It was not pretty in the early going, but the U.S. hockey team picked up the pace and showed why it is a favorite to play for a gold medal.
After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations cult hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net.
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Denmark, though, was not going out without a fight, putting a third goal past Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) before the horn sounded.
The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
It was false hope for them, however, because Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lighting) scored, and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) added another for good measure late in the third.
Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.
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The United States’ Jack Eichel, second right, celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Swayman struggled early on, especially as Denmark’s second goal was scored from nearly center ice, but he found his footing in the final two periods. Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) got the start in the first game, and Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) will likely be in the crease in their next game.
The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.
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The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.
The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark’s Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale won snowboard cross mixed team gold – Team GB’s first ever Winter Olympic title on snow.
After heartbreak in their individual events, the British pair made amends with an astonishing performance to add Olympic gold to the World Championship title they won in 2023.
In an event that sees the men race first, Nightingale crossed the line in second place to set up Bankes perfectly – and she used her remarkable speed on the board to take the lead and pip Italy’s Michela Moioli to the line.
It marked a second successive silver in this event for Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva, while France’s Loan Bozzolo and Lea Casta took bronze.
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Bankes, a former individual world champion and two-time overall World Cup winner, was left crestfallen on Friday when she exited the women’s event in the quarter-finals, just as she did four years ago in Beijing, despite being widely tipped for a medal.
Similarly, Nightingale was left wanting much more from himself after exiting the men’s competition in the round of 16, but found another level to produce arguably his best racing alongside Bankes.
Congratulations are in order for WWE star Arianna Grace after making history on Friday. Grace is coming off the biggest win of her career.
Things are looking up for Grace after struggling with injuries over the past few years. She’s part of a growing stable in NXT, which is expected to be called “Birthright,” alongside Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, Lexis King and Uriah Connors. They are also trying to recruit Charlie Dempsey into the group.
Thanks for the submission!
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At TNA Wrestling’s No Surrender, Arianna Grace challenged Lei Ying Lee for the TNA Knockouts World Championship. Grace shocked the world to become the new champion, ending Lei’s reign at just 87 days.
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Arianna Grace also became the first woman of South Asian descent to win a major championship in a big wrestling company. So, congratulations to the new TNA Knockouts World Champion.
However, Grace already has to worry about her first challenger. Fellow Canadian star Jody Threat became the No. 1 contender for the TNA Knockouts World Championship after winning at Battle Royal at No Surrender. Threat last eliminated Tessa Blanchard to win the match.
Arianna Grace’s night wasn’t all positive
Despite winning the TNA Knockouts World Championship, Arianna Grace’s night started off on the wrong foot. Grace was in the corner of his boyfriend, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, for his TNA International Championship defense against Trey Miguel.
Miguel earned the opportunity from his Feast or Fired briefcase, which contained a future shot at the TNA International Championship. The former member of The Rascalz overcame a lot to outlast Lorenzo and win his first singles title since his second reign as X-Division Champion.
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Despite the loss, Grace pushed through later that night to make history. It will be interesting to see if Grace will defend her new title on NXT or if she’ll become a regular at TNA Wrestling.
It has been an interesting few months for Grace and her new group. There are even rumors that David Finlay could be added once he gets signed by WWE. Finlay is the older son of Fit Finlay and the brother of Uriah Connors.
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Sentinels opened the playoffs on Saturday by winning a 3-2 battle with Disguised in the upper-bracket semifinals at the League Championship Series 2026 Lock-In in Los Angeles.
Cloud9 faces FlyQuest on Sunday in the other semifinal, with the winner advancing to the upper-bracket final against Sentinels on Feb. 22.
With the loss, Disguised dropped to the lower-bracket quarterfinals against Team Liquid, while LYON awaits the loser of the second semifinal.
The six-team playoffs are double-elimination, with all matches best-of-five. The overall winner qualifies for the 2026 First Stand Tournament.
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The lower-bracket semifinal is Feb. 27, and the lower-bracket final is Feb. 28. The grand final is scheduled for March 1.
Diguised won the opening map on Saturday in 33 minutes on red, then Sentinels drew even in 35 minutes on blue. The back-and-forth match continued with Disguised winning in 36 minutes on red, and Sentinels victorious in 32 minutes on blue.
Sentinels took the decisive map in 33 minutes on blue.
Ham “HamBak” Yoo-jin of South Korea paced Sentinels with a 21/15/42 kill-death-assist ratio, teammate Isaac “DarkWings” Chou of the United States posted a 20/10/29 K-D-A, and Jeong “Impact” Eon-young of South Korea had a 13/7/32 ratio.
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Cho “Castle” Hyeon-seong of South Korea led Disguised with a 19/21/23 K-D-A, Sajed “sajed” Ziade of the United States had an 18/11/20 K-D-A and Christian “KryRa” Rahaian of Canada recorded a 6/12/39 ratio.
Match most valuable players were “HamBak,” “KryRa” and “Castle.”
The playoffs followed the Swiss stage featuring eight teams over three rounds of best-of-three matches, except the last-chance tiebreaker as a best-of-one. Dignitas and Shopify Rebellion were eliminated by finishing seventh and eighth in the standings.
Bryan Mbeumo has had an excellent first season at Man Utd and one of his teammates has explained what makes him such an impressive player.
13:30, 15 Feb 2026Updated 13:32, 15 Feb 2026
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Matheus Cunha has backed Bryan Mbeumo as just the kind of striker Manchester United “need to have” after praising the impact his fellow summer signing has had at Old Trafford.
Mbeumo has been leading the line since the arrival of Michael Carrick as head coach last month and he has scored against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham in that run, although he is facing competition from the in-form Benjamin Sesko, who has had an impact off the bench.
A £65million summer arrival from Brentford, Mbeumo played as a No. 10 under Ruben Amorim and can also play on the right wing, with his versatility a bonus for United and part of the reason they pushed so hard to sign him.
He has delivered 10 goals and two assists in his 22 appearances so far and has been one of United’s standout players so far this season, with Cunha raving about his intelligence on the pitch and his quality in attack.
“He’s very intelligent, he’s very clever,” Cunha told Premier League Productions. “So he can use his strength very, very good, like going to space, he shoots so well, so good. This is the kind of number nine we need to have.
“Of course, he’s someone that helped us so much and it’s a pleasure to play with him. He’s more than the position that he plays. Being around him in the pitch, we know he can create something special.”
Cunha also signed for United last summer, joining from Wolves for £62.5million, and having both taken a step up in the Premier League they are determined to play their part in bringing success to Old Trafford.
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“A lot of energy. What a lovely guy,” Cunha said of Mbeumo. “I’m around him every day, he’s someone that is fun. I always play against him and we talk about the games that we played in the past, Brentford against Wolves.
“But to be together now and help United is something that when we arrive here, we feel like, wow, we can be a small part of the success of the team. It’s something that is a challenge that is everything to us.
“He’s so shy, he doesn’t speak much, but I speak French and I always speak with him He’s the kind of guy that, like I say, he’s special, I love to be around him and talking about the game, the life. Honestly, he finishes very well.
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“Every training, after training, we stay to do finishing, so it’s always a good competition to have him, Bruno [Fernandes], Ben [Sesko], Josh [Zirkzee], everyone around the team. I feel like we are starting to reach our level.”
Mbeumo scored 20 goals in his final season with Brentford and when Thomas Frank left the Bees to take over at Tottenham, he tried to hijack United’s move for the Cameroon international.
But Mbeumo had his heart set on a move to Old Trafford and Cunha has rejected the idea that his fellow summer signing is underrated.
“For me, he’s never an underrated player because I put him so high,” he said. “He gives me the expectation that I know he can do. I know what I see, I know what he does and to be around him is special. He’s such a good guy. So I can never say he is underrated.”
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has opened up about his agreement with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as they both compete for the Premier League title
Martin Odegaard has disclosed the pact he’s made with Norway teammate Erling Haaland as the Premier League title battle heats up between Arsenal and Manchester City. The Gunners are pursuing their first league championship since 2004, but hold just a four-point advantage over Haaland’s City as the season reaches its crucial stages.
The Norwegian duo, who enjoy a strong friendship away from football, have clashed repeatedly in the Premier League, with Odegaard at Arsenal since 2021 and Haaland arriving at City in 2022. Haaland has been instrumental in City’s recent title challenges and has found the net in his last two matches to assist Pep Guardiola’s side in narrowing the deficit on the Gunners.
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While Odegaard is determined to guide Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004, Haaland will be hoping to get the better of his friend once again.
The pair will continue as fierce competitors over the coming months with the title race expected to go right to the final day, yet Odegaard maintains their off-field friendship will endure – provided one commitment is honoured: What takes place on the pitch, remains on the pitch.
“We’re really relaxed about it,” Odegaard told FourFourTwo. “He knows, I know, everyone knows that we’re competing against each other.”
“That’s just the way it is. But when it comes to the national team, or even outside of football, we don’t really talk about it at all.”
“We’re just normal friends. We talk about other things, or about the national team when we’re together.
“We don’t really speak about football that much. It’s very relaxed and we’re good friends and that’s how it should be.
“Whatever happens during the game stays out on the pitch. That’s one of the nice things about football. You give everything, you leave everything out there, then you move on.
“We focus on ourselves, on the things that we can control.”
City were in FA Cup fourth‐round action on Saturday and booked a place in the next round after the 2-0 win over Salford City at the Etihad. In the league, they will host Newcastle United, who will be without captain Bruno Guimaraes after he picked up a hamstring injury.
As for Arsenal, they will face Wigan in the cup this afternoon (Sunday) before travelling to Wolves on Wednesday. They will then face Tottenham in the north London derby next Sunday (February 22).
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Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap to just four points with a 3-0 win over Fulham at the Etihad Stadium, whilst Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford.
When the season concludes, Haaland will link up with Odegaard in the Norway national team for this summer’s World Cup. Norway’s strong qualifying campaign has seen them end a 28‐year absence from a major tournament.
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.
U.S. Olympic skater Ilia Malinin did not hold his scheduled media session Saturday. The session was postponed, according to Christine Brennan.
The postponement comes one day after Malinin finished eighth in the men’s free skate. The American star was the frontrunner to win gold but fell twice during his performance, shocking fans and pundits.
Malinin’s folly was considered one of the most unexpected stories of the Winter Olympics since he dominated competition prior to Friday.
Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026.(Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
Malinin revealed his mind became flooded with “thoughts and memories” before his performance.
“I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” Malinin told NBC Washington after the competition Friday.
“So, I just feel like it’s the pressure of especially being that Olympic gold medal hopeful. It was just something I can’t control now.
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“The pressure of the Olympics, it’s really something different, and I think not a lot of people understand that. They only understand that from the inside and going into this competition, especially today, I felt really confident, really good,” he said. “But it really just went by so fast I did not have time to process.”
Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts to his disastrous routine in which he fell twice during the men’s singles skating-free skating competition at the Milano Ice Skating Arena at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026 Feb. 13, 2026, in Milan, Italy.(Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
When his routine started Friday, Malinin connected on a quad-flip to start but then settled for a single axel. He then had a double loop instead of a quad loop.
He then fell on a quad Lutz attempt and then fell on another jump shortly after. He scored a 156.33, a far cry from the world record of 238.24 he set in December and the 200-mark he routinely hits in the free skate.
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Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the gold with a total score of 291.58, a personal best. His 198.94 score in Friday’s free skate was also the highest of his career.
Yuma Kagiyama of Japan got the silver, and Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s teammate, came away with the bronze.
Malinin, who posts total scores in the 300s regularly, settled for just 264.49. His personal best is 333.81.
Malinin congratulated his Kazakhstani competitor after the event concluded.
Ilia Malinin of the United States falls during men’s single skating at Milano Ice Skating Arena at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games Feb. 13, 2026, in Milan, Italy.(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
While on the bench, Malinin said if he had been in Beijing four years ago, he would not have skated as poorly as he did. Malinin was 17 when he was left off the roster in favor of veterans.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Karolina Muchova defeated Victoria Mboko 6–4, 7–5 to win the Qatar Open title, securing her first WTA 1000 crown.
The victory marks Muchova’s second WTA title and her first tournament win since 2019, ending a long wait after several injury hit seasons. The result will see her rise back to world No. 11 in the updated rankings, putting her within reach of a return to the top 10.
In the final, Muchova handled the pressure well against the 19 years old Mboko, who had enjoyed a breakthrough week in Doha. After taking the first set, the Czech stayed composed in a tight second set to close out the match in straight sets.
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Speaking after the win, Muchova reflected on what the title meant.
“It’s been a while since I won a tournament. It’s just nice to get that feeling again and to be reminded of that victory feeling here in Doha. It’s incredible,” she said. “I’d like to congratulate Victoria. You’re still a teenager if I’m not mistaken. You play with so much maturity and you play incredible. It’s been an incredible week for you. Congratulations. I’m sure you have many titles ahead of you.”
Muchova also thanked her team and the crowd in Doha for their support throughout the week.
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“I’m so excited for my team that we get to experience this together. Thank you for standing here with me. Thank you everyone. Your support means a lot. I’m just very glad that we get to celebrate it and live this win together.”
Despite the loss, Mboko remained positive about her run to the final and praised her opponent.
“I first want to thank everyone who came to support this week. Everyone did a really great job. It was amazing,” Mboko said. “I wanna thank Karolina and her team. You played really well. It’s not the outcome I wanted, but I think there’s so many positives to take away.”
The Doha final capped an impressive week for both players, with Muchova lifting a title and Mboko confirming her rapid rise on the WTA Tour.
James McDonald hesitates to equate Autumn Glow directly with Romantic Warrior, the Hong Kong star, but recognizes her upward momentum.
The mare produced a thrilling effort that gave McDonald goosebumps, storming to a 2-1/2 length success over Aeliana in Saturday’s Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, making it nine unbeaten runs.
With 15 wins in 20 races for Romantic Warrior—including eight steered by McDonald—the gelding remains the benchmark, but McDonald feels Autumn Glow has the chops to rival him if her form holds.
“It’s very special. Just the way and the ease with which she’s doing it,” McDonald said.
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“You’ve got to remember, there were a lot of stayers in the race. But I’m riding a very good horse in Hong Kong (Romantic Warrior) and she’s on a trajectory where she is improving all the time, she is lightly raced, and let’s just say, the world is her oyster.”
Autumn Glow was electric, sitting off the speed before dismantling the field with effortless acceleration.
Trainer Chris Waller sees this debut run back as a strong indicator, aiding his planning for her program.
“The first run of the prep is the most important. It tells you where they are,” Waller said.
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“You can have as many track gallops, trials and exhibition gallops but until they’re under race pressure, you don’t really know.
Heading for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes means probable rematch with Aeliana, who Waller rated highly on return.
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“Aeliana was brilliant. It was good to see she can take up a spot if she needs to as well. She was put in the race and she was still strong late,” he said.
Waller completed the trifecta via Lindermann in third, but Joe Pride had concerns over sixth-placed Ceolwulf bleeding from nostrils after the Apollo Stakes. The racing betting markets are heating up for her upcoming targets.
The gelding faced scoping Saturday afternoon for signs of internal bleed, which imposes a three-month stand-down.
Pride’s Weeping Woman struck Group glory in the Triscay Stakes (1200m) 40 minutes later, yet Ceolwulf’s mishap soured the moment.
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“I’m hoping more than anything (that it wasn’t a bleed),” Pride said.
“It’s not presenting typically like a bleeder would present. It sucked the life out of that win for me.”
Weeping Woman ($3.40 fav) marked her debut Group victory in the Triscay Stakes, beating Manaal ($4.20) by 1-1/4 lengths, Verona Rose ($12) third half-neck off.
Goodness, gracious, what a Saturday night (or early Sunday morning). Anthony Kim is a winner yet again, clinching the biggest chapter in an outrageous comeback story with a victoryat a raucous LIV Australia. Below, GOLF editors Dylan Dethier, Sean Zak and James Colgan discuss the biggest moments, feelings, and takeaways from a most unexpected golf valentine.
1. Gentlemen, it’s nearly 1 a.m. in Chicago but I won’t be sleeping anytime soon because Anthony Kim just won on LIV Golf. It’s outright impossible to put everything about his story, his years away from the game, his battle with drug abuse and even his struggles since returning. But on Sunday in Australia, he shot 63 to beat Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. What are you thinking right now?
Dylan Dethier, senior writer: Impossible. That’s what I keep thinking. No way. Anthony Kim’s early comeback golf was fascinating, compelling theater. But there was no sign that this was coming. He was not competitive in his first two years on LIV. He got relegated. That seemed an anticlimactic but inevitable end to the experiment. I was amazed and impressed that he made it through LIV’s Promotions event to earn his spot back; that was impressive. But chasing down Rahm and Bryson in the final round of LIV’s biggest event is like, six tiers up from there. Shocking on several levels.
Sean Zak, senior writer: I have spent most of the evening just laughing out loud at it. It’s so comically improbable that I couldn’t feel anything but joyous laughter bubbling up. He stared down two of the best players in the world and thumped them by three or more. That was among the most fun golf watches I’ve had in a very, very long time. (Apologies for not acknowledging, like, everything in AK’s past, which is important context!)
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James Colgan, news and features editor: I’m thinking that the last time Anthony Kim won a golf tournament, Instagram didn’t exist. Literally. The fact that your winless streak can span three Presidential administrations, a decade-long disappearance from public life, two years of the most dispiriting tournament golf played by anyone on planet earth … and STILL end with a victory? There are no words. That’s just golf magic.
2. DeChambeau faded early, but Rahm continued to hang around. Kim had to make basically everything. Eventually, he won by three. What was top of mind as you watched it play out?
Dethier Outside of the Ryder Cup, you just don’t see guys fist-pumping a whole lot these days. But AK just kept pouring putts in the middle and unleashing haymakers. He didn’t miss a shot the last…two hours? I kept waiting for the magnitude of the moment to hit, for pressure to trip him up. If anything the opposite happened.
Zak: The last time we saw anyone hoop that many putts to come back and steal a tournament? We were in St. Andrews with Cam Smith. Maybe that’s why I was laughing throughout it. Everything dripped into the center of the cup like there was nowhere else these putts could go. Reminds me of a Paul Azinger phrase from the day after Smith had that birdie barrage at the Old Course: “His putts, they would have fell into a thimble.”
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Colgan: I was thinking about how, every so often, a player experiences several hours in which the hole appears the size of an asteroid crater. And I was thinking about how Anthony Kim was definitely having one of those experiences.
3. Is there a way you can contextualize it all for those who weren’t following Kim’s journey closely?
Dethier: Look, the fascinating thing about Kim isn’t just that he retired young. It’s that he vanished. Off the grid. Out of the public eye. For over a decade, the golf world — outside a small trusted circle — had no idea what he was up to. It felt like a big deal whenever we saw him at all.
Early in this job I wrote up an interaction Kim had with a reader named Ben outside an LA brunch spot. It felt like a big deal at the time; he’d been gone for so long. He said his golf game was “non-existent.” That was seven years ago. Look, I’m not saying he just won the Masters. But for a guy to be that far away from the sport for that long? I just can’t think of any equivalent.
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Zak: This might be a trick question, actually. Because Kim has shared just a snippet of what he really battled. I get the sense that he’s interested in sharing more about his addictions and depression and how that pushed his life right to the edge. Now he’s created the perfect ending, and I think we’ll actually receive a lot more context in the future. I’ll be anxious to learn more when he’s ready.
Colgan: On February 20, 2025, Anthony Kim celebrated two years sober (ironically, given my earlier analogy) on Instagram. He detailed suffering from such serious withdrawal symptoms on his first days in rehab that he needed physical assistance to walk. He suggested he had used drugs while playing in major championships. And THAT story? That story didn’t include the decade he’d spent away or the rest of the golf stuff he needed to work through to get within a hundred miles of a victory … let alone in the winner’s circle.
4. There was a flurry of hugs for Kim in the moments after his win from all kinds of LIV characters. One was CEO of the league, Scott O’Neil, which made me think more about the league at-large. Does this mean anything extra for LIV Golf?
Dethier: I have to be honest: in this moment, I have no idea. In many ways this feels like an Anthony Kim story more than it does a LIV story — but the massive crowds and frenetic energy on site contributed tremendously to a wild night of golf viewing, so the fact that it came at LIV’s flagship event has to be a win.
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I guess here’s what I feel certain of: this was the league’s biggest, realest moment thus far. A genuinely fascinating story intersecting with a genuinely preposterous stretch of golf. You can’t build the whole plane out of AK’s comeback — he can only win for the first time once! — but safe to say they’d take Rahm-Bryson-AK every event the rest of the way.
Zak: Imagine if this happened a week ago, when LIV Golf played under the lights in front of measly crowds in Saudi Arabia. Now throw that image away, because it happened in Adelaide, at what event organizers call the most-attended golf event in the history of Australia. It may not be a LIV story first, but AK gave LIV some of the best visuals it has ever received from the actual competition. Fans crowding in on the 18th hole, AK waving during a champions walk up to the green, champagne showering over him on the green. That trumps any concert-stage-champagne-and-sparklers we’ve seen in the last four years.
Colgan: Of course it does! We’re up at god-knows-what-hour talking about a LIV event! That’s a substantial change from the usual for the league in a very big way. And Sean, to your point about the crowds … serious question: Why doesn’t LIV play MORE events in Australia?
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates on the field following a victory over the New York Giants on Dec. 24, 2022 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Jefferson soaked in the moment after the holiday win as teammates and fans reacted around him. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports..
Minnesota Vikings misses and myths are heating up again as free agency and the draft inch closer. The malarkey builds fast this time of year, and some of it deserves a hard stop. Here’s a look at the Nopedy Nopes.
Vikings fans keep seeing the same three claims recycled, so here’s the clean reset on each one and why they’re shaky.
Each week, this column tracks the flimsy takes floating around the Vikings’ orbit — along with the ideas that never had much footing to begin with.
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The Week’s Strangest Takes Around the Vikings
The Vikings’ Nopedy Nopes of Offseason Week No. 6.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) goes through pregame warmups on Oct 20, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, prior to a divisional matchup with the Detroit Lions. The All-Pro target worked through routes and stretches on the turf as fans filtered into the stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The Nopedy Nope: Justin Jefferson will be traded to the Buffalo Bills.
CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani kept his trade ideas minimal — just two total: Justin Jefferson to Buffalo and George Pickens to Denver.
On Jefferson, he wrote, “Joe Brady’s name popped up on NFL radars in 2019, when he served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. The undefeated Tigers had a historical season, which was powered by the play of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.”
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“Now, he’s the head coach of the Bills, and this offseason, Buffalo makes an aggressive move to pair its new coach with a friend of his — sending the Minnesota Vikings a package of picks for Jefferson. Why would Buffalo choose now to take a big swing at receiver? After all, Brandon Beane hasn’t been this aggressive before. Realize that the Bills front office is under just as much pressure as Brady to prove that the firing of Sean McDermott wasn’t a mistake.”
At the moment, Buffalo’s WR1 is Khalil Shakir, typically a 750-yard type of producer.
Dajani continued, “It’s about winning right now for the Bills, and what they will do is lean into Brady’s vision for the offense. Yes, Brady oversaw the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL this past season, but his background is passing the ball. Jefferson is coming off his worst NFL season, as he set career lows in receiving yards (1,048) and receiving touchdowns (2).”
“We all know he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His career 90.2 receiving yards per game ranks No. 2 in NFL history, and his 7,432 receiving yards through five seasons were the most in NFL history. Imagine a talent like Jefferson teaming up with a quarterback like Josh Allen.”
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Vikings fans saw the Dajani concept and collectively winced.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on the Vikings trading their best player in an offseason when they’re renewing all-in stakes while also eating a $46 million dead cap hit.
The Nopedy Nope: Tua Tagovailoa, despite beef with Brian Flores, could be the Vikings’ QB1 or QB2 in 2026.
Jared Allen claimed this week that if the decision were up to him, he’d find a way for the Vikings to get Tagovailoa this offseason.
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Given Flores’s history with Tagovailoa, Minnesota is unlikely to explore a trade for the quarterback, regardless of his potential availability. Flores coached Tagovailoa for his first two seasons in Miami, a relationship that never worked out. In fact, in a 2024 podcast, Tagovailoa described Flores as a “terrible person,” a sentiment he has not retracted.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) jogs onto the practice field on Aug 15, 2024, at Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida, during a joint session with the Washington Commanders. The veteran signal-caller took part in team drills as both clubs tuned up ahead of preseason action. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports.
Flores later expressed disappointment with this characterization, maintaining that their working relationship was never intended to become acrimonious. Had Flores accepted a head coaching position elsewhere last month, speculation about Tagovailoa’s arrival in Minnesota might have intensified. Instead, he signed a significant extension to remain Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, ensuring this dynamic remains within the organization.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on acquiring the quarterback who thinks the defensive coordinator is a terrible person.
The Nopedy Nope: Max Brosmer would latch on as a productive passer and maybe even become the next Brock Purdy.
Vikings faithful clicked on Nick Shook of NFL.com’s 2025 quarterback rankings expecting to find J.J. McCarthy’s place in the league hierarchy — and instead got blindsided by Max Brosmer’s rock-bottom standing.
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Shook didn’t sugarcoat it. “Max Brosmer proved why he was an undrafted free agent, appearing overwhelmed by the speed of the game. We’ll all remember that Week 17 win over Detroit — you know, the one in which the Vikings recorded six takeaways and did almost nothing with the extra possessions — as the evidence we all needed to know Brosmer wasn’t a viable backup option.”
Brosmer anchored the list at No. 63 — dead last — trailing New York Jets passer Brady Cook (No. 62) and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (No. 61).
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) drops back to pass in the fourth quarter on Aug 16, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a preseason contest against the New England Patriots. The rookie worked late-game reps as Minnesota continued sorting through quarterback depth. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
The advanced numbers backed up the ugly optics. Per EPA+CPOE, Brosmer finished 43rd of 49 qualifying quarterbacks in 2025 — technically ahead of McCarthy in that metric, which only adds another layer to the Vikings’ quarterback debate heading into 2026.
All of those theories from the summer about Brosmer as an unearthed gem … were wrong.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Brosmer as the Vikings’ sneaky long-term QB option.
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-400x240.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-80x80.jpg)
