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Luis Rubiales resigns as Spain’s soccer president 3 weeks after kissing player at Women’s World Cup final

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain — Luis Rubiales, the suspended head of the Spanish soccer federation, finally folded under immense pressure Sunday and resigned three weeks after his kiss of a player on the lips overshadowed Spain’s first-ever Women’s World Cup title.Rubiales had been at the center of a controversy that had gone far beyond Spain’s borders and the world of sport after he kissed Jenni Hermoso during the globally televised awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said the kiss was without her consent.“After my swift suspension by FIFA, and the rest of the cases building against me, it is clear that I cannot return to the post,” Rubiales said on Sunday in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.He had already been temporarily suspended from his job by FIFA for his conduct at the final and, after soccer’s world body opened a disciplinary case, remained defiant and hostile toward those who criticized him.Then came the ...

Broncos’ Kareem Jackson on Caden Sterns’ injury: “All we can do is be there for him”

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

Broncos safety Caden Sterns missed the final 12 games of the 2022 season with a hip injury and it showed when he went down awkwardly Sunday against the Raiders.The third-year safety tried to tackle Josh Jacobs in the backfield on the first play of the second quarter but went to the turf and immediately grabbed his left knee.Head coach Sean Payton didn’t have an update after the game, but the team almost immediately ruled him out from returning to the game and Sterns was beside himself on the field. He slammed his fists to the turf, buried his head in his hands and wiped away tears once he was loaded into the cart and repeatedly punched the stretcher next to him.All in all, it did not look good for the promising young defensive back.“Definitely a tough loss for us,” Broncos safety Kareem Jackson said. “Hopefully it’s not anything serious. As his brother, I’ll be there for him for whatever he needs. You never want to see anybody go down, but when it’s one of our guys, a guy we spend a...

Broncos’ Kareem Jackson on “bang-bang” play that drew critical penalty and injured Jakobi Meyers: “Obviously we don’t play this game to hurt guys”

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

Kareem Jackson knew his team needed the ball back.Third-and-8 from the Las Vegas 44-yard line, Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo hit Jakobi Meyers over the middle and Jackson laid out to try to stop him short of the first down.Jackson, though, hit Meyers high and Meyers crumpled to the turf. Players from both teams gathered around before he was able to sit up on his own and walk off the field with help from trainers.A scary situation and a costly 15-yard penalty on Jackson. A stop the Broncos desperately needed and failed to get — Las Vegas ran the final 2 minutes, 54 seconds off the clock thanks to a Garoppolo first-down run a minute later to secure a 17-16 victory. But also, hopefully, a serious injury avoided.“I just want to say I hope he’s alright,” Jackson told reporters afterward. “Obviously we don’t play this game to hurt guys. It’s a tough sport we play. … Unfortunately stuff like that happens. Definitely sending my thoughts and prayers ...

Little League World Series-winning El Segundo All-Stars honored with championship parade

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

It was all cheers at a championship parade on Main Street in El Segundo on Sunday to honor the 12U All-Stars who recently won the Little League World Series. Storefronts and residences all throughout the city were decked out in yellow and blue while signs with phrases like “Let’s go Gundo!” and “Gundo is proud of our boys” have been erected at seemingly every corner. The parade itself began at noon on Imperial Highway and Main Street and continued down Main until El Segundo Boulevard. After the 12 players and their coaches rode through town, the celebration continued at Stevenson Field, their hometown ballpark, where the squad was recognized for their greatest achievements.  “It’s a lot of fun seeing how even people in the MLB are watching us play. It’s hard to comprehend,” Brody Brooks, one of the 12 all-stars, told KTLA.  The team faced fierce competition along the way, having to win five consecutive games to secure the championship and they did it in the ...

Rubiales resigns as Spain's soccer president 3 weeks after kissing player at Women's World Cup final

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Luis Rubiales, the suspended head of the Spanish soccer federation, finally folded under immense pressure Sunday and resigned three weeks after his kiss of a player on the lips overshadowed Spain’s first-ever Women’s World Cup title.Rubiales had been at the center of a controversy that had gone far beyond Spain’s borders and the world of sport after he kissed Jenni Hermoso during the globally televised awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said the kiss was without her consent.“After my swift suspension by FIFA, and the rest of the cases building against me, it is clear that I cannot return to the post,” Rubiales said on Sunday in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.He had already been temporarily suspended from his job by FIFA for his conduct at the final and, after soccer’s world body opened a disciplinary case, remained defiant and hostile toward those who criticized him.Then came...

Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields begins big season with lackluster performance in loss to Green Bay

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A big season for Justin Fields got off to a rough start Sunday.At least he had plenty of company.Fields lost a fumble and threw an interception as the Chicago Bears fell apart in the second half of an ugly 38-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The dynamic quarterback was sacked four times and noticeably outplayed by Jordan Love, who was making his second career start for Green Bay.“I think the moral of the story is that we shot ourselves in the foot too many times,” Fields said.Looking for more growth from Fields, the Bears invested in their offensive line and passing targets in the offseason. The 24-year-old Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns last year in his second season with the team, but he threw for just 2,242 yards and 17 TDs with 11 interceptions.At least in Week 1, it was hard to tell any difference — especially in the second half.Fields accounted for 275 of Chicago’s 311 yards, but his interception was returned 37 yards by Quay Walker fo...

Garoppolo and Meyers spoil Payton’s Denver debut in Raiders’ 7th straight win over Broncos

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Change the coaches and switch the quarterbacks, the Raiders still own the Broncos.Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes to fellow newcomer Jakobi Meyers in their Las Vegas debut and the Raiders spoiled Sean Payton’s first game as Denver’s coach with a 17-16 win over the Broncos on Sunday.“It ain’t got to be pretty, you’ve just got to get it done,” Davante Adams said as he walked off the field with Garoppolo after the Raiders stretched their winning streak over their AFC West rivals to seven games despite the absence of star pass rusher Chandler Jones, who’s involved in a feud with the front office.That skid hurts even worse to some Broncos fans than the 15-game losing streak against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City has owned the AFC West for seven years while the Raiders and Broncos have spent that time taking turns as the dregs of the division.Garoppolo, who came to Las Vegas after six seasons in San Francisco, and Meyers,...

Djokovic celebrates No. 24 with a tribute to Kobe Bryant, who wore that number and became a friend

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic couldn’t think about No. 24 without thinking of Kobe Bryant.So after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday night for a historic 24th Grand Slam title, Djokovic put on a blue T-shirt that honored the Los Angeles Lakers great.The shirt read “Mamba Forever” on the front, along with pictures of Bryant and Djokovic. On the back in purple was the No. 24, one of two numbers Bryant wore during his Hall of Fame career. Djokovic said he came up with the idea about a week ago as a way to honor his friend. He said he received advice on his own career from Bryant, who died in 2020 in a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.“Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said. “He was one of the people that I relied on the most.” “He was always there for any kind of counsel, ...

Kyle Tucker 12th with 2 triples in an inning, driving in runs with each as Astros rout Padres 12-2

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Kyle Tucker became just the 12th player to triple twice in an inning, driving in runs with each in an eight-run sixth as the AL West-leading Houston Astros routed the San Diego Padres 12-2 on Sunday.Tucker became the first Houston player to triple twice in an inning, getting hits off Tim Hill and Rich Hill. He is the first major leaguer to do it since Colorado’s Cory Sullivan on April 9, 2006, at San Diego, and the second since Gil Coan of the Washington Senators on April 21, 1951.“I think having the opportunity to bat twice in the same inning is nice just with all the other guys putting together quality at bats and having the opportunity to get back up,” Tucker said. “Then, putting the ball in play and doing the most with it.”Jose Altuve homered and drove in three runs. Houston has won five of six and opened a 2 1/2-game AL West lead over Seattle, which lost to Tampa Bay 6-3. The defending champion Astros are a season-high 20 games over .500 at 82-62.“It’s time to ca...

Novak Djokovic’s US Open title gives him 24 Grand Slam titles. No one in tennis history has won more

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:33:32 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic’s U.S. Open championship gives him 24 career Grand Slam singles titles, adding to the record he already held for the most by a man in tennis history.Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the final at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.All of Djokovic’s triumphs have come during the Open era, which began in 1968, when professional players were admitted to the sport’s four most prestigious tournaments. Margaret Court also won 24 major singles trophies — 13 in the amateur era, 11 in the Open era.Here is a list of the women and men with the highest number of Grand Slam singles titles across the amateur and Open eras:Novak Djokovic, 24Margaret Court, 24Serena Williams, 23Steffi Graf, 22Rafael Nadal, 22Roger Federer, 20___AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/tennisSource