Happy New Year 2025

Category: Sports

Aryna Sabalenka slams, throws racket after being upset by Madison Keys in Australian Open final

A thriller at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne saw American Madison Keys upset No. 1-ranked women’s singles player Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday.

After shaking hands with the victor, Sabalenka let out her emotions on her racket.

Sabalenka, who was looking to become the first player since Martina Hingis to win three straight Australian Opens, fell to Keys, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, in the match, which gave her opponent her first-ever Grand Slam title.

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Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after the women’s singles final against Madison Keys of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Sabalenka shook Keys’ hand at the net, followed by the chair umpire, but she was seen slamming her racket and throwing it at the bench once the niceties were finished.

Sabalenka then covered her face in a towel before storming off into the locker room.

The heat of competition not going your way in the end can be tough to swallow in the moment, and Sabalenka said as much during his post-match press conference.

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“There definitely was a bit of frustration, because I was so close to achieve something crazy,” she said, per The New York Post. “When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything (is not) going the way you really want (it) to go.”

Sabalenka added that she “just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end,” and she did so literally to her Wilson racket. She said she needed to do that “so I could give a speech (and) not stand there being disrespectful.”

“I was just trying to let it go and be a good person,” Sabalenka said.

Getting the raw emotion out appeared to work, as Sabalenka was seen joking with her team after the loss.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Aryna Sabalenka interviews after her match against Paula Badosa of Spain in the semifinals of the women’s singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)

“As always, that’s your fault guys,” she said, laughing. “I don’t wanna see you for the next week. I really hate you. No thank you for everything you are doing for me and blah, blah, blah.”

Sabalenka got back to a serious note, though, addressing Keys.

“I think we did our best,” Sabalenka said. “Just Madison was playing incredible. I just couldn’t do anything in this match. Next time I play against Madison, I bring better tennis.”

As for Keys, she also showed love to Sabalenka, saying it was “unbelievable playing” on her part. She also noted, at age 29, that she never thought she’d win a Grand Slam despite coming close in the past.

“From a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around,” Keys said.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during the women’s singles final against Madison Keys of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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“So, I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was OK if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it, to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
Ex-Commanders owner Dan Snyder ‘hates’ seeing team one win away from Super Bowl: report

The Washington Commanders are just a win away from reaching Super Bowl LIX, as they head to Philadelphia to face their NFC East-rival Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

It’s been more than a quick turnaround for this franchise, as quarterback Jayden Daniels, the team’s No. 2 overall selection, and the new coaching staff headed by Dan Quinn have completely revitalized the Commanders to the point where they could be competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans next month.

But one person in particular doesn’t seem to like watching this incredible NFL storyline unfold. That’s because he used to own the team.

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Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder on the field before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. (Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

ESPN reports Dan Snyder, the disgraced former owner of the Commanders, doesn’t like seeing the franchise succeeding without him.

The report states that, during a dinner with associates in London, where he mostly lives now, the Commanders were naturally brought up in the conversation. When one of those associates returned to the States, a colleague of theirs asked what Snyder thought about the team, which also had a first-year GM in Adam Peters build out a roster that was playing well at that time during the regular season.

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“He f—ing hates it,” the associate of Snyder’s said to the colleague.

Snyder sold the Commanders under duress, as significant scandals regarding workplace culture, including sexual harassment and a toxic work environment, were on public display. An NFL investigation was conducted which resulted in findings that supported the allegations, leading to pressure from all directions to sell.

Snyder eventually sold the franchise that he controlled since May 1999 for a record $6 billion to Josh Harris and a group of limited partners, which includes David Blitzer, who together own the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. Magic Johnson is also in the ownership group.

While he didn’t want to sell the franchise, Snyder was pressured by his fellow owners, whom he wasn’t in good standing with in the first place. There were even reports in 2022 stating that Snyder had told some close associates that he had dirt on commissioner Roger Goodell and fellow owners, including Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones.

Washington Commanders owners Tanya Snyder, left, and Dan Snyder on the field before the Dallas Cowboys’ defeat of the Washington Commanders, 25-10, at AT&T Stadium on October 2, 2022, in Arlington, TX. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“They can’t f— with me,” Snyder reportedly said, accordig to ESPN.

But the sale went through after Harris got around 20 partners to put up the capital, and the experienced sports team owner set out to change the culture within the team on all fronts. And that seems to be going faster than expected on the performance aspect.

It seems that Peters and the rest of the organization hit the nail on the head, with Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, who has shown poise, leadership and clutch play to go along with what can clearly be seen on the gridiron: A dual-threat quarterback who has quickly become a star.

The Commanders didn’t just go 12-5 during the regular season to earn a wild card spot, and they didn’t just take down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road to win their first playoff game since 1999 – the year Snyder bought the team. They had the upset of the year, dropping 45 points on the Detroit Lions to beat the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the road at Ford Field, shocking a team that many believed to be destined for New Orleans.

Washington are searching for its first Super Bowl appearance since 1991, a game in which they won after going 14-2 during the regular season. While the Commanders are focused on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in a third meeting with the Eagles this season, the future is certainly bright, with this only being the first year of a whole new regime.

Meanwhile, ESPN reports that Snyder has been selling off his U.S. real estate holdings and conducts most of his business from the United Kingdom. They also have sources saying he wants to buy into a Premier League soccer club, but he’s not expected to own a sports team anytime soon.

Team co-owner Dan Snyder speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team’s name change to the Washington Commanders at FedExField on February 2, 2022, in Landover, Maryland. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

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ESPN adds that Snyder is “in denial” about what led to the pressure to sell, and a person close to him says he has “sadness – for himself.”

“It’s killing him . . . It’s devastating him,” the person said.

Commanders kick off against Saquon Barkley and the Eagles on Sunday at 3 p.m. to determine who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
American Madison Keys wins Australian Open, upsets No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka

American tennis star Madison Keys upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday.

Keys, 29, won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the tightly contested match to win her first-ever Grand Slam tournament.

Keys finished with just one more point won than Sabalenka overall, winning 92 points, compared to Sabalenka’s 91.

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Madison Keys, center, of the U.S. reacts as she receives the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from Evonne Goolagong Cawley after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Sabalenka was seeking to win her third consecutive Australian Open, something that was last achieved — by Martina Hingis — from 1997 through 1999.

This was the second time in Keys’ career that she had a chance at a major title, her last being a 6-3, 6-0 loss to fellow countrywoman Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open.

Keys had high expectations for herself in her tennis career, but began to accept the fact that she might never win a Grand Slam title.

“From a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around,” Keys said.

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Madison Keys of the U.S. reacts during her women’s singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

“So I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was OK if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

“I feel like finally letting go of that kind of internal talk that I had just gave me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis to actually win a Grand Slam.”

Not only did Keys upset the No.1 ranked Sabalenka, but she also took down No. 2 ranked Iga Świątek in the semifinals en route to her Australian Open title victory.

Keys was the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to defeat both of the WTA’s top two players at Melbourne Park. She said that beating Swiatek gave her the confidence she could win against Sabalenka.

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Madison Keys of the U.S. speaks during a press conference after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

“Winning that match the other night against Iga was really kind of a big hurdle,” Keys said. “I always believed that I could do it, but to do it that way — really I thought to myself after the match that I can absolutely win on Saturday.”

This was Keys 46th Slam appearance, the third most before winning a women’s major title, being only Flavia Pennetta’s 49 and Marion Bartoli’s 47 appearances before they won.

“I didn’t always believe that I could get back to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
Eli Manning says Peyton Manning trying to ‘steal’ 2025 Pro Bowl playbook

For the third consecutive year, the Manning brothers will return as head coaches and go head-to-head in an action-packed Pro Bowl weekend, featuring star offensive and defensive players from the AFC and NFC.

Peyton Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, will coach the AFC. Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion who infamously beat Tom Brady to win both games, will coach the 2025 Pro Bowl’s NFC team.

“Peyton kind of keeps trying to steal my strategies,” Eli told Fox News Digital. “He keeps trying to steal my playbook.”

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Former NFL players Peyton Manning, left, and Eli Manning are going head-to-head for a third consecutive year as head coaches for the 2025 Pro Bowl between the AFC and the NFC. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Last year, Eli’s NFC squad triumphed against Peyton’s AFC roundup in a final 64-59.

In 2023, Eli beat Peyton 35-33.

“It’s been a lot of fun coaching the Pro Bowl these last two years,” Eli said. “Especially beating Peyton these last two years.”

The sibling rivalry is clearly alive and well in the Manning family, as Eli pointed the finger at Peyton for lacking the necessary skills to beat him, especially with regard to the game’s skills challenges.

“He didn’t think about, and he didn’t really worry about, the skill challenges last year,” Eli told Fox News Digital. “He was all worried about the playbook and the X’s and O’s on the field where we just dominated him in the skills.

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“Peyton’s not good at dodgeball. Peyton’s not good at ping pong. He’s not good at pool,” Eli said. “All he did was play football growing up, so he never learned any other skill. He didn’t know how to coach the players in some of those skills.”

Eli touted his superior past of playing tug-of-war as one of his many advantages against his brother.

“I almost went pro in tug-of-war years ago,” Eli said.

The youngest Manning brother added that Peyton’s preparation includes studying and consulting with experts for the skills challenges, a relay race and dodgeball, among others.

“I’ve just got to really rely on my instincts and, in my experience, playing flag football,” Eli said of his own strategy.

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Former NFL Superbowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, right, talk prior to the SEC Championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Above all else, Eli said he is excited to arrive in Orlando, Florida, and celebrate a season of successful football.

“That’s what this is all about,” he said. “All of these guys had unbelievable seasons.”

Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Myles Garrett, Cameron Heyward and Joe Thuney are among the AFC team’s headliners who earned their spot on the roster.

Jared Goff, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Lane Johnson, Nick Bosa and Justin Jefferson are among the NFC athletes set to deliver a riveting flag-football performance on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

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“I watch these guys every Sunday competing on the AFC and NFC side,” Eli said. “To get to know them a bit, to get to hang out with them and see their personalities off the field is what I look forward to the most.”

In partnership with Knob Creek, Eli launched a single barrel bourbon, Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick, just in time for the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl LIX.

“I got to go down to Kentucky and hand pick this bourbon,” Eli told Fox News Digital.

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Gabriele Regalbuto is a Senior Editor of SEO at Fox News Digital. Gabriele has a Journalism and Communications degree from West Virginia University. She has worked to produce content for newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms. At Fox, she has assisted in coverage of breaking news events including the 2024 presidential cycle, 2022 midterm elections, Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

January 25, 2025
Fans roast Cowboys for hiring Brian Schottenheimer as next head coach: ‘Clown show’

The Dallas Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer, their offensive coordinator, as the team’s next head coach, announcing the move on Friday with a Jerry Jones message attached to it.

“Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant,” Jones said, per ESPN. “He ain’t Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”

The hire comes at a shock to some and a surprise to many, as the Cowboys’ process this offseason has been a head-scratcher.

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Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer of the Dallas Cowboys during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 24, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Cowboys 28-16. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Cowboys fans voiced their opinions on social media, and they weren’t too happy with their team’s choice.

“Hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach without even trying to talk to Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn or other top candidates is 1000% the same thing as not calling Derrick Henry and just signing Zeke,” one fan said on X. “Same. Exact. Thing.”

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To understand where Cowboys fans may be coming from, one must understand the odd process the team went through since the offseason began.

First, the dilemma for Jones and the rest of the organization was what to do with Mike McCarthy, the veteran head coach who went 7-10 on the final year of his deal without quarterback Dak Prescott for a good chunk of the season.

Players like Prescott and others publicly voiced their support for McCarthy, but the Cowboys moved on.

In doing so, though, they were already behind the 8 ball, as other head coach-needy squads were already out conducting interviews and getting their candidates in order.

When Dallas got their list together, it was an interesting group. Robert Saleh, the ex-New York Jets head coach who was fired midseason in 2024, came in despite not being high on anyone’s list except for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He eventually returned to the Bay Area to assume his old job as defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer looks on prior to the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

There was also Pete Carroll, who ended up returning to the NFL by taking the Las Vegas Raiders job. Kellen Moore, the former Cowboys offensive coordinator who is now with the Eagles, came in for an interview, as did Leslie Frazier, who serves as assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

While these candidates all have their credentials, fans were not happy that top candidates like the ones mentioned above, who have all landed elsewhere, never came into the building.

Fox Sports’ David Helman broke down the situation from a Cowboys process perspective.

“We don’t know Brian Schottenheimer will be a failure any more than we know Ben Johnson will be a success,” he posted on X. “Coaching hires are weird & hard to predict.

“We do know that it REEKS of bad process to fart around for eight days with a head coach who needs a new contract, fail to retain him after missing an interview window for coveted candidates, bring in two former head coaches who are not in high demand, one outside assistant you already have a relationship with and *then* choose the guy down the hall who a) is not drawing interest elsewhere b) has not been a head coach c) has not called plays for you and d) has had mixed results when he has called an offense in the past.”

Finally, some feel Schottenheimer is similar to Jason Garrett, who took over the job after Wade Phillips, whom he worked under, was fired.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)

“Quick, easy, CHEAP, and the Jones’ retain control just the way they like it,” one disgruntled fan wrote. “This team doesn’t want to win. It’s about attention. It’s about egos. Cowboys fans are exhausted with this clown show.”

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Schottenheimer joined McCarthy’s Cowboys staff in 2022 as a coaching analyst before replacing Moore as offensive coordinator in 2023. His first year in the position was also Prescott’s best season, as the team went on to win the NFC East before flopping in the Wild Card Round to the Green Bay Packers. The team had the fifth-ranked offense that season.

Schottenheimer, the son of decorated NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer, has almost three decades worth of coaching under his belt, spending time with the Jets, Rams and Seahawks before joining the Cowboys. He served in an offensive coordinator role for each of those teams.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
WNBA star DiJonai Carrington flaunts explicit message on pre-game outfit directed at President Trump

WNBA star DiJonai Carrington sparked some controversy before her Friday night Unrivaled game due to her pre-game outfit selection.

Carrington was spotted walking into Wayfair Arena in Miami, Florida, wearing a sweatshirt with rapper YG on the front with the name of his old 2016 tour: “The F—Donald Trump Tour.”

The message, written in red letters with the rapper in the background flipping the middle finger, was clear as Carrington stopped to pose for a photo.

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DiJonai Carrington, #21 of the Connecticut Sun, brings the ball up court in the second quarter against the Chicago Sky at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 19, 2024, in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Carrington, whose X page around the election showed pro-Kamala Harris messaging, appears to make it clear how she feels about President Trump with her outfit choice.

Carrington is a part of the new 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, playing for the Mist, which is one of six clubs within the organization co-founded by fellow WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

DIJONAI CARRINGTON, CAITLIN CLARK’S TEAMMATE APPEAR TO JOKE ABOUT INFAMOUS EYE-POKING INCIDENT

Carrington was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player during the 2024 season, receiving 28 of the 67 votes from a national media panel after posting career highs in points (12.7), rebounds (5.0) and assists (1.6).

But the 2024 season didn’t come without some controversy on the court for Carrington, who was accused of purposefully poking Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s new superstar and Rookie of the Year, in the eye during a game.

Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (21) works around Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) during the second half of game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Target Center. (Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)

Carrington pleaded her innocence after the incident.

“I don’t even know why I would intent to hit anybody in the eye,” she said. “That doesn’t even make sense to me.”

Clark also downplayed the situation when asked about, saying it “wasn’t intentional by any means.”

Carrington was already not in the good graces of Fever fans, as she provoked them by posting a tweet in late August, which read, “the Indiana fever have the nastiest fans in the W. ew.” The eye-poking incident occurred during Game 1 of the WNBA playoffs match-up between Carrington’s Connecticut Sun and Clark’s Fever.

Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (21) warms up before the start of game four of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals against the Minnesota Lynx at Mohegan Sun Arena. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

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Carrington’s girlfriend, NaLyssa Smith, whom she met after transferring to Baylor, plays alongside Clark on the Fever.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
‘Inside the NBA’ has spirited debate over Heat star Jimmy Butler’s drama, latest suspension

Jimmy Butler’s sixth season with the Miami Heat has been turbulent.

The team recently suspended the six-time All-Star for the second time in three weeks — a decision that further fueled the belief that Butler has already played his final game for the franchise.

Butler drew the latest suspension for what the team in a statement Wednesday called a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team,” including missing the Heat’s flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday, before traveling to New York for a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 25.

During Thursday’s edition of TNT’s long-running “Inside the NBA,” Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith discussed the drama surrounding Butler.

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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

O’Neal argued it is “human nature” for Butler to want to land with another team when his contract situation is taken into consideration.

“I just think in this situation, it’s more about human nature,” O’Neal noted. “I know exactly how Jimmy feels, I’ve been in this situation many times. All that I’ve done for you, and you don’t want to give me what I want, so human nature kicks in. . . . The part I hate about this business of basketball thing, it always has to be somebody’s fault.”

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Butler, 34, has one year remaining on his deal and has a $52 million player option for the 2025–26 season. He is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension. However, it does not appear that the Heat extended such an offer to Butler, largely because he’s missed about 25 percent of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.

Nevertheless, Johnson, Barkley and Smith all expressed view points that opposed O’Neal’s thoughts.

The TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax broadcasts live before the game on October 24, 2023, at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Jamie Schwaberow/NBAE via Getty Images)

“You can’t just not show up to work,” Barkley responded.

“You took the $50 [million] for this year and next year,” Smith added.

While Johnson typically acts as a referee when the trio of NBA players engage in spirited exchanges on the show, he challenged O’Neal after the four-time NBA player doubled down on his position.

“You don’t feel a responsibility when you are under contract this season to play this season?” Johnson asked.

Jimmy Butler, #22 of the Miami Heat, prepares to shoot a free throw against the Washington Wizards on February 2, 2024 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images)

Barkley also suggested that Butler owed it to the fans and his teammates to put his feelings about the contract situation aside and do his part to help the Heat win games.

“You can get mad at the Miami Heat organization, but the fans of Miami and those guys in that locker room have nothing to do with you wanting a contract extension.”

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Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary.

Money may not be the only factor contributing to Butler’s unhappiness. Butler has made it no secret that he’s not pleased with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn’t participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters in a recent game, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle.

Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, according to multiple reports. The demand has not been made publicly, because NBA rules do not allow players to do so. The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
Commanders’ success product of change in ownership, NFL legend Champ Bailey says

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The Washington Commanders have been the surprise team of the 2024 season.

Behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders earned a wild-card spot in the playoffs and defeated the NFC South division winner in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the best team in the NFC in the Detroit Lions.

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Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

All the Commanders have to do now is top their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1991 season.

Champ Bailey, who starred for the organization when they were called the Washington Redskins, told Fox News Digital he’s a big fan of the quarterback, but the team’s recent success started when ownership changed hands.

“(Jayden Daniels) is the real deal. I think you can give him a lot of credit for what that franchise is doing right now, but it all starts at the top,” he said. “Once Josh Harris took over the team, and you bring on the ownership team that he has … these dudes, first of all, they love the Commanders because they’re all sort of D.C. guys. And then you have Magic Johnson, who’s the winner of all winners added to that.

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Jan 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws a pass during the first quarter against Detroit Lions in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Ford Field. (Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images)

“So, the culture changes pretty much overnight. And now you draft the right quarterback, which we all know if you can draft the right quarterback, the sky’s the limit for your franchise. The fan base is probably one of the best in the world. I mean, I tell people all the time when I’m out and about, I get just as many Commanders fans come up to me than Broncos fans, and I played in Denver 10 years after I played in Washington. So, it’s been 20 years since I’ve been there and people still remember my career like it happened yesterday.”

Champ Bailey partnered with Truelieve. (Truelieve)

Harris’ group bought the Commanders from Daniel Snyder in 2023 for more than $6 billion. The team started a little rocky in the first season with Harris and Co. as the owners. Washington was 4-13 in 2023 and were awarded the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Washington selected Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner in 2023 from LSU, and his poise and collectiveness along with his innate talent at throwing the football helped the Commanders to a 12-6 record and their first playoff appearance since 2020.

Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

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“I’m just happy that they have a team that they can be proud of, they can root for,” said Bailey, who spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of Trulieve. “But it all starts with great ownership, great leadership, and now you’re able to insert a great player like Jayden Daniels. Give them a lot of credit. The kid’s talent is amazing – the things he’s doing now. But it all starts at the top.”

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January 25, 2025
Cowboys hire Brian Shottenheimer as next head coach

The Dallas Cowboys are hiring offensive coordinator Brian Shottenheimer as the team’s next head coach, the team announced Friday.

Shottenheimer will take over as the team’s head coach after two seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator, replacing Mike McCarthy, who agreed to part ways with the team after a disappointing 7-10 season.

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Since the Cowboys parted ways with McCarthy a week after the season ended, the organization missed out on the chance to interview candidates like Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn earlier in the process.

Shottenheimer joined the organization in 2022 as a coaching analyst, before replacing Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator in 2023. Shottenheimer’s first year as offensive coordinator coincided with quarterback Dak Prescott’s best season, as the team won the NFC East and had the fifth-ranked offense in the entire league.

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However, 2024 was a different story. The team finished 16th in total offense after Prescott suffered a season-ending injury.

Still, Shottenheimer’s work as offensive coordinator was enough to prompt Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to choose him as head coach, bypassing other potential options including Deion Sanders and Jason Witten.

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Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer looks on prior to the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Shottenheimer, 51, brings nearly three decades of experience as an offensive assistant coach to the table. He served as an offensive coordinator for a few other teams before joining the Cowboys in 2022, working in that role for the Jets (2006-11), Rams (2012-14) and Seahawks (2018-20).

Schottenheimer is also the son of decorated former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer. The elder Schottenheimer was a head coach for four teams, recording the ninth-most wins (205) for a coach in NFL history.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 25, 2025
Pirates ‘bummed’ after young collector, who scored one-of-a-kind Paul Skenes card, declines team’s offer

Earlier this week, a young collector pulled the coveted autographed MLB debut patch card of Paul Skenes from the market.

An 11-year-old collector from Southern California, who nabbed a one-of-kind baseball card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher, decided to turn down a trade offer from the MLB franchise.

The card was featured in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set. On Friday, the trading card and collectible manufacturer confirmed the collector had “chosen to send the card to auction with @FanaticsCollect instead,” Topps wrote in an Instagram post.

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Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field May 17, 2024, in Chicago. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

The Pirates offered a package of perks in exchange for the card. A pair of premium Pirates season tickets for three decades, an opportunity to play a softball game on the field, a meet and greet with Skenes and autographed jerseys were among offerings from the team.

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LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who is dating Skenes, also offered an incentive to the owner of the card.

Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne on the set of ESPN “College GameDay” at the LSU Quad Nov. 9, 2024, in Baton Rouge. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

“Let’s raise the stakes…the person who finds this card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite,” Dunne wrote in a post to her Instagram story.

While the collector wrote in a journal entry shared by Topps that nabbing the card was a “dream come true,” apparently that dream did not include spending time over the next 30 years attending games at PNC Park.

The Pirates admitted they were “bummed” after learning of the collector’s decision but offered to have the fan at a game sometime during the 2025 season.

A view of PNC Park as the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Philadelphia Phillies June 21, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)

“Well…we’re bummed that we won’t be seeing you behind home plate for 30 seasons. But we’d still love to bring you to Pittsburgh for a special day at PNC Park this season,” the team posted on X.

Fanatics Collect, which will handle the auctioning of the card in March, said it will donate its proceeds from the sale to fire relief funds in the Los Angeles area.

Skenes delivered a season to remember in 2024, finishing 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Before winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award, he was named to the MLB All-Star team. Skenes was the top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and made his big league debut in May 2024.

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Rookies have worn MLB debut patches on their jerseys since 2023. Topps acquired the patches and created the unique cards. The card could hold pretty high value considering the potentially bright future ahead for the 22-year-old, who finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Skenes said over the weekend he hasn’t thought about the potential of signing a long-term contract to remain with the Pirates, saying instead his focus is on helping the Pirates take a step toward contending in 2025. He is eligible for free agency after the 2029 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025