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February 5, 2024
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February 5, 2024
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Update on the latest sports

 
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February 5, 2024
 

Super Bowl opening night extravaganza in Las Vegas could be the wildest one yet

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Super Bowl opening night evolved into a wacky, circus-like spectacle long before Las Vegas had a chance to host the NFL’s biggest game. There’s no telling how wild it will be for Sin City’s media extravaganza. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are in town and they officially kick off the festivities Monday night at Allegiant Stadium when they meet with thousands of media members from across the globe. The event is open to fans who purchased tickets and it’ll be the first and only public appearance this week for every player and coach from the two teams. They’ll field questions ranging from serious to silly. They’ll be asked to discuss personal topics and to participate in goofy skits.

The NFL long had shunned Las Vegas. Now the city will host the league’s biggest game

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NFL will hold the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on Sunday after decades of shunning the city. The Kansas City Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers. Las Vegas now has a strong relationship with the NFL after the Raiders moved from Oakland and the U.S. Supreme Court opened legalized sports betting nationwide. The NFL also has placed its draft and two Pro Bowls in Las Vegas.

Geno Auriemma is in his 39th season at UConn and near 1,200 wins. He ponders the end of his career

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma is nearing 1,200 career wins. He already has 11 national championships with the school that hired him in 1985. Auriemma turns 70 next month and has kept any retirement plans close to the vest. But 1,200 wins is the next milestone. Former Duke and Army coach men’s Mike Krzyzewski is next with 1,203 wins. Stanford women’s coach Tara VanDerveer set the mark last month when she passed Krzyzewski and currently has 1,206 wins. Auriemma is among the last of his breed of valued, empowered championship coaches still recruiting, still grinding out the work in hope of that next championship run.

Police confirm sexual assault charges against 5 members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team

LONDON, Ontario (AP) — Police have confirmed charges against five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team accused of sexual assault dating to an incident from that year. London, Ontario, Police Chief Thai Truong says that Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton are charged with sexual assault. Detective Sergeant Katherine Dann says the investigation was reopened in 2022. It found reasonable and probable grounds to charge the players. Defense attorneys have said their clients are not guilty.

Red Bull investigating F1 team’s Christian Horner over alleged misconduct toward team employee

Energy drink maker Red Bull says it is investigating Christian Horner, the team principal of its Formula One team, over an allegation of misconduct toward a team employee. The company said it was made aware of a recent F1 team employee allegation and is using “an external specialist barrister” for the investigation. Horner has denied any wrongdoing, and the complaint is allegedly about his aggressive management style. Horner has guided Red Bull and driver Max Verstappen to three consecutive championships for both the team and driver. Horner will continue working ahead of next month’s season-opening race during the investigation.

Friends and foes: The Chiefs’ Kelce, 49ers’ Kittle ready to match up again in the Super Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce and George Kittle are best of friends off the field and fierce competitors on it. The two tight ends, who have helped to change the way their position is played over the years, will meet again Sunday when Kelce and the Chiefs play Kittle and the 49ers in the Super Bowl. It’s a rematch of their game four years ago in Miami, when Kelce had a big night to help Kansas City rally with three fourth-quarter touchdowns for a 31-20 victory.

Motorsports madness: A week of utterly bizarre and shocking developments in global auto racing

What a week for global motorsports. It started last weekend with a 24-hour race that wasn’t a full 24 hours. A week later, Red Bull is investigating its Formula One team principal for alleged misconduct. In between, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton said he will leave Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of 2024 in the biggest shakeup in F1 history. F1 rejected Michael Andretti’s application to join the series with General Motors. And NASCAR rushed a two-day exhibition event at the Coliseum into a one-day show to avoid dangerous storms headed toward California.

UConn, Purdue and North Carolina stay atop AP Top 25; South Carolina joins for first time since 2017

Reigning national champion Connecticut, Purdue and North Carolina remain atop The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the third consecutive week. The new poll also includes South Carolina cracking the rankings for the first time in nearly seven years. The Huskies earned 45 of 61 first-place votes to remain at No. 1 for the fourth straight week. The Boilermakers topped the ballots of 16 other voters. The 15th-ranked Gamecocks are marking the program’s first appearance in the poll since February 2017. They joined San Diego State as the week’s new additions, replacing Oklahoma and TCU.

Caitlin Clark and Iowa back up to No. 2 in AP Top 25 women’s poll; South Carolina a unanimous No. 1

Iowa is back at No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll. It’s the second time in a few weeks that the Hawkeyes have been second in the poll. The spot hasn’t been kind to teams over the past month. UCLA, Iowa and Kansas State all took turns in the second position since Jan. 8 and none stayed there for more than a week. South Carolina remains a unanimous No. 1. North Carolina State, Colorado and Ohio State round out the top five. It’s the Buckeyes best ranking this season.

Witt and Royals agree on an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7M guaranteed, AP sources say

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people familiar with the agreement say the Kansas City Royals and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. have agreed to an 11-year contract worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed. The people say the deal includes a three-year team option that could drive the value to about $377 million and keep Witt in Kansas City through the 2037 season. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial terms weren’t disclosed. Witt’s guaranteed salary would make it the 16th largest deal in Major League Baseball history and the second-biggest pre-arbitration extension behind the 14-year, $340 million contract the Padres gave to Fernando Tatis Jr. last April.