AP Sports Digest

Tue, Feb 2, 2021
AP Sports

The highlights of the AP Sports report. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, http://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, http://newsroom.ap.org

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The AP's Ralph Russo hosts the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/idhttps-podcasts-apple-com-us-podcast-ap-top-25-college/id1138957862

TOP STORIES

BBO-MLB LABOR

NEW YORK - Major League Baseball will proceed with an on-time start to spring training and the season after players rejected a plan Monday night to delay reporting by a more than a month. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 830 words, photos.

FBN-SUPER BOWL-BUCS-BLACK COORDINATORS

Diversity matters to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first team to reach the Super Bowl with a trio of Black assistant coaches serving as coordinators. By Fred Goodall. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 3 a.m.

FBN-SUPER BOWL-SUPER TIGHT ENDS

Rob Gronkowski was the prototype as a big, physical, pass-catching tight end who could take over games with Tom Brady throwing to him in New England. Travis Kelce has been exactly that for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs as a record-shattering game changer at the position. By Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. UPCOMING: 960 words, photos by 3 a.m.

BBO-ANGELS-CALLAWAY-HARASSMENT

Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway, former manager of the New York Mets, "aggressively pursued" several women who work in sports media and sent three of them inappropriate photos, The Athletic reported. SENT: 730 words, photos.

OLY--BKO-OLYMPIC DRAW

The U.S. is about to learn who they will face in the Tokyo Olympics, when the men's and women's tournament draws are held Tuesday. The U.S. men are seeking a fourth consecutive gold medal, the U.S. women a seventh consecutive Olympic title. Draw begins 4:30 a.m. Eastern. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 500 words, photo by 5:30 a.m.

BKN--AROUND THE NBA

Home-court advantage is nonexistent in the NBA this season, with road teams winning about half the time. The home winning percentage is on pace to be the lowest in NBA history. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 3 a.m.

BKW--VIRUS OUTBREAK-SIENA'S SIX

Before the Siena bus departs, Saints coach Ali Jaques stands near her seat in the front and counts to ensure that everyone has boarded. That task won't take long this week. Siena -- a team that has spent nearly half this season in quarantine -- will have only six players aboard when the bus rolls away from the Saints' campus in Loudonville, New York, for the trip to Monmouth for a game on Wednesday. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 550 words, photo by 3 a.m.

AP POLLS

BKC--T25-COLLEGE BKB POLL

Gonzaga, Baylor, Villanova and Michigan keep the top four spots in the AP poll. No. 5 Houston has its highest ranking since the Phi Slama Jama days of the 1980s. Oklahoma, with three straight wins over top-10 teams, leaps to No. 9 from No. 24. By Basketball Writer John Marshall. SENT: 650 words, photos.

BKC-T25-TOP 25 THIS WEEK

Baylor and Texas were supposed to open the Big 12 season against each other, only to have the game postponed by COVID-19. The No. 2 Bears and No. 6 Longhorns are scheduled to meet again, this time with both teams ranked in the top 10 and with the Bears' undefeated season on the line. By Basketball Writer John Marshall. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 3 a.m.

BKW-T25-WOMEN'S BKB POLL

NEW YORK -- Louisville, the only unbeaten team left in the AP women's rankings, is No. 1 again. South Carolina jumps two spots to No. 2, with UConn, North Carolina State and UCLA completing the top five. By Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. SENT: 300 words, photos.

COMMENTARY

FBN-TIM DAHLBERG-SUPER BOWL

The Super Bowl is always defined by numbers, this one perhaps more than others because there's one number - positive tests for COVID-19 this week - that no one wants to see. By Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg. SENT: 890 words, photos.

NOTABLE

FBN--SUPER BOWL-ECONOMIC IMPACT

There have been four previous Super Bowls in Tampa, some amid war and economic distress. This one presents the biggest challenge and is expected to bring in not even half the revenue last year's game generated in the Miami area. By Curt Anderson. SENT: 850 words, photos.

FBN--SUPER BOWL-AGELESS BRADY

Tom Brady has already defied age by making his third trip to the Super Bowl since turning 40. After long talking about wanting to play until 45, the 43-year-old Brady is raising the bar again and talking about playing even longer. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. SENT: 600 words, photos.

FBN--SUPER BOWL-WOMEN COACHES

Maral Javadifar thought Katie Sowers making history a year ago as the first female to coach in a Super Bowl meant that topic had been handled once and for all. Nope. Maral Javadifar thought Katie Sowers making history a year ago as the first female to coach in a Super Bowl meant that topic had been handled once and for all. Nope. By Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker. SENT: 900 words, photos.

FBN--SUPER BOWL-CHIEFS-SPAGS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When the Chiefs lost in overtime in the AFC title game two years ago, there was a missing piece: someone orchestrating the entire defense. That's when Steve Spagnuolo entered the picture. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 840 words, photos.

- With Super Bowl trivia (sent), Notebook (sent).

- For all of AP's Super Bowl coverage, visit our hub in AP Newsroom.

BBA--RED SOX-PEDROIA

BOSTON - Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia retires at 37 because of an ailing knee. The gritty, four-time All-Star played in two World Series and collected a third ring in 2018, when injured. By Jimmy Golen. SENT: 700 words, photos.

BKC-UNBEATEN AND WINLESS

A look at which Division I teams are still unbeaten or winless in men's basketball. By Noah Trister. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 a.m.

BKW--WNBA-FREE AGENCY

On the first day that WNBA free agents can sign, Diana Taurasi stays in Phoenix while Alysha Clark heads across the country to join the Washington Mystics. By Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. SENT: 550 words, photos.

BKW--T25-NORTH CAROLINA STATE-LOUISVILLE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A bystander for most of the past three weeks, Elissa Cunane returned to the court with passion and energy, helping No. 4 North Carolina State beat the nation's top-ranked team on the road for the second time this season. By Gary B. Graves. SENT: 550 words, photos.

TEN-AUSTRALIAN OPEN-TUNEUP TOURNAMENTS

Rafael Nadal withdrew from his opening match at the ATP Cup because of a sore back but hopes to return for the Spanish team later in the week. The No. 2-ranked Nadal issued a statement before his scheduled match against Australia's Alex De Minaur saying he had a stiff lower back and "hopefully I'll be better for Thursday." By John Pye. SENT: 900 words, photos.

SOC-EUROPE-TRANSFERS

Liverpool has attempted to address its injury crisis in central defense by signing an unheralded player from England's second division and another from the worst defense in Germany's Bundesliga on the final day of the January transfer window. By Global Soccer Writer Rob Harris. SENT: 620 words, photos.

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AP Sports Extra: Super Bowl:

A paginated preview of the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 is available by searching "SE" in AP Newsroom under the Graphics tab. Three page sizes are available -- full broadsheet, half broadsheet, tabloid -- with space for local advertising or content. The pages look at the Chiefs-Buccaneers matchup, keys to the game and Super Bowl facts and figures. For questions, contact Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org

SUPER BOWL 55 PREVIEW: Full-page graphic shows the probable Chiefs and Buccaneers starters, with analysis of offense and defense and key players; team stats for regular and postseason; and statistical QB comparison. 6c x 20 inches. Stand alone or with related Super Bowl stories. UPCOMING: Feb. 3.

SUPER BOWL 55 LOGOS: Super Bowl 55 logo with team helmets, logos. With any Super Bowl stories. SENT.

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Tuesday Time Schedule (EST)

NBA

Toronto at Orlando, 7 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Memphis at Indiana, 8 p.m.

Portland at Washington, 8 p.m.

Boston at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Detroit at Utah, 10 p.m.

NHL

Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders, 6 p.m.

Dallas at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Arizona at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Calgary at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Carolina at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Minnesota at Colorado, 8:30 p.m.

Anaheim at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

Ottawa at Edmonton, 10 p.m.

College Basketball (Top 25)

Men

No. 2 Baylor at No. 6 Texas, 7 p.m.

No. 8 Iowa vs. Michigan St., 7 p.m.

No. 11 Tennessee at Mississippi, 7 p.m.

No. 12 Illinois at Indiana, 9 p.m.

No. 17 West Virginia at Iowa St., 7 p.m.

No. 18 Missouri vs. Kentucky, 9 p.m.

No. 19 Wisconsin vs. Penn St., 8:30 p.m.

No. 23 Kansas vs. Kansas St., 8 p.m.

No. 24 Purdue at Maryland, 8 p.m.

Women

No. 19 Gonzaga vs. BYU, 9 p.m.