stupid" injury on Christmas Day when a wine glass broke directly into his hand as he was trying to roll out handmade pasta. Stars, they're just like us! More to watch: ⛳️ LPGA: Tournament of Champions (11:30am, Golf) … The LPGA's 75th season gets underway in Orlando. ? NBA: Hawks* at Cavaliers (7pm, TNT); Rockets at Grizzlies (9:30pm, TNT) ? NCAAM: No. 18 Illinois at Nebraska (8:30pm, FS1); No. 16 Oregon at UCLA (10:30pm, FS1) ? NCAAW: No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 7. LSU (7pm, ESPN2); No. 22 Alabama at No. 12 Kentucky (7pm, SEC) ? NHL: Sharks at Kraken (10:30pm, ESPN) … The Sharks lose a lot, but at least they're fun. ? NFL: Pro Bowl Skills Show (7pm, ESPN) … Passing, relays, dodgeball and more. ? NCAAF: East-West Shrine Bowl (8pm, NFL) … 100th edition. *Huge loss: Hawks forward Jalen Johnson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, bringing his breakout campaign (18.9 pts, 10.0 reb, 5.0 ast) to a screeching halt. ? WILDFIRE RELIEF LIVE TONIGHT: FIREAID BENEFIT CONCERT (FireAid) Some of music's biggest names will come together tonight to raise money for Los Angeles wildfire relief. Two shows, one night: The Intuit Dome (home of the Clippers) and Kia Forum (former home of the Lakers) will co-host the FireAid Benefit Concert, which will stream on 25+ platforms (including YouTube) beginning at 6pm PT/9pm ET. Steve Ballmer, who owns both venues, has pledged to match all donations. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted January 31, 2025 Author Members Posted January 31, 2025 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. In today's edition: Tragedy over the Potomac, NBA All-Star reserves, Mikayla makes history, Duke-UNC in Durham, Rory's slam dunk ace, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Tucker faces six accusations: Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been accused of sexual misconduct by six Baltimore-area massage therapists, who said he exposed his genitals during sessions from 2012-16. Tucker calls the allegations "unequivocally false." ? Rozier under investigation: Heat guard Terry Rozier is under federal investigation for his potential involvement in an illegal sports betting scheme while with the Hornets in 2023. ⚽️ The 16th team: The NWSL has officially announced Denver as its 16th franchise. The team cost a women's sports record $110 million expansion fee and will begin play in 2026. ? WNBA expansion: Tennessee alumni Peyton Manning and Candace Parker are part of group that has submitted a bid to bring a WNBA team to Nashville; Pistons owner Tom Gores has submitted a bid for Detroit, which lost its former team to Dallas in 2010. ⚾️ Mad Max to Toronto: Max Scherzer is joining the Blue Jays on a one-year, $15.5 million deal. This will be the 40-year-old's fifth team in five seasons (Nationals, Dodgers, Mets, Rangers). ? CREAM OF THE CROP REVEALED: YOUR 2025 NBA ALL-STAR RESERVES The NBA All-Star reserves were announced Thursday night, just over two weeks before the league's biggest stars take the floor for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16 in San Francisco, Jeff writes. West reserves: Victor Wembanyama is one of three first-time All-Stars out West, while Anthony Davis becomes the sixth active player (including fellow reserve James Harden) with at least 10 All-Star selections. James Harden, Clippers (11th): 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.5 steals Anthony Davis, Lakers (10th): 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 blocks Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (3rd): 26.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 42.3% 3PT Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (1st): 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.1 blocks Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (2nd): 22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 blocks Alperen Şengün, Rockets (1st): 19.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.3 steals West starters: LeBron James (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Suns), Nikola Jokić (Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Stephen Curry (Warriors) East reserves: There are three first-timers in the East, too, including Cade Cunningham — the first Pistons draft pick selected to the All-Star Game since Andre Drummond in 2018. Damian Lillard, Bucks (9th): 25.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.2 steals Jaylen Brown, Celtics (4th): 23.2 points, 6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals Pascal Siakam, Pacers (3rd): 20.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 41.8% 3PT Darius Garland, Cavaliers (2nd): 21.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 42.4% 3PT Evan Mobley, Cavaliers (1st): 18.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 57.1% FG Cade Cunningham, Pistons (1st): 25 points, 6.4 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 0.9 steals Tyler Herro, Heat (1st): 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 40% 3PT East starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Jalen Brunson (Knicks) Just missed the cut: Trae Young, Domantas Sabonis, LaMelo Ball among the biggest snubs ? 53! MIKAYLA MAKES HISTORY Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes scored 53 points on Thursday to break the NCAA single-game freshman scoring record and the SEC single-game scoring record (regardless of class). By the numbers: Blakes' 53 points (16-24 FG, 5-9 3PT, 16-18 FT) in the 99-86 win over Florida breaks the NCAA D1 freshman record of 51 set by USC's JuJu Watkins last year. The previous SEC record was also 51, set by South Carolina's Jocelyn Penn in 2003 and Tennessee's Patricia Robert’s in 1976. Blakes also broke the Vanderbilt scoring record, which was set when her teammate Khamil Pierre scored 42 last month. Hot streak: Blakes has been on fire for the No. 23 Commodores, who are ranked for the first time in 11 years. The No. 8 overall recruit has lived up to the hype, averaging 22.4 points (7th-most in the nation). NFL MOCK DRAFT 5.0 (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) Travis Hunter sits at the top of our latest mock draft, followed by two QBs. ? TOBACCO ROAD WATCHLIST: DUKE VS. UNC The Cameron Crazies taunt RJ Davis during last year's game in Durham. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images) No. 2 Duke hosts rival UNC on Saturday (6:30pm ET, ESPN) as part of a stacked slate that features five ranked-on-ranked matchups. Elsewhere: No. 5 Florida at No. 8 Tennessee (12pm, ESPN); No. 20 Missouri at No. 14 Mississippi State (1pm, SEC); No. 1 Auburn at No. 23 Ole Miss (2pm, ESPN); No. 22 Texas Tech at No. 6 Houston (6pm, ESPN2); No. 25 UConn at No. 9 Marquette (8pm, Fox). More to watch: ? NBA: Nuggets at 76ers (Fri. 7:30pm, ESPN); Suns at Warriors (Fri. 10pm, ESPN); Lakers at Knicks (Sat. 8:30pm, ABC); Celtics at 76ers (Sun. 6pm, ESPN); Grizzlies at Bucks (Sun. 8:30pm, ESPN) ? NCAAW: No. 24 Oklahoma State at No. 21 West Virginia (Sat. 12pm, ESPNU); No. 3 Notre Dame at Louisville (Sun. 12pm, ESPN2); No. 4 USC at Iowa (Sun. 1:30pm, Fox); No. 12 Kentucky at No. 13 Oklahoma (Sun. 4pm, SEC) ? NHL: Predators at Sabres (Fri. 7pm, NHL); Blackhawks at Panthers (Sat. 1pm, ABC); Rangers at Bruins (Sat. 3:30pm, ABC); Jets at Capitals (Sat. 7pm, NHL) ? Pro Bowl: 7-on-7 Flag Football Game (Sun. 3pm, ESPN/ABC) ? NCAAF: Reese's Senior Bowl (Sat. 2:30pm, NFL) … In Mobile, Alabama. ⛳️ PGA: Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Fri-Sun, Golf/CBS/ESPN+) … Russell Henley (-8) is the clubhouse leader. ⛳️ LPGA: Tournament of Champions (Fri-Sun, Golf/Peacock) … A Lim Kim (-7) is the clubhouse leader. ⚽️ Premier League: Bournemouth vs. Liverpool (Sat. 10am, USA); Arsenal vs. Manchester City (Sun. 11:30am, Peacock) ⚽️ Serie A: AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (Sun. 12pm, Paramount+) … The 242nd Derby della Madonnina. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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