Yankees change facial hair ruling
Announced Feb. 20, managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has amended the New York Yankees’ long-standing facial grooming policy — a policy that prohibited players from growing beards. His father implemented the rule in the 1970s, but Steinbrenner has now allowed Yankees players, coaches and other uniformed personnel to sport beards as long as they are “well groomed.”
Steinbrenner urged the change in policy, for it was “outdated” and “somewhat unreasonable” to the staff, and decided it was time for change. One pushing, yet merely hypothetical, motivation is that the old ruling repelled free-agent players who were unwilling to comply with the rules. Players must still uphold the image of professionalism by keeping it cleanly trimmed and aspire to have the look of cleanness that the team has known for years.
Luka Dončić’s 32-point night helped Lakers beat Denver
In his most recent game, Luka Dončić took one single quarter on Saturday, Feb. 22 to match his highest scoring average since his first three games with the Los Angeles Lakers. Dončić tallied 16 points while the team built an early lead on their opponents, the Denver Nuggets.
After mounting a 23-point lead, Dončić finished the game with a high 32 points scored in their 123-100 win. This gave the Lakers their first victory over Denver in nearly three years they have played against them. The Lakers also ended the Nuggets’ nine-game winning streak. It was almost two years ago when the Lakers last beat the Nuggets in a regular season game on Denver’s home court.
Mikaela Shiffrin gets historic 100th World Cup record race win
The 29-year-old American alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin extended her 100th career World Cup race record with a win on Sunday, Feb. 23. Shiffrin’s quest for her win was put on hold after a serious crash back in November. Shiffrin added to her first-run lead to finish 0.61 seconds before her opponent, Zrinka Ljutic.
Shiffrin also tied an all-time world record for men and women with her 155th career top three finish on the podium. Her 99th win was earned just three months ago in Austria, and number 100 was in clear sight for Shiffrin before her crash. After several weeks of training on racing slaloms, she used her practice and time off to prepare for this weekend’s run and to make it a victory. Shiffrin is one of the two greatest record-setters in the World Cup’s 58-year history.
Cowboys offensive guard Zack Martin plans to retire
At the coming end of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys will transition to a new era with first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer and losing their longstanding offensive guard Zack Martin. Martin, according to reports, told the team that he plans to retire. At 34 years old, Martin has had an impressive career as a seven-time All Pro selection and nine-time pro pick who became known as one of the most reliable blockers in the league.
Martin’s retirement comes about after a shortened 2024 season that lasted 10 games before he went in for surgery for his ankle issue. Martin plans to retire in order to remain healthy and will decide once it is healed whether or not he wants to go back onto the field to play.
rbleich@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @thegob70, Instagram
