AP Sports Summary for January 10th, 2024.
Tennessee Titans fire coach Mike Vrabel after back-to-back losing seasons
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β The Tennessee Titans have fired coach Mike Vrabel after six seasons with the franchise having won only six of the past 24 games. Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement that she told Vrabel of her decision Tuesday morning. She said it was a decision "as difficult as any I've made." The announcement came a day after the Titans cleaned out their lockers with Vrabel not speaking to reporters. It was the first time in the franchise's 27 seasons in Tennessee the head coach did not talk with reporters since the team moved to the state from Texas. Vrabel was hired in January 2018 and went 56-48 including playoffs.
Warriors forward Draymond Green committed to playing without 'antics' that have plagued him
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β Draymond Green is vowing a commitment to playing without the "antics" that have plagued him on the court throughout his career, working over the past month on ways to control his emotions and not let hostility take over. Through therapy, Green says he has learned techniques to better deal with tense moments during games when he has previously lost his cool, embracing the idea of improving himself after being disciplined by the NBA with an indefinite suspension last month. Green insists he has "cost my team enough" and feels a sense of urgency to get back on the court and help the Warriors.
Rays shortstop Wander Franco faces lesser charge as judge analyzes evidence in ongoing probe
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) β Wander Franco is facing a lesser charge after a judge in the Dominican Republic analyzed evidence that alleges the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and paid her mother thousands of dollars for her consent. Franco was originally accused of charges including commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering. Those charges respectively carry up to 30 years, 10 years and 20 years of prison. He now stands accused instead of sexual and psychological abuse, according to a judge's resolution that The Associated Press obtained on Tuesday. Franco has not been formally accused. If found guilty on the new charge, he could face between two to five years in prison.
Chicago Cubs agree to contract with Japanese left-hander ShΕta Imanaga, AP source says
CHICAGO (AP) β The Chicago Cubs have bolstered their rotation, agreeing to a contract with left-hander ShΕta Imanaga in their first major offseason roster move. A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical. Terms of the contract are unknown. Chicago had been quiet since it hired Craig Counsell as manager in November, replacing David Ross in a surprise move. The Cubs were in position for an NL wild card last year before stumbling in September, fading to an 83-79 record after finishing under .500 in the previous two seasons.
Iowa State beats nation's final undefeated team, No. 2 Houston, 57-53
AMES, Iowa (AP) β Tamin Lipsey scored 14 points, freshman Milan Momcilovic made a baseline jumper with 30.2 seconds left and Iowa State beat No. 2 Houston 57-53 to knock off the nation's final unbeaten team. Iowa State secured its seventh win against a top-10 opponent in the last two seasons. That's the most in Division I. Houston had a 12-game road winning streak snapped with the loss Tuesday night. Emanuel Sharp scored 20 points, reaching the mark for the fourth time this season, for Houston. Jamal Shead added 14 points, surpassing 1,000 for his career.
Toronto coach pounds table, rips officials after Lakers hold off Raptors 132-131 behind Davis' 41
LOS ANGELES (AP) β Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic went on a furious, table-pounding tirade over the officiating after the Los Angeles Lakers shot 23 free throws in the fourth quarter of a 132-131 win over the Raptors. Anthony Davis scored 20 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers hung on for their first back-to-back wins in a month. Rajakovic was infuriated by the Lakers' 36 free throws to the Raptors' 13, calling it "outrageous" and "completely B.S."
Miami Marlins in agreement to hire Rachel Balkovec as director of player development, AP source says
MIAMI (AP) β A person familiar with the deal confirmed an MLB.com report that the Miami Marlins are in agreement with Yankees minor league manager Rachel Balkovec to become their director of player development. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the deal. Balkovec wrapped up her second season as manager at Class A Tampa in September.. She debuted with the team in April 2022 with a win as the first woman to manage the affiliate of a Major League Baseball team.
Aaron Rodgers denies implying comic Jimmy Kimmel was tied to Epstein and condemns those who do
NEW YORK (AP) β New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers denies he implied comic Jimmy Kimmel was a pedophile and condemned those who do, but he stopped short of apologizing for his role in escalating their burgeoning feud. Rodgers returned to ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday for his weekly appearance and addressed comments he made the week before that appeared to suggest Kimmel's name might appear on a list of associates of Jeffrey Epstein, a millionaire accused of sex trafficking involving underage victims before he died. The feud between ABC's late-night star and Rodgers, who regularly appears on the daily ESPN show, has proven embarrassing for The Walt Disney Co., the parent company to both.
Now a mom, Naomi Osaka gets ready to make her Grand Slam return at the Australian Open
Naomi Osaka is one of three former No. 1-ranked, former Australian Open champions returning to Melbourne Park for the first time as moms. The trio of Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki got even more emphasis in a tournament of comebacks after Rafael Nadal's return from a year-long injury layoff lasted three matches and he withdrew a week before the start of the year's first major. Osaka has won the Australian Open twice and also has a pair of U.S. Open titles. Three-time major winner Kerber won her breakthrough title here in 2016. Wozniacki won the Australian title in 2018. She quit the tour in 2020 and had two children before returning in time for last year's U.S. Open.
Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat have agreed on a contract extension
MIAMI (AP) β Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat have agreed on a long-term contract extension. Spoelstra is in his 16th season as head coach in Miami and his 29th overall with the franchise. He started in the video room and eventually becoming a scout, an assistant coach and then Pat Riley's hand-picked successor as head coach in 2008. Spoelstra has three NBA championship rings, two of them coming as Miami's head coach. A person with knowledge of the agreement who spoke Tuesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms were not revealed publicly said Spoelstra and the team agreed on an eight-year extension worth around $120 million.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Minnesota 113 Orlando 92
Final Sacramento 131 Detroit 110
Final New York 112 Portland 84
Final Memphis 120 Dallas 103
Final L.A. Lakers 132 Toronto 131
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Seattle 5 Buffalo 2
Final Toronto 7 San Jose 1
Final OT Tampa Bay 3 Los Angeles 2
Final Vancouver 5 N-Y Islanders 2
Final Winnipeg 5 Columbus 0
Final Florida 5 St. Louis 1
Final Anaheim 5 Nashville 3
Final Edmonton 2 Chicago 1
Final Calgary 6 Ottawa 3
Final OT Arizona 4 Boston 3
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final Nebraska 88 (1)Purdue 72
Final Iowa St. 57 (2)Houston 53
Final (6)Kentucky 90 Missouri 77
Final (11)Duke 75 Pittsburgh 53
Final (14)Baylor 81 (18)BYU 72
Final (16)Auburn 66 Texas A&M 55
Final Boise St. 65 (17)Colorado St. 58
Final (19)San Diego St. 81 San Jose St. 78
Final (20)Utah St. 83 Wyoming 59
Final (22)Creighton 84 DePaul 58
Final (25)Texas 74 Cincinnati 73
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Minnesota at Boston 7 p.m.
Sacramento at Charlotte 7 p.m.
San Antonio at Detroit 7 p.m.
Washington at Indiana 7 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Miami 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Chicago 8 p.m.
New Orleans at Golden State 8:30 p.m.
Denver at Utah 10 p.m.
Toronto at L.A. Clippers 10:30 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Montreal at Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Vegas at Colorado 10 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(3)Kansas at UCF 7 p.m.
(4)UConn at Xavier 8:30 p.m.
(5)Tennessee at Mississippi St. 7 p.m.
(7)North Carolina at NC State 8 p.m.
(9)Oklahoma at TCU 9 p.m.
Butler at (11)Marquette 9 p.m.
UTSA at (13)Memphis 8 p.m.
(15)Wisconsin at Ohio St. 8:30 p.m.
(21)Clemson at Virginia Tech 7 p.m.
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