The Sports Report: Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat
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Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat
From Ryan Kartje: After 72 particularly miserable hours for his football program, Lincoln Riley took his place behind a lectern Tuesday and tried to assure everyone that things at USC weren’t as bad as they looked.
“There’s a lot of things to be proud of in this football program right now,” Riley said. “Those that really look into it and look at what’s happening here will see that and understand that. There’s people on the outside that just don’t.”
But the optics at USC, since Saturday’s 41-27 home loss to Oregon, certainly couldn’t have been much worse for Riley. Because it wasn’t just that his Trojans lost a critical game to a bitter rival, one framed for weeks — months, even — as a must-win. Or that in its wake, Ducks coach Dan Lanning had savaged him and his program multiple times.
It was what happened in the midst of that loss, as well as the reactions after, that made matters much worse for USC.
The days since have prompted questions across the country about Riley’s future at USC, where he’s midway through his fifth season as coach. One person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told The Times that “all options are on the table” with Riley after the loss and the events of last weekend.
Final games for Miguel Rojas?
From Maddie Lee: Miguel Rojas has remained composed at the field. But away from it, on the precipice of what could be his last postseason run as a player, he hasn’t been able to hold back the tears.
“It’s been hard,” Rojas said in a recent conversation with The Times. “I’m not going to lie. I’ve been crying by myself at home.
“Every time I take a little time to post on my social media about saying thank you, it’s because I don’t want to do a full press conference of telling people, ‘Hey, this is the day that I’m retiring’ because I don’t think I’m good enough. I didn’t play a career that I’m good enough to do that. I’m not going to end up in the Hall of Fame or anything like that. So I’m just going to do it my own way. And whenever I go, I just want the fans, the people around baseball, [to know] how grateful I am for all the moments.”
His last Instagram post was a series of photos of him looking up at the applauding crowd in the Dodger Stadium left-field bleachers. He put it up during the Dodgers’ final regular-season homestand with the caption, “Thank You Dodger Fans” and a blue heart emoji, taking a moment to let it sink in that it could be his last before hanging up his spikes.
Rojas hasn’t finalized his retirement decision just yet, however.
Lakers’ defense impresses Austin Reaves
From Broderick Turner: Two days into Lakers training camp, while integrating nine new players during yet another physical practice session, Austin Reaves has been impressed with just how good this Lakers group can be.
As he stood before the media after practice Wednesday, Reaves was asked if he saw the makings of a championship team.
“I do,” he replied.
Reaves has such high hopes because of the defensive intensity the Lakers have displayed in camp.
Puka Nacua could play Sunday, Aaron Donald might not
From Gary Klein: Rams receiver Puka Nacua, who was sidelined the last two games because of a hip injury, is expected to play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday.
Nacua went through an on-field workout last Sunday in Denver before the Rams’ loss to the Broncos. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, according to the Rams’ injury report.
While Nacua is on track to return, another Rams star could be questionable.
Defensive lineman Aaron Donald did not practice Wednesday because of a back issue.
Is Donald at risk of not playing against the Eagles?
“We’re just taking it a day at a time,” McVay said. “I wouldn’t want to say anything of that nature yet.”
Kings lose season opener
Nathan MacKinnon scored twice in a four-goal second period and capped his night with a rare fight, and the Colorado Avalanche opened the season with an 8-4 victory over the Kings on Wednesday night.
Trevor Moore, Joel Armia, Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci scored for the Kings, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.
Hours before the game, Colorado coach Jared Bednar was given a four-year contract extension. Bednar, who led Colorado to the 2022 Stanley Cup title, was in the final year of his current contract. The extension ended speculation on his future after being swept by Vegas in the Western Conference finals last spring.
MLB postseason schedule
Wild-card series
National League
No. 3 Atlanta vs. No. 6 Philadelphia
at Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 (box score)
Philadelphia 4, at Atlanta 3 (10) (box score)
Thursday at Atlanta, 5 p.m., NBC/Peacock
No. 4 San Diego vs. No. 5 Chicago
at San Diego 8, Chicago 0 (box score)
at San Diego 4, Chicago 1 (box score)
American League
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 6 Chicago
Chicago 6, at Houston 3 (box score)
Chicago 7, at Houston 3 (box score)
No. 4 New York vs. No. 5 Boston
at New York 9, Boston 0 (box score)
at New York 8, Boston 2 (box score)
Division series
National League
No. 2 Dodgers vs. Atlanta or Philadelphia
Saturday at Dodgers, 1 p.m., FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Sunday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Tuesday at Atl/Phi, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Wed. at Atl/Phi, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday, Oct. 9 at Dodgers, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 4 San Diego
Saturday at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m, FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Sunday at Milwaukee, 1 p.m. FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Tuesday at San Diego, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Wed. at San Diego, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday, Oct. 9 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 4 New York
Saturday at Tampa Bay, 3:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Wednesday at New York, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Thursday at New York, (TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max)
*Saturday, Oct. 10 at Tampa Bay, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox
Saturday at Cleveland, 10 a.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Monday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Wednesday at Chicago, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Thursday at Chicago, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Saturday, Oct. 10 at Cleveland, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
NLCS starts Sunday, Oct. 11
ALCS starts Monday, Oct. 12
World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This day in sports history
1945 — World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis is discharged from US army after being awarded the Legion of Merit.
1967 — Richard Petty continues phenomenal NASCAR winning streak by taking the Wilkes 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway; unprecedented 10th consecutive victory.
1975 — In the “Thrilla in Manila,” Muhammad Ali beats Joe Frazier in 14 rounds to retain his world heavyweight title.
1977 — 75,646 fans come to the Meadowlands to see soccer great Pele play his farewell game. Pele plays the first half with the New York Cosmos and the second half with his former team, Santos of Brazil.
1988 — Flamboyant American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins her third gold medal of the Seoul Olympics anchoring the victorious US 4 x 100m relay team.
1988 — Steffi Graf beats Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 to win the women’s singles tennis gold medal at the Seoul Olympics; clinches first and only Golden Slam in history (Grand Slam & Olympics).
1993 — In his first World Boxing Council heavyweight title defense Lennox Lewis beats fellow Londoner Frank Bruno by TKO in 7 at the National Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
1997 — Kevin Garnett agrees to terms with the Minnesota Timberwolves on the richest long-term contract in pro sports history, a six-year deal worth more than $125 million.
1999 — In a blockbuster NBA trade, the Houston Rockets move All Star forward Scottie Pippen to Portland Trail Blazers for Kelvin Cato, Stacey Augmon, Walt Williams, Carlos Rogers, Ed Gray and Brian Shaw.
2000 — NBA stars Ray Allen and Vince Carter each score 13 points as the U.S. beats France 85-75 to win the men’s basketball gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.
2000 — United States wins the most medals (97), and the most gold medals (40) in Summer Olympics held in Sydney, Australia.
2006 — Tiger Woods matches his longest PGA Tour winning streak of six at the American Express Championship. Woods finishes with a 4-under 67 for an eight-shot victory. It’s also his eighth victory of the year, making him the first player in PGA Tour history to win at least eight times in three seasons.
2011 — Tyler Wilson throws for a school-record 510 yards and Jarius Wright catches 13 passes for a school-record 281 yards as Arkansas turns an 18-point halftime deficit into a 42-38 victory over Texas A&M.
2017 — Frankie Dettori wins an unprecedented fifth Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as Enable caps a memorable season. Enable, the 10-11 favorite, leads for most of Europe’s richest horse race to claim her fifth consecutive victory after wins in the Epsom Oaks, the Irish Oaks, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. The filly wins by 2 1/2 lengths over Cloth Of Stars.
2017 — Houston’s Deshaun Watson becomes the first rookie to throw four touchdowns and run for another one, since Fran Tarkenton in 1961 and tied an NFL record for most TDs by a rookie quarterback in Houston’s 57-14 victory.
2017 — Todd Gurley scores the go-ahead touchdown on a 53-yard catch-and-run, and Greg Zuerlein kicks a career-high seven field goals to lead the Rams to a 35-30 win over Dallas.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1903 — The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Boston Red Sox 7-3 in the first World Series game. Jimmy Sebring hit the first series home run. Deacon Phillippe was the winning pitcher and Cy Young the loser.
1932 — Babe Ruth, as legend has it, called his home run against Chicago’s Charlie Root in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the World Series, won by the New York Yankees 7-5 at Wrigley Field. Ruth and Lou Gehrig each hit two homers for the Yankees.
1946 — For the first time in major league history, a playoff series to determine a league’s championship was played between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Cardinals won the first game 4-2, with Howie Pollet holding the Dodgers to two hits — a homer and RBI single by Howie Schultz.
1950 — The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the NL pennant with a 4-1 10-inning victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers on the season’s last day. Dick Sisler’s three-run homer off Don Newcombe in the top of the 10th inning came after outfielder Richie Ashburn saved the game in the ninth.
1961 — Roger Maris hit his 61st home run against Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. The homer eclipsed Babe Ruth’s 34-year-old single-season home run record. The Yankees won 1-0.
1967 — The Boston Red Sox won the American League pennant with a 5-3 win over the Twins on the final day of the season. Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski went 4-for-4 and finished with 44 home runs, 121 RBIs and a .326 average to win the Triple Crown.
1973 — The New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 to win the National League East. It was the first game of a scheduled make-up doubleheader at Wrigley Field, a day after the regular season ended. The Mets, 11 1/2 games behind and in last place on Aug. 5, won their 82nd game, the lowest number of victories to win a title.
1978 — The Cleveland Indians beat the New York Yankees 9-2 on the last day of the season to force a one-game playoff between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox won their eighth straight game with a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
1988 — Tony Gwynn went 2-for-3 to raise his league-leading batting average to .313 but hurt his hand in a 6-3 victory over the Houston Astros. Gwynn is the first NL batting champion to win the title with an average below .320. The previous low was Larry Doyle’s .320 in 1915.
2000 — Detroit’s Shane Halter became the fourth major leaguer to play all nine positions in a game. He capped his adventure by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Tigers over Minnesota 12-11.
2004 — Ichiro Suzuki set the major league record for hits in a season. He broke George Sisler’s 84-year-old mark with two early singles, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-3. Sisler set the hits record of 257 in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns over a 154-game schedule. Suzuki broke it in the Mariners’ 160th game.
2007 — Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies scored on Jamey Carroll’s shallow fly, capping a three-run rally in the 13th inning against Trevor Hoffman. He led the Rockies past the San Diego Padres 9-8 in a tiebreaker for the NL wild card.
2018 — Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, Christian Yelich had three more hits, sending the Milwaukee Brewers to their first NL Central title since 2011 by downing the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in a tiebreaker game. Yelich won the NL batting title with a .326 average. He fell one home run and one RBI short of what would’ve been the NL’s first Triple Crown since Joe Medwick in 1937.
2022 — The Dodgers become only the third team in the history of the National League (and seventh in the majors) to win 110 games in a season with a 6-4 win over the Rockies. Only the 1906 Cubs and 1909 Pirates have preceded them in the senior circuit.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time...
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