U.S./World Sports category, Page 30
Michael Jordan instills winning attitude as Tyler Reddick races for 1st NASCAR Cup titleVideo
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Tyler Reddick needs no pep talk or motivation when it comes to winning his first Cup Series title. He drives for Michael Jordan, after all, and the NBA Hall of Famer collected six championships in his unwavering desire for excellence at all times. Now in his fourth...
Bobby Allison, NASCAR Hall of Famer and 3-time Daytona 500 winner, dies at 86Video
Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday. He was 86. NASCAR released a statement from Allison’s family that said he died at home in Mooresville, N.C. A cause of death wasn’t given, but Allison had been in declining health for years. Allison...
NASCAR defends drivers in Cup Series title race, officiating
AVONDALE, Ariz. — NASCAR President Steve Phelps defended the four drivers racing for the Cup Series championship this weekend — even though others had better statistics than the finalists — as well as the playoff system itself in Friday’s annual State of the Sport address. Reigning champion Ryan Blaney, Team...
Federal judge denies motion to recognize Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team
AVONDALE, Ariz. — A federal judge on Friday denied a motion by two NASCAR teams — one owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan — to be recognized as chartered teams as they proceed in an antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series and chairman Jim France. The motion...
NASCAR’s championship weekend shrouded in off-track drama
AVONDALE, Ariz. — NASCAR heads into its championship weekend locked in a federal antitrust lawsuit with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Its officiating has been under months-long scrutiny, and this week it issued a wave of hefty fines for alleged race manipulation in the final playoff qualifier. And Truck...
Controversial Australian Olympic breaker Rachael Gunn retires from competition
SYDNEY — Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney radio station that she plans to retire from competition just three months after her unconventional routine at the Paris Olympics led to her being ridiculed and spawned conspiracy theories about how she qualified for the Games. The now 37-year-old Sydney...
Faking it? SEC teams warned by league about a practice to slow down high-tempo offenses
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer had a final farewell for Mississippi last month as Rebel after Rebel went down on the ground with injuries, some serious, some minor, and created stoppages that slowed things down. “First of all,” Beamer said after the Gamecocks’ 27-3 loss on Oct....
NASCAR’s championship field heads to Phoenix with no clear favorite to win Cup titleVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Roger Penske already won two sports car championships this season and heads to Phoenix Raceway with two chances to win a third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney in the winner-take-all season finale. The two Penske drivers will try to make it...
Aryna Sabalenka clinches the WTA year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time when Iga Swiatek loses
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Aryna Sabalenka clinched the year-end No. 1 spot in the women’s rankings for the first time when Iga Swiatek lost at the WTA Finals on Tuesday. Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, was assured of finishing 2024 atop the WTA without swinging her racket on Tuesday, thanks...
Real Madrid and AC Milan pay tribute to victims of deadly Valencia floods in Champions League match
MADRID — Real Madrid and AC Milan honored the victims of the deadly floods in Valencia before their Champions League match on Tuesday. Players from both teams entered the field wearing shirts with the words “We are all Valencia,” written in Spanish on Madrid’s kits and in Italian on AC...
Joel Embiid strikes, shoves columnist during locker room altercation
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid struck and shoved Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes during a profanity-laced altercation in the 76ers’ locker room after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Embiid, whose open hand made contact with Hayes’ neck and collarbone area, was angry about the columnist’s recent work criticizing...
Blaney races way into NASCAR championship finale to attempt to defend his Cup Series title
Ryan Blaney earned a chance to defend his NASCAR championship with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway that pushed the Team Penske driver into the winner-take-all season finale. Blaney passed Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go to win at the Virginia track for a second consecutive year and take...
Ryan Blaney needs big Martinsville showing to defend NASCAR title
Ryan Blaney had the checkered flag in sight and a spot in NASCAR’s title-deciding race within his grasp last week on the last lap of a contentious battle. Then out of nowhere, Tyler Reddick slid past Blaney in the final turn and snatched the victory away. Reddick now will race...
Iowa begins post-Caitlin Clark era with lower expectations and a new coach
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Caitlin Clark era at Iowa ended with her as the NCAA Division I overall scoring leader and the Hawkeyes playing in two straight national championship games and being the hottest ticket in women’s basketball. Clark recently finished her first pro season as the WNBA rookie...
Oregon State and Washington State hoops cozy up to WCC for now ahead of Pac-12 rebuild
The Pac-12 Conference will never be what it once was even after the efforts to rebuild it. “I never thought I’d see the Pac-12 fall apart,” Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said. “I mean, what a freakin’ shame that is, but we are where we are.” That could be taken...
Tyler Reddick wins at Homestead, giving Michael Jordan a chance at the NASCAR titleVideo
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Michael Jordan won a championship in Phoenix in 1993. Tyler Reddick ensured that his car owner will have a chance to win another title there this year. Reddick went high and overtook Ryan Blaney on the final turn to win at Homestead-Miami on Sunday to secure a...
Carlos Sainz wins Mexico City Grand Prix as Norris tightens championship fightVideo
MEXICO CITY — Carlos Sainz Jr. won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday and Lando Norris closed the gap in the Formula 1 championship race after another contentious battle with Max Verstappen. Sianz not only won but finished on the podium for the first time in Mexico City. It...
Maria Sharapova, Bryan brothers elected to International Tennis Hall of FameVideo
Maria Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion known for plenty of on-court grit and off-court attention, and Bob and Mike Bryan, twins who won a record 16 major titles in men’s doubles together, are first-ballot selections for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Rhode Island-based Hall announced the...
LeBron and Bronny James make NBA history by playing together in Lakers’ win over Minnesota
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James and Bronny James became the first father and son to play in the NBA together Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 39-year-old superstar and his 20-year-old son played almost 2½ minutes together late in the first half...
NBA season set to begin with the Celtics seeking a 19th title and several challengers looming
Jayson Tatum was already a proven winner before last season. In Tatum’s first six seasons, no NBA player won more games with one team than he did. Tatum played in 334 wins with the Boston Celtics over that span, including playoffs. He was a perennial All-Star, a legitimate MVP candidate,...
New York Liberty win their 1st WNBA championship, beating Minnesota 67-62Video
NEW YORK — The New York Liberty finally have a WNBA championship after beating the Minnesota Lynx, 67-62, in overtime of a decisive Game 5 on Sunday night. Jonquel Jones scored 17 points to lead New York, which was one of the original franchises in the league. The Liberty made...
Joey Logano seizes fresh chance in NASCAR playoffs, wins in Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Knocked out of the playoffs this time last week, Joey Logano seized on his reversal of fortune to become the first driver locked into NASCAR’s championship finale. Logano was below the cutline and eliminated from the eight-driver field when he left Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday. But...
Trevor Etienne runs for 3 touchdowns as No. 5 Georgia knocks off No. 1 Texas
AUSTIN, Texas — Trevor Etienne ran for three touchdowns, the first two set up by cornerback Daylen Everette’s takeaways, and fifth-ranked Georgia went on to beat Quinn Ewers and No. 1 Texas, 30-15, on Saturday night. Etienne’s last score was a 1-yard plunge on fourth down with 12:04 left. That...
Kyle Larson opens 3rd round of NASCAR playoffs as favorite
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Larson has been lucky of late in Las Vegas, where he opens the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs on top of the Cup Series standings and the favorite to win Sunday’s race. Larson heads into the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as both the defending...
Lynx force Game 5 of WNBA Finals on late free throws to beat LibertyVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — With their season on the line, the Minnesota Lynx did just enough to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. Bridget Carleton made two free throws with 2 seconds left, and the Lynx beat the New York Liberty, 82-80, on Friday night....
