Why

Why did the Packers kick? Matt LaFleur garners criticism for late fourth-quarter field goal
MLB

It wasn’t a bold strategy, Cotton, and it didn’t pay off for them. It wasn’t Peter La Fleur, but rather Matt LaFleur (no relation) who baffled inquiring minds during the NFC championship game on Sunday afternoon. Facing a 31-23 deficit with just over two minutes left in regulation, the Packers coach elected to go for a field goal rather than trying to tie the game up at 31 with a touchdown and 2-point conversion. Green

‘Why are you doing this?’: Mundine reveals dad’s fears before fight
Fighting

Anthony Mundine says even his famous father has questioned why he is still boxing, after Jeff Fenech expressed concerns about the long-term health of “The Man” if he does not quit immediately. Mundine, 45, has lost four of his past five bouts, but will fight Michael Zerafa again in March. Mundine and John Wayne-Parr exchange blows.Credit:Getty Despite plenty of people telling him to quit to prevent possible damage to his

Unai Emery reveals why he wanted Zaha over £72m Pepe at Arsenal
Soccer

Unai Emery reveals he wanted Wilfried Zaha over £72m Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal because the Crystal Palace winger would adapt ‘easier and faster’ than the Frenchman due to his Premier League experience Arsenal signed Nicolas Pepe for £72m under Unai Emery back in 2019 Attacker Pepe has struggled to consistently hit top form since joining the club Emery has revealed Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha was his first choice  Unai

'Fans make football': Why Dorrans isn't taking A-League derbies for granted
Soccer

Nearly a full year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians might be starting to take the presence of fans at sporting events for granted. Graham Dorrans certainly isn't. The Western Sydney Wanderers star is finding it hard to watch football back home – not just because of the time difference but because grandstands across the English Premier League and Scottish Premiership are completely empty, and the game's natural soundtrack stripped bare.

Solskjaer explains why he waited so long to make a substitution in Man Utd loss
Soccer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended his decision to wait until the 75th minute to make a substitution in Manchester United’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to rivals Manchester City. The Red Devils started the match brightly but second-half goals from John Stones and Fernandinho saw the visitors secure a 2-0 win at Old Trafford and progress to the final at Wembley in April, where they will take on Tottenham. Despite trailing

Why Sporting News was wrong to predict Packers would miss NFL playoffs
MLB

The one guarantee about NFL preseason predictions is that there will be something wrong with them. The league, by nature, is unpredictable, and there tends to be recency bias when picking what teams will make the playoffs in a given year. For Sporting News, our biggest whiff was not thinking the Packers would make the playoffs for a second consecutive season with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, about to win his third

Why Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving are sitting out Nets vs. Grizzlies game
Basketball

Those tuning into NBA TV on Monday night to watch the Nets’ new star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be sorely disappointed. Both are out against the Grizzlies. Both Durant and Irving played Sunday night, when the Nets (2-1) were upset by the Hornets. Neither will suit up for the tail end of Brooklyn’s first back-to-back set of the season against Memphis (0-2). The reason given for both absences

Why the Muppets are crashing ESPN's 'Monday Night Football' broadcast
MLB

Careful observers may have noticed unique advertising on ESPN in recent days, brief segments featuring the words “Muppet Night Football.” And now “Muppet Night” is here. ESPN’s Week 15 “Monday Night Football” broadcast of the Steelers vs. Bengals game will feature multiple appearances of the famous Muppets characters, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The puppets will be involved in an opening segment at 8 p.m. ET along with a

Premier League: Why this season is the most open in history
Soccer

Unpredictable. That seems just about the best word to describe the results in the top flight in 2020/21. And our study into the stats after 12 games suggests this is indeed the most open Premier League season in history. This weekend has once again reminded us that no result is a certainty in the Premier League right now. On Saturday, in-form Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the

Premier League: Why this season is the most open in history
Soccer

Unpredictable. That seems just about the best word to describe the results in the top flight in 2020/21. And our study into the stats after 12 games suggests this is indeed the most open Premier League season in history. This weekend has once again reminded us that no result is a certainty in the Premier League right now. On Saturday, in-form Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the