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LOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why.
Gatineau police say an abduction investigation Monday afternoon has been called off after the child was found. Police had been searching for a 5-year-old who was allegedly abducted by his mother at approximately 1:20 p.m. A post to social media at 5 p.m. said the child was found safe and sound. CTV News has removed any identifying information. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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Toronto A 'traffic crisis': Economic, social impact of congestion cost Ontario more than $50B in 2024, study finds The cost of lost economic opportunities in the GTHA due to congestion totaled more than $10 billion in 2024 and that number rose to more than $47 billion when factoring in the “social impacts” that diminish a commuter’s quality of life, according to a new report. Toronto police identify victim, suspect in deadly shooting south of Danforth The victim of a deadly shooting south of Toronto’s Danforth neighbourhood has been identified and police have charged a suspect with murder. LIVE UPDATES | Luigi Mangione, 26, arrested in connection with CEO shooting Luigi Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Penn., after he was spotted at a McDonald’s, authorities say. The suspect was born and raised in Maryland and graduated from Ivy League University of Pennsylvania. Montreal 'Looking for the Weinstein of Quebec': impresario Gilbert Rozon's civil trial begins Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon's civil trial for sexual assault opened today at the Montreal courthouse with his lawyer portraying him as the scapegoat in a hunt to find Quebec's Harvey Weinstein. Search for Quebec hiker missing in Adirondacks now likely a recovery mission Authorities in New York state say the search for a 22-year-old Quebec hiker who went missing in the Adirondacks more than a week ago is now likely a recovery mission. Police search for three men who escaped from immigration holding centre in Quebec Authorities are searching for three Chilean nationals who escaped from the Laval Immigration Holding Centre north of Montreal. Northern Ontario Sudbury family traumatized after hospital said loved one had been released, when in fact they had passed away Sudbury resident Angela Vitiello says a staff member at Health Sciences North told her that her brother, Allan St. Martin, was released from the hospital late last month when, in fact, he had passed away. Murder suspect from TO loses bid to have trial moved out of 'vermin' infested Sudbury jail A man charged with a 2022 murder on Manitoulin Island will be tried in Sudbury, after a judge rejected arguments from the defence that Toronto or North Bay would be more convenient for his client. Collision in Sudbury leads to suspect hiding in a closet and the discovery of weapons, drugs A suspect who failed to remain at the scene of an accident near Chelmsford late last month is now facing numerous weapons and drug charges. 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Sask. hockey player recovering after near fatal skate accident during game The Sask East Hockey League (SEHL) has released details of a near fatal accident at one of its games over the weekend – which saw a Churchbridge Imperials player suffer serious injuries after being struck with a skate. Vancouver Inmate dies at B.C. minimum-security prison A 33-year-old man has died while in custody at a federal minimum-security prison in British Columbia. How to attend former B.C. premier John Horgan's memorial Sunday British Columbians are invited to pay respects to former premier John Horgan at his state memorial service on Sunday. B.C. driver who blamed boozing on low blood sugar after fatal crash found guilty A diabetic man who claimed he had been drinking alcohol to combat dwindling blood sugar the night he was involved in a fatal crash near Sicamous, B.C., has been found guilty of impaired driving causing death. 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North Carolina GOP governor nominee vows to keep running after report on racial and sexual comments
Winnipeg Jets (18-6, in the Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (14-8, in the Central Division) Dallas; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Winnipeg Jets after Mason Marchment scored two goals in the Stars' 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Dallas has a 14-8 record overall and a 5-2-0 record in Central Division play. The Stars have a +17 scoring differential, with 76 total goals scored and 59 conceded. Winnipeg has an 18-6 record overall and a 7-1-0 record in Central Division play. The Jets have gone 10-1-0 in games they score at least one power-play goal. Sunday's game is the second time these teams square off this season. The Jets won the last matchup 4-1. Cole Perfetti scored two goals in the victory. TOP PERFORMERS: Marchment has nine goals and 14 assists for the Stars. Roope Hintz has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games. Kyle Connor has 13 goals and 16 assists for the Jets. Mark Scheifele has scored five goals with three assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 6-4-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.6 assists, 3.3 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game. Jets: 5-5-0, averaging three goals, 4.7 assists, 4.2 penalties and 11.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game. INJURIES: Stars: None listed. Jets: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get our free email newsletters — latest headlines and e-edition notifications.Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100The Metropolitan Museum of Art has the most talented staff in the world. And, since 1939, they’ve shared their work with one another through employee art shows. The exhibitions are typically held every other year but are private affairs. This year, for just the second time ever, the show is open to the public. “ Art Work: Artists Working at the Met ” opened earlier this week at the famed museum and runs through Dec. 1. It features work by 640 staffers, from guards and technicians to conservators, librarians, and ticket-takers. Here, seven of them tell us about their work. Armia Malak Khalil , Senior Security Officer (Security) “Ushabti (A Substitute for the Afterlife),” 2024 Khalil grew up in Egypt surrounded by sculpture. “It’s everywhere,” the 45-year-old said. “I studied classical painting, but I taught myself sculpture copying the Ancient Egyptians.” He first came to the US in 2006. He had no family, no friends, no connections, but eventually found a community of Coptic Christians from Egypt living in Jersey City. “I started doing some wood carving for the church there,” he said. “The priest let me use a corner of the basement for my art.” He began working as a security guard at the Met in 2009 and continued making sculptures inspired by his Egyptian heritage. He based the plasticine figurine in this show on the Ushabti — statuettes that were buried next to the deceased to help them in the afterlife. “There were about 401 of them in each tomb, and I loved the idea of making my own with different materials,” said Khalil, who also has a gorgeous wooden bust, “Hope,” in another Met show, “Flight Into Egypt,” on view through Feb. 17, 2025. “It’s the first time one of us guards is in a major exhibit,” he said. “They’re all so proud of me. It’s been really so surreal, so divine.” Christopher Fahey , Storeroom One Specialist (Registrar’s Office) “And of course, the lemon disenfrancese folds in: A. ... B. ... C. ...” As a storeroom specialist, Fahey gets to handle some of the most precious objects of art in the world. “You will really be surprised at the art people send through FedEx,” the 44-year-old said. “Like really, really old art!” Fahey, who lives in Ridgewood, Queens, is a poet and mixed-media artist who uses found materials in his sculptures. He started this one with a piece of redwood that he saved from the trash at an old job. He’s spent the past two years adding scraps of paper or weaving different threads or objects onto it. “I’ve been making art like this for the past 10 years,” he said. Helping install the employee art show is the highlight of his job. “It’s a beautiful thing,” he said. “We’re all getting a lot out of working here, but [the Met is] also getting a lot from artists working here.” Amanda Kraemer, Operations Assistant, Groups & Advance Sales (Visitor Experience) “Allegory of Flowers – J Pierpont Goldfinch,” 2024 Kraemer was going through her late grandfather’s belongings when she came across a plaque he had hanging in his studio, saying “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” “I was like, I have to somehow incorporate this into my next piece,” the 42-year-old said. She surrounded it with collaged paper flowers and birds that she painted symbolizing hope and persistence. Kraemer, who grew up and still lives in City Island, was close to her grandfather, a commercial artist who taught her calligraphy and watercolors. During a dark period in her life, her grandfather’s mantra “became a mediation for me to rise above the negativity,” she said. “This is a tribute to him.” She is excited to have it on display at the Met. The exhibit “is an opportunity for those who work here to transcend the transactional nature [people can have with] museum workers,” she said. “It gives us a chance to show visitors who really works here.” Love Ablan , Collections Photographer (Imaging) “Anima,” 2024 Ablan’s aunt and godmother, Concepcion (or Lola Go-Go to her family members), nearly wept when she saw her niece’s mixed-media photo portrait at the Met. There was a photo of her as a young girl — dressed in white at a piano recital — alongside one of her mother, Victoria, in a debutante gown in their native Philippines. “The name of the piece is ‘Anima, and it’s Latin for feminine aspects, but also soul,” Ablan explained “My godmother is the heart and her mom is the soul of my family.” Ablan grew up in Jamaica, Queens, and her “fondest childhood memories” took place at Lola’s house — eating, playing with her seven cousins and listening to her godmother play the piano. Early in her career, Ablan traveled the world studying art and working as an editorial photographer. But, two years ago, the Met came calling. Now, she lives in Harlem. “In this post-pandemic world, the only thing I really wanted was to be near my family again,” she said. Amanda Rothschild , Business Analyst (Technology) “Sink,” 2020 For the past 12 years, the 32-year-old Harlem resident has been painting pictures of sinks and drains. “I really enjoy all the different textures and shapes,” said Rothschild, who started working at the Met in 2014, initially selling tickets. “It’s an everyday object that people overlook.” When scouting for subjects, she looks for retro color palettes and interesting textures like rust or water damage. She based this particular work on a light blue sink she saw in the bathroom of a Greenpoint coffee shop. “Probably half of the pictures on my phone are just of sinks and drains in various places,” said Rothschild, who has been a part of three previous employee art shows. “My job is very technical — no one that I’m working with is talking about or working with art directly, and so this is a cool opportunity,” she said. “It’s really great to see what people do.” Aleya Lehmann , Assistant Administrator (Photograph Conservation) “Day of Night” 2013/2024 Her photographs look like Whistler paintings — moody and enigmatic. The 66-year-old artist puts as much care into them as well. She sews the garments her models wear, arranges the props and settings, and spends a weekend with her subject experimenting. Long-exposure times lead to ghostly, evocative images. Lehman has been painting and photographing for decades, but coming to the Met five years ago has influenced her art. “There was [a Richard] Avedon show here a few years ago, of his murals, and that fed into my wish to print [my photos] really large,” she said. For the show she took a work from 2013 and blew it up, printing it on a long sheet of Japanese mulberry paper. “It’s a very special place,” she said of The Met. “You feel like you’re contributing to something, whatever it is that you do in your job, whether it’s something very elaborate, extravagant, or something very day to day, you’re contributing to living history, which is definitely a unique feeling.” Solomon Azaraev, Maintainer, Masonry (Buildings) “Solverado,” 2024 Azaraev is the sole member of the Met’s mason shop. “I don’t really consider myself an artist,” the tattooed 44-year-old said sheepishly, posing with the battery-operated trunk he made, based on the Chevy Silverado. “But after 20 years being around masterpieces and creative things, I guess it rubs off a little bit,” he said with a laugh. It all started five years ago. At the time, Azaraev was in the carpentry shop and decided his crew needed something more efficient than a flat dolly to transport their tools. He constructed a mini Jeep with compartments and drawers. “My colleagues fell in love with it, and forced me into putting it in the show,” the Howell, NJ, resident said. This is his third creation. “People get a kick out of it, so I don’t mind seeing the smiles.”
The Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” People are also reading... There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ____ Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Mellott throws 4 TD passes to lead top-seeded Montana State past UT Martin 49-17 in FCS playoffsLOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved
Robinson's 19 lead Northern Kentucky over IU Indianapolis 66-64
The Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ____ Get local news delivered to your inbox!Why Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance is important even after missing College Football Playoff
Bengals keep confidence and playoff hopes high as they head for a showdown with PittsburghWinnipeg Jets (18-6, in the Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (14-8, in the Central Division) Dallas; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Winnipeg Jets after Mason Marchment scored two goals in the Stars' 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Dallas has a 14-8 record overall and a 5-2-0 record in Central Division play. The Stars have a +17 scoring differential, with 76 total goals scored and 59 conceded. Winnipeg has an 18-6 record overall and a 7-1-0 record in Central Division play. The Jets have gone 10-1-0 in games they score at least one power-play goal. Sunday's game is the second time these teams square off this season. The Jets won the last matchup 4-1. Cole Perfetti scored two goals in the victory. TOP PERFORMERS: Marchment has nine goals and 14 assists for the Stars. Roope Hintz has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games. Kyle Connor has 13 goals and 16 assists for the Jets. Mark Scheifele has scored five goals with three assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 6-4-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.6 assists, 3.3 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game. Jets: 5-5-0, averaging three goals, 4.7 assists, 4.2 penalties and 11.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game. INJURIES: Stars: None listed. Jets: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .