The Deeble family is synonymous with baseball in Melbourne’s west and across the world. Tara Murray chats with Jon Deeble, who has just returned to Australia after winning his sixth Major Baseball League World Series championship. Jon Deeble is living the dream as he spends his year chasing the baseball seasons. Deeble, who grew up in Melbourne’s west, was raised around baseball and has continued his father’s legacy. He is currently the coach of the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League, while also a director with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I’m sort of on the road for half the year around the world,” he said. “I’m in Melbourne for a couple of months, coaching the Melbourne Aces. “I’ve been doing it for eight years. I come home and do the Melbourne Aces in the off season, and then get back on the road.” Deeble said it can get busy going from one to the other but it’s something he loves. It’s been a long journey for Deeble since his first visit to America in 1993. Coaching in Melbourne at the time, Deeble initially said no to moving to the states when he was first asked. “I was playing with the Melbourne Monarchs down at Altona, then their licence was taken away,” he said. “I played for the Waverley Reds for a couple of years, then the Monarchs were coming back into existence and they were owned by the Western Bulldogs and they were going to be affiliated with the Florida Marlins. “They asked me to coach the Melbourne Monarchs. From there, John Boles and Rick Freeman, who were both with the Marlins, offered me a job in the states. “The first year I didn’t accept it, as I was working with the Bulldogs, but ended up going over there the next year. “I got to LA and thought, ‘what am I doing as an Australian guy teaching Americans how to play baseball?’ “So that is why it started.” Deeble was with the Marlins when he won the world championship in 1997 before he moved to the Boston Red Sox when the Marlins owner bought the Sox. He was there for 16 years and won three more championship rings, before he was head hunted by the Dodgers. “I coached Major League in 2005. I’ve spent a lot of time coaching in the minor leagues and at the same time scouting Asia. “I’ve sort of had multiple jobs.” The Dodgers recently won the World Series Championships to give Deeble his sixth championship ring and second at the Dodgers. Deeble said every ring was different. “At the start it was really exciting and it’s still really exciting, because you want to win,” he said. “My part of it is the Asian department, director of the Asia Pacific. “We had Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch the second game of the World Series and he dominated, he’s one of the guys that I’ve signed. “Shohei Ohtani is another. We’ve been very active in the Asian region, not just with major league guys, but minor league guys as well. “That part of it is really interesting and exciting.” Deeble said he could have never imagined where his career would take him when he first started out. He said how it has ended up as a dream come true. “It’s all I’ve known for work for the past 33 years,” he said. “Tommy Lasorda, who is a legend of the Los Angeles Dodgers, passed away a couple of years ago. He is the original Mr Dodger and he signed a photo of himself and gave it to me in 1978 and it said ‘Jon, a future Dodger’. “I’ve still got the photo which is really unreal that I would end up working there as an Australian guy. “It’s been a great ride and I’ve met a lot of people and I have a lot of friends in the states. It’s been a hell of a ride, the Dodgers have been an unbelievable organisation.” It’s no surprise that Deeble entered into baseball when he was young. His father Don Deeble played for Australia and was among the first inducted into the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame. Star Weekly is a sponsor of the Sunshine and Western Region Sports Club’s Don Deeble award which recognises him. Jon Deeble is also a member of the hall of fame, while his brother Michael Deeble also played for Australia. “I’m sure he would be pretty proud,” Jon said of his father. “He was also one that was very quiet, never one to pat you on the back. “He was very quiet or never gave any advice, he just stayed out of it to be honest.” Deeble said he’s happy with where his career is and doesn’t want to climb any higher up the ladder in the states. Among his achievements is coaching the Australian Olympic baseball team for 19 years. For now, Deeble is focused on the Aces’ season. It hasn’t been the ideal start with rain affecting several of their games, but the Aces were still sitting in second spot heading into the weekend’s matches which were after deadline. “Expectations were to win everything, win the final and that has not changed,” he said. “The first week we lost our Australian players, they were away on the Australian team that is six players. “That was a little tough, now home for two weeks it will start to tell the tale, we need to get better.”None
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It didn’t take much to stir Jack Eichel’s national pride in looking ahead to representing the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament . Appearing on a Team USA Zoom call on Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights forward jumped right in when reminded how U.S. teams featuring NHL players competing in best-on-best international tournaments haven’t won a gold medal since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey series. “I’ll take it,” Eichel interjected after Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy apologized for not hearing the question. “I think there’s a lot to prove for us as USA Hockey,” Eichel said. “I think for a while it was Canada on a pedestal by themselves. And I think for us, we feel like we’ve closed that gap. And I think this is a great opportunity to prove that.” From the Boston area, Eichel supported his case by referring to the growing pool of American talent that’s entered the NHL though the U.S. national development program over the past decade. And that’s reflected in how a majority of the U.S. team’s 23-player roster is made up of USNDP alumni, Eichel included. “Obviously, we feel very confident in our group and the names on our roster,” Eichel said. “But that’s only half the battle. You’ve got to go out there and do it. And we’re excited for that opportunity.” The 4 Nations Face-Off was unveiled last All-Star Weekend. It splits NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. into four teams, replacing the All-Star Game format this season. Eichel’s comments came a day after the nations unveiled their entire rosters to compete in the NHL/NHL Players' Association-backed tournament being split between Montreal and Boston and running from Feb. 12-20. Though talented, the Americans have lacked success at the senior international level. The U.S. last medaled at the world championships by winning bronze in 2021, and hasn’t placed better than third since 1960 at Squaw Valley, which also doubled as the Winter Games. The Americans' last Olympic gold came with amateurs competing at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, since dubbed the “Miracle On Ice,” while winning silver medals with NHL players in 2002 and 2010 — both times losing to Canada. And then there was 1996, when goalie Mike Richter earned World Cup MVP honors in helping the Americans beat Canada in a decisive Game 3 of the final series. “I think we check every box there is,” McAvoy said. “I think the confidence amongst us in our group should be sky high.” The U.S. team’s brain trust, headed by Wild GM Bill Guerin and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, prioritized experience over potential in filling out the 17 remaining roster spots. Forwards Chris Kreider, of the Rangers, and Brock Nelson, of the Islanders, are the oldest players on the team at age 33, and have extensive world championships experience. The youngest player is also the only one with Olympic experience: 22-year-old Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber, who played at the Beijing Games in 2022 when the NHL pulled out because of pandemic-related scheduling issues. They’ll go up against a talent-laden Team Canada that features forwards Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar. The U.S. team is particularly strong down the middle with Eichel, Auston Matthews and Dylan Larkin. Another strength is in net with a trio led by two-time Vezina Trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck and rounded out by Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman. USA Hockey has enjoyed its most success in winning two of the past four world junior championships and six since 2004. Four Nations teammates McAvoy, Oettinger and defenseman Adam Fox were members of the U.S. team that won the 2017 world junior title. Team Canada officials also went with a veteran-laden group, featuring 14 players who have won at least one Stanley Cup title. “You can’t put a price tag on experience,” Canada and Lightning coach Jon Cooper said Thursday. “I truly believe this is a tournament where you’re basically playing three Game 7s (in the preliminary round). ... There’s no real margin for error," he added. “This is as competitive a group as you will find. Every one of these players will lay in traffic for their country." The Canadian Press contributed to this story. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhlMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa's teammates have used words like “commanding” and “lights out” to describe the way he has played recently. The quarterback has had one of the best stretches of his career since he returned from a concussion in Week 8, keeping alive the playoff hopes for the Miami Dolphins. Tagovailoa threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns — including the winning TD in overtime — to lead Miami to the victory against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday. With the win, the Dolphins (6-7) have the same record as Indianapolis, and they two games back of Denver (8-5) for the final AFC wild card. “I don’t think two years ago this game occurs,” coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday of Tagovailoa. “He continues to get better. ... It’s a lot of work, and all of his work is paying off because he’s a naturally gifted quarterback, not only the skill sets but people gravitate towards him. He makes people better. That’s an incredibly important part of that position.” After an up-close look at the way Tagovailoa operates Miami's offense by throwing with anticipation, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich called him one of the fastest processors in the NFL. Tagovailoa's teammates had just as much praise about his impact. “He’s been playing lights out. He’s been a great leader for this team, not only on offense but also for defense, getting those guys going," wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. "We’ve just got to follow him, man, like follow his standard because the standard is the standard, and he’s been playing at a high level and guys around him just got to match it.” The numbers back up Hill's words: Sunday was Tagovailoa's third straight 300-yard passing performance, joining Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in Dolphins history to record three consecutive games with that many yards. Tagovailoa entered Sunday's game with a league-best 74.5% completion rate. He recorded his seventh straight game with a completion rate of 70% or better, tying the third-longest streak in NFL history. Going back to Week 10 against the Rams, Tagovailoa has attempted 184 passes without throwing an interception, which is the second-longest streak in his career, and he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 34 of his last 35 games. He was 6 for 7 for 67 yards on the Dolphins' winning touchdown drive Sunday, which he capped with a 10-yard throw to tight end Jonnu Smith. “He was commanding," receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “He really made sure we didn’t kill ourselves with penalties. He wanted everybody to lock in and just hone in on the details. That’s was big. He came through, made big plays, was calm in the pocket, o-line had great protection, he delivered the ball.” What's working A big part of Tagovailoa's growth has been his ability to not force plays down the field that aren't there. Unlike earlier in his career, he is much more willing to take checkdowns or dump the ball off to running back De'Von Achane or the tight end Smith, who have been excellent this season at gaining yards after the catch. What needs help Third down continues to pose problems for the Dolphins. Miami converted just 1 of 9 third-down attempts and are 9 of 35 on third downs in its last three games. Stock up Receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Hill had his first 100-yard receiving game since the opener with 115 yards on 10 catches. With his 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, Hill has a TD catch in four of the past five games. Waddle caught nine passes for 99 yards that gave him 4,085 in his career — the most in a player's first four seasons in Dolphins history. Stock down The secondary, which allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams and 339 yards passing from Aaron Rodgers. It was just the second time this season that Miami's defense has allowed more than 300 yards passing. There were also several instances of miscommunication in the secondary. Injuries LT Terron Armstead was limited to just five snaps because of a knee injury that he's been dealing with for weeks. Armstead was visibly frustrated when he came out of the game and was replaced by rookie Patrick Paul. ... LB Anthony Walker Jr. appeared to re-aggravate a hamstring injury that happened last week. Key number 0 — The number of times Tagovailoa was hit Sunday on 47 pass attempts. Next steps Three of Miami's final four games are on the road, starting at Houston on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
By Mark Anderson, The Associated Press LAS VEGAS — If Texas coach Steve Sarkisian holds aloft the College Football Playoff trophy next month, that will be bad news for BetMGM Sportsbook. It would be similarly disappointing if any of the coaches at Boise State , Indiana or Arizona State end up celebrating a title with confetti falling all around them inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Texas has attracted a lot of money all season to go all the way, but those other schools provide the hope of a big payoff. The fifth-seeded Longhorns are the co-favorite at BetMGM with No. 1 and unbeaten Oregon at 7-2 odds; the other three are least 40-1, while Georgia is right behind Oregon and Texas as the next favorite. “These teams get hot and people just want to have a flyer on them,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “They don’t want to be standing there and not have a ticket on some of these long-shot teams.” Expanding the playoff field from four to 12 teams this year meant more betting in general on college football and more varieties of wagering on the postseason. There were meaningful games played in the final month by not only Arizona State, Boise State and Indiana, but also SMU, Army and UNLV — a number of teams not always in the national title conversation. “It’s one of the highest handles we’ve ever had on our national-championship market,” Magee said. “We’re in more states, for one, but the activity and the betting patterns we’re seeing, it definitely feels a lot more than it has in years past.” Magee said BetMGM has received action on both sides of the first-round game between 11th-seeded SMU and sixth-seeded Penn State , but the Mustangs have drawn notable action at DraftKings and Caesars Sportsbook. Money on SMU dropped Penn State from a 9-point favorite at DraftKings to 8 1/2. “Any time they’ve played a real good team, they’ve had trouble,” Johnny Avello, DraftKings race and sports operations director, said of the Nittany Lions. ”SMU shows that they’re pretty good on both sides of the football and pretty resilient as a team. Always in the game. Always finds ways to fight back.” Joey Feazel, who oversees football trading for Caesars, said much of the early betting in general was on underdogs. “Usually, you see the dog money for these teams come late, especially on the sharps' (professional bettors) side,” Feazel said. Boise State, which as the third seed has a first-round bye, will be the underdog in its quarterfinal matchup with Penn State or SMU. The Broncos got into the field as the highest-ranked Group of Five champion, but Avello said that doesn’t mean they are one of the nation’s top 12 teams (they are ranked No. 8 by AP and No. 9 by CFP). Avello said BYU, Colorado and Miami — none of which made the playoff — all would be favored over them. “There are a lot of teams that aren’t in the playoffs that would be favored,” Avello said. “That’s just not the way these playoffs work.” Feazel said Boise State not being able to play at home on its blue carpet will be a notable disadvantage. Boise State’s quarterfinal game will be at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. “It will be all neutral,” Feazel said. ”It’s a big step up in class for Boise.” Instead of all the games being played in climate-controlled domes or warm-weather locales — as has been in the case in past postseasons — three of the four first-round matchups will take place in the Northeast and Midwest. While that might not make a difference when Notre Dame hosts in-state foe Indiana, Ohio State will be at home against Tennessee and SMU visits Penn State. BetMGM favors all four home teams by more than a touchdown. “You have to take the weather into account for some of these games,” Magee said. “It’s going to be really cool to see a team like Tennessee that will have to go up to Columbus, where it can get really cold. SMU has to go from Dallas to Happy Valley. That’s definitely going to be one of the coldest games a lot of those kids have played in their lives.” SMU was the last team in the field , getting the benefit of the doubt over Alabama. The Mustangs had one fewer defeat than the three-loss Crimson Tide, who did not appear in the SEC title game. SMU lost on a 56-yard field goal to Clemson in the ACC championship. The sportsbook operators said the Tide would be favored by 5-10 points if they met SMU on a neutral field. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football More sports news Pa. man charged in Pittsburgh Steelers parking lot scam Is PIAA’s Competitive Balance rule working? Pa.’s governing body on sports thinks so These 12 football players shined during PIAA Championship week Talking Penn State-SMU playoff matchup with special guest Jacob Richman of LoneStarLive.comTitle: 3 Key Features of Enterprise SSDs
Phew! Outdoor dining in LA gets another extensionDefender Akil Wright is determined to help Ross County end TWO droughts against Hibernian on Saturday. The centre-half wants to see the Dingwall team’s long winless streak in away league games, which stretches back to a 1-0 success at Kilmarnock in September last year, end. County have also failed to score in five of their last six matches, and have not netted on their travels since drawing 1-1 at Hearts in late September. The Staggies have just come through two tough games against the Old Firm, losing 5-0 away to Celtic, then 3-0 at home to Rangers on Sunday. It leaves Don Cowie’s just three points above 12th-placed Hibs – their hosts at Easter Road this Saturday. Wright almost hauled County back into the game against Rangers, but was denied at the Global Energy Stadium by goalkeeper Jack Butland. The 28-year-old summer signing has two goals to his name and he says there is a collective responsibility to find the net as County chase a rare away win, which would also open a six-point cushion over the Hibees. Wright said: “Scoring goals from every area of the pitch will help the team going forward, from defence to up front. “We’ve not scored an away goal in a while, so it would be great to chance that on Saturday, and hopefully end our drought of not winning away from home. “If we could win, it would be massive – we want to increase the gap to six points. “It’s a massive game and we need to turn our away form around. “What a time it would be to do it. “There’s a lot of pressure on both teams, but we’re looking forward to it.” Chance to kick clear of hosts Hibs County’s run of games before the new year are against Hibs, St Mirren, Dundee and Hearts. Having played the Glasgow powerhouses in the past fortnight, Wright is now eager to add to their 12 points to climb the table. He said: “Although Celtic and Rangers are big teams in the league, you still always fancy your chances, especially at home. “We’re in the same league as them, so we always want to get three points. But it wasn’t to be in the last two games. “We now have a run of games coming up and we’ve now got to get three points, starting against Hibs this week.” Rangers goals ‘were avoidable’ On Sunday, Hamza Igmane’s deflected strike put Rangers in front early on against the Staggies, before Danilo cashed in on a slack Jack Hamilton clearance to make it 2-0 at half-time. Wright’s effort from a corner was the closest County came to scoring before . Former Stockport County defender Wright felt had his saved header gone in, they might have given themselves a chance to get a positive result. He said: “It wasn’t the best first half. The goals were avoidable. “It was a better second half, and we showed great character, and we could have nicked a goal from a corner. “I should have scored, and it could have changed the game, but it wasn’t to be. “I thought it was going in, but I think Jack Butland saved it. “It was a good save, which was unfortunate. “It was a great strike from James Tavernier to seal the win for Rangers.”
Ex-Colorado footballer Bloom dedicates time to fulfilling wishes for older adults