Samsung released a new video, teasing its ambient appliances for CES 2026. The world’s biggest consumer electronics show is taking place in the first week of January in Las Vegas, and Samsung is all set with its AI agenda.

In its CES 2026 video, Samsung revealed futuristic appliances released in the 1980s. It included talking refrigerators, air conditioners featuring microcomputer chips, and microwave ovens with built-in TVs.

The teaser aims to showcase Samsung’s technological prowess. These AI and screen-powered appliances aren’t new, but Samsung has a history of staying ahead of others when it comes to innovation.

The 1-minute clip sheds light on a microcomputer chip-embedded AC (1980), a multi-purpose microwave with built-in screen (1982), and voice enabled refrigerator (1985).

The teaser then transitions to 2018 when Samsung unveiled its AI-powered Voice Assistant, called Bixby, which brought voice control across home appliances.

CES 2026

Samsung is set to usher in a new era of ambient appliances. A next-gen Jet Bot cleaner is coming alongside washing machines, refrigerators, and more AI appliances.

The company says its “AI appliances are approaching another turning point.” At CES, it will showcase how the new gadgets deliver differentiated experiences that more deeply understand users’ daily lives and enhance everyday living.

The next phase will be unveiled at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition. Stay tuned for what’s next.

Samsung has established a standalone exhibition space at CES 2026. The company will present its new hardware and software advancements in a museum-style concept.

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A surge in stablecoins, tokenized RWAs and growing sovereign wealth fund interest could drive a major increase in Ethereum’s TVL in 2026, Sharplink’s co-CEO said.

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FINNY, an AI platform automating lead generation for financial advisors, secured $17 million in Series A funding to scale its proprietary data intelligence engine.

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Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest carrier, has bolstered its fleet by leasing a Boeing 737-800 from ACMI provider KlasJet. This move reflects the airline’s ambition to expand its footprint in the rapidly growing African aviation market. With a current fleet that includes 29 aircraft, Air Peace operates from Embraer E195-E2s to Boeing 777s, serving 20 different locations across the continent. The lease agreement with KlasJet marks a strategic decision aimed at enhancing the airline’s capacity to serve the burgeoning demand in the region.

The Growing African Aviation Market

The African aviation sector is experiencing impressive growth, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projecting a 6% increase in air travel across the continent by 2026. Air Peace’s decision to lease the Boeing 737-800 aligns with this forecasted growth, positioning the airline to meet rising demand in West Africa and beyond. The rapid development of the aviation industry in Africa is being fueled by the economic transformation of countries, including Nigeria, where Air Peace is headquartered.

Oluwatoyin Olajide, Chief Operating Officer at Air Peace, has noted that countries like Nigeria are evolving into economic powerhouses, with aviation serving as a crucial pillar in this transformation. As a market leader in the region, Air Peace aims to remain at the forefront of this growth and capitalize on the opportunities provided by an expanding air travel market.

Strategic Flexibility Through Aircraft Leasing

The decision to lease the Boeing 737-800 was driven by the flexibility that the aircraft leasing model offers. This model allows airlines to expand their fleets and test new routes without bearing the heavy financial burden of aircraft ownership. With the rapid growth of the African aviation sector, airlines like Air Peace must remain agile, adapting quickly to changing market conditions and consumer demand.

KlasJet, the ACMI provider that entered into the agreement with Air Peace, is well-positioned to support the airline’s growth. The leasing arrangement provides Air Peace with a dependable aircraft to strengthen its regional network while allowing the carrier to manage its financial exposure. The flexibility inherent in the ACMI model is particularly well-suited to airlines in fast-growing regions like Africa, where demand for air travel is expanding at a significant pace.

Challenges and Resilience in Air Peace’s Strategy

While the leasing agreement with KlasJet is a promising step for Air Peace, the airline has faced challenges in recent months. In November, Air Peace experienced difficulties with its previous ACMI partner, SmartLynx Airlines, which abruptly withdrew several leased Airbus A320 aircraft. These aircraft were critical to Air Peace’s domestic operations and their removal resulted in financial losses of over $15 million.

Following the withdrawal of these aircraft, SmartLynx Airlines announced it was ceasing operations due to an unsustainable financial future. This abrupt end to the partnership left Air Peace grappling with the repercussions of the loss. However, Air Peace’s swift decision to enter into a new leasing agreement with KlasJet demonstrates the airline’s resilience and commitment to maintaining its position as a dominant player in the African aviation market.

Expanding Reach in the West African Aviation Landscape

Air Peace’s expansion plans are heavily focused on the West African market, where the airline has a significant presence. By leasing the Boeing 737-800 from KlasJet, the airline enhances its ability to serve new and existing routes with greater capacity and flexibility. West Africa’s aviation market has seen substantial growth in recent years and Air Peace is looking to capitalize on this trend to solidify its standing as the leading carrier in the region.

The strategic use of leased aircraft allows Air Peace to optimize its operations, ensuring that it has the right aircraft for each route while avoiding the long-term financial commitment of aircraft ownership. This is particularly important as the airline continues to expand its domestic and international network, which includes destinations across Africa and beyond.

Looking Ahead to Africa’s Future Aviation Landscape

The African aviation market is poised for continued growth, with Air Peace well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead. The lease of the Boeing 737-800 from KlasJet is a clear indication that the airline is committed to expanding its fleet and strengthening its operations across the continent. As more countries in Africa transform into economic hubs, the demand for air travel will only increase and Air Peace plans to be at the forefront of this expansion.

As the airline continues to grow, Air Peace’s ability to adapt to the fast-paced dynamics of the African aviation market will be key to its success. With the leasing model providing the flexibility to respond to market changes quickly, the airline is well on its way to achieving its ambitious growth plans in the years to come.

Sky Support AI, an innovative AI-powered airport concierge and indoor navigation platform, has made a significant leap in the travel technology sector with its launch on Microsoft Marketplace. This move enables airlines, airports, and enterprise travel platforms to procure and deploy Sky Support AI’s services directly through Microsoft Azure, making it easier for organizations to modernize their operations, enhance passenger experiences, and optimize airport environments.

AI-Driven Solutions for Airport Operations and Traveler Experience

Sky Support AI offers a cutting-edge digital concierge and indoor navigation solution, designed to improve passenger satisfaction, reduce operational friction, and support the digital transformation of airports. Built natively on Microsoft Azure, the platform delivers AI-powered guidance, real-time traveler assistance, and location-aware navigation. By ensuring travelers can navigate through airports more efficiently, it allows airlines and airports to improve service delivery and gain greater operational visibility.

Airports and airlines are constantly facing pressures to modernize their traveler experience offerings while managing large and complex airport environments. Sky Support AI’s platform, which is scalable and cloud-native, allows for rapid deployment, integration with existing enterprise systems, and easy access to real-time data that can help operators streamline airport operations and improve overall efficiency.

Simplifying Procurement with Microsoft Marketplace

Sky Support AI’s availability on Microsoft Marketplace offers a streamlined procurement process for organizations in the travel technology space. By leveraging existing Azure investments, airlines and airports can easily subscribe to Sky Support AI’s platform and integrate it into their cloud environments. This simplifies deployment, ensures enterprise-grade security and scalability, and facilitates seamless integration with existing systems. With Microsoft Marketplace, procurement becomes faster and more efficient, saving time and resources for enterprises in the travel industry.

Matthew Listach, Founder and CEO of Sky Support AI, acknowledged the importance of this launch, noting that airports and airlines are under increasing pressure to meet evolving traveler expectations. The platform’s availability on Microsoft Marketplace makes it easier for enterprise customers to quickly adopt the solution, ultimately helping improve their service offerings while ensuring operational efficiency.

Key Features of Sky Support AI

Sky Support AI is designed to cater to the specific needs of organizations looking to modernize their airport operations and enhance traveler engagement. The platform comes equipped with several powerful features:

1. AI-Powered Digital Concierge and Traveler Assistance: The platform uses advanced AI to offer real-time, personalized assistance to travelers, ensuring they can navigate airports smoothly and efficiently.
2. Indoor Navigation and Wayfinding: Sky Support AI provides detailed, real-time wayfinding across complex terminal layouts, helping passengers find gates, services, amenities, and more.
3. Azure-Native Architecture for Security and Scalability: Built on Microsoft Azure, the platform benefits from enterprise-grade security, scalability, and governance, ensuring it can support the growing demands of large airports and airlines.
4. Marketplace-Based Procurement and Subscription Management: By being available on Microsoft Marketplace, Sky Support AI makes it easy for enterprises to subscribe, manage, and integrate the platform within their existing operations.

These features are essential for any airport or airline looking to enhance digital transformation initiatives by improving passenger engagement, streamlining workflows, and ensuring operational efficiency.

Addressing the Growing Demand for Digital Transformation in Aviation

Airports and airlines worldwide are increasingly expected to meet the growing demands of travelers for more efficient, personalized, and seamless travel experiences. With the continued pressure to manage large, complex environments while maintaining high passenger volumes, the need for digital transformation has never been greater.

Sky Support AI is at the forefront of this shift, providing AI-powered solutions that enable real-time, location-based assistance to passengers. This helps alleviate the stress often associated with navigating complex airport terminals. The platform also provides operational insights that allow airports and airlines to improve service delivery, reduce friction, and enhance the efficiency of their operations. By adopting Sky Support AI, organizations can ensure they stay ahead in a competitive, fast-evolving industry.

The Impact of Sky Support AI on the Airport Industry

Sky Support AI has the potential to revolutionize the airport industry by seamlessly integrating with existing systems and offering a practical solution for modernizing operations. Airports and airlines adopting this platform can expect streamlined operations, improved passenger satisfaction, and a competitive advantage in the increasingly dynamic travel technology sector.

One of the standout features of Sky Support AI is its multilingual support, which makes it an ideal solution for global airports with diverse passenger bases. The platform’s AI-driven capabilities ensure that passengers, no matter their language or origin, receive real-time, personalized assistance that helps them navigate their journey more efficiently. This not only improves the overall traveler experience but also reduces the strain on airport staff.

The Future of Sky Support AI and Travel Technology Innovation

The launch of Sky Support AI on Microsoft Marketplace is just the beginning. As more airports and airlines recognize the value of AI-powered solutions, Sky Support AI is positioned to play a key role in the ongoing digital transformation of the aviation sector. With its focus on personalized services, operational efficiency, and scalability, the platform is set to continue driving growth and innovation within the travel technology space.

As the demand for personalized, real-time services grows, Sky Support AI is poised to become an essential tool for airports and airlines looking to meet modern traveler expectations. By providing AI-powered guidance and indoor navigation, the platform is helping ensure that airports remain competitive in a complex and rapidly changing market.

About Sky Support AI

Sky Support AI is a leading enterprise AI platform that aims to transform the airport and travel experience through intelligent digital concierge and indoor navigation technology. Built on Microsoft Azure, Sky Support AI empowers airlines, airports, and travel platforms to deliver personalized, real-time assistance to travelers while improving operational efficiency and service consistency. By integrating AI-powered features, Sky Support AI helps organizations enhance their customer service offerings and streamline their operations.

Starting today, Hobart’s vibrant waterfront will come alive with the highly anticipated Taste of Summer festival, running until January 3, 2026. This fan-favorite summer event offers a delightful celebration of Tasmania’s finest food, drinks, and entertainment, making it the perfect occasion to soak up the essence of the island’s warm, summer vibes. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, the festival is a must-visit for anyone seeking a lively day filled with delicious treats and a variety of entertainment. The festival promises to deliver a memorable experience for all ages.

The Taste of Summer festival brings together the very best of Tasmania’s culinary and cultural offerings, making it the ideal way to kick off your summer adventures. With so much to explore, this festival truly captures the spirit of the island’s rich food and drink culture while offering plenty of fun for families and tourists.

Food, Drinks, and Entertainment

One of the key highlights of the Taste of Summer festival is the incredible range of local food and drinks available. Visitors can sample the very best Tasmania has to offer, with an array of gourmet food stalls and beverage tents showcasing the region’s top produce. From fresh seafood to local cheeses and indulgent sweets, the food at the festival is sure to satisfy all tastes.

The drinks selection is just as impressive, with local wineries, breweries, and distilleries offering a variety of refreshing options to complement the food. Whether you’re enjoying a crisp glass of local wine or a refreshing craft beer, every sip is a celebration of Tasmania’s fine beverage scene. The festival also features several pop-up bars offering expertly crafted cocktails, perfect for sipping while soaking up the lively atmosphere of the waterfront.

Live music performances will fill the air, providing the perfect soundtrack to a day of indulgence and entertainment. From local bands to solo artists, there is something for everyone to enjoy, creating a festival atmosphere like no other. The music will be a focal point of the event, encouraging visitors to relax, dance, and enjoy the vibrant setting of Hobart’s picturesque waterfront.

With all the food, drinks, and live entertainment on offer, the Taste of Summer festival creates a lively, dynamic environment that celebrates the best of Tasmania’s summer culture. There’s no better place to unwind, taste, and experience the vibrant community of Hobart.

Family-Friendly Fun for All Ages

The Taste of Summer festival is designed to be fun for everyone, making it an ideal event for families. This year, the festival is offering a range of family-friendly activities, ensuring that there is something to keep every member of the family entertained. From craft stations to games and face painting, children will have plenty to enjoy. Parents can relax knowing that their little ones are entertained while they sample the incredible food and drinks on offer.

The festival offers a wonderful opportunity for families to spend quality time together. With a wide range of fun activities and events for kids, it’s an experience that the whole family can enjoy. What’s more, children under the age of 16 can attend the festival for free, making it an affordable and exciting option for families looking to enjoy a day out in Hobart. This commitment to making the festival accessible for families ensures that the Taste of Summer is a celebration for the whole community to enjoy, whether they’re locals or visitors from afar.

The event’s family-friendly approach is also reflected in its safe and welcoming atmosphere, with plenty of spaces for children to play and families to gather. The festival has worked hard to ensure that everyone, from the youngest visitors to the oldest, feels included and has access to something special.

Celebrate Summer in Hobart

The Taste of Summer festival isn’t just about food, drinks, and entertainment; it’s also about celebrating the unique culture of Hobart and Tasmania. This festival is a perfect opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the island’s way of life, discovering its local cuisine, arts, and traditions. For those who are new to Hobart, it’s a fantastic way to experience the heart and soul of the city and the surrounding region.

The vibrant waterfront setting provides the perfect backdrop for the festival, offering stunning views of the harbor and a chance to enjoy Hobart’s natural beauty. Whether you’re sitting back with a refreshing drink in hand, enjoying the live music, or taking part in a fun family activity, the festival encapsulates everything that makes Hobart such a beloved destination. The Taste of Summer festival invites visitors to experience the best of the city in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Local businesses and artisans also play a key role in the festival, with many offering their products and services, adding a personal touch to the event. The festival is an opportunity for these local makers and creators to showcase their talents, creating a true celebration of Hobart’s creativity and community spirit. From hand-made goods to locally sourced products, the festival offers a chance to take home a piece of Hobart’s charm.

For those who are already familiar with Hobart, the Taste of Summer festival offers a fresh and exciting way to rediscover the city. It’s a fantastic opportunity to spend time with friends and family, explore the waterfront, and create lasting memories while enjoying all that Hobart has to offer.

Don’t Miss Out on This Summer Celebration

With only a few days left to experience all that the Taste of Summer festival has to offer, now is the time to head to Hobart’s waterfront and make the most of this exciting event. Whether you’re sampling local food, enjoying live music, or simply soaking up the festival atmosphere, there’s no better way to spend a summer day in Tasmania. Don’t miss out on this incredible celebration of Hobart’s culture, community, and summer spirit. Make your way down to Hobart’s waterfront today and be part of the Taste of Summer festival; the ultimate way to celebrate Tasmania’s finest food, drinks, and entertainment this summer.

The Northern Territory has welcomed a significant boost to its local tourism and hospitality sector, with more than 3,000 visitors arriving today aboard the Crown Princess cruise ship. This 114,000-tonne vessel is the latest in a series of cruise ships visiting the region during the 2025-26 cruise season, solidifying the Territory’s growing appeal as a key destination for both leisure and business.

A Significant Arrival for Local Businesses

The Crown Princess’ arrival at Fort Hill Wharf signals another chapter in the Territory’s thriving cruise tourism sector. Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Marie-Clare Boothby, emphasized the importance of this visit, noting that it represents not just the growth of the local visitor economy but also a clear indication of the success of the Northern Territory Government’s efforts to reinvigorate the sector.

Minister Boothby highlighted that the cruise industry, in particular, has shown remarkable resilience and growth. This year alone, over 100 cruise ships have made port in the Territory, bringing with them thousands of visitors and providing valuable business for local tourism operators, hospitality establishments, and retailers. The economic impact of these visits is felt throughout the region, supporting a wide range of industries that rely on tourism.

Evidence of Economic Growth and Tourism’s Importance

Minister Boothby stressed the significance of tourism in the Territory’s ongoing economic recovery and growth. This was particularly evident with the recent docking of the Crown Princess, just weeks after the Discovery Princess made its maiden voyage to the region. Both vessels serve as tangible proof of the economic progress being made in the Northern Territory, which is seeing encouraging trends despite broader national challenges.

Tourism Research Australia’s latest data paints a clear picture of the Territory’s tourism growth, showing a marked increase in overnight trips by 28% and a 38% rise in visitor spending to September 2025. These figures demonstrate that while many other parts of Australia are experiencing flat growth, the Northern Territory is emerging as a leader in tourism recovery.

Cruise Tourism’s Expanding Impact

The economic benefits brought by the cruise industry in the Territory cannot be overstated. Figures from the Australian Cruise Association reveal that the total economic impact of the 2024–25 cruise season in the Northern Territory was an impressive $205.6 million, marking a 13.3% increase compared to the previous year. In addition to the substantial financial gains, this sector supports 581 local jobs, contributing significantly to the region’s employment and business landscape.

Minister Boothby highlighted that the growing importance of the cruise industry is part of a broader tourism trend that is helping to rebuild the local economy. As cruise tourism continues to flourish, local businesses across the Territory are reaping the rewards, from retail shops to restaurants and transportation services. These thriving sectors are a vital part of the Territory’s economic recovery after nearly a decade of decline, underscoring the role that tourism plays as one of the five key pillars in rebuilding the economy.

A Renewed Focus on Tourism’s Role in Economic Recovery

The Northern Territory Government has made it clear that tourism is central to its economic plans, and the success of the cruise sector exemplifies the positive impact this has had on local communities. Minister Boothby pointed out that the tourism sector, especially the cruise industry, has contributed significantly to the region’s economic growth. The arrival of the Crown Princess is a perfect example of how, when tourism thrives, so does the Territory.

This emphasis on tourism comes after years of decline under previous government leadership, making it even more crucial for the Territory’s growth. With strong leadership and a focus on expanding tourism opportunities, the Northern Territory is not only recovering but thriving, attracting both international and domestic visitors and investment.

The Future of the Northern Territory’s Tourism Sector

Looking ahead, the growth seen in the cruise tourism sector is expected to continue, with even more cruise ships set to visit the Northern Territory in the coming months. As the cruise industry continues to flourish, the region’s tourism infrastructure will continue to develop, creating new opportunities for both businesses and visitors. The impact of this growth extends beyond just economic benefits – it also enhances the Northern Territory’s reputation as a world-class destination for travelers seeking adventure, culture, and natural beauty.

The region’s efforts to make itself a must-visit destination are clearly paying off, with new initiatives designed to showcase its unique offerings. From natural wonders to rich cultural experiences, the Northern Territory is positioning itself as an attractive destination for tourists, not just within Australia, but internationally as well.

Building for the Future

As the Northern Territory continues to welcome cruise ships like the Crown Princess, it is clear that tourism will remain a key driver of economic growth. With continued investment in the sector and strong government support, the Territory is set to continue its trajectory as a leading player in Australia’s tourism industry. Whether it’s the growing presence of cruise ships, the rise in visitor spending, or the increased demand for local experiences, the future looks bright for tourism in the Northern Territory.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed significant revisions to the sport pilot Practical Test Standards (PTS), aiming to align them with the newly finalized MOSAIC rule. These revisions will impact the way sport pilots and flight instructors are certified and evaluated. The FAA has clarified that the updates will not drastically alter the testing process but will instead make key adjustments to ensure that the requirements reflect the expanded operating privileges granted under the MOSAIC rule.

The Need for Change: Adapting to the MOSAIC Rule

The driving force behind the proposed changes is the regulatory overhaul introduced by the MOSAIC final rule, which was published in July 2025. Under this rule, the FAA removed the long-standing definition of “light-sport aircraft” from federal regulations. The removal is part of a broader initiative to tie sport pilot privileges to new performance and design limits, thus expanding the range of aircraft sport pilots can operate.

Currently, the sport pilot PTS relies on the soon-to-be-removed definition of light-sport aircraft. This presents a potential conflict between the testing standards and the updated regulations, leading to confusion over which aircraft are eligible for practical tests and proficiency checks. The FAA’s proposal addresses this by revising the PTS to reference “aircraft” that meet the new regulatory standards, eliminating any ambiguity about which aircraft can be used for certification.

How the Changes Will Affect Sport Pilots

One of the major shifts introduced by the MOSAIC rule is the process for adding airplane privileges to an existing sport pilot certificate. Previously, pilots seeking to add airplane single-engine land or sea privileges could do so through training and proficiency checks with a flight instructor. However, under the new regulations, the process will now require the completion of a practical test administered by an FAA-approved pilot examiner.

This change reflects the shift in certification requirements under the MOSAIC rule. The FAA has made it clear that the revised PTS documents will be updated to align with these new requirements. This will ensure that the certification process remains consistent with the expanded privileges authorized by the rule, allowing sport pilots to operate a wider range of aircraft under their certification.

Terminology and Structural Updates

In addition to the substantive changes, the FAA has proposed several updates to the terminology used in the sport pilot PTS documents. For example, the FAA will replace multiple examiner titles with the single term “pilot examiner,” which is intended to simplify the language and improve consistency. The reference to flight instructors with a sport pilot rating will also be revised to align with the new terminology.

Moreover, the proposal includes corrections to outdated and inconsistent regulatory citations. These updates are not intended to impose new requirements on applicants, but rather to clarify and standardize the language used across the PTS documents.

Impact on Costs and Practical Testing

The FAA has estimated that these revisions will not impose significant new costs on pilots, flight instructors, or testing organizations. The PTS will continue to be freely available online and the scope and content of the practical tests will remain largely unchanged. Therefore, pilots and instructors can expect minimal financial impact as a result of the revisions.

The primary benefit of aligning the PTS with the MOSAIC rule is the broader shift toward performance-based standards in aviation. By adopting these standards, the FAA aims to provide greater clarity and consistency in the testing process, ensuring that all stakeholders—whether examiners, instructors, or applicants—are working from the same set of updated standards.

Public Comments and the Future of Sport Pilot Certification

As part of the rulemaking process, the FAA is seeking public feedback on the proposed revisions. The agency has set a deadline of January 7, 2026, for submitting public comments. Once the public comment period closes, the FAA will review all submissions and consider them before finalizing the changes to the sport pilot PTS.

The agency’s decision to align the sport pilot PTS with the MOSAIC rule is seen as a critical step in modernizing the sport pilot certification process. By updating the PTS, the FAA is ensuring that the certification process is in sync with the expanded privileges authorized under MOSAIC, while maintaining a consistent approach to practical testing.

The FAA’s Role in Shaping Aviation’s Future

The FAA’s proposed revisions to the sport pilot Practical Test Standards represent a significant step forward in the evolution of aviation. As the FAA continues to adapt to new regulatory frameworks like the MOSAIC rule, these changes ensure that the testing and certification processes remain aligned with modern aircraft performance standards.

These revisions are part of the FAA’s broader goal of fostering a safer, more efficient aviation environment while expanding the opportunities available to sport pilots. With the proposed updates, the FAA is helping to shape the future of aviation by improving clarity, consistency and accessibility in the certification process. The feedback from the aviation community will be crucial in determining the final structure of the PTS, making this an exciting development for the future of sport aviation.

The spotlight of the sporting world once again shines on Melbourne today as fans from around the globe gather for the highly anticipated Ashes edition of the Boxing Day Test. This iconic event, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), is expected to attract huge crowds and make a significant contribution to the local economy, with over 100,000 tickets already sold to interstate and international visitors.

Huge Boost to the Visitor Economy

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, joined Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg and MCG CEO Stuart Fox to announce that more than 100,000 tickets have been sold for the Boxing Day Test, providing a major boost to Melbourne’s visitor economy. The majority of these tickets have been purchased by international or interstate fans, who are flocking to Melbourne not only to witness the historic match but also to experience the city’s vibrant atmosphere.

This year’s Test match is expected to attract around 90,000 attendees on each of the first three days, marking a significant increase in footfall compared to previous years. The crowds will be drawn to the MCG, where the energy and excitement of the game is sure to leave a lasting impression. The event builds on the record-breaking attendance seen last year, when a staggering 373,691 people passed through the MCG gates during the five-day match against India.

Rising Hotel Occupancy in Melbourne

With the surge in tourism comes a notable increase in hotel occupancy in Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). During the Boxing Day Test, hotel occupancy is forecast to be over 15 percent higher than on comparable days a week earlier, and 11 percent higher than at the same time last year. These figures reflect the growing demand for accommodation, as visitors flock to Melbourne to experience one of the most important sporting events on the Australian calendar.

The impact of the Boxing Day Test on the local hospitality industry is immense, providing not only a boost to hotel occupancy but also increasing business for restaurants, bars, and other venues across the city. Local businesses stand to benefit significantly from the influx of tourists who will spend money on food, drink, and entertainment during the event.

Summer Fest Brings Extra Fun to Fans

In addition to the on-field action, fans can enjoy the lively atmosphere at Yarra Park, located adjacent to the MCG, where the ‘Summer Fest’ event is being held. Supported by the Allan Labor Government, this festival offers a wide range of family-friendly activities, including live music, free games, giveaways, and skills challenges. Summer Fest creates an inclusive environment where fans can immerse themselves in the excitement of the Test while enjoying entertainment and activities for all ages.

The partnership between the Labor Government and Cricket Australia has helped to expand the appeal of the Boxing Day Test, transforming it from a sporting event into a comprehensive entertainment experience. Visitors can take full advantage of everything Melbourne has to offer, from the action at the MCG to the vibrant atmosphere at Summer Fest.

Looking Ahead: The 150th Anniversary Test in 2027

The Boxing Day Test is not only a key moment in Australian cricket but also a major part of the city’s sporting calendar. This year’s event helps build momentum toward a historic milestone for the MCG: the 150th Anniversary Men’s Test between Australia and England, scheduled to take place in March 2027. This match will mark the first-ever men’s Test match to be played under lights at the MCG, adding a modern twist to the legacy of the famous Centenary Test in 1977. The match will evoke memories of the thrilling 45-run victory for Australia that year, a fitting celebration of the long-standing history of the Test match at the MCG.

Raising Awareness for Heart Health and Diabetes

In line with the commitment to public health, Cricket Australia, in partnership with the Shane Warne Legacy, will raise awareness for heart health and diabetes during the Boxing Day Test. Fans attending the event will have the opportunity to take part in free health checks at one of the 56 stations set up in and around the MCG. These stations will provide quick, non-invasive tests that measure key health metrics such as blood pressure, BMI, and diabetes risk. The initiative aims to help people better understand their health and take proactive steps toward improving their well-being.

Government Support Fuels Fan Engagement

The partnership between the Victorian Government and Cricket Australia has played a pivotal role in boosting fan engagement for the Boxing Day Test. By marketing the event to both domestic and international audiences, the government has helped ensure larger crowds and a more successful event. The MCG has been confirmed as the home of the Boxing Day Test until at least 2030, ensuring that future generations will continue to enjoy this iconic event.

The Victorian Government’s support extends beyond the cricket field, contributing to the growth of the state’s tourism sector. As Minister Steve Dimopoulos highlighted, the Boxing Day Test serves as a huge draw for visitors, providing them with the opportunity to explore Melbourne’s food, wine, and natural beauty while attending one of the world’s most exciting cricket events.

Inspiring Future Generations of Cricket Fans

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence also emphasized the importance of initiatives such as Summer Fest in inspiring the next generation of cricket participants and fans. The fan zone outside the MCG is designed to engage young people and encourage them to get involved in the sport. Through free activities and entertainment, Summer Fest helps build a connection with cricket that extends beyond the game itself, fostering a love of the sport for years to come.

Melbourne: A Global Destination for Sport and Culture

As Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements noted, Melbourne is at its most vibrant during the summer months, making it an ideal destination for sports and tourism. The city’s unique sporting precinct, located just a short walk from the CBD, offers a perfect setting for visitors to soak in the atmosphere of the Boxing Day Test. The city’s rich cultural offerings and world-class food and wine experiences make it an irresistible destination for tourists from around the globe.

Looking ahead to the 150th Anniversary Test in 2027, McClements highlighted the opportunity for Melbourne to showcase its sporting and cultural credentials on the global stage. Hosting this milestone event under lights will further cement Melbourne’s status as a premier destination for world-class sporting experiences.

Cricket Australia’s Commitment to the Sport

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg also underscored the importance of the Boxing Day Test in the history of Australian cricket. The MCG has witnessed some of the greatest moments in the sport, and the Boxing Day Test holds a special place in the hearts of Australian fans. Greenberg expressed gratitude to the Victorian Government for their continued support, which has helped elevate the status of the event as one of the world’s premier sporting spectacles.

Melbourne Cricket Club’s Legacy

As Stuart Fox, CEO of the Melbourne Cricket Club, highlighted, the Boxing Day Test is a deeply rooted tradition in Victoria. The MCG, the birthplace of International Test cricket, continues to be a symbol of Australia’s rich sporting heritage. The event remains a beloved fixture on the Australian cricket calendar, with hundreds of thousands of cricket fans expected to attend across all days of the match.

Aviation Capital Group LLC (ACG), a leading global aircraft asset management company, has made a significant contribution to the air travel and tourism industry with the delivery of a new Boeing 737 MAX 8 to LOT Polish Airlines. This marks the first of three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft set to be delivered to the airline in the coming months, bolstering LOT Polish Airlines’ efforts to modernize its fleet and enhance its competitive position in the global aviation market.

The long-standing partnership between ACG and LOT Polish Airlines, which began in 2017 with the leasing of three Boeing 787s, has continued to grow stronger, with this latest delivery serving as a testament to the enduring value of collaborative relationships in the aviation sector.

ACG’s Role in Advancing Air Travel and Tourism

ACG plays a crucial role in supporting the air travel and tourism industry by providing commercial aircraft leasing and aviation finance solutions. Specializing in aircraft asset management, ACG offers a range of tailored services designed to meet the diverse needs of airlines and fleet managers around the world. With a portfolio that includes approximately 470 owned, managed, and committed aircraft, ACG is a trusted partner for airlines looking to optimize their fleet management strategies.

The delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to LOT Polish Airlines is part of ACG’s commitment to supporting the airline industry with state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient aircraft that enhance operational efficiency. This move is particularly significant in the context of the ongoing push within the air travel sector to reduce environmental impact. With increased focus on sustainability and reducing fuel consumption, the introduction of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 into LOT Polish Airlines’ fleet is expected to contribute to these broader goals, helping airlines reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to meet the travel demands of a growing global population.

Strengthening the Partnership Between ACG and LOT Polish Airlines

The partnership between ACG and LOT Polish Airlines has not only been about aircraft leasing but also about aligning long-term strategies that benefit both parties. Since their initial collaboration in 2017, ACG has supported the Polish airline’s efforts to modernize its fleet, with the first three Boeing 787s leased to LOT Polish Airlines paving the way for this continued success. The upcoming delivery of three additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft further cements this mutually beneficial relationship.

From a tourism perspective, the delivery of these new aircraft will help LOT Polish Airlines improve its services and expand its route network, making it easier for travelers to access more destinations across Europe and beyond. By increasing capacity and improving operational efficiency, the airline is better equipped to handle the growing demand for air travel, a critical factor in the recovery and growth of the tourism industry post-pandemic.

Aircraft Asset Management: Supporting Airlines and the Tourism Industry

ACG’s expertise in aircraft asset management has a direct impact on the air travel and tourism sector. Through its portfolio of aircraft and its robust fleet management solutions, ACG provides airlines with the tools and resources necessary to maintain efficient, cost-effective operations. These services are crucial for airlines that serve the global tourism market, where competition is fierce, and the need for innovation and operational efficiency is ever-growing.

The leasing and management services provided by ACG enable airlines to access modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, ensuring that they can offer competitive pricing while maintaining a high level of service for passengers. As tourism continues to rebound, the role of aircraft asset management in enabling airlines to scale their operations and meet demand will be more important than ever.

ACG’s Global Impact on Air Travel and Tourism

With an extensive global presence, ACG’s aircraft are leased to over 90 airlines in 50 countries, playing a significant role in the global air travel ecosystem. From North America to Europe and Asia, ACG’s reach extends across the world, supporting airlines in their efforts to expand and modernize their fleets.

For the tourism industry, this means greater access to efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft, facilitating the movement of tourists to popular destinations worldwide. ACG’s leasing and asset management solutions support the growth of both established and emerging markets, helping airlines meet the evolving demands of the travel sector.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Air Travel and Tourism with ACG

As ACG continues to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions to its airline partners, the future of air travel and tourism looks brighter than ever. The upcoming deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to LOT Polish Airlines and other airlines will help ensure that the aviation sector remains agile and responsive to the needs of the global tourism market.

The partnership between ACG and LOT Polish Airlines is a prime example of how strong, trusted business relationships can fuel growth and drive innovation in the aviation industry. With a focus on sustainability, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction, ACG is poised to remain at the forefront of the aircraft leasing and asset management industry, contributing to the continued success of air travel and tourism worldwide.

About Aviation Capital Group

Aviation Capital Group (ACG) was founded in 1989 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation. ACG is a leading global aircraft asset manager with a portfolio that includes approximately 470 owned, managed, and committed aircraft. The company leases aircraft to airlines across 50 countries, making it one of the key players in the commercial aviation sector. For more information about ACG’s services and to explore their extensive portfolio of aircraft leasing and asset management solutions, visit aviationcapitalgroup.com.

The US Department of Transportation has announced a groundbreaking investment of nearly $1 billion aimed at improving road safety across the country. This historic funding, amounting to $982,231,998, will be allocated to 521 projects in 48 states, 18 tribes and Puerto Rico. The primary goal of these investments is to enhance the safety of roadways for both local commuters and travelers alike, offering a safer and more efficient travel experience for those traversing the United States.

The initiative, known as the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) competitive grant program, has been designed to tackle a wide range of roadway safety challenges. This includes building safer intersections, installing roundabouts, upgrading sidewalks and strengthening emergency response systems. Such projects are set to significantly reduce serious injuries and fatalities among pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists and truck drivers across the nation.

A Step Toward Safer Travel Across the US

One of the key benefits of this investment is its direct impact on travelers. Road safety is a critical factor that affects the overall travel experience in the US, whether individuals are heading out on a road trip, driving through major cities, or traveling to remote rural destinations. The SS4A program seeks to enhance the safety of all road users, ensuring that travelers, whether tourists or residents, have a safer experience on the road. Improved road safety can help reduce accidents and delays, making travel smoother and more predictable.

Strengthening Infrastructure for Tourism

The funds allocated through the SS4A program will also improve infrastructure in regions that are critical for tourism. Projects like building pedestrian bridges, improving roadways and enhancing emergency response services can make tourist destinations more accessible and enjoyable for visitors.

A prime example is the $21.4 million grant allocated to Huntsville, Alabama, which will fund the construction of a cable-suspended pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Governors Drive and Memorial Parkway. For travelers visiting Huntsville or passing through the area, this new bridge will offer a safer and more convenient way to navigate busy roads while promoting sustainable transportation options such as walking and biking. Such infrastructure improvements are crucial for enhancing the visitor experience, especially in areas with heavy foot traffic near popular tourist attractions.

Investing in Rural Travel Safety

In addition to projects targeting urban areas, the SS4A program is also focusing on improving road safety in rural and less developed regions. For instance, Shawnee County, Kansas, will receive $4 million to upgrade emergency communications systems along high-risk rural corridors. These upgrades are essential for travelers venturing through less populated areas of the US, particularly those exploring national parks, scenic byways and other off-the-beaten-path destinations.

With improved crash detection, location accuracy and coordinated emergency response services, travelers in rural areas will benefit from enhanced safety measures, reducing response times in the event of an accident and improving overall travel security.

Supporting Safer Travel for All Road Users

The funding from the SS4A program is not limited to vehicle drivers alone. Pedestrians, cyclists and transit users are all set to benefit from the safety measures being implemented across the US. For example, the $5.6 million grant awarded to Memphis, Tennessee, will fund the construction of a traffic incident management training facility to enhance the skills of first responders. This initiative will improve the speed and efficiency of emergency services, ensuring that travelers in Memphis, whether by car, bus, or foot, are well-protected in the event of an emergency.

Such improvements to public safety infrastructure are vital in fostering a travel environment where all road users, including vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists, feel secure. By focusing on a broad spectrum of safety measures, the SS4A program is creating a more inclusive travel experience for everyone.

A Stronger Focus on Safety

The SS4A program was restructured to remove certain requirements that previously slowed down the process of allocating funds to essential safety projects. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy emphasized that by eliminating the previous administration’s mandates related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice, the program is now focused purely on road safety. According to Duffy, this shift allows funds to flow more quickly to where they are needed most, ensuring that critical safety projects move forward without delay.

This refocused approach underscores the priority of ensuring that US roadways are as safe as possible for travelers, without bureaucratic obstacles slowing down progress. The accelerated implementation of these investments means that the safety benefits will be felt across the country in the near future, enhancing the overall travel experience for millions of Americans and international visitors alike.

Investing in the Future of US Travel

As the US continues to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic, investments like the SS4A program are crucial for shaping the future of travel in the country. By prioritizing infrastructure improvements and safety upgrades, the government is not only safeguarding the lives of US residents but also creating a more attractive and accessible environment for international tourists.

In conclusion, the nearly $1 billion investment in road safety is set to have a far-reaching impact on the travel experience across the US. Whether it’s making rural roads safer for explorers, enhancing urban infrastructure for tourists, or improving emergency response systems, these projects will help create a more secure and enjoyable travel environment. As the program progresses, travelers throughout the US can look forward to safer, more reliable roadways, ensuring that their journeys are smooth and incident-free.

Can Gio, once considered a remote and overlooked district of Ho Chi Minh City, is rapidly transforming into a bustling urban hub. This change is largely driven by a groundbreaking 2,870-hectare coastal urban project backed by Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate. The ambitious initiative, launched six months ago, has injected new life into the area, marking a significant shift in the district’s development trajectory.

For years, Can Gio was isolated from the city’s rapid urban expansion. The area was difficult to access, surrounded by dense forests, and could only be reached by ferry. However, this perception is now changing as the massive development project reshapes the region. The project is not only intended to improve the local infrastructure but is also viewed as a major economic catalyst for Ho Chi Minh City, extending its urban footprint toward the sea.

A Game-Changing Project for Can Gio’s Future

The launch of this major land reclamation project has been described as a “game changer” by locals. The once quiet coastal area is now a hub of activity, with construction workers operating heavy machinery around the clock. In just a few months, hundreds of hectares of land have been filled and stabilized, and the rapid progress has surprised even experts.

According to Prof. Pham Van Song, president of the Mien Dong University of Technology, the scale and speed of development have been remarkable. He noted that the rapid transformation of the area from a remote location to a dynamic urban space is a testament to the project’s potential to change Can Gio’s status within the region.

This project, spearheaded by Vingroup through its real estate arm, Vinhomes, is not just a typical development. It represents one of the group’s most ambitious coastal urbanization efforts, combining residential, tourism, and infrastructure projects into a comprehensive master plan. With billions of dollars invested, it aims to place Can Gio at the forefront of the city’s economic expansion and development.

Infrastructure Developments Boosting Connectivity

The development of Can Gio is supported by a series of major infrastructure projects designed to improve connectivity and accessibility. One of the most significant projects is the construction of the Phu My Hung-Can Gio high-speed railway, which is set to begin construction by the end of 2025. This railway will have an impressive design capable of reaching speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour, linking Can Gio with the southern urban core of Ho Chi Minh City. This railway is expected to dramatically reduce travel times and make the area far more accessible to residents and visitors.

In addition to the railway, the highly anticipated Can Gio Bridge is scheduled to break ground in 2026. Once completed, the bridge will reduce travel time to the city center to about 45 to 60 minutes, providing an efficient direct route to and from Can Gio.

The Rung Sac interchange, with an investment of 3,000 billion VND (around 120 million U.S. dollars), will further connect Can Gio with the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway. Scheduled for completion in 2028, this infrastructure project will create direct links between Can Gio and the Southwest and Southeast regions of Vietnam, including the future Long Thanh International Airport.

Additionally, Vingroup has proposed a sea-crossing expressway that would stretch more than 10 kilometers across the sea, linking Can Gio and Vung Tau. This 50-meter wide expressway could reduce travel time between the two coastal cities to just 15 minutes, fostering economic ties and improving connectivity between key coastal regions.

Can Gio’s Rising Economic Potential

These transformative infrastructure projects are all part of a broader regional development plan that aims to integrate various modes of transportation, including road, rail, water, and sea transport. Can Gio International Transshipment Port, set to cover 571 hectares with an investment of 50,000 billion VND, is another monumental project in the pipeline. This port is designed to be a hub for Vietnam’s growing maritime economy, and its first phase is expected to begin operations in 2027, with full completion slated for 2045.

Prof. Pham Van Song highlights that the combination of infrastructure investment and Vingroup’s developments is poised to make Can Gio a central economic hub for the region. The port and transportation projects, alongside the residential and commercial developments, are expected to drive significant growth, particularly in terms of the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP). As more infrastructure is completed, the number of residents and visitors in Can Gio is projected to increase, enhancing the district’s economic standing and transforming it into a prosperous urban center.

Investor Interest and Market Growth

The progress in Can Gio has already sparked significant interest among investors. According to Dinh Minh Tuan, southern regional director of Batdongsan.com.vn, the number of online searches for Can Gio real estate has tripled since the beginning of the year. Following the groundbreaking of the Vinhomes Green Paradise project, property interest in the district has doubled, indicating strong investor confidence.

This pattern mirrors past trends in other parts of Ho Chi Minh City. In the 1990s, Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard helped turn southern Ho Chi Minh City into a thriving urban area, attracting nearly two million residents. Similarly, the Thu Thiem Tunnel and Bridge in the 2010s drew more than a million people to the city’s east. Experts like Tuan believe that Can Gio, with its strong infrastructure push, is poised for similar success, offering a significant opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on the region’s growth.

Can Gio’s Promising Future

With a population of around 80,000, Can Gio has long struggled with limited connectivity. However, with the ongoing large-scale investments in infrastructure and development, the district is expected to experience rapid growth. Tuan believes that Can Gio is now set to outpace many of the earlier urban developments in Ho Chi Minh City, thanks to its strategic location and extensive investment in modernization.

The completion of key infrastructure projects, along with Vingroup’s ambitious coastal urban development, will likely position Can Gio as a major urban center in the coming years. The combination of residential, tourism, and commercial projects, coupled with strong investor interest, points to a bright future for this once-isolated district.

Conclusion

The transformation of Can Gio from a remote and isolated area into a rapidly developing urban hub exemplifies the power of targeted investment and strategic infrastructure development. With billions of dollars being poured into the region’s growth, Can Gio is set to become a central part of Ho Chi Minh City’s economic and urban landscape. As Vingroup’s coastal urban development continues to reshape the area, Can Gio’s economic potential will likely rise, drawing both residents and investors to this newly emerging district. The future of Can Gio is unfolding, and the district is set to become one of the most important growth engines for the southern metropolis of Vietnam.

Jasper, a picturesque mountain community in Alberta, has been revitalized this winter by a series of fresh snowfalls, breathing new life into the region’s tourism sector. After enduring the devastation of 2024 wildfires and several consecutive seasons of weaker snowfall, the recent snowfall has had a dramatic impact on the local economy. According to CBC News, over 80 centimetres of snow has fallen at Marmot Basin in the past two weeks alone, significantly improving snow conditions and offering a much-needed boost to the winter tourism industry.

This strong snowfall has not only enhanced the conditions for skiing but also revitalized the confidence of visitors, helping to restore Jasper’s reputation as a premier winter destination. With nearly all of Marmot Basin’s terrain now open in time for the Christmas holidays, the region’s recovery is well underway, offering an optimistic outlook for the coming season.

Ski Resort Success: Visitor Numbers Surge

The snowfall has had a noticeable impact on Marmot Basin, one of Jasper’s most iconic ski resorts. Resort officials reported a 15 percent increase in skier visits compared to the same point last season, despite a delayed opening. This increase in visitation reflects the growing interest in Jasper as a winter destination, driven by the ideal snow conditions and a return to more consistent winter weather.

The snow-covered mountains have allowed the resort to offer near-complete access to its terrain, a major improvement over last winter when weak snowfall significantly limited skiing options. Visitors to the region are eager to experience the slopes, and many are returning to the area after a period of uncertainty, largely caused by the devastating wildfires that occurred in 2024.

A Boost to Jasper’s Winter Economy

While Marmot Basin’s skiing operations are a key driver for Jasper’s winter economy, the broader tourism sector has also benefitted from the improved snow conditions. Jasper’s economy heavily relies on consistent snowfall to attract tourists, as many of the town’s businesses—ranging from restaurants to retail shops—depend on the influx of winter visitors. The recent snowfall has not only restored snow sports opportunities but has also created a welcoming environment for non-skiing tourists, who are drawn to Jasper’s natural beauty and winter attractions.

Regional travel continues to be a central component of Jasper’s recovery. Edmonton residents, along with travelers from northern Alberta, form the core of Jasper’s winter visitation. These loyal visitors view Jasper as an accessible getaway, providing a sense of familiarity and comfort. The ongoing recovery from the 2024 wildfires, which devastated roughly one-third of the town’s buildings, had caused some initial hesitation among potential travelers. However, the positive shift in snow conditions has helped ease these concerns, with visitors once again prioritizing Jasper for winter travel.

Renewed Confidence Post-Wildfires

The town of Jasper, though visibly changed by the destruction caused by the wildfires, remains a beloved winter destination for both local and international visitors. While the wildfires did create uncertainty among travelers, especially in the immediate aftermath, the restored confidence in Jasper’s winter tourism is evident. With an influx of snow and an active tourism season, local businesses are thriving once more. Restaurants, bars, and retail shops are once again bustling with activity, as both returning and new visitors flock to Jasper to enjoy the winter season.

Tourism leaders in Jasper note that many visitors are drawn to the region based on the condition of the snow, rather than lingering concerns about wildfire damage. With snow conditions improving and the town’s infrastructure and businesses rebounding, travelers are starting to feel confident about returning to this mountain retreat.

Jasper in January: Celebrating Winter Fun

One of the key events on Jasper’s winter calendar is the Jasper in January festival, a celebration of the fun and lighter side of winter. Running from mid-January to early February, this festival is an important part of the winter tourism offering. It highlights the playful spirit of the season with a variety of events, from ice skating and outdoor activities to performances and local entertainment. The festival not only attracts tourists but also encourages locals to participate in celebrating the community’s winter spirit.

As preparations for the festival are underway, it is clear that Jasper in January will be a highlight of the season, offering both locals and visitors a chance to engage in the vibrant winter activities that make Jasper such a unique destination.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge: A Staple in Winter Tourism

While skiing and snowboarding are a significant part of Jasper’s tourism industry, the region offers much more than just winter sports. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a renowned resort in the area, continues to provide an unforgettable winter experience, even when snow conditions are less than ideal. Despite challenges in previous years, the lodge has maintained stable winter occupancy, with many returning guests choosing the resort for its welcoming atmosphere and wide range of activities beyond skiing.

Winter activities such as ice skating, spa services, winter hiking, and even sauna and cold plunge experiences at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge ensure that visitors can enjoy a luxurious and relaxing winter getaway. The resort remains a staple of the winter tourism experience, offering diverse activities that appeal to a broad range of guests.

Looking Ahead: Optimism for Jasper’s Winter Comeback

As Jasper continues to recover from the challenges faced in recent years, the combination of improved snow conditions and strong regional loyalty presents a bright future for the town’s winter tourism. The arrival of fresh snowfall has restored confidence in the area’s ability to attract visitors, and with several events lined up, including the highly anticipated Jasper in January festival, the town is well-positioned for a strong winter season.

While wildfire recovery efforts are still ongoing, the region’s ability to bounce back demonstrates the resilience of both its businesses and its community. The combination of renewed snow conditions, robust regional travel, and a diverse winter calendar ensures that Jasper’s winter comeback is well underway, and the town enters 2026 with cautious optimism about what the future holds.

Conclusion

Jasper’s recovery from the challenges of recent years, particularly the wildfires and weak snow seasons, is a testament to the resilience of both the town and its tourism industry. The recent snowfalls and the resulting improvements in conditions have rejuvenated the town’s winter economy, with businesses thriving and visitors returning in larger numbers. With ski tourism, winter festivals, and luxury resorts leading the way, Jasper is poised for continued success as it moves forward into the next phase of its winter tourism recovery.

A mystery from our evolutionary past.

PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Smith scored his second touchdown on a diving 12-yard catch in the first overtime and Minnesota extended its postseason winning streak to nine games with a 20-17 win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl on Friday.

A year after Kansas State beat Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl, the 2025 version turned defensive in the desert — until a flurry early in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota (8-5) went up 14-6 when Darius Taylor scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, but Damon Bankston returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. New Mexico's 2-point conversion on a trick play tied the game at 14-all.

The teams returned to trading punts, sending the game to overtime at Chase Field, home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

New Mexico (9-4) failed to get a first down on the opening possession and Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 36-yard field goal.

The Gophers and their fans then got to celebrate Smith's spectacular touchdown twice — once live, the other after an official review confirmed the catch.

Minnesota's bowl winning streak — seven straight under coach P.J. Fleck — matches Southern California and Utah for second-longest all-time, behind Florida State’s 11 in a row from 1985-95.

The Lobos earned a spot in their first bowl game since the 2016 New Mexico Bowl behind a vastly improved defense. Fourth-worst in the FBS a year ago, New Mexico climbed to No. 49 this season, allowing about 222 yards less in total defense.

The Lobos shut down Minnesota for most of the first half, recovering a botched snap on a midfield fourth-and-1 attempt and holding the Gophers to 112 first-half yards.

Minnesota finally found an offensive rhythm late in the half, moving 75 yards in nine plays on a drive capped by Drake Lindsey's rainbow 10-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the back corner of the end zone.

Minnesota's defense wasn't bad, either.

The Gophers allowed two drives deep into their own end, but stiffened when they needed to, holding New Mexico to two field goals and 124 total yards for a 7-6 halftime lead.

Minnesota: The Gophers open the 2026 season at home against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 3.

New Mexico: Hosts Central Michigan on Sept. 5 to open next season.

___

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The skillful Mexican joins the ranks of the Pumas, arriving with the firm conviction of becoming the new offensive engine at CU.

The news was confirmed through the club's social media, where the player's commitment and excitement to wear the university jersey were highlighted.

"Welcome to Pumas, Jordan Carrillo; the auriazul family welcomes you with open arms," was the message with which the institution welcomed him. The player is already at the Cantera facilities to immediately join the training sessions and meet his new teammates.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 Manuel Guadarrama - 2025 Getty Images

Saintfiet voices frustration after AFCON stalemate in Rabat

Tom Saintfiet criticises referee after Mali denied penalty in 1-1 AFCON draw with Morocco

Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has openly criticised the refereeing decisions following his side’s 1-1 draw with Morocco in the second round of the AFCON 2025 group stage.

The Group B encounter played in Rabat saw both teams awarded penalties but Saintfiet believes the officiating favoured the tournament hosts and denied Mali crucial second spot-kick.

Saintfiet questions penalty decisions

The Belgian coach took issue with the penalty awarded to Morocco for handball while insisting Mali were unfairly denied another penalty after what he described as clear handball by Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd.

“I saw the incident again on television,” Saintfiet said. “The defender clearly touched the ball with his hand. It’s disappointing that we didn’t get that penalty.”

While acknowledging the difficulty of refereeing, the Mali coach pointed towards the Cameroonian referee’s decisions as decisive factor in the outcome.

Despite his frustration, Saintfiet praised his players’ performance especially after securing second consecutive draw in the tournament.

“I’m happy with my team’s performance but I’m not completely satisfied with the result,” he explained. “As a coach, I want to win every match.”

He added that Mali had entered the tournament with clear ambitions including topping the group, a goal now made more complicated after failing to beat Zambia in the previous round.

Looking ahead to the final group matches, Saintfiet admitted Mali’s fate may depend on other results.

“I hope Zambia give everything to get point against Morocco,” he said. “We will also give everything to win our match. Finishing top of the group will make things easier for us later.”

AFCON 2025 Group Standings (After Round 2)

1. Morocco — 4 points
2. Mali — 2 points
3. Zambia — 2 points
4. Comoros — 1 point

After securing survival in 2024 via the playoffs, there was hope that Daegu FC would enjoy an upturn in fortunes in 2025. However, a disastrous first half of the season left them with too much ground to make up, and despite an impressive late surge in form, it proved too little, too late. The campaign ended with the Sky Blues slipping into K League 2 after nine consecutive seasons in the top flight.

What Went Well

With manager Park Chang-hyun relieved of his duties early in the season following a poor start, his successor Kim Byung-soo did little initially to change the team’s fortunes. However, things appeared to click late in the campaign, as Daegu went on an impressive run that saw them lose just once in their final 12 matches. This late revival gave the Daegu faithful renewed optimism that the club can make a swift return to K League 1 next season.

Another bright spark in an otherwise miserable campaign was the form of club legend Cesinha. Despite now being 36 years old, he showed no signs of slowing down, finishing the season with 12 goals and 12 assists, as well as picking up Player of the Month awards in both September and October. If, as expected, he decides to stay for another year, he will once again be Daegu’s key man.

In a season that saw the team win just seven league matches, there was little that went well overall. Recruitment during the winter window was particularly poor, with none of the new signings making a significant impact. There was considerable excitement surrounding the return of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Lamas from Busan IPark, but after a bright start to the season, he failed to impress and spent large portions of the campaign on the bench. Elsewhere, striker Park Dae-hoon managed just three goals after joining from Chungnam Asan, while left-back Jeong Woo-jae featured only 16 times before eventually being dropped from the squad for disciplinary reasons.

Despite the lack of effective reinforcements, the season began promisingly, with Daegu recording two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. That form did not last, however, as six consecutive defeats followed, culminating in the resignation of Park Chang-hyun and the appointment of Kim Byung-soo after a longer-than-ideal recruitment process.

Beyond the problems on the pitch, Daegu FC were also beset by significant issues off it. Supporters spent much of the season protesting against the club’s leadership, with criticism focused on recruitment, frustration over managerial appointments, and growing dissatisfaction with the way the club communicated with its fanbase.

At the end of the campaign, Korean football legend Cho Kwang-rae resigned as CEO under sustained supporter pressure. Several players publicly expressed their sadness at his departure on social media, with Cesinha even urging him to reconsider his decision.

However, the unrest did not end there. Fans continued their protests after the season’s conclusion, most notably by arranging funeral wreaths to be placed outside Daegu City Hall, calling for more drastic reshuffles of the administrative system including the recruitment of a new CEO on a merit-based process who genuinely can steer the club in the right direction.

A new general manager was eventually appointed on the 23rd December in the form of former Pohang Steelers leader Jang Young-bok, however this has done little to appease the fans due to Jang’s history of controversy during his time there.

The emergence of Han Tae-hee as Daegu’s number one goalkeeper was one of the few positives on the pitch. The 21-year-old made his debut early in the season and went on to cement his place as first choice, an area in which Daegu have struggled for consistency in recent years.

The young stopper commands his area extremely well and is particularly adept at dealing with high balls into the box, which is all the more impressive given his age. He ended the season with a call-up to the South Korea under-23 squad, a fitting reward for what was a successful individual campaign despite the team’s struggles.

Team MVP

With few players covering themselves in glory this season, it once again fell to veteran attacker Cesinha to lead the way. He topped both the club’s scoring and assist charts and collected numerous man-of-the-match awards, as well as two K League Player of the Month honours.

It is clear that Daegu are a very different team without him, and there is a strong sense that had he not missed two months through injury, the club might well have avoided relegation.

A special mention must also go to Brazilian defender Caio. He was an absolute mountain at the back, while also posing a threat from set pieces at the other end of the pitch. Daegu’s situation could have been considerably worse without him, and he is certain to attract interest from clubs higher up the pyramid during the off-season.

Most Disappointing Player

Much was expected of winter signing Park Dae-hoon, who arrived from Chungnam Asan fresh from scoring a brace against Daegu in the 2024 playoff. However, he struggled to make an impact, taking 11 matches to score his first goal — a well-taken strike in the cup against Anyang in May. He would not score again until late August, when his two goals secured a 3–1 victory over Suwon FC.

That proved to be his final meaningful contribution, as he failed to find the net again and finished the season with a meagre return of three goals and no assists. Daegu supporters will expect far more from him in K League 2 next season as the club looks for someone to ease the scoring burden on Cesinha.

Most Important Decisions of the Off-Season

There are several areas of the squad in need of strengthening, as well as a number of players who likely need to be moved on. The club currently have two senior goalkeepers in Oh Seung-hoon and Choi Young-eun, neither of whom were making the bench in the latter part of the season, and both will surely need to depart to free up wages.

Mid-season signing Carlos Jatoba is another candidate to move on, having barely featured after his first few weeks and even making an appearance for the club’s K4 ‘B’ team. If he is not going to play a role moving forward, freeing up that squad space is essential.

A lack of consistency also plagued central midfield, with the club never settling on a regular partnership. Although Han Kook-young has recently been signed from Jeonbuk, there are doubts over whether the 35-year-old can play week in, week out, meaning further reinforcements are required. Left-back is another position that needs attention, and an experienced, reliable option should be high on the club’s shopping list.

In terms of retention, veteran striker Edgar has already renewed his contract for another year, a sensible decision given his experience and leadership as the club looks to bounce back at the first attempt. It is equally vital that Daegu retain Cesinha, and while his age and wages could be a factor, his love for the club makes a move elsewhere unlikely.

Finally, there remains lingering unrest off the pitch. With Jang Young-bok now in place, he faces a demanding list of responsibilities. Beyond guiding structural changes within the club, he is tasked with managing every aspect of the playing roster. Decisions surrounding the future of head coach Kim Byung-soo—who is widely expected to remain—along with negotiations and potential changes involving the rest of the coaching team, will ultimately be determined by him in what is sure to be a challenging off-season for the club.

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The Ashes: Head and Khawaja fall quickly as Aussies lead by just over 120

You know you're running a successful college football program when there are very few players who want to transfer out.

Of course, there are a few who will leave the Oregon Duck program via the transfer portal. It happens every season. But there are a lot more players who want to transfer into Oregon than who want to leave.

Even in the middle of a playoff run, however, there are a few players who will leave and look for more playing time elsewhere, and the Ducks' short list of players leaving became a little longer the day after Christmas as offensive lineman Lipe Moala announced he will be entering the portal and play elsewhere in 2026.

Moala, a 6-foot-5, 336-pounder from Riverside, Calif., and Mater Dei High School, was a redshirt sophomore this season, where he appeared in seven games, all as a backup performer. He redshirted his freshman season in 2023 and played in four games in 2024.

Moala was a consensus three-star prospect and was ranked as the No. 3 offensive tackle in California by Rivals, as well as being rated as the fifth-overall guard in the state by ESPN and as the No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports composite.

Oregon has been building up the offensive line depth chart for a few seasons now, and there are just so many spots on the field. Players such as Moala is going to be lost in a crowd from time to time. But with his talent and size, teams will be ringing Moala's phone until he decides on a new destination.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Duck OL Lipe Moala enters the transfer portal and leaves the program

Rutgers cornerback Cam Miller has accepted an invitation to play in the 2026 Hula Bowl. He is joined by two other Scarlet Knight seniors, quarterback Athan Kaliamanis and Safety Jett Elad, who have both opted to participate in the senior showcase.

The Hula Bowl is the oldest senior invitational all-star game in college football. It was originally called the Hula Bowl because it was originally played in Hawaii, however the game has been moved to Florida in recent years.

Miller transferred to Rutgers after spending three seasons at Penn State. During his only season on the banks, Miller started all 12 games, recording 47 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, six passes defended, and one interception. He also picked up a blocked punt for a touchdown in the Knights season opening win over Ohio.

During his career at Penn State, Miller appeared in 40 games and made five starts at cornerback. During that time, he recorded 56 tackles, 8 passes defended, and one interception. He saw action in two college football playoff games and a Big Ten championship game with the Nittany Lions. He transferred to Rutgers with the knowledge that he would likely start his senior season.

Now he will have one last chance to prove himself in a game-like setting to NFL scouts.

The game itself will be hosted on January 10th, 2026, at Noon inside SPEC Martin Stadium in Deland, Florida. The game will be broadcast live on CBS.

Could this be to blame for the Cavaliers' struggles? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Coming into the season, many predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be a lock for being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, competing with the New York Knicks for an NBA Finals appearance, especially with injuries to the franchise players of the last two conference champions, Jayson Tatum for the Boston Celtics, and Tyrese Haliburton for the Indiana Pacers.

Although that still could happen, so far the Knicks have lived up to the hype among the two teams, while the Cavs are currently underperforming expectations with a 17-15 record. The question everyone's asking is why this has been the case.

After losing another tight matchup on Christmas Day against the Knicks, the problem has been identified.

More: Insider reveals Donovan Mitchell's pick for interim head coach if Cavaliers fire Kenny Atkinson

Once the game concluded with a 126-124 win for the Knicks, ESPN's Bobby Marks shed some light on the problems in Cleveland by providing an interesting stat. In their last nine clutch games, the Cavaliers are 1-9 and 6-12 in total on the season.

It was also noted that the team last season, which earned the top seed in the conference, was 26-12 in close games.

Winning close games is a necessity for any team to achieve greatness, and teams that struggle to do so will have a tough time, regardless of their talent.

Not to mention, it also did not help that Cleveland blew a 17-point lead against New York in a game that could have represented the turning point the Cavs needed to get them back on track; however, with the reality of things, it appears matters have gotten worse, but only time will tell if they can right the ship.

More Cavaliers News:

• NBA fines Cavaliers $100k for violating specific league policy against Heat
• Donovan Mitchell defends maligned Cavaliers teammate after victory over 76ers
• Donovan Mitchell reveals interesting motivation after 46-point performance for Cavaliers
• Cavs' Donovan Mitchell ties an NBA record only ever done by Michael Jordan in basketball history

Thanks to last week's massive 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers will have a chance to clinch the NFC South in Week 17. But they'll need a little help.

For one, they'll have to take care of business themselves—against the NFC-leading Seattle Seahawks at home. And that, of course, shouldn't be an easy task—as the Seahawks will enter Bank of America Stadium at 12-3 and as the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.

The help, obviously, would have to come at the expense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—who are currently one game behind the Panthers for the division lead. Carolina would benefit from a Tampa Bay loss to or tie with the 6-9 Miami Dolphins.

So, here's the playoff-clinching scenario:

• Panthers win versus Seahawks
• Buccaneers loss or tie at Dolphins

If those outcomes are met, the Panthers will capture their first division title since 2015 (and their first postseason berth since 2017) this Sunday.

And if they are not, then the Panthers and Buccaneers will match up for a winner-take-all showdown for the NFC South at Raymond James Stadium in Week 18.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: What are the playoff-clinching scenarios for the Panthers in Week 17?

The Golden State Warriors have had over 600 players don the more than 60 jersey numbers used by their players over the more than 75 years of existence the team has enjoyed in its rich and storied history.

Founded in 1946 during the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- a precursor league of the NBA) era, the team has called home the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and even San Diego.

To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Warriors Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. For this article, we begin with the 12th of 19 players who wore the No. 34 jersey for the Warriors.

That player would be Golden State forward alum Barry Stevens. After ending his college career at Iowa State, Stevens was picked up with the 43rd overall selection of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.

The Flint, Michigan native played the only seasons of his pro career with the Golden State Warriors after several seasons in other leagues following being cut by the Nuggets.

During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Stevens wore only jersey No. 34 and put up 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors jersey history No. 34 - Barry Stevens (1993)

The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the "New Jersey Americans".

Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.

To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise's jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.

And for today's article, we will continue with the first of 15 people to wear the No. 34 jersey, big man alum Tim Perry. After ending his college career at Temple, Perry was picked up with the seventh overall selection of the 1988 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns.

The Freehold, New Jersey native played the first four seasons of his pro career with the Suns. He also played for the Philadelphia 76ers before he was dealt to the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets for the last season of his NBA career in 1995.

During his time suiting up for the Nets, Perry wore only jersey No. XXX and put up 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 34 - Tim Perry (1995-96)

The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.

To honor all of the the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.

With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.

And for today's article, we will continue with the 17th of 19 players who wore the No. 3, guard alum Chris Clemons. After ending his college career at Campbell, Clemons went unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft, instead signing with the Houston Rockets.

The Raleigh, North Carolina native played the only season of his NBA career with Houston, leaving the league as a player afterward.

During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Clemons wore only jersey No. 3 and put up 4.9 points per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets jersey history No. 3 - Chris Clemons (2019-20)

With the odds firmly stacked against them, Manchester United not only clinched all three points against Newcastle but also claimed their second clean sheet of the season.

The Red Devils produced a 1-0 win on Boxing Day at Old Trafford, earning plaudits for the spirit shown by the players.

Ruben Amorim had to tweak a lot of things for the contest, reverting to a back-four, handing minutes to youngsters, while having to rely on players he has criticised in the past.

And all of the changes, necessitated due to injuries and AFCON, paid off handsomely as the home side climbed up to fifth in the table.

Mason Mount was subbed off at half-time

However, there was a bit of gloom amid all the festive joy as Mason Mount had to be replaced at half-time with Jack Fletcher coming on in his place.

The Englishman seemed to be back to his best this season, thanks to the head coach’s current utilisation.

However, he seemed to pick up an injury, and given the mounting injury crisis at the club, Amorim was in no mood to take further risks.

“He felt something at half-time,” Amorim told Sky Sports (via the club website). “He wanted to go [on] and that is also a good thing.

Amorim provides injury update

“He wanted to go to the second half but we cannot lose more players, if you are not 100 per cent. And Jack did a very good job.”

Hopefully, the fact that the England international was ready to soldier on means he will be available for the clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers next week.

The 20-time English league champions are already without Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt due to injury.

To add to that, Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui are busy with international commitments. At a time the squad is stretched thin, Amorim could do with the talented Mason Mount for the games to come.

Feature image Stu Forster via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for our Victory of the Week (VOTW) post! This evening’s conversation prompt is straightforward: What was your victory this week? Did something remarkable happen? Is there a small achievement worth celebrating? This could relate to the Miami Dolphins, your professional life, or your personal life. We all experience victories, big or small, and we want to hear about yours.

This post is for you, our site members, who are part of our Phinsider family. This is your opportunity to share your successes from the past week. Your triumphs can be significant, such as the birth of a new child or grandchild, or finally landing that job or promotion you’ve been working hard for. They can also be smaller victories, like winning $100 on a lottery scratch-off ticket, or any other positive experience you’d like to share.

This is your post to celebrate your achievements, so feel free to share them in the comments section below.

This story was written by Kai Russell. 

In the preliminary round of the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship on Friday, New York Islanders prospect Cole Eiserman made a splash, sniping one to extend Team USA’s lead over Germany in the second period.

Islanders' Victor Eklund Scores In 2026 World Junior Championship OpenerIslanders prospect Victor Eklund ignites the World Juniors with a crucial power-play goal for Sweden.

After getting robbed by German netminder Lennart Neisse, Eiserman made no mistake on his second opportunity:

Eiserman received a perfect dish from Cole Hutson on an odd-man break, rifling the puck over Neisse short-side to put Team USA up 6-3 in the dying minutes of the middle frame:

Cole Eiserman 🚨 gets on the board and gives 🇺🇸 a 6-3 lead after 2.pic.twitter.com/8LhPXROoE2

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 27, 2025

Some better looks at the Cole Eiserman goal🚨#Islespic.twitter.com/Lh6cNaFJjS

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 27, 2025

Currently, the Islanders' prospect is taking first power play reps for Team USA as a third-line winger. Eiserman is known for his lethal shot, and the Boston University forward scored three goals with four assists for seven points in seven games in last year’s World Junior Championship.

Two more Islanders prospects will be taking the ice tonight, with Kashawn Aitcheson of Team Canada facing off against Tomas Poletin of Czechia at 8:00 p.m.

Michigan has a new head coach in Kyle Whittingham, signing him to a contract on Friday afternoon. And now the contract details have been divulged.

Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Whittingham’s deal with Michigan is for five years and averages $8.2 million per year. The contract is 75% guaranteed.

Whittingham’s getting paid roughly $2 million more per year than Sherrone Moore was, and rightfully so. Whittingham, who spent 21 seasons as Utah’s head coach, has gone to Fiesta Bowls and Rose Bowls and brings with him a 177-88 career record.

The New York Yankees have yet to make any impactful moves this offseason, but there is still time for them to make some legitimate additions.

While the Yankees have one of the best offenses in baseball, they could use some more lineup depth, and that could include finding another middle-of-the-order bat.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter has put together a list of potential moves for New York the rest of the way, and among them was signing first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a one-year, $7.5 million contract.

"The Yankees essentially used Paul Goldschmidt as a platoon player against left-handed pitching down the stretch last season, and pairing Ben Rice with a right-handed hitting veteran is a logical approach to addressing first base," Reuter wrote.

Rice managed an .836 OPS in a breakout 2025 campaign, but he slashed .208/.271/.481 against lefties, which has led many to believe the Yankees should bring in a platoon bat.

Enter the right-handed hitting Hoskins, who has historically mashed left-handed pitching.

"Veteran Rhys Hoskins failed to live up to the two-year, $34 million deal he signed with the Brewers, but he is still a legitimate power threat, and his .882 OPS in 1,012 career plate appearances against lefties makes him the ideal target for the Yankees," Reuter added.

Hoskins slashed .237/.332/.416 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI over 328 plate appearances in 2025, but he owns a lifetime .820 OPS and once led the National League in walks with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2019.

Now, the caveat is that Hoskins has not posted an OPS of .800 or better since 2021. He missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL and then registered OPSes of just .722 and .748 in 2024 and 2025.

However, Hoskins is a very compelling hitter who could comprise a potential low-risk, high-reward acquisition for a New York squad that definitely needs to do something.

Of course, it's entirely possible that the Yanks roll with Amed Rosario — who they re-signed on a one-year deal — to serve as Rice's first base partner, but if they would prefer to keep him over at third base to mix and match with Ryan McMahon, Hoskins could make sense.

That being said, Yankees fans are surely hoping for much more potent additions this winter.

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Rockford IceHogs games will have a new and enhanced look from here on out. A look that is certain to catch your eye.

The BMO Center will be lit like never before starting with the IceHogs home game Saturday night against the Texas Stars. New Dasher boards that are backlit with LED lighting have been installed all the way around the ice. The lighting on the boards will be in sync with the video scoreboard above the ice and with the ribbon lights around the concourse walk area.

“The great thing about these boards is you can do virtually anything with them,” said IceHogs President of Business Operations Ryan Snider Friday morning during a demonstration. “It’s just backlit LED lights, and we can change these things up to look in any pattern and any motion, with any graphics, anything we want to do.”

These boards are the absolute latest in arena technology. The BMO becomes only the fourth arena in all of North America to have the full 360-degree version of it, and the BMO is the first arena in North America to have the Athletica Sport Systems version of it.

“Athletica had our old Dasher boards. They’re one of the leaders in the industry,” said Gretchen Gilmore, the general manager of the BMO Center. “We’re just really excited to have new technology in the building. Our Dasher boards were at the end of their life, and they needed to be replaced, and now is the perfect time to have some new dasher boards with new technology.”

This is the perfect time because their arrival is just in time for the upcoming AHL All-Star Event that will be held here in early February.

“We were able to work with them (Athletica) knowing the All-Star game was coming and will be broadcast live in North American on the NHL Network and TSN in Canada. It’s going to be a great debut of the system,” said Snider.

Money to pay for the LED boards came from reserves in the Capital Improvement Fund through the city of Rockford’s Redevelopment Fund. Gilmore wouldn’t disclose what the cost was, but as she said, new Dasher boards were needed, and for now Hogs fans can boast that their team has the best boards perhaps in all of North America.

“Really, it should bring the arena to life with just another exciting element, something that will really help get the fans on their feet.,” said Snider.

Again, your first chance to see these new boards in person will be tomorrow night (Saturday night) when the IceHogs host the Texas Stars. It’s a seven o’clock game.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.

Proposed Warriors trade swaps $62 million superstar for $203 million former All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Golden State Warriors don’t possess a championship-caliber roster, and a Christmas Day victory over the Dallas Mavericks doesn't change that. 

Should the Warriors blow up their roster before the Feb. 5 trade deadline and start from scratch? 

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons believes the franchise should, at the very least, consider the idea sooner rather than later. 

In Simmons’ proposed trade, the Warriors would send their superstar point guard to the Charlotte Hornets for a former All-Star.

“I don't think this Warriors team has any chance,” Simmons said Wednesday.  "We just saw Draymond (Green) blow up last night. Can we just do LaMelo (Ball)  and a bunch of picks, send (Stephen) Curry back to Charlotte, and let's just go?" 

As talented as Ball is, he isn’t the type of asset the Warriors, or any franchise for that matter, would be rushing to rebuild with. The former first-round pick doesn’t play a competitive brand of basketball, making it nearly impossible for an organization to eventually contend for a championship. 

The 6-foot-7 highlight machine hasn’t come close to leading the Hornets to the postseason as the franchise’s No. 1 scoring option, leading many to conclude that he isn’t a winning player. 

Will Ball dazzle fans with one-legged fadeaways and mesmerizing layups around the rim? Absolutely, but his exhilarating play won’t equate to many wins.

With Curry wanting to remain in the Bay for the entirety of his career and the Warriors being one blockbuster trade away from raising their ceiling, the seven-time NBA champions will likely avoid the rebuilding stage and attempt to find Curry the help he’s been desperately seeking.

More NBA: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic breaks historic Stephen Curry record on Christmas

Luka Doncic has played very well overall for the Los Angeles Lakers so far this season. He continues to lead the NBA in scoring average and is putting up 33.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

However, he continues to have his share of critics who don't like how he plays. His critics charge that he controls the ball too much, takes too many tough, contested shots and still doesn't exert enough energy on the defensive end. These are the types of negative things the Slovenian superstar has heard over and over again for years from those who aren't fans of his.

Sam Mitchell, a former NBA coach, slammed Doncic during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio for not having a more well-rounded game on offense, and he even said that LeBron James and Austin Reaves have the same weaknesses.

“Luka Dončić cannot play basketball without the ball. He don’t cut, he don’t move, he don’t set screens. He’s great with the ball -- he does nothing to make his teammates better when he doesn’t have it. And the problem with the Lakers is, Austin Reaves and LeBron James are the same way. They gotta have the ball, because they don't want to do the hard things -- pass, cut, move, set screens.

Mitchell then brought up another living legend — Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry — as an example of someone who makes things happen without the basketball.

“The reason we give Steph Curry so much credit is not because he’s a traditional great point guard. He averages about four and a half to five assists per game for his career. Steph Curry do the hard things. He’s always cutting and moving without the ball, which—when you’re a great player and you make a hard cut—somebody’s going to follow you.”

While L.A. is second in field-goal percentage and seventh in offensive rating, it is only 27th in assists per game, which illustrates what Mitchell said about its three stars. The team's offense often lacks ball and player movement when Doncic is operating at the top of the floor, which empowers defenses.

Add to that the Lakers' many problems on the defensive end, and it isn't hard to see why they have lost six of their last 10 games and are now in danger of falling out of the top six spots in the Western Conference.

They currently hold fourth place with a 19-10 record, but they're just half a game ahead of the sixth-place Houston Rockets, who handed them a 119-96 defeat on Christmas Day.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Former NBA coach criticizes Luka Doncic's style of play

Bills are about to face their annual Josh Allen question originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Bills are getting familiar with having to make this decision.

What do you do with Josh Allen once a playoff spot is clinched?

It's a question every winning NFL team has to answer late in the regular season. There's a balance between maintaining a rhythm and protecting a quarterback's health.

QB is the most important position in sports. For most teams, especially the Bills with Allen, big hopes for the season would go away with an injury.

MORE: The Giants, the Raiders, the NFL Draft order and the Disgrace of Gijon

It's not that the odds of injury are that immense. But this is football. Injuries happen.

Just a week ago, Allen limped off at halftime before returning in the second half.

He has recovered from that ailment and is good to go for Week 17 against the Eagles. And the Bills weren't going to sit him for Week 17 anyway, not with a chance to lock up a superior wild card spot.

But what about Week 18? The Bills have done this all different kinds of ways, including starting Allen just to keep his consecutive games streak alive before removing him immediately.

It'll be something to keep an eye on over the next 10 days. The Bills have to get this right.

The AFC is wide open this year. It's a season that feels like it is genuinely set up for Allen to lead the Bills to the Super Bowl.

But for Allen to do that, he needs to be on the field in the playoffs.

If that means sitting him a bit across these final two games, it's worth considering. The season is about winning the final game, not these ones that come before.

More NFL news:

• Harold Fannin sets Browns franchise record, celebrates with 6-7
• Sean McDermott took his glasses off, and the Bills can't stop winning
• We now know why DK Metcalf wasn't ejected for shoving a fan
• There's one super disappointing part to Philip Rivers' return
• This James Cook, Dalvin Cook brothers middle names fact is wild
• Maxx Crosby isn't happy about this Raiders decision

The Houston Texans are riding a seven-game winning streak and will look to keep it alive on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.

These two teams met in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last season, a game Houston controlled from start to finish in a 32–12 win. The Texans’ elite defense led the way, forcing Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert into four interceptions.

Much like last year, Houston’s offense has been inconsistent, and they’ll need a strong, disciplined game plan if they want to leave Los Angeles with another victory.

Here is a look at Thursday’s injury report:

Did Not Participate

-LB Jamal Hill (Calf / Wrist) OUT

-OT Trent Brown (Ankle / Knee) OUT

Full Participation

-LB Azeez Al-Shaair (Knee / Ankle)

-CB Kamari Lassiter (Knee / Foot)

-CB Derek Stingley Jr. (Oblique)

-RB Woody Marks (Ankle)

-DE Darrell Taylor (Ankle) OUT

-WR Justin Watson (Calf) OUT

-TE Dalton Schultz (Knee)

-DT Sheldon Rankins (Knee)

-DE Dylan Horton (Hip)

Limited Participation

-LT Aireontae Ersery (Hand) QUESTIONABLE

-DE Denico Autry (Knee)

If the Texans can go into Los Angeles and beat the Chargers, they will officially clinch a playoff spot. Houston can also punch their ticket if the Colts lose to the Jaguars.

A new coaching rivalry in the state of Michigan has been born. But next year's battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy won't be the first time these new Michigan and Michigan State head coaches have met on the field.

As we all know by now, Michigan State football will have a new head coach next season with Pat Fitzgerald taking over the Spartans. And now, we know who will be leading the rival Wolverines next year: former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. News broke on Friday that Whittingham would be named the next Michigan head coach, with the longtime Utes head man expected to sign a five-year deal with Michigan.

So, like we saw just two years ago with Jonathan Smith and Sherrone Moore, next fall's matchup between the Spartans and Wolverines will feature two new head coaches to the rivalry. But this will actually be the second time that Fitzgerald and Whittingham squared off in a game, which Fitzgerald came out with the victory.

Fitzgerald led Northwestern to a Holiday Bowl comeback victory over Whittingham's Utes in 2018. The Wildcats were able to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit to stun Utah and earn the Holiday Bowl victory. That was the lone meeting between these two longtime head coaches, but obviously will not be the last moving forward.

Fitzgerald's halftime speech that helped spark the comeback in the 2018 Holiday Bowl circulated on social media on Friday shortly after the news of Whittingham heading to Michigan. You can check out that video in the social media post below:

Inside the halftime speech from Pat Fitzgerald in the 2018 Holiday Bowl win for Northwestern.

“One stop, one score, one stop, one score, now here we go.”

NU defeated Utah 31-20 and forced five second half turnovers after trailing 20-3 at halftime of the game.

Via @NU_Sportspic.twitter.com/95ceeIhcdP

— Kenny Jordan (@Kenny_Jordan5) December 26, 2025

Ultimately, Fitzgerald's record against Whittingham from their previous stops means nothing in the future of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry. Just like how Fitzgerald's abysmal record against the Wolverines while coaching Northwestern is also meaningless. But, nonetheless, it's still a fun little nugget to keep in mind as we dive into the next chapter of the Spartans-Wolverines rivalry.

The date for next year's Michigan-Michigan State game has not yet been announced but it should once again be a high-energy and fun matchup. Hopefully, Michigan State can come out on top and pick up their first victory over the Wolverines since Kenneth Walker III stole the show in 2021.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: New MSU coach Pat Fitzgerald beat new UM coach Kyle Whittingham in 2018 bowl game

The second season of "WWE LFG" concluded in October, with the "Future Greats" mentored by The Undertaker walking away with the win: Shiloh Hill and Skylar Rae. Wrestling veteran Bully Ray has served as another mentor on the series, and in an episode of "Busted Open: After Dark," he explained why Hill and Skylar caught his eye.

"Both have a hell of a future ahead of them. I like what they're doing with Shiloh so far, [but] we're only gotten a bit of a taste of Skylar," he said. Still, Bully criticized the gimmick match that the two took part in on "NXT" against Channing Stacks and Arianna Grace. "I don't think that Shiloh Hill and Skylar Rae should be in a match like that yet. I don't think they're prepared for it yet, but they did a good job."

Bully continued, further criticizing the match quality but noting that it was ultimately entertaining and fans enjoyed the match. "I just don't know if talent, who are just coming out of the system, whether that be any of the WWE developmental areas – Evolve, LFG, anyplace – should be doing these gimmick matches yet," he noted, explaining that he thinks wrestlers should be given time to get good at normal matches before being tossed into the system. "But like I said, a good job by the four of them, they kept it tight enough to keep it entertaining. There were definitely times in there where you could tell that things were – talent were on different pages, but they did a good job of keeping it entertaining."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open: After Dark" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: WWE SmackDown Stars: Meet Their Wives & Girlfriends

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

ST. LOUIS – To say it was a lean sports year in St. Louis would be an understatement. The Blues painful playoff exit. A third consecutive Cardinals season without Red October. And even Jayson Tatum blowing out his Achilles.

The 2025 calendar year for St. Louis sports leaves many asking, “Is it 2026 yet?” But even in a tough year, there were moments worth celebrating. FOX 2 Sports Director Martin Kilcoyne looks back on the highs and lows of St. Louis sports in 2025.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.

Christian Humphreys is proving the doubters wrong.

About a month before training camp opened, several writers at Mile High Hockey were tasked with evaluating a broad cross-section of Colorado Avalanche prospects. Humphreys—selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft (215th overall)—stood out, though not for reasons that inspired much optimism.

At the time, he appeared to be among the least improved prospects in the organization in recent memory. His skating looked sluggish, and while his transfer from the University of Michigan to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers resulted in a noticeable uptick in production, it was difficult to fully disentangle that output from an underwhelming stint in Ann Arbor. Fairly or not, his collegiate experience continued to shape—and limit—his evaluation.

That skepticism lingered even as players trickled in for optional skates ahead of training camp.

As the days passed, however, a different picture began to emerge. Humphreys did not appear slow; instead, he looked stronger, more assertive, and more purposeful in his movements. There was a heightened sense of urgency to his game, paired with a finishing ability that had not previously been part of his profile. He scored goals that demanded attention, and with each one, the initial evaluation became increasingly difficult to justify.

I Was Wrong

Training camp tends to reveal familiar patterns. First, there are the players expected to stand out—the Nathan MacKinnons, the Cale Makars, the Martin Nečas types—whose excellence is a given. Then come those who may not yet occupy superstar territory but possess undeniable talent. Gavin Brindley fit that mold, bursting onto the ice and flying from the moment he arrived in Denver.

And then there are the surprises. The players who arrive without expectation and leave an impression anyway. This year, that player was Christian Humphreys.

It reached a point where his improvement was impossible to ignore. Once that was noted, a few things happened. Michele Humphreys—presumably his mother—followed my account X, as did Lorne Goldenberg, who I identified as a strength and conditioning coach.

Later that night, Goldenberg responded with a pair of videos and photos showing Humphreys and another player participating in drills. While critics, myself included, focused on his shortcomings, he was diligently developing his skills, and by the time training camp began, his performance left a strong and undeniable impression. And he stunned us all.

Nice to see Christian getting some love at @Avalanche development camp. Hard work pays off, and development keeps growing! He certainly worked for it this summer!#hockeystrengthandconditioning#physicaldevelopment#neverquithttps://t.co/r78bdb2gmqpic.twitter.com/7zGQA86Rqb

— Lorne Goldenberg (@LorneGoldenberg) September 19, 2025

And he's far from done.

Humphreys Is Still Improving

In a condensed season with the Kitchener Rangers last year, Humphreys recorded 11 goals and 22 assists over 28 games. For context, a full OHL season consists of 68 regular-season games.

This year, Humphreys has appeared in 32 contests and has already amassed 12 goals and 27 assists for a total of 39 points. Projected over a full season, that pace would equate to 26 goals and 57 assists for 83 points, placing him well above the threshold for point-per-game production.

Equally notable is that Humphreys has never previously played 60 games in a single season at any level of competition. Despite this, he is rapidly developing as a prospect, and at his young age, he has ample time to progress to the NHL. His dedication over the last offseason has demonstrated that he is far more capable than many initially believed.

The sky is the limit for the 19-year-old and Humphreys and we're looking forward to see him blossom as a player. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly one of the few teams interested in infielder Yoan Moncada in free agency.

Pittsburgh vowed to be aggressive this offseason to build a contending team around Paul Skenes and its deep pitching staff. MLB insider Francys Romero reported that the Pirates are one of four teams showing interest in Moncada.

“Several teams, including the Angels, Pirates, White Sox, and Blue Jays, have shown early interest in free-agent third baseman Yoan Moncada, per sources,” Romero wrote on X on Friday. “Despite thumb and knee issues, Moncada had a solid 2025 and could contribute even more next season among third basemen.”

Moncada spent last season with the Los Angeles Angels after spending one year with the Boston Red Sox and eight years with the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox signed Moncada in 2015, as he was one of the top free agents available, but the infielder has struggled to live up to the hype.

Moncada’s best season came in 2019 with the White Sox when he hit .315 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs. But injuries have derailed his career as he hasn’t played over 100 games since 2022, when he played just 104. With the Angels last season, Moncada hit .234 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs.

If the Pirates sign Moncada, he would join an infield that features Jared Triolo at third base, Nick Gonzalez at shortstop, newly-acquired Brandon Lowe at shortstop, and Spencer Horwitz at first base.

More Pirates: Aggressive Pirates Having Sensational Offseason Thus Far

The post Pirates Reportedly One Of Four Teams Interested In Intriguing Free Agent Infielder appeared first on SportsNet Pittsburgh.

This article originally appeared on SteelersNOW.com.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out outside linebacker T.J. Watt (lung), cornerback Brandin Echols (groin), cornerback James Pierre (calf) and wide receiver Calvin Austin III (hamstring) for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Watt has been sidelined since suffering a partially collapsed lung on Dec. 10. Watt’s injury reportedly followed him undergoing a dry needling procedure at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex after a workout on a players’ off day. He was quickly hospitalized and had a procedure to correct the injury.

Watt missed each of the Steelers’ last two games, but returned to practice this week. He was a limited participant in all three practices.

Click here to read more on SteelersNOW.com.

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Is there an NFL game tonight? Explaining Week 17 weekend schedule originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If it seems like the NFL plays every day of the week these days, you're not far off.

It's got fans wondering about the schedule on this holiday weekend.

There were three games on Christmas Day, which was a Thursday.

What about on Boxing Day?

MORE: The Giants, the Raiders, the NFL Draft order and the Disgrace of Gijon

Is there an NFL game tonight?

No, there is no NFL game on Friday night, Dec. 26.

There is some college football bowl action to watch, as well as the NBA. There is also World Juniors hockey.

But no NFL on Friday.

Is there NFL on Saturday this week?

There are two NFL games on Saturday, Dec. 27:

• Texans at Chargers, 4:30 p.m. ET
• Ravens at Packers, 8:00 p.m. ET

Then there is a regular slate of Sunday games in the 1 p.m., 4:25 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. ET slots, and there's a regular Monday night game at 8:15 p.m. ET.

More NFL news:

• Harold Fannin sets Browns franchise record, celebrates with 6-7
• Sean McDermott took his glasses off, and the Bills can't stop winning
• We now know why DK Metcalf wasn't ejected for shoving a fan
• There's one super disappointing part to Philip Rivers' return
• This James Cook, Dalvin Cook brothers middle names fact is wild
• Maxx Crosby isn't happy about this Raiders decision

Los Angeles Rams (11-4) at Atlanta (6-9)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Rams by 8.

Against the spread: Rams 11-4; Falcons 8-7

Series record: Rams lead 49-30-2

Last meeting: Rams beat Falcons 31-27 on Sept. 18, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif.

Last week: Rams lost at Seattle 38-37 in overtime; Falcons won 26-19 at Arizona.

Rams offense: overall (1), rush (5), pass (2), scoring (1).

Rams defense: overall (16), rush (12), pass (19), scoring (6).

Falcons offense: overall (14), rush (8), pass (17), scoring (25).

Falcons defense: overall (14), rush (25), pass (8), scoring (21)

Turnover differential: Rams plus-12; Falcons plus-1

LB Nate Landman had five tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss in the Rams’ loss to the Seahawks. Landman, who leads the team with 123 tackles and has forced four fumbles, has been a revelation for the Rams adding range and instincts at a position they have tended not to value. Landman, who played for Atlanta in 2022-24, will be important in trying to corral Falcons RB Bijan Robinson as both a runner and receiver.

Robinson leads the NFL with 131.5 scrimmage yards per game. He needs 151 scrimmage yards to break William Andrews’ team record of 2,176 set in 1983. Robinson has at least 100 combined rushing and receiving yards in 10 games this season.

Rams WR Puka Nacua will be a difficult matchup against a short-handed Falcons secondary. Atlanta CB Mike Hughes is expected to miss his second consecutive game with an ankle sprain, leaving undrafted rookie Cobee Bryant and backup C.J. Henderson to work with starter A.J. Terrell. Henderson was signed from the practice squad last week and had a game-saving interception at Arizona. Nacua leads the NFL with 114 catches for 1,592 yards and eight touchdowns.

Rams:: WR Davante Adams (hamstring) and RG Kevin Dotson (ankle) could be held out as the Rams will prioritize making sure both key players are ready for the playoffs. … S Quentin Lake (elbow) will return to practice next week and could be available for the regular-season finale against the Cardinals. … CB Roger McCreary is expected to play this week after sustaining a groin injury in his Rams’ debut Nov. 23 that led to a stint on injured reserve.

Falcons: Hughes was declared unlikely to return this week by coach Raheem Morris and is expected to miss his second consecutive game. ... WR Drake London (knee) was limited in practice. London returned against Arizona after missing four games. He briefly left the game against the Cardinals after appearing to aggravate the injury but Morris expressed confidence in London's status this week. CB Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) was designated to return from injured reserve on Wednesday.

The Rams have won the past two regular-season games against the Falcons, scoring at least 31 points in both games. … The Falcons ended Rams coach Sean McVay’s first season with a 26-13 victory in the NFC wild-card round in January 2018. … Atlanta has won both postseason matchups in this series, which goes back to 1966.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford needs two touchdown passes in his last two games to set a single-season career high. He had 41 scoring throws in 2011 with the Detroit Lions and again in 2021 with Los Angeles. … Stafford leads the NFL with 40 TD passes with only five interceptions. ... The Rams have scored 30 points in three straight games for the first time since 2018, when they did it in four straight. … Nacua had a career-high 225 yards receiving in the loss to the Seahawks. It was his third straight game with over 100 yards and sixth of the season. … The previous time the Rams led the league in scoring was in McVay’s first season as head coach in 2017. They have done it six times since the AFL-NFL merger. … TE Colby Parkinson has six touchdown receptions this season and needs one more to set the Rams’ single-season record at the position. … DL Kobie Turner got his first career interception against the Seahawks. Turner needs 2 1/2 sacks in his last two games to set a career high; he had nine sacks as a rookie in 2023. … Morris was the Rams defensive coordinator from 2021-23. ... Atlanta assistant coaches who previously worked on McVay's staff in Los Angeles: offensive coordinator Zac Robinson (2019-23), pass game specialist/game management Tim Berbenich (2023), offensive assistant K.J. Black (2022-23), assistant offensive line coach Nick Jones (2021-23) and director player performance John Griffin (2021-23). ... The Falcons rank second in the league with 50 sacks, five away from their team record of 55 set in 1997. ... Three of the Falcons' six wins came in prime-time games against Minnesota, Buffalo and Tampa Bay. Atlanta lost a prime-time game at San Francisco.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts has at least six catches in four straight games, including seven for 57 yards and a touchdown last week. His 395 receiving yards in the past four games are the most by a tight end in a four-game span in franchise history. Pitts has set career highs with 80 catches and five touchdown receptions this season and has been especially effective with Kirk Cousins at quarterback.

___

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

The Classic at Damien has another loaded field and the Platinum Division bracket headlines the end-of-year festivities in La Verne, Calif.

There’s never any shortage of exciting finishes at the event. Crean Lutheran (Calif.) pulled off an impressive 62-59 victory against Owyhee (Idaho), putting together a huge second half to erase what was once a 17-point deficit.

Owyhee notched 18 points in each of the first two quarters on Friday to build a 36-26 lead at halftime. The Storm came out hot, going 8-14 from the floor in the first quarter. Senior point guard Logan Haustveit has been the primary weapon and he finished with a team-high 18 points on 6-16 shooting.

The Saints recovered well from the slow start and hung with Owhyee heading into the break. They then flipped the script in the third quarter.

Just six Crean Lutheran players scored on Friday, and it was Hunter Caplan that led the charge. He dropped 20 points on 5-13 shooting, knocking down a trio of 3-pointers. Senior center Chadrack Mpoyi was right behind with 15 points of his own. The Minnesota commit led the team with seven field goals and he also added four rebounds.

Down by just a point heading into the fourth, the Saints kept chugging and led by as many as five with just over four minutes to go in regulation. Owhyee had a couple of last gasps, but Lutheran didn’t relinquish the momentum and hung on for the win to continue on in the winner’s bracket.

Saints senior guard Nick Giarrusso played nearly 30 minutes and poured in 13 points to go with a game-high seven rebounds and five assists. He finished +13, the best of anyone on the court. Lutheran shot nearly 49 percent from the floor in the comeback win.

Behind Haustveit, Owyhee also got 12 points from senior Canaan Magness. The Storm got 18 points from its bench, while Crean Lutheran had just two. Owyhee led for over 17 minutes of game time, but will now look to get back on track in the consolation bracket. It will face the loser of Friday night’s game between Centennial (Calif.) and Sandra Day O’Connor (Ariz.) on Saturday.

Crean Lutheran will take on the winner. The Saints are the No. 18 team in California, according to the Massey Ratings. Owyhee remains the No. 1 team in Idaho.

How to Follow National High School Boys Basketball

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The New Orleans Saints regrouped on Friday for their final practice of the week after being given the day off on Christmas Day, and with it came the team's final Week 17 injury report. Four Saints players have been ruled out for Sunday's road game with the Tennessee Titans and three others are questionable to play. Here's what we know.

Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (knee), running back Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle), tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (knee), and right guard Cesar Ruiz (ankle) have all been preemptively ruled out. Veteran tight end Foster Moreau (knee) was placed on injured reserve with rookie backup Moliki Matavao coming up from the practice squad to replace him.

Additionally, a trio of wide receivers Chris Olave (back) and Mason Tipton (groin) plus kicker Charlie Smyth (illness) are questionable. Saints head coach Kellen Moore was optimistic about Olave's status and doesn't anticipate any restrictions for him on Sunday. Smyth's status is worth monitoring as the Saints don't have a backup kicker on the roster.

Four other Saints players will be available on Sunday after being listed on the injury report this week. That group includes veteran defensive tackles Davon Godchaux (rest) and Nathan Shepherd (ankle/knee), swing tackle Asim Richards (ankle), and starting quarterback Tyler Shough (hip).

What about the Titans? They already ruled out cornerback Marcus Harris (knee) plus outside linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo (fibula) and wide receiver Bryce Oliver (knee), both of whom are on injured reserve. Another outside linebacker on IR, Ali Gaye (knee), is questionable to play after practicing fully this week. Cornerback Micah Robinson (illness) is also questionable. But the other seven players listed on the injury report are expected to be available when teams begin to warm up Sunday morning in Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Good news, bad news from Saints final injury report in Week 17

At this point, it's undeniable — the Oklahoma City Thunder have a San Antonio Spurs problem. With everybody watching from home, the reigning NBA champion stomached through a 117-102 loss to the same team for the third time in two weeks.

That's never happened before with this group. It's pretty unprecedented to see the Thunder lose three in a row against the same squad. For the first time since last season, OKC has gone from a win machine that's unbeatable at home to a vulnerable team that's looked a step slow.

No matter what happens for the rest of the regular season, the Thunder will have this stretch hover over their heads. Anytime you want to say they'll go back-to-back, the Spurs will be most folks' counterpoint. Much like OKC two seasons ago, San Antonio looks like a team ready to compete for a title right now.

After the signature win, Victor Wembanyama talked about how the Spurs have solved the Thunder. The 21-year-old is universally seen as a top-five player when healthy. What should scare OKC is that he's played in a limited role off the bench. It's been the rest of San Antonio that has stepped up. From De'Aaron Fox to Stephon Castle to Keldon Johnson.

"Definitely learned a lot. This is like a playoff series. We've played them three times in 12 days. We learned a lot on the tactical side," Wembanyama said. "I don't want to say too much about it. Keep something for us."

Regardless of whatever basketball secrets Wembanyama is pocketing, the Spurs' roster is perfectly built to counter OKC's league-best defense. They have several ball-handlers who can slash through their defenders and get to the rim with ease. They have the perfect mix of speed, size and athleticism.

One possession, Castle is out-muscling Williams on his way to an and-one layup. Next possession, Wembanyama is forcing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to second-guess himself on his drives to the basket.

We'll see what a potential NBA playoff series could look like. If you've followed the NBA long enough, you should know that what happens in December and in April/May are two completely different beasts. The Thunder have the track record to back up their basketball style results in rings. The Spurs aren't there yet.

Until then, though, the Thunder have seen their first real challenger step up that could prevent them from going back-to-back. Don't expect Wembanyama and the Spurs to go anywhere for the foreseeable future, either.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Victor Wembanyama won't reveal secrets to how Spurs beat Thunder

Kyle Pitts injury update draws attention for Falcons TE with fantasy news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

You never want to see your key fantasy player pop up on the injury report in the middle of a week.

That's what happened to Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts on Friday.

Pitts was a full participant in Thursday's practice with no injury designation.

On Friday, Pitts was added to the list as a limited participant with a knee injury.

The Falcons don't play until Monday night this week, so they'll have another day of an injury report on Saturday. Pitts' status on that will be telling.

If he was denoted as limited on Friday because he got hurt midway through practice, there's no way to know for sure how bad it is until he does or doesn't practice on Saturday.

And if Pitts is questionable, that gets tricky for fantasy managers who are counting on him on Monday night in the last game of the week.

MORE: The Giants, the Raiders, the NFL Draft order and the Disgrace of Gijon

Is Kyle Pitts playing this week?

We simply don't know yet.

We'll have a better idea from Saturday's injury report.

His backup tight end with the Falcons, Charlie Woerner, isn't a bad player and would see a lot of snaps if Pitts sits.

More NFL news:

• Harold Fannin sets Browns franchise record, celebrates with 6-7
• Sean McDermott took his glasses off, and the Bills can't stop winning
• We now know why DK Metcalf wasn't ejected for shoving a fan
• There's one super disappointing part to Philip Rivers' return
• This James Cook, Dalvin Cook brothers middle names fact is wild
• Maxx Crosby isn't happy about this Raiders decision

Plenty of Manchester United fans were apprehensive heading into the Boxing Day clash against Newcastle owing to the sheer number of key personnel sidelined for the game.

The Red Devils were without two of their most potent attackers in Amad and Bryan Mbeumo, and without their midfield talisman in Bruno Fernandes, as well as their best defender this season, Matthijs de Ligt.

Not to mention the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, and Noussair Mazraoui, also missing in action. However, the Red Devils dug in at Old Trafford on Friday and came up trumps.

Not only did they secure all three points courtesy of a 1-0 win, but they also clinched their second clean sheet of the current Premier League campaign.

Roy Keane delighted with the clean sheet

And it all came about from Ruben Amorim’s decision to tweak things, right from his much-publicised system to his substitution calls and relying on players who he had criticised before.

The win catapulted them to fifth in the standings, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.

Club legend, Roy Keane, who has been fierce in his criticism of the team in recent weeks, was delighted with the spirit shown by the team.

As a defensive midfielder himself, the Irishman was most pleased with the fact that the team won ugly, a trait not too often seen under the current head coach.

“Yeah, it’s a big night for them. You can talk about the players who were missing, particularly Bruno. So to get a clean sheet, a lot of young players are getting an opportunity.

“It certainly wasn’t pretty to watch, but I’ve said that many times before, give me the points over the plaudits all the time,” he told Sky Sports.

Roy Keane praises “special” goal

“Big win for them, some games coming up, and you’re thinking, “Can they get some momentum, can they go on a proper run?” And obviously now, they’ve got to keep this momentum going. A big win, an ugly win, but a huge win for them.”

Roy Keane also praised Patrick Dorgu’s special effort, while also claiming the team showed pride when trying to stop the opposition.

“To come out and win an ugly game, specifically from a defensive point of view, keeping that clean sheet. There has to be pride in your defending.

“The goal was fantastic, a special goal. But if you want to make progress, it has got to be about being defensively solid.

“It is a start in terms of momentum for the younger players, but you have to find something.”

And with bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers to come next at the Theatre of Dreams, surely United will be looking to climb further up the table next week.

Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen is sometimes the boss, other times the mediator, and always a participant in the important discussions at the club.

With Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß still playing prominent roles at the club on the supervisory board, Dreesen has been witness to sparks flying. When asked about Rummenigge recent statement of “FC Bayern doesn’t need less, but more Uli Hoeneß,” Dreesen could only concur.

“Karl-Heinz and Uli are part of our supervisory board. We would be remiss if we didn’t seek their opinions and engage with them. I think other clubs envy us for their capacity. We have intensive exchanges, especially during transfer periods. Uli has strong opinions, and people can rally behind strong opinions. That’s part of what we do; it raises FC Bayern’s profile,” Dreesen told Welt am Sonntag (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Being on the board of FC Bayern is a wonderful and simultaneously challenging job. It’s perfectly normal and even necessary that there are different perspectives within a club. We’re all working together to achieve the best result for FC Bayern. That means we sometimes have different opinions, and we don’t always embrace each other from the start.”

Some executive might be intimidated by two big players like Hoeneß and Rummenigge still having such big voices, but Dreesen seems happy to just roll with the punches. As you can probably tell, he like has had a lot of practice in dealing with just that.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

NBA insider reveals that trades are incoming in LA. Who could be on their way out? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in absolutely putrid shape as of right now. They are 4-6 in the month of December and just got the brakes beaten off of them by the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day. 

Following the loss due to the same factors that have plagued this group for a month, JJ Redick ripped the team in their postgame press conference.

More: Lakers coach JJ Redick shreds team after Rockets loss

Redick stated that there are too many players on the current roster who just don't care. If you look at the teams' performances as of late, Redick is not wrong. 

If this team wants to not waste a single year of Luka Dončić's prime, changes need to be made and fast because, as presently constructed, this is not a championship-caliber roster. 

NBA insider Kevin O'Connor reported after the game that changes to the roster could be right on the horizon in LA. 

Kevin O'Connor says trades are coming in LA

After the Rockets blew out the Lakers at home, Kevin O'Connor got on Twitter/X and laid out exactly what the plan is in LA after their abysmal showing through the month of December. 

Trades are coming in Los Angeles. Just a matter of who and when. Without them, this team has no chance of winning a title this year. That much is obvious after watching the Lakers as of late and listening to what JJ Redick said postgame.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) December 26, 2025

This leads you to think, if trades are incoming, who's on the way out the door? 

There are many players on the roster not carrying their weight. Players that come to mind would quickly be players like Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent. 

All of those players combined take up just north of $50 million in cap space. That is far too much money to go towards what is now essentially dead weight. 

While the Lakers don't have anywhere near the assets a team like OKC does, they are not without them completely. Between a mix of all those players' tradeable salaries and the picks the Lakers have to give, we could definitely see a move soon. 

Don't be shocked to see any or all of those players gone within the next month, as the Lakers have to take a real look in the mirror prior to the deadline. 

The only issue for Los Angeles: teams know they're desperate, and as everyone knows, there's always going to be a Laker tax. We'll see if and how the team is able to improve its roster before the trade deadline. 

More NBA News: 

• Report: Lakers 'circling back' on Heat's Andrew Wiggins

• What's behind the NBA's best bromance between Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves?

• Lakers' Luka Doncic says he grew up idolizing this NBA legend

• Lakers' LeBron James had alarming stat in Rockets loss

ESPN Analyst calls out Chet Holmgren for 'playing soft' against Wembanyama originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Before the NBA Cup tournament semifinals, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder were 24-1 and had many fans and experts believing they could break the regular-season record for wins, set by the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

However, after losing to the San Antonio Spurs for the third time this season on Christmas Day, the conversation has quickly shifted, as the Thunder have struggled to contain the young star power. San Antonio has been led by the 7'5" French superstar Victor Wembanyama, who has gotten the best of OKC's seven-footer, Chet Holmgren, in the three matchups.

On Friday, ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins let it be known how he feels about the difference in play between the two giants.

More: Spurs record vs. Thunder: San Antonio extends winning streak over OKC with blowout victory on Christmas Day

"I gotta get on Chet (Holmgren) for a minute. He's playing soft in this matchup. Victor Wembanyama wants the smoke, he's ducking that smoke right now....Chet gotta come with it next time they play the Spurs, it might be in the postseason, but he gotta come with it, because right now the Spurs are pucking the Thunder and making them look soft," Perkins said on ESPN's 'Get Up'.

It is hard to disagree with Perkins' point when considering the players' stats against each other across the three games. Holmgren has averaged only 11.1 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, and one assist.

Wembanyama, on the other hand, has nearly averaged 20 points per game with 17.7, while grabbing 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while also disrupting the rhythm of SGA and the Thunder on defense.

More NBA News:

• Steve Kerr admits the Warriors are a 'fading dynasty' amidst all the team's struggles
• Victor Wembanyama-Thunder beef, explained: Why Spurs star's 'ethical basketball' comments caused stir
• Jalen Williams believes more reps will help solve the Thunder's back-to-back issues
• San Antonio's balanced attack is turning heads during win streak
• Anthony Davis injury update is bad news for Dallas Mavericks on Christmas

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has been shooting with his teammates prior to recent games as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. He has provided updates on social media and in podcasts about his recovery but this is the latest public glimpse of his recovery.

Haliburton is scheduled to miss the 2025-26 season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When did Tyrese Haliburton get injured?

Despite dealing with a right calf issue for a while, Tyrese Haliburton scored 9 points in the opening minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 22, 2025. He made a move toward the basket with about 5 minutes to go in the first quarter and fell to the court with a torn Achilles tendon. The Pacers lost 103-91.

A torn Achilles often requires an 8- to 10-month recovery. The Pacers said on July 7 that Haliburton would miss the 2025-26 season.

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Tyrese Haliburton injury update: Watch Pacers guard shoot before game

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has been shooting with his teammates prior to recent games as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. He has provided updates on social media and in podcasts about his recovery but this is the latest public glimpse of his recovery.

Haliburton is scheduled to miss the 2025-26 season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When did Tyrese Haliburton get injured?

Despite dealing with a right calf issue for a while, Tyrese Haliburton scored 9 points in the opening minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 22, 2025. He made a move toward the basket with about 5 minutes to go in the first quarter and fell to the court with a torn Achilles tendon. The Pacers lost 103-91.

A torn Achilles often requires an 8- to 10-month recovery. The Pacers said on July 7 that Haliburton would miss the 2025-26 season.

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Tyrese Haliburton injury update: Watch Pacers guard shoot before game

Is Jayson Tatum out for the season? Latest news on Celtics star's torn Achilles originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This has been an entirely different season for the Boston Celtics.

So far, they haven't gotten to have Jayson Tatum on the floor at all due to injury.

Tatum tore his Achilles in the first round of last season's playoffs, and he's working his way back.

For now, Tatum is still on the sideline. But his progress has been encouraging.

MORE: Ben Simmons is going pro in a sport you'd never expect

Is Jayson Tatum out for the season?

No, Tatum isn't out for the season.

He was never ruled out for the entirety of the campaign. Unlike Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, Tatum's injury happened early in the playoffs, changing his chances of getting back.

There have been suggestions all along about different return timelines, from February to March to the start of the playoffs.

But there's pretty much no question Tatum will be back.

That's an exciting light at the end of the tunnel for the Celtics. It's up to them to make sure they set themselves up in good position so that when Tatum gets back, there are meaningful games for him to play in.

More NBA news:

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• Steven Adams has the craziest eating habits in the NBA
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Resurfacing a special feature we first published in September 2023...

It’s impossible to face Nottingham Forest and not think about their legendary manager Brian Clough, such is the legacy of perhaps the greatest English boss of all time.

There was a period when the brilliant Clough’s Forest not only ruled England’s top division, but Europe as well.

Back in 1979 and 1980, Clough’s team arrived at Maine Road as champions of Europe.

That's right - not once, but twice in succession our, East Midlands visitors were reigning European champs.

Clough’s achievements with Forest are the stuff of legend, taking charge of a floundering second-tier side in January 1975 and shaping a team in his image over the next few months.

Clough had previously steered Derby County to the First Division title in 1971/72 alongside his friend, trusted confidante, and irreplaceable assistant Peter Taylor.

Outspoken and brash, Clough’s feisty relationship with the Derby chairman Sam Longson deteriorated and when he and Taylor handed in their resignation on October 15, 1973, in an attempt to force Longson out, the feuding chairman accepted their letters – the bluff had failed, and Clough and Taylor were out of work.

There was a furious reaction from the Derby fans who called for the pair to be reinstated, but the damage was irreparable, and Dave Mackay was given the job as manager soon after.

Clough and Taylor weren’t out of work long, accepting a lucrative offer to manage third tier Brighton, but Clough had a burning desire to manage at the top level again and when Leeds United came in for him during the summer of 1974, Clough accepted the role.

Taylor would remain loyal to Brighton and Clough’s attempts at replacing former City player Don Revie at Elland Road proved to be an abject failure – the first of his career – and his tenure lasted just 44 days before he was sacked.

He would be out of work for 16 weeks, becoming a popular TV pundit with viewers loving his straight-talking, opinionated style – but he craved return management, and in early 1975, Nottingham Forest offered him the chance to do what he did best.

The remainder of the 1975/76 campaign was spent assembling a side made of players he trusted and making those he had inherited better and, crucially, he patched up his relationship with Peter Taylor with the pair reunited for the 1976/77 season.

It seemed neither could work effectively without the other, but together they were unstoppable.

Taylor’s unique eye for talent and Clough’s brilliant coaching and management guided Forest to promotion in their first full season at the City Ground.

Over at Maine Road, Tony Book’s City had missed out on becoming First Division champions by one point that same season, but the Blues were strong favourites to compete for the title again in 1977/78 – Forest, who had scraped promotion by the skin of their teeth, were tipped by many to go straight back down.

But something very special was forming in the East Midlands.

Clough had added Peter Shilton, Dave Needham, Archie Gemmill and Kenny Burns to a squad that already included the likes of a rejuvenated John Robertson, John McGovern, Viv Anderson, Ian Bowyer, Larry Lloyd, Tony Woodcock and Peter Withe.

With 10 games of the new season played, Forest were top of the table, Liverpool second and City third.

Book’s side travelled to Nottingham knowing victory would likely take the Blues top – as well as issuing a statement of intent - and when Brian Kidd hooked home from close range, more than 5,000 travelling City fans went berserk – but Clough’s side would fight back with goals from Woodcock and With – the latter scoring on 86 minutes - to win 2-1.

Bizarrely, the teams would meet again in the FA Cup fourth round a few months later, again in Nottingham, and again Clough’s side would win 2-1 with Kidd on target for the Blues and Withe scoring what would turn out to be the winning goal – a total gate approaching 80,000 had watched both clashes that year.

City were there or thereabouts for much of the campaign, but by the time the teams met in the return fixture at Maine Road, it was Forest who were in the ascendency, having won the League Cup and not lost for 18 league games.

More than 43,000 packed Maine Road, but in a taut battle with few genuine opportunities, the game ended 0-0.

Forest remained unbeaten for the final seven games to end seven points clear of Liverpool, while City finished in fourth – Clough had guided his team to the title in their first season back in the First Division – a rare and remarkable feat.

It was an incredible achievement and the first time Nottingham Forest had been crowned champions of England in their then 113 years of existence.

But the 1978/79 campaign would be even better for Forest.

They would remain unbeaten until early December in the league – a run of 42 matches without defeat in the league – before Liverpool ended their incredible run with a 2-0 win at Anfield.

Their next away game on December 23, 1978, was at Maine Road, and while Book’s team were progressing well in the UEFA Cup having boked a place in the quarterfinals, the Blues’ league form was largely disappointing.

But the symmetrical nature of the previous meetings continued as City and Forest ground out another 0-0 draw in front of a crowd of 37,012.

It was a largely bad tempered affair, too, with Ron Futcher fortunate not to be sent off for flattening a Forest defender with what appeared to be a right-hook in the closing stages.

The fight continued in the tunnel in full view of BBC’s Match of the Day cameras after the final whistle.

Forest would go on to win the League Cup again, but finish runners-up to Liverpool in the First Division while City floundered to a disappointing 15th place finish.

Clough and Taylor had also somehow guided Forest to the European Cup final at the first attempt – an incredible achievement – and the fairy-tale was completed by future City star Trevor Francis who headed home in first half added time to seal a 1-0 win over Malmo.

Nottingham Forest, a Second Division side less than two years before, were now champions of Europe.

It’s fair to say the nation was united in celebrating Forest’s success with many wondering how this unfashionable club had somehow done what Liverpool, Juventus and Real Madrid couldn’t that season.

The next campaign in 1979/80 saw the paths of City and Forest going in vastly different directions.

Clough had added City favourite Asa Hartford to his squad and when Forest arrived at Maine Road in early October, they did so as European champions and league leaders of the First Division.

It was hard to imagine a stiffer test for a City side that were unpredictable at best, capable of both impressive and lacklustre performances in equal measure.

A crowd of 41,683 packed into Maine Road to see City take on Clough’s all-conquering side, but just after half-time, Michael Robinson crossed into the box and Kaziu Deyna thumped the ball past Peter Shilton to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Forest came back strongly, but Joe Corrigan was in excellent form and City held out for a single goal victory.

For all Forest’s domestic and European dominance, they left Maine Road for a third successive season having failed to score a goal.

It was arguably the Blues’ season high, as a miserable second half to the campaign saw an FA Cup exit to Fourth Division Halifax Town followed by 15 matches without a win – one of which was a 4-0 drubbing away to Forest with Trevor Francis scoring a hat-trick.

The returning Malcolm Allison’s team restructure had gone badly wrong and only a run of three wins in the final four games staved off relegation.

As for Clough’s men, league aspirations were cast aside as the mercurial manager guided his team to a second consecutive European Cup triumph following a 1-0 win over Hamburg in the final, becoming one of only six teams to successfully defend the crown – the others? Real Madrid, Ajax, Benfica, Liverpool, Inter and AC Milan.

That would effectively mark the end of Forest’s glorious few years, with the team going into a slow decline in the years that followed, but it had been some journey.

As a footnote, Forest arrived as European champions for the second year running at Maine Road in 1980/81 and though Paul Power scored an early goal for the Blues, Francis levelled on 55 minutes to end almost a six-hour wait for Clough’s Forest to score a goal away to City in a 1-1 draw.

The next meeting in Manchester reverted to type with a 0-0 draw so despite Forest’s incredible successes at home and abroad under Clough and Taylor, they never once beat City at Maine Road and scored only one goal in five visits.

The tables, of course, have well and truly turned in recent years, but the memories of that magnificent Brian Clough team still resonate some 40 years on and are perhaps even more poignant as City and Forest - two of only six English sides to be crowned European champions - go head-to-head at the Etihad.

One can only wonder what a Pep Guardiola v Brian Clough tactical battle might have looked like, but chances are it would have been a wonderful spectacle for all concerned….

Pictures courtesy Mirrorpix

Top

As a football idealist, Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has specific beliefs about how the game should be played - and the best way to win.

But his usual philosophy was not the one that brought the Christmas present of a 1-0 Premier League win over Newcastle.

For one thing, there was the formation switch.

Amorim joked in September that not even the Pope could persuade him to change, but for the first time since he took charge 13 months ago, he fielded a back four.

For another, victory was achieved with 33.4% possession, their lowest in any game this season. It was United's lowest percentage of possession in a victory since the 29.4% they had when beating against Manchester City in January 2023.

They had nine shots at Old Trafford compared to Newcastle's 16. The visitors had 43 touches in their opponents' box. Amorim's men had 15.

Yet it was Manchester United who prevailed, thanks to a combination of Patrick Dorgu's first goal for the club - which was a sublime first-half volley from the edge of the area - and only a second clean sheet of the season.

It wasn't pretty. But even for Amorim, sometimes there are days when substance trumps style.

"Yes," was the unequivocal reply when asked if this was one of the 'most satisfying' wins of his, at times, tortuous 13 months in charge.

"The feeling is good. If you compared to other games, we suffered so much more today but in certain moments we put everything on the line.

"We are defending every cross. Especially if you see the second half, sometimes we managed to defend with a back six.

"We had so many games when we controlled the opponent so much better, but it is a good feeling to have a clean sheet. We suffered together. If we always have this spirit, we are going to win so many games."

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe headed back to the north-east of England reflecting on yet another disappointing away performance. He admitted his side failed to turn their territorial advantage into the type and volume of meaningful chances that would have earned maximum points.

But for the home side, the outcome felt significant.

Lisandro Martinez and Ayden Heaven are at other ends of the experience scale.

One is a World Cup winner, albeit one just returning from the latest in a sequence of bad injuries. The other is a 19-year-old with 15 senior appearances under his belt – who has now extended the longest playing sequence of his first-team career to five games.

Paired together in the middle of a revised back four, with Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot as full-backs and Dorgu switched to the right side of Amorim's attack, Martinez and Heaven were immense.

"He [Martinez] is a guy with a lot of character," said Amorim.

"He is really good on the ball - and has won a World Cup, so he is used to that stress - but he showed today he is a top player.

"He is a small guy but today he did well against a team with tall players."

The sight of 5ft 9in Martinez leaping high to win a header against 6ft 6in Nick Woltemade in the first half was impressive.

Even though there was an element of Amorim having to protect a player starting for the first time since February following his recovery from cruciate knee ligament surgery, there must have been concern when Martinez left the field two minutes from time and 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson came on in his place.

The concern was misplaced.

Fredricson did his job well. But he had Heaven with him to bring more solidity.

It is hard to believe when the former Arsenal youngster started against West Ham on 4 December, he was booked almost immediately and looked so shaky, it was almost a shock he lasted until half-time when he was replaced by Leny Yoro.

In the space of five games and three weeks, Heaven has advanced rapidly.

He was excellent in the defeat at Aston Villa on 21 December and followed that up with a performance of maturity against Newcastle that earned him the host broadcaster's man-of-the-match award.

So good has Heaven been that Amorim is warning Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt, currently sidelined, they can't be certain of getting their places back when they are fit again.

That is significant in two ways. Firstly, De Ligt was, by common consent, United's best defender until a back injury ruled him out of the West Ham game. Maguire, meanwhile, is still waiting to learn whether United will offer him a new contract when his current one expires in the summer.

"I am really pleased with Ayden," said Amorim.

"You can feel that he is improving every game. He trained really well, which shows if you train well, it can help you play.

"If he continues to play like that, it is going to be really hard to take his place."

• Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan views
• Ask about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

Hello and welcome back to the Friday Feedbag where I will never serve you slop. This week is weird! It’s a Friday today and also day after Christmas, so many are either not working at all or have had the last one to two days off. To anyone who had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas, you are the real MVP and I salute you. But, today feels like one of those “unearned” Fridays and so I’m reminded that many refer to the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a “liminal space.” A liminal space is a place or state of transition. It can be a physical place, like an airport, or a psychological/metaphorical place.

This being a Mariners blog, we’re gonna talk about Mariners Liminal Spaces. I’ll throw out a few and then y’all can have at it in the comments.

1. The Stadium Light Rail Station: An obvious pick, but it is a literal place of comings and goings, usually frantic at both the arrival at the game and during the exiting. But, if you’ve ever worked at the stadium and had to catch a lonely train home long after most of the crowd had gone home, you’ve probably spent more time here in this liminal space than you’d like, waiting for a train that should have been here 10 minutes ago and maybe never ends up coming.
2. The Left Field Gates at T-Mobile Park: Probably the entrance I have used most in my life and yet have never spent more than a passing few moments in after getting through security and then going up those iconic stairs to the main level concourse, or straight to the elevators to the 300 level (the elevators being another great liminal space!)
3. The 2021 Mariners season: The last season of the drought. They almost ended it that year, or came close like in 2014, 2016, and 2018 (well….kinda), but the momentum for the 2022 playoff run arguably started in August and September 2021. The 2021 season deserves its flowers for being a wildly fun year at the ballpark while many were still emerging from the pandemic and figuring out how to live in public again.

You get the idea, right?

Okay, let’s hear about your favorite or least favorite Mariners liminal spaces and have a great, if unearned for some, weekend!

It takes a special kind of person to willingly strap oneself into a hatchback aimed at flying through the woods at high speeds. Rally drivers are madmen full-stop, but their shotgun-riding co-drivers are a whole different breed. Don’t discount the amount of driving know-how tucked away in those high-flying passenger seats, however. Hyundai Motorsports co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe recently took the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 at the 2025 Rallye du Pays Vençois in France, making fellow co-drivers round the world beam with pride.

While you might not be familiar with Martijn Wydaeghe, you have likely heard of his teammate Thierry Neuville. The two have been driving together since the 2021 season, with Wydaeghe co-driving during Neuville’s 2024 WRC Driver’s Championship effort. This year wasn’t as successful for last year’s champs, with Neuville finishing 5th overall in the standings. The results were largely tempered by two consecutive retirements at the Central Europe and Japan rallies towards the end of the season. The pair came back to win the final event of the year at Rally Saudi Arabia.

While the automaker didn’t put Wydaeghe out in the proper Rally1 machine he’s used to riding in, the Belgian driver made his driving debut in the production-based Rally2 machine. He did previously get a go in the Rally1 car at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, however. I’m sure the co-driver-turned-wheelman wasn’t too upset about the more approachable platform for his first go either.

With co-driver Florian Haut-Labourdette alongside, Wydaeghe pushed the IXO-sponsored Hyundai through the 25-mile rally. His pace was undeniable, with Wydaeghe managing to take home a stage win on his very first attempt. The pair only managed to muster sixth place overall, but fans were more than happy to see Wydaeghe give it a shot. That said, I don’t think Neuville needs to be too worried about job security for the time being. Perhaps the WRC should look at a co-driver shootout event moving forward, though.

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In the military — and that includes being part of the Army football team — home for the holidays is not always an option.

But the extended family of the Black Knights is making the best of the situation over the Christmas holidays, to share joy and help their fellow man as a leadup to the Fenway Bowl matchup with Connecticut on Saturday, December 27. ESPN will have the telecast at 2:15 p.m.

In addition to workouts at nearby Boston College, the cadets have bonded once more on an extended road trip — for the final time in 2025 — and shared the sights of one of America's most historic cities. The team got special tours of Fenway Park — home of the Boston Red Sox — and enjoyed a Boston Harbor cruise. The bowl committee presented the players with personalized engraved bats as a memento.

"I think it's been amazing being here on the holidays,'' said Army senior linebacker and co-captain Kalib Fortner during a Friday media session. "It's not truly ideal to be away from your true family but you have family right here, and to be in this amazing city that's hosting us, its been awesome.''

"These guys have had some free time, which is nice,'' said Army head coach Jeff Monken during his Friday radio show. "They don't get a whole lot of that during the school year so it's nice for them to have some free time and walk around town and walk around this mall that's connected to the hotel here. ... It's nice to be part of a team that really feels a sense of brotherhood like we do. These guys, they feel a sense of family, and I think they've really enjoyed the time together here.''

For nearly 25 seniors, this will be the last game of their football careers that probably got a start when they were youngsters. The 2022 and 2023 Army teams both finished 6-6 and last season Army was 12-2, so the Class of 2026 owns a 30-20 mark with one game to play.

"I've been reflecting a lot this past week,'' said Army senior linebacker and co-captain Andon Thomas. "I've been playing this game for 15 years, and for it to be my last four quarters of football it's kind of crazy, but all the guys kind of realize that.''

It's been two weeks since Army (6-6) lost to Navy, 17-16, in their annual clash, in Baltimore. The Black Knights returned to practice right away, mixed in semester final exams and had an opportunity to get away for the holidays for a few days before gathering in Boston on Tuesday.

More: College football TV, radio, web schedules for 2025

"Obviously, coming off that Navy game, (it was) not the outcome we wanted but the guys are hungry,'' Thomas said. "We're coming back for a 13th game and that's an absolute blessing. The guys realize it's our last game as a team together before they go on next year and do great things (but) it's been a couple great weeks of practice. ... We're excited for this game.''

It's critical that Army shakes off the Navy loss with the Fenway Bowl ahead.

"I think a big thing is you can't let a team beat you twice,'' Fortner said. "(There's) a lot of emotion behind that Navy game and obviously we didn't get the result we wanted. ... We had a couple good weeks of preparation, good rest and recovery, and we're ready to go and hopefully do enough to beat UConn. They're a really good team, they’ve got great players, and we're excited to play in this amazing venue and hopefully get a chance to beat a really good opponent.''

Junior quarterback Cale Hellums said the time off between games and the holidays came at a good time,

More: Exploring Army football's bowl game history ahead of 2025 Fenway Bowl

"We've had a good amount of days, a long break ... we kind of treat it like a bye week, in a way,'' he said. "My body feels good. I'm ready to go and I'm excited for the opportunity (Saturday).''

"We know it's going to be a tremendous challenge,'' Monken said. "(UConn has) a lot to play for, obviously: for a 10-win season and back-to-back bowl champions here in Fenway, So our guys know that there's going to be a test. They know that we're going to be challenged (Saturday). Athletically, those guys are very, very good and have a lot of weapons. But our guys are going to play hard, they're going to play tough and we're going to do the very best we can to play our brand of football and hope that'll be good enough.''

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army football makes final prep ahead of facing UConn at Fenway Bowl

AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the Longhorns bowl game against the University of Michigan just five days away, head coach Steve Sarkisian needed some good news in regards to his roster. Friday afternoon, defensive back Jelani McDonald posted on Instagram that he “will be returning to the University of Texas” to complete his career as a senior.

In his junior season, McDonald was an intricate peace to Longhorns 35th ranked defense. His final stat line after 12 games were 73 tackles (43 solo), three interceptions, and three pass deflections.

McDonald’s role becomes more important without Michael Taaffe in the backfield. His first test without Taaffe and a handful of new faces in the defensive rotation will be in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Dec. 31 against Michigan.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.

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İngiltərə Premyer Liqasında 18-ci tura start verilib.

Komanda.az xəbər verir ki, ilk gündə bir oyun baş tutub.

“Mançester Yunayted” evdə “Nyukasl”la qarşılaşıb və tək qolla qalib gəlib.

İngiltərə Premyer Liqası
18-ci tur
26 dekabr

Mançester Yunayted – Nyukasl 1:0
Qol: Dorqu, 24.

27 dekabr

16:30. Nottingem Forest – Mançester Siti
19:00. Arsenal – Brayton
19:00. Brentford – Bornmut
19:00. Börnli – Everton
19:00. Liverpul – Vulverhempton
19:00. Vest Hem – Fulhem
21:30. Çelsi – Aston Villa

28 dekabr

18:00. Sanderlend – Lids
20:30. Kristal Pelas – Tottenhem

The post “Mançester Yunayted”ə bir qol bəs etdi appeared first on Komanda.az.

Now 11-4 overall on the season after pulling away from the Cowboys en route to a 34-17 victory in Dallas on Dec. 21, the Chargers will host a critical Week 17 matchup from SoFi Stadium against the red-hot Houston Texans (10-5) on Saturday that holds significant AFC playoff picture implications.

The Chargers currently hold the No. 5 seed in the AFC Playoff picture, thanks to a four-game winning streak since their Week 12 bye, and are 1.2 games behind the Broncos.

While the Denver inched closer to both clinching the AFC West division and the conference's No. 1 seed with a 20-13 win over Kansas City on Thursday night, Los Angeles must win on Saturday to ensure that the Chargers still have the opportunity to win the division with a win over the Broncos in Week 18.

Meanwhile, the Texans have been hot on the Chargers' tail for most of the season and enter the matchup on a seven-game winning streak, bolstered by their stellar defensive play as of late. If Houston is victorious, it would clinch a playoff spot and knock the Bolts out of the No. 5 seed.

With both teams needing a win to bolster their playoff status/positioning, who has the advantage in the key areas of this game?

As we all know, the game is not played on paper, but where these two teams rank in essential statistical areas could provide valuable insight into where the Chargers may have the upper hand over the Texans and where they may not.

With help from Team Rankings and Pro Football Reference, here is how the Chargers match up statistically with the Texans.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Points per game: 23.3 (16th)
• Points per game allowed: 20.1 (8th)
• Yards per rush: 4.4 (14th)
• Yards per rush allowed: 4.4 (22nd)
• Yards per pass attempt: 7.2 (12th)
• Yards per pass attempt allowed: 5.9 (5th)
• QB sack rate: 8.38% (6th)
• QB sack rate allowed: 9.38% (28th)
• Turnover margin per game: +0.2 (9th)
• Third down conversion rate: 47.22% (3rd)
• Defensive third down conversion rate allowed: 35.84% (6th)
• Red zone success rate: 50.00% (27th)
• Defensive red zone success rate: 50.00% (4th)

Houston Texans

• Points per game: 23.1 (19th)
• Points per game allowed: 16.6 (1st)
• Yards per rush: 3.9 (28th)
• Yards per rush allowed: 4.1 (12th)
• Yards per pass attempt: 6.7 (21st)
• Yards per pass attempt allowed: 5.7 (2nd)
• QB sack rate: 8.01% (8th)
• QB sack rate allowed: 5.61 (12th)
• Turnover margin per game: +1.0 (2nd)
• Third down conversion rate: 38.16% (20th)
• Defensive third-down conversion rate allowed: 34.56% (3rd)
• Red zone success rate (Touchdown only): 45.10% (31st)
• Defensive red zone success rate (Touchdown only): 60.00% (23rd)

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Who has the advantage in the Chargers vs. Texans Week 17 matchup?

Texas A&M's 2026 offseason began just minutes after the Aggies' 10-3 loss to Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday afternoon, forcing head coach Mike Elko to quickly reflect on the defeat and prepare for the opening of the transfer portal on January 2.

So far, seven Texas A&M players have announced their plans to enter the transfer portal, including defensive ends Rylan Kennedy and Solomon Williams, who would likely have seen more playing time next season. However, nothing is guaranteed in today's college football landscape, and potential NIL deals at other landing spots usually result in veteran players at least testing the portal.

While nearly every one of the Aggies' transfer losses isn't surprising, an eighth addition has entered the chat, as junior tight end Theo Melin Öhrström will reportedly enter his name into the portal after three seasons with the program. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, it's been quite the journey covering the international player, who, despite a tough learning curve, continued to improve every season.

After reeling in ten receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns during the 2024 season, Melin Öhrström caught 19 passes for 168 yards and one score this season, while his inline blocking improved after working with tight ends coach Christian Ellsworth, who followed Collin Klein to Kansas State earlier this month.

Could Melin Öhrström follow his former OC and TE coach to K-State? It's possible, but focusing on Texas A&M, incoming sophomore Kiotti Armstrong is the name to watch heading into the 2026 season, while Mike Elko will likely need to add at least one tight end from the portal.

Texas A&M TE Theo Melin Ohrstrom is set to enter the transfer portal.

One of the Aggies only returners at the position is set to explore the market this offseason: https://t.co/mabTh8R55D

— Jaxson Callaway (AT) (@AggiesToday) December 26, 2025

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M junior TE Theo Melin Öhrström will enter the transfer portal

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco star tight end George Kittle was listed as questionable with an ankle injury for the 49ers' key game in playoff positioning on Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.

Kittle missed the full week of practice after getting hurt Monday night in a win against Indianapolis. But coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that he still has a chance to play with the team having a better idea of his status closer to the game.

Receiver Ricky Pearsall is also questionable after missing last week's game and being limited all week in practice by a knee injury. Cornerback Renardo Green will miss a second straight week with a neck injury.

The 49ers (11-4) clinched a playoff spot last week but are still in the hunt for a division title and possibly the top seed in the NFC playoffs. With wins at home over Chicago (11-4) and Seattle (12-3) the next two weeks, the Niners would clinch home-field advantage and would have a chance to win the Super Bowl on their home field Feb. 8 without having to take another road trip all season.

Being without Kittle would be a big blow to a San Francisco offense that has been operating at a high level during a five-game winning streak. The Niners have gone back-to-back games without having to punt for the first time in franchise history.

Kittle is a key part of both the run and pass game for the 49ers. The Niners’ running game has improved since Kittle returned after missing five games early this season with a hamstring injury.

Kittle has 31 catches for 415 yards and four TDs during the current winning streak and is second on the team to running back Christian McCaffrey in catches (52) and yards (599) despite missing five games.

The 49ers have a 144.6 passer rating when targeting Kittle this season, according to Sportradar, which would be the highest for any player with at least 50 targets since Russell Wilson had a 158.3 rating targeting Tyler Lockett in 2018.

___

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

North Carolina is off to its best start in 17 years as it concludes its nonconference slate with a 12-1 record and the No. 12 ranking in the AP Top 25.

Here are the top three performers for UNC so far this season. Each has made a substantial impact on the team’s success, consistently delivering in key moments and setting a high standard for teammates. As the season continues, their play will remain a critical factor in determining how far UNC can go.

Henri Veesaar

Veesaar is averaging 16.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He is shooting 64.1% from the floor, which ranks 19th in the country. He is also shooting 50% from 3-point range, 33rd nationally, and has a 70.6 effective field goal percentage, which ranks 14th nationally and first in the ACC, according to KenPom. His true shooting percentage is 70.5, 18th in the nation.

Caleb Wilson

Wilson has exceeded expectations so far, averaging 19.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game — all team highs. He is shooting 55.4% from the field and has nine double-doubles this season, tied for the third most by a freshman in North Carolina history with Sam Perkins (1980-81) and J.R. Reid (1986-87). He has also posted nine 20-point games, which is likewise tied for the third most by a Tar Heels freshman.

Jarin Stevenson

While his stat sheet does not jump off the page, Stevenson is best evaluated by what he does on the floor rather than in the box score. His value comes from his versatility, as his length and agility make him a matchup problem on both ends of the court.

He can play the three, four or five for North Carolina when called upon and can guard almost anyone at any spot on the floor. He is averaging 6.5 points and 4 rebounds per game off the bench.

Honorable Mention: Seth Trimble

Despite appearing in only four games so far because of injury, he is averaging 14.5 points and 3.7 assists. He looks like a veteran — and he should. He is in his fourth year of college basketball at the same school, a rarity in today’s transfer-heavy era.

Since Trimble’s return, North Carolina has looked faster and freer in transition. That is not a coincidence; it is exactly what head coach Hubert Davis emphasized after the Tar Heels beat Ohio State on Dec. 20.

Trimble would have been on my top three had he had not gotten hurt and miss nine games.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Top performers in non-conference play

The ECHL postponed 13 games Friday after players went on strike, causing a work stoppage in the North American development minor hockey league two tiers below the NHL.

The Professional Hockey Players’ Association announced it “commenced job action” and cited travel for back-to-back games, a holiday break, guaranteed contracts, health benefits during the offseason and player compensation as unresolved issues in talks on a new collective bargaining agreement.

“Our members are simply seeking reasonable improvements that allow them to work safely and earn a sustainable living while continuing to perform at a high level,” executive director Brian Ramsay said. “Despite the union’s repeated efforts to meet and engage in bargaining, the league has continued to communicate directly with players in a manner that bypasses the union’s role as the exclusive bargaining representative.”

Members of the PHPA voted last week to authorize its negotiating committee to call for a strike. The league and union have been engaged in collective bargaining since January.

“Unfortunately, union leaders deprived players of the opportunity to vote on our last, best, and final offer," the ECHL said in a statement, adding it would raise player salaries 20% in the first year, increase per diems, guarantee more off days and expand equipment made available to players. "We did everything possible to avoid this outcome and hope that the union leadership will drop its unworkable scheduling demands, let the players vote on our offer and make it possible for players to return to work.”

The league said its latest offer ups the salary cap by 19.8%, an increase from the 16.4% from the proposal posted to its website Monday.

“The ECHL made clear to union leadership that this was the best offer and that any future offers likely will need to account for losses in revenue attributable to missed games from a player strike,” the league said in a statement. “While we did not receive a formal response, we have heard from certain players that they will not be reporting for their scheduled games.”

The ECHL has 30 teams, 29 of which are in the U.S. and one in Canada in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

___

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

Check out Chiefs' TE Travis Kelce's high school basketball highlights from Cleveland Heights originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Travis Kelce is quite the athlete.

And you'd be right if you assumed the Kansas City Chiefs' legendary tight end didn't just play football growing up. He also was an impressive basketball player in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

On Friday, with Kelce's NFL career potentially winding down, fans started sharing the highlights from his final high school game.

Kelce put up 16 points and 11 rebounds in his last game, a district final loss, despite battling foul trouble.

Have a look:

03/01/2008

Travis Kelce’s final HS game was an 81-71 loss to a really good Warren Harding team in the district final at a jam-packed Warrensville Hts HS.

Kelce finished with 16 pts/11 rebs despite playing just 19 mins due to foul trouble. Here’s his final two baskets…. pic.twitter.com/ddPtiksoyG

— Kurt J. Stubbs II (@Ohiohshoops) December 26, 2025

MORE: The Giants, the Raiders, the NFL Draft order and the Disgrace of Gijon

Kelce was also a strong high school baseball player.

And in football, he was a quarterback.

It's all part of the story of how Kelce became one of the greatest tight ends ever. His movement skills and spatial awareness are special. And he got that from all his sports.

More NFL news:

• Harold Fannin sets Browns franchise record, celebrates with 6-7
• Sean McDermott took his glasses off, and the Bills can't stop winning
• We now know why DK Metcalf wasn't ejected for shoving a fan
• There's one super disappointing part to Philip Rivers' return
• This James Cook, Dalvin Cook brothers middle names fact is wild
• Maxx Crosby isn't happy about this Raiders decision

The Buffalo Bills take on the Philadelphia Eagles in just under two days’ time — a Week 17 game many have predicted as the matchup for Super Bowl LX. The Eagles have locked up the NFC East, while the Bills still have a sliver of hope in claiming the AFC East a sixth-consecutive time.

With that in mind, one might expect each team will manage their game-day rosters in Week 17 based on playoff scenarios. What does that mean for One Bills Drive? Let’s take a closer look, after learning which players have been ruled out, and those who remain questionable for Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium.

Buffalo Bills rule 4 players out for Week 17

Head coach Sean McDermott informed reporters on Friday, December 26 that safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps), plus defensive tackles Jordan Phillips (ankle) and DaQuan Jones (calf) have all been ruled out for Week 17 against the Eagles. Poyer picked up his injury late in action against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16, while Prater has been sidelined since the start of Week 16 — and ceded responsibilities to free-agent kicker Michael Badgley in the short term.

It remains to be seen how quickly Poyer can return to action from the hamstring injury, but anyone looking to count out the football warrior need only recall the lengths he took to get to and play a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s possible that Poyer is given rest to end the regular season, which hopefully allows him to return to the field playing his pivotal role alongside safety Cole Bishop in 2025.

Bills Mafia continues watching reports for positive news about Prater, but the elder statesman still needs some time to recover from a quadriceps injury to his kicking leg. After incumbent kicker Tyler Bass was lost for the entire 2025 campaign due to season-ending left hip/groin injuries that necessitated surgery, Prater stepped in and immediately solidified the position. Prater could return in time for the playoffs, depending on the severity of his quad injury.

Both Phillips and Jones have been managing injuries for a number of weeks, with Jones’ injury first occurring during pregame warmups in Week 9. As shared by Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, McDermott explained that Jones has since “suffered ‘a little bit’ of a setback on the calf injury,” adding that “it’s around the same it’s been or a little worse and they’re figuring it out.” It’s likely that One Bills Drive wants to proceed cautiously with the pair of defensive tackles, given the playoffs are just around the corner.

Bills list 2 TEs as questionable for Week 17 vs. Eagles

While the Bills likely have enough capable reinforcements to offset the above losses, at least in a fair amount of respects, it’s at tight end where things continue to confound. Ahead of Sunday’s game, both Dalton Kincaid (knee) and Dawson Knox (knee) are listed as questionable versus the Eagles.

First and foremost, one must understand of Kincaid that Buffalo will continue managing his health with extra care, likely in an effort to avoid any major setbacks. Having said as much, it does call to question how much managing can be done on game days, where adrenaline and physical exertion cannot be replicated in-week for more realistic management scenarios. What that meant in Week 16 was a fairly reduced role on offense, and a dip in Kincaid’s snap load. Expect the same to be true in Week 17 (and beyond) if Buffalo’s X-factor and field stretcher is able to suit up.

Dawson Knox joins Kincaid in the knee injury department, and it remains to be seen how that will affect him in Week 17. If he’s able to play, do the Bills limit his snap counts similarly to Kincaid? I’d expect Knox to play for several reasons.

Of note are the incentives in Knox’s contract that he’ll want an opportunity to try hitting during these last two regular-season games. Knox needs just one additional catch, 37 more receiving yards, and one touchdown to activate three separate $100,000 incentive payments. With Kincaid’s continued injury status, Knox could actually earn even more money if he hits a few extra statistical milestones. If Knox scores six touchdowns total, he earns an extra $150,000; for eight touchdowns Knox gains yet another $150,000. While hitting 50 total receptions seems unlikely this season, he’s just 11 away from 40 receptions — a mark that would net him another $100,000.

The other reason Knox is likely to suit up is due to the team’s reliance on the tight end room, where they often employ 13 personnel by adding in rookie tight end Jackson Hawes as the third tight end on a given play. Without Kincaid or Knox, that would leave Hawes as the team’s top tight end. The Bills also have rookie tight end Keleki Latu on the practice squad, and fullback Reggie Gilliam has moonlighted at the position in the past.

Without one of Kincaid or Knox, Buffalo is at a schematic disadvantage in 2025. With both Kincaid and Knox sidelined, it’s likely the Bills’ offense struggles to operate as intended.

Bills QB Josh Allen, six others full participants during Friday practice

As expected, Josh Allen was listed as a full participant on Friday. Allen injured his right foot during an ill-advised scramble drill that nearly allowed defensive end Myles Garrett to set a new single-season NFL sack record. Though Allen avoided becoming highlight-reel material for the wrong reason, the hope is that his injury really isn’t of note beyond the lead-up to Sunday’s game.

McDermott reported that “the soreness has dissipated” for Allen, and that “Allen should play without any limitations” on Sunday, as shared by Joe Buscaglia.

Also practicing in full on Friday were safety Cole Bishop (ribs), defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring), running back Ray Davis (knee), cornerback Taron Johnson (quadriceps), defensive back Cam Lewis, and linebacker Shaq Thompson.

As with Allen, each of Bosa, Johnson, Lewis, and Thompson improved from a limited status on Thursday, to full on Friday. What the team does or doesn’t do in terms of practice-squad call-ups by 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 27 could tell us a lot about Sunday’s starting personnel and beyond in Week 17. The Bills and Eagles clash at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 28.

Transfer portal QB tracker 2026: Latest news on DJ Lagway, Dylan Raiola and others on the move originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The business of college football waits for no one, if this year's coaching carousel taught any lesson. After 15 power-conference programs hired a new head coach, player movement is inevitable.

The transfer portal doesn't actually open for players until Jan. 2, thanks to new rules adopted by the NCAA, but murmurs of certain players making plans to enter the portal began as soon as the regular season came to an end.

Quarterback movement promises to dominate the headlines as the college football season wraps up, particularly with a few major programs searching for new signal-callers.

The Sporting News is tracking all of the quarterback movement in the college football transfer portal. Follow along below with the latest news.

MORE:College Football Playoff bracket expert picks

NCAA transfer portal tracker 2025: Latest news on QBs changing schools

Friday, Dec. 26

UNLV's Anthony Colandrea returns to portal

Former Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea will enter the transfer portal for the second consecutive year. Colandrea threw for 3,459 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions under Dan Mullen in 2025, rushing for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns, and is likely looking for a Power Four return.

James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III entering portal

Fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance, James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III will enter the transfer portal. Barnett, who has one year of eligibility remaining, has spent the last two seasons as the Dukes' starter with 71 total touchdowns to 12 interceptions, including 15 rushing touchdowns this season. Barnett's coach, Bob Chesney, recently accepted the head coaching job at UCLA. 

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Kennesaw State's Amari Odom headed to portal

Kennesaw State QB Amari Odom plans to enter the portal, according to CBS Sports' Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz. Odom was part of a Kennesaw State team that surprised with 10 wins and won the Conference USA title, throwing for 2,594 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions along with seven rushing touchdowns. Odom will have multiple years of eligibility remaining.

Monday, Dec. 22

Nebraska QB Marcos Davila to enter portal

Matt Zenitz reported that Davila would be entering the transfer portal, leaving Nebraska. He was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, and saw limited action. Davila redshirted for the 2025 season. 

USF's Byrum Brown enters transfer portal 

Just a couple weeks after USF's hire of Brian Hartline was announced, the Bulls' signal-caller for the few seasons is on the move, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. He has been with the Bulls since 2022, throwing for 7,691 yards with 61 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, adding another 2,265 yards with 31 scores on the ground.

Expect Auburn to be a heavy favorite, since Brown's former head coach, Alex Golesh was just hired there.  

Air Noland re-enters the transfer portal

Noland began his collegiate career at Ohio State in 2024. He transferred to South Carolina ahead of the 2025 season, likely to serve as the heir apparent to LaNorris Sellers. When Sellers got hurt, it was QB turned WR turned back to QB Luke Doty who actually got the reps under center. Between that and Sellers returning to the Gamecocks for the 2026 season, Noland decided to enter the transfer portal once again, per Pete Nakos. 

Sunday, Dec. 21

Memphis QB AJ Hill to enter portal

Hill was a Top 100 recruit in ESPN's Class of 2025 rankings. He had offers from Alabama, Georgia and Notre Dame, but chose to play for the Tigers for a better chance of seeing game action sooner. 

Hill saw limited action behind starting quarterback Brendon Lewis. He finished his first season with 223 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. 

Saturday, Dec. 20

Iowa State's Rocco Becht entering portal

After Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell departed for Penn State, starting quarterback Rocco Becht is entering the transfer portal, per On3.

The redshirt junior had been the Cyclones' QB1 for three seasons, leading them to a 26-13 record in that span and moving up the program's charts for all-time passing yards and touchdowns. Becht is set to become one of the top quarterbacks in the portal, especially with a winning history, and a reunion with Campbell at Penn State could be one possible destination for the quarterback.

Friday, Dec. 19

LSU's Tre People entering portal

On3 reported that People is heading to the portal. He will have four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting as a freshman. People opted not to stick around for the Tigers as LSU enters the Lane Kiffin era. 

Thursday, Dec. 18

TCU's Josh Hoover to enter portal

Pete Thamel reported that Hoover intends to enter the portal. Barring any surprises, the former Horned Frogs quarterback is expected to have the most passing yards and passing touchdowns of any QB in the portal this season. 

In 2025, Hoover threw for 3,472 yards with 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Hoover is more of a pocket presence, and is not known as a dual-threat quarterback, but he does have two rushing TDs. 

Beau Pribula to enter portal

On Thursday, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported that Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula informed his team that he plans to enter the transfer portal.

Pribula had 11 passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns with nine interceptions for the Tigers in 2025, his first season with the team after transferring from Penn State. With a dual-threat skillset, Pribula will now be headed elsewhere. 

Pribula will not play in the Gator Bowl, per Pete Thamel.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Drew Mestemaker to enter portal

On Tuesday, On3's Pete Nakos reported that Mestemaker — who led the nation with 4,129 passing yards this season — will enter the transfer portal.

Mestemaker was arguably the best non-power conference signal-caller, leading North Texas to an 11-2 season where it lost to Tulane in the American Conference championship. He was tied for second in America with 31 passing touchdowns and never threw for less than 200 yards in a game.

He immediately becomes not only one of the top quarterbacks, but one of the top targets, in the transfer portal.

Jadyn Davis to enter portal

Michigan backup Jadyn Davis will be entering the portal, On3 reported on Tuesday. This is the first Wolverines signal-caller to transfer since the shocking firing of Sherrone Moore.

Davis, the sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina, appeared in one game for Michigan over his two-year career, throwing two passes.

Of course when it comes to the Wolverines, all eyes are on quarterback Bryce Underwood and whether he will leave Ann Arbor.

Aaron Philo to enter portal

Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo, who backed up Haynes King in the Yellow Jackets' 9-3 season, will enter the transfer portal, On3 reports. Philo took $1 million to stay at Georgia Tech this season.

Philo is an intriguing transfer prospect primarily because of his historic high school production, where he became the all-time leading passer in Georgia high school history with 13,922 yards, breaking the record previously held by Trevor Lawrence. Furthermore, he demonstrated his potential in limited action at Georgia Tech, notably earning a 93.7 PFF grade in one appearance and leading the team to a late-game victory over NC State with an 18-yard game-winning touchdown run.

This pedigree is coupled with the fact that he has multiple years of eligibility remaining, making him a valuable long-term asset.

Monday, Dec. 15

Dylan Raiola to enter portal

Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola will enter the transfer portal, ESPN's Pete Thamel reports.

The writing had been on the wall for Raiola to leave Nebraska, as his brother decommitted from the program and his uncle was fired from his role as offensive line coach. A former five-star recruit, Raiola made tangible progress in 2025 but saw his season cut short by a broken leg in early November.

Brady Allen, Brendan Sorsby latest to enter portal

The transfer portal continues to stay hot on Monday. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that both Louisville's Brady Allen and Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby are heading to the portal. 

Allen will have two years of eligibility remaining after being granted a medical redshirt for the 2023 season. He only saw action in five games this past season for Louisville. 

Sorsby has one eye on the portal and one eye on the 2026 NFL Draft. Thamel reported that the dual-threat quarterback is waiting on feedback for the NFL Draft to see if it is worth declaring this year, or staying in college another season. 

Michigan State junior Aidan Chiles enters portal

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Chiles will be entering the transfer portal. He is a true junior and has one year of eligibility remaining. It will be his second time transferring after starting his career at Oregon State. 

Florida Gators QB DJ Lagway enters portal

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Lagway intends to enter the transfer portal. The dual-threat QB had a down year as Florida left the Billy Napier era, but is still just two years removed from being the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the 2024 class. If he bounces back to the player he was recruited to be and lands in the right spot, he could be the steal of the portal.

Lagway then released a statement, announcing his intention to transfer. 

DJ Lagway confirms on Instagram that he's heading to the NCAA transfer portal. https://t.co/86ygTn701zpic.twitter.com/grILMLQDa8

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 15, 2025

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Division II star Marcus Stokes in transfer portal

Stokes was one of the best players in Division II, tallying 3,664 yards & 40 TDs this season. He is a finalist for the Harlon Hill award, which is the equivalent of the Heisman.

Since entering the portal, Stokes has heard from plenty of schools.

West Florida standout transfer QB Marcus Stokes has heard from these schools since entering the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports

The 6’2 210 QB totaled 3,664 yards & 40 TDs this season

Is a finalist for the Harlon Hill (D2 Heisman)https://t.co/HntQTAnGZypic.twitter.com/yMTf5RdtJR

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 10, 2025

Monday, Dec. 8

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt expected to transfer

The portal is set to receive one of its top overall players in Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt, as Leavitt is expected to be on the move, according to PHNX Sports. Leavitt helped push the Sun Devils to a surprise Big 12 championship in 2024 and started 2025 strong before undergoing season-ending surgery. Still only 20, Leavitt's name has been floated as a potential first-round draft prospect in 2027.

Notre Dame's Kenny Minchey plans to enter portal

Notre Dame backup QB Kenny Minchey will enter the portal, On3 reports. Minchey lost a preseason battle with CJ Carr and threw only 26 passes in 2025. With Carr in line to start again in 2026, Minchey will seek an opportunity to compete to start elsewhere as he enters his redshirt junior season.

Texas backup Trey Owens headed to portal

Texas backup QB Trey Owens will hit the portal, On3 reports, after spending 2025 behind Arch Manning. While Manning's status for 2026 isn't yet clear, Owens was a four-star recruit in 2024 and will head into his redshirt sophomore season looking for a chance to compete for a starting job elsewhere.

Utah backup QB Isaac Wilson heads to portal

Utah QB Isaac Wilson will hit the portal, per Hayes Fawcett. Wilson didn't see the field much, playing in only one game. He attempted just one pass, but it fell incomplete. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson, and will have three years of eligibility remaining. 

Friday, Dec. 5

North Carolina QB Max Johnson plans to enter portal

Journeyman QB Max Johnson is entering the transfer portal and will petition the NCAA for a seventh year of eligibility. Johnson, who started games for LSU as early as 2020, appeared in four games at North Carolina as Gio Lopez's backup this season, but major injuries have largely kept him off the field in recent years. With four or fewer games played in three of his six seasons, Johnson will hope to gain an additional year of eligibility and play out his age-25 campaign elsewhere.

Thursday, Dec. 4

Boston College QB Dylan Lonergan entering portal

Boston College's Dylan Lonergan is set to enter the transfer portal after an ugly season in Chestnut Hill. Lonergan actually started out the season strong, but he was benched in October before returning to the starting role for a Boston College team that just couldn't find ways to win. A former Alabama backup, Lonergan completed 66.9 percent of passes for 2,025 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025.

Wednesday, Dec. 3

UCF starter Tayven Jackson entering portal

UCF's Tayven Jackson will enter the transfer portal after spending most of the season as the Knights' starter. A former Indiana backup who started his career at Tennessee, Jackson threw for 2,151 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2025. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

MORE:Complete college football bowl schedule

Notable QBs in transfer portal

The transfer portal doesn't officially open until Jan. 2. All players listed reportedly plan to enter the portal once it opens.

To be honest, I had not been paying particular attention to the “OMG! ALEX BREGMAN TO THE D-BACKS!!!” reports doing the rounds. It seemed like too much of a budgetary stretch, for a team frequently reported to be looking to reduce payroll. Even in the wake of a Ketel Marte trade, there simply did not seem to be enough room in the budget for the team to add him. After all, MLB Trade Rumours had Bergman as the #5 free-agent on the market this winter, predicting a contract for him of six years and $160 million. That’s an average annual value of $27 million, close to twice as much as the team’s next most expensive position player (Marte at $15 million).

However, local radio personality Dan Bickley made a bold and striking statement this afternoon on Arizona Sports:

I think it’s a matter of time before they get Alex Bregman. I think that’s a done deal, to be honest with you. When they signed Corbin Burns, I had a very good source tell me that Alex Bregman was begging them as well for a contract. Alex Bregman wants to live in Arizona, the same way Corbin Burnes did, and he’s about to give the Diamondbacks a discount to do so. He’s going to be on this baseball team. It’s just a matter [of] can they trade Ketel Marte beforehand? There’s a weird game of chicken going on. So I think Alex Bregman is going to be here, regardless.

Now, I must confess to being a bit skeptical of Bickley, at least compared to John Gambadoro, who has a very solid track record of reporting with regard to the D-backs. It always felt to me that Bickley’s interests don’t particularly seem to be in baseball, so much as other sports. But the above sounds remarkably sure of itself: there isn’t a lot of “maybe” and “possibly” to be found in that paragraph. So it may be time to start at least considering the possibility that this might be a little more than Bregman’s agent – Scott Boras, naturally – trying to drive up the asking price for his client, by trying to generate a bidding war.

The appeal to Arizona is obvious. Bregman would be a long-term solution at third-base, a place where the team has had a hole since the departure of Eugenio Suarez. Presuming the team does trade Marte as well, then this would likely mean Jordan Lawlar takes over at second-base. But just the difference between the price of Marte and Bregman would likely use up all remaining resources for team improvements – and still might require some creative financing involve deferrals [Hey, if it’s good enough for the Dodgers…] Things like rebuilding the bullpen would then need to be handled in another edition of Dumpster Diving with Mike Hazen.

If it does not happen, then that will confirm that Bickley is not to be trusted when it comes to the D-backs. For what it’s worth, Gambadoro addressed the Bergman report on X, saying “Have never ruled it out, still think it is a long shot but not impossible… Don’t see it happening unless they move Marte.” I think it’s interesting that we have two reporters from the same broadcast outlet: one calls Arizona signing Bergman a “done deal”, the other thinks it is “a long shot.” We’ll see who’s right in the coming days!

Reigning Women's North American Champion Thea Hail's victory over former champion Blake Monroe has led to a lot of conversation in the pro wrestling industry, mostly because of the botch that led to the win. While many have analyzed what went wrong and reported on the way forward, Bully Ray believes that Hail's win was legitimate.

"As far as I'm concerned, and from what we saw tonight, Thea Hail beat Blake Monroe fair-and-square!" Bully said during an episode of "Busted Open After Dark" after watching this week's "NXT" and seeing the exchange between Blake and Hail. "There were no mistakes. The referee didn't screw up. Thea beat Blake." The veteran then picked apart Hail's promo, noting how the fans seemed to be behind her as well. He also pointed out that Monroe seemed to be a wreck during the segment, in the way of a classic heel.

The WWE Hall of Famer recounted the events of the segment, including how the two went back-and-forth about the title before Hail laid down a challenge at Monroe at the upcoming New Year's Evil event, where she'll defend the title against her. "With all of the controversy surrounding this match and the finish from last week, in my opinion, the best thing that NXT could do is leave that championship right where it is," Bully stated. The now-retired wrestler then said that having Hail drop the title back to Monroe so quickly would be a bad look and could end up ruining Hail's momentum. "Don't fix it. Leave it alone. I think it's really good. I think you run with it. I think there's a definitive victory from Thea Hail."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open: After Dark" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: WWE Botches That Left Wrestlers Seriously Injured

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

The spot on Manchester United’s right wing has been filled by George Best, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. If many another has struggled to live up to their standards, they have had few more unlikely successors than Patrick Dorgu. And yet, if only for one night, he was a revelation as a right winger.

For United, there was something endearingly improbable about. A left-field choice in one respect, the right man in another, Dorgu played out of position, delivered a barnstorming display and capped it with a wonderful winner. United, who have spent the last few weeks missing the chance to go fifth, took this opportunity with a weakened team. It was Newcastle who were left to rue the result. A glance at the teamsheets suggested they would chalk up a sixth win in seven attempts against another United. They departed defeated by an improbable cast of characters.

Newcastle United looked confounded by the way Ruben Amorim configured his team: with a back four, for only the second time in his reign, with Dorgu, often the left wing-back, on the right of midfield. They appeared dumbfounded by his prowess there. If Old Trafford wondered where United would draw their inspiration in the absence of the injured Bruno Fernandes, it came from an unexpected source, with Dorgu’s tour de force.

But the January signing had played well against Aston Villa. It formed the basis for arguably the best week of decidedly mixed United career. It was capped with a touch of class. It took Dorgu 38 games and 31 shots to open his United account, but he did it in style. He volleyed in with precision and power after latching on to Nick Woltemade’s header. “It was a good hit,” said Dorgu. “I didn't know I could do that.”

Neither did anyone else, but his impact extended beyond that. He had a second shot saved by Aaron Ramsdale. He was the provider, with a low cross, when Benjamin Sesko skewed a shot wide.

Dorgu had often played on the right for Lecce and Amorim explained: “You put him in one position that is more in front, the responsibilities are not the same, and he has more freedom to lose the ball. I think it helped Patrick to play better.”

It did. He was a relentless runner. There were times when it seemed that Newcastle could not contain him. After he was switched to the left, Sandro Tonali was booked for fouling him. By then, Dorgu felt United’s only outlet, as they tried to hold on.

They had been inches from doubling the lead. Sesko, a Newcastle target before they signed Woltemade, rifled a shot against the bar with his final touch of the ball. Diogo Dalot could also have given United the cushion of a second goal. So, too, the shot-happy Matheus Cunha.

None did, rendering it a nervy end for a new-look side. They were operating in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Amorim, the manager who had been too inflexible, improvised and adapted. Minus seven players, four of whom would figure in their strongest 11, United then lost Mason Mount at half-time.

When Casemiro was surprised to be substituted, it left United with a distinctly unusual midfield of Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte, Jack Fletcher and Dorgu. By the end, the defence took on a different complexion with a first top-flight appearance of the season each for Tyrell Malacia and Tyler Fredericson. And yet United had determination. “If we have always this spirit we are going to win so many games,” said Amorim. “We put everything on the line.”

They found a new way of winning. “Finally, a clean sheet,” said the excellent Ayden Heaven. Just United’s second of the season came in adversity, but admirably. “We suffer all together,” said Amorim.

But it was an illustration that his United can be better as underdogs. They had just 33 per cent of possession, their lowest in a Premier League win for almost three years. Starved of the ball after the break, they were pinned back, penned in. “In the second half, we just defended,” said Amorim. But there was a defiance.

Some of it stemmed from his captain; with Fernandes, for once, a spectator, wearing a woolly hat rather than the armband, Lisandro Martinez made his first start of the season as the stand-in skipper. He survived a penalty appeal, when Fabian Schar’s volley hit his hand, but at close proximity. Otherwise, he was terrific. “He is a guy with a lot of character,” said Amorim.

The relatively short Martinez helped United blunt a taller Newcastle attack. They should have other regrets. They attempted 621 passes but created too little. “We didn’t do enough,” Eddie Howe admitted. Before Dorgu struck, Senne Lammens made a fine save to repel Bruno Guimaraes’ close-range header.

They almost levelled in spectacular style, with Lewis Hall arcing a long-range shot against the bar. When they got in the penalty area, Anthony Gordon rolled a shot across the face of goal. Both the winger and Lewis Miley blazed over. “We need more creation, goalmouth action and to be more clinical,” accepted Howe.

He claimed Newcastle were not caught out by Amorim’s tactics; yet Newcastle seemed to engineer a tactical timeout when Ramsdale went down and Hall and Gordon came over to get instructions from the manager. Howe later turned to a stronger bench. Whatever he tried, though, did not work.

“We are finding a way to concede goals and we are not scoring goals and it is a deadly mix for us,” said Howe. Whereas putting Dorgu on the right flank proved a deadly combination for Amorim.

Broncos' Bo Nix makes football history never done before by an NFL QB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bo Nix spent a lot of time playing college football, and some of his physical traits don't jump off the charts.

But the Denver Broncos made him a first-round QB selection anyway a year ago, and he's proving that to be a good call.

No quarterback has ever started a career quite like Nix does.

He has met these three criteria never before reached by a QB in his first two seasons, according to Aric DiLalla:

• 20 wins
• 7,500 passing yards
• 50 passing touchdowns

MORE: The Giants, the Raiders, the NFL Draft order and the Disgrace of Gijon

The mark Nix had yet to reach entering Christmas night was the 7,500 passing yards. He's now at 7,565 yards through the air after the win over the Chiefs.

Nix has 23 wins (23-10 record) and 54 touchdown passes.

He has also run for 737 yards in his career with nine additional touchdowns.

The Broncos are a victory away from securing the AFC's No. 1 seed, currently sitting at 13-3 on the season.

It's been a bit of a dicey ride, with the Broncos trailing a lot and needing to mount some big comebacks and win some close games.

That can be used as a knock against Nix, of course, but he has also delivered when it has counted, like on a late TD pass to rookie RB RJ Harvey on Thursday night.

Nix still has growth he can show in his game. But he's also started his career in an exceptional way.

More NFL news:

• Harold Fannin sets Browns franchise record, celebrates with 6-7
• Sean McDermott took his glasses off, and the Bills can't stop winning
• We now know why DK Metcalf wasn't ejected for shoving a fan
• There's one super disappointing part to Philip Rivers' return
• This James Cook, Dalvin Cook brothers middle names fact is wild
• Maxx Crosby isn't happy about this Raiders decision

Josh Hart's message fueled Knicks' historic Christmas comeback originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Knicks notched a comeback 126-124 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day.

New York trailed by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter but rallied back to defeat the Cavaliers. The 17-point deficit was the largest fourth quarter comeback on Christmas Day in NBA history.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said his team was sparked by guard Josh Hart, who gave the Knicks a message a halftime.

"One of the things Josh said was: 'Young guys and guys coming off the bench, when we as starters don't have it going, you guys have to uplift us, too. You guys have got to hold us accountable, and when you get your opportunity, be aggressive,'" Brown said. 

Hart would later leave the game with an ankle injury. The Knicks' bench scored 46 points Thursday, including 25 from Jordan Clarkson and 16 points and nine assists by Tyler Kolek.

MORE: Ben Simmons is going pro in a sport you'd never expect

Kolek was a key part of the comeback, as he hit three 3-pointers in the final period. The Knicks shot 21/44 (48%) from deep in the game.

"Our bench basically won the game for us," Brown said. "They put us in position down the stretch where a guy like Jalen (Brunson), who's one of the frontrunners for MVP in this league, can go show everybody why he is that."

Brunson scored 34 points and went 6/12 from three. He also had four assists in 39 minutes.

The Knicks are 21-9, good for second in the Eastern Conference. New York returns to action Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.

More NBA news:

• Steph's quote about Klay will bring a tear to Warriors fans
• Joe Mazzulla wants to get a pet wolf
• Steven Adams has the craziest eating habits in the NBA
• Anthony Edwards had an "I'm him" moment vs. Thunder
• We finally know how Michael Jordan really feels about Scottie Pippen
• Cooper Flagg's clutch stats are unprecedented

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there are “several teams” already keeping tabs on Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis going into next year’s free agency period. Willis is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Willis’ price tag is expected to be in the $5 million to $8 million range, though that number was calculated before last week, when he posted a 142.8 passer rating.

Willis is expected to start on Saturday for the Packers, as preferred starting quarterback Jordan Love did not pass through concussion protocol this week.

Here’s what Fowler had to say about Willis:

Speaking of Willis, he’s a very intriguing free agent to watch next spring. He was the 86th pick in the 2022 draft, which means he’s playing on the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He is 26 years old and has now spent basically two full seasons being coached by Matt LaFleur, Adam Stenavich and the Packers’ offensive coaching staff, and he has played well when he has had to fill in for Love because of injury. As we discussed above, there are a lot of teams that are going to be in the QB market this offseason. Not all of them will be able to address the position via the draft, and several have their eyes on Willis as a potential solution given what he has been able to do in Green Bay. The Packers like him a lot and could try to keep him, but if he has a chance to go somewhere else and compete for a starting job, that might be tough to do.

The point about the draft is interesting because of how few underclassmen quarterbacks have declared. This was never going to be a deep class of senior passers, but the assumption was that the underclassmen would help bump the class up.

So far, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, USC’s Jayden Maiava, Cincinnati’s Brandan Sorsby, Texas’ Arch Manning and Duke’s Darian Mensah have all decided to go back to school. The only underclassman who seems to be a lock to declare this year is Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman winner who is likely to go first overall.

Without the underclassmen (and Mendoza), here are the top-200 ranked quarterback prospects, according to the consensus draft board:

• #1 Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
• #47 Garrett Nuzzmeier, LSU (coming off injury)
• #87 Cade Klubnik, Clemson
• #104 Drew Allar, Penn State (coming off injury)
• #109 Carson Beck, Miami
• #192 Taylen Green, Arkansas

There’s going to be more demand in the NFL than just four healthy quarterbacks in this draft cycle. That will probably help Willis’ camp at the negotiating table when numbers really start to fly around at the combine in February.

Also, Fowler mentioned that the Packers believed that Love was going to earn a Pro Bowl honor this year, even though he was left off for the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, the Rams’ Matthew Stafford and the Seahawks’ Sam Darnold. Had Love made the Pro Bowl, he would have been paid an extra $250,000 by the team.

Carlo Ancelotti will have only the upcoming March FIFA window to define the list of players called up to the Brazilian National Team for the 2026 World Cup. 

There will be friendlies against France (3/26) and Croatia (3/31).

In other words: those who don’t already have a guaranteed spot at the World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada need to hurry to convince the coach.

See below some players who could be tested before Carleto announces who will represent Brazil at the next World Cup.

The list includes athletes who have had a chance and even one who has already played in a World Cup. As well as those seeking their first opportunity.

Do you agree with all the options? Share your opinion in the comments. 

Igor Thiago

📸 Mike Hewitt - 2025 Getty Images

A Cruzeiro youth product, he joined Brentford for the 2024/2025 season, costing 33 million euros after standing out at Brugge and Ludogorets.

But he suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee while playing a friendly on July 20 of last year. 

He only became fit to play in November.

This current season, everything changed. He earned a spot among the starters and has scored 12 goals, eleven of them in the Premier League. Only Haaland (19) has more. 

He is a typical number 9, with a strong presence in the box. And he’s only 24 years old.

Antony

📸 Fran Santiago - 2025 Getty Images

He finished the 2024/2025 season on loan from United to Betis and stood out.

The Andalusian club fought hard but reached an agreement to secure the 25-year-old winger, committing to pay 22 million euros.

And the "Goat" has delivered after such a significant financial effort.

He has eight goals and five assists in 18 games this season.

Estêvão has been consolidating his spot on the right wing for the National Team, but Antony is making a case for himself with an eye on a new World Cup.

Rayan

📸 Wagner Meier - 2025 Getty Images

He was Vasco’s main star in the second half of the season.

He finished 2025 voted as the breakout player of the Brazilian Championship and was decisive in helping Cruz-Maltino reach the final of the Copa do Brasil.

The still young 19-year-old scored 20 goals over 57 matches.

He is a target for Zenit, who have already had two offers rejected by Vasco.

He can play deeper, as a false 9, or on the right—which is his preference. 

Léo Pereira

📸 LUIS ROBAYO - AFP or licensors

He was Flamengo’s main center-back in a season full of titles.

But he is still seeking an opportunity with the Brazilian National Team—he has even admitted that it bothers him not to have been called up so far. 

He saw, for example, Fabrício Bruno (now at Cruzeiro), Léo Ortiz, and Danilo being called up by Ancelotti. 

That position has only Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães as “guaranteed” for the World Cup. 

Matheus Pereira

📸 Pedro Vilela - 2025 Getty Images

The sky blue number 10 had another standout season.

He shared responsibility with Kaio Jorge to lead Raposa in a positive year that ended with a spot in the group stage of the 2025 Libertadores.

Matheus Pereira has already had an opportunity with the National Team, but under Dorival Júnior.

He played about 17 minutes against Peru in November of last year.

He is an option to form an attacking quartet, playing the number 10 role.

Kaiki Bruno

📸 Alexandre Schneider - 2024 Getty Images

At 22 years old, the left-back for Raposa had a breakthrough season.

He was even targeted by Benfica, but Cruzeiro wasn’t interested in negotiating.

He was, for example, the second player with the most tackles in the Brasileirão: 98.

He would be an option for a position that would have only Alex Sandro as a “guarantee” for the World Cup. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Ryan Pierse - 2025 Getty Images

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I felt we should have come away with something but we only have ourselves to blame for that.

"It's a frustrating game. In the first half it was there for us to grab and we didn't and I was disappointed with our performance at half time. Second half was a lot stronger. I thought we dominated the game in terms of possession and chances. It was that elusive first goal, if we get it the win is there for us."

"I always hold myself accountable first and of course then i look at the players as well. I thought the performance was good today. I am not stood here going, 'we were miles off'.

"If we win everyone is saying, 'it's an outstanding performance' but of course we haven't and we are going to get criticised for that. We have to do more to win today."

Did you know?

• Newcastle have won just one of their last 12 away league games (D4 L7) - a 4-1 victory at Everton in November. Since the first game in this period (1-4 defeat at Aston Villa on April 19th), the only ever-present Premier League side with fewer away points than the Magpies (7) are Wolves (4).
• Newcastle attempted 16 shots in this match – their second-most on record (from 2003-04) in a Premier League game at Old Trafford (21 in May 2024). It was their joint-most in a Premier League match in which they failed to score in 2025-26 (also 16 v Aston Villa in August).

Listen to post-match reaction from John Anderson and Matthew Raisbeck on BBC Sounds

After a year like 2025, trying to narrow the year’s top-10 stories proved to be an extremely difficult task.

For evidence of this, simply glance at the extensive honorable mention list that follows this year’s iteration of the Herald Bulletin’s Top 10 local sports stories.

1) End of an Era

In early March, an announcement that the tradition of Madison County’s tournaments would, for the most part, be coming to an end shook the local sports community.

While those considered ‘individual’ sports – tennis, golf, wrestling, track and field, and cross country – would continue, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball tournaments would no longer be held. Although Anderson stated the Nick Muller Tournament – long considered the county baseball championship – would continue, the development sent many schools scrambling to schedule new events.

The three schools that drove the decision – Alexandria, Elwood, and Frankton – announced they would jointly hold 18-team boys and 12-team girls showcases in late December and early January.

2) Three of a Kind

For nearly 20 years, 2005 Miss Basketball Jodi Howell stood as the lone girls player in Madison County history to have scored over 2,000 points.

That all changed in 2025 when Indiana All-Stars Jacklynn Hosier of Alexandria and Kaycie Warfel from Pendleton Heights reached that milestone last January and Lapel’s Laniah Wills did as well in December.

Hosier finished with 2,108 points and Warfel at 2,107 and they graduated as the top two overall scorers in county history. They also helped their teams end long sectional championship droughts in February.

Provided she remains healthy, Wills should pass both in January and also will break the all-time state rebounding record.

3) Stellar Debut

While the inaugural IHSAA sanctioned season for girls wrestling began in 2024, the postseason was held entirely in 2025 and featured a number of area successes.

On the team front, Frankton won the sectional championship at Alexandria while five individuals – Maddie Marsh of Pendleton Heights, Kynlie Keffer of Daleville, Paige Stires from Lapel, Karsyn Merritt of Shenandoah and Frankton’s Jaden Hughes – advanced to the state finals.

Both Keffer and Stires earned podium finishes at the state finals while Marsh captured her second straight state championship at 140 pounds. All five state finalists are back this year.

4) Gridiron Greatness

While Howell stood alone on the court, the 1987 Elwood Panthers were the solitary regional football champion in Madison County history.

That changed in 2025 when the Lapel Bulldogs built on an unbeaten regular season and a second straight sectional championship with a 38-7 win at Indianapolis Lutheran for the regional title.

Quarterback Devin Craig graduated fifth on Indiana’s all-time passing yardage list while linebacker Isaiah Young led a dominant defense to a 13-1 season that only ended against fellow unbeaten Brownstown Central at semi-state. The pair also repeated as THB Sports Football-Offense and Football-Defense Athletes of the Year.

5) Haralson Loving It

While playing at La Lumiere Prep School in Northern Indiana, Anderson native Jalen Haralson was named to the McDonald’s All-American game, which was played in April.

From there, Haralson went on to begin his collegiate career at Notre Dame. Through the first 12 games – including 10 starts – of the season, he is averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for the Fighting Irish.

6) Pitch Perfect

Mirroring their school’s football counterparts, the Lapel girls soccer team also carried an unbeaten record all the way to semi-state this fall.

Led by area player of the year Leila Wilson, Lapel finished with a 19-1 season that included a second straight sectional title and a win over defending 1A state champion Faith Christian in the regional championship.

7) Roaring Tigers

Making history became habit for the 2025 Alexandria softball team, which won its first ever Madison County title, but also achieved the No. 1 ranking and won a regional title for the first time.

Led by the area’s player (Kinley Webb) an pitcher (Brynlee Humphries) of the year, Alexandria finished their season at 20-2, won the Central Indiana Conference championship, and routed Lapel 18-3 for their first regional crown.

8) Conference Call

In early October, Lapel and Shenandoah announced they would be among the founding members of the new Eastern Crossroads Conference.

Eastern Hancock and New Castle were also part of the original announcement as Lapel joined a conference for the first time since 2014 and Shenandoah left the Mid-Eastern Conference, where they had been a member since 2017. Conference play is expected to begin in the 2026-27 season.

9) Running Mates

After their historic tandem top-five finishes at the fall 2024 cross country state meet, Pendleton Heights senior Ava Jarrell and freshman Anya Zoeller made headlines again in the spring.

Both won regional championships, Zoeller in the 1,600 meters and Jarrell in the 3,200 meters, and went on to earn podium finishes at the state finals. Zoeller was runner-up and Jarrell was ninth in their state races.

10) Rolling Raiders

After a recent string of postseason disappointments, the Shenandoah baseball team came through big-time in the spring.

Led by University of Louisville commit Collin Osenbaugh, the Raiders defeated Hagerstown for their first sectional title since 2006 and defeated Triton Central to win their first regional crown since 1987. The season ended for the Raiders at 22-5 after falling to Evansville Mater Dei at semi-state.

Honorable Mention: Alexandria repeats Madison County wrestling championship; Alexandria girls tennis wins sixth straight sectional and seventh straight Madison County titles; Anderson Prep wins first girls team sectional (basketball) and boys team sectional (baseball) championships in school history; Lapel girls golf team advances to state finals; Simon Nickelson (Lapel) and Anya Zoeller (Pendleton Heights) earn All-State at cross country state finals; Eli Pancol signed to Colts practice squad; Anderson (boys) and Pendleton Heights (girls) wins basketball county titles; Liberty Christian repeats boys hoops regional title; Daleville wins boys basketball sectional; girls basketball sectional titles for Alexandria and PHHS; Alex’s Ezra Fye and Madison-Grant’s Tripp Haisley advance to boys wrestling state finals; PHHS wins third straight boys golf county title and advance to regional; Lapel wins third straight softball sectional; Lapel wins Muller and baseball sectional titles; Lapel wins 11th boys tennis county title in 12 years; Lapel girls and PH boys win inaugural Madison County swim championship.

PINEVILLE — South Laurel rolled to a convincing 64-35 victory over Hancock County, Tenn., on Friday to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal round of the 3rd Annual Redmond Auto Group Holiday Classic.

The Cardinals improved to 5-3 on the season and will square off against Jefferson County, Tenn., with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

South Laurel set the tone early, jumping out to a 16-4 first-quarter lead and never allowing Hancock County to get into a rhythm.

Kaiden McQueen led the early surge with seven points in the opening period while Garrison Brown added five as the Cardinals established control on both ends of the floor.

The momentum continued into the second quarter as Brendan Murphy scored four points, Kaden Taylor knocked down a three-pointer, and Braydan Cassidy added three points to help South Laurel take a 28-14 advantage into halftime.

Taylor poured in seven points in the third quarter, McQueen added six, and Murphy chipped in five as South Laurel extended its lead to 54-23 entering the final quarter.

McQueen and Cassidy led the Cardinals with 13 points apiece. Murphy finished with 10 points and was named Player of the Game while Taylor also scored 10 points. Brown rounded out the scoring with nine points.

Following the win, South Laurel coach Jeff Davis said his team still has room to improve heading into Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup.

“Not the start we wanted,” he said. “Too many mental errors in the first half. Which was expected coming off a three day break. Thought second half we played a lot better and with a lot more energy. We will have to play a lot better tomorrow if we are going to stay in the game.”

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has agreed to a five-year contract with Kyle Whittingham to replace fired and disgraced football coach Sherrone Moore, according to two people familiar with the situation.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Friday because the move had not been announced.

Whittingham announced two weeks ago that he would step down after 21 seasons as Utah's coach. Morgan Scalley was promoted from defensive coordinator to replace Whittingham, who has won a school-record 177 games.

The 15th-ranked Utes will play Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31.

Moore was fired on Dec. 10, when the school said an investigation uncovered his inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Two days later, Moore was charged with three crimes after prosecutors said he “barged his way” into the apartment of a woman he’d been having an affair with and threatened to kill himself.

Michigan was hoping to hire a coach this month, helping its chances of retaining recruits and keeping key players, including quarterback Bryce Underwood, out of the transfer portal.

Whittingham has been Utah's coach since December 2004 and a member of the Utes’ staff since 1994. He has a 177-88 (.668) record over 21 seasons. Utah finished with 18 winning seasons under Whittingham and won at least 10 games eight times.

Whittingham twice helped Utah navigate conference changes. The Utes moved from the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12 Conference in 2011 and then departed the Pac-12 for the Big 12 Conference in 2024.

Utah found success following both moves. Whittingham led the Utes to back-to-back Pac-12 championships and Rose Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022. Then, after a 5-7 campaign in its first Big 12 season, Utah went 10-2 this season and finished in a tie for third place in the league.

Utah capped an undefeated season in 2008 with a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Whittingham won three national coach of the year awards, including the AFCA and Bear Bryant awards in 2008 and the Dodd Trophy in 2019.

Whittingham was a linebacker at BYU under LaVell Edwards from 1978 to 1981.

___

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Michigan hires Kyle Whittingham as next head football coach, agrees to five-year deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Michigan is expected to hire former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham as its next head football coach to replace Sherrone Moore, according to ESPN.

The move ends Whittingham’s 21-season run atop the Utah Utes program and ushers in a new era for the Michigan Wolverines following Moore’s firing for cause earlier this month.

Whittingham stepped away from Utah after a 10-2 season in 2025, saying publicly that the “timing is right” and joking that he had entered the transfer portal. At the time of his departure, he was the second-longest tenured head coach in the FBS, trailing only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz.

Former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has agreed to a five-year deal to become Michigan’s next head coach, sources tell @PeteThamel and @DanWetzel. pic.twitter.com/UIQPR8wQAG

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 26, 2025

Whittingham took over Utah in 2005 after Urban Meyer left for Florida, guiding the Utes to a Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh before earning the permanent job. He went on to build one of college football’s most stable programs with a 177-88 record with three conference championships, eight 10-win seasons and an 11-6 bowl mark. Utah thrived across multiple conference transitions, winning the Mountain West in 2008 and the Pac-12 in 2021 and 2022 before posting another double-digit win total in the Big 12.

Whittingham’s hiring comes with immediate questions about roster retention and timing. Michigan moved quickly with the transfer portal set to open Jan. 2, a key deadline after Moore’s abrupt exit and ongoing investigations that strained the program’s offseason.

It remains unclear whether Whittingham will coach Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year’s Eve, which kicks off shortly after Michigan’s Citrus Bowl game. Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley has been the coach-in-waiting for year and moved on with the full-time label in Salt Lake City. 

An official announcement from Michigan is expected soon, could be as early as Monday. 

More college football news: 

• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Pat McAfee delivers reality check to Diego Pavia for Heisman weekend antics
• Fernando Mendoza won't keep the Heisman Trophy
• Why LSU should be extremely nervous about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore

The San Francisco 49ers are set to take on the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears on Sunday night at Levi's Stadium for a pivotal Week 17 matchup.

Ahead of the game, the 49ers held their final practice of the week on Friday. After the session, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared injury updates for four of his players heading into the weekend.

According to Shanahan, quarterback Kurtis Rourke (NFI) and cornerback Renardo Green (neck) won't play against the Bears on Sunday night, while tight end George Kittle (ankle) and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) are questionable.

More to come...

More 49ers: 49ers won't have to face top Bears WR in Week 17 matchup

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Pair of 49ers OUT, two more questionable for Week 17 vs. Bears

These words will sound familiar…

Sometimes I think fans kind of glaze over the departure of offensive linemen. Regardless if the player is transferring or leaving for the NFL — it never really is met with as much concern as other positions. Maybe it’s because we look at the offensive line as more of a unit than a “room” when we go down the depth chart — and you wouldn’t be wrong.

Still, any puzzle piece missing is a puzzle that’s much harder to put together. Notre Dame’s puzzle along the offensive line for 2026 took a hit this weekend when starting left guard, Billy Schrauth, decided to leave a year of eligibility behind and enter the NFL Draft.

After Aamil Wagner announced his decision to leave for the NFL, all eyes turned toward Billy Schrauth. It had long been rumored that Schrauth was likely to leave, but until it happens — it didn’t happen. And now it did.

As with Wagner’s decision, I’m not thrilled about Billy Schrauth’s either. For sure these guys can do what they want and I wish them nothing but the best of luck, but this absolutely hurts Notre Dame. Like Wagner, Schrauth was a captain last year as a second year starter, but unlike Wagner, Schrauth has had to battle through injuries to get here.

If you’re keeping tack, Notre Dame lost its best two running backs, starting tight end, two starting wide receivers, and two starters along the offensive line.

I know there’s a tendency to want to believe “everything witll be fine” and in some regards it might even be true, but losing two captains on the offensive line doesn’t make Notre Dame better in 2026. Offensive line is also the least likely position where you can expect a true freshman to come in and contribute at a high level right away. While young guys have certainly done it in the past, those are the exceptions and not the rule.

Spring is definitley going to be interesting as we see how the starting five start to take shape.

While the first half of the Bundesliga season is not technically over, the Winterpause is as good an opportunity as any to take stock of the how the season is going so far, and to determine what can be done to improve. So far, things aren’t looking bad. With a 9-5-1 record through the first 15 games of the season, Dortmund are in second place in the Bundesliga, three points above RB Leipzig, and nine points behind Bayern Munich, who are flying high with a 13-2-0 record.

Things could be worse. Dortmund are on pace for about 72 points, which is certainly a respectable finish. It would’ve been enough to win the title in 2022-23. It would be Dortmund’s highest point total since 2018-19. While Dortmund are out of the DFB Pokal, they are positioned to at least contend for a spot in the top-eight in the Champions League table. So given that the club’s results from the first half are at a minimum perfectly acceptable, why does it feel so much worse than that? Why are so many fans upset with the club’s management, to the point that some want individuals like Niko Kovac or Sebastian Kehl to be fired?

My instinct for that the reason that Borussia Dortmund’s decent record is being overlooked is that it’s due to Dortmund’s stellar defensive record. And yes, it really is stellar. Of the 96 teams in Europe’s top five leagues, only four have conceded fewer goals than BVB in their domestic leagues (note: a few Italian and French teams have played a game or two more, but on a per-game basis, the results would be the same). In expected goal terms, it’s the same case. Dortmund are right there alongside Arsenal, Bayern, Inter, PSG, and Juventus as one of the top defensive sides.

The difference between Dortmund and these clubs is that, with the exception of Juventus, those clubs actually score goals too. This is where the results are less pretty. Dortmund have scored 26 goals in 15 domestic matches, which amounts to 1.73 per game, or a pace of about 59 goals over the course of a full season, which would be Dortmund’s worst total since the club’s disastrous 2014-15 season. In the aforementioned top five leagues, it ranks them 25th out of 96. Their expected goals? 35th. Even so, Dortmund’s defensive record is so strong that even with the lackluster offense, in overall expected goal differential per 90 minutes, Dortmund rank 10th in Europe—which is quite good! This is a undoubtedly a good football team, but with some offense, it could be great.

So the reason that Dortmund is successful is because Niko Kovac has them playing very solid defensive football, and over the course of a game they are usually able to nick out a goal or two while mostly keeping the ball out of their own net. This is quite an unusual situation for Dortmund fans, who have gotten used to high-flying offense, often at the expense of defending, over the last two decades. When Dortmund are in complete control of a game on paper, the final scoreline can still be too close for comfort, and it does leave room for things to go awry.

The question of what is causing this is a little vexing to me. On paper, many of the secondary stats suggest that Dortmund are successfully getting the ball into dangerous areas. They’re second in the Bundesliga in passes into the penalty area and seventh in total touches in the penalty area. In touches in the attacking third, they’re second in the league. This indicates to me that what you would call the “buildup,” or the process of moving the ball from the defensive third through midfield into goal-scoring areas, is not the issue. The primary issue is a lack of “clinicality,” if that’s a word, or the ability to convert possession in dangerous areas into actual shots or scoring chances.

The numbers back this up. Despite their possession in attacking areas, Dortmund are in the bottom half of the league (14th, in fact) in total shot attempts. As Dortmund’s leading striker, Serhou Guirassy leads the team both in total shots and shots per 90 minutes with 2.73. This is slightly low for his career, but not horrible. The real issue is that almost nobody else is even close. The only other players with more than two shots per 90 are Karim Adeyemi (2.44), Julian Brandt (2.27), and Maximilian Beier (2.18). That’s four BVB players total who shoot at a rate higher than twice per game. Meanwhile, in Dortmund’s last three seasons, that number would’ve been six, eight, and nine. It’s also worth noting that each of these three players has barely played half of the total minutes of the season. Very rarely are they all on the pitch at the same time.

Between this data and what I’ve noticed from my experience watching games, here’s my hypothesis on why this is happening: at any given moment, only 2-3 players on the pitch at any given moment are genuine shooting threats. This means that when BVB get the ball into attacking areas, defenders are able to focus their efforts on only a handful of threats. Players like Julian Ryerson, Daniel Svensson, Felix Nmecha, and Pascal Groß are great at getting the ball to the attackers, but they are unlikely to be prolific goalscoring threats themselves.

Further, in Kovac’s 5-2-3, the two central midfielders have major defensive responsibilities, and they often seem quite hesitant to risk getting caught out of position by advancing too far. With or without the ball, Guirassy is almost constantly marked or double-marked, and when he gets the ball to his feet, he has almost no one to play off of. So he either loses the ball or tries to force a shot that is easily blocked, or he loses the ball to a challenge before he even gets the shot off.

I’m hesitant to suggest any individual tactical changes, because I believe that a major reason for BVB’s defensive success is because of the conservative positioning of Nmecha, Sabitzer, and Bellingham. If they start to get involved in the attack more, then they will be caught out of position. But it’s a fine line to ride, and it’s also entirely possible that there are some instances where Dortmund could be more aggressive without risking too much on the other end.

I would not be opposed to certain players taking more long-shots too. Felix Nmecha and Marcel Sabitzer in particular have proven to be threats from range in the past, and both are at their career lows in shots per 90 minutes this season. There is definitely debate in the analytics community about the value of long-shots and whether it’s worth potentially losing possession over a shot that has such a small chance of scoring, but they aren’t without their defenders.

So all that was a very long-winded way of saying that to score more goals, Dortmund need to take more shots and get more bodies in the box. I’ll take my $1,000,000 consulting fee now.

Note: All data in this article is from FBRef

Your Thoughts

What do Dortmund need to do to score more goals? Are there other tactical considerations I didn’t raise? Let me know your thoughts!

Sunday the Raiders return to Las Vegas for a matchup with the Giants. The final injury report is out for that game and it features two of their star players who will be OUT.

Two weeks ago T Kolton Miller returned to practice, but has yet to be activated from injured reserve where he has been for the past two months. His return opened his 21-day window for coming off IR, which means this is the final week they can opt not to activate him. Which works out well timing wise considering there is just one more game left.

The team has also ruled out Maxx Crosby and reports are they would like to sit him the remainder of the season much to Crosby's extreme displeasure.

Questionable for the Raiders are RB Raheem Mostert and WR Jack Bech.

The Giants will be without four players -- DL DJ Davidson (neck/concussion), OL Evan Neal (neck), DB Tyler Nubin (neck), and T Andrew Thomas (hamstring). OL John Michael Schmitz (finger) is doubtful.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders, Giants Final Week 17 injury report

Coming out of the Christmas break, Florida basketball (8-4) is ranked No. 22 overall in the NET.

A 30-point win over Colgate on Sunday led to a four-spot jump — from No. 25 to No. 21 — but other results around college basketball led to a one-spot dip ahead of the holiday. Florida has stayed inside the 20s throughout the month after debuting at No. 33 on Dec. 1.

Florida has one more non-conference game against Dartmouth on Dec. 29 before closing out the calendar year. It should be Florida's final Quadrant 4 game, with most SEC matchups landing in Quadrants 1 and 2, starting with Missouri on Jan. 3.

It’s important to remember that while they are called “rankings,” the NET is an evaluation tool at heart — that’s what the E and T stand for. It’s a sorting tool for the selection committee to use when close decisions are needed come bracket time.

Breaking down Florida’s wins by Quadrant

Before going into Florida’s resume, it’s important to understand how the quadrants are divided. Where a game is played has as much to do with the quadrant as the quality of the opponent. As the rankings change, so does the quality of the wins.

• Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
• Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
• Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
• Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Florida is 1-3 in Quadrant 1 games, with losses to No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Duke and No. 8 UConn. The Arizona loss looked bad when it happened, but the Wildcats have emerged as one of the best teams in the country. The Gators' lone Q1 win comes against No. 34 Miami at a neutral site in Jacksonville. The Hurricanes remain firmly in the middle of Q1 territory, although they continue to move closer to the threshold between Q1 and Q1 — No. 50.

In Quadrant 2 games, Florida is 2-1, most recently defeating No. 80 George Washington at a neutral site. The other two results came at the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego over Thanksgiving. The loss came in the first round against No. 66 TCU, and the win came against No. 100 Providence, which is on the threshold between Q2 and Q3.

The only Quadrant 3 game Florida has played in so far was a home game against No. 129 Florida State. The Seminoles would need to climb all the way to the top 75 for that win to become a Q2 victory. Instead, FSU has slowly dropped in the NET, making the loss look worse and worse. If Florida State falls below No. 160, it becomes a Q4 win.

Florida is 4-0 against Q4 teams, beating No. 162 Colgate, No. 267 Merrimack, No. 341 North Florida and No. 359 Saint Francis by an average of 36.5 points. The only one of those that could improve to Quadrant 3 status is Colgate, which was a Q3 matchup going into the game. Colgate only needs to move up two spots for that change to occur.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators basketball NET rankings: December 26

Sharks' Macklin Celebrini outdoes Wayne Gretzky to tie historic NHL record originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Macklin Celebrini is on a level right now that even Wayne Gretzky never reached.

That's how special the San Jose Sharks' rising superstar has been already this season.

No player in NHL history has scored more points as a teenager before Christmas in a single season than Celebrini's 55 this season.

It was done once before, with Sidney Crosby getting that for the Penguins in 2006.

Wayne Gretzky's best was the 51 he did for the Oilers in 1980.

Celebrini has broken his points up into 19 goals and 36 assists.

Last season, he had 63 points in 70 games. This season, it's already 55 in 37 games.

MORE: L.A. Kings' goalie is from the North Pole

He notched a goal in the Sharks' final game before the holiday break.

Celebrini won't actually turn 20 until June 13, either. So all the stats he puts up the rest of the regular season will be as a teenager still.

There's a reason the Sharks chose Celebrini first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he shows it each and every time he takes the ice.

The future in San Jose is bright, and it starts with the kid wearing No. 71. There have been very few starts to an NHL career like Celebrini's, ever.

MORE: Connor McDavid made NHL history that hasn't been done in decades

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Empty seats in sold-out stadiums. Out-of-reach prices on the black market.

Moroccan soccer fans, in particular, are being frustrated at the Africa Cup of Nations because many can’t get tickets for their own team's games.

Morocco and neighboring Algeria were the only teams to have their group-stage tickets sell out, but again on Friday there were empty seats for the host nation’s match against Mali in the near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

“I tried to log in to the (ticketing) site early, but unfortunately many people logged in at the same time and I couldn’t get a place. It was completely full,” said Morocco supporter Amin Mazraoui, who was waiting outside the stadium before kickoff.

Another fan named Hicham had the same experience, trying the official ticket portal but finding every game sold out almost as soon as he started looking. He was going to watch the match at home.

The official attendance for Friday's game was given as 63,844 – more than had attended the opening game and ceremony in the same stadium.

Touts are being blamed for snapping up tickets to the matches they feel are likely to be most popular, sensing an opportunity to sell them on for as much as 10 times what they paid. Reports suggested 50-euro ($59) tickets were being offered for 500 ($590).

“There are people connecting with 10 computers, maybe 15 computers connecting at the same time and buying a lot of places, so it’s because of them that we didn’t manage to get any seat,” Mazraoui told The Associated Press.

But all supporters (and journalists) have to provide identification through a local app called Yalla to get access to stadiums, and it seems the additional measures are making it more difficult for touts to transfer ticket-ownership.

One fan who gave his name only as Khalid was lucky and said he paid 100 Moroccan dirhams ($11) for his ticket to the game. Compared to nearby Europe, starting prices are far cheaper, while there’s no comparison to the asking prices for 2026 World Cup games.

On Wednesday, only 16,115 attended Algeria’s game against Sudan in the 22,000-capacity Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, which had been sold-out long before.

Some fans waited outside after hearing reports they'd be let in for free, then rushed the gates in an effort to get in once the game had started. Security at other stadiums has allowed free entrance after kickoff in order to increase attendance.

“They won't open the gates for Morocco,” Mazraoui said.

The attendance at Congo’s match against Benin in the 18,000-capacity Stade El Barid in Rabat was corrected from 6,000 to 13,000.

Other games have seen little difference, with heavy rain also discouraging local fans from attending.

The 68,000-capacity Grand Stade de Tanger in Tangier felt mostly empty on Tuesday for Senegal’s match against Botswana despite 18,500 being in attendance.

The Confederation of African Football, the organizing authority, did not respond to a request for comment.

___

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost three games in a row and six of their last seven, but they still control their own destiny in the NFC South. They can set up a winner-take-all Week 18 matchup with the Carolina Panthers if both teams are victorious this week.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins are looking to play spoiler for their in-state rivals. They're coming off a 45-21 home loss to the Bengals, though, with Quinn Ewers taking over at quarterback.

My Buccaneers vs. Dolphins predictions are looking at Tampa Bay to limit Baker Mayfield’s passing responsibilities as road favorites.

Read on for the best NFL picks on Sunday, December 28.

Buccaneers vs Dolphins prediction

Buccaneers vs Dolphins Best bet:Baker Mayfield Under 31.5 passing attempts (-114)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield came out of the gates hot this season, but he’s cooled off along with the weather. Even with this game being in Florida, I’m looking at Mayfield to continue to be limited in the passing game.

Mayfield has completed fewer than 20 passes in 10 of 15 games this season, including in each of his last six contests. He did have 19 and 18 completions in the last four games, but he hasn’t really come close to this 31.5 number.

Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers got into the mid-20s in passing completions the past two weeks, but Mayfield isn’t nearly as trustworthy as they are. Tampa Bay should look to control the game on the ground as road favorites against the Miami Dolphins.

Buccaneers vs Dolphins same-game parlay

We can’t use our best bet in a same-game parlay, so let’s fade Mayfield in his passing yards instead. He’s only averaging 209.6 passing yards per game and has gone under this number in eight of 15 games this season.

The Bucs should still be able to put up points, though, with Miami scoring enough to get us to the over.

Buccaneers vs Dolphins SGP

• Baker Mayfield Under 218.5 passing yards
• Buccaneers -5.5
• Over 44.5

Our big-ticket SGP: Achane brings life to Fins

Adding Mayfield's passing touchdowns to the over is trying to thread the needle a bit, but the odds reflect that here. And if the game is going to go over, the Dolphins are going to have to score a touchdown or two.

De'Von Achane leads the way with a dozen scores for Miami this season.

Buccaneers vs Dolphins SGP

• Baker Mayfield Under 218.5 passing yards
• Buccaneers -5.5
• Over 44.5
• Baker Mayfield Under 1.5 passing touchdowns
• De'Von Achane anytime touchdown

Buccaneers vs Dolphins odds

• Spread: Tampa Bay -5.5 (-112) | Miami +5.5 (-108)
• Moneyline: Tampa Bay -270 | Miami +220
• Over/Under: Over 44.5 (-105) | Under 44.5 (-115)

More NFL picks and odds from Covers

• Free NFL picks
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Buccaneers vs Dolphins trend to know

The Miami Dolphins have hit the Game Total Over in 11 of their last 20 games (+3.30 Units / 15% ROI). Find more NFL betting trends for Buccaneers vs. Dolphins.

How to watch Buccaneers vs Dolphins

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Monitor gametime conditions with our live NFL weather info and learn how weather impacts NFL betting.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Manchester United beat Newcastle United in a topsy-turvy Boxing Day clash to steal into fifth place in the Premier League.

The points were sealed by a stunning Patrick Dorgu volley, but safeguarded by a robust defensive performance in an incredibly one-sided second half.

Ruben Amorim started with a back four for the first time since his arrival at Old Trafford, and each member performed well to protect a rare clean sheet.

He did not stint on his traditional substitutions, and United finished the match with the likes of Tyrell Malacia and Tyler Fredricson in the backline.

“Finally!”

Ayden Heaven was arguably the best of the bunch, and speaking to Sky Sports after the match said: “Finally, clean sheet, we’ve been waiting for this, and I’m just so happy.

“This guy [Patrick Dorgu] here helped us get there, so thankful to everyone that helped us.”

The 19-year-old was also asked about the change of system, having already established himself as an effective option in a back three.

“It was different again, I was playing on the right side, obviously, my weaker foot,” he said. “The manager, we play loads of formations with him, whatever he does we know it’s going to work, you saw today. I’m so proud of the team.”

Aiming high

The points take United, albeit only briefly before the rest of the teams play over the next few days, into fifth place.

Finishing in that spot would guarantee a place in the Europa League next season, and European football will certainly be top of the United hierarchy’s wishlist.

Heaven said: “I think as Manchester United, we belong in Europe. We want to get back there next season so we can even push for top four, possibly win the league, anything’s possible. We want to keep trying.”

United squeeze in one more match this year, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Anthony Chiang: Heat announces that Bam Adebayo (lower back soreness) is out for tonight vs. Hawks. Nikola Jovic and Pelle Larsson will make their returns.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bam Adebayo will miss matchup against Hawks

Ira Winderman: So Bam Adebayo also out Saturday vs. visiting Pacers? Erik Spoelstra just now, "We'll see. We'll treat him day-to-day. I know him. I know his personality. I know how much he wants to be out there. But since it is back soreness and he wasn't moving well two days ago, it didn't really get better yesterday. Today was just full treatment and some light activities. So we'll see where he is tomorrow.”

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "We'll see. We'll treat him day-to-day. I know him. I …

Ira Winderman: Asked if Adebayo's back contributed to recent uneven play, Spoelstra said, "I'm not going to comment on that. He wouldn't want me to comment on that. But we'll just do as much treatment as we possibly can. I do know that he needs this right now."

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "I'm not going to comment on that. He wouldn't want me …

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has revealed why he made the decision to abandon his controversial 3-4-2-1 for a new system during the club’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.

United beat Newcastle

United climbed up to fifth place in the Premier League table as they clinched all three points against Newcastle on Boxing Day.

The Red Devils started the game as the much better of the two sides, but Newcastle steadily grew into it.

However, against the run of play, the hosts took the lead. Patrick Dorgu capitalised on a partially cleared long throw, volleying a stunning first-time finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to score what proved to be the winner.

The Magpies pushed for a goal in the second half but United held on for all three points, primarily thanks to the rock-solid performances of their defence and goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Amorim initiated a radical tactical shift, abandoning his customary three-man defence for a back-four. The defensive line consisted of Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martínez, and Luke Shaw, with Dorgu deployed further forward on the right wing.

Since his appointment, Amorim has been unwavering in his commitment to a core tactical philosophy. His decision to deviate from it was therefore surprising, despite the subtle hints he had dropped in recent days.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, he revealed that the change was made to make the players comfortable.

Amorim explains tactical switch

He told Sky Sports [as quoted by the BBC], “We need to suffer all together in the stadium. In the game really difficult for us. I think we did a good first half, and then the second half, we just defended, tried to do something with [Matheus] Cunha.”

“We had the opportunities in the second half with transitions, but it was a good win. But I had so many games here saying we played very well and didn’t get the three points, today was the opposite. I think we suffered together and we managed to win the game.”

“I think we spent a lot of time with each other. We had some low moments and that sometimes can bring good things to the group, but it’s good to have that feeling to have the experienced players helping the kids in helping the team understanding we are suffering.”

He added, “It doesn’t matter if you’re outside the pitch, you can play the game, and I think everyone played the game.”

On the formation change, Amorim remarked, “In the first half, I think we showed that I felt that was the only way to create more danger, to have more opportunities was with the back four with a lot of guys inside.”

“Even to keep the ball, because I remember the game last year we lost one against one outside. We just tried to imagine the game and to help the players to feel comfortable.”

United are next in action on Tuesday when they host Wolves.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Pittsburgh (9-6) at Cleveland (3-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM NFL odds: Steelers by 3.

Against the spread: Steelers 8-6-1; Browns 6-9.

Series record: Steelers lead 83-64-1.

Last meeting: Steelers won 23-9 on Oct. 12 at Pittsburgh.

Last week: Steelers beat Lions 29-24; Browns lost to Bills 23-20.

Steelers offense: overall (27), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (11).

Steelers defense: overall (28), rush (15), pass (30), scoring (17).

Browns offense: overall (30), rush (28), pass (30), scoring (31)

Browns defense: overall (2), rush (14), pass (1), scoring (20)

Turnover differential: Steelers plus-9; Browns minus-6.

RB Kenny Gainwell. “Kenny G” is hitting all the right notes during Pittsburgh's three-game winning streak. The versatile five-year veteran is averaging nearly 100 yards from scrimmage during the Steelers' late-season surge. Gainwell's 62 receptions also lead the team, and they're not just checkdowns. Just look at his diving one-armed grab on a 45-yard touchdown late in the first half last week against Detroit as proof.

DE Myles Garrett. With 22 sacks, the All-Pro pass rusher needs one to pass the single-season record held by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (2001 with the New York Giants) and Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt (2021). Garrett, who also leads the league with 32 tackles for a loss, has never sacked Aaron Rodgers in two meetings.

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Garrett. Rodgers has been pressured on a league-low 21.9% of his drop-backs this season. He’s averages 2.63 seconds to throw, the fastest in the league. Garrett has not sacked Rodgers the two times he has faced him and has had only four quarterback pressures.

Steelers: LB T.J. Watt will miss a third straight game as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung. ... WR Calvin Austin III (groin) ,LG Isaac Seumalo (triceps), CB Brandin Echols (groin) and CB James Pierre (calf) have also been ruled out. ... LB Nick Herbig (hamstring) could return after missing the win over Detroit.

Browns: RB Quinshon Judkins (leg) was placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on Tuesday. ... TE Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) and QB Dillon Gabriel (shoulder) were injured in practice on Friday and are likely to be game-time decisions. ... TE David Njoku (knee) has not practiced this week and will miss his third straight game. ... CB Denzel Ward (calf) is expected to return to the lineup after missing the past two weeks. ... RB Dylan Sampson's (hand) status is uncertain.

The Steelers have dominated the Browns since Cleveland’s return to the NFL in 1999, but Pittsburgh has found the going a little rough on the road lately when playing its oldest rival. Cleveland has won 5 of 6 at Huntington Bank Field against Pittsburgh, including three straight. ... The Browns are 4-1 against the Steelers in December. Pittsburgh's last visit to Cleveland in December came in 2009, a 13-6 Browns victory. ... Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is 4-0 all time against the Browns, throwing for 11 touchdowns without a pick.

Pittsburgh has won three straight to take control of the AFC North with two weeks to go. The Steelers can clinch their first AFC North title since 2020 this weekend with a win or a Ravens loss to Green Bay. ... Pittsburgh will have to do it without star receiver DK Metcalf, who has been suspended for the team's final two games following an in-game altercation with a fan in Detroit. ... Pittsburgh is 6-2 all time in division-clinching games under Mike Tomlin. ... Tomlin is one win shy of tying Hall of Famer Chuck Noll for the most regular-season victories in franchise history. Noll’s 193 regular-season wins rank ninth all time. Seven of the eight men ahead of Tomlin and Noll on the list are either in the Hall of Fame or will be (Andy Reid, Bill Belichick). ... Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has bounced back strong after a dismal performance against Buffalo on Nov. 30. The 42-year-old has completed 73 of 102 passes for 774 yards with five touchdowns and no picks during Pittsburgh's three-game winning streak. ... Eleven different players have caught touchdown passes this season for the Steelers, tied with Tampa Bay for the most in the league. ... The Steelers are 52-15 when facing rookie quarterbacks since 1970, including a victory over Cleveland on Oct. 12 when Dillion Gabriel started for the Browns. Cleveland QB Shedeur Sanders will be the third different rookie to face Pittsburgh in the past five meetings between the longtime division rivals. ... The Steelers have been strong finishers over the past eight seasons. Pittsburgh's 17 wins across Week 17 and Week 18 during that span are tops in the NFL. ... The Steelers defense has dominated the third quarter in each of the past two weeks, holding Miami and Detroit to a combined minus-23 yards of offense. ... Cleveland is on pace to be led by rookies in pass attempts, rushing carries and receptions. The only other team to do that is the 1968 Buffalo Bills. ... QB Shedeur Sanders is 1-4 as the Browns' starting QB. He has six touchdown passes and eight interceptions on the season. ... Cleveland has allowed a league-high 45.3% QB pressure rate, the third-highest rate in a single season by any offense since Next Gen stats started tracking in 2018. ... RBs Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams combined for 105 scrimmage yards last week after Judkins' injury. ... WR Jerry Jeudy has at least five catches in his past three games against the Steelers. ... LB Carson Schwesinger leads NFL rookies in tackles (137) and tackles for loss (11). ... Cleveland's defense has generated pressure on 39% of pass drop-backs, the fifth-highest rate in the league.

Cleveland TE Harold Fannin Jr. is one of just three NFL players to play at least 45 snaps in the backfield, lined up at as slot receiver, out wide or at tight end. He has been targeted on 24.8% of his routes and has 367 yards after the catch. He has a TD catch in three of the past four games and had seven receptions for 81 yards in the first meeting against Pittsburgh.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Overview

• Rating: 6.55
• 2025 Stats: .248/.295/.418, 95 OPS+, 0.5 bWAR
• Date of Birth: October 10, 1993
• 2025 Earnings: $14,000,000
• 2026 Status: Player exercised option with club option for 2027

2025 Review

The ability to be goofy has to be one of my favorite dynamics in baseball. It differentiates the sport from so many others where player personalities are limited to postgame interviews, offseason media appearances, and the player’s private social media. For the D-Backs, Lourdes Gurriel Jr has been the unquestioned team goofball for the past three years since he was traded over as the other half of the package that brought Gabriel Moreno to the desert in a rare example of a trade that worked out well for both teams. Whether it’s the “Piña Power” brand and movement for he and his brother, his ostentatious rotating hairstyles, or the various hijinks he’s pulled over the years including building sandcastles during a blowout and sipping on a smoothie while studying tape, he has properly earned the silly reputation. But he’s also brought plenty of production to the field alongside his goofiness as he earned an All-Star selection in his inaugural season with the team and followed it up with an equally solid season after signing back up with the D-Backs.

Unfortunately, the good vibes from the previous two years hit a bit of a speed bump this season as Gurriel started off the season on a cold spell, posting a .181/.204/.343 through the first month-plus of the year. He turned it around with an incredible May and cashed in an impressive 32 RBI in August before tragically tearing his ACL on an awkward diving play near the warning track at the onset of September. Even before that awful ending, Gurriel failed to recapture the same kind of output he generated previously, posting a below-average OPS+ for the first time in his career. He was particularly weak against offspeed pitches with a 36% whiff percentage on them and posting a miserly .190 BAA against them, allowing opposing pitchers to attack him with a particular pitch that he failed to adjust to throughout the season. Additionally, since his calling card has always been his work at the dish rather than his roaming around the outfield grass, even a relatively minor decrease in the quality of his batting work can absolutely tank his overall value as he was just over replacement-level on the year.

2026 Outlook

Generally, ACL tears require a six to nine month recovery depending on the severity of the tear and the specifics of the treatment. That kind of timeline means that Gurriel wouldn’t be available for a theoretical rehab assignment until the late spring or early summer and couldn’t realistically rejoin the club until sometime around the All Star Break. His presence would undoubtedly be a joy for the fans and could provide a boost to his teammates’ morale, but it’s fair to ask what kind of role he’ll be able to play when he does rejoin the major league team. He is starting to show some age with his hard hit rate, arm strength, and fielding range (already below-average for most of his career) all taking steps back over the past three seasons with the snakes. If you combine those trendlines with the inherent question marks around a serious injury recovery like an ACL tear, it paints a bleak picture that might necessitate a position move to DH or even first base – a position he isn’t entirely unfamiliar with as he’s accumulated around 100 innings at the major league level there. That kind of position change would also allow the team to give some of their upper-level outfield prospects an opportunity to develop further or even make their debut. Regardless of his role, the fan experience and dugout will undoubtedly be less fun while he recovers and I for one will be anxiously waiting for his return.

DURHAM – Winncunnet High School junior Jaxon McDonald entered Friday’s game in the 14^th annual Oyster River Bobcat Holiday Classic averaging 12 points a game. 

With two starters out, head coach Jay McKenna needed a little bit more out of McDonald against Division I rival Spaulding in a first-round game. 

McDonald answered the call.

McDonald scored 10 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter, and the Warriors hung on for a 52-47 win over the Red Raiders at Oyster River High School. 

“He was everywhere,” McKenna said. “We liked how aggressive he was attacking the hoop. He wasn’t settling for jumpers, he kept going hard to the rim and getting to the free throw line. He stepped up today, and was able to rise to the occassion.” 

Winncunnet and Spaulding were tied 24-24 at halftime, and the Warriors took a 32-31 lead into the final 8 minutes. 

“Anytime you play a Division I opponent, you know you’re going to have a challenging game,” McKenna said. “For us to come in shorthanded and have some guys step up and play well, and for us to come out with a W, we’re always pleased with that.” 

Like Winnacunnet, Spaulding was missing a couple of starters. 

“We’re trying to reinvent ourselves and how do we move forward with our injuries,” Spaulding head coach Lorne Lucas said. “I told our guys before the game, win or lose, I really didn’t care what happened. I was looking for guys. I am looking for guys who can be our 6, 7 and 8 players; that’s what I needed them to show me. I saw some positive things out there; something we definitely can work on.” 

Senior Nate Sanchez-Martinez led Spaulding with 14 points, while junior Noah O’Brien had 13. 

Winnacunnet junior Robert Nowak’s second 3-pointer of the fourth gave the Warriors a 43-41 lead with 2:41 left.  

Sanchez-Martinez' turnaround jumper in the paint tied the game at 43-43, but Winnacunnet ended the game on a 9-4 run. 

Liam McNally finished with seven points for the Warriors, while Nowak and Henry Denio each had six, and Sean Griffin five. 

“(Nowak) has worked incredibly hard to make himself into the player he is,” McKenna said. “He’s getting better and better. He saw an opportunity (today), and I was very proud of him being resilient and mentally tough to step up and come big when we needed him.” 

Nine players score for Dover boys in win over Newmarket

Three players scored in double-figures and six others scored as Division I Dover rolled to a 72-27 over Division IV Newmarket.

Junior Michael Gorman led Dover with 12 points, while Ethan Skidds and Dillon Salinas added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Yavier-Morales Perez added nine points for the Green Wave, while Owen Corringham had eight.

"I liked how we were sharing the ball, and passing up good shots for great shots," Dover head coach Matt Fennessy said. "We have a lot of guys who can put the ball in the hoop; we need to develop that trust and not having empty possessions. I thought we did a really good job with that today. Today was an opportunity to acclimate some of the younger kids, I thought they did a really good job of keeping up."

Dover jumped out to a 20-8 lead after the first quarter, increased that lead to 35-15 at halftime, and 55-21 going into the fourth quarter. Dover, led by Skidds' three, had 12 3-pointers in the game. Corringham, Salinas, and Gorman all had two, and Connor Lynch, Ryan Hebert and Morales-Perez all had one.

"If the (3-point shot) is there, we're going to take it," Fennessy said. "Obviously, teams are going to work to take that away, so we have to counter that. We have some kids who can shoot the ball in the program, and that's always a nice weapon to have."

Senior Matt Napoletano led Newmarket with 11 points, while sophomore Nick Minutelli had six. Newmarket is 6-0 in Division IV regular-season play.

Newmarket head coach Nick Farrer said the speed of the game was much faster than his Mules are accustomed to in Division IV play.

"We were reacting instead of anticipating and acting, that is the biggest challenge from Division IV to I, just the speed," Farrer said. "Defensively we got after it, but we just weren't up to that speed. I liked how we competed. We'll be ready to take this experience (back to our regular season)."

St. Thomas Aquinas boys fall in final minute

Cam Stevens' layup gave Division I Timberlane a one-point lead over St. Thomas with 30 seconds left. The Saints had two potential game-winning shots in the paint, but fell short, 48-47.

Jack Brennan led Division III St. Thomas Aquinas with 17 points, while sophomore Grant Baker had 11.

"Tough loss today, Timberlane played well," St. Thomas head coach Dave Morissette said. "I'm proud of how we played. We got better from our last (game) out. We just have to get some more consistency throughout the lineup."

Oyster River boys have five in double-figures in win

Max Scopel scored 14 points and Aaron Clough and Will Jernigan both had 13 for Division II Oyster River in its 68-54 win over Noble High School, which plays in Maine's Class A South.

Evan Clift had 11 points for the Bobcats, while, Ryland Sweatt had 10.

"It was a very balanced scoring attack for us," Oyster River head coach Zach Lewis said. "We’re working hard on improving our consistency and it’s starting to show."

Spaulding girls get 'big win' over fellow Division I school

Spaulding rallied from a 31-22 halftime deficit to pull out a 47-45 win over Keene in a battle between two Division I schools.

The Red Raiders outscored Keene, 14-4 in the final 8 minutes, and scored the game's final eight points.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Sydney Daly and Ellie Averill tied the game at 45-45 with 1 minute left, and Meagan Uraskevich hit the game-winning layup with 20 seconds remaining.

"This is a big win for us," Spaulding head coach Scott Blake said. "Today we played with composure and effort and attention to details was great on both ends. We need to keep building on this as it shows what we can do."

Daly led Spaulding with 12 points, while Uraskevich and Ava Damon both had nine, and Averill had eight.

Dover's Littlefield hits game-winner in final seconds

Avery Littlefield scored 25 points for Dover in its game against St. Thomas Aquinas, but none were bigger than her final two.

The junior guard drained a mid-range pull-up basket with 4 seconds left, leading Dover to a 49-48 win over St. Thomas Aquinas.

Littlefield scored 13 points in the first half, two in the third quarter, and 10 in the fourth.

"We grinded out a win in a back-and-forth game by a really good St. Thomas team that came to play," Dover head coach Jimmy Flynn said. "Looking forward to our next game and getting better."

Makenzie Curry added nine points for the Green Wave. Senior Emma Toriello led STA with 25 points, while Mollie Gaynor had six.

"A true fight to the end," STA head coach Zach Snow. "All in all, very proud of how we competed against a well-coached Division I team."

Three score in double-figures for Newmarket girls against Oyster River

Amaya Beckles scored 20 points, Kiara Rugora had 17 and Lydia Edgerly had 10 for Division IV Newmarket in its 59-50 win over Division II Oyster River.

"We weathered their early storm of 3-pointers and finally settled in and played some better team defense with balance, communication and rotation," Newmarket head coach Randy Edgerly said. "We also rebounded well. Most of all we executed well on the offensive end. This was probably our best all-around team effort so far this year."

Ashling Ferris led Oyster River with 13 points, while Jazzy Alvarez had 11 and Eva Bebbington had 10.

"We knew Newmarket would be tough for sure," Oyster River head coach Bryan Wall said. "I felt like our girls did great.  We just hit a 5-minute span in the third where our defense faltered a bit and our baskets just didn’t fall.  We just couldn’t overcome the deficit we got in, but at the end of the day we learned a lot and will improve."

Winnacunnet girls advances over Kearsage

Julie Allan had 18 points and Kate Starr added 16 for Division I Winnacunnet in its 55-35 win over Division III Kearsage.

Winnacunnet led 12-3 after the first quarter and held a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Winnacunnet head coach Brian Gray called it a "great team win."

"It was great execution on both sides and look forward to playing in semifinals," Gray said. "It's always great to get a win and build confidence especially in a tournament setting."

Saturday's schedule

All winner's bracket semifinals for both the both boys and girls will be played at Oyster River High School, while all consolation games will be played at Oyster River Middle School.

In boys action, the two semifinals feature Winnacunnet and Timberlane at 1:30 p.m., and Dover and Oyster River at 3. In the consolation games, Spaulding and St. Thomas will play at 1:30, and Newmarket at Noble at 10:30 a.m.

In girls action, the two semifinals feature Newmarket and Winnacunnet at 10:30 a.m., and Spaulding and Dover at noon. In the consolation games, St. Thomas Aquinas and Keene will play at 10:30 a.m., and Oyster River and Kearsage will play at noon.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: OR Basketball Classic, Here are Friday's results, Saturday's slate

The Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Browns in Cleveland this week and they will once again be without superstar T.J. Watt.

A future Hall of Famer, Watt had surgery two weeks ago to repair and stabilize a partially collapsed lung and is still not ready to play despite returning to practice this week. 

Watt suffered the partially collapsed lung during a dry needling treatment at the Steelers' practice facility. He hasn't played since Week 14 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Watt has 7.0 sacks, 22 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 18 QB hits this season for the Steelers, who are in first place in the AFC North. The Black and Gold are 9-6 with two games left in the regular season. 

Watt signed a three-year, $123 million extension in July. He's one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history and has spent his entire career with the Steelers. 

Watt has 115.0 sacks with Pittsburgh. He won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021.  

The Steelers face the Browns and Ravens to close out the regular season. They are currently the fourth seed in the AFC playoff picture. 

Pittsburgh hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jasper Kuhta led Finland with three assists, including two on goals from Roope Vesterinen in a 6-2 win over Denmark in each team's opening game of the world junior championships on Friday.

Kuhta was one of five players to finish with at least two points for Finland — and 12 with at least one point — along with Vesterinen, Aron Kiviharju, Lasse Boelius and Leo Tuuva. Kuhta and Tuuva both assisted Vesterinen inside the first two minutes to open the scoring, and Onni Kalto scored a second goal 30 seconds later.

After William Bundgaard scored for Denmark 6:08 into the first period, Oliver Suvanto responded with a power play goal for Finland four minutes later. Finland — last year’s silver medalist — had 20 shots on goal to Denmark's two in the opening period.

Aatos Koivu, Joona Saarelainen and Vesterinen all scored in the second period to put Finland up 6-1 with 8:39 remaining in the period.

Anton Linde scored a power play goal for Denmark 2:22 into the third period. Anton Wilde saved 37 shots for Denmark on 43 attempts (0.860 save percentage).

Denmark returned to the top division of the world junior championships for the first time since 2019, after earning promotion by winning the Division I-A tournament over Austria last year.

Both teams will continue Group B play over the weekend. Denmark will face Czechia on Saturday, while Finland will take on Latvia on Sunday.

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have decided to bench defensive end Maxx Crosby for Sunday's home game against the New York Giants in a matchup of teams with the NFL's worst records.

The loser has the inside track to the top overall draft pick, and the Raiders will be resting other key players this week.

Tight end Brock Bowers (knee) and safety Jeremy Chinn (back) were placed on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday. Bowers is a two-time Pro Bowler who earned first-team All-Pro honors last season.

Crosby has a knee injury that has led to him missing numerous practices this season, but he has started every game. Crosby left the team facility after the Raiders informed him of the decision.

“After an evaluation we did Monday or Tuesday, it just looks too bad,” coach Pete Carroll said Friday. “He didn't want to take the news like that and I didn't want to take the news like that, so we worked our way through to get to this point. He's been practicing on Fridays. If we had let him, he would've gone out there and he would not have hesitated, but he knows that he's banged up.”

Carroll said he expected Crosby's negative reaction to the decision.

“He's been fighting his (butt) off the whole time,” Carroll said. “He's as good a competitor as you can be. You can't battle more than he's battled. He'd do anything to be able to be playing.”

Carroll said he didn't know if Crosby would return next week for the season finale against Kansas City, but acknowledged it was possible that Crosby would also miss that game.

The Raiders and Giants each head into their meeting with 2-13 records. Las Vegas could use the top pick on a quarterback, such as Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, in hopes of addressing a longtime need for an organization that has gone more than two decades without a playoff victory.

Crosby is one of the league's top pass rushers. He has 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss this season. Crosby has recorded double-digit sacks three of the past four seasons.

Crosby made clear earlier this week that winning was more important than getting the top draft selection.

“I don’t give a (expletive) about the pick,” Crosby said at the time. “I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world, and that’s what I focus on every day and being a great leader and being an influence and on being that guy on a consistent basis for my team. The front office, the coaches, they do that.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Ruben Amorim has revealed Mason Mount “felt something at half time” and explained that Manchester United decided not to risk him in the second half after the midfielder was withdrawn during the Premier League win over Newcastle.

Mount started alongside Matheus Cunha in behind Benjamin Sesko at Old Trafford, with United already missing their injured captain Bruno Fernandes as well as Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, who are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He was replaced at half-time by 18-year-old Jack Fletcher, the son of former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, as United ultimately saw out a 1-0 victory for their first home win at Old Trafford in two months.

Amorim explained it was a “good sign” that Mount wanted to continue, but said he could not take any chances with the attacking midfielder’s fitness given United’s injury list ahead of facing Wolves at Old Trafford on Tuesday 30 December.

"He felt something at half-time and he wanted to go in the second half but we cannot lose more players,” Amorim told Sky Sports after United survived waves of Newcastle’s attacks to go fifth in the Premier League.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kyle Whittingham to take over as football coach at Michigan, agreeing to 5-year deal, AP sources say.

Kyle Whittingham will not wait until after Utah football's Las Vegas Bowl appearance to begin the next chapter of his coaching career at Michigan.

According to multiple reports, Whittingham is expected to join the Wolverines in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, Dec. 27 for their preprations to play against Texas in the Citrus Bowl. He is expected to inform his current players of his decision on Friday, Dec. 26 once the Utes land in Las Vegas.

Whittingham has agreed to a five-year deal with the Wolverines, according to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press — part of the USA TODAY Network — to be the successor to Sherrone Moore in Ann Arbor. It is just the second stop for Whittingham in his career as a head coach, as he spent 22 seasons at the helm of the Utes program.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan football finalizes deal to hire Utah's Kyle Whittingham as coach

The Las Vegas Bowl was originally expected to be Whittingham's final game at Utah, as he announced on Friday, Dec. 12 that he was stepping down. He later clarified his decision to reporters on Thursday, Dec. 18 that he wasn't retiring and was instead "in the transfer portal."

Whittingham is just the second Michigan head coach who did not have a previous tie with the program since Bo Schembechler retired in 1990. He brings a 177-88 overall record as a head coach to the Wolverines.

At Michigan, Whittingham will now be tasked with leading the program after numerous offseason scandals over the past several seasons, including the firing and subsequent arrest of Moore. The Wolverines announced on Wednesday, Dec. 10 that Moore was fired with cause after a university investigation found "credible evidence" of him having been engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

More pressing to Michigan at the moment will be Whittingham's ability to retain the talent on the Wolverines' current roster, most notably freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Players have five days following the hiring of a football coach to enter their names into the NCAA transfer portal.

Interim head coach Biff Poggi is still expected to lead Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. Morgan Scalley, who had already been announced as Whittingham's successor at Utah, is expected to coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Whittingham to join Michigan, won't coach Utah in Las Vegas Bowl

Manchester United have thrown away far better opportunities than this to break into the top five this season but, on a night when they were severely depleted and missing some of their biggest players, they finally found a way to get over the line.

Ruben Amorim had urged his players to “step up” in the absence of captain Bruno Fernandes and a host of other senior personnel and a patched up United certainly did that.

Trailing to a thunderbolt of a volley from Patrick Dorgu, which was quite the way to claim your first United goal, Newcastle threw everything they had at Amorim’s makeshift side in the second half.

But United demonstrated exactly the kind of defensive resilience that had been lacking in games against Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Everton, West Ham and Bournemouth, when they missed the chance to climb into the top five. Not here. Not with Lisandro Martínez, captain on the evening with Fernandes missing, back to man the fort and watch a host of others follow his lead.

Ayden Heaven and Dorgu had their best performances in United shirts and Senne Lammens proved once again what a shrewd piece of business he looks with a commanding display in goal.

Ayden Heaven with his Player of the Match award 🏆

Man United's standout player against Newcastle at just 19 years old 👏

📸 IG/aydenheaven pic.twitter.com/Fg4jZang5l

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 26, 2025

This was Martínez’s first start for United since Feb 2 but he played like he had never been away and it was with good reason the Argentina defender was given a standing ovation as he came off moments before the fourth official Sam Barrott signalled seven minutes of stoppage time.

There were more than a few anxious moments in those closing stages as the Old Trafford crowd willed Anthony Taylor to blow his whistle and the roar that erupted at the end spoke volumes. United finished the game with Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fredricson and forgotten man Tyrell Malacia on the pitch but, in a way, that only added to the sense of Amorim’s men claiming a precious win in the face of adversity.

United fans could have been forgiven for raising an eyebrow at the sight of Dorgu lining up as a right winger in a 4-2-3-1. By the time he had crashed home a stunning volley midway through a first half in which his can-do attitude, both offensively and defensively, had typified his team’s effort, it no longer looked a strange move.

Late in the half, an approving Casemiro bounded over to Dorgu to give his team-mate a congratulatory shove after the Denmark international had raced back to win a tackle on Lewis Hall.

On the opposite flank a couple of minutes later, Matheus Cunha was busy shielding the ball from Nick Woltemade to win a goal kick. Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro were straight over to embrace the Brazilian for his defensive diligence.

When Ruben Amorim talked about players needing to step up in the absence of captain Bruno Fernandes and six other senior absentees, this is what the United manager probably had in mind.

United were by no means perfect in those opening 45 minutes, but they were markedly better than a Newcastle side who turned over the ball too cheaply and, full of running.

Amorim has moved on four wingers – Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Jadon Sancho – since taking charge at Old Trafford 13 months ago so there was always going to be a degree of improvisation required with the switch to this system.

Indeed, Dorgu may have felt like a square peg in a round hole at the outset but he did not play like it.

The high point was a volley of which any of the great Premier League left footers, from Robin van Persie to Mohamed Salah, would gladly have called their own.

A long throw-in from Diogo Dalot was only partially cleared by Woltemade and as the ball hung high in the air and Dorgu raced to meet it 15 yards out the betting was that it would end up anywhere other than where it was eventually dispatched.

"What a FABULOUS HIT!"

Patrick Dorgu scores his first goal for Manchester United and what a way to score it! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0Th4FRYd1c

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2025

Dorgu could have been put off by his team-mate Manuel Ugarte, who made a movement towards the ball and then thought better of it. It was a good job. Dorgu’s connection could not have been sweeter as the ball flew into the bottom corner, his first goal for United on his 38th appearance.

United are down to the bare bones at the moment and a glance at a bench comprising a 17-year old, three 18-year-olds and two 20-year-olds merely underlined it. So the loss at half-time of one of his most creative sparks and best players this season in Mason Mount was another cruel blow for Amorim. Mount had set the tone with his clever, industrious pressing and intelligent movement in the No 10 position and Cunha was another creative, attacking presence off the left. Newcastle then will have been relieved to see the back of Mount, who was replaced by Jack Fletcher, son of former United midfielder Darren.

It felt implausible United were going to have it their way in the second half and Newcastle re-emerged with far greater impetus as they ramped up the tempo and cut out some of the sloppiness. If United had a rather makeshift look at the beginning, by the hour mark they were an unusual assembly of parts. Fletcher and Ugarte formed the central midfield, Leny Yoro was at right back and two full backs – Diogo Dalot and Dorgu – were operating as wingers as Casemiro and Sesko made way, the latter seconds after hitting the crossbar.

It was a rare venture forward for United who found themselves getting dragged deeper and deeper and hoping for a break on the counter.

Eddie Howe threw on Joelinton, Yoane Wissa and Harvey Barnes as Newcastle pressed for an equaliser.

Lewis Hall, one of Newcastle’s biggest threats from an inverted left back position, made another dangerous run that carried him past Ugarte before thundering a shot off the underside of the crossbar.

Newcastle thought they had a decent shout for a penalty when a shot by Fabian Schar cannoned off Martinez’s chest and on to an arm but VAR - correctly - sided with the United defender.

He was excellent, Martinez. Afforded the captain’s armband in Fernandes’ absence on his first start for over 10 months, he played like he had never been away. Ayden Heaven certainly felt like a big beneficiary of the Argentine’s presence.

He knows how to pick a pass, too, and an expert free-kick almost helped to yield a second goal for United. Spearing a long pass over the head of Schar, Dalot, cutting in from the right, took the ball beautifully on his touch but when he just needed to massage the ball over the advancing Aaron Ramsdale, he got too much on it and powered it narrowly over the crossbar.

Amorim had switched to a back five by the final 15 minutes. They hung on.

Eddie Howe pre-match comments

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to Sky Sports post-match, said: “The second half was a lot better than the first, but it wasn’t enough [for a win]... It wasn’t for a lack of effort.

“I actually thought we started the game really well, but we were rocked by the goal. I don’t think we responded well to that moment.

“I was a bit disappointed after half time at our inability to grab a hold of the game, as I thought it was there for us to take.”

A Heavenly performance at the back for Ayden

Ayden Heaven won 100% of his duels, completed 94% of his passes, made 8 clearances and committed 0 fouls in Man United's 1-0 victory against Newcastle.

A perfect defensive performance 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ai2OEu30kA

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 26, 2025

Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven was given player of the match by Sky Sports for his performance this evening, particularly in the second half, as the home side held on to their 1-0 lead.

Man Utd: The Premier League’s best on Boxing Day

Job done ✅

Boxing Day business completed 💼 pic.twitter.com/G1oWHsKOF2

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2025

Tonight’s win was Manchester United’s 23rd Premier League win on Boxing Day, the most in the competition’s history.

This was also the club’s fourth Boxing Day Premier League victory over Newcastle, after wins in 2012, 2014 and 2019.

Heaven and Dorgu post-match comments

Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven, speaking to Sky Sports, said: ”Finally, a clean sheet, we’ve been waiting for this for a couple of weeks. I’m just so happy.”

Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “Yeah it was a good hit [his goal]... I’m just very happy to score my first goal, especially in this stadium.

“I just took what he told me [Amorim] to work on my confidence and stuff. And I think I did well today. I just looked at the ball and saw it drop and I just hit it.”

A rare clean sheet for Man Utd

Manchester United’s 1-0 victory tonight against Newcastle secured just their second league clean sheet of the season, after their first in a 2-0 win against Sunderland in October.

Man Utd find a way to win without Fernandes

Man United's win against Newcastle is their first Premier League victory without Bruno Fernandes in the starting XI since the 2022/23 season 😮

✅ 1 win
🤝 1 draw
❌ 6 losses pic.twitter.com/qHuApQYrSZ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 26, 2025

2022 - Man Utd won a Premier League game in which Bruno Fernandes did not feature for the first time since a 3-2 win over Spurs in March 2022 under Ralf Rangnick. The Red Devils had lost five of their last six league games without the midfielder before today (D1). Independence. pic.twitter.com/LDqzaFSGLI

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 26, 2025

Full time: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

The game has finished! Manchester United have held on to claim a very precious, hard-fought three points.

Newcastle, despite all their endeavour in this game could not penetrate the home side’s rearguard and now succumb to their fifth away league loss in six matches.

90+4 minutes: Manchester United 1 Newcastle 0

Well, Lammens has had an interesting few minutes in the Manchester United goal.

First, the Belgian goalkeeper charges out commandingly to claim Bruno Guimaraes’ cross.

Yet, a minute later, Lammens almost fumbles a cross from the left in the path of Miley before recovering the ball at the second attempt.

90+2 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

It’s that left hand side again that is producing chances for Newcastle. This time, Miley controls a cross from the left inside the box but can only spoon the ball high over the bar on the turn.

Seven minutes of stoppage time have been announced at Old Trafford.

Can Manchester United cling on to claim this win?

88 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

With just two minutes left, Ruben Amorim has removed his two most experienced defenders still on the pitch: Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez with Fredricson and Malacia coming onto the pitch to preserved the home side’s lead.

85 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Anthony Gordon has just ballooned the ball over the bar, after some well-worked build up play.

Eddie Howe cries out and looks to the sky in frustration. The visitors have Manchester United pinned back inside their own half, but they just cannot find their way through.

Will Newcastle be left lamenting the final outcome?

Newcastle will be livid if they do not get at least a point from this game. They have been the better side in the second half and have dominated for long spells, yet they have not made the pressure count.

Worryingly, they also have gifted Manchester United two decent chances at the other end through defensive lapses.

Ruben Amorim’s side have lacked control and have been defending for their lives. It has not been pretty but they have the one goal advantage and this would be an excellent three points if they can hang on.

80 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

If Newcastle are to get their equaliser, you can bet it will come through their left-hand side via Hall and Gordon.

Both players are haring down the left wing, pushing their team forward, but that quality final ball is lacking from both men so far in this half.

78 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Sandro Tonali, who moments ago collected a yellow card for his challenge on Dorgu has been replaced by Joe Willock.

Lammens, the Manchester United goalkeeper is a very relieved man after the Belgian goalkeeper flaps at a Newcastle corner, but a free kick is eventually given for his team.

73 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Diogo Dalot has just spurned a massive opportunity to double the home side’s lead, as he ventures into the box, peeling off Lewis Hall but he can only a direct the bouncing ball over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.

67 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Newcastle have come close once again to getting their leveller, with Gordon’s low drive inside the box from the right-hand side fizzing past the far post.

Eddie Howe is setting his team up to get an equaliser, and has just made a triple change with Wissa, Barnes and Joelinton all entering the pitch.

The visitors even had a penalty shout moments ago for a handball call on Lisandro Martinez, but referee Anthony Taylor did not give the spot kick, as per the guidance from VAR.

Nick Woltemade lacking the cutting edge for Newcastle

It has been all Newcastle United so far in the second half but for all the pressure and territorial dominance they are still not creating chances in open play.

You have to point the finger at Nick Woltemade. Yes, he does some nice flicks, but he did not have a single touch in the Manchester United penalty box in the first half and has been a yard behind the game all evening.

There have been plenty of crosses delivered but he has not got on the end of anything. It is surely only a matter of time until we see Yoane Wissa come off the bench to replace him.

Newcastle have been much better since half time but they need a goal. Lewis Hall has been superb tonight and very unlucky his shot came back off the underside of the crossbar.

59 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Benjamin Šeško hits the bar! 🤏 pic.twitter.com/DEEI4rm2cv

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2025

Benjamin Sesko has come very close to doubling the home side’s lead against the run of play, with the Slovenia international being put through on goal outside the box, thanks to Ugarte’s interception.

His strike, though rattles the crossbar and bounces out of play.

This was his last act of the game, as he and Casemiro make way for Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.

56 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

The match has quietened down a little in this second half, with Manchester United striving to restore control in this match.

The home side, however are not able to retain possession consistently, as Newcastle seek to prise open their defence in search of an opening.

52 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Newcastle have now earned a series of set-pieces in the attacking half, as they have started the second half brightly in search of the equaliser.

The home side, to their credit have stood up tall and defended their penalty area well each time Newcastle have sent the ball into the box.

46 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

A fabulous flick from Woltemade at the edge of the box tees up his teammate Jacob Ramsey with a potential scoring opportunity, but the midfielder stumbles and falls before he can fire an effort on goal.

Second half begins

We are back underway in this game, and Manchester United have made a change at half-time, with forward Jack Fletcher, son of club legend Darren, coming on for Mason Mount.

Can Eddie Howe engineer a second-half comeback for Newcastle?

Newcastle have come out as winners in four of their last five top-flight meetings with Manchester United. Before the match, the visitors were looking to claim their third straight league victory over their opponents for the first time in 103 years.

However, Newcastle now have their work cut out for them, especially when considering they have only secured one away Premier League win since April.

Can Eddie Howe’s team avoid their fifth away league defeat in six games?

Dorgu deserves a Pat on the back after his first half

Patrick Dorgu's first half by numbers vs. Newcastle:

31 touches
4 duels won
2x possessions won
2 clearances
2 touches in opp. box
2/2 shots on target
1 chance created
1 goal#MUNNEWpic.twitter.com/LBz1QBgtex

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) December 26, 2025

Half time: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

The half time whistle has gone, and Dorgu’s special strike has proven the difference between the two teams, as the home side enter the interval 1-0 in front.

Can Eddie Howe’s Newcastle respond or will this yet another away league defeat this season?

45 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Sandro Tonali was down on the ground receiving treatment from the Newcastle physios after the Italian midfielder’s legs clashed with Sesko following a sliding challenge.

Thankfully for Newcastle fans, Tonali is back on his feet and back in the game

41 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Manchester United have just breathed a huge sigh of relief, after Jacob Murphy whips in a delicious low cross across the penalty area that evades the long legs of Woltemade, as well as any other player in black and white to roll out for a throw-in.

A very good cross from the right winger there.

Dorgu doing the business so far

Patrick Dorgu is having quite a game this evening. Having banged in a volley for his first goal for Manchester United he almost squeezed a low shot past Aaron Ramsdale for his second.

Manchester United are benefitting from some loose play from Newcastle, who keep giving the ball away cheaply. It has been a recurring theme on their travels this season. They invite pressure through their own mistakes.

Patrick Dorgu’s piledriver

"What a FABULOUS HIT!"

Patrick Dorgu scores his first goal for Manchester United and what a way to score it! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0Th4FRYd1c

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2025

34 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Newcastle are on the ropes, as Manchester United continue to fly forward in pursuit of their second goal.

Dorgu receives the ball inside the penalty area on the right-hand side and fires a low shot across goal, which Ramsdale plunges low to parry away from goal.

Newcastle fail to make bright spell count

Manchester United’s goal came against the run of play but that will not offer much comfort for Eddie Howe. Newcastle had taken control of the game and were putting their hosts under pressure.

What they did not do, though, is create a lot of chances. A header from a corner by Bruno Guimaraes at a corner was the closest they came to a goal. They are now behind and the home side have their tails up.

30 minutes: Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0

Manchester United have been energised by that Dorgu goal, and moments ago, conjured a rapid counter-attack in search of a second, in a 4-on-3 situation.

However, Cunha overhits his through ball into Sesko, and the Slovenian’s cross is plucked by Ramsdale.

Shortly afterwards, Manchester United set off on another fast break, but once again this doesn’t end in a chance for the home side.

Still, plenty of encouragement for Manchester United since going in front.

GOAL! Man Utd 1 Newcastle 0 - Dorgu

The home side have taken the lead, and it’s Patrick Dorgu who has unleashed a thunderous volley to put his team in front! Woltemade’s headed clearance falls perfectly for Dorgu at the edge of the box, who lashes the ball low past Ramsdale into the net.

His first goal for the club, and what a way to get it!

21 minutes: Man Utd 0 Newcastle 0

Newcastle earn another corner through some purposeful wing play from Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon on the left flank.

The set piece, eventually ends without a real chance created for the visitors, but Newcastle are gaining more territory into the Manchester United half.

18 minutes: Man Utd 0 Newcastle 0

The home side, after a bright start to this match in possession are now looking ragged on the ball.

Newcastle are applying pressure on the home side, and are now moving the ball confidently inside Manchester United’s half.

Unhappy Howe making his feelings known

Eddie Howe turned to the coaching staff on the Newcastle bench  and screamed something at them after Casemiro’s free header from a corner went over the bar. 

His assistant Jason Tindall also got an ear full and also retreated to the bench, presumably to watch a replay to work out what had gone wrong. Newcastle have not started particularly well in open play either.

13 minutes: Man Utd 0 Newcastle 0

Newcastle have finally gained a foothold in this match, and moments ago came very close to taking the lead, courtesy of a Casemiro header towards his own goal. Goalkeeper Lammens, though produced a sharp save to keep the score level and deny the visitors the lead.

11 minutes: Man Utd 0 Newcastle 0

Newcastle have looked shaky in these opening stages, as they lose the ball just outside their 18-yard box, which eventually leads to a chance for Sesko in the penalty area, who swivels and steers his shot wide.

8 minutes: Man Utd 0 Newcastle 0

Here’s an injury concern for Newcastle, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale clutching his hamstring and going down for treatment.

Nick Pope is moving up and down the touchline, warming up, but Ramsdale is eventually ready to carry on.

As this all happened, Lewis Hall has been given instructions by manager Eddie Howe to pass on to the rest of his teammates.

Man United team shape

Manchester United are in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Mount in behind Sesko, and Dorgu as the right sided forward.

Which Newcastle will turn up tonight at Old Trafford?

At least we finally have some Premier League football to enjoy on Boxing Day and I always felt this would be the game chosen for live television coverage.

Newcastle United have, historically, struggled in this fixture but have only lost once in their last six games against Manchester United and won here last season during the Christmas period.

Eddie Howe’s side have had a rare chance to rest and recharge this week, their last game a lunchtime kick off on Saturday against Chelsea.

That should mean they bring plenty of energy into this one, but their away form has been terrible, winning just once on the road in the league.

With Manchester United missing players, including talisman and captain Bruno Fernandes, this feels like an opportunity for the Magpies to improve that statistic. The problem is - and this is becoming a major issue for Howe -  you do not know what version of Newcastle is going to turn up game to game.

2 minutes: Manchester United 0 Newcastle 0

The first big chance of this match falls to the home side, with Casemiro heading over from a corner, and the Brazil midfielder ought to have done much better with his effort, having been unmarked inside from around six yards out.

And we’re off!

We are underway at Old Trafford!

The teams are out and ready to go

Both teams have made their way onto the pitch, with Manchester United’s pre-match anthem: “This Is The One” by the Stone Roses ringing out around Old Trafford before John Denver’s “Take Me Home” is sung heartily by the home fans.

Ruben Amorim is all smiles as he walks down the touchline to his seat, but in his 23rd match in charge at Old Trafford, he has actually suffered more losses (9) than victories (8) since taking charge of the club last November.

Amorim pre-match comments

"We are prepared" 😤

Ruben Amorim says everyone must step up in the absence of Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United vs Newcastle 🔴 pic.twitter.com/EJCAQOzbFV

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2025

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim, speaking to Sky Sports pre-match, said: “We are prepared. We know that we have some players out, but there are no excuses. We need to perform well. We are performing so much better in the last games, but for some reason [and] some details, we are not winning the games, but we will try to win this one.”

Speaking on why he chose to make Lisandro Martinez captain tonight, he said: “We put on a list at the beginning of the season, Licha [Martinez] was on that list. We don’t have Bruno, we don’t have Harry [Maguire], we have Licha and some other guys who could be captain. Licha has the armband but everyone else needs to step up like I said before the game, as Bruno is not here.”

Sub-plots aplenty at Old Trafford tonight

There are some interesting subplots tonight. Newcastle were in direct competition with Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko only to lose out on the Slovenia striker and eventually instead sign Nick Woltemade instead, who has made the better start of the two forwards in England. 

It was against Newcastle last Christmas that Joshua Zirkzee was cheered off by United fans and was close to tears as he left the pitch in shock. The Dutchman is on what is a very young and inexperienced bench tonight as Amorim feels the impact of a glut of absentees, not least captain Bruno Fernandes. 

In Fernandes’ absence, it is Lisandro Martinez who has been given the armband - on his first start for United since Feb 2.

Eddie Howe pre-match comments

🗣️ "We need to do better"

Eddie Howe believes Newcastle can rise to the challenge today against Manchester United 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZHlfQUlCfK

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2025

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to Sky Sports pre-match, said: “There’s no getting away from the fact we need to do better. There’s only one way to respond though, and that’s by trying to win as many games as we can. This is a tough assignment today, but one I think we can rise to - certainly a big challenge.”

Some stats to whet your appetite...

• This Boxing Day match takes place between Manchester United, the team with the most Boxing Day Premier League wins in the competition (22) and Newcastle, the team with the joint-most Boxing Day Premier League defeats (16).
• Manchester United have lost four of their last five Premier League games against Newcastle, with only one win from these encounters. These four losses were as many as they had in their previous 38 top-flight matches against the north-east club (W25 D9).
• Manchester United have won all three of their Premier League Boxing Day games against Newcastle, with all three coming under different managers – 4-3 in 2012 (Ferguson), 3-1 in 2014 (van Gaal) and 4-1 in 2019 (Solskjaer).
• Manchester United have lost 14 Premier League games for the third consecutive calendar year.
• Newcastle United have won their last two away league matches played between Christmas and New Year, beating Leicester on Boxing Day 2022 and Manchester United on 30 December last year. They had won just two of their previous 34 away league games played between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve (D6 L26).

It’s Wolte-mania up in Tyneside this season

Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade has settled in rather well up in the north-east of England, scoring seven top-flight goals so far this campaign, including a double in his most recent league match against Chelsea.  

Only three German players have scored more in their debut Premier League season: Jürgen Klinsmann in 1994-95 (20), Lukas Podolski in 2012-13 (11) and André Schürrle in 2013-14 (8).

Both teams in full

Here’s a reminder of how both teams line up tonight at Old Trafford.

Manchester United
Lammens, Martinez, Heaven, Shaw, Dalot, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu, Cunha, Mount, Sesko.
Substitutes: Bayindir, Zirkzee, Malacia, Yoro, Fredricson, Jack Fletcher, Lacey, Mantato, Tyler Fletcher.

Newcastle United
Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Ramsey, Jacob Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon.
Substitutes: Pope, Joelinton, Wissa, Barnes, Willock, Alex Murphy, Shahar, Neave, Alabi.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).

Can Manchester United finally banish their bruising form without Bruno?

For only the seventh time since the 2022-23 season, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will not feature in a Premier League game for the club, due to the injury the 31-year-old picked up against Villa last weekend, which is set to rule the Portuguese out of first-team action for at least a few weeks.

In these six previous top-flight matches United have played without Bruno, they have lost all six of these matches, scoring just four goals in the process.

Will the home side be able to find a way to cope without their star midfielder tonight?

Newcastle team news

Unchanged. 👊 pic.twitter.com/QB7VxYNqYJ

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 26, 2025

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has kept the same starting XI from his side’s 2-2 home draw vs Chelsea last weekend.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope returns to the squad after missing Newcastle’s last seven matches through injury. Former Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga is absent from the squad this evening due to injury.

Man Utd team news

U-N-I-T-E-D 🔴

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2025

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has made two changes to the starting XI from his team’s 2-1 defeat away at Aston Villa last Sunday.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is missing from the squad due to injury, and is replaced in the midfield by Casemiro. Lisandro Martinez comes into the team as captain, in place of Leny Yoro in defence.

Amorim extends an olive branch to Kobbie Mainoo

Ruben Amorim has challenged Kobbie Mainoo to prove he still has a future at Manchester United after ruling out the prospect of him leaving the club next month.

The out-of-favour England international has yet to start a Premier League game this season and his half-brother wore a ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo” T-Shirt at Old Trafford in last week’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth. The 20-year-old has been linked with a loan move away from the club next month with Napoli among a handful of clubs interested in signing the midfielder.

However, United boss Amorim has extended Mainoo an olive branch to the academy graduate despite the provocation from family members by asking him to stake a claim for a starting position in the team in the coming weeks with captain Bruno Fernandes sidelined with a hamstring injury.

“If we are not getting someone, it’s hard (for someone) to leave because we are shorter,” said Amorim when asked whether Mainoo could depart in January. “Even with the full squad, we are shorter for something that can happen here.

”We are a club with a big responsibility. We are dealing with all these issues. In your heads, in my head, in everybody’s head, we need to win every game. There are no excuses. So, it’s going to be hard for someone to leave the club if we don’t get a substitution.

“Kobbie will have the opportunity that he has all the time. He has played in different positions. We talk about the position of Casemiro, well he can do that position. He can play, if we play with three, he can play like we played in the last game with two. The position of Mason Mount in the last game, he can play there.

“So, in the future, he’s going to be the future of Manchester United. That is my feeling. So, you just need to wait for each chance. Everything can change in football in two days.”

Mainoo has been ruled out of the visit of Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Boxing Day after failing to shake off the calf problem that sidelined him for the weekend defeat at Aston Villa. However, with Fernandes targeting a return for the Manchester derby on January 17, he is expected to be given more minutes than the 302 Amorim has granted him so far this season.

With Mainoo joining a casualty list that already includes Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt, the loss of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui to the African Cup of Nations has stretched United’s squad to breaking point. Teenager academy graduates Jack Fletcher and Shay Lacey will once again be involved against Newcastle after being on the bench for last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat Villa Park.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a tumultuous week before the NHL’s holiday break, firing assistant coach Marc Savard and entering Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with five losses in their previous six games.

However, Santa Claus was good to the Maple Leafs, as veteran defenseman Chris Tanev returned from injury and played meaningful minutes in Toronto’s 6-3 win over the Penguins. 

Indeed, Tanev didn’t have a perfect night, as his rink rust was readily apparent. But Tanev’s return meant that Leafs coach Craig Berube had a significantly better defense corps to work with, scratching struggling veteran Simon Benoit in favor of another D-man who has struggled this year – Philippe Myers.

Tanev’s knack for knowing how to make the simple, zone-clearing play made life much easier for Leafs goalie Joseph Woll, who stopped 29 of 32 Pens shots for a .906 save percentage.

The Leafs’ win sent them into the break on a positive note. And Tanev’s return means Toronto’s D-corps is going to be much-improved on a night-in, night-out basis.

That said, the Maple Leafs’ win over Pittsburgh is only going to hold off the attack dogs for so long.

If the Leafs falter once the Christmas break is over, Berube’s job security is going to come into question. Also,  Toronto GM Brad Treliving is going to be beating the bushes – if he isn’t already – for veteran help, most likely at forward. 

Everyone Is To Share The Blame For The Maple Leafs' StrugglesThe Toronto Maple Leafs have sunk near the bottom of the standings. And Leafs players, coaches and management all share the blame for this Blue & White disaster of a season.

If their performance thus far this season tells us anything, it’s that the Maple Leafs are going to have great difficulty rising the ranks of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference with the lineup they have right now.

Although Toronto’s record improved to 16-15-5 after the win over Pittsburgh, the Leafs currently sit in last place in the Atlantic and in 15th place in the East. 

That means the Maple Leafs’ destiny is partly out of their hands. They’re going to need the teams above them to lose, and lose in regulation time, if they’re going to move into a playoff spot.

Which Team Transformed The Most Since Last Christmas Break?A lot has changed over the course of the past year. Which team has seen the biggest change, for better or worse?

While Toronto is just five standings points out of a playoff berth, the teams above them in the standings are all going to play one another, meaning some of the teams above them will consistently be picking up points. It's a daunting challenge for the Leafs.

But let’s get back to Tanev, who hadn’t played since being injured in a game on Nov. 1. Toronto went 9-10-4 in the 23 games Tanev missed, and there was nobody on the trade market who can step in and give Berube 20 minutes a night of low-event hockey the way Tanev can.

Tanev’s minutes are indeed down this season, but given the choice between playing Tanev more and playing Benoit or Myers at all, the choice for Berube is clear.

We’re not here to tell you Tanev is the most important component of the Leafs’ blueprint for success. He’s a 36-year-old veteran with a lot of miles on his competitive odometer, and he won’t be challenging for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top D-man. 

But for this Maple Leafs defense corps, Tanev is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Furthermore, it’s not a coincidence that Toronto looked calmer and more confident with Tanev in the lineup on Tuesday.

His panic threshold is the best of any Leafs blueliner, his instincts are always to make the smart play, and his return to action is one of the best Christmas presents the Buds could ask for. 

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Samsung is preparing a new budget 5G phone, the Galaxy M07 5G, which is expected to launch next year. This phone will be the successor to the Galaxy M06 5G and is included in Samsung’s popular, affordable smartphone lineup.

The Galaxy M07 5G has appeared on Samsung’s internal test servers in India and Nepal with the build number M076BXXU0AYL1. Certification records in India (BIS) confirm it will support dual SIM, with the model number SM-M076B/DS.

Earlier, the phone was also spotted on Bluetooth SIG, which shows Samsung is actively testing it before launch. At the moment, the official support pages have not appeared for this smartphone, but the device seems to be closer to release.

Image – Amazon

The Galaxy M07 5G is expected to be similar to its 4G version, with the main upgrade being 5G connectivity. It will reportedly feature a 6.7-inch LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals. The battery could be upgraded from 5,000mAh to 6,000mAh, following the Galaxy A07 5G, which also has a 6,000mAh battery. 

Moreover, the device will include a 50MP main camera, IP54 dust and water resistance, and 25W fast charging. On the software side, it should run Android 16 with One UI 8, with an update to One UI 8.5 likely in the first half of 2026.

However, Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything about this smartphone, so we can take this information with a pinch of salt. Stay tuned for more information.

The post Samsung’s Galaxy M07 5G in early testing, launch expected in 2026 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Looking for a smartwatch that keeps up with your lifestyle? The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is stylish, smart, and packed with features to help you stay connected and active every day. Right now, there’s a great deal on this smartwatch.

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