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Can explosive running back Jaydn Ott thrive in Cal’s new offense?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

BERKELEY — New Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has coached seven quarterbacks who played in the NFL, but rarely a running back with the explosiveness of Jaydn Ott, the Bears’ dynamic sophomore.“I think he’s going to be really fun to watch in this offense,” Spavital said.Spavital does not expect to take in the full effect until Cal’s season opener at North Texas. He is playing it safe in the meantime, limiting Ott’s exposure to potential injury in practice.“We didn’t let him go today because I understand the value of having a really good running back,” Spavital said after Ott had a light practice day on Friday.“He’s shown signs on tape of his explosive ability where we can get north and south. I haven’t seen him go live yet . . . I don’t want anything to do with it until Sept. 2.”In his first season in a return to Cal, where he served as Sonny Dykes’ coordinator in 2016, Spavital said he wasn’t even sure how much playing time Ott would see in the Bears’ first full scrimmage o...

Guardians’ star Ramírez has MLB suspension for fighting reduced, 3B will serve 2 games in Tampa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

Cleveland Guardians All-Star third baseman José Ramírez had his MLB suspension for fighting with Chicago’s Tim Anderson reduced from three games to two on Saturday.Ramírez, who knocked Anderson to the ground with a wild, well-placed punch, will serve the suspension this weekend during Cleveland’s series in Tampa Bay. Ramírez won’t play Saturday or Sunday.Anderson was suspended six games for fighting with Ramirez near second base and triggering a benches-clearing melee on Aug. 5 between the Guardians and White Sox that went on for several minutes and included several other flareups.MLB handed out its punishment two days after the brawl, but Ramírez continued playing this week until his appeal could be heard. Anderson also appealed his suspension.Guardians manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh and closer Emmanuel Clase were all suspended one game. Chicago manager Pedro Frifol also was suspended a game.One of baseball’s best all-around players, ...

Tom Pidcock, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot win mountain bike world titles in Scotland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock proved Saturday he is still the man to beat at next summer’s Paris Games.Pauline Ferrand-Prevot of France showed she’s the woman to beat, too, even if her last Olympics was one to forget.Pidcock pulled away from a star-studded field on a technical course through Scotland’s Glentress Forest, then held off the fast-finishing Samuel Gaze of New Zealand to win the mountain bike title on the penultimate day of cycling’s world championships. His rainbow jersey came hours after Ferrand-Prevot dominated the women’s field to win the title for the fifth time.“It’s a massive relief,” Pidcock said. “As soon as I attacked, my gears were jumping all over the place. I didn’t know if I should stop and tighten it up. My race could have been over at any point. I didn’t want to go proper and put it under any stress.“That was a stressful last two laps,” he added.Gaze finished 19 seconds back in failing to add the...

Pedro scores as Brighton begins season with 4-1 win over Premier League newcomer Luton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra scored on their debut as Brighton shrugged off Moises Caicedo’s ongoing transfer saga by beating Premier League newcomer Luton 4-1 in their season opener on Saturday. Pedro, the club’s record signing, doubled Brighton’s lead following Solly March’s first-half opener by converting a 71st-minute penalty after being brought down by Luton captain Tom Lockyer.Carlton Morris slotted home from the spot at the other end following Lewis Dunk’s handball to set up a tense finale but Adingra capitalized on a big error from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu to make it 3-1 before fellow substitute Evan Ferguson added the fourth in injury time. Brighton’s offseason has been dominated by speculation about Caicedo, with the club this week accepting what would be a record fee for a transfer in Britain of around 110 million pounds ($140 million) from Liverpool for the star midfielder. However, the deal has yet to be completed, with reports say...

Everton wastes slew of chances and loses 1-0 to Fulham in Premier League opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton paid the price for a slew of missed chances by conceding in the 73rd minute to Bobby De Cordova-Reid in a 1-0 home loss to Fulham in the teams’ Premier League opener on Saturday.A new campaign brought new hope for Everton, which has fought to avoid relegation in recent seasons. But for all the improvements that manager Sean Dyche has made over the summer, it appears he has not yet solved Everton’s problems in front of goal.De Cordova-Reid tapped in at the far post after Andreas Pereira slid in to get a cross over to the winger.Everton — the Premier League’s lowest scorer last season — was again without striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and generated twice as many shots (19-9) as the visitors.Michael Keane’s first-half goal for Everton was disallowed as the center back turned the ball into an empty net and celebrated almost apologetically before referee Stuart Attwell, having initially not blown, ruled there had been an infringement in the co...

Edouard’s second-half goal gives Crystal Palace 1-0 win over Sheffield United

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Odsonne Edouard’s goal early in the second half earned Crystal Palace a 1-0 opening win at Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday to worsen the gloom at Bramall Lane.Edouard struck from close range four minutes after the restart in a game that Palace largely dominated. Jordan Ayew found a good position on the right-hand side and sent in a tricky low cross which Edouard stabbed in from close range.Roy Hodgson’s Palace had two further goals disallowed, while Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham made a number of saves to keep his side in the game.Sheffield United’s return to the top flight after two seasons away ended with a poor defeat to compound a negative few weeks which saw the sale of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge. Manager Paul Heckingbottom acknowledged before the match that his team is “nowhere near” where they need to be, though the signing of Gustavo Hamer from Coventry overnight had boosted the mood.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soc...

Fernando Villavicencio y Rafael Correa, enemigos acérrimos. Sus mensajes más duros en las redes sociales

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

(CNN Español) — Poco después del asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio, el expresidente de Ecuador, Rafael Correa, emitió en la red social X, antes conocida como Twitter, un mensaje de solidaridad con la familia del candidato presidencial y con los deudos de las demás víctimas del atentado. “Los que pretenden sembrar aún más odio con esta nueva tragedia, ojalá entiendan que aquello tan solo nos sigue destruyendo”.Sin embargo, dentro de la batalla política que mantenían, los mensajes que se dedicaron Villavicencio y Correa en el pasado no fueron precisamente cordiales. Cuando ejercía como periodista, Fernando Villavicencio investigó y denunció las supuestas irregularidades del mandato de Rafael Correa, quien gobernó el país entre 2007 y 2017.“¿Me pueden explicar si está permitido hacer campaña con un delincuente prófugo?”, afirmó Villavicencio el 12 de noviembre de 2022 comentando una foto en la que Leonardo Orlando, candidato a las elecciones seccionales de Manabí...

86-year-old McLean woman fatally struck in crosswalk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

An 86-year-old woman was killed in McLean, Virginia, after being struck by a car Friday morning, according to Fairfax County police.Police say Brigitte Forster, of McLean, was crossing Kirby Road around 6 a.m. when a driver behind the wheel of a 2009 Toyota Sienna cut a left turn onto the northbound street short, entering the southbound lane and hitting Forster in the crosswalk.The driver was coming out of the parking lot of 1728 Kirby Road, where The Sylvestery at Vinson Hall Retirement Community is located.Forster was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver stayed at the scene following the crash.Detectives are still investigating the circumstances of the crash, but do not believe that speed or alcohol were factors.Police closed the intersection of Kirby Road and Old Dominion Drive to investigate the crash. The roadway reopened shortly after 9:30 a.m. Friday.Officers are on scene of a fatal pedestrian crash at Kirby Rd & Old Dominion Dr in McLean....

Solanke late goal helps Bournemouth salvage 1-1 draw with West Ham

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP) — Dominic Solanke scored a late goal to help Bournemouth salvage a 1-1 draw against West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday in Andoni Iraola’s debut as manager of the Cherries.Solanke collected a loose ball in the box, rounded goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, and slotted it into the net in the 82nd minute at Vitality Stadium.Jarrod Bowen had put the Hammers ahead with a left-footed curler in the 51st.Iraola was hired in June after Bournemouth fired Gary O’Neil, who was let go despite keeping the team in the Premier League last season with four matches to spare. O’Neil was hired this week as manager of Wolverhampton.Iraola guided Spanish club Rayo Vallecano to an 11th-place finish in La Liga last season in his third year there.Kurt Zouma was named West Ham captain after Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal.The Hammers finished 14th last season, one spot above Bournemouth.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Ready for the spotlight: Florida State welcomes expectations that come with returning stars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Mike Norvell grabs an ice-cold bottle of water, squeezes some into his mouth and then pours the rest down his back.It turns the Florida State coach’s sweat-soaked T-shirt into his personal cool zone, at least for a few minutes. The respite from the sweltering summer sun is short-lived — exactly how Norvell wants it for the Seminoles.The hotter the better during his team’s three-day, training-camp trip to Jacksonville. It’s the perfect metaphor for the intensity and scrutiny the ’Noles expect this season.“You’re not going to be comfortable in life,” quarterback Jordan Travis said. “You got to be comfortable being uncomfortable. That’s what we’re focused on.”The program’s most anticipated campaign in nearly a decade begins in three weeks against Southeastern Conference heavyweight LSU in the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando. The primetime matchup between top-10 teams will provide an early glimpse into two championship contenders.For FSU, getting to this point...