ReportWire

Tag: Sports

  • US Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash — including from Donald Trump

    [ad_1]

    MILAN — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that it is hard to cheer for American Olympians who are speaking out against administration policies, calling one such critic “a real Loser” who perhaps should have stayed home.

    It was the latest and most prominent example of U.S. Olympians at the Milan Cortina Games inviting online backlash with their words.

    Reporters on Friday asked U.S. athletes at a news conference how they feel representing the country during the Trump administration’s heightened immigration enforcement actions. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess replied that he had mixed emotions since he doesn’t agree with the situation, and that he is in Milan competing on behalf of everyone who helped get him to The Games.

    “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it,” Hess said. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

    Among those who piled on Hess were YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

    “From all true Americans If you don’t want to represent this country go live somewhere else,” he wrote on X, where he has 4.4 million followers. Minutes later, he was photographed sitting beside U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the U.S women’s hockey game in Olympic host city Milan.

    Trump said the next day that Hess’ comments make it hard to root for him.

    “Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it,” he wrote on his Truth Social account.

    Hess wasn’t the only athlete voicing discontent — or facing blowback

    At Friday’s news conference with the athletes, freestyle skier Chris Lillis referenced Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying he’s “heartbroken” about what is happening in the U.S.

    “I think that, as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect,” Lillis said. “I hope that when people look at athletes compete in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.”

    And U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn said the LGBTQ+ community has had a hard time during the Trump administration.

    In addition to Paul, conservative figures criticizing the athletes on social media include former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, actor Rob Schneider and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds — who Trump has endorsed for the Florida gubernatorial race in November. And there was a flood of vitriol directed at them from ordinary Americans.

    Glenn posted on Instagram that she had received “a scary amount of hate / threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel.” She added that she will start limiting her social media use for her well-being.

    In response to questions from The Associated Press, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement Sunday that it is aware of an increasing amount of abusive and harmful messages directed toward the athletes and was doing its best to remove content and report credible threats to law enforcement.

    “The USOPC stands firmly behind Team USA athletes and remains committed to their well-being and safety, both on and off the field of play,” it said.

    Anti-ICE protests in Italy

    Support for the U.S. abroad has eroded as the Trump administration has pursued an aggressive posture on foreign policy, including punishing tariffs, military action in Venezuela and threats to invade Greenland.

    During the opening ceremony, Team USA athletes were cheered on, but jeers and whistles could be heard as Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, were shown on the stadium screens, waving American flags from the tribune.

    In Milan, several demonstrations have broken out against the against the local deployment of ICE agents — even after clarification that they are from an investigations unit that is completely separate from the enforcement unit at the forefront of the immigration crackdown in the U.S.

    Homeland Security Investigations, an ICE unit that focuses on cross-border crimes, frequently sends its officers to overseas events like the Olympics to assist with security. The ICE arm seen in the streets of the U.S. is known as Enforcement and Removal Operations, and there is no indication its officers were sent to Italy.

    A demonstration on Saturday featured thousands of protesters. Toward its end, a small number of them clashed with police, who fired tear gas and a water cannon. That followed another one last week, when hundreds protested the deployment of ICE agents.

    Associated Press writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Fernanda Figueroa

    Source link

  • US Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash — including from Trump

    [ad_1]

    MILAN — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that it is hard to cheer for American Olympians who are speaking out against administration policies, calling one such critic “a real Loser” who perhaps should have stayed home.

    It was the latest and most prominent example of U.S. Olympians at the Milan Cortina Games inviting online backlash with their words.

    Reporters on Friday asked U.S. athletes at a news conference how they feel representing the country during the Trump administration’s heighted immigration enforcement actions. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess replied that he had mixed emotions since he doesn’t agree with the situation, and that he is in Milan competing on behalf of everyone who helped get him to The Games.

    “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it,” Hess said. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

    Among those who piled on Hess were YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

    “From all true Americans If you don’t want to represent this country go live somewhere else,” he wrote on X, where he has 4.4 million followers. Minutes later, he was photographed sitting beside U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the U.S women’s hockey game in Olympic host city Milan.

    Trump said the next day that Hess’ comments make it hard to root for him.

    “Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it,” he wrote on his Truth Social account.

    At Friday’s news conference with the athletes, freestyle skier Chris Lillis referenced Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying he’s “heartbroken” about what is happening in the U.S.

    “I think that, as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect,” Lillis said. “I hope that when people look at athletes compete in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.”

    And U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn said the LGBTQ+ community has had a hard time during the Trump administration.

    In addition to Paul, conservative figures criticizing the athletes on social media include former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, actor Rob Schneider and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds — who Trump has endorsed for the Florida gubernatorial race in November. And there was a flood of vitriol directed at them from ordinary Americans.

    Glenn posted on Instagram that she had received “a scary amount of hate / threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel.” She added that she will start limiting her social media use for her well-being.

    In response to questions from The Associated Press, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement Sunday that it is aware of an increasing amount of abusive and harmful messages directed toward the athletes and was doing its best to remove content and report credible threats to law enforcement.

    “The USOPC stands firmly behind Team USA athletes and remains committed to their well-being and safety, both on and off the field of play,” it said.

    Support for the U.S. abroad has eroded as the Trump administration has pursued an aggressive posture on foreign policy, including punishing tariffs, military action in Venezuela and threats to invade Greenland.

    During the opening ceremony, Team USA athletes were cheered on, but jeers and whistles could be heard as Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, were shown on the stadium screens, waving American flags from the tribune.

    In Milan, several demonstrations have broken out against the against the local deployment of ICE agents — even after clarification that they are from an investigations unit that is completely separate from the enforcement unit at the forefront of the immigration crackdown in the U.S.

    Homeland Security Investigations, an ICE unit that focuses on cross-border crimes, frequently sends its officers to overseas events like the Olympics to assist with security. The ICE arm seen in the streets of the U.S. is known as Enforcement and Removal Operations, and there is no indication its officers were sent to Italy. – I think this graf can be deleted, too in the weeds

    A demonstration on Saturday featured thousands of protesters. Toward its end, a small number of them clashed with police, who fired tear gas and a water cannon. That followed another one last week, when hundreds protested the deployment of ICE agents.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

    ___

    AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Kam and O’Shea Deliver Career-Best Free Skate to Keep US Ahead in Olympic Team Figure Skating

    [ad_1]

    MILAN (AP) — Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea delivered the best free skate of their pairs career when the U.S. needed it most Sunday night, keeping the reigning champion Americans ahead of Japan with two events left in team figure skating at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

    The women’s and men’s free skates were still to come at Milano Ice Skating Arena to decide the medals.

    Kam and O’Shea scored 135.36 points for their program, which opened with “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics and finished with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. That was good enough to top the Canadians among the five teams to make it to the free skates, which kept the U.S. from dropping an important point to Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara.

    The two-time world champs won the segment with 155.55 points, a career-best of their own by nearly eight points. Miura and Kihara’s massive performance allowed Japan to cut a five-point deficit to the Americans at the start of the night to just two points.

    The U.S. was sitting on 51 with Japan at 49 as they continued their duel for gold. Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii were third in the pairs event to leave their team with 45 points, four ahead of Canada and Georgia in the race for bronze.

    In the women’s competition, the U.S. swapped out world champion Alysa Liu for three-time reigning national champion Amber Glenn, who will be making her long-awaited Olympic debut. Kaori Sakamoto is back for Japan after winning the short program.

    Yet the entire three-day competition ultimately could come down to the men.

    After watching Yuma Kagiyama upset favored U.S. star Ilia Malinin in the short program, Japan benched him in favor of Shun Sato for the free skate. Malinin was headed back out for the Americans, the two-time and reigning world champion hoping to atone for a short program that was mediocre only by his standards by wrapping up a second consecutive team gold.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • NYU women’s basketball team sets Division III record with 82nd straight win

    [ad_1]

    NYU won its 82nd straight game to set the Division III record for consecutive victories by a women’s basketball team, beating Carnegie Mellon 69-58 on Sunday.

    The Violets (20-0) broke a tie with rival Washington University of St. Louis, which won 81 games in a row from 1998-2001.

    UConn holds the overall NCAA record for consecutive wins with a 111-game streak. The Huskies also have the second-longest streak, a 90-game run.

    Caroline Peper scored 27 points to lead the way for two-time defending national champion NYU, which had to work hard for the record-breaking win.

    The two teams went back and forth in the first half and NYU led 32-29 at the break on a 3-pointer by Brooke Batchelor a few seconds before the end of the second quarter.

    Peper and Batchelor hit consecutive 3-pointers early in the third quarter to start a 17-6 run to go up by double digits. The Tartans closed to within 56-51 midway through the fourth quarter, but Zahra Alexander, who scored all seven of her points in the final quarter, answered with consecutive layups to extend the cushion and make it 60-53 with 3:19 left.

    Peper then hit a 3-pointer just before the shot-clock buzzer with just over two minutes left to seal the win.

    Sunday’s game was a rematch from a week ago. NYU topped Carnegie Mellon (12-7) by just one point in that game. That had been the closest a team had come to defeat the Violets during this run. No team previously came within 12 points this season.

    During the historic streak, only three other teams have come within single digits of the Violets: U Chicago lost by six, Whittier by eight and Case Western Reserve by eight two days ago.

    Now with the record in hand, the Violets are focused on trying to win a fifth straight UAA Conference title and potentially a third consecutive national championship. Only Wash U has done that, when the school won four consecutive titles from 1998-2001.

    Peper is the only player on the roster to have lost a game in college at NYU. She was a freshman on the team that was beaten by Transylvania in the Elite Eight of the Division III NCAA Tournament.

    The Violets haven’t lost since.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • NHL Players Arrive in Milan, Returning to the Winter Olympics After a 12-Year Absence

    [ad_1]

    MILAN (AP) — Lukas Dostal was in a rush to get to the Olympics. Earlier this week, the Czech goaltender became the first NHL player to take the ice for practice with his national team.

    “What would I do in Anaheim, shoot the puck to the boards and try to stop it myself? It probably wouldn’t really work,” Dostal said.

    The rest of the players from the best hockey league in the world arrived in Milan on Sunday. Sweden was the first of the teams made up of almost exclusively NHL talent to take the ice for practice at Milano Santagiulia Arena, with the U.S., Czech Republic, Canada and Finland to follow.

    Along with Dostal, about a dozen others arranged transportation to get to Italy before the five charter planes from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport that arrived Sunday morning. That group included Canada’s Connor McDavid, Germany’s Leon Draisaitl, Czechia’s David Pastrnak and a quartet of Americans.

    “Really cool just to be around all the athletes,” McDavid told TSN in a brief interview after meeting up with the rest of his Canada teammates. “Special to be here.”

    Charlie McAvoy, Zach Werenski, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman marched in the opening ceremony with the rest of the U.S. delegation at San Siro stadium, as did Switzerland’s Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler. Draisaitl and Pastrnak were among the seven men’s hockey players who served as their nation’s flag bearer.

    This is the first Olympics with NHL players in a dozen years, dating to Sochi in 2014. The league opted not to participate in 2018, and pandemic-related scheduling issues caused an eleventh-hour change of plans in 2022.

    That gap means an entire generation of stars, including McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel, have never represented their country on this international stage. This is the first so-called best-on-best tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but even that had a couple of made-up teams — North Americans 23-and-under and then Europeans from various countries not included — to keep McDavid and MacKinnon from playing with two-time gold medalists Sidney Crosby, Drew Doughty and others.

    A few hours before practice, Hockey Canada announced the obvious that Crosby would again wear the “C” as captain. McDavid and Cale Makar are the alternates.

    “Connor and Cale, along with our entire group, provide incredible leadership, and I am happy to represent Canada together on the same team,” Crosby said.

    Sweden named Gabriel Landeskog captain, as expected, with Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson the alternates. Landeskog and Karlsson are among the four Swedes who also played in the 2014 Olympics, along with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and injury replacement Marcus Johansson.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Schizas gets university assignment extension – National | Globalnews.ca

    [ad_1]

    By Daniel Rainbird

    The Canadian Press

    Posted February 8, 2026 10:48 am

    Updated February 8, 2026 11:27 am

    1 min read

    MILAN – Some students say a dog ate their homework, others send in a doctor’s note.

    Madeline Schizas cited a scheduling conflict called the Olympics — and it worked.

    The Canadian figure skater and McMaster University student was granted an extension on her sociology assignment one day after going viral with her request on Instagram.

    Schizas posted a screenshot of the email to her professor Saturday, the morning after she competed in the women’s team event short program at the Milan Cortina Games, with a link to the Canadian Olympic Committee’s press release to confirm her participation.

    Related Videos


    Click to play video: 'Team USA Olympians, protesters speak out against ICE presence in Milan'


    Team USA Olympians, protesters speak out against ICE presence in Milan




    Story continues below advertisement

    “Wondering if I could get a short extension on this week’s reflection,” the email read. “I was competing in the Olympic Games yesterday and thought it was due on Sunday, not Friday.”

    Trending Now

    Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

    Get daily National news

    Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

    Schizas added: “LOLLLL I (heart) being a student athlete” in her post.

    The 22-year-old from Oakville, Ont. — known for her deadpan sense of humour — updated her nearly 40,000 (and growing) followers on Instagram on Sunday, hours before she was set to compete in the team event free program.

    “Since it seems everyone was quite invested, I did get my extension lol,” she said. “I can’t believe anyone cared so much (crying emoji).

    “Good learning lesson about the spotlight of the Olympics.”

    Schizas is set to graduate in May with a major in Environment and Society, which she compares to “environmental studies.”

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2026.

    Curator Recommendations

    © 2026 The Canadian Press

    [ad_2]

    Globalnews Digital

    Source link

  • Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill on day marred by American teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash

    [ad_1]

    By ANDREW DAMPF and PAT GRAHAM

    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash that saw her being taken off the mountain in a helicopter.

    Johnson was the sixth racer and found speed with a risk-taking trip along the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina. She was in the leader’s box when Vonn, the No. 13 racer, cut a corner too close and was spun around before crashing. The race was put on hold for more than 20 minutes.

    The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn, 41, as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill. Johnson finished in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds to hold off Emma Aicher of Germany by just .04 seconds, securing the first medal for the United States of these Winter Games in the process. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill winner and 2022 silver medalist, finished with the bronze.

    Meet the Coloradans headed to the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

    The tears began welling in the eyes of Johnson as racer after racer couldn’t top her time. Johnson wiped them away with her mitten.

    “I had a good feeling about today. I sort of still can’t believe it yet,” Johnson said. “I don’t know when it will sink in.”

    It’s been a tumultuous road to the top for Johnson, who sat out the 2022 Beijing Olympics with a knee injury. She was given a 14-month ban that expired in December 2024 for missing three anti-doping exams and violating “whereabouts” rules. She returned to win the world championship last February.

    Now, she’s an Olympic downhill gold medalist. Teammate Jacqueline Wiles finished just .27 seconds away from a medal in a tie for fourth place.

    “I think that this was the best run Breezy’s ever skied,” teammate Bella Wright said. “I’ve seen her ski ever since I was 8 years old.”

    Vonn’s crash put a somber mood over the event. Vonn, who won the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games, was a gold-medal favorite before her crash in Switzerland last week when she suffered a ruptured ACL for her latest major knee injury.

    She returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years and after receiving a partial titanium knee replacement in her right knee.

    “I hope it’s not as bad as it looked,” Johnson said. “Sometimes, because you love this course so much, when you crash on it and hurts you like that, it hurts that much worse. My heart just goes out to her.”

    Cande Moreno of Andorra had her left knee buckle while landing on a jump. Like Vonn, she was taken off the course by helicopter and the race was again put on hold.

    Both downhill golds this weekend were won by the reigning world champions after Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland won the men’s race on Saturday. Both races also featured up-and-coming silver medalists (Aicher, Giovanni Franzoni of Italy) and Italian veterans in bronze position (Goggia, Dominik Paris).

    With her bronze medal, Goggia now has an Olympic downhill medal of every color.

    “So-so with my performance, but in the overall I got a medal again,” Goggia said. “It’s a privilege.”

    [ad_2]

    The Associated Press

    Source link

  • Lindsey Vonn’s sister recalls watching Olympic ski star’s hard crash: ‘Last thing we wanted to see’

    [ad_1]

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Lindsey Vonn’s sister was emotional as she described watching the Olympic star suffer a hard crash during her run at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday.

    Vonn was in the first sector when she lost her balance and fell hard. She writhed in pain as medical professionals came over to check on her. A medical helicopter flew to carry Vonn off the mountain. It’s unclear what led to the crash.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Lindsey Vonn of the United States during women’s alpine skiing downhill training at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 7, 2026. (Michael Madrid/Imagn Images)

    “That was definitely the last thing we wanted to see,” her sister, Karin Kildow, told NBC Sports. “It happened quick. So, when that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s OK. It was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign. But we were just saying, like, ‘The Man in the Arena.’ Like, she just dared greatly and she put it all out there, so, it’s really hard to see but we just really hope she’s OK.”

    Kildow added that Vonn, who was dealing with a ruptured ACL days before the Olympics, was going to give it her all, knowing that the result could have been disastrous.

    “She always goes 110% and there’s never anything less. I know she put her whole heart into it and sometimes things happen,” she said. “It’s a very dangerous sport and there’s a lot of variables at play. I don’t really know exactly what happened. It did look like a pretty rough fall. We’re just hoping for the best.”

    Helicopter picks up Lindsey Vonn

    A helicopter air lifts Lindsey Vonn of the United States after a crash in the women’s downhill alpine skiing race during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 8, 2026.  (Eric Bolte/Imagn Images)

    MIKAELA SHIFFRIN SAYS IT’S ‘TOUGH TO RECONCILE’ VIOLENCE IN WORLD WHILE REPRESENTING USA IN OLYMPICS

    Kildow, like the rest of the crowd, was in shock as Vonn crashed.

    The Olympic legend was attempting to medal in the event despite a devastating knee injury she suffered while at the World Cup. She made clear in subsequent social media posts that her ACL was “100% gone.”

    An ACL tear normally involves a recovery that lasts about a year, but Vonn planned to fight through it.

    She had a successful training run and it appeared the momentum was behind her to at least finish the run.

    The Team USA legend is the second-most successful woman in World Cup history with 84 wins. She has won eight World Championship medals.

    Lindsey Vonn crashes on the hill

    United States’ Lindsey Vonn crashes during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.  (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Vonn won a gold medal in the downhill and a bronze medal in the super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games and a bronze medal in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games.

    Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

    Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Breezy Johnson Wins Olympic Downhill on Day Mired by American Teammate Lindsey Vonn’s Crash

    [ad_1]

    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day mired by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash that saw her being taken off the mountain in a helicopter.

    Johnson was the sixth runner and found speed with a risk-taking trip along the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina. She was in the leader’s box when Vonn, the No. 13 racer, cut a corner too close and was spun around before crashing. The race was put on hold for more than 20 minutes.

    The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill. Johnson finished in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds to hold off Emma Aicher of Germany by just .04 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill winner and 2022 silver medalist, finished with the bronze.

    Graham contributed from Bormio, Italy.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Lindsey Vonn crashes in Winter Olympic downhill, taken away by helicopter

    [ad_1]

    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn ‘s defiant bid to win the Winter Olympic downhill at the age of 41, on a rebuilt right knee and a badly injured left knee, ended Sunday in a frightening crash that saw her taken to safety by a rescue helicopter for the second time in nine days.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lindsey Vonn’s pursuit of a second Olympic downhill gold medal is over

    • The 41-year-old American, skiing with a badly injured left knee, crashed early in Sunday’s race in Italy

    • She was taken off the course by helicopter after receiving medical attention

    Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the starting gate, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived. She was treated for long, anguished minutes as a hush fell over the crowd waiting far below at the finish line.

    She was strapped to a gurney and flown away, possibly ending the skier’s storied career. Her condition was not immediately known, with the U.S. Ski Team saying simply she would be evaluated.

    “She’ll be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process,” said Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching (that) these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast.”

    United States’ Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s teammate, became only the second American woman to win the Olympic downhill after Vonn did it 16 years ago. The 30-year-old Johnson held off Emma Aicher of Germany and Italy’s Sofia Goggia on a bittersweet day for the team.

    “I don’t claim to know what she’s going through, but I do know what it is to be here, to be fighting for the Olympics, and to have this course burn you and to watch those dreams die,” said Johnson, whose injury in Cortina in 2022 ruined hopes of sking in the Beijing Olympics. “I can’t imagine the pain that she’s going through and it’s not the physical pain — we can deal with physical pain — but the emotional pain is something else.”

    Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated after just 13 seconds on the course where she holds a record 12 World Cup titles. Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course. Fellow American star Mikaela Shiffrin posted a broken heart emoji on social media.

    Vonn’s crash was “tragic, but it’s ski racing,” said Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.

    “I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport,” he said, “because this race has been the talk of the games and it’s put our sport in the best possible light.”

    All eyes had been on Vonn, the feel-good story heading into the Olympics. She had returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years, a remarkable decision given her age but she also had a partial titanium knee replacement in her right knee, too. Many wondered how she would fare as she sought a gold medal to join the one she won in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

    The four-time overall World Cup champion stunned everyone by being a contender almost immediately. She came to the Olympics as the leader in the World Cup downhill standings and was a gold-medal favorite before her crash in Switzerland nine days ago, when she suffered her latest knee injury. In addition to a ruptured ACL, she also had a bone bruise and meniscus damage.

    Still, no one counted her out even then. In truth, she has skied through injuries for three decades at the top of the sport. In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, Vonn took a bad fall during downhill training and went to the hospital. She competed less than 48 hours later, racing in all four events she’d planned, with a top result of seventh in the super-G.

    Cortina has had many treasured memories for Vonn beyond the record wins. She is called the queen of Cortina, and the Olympia delle Tofana is a course that had always suited Vonn. She tested out the knee twice in downill training runs over the past three days before the awful crash on Sunday in clear, sunny conditions.

    “This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn said before the race. “Definitely the most dramatic.”

    News of the crash spread quickly, including to the fan zone down the mountain in Cortina.

    “It’s such a huge loss and bummer,” American Megan Gunyou said. “I feel like hearing her story and just like the redemption of her first fall and like fighting to come back to the Olympics this year, I mean, I feel so sad for her.”

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Lindsey Vonn crashes early in Olympic downhill, taken off mountain in helicopter

    [ad_1]

    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn, racing on a badly injured left knee, crashed early in the Olympic downhill on Sunday and was taken off the course by a helicopter after the 41-year-old American received medical attention on the snow.

    Vonn lost control over the opening traverse after cutting the line too tight and was spun around in the air. She was heard screaming out after the crash as she was surrounded by medical personnel before she was strapped to a gurney and flown away by a helicopter, possibly ending the skier’s storied career.

    The race was put on hold as she received treatment. Vonn’s teammate, Breezy Johnson, held the early lead.

    Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated. Others in the crowd, including Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course where she had so many fond memories.

    All eyes were on Vonn, the feel-good story heading into the Olympics. She returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years, a remarkable decision at any time given her age but she also had a partial titanium knee replacement in her right knee, too. Many wondered how she would fare.

    She stunned everyone by being a contender almost immediately. She came to the Olympics as the leader in the World Cup downhill standings and was a gold-medal favorite before her crash in Switzerland nine days ago, when she suffered her latest knee injury. In addition to a ruptured ACL, she also had a bone bruise and meniscus damage.

    ___

    AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Seahawks ride their ‘Dark Side’ defense to a Super Bowl title

    [ad_1]

    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Defense won this championship.

    Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Byron Murphy and the rest of Mike Macdonald’s ferocious unit pummeled Drake Maye, and the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries

    • Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by snagging Maye’s pass in the air after Witherspoon hit his arm and ran it back 45 yards for a pick-6

    • Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense helped Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson

    • After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games



    Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries.

    Walker became the first running back to win the Super Bowl MVP award since Terrell Davis 28 years ago.

    Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by snagging Maye’s pass in the air after Witherspoon hit his arm and ran it back 45 yards for a pick-6.

    “It’s a one-of-a-kind feeling, bro,” Witherspoon said. “You talk about a group of guys who battle every day, who believe in each other and believe in their coach, you can’t describe this group no better. It’s just a one-of-a-kind feeling. I was just so happy to battle with these guys. We went through a lot, but we believed. All of you all doubters out there who said all that other stuff, you all don’t know what’s going on in this building. We’re one of one over here.”

    Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense helped Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.

    “To do this with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. “So proud of our guys, our defense. I mean, I can’t say enough great things about our defense, our special teams.”

    Labeled a bust, dumped by two teams and considered expendable by two others, Darnold proved his doubters wrong while helping the Seahawks go 17-3.

    After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games. He wasn’t particularly sharp against a solid Patriots defense but protected the ball and made enough plays, finishing 19 of 38 for 202 yards.

    “I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could have been a little bit better on offense, but I don’t care about that right now,” Darnold said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, man. I’m just so happy for the guys in the locker room and the coaches that put in so much effort throughout the whole season.”

    The Seahawks sacked Maye six times, including two apiece by Hall and Murphy. Hall’s strip-sack late in the third quarter set up a short field and Darnold connected with Barner on 16-yard scoring toss to make it 19-0.

    Julian Love’s interception set up another field goal that made it 22-7 with 5:35 left.

    The Patriots (17-4) punted on the first eight drives, excluding a kneel-down to end the first half.

    “We had a really good year, one that I’m proud of,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said. “But this game wasn’t a reflection of that. We were outcoached and outplayed.”

    Down 19-0, Maye and the Patriots’ offense finally got going. He hit Mack Hollins over the middle in traffic for 24 yards and then lofted a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Hollins down the left side to cut the deficit to 19-7.

    Tom Brady once led Bill Belichick’s Patriots to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit against Atlanta for a 34-28 overtime victory.

    But Maye, who was runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the AP NFL MVP award in the closest race in two decades, didn’t come close. He had a chance to get it closer, but his ill-advised pass into triple coverage was picked by Love and the Patriots trailed by 15 when they got the ball back with 5:35 left.

    Then came Nwosu’s touchdown, a fitting way to cap an overwhelming effort by the NFL’s stingiest defense.

    “Definitely hurts. They played better than us tonight,” Maye said.

    Maye’s 7-yard TD pass to Rhamondre Stevenson late in the game only made the margin smaller.

    The Seahawks took a 3-0 lead on Myers’ 33-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. Myers connected from 39 and 41 yards to extend the lead to 9-0 at halftime. He was good from 41 on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter to make it 12-0.

    Patriots player of the game

    Cornerback Christian Gonzalez made two outstanding plays to prevent potential touchdowns in the second quarter. He raced back and leaped in the air to slap away a deep pass to Rasheed Shahid that could have been a 76-yard TD.

    On Seattle’s last drive in the first half, Gonzalez knocked down a pass to All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that would have been a 23-yard TD.

    Mills gets a two-for-one sack

    Rylie Mills pushed left guard Jared Wilson into Maye and took both of them down on one of Seattle’s sacks.

    Bad Bunny shines at halftime

    Bad Bunny headlined a visually stunning halftime performance that also featured appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist entirely in Spanish.

    Patriots denied a record 7th title

    The Patriots failed to win the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl, which would have set an NFL record. They’re tied with the Steelers with six championships.

    AP NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel was aiming to become the fifth person to win a Super Bowl as a player and head coach and the first to do both with the same team.

    The 23-year-old Maye was trying to become the youngest QB to win a Lombardi Trophy. Ben Roethlisberger still holds that mark.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Cavs secure 132-126 victory over Sacramento

    [ad_1]

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — James Harden scored 23 points in his Cavaliers debut and Donovan Mitchell had 35, including a free throw that sealed the win with 35 seconds remaining, in Cleveland’s 132-126 victory over Sacramento on Saturday night that sent the Kings to their 12th straight loss.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Cavs secured a 132-126 victory over Sacramento Saturday night

    • James Harden scores 23 points in his Cavaliers debut

    • Cavaliers are at Denver on Monday night

    Harden was acquired by Cleveland from the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday for Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick. He shot 7 for 13, including 5 for 8 from 3-point range, and had eight assists.

    Jarrett Allen had 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who won for the eighth time in nine games.

    Nique Clifford scored 30 points to lead Sacramento, which hasn’t won since beating Washington at home on Jan. 16. Russell Westbrook added 21 points and nine assists for the Kings, who have lost six straight at home.

    The Cavaliers went into halftime leading 57-55, but the Kings took the lead in the third quarter at 96-93. Mitchell scored 29 points of his points in the second half for the Cavaliers.

    Up next

    Cavaliers: At Denver on Monday night.

    Kings: At New Orleans on Monday night.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

    Source link

  • USDA food safety tips ahead of the Super Bowl

    [ad_1]

    Is it really the big game without the chicken wings, the pizza and the chips and dip?

    If you’re hosting or attending a Super Bowl party tonight to watch the Seahawks and the Patriots duke it out, chances are you’ll have an assortment of snacks nearby.

    Ahead of the big game, The United States Department of Agriculture has guidance on keeping that food safe for consumption.

    During a multi-hour football game, according to the USDA, food is often left out unheated and uncooled, which can lead to issues with the formation of bacteria.

    “Each year millions of Americans get sick from foodborne illness – commonly called food poisoning,” the release reads. “These illnesses result in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

    The USDA offers five quick tips to keep food safe:

    • Be safe with takeout food
    • Follow the two-hour rule
    • Wash hands effectively
    • Use a food thermometer
    • Store leftovers properly

    The release directs food safety questions to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, reachable at 1-888-674-6854. You can also ask questions at ask.usda.gov or by emailing MPHotline@usda.gov.

    [ad_2]

    Cody Thompson

    Source link

  • How many Super Bowls have the Seahawks won? All of Seattle’s past wins and appearances

    [ad_1]

    The Seattle Seahawks take the field against the New England Patriots for Super Bowl LX on Sunday night, more than a decade after their 2015 Super Bowl loss to the same team. 

    It will be the fourth time the Seahawks have played in the big game, and it comes 20 years after their first appearance, which ended in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

    Here’s the full list of the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl appearances and details on their sole win so far. 

    How many Super Bowls have the Seahawks won?

    The Seahawks have won the Super Bowl once. That was in 2014, when they defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. 

    Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

    Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images


    How many Super Bowl appearances do the Seahawks have?

    The Seahawks have three previous Super Bowl appearances. Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, will be their fourth. 

    The details on the Seahawks’ last Super Bowl win

    The Seahawks decisively defeated the Broncos, 43-8, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2014. 

    The Seahawks were underdogs going into the game. The Broncos had Peyton Manning as their quarterback and were known for a high-scoring offense, but the Seahawks scored their first points just 12 seconds after kickoff. By halftime, the Seahawks were up 22-0. The team relied on a strong defense that kept Manning and the rest of the Broncos’ offense from getting a foothold. 

    “This game was the Seahawks smacking the Broncos in the mouth and Denver standing around just taking it and bleeding all over the field,” CBS Sports reporter Will Brinson wrote at the time. 

    Super Bowl XLVIII - Seattle Seahawks v Denver Broncos

    Clint Gresham of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates their 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

    Stephen Dunn / Getty Images


    The Seahawks’ domination continued after halftime, with wide receiver Percy Harvin running the second-half kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown to make the score 29-0. Denver did manage to score one touchdown in the second half but the game was never close.

    The Seahawks also set a Super Bowl record for most playing time with the lead: Seattle had led Denver for 59 minutes and 48 seconds, or over 99% of the 60-minute game time. 

    The details on the Seahawks’ last Super Bowl appearance

    Sunday’s game will be a rematch for the Seahawks and the Patriots. When the teams played for the title in 2015, the Patriots won 28-24 in an exciting game that CBS Sports ranked as the 4th-best Super Bowl ever. 

    The teams were tied at halftime after a breakdown in the Patriots’ defense allowed the Seahawks to score a second touchdown moments before the break. By the end of the third quarter, the Seahawks were up by 10 points. 

    Super Bowl XLIX - New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks

    Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots makes a catch against Tharold Simon of the Seattle Seahawks in the second half of Super Bowl XLIX in 2015.

    Stephen Dunn / Getty Images


    Tom Brady was able to engineer two scoring drives and the Patriots took the lead 28-24 near the end of the fourth quarter. But New England appeared doomed in the final seconds of the game: The Seahawks were in possession of the ball on the Patriots’ 1-yard line and seemed about to score a touchdown that would potentially make them champions again. That’s when Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted a short pass near the goal line, snatching the victory from Seattle. 

    “I jumped up off that chair and I couldn’t believe it. I almost knocked my TV over,” Patriots fan Henry Fernandez told CBS Boston as he recalled the moment. “It was the greatest thing. It was a greatest thing.” 

    The play is still considered one of the best in Super Bowl history and is immortalized in the Patriots Hall of Fame.  

    Super Bowl XLIX - New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks

    Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots intercepts a pass by Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks late in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLIX.

    Jamie Squire / Getty Images


    Full list of Seahawks Super Bowl wins

    • 2014: Seattle Seahawks def. Denver Broncos 43-8

    Full list of Seahawks Super Bowl appearances

    • 2006: Pittsburgh Steelers def. Seattle Seahawks 21-10
    • 2014: Seattle Seahawks def. Denver Broncos 43-8
    • 2015: New England Patriots def. Seattle Seahawks 28-24
    • 2026: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots

    In:

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Phillies begin unpacking equipment in preparation for spring training

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pitchers and catchers will report for their first workouts for Major League Baseball spring training starting Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pitchers and catchers start reporting for spring training in Florida this week

    • Phillies staff members are already unloading trucks with the supplies the team will need

    • They are bringing 2,400 baseballs, 140 batting helmets and 1,200 baseball bats this spring

    • Spring training games begin Feb. 20

    Florida is home to baseball’s Grapefruit League, and thousands of fans will flock to the Tampa Bay area to watch their favorite teams because seven of the franchises call the Tampa Bay area home during spring training, bringing a huge economic impact. Throughout Florida, more than 1.4 million fans visited for spring training in 2025, generating about $687,000 annually for the state and creating more than 7,000 jobs, according to data from the Florida Sports Foundation and studies of the Grapefruit League.

    That means teams like the Philadelphia Phillies have to start getting ready.

    When the equipment trucks start pulling into Baycare Ballpark, it marks the unofficial start to spring training in Clearwater.

    Phillies staff members like clubhouse attendant Tim Schmidt wait months for the trucks full of gear and supplies.

    “It’s been on my calendar for a while, so yeah, it’s nice that it’s here, and I’m excited to get it underway, and I’m ready to see the guys,” Schmidt said.

    Filled to the brim, it takes the whole staff, as well as some help from a forklift, to unload all the supplies needed for spring training.

    The Phillies are bringing 2,400 baseballs, 140 batting helmets and 1,200 baseball bats this spring, Schmidt said.

    Among all the people who helped unload the trucks was Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector.

    He said it’s a day he looks forward to every year.

    “Our sign of spring is the Phillies equipment truck arriving,” Rector said. “That’s a little bit more predictable than the groundhog.”

    Spring training has been in Clearwater for about 100 years, including the Phillies here for most of that time, Rector said.

    “Such a strong connection with our citizens,” Rector said. “They’ve been here for 80 years. It’s almost like seeing family come home.”

    Schmidt said it was going to be a long day because there is a lot to unpack before the players arrive.

    Still, the work isn’t an issue.

    He’s ready to focus on the season.

    “Once we get down here, it’s go time,” Schmidt said. “We don’t really stop until the playoffs are over.”

    The seven teams that will be in the Tampa Bay area for the next few weeks, honing their skills before the regular season begins, are the Phillies, the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves.

    Spring training games begin Feb. 20, and tickets are on sale now.

     

    [ad_2]

    Matt Lackritz

    Source link

  • England v Nepal scorecard

    [ad_1]

    Scorecard: England vs Nepal, T20 World Cup, Mumbai

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Rockets’ Alperen Sengun Apologizes Publicly for Directing Gender-Based Insult at Female Official

    [ad_1]

    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun publicly apologized for directing a gender-based insult at official Jenna Reneau during a loss Wednesday night to the Boston Celtics.

    Sengun was upset about non-call on a drive while the Rockets were on their way to a 114-93 home loss. He took his frustrations out on her, used the insult word multiple times and was ejected. He addressed the incident Saturday after having his 10th career triple-double in a 112-106 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, saying said he went to her immediately after that game to apologize.

    “Sometimes, you can’t control yourself, but I should have known better,” he said. “But I fixed it, and then I went to the locker room and I apologized. I shake (her) hand and said that would never happen again. It just happened in the heat of the moment and she understood, and it was good by both ends.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • No. 17 Florida beats Texas A&M 86-67 in showdown for Southeastern Conference lead

    [ad_1]

    COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Thomas Haugh scored 22 points and No. 17 Florida beat Texas A&M 86-67 on Saturday night in a showdown for the Southeastern Conference lead.

    The Gators (17-6, 8-2) started three players 6-foot-9 or taller against the Aggies’ four-guard lineup. Texas A&M’s tallest starter was Rashaun Agee at 6-8.

    Florida outscored Texas A&M 48-24 in the paint, blocked seven shots and limited the Aggies (17-6, 7-3) to making just nine makes on 25 layups.

    Texas A&M held its own on the boards against the Gators, the nation’s top rebounding team, but Florida still had a 50-43 advantage. The Aggies could only turn 19 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points.

    Marcus Hill and Pop Isaacs each had 17 points for Texas A&M.

    Isaiah Brown added 12 points for Florida, Urban Klavzar had 11, and Rueben Chinyelu and Xavian Lee each had 10.

    The Gators had a week off to prepare for the Aggies and have now won three straight games. A&M has lost two in a row.

    Florida: At Georgia on Wednesday night.

    Texas A&M: Hosts Missouri on Wednesday night.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Duke’s Scheyer Says Staff Members ‘Got Punched in the Face’ During Court-Storming; UNC AD Apologizes

    [ad_1]

    CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he had staff members “that got punched in the face” as North Carolina fans stormed the court to celebrate a late winning shot in the famed rivalry Saturday night, prompting UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham to publicly apologize.

    The 14th-ranked Tar Heels stunned the fourth-ranked Blue Devils 71-68 on Seth Trimble’s 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left, a shot that originally appeared to come as time expired and had jubiliant fans rush the court in a chaotic celebration. Officials reviewed the play and determined time was left, so fans had to be cleared for Duke to get one final play before storming the court again when the clock officially hit zero.

    “For me it’s hard to talk about the game when I was most concerned just for the safety of our players after the game,” Scheyer said in his opening statement. “I don’t want to make it about that, because Carolina, they played a great game to win. And that’s a heartbreaking loss for our team.

    “I got staff members that got punched in the face. My family, pushing people away, trying to not get trampled. That’s not what this game is about.”

    Afterward, Cunningham said he apologized to Scheyer before he came in for this postgame news conference and referenced someone being injured. He didn’t have details on who was injured or how, and Duke program spokesman Kyle Serba didn’t immediately return a text message for comment.

    “When they rushed the court, a number of people got knocked over,” Cunningham said. “But then we had to clear the court again. So when we normally have something like just rushing the court and the game is over, we do have a line by the benches to get people off safely.

    “Obviously, if somebody got injured, that’s just really, really disappointing. We’ll do the best we can to make sure that doesn’t happen, but again, my apologies to Duke for that.”

    Cunningham said the school would look at video replays to determine exactly what happened.

    The safety of players and team staffers during court stormings has been a long-running topic of concern in college athletics. That included roughly two years ago after Duke’s loss at Wake Forest, when Blue Devils player Kyle Filipowski was shaken up after a Demon Deacons fan collided with him, while Jared McCain’s exit to the tunnel was briefly blocked by a Wake Forest fan. Filipowski had his right leg wrapped in plastic to fasten an icebag to his kneecap afterward.

    In the immediate aftermath of that 2024 incident, Scheyer asked: “When are we going to ban court-storming?”

    Asked Saturday night if he still feels court-storming should be banned, Scheyer said: “I think court-storming is fine, I don’t have any issue with court-storming.

    “Just shouldn’t have people getting punched in the face. Shouldn’t put our players in position where they’re face-to-face with people who can do anything at that time. It just takes one reaction. Even today, I had to push people away just to try to protect our players.

    “They won, they should celebrate,” Scheyer added. “They want to court-storm, court-storm. But just let’s get our guys off safely, that’s it. That’s where I’m at with that.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link