BASEBALL
Jeter-led group buys Marlins
Derek Jeter’s group on Monday closed on its purchase of the Miami Marlins, and he and new controlling owner Bruce Sherman were yesterday to speak publicly for the first time about the deal at a news conference. Major league owners last week unanimously approved the US$1.2 billion sale of the franchise by Jeffrey Loria to the investment group led by Jeter and Sherman. The closing came one day after the Marlins concluded their eighth consecutive losing season, the longest streak in the majors. Jeter, who played on five World Series champions with the New York Yankees, is to head baseball and business operations for a team that has not been to the playoffs since 2003.
ICE HOCKEY
Flames sign Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr, the National Hockey League’s oldest player at 45, on Monday signed a one-year deal with the Calgary Flames that will see the Czech star into his 24th NHL campaign. Jagr, who reportedly also received an offer from the St Louis Blues, scored 16 goals and set up 30 more playing in all 82 games last season for the Florida Panthers, who could not agree upon a new contract with the right wing for the 2017-2018 season. Two-time Stanley Cup champion Jagr has scored 765 goals and assisted on 1,149 in 1,711 NHL regular-season games. He is only 56 games shy of matching Gordie Howe’s record for career NHL contests. Among NHL legends, only Wayne Gretzky with 894 and Howe with 801 have netted more goals. Jagr, a 13-time NHL All-Star Game selection, won NHL crowns in 1991 and 1992 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the current Stanley Cup champions.
SOCCER
FIGC unveils its new logo
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Monday unveiled its new logo featuring four stars representing the country’s World Cup triumphs ahead of next year’s finals in Russia. The Azzurri won the trophy in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 and are second only to Brazil, who lead the way with five titles. “The FIGC’s new visual identity completes a process of renewal that began three years ago, we look to the future by valuing our history,” federation president Carlo Tavecchio said. “The new logo has made the four-star world triumphs more visible, because they represent the pride of the whole country.” The logo features a more modern design than the crest introduced after the 2006 World Cup victory and is to appear on the new Italy 2018 home jerseys to be released later this month. Italy first started using the blue jersey of the Azzurri in 1911.
SOCCER
Lukaku pleads not guilty
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku on Monday entered a not guilty plea after being cited for holding a rowdy party at his rented Beverly Hills mansion in July. A lawyer for Lukaku, who was not required to be in court in Los Angeles, entered the plea on the player’s behalf. The case was adjourned for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 21. The Beverly Hills Police Department earlier this year said Lukaku was issued with a citation for excessive noise, after police responded to five other noise complaints from the same location. The Belgian international had been staying in Los Angeles with France and Manchester United star Paul Pogba while on vacation.
MOTHER KNOWS BEST: Warriors’ coach Kerr said his 91-year-old mother criticized him for his attitude toward officials that led to his ejection from Monday’s game Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Wednesday rescued the Oklahoma City Thunder with a game-tying buzzer-beater before finishing with 46 points in a 129-125 overtime victory against the Utah Jazz. The reigning NBA champions looked to be heading for a third straight loss after the Jazz inched into a 114-112 lead following Lauri Markkanen’s layup with just three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. However, NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander drained a superb 13-foot jump shot to tie it up at 114-114 as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime. Gilgeous-Alexander then took over in the extra period with nine points as the Western
Mohamed Salah’s Egypt knocked reigning champions Ivory Coast out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a 3-2 win in the quarter-finals on Saturday, while Victor Osimhen starred as Nigeria beat Algeria 2-0 to set up a clash with hosts Morocco. In Agadir, Morocco, a thrilling last-eight tie saw Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia net in the first half for the Pharaohs before an own goal by Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh brought the Ivorians back into it. Salah then got Egypt’s third early in the second half and they held on after Guela Doue again reduced the deficit. Egypt is to face Senegal
AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE: Sabalenka aims to follow up with a third Australian Open win, while Taiwanese Joanna Garland claimed a WTA 125 title in Canberra Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her third Brisbane International final in a row yesterday, a week ahead of the Australian Open. Sabalenka looked in great touch against the tricky Czech, who had won their last three meetings and went into the match as one of the few players with a winning record over the world No. 1. However, Sabalenka showed her class and power as she broke Muchova once in each set to take the semi-final 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes to face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the final. “I struggled against her a couple of times [in
Brandon Miller scored 18 points, LaMelo Ball had 17 and the Charlotte Hornets built a 47-point lead in the first half of a 150-95 rout against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. It was the second-biggest win in franchise history for the Hornets and their largest on the road. The Hornets bounced back from a pair of frustrating losses in a big way, having fallen to Toronto by one point and Indiana by two in their last two games. Charlotte pounded the NBA champion Thunder by 27 in Oklahoma City before those defeats, previously the Hornets’ most lopsided victory of the season. Tre
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