NCS boys football

Division I.

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 4 Berkeley (19-3-1) in Dougherty Valley No. 1 (17-3-2), 7 p.m.

No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter (17-2-1) in No. 2 de la Salle (16-3-3), 5 p.m.

Division II

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 4 Archie Williams 2, No. 1 Cardinal Newman 1

No. 3 Pittsburg (13-2-3) at No. 2 Granada (14-7-1), 7 p.m.

Friday or Saturday final

No. 3 Pittsburg or No. 2 Granada against No. 4 Archie Williams (12-4-5), TBD

Division III

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 4 Tamalpais 1, No. 9 Napa 0

No. 6 Linda Land 2, No. 7 Big House 1

The final on Saturday

No. 6 Terra Linda (10-7-2) at No. 4 Tamalpais (11-6-5), 2 p.m.

Division IV

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 4 San Rafael (11th of September-4) in No. 1 Piedmont (9-8-4), 7 p.m.

No. 6 Newark Memorial (13-10-3) against No. 2 Roseland University Prep (11-4-2) at Elsie Allen High School-Santa Rosa, 7 p.m.

NCS Girls Soccer

Division I.

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 9 Acalanes (10-3-6) in Amador Valley No. 4 (12-3), 7 p.m.

No. 10 Monte Vista (8-5-3) at No. 3 Bishop O'Dowd (18-0-2), 7 p.m.

Division II

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 1 Marin Academy 0, No. 4 Urban 0 (Marin Academy wins 5-4 on PKS)

No. 15 Cardinal Newman 2, No. 3 SONOMA Academy 0

Friday or Saturday final

No. 15 Cardinal Newman (10-10-1) against No. 1 Marin Academy (20-2-1), TBD

Division III

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 1 Maria Carrillo 2, No. 12 Heritage 1

No. 7 Petaluma 0, No. 6 Castro Valley 0 (Petaluma wins 4-3 on PKS)

Friday or Saturday final

No. 7 Petaluma (13-6-3) against No. 1 Maria Carrillo (9-8-3), TBD

Division IV

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 8 Pinole Valley (12-9-1) in Sonoma Valley No. 4 (8-8-5), 7 p.m.

No. 6 San Rafael (14-8) in No. 2 St. Mary's-Berkeley (14-4-1), 7 p.m.

CCS boys football

Division I.

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 3 Everett Alvarez 1, No. 2 Mountain View 1 (Alvarez wins 5-4 on PKS)

No. 1 Bellarmine 2, No. 5 Westmont 0

Friday final

No. 3 Everett Alvarez (20-0-2) against No. 1 Bellarmine (17-2-3) at Santa Clara University, TBD

Division II

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 7 Carlmont (11-7-1) at No. 3 Menlo (15-3-3), 3 p.m.

No. 5 Hollister (11-7-3) in No. 1 Hillsdale (17-1-2), 6 p.m.

Division III

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 6 Sacred Heart Prep (14-2-5) at No. 2 Aragon (12-5-2), 5 p.m.

No. 8 cats (9-8-2) at No. 4 Santa Clara (11-8-2), 5 p.m.

Division IV

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 3 Monterey (12-6-3) against No. 2 Gonzales (16-3-2) within the Rabobank Stadium, 7 p.m.

No. 8 Pioneer (10-8-2) at No. 4 Greenfield (10-5-6), 7 p.m.

Division V

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 6 Crystal (15-2-4) at No. 2 Saratoga (11-6-3), 7 p.m.

No. 4 Milpitas (9-3-7) on No. 1 Siver Creek (13-4-4), 5 p.m.

CCS Girls Soccer

Division I.

The semi -finals on Tuesday

No. 2 Archbishop Mitty 1, No. 6 St. Ignatius 0

No. 1 St. Francis 4, No. 5 Leland 1

Friday final

No. 2 Archbishop Mitty (17-1-3) against No. 1 St. Francis (17-2-1) at Santa Clara University, TBD

Division II

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 6 Sacred Heart Cathedral (10-5-5) in No. 2 Salinas (17-1-2), 6 p.m.

No. 8 Homestead (9-7-4) at No. 5 Branham (13-4-4), 5 p.m.

Division III

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 3 Mountain View (11-7-2) at No. 2 Palo Alto (7-6-3), 5 p.m.

No. 4 Menlo (14-4-3) at No. 1 Menlo-Aterton (10-6-3), 5 p.m.

Division IV

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 3 Nueva (19-2-0) at No. 2 Christopher (13-5-3), 7 p.m.

No. 5 Soquel (13-4-2) at No. 1 Fremont-Sunnyvale (17-3-1), 6 p.m.

Division V

The semi -finals on Wednesday

No. 3 Rancho San Juan (10-8-2) in North Monterey County (14-4-3), 5 p.m.

No. 4 Notre Dame San Jose (8-10-3) at No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep (9-7-3), 3 p.m.

Take two proud hockey countries in a best final, add an enormous dose of geopolitics to the equation and complete the matchup with a historical additional time goal of the very best player of the sport. It is a recipe for a historical spectator number and we saw this on Thursday within the 3-2 victory over the United States against the United States on Thursday on the FACE-OFT of the 4 nations in Boston.

The game pulled astonishing 9.3 million viewers on ESPN, by Nielsen. To put this in the best light: game 7 of the NHL final between Boston and St. Louis in 2019, which has 8.9 million viewers on NBC ZOG-DAS most viewed for the reason that league, which had returned to television in 1995 .

In Canada, Sportsnet said that the sport was a mean of 5.7 million viewers and reached a highlight of seven.3 million when Connor McDavid achieved the OT winner. Add 1.18 million viewers on TVA to Adam Seeborn of a greater collective, and the sport had a mean of virtually seven million viewers. Canada's population is 40 million.

So added the 2 countries: the sport attracted greater than 16 million viewers in North America.

The earlier round game between the USA and Canada a 3-1 win against Canada with a rock 'em Sock' em Socken on Saturday evening in Montreal-Service on average 4.4 million viewers and reached 5:45 quarters with 5, 5, 2 million viewers. Hour. That was essentially the most watched Non-Stanley Cup final hockey television site within the United States since a playoff game from Blue Jackets Bruins on NBC in 2019, which was a mean of 4.5 million. The NHL said that the combined North American audience for the sport last Saturday was 10.1 million viewers.

The tournament clearly showed the wish of hockey fans who’ve dreamed of the very best for years. Next stop for the very best best: the Olympic Games next yr in Cortina-Milan.

Required reading

sport

Rumors whirl that President Donald Trump will participate within the TD Garden Matchup of the US Canada in the midst of the tensions between the teams and the countries on Thursday evening.

The United States and Canada will play TD Garden on Thursday in the ultimate of the 4 nations face-off, a world hockey tournament, and the sport is predicted to be tense. The first meeting of the 2 teams within the tournament led to a few fights in the primary nine seconds. The Americans won 3-1 in Montreal.

Politicians are within the background of the NHL Run tournament, which also included Finland and Sweden. Canadian before the sport on Saturday Fans in Montreal were out loud The US national anthem. Two days earlier, the fans also broke out throughout the “The Star Spangled Banner” before the USA defeated Finland.

Trump has repeatedly threatened Canada, among the finest allies and trading partners within the United States, with steep tariffs that he held until next month. The president has also implied that he could take over the sovereign country and said Canada ought to be the 51st state.

At the start of this month, Trump was the primary president in office to participate in a Super Bowl.

US GM wants Trump there, insiders don’t agree whether he’ll make the trip

Bill Guerin, General Manager of the US team, told FOX News on Monday that he desires to be within the audience within the audience in the ultimate in Boston Trump and cheered the team of 4 nations.

“We would love it if President Trump were present,” said Guerin. “We have a room stuffed with proud American players, coaches and employees. Listen, we only attempt to represent our country in addition to possible. “

Darren Dreger, a long -time Canadian hockey commentator, said on TSN 690 Montreal that Trump will probably take part and that Guerin has “these insider information”.

“President Trump in Boston will be expected in Boston. He may already be there and will be in this game. That is the expectation, I was probably told that yesterday. ” Härter said.

However, Daily Facoff and his hockey insider Frank Seravalli said that sources have identified that Trump won’t be in Boston.

President Trump doesn’t plan to participate within the United States against Canada on Thursday #4Nations Championship game in Boston, per sources.

– Frank Seravalli (@Frank_seravalli) February 19, 2025

The NHL, the TD Garden and the White House didn’t return a request for comments on Wednesday evening.

Daytona Beach, Florida-William Byron, was the primary deficit of Daytona 500 winners in five years after sneaking up an enormous accident within the last round of the race.

Byron was in seventh place with half a round, but all cars in front of him suddenly destroyed and Byron sailed through when the ocean separated.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver was the primary to win the successive 500, since Denny Hamlin-der led the crash within the years 2019-20.

“Fortunately, but only my instinct trusted there in the last round,” said Byron. “That worked in our favor. … I can't consider that, but we’re here. “

Tyler Reddick took Byron in second place through the crash, and the seven-time Nascar champion Jimmie Johnson became third since his best result since he retired from the full-time race.

In the extension of the white flag, Cole Custer rose in Hamlin and triggered his second multi-car “Big One” within 10 rounds.

In the past, with five laps before the end, a violent crash sent the race into the extension. Custer turned Christopher Bell, who fought for the lead and sent him to the pack.

Several cars banged and Ryan Preec, who had a terrible air wreck in 2023 in Daytona, turned again after a wheelie and went on the wall. He was fine.

Another take a look at the incident. #Daytona500 pic.twitter.com/6y2nk1gyHJ

– Nascar (@nascar) February 17, 2025

“When the car drove up and it got really quiet, everything I thought about was my daughter,” said Preece. “I was lucky enough to go, but we were very close to someone who was not able.”

Other cars were Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson, each of whom only need the Daytona 500 to finish their collection of NASCAR -KRONJUWELS. Bubba Wallace, who had a powerful automobile, was also involved.

The last half of the race had largely been clean until the pack fought hard with 30 laps. The pot boiled and boiled with 15 remaining rounds when Joey Logano tried to make a 3rd trace, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. pushed down late to cover the attempt – but he left Logano under no circumstances.

It seemed that neither Stenhouse nor Logano were ready to present one centimeter right now, and it cost them each when logano broke right into a stenhouse. Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch and several other other drivers who had been a powerful candidate to win only a number of moments before.

The race had one other weather -planned start that has change into an unlucky trend this decade. Reminds of the 2020 race, President Donald Trump Visited the route Just to fulfill the rain shortly afterwards.

There were only nine green flag rounds before a chilly front prevailed and caused greater than 4 hours of delays. After two separate red flag periods and hours of track drying, the sector returned to the race.

AJ Allmendinger became the primary retirement of the race in round 42 when he suddenly slowed down with an engine problem. Allmendinger returns to the XFinity series for full-time separation after last 12 months.

The first multi-car incident occurred in round 63 when Ross Chatain suddenly slowered and Hamlin hit the brakes to avoid him. But Zane Smith bumped into the back of Hamlin, who made a half-spin, but saved his automobile, while Smith lost control and in Josh Berry Schlüt-in his first race during which automobile no. 21 from Wood Brothers in No. 21 drove.

Logano won the primary stage under caution because of this incident. But at restart of level 2, Logano triggered the primary major crash.

When the cars took the green flag by level 2, the Logano engine suddenly remained and had the complete upper line stacked in a accordion effect. Chastain was shot out of the road, and the next crash collected a dozen car-dared four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castoneves and the previous Nascar champion Martin Truex Jr. Chastain was also ready for the race with accident damage.

Logano, who had run 43 of the primary 71 laps with the perhaps fastest automobile, finally diagnosed his engine problem: a part of a plastic bag got here into the gas bodies of Auto No. 22. -10-finish could move back.

Logano's team Penske -Tammate Blaney then won the second stage after he had brought one other Penske team colleague Austin Cindric to the last round -and then a pressure from the close friend Chase Elliott to crack Cindric on the road.

Overall, Penske swept the primary two stages and led 142 of the opening rounds to the Stenhouse/Logano Big Wrack.

Required reading

By Jimmy Golen

Boston (AP) – Nathan Mackinnon scored twice. Connor McDavid had a goal and support. Sidney Crosby turned out of the middle of the middle in an empty, after Finland cut a deficit from 4 goals to at least one in the previous few minutes.

The best players of Canada got here within the 4-nation-vision on Monday to realize a resource of their fight with the United States. The rivals will meet within the tournament finals.

“You need that: big games from big players,” said Crosby after the 5: 3 victory over Finland. “These boys are used to playing and delivering in these big games in the spotlight. You did again tonight. “

Canada and the United States will play on Thursday evening in a continuation of a Round Robin game in Montreal last week, which started with three fights and celebrated a 3-1 win with the Americans. The Canadian striker – and the captain of Boston Bruins – Brad Marchand will take the ice cream as an opponent in the TD Garden in a series in which fans had to be asked not to use the opponent's national anthem.

“We are obviously very excited about having another crack with these boys. It will certainly be an intensive game, ”said Marchand within the visitor's changing room within the hall of the by which he has modified within the last 16 seasons.

“There isn’t any greater rivalry in hockey than Canada-US, and I believe it's the Matchup that everybody wanted,” said Marchand. “So it’ll be an especially intensive game that we’re all looking forward to.”

Jordan Binnington stopped 23 shots for Canada on the same ice, where he won the Stanley Cup 2019 for the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Point also achieved and Sam Reinhart had three templates when the Canadians opened a 4-0 lead in the first 25 minutes.

The tournament is the return of the NHL to international competition after the 2018 and 2022 Olympics were on the road. It delivered The intensive US Canada game of last week Against the background of the frosty real relationships between the countries, which are transformed by President Donald Trump's tariffs-or even Canada transformed into the 51st US state.

The Americans had to play in a game Sweden on Monday evening that lost every meaning when Canada won second place in the final. The United States won both earlier round-robin games and won the top position in the pool.

After the fiery game in Montreal last week, the game was preceded by two teams with interim trainers during the Canadian national anthem on Monday during the Canadian national anthem and the entire intensity of a midwinter game.

And then the Finns found life.

Esa Lindell scored seven minutes to achieve it with 4: 1, and then Mikael Granlund has scored twice with the Finnish goalkeeper for an additional attacker in the last 100 seconds. Crosby ended the tension when he turned a loose puck out of the center ice into the empty network.

“I got a number of goals there late and got here very close, but not today,” said Finnish striker Aleksander Barkov. “Obviously it is not an easy task to return from a 4-0 deficit against the best team in the world. I think we made ourselves well in the end. But the rest of the 50 minutes we would have and should probably have played a little better. “

McDavid only achieved 4 minutes after which Mackinnon made lower than a minute 2-0 before five minutes passed, the Finns had used their day trip to settle things.

Point gave the Canadian a 3-0 lead late in the primary lead, after which Mackinnon made it 4-0 in five minutes.

It was all for the Finnish goalkeeper Kevin Lankinen, who lasted a complete of 5 of nine shots.

Juuse Saros had 14 saved the remaining of the trail.

Binnington stopped the primary 19 shots of Finland before Lindell ended the offer for the primary shutout of the tournament. With Saros, who was drawn for a further attacker, Granlund scored a number of goals to attain 4: 3.

Originally published: February 17, 2025 at 3:56 p.m. PST

President Joe Biden on Monday issued preemptive pardons to 3 of his siblings and two of their spouses, raising concerns that they might change into targets of “unfounded and politically motivated investigations.”

The White House announced the pardons just minutes before President-elect Donald Trump entered the Capitol Rotunda to be sworn in as the subsequent commander in chief.

Earlier on Monday, Biden preemptively pardoned a lot of other figures – including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and members of Congress investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — for similar reasons.

Biden's most up-to-date pardons included his brother, James Biden; James' wife, Sara Jones Biden; his younger sister, Valerie Biden Owens; Owens' husband, John Owens; and his other brother, Francis Biden.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be misconstrued as an admission that they have committed any wrongdoing, nor should their acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for a crime,” Biden said in an announcement.

He also pardoned Gerald Lundergan, former chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party, and former South Carolina councilman Ernest Cromartie. The outgoing president also commuted the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, who was convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975.

Biden issued a pardon for his son in early December Hunter Bidenthereby reversing his earlier assertion that this may not be the case.

Hunter was convicted in a federal gun crime case last yr and pleaded guilty to tax crimes in a separate federal case.

James Biden was interviewed by the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees last yr as a part of their impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden.

“Jim and Sara Biden did not seek this pardon because they never committed a crime. But for the reasons described by the president, they accepted it,” Paul Fishman, an attorney for James and Sara Biden, said in an announcement.

In Monday's press release, Biden said: “My family has been subjected to relentless attacks and threats motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe that these attacks will end.”

“I believe in the rule of law and am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately triumph over politics,” he said.

“But unfounded and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety and financial security of targets and their families. Even if individuals have done nothing wrong and are ultimately exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can cause irreparable harm to their reputations and finances.”

“Therefore, I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens and Francis W. Biden,” Biden said.

After Biden announced the Jan. 6 pardons of Fauci, Milley and members of the committee, Trump was heavily critical, calling the move “disgraceful.”

“Many are guilty of SERIOUS CRIMES! DJT,” Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker in a text message. Trump's White House press office didn’t immediately reply to CNBC's request for comment on Biden's subsequent pardons of his members of the family.

While Biden's blanket preemptive clemency goes against historical norms, it is not uncommon for presidents to issue last-minute pardons. And there’s precedent for a president to pardon a member of the family and someone related to a member of the family.

On his last day in office, President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger Clinton, who had been convicted of drug charges.

Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the daddy of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, at the tip of his first term.

Charles Kushner pleaded guilty in 2004 to filing false tax returns, retaliating against a witness and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.

The road to the Super Bowl leads through Kansas City. After defeating the Houston Texans, the Chiefs will play within the AFC Championship Game for the seventh consecutive 12 months. They are actually just two wins away from the best achievement of the Super Bowl era: a three-peat. Standing of their way are the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night and now have the possibility to dethrone the reigning two-time champions.

In the NFC, the Commanders shocked the world by defeating the Detroit Lions on Saturday night and can look to repeat the feat next weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles, who beat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Jeff Howe breaks down the conference championship game matchups before the NFL projection model created by Austin Mock reveals each remaining team's probabilities of winning the Super Bowl.

AFC

No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (15-2, 1-0 Playoffs) vs. No. 2 Buffalo Bills (13-4, 2-0 Playoffs)

The AFC's powers show no signs of slowing this season because the Chiefs and Bills meet on the AFC Championship Game stage for the second time in 4 years.

The Bills concluded Sunday night's showdown with an exciting 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Josh Allen got the higher of fellow MVP Lamar Jackson because the Bills star went 16 of twenty-two for 127 yards and added a pair of rushing scores to assist stave off Baltimore's comeback efforts.

The Chiefs were a little bit shaky of their postseason debut, but they defeated the Texans by a decisive 23-14 margin despite the visitors outnumbering them in yards, time of possession, first downs and third down conversions. That's because defense (eight sacks, 14 QB hits) and special teams still carry plenty of weight, and the Chiefs are essentially the most balanced team on the sector.

As previously mentioned, the Chiefs are aiming to change into the primary team in history to win three straight Super Bowls. Since coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes joined forces, they’ve hoisted the Lombardi Trophy thrice.

It hasn't been an explosive season for Mahomes, who has more games with fewer than 200 passing yards (five) than with over 300 yards (three), including the divisional round. But he hasn't made any mistakes, scoring 13 touchdowns (one rushing) since his last interception two months ago.

Mahomes has also scored 15 touchdowns with just two interceptions in six AFC Championship games (each losses to the Cincinnati Bengals). In fact, the Chiefs haven't lost a single turnover of their last eight games. That will probably be a key point against the Bills, who had three takeaways against the Ravens on Sunday and have forced multiple turnovers in 11 of 19 games this season.

Mahomes didn't get much help. Its offensive tackles were poor – at the very least when left guard Joe Thuney wasn't doubling as left tackle – and its talented players kept coming into the lineup with injuries.

But he still has Travis Kelce, who just ripped off the ninth 100-yard game of his playoff profession. The 35-year-old future Pro Football Hall of Famer's performance dipped significantly in the course of the regular season, but Kelce is as nimble as ever within the playoffs. He had at the very least 70 yards rushing in 14 consecutive postseason games – a median of 99.1 yards per outing over that stretch. He also led the league in scoring touchdowns in 4 of the last five postseasons.

And yet the trendy NFL dynasty will face one query all week: Can they stop Allen?

Allen accomplished 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns and a career-low six interceptions in the course of the regular season, and he added 531 rushing yards and a dozen scores.

Allen was 27 of 40 for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception because the Bills defeated the Chiefs 30-21 in Week 11. He added 55 rushing yards, including a 26-yard touchdown on an important fourth-and-2. That was the Chiefs' only loss this season with Mahomes because the starter, and it can have been the performance that launched Allen's MVP campaign.

The Chiefs are 6-3 within the AFC Championship in the course of the Super Bowl era, including 4-2 against Mahomes, while the Bills are 4-3. The Chiefs are 4-2 against the Bills within the playoffs, including three straight wins during the last 4 years.

• Chiefs possibilities to win the Super Bowl: 30.5%
• Bills' possibilities to win the Super Bowl: 25.9%

NFC

No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, 2-0 Playoffs) vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders (12-5, 2-0 Playoffs)

The NFC North held the crown all season, however the NFC East is within the hunt for the ring.

The Eagles and Commanders meet within the NFC Championship Game after splitting within the regular season. The Commanders earned a 36-33 home win of their last meeting in Week 16. The Eagles needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Commanders 26-18 in Week 11, so each games were close.

The Eagles might want an asterisk for his or her loss since quarterback Jalen Hurts left early with a concussion, but their 33 points were the sixth-highest performance of the season behind a powerful performance from Kenny Pickett. The way more vital story was that the Eagles couldn't win despite a 5-2 advantage within the turnover battle.

So what happens if the Eagles can't find enough takeaways within the third? Perhaps this can be a moot point as that they had a slim 1-0 lead of their earlier win. It's rare that ball losses didn't make the difference in either final result.

Still, commanders is not going to need to test this theory any further. The Eagles have forced 30 turnovers of their last 13 games, including a pair of forced fumbles in an important stretch of the second half once they beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 within the divisional round.

Daniels had the Commanders' offense playing at an elite level of their two road playoff wins. They scored on 11 of 16 possessions, excluding half-ending sequences, and fumbled only once. They turned it over thrice on downs — a risk-reward formula that proved to be a net positive — but there have been no interceptions or lost fumbles. They even have a missed field goal.

Daniels' leadership in all situations was remarkable. While the rookie has a clutch gene that has turn out to be useful on their game-winning drives this season, Daniels did a powerful job Saturday night in keeping the pressure on the top-seeded Lions and leading the Commanders to steer in 4 of their five The following possessions resulted in a Detroit rating. The exception was a missed field goal, so Daniels kept the ball moving always because the Lions tried to make a run.

Daniels could have to be great to steer the Commanders to their first Super Bowl in 33 years, and there are indications he’ll rise to the challenge. During the seven-game winning streak, he passed for 1,522 yards, 17 touchdowns and 4 interceptions and added 422 yards and a rating on the bottom. However, three of Daniels' nine interceptions this season got here against the Eagles.

Since getting back from a concussion, Hurts and the Eagles' passing attack has been fleeting. In the 2 playoff wins, he had 259 passing yards and two touchdowns, although he had 106 yards and a rating as a rusher. As a result, wide receivers AJ Brown (three catches for twenty-four yards) and DeVonta Smith (eight catches for 76 yards) didn't make much of an impact.

But fear not, since the Eagles still have running back Saquon Barkley. The league's top offseason signing posted 324 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two playoff games as he hasn't slowed down since his torrid regular season.

These teams have a postseason meeting, with Washington playing their wild card match on January 5, 1991. The Commanders are 90-86-6 within the all-time series.

The Commanders are 5-1 in conference championships in the course of the Super Bowl era, while the Eagles are 4-4.

• Eagles' possibilities to win the Super Bowl: 33.8%
• Commanders' possibilities to win the Super Bowl: 9.8%

Finishing fifth and still standing on the Formula 1 podium meant an unusual end to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for George Russell.

On the opposite side of the rostrum was Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver who had already been on the rostrum on Sunday evening after recovering from nineteenth on the grid to complete third behind Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz.

Standing between Russell and Leclerc in his white and black racing suit was Sonny Hayes, the experienced racing driver from APXGP.

Hayes is the fictional character played by Brad Pitt in “F1,” the Warner Bros. and Apple-produced film that has established itself within the F1 world over the past two seasons. APXGP, Pitt's fictional team owned by Javier Bardem's character, has been given a full garage setup at races and has its Mercedes-designed cars lined up on the grid. The sport has put a lot effort into making this essentially the most realistic racing film ever made.

A second podium ceremony was held on the Sunday after the race in Abu Dhabi to capture some scenes, all in front of fans who had been told to remain of their seats after the race for a probability to be within the film .

Abu Dhabi marked the top of on-location filming for “F1”. The project is scheduled to release on June twenty seventh in North America and June twenty fifth in the remainder of the world next yr and is steadily moving towards completion.

“We're going to stay here the rest of the week doing pickups and then we'll be in the editing room,” Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer of “F1,” said on a select media panel Sunday The athlete. “About two thirds of the film has already been edited. This will be the last race where we can do this together and we will watch it.”

Immersing yourself on this planet of F1 gave Bruckheimer and director Joe Kosinski, who worked together on Top Gun: Maverick, the right opportunity to make the film as realistic as possible. Ahead of the British Grand Prix in July, a teaser trailer was released for the primary time, introducing a number of the current drivers and team bosses and giving a taste of what the in-car footage might seem like. Similar to the fighter jets in “Top Gun: Maverick,” much of the footage in “F1” attempts to present the audience as near the experience of an F1 automobile as possible.

The input from the drivers – particularly Lewis Hamilton, who serves as a producer on the film – was crucial, Bruckheimer said.

“They were very open about their experiences, what they went through to get to Formula 1, (even their) superstitions,” Bruckheimer explained. “We took the little things a rider did against those superstitions and Brad has that in his character.

“Lewis keeps us honest. Lewis watches every race and says, 'In that corner you wouldn't be in second gear, you'd be in first.' He is available in there and may hear the engine and the shifting and every thing like that.”

“One of the large things we're doing with that is we wanted the races to be real,” added Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services. “Lewis helped enormously. It's always about the story because that's what it is, but we wanted the racing scenes to be really authentic and authentic and I think that's what we captured. Lewis did a great job.”

Pitt and Damson Idris, who plays Hayes' young teammate Joshua Pearce, went through extensive training and testing to drive the APXGP cars used in the film, which are scaled-up versions of F2 cars. Pitt and Idris were on location in Abu Dhabi to film the final round of race footage and even photobombed some of the teams' end-of-year photos in the pit lane on Thursday. The paddock has taken on the project of filming in a living, breathing sports environment.

One consequence of operating during a Grand Prix weekend, particularly in front of fans, is that clips of filming have inevitably leaked onto the internet. Scenes such as the podium in Abu Dhabi or Pitt's celebration with the Mexican flag in front of the Foro Sol stadium section in Mexico have already appeared. But both Bruckheimer and Cue were certain that nothing had emerged that would reveal key plot details.

“When you're on the set of a movie and also you see a clip of it, you’ve got no idea what the hell is happening,” Cue said. “It’s not like it was filmed in sequence, is it? These little things… I saw on YouTube how Brad passed out in Las Vegas or whatever, but you have no idea what the context is or before. I actually think all of it helps.”

In particular, the nature of that scene, in which Pitt “passed out” on a mat on the main straight in Las Vegas last month, was not something that Cue felt had exaggerated the film's dramatic element too much.

“I saw a man running out of a fire in real Formula 1,” he said, referring to Romain Grosjean’s 2020 accident in Bahrain. “I believe fainting is pretty real.” Whether it was crash sequences or even the scenes on the race track, producers said everything in “F1” was inspired or referenced by moments in the sport's history.

“Many of the incidents in the film are based on real events,” Bruckheimer said. “Everything Brad does on the track, the little tricks he does, drivers have done at different races over the decades. Because he doesn't have the fastest car and isn't the fastest driver. He has to use clever tactics to keep up with these other drivers.”

Completion of filming on location in Abu Dhabi got here later than planned after the actors and writers' strike in Hollywood last yr put filming on hold. But Bruckheimer said there was never a moment when the project gave the impression to be at risk.

“We’re very lucky because we had a whole section of second-unit photography hired, the second-unit director,” he said. “So when both strikes hit, we didn’t need the writers. We didn't need the actors. Joe Kosinski, our director, shot the entire second unit during the strike. So when we came back, all we had to do was shoot the actors. We were very lucky that it worked out that way.”

Cue said that while it “delayed things a little bit,” there was “no doubt about it” and even felt the beyond regular time was useful. “You can argue that having more time always helps,” Cue said. “For example, we were able to come here twice and film more than we would have liked.”

Just as Netflix's “Drive to Survive” docuseries helped Formula 1 reach a younger, mainstream audience when it debuted in 2019, the game hopes “F1” could have the identical impact. Bruckheimer felt that the need of the paddock and the game as an entire had led to such a collaboration over the past two years.

“The fans were really phenomenal,” Bruckheimer said. “They embraced us and were really kind to Brad and the movie itself, the things they tweeted about the movie. They realized the impact a film can have on a sport.

“The drivers were not exposed to certain markets. I mean these guys are rock stars, let's face it, they're the 20 best drivers in the world. And they will be made available not just to the Drive to Survive audience, but to everyone.”

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Lewis Hamilton sat at a table together with his race engineer Peter Bonnington on the roof of the Mercedes hospitality department at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit, cooled by nearby fans working hard within the midday heat to make some preparations. Planning the race weekend.

It was a routine they’d passed through again and again before – 245 times in truth – however the 246th time was slightly more emotional. After 12 years, 84 race wins and 6 world championships, representing probably the most successful driver-team partnership in Formula 1 history, this was Hamilton's final race weekend as a Mercedes driver.

Hamilton's conversations with Bonnington, affectionately often called “Bono” and someone Hamilton has in comparison with a brother, remained as skilled as ever. They knew there was a job to be done. But a number of hours later, the seven-time world champion admitted that those conversations got here with an added level of emotion.

“You sit there and realize these are the last moments with the team and that's… it's hard to describe that feeling,” Hamilton said. “It's obviously not the greatest, but I think, more than anything, I'm really proud of what we've achieved.”

The “last dance” for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes lasted ten months. On February 1, Hamilton announced this move He moved to Ferrari for 2025, securing the 39-year-old one final drive in the enduring red F1 cars to finish his illustrious profession. Abu Dhabi has at all times been a very important Grand Prix.

But at the tip of a grueling 12 months on the circuit, which has ranged from the highs of victories at Silverstone and Spa to the lows towards the tip of the season, each Hamilton and Mercedes are determined to complete on a high note.

“It’s a really beautiful journey that you take together,” Hamilton said. “And because it was so long, the emotions run so deep.”

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Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, already suspected what was coming when Hamilton arrived at his home in Oxfordshire for the pre-season catch-up meeting.

Fred Vasseur, Ferrari's F1 boss and shut friend of Wolff, had not responded to a text message asking if he would “take our driver with him”, and the daddy of Carlos Sainz, whom Hamilton would replace, had one for the Mercedes boss Hint on condition that could occur.

Looking back on Thursday, Hamilton admitted it was an “uncomfortable” meeting with Wolff to interrupt the news that their partnership was ending. Just eight months earlier, they’d agreed a contract extension that appeared to reaffirm their commitment, which Hamilton had previously thought would last long gone the tip of his time racing in Formula One. Their joint work on campaigns to support long-overdue changes to diversity and equality in Formula 1 is a legacy which means more to Hamilton than his racing successes.

It also caused a 12 months of him admitting that he had “massively underestimated” himself emotionally. “It put a strain on the relationship very early on; “It took some time for people to get over it,” Hamilton admitted. “And for myself it was a very emotional year. And I don’t think I was at my best dealing with those emotions.”

Hamilton has at all times worn his heart on his sleeve, as evidenced by the tears that flowed after he ended his two-and-a-half 12 months victory drought at Silverstone. The intimacy of his relationship with Mercedes allows for a brutal honesty that has weathered significant disappointments – like his title defeat to teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016 or, more controversially, what happened in Abu Dhabi three years ago when he won his eighth world title, the Record, missed.

Wolff has at all times enjoyed picking at open wounds, knowing that this is commonly the one solution to understand easy methods to improve a situation. He felt Hamilton and Mercedes had “done a good job” of coping with the emotions of this 12 months.

“When he made the decision to leave at the beginning of the season, we knew it could be a bumpy year,” said Wolff in Qatar. “He knows he will go somewhere else. We know that our future lies with Kimi (Antonelli). Going through the ups and downs and still sticking together between us is something we have achieved.”

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“I’m just slow.”

It could seem fanciful for a seven-time world champion to say these words. But there was a way of resignation as Hamilton handled a difficult practice Friday for the Qatar Grand Prix wherein he didn't feel the automobile was giving him back the performance he needed. This continued a seasonal trend.

For a lot of the 12 months the Mercedes W15 had not adapted to his driving style and had not allowed him to get the pace he needed, especially over a single lap. In 23 races this season, Hamilton trails George Russell 18-5 in qualifying and is 24 points behind within the drivers' standings.

The day after Hamilton made that comment when he qualified sixth in Qatar while Russell was P2 and almost half a second quicker, he was asked to elaborate. Did he really mean that he had lost his edge? Is this an indication of the decline that almost all top drivers and sports stars experience as they approach their 40s?

“I know I still have it,” Hamilton said. “(It's) just that the car isn't going any faster. I definitely know I still have it. That's not a question for me. (I’m) looking forward to the end.”

It wasn't the primary time Hamilton gave such a bleak outlook. After the race in Brazil, where he had dropped to tenth in rainy conditions while Russell had been in contention for victory before the red flag, he admitted he “could happily go on holiday” as a substitute of the ultimate treble to drive. Header. As the W15 got here to life within the cold in Las Vegas and gave Mercedes a one-two finish, Hamilton seemed upset that he hadn't been the one to take the lead, having found himself P10 in qualifying while Russell was up the Pole stood.

“These last few races, maybe even the whole season, were clearly not what we expected,” said Wolff in Qatar. “This car is a handful to drive on the worst days.”

But how much did that hurt Hamilton in a way that it didn't for Russell? Wolff attributed a few of this to Hamilton's driving style. “One of his strengths is that he can always brake late and attack the corner, and the car can't take that,” he said, adding that the issue gets worse when grip decreases in slow corners. “Then if the car slides more and he lacks grip, that contributes to (him) probably suffering more than George.”

In Qatar, Vasseur said he was “not at all” nervous concerning the type of his latest star signing. “Look at the 50 laps he drove in Vegas, starting 10th (and finishing on Russell’s gearbox), Vasseur said. “I’m not worried at all.”

The progress Ferrari has made this 12 months, recovering from its mid-season slump and McLaren's late challenge for the constructors' title, can even reassure Hamilton that he can return to form. He stressed on Thursday that his focus stays on Mercedes heading into his final weekend, but that there’s a natural excitement concerning the next chapter.

“It really inspires motivation,” said Hamilton, “and it’s a dream scenario for any driver to get an opportunity like this. “I don’t take that for granted.”

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Whenever Hamilton hangs up his helmet and ends his hugely successful profession, this time at Mercedes can be probably the most lasting and definitive a part of his racing legacy.

When he decided to make a surprising move in 2012 to maneuver away from McLaren, then consistently certainly one of the leading Formula 1 teams, it was derided as a mistake: a move into the midfield, away from the team that brought Hamilton into Formula 1 had brought, and into it the unknown.

It turned out to be the appropriate move at the appropriate time. McLaren was on the verge of starting a decade-long decline, while Mercedes was on the verge of launching a record-breaking F1 dynasty with Hamilton at its heart.

The move also allowed Hamilton to grow to be himself. His evolution from a 27-year-old former champion to certainly one of Formula 1's elder statesmen, on the verge of his fortieth birthday, with seven world titles to his name, with interests and celebrity status that stretch far beyond this paddock, has been impressive.

At the doorway to the Mercedes pit for this weekend on the Yas Marina Circuit hang two large pictures of Hamilton, one from Hungary in 2013 – his first win for Mercedes – and the second from Silverstone this 12 months, arguably probably the most emotional of his record 104 victories. Above it’s the message: “Every dream needs a team.”

Even the challenges of this 12 months and the problem of a year-long farewell won’t diminish what Hamilton and Mercedes have built together.

“Nothing will take away from us twelve incredible years with eight constructors’ and six drivers’ championships,” said Wolff. “That will be the memory and after next Sunday we will look back on this great time and not on a season or races that were particularly bad.

“The beautiful memories will remain with us.”

Good memories. Historical memories. They are so filled with emotion that they’ll surely come back when the checkered flag falls for Hamilton on Sunday evening and he rises from a Mercedes F1 automobile for the last time.

The athlete