When the Olympic gymnast put on her “Dancing with the Stars” routine in November during an otherwise humdrum matchup against Pepperdine at Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins drew 9,103 fans. It remains, by far, their largest crowd of the season.
Unfortunately, Chiles isn’t available for every game. That leaves her school in need of more realistic solutions for another season of lagging attendance for what’s supposed to be its marquee sport.
UCLA’s home average of 5,211 fans entering its game against Maryland on Saturday evening at Pauley Pavilion is ranked third to last among the 18 Big Ten teams, topping only Northwestern (4,886) and USC (4,280).
Among a litany of explanations, there are the usual (tickets are too expensive, students have been on winter break) and relatively new (the team is disappointing, the best nonconference games are being held as neutral-site fundraisers for name, image and likeness endeavors).
While it’s almost certain that attendance will rise as the Bruins (10-5 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) enter the heart of conference play — more than 10,000 fans are expected for a showdown against No. 5 Purdue later this month, and the crosstown rivalry game against USC isn’t until February — the team could use some additional solutions for a problem that has plagued it in recent years.
What can be done to get more people in the building?
“That’s a Martin Jarmond question,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said Friday, referring to the school’s athletic director. “You know, there’s only so many things I can worry about. I’ve been getting that [question] since my days at Murray State. Donors, fans, friends of mine come with ideas — marketing, tickets. They have whole divisions of the athletic department to worry about that.
“Imagine having to raise $10 million to pay your team and you have to do it because the athletic department fundraisers raise money for the athletic department. So I think I’ll leave the marketing up to the marketing department.”
UCLA coach Mick Cronin cheers on his team against Oregon at Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 6.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
As part of its new ticketing partnership with Elevate, UCLA continues to tweak its pricing strategy. The entities have begun implementing dynamic pricing that can be adjusted based on demand, though they remain constrained by a new process that will be improved into a more nimble operation in the future.
Some fans might simply be unwilling to pay the asking price to see a team that has fallen short of expectations.
Tickets on UCLA’s website for the Maryland game range from $24 for a corner seat in the upper deck to $310 for a seat at midcourt in the lower level. (Each seat also comes with an additional ticketing fee ranging from $7 to $35.50, depending on location.)
One could buy a midrange smartphone for what it costs to see the Bruins play Purdue in a prime seat. Those tickets range from $44.50 for a corner seat in the upper deck to $449.50 at midcourt in the lower level. A comparable lower-level midcourt seat to see the Lakers face Milwaukee on Friday at Crypto.com Arena could be found on StubHub for $505.
UCLA has mitigated the pricing issue with promotions such as “Fours Up Fridays,” which offered fans $4 tickets for three Friday nonconference games; $10 tickets for the Arizona State, Northwestern and Rutgers games; and mini-plans offering bundled tickets at a discounted rate. Students were offered free entry for nonconference games in addition to free food during games while school is in session and a student attendance challenge providing prizes based on attendance.
Part of the attendance problem in recent seasons has been a lack of exciting nonconference opponents. The Bruins’ most attractive nonconference games this season — against Arizona, Gonzaga and California — were held at neutral sites to raise NIL money for each team.
“Everybody in the country is doing what we’re doing, would you agree with that?” Cronin asked a reporter inquiring about bringing more enticing nonconference opponents to Pauley Pavilion.
Well, yes and no.
While neutral-site NIL games have indeed become a major trend, some schools have continued to play big-name nonconference opponents on their home court. Arizona played Auburn. Duke played Florida. Michigan played Villanova. Kansas played Connecticut.
UCLA’s most attractive nonconference home game was against Arizona State, which isn’t exactly a national brand. The game drew only 5,553.
“They’re a high-major team in the Big 12 and everybody said we’ve got to keep Pac 12 rivalries,” Cronin said of the Sun Devils. “But everybody else, everybody in the country has got to raise money and is playing neutral-site games — everybody. Unless you know some donors that want to give me $5 million to pay players, we’ve got no choice.”
Some additional promotions could entice fans in the weeks to come. UCLA is offering 7,500 fans a free John Wooden bobblehead for the Purdue game. There will be a white-out theme, including a free rally towel for all fans, against Indiana.
Ultimately, the easiest answer won’t cost a thing. As always, winning is the best promotion.
Etc.
Cronin said guard Skyy Clark, who has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in the second half against Iowa last week, was considered doubtful to play against Maryland. … Cronin said everything was on the table to improve the team’s lackluster defense, including lineup changes, schematic changes and the possibility “we don’t practice offense the rest of the year.” … UCLA will honor Dodgers manager and former Bruins outfielder Dave Roberts as the honorary captain Saturday. A limited edition “Westwood Brothers” T-shirt featuring Roberts and Cronin together in a playful twist on the movie “Step Brothers” can be purchased with a $25 donation to Men of Westwood. Fans must email their receipt to menofwestwoodtickets@gmail.com before picking up the shirts on the north concourse during the game. Asked if he had seen his likeness on the shirt, Cronin said, with a chuckle: “Somebody told me it was awful.”
Despite playing in only 14 games, Adams finished with 60 catches for 789 yards and an NFL-best 14 touchdown catches, becoming the first player to lead the league in touchdown receptions with three different teams.
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The Rams are looking to avenge their loss in Carolina earlier this season with a win over the Panthers in the NFC wild-card playoffs.
In 2020, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Adams caught 18 touchdown passes for the Green Bay Packers. In 2022, with Derek Carr at quarterback, he caught 14 touchdown passes for the Las Vegas Raiders. And this season, Adams achieved the feat by catching nearly a third of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s league-leading 46 touchdown passes.
“He’s in rarefied air,” coach Sean McVay said of Adams.
McVay sensed the possibilities when he aggressively pursued Adams to replace Cooper Kupp, and the Rams signed the three-time All-Pro to a two-year contract that included $26 million in guarantees.
Adams, 33, has been an upgrade, especially when the Rams have the ball close to the goal line. His 117 career touchdown catches are the most among active players, and seventh all time.
With Stafford sitting out all of training camp because of a back issue, it took the two veterans a third of the season to establish a consistent connection. Adams broke out with three touchdowns in a Week 7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
“We struggled to hit on a few things early in the season,” Stafford said, “to where he was absolutely dominating people in the red zone.”
Or, as offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur put it: “Once it clicked, it just clicked.”
Adams, 6 feet 1 and 204 pounds, said he has possessed “a nose for the end zone,” since his college days at Fresno State.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 23.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
His ability to separate from defenders becomes especially acute and effective in the tighter space near the goal line. But dominating near and in the end zone goes beyond physical moves.
“It’s understanding how to communicate with the quarterback, and knowing what he sees and being able to react,” Adams said.
Adams’ skills benefit other Rams receivers as well.
“It’s been an advantage for everybody else in our offense, knowing where the defense is trying to land and trying to stop every cut they can from No. 17 and the opportunities are given to everybody else,” said Puka Nacua, who led the league with 129 catches.
Adams played through a hamstring issue for much of the season before he went down while running a route against the Lions. The injury might have been worse, Adams said, if he attempted to “push through” to catch the ball rather than collapsing to the turf.
“Me bailing out of it right there,” he said, “I think I saved it a little bit.”
The first few days after an injury are a mental challenge because “you’re feeling sorry for yourself,” Adams said. But the realization that he remained a role model for younger receivers helped him work through the anguish.
“I still have to be there for them, being strong for the team, being present and finding a way to still include myself in things and be helpful,” he said.
Adams’ presence and personality also has influenced players on the Rams’ defense.
Edge rusher Jared Verse, a third-year pro and noted trash talker, said he initially was wary of teasing Adams.
“I won’t lie,” Verse said, “if you go against Davante, you have to be ready because he’s going to have something crazy to say back.
“You have to be prepared for it.”
Now Adams is preparing for his seventh playoff appearance, his first since the 2021 season. In 11 postseason games, all with the Packers, he caught 72 passes, eight for touchdowns.
Adams has played in four NFC championship games but is still searching for his first Super Bowl victory.
“We have bigger goals in mind than to just survive the first round of the playoffs,” he said.
How quickly Adams and Stafford can establish their connection remains to be seen.
Adams said a few weeks off would not “deteriorate the success and the growth” they experienced during the season.
“We’ve put in the work and we understand each other a lot better than what we did when we first started the season,” he said. “Hopefully that takes care of that.”
Stafford is not concerned.
“I just have to put it in the ballpark,” he said, “and let him go do his thing.”
The spectacular one-handed catch looked like the kind of play that could only be made with sudden adjustment. A reaction with no thought or practice required.
But that’s not how it went down for Rams star receiver Puka Nacua.
“Just trusting the technique is something that actually me and Matthew talked about in the week before in a rep during practice,” Nacua said. “The angle departure that we were looking at.
“It’s crazy how some of those things come to life on Sundays.”
Stafford and Nacua were the NFL’s top connection this season.
Stafford, a favorite to win his first NFL most valuable player award, passed for a league-leading 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns.
Nacua is among the candidates for offensive player of the year.
The third-year pro caught a league-best 129 passes, 10 for touchdowns. Nacua amassed 1,718 yards receiving, second to only Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 1,793 yards.
Nacua is expected to continue his outstanding play Saturday when the Rams play the Carolina Panthers in an NFC wild-card game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Star receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, is scheduled to return, but it will be no surprise if Stafford continues to rely on Nacua, who was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time.
Nacua became the first Rams receiver to lead the league in catches since Cooper Kupp achieved the feat in 2021, when he claimed the so-called triple crown of receiving by finishing first in receptions, yards receiving and touchdown catches. Kupp was the NFL offensive player of the year.
Nacua said one of his goals this season was to improve “catching the ball more consistently.”
He had already made great strides in that regard.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua hauls in a one-handed touchdown pass during a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
As a rookie in 2023, Nacua caught 105 passes on 160 targets but had a league-worst 13 drops, according to Profootballreference.com.
Last season, he caught 79 passes on 106 targets, with one drop. This season he was targeted 166 times and dropped four passes.
“I really do feel confident that I can catch any ball that comes my way,” he said.
“He’s always had great natural hands, but sometimes these guys that have those great hands, you can almost start to get up field before you end up looking the ball all the way in,” McVay said. “I think he’s been really consistent and that’s not exclusive to when the ball’s in his hands.”
Nacua started the season with a 10-catch, 130-yard performance in a season-opening victory over the Houston Texans. It was the first of six games he eclipsed 100 yards receiving.
Three came in December, after he caught six passes for 72 yards in a 31-28 loss to the Panthers on Nov. 30.
The next week, Nacua caught seven passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. He caught nine passes for 181 yards against the Detroit Lions, and 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks.
“He brings a ton of energy to our team,” Stafford said during the run. “He plays the game the way we all want to with passion, energy and toughness.”
Saturday’s matchup will be Nacua’s fourth playoff game. He has 20 receptions for 322 yards and a touchdown in the postseason.
Adams’ return from a hamstring injury could open more windows for Nacua.
“It’ll be fun to continue to run the routes that I get to run, but then also I know that the defense is going to shift another way feeling the threat and the presence of Davante Adams,” Nacua said. “The threat that he provides in our offense and understanding that Matthew can look one way and always throw the ball the other way, that’s the threat every time.”
Etc.
Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle), who sat out the last two games, will remain out for Saturday’s game against the Panthers, McVay said. Receiver Jordan Whittington (knee) also is out, and tight end Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) and defensive back Josh Wallace (ankle) are questionable. … The Rams announced their end–of-year team awards. Stafford was MVP, Ferguson was top rookie, linebacker Nate Landman won sportsmanship, ethics and commitment to teammates, and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson won inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage.
With receiver Davante Adams and safety Quentin Lake returning to the lineup, the Rams are near full-strength for their NFC wild-card game against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Adams, who leads the NFL with 14 touchdown catches, sat out three games because of a hamstring injury. He rejoins an offense that led the NFL in offense and scoring.
But Lake could be the main difference-maker for the Rams in a rematch of the Nov. 30 game between the teams.
Lake sustained an elbow injury during a Nov. 16 victory over the Seattle Seahawks and did not play in the Rams’ 31-28 defeat by the Panthers, a game in which Bryce Young passed for three touchdowns and the Rams gave up 164 yards rushing.
So coach Sean McVay is looking forward to having Lake back.
“It’s big because he’s so versatile and he’s so physical,” McVay said, adding, “He’s got this presence where you just feel better.”
In their loss to the Panthers, quarterback Matthew Stafford had two passes intercepted, one that was returned for a touchdown. He also lost a fumble.
Stafford of late has recaptured the form that has made him a favorite to win his first NFL most valuable player award. He has been named NFC offensive player of the month two months in a row.
So keeping the ball in Stafford’s hands and eliminating turnovers will be key for the Rams if they want to avenge their Week 13 loss to the Panthers.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Jalen Chatfield’s first goal of the season was a tiebreaker and goalie Frederik Andersen snapped a personal nine-game losing streak as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ducks 5-2 on Thursday night.
Chatfield, a defenseman playing in his 300th career game, scored during the Hurricanes’ three-goal second period. He also had an assist.
Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist, and Mark Jankowski and Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who won their third straight. Andersen made 11 saves for his first victory since Nov. 6. He had gone 0-7-2 during his winless stretch.
The Ducks had leads in each of the first two periods.
Poehling scored with 6:42 left in the first period. Jankowski tied the score on Carolina’s 17th shot of the game at 8:56 of the second period, with the puck swept into the goal by Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson’s skate.
Granlund shot wide through the crease on an open net, but pretty much stayed in the same position and then tapped in a pass from Mason McTavish for the Ducks’ 2-1 lead with 6:42 left in the second. Stankoven scored for the third game in a row, taking a pass from Taylor Hall on a two-man rush to pull the Hurricanes even.
Chatfield’s goal came with 3:52 remaining in the second period. Carolina outshot the Ducks 18-3 in the period.
Blake and Hall scored in the third period, with Hall’s goal into an empty net.
Winger Troy Terry, who co-leads the Ducks with 42 points, missed a game for the first time this season because of an upper-body injury.
Up next for the Ducks: Close out a four-game trip at Buffalo on Saturday.
A fan-favourite star from Stranger Things took on a minor Game of Thrones role before becoming a household name
Joseph Quinn, known for his role in Stranger Things, had a minor part in HBO’s smash-hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, and fans are just now discovering this unexpected link.
The British actor is most recognised for his portrayal of the standout character Eddie Munson in the fourth series of Netflix’s popular supernatural horror drama.
He has since secured the iconic role of Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch, in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps and will be playing George Harrison in the eagerly awaited four-part Beatles cinematic event.
However, before he became a familiar face, he played a small role in the seventh and penultimate season of Game of Thrones as Koner, a soldier loyal to House Stark.
In the episode titled The Spoils of War, Koner is seen guarding Winterfell’s gate alongside fellow soldier Henk (played by Danny Kirrane) when Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) arrives and insists on being let in, reports the Express.
The soldiers mock her and dismiss her, believing Arya to be dead, and instruct her to leave when she requests to see Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who they inform her is thousands of miles away.
Eventually, Arya manages to bypass the soldiers by warning them of severe repercussions if her sister and the castle’s head, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), learns of their refusal to let her in.
Koner and Henk argue over who will accompany her to Sansa, while Arya seizes the opportunity to sneak through the gates.
Viewers who haven’t watched the episode since its original broadcast in 2017 were left gobsmacked after a recent Reddit discussion jogged their memories about the Stranger Things actor’s early television role.
“I was today years old when I realized that Joseph Quinn (who plays Eddie in Stranger Things) was also in GoT!” one fan wrote.
Another viewer on X recently made the connection as well, writing: “Love when you go back to an older show and notice a now established actor in the start of their career.
“Joseph Quinn in Game of Thrones. Never realised he was in it.”
Watch Stranger Things on Netflix for free with Sky
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NEW YORK — Nine Major League Baseball teams have terminated their deals with the FanDuel Sports Network to carry their local broadcasts, and Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB is prepared to produce and distribute the telecasts.
Main Street Sports Group, which operates the FanDuel networks, did not make its December payment to the St. Louis Cardinals. It also carries games of Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, the Angels, Miami, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, along with 13 teams in the NBA and seven in the NHL.
The termination by the MLB teams was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions had not been announced.
“No matter what happens, whether it’s Main Street, a third party or MLB media, fans are going to have the games,” Manfred said Thursday.
Teams that terminated their contracts could reach new deals with Main Street, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
MLB took over broadcasts for San Diego in May 2023 after Diamond Sports Group missed a payment to the Padres and added Arizona that July.
Colorado joined MLB’s distribution in 2024, and Cleveland and Minnesota in 2025. Seattle is being added this season and possibly Washington, which is leaving the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.
Diamond was renamed Main Street Sports Group as it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings last year and its networks were rebranded as FanDuel.
“Our focus, particularly given the point in the calendar, is to maximize the revenue that’s available to the clubs, whether that’s MLB Media or third party,” Manfred said. “The clubs have control over the timing. They can make a decision to move to MLB Media because of the contractual status now. I think that what’s happening right now clubs are evaluating their alternatives. Obviously they’ve made significant payroll commitments already and they’re evaluating the alternatives to find the best revenue source for the year and the best outlet in terms of providing quality broadcasts to their fans.”
Manfred said local media provides more than 20% of industry revenue.
MLB and the players’ association for 2024 allowed discretionary fund distributions of up to $15 million each to teams whose local media revenue had declined since 2022 or 2023, but they did not reach a similar agreement for 2025.
“We are not providing financial assistance right now,” Manfred said.
Manfred spoke at a news conference to announce an initiative that includes Foster Love and envisions 250,000 volunteer hours to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. At the news conference, MLB staff assembled duffel bags with goods for foster care children.
The Dodgers avoided arbitration with reliever Brusdar Graterol on Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to terms with the Venezuelan right-hander on a one-year, $2.8-million deal before Thursday’s deadline to avoid an arbitration hearing.
Graterol, 27, missed the 2025 season after undergoing surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder in November 2024. The $2.8-million figure is the same as his salary for last season.
After being acquired by the Dodgers in a 2020 trade that sent Kenta Maeda to the Minnesota Twins, he turned into a hard-throwing member of the team’s bullpen.
Graterol’s best season came in 2023 when he recorded a 1.20 earned-run average across 67.1 innings in 68 games, striking out 48 batters and walking 11.
Shoulder inflmmation and a hamstring strain limited Graterol to only seven appearances during the 2024 regular season — though he did pitch in three World Series games against the New York Yankees, including the clinching Game 5 — before he underwent shoulder surgery.
Graterol can become a free agent after the 2026 season.
The Dodgers have three other arbitration-eligible players who have until Thursday to agree to terms on a salary for next season: Left-hander Anthony Banda, outfielder Alex Call and right-hander Brock Stewart.
If any of the players cannot come to an agreement, the team and player must exchange salary figures and a hearing will be scheduled. Negotiations can continue until the date of the hearing.
Calabasas pulled off a huge win in high school basketball on Tuesday night, handing Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 16 victories in a Marmonte League opener.
The Coyotes (13-5) have quietly turned around their season after a 2-4 start, winning 11 of their last 12 games.
One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills. He also leads the team in taking charging fouls.
He transferred to Calabasas after his freshman year at Viewpoint.
As for beating Thousand Oaks, coach Jon Palarz said, “We got to play them at home and had great effort.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
William Eklund scored 3:08 into overtime, Macklin Celebrini had the tying goal and two assists to extend his point streak to 12 games, and the San Jose Sharks defeated the Kings 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Celebrini evened the score at 3 with 1:07 remaining in regulation. He deked his way past Warren Foegele and sent a wrist shot through traffic that beat goalie Darcy Kuemper through the legs for his 24th goal this season. The 19-year-old center has nine goals and 15 assists during his point streak.
Celebrini is tied for the third-longest point streak by a teenager in NHL history — joining Joe Sakic in 1988-89, Jimmy Carson in 1987-88 and Wayne Gretzky in 1979-80 — and the third-longest point streak in Sharks history.
Tyler Toffoli and Adam Gaudette each had a goal, Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves and the Sharks won for the fifth time in six games.
Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who still haven’t won three straight games since winning four in a row in mid-November. Alex Laferriere also scored and Kuemper made 24 saves.
Laferriere put the Kings ahead with 2:10 left in the third period, but they couldn’t prevent another sensational play by the electric Celebrini.
The Kings were without four forwards, including stalwart center and team captain Anze Kopitar, who is day-to-day after sustaining a lower-body injury in a win over Minnesota on Monday. Those absences led the Kings to play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Sharks center Ty Dellandrea is week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury against Columbus on Tuesday.
NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and the New York Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a 123-111 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday night.
Towns bounced back from a quiet game Monday in Detroit, when he took just four shots and had only six points and six turnovers in the Knicks’ 121-90 loss that gave them their longest losing streak of the season. This time, the center had 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks break open the game.
OG Anunoby added 20 points and Deuce McBride had 16 for the Knicks, who had a 24-7 run starting late in the third quarter and extending into the fourth to turn a four-point deficit into a 105-92 advantage.
Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points for the Clippers (13-23), who lost for just the second time in nine games. James Harden had 23 points and nine assists after sitting out Monday against Golden State because of right shoulder soreness.
The Clippers raced to a 14-5 lead, but the Knicks answered with eight straight points and the game was close for the first three quarters. The Clippers were up 85-81 late in the third before the Knicks finished strong to take a 90-87 edge to the fourth.
Towns then started the period with a three-point play and follow shot, and later had four points in an 8-0 run that pushed a five-point lead to 105-92.
Ivica Zubac had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, and John Collins added 18 points and four boards.
SAN ANTONIO — LeBron James will miss the game against the San Antonio Spurs with right sciatica and left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced Wednesday.
James has starred for the Lakers (23-11) during their three-game winning streak, averaging 29 points in victories against the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans. He’s paired effortlessly with Luka Doncic as the duo scored 30 points each in Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans. But after missing 14 games to start the season because of sciatica, the 41-year-old James recognized he might not be able to play a second game in as many nights.
“His foot typically the day after a game is sore so that’s the primary thing,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “… We’re hoping that he gets to the point where he can play in back-to-backs with his body, but this stretch and this month, it’s going to be tough to say that.”
James will miss his 17th game this season, putting him right on the edge of continuing his streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA honors. Players have to appear in 65 games to remain eligible for postseason awards. The Lakers are beginning a busy January that ends with their longest road trip of the year: the eight-game Grammy trip.
The Lakers are also without Austin Reaves (calf), Rui Hachimura (calf) and Adou Thiero (knee). Hachimura participated in a workout with G League affiliate South Bay Lakers in L.A. on Wednesday as he progresses back to the court.
Guard Gabe Vincent (back) will be available for Wednesday’s game while on a restriction of about 18 minutes, Redick said.
Ulster full-back Jacob Stockdale has been ruled out of Sunday’s Challenge Cup pool game against the Cheetahs (15:15 GMT) with a rib injury.
The Ireland back suffered the injury in last week’s United Rugby Championship win over Munster and was forced off early in the second half.
The 29-year-old joins Juarno Augustus (ankle), Charlie Irvine (calf), Michael Lowry (ankle), Rory McGuire (ankle), Ethan McIlroy (ribs), James McNabney (knee), Stewart Moore (hand) on Ulster’s injury list.
In more positive news, Ben Moxham is available for selection after recovering from a serious knee injury.
The 24-year-old winger has not played since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament during Ulster’s loss to Leinster in November 2024.
Ulster opened their Challenge Cup campaign with a resounding 61-7 win over Racing 92 but fell to a 29-26 loss to Cardiff.
Since then, Richie Murphy’s side lost to Leinster before beating Connacht and Munster in the festive inter-provincial derbies in the United Rugby Championship.
The shots had stopped falling. The tension had started rising. Fresh off its worst loss of the Lindsay Gottlieb era, USC had, for the better part of three quarters, looked well on its way to a get-right win Tuesday, the sort that might help ease the embarrassment from a 34-point loss to bitter rival UCLA.
But over the course of the fourth quarter, as Oregon clawed its way back, the Trojans tightened up. The offense looked out of sorts. The defense looked out of breath. No. 21 USC (10-5, 2-2 in the Big Ten) missed its first eight shots of the quarter, just as Oregon (14-3, 2-2) exploded on that end, its worst fears coming to life out of the loss.
Over four minutes and 46 painful seconds, the Trojans went scoreless, unable to do much of anything but watch as Oregon stole a 71-66 victory Tuesday.
The loss was USC’s second in a row, marking the first time since January 2024 that the Trojans suffered consecutive defeats.
Even as Oregon mounted a late run, USC had its chances to shoot its way back into the game. Londynn Jones hit a three-pointer, and freshman Jazzy Davidson made a jumper, her only bucket of the second half, to give the Trojans a nine-point lead with just under five minutes remaining.
But those were the last two buckets USC would score. Oregon’s Ari Long hit a three-pointer, then drained another on the next possession. The Galen Center crowd groaned, seemingly knowing what was coming next.
With 32 seconds remaining, Oregon called a timeout. The Ducks found Long again coming out of the break, and she sank a third three-pointer, this one costly.
Kara Dunn did what she could to keep USC afloat, scoring 21 points and adding nine rebounds. Davidson struggled to find her shooting stroke, but still filled the stat sheet with 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals to go with 14 points.
Jones even gave USC critical contributions throughout, as the Trojans were forced to play without sophomore Kennedy Smith, their best defender who has a leg injury, according to the team.
She was missed Tuesday, especially down the stretch, as Long torched the Trojans for nine of her 11 points in the final minutes.
Where USC goes from here remains to be seen, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier, with four more matchups against ranked teams before January is up.
It took nearly four minutes for USC to find the basket to start the game, its offense picking up right where it left off Saturday in its sluggish loss to UCLA. The Trojans missed nine of their first 10 shots, unable to find any semblance of a rhythm.
Then finally, Malia Samuels hit a corner three. Jones sank a three-pointer of her own. Then Dunn got in the party.
USC exhaled — and proceeded to finish the first quarter on a 16-0 run.
The defense did most of the heavy lifting from there, holding Oregon at arm’s length until the fourth quarter, when the Ducks flew out in front, dealing the Trojans another loss.
In a game that the Bruins needed to win to get their season back on track and have any realistic chance at an elite finish in the Big Ten, they fell flat once more.
Another terrible first half led to another failed comeback for UCLA during an 80-72 loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, leaving the Bruins in search of answers that seem elusive.
There was a dustup with 10 seconds left when UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. pushed Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter after absorbing a hard foul, forcing a scrum of players to congregate along the baseline. Winter was assessed a flagrant-1 foul and Dailey a technical foul that was offset by a technical foul on Badgers guard Nick Boyd.
About the only thing to celebrate for the Bruins was not giving up.
Thanks to a flurry of baskets from Dailey and a three-pointer from Trent Perry that broke his team’s 0-for-14 start from long range, UCLA pulled to within 63-56 midway through the second half. Making the Bruins’ rally all the more improbable was that much of it came with leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau on the bench with four fouls.
But Wisconsin countered with five consecutive points and the Bruins (10-5 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) never mounted another threat on the way to a second consecutive loss.
Dailey scored 18 points but missed all five of his three-pointers, fitting for a team that made just one of 17 shots (5.9%) from long range. Bilodeau added 16 points and Perry had 15.
Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Badgers (10-5, 2-2), who won in large part by their volume of three-pointers, making 10 of 30 attempts (33.3%) from beyond the arc.
Unveiling a turnover-choked, defensively challenged performance, UCLA played as if it were trying to top its awful first-half showing against Iowa from three days earlier.
It didn’t help that the Bruins were shorthanded from tipoff.
With Clark unavailable, UCLA coach Mick Cronin turned to Perry and pivoted to a smaller lineup featuring forward Brandon Williams alongside Bilodeau as the big men.
For the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a repeat of Wisconsin’s blowout victory over UCLA during the Big Ten tournament last March. The Badgers made seven of 11 three-pointers on the way to building a 20-point lead midway through the first half as Cronin continually tinkered with his lineup, trying to find a winning combination.
It never came.
He tried backup center Steven Jamerson II for a little more than a minute before yanking him after Jamerson committed a foul. He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover. Backup guard Eric Freeny got his chance as well and airballed a three-pointer.
Wisconsin surged ahead with an early 13-0 run and nearly matched it with a separate 11-0 push. The Bruins then lost Perry for the rest of the first half after he hit his chin while diving for a loose ball, pounding the court in frustration with a balled fist before holding a towel firmly against his injured chin during a timeout. (He returned in the second half with a heavy bandage.)
Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse, they did. Williams limped off the court with cramps late in the first half and the Bruins failed to box out Wisconsin’s Andrew Rohde on two possessions, leading to a putback and two free throws after he was fouled on another putback attempt.
UCLA almost seemed fortunate to be down only 45-31 by the game’s midpoint, though being on pace to give up 90 points couldn’t have pleased a coach known for defense.
Another comeback that came up short didn’t make things any better.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo showed some tough love for one of his former players on Monday night during the Spartans’ blowout victory against USC in East Lansing.
Paul Davis, a standout player for Izzo and the Spartans during the early 2000s, was in the stands at Breslin Center to show support for his alma mater.
Apparently he went too far.
With Michigan State up by 21 midway through the fourth quarter, referee Jeffrey Anderson stopped the game and pointed toward Davis, who was sitting three rows up from the court on the opposite side of the teams’ benches. Anderson then went over to speak with Izzo.
The coaching legend in his 31st year leading the Spartans then looked across the court at Davis with his arms spread open and appeared to shout more than once, “What are you doing?” and adding at least one curse word.
Odd moment in Michigan State-USC. After being consulted by the referee, it appears Tom Izzo asks former Spartan, Paul Davis, to leave his seat. pic.twitter.com/rix9qIyEnd
As Henderson walked back across the court, he pointed at Davis again and gestured for him to leave the area. A staffer (identified by ESPN as Michigan State associate athletic director Seth Kesler) approached Davis to escort him out. Davis stood up and looked toward the court while placing his hands on his chest. Izzo could be seen from the sideline apparently motioning for Davis to leave and saying, “Get out of here.”
Davis eventually did as he was told and watched the rest of the game from a suite in the concourse level, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Izzo was asked about the incident by reporters after the 80-51 victory.
“I love Paul Davis. I really do. He’s one of my favorite guys. He’s always calling and doing things. But what he said, he should never say anywhere in the world. And that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “I’m gonna have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.’
“So he kind of got after the official and he was 150% wrong. And for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”
Izzo declined to state exactly what Davis said to Henderson.
“Let’s not get carried away,” Izzo said. “It wasn’t something racial, it wasn’t something sexual. It was just the wrong thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Davis played for Izzo and the Spartans from 2002 through 2006, a span that included a Final Four appearance and another run that ended in the Elite Eight. He currently ranks in Michigan State’s all-time top 10 in several statistical categories, including scoring, rebounds, field goal percentage and free throws made (statistics for all four categories go back to 1966).
Selected by the Clippers in the second round of the 2006 draft, Davis played three years in Los Angeles and one more season with the Washington Wizards before continuing his career in Europe through 2016.
Michigan State did not immediately respond to questions from The Times as to whether there would be any further repercussions for Davis following the incident. But Izzo indicated he wants his former star player back supporting the team.
“I want to tell him he was wrong, like I’d tell my son, my daughter, like I would my player, like I would myself,” Izzo said. “But I don’t want to — I need Paul Davis here. Paul Davis is a very important part of this program because he went through tough times when he was here and he’s really been a good advocate of telling kids how they got to, you know, deal with the process.
“So I’ll go with Paul. He just made a mistake tonight.”
The Galaxy will begin the new season the same way they finished the old one — with Riqui Puig on the sideline after knee surgery. That’s a big problem because Puig is about the closest thing MLS has to an irreplaceable player. And with training camp starting in a couple of weeks, the team has precious little time to try to replace him.
In 2024, the last time Puig was on the field, he led the league in touches and passes and set career highs for goals (13) and assists (15). With him directing the attack, the Galaxy set a record with four players scoring 10 or more times en route a sixth MLS title. It was one of the best seasons in franchise history.
In 2025, without Puig, the only records the Galaxy set were for futility, starting the season winless in their first 16 league matches and finishing with just seven wins, a franchise low for a full season. No reigning MLS Cup champion has fared so poorly.
The contrast is so stark because Puig doesn’t just define the way the team plays; he is the way the team plays. He’s the quarterback and the point guard. His speed, dribbling and passing ability make the Galaxy go, opening up space for opportunity for his teammates. He’s the rare player who truly makes everyone around him better.
Even Lionel Messi isn’t as important to his team as Puig is to the Galaxy.
“The game changes when Riqui’s on the field,” coach Greg Vanney said.
Puig first tore the ACL in his left knee in the Western Conference final in 2024, assisting on the game’s only goal after sustaining the injury. The Galaxy originally thought they’d have him back by late summer, in time for a playoff push. So last winter they felt comfortable trading Mark Delgado and Gastón Brugman, the two most likely fill-ins for Puig, largely to fit their payroll under the MLS salary cap.
In the interim, the plan was to make Marco Reus the team’s midfield maestro. But Reus had his own injury problems and didn’t start consecutive MLS games until early May. By then the Galaxy had gone winless through their first 10 matches.
Reus went on to play well at times, but the season was effectively over by then. There would be no playoff push, so the Galaxy felt no need to rush Puig back.
This winter the team’s entire offseason preparation was based on Puig’s return — both on and off the field.
Off the field, the Galaxy filmed a multi-part documentary called “Riqui Puig’s Road To Recovery” and used his return to hype ticket sales. On the field, believing the midfield to be set, general manager Will Kuntz added two top-tier defenders in Jakob Glesnes and Justin Haak, committing more than $2 million in salary to the pair.
But then, one day into the new year, Puig and the team learned he needed another operation and would have to miss a second season, throwing all of the Galaxy’s plans into the dumpster.
The Galaxy never blamed their troubles last season on Puig’s absence, but they didn’t have to. It was obvious. And if they couldn’t replace the irreplaceable last season, what confidence should anyone have that they can do it this season?
The team’s biggest mistake last year was not planning for Puig’s absence. The team entered the winter knowing he’d miss most of the season and didn’t act accordingly. They even kept Puig’s $5.8-million salary and designated-player roster spot on the books in the hopes he’d play at some point.
Don’t expect them to make the same mistakes this time. Instead, the Galaxy are all but certain to place him on the season-ending injury list, opening up a DP slot and erasing the hit his salary takes on the budget cap.
The good news, if there is any, is that Vanney believes the Galaxy eventually figured out how to play without Puig last year. After going winless in their first 16 MLS games, the Galaxy went 7-6-5 in league play and finished third in the Leagues Cup, earning a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“By the end of the year, we were beating MLS playoff teams and we beat the top teams in Mexico,” Vanney said. “We found how this group could be successful without the pieces that were missing.”
Now they’ll have to do that again.
What exactly happened with Puig hasn’t been made clear. He was more than a year into his rehab when he returned home to Barcelona for the holidays. Puig had trained alongside the team last fall and he continued training in Spain. The recovery seemed to be going well.
But something — a quick move or an uncertain cut — sent Puig back to the doctor and a day later he underwent a second operation.
ACL revision surgeries (multiple procedures) are not rare, with some studies suggesting they are needed between 10% to 20% of the time, especially for athletes who play so-called pivoting sports such as soccer. Most commonly, a second surgery is needed because the first graft has re-torn.
Christen Press, a two-time World Cup champion, torn the ligament in her right knee eight games into her first season with Angel City and needed four operations to repair the damage. She started just three more matches over the next 3 ½ seasons before retiring.
But Press was 33 when she was injured. Puig is 26. And though that suggests the odds for a full recovery are high, Puig’s age also adds to the poignancy of the situation since the injury will now take two years off his career when he was at his prime.
Another season like 2024 could have had Puig, who played 42 games over four seasons for Barcelona, planning for a return to Europe or at least another big payday in MLS. Now he won’t play another game until he’s 27 and in the final year of his contract, when the pressure to prove he’s healthy and still a dynamic game-changing player will be immense.
In the meantime, the Galaxy find themselves once again trying to replace the irreplaceable.
⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@MaterDeiGBB is hosting its 2nd Annual Kay Yow Showcase. This year’s show case is a 2-Day Event, day 1 is at Rosary HS & Day 2 will conclude at Mater Dei HS. This year’s event is by the best line up we’ve ever had w/ the best teams, players & coaches in the country!! pic.twitter.com/eX5nkxtmCB
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. . . .
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. . . .
Congratulations to Westlake High School Head Coach Rick Clausen as he is named our Los Angeles Rams Don Shula Coach of the Year! 🏈
We surprised him alongside Rams Legend, Andrew Whitworth with 2 Super Bowl tickets. pic.twitter.com/N7km2R941C
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.
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
I was asked by someone diagnosed with prostrate cancer to retweet this story to remind everyone get checked for the new year. Michael Boehle is now cancer free. https://t.co/OYBhEnwGlL
From the hard to believe file: A 5-foot-4 sportswriter running into a 7-6 man from Ethiopia and a 7-4 teenager from Burkina Faso. Now I know Munchkinland. pic.twitter.com/hjnDR1MDKu
Former Thousand Oaks football coach Bob Richards will receive the Coastal Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation Al Wistert Award. The banquet is March 1 at Canyon Club in Agoura.
Summary of Tommy John surgeries for MLB pitchers used by team in 2025. New record of 21 in one season by DET and LAD, which doesn’t even include their pitchers who were injured all season.
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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For some teams, the search for a new head coach has begun.
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.
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.
Las Vegas Raiders
Former USC coach Pete Carroll, 74, ended his short tenure with the Raiders with a victory against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. But it didn’t make up for what had been a rough season that contained at least two goose eggs on the scoreboard.
So, Monday’s announcement was not completely unexpected.
“The Las Vegas Raiders have relieved Pete Carroll of his duties as head coach,” team owner Mark Davis said in a statement released by the team. “We appreciate and wish him and his family all the best.
“Moving forward, General Manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with Tom Brady, including the search for the club’s next head coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization’s long-term vision and goals.”
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention after a 37-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 9. Atlanta went on to win its final four games to finish in a three-way tie with the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South (the Panthers won the division based on head-to-head win percentage).
It wasn’t enough to save Morris, who went 16-18 in two seasons with the Falcons. Fontenot had served as the team’s general manager since January 2021. Atlanta hasn’t had a winning season since 2017.
“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons, but I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.
“The decision to move away from people who represent the organization so well and have a shared commitment to the values that are important to the organization is not an easy one, but the results on the field have not met our expectations or those of our fans and leadership. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”
Cleveland Browns
Stefanski was named the Associated Press coach of the year in 2020 and 2023, led the Browns into the playoffs in both of those seasons and coached them to a wildcard-round win in 2020. He also had four losing seasons with the team, including this year’s 5-11 campaign, and leaves with a 46-58 overall record.
“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said Monday in a statement. “He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary.”
Stefanski said in a statement released by the Browns: “After six seasons as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, I leave with an immense sense of gratitude. When I arrived in January of 2020, this organization, this community and Browns fans embraced me and my family with open arms. I cannot express properly in words how good we have been treated. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons. … I wish all of you nothing but success.”
The Browns said they will retain general manager Andrew Berry.
New York Giants
Daboll had a 20-40-1 record during his three-plus seasons with the Giants. The team went 2-5 under interim coach Mike Kafka, who was promoted from offensive coordinator. The new coach will inherit quarterback Jaxson Dart, whom the Giants selected with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise,” Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement Nov. 10. “We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.
“We appreciate Coach Daboll for his contributions to our organization. We wish the Daboll family all the best in the future.”
Tennessee Titans
Callahan was 4-19 overall when he was fired six games into his second season with the Titans. The team went 2-9 under interim coach Mike McCoy. Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, started all 17 games at quarterback.
“We are grateful for Brian’s investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. We thank him and his family for being exemplary ambassadors of the Tennessee Titans,” president of football operations Chad Brinker said in an Oct. 13 statement.
“While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.”
He could feel it against his gloves — and the sensation of the ball bouncing out of his grasp before it fell into the arms of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
Gadsden’s goal-line gaffe was one of several mistakes that played a role in ending the Chargers’ four-game win streak last weekend.
Quarterback Justin Herbert, however, continued to target the rookie tight end after the missed catch, providing a much-needed morale boost, Gadsden said.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepts a pass that deflected off the hands of Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, bottom, during the Chargers’ loss on Dec. 27.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
“It means a lot that he’s able to keep looking at me and keep throwing me the ball even after what happened,” said Gadsden, who has caught 47 passes for 641 yards and three touchdowns. “But it’d be better if we just make the plays. I know it can’t always go like that — can’t always go your way.”
Against the AFC West champion Denver Broncos (13-3) on Sunday, Gadsden will have a final chance to fine-tune his game ahead of the wild-card playoffs. But for some of the Chargers’ other starters, the game will offer something different.
Herbert will not play, giving him a chance to rest his surgically repaired left hand ahead of the playoffs. Trey Lance will start in Herbert’s place. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that other starters would play only in a backup or emergency capacity.
Lance, who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said he’s “very thankful” and ready for his first start with the Chargers and fifth overall for the 25-year-old.
“Going through everything my first five years in the league, I’ve just learned to take everything one day at a time, one hour at a time,” said Lance, selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 draft. “If I’m in a meeting, that’s where I’m at. If I’m at home, it’s where I’m at.”
Along with Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) also will not play — a move that could be precautionary since the rookie spent roughly half of the season on injured reserve after fracturing his left ankle.
Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s season-ending injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed doubtful.
Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor took reps at left guard in practice last week, which could be a sign that Zion Johnson, who has started every game at the position, may take a breather against Denver.
“I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Taylor, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.
Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen told reporters he plans to play in order to achieve incentives that could add $1.75 million to his one-year contract. He has 74 catches for 741 yards.
Meanwhile, Denver is expected to play its starters as it tries to clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers would be more than happy to play spoiler against their divisional foe, Gadsden said, as they go for an AFC West sweep on the season.
“I don’t think that us having dudes sit down lessens any chances that we have — any motivation or confidence — to win the game,” Gadsden said.
