SPORT

From Chuck Schilken: The Las Vegas Raiders fired Pete Carroll on Monday morning after a 3-14 season. The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris, as well as general manager Terry Fontenot, on Sunday night after a second straight 8-9 finish. The Cleveland Browns fired coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced Monday morning following a 5-11 finish this season. The Arizona Cardinals announced Monday morning that they’ve moved on from coach Jonathan Gannon after a 3-14 season.

Two other teams parted ways with their head coaches during the season. The Tennessee Titans fired Brian Callahan in October after a 1-5 start to the season. The New York Giants fired Brian Daboll in November after a 2-8 start.

With NFL’s “Black Monday” already in full swing, other teams are likely to make similar moves. Here’s a look at everything that has happened so far. This list will continue to be updated as more changes occur.

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Quentin Lake could be key for Rams

From Benjamin Royer: Quentin Lake, the Rams’ defensive captain, could be the catalyst that helps mend the Rams’ tattered secondary ahead of their wild-card showdown with the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.

Through the first 11 weeks of the season, the Rams held opponents to 17.2 points per game, just behind the Houston Texans as the NFL’s second-best defense. Over the seven games Lake missed since sustaining a dislocated elbow against the Seahawks in November, the Rams gave up an average of 24.8 points per game.

The 26-year-old safety, who is expected to make his return against Carolina, has proven to be a cornerstone on the Rams’ defense with his leadership skills and personal versatility.

Lake has also endeared himself to his teammates, as evidenced by Kobie Turner‘s widened smile when Lake’s name came up with reporters following the Rams’ 37-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

“Captain Q,” said Turner, who played a role in helping the Rams record six sacks against the Cardinals. “There’s not really words that can explain — you turn on the tape and you see exactly what he is.”

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NFL playoffs schedule

All times Pacific
Wild-card round
NFC
Saturday
No. 5 Rams at No. 4 Carolina, 1:30 p.m., FOX, FOX Deportes
No. 7 Green Bay at No. 2 Chicago, 5 p.m., Prime Video

Sunday
No. 6 San Francisco at No. 3 Philadelphia, 1:30 p.m., FOX, FOX Deportes

AFC
Sunday
No. 6 Buffalo at No. 3 Jacksonville, 10 a.m., CBS, Paramount+
No. 7 Chargers at No. 2 New England, 5 p.m., NBC, Peacock, Universo

Monday
No. 5 Houston at No. 4 Pittsburgh, 5 p.m., ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes; ManningCast-ESPN2

Divisional round
Jan. 17 and 18, TBA

Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25, TBA

Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC, Time TBA

Lakers takeaways

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Call it deja vu.

For the second time in three days, the Lakers played the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena, took a close game into the fourth quarter and pulled away late behind the scoring punch of the same three players.

Again fueled by LeBron James (26 points, 10 assists), Luka Doncic (36 points, nine rebounds, eight assists) and Jake LaRavia (26 points), the Lakers overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to win 120-114 on Sunday against the Grizzlies.

After James and Doncic each scored 30 in Friday’s win that also featured a 20-point performance from LaRavia, the Lakers (22-11) won consecutive games for just the second time in five weeks.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

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Clippers win wild game

Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 12 rebounds, rookie Kobe Sanders added 20 points, and the Clippers edged the Golden State Warriors 103-102 on Monday night in a wild game that included Warriors coach Steve Kerr getting ejected and Steph Curry fouling out for the first time since 2021.

Kerr was ejected with 7:57 remaining in the game after becoming irate when the Clippers’ John Collins wasn’t called for goaltending. A shouting Kerr pursued the referees along the sideline and had to be restrained by his assistants before getting tossed.

Curry scored 27 points but was just four for 15 from three-point range and nine for 23 overall before fouling out with 42 seconds remaining in the game. He fouled out for the first time since Dec. 17, 2021, at Boston.

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Clippers box score

NBA standings

USC routed by Michigan State

Coen Carr scored 18 points and Jaxon Kohler added 16 on perfect shooting to lead No. 12 Michigan State to an 80-51 blowout against USC on Monday night.

Jeremy Fears Jr. had 15 points and seven assists for the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten), who took control with a 27-6 run early in the game and led by at least 20 for much of the second half.

Kohler made all six of his field-goal attempts, including a trio of three-pointers, and sank his only free throw. He also grabbed eight rebounds, two short of becoming the first Spartans player since at least 1996-97 to have six straight double-doubles in a season, according to Sportradar.

Ezra Ausar scored 16 points and Jerry Easter added 12 for the Trojans (12-3, 1-3), who lost consecutive games for the first time this season.

Continue reading here

USC box score

Big Ten standings

Kings win, but Kopitar is injured

Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist, and the Kings held on to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Monday night.

Warren Foegele, Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe also scored, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 33 shots for the Kings, who beat the Wild for the second time in three nights and got just their fourth win in 12 games (4-6-2).

Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist, and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota, which snapped a six-game point streak (3-0-3). and Filip Gustavsson had 29 saves.

Kings center Anze Kopitar left the game after playing 4:54 in the first period. The Kings later ruled him out for the rest of the game because of a lower-body injury.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

Bob Pulford dies

Bob Pulford, a Hockey Hall of Fame player who went on to a lengthy career in the NHL as a coach and general manager, has died. He was 89.

A spokesperson for the NHL Alumni Assn. said Monday the organization learned of Pulford’s death from his family. No other details were provided.

A tough, dependable forward, Pulford helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup four times during his 14-year stretch with them from 1956 to 1970. The Newton Robinson, Canada, native was part of the 1967 team that remains the organization’s last to win a championship.

Pulford spent his final two playing seasons with the Kings in the early 1970s before coaching them for the following five years. He then ran the Chicago Blackhawks’ front office as general manager or senior vice president of hockey operations for three decades from 1977 to 2007, going behind the bench to coach four times during that span.

Continue reading here

Ducks lose to Washington

Justin Sourdif scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists and the Washington Capitals beat the Ducks 7-4 on Monday night.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice, Ryan Leonard had a goal and an assist, John Carlson also scored and Connor McMichael had four assists for the Capitals, who ended a two-game slide. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves in the win.

Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba and Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks, who have lost six straight. Petr Mrazek stopped 19 of 24 shots through two periods. He was replaced by Lukas Dostal to start the third. Dostal stopped the three shots he faced.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1951 — The Indianapolis Olympians beat the Rochester Royals 75-73 in six overtimes, the longest game in NBA history.

1976 — Ted Turner, a millionaire communications executive and internationally known yachtsman, buys the Atlanta Braves for a reported $10-to-12 million.

1980 — The Rams, behind three field goals by Frank Corral, beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-0 to win the NFC Championship. This is the first conference championship game in NFL history without a touchdown being scored.

1980 — The Pittsburgh Steelers advance to their fourth Super Bowl appearance since 1974 by eliminating the Houston Oilers for the second consecutive year with a 27-13 triumph in the AFC title game.

1981 — John Tonelli ties a New York Islanders record with five goals in a 6-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Nassau Coliseum. Mike Bossy gets an assist on all six goals to set an Islanders record. Tonelli scores once in the first period, once in the second and three times in the third.

1985 — Dan Marino passes for a record 421 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Miami Dolphins to a 45-28 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game.

1985 — The San Francisco 49ers holds the Chicago Bears to 186 yards and sacks quarterback Steve Fuller nine times to win the NFC Championship 23-0.

1994 — Nancy Kerrigan is attacked after practice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. Shane Stant clubs Kerrigan on the knee and flees the scene. Later that evening, Scott Davis wins the men’s U.S. Figure Skating title.

1995 — Lenny Wilkens becomes the winningest coach in NBA history as the Atlanta Hawks post a 112-90 victory over the Washington Bullets. Wilkens, with his 939th win, surpasses Red Auerbach’s record. Wilkens reaches the record in his 22nd year as an NBA coach, including four as a player-coach.

2005 — For the first time in NBA history, a player leads his team in scoring without making a field goal. Detroit’s Richard Hamilton scores 14 points despite missing all 10 of his field goal attempts in a 101-79 loss to Memphis.

2011 — Miami of Ohio caps a historic season with a 35-21 win over Middle Tennessee in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. The RedHawks (10-4) are the first team in Football Bowl Subdivision history to win 10 games one season after losing 10. Miami finished a dismal 1-11 in 2009.

2014 — Patrick Maher of Division III Grinnell College breaks the NCAA record with 37 assists in a 164-144 victory over College of Faith.

2014 — Jameis Winston throws a 13-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds left and No. 1 Florida State beat No. 2 Auburn 34-31 to win the last BCS national championship game.

2015 — Patrik Elias has a goal and two assists to reach 1,000, NHL points, and the New Jersey Devils beat the struggling Buffalo Sabres 4-1. The goal is the 399th for Elias.

2016 — Ken Griffey Jr. is elected to the baseball Hall of Fame with the highest voting percentage ever, and Mike Piazza makes it in his fourth year on the ballot. Griffey is on 437 of 440 votes in his first appearance on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. His 99.3 percentage tops Tom Seaver’s 98.84 in 1992.

2018 — Jon Gruden returns to the NFL as Oakland Raiders head coach after nearly a decade of broadcasting (ESPN Monday Night Football 2009-17).

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

In a warm-up for his role in the upcoming Winter Olympics, Snoop Dogg was given a microphone during the second half of the NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers on Monday night at the Intuit Dome.

Can’t wait for those Olympics! Snoop hilariously sizzled when Warriors coach Steve Kerr stormed the court in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 103-102 victory.

“The Arizona Wildcat done came out of him. Look at him!” Snoop said, alluding to Kerr’s college team. “Aw, Rawwwr, rawwwr, rawwwr!”

Kerr was hit with two technical fouls in less than a minute. He nearly got one with 8:44 to play when Warriors guard Stephen Curry made a shot that appeared to be a continuation after a foul, but the officials nullified the basket.

Less than a minute later, Kerr found a new level of vehemence after the Clippers’ John Collins wasn’t called for goaltending on a shot by Gary Payton II. The four-time NBA championship coach flew into a rage, aggressively gesturing at officials and screaming.

Kerr picked up the two technicals — his first in nearly four seasons — and was held back by Payton and assistant coaches before exiting to the locker room.

Snoop Dogg, who had joined regular Peacock/NBC announcers Reggie Miller and Terry Gannon for the second half, rose to the occasion, his commentary keeping pace with Kerr’s antics.

“Oh, Steve gonna get thrown out! Get him out of there. Get him out of there! Back him up!” Snoop barked.

All Miller and Gannon could do was laugh as Snoop continued, referencing the location of the Intuit Dome and Kerr’s Southern California ties: “Steve back in Inglewood right now. Inglewooood!!! Get him, Steve! You in Inglewood, Steve!”

Snoop will join NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico in Italy in February, riffing on stories that unfold at the Winter Games the way he did at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. The NBA game was an indication he’ll again be up to the task.

“We are excited to have Snoop bring his unique energy and passion to our NBA coverage,” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said in a statement. “It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch Snoop, Reggie and Terry talk hoops with a side order of fun.”

Snoop said in the release that his debut as an NBA game broadcaster “is a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to bring a fresh vibe to the analysis.”

For the record, official Brian Forte acknowledged after the game that goaltending should have been called against Collins. Curry told reporters that he appreciated his coach’s passion.

“Two crazy calls in a row that you feel like can dictate the momentum of the game, it doesn’t mean a win or a loss, it just dictates the momentum,” Curry said. “I love that fired up Steve, for sure. Somebody had to do it.”

Visiting Los Angeles has been emotional for Kerr since the Pacific Palisades wildfire a year ago destroyed his childhood home, which his family bought in 1969. His mother, 90-year-old Ann Kerr, still lived in the house, located near Rivas Canyon, and was evacuated safely.

“He just wouldn’t really know what year it was or what day it was,” Hayley said.

“He was very active and trying to do crosswords and watch football. He lost the ability to write.

“He couldn’t make a cup of tea. He got confused about what went where. He kept saying, ‘there’s something not right in my head’.”

“He used to get confused about things. Never people – he had an incredible memory for the past.

“It was more the withdrawn nature of my dad. He would be the centre of attention, but (with dementia) he would have to be asked a question to speak.”

Asked by Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the McQueen family, how her father scored his goals, Hayley said: “Mainly with his head, from a set-piece.”

Professor Willie Stewart, a consultant at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow who examined McQueen’s brain after his death, described how a membrane in the brain appeared torn and that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was present in various places.

“Gordon technically fell into the lower stage of the disease, although on the threshold of the higher stage,” he said.

Prof Stewart said symptoms of CTE were cognitive decline and neuro-behaviour change, and that they “can’t be explained by another condition – it must be progressive”.

He said symptoms were “typical in individuals who have long careers – professional footballers and rugby players”.

Asked if there was a causal link between CTE and repetitive head injury, he said: “The answer to that is yes.”

Senior coroner John Heath said the post-mortem found pneumonia in McQueen’s right lung, mixed vascular dementia and CTE.

Prof Stewart, who conducted a 2021 study on whether certain positions on the pitch were more associated with neurodegenerative disease than others, said: “The players, the goalkeepers who don’t head the ball had a risk equivalent to general population, whereas in outfield positions, particularly defenders, the risk was higher.”

The inquest continues.

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re trying to star in our role.

With one of their major stars still sidelined, the Lakers have gotten headlining performances from the usual suspects. LeBron James and Luka Doncic each scored 30 or more points in the same game for just the third time as Lakers teammates against Memphis last Friday. Doncic followed up on Sunday with a near triple-double and James had 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers hold off the Grizzlies for a second consecutive game.

But the most significant performances last week came from the supporting cast.

Don’t forget No. 12

The way Rob Pelinka commemorated Jake LaRavia’s 27-point outburst against Minnesota in October warmed this print journalist’s heart.

After LaRavia made 10 of 11 shots to introduce himself to fans and Minnesota star Anthony Edwards, the Lakers’ general manager splashed a photo of LaRavia gazing out of a window on the front page of a faux newspaper and printed it on a black T-shirt.

The bold headline over the image read: “Who is Number 12?”

Two months after his breakout Lakers moment, LaRavia authored a long-awaited follow-up story. Starting in place of the injured Rui Hachimura, he scored 20 and 26 points in back-to-back games against Memphis.

LaRavia’s scoring punch against his first NBA team was the obvious headline grabber, but it shouldn’t overshadow the 24-year-old’s consistent contribution all season.

“It’s just the way he plays,” James said. “He plays hard, he defends, he rebounds. The scoring can go up, it can go down. But his consistency of how he plays keeps him on the floor.”

LaRavia has been the Lakers’ most consistent defender this season, coach JJ Redick said after Sunday’s game in which LaRavia was a game-high plus-15 in his 34 minutes and 30 seconds on the court. His defensive influence, averaging career-highs in rebounds (4.3), steals (1.3) and blocks (0.5), has exceeded expectations for the Lakers.

Redick knew he wanted to target the rangy 6-foot-7 forward because the Lakers were bottom-third in blocks (22nd, 4.5 per game), steals (22nd, 7.7 per game) and deflections (24th, 15.2) last year. Top wing defender Dorian Finney-Smith signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Houston Rockets.

Now LaRavia and fellow offseason addition Marcus Smart are tied for the team lead in deflections with 3.1 each per game.

LaRavia started his college career at Indiana State before transferring to Wake Forest, where he averaged 14.6 points per game as a junior. He was drafted 19th overall in 2022 and averaged 10.8 points in his second year. Looking back, LaRavia realizes that, at the time, he only wanted to be on the court for his offense. He admitted he wasn’t a very strong defender.

It wasn’t until last year that things “clicked,” LaRavia said. If he wanted to stay in the NBA, he would have to do more than score.

“There’s a lot of offensive talent in this league,” said LaRavia, who was shipped to Sacramento in a midseason trade last year. “I would say there’s not as much people that are willing to go out there every night and just play as hard as they can and provide energy and effort on the defensive side.”

The energy has transferred to offensive production, where LaRavia is thriving on what the Lakers call “effort offense.” He crashes for rebounds. He cuts to the basket. He runs the floor in transition. Those little things easily make up for LaRavia’s 32.7% shooting from three, the lowest percentage of his career.

The three-point shot is starting to click as well; LaRavia made seven of 16 threes in two games against the Grizzlies. He credited his work with assistant coach Beau Levesque for helping him get back to basics with his shot while maintaining confidence and focus.

“He has the words for me every time we come in here and shoot, but it’s more so just the consistent work that we put in,” LaRavia said. “He always says control the input … and the output is going to show for itself. And he also says stuff like, ‘Don’t be reactionary.’ I had a good game, but we don’t react off that. We continue to put in the same kind of work and just continue to play.”

LaRavia knows his front-page moment can be fleeting. Just when it looked as if he had arrived in early November with 20-point performances in two out of three games, LaRavia didn’t reach the mark again until last Friday.

More than two months after he first announced who No. 12 was, LaRavia is still introducing the league to parts of his game. A soaring one-handed dunk against Memphis last Friday got teammates jumping to their feet on the bench. After the game, James described LaRavia as “sneaky athletic.”

When asked about the description, LaRavia smiled.

“I’m a fan of ‘sneaky athletic,’” he said.

Next men up

Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr.

(Amanda Loman / Associated Press)

The Lakers have had all 14 of their standard contract players available for only two games this season. The revolving door of injuries has forced the Lakers to live out the “next man up” mantra.

Next up are Dalton Knecht and Nick Smith Jr., who are seeing more consistent playing time while Austin Reaves (calf) and Gabe Vincent (back) are sidelined.

Smith, who is playing on a two-way contract, delivered with 21 points in the Lakers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 28, their first game without Reaves. The third-year guard’s instant offense was why the Lakers picked him up on the eve of training camp.

Conversely, Knecht is not being judged solely on whether he makes shots, Redick said. The Lakers simply need the sharp-shooting second-year forward to “play hard.”

“If you make a mistake, just get it on the next position,” Knecht said of what coaches are asking of him, “and just don’t repeat that mistake.”

Knecht flashed his potential in a hot start to his rookie season when he shot 46% from three in November 2024. But Knecht found himself on the trading block months later. He was briefly sent to Charlotte, only to U-turn when the trade was rescinded because of a failed physical.

This season, coaches told Knecht his opportunities on the floor would come down to his defense. He was playing regularly when the Lakers were still without James earlier this season, but he was largely relegated to garbage time after the superstar forward returned.

Jarred Vanderbilt’s standing on the team also changed drastically when James returned. The forward was out of the rotation completely for 10 games after James made his season debut on Nov. 18.

But the Lakers, in need of a defensive reset, turned to Vanderbilt again on Dec. 14. He has played in nine consecutive games, averaging 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds with seven total steals. After his three-point shooting was a major liability on offense, Vanderbilt is shooting 11 for 25 (44%) from three since rejoining the rotation.

Vanderbilt’s resurgence has given Knecht an example to follow as he tries to solidify his standing in the league.

“Me and him had long talks about that,” Knecht said. “Making sure that both of us are ready for the rotation when the guys go down or just throw one of us in.”

On tap

Jan. 6 at Pelicans (8-29), 5 p.m. PST

The Pelicans have lost seven in a row. Zion Williamson (18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds) is back after missing both games against the Lakers earlier this season.

Jan. 7 at Spurs (25-10), 6:30 p.m. PST

After dominating the Lakers to end L.A.’s NBA Cup hopes in December, San Antonio announced itself as a title contender by beating Oklahoma City three consecutive times. Center Victor Wembanyama hyperextended his knee on Dec. 31 and missed two games, but could return in time to play the Lakers on Wednesday.

Jan. 9 vs. Bucks (16-20), 7:30 p.m. PST

Milwaukee has won five of its last seven. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status with the team has been the biggest story line for the underwhelming Bucks, who are 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Status report

Gabe Vincent: lumbar back strain

Vincent is questionable for Tuesday’s game after missing eight games. He participated in a stay-ready game after practice last Saturday in his first on-court action since suffering the back injury.

Rui Hachimura: right calf strain

Hachimura will remain sidelined for at least the upcoming trip. He will stay in L.A. and could work with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers. Hachimura has been out since Dec. 30.

Austin Reaves: left calf strain

Reaves won’t be reevaluated until at least Jan. 23.

Adou Thiero: right MCL sprain

The rookie forward will be sidelined for four weeks and won’t be reevaluated until the end of January.

Favorite thing I ate this week

Naan pizza with sausage, peppers and caramelized onions.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

Don’t cancel me for this. But sometimes for a home cooking hack, I use Trader Joe’s frozen naan for the crust on a personal pizza. I spent a year or two trying to perfect my own pizza dough technique, and I made good progress, but during a busy season, I don’t have the patience — or foresight — to be fiddling around with any fresh dough for a pizza night.

I topped a piece of garlic naan with homemade tomato sauce, cheese, Italian sausage, red peppers and caramelized onions. Then I finished it with a drizzle of hot honey.

I can only hope I will still be allowed to enter Italy next month for the Winter Olympics despite this culinary transgression. Take this as the only thing I have to declare at customs.

In case you missed it

Why the Lakers locked back in on Deandre Ayton in their comeback win against Grizzlies

Lakers takeaways: Jake LaRavia sets the tone in starting lineup during win over Grizzlies

Lakers takeaways: Pistons dominate paint as Lakers close out a sub-.500 December

Lakers takeaways: Nick Smith Jr. shines in win over Kings with Austin Reaves sidelined

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Monday Night Club’s Rory Smith and ex-Manchester United player Phil Jones discuss why Man United appoint former players as interim managers, as Darren Fletcher takes on the role.

LISTEN: Amorim sacked by Manchester United – Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

If you asked Los Alamitos basketball coach Nate Berger to be honest about early expectations for a team that returned zero starters, he would have said a 1-9 start wouldn’t have been surprising.

But the Griffins, loaded with backups from last season and members of a good junior varsity team, are 8-6 going into an early Sunset League showdown with 16-1 Corona del Mar on Monday.

Tyler Lopez has been leading the way. The senior committed to Jessup University in Northern California is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Isaiah Williamson, younger brother of former Eastvale Roosevelt standout Issac Williamson, has been making major contributions.

Berger has been pleased with his players’ growing experience and confidence after some early season struggles adjusting.

“I was pleasantly surprised how my team responded and some of these young players have jelled,” he said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

From Gary Klein: It was a modest goal. After being sidelined all of training camp, all Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford desired was for his sore back to heal in time for the season opener.

“Just make it to Week 1,” he joked.

Mission accomplished.

“We got there,” he said, “and then just held on for dear life.”

Stafford did more than that. Despite some “touch and go moments,” he did not miss a snap during perhaps the finest season of his 17-year career.

And on Sunday, Stafford made a final case for his first league most valuable player award.

He passed for four touchdowns in a 37-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals that gave the Rams the No. 5 seed for the NFC playoffs and a wild-card matchup on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PST against the No. 4 Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C.

The Seattle Seahawks are seeded No. 1 and will have a first round bye. The No. 2 Chicago Bears play host to the No. 7 Green Bay Packers, and the No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles play host to the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers.

Stafford, 37, will attempt to lead the Rams to their second Super Bowl title in his five seasons with the team.

Continue reading here

Rams summary

NFL standings

Chargers fall to Broncos

From Sam Farmer: The game was the understudies versus the underwhelmings.

The second-string Chargers against the … wait a second, the top-seeded Denver Broncos only generated 240 yards and failed to score an offensive touchdown?

Such is the AFC this season, filled with teams who flash one week and fizzle the next.

Sunday’s regular-season finale — which the Broncos won, 19-3 — was far more competitive than it should have been, especially considering the lopsided incentives.

Whereas the Chargers were playing for pride and only modestly consequential postseason seeding, Denver’s stakes were two miles high: a free pass to the second round, and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.

Continue reading here

Chargers summary

NFL standings

NFL playoffs schedule

Sam Farmer breaks down all the wild-card game for you here.

All times Pacific
Wild-card round
NFC
Saturday
No. 5 Rams at No. 4 Carolina, 1:30 p.m., FOX, FOX Deportes
No. 7 Green Bay at No. 2 Chicago, 5 p.m., Prime Video

Sunday
No. 6 San Francisco at No. 3 Philadelphia, 1:30 p.m., FOX, FOX Deportes

AFC
Sunday
No. 6 Buffalo at No. 3 Jacksonville, 10 a.m., CBS, Paramount+
No. 7 Chargers at No. 2 New England, 5 p.m., NBC, Peacock, Universo

Monday, Jan. 12
No. 5 Houston at No. 4 Pittsburgh, 5 p.m., ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes; ManningCast-ESPN2

Divisional round
Jan. 17 and 18, TBA

Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25, TBA

Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC, Time TBA

Lakers defeat Memphis again

From Broderick Turner: They met two days prior to Sunday night’s encounter at Crypto.com Arena, a two-game set between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies reminiscent of a playoff series.

The Lakers won the first game Friday night here and knew the Grizzlies were going to bring more intensity and a stronger effort even with star guard Ja Morant (right calf contusion) not playing.

And that was the case, the Lakers falling behind by 16 points in the second quarter, the Grizzlies ramping it up in a big way. But with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Jake LaRavia leading the way, the Lakers pulled out a 120-114 win and improved to 12-0 in clutch games.

Continue reading here

Lakers box score

NBA standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1964 — Keith Lincoln of the San Diego Chargers rushes for 206 yards in 13 carries, catches seven passes for 123 yards, completes one pass for 20 and scores two touchdowns in a 51-10 rout of the Boston Patriots for the AFL title.

1983 — In his 42nd game, Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scores his 100th point of the season with an assist in the Oilers’ 8-3 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets.

1991 — Kevin Bradshaw of U.S. International scores 72 points to break Pete Maravich’s NCAA Division I single-game scoring record of 69, but Loyola Marymount sets an NCAA team scoring record in defeating the Gulls 186-140.

1993 — Reggie Jackson, who hit 563 homers and played on five championship teams in 21 seasons, is the only player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1996 — Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula announces his retirement as winningest NFL Head Coach of all-time.

1997 — The second-year Carolina Panthers, behind John Kasay’s four field goals, beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-17 to advance to the NFC championship game.

1999 — Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount are voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the biggest class of first-time candidates since Babe Ruth and four others were chosen in the original election of 1936.

2009 — Pittsburgh makes it to the top of The Associated Press’ men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Panthers are one of a record nine Big East teams in the poll. The 16-team league had a record eight schools ranked for three weeks earlier in the season.

2013 — Aaron Rodgers connects with an NFL playoff-record 10 receivers as he throws for 274 yards in his first playoff victory at home, leading Green Bay to a 24-10 victory over Minnesota.

2013 — Arian Foster rushes for 140 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 19-13 win over Cincinnati, and becomes the first NFL player to have 100-yard games in each of his first three playoff games.

2017 — The Columbus Blue Jackets lose 5-0 to the Washington Capitals ending their winning streak at 16 games, one shy of the NHL record. Columbus lose for the first time since Nov. 26, ending a captivating run that fell short of the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins’ record of 17 consecutive wins.

2021 — 86th Heisman Trophy Award: DeVonta Smith, Alabama (WR).

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 12 rebounds, rookie Kobe Sanders added 20 points, and the Clippers edged the Golden State Warriors 103-102 on Monday night in a wild game that included Warriors coach Steve Kerr getting ejected and Steph Curry fouling out for the first time since 2021.

Kerr was ejected with 7:57 remaining in the game after becoming irate when the Clippers’ John Collins wasn’t called for goaltending. A shouting Kerr pursued the referees along the sideline and had to be restrained by his assistants before getting tossed.

Curry scored 27 points but was just four for 15 from three-point range and nine for 23 overall before fouling out with 42 seconds remaining in the game. He fouled out for the first time since Dec. 17, 2021, at Boston.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr is restrained by guard Gary Payton II and assistant coach Terry Stotts as he argues with a referee.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

James Harden was a late scratch for the Clippers because of right shoulder soreness. But they got double-figure scoring from all five starters, including Sanders, whose points were a career high. Collins added 18 points and Kris Dunn had 16. Ivica Zubac had 11 rebounds.

Jimmy Butler added 24 points for the Warriors, who lost to the Clippers for the eighth straight time on the road.

Curry fouled Dunn with 42 seconds left and the Warriors trailing 101-100 after Curry’s back-to-back three-pointers. Dunn made both free throws before Draymond Green scored in the lane to pull the Warriors within one.

Leonard missed a jumper and the Warriors grabbed the defensive rebound. Butler missed a 16-footer before time expired.

Neither team shot well from three. The Clippers were 10 for 29, while the Warriors were 10 for 41.

The Warriors closed within four early in the fourth before the Clippers outscored them 16-7 to lead 94-81. Leonard scored six and Collins had five.

Golden State ran off nine straight, including seven by Butler, to trail 94-90.

Golden State had won six of eight coming into what was a playoff-like atmosphere that included rapper Snoop Dogg doing commentary for the game streamed on Peacock. It was a matchup of the NBA’s two oldest teams. The average age of the Clippers’ roster is 30.0 to 29.6 for the Warriors.

Green dived for a loose ball and crashed into his team’s bench late in the first half. The team said he sustained a rib contusion, but he remained in the game. Green had 12 assists while going 0 of 6 from three-point range.

If Smith’s recent lull has been unnerving, this knock featured all of his trademark quirks.

He stopped the game whenever a spectator sneezed within shouting distance of the sightscreen and twice he ended up flat on his back – once with his hands, feet and bat positioned above his head.

The rest of Sydney – crisp, pristine and dashed with pink – watched on as Smith eventually waved his bat with his shirt caked in dirt.

For one so great, Smith somehow manages to look ugly.

At another point, Smith berated himself for failing to hit part-time spinner Jacob Bethell for four.

“Ah Steve,” he said. “That’s awful, absolute throwdown.”

He showed Matthew Potts similar disdain when attempting to replicate Lleyton Hewitt’s forehand smash to a bouncer in the final hour.

In Potts’ next over he took it upon himself to hold his arms wide to signal a wide.

Smith – so often the butt of the jokes – has never seemed bothered about gaining the love of England fans.

“I don’t know I am doing it,” he said.

“When I am doing all of those things it probably means I am in a good zone.”

“You won’t see it in the textbook the way he plays,” added former Australia batter Mark Waugh.

“It has been a funny innings that has ebbed and flowed. At times frantic, then he looked like he was struggling to concentrate and got himself going.

“Talking to himself, gesturing, rolling on his back and stopping people at the top of the grandstands. He has got the job done.”

Bradman’s 5,028 Ashes runs and 19 centuries are surely beyond Smith but, though we know Khawaja’s career will end at the conclusion of this Test, further English pain dealt by the New South Welshman cannot be ruled out.

“He prides himself on his batting ability but also his leadership,” said fellow centurion Travis Head.

“That’s also a motivation to continue. While he’s enjoying it, he will hang around. I hope he’s here for a long time.”

When he walked off at The Oval on the final day of the 2023 Ashes, it felt like a goodbye. Smith has offered no such certainty.

“It’s a shame he’s [Khawaja] gone, now I’m the oldest one here,” Smith said before this Test.

“I want to keep playing, I’m still enjoying it. We’ve got a really good team.

“I’ve said for a while I’m taking it day by day, series by series and we’ll see where things land.

“I feel like I’m doing alright at the moment, I’m contributing and having fun so there’s no real end date for me.”

He may no longer be the relentless run-scorer of that 2017-18 series but with his latest Sydney showpiece, Smith showed he is not done frustrating England yet.

Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist, and the Kings held on to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Monday night.

Warren Foegele, Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe also scored, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 33 shots for the Kings, who beat the Wild for the second time in three nights and got just their fourth win in 12 games (4-6-2).

Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist, and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota, which snapped a six-game point streak (3-0-3). and Filip Gustavsson had 29 saves.

The Wild are 3-1-2 on a seven-game road trip that ends Thursday at Seattle. They also lost at Los Angeles 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night.

Kings center Anze Kopitar left the game after playing 4:54 in the first period. The Kings later ruled him out for the rest of the game because of a lower-body injury.

The Kings had 16-8 advantage on shots on goal in the second period and scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. Minnesota had two power plays in the period, but managed just one shot during the advantages.

Foegele gave the Kings a 1-0 lead with a long shot from just inside the blue line with 4:26 left in the second period.

Fiala doubled the Kings’ lead with 2:08 to go in the middle period. Kuzmenko’s pass deflected off Fiala’s skate on the left doorstep and past Gustavsson for Fiala’s 15th of the season.

Spurgeon got the Wild on the scoreboard at 5:55 of the third period with a shot from the left point through traffic to spoiled Kuemper’s bid for his third shutout of the season.

Kuzmenko restored the Kings’ two-goal lead at 9:20 as he skated with the puck from the left side across the front of the net and put the puck past Gustavsson from the right side.

Hartman pulled the Wild to 3-2 with a power-play goal with 4:39 remaining, but Kempe sealed the Kings’ win with an empty-netter three minutes later..

Up next for the Kings: vs. San Jose on Wednesday night to finish a four-game homestand.

What a Monday night to remember for the Scott brothers, Nolan and Maxwell. In a basketball game matching perhaps the top two public school teams in Orange County, Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos went back and forth, with neither wanting to budge.

Corona del Mar (17-1) got the ball under Los Alamitos’ basket with 11.2 seconds left and down by one point. Coach Jason Simco, who had never beaten Los Alamitos in five seasons, set up a final play that was designed to get the ball to the least likely person, Nolan Scott, a sophomore linebacker for the football team. Brother Maxwell set a screen for him, Luke Mirhashemi found Nolan wide open under the basket and passed him the ball for an easy layup with 4.3 seconds left, delivering a 78-77 victory in a Sunset League game at Los Alamitos’ newly opened gym.

Maxwell Scott finished with 35 points. The brothers have been playing together since flag football days as second-graders. Maxwell played football as a freshman and then focused on basketball, but he is set to return to football as a senior.

“It’s fun to play with him,” Maxwell said.

What a game it was.

“Everyone was making shots,” Maxwell said.

Corona del Mar’s successful final shot took away a magnificent performance from Los Alamitos sophomore Isaiah Williamson, who finished with 26 points.

“I think he was amazing,” Simco said of Williamson. “He’s going to be something else.”

Los Alamitos dropped to 8-7 and 0-1 in league.

Oliver Nakra had 19 points for Corona del Mar.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Coen Carr scored 18 points and Jaxon Kohler added 16 on perfect shooting to lead No. 12 Michigan State to an 80-51 blowout against USC on Monday night.

Jeremy Fears Jr. had 15 points and seven assists for the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten), who took control with a 27-6 run early in the game and led by at least 20 for much of the second half.

Kohler made all six of his field-goal attempts, including a trio of three-pointers, and sank his only free throw. He also grabbed eight rebounds, two short of becoming the first Spartans player since at least 1996-97 to have six straight double-doubles in a season, according to Sportradar.

Ezra Ausar scored 16 points and Jerry Easter added 12 for the Trojans (12-3, 1-3), who lost consecutive games for the first time this season.

Michigan State was ahead 33-17 at halftime with Kohler leading the way offensively, scoring eight points while seven teammates contributed at least two.

Carr and Fears picked up their scoring in the second half to build a bigger cushion, combining to score 25 points after halftime.

Michigan State held Chad Baker-Mazara to four points after he entered the game averaging a team-high 20.4 for USC.

The Spartans bounced back from a 58-56 loss to No. 10 Nebraska to win for the fifth time in six games.

The Trojans, coming off a 30-point loss to No. 2 Michigan, are probably ready to go home after getting routed twice in the state of Michigan, but they’ll be in the Midwest for four more days because they play at Minnesota before flying back to California.

Michigan State made half its shots and held USC to 33% shooting.

The Spartans enjoyed a 25-5 advantage in fast-break points and a 21-9 edge in points off the bench.

Up next for USC: at Minnesota on Friday.

WASHINGTON — Justin Sourdif scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists and the Washington Capitals beat the Ducks 7-4 on Monday night.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice, Ryan Leonard had a goal and an assist, John Carlson also scored and Connor McMichael had four assists for the Capitals, who ended a two-game slide. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves in the win.

Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba and Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks, who have lost six straight. Petr Mrazek stopped 19 of 24 shots through two periods. He was replaced by Lukas Dostal to start the third. Dostal stopped the three shots he faced.

Kreider opened the scoring just 6:33 into the first period, ending a 15-game goal drought.

Sourdif evened the score, firing home a drop pass from Connor McMichael in the slot. Three minutes later, the rookie struck again, beating Mrazek glove side to give Washington (22-15-6) a 2-1 lead going into the second.

Sourdif picked up where he left off, finding Ryan Leonard, who banked in a shot off Mrazek to make it 3-1. Just 1:36 later, Leonard returned the favor, setting up Sourdif for a tap-in for his third goal of the game. Ovechkin then rifled home a wrister from the left circle to end a four-game goal drought.

Sourdif is the ninth rookie in franchise history to get a hat trick and the first since Jan. 13, 2006, when Ovechkin did it at Anaheim.

The Ducks (21-18-3) had a furious rally in the third, outshooting Washington 17-5.

The Capitals were without Tom Wilson, who was named to Canada’s Olympic roster on Wednesday, and Aliaksei Protas, who are listed as day to day.

Bob Pulford, a Hockey Hall of Fame player who went on to a lengthy career in the NHL as a coach and general manager, has died. He was 89.

A spokesperson for the NHL Alumni Assn. said Monday the organization learned of Pulford’s death from his family. No other details were provided.

A tough, dependable forward, Pulford helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup four times during his 14-year stretch with them from 1956 to 1970. The Newton Robinson, Canada, native was part of the 1967 team that remains the organization’s last to win a championship.

He was picked for five All-Star games and led the league in shorthanded goals three times. After recording 694 points in 1,168 regular-season and playoff games, Pulford was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Off the ice, Pulford was the first president of the players union, taking part in early collective bargaining and laying the foundation for the modern NHLPA.

Pulford spent his final two playing seasons with the Kings in the early 1970s before coaching them for the following five years. He then ran the Chicago Blackhawks’ front office as general manager or senior vice president of hockey operations for three decades from 1977 to 2007, going behind the bench to coach four times during that span.

“Whether coach, general manager, senior executive, or even multiple at the same time, Bob wasn’t afraid to serve in whatever role was most needed at the time and take on the different challenges associated with each that seem unthinkable by today’s standards,” said Blackhawks chairman and Chief Executive Officer Danny Wirtz, whose grandfather, Bill, employed Pulford. “We are grateful for his leadership and devotion to the sport, which will forever be part of our club’s history.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Pulford “left an indelible mark on the game,” especially given the various roles he filled.

“Bob became a friend, counselor and confidant to me — particularly in my early years as commissioner — and I had enormous respect for him and all he gave the game,” Bettman said.

The NHL Alumni Assn. in a post memorializing Pulford called him “one of the most respected figures in the history of hockey.”

“Rest in peace, Bob,” the NHLAA said. “Your impact on hockey and on all who had the privilege of knowing you will never be forgotten.”

Happy New Year, and welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter. So much has happened since we last hit your inbox. The USC-Notre Dame rivalry officially was scrapped (until 2030, at least). D’Anton Lynn took the defensive coordinator job at Penn State, his alma mater. And USC finished its season with a brutal last stand at the Alamo Bowl.

Now the most critical offseason of Lincoln Riley’s tenure with the Trojans lies ahead. The next few weeks especially could make or break the coach’s future at USC. And it all starts with hiring a new defensive coordinator.

Whoever is hired steps into a pressure cooker from the very start. The heat already has cranked up on USC’s coach. If the Trojans don’t make the College Football Playoff, Riley and his coordinator-to-be-named-later could be looking for new jobs at this time next year. And just making the playoff is going to require serious progress on a defense that must replace key players at every level and faces Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon next season.

It might be tempting, with that in mind, to try to maintain continuity, to circle the wagons and promote from within, hoping it’s enough to push USC into the playoff. This idea started taking hold as days dragged on after Lynn’s exit and fans’ panic started to pique: Maybe it was most prudent, the logic went, to promote defensive line coach Eric Henderson to coordinator.

After all, he called defensive plays in the bowl game. He’s a beloved assistant and top-notch recruiter. Not to mention that Georgia Tech, his alma mater, is interested in him for its staff.

Hiring someone else might mean not only losing Henderson in the staff shuffle, but also potentially losing key players or recruits along his defensive line. Several of those players, including five-star freshman Jahkeem Stewart, have publicly endorsed Henderson for the job.

Look, Henderson is a really good coach. And it’s great that his players think so highly of him. But now is not the time to make him — or anyone else on USC’s staff — the defensive coordinator.

That’s not a reflection on Henderson or secondary coach Doug Belk so much as it’s a reflection on the moment. Riley can’t afford for this coordinator hire, his third in five years, to fail. Not after all the resources that USC has poured into this next season being the culmination of its overhaul of the football program. To hand the defense to anyone other than a proven coach with a track record of immediate success is a risk that Riley just can’t take. Not now.

The question is whether any proven coaches are willing to take a risk with USC.

That’s not to say the right coach can’t step in next season and immediately make the Trojans a top-25 defense. Pete Kwiatkowski seemed to fit that profile. He has deep college experience, a close connection to athletic director Jennifer Cohen and a defense that just two years ago was among the top in college football. That he was let go by Texas just before USC lost its coordinator seemed like kismet.

But as of Sunday night, according to the Athletic, Kwiatkowski was trending toward becoming Stanford’s defensive coordinator.

Stanford.

Now I don’t know where Kwiatkowski stood in the pecking order of candidates for USC. Nor is USC doomed if it doesn’t hire him.

But that’s the profile of a coordinator that should get the job. A proven coach capable of getting the best out of USC’s talent and turning the Trojans into a playoff-caliber defense in the way his predecessors couldn’t.

Because if this doesn’t work, Riley won’t get the chance to hire a fourth.

Transfer portal notes, Week 1

Former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, the most coveted player who’s not a quarterback in the portal, is scheduled to meet with USC.

(Michael Woods / Associated Press)

—Iowa State cornerback Jontez Williams became the first big-name commitment out of the portal for USC, and he’s a big get indeed. Williams started just five games last year before suffering a season-ending injury but was a standout and All-Big 12 second-team selection in 2024. Securing a No. 1 cornerback was always a top priority for USC in the portal, and the Trojans managed to find one within two days. A good start. Presumably Williams was paid to start next to Chasen Johnson or Marcelles Williams next season.

—USC is in the market for a top receiver and has a visit set up for Thursday with Cam Coleman, the most coveted portal player who’s not a quarterback. Landing Coleman, a top-five prospect in the 2024 class who played at Auburn, would be a huge coup — and Riley has shown a propensity for pulling in top transfer receivers in the past. Coleman, though, is an Alabama native and is considering Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M too. His previous recruiting cycle revolved around SEC country. He’s also going to command a massive payday, maybe the largest for any player outside of a quarterback. USC may find it more prudent to use that money elsewhere.

—If USC can’t land Coleman, there still are plenty of viable options available. Expect USC to be aggressive in finding at least one transfer receiver to join the fray. North Carolina State wideout Terrell Anderson, who led the Wolfpack in receiving, visited USC on Sunday. Texas wideout DeAndre Moore Jr. spent time at St. John Bosco and Los Alamitos High, where he was teammates with outgoing Trojans wideout Makai Lemon.

—Linebacker remains a position of significant need, and USC managed to snag the first one that came to visit. Washington’s Deven Bryant was third on the Huskies in tackles. But while he doesn’t strike me as a difference-maker at that position, he was graded higher against the run than any of USC’s linebackers.

—Others to watch on the defensive line: Penn State end Zuriah Fisher, who visited this past weekend, and Clemson tackle Stephiylan Green.

Jaden Brownell, right, may have been the only Trojan to have a good game against Michigan.

(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)

—Of the football players who have yet to be signed, three stand out: Quarterback Husan Longstreet, defensive tackle Jide Abasiri and defensive back Alex Graham. Longstreet is obvious. As a five-star passer prospect, he’d be the heir apparent after Jayden Maiava if he decides to stick around. But it’s a surprise these days if anyone does. Abasiri is an athletic marvel with a ton of unrealized potential as a pass rusher, and Graham earned a ton of praise before having his freshman season derailed by injuries. Keeping two of the three would be a coup.

—The USC men were dominated by Michigan in a 30-point loss. Now Michigan State awaits in East Lansing. That’s a brutal one-two punch coming out of the holiday break, and the Trojans didn’t look ready for the fight Friday. Michigan jumped out to an 11-0 lead, forcing six turnovers in the process, and USC never fully bounced back. No one, outside of maybe reserve forward Jaden Brownell, had anything approaching a good game. The Trojans don’t have long to bounce back, with Michigan State on tap at Breslin Center on Monday. The Spartans are coming off a tough loss at Nebraska and will have something to prove. USC will have its work cut out for it.

—The USC women don’t have the frontcourt to hang with teams like UCLA. Lindsay Gottlieb wasn’t able to lure any top-tier transfer bigs in the offseason, and while that lack of a frontcourt doesn’t always show up against lesser or smaller teams, it was an obvious issue against UCLA and Lauren Betts. I’m not sure where Gottlieb goes from here with the frontcourt if she hopes to be competitive against UCLA the next time around. Maybe Gerda Raulusaityte takes a step forward in the coming weeks before their next meeting. Maybe Kennedy Smith, at 6 feet 1, could just start at the five? (Only half-kidding.) Whatever she does, Gottlieb will be working around this problem the rest of this season.

—Everyone agrees that the college football calendar has to change. So let’s do something about it. There are still two weeks until the College Football Playoff title game. The regular season ended the last weekend of November. That’s way too long to wait even before you consider that three of the four teams that had byes — and the long layoff that comes with them — lost in this playoff. Teams with a bye are now 1-7. But the problems with the calendar go deeper than that. Eventually, when the playoff moves to 16 teams — or more — we’ll do away with conference championship week and move everything up. If you played the first round during championship week, you could be done by the latest on Jan. 8. That’s much more reasonable.

In case you missed it

USC hopes to learn from ‘embarrassing,’ most lopsided loss under coach Lindsey Gottlieb

No. 24 USC can’t keep pace with Morez Johnson Jr. and No. 2 Michigan in loss

Lincoln Riley vowed to fix the Trojans’ defense, but it faltered again in Alamo Bowl

Former USC players sound off on Lincoln Riley and Trojans after Alamo Bowl collapse

No. 16 USC suffers shocking, walk-off loss to TCU in overtime of Alamo Bowl

Meet the Hanson family, the secret to USC’s offensive line success

Lincoln Riley calls out Notre Dame for refusing to honor pledge to play USC

What I’m watching this week

Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs and Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis in “The Beast in Me.”

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix has had a good year in the slow-burn, psychological thriller department, and “The Beast in Me” is another worthy entrant into that group. Claire Danes stars as an author still paralyzed by the sudden loss of her son to a car accident. When she decides to write about her new neighbor — the mysterious real estate scion Nile Jarvis, who is played by Matthew Rhys — she becomes obsessed with determining if the rumors that Jarvis killed his wife are true.

I could do without Danes’ signature lip quiver, but the always-tremendous Rhys is a creepy revelation. Certainly worth your time for a quick, eight-episode binge.

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Marcus Rashford might have a route back to Manchester United, trio may stay at Old Trafford after Ruben Amorim exit, Juventus keen on Federico Chiesa return.

Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim could provide England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, who is on loan at Barcelona, with a route back to Old Trafford. (Mirror), external

Oliver Glasner is likely to be Manchester United‘s top target to replace the sacked Amorim. The club’s hierarchy are huge admirers of the 51-year-old Austrian, whose Crystal Palace contract expires in the summer. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Fulham are preparing for an approach from Manchester United for their Portuguese manager Marco Silva. (Sun), external

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20, Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee, 24, and Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte, 24, were all desperate to leave Manchester United in January had Amorim stayed. (Mail – subscription required), external

Juventus have started talks with Liverpool over a loan move for Federico Chiesa, with the 28-year-old Italy forward open to a return to the Serie A club where he spent two seasons between 2022-2024. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Bournemouth were prepared to pay 40m euros (£34.7m) for Stuttgart and Germany winger Jamie Leweling as a replacement for their 25-year-old Ghana winger Antoine Semenyo, who is closing in on a transfer to Manchester City, but the Bundesliga club rejected the Cherries’ offer. (Sky Sports – in German), external

Chelsea will have to act fast if they are to sign Jeremy Jacquet, 20, from Rennes, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United all keen on the French defender. (Teamtalk), external

Barcelona have made an offer to take Al-Hilal and Portugal defender Joao Cancelo, 31, on loan, with Inter Milan also keen. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Nottingham Forest‘s head of football Edu faces doubts over his long-term future as the club continue to endure a turbulent season. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Crystal Palace are prepared to rival West Ham to sign Norway forward Jorgen Strand Larsen, 25, from Wolves. (Mail – subscription required), external

Tottenham have held talks with Santos over a deal for their highly rated Brazilian left-back Souza, 19, who is also interesting Newcastle. (Teamtalk), external

England forward Callum Wilson, 33, is in talks to end his West Ham contract after just five months at the club. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has held talks over becoming the new Strasbourg head coach, with the French club’s current manager Liam Rosenior closing in on replacing Enzo Maresca at Chelsea. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Crystal Palace 20-year-old England Under-21 forward Romain Esse is set to spend the remainder of the season on loan at Championship leaders Coventry City. (Sky Sports), external

Amorim has earned a reputation for his explosive news conferences since joining United in November 2024.

In January 2025, he described his team as “maybe the worst” in the 147-year history of the club.

“One of his best traits and most likeable things about him has always been his ability to be quite punchy in his press conferences,” former United centre-back Rio Ferdinand said on his podcast.

“He was upbeat, and he had quite a jovial way about him.”

The Portuguese manager’s comments last month on striker Chido Obi and left-back Harry Amass, both 18, also raised questions over his commitment to the club’s academy.

Trying to emphasise he is not scared to play young players, he criticised the performance levels of Obi and Amass, who is on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

“Amass was doing really well and got player of the month, while you had Chido scoring goals in the under-21s,” said former United defender Phil Jones on BBC Radio 5 Live’s The Monday Night Club.

“The academy is a massive part and will always be a massive part of the DNA of the club and I don’t think that helped him in any way.”

Carragher, who believes Amorim would be “bottom of the list” of managers to have succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson at the club since 2013, added: “Best part of Amorim was his performances in the press conferences – not the performances of his teams.

“At times, it felt like he was as good a pundit as Gary Neville when talking about United. But the problem was that he was the manager.”

“I don’t think it’s been just sound bites from Amorim,” Neville said.

“I think he’s meant every single word that he said. I think that he’s a real, genuine, honest guy. I don’t think he’s someone who’s playing the game. He was absolutely all in every time he did anything.

“But if the performances are that poor and the results are so poor, it doesn’t matter how likeable or honest you are. You’re going to get sacked at a club like United.”

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. 2026 has arrived, which means league play starts getting serious in high school basketball with a number of huge games scheduled for Friday night.

The matchups

Christian Collins is all smiles after leading St. John Bosco to its own tournament championship.

(Nick Koza)

The Trinity League starts this week, and no game is bigger than Santa Margarita (19-2) hosting St. John Bosco (11-4) on Friday night in a game matching the preseason league title favorites.

Santa Margarita has been doing what everyone expected — taking advantage of its experience with four returning starters. The Eagles already own two wins over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, a Mission League power. St. John Bosco has relied on Christian Collins but suffered defeats to some very good teams in recent weeks.

The Mission League begins with a key Friday matchup of defending champion Harvard-Westlake (17-2) playing at Crespi (13-5). Both schools need a win to challenge league favorite Sierra Canyon, which plays host to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. Former Sierra Canyon women’s star JuJu Watkins will have her jersey retired at halftime.

In the Gold Coast League, Brentwood (18-1) is playing at Crossroads on Friday in the first meeting since Shalen Sheppard transferred from Brentwood to Crossroads.

In the Marmonte League, unbeaten Thousand Oaks (16-0) plays host to Oaks Christian (15-3) on Friday.

In the Del Rey League, St. Bernard is playing at St. Anthony in an early league match that could establish a league favorite.

In the Gateway League, the top two teams face off on Friday, with La Mirada hosting Mayfair. In the Baseline League, 17-1 Etiwanda plays host to 15-4 Damien on Thursday in a matchup of the league’s top two teams. On Tuesday in the Sunset League, the two favorites, Los Alamitos and Corona del Mar, meet at Los Alamitos.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

City Section

Tajh Ariza (right) and Malachi Harris of Westchester celebrate after winning the City Section Open Division title last season. Westchester is 2-8 this season.

(Nick Koza)

City Section basketball is in a precarious place. The talent level has diminished. The history of great teams and great players is in decline.

Here’s a look at the troubles facing the City Section and what can be done to change the trend.

Girls basketball

Etiwanda coach Stan Delus.

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Ontario Christian (18-0) and Etiwanda (13-2) continue their march to the Southern Southern Open Division playoffs. Sierra Canyon (13-1) is right behind.

Mater Dei (12-4) is still adjusting to season-ending injury to Kaeli Wynn, but received a 28-point performance from Harmony Golightly in a win over Nevada Democracy Prep.

Sage Hill, with a new coach, is 14-4. Kamdyn Klamberg had a 31-point performance last week.

Villa Park is 15-3. Olivia Sturdivant and Lauren Wolfe are both averaging 13 points a game. JSerra is 14-2 and ranked No. 2 in the first Southern Section power rankings. JSerra faces Corona Centennial in a big nonleague game Monday.

In the City Section, Westchester, King/Drew, Birmingham and Granada Hills are emerging as the top teams. Junior Savannah Myles has been leading Westchester, which is 13-0 overall and 3-0 in the Western League.

Transfer tracker

Quarterback Jaden Jefferson of Cathedral is leaving for Corona Centennial.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

It’s time. The high school football transfer tracker for 2026 is up and running. Here’s the link.

The big transfers confirmed last week were Cathedral quarterback Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral receiver Quentin Hale announcing they would be transferring to Corona Centennial.

January is a big month for football transfers because it’s the start of the spring semester. As usual, quarterbacks are leading the way in switching schools.

Looking ahead to 2026

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s JJ Harel is ready for a big 2026.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Predictions for 2026 include lots of unique NIL deals, some baseball standouts and football stars. Here’s my crystal ball forecast.

Soccer

Anderson Carranza has 10 goals for Cleveland’s soccer team.

(Cleveland HS)

City Section boys soccer gets serious this week with the start of West Valley League play. El Camino Real, the defending champion, faces tough games against Cleveland on Wednesday and Birmingham on Friday. Here’s a report.

Rivals Mira Costa (6-2-1) and Palos Verdes (13-2) face off Tuesday at Mira Costa. Mira Costa won the Nike SoCal Holiday Classic last week in Oceanside. Former Palisades player Noah Szeder had two goals in the championship game.

In girls soccer, Santa Margarita has won its first 10 games, including a 3-0 win over Bishop Amat on Saturday. The Eagles have recorded six shutouts and given up just two goals.

Mater Dei is 9-1-3 but suffered its first defeat Saturday, losing to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 1-0.

Harvard-Westlake is 5-1-3 with its only loss to Mater Dei.

Notes . . .

Lance Mitchell is the new football coach at St. Francis. He was head coach at Muir. . . .

Johnathan Coutee is the new football coach at Murrieta Mesa. . . .

Nick Torres, 32, a Lakewood High graduate, was named 2025 MVP of the Mexican League in baseball and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. . . .

Former Long Beach Poly football coach Justin Utupo said he has won an appeal and will be able to coach again in the district in three years. Previously he was banned lifetime. . . .

Westlake football coach Rick Clausen, who took over an 0-10 team and led them to a 10-1 record, has been selected the Rams’ Don Shula award coach of the year. Also honored was Mike Moon of Oxnard Pacifica. . . .

In a big girls water polo match, Mater Dei suffered its first defeat when defending Southern Section champion Oaks Christian beat the Monarchs 11-7. The Santa Barbara tournament is this weekend.

From the archives: Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown during his Mater Dei days in 2015.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

After 17 NFL games this season, former Mater Dei and USC receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions ranks among the top receivers. He finished with 106 receptions for 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Remember he’s one of three football-playing brothers and is multilingual being fluent in German.

Here’s a look at two St. Brown brothers from their Mater Dei days in 2015.

Here’s a story from 2014 explaining that you better learn how to spell the first names of the St. Brown brothers.

Here’s a story from 2016 giving a sneak peek at what Amon-Ra might be capable of.

Recommendations

From the Daily Pilot, a story on Bailey Turner of Huntington Beach becoming a world junior champion in surfing.

From NBCPalmSprings, a story on the death of a teenager golfer who fought to the end dealing with cancer.

From MaxPreps, a story on the 100 most influential people in the history of high school football.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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The Frenchman talked about building castles in the sky. He laboured under the fatal impression that he had time to deliver his vision and that he deserved patience. In his parallel universe he said that winning wasn’t everything while his masterpiece was under construction.

It was all about the “process.” He called on people to look at his past record as evidence of his ability. “Do your job,” he told journalists the day before failing to do his in a 3-1 home loss to Rangers, following on from a 2-0 defeat by Motherwell.

Nancy and Tisdale had to go. What’s also obvious is that the hapless state of the club goes way deeper than those two over-promoted characters. It goes back to who ratified their appointments and why. It goes back to Celtic not just losing their way on the field but off it. It goes to the very top.

Celtic have now lost a manager, a head of football operations and a chairman (Peter Lawwell, driven out by an abusive element in the support) since Hogmanay.

The lack of communication from the club is remarkable. Never mind the extreme elements of the support, regular fans – the vast, vast majority – feel a profound disconnection, an alienation from what is going on.

There is a sense of entitlement among some, for sure, and it’s easy to poke fun at that given all the titles Celtic have won. But, elsewhere, there’s just an anger about a club on the drift, making lousy decisions, going backwards domestically and in Europe while sitting on close to £80m in the bank.

These fans talk of a lack of ambition, a lack of a plan under the current board, led by Michael Nicholson, the chief executive, and Dermot Desmond, the major shareholder, and the power in the shadows.

Celtic’s vision seems to amount to staying ahead of Rangers and seeing what they can get out of Europe, if anything.

Brendan Rodgers railed against that thinking and his relationship with the powerbrokers at the club crashed and burned. There was a callousness about his exit and the brutal words about him from Desmond. Rodgers, for all his flaws, did not deserve that.

His assistant manager, John Kennedy, also left at that time. Kennedy had been at Celtic for 27 years as player and coach and yet he was given barely a sentence in a statement when he departed. He deserved more. It’s a legitimate question to ask – where’s the dignity and the class?

There’s not a big picture view at Celtic, or not one that’s apparent. Celtic could finish off their stadium and make it a near 80,000 citadel, one of the continent’s best, but they haven’t done it.

They could build one of football’s greatest museums – lord knows they have enough icons and great moments to fill it – but there’s no sign of it.

They could have deployed a modern and razor-sharp scouting system, but they haven’t done that either.

They bob along, cash-rich and content with bossing it parochially, but even that is now at risk. The emergence of Hearts and the support they’re getting from Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics is threatening to change the game in a very significant way.

Celtic thought they could take a gamble on Nancy because they couldn’t imagine a world where any other side could rival their hold over the league title, their bread and butter.

Earlier, three-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev called for the tournament to bring forward its night session matches.

Matches begin at 19:00 local time, with two matches scheduled to take place on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena.

Djokovic and Andy Murray have previously spoken about late finishes in Melbourne, with Murray describing his 04:05am finish in 2023 as a “farce”.

Medvedev, who was beaten by Learner Tien in a match that finished at 2:55am local time, said he was “happy” to play in the night sessions but scheduling changes would be “better for everyone”.

“I like soccer, but here [in Australia] I don’t watch the Premier League because it’s at two in the morning.

“It’s pretty much the same — people who really love tennis would like to see it at six because then they are almost sure to watch both matches.

“OK, if it goes ridiculously long, [instead of finishing] at three, it would finish at two. It’s better for everyone.”