AP Sports Digest
Wed, Feb 10, 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
KOBE BRYANT-CRASH
LOS ANGELES - Federal safety officials blame the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others last year on the pilot's poor decision to fly into thick clouds, where he became disoriented and plunged the aircraft into a Southern California hillside. The National Transportation Safety Board said poor visibility probably led the pilot to become so disoriented in thick fog north of Los Angeles that he could not perceive up from down. By Stefanie Dazio, Brian Melley and David Koenig. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBURNE, Australia - Former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu's comeback from injury stalled at the Australian Open when she became the latest top-10 player to be beaten 6-3, 6-2 by crafty veteran Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan. By John Pye. SENT: 500 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos. With Latest, notebook, glance, sidebars on merit.
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN-LOCKDOWN LOSSES
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka says being stuck for two weeks in a Melbourne hotel room with windows that wouldn't open "really took a toll" before the Open. She was among more than 70 players to undergo a hard quarantine. Azarenka lost her first-round match. Other players who exited described dealing with hand blisters and bodies so sore they couldn't walk. By Howard Fendrich. SENT: 750 words, photos.
BBO--VIRUS OUTBREAK-MLB PROTOCOLS
NEW YORK - Major League Baseball players, on-field staff and non-playing personnel who require access to them at ballparks must wear electronic tracing wristbands from the start of spring training and face discipline for violations. Players will be encouraged to get vaccines but are not required to get them. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 900 words, photos.
BBO-HARASSMENT HOTLINE
NEW YORK - Major League Baseball has created a hotline for people not employed by the league or teams to report harassment or discrimination after New York Mets general manager Jared Porter and Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway were accused of sending lewd text messages to female reporters. By Baseball Writer Jake Seiner. SENT: 300 words, photos.
FBN--OBIT-SCHOTTENHEIMER
Marty Schottenheimer's NFL coaching career was as remarkable as it was flummoxing. There were 200 regular-season wins, the eighth most in NFL history. There were a mystifying number of playoff losses, some so epic they had nicknames like "The Drive" and "The Fumble." Always there was "Martyball," the conservative, smash-mouth approach that featured a strong running game and hard-nosed defense. Schottenheimer died Monday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 77. By Bernie Wilson. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.
COMMENTARY
FBN-ON FOOTBALL-NFL 2021
Maybe the lack of competitiveness in the Super Bowl was a good sign for the NFL. After a year in which the challenges of playing a full and barely interrupted season provided more than enough drama, Tom Brady and Tampa Bay's rout of the reigning champion Chiefs brought some ho-hum. The league would like nothing better than a return to normalcy in 2021- as much as that ever will be possible again. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner. SENT: 840 words, photos.
GLF-ON THE FRINGE-MINORITIES
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Kamaiu Johnson finished his pro-am round at Spyglass Hill and began exchanging cards with his amateur partners. Golf has always been about relationship and access. Johnson is among two Black players in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from the Advocates Pro Golf Association Tour, which is providing a little of both. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. SENT: 800 words, photos. With GLF--LPGA-Sorenstam, GLF--Golf Notes, GLF--Golf Glance (sent).
NOTABLE
HKN-AROUND THE NHL
NHL referees and linesmen are working multiple consecutive games between the same teams this season. It has allowed them to build up more of a rapport with players even with pandemic restrictions. By Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 790 words, photos by 3 a.m.
CAR--NASCAR-DAYTONA-CLASH
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Kyle Busch snagged the first win of the new season, streaking past NASCAR champion Chase Elliott after Elliott spun leader Ryan Blaney in the final stretch of the exhibition Busch Clash. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. SENT: 680 words, photos. With separates CAR--NASCAR-Daytona-Cope, CAR--Daytona-Rival Buddies (sent).
FBN-INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' run from the wild card to Super Bowl champions was a remarkable one. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 3 a.m.
FBN--SPORTS BETTING-SUPER BOWL
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - America's sportsbooks blanketed the country in waves of advertising in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. And they say the heavy spending was worth it to gain new sports betting customers. By Wayne Parry. SENT: 730 words, photos.
BKN--ROCKETS-PELICANS
NEW ORLEANS - Pelicans reserve Josh Hart went from being questionable to playing with back spams to scrapping for 40 minutes because of Zion Williamson's early foul trouble. By Brett Martel. SENT: 770 words, photos. With BKN-Mavericks-Cuban-Anthem (sent).
HKN--LIGHTNING-PREDATORS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist, Joseph scored twice on his 24th birthday and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves to lead the streaking Tampa Bay Lightning past the Nashville Predators 6-1. SENT: 670 words, photos.
BKC--T25-WEST VIRGINIA-TEXAS TECH
LUBBOCK, Texas - Sean McNeil scored a career-high 26 points and No. 14 West Virginia finished a regular-season sweep of seventh-ranked Texas Tech with an 82-71 victory over the Red Raiders. SENT: 660 words, photos.
BKC--T25-REDSHIRTED ROSTERS
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Adam Flagler got to watch Baylor win a lot of games while redshirting last season, and now they are among six former redshirts playing for the undefeated No. 2 Bears. The starting lineup for No. 21 Wisconsin includes three fifth-year seniors. By Stephen Hawkins. SENT: 870 words, photos. With BKC-Pac-12 This Week (upcoming).
SOC--ENGLAND-DIVERSITY
Aston Villa player Neil Taylor is one of only 15 British players of Asian heritage in English soccer's four professional leagues. And the Wales international is working to grow the numbers of British Asians in the Premier League by mentoring the next generation. By Rob Harris. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 4 p.m.
AS-JAPAN-QUARANTINE-WHAT IT'S LIKE
TOKYO - A look at what quarantine is like in Olympic-host Japan. By Mayuko Ono. SENT: 830 words, photos.
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Wednesday Time Schedule (EST)
NBA
Toronto at Washington, 7 p.m.
Atlanta at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte at Memphis, 8 p.m.
Indiana at Brooklyn, 8 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Cleveland at Denver, 9 p.m.
New Orleans at Chicago, 9 p.m.
Milwaukee at Phoenix, 10 p.m.
Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, 10 p.m.
NHL
Boston at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
College Basketball (Top 25)
Men
No. 5 Villanova vs. Marquette, 9 p.m.
No. 8 Houston at South Florida, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Virginia at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m.
No. 10 Missouri at Mississippi, 9 p.m.
No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 25 Rutgers, 7:30 p.m.
No. 16 Tennessee vs. Georgia, 8 p.m.
No. 21 Wisconsin at Nebraska, 9:30 p.m.
Women
No. 2 UConn vs. Seton Hall, 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 Baylor at Texas Tech, 7 p.m.
No. 12 Ohio St. at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
No. 15 Indiana vs. Penn St., 4 p.m.
No. 19 West Virginia vs. Kansas 7 p.m.
No. 22 DePaul at St. John's, 6:30 p.m.
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