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Britney Spears’s ex-husband Jason Alexander among pro-Trump protesters in D.C.
Jason Allen Alexander, who was infamously married to Britney Spears for 55 hours, was among Trump supporters protesting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Jason Allen Alexander, who was infamously married to Britney Spears for 55 hours, was among Trump supporters protesting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
The Maple Leafs avoided a brilliant career ended on a paper transaction Monday with Jason Spezza clearing waivers.
Stephen Jackson pledged to take care of Floyd's daughter and has help from others.
Some significant good came out of Lamar Jackson's otherwise disappointing trip to Buffalo on Saturday.
On MLK Day, Bill Russell urged his followers to call on Congress to hold Donald Trump accountable after the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The NFC Championship Game features two Hall of Fame quarterbacks at different stages of their career in Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
The Padres are reportedly adding yet another new face to their starting rotation, dealing for Joe Musgrove.
Patrick Mahomes will have to clear the five steps of the NFL's return-to-play protocol before he can resume normal football activities.
There will be no workouts in Indianapolis, a key part of the NFL's offseason.
We're 12 games into the season and the Toronto Raptors are still searching for an eight-man rotation that works.
Deshaun Watson doesn't want fans marching during a pandemic.
Some big names have gotten off to sluggish starts in fantasy hockey. Here's how we feel about all 31 starting goalies based on what we've seen so far.
How is it possible that a fourth-year franchise like the Vegas Golden Knights are cap-strapped to the point that they can't field a normal lineup? Justin Cuthbert and Julian McKenzie discuss.
CHICAGO — Liam Hendriks has a full no-trade provision through October in his $54 million, three-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. For the year after that, through October 2022, the closer can submit a list of 10 teams he can't be traded to without his consent. From November 2022 through the end of the contract, he can submit a list of five teams he can’t be traded to without his consent. Hendriks gets a $1 million signing bonus, payable this July 1, and salaries of $11 million this year, $13 million in 2022 and $14 million in 2023. The White Sox have an unusual $15 million option for 2024 with a $15 million buyout, and if the option is not exercised, the buyout would be due in 10 payments of $1.5 million each July 1 2024-33. If Hendriks is traded, the option year would become guaranteed. Chicago announced his agreement Friday. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — On their wild ride of an unforgettable, almost unimaginable 2020 season when Zoom calls, masks and contact tracing were daily fixtures, the Browns discovered two things that point to a bright future for an awakened franchise. They've got the right coach and the right quarterback. After years of being beaten and beaten down, the Browns have climbed back. While Sunday's 22-17 loss in the divisional round to the Kansas City Chiefs — and Rashard Higgins' costly fumble on a controversial play at the goal line — felt like so many other painful playoff moments and losses for the Browns and their fans, this one is different. Not an ending but a beginning. “We'll be back,” quarterback Baker Mayfield claimed after the Browns, who won 11 games in the regular season and their first playoff game in 26 years, pushed the defending Super Bowl champions to the limit. “We aren't done yet, and that is the best part.” Mayfield's maturity in his third NFL season, and first working with rookie coach Kevin Stefanski, gives the Browns reason to believe they have entered a period when they should contend for years. Mayfield improved as much as any player in the league, ending any discussion about whether the Browns should commit to him long term. “He’s continued to grow as a player and as a person and as a leader,” Browns centre JC Tretter said Monday. “That's what you need, and Baker’s growth is not yet done. He’s not a finished product and he’d be the first one to tell you that.” The Browns are expected to exercise Mayfield's fifth-year contract option this off-season, and the team will explore an extension over the next few months with the 25-year-old quarterback who finished with 30 touchdown passes, nine interceptions and 4,030 yards in 18 games. Stefanski's role in Mayfield's development while guiding the Browns (12-6) through a season shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, can't be overstated. One of his first objectives after coming to Cleveland was to connect with Mayfield, knowing the QB/coach dynamic is essential to success. Stefanski bonded with Mayfield right away and they grew tighter as the year progressed. Stefanski brought out the best in his young QB, who threw 20 TD passes and only three picks in his last 12 games. “Once he started getting comfortable with what we were doing and once I was using more concepts that he was comfortable with, he really started playing at a high level,” said Stefanski, among the leading candidates for Coach of the Year honours. “I am proud of the progress he made." Stefanski, perhaps knowing negotiations will be upcoming, stopped short of calling Mayfield a franchise QB. “He did the things we asked him to do,” he said. “He definitely led this football team from Day 1. We have a bunch of ball games to look at with him and find out ways that he can get better, but in terms of the ‘franchise quarterback’ thing, I do not even know necessarily what that means.” It means everything for a team that went through 29 starting QBs before Mayfield arrived. Before landing Stefanski, the Browns cycled through six coaches in the past decade. But the unflappable 38-year-old Stefanski seems perfectly suited for a team with young core stars — Mayfield; defensive end Myles Garrett; running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt; left tackle Jedrick Wills; and cornerback Denzel Ward are all 25 or younger — who appear primed to make a long run together. In Cleveland, there's hope, not hopelessness. DEFENSIVE HOLES The Browns' defence needs an overhaul. Co-ordinator Joe Woods spent the season plugging holes after injuries to rookie safety Grant Delpit (torn Achilles tendon) and cornerback Greedy Williams (shoulder) in training camp, and run stuffer Andrew Billings' decision to opt out due to COVID-19, costing Cleveland three projected starters. The linebacking corps needs an upgrade and end Olivier Vernon probably won't be re-signed as a free agent. Cleveland, which normally picks at the top of the draft, has the No. 26 selection to find help. BECKHAM'S FUTURE The Browns' emergence and playoff run happened without star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 25 in Cincinnati. While Beckham's talent isn't debatable, there's no denying Mayfield played his best when Beckham wasn't around. His $12.8 million salary for next season becomes guaranteed in March, so it may be tough for Cleveland to trade Beckham while he's rehabbing. For now, Stefanski made it sound like he wants OBJ in his offence in 2021. “I'm excited to get him back here," Stefanski said. "I know it was not easy for him being away from his teammates, especially as these games got bigger and into the playoffs. I know he definitely wanted to be a part of it.” OTHER BUSINESS Browns general manager Andrew Berry has some other decisions to make with several free agents, including defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, linebacker B,J. Goodson and Higgins. The 30-year-old Vernon tore an Achilles tendon in the Browns’ regular-season finale and probably won't return. Ogunjobi's been solid, but the Browns have depth in the middle with Billings, Sheldon Richardson and rookie Jordan Elliott. Goodson emerged as a leader in his first season with Cleveland. Then there's Higgins, a fan favourite and go-to target for Mayfield. He had five catches for 88 yards on Sunday, but his fumble while reaching for the goal line before halftime was a major turning point in a game the Browns could have won. ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Tom Withers, The Associated Press
The Commodores, after a 4-4 start, opted to end their season early on Monday.
TAMPA — Raptors coach Nick Nurse says he will watch with interest the fallout of last week's blockbuster four-team trade that sent James Harden from Houston to Brooklyn. He called it a "hell of a story." "I got to think that a lot of the teams, if not all of them, are pretty happy with what it ended up," Nurse told reporters prior to Toronto's game against Dallas in Tampa on Monday. "Even some of the minor parts of the deal — I think that (guard Caris) LeVert's a hell of a player for Indiana. I think he'll help them. (Centre Jarrett) Allen's a good player who will help Cleveland. I think Houston's happy with all of the assets they accumulated. And then obviously all the talk and focus is on Brooklyn and how high-powered they can be with all those guys. "So I guess we can all place our bets on what we think is going happen. But we've just got to watch it play out. From my standpoint, I hope it flops for all three teams in the East," he added with a laugh. "I don't really care what Houston does. But I hope it doesn't turn out for any of them." In exchange for Harden, Houston got three unprotected first-round picks from Brooklyn (2022, 2024 and 2026) and the right to swap first-round selections with the Nets in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Houston also got Milwaukee's 2022 first-round pick from Cleveland. The Rockets also acquired three players: Victor Oladipo from the Pacers, Dante Exum from the Cavaliers and Rodions Kurucs from the Nets. The Nets, meanwhile, sent Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland while LeVert ended up in Indiana. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021 The Canadian Press
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady’s quest for a seventh Super Bowl ring continues, thanks to a young defence that’s regained its swagger when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed it most. The Bucs (13-5) advanced to the NFC championship game for the first time in 18 years, with Brady outplaying Drew Brees with plenty of assistance from a rejuvenated defence that forced four turnovers in a 30-20 divisional playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints. Brady threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third, finishing scoring drives of 3, 40 and 20 yards set up by takeaways by a unit many felt would be a liability in the third meeting of the season between the NFC South rivals. “They played incredible,” said Brady, who is headed to his 14th conference title game — first in the NFC. “This team has been doing that all year at different times,” the 43-year-old quarterback added. “The defence has picked us up, some weeks the offence has been a little bit better. Special teams has been so consistent. The way the defence played (Sunday), they were spectacular.” New Orleans had won five straight over Tampa Bay, including a pair of lopsided wins this season. While the Bucs led the NFL in run defence for the second straight year, a young secondary featuring three starters in their first or second seasons seemed to regress during a stretch in which Tampa Bay dropped three of four games in November. Despite going 4-0 over the final month of the regular season and beating Washington in the NFC wild-card round, questions persisted about the pass defence heading to New Orleans, where Devin White, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Mike Edwards had interceptions and rookie Antoine Winfield Jr., forced a fumble that White scooped up to position Brady to throw a tying TD pass in the third quarter. “We’ve been fighting adversity all year ... battling the naysayers and those that say we can’t do things,” Murphy-Bunting said. “I know one thing,” White, a second-year linebacker who was the fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft, added. “We might be young, but we can get after it when we’ve got our minds set to it.” Brees was limited to 134 yards and one TD passing, while Saints star receiver Michael Thomas was held without a catch. NFL touchdown leader Alvin Kamara had 105 yards from scrimmage, but failed to get into the end zone. New Orleans scored early in the third quarter to take a 20-13 lead. Four possessions the rest of the way ended fumble, punt, interception and interception. Now, it’s on to Green Bay for a matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The Bucs will need another strong defensive performance. "It's hard to get to this point," Brady said. "There’s nothing guaranteed from this point forward, but we’ve got to go out there and we’re going to have to play our very best to beat one of the best teams in the league.” WHAT’S WORKING A huge part of advancing to the NFC championship game for the fourth time in franchise history was Brees turned the ball over and Brady didn’t after throwing five of his 12 interceptions against the Saints during the regular season. The Bucs have won six straight since their bye week in early December, and they've only turned the ball over twice during that stretch. WHAT NEEDS HELP Although Brady lauded the overall consistency of the special teams this season, New Orleans' Deonte Harris returned a punt 54 yards to set up an early field goal. Minutes later, Harris had a 67-yarder for an apparent touchdown nullified by penalty. STOCK UP When it looked as if New Orleans might have an opportunity to take control of the game, Winfield — son of former NFL cornerback Antoine Winfield, Jr. — forced the third-quarter fumble that shifted momentum to Tampa Bay’s favour for good. “I can’t say enough about him,” coach Bruce Arians said. “To me, he’s the defensive rookie of the year.” STOCK DOWN A rare week when mistakes didn’t mar an otherwise impressive performance. INJURED Receiver Antonio Brown suffered a knee injury against the Saints. He had a MRI on Monday. KEY NUMBER One, as in one more road victory needed to become the first team to appear in a Super Bowl in its home stadium. This year’s NFL title game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 7. NEXT STEPS A chilly date with the Packers in Green Bay, where the weather forecast is for temperatures in the mid-20s and snow. “You’ve just got to have some mental toughness, wear some warm clothes and be ready to go,” Brady said. “We’ll be prepared. The team that plays the best is going to win.” ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Fred Goodall, The Associated Press
Magny is a nightmare matchup for most UFC welterweights.
PORTLAND, Ore. — LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points, DeMar DeRozan had 20 points and 11 assists as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 125-104 on Monday. Rudy Gay and Patty Mills came off the bench for 21 points apiece as the Spurs reserves outscored Portland backups 59-24. Reserve centre Jakob Poeltl added 11 points and seven rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. Damian Lillard led Portland with 35 points. Carmelo Anthony's basket with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter gave the Trail Blazers an 80-78 lead. The Spurs took over from there, later using an 11-0 run for a 95-82 lead early in the fourth period. Rodney Hood's 3-pointer on the next Blazers possession after a timeout stopped that burst, but San Antonio kept pulling away. With his bench playing so well and extending the lead, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich elected stick with a bench-heavy unit to close out the victory. TIP-INS Spurs: The game was played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — the NBA celebrates the holiday with a big slate of games every year. Popovich, who is often outspoken about matters outside of the game, called the civil rights leader a "modern founding father” and the “conscience” of the country. Blazers: After leaving Saturday night’s game against Atlanta with a sprained foot, guard CJ McCollum will be out at least another week, coach Terry Stotts said. McCollum will be re-evaluated next week after MRIs showed the sprain. McCollum was averaging a career-high 26.7 points and five assists per game prior to the injury. Hood got the start in McCollum’s place, with Stotts citing his preference to bring Gary Trent Jr.’s scoring off the bench. Hood had a season-high 21 points in his first start since suffering a torn Achilles on Dec. 6, 2019. UP NEXT Blazers: The Memphis Grizzlies come to Portland on Wednesday for the first of a two-game set. Spurs: Visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Erik GarcíA Gundersen, The Associated Press
Coach Mike Boynton shocked Dee Mitchell in the middle of his Walmart shift on Saturday with the news.