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🚨 Headlines
⚾️ Cooperstown contenders: Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are among 14 newcomers on the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.
🏀 The show goes on: “Inside the NBA” is moving to ESPN, where the award-winning show starring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith will continue to be produced by TNT Sports.
🏈 QB change: The Giants are switching from Daniel Jones to Tommy DeVito. Jones will be third-string behind DeVito and Drew Lock.
🏀 The Sixers stink: The 76ers entered the season with championship aspirations. They are now tied with the Wizards for the worst record in the NBA after falling to 2-11.
⚾️ Rookies of the Year: Pirates RHP Paul Skenes won NL ROY after a dominant season (11-3, 1.98 ERA); RHP Luis Gil became the 10th Yankee to win AL ROY.
🎾 Gracias, Rafa
Today’s Davis Cup quarterfinal between Spain and the Netherlands (11am ET, Tennis) could be the final match of Rafael Nadal’s career.
What to watch: Nadal, 38, will play one of Spain’s two singles matches today, according to Spanish press reports, facing world No. 80 Botic van de Zandschulp to begin his final professional tournament.
What he’s saying: “At the end, I achieved the most important thing for me, because this day arrived and I am at peace that I gave all that I had,” Nadal said Monday. Ever the humble superstar, he then shifted focus away from himself. “I’m not here to retire. I’m here to help the team win.”
A beautiful friendship: Roger Federer wrote a letter to his longtime rival and friend, and shared it on social media this morning…
As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.
Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me — a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game — even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.
I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear… All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique — it was so you.
And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.
Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.
The final eight: The “World Cup of Tennis” is down to eight teams (Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, USA, Australia, Italy, Argentina), who will battle it out this week in Málaga, Spain, for the 112th Davis Cup.
Looking ahead: If Spain wins the best-of-three matchup (two singles and, if necessary, one doubles), they’ll advance to the semifinals and Nadal’s career will extend at least another day. If not, it’s the end of the road for one of the best to ever do it.
Good read: Rafael Nadal’s last stand (New Yorker)
🏈 There’s a first time for everything
For the first time in history, the Lions are Super Bowl favorites (+325 at BetMGM).
As a reminder: The Lions (debuted in 1930), Browns (1946), Jaguars (1995) and Texans (2002) are the only active NFL franchises that have never made a Super Bowl appearance.
NFL power rankings:
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Lions (9-1)
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Chiefs (9-1)
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Bills (9-2)
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Eagles (8-2)
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Steelers (8-2)
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Ravens (7-4)
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Packers (7-3)
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Commanders (7-4)
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Cardinals (6-4)
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Vikings (8-2)
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Chargers (7-3)
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Texans (7-4)
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49ers (5-5)
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Broncos (6-5)
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Falcons (6-5)
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Buccaneers (4-6)
Full rankings: Teams 17-32
📸 Photo gallery
St. Louis — Christian Pulisic (two goals) and the USMNT beat Jamaica, 4-2, to book a spot in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals.
Arlington, Texas — Joe Mixon ran wild (153 total yards, 3 TD) in Houston’s 34-10 blowout win over Dallas. It was the Cowboys’ fifth straight loss, and their sixth straight home game in which they trailed by at least 20 points, an NFL record.
Vancouver — The Toronto Argonauts won their record-extending 19th Grey Cup on Sunday, beating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 41-24, in the CFL’s 111th championship game.
⛳️ Twins on Tour
Identical twins are having a moment in professional golf, and none are flying higher than Danish brothers Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard.
PGA Tour-bound: Rasmus finished second at this weekend’s DP World Tour Championship, earning him a spot on the PGA Tour alongside Nicolai, who’s ranked No. 58 in the world and made $1.7 million on the Tour this season.
The Højgaards aren’t alone: Rasmus and Nicolai, 23, are just one of at least five sets of identical twins playing professional golf right now.
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Pierceson and Parker Coody, 24, whose grandfather Charles won the 1971 Masters, were both on the PGA Tour this year.
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Jeremy Paul, 30, earned his 2025 PGA Tour card this year on the Korn Ferry Tour, while his brother Yannik fell short of earning his via the European Tour.
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Akie and Chisato Iwai, 22, each have three wins on the Japan LPGA this year, and both are ranked in the world top 50.
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Jenny Coleman, 32, made 10 LPGA starts this year, while her sister Kristin has never advanced past the developmental Epson Tour, the women’s equivalent to the Korn Ferry Tour.
Bottom line: “Identical twins are nothing new in golf — think back to Curtis and Allan Strange — but it’s no longer a novelty,” writes AP’s Doug Ferguson.
📆 Nov. 19, 2018: Rams 54, Chiefs 51
Six years ago today, the Rams beat the Chiefs, 54-51, on “Monday Night Football” in perhaps the greatest regular-season game in NFL history.
Setting the stage: The hype for this matchup was through the roof. Both teams were 9-1, Patrick Mahomes was the MVP frontrunner (and eventual winner) in his first year as the starter and it was the first game ever between teams averaging at least 33 points this late in the season. Safe to say it delivered.
By the numbers: Mahomes and Jared Goff combined for 925 total yards and 11 TDs, while four different players amassed 100+ scrimmage yards (Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Brandin Cooks, Kareem Hunt).
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Six different players recorded a sack, Aaron Donald forced two fumbles and there were three defensive TDs.
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There were 35 points and four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone. It was pure football nirvana.
Points explosion: This is the only game in NFL history in which both teams eclipsed 50 points, and is one of just five to crack 100 points total.
The other four: Redskins 72, Giants 41 (1966); Bengals 58, Browns 48 (2004); Raiders 52, Oilers 49 (1963); Saints 52, Giants 49 (2015)
📺 Watchlist: Cavs go for 16-0
The undefeated Cavaliers put their 15-game winning streak to the test tonight in Boston, where they’ll face the Celtics* (7pm ET, TNT) in one of six NBA Cup group stage games.
Head-to-head: The Cavaliers lead the NBA in both points per game (123.7) and offensive rating (122.1), and the Celtics rank second in each category (121.6 and 121.4).
More to watch:
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🏀 NCAAM: No. 6 Purdue at No. 15 Marquette (9pm, FS1)
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🏒 NHL: Panthers at Jets (8pm, ESPN+) … First in the Atlantic vs. first in the Central.
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🏈 NCAAF: Akron at Kent State (7pm, CBSSN); WMU at CMU (7:30pm, ESPN2); Northern Illinois at Miami-Ohio (8pm, ESPN) … Tuesday night MACtion.
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🏒 Men’s Hockey: No. 3 Boston College at No. 11 Providence (7pm, ESPNU)
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🎾 Davis Cup: Spain vs. Netherlands (11am, Tennis) … Quarterfinals.
*Rare occurrence: This is the fourth time ever — and the first time in 29 years — that the defending NBA champion will face a team on a winning streak of 15 or more games.
🏀 Lakers trivia
Legendary Lakers coach Pat Riley is getting a statue on Star Plaza outside the team’s arena, where he’ll join longtime broadcaster Chick Hearn and which six players?
Hint: Three passed away in recent years. The other three are still alive.
Answer at the bottom.
🦆 The Ducks are flying high
Oregon is the only FBS school still undefeated in football (11-0) and men’s (4-0) and women’s (5-0) basketball. Not a bad way for the Ducks to make their Big Ten debut.
Trivia answer: Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Elgin Baylor
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