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February 14, 2024
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February 14, 2024
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Update on the latest sports

 
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February 14, 2024

Kansas City turns red as Chiefs celebrate 3rd Super Bowl title in 5 seasons with a parade

Downtown Kansas City is turning into a sea of red for Valentine’s Day as Chiefs fans prepare to celebrate their third Super Bowl title in five seasons with a parade. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on the eve of the celebration that “It never gets old.” Many of the largest districts in the area canceled classes after Sunday night’s come-from-behind, 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers. Unseasonably warm temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit are expected to contribute to a crowd that could top 1 million.

Shanahan bristles at the notion his 49ers can’t win big games following another Super Bowl loss

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has heard the criticism that for some reason he is unable to win the big game. Those calls grew louder after a second Super Bowl loss in five seasons and Shanahan is as eager as anyone to quell them because it would mean he had won a title. The 49ers have just been unable to win the ultimate prize despite coming close in recent years, blowing late leads in two Super Bowls against Kansas City and losing two other times in the NFC title game.

Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32 jersey is the first to be retired by the Orlando Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal has become the first player to have his jersey number retired by the Orlando Magic. O’Neal’s No. 32 was raised to the rafters on Tuesday. It was a day O’Neal thought would never come. He was drafted No. 1 overall by the Magic in 1992 and left Orlando after four seasons. He figured that would prevent him from being honored by the franchise. But the Magic had never retired a player’s number and they decided their 35th anniversary season was the right time. O’Neal is the third player to have his jersey retired by three franchises, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich.

Warriors’ Draymond Green calls Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic ‘softy’ as players continue feud on social media

PHOENIX (AP) — Golden State forward Draymond Green and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic have continued their feud on social media, with Green calling Nurkic a “300-pound softy” three nights after the Warriors beat the Suns on Stephen Curry’s last-second 3-pointer. It’s the continuation of a back-and-forth that started in December, when Green hit Nurkic in the head and was suspended by the NBA. The players exchanged taunts throughout Saturday’s game. Green said on his podcast Tuesday that Nurkic was “embarrassed” because he’s “not good enough.” Nurkic fired back on X, saying Green shouldn’t be “late for therapy.” Green then called Nurkic a “300-pound softy that can’t finish games.”

Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu is an All-Star matchup that was a long time coming

She’s the player with the best 3-point contest performance in NBA or WNBA history. He’s made more 3-pointers than anyone who’s ever played at the highest level. Sabrina Ionescu. Stephen Curry. She’s one of his favorites. He’s one of her idols. And on Saturday night in Indianapolis at All-Star weekend, they will go head-to-head in a 3-point contest — Steph vs. Sabrina, one that’s already got both of them amped up for a competition on a global stage like none other between NBA and WNBA stars.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid already talking about preparations for next season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid already was thinking about next season on Tuesday when he talked with a small group of reporters upon his return from the Super Bowl. The Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday for their second consecutive championship and third in five years. There is a celebratory parade through downtown Kansas City on Wednesday, capped by a rally at Union Station where hundreds of thousands of fans are expected. Reid plans to give his staff about a week off after that to recharge, then they will get back to work with the NFL’s scouting combine beginning Feb. 27 in Indianapolis.

Next stop Hollywood? Travis Kelce gets first producer credit on SXSW movie

Travis Kelce is already making moves in Hollywood. The Super Bowl champ has his first executive producer credit on a new film making its world premiere in March at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. “My Dead Friend Zoe” is described as a darkly comedic drama about a U.S. Army veteran, the dead best friend she can’t let go and her estranged grandfather. The film stars Ed Harris, Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales, who are all credited as executive producers alongside Kelce. Directed and co-written by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, “My Dead Friend Zoe” will debut on March 9 at the festival.

Swiss bobsled athlete has surgery after being thrown to ice and hit by sled in training crash

ALTENBERG, Germany (AP) — Swiss bobsled athlete Sandro Michel is recovering from emergency surgery after a training crash that has some sliders considering whether it’s safe or appropriate to compete in World Cup races this weekend. Michel was in a four-man sled piloted by Michael Vogt when it crashed Tuesday during training for this weekend’s World Cup races in Altenberg, Germany. Michel is the brakeman, meaning he is the person in the back of the sled. The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation says “Michel fell off the sled and was run over by the bobsleigh which was uncontrollably sliding back from the finish area.” Michel had surgery for hip and thigh injuries at a hospital in Dresden. Vogt had a concussion.

An arrest has been made in the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue later found dismantled and burned

Police say a 45-year-old man has been arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue found dismantled and burned in Kansas. Wichita police say Tuesday that Ricky Alderete was taken into custody in an unrelated case earlier this month and charged Monday. Police say the motive appeared to be financial and was unrelated to race. Thieves cut the bronze statue from its base at a Wichita park where a youth baseball league called League 42 plays. It is named after Robinson’s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major leagues’ color barrier in 1947. Alderete’s attorney in the public defender’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Jenny Cavnar makes history as Oakland A’s primary play-by-play announcer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Veteran baseball broadcaster Jenny Cavnar is the new primary play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics, hired by NBC Sports California. Cavnar becomes the first woman to handle primary play-by-play duties in major league history — set to be the voice for most of the A’s games during the upcoming 2024 season. She has covered baseball for 17 of her 20 years in the media business, most recently calling Colorado Rockies games the past 12 years as a backup play-by-play announcer while also hosting pregame and postgame shows and regional coverage.