Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII
Led by superstar Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second consecutive season. The Chiefs took down the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 25-22, to win their third ring of the Mahomes era. The win also gives head coach Andy Reid four Super Bowl wins, the second most all-time to Bill Belichick.
The game started slow for Kansas City, finding themselves down 10 in the first half before Harrison Butker nailed a 28-yard field goal to end the first half. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter when the Chiefs scored their first touchdown of the game, a 16-yard pass from Mahomes to receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
The fourth quarter saw both teams go back and forth, with one of the major turning points coming after Jauan Jennings caught a go-ahead touchdown with 11 minutes remaining. Rookie kicker Jake Moody, who earlier in the game set a Super Bowl record with a 55-yard field goal — which was later surpassed by a 57-yarder from Butker — had his extra point blocked, keeping the lead for San Francisco at three.
The Chiefs found themselves down three with just under two minutes remaining, when Mahomes led a game-tying drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal by Butker to send the game to overtime for just the second time in history. After the 49ers opened the extra period with a field goal, Mahomes got the ball and led a 75-yard game winning drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman. Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for the third time in his young career.
Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies
Kelvin Kiptum, the world record holder for a marathon, died Sunday in his native Kenya after a car accident. His coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also died in the crash.
Local police say Kiptum was driving when the accident happened, that he lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road, into a ditch killing Kiptum and Hakizimana. A third passenger, a 24-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Kiptum set the world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with his time of 2:00.35, and was planning to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kiptum also holds the second fastest time in history, running 2:01:25 at the London Marathon last year.
Other career highlights for Kiptum include finishing in first at the 2022 Valencia Marathon in Spain and finishing first in the 2021 Lens Half Marathon in France.
NBA All-Star Weekend participants announced
One of the most exciting weekends in sports, NBA’s All-Star Weekend, will take place from Feb. 16-18. Events include the Rising Stars Game, the 3-Point Contest, the Dunk Contest, the Celebrity All-Star Game and of course, the NBA All-Star Game.
Also, for the first time ever, the weekend will showcase a contest between NBA All-Star Stephen Curry and WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu. In August, Ionescu set a record in the WNBA’s 3-Point Contest, scoring 37 total points. This beat Curry’s previous record of 31, set in 2021. Both players will shoot from the NBA’s three-point line, but Ionescu will use the WNBA regulation ball.
As for the rest of the weekend, the 3-Point Contest will feature Lauri Markkanen, Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Trae Young. The Dunk Contest will feature Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jacob Toppin and reigning champion Mac McClung.
Some of the notable celebrities participating in the Celebrity All-Star Game include Kai Cenat, Jewell Loyd, Jennifer Hudson, Micah Parsons, Natasha Cloud and 50 Cent. The teams will be coached by ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe.
LeBron James nearly joins Warriors
Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James was reportedly close to joining the Golden State Warriors at last week’s trade deadline, according to ESPN, but a deal between the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers fell through. The deal progressed to the point where Warriors owner Joe Lacob and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss met to discuss a potential deal, but both the Lakers and James decided to stay together.
Both James and Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry have four NBA championships, and have both teased the idea of teaming up in previous All-Star games. Although no deal happened before the deadline, James is a free agent this offseason, and a potential team-up between James and Curry could still happen, if James is willing to take less than a maximum salary.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @Chiefs, X
