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Bucs' Brown to speak at Curbstone

Pittsburgh Pirates radio broadcaster Greg Brown will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend. For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

All sports fans are welcome, and you do not need to be a current or former coach.

Ex-YSU slugger signs with Rockies

Former Youngstown State All-American outfielder Kyle Fossum has signed a minor league contact with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.

Fossum, the 2025 Horizon League Player of the Year, was named to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region First Team and the ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team following his breakout senior campaign with the Penguins. The Seattle, Wash., native became the third player in YSU history to garner All-America honors. He was the first Penguin to collect All-American recognition since Jim Lipinski earned honorable mention honors in 2001.

"We could not be more thrilled for Kyle to receive this opportunity with the Colorado Rockies organization," YSU head coach Trevor Charpie said. "Kyle is one of the most talented and naturally gifted hitters I have ever been around, but his grit, perseverance and work ethic is even more impressive. We're so thankful to have had the chance to coach him and welcome him into the YSU Baseball family. Kyle made such an impact on our program in so many ways, and we are excited to see where he will do with this next opportunity."

Fossum put together one of the most prolific and productive seasons in YSU history in 2025 after spending the first three years of his career at the University of Washington. He batted .382 with 84 hits while setting new single-season school records for home runs (23), RBIs (62), runs scored (67), slugging percentage (.777) and total bases (171). Fossum also recorded 18 doubles, 46 walks, a .496 on-base percentage, a 1.273 OPS and nine stolen bases while starting all 57 games. He ranked in the top 10 in the Horizon League in batting average, hits, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, RBIs, runs scored, home runs, doubles and walks.

USA 250 patch to debut at SB LX

WASHINGTON -- A patch commemorating the U.S.'s 250th anniversary will make its debut at the Super Bowl on the uniforms of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, Major League Soccer, UFC and WWE along with the White House and Fanatics unveiled the USA 250 patch on Friday.

"The NFL is honored to celebrate America's 250th anniversary on a global stage," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "These special patches symbolize a country and a game built on the shared values of hard work, sacrifice and innovation. We are proud to be a part of the American story."

Players are also set to have it on their uniforms in the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, baseball games on July 4 and MLB All-Star festivities in Philadelphia, among other events.

"This collaboration is an important addition to MLB's commemoration of America's 250th birthday this season, which includes the dedication of 250,000 volunteer hours across baseball," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. "This exciting initiative has the opportunity to use the collective popularity of these properties to do what sports does best -- bring people together."

President Donald Trump invited commissioners to the White House to commemorate the patch, but the event scheduled for earlier this week was postponed because of Winter Storm Fern.

Twins, Falvey mutually part ways

MINNEAPOLIS -- Since assuming control of the Minnesota Twins, Tom Pohlad has taken a bold and decisive approach to reinvigorating the family-run franchise.

Deep conversations with his top executive produced another startling move, when the Twins and president of baseball and business operations Derek Falvey announced on Friday they have mutually decided to part ways.

Long one of the most stable franchises in the major leagues, the Twins have now explored a sale, added new investors, changed executive chairs in a reorganization of the front office, changed managers and had their baseball chief depart all in a span of about 15 months. The Twins also traded 10 players off the major league roster in the week leading up to the deadline last summer.

The timing of Falvey's departure was unusual, with spring training less than two weeks away. Last week, he emceed a kickoff media luncheon ahead of the team's annual fan festival at Target Field. This was not an exit that anyone outside of the club's inner circle saw coming.

But Pohlad took over as executive chair just last month, having previously been immersed in the family's other businesses without ever having a formal role with the baseball team. Falvey, 42, was first hired to run the baseball department in October 2016 under Pohlad's uncle. He was elevated a year ago to oversee the business side as well by Pohlad's younger brother.

The Twins made the postseason four times during Falvey's nine-year tenure, but since the last of Falvey's three division titles in 2023 the organization has been through a rocky time on and off the field. The Twins went 70-92 in 2025, as attendance at the ballpark and morale within the fan base further plummeted.

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YSU brings in The Amazing Sladek

YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State Athletics Department is proud to announce The Amazing Sladek will perform at halftime of the Youngstown State-IU Indy men's basketball game on Friday, Jan. 30 at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.

Tipoff between the Penguins and Jaguars is set for 6:30 p.m.

The world-famous Amazing Sladek has been entertaining families around the world for five decades. His acrobatic act has stunned crowds across the country, and he has performed on America's Got Talent and Steve Harvey's "Forever Young."

The Amazing Sladek uses no safeties, no gimmicks, and no nets, and his performance includes his death-defying Tower of Chairs.

For tickets, call the YSU Athletics Ticket Office at 330-941-1978 or purchase online at YSUSports.com.

Pens' Rust suspended for 3 games

NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver's Brock Boeser.

The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced the ban Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out Thursday against Chicago, Saturday against the New York Rangers and Monday against Ottawa. He's eligible to return next Tuesday at the Islanders.

Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser's head in the final seconds of the Penguins' game at the Canucks on Sunday, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.

Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

OSU football schedule released

COLUMBUS -- The Big Ten announced its 2026 football schedules on Tuesday evening. Coupled with two non-conference games in Ohio Stadium, Ohio State is scheduled to play seven home games next fall, highlighted by visits from Michigan, Oregon, Illinois, Northwestern and Maryland.

The Buckeyes' slate consists of two games against teams that made the College Football Playoff semifinals - at Indiana and home vs. Oregon - as well as a visit to Texas to close out the home-and-home series. Nine of Ohio State's 12 regular season opponents either played in the CFP or a bowl game this season and seven of them had nine or more wins in 2025. The combined conference record last season of the Buckeyes' nine Big Ten opponents in 2026 was 51-30 (.629).

Ohio State's 2026 non-conference schedule will include its season-opener against Ball State on Sept. 5, a trip to Austin, Texas, to face the Longhorns on Sept. 12 and a home game against Kent State on Dept. 19. Ohio State last played at Texas in 2006, when the No. 1 Buckeyes defeated the No. 2 Longhorns, 24-7.

The home Big Ten slate at Ohio Stadium consists of five games: vs. Illinois (Sept. 26), Maryland (Oct. 10), Oregon (Nov. 7), Northwestern (Nov. 14) and Michigan (Nov. 28). The visit by the Illini will be Illinois' first since 2017, while Northwestern hasn't played in Columbus since 2016. Oregon, which last played at Ohio Stadium in 2021, will make its first trip as a Big Ten Conference member.

Ohio State's four Big Ten road games will take it to Iowa (Oct. 3), Indiana (Oct. 17), USC (Oct. 31) and Nebraska (Nov. 21). The Buckeyes haven't played at USC since 2008 and will also be making its first trip to Iowa's Kinnick Stadium since 2017.

There will be one off week in 2026: Oct. 24, in between road games at Indiana and USC.

Daboll agrees to become Titans' OC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is an offensive coordinator again as part of new Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh's staff.

The Titans announced the hire of Daboll on Tuesday. The move brings two former New York head coaches together, as Daboll was with the Giants at the same time Saleh was leading the Jets.

Daboll went 20-40-1 with the Giants and was fired Nov. 10, the day after a 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears that dropped their record to 2-8. Daboll led New York to a playoff berth and was the AP NFL's Coach of the Year his debut season in 2022, but the Giants went 11-33 the rest of his tenure.

He had interviewed a second time for the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching vacancy on Monday.

Daboll, 50, has previously been an offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011), Kansas City Chiefs (2012) and Buffalo Bills (2018-21). He also was the University of Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2017.

He was a part of five Super Bowl championships while working on Bill Belichick's New England Patriots staffs from 2000-06 and 2013-16. Daboll also was part of Alabama's 2017 national championship team.

Bills promote Brady to head coach

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills stayed in-house by promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady as their new head coach on Tuesday, in a move that provides continuity to a Josh Allen-led perennial winner that has accomplished everything short of reaching a Super Bowl.

The team announced Brady agreed to a five-year deal. He will be introduced as the head coach during a news conference on Thursday.

The 36-year-old Brady just completed his fourth season in Buffalo and his second full season as coordinator. He previously served as quarterbacks coach before taking over after Ken Dorsey was fired midway through 2023.

Brady's promotion came a little more than a week after Sean McDermott was fired following a nine-year tenure.

Under Brady, the Bills offense took a far more balanced approach in part to take the burden off Allen. Brady also introduced what became known as an "Everybody Eats," share-the-wealth approach to the passing game, which followed Buffalo trading leading receiver Stefon Diggs to Houston in April 2024.

The approach worked, with Allen earning AP NFL MVP honors for his 28 touchdowns passing (plus 12 rushing) and a career-low six interceptions and a receiving group led by Khalil Shakir's 76 catches for 821 yards.

This season, the Bills offense ranked fourth in total yards and tied for fourth in scoring. Fourth-year running back James Cook finished with 1,621 yards rushing to become the first Bills player to lead the NFL in rushing since O.J. Simpson in 1976.

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YSU's Charpie to speak at Curbstone

Youngstown State baseball coach Trevor Charpie will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

All sports fans are welcome and you do not need to be a current or former coach.

Marko joins Penguins' baseball staff

Former collegiate student-athlete and hitting coach Nate Marko has joined the Youngstown State baseball coaching staff as an assistant coach, YSU head coach Trevor Charpie announced on Friday.

"We're extremely excited to welcome Nate to our coaching staff," Charpie said. "From the start, it was clear that his approach to hitting is rooted in both strong fundamentals and modern development methods. He does an outstanding job connecting with players, simplifying complex concepts and creating an environment where hitters can compete with confidence. Nate's energy, attention to detail, and commitment to building a winning program will make an immediate impact on this year's team and teams for years to come."

Marko, a native of McKees Rocks, Pa., most recently served as an assistant coach at NAIA Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Fla., during the 2025 season. Serving as the team's hitting coach, Marko helped guide the Gyrenes to 30 total wins and an at-large bid in the NAIA National Tournament. Ave Maria posted its fourth winning season in school history while playing the 12th toughest schedule in the NAIA in 2025. Marko coached Ave Maria's hitters to a .277 team batting average, a .431 slugging percentage, 55 home runs, 88 doubles, 17 triples, 334 RBIs, 516 hits, 382 runs, 803 total bases, 246 walks and 109 stolen bases.

Prior to his time at Ave Maria, Marko worked as a hitting trainer at Driveline Baseball in Seattle. He also served as an assistant coach in the independent professional ranks, coaching with the Steel City Slammin' Sammies, who were created for the 2020 COVID season. In the travel baseball ranks, Marko served as the Director of Hitting at Diesel Sports Complex and was the manager of the 17/18U team for Steel City Select.

Marko played four seasons of collegiate baseball at Bethany College, an NCAA Division III member in West Virginia. He graduated from Bethany with a bachelor's degree in business administration and management in 2019 before earning his MBA from Wheeling University in 2021.

Mendoza declares for NFL draft

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock, and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is officially available.

Mendoza formally declared for the NFL draft Friday and could be headed to the Raiders with the No. 1 pick in April. Mendoza led Indiana to a 16-0 season and its first national championship with a 27-21 victory against Miami on Monday night.

"Let's get to work," Mendoza wrote in a social media post that included a highlight video. "I'm humbled to announce that I am officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft!"

The junior completed 72% of his passes this season for 3,535 yards, with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for seven scores and played some of his best football in the College Football Playoff, with eight TD passes and no picks while scoring a key late touchdown on a highlight-reel 12-yard run on fourth-and-4. It extended Indiana's lead to 24-14 in the fourth quarter.

Mendoza became a respected leader inside the locker room, a humble but well-known personality outside of it and Indiana's first Heisman winner as he capped what some called the greatest two-year turnaround in college football history. Mendoza also is the third Latino player to win the Heisman.

Mendoza is considered the clearcut top QB in the draft after Oregon's Dante Moore announced he would return to school for the 2026 season. And the Raiders desperately need better quarterback play after going 3-14 in 2025 and clinching the No. 1 overall pick with a loss to the New York Giants in Week 17. The franchise will have a new coach after firing veteran Pete Carroll after one season.

Bills interview Rivers for HC role

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Philip Rivers interviewed with the Buffalo Bills for their head coaching job on Friday, the latest twist in a busy couple of months for one of the most prolific passers in NFL history.

The 44-year-old Rivers has no previous NFL coaching experience, having worked since his initial retirement from the league as a high school coach in his native Alabama. Last month, he ended his five-year retirement and finished the season with the Indianapolis Colts. Rivers started three games -- all losses -- in a failed attempt to salvage the Colts' playoff chances.

Rivers was the fourth candidate to interview since the Bills launched their search on Wednesday. Sean McDermott was fired Monday after going 98-50 and reaching the playoffs eight times in nine seasons, making the Bills the 10th team to replace a head coach this cycle.

The Bills have also interviewed former Giants coach Brian Daboll, who previously served as the team's offensive coordinator; current offensive coordinator Joe Brady; and Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. More meetings are scheduled through this weekend in a search process led by general manager Brandon Beane. Quarterback Josh Allen has been part of the search and is participating in meetings with candidates.

Owner Terry Pegula decided to fire McDermott after a 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. McDermott led the Bills to seven straight 10-win seasons but never took the team to the Super Bowl.

Pegula determined Buffalo had hit what he called "the proverbial playoff wall" under McDermott. The Bills became the NFL's first team to win a playoff game in six straight years without a Super Bowl appearance.

Rivers has been a mentor to Allen, and the two remain close.

Rivers played 17 seasons before his initial retirement in 2021 and took a job overseeing the football program at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. His last playoff game was Indianapolis' 27-24 loss to Buffalo in the wild-card round of the 2020 season.

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Snow cancels YSU bowling tourney

The Prairie View Invitational, which Youngstown State's bowling team was scheduled to compete in this weekend, has been canceled due to a potential winter storm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency as North Texas faces a winter storm starting Friday. The system is expected to bring "a treacherous mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow that could make travel nearly impossible through the weekend," according to Dallas-based KDFW Fox 4.

The Penguins were scheduled to fly to Texas on Wednesday, and Prairie View A&M made the decision to cancel the tournament on Tuesday night. The event was slated to be held at The ITRC in Arlington, Texas.

Mets acquire Robert from White Sox

CHICAGO -- The busy New York Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox late Tuesday night, filling a hole in center field.

New York sent speedy infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season.

The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he to signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The trade was announced after New York finalized a $126 million, three-year contract with Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star shortstop who is moving to third base.

Robert hit a career-low .223 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs and a career-best 33 steals in 110 games last year. Despite the shaky performance, the White Sox exercised his $20 million option for 2026.

Robert's contract also has a $20 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.

New York is looking to return to the playoffs after it faded to an 83-79 record last year. Popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz departed in free agency, but the Mets signed closer Devin Williams, reliever Luke Weaver and infielder Jorge Polanco.

The 23-year-old Acuña hit .234 with eight RBIs and 16 steals in 95 games with New York last season. Acuña, who can play second base, third base, shortstop and center field, was acquired by the Mets in a July 2023 trade with the Rangers for pitcher Max Scherzer.

Bills owner calls out Coleman pick

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- As if Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman didn't attract enough negative attention for showing up late to meetings during an underperforming season.

On Wednesday, the second-year player was drawn into the conversation involving team owner Terry Pegula's abrupt decision to fire coach Sean McDermott on Monday.

Pegula shared the podium with general manager Brandon Beane during an end-of-season news conference. And the owner interjected when questions turned to Beane's failure to improve the team's group of receivers last offseason and Coleman's lack of development.

Pegula then explained it was the coaching staff that pushed for Coleman being the Bills' second-round pick in the 2024 draft.

Pegula later clarified to The Associated Press he was not referring to McDermott, but rather another coach, whom he declined to name.

Beane somewhat contradicted Pegula by saying Coleman was "my pick," before suggesting what Pegula meant is Buffalo could have considered addressing another position with the selection.

Buffalo twice traded back in the draft order before selecting Coleman with the first pick of the second round.

Coleman was disciplined by having to sit out the opening series of a loss to New England in Week 5. A month later, the 22-year-old was a healthy scratch in a game against Tampa Bay. It marked the third time he had been disciplined after also being late for a meeting during his rookie season.

Each time Coleman vowed to do better, and finished the season with 38 catches for 404 yards and four TDs.

Judge blocks Duke QB's transfer

A judge has granted Duke's request for a temporary restraining order blocking quarterback Darian Mensah from enrolling to play football at another school until a court hearing set for early February.

The school filed a lawsuit Monday in Durham County Superior Court against Mensah seeking to block his efforts to transfer and reach a contract with another school to play elsewhere next season. The complaint came three days after Mensah reversed his previously announced plan to return to the Blue Devils after leading them to the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Judge Michael O'Foghludha signed an order Wednesday that prevents Mensah from enrolling elsewhere, signing a licensing deal with another school or taking any other action breaching the two-season contract Mensah signed with Duke running through 2026.

The order, formalizing a verbal ruling from Tuesday's hearing, didn't grant Duke's additional request seeking to block Mensah from entering his name into the transfer portal entirely. But he otherwise can't take additional steps in the process of reaching a deal to play at a new school, with the order designed to "preserve the status quo" until a Feb. 2 hearing.

"Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor, and we expect he will do the same," Duke said in a statement Wednesday. "The court-ordered temporary restraining order issued (Tuesday) ensures he does not violate his contract. The university is committed to supporting all our student-athletes, while expecting each of them to abide by their contractual obligations."

The school argued its contract with Mensah -- signed in July 2025 -- paid him for exclusive rights to market Mensah's name, image and likeness (NIL) tied to playing college football. Duke's lawsuit argued that the contract requires parties to go through arbitration before any dispute can be resolved.

In an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, sports-law attorney Darren Heitner, said on social media that Mensah "is not, for the time being" allowed to enroll or play football elsewhere before a decision by a different judge set to preside over the next hearing.

Mensah, who transferred in from Tulane and even faced his former team, finished second in the Bowl Subdivision ranks by throwing for 3,973 yards while ranking tied for second with 34 passing touchdowns.

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Dieter Memorial Scholarship opens

The Trumbull County Tennis Association is taking applicants for the Gary Dieter Memorial Scholarship.

To be eligible, applicants must be graduating seniors who are T.C.T.A members and played varsity tennis. Consideration is also given to non-Trumbull County students who are members of the T.C.T.A and have participated in the organization's tournaments.

Applications can be obtained through area high school guidance counselors and athletic directors, or by visiting www.trumbullcountytennis.com.

Entries must be postmarked by March 27 to T.C.T.A Scholarship Committee, C/O Marilyn Spahr, 2804 Crestwood Dr. NW, Warren, Ohio, 44485.

No applications will be accepted after March 27.

Scholarships will be paid directly to the college or university upon receipt of billing.

YSU men's runners sweep awards

Youngstown State men's track and field standouts Brayden Green and Joseph Owusu-Ansah claimed Under Armour #HLTF Indoor Athlete and Runner of the Week honors following their outstanding performances at YSU Collegiate Invitational on Friday.

Owusu-Ansah won the 60m dash at the 200m dash at the YSU Collegiate Invitational at the WATTS. Owusu-Ansah won the 60m with a time of 6.76 seconds and won the 200m with a time of 21.26 seconds. He won the 200m in impressive fashion by 0.18 seconds. That time ranks 34th currently in the NCAA. He leads the Horizon League in both events.

Green won the triple jump at the YSU Collegiate Invitational on Friday at the WATTS. Green won the triple jump with an impressive leap of 14.65m in the event. The leap moves him into fourth place all-time in program history. He jumped 14.41m prior to the semester break in YSU's lone meet. The 14.65m mark leads the HL.

YSU makes the short trip to Kent, Ohio, on Friday to compete at the Kent State Jud Logan Memorial Invitational at the Kent State Field House.

Rangers sign Junis to 1-year deal

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Right-hander Jakob Junis finalized a $4 million, one-year contract with the Rangers on Tuesday that includes a mutual option for 2027, and Texas signed 2023 World Series reliever Josh Sborz to a minor league contract.

Junis was 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA in a career-high 57 appearances with Cleveland last season, when he allowed only five home runs over 66 2/3 innings. He will make $2.75 million this year, and the 2027 option is at $5 million with a $1.25 million buyout.

In his nine-year big league career, the 33-year-old Junis is 46-46 with two saves and a 4.36 ERA with 768 strikeouts in 249 games, including 116 starts, with Kansas City (2017-21), San Francisco (2022-23), Milwaukee (2024), Cincinnati (2024), and Cleveland (2025). He is among four active pitchers with at least 100 starts and 100 relief appearances since 2017.

Right-hander Dom Hamel designated for assignment to open a roster spot.

Sborz spent all of last season on the injured list after right shoulder surgery in November 2024.

He got the final seven outs in the Rangers' World Series-clinching victory at Arizona in Game 5 in 2023, then was limited to 16 1/3 innings over 17 appearances in 2024, when the right-hander was on the injured list four times for right shoulder issues.

He never pitched for the Rangers last year, making 12 appearances during a minor league rehab assignment, the last on Aug. 30.

Falcons hire O-line coach Callahan

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons hired veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan on Tuesday, making one of the NFL's most-experienced coaches the first offensive assistant added to new coach Kevin Stefanski's staff.

The addition of Callahan comes one day after the team announced defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will return.

Callahan was the Tennessee Titans' offensive line coach the past two years, including time working for his son, Brian Callahan, who was fired as coach on Oct. 14.

Bill Callahan has coached 48 years in college and the NFL. He has had 14 offensive linemen earn 35 Pro Bowl selections in his 27 years in the NFL. Callahan coached the Cleveland Browns' offensive line for four years (2020-23) before his time with Tennessee.

Callahan was Nebraska's head coach from 2004-07 and the Oakland Raiders' head coach from 2002-03 as well as time as interim head coach with Washington in 2019.

Callahan also coached the offensive lines for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.

Stefanski was hired on Saturday night as the replacement for Raheem Morris, who was fired following an 8-9 finish in his second season. New Falcons president of football Matt Ryan, who also holds most of the Falcons' major passing records, is continuing his search to replace fired general manager Terry Fontenot.

Warriors guard Butler tears ACL

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler will require surgery and miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during the third quarter of a 135-112 victory over Miami.

The Warriors made the announcement Tuesday ahead of their home game against Toronto.

Butler was hurt Monday night moments after catching a pass in the paint when he went down hard and awkwardly following a collision with the Heat's Davion Mitchell -- who was called for a foul. After the play, Butler was asking for two free throws, a positive sign to coach Steve Kerr that his spirits were good.

The news was not good, and now Golden State -- with about two weeks until the trade deadline -- will have decisions to make about how to handle the remainder of the season without Butler.

Butler's knee buckled upon his landing and he grimaced and grabbed at the knee while down for a couple of minutes. He needed teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to escort him off the court and to the locker room after the fall on the Warriors' offensive end. When he finally got up with assistance, he was unable to put any pressure on his knee.

In just under 21 minutes, Butler had 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting, four assists and three rebounds. He is Golden State's second-leading scorer behind Curry, having averaged 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists entering the week.

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Campbell to speak to Curbstone

Youngstown State softball coach Brian Campbell will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend. For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

All sports fans are welcome and you do not need to be a current or former coach.

Twins sign catcher Caratini

Catcher Victor Caratini and the Minnesota Twins agreed Friday to a $14 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

Caratini, 32, hit .259 last year in his second season with the Houston Astros and set career bests with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 386 plate appearances. He caught in 49 games, played first base in 15 and was a designated hitter for 30.

A switch-hitter, Caratini batted .268 versus right-handers and .208 against lefties. He could wind up in a platoon with Ryan Jeffers, a right-handed hitter who batted .313 versus left-handers and .248 against righties.

Jeffers is on track to be eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, and the move sets the Twins up for his potential departure. They also acquired journeyman Alex Jackson for depth in a trade with Baltimore.

Caratini had signed a $12 million, two-year deal with the Astros.

He has a .244 average with 58 homers and 247 RBIs in nine big league seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2017-20), San Diego (2021), Milwaukee (2022-23) and Houston.

NFL sees WC viewership increase

After double-digit increases in its regular-season and wild-card playoff round ratings, the NFL is looking for another large bump in ratings during this weekend's division round.

The league and Nielsen said last weekend's six wild-card games averaged 32 million viewers, a 13% jump from last year. It was also the most-watched opening weekend of the NFL playoffs since the field expanded to 14 teams in the 2020 season.

Overall, it was the most-watched wild-card round since the 2015 season and the fifth highest since average viewer numbers started being tracked in 1988.

Five of the games saw increases compared to the same time frames a year ago while the sixth game was even.

The regular season averaged 18.7 million viewers per game, a 10% increase. It also was the second-highest average on record.

Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. Nielsen began using its Big Data + Panel methodology for all events last September with the start of the current television season.

Earlier this year, Nielsen began measuring out-of-home viewers for all states but Hawaii and Alaska, along with including data from smart TVs along with cable and satellite set-top boxes.

Nielsen previously measured only the top 44 media markets, which covered 65% of the country.

Last year's four divisional matchups averaged 37.1 million viewers. The record for the NFL's second weekend of the playoffs is 40 million, set two years ago. That was led by the Kansas City-Buffalo matchup, which averaged 50.4 million, making it the most watched divisional or wild-card game on record.

Fox averaged 37.5 million for the Green Bay-San Francisco Saturday night divisional matchup two years ago, which was the most-watched Saturday NFL playoff game on record.

The 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night, which drew some criticism in some quarters because they played in Philadelphia in the late afternoon Sunday window and have a short week. Meanwhile, the Rams and Chicago Bears both played on Saturday.

The Rams and Bears though will close the weekend on Sunday night on NBC.

The last time at least one team didn't have a short week between the wild-card and divisional rounds was the 2018 season.

Chambliss sues NCAA for extra year

Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss sued the NCAA in state court on Friday for an additional year of eligibility so he can play for the Rebels next season.

The suit filed in Lafayette County came a week after the NCAA denied Ole Miss' request for an extra year, saying the university and Chambliss' previous school -- Ferris State -- failed to provide adequate medical documentation to back up the request.

The lawsuit filed Friday called the NCAA's denial in "bad-faith, unreasonable and arbitrary," and detailed Chambliss' history of illness and included letters from physicians.

Ole Miss' arguments revolve around the fact that the 23-year-old Chambliss, although he has been in college for five years, has only played three years of college football because of that medical history.

After taking a redshirt his first season at Ferris State in 2021-22, Chambliss was held out in his second season for medical reasons.

He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of this season.

Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and three interceptions for Ole Miss (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time. He ran for 527 yards and eight more TDs.

The Rebels lost 31-27 to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 8.

The NCAA, when contacted Friday, did not have a new statement, but referred to its statement from a week ago saying "This decision aligns with consistent application of NCAA rules."

The NCAA said in that week-old statement that approval of such waivers requires schools to submit medical documentation from a treating physician at the time of a student's incapacitating injury or illness.

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Mavericks' Davis injures hand

Anthony Davis has ligament damage in his left hand, and the Dallas Mavericks' oft-injured big man is seeking multiple opinions on treatment options, the team said Friday without offering a time frame on a possible return.

Davis was injured late in a 116-114 loss at the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. The 10-time All-Star was in obvious pain on the bench before going to the locker room. The team said an MRI revealed the damage.

The possibility of a lengthy absence from the latest injury for Davis is a significant development for the Mavericks as they try to figure out how to move on from the trade for Davis that sent young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers 11 months ago.

General manager Nico Harrison, the orchestrator of the deal, was fired in November after Dallas got off to a slow start. The Mavericks are 10 games under .500 and out of the playoff picture less than two years after playing in the NBA Finals.

There has been speculation about Davis getting traded again, but most of that has been predicated on him being healthy. The hand injury could sideline him until after the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Davis is averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

The 32-year-old Davis missed 18 of the Mavericks' first 38 games this season with calf and groin injuries. He was nursing an abdominal injury when the Mavericks traded for him last February, and he re-aggravated it in his Dallas debut. Davis was sidelined for the next 18 games.

Another injury to Davis also could affect the franchise's decision on when Kyrie Irving returns from last season's knee injury. It's possible the nine-time All-Star guard won't play at all in 2025-26. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3 last year.

Brooks Koepka leaves LIV Golf

Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, just over two weeks after defecting from Saudi-funded LIV Golf, has applied to have his PGA Tour membership reinstated.

The next step belongs to the tour, which has suspended players for joining the rival league, even if they never had PGA Tour membership.

Two people with knowledge of Koepka's application confirmed Friday he has started the process to rejoin the tour. They spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been made public. Koepka's manager at Hambric Sports, Blake Smith, said he would not have a comment at this time.

ESPN first reported Koepka's application. With one year left on his LIV contract, the Saudi-backed league announced Dec. 23 that he would no longer be part of the LIV Golf League and his captaincy of Smash had been turned over to Talor Gooch.

"Brooks is prioritizing the needs of his family and staying closer to home," said Scott O'Neil, the CEO of LIV Golf, who described the departure as amicable and mutual.

The tour policy has been players having to sit out one year from their last LIV appearance, but that was only for nonmembers, such as Laurie Canter. The Englishman was a part-time LIV player, and he qualified for The Players Championship last March one year and a month after last playing a LIV event in Las Vegas.

Brian Rolapp, who took over as CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises last summer, will face one of his first early decisions on a pathway back for LIV Golf players wanting to return. His case will be reviewed by Rolapp, along with the policy board and player directors. That includes Tiger Woods, who chairs the Future Competition Committee.

Koepka, and other PGA Tour members who left for LIV and were seen as damaging the tour, presumably would face any number of penalties. But the tour's longtime policy has been to never publicize discipline.

The application comes one day after Rolapp sent a memo to players that the Player Equity Program is being expanded to include current year performance. Koepka already was with LIV when the tour began its first-of-a-kind program, with equity grants first being awarded in April 2024.

Koepka's departure in June 2022 was one of the biggest surprises, mainly because he was at a corporate function the week before he bolted for LIV encouraging the top players to rally around support for the PGA Tour.

But he also was at a crossroads in his career, hampered by injuries in his knees and his left hip. Koepka got his health in order and he won in Saudi Arabia later in 2022, then became the first LIV player to win a major at the 2023 PGA Championship.

He has suggested he might not have joined LIV if he were more certain of his health. Koepka also expressed frustration last year the rival league wasn't as far along as he had hoped. A statement that accompanied his departure from LIV said, "Family has always guided Brooks's decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home."

His wife, Jenna, announced on social media in October that she had suffered a miscarriage. They have a 2-year-old son.

The PGA Tour offers a five-year exemption to players who win a major, and if the 2023 PGA Championship title is honored, that would make him exempt through 2028. Still to be determined is what kind of punishment the tour will dispense.

The PGA Tour season starts next week at the Sony Open, followed by The American Express in the California desert and the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. The next event would be the Phoenix Open, which Koepka won for his first PGA Tour title in 2015. He also won Phoenix in 2021.

Michigan RB Haynes enters portal

Big Ten rushing leader Justice Haynes is transferring again after an injury-shortened single season at Michigan.

Haynes, who played his first two college seasons at Alabama, announced on social media Friday that he planned "to return for another year of college football and enter the transfer portal."

Haynes ran for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns, with more than 100 yards in six of his seven games during his only season with the Wolverines. He missed their last five games because of a right foot injury, but still qualified as the Big Ten leader with 122.4 yards per game and 7.1 yards per carry.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder from Alpharetta, Georgia, ran for 616 yards and nine touchdowns in 25 games for Alabama in 2023 and 2024. He started six games as a sophomore before transferring to Michigan.

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Warren Sports HOF releases class

The Warren Sports Hall of Fame released the inductees for its Class of 2026.

There are 11 who will be honored during an event on Feb. 1 at DiVieste's Banquet Center at 1 p.m.

The class consists of: 1) Dr. James Brodell, Warren G. Harding physician and contributor; Pamela Brown Gant, Warren G. Harding girls basketball; John Condoleon, Warren JFK boys and girls basketball head coach; Kelton Dansler, Warren G. Harding football; Mark Elston, Warren JFK basketball and contributor; Gloria Gillen, St. Mary's and Warren JFK contributor; Ted Gozur, Warren JFK multiple sports; David Herron, Warren G. Harding football; Eli Hilas, Warren G. Harding football; Steven Vingle: Warren Western Reserve multiple sports; Tameka Washington McBride: Warren G. Harding girls basketball.

Tickets are available by calling Denny Rossi at 3308838300. Tickets cost $40 for adults and $20 for children under 12.

Robb Schmidt, Youngstown State associate athletics director for corporate sponsorship and athletic marketing, will serve as MC.

For more information, visit warrensportshof.com.

Cards acquire Bruihl from Guards

ST. LOUIS -- Left-hander Justin Bruihl's brief stay with the Cleveland Guardians ended Tuesday when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash.

Cleveland acquired Bruihl from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash on Dec. 17 and designated him for assignment three days later.

Bruihl, 28, went 0-0 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 games for Toronto last season. He struck out 18 and walked seven in 13 2/3 innings.

He is 2-2 with a 4.72 ERA in 94 career appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021-23), Colorado Rockies (2023), Pittsburgh Pirates (2024) and Toronto.

St. Louis designated right-hander Zak Kent for assignment. He was claimed off waivers from the Guardians on Dec. 5.

Jackets name Gilman vice president

COLUMBUS --The Columbus Blue Jackets named veteran National Hockey League executive Laurence Gilman Vice President of Hockey Operations, Don Waddell, Columbus president of hockey operations and general manager, announced on Tuesday.

Gilman brings more than two decades of management experience to Columbus and will assist Waddell in all aspects of the club's hockey operations.

"I have known Laurence for many years, and I am very excited to welcome him to the Columbus Blue Jackets," Waddell said. "He is extremely knowledgeable about all facets of team and league operations, and his experience and personality will be a great addition to our hockey operations staff."

Gilman began his NHL management career with the Winnipeg Jets in 1994 and remained with the organization when the club relocated to Phoenix in 1996. He served as director of hockey operations for the Coyotes from 1998-01, vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager from 2001-05 and senior vice president of hockey operations and assistant general from 2005-07. He then spent seven seasons with the Vancouver Canucks as vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager from 2008-15. During his tenure, Vancouver won five-straight Pacific Division titles from 2008-13, captured back-to-back Presidents' Trophies in 2010-11 and 2011-12 and advanced to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba native most recently spent six seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization as assistant general manager from 2018-22 and senior vice president of hockey operations for the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies from 2022-24. The Leafs qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his four seasons with the club, while the Marlies competed in the Calder Cup Playoffs in 2022-23 and 2023-24 and won the North Division title in 2022-23. Gilman is a 1991 graduate of the University of Manitoba and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1994.

"I'm very excited to join the Blue Jackets and want to thank Don for the opportunity," Gilman said. "Columbus is a terrific market with great fans, and I look forward to working with everyone there and doing everything I can to help this team have success on the ice."

The Blue Jackets faced San Jose on Tuesday night. The game was not completed by print deadline. Check out vindy.com for a complete story.

Athletics hit trademark speedbump

LAS VEGAS -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has for now denied the A's request to trademark the names "Las Vegas Athletics" and "Vegas Athletics."

The club, which intends to move to Nevada in 2028, has three months from when the refusals were issued Dec. 29 to ask for an extension to file a new application within a six-month period.

The A's were told the nickname "Athletics" was too generic and could be confused with other activities even if associated with Las Vegas.

That, however, has been the club's nickname since the Philadelphia Athletics began playing in 1901. The A's kept the nickname when they moved to Kansas City in 1955 and Oakland in 1968.

The Patent and Trademark Office denied the NHL's Utah team to use the nickname "Yetis" on Jan. 9 because of potential confusion with companies such as Yeti Coolers. Utah, which moved from the Phoenix area in 2024, now uses the nickname "Mammoth."

The A's relocated to West Sacramento, California, last year to play the first of three planned seasons in the city's Triple-A ballpark. The team is going solely by "Athletics" while playing in the Northern California city.

A $2 billion, 33,000-capacity stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is under construction. Club officials told the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Dec. 4 that the ballpark is on schedule to open in time for the 2028 season.

Nevada and Clark County have approved up to $380 million in public funds for the ballpark, and the A's have said they will cover the remaining expenses. Owner John Fisher has been seeking investors to assist in the funding.

Going back to last offseason, the A's also reached agreements on a $60 million, five-year contract with designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker and a $65.5 million, seven-year deal with outfielder Lawrence Butler. Manager Mark Kotsay signed an extension that takes him through 2028 with a club option for 2029.