Sports

Gary Lineker to step down from the BBC after sharing social media post on Zionism

Gary Lineker, the former England soccer player and now a media celebrity, will step down from his role as a presenter for the BBC after facing criticism for reposting an Instagram story about Zionism which featured a picture of a rat. The 64-year-old Lineker, who is the BBC’s highest-paid presenter on about 1.3 million pounds ($1.7 million) a year, was set to leave flagship soccer highlights show “Match of the Day” at the end of this season but remain with the corporation to front other soccer coverage, including next year’s men’s World Cup.

2-time Indy 500 winner Newgarden, Team Penske teammate Power penalized for illegal part modification

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden and Team Penske teammate Will Power will have to start from the final two spots on the grid Sunday after their teams were penalized for violating the rules during qualifying weekend. IndyCar made the announcement Monday, one day after the two cars were found to have an illegally modified part. The two team strategists for the Nos. 2 and 12 also have been suspended for the race, the cars will forfeit their qualification points and pit box selections, and each of the entries has been fined $100,000.

Eagles give coach Nick Sirianni contract extension following Super Bowl win

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Super Bowl championship coach Nick Sirianni to a multi-year extension. Terms of the contract announced Monday were not revealed. Sirianni had one year left on his existing contract. Sirianni is 48-20 and has made the playoffs in all four seasons with the Eagles. He led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Sirianni and the Eagles won the rematch against Kansas City in this past season’s Super Bowl.

The NBA’s final 4 is set: Thunder, Knicks, Wolves and Pacers remain, and parity reigns again

There will be a new NBA champion. A lot of them, actually, considering almost all of the players left in these playoffs have not even played in the NBA Finals. The New York Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973. The Indiana Pacers won their most recent title that year — in the ABA. The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has one title in its history, that coming in 1979 when the team called Seattle home. And the Minnesota Timberwolves have never even been to the NBA Finals.

NHL’s final 4 has a familiar feel with teams known for long playoff runs in the conference finals

The NHL’s playoff final four has a very familiar feel. The Western Conference final is a rematch of the same round last year with the Dallas Stars facing the Edmonton Oilers. The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are in the East final for a third consecutive spring after beating Toronto in Game 7 of their series. They will face the Carolina Hurricanes for the second time in three years. Panthers-Hurricanes starts on Tuesday and Oilers-Stars on Wednesday.

Pets with a toolkit: Protection dogs train to handle burglars as sports stars boost home security

EMBOROUGH, England (AP) — Burglaries at the homes of sports stars have become a big problem. The lengthy list of athletes whose residences have been hit includes Premier League stars Jack Grealish and Alexander Isak. The homes of NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow have also been hit. The NBA consulted the FBI and came up with guidance for its players. One of the recommendations was to “Utilize dogs for home protection.” Protection-dog providers in the UK offer breeds like German shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Rottweiler, Doberman, and Cane Corso. The cost can run up to $100,000 for these highly-trained pets.

The Dodgers have younger stars now, but Clayton Kershaw reaching 18th season is still special

Clayton Kershaw made his season debut over the weekend. Although his performance over four innings was forgettable, he still added another accomplishment to his illustrious career. Kershaw has now played in 18 seasons for the Dodgers. That ties the franchise record held by outfielder Zack Wheat and shortstop Bill Russell. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts may have taken over as the team’s big stars, but Kershaw’s role in helping Los Angeles become a powerhouse should not be understated. Like Russell, Kershaw has never played for any other major league team. That makes his tenure in Los Angeles even more special.

Drivers say North Wilkesboro Speedway deserves Cup points race after All-Star Race success

In its third edition as host of the $1 million exhibition event, North Wilkesboro Speedway produced All-Star Race records for lead changes (18) and green-flag passes for the lead (59) as its remarkable rebirth continued from a dilapidated and rotting hulk just three years ago. Speedway Motorsports announced that grandstand seating and premium hospitality sold out for the 41st All-Star Race, which drew fans from 43 states and nine countries to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Race winner Christopher Bell was among several drivers who lobbied the short track deserves its first Cup points race in 30 years.

Alcaraz is the clear favorite for the French Open. But Sinner is building back to top form

ROME (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz is clearly the favorite for the French Open. Top-ranked Jannik Sinner is back from his doping ban though and building himself back up to full strength day by day. Those were the verdicts after Alcaraz beat Sinner to win the Italian Open a week before Roland Garros starts on Sunday. Alcaraz’s title in Rome boosted his record on clay this season to 15-1. Sinner tells Alcaraz that “on clay right now you’re the best player.” But Alcaraz says the level Sinner showed in Rome “is insane after three months without playing” and that ”he’s going to be a really dangerous player in Paris.”

Scheffler’s fiery celebration at PGA Championship shows desire that burns in world’s No. 1 player

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Everything Scottie Scheffler did Sunday was expected. When the pressure was on, he hit the fairways he needed to hit. He landed the approach shots he needed to land. And, of course, he made clutch putts he needed to make. It’s what everyone has come to depend on from the world’s No. 1 player, a fine-tuned, almost mechanical approach to the game. It was all expected, even predictable — right up until the celebration. That’s when Scheffler, in a rare display of pure emotion, took off his hat and slammed it into the green on the 18th hole after winning the first PGA Championship by five shots over Bryson DeChambeau, Harry English and Davis Riley at Quail Hollow.