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Team USA finally beat Canada to win gold. It was monumental, and the celebration and medal ceremony was beautiful. Then they got into the locker room, and just had to bring politics into it.
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Nick Tricome
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WASHINGTON — The gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team has politely declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address Tuesday.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold-medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” the team said in a statement released Monday. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
Trump also invited the gold-medal-winning U.S. men’s team.
Scheduling will be a challenge as the NHL regular season resumes with five games Wednesday and the PWHL resumes Thursday.
Logistics played a role in the decision, as many of the women’s players were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening. The men’s team flew by charter to Miami earlier Monday. The women took a commercial flight and were scheduled to land in Atlanta.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the women’s players didn’t learn of the invitation until late Sunday, making it difficult to change their travel plans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the team’s travel plans.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of both teams.
When extending the invitation to the men’s team Sunday night, Trump said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.” Trump joked that if he did not also invite the women’s team, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The Olympic tournament featured two thrilling finals, both ending in overtime, with the American women beating Canada 2-1 in the gold-medal game Thursday and the U.S. men beating Canada 2-1 on Sunday.
“It’s been a whirlwind. It’s been amazing. It’s a dream of ours. It was such an amazing way to unite the country,” Matthew Tkachuk of the U.S. men’s team said after arriving in Miami.
“We felt the support being across the Atlantic, and now being back on home soil we could feel it the second the wheels hit the ground. So excited to be back in the greatest country in the world and so excited to celebrate.”
Tkachuk said it was an honor to hear from Trump after the win, “and so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country.”
Vice President JD Vance attended two of the U.S. women’s preliminary-round wins with his family during the first week of the Games.
AP’s Stephen Whyno, Charles Odum in Atlanta and Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed.
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John Wawrow, Melissa Goldin
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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has made it clear: representing Team USA in the World Baseball Classic is an honor, but his priority remains the Tigers’ 2026 season.
Speaking from spring training in Lakeland, Skubal confirmed he plans to make just one start for Team USA next month before returning to camp to continue his normal buildup toward Opening Day.
“I am trying to do both things,” Skubal said via the Detroit News. “I am going to pitch for Team USA (in the World Baseball Classic), but also I understand I really need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season. It’s the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful that they took me in that capacity.”
After throwing two scoreless innings in his spring debut against the Minnesota Twins, Skubal confirmed his WBC role will be limited by design.
“I might stick around for a few games,” Skubal said. “I haven’t determined what games I’m going to watch. If they go to the finals I’m going to try to lobby to go watch and be with the guys. But I’m only going to make one start and then getting back to here.”
The Tigers left-hander is expected to make another spring training start this weekend before departing for Miami.
Skubal emphasized that his decision to be “one and done” with Team USA is about maintaining consistency, not accelerating his workload.
“The whole point of me doing the WBC is to make sure I can stay on the normal workload of a spring training regimen,” Skubal said. “Everything is going to stay the same. I’m not ramping up earlier than I need to. I don’t want that narrative out there.”
He added that his focus remains unchanged.
“I’m treating it as, I’m going to Team USA, making a start there and then coming back to Lakeland and getting ready to throw opening day.”
For Detroit, the approach is reassuring. Skubal enters 2026 as the reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner and the unquestioned anchor of the Tigers’ rotation. The team’s careful handling of his WBC involvement reflects just how central he is to their postseason aspirations.
Team USA gets a star for a moment. The Tigers get their ace for the long haul.
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Don Drysdale
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Connor Hellebuyck delivered a goaltending performance for the ages, but every netminder needs a little help at times.
And in the third period of the USA’s heart-stopping 2-1 overtime win over the Canadians in Sunday’s gold medal game, the UMass Lowell product turned to another Hockey East product, Bruins defenseman and former Boston University Terrier Charlie McAvoy, for some game-saving assistance.
The Canadians threw everything at Hellebuyck with the score tied 1-1. A go-ahead goal for Canada seemed inevitable. At one juncture, former Bruin Brad Marchand threw the puck toward the net. In a scramble, Tom Wilson got the puck and he had Hellebuyck down and out. He flipped it over the netminder, but McAvoy was there on the goal line to block it with his chest and then scoop it with both hands away from danger without closing either one on the puck.
It was a huge moment in the game, which was eventually won on Jack Hughes’ golden goal less than two minutes into overtime to lift the Americans to a 2-1 win and their first gold medal since 1980.
And it was quite a moment for McAvoy. The Long Beach, N.Y., native grew up in the U.S. National Team Development Program. Last year at the 4 Nations tournament, McAvoy played a monster game when the Americans beat the Canadians early in the tournament in Montreal but was sidelined for the championship game in Boston with the shoulder injury that became dangerously infected and cost him the rest of the season.
He was overcome by emotion when Hughes’ goal went in.
“I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored, because it was a complete blackout, who I was hugging, where I was going. I don’t know what happened,” McAvoy told reporters in Italy. “It was euphoria, man. I can’t even explain what I was feeling. Just pure joy.”
There were plenty of local ties to this win. Millis and Boston College product Matt Boldy scored the game’s first goal. McAvoy’s Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman, who won a game in the tourney, also took home the gold. Wilbraham native and BC alum Bill Guerin was the GM and, in fact, took some heat when he left scorers Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson off the roster.
And behind the bench was Mike Sullivan, son of Marshfield and BU and McAvoy’s father-in-law. Sullivan went to bat for Guerin.
“The team was built with personality in mind,” said Sullivan, the former Bruins and current Rangers coach who won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh. “There are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers. And we got a lot of whiskey drinkers.”
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Stephen Conroy
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If you’re a Detroit Red Wings fan, chances are your heart skipped a beat on Sunday morning.
During the Gold Medal game between Team USA and Canada, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin took a brutal — but clean — hit that instantly had Wings fans holding their breath. Canada’s Tom Wilson lowered his shoulder and absolutely drilled Larkin, sending him head-first into the boards in a scary-looking collision.
Tom Wilson laid likely the HARDEST hit of the entire tournament on Dylan Larkin 😳#MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/Clz0SLXdVG
— BarDown (@BarDown) February 22, 2026
It was one of those moments where everything stops. As a Wings fan, you’re not thinking about the score or the gold medal — you’re thinking, “Please get up, please be okay.”
Thankfully, Larkin popped back up and returned to the game, showing exactly why he’s the heart and soul of Detroit’s rebuild. The hit was hard, legal, and playoff-intensity hockey at its finest — but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch when it’s your captain on the receiving end.
Love him or hate him, Wilson plays with an edge, and this was international hockey at full speed. Still, seeing Larkin shake it off and keep battling was a reminder of why Wings fans ride so hard for No. 71. Tough. Fearless. Captain material.
Unfortunately, videos have been taken down due to copyright infringement, but the photos are still available.
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Don Drysdale
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Watch: U.S. women’s curling will play for bronze after semifinal loss
Updated: 12:55 PM PST Feb 20, 2026
Above video: Team USA falls to Switzerland in women’s curling semifinals. Can’t view the above video highlights? Click here. The U.S. women’s curling team will play for bronze at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.Switzerland’s Alina Patz shot 100 percent on draw shots, 98 percent on takeouts, and 99 percent on game shots. Her precision proved too much for Team USA to overcome.Patz led Switzerland to a 7-4 victory in the semifinals, sending the Swiss to the gold medal match and the Americans to the bronze medal game.It marked the first time since 2002 that the U.S. reached the women’s Olympic curling semifinals. The team is still seeking its first Olympic medal in the sport.In the other semifinal, Sweden defeated Canada, 6-3.The U.S. will face Canada for bronze on Saturday, while Sweden and Switzerland will meet in Sunday’s gold medal match.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
Above video: Team USA falls to Switzerland in women’s curling semifinals. Can’t view the above video highlights? Click here.
The U.S. women’s curling team will play for bronze at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Switzerland’s Alina Patz shot 100 percent on draw shots, 98 percent on takeouts, and 99 percent on game shots. Her precision proved too much for Team USA to overcome.
Patz led Switzerland to a 7-4 victory in the semifinals, sending the Swiss to the gold medal match and the Americans to the bronze medal game.
It marked the first time since 2002 that the U.S. reached the women’s Olympic curling semifinals. The team is still seeking its first Olympic medal in the sport.
In the other semifinal, Sweden defeated Canada, 6-3.
The U.S. will face Canada for bronze on Saturday, while Sweden and Switzerland will meet in Sunday’s gold medal match.
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Meet all the medalists from the United States at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. And catch up on all the latest Olympic news here.
GOLD and BRONZE: Elana Taylor Meyers and Kaillie Humphries Armbruster, bobsleigh, women’s monobob
Elana Meyers Taylor won her first Olympic gold in women’s monobob, and she made history as the oldest American woman to do it at the Winter Games. She rallied in the final heat on Feb. 16 and dropped to her knees in tears. Kaillie Humphries Armbruster took bronze for the United States. Meyers Taylor already owned five Olympic medals, but she had never won gold. Her sixth medal ties Bonnie Blair for the most by a U.S. woman at the Winter Games.
GOLD: Jordan Stolz, speedskating, men’s 500 meters
Jordan Stolz won his second speedskating gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics by finishing first in the 500 meters in an Olympic-record time on Feb. 14. The 21-year-old from Wisconsin was coming off a victory in the 1,000, the first of his four individual events in Milan. The men’s record for most speedskating titles at one Olympics is the five by Eric Heiden in 1980 in Lake Placid, N.Y. Stolz beat 500 world champion Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, who took the silver.
SILVER AND BRONZE: Jaelin Kauf and Elizabeth Lemley, freestyle skiing, women’s dual moguls
Skiing through a heavy snowstorm, American Jaelin Kauf captured her third Olympic silver medal and second of these Games, and teammate Elizabeth Lemley added bronze to go with the gold she won earlier in the week. They each won their second medals in four days despite falling in their semifinal rounds. Australia’s Jakara Anthony took the gold.
SILVER: Chloe Kim, snowboarding, women’s halfpipe
Chloe Kim fell short in her bid to become the first Olympic snowboarder to win three consecutive gold medals, finishing second to Choi Gaon of South Korea in the women’s halfpipe on Feb. 12. Choi, 17, bounced back from an ugly crash to jump into the lead with a score of 90.25 on her final run. Kim had one more shot to get back on top, but the 25-year-old American wiped out on her last of three runs to settle for silver.
BRONZE: Jessie Diggins, cross-country skiing, women’s 10-km freestyle
Jessie Diggins battled through bruised ribs suffered in the opening race to claim bronze on Feb. 12 in the women’s 10‑kilometer interval start, a race dominated by Sweden’s Frida Karlsson as she won her second gold medal. The 34-year-old Diggins, racing in her final season, collapsed to the ground, shouting in pain after finishing the freestyle race and adding to her gold, silver and bronze career medal tally.
SILVER: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, figure skating, mixed ice dance
In a controversial judging decision, France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron answered a season-best free dance by the dominant American duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates with a season best of their own on Feb. 11, giving them 225.82 points and the top step of the podium. Chock and Bates finished with 224.39 and a bittersweet silver medal after having lost just four times in the four years since they finished fourth at the Beijing Games. Cizeron made several mistakes while Chock and Bates were nearly perfect. Yet the French judge favored the French skaters by nearly eight points in the free dance, while five of the nine judges favored the American team.
GOLD: Jordan Stolz, speedskating, men’s 1,000 meters
Wisconsin native Jordan Stolz, 21, will hope to add to his collection of trophies as he entered three more events in Milan. In winning the 1,000 meters in 1 minute, 6.28 seconds on Feb. 11, Stolz didn’t threaten his world record of 1:05.37 but did better the Olympic standard of 1:07.18 that had stood since 2002 — before Stolz was born.
GOLD AND SILVER: Elizabeth Lemley and Jaelin Kauf, freestyle skiing, women’s moguls
Elizabeth Lemley, 20 — nicknamed “Lizard” by her teammates — landed an unbeatable run to lead a 1-2 finish for the red, white and blue in the women’s moguls on Feb. 11. Lemley topped the eight-skier final with a score of 82.30 points, right in front of countrywoman Jaelin Kauf, who successfully defended her silver medal from Beijing with a score of 80.77. Perrine Laffont of France, the 2018 champion, took bronze.
SILVER: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Alpine skiing, men’s super-G
Ryan Cochran-Siegle’s latest silver medal was inspired by his mother and powered by maple syrup. The 33-year-old Vermont captured his second straight Olympic super-G silver on Feb. 11 when he finished 0.13 seconds behind winner Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland. Before the race, a little fuel of maple syrup — which, like ski racing, has become the family business (Cochran’s Slopeside Syrup). In the stands to cheer him on was his mother, Barbara Cochran, who won Olympic gold in the slalom at the 1972 Sapporo Games.
SILVER: Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, curling, mixed doubles
Swedish siblings Isabella and Rasmus Wranå took the gold medal with a 6-5 win on Feb. 10, but the American pair of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin made history as the first U.S. team to medal in Olympic mixed doubles, and Thiesse is the first American woman to medal in Olympic curling.
SILVER: Ben Ogden, cross-country skiing, men’s sprint classic
Ben Ogden finished 0.8 seconds behind the defending gold medalist, Norwegian cross-country ski star Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, in the men’s sprint on Feb. 10.
SILVER: Alex Hall, freestyle skiing, men’s freeski slopestyle
Alex Hall’s silver medal in men’s freeski slopestyle on Feb. 10 goes with the gold he won four years ago in Beijing, even though he said everything he tried this time was more difficult. Visibility on the mountain created challenging conditions for all the skiers.
BRONZE: Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan, Alpine skiing, women’s team combined
The U.S. pair of Jaqueline Wiles (downhill) and Paula Moltzan (slalom) took bronze in the women’s team combined on Feb. 10, beating out the other American team of Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson by 0.06 for the podium.
BRONZE: Ashley Farquharson, luge, women’s singles
Ashley Farquharson, who started sliding as an after-school activity when she was a little kid in Park City, Utah, won the bronze medal in women’s singles on Feb. 10, representing a seventh Olympic medal for USA Luge.
GOLD: Team figure skating
Ilia Malinin beat Japanese rival Shun Sato in a head-to-head showdown at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Feb. 8, helping the U.S. defend its team figure skating gold medal by breaking a deadlock with Japan in the final session of the competition.
GOLD: Breezy Johnson, Alpine skiing, women’s downhill
Ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill on Feb. 8 with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash that saw her being taken off the mountain in a helicopter. The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn, 41, as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill.
Associated Press contributed.
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Chicago Tribune
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The Olympics are so spread out in Italy that the parade of nations is actually going to take place from 4 different locations. No matter where athletes walk, they will be strutting in style. Walking into an Olympic press conference is one thing, but the Stroll Team USA’s aerialists will take tonight in the opening ceremony may feel more like *** catwalk. We’re going to look awesome. We definitely have the best outfits in my opinion. It’s the 10th Olympics. Ralph Lauren has designed the opening and closing kits for Team USA. Think tailored with *** winter white wool coat with throwback wooden toggles. Co-flag bearer Aaron Jackson will stand out in navy. The opening ceremony is very formal, and we, I think we all look very dapper. It’s Milan, so of course there was an Olympic fashion showcase. Team New Zealand’s all black look has. *** hidden QR code that takes athletes to messages of support from fellow Kiwis. Look down under Team Australia’s code and you’ll find some history. Athletes can read the Olympic oath and the name of every single Aussie who’s ever competed at *** Winter Olympics. Mongolia may only have 3 athletes on its team, but their opening ceremony outfit of the day may steal gold. I know Mongolia’s got some cool outfits for the ceremonies, and other countries also do, but I mean ours are pretty cool too. As for the Italians, well, no surprise they’re wearing Armani at the Milan Cortina Olympics. I’m Deirdre Fitzpatrick. OK, OK. Now we’ll do.
The Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan featured athletes from 93 countries showcasing stylish outfits, with Team USA’s aerialists expressing excitement about their attire.”We’re going to look awesome. We definitely have the best outfits, in my opinion,” said Connor Curran from Team USA aerials.This marks the 10th Olympics where Ralph Lauren has designed the opening and closing kits for Team USA, featuring tailored winter white wool coats with throwback wooden toggles.Co-flag bearer Erin Jackson will stand out in navy.”The opening ceremony is very formal, and I think we all look very dapper,” said Quinn Dehlinger from Team USA aerials.Milan hosted an Olympic fashion showcase, highlighting Team New Zealand’s all-black look with a hidden QR code that connects athletes to messages of support from fellow Kiwis. Team Australia’s coat includes the Olympic oath and the names of every Aussie who has competed at a Winter Olympics. Mongolia, with only three athletes, may steal the spotlight with their standout outfits.”I know Mongolia has got some cool outfits for the ceremonies and other countries do, but ours are pretty cool too,” Curran said.The Italian team wore Armani at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
The Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan featured athletes from 93 countries showcasing stylish outfits, with Team USA’s aerialists expressing excitement about their attire.
“We’re going to look awesome. We definitely have the best outfits, in my opinion,” said Connor Curran from Team USA aerials.
This marks the 10th Olympics where Ralph Lauren has designed the opening and closing kits for Team USA, featuring tailored winter white wool coats with throwback wooden toggles.
Co-flag bearer Erin Jackson will stand out in navy.
“The opening ceremony is very formal, and I think we all look very dapper,” said Quinn Dehlinger from Team USA aerials.
Milan hosted an Olympic fashion showcase, highlighting Team New Zealand’s all-black look with a hidden QR code that connects athletes to messages of support from fellow Kiwis. Team Australia’s coat includes the Olympic oath and the names of every Aussie who has competed at a Winter Olympics. Mongolia, with only three athletes, may steal the spotlight with their standout outfits.
“I know Mongolia has got some cool outfits for the ceremonies and other countries do, but ours are pretty cool too,” Curran said.
The Italian team wore Armani at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
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The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is sending its biggest Winter Olympics team ever to the 2026 Games in Italy — 232 athletes representing 32 home states.
The CBS News data team mapped the home states of the athletes to identify which states had the most representation.
Colorado leads with 30 athletes, followed by Minnesota, which is home to 24, and California, with 19.
States with the fewest competitors include Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, North Dakota and Washington, D.C., each with just one, while 18 states have no athletes on the team.
Three team members listed hometowns in other countries, hailing from New Zealand, Canada and Ukraine. Also, three alternate athletes are not included in the official count.
The team will include 98 returning Olympians who have won a combined 22 gold medals, according to the committee.
Thirty-two athletes previously competed at the Youth Olympic Games, with 20 of them making their Olympic debut this week.
This roster surpasses the 228 American athletes who competed at PyeongChang in the 2018 Winter Games — though Summer Olympic teams are even bigger.
The map and chart below show the communities where Team USA’s athletes hail from. Park City, Utah, a renowned ski destination, stands out with the most at 11, followed by Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Anchorage, Alaska. Search to see if any of this year’s Olympians share your hometown.
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DENVER — The opening ceremony of the 2026 Olympics is on Friday. This year, ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut. It’s the only new sport this year.
An athlete from Colorado will represent Team USA in Milan-Cortina. Cam Smith is an 11-time USA ski mountaineering national champion. Smith is from Crested Butte and works as an instructor at the adaptive sports center there.
Denver7 Sports
Ski mountaineering, or SkiMo, began as a way to travel across mountains in Scandinavia and Alps in Northern Italy and Switzerland. It officially became a sport in the 1980’s. In the Olympics, athletes will climb up a mountain on foot and on skis, then ski down. They’ll pass over rugged terrain throughout the race. Whoever gets to the end first wins.
The Olympics begin on February 6. You can find a full list of Colorado athletes here.
Coloradan to compete in new Olympic sport
Your first chance to watch ski mountaineering is on February 19.
Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
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Rachel Wingrat
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I was born and grew up and raised at the Curling Club. That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, *** place with *** down to earth approach to the sport. It was so nice growing up there. Some curling clubs have more of *** commercial business feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have *** real homey feel, and Brimstones is top of the list in terms of. That home club feel, um, and that’s like one of the things, probably the thing I appreciate most about Brimstones. Dropkin learned precision, teamwork, and strategy there. Three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, *** bronze medal at the Junior Olympics. You know, it was that moment where I was like, wow, this is incredible. Like look at this medal. Now I want some more of this. Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. With his mixed doubles partner Corey Thiessen, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized would happen for *** very long time. It’s just knowing that if I keep my head down, if I keep working hard, and if I keep dreaming big, that one day I can get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t, if I don’t let up, if I don’t. You know, if I keep going, I can get there. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiessen playfully use the nickname Corey and Corey to reference their team. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackle.
Olympic games a long time coming for Team USA curler Korey Dropkin
Updated: 6:00 AM EST Jan 22, 2026
The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight. “I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.”It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.”It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.”Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.
The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.
As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight.
“I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.
That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.
“It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.
Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.
“It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.
Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.
“Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said.
And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.
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I was born and grew up and raised at the Curling Club. That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, *** place with *** down to earth approach to the sport. It was so nice growing up there. Some curling clubs have more of *** commercial business feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have *** real homey feel, and Brimstones is top of the list in terms of. That home club feel, um, and that’s like one of the things, probably the thing I appreciate most about Brimstones. Dropkin learned precision, teamwork, and strategy there. Three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, *** bronze medal at the Junior Olympics. You know, it was that moment where I was like, wow, this is incredible. Like look at this medal. Now I want some more of this. Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. With his mixed doubles partner Corey Thiessen, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized would happen for *** very long time. It’s just knowing that if I keep my head down, if I keep working hard, and if I keep dreaming big, that one day I can get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t, if I don’t let up, if I don’t. You know, if I keep going, I can get there. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiessen playfully use the nickname Corey and Corey to reference their team. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackle.
Olympic games a long time coming for Team USA curler Korey Dropkin
Updated: 3:00 AM PST Jan 22, 2026
The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight. “I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.”It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.”It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.”Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.
The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.
As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight.
“I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.
That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.
“It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.
Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.
“It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.
Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.
“Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said.
And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.
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The Flyers keep making comebacks and winning shootouts, Trevor Zegras has kept as a spark through all of it, and maybe could just catch Team USA’s attention.
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Nick Tricome
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Forgiveness, redemption, and leadership. Those three principles define Team USA curler Steve Hempt. Here’s how Steve Hemp describes growing up in Hebron, Connecticut All American childhood, most popular kid in my high school, great student, and that 6 ft 5, *** great athlete, one who earned an appointment to the United States Military Academy and then transferred to play basketball for the powerful UConn Huskies. But in 1995, his life changed forever. I was *** drunk driver and fortunately I’m lucky to be alive and sitting here with you all great people today. I was left for dead on the side of the road. I woke up from my coma and I was told I was never gonna walk again at 25 years old. He passed out behind the wheel, flipping his pickup truck, and he was ejected. After the crash, Steve spent months lying to people, telling them *** deer caused his accident. Then he accepted responsibility. We’re human, we’re gonna mess up. Forgive yourself, accept what happened, and move on. Steve’s new direction becoming *** high school teacher and basketball coach and finding the sport wheelchair curling. I’m an 11 time national champion, two time Paralympic, going on 3, world championships, and my life slogan, I live by this and I. Every day it’s not what happens to you it’s what you decide to do with what happens. What’s happening now for Emp is historic. He just qualified with Laura Dwyer for the first ever mixed doubles curling event at the Paralympics, and he’s excited to travel to Italy for the first time. I’m looking forward to eating pizza. I don’t know, is it different than what we have in New York or Chicago? I don’t know, um, but just the landscape, the people, just being out there, and again, the opportunity to. Represent Team USA and the grant it’s the stages. It’s goosebumps. On top of being *** teacher, coach, and Paralympian, Empt is also *** motivational speaker who’s written *** self-help book. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackel.
Forgiveness, redemption and leadership define Team USA wheelchair curler Steve Emt
Forgiveness, redemption and leadership define Team USA wheelchair curler Steve Emt
Updated: 3:00 AM PST Nov 28, 2025
Forgiveness, redemption, and leadership: Those three principles define Team USA wheelchair curler Steve Emt. Here’s how Emt describes growing up in Hebron, Connecticut: “All American childhood, most popular kid in my high school, great student.”Standing 6-foot-5, Emt was a great prep athlete who earned an appointment to the United States Military Academy and then transferred to play basketball for the powerful University of Connecticut Huskies.But life changed in 1995.”I was a drunk driver; fortunately, I’m lucky to be sitting here with you, great people, today. I was left for dead on the side of the road, and when I woke up from a coma two weeks later, I was told I’d never walk again, at 25 years old,” said Emt. He passed out behind the wheel, flipping his pickup truck, and was ejected. After the crash, Steve spent months lying to people, telling them a deer caused his accident, then he accepted responsibility. “We’re human. We’re gonna mess up, forgive yourself, accept what happened, and move on,” Emt said.Steve’s new direction, becoming a high school teacher and basketball coach, and finding the sport of wheelchair curling. “I’m an 11-time national champion. two-time Paralympian going on three, world championships, too. My life’s slogan, I live by this, and I say it every day, ‘it’s not what happens to you, it’s what you decide to do with what happens,’” said Emt. What’s happening now is historic. He qualified with Laura Dwyer for the first-ever mixed doubles curling event at the Paralympics, and he’s excited to travel to Italy for the first time. “I’m looking forward to eating pizza. I don’t know, is a different than what we have in New York or Chicago? I don’t know, but just the landscape, the people just being out there. And again, the opportunity to represent Team USA on the grandest stage, I get goosebumps,” said Emt. On top of being a teacher, coach and Paralympian, Emt is also a motivational speaker who’s written a self-help book.
Forgiveness, redemption, and leadership: Those three principles define Team USA wheelchair curler Steve Emt.
Here’s how Emt describes growing up in Hebron, Connecticut: “All American childhood, most popular kid in my high school, great student.”
Standing 6-foot-5, Emt was a great prep athlete who earned an appointment to the United States Military Academy and then transferred to play basketball for the powerful University of Connecticut Huskies.
But life changed in 1995.
“I was a drunk driver; fortunately, I’m lucky to be sitting here with you, great people, today. I was left for dead on the side of the road, and when I woke up from a coma two weeks later, I was told I’d never walk again, at 25 years old,” said Emt.
He passed out behind the wheel, flipping his pickup truck, and was ejected. After the crash, Steve spent months lying to people, telling them a deer caused his accident, then he accepted responsibility.
“We’re human. We’re gonna mess up, forgive yourself, accept what happened, and move on,” Emt said.
Steve’s new direction, becoming a high school teacher and basketball coach, and finding the sport of wheelchair curling.
“I’m an 11-time national champion. two-time Paralympian going on three, world championships, too. My life’s slogan, I live by this, and I say it every day, ‘it’s not what happens to you, it’s what you decide to do with what happens,’” said Emt.
What’s happening now is historic. He qualified with Laura Dwyer for the first-ever mixed doubles curling event at the Paralympics, and he’s excited to travel to Italy for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to eating pizza. I don’t know, is a different than what we have in New York or Chicago? I don’t know, but just the landscape, the people just being out there. And again, the opportunity to represent Team USA on the grandest stage, I get goosebumps,” said Emt.
On top of being a teacher, coach and Paralympian, Emt is also a motivational speaker who’s written a self-help book.
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ESPN reports that sources say Erik Spoelstra will take over as head coach of Team USA basketball. Steve Kerr will no longer fill the role. Legendary coaches Gregg Popovich and Mike Krzyzewski have both opted out of the next Olympic cycle.
The change marks a major shift from consensus coaching teams of past decades. Spoelstra brings extensive NBA experience, including championship success with Miami. He commands respect among players and executives.
Kerr’s departure leaves questions about how Team USA will adapt in international play. Spoelstra must blend NBA roles, national team prep, and differences in FIBA rules. But insiders say USA Basketball values his energy, culture, and modern mindset.
The next Olympic cycle arrives quickly, and Spoelstra will have to earn trust right away. Fans will watch closely, especially as speculation grows over who else will join his coaching staff.
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Matty Willz
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What are foursomes, who is playing, and why on earth is that rather inebriated spectator cosplaying as George Washington? The Ryder Cup can be a dizzying beast to wrap your head around if you’re not a seasoned golf enthusiast.In such headspinning circumstances, it’s helpful to start with the basics.Video above: Golf fans celebrate Ryder Cup victory in 2021So without further ado, here’s a drive through the format so you can get up to speed before tee off at New York’s Bethpage Black Golf Course on Friday.What is the Ryder Cup?Launched in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament that pits the best golfers from the United States and Europe against each other in a battle for bragging rights and a shiny gold trophy.That wasn’t always the setup: for the first 50 years, it was strictly Team USA versus Team Great Britain (renamed Great Britain & Ireland between 1973 and 1977). The problem was, it wasn’t much of a spectacle, with the U.S. winning all but four of the first 22 tournaments.To even the odds, the Great Britain and Ireland selection pool was expanded to include the wider continent from 1979. It worked: Team Europe have won 12 of the 22 tournaments held since, losing nine times and tying once (more on that shortly).Hosting privileges rotate each time, with Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, the arena for the 45th edition of the tournament after Rome’s Marco Simone Golf Club staged the 2023 contest.Winning away is no easy feat. Team USA’s defeat in Italy extended their winless run across the pond to a minimum of 34 years, while Team Europe have not tasted victory on American soil since a comeback for the ages in Illinois back in 2012.How do you win?Like most team sports, the side with the most points at the end wins. Sounds straightforward enough, but Ryder Cup scoring is a little more nuanced.While regular season events like The Masters run according to stroke play – whereby the player who navigates the course in the fewest number of ball hits triumphs – the Ryder Cup is a three-day match play competition.That means players are competing to “win” individual holes, rather than shoot the lowest overall score across the course. Win more holes than your opponent across an 18-hole match and you score a point for your team. If the match ends in a tie, each team receives half a point.With 28 total points up for grabs – eight apiece for foursomes and fourballs sessions across the first two days, and 12 for each Sunday singles matchup – the first team to nudge past the 14-point mark is crowned champion.In the rare event of an overall tie, the trophy is retained by the previous champion. Only twice in Ryder Cup history has this occurred, with the U.S. and Europe each retaining their crown in 1969 and 1989, respectively.What are foursomes?Friday and Saturday morning will be the time for foursomes, a format in which teams of two take alternate shots of the same ball until each hole is complete.For example, Scottie Scheffler could tee off, but his American playing partner would be the one playing from wherever the world No. 1’s drive landed. Teammates alternate hitting tee shots, so Scheffler’s partner would begin the next hole.Whichever pair finds the cup in the fewest strokes wins that hole, with the hole tied if both teams manage it in the same number of strokes. The winner of the most holes clinches the match and a point for the overall scoreboard, with a tied match rewarding each side with half a point.You may see results listed like “won 4&3,” which would – in that case – mean a pair was four holes up with three holes to play and, as a result, could not be caught.Scheffler and Brooks Koepka made unwanted history in Italy two years ago when they were obliterated 9&7 by Scandinavian duo Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, the largest margin of victory for any 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history.What are fourballs?The first two afternoons belong to the fourballs.Again, this is played in pairs and scored like foursomes, but this time players strictly hit their own ball as opposed to alternating shots: four balls are in play at the same time. The player with the lowest score wins that hole for his team.It is up to the home captain to decide which format will be played first, with new US lead Keegan Bradley opting to kick off proceedings with foursomes for the third successive tournament.Captains also have the critical power to choose which players to pair together, an intricate dance of team chemistry and opposition matchup that can make or break a Ryder Cup bid.European captain Luke Donald, retaining the armband after leading his side to triumph in Rome, has an advantage in that sense, with just one change to his champion roster: Rasmus Hojgaard in for his twin Nicolai.By contrast, only six players from that defeated Team USA lineup return: Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.What are singles matches?Sunday is dedicated solely to the singles matches, 12 tense shootouts contested by one member of each team.Usual match play rules apply, with the player who scores lowest on each hole taking that hole in the race to secure crucial late points.Expect drama aplenty, with Sundays staging many of the greatest moments in Ryder Cup history, from The Battle of Brookline in 1999 to The Miracle of Medinah in 2012.It is worth noting that, in match play, players have the option to “concede” a hole. This almost exclusively happens around putts, typically very short ones, whereby a player can concede to his opponent and allow them to pick up the ball and win the hole.The most legendary such instance occurred in 1969, when Jack Nicklaus conceded a short putt to Tony Jacklin, confirming the first tie in Ryder Cup history. “The Concession” has since been heralded as a display of supreme sportsmanship, though US captain Sam Snead was not best pleased.”When it happened, all the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt,” Snead would later remark. “We went over there to win, not to be good ol’ boys.”Who is playing?Six players qualify automatically for each team based on ranking points accumulated through seasonal performances, with wins at the four majors giving out the most points.The remaining six slots on either side are left to the captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.Team USACaptain: Keegan BradleyAutomatic qualifiers: Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeauCaptain’s pick: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam BurnsTeam EuropeCaptain: Luke DonaldAutomatic qualifiers: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Tommy Fleetwood (England), Justin Rose (England), Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark), Tyrrell Hatton (England)Captain’s picks: Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Sepp Straka (Austrian), Viktor Hovland (Norway), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Matt Fitzpatrick (England)What happened last time?Look away now, American readers.A spirited Sunday fightback proved too little too late as Team USA fell to a 16.5 – 11.5 defeat in Italy, the hosts tearing out of the blocks to avenge a record-breaking 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.American captain Zach Johnson had faced criticism before a ball had even been struck at Marco Simone, with none of his six captain’s picks ultimately registering a winning record in Rome.Some Saturday evening drama did seem to spark an American response, with McIlroy having been incensed by the celebrations of US caddie Joe LaCava following a key putt for Cantlay.It led to an angry confrontation in the course parking lot and, although resolved over text, provides a juicy subplot heading into the next chapter of a storied rivalry this week.
What are foursomes, who is playing, and why on earth is that rather inebriated spectator cosplaying as George Washington? The Ryder Cup can be a dizzying beast to wrap your head around if you’re not a seasoned golf enthusiast.
In such headspinning circumstances, it’s helpful to start with the basics.
Video above: Golf fans celebrate Ryder Cup victory in 2021
So without further ado, here’s a drive through the format so you can get up to speed before tee off at New York’s Bethpage Black Golf Course on Friday.
Launched in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament that pits the best golfers from the United States and Europe against each other in a battle for bragging rights and a shiny gold trophy.
That wasn’t always the setup: for the first 50 years, it was strictly Team USA versus Team Great Britain (renamed Great Britain & Ireland between 1973 and 1977). The problem was, it wasn’t much of a spectacle, with the U.S. winning all but four of the first 22 tournaments.
To even the odds, the Great Britain and Ireland selection pool was expanded to include the wider continent from 1979. It worked: Team Europe have won 12 of the 22 tournaments held since, losing nine times and tying once (more on that shortly).
Hosting privileges rotate each time, with Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, the arena for the 45th edition of the tournament after Rome’s Marco Simone Golf Club staged the 2023 contest.
Winning away is no easy feat. Team USA’s defeat in Italy extended their winless run across the pond to a minimum of 34 years, while Team Europe have not tasted victory on American soil since a comeback for the ages in Illinois back in 2012.
Like most team sports, the side with the most points at the end wins. Sounds straightforward enough, but Ryder Cup scoring is a little more nuanced.
While regular season events like The Masters run according to stroke play – whereby the player who navigates the course in the fewest number of ball hits triumphs – the Ryder Cup is a three-day match play competition.
That means players are competing to “win” individual holes, rather than shoot the lowest overall score across the course. Win more holes than your opponent across an 18-hole match and you score a point for your team. If the match ends in a tie, each team receives half a point.
With 28 total points up for grabs – eight apiece for foursomes and fourballs sessions across the first two days, and 12 for each Sunday singles matchup – the first team to nudge past the 14-point mark is crowned champion.
In the rare event of an overall tie, the trophy is retained by the previous champion. Only twice in Ryder Cup history has this occurred, with the U.S. and Europe each retaining their crown in 1969 and 1989, respectively.
Friday and Saturday morning will be the time for foursomes, a format in which teams of two take alternate shots of the same ball until each hole is complete.
For example, Scottie Scheffler could tee off, but his American playing partner would be the one playing from wherever the world No. 1’s drive landed. Teammates alternate hitting tee shots, so Scheffler’s partner would begin the next hole.
Whichever pair finds the cup in the fewest strokes wins that hole, with the hole tied if both teams manage it in the same number of strokes. The winner of the most holes clinches the match and a point for the overall scoreboard, with a tied match rewarding each side with half a point.
You may see results listed like “won 4&3,” which would – in that case – mean a pair was four holes up with three holes to play and, as a result, could not be caught.
Scheffler and Brooks Koepka made unwanted history in Italy two years ago when they were obliterated 9&7 by Scandinavian duo Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, the largest margin of victory for any 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history.
The first two afternoons belong to the fourballs.
Again, this is played in pairs and scored like foursomes, but this time players strictly hit their own ball as opposed to alternating shots: four balls are in play at the same time. The player with the lowest score wins that hole for his team.
It is up to the home captain to decide which format will be played first, with new US lead Keegan Bradley opting to kick off proceedings with foursomes for the third successive tournament.
Captains also have the critical power to choose which players to pair together, an intricate dance of team chemistry and opposition matchup that can make or break a Ryder Cup bid.
European captain Luke Donald, retaining the armband after leading his side to triumph in Rome, has an advantage in that sense, with just one change to his champion roster: Rasmus Hojgaard in for his twin Nicolai.
By contrast, only six players from that defeated Team USA lineup return: Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.
Sunday is dedicated solely to the singles matches, 12 tense shootouts contested by one member of each team.
Usual match play rules apply, with the player who scores lowest on each hole taking that hole in the race to secure crucial late points.
Expect drama aplenty, with Sundays staging many of the greatest moments in Ryder Cup history, from The Battle of Brookline in 1999 to The Miracle of Medinah in 2012.
It is worth noting that, in match play, players have the option to “concede” a hole. This almost exclusively happens around putts, typically very short ones, whereby a player can concede to his opponent and allow them to pick up the ball and win the hole.
The most legendary such instance occurred in 1969, when Jack Nicklaus conceded a short putt to Tony Jacklin, confirming the first tie in Ryder Cup history. “The Concession” has since been heralded as a display of supreme sportsmanship, though US captain Sam Snead was not best pleased.
“When it happened, all the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt,” Snead would later remark. “We went over there to win, not to be good ol’ boys.”
Six players qualify automatically for each team based on ranking points accumulated through seasonal performances, with wins at the four majors giving out the most points.
The remaining six slots on either side are left to the captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.
Team USA
Captain: Keegan Bradley
Automatic qualifiers: Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau
Captain’s pick: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns
Team Europe
Captain: Luke Donald
Automatic qualifiers: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Tommy Fleetwood (England), Justin Rose (England), Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark), Tyrrell Hatton (England)
Captain’s picks: Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Sepp Straka (Austrian), Viktor Hovland (Norway), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Matt Fitzpatrick (England)
Look away now, American readers.
A spirited Sunday fightback proved too little too late as Team USA fell to a 16.5 – 11.5 defeat in Italy, the hosts tearing out of the blocks to avenge a record-breaking 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.
American captain Zach Johnson had faced criticism before a ball had even been struck at Marco Simone, with none of his six captain’s picks ultimately registering a winning record in Rome.
Some Saturday evening drama did seem to spark an American response, with McIlroy having been incensed by the celebrations of US caddie Joe LaCava following a key putt for Cantlay.
It led to an angry confrontation in the course parking lot and, although resolved over text, provides a juicy subplot heading into the next chapter of a storied rivalry this week.
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Stephen Curry, the three-point-draining Golden State Warrior and NBA All-Star who just won a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, appeared via video at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the nation’s next president.
Curry, with his gold medal around his neck, said the “unity on and off the court” at the Olympics “reminded us all that together we can do all things and continue to inspire the world.”
“And that’s why I believe that Kamala as president could bring unity back and continue to move our country forward,” he said. “This is about preserving hope and belief in our country, making sure families can be taken care of during their most precious times.”
Curry’s remarks came two days after Steve Kerr, coach of Team USA in Paris and of multiple championship-winning Warriors teams, spoke in person at the Democrats’ convention in Chicago. He also endorsed Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Kerr said leaders must “display dignity,” “tell the truth” and “care for and love the people that they are leading.” Harris and Walz, he said, have those qualities. His insinuation was clearly that former President Trump does not.
Kerr, one of the NBA’s most liberal voices and someone who has sparred with Trump in the past, also said that after the election results are tallied in November, “we can — in the words of the great Steph Curry — we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night.’”
Curry’s “night, night” gesture is something he does after scoring against opponents on the court, where he rests his face on his hands as if heading to sleep — a suggestion that the game is all but over.
Curry did not make the gesture himself in his video Thursday. But he did note his visit with the Warriors to the White House last year to celebrate the team’s 2022 NBA title at the invitation of President Biden. That’s where he met Harris.
“I can tell you one thing I knew then and I definitely know now: The Oval Office suits her well,” he said.
Trump rescinded another Warriors’ invitation to the White House to celebrate their 2017 championship after Curry criticized Trump’s attacks on Black athletes who were kneeling during the national anthem to protest the mistreatment of Black people by police.
Curry closed his short video by referencing another DNC speaker — and perhaps its most celebrated speech.
“In the words of Michelle Obama, ‘Do something!’” Curry said to cheers from the convention floor. “Go vote, be active. Let’s show out in November like never before.”
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Kevin Rector
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New Olympic sports are making their debut at the Paris Games, with Team USA climber Sam Watson setting a new world record in speed climbing and initiating a unique “Selfie Olympics.”Watson said, “I was wondering if I could get a person from all of these different delegations to take a selfie with me.”His idea led him to his own, “Selfie Olympics.” Watson admitted, “I don’t think I’ll get to all 203 because there are some delegations that have already left.”There are 204 nations represented in Paris and Watson is quite proud of one pic he secured.Watson explained, “A member from Tuvalu, which is a tiny island nation. I looked at where they were entered and they were only surfing and sailing. Surfing is Tahiti and sailing is Marseille, so there’s almost no one in Paris.”Watson understands the athletes he’s taking selfies with have different cultural and political views. Watson said, “All of these countries are still human, they’re still Olympians, they’re still competitors, and we still share that, so it is really special to get all this.”Watson, just 18 years old, set a new world record in a qualifying round earlier this week.He’ll compete in the speed climbing medal event on Thursday. The climbing events at the Paris Olympics will conclude on Saturday. When asked about the difference between speed climbing and traditional climbing, climbing coaches likened it to the difference between the 100-meter sprint and the marathon in track and field.
New Olympic sports are making their debut at the Paris Games, with Team USA climber Sam Watson setting a new world record in speed climbing and initiating a unique “Selfie Olympics.”
Watson said, “I was wondering if I could get a person from all of these different delegations to take a selfie with me.”
His idea led him to his own, “Selfie Olympics.”
Watson admitted, “I don’t think I’ll get to all 203 because there are some delegations that have already left.”
There are 204 nations represented in Paris and Watson is quite proud of one pic he secured.
Watson explained, “A member from Tuvalu, which is a tiny island nation. I looked at where they were entered and they were only surfing and sailing. Surfing is Tahiti and sailing is Marseille, so there’s almost no one in Paris.”
Watson understands the athletes he’s taking selfies with have different cultural and political views.
Watson said, “All of these countries are still human, they’re still Olympians, they’re still competitors, and we still share that, so it is really special to get all this.”
Watson, just 18 years old, set a new world record in a qualifying round earlier this week.
He’ll compete in the speed climbing medal event on Thursday. The climbing events at the Paris Olympics will conclude on Saturday.
When asked about the difference between speed climbing and traditional climbing, climbing coaches likened it to the difference between the 100-meter sprint and the marathon in track and field.
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