NFL – Super Bowl LV
Sunday
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Florida
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6:30 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 5:00
NFL – Super Bowl LV – Chiefs aim to repeat as Super Bowl champs against Buccaneers
The Kansas City Chiefs will try to become the ninth team and the first since the New England Patriots in 2003 and ’04 to repeat as Super Bowl champions when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. It will be the first time the winning quarterbacks of the previous two titles have met in the Super Bowl in the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Bucs counterpart Tom Brady, who won his previous six titles with New England. The Chiefs beat the Tampa Bay 27-24 in Week 12. Tampa Bay is the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium.
NFL – Super Bowl LV – Physical secondary play in Super Bowl could test officials
The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers got to the Super Bowl using a similar strategy in the secondary. Their cornerbacks played press coverage and got physical with receivers, trying to disrupt routes and timing in hopes of slowing down the opposing passing game. Whether either team will be able to do that on Sunday will depend in large part on how closely the officials call the game in the secondary. Both teams have gotten away with some physical play so far in the playoffs with only a handful of penalties against defensive backs.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Chicago Blackhawks 6, Carolina Hurricanes 4
Blackhawks 6, Hurricanes 4 – DeBrincat helps Blackhawks beat Hurricanes 6-4
Alex DeBrincat scored two goals in the third period, helping the Chicago Blackhawks edge the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4. Patrick Kane had a goal and three assists for the Blackhawks, who bounced back nicely after losing 4-3 to the Hurricanes in a shootout Tuesday night. Dominik Kubalik had a goal and two assists, and Mattias Janmark finished with a goal and an assist. DeBrincat snapped a 4-4 tie when he converted a backhand off a rebound 12:22 into the third.
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:00 p.m.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Phoenix Suns, 9:00 p.m.
NBA – NBA tells teams it plans March 7 All-Star Game in Atlanta
The NBA told its teams on Thursday night that it expects to finalize plans in the coming week to have an All-Star Game in Atlanta. The game and skills competitions will be held on March 7, the NBA told clubs in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. It remains unclear when players would have to report to Atlanta and how testing will work there, or if fans will be part of the game. The league said it expects to agree to terms with the National Basketball Players Association on testing protocols that will apply to all players during the break.
NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Saturday
Western Michigan at Central Michigan, 2:00 p.m.
Nebraska at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m. Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 5:30
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech, 8:00 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Ohio, PPD
NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan State 81, Illinois 60
Minnesota at (13) Michigan, PPD
Saturday
Central Michigan at Western Michigan, 2:00 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Buffalo, PPD
Sunday
Notre Dame at (1) Louisville, 2:00 p.m.
(22) Northwestern at Michigan State, 3:00 p.m.
(10) Maryland at (13) Michigan, PPD
NCAA – Latest bill would bar NCAA limits on athlete NIL rights
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut has introduced a bill that would guarantee college athlete the right to earn money from endorsements and sponsorship deals. It would bar the NCAA, schools and conferences from imposing restrictions. It is the third piece of legislation related to name, image and likeness compensation for college athletes introduced in Congress since December. The bill focuses on creating a national standard for NIL compensation that would give college athletes unfettered access to the free market, It would give oversight responsibilities to the Federal Trade Commission.
CFB – Minus fanfare, small college football getting underway
The next wave of college football arrives this weekend when a handful of NCAA Division III and NAIA programs begin some form of a delayed season. The small schools won’t get the same attention that the Power 5 programs did when they took the field in the fall and they will face different challenges. One of Saturday’s games will involve Pacific Lutheran making the 20-minute drive to face rival Puget Sound in Washington state in one of nine contests scheduled at the Division III level. The programs have gone through a long process involving testing, distancing and protective equipment, with coaches becoming involved in a way their big school counterparts didn’t.
Ex-Michigan State guard Ishbia to donate $32M to athletics
Former Michigan State basketball player Mat Ishbia has committed to donating $32 million to the athletic department. The school made the announcement Monday, saying Ishbia’s gift is the largest single commitment from an individual in its history. Ishbia was a walk-on guard for the Spartans for their 2000 national championship team under coach Tom Izzo. He graduated from Michigan State’s Eli Broad College of Business in 2003. Ishbia is the chairman, president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage.
MLB – MLB players making less
The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The players association said today the 2020 average would have been $3.89 million if a full season had been played. That was down 4.2% from the 2019 average and represented a 5.2% decrease from the record average of just under $4.1 million in 2017.
MLB – White Sox, C Lucroy agree to minor league deal
The White Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy (LOO’-kroy), giving them another option behind Yasmani Grandal (yahs-MAH’-nee grahn-DAHL’). A person familiar with the situation confirmed Chicago’s deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move was pending a physical. The 34-year-old Lucroy appeared in one game with Boston last season after batting .232 with eight homers and 36 RBIs in 101 games with the Angels and Cubs in 2019.
MHSAA – Contact sports can resume Monday, with masks
Michigan is lifting a months long ban on youth contact sports that was ordered to curb rising coronavirus cases. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the move Thursday. Competition can resume Monday, as long as masks are worn. Winter high school sports such as basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer along with youth leagues have effectively been restricted to non-contact activities only since November. If face coverings cannot be worn, athletes must be regularly tested for COVID-19 under the revised order. A 250- to 500-spectator limit will remain in place, depending on the size of a stadium or arena.
