…..(Super Bowl)…..

Patriots-W-Rams (13-3)…New England wins 6th Super Bowl under Bill Belicheck-Tom Brady with strong defensive performance and clutch plays in 2nd half to hold off Rams for win…Sonny Michel scored a 3Y-TD run, then broke off 2-critical runs in 4th quarter final drive to run the clock out…Stephon Gilmour with clutch interception at 4-yard line snuffed out a TD drive in 4th quarter…Jason McCourty broke up a TD pass in end zone in 3rd quarter to keep Rams off the board….Patriots defense pounded Rams QB-Jared Goff all night long…Steven Gostkowski kicked 41-42Y-field goals in victory.

..Tom Brady (262P-0TD)….
..RB-Sonny Michel (98R)
..WR-Julian Edelman (10R-141Y) won MVP Award
..TE-Rob Gronkowski (6R-67Y)
..Pats defense 4-sacks..7-tackles for loss..12 QB hits…6-pressures.
..Patriots offense (407-262) edge in total offense
..CB-Stephon Gilmour pass deflection in end zone-then interception at 4Y line
..CB-Jason McCourty pass deflection in end zone robbing Rams of TD

..QB-Jared Goff (229P-0TD)
..WR-Brandon Cooks-Robert Woods (13R-190Y) combined-most of it late in game
..RB-Todd Gurley (34Y) rushing
..Rams defense had 1-sack-4 hits and 4-pressures-virtually nothing in 2nd half
..Rams defense gave up (195Y)-on field for 40-snaps in first half..on field 20-minutes TOP

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…..(NFL)……..

(Hall of Fame)-7 named for induction in Canton
..Pat Bowlen-legendary Broncos owner-dying of Dementia
..Gil Brandt-legendary Player Personnel Director Cowboys
..Champ Bailey-star CB-Denver Broncos
..Tony Gonzalez-record setting TE-Chefs-Falcons
..Ed Reed-star S-Baltimore Ravens
..Ty Law-star CB-Patriots
..Kevin Mawae-longtime C-Jets-Saints

(Awards)
..NFL MVP-Patrick Mahomes-Chiefs-QB
..Off Rookie of Year-Saquon Barkley-RB-Giants
..Def Rookie of Year-Darius Leonard-LB-Colts
..Def Player of Year-Aaron Donald-DT-Rams
..Comeback Player of Year-Andrew Luck-QB-Colts
..Coach of Year-Matt Nagy-Bears

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(Coaching)

Miami…Hiring Brian Flores-Patriots Def Coord on Monday.
Bengals..Hiring Zac Taylor-Rams Off Coord on Monday.

Buffalo..Hire Ken Dorsey-QB coach-ex Appalahian State
Bengals..Jacob Burney-DL coach-retires
Dallas..Hire Carols Polk-assistant Special Teams coach
Houston..Promote Tim Kelly to Off Coord
Saints..Hire Darren Rizzi-Special Teams coach-ex Miami
Steelers..Negotiate contract Ryan Shazier as Asst LB coach

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(Roster Moves)

Eagles..Will pick up 20M-option QB-Nick Foles-then attempt to trade him.

Miami..Will release QB-Ryan Tannehill-due (18.7-19.5M) the next two years.

Carolina…DE-Julius Peppers retires after 17Y-career.
Carolina..LB-Thomas Davis told he will not be re-signed

Redskins..Will sign QB-Josh Johnson to contract extension..went (1-2) as a starter late in season coming from AAF.

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(Teams)

Steelers…Antonio Brown says he wants to play for team that wins

Steelers..Legendary WR-Hines Ward criticizes Ben Roethlisberger-‘Be a better leader-quit criticizing teammates’.

Cowboys..QB-Wade Wilson passes away (60Y) at his home-possible stroke..played 17Y-NFL…coached 11Y-Cowboys.

Detroit..Matt Millen-recovering from heart transplant surgery on Christmas Eve…1-month of rehab-doing well.

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(College Football)

SEC…Distributes 43M-per school in revenue sharing money to teams in league…Pac 12 teams received just 21M.

Oklahoma..QB-Kyler Murray says he has not decided yet whether to attend NFL combine.

Arizona State…P-Michael Dalton-transfers to Iowa
Arizona State..DE-John Bates..DE-Darius Slade..WR-Terrell Chatman all announce they are transferring out.

USD…announces rugged 2019 schedule…opens season with 1AA teams Cal Poly-UC Davis…plays road games at Dayton-Davidson..hosts Harvard.

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……..(Baseball)……..

Padres…Report Padres prepared to offer OF-Bryce Harper (5Y-150M) contract with opt outs after 3rd-4th year.

Bryce Harper..Report that Washington’s (10Y-300M) contained a lot of deferred money in package.

Padres..Attempting to set up face to face meeting with Manny Machado this week

Padres..Made contact with FA-P-Gio Gonzalez…went (10-11) 4.21-ERA with Washington-Milwaukee last season.

Angels..GM Billy Eppler says P-DH-OF-Shohei Ohtani will not be ready for spring training…is doing layered rehab work following elbow surgery….cleared to do weight training..then will begin dry swings..then batting off a tee…then batting practice….could be ready to play in June if rehab goes well…Only to DH…will not being throwing program until after he is cleared to swing bat as DH.

Pirates…Bob Friend-legendary pitching ace of Pittsburgh Pirates (1951-1966) passes away (88Y)..Won 197-games for lowly Bucs teams over 16-year career.

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(Roster Moves)

Texas..Sign FA-3B-Matt Davidson-ex White Sox.
Texas..Sign FA-P-Jason Hammel-ex Royals

Reds..Sign FA-P-Zach Duke-ex Nationals-Cardinals-Pirates
Reds..Sign FA-Tim Adelman-pitched in Korea

Red Sox..Sign FA-P-Bruce Ellington-ex-Miami
Red Sox..Sign FA-P-Dan Rutzler-ex-Pirates

Giants..Sign FA-P-Brandon Beachy-ex Dodgers-Braves
Twins..Sign FA-C-Willin Rosario-ex Cubs-played in Korea
Washington..Sign FA-P-JJ Hoover-ex Arizona
A’s..Sign FA-P-Wei Wang-ex Brewers-pitched in Korea
Giants..Sign FA-OF-John Andreoli-ex Texas
Orioles..Sign FA-C-Jesus Sucre-ex-Tampa Bay
Mets..Sign FA-2B-Aris Alcantra-Mexcian League

Miami-Tampa Bay…Open trade talks C-JT Realmuto.

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(MLB)

Phillies…Report that Gabe Kaplar-ran Dodgers farm system…investigated possible sexual assault involving 2-minor league players-but never reported incident to police…no charges ever filed.

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……(Basketball)……..

Lakers…Report of lockeroom flareup between Coach Luke Walton-Javale McGee-Michael Beasley after loss at Golden State…Players upset at Walton rotation of bench…Walton upset at players insubordination.

Lakers…G-LeBron James sits after playing 40-minutes in 1st game back from major groin injury…has had discomfort since last Thursday night game vs Clippers.

Lakers-L-Golden State (115-101)….Klay Thompson (28P)..Kevin Durant (21P)…Andre Iguodala (17P) off bench….Lakers now (6-12) without LeBron James.

Lakers-New Orleans…Magic Johnson-GM Del Demps to continue trade talks about Anthony Davis deal….Lakers made 5-trade offers to Pelicans-all rejected….

..Lakers offered Kyle Kuzma-Lonzo Ball-Rajon Rondo-Michael Beasley and #1…was rejected
..Lakers offered Kuzma-Ball-Rondo-Lance Stephenson-#1-rejected.
..Lakers offered Kuzma-Ball-Brandon Ingram-#1-rejected.
..Lakers offered Kuzma-Ball-Ivika Zubac-#1-rejected

..Pelicans asking for Kuzma-Ball-Brandon Ingram-Josh Hart-#1-#1-Lakers rejected that demand…Pelicans want to unload some veteran contracts in that deal-LA refuses to take on.

NYK-Dallas Mavericks….Blockbuster trade that sent F-Kristpas Porzingas to Dallas…Knicks say Porzingas told club last week he no longer wanted to be in New York…..Mavs say Porzingas will sit out rest of year rehabbing knee surgery-not be activated-eventhough he is practicing now.

Utah-Memphis..discussing blockbuster trade…Jazz to send Ricky Rubio-#1 pick to Grizzlies for G-Michael Conley.

Cleveland-Portland…Trade-Cavs deal G-Rod Hood to Blazers for #2-#2 draft picks.

Oklahoma City-Chicago…Trade-Thunder send G-Tim Cabarrot (6’6-F) to Chicago for draft pick.

76ers…F-Winston Chandler-out 3W-quad injury.

Clippers-L-Toronto (121-103…Kawhi Leonard (18P) in Raptors win….Sunday NBA action

Denver…Longtime broadcaster Irv Brown-passes away (84Y)…was college basketball referee in addition to career on radio.

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(College Basketball)

Aztecs-W-San Jose State (67-56)….Devin Watson (27P)…Jalen McDaniels (22P)….State hits 10-3 point shots in win.

USD-L-Gonzaga (85-69)….Rui Huahmura (32P)…Zags shoot (53%)…..Isaiah Pinero (30P-11R) in loss….Gonzaga now (20-2)….USD has lost 20-straight games in Spokane.

North Carolina State…sets ACC record for futility…loses (47-24) to Virginia Tech…Wolfpack shot 16% from floor…lowest point total in ACC game dating back to 1953.

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…….(Hockey)……

Ducks-at-Toronto…Monday NHL action….Ducks in state of collapse…have now lost 16-of-18 games.

Kings-at-NY Rangers…Monday night game.

Ducks-L-Winnipeg (9-3)…..Saturday shelling….Jets score club record 6-goals in first period…and home ice record for most goals scored in home game.

Kings-L-Islanders (4-2)…New York scores 3-goals in 4-and-half minute spurt in 2nd period.

Gulls-W-Iowa (4-1)…Max Jones scores 13th goal of season….Gulls move back into 3rd place tie in Pacific Division…Gulls have won 13-of-16 games since mid-December.

Gulls..Send C-Alex Dostie to Tulsa-ECHL…had scored 4G-in 70-AHL games.

Pittsburgh-Florida…NHL trade….Penguins deal C-Derick Brfassard-C-Riley Sheahan-#2-4-4 picks to Panthers for F-Nick Bjugstad…C-Jared McCann.

Pittsburgh…F-Evgeni Malkin-out 1-week-hand injury in fire vs Steve Stamkos-Tampa Bay.

Blues..F-Erik Foley-leaves club-concussion symptoms return
Colorado..F-Tyson Jost-shoulder injury
Montreal..F-Noah Juerlsen-eye injury

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…..(General)…….

Phoenix Open-Scottsdale…Ricky Fowler sinks birdies on 2-late holes to win…survives a triple bogey on 11th hole…finishes (-17-267) despite a 74 on final day…Brandon Grace finished (-15)…Justin Thomas (-14) was third…Phil Mickelson failed to make the cut.

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Soccer-Team USA-W-Costa Rica (2-0) in friendly matchup….Sebastian Lleteget scores goal-sets up Paul Arriola for another goal..Coach Greg Berhalter (2-0) in debut.

English Premier League
..Manchester City-W-Arsenal (3-1)..Sergio Aguero scores 3-goals..City now (19-4-2)…Aguero scored in (1′) at start of game.

..Manchester United-W-Leicester…Marcus Rashford scored in (9′)…Man U now (14-5-6)

..Hot Spur-W-Newcastle…Tottenham scores only goal in (83′)

..Everton-L-Wolverhampton..Ruben Nieves scores on penalty kick…Everton falls into 9th place.

..Bournemouth-L-Cardiff..Bobby Reid 2-goals…Emotional win Cardiff paid respects to Emiliano Sala-young forward they just signed who died in plane crash on way to join team on Monday.

..Brighton-Tie-Watford..G-Ben Foster makes 3-point blank saves

..Southampton-Tie-Burnley..Ashley Barnes penalty kick goal (94′) for Southampton to get tie.

..Chelsea-W-Huddersfield..Eden Hazard 2-goals..Chelsea (15-5-5)

..Crystal Palace-W-Fulham….Fulham falls deeper into relegation

..Liverpool-West Ham….Monday match…Liverpool (19-1-4)

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NASCAR….Jeff Gordon honored with enshrinement into NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

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