AP Sports

Chargers fire coach Brandon Staley, general manager Tom Telesco in midst of disappointing season

Coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco have been fired by the Los Angeles Chargers after one of the worst losses in franchise history. The Chargers made the playoffs last season but are one of this year’s biggest disappointments at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They dropped into last place in the AFC West after Thursday night’s 63-21 loss at Las Vegas. It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin was the third-worst. Staley had an overall record of 24-25. He is the third NFL coach to be fired this season. Telesco had been the general manager since 2013.

No regrets for Ja Morant over suspension with actions, not words, proving lesson learned

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time All-Star Ja Morant says being suspended by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for the first 25 games this season has been tough with “some horrible days.” The Memphis Grizzlies point guard wouldn’t say he regrets being suspended for the second time in the span of four months. Morant says he feels it made him better and he learned more about himself. Morant also says he knows he can’t make anyone believe him outside of how he acts and words won’t mean anything to anyone. Morant will make his season debut Tuesday night in New Orleans. He says he has been counting down the days.

Shohei Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers could come with bonus of mostly avoiding California taxes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani’s new contract could have the added benefit of avoiding most of California’s income tax. Ohtani agreed to a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week. The Dodgers will pay Ohtani $20 million over the next decade. The decade after that they will pay him $68 million per year from 2034 to 2043. By then, it’s possible Ohtani will be retired and could live somewhere other than California. It’s impossible to know for sure how much state taxes Ohtani will pay. His contract highlights the outsized impact rich people have on California’s finances.

Column: Time for Belichick to leave on his terms (sort of), before he’s shoved out the door

This is starting to feel like Tom Landry’s final days as NFL coach, just before he was ingloriously put out to pasture. Or maybe it will be more akin to Don Shula, trudging into a retirement that seemed forced on him. Athletes rarely know when it’s time to go, and that unwillingness to face reality certainly applies to coaches, too. Which brings us to Bill Belichick. He’s stubborn and ornery and downright defiant about his future. But the Patriots coach needs to start thinking about his legacy. Belichick’s obstinance looks more like delusion as the game passes him by.

Women’s World Cup winner Spain finally rises to the top of FIFA rankings ahead of United States

ZURICH (AP) — Women’s World Cup winner Spain has risen atop the FIFA rankings after advancing to the final four of the UEFA Nations League. Spain finished top of a Nations League group this month that included Sweden, which had led the most recent FIFA rankings published in August after the Women’s World Cup. Spain now is No. 1 for the first time, ahead of the United States, France and England. Sweden dropped four places to No. 5. FIFA said Spain became the fourth nation to top the women’s rankings since they were created in 2003. The others were the U.S., Germany and Sweden.

Max Scherzer has back surgery and will miss start of 2024 season for World Series champion Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Scherzer had surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back and will miss the start of next season for the World Series champion Texas Rangers. General manager Chris Young says Scherzer had surgery Thursday after injections and other conservative treatments didn’t relieve the pain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was removed from Game 3 of the World Series because of his back. Young says the team is hopeful Scherzer will be fully healed and recovered by June or July. Scherzer says the pain got worse after returning to his offseason home in Florida.

After 6 years together, Angels move on from Shohei Ohtani’s departure for the Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani left several massive holes in the Los Angeles Angels when he moved to the Dodgers this week. But the Angels have no choice but to move on after the two-time AL MVP left owner Arte Moreno’s Orange County club this week for the Los Angeles metroplex’s much more successful baseball team. Minasian declined to say almost anything of substance about the negotiations that ended with Ohtani choosing the Dodgers. Whether the Angels might have kept Ohtani with even a $700 million offer remains quite uncertain, largely because they were never a winner with him.

Analysis: Raiders show support for Antonio Pierce through their play in rout of Chargers

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The difference in the attitude of the teams was quite clear Thursday night. Los Angeles didn’t look like it was all that interested in fighting for coach Brandon Staley. On Friday, the Chargers fired him after one of the worst losses in franchise history. Las Vegas played as if it was fully invested in making sure interim coach Antonio Pierce keeps the job, the Raiders taking a record-setting 42-0 lead by halftime and then cruising to a 63-21 victory, a score that amazingly seemed closer than the actual game.

Jets’ Aaron Rodgers ‘looks normal’ to coach during practice in comeback attempt

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers took more steps in his comeback from a torn left Achilles tendon. Coach Robert Saleh said Friday the 40-year-old quarterback “pushed it a little bit” at practice Thursday when Rodgers was listed as a limited participant after sitting out Wednesday. Saleh said Rodgers took some snaps under center, ran some bootleg plays, jogged and has participated in 7-on-7 drills. His next step is to participate in 11-on-11 team drills, although it’s uncertain when that might happen. The Jets opened the 21-day practice window for Rodgers on Nov. 29 and it expires next Wednesday. The Jets must activate him from injured reserve or Rodgers will be placed on IR for the rest of the season.

For some NBA players, an early season injury can doom postseason award chances

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA added and tweaked some policies this season with hopes of getting players to appear in more games and take fewer nights off to rest. Part of the enticement to play more was adding a rule where players, in most cases, need to be in 65 games so they can be eligible for postseason award voting. And for players who got hurt early this season after strong starts, the unfortunate reality is that their postseason award chances are already doomed.