The Sports Report: Chargers finally make the right decision

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jeff Miller: The Chargers made one of the most notable additions in their franchise’s 65-year history Wednesday by agreeing to terms with Jim Harbaugh to be their coach, the team announced.

Having won a collegiate national title at Michigan this month, Harbaugh now takes over a team fronted by quarterback Justin Herbert but dogged by the organization’s history of coming up short.

“Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward,” owner Dean Spanos said in a statement. “The son of a coach, brother of a coach and father of a coach who himself was coached by names like Schembechler and Ditka, for the past two decades Jim has led hundreds of men to success everywhere he’s been — as their coach.

“And today, Jim Harbaugh returns to the Chargers, this time as our coach. Who has it better than us?”

The Chargers have won only two playoff games over the last 15 years and have advanced to the postseason just once since losing in the divisional round in 2018.

The franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance resulted in a 49-26 loss to San Francisco following the 1994 season.

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From Bill Plaschke: The Chargers finally get it. The Chargers finally got it.

Seven years after barging into Los Angeles amid a cacophony of catcalls, the Chargers finally figured out how to quiet the doubters, capture the buzz and take a significant bite out of the market.

They finally hired a nationally celebrated figure who will cause a commotion, raise a ruckus, and, oh yeah, win football games.

They just hired Jim Harbaugh.

Their biggest win yet.

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John, Jim Harbaugh can thank their parents for their football drive

NFL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Conference championship
Sunday
AFC
No. 3 Kansas City at No. 1 Baltimore, noon, CBS, Paramount+

NFC
No. 3 Detroit at No. 1 San Francisco, 3:30 p.m., Fox, Fox Deportes

Note: Super Bowl is Feb. 11 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+

CLIPPERS

From Helene Elliott: While the Lakers continue to flutter around .500, while fans rip coach Darvin Ham’s lineups and rotations and demand his head — or a season-saving trade, or both — the Clippers quietly and smoothly keep winning.

Once past the difficulties of adjusting to James Harden’s early-season arrival, they’ve been content to let the drama simmer and headlines erupt at the other end of the hallway at Crypto.com Arena. Their 127-116 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 25-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist performance in his second career triple-double, was their sixth win in their past seven games and 11th in their past 13, a surge that has them wedged comfortably in fourth place in the West at 28-14.

“You damn near have to play perfect basketball to beat those guys. They’re in a really good rhythm,” Ham said after the Lakers (22-23) lost for the 14th time in 22 games since they won the NBA’s in-season tournament.

That kind of success gave Clippers coach Tyronn Lue the luxury of being critical of his team after the victory, which also featured a 23-point, 10-assist performance from Harden and 17 off the bench from Norman Powell.

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Lakers vs. Clippers takeaways: Jarred Vanderbilt’s offensive rebounding a positive sign

NBA scores

NBA standings

SPARKS

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Nneka Ogwumike was the cornerstone of Curt Miller‘s rebuild but after one year, the former most valuable player is planning her exit.

Ogwumike, an unrestricted free agent, told the Sparks she intends to leave after 12 seasons with the franchise that drafted her first overall in 2012, a person not authorized to speak publicly confirmed Wednesday. Teams could begin negotiating with free agents on Jan. 21.

ESPN reported Ogwumike’s decision with a statement from Sparks managing partner Eric Holoman.

“I want to thank Nneka Ogwumike for 12 incredible seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks,” the statement read. “Nneka has been a leader and changemaker for the Sparks, the city of Los Angeles, the WNBA, and women’s sports. From drafting her No. 1 in 2012, to her game-winning shot in the 2016 WNBA Finals, her 2016 MVP trophy, and so many special memories, her legacy is cemented as one of the greatest to ever wear Purple & Gold.”

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KINGS

JJ Peterka had two goals and an assist, Alex Tuch scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Buffalo Sabres rallied to beat the Kings 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists and Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who trailed 3-1 midway through the first period. Devon Levi stopped 37 shots.

It was Buffalo’s first win in 14 games this season when trailing by at least two goals after the first period.

The Kings’ Anze Kopitar had a goal and reached the 40-point mark for the 18th straight season. The Kings captain was honored before the game for becoming the franchise leader in games played and assists as well as reaching 400 career goals earlier this season.

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Kings box score

NHL scores

NHL standings

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1894 — Jim Corbett knocks out Charley Mitchell in the third round to retain the world heavyweight title.

1924 — The first Winter Olympics are held in Chamonix, France.

1939 — Joe Louis knocks out John Henry Lewis at 2:39 of the first round to retain the world heavyweight title.

1945 — Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping and Del Webb buy the New York Yankees for $2.8 million.

1960 — Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors sets a record for rookies with 58 points in a 127-117 triumph over the Detroit Pistons. Chamberlain also grabs 42 rebounds.

1968 — Bob Seagren sets an indoor pole vault record in the Millrose Games at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Seagren’s world record leap is 17 feet, 4 1/4 inches.

1981 — Jim Plunkett’s two first-quarter touchdown passes, including a Super Bowl-record 80-yard strike to running back Kenny King, leads the Oakland Raiders to a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

1987 — The New York Giants win the Super Bowl with a 39-20 rout of the Denver Broncos. The Giants, trailing 10-9 at halftime, score 30 points in the second half to set a Super Bowl record. Phil Simms completes a record 10 straight passes and 22 of 25 attempts overall.

1991 — Brett Hull scores two goals to become the third player in NHL history to score 50 goals in less than 50 games (49). Hull adds two assists to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 9-4 rout of the Detroit Red Wings.

1998 — John Elway and the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl by beating the Green Bay Packers 31-24. Terrell Davis, selected the MVP, rushes for 157 yards scores on three 1-yard touchdown runs, including the winner with 1:45 left.

2003 — Serena Williams survives an error-filled match to beat elder sister Venus 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open for her fourth straight major championship.

2014 — Li Na, who turns 32 next month, beats Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3), 6-0 in the Australian Open final to become the oldest woman to clinch the title here in the Open era.

2014 — Kate Hansen becomes the first American in nearly 17 years to win a World Cup singles luge race, prevailing at the season finale in Sigulda, Latvia. She’s the first World Cup winner for USA Luge since Cameron Myler won in 1997.

2015 — Mike Krzyzewski earns his 1,000th career win, making him the first NCAA Division I men’s coach to reach the milestone, when No. 5 Duke surges past St. John’s for a 77-68 victory at Madison Square Garden.

2022 — Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle becomes NHL’s new “Iron Man” with his 965th consecutive regular-season game, breaking Doug Jarvis’s all-time record, in a 4-3 loss at the New York Islanders

Compiled by the Associated Press