Huskers' Rhule upbeat despite Alberts' departure

LINCOLN, Neb. — Coach Matt Rhule spent the first 10 minutes of his pre-spring football practice news conference Monday giving a pep talk to a Nebraska fan base reeling from last week’s surprise departure of athletic director Trev Alberts.

Rhule has been at the school only 16 months, watching university president Ted Carter leave for the same position at Ohio State and Alberts take off for the AD job at Texas A&M.

Rhule is entering his second year of an eight-year, $74 million contract after going 5-7 in his first season. He said he was surprised and disappointed the two men who brought him to Nebraska are gone so soon.

But Rhule delivered an upbeat monologue invoking Hall of Fame football coaches Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne and sprinkling in names of top players on the men’s and women’s basketball teams headed to the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m here, and I’m all in, and Julie’s all in,” Rhule said, referring to his wife. “I loved Ted Carter and I loved Trev and I came because of them. But I came to be at the University of Nebraska, and I’ve loved the people I’ve met, and we’re not going anywhere unless you guys kick us out.”

Nebraska will be hiring its fourth athletic director since 2013, and the search is being led by an interim president, Chris Kabourek, while executive associate AD for academics Dennis Leblanc leads the department in an interim role.

Alberts, an All-America football player for the Cornhuskers in the early 1990s and athletic director for less than three years, has not given specific reasons for leaving. The contract non-disparagement clause was activated when he resigned. Gov. Jim Pillen, in a statement last week, blamed university regents for moving to slowly in its search for a new president. Alberts had previously expressed frustration that the process wasn’t moving more quickly.

Rhule said Alberts was “forthright” during their phone call last week and, as for Alberts’ reasons, “that’s his story to tell.”

“I have no complaints about how he handled it, at least with me,” Rhule said.

The Cornhuskers have been off the national radar in football since their 1990s heyday, which has taken a toll on the psyche of a state where the program receives year-round attention. Rhule said fans should remember Nebraska has had a strong reputation across college athletics.

He noted the athletic department is self-supporting financially and has been a trailblazer in academic support, strength training and nutrition and more recently in the name, image and likeness space.

“We have to be unabashed in our desire to be the best,” Rhule said. “We cannot worry about optics. We cannot worry about what people say. The way you win in college athletics today is you invest. I can’t think of a state that knows that better than this amazing state — whether it’s all the amazing financial institutions, the people in Omaha, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. All the agriculture across our state — you won’t get a harvest unless you sow seed and water it.

“Whether it’s salaries, facilities, upgrades, whatever it is. … We need to return to the days when everybody across the country is coming to the University of Nebraska to see how things are being done.”

By |2024-03-18T19:12:25-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

LeMahieu (foot) to miss time, Judge back on Wed.

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New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu will miss some time during spring training because of a “pretty significant bone bruise” in his right foot, manager Aaron Boone said Monday, while superstar slugger Aaron Judge is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday.

LeMahieu hit a foul ball off the top of his foot on Saturday, and an X-ray and CT scan came back negative for a fracture, Boone said.

“He’s still pretty sore, but moving around a lot better,” Boone said on the YES Network telecast. “I definitely think it’s going to cost him some days here.”

LeMahieu, 35, has a history of foot issues and won’t be rushed back in the 10 days before Opening Day.

Judge hasn’t taken batting practice on the infield or played since March 10 due to abdominal discomfort, mostly on the follow-through of his swings. An MRI exam on March 11 was clean, and he’s been participating in defensive workouts, cage work and lifting weight while undergoing treatment. He faced high-velocity pitching machines on Monday at the Yankees’ camp in Tampa, Fla.

“All I’ll say is we’re feeling pretty good,” Judge said Monday. “The MRIs came back clean. I think a lot of it was precautionary; no need to risk stuff in spring training. … The main goal is to be game ready for Opening Day, so we’re just going to work toward that.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.

By |2024-03-18T19:12:08-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

Adams eyes 45-60 minutes in return to USMNT

United States captain Tyler Adams thinks he can play at least 45 minutes when he returns to the national team for the first time since the 2022 World Cup for a Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Jamaica on Thursday.

Adams tore his right hamstring in training with Leeds United last March and was limited to one match and 21 minutes over the next year. He returned Sept. 27 and reinjured the leg in his Bournemouth debut, requiring a second operation. Adams made it back on the field last week, playing 20 minutes against Luton Town.

The rehab process was a long and enduring one, Adams said Monday during a Zoom news conference from training camp in Arlington, Texas.

“You learn a lot about yourself in those tough moments because in those moments there’s no headlines about you. There’s no people talking about you anymore,” Adams said. “All of a sudden, you like fall off a cliff and you’re kind of irrelevant in that moment.

“But for me I kind of enjoyed that, if I’m being completely honest with you, after such a whirlwind of a season, after the World Cup, after everything, my world kind of flipped upside down for a brief moment. And being injured I just had a moment to regroup.”

A 25-year-old midfielder from Wappinger, New York, Adams played every minute of the Americans’ four World Cup matches and impressed with his respectful and unflappable demeanor when asked political questions at a news conference ahead of the game against Iran.

“Tyler is obviously a huge part of this team, a huge part of our culture,” goalkeeper Matt Turner said.

Adams made his U.S. debut in 2017 and has 36 international appearances, providing steadiness in a defensive midfield role and forming the core of this generation of American players with Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

He had just played for Leeds on March 11 last year when he ruptured his hamstring while making a backheel pass in training ahead of a March 18 match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“Doesn’t really happen that you end up rupturing your hamstring in that way,” Adams said. “Then I had surgery maybe a week later. Injured it eight weeks in, again passing the ball, which doesn’t happen frequently. Waited 12 weeks again. Did it again passing the ball, then had another operation and then now here we are.”

Leeds was relegated to the second-tier Championship in Adams’ absence and he transferred to Bournemouth in August.

Adams missed 10 national team matches with the full player pool, but the U.S. will now be close to full strength for the match at AT&T Stadium. The winner advances to the championship on Sunday against Mexico or Panama.

“It’s not obviously come flying out of the gates, but, yeah, I know I can contribute 45-to-60 minutes,” he said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

By |2024-03-18T19:11:50-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

Sources: Saints to sign DE Young to $13M deal

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Defensive end Chase Young plans to sign a one-year, fully guaranteed $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler on Monday.

Young, who was traded from the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers this past season, visited with the Saints on Monday and likes the setup of the team’s defense, sources told ESPN.

The 49ers acquired Young at the trade deadline, sending a compensatory third-round pick to Washington to bolster their talent at edge rusher.

Upon arrival in San Francisco, Young became a prominent part of the Niners’ rush packages, working in behind Clelin Ferrell in obvious passing situations. He had 2.5 sacks and 10 tackles with 16 pressures in nine regular-season games with the 49ers. He also had a sack in the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the season, Young, 24, tied a career-high with 7.5 sacks, adding 25 tackles and 41 pressures between Washington and San Francisco.

The Commanders used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft on Young. He dealt with a torn right ACL in 2021 that cost him most of the 2022 season, as he appeared in just 12 games over two seasons.

The Saints have been in the pass-rusher market since the fall, although they did not make any moves at the trade deadline last year. They finished the 2023 season ranked 28th with 34 sacks, their lowest total since 2016.

The Saints have invested high draft picks in pass-rushers, selecting Payton Turner in the first round of the 2021 draft and Isaiah Foskey in the second round of the 2023 draft, but neither player had a sack last year. Foskey was a healthy scratch for most of the season and Turner played in only two games because of injury.

The Saints signed 27-year-old Carl Granderson and 34-year-old Cameron Jordan to extensions last fall. Jordan, a 2011 first-round pick, was the last Saints pass-rusher to have double-digit sacks when he finished with 12.5 sacks during the 2021 season. He played in every game last season but dealt with several injuries, finishing with 2.5 sacks.

ESPN’s Nick Wagoner and Katherine Terrell contributed to this report.

By |2024-03-18T19:11:25-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

SI to continue operations under new publisher

Sports Illustrated will continue operations after the company that owns the brand agreed with a new publisher for its print and digital products.

Minute Media took over on Monday after reaching a licensing agreement with Authentic Brands Group. On Jan. 19, Authentic announced that it was revoking The Arena Group’s publishing license after Arena failed to make a quarterly payment.

Authentic had been in negotiations with Arena, Minute Media and other publishing entities over the past two months.

Authentic will acquire an equity stake in Minute Media, which also publishes the online sites The Players’ Tribune, FanSided and 90min. Other terms, including the length of the deal, were not announced.

“Sports Illustrated is the gold standard for sports journalism and has been for nearly 70 years across both print and digital media. The weight and power of that distinction cannot be understated. At Minute Media, our focus will be to take that legacy into new, emerging channels, enhancing visibility, commercial viability, and sustainable impact, all while ensuring that the SI team is inspired to flourish in this new era of media,” Minute Media founder and CEO Asaf Peled said in a statement.

What this means for the writers and others who produce Sports Illustrated remains to be seen. Minute Media will begin meeting with SI employees over the next couple of weeks as it determines how much of the staff it will retain, according to a person with knowledge of the transition. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about them.

SI co-Editor in Chief Stephen Cannella told employees in a memo to continue operating as if it were business as usual for now.

“We have said from the start that our top priorities are to keep Sports Illustrated alive, uphold the legacy of the institution and protect our union jobs. We look forward to discussing a future with Minute Media that does that,” said Emma Baccellieri, an SI staff writer and vice chair of the employee union that the NewsGuild represents.

The Arena Group acquired publishing rights from Authentic in 2019 for at least 10 years, but it had many hurdles. In December, it fired chief executive officer Ross Levinsohn when the magazine’s alleged use of AI-generated stories drew public backlash.

Sports Illustrated has had a rough six years. It was acquired by Meredith Publishing in 2018 as part of the purchase of Time Inc., which started the magazine in 1954.

Less than a year later, Meredith sold the magazine’s intellectual property to Authentic for $110 million. Authentic owns the intellectual property of many brands and stars, including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Reebok.

Once a weekly publication, Sports Illustrated was reduced to biweekly publishing in 2018 and became a monthly in 2020.

“In Minute Media, we have found a partner that will honor SI’s lauded legacy and exceed fan expectations for the future. As Minute Media shepherds the SI brand across a rapidly evolving media landscape, our priority at Authentic is — and has always been — to protect its journalistic integrity and longevity,” Daniel W. Dienst, Authentic’s executive vice chairman, tactical ops, said in a statement. “Minute Media has successfully proven that they are leading the way in a new era of sports storytelling, and we are excited and optimistic about this partnership and the future of Sports Illustrated as the preeminent lens into sport.”

By |2024-03-18T15:11:20-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

Dodgers' Ohtani to start throwing, may play field

SEOUL, South Korea — Shohei Ohtani may be more than just a designated hitter this season after all.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Ohtani — ruled out this year as a pitcher after his second surgery on his right elbow — will soon start a throwing program that might allow him to play in the field this season.

“Shohei this year is primarily going to be the designated hitter,” Roberts said. “Once we get back to the States, he is going to start his throwing program, which he hasn’t started yet. We’ll see how that progression goes. If his arm is healthy enough, we’ll have that conversation in the field. I do know he’s not going to pitch this year.”

It’s the first sign that Ohtani may do more than just DH after signing a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers. Of course, when he might play in the field is unclear, as is whether it happens at all.

Ohtani and the Dodgers open the MLB season Wednesday in Seoul in a two-game series against the San Diego Padres, the first MLB games in South Korea. Ohtani has been the focus of everything, including bringing his wife with him after announcing last month he had married.

Ohtani’s Japanese friend Yu Darvish will start for the Padres on Wednesday, facing Ohtani for the first time in a regulation game.

Darvish was a star for Japan’s Nippon-Ham Fighters until he left for the majors after his 2011 season. The new star who stepped in for Hokkaido — in 2013 — was none other than Ohtani.

The two have been friends and were teammates last year when Japan defeated the United States in the final of the World Baseball Classic.

But they’ve never faced each other. That ends Wednesday.

“Darvish is somebody I’ve always looked up to,” Ohtani said this week. “He’s someone I really respect as a pitcher.

“I had a chance to work out with him this past offseason,” Ohtani added. “He is a good friend of mine. I haven’t faced him up to this point, so I’m very excited to be able to face him finally.”

Darvish, who is 103-85 in his MLB career, has been overshadowed by Ohtani, but this offers him a chance to take center stage.

Ohtani’s record as a pitcher in MLB is 38-19.

“Of course, we have trained together in the past, but this time I will be facing him as an opponent,” Darvish said. “So I will analyze him thoroughly, and I want to face him as a batter without adding too much personal feeling.”

By |2024-03-18T13:41:31-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

Let the fun begin: Make your picks for the women's tournament

By |2024-03-18T00:26:13-04:00March 18th, 2024|News|

The Madness is here: Fill out your bracket

By |2024-03-17T19:11:15-04:00March 17th, 2024|News|

UConn, Houston, Purdue, UNC secure No. 1 seeds

Defending national champion UConn, a day removed from winning the Big East Tournament and improving to 31-3, was selected as the No. 1 overall seed Sunday during the NCAA Tournament selection show.

The Huskies, who have won seven in a row and finished 7-2 this season against teams in the Associated Press Top 25, are joined on the 1 line by Houston, Purdue and North Carolina, three teams that have been consistently in the Top 10 this season but lost in their respective conference tournaments last week.

UConn will open its title defense at Barclays Center in Brooklyn against Stetson on Friday. Should the Huskies advance, they will play either Florida Atlantic or Northwestern.

For the Cougars and Boilermakers, Sunday’s selections mark the second time in as many years they landed at No. 1. They were joined last season by Alabama and Kansas, who both heard their names called this season, but not on the top line.

Dan Hurley’s team has been the most dominant team for much of the season, and the Huskies kept that rolling last week at Madison Square Garden. Purdue had the best collection of wins and Houston was No. 1 in most metrics, but their upsets in the Big Ten and Big 12 tournaments, respectively, loomed large in the committee room on Sunday.

By |2024-03-17T18:41:13-04:00March 17th, 2024|News|

Yale earns Ivy title, NCAA spot on buzzer-beater

NEW YORK — Matt Knowling hit a jumper at the buzzer and Yale closed the game on an 8-1 run to beat Brown 62-61 in the championship game of the Ivy League tournament Sunday, sending the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament for the seventh time.

Kino Lilly Jr. sank two free throws to give the fourth-seeded Bears (13-18) a 60-54 lead with 27 seconds remaining. Bez Mbeng answered with a three-point play for No. 2 seed Yale (22-9) to make it a one-possession game. Nana Owusu-Anane hit the second of two free throws for Brown, but John Poulakidas buried a 3-pointer and the Bulldogs trailed 61-60 with 14 seconds left.

Poulakidas fouled Malachi Ndur, who missed two free throws to set the stage for Knowling.

It was a tough finish for the Bears, who beat Yale 84-81 in the final game of the regular season. Brown won six in a row to end the season and grab the conference tourney’s fourth and final berth.

The Bears beat top-seeded Princeton 90-80 in the semifinals in search of their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1986. Their only other trip to the Big Dance came in 1939.

Yale, which knocked off No. 3 seed Cornell 69-57 to reach the final, last appeared in the NCAA tourney in 2022. The Bulldogs have won three of five championships since the Ivy began playing a four-team league tournament.

Knowling and August Mahoney scored seven points apiece to guide Yale to a 26-22 advantage at halftime. Lilly had seven at the break for Brown.

Yale stayed in front until back-to-back baskets by Ndur and Kalu Anya gave Brown a 46-44 lead with 8:22 left to play. The Bears never trailed from there until the final shot.

Poulakidas led the Bulldogs with 18 points, sinking 4 of 9 from 3-point range. Mahoney added 15 points and five rebounds. Knowling totaled 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. Danny Wolf had 13 rebounds to go with nine points.

Lilly made three 3-pointers and scored 21 to lead Brown. Anya had 12 points and seven rebounds. Ndur pitched in with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks off the bench.

By |2024-03-17T16:41:21-04:00March 17th, 2024|News|
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