Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury again to defend heavyweight world titles

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to retain his unified heavyweight world titles with another pulsating points victory in their rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Usyk first beat Fury in May to become boxing’s first four-belt heavyweight champion and he again prevailed by finishing 116-112 ahead on all three judges’ scorecards. The win extends Usyk’s professional […]

Continue Reading

There aren’t a lot of firsts at Notre Dame. This was one of them

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Thirteen hours before the first college football game of its kind, with snow lacquering everything and bitter cold keeping it there, the cars and trucks lined Angela Boulevard. Predawn arrivals seeking prime tailgating locations when the Notre Dame Stadium lots opened at 8 a.m. Hundreds of them, according to one attendant […]

Continue Reading

SMU’s CFP nightmare: Interceptions, diverted billionaires and a ‘shell-shocked’ Cinderella

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Billions of dollars can buy a lot of things. It can help revive a football program and get your alma mater into a bigger conference. It can buy a private jet. But it can’t clear more space at a tiny regional airport. SMU donor Bill Armstrong’s last name is on the […]

Continue Reading

The Bears need a coach who holds players accountable. Look no further than Ron Rivera

In 1982, George Halas reached into Chicago Bears history to find a head coach and hired Mike Ditka. In 2025, the team Halas founded needs to consider its history again. There are candidates with no ties to the Bears who deserve consideration. Foremost among them is Mike Vrabel, who never should have been fired by […]

Continue Reading

Bronny James puts together uneven showing at NBA G League Winter Showcase

ORLANDO, Fla. — Well, the glass-one-quarter-full perspective on the Bronny James Show this weekend is to say it could have been worse. But it certainly could have been better. The NBA G League Winter Showcase came to Orlando, Fla., this weekend, and with the Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to assign James for this event, he […]

Continue Reading

‘A long road. A big mountain to climb’: Inside Matt Murray’s emotional journey back to the NHL

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Matt Murray looked up to the scoreboard above him, counted down the seconds as they disappeared and finally pumped his fist. It had been 638 days since Murray last felt the feeling washing over him. Bilateral hip surgery forced the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie out of the entire 2023-24 season, the final […]

Continue Reading

Lindsey Vonn finishes 14th in Super-G race in return to World Cup circuit

Lindsey Vonn crossed the finish line after a strong run, waved to the crowd, and then radioed tips back to her six U.S. teammates still to ski. After almost six years away from the sport’s top level, the 40-year-old American alpine skiing star was back in a familiar scene Saturday, returning to World Cup racing […]

Continue Reading

Which CFP team has the best starting QB? Ranking all 12 from Dillon Gabriel to … who knows?

Joe Burrow circa 2019 is not walking through the door of this College Football Playoff. There is no Deshaun Watson nor Trevor Lawrence to be found. It’s not that there aren’t a bunch of really good quarterbacks in the first 12-team College Football Playoff field. The teams wouldn’t have gotten this far if that were […]

Continue Reading

Notre Dame rolls past Indiana in College Football Playoff opening game: What’s next?

By Pete Sampson, Joe Rexrode and Seth Emerson SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 7 Notre Dame cruised past No. 10 Indiana 27-17 in the first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff on Friday night. The Fighting Irish advance to play No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. Two interceptions in the […]

Continue Reading