Russell Wilson throws 3 TDs in 49-27 Team Irvin Pro Bowl victory

The Pro Bowl was everything it was advertised to be. Or something like that.

It was not competitive. By the third quarter it wasn’t close, either. Team Irvin pulled away from Team Rice and won the game, 49-27.

No one will remember. There were really good players who made some really good plays, but Team Irvin was clearly superior and both teams were trying to avoid injury. Smartly. Most plays didn’t even end in a real tackle.

Team Irvin’s Russell Wilson threw for 164 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half. Team Rice scored first, then Team Irvin took over from there. Six different Team Irvin players had receiving touchdowns; Allen Robinson led everyone with 105 receiving yards. Travis Kelce of Team Rice had 91 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

If you didn’t see it, you didn’t miss much. Richard Sherman and Charles Woodson lined up on offense. Cedric Peerman, a Pro Bowl special teams player, was catching passes. Odell Beckham and Devonta Freeman lined up on defense. Team Rice converted two fake punts.

Two fake punts. And lost by a bunch.

Winston Moss of the Packers was the winning coach. Moss coached because Mike McCarthy was ill and unable to make the trip. We’ll all miss Woodson, but it’s hard to say the Pro Bowl was his last football game because it wasn’t much of a football game.

Winners and losers from Saturday's Big 12-SEC Challenge

Buddy Hield #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts to a three point shot late in the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on January 30, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Oklahoma defeated LSU 77-75.

For coaches, playing a marquee non-conference game in the middle of league play was a major nuisance.For viewers, Saturday's Big 12-SEC Challenge was a real treat.

There was an overtime thriller between two of the nation's most tradition-rich programs. There was a clash of styles between an elite offense and a stingy defense. And there was a compelling duel between the likely first pick in this June's NBA draft and the favorite to win national player of the year honors this spring.

The SEC's premier teams performed well Saturday, but the Big 12 showcased its superior top-to-bottom depth and emerged with a 7-3 victory. Here's a look at the winners and losers:
 

WINNER: BUDDY HIELD

The gap between the national player of the year favorite and the rest of the field widened when Hield led Oklahoma to a high-profile victory. Hield scored 32 points and sank a trio of huge 3-pointers as the Sooners rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit for a 77-75 win at LSU. Each time LSU lost Hield in transition or gave him an inch of space coming off a screen, the 6-foot-4 senior made them pay. He sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give Oklahoma its first second-half lead and hit another key deep ball in the final two minutes to put the Sooners back in front. His brilliance was especially notable compared to LSU star Ben Simmons' late-game disappearing act. The likely No. 1 pick did not score in the final 10 minutes and did not take a shot in the final 4:48.

 

LOSER: LSU'S CROWD

The atmosphere at the sold-out, hyped-up Pete Maravich Assembly Center was excellent for the most part on Saturday, but LSU students went overboard late in the first half. They chanted "F--- You, Buddy" at Hield when he went to the foul line late with his team down six. I understand that making the environment hostile is a student section's primary job and I understand that Hield is one of Ben Simmons' primary rivals in the national player of the year race, but LSU fans could have been clever, not crass. Even the well-worn, "You're no Simmons" chant would have been preferable.

 

WINNER: WAYNE SELDEN

While Wayne Selden has produced more consistently this season than previously in his Kansas career, the junior shooting guard has largely been a one-dimensional scorer. Coach Bill Self has reduced his ball handling responsibilities and utilized him mostly as a spot-up shooter, a change that has helped Selden average more than 15 points per game and sink 47.3 percent of his 3-pointers. If that's Selden's role on this Kansas team, so be it, but he showed Saturday he's capable of more. He torched Kentucky for 33 points by doing more than just spotting up from behind the arc. He used his athleticism as a weapon and attacked the rim, most notably when he who nearly ripped the rim right off with a furious right-handed slam that put Kansas ahead for good in overtime.

 

WINNER KENTUCKY

If you were expecting Kentucky to be a loser because it fell in overtime at Allen Fieldhouse, then you don't understand how hard it is to win at Kansas. The Jayhawks have lost there just nine times in Bill Self's tenure, yet a Wildcats team that has lost at UCLA, LSU and Auburn already this season led Kansas for much of the game before falling in overtime. Tyler Ulis gave the Jayhawks fits attacking off the bounce until Self finally had to switch to a gimmicky triangle-and-two zone to try to combat his dribble penetration. Alex Poythress was Kentucky's most effective frontcourt player before fouling out late in the game. All in all, this was another step forward for Kentucky. The Wildcats didn't win, but they sustained the upward trajectory they've shown in recent weeks.

WINNER: TEXAS A&M'S DEFENSE

Iowa State boasts an explosive, fast-paced offense. Texas A&M counters with a formidable defense. In a battle between two of the nation's best units on Saturday, the Aggies came out on top. They held Iowa State to 43.6 percent shooting, limited them to 6-for-23 behind the arc and forced 16 turnovers without sending the Cyclones to the foul line too frequently. Texas A&M's 72-62 victory was especially important considering the Aggies were coming off an unusually poor performance in a road loss at Arkansas. This bounce-back performance is a clear sign that Texas A&M is the favorite in the SEC and a threat to make a deep NCAA tournament run.

LOSER: VANDERBILT'S OFFENSE

For a team with NBA prospects at point guard and center and an array of shooters around them, Vanderbilt has been shockingly mediocre offensively this season. The Commodores are 103rd nationally in KenPom's efficiency rankings because they turn the ball over too frequently, they don't score easily around the rim and they don't generate many second-chance points. In Saturday's 72-58 loss at Texas, Vanderbilt managed a mere 16 first-half points and only two players besides Damian Jones and Matthew Fisher-Davis even managed field goals in the game. The Commodores were undone by a combination of point guard Wade Baldwin's first-half leg injury and Shaka Smart's defensive pressure. The Longhorns had a 17-3 advantage in fast break points.

 

WINNER: FLORIDA'S NCAA TOURNAMENT HOPES

Florida got the marquee win it lacked Saturday. The Gators routed ninth-ranked West Virginia 88-71, opening up a 15-point lead at halftime and never allowing the Mountaineers get any closer in the second half. Florida's victory is a huge boost to its chances of making the NCAA tournament in Mike White's first season as head coach. The Gators (14-7, 5-3) were already a top 30 team in the nation in both the RPI and KenPom, yet their most notable victories came against surprise Atlantic 10 contender Saint Joseph's and a LSU team that will need to close the season strong to earn an NCAA bid. This win should have more traction and more staying power.

Djokovic's dominance continues, wins 11th Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic left no room to question his dominance on Sunday night. The 28-year-old Serbian defeated No. 2 Andy Murray in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6, en route to his third-straight Grand Slam title and 11th overall.

This is his sixth Australian Open title, a record among the men's singles field. Four of those six have come against Murray.

Djokovic has now won 21-straight matches in Grand Slams, dating back to the start of Wimbledon last year. He only lost one Grand Slam match in 2015, when Stan Wawrinka beat him in the French Open final. The only thing missing from Djokovic's trophy case is that elusive French Open crown.

Murray was playing in his fifth Australian Open title. The two-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medalist told the media Friday that he knew he had a huge task ahead of him, but anything could happen in any given match. Djokovic was 21-9 in their career head-to-head and had won 10 of his last 11 matches against the Scot, but Murray had twice beaten him in a major final.

Those past matches really didn't matter, Murray said. But Sunday, he failed to figure out a way to put the ghosts of those past matches behind him. When he came to the podium afterwards, he managed to crack a joke about it. "I feel like I've been here before," he said.

There was little he could have done. Djokovic was on his game from the first point. He won the first five games of the match, while Murray looked lethargic. Murray played a stronger second set, serving nine aces while hitting 21 winners, compared to two aces and eight winners from Djokovic. They stayed on serve to 3-3, then Djokovic broke. Murray broke right back. The crushing blow came at 5-5, when Murray let a 40-Love advantage slip away. Djokovic rattled off five straight points, breaking on an unforced error from Murray. Djokovic served out the set to take the two-set advantage.

He kept that momentum going into the third, breaking Murray in the first game. Murray broke back at 3-2. The set when to a tiebreak. There, Djokovic dominated. He sealed the win with an ace.

The win moves Djokovic into a tie with Roy Emerson for most titles at the Australian Open and into fifth place on the list of all-time Grand Slam titles. He shares fifth place with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. Only Roy Emerson, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal have more.

Asked in his press conference what had happened in the first set, Murray noted that'd he started slow in every match this week. There's been a lot going on, he said. His wife is more than eight months pregnant. He said throughout that he would leave if she went into labor. His father-in-law, Nigel Sears, was here, as he is coaches women's singles player Ana Ivanovic. Sears collapsed during Ivanovic's fourth round match and had to be taken to a hospital. Murray was also on court at the time, and went to see Sears straight after winning. Sears turned out to be okay.

An emotional Murray mentioned the difficulty of the week as he thanked the crowd on Sunday night.

"And finally to my wife Kim, I'm sure she's watching back home," Murray said at the podium. "You've been a legend the last two weeks, thank you for all of your support. And I'll be on the next flight home."

He later said he'd been on hold on every flight for the last five days. The press conference was short, as it was already 11:15p.m. and he was due to catch the 1a.m. out of Melbourne.

As Murray rushed to the airport, Djokovic's celebration continued around the grounds.

30-year-old Calvin Johnson is retiring from the NFL

Calvin Johnson reportedly told Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell that 2015 was his final season in the NFL, according to ESPN (via Pro Football Talk).

According to the report, Johnson gave Caldwell the news on the day after the Lions' final game of the season. He also reportedly told the same thing to family and friends during the season.

Johnson, who was the second pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, played all nine of his seasons with the Lions.

Caldwell reportedly told Johnson to take some time before making his final decision and Johnson is said to have agreed to that request.

Johnson made $113.8 million in his career, according to Spotrac. He still had four years and $67.7 million left on the $113.5 million contract he signed prior to the 2012 season.

If this is really the end for the three-time first-team All-Pro, he ends his career with 11,619 yards receiving, 27th all-time.

Inside the sneaker industry: How NBA shoe deals work

There are 448 players on NBA rosters, and each has his own guaranteed team contract, with varying clauses, incentives and lengths. This of course includes everyone from max stars such as LeBron James to little-known training camp invitees who work their way onto a team's final squad.

In the footwear world, the contracts, terms and clauses are structured by agents in a similar fashion, as players will sign endorsement deals with sneaker brands that tie them together for years at a time. But what are the different types of deals a player can sign, and how much money are we really talking for a typical lottery pick or a regular rotation player?

While team deals with players have been expertly covered through the years, the brand side has been far less public.

To start, there's a common misconception among casual fans that only star players have shoe deals. When I tweeted out last month that Nick Young was signing a new shoe deal with adidas, the first response was, “Why is adidas giving Nick Young his own shoe?”

The truth is, only 10 players currently have their own signature shoe with a U.S.-based brand, but literally every player in the league has some level of relationship with a footwear brand.

From the brands’ perspective, they have an infrastructure in place to begin scouting and interacting with those players early on, and by the time known prospects turn pro after a year or two of college, they've already been scouted for as much as five years. Brands are spending increasingly more money at the high school level, sponsoring schools and AAU teams alike, to get their products worn by the top players, and in turn get access to a relationship with phenoms who’ll soon be pros.

At the Under Armour Elite 24 All-Star Game in 2013, where 24 of the top high school players faced off before their school seasons started, it wasn't hard to see the brands had access to players such as Emmanuel Mudiay and Stanley Johnson, among others. Two summers later, nine players from that game were selected in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.

While dominant big men can always provide great visibility and brand awareness for a footwear company, it's the perimeter players who'll always matter most. “There's always a focus on the guards and wings that are most exciting,” said Chris Grancio, general manager for adidas basketball, who spearheaded the recent $200 million incentive-laden endorsement for James Harden. “From a focus and mindset standpoint, for sure, we want to be the house of guards.”

That's a sentiment and strategy shared across the industry, as brands, much like teams, are going smaller and looking for the fastest and most electric players who often have the ball in their hands at the game's biggest moments.

Kris Stone, Under Armour's director of pro basketball and the executive who signed league MVP Stephen Curry to the brand, puts it even more bluntly. “We’re not building an NBA starting five,” Stone said. “We’re trying to build excitement around our footwear business as a company.”

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that the strongest endorsers in the footwear world through the years have consistently been the top guards and wing forwards. Brands have spent their sports marketing dollars accordingly, with some opting for a smaller roster of more strategic and narrow spending, while others look to give out more product-based deals for more overall visibility.

As the longtime dominant brand in the sport over the last two decades, Nike is currently being worn by 68 percent of the league, or 305 players. Adidas has been ramping up its efforts to sign even more players, as its roster currently sits at 70 players, or 15.6 percent. Nike's own Jordan Brand subsidiary has a 6.5 percent representation, while emerging Under Armour has just 3.8 percent. Curry, though, has single-handedly changed the trajectory of Under Armour’s hoops category. Another 5 percent of players are split between China-based brands Anta, Peak and Li-Ning.

What are endorsement contracts like for players of all levels around the league? Here’s a breakdown of the different tiers and details on how NBA shoe deals work.

 

The “merch” deal
Even players stuck at the end of a team's bench are viewed as worthwhile brand partners who can contribute to a company's overall visibility across the league. These deals are typically done on a year-to-year basis because they depend on the player remaining in the league.

Players looking to make a training camp roster after going undrafted, or players with a less exciting game who find themselves on small-market teams will often take a “merch” – short for merchandise – deal. In turn, a brand will agree to send an allotment of current sneakers to the player for practices and games. At Nike, those shoes began to be known as “Team Bank” sneakers because they're typically a white or black based sneaker with a team's color added in to match. In some cases, a merch deal might call for a set number of total pairs provided to the player for the year, or a product value of anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 in sneakers.

Just as young players are looking to work their way into a team's rotation and earn more playing time, they're also looking to justify a bump from merch deals to earning some real cash from a brand.

 

The cash deal
This is where the majority of the league falls. As you can imagine, there's a wide variety in the range of cash given to players. Typically, a rookie will sign a shoe deal with a brand that'll last three or four years. When that rookie shoe deal is up, the brands will most often hold a “match clause.” Much like the NBA's restricted free agency, brands can match any new offer sheet a player agrees to.

While NBA contracts normally run through July 1, the shoe deal end date is often Sept. 30, just before the start of preseason. As a protective measure, brands will often wait until after the draft to sign a player, allowing them to see if a player is landing in a small or large market and get a glimpse at how a player performs in the NBA's summer league. They'll then make an offer accordingly.

D'Angelo Russell and Justise Winslow benefited from being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, respectively, in the most recent draft. “Their price went up at that exact second, too,” a source told The Vertical.

The current shoe deal range for a marketable lottery pick can be anywhere from $200,000 to $700,000, with exceptions every so often for what brands consider to be “can't-miss” endorsement stars. The most recent star rookie to enter the league, Andrew Wiggins, agreed to a five-year, $11 million deal with adidas, with a commitment to be one of the key headliners of the Crazy Light franchise right from the jump.

Within those deals, you'll find an array of clauses and performance bonuses that reward a player's on-court contributions. A player might get a simple $25,000 bonus for making the All-Star Weekend's Rising Stars game, and then another bonus of the same amount for making the All-Rookie team.

It's also commonplace for all footwear deals to offer bonuses for honors such as Rookie of the Year, making an All-Star team or reaching the playoffs. A wrinkle starting to become more popular lately are combined stat thresholds, which actually can work against players sometimes. A player might have “18” in mind each night out on the floor, meaning he's hoping for a combined point and rebound total of 18 for the game. Not hitting that mark over the course of a season might cost him a percentage of his overall endorsement cash.

Among the cash deal ranks, a rotation player with little true marketing potential who plays in a “priority market” like LA, Houston, New York or Chicago could look to earn around $150,000 on a shoe deal. A player might be looking at a third of that with a team such as Orlando or Utah. A more impactful starter could earn between $400,000 and $1 million.

For all cash-deal players, they're often offered a combination of pure cash and comped product value. Some players might get $50,000 in cash and another $30,000 in credit to spend at a brand's retail store or online. Star-level players might get a $500,000 offer and $100,000 in product. As you can imagine, there are always horror stories of a fledgling player's cousin or friend logging onto his online account and ordering thousands of dollars in gear.

On top of the cash that's paid out quarterly by sneaker brands to the majority of the league, more than 50 players also receive their own custom “color ways” of a brand's current model, featuring a unique phrase or personal logo on the shoe. Known as “player exclusives,” these PEs can be negotiated into a player’s deal and are awarded to All-Stars like Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry to players such as Randy Foye and O.J. Mayo.

At most brands, there's also a trigger clause that'll reward players with PEs should they make an All-Star team. This allows for awesome situations like Chris Kaman requesting “Air Sasquatch” to be added to his sneakers for several seasons after his lone All-Star appearance in 2010.

While custom PEs, decent cash and a few print ads here and there are all fine, there's one tier reserved for only the game's brightest stars.

 

The signature sneaker
The signature sneaker deal will forever be the most sought after deal in basketball. It's the signature shoes that are remembered from childhood, and the personalized storytelling and details in the product connect consumers with their favorite player.

Signature shoes are so limited that rarely will a player have them for the first game of his rookie year. You'd have to go back to John Wall's Reebok Zig Slash in 2010 and LeBron's Nike Air Zoom Generation in 2003 for the last two occurrences, which have become even more of a rarity in today's landscape.

Amongst the U.S. brands, there are currently 10 signature athletes across the league: James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at Nike; Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony at Jordan Brand; Derrick Rose and Damian Lillard at adidas (Harden’s shoe will launch in 2017); and Curry at Under Armour. Most of them started their careers in PE editions and worked their way into a signature shoe deal.

Other players like Klay Thompson, Dwyane Wade and Tony Parker have their own namesake sneakers with China-based brands, though their shoes are rarely available in stores stateside because brands like Anta, Li-Ning and Peak have struggled to break through domestically.

For all signature players, the deals are as complicated as it gets, with various clauses, incentives and guarantees that can also all be rolled back if certain sales or performance thresholds aren't met.

To start, there are basic rollback clauses for games played. Most guys are expected to play at least 60 of 82 games. Miss too many, and it might cost a couple million. Conversely, some players have MVP bonuses worth a couple million. Across the board, there's also a consistent 5 percent royalty structure for all signature product sold, meaning a player could earn an extra $5 million per year if his overall sales hit $100 million per year. Just last year, James’ overall sales did $340 million.

For all signature athletes, the brand's top designers make sure the shoe is made to the player’s exact specifications and with his own storytelling and detailing. He’s also guaranteed commitments for photo shoots and a marketing budget for campaigns. Some players even have guaranteed social media budgets, a set number of employees dedicated to their business, and, in the case of James, a post-career plan in place.

As players of all levels enter the league, their eventual shoe deal continues to be secondary to team deals, but sneaker contracts have become more lucrative and incentivized. For the top players, a strong shoe deal offers a chance to get more personalized attention, more detailed marketing and a connection to fans and consumers that'll ultimately drive their personal brands throughout their career.

Gary Bettman signs new contract through 2022 (and next lockout)

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has signed a contract extension that carries through the 2022 season, according veteran hockey scribe Michael Farber and John Shannon of Sportsnet.

Shannon notes that this would mean 30 years at the helm for Bettman, which would match the 30 years his mentor David Stern had at the helm of the NBA. (Although it would be one year short of the run that Clarence Campbell had as NHL president.)

The NHL has seen unprecedented growth and change under Bettman. Four expansion teams. Five franchise relocations. Three playoff formats. Olympic participation.

Perhaps most of all, television contracts that have lately earned the league $2 billion in the U.S. and $4.9 billion in Canada. With innovation, good fortune with strong U.S. markets and smart hiring of executives, Bettman now oversees a $4 billion industry rather than the $732 million industry he inherited in 1993.

But that growth has come with a cost. Since he was hired on Dec. 12, 1992, Bettman has been at the wheel for four work stoppages, including the inexcusable and still embarrassing cancellation of a full season in 2005.

His new contract runs through 2022. It should come as no surprise that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and owners runs through Sept. 15, 2022 – and either side can opt out of it in Sept. 2019.

Once again, it appears, it’ll be Gary Bettman rolling up his sleeves on the owners’ end of the bargaining table. Which likely means the matter of the next lockout is “if” but “for how long?”

 

Here's a look back at how it all began:

 

 

What do you think of Gary Bettman as NHL commissioner?

Cam Newton's Super Bowl travel pants look like he killed every animal on safari

Cam Newton's fashion is something else. It's okay if you don't get it -- I don't, few of us do -- just know that it's stylish as hell and saying otherwise makes you look like a plaid-wearing buffoon. These pants are the next level in Cam's fashion evolution.

Look at these things ... LOOK AT THEM. They're part zebra print, part lion -- or perhaps they're all zebra and he spilled a bucket of nacho cheese on them. Who knows? What we do know is that you don't question it. Just appreciate it.

I'm afraid we have some bad news ...

	Mina Kimes @minakimes
noooooo cam's pants are out of stock pic.twitter.com/AXP1klYm99 11:37 AM - 31 Jan 2016 Twitter by:Mina Kimes@minakimes

Scott named MVP Pacific edges Atlantic 1-0 in ASG finale, Scott named MVP

Remember how everyone thought a 3-on-3 All-Star Game would result in ridiculous goal totals, and shellshocked netminders curled into the fetal position?

Things didn’t go exactly to plan.

In a tightly-contested finale, the Pacific Division captured the first-ever NHL All-Star 3-on-3 tournament with a narrow 1-0 win over the Atlantic — a game in which defense and goaltending both outshone the offense.

Corey Perry‘s marker early in the second period proved the eventual game-winner, on assists from Daniel Sedin and Brent Burns.

And that was it for the offense.

The first period was a legitimate goalie duel, with Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick matching each other save-for-save. Luongo finished with 12 saves on 12 shots — Quick 10 on 10 — but it was Luongo that stole the show with an acrobatic, sprawling denial of Drew Doughty.

The second period didn’t have as many shots — both teams seemed to take a more vested interest in defensive positioning and limiting chances on goal — but still featured some strong netminding, especially from Anaheim’s John Gibson, who stopped all seven shots faced.

With just over a minute to go, the Atlantic pulled its goalie for an extra attacker, but to no avail. All that was left was for the Pacific to collect their $1M winners’ check, and for the All-Star MVP to be named.

Fittingly, it went to the guy that really won the entire weekend:

John Scott.

All-Star hero John Scott and former teammate Patrick Kane stage mock fight

One of the early great moments in this year's NHL All-Star weekend took place during the player introductions on Saturday. While NHL fans were ecstatic that John Scott was made an All-Star — and they definitely let him know during the introductions — the fans didn't feel the same toward Patrick Kane. A roar of boos filled the arena while Scott, standing next to Kane, laughed at the jeers.

This turned out to be only the first interaction between the two. During the actual game, Scott knocked Kane down and the two got in scuffle after a hit.

It was playful in nature and all throughout — just like in the introductions — Scott couldn't stop giggling.

NHL investigation of Patrick Kane still ‘ongoing’

The National Hockey League has not yet closed its investigation of Patrick Kane following an alleged sexual assault in August, deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed during All-Star weekend in Nashville.

 

More, from the Chicago Tribune:

 

Daly said the league’s investigation of the August incident in Western New York was still “ongoing” almost three months since Erie County district attorney Frank Sedita III did not charge Kane.

“When (the investigation) is done we’ll make an announcement,” Daly said.

Daly did not elaborate beyond that. When asked what the league could be looking into, considering there were no charges against Kane in the case, Daly said: “We have to satisfy ourselves with the facts.”

 

Back in early November, Sedita cited insufficient physical and DNA evidence and “significant material inconsistencies between the complainant’s accounts and those of other witnesses” as the reasons Kane wasn’t charged.

Kane’s accuser also signed an affidavit, informing the district attorney’s office that she no longer wanted to pursue criminal prosecution.

Following that news, Daly said the NHL would “promptly” review the situation.

“In light of the statement issued today by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, as an internal League matter, we intend to promptly review the information that may now be available to us,” he said. “We will have no further comment until we have completed that review.”

Gary Payton has trash-talk battle with nation's top prep player

Hall of Famer Gary Payton may have been the greatest trash talker in NBA history. Now nine years removed from his playing career, Payton showed his mouth is still working as much as ever when he went back and forth with the nation's No.1 high school player, Josh Jackson, while sitting courtside.

"He didn't do his homework," Payton told Yahoo Sports. "That's it. He's a kid and he's having fun. I respect him because he has a lot of dog in him to come back and talk. He has a lot of gall to do that, so that's good.

"But in these situations, you got to understand if you're going to talk it, you got to back it up. Back it up!"

Payton might have been the only NBA player who enjoyed and succeeded in trash-talking with Michael Jordan. Payton once told then-Minnesota Timberwolves coach Sidney Lowe to, "Sit down, Smurf." The Glove also once told a heckler during a road game in Sacramento: "You're paying to see me. I'm not paying to see you. So why don't you shut up and watch the game."

No one, however, was expecting Payton to trash-talk when he sat courtside to watch his son, Julian, play for Phoenix Hillcrest Academy against Napa Prolific Prep on Saturday night. Jackson, 18, is a senior guard for Prolific Prep and is ranked as the No. 1 high school basketball player in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.com. The trash-talking started when Jackson gave Payton a stare and screamed in excitement after he hit a 3-pointer near him in the second half of the close game.

"You better tell them [Hillcrest] to stop talking to me," Jackson told Payton.

Payton wasn't shy in telling Jackson he couldn't shoot, among other things.

"You got to get to my level," Payton told Jackson loud enough for the packed crowd at Napa Valley College to hear.

Prolific Prep needed a late rally to outlast Hillcrest 77-72 for the victory. Late in the game, the 6-foot-8 Jackson empathically blocked a layup attempt from Julian Payton out of bounds. Afterward, Jackson turned and stared at Julian's father. Gary Payton clapped, laughed loudly and said, "That's funny!"

"It was real fun. I'm a trash-talker. He's a trash-talker. We kind of went at it a little bit, but it was all respect," Jackson told Yahoo Sports.

Jackson said he was familiar with Payton's stellar NBA career and trash-talking skills. Jackson also said the funniest thing that Payton did was stare him down after Hillcrest center DeAndre Ayton dunked hard.

"The Glove was a real good ball-player," Jackson told Yahoo Sports. "Like myself, he hated to lose and would get on his teammates in a heartbeat. I feel like I have a little bit of that in me. For me, playing how I was, it was only right that we bumped heads."

Jackson finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks. Payton thought their trash-talking battle kept Jackson from playing at a higher level in the second half.

When asked about Jackson, Payton told Yahoo Sports, "Who? Number 11? He cool, man. He has a lot of dog in him. He has to work on his right hand. Kids nowadays in that situation are not coached how they should be coached to learn the game. When he got into it with me, his whole game went to [expletive] to me.

"He didn't score. He didn't do anything. He got to concentrate. That's what kids got to understand, you're not there yet. What makes a game is defined by what you do. Then you're paying attention to me? Most kids can't play that way."

Jackson has narrowed his college choices to Michigan State, Arizona, Kansas, UCLA and Maryland. The McDonald's All-America selection told Yahoo Sports he plans to make a decision in late March. Payton did offer some positive words about Jackson.

"He's a good talent and he's going to be a great basketball player," Payton said.

Orioles prospect killed in motorcycle accident

Baltimore Orioles minor league infielder Ramon Ramirez was killed on Saturday in the Dominican Republic when his motorcycle was struck by a vehicle, team officials have confirmed.

The 23-year-old was leaving a softball game when the accident occurred.

"We're still piecing the details together," Orioles' director of player development Brian Graham told MASN. "It's a really, really sad situation. He was a really good kid. Everybody liked him and it's just a really sad situation."

Orioles vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette offered his condolences in a team statement on Sunday.

"Our entire organisation is deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic death of Ramon Ramirez," the statement read.

"As a member of the Orioles organisation, Ramon worked tirelessly to make the most of his opportunity to play professional baseball. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, team-mates and coaches as we mourn this unimaginable loss."

Baltimore signed Ramirez in July 2014 and he batted .286/.375/.357 with five doubles, two triples and 14 RBIs in 32 games with the Dominican Summer League team.

He appeared in 23 games last season, splitting time among three Orioles minor-league affiliates.

TODAY IN HISTORY - JANUARY 31ST

1747 – The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital.

1801 – John Marshall is appointed the Chief Justice of the United States.

1848 – John C. Frémont is court-martialed for mutiny and disobeying orders.

1862 – Alvan Graham Clark discovers the white dwarf star Sirius B, a companion of Sirius, through an 18.5-inch (47 cm) telescope now located at Northwestern University.

1865 – American Civil War: The United States Congress passes the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, abolishing slavery and submits it to the states for ratification.

1865 – American Civil War: Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief.

1919 – Jackie Robinson, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1972) is born.

1929 – The Soviet Union exiles Leon Trotsky.

1930 – 3M begins marketing Scotch Tape.

1931 – Ernie Banks, American baseball player, Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer, and coach (d. 2015) is born.

1945 – US Army private Eddie Slovik is executed for desertion, the first such execution of an American soldier since the Civil War.

1947 – Nolan Ryan, American baseball player and Hall of Fame pitcher is born.

1949 – These Are My Children, the first television daytime soap opera is broadcast by the NBC station in Chicago.

1950 – United States President Harry S. Truman announces a program to develop the hydrogen bomb.

1953 – A North Sea flood causes over 1,800 deaths in the Netherlands and over 300 in the United Kingdom

1954 – Edwin Howard Armstrong, American engineer, invented FM radio (b. 1890) dies.

1956 – A. A. Milne, English author, poet, and playwright; wrote Winnie-the-Pooh (b. 1882) dies.

1957 – Eight people on the ground in Pacoima, California are killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet.

1958 – Explorer program: Explorer 1: The first successful launch of an American satellite into orbit.

1961 – Project Mercury: Mercury-Redstone 2: Ham the Chimp travels into outer space.

1966 – The Soviet Union launches the unmanned Luna 9 spacecraft as part of the Luna program.

1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 14: Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell, aboard a Saturn V, lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon.

1971 – The Winter Soldier Investigation, organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to publicize war crimes and atrocities by Americans and allies in Vietnam, begins in Detroit.

1974 – Samuel Goldwyn, Polish-born American film producer; co-founded Goldwyn Pictures (b. 1882) dies.

1981 – Justin Timberlake, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor is born.

1990 – The first McDonald's in the Soviet Union opens in Moscow.

1999 – Shohei Baba, Japanese wrestler; co-founded All Japan Pro Wrestling (b. 1938) dies.

2000 – Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash: An MD-83, experiencing horizontal stabilizer problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California, killing all 88 aboard.

2010 – Avatar becomes the first film to gross over $2 billion worldwide.

2011 – A winter storm hits North America for the second time in the same month, causing $1.8 billion in damage across the United States and Canada and killing 24 people.

Police look into incident between Johnny Manziel and ex-girlfriend

It's not even February, and Johnny Manziel has been in the news way too much this offseason.

First, he was spotted partying in Dallas. Which for any other NFL player is no big deal, so maybe he should get a pass for that. But then on Saturday morning, news broke that police in Fort Worth were called in to investigate an incident between the Cleveland Browns quarterback and his ex-girlfriend. There were no arrests. David Watkins of NBC5 in Dallas/Fort Worth first reported the news. In an email to CBS News' Omar Villafranca, Fort Worth police confirmed the incident and described it as an "altercation."

Fort Worth police released a report to media. Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a 23-year-old female (identified by the Plain Dealer as Colleen Crowley, Manziel's girlfriend at the time of another incident last October) stated "she was involved in a disturbance with her ex-boyfriend." The report said the "complainant was uncooperative with officers on scene."

"The complainant also advised our officers of concerns that she had regarding the well-being of her ex-boyfriend," the report said. Officers tried tracking Manziel down, even using a police helicopter, and it "was later determined by officers that the ex-boyfriend was safe and in no danger." The report said the Fort Worth Police Department "is actively working with Dallas PD to determine if a criminal offense occurred."

Even though he wasn't arrested or charged, at some point Manziel has to avoid situations that put him in a bad light. The Browns seem close to cutting him, even though owner Jimmy Haslam says the relationship can be fixed. All other signs point to the Browns being done with the 22nd pick of the 2014 draft. What team will want Manziel as a free agent? He hasn't shown he can be a quality starter in the NFL. He has physical limitations he might never get over, and doesn't appear willing to commit to putting in the preparation time needed to be a great quarterback. When you combine a questionable skill set with the constant off-field circus, teams aren't going to want to deal with that.

Manziel needed to have a quiet offseason (we've heard that before, of course). The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers haven't even left for Super Bowl 50, and Manziel is already in the news for more nonsense. It's probably a decent bet it won't be the last time that happens, either.

Florida pounds West Virginia to secure the marquee win it needed

For a tradition-rich program enjoying a solid bounce-back season under a first-year coach, Florida hasn't received much attention so far this season.

That may change now that the Gators finally have the signature win they were lacking.

In a whistle-plagued game featuring 48 fouls and 47 free throw attempts, Florida routed ninth-ranked West Virginia 88-71 on Saturday afternoon in Gainesville. The Gators led by 15 points at halftime and never let the Mountaineers get any closer in the second half.

Florida's victory is a huge boost to its chances of making the NCAA tournament in Mike White's first season as head coach. The Gators (14-7, 5-3) were already a top 30 team in the nation in both the RPI and KenPom, yet their most notable victories came against surprise Atlantic 10 contender Saint Joseph's and a LSU team that will need to close the season strong to earn an NCAA bid.

Throttling West Virginia is a major credibility boost. The Mountaineers are 17-4 overall and in contention for the Big 12 title.

Maybe the biggest key to Florida's victory was that a team that shoots a modest 31.8 percent from behind the arc this season somehow sank 12 of 20 3-pointers. Crisp ball movement helped the Gators' shred West Virginia's trapping defense and find the open man whenever a double team came.

Senior forward Dorian Finney-Smith led Florida with 24 points including 5-for-6 from behind the arc. Freshman guard Kevaughn Allen had 19 points and center John Egbunu had nine including this ferocious put-back slam.

The absence of suspended forward Jonathan Holton hurt West Virginia because the Mountaineers aren't nearly as dominant on the offensive glass without him. They also committed 19 turnovers against Florida's pressure defense.

Before the game, there was no consensus who the third best team in the SEC was behind Kentucky and LSU. One marquee home victory doesn't necessarily make Florida a better choice than LSU or South Carolina, but it certainly strengthens the Gators' argument.

Virginia stifles Louisville holding starters to 20 combined points

Virginia hasn't been nearly as good defensively this season as it has in the recent past, but the 11th-ranked Cavaliers were good enough Saturday to make No. 16 Louisville look completely overmatched and over-rated.

The Cardinals always have relied on turnovers to fuel their offense under coach Rick Pitino and poor perimeter shooting has made them even more dependent on transition buckets this year. That wasn't a good formula against a disciplined Virginia team that doesn't turn the ball over and forces opponents to be efficient offensively.

Midway through the second half of the 63-47 Virginia victory, Louisville guard Quentin Snider was the only Louisville starter with a field goal and he had just two. The Cardinals' starting five finished with a total of five field goals and combined to score only 20 points.

Only a handful of garbage-time buckets from the Cardinals in the final minute prevented it from being the lowest scoring game on the Louisville side in the Pitino coaching era at the school. The Cardinals won a game 45-33 against Cleveland State in 2014 and that outing will remain in the record books for ugly offense when Saturday's performance probably should have replaced it.

It was the worst home loss for Louisville since it began playing in the KFC Yum Center, which opened in 2010.

It was impossible not to think while watching the carnage in this one how Louisville's weak schedule didn't help it prepare for this kind of game and how Virginia having played a much stronger slate was much better prepared. Louisville is now 1-3 against ranked opponents while Virginia is 4-0.

Virginia turned the tables on Louisville and forced the Cardinals into a season-high 18 turnovers. The Cardinals shot .32.7 percent in the game, but that number was helped considerably in the final minutes. Louisville scored 32 percent of its points in the game in the final five minutes when the result was all but decided.

The Cardinals were almost as bad on the defensive end as they were trying to put the ball in the basket. Virginia dictated terms challenging the Cardinals to guard inside and out and Pitino's team couldn't do it. The Cavaliers shot 58 percent in the game with Anthony Gill and Malcolm Brogdon leading the way with 13 points each.

Ole Miss AD: Violations date back to previous staff, Laremy Tunsil

A day after news broke that the University of Mississippi has been formally charged with rules violations by the NCAA, the school’s athletic director has issued a thorough statement.

Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde first reported that the NCAA has alleged “roughly 30” violations in football, women’s basketball and track and field, and Rebels AD Ross Bjork offered details about the nature of the alleged violations. With respect to football, Bjork confirmed that “many” of the accusations pre-date the current coaching staff, while others relate to the Laremy Tunsil situation.

Via The Sun Herald, here is Bjork’s statement in full:

"Outside counsel for the University of Mississippi received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA – another step in a more than three-year process. Included in the notice are alleged violations of NCAA bylaws in women's basketball in 2012; track and field in 2012-13; and in football, with many of the allegations dating back to the former football staff in 2010 and the withholding and reinstatement process around Laremy Tunsil in fall of 2015.

“To be clear, the NCAA has only brought allegations, and as part of the NCAA process, the University and others have 90 days to issue a response. We've been transparent throughout this process, and it is important to note that most of the football allegations are based upon facts that have been publicly disclosed previously in "self-reports" and reinstatement requests or have been reported publicly in connection with another NCAA case.

"Out of fairness to the individuals involved and the integrity of the NCAA process, we will not provide further details or comment until everyone has had an opportunity to review the allegations and respond. Once they do so, we will release the official notice and the university's response. In all three sports, I am confident in the leadership of our current head coaches and the manner in which they operate their programs."

Many reports have indicated the majority of the alleged violations are tied to investigations into the women’s basketball and track and field programs. RebelGrove.com reported Friday that “most of the football-related allegations date back to Houston Nutt’s tenure” as head coach. Nutt was the Rebels’ head coach from 2008 to 2011.

With respect to the current staff, as Bjork alluded to, the violations seem to stem from the Tunsil situation. SB Nation reported that current Ole Miss' coaches are "confident the allegations are secondary." Tunsil, an All-American offensive tackle, was suspended for seven games this season after the NCAA determined he received impermissible benefits.

Tunsil was allowed to use “three separate loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment.” Additionally, the NCAA found that Tunsil received a “four-month interest-free promissory note on a $3,000 down payment for purchasing a used vehicle, two nights of lodging at a local home, an airline ticket purchased by a friend of a teammate, and one day use of a rental vehicle.”

The NCAA said Tunsil was not “completely forthcoming when initially questioned by investigators,” but later “corrected his account” and “apologized.” In addition to his suspension, Tunsil was forced to pay the amount of the extra benefits to a charity and perform community service.

Ole Miss withheld Tunsil from action for the first six games of the season until the NCAA completed its investigation. Tunsil was then suspended for an additional game before returning against Texas A&M on Oct. 24.

Tunsil has since declared for the NFL draft and is expected to be a first round selection.

Kerber stuns Serena, wins Australian Open title

Angelique Kerber had the support of the crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night. After just more than two hours on court, she also had the Australian Open title.

Kerber defeated No. 1 Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. It is Kerber's first Grand Slam title, and the first for a German player in this century.

Kerber, who at 28 and in her 14th year on tour was playing in her first Grand Slam final, opened the match by breaking the 21-time champion's serve, then held to put Williams in a 2-0 hole. She left too many shots suspended in Kerber's reach, and Kerber placed winners just inside the lines.

Williams showed vintage form in the second, playing the aggressive style that had helped her advance this far without dropping a set in the fortnight. The match went to a deciding third.

The crowd went wild as Kerber broke Williams in the first game of the set. There was far less applause when Williams broke right back.

It was odd to hear the stadium so in favor of Kerber. Australian tennis fans are famous for loving the underdog – but Williams has long said this is a stadium where she feels the most love.

Williams told the press Thursday that she was surprised to be playing in the final here. After winning this and two other major titles last year, she took four months off from the sport to recover from a crushing loss in the U.S. Open semifinals. She expected to have a slow start, she said. Yet she didn't drop a set en route to the final.

The deciding game came with Kerber leading 3-2 in the third. The first-time finalist built a 40-love advantage on Williams's serve. Williams fought all the way back to deuce, then took the advantage. But she failed to close it out. It went back to deuce five times.

The entire stadium now seemed to be in Kerber's corner. Still, when Williams double-faulted to give Kerber another advantage, there was silence more than celebration. Perhaps it was confusion. Williams double-faulted three times in the set. That point was one of the most important in the match. Kerber took the 4-2 lead on the next point. She held to 5-2.

Williams refused to go down quietly. With Kerber serving for the match, Williams broke in five points. If she held serve, she'd push the match to 5-all. She let Kerber have the first two points, then rattled off three straight. It went to deuce. Kerber was two points from closing out the match. Kerber earned advantage as Williams shanked a forehand into the net. And on the next point, she did what many had thought was impossible.

Kerber had come within one point of being knocked out in the first round here. Her quarterfinal win over Victoria Azerenka marked the first time she'd ever beaten Vika. Now she was champion.

"I had really crazy two weeks," she said after the match. "This is the first big tournament of the year, and I won it, the first Grand Slam. It sounds crazy, but I can say I'm a Grand Slam champion now."

Had Williams won, she would have been even with Steffi Graf at the top of all-time titles in the Open Era. She has been at 21 titles since winning at Wimbledon last year. As soon as it ended, she walked to Kerber's side of the net and offered a hug, managing to look genuinely happy for Kerber. They walked halfway off the court with Williams's arm linked around Kerber's back.

"I was actually really happy for her," Williams said later. "She played so well today. She had an attitude that I think a lot of people can learn from: just to always stay positive and to never give up. I was really inspired by that. So honestly, she's a really good girl. If I couldn't win, I'm happy she did."

Serena: 'I'm not a robot'

Serena Williams showed pure class after losing to Angelique Kerber in Saturday night's final. She smiled for the cameras. She hugged Kerber. She talked about being happy for the new champion.

It was an unexpected loss, but these things happen. In her news conference, she asked that everyone stop assuming she's perfect.

"I think I did the best I could today. Would I give my performance an A? No. But this is all I could produce today," the 21-time Grand Slam champion said to the media.

"Every time I walk in this room I'm expected to win. I'm not a robot. I do the best that I can. I try to win every point but realistically I can't. Maybe someone else can."

If there is any silver lining to this loss for Williams, perhaps it's that this year she'll won't have to face the constant buzz that comes with the potential of winning a calendar year Grand Slam.

Gilbert Arenas admits to a little alleged credit card fraud

Gilbert Arenas is back to being an unrepentant jerk on Instagram. Somehow, he’s made a giant credit card company look like a sympathetic figure, in this instance.

In responding to a (just as infuriatingly awful) meme that we can’t re-post here due to nasty language, Arenas straight up copped to credit card fraud. He’s no Robin Hood, mind you, as the former Washington All-Star worked the fraud around spending more than most households make in a year on strip club visits:

You kick me out your strip club, you getting robbed.....I know what yall thinking(soft ass aint robbing no body) I would like too inform all the big ballers out there,im the reason BIG strip clubs #fingerprint now hahaha..I'll order $80,000 worth of ones,throw about $40,000 of it too the strippers,sneak the rest out the club...have one of my #teammates sign that bill....wake up the next day,call #americanexpress(my card was stolen at the strip club last night,and these charges aint mines) with a (no questions asked policy)once they see its not ur signture,they refund you ALL your money back lmaoooo soooo I got the $80,000 I spent back..PLUS the $40,000 I took out the club... #aintnotrickingbihh strippers gave me that vagina on the house,it cost me nothing hahahaha #howyoudoing #ranoffontheclubTWICE #greatinvestment #KOD'S #MAGICCITY just call it a club appearance fee lmaooo

Swell guy. Game the giant credit card company all you want, but maybe not treat dancers like walking genitalia to be housed?

And maybe don’t brag about it on Instagram in a desperate bid to stay culturally relevant?

According to one site, AMEX is more than aware:

HipHollywood has learned exclusively that disgraced NBA star Gilbert Arenas is now under investigation by a fraud department after bragging online about operating a credit card scam. A spokesmen for American Express tells us that they’re aware of Agent Zero’s incriminating Instagram post are looking into it.

A massive credit card company vs. Gilbert Arenas. There are no winners, ‘ere.

ESPN kicks Keyshawn Johnson off NFL pregame show

Just give him the damn boot.

Keyshawn Johnson is the first casualty of a major shakeup at ESPN’s pregame “Sunday NFL Countdown,” Sports Illustrated reported.

The former Jets star, who has been with ESPN since the day he retired in 2007, didn’t have his contract renewed. “NFL Countdown” was his most prominent role, though he has appeared on a number of ESPN and ESPN Radio programs over the years.

SI tipped Louis Riddick and Ryan Clark as potential ESPN in-house replacements, as well as the personable and eloquent Charles Woodson, who retired following last season.

Johnson, known in his playing days for making plays and telling everyone about them, played 11 seasons after being the first overall pick of the Jets in the 1996 Draft. He won a Super Bowl in 2002 with the Buccaneers.

TODAY IN HISTORY - JANUARY 30TH

1836 – Betsy Ross, American seamstress, designed the American Flag (b. 1752) dies.

1862 – The first American ironclad warship, the USS Monitor is launched.

1882 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, American lawyer and politician; 32nd President of the United States (d. 1945) is born.

1911 – The destroyer USS Terry makes the first airplane rescue at sea saving the life of Douglas McCurdy ten miles from Havana, Cuba.

1911 – The Canadian Naval Service becomes the Royal Canadian Navy.

1925 – Douglas Engelbart, American computer scientist; invented the computer mouse (d. 2013) is born.

1933 – Adolf Hitler is sworn in as Chancellor of Germany.

1934 – Frank Nelson Doubleday, American publisher; founded the Doubleday Publishing Company (b. 1862) dies.

1941 – Dick Cheney, American politician, 46th Vice President of the United States is born.

1943 – World War II: Second day of the Battle of Rennell Island. The USS Chicago is sunk and a U.S. destroyer is heavily damaged by Japanese torpedoes.

1948 – Orville Wright, American pilot and engineer; co-founded the Wright Company (b. 1871) dies.

1948 – Mahatma Gandhi known for his non-violent freedom struggle, is assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist.

1951 – Ferdinand Porsche, Austrian-German engineer and businessman; founded Porsche (b. 1875) dies.

1951 – Phil Collins, English singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (Genesis, Brand X, and Flaming Youth) is born.

1956 – African-American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.'s home is bombed in retaliation for the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

1959 – MS Hans Hedtoft, said to be the safest ship afloat and "unsinkable" like the RMS Titanic, strikes an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sinks, killing all 95 aboard.

1968 – Vietnam War: Tet Offensive launch by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army against South Vietnam, the United States, and their allies.

1969 – The Beatles' last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert is broken up by the police.

1971 – Carole King's Tapestry album is released to become the longest charting album by a female solo artist and sell 24 million copies worldwide.

1975 – The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is established as the first United States National Marine Sanctuary.

1982 – Richard Skrenta writes the first PC virus code, which is 400 lines long and disguised as an Apple boot program called "Elk Cloner".

1995 – Workers from the National Institutes of Health announce the success of clinical trials testing the first preventive treatment for sickle-cell disease.

Brian Kelly agrees to 6-year contract to stay at Notre Dame

Brian Kelly has agreed to a six-year contract to stay on as coach at Notre Dame through the 2021 season.

The deal announced Friday by athletic director Jack Swarbrick would make the 54-year-old Kelly, who has been at the school six seasons, the second-longest serving Irish coach in history. Knute Rockne coached 13 seasons from 1918-1930 before he died in a plane crash in Kansas at age 43.

Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz all coached the Irish 11 seasons.

Swarbrick, who hired Kelly after firing Charlie Weis following the 2009 season, said he is excited about the future of the program under Kelly.

''In the classroom, in the community and on the playing field, Brian has built the foundation of a great Notre Dame football program - one that reflects this university's values and its unique relationship to the game of football,'' Swarbrick said.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The announcement comes five days before signing day, with Kelly on the road recruiting.

Kelly thanked the university's leadership for their confidence in him in a statement released by the school.

''I coach football because I believe there are few better avenues for impacting the lives of young men, and I am certain that there is no better place to do that than the University of Notre Dame,'' he said.

Kelly upset some Irish fans when he interviewed for the head coaching job with the Philadelphia Eagles immediately after the Irish were routed 42-14 by Alabama 42-14 in the national championship three years ago. But he told reporters last month in the days leading up to the Fiesta Bowl that he wasn't curious anymore about coaching in the NFL.

Kelly is 55-23 at Notre Dame, a winning percentage of .705, which is markedly better than his three predecessors, but well behind famed Irish coaches Rockne (.881), Leahy (.855), Parseghian (.836) and Holtz (.765). He also has not won a national championship. His career winning percentage of .737 ranks seventh among active FBS coaches.

He has led the Irish to six straight winning seasons and six straight bowl games, going 3-3 in those games.

Kelly originally signed a five-year contract at Notre Dame, then signed a two-year extension before the 2012 season and a five-year contract before the start of the 2013 season.

The Irish, who finished 10-3 and ranked No. 11 last season, open the 2016 season at Texas on Sept. 3.