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  • 2026 Winter Olympics by the numbers: The athletes, events and milestones of the Milano Cortina Games

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    The 2026 Winter Olympics are bringing thousands of athletes from around the world together for more than two weeks of competition on snow and ice. From the athletes and events to records and costs, the Games are a gold mine for statistics. 

    Here’s a look at the 2026 Winter Olympics by the numbers:

    2: Number of previous times Italy has hosted Winter Olympic Games 

    Italy first hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, followed by the 2006 Games in Turin. 

    The country has also hosted the Summer Olympics once, in Rome in 1960.

    8,494: Square miles the venues for the Winter Olympics will cover

    The 2026 Games will be the first Olympics co-hosted by two cities, with competitions held across 13 venues in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. 

    The dual host cities mean it will become the most widespread Games in Olympic history, according to the International Olympic Committee, spanning nearly 8,500 square miles of northern Italy.

    Milan and Cortina are about 250 miles apart by road, nearly a five-hour drive.


    “This approach allows the maximum use of existing venues, reducing the need for new construction and, as a consequence, minimising the carbon footprint,” states an IOC press release.

    Out of 13 venues, 11 will be existing or temporary, with the exception of a new 16,000-seat ice hockey stadium which has been in construction for about two years. The abandoned Porta Romana railway yard is also seeing a renovation, according to the International Olympic Committee. It’ll be home to the Milan Olympic Village during the games then converted into 1,700 student housing units. 

    92: National Olympic Committees participating 

    The athletes compete as representatives of their “National Olympic Committees” rather than as countries. 

    At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Russia and Belarus were banned from competing because of the war in Ukraine, a policy that carries into this year’s Games, with athletes competing as “Individual Neutral Athletes” under a neutral flag. 

    Who's competing in the Winter Games (Choropleth map)


    2,916: Total number of athletes expected to compete

    According to data from the International Olympic Committee, approximately 2,916 athletes are expected to compete in this year’s Winter Games.

    The U.S. will have the largest presence at the Winter Olympics with 235 athletes (including three alternate athletes), followed by Canada (211 athletes) and host nation Italy (195 athletes). 

    Athlete participation in the Winter Olympics (Line chart)


    The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, had just 1,801 athletes. Participation has grown in the decades since. 

    There was a brief drop in athlete participation at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

    232: Athletes competing on Team USA

    A total of 232 athletes and three alternate athletes will compete on Team USA, featuring 98 returning Olympians who have won a combined 22 gold medals, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 

    Seven athletes will make their fifth Olympic appearance, including bobsledders Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, snowboarders Nick Baumgartner and Faye Thelen, alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, figure skater Evan Bates and ice hockey player Hilary Knight. 

    Meanwhile, 32 athletes on the roster previously competed at the Youth Olympic Games, with 20 of them set to make their Olympic debut in Milano Cortina. The 232-athlete roster is expected to be the largest U.S. Winter Olympic team ever, surpassing the 228 who competed at PyeongChang in 2018. 

    Hometowns of the 2026 U.S. Winter Olympic team (Symbol map)


    Search the full list of U.S. Olympic athletes:

    Table


    8: New events debuting at Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

    Athletes will compete in 116 events across 16 Olympic disciplines and six Paralympic sports. The 2026 Games will introduce ski mountaineering — known as skimo — as a new sport, along with eight new events: 

    • Men’s sprint in skimo
    • Women’s sprint in skimo
    • Mixed relay in skimo
    • Men’s dual moguls in free style skiing
    • Women’s dual moguls in free style skiing
    • Women’s doubles in luge
    • Mixed gender team in skeleton
    • Women’s large hill in ski jumping

    2 million: Fans attending the Winter Olympics

    U.S. diplomatic officials in Italy urged Americans to book early, since organizers expect about 2 million people to descend on the venues in northern Italy to attend the Games.

    Tickets range from $30 for cross-country skiing to nearly $1,400 for the figure skating exhibition gala. The full schedule of events can be found here. 

    CBS News will continue to crunch the numbers on the Paralympic Games after qualified athletes are announced on March 2. 

    In:

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  • Big time for Bobo: Growing up in North Andover as Pats fan, Seahawk player on other side now

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    SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jake Bobo is unlike any of his 60-plus teammates on the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks here in the Bay Area.

    He was born and bred in New England, growing up in North Andover on the Brooks School campus where his mom was a top school administrator.

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    By Bill Burt bburt@eagletribune.com

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  • Lake Gibson High School will be all over the Super Bowl

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — The high school football season doesn’t kick off until August, but the Lake Gibson Braves are putting in the work now that hopefully will show up on Friday nights.

    And this offseason, they’ve got extra incentive. Three of their fellow Lake Gibson Braves will be in the Super Bowl.

    What You Need To Know

    • When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots faceoff in the Super Bowl, Lake Gibson High School will be represented in three ways

    • Roy Ellison, Class of 1983, will be officiating. Quinshon Odom, Class of 2010, is an assistant coach for the Seahawks. And Tyrice Knight, Class of 2018, is a linebacker for Seattle

    • All three played football at Lake Gibson


    “Yeah, it gives me hope,” junior linebacker Malachi Moore said. “You know what I’m saying, one in a million chance, so it really just gives us all hope.”

    And it gives the school serious bragging rights. Former Lake Gibson coaches Keith and Doug DeMyer coached two of the alumni that will be in the Super Bowl.

    Going through old yearbooks brought back some fond memories of the glory days.

    On Super Bowl Sunday, referee Roy Ellison, Lake Gibson Class of 1983, Seattle Seahawks offensive assistant coach Quinshon Odom, Class of 2010 and Seahawks linebacker Tryrice Knight, Class of 2018 will be representing the Braves. Roy will be officiating his fourth Super Bowl. Quinshon, the former Lake Gibson quarterback, will be coaching in his first. It will also be a first for Tyrice, who is a big part of the NFL’s sixth-ranked defense.

    “It’s pretty special to have three of them in all three phases,” Keith DeMyer said. “Administration, officiating and a player. It’s just great.”

    These current players can bear witness to dreams really coming true.

    “It opens up some eyes, like we can really do that if we put in the work and do what we’re instructed to do,” Doug DeMyer said. “And take care of things in the classroom and out in the community and we just follow the plan that’s been laid many, many moons ago and obviously the plan is successful.”

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    Katherine Smith

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  • Warriors Agree to Send Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield to Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, AP Source Says

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    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Golden State Warriors found their dependable big man by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from Atlanta and granted forward Jonathan Kuminga his wish to be traded while also dealing guard Buddy Hield to the Hawks, according to a person with knowledge of the swap.

    The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade had not yet been approved by the league.

    Kuminga sat out Tuesday night’s 113-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers because of a bone bruise in his left knee, his fifth straight missed game.

    The Hawks had listed Porzingis — who has recently missed time with an Achilles tendon injury — as questionable for Thursday’s game against Utah because of an illness. Atlanta also acquired center Jock Landale from the Jazz, a person with knowledge of the trade told the AP.

    In mid-January, Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke with Kuminga about being out of the rotation for more than a month and the expectation that he would be traded. However, general manager Mike Dunleavy said on Jan. 20 after Jimmy Butler’s season-ending knee injury that there wasn’t an immediate indication other teams were interested in Kuminga.

    “As far as the demand, I’m aware of that,” Dunleavy said, referencing Kuminga’s trade request. “I think when you, in terms of demands, when you make a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see where that unfolds.”

    Kerr discounted any issues between him and Kuminga as the reason the high-flying forward requested a trade after not being used in 17 of 18 games — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.

    A 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Golden State’s seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Kuminga appeared in 20 games this season with 13 starts, averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

    On Sept. 30, he agreed to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team were to exercise its option for 2026-27. Kuminga had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options and he missed the team’s media day.

    Kuminga missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves last May.

    The 7-foot-2 Porzingis is averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. The Warriors will be the sixth team in 10 seasons for the 30-year-old Latvian nicknamed “The Unicorn” for his combination of length and outside shooting touch.

    AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • No. 2 UCLA women crush Rutgers for 16th straight win

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    LOS ANGELES — It wasn’t much of a tune-up for the showdown that looms this weekend, but there’s little the UCLA women’s basketball team can do about that these days.

    Kiki Rice had 17 points and seven rebounds, and the second-ranked Bruins overwhelmed another overmatched opponent, routing Rutgers, 86-46, on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion for their 16th consecutive victory.

    UCLA (22-1 overall, 12-0 Big Ten), which plays at No. 8 Michigan (20-3, 11-1) on Sunday, has been blowing out opponents by an average of 25-30 points. The Bruins’ last loss came on Nov. 26 against then-No. 4 Texas.

    Gabriela Jaquez added 14 points. Lauren Betts had 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting in 14 minutes, her fewest of the season, for the Bruins.

    The blowout was on from the opening tip. The Bruins’ defense limited the Scarlet Knights (9-14, 1-11) to two 3-pointers in the first quarter, when UCLA led 26-6 after running off 16 straight points.

    Rutgers managed to outscore the Bruins 14-13 in the second but still trailed 40-19 at halftime.

    UCLA dominated the third, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 28-8 for a 68-27 lead while holding them to just three baskets, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Lauryn Swann. Betts scored seven of their first 12 points in the quarter before sitting down for good.

    There was a Betts on the floor in the fourth: Lauren’s younger sister, Sienna. She scored nine of her 11 points in the period.

    Lena Bilic’s 3-pointer gave UCLA its largest lead (43 points) in the fourth.

    Swann led Rutgers with 14 points. The Scarlet Knights committed 18 turnovers that led to 25 points for the Bruins. UCLA controlled the boards 41-18 and owned a 44-14 scoring advantage in the paint.

    UP NEXT

    UCLA visits No. 8 Michigan on Sunday at noon PT in a showdown between the Big Ten’s top two teams.

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    The Associated Press

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  • Avalanche shake off blown lead, reach Olympic break with 4-2 win against Sharks

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    This Colorado Avalanche team with a multi-goal lead remains the safest bet in sports, but this one didn’t come easy.

    The Avs coughed up a two-goal advantage early in the third period, but still defeated the San Jose Sharks, 4-2, Wednesday night at Ball Arena. Colorado reaches the NHL’s break for the 2026 Winter Olympics atop the league standings with 83 points. The 37-9-9 record includes a 32-0-0 mark when leading a game by two or more goals at any point.

    Josh Manson’s blast from the top of the offensive zone gave the Avs the lead with 7:16 remaining. Valeri Nichushkin set him up with his third assist of the night.

    Nathan MacKinnon collected his second assist, which were career Nos. 700 and 701. MacKinnon wasn’t credited with a third assist, but his battle with Macklin Celebrini in the neutral zone helped create an empty-net goal for Brock Nelson with 1:17 remaining.

    San Jose struck twice in the opening four minutes to erase a two-goal deficit.

    Alexander Wennberg carried the puck into the Colorado zone on the right wing and all the way below the goal line. He turned and set up defenseman Timothy Liljegren trailing the play for a one-timer from the right point. The puck went off Parker Kelly’s stick and deflected past Mackenzie Blackwood just 43 seconds into the third.

    Philipp Kurashev evened the score at 3:34. Samuel Girard turned the puck over at the offensive blue line, which led to an odd-man rush for San Jose. Kurashev kept it himself and fooled Blackwood with his shot.

    Lehkonen opened the scoring 65 seconds into the second period. It was a wild scramble in the Sharks crease, and Lehkonen was credited with the goal. Yaroslav Askarov had lunged forward trying to make a save, and by the time the puck crossed the goal line two San Jose players were laying in the blue paint and all three Colorado top-line forwards were digging for it.

    The Finnish forward made it a 2-0 lead at 15:47 of the second. Nichushkin tried to get the puck to MacKinnon during an odd-man rush. His first attempt didn’t get there, and the second was too late for MacKinnon to shoot. He collected it, curled around to the right of the goalie and found Lehkonen in the right circle for a one-timer.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Derrick White (28 points), Celtics romp past host Rockets

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    HOUSTON (AP) — Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 28 points and the Boston Celtics used a big third quarter to build the lead and cruise to a 114-93 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

    White’s performance helped the Celtics win a fourth straight game despite missing star Jaylen Brown, who sat out with left hamstring tightness in the second game of a back-to-back.

    Houston coach Ime Udoka was ejected at the end of the third quarter after receiving a double technical for arguing with officials, and Alperen Sengun was tossed midway through the fourth after receiving two technical fouls for yelling at an official following a no-call.

    The Rockets trailed by four after a 3-pointer by Amen Thompson early in the third before Boston went on an 18-3 run to make it 67-48 with about seven minutes left in the quarter. The Celtics made five 3-pointers in that stretch, with two apiece from White and Baylor Scheierman.

    Thompson made a basket for Houston before Boston used a 10-1 spurt to push the lead to 77-51 with four minutes remaining in the quarter. White led the way during that run, scoring the first eight points, with two 3-pointers.

    Reed Sheppard received a loose ball foul near the end of the quarter and Udoka received two technical fouls after the call and was tossed. Boston converted four free throws off those fouls to make it 87-63 entering the fourth.

    Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 15 points in his return after sitting out Monday with a sprained left ankle. Sengun, who had 39 points and 16 rebounds in Monday’s win over Indiana, had 13 points and nine rebounds.

    Neemias Queta had 10 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, and Luka Garza added 19 points to help the Celtics to the victory.

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    Associated Press

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  • Montana’s Hauck Says He’s Retiring Because He Doesn’t Like Dealing With the Changes in College Game

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    MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Bobby Hauck, coach of perennial FCS power Montana and the Big Sky Conference’s all-time wins leader, announced his sudden retirement Wednesday, saying he didn’t enjoy his job anymore because of the changes in college football in recent years.

    Bobby Kennedy, who finished his first season as receivers coach, will succeed Hauck. Kennedy and Hauck had worked together as assistants at Washington in 2002, and Kennedy also has been on staffs at Texas and three other power conference schools.

    Hauck, 61, had two stints totaling 14 years with the Grizzlies and led the team to eight Big Sky championships, 13 playoff appearances and four national championship games. The 2025 team was 13-2 and reached the national semifinals.

    The Missoula native and Montana graduate was 166-92 in 19 seasons as head coach at Montana and UNLV. He was the winningest active FCS coach with a 151-43 record with the Grizzlies.

    “I want to enjoy my career and my job, and a lot of the head coach stuff in current-day Division I college football is not enjoyable,” Hauck said at a news conference. “I just think it’s the appropriate time.”

    Hauck said he didn’t know what he would do next. He said he doesn’t want to be a head coach again, though.

    Hauck returned to Montana in 2018, and in 2021 new NCAA rules took effect allowing players to transfer without sitting out a season at their new school and to be compensated for their name, image and likeness. Revenue sharing with athletes began last year.

    “Dealing with agents and the transient nature of this and the lack of forward thinking by young people, which has never been a strong suit for centuries for young people. … But now when they’ve got adults pushing them and pulling them in different directions, I kind of got tired of that.”

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

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • Avalanche’s record-selling Pride Night became a ‘Heated Rivalry’ celebration

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    Mary Myers is a huge football fan and loves the Denver Broncos.

    As she put it though, being a women and a fan in male-dominated sports is not always welcoming. Myers and one of her best friends, Andrea Slora, are not big hockey fans. But like many other people, they are very much fans of “Heated Rivalry,” the Canadian television show that streamed on HBOMax in the United States and has become a pop culture phenomenon.

    Myers, who is bisexual, read the “Game Changers” series of books by Canadian author Rachel Reid, on which the show is based, and then was tuned in when the show premiered on Thanksgiving. She recommended it to Slora, who is queer, and both “have been consumed by it.” So much so that Myers was at Ball Arena on Monday night, wearing a sweatshirt featuring the two main characters, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, with Slora, sporting a Boston Raiders shirt with No. 81 and Rozanov on the back.

    Show’s popularity drives ticket sales

    They weren’t alone. It was Pride Night for the Colorado Avalanche, and on the concourses, it was also a celebration of the show that has brought hockey to a whole new audience. Just in the span of a five-minute interview, six people came up to Myers and Slora to compliment them on the shirts they were wearing.

    “One of my close coworkers is a huge Avs fan and she’s also queer,” Slora said. “So I was like, ‘OK, I have a spot here.’ Also, just seeing how into it she is, like she will watch the games when we’re at work and get so into it.”

    The Avalanche has had a Pride Night on the promotional schedule for nearly a decade, and the organization was one of the first sports teams to participate in the Denver Pride Parade. The team did not incorporate specific “Heated Rivalry” themes into its plans for Monday evening, but it was easily its most successful Pride Night.

    Sales on the Pride Night ticket packages were up 47% from last year, which was previously the best-selling night. A portion of the proceeds will go to You Can Play, a campaign that promotes inclusion and hopes to eradicate homophobia in sports.

    There were some allusions to the show — the phrase “Heated Rivalry” was on the scoreboard before the game with the Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings logos, and “All The Things She Said,” which has become synonymous with the show, also played in the arena shortly before puck drop.

    There’s also little question that the popularity of the show and the books helped drive the record sales.

    “Heated Rivalry has been a conversation topic in the office,” Avs marketing director Megan Boyle said. “It’s pretty cool to see how many people that have never even watched hockey or cared too much about hockey have started to take interest in hockey and the Avalanche.

    “I think it just shows that community and a sense of belonging is really important. That’s one of the biggest reasons why we continue to do Pride Night is to be part of our community.”

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Stuttgart defeats Holstein Kiel 3-0 to reach German Cup semifinals

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    Holstein Kiel’s Jonas Therkelsen, center, battles for the ball with VfB Stuttgart’s Josha Vagnoman, left, and Chris Führich during a German Cup soccer match, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 in Kiel, Germany. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

    The Associated Press

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  • Berry and Cindric secure final spots in NASCAR’s Clash after thrilling last chance heat

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    Josh Berry and Austin Cindric claimed the final two spots in NASCAR’s preseason exhibition race by finishing 1-2 in the last chance qualifying heat at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem.

    The Clash was originally scheduled for Sunday and twice postponed because of a snowstorm that blanketed North Carolina and pushed the non-points event to Wednesday.

    Berry ran away with the win in the heat race in the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, a team affiliated with Team Penske. Cindric had a much tougher task as he raced side-by-side for over 15 laps with Corey Lajoie for the second transfer position.

    Lajoie was the injury replacement driver for Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, who is healing from a broken leg suffered in a fall in December. He held his own against fellow Ford driver Cindric, in a Penske entry, as the two jostled back-and-forth for second.

    AJ Allmendinger as they came to the checkered flag gave Cindric a shove in the hopes of moving both Cindric and Lajoie out of his way so that Allmendinger could take the final spot. The move instead pushed Cindric firmly ahead of Lajoie for the final spot in the 200-lap Clash at the historic short track.

    Bowman Gray is hosting The Clash for the second consecutive year. It was held at Daytona International Speedway for 43 years from its inception in 1979 through 2021, then moved for three seasons to a temporary track inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

    Among those who missed making the field for The Clash were Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Todd Gilliland, who both spent a day this week shoveling snow out of the grandstands at Bowman Gray to help NASCAR prepare the facility.

    Kyle Larson, the reigning Cup Series champion, will start the The Clash from the pole alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, the two-time defending Daytona 500 winner.

    Denny Hamlin, who had an emotionally traumatic rollercoaster of an offseason, will start sixth in his first time in a car since he dramatically lost the Cup title in November. Hamlin revealed before the race that he re-injured a torn labrum that was surgically repaired ahead of the 2025 season when he slipped in the debris from the December house fire that killed his father and critically injured his mother.

    He said he’d hold off on repairing it until the end of this upcoming season.

    “I don’t think that it ever healed properly,” Hamlin said. “Took a little fall at my mom’s house, going through all the rubble and stuff, and just didn’t feel right. Got it rescanned and retore it again.”

    Teams report to Daytona International Speedway next week for the Feb. 15 season-opening Daytona 500. Qualifying for the pole is next Wednesday and the rest of the field will be set via a pair of Thursday races.

    ___

    AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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  • Movies/TV Shows to Watch If You Love the Winter Olympics

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    Every four years, we gear up to tune in to watch the Winter Olympics during the coldest months. For just a short time, we’re all suddenly figure skaters, watching hockey, and cheering on our favorites as they go down an icy mountain. Whether it’s the Summer or Winter Olympics, every country is anxiously waiting to see if their country makes the top and snags a medal. But the Winter Olympics also bring out some of our favorite memories.

    While tuning in, you start to remember those TV shows and movies that we all know and love, related to those winter sports. From fictional tales to real-life stories, these films and series capture what makes the Winter Games so great. The rivalry, the competitive spirit, and cozy winter vibes are all we need. So, while you’re tuned into the games, you might as well tune into some of these classics as well.

    Miracle (2004)

    Based on the true story of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” when the underdog U.S. hockey team beat the dominant Soviet squad at the Winter Olympics.

    The Cutting Edge (1992)

    A fun romantic sports film about a temperamental figure skater paired with an ex-hockey player as they train for Olympic figure skating.

    Cool Runnings (1993)

    A feel-good comedy inspired by the Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics — full of heart and laughs.

    Miracle on Ice (1981)

    A classic docudrama of the real-life 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey upset, using actual footage.

    Blades of Glory (2007)

    Over-the-top figure skating comedy (not realistic but fun for the winter vibe). It’s an iconic skating comedy movie if you’ve ever seen one.

    Eddie the Eagle (2016)

    Based on the inspiring (and quirky) story of Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper in 1988.

    Downhill Racer (1969)

    Robert Redford stars in this ski racing drama — a more serious look at competitive skiing. The film explores narcissism, the price of success, and the cold, unfeeling nature of top-tier sports.

    The Nagano Tapes (2018)

    Documentary about the Czech hockey team’s gold medal run at the 1998 Winter Olympics. It is divided into chapters based on major events or games.

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    Randi Moultrie

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  • Mickey Lolich, Hero of the 1968 World Series for the Detroit Tigers, Dies at 85

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    DETROIT (AP) — Mickey Lolich, who had three complete-game victories for the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series, the last Major League Baseball pitcher to post the incredible feat, died Wednesday. He was 85.

    The Tigers said Lolich’s wife told them that he died after a short stay in hospice care. An exact cause of death was not provided.

    Denny McLain was the star of Detroit’s pitching staff in 1968, winning 31 regular-season games. But Lolich was the Most Valuable Player of the Series, with a ERA of 1.67 and a Game 7 road victory over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals.

    Bill Freehan threw off his catcher’s mask and caught a foul pop-up by Tim McCarver for the final out. Lolich jumped into Freehan’s arms — an iconic image of Detroit’s championship season.

    He is No. 23 in career strikeouts with 2,832, ahead of many others who, unlike Lolich, are in the Hall of Fame, and fifth among all lefties, according to baseball-reference.com.

    Lolich was an unlikely hero in 1968. During a reunion of the World Series team, he recalled how manager Mayo Smith had sent him to the bullpen for much of August. He returned to the Tigers’ starting rotation and was 6-1 in the final weeks.

    “I was having a few problems, but I had been a starting pitcher ever since 1964,” said Lolich, who was upset about the bullpen move. “I remember telling him, ‘If we win this thing this year it’s going to be because of me.’ But I was only talking about the season. I wasn’t talking about the World Series.

    “I got my revenge back in the World Series,” he said.

    Lolich pitched Game 7 after only two days of rest. He figured he would get a Corvette from General Motors for being the Series MVP but had to settle for a Dodge Charger GT because Chrysler was the sponsor in 1968.

    “Nothing against Chargers, nothing at all,” Lolich said in his book, “Joy in Tigertown.” “It’s just that I already had two of them in my driveway.”

    Since Lolich, only Arizona’s Randy Johnson in 2001 has won three games in a World Series, though Johnson pitched about 10 fewer innings and was a relief pitcher, not a starter, in Game 7.

    Lolich had a record of 220-192, including the postseason, over a 16-year career, all but three with Detroit. He left baseball after playing for the New York Mets in 1976 but returned with San Diego in 1978-79.

    The left-hander was 25-14 in 1971, striking out 308 batters over 376 innings and finishing second in AL Cy Young award voting. He followed that up with a 22-14 record and 250 strikeouts in 1972.

    After his baseball career, Lolich, a native of Portland, Oregon, was in the doughnut business in suburban Detroit, making and selling them for 18 years.

    “I doubt any other ballplayer has ever made that transition — from the diamond to doughnuts. But I did,” he wrote in his book.

    AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.

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

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • 2 Ohioans named to McDonald’s All-American game

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    OHIO — The 49th annual McDonald’s game brings two Ohioans to the Phoenix hardwood.

    What You Need To Know

    • Anthony Thompson of Western Reserve High School and Geneva and Saniyah of Spire Academy were both named to the games on Feb. 4

    • Hall, a combo guard, averages 20 points per game for her coach Mike Dooley and signed with the University of South Carolina in Nov. 2025

    • Independent scouts and analysts handpicked the rosters from more than 700 nominations

    Anthony Thompson of Western Reserve High School and Geneva and Saniyah of Spire Academy were both named to the games on Feb. 4.

    Thompson plays small forward for coach Michael Brown and averages 22 points per game. He signed with Ohio State University in Oct. 2025.

    Hall, a combo guard, averages 20 points per game for her coach Mike Dooley and signed with the University of South Carolina in Nov. 2025.

    Independent scouts and analysts handpicked the rosters from more than 700 nominations.

    “Nearly five decades into the McDonald’s All American Games, I continue to be amazed by the talent who raise the bar every year, and the fans who show up and show out to support them,” said Elizabeth Campbell, Vice President of Marketing, McDonald’s USA. “We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2026 into this storied legacy and cheer them on as they write the next chapter of basketball history.”

    Ohio residents can watch Hall and Thompson show off their skills in Phoenix on ESPN. The girls’ game is set for 7 p.m., March 31 with the boys’ game following at 9 p.m.

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    Ryan Johnston

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  • IOC open to earlier dates for future Winter Olympics and Paralympics because of warmer temperatures

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    MILAN — Staging future Winter Games as early as January and the Paralympic Winter Games in February is a possibility because of the effects of warmer temperatures, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

    Every Winter Games medal was won in February since the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics opened Jan. 29, and moving to January would likely disrupt scheduling of storied World Cup races and events. It also would more directly clash with NFL and NBA schedules.

    The IOC is now reviewing Olympic Games issues in the first year of Kirsty Coventry’s presidency and changing the winter edition dates is an option.

    “Maybe we are also discussing to bring the Winter Olympics a little bit earlier,” the IOC member overseeing the sports program review, Karl Stoss, told reporters. “To do it in January because it has an implication for the Paralympics as well.”

    The Milan Cortina Paralympic Winter Games will be held March 6-15.

    The IOC has long acknowledged under Coventry’s predecessor Thomas Bach that changing climate is a challenge for finding future hosts and organizing competitions.

    “(March) is very late because the sun is strong enough to melt the snow,” said Stoss, whose home country Austria is a traditional power in Alpine skiing and ski jumping.

    “Maybe the Paralympics will be in February and the other edition will be in January. That would also be a part of our discussion,” he said on the sidelines of the IOC’s eve-of-Olympics meeting in Milan.

    The 100-plus IOC members should meet again in June to make decisions about the Olympic reviews, in a program called “Fit For The Future,” and whether to add new sports and events to the 2030 French Alps Winter Games.

    The French Alps edition is currently expected to run Feb. 1-17 and the 2034 Utah Winter Games from Feb. 10–26.

    ___

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

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  • IOC Open to Earlier Dates for Future Winter Olympics and Paralympics Because of Warmer Temperatures

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    MILAN (AP) — Staging future Winter Games as early as January and the Paralympic Winter Games in February is a possibility because of the effects of warmer temperatures, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

    Every Winter Games medal was won in February since the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics opened Jan. 29, and moving to January would likely disrupt scheduling of storied World Cup races and events. It also would more directly clash with NFL and NBA schedules.

    “Maybe we are also discussing to bring the Winter Olympics a little bit earlier,” the IOC member overseeing the sports program review, Karl Stoss, told reporters. “To do it in January because it has an implication for the Paralympics as well.”

    The Milan Cortina Paralympic Winter Games will be held March 6-15.

    “(March) is very late because the sun is strong enough to melt the snow,” said Stoss, whose home country Austria is a traditional power in Alpine skiing and ski jumping.

    “Maybe the Paralympics will be in February and the other edition will be in January. That would also be a part of our discussion,” he said on the sidelines of the IOC’s eve-of-Olympics meeting in Milan.

    The 100-plus IOC members should meet again in June to make decisions about the Olympic reviews, in a program called “Fit For The Future,” and whether to add new sports and events to the 2030 French Alps Winter Games.

    The French Alps edition is currently expected to run Feb. 1-17 and the 2034 Utah Winter Games from Feb. 10–26.

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

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • 17 former N.C. State athletes join lawsuit alleging abuse by ex-head trainer

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    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seventeen additional former N.C. State male athletes have joined a state lawsuit alleging sexual abuse under the guise of treatment and harassment by the Wolfpack’s former director of sports medicine, pushing the total number to 31 in a case that began with a federal lawsuit from a single athlete more than three years ago.

    What You Need To Know

    • Seventeen additional former N.C. State male athletes have joined a state lawsuit alleging sexual abuse under the guise of treatment and harassment by the Wolfpack’s former director of sports medicine

    • That pushes the total number to 31 in a case that began with a federal lawsuit from a single athlete more than three years ago

    • The complaint filed in Wake County Superior Court late last week expands a case alleging years of misconduct by Robert L. Murphy Jr.

    • Allegations include improper touching of the genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing


    The complaint filed in Wake County Superior Court late last week expands a case alleging years of misconduct by Robert L. Murphy Jr., including improper touching of the genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing.

    All but two of the 31 athletes are “John Doe” plaintiffs to protect anonymity, while two former men’s soccer players are named.

    One is Benjamin Locke, who filed the original complaint in August 2022. The other is one of two athletes who filed their own federal lawsuits in February 2023 and April 2023. The Associated Press typically doesn’t identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted or abused unless the person has spoken publicly about it, which Locke has done.

    Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton, who has represented plaintiffs in each lawsuit, filed to dismiss those pending Title IX lawsuits before moving the case to state-level jurisdiction in September. That complaint added 11 new athletes to bring the total to 14 — and now the case has more than doubled with the latest filing.

    “While it is never good news to hear there are other men that have been suffering in silence due to what they experienced, I am encouraged by the bravery, vulnerability, and willingness of these men to come forward against injustice,” Locke said Monday in a statement released by Sutton.

    In a separate statement, Sutton said: “I hate to say it, but I expect to hear from more men in coming days who were sexually harassed or assaulted by Mr. Murphy.”

    Seth Blum, a Raleigh-based attorney who has represented Murphy, didn’t immediately return an email from The Associated Press on Monday. He has forcefully defended Murphy in past comments, saying he has been falsely accused and there has yet to be “one scrap of credible evidence he assaulted anyone.”

    “Put simply, Robert Murphy did not do this,” Blum said in a statement after the September lawsuit.

    Murphy, at N.C. State from 2012-22, is among nine defendants named individually. Others are school officials accused of negligence in oversight roles.

    The lawsuits outline similar allegations of Murphy’s conduct and the school’s response in failing to stop it, even when concerns reached senior levels of the athletic department. The latest filing describes the 31 former athletes as “victims of sexual assaults, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment” while saying Murphy “violated his position of trust to abuse rather than treat.”

    The allegations from 17 new plaintiffs largely centered on Murphy’s handling and observation of drug testing. Those allegations centered on athletes being instructed to raise their shirt above their chest and lower their shorts or pants to their ankles while Murphy stared at their genitals from a few feet away and sometimes from within the same bathroom stall.

    One athlete described feeling “uncomfortable and vulnerable,” while another was left “feeling humiliated,” according to the lawsuit. In another case, an athlete was so uncomfortable that he couldn’t urinate “even after consuming three Diet Cokes” and had return a day later “to repeat the same invasive process,” the lawsuit said.

    Roughly a half-dozen of the 17 also alleged Murphy improperly touched their genitals during massage or other rehabilitation treatments amid injuries. One athlete dealing with an Achilles tendon injury to his lower leg alleged Murphy began massage treatments but gradually moved higher until reaching the athlete’s groin; that athlete asked Murphy to stop and refused to let Murphy treat him again, according to the complaint.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Associated Press

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  • José Ramírez will get final payment from Guardians in 2051

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    CLEVELAND — José Ramírez will receive his final payment in 2051 under the third baseman’s $175 million, seven-year contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

    What You Need To Know

    • He gets a full no-trade provision and a hotel suite on road trips

    • Ramírez’s deferred money from each season will be payable in 10 equal installments each Dec. 15 starting in the 10th year after it was earned

    • The 33-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year big league career in Cleveland

    His deal, announced Friday, includes annual salaries of $25 million, of which $10 million annually will be deferred.

    Ramírez’s deferred money from each season will be payable in 10 equal installments each Dec. 15 starting in the 10th year after it was earned. His 2026 money will be paid from 2036-45 and his 2032 money from 2042-51.

    He gets a full no-trade provision and a hotel suite on road trips.

    Ramírez earned $72 million from 2022-25 under a $141 million, seven-year deal that had $69 million remaining: $21 million this year, $23 million in 2027 and $25 million in 2028.

    The 33-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year big league career in Cleveland.

    A seven-time All-Star, Ramírez had a career-high 44 stolen bases last season and became the fourth player with multiple seasons of at least 30 home runs and 40 steals. He had a .283 batting average.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Horvat scores twice including OT winner, Islanders come back to beat Penguins – amNewYork

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    Feb 3, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) brings the puck up ice against against the Pittsburgh Penguins during overtime at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

    ELMONT, NY — Bo Horvat converted a breakaway 52 seconds into overtime for his second goal of the game that lifted the New York Islanders to a comeback 5-4 victory on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.

    Off a whiffed shot by Penguins defenseman Brett Kulak in front of the Islanders’ goal, Mathew Barzal shuffled a skittering puck into the path of Horvat, who calmed it, and fired a wrist shot over the glove of netminder Stuart Skinner to end it. 

    “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good,” Horvat, who hadn’t scored since Dec. 30 after contending with a significant injury absence, said. “It’s always good to get on the scoreboard. It’s always great to score and help your team that way.”

    Trailing 4-3 inside 10 minutes to go, defenseman Ryan Pulock’s wrister from the left circle with 4:36 left in regulation forced overtime to cap off a frenzied three-goal stretch in less than seven minutes.

    Pittsburgh’s Justin Brazeau redirected a Brett Kulak shot at the 10:40 mark of the third to put the visitors in front, just 2:03 after Barzal equalized for the Islanders on a deflected one-timer from the blue line.

    With it, the Islanders (31-21-5, 67 points) snapped a two-game losing streak, which helped build a four-point cushion ahead of the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets for the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division — the last automatic playoff berth available — with one game to play before the three-week Olympic break. 

    They also drew within one point of the Penguins for second place in the division.

    “Where we were in the standings, we would have taken it at the start of the year,” Barzal said. “Being two points [apart] in a really tight race… tonight was just massive. You’re playing a team that you’re right there with — down a goal, up a goal, down a goal. Just a great game.”

    Even with the win, they were largely outplayed for the majority of the night, beginning with a first period in which they magically escaped with a 2-1 lead thanks to a late, 75-second explosion. 

    After Anthony Mantha finished a deft one-handed pass from Justin Brazeau to put the visitors up at the 12:04 mark, Horvat drew the Islanders level with a lunging backhander at the left post off a Barzal shot that caromed off the pads of Skinner. 

    With 2.3 seconds left, Matthew Schaefer nabbed the 16th of his superb rookie campaign when he clapped a one-timed slapper fizzing over the glove of Skinner.

    The Penguins knotted it back up 3:52 into the second period when Tommy Novak sent a feed from behind the net to a wide-open Egor Chinakhov, who one-timed the chance home. At the 14:09 mark, Bryan Rust put Pittsburgh in front when, from below the goal line, he banked the puck off Ilya Sorokin and into the net. 

    “This was a game we had to be resilient,” head coach Patrick Roy said. “A game where we had to battle to come back, and that’s what we did.”

    For more on the Islanders, visit AMNY.com

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    Joe Pantorno

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  • Nuggets sit out Spencer Jones, play without a power forward in loss to Pistons

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    DETROIT — Both teams playing in the Motor City on Tuesday were maneuvering their rosters as the trade deadline loomed — one of them more quietly than the other.

    The Pistons were hosting, just a few hours after they sent Jaden Ivey to Chicago in a three-team deal that brought back Kevin Huerter, ex-Nugget Dario Saric and a pick swap. The Nuggets had not completed any trades, but they did have a business decision to make. Spencer Jones embarked on their three-game road trip this week with one game of eligibility remaining on his two-way contract and a back-to-back against two of the East’s best awaiting Denver.

    With Christian Braun returning from an ankle injury and supplying David Adelman with another body to work with in Detroit, the Nuggets elected to rest Jones on Tuesday and delay his last game 24 hours until New York, sources said. Jones told The Denver Post last week that the Nuggets’ front office has told him he might have to sit out games even if he ends up joining the 15-man roster on a standard contract this month.

    Without him, the Nuggets clawed back from a 20-point deficit to get within two late in the fourth quarter, but the Pistons held on for a 124-121 win at Little Caesar’s Arena. A fortuitous shooter’s bounce for Tobias Harris with 1:46 left stretched Detroit’s lead to 115-110 as Denver struggled to land the comeback’s final punch. Moments later, Peyton Watson was a millisecond late to block a Cade Cunningham layup off the backboard, a play that would’ve given Denver a chance to tie while down three.

    “The challenge for us right now is with all the things that are happening — people coming back, the minute restrictions — we have to avoid paying attention to that, and we just have to play,” Adelman said. “And deal with it as we go. We’re going to have some clunky moments. The rotation is different. We tried different things tonight. Just trying to fit people into the minutes that can play.”

    “It’s a little bit different for us right now,” Nikola Jokic said, “but I think it’s part of the (league).”

    The healthy scratch of Jones was essentially a money-saving tactic for Nuggets ownership. Players on two-way deals can be active for up to 50 NBA games in a regular season. Jones may be on the verge of a promotion that would dispense with that limit if the Nuggets can balance their books with a trade by Thursday afternoon. But their primary goal, to get under the luxury tax, is evident in that they’ve gone through half of the season with an open roster spot. Nothing in a rulebook would’ve prevented them from converting Jones’ contract on Tuesday (or earlier) if they wanted him available for Detroit.

    Instead, they were operating without a power forward. Aaron Gordon is also sidelined as he recovers from a hamstring strain. Adelman rolled out Braun, Peyton Watson and Jalen Pickett in the starting unit alongside his two stars, foreshadowing a night of finagling. He tried everything from four-guard lineups to a jumbo package.

    “I am feeling it out, man. Like, I’m feeling it out every game,” Adelman said. “We walk through stuff in a hotel room, and I pre-suppose lineups and put them out there in their sandals. And then we go play. Then you have to react during the game. And that’s part of the NBA, so there’s no excuses there, either. It’s just, I was trying to find a group that had some rhythm. We found a couple, but the end of the first half just killed us.”

    The Pistons (37-12) swept the season series and got under Denver’s skin in the process. Their frontcourt played its usual chippy style, and Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas caused a brief skirmish in the first quarter by putting Isaiah Stewart in a headlock under the basket. Newly minted Pistons All-Star Jalen Duren exchanged shoves with Valanciunas. Both received technical fouls. Valanciunas also picked up a flagrant for the play on Stewart.

    By halftime, both head coaches and Pistons guard Duncan Robinson had been handed technicals as well. Jamal Murray and Stewart jawed back and forth a couple of times. Cade Cunningham got into foul trouble in the third frame but also earned 11 free throws himself — a stat that agitated Adelman after the game in contrast to Jokic’s three. In search of a bigger power forward, the first-year head coach started playing Jokic at the four in a double-big lineup with Valanciunas to match Detroit’s size and physicality.

    Both centers started the fourth quarter after Denver had trimmed a 20-point deficit back to 13. Julian Strawther chipped in as the rally intensified, lending support on the glass and pushing the pace.

    “He was playing aggressive and trying to force the issue a little bit,” Murray. “It was good to see him just get a flow.”

    The Nuggets couldn’t buy a bucket early. They missed their first seven 3s while falling behind by double digits and shot 31.8% from the field in the first half. But they were able to linger despite a “weird energy” that Adelman wasn’t pleased with, until a disastrous two-minute stretch to end the half. Three consecutive turnovers — two by Jokic — fueled a 10-0 Pistons run that pushed the lead to 69-50. Detroit scored 26 fast break points on the night, a “ridiculous” number, Adelman said.

    “They’re handsy,” said Jokic, who was visibly frustrated by non-calls throughout the night. “They have some really good personnel. … I think the second half was much better for us.

    “We had, I’m gonna say, like a good half of basketball.”

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    Bennett Durando

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