What’s next for NHL after fantastic 4 Nations Face-Off tournament?
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, won by Canada in overtime, was a massive success for the NHL. Now, the league has to capitalize on growing interest in the sport.
The political climate between the U.S. and Canada was a major factor in ramping up the competition’s intensity.
The next international competition is the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
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The National Hockey League’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament exceeded all expectations—for the league, fans, TV networks, and the sports books. The 10-day event was capped off by an electric championship game Thursday night, Feb. 20, won in overtime by Team Canada.
Will the NHL capitalize on fan interest?
Now, the NHL needs to capitalize on all the new interest in the game. For the champs, like Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who scored the game-winning goal, the memories of what took place—and what it meant for the players—will not fade anytime soon. Coach Jon Cooper put it best after the game.
“I just hope Canada’s proud because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian. And yeah, did we need a win. Not only like our team, but Canada needed a win, and the players bared that on their shoulders,” Cooper said. “And they took it seriously, and they just –– this one was different. This wasn’t a win for themselves; this was a win for 40 plus million people.”
The current political climate between the U.S. and Canada certainly impacted the tournament’s vibe. Now, the roughly 60 to 70 players and staff from both sides will take a day or two off before joining their respective NHL teams for the season’s stretch run. A full slate of games begins on Saturday, Feb. 22.
What’s up next for the NHL?
A few of the big moments the league hopes will keep fans engaged include the latest NHL Stadium Series game on March 1 between the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Meanwhile, March 7 is the league’s trade deadline, and some big names are bound to change teams.
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is also just 16 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record of 894. And the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday, April 19.
When will Canada and Team USA meet again?
The next international competition that will feature a USA vs. Canada rematch is the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. It will include NHL players, and the opening ceremonies are scheduled for Feb. 6.
And if you thought the 4 Nations tournament was intense, well, the buildup to the Olympic games is already underway, says Red Wings star Dylan Larkin.
“There is something to look forward to with this group, which is great,” Larkin said. “That’s the big one. And I know that it’s a little bit of a different tournament, different rules, but we really feel like we can play any kind of game on any kind of surface and anywhere against anyone.”
NCAA recommends adding women’s flag football as ’emerging’ varsity sport
An NCAA committee on Wednesday recommended that flag football enter its Emerging Sports for Women program. The recommendation is a significant step in making it an officially sanctioned varsity sport.
To move forward, flag football must have a minimum of 40 schools sponsor it at the varsity level.
Since 1996, six women’s sports have been given championship status after going through the Emerging Sports for Women program.
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Flag football has received a lot of support and attention as of late. First from the NFL during last week’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, and then on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from the NCAA.
An NCAA committee has recommended adding flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program. The recommendation could fast-track its transition to becoming an officially sponsored sport.
Once in the program, the sport needs a minimum of 40 schools to participate at the varsity level before it can be considered for NCAA championship status in all three divisions. The sport must also meet a minimum for player participation and games played per season to qualify.
However, flag football’s popularity seems to have already pushed it well beyond those barriers. At least 65 schools sponsor the sport at either the club or varsity level, according to the NCAA.
During his State of the League press conference in New Orleans last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pumped up the game. He said the league is also considering starting professional flag football leagues for men and women.
“I think I am more excited about the young women who are finally getting a chance to participate in our sport, and they are able to do it in a way that’s empowering to them,” Goodell said. “When you talk to these young players and you see what it does for them, to feel more confidence, the opportunity to play a game that was considered a ‘male sport,’ they are now out there competing, and that will be a big part of the Olympics in a few years.”
Meanwhile, the NFL also provided massive assistance when presenting the idea of flag football to the International Olympic Committee. The 2028 Los Angeles games will include the sport.
By that time, flag football may become a sanctioned NCAA scholarship sport. It’s all thanks to its Emerging Sports for Women program. That program aims to give more opportunities to women in sports and give schools more opportunities to sponsor teams.
Over the last three decades, six sports from the program have earned NCAA status. They include rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling, beach volleyball and most recently, wrestling, which will hold its first NCAA championship in 2026. Once approved, flag football would become the 92nd official NCAA sport.
Team US making life-changing memories at Invictus Games 2025
The 2025 Invictus Games are taking place in Whistler and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is a nine-day adaptive sports competition held from Feb 8-16.
Team U.S. consists of 50 injured, ill and wounded veterans and service members. They will compete along with 500 other athletes from across more than 20 nations.
Straight Arrow News spoke with five members of Team U.S. as they prepared for the games: Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Lydia Figary, retired Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Steve Flemming, retired Air Force Col. Jacqui Marty, retired Special Operations Command Master Sgt. Ivan Morera, and retired Army Spc. Michael Villagran.
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The Super Bowl may be in the rearview mirror, but another global sporting event is still underway: The Invictus Games. It’s a multi-day competition that brings people together from around the world who all share a passion to conquer any obstacle in their way.
We have your invitation to meet the incredible and unstoppable athletes who make up Team U.S. Straight Arrow News got to speak with five veterans of the armed forces as they prepared for the games.
The Invictus Games: A life-changing event
British Columbia, Canada, is home to nearly six million people, and it’s welcoming a few more visitors this week — a few hundred more.
For nine days, over 500 athletes from over 20 nations are gathering in Canada’s westernmost province to embark on the grueling, heart-pounding, empowering competition.
The first Invictus Games took place in London at the Copper Box Arena, Olympic Park in 2014.
Invictus showcases the skills and determination of wounded, ill and injured veterans, and active-duty service members, as they compete, push boundaries and bond in a life-changing event.
And life-changing is an all-too-familiar term for these competitors, including the 50 athletes representing Team U.S.
Invictus Team U.S.: Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Lydia Figary’s story
Twenty-seven-year-old Pennsylvania native retired Marine Corps Sgt. Lydia Figary entered the military following in her older brother’s footsteps.
“When I was 12 years old, my older brother Samuel joined the Marine Corps. I went to his graduation. Little 12-year-old Lydia was like, ‘That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,’” Figary said. “It was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to join the military. My dad was in the military, just a big military family, (also) my grandparents.”
(Courtesy: Lydia Figary)
Figary, a parachute rigger, had been stationed in Okinawa, Japan. She was reveling in the brotherhood and sisterhood of her unit and ready for her next mission when, in July 2022, one moment changed everything.
“My job was jumping, and I had the opportunity to be on a jump package in Texas. And I had just passed freefall school so I could jump on my own. I loved freefall. But I was on a tandem jump,” Figary explained. “It was a night jump. We just had a freak accident. When we came down, it was at night, so we couldn’t see very well. And when we hit the ground, we hit the side of a ditch. So we tumbled forward, and my legs got caught under us, and I had a tib-fib open fracture and [traumatic brain injury].”
Retired Army Spc. Michael Villagran’s story
For retired Army Spc. Michael Villagran, it was craving a change in his life’s path that redirected him to the military.
“It was a bigger sense of purpose, bigger comradery. I’ve always been into sports all my life, so that team aspect is there in the military, and it’s something that I just fell in love with,” Villagran said.
The now 33-year-old loved being part of the airborne infantry, saying it was like a home away from home. But a short time after enlisting, a mission far from his Houston hometown would lead him on yet another path, one that tested his fortitude and spirits.
“Unfortunately, in 2012 when I deployed to Afghanistan, I stepped on an IED on a rooftop, which I ended up going into limb salvage for four years and eventually getting an amputation,” Villagran told Straight Arrow News.
Retired Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Steve Flemming’s story
Fellow Texan 38-year-old Steve Flemming rose to the rank of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman in the Navy and was able to travel the world.
“I served in combat in Afghanistan. I’ve been to most of the countries in the Middle East. I’ve been to more countries in the Middle East than I haven’t,” Flemming said. “I’ve been to Korea and Germany. I’ve been to a couple places in Africa. I’ve been to 42 of the states.
“My last duty assignment was with Marine Corps Forces Central Command. I was working for a two-star general. So all Marine Corps operations in the Middle East fell under our command.”
(Courtesy: Steve Flemming)
Then came his life-changing moment. It, however, was not in combat but in his own body. In January 2018, Flemming was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).
“That was hard,” Flemming said. “That was not something I expected, or even really knew. I knew what it was, but it’s not something you’re Googling or learning about. Completely had to turn my world upside down.”
Now in a personal battle with MS, Flemming did not want it to end his military career. So he proved to the Navy that he still had what it took to defend the country.
He pressed on, going on overseas missions, leading others, fueling them to find their greatness, or, as he likes to say, “stoke the fire.”
But in a twist of fate, life was not done giving Flemming battles to fight.
“Come January 2023, I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer,” Flemming said. “That, ultimately, was one too many things for the Navy.”
Retired Army Master Sgt Ivan Morera and Retired Air Force Colonel Jacquelyn Marty are co-captains of Team U.S. They took a moment to strike a pose before talking to the team about bonding during the 2025 Team U.S. Invictus Games training camp. (DoD photo by Corey Wallace )
Retired Air Force Col. Jacqui Marty’s story
It was a friend learning to fly that gave Marty the inspiration, but once at the Air Force Academy, she met her first hurdle — being a woman at a time when, as she described it, “women were a novelty.”
“There were quite a lot of people who did not want us there,” Marty said. “It was tough. I’m not going to lie. When people don’t want you there, it’s difficult. So from a very early age, I became an overachiever.
“Just doing your best isn’t good enough. You have to do even better than your best because otherwise you’re being judged as not being good enough.”
Marty’s military career would see her piloting nine different Air Force aircraft as she flew past any and all barriers in her way up the ranks. But it was on a drive with her then 5-year-old son in 2015 during temporary duty in Texas where her track to being promoted to general took a turn.
“A young woman was texting and driving, doing 70 miles an hour, I was almost stopped, and she rear-ended me,” Marty recalled. “And I don’t remember anything after that point.”
(Courtesy: Jacqui Marty)
“My son was in the backseat,” Marty continued. “He had little wings on his car seat. He was my hero. He was able to tell the first responders our names, where we’re going, unlock my cellphone so they could call my husband. He did fantastic in the moment. I was really proud of him.
“God’s laughing when you’re making plans, right?” Marty said.
Retired Special Operations Command Master Sgt. Ivan Morera’s story
For Morera, after going to college for physical education, he chose to pursue a military career over becoming a wrestling and judo coach.
“My family is somewhat of a military family,” Morera said. “My family immigrated from South America to the United States, and it started with my uncle; he joined the Navy, went to Vietnam. (My) older cousins joined the Navy and Army. My brother was a Marine for 20 years.”
Early on, while in the 7th Special Forces Group, he was deployed to the Middle East as the war on terror got underway.
Around a decade later, Morera, now a senior medical sergeant, was driving in an American convoy during a high-value target mission in Afghanistan. That’s where the Green Beret encountered a Taliban insurgent on a motorcycle.
“The Taliban insurgent came up to me. I could see the imprint of a suicide vest,” Morera said. “So I moved away from him. I let my team sergeant know this is what’s going on. I moved away from him, and he followed me. I came off the road. When I came back on the road, the vehicle was shaking, lost control and the vehicle flipped four times.”
Morera’s hand was crushed between the road and the vehicle.
“I called out to my team sergeant,” Morera continued. “He unbuckled himself, put a tourniquet on me, tried to pull me out, but he realized I still had tissue connected, so he called in my junior medic, who jumped in. He came in and said, ‘Ivan, I have to cut your hand off. We have to get you out of here.’ I was like, ‘OK. Do what you got to do.’”
Overcoming the odds
These American service members attest that an injury — no matter how severe — can only define you if you let it. And despite the pain and the emotional toll, they were not willing to give in.
“At first, it’s hard to find the positive,” Figary said. “At first, it was like everything had been taken from me. I loved my job. I loved packing parachutes, and I loved jumping, but after my accident, it was really hard for me.”
“When I first stepped on the IED, I didn’t know where my life was going to be,” Villagran said. “I still had my leg, but they had to do reconstruction on my ankle and my heel. And just the unknown was scary. The not knowing. The doctors couldn’t tell me what my life was going to be like.”
“Honestly, a good day might be getting out of bed and brushing my teeth,” Marty said. “And going from an extreme overachiever, high-accomplishing individual, to barely able to take care of my basic, personal needs, let alone that of my family, it took me to a really dark place.”
“Man, at first, it was rough,” Morera said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do. How am I going to support my family? What does my family think of me? What does my team think of me? What’s going to happen?’”
Flemming, while battling MS and a rare form of cancer, tried to find a way to take control of his narrative, which is not an easy mountain to climb.
But neither is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
And that is exactly what he did just months after his cancer diagnosis after receiving a call from a friend, a retired general, with an offer of a lifetime.
He’s like ‘I got one seat left. Fully funded. Do you want it?’
Retired Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Steve Flemming
“‘I got one seat left for a fully funded climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.’ He’s like, ‘with 10 other veterans. We’re taking 10 disabled veterans up Kilimanjaro.’” Flemming recalled. “He’s like, ‘I got one seat left. Fully funded. Do you want it?’
“It ended up becoming the thing to break any sort of negative cycle, and it was the thing to regain control of my life on my terms and not let this dictate how things are going to go. So in August of ‘23, I summited Mount Kilimanjaro.”
Steve Flemming summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in August 2023. (Courtesy: Steve Flemming)
What is your Mount Kilimanjaro?
Flemming likes to ask people, “What is your Mount Kilimanjaro?” As in — what motivates you?
It was an analogy echoed by Prince Harry during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Vancouver.
Invictus didn’t save you. You saved yourself.
Prince Harry
“Over the past decade, I’ve lost count of the times we’ve heard you tell us that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree,” Harry said. “Invictus didn’t save you. You saved yourself. It was you who pushed through the doubt and despair. You, who summited your own mountain and brought us along with you.
“It was you who kept going even when you didn’t think you had any more to give. We didn’t do that. You did.”
For these Team U.S. competitors, the first mountain was the Warrior Games. That’s the Department of Defense’s adaptive sports competition, and was the catalyst for Prince Harry to create the Invictus Games.
In 2013, Prince Harry attended the Warrior Games.
After the amputation, as soon as Michael Villagran found out about adaptive sports, he took it on head-on — literally, by finding sports such as skeleton.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to be part of this,” Villagran said. “This is something I want to do. And when I first tried out and did my first Warrior Games, I fell in love. To be part of a Team U.S. again, just to represent the Army, to represent your country again. To be able to do it with other disabled veterans like myself.”
“I could not see any good from my accident,” Figary told Straight Arrow News. “It just took it away from me. I didn’t know if I’d ever jump again. Things started to change when I got into adaptive sports. It was like, ‘Wow. I still can do things. I still can compete. I still can push myself.’”
Morera said, “When you’re first injured, when you first got sick, you’re lying in that hospital bed feeling sorry for yourself. But once you’re introduced to adaptive sports, you start to develop this confidence in you that ‘I can do this.’”
Team SOCOM athlete Master Sgt. Ivan Morera surveys the range during the archery competition for the 2024 Department of Defense Warrior Games. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ray Boyington)
“You can’t keep climbing Kilimanjaro,” Flemming admitted. “I needed something to sink my teeth into. I need something to find what’s next. And adaptive sports came around.”
“Finally in 2018, I went to my first event, and it was life-changing, to be honest,” Marty said. “Not only were the sports therapeutic for me because I tend to be just a little bit competitive. I loved that aspect. It felt I was doing what I was comfortable doing, competing and trying my best at whatever I do, but the network of people was absolutely amazing.”
What is Team U.S. looking forward to the most?
While these competitive athletes hope to win gold during the games, it’s the camaraderie, not only from their fellow Americans, but also from players around the world, that they cherish most about Invictus.
And that camaraderie can motivate the team to reach even higher.
“To meet all these people who have been through similar things or, obviously, way worse, everyone’s story is different,” Figary said. “But we could relate to ‘you can’t give up, you got to keep going’ and the adaptive sports have just played a huge part in that for me.”
(Courtesy: Lydia Figary)
“We’re about to connect globally to people that wanted to serve, and they’re overcoming their thing, whatever it is,” Flemming said. “And they’re there to compete, and I’m really excited to see that and join that energy group and contribute to that. And if anyone sees it, anyone watches, anyone reads this, that’s why I’ve been so open to talk about it; if it helps one or two people, if someone draws from that, then maybe they can do something.”
“It’s not just the athletic events. It’s building friendships with other countries, whether it’s the Brits, the Aussies, the Kiwis, the French, the Italians, the Polish or whoever it might be,” Morera said. “I want to get to know their stories of recovery so I can understand what they’ve been through, and maybe utilize some of what they used for myself as well, and hopefully it can be vice versa where they hear my story and how I’ve adapted, I’ve dealt with certain things, they might be able to use what I’ve done.”
We’re competing, but we’re not competing against these other nations. I feel we’re competing with them, if that makes sense.
Retired Air Force Col. Jacqui Marty
Villagran, who was appointed U.S. flag bearer for the opening ceremonies, is participating in the most events out of the team, and he still has the mindset he had during his Warrior Games.
“Who cares about these medals? I’m having such a great time that I’m just happy to be here. If the medal comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it’s OK. I still had a great time, met some great people, and had a great experience,” Villagran said.
Just days after his SAN interview, Villagran’s excitement and will earned him a silver medal in wheelchair basketball at Invictus.
(U.S. Army photo by Michel Sauret.)
First Invictus Games with adaptive winter sports
This year’s Invictus Games is special, as it’s the first to include adaptive winter sports. And if there’s one particular event Team U.S. is looking forward to the most, it’s skeleton.
“I’m really excited about [skeleton] cause I got a thing for speed,” Morera said.
“I call it my astronaut moment in the sense. I’m from Texas; when else I am going to get the opportunity. I pushed very hard to get a seat in skeleton,” Flemming said.
“In the Army, my job was airborne infantry, so I’m kind of used to that speed, that adrenaline, so to me, skeleton was just hand in hand,” Villagran said.
“I describe it to my son; it’s the most sensory-intense roller coaster ride you have ever experienced,” Marty said.
The new winter sports: Alpine skiing and snowboard, Nordic skiing, biathlon, skeleton and wheelchair curling.
The support of family
Along their journeys, they had the support of their leaders, fellow service members and their families.
“My wife is the rock of our family. She’s probably the strongest person I’ve ever met,” Morera said. “For, you know, to hear my kids say, ‘Dad, you’re my hero.’ What dad doesn’t want to hear that? They mean a lot to me.
“But I will say this. Because of my injury, I’m a better father, a better husband and just a better person in general. Before I was injured, I was very arrogant and cocky. This injury humbled me, and I had to start all over. I had to learn how to do things all over again. It humbled me. I wasn’t as cool as I thought, but I’m going to be a better person because of this.”
Figary is sharing this special time with her parents.
“They are coming to Canada. It’s their first time ever leaving the country. They got their passports for it, and they are really excited,” Figary said. “They’ve been through a lot. My accident. I had to move back home and be taken care of by my mom. She flew out for my surgeries and stuff, so they’re really invested in this, too.”
Villagran is teaching life lessons to his three young girls.
U.S. Army veteran Michael Villagran and his daughters at Mid-Hudson Sporting Clays in August 2021. (U.S. Army photo courtesy: Michael Villagran)
“I’m trying to teach my kids to never give up, always continue going forward no matter what struggles you have,” Villagran said. “No matter what you’re going through mentally, you can break through. Be relentless, nonstop; just keep going after it, and never quit.”
Marty, whose call sign is “Katniss” due to her archery skills, shares her victories with her husband, her youngest son, whose adoption lifted her spirits after her accident, and her oldest son, who just may be next in the family to fly high in the Air Force.
“He wants to be a pilot and wants to do all these things. I think he’s seeing what’s possible even at my age,” Marty said.
(Courtesy: Jacqui Marty)
It was Flemming’s wife who pushed him to defeat one of his toughest physical obstacles.
“My wife was a big push for doing Kilimanjaro. The kids saw that, and I hope they can see that even when things got really hard or bleak, Dad went on and did his thing,” Flemming said.
‘I AM READY’
After facing the unimaginable, these veterans and service members are taking a bold step in their recovery and acceptance of their life-changing moments. They’re choosing to create new life-changing moments, this time on their own terms.
The slogan for this iteration of the Invictus Games is “I Am.” And these Team U.S. warriors are finishing that phrase with one word: “Ready.”
“This is an incredible opportunity that we’re doing the first winter games,” Marty said. “I’m really privileged to take part in them. I think that’s really exciting.”
“We all are going through this same process,” Villagran said. “All of us are these injured veterans, and we’re all going through this same thing, so we can connect on a deeper level than just, ‘Hey, this is the U.S., this is Canada.’ We come together as one.”
“Obviously, winning would be huge. But it’s not the end all be all. It’s about the comradery. It’s about what sports does for healing,” Figary said. “And if I don’t get a medal at Invictus, for me, that’s not my goal; my goal is just building friendships and trying to help people realize this is so important for your healing.”
Just days after her interview with Straight Arrow News, Figary won silver in the women’s novice Alpine snowboarding event.
“Whatever situation you might be in, it doesn’t define who you are. It’s who are you as a person. Your character. Your integrity. Your heart. Who you are that defines you,” Morera said. “You always got to be willing to move forward. Never give up on yourself because there are people in our lives that need us in their life, so we have to continue to move forward not just for ourselves, but for them.”
Master Sgt. Ivan Morera and his family attend his son’s high school graduation in May 2022. (Courtesy: Ivan Morera)
These members of Team U.S. hope their involvement with winter sports will open more doors for injured veterans to reach the Paralympics.
The 2025 Invictus Games’ closing ceremony is on Feb. 16. Musical acts like country star Jelly Roll, rockers Barenaked Ladies, and singer-songwriter duo The War and Treaty will perform.
But after hearing the stories of these American service members, there is no question who the stars truly are at these games.
Olympians say medals from Paris 2024 games deteriorating
Several athletes who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics reported their medals deteriorating just months after the games ended. The French government minted more than 5,000 medals for the 2024 Olympics, including those awarded at the Paralympics.
However, several Olympians have raised concerns about their medals, reporting that they have become chipped, faded and tarnished.
Some athletes had already questioned the quality of the medals before the closing ceremony.
American skateboarder Nyjah Huston shared a photo of his damaged bronze medal on social media. He remarked it looked as though it had “gone to war and back.”
According to French news outlet La Lettre, more than 100 athletes have requested replacements for their damaged awards.
The French Mint, which produced the medals, said it has taken the issue seriously since the first complaints were made in August and has activated its internal teams to investigate the matter.
A spokesperson for the French Mint stated that while they have not disclosed the exact number of damaged medals, they are collaborating with the 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee to address the problem.
The medals drew attention last year because each contains iron from the Eiffel Tower, giving them a distinctive connection to the host city.
Officials in France have confirmed that replacements for the damaged medals will begin to be sent out in the coming weeks. Identical versions will be provided to the affected athletes.
The world of sports certainly had its share of history-making events during 2024. So, like jolly ole’ Santa making his list and checking it twice, let’s look at some of the top sports moments of the year.
Kansas City Chiefs cement their legacy
We begin in February in Las Vegas, when the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second straight season. They beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime, a back-to-back feat that hadn’t been done in 20 years. Yes, you can call them a dynasty. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also won his third Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award. Of course, when asked how he did it, he deflected to his teammates.
“I think it was where we started at. We started in Texas in the off-season,” Mahomes said. “Me meeting a completely new group of receivers and learning. Learning what they do well and what we could get better at and guys leading from there. The guys accepted the challenge. It was a crazy year, and we came out on top, can’t ask for anything more from those guys.”
UConn’s new basketball dynasty
In April, the UConn Huskies went back-to-back. They won their second straight NCAA championship with a blowout win over Purdue in the title game. The Huskies were the first team to win two straight since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. Not long after the celebration, NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers wooed head coach Dan Hurley, but he chose to remain in Connecticut.
American Olympians shine in Paris
The summer was dominated by the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Team USA fared well and made headlines worldwide. They dominated during track and field events and on the basketball courts, where both the men and women beat the host nation, France, for the gold. There was also a little comedy and tragedy, from the “Pommel Horse Guy” to Raygun’s breakdancing routine. And, of course, there is no forgetting American gymnast Simone Biles, who completed her comeback by winning all-around gold in gymnastics. With 11 total medals, she cemented her legacy as the greatest gymnast ever.
“All in all, I’m super proud of my performance tonight and the fight that I’ve had for the last three years, mentally and physically. Competing on a world stage like the Olympics is an amazing experience and I couldn’t be prouder,” Biles said.
Dodgers win World Series as Ohtani shatters records
Dodgers fans are certainly proud of what their team accomplished in 2024. Led by the incredible, game-changing superstar Shohei Ohtani, they won their eighth world championship. Ohtani’s contribution: becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to have 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season. Ohtani-mania peaked on Sept. 19 when he hit three homers and stole two bases to surpass both milestones.
College football begins major transformation
College football underwent a few changes in 2024. Not only are we still in the midst of the first 12-team playoff, but getting to that point was certainly unsettling for fans and schools alike. This was the first season without the 108-year-old Pac-12 Conference. Add in the transfer portal and the expansion of name, image and likeness dollars, and the sport’s landscape is now more professional than amateur. Arizona State head coach Ken Dillingham put it all in perspective.
“In today’s landscape of college football, you can’t blame the kids. It’s an adult problem that the kids are just participating in,” Dillingham said. “That’s why everyone who leaves, I’m supportive, everyone who stays, I’m supportive. I just want what’s best for our team, so we’ll just take it one day at a time and see where we end up.”
Caitlin Clark puts women’s basketball back on the map
Finally, there was no bigger story in 2024 than women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. She set the NCAA all-time scoring record, men or women, while leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to the national women’s college basketball title game. She came to symbolize the emergence of women’s sports and society’s gender debate. Few athletes have entered the professional ranks with bigger expectations and scrutiny. Despite that, she set multiple rookie records while leading the Indiana Fever to the WNBA playoffs. On Tuesday, Dec. 24, Clark was named AP Female Athlete of the Year for her play and for leading the WNBA to viewership and attendance records.
“Playing at home in front of these fans and seeing the way the young girls dangle over the rail and some are so happy, and people are crying, and you understand the impact that you have on people’s lives and that’s what’s so cool about it for myself,” Clark said.
Australian breakdancer Raygun reveals she is retiring following backlash
As reported on Thursday, Nov. 7, Raygun, the Australian breakdancer, who gained instant fame during the 2024 Olympic Games said she’s retiring from the sport, citing backlash online and beyond. Raygun, whose real name is Rachel Gunn, broke the news on an Australian podcast this week.
She told the hosts that she wouldn’t compete in the Olympics again if given the chance. She said that she still breaks but doesn’t plan to participate competitively.
“I’m not going to compete anymore, no, no,” Gunn said.
Gunn notably failed to score a single point in the Olympic competition. Online reaction to her performance was swift from gifs of Gunn’s dance moves.
In the weeks following her performance in August, the negative criticism turned into a movement. A Change.org petition was even created to get answers about the selection process for breaking during the Summer Games.
Gunn said everything from hate mail to conspiracy theories took all of the fun out of competing in the sport.
Although breaking is not on the schedule for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Gunn said she won’t be breaking competitively anymore. Instead, she will just be doing it for fun and encouraging others to get out and bust a move.
Gunn said she’s kept her head up reading messages of support from fans and blocking out the negativity.
Despite her lack of success in Paris, Gunn represented Australia in the World Championships three times and won the Oceania Breaking Championships last year.
Paris saw nearly 20,000 people displaced before Olympic Games: Report
A coalition of more than 100 community groups accused Parisian authorities on Monday, Nov. 4, of removing nearly 20,000 people including 4,500 minors from shelters and tents to make way for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Monday, Nov. 4. The advocacy coalition is now calling for the Olympic hosting model to be reevaluated and suggesting a permanent site for future Olympic Games as well as for authorities to take steps to prevent forced removals.
The group’s data showed evictions grew by 41% from April 2023 to September 2024 compared to the same period in 2021 and 2022.
Advocates for the homeless community say forced removals amount to “social cleansing,” alleging it was a concerted effort to keep migrants and squatters out of the view of the Olympic Games, facilities and Olympic sites.
The report did note that the numbers of those displaced may be inflated because some people may have been evicted several times.
Straight Arrow News reported in July about efforts by the French government to bus out homeless migrants ahead of the Olympics. Around 5,000 people were reportedly evicted under a program busing homeless migrants out of Paris and into other French towns.
French President Emmanuel Macron claimed the program was voluntary and denied the effort was connect to the Olympic Games.
Korean Olympic pistol shooter Kim Yeji lands acting role — as an assassin
A South Korean pistol shooter who captured the internet’s attention with her silver medal performance at the Summer Olympics is now stepping into the world of acting. Kim Yeji has landed her first role in a movie, and she’s to play an assassin.
Indian actor Anushka Sen took to Instagram to express her excitement to work together on their upcoming action movie, “Crush.” The entertainment firm behind the film said it’s excited to see the chemistry between Yeji and Sen in their new roles as a “killer duo.”
Kim became an online sensation for her signature style during the Games, a black tracksuit, baseball cap worn backwards and her cyborg-like shooting glasses. She fired the weapon with a hand resting casually on her hip, all while a plush elephant dangled from her wristband.
Some fans thought she was born for the action movie scene.
X owner Elon Musk posted to his website, saying “She should be cast in an action movie. No acting required!”
It seems the prediction has come true. Since going viral, she’s signed with a talent agency and has already done photoshoots with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. Despite her new ventures, Kim’s athletics career is still her top priority.
Along with her Olympic silver medal, she recently won gold and set a world record in the 25-meter pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Championships.
Nike rehires 1988 intern as next CEO. Here are Elliott Hill’s first hurdles.
Nike’s new CEO has a lot of ground to make up. On Thursday, Sept. 19, the company announced the sudden retirement of four-year CEO John Donahoe, while Elliott Hill will be returning from retirement to lead the company.
Hill last led commercial and marketing operations for Nike and the Jordan brand in 2020. He spent 32 years with the company, from intern to now-incoming CEO. He starts the job on Oct. 14.
Nike complimented Donahoe for leading the company through the pandemic, but in a lot of areas, Nike has been lapped by competitors under Donahoe’s reign. In the past year alone, Nike’s stock has fallen as much as 42% off its 52-week peak.
Donahoe’s resume includes CEO of eBay and software company ServiceNow. But during his time at Nike, analysts say his focus was too much on selling directly to consumers and not enough on providing them with new, innovative products to buy.
His marketing approach appears to have also fallen flat in the age of social media.
“Our experience has been when we launch these big moments in sport, we then cascade them down to consumers all over the world,” Donahoe said in April.
Yes, Nike has the record-breaking marathon shoe, the Alphafly 3. But that success didn’t necessarily cascade down. Nike’s often losing the race in consumer running shoes to cult running brands Hoka and On.
It’s not just a Nike problem. There’s real momentum behind smaller brands with spot-on marketing. Take Vuori, the athletic fashion brand stealing market share from lululemon. The brand partnered with more than 400 college athletes last year; most notably, LSU gymnast and social media sensation Livvy Dunne.
“If you think about it, before social media, athletes needed Nike to build their brand. Pause for a moment on that one,” Hill said in an interview last year. “So athletes wanted to be a part of Nike because Nike would help showcase them and build their brand. Today, they want Nike; they don’t have to have Nike. They can build their brand through social media and whatnot.”
Nike hopes the re-hiring of Hill will kick brand excitement into another gear. Who better than someone who’s been digging into the brand’s marketing since he was an Ohio University graduate student in the ’80s?
“I take a sports marketing class and do a paper on Nike, literally, just by chance,” Hill said of his graduate school days. “I love the brand, I love the product, and I write this paper on Nike about their evolution of their marketing funds. They started doing athletes first and then print and started to move into some TV.
“I did this paper and by chance, a month later, someone from Nike by name of Tim Joyce speaks at the university. And I went up to him after I just said, ‘Hey, I want to work for Nike.’ He said if you want to work for Nike, meet me at this cafe. I put on my suit and met him. There’s a whole story about that, but I bothered him for about six months until he finally hired me.”
Nike’s stock surged 10% when the company announced the 1988 intern was taking the company’s top job.
Suspect in Trump apparent assassination attempt went undetected for 12 hours
New details emerge on the suspect in the second apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump, including how long he went undetected near the former president’s golf club. And Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been arrested on federal charges. We have the latest on what’s ahead for the hip hop mogul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
Suspect in apparent assassination attempt went undetected for 12 hours
Authorities said the suspect in this past weekend’s apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump went undetected near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida for 12 hours before being noticed by a Secret Service agent. The suspect was caught pointing a rifle through the bushes.
The agent fired at the suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who fled the scene only to be taken into custody a short time later. A local sheriff’s office released body camera video showing his arrest.
Routh was charged Monday, Sept. 16, with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He did not enter a plea during an appearance in a federal courtroom.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, Secret Service Acting Director Ron Rowe, Jr. said Routh did not fire any shots at the agent and never had Trump in his line of sight.
Rowe and the FBI agent in charge, Jeffrey Veltri, said so far, there is no evidence showing the suspect knew Trump would be golfing that day. Veltri went into detail about the suspect’s criminal past.
“In 2002, as the United States attorney mentioned, the subject was charged and convicted in North Carolina for possession of a weapon of mass destruction,” Veltri said. “Law enforcement checks also revealed that from 1997 to 2010, the subject had numerous felony charges for stolen goods. I can also share with you that he was the subject of a previously closed 2019 tip to the FBI where it was alleged he was a felon in possession of a firearm.”
Veltri said the FBI passed along that information to authorities in Hawaii, where Routh lived. Rowe told reporters Trump’s plans to play golf on Sunday were “off-the-record” – meaning it was not part of the former president’s official schedule.
As new questions emerge about the Secret Service’s effectiveness following the second assassination attempt in just over two months, Rowe defended his agents, saying they were “rising for this moment.”
“Yesterday afternoon, this country was reminded of the heightened and dynamic threat environment that the United States Secret Service and its protectees face on a daily basis,” Rowe said. “Immediately following the assassination attempt of former President Donald J. Trump on July 13th, the Secret Service moved to increase assets to an already enhanced security posture for the former president.”
Rowe said the “highest levels of protection” were in place for the former president – as directed by President Joe Biden – including “counter-sniper team elements.”
Speaking to reporters on his way to an event in Philadelphia Monday, Biden said the Secret Service “needs more help.” A White House official said President Biden spoke to Trump on the phone Monday, conveying his relief that the former president was safe.
During an appearance on the social media site X Monday night, Trump spoke about hearing the gunshots fired by the Secret Service. He said the agent did a “fantastic job” and joked that he “would have liked to have sank that last putt.”
Routh’s next court appearance is set for Sept. 23 for a pre-detention hearing. His arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 30. Routh remains in custody as authorities continue their investigation.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs arrested on federal charges in New York
Hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested on federal charges on Monday night. Sources close to the matter tell media outlets Diddy was not expecting the arrest.
Homeland Security took him into custody at the Park Hyatt Hotel on 57th Street in Manhattan.
It’s not yet clear what federal charges he’s facing. The indictment is expected to be unsealed Tuesday, Sept. 17, at his arraignment.
Combs is facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits and has been the subject of a federal human trafficking probe in the last year, which is why Homeland Security is involved. His lawyers said he has been cooperating with investigators.
Former lead engineer felt pressure to get ‘Titan’ ready
Tuesday is day two of the Coast Guard’s hearing into the Titan submersible implosion that killed all five people on board.
Monday, we learned one of the last messages sent from the doomed vessel, indicated there were no concerns. It read “all good here.” That text message was shown during a recreation of the submersible’s trip to the Titanic wreckage at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in June 2023.
It came not long before the watercraft imploded, leaving all five people on board dead, including Stockton Rush — the co-founder of OceanGate, the company that owned the Titan.
The lead engineer for the vessel testified at Monday’s hearing saying he felt pressured by Rush to get it ready for the trip.
Former OceanGate Engineering Director Tony Nissen testified he stopped the submersible from going to the Titanic in 2019, telling Rush it was “not working like we thought it would.” Nissen was fired that year.
OceanGate’s co-founder, former operations director, and former scientific director are also supposed to testify in the hearing, which is expected to last about two weeks.
Meta bans Russian state media over ‘foreign interference activity’
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has banned Russian state media broadcaster RT, along with several other Kremlin-controlled outlets. Meta accuses them of using deceptive tactics to covertly influence operations online.
Before it was banned on Monday, RT had 7.2 followers on Facebook and one million on Instagram.
Meta’s move comes days after the Justice Department announced charges against two RT employees for funneling nearly $10 million into a U.S. company to create and promote content aligning with Russian interests.
Amazon ending remote work starting next year
Almost five years after the COVID-19 pandemic swept and ravaged the nation, as well as the world, and led to many people working from their homes, Amazon is ending remote work. Starting next year, corporate employees will be required to be back in the office five days a week.
This is the latest update to Amazon’s rules regarding remote work. Last year, the company changed its policy to mandate employees come back to the office at least three days a week.
Amazon has supposedly been marred by an inability to get things done with lots of meetings and layers of approval. CEO Andy Jassy called out that culture in a note to workers saying there are “pre-meetings for the pre-meetings for the decision meetings, a longer line of managers feeling like they need to review a topic before it moves forward.”
Jordan Chiles files appeal after being stripped of bronze medal
Chiles’ first individual Olympic medal was rescinded after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that her coach filed an inquiry during the floor exercises, which propelled Chiles to third place. But it was a few seconds too late.
Chiles has now appealed her case to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee supports Chiles and said they are determined to see she gets the recognition she deserves.
