Brian Norman Jr to battle Janelson Bocachica on March 2

Following three impressive victories in 2023, welterweight standout Brian Norman Jr. is gearing up for a breakthrough year.

Norman will defend his WBO International title against Janelson Bocachica in a 10-rounder on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Norman-Bocachica joins a stacked undercard that will be headlined by the vacant WBA featherweight world title showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American contender Raymond Ford.

In the co-feature, Mexico’s Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF crown against Japanese upstart Reiya Abe.

Kholmatov-Ford, Lopez-Abe and undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Norman (25-0, 19 KOs) made his pro debut in January 2018 and went 11-0 in his first year in the paid ranks. In 2021, he fought four times, including a first-round TKO against Roque Agustin Junco that December. After a year-long layoff, Norman regained his momentum in 2023 by tallying eight-round decisions against Rodrigo Coria in January and Jesus Perez in May before capturing his first regional title against Quinton Randall in November. Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) went 16-0 before handing Mark Reyes Jr. his first pro defeat in February 2021. Since then, he’s been involved in several close contests, including a narrow decision loss to Alberto Palmetta last November.

The undercard will showcase a variety of emerging talents from the Top Rank roster, as well as the return of a home region hero:

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (9-0, 1 KO) will see action in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Ragan signed with Top Rank in August 2020 and fought four times as a pro before capturing the silver medal in Tokyo. He then continued his career in the paid ranks in 2022 by scoring four additional victories. The Cincinnati native toughed out a split decision victory against Jose Perez last October.

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs) will lock horns against Tarik Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs). Polanco conquered a trio of stiff tests last year, each with only one career loss. He decisioned Ricardo Quiroz in April and earned stoppages against Cesar Francis in July and Keith Hunter in December. Zaina aims to build off his biggest triumph yet, a unanimous decision win over Argentine contender Marcelino Lopez.

U.S. Olympian Troy Isley (11-0, 4 KOs) will face Marcos Hernandez (16-6-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. The 25-year-old looks to build off a successful 2023, including a unanimous decision verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez in November.

Heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore (13-0, 8 KOs) takes on Helaman Olguin (9-6-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Moore returns following his Top Rank debut in November, an eight-round decision over Robert Simms.

Floyd Diaz (10-0, 3 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in an eight-round bantamweight tilt against the upset-minded Puerto Rican Edwin Rodriguez (12-7-2, 5 KOs). Diaz decisioned once-beaten Max Ornelas for a regional title in November.

Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs) will make his 2024 debut in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. The grandson of “The Greatest” starts his 2024 following a points triumph over Noel Lafargue last December in Conakry, Guinea.

Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (14-1, 5 KOs), who hails from nearby Liverpool, New York, will square off against Gerffred Ngayot (6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Jackson, Purdy, Allen, McCaffrey, Prescott named finalists for NFL MVP

The NFL and The Associated Press have announced the finalists for their annual awards for the 2023 NFL season.

Headlining the list for MVP are three players playing this weekend, Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy, and Christian McCaffrey.

Award winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas.

Here is the full list of awards and finalists:

AP Most Valuable Player

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

AP Coach of the Year

Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans

Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers

Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

AP Assistant Coach of the Year

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions

Mike Macdonald, Baltimore Ravens

Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens

Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns

Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans

AP Offensive Player of the Year

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Defensive Player of the Year

DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys

Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders

Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Comeback Player of the Year

Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year

Will Anderson, Houston Texans

Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles

Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers

Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams

Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks

NFL Honors also features the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year announcement and the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame Class the week leading up to the Super Bowl.

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Thurman-Tszyu, Romero-Cruz headline PBC PPV on Amazon Prime

A pair of all-action, high-stakes showdowns will top a stacked four-fight pay-per-view event as two-time world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman duels rising star and reigning world champion Tim Tszyu in the main event while 140-pound world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero and Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz meet in the co-main event on Saturday, March 30 in the inaugural PBC Pay-Per-View available on Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The card marks the debut event for PBC Pay-Per-View available through Prime Video since the parties announced a multiyear rights agreement in December.

No word on the price of the pay-per-view.

The pay-per-view will also see Cuban star and reigning WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defend his belt against No. 1 rated mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa, plus all-action super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will meet streaking contender Serhii Bohachuk in the pay-per-view opener

*KEITH THURMAN VS. TIM TSZYU*\

The main event will see the former unified world champion Thurman, a long-time stalwart at welterweight, take his first crack at the super welterweight division as he faces the undefeated reigning WBO 154-pound World Champion Tszyu in a 12-round non-title showdown.

Clearwater, Florida’s Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) earned his “One Time” moniker by talking the talk and delivering with highlight-reel KOs. He has assembled one of the most impressive resumes among the top welterweights of this generation, having defeated former champions Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero. That showdown with Garcia saw him become a unified world champion in a rare unification bout between undefeated welterweight world champions. Thurman’s only blemish came in a 2019 Fight of the Year against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, with Thurman ending up on the wrong side of a narrow split-decision. Most recently, Thurman bested former world champion and current highly ranked welterweight Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in February 2022.

“I’m back in action and I’m happy to be a part of this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” said Thurman. “Tszyu stands out as an exceptional fighter, and I’ve always held admiration for his performances. His distinctive style provides the perfect stage for me to exhibit the relentless dedication I’ve poured into training, refining my skills, and fortifying my mental game. This fight promises a spectacular showdown between two of the most electrifying fighters in the sport, an event that demands attention. Good things come to those that wait. Them days are over, bright lights and action are up ahead. Let’s shake up the world of boxing one more time on Prime Video.”

The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, the 29-year-old Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) comes off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former world champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza and former title challenger Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Australia, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.

“I’ve been ready and waiting to headline a historic event like this in the U.S. for a very long time and it’s an honor that I don’t take lightly,” said Tszyu. “My father did it, and was at the top of the world for a decade, now it’s my turn. Thurman is a great fight, he’s tricky, tough and he’s mixed it with the very best the sport has seen. This is a new era now. It’s the Tszyu era. On March 30, everyone who tunes into this pay-per-view is going to see for themselves.”

*ROLANDO ROMERO VS. ISAAC CRUZ*

The WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Romero will make the first defense of his world title in a 12-round matchup against the top lightweight contender Cruz, who will look to debut at 140-pounds with a championship-winning performance in the night’s co-main event.

Part of the Mayweather Promotions stable, Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) is known for his brash talk that he backs up with power in both hands as well as an exciting, unique style that makes him a must-see whenever he steps between the ropes. The 28-year-old rose to the ranks of world champion in his last outing, stopping Ismael Barroso in round nine to win the title in May. It was Romero’s first return to the ring since a May 2022 defeat against three-division champion Gervonta Davis. Prior to the Davis fight, the Las Vegas resident Romero won an interim title in August 2020 by earning a close but unanimous decision over then unbeaten Jackson Marinez.

“This is gonna be Rolly versus the Chihuahua in the ring on March 30,” said Romero. “I’m gonna stay world champ and be the first superstar on Prime Video. Just make sure you buy your tickets or tune in on pay-per-view, don’t miss this one.”

One of the most exciting fighters in boxing, the 25-year-old Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs) has racked up three consecutive victories since dropping a competitive and entertaining decision against undefeated superstar Gervonta Davis in December 2021. A native of Mexico City, Cruz shot up the lightweight rankings in 2020, announcing his presence with an electrifying first-round knockout over veteran Diego Magdaleno in October before adding dominant decisions over Francisco Vargas and Jose Matias Romero. After stopping former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in April 2022 and veteran contender Eduardo Ramirez in September 2022, Cruz returned this past July to turn away the previously unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera by decision.

“I’m very happy and extremely motivated to have this opportunity to fight for the world title,” said Cruz. “I’ve worked extremely hard to earn this shot. I’ve tried to fight other big names, but ‘Rolly’ was the only one to step up and accept the challenge. He’s got power and courage, and he comes to knock you out. That’s going to make this a great fight on March 30. I’m thankful to my promoter Manny Pacquiao and my whole team for helping secure this fight for me. I will leave the ring as world champion on March 30.”

*ERISLANDY LARA VS. MICHAEL ZERAFA*

Unbeaten in two fights at middleweight, Lara will defend his WBA Middleweight World Championship against the WBA’s top-rated mandatory challenger Zerafa in a 12-round attraction on the pay-per-view lineup.

Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound world champion before he lost a tough split-decision to Jarrett Hurd in a 2018 title unification match that earned “Fight of the Year” from the BWAA. Lara returned from that fight and battled former 154-pound world titleholder Brian Castaño to an exciting draw in another narrow fight that could have gone Lara’s way. Lara most recently moved up to middleweight, capturing his WBA title with a first round knockout of Thomas LaManna in May 2021, before KO’ing Gary O’Sullivan in May 2022. Lara faced a slew of the top 154-pounders in the sport, including Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight debut.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and defending my title, especially on this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” said Lara. “I feel like I’m the modern day Bernard Hopkins and that I can keep doing this for years. I know that Zerafa has been waiting patiently for this opportunity, so he’s going to be hungry on fight night. But he’s going to realize that he’s now on the world class level facing the best fighter in the division. It’s an honor to be on this great card that’s going to be action packed from start to finish.”

Melbourne, Australia’s Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs) is long established as one of his country’s top contenders and has won four-straight to earn the title fight on March 30. Zerafa has split a pair of matchups against former champion and Australian rival Jeff Horn in addition to a first round knockout of longtime contender Anthony Mundine. The 31-year-old previously fought stateside in 2015, as he dropped a contest to former middleweight champion Peter Quillin. The veteran has also challenged former champion Kell Brook and defeated previously unbeaten fighters Danilo Creati and Isaac Hardman in his last two fights.

“This is long overdue ever since I became the mandatory,” said Zerafa. “I’m very thankful to everyone who made this fight happen. Come fight night, the world will see why I deserve this opportunity and Australia will have a new world champion.”

*SEBASTIAN FUNDORA VS. SERHII BOHACHUK*

Already established as a must-see attraction, Fundora will return to face fellow highly ranked super welterweight Bohachuk in a 12-round fight for the vacant Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.

undora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. His unbeaten streak came to an end in his last outing, as he got caught and was defeated by Brian Mendoza in April of last year. At nearly 6-foot-6, the 26-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in April 2022, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round. Fundora represents a boxing family, as he is trained by his father Freddy alongside his younger sister, IBF Flyweight World Champion Gabriela.

“Training camp is going great and I’ve been working hard to get ready for this fight,” said Fundora. “I train 100% for every fight, so it’s been getting back to work as usual for me. I know I’ll win because my objective is still the same as before, to become world champion in the super welterweight division.”

A 28-year-old from Ukraine, Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs) now resides in Los Angeles, where he’s fought out of since turning pro. The 28-year-old has won five-straight outings, including 2023 stoppages of Nathaniel Gallimore and Patrick Allotey. This run has come after a defeat to Brandon Adams in March 2021 and has seen him rise back up the 154-pound rankings. He won his first 18 fights after turning pro in 2017 following an extensive amateur career.

“I can’t wait for this opportunity to fight for the title,” said Bohachuk. “I’ve worked my entire career for the chance to reach my dream in this sport. I will give everything to win this fight, because I’m not just fighting for myself, but also for my war-torn country of Ukraine.”

Wizards’ Unseld transitions to front office, Keefe to take over on interim basis

On Thursday, the Wizards announced that Wes Unseld Jr. would transition from his role as head coach of the Washington Wizards into a front-office advisory position.

Wizards lead assistant coach Brian Keefe will take over the team for the rest of the season, and according to the team, Washington will undertake a comprehensive head coach search in the offseason.

This season, Washington has not been very good, and are 7-36 after falling to the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

In two-and-a-half seasons with Washington, Unseld Jr., who was named head coach of the Wizards on July 17, 2021, compiled a record of 77-130.

“After several thoughtful conversations with Wes, we determined together that a change was needed for the benefit of the team,” said Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger. “Wes embodies the characteristics we value in our organization, and his vast basketball experience will be an asset to the front office as we progress toward our long-term goals. We are thankful that he will continue his contributions to our organization and community.” 

Unseld Jr., the son of Washington Bullets star Wes Unseld Sr., looks forward to his new position with the team.

“I am grateful to have served as head coach of the Washington Wizards,” said Unseld Jr. “I look forward to this new opportunity to work toward our organization’s continued progress.”

Keefe was named the Wizards’ lead assistant in July after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.  

Washington looked like a team that needed to go in a different direction, and a team that needed a new voice, and they will get that in the offseason.

The Wizards return to action on Thursday night when they host the Utah Jazz.

Cavs’ Jerome out indefinitely with ankle injury

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on January 23 to treat a right ankle impingement that has sidelined him since October 28, the team announced on Thursday.

According to the team, after recent imaging, repeated evaluation, and rehabilitation by the Cavaliers medical staff confirmed that surgery was the best course to heal the affected area.

The 26-year-old Jerome, who signed with the Cavs last summer, will be out indefinitely, and his return to basketball activities will be updated as appropriate, according to the Cavs.

This season, the fourth-year guard averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 assists per contest.

Cleveland returns to action Friday night when they face the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Pedraza: ‘I am not a stepping stone’

Former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza hosted a media workout yesterday at Felix Pagan Pintor Municipal Boxing Gym in his hometown of Cidra, Puerto Rico, ahead of his 10-round battle against Keyshawn Davis on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Davis-Pedraza will serve as the co-feature to the junior welterweight showdown between WBO and Ring Magazine world champion Teofimo Lopez and Jamaine Ortiz.

Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) captured the IBF junior lightweight world title against Andrey Klimov in June 2015 and made two successful title defenses. He then became a two-division champion by defeating Rey Beltran to earn the WBO lightweight world title in August 2018. After losing the belt in a unification showdown against Vasiliy Lomachenko, he moved up to 140 pounds, where he gave stiff tests to Jose Zepeda, Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey, Lindolfo Delgado and Arnold Barboza Jr. Pedraza hopes for another world title opportunity as he returns to the lightweight division. Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), a U.S. Olympic silver medalist, returns following his October majority decision win over Nahir Albright, which was later ruled a no contest.

This is what Pedraza had to say at Wednesday’s workout:

JOSÉ “SNIPER” PEDRAZA

“It’s been almost a year since my last fight. I needed the rest. And as they say in Puerto Rico, ‘my veins are already itching,’ so I’m ready to return to the ring. This has been a great training camp. I have done a lot of sparring, a lot of running up the mountains of Jajome and very solid weight training to achieve the excellent physical condition I am in for this fight. It has been a very complete training camp. I feel very good.”

“I believe the key is going to be throwing a lot of punches. I’m going to overwhelm him with a lot of punches. I’m going to use a lot of lateral movement as well. I will use all my experience. All of that is going to be key in this fight. He has youth on his side, but I have the experience. I wish him all the luck in the world, but be careful not to slip on this ‘stepping stone’. I am not a stepping stone!”

“He is a very talented young man with many skills. But he has the typical American style of moving a lot and counterpunching. He is very selective with his punches and uses his speed very well. I hope he comes well prepared because I am prepared to put on a great performance that will catapult me into the lightweight world title conversation. I want to become a world champion for a third time and cement my legacy in Puerto Rican boxing history.”

Photo: Top Rank Boxing

Eagles’ Sirianni is hoping to prove himself once again

After 11 games, the defending NFC champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, who were 10-1, had the best record in football and were considered one of the best teams in the NFL.

However, it went way downhill from there. Philly lost six of their last seven games, including getting routed by the Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the playoffs 32-9.

Philly went from one of the best teams in football to one of the worst teams as they lost to the Giants, Seahawks, and Cardinals near the end of the season.

Anytime things go awry, the way things went awry for the Eagles, changes must be made. The Eagles fired defensive coordinator Sean Desai, who lost play-calling duties to senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia, who was also let go. In addition, offensive coordinator Brian Johnson was relieved of his duties.

Some speculated that head coach Nick Sirianni could get fired as well, but after meeting with owner Jeffrey Lurie and Eagles executive vice president/GM Howie Roseman, he will return.

On Wednesday, Roseman and Sirianni addressed the media for the first time since the season ended, and according to reports, Sirianni had to explain his vision to Roseman and Lurie, which he discussed.

“Yeah, again, it was business as usual of how we go about an end-of-year meeting,” Sirianni said.

“Obviously my thought is there — it was just normal. It wasn’t anything different than it’s been the last three years.

“Now, in my mind, you’d better believe I’m thinking how do I re-prove myself. I was a young coach that Mr. Lurie and Howie, and this organization trusted to give the job to. I had to prove myself that this guy can lead the organization like they asked me to, and I had to prove myself from then.

“I think you ask me that question: did I have to sell my vision, no, because it was business as usual, but you’d better believe that I’m thinking after that 1-6 finish after starting the way we started and doing the things that we’ve done in the past that I’m thinking I’m going to prove them right again, and we’re going to prove them right. We’ve got to re-prove ourselves. We’ve got to go prove it again. That’s how I feel right now. That’s how I’m attacking this off-season. That’s how I’m attacking this upcoming season as we get ready for it. Just hungry to be able to prove myself again to Mr. Lurie and the faith that he’s had in me and Howie and the faith he’s had in me and the rest of the team and the city.”

Sirianni also discussed Johnson’s firing.

“Sure, we evaluated our season at the end of the year,” Sirianni explained. “Obviously are going to be in constant evaluation of this. We did what we thought was best at the time, and I can’t say enough good things about Brian, though. He’s a great football coach, and he’s going to have another opportunity to lead an offense, and I will miss him.

“Some of the things that we want to do as a team is grow in a lot of different areas and grow with some of the guys that have been in here with me for a while. So, it’s about coming up with fresh ideas and doing some things different.

“That’s exactly where we are right now. Brian being at that position — unfortunately, he’s the one that is leaving at this particular time. But I can’t tell you how much I appreciate him as a coach.

“We’ve had a lot of success here in the past three years, and Brian has contributed a lot to that. But like I said, it’s now about bringing in fresh ideas, some different thoughts than what a lot of the guys — sometimes when you’re with a group of guys like we’ve been together for three years, that group of guys, but in addition to that, it was a couple of the other guys that I’ve been with for multiple years, as well.”

“Just wanted to bring in some fresh ideas, and that’s where we are with that.”

Roseman was asked about his input in the team’s decision to give defensive play-calling duties to Patricia.

“Coach comes to me and tells me what he’s thinking,” Roseman said. “No different than when he decided to give [former Eagles offensive coordinator and current Colts head coach] Shane [Steichen] the play-calling duty, and he said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m going to do.’ I trust him with the coaching staff. That’s his responsibility, just like he trusts me with my front office staff. That’s how we’re structured here. That’s how the relationship works.

“I always want to be supportive for him and a resource if he needs me to do something, if he asks me a question, if he asks me an opinion in a situation like this. He had made up his mind, he had made the decision, and I’m going to support him.”

Sirianni was asked if he regretted going from Desai to Patricia.

“Yeah, obviously I understand that anything that I do, any decision that I make, if it doesn’t work out, you can look at it and second-guess it,’ he said. “We are where we are right now.

“At the time I made that decision, like I’ve told you guys, I made that decision because I thought it was the best decision for the team. Obviously, we all fell short at the end at those last six weeks of the season. All of us did.

“I’ll say obviously Matt was in a tough situation trying to — because you can’t completely change the defense, so he was trying to make some things happen with, quite frankly, things that weren’t his defense.

“I know I put Matt in a tough spot, and I know I put Sean in a tough spot, obviously. But at the time that I did that, I did it because I thought it was the best decision for the football team.

“There’s a lot of decisions I have to make like that, whether I go for it on fourth down in certain situations, what our philosophy is in a four-minute drive at the end of a game, and trust me, every time we do something like that, and it doesn’t work, I think to myself, what was the best thing, and I can only come back to that answer to you right now, is that — and forevermore, that at the time when I did it, I did it because I thought it was the best thing for the defense.”

Overall, Sirianni is probably on the hot seat next season. If this team falters, he could be out of a job, so the pressure is on him to fix things, and at this point, Lurie and Roseman believe he can get the job done.

40 million watched NFL Divisional Round

The NFL Divisional Round was a ratings hit!

According to the league, this year’s NFL Divisional Round averaged 40.0 million viewers (TV+Digital) – the highest on record dating back to 1988.

In total, 126.7 million viewers tuned in for the Divisional Round.

Highlights from the NFL’s Divisional Round include:

  • The Saturday primetime game on FOX between the Packers and 49ers averaged 37.5 million viewers, the most-watched Saturday NFL playoff game on record.

  • The Sunday primetime game on CBS between the Chiefs and Bills averaged 50.4 million viewers, the most-watched Divisional or Wild Card game on record.\

The schedule for this Sunday’s AFC and NFC Championship games is as follows:

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens – 3 p.m. ET on CBS

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers – 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX

USA Basketball announces finalists for 2024 Olympics

USA Basketball announced on Tuesday a 41-athlete player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team. The players were selected by USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and is subject to change.

The 12-member 2024 USA Men’s National Team, which will represent the United States at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris, will be announced at a later date.

Featuring 28 players who have represented the USA in Olympics and/or FIBA Men’s World Cup and who together have collected 23 Olympic or World Cup gold medals, the 2024 USA Men’s National Team finalists the following:

Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, De’Aaron Fox, Paul George,

Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., LeBron James, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Trae Young.

“The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” Hill said. “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”

The 2024 USA Men’s National Team will be led by head coach Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), who is assisted by Mark Few (Gonzaga University), Tyronn Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat). Last summer, the quartet coached the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Manila. Kerr is a 2020 Olympic gold medalist after serving as an assistant coach to Gregg Popovich in Tokyo.

USA Basketball also announced that the 2024 USA Men’s National Team will host Canada at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena as part of the USA Basketball Showcase. The exhibition contest is set for July 10.

NBA suspends Tristan Thompson 25 games for violating Anti-Drug Program

This afternoon, the NBA announced that they had suspended Cavaliers F/C Tristan Thompson for 25 games without pay for violating the terms of the NBA/NBAPA Anti-Drug Program after he tested positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, which are both banned by the league. 

Later that day, the Cavaliers issued a statement regarding Thompson’s suspension:

“The Cleveland Cavaliers fully support the NBA/NBAPA Anti-Drug Program, and we are disappointed in the recent news surrounding Tristan Thompson,” the team said. “His time away from game action will have an impact on our team. We stand behind Tristan and offer our support throughout this suspension period.”

According to the team, Thompson will be able to practice, travel, and be present at the team facility, and on gamedays (home and road), he will be allowed to be at the arena up until two hours before the start of the game.

The 12-year veteran, who spent the first nine years of his career with the Cavs, re-signed with the team in the offseason. This season, the 32-year-old averages 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest.

Cleveland is red-hot right now and is on an eight-game winning streak; they travel to Milwaukee to battle the Bucks on Wednesday night.