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Analysis: On Stephen Curry, far more than a great shooter
Greatest shooter ever. That's what everyone has been calling Golden State's Stephen Curry for years now, for obvious reasons. Nobody in the history of basketball has made more 3-pointers or made the art of throwing a ball through a hoop look easier than Curry does. He has earned that distinction. And it still seems like he has been undersold. Thing is, Wardell Stephen Curry II is not just the greatest shooter ever. He's a four-time champion and finally an NBA Finals MVP. It's time to finally call him what he is: One of the greatest players ever.
US Open updates: Scheffler, Koepka make eagles to get in mix
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka made eagles within 60 seconds of each other on the par-5 14th hole to vault up the leaderboard at the U.S. Open. Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, hit a pitch shot from about 60 yards out of the deep rough that went in for a 3. Then Koepka knocked in a 14-foot putt. Scheffler's eagle put him at 2 under for the tournament, one shot behind five players tied for the lead, including M.J. Daffue, who had been at 6 under before making three bogeys on his back nine. Koepka's 3 put him at 1 under with four holes left in his round. The rest at 3 under, including Rory McIlroy, have afternoon tee times at The Country Club.
Female champion at The Country Club wrote the book on golf
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — The winner of the first major held at the history-steeped golf course hosting this week's U.S. Open served up plenty of solid lessons that still hold true today. Her name: Genevieve Hecker. Hecker's victory in the U.S. women's amateur in 1902 made her a perfect fit to write "Golf For Women," the first instruction book written specifically for women. It's a manual that, in some ways, remains every bit as relevant in 2022 as it was when it came out. Hecker's second straight title in the country's most prestigious women's event came 11 years before Francis Ouimet put golf on the map in America by winning the U.S. Open at The Country Club. Her victory came seven decades before Title IX changed the landscape for women in sports forever in the U.S.
Excitement and disappointment as World Cup 2026 cities named
Cheers and sighs met FIFA's announcement of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup. The winners included sites like Los Angeles, Mexico City and Toronto. But the big announcement was a disappointment for cities that were on the bubble. The crowd at a watch party in Washington D.C., was sullen when the last of the cities was announced. It was just the third time that a nation's capital has not been included as a host city. A similar scene played out in Denver. That was in contrast to the cheers in Kansas City.
Title IX creating opportunities for international athletes
MILAN (AP) — Maria Bulanova was surprised she could be recruited to the bowling team at Vanderbilt University "all the way from Russia." It was a chance for Tze-Han Lin to go from Taiwan to the University of Oregon to play golf on a full scholarship. Both of them and many other international athletes playing college sports in the United States had little sense of Title IX when they were younger. But the federal law has opened the door for thousands of female athletes to get an education in the United States.
Larry Nassar loses last appeal in sexual assault scandal
DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected a final appeal from sports doctor Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting gymnasts, including Olympic medalists. The court declined to take the case Friday. Nassar says he was treated unfairly in 2018 and deserved a new hearing, based on provocative comments by a judge who called him a "monster." Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said Nassar would "wither" in prison like the wicked witch in "The Wizard of Oz." She told Nassar that she had signed his death warrant with a 40-year sentence. Nassar pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts, dancers and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatments for hip and leg injuries.
Vince McMahon will step down during WWE misconduct probe
Vince McMahon is stepping down as CEO and chairman of WWE during an an investigation into alleged misconduct involving the longtime leader and public face of the organization. McMahon will continue to oversee WWE's creative content during the investigation, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. said Friday. McMahon's daughter, Stephanie, will serve as interim CEO and chairwoman. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the board was investigating a $3 million settlement that McMahon paid to a departing female employee with whom he allegedly had a consensual affair.
Holmgren visits with Magic, as No. 1 pick intrigue builds
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren was wrapping up a multiday visit with the Orlando Magic. They hold the No. 1 pick in next week's NBA draft. A person with knowledge of Holmgren's visit said meetings, interviews and a dinner with team officials were all part of the process during his time with Orlando. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because neither side publicly revealed specifics about the visit. There are three players who are the clear frontrunners for the No. 1 pick. They are Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero. Smith worked out for the Magic last week. Banchero expects to meet with the Magic in the coming days.
AP source: Commanders fined for excessive practice contact
A person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press the NFL has fined the Washington Commanders $100,000 and stripped the team of two offseason workouts next year because of excessive contact in practice among players. The fine applies to coach Ron Rivera. One particular hit in organized team activities incensed Rivera to the point he stopped practice to lecture his team. The fine is the latest off-field development for the Commanders after assistant Jack Del Rio was fined for downplaying the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and a lawyer for Dan Snyder told Congress the team's owner would not testify at a hearing next week.
Nebraska rushes to build horse tracks despite few fans
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Horse races are regularly held in only two spots in Nebraska, but the tracks in Grand Island and Columbus are usually pretty quiet apart from the rumble of thoroughbreds that stomp past the often empty grandstands. Suddenly, though, large and small communities throughout the state are clamoring to reopen mothballed tracks or build new ones. The reason is a push for casinos. Due to a quirk in voter-backed initiatives that for the first time legalized casino gambling in Nebraska, only spots with state-sanctioned horse tracks can open casinos. The sudden embrace of the sport has led to plenty of eye-rolling and more serious concerns about finding enough jockeys, exercise riders and veterinarians and whether spectators will actually show up for races.
