A critical moment prompted a high school basketball player in Oklahoma to put aside competition. When Randy Vitales, 16, went into cardiac arrest in the opening minutes of a basketball game Jan. 9, Magnus Miller rushed to his aid.
According to Oklahoma City news station KOCO-5, Dover High School was competing against Life Christian Academy in Orlando, Oklahoma, when Vitales collapsed about three minutes into the game. Dover coaches determined Vitales did not have a pulse, according to King Fisher Press.
Miller reportedly had undergone lifeguard training and used an automated external defibrillator to help Vitales. The high school student also took the lead in performing CPR.
The Guthrie Fire Department credited Miller for his actions, telling KOCO-5 the student-athlete "without a shadow of a doubt" saved his opponent's life.
Miller said there was no hesitation once he became aware of the situation.
"I didn’t have any second thoughts about it," the 18-year-old told the news outlet. "I just jumped in and took control."
Miller admitted that being described as a lifesaver was somewhat unsettling.
"It’s weird hearing someone say you saved their life," Miller said. "But it wasn’t really me. It was God just being there for me and him. Obviously, I didn’t go there to play basketball that day."
Dover Public Schools previously confirmed Vitales was transported to an Oklahoma City hospital and eventually placed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Once Vitales was admitted, doctors said an abnormal heartbeat caused the cardiac arrest.
"Randy is undergoing several tests and will be moved to ICU," a statement released Jan. 9 said. "Doctors did say that the quick response by our coaches and the training they received is probably what saved his life. Counselors and some area pastors were at the school when our teams returned to talk and pray with our students."
The Oklahoman reported Vitales was breathing without the assistance of a ventilator as of Jan. 11.
The coveted one-of-a-kind autographed MLB debut patch card of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is no longer on the market.
An 11-year-old collector from Southern California decided to pull the card, which was featured in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set.
The card of Skenes, who was named the 2024 National Leage Rookie of the Year, drew significant interest when the trading card and collectible manufacturer unveiled it in November.
Shortly after the card became public knowledge, the Pirates became vocal about getting it.
While any Skenes autographed card carries some value, the MLB debut patch edition is a one-of-a-kind collectible, making it highly sought.
The Pirates offered a lengthy package of perks in exchange for the card. A pair of premium Pirates season tickets for a three-year period, a meet and greet with Skenes and autographed jerseys were among offerings from the team.
Despite the latest turn of events, the Pirates confirmed the team remains ready to honor the offer.
"An 11-year-old collector just pulled the Paul Skenes 1/1 Debut Patch card! Our offer still stands... you know where to find us," the Pirates posted on X Tuesday.
LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who is dating Skenes, added another incentive to whomever locates the card.
"Let's raise the stakes…the person who finds this card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite," Dunne wrote in a post to her Instagram story.
Skenes, 22, delivered a season to remember in 2024, finishing 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
Before winning NL Rookie of the Year, Skenes was named to the MLB All-Star team. Skenes was the top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and made his big league debut in May.
Rookies have worn MLB debut patches on their jerseys since 2023. Topps acquired the patches and created the unique cards.
In November, Sports Collectors Digest projected the card could command a six-figure price tag.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heard the complaints about the officiating in Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans.
Referees were the subject of harsh criticism over two penalties assessed to Houston for hits on Mahomes. Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third down in the first quarter.
Anderson appeared to push Mahomes in the chest after he had thrown an incomplete pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Anderson was flagged.
The second penalty came during a Mahomes scramble in the third quarter. He had two blockers on a run and three defenders bearing down on him. He moved to his right and then back to his left when he decided to slide.
After the game, Houston players and even head coach DeMeco Ryans suggested the referees favored the Chiefs with calls.
Mahomes addressed the fan backlash during an interview on 96.5 The Fan Tuesday.
"I‘ve kind of learned that no matter what happens during the game that something’s going to come out about it if you win and you continue to win. So, I don’t really pay attention to it," Mahomes said.
"I mean, obviously, I’ve been on both sides of it as far as how I felt the calls were made, but, at the end of the day, man, those guys are doing their best to make the best calls and keep it to where the players are making the plays in the game.
"And that’s what decides the outcome. And obviously there was a call here or there that people didn’t agree with, but, at the same time, I think there was a lot of other plays that really decided the outcome of that football game."
Head referee Clay Martin explained the calls to a pool reporter after the game, saying the call on Anderson was a result of "forcible contact to the face mask area," which warranted a flag. He said there was forcible contact to Mahomes’ "hairline" on the other unnecessary roughness call.
But many fans also directed criticism at Mahomes after he fell to the ground after being lightly hit by Texans defenders in the fourth quarter. Many fans accused the star quarterback of "flopping" intentionally in an effort to draw another penalty, and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman even criticized Mahomes for the fall during the game.
"He’s trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down. And that’s been the frustration, and I get it. I understand it. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league," Aikman said.
During Mahomes' interview Tuesday, he said he "probably shouldn't have done that."
"I would say that the only one I felt like I probably did too much was the one on the sideline where I didn’t get a flag, and the ref saw it and didn’t throw a flag. And I understood it immediately and know that I probably shouldn’t have done that," Mahomes said.
"But, at the same time, the one that everybody’s talking about where I fell down, it’s like I was just trying to get out of the way of getting smoked by the defensive lineman running in.
"So, I’ll try to keep doing that and not take those hits because that’s the smart way to stay in the football game."
It was all but guaranteed that Ichiro Suzuki would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday night. The only question was whether his election would be unanimous.
San Francisco Chronicle writer Susan Slusser called the near miss "upsetting."
Fellow Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. came up three votes shy in 2016.
The good news for Ichiro, though, is that he will be forever enshrined in Cooperstown this summer and is the first Japanese-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Ichiro joined the majors in 2001 as a highly touted Japanese prospect, hitting .353 during his nine seasons in his home country, where he won three MVPs and was a seven-time All-Star. Joining the Mariners at age 28, he immediately lived up to the hype, winning the AL MVP and helping that year’s Mariners team to a record 116 wins.
From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro was named an All-Star in each season while also winning a Gold Glove Award every year. In that span, he won three Silver Slugger Awards and two batting titles while putting up a .331 average and .806 OPS. In 2004, he set the all-time single-season record with 262 hits, and he’s the only player in MLB history to register 10 straight 200-plus hit seasons. He also stole over 500 bases and is one of just seven players to record 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.
After just his 11th MLB game, his career average never again dipped below .300. He retired with a .311 average, 3,089 hits, and a 60.0 WAR. In the live ball era (since 1920), he is one of just 21 players with at least 10 seasons of hitting .300 (among qualified hitters) and only one of seven to do it 10 straight years. Ichiro spent the majority of his career with the Mariners, making stops with the Yankees and Marlins.
Joining Ichiro in this year's class are pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews received the lion's share of the blame after the Baltimore Ravens' playoff run came to an abrupt and excruciating end. Andrews failed to secure a short pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on a two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter.
A completed catch would have tied the hard fought divisional round game at 27. The Ravens were instead forced to attempt an onside kick, which was recovered by the Buffalo Bills. A handoff and a couple of kneel downs by quarterback Josh Allen punched the Bills ticket to the AFC Championship game.
Rather than pointing the finger solely at Andrews, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chris Simms suggested Jackson needed to shoulder a significant portion of the blame.
"A lot of people are going to be on Mark Andrews for the dropped two-point conversion," Simms said this week during an appearance on "Up & Adams," as video of the failed two-point conversation played.
While Simms admitted Andrews needed "to catch" the ball, he also argued that Jackson's pass was "not accurate."
"Throw it, throw it! It’s too late, Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year, that ball needs to be on time, and it was not accurate. Mark Andrews needs to catch it, don’t get me wrong, but Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year and he double-clutched it and threw it like a dart."
Simms then lauded Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for making the "perfect play call," as he continued to highlight Jackson's throw during the play in question.
"This was the perfect play call. So we can’t get mad at Todd Monken," Simms said. "What I’m saying is that Mark Andrews in the meeting today with Baltimore is going to get a negative grade for the drop, but also, Lamar Jackson’s meeting with his quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator, he’s going to get a negative grade for this throw. It was late. He didn’t throw it with the same authority he usually throws it, and then he threw it behind him. He made it as hard as it possibly could be for a wide-open touchdown."
Jackson finished the 27-25 loss with a pair of touchdown passes against one interception. The Ravens also lost two fumbles, one of which was charged to Jackson. Andrews also fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Jackson pushed back against the idea that Andrews was responsible for the loss. "We’re a team," the two-time NFL MVP quarterback said. "It’s not his fault. We’re not gonna put that on Mark."
Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were all given the sport's highest honor Tuesday and are headed to Cooperstown.
Ichiro is the first Japanese-born player to receive Hall of Fame honors. He received 99.7% of the vote, one vote shy of becoming the second player unanimously elected. Players need at least 75% of the vote to be inducted.
Ichiro joined the majors in 2001 as a highly touted Japanese prospect, hitting .353 during his nine seasons playing in his home country, where he won three MVPs and was a seven-time All-Star. Joining the Seattle Mariners at age 28, he immediately lived up to the hype, winning the AL MVP and helping that year’s Mariners team to a record 116 wins.
From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro was named an All-Star in each season while also winning a Gold Glove Award every year. In that span, he earned three Silver Slugger Awards and won two batting titles while putting up a .331 average and .806 OPS. In 2004, he set the all-time single-season record with 262 hits, and he’s the only player in MLB history to register 10 straight 200-plus hit seasons. He also stole over 500 bases and is one of just seven to record 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.
After just his 11th MLB game, his career average never again dipped below .300. He retired with a .311 average, 3,089 hits, and a 60.0 WAR. In the live-ball era (since 1920), he is one of just 21 players with at least 10 seasons of hitting .300 (among qualified hitters), and only one of seven to do it in 10 straight years. Ichiro spent the majority of his career with the Mariners, making stops with the Yankees and Marlins.
Sabathia, like Ichiro, got the nod in his first year on the ballot. He is one of just 19 pitchers to record 3,000 strikeouts and dominated the 2000s. From 2007 to 2011, he finished in the top five of Cy Young Award voting each year, winning the award in 2007. One of those seasons, though, was the 2008 campaign when he finished in fifth in the NL vote despite being trading from Cleveland in the American League to the National League’s Brewers in July.
During his short stint with Milwaukee (17 starts), he threw seven complete games and pitched to a 1.65 ERA, with plenty of his work coming on three days rest as the Brewers made a postseason push.
The lefty won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009 in his first season on what was then the largest contract ever given to a pitcher. He struggled from 2013 to 2015, pitching to a 4.81 ERA as alcoholism had become a detriment to his career and life. After rehab, though, he reinvented himself as a finesse pitcher and recorded three more seasons of with an ERA below 4.00.
He retired after the 2019 season with a 3.74 career ERA, 3,093 strikeouts, 251 wins and six All-Star appearances. On the final pitch of his MLB career, he dislocated his shoulder, and he joked that he pitched until he no longer could.
Wagner got the nod in his final year of eligibility after coming up just five votes short last year. And while he admitted it's been a "nightmare" to wait, his numbers are deserving of the honor.
Since 1920, among relievers with 500-plus innings, his 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings are the fourth-most in MLB history. His 422 saves rank seventh, while his 2.31 ERA is second, behind only Mariano Rivera. Wagner was elite from start to finish. His lowest ERA in a season came in his final one, when he posted a 1.43 ERA in 2010. He also has the highest strikeout rate and lowest batting average against among pitchers with 900-plus innings.
Spending time with the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves, Wagner was a seven-time All-Star and twice received Cy Young Award votes. Sabathia got 86.6% of the vote, while Wagner received 82.5%.
Dave Parker and Dick Allen were elected last month by the Classic Era Committee, and the five players will be enshrined this summer.
Perhaps the worst moment of Mark Andrews' career has turned out to be a positive for him.
Andrews dropped what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion Sunday, and his Baltimore Ravens fell to the Buffalo Bills, 27-25, in the AFC divisional round.
The star tight end has been the subject of criticism since the game. He also fumbled earlier in the fourth quarter.
A group of Bills fans launched a GoFundMe to donate money to Andrews' charity, Breakthrow T1D. The charity supports children with diabetes.
"As many of you know (the) Ravens TE wasn't able to catch the the game tying 2 point conversion and upset Ravens fans. On top of that the TE has been receiving death threats and nasty comments atter [sic] his performance last night," the GoFundMe says.
"We want Bills Mafia to donate to Marks charity for Juvenile diabetes. Let's reach a goal of at least 5k. Please repost this! LINK TO DONATE WILL BE IN OUR BIO @thebuffalobrief on IG."
That goal was surpassed. At the time of publication, over $20,000 had been raised.
Several have donated $89, representing Andrews' jersey number. But some have also pitched in $17, which is the number Josh Allen has worn his entire career.
Andrews did not speak with the media after the game, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Andrews’ teammates defended him.
"We wouldn’t be here without Mark Andrews," Harbaugh said, via The Athletic.
Added Lamar Jackson, who had two early turnovers, "All of us played a factor in the game. It’s a team effort. We’re not going to put that on Mark. Because he’s been battling all season. All the great things he’s been doing all season."
The Bills will now try to take down the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, who play in their seventh straight AFC championship this weekend. This is the fourth time in five seasons the Bills and Chiefs have met in the postseason.
Democrat lawmakers in Washington, D.C. pushed back against the GOP-led Protection of Women and Girls in Sports act last week with unsubstantial arguments that the law would enable sexual predators to give genital examinations to young girls.
This argument was not rooted in any language within the bill, as Republicans insisted that no genital inspection would ever be necessary and that proof of birth gender could simply be determined with a birth certificate.
Still, many prominent Democrats, including House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, used the sexual predator argument in statements and during testimonies on the House of Representatives floor.
This tactic has alienated some of the party's loyal voters, who have unregistered as Democrats in response.
Prominent law professor Gary Francione has been a lifelong Democrat dating back to the 1960s. In November, he voted for Kamala Harris and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn, who was one of 206 Democrats to vote against the bill last Tuesday.
But Francione, who is an advocate for LGBTQ rights, abortion rights and even a vegan and animal rights abolitionist, was so offended by the Democrat representatives who tried to tie the bill to empowering child predators that he unregistered as a Democrat after last Tuesday's hearing.
"That just made me very upset because it screamed out lack of integrity, lack of honesty," Francione told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "This is the way you fight battles? By trying to insult other people who oppose you and disagree with and insinuate that they're child molesters or pedophiles? It seems to me you've lost the game… I don't know how they're ever going to come back from this."
Francione has a lifelong network of other Democrats in the field of law and other industries, and says that many of them share his beliefs and will also be unregistering from the party.
"I can say confidently of the people I know who are Democrats who I've spoken to, the vast majority of them are very unhappy about all of this stuff and feel that the party has lost its way," Francione said. "I know a couple who said they are going to [unregister]."
Francione initially announced his departure from the party in a viral post on X over the weekend. Many of his thousands of followers replied insisting they will follow his lead in unregistering from the party in response to the congressional representatives' attempt to tie the bill to empowering sexual predators.
"This is what I have done. That is when I drew the line and swapped registration," one user replied.
"I know the feeling. They drive you to it. Welcome to the club," another wrote.
Francione believes the premise of allowing trans athletes to compete against females is "discriminatory" against girls and women, and he went so far as to call the Democrat argument against the bill "insane," and "irresponsible."
"I thought it was very unfair to the large number of very decent people who are conscerned about fairness and safety in women's sports," he said. "These young girls, they train hard, they work hard, and then they get things taken away from them by men!"
Multiple Democrat congressional representatives have chosen to refer to the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as the "House GOP Child Predator Empowerment Act." These individuals include Jeffries, Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Vt; Rep. Suzanne Bonamic, D-Ore; Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fl; Rep. Whip Clark, D-Mass; and many of the other 206 Democrats who voted against the bill.
Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the fact that there is no language in the bill that suggests any child would be subject to genital inspections during her argument.
"The majority right now says there's no place in this bill that says it opens up for genital examinations. Well, here's the thing, there's no enforcement mechanism in this bill. And when there is no enforcement mechanism, you open the door to every enforcement mechanism!" Ocasio-Cortez said.
Ocasio-Cortez later proclaimed, "Trans girls are girls!"
But many Democrats who opposed the bill strictly opposed it based on the unsubstantiated premise that it would empower sexual predators without even advocating for the right of trans athletes to compete in women's sports, as enabling trans inclusion became a widely unpopular stance in November's election.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass, was one of those who took that stance. Moulton previously said that he believed Democrats advocating for trans inclusion was an issue that cost them in November, and repeatedly defended his stance of opposing trans inclusion despite backlash from those in his own party and state in the weeks that followed President Donald Trump's victory and Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
But Moulton still voted against the bill on Tuesday, saying he does not want children to be "subjected to the invasive violations of personal privacy this bill allows."
Just two Democrats joined the Republican majority in voting in favor of the bill, Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas. Their decision to defect from the rest of the party and vote for the protection of women and girls in sports reflects a growing widespread position of many voters in their party and independents, according to recent data.
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
Shortly after November's election, a national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CWA) legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them.
And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Francione is one of the many longtime Democrat voters who believe the lawmakers in his party have failed in carrying out the will of their constituents on this issue.
"Progressives have failed!" he added. "Progressives have created a grievance Olympics… and it doesn't work!"
The Ohio State quarterback backed up Will Howard this season, and, on Monday night, he was on the sideline for the Buckeyes' national title celebration.
Earlier Tuesday, Brown announced that he would be transferring to Cal.
Brown entered the transfer portal in December but stayed with the Buckeyes through their run to the national championship that ended with a win Monday night over Notre Dame.
It was a tumultuous tenure with the Buckeyes because Brown was the backup to not one, but two QBs in as many seasons. Brown lost a close competition to Kyle McCord in 2023 and was relegated to the back seat again when the Buckeyes brought in Kansas State transfer Will Howard for 2024.
In his lone start for the Buckeyes, which came in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic, Brown left the game with an injury. He appeared in nine games this season, most of his action coming in garbage time.
Brown is expected to compete with freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for the starting job at Cal. Brown has two years of eligibility remaining.
Howard earned offensive MVP honors Monday night, going 17-for-21 through the air for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Howard's time with the Buckeyes is done, but former five-star recruit Julian Sayin is expected to start in 2025, which may have pushed Brown to the portal.
Cal went 6-7 in its first season in the ACC. Brown was ranked No. 81 in ESPN's Top 300 recruits for the class of 2022.
Erin Routliffe may be the only person unhappy that robots haven’t taken over the world.
The tennis pro from New Zealand and her partner, Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada, were competing in the third round of women’s doubles at the Australian Open Sunday when Routliffe exploded into a brief tirade after she believed her opponent’s serve skimmed the net.
The contentious point came during a tiebreak in the first set with Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil serving. The chair umpire did not call a let, and the point was awarded to Haddad Maia and her partner, Laura Siegemend.
"Oh my god, we have robots everywhere, but we don’t have one for the net? Oh my goodness," she said, contesting the umpire’s ruling.
Despite her protest, the call stood. But Routliffe and Dabrowski went on to win the next point and eventually the match, advancing to a semifinal match Thursday.
After a clip of Routliffe’s outburst went viral on social media, she admitted her behavior might have been "dramatic" but stood by her stance.
"I feel like I have a point but also why so dramatic," she said in a post on X.
The city elected Michelle Wu in 2021 in a race against Annissa Essaibi George. Wu earned 64.0% of the vote to George's 35.6%. Wu replaced Marty Walsh, who served as the city's mayor for the previous two terms.
Ed Flynn, the former president of the Boston City Council and son of former mayor Raymond, has declined to run, while Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde has declared to run.
Kraft is currently the president of the organization's foundation and runs the family's philanthropic initiatives. He also worked at the city's Boys & Girls Club for 30 years.
Robert bought the Patriots in 1994 and helped turn the team into one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. Under his leadership, the team has been to 10 Super Bowls, winning six of them.
Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, is facing criminal charges in federal court for illegally possessing an AR-15 and ammunition and over 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Kraft's reported decision to run for office comes amid President Donald Trump's inauguration, although despite previous support, Robert recently said he has not spoken with Trump since the events of Jan. 6, 2021, unfolded.
Tom Brady told Howard Stern on Sirius XM in April 2020 that he chose to distance himself from Trump when the former president launched his presidential campaign in 2015 and asked the former NFL star to speak on his behalf at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Washington Capitals and Team USA star T.J. Oshie had to go back to social media to defend a post regarding President Donald Trump during his inauguration on Monday.
Oshie had posted a simple graphic of Trump, which read "America Is Back" in all capital letters followed by a message. Oshie captioned the post, "God Bless America," with a USA flag emoji.
"Every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body," Trump’s message on the graphic read. "I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America."
Well, the commenters underneath Oshie’s post weren’t all too friendly, which led him to defend the post and his love of country.
"That escalated quickly!" Oshie wrote on X. "To be clear I love America and Americans on both sides of the aisle and always will. Yeah even you in the negative comments you little stinkers. I choose to respect everyone until you prove me otherwise. If it makes you feel better to chirp me over the internet it’s cool. Although I don’t see the honor in it and it seems silly."
Some of the commenters said they worried for Oshie’s daughters as Trump takes over as president, and Oshie had time to bark back.
"To the people worried about my daughters thank you for your concern," Oshie added. "All four of my kids will grow up with Parents who support them, tell them they love them every day, teach them to be strong and above all to be good and kind people."
And then there were the commenters who said they would be tossing Oshie’s jerseys in the trash.
"P.S. For those throwing out jerseys… maybe just scrape off the name and number. Remember the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back. Love you guys today and always! God Bless America."
Oshie, a Stanley Cup winner with the Capitals in 2018, has played his past nine seasons in the NHL in the nation’s capital, where he serves as an alternate captain this year.
He was the 24th overall pick of the 2005 NHL Draft to the St. Louis Blues, where he spent his first seven seasons.
The 38-year-old was also a Team USA legend, as he had historic moments like his four-goal shootout against Russia during the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. The U.S. came in fourth during that Olympics, but Oshie spent years representing the Stars and Stripes with three men’s national teams in 2009, 2010 and 2013, as well as the national junior squad in 2006.
The NFL conference championship games still need to be played, but the league already has its Super Bowl LIX officiating crew set for New Orleans on Feb. 9.
Ron Torbert, the veteran referee who also led a crew in Super Bowl LVI where the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, will be back for the "Big Game," this time at the Caesars Superdome.
The only person in Torbert’s crew who has Super Bowl experience is side judge Boris Cheek.
However, umpire Mike Morton has been to the Super Bowl before, but as a player. He was a member of the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
According to Football Zebras’ Ben Austro, Morton will make history as the first person to play and officiate in the Super Bowl.
The rest of the crew is down judge Max Causey, line judge Mark Stewart, field judge Mearl Robinson, back judge Jonah Monroe and replay official Kevin Brown.
It’s worth noting that Morton and Causey are only in their third seasons officiating, and the Super Bowl generally has officials with at least five years of experience.
As for Torbert, he has worked NFL games since 2010, beginning as a back judge before becoming a referee in 2014.
According to Pro Football Reference, Torbert has had slightly more than one penalty (1.03) for 11.40 more yards on average during the 2024 season.
Torbert and his crew will know which two teams they will be officiating for come this weekend.
The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles will kick off first at Lincoln Financial Field to determine who will represent the NFC in New Orleans.
They split their NFC East regular-season series, with Commanders rookie sensation Jayden Daniels leading his team on a game-winning drive at home.
Then, a rematch many wanted to see in the AFC, the latest chapter of the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills will take place at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills beat the Chiefs during the regular season, but postseason play has favored the Chiefs in this matchup in their home building.
The New York Knicks have shown promise during the first few months of the 2024-25 season. New York defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Monday to improve to 28-18.
On Tuesday, the Knicks will make the short trip to Brooklyn for a cross-city matchup with the Nets. NBA All-Star Jalen Brunson continues to shine this season and is averaging 26.2 points and 7.4 assists per game.
Nevertheless, New York City native and self-proclaimed Knicks fan Michael Rapaport believes adding someone of a certain stature could bolster the team's roster.
Rapaport declared Barron Trump, 18, as the "star" of Monday's presidential inauguration before urging the Knicks to consider signing the teen to a 10-day contract.
"What a day, inauguration 2025… and I gotta say the star of the show was my guy ‘big body Barron Trump’" Rapaport said in a video posted to his social media platform.
"I was thinking while ‘big body’ was up there, standing in the back, hulking… The Knicks should sign him to a 10-day… see what he's got. Mitch Robison ain't coming back anytime soon. You never know. You need another big man in the post. He looks like he's got a soft touch."
Robinson, who is listed as 7 feet and 240 pounds, has yet to appear in a game this season due to an ankle injury. However, the Knicks are hopeful the center will be able to make his debut at some point in February.
Barron is President Trump's youngest son. When he was 10 years old, Barron Trump became the first first son to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1961.
Barron, who turned 11 in March 2017, also lived at Trump Tower in New York, attending Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side. Barron was 13 years old when his family permanently relocated to Mar-a-Lago in 2019. That year, Trump said he would have a "hard time" allowing his son to play football.
"I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football – I mean, it's a dangerous sport and I think it's really tough," Trump said at the time. "I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem."
Barron Trump was 14 years old when his father left office in January 2021.
Barron Trump graduated from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach in May, and matriculated at New York University in the fall of 2024. In November, he also voted for the first time, casting a ballot for his father in Florida.
The Knicks won 50 games during the 2023-24 regular season, before being eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Fox News' Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
One bold bettor is hoping that history repeats itself when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game this weekend.
The Chiefs are in hot pursuit of the first-ever three-peat and one optimistic sports bettor believes – very confidently – that they can pull off a win over the Bills on Sunday afternoon in the same way they did at the AFC Championship game in 2021.
According to Caesars Sportsbook, a $1.3 million wager was placed on the Chiefs moneyline (-130). The total payout would be $2.3 million.
The Chiefs are currently favored to win by -1.5, while the Bills moneyline is +114.
If we’re judging history, the Chiefs are the safe bet.
Patrick Mahomes and company have been to seven straight AFC Championship games. They’ve won four of the last five and went on to win three Super Bowls, including two straight. They are now looking to become the first team in NFL history to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy in three straight seasons.
"Obviously, you want to win three in a row," Mahomes said, "but building those memories with the guys and with the community every single year is special. When I look back at all the different Super Bowls we’ve won, I look back at special moments that we’ve had and special games that we’ve had. We’ll try to do that the same this year."
The rivalry between the Bills and Chiefs has seen three of Buffalo’s last four playoff runs come to an end thanks to Kansas City. The first was in 2021 in the AFC Championship game, the next year a heartbreaking overtime loss in the divisional round, and again last season another narrow loss in the divisional round.
But 2025 could be the year of the underdog if the Bills maintain what they’ve been doing in the regular season.
Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been seen playing golf with Trump since August 2020 and spoke about his experience playing with Trump in a post on X Monday.
"For those asking about who won in golf between me and [Trump] — let’s just say President Trump is REALLY GOOD and a competitor," Favre wrote.
"He was as nice and engaging as he possibly could be, considering what type of stress he’s under," Favre said in an interview with Fox News then. "But I’ll say this: I respect the office of the president of the United States, regardless of who’s in office. Had Barack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton, anybody during my era, had they asked me to play golf, I certainly would have jumped at the opportunity, simply because, regardless of what they believe in, just to be asked is an honor."
At that time, Favre added that he was "very impressed" with the Trump's golf game.
"We had a couple of holes where we picked up, no score was penciled in, but, for the most part, he can play," Favre said. "He hits the ball very good, and I’ll also tell you this, he’s a fast golfer. There was times I had a 140-yard shot, and he’s up there at the green with his putter, ready to go."
Trump has also played golf with Tom Brady, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Johnny Damon.
Ohio State fans celebrated winning a national championship for the first time in more than a decade in the only acceptable way: storming the field.
No, the Buckeyes fans did not celebrate with Ohio State on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Instead, after defeating Notre Dame to earn their first championship since 2014, Ohio State fans broke into their own stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Video shared by the Columbus Dispatch showed a large crowd of fans running around campus just after Ohio State held off Notre Dame to claim a 34-23 victory. According to the outlet, it was just after midnight when the crowd broke into "The Shoe."
"It's really kind of surreal," freshman Thomas Schmansky told the outlet of the students making their way onto the field at Ohio Stadium.
Another student told the paper that the celebration was "crazy," and added that she was surprised by how "supportive" law enforcement on the campus was.
According to the report, the celebrations began winding down at around 12:20 a.m. ET.
Ohio State won its sixth national title following a regular season when a loss at home to Michigan raised questions about the team’s playoff chances and if head coach Ryan Day was on the way out.
"It’s a great story about a bunch of guys who have just overcome some really tough situations, and at the point where there’s a lot of people that counted us out (they) just kept swinging and kept fighting," Day said after the game.
In the end, the lows of this season, including a fourth straight loss to rival Michigan, did not mean much on Monday night as the Buckeyes ended the 2024 season on a high note.
Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr, who is a staunch critic of President Donald Trump, said he avoided watching the inauguration of the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
Kerr was asked if he watched any of the festivities before the team took on the Boston Celtics.
"I didn’t watch the inauguration. I chose to watch Celtics tape," he told reporters, adding that he loved playing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Warriors went on to have the worst home loss since Kerr took over as head coach. The Celtics defeated the Warriors, 125-85.
Kerr had been one of the biggest critics of Trump among sports figures. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August in support of Vice President Kamala Harris in the election.
"I’ll be getting out every day to help people get out to vote on Nov. 5 and elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the next president and vice president of the United States," Kerr told the crowd in Chicago at the time
"After the results are tallied that night, we can, in the words of the great Steph Curry, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night!’"
Instead, Trump resoundingly defeated Harris in the election to become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms as president.
"I believe in democracy. I think the American people have spoken and voted for Trump. I want him to do well the next four years. I want our country to do well," Kerr said after Trump’s win.
An Alabama Crimson Tide fan was still upset with his team being left out of the College Football Playoff and decided to interrupt President Donald Trump’s inauguration coverage with his complaints.
The fan, identified as Graham from New Jersey, dialed up the number for C-SPAN and fired off the hottest take of the year so far.
"I’m a bit more disappointed in the selection committee for not picking Alabama for the College Football Playoff finals," the man said. "Accepting interior teams like SMU and Indiana – truly dark times in America."
C-SPAN ended the call and moved back to inauguration coverage.
Alabama didn’t really have a case over the other 12 teams that were chosen for the expanded College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide finished 9-3 in the regular season and lost to unranked Vanderbilt, No. 11 Tennessee and unranked Oklahoma.
Three losses against SEC opponents put them on the outside looking in when it came to the conference championship game. Alabama couldn’t save face either as they lost to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31. It was the second straight season the Wolverines eliminated the Crimson Tide in a bowl game.
Alabama has star talent on both sides of the ball but will have to deal with the loss of Jalen Milroe going into the 2025 season. Milroe declared for the NFL Draft.
Novak Djokovic is one step closer to claiming a record 25th Grand Slam title after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The grueling match between one of the sport’s most iconic players and one of its rising stars went on for more than three and a half hours until the early morning hours. Djokovic, who advanced to his 12th semifinal appearance in Melbourne, said he felt the match was worthy of a final.
"I just wish that this match today was the final," he said after his 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory. "One of the most epic matches I've played on this court. On any court."
Despite the 16-year age gap, the matchup between Djokovic and Alcaraz has become reminiscent of the matches played between the "Big Three."
"Carlos brings so much energy and intensity on the court and always demands the best of his opponent in order for his opponent to have a chance to win against him," Djokovic said after the match.
"I'm sure we are going to see a lot of him," he added. "Maybe not as much as I would like."
At just 21-years-old, Alcaraz is already a four-time Grand Slam champion. However, Djokovic, who should be considered in the twilight of his career at 37, is on his way to create even more history.
His 10 Australian Open titles are more than any men’s tennis player. No one has won more Grand Slams than him with 24, and a win in Melbourne will push that record beyond.
Djokovic moves on to face No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev on Friday.
