Month: January 2022

By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs were going nowhere on offense against Pittsburgh early Sunday night, so coach Andy Reid had wide receiver Mecole Hardman take a shotgun snap and hand off to running back Darrel Williams on a trick play. Their exchange hit the ground, T.J. Watt picked it up and returned the fumble for a touchdown. It was precisely the kind of play that should have energized the heavy underdogs, playing in a tough environment on the road, but it wound up doing something else entirely: It ticked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He proceeded to throw for 404 yards and five scores, leading Kansas City to the end zone on six straight possessions after the turnover, and the Chiefs cruised Skechers Women...

By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger raised some eyebrows ahead of their wild-card game against the defending AFC champion Chiefs on Sunday night when he admitted that “we probably aren't supposed to be here.” Well, he wasn't wrong. After taking an early lead on T.J. Watt's fumble return for a touchdown, the Steelers watched Patrick Mahomes guide the Chiefs to six consecutive touchdown drives. So by the time Roethlisberger finally led Pittsburgh past midfield for the first time, midway through the third quarter, Hey Dude Women's Shoes  the outcome of what was likely his final game had been decided. The Chiefs advanced to face Buffalo in the divisional round next Sunday night with a 42-21 blowou...

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer The NBA had enormous problems. Drug abuse among players was believed to be rampant. Many arenas were half-empty or worse on game nights. Most franchises were losing money. Some were on the cusp of folding. And when games were on television, nobody was watching. That was how the 1980s began. “This league,” Hall of Famer Jerry West said, “was in trouble.” Saviors, a lot of them, were coming. There were stars so bright they could go by just one name: Doc, ’Nique, Michael. Another was a bespectacled short man in a suit and wing-tips, someone who changed the game without ever dribbling or shooting a basketball. But change truly began with two other members of the one-name-only-needed club; a flashy Black sta...

LARRY BIRD “Larry Legend” played his entire 13-year career with the Boston Celtics, and his rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson catapulted the league to new heights. Bird's sharp shooting, pinpoint passing and rugged rebounding helped the Celtics win NBA titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986. He won three straight league MVP awards from 1984 to 1986 — Hoka Sneakers  no one has won three in a row since. He was rookie of the year in 1980, All-Star MVP in 1982 and Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. At 6-foot-9, he was one of the first players of his size to take advantage of the 3-point line. He was the 3-point contest champion three times. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. JULIUS ERVING The high-flying “Dr. J” was t...

By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Hockey Writer Matty Beniers called his parents to ask them to answer a group FaceTime request so he could deliver some big news. Of course that's how the 19-year-old would tell loved ones he's going to the Olympics. Beniers was one of 15 college players named Thursday to the U.S. Olympic men's hockey roster, a significant increase from 2018 when the NHL also opted not to participate. All 25 players named to the team went through the college ranks. “It speaks volumes to how good college hockey is and not just one league: It’s pretty much across three or four different leagues,” said Beniers, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft to the Seattle Kraken. “There’s a lot of great players, and college hockey’s really good.Swarovski Necklaces  I ...

By KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — David Culley spent 43 years as a college and NFL assistant before finally getting his first head coaching job with the Houston Texans. He lasted just one season before being fired Thursday, a move that leaves the NFL with one Black head coach: Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin. Miami's Brian Flores was fired this week after leading his team to a 9-8 record. The Texans announced the firings of Culley and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly on Thursday night. General manager Nick Caserio saying he met with both San Francisco 49ers Jersey men earlier in the day to inform them of what he called a “difficult but necessary decision.” “While a change after one season is unusual, we had philosophical differences over the lon...