U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe did not hold back when talking about the U.S. men’s hockey national team visiting the White House and Donald Trump.

Rapinoe referred to the players as “clowns” for visiting Trump, adding that this decision has tarnished their massive moment. She called the decision a “classic ripping defeat from the jaws of victory.”

Rapinoe spoke about this on the latest episode of her wife’s and WNBA legend Sue Bird’s podcast. Rapinoe is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Cup champion for the United States.

“The United States men’s hockey team, in their utter moment of glory, childhood dreams come true, once in a lifetime accomplishment, sensational, ruined it for themselves,” Rapinoe said. “Because they allowed themselves to be totally co-opted by a clown. And now you’re a clown. You look like a clown.”

Rapinoe circled back to the “joke” made by the president in the locker room about the U.S Women’s hockey team. Trump said that he has to invite the women’s team or else he will be “impeached,” in a phone call with the men’s team. “I don’t understand the funny part of the joke,” Rapinoe said.

“And, I’m just like … why don’t you respect you more than to have that moment be taken by someone for no reason at all, take a huge swing and a jab at women who did the exact same thing you did?” Rapinoe added.

Rapinoe famously said she “wasn’t going to the f—ing White House,” if they won the World Cup back in 2019. The women’s hockey team followed in her footsteps by declining the invitation to the Oval Office.

Team USA women’s hockey player Hilary Knight responded to the joke made by President Donald Trump during a video call with the men’s team.

Knight was invited on ESPN’s SportsCenter show on Feb. 25. She was asked about several topics, from her play in the 2026 Winter Olympics to Trump’s joke about the team.

“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke,” Knight said, “And unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats.” 

After the men’s gold medal victory against Canada on Feb. 22, Trump called the team to congratulate them. He also invited them to his State of the Union address on Feb. 24. He joked that he has to invite the women’s team as well, or else he’d face impeachment. 

Critics like Knight saw the joke as distasteful and diminishing the accomplishments of the women’s team. Meanwhile, supporters argued the joke was more focused on Trump facing backlash from the media and constant impeachment calls rather than a shot at the women’s team.

Knight and the women’s team also won the gold medal. This was the first time that both the men’s and women’s teams won the gold medal in the same Winter Olympics. Knight was chosen to be the U.S. flag bearer for the closing ceremony.

Knight has been part of the PWHL since its first season in 2023-24. She is a part of the Seattle Torrent team. She played for the Boston Fleet in her first two seasons in the league. The PWHL currently has eight teams.

The PWHL season has resumed after a break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The final game of the season will be on April 25. Each team plays 30 games per season.  

Brandon Aubrey reportedly wants $10 million from the Dallas Cowboys. 

Aubrey has already been offered a one-year tender contract by the Cowboys. This contract is $8 million for one season. This would make him the highest-paid kicker in the league. However, Aubrey is planning to seek more money and longer years on his contract. 

The tender contract is given to players who have played at least three years for a team. The first-round tender, which Aubrey was given, ensures the Cowboys will get a first-round pick from whatever team signs him, unless he makes less than the original contract from his new team. If Aubrey doesn’t sign with a new team by training camp, he will be required to sign the one-year tender contract.

Aubrey was originally a soccer player. He was drafted with a first-round selection by Toronto FC in the 2017 MLS Draft. He was out of the league by 2019. He was watching football with his wife when she suggested that Aubrey could kick better than most NFL kickers.

He played his first pro football game with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL. He was the league leader in field goal percentage and extra-point percentage in 2022 and 2023. After these two seasons, he garnered NFL interest and requested that his contract be terminated.

Aubrey signed with the Cowboys in 2023. Aubrey has been named to the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team in each of his three seasons. Aubrey was one of eight Cowboys Pro Bowl representatives, and one of two from their special teams.

NFL free agency will begin on March 11. March 9 is the start of the legal tampering period. This is where teams can negotiate with players but can’t sign them to contracts until official free agency begins. 

The United States men’s hockey team has faced backlash after a call with President Donald Trump after their gold medal victory on Sunday.

FBI Director Kash Patel was in attendance and video-called Trump in the locker room. Trump congratulated the team on their victory and invited them to his State of the Union address on Feb. 24. He also joked that he’d need to invite the women’s team as well, or he’d face impeachment, which prompted most of the players to laugh. 

Some people felt this joke was out of line, and that the male hockey players should’ve defended their female counterparts. Critics felt the joke implied that the women’s accomplishments weren’t worthy of celebration on par with the men’s.

However, fans argue that the joke wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. They argued that the joke was more about Trump facing constant criticism and impeachment cries rather than a shot at the women’s accomplishment. 

Jack Hughes made a public statement explaining his side of the situation.

“They are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” Hughes said.

For the critics, this damage control only made the situation worse. His statement didn’t acknowledge the real feeling of hurt that many women hockey fans felt. 

Hughes, along with his brother Quinn, was raised by their mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes. She won a silver medal in hockey in the 1992 Winter Olympics. She was a consultant for Team USA hockey and was responsible for convincing several players, including her children, to participate in the Winter Olympics. 

Both the men’s and women’s teams were invited to the State of the Union address. However, only the men’s team accepted the invitation. Even then, several members of the men’s team were absent. 

The NHL season will resume Feb. 25. 

Kirk Cousins‘ tenure with the Atlanta Falcons is coming to an end as the veteran quarterback is expected to be released when the free-agent signing period begins in March.

Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham announced the news on Tuesday during a local radio interview, adding that he has already informed Cousins and his agent of the decision.

Cousins, 37, was the team’s backup quarterback to begin the year last season but took over as the starter when second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending injury. In his time as the starter, Cousins threw for 1,471 yards and 10 touchdowns, showing his tank isn’t empty just yet.

The Falcons went 5-2 with Cousins, missing the playoffs by one game.

Cousins will have plenty of suitors who are looking for a veteran quarterback to provide stability or as a backup quarterback for a team that already has a younger quarterback.

The Falcons signed Cousins in 2024 after he tore his Achilles tendon the previous season with the Vikings. After signing Cousins, the Falcons drafted Penix with their first-round pick, causing confusion about why they had signed Cousins. Cousins was later benched that season in favor of the rookie after struggling in the new system.

Cousins will be heading into his 13th season in the NFL and has put together a career to be proud of, totaling just under 45,000 passing yards and throwing 298 touchdowns.

It is yet to be seen what teams will show interest in Cousins, but his strong finish to the 2025 season showed teams he still has some juice in his arm.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry suggested firing her communication and PR team during a press conference. 

Coventry held a press conference for the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Reporters asked her about FIFA President and IOC member Gianni Infantino joining the peace board of President Donald Trump, a potential for Germany to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, which would be 100 years after Nazi Germany hosted the Olympics and revelations about a Russian doping scandal from 2018.    

“OK, I’m really looking at my team, and maybe someone needs to be dismissed because I’m not aware of that either,” Coventry said. “But I would be very interested to find out more about it.” 

Coventry started off as an Olympic athlete herself. She won gold medals for her home country, Zimbabwe, for the 200-meter backstroke in 2004 and 2008. She also took home four silver medals and a bronze medal between the two Olympics. 

She was the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe from 2018 to 2025.  

Coventry was named the President of the IOC in 2025. She replaced Thomas Bach, who stepped down to respect the precedent of the 12-year limit. 

She is the first woman to serve as President of the IOC. Along with that, she’s also the first person born in Africa to be put in this role. The United States and Zimbabwe are the only non-European nations to have a President of the IOC. 

The 2026 Winter Olympics were Coventry’s first Olympic Games as president. Early estimates of the games show they were largely successful. NBC has reported record viewership for weekday Olympic events. Along with that, several women athletes were able to garner interest in several sports amongst other women. 

The 2030 Winter Olympics will be held from Feb. 1 to Feb. 17 in the French Alps. 

Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope was frustrated after a last-second call that cost them the game, and was heard on the hot mic saying they were “cheated.” 

Kentucky’s Collin Chandler was called for an offensive foul when he shoved Auburn’s Kevin Overton to the floor. This gave Auburn possession with just 14.3 seconds left. This set up the eventual game-winning basket by Eliyah Freeman. 

Chandler and Overton were both making contact with each other before the shove. Pope’s frustration is likely more with the ignoring of Overton’s contact rather than the call on Chandler. 

This was the third-straight loss for Kentucky. Kentucky had the lead at halftime, but Auburn scored 40 in the second half to win the game. Otega Oweh led the way for Kentucky with 29 points. Center Malachi Moreno also had a solid night with seven points and seven rebounds. Meanwhile, Auburn was led by KeShawn Murphy, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds. Keyshawn Hall had a strong all-around game with 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. 

Kentucky has also lost to Florida and Georgia during this stretch. Against Florida, Denzel Aberdeen and Chandler led the team in scoring with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Meanwhile, against Georgia, Oweh and Chandler led the way. 

Chandler had played well the previous two games but struggled against Auburn, including the game-costing foul. He shot 1-6 from three and 3-8 overall. 

Last season, Kentucky reached the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Tennessee. Their offense has fallen from 18th in 2024-25 to 52nd in 2025-26. Koby Brea and Amari Williams graduating are a big part of the offensive decline. 

Kentucky’s next game is Feb. 24 against South Carolina. South Carolina currently has a 12-15 record, ranking No. 13 in the SEC.

American skier Lindsey Vonn revealed that she was at risk of losing her leg after her tibia fracture in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vonn crashed during the women’s downhill event. She was airlifted out of the course. She has undergone several surgeries, both in Italy and in the United States. 

In an Instagram post, Vonn revealed that her crash also led to compartment syndrome in her leg. This is when excessive pressure builds up in a muscle. 

Dr. Tom Hackett, who worked for Vonn and Team USA, performed a fasciotomy. This is an emergency surgery where connective tissue is cut to relieve high pressure. 

Vonn suffered a torn ACL before the Winter Olympics. Despite this, she did several practice runs on the Olympic slope, all of which were successful. 

It’s unclear how much her torn ACL impacted her eventual injury in the Olympics. The injury was caused by her right arm, not her leg, hooking on a gate. However, some medical experts have argued that having full movement in her left leg would’ve allowed her to regain control or at least minimize the damage of her fall. 

Hackett was brought in by the U.S. to observe Vonn’s ACL. If he hadn’t brought in, there’s a chance that Vonn would’ve needed an amputation. 

Regardless, both the torn ACL and injuries sustained at the Olympics likely mean an end to her skiing career. Vonn won the gold medal in downhill skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She also won the bronze medal in Super-G skiing. In the 2018 Winter Olympics, she won the bronze medal for downhill skiing. 

The 2026 Winter Olympics ended on Feb. 22. The 2030 Winter Olympics are projected to start on Feb. 1 and go until Feb. 17. The 2030 Winter Olympics will be held in the French Alps.

Rick Morton, 69, has responded to rumors that he may come out of retirement to fight Ric Flair in a “one last fight” match. 

Flair was asked at a virtual signing event if he’d consider fighting again. Flair said he’d consider fighting Morton, but that it was likely off the table for financial reasons.

Morton released a statement on X, “As cool and exciting as it sounds, I’m going to have to pass on the idea of one more match vs. Ric Flair. Ric already had his last match, and it was an honor to be part of that show. Some moments don’t need a sequel. They need to be respected, remembered, and celebrated forever.”

Flair is currently 76 years old. He is a 16-time WWE world champion, dating back to when it was the WWF. He retired in 2022 at 72. 

Part of the reason Flair retired was due to a battle with skin cancer. In 2025, he announced that he was cancer-free. He recently released an album, WOOOOO!

He’s also become known to the younger generation through other people’s music. In 2017, Offset and Metro Boomin released a song called “Ric Flair Drip.” Flair appeared in the music video for this song. 

Morton, meanwhile, is still going strong=. He’s been fighting since 1977. He fought his son, Kerry, in his most recent fight in November 2025. He managed to defeat his 24-year-old son. Morton has won 79 championships over his long career.

Morton appeared on Feb. 20 at Ricky Morton’s Rock N Rumble event in Michigan.

In 2025, Flair’s daughter, wrestling star Charlotte Flair, spoke exclusively to our sister site uInterview about her return to the ring, documented on WWE unReal, and what she learned from her wrestling icon dad. “The best piece of advice my dad’s ever given me is you have to know who you are and who your character is through and through when you walk through the curtain That’s the most important thing because the fans see, right, if you don’t believe in yourself, they’re gonna eat you alive and authenticity of your character is what sells.”

Footage has leaked, revealing altercations involving boxer Nurideen Shabazz in livestreams hosted by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. 

The first was on Feb. 17, when footage showed Shabazz being slapped by powerlifter Larry Wheels. On Feb. 18, Shabazz was dropped to the ground by former UFC star Tiki Ghosn. 

Shabazz was attempting to say hello to Ghosn, but Ghosn didn’t acknowledge him. Shabazz accused Ghosn of lying, saying the two did know each other. 

Ghosn then asked Shabazz if he was the guy who got slapped, referring to the slap he received from Wheels the day before. Shabazz told him he was, but that he’d slap Ghosn.

Ghosn looked confused but still defended himself by dropping an elbow strike on Shabazz. Ghosn attempted to walk away, but Shabazz followed him. Shabazz seemed to want to keep fighting, but observers broke it up. 

Shabazz is known as “Deen TheGreat” on YouTube. Shabazz started his channel in 2013, where he did boxing training videos. He worked with other famous YouTubers and even professional boxers.

Shabazz made his boxing debut in 2022 against TikTok star Evil Hero. Shabazz knocked him out in the first round. His most recent fight was in 2024, when he defeated Dave Fogarty by knockout. Shabazz has a 5-0 career record, including three knockouts. 

Ghosn was a mixed martial arts fighter from 1998 to 2009. He won his final fight against Brian Warren in 2009 with a unanimous decision. This improved Ghosn’s career record to 10-8. Ghosn now runs a sports agency called Arsenal Sports Agency. This company represents several mixed martial arts athletes, including Dustin Poirier. 

Shabazz has no official fights scheduled in the near future. However, he often competes in the Danz league. This league features several celebrity boxers like Shabazz and KSI.

Rafael Devers is playing in his first full season with the San Francisco Giants, and his energy during team training has been very positive.

Devers was asked about his time with the Boston Red Sox after training. He told reporters, “It’s over.” He instead decided to talk about how his wife is expecting their third child together, a boy to join his two daughters. 

Buster Posey, Giants president of baseball operations and former MLB All-Star, said the sound off Devers’ bat was “different” in training camp.

During training camp last season, Devers wasn’t feeling nearly as well. The Red Sox had signed Alex Bregman during the 2024-25 offseason. Bregman plays third base, the position Devers had played for Boston for years. 

Bregman is a superior defender. Along with that, he told reporters that he plays third base, dispelling any rumors that he’d move to second base. The Red Sox reportedly wanted to move Devers to first base, but he didn’t want to do that. He played DH for the Red Sox until being traded to the Giants.

On June 15, the Giants acquired Devers in exchange for Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs III and Jose Bello.

Devers didn’t have the issues playing first base in San Francisco that he did in Boston. Although he was mostly a DH, he played 28 games at first base for the Giants. 

Devers has primarily been working out at first base during training camp. 2023 first-round pick Bryce Eldridge is projected to be the Giants’ DH.

The Giants will play their first spring training game on Feb. 21 against the Seattle Mariners. Devers will look to improve his first base skills before the start of the regular season. Devers had a negative-one Outs Above Average at first base in 2025.  

Anthony Hernandez has responded to a post from fellow UFC fighter Sean Strickland where Strickland made fun of Hernandez’s Mexican roots.

“Honestly, like, I laughed when I seen that shit,” Hernandez said, “I was like, if that’s the best you got to get in my head, it’s going to be a long fucking night. That shit does not faze me. It’s fucked up, yeah, and I don’t like seeing shit like that.”

Strickland has a history of insensitive comments. After the Super Bowl halftime show, he called Bad Bunny a homophobic slur on social media. Strickland endorsed President Trump during the 2024 election, citing that he liked Trump’s immigration policies. 

Hernandez was born in California, but is proud of his Mexican heritage. The UFC required him to provide proof of residency in Mexico to walk out with the Mexican flag before fights. 

Hernandez has been in the MMA since 2014. He defeated Trey Williams with a knockout in his first fight. He won his most recent fight in 2025, forcing Roman Dolidze into submission. Hernandez has a 15-2 record, including eight straight wins.

Strickland has been in the MMA since 2008. He forced Tyler Porttett into submission in his first fight. He lost his last fight in 2025 to Dricus du Plessis in a unanimous decision. Strickland’s career record is 29-7. He’s lost two of his last three matchups.

The fight between Hernandez and Strickland is scheduled for Feb. 21. SportsLine lists Hernandez as the betting favorite. Hernandez has been on a win streak recently, but Strickland has the experience to put up a great fight. 

Hernandez-Strickland is the main event of the UFC Fight Night at the Toyota Center in Houston. A fight between Geoff Neal and Uros Medic is considered the co-main event of the night.  

Gianluca Prestianni denies using racially insulting language towards Vinicius Junior. 

Prestianni and Benfica took on Junior and Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid won the game 1-0. During the broadcast, it appeared that Prestianni called Junior a “monkey.” 

Junior seemed to think that’s what Prestianni said, too. He posted a caption on Instagram that many thought was a message to Prestianni.

“Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show how they are weak,” Junior said

Prestianni strongly denies any wrongdoing. He also took to social media to tell his side of the story. 

“I want to clarify that at no point did I direct racist insults at the player Vinicius Júnior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he heard,” Prestianni said 

His club has also come to his defense. They said that Prestianni is a part of a “defamation campaign” and that there’s no possible way that Junior could have heard what he said. Prestianni’s shirt was covering his mouth during the alleged remark. 

Junior was born in Brazil and is of Cameroonian descent. He was signed to Real Madrid’s Division B team in 2018. However, he was promoted to the La Liga team after just eight games. He has played 23 games this season and has eight goals. 

Real Madrid and Benfica will meet up again on Feb. 25 in the second leg of their playoff matchup. In this game, Real Madrid will have home advantage. They play at Estadio Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain. 

UEFA will investigate the incident. According to their rulebook, UEFA has a “zero-tolerance” policy towards racism and racist remarks on or off the field. Any player or official found guilty of making a racist remark is suspended for a minimum of 10 matches. 

The Dallas Mavericks have announced that Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the season recovering from his torn ACL.

Irving suffered this injury last season. The Mavericks were hesitant to keep an Irving return off the table before this announcement. Despite this, an Irving return this season was unlikely given his injury history and age.

The Mavericks are the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference with a 19-35 record. The Mavericks already committed to playing younger players by trading Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. Irving’s extended recovery is just another sign of this trend.

The Mavericks signed D’Angelo Russell this offseason to play point guard while Irving was out. Russell averaged a career-low 10 points per game before being traded to the Wizards. The Wizards are currently working on a buyout for Russell.

Brandon Williams has stepped up as the starting PG. He is currently averaging 12.7 points per game. Williams went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and was signed by the Portland Trail Blazers. The Mavericks signed him in 2023. 

The Mavericks also traded for Tyus Jones to give themselves a veteran presence at PG. Jones averaged 12 points per game with the Wizards in 2023-24. This season, he averaged three points per game with the Orlando Magic before being traded to the Mavericks. Jones has played three games with the Mavericks so far and also averages three points per game.

The Mavericks play their first game of the second half on Feb. 20, taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavericks’ primary goal for the second half of the season is to develop Cooper Flagg. Flagg is currently averaging 20.4 points per game. Flagg is currently dealing with a foot strain that left him out of the Rising Stars Game.  

The reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, will most likely not be placing the franchise tag on running back and Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker ahead of free agency.

Walker, 25, will be a free agent this offseason after finishing his rookie contract with the Seahawks. Walker is a big winner from this, as it allows him to sign a long-term deal with a franchise after an incredible postseason run.

Whether he signs back with Seattle or goes elsewhere, Walker is expected to receive a nice payday compared to the $14.1 million franchise tag. Walker was only making $2.7 million during the 2025 NFL season.

According to ESPN, the Seahawks will work to sign Walker to a long-term deal as they hope to retain their franchise running back.

Walker shared the backfield with his co-star Zach Charbonnet and only handled 43.6% of the team’s carries during the regular season. Charbonnet saw the majority of the goal line work, scoring a team-high 12 touchdowns. Walker saw an increased workload in the playoffs after Charbonnet suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the NFC divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers. Walker took advantage of the increased workload, and it paid massive dividends for him and the Seahawks.

Walker averaged 139 yards from scrimmage in the postseason, adding four touchdowns in their run to a Lombardi Trophy. Walker nearly matched his regular-season touchdown total of five in just three games. Walker became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since 1997, when Terrell Davis won it for the Denver Broncos.

Walker spoke to the media earlier this month about his impending free agency, saying, “I’ve been here four years, so I’ve gotten to know a lot of stuff about Seattle, and a lot of the city, and I feel like they feel good about me as well, if it was my choice, though, I’d definitely stay.”

If a reunion with the Seahawks is not in the cards for Walker, expect many teams to be interested in the Super Bowl MVP, including teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, who all have a running back hitting free agency.

Jutta Leerdam, the fiancée of social media personality and boxer Jake Paul, could earn up to $1 million from Nike.

On Feb. 9, Leerdam won a gold medal in the 1,000-meter speed skating event. She also set the Olympic record, finishing in 1:12.31. After winning, she unzipped her racing coat and showcased her Nike undergarments. Leerdam signed with Nike in Dec. 2025. 

>SLIDESHOW: 50 MOST-INFAMOUS ATHLETE MUGSHOTS & THE STORIES BEHIND THEM!

Quod magazine estimated that she could earn up to 62,000 euros per post featuring Nike. Nike contracts generally include incentives to showcase brand wear both on and off the field. 

Leerdam is estimated to be making around $1 million from the Nike endorsement.

Leerdam has won two medals for the Netherlands. She also got a silver medal in the 500-meter women’s speed skating event. 

Paul posted a video of himself and his fiancée celebrating her medals. 

“Just the amount of hard work that goes into it,” Paul said, “Like 99.9 percent of people will never understand. And she pulled it off, under the most amount of pressure ever.”

Kansas State has fired its head coach, Jerome Tang.

This decision comes less than a week after Kansas State’s blowout loss to Cincinnati. After this loss, Tang told reporters that his players “do not deserve to wear their uniforms.”

Kansas State has referenced Tang’s comments as a reason for the firing. 

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,” Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

Since this is a for-cause firing, Tang is allowed to dispute it. 

“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination,” Tang said. “I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach.”

Disputes over for-cause firings usually trigger legal challenges. Tang could sue Kansas State for wrongful termination. In this case, Kansas State must prove that Tang violated his contract or specific team or league policy. These disputes usually end in private settlements. Both sides usually look to avoid lengthy legal disputes. 

Despite this, Tang is thankful for his time at Kansas State. 

“I am grateful to the players, staff, and fans who make this program so special,” Tang said. “I remain proud of what we built together and confident that I have always acted in the best interests of the university and our student-athletes.”

Matthew Driscoll has been named the interim head coach for Kansas State. For Tang, he will likely get some interest during the offseason. His former school, Baylor, currently has a record of 13-12, which is currently No. 14 in the Big 12. 

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych will not be allowed to compete in the Winter Olympics after refusing to remove a helmet that honors fallen Ukrainian athletes. 

Heraskevych received a last-minute request from the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation to not wear the helmet. Despite the International Olympic Committee showing willingness to make concessions, Heraskevych refused to compete without the helmet. Heraskevych received notice of his ineligibility just 45 minutes before the competition started. 

On Feb. 22, 2022, Russia launched an invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Russia hoped for a quick invasion, but Ukraine was able to hold Russian forces until NATO supplies arrived. This sparked a nearly four-year stalemate in which neither side has gained any form of advantage. In 2022, Ukraine implemented a mandatory military draft for men aged 25 to 60. Many Olympic athletes were forced onto the battlefield. Heraskevych’s helmet honored around 20 athletes who had died in battle.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended Heraskevych on an X post. 

“Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors,” Zelensky said.

In skeleton, competitors race head-first and face-down in a small sled down an icy track. Athletes get a running start on their sled. They maneuver using subtle body movements.   

The first two matches (called heats in skeleton) happened on Feb. 12. Matt Weston of Team Great Britain won both heats. The men’s final two heats will happen on Feb. 13. After the final two heats, medals will be awarded based on the combined time of the four heats. 

Debuting in the 2026 Winter Olympics is a mixed skeleton event. This event will allow the top men and women skeleton athletes to compete against each other. Women still have their separate four-heat event for skeleton as well. 

Justin Verlander will return to his original team, the Detroit Tigers, on a one-year contract.

Verlander will make $13 million with this contract. However, $11 million will be deferred and paid out through 2030. 

In 2025, Verlander had a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 103 ERA+ in 29 starts with the San Francisco Giants. From July until the end of the season, he pitched to a 3.56 ERA. 

These stats were an improvement over his 2024 stats with the Houston Astros. In that season, he had a 5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 74 ERA+. 

The one thing that didn’t improve from 2024 to 2025 was the number of hits Verlander allowed. In both seasons, he allowed over nine hits per nine innings. This means he allows a hit almost every inning based on averages. 

Verlander first pitched for the Tigers from 2005 to 2017. He pitched just 11 innings in 2005 before getting a full season of play in 2006. In 2006, he won the American League Rookie of the Year award and finished seventh in American League Cy Young voting. In 2011, he won the American League MVP and Cy Young Award. 

Verlander is currently projected to be the Tigers’ No. 4 starter. At the top of the rotation they have back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and their big offseason signing Framber Valdez. 

Tigers pitchers and catchers report began Feb. 11. Their first spring training game is Feb. 21 against the New York Yankees. 

The Tigers looked strong for most of last season, but experienced a collapse at the end of the season. The Tigers hope the additions of Valdez and Verlander can help prevent another late-season collapse. Both Valdez and Verlander were a part of the 2022 World Series-winning Astros team.

The Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets got into a huge brawl Monday night that included four player ejections.

The altercation happened in the third quarter after Hornets’ forward Moussa Diabate had a hard foul on Pistons’ center Jalen Duren as he was going up for a shot. This led to the two meeting face-to-face and exchanging words before Duren shoved Diabate, triggering chaos. Diabate charged at Duren before swinging a punch as he was held back by assistant coaches. This prompted Hornets’ Miles Bridges to get involved and throw a punch at Duren. Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart, who was on the bench, sprinted onto the court to get into it with Miles Bridges, exchanging blows.

After a lengthy review, the referees ejected Duren, Stewart, Bridges and Diabate. There will almost certainly be suspensions as the league begins to look into the altercation. Stewart will most likely face a heavy punishment, as coming off the bench to get into a scuffle usually leads to a multiple-game suspension and hefty fines.

Hornets coach Charles Lee was also ejected later in the contest for rushing at an official.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media after the game about the altercation, saying, “I hate that it got as ugly as it got. That’s not something that you ever want to see. But if a guy throws a punch at you, you have a responsibility to protect yourself, and that’s what happened tonight. If you go back and watch the film, they’re the ones that initiated crossing the line, and our guy had to defend himself,” Bickerstaff said, placing the blame on the Hornets.

The Pistons led 70-62 at the time of the ejections and went on to win 110-104, ending the Hornets’ nine-game win streak.