Pirates ace Paul Skenes wins first Cy Young Award and Tigers star Tarik Skubal goes back-to-back
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes has won the National League Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote, becoming the first pitcher in 40 years to win Rookie of the Year one season and a Cy Young Award the next. The 23-year-old right-hander led the majors with a 1.97 ERA and struck out 216 batters for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award. Skubal posted a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA. Skubal is the 12th pitcher in MLB history to capture a Cy Young in back-to-back seasons.
Nikola Jokic scores 55 points to match NBA season high, Nuggets beat Clippers for 6th straight win
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 55 points, tying the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season, and 12 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory. Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 55 in a double-overtime game at Indiana on Oct. 23. Jokic scored 25 of Denver’s 39 points in the first quarter. He missed adding to his league-leading six triple-doubles with six assists. The Serbian big man was 5 of 6 on 3-pointers and made 14 of 16 free throws. James Harden scored 23 points — making all 10 of his free throws — for the spiraling Clippers.
Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed indicted in Texas for failing to report an aggravated assault
DALLAS (AP) — Tennessee Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has been indicted in Texas on a misdemeanor charge for failing to report an aggravated assault. The incident allegedly occurred last year in suburban Dallas. A Dallas County grand jury indicted Sneed on Tuesday. The indictment relates to an alleged shooting on December 6, 2024, involving Sneed and another man, Tekonzae Williams. Williams faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The Titans say they are aware of the legal matter and are in contact with NFL security. Sneed was placed on injured reserve last month with a quadricep injury.
Cowboys' hearts heavy after the death of Marshawn Kneeland, coach Brian Schottenheimer says
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer says his heart and the hearts of his players are still heavy after the death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland. The coach says they continue to share, laugh and cry after the loss of their teammate. Schottenheimer held his first media availability Wednesday since Kneeland’s death during their bye last week. The Cowboys will resume practice Thursday. Police in Frisco said Kneeland was found dead early last Thursday of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Players were off Wednesday after two days with team meetings and breakout sessions with grief specialists. There was also a private memorial candlelight vigil Tuesday night.
Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown gets $25K bail and GPS monitor on Miami attempted murder charge
A Miami judge ordered that former NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown will be released on $25,000 bail and must wear an ankle monitor. He has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree attempted murder charge in Florida. That carries a potential 15-year prison sentence and a fine up to $10,000 if he's convicted. His lawyer said the 37-year-old Brown would return to his home Florida while the case proceeds. Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after a celebrity boxing match on May 16 and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. Brown's lawyer says it was his own gun.
Cleveland Guardians' pitcher Luis Ortiz pleads not guilty to taking bribes to aid gamblers
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to charges he took bribes to help gamblers win bets placed on pitches he threw. His teammate, Guardians former closer Emmanuel Clase, has also been charged in the alleged scheme. Ortiz appeared Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, Clase, the Guardian’s former closer, will be arraigned at the same courthouse Thursday. The two natives of the Dominican Republic have been on paid leave since July, when Major League Baseball began investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Following the indictments, the league announced new limits on betting on individual pitches.
Clippers' Bradley Beal out for the season with hip fracture, will have surgery
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal is out for the season due to a hip fracture. The team announced Wednesday that Beal will undergo surgery next week and is expected to recover in six to nine months. He got injured last Saturday against Phoenix, his former team. Beal, a three-time All-Star, played only six games this season. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard has an ankle and foot sprain with no timetable for return. He missed his fifth game of the season on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets. Leonard is receiving treatment and will travel with the team on its upcoming trip.
Jameis Winston to start at QB for the Giants in interim coach Mike Kafka's first big decision
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — With Jaxson Dart in concussion protocol, Jameis Winston is the New York Giants’ starting quarterback for their game Sunday against Green Bay. It is interim coach Mike Kafka’s first big decision since taking over following the firing of Brian Daboll and auditioning for the full-time job by showing what he can do in the final games of this lost season. Kafka opted for Winston over former starter Russell Wilson, who had served as Dart's backup since getting benched for the rookie after an 0-3 start. The Giants are 2-8.
'Not fair at all.' In the super-sized conference era, a school's fate could hinge on tiebreakers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — There is growing concern among college football coaches about spots in the Power Four conference title games coming down to tiebreakers instead of play on the field. That concern is highest in the ACC, where seven teams have two conference losses or less with three weeks to go in the regular season. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi prefers the old divisional play system, which he feels was fairer. Duke coach Manny Diaz says the heightened impact of tiebreakers is one of the “unintended consequences” of massive conference expansion that makes it impossible for every team to play each other.
Jannik Sinner seals semifinal spot at ATP Finals with win over Alexander Zverev
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Defending champion Jannik Sinner sealed a semifinal spot at the ATP Finals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alexander Zverev before his home fans. Sinner extended his winning streak on indoor hard courts to 28 matches stretching back to his loss to Novak Djokovic in the final of this event two years ago. It was Sinner’s fifth straight victory over Zverev. The second-ranked Sinner still has a chance to finish the year at No. 1. But he needs to win the tournament and hope that Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t win another match. Felix Auger-Aliassime claimed his first win at this year’s finals by battling back to beat Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5.
