Alabama's Najee Harris hurdles over a Notre Dame defender after Megan Rapinoe tells him to - CNN

Mission emphatically accomplished.

In Friday's College Football Playoff Rose Bowl semifinal between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Harris did just that, leaping over a Fighting Irish defender during a 53-yard gain in the first quarter.

Rapinoe promptly responded via Instagram, saying, "You really did it!! It was for me right?!"

The reason for Rapinoe's request? Harris had said in a Rose Bowl press conference Tuesday that he looks up to the US Soccer star.

Harris has been known to celebrate after scoring a touchdown with his arms outstretched, like Rapinoe's goal celebrations at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

Here's what Harris had to say about Rapinoe when he was speaking with reporters this week:

"Megan go crazy," Harris said. "She's from California, first of all, and she listens to Nipsey. Nipsey Hussle, one of my favorite rappers, too. She gave a shoutout to him.

"Really all the stuff she stands up for. She's a feminist and how the females, how women in the world gets treated unfairly and how they get paid different and different stuff than men.

"She stands up for all that. I like how she does that. And obviously the social injustice that happens, she plays a part in all that. And for her to be a woman and saying all that stuff, and it could be scary for her, for being a woman in what they will say is a man's world, and her just playing a part, standing up, not listening to all the naysayers out there and really just standing up for what she believes in, it's motivating. And it's inspirational.

"Me as a male, I guess you could say, like maybe not too many males will like say they look up to a woman nowadays. But I really look up to her, just for what she does outside of sports. And I guess I had to give her a shoutout and stuff."

Rapinoe responded to Harris' comments on Twitter, saying to "hurdle someone for me!"

Alabama went on to defeat Notre Dame 31-14, advancing to the national championship game.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 02, 2021 at 07:57AM
https://ift.tt/3o8oqXV

Alabama's Najee Harris hurdles over a Notre Dame defender after Megan Rapinoe tells him to - CNN
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7

Ohio State Buckeyes down two starters, more vs. Clemson Tigers in CFP semifinal - ESPN

7:05 PM ET

No. 3 Ohio State will be without two starters and several other key reserves against No. 2 Clemson in Friday's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Starting guard Harry Miller and running back Master Teague III both are out, according to the team's availability report. Defensive end Zach Harrison, who has two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in a reserve role, also will miss the game, as will reserve defensive lineman Tyler Friday.

Clemson announced defensive end Xavier Thomas will miss the game. Thomas was in "protocols," coach Dabo Swinney said earlier in the week. Thomas, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the spring, has 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss in seven games (one start).

2 Related

Teague started each of Ohio State's first six games, while Miller started all except the Michigan State game. Teague leads Ohio State in both carries (89) and rushing touchdowns (6), although Trey Sermon has emerged recently with 443 rushing yards in his past two games, including a team-record 331 against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game. Freshman Miyan Williams likely will see increased action behind Sermon against Clemson.

Ohio State doesn't list the reasons for any player absences, although several Buckeyes who appeared on earlier availability reports later confirmed they had tested positive for COVID-19. Star wide receiver Chris Olave, starting linebacker Baron Browning and top punter Drue Chrisman, who all missed the Big Ten championship game against Northwestern, did not appear on Friday's report and are expected to play.

Olave has 36 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns, while Browning ranks third on the team with 23 tackles, and has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Safety Ronnie Hickman, who has five tackles this season, will be a game-time decision for Ohio State. Starting quarterback Justin Fields, who injured the thumb on his throwing hand in the Big Ten title game, did not appear on the report.

Clemson finished its COVID-19 testing before traveling to New Orleans. Ohio State, per Big Ten protocols, went through a final round of testing Friday morning.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 02, 2021 at 07:07AM
https://ift.tt/351SVas

Ohio State Buckeyes down two starters, more vs. Clemson Tigers in CFP semifinal - ESPN
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7

Georgia stages dramatic Peach Bowl comeback, crushes Cincinnati's undefeated dreams - Fox News

The University of Georgia scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning 53-yard field goal from Jack Podlesny to defeat the University of Cincinnati 24-21 in the Peach Bowl to end the Bearcats’ hopes of a perfect season.

The Bulldogs kicked the field goal to cap off an eight-play, 44-yard drive that started with five consecutive completions from quarterback J.T. Daniels. He threw a 4-yard pass to John FitzPatrick to get Georgia to the Cincinnati 36-yard line before throwing two incomplete passes, which were followed by a field goal.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The field goal would put the Bulldogs up 22-21 with 3 seconds left in the game. Georgia secured a safety on Cincinnati to add two more points to its final score.

Daniels finished 26-for-38 with 392 passing yards, a touchdown pass and an interception. George Pickens had the lone touchdown catch. He finished with seven catches for 135 yards.

Podlesny hit two field goals in the fourth quarter and Zamir White ran for a 9-yard touchdown to help the comeback.

Cincinnati ends its season with one loss. The Bearcats were leading 21-10 at the end of the third quarter.

MISSISSIPPI STATE, TULSA END ARMED FORCES BOWL WITH MAJOR BRAWL

Desmond Ridder was 24-for-37 with 206 passing yards and two touchdown passes for the Bearcats. Jerome Ford ran for 97 yards and a touchdown to lead all ball-carriers. Josh Whyle and Alec Pierce both had a touchdown catch.

For Podlesny, it’s the longest made field goal of his collegiate career. The sophomore was 76.9% in field-goal attempts coming in with his previous long being 51 yards.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Georgia is now on a two-game bowl winning streak. Cincinnati finishes the 2020 season 9-1 and their two-game bowl winning streak broken.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 02, 2021 at 05:31AM
https://ift.tt/2JFALnE

Georgia stages dramatic Peach Bowl comeback, crushes Cincinnati's undefeated dreams - Fox News
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7

Sugar Bowl: Ohio State vs. Clemson live stream, watch online, TV channel, kickoff time, prediction, game odds - CBS Sports

USATSI

It's almost as if postseason matchups between No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State are becoming a standard college football tradition that rivals the bowl games themselves. Friday's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl will be the fifth time these two programs have met, and all five will have taken place in bowl games.

The first came back in the 1978 Gator Bowl when the Tigers beat the Buckeyes 17-15. It would be 36 years before they met again when they squared off in the 2014 Orange Bowl, but this year's game will mark the fourth meeting in the last seven years and the third time in a College Football Playoff game. Of course, while the stakes have changed, the results have been the same.

Clemson has won all four of the meetings so far, including a 31-0 blowout in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. That win propelled the Tigers to their first national title. Last year's Fiesta Bowl reunion was much closer with Clemson winning 29-23. Will moving from the desert to the bayou will do the Buckeyes well, or will Clemson continue its dominance of the series?

Viewing information

Game: Sugar Bowl -- College Football Playoff semifinal
Date: Friday, Jan. 1 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome -- New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)

Storylines

Clemson: The Clemson program has reached a point where you almost feel like you can ignore it during the regular season because you know it's going to win the ACC and make the College Football Playoff. Well, there was a little bit of doubt this year due to Notre Dame's presence in the conference, but even when the Fighting Irish beat Clemson 47-40, you still thought they would have to do it a second time. That meeting went much better for the Tigers as they beat the Irish 34-10 with Trevor Lawrence back behind center. Now they're back in the playoff for the sixth time (tied with Alabama for the most appearances) in its seven-year history and are looking to win their seventh playoff game. Doing so would put the Tigers in the title game for the fifth time.

Ohio State: It was a strange season for Ohio State, even by the strange standards of college football in 2020 as a whole. First, the Buckeyes had their season postponed by the Big Ten, only for the conference to do a 180 on the decision. Then after getting off to a hot start, the Buckeyes' season was delayed again when their game against Maryland was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns with the Terrapins. They came back and struggled against a top 10 Indiana team but won. The next week their game against Illinois was canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Buckeyes. Again they returned for a game -- a 52-12 blowout of Michigan State -- before the regular-season finale against Michigan was canceled due to COVID-19. It was a stop and start season that made it difficult for the Buckeyes to get into a rhythm. Now they enter the playoff having played only six games and facing a Clemson team that's been a pain in their rear.

Sugar Bowl prediction, pick

Latest Odds: Clemson Tigers -7.5

I'm not sure why Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has been so willing to provide Ohio State with bulletin board material the last few weeks, but he's not shy about it. Swinney is adamant about his belief that Ohio State shouldn't have been selected for the College Football Playoff because it only played six games. Now, we all know that if had it been Clemson who had been limited to only six games, Swinney would not be arguing his team didn't belong. Still, it doesn't mean he's wrong. It is advantageous for the Buckeyes to only have to play six games, but I don't think it's enough of an advantage that they win this game. When Clemson has Lawrence, it has looked like the juggernaut we all expected it to be. Ohio State looked terrific in its first three games but has been inconsistent since with Justin Fields especially struggling to find his confidence. Unless Fields reverts to his elite form, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes keeping this game within a touchdown. Pick: Clemson -7.5 | Clemson 31, Ohio State 21

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 01, 2021 at 10:15AM
https://ift.tt/3n0KtP7

Sugar Bowl: Ohio State vs. Clemson live stream, watch online, TV channel, kickoff time, prediction, game odds - CBS Sports
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7

John Wall scores 22 in Houston Rockets debut following 2-year injury layoff - ESPN

11:44 PM ET

John Wall had problems sleeping the night before, as his heart and mind raced in anticipation of his Houston Rockets debut, a comeback from a two-year injury layoff that was delayed another week by an NBA-mandated quarantine because of COVID-19 protocols.

It had been 735 days, as Wall precisely pointed out after the Rockets' 122-119 win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night in Houston, since he had last played in an NBA game that counted. He had since undergone surgery to remove the bone spurs in his left heel that had bothered him for years, then another operation to repair the Achilles tendon he tore while recovering from that operation, then been traded from the Washington Wizards along with a protected first-round pick for Russell Westbrook.

"It was great, man, just to get out there and have fun," Wall said after his 22-point, 6-rebound, 9-assist performance in the win. "When I get between those four lines and once the ball touches my hands after the jump ball, I was fine. I was happy to be able to compete with some of the best guys in this league and [demonstrate] that I have the ability to be one of the best point guards in this league."

Wall said that he feels "amazing" physically. He displayed the elite speed and explosiveness that were key factors in his making five straight All-Star appearances before injuries interrupted his career, scoring six of his eight baskets against the Kings on dunks or layups, including a couple on one-man fast breaks.

• 
• 

1 Related

"He looks like he's back in his All-Star mode," said Rockets center Christian Wood, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds.

"He was extremely aggressive, making plays, defensively getting after it," said Rockets superstar James Harden, who had 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter. "He looked really, really good, especially for not playing in two years."

Wall, however, readily acknowledged that there was also plenty of room for improvement after his Rockets debut. He specifically pointed to his five turnovers and poor 3-point shooting (2-of-8).

"Having 22, 9 and 6 is not bad for my first game in two years," said Wall, who averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists during his decade-long tenure with the Wizards. "I can pat myself on the back for that, and I know that I'll be even better for the next game."

Wall is early in the process of developing a rapport with fellow ball-dominant guard Harden, who missed time in the preseason after his brief holdout that was related to his request to be traded. Wall had to sit out a week -- including the Rockets' two-game road trip -- because he was a close contact of rookie Kenyon Martin Jr., who tested positive for the coronavirus the day after getting a haircut at Wall's apartment.

"They haven't been together, and we're still trying to figure it out -- who has it and who's playing off the ball some," Rockets coach Stephen Silas said of Wall and Harden. "They're kind of figuring it out on their own with my help. That relationship has to grow and get better and better."

Wall presented the game ball to Silas in the locker room to celebrate his first win as a head coach, but he admitted that he considered keeping it for himself given the personal meaning of the game.

"His first time being a head coach, I think he deserved it," Wall said. "But I got an opportunity to keep my jersey. That's definitely going in my trophy room."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 01, 2021 at 11:47AM
https://ift.tt/3pCeDK4

John Wall scores 22 in Houston Rockets debut following 2-year injury layoff - ESPN
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7

Pakistan arrests 31 people over demolishing of Hindu temple - Associated Press

PESHAWAR, pakistan (AP) — Pakistani police arrested at least 31 people in overnight raids after a Hindu temple was set on fire and demolished by a mob led by hundreds of supporters of a radical Islamist party, officials said Thursday.

Meanwhile, dozens of Hindus rallied in the southern port city of Karachi to demand the rebuilding of their place of worship.

The temple’s destruction Wednesday in Karak, a town in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also drew condemnation from human rights activists and leaders of Pakistan’s minority Hindu community.

Local police said they detained 31 people overnight and Thursday’s raids and more raids were underway to arrest radical cleric Maulana Shareef and other individuals who participated or provoked the mob to demolish the temple.

The attack happened after members of the Hindu community received permission from local authorities to renovate the temple. According to police and witnesses, the mob was led by Shareef and supporters of Pakistan’s radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party,

ADVERTISEMENT

Angered over the attack, about 100 members of the Hindu community rallied in Karachi. Among them was Ramesh Kumar, a member of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament.

Kumar, also a Hindu leader, told demonstrators he received assurances from the government that their temple would be rebuilt and that those responsible for the attack would be arrested and punished.

Kumar said he received a call from Prime Minister Imran Khan and Khan expressed his sympathy. He said Khan assured him all steps will be taken to ensure the protection of minorities and their places of worship.

Kumar said Pakistan’s Supreme Court had sought a report from authorities about the attack, which also damaged a shrine located next to the temple. “We are very sad, our hearts are broken,” he said.

Kumar said the same temple had been damaged in 1997 and local clerics linked to Wednesday’s attack had also incited Muslims previously. He claimed that Shareef, the local cleric who led the attack, had fled with armed men in tow and authorities ordered troops to capture them.

Earlier, Pakistan’s minister for religious affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, called the attack on the temple “a conspiracy against sectarian harmony.” He took to Twitter Thursday, saying attacks on places of worship of minority religious groups are not allowed in Islam and “protection of religious freedom of minorities is our religious, constitutional, moral and national responsibility.”

The incident comes weeks after the government allowed Hindu residents to build a new temple in Islamabad on the recommendation of a council of clerics.

Although Muslims and Hindus generally live peacefully together in Pakistan, there have been other attacks on Hindu temples in recent years. Most of Pakistan’s minority Hindus migrated to India in 1947 when India was divided by Britain’s government.

___

Farooq reported from Karachi, Pakistan.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

World - Latest - Google News
December 31, 2020 at 06:52PM
https://ift.tt/2KI3GrL

Pakistan arrests 31 people over demolishing of Hindu temple - Associated Press
World - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SeTG7d

Trae Young And Hawks Prove To Be Contenders But Kyrie Shoots Them Down In 4th - BBALLBREAKDOWN

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. Trae Young And Hawks Prove To Be Contenders But Kyrie Shoots Them Down In 4th  BBALLBREAKDOWN
2. FILM STUDY: Was Kevin Durant right? Are Nets being too ‘helpful’ this holiday season?  NetsDaily
3. HAWKS at NETS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | December 30, 2020  NBA
4. Preview: Atlanta Hawks look to avenge Wednesday’s loss to Brooklyn Nets  Peachtree Hoops
5. Perk proclaims Trae Young as Steph Curry 2.0 | The Jump  ESPN
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

Sports - Latest - Google News
January 01, 2021 at 07:36AM
https://ift.tt/3n1w6db

Trae Young And Hawks Prove To Be Contenders But Kyrie Shoots Them Down In 4th - BBALLBREAKDOWN
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7