Sports
Giants outlast Vikings 31-24 for 1st playoff win in 11 years
(MINNEAPOLIS) — Brian Daboll, the team’s first-year head coach, had his young squad completely prepared. Daniel Jones performed at a level well above his experience.
The New York Giants confidently came into Minnesota’s boisterous stadium and beat the tight-finish masters at their own game.
Jones threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards playoff game for the Giants, who defeated the Vikings 31-24 in the wild-card round on Sunday, handing them their first loss in 12 one-score games this season.
“This is what we’re supposed to do with a cornerstone franchise with such a great heritage,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said. “We were meant to make the playoffs. We’re meant to be a successful team. We’ll keep striving to live up to the legacy that’s been established.”
Saquon Barkley scored twice on the ground, including the game-winning touchdown the fourth quarter. Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history to have 300-plus yards passing, two-plus passing touchdowns, and 70-plus yards rushing in a postseason game.
Defence Swarmed The Tight End
“He’s a fantastic player,” said Barkley, who finished with 109 yards on 14 touches. “The playoffs are where you can build your legacy, and what a way to start.”
The defense swarmed tight end T.J. Hockenson near midfield after a 3-yard reception from Kirk Cousins on fourth-and-8 to force a turnover on downs with 1:44 remaining and no timeouts remaining for the Vikings (13-5).
The Giants (10-7-1) advanced to the divisional round, where they will face No. 1 seed and NFC East rival Philadelphia on Saturday night. They converted seven of thirteen third downs and dominated a Vikings defense that had been shaky all season.
“I believe we’ve had some of our better games recently and found some stuff that works for us,” said Jones, who connected with Isaiah Hodgins and Daniel Bellinger for touchdowns. “As a result, we’ll keep doing it. “I believed the coaching team did an excellent job preparing us.”
Incredible Win For The Giants
Two touchdowns and a rushing touchdown to cap the game’s first series, with the too-short ball to Hockenson being his only noticeable error. Cousins was even more irritated by his placement on the third-and-8 pass to K.J. Osborn, who had a first-half touchdown catch; Cor’Dale Flott intercepted that.
Cousins finally got to play in the playoffs in Minnesota in his fifth season, five years and one day after Case Keenum threw a touchdown pass of 61 yards to Stefon Diggs that helped the Vikings beat New Orleans 29-24 in the divisional round.
The Vikings held to form by trailing by 10 points late in the second quarter and again early in the third quarter.
Cousins, dragged to the ground by the blitz-fueled Giants defense, connected with Irv Smith Jr. for a touchdown that pulled the Vikings within 24-21.
Then something extraordinary happened: the defense got a stop.
The Second Half Was A Nail Biter
Danielle Hunter’s sack prompted the first Giants punt, and the Vikings converted the game-tying field goal the other way. They did, though, lose some vital points when Cousins ran a successful fourth-and-1 at the 15 that was neutralized by a false start on left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
On the Giants’ next drive, Jones converted a penalty-free fourth-and-1 sneak. With 7:47 remaining, Barkley chugged into the end zone to take the lead.
“There were genuine tears in there,” said first-year coach Kevin O’Connell outside the locker room. “There are some guys who expected to win a world championship. You have to give credit to the Giants.”
JEFFERSON VS. JACKSON
Hockenson 11 times for 10 receptions and 129 yards, but after Justin Jefferson had four catches on the first touchdown drive, he only had three more the rest of the way and one in the second half.
In the Giants’ 27-24 win last month, the NFL’s best receiver caught 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. He was almost always accompanied by a safety, and Adoree’ Jackson did a great job covering him in his first game back after a seven-game knee injury layoff.
“I believe in myself all the time, but it’s always pleasant and appreciated when others believe in you,” Jackson added.
REPORT OF INJURY
Azeez Ojulari, an outside linebacker for the Giants, hurt his quadriceps in the second quarter and was ruled out at the half. After covering a kickoff in the fourth quarter, backup FS Jason Pinnock (abdomen) exited on a cart and was taken to the hospital for treatment. He rejoined the Giants in the locker room and flew home with them.
LB for the Vikings Brian Asamoah II (concussion) was hurt late in the second quarter while covering a kickoff. Cameron Dantzler Sr., the backup cornerback, was inactive due to a personal matter.
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
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