FOOTBALL
Falcons hire Raheem Morris
The Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their head coach, a person familiar with the decision told reporters on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not made an announcement. The 47-year-old Morris is a familiar name in Atlanta, having served as the Falcons’ interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season after the firing of Dan Quinn. He previously coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Photo: AP
SOCCER
Klopp to leave Liverpool
Juergen Klopp yesterday announced that he will step down as Liverpool manager at the end of this season. Klopp has led Liverpool to a UEFA Champions League title and Premier League championship in his tenure after being hired in October 2015. “I have to,” he said. “I will leave the club at the end of the season. I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it or at least try to explain it. I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team. I love the staff. I love everything. That I still take this decision probably shows you that I’m convinced it’s the one I have to take. It is that I’m — how can I say this? — that I’m running out of energy.”
MOTORSPORTS
Rebrand stumps Button
Jenson Button appeared to miss the news that Red Bull’s junior Formula One team had been rebranded as he prepared for the Rolex 24 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida on Thursday. Asked his thoughts on the team known as AlphaTauri for the past four years being renamed to Visa Cash App RB F1 — a moniker that has been widely panned by fans as the worst in F1 history — he asked: “What is the new name?” When the 2009 F1 champion and Sky Sports commentator heard it again, he tried to repeat it. “Visa Cash App ... what comes after that?” he asked. “So it is Visa. Cash App. RB. What?” Button said he had no idea what he would call the team while commentating this year. “Exactly what we’re told to call it,” he said. He had a rosier view of the rebrand than people on social media. “Visa Cash App RB is the worst team name in Formula 1 history and is an embarrassment to Red Bull and Formula 1 as a whole,” said Edd Straw of The Race podcast.
GOLF
Taiwan’s Yu falls back
First-round leader Kevin Yu of Taiwan on Thursday fell off the pace in the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California. Yu shot a two-over-par 74 on the South Course to end the round on six-under. Stephan Jaeger of Germany made a 35-foot eagle putt on his final hole for an eight-under 64 and a one-shot lead over Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Shahzad Khan was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at sixth in the East and still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament that would see the seventh-through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff berths in each conference. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson scored 18 points apiece, and Dyson Daniels added a triple-double of 13
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