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  • Piedmont to play home basketball game without spectators after fight with San Leandro

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    Piedmont’s league game Wednesday against Bishop O’Dowd will have no fans in the stands.


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    Nathan Canilao, Christian Babcock

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  • Shaquille O’Neal Calls 2006 Miami Heat Title His Favorite, as Team Celebrates 20th Anniversary

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    MIAMI (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal played for four NBA championship teams. And now, 20 years after his last title, he has one that he can call his favorite.

    It was the one he got with the Miami Heat.

    The Heat brought back their 2006 title team for a two-day, 20th anniversary celebration this week, with a gala on Monday followed by an on-court event for fans to see at their home game against Atlanta on Tuesday. Most of the team was in attendance, including O’Neal — who offered what may be a mildly surprising assessment of that championship run.

    “I’m going to throw a word out there that’s probably going to shock the basketball world,” O’Neal said. “It’s my favorite one because we were not supposed to win and it was one that I was pressured to win. I needed to get it done before the other guy got his fourth.”

    “The other guy” that O’Neal was referring to was Kobe Bryant. He and Bryant won three titles together with the Los Angeles Lakers, then the relationship went south and the Lakers traded O’Neal to Miami in the summer of 2004.

    Bryant eventually got his fourth and fifth titles to pass O’Neal, and the two teammates-turned-rivals mended fences to a certain extent before Bryant — along with his daughter Gianna and seven others — died in a helicopter crash six years ago.

    But at that time, O’Neal felt a ton of pressure to get one without Bryant. And the Heat, in those days, were a bit of a powderkeg that found a way to buck the odds.

    “We were a bunch of misfits that used to argue and fight and do things very untraditionally,” said O’Neal, who estimated the Heat had about 40 internal fights that season and all of them blew over almost immediately. “But we never not got along and that’s what made it special.”

    That’s the way the 2006 Heat were wired, which is why O’Neal didn’t take it personally when Miami lost the first two games of that season’s finals to the Dallas Mavericks. O’Neal told the story Tuesday of how Gary Payton — a guard on that Miami team — cursed him out after Game 2, saying Dwyane Wade needed the ball more if the Heat were going to win the series.

    “I decided to ruffle some feathers,” Payton said, confirming that he went to coach Pat Riley and asked for changes, then told O’Neal it was time for Wade to carry the torch for the Heat.

    Wade dominated the next four games. Payton made a huge shot to help Miami win Game 3. The Heat won the title in six games. The fights led to a parade. It was all worthwhile.

    “We had a perfect eight-man rotation,” Riley said. “I apologize to numbers 9 through 15, but they used to whip (butt) every day in practice on these guys, I can tell you that. Made them better.”

    So, O’Neal’s last of his four titles was his favorite.

    And for Wade, the first of his three titles was his favorite.

    “I never won in high school, I didn’t win in college — I got to the Final Four. I was that guy that got close,” Wade said. “AAU, I got to the final four, I went to the championship, but I never won one. So, that was the first time in my life that I showed myself that I can actually lead a team to help win the championship because I didn’t know. And so, it would be my favorite because of that.”

    Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, an assistant under Riley on that 2006 team, said having most of the team back together for two days was a thrill. He, Riley, the ownership group led by managing general partner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison, executive vice president and general manager Andy Elisburg and a slew of other executives (including 2006 players Alonzo Mourning and Udonis Haslem) and team officials are still in Miami — which Spoelstra thinks sets the Heat apart.

    “Other teams that have won championships, they try to bring back a group (and) it’s probably a different ownership group, different management, different coaching staff, a lot of different things,” Spoelstra said. “But this, it just brings you back. It’s like an instant time machine. It was an amazing run and it kind of put our franchise on a different kind of map in this league.”

    Coaches, executives and all but three of the players from that 2006 team were introduced at halftime for an on-court ceremony Tuesday, all wearing custom jackets to celebrate that championship.

    “This will forever be everyone’s favorite because it was the first one and this is the one that really set whatever standard that we’re still living by here,” Wade said. “This set the standard of that because without this championship, (there) ain’t no culture. And so, that’s how we can even stand on ‘Heat Culture’ and the words that we say because of the championship that was brought here in ’06.”

    And O’Neal, ever the jokester, paid off a 20-year bet with Wade and Haslem. He said he would get them Bentleys if the Heat won that title. He presented them with the Bentleys at halftime Tuesday — toy versions, but Bentleys nonetheless.

    “Are you not entertained?” O’Neal asked, as the crowd roared.

    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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  • BetMGM Updates Terms to Explicitly Ban Athlete Harassment

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    Online gaming and sports betting giant BetMGM announced that it has updated its terms of service, introducing new rules to shield athletes from harassment. The changes come amid a broader push against betting-motivated athlete harassment.

    BetMGM Wants to Protect the Sports Sector’s Integrity

    In its announcement, the betting company said that its terms of service now include wording that explicitly prohibits athlete harassment. As a result, BetMGM customers who are found to have abused professional sports players or personnel would now have their accounts suspended.

    For comparison, the previous terms allowed account suspension for “any lawful reason,” but did not include specific wording surrounding athlete harassment. The latest changes highlight the operator’s zero-tolerance policy toward bad behavior toward sports personalities.

    As mentioned, the changes come amid a push against the prevalence of cases of disgruntled sports bettors who harass athletes after losing a wager. Cases of harassment have plagued both the online sports discourse and live events.  

    The refreshed terms of service are subject to necessary regulatory approvals, BetMGM added.

    Rhea Loney, BetMGM’s chief compliance officer, commented on the changes to the operator’s terms of service, saying that they underscore the company’s “unwavering commitment to sports integrity.”

    Our legal, regulated environment enables us to identify misconduct, investigate reports, and take action when necessary. Any confirmed instance of harassment will result in decisive measures, including account suspension.

    Rhea Loney, chief compliance officer, BetMGM

    Barry Sanders, a football legend and BetMGM brand ambassador, praised the operator’s initiative, saying that respect is a key element of professional sport.

    As a professional athlete, I know how important respect is — both on and off the field. BetMGM is sending a strong message that harassment has no place in sports or sports betting. I’m proud to see BetMGM protecting athletes and promoting integrity.

    Barry Sanders, brand ambassador, BetMGM

    The latest update is also in line with the operator’s broader compliance and integrity initiatives, which have included a strong focus on responsible gaming.

    In other news, BetMGM recently announced that it has awarded a staggering $122.1 million in progressive jackpots in 2025 alone.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Olympics 2026: Meet Team USA’s curling team including mixed doubles, men’s, and women’s

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    The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics officially begin on Friday, February 6. And with them come the deceptively exciting sport of curling. The winter team sport, which first became an Olympic sport in 1924, is played on ice where two teams of four take turns sliding 42-pound granite stones towards a target.

    In 2018, Team USA made history when the men’s curling team won the gold medal at the PyeongChang Olympics. But, in women’s and mixed doubles – which premiered at the 2018 Olympics – Team USA has yet to clinch a medal spot.

    So, who is competing for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics in curling? Here’s everything we know about the athletes and their unique sport.

    © Getty Images

    Mixed Doubles – Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse

    Mixed Doubles curling was introduced at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. The United States has yet to medal in the sport. Competing in the category at the 2026 Olympics in Milan are Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse.

    Korey, 30, started curling when he was just five years old. He was inspired by his family’s involvement in the sport. Korey grew up in Wayland, Massachusetts before moving to Duluth, Minnesota to hone his curling skills. And his older brother, Stephen Dropkin, also competed for Team USA at the World University Games in 2015.

    Korey’s teammate, also named Corey, 31, is a lifelong curler. She was born and raised in the unofficial curling capital of America – Duluth, Minnesota. In 2018, Corey competed in Pyeongchang for the women’s team and placed eighth. Outside of curling, she is married to Sam Thiesse and works as a lab technician.

    Team USA's men's curlers© Instagram

    Men’s Team Casper – Danny Casper, Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, Aidan Oldenburg, and Rich Ruohonen

    The men’s team is USA’s best hope at medalling in curling. They last medaled in PyeongChang when they won the gold medal after defeating Sweden. 

    This year’s team is led by 24-year-old Danny Casper. He started curling when he was 11 after his dad got him into the sport. During the 2024-2025 season, Danny was diagnosed with autoimmune disease, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which sometimes causes him to struggle at times to walk and use his hands. In Milan, his teammates will help him clean his rock on the ice if he has trouble with his hands.

    Also on the men’s team is Luc Violette, 26, who is the son of the two-time national champion, Tom Violette. Off the ice, Luc is an engineer. He uses engineering in curling when he calculates the right shot.

    Ben Richardson, 27, is the team’s second. He was born in the tropical city of Miami, but was encouraged by his grandmother from Canada to get into curling. Outside of curling, Ben is a musician who plays the cello.

    Joining Danny, Luc, and Ben is Aidan Oldenburg, 24. He started curling at 10 and was the captain of the Valorant esports team when he was a student at Minnesota State. Aidan also dreams of becoming an environmental scientist.

    The team’s alternate is Rich Ruohonen, 54, who will be the oldest American to ever compete at the Winter Olympics.

    Team USA's women's curlers© Instagram

    Women’s Team Peterson – Tabitha Peterson Lovick, Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson, Taylor Anderson-Heide, and Aileen Geving

    The best finish for Team USA’s women came in 2006 when they placed fourth at the Winter Games in Turin. Maybe Italy is their good luck charm! 

    This year’s team is led by Tabitha Peterson Lovick, 36. Like many other Olympic curlers, she started in the sport when she was young. Her career quickly took off. Tabitha won back-to-back junior national championships and a bronze medal in 2010 at the junior world championships. Milan will be Tabitha’s third Olympics – she competed in Beijing and PyeongChang.

    Her younger sister, Tara Peterson, 34, is also competing in Milan. Tara made her Olympic debut in 2022 at the Beijing Games. Outside of curling, she is a dentist in Minnesota, is married to her husband Jon, and is mom to her son Edawrd.

    Making her Olympic debut is Taylor Anderson-Heidi, 30. She began curling alongside her identical twin, Sarah Anderson. She is a successful curler, finishing in the top three at two different U.S.Olympic Trials. In 2024, she tied the knot with her husband, Ryan Heide.

    Corey Thiesse is competing on the women’s team as well as the mixed doubles. And the team’s alternate is Aileen Geving, 38, who also competed in Beijing and PyeongChang.

    Team United States compete against Team Norway during the Curling Mixed Doubles© Getty Images

    What is curling?

    Curling, which first launched at the Olympics in 1924, is played on a sheet of ice between two teams of four players each. During the game, teams take turns throwing eight stones. After all the stones are thrown, the team with the stone closest to the center of the target scores points.

    It’s called curling because the stones curl to the right or left as they glide down the ice. Curlers have brooms and sweep the ice to allow the stone to travel further.

    Team United States compete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games© Getty Images

    What country is the best at curling?

    While the U.S. dominates most Olympics, they have only won gold in curling once. The country who is typically most dominant in curling is Canada. They have won 12 Olympic medals. Another powerhouse is Sweden, who won gold in 2022.

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    Tess Hill

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  • E-40 and Too $hort to bring Bay Area hip-hop to NFL Honors stage

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    LOS ANGELES — Rap legends E-40 and Too $hort will bring Bay Area hip-hop flavor to the NFL Honors stage, performing during the league’s annual awards show Thursday night in San Francisco.

    NFL Honors will be held at the Palace of Fine Arts and air at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and NFL Network, with streaming available on Peacock.

    Actor Jon Hamm will host the NFL Honors, which will celebrate the league’s top performances from the 2025 season and announce the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

    Presenters include Tiffany Haddish, Tracy Morgan, Druski, Rich Eisen and Madelyn Cline along with current and former NFL players such as Michael Strahan, Steve Young, Micah Parsons and Kurt Warner.

    Too $hort and E-40’s performance adds a distinct Bay Area presence to Super Bowl week festivities, bringing hometown hip-hop legends to one of the NFL’s most high-profile stages.

    With a three decade-plus career, E-40 is known for his unorthodox rap flow, schooling listeners with life lessons through his street-wise perspective.

    Too $hort has solidified himself as a rap icon with hit songs like “What’s My Favorite Word?,” “Blow the Whistle,” “Shake That Monkey” and “The Ghetto.”

    The Super Bowl, which is being held at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday, features the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Bad Bunny is the halftime performer.

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  • Vonn ‘confident’ she can race at Olympics with ruptured ACL in left knee

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    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn has done this before. And succeeded.

    The 41-year-old American skiing standout is “confident” she can compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics despite a torn ACL from a crash four days ago.

    Vonn said that the damage to her left knee was a “completely ruptured” ACL, bone bruising “plus meniscal damage.”

    After three days of physical therapy and doctors’ advice, Vonn tried skiing on Tuesday. She did not appear to be limping as she entered and exited a news conference.

    “My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” Vonn said. “And as long as there’s a chance, I will try . . . I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.”

    Vonn crashed in a World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on Friday and ended up in the safety nets. After skiing to the bottom of the course she was taken to hospital.

    Vonn is expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Winter Games, which start Friday with the opening ceremony. Her first race comes two days later in the women’s downhill. She also plans on competing in super-G and the new team combined event.

    The opening women’s downhill training session is scheduled for Thursday.

    “My intention,” Vonn said, “is to race everything.”

    Vonn has had numerous crashes and injuries in her career. One of her worst was at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria during a super-G that was also held in difficult conditions.

    Vonn tore her right knee. She returned the following season, got hurt again and missed the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

    She was also battered up before the 2019 world championships but took bronze in downhill before going into a nearly six-year retirement.

    “I’ve been in this position before. I know how to handle it,” Vonn said. “I feel a lot better now than I did in 2019 . . . And I still got a medal there with no LCL and three tibial plateau fractures. So, like I said, this is not an unknown for me. I’ve done this before.”

    She persevered through a bruised shin that she treated with topfen cheese before winning gold in downhill at the 2010 Games.

    “I don’t need topfen now. My knee isn’t swollen,” Vonn said.

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

    Teammate Bella Wright said Vonn has what it takes — a strong mental state — to ski through her injuries.

    “If anyone can do it, it’s Lindsey,” Wright said.

    Breezy Johnson, the downhill and combined world champion, was in a similar situation to Vonn at Cortina during a World Cup weekend in 2022.

    “I’ve tried and failed to ski this course with no ACL and that doesn’t mean that she can’t do it,” Johnson said. “There are more athletes that ski without ACLs and with knee damage than what we talk about.”

    Andrea Panzeri, the chief physician for the Italian Winter Sports Federation, said numerous athletes have competed at elite level with a torn ACL and other severe knee issues.

    Vonn’s fellow downhiller Sofia Goggia came back to win a silver medal at the 2022 Olympics weeks after spraining her left knee, partially tearing her ACL and suffering a “minor fracture” of the fibula bone in her leg — plus some tendon damage.

    Italian freetsyle skier Flora Tabanelli tore the ACL in her right knee in November but put off surgery until after the Olympics.

    Tabanelli is 18, though.

    “But (Vonn) has experience, the physical ability and the experience on this course,” Panzeri said. “If she decides to try and race, it’s because her clinical condition and her doctors are allowing her to. She doesn’t have anything to lose. I think it’s worth a try.”

    Vonn made a stunning comeback last season after nearly six years away. Skiing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has been the circuit’s leading downhiller this season with two victories and three other podium finishes in five races.

    Including super-G, Vonn completed eight World Cup races and finished on the podium in seven of them. Her worst finish was fourth.

    Women’s skiing during the Games will be in Cortina, where Vonn holds the World Cup record with 12 wins.

    She has won three Olympic medals: Gold in downhill and bronze in super-G in 2010 and bronze in downhill in 2018.

    It hasn’t just been about recovery for Vonn these past few days.

    On her way to Cortina, she stopped at the grave of her childhood coach Erich Sailer, who died in August aged 99.

    Sailer coached Vonn at Buck Hill in Minnesota. He’s buried just outside Innsbruck, Austria.

    Vonn said she shed some tears during the graveside visit – the only tears she’s shed these past few days.

    “I miss him. And I know exactly what he would say to me right now. And it definitely gives me additional hope that I know that he would support me,” Vonn added.

    “He would say, ‘It’s only 90 seconds. What’s 90 seconds in a lifetime? It’s nothing. You can do it.’” Vonn said. “That’s what he said to me before my last run in Are, and I know he would say it to me again today.”

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    Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott contributed.

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

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  • Minnesota athletes head into the Winter Olympics with concerns about turmoil

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    ST. PAUL, Minn. — As excitement has built and focus has sharpened in preparation for the Winter Olympics, biathlete and Minnesota native Luci Anderson has been jarred at times by thoughts of home.

    One day last week, while Anderson watched from Italy, her family members marched among thousands of people through downtown Minneapolis in protest of the immigration crackdown that has wracked the city.

    Anderson said she struggles to keep sports in perspective.

    “It’s kind of hard being over here feeling like I’m doing this thing that does not matter,” Anderson, 25, said in a video interview with The Associated Press. “It matters, but in the grand scheme of things it’s like, ‘Wow, my people back home are fighting for people’s rights, and I’m over here just skiing.’ It’s kind of an odd contrast to be trying to chase my dreams but also wanting to support the people that are at home fighting for what’s right.”

    The U.S. Olympic contingent in Italy counts 26 athletes who are native to Minnesota, trailing only Colorado (32) for the most by state. About a dozen others either call Minnesota home now or compete and train there in sports like curling or hockey.

    Many of them are coming to the Winter Games with mixed feelings: excited about competing in the Olympics but anxious about the situation in their home state.

    Alpine ski star Lindsey Vonn, who grew up in Minnesota, said during a news conference Tuesday that her heart is heavy for everyone back home.

    “I think the best thing I can do is to do exactly what I said, stand tall and have hope and show the world what America is, who we are as people, because we are more than what’s happening right now,” she said. “The best thing I can do is represent us well. And it is a privilege to be here. I don’t take that lightly. I always do my best to make our country proud, and I hope I can do that in these Games.”

    President Donald Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented migrants, sending federal law enforcement officials into cities like Minneapolis as part of the push. It was one of his signature promises for his second term in office. But last month, two fatal shootings by federal officials of U.S. citizens sparked a broad backlash against the crackdown — including in Minnesota itself.

    Lee Stecklein, one of five natives of the state on the women’s hockey team, said she hopes to “represent Minnesota well” at the Games.

    “The world is watching. Not just here. They’ll be watching us at the Olympics, and it’s a good time to shine a light on some of the things going on here,” she said.

    Stecklein spoke after a recent practice in St. Paul with the Minnesota Frost, the Professional Women’s Hockey League team that counts three of the other four Minnesotans on the U.S. Olympic squad: Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle.

    The Frost played a home game the day after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and emotions in the arena were high.

    “Representing our country, representing our state, we get to do it at a sporting event, but there’s so many people that do it on a daily basis, that do it with grace and humility and selflessness and with love and care for their neighbor,” Pannek said.

    Jessie Diggins, the top-ranked cross-country skier in the world, grew up in the Twin Cities metro area. She recently posted on social media how difficult she has found being so far away during the unrest and how determined she will be to honor the people in her state.

    “I’m racing for an American people who stand for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty and respect for others. I do not stand for hate or violence or discrimination,” Diggins said.

    Her cross country teammate, Zak Ketterson, echoed that pride in calling the Twin Cities his home.

    “Despite the recent turmoil and sad events in the city, I know it doesn’t reflect the kindness and love of the people who live here,” Ketterson said on Instagram.

    Biathlete Margie Freed, who’s also from Minneapolis, told AP in a video interview from Italy that she was inspired by people demonstrating against the immigration crackdown at home.

    “Seeing all of the people come together, whether it’s like a little vigil or it’s driving someone where they need to go, it’s really heartwarming and it shows that there’s a lot of love,” Freed said.

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    Bellisle reported from Seattle.

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

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  • Florida’s DeSantis and MLB commissioner support new Rays stadium in Tampa

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday in supporting a proposed new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, a project that could determine whether the franchise remains in the region long term.

    The Rays are under lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through at least the 2028 season, but the Trop sustained significant hurricane damage in 2024 and a $1.3 billion redevelopment deal fell through last year, raising new questions about the future of the team, which is under new ownership.

    The newly proposed ballpark would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    While the governor and commissioner both said they believe baseball belongs in Tampa Bay, few specifics were offered during a news conference in Tampa, including how much the proposal would cost or when it would be completed.

    “In the coming days, you’ll see the first renderings of our new development and ballpark, the new forever home of the Tampa Bay Rays that will serve as a catalyst for this new community,” Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said.

    Manfred noted that the key to economic success for most sports franchises is a strong partnership between the team, the community and the local government.

    “Today’s an important day, a milestone along a path that I believe will lead to the Tampa Bay Rays being a part of this community for decades to come,” Manfred said.

    Last month, the Rays signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement with Tampa’s Hillsborough College to build a multiuse facility on a 113-acre site along Dale Mabry Boulevard. The project has been compared to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves play. The development would include a hotel, residential and retail areas along with multiple restaurants and bars.

    The Hillsborough County Commission will discuss the stadium proposal during its regular meeting on Wednesday. An agenda item posted on the county’s website notes that the Rays have expressed intent to “bear a minimum of 50% of the cost of the construction of a ballpark.”

    In that document, the team noted it would redevelop the Hillsborough College campus as a mixed-use campus district with retail, restaurants, entertainment, multifamily residential areas, hotels and a new building for classroom and administrative uses.

    The remainder of the cost, which hasn’t yet been made public, would be left to public funding of some kind.

    It’s unclear whether the county or city would be open to using local financing, which could include a local bed tax, for the project.

    Any framework of funding for the stadium would have to be presented to the county commission, the city of Tampa and the Tampa Sports Authority for consideration.

    DeSantis, while expressing full support for the proposal, said the state would not contribute direct funding to the stadium but could assist with road improvements and relocating a nearby juvenile justice facility.

    The Rays have played 27 of their 28 seasons at Tropicana Field, located across Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg. Last season, the team played at Steinbrenner Field due to damage to Tropicana Field caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. The Category 5 storm shredded the roof off the domed stadium, which took over a year to repair.

    The storm damage and the rising costs of repairs and new construction contributed to Stuart Sternberg’s decision to withdraw from a proposed deal with St. Petersburg last year and sell the team.

    Babby is part of the new ownership group, which includes Patrick Zalupski, the CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes Inc., and Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage in Ohio. Babby also leads Fast Forward Sports Group, which owns minor league teams in Jacksonville, Florida, and Akron, Ohio.

    Repairs at the Trop are complete, and the team is scheduled to return for the 2026 season.

    The Rays are on the clock. Their lease at the Trop could be extended past 2028 until a stadium is completed. But no specifics have been addressed.

    Through the years, there have been talks of relocating the team to Orlando or elsewhere.

    On Tuesday, Manfred reiterated he does not view the new proposal as a last-ditch effort to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay.

    “I do think we’re at a point in the history of the club that something needs to get done, but I would be hesitant to characterize it as it’s this or never again,” Manfred said.

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  • Speedskater, bobsledder picked as US flagbearers for Winter Olympics

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    Speedskater Erin Jackson already has made history, as the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics. Bobsledder Frank Del Duca is a sergeant in the Army, hailing from a family with deep Italian roots.

    They might be the perfect pair to lead the U.S. into the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

    Jackson, 33, and Del Duca, 34, were selected by a group of their fellow Olympians as the U.S. flagbearers for Friday night’s opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Games. Jackson will become the eighth U.S. speedskater to carry the flag into an Olympics, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said, while Del Duca will be the first bobsledder to carry the flag into an opening in 70 years.

    “Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said in a statement Tuesday from the USOPC. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

    It will be an unusual opening ceremony, given that these are the most spread-out Olympics ever. The main ceremony is in Milan; there will be other ceremonies and athlete parades in the Italian cities of Predazzo, Livigno and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

    And for Del Duca, the top U.S. bobsled pilot in both two- and four-man racing, an already-special Olympic opportunity in his family’s homeland just got even more significant. He said Tuesday that he was surprised by the flagbearer nod.

    “I grew up with a lot of Italian and Italian-American influence in my life,” Del Duca said in an interview with The Associated Press last month. “Three out of my four grandparents were Italian. My name is Frank Joseph Del Duca IV. It’s not the most Italian name, but it’s clearly Italian.

    “I grew up on the food. I grew up in that Italian American culture. So much of my life has been Italian American, which is not the same as Italian, but we’re very proud of our ancestry.”

    U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was picked to carry the American flag at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but tested positive for COVID-19 — forcing the postponement of her flag-carrying chance until the closing ceremony of those games. She was replaced at the Beijing opening by speedskater Brittany Bowe, and this time, it’s Jackson’s turn to have that moment.

    Del Duca was fourth in both two- and four-man at last season’s world championships on his home track in Lake Placid, New York. He made his Olympic debut at Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in both races.

    Now, he wears his country’s colors in the Olympics again. That means the world to any athlete. It’s especially significant to Del Duca as a member of the Army — and even more so, he insists, with these games in his family’s homeland.

    “It means a lot. It really does. It means a lot,” Del Duca said. “It would be cool anywhere, but the fact that it’s in Italy, I think our family is just that much more excited. My grandparents are no longer around, but they always rooted for Italy and the U.S. And they said the perfect day would be the Italians and the Americans tying for gold. So, yes, this is cool. It’s a cool opportunity.”

    ___

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

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  • Players, fans and media kick off Super Bowl week

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    Super Bowl week is underway as thousands of journalists, analysts and fans went to the San Jose convention center Monday to ask players and coaches about Super Bowl LX. Kris Van Cleave reports.

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    Scorecard: Sri Lanka vs England, third T20

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  • Speedskater Erin Jackson, Bobsledder Frank Del Duca Picked as US Flagbearers for Winter Olympics

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been chosen as the U.S. flagbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

    Jackson, 33, is the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games. Del Duca, a 34-year-old Army sergeant, is the first bobsledder in 70 years to carry the flag into an opening ceremony.

    The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the names on Tuesday. It’s the third Olympics for Jackson, the second for Del Duca.

    “Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

    Del Duca, with deep Italian roots, finds the opportunity especially meaningful as the games are in Italy. The opening ceremony will be unique, with events spread across several Italian cities.

    U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was picked to carry the American flag into the opening ceremony at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but tested positive for COVID-19 — forcing the postponement of her flag-carrying chance until the closing ceremony of those Winter Games. She was replaced at the Beijing opening by speedskater Brittany Bowe, and this time, it’s Jackson’s turn to have that moment.

    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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  • 3 Alberta junior hockey players killed in crash heading to practice

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    STAVELY, Alberta — Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a vehicle crash while heading to practice.

    RCMP said it responded to the crash at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely — about an hour’s drive south of Calgary. JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, British Columbia, and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama, were killed.

    Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a social media post, offered condolences to the players’ families and teammates.

    “The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer,” Smith said. “In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear.”

    RCMP said the crash involved a northbound semi truck pulling gravel and a small passenger vehicle going east. The driver of the semi, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries.

    The U.S. Premier Hockey League team said on Facebook that it is working closely with authorities and is asking for privacy for the players’ families.

    “There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,” the team said. “These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home. We are a family, and today our family is hurting.”

    At the town’s arena, three white and red jerseys with the last names of the players were draped over a table, along with three upright hockey sticks.

    The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association said in a statement that Casorso and Wright grew up in the B.C. organization. Casorso played from 2012 to 2025 and Wright from 2011 to 2025.

    “Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs,” the statement said. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”

    The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League also offered support on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them,” the team said.

    News of the crash evoked memories of another deadly crash involving a junior hockey team.

    In April 2018, 16 people were killed and 13 injured when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League crashed. The team had been on its way to a playoff game when a semi truck went through a stop sign and into the path of the bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.

    The mayor of Humboldt expressed condolences to the Alberta team on Facebook.

    “We stand with your community as you mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” Mayor Rob Muench said.

    ___

    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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  • Football, politics and protest: This year’s Super Bowl comes at a tinderbox moment in the US

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    WASHINGTON — Don’t tune into the Super Bowl hoping for a break from the tumultuous politics gripping the U.S.

    The NFL is facing pressure ahead of Sunday’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots to take a more explicit stance against the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. More than 184,000 people have signed a petition calling on the league to denounce the potential presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Super Bowl, which is being held at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area. The liberal group MoveOn plans to deliver the petition to the NFL’s New York City headquarters on Tuesday.

    Meanwhile, anticipation is building around how Bad Bunny, the halftime show’s Spanish-speaking headliner, will address the moment. He has criticized President Donald Trump on everything from his hurricane response in his native Puerto Rico to his treatment of immigrants. On Sunday night, he blasted ICE while accepting an award at the Grammys. His latest tour skipped the continental U.S. because of fears that his fans could be targeted by immigration agents.

    Trump has said he doesn’t plan to attend this year’s game, unlike last year, and he has derided Bad Bunny as a “terrible choice.” A Republican senator is calling it “the woke bowl.” And a prominent conservative group plans to hold an alternative show that it hopes will steal attention from the main event.

    The Super Bowl is one of the few remaining cultural touchstones viewed by millions of people in real time and the halftime show is no stranger to controversy, perhaps most notably Janet Jackson’s 2004 performance in which her breast was briefly exposed. But there are few parallels to this year’s game, which has the potential to become an unusual mix of sports, entertainment, politics and protest. And it will unfold at a tinderbox moment for the U.S., just two weeks after Alex Pretti’s killing by federal agents in Minneapolis reignited a national debate over the Trump administration’s hard-line law enforcement tactics.

    “The Super Bowl is supposed to be an escape, right? We’re supposed to go there to not have to talk about the serious things of this country,” said Tiki Barber, a former player for the New York Giants who played in the Super Bowl in 2001 and has since attended several as a commentator. “I hope it doesn’t devolve, because if it does, then I think we’re really losing touch with what’s important in our society.”

    The 31-year-old Bad Bunny, born in Puerto Rico as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has elevated Latino music into the mainstream and gained global fame with songs almost entirely in Spanish — something that irks many of his conservative detractors. He has leaned into the controversy, referring to the halftime show when he hosted “Saturday Night Live” in October by joking “everybody is happy about it — even Fox News.”

    He segued into a few sentences in Spanish, expressing Latino pride in the achievement, and finished by saying in English, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn!”

    Those who follow him closely doubt that he’ll back down now.

    “He has made it very clear what he stands for,” said Vanessa Díaz, a professor at Loyola Marymount University and co-author of “P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance.” “So I can’t imagine that this would all go away with the Super Bowl.”

    The halftime show is a collaboration between the NFL, Roc Nation and Apple Music. Roc Nation curates the performers and Apple Music distributes the performance while the NFL ultimately controls the stage, broadcast and branding.

    The NFL, which is working to expand its appeal across the world, including into Latin America, said it never considered removing Bad Bunny from the halftime show even after criticism from Trump and some of his supporters.

    NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday described the singer as “one of the great artists in the world,” as well as someone who understands the power of the Super Bowl performance “to unite people and to be able to bring people together.”

    “I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that. And I think you’ll have a great performance,” Goodell told reporters during his annual Super Bowl press conference.

    About half of Americans approved of Bad Bunny as the halftime performer, according to an October poll from Quinnipiac University. But there were substantial gaps with about three-quarters of Democrats backing the pick compared to just 16% of Republicans. About 60% of Black and Hispanic adults approved of the selection compared to 41% of whites.

    Republicans are eager to maintain Latino support in their bid to keep control of Congress. But as the Super Bowl draws near, many in the GOP have kept up their Bad Bunny critiques.

    Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, the former head football coach at Auburn University who is now running for governor, derided the “Woke Bowl” on Newsmax last week and said he’ll watch an alternative event hosted by Turning Point USA.

    The group founded by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk said Monday that Kid Rock, a vocal Trump supporter, would be among the performers at its event.

    In recent days, Department of Homeland Security official Jeff Brannigan hosted a series of private calls with local officials and the NFL in which he indicated that ICE does not plan to conduct any law enforcement actions the week of the Super Bowl or at the game, according to two NFL officials with direct knowledge of the conversations.

    ICE is not expected to be among more than a dozen DHS-related agencies providing security at the game, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

    While that is the plan, some worry that Trump and his MAGA allies who lead DHS can change their minds ahead of Sunday’s game given their recent statements.

    DHS official Corey Lewandowski, a key adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, said in October that ICE agents would be conducting immigration enforcement at the game.

    “There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people who are in the country illegally, not the Super Bowl, not anywhere else,” he said at the time.

    Asked to clarify ICE’s role this week, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin refused to say whether federal immigration agents will be present for the Super Bowl.

    “Those who are here legally and not breaking other laws have nothing to fear,” she said. “We will not disclose future operations or discuss personnel. Super Bowl security will entail a whole-of-government response conducted in line with the U.S. Constitution.”

    The progressive group MoveOn will host a Tuesday rally outside the NFL headquarters in New York to present a petition telling the league, “No ICE at the Super Bowl.”

    “This year’s Super Bowl should be remembered for big plays and Bad Bunny, not masked and armed ICE agents running around the stadium inflicting chaos, violence, and trauma on fans and stadium workers,” MoveOn spokesperson Britt Jacovich said. “The NFL can’t stay on the sidelines, the league has a responsibility to act like adults, protect Super Bowl fans and stadium workers, and keep ICE out of the game.”

    In an interview, San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie was optimistic that the event would be a success even in a politically tense climate.

    “We are going to keep everybody safe — our residents, our visitors,” he said. “Obviously with everything going on, we’re staying on top of it, monitoring everything. But I expect everything to be safe and fun.”

    ___

    Peoples reported from New York.

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  • Jazz sending ex-Florida, UCF stars to Grizzlies in blockbuster deal for All-Star

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    All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has been traded to the Utah Jazz in what will be an eight-player, multiple-pick deal with the Grizzlies that results in former Florida Gator and 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Walter Clayton Jr. and former UCF forward Taylor Hendricks also heading to Memphis.

    Utah is also sending Georges Niang and Kyle Anderson and three future first-round picks to the Grizzlies.

    Jackson, Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. will be going to Utah with Jackson Jr.

    In the offseason, Memphis previously had traded guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for multiple draft picks and a pick swap. He apparently was the first shoe to drop.

    Memphis has been engaged in talks about trading star guard Ja Morant as well. For now, the Grizzlies decided to part with Jackson, a former defensive player of the year.

    Jackson averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season for Memphis, the team that drafted him No. 4 overall in 2018. He was a two-time All-Star for the Grizzlies, the 2023 defensive player of the year, a two-time blocked shot champion and a three-time all-defensive team pick.

    Of the four Utah players moving to Memphis in the deal, none averaged more than 7.1 points per game this season. Niang has yet to play because of injury; he was with the Atlanta Hawks last season, got traded to the Boston Celtics in July and then sent to Utah in August.

    Clayton Jr. was selected No. 18 overall by the Jazz in the 2025 NBA Draft. Hendricks, picked No. 9 overall in the 2023 draft, was in his third season with the Jazz, but he missed all but three games last season after fracturing his right fibula and dislocating his ankle.

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  • Slow start, miscues doom Sharks as losing streak reaches three games

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    CHICAGO – The Sharks started slowly then allowed four goals is a wide open second period in what became a potentially costly 6-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday at the United Center.

    The Sharks allowed a first period power play goal to Connor Bedard then gave up three goals in a span of 8:22 before coach Ryan Warsofsky pulled starting goalie Yaroslav Askarov in favor of Alex Nedeljkovic.

    Macklin Celebrini had a goal and assist in the second period and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin scored in the third, but the damage was done as the Sharks lost their third straight game and fell to 1-2-1 on their five-game road trip that ends Wednesday in Colorado.

    Askarov’s four goals allowed came on 10 shots as he now has just one win in his last six starts. Still, the Blackhawks goals Monday were more the result of Sharks defensive breakdowns than clear goalie miscues.

    The Sharks also took four minor penalties in the game’s first 24 minutes and also went 0-for-4 on the power play.

    Forwards Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev both had four points for the Blackhawks, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

    Entering Monday, the Sharks were two points out of a playoff spot in the still tightly packed Western Conference standings.

    “Every game is important this time of year,” Warsofsky said before Monday’s game. “We know where we are in the standings. Many people didn’t expect us to be where we are in this spot, and this is an opportunity for us. This is a great opportunity to to get back on it tonight against a good team, and get two points on the road and feel good about ourselves going to Colorado.”

    Monday’s game marked the first meeting of the season between the Sharks and the Blackhawks, and the second time that Celebrini had faced Bedard in the NHL.

    Celebrini, who entered Monday as the NHL’s fourth-leading scorer with 79 points in 53 games, assisted on a Will Smith first period goal in his one game against the Blackhawks last season, a 4-2 Sharks win at SAP Center on March 13, 2025.

    Bedard, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, a year before the Sharks took Celebrini first overall, was held without a point that night but had five points in five career games against San Jose before Monday. Despite missing 13 games with a shoulder injury, Bedard still led Chicago with 52 points before Monday.

    More significant than the individual appeal of Monday’s game was its importance to the Sharks.

    San Jose began the road trip with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s last place team, last Tuesday but two nights later, coughed up a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers.

    The Sharks then had to kill six penalties and allowed a third period shorthanded goal in 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, another team that will likely miss the playoffs.

    The Sharks didn’t get the start they were looking for Monday – not even close — as they took three minor penalties in the first period, had just one shot on goal and allowed a power play goal to Bedard.

    After the Sharks were called for too many men, the Blackhawks worked it around the San Jose net, as Teuvo Teravainen took a pass from Tyler Bertuzzi, slid it over to an open Bedard for a one-timer from near the bottom of the circle and a 1-0 lead at the 7:00 mark.

    The Sharks’ only shot in the first period came from Celebrini with 11:33 left.

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  • British soccer union wants fewer headers for pros to protect players’ brains

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    BOSTON — The union representing British soccer players will announce on Tuesday the first comprehensive protocol for preventing the brain disease CTE, expanding the heightened concern over concussions to include the damage that can be caused by the less forceful blows from heading the ball.

    The guidelines from the Professional Footballers’ Association, which represents current and former players in the Premier League, the FA Women’s Super League and the English Football Leagues, recommend no more than 10 headers per week – including practice – for professionals. Children under 12 shouldn’t head the ball at all, the PFA said, part of a chronic traumatic encephalopathy prevention protocol designed to reduce head impacts across a player’s lifetime.

    “CTE is preventable. Period,” Dr. Adam White, Director of Brain Health at the PFA, said on Monday at the first-ever Global CTE Summit, which was held in San Francisco while the NFL descended on the Bay Area for Sunday’s Super Bowl.

    “It is the principles of less heading, less force, less often and later in life that matter,” White told The Associated Press. “These could apply to any sport and are the best hope we have of stopping current and future players from the same fate as former generations.”

    The degenerative brain disease now known as CTE was studied in boxers more than a century ago as punch drunk syndrome and first diagnosed in American football players in 2005. It has since become a concern in ice hockey, soccer and other contact sports and among combat veterans and others who sustain repeated blows to the head.

    A 2017 study found CTE in 110 of 111 brains donated by former NFL players. The disease can only be identified posthumously through an examination of the brain.

    The NFL, college football and many other sports have instituted protocols that guide teams and athletes on returning to play after sustaining a possible concussion.

    But the British soccer protocol is the first comprehensive plan to combat CTE by addressing the less dramatic, subconcussive blows that can be common in practice, according to Chris Nowinski, the founder of the Concussion and CTE Foundation.

    “For contact sports, CTE prevention protocols are equally important and possibly more important than concussion protocols,” he said.

    Among the more recent concerns are the routine head hits sustained by football lineman, and those from soccer players heading the ball. Research funded by the union and the Football Association found that Scottish pros have a risk of dementia that is 3.5 times greater than the general population; studies of brains from British soccer players found the majority had CTE, including Jeff Astle, Gordon McQueen and Chris Nicholl.

    “With what we know today about the disease, it would be a failure to our players to do nothing,” White said in a statement. “The science and solutions are clear, it just takes willingness from the sporting bodies to put athletes’ long-term health first and I am pleased that we have been able to do that in England. I encourage all sports to put as much, if not more, effort into CTE prevention protocols as they have concussion protocols.”

    The protocol also includes annual education, support for research and care for ex-players who suspect they are living with CTE. It follows the publication of a CTE prevention framework published in 2023 by researchers assembled by the Concussion and CTE Foundation and Boston University’s CTE Center.

    Nowinski called on sports leagues and their medical advisors to adopt CTE prevention protocols.

    “There is now overwhelming evidence that more head impacts in sports will result in more athletes with CTE,” Nowinski said. “Sports administrators aren’t risking CTE themselves, but the policies they set are sentencing some athletes to a life with CTE, a burden that will primarily be carried by their spouses and children. Enough is enough.”

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    AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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  • 17 former NC State athletes join lawsuit alleging abuse by ex-head trainer, bringing total to 31

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — 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.

    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.

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    AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

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  • MLB salary increase slowed to 1.4% in 2025 while setting record at $4.7 million

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    NEW YORK — The rate of increase for Major League Baseball’s average salary slowed to 1.4% last year while setting a record average at $4,721,393, according to final figures from the players’ association.

    The increase was the smallest since the average dropped in four straight seasons before 2022. The average rose 2.9% in 2024 to $4,655,366 after increases of 7.2% in 2023 and 14.8% in 2022, following a 99-day lockout that led to a five-year collective bargaining agreement.

    After declining to $3.68 million in 2021, a year following the coronavirus pandemic-shortened season, MLB’s average has risen 28.3% in the first four seasons of the current labor deal, an annual average of 7.1%. The current agreement expires Dec. 1 and another lockout appears likely.

    Union figures are based on the 2025 salaries, earned bonuses and prorated shares of signing bonuses for 1,046 players on Aug. 31 active rosters and injured lists, before active rosters expanded for the remainder of the season.

    MLB has not yet finalized its 2025 average. Its figures differ slightly because of methodology.

    The average each year is higher on opening day but declines during the season as higher-paid veterans are released and replaced by those with less service time.

    Players with less than one year of major league service averaged $822,589, according to the union, and those with one to two years averaged $1,179,192.

    Among players with two to three years who were eligible for salary arbitration, the average was $1,833,386 while those in that service class not eligible averaged $1,374,760. The top 22% of the class by service time is arbitration eligible.

    Averages among others in the arbitration-eligible years were $3,273,039 for the three-years-plus group, $3,932,847 in the four-plus group and $8,019,748 in the five-plus group, a year of service time shy of free-agent eligibility.

    The average rose to $9,649,380 for six-to-seven-year players and peaked at $22,034,231 for 11-to-12-year players before declining to $13,703,052 for the six players with 15 or more years of major league service.

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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  • Major League Baseball Salary Increase Slowed to 1.4% in 2025 While Setting Record at $4.7 Million

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    NEW YORK (AP) — The rate of increase for Major League Baseball’s average salary slowed to 1.4% last year while setting a record average at $4,721,393, according to final figures from the players’ association.

    The increase was the smallest since the average dropped in four straight seasons before 2022. The average rose 2.9% in 2024 to $4,655,366 after increases of 7.2% in 2023 and 14.8% in 2022, following a 99-day lockout that led to a five-year collective bargaining agreement.

    After declining to $3.68 million in 2021, a year following the coronavirus pandemic-shortened season, MLB’s average has risen 28.3% in the first four seasons of the current labor deal, an annual average of 7.1%. The current agreement expires Dec. 1 and another lockout appears likely.

    Union figures are based on the 2025 salaries, earned bonuses and prorated shares of signing bonuses for 1,046 players on Aug. 31 active rosters and injured lists, before active rosters expanded for the remainder of the season.

    MLB has not yet finalized its 2025 average. Its figures differ slightly because of methodology.

    The average each year is higher on opening day but declines during the season as higher-paid veterans are released and replaced by those with less service time.

    Players with less than one year of major league service averaged $822,589, according to the union, and those with one to two years averaged $1,179,192.

    Among players with two to three years who were eligible for salary arbitration, the average was $1,833,386 while those in that service class not eligible averaged $1,374,760. The top 22% of the class by service time is arbitration eligible.

    Averages among others in the arbitration-eligible years were $3,273,039 for the three-years-plus group, $3,932,847 in the four-plus group and $8,019,748 in the five-plus group, a year of service time shy of free-agent eligibility.

    The average rose to $9,649,380 for six-to-seven-year players and peaked at $22,034,231 for 11-to-12-year players before declining to $13,703,052 for the six players with 15 or more years of major league service.

    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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