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'Election' actress Jessica Campbell dead at 38
Jessica Campbell, best known for her role in the 1999 dark comedy "Election," has died.
Jessica Campbell, best known for her role in the 1999 dark comedy "Election," has died.
The Raptors looked clueless against Miami's shorthanded zone defense on Wednesday.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe summed it up quite nicely after the game: "We didn't do anything."
Signing George Springer will not just help the Blue Jays win more ballgames, it represents an entire paradigm shift for the franchise.
The NHL revealed the Capitals broke protocols with close-contact social interactions and by not wearing masks.
Kyrie Irving looked fine after a seven-game layoff, but the Nets struggled to defend as James Harden took a deferential role Brooklyn's loss to the Cavs.
We're tracking every notable free agent signing in the 2020-21 MLB offseason and giving you the details on the deal. Plus: What it means for your fantasy team.
The conference's two best teams in the Chiefs and Bills meet after travelling a collision course to the AFC Championship game.
Hill insisted on Wednesday that he wasn't being a "hothead" or a "diva."
Maybe this concept expands to other fans, even other sports. In a time of division, there is something special about acknowledging a rival by kicking in a few bucks for a good cause.
Islanders team broadcaster Brendan Burke says the key to the team's surprise success over the past few seasons starts with Barry Trotz, the human.
Zion Williamson got a big win Wednesday.
A.J. Brown appeared to be feeling the effects of anesthesia when he took to Instagram live.
Nurmagomedov spoke after Dana White implied the fighter was considering a return depending on what happens at UFC 257.
The NFL playoffs are down to the final four with the Bills and Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game and the Buccaneers and Packers clashing for the NFC crown.
The Winnipeg Football Club is banking on the COVID-19 pandemic improving enough this spring to allow the team to play in front of thousands of fans in fewer than five months. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are slated to open the 2021 Canadian Football League season at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on June 10. That is 140 days away. Football club president and CEO Wade Miller said he's confident Manitoba will allow outdoor gatherings to increase over that timeframe from the current maximum of five people to thousands of fans in the stands at Investors Group Field. "In November, before vaccinations, before drugs were approved, we were very hopeful that we would be able to have fans back. Now you're seeing vaccinations roll out and and there's still a lot of time," Miller said Wednesday in an interview. CFL slated to return after pandemic hiatus The COVID-19 pandemic forced the CFL, which relies more on ticket revenue than do other professional sports leagues, to cancel its 2020 season. This year's season was announced in November, which turned out to be the worst month of the pandemic in Manitoba. Code red restrictions imposed on the province in November are only slated to be relaxed now, more than two months later, starting with the tentative return of retail sales, hair salons and small household gatherings on Saturday. Miller said he is optimistic restrictions will recede more rapidly over the coming months, especially with vaccinations underway. The pace of immunizations has been slow in Manitoba, which plans to vaccinate 70 per cent of the adult population before the start of 2022. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, has repeatedly promised every Canadian who wants a shot will get one by the fall. "I'm going to listen to our prime minister that people could be vaccinated by September and everybody could get a shot that wants one," Miller said. "So I'm going to be very positive that we're going to be able to get back on the field with our fans in the stands, like our schedule is right now." Large gatherings likely last to resume The Bombers last played in Winnipeg during the regular season in 2019, weeks before their Grey Cup victory in Calgary. Public health officials, including Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, have repeatedly warned that gatherings the size of sporting events will likely be last aspect of pre-pandemic life to resume. The Winnipeg Jets, for example, are not expecting any fans in the stands at Bell MTS Place at any point during the 2021 season, which started last week. Spectator sports do not just pose a transmission risk. They complicate contact-tracing efforts. Football games, for example, draw fans from all over the province and sometimes beyond, University of Manitoba community health sciences professor Dan Chateau pointed out last year. "You don't want those people to go back to their communities and eventually spread COVID-19 again through each of their individual spheres of social contact," Chateau said in an interview in April, when the pandemic was one month old. Miller said it's too early to entertain the possibility public health authorities won't allow fans in the stands at Investors Group Field in June. "It's January. You know we still have a lot of months ahead of us," he said. "Right now, we have to focus on stomping down the virus." Pandemic-proofing planned for stadium Miller said the football club is planning to make Investors Group Field more safe from a public-health standpoint. The Bombers are also preparing for the prospect of public health allowing the stadium to open at a reduced capacity. "We're contingency planning all the time and looking at every scenario and how we physically distance in the stadium," Miller said, adding the club is looking at reducing touch points and finding ways to keep fans apart as they enter and exit Investors Group Field. Dr. Jillian Horton, a hospital-based Winnipeg internist who was among hundreds of doctors who advocated for tougher pandemic restrictions in the fall, said she can't envision stadium-sized gatherings in the near future. "I struggle to imagine a scenario where hundreds or thousands of people in the stands is either possible or desirable," Horton said in an interview. "I relate to the deep desire people have to see these normal landmarks and milestones come back into our lives," she added. "I don't know how much more disappointment we want to set ourselves up for here. "A much slower, smaller, incremental rise in expectations may be a better idea."
Fourth downs in the NFL used to be reserved for kicks, except in the most dire of circumstances. But with teams scoring at a record pace and becoming more analytics friendly each year, teams are going for it on fourth down these days in scenarios that would have been unfathomable just a decade ago. Whether it was Kansas City’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 in its own territory to seal a win last week against Cleveland, or Indianapolis’ failed fourth-and-goal try from the 4 late in the first half the previous week, those decisions have taken centre stage this post-season. “You can make a very good decision and have a bad result and you can make a bad decision and have a good result,” said Frank Frigo, the co-founder of EdjSports, a data company that has created its own customizable model for decision making in the NFL. “That’s OK. That’s life. But you have to operate on the best available information. In the long haul, you will do much better making sound analytically based choices.” The data behind those decisions is more readily available than ever to fans with places like EdjSports and ESPN tweeting out the numbers that show which decisions are best and worst during games each week. Here’s a deeper look into the in-game decisions coaches make and what the numbers say about them. HOW FIGURE OUT There are several models for decision making and they typically agree on most calls, although there are slight differences. EdjSports models the win probability for teams based on the decisions they make based on historical play-by-play data and adjusts it for variables like the strength and weaknesses of both teams from Football Outsiders, injuries and other factors. Calls that increase win probability are good and those that decrease it are bad. WHY IS IT BENEFICIAL TO GO FOR IT The models are more aggressive than almost any coach, advocating going for it on almost fourth-and-1 no matter the field position, favouring more fourth-down tries over field goals in the red zone and even advocating for “riskier” calls like saying the Browns should have gone for it last week on fourth-and-9 from their 32 with more than four minutes left when trailing Kansas City by five. That decision cost Cleveland 5 percentage points in EdjSports’ win probability. The Browns punted and never got the ball back. “You’re voluntarily turning the ball over,” Frigo said. “You’re essentially trading it for field position. The model is very good at determining what the field position is worth compared to giving the ball up.” WHAT WAS THE BEST DECISION OF Post-season The best fourth-down call, according to EdjSports, came from Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 29 with Cleveland trailing by five with about six minutes remaining. The call increased Cleveland’s win probability by 7.3 percentage points. Baker Mayfield converted it with a sneak, but Stefanski squandered it when he punted on fourth-and-9 on the next series of downs. Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s call to go for it on fourth-and-1 on the next possession to seal the win was the second-best call of the post-season, increasing Kansas City’s win probability by 6.5 percentage points. WHAT WAS THE WORST DECISION OF Post-season There’s little surprise on this one. The analytics didn’t like Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel’s call to punt on fourth-and-2 from the Baltimore 40 in the wild-card round when trailing 17-13 with about 10 minutes left. That decision cost the Titans 13.7 percentage points in win probability. The Ravens took the punt and drove for a field goal, and Ryan Tannehill threw an interception on the next possession to seal the game. WHEN SHOULD YOU GO FOR 2 While fourth-down decisions have more impact, the decision on whether to go for a 2-point conversion after a touchdown can be difficult. Some choices are easy, like when a team scores a TD late in regulation and needs a 2-point conversion to tie the game or increase a lead from one to three points for example. Others are more complicated with one that causes controversy being what to do when a team trailing by 14 points scores a TD. Conventional wisdom has always been to kick the extra point to make it a seven-point game. But the analytics point to going for 2, which some teams now do in that situation, because making it gives a chance to win in regulation with a kick and missing leaves open the option to tie with a 2-point conversion. The difference is only a percentage point or two in win probability, according to Frigo. “The 2-point conversion decisions are interesting and certainly matter,” Frigo said. “But the more complicated ones tend to not have a huge amount of equity in the balance.” HOW DO THE FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP GAME COACHES FARE Three of the four coaches this weekend rank in the top 10 in EdjSports’ Critical Call Index, which grades the decision making during the season. Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur is third, followed by Reid (sixth), Buffalo’s Sean McDermott (eighth) and Tampa Bay’s Bruce Arians (30th). ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Josh Dubow, The Associated Press
Going all-in on star power was an easy decision, assuming Irving stays onboard and unexpected absences won’t become the norm. But staying pat could have the Nets on the outside looking in, although smart money says Marks will be scraping the lint in Brooklyn’s pockets to cover the glaring holes.
ST. LOUIS — Tomas Hertl scored the only goal in a four-round shootout to give the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. Marcus Sorensen scored the tying goal late in the second period and Martin Jones made 22 saves for the Sharks, who snapped a six-game losing streak to St. Louis that started in the 2019 playoffs. Jones denied all four Blues shooters in the tiebreaker. Brayden Schenn scored in his second consecutive game and Jordan Binnington made 37 saves for the Blues. San Jose appeared to get the game-winner with 11 seconds left in overtime, but the officials quickly waved it off for goaltender interference on Ryan Donato. After a replay review, the call was upheld. John Leonard almost gave the Sharks the lead, ringing a drive off the post early in the second period. Instead, Schenn put the Blues on top at 4:27 of the second off Jordan Kyrou's feed. It was the first time in four games that St. Louis scored first. Vince Dunn came close to building on St. Louis’ lead, but he hit the post late in the second. The Sharks took advantage, tying the game with 2:03 left in the second as Sorensen made a diving poke off Matt Nieto's shot to even the game 1-all. SPECIAL TEAMS The teams combined to go 0 for 12 on the power play. St. Louis is scoreless on its first 14 chances with the man advantage this season, while San Jose entered the game second in the NHL, scoring on 45% of its power-play opportunities. SEASON DEBUTS Sharks forward Dylan Gambrell was in the lineup for the first time this season. He centred the third line between Leonard and Stefan Noesen. Blues defenceman Niko Mikkola saw his first action of the season, filling in for Marco Scandella. Mikkola was paired with Carl Gunnarsson, who made his season debut on Monday for Robert Bortuzzo, who was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. WELCOME BACK Blues forward Sammy Blais was back in the starting lineup after serving a two-game suspension for a hit on Colorado’s Devon Toews in the season opener. Blais took Kyle Clifford’s spot on the fourth line with Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist. WHAT’S NEXT Sharks: Continue their season-opening, eight-game road trip by starting a two-game set at Minnesota on Friday night. Blues: Continue their four-game homestand by hosting the Los Angeles Kings in the first of a two-game set Saturday night. ___ More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL Joe Harris, The Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and an assist, including the game-winning score early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild capped a successful season-opening road trip with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night. Eriksson Ek ripped a quick wrist shot past Ryan Miller's glove side off a pass from Jordan Greenway 1:53 into the third for his second goal of the season. Ryan Hartman and Nick Bonino also scored for Minnesota, which has won three of its first four games. Kaapo Kahkonen made 22 saves. Nicolas Deslauriers and Cam Fowler scored for Anaheim, and Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots. Hartman opened the scoring at 13:51 of the first period with the first short-handed goal of his eight-year NHL career. The defenceman scored on a breakaway after forcing a turnover in the neutral zone. Bonino extended the Wild's lead to two goals at 5:50 of the second when he won the faceoff during a power play and buried a wrist shot past Miller. It is Bonino's first goal with Minnesota after being acquired in an off-season trade with Nashville. Deslauriers and Fowler scored less than four minutes apart in the second to tie it at 2-all. Deslauriers took advantage of a rebound near the Minnesota net for his second goal of the season at 8:58. Fowler then knotted it with a snap shot from the right circle at 12:21, after being set up with a cross-ice pass from Carter Rowney. ICE CHIPS Wild: D Ian Cole made his Minnesota debut after being acquired in a trade on Tuesday and saw 17:31 of ice time. ... Kirill Kaprizov recorded the second assist on Eriksson Ek's goal. He leads rookies in assists (four) and points (five) Ducks: Rowney had two assists and has three points (all assists) in the past two games. WHAT'S NEXT Wild: Have their home opener against the San Jose Sharks on Friday. Ducks: Host the Colorado Avalanche for two games starting Friday. ___ More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Deandre Ayton had season highs with 26 points and 17 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets 109-103 on Wednesday night to end a two-game skid. The Suns won for the first time since Jan. 9. Between the two losses, they had three games postponed because of health and safety protocols after playing at Washington. The Suns led by 20 points in the third quarter, but the Rockets used a couple of runs to get back in it. A jump shot by Devin Booker, who had 24 points, pushed the lead to eight with less than three minutes to go. But Houston scored the next six points, with four from Victor Oladipo, to cut it to 103-101 with 90 seconds left. Ayton made two free throws and Booker added two more to push the lead to 106-101 with 45 seconds to go. Oladipo made a pair of free throws for Houston, but a layup by Booker sealed the victory. Oladipo and Eric Gordon had 22 points apiece for the Rockets. They have lost three of four since James Harden was traded to Brooklyn. Chris Paul had 13 points for the Suns to give him 19,004 in his career, making him the 60th player in NBA history to reach 19,000. Mason Jones made a layup for Houston to start the fourth quarter and cut the lead to five before Ayton took over, scoring eight points during a 10-0 run to make it 99-84 with seven minutes to go. Ayton had two dunks and two blocks in that stretch. A dunk by Christian Wood soon after that ended a scoring drought of more than five minutes and was the start of a 9-0 run that got Houston within 101-95 with about three minutes left. A 3-pointer by Gordon cut the lead to 11 early in the third quarter before the Suns scored the next nine points to make it 74-54 with eight minutes left in the quarter. Gordon ended the run by Phoenix after that with another 3-pointer which was the start of an 8-0 run by Houston that cut the deficit to 74-62. The Suns were up by 14 later in the third after a tip-in shot by Ayton. The Rockets then used a 10-1 spurt to get within 82-77 with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. Phoenix went on a 7-2 run to extend its lead to 10 but a 3-point play by David Nwaba cut it to 89-82 entering the fourth. TIP-INS Suns: Damian Jones and Dario Saric both sat out for a second straight game and Jalen Smith missed his fifth in a row because of health and safety protocols. ... Jae Crowder had 11 points off the bench. Rockets: John Wall missed his fourth straight game with a sore left knee and Danuel House (back spasms and self-isolation) sat out for the ninth game in a row. Coach Stephen Silas said he doesn’t expect either player to return until at least next week. ... Wood had 20 points and 11 rebounds. UP NEXT Suns: Host consecutive games against Denver beginning on Friday night as part of a four-game homestand. Rockets: Begin a two-game trip on Friday at Detroit. Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press