Sports

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Coming off perhaps his worst performance of the season, Geno Smith decided he’s been a little too greedy of late. As in too many risky throws by the Seattle Seahawks quarterback. It’s a fine balance Smith is trying to navigate right now while the Seahawks

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Free agent right-hander Ross Stripling reached agreement on a $25 million, two-year contract with the Giants.He expects to be a starter in a rotation featuring Logan Webb, newcomer Sean Manaea, Alex Cobb and Alex Wood. Stripling’s contract includes a $5 million signing bonus and allows him to opt out after next

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy is trying to heal from injuries to his oblique and ribs and prepare for a trip to notoriously tough Seattle on a short week for the San Francisco 49ers. Purdy got injured on a scramble on the second drive of the

MONACO (AP) — United States sprinter Randolph Ross has been banned for three years for whereabouts failures and faking an email to anti-doping authorities. The Athletics Integrity Unit announced that the back-to-back NCAA champion from North Carolina A&T will be suspended until June 30, 2025. That means he’ll be ineligible for the Paris Olympics in

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Julián Álvarez carried Argentina into another World Cup final with his surging runs and a striker’s instinct. Lionel Messi and the 22-year-old Álvarez were a pair of predators at Lusail Stadium. Their partnership put to rest any hopes Croatia had of reaching back-to-back finals. The

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp is likely to miss the rest of the season with his sprained right ankle. Coach Sean McVay left open the slightest possibility the 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year could return, but says it will almost certainly take

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — No. 24 Mississippi State will be playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Florida. That is one of the few solid things around the football program at the moment following the sudden death of coach Mike Leach on Monday night in Jackson, Mississippi, with what the

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have released running back Damien Williams, the veteran who was slowed by an early season rib injury. The release of Williams came one day after coach Arthur Smith announced rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder will start at New Orleans. Marcus Mariota has been benched. Williams was projected to

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline. Croatia’s red-and-white-clad fans recognized the sorrowful significance of the moment and rose up to applaud the diminutive midfielder who is probably their nation’s greatest ever player. Argentina’s boisterous supporters

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was looking poised and confident at his team’s practice at the Orange Bowl. The only thing different is that the five-star freshman didn’t have junior DJ Uiagalelei alongside to guide him. Klubnik entered for Uiagalelei at the ACC Championship game two

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss the final four games of the season after sustaining a left foot injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Owusu-Koramoah was placed on injured reserve by the Browns. He’s the fourth linebacker lost for the season because

TARIK EL BARAKAH and BARBARA SURK Associated Press RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Hind Sabouni bristles with pride as she recalls her country’s history-making World Cup run as it eliminated one European soccer powerhouse and former colonial power after another — Belgium, Spain and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal — to become the first African and Arab nation

NEW YORK — Led by Isaiah Wilkins’ 22 points, the Longwood Lancers defeated the Saint Francis Terriers 63-57 on Tuesday. The Lancers improved to 6-5 with the victory and the Terriers fell to 4-6.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina has hired ex-Arkansas and NFL assistant Dowell Loggains as the Gamecocks’ new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The school’s board of trustees approved a three-year contract that will pay Loggains $1 million a year. Loggains was most recently tight ends coach for the Razorbacks. He spent 16 seasons in

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. And, at 35, he could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two

By ED WHITE Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — A judge has ordered Michigan State University to release donor agreements with two alumni who gave or pledged millions of dollars to the athletic department. Michigan State has acknowledged that some of the money will help pay for a $95 million contract with football coach Mel Tucker.

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed the extent of the injury during his Tuesday news conference. The news is not a surprise after the 25-year-old injured his knee on

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss the final four games of the season after sustaining a left foot injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Owusu-Koramoah was placed on injured reserve by the Browns. He’s the fourth linebacker lost for the season because