Happy New Year 2025

Tag: upset

Eli Manning’s ex-Giants teammate upset over QB’s Hall of Fame snub

One of Eli Manning’s former New York Giants teammates, cornerback Prince Amukamara, is not happy that his former teammate did not make the Pro Football Hall of Fame last week.

“Snubbed dude, come on man!” Amukamara exclaimed to TMZ Sports.

“And it’s crazy because before he retired, that’s always been the argument right: is he a first ballot Hall of Famer?”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

New York Giants former quarterback Eli Manning prepares to throw out the first pitch before the game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA Today Sports)

Amukamara was Manning’s teammate for five seasons, from 2011-2015, and started all four playoff games in the Giants Super Bowl run in 2011.

“All I know is two-time Super Bowl MVP, beat everybody’s GOAT, never missed a down, never missed a play, never missed a game… He’ll get in next time,” Amukamara said.

Manning’s candidacy for the Pro Hall of Fame has been hotly debated among fans.

Manning is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl MVP. He is 11th all-time in passing yards and touchdown passes thrown.

He was as durable as they come, starting 210 consecutive games, a streak that only ended because he was benched and not due to injury.

JARED ALLEN, ANTONIO GATES HEADLINE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning talks to former teammate Prince Amukamara, of the Chicago Bears, after their game on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (IMAGN)

On the other hand, Manning finished with a career 117-117 record and has 244 career interceptions, good for 12th most all-time.

Amukamara did say that those who were elected were deserving of the honor.

Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe and Eric Allen were the four players who will be enshrined in Canton this year.

While Amukamara thought Manning was a snub, he said the same about former Carolina Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly.

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME SNUBS DRAW STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION: ‘WHAT A JOKE’

New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara gets tackled by Buffalo Bills running back Cierre Wood at Ralph Wilson Stadium. (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA Today Sports)

Kuechly only played for eight seasons but was undoubtedly one of the best linebackers in the sport. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year, won Defensive Player of the year in 2013, was a seven-time Pro-Bowler and five-time All-Pro. He led the NFL in tackles twice in his career.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Chicago Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara warms up for the New York Giants game at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA Today Sports)

Amukamara joked he didn’t want to say anything that would get him snubbed from the Hall. He had a decent nine-year career with the Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, but he will not be making the Hall of Fame.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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

February 13, 2025
John Calipari booed in return to Kentucky, but gets last laugh as Arkansas pulls off upset

Last April, John Calipari decided to “step away” from the University of Kentucky after 15 seasons; a day later, he joined the University of Arkansas.

Well, Calipari returned to Kentucky on Saturday night, and despite a championship in 2012 and a .771 winning percentage there, boos still managed to be loud as he returned.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

Well, Calipari got the last laugh, as his Razorbacks took home an 89-79 upset victory over the 12th-ranked team in the country.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Arkansas head coach John Calipari gives high-fives to his team during the Kentucky game, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Calipari admitted that it took some getting used to.

“It’s hard to win in here. And I’ve got to be honest with you, I looked up a couple of times and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas,” Calipari said. “I made it clear it was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years of a great run and support.”

With Kentucky, Calipari made the NCAA Tournament all but two seasons. Last year’s team was knocked out in the first round as a No. 3 seed against Jack Gohlke and No. 14 Oakland. In 2022, the Wildcats were upset by No. 15 St. Peter’s, and they lost in the Round of 32 in 2023.

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari stands on the court before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. (Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

ARIZONA STATE’S BOBBY HURLEY SENDS TEAM TO LOCKER ROOM EARLY AFTER OPPONENT’S ‘NO CLASS’ BEHAVIOR, EJECTIONS

Calipari went 410-122 (.771) with the Wildcats – this year’s Arkansas team is now 13-8 but 2-6 in conference.

The Hall of Fame coach is the winningest active coach in men’s college basketball and has an 867-271 mark during his stops at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky and now Arkansas. He was 248-26 at Rupp Arena and led the Wildcats to a 93-77 win over Vanderbilt in his last home game at Kentucky last March 6.

It wasn’t just a return for Calipari. Adou Thiero, D.J. Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic combined to score 42 points against their former team in Lexington en route to the win.

Arkansas coach John Calipari takes the court before the Kentucky Wildcats’ game, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025, in Lexington. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

With Arkansas leading 46-45 at the half, Thiero and Wagner combined for a 12-2 run and a 58-47 lead to start the second half. Thiero opened with a dunk and ended the run with a three, and the Razorbacks never looked back.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

February 2, 2025
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.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

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.

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS STAR ANNOUNCES DIVORCE FROM HUSBAND, TEASES ONLYFANS PAGE

“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)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“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.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025