President of Iran’s soccer federation says World Cup participation in US is in doubt
The president of Iran’s soccer federation says he does not know if the national team can play World Cup matches in the United States following the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment of his country. Mehdi Taj tells sports portal Varzesh3, “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.” Taj was speaking as Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the bombardment. Iran has been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and is scheduled to play two games in Inglewood, California, and another in Seattle.
Tyler Reddick makes NASCAR history at COTA with 3rd straight win to start the season
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tyler Reddick became the first driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win the first three races of the season with a victory Sunday at the Circuit of Americas. Driving a Toyota co-owned by Michael Jordan, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500 and a week later at Atlanta, then won from the pole in the first road course race of the year. Reddick held off hard-charging Shane van Gisbergen, the Trackhouse driver and the series’ dominate road driver, over the final 20 laps. Jordan was with Reddick’s 23XI pit crew exchanging high fives as Reddick crossed the finish line. Van Gisbergen lost his bid for a record-tying sixth consecutive road win. Reddick has 11th career victories, also winning at COTA in 2023.
Nico Echavarria wins the Cognizant Classic with a flawless weekend after Shane Lowry melts down late
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Nico Echavarria has won the Cognizant Classic after a meltdown by Shane Lowry on the closing stretch at PGA National. Echavarria was three shots back with three holes to play but ended up with a two-shot victory over Lowry on Sunday. The 31-year-old from Colombia shot a 5-under 66 to finish at 17-under 267. It was the third PGA Tour victory and first in the United States for Echavarria, who is heading to the Masters for a second time. Lowry hit his tee shot on the par-4 16th hole into the water, leading to double bogey, and did the same thing on the par-3 17th.
LA Kings fire coach Jim Hiller and name D.J. Smith as the interim replacement
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have fired coach Jim Hiller after losing five of their past six games and falling out of playoff position. D.J. Smith was named the interim replacement for the rest of the season on Sunday in the first coaching change by general manager Ken Holland, who kept Hiller behind the bench when he took over the front office last May. Hiller was in just his second full season in the charge of the Kings, who looked lifeless in an 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.
USC 2nd-leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara abruptly out of the program with no explanation
LOS ANGELES (AP) — USC says Chad Baker-Mazara is no longer part of its men’s basketball program. The team released a short statement that provided no explanation. Baker-Mazara played Saturday in a loss to No. 12 Nebraska and scored 14 points in the first half. He fell hard near the baseline and didn’t return after playing three minutes in the second half. Coach Eric Musselman says Baker-Mazara told him that he couldn’t go back in. USC was Baker-Mazara’s fifth school in his college career. He helped Auburn reach the Final Four last season. The 26-year-old graduate student is from the Dominican Republic.
Lindsey Heaps and Jaedyn Shaw score as USWNT blanks Argentina 2-0 in SheBelieves Cup
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The United States women’s national team has secured its sixth straight shutout victory. Lindsey Heaps had a goal and an assist, and Jaedyn Shaw also scored in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Argentina in the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville, Tennessee. The U.S. has outscored opponents 27-1 over its past seven games. Coach Emma Hayes’ squad hasn’t lost since falling 2-1 to Portugal in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 23. Lily Reale exited the game after being treated for a right leg injury. During stoppage time, Argentina’s Milagros Martín was assessed a yellow card for shoving Trinity Rodman in the back.
Double duty: Masters and select group of Paralympians compete in both Summer and Winter Games
Oksana Masters is the most decorated American Winter Paralympian and is part of a select group of multi-sport athletes who have been competing in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, having to master different skills to succeed in entirely different disciplines every two years. In the last two decades or so there have been some 120 athletes participating in both the Summer and Winter Paralympics. Masters, who is a double leg amputee, competed in every Paralympics since 2012, earning medals in Para cross-country and Para biathlon in the winter and Para cycling and Para rowing in the summer.
Spurs’ poor performance that ends 11-game winning streak leaves Victor Wembanyama surprised
NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama was surprised. His San Antonio Spurs, who were untouchable in February, were unsteady to start March. San Antonio didn’t respond well to the New York Knicks’ defensive pressure Sunday and had its 11-game winning streak snapped with a 114-89 loss. Wembanyama expected the Spurs to stand up better at Madison Square Garden, but instead never recovered from the Knicks’ 26-2 run in the first half. The Spurs were 11-0 in February. They became the first team in NBA history to go unbeaten and score at least 110 points in every game while playing at least 10 in a month.
Golden Knights’ Mark Stone leaves game at Penguins with an undisclosed injury
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left his team’s game at the Pittsburgh Penguins because of an undisclosed injury. Kris Letang gave Stone a seemingly harmless shove to the left arm with his stick in the neutral zone late in the first period. Stone grimaced in pain, went down to one knee and skated off. The 33-year-old winger has a history of injuries sidelining him throughout his NHL career over the past decade-plus. Stone is the Golden Knights’ second-leading scorer with 60 points in 42 games. He just helped Canada reach the final at the Olympics before losing to the U.S. in overtime.
Knight delivers joke during ‘SNL’ appearance featuring US men and women hockey gold medal winners
This time it was Hilary Knight’s turn to provide a big laugh in the wake of a weeklong dustup involving the United States women and men’s gold medal-winning hockey teams. Knight, the U.S. women’s captain, along with teammate Megan Keller and men’s team brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, made an appearance during “Heated Rivalry” star Connor Storrie’s opening monologue on SNL. Knight joked it was going to be only the women, but they decided to invite the men, too. The remark was a reference to a controversy that arose when President Trump invited the men to attend his State of the Union speech. He then joked he’d have to invite the women or risk getting impeached.
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