Month: November 2021

By AARON BEARD, AP Sports Writer David Cutcliffe won’t return for a 15th season as Duke’s coach after the school announced a “mutual agreement for separation” on Sunday following the Blue Devils’ winless Atlantic Coast Conference record. The school’s announcement came a day after the Blue Devils (3-9, 0-8) closed a three-win season with a 47-10 home loss to Miami. That marked the first winless slate for Duke in league play under Cutcliffe, who transformed the Blue Devils from one of the Hey Dude Shoes  nation's worst performers into a regular bowl contender and even claimed a division title in the ACC in 2013 before the program slid badly in the past two seasons. In a statement, Cutcliffe, 67, said the decision came after “some detailed and amiable discussions” w...

By STEVE MEGARGEE, AP Sports Writer GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers isn’t letting his toe injury lower his expectations even as it limits his practice time. Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score in the Green Bay Packers’ 36-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Not bad for someone who hadn’t practiced all week. “When I step on the field, I expect greatness,” said Rodgers, who says he fractured his pinky toe while working out during his quarantine after a Hey Dudes positive COVID-19 test. “Anyone who’s a great competitor feels the same way. I don’t lean on excuses: not practicing, a little toe injury.” Rodgers went 28 of 45 for 307 yards as the Packers bounced back from a 34-31 loss at Minnesota. The reigning MVP threw...

By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and center fielder Byron Buxton agreed to a seven-year, $100 million contract Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the contract was not yet finalized and pending a physical exam. Buxton posted an aerial picture of Target Field on his Instagram account with a heart emoji for a caption. The fleet-footed, big-swinging Buxton was Skechers Womens Outlet  only under team control for one more season, raising the possibility of a trade to stem the blow of losing him as a free agent. Despite some snags along the way in the negotiations, which were complicated by Buxton's injury history that has s...

By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have reached an agreement with right-hander Kevin Gausman on a five-year, $110 million contract, pending a physical, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press late Sunday. The 30-year-old Gausman was 14-6 with a 2.81 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 192 innings for San Francisco last season. He has a 64-72 record and 4.02 ERA in his career with Baltimore, Atlanta and San Francisco. The Blue Jays had been interested in Gausman last offseason but he elected to bet on himself and stay with the Giants on a one year deal. It paid off. The Blue Jays also signed right-hander Jose Berríos Skechers Shoes to a seven-year, $131 million deal this offseason after acquiring him at the trade...

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer Southern California desperately wanted a marquee head coach after more than a decade of underachievement and embarrassment. The Trojans landed one of the biggest, brightest names in the game. USC hired Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley on Sunday in a stunning and rare move of one traditional college football powerhouse swiping another's highly accomplished coach. Riley went 55-10 in five seasons leading the Sooners, winning four Big 12 titles and making three College Football Playoff appearances in his first head coaching job. USC sold the 38-year-old Texan on the chance to return the Trojans to their glory days as an annual national championship contender and the West Coast's premier program. “USC has an unparalleled footba...

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart had no Round 2 in the Lakers' rematch with the Pistons. James was too busy making sure Los Angeles got the same decision he wasn't around to see last week in Detroit. James had 33 points, nine assists and no confrontations with Stewart in the Lakers' 110-106 victory Sunday night. Russell Westbrook had 25 points and nine assists, Hoka Sneakers  and Anthony Davis added 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers returned to .500 with their second win over Detroit in eight days, rebounding from an embarrassing triple-overtime loss to Sacramento on Friday. “That Sac game lingered with us for a couple of days, giving that game away,” Davis said. “I think we did a good job defe...