FOOTBALL
Finnegan, Johnson fined
The NFL’s disciplinary officials slapped Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan and Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson with US$25,000 fines each for fighting. Finnegan and Johnson were ejected following a fight halfway through the final quarter of Houston’s 20-0 victory on Sunday. Each player tore off the other’s helmet as they exchanged punches with all-star receiver Johnson landing the majority of the blows to Finnegan’s face and neck. Both players dodged a bullet though as the NFL decided not to suspend them.
FOOTBALL
Bucs players out for season
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a blow to their surprising run for the playoffs with the loss of guard Davin Joseph and safety Cody Grimm for the rest of season due to injuries, the NFL club said on Monday. Joseph broke his foot and Grimm broke his leg in the Bucs’ 17-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Joseph, in his fifth season, started all 11 games this season for the Bucs, who were 3-13 last year, but are 7-4 this year. Grimm, son of Redskins Hall of Famer Russ Grimm, had seen increased playing time after being inserted into the lineup to replace suspended Tanard Jackson in Week 3 and registered 57 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games.
BASEBALL
All-Star McDougald dies
Gil McDougald, an All-Star baseball infielder who helped the New York Yankees win five World Series championships during the 1950s, has died. He was 82. The Yankees released a statement on Monday saying McDougald died on Sunday of prostate cancer at his home in Wall Township, New Jersey. McDougald spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Yankees and played a key role on one of baseball’s greatest dynasties. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1951 and teamed with Hall of Famers such as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and manager Casey Stengel to lead New York to eight American League pennants from 1951 to 1960.
BASEBALL
Champs divvy up bonus
The World Series champion San Francisco Giants divided up their postseason bonus money of nearly US$20 million into 50 full shares worth more than US$317,000, Major League Baseball said on Monday. American League champion Texas Rangers, who fell in five games to the Giants in the Fall Classic, split their US$13 million haul into 44 full shares worth US$246,000 each. The players’ pool is formed from 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series and 60 percent of receipts from the first four games of the League Championship Series and the World Series.
CRICKET
Anderson mistaken for Cook
England fast-bowler James Anderson yesterday said Australian fans were mistaking him for Alastair Cook, who hit a record 235 not out in the drawn opening Ashes Test. “In the airport waiting for flight to Adelaide. Had three people come up to me and say well batted. I only got 11?” Anderson tweeted. Anderson reached 11 before being bowled in the first innings, while Cook, who is also tall with dark hair, eclipsed even the legendary Donald Bradman with his Gabba-record second knock. The mix-up comes after many Australian supporters stayed away from the game’s final stages, as a likely victory slipped from the home team’s grasp.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
Armand Duplantis will be among the reigning Olympic champions adding star power to the world indoor championships this weekend when the Chinese city of Nanjing hosts the first major global athletics meet since the Paris Games last year. The three-day event was originally slated for 2020 and faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nanjing’s Sports Training Center would finally welcome more than 570 athletes for the start of the showpiece today. One of the main attractions would be pole vaulter “Mondo” Duplantis, who soared 6.27m to break the world record for a staggering 11th time in Clermont-Ferrand last
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