***Program Note….Join Lee Hamilton for NFL playoff preview on KUSI-Friday Morning (6:20am)

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……(Football)………

Chargers…GM-Tom Telesco-End of Season Press Briefing

..Tough roster decisions coming with (5-11) finish
..We are not going to hide from this
..Angry at how this season finished up
..Need to put space between end of season and when begin decision making process
..I can’t imagine Philip Rivers not wearing a Lightning Bolt
..He is tough-smart leader-works well with our staff
..In perfect world we have #17 as our QB
..We’ve been lucky to have him for all these years

..Rivers can still play at a high level
..I love Rivers and Melvin Gordon as people
..Melvin Gordon holdout did not make me happy
..We have right head coach
..We have to avoid these ‘spike’ seasons
..We have a healthy salary cap situation
..We want to make substance acquisition-not a splash acquisition
..No agent has ever mentioned the Carson situation as a negative
..Watching the playoffs will be painful
..Too soon to make decisions-staff upset-exhausted-we have time

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(Playoffs)..Wildcard Weekend

New England-Tennessee…Patriots #1-defense (275YPG)-47 QBX…36-takeaways…Tom Brady just (24TD) and (88)-QB rating…Patriots lost 3-of-5 at end of season….Titans #3 rush offense…RB-Derrick Henry (1,540R-16TD)…QB-Ryan Tannehill (117) QB rating…Titans only 17-turnovers.

Buffalo-Houston…Bills #3 defense (298YPG)….44-sacks..allowed just 16-TDs this year….Texans QB-Deshaun Watson (4,265APY-33TD)…Texans did allow (49QBX)…Houston gets DE-JJ Watt off the IR list.

Minnesota-New Orleans…Vikings averaging (353YPG) on offense..scored 47TDs this yer….RB-Dalvin Cook returns healthy (1,135R-4.5YPC)…Wr-Stefon Diggs (17.9YPC)…QB-Kirk Cousins (107) QB rating..just 8-interceptions….Saints QB-Drew Bree’s (116) QB rating…(27TD-4 Int)…WR-Mike Thomas (149R)….Vikings lost final 2-games of season…Saints went (6-1) down stretch.

Seahawks-Eagles…Philadelphia won 4-in row..Seattle lost final 2-games…both teams battered by injuries…QB-Carson Wentz only 8-intercpetions…RB-Miles Sanders-TE-Zach Ertz-WR-DeSean Jackson out with injuries…Seattle without top 3-running backs.

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(Teams)

Dallas…Owner Jerry Jones cancelled Thursday meeting with Jason Garrett…ESPN says ownership has decided to move on from Garrett…but no formal announcement from team.

Washington…Owner Dan Snyder says he likes the culture change that new coach Ron Rivera will install….Rivera-‘I am all about discipline in life-football’

Carolina..Interview Eric Bienemy-Chiefs Off Coord-on Thursday for vacant Panthers job

Cleveland…Set up Interview with Josh McDaniels-Patriots Off Coord for Sunday….Interviewed Mike McCarthy-ex Packers and Greg Roman-Baltimore on Thursday….Interview 49ers Def Coor-Robert Saleh on Friday…Bills Off Coord-Brian Daboll on Sunday…Browns to interview 11-canddiates.

Cleveland..Owner Jim Haslem says he will hire coach first..then GM

Chicago…Ownership Vote of Confidence  GM-Ryan Pace..Coach-Matt Nagy.
Chicago….Hire Juan Castillo-OL coach-ex Eagles..

Giants..Get permission to interview Josh McDaniels-Patriots Off Coor..Joe Judge-Patriots Special Teams coach

Lions..Fire OL coach Jeff Davidson…Def Coord-Paul Pasqualoni…7-assistants left Matt Patricia staff this week.

Arizona..Fire Randall McCray-Special Teams coach…Chris Achuff-Defensive Line coach

Atlanta..Fire Jerome Henderson-DB coach..Travis Jones-Def Line coach

Cleveland…Report that Browns Off Coor-Todd Monken told friends team staff was a ‘mess’….Plays called on Sunday-not what we practiced all week.

Cincinnati…Sam Wyche-former Bengals-Bucs head coach-passes away (74Y)…free spirit…led Bengals to Super Bowl against 49ers.

Rams..Ownership announces 85% of stadium is complete…seat installation is next up.

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(Roster Moves)

Raiders..Sign FA-DT-Nick Usher-CFL-Edmonton Eskimos (7QBX)-
Bengals…Sign FA-CB-Winston Rose-ex CFL-Winnipeg Blue Bombers
49ers..Workout FA-WR-Braylon Addison-ex Hamilton Ticats (95R)

Bills..LB-Lorenzo Alexander-to retire after playoffs

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(Injuries)

Seattle..Doctors say RB-Chris Carson does not need hip surgery
49ers..Activate LB-Kwon Alexander from IR list
Packers..Activate S-Raven Green from IR
Bengals..CB-William Jackson-surgery-torn labrum-5 months rehab

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(Bowl Games)

Birmingham Bowl….Cincinnati-W-Boston College (38-7)…Bearcats get combined (210R) from QB-Des Ridder and RB-Mike Warren..game delayed 92-minutes by storms

Gator Bowl….Tennessee-W-Indians (23-22)…Vols come from 16-points behind to beat Hoosiers.

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(Schedule)…Saturday

Idaho Potato Bowl….Ohio-vs-Nevada

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(College Notes)

Alabama…QB-Tua Tagovailoa to announce Monday whether he stays or comes out for NFL draft.

Mississippi State..Report Bulldogs want to remove coach Joe Moorhead because of offend problems with players.
Ohio..Frank Solich-2Y-extension..(112-81) with Bobcats
Army..Hire-Nate Wood-Def Coord-ex Michigan
Notre Dame..DB coach Todd Lyght resigns
Louisiana..Coaach Billy Napier-5Y extension..(17-12)

Ole Miss..Lane Kiffin hires-DJ Durkin-Off Coord-ex Maryland coach…Chris Patridge-DB coach-ex Michigan…Joe Finley-WR coach-
ex Texas AM.

UCLA..TE-Devin Asiasi-files for NFL draft..(94R) in two years
Notre Dame..TE-Cole Kmet files for NFL draft..had (43R)
ASU…QB-Joey Yellen transfers to Pitt Panthers.

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……………..(Basketball)…………….

Aztecs-at-Utah State…Saturday showdown game in Mountain West Conference…SDSU (14-0) ranked 13th in country….Aggies (12-3) after loss to UNLV….Aztecs without C-Nathan Mensah sent to specialist for viral infection…has been out all week from practice.

USD-at-Santa Clara…Saturday game

USD-L-Loyola (64-58)….Toreros shoot 41% and commits 13-turnvoers in WCC conference opener…….Thursday night action…Toreros (7-9)

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Clippers-W-Detroit….LA led (116-101) late in 4th quarter….Montrzl Harrell-Lou Williams combined (45) off the bench..Thursday night action….Clippers (25-11)

Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans….Lakers (27-7) heading into Friday action

Sacramento Kings…NBA fines C-Dwayne Desmond (50,000) for public outburst asking for trade..Violates new ‘tampering rules’.

Detroit..F-Blake Griffin-knee problems return…Griffin owed (76M) next two years…Pistons just (12-22) on season.
Brooklyn..Sign FA-F-Justin Anderson-ex Atlanta…Release G-David Nwaba

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………..(Baseball)………………

Cubs…Reopen trade conversations about possible deal 3B-Kris Bryant

Rockies..Trade talks resume with teams interested in 3B-Nolan Arenado.

Marcel Ozuna…FA contract offers from Cardinals-Reds-Texas.
Josh Donaldson..Has 4Y-contract offers Braves-Washington-Twins

Miami..offers contract to FA-OF-Kim Hwan-Doran Bears-Korea

Red Sox..Sign FA-C-Kevin Plawecki-ex Mets-Indians
Red Sox..DFA-OF-Sam Travis
Washington…Sign FA-P-Will Harris-ex Astros..(2.36-ERA) last 3-years
White Sox…Sign FA-OF-Luis Robert to (8Y-88M) extension-hit (.297) last year.
Angels..Sign FA-C-Juan Castro-ex Twins
Reds..Sign FA-3B-Matt Davidson..ex Arizona-White Sox
Texas..Sign FA-OF-Henry Ramos-ex Giants

Yankees..MLB suspends P-Domingo German for 81-games for violent domestic abuse case last season…was (18-4) in NY.

Texas..Hire Darwin Barney as AAA-Manager in farm system.

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…………(Hockey)…………….

Gulls-vs-Bakersfield….Friday-Saturday games at Sports Arena
Gulls..D-Chris Wideman recalled by Ducks..had (8G) this year-AHL

Ducks-L-Arizona (4-2)…Coyotes score 3-goals in 7-minutes in final period……Thursday night game…Anaheim (16-20-5) skid into last place in Pacific Division
Kings-Nashville…Saturday night game…LA (17-21-4)

Winnipeg…Lose F-Natha Beaudin-4W-bruised knee cap
Montreal..IR-F-Brandon Gallagher-concussion
Columbus..IR-F-Alex Texeir-back fracture

Montreal-Ottawa…Trade…Habs deal D-Mike Reilly to Senators for #5 pick
Buffalo-Montreal..Trade…Habs acquire D-Marco Scandella for #4 pick
Buffalo-Calgary..Trade…Sabres ship #4 pick for Flames F-Michael Frolek

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…………..(General)……………

English Premier League..
..Liverpool-W-Sheffield..Mo Salah goal…Liverpool (19-0-1)

English FA-Cup-Top teams in EPL play this weekend.

Manchester United…F-Paul Pogba-surgery for ankle injuries..out 4W from EPL play.

LA Galaxy..Sign FA-D-Emiliano Insua-ex Liverpool-Stuttgart fullback

Santa Anita…2nd horse dies from injuries on track this week….brings to 39-horse fatalities this year.

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