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E3

Biden faces pleas for
help on migrant crisis

Tensions like those between Reps. President Joe Biden and Border Patrol agents walk along the border wall in El Paso, Texas. OMAR ORNELAS/USA TODAY NETWORK
Mike Rogers, center, and Matt Gaetz
(not pictured) are necessary, Texas At border, he “Decades of Immigration
Rep. Chip Roy said. ANDREW HARNIK/AP visits officials, Congress addressing tops agenda at
aid workers immigration solely Mexico summit
McCarthy as a border issue, while
may face Michael Collins actively shrinking legal Rebecca Morin
pushback and Lauren Villagran pathways, and failing
on deals to get beyond USA TODAY
USA TODAY paralyzing political gridlock has
Speaker agreed to set created a humanitarian crisis that MEXICO CITY – As the United
of rules with hard-liners EL PASO, Texas – President Joe Bi- is being unfairly shouldered by States faces record levels of migrants
den faced pleas for help in addressing communities like mine. … El Paso coming to its southern border and fen-
Ken Tran and Candy Woodall the migrant crisis as he traveled Sun- has been the epicenter of this tanyl overdoses continue killing col-
day to the U.S.-Mexico border for the humanitarian crisis. We are feeling lege students and working Americans
USA TODAY first time since taking office, visiting the effects of decades of failed and alike, all eyes will be on President Joe
El Paso, where migrants are sleeping outdated immigration policy.” Biden this week as he meets with the
Kevin McCarthy, who became on the streets. leaders of Mexico and Canada for the
House speaker after a bruising four- Rep. Veronica Escobar North American Leaders’ Summit.
day battle last week, is likely to face He walked along part of the border
further GOP infighting when lawmak- wall that separates El Paso from Jua- D-Texas Biden’s meeting with Mexican
ers return to the Capitol on Monday. rez, Mexico, and met with officials, President Andrés Manuel López Obra-
community leaders and others deal- “It’s about time dor and Canadian Prime Minister Jus-
To secure the votes of GOP hard-lin- ing with the humanitarian crisis. President Biden visited tin Trudeau comes a day after the
ers, McCarthy agreed to a set of rules the border to see for president stopped to visit the border in
that might not be an easy sell for some “They need a lot of resources,” he himself the crisis his El Paso, Texas, where scores of mi-
Republican lawmakers, especially told reporters when asked what he open border policies grants are wandering the streets
moderates from districts that Presi- learned. “We’re going to get it for have created.” homeless while local officials strapped
dent Joe Biden won. Some of the com- them.”
promises could weaken McCarthy’s Texas Gov. Greg Abbott See MEXICO, Page 3A
own power, including one that would See BORDER, Page 3A
allow a single lawmaker to initiate a
vote to remove McCarthy as speaker. Protesters storm Brazilian Congress

South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro rush the Ex-president’s backers refused to
one of McCarthy’s strongest National Congress building in Brasilia on Sunday. ERALDO PERES/AP accept his defeat week after vote
supporters, said on CBS’ “Face the Na-
tion” that she was “on the fence right Candy Woodall USA TODAY
now” about the rules.
WASHINGTON – In a scene reminiscent of the vio-
“I like the rules package,” Mace said lent Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, in the U.S., sup-
Sunday. “But what I don’t support is a porters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
small number of people trying to get a stormed their Congress, Supreme Court and presiden-
deal done or deals done for themselves tial palace Sunday in the capital city of Brasilia.
in private in secret.”
The uprising of Bolsonaro supporters who refused
During the final hours of the speak- to accept his defeat came a week after his leftist rival,
er fight, Rep. Tony Gonzales, a moder- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was inaugurated.
ate Republican from Uvalde, Texas,
said he would be a “no” on the rules Lula da Silva was in São Paulo and not in the presi-
package. He maintained that position dential palace at the time of the breach. Since Decem-
Sunday morning on “Face the Nation.” ber, Bolsonaro has been staying in Orlando, Florida.

McCarthy ally Rep. Jim Jordan of Bolsonaro, like former President Donald Trump,
Ohio said on “Fox News Sunday” he ex- spent the months since his defeat making claims that
pects Republicans will have the 218 election officials and hackers rigged the election.
votes needed to pass the rules package
Monday evening. He has spent years challenging Brazil's election sys-

Another McCarthy supporter, Ken- See BRAZIL, Page 6A
tucky Rep. James Comer, said on
NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was not
convinced the House could go two
years without a motion to vacate.

“I’m not going to say there won’t be
one person who tries to abuse that mo-
tion,” Comer said.

Some Republicans sought to down-
play the tensions.

“A little temporary conflict is neces-
sary in this town,” Texas Rep. Chip Roy
said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Late Friday night, Alabama Rep.
Mike Rogers had to be physically re-
strained after confronting Florida Rep.

See MCCARTHY, Page 2A

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2A ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

POLITICS

Cameras catch real drama in speaker saga

Without the rules of a new Congress, photos and video revealed unfiltered images of democracy at work

Bart Jansen elect George Santos, R-N.Y.,
failing to respond during one
and Di’Amond Moore roll call until after the clerk had
moved to the next name on the
USA TODAY alphabetical list. He eventually
raised his hand and wasn’t rec-
WASHINGTON – The ab- ognized. But he was later able
sence of rules at the start of the to record his vote.
new Congress allowed rare, cin-
ematic coverage of last week’s Dan Crenshaw says
House debate on who should be of McCarthy holdouts:
the next speaker. ‘They are enemies now.’

During the four-day saga, Television cameras are typi-
video cameras panned the cally prohibited from roaming
chamber and focusing on law- the Capitol. This is especially
makers in areas not often seen true on the second floor, where
on television screens. Still pho- the House and Senate cham-
tographers had the leeway to bers are located, and on the
find new angles to dramatize third floor, where offices for
the action. Lawmakers were lawmakers and committees are
seen huddling in negotiation, located.
racing to cast a vote or just sit-
ting and reading. While catching a lawmaker
on video in the hallway of a
The more flexible access al- congressional office building is
lowed cameras to capture rare commonplace, the lack of rules
images of lawmakers shouting allowed a rare Capitol hallway
at each other on the floor, hud- interview with Rep.-elect Dan
dling amid the contentious de- Crenshaw, R-Texas. He ex-
bate or racing to the floor to vote pressed exasperation with GOP
as the drama plays out. In one rebels who refused to back Mc-
astonishing image, Rep. Mike Carthy, saying: “They are ene-
Rogers, R-Ala., is seen being mies now.”
physically restrained by anoth-
er lawmaker after getting into Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., in an unscripted moment before the House of Kat Cammack provokes
an argument with Rep. Matt Representatives reconvened Friday, trying to elect a Speaker of the House. JACK GRUBER/USA TODAY reaction from Democrats
Gaetz, R-Fla. during floor debate

Cameras also caught quieter House rules traditionally
moments of a lawmaker yawn-
ing over the debate, holding a prohibit criticizing another
baby or just sitting and reading
a book. member by name or question-

Why did cameras ing an opponent’s motives. In-
get a wider view
of the House fight? sults can lead to disciplinary

The public got a wider view proceedings. The clerk who
of the saga on Capitol Hill be-
cause the House had yet to set presided over the organization
rules for the new session in the
absence of a speaker. At the of the House, Cheryl Johnson,
start of each new session, the
House must reconstitute itself opened Thursday’s session re-
with incoming members and
adopt new rules – a process minding representatives-elect
that can’t begin until a speaker
is chosen. to address their remarks to the

The 117th Congress ad- Rep.-elect Nancy Mace, D-NY, holds a dog on chair and to refrain from re-
journed Tuesday morning and
the 118th Congress waits to be Thursday, the third day of speaker elections. marks about personalities.
sworn in. But before that can
happen, the chamber needs to CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES “The clerk has the responsi-
elect a speaker and adopt its or-
ganizing rules. For lack of a bility to preserve order and de-
speaker, the lack of rules means
that commonplace restrictions Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., left, and Rep. Steve corum in the chamber prior to
are temporarily not in place.
Womack, R-Ark., listen to the 11th ballot for the election of the speaker,”
The lack of rules literally
opened the doors of the House House speaker on Thursday. ALEX BRANDON/AP Johnson said before receiving
chamber to cameras – both
video and still – that are typi- lengthy applause.
cally restricted by what they
can show. The new perspective The reminder came after
reveals panoramic views of
lawmakers in their seats listen- can’t pan the audience to see yelling at the president during a with electronic cards that are Rep.-elect Kat Cammack, R-
ing to debate. how many lawmakers are lis-
tening to a debate. During a speech. But cameras often por- tabulated on a video score- Fla., said on the House floor
Keeping a birds-eye per- vote, House cameras allow a
spective on the entire field of wide angle of the chamber from tray a dramatic moment more board above the speaker’s Wednesday that Democrats
lawmakers allows the chance to the side.
capture a gesture such as Rep.- emphatically than mere words. desk. It’s often tough to spot a enjoyed seeing Republicans di-
elect Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., giv- In the absence of rules, news
ing a thumbs down to adjourn- organizations including C- This rare camera access specific lawmaker in the room. vided.
ing on Thursday. SPAN, which typically broad-
casts the official House feed, showed Rep. Kevin McCarthy, But in voting for speaker, each “That much has been made
For video, the House tradi- brought their own cameras on-
tionally controls cameras that to the balconies above the floor. R-Calif., sitting and waiting for representative-elect’s name is clear by the popcorn and blan-
remain fixed on the speaker’s The additional cameras offered
rostrum or on the floor lecterns panoramic views of who was the results of the latest vote. called and the person stands to kets and alcohol that has come
where lawmakers of each party present. The new views also of-
debate legislation. The cameras fered the opportunity to focus Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, announce whom they support. out over there,” Cammack said
tightly on two lawmakers
speaking with each other away and Chip Roy, R-Texas, hud- A video camera caught Rep.- to shouts of protest.
from the spotlight.
dled away from the spotlight; or
Likewise, still photogra-
phers who are typically limited someone sitting and reading a
to where they can stand and
when they can shoot found book, such as Rep. Jerry Nadler,
new angles to portray. Report-
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McCarthy “Sometimes democracy is ways of doing business are * Discounts vary by merchant, location and offer; subject to availability. Offers may change
messy but I would argue that’s good,” Crenshaw said on “State without notice. Total savings vary based on the number of discounts and coupons
Continued from Page 1A how the founders intended it,” of the Union.” But he acknowl- redeemed and value of offers.
Jordan said. “They wanted real edged that the speaker fight
Matt Gaetz for continuing to debate, real input from all peo- that dragged on was where “the
block McCarthy’s speakership. ple and you get a decision.” heartburn is.”

“We need a little of that. We Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, “This deal was easy, that
need a little of this sort of another McCarthy supporter wasn’t the hard part. There’s
breaking the glass in order to who criticized the rebels, also not as much disagreement as
get us to the table,” Roy said. expressed support for the rules everyone thinks,” he said. “It
package ahead of Monday’s could have been done earlier,
Jordan echoed Roy’s senti- vote. that’s what justifies the ani-
ments on “Fox News Sunday.” mosity that occurred all week.”
“The new rules and the new

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NEWS E3 USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 3A

POLITICS

President Joe Biden shake hands with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott upon the Border Continued from Page 1A Here’s
president’s arrival Sunday in El Paso, Texas. OMAR ORNELAS/USA TODAY NETWORK what
First visit to the border they are
Mexico and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow saying
for Latin America Studies at the Coun- Biden’s trip Sunday, which lasted about four hours,
Continued from Page 1A cil on Foreign Relations. comes amid criticism from Republicans and some El Paso Mayor Oscar
Democratic lawmakers that he hasn’t done enough Leeser
for cash struggle to tackle a growing cri- Mexico’s role in immigration has to address a surge of migrants at the southern
sis. become larger as it is now also a desti- border. From Texas, Biden departed for Mexico City “The federal
nation country for people seeking asy- for meetings with North American leaders on government has been
All the while, Biden will be watched lum, said Jacobson. immigration and other issues. our partner on this
like a hawk by House Republicans who humanitarian crisis and
have waited two years to take on Biden’s “Mexico is not just a sending or a As Biden stepped off Air Force One, he was has provided much
immigration policies and have plans to transit country anymore, but also a greeted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, one of the needed financial
bring Homeland Security Secretary Ale- destination country,” Jacobson said. fiercest critics of the administration’s border support as we assist
jandro Mayorkas up to Capitol Hill to an- “In some ways, I think the three coun- policies. Abbott handed Biden a letter dismissing with this critical federal
swer the new majority's questions. tries have more in common on migra- his visit as a series of carefully staged photo ops issue. While President
tion than ever before.” and outlining five steps the administration could Biden is fully aware of
The meeting between the three lead- take to secure the border, including immediately the challenges we have
ers also comes as the United States is Stopping the flow of fentanyl resuming construction of the border wall in Texas. been facing, it is always
seeking to repair relations. Biden’s rela- helpful to see things
tionship with Mexico, in particular, has With widespread fears in the United Meanwhile, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in with your own eyes.”
faced several hiccups over the past year States of accidental overdose because the historic Segundo Barrio in the city’s downtown,
after López Obrador skipped out on the of fentanyl, the White House has said a mix of uncertainty, hope and fear remained Sen. John Cornyn
Summit of the Americas last year and addressing the deadly drug will be among the hundreds of migrants, many from
has continued flirting with Russia even among the top priorities during the Venezuela, who were camped outside. R-Texas
as Putin's war in Ukraine nears the year summit.
mark. Men, women and small children – but mostly men – “While I’m glad
“It's a killer. It's a flat killer,” Biden staying at the church are in limbo, unable to President Biden will
Roberta Jacobson, a former U.S. am- said of the drug Thursday. continue to the U.S. interior and afraid they will be finally come to the
bassador to Mexico who served as Bi- detained by U.S. Border Patrol if they leave the border, his visit can’t be
den’s coordinator for the southwest bor- In 2021, more than 71,000 Ameri- church area. a check-the-box
der on the National Security Council cans died of overdose deaths from photo-op like his border
early in the administration, said this synthetic opioids – mostly involving The migrants said they want Biden to give them an czar’s stunt more than a
will be a moment for Biden to show how fentanyl, according to the Centers for opportunity to stay, fearing deportation and year and a half ago,
much work has gone into rebuilding the Disease Control and Prevention. reprisals if they are returned to Venezuela. If they which was unserious
relationship between both countries. can’t remain in the U.S., some said they would like and unacceptable. He
Arturo Sarukhán, a former Mexican to continue north to Canada. must take the time to
"With all of its warts, this relation- ambassador to the U.S., said the recent learn from some of the
ship is actually in a somewhat better arrest of drug trafficker Ovidio Guz- “We just want good news,” said Maria Rodriguez, experts I rely on the
place than a lot of people think," Jacob- mán, the son of infamous Sinaloa drug 28, who left Venezuela four months ago with most, including local
son told USA TODAY. "There are a lot of lord known as "El Chapo," signaled members of her family bound for the United States. officials and law
things that the two governments are that Mexico was willing to talk about “We are now stuck here (in El Paso). We don’t know enforcement,
working on of great importance to the addressing fentanyl flowing from what to do, where do we go. We can’t move from landowners, nonprofits,
United States.” Mexico to the United States. here (the church) because if immigration catches U.S. Customs and
us, they will deport us.” Border Protection’s
But with migration, fentanyl, threats The arrest of Guzmán sparked officers and agents, and
to democracy and climate change – es- violence, with gunfights spurred “Dude, I’ve never seen anything like this before,” folks who make their
pecially since once-climate leader Ló- across the Culiacan, the capital city of said El Paso resident Sergio Contreras, 44, as he livelihoods in border
pez Obrador turned to buying coal – the state of Sinaloa. stopped to take in the scene of migrants lining communities on the
stakes remain high for the commander sidewalks outside of Sacred Heart. front lines of his crisis.”
in chief. “I think that Biden will certainly
want to ensure that Lopez Obrador’s The encampment is now contained to the block Layla Razavi
Immigration paradigm for public security is not al- where the church sits but at one point stretched
lowing organized crime to continue to over three surrounding blocks, Contreras said. Interim executive director of
With record levels of migrants, many grow and multiply which has been the the advocacy group Freedom
coming from Venezuela, Nicaragua, case during the past three years,” Sa- Calling for the federal government to do more, for Immigrants
Haiti and Cuba, coming to the U.S.- rukhán said. Contreras said he helped with some cash of his own
Mexico border, immigration will be top but added: “What can one person even do to help?” “We are deeply
of mind in the meetings between Biden Democracy disappointed at Biden’s
and López Obrador. Other stops in El Paso shameful expansion of
Both the United States and Mexico Trump’s Title 42 policy,
Although Mexico had previously de- are facing presidential elections next h Visit to the international bridge and border wall: which further cements
ployed national guard troops to the year. And the state of democracy will Biden’s first stop was at the Bridge of the Americas his predecessor’s
country’s southern border to help proc- likely be on the agenda between those Port of Entry. The port has received more than anti-immigrant legacy.
ess migrants coming from Guatemala, two countries. $600 million in federal infrastructure funding for a … All people have the
the two leaders will likely continue to makeover. With the rusted steel border fence a right to seek asylum
discuss more efforts Mexico can take to Mexico in December passed an short distance behind him, Biden watched a and life-saving legal
stop migrants from coming to the U.S.- “electoral reform” law that would make demonstration of security measures, including protection, regardless
Mexico border. elections less safe in the country. The dogs sniffing for contraband and Border Patrol of their race,
law comes months after Biden touted agents illustrating how they search hidden nationality or current
Tony Payan, director of the Center for democracy at Summit of the Americas compartments. He also walked along the wall with ties within the United
the United States and Mexico at Rice last summer. Border Patrol members and spoke with agents. States. Biden must
University’s Baker Institute for Public make good on his
Policy, said Mexico’s current strategy With both countries facing elec- h Migrant center: Biden also stopped by the El promise to build a
has not stemmed the flow of migrants. tions in the coming year, the topic may Paso County Migrant Services Center, which greets more welcoming and
be on the agenda, said María Fernanda people who have been released from Border Patrol inclusive immigration
According to Customs and Border Bozmoski, deputy director of pro- and helps them find transportation and other system.”
Protection data, officials had 233,740 grams at the Atlantic Council’s Adri- needed services.
encounters of migrants in November enne Arsht Latin America Center.
2022 on the southwest border. h Tour of El Paso: State Rep. Veronica Escobar, who
Energy and trade traveled with Biden, said she’s grateful that he
“If the Biden administration thought accepted her invitation. “It is important to me that
that it was in any way getting Mexico's As the United States tries to make he hear from those on the ground who are working
cooperation, the numbers do not show moves on electrical vehicle production directly with the migrants,” she said, “because
it,” Payan said. “So clearly, they're going and promoting clean energy, the topic border communities like ours have had to shoulder
to have to talk about that and they're go- may be a point of contention among a significant responsibility that comes with this
ing to have to talk about whether Mexico the three leaders. historic Western Hemispheric refugee crisis.”
is serious about immigration or not.”
Under the López Obrador, Mexico Migrant policies
Ahead of the summit in Mexico City, has been backsliding on green energy
Biden announced a new parole program goals, turning to use of coal and petro- h New steps: Biden has unveiled new policy steps
for individuals from Nicaragua, Haiti leum. Biden and Trudeau will likely to confront the surge of asylum seekers at the
and Cuba who are trying to seek asylum touch on how Mexico is going to pro- border. The policy calls for expulsions of up to
in the United States. mote green energy going forward, said 30,000 migrants a month from Venezuela,
Earl Anthony Wayne, a former U.S. Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba, which make up the
As part of the announcement, Biden ambassador to Mexico. majority of those crossing the border. Typically,
noted that Mexico would accept 30,000 these individuals would be returned to their home
Nicaraguans, Haitians and Cubans per In addition, Canada and the United nations, but the U.S. has no diplomatic relationship
month – something the government had States are going to have to decide with Venezuela and fraught ties with Nicaragua and
not been doing following surges of those whether to go to a dispute settlement Cuba. Mexico has agreed to accept migrants from
nationalities to the border. panel under the United States-Mexi- each of the four countries.
co-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for
The plan indicates that Mexico is favoring its state-owned energy sup- h Why he’s going to Mexico: Biden is attending the
willing to work with the United States to pliers. USMCA is a free trade treaty North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico City,
help address migration issues. that was passed under the Trump ad- where the most significant migration to the U.S.
ministration. since World War II will take center stage in two days
The leaders could likely discuss the of talks with Mexican President Andrés Manuel
capacity of each country’s asylum sys- “They've been negotiating intensely López Obrador. Besides immigration, climate
tems, as well as how to better process with the Mexicans to see if they can find change, competitiveness and security also are on
people to help them find their path for- a solution,” Wayne said. “And the U.S. is the agenda. Canadian Prime Minister Justin
ward in the asylum process for either going to have to make a decision as to Trudeau will participate in some of the talks.
country, said Shannon O'Neil, Nelson whether there is a solution possible.”
h Migrant numbers: The number of migrants
crossing the southern – some lawfully seeking
asylum, others entering illegally – has risen
dramatically during Biden’s first two years in office,
generating a flood of criticism from Republicans
who say his administration has been ineffective on
border security. More than 2.38 million migrant
stops were reported during the fiscal year that
ended Sept. 30. U.S. Customs and Border
Protection saw an average 1,800 migrant
encounters per day in El Paso in December.

Contributing: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY; The
Associated Press

4A ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

Proud Boys on trial for attack on Capitol

Seditious conspiracy Philadelphia Proud Boys leader Zachary Rehl, left, and Seattle Proud Boys leader pleaded not guilty to the charges.
charges are a focus Ethan Nordean walk toward the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Both have been
charged in the insurrection. CAROLYN KASTER/AP What will the prosecution
Ella Lee and defense argue?
stay away for burning a D.C. church’s building. After the riot, he allegedly said
USA TODAY Black Lives Matter banner and bringing the Capitol attack was a “good start.” h Prosecutors have argued that the
two high-capacity firearm magazines Proud Boys planned to storm the Capitol
WASHINGTON – Opening remarks into the nation’s capital. h Dominic Pezzola: Pezzola, a New ahead of Jan. 6, 2021, and on that day,
are set to begin this week in the sedi- York Proud Boy, was once described by weaponized the already-roiling crowd to
tious conspiracy trial of members of the h Still, prosecutors allege he “con- District Judge Timothy Kelly, who is pre- achieve its goals. The ultimate goal, they
Proud Boys, a right-wing extremist tinued to direct and encourage the Proud siding over the trial, as the “tip of the allege, was to retain former President
group with ties to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capi- Boys before and during the events of spear that pierced the U.S. Capitol” on Donald Trump’s power by halting the
tol attack. Jan. 6, 2021, and that he claimed credit Jan. 6, 2021. Nicknamed “Spaz,” Pezzola peaceful transfer of power to Biden.
for what had happened on social media allegedly removed metal barricades and
Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” and in an encrypted chat room during used a riot shield he “ripped away” from h Defense attorneys for the Proud
Tarrio and four other members of the and after the attack.” a Capitol Police officer to smash in a win- Boys on trial have argued that the group
group are charged with plotting to forc- dow at the Capitol, according to court is too disorganized to have plotted to
ibly oppose the authority of the federal Who else is on trial? documents. The first members of the subvert the 2020 election and that the
government and halting certification of mob entered the Capitol through that defendants’ rhetoric is protected
President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, h Joseph Biggs: An Army veteran broken window, prosecutors say. speech. In Tarrio’s deposition before the
and a plethora of related crimes. from Florida, Biggs is a a self-described House Jan. 6 committee, attorney John
organizer of the Proud Boys. Biggs is ac- What are the Proud Boys’ ties to Daniel Hull IV (who now only represent-
The trial comes weeks after the his- cused of leading a mob of rioters against the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack? ing Biggs) described the group as a
toric sedition convictions of two leaders police at a bike rack near the northwest “goofy group of people who have politi-
of the right-wing militia group Oath corned of the Capitol grounds and of Prosecutors say that the five Proud cal ideas.” Tarrio, when asked by the
Keepers. Three other Oath Keepers were corresponding with the first person to Boys on trial plotted to storm the Capitol panel about radio organizing in the same
also found guilty of multiple felonies in breach police barricades just one minute and stop the certification of the 2020 deposition, described the group as “so
connection with the attack that left sev- before he acted, according to prosecu- election ahead of Jan. 6, 2021, and led bad at organizing” and “so stupid some-
eral dead, dozens of police officers in- tors. Biggs had worked as a correspon- the charge that day. times” that they “can’t even coordinate
jured and nearly 1,000 rioters arrested. dent for Alex Jones’ InfoWars and is be- to, like, put our radios in sync.”
ing represented by Jones’ attorney. h Leaders of the Proud Boys began
Additional convictions on the rare se- preparing for “war” shortly after the What charges do the
ditious conspiracy charge would cement h Ethan Nordean: Nordean led the 2020 election, prosecutors allege. Proud Boys face?
the Justice Department’s account that Washington state chapter of the Proud
the Capitol attack endangered American Boys, describing himself as the Seattle h In December 2020, Tarrio created The Proud Boys on trial have been
law and order. chapter’s “sergeant-at-arms.” Nick- the “Ministry of Self Defense,” a new charged with numerous crimes in con-
named “Rufio Panman” after a member chapter designed to plan and participate nection with the Capitol attack, chief
“It sends a message that efforts to use of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys, Nordean is the in rallies – namely the Washington rally among them seditious conspiracy.
violence to undermine our democracy subject of a 2017 viral video that shows set for Jan. 6, 2021, according to court
will not be tolerated,” said Alex Fried- him knocking out an anti-fascist protes- documents. Some 65 “hand-selected” h Seditious conspiracy occurs when
feld, a researcher with the Anti-Defama- ter in one punch. members partook in the chapter, the two or more people conspire to “over-
tion League’s Center on Extremism. Justice Department said. throw, put down or to destroy by force”
h Zachary Rehl: A former U.S. Ma- the U.S. government or bring war
Who are the Proud Boys? rine, Rehl was president of his local h On Jan. 6, 2021, more than 100 against it, or plot to use force to oppose
Proud Boys chapter in Philadelphia. Proud Boys allegedly gathered at the the authority of the government or to
The Proud Boys are a far-right ex- Ahead of the Capitol attack, he wished Washington Monument to march to the block the execution of a law. Sedition
tremist group self-described as “West- on social media for “firing squads” to be Capitol. The defendants “directed, mo- alone holds a maximum sentence of 20
ern chauvinists” or “men who refuse to used against “the traitors that are trying bilized and led” the mob into the Capitol, years in prison.
apologize for creating the modern to steal the election.” He posted a fund- the Justice Department alleged.
world,” the Department of Justice said. raising campaign, “Travel Expenses for h Other charges in the indictment in-
Upcoming Patriot Events” that raised h As the riot unfolded and the Capitol clude conspiring to obstruct an official
Since its 2016 founding, Proud Boys $5,500 by Jan. 4, 2021. On Jan. 6, 2021, was breached, Tarrio allegedly urged proceeding and obstructing one; con-
members have been a fixture at demon- Rehl was seen on video leading a crowd people not to leave on social media and spiring to prevent an officer from dis-
strations. One of its members helped or- of about 100 people toward the Capitol messaged to other Proud Boys “Make no charging duties; destruction of govern-
ganize the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in mistake ... We did this.” ment property; obstruction of law en-
Charlottesville that left a counterprotes- forcement during civil disorder; assault-
ter dead, and others have clashed with All five Proud Boys on trial have ing, resisting or impeding an officer; and
Black Lives Matter protesters and the robbery of personal property of the U.S.
LGBTQ community.
Who is the judge?
The Proud Boys gained notoriety in
September 2020 after former President U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly is
Donald Trump urged members of the presiding over the Proud Boys trial.
group to “stand back and stand by” dur-
ing a presidential debate after being A Trump appointee, Kelly has presid-
asked to condemn violent white su- ed over high-profile cases related to the
premacist groups. Trump’s comment in- Capitol attack, including the criminal
creased the group’s membership “expo- trial of Iowan Doug Jensen, who donned
nentially,” according to one Proud Boys a “Q” shirt as one of the first rioters to
members’ deposition before the House enter the Capitol, and a civil lawsuit filed
committee investigating the riot. by the Republican National Committee
against the House committee investi-
Who is Enrique Tarrio? gating the Capitol attack.

Tarrio was the Proud Boys’ long- How do the Proud Boys differ from
standing national chairman. the Oath Keepers?

h He stepped down from the role in Both are right-wing extremist groups,
September 2021 to focus on his local but the Proud Boys’ and Oath Keepers’
Florida Proud Boys chapter, admitting to organizational structures have set them
NPR the organization had “been through apart since the Capitol attack.
the wringer.”
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund,
h The Miami Proud Boy was not at the Orlando Mayorquin, Associated Press
Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was arrested
upon arrival in Washington two days be-
fore the Capitol attack and ordered to

FDA approves drug that may slow early Alzheimer’s

Ken Alltucker and Nada Hassanein warranted to determine the efficacy and In the Phase 3 clinical trials, Alzheimer’s researcher at Barrow Neuro-
safety of lecanemab in early Alzheimer’s logical Institute who analyzed the safety
USA TODAY disease.” the drug reduced cognitive of lecanemab on behalf of Eisai, said
most study participants did not report
Federal drug regulators on Friday ap- Pharmaceutical companies have decline by 27%, but side any symptoms. Those who did had head-
proved one of the first Alzheimer’s drugs struggled through a long list of failed aches, visual disturbances and confu-
that appears to slow the memory-rob- clinical trials with drugs that target amy- effects included brain sion, Sabbagh said.
bing disease, despite debate among loid to slow a disease that afflicts more
some experts over the drug’s safety and than 6 million Americans. In 2021, Bio- swelling and bleeding. The approval comes two days after re-
efficacy. gen’s Aduhelm became the first amyloid- searchers detailed a death possibly
targeting drug to gain approval despite came after last week’s scathing congres- linked to the drug in a letter published in
Eisai and Biogen sought the Food and mixed clinical trial results. sional report on high-profile Aduhelm. the New England Journal of Medicine. A
Drug Administration’s accelerated ap- 65-year-old participant in the late-stage
proval for the amyloid beta-busting What to know about lecanemab In an 18-month probe, investigators clinical trial who received lecanemab in-
drug, lecanemab. from two U.S. House committees report- fusions died after receiving emergency
Lecanemab works by binding to and ed the FDA sidestepped outside experts treatment for stroke and suffering mul-
Sold under the brand name Leqembi, neutralizing “protofibril” amyloid clus- who said trials failed to prove clinical tiple brain hemorrhages, the Northwest-
the drug is priced at $26,500 per year for ters in the brain. benefit of the drug, which was priced ern University Feinberg School of Medi-
biweekly dosing. The treatment is in- “unjustifiably high.” cine physicians wrote.
tended for patients in early stages of the Unlike past amyloid-targeting drugs
disease, which was the population stud- that have failed in large studies, lecane- Biogen claimed Aduhelm was appro- In a response published the same day
ied in clinical trials. mab proved effective at slowing cogni- priate for all “people with Alzheimer’s in the journal, Dr. Marwan Sabbagh and
tive decline in a late-stage clinical study disease,” and FDA approved that label, lead clinical trial investigator Dr. Christo-
In the Phase 3 clinical trials, the drug of 1,795 people who received the drug or a which was “far broader” than the popula- pher van Dyck wrote they agree the case
reduced cognitive decline by 27%, but placebo. tion studied in the clinical trials. “raises important management issues.”
side effects included brain swelling and
bleeding. h Participants received either a 10 mg What are the side effects? How much will the drug cost? Will
per kilogram dose every two weeks over Medicare cover it?
The late-stage study was the latest to 18 months or a placebo. Drugs that target and clear amyloid
test a 3-decade-old theory that Alzheim- can cause swelling or small bleeds in the Eisai officials on Friday said Leqembi
er’s disease is triggered by amyloid that h It reduced cognitive decline by 27% brain. These are known as amyloid relat- will cost $26,500 per year for biweekly
accumulates in patients’ brains and can in people who received the drug com- ed imaging abnormalities, or ARIA, de- dosing for a person of average weight of
be slowed by drugs that remove the pared to placebo. tected by an MRI scan that patients must 165 pounds.
buildup of this protein. undergo.
h People on the drug were more likely The company said it would establish a
“Lecanemab reduced markers of am- to experience brain swelling and tiny The study showed 12.6% of patients patient assistance program to provide
yloid in early Alzheimer’s disease and re- bleeds compared to placebo. on the drug experienced such swelling Leqembi at no cost to “eligible uninsured
sulted in moderately less decline on compared to 1.7% on a placebo. and underinsured patients, including
measures of cognition and function than FDA approval comes after Medicare beneficiaries, who meet finan-
placebo at 18 months but was associated controversy over Aduhelm Marrwan Sabbagh, a neurologist and cial need and other program criteria.”
with adverse events,” the study authors
wrote Thursday in the New England The decision to approve lecanemab
Journal of Medicine. “Longer trials are

NEWS USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 5A

Week ahead

The key stories and events to watch for that could dominate this week’s news cycle

❚ MONDAY

Georgia and TCU battle
for national championship

No. 1 Georgia will try to become the first school to
win back-to-back College Football Playoff champi-
onships when it faces No. 3 TCU on Monday at
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The Bulldogs will
step onto the field as almost two-touchdown favor-
ites after getting past Ohio State in the Peach Bowl.
But the Horned Frogs were able to win up front
against Michigan, and they may be able to do the
same against the defending champions. Kickoff is
set for 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

❚ TUESDAY CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP ❚ SUNDAY ❚ THIS WEEK

Golden Globes return to TV COMING HBO streaming its Trial for Proud Boys
after diversity controversy THURSDAY take on video game leaders in case tied
‘The Last of Us’ to Jan. 6 set to open
The Golden Globes are back on TV. The awards Comet nears sun
show, organized since 1944 by the Hollywood For- HBO is going big with its adaptation Government prosecutors and defense
eign Press Association, returns Tuesday to NBC Comet C/2022 E3 of the acclaimed video game “The attorneys for five leaders of the right-
and Peacock a year after the network dropped the (ZTF), visible to Last of Us,” in which an aggressive wing extremist group Proud Boys are
broadcast amid reports about the organization’s people in the fungal infection has turned much of preparing to give opening remarks
lack of diversity. This year, in one of a few nods to Northern the world into infected monsters this week in the high-profile case tied
the HFPA’s diversity woes, the host is comedian Hemisphere this (they’re really just zombies). Twenty to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S.
Jerrod Carmichael. Although the Golden Globes month, will be years after the outbreak, Joel (Pedro Capitol. The Proud Boys on trial, in-
traditionally air on a Sunday, this year’s awards Pascal) is one of the survivors living cluding longtime chairman Enrique
were moved because of a conflict with Sunday closest to the sun in the new world order, a dirty, de- Tarrio, are accused of plotting to
Night Football. The show begins at 8 p.m. EST. Thursday. It likely pressing dictatorship. His path storm the Capitol in hopes of halting
crosses with teen Ellie (Bella Ram- the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020
Prince Harry’s memoir, has traveled sey), who he agrees to help travel to presidential election win. They face
‘Spare,’ goes on sale hundreds of billions a new “quarantine zone.” He finds numerous charges, including sedi-
there is something a little different, tious conspiracy. All five men have
Rarely does a book have us hooked of miles so far. maybe even special, about her. The pleaded not guilty.
with just its title, but Prince Harry’s show debuts Sunday.
evocatively titled memoir “Spare,” an
apparent reference to his being the
British royal family’s “spare” heir,
promises to be a scintillating per-
sonal account. Promotions frame it
as “raw” and say it is filled with “in-
sight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won
wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.”
The book comes out Tuesday through Penguin Ran-
dom House.

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Ukraine authorities estimated the death

6A ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY E3 NEWS

California governor seeks feds US appeals
help ahead of brutal storms court blocks
the ban on
John Bacon USA TODAY ‘bump stocks’

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – California Cars pass a sign on Saturday warning of storms hitting the Bay Area ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday in Sausalito, Calif. JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES
that he will ask the Biden administration A Trump administration ban on
to declare a federal emergency to support U.S. 395 in Mono County due to heavy concerns due to over 5 inches of rain bump stocks – devices that enable a
California’s ongoing storm response amid snow, ice and whiteout conditions along forecast, according to the weather ser- shooter to rapidly fire multiple rounds
an unrelenting wave of brutal storms that the Eastern Sierra. vice in Sacramento. from semi-automatic weapons after
left hundreds of thousands of Califor- an initial trigger pull – was struck
nians without power. h The National Weather Service is- Warnings of damaging winds, down Friday by a federal appeals court
sued a flood watch for a swath of North- additional power outages in New Orleans.
Amid high winds and heavy rains, ern and Central California.
the worst of the storms is forecast to hit The weather service warned that The ban was instituted after a snip-
on Monday. During a winter storm up- h The storms won’t be enough to offi- damaging winds will return Sunday er using bump stock-equipped weap-
date Sunday, Newsom said to expect the cially end California’s ongoing drought night across Northern California. ons massacred dozens of people in Las
worst of the storm and "very intense but they have helped, Anderson said. Vegas in 2017. Gun rights advocates
weather" in the next 48 hours. High wind warnings were issued by have challenged it in multiple courts.
Evacuation warnings in place amid the weather service starting Sunday The 13-3 ruling at the 5th U.S. Circuit
"Don't test fate," Newsom said during renewed flood concerns night and is expected to last until Mon- Court of appeals is the latest on the is-
the Sunday update. "Just a foot of water day. sue, which is likely to be decided at the
and your car's floating, you know, half a About 13,000 residents in an area of Supreme Court.
foot of water and you're off your feet." Sonoma County – about 80 miles north "This will cause additional downed
of San Francisco – are under evacuation trees and widespread power outages, It’s a firearm issue that involves not
More than half of Sacramento's warnings as the Russian River is expect- especially with soils so saturated," the the Second Amendment but the inter-
530,000 residents were in the dark at the ed to overflow in the coming days. weather service in Sacramento tweeted. pretation of federal statutes. Oppo-
height of the storm Sunday, victimized by nents of the ban argued that bump
wind gusts of up to 60 mph that toppled The weather service's California-Ne- The state capital is still recovering stocks do not fall under the definition
trees and tangled power lines, the Sacra- vada River Forecast Center warned that from damaging winds after more than of illegal machine guns in federal law.
mento Municipal Utility District said. numerous river forecast locations are 230,000 customers were left in the dark The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
expected to reach flood stage over the early Sunday after wind gusts topping Firearms and Explosives says they do,
"Atmospheric river events" will con- next five days. 60 mph knocked trees into power lines, a position now being defended by the
tinue to batter California through early according to the Sacramento Municipal Biden administration.
this week with likely the most potent With the strongest storm expected Utility District. By Sunday afternoon,
system arriving Monday, the National Monday and Tuesday, the weather ser- nearly 680 customers in Sacramento The ban had survived challenges at
Weather Service said. Additional rain vice issued flood advisories for a large were still without power, according to the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit
on saturated soils will lead to consider- swath of Northern and Central Califor- the SMUD power outage map. Court of Appeals; the Denver-based
able flooding, mudslides, and burn scar nia. The already saturated interior 10th Circuit; and the federal circuit
debris flows, the weather service said. Northern California faces renewed flood Contributing: The Associated Press court in Washington. A panel of three
judges at the 5th Circuit also issued a
Widespread mountain snow and ruling in favor of the ban, upholding a
high winds will add to weather issues lower court decision by a Texas federal
across the state, the statement warned. judge. But the full New Orleans-based
court voted to reconsider the case. Ar-
"This could be a deadly situation and guments were heard Sept. 13.
the storm will likely be a billion-dollar
disaster," tweeted AccuWeather meteo- Bump stocks harness the recoil en-
rologist Ariella Scalese. "Several more ergy of a semiautomatic firearm so
inches of rain, mudslides/landslides. In that a trigger “resets and continues fir-
addition, feet of snow above 6,500 feet ing without additional physical ma-
and wind gusts exceeding 100 mph." nipulation of the trigger by the shoot-
er,” according to the ATF. A shooter
Latest developments: must maintain constant forward pres-
h More than 360,000 homes and sure on the weapon with the non-
businesses across California were with- shooting hand, and constant pressure
out power Sunday. on the trigger with the trigger finger,
h Evacuation warnings were in place according to court records.
for about 13,000 residents of Sonoma
County north of San Francisco, where
the Russian River was expected to crash
over its banks in the coming days.
h The state Department of Transpor-
tation warned motorists to stay off
mountain roads after closing a stretch of

A bump stock device designed
to increase firing speed, is installed
on an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle
at a gun store in Salt Lake City.

PROVIDED BY GEORGE FREY

Protesters, supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, clash with the police Sunday after they stormed The full appeals court Friday sided
the Planalto Palace, the official workplace of the president of Brazil in Brasilia. ERALDO PERES/AP with opponents of the ATF rule. They
had argued that the trigger itself func-
Brazil They donned green and yellow colors mob entered the Capitol during an ac- tions multiple times when a bump
and carried matching flags – symbols of tive session of Congress while the stock is used, so therefore bump stock
Continued from Page 1A the Bolsonaro presidency, much like the presidential election results were be- weapons do not qualify as machine
MAGA hats and Trump 2020 banners of ing certified. guns under federal law. They point to
tem, similar to Trump who spent the rioters two years ago. language in the law that defines a ma-
months saying the 2016 election was be- In Brasilia, there were few workers chine gun as one that fires multiple
ing rigged until he defeated Democrat Some demonstrators in Brazil called inside the buildings being compro- times with a “single function of the
Hillary Clinton. Trump has repeatedly for a military coup to restore the far- mised. trigger.”
pushed the false claim that the 2020 right Bolsonaro to power.
presidential election was stolen from The Jan. 6 attack in the U.S. “A plain reading of the statutory
him. Videos on social media showed pro- prompted an exhaustive Senate re- language, paired with close consider-
testers attacking police officers with port, House select committee hearings ation of the mechanics of a semi-auto-
The claims from Bolsonaro precipi- sticks and poles, and, upon breaking and federal investigations into wheth- matic firearm, reveals that a bump
tated Sunday's violent scene, with into the buildings, they built barricades er Trump and his top associates stock is excluded from the technical
thousands of demonstrators busting to keep police out. should be held legally accountable. definition of ‘machine gun’ set forth in
through security barricades, scaling About 150 police officers were injured the Gun Control Act and National Fire-
walls, destroying property and invading It took about three hours for security that day and hundreds more have said arms Act,” Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod
Congress, their high court and the presi- forces to regain control in Brazil. The they were traumatized by the rioters. wrote in the lead majority opinion.
dential palace. number of arrests or injuries was not At least seven people lost their lives in
immediately known. connection with the violence. Most of the majority also agreed
that if the law is ambiguous, it’s up to
A major difference between the U.S. Contributing: The Associated Press Congress to address the issue under a
and Brazil uprisings is that the Jan. 6 court doctrine known as “lenity.”

In a dissent, Judge Stephen Higgin-
son disagreed that bump stocks don’t
fall under the federal definition of ma-
chine guns. And he wrote that the ma-
jority’s interpretation of the lenity
principle was too broad. “Under the
majority’s rule, the defendant wins by
default whenever the government fails
to prove that a statute unambiguously
criminalizes the defendant’s conduct.”

Richard Samp, who argued against
the rule on behalf of a Texas gun own-
er, said he was pleased with Friday’s
ruling and had expected it after the
September arguments.

An attorney who argued for the gov-
ernment did not immediately respond
to a Friday request for comment.

Judges ruling against the ban were
Elrod, Priscilla Richman, Edith Jones,
Jerry Smith, Carl Stewart, Leslie
Southwick, Catharina Haynes, Don
Willett, James Ho, Kyle Duncan, Kurt
Engelhardt, Cory Wilson and Andrew
Oldham. All but Stewart are Republi-
can appointees to the appeals court.

NEWS USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 7A

OPINION WANT TO COMMENT?
We’re on Facebook (USA TODAY Opinion) and Instagram and Twitter (@usatodayopinion). You can also
comment directly on columns.

Gun safety becoming a winning issue

Across the country, more Washington, some are skeptical about dents, medical professionals and re- Court majority has embraced a danger-
voters signal they want the future of gun safety reforms. Those sponsible gun owners that is changing ous position on the Second Amendment
want stronger laws cynics are wrong to lose hope. hearts, minds and laws. that runs counter to what most Ameri-
cans want. But we cannot give up and we
Gabby Giffords I know from my own journey that Last year, Congress passed the most cannot back down.
when progress happens slowly, it can significant gun safety legislation in near-
Former member of Congress sometimes feel small. But think about ly 30 years with support from Democrats The organizers, activists and experts
how far the movement has come. When I and Republicans. The Bipartisan Safer I’ve met who are committed to keeping
My life changed forever 12 years ago founded Giffords in 2013, gun safety was Communities Act gives states vital fund- our communities safe feel the same way.
Sunday when a bullet tore through my a political third rail. Candidates in swing ing to enforce extreme risk protection In the face of congressional roadblocks,
brain. In the months that followed, I districts, like the one I used to represent, laws, helps keep guns out of the hands of we will encourage President Joe Biden to
struggled to walk and talk. My recovery bragged about their endorsements from dating partners who commit domestic sign meaningful executive actions. We
has been long and difficult, but I ulti- the National Rifle Association. abuse, puts in place federal laws against have already begun building new infra-
mately beat the odds. gun trafficking and enhances back- structure to expand the gun safety
Fearing public backlash, those who ground checks for those under 21. movement within states.
These days, I travel the country giving privately supported gun safety often
speeches, do yoga twice a week and play shied away from the issue on the cam- It also makes the largest ever federal Don’t give up hope
the French horn. I’m grateful to have sur- paign trail. investment in community violence in-
vived, and I’m committed to always con- tervention, which will support local or- We can hold irresponsible gun manu-
tinue my recovery. In recent elections, a dramatic shift ganizations with a proven record of in- facturers accountable through the
has occurred: Gun safety has become a tervening in deadly cycles of gun vio- courts. And, over the next five years, Gif-
Two years after that tragic day out- winning issue for candidates. Now, lence in America. fords will work to unlock $2 billion in
side a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, across the country, voters want stronger federal, state and local funding to help
where the gunman took six lives, I set out gun laws by 2-to-1. Even more encouraging develop- local peacekeepers use evidenced-based
to defy the odds once again. On that sol- ments are happening in state capitols. strategies to reduce gun violence.
emn anniversary, just weeks after the Political evolution
horrific mass shooting at a school in Since the Sandy Hook Elementary None of this work will be easy, but all
Newtown, Connecticut, I founded Gif- The same is true in battleground School shooting in 2012, Giffords has of it will be worth the struggle.
fords with the goal of building a gun vio- states like Pennsylvania, where half the worked with state legislators to pass
lence prevention movement more pow- electorate say they’d never vote for a more than 525 significant gun safety I’m optimistic about the future be-
erful than the gun lobby and shifting the candidate who opposed universal back- laws in 49 states. More are on the way. cause I know what is possible when peo-
conversation around gun safety. ground checks. ple who are committed to succeeding re-
These reforms range from expanding fuse to give up hope.
Over the past decade, we’ve made A new generation of leaders, like Rep. background checks to requiring safe
that mission statement a reality. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., has been elected by storage and keeping weapons from those That is the story of my recovery and
putting gun violence prevention at the who pose a threat to themselves or oth- the story of the gun violence prevention
Yet, with newly divided control in center of their campaigns. And these ers. And the states that have passed the movement we’ve built.
days, the NRA is in disarray. most gun safety laws in the past decade
tend to have lower rates of gun deaths. Gabby Giffords, a former Democratic
This political evolution did not hap- U.S. representative from Arizona, was
pen by chance. Challenges undoubtedly lie ahead. shot on Jan. 8, 2011, at a constituent
Too many members of the GOP-con- event in Tucson. The gunman killed six
It happened because we worked hard trolled House are still beholden to the people and wounded 12 others.
and built a movement of survivors, stu- gun lobby. Alarmingly, the Supreme

Take the long view in
aiding the displaced

I know firsthand what than 260,000 Congolese have been dis- A child receives medical attention at a clinic in Kanyaruchinya refugee camp,
refugees need for future placed in recent months by rebel Democratic Republic of Congo, in November after his family fled conflict. AFP
groups. Our local partners say this num-
Abraham Leno ber is closer to 500,000 families. because of the rotten grain – everyone positive change. After all, would you
but the staff because they ate different send your child to a private school that
Eastern Congo Initiative Focusing on immediate solutions food, better food. boasted building a new location every
alone is creating ripple effects that last day? No. But we see that on a nonprofit
I was given a tool to cut trees. That generations, deepening inequities and I never want to eat better food than organization website and don’t blink.
was how aid started for me as a refugee ongoing conflict. the people we’re helping. My nine- We might even donate.
fleeing Sierra Leone’s civil war to Guin- month-old daughter received her vac-
ea in 1991. More than 35 million refugees cines in Congo at one of our clinics. Ev- 5. Define the problem, then see the
worldwide are children eryone on our team drinks water from opportunity. Most world leaders, even
Now, as someone who has spent dec- our taps, just like our 200,000 clients. If some NGOs, describe refugees as a
ades leading international aid, it’s the No refugee camp begins and ends in we want to make lasting change, we problem. I understand the strains an in-
perfect metaphor. one day. The average is about 10 years. have to eliminate “us” vs. “them.” There flux of people has on the resources of a
For my family, it was 11 years. is just us. country. However, this blinds us to actu-
With machetes we could gather large al progress.
sticks and build a temporary shelter, but At least 37 million refugees are chil- 3. Dignity and agency build a fu-
we weren’t given any tools to grow trees. dren, dealing not only with their predic- ture. Let me borrow from the U.S. Con- The problem is not the refugees but
And that’s the challenge with our cur- ament due to conflict but also losing a stitution – life, liberty and the pursuit of the situation that made them refugees.
rent approach to international aid. significant portion of their future. happiness. That’s dignity. For years, no
Eventually, there are no more trees. And one asked me what I wanted or what I Often when I share my story, people
there is no one left who knows how to Without proper education and skills, could contribute. If you take away agen- offer compliments about overcoming
plant them. they enter adulthood without the neces- cy, you remove part of someone’s hu- obstacles and my accomplishments in
sary preparation for a career, parent- manity, and we treat them as tempor- aid. The reality is that there are millions
Once refugee camp systems appear, hood or participation in a healthy civil ary. Temporary people receive tempor- of Abrahams around the world who
you are assigned a number that often re- society. ary solutions. don’t get a chance to contribute. When I
places your name. It starts a process of see street kids selling gas out of used
treating all refugees the same, irrespec- No wonder we see a spike in violence We need to center our work on digni- water bottles, I see myself. I did that.
tive of their ages, social backgrounds, and banditry when a war is over. We in- ty to raise expectations on ourselves
education or goals. vested in it as soon as we failed to see and the quality of life for those we serve. I often think about all the potential
the most valuable resource in humani- sitting in those kids. Imagine what the
As a Sierra Leonean teenager in a ref- tarian situations – the people them- 4. Get it right for one, then aim for world is missing out on.
ugee camp in Nongoa, Guinea, my ques- selves. 1,000. We are a sector fixated on
tions turned to the future – what I want- metrics, impact numbers of people Abraham Leno, executive director of
ed to be, the lost dreams of education, a It’s time for us as a global community served and projects completed. Eastern Congo Initiative, has dedicated
career, a relationship. For my parents, to rethink the way we approach aid: his life’s work to promoting health, dig-
they grieved over their lost properties It’s easy to forget that those numbers nity and joy in the world’s most difficult
and all the stability they had toiled for. 1. Shift power to local communities. are people and the future of entire com- places – starting in Guinea, where he
My organization, Eastern Congo Initia- munities. We must remember that and his family were refugees themselves
Now I’ve worked in the humanitarian tive, acknowledges that actions led by numbers do not always equal lasting, for 11 years.
sector for more than 20 years and see local organizations are more successful.
the same kind of approach in project de- No one understands complex chal-
velopment – without context, without lenges better than those living with
involvement of the local community. them, and no one is more invested.
When ECI funded the formation in 2017
Who refugees were before of IFCCA (Initiative des Femmes Congo-
they were ‘vulnerable’ laises dans le Café & Cacao), it was be-
cause dozens of women came forward
We label people “vulnerable,” so we to change the way women were repre-
act on their behalf. But before they were sented and equipped in coffee and ca-
“vulnerable” they were already many cao farming.
other things: doctor, plumber, parent,
teacher, mayor. Today, IFCCA reports more than
20,000 members. Imagine the ripple ef-
The United Nations High Commis- fect this organization is having.
sioner for Refugees reported that there
are now more than 103 million displaced Rather than go for short-term metri-
people worldwide. cs, we need to invest in building sus-
tainable change. It needs to be from, of
After Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb- and for the community with goals that
ruary, more than 4 million Ukrainian extend beyond a grant.
children were displaced in a month.
2. Build what you yourself would
Official reports are sharing that more use. When I was in the refugee camp, we
were given rations of bulgur, but we
were rice people. We had no idea what
bulgur was, and we didn’t know how to
identify that it was contaminated.

All over the camp, everyone was sick

“USA TODAY hopes to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation.” – Allen H. Neuharth, Founder, Sept. 15, 1982

Chairman and CEO President, News Chief Financial Officer: Senior Vice President/Local News and Vice President/Executive Editor, Vice President/Executive Editor,
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8A ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

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RU010923

MONEY Wave-season deals roll in for a Leave No Trace preserves
USA TODAY | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SECTION B range of cruise experiences parks for us and inhabitants

Several lines are offering deep discounts to save Specialist says keys are to respect the land, the
travelers hundreds of dollars. Page 2B things that live there and other visitors. Page 4B

Prius may
fizzle due
to Toyota
timidity

Iconic hybrid should be Missing
company’s tech flagship something?

Mark Phelan ILLUSTRATION BY TRACIE KEETON/USA TODAY; AND GETTY IMAGES

Detroit Free Press Millions leave Medora Lee tional savings gap,” said Greg Long,
USA TODAY NETWORK behind 401(k) head of public policy at Alight Solutions,
when changing USA TODAY a technology and consulting firm spe-
Toyota is wasting an icon, allowing jobs; database cializing in human resources tools.
an historic vehicle to slide into irrele- may help them If you quit a job, got fired, or were let
vance. recover funds go over the past few years during the While there are other ways for work-
pandemic, you may own one of the mil- ers to save for retirement, like IRAs and
The Prius gasoline-electric hybrid What is a 401(k)? lions of forgotten 401(k)s holding more pensions, 401(k)s represent nearly one-
revolutionized the auto industry, until than $1 trillion in assets. fifth of the $37.2 trillion U.S. retirement
Toyota decided to rest on its laurels. A 401(k) is an market, which is why supporters of the
employer-sponsored Help is coming, though, to reunite law’s lost-and-found provision think
The 2023 Prius is arguably the best retirement plan. Not all you with those funds. it’s so critical to shoring up the nation’s
hybrid you can buy, but being the best companies offer them, but shortfall in savings.
hybrid barely qualifies as a consola- most large ones do, In the final weeks of 2022, Congress
tion prize in a world that’s moved on to deducting contributions passed Secure Act 2.0, which, among In 2020, there were about 600,000
electric vehicles, largely without Toyo- from paychecks and other things, promises to establish a na- plans, with about 60 million active par-
ta. investing the money in tional lost-and-found database for lost ticipants and millions of former em-
financial markets to help retirement accounts by 2025. ployees and retirees, according to in-
That’s a disservice to a nameplate employees build a nest dustry data. As of June 20, 2021, those
that belongs alongside – or above – egg. Contributions up to a Large swings in the jobs market over accounts held an estimated $7.3 trillion
Corolla, Camry and Tacoma in the certain amount are the last few years provided ample op- in stocks, bonds, cash and other assets.
pantheon of great Toyotas. tax-advantaged and portunity for workers to lose retirement
companies can also match accounts. Business shutdowns at the How many people leave their
The Prius changed the auto indus- a percentage of a worker’s onset of the pandemic forced 23 million 401(k)s when they leave a job
try, and how people think of Toyota. contributions. people out of work, the highest number and how much does that cost?
The first generation – introduced in Ja- since the government started tracking
pan in 1997, the U.S. 2001 – was a that data. When the economy reopened, As of May 2021, there were 24.3 mil-
dowdy econobox, but Prius II, intro- a strong and fast recovery sparked labor lion forgotten 401(k)s holding approxi-
duced in 2003, was a monumental shortages that drove a record 4.5 million mately $1.35 trillion in assets, with 2.8
achievement, arguably the most ad- employees to quit their jobs in Novem- million more left behind each year by
vanced – and certainly the most envi- ber 2021 for higher pay or more fulfilling people leaving jobs, according to esti-
ronmentally conscious – vehicle in the work amid the stress of the health crisis.
world. See DATABASE, Page 2B
If the new law helps Americans track
Celebrities lined up to be seen arriv- down those abandoned 401(k)s, it “has
ing at fancy events in Priuses. It was a the ability to make a meaningful dent
halo vehicle that brightened prospects and meaningful improvement in the na-
for everything Toyota made, accelerat-
ing its decades of steady growth into a
leap to become the world’s largest
automaker.

Icons don’t come along every day

The Prius is to Toyota as the Model
T and Mustang are to Ford, the Wran-
gler is to Jeep and the Beetle was to
Volkswagen: Vehicles that define their
makers and embody the values to
which they aspire.

Automakers agonize over changes
to those vehicles. But Ford and Jeep
have transformed the Mustang and
Wrangler in recent years.

See PHELAN, Page 2B

USA TODAY SNAPSHOTS ©

Top movers

Biggest large-cap stock price
increases (by percentage) for
week ending Jan. 6.
NovoCure Ltd.............................48.7%
Paysafe Ltd .................................20.5%
Full Truck Alliance .....................19.5%
Warner Bros Disc A ...................19.4%
Wstn Digital ................................17.8%
Pinduoduo Inc ADS ...................17.7%
Kanzhun Limited........................16.5%
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc...................15.8%
Carnival Corp ..............................14.1%
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2B ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY MONEY

Cruise deals roll
in for wave season

Nathan Diller $2,500 off each stateroom and free Virgin Voyages is among the cruise lines offering deals for wave season.
round-trip airfare for select 2023 sail- There are a range of offers for all types of vacations. PROVIDED BY VIRGIN VOYAGES
USA TODAY ings. The airfare offer is good for econo-
my tickets, and travelers can choose to Life” offer through Feb. 28. For select to 35% off cruise fares on any of its 15
A new year brings new deals – at get a $300 travel credit per guest in- cruises between summer 2023 and ships and as much as $150 per guest in
least when it comes to cruises. Wave stead, according to the line’s website. spring 2024, the deal includes up to onboard credit, according to a news re-
season, when travelers can find the best The promotion runs through Feb. 28. 30% off fares, free stateroom upgrades lease. The line is also offering refund-
cruise deals of the year, is here. The pe- on interior and ocean-view staterooms, able deposits of just $100 per passenger.
riod typically runs from January The stateroom savings amount va- and free fares for kids 18 and under who The promotion runs through March 1
through March. ries by sailing. Only the first two guests are sailing as the third and fourth pas- and applies to select cruises.
on a reservation are eligible for the offer, sengers in a stateroom, according to a
“I would say to try to make their and the deal only applies to select state- news release. The onboard credit amount varies
booking sometime within that wave room categories. The airfare or travel based on the stateroom category and
window because they’ll get a fantastic credit option also does not apply to ev- The line is also offering 50% reduced applies to up to four guests in a state-
deal,” Theresa Scalzitti, chief sales offi- ery sailing included in the offer. deposits for the first two guests in a room, according to the line’s website.
cer at travel agency franchise network stateroom. Those who book by Jan. 31
Cruise Planners, told USA TODAY last h Carnival Cruise Line: As part of will also get up to $400 in onboard cred- h Virgin Voyages: Virgin is offering a
month. Carnival’s Choose Fun Together Early it per cabin, though the amount varies 60% discount for second guests in a
Saver Sale, travelers can get up to 40% by sailing. stateroom and a drink credit if travelers
There is a range of offers for all types off cruise fares, up to $100 in onboard book by Jan. 31. Guests will get $300 per
of vacations this year, whether you want credit per stateroom, and reduced de- The offer excludes Grand Voyages cabin in free drinks for sailings six
to soak up the sun in the Caribbean or posits starting at $50 per guest, through and sailings five days or shorter, accord- nights or less, and $600 for longer
peruse stops along Columbia and Snake Jan. 9. The deal applies to sailings ing to the line’s website. voyages.
Rivers. through April 2025, according to the
line’s website. h Princess Cruises: Princess’s Best The deal applies to sail dates in 2023
We rounded up seven wave season Sale Ever is back. The line is offering up and 2024, depending on the ship.
cruise deals for 2023: The deposit amount varies by sailing
and is nonrefundable.
What cruise lines are offering
wave season deals for 2023? h Celebrity Cruises: Through March
1, Celebrity is offering savings of up to
h Azamara: Passengers can save $800 per stateroom, up to a 75% dis-
40% on select staterooms and get $300 count on a second guest’s cruise fare
in onboard credit as part of Azamara’s and as much as $800 in onboard credit.
deal through Jan. 31. The luxury line’s The offer applies to most cruises
offer applies to select voyages departing through April 30, 2025, a spokesperson
from Feb. 28 to April 3, 2024, according said in an email.
to a news release.
The second guest must be in the
The deal only applies to the first and same stateroom and can get a 75% dis-
second guests in a stateroom, and pas- count on a nonrefundable fare or a 60%
sengers must pay a full deposit before discount on a refundable fare. The sav-
the end of the offer period, according to ings and onboard credit amounts also
the line’s website. vary by sailing length.

h American Queen Voyages: Amer- h Holland America Line: Holland
ican Queen Voyages is offering up to America is running its “Time of Your

Phelan Auto critic Mark Phelan says 2023 Toyota Prius may be the best hybrid, but the feature across its lineup. There will be a
world has moved on to electric vehicles. MARK PHELAN/USA TODAY NETWORK market for hybrids for years.
Continued from Page 1B
virtually unchanged from 1908 to 1927. The Prius changed the auto industry Doing it under the Prius banner is a
Ford’s decision went all the way to Not to be outdone, VW produced Bee- because it was simultaneously the mistake, however. A new Prius should
the CEO’s desk, but the automaker tles that stuck to the original car’s for- cleanest vehicle on the road and afford- be Toyota’s technical flagship, a bold
eventually attached the cherished pony mula from 1938 to 2003. By the end of its able to the vast majority of drivers. statement that the world’s biggest auto-
car name to the Mustang Mach-E elec- run, the affordable, reliable family car, maker also leads in vision and innova-
tric SUV. though, was relegated to being built at a If you want to be a leader, tion.
single plant in Mexico, for use as a taxi, you have to lead
It was an instant hit, winning awards with the front passenger seat ripped “Toyota is resting on its laurels after
and erasing perceptions of Ford as an out. Toyota calls the 2023 Prius that goes the success of the Prius hybrid, refusing
EV laggard. on sale next month “the hybrid reborn,” to innovate and produce pollution-free
The new-Beetle revival was fan fic- but it’s an exercise in incrementalism: 1 electric vehicles. The company’s oppo-
Jeep resisted market trends for years tion, a car that looked like a Beetle but mpg more fuel efficient, a sportier de- sition to zero-emission vehicle man-
before adding a four-door version of the lacked its space efficiency, innovation sign, more power, quicker to 60 mph. dates, including its global anti-climate
Wrangler, only to see that Wrangler Un- and practicality. And now it’s gone too. lobbying efforts, is a harbinger of Toyota
limited model increase sales and reach It’s a testament to yesterday’s best losing its edge and along with it, its
three-fourths of production. Jeep later Vehicles whose silhouettes were syn- idea, the best CD player in a download faithful customers and green image,”
made the Wrangler its first plug-in hy- onymous with efficient modern trans- world. said East Peterson-Trujillo, clean vehi-
brid model, and saw the 4xe become portation became quaint, then extinct. cles campaigner for Public Citizen.
America’s best-selling PHEV. Toyota may be right to keep refining
Once a leader, the Prius is at risk of hybrid tech, improving and adding the Why doesn’t Toyota build the most
Icons that rusted and faded away in- becoming a relic too. efficient, longest range, most affordable
clude the Model T and Beetle. The Mod- electric vehicle in the world, and why
el T wasn’t just the car that put America doesn’t it bear the Prius badge? Instead,
on wheels and created the middle class. Toyota’s sorties into making EVs have
At one point, more than half the auto- been halting at best.
mobiles in the world were Model Ts. The
VW Beetle was Europe’s first mass- Maybe Toyota’s corporate culture
market vehicle. It helped put post-war doesn’t have another revolutionary idea
Germany on wheels, revitalizing the in it. Maybe lightning won’t strike twice
country’s shattered industrial sector in the same corporate offices.
along the way.
But the burden of leadership is that
Electrification began with Prius you have to actually lead, evolve and
take risks.
Brilliant achievements of engineer-
ing and business acumen, the Model T The Prius made Toyota the world’s
and Beetle both stagnated because the leading automaker in many ways.
companies that created them didn’t
have a follow-up. Ford built the Model T If a lack of imagination or daring
keeps Toyota from even attempting to
regain that mantle, the company’s lead-
ers will have nobody but themselves to
blame when other automakers pass it
by.

Database justed for inflation, the Employee Bene- change, or switched location. ically reunited with their forgotten
fit Research Institute said in a 2019 Similarly, employers will be able to funds. Alight has already launched its
Continued from Page 1B study. The nonpartisan, tax-exempt re- program, but it remains small. When Fi-
search group estimated that people be- use the database to find former employ- delity and Vanguard join, though, the
mates from Capitalize, a financial ser- tween 25 and 34 years old would have ees with forgotten accounts and alert three companies together will hold rec-
vices firm specializing in 401(k)s. accumulated an additional $659 billion them. ords for about 40% of retirement ac-
for retirement. counts in America, Long said.
“Leaving behind a forgotten 401(k) “Every year there are employers
account has the potential to cost an in- How would a national lost around the country ready to pay bene- How does auto-portability work?
dividual almost $700,000 in foregone and found database help? fits to retirees, but they are unable to
retirement savings over a lifetime,” Cap- find the retirees because the former em- If Vanguard sees you have a forgotten
italize said. Though not yet developed, the data- ployees changed their names or ad- account in their records, it will period-
base run by the Department of Labor dresses,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D- ically search for you, Stinnett said. If it
What happens would likely allow people to use their Mass., said in December. finds you, it will notify you. After some
to forgotten 401(k)s? birthdates, names and Social Security time if you don’t instruct Vanguard on
numbers to check if they have any for- The database isn’t slated until what to do with the money, Vanguard
Under the Economic Growth and Tax gotten retirement funds. If they do, 2025, what can people do now? will automatically transfer the money to
Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, com- they’ll get information on where the your current 401(k) in the allocations
panies can roll over forgotten accounts money is and whom to contact to access Other than hunting down contact in- you’ve chosen for that account.
with balances between $1,000 and it. They can then arrange for the money formation for your former company or
$5,000 into an IRA. to be transferred. the current plan administrator, there’s Stinnett emphasized that this only
not much people can do to find their re- applies to accounts of less than $5,000.
The problem with that is “those ac- “A searchable online database makes tirement accounts. There are still people with larger lost ac-
counts sit and decay,” said Long of it much, much easier to find and contact counts or pension plans instead of
Alight Solutions. The IRAs basically in- plan sponsors,” of 401(k)s, said David However, later this year Vanguard 401(k)s, which the national lost-and-
vest in cash or money market accounts, Stinnett, head of Vanguard’s strategic and Fidelity plan to launch a so-called found database will help.
which are the safest assets but offer the retirement consulting. “auto-portability program” that allows
smallest returns, so the fees charged of- them to find owners of lost plans of less “The lost-and-found registry is a dif-
ten exceed any gains the accounts earn. For now, people must track down and than $5,000 that they oversee and auto- ferent way to address a similar prob-
“This is bad for participants and for the contact the human resources depart- matically transfer funds to the owners. lem,” Long said. “It provides informa-
industry.” ment of a company they worked for or tion to help participants find out who
the plan’s administrator and ask about Vanguard and Fidelity joined Alight has your money but doesn’t help move
If those accounts had stayed invest- their 401(k)s, he said. That task can be Solutions and Retirement Clearing- the money. The database is a backstop
ed, they would have accumulated an ad- complicated if the company went house to create Portability Services Net- for anything that’s not solved with auto-
ditional $1.51 trillion over 40 years, ad- through a merger, bankruptcy, name work, which will continue to add more portability.”
plan administrators to the network so
more people can be found and automat-

MONEY USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 3B
News from across the USA

ALABAMA Birmingham: Unhoused HIGHLIGHT: MICHIGAN OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City: State
people could get up to 100 prefabri- officials are asking Oklahomans to
cated tiny homes with heating and Prisoner Scott Steffes works on climbing at the Parnall Correctional Facility’s check an interactive map of broad-
cooling, as well as a desk and bed, Vocational Village in Jackson, Mich., Dec. 1, 2022. PAUL SANCYA/AP band service to verify available in-
under a proposed pilot program. ternet speeds. Officials say the map
Mayor Randall Woodfin will present Jackson: When Scott Steffes leaves Michigan’s Parnall Correctional Facility this needs to be accurate to ensure the
the “Home for All” plan to the city month, he anticipates entering a new career that will take him upward of 25 feet state gets as much money as possible
council on Jan. 10, AL.com reported. above ground. Steffes, 37, is one of more than a dozen prisoners learning how to to improve the system.
climb trees and trim branches around power lines as part of DTE Energy’s
ALASKA Juneau: Bear hunters would $70 million plan to improve the utility’s electric infrastructure. “This has helped OREGON Oregon City: Three former
no longer be able to use bait, such as my situation in getting prepared for the outside world,” Steffes said. Prisoners Oregon Department of Transporta-
pastries, dog food or bacon grease, who participate in the tree-trimming program at Vocational Village receive a dai- tion workers have been sentenced for
under a proposed rule by the National ly stipend of between 94 cents and $1.31. a long-running theft and reselling
Park Service that would prohibit bear scheme estimated to have cost tax-
baiting in national preserves in the KANSAS Topeka: Water experts are NEBRASKA Lincoln: A bill intro- payers about $6 million.
state. sounding an alarm decades in the duced in the state Legislature would
making: Farmers and ranchers in take a page from some other states PENNSYLVANIA Erie: A man accused
ARIZONA Phoenix: A lawsuit over the state’s western half must stop and the federal government by cap- of setting fire to a coffee shop during
how much money state lawmakers pumping more water out of a vast ping the monthly cost of insulin in 2020 demonstrations following the
allocate for school maintenance, bus- aquifer than nature puts back each the state. The bill introduced by death of George Floyd has pleaded
es, textbooks and technology won’t year or risk the economic collapse of state Sen. Tom Briese, of Albion, guilty to a federal charge of malicious
go to trial this week, after a judge a region important to the U.S. food would cap the insulin costs of those destruction of property by fire.
granted a request for a delay by the supply. privately insured in Nebraska to
state’s incoming attorney general. $100 per month. RHODE ISLAND Charlestown: A bus
KENTUCKY Louisville: The city’s carrying the Prout School girls bas-
ARKANSAS Subiaco: An altar was animal shelter has lost its no-kill NEVADA Las Vegas: A small plane ketball team ran off the road on its
smashed with a hammer inside the status due to overcrowding, clipped an SUV as it made an emer- way to Chariho High School, and four
Subiaco Abbey, and a man was ar- prompting the first euthanizations gency landing on a highway, send- players were taken to area hospitals
rested with boxes of relics from two in more than five years. ing three people to a hospital as a to be evaluated for minor injuries.
martyred saints, authorities said. precaution.
LOUISIANA New Orleans: The city SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: Federal
CALIFORNIA San Diego: A veteran kicked off its annual Carnival sea- NEW HAMPSHIRE Gilford: The judges ordered state lawmakers to
sheriff ’s deputy was arrested on sus- son over the weekend, a weekslong names of two police officers in- draw new congressional maps, ruling
picion of committing burglary and celebration of joyous street parties, volved in the New Year’s Day shoot- that the U.S. House district lines of a
possessing drugs, authorities said. lavish balls and colorful parades – ing death of a teenager were re- seat flipped by Democrats four years
complicated this year by concerns leased by the New Hampshire at- ago were intentionally redrawn to
COLORADO Wellington: Poudre over crime and a depleted police torney general’s office. Officer Na- split Black neighborhoods to dilute
School District is investigating the force that last year forced a short- than Ayotte and Sgt. Douglas Wall their voting power.
cause of issues with Wellington Mid- ening of Mardi Gras parade routes. arrived at a home after authorities
dle-High School’s drinking water received a 911 call about a person SOUTH DAKOTA Rapid City: An ani-
after two science classes at the MAINE Augusta: Campers set a armed with a knife there. The at- mal neglect investigation has led
school found high levels of copper in record for visits to state park camp- torney general’s office said the two authorities to seize more than a doz-
it late last year. grounds last year, furthering a trend officers encountered 17-year-old en horses from a home. The Rapid
that began during the COVID-19 Mischa Fay inside the home with City Journal reported that the Pen-
CONNECTICUT Taftville: A firefighter pandemic. Maine State Park camp- the knife. nington County Sheriff ’s Office seized
was rescued after issuing a distress grounds recorded more than 14 horses and two donkeys. A 72-
call while battling a house fire. The 319,000 visitor nights last year, the NEW JERSEY Mount Holly: A wom- year-old man has been arrested in
firefighter was evaluated by medical Maine Department of Agriculture, an who pleaded guilty to helping her connection with the case.
personnel and returned to duty. It Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau boyfriend spread a feel-good story
was not clear what prompted the call. of Parks and Lands said in a state- about a homeless veteran that gar- TENNESSEE Nashville: Gov. Bill Lee
ment. That was about 4,000 more nered more than $400,000 in online said the Tennessee Supreme Court
DELAWARE Dover: A former state campers than the previous year. donations has been sentenced to will likely wait for the state to finalize
trooper who pleaded guilty in con- three years in prison on state theft changes to its lethal injection process
nection with a series of thefts from a MARYLAND Annapolis: State law- charges. before it schedules future executions,
package reshipping company has makers will be taking up measures after a blistering report found mul-
been sentenced to six months in fed- relating to abortion rights and guns, NEW MEXICO Gila National Forest: tiple flaws in how inmates are put to
eral prison. in response to U.S. Supreme Court Federal authorities have a plan to death.
rulings, when they convene for their remove feral cows that are roaming
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washing- legislative session this week. Gila National Forest and causing TEXAS Midland: Officials have lifted
ton: A study says the nation’s capital damage by over-grazing and tram- an order that had called for its more
is the “loneliest” city in the United MASSACHUSETTS Boston: Gov. pling stream banks. The Albuquer- than 131,000 residents to boil their
States, in terms of how many people Maura Healey marked her first full que Journal reports feral cattle have tap water before drinking or using it.
live alone, WUSA-TV reports. Nearly day by issuing an executive order inhabited the forest since the 1970s The city said water quality test re-
half of the households in Washing- creating what she says is the na- and the U.S. Forest Service began sults it sent to the Texas Commission
ton, D.C. are one-person households, tion’s first cabinet-level state cli- its efforts to remove them in the on Environmental Quality confirmed
according to the news outlet. mate chief. Healey said the climate 1990s. More than 700 cattle have the tap water meets regulatory stan-
chief will be charged with working been removed and the U.S. Forest dards and is safe to drink.
FLORIDA Tallahassee: Gov. Ron De- with state officials and city and Service estimates there still are 50
Santis mobilized the state national town leaders to help the state meet to 250 feral cows roaming the Gila. UTAH Salt Lake City: The city coun-
guard to help local officials respond its climate goals. She named Melis- cil is considering a proposal that
to a large influx of Cuban migrants sa Hoffer to serve in the role. NEW YORK New York City: With a would require new residential build-
landing in the Florida Keys. strike deadline looming, contract ings to have parking spots equipped
MINNESOTA St. Paul: Gov. Tim negotiations continued Sunday for electric-vehicle charging, the Salt
GEORGIA Savannah: The city is at Walz said that his budget proposal between three hospitals and the Lake Tribune reports.
work on repairs after a sewage main will include tax rebates from the union representing nearly 9,000
collapsed and an estimated 58,150 state’s enormous $17.6 billion bud- nurses prepared to walk out on VERMONT Burlington: The Vermont
gallons of sewage spilled. The spill get surplus but conceded that the Monday, union officials said. Health Department increased the
took place at 7 East DeRenne Ave. payments will be smaller that he state’s COVID-19 death toll by nearly
When the sewer main collapsed, it once hoped. NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: The 11% after a review found that more
caused a manhole to overflow at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Com- than 80 deaths hadn’t been properly
busy intersection of White Bluff Road MISSISSIPPI Pearl: Mississippi has mission has concluded its investiga- entered into a state database. The
and East DeRenne Avenue, according named a new leader for its law en- tion of former North Carolina Sen. increase in deaths from 791 to 877
to a news release issued by the City forcement officer training academy. Richard Burr related to investment since the start of the pandemic was
of Savannah. Mississippi Public Safety Commis- sales early in the coronavirus pan- attributed in part to a reduction in
sioner Sean Tindell announced the demic without taking any action, staff as the COVID-19 emergency
HAWAII Honolulu: Data from Net- appointment of Anthony Carleton to Burr said. wound down.
Credit comparing pizza prices in dif- director of the Mississippi Law En-
ferent states indicates that Hawaii forcement Officer Training Acad- NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck: Two VIRGINIA Windsor: U.S. Army lieu-
has the most expensive pizza in the emy. state legislators are recovering from tenant who was pepper sprayed,
country, HawaiiNewsNow reports. injuries suffered in falls. Senate struck and handcuffed by police but
MISSOURI University City: A feder- Minority Leader Kathy Hogan suf- never arrested will argue to a jury
IDAHO Boise: The state’s Constitu- al judge has sentenced a business fered a cracked kneecap and mild that he was assaulted and falsely
tion does not implicitly enshrine owner to 30 months in prison and concussion when she tripped and imprisoned and that his vehicle was
abortion as a fundamental right, the ordered him to repay $650,000 that hit her head while leaving the Capi- illegally searched.
state Supreme Court ruled as it dis- he took in from bank and COVID-19 tol building, the Bismarck Tribune
missed a series of lawsuits brought pandemic-related fraud. reported. Meanwhile, Sen. Karen WASHINGTON Seattle: The public
by Planned Parenthood. Krebsbach is using a walker after school district has filed a novel law-
MONTANA East Helena: A man she slipped off a curb in Minot and suit against the tech giants behind
ILLINOIS Urbana: The University of who was among the first people to broke her hip and left wrist. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, You-
Illinois has removed its COVID-19 illegally enter the U.S. Capitol while Tube and Snapchat, seeking to hold
vaccination and testing requirements Congress was certifying President OHIO Columbus: Gov. Mike DeWine them accountable for the mental
for all students and employees, sys- Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 elec- signed a sweeping package of elec- health crisis among youth. Seattle
tem President Tim Killeen an- tion was sentenced to nearly four tion law changes that includes the Public Schools filed the lawsuit in
nounced. years in federal prison on the two- state’s first photo ID requirement U.S. District Court. The complaint
year anniversary of the insurrec- and shortened windows after Elec- says the social media companies
INDIANA Indianapolis: A national tion. Jerod Hughes was sentenced tion Day for returning and curing have created a public nuisance by
group of Black librarians has can- to 3 years and 10 months in prison. ballots. targeting their products to children.
celed a July gathering after the local
library declined to permanently hire a WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: Police
woman who was serving as interim are seeking the public’s help for in-
leader. The Indianapolis Public Li- formation in the shooting of an
brary Board decided not to appoint American bald eagle whose wing had
Nichelle Hayes to lead the library. to be partially amputated.
Some board members said she wasn’t
qualified despite serving eight WISCONSIN Milwaukee: A man
months as interim chief executive, passed out in the bushes outside the
the Indianapolis Star reported. Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium after a
game and, upon awakening, entered
IOWA Des Moines: Critics are attack- the team’s clubhouse and stole elec-
ing the Diocese of Des Moines’ new tronics, a credit card, team memora-
gender-identity policies, calling them bilia and other items, according to a
hateful and discriminatory. The pol- criminal complaint.
icies will go into effect Jan. 16, the
Des Moines Register reported. The WYOMING Cheyenne: A bill filed for
policies have not yet been released to the Wyoming Legislature’s general
the public. The Des Moines Register’s session would allow video surveil-
report was based on details of the lance at school zone crosswalks, the
policies first reported by KCCI-TV, Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports.
which obtained documents outlining
the regulations. From USA TODAY Network and
wire reports

4B ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY MONEY

Leave No Trace It is illegal to remove plants, rocks or other artifacts from national parks, such
effort helps preserve as Joshua Tree National Park, without a permit. MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES
our national parks
Respecting the land and resources
Eve Chen USA TODAY
“It’s real easy to think ... ‘That’s not a big deal. It’s just me,’ ” Hoyer said of
Anyone who loves the great outdoors has likely heard the phrase Leave seemingly harmless actions like carving into trees or wandering off designated
No Trace. h It sounds simple enough, but it’s more than just picking up trails. “As soon as one person steps off a trail and follows a path somewhere,
after yourself while hiking, camping or enjoying other types of outdoor then compaction happens on the ground, and not only do other people see that
recreation. It’s a whole way of interacting with nature. h While the and follow it, but water follows it.”
overarching concept behind stewarding the land dates back thousands
of years among Native communities, what we know as Leave No Trace That can have a cumulative impact on the land and its inhabitants.
today stems from backcountry land usage guidelines developed by the
U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Man- Moreover, it’s illegal to remove plants, rocks or other artifacts from national
agement in the 1980s. Those were later expanded by the nonprofit parks without a permit.
Leave No Trace into seven specific principles that can be applied to any
outdoor space. h Here’s what it actually means to Leave No Trace:

What is the meaning The idea behind Leave No Trace is to Respecting the things Respecting other visitors
of Leave No Trace? enjoy the outdoors while minimizing
man-made impact at such parks as that live on the land “The National Park Service wants
The whole idea behind Leave No Trace Acadia National Park. EVE CHEN/USA TODAY visitors to have a high-quality
is to enjoy the outdoors while “Everybody’s really excited to see experience everywhere they go in the
minimizing man-made impact. the bear and the elk and the things National Park System,” Park service
that live here, but we also want to regional director Michael T. Reynolds
What are the 7 principles make sure we’re honoring that this is said in testimony submitted to the
of leaving no trace? their home,” Hoyer said. “Any time Senate Subcommittee on National
you get close enough to an animal Parks in July 2021.
1. Plan ahead and prepare that it changes its behavior – it looks
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces up from the ground, it notices you – “The decisions you make and the
3. Dispose of waste properly then you’re too close to it, and we actions you take on your trip do
4. Leave what you find don’t want to do anything that impact all those folks,” Hoyer said.
5. Minimize campfire impacts habituates those wild animals to “Just imagine that you want to do
6. Respect wildlife people.” everything you can as a visitor to
7. Be considerate of others make sure that everybody coming
Many parks require visitors to stay at behind you can have that same
Breaking it down least 25 yards away from most experience.”
wildlife and 100 yards away from
On its website, the National Park predators like bears. The “feeding, To enjoy those experiences without
Service breaks down how each of Leave touching, teasing, frightening or crowds, the park service recommends
No Trace’s seven principles applies at intentional disturbing of wildlife exploring a less-visited national park.
national parks. However, if those are nesting, breeding or other activities”
too hard to remember, Christine Hoyer, is against the law.
a backcountry management specialist
with Great Smoky Mountains National
Park, told USA TODAY Leave No Trace
boils down to three things: respecting
the land and resources, respecting the
things that live on the land and
respecting other visitors.

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SPORTS Opinion: Jim Harbaugh’s Latest news, results, opinion
USA TODAY | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SECTION C future now true mystery, 7C 24/7 at sports.usatoday.com

Commentary: Trevor Bauer won’t be missed if See if the Packers racked up an NFC wild-card bid,
he’s pitched his last MLB game. Page 8C as well as who won in the NBA, NHL and PGA Tour

Bills tight end Dawson Knox celebrates his touchdown catch with quarterback Josh Allen. JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE

Bills’ emotional bliss

Win for Hamlin, means Miami will come to Buffalo next
secure AFC No. 2 weekend for a wild-card game while the
Patriots clean out their lockers for the
Sal Maiorana season.

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle As the No. 2 seed, if the Bills beat the
USA TODAY Network Dolphins in what would be a rubber
match for their season series, they will
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – With all the The Dolphins claimed an AFC wild-card by defeating also be home for the divisional round,
emotion that was surging through High- the Jets behind quarterback Skylar Thompson, 2C quite likely against the No. 3 seed Cin-
mark Stadium on Sunday afternoon, cinnati Bengals.
there was no way the Buffalo Bills were RICH STORRY/USA TODAY SPORTS
going to lose to the New England Patri- If they were to survive that, they will
ots. Bengals fans cheer as Cincinnati defeats the Ravens either host the AFC championship game
to clinch a home game in the first round of the if the opponent is not Kansas City or will
And they didn’t. Of course they playoffs, 3C SAM GREENE/USA TODAY NETWORK play the Chiefs at a neutral site, with the
didn’t. most talked about venue being Pitts-
burgh’s Acrisure Stadium.
Fueled in the days leading up to the
regular-season finale by the incredibly Once the inactives were released for
good news that fallen teammate Damar the 1 p.m. games, it was clear that the
Hamlin was stabilized and showing Bills were going to need to win to secure
marked improvement almost by the the second seed because there would be
hour, the Bills breathed a collective hur- no help coming from the Ravens in Cin-
ricane-force sigh of relief, then took the cinnati.
field as energized and motivated to win
as they’ve been all season. The Bengals were declared AFC
North champions as soon as the game
No one more so than one of Hamlin’s with Buffalo was canceled, and that
newest teammates, Nyheim Hines. meant that the Ravens had almost noth-
ing to play for in their game at Cincin-
Hines, who came to the Bills from the nati.
Indianapolis Colts at the trade deadline,
electrified the usual sellout crowd and a With quarterback Lamar Jackson
huge national TV audience by returning still out, the Ravens protected backup
the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touch- Tyler Huntley and started third-stringer
down. Anthony Brown. They also sat star tight
end Mark Andrews, running back J.K.
Then in the third quarter, with the Dobbins, cornerbacks Marcus Peters
Bills listing a bit against a fired up New and Brandon Stephens, and guard Kevin
England team, he did it again, this time Zeitler.
going 101 yards for a go-ahead TD which
ultimately sent the Bills on their way to a The Ravens waving the white flag,
tense, hard-fought 35-23 victory. though, ended up not mattering to the
proceedings in Buffalo, though, thanks
The win enabled the Bills to lock up mostly to Hines.
the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs with a
13-3 record. And with the Patriots losing New England gave the Bills all they
and the Dolphins defeating the Jets, it could handle, but the difference was the
two returns by Hines which flipped the
script in Buffalo’s favor.

Fearlessness defines TCU’s Sonny Dykes

Josh Peter he probably covered 10 yards. We were Sonny Dykes hugs wife Kate after last season and was picked seventh in
like, ‘Oh my god.’ And when we got down defeating Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl. the 2022 Big 12 preseason poll.
USA TODAY there to him, I thought he was going to be
crying and upset, and he was laughing.” KIRBY LEE/USA TODAY SPORTS Now the Horned Frogs are 13-1, com-
This past week, as Texas Christian ing off a stunning 51-45 victory over sec-
football coach Sonny Dykes prepared his Added his sister, Bebe Petree, “That’s ond-ranked Michigan in the College
team to play heavily-favored Georgia on the perfect example of his fearlessness! Football Playoff semifinals and headed
Monday night for the national title, his At 5 years old he was totally a kamikaze.” for a showdown with the defending na-
two siblings recounted another time tional champion Bulldogs.
when he looked to be overmatched. “Sonny was kind of the cocky one,”
she added, “and the great thing for me is ‘We beat some of the best’
Dykes, 5, was riding his Big Wheel to see that cockiness, that little edge that
down a steep hill in the family’s backyard he always had. He was that way when he Though Mike Stoops is unfamiliar
and getting airborne on the low-riding was a kid playing baseball. He would just with the Big Wheel launches, the former
tricycle before landing in a creek. rush home plate and knock the catcher head coach at Arizona recalled some-
off the plate and score the run. He always thing he and Dykes did together that re-
“We dressed him up with a football had confidence and swagger.” flected shared fearlessness.
helmet and shoulder pads, and Sonny
just jumped on (the Big Wheel) and he Now 53, Sonny Dykes is leading with Stoops hired Dykes as offensive coor-
took off,” his brother, Rick Dykes, told that same fearlessness. It’s emanating dinator in 2007 and gave him his first
USA TODAY Sports. “First time we did it, from his team, too.
we didn’t know how it was going to work, See SYKES, Page 2C
and hit that last hill, he was in the air and In his first year as head coach at TCU,
Dykes inherited a team that finished 5-7

2C ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY E2 SPORTS

Dolphins reach playoffs as wild card

Safid Deen Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders celebrates after making the winning field goal the other hand, was quick to shoot down
against the Jets. ANDRES LEIVA/THE PALM BEACH POST any suggestion about Tagovailoa being
USA TODAY available. “We’ll continue to take it day
“We definitely love Tua. The last time after his second reported concussion on by day, and I will not even think about
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami Dol- we played against the Bills, Tua put up a Dec. 25. “So, just to have him out there – any sort of game, whether that’s this
phins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa em- real good showing,” star Dolphins re- another captain, another leader – would year or next year, until he’s fully ready to
braced injured running back Raheem ceiver Tyreek Hill said of Tagovailoa, be great.” do so. And that comes with medical
Mostert as they celebrated in the closing who missed his second game in a row clearance,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa.
minutes. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, on
The Dolphins offense struggled
Then, Tagovailoa hugged and con- mightily without Tagovailoa as third-
gratulated his teammates as they left string quarterback Skylar Thompson
the field and headed back toward the started against the Jets in place of Ted-
locker room. dy Bridgewater, who broke a finger last
week.
The Dolphins have reason to cele-
brate: They’re in the NFL playoffs. McDaniel has been consistent in his
messaging, noting doctors advised him
Jason Sanders nailed a 50-yard field placing any expectation or pressure for
goal with 18 seconds left and Miami Tagovailoa’s return would be detrimen-
forced a safety in the closing seconds to tal to his recovery. Tagovailoa remains
beat the New York Jets 11-6 at Hard Rock in the NFL’s concussion protocol, and he
Stadium on Sunday. would need to make significant strides
to be cleared to return to practice – let
The Dolphins needed a win over the alone play another game this season.
Jets and a loss by the New England Pa-
triots to get into the postseason. The “Once it was articulated to me that it
Buffalo Bills defeated the Patriots 35-23. doesn’t help Tua in any shape or form if I
project any sort of things besides ‘hey,
Now, both Miami and Buffalo will what are we doing today and what are
face each other for the third time this we doing to get better today,’ I haven’t
season when the postseason begins. even thought about it,” McDaniel said. “I
just want him to take everything day by
The bad news: Whether Tagovailoa day. We’ll assess everything when he’s
will play will be Miami’s biggest story- fully cleared – whenever that is.”
line this week. And it’s looking like he
might not be an option for the Dolphins’
first postseason trip since 2016 and just
their third in the last 21 years.

South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski threw three touchdown Sykes “My dad was a character,” Sonny
passes and ran 51 yards for another TD. LM OTERO/AP Dykes said. “He just was. He was raised
Continued from Page 1C by characters.”
Different Dakota:
SD State wins FCS chance to call plays. Over the next three As the national title game approach-
title over ND State years, Arizona upset second-ranked es, Petree said she sees in her youngest
Oregon, then coached by Mike Bellotti; brother the influence of her colorful fa-
Matt Zimmer tal, none bigger than All-American full- 18th-ranked Southern Cal, then ther, who died in 2017, and the gambling
back Hunter Luepke, arguably their coached by Pete Carroll; Arizona State, grandmother.
Sioux Falls Argus Leader | USA TODAY Network best player. This time NDSU wouldn’t then coached by Dennis Erickson; and
have the Fargodome to fall back on. Stanford, then coached by Jim Har- “She was a trip,” Petree said of Alta
FRISCO, Texas – Jackrabbits. By a They wouldn’t have Luepke. baugh. Dykes. “That whole renegade personal-
mile. ity, Sonny is like her. Spike was like her.
And let’s face it, they probably didn’t “We beat some of the best of the Kind of fearless and funny.”
For the first time ever, South Dakota have the same sense of urgency. Not to best, and that’s hard to do when you’re
State is a national football champion, say NDSU didn’t want to win this. Of the little guy,” said Stoops, now an as- Father and son shared a similar de-
and for the first time ever, North Dakota course the Bison did. They shed tears in sistant at Kentucky. fiance, according to Petree.
State has been defeated in the FCS title the aftermath just like any team would
game at Toyota Stadium. that came so close to glory only to fall As Dykes prepares TCU to play a “My mother got to name the kids and
short. Georgia team that opened as a then Spike just called us whatever he
SDSU blew the doors off their rivals on 13 1⁄2-point favorite, Stoops recalled wanted to call us,” Petree said. “Like, my
Sunday, a 45-21 win in front of a crowd of For SDSU, this was an opportunity those big victories they shared at Arizo- mother named Sonny ‘Daniel.’ But Spike
18,023. It was about a 50-50 split of green they could not squander. The No.1seed, na and said, “We were never scared of wanted to call him Sonny so he was Son-
and blue, and the fans in blue were treat- as healthy as they’ve been all season, anybody.” ny.”
ed to nothing short of the most memora- with a possible first-round draft pick
ble day and impressive performance in having spurned big money from bigger Dana Holgorsen, who was co-offen- From those characters has sprung an-
the 123-year history of Jackrabbit foot- programs to leave. They’ll have more sive coordinator with Dykes at Texas other, one determined to call his own
ball. chances to win it all, but the stars might Tech from 2005 to 2006, said he is shots.
never align like they did this year. The struck by his old friend’s demeanor.
The Bison are still the nine-time Jacks had to walk through that door, fi- ‘Sonny’s never been scared to roll
champs. They’ll be back. So will the nally. But they didn’t just walk through. He’s friendly and laid-back off the the dice’
Jacks. They kicked it down and set it on fire. field, said Holgorsen. Which is what
one might expect from Dykes consider- His 29-year coaching career has in-
But for all the progress SDSU has SDSU struck first on an Isaiah Davis ing he’s a husband and the father of two cluded stops at two high schools, a junior
made in recent years, for how far they’d 16-yard touchdown run. NDSU an- daughters, ages 14 and 11, and a son, 6. college and eight colleges, none of them
come since jumping to NCAA Division I swered quickly to tie it 7-7, but then traditional powerhouses.
in 2004, the lack of a national champi- SDSU took over. A 32-yard scamper by “And then I see a raging competitor
onship trophy left a great big gaping hole Amar Johnson, and after a Bison fum- on game day,” Holgorsen said. “He loses By contrast, Georgia’s Kirby Smart
in the program. ble, an 18-yard touchdown pass from his mind more than I lose my mind.” coached under Nick Saban for nine years
Mark Gronowski to Jaxon Janke to at Alabama before being hired as the
That hole has been filled. If the Jacks make it 21-7. It was the first time in 10 Losing his mind but not many head coach at Georgia in 2016.
never win another title, and things being national championships that NDSU games – the exception a 31-28 overtime
what they are that seems unlikely, what ever trailed by more than a touchdown, setback Dec. 3 against Kansas State, “Sonny’s never been scared to roll the
they accomplished this 2022 season, but SDSU was just getting started. then ranked No. 10. dice,” said Rick Dykes. “If you had to dia-
their14-win journey that began in August gram to him getting to where he is from
against the Iowa Hawkeyes and ended in On 3rd-and-short Gronowski faked How Sonny Dykes’ father, where he started, there are several
January with their second win over the a quarterback run and dumped a pass grandmother shaped him strange stops along the way.”
Kings of FCS in one season, can never be off to H-back Mike Morgan, who ran 44
taken away from them. When the team yards for a touchdown. 28-7. Family history also helps explain The strangest stop might have been
arrives back in Brookings, they can put how Dykes and his team continue to California, where he took the head
the Dakota Marker and the national Again the Bison answered, but you beat the odds. coaching job in 2013 against the advice of
championship trophy on display, right could already feel the game getting his father. He was finishing his fourth
next to each other, a permanent symbol away from them. The Jacks added a This past week, memories of his late year at Louisiana Tech and had won 17
of the most significant accomplishment field goal before half to make it 31-14 at grandmother Alta Dykes surfaced. games in the previous two seasons.
in the history of South Dakota team the break, and they were getting the ball
sports. to start the second. She was a gambler, said Sonny The concern was California was not
Dykes’ sister, Bebe Petree. committed to its football program. Sonny
There were, if you were willing to look They wasted no time, with Gronow- Dykes was confident he could turn
past NDSU’s 9-0 history in Frisco, some ski breaking off a 51-yard scoring run to Petree said Alta Dykes used to wager things around at a place where one day
reasons to believe a dominant SDSU win make it 38-14. on college football games as far back as his team was kicked off the practice field
might be forthcoming. The Jacks already the 1970s and placed bets with a neigh- because it had been reserved by the
beat them once, in Fargo, without Tucker Ballgame. borhood bookie. marching band, he told ESPN.com.
Kraft, the future NFL tight end. After a It was a treat for the entirety of the
slow start in that game, they dominated Dakotas to see these two teams finally Petree also said Alta Dykes would Four years after he arrived, and after
the second half. square off in Frisco. But for now, there’s have taken an interest in the point posting just one winning record and in-
only one FCS champion, and it’s the spread for the national championship terviewing for multiple jobs, Sonny
And since then, the Bison only lost key Jackrabbits. game, with the Horned Frogs having Dykes was fired.
players to injuries and the transfer por- opened as a 12-point underdog against
Georgia. “I think it served Sonny well,” Rick
Dykes said. “I think he had a chance to
“My grandmother was a bit larger- kind of get his priorities back in position
than-life personality,” said Sonny and figure out what he wanted to do.”
Dykes, who named his oldest daughter
Alta. What he wanted to do took four years:
one year as offensive assistant under Ga-
Then there was Alta Dykes’ son, ry Patterson, then head coach at TCU;
Spike, who was Sonny Dykes’ father then as head coach at SMU, where in four
and another big personality on the fam- seasons his teams went 30-18 and qual-
ily tree. ified for bowl games three times; and
then on to TCU and back in the Big 12, the
Spike Dykes was a beloved football same conference where his father last
coach at Texas Tech who transformed coached.
the program, consumed an immense
amount of chicken-fried steak at boost- “My dad told me one time, ‘Your little
er events and dispensed homespun brother will be the head coach of the Dal-
wisdom like, “A lot of people want be las Cowboys one day if he wants to,’ ” Pe-
around when you’re having a parade, tree said. “I think (Spike) just saw that
but not many want to serve as the pall- he’s fearless.”
bearer.”
After all, Spike had seen Sonny Dykes
Recently, Sonny Dykes recounted pedaling that Big Wheel as he zoomed
the time he came home late from one of down the hill toward the creek in the
his high school football games and backyard.
found Spike sharing drinks with an op-
posing coach the night before their “My dad came out at some point and
teams played. said, ‘What in the hell are you all do-
ing?’ ” Rick Dykes recalled.
Spike Dykes usually prevailed on the
field, and he was named Southwest With the 5-year-old kamikaze within
Conference coach of the year three earshot, the answer from Rick Dykes was
times and Big 12 coach of the year once. simple.

“Sonny wants to go down the hill.”
Now, he’s enjoying the ride of his life.

SPORTS E3 USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 3C

Cincy sets up home game with win

Charlie Goldsmith Bengals running back Joe Mixon flips a coin in the end zone after running in for a Bates said. “Best one all year. It shows
TD in the first quarter against the Ravens. SAM GREENE/THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER how cool our locker room is, for some-
The Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network one to come out with that idea and have
“That’s epic,” defensive end Sam that could have led to a coin toss deter- fun with it instead of (complain) about
CINCINNATI – About 4:30 on Sunday Hubbard said. “Who else would it be?” mining the site of the Bengals’ first- (the coin toss situation).”
afternoon, quarterback Joe Burrow was round playoff game.
standing in the middle of the Cincinnati Before the celebration, facing a Rav- Bengals find motivation
Bengals locker room, carrying a card- ens team that was resting most of its Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was versus Ravens
board box full of Leather Rose cigars. star players, the Bengals stormed out to livid about the NFL’s decision. The new
a 17-0 lead. The Bengals defense forced format took away the Bengals’ most For what felt like the 100th time this
The Bengals just beat the Baltimore three turnovers, including a forced fum- realistic path to the No. 2 seed in the season, the Bengals used a source of
Ravens 27-16 at Paycor Stadium to ble by defensive end Trey Hendrickson conference. If the Ravens had won on motivation to fuel another win.
clinch a first-round home playoff game that was recovered by defensive end Jo- Sunday, the coin toss scenario could
and put a stamp on their AFC North seph Ossai for a touchdown. Burrow ad- have been in play. Bengals executive All season, the Bengals have sought
championship season. In the postgame mitted that he missed some throws that vice president Katie Blackburn sent a out every piece of motivation they could
locker room, Burrow, who later said the he “always makes,” but he hit on a 26- memo to the NFL about her frustration. find. After beating the Pittsburgh Steel-
Bengals would be in their championship yard touchdown down the left sideline ers in November, Burrow shouted “we’re
window as long as he’s their quarter- to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase as the The players felt the same way. Mixon the big dogs.” After Chiefs safety Justin
back, led the way like he always does. Bengals held a three-score lead for most used a touchdown celebration to show Reid couldn’t remember the names of
of the game. how the Bengals were feeling. the Bengals’ best players as he was trash
Burrow picked up the box and went talking them before that game, the Ben-
from person-to-person delivering cigars Joe Mixon has memorable “Mixon did it perfectly,” tight end gals made that bulletin board material.
for everyone. coin toss celebration vs. Ravens Hayden Hurst said. “We didn’t agree When Tom Brady called the Bengals de-
with what happened, but we knew we fense “fairly tough,” the Bengals took it
“That’s who Joe Burrow is,” backup The first touchdown, a 1-yard run by had to go out and win. It doesn’t matter personally.
quarterback Brandon Allen said. “A ci- running back Joe Mixon, was the most where we are. This team is full of confi-
gar-smoking winner.” memorable. dence. And we’re rolling right now.” This weekend, the Bengals turned
the concept of the coin flip into another
The Bengals captain, MVP candidate On Friday, the NFL announced a new Mixon brought a quarter that he had chip on their shoulder.
and the face of the franchise passed out plan for seeding the playoffs. Since the recently gotten at McDonald’s and put it
so many cigars that he had to go and get Bengals and Buffalo Bills will only finish in one of his gloves. After the touch- Taylor leaned into that idea by show-
a second box. There were surely other the regular season having played 16 down, Mixon took the coin out and ing the team clips from the movie “Glad-
people who could have passed them out games, the NFL put scenarios in place flipped it. Then he kicked the coin as far iator” on Saturday night. The clip high-
and let Burrow dance and celebrate. as he could. lighted an “Us against the world” men-
tality that he wanted the Bengals to em-
But Burrow famously smoked a cigar “That was a (heck) of a celebration,” brace.
after winning the national champion-
ship at LSU, and he’s the one who “We’ve had that whole narrative the
brought the cigar tradition to Cincin- whole year,” Bengals linebacker Logan
nati. Over the last week, Burrow also Wilson said. “Everyone thought last
made a point to check in one-on-one year was a fluke, that we don’t deserve
with his teammates and tell them that to be in the playoffs. Whatever. We don’t
he loved them. really care about those things.”

That message continued when dif- The Bengals finished the regular sea-
ferent players were celebrating, were son with a 12-4 record, winning back-to-
approached by Burrow and were offered back AFC North titles for the first time in
a cigar from the “Drew Estate” line. franchise history.

“You don’t see that often,” safety Jes- Now, the Bengals enter the playoffs
sie Bates III said. “That’s what makes as the No. 3 seed in the AFC. They’ll face
our group special. It’s a bunch of normal the Ravens again next weekend at Pay-
dudes. Joe Burrow doesn’t walk around cor Stadium. If the Bengals win, then
like he’s Joe Burrow. He walks around they’ll likely have to travel to Buffalo to
like any other guy in this locker room. He face the Bills.
plays hard, and then he’s handing out
cigars. It’s good to have those leaders on Burrow said the “Us against the
your team. world” mentality fits the players on the
roster. “We like the hard path,” he said.
“That’s a team guy right there,” cor- “Would you want it any other way? It’s
nerback Eli Apple said. “He’s a giver. He not as satisfying.”
loves everybody. He always expresses
that.”

SUNDAY’S NFL ROUNDUP

Eagles top Giants, nail down NFC top seed

Martin Frank The Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts held on to defeat the Giants on Sunday his own NFL record for completions in a
to clinch the top seed for the NFC playoffs. ERIC HARTLINE/USA TODAY SPORTS season before leaving the game late in
Delaware News Journal | USA TODAY Network the first half. Brady left with the score
defensive end’s stellar career. were playing to win, the Cowboys tied at 10 in the second quarter but had
PHILADELPHIA − So much for the limped into the playoffs and a wild-card to watch the remainder of his first career
notion that the Philadelphia Eagles VIKINGS 29, BEARS 13 showdown at Tom Brady and the Tampa loss to the Falcons from the sideline.
would build a big enough lead to get Ja- Bay Buccaneers next weekend.
len Hurts and many of the starters out of CHICAGO – Kirk Cousins threw for PANTHERS 10, SAINTS 7
the game early in the second half. 225 yards and a touchdown in the first SEAHAWKS 19, RAMS 16
half and watched the rest of the way as NEW ORLEANS – Eddy Pineiro
Hurts, playing in his first game since the NFC North champion Minnesota SEATTLE – Jason Myers kicked a 32- kicked a 42-yard field goal as time ex-
spraining his shoulder Dec. 18, was Vikings tuned up for the playoffs by yard field goal midway through over- pired, and the Carolina Panthers closed
clearly used differently, a sign his shoul- beating the Chicago Bears 29-13. time, and the Seattle Seahawks kept out their season with an opportunistic
der might not be completely healed. their playoff hopes alive with a 19-16 win 10-7 victory over the New Orleans
Cousins led three scoring drives as over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Saints. The Saints finished with some
The Eagles made that clear with no the Vikings (13-4) grabbed a 16-6 half- Myers missed from 46 yards when he hit wide statistical advantages, outgaining
designed runs for Hurts. And it was time lead. They remained in control the the upright on the final play of regula- Carolina 304 yards to 203, but the game
clear Hurts was under orders to slide or rest of the way after getting blown out at tion, but given another shot in overtime, remained tight until the end because of
run out of bounds at the slightest hint of Green Bay the previous week. the Pro Bowler connected on his fourth New Orleans’ inability to score on four
trouble, which he did. field goal of the game and the Seahawks’ possessions inside the Panthers 40-
The Bears (3-14), who held out star postseason chances stayed alive for a yard line.
All of which made for a tougher- Justin Fields, set a franchise record with few more hours. Seattle (9-8) eliminat-
than-expected 22-16 win over a New their 14th loss and extended one by ed Detroit from playoff contention but BRONCOS 31, CHARGERS 28
York Giants team resting its starters and dropping their 10th game in a row. needed a Lions win or tie against Green
starting a practice-squad quarterback Bay on Sunday night to reach the play- DENVER – Russell Wilson threw
in Davis Webb. With Houston winning 32-31 at Indi- offs as the No. 7 seed in the NFC. The three touchdown passes, Justin Sim-
anapolis, Chicago gets the No. 1 pick in Packers would grab that spot and elim- mons forced two fumbles and the Den-
The Eagles didn’t have that luxury as the draft for the first time since 1947. inate the Seahawks with a win. ver Broncos dodged a franchise-worst
they needed a win to clinch the NFC 13th loss with a 31-28 victory over the
East and the top seed in the playoffs. COMMANDERS 26, COWBOYS 6 FALCONS 30, BUCCANEERS 17 playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers on
Sunday. The Chargers (10-7) knew be-
The Eagles’ reward is a first-round LANDOVER, Md. – Dak Prescott ATLANTA – Rookie Desmond Rid- fore kickoff they were locked into the
bye. They won’t have to play again until completed just 14 of his 37 passes for 128 der’s first two career touchdown passes fifth AFC playoff seed with a first-round
the weekend of Jan. 21-22, thus giving yards, threw another interception that powered the Atlanta Falcons to a 30-17 game looming at Jacksonville.
Hurts another extra week of rest. was returned for a touchdown and the win over the playoff-bound Tampa Bay
Dallas Cowboys laid an egg in their final Buccaneers after Tom Brady added to STEELERS 28, BROWNS 14
In all, Hurts went 20-for-35 for 229 regular-season game, losing 26-6 to the his imposing list of records. Brady broke
yards with an interception. Washington Commanders on Sunday. PITTSBURGH – Najee Harris ran for
Despite playing their starters with 84 yards and a touchdown and the Pitts-
But the Eagles played it very conser- coach Mike McCarthy pledging they burgh Steelers beat the Cleveland
vatively as Hurts ran nine times for 13 Browns 28-14 but were eliminated from
yards. They settled for five field goals by the playoffs when Miami edged the Jets.
Jake Elliott rather than risking Hurts to The Steelers (9-8) will have to settle for a
hits from the Giants defense. 16th straight non-losing season under
coach Mike Tomlin.
Hurts showed there wasn’t anything
wrong with his throwing arm. His very TEXANS 32, COLTS 31
first play was a slant to A.J. Brown that
Brown turned into a 35-yard gain, in the INDIANAPOLIS – Davis Mills threw a
process breaking Mike Quick’s record 28-yard touchdown pass to Jordan
for receiving yards in a season. Quick Akins on fourth down with 50 seconds
had 1,409 yards receiving in 1983. left then connected with Akins on the 2-
point conversion to give Houston a 32-31
Later in the first quarter, Hurts threw victory at Indianapolis – costing the
deep for Brown, hitting him for 37 yards. Texans the first pick in April’s draft.
The Eagles got a touchdown on Boston Houston (3-13-1) won twice in the final
Scott’s 8-yard run for a 10-0 lead in the three weeks to finish second to the Chi-
first quarter. cago Bears in draft positioning.

49ERS 38, CARDINALS 13 Contributing: Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Brock Purdy
threw three touchdown passes for his
sixth straight game with multiple TDs
and the San Francisco 49ers clinched
the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a
38-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals
on Sunday. Purdy overcame two sacks
by J.J. Watt in the final game of the star

4C ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY E3 SPORTS

Support staff raises bar for success

Lance Pugmire and Steve Berkowitz Georgia quality control coordinator Mike Bobo, who has been Colorado State’s like a generation ago.
head coach, now is making $147,925. JOSHUA L. JONES/USA TODAY NETWORK A review of the Florida national title
USA TODAY
salary lists from each public school ex- out a vision of where he wanted to take team’s media guide shows Spurrier kept
Anyone else observing the binge in- cept Florida, then used online depart- the program, and there wasn’t one thing nine assistant coaches and a support
vesting into college football coaching ment staff directories and team media that wasn’t well thought out,” Brooks staff of 26 that counted one academic
and support staffs may label it excessive. guides to identify football staff person- said.” counselor, a massage therapist, a chap-
nel. Florida’s athletic department, like lain, his personal secretary and a head of
To Georgia athletic director Josh others in the state, is organized in a fash- “His record speaks for itself. At those security.
Brooks, whose program sits at No.1in the ion that gives it latitude in handling moments when you win a champion-
College Football Playoff, it’s called atten- open-records requests; it provided ag- ship, you realize the work and all the re- “You know who the first nutritionist at
tion to detail. gregate data about the number of its sources we put into it has paid off.” the University of Florida was? You’re
football support staffers and their pay. looking at him,” he says. “And I did it by
“There’s so much that goes on that While Brooks believes the money be- telling the guys to put something green
we’ve never lived through,” Brooks told Let’s begin where the hardware cur- ing spent is worth it, many other univer- on their plate every meal. You know,
USA TODAY Sports while reflecting upon rently resides: Georgia. The Bulldogs, be- sities breaking the bank over football some of these kids grow up and it’s all
the logistical challenges that preceded yond paying head coach Kirby Smart personnel are being cast as derelict, ne- fried food. We really emphasized vegeta-
the Bulldogs winning the national title $10.25 million this season, are paying glectful of the intended ambitions of bles and fruit, and I’d stand over their
last season in a pressurized playoff sys- their 10 assistant coaches a combined higher education. plates to make sure.”
tem equivalent to back-to-back title $8.4 million (not including $1.8 million
games. spent in connection with buyouts new “You can look at this from a lot of dif- On one hand, Spurrier is proud that
hires owed their previous employers). ferent angles, but from every angle it his former strength and conditioning
“Coaches want to maximize every op- They are also devoting a separate doesn’t make sense, and it is a lack of in- coach, Oklahoma State’s Glass, has be-
portunity they have, so when you think $4.8 million to support staffers for tegrity on the part of these institutions,” come the first in his field to earn $1 mil-
about preparation for a contest – wheth- Smart. said Nancy Hogshead-Makar, who won lion annually.
er you’re talking about travel, nutrition, three gold medals in swimming at the
weightlifting, sleep – you want to make This newly robust market has led 1984 Olympics and is founder/CEO of the Still, the “Head Ball Coach” takes a
sure everything is maximized at 100%. Georgia to count three chefs and six advocacy group Champion Women. blunt view on those who are engaging in
You don’t want to go into a contest think- “quality control coordinators” among its the hiring frenzy, blowing through mon-
ing, ‘Man, if we just had better nutrition support staff, including former Bulldogs “Go talk to the English and science ey and struggling to win.
… .’ You can’t risk not having your team quarterback Mike Bobo. Mike Cavan, the professors who are doing amazing work,
prepared. Everything is important.” former head coach at Valdosta State, and let’s see how much they make. “Attitude and effort are way more im-
East Tennessee and SMU, now earns There’s no resemblance between this portant than having an extra 60 people
In its annual review of college football $202,210 while wearing the less-pres- and what a school is supposed to be do- hanging around on your staff,” Spurrier
compensation, USA TODAY Sports has surized hat of director of football admini- ing. The reason they don’t pay taxes is said.
found that exhaustive pursuit to address stration. because they are supposed to be fulfill-
every aspect of the game has powerfully ing that mission (of higher education). Missouri, Florida expand pool
amplified the investment colleges are Among other findings: To see these statistics and facts, that’s
making in their support staffs. Even as h Florida, which spends $6.2 million corrupting all that is good about sports.” Meanwhile, SEC coaches including
the number of assistant coaches making on its 68-member support staff, employs Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Florida’s
at least $1 million continues to grow, a what it has titled a senior director of Spending away from sidelines Billy Napier have doubled down on their
market is now developing around com- recruiting innovation. intentions to spend big to recruit the best
petition for people in specialized areas. h Mississippi employs 12 player-per- Staffs are bulging nationally, not just staff talent.
Jobs such as manager of applied sport sonnel analysts earning from $48,954 to in the SEC.
science, dietitian – and then jobs to over- $100,000 a year. Drinkwitz’s amended contract in No-
see all those other jobs: general man- h Auburn invests $238,600 annually Consider the move that was finalized vember stipulates he can increase
ager/director of scouting and develop- in its three dietitians. on Nov. 26 when fired Carolina Panthers spending on his assistant coaches from
ment; associate athletic director/football h And LSU’s $5 million crew includes coach Matt Rhule inherited a Nebraska $5.2 million to $6.3 million. Pending final
chief of staff; football chief operating of- four senior defensive analysts, a lead de- program from fired Scott Frost. approval by the Missouri board of cura-
ficer. fensive analyst, a regular defensive ana- tors, Drinkwitz’s minimal allotment for
lyst, along with four assistant develop- The Cornhuskers (4-8) employ 56 as- football staff was effectively tripled,
In the Southeastern Conference ment coaches and a six-figure position sistants and paid football staff – the from $1.2 million to $3.5 million.
alone, schools are quietly amassing foot- for the manager of applied sport science. daunting figure rivaling the 73 personnel
ball support staffs that would rival the According to that job description, that (front office staff, business office, coach- Under first-year coach Napier, the Ga-
size of a first-year biology class – with individual oversees “the collection, es and support staff) that backed Ruhle’s tors increased their support staff spend-
Florida touting 68 full-time support- analysis, visualization, and interpreta- NFL efforts with the Panthers. ing from $3.85 million to the conference-
staff personnel, LSU 61, and Georgia 56. tion of training load, biometric, and key leading $6.2 million while he won ap-
This is all for a roster of roughly 120 play- performance data from the various To some who’ve been around the proval to spend more than $1.5 million
ers, mind you. sports science technologies utilized game for decades, like seven-time SEC than Florida paid on assistant coaches in
within the football program.” coach of the year Steve Spurrier, the for- 2021.
Expanded position-by-position scru- Brooks credits Smart for his pro- mer Heisman Trophy winner and 1996
tiny and the increased attention on new gram’s surge in support, a page the coach national championship coach at Florida, Amanda Gilpin, assistant director of
technologies, analytics, social media and took from observing Nick Saban’s ma- the excessive spending is rooted in the football operations charged with han-
branding also are driving this, along with chine of assistants and how they oper- sport’s prevailing mentality amid the dling travel and logistics for Arkansas,
the major wrinkles introduced by the ad- ated while Smart served eight years as riches of television, sponsorship and readied a 25-member advance team and
vent of athletes’ opportunities to make defensive coordinator at Alabama. ticket revenue. “There’s so much money, a separate, 150-strong gathering of play-
money from their name, image and like- “When (Smart) got to Georgia, he laid they think overkill is OK,” Spurrier said. ers and coaches who were to journey to
ness and the increasingly active transfer “It’s, ‘If you’re not spending money, Memphis for the Liberty Bowl.
portal. you’re not trying hard enough.’ ”
She’s worked in recruiting and opera-
USA TODAY Sports’ analysis found Spurrier takes pride in telling friends tions for coaches David Cutcliffe, Ed Or-
there were at least 49 assistant coaches what managing a bare-bones staff was geron, Lane Kiffin, Houston Nutt and
across the nation making $1 million or now Arkansas’ Sam Pittman. That expe-
more this season – including one at a rience counted when Arkansas agreed to
Group of Five school, Houston defensive pay her $123,000 this past year.
coordinator Doug Belk. And, for the first
time, a strength coach is making $1 mil- At Auburn, first-year football dietitian
lion, Oklahoma State’s Rob Glass. Allison Scherer, 28, earns $84,000 annu-
ally. It’s now far more advanced than
But the SEC leads with 21 million-dol- Spurrier’s “get something green on your
lar assistants (nearly double the number plate” refrain.
in the Big Ten), and a more focused look
at the football-fervent conference via “You always have a purpose for what
data compiled from open-records re- you do, and the coaches are looking at
quests to its 13 public schools shows they every single detail, with experts in those
are spending a total of $55.5 million on fields to look at those areas to get us to
support staff this year. That’s an average move forward,” she said. “Do I think
of $4.3 million a school. (Vanderbilt, a there might be too many hands in the pot
private university, does not have to dis- at times? Sure. But when you look at the
close such data.) USA TODAY Sports ob- small margins of error that college foot-
tained athletic department employee ball has between being a loser and a win-
ner, between being weaker and stronger,
you have to look at those details.”

TCU breakthrough shows how portal levels the field

Dan Wolken Though there’s far more to the TCU But Dykes had a different option. For it’s about finding, especially from a
story than the transfer portal – the bulk every player who left via the portal, there transfer perspective, somebody who can
Columnist of the talent was already in place when was opportunity for another to take their come in and move the needle in a room.”
Dykes took over13 months ago – last sea- place. Some of them like safety Mark
USA TODAY son was a tumultuous time at TCU. After Perry (Colorado) had extensive playing From a fan’s perspective, it’s under-
a string of underwhelming seasons, TCU experience at the Power Five level. Oth- standable why the transfer portal can
Never in the modern history of college took the bold step of parting with Gary ers like cornerback Josh Newton were cause angst.
football has a team as unlikely as TCU Patterson on Oct. 31, 2021, despite him toiling far from the spotlight at Louisi-
played for a national championship. In a previously leading the program to seven ana-Monroe. Leading tackler Johnny But in the bigger picture, what TCU is
sport where elite results typically track top-10 finishes, a résumé that five years Hodges came from Navy. Center Alan Ali, doing should give every program hope
with elite recruiting, there is no template earlier had earned him a statue in front even followed Dykes from SMU. that a coaching change doesn’t doom you
for a team without a single recruiting of Amon G. Carter Stadium. to three or four more years of mediocrity.
class ranked in the top 20 over the last Though some of the 13 transfers have If a new coaching staff gets it right in the
five years getting this close to a title. As often happens with coaching barely played, the bottom line is that transfer portal, a turnaround can happen
changes, there was attrition: 15 players Dykes had an opportunity to quickly re- immediately. And in the new 12-team
But it doesn’t seem like a coincidence. left, including some who would become generate a significant portion of the ros- College Football Playoff that will debut in
When the NCAA lifted pretty much all very productive at their new schools; ter at a point when the old rules made it 2024, it will probably not be unusual for
restrictions on transfers two years ago, Zach Evans rushed for nearly 1,000 yards extremely difficult to do so. In a sport teams to jump from a losing record one
there was a not insignificant amount of and nine touchdowns at Ole Miss. where depth matters and it takes con- season to playoff games the next.
panic that free movement of players tributors across the board for a program
would only help the rich get richer. But There’s no way to know what kind of like TCU to close the gap with perennial Sure, if Alabama or Georgia needs to
with the Horned Frogs set to play Geor- team TCU would have had this season if powers, the transfer portal is an equal- fill a hole via the transfer portal, they’ll be
gia in Monday night’s College Football the NCAA’s old restrictions on transfers opportunity environment. Some pro- in a better position than most to do so.
Playoff title game, the evidence would were still in place, requiring players to sit grams will hit it big, others will strike out.
suggest that it has done more to level the out a year before becoming eligible But anything that chips away even a
playing field than anything the NCAA again. Most likely, the Horned Frogs But at this point, it seems undeniable little bit at the talent monopoly the top
has tried to legislate since scholarship would have still had several players leave that transfer prevalence being added to handful of programs have enjoyed
limitations began in 1973. but would have had a far more difficult the roster-building mix will help create makes the sport more interesting.
“We wouldn’t be where we are had we time replacing them with immediate more parity, add more year-to-year vola-
not added (transfers),” TCU coach Sonny contributors. tility at the top end of the sport and “I’ve always believed that the cream
Dykes told the Houston Chronicle last change the paradigm of who can com- rises and the more opportunities that
month. “It’s a way to fix your program In the old way of roster building, first- pete in the playoff. schools outside of the traditional brands
quickly.” year coaches had little choice but to fill get, the more those schools can become
holes with junior college long shots and “Recruiting is not always about find- traditional brands,” Dykes said. “I think if
freshmen, hoping they developed into ing the bigger, fastest guys,” Dykes told you exclude them, it’s hard to break in.
good players two years down the road. The Dallas Morning News. “Sometimes And I think this will give a lot of schools
like TCU an opportunity to get in the mix
and show what they’re capable of.”

SPORTS USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 5C

Can thrill-a-minute script continue?

Underdog Horned Frogs
take shot at Bulldogs

Eddie Timanus

USA TODAY

Coming on the heels of the most com- TCU’s Max Duggan has combined to pass and rush for 4,000-plus yards. MARK J. REBILAS/USA TODAY SPORTS
pelling pair of semifinal contests in the
four-team College Football Playoff era, ingly on a weekly basis and ultimately TCU’s usual script. The Horned Frogs down snap by Michigan.
the championship game at SoFi Stadi- running the table in the regular season. grabbed a lead early and answered ev- But it was wildly entertaining, as
um (Inglewood, Calif.; 7:30 p.m. ET ery challenge from the Wolverines with
Monday, ESPN) between top-seeded That effort was enough to get them a big play of their own. It wasn’t the best most Horned Frogs’ contests have been
Georgia and No. 3 TCU will have a tough into the playoff, even after losing the re- executed game by either team, and it this season. They now find themselves
act to follow. match with Kansas State in the confer- was perhaps fitting that it ended on a as the first Big 12 squad to reach the title
ence title game. As it happens, the Fies- broken play thanks to an errant fourth- game since the current format was
Fortunately, the finale has rarely dis- ta Bowl upset of Michigan didn’t follow adopted in 2014.
appointed, even in years when the pre-
liminary matchups failed to deliver in
the drama department.

As always, there are myriad story-
lines associated with this title tilt. But
the main headline has to be the classic
established power vs. upstart challeng-
er narrative.

Georgia (14-0), of course, was expect-
ed to be here. The Bulldogs reached the
pinnacle of the sport a year ago by final-
ly conquering Alabama in the champi-
onship game. Despite sending a slew of
talented players on to the NFL, partic-
ularly on the defensive side of the ball,
Georgia reloaded and spent the entire
season at or near the top of the polls.
The Bulldogs now stand as the last un-
defeated squad from the Football Bowl
Subdivision, though there were a couple
of close calls.

The closest of all came last week at
the Peach Bowl against Ohio State, a
game many had pegged as a potential
championship game matchup. That
contest certainly had a title game feel as
the two heavyweights exchanged hay-
makers literally until the stroke of mid-
night on the East Coast. The Bulldogs
trailed by 14 points on two separate oc-
casions but held a 42-41 lead as 2022
wound to a close. That was when the
Buckeyes’ 50-yard field-goal attempt for
the win sailed wide left, allowing the
Bulldogs to survive and advance for the
opportunity to repeat as national cham-
pions.

So while the Bulldogs’ presence in In-
glewood was widely predicted, TCU’s
was anything but. Coming off a 5-7 fin-
ish in 2021 and with a new head coach
taking over, the Horned Frogs (13-1)
weren’t on anyone’s radar when fall
camp opened.

It wasn’t until an Oct. 1 demolition of
usual Big 12 favorite Oklahoma that TCU
finally cracked the Top 25. From there,
this group of Horned Frogs began to
earn their reputation as comeback kids,
overcoming second-half deficits seem-

Who has the edge: Breaking down Georgia vs. TCU

Eddie Timanus time, but he delivered a key two-point 3,546 yards and 32 scoring tosses for the nia and SMU. Overall he enters this con-
reception in the Peach Bowl. TE Brock season with just six picks. Quentin test with a record of 84-64 in 12-plus
USA TODAY Bowers will get a lot of attention, which Johnston is his primary deep threat, but seasons, though he went just 19-30 in
might again allow Bennett to make use Taye Barber also averages nearly 17 four seasons at his only other Power
When Georgia runs: The Bulldogs of his less heralded weapons like Mar- yards per reception. Georgia’s pass rush Five stop in Berkeley. But it’s hard to
average a hefty 5.51 yards per rushing cus Rosemy-Jacksaint and New Year’s can be spotty, so there might be oppor- match what Kirby Smart has accom-
attempt. Kenny McIntosh, Daijun Ed- Eve hero Adonai Mitchell. He’ll have to tunities for big gainers available. Edge: plished in his still young head coaching
wards and Kendall Milton all have over be careful, however, as the Horned TCU. career. Now wrapping up his seventh
500 yards on the ground, and their fre- Frogs have 16 interceptions on the sea- season in Athens, he enters this finale
quent rotation means UGa nearly al- son with four brought back for touch- Special teams: TCU’s Derius Davis is with a record of 80-15 overall, with five
ways has fresh legs in the backfield. downs, including a pair of pick-sixes in a dangerous punt returner, ranking of those losses coming in his first season
TCU gives up a touch over 150 rushing the Fiesta Bowl. Edge: TCU. fourth nationally averaging 14.9 yards at the helm in 2016. Edge: Georgia.
yards per game, but the performance of per attempt with two brought back for
the ground defense against Michigan’s When TCU runs: Kendre Miller is the scores. Bulldogs kicker Jack Podlusney Who wins?
potent line was a huge plus for the main man in the TCU backfield with has been perfect on PATs this season
Horned Frogs. Edge: Georgia. 1,399 yards and 17 rushing TDs. But and he connected on a 49-yard field goal Underestimate this TCU team at your
Emari Demercado stepped up in a big in last season’s title game and drilled a peril. The Bulldogs almost certainly
When Georgia passes: It usually way with 150 yards against Michigan career-best 53-yarder to beat Cincinnati won’t, but even so these Horned Frogs
isn’t the Bulldogs’ first priority, but vet- with Miller hurting. The Bulldogs, how- in the Peach Bowl at the close of the have proved to be impossible to put
eran QB Stetson Bennett can absolutely ever, don’t allow much on the ground 2020 season. Edge: TCU. away. Georgia, however, seems unlikely
throw it when he has to. He seems to (80 yards per game and just to help TCU in the same way Michigan
thrive when the stakes are highest, like 3 per attempt). Edge: Georgia. Coaching: Though Sonny Dykes is in did with miscues. In the end, the Bull-
in last year’s title game against the just his first season in Fort Worth, he’s dogs will find a way.
Crimson Tide and last week against the When TCU passes: Max Duggan anything but a coaching novice. TCU is
Buckeyes. WR Ladd McConkey might might not always throw a pretty ball, but his fourth head coaching stop, with pre- Georgia, 45-38
still be battling knee soreness at game it usually gets to the right place. He has vious stints at Louisiana Tech, Califor-

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6C ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY E3 SPORTS

FOR THE RECORD

All times ET WESTERN CONFERENCE Edmonton 41 21 17 3 45 144 138 MIDWEST New Orleans Friday, Dec. 30
Vancouver 39 17 19 3 37 135 156 W. Kentucky 44, South Alabama 23
NFL Southwest Division San Jose 41 12 21 8 32 126 155 Houston 72, Cincinnati 59 Orange Bowl
WL Pct GB Northwestern 84, Indiana 83 Thursday, Dec. 22 Miami Gardens, Fla.
Memphis 25 13 .658 — Anaheim 40 12 24 4 28 95 162 Oakland 75, Wright St. 73 No. 6 Tennessee 31, No. 10 Clemson 14
.600 2 Armed Forces Bowl Duke’s Mayo Bowl
New Orleans 24 16 .575 3 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for Women’s Scores Fort Worth, Texas Charlotte, N.C.
.325 13 overtime loss. Top three teams in each divi- Air Force 30, Baylor 15 Maryland 16, No. 25 NC State 12
AMERICAN CONFERENCE Dallas 23 17 .256 sion and two wild cards per conference ad- Sunday, Jan. 8 Sun Bowl
San Antonio 13 27 15½ Friday, Dec. 23 El Paso, Texas
East Houston 10 29 GB vance to playoffs. EAST Pittsburgh 37, No. 18 UCLA 35
WL T Pct PF PA Saturday’s Games Gasparilla Bowl Gator Bowl
y-Buffalo 13 3 0 .813 455 286 Northwest Division Pct — New Jersey 4, N.Y. Rangers 3, OT Boston College 77, Florida St. 71, OT Tampa, Fla. Jacksonville, Fla.
x-Miami 98 0 .529 397 399 WL .667 7 Boston U. 73, American 63 Wake Forest 27, Missouri 17 No. 19 Notre Dame 45, No. 20 South Carolina
e-New England 89 0 .471 364 347 Denver 26 13 .487 7½ Columbus 4, Carolina 3, SO Bucknell 56, Lafayette 44 Independence Bowl 38
e-N.Y. Jets 7 10 0 .412 296 316 Portland 19 20 .476 7½ Montreal 5, St. Louis 4 CCSU 64, St. Francis (Pa.) 60 Shreveport, La. Arizona Bowl
PA Utah 20 22 .475 9 Toronto 4, Detroit 1 Colgate 65, Army 52 Houston 23, Louisiana 16 Tucson, Ariz.
South 350 Minnesota 19 21 .436 GB Buffalo 6, Minnesota 5, OT Drexel 81, Stony Brook 64 Ohio 30, Wyoming 27, OT
WL T Pct PF 359 Oklahoma City 17 22 — Seattle 8, Ottawa 4 Fairleigh Dickinson 62, Merrimack 52 Saturday, Dec. 24
y-Jacksonville 98 0 .529 404 427 ½ Los Angeles 5, Vegas 1 George Washington 56, St. Bonaventure 43 Saturday, Dec. 31
e-Tennessee 7 10 0 .412 298 420 Pacific Division 1 Colorado 3, Edmonton 2, OT Holy Cross 53, Loyola (Md.) 46 Hawaii Bowl
e-Indianapolis 4 12 1 .265 289 PA W L Pct 1 Lehigh 77, Navy 42 Honolulu Peach Bowl
e-Houston 3 13 1 .206 289 322 Sacramento 20 18 .526 2 Boston 4, San Jose 2 Monmouth (NJ) 64, Elon 56 Middle Tennessee 25, San Diego St. 23 Atlanta
315 Sunday’s Games NC A&T 63, Hofstra 44 College Football Playoff Semifinal
North 346 L.A. Clippers 21 20 .512 Northeastern 92, UNC-Wilmington 51 Monday, Dec. 26 No. 1 Georgia 42, No. 4 Ohio St. 41
381 Phoenix 20 20 .500 Rhode Island 70, La Salle 59 Fiesta Bowl
y-Cincinnati WL T Pct PF PA Golden State 20 20 .500 Winnipeg 7, Vancouver 4 Sacred Heart 70, Stonehill 56 Quick Lane Bowl Glendale, Ariz.
x-Baltimore 12 4 0 .750 418 369 Dallas 5, Florida 1 Seton Hall 76, Providence 60 Detroit College Football Playoff Semifinal
e-Pittsburgh 10 7 0 .588 350 384 L.A. Lakers 19 21 .475 Washington 1, Columbus 0 St. John’s 71, Xavier 52 New Mexico St. 24, Bowling Green 19 No. 3 TCU 51, No. 2 Michigan 45
e-Cleveland 98 0 .529 308 418 Towson 86, Hampton 47 Music City Bowl
7 10 0 .412 361 359 Saturday’s Games Calgary at Chicago Villanova 68, Butler 58 Tuesday, Dec. 27 Nashville
Pittsburgh at Arizona Wagner 80, LIU Brooklyn 63 Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
PA Boston 121, San Antonio 116 St. Louis at Minnesota First Responder Bowl Sugar Bowl
West 344 Chicago 126, Utah 118 Toronto at Philadelphia SOUTH Dallas New Orleans
WL T Pct PF 342 Dallas 127, New Orleans 117 Boston at Anaheim Memphis 38, Utah St. 10 No. 5 Alabama 45, No. 11 Kansas St. 20
*-Kansas City 14 3 0 .824 496 371 Orlando 115, Golden State 101 Monday’s Games East Carolina 63, Tulane 53 Birmingham Bowl
x-L.A. Chargers 10 7 0 .588 391 343 L.A. Lakers 136, Sacramento 134 Philadelphia at Buffalo, 7 p.m. George Mason 61, Duquesne 45 Birmingham, Ala. Monday, Jan. 2
e-Las Vegas 6 11 0 .353 395 PA Nashville at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Georgia 82, Florida 77 East Carolina 53, Coastal Carolina 29
e-Denver 5 12 0 .294 287 358 Sunday’s Games Seattle at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. LSU 67, Kentucky 48 Camellia Bowl ReliaQuest Bowl
386 Liberty 81, Jacksonville 66 Montgomery, Ala. Tampa, Fla.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 374 Philadelphia 123, Detroit 111 Edmonton at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Louisville 76, Pittsburgh 69 Buffalo 23, Georgia Southern 21 No. 24 Mississippi St. 19, Illinois 10
East 345 Toronto 117, Portland 105 Miami 77, Virginia Tech 66 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Citrus Bowl
W L T Pct PF PA Indiana 116, Charlotte 111 Tuesday’s Games NC State 87, Virginia 62 Phoenix Orlando, Fla.
*-Philadelphia 14 3 0 .824 477 427 Brooklyn 102, Miami 101 Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. South Carolina 58, Mississippi St. 51 Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma St. 17 No. 16 LSU 63, Purdue 7
x-Dallas 12 5 0 .706 467 411 Memphis 123, Utah 118 Minnesota at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Syracuse 91, Clemson 77 Cotton Bowl Classic
x-N.Y. Giants 9 7 1 .559 365 351 Dallas at Oklahoma City New Jersey at Carolina, 7 p.m. Tennessee 84, Vanderbilt 71 Wednesday, Dec. 28 Arlington, Texas
e-Washington 8 8 1 .500 321 463 Minnesota at Houston Seattle at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Wake Forest 51, Georgia Tech 50 No. 14 Tulane 46, No. 8 Southern Cal 45
PA Cleveland at Phoenix Vancouver at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. William & Mary 81, Coll. of Charleston 67 Military Bowl Rose Bowl
South 277 Atlanta at L.A. Clippers Winnipeg at Detroit, 7 p.m. Annapolis, Md. Pasadena, Calif.
WL T Pct PF 401 Dallas at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. MIDWEST Duke 30, UCF 13 No. 9 Penn St. 35, No. 7 Utah 21
y-Tampa Bay 89 0 .471 313 384 Monday’s Games Calgary at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Liberty Bowl
e-Atlanta 7 10 0 .412 365 449 San Jose at Arizona, 9 p.m. Arkansas 77, Missouri 55 Memphis, Tenn. Monday, Jan. 9
e-Carolina 7 10 0 .412 347 New Orleans at Washington, 7 p.m. Florida at Colorado, 9:30 p.m. Belmont 67, N. Iowa 61 Arkansas 55, Kansas 53, 3OT
e-New Orleans 7 10 0 .412 330 Chicago at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday’s Games Cleveland St. 92, IUPUI 59 Holiday Bowl College Football National Championship
Milwaukee at New York, 7:30 p.m. Drake 80, Murray St. 67 San Diego
North WL T Pct PF San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m. Washington at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Fordham 82, Dayton 66 No. 15 Oregon 28, North Carolina 27 DEALS
13 4 0 .765 424 L.A. Lakers at Denver, 9 p.m. Nashville at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Indiana 72, Northwestern 50 Texas Bowl
y-Minnesota 88 0 .500 433 Orlando at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Ohio St. 87, Illinois 81 Houston HOCKEY
e-Detroit 88 0 .500 354 Tuesday’s Games Texas Tech 42, Mississippi 25 National Hockey League
Green Bay 3 14 0 .176 326 Edmonton at Anaheim, 10 p.m. SOUTHWEST
e-Chicago Detroit at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29 DETROIT RED WINGS — Assigned C Elmer So-
Charlotte at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Mississippi 57, Texas A&M 38 derblom to Grand Rapids (AHL).
West WL T Pct PF Oklahoma City at Miami, 7:30 p.m. SOCCER Oklahoma 82, Iowa St. 79 Pinstripe Bowl LOS ANGELES KINGS — Sent D Jacob Moverare
13 4 0 .765 450 Cleveland at Utah, 9 p.m. New York to Ontario (AHL).
y-San Francisco 98 0 .529 407 Orlando at Portland, 10 p.m. English Premier League FAR WEST Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20
Seattle 5 12 0 .294 307 Phoenix at Golden State, 10 p.m. Cheez-It Bowl
e-L.A. Rams 4 13 0 .235 340 Dallas at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. Hawaii 66, Cal St.-Fullerton 53 Orlando, Fla.
e-Arizona Wednesday’s Games Oregon St. 69, Arizona St. 59 No. 13 Florida St. 35, Oklahoma 32
Arsenal GP W D L GF GA Pts Washington St. 66, Washington 52 Alamo Bowl
Chicago at Washington, 7 p.m. 17 14 2 1 40 14 44 San Antonio
Minnesota at Detroit, 7 p.m. Man City 17 12 3 2 45 16 39 COLLEGE FOOTBALL No. 12 Washington 27, No. 21 Texas 20
e-Eliminated from playoffs Indiana at New York, 7:30 p.m. Newcastle 18 9 8 1 32 11 35
x-clinched playoff spot Milwaukee at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Man United 17 11 2 4 27 20 35 2022-23 Bowl Glance
y-clinched division New Orleans at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Tottenham 18 10 3 5 37 25 33
*-clinched home-field advantage San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m. Liverpool 17 8 4 5 34 22 28 Friday, Dec. 16
Saturday’s Games Houston at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Bahamas Bowl
Phoenix at Denver, 10 p.m. Fulham 18 8 4 6 30 27 28 Nassau, Bahamas
Kansas City 31, Las Vegas 13 Brighton 17 8 3 6 32 25 27 UAB 24, Miami (Ohio) 20
Jacksonville 20, Tennessee 16 Brentford 18 6 8 4 30 28 26 Cure Bowl
Sunday’s Games Orlando, Fla.
NHL Chelsea 17 7 4 6 20 19 25 No. 23 Troy 18, No. 22 UTSA 12 ODDS PROVIDED BY
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Minnesota 29, Chicago 13 GP W L OT Pts GF GA Bournemouth 18 4 4 10 18 39 16 Celebration Bowl Terms and conditions apply, see
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Denver 31, L.A. Chargers 28 Toronto 40 24 9 7 55 135 106 West Ham 18 4 3 11 15 24 15 NC Central 41, Jackson St. 34, OT Gambling Problem? Call:
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NBA Carolina 40 25 8 7 57 127 108 Men’s Scores Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas NCAAF For the latest picks and expert
New Jersey 40 25 12 3 53 136 106 Sunday, Jan. 8 No. 17 Oregon St. 30, Florida 3 Monday analysis, go to
Washington 43 23 14 6 52 140 118 Frisco Bowl Spread O/U ML
EASTERN CONFERENCE N.Y. Rangers 41 22 12 7 51 134 113 EAST Frisco, Texas Favorite 12.0 63 -450 Underdog sportsbookwire.com
Atlantic Division Boise St. 35, North Texas 32 GEORGIA tcu
W L Pct GB N.Y. Islanders 41 22 17 2 46 129 114 Albany (NY) 89, Mass.-Lowell 63
— Pittsburgh 38 19 13 6 44 124 116 American 76, Boston U. 74 Monday, Dec. 19
Boston 28 12 .700 Philadelphia 39 15 17 7 37 108 127 Canisius 67, St. Peter’s 60, OT
Brooklyn 26 13 .667 1½ Columbus 39 12 25 2 26 100 152 Holy Cross 63, Loyola (Md.) 55 Myrtle Beach Bowl
Philadelphia 24 15 .615 3½ Iowa 76, Rutgers 65 Conway, S.C. Odds are subject to change.
New York 22 18 .550 WESTERN CONFERENCE Lafayette 74, Bucknell 67, OT Marshall 28, UConn 14 Tipico Sportsbook does not offer
6 Central Division Lehigh 78, Navy 73 lines for New Jersey-based
Toronto 17 23 .425 11 GP W L OT Pts GF GA Manhattan 64, Niagara 59 Tuesday, Dec. 20 college sports teams. Gannett
GB Marist 63, Mount St. Mary’s 56
Southeast Division Pct — Dallas 41 24 11 6 54 144 110 Maryland 80, Ohio St. 73 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
WL .525 2½ Winnipeg 40 26 13 1 53 133 103 NJIT 91, Maine 83, OT Boise, Idaho
Miami 21 19 .462 4 New Hampshire 67, Vermont 60 E. Michigan 41, San Jose St. 27
Atlanta 18 21 .425 6 Minnesota 38 22 13 3 47 126 109 Quinnipiac 81, Iona 58 Boca Raton Bowl
.375 10½ Colorado 38 20 15 3 43 112 110 Siena 68, Rider 63 Boca Raton, Fla.
Washington 17 23 .268 GB Nashville 38 18 14 6 42 108 115 UMBC 81, Bryant 73 Toledo 21, Liberty 19 Scan for $750 offer
Orlando 15 25 —
Charlotte 11 30 ½ St. Louis 40 19 18 3 41 129 148 SOUTH Wednesday, Dec. 21 For a limited time, double your first
3 Arizona 38 13 20 5 31 107 141 deposit with an instant 100% match up
Central Division 6½ Chicago 38 9 25 4 22 82 141 E. Kentucky 62, Liberty 59 New Orleans Bowl to $750*
W L Pct 16 N. Kentucky 78, Detroit 76, OT
Milwaukee 25 14 .641 Pacific Division UCF 85, SMU 53
GP W L OT Pts GF GA Wichita St. 70, South Florida 66
Cleveland 25 15 .625 Vegas 42 27 13 2 56 140 120
Indiana 23 18 .561 6 52 142 146
Chicago 19 21 .475 Los Angeles 43 23 14 4 48 139 122
Seattle 38 22 12 7 45 126 120
Detroit 11 32 .256 Calgary 40 19 14

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TODAY’S FORECAST TODAY’S HIGH TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION FORECAST

A storm off the coast of the T-storms Rain Snow Ice/mix
Northeast Atlantic beaches will
allow for some lingering showers Seattle
at coastal locations early today; it EXTREMESS5SaAS55L9an5EO4oacluFa29lsrl85e9ryraseAammmk8knnapaecg5Fiin4Baesrtec9eloe7osn5PsndoC44Ro1rea5t04lrn6Sas1oano5LB37ndnaP6u69sDarC7lnVimietseyggSo4Bapsor4iE4in3SslP7gpke38hosoI305Sdokta4ea1.hnnGoiexeF4Foalra5lglg4Ssesat5latJH23HfaLofe9ca3llkekes4BenoiaCA5l3A6nliilsntb56pyguesqnue5SraqC313MnuaD4t9ise9aleep7nC4FsevehrC8eeR5irtyaye1pnD6idnL7oue1Cd0N4B3biOgtibos71yekormtlcCaha4PkhitriPo6ecyC0lkmrai4Or4tteaymt5T7Deoa2Fa5phalDle05Wraa6TegksS3uis6ao/c6i4loFhM1sK5t8uJait.oaexaW46infnFfsoee7aasrrl3M2DlstsshuopC15lnliustML65-tCyiShtai09tt4tdy.le3iMP8sRaoi5S9luonwtM5lc5.akC4Le6uo4mhk2B5uiecp2ii4IresM3a5nhmgdi4as1oiiL4rnRaqGogna9uurL4ap3haie5Napsaind1tn9vamotd5sssielli4CihlsneovgM2K4iD4lluloneeC4m73notirntbx4ogcvuC5A5ioiitsnlhtC4lm77enlaalaee2rn4Cltvrotiyhea3talta3BreWP3nlue7idfats9fts6CtaH4s5Shoolbaoa1in8ln0urvurgramiC6gstn3B5Rhobhbn5AR5uianu7ica4raalrrbh5lhll3igeeA4nmasignn9g9otynthonM3oaP4ndnpoh47oinlla4Ntispde5eeH4wlliape3Yrhrotif4Braoko3Ar3sd3Bu8tgao5nungstoar
may be just cold enough for some TODAY
locations around the Interstate 95 TUESDAY
corridor from Baltimore to New
York City to have a slushy, slippery El Paso Midland- Shreveport Jackson 60 67 Note: For contiguous
coating of snow in some spots. 48 states through
Fairbanks Hawaii 69 Odessa Austin 65 61 Mobile Jacksonville 3 p.m. ET yesterday
Dry conditions will be in
place for most of the Southeast, -8 Juneau 71 67 63 Tallahassee 71 HOTTEST:
Midwest and Plains, with a couple 81°
of showers and a thunderstorm in Honolulu San Antonio Baton Rouge 69 Immokalee, Fla.
South Texas. Meanwhile, a large
intense storm system will move Anchorage 34 82 69 Houston 67 New
onshore along the West coast. Orleans
Steady rain is expected from 17 66 64
coastal Washington to Southern Tampa
California.
Puerto Rico 75
This rain will be especially
heavy in Central California, where Brownsville San Juan Miami COLDEST: WEDNESDAY
several inches or more are expect- -15°
ed to fall. Flooding issues, and 78 84 81
even mudslides will remain a con-
cern in this area, especially given Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather Inc. ©2023 Tower, Minn.
recent heavy rain.

Below 10 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110+

TOP TRAVEL CITIES Air quality index (AQI)

ATLANTA BALTIMORE BOSTON CHARLOTTE CHICAGO DALLAS/FT. WORTH DENVER DETROIT HONOLULU HOUSTON LAS VEGAS LOS ANGELES

MON Partly MON Clearing MON Clouds, MON Partly MON Partly MON Turning MON Some MON Mostly MON Mostly MON Mostly MON Cloudy, MON Rain
sunny 50/30 TUE sun TUE sunny TUE sunny sunny TUE sun cloudy TUE sunny cloudy TUE cool 59/54
57/37 WED 43/32 WED 57/33 WED 42/34 68/47 47/34 43/29 82/64 66/51 WED 56/47

TUE Warmer TUE Partly Mostly Partly Partly TUE Sunny Partly TUE Shower Partly TUE Sunny A little TUE Heavy
64/40 WED sunny sunny sunny sunny 78/55 sunny 38/33 sunny 75/60 rain WED rain
51/32 40/27 58/35 43/32 53/29 83/70 59/41 58/48

WED Mostly Partly Partly Mostly Rather WED Partly WED Cooler WED A P.M. WED Shower WED Breezy Partly Mostly
sunny sunny sunny sunny cloudy sunny 43/25 shower 80/67 79/60 sunny cloudy
64/54 48/39 38/34 60/47 44/34 80/47 44/34 58/41 61/48

AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Good

MIAMI MPLS-ST. PAUL NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK ORLANDO PHILADELPHIA PHOENIX SALT LAKE CITY SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE WASHINGTON

MON Partly MON Partly MON Mostly MON Shower MON Mostly MON Shower MON Cloudy MON Showers MON Mainly MON A.M. rain MON A little MON Breezy
TUE sunny TUE sunny TUE cloudy 45/34 TUE cloudy 47/32 TUE spells around cloudy 59/52 TUE rain 50/34
WED 81/64 WED 31/21 WED 64/48 77/54 WED 70/49 45/40 67/58 WED 51/42

Partly Partly Partly TUE Partly Partly TUE Partly Partly TUE Rain TUE Rain TUE Rain Mostly TUE Partly
sunny sunny sunny WED sunny sunny WED sunny sunny 51/33 64/53 57/50 cloudy WED sunny
78/59 31/25 69/57 47/32 73/50 47/32 71/46 53/38 51/33

Mostly Mostly Mostly Partly WED Sunny Partly Partly WED Rather WED Mostly WED A little Showers Partly
sunny cloudy cloudy sunny 75/54 sunny sunny cloudy cloudy rain around sunny
79/62 33/27 76/65 44/38 47/40 63/45 42/32 64/48 56/53 49/44 50/42

AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good

c Cloudy f Fog i Ice r Rain sf Snowflurries sn Snow w Windy dr Drizzle h Haze pc Partly cloudy s Sunny sh Showers t Thunderstorms

U.S. CITIES TODAY TUE TODAY TUE TODAY TUE TODAY TUE TODAY TUE WORLD CITIES
44/31pc 47/35pc
Cincinnati Hartford, Conn. 43/30pc 42/25pc Nags Head, N.C. 50/39c 49/42pc Sarasota, Fla. 74/55s 72/53pc
55/35pc 61/45pc Savannah, Ga. 67/41pc 66/39s
Akron, Ohio 42/30pc 42/33c Cleveland 42/32pc 41/36c Indianapolis 44/34pc 48/35pc Nashville, Tenn. 48/32sn 46/30pc Scottsdale, Ariz. 69/46pc 69/44pc TODAY TUE
44/32sn 44/31s Shreveport, La. 65/46pc 73/59pc
Albany, N.Y. 39/31pc 38/22pc Colorado Springs 53/33s 59/33pc Islip, N.Y. 45/29sn 45/30c Newark, N.J. 52/34c 52/39pc Sioux Falls, S.D. 31/17c 31/11pc Beijing 46/18h 42/19h
60/50r 56/50r South Bend, Ind. 42/33pc 43/31pc Buenos Aires 82/72s 83/72s
Albuquerque 55/33s 57/35pc Columbia, S.C. 61/36pc 64/34pc Jackson, Miss. 61/38c 69/53s New Haven, Conn. 64/34pc 66/38s Spokane, Wash. 38/30sh 39/30c Cancun, Mexico 82/70t 81/70pc
47/26pc 47/27pc 58/37pc 61/42s Dubai, UAE 73/66s 80/68s
Allentown, Pa. 46/27pc 44/26pc Columbus, Ohio 42/29pc 43/34pc Jacksonville, Fla. 71/42pc 68/40s Norfolk, Va. 67/52pc 65/46sh St. Louis 48/33pc 48/36pc Frankfurt 48/40sh 46/42c
66/44pc 66/56pc St. Petersburg, Fla. 55/39pc 56/42pc Hong Kong 65/61r 65/60r
Amarillo, Texas 64/42s 68/42w Corpus Christi, Texas 71/56t 79/59pc Jefferson City, Mo. 59/36pc 59/41s Oakland, Calif. 40/16c 32/18pc Syracuse, N.Y. 74/55s 71/53pc Istanbul 52/46s 58/50c
39/27pc 43/32pc Tallahassee, Fla. 40/31pc 34/27c Jerusalem 53/46sh 56/44pc
Anaheim, Calif. 62/56r 59/50r Dayton, Ohio 43/31pc 42/34pc Kansas City 56/33pc 59/34s Oklahoma City 39/26s 38/18s Tampa, Fla. 69/40pc 70/42s Johannesburg 80/58s 88/60s
51/37r 49/42pc Toledo, Ohio 75/55s 70/53pc London 48/40pc 56/44r
Anchorage, Alaska 17/15pc 28/20sn Daytona Beach, Fla. 74/51pc 70/46s Key West, Fla. 76/68s 76/67pc Omaha, Neb. 43/29pc 44/26s Topeka, Kan. 43/29c 40/32c Mexico City 70/50pc 69/50s
55/29pc 55/34pc Tucson, Ariz. 55/26pc 60/31s Montreal 34/20sn 29/14s
Aspen, Colo. 36/24pc 41/22sn Des Moines, Iowa 47/27c 46/30pc Knoxville, Tenn. 47/31pc 54/38pc Palm Springs, Calif. 51/22pc 49/23pc Tupelo, Miss. 73/46s 74/45pc Moscow 7/4c 13/5c
44/34r 43/32sn Tulsa, Okla. 58/38pc 64/47pc Mumbai, India 89/70h 90/69h
Atlantic City, N.J. 47/34r 47/33pc Duluth, Minn. 25/23pc 28/27pc Laredo, Texas 72/55pc 83/60s Pensacola, Fla. 54/28c 52/31pc Virginia Beach, Va. 64/36w 66/39s Paris 48/40pc 53/49r
38/29pc 33/27c Wichita, Kan. 52/34c 51/40pc Rio de Janeiro 78/73r 81/74t
Augusta, Ga. 63/36pc 64/35s Durham, N.C. 52/25pc 53/27pc Lexington, Ky. 45/31pc 53/38pc Pierre, S.D. 58/51r 55/46r Wilmington, Del. 56/29s 59/32s Rome 62/44r 58/38s
69/52s 80/56s Winston-Salem, N.C. 47/28r 46/29pc Seoul 46/21s 46/24h
Austin, Texas 67/50s 78/57s El Paso, Texas 69/40s 69/45c Lincoln, Neb. 50/24pc 51/29pc Pittsburgh 61/51r 56/47r Worcester, Mass. 52/31pc 56/33pc Singapore 88/76t 89/76t
51/30s 52/28pc 40/26pc 36/21pc Sydney 78/64s 78/66s
61/51r 58/40r Fairbanks, Alaska -8/-16c -7/-16c Little Rock, Ark. 60/42pc 68/52s Portland, Maine Toronto 39/30pc 33/29c
Tokyo 54/42s 52/37w
Baton Rouge, La. 67/42c 70/56pc Flagstaff, Ariz. 45/28pc 45/25c Long Beach, Calif. 62/56r 61/49r Portland, Ore.

Billings, Mont. 46/30c 44/26pc Fargo, N.D. 20/11c 24/18pc Louisville, Ky. 49/36s 55/42pc Providence, R.I.

Birmingham, Ala. 55/36pc 64/46s Fort Myers, Fla. 80/57s 76/54pc Lubbock, Texas 70/39s 73/42w Raleigh, N.C.

Bismarck, N.D. 31/11c 28/16pc Fort Smith, Ark. 62/36pc 68/46s Madison, Wis. 39/30pc 35/26pc Rapid City, S.D.

Boise, Idaho 44/33sh 44/36sh Fort Wayne, Ind. 43/30pc 43/32pc Manchester, N.H. 43/28s 39/19pc Reno, Nev.

Buffalo, N.Y. 37/30pc 38/31c Fresno, Calif. 59/52r 57/43r Memphis, Tenn. 56/42pc 63/53pc Richmond, Va.

Burlington, Vt. 37/25s 30/16c Grand Rapids, Mich. 39/31c 40/32pc Milwaukee 42/34pc 41/32pc Rochester, N.Y.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 43/24c 37/30pc Green Bay, Wis. 31/24pc 37/31c Mobile, Ala. 63/40pc 69/50s Sacramento, Calif.

Charleston, S.C. 65/39pc 64/39pc Greensboro, N.C. 52/30pc 55/33pc Modesto, Calif. 58/50r 56/44r San Antonio

Charleston, W.Va. 43/28c 50/35pc Greenville, S.C. 57/33pc 58/34pc Montgomery, Ala. 60/37pc 68/43s San Jose, Calif.

Cheyenne, Wyo. 48/33s 52/29w Harrisburg, Pa. 48/31pc 47/31pc Myrtle Beach, S.C. 62/36pc 56/41pc Santa Fe, N.M.

SPORTS E3 USA TODAY ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ 7C

Harbaugh’s future now a true mystery

Dan Wolken Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh gestures from the sideline during the 2022 baugh tweeted, referencing an NCAA vi-
Fiesta Bowl against TCU. KIRBY LEE/USA TODAY SPORTS olations case in 2015 that led to the dis-
Columnist missal of former assistant coach Bo Da-
coach or administrator in a lie – even a win a pair of Big Ten titles and get the vis.
USA TODAY minor one. Wolverines to the College Football Play-
off in consecutive years. At a school And a couple of months earlier, when
Trying to crawl inside the mind of This kind of thing, for example, is where things can go really bad really Smart suggested the NCAA will “have to
Jim Harbaugh would probably end up what got basketball coach Bruce Pearl fast with the wrong guy in charge (see step in” because Michigan set up spring
like one of those lab exercises where fired from Tennessee in 2011 and cast Hoke, Brady and Rodriguez, Rich), it practice at IMG Academy, Harbaugh
they put a mouse in a giant labyrinth out of college coaching for the next three would be absurd to think Michigan will shot back: “If the Georgia coach is im-
and see whether it can find its way out. years. It wasn’t because he had recruits do better if Harbaugh bolts. plying any intent on our part to break
Not only is it impossible, the journey over to his house for a barbecue when rules, he is barking up the wrong tree.”
would be frightening. they weren’t supposed to be there; it And yet, it’s hard to think of many
was his failure to admit it to NCAA in- things that would be more embarrass- When you brand yourself as a white
Harbaugh, however, may not be quite vestigators, who already had photo- ing personally to Harbaugh than having knight of amateurism, which Harbaugh
as slick or unpredictable as he’s gotten graphic evidence in hand and confirma- the scarlet letter of being an NCAA rule and his Michigan Man minions have
credit for. The last few days, the man tion from one of the attendees. breaker. done time and again throughout his ca-
who revels in saying nothing of sub- reer as a college coach, it won’t be pretty
stance is starting to show his cards. Nobody is suggesting Harbaugh is in For all we know, it may be why he when the world suddenly sees you’ve
that kind of jeopardy. Quite the oppo- couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge been doing business the same way as
What’s with all the sudden talk that site, in fact. that Michigan may have cheated, even everyone else. That’s just the way this
he’s ready to go back to the NFL? as minor as it may have been. stuff works.
School officials were well aware of
Why put out a statement through the the charges against Harbaugh by the The world has long moved on taking And if you’re trying to look at it the
University of Michigan that he “ex- time Michigan’s official athletic depart- the NCAA seriously or caring about its way Harbaugh might, why stick around
pects” to remain there in 2023, albeit ment account tweeted his statement voluminous rule book. Just consider to deal with that nonsense?
with the caveat that “no one knows Thursday about intending to return for how Harbaugh reacted in 2016 when
what the future holds?” the 2023 season along with the caption, both Nick Saban and Kirby Smart sug- Especially right now, having dutifully
“A Michigan Man through and through.” gested that Michigan was exploiting a fulfilled every realistic objective that
Well, a giant piece of that puzzle loophole by setting up so-called “satel- was expected of him coming back to his
dropped last week when multiple out- At minimum, that message suggests lite camps” for recruiting throughout the alma mater.
lets, led by The Athletic, reported that the university is ready to stand with Southeast.
Michigan is under NCAA investigation Harbaugh for whatever comes next, Michigan was a mess when he got
for some potential violations during the which could include some type of sus- “ ‘Amazing’ to me- Alabama broke there in 2015. It is now a top-five pro-
COVID-19 dead period in 2020 and that pension if the Level 1 charge sticks. NCAA rules & now their HC is lecturing gram in the country. If his tenure ends
Harbaugh in particular could be in some us on the possibility of rules being bro- now, it’s a smashing success.
trouble for providing false or misleading And why not? All he’s done the last ken at camps. Truly ‘amazing,’ ” Har-
information to the NCAA enforcement couple of years is beat Ohio State twice, But it would be a shame for the sport
staff, considered a Level 1 (most serious) if it comes to that scenario. Harbaugh
breach. may be a creature of the NFL, and his
yearning to hoist a Super Bowl trophy
It remains to be seen how big of a deal may be the biggest of all his professional
this will become. Michigan has just re- goals, but at the end of the day, he’s just
cently received its notice of allegations, another good coach in that league.
which is the beginning of a process that
will likely take months and months to At Michigan, he’s a superstar whose
resolve. quirkiness adds to the rich tapestry of
what makes college football fun and
The underlying violations at the root unique.
of the case seem minor. Impermissible
contact with recruits and improperly Unless there is more to the NCAA in-
using an analyst as an on-field coach are vestigation than what has been report-
not high crimes in the NCAA ecosystem. ed thus far, it would be merely a blip in
Sometimes these things happen. The Harbaugh’s tenure if he stays. Do the
best thing for schools to do is cop to necessary mea culpas, accept the pen-
whatever violations took place, accept a alties and figure out how to go beat Ohio
small punishment and move on. State one more time.

But if Harbaugh lied to NCAA investi- But if Harbaugh truly wants to run
gators or wasn’t forthcoming in the in- back into the arms of the NFL and take
terview process, then a nothing case one more shot at a Super Bowl, he now
automatically becomes a big deal. has his ready-made excuse. That move
Whether you like or loathe the NCAA, its would be the easier thing, certainly the
often ridiculous rules and its shoddy en- more lucrative thing. It might even be
forcement process, the only real ham- the more sensible thing.
mer it can wield is catching a player,
Who knows how it’ll play out at this
point. Trying to guess – with Jim Har-
baugh, of all people – is a maze with no
exit in sight.

Embrace of offense makes Georgia better

Dan Wolken place if the game was played like it is “It’s important that we’re good on Gillespie said. “There’s nobody like
now. defense and explosive on offense,” Georgia.”
Columnist Kirby Smart said. BRETT DAVIS/USA TODAY
College football is just different these Smart said he did not have a eureka
USA TODAY days, and Georgia had no choice but to point to say that Georgia is now a pro- moment where he realized that Geor-
accept it. gram that should be recognized more for gia’s offense needed to be more explo-
LOS ANGELES – There was a time its offense than defense, but it’s not far sive, When he had Nick Chubb and Sony
earlier in Kirby Smart’s tenure when it “You feel like, ‘OK, when is good de- off. After finishing as a top-10 offensive Michel in the backfield early in his ten-
seemed uncertain whether his inclina- fense going to be played in a semifinal or team just once in Smart’s first five years ure, it made more sense to build every-
tion toward defense would inhibit Geor- final for that matter?’ ” Smart said. “I as head coach, the Bulldogs are going to thing around running the ball.
gia’s ability to rise to the very top of a mean, I don’t know. Football has finish among the top-10 scoring offenses
sport that was in the midst of an offen- evolved to where offenses are definitely both years and top-five of the all-impor- Now, he has multiple tight ends in
sive explosion. ahead of defenses. It just seems to ex- tant yards per play stat. Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington
pose itself more towards the end of the (whose status is up in the air for Mon-
It’s not that the Bulldogs were bad of- year. I don’t know if anybody can put a Those statistics would have been day due to an injury) who can create
fensively, but they sometimes lacked fingerprint on it. But I think it is a thing. I hard to envision as recently as 2019 and huge matchup problems, a receiver
the aggressiveness and dynamism in just don’t know what causes it or allows 2020 when Georgia looked like more of a room that goes four or five deep in elite
the passing game that Alabama and it.” plodding offense that really just wanted speed and a running back like Kenny
some of their peers had embraced. For to run the ball and not put its quarter- McIntosh, who is a huge weapon catch-
coaches who love defense as much as This isn’t to suggest that Georgia has backs in position to make big mistakes. ing the ball out of the backfield.
Smart, it’s not always easy to buy into backed off its commitment to defense or
the idea that being elite only on that side sacrificed something in the way it oper- But there was a clear pivot, at least “We’ve evolved to fit who we have on
of the ball isn’t good enough anymore. ates. The Bulldogs are still the most philosophically, when Smart hired Todd offense,” Smart said. “It’s not about how
physically imposing team in college Monken to run his offense. Starting with explosive you are. It’s about how much
But when Georgia plays for its second football, ranking 18th this season in his time under Mike Gundy at Oklaho- more explosive you are than the team
consecutive national title Monday night yards per play allowed (4.95) and fifth in ma State a decade ago, Monken built a you’re playing.
against TCU, Smart doesn’t just accept scoring defense (14.8 points per game). reputation as one of the most creative
that the game might be a shootout – he play-callers in the sport, turning around “I think there’s some teams that are
practically expects it. And over his sev- Those numbers are quite impressive Southern Miss before going to the NFL explosive that maybe have sacrificed
en years as a head coach, the Bulldogs considering Georgia faced three of the where he spent four seasons with Tam- defensively. We’ll never do that because
have evolved to the point where they’re top 10 offenses in college football (Ten- pa Bay and Cleveland. we have to play defense in our league.
built for it. nessee, Oregon and Ohio State) and You’ll never get to important games if
came into the season with a relatively Though the 2020 season was a wash you don’t play good defense.”
“It’s important to me that we’re good inexperienced group after losing five with COVID-19 impacting how much
on defense and we’re explosive on of- first-round draft picks. Monken could install, his impact has But when you’re facing a team like
fense,” Smart said. “Do those things been clear: Not only does Georgia have TCU, which scored 41.1 points per game
lend themselves to each other? They But in the CFP semifinal against Ohio talent all over the field, it can seem im- this year and won its own semifinal
can. They do for us.” State, Georgia didn’t have its best day. possible at times to account for the sim- shootout 51-45 over Michigan, playing
The Buckeyes hit big play after big play, ple volume of things the Bulldogs have good defense in the classic sense may
As college football winds down an- exposing some holes in the secondary in their playbook. not be possible.
other season, it’s difficult to find a and racking up 467 yards of offense. In
matchup that would better represent other words, college football at the high- “The variety of what we’re going to But there is no better testament to
the current state of the sport. est level happened. And the game ulti- see, all the shifts and the motions and what a monster program Georgia has
mately came down to whether Georgia’s variety of formations with the same per- become than winning a title in 2021 with
On one side, you’ve got TCU coached offense had enough juice to erase a 14- sonnel package on the field, it’s chal- a historically good defense, then imme-
by Sonny Dykes, a disciple of the late point fourth-quarter deficit. lenging,” TCU defensive coordinator Joe diately pivoting to a team that can win a
Mike Leach and his Air Raid system big game in the 40s or 50s. Even at Geor-
whose offense has put up huge numbers Of course, Georgia wanted to make gia, where defense is the foundation, it’s
at every stop in his career. On the other, more plays defensively in what became OK if the offense takes the reins some-
you’ve got Smart, who helped put to- a 42-41 win. But in a way, it’s exactly times.
gether some of the best defenses in col- what this team was built to do, even if it
lege football history but now knows you goes against Smart’s coaching DNA. “I like winning,” co-defensive coordi-
can no longer grind a championship nator Will Muschamp said. “The fun is
game opponent to dust like 2011 Ala- “I think Coach Smart has done a good in winning and don’t ever remove your-
bama did in a 21-0 shutout of LSU. More job of seeing the trend where college self from that.”
to the point, that LSU team – which football is going, what needs to happen
ranked 50th nationally in yards per play if we’re going to continue to stay rele- Smart may not love the fact that his
– probably wouldn’t have made it all the vant and compete for championships,” team is going to have to score a ton of
way to a championship game in the first said quarterback Stetson Bennett, who points again to win a second straight
first arrived at Georgia in 2017 when it national title. But if that’s what it takes
ran a much less dynamic system. – and recent trends in college football
suggest it is – nobody is going to be bet-
It might be a touch aggressive at this ter equipped.

8C ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY SPORTS

Bauer won’t be missed if he’s pitched last game

Gabe Lacques might not be monetary. Trevor Bauer hasn’t pitched in the cusing on his reinstatement rather than
There is a better than zero chance that majors since June 2021. the time served.
Columnist
Bauer has pitched his last major league RICK SCUTERI/USA TODAY SPORTS While Watson’s case differs from
USA TODAY game; at the least, we know one team Bauer’s on so many levels, his NFL future
has decided to wash its hands of him. It prosecuting alleged sexual assaults, and hinges on the same concept.
As Deshaun Watson sat out the 2021 will take 29 more clubs to determine that a lack of charges does not necessar-
NFL season, it rumbled on smoothly whether any benefit a soon-to-be 32- ily indicate an absence of abuse. Can you watch Watson play quarter-
without him. year-old short-season Cy Young Award back and not think of the two dozen
winner brings will be worth the reputa- That concept is a linchpin of MLB’s massage therapists who stepped for-
The league produced a record $11 bil- tional damage. Perhaps some will even domestic abuse policy, evidenced by the ward with disturbing allegations against
lion in national revenue. TV ratings were acknowledge, as part of their calcula- 15 domestic violence suspensions since him? Of how they might feel to see him
up 10%, highest since 2015. More than 110 tion, the feelings of women whose other- 2015 – and just one resulting in a convic- exalted, even if only by boozed-up syco-
million viewers tuned into the Super wise carefree day at the ballpark would tion. phants on the shores of Lake Erie?
Bowl, also the highest since 2015. The be ruined by the sight of Bauer pitching
NFL did not miss Deshaun Watson. for or against their favorite team. The dossier against Bauer would Can any sexual assault victims – 1 in 6
grow, after a Washington Post report re- American women has been the victim of
And yet after a year spent in limbo To be clear, this is not intended to be vealed an Ohio woman received a tem- rape or attempted rape, according to
while he faced 26 lawsuits from massage an NFL bad, MLB good exercise. porary order of protection against Bauer RAINN – turn on a game involving Wat-
therapists detailing alleged misconduct, in June 2020, due to injuries she told po- son or Bauer without reopening old
Watson, at his best a franchise quarter- Yet a major league environment that lice she suffered in a 2017 encounter as wounds?
back, was greeted not as a depreciated would cleanse itself of Bauer signals a well as threatening text messages.
asset but rather a hot commodity. cultural shift, albeit modest, that’s oc- Sadly, the fate of these men’s liveli-
curred among the league and its fran- Bauer has denied all allegations, call- hoods ultimately comes down to busi-
His former team, the Houston Texans, chises. It’s equally clear such an evolu- ing his encounters with the California ness. The Browns made a business deci-
fetched six draft picks, including three tion has not fully occurred in the NFL, at woman “wholly consensual,” and has not sion and can apparently live with what-
consecutive first-rounders, from the least not when it involves a player of been charged with a crime. Yet the alle- ever taint that might come if Watson
Cleveland Browns. The Browns then gift- Watson’s caliber. gations against him created a public rec- leads them to the first Super Bowl in their
ed Watson a record $230 million guaran- ord far more voluminous than any previ- largely tragicomic history.
tee, including a $45 million signing bo- Bauer is a very good pitcher and ous offender of MLB’s domestic violence
nus, even as they knew an NFL suspen- would upgrade anyone’s rotation. policy. We don’t yet know if Watson, specifi-
sion – ultimately 11 games of the 2022 cally, is repellent on a local or global
season – was imminent. It is why the Dodgers awarded him a After the county opted not to press scale. One metric is not encouraging: A
$102 million contract in February 2021, charges in February 2022, the league of- Forbes report indicates NFL viewership
Never mind the highly specific accu- even if the right-hander’s personality fice spent nearly three more months de- is down 3% from last year’s numbers.
sations that emerged in two dozen law- provoked more red flags than you’d see liberating discipline before suspending The NFL says the move of its Thursday
suits filed against Watson, of which 23 over 188 laps at Talladega. Bauer on April 29. Bauer appealed the night game from network to streaming is
were settled confidentially. Or the notion suspension. the main culprit, which would divert
that he deployed dozens of massage A not insignificant number of Dodgers blame both from Watson and a damning
therapists in a short period of time – 66 fans voiced their displeasure when On Dec. 22, an arbitrator jointly ap- congressional report on sexual miscon-
in 17 months, according to one report. Bauer was signed, left to hold their noses pointed by MLB and the union agreed duct in the Washington Commanders’
when he pitched. Dodgers president of that the policy was violated, and largely organization.
And never mind, ultimately, that baseball operations Andrew Friedman concurred with the parameters of the
nearly half of NFL fans are women. Wat- claimed the club did its homework on punishment. In short, a 10-month league Yet even if you’re wedded strictly to
son can win football games. Bauer. Now, Friedman has one more year investigation followed by nearly eight balance sheets and not, say, basic decen-
to juggle the ramifications of the most ill- months of an arbitrator’s deliberations cy, creating an environment unwelcome
Yet it doesn’t have to be like that. advised transaction in his otherwise dis- determined that a suspension of unprec- to women is bad business.
Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers des- tinguished career. edented length was justified.
ignated Trevor Bauer for assignment, Now, we will find out if Bauer is too
cutting ties with the pitcher 15 days after It turned sour almost immediately, The typically strident Bauer was toxic for 29 other teams, who can simply
an arbitrator upheld 60% of his 324- Bauer landing on administrative leave in slightly more muted in his reaction, fo- wait for Bauer to clear waivers and sign
game suspension levied by Major July 2021 after a California woman him for the minimum $720,000. The
League Baseball for violating its joint do- sought a five-year protective order Dodgers have gone on fine without him,
mestic violence, sexual assault and child against him. She alleged Bauer choked burning a pair of decent if not integral
abuse policy. The 324-game ban was a her unconscious during two otherwise prospects to replace him with Max
record under the policy and, after consensual sexual encounters and pene- Scherzer one year, and rehabilitating the
Bauer’s appeal, the 194-game ban that trated her anally without her consent. careers of multiple mid-level pitchers to
was upheld remains the longest ever. The woman sought treatment at a hospi- make up the difference the next.
The suspension cost Bauer $37.5 mil- tal for facial and vaginal injuries.
lion of salary, though he will still receive And perhaps that’s the reality Bauer
about $22 million of the $35.3 million The protective order was eventually now faces, a lesson we learned during
owed him this year. His greatest loss rescinded in August 2021 and, after a Watson’s one-year absence. You will al-
seven-month review of charges, the Los most certainly get your money. You can
Angeles County district attorney’s office air your grievances as loudly and as fre-
opted not to press charges. But sports, quently as you like.
too often, remind us the difficulty of
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LIFE Furry friends make marks Sassy ‘M3GAN’ goes from
USA TODAY | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SECTION D as social media influencers advanced AI to Aiiiiiieeeeee!

From grumpy cats to goofy golden retrievers, Creepy-doll movies get an upgrade with satire
pets on video can make us happy. Page 2D and humor thrown in. eeeE review. Page 4D

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LIFELINE STREAMING HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MARK J. TERRILL/AP Detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale, left) teams up with Edgar TikTok’s prank
Allan Poe (Harry Melling), a cadet at West Point, in “The Pale Blue Eye.” of ‘killing off ’
MAKING WAVES celebrities is
LAURA INGRAHAM ‘Pale Blue Eye’ not always fun
doesn’t blink
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham abruptly at putting Poe David Oliver
ended an interview on her show with in twisty tale
activist and author Steve Almond USA TODAY
after he called out the news channel Patrick Ryan USA TODAY
for fearmongering. Almond, who Andy Cohen is not dead. Michael B.
wrote “Against Football: One Fan’s Spoiler alert: This post contains details about the ending of Net- Jordan is not dead. But if you weren’t
Reluctant Manifesto,” appeared flix’s “The Pale Blue Eye” (now streaming). Stop reading now if paying attention to the news and
Wednesday to discuss Buffalo Bills you haven’t seen the movie. h “Believe nothing you hear, and only someone told you they were, would
player Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest one half that you see.” h It’s a famous maxim by Edgar Allan Poe you believe them?
and to explain why he no longer that also works as a thesis for Netflix’s twisty “The Pale Blue Eye”
watches the game, citing violence, (now streaming). Adapted from Louis Bayard’s 2003 novel, the It’s the latest trend engulfing Tik-
racism and brain injuries suffered by historical fiction thriller follows grieving detective Augustus Lan- Tok feeds, with the hashtag #celebri-
players. When Ingraham interviewed dor (Christian Bale) as he investigates the grisly murders of sev- tydeathprank at more than 200 mil-
Almond on the topic, he used the eral cadets at the West Point military academy in the 1830s. “Har- lion views on the platform. Kids, in
discussion to criticize her and Fox ry Potter” alum Harry Melling plays Poe, then a cadet and aspiring particular, are pranking their parents.
News. “Your entire economic model is writer, who aids Landor with the case. h Bayard and Melling tell
to scare your viewers. That’s your us about the movie’s real-life history and shocking ending: The videos come at a cost, psychol-
whole gig,” he told her. ogists say, potentially traumatizing
‘Pale Blue Eye’ is advertising that connection either; I those pranked. Parents have a respon-
IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY not a true story think they’re a little embarrassed by sibility to talk with and set examples
WHO’S CELEBRATING TODAY him.” for their children before jokes go too
The movie features other real-life far.
Princess Kate is 41. Omari Hardwick characters including Generals Syl- The movie shows a different
is 49. Nina Dobrev is 34. vanus Thayer (Timothy Spall) and side of Edgar Allan Poe “We have to get to a place where we
Ethan Allen Hitchcock (Simon Mc- bridge this gap with this empathy def-
HOROSCOPE | SANCTUARY Burney) who worked at West Point. Melling’s introduction to Poe was icit that we are especially seeing with
More: www.sanctuaryworld.co But the story itself is entirely fiction- in a 1990 Halloween episode of “The our children,” says T.M. Robinson-
al. Simpsons,” before he read “The Ra- Mosley, counseling psychologist.
Aries (March 21-April 19). Venus’ con- ven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” in
nection to retrograde Mars attracts “There’s really only one truthful school. But “Pale Blue Eye” subvert- Cohen has ‘no desire’ to watch
new friends and creative collabora- part of this, which is that Edgar Al- ed his expectations of the author, people thinking he’s dead
tors. Relationships flourish while you lan Poe did spend six months at who died at 40 in 1849.
pursue shared goals. West Point,” Bayard says. “That’s h Angela Bassett and Courtney B.
Taurus (April 20-May 20). As Venus something that surprises people. “In some ways, it does reinvent Vance’s son Slater Vance apologized
and Mars connect, charisma helps you It’s the reason I chose this setting the idea of who Poe is,” Melling says. after taking part in the trend, telling
form relationships that boost your because a lot of people don’t know “I think a lot of people will come into his mother and father that her “Black
public profile. that he was there. And West Point Panther” co-star Michael B. Jordan,
Gemini (May 21-June 21). Venus and has certainly never made a point of See PALE BLUE, Page 4D 35, had died. It felt especially cruel giv-
Mars’ harmonious connection places en the death of co-star Chadwick Bo-
you on a path of personal develop- Poe (Melling, right) was at West Point. “That’s something that surprises seman, 43, of colon cancer in 2020.
ment. What is your chief desire? people,” author Louis Bayard says. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SCOTT GARFIELD/NETFLIX
Cancer (June 22-July 22). The sensual h “I hope this can be a teaching les-
tension is palpable as Venus and Mars son to anyone else who uses social
connect. Playing the waiting game media as a tool and a source of enter-
intensifies attraction! tainment to truly understand that your
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). Venus’ harmo- actions can have consequences that
nious connection with Mars helps you extend beyond you,” Slater Vance said
to find common ground without sacri- in a follow-up TikTok video.
ficing your principles.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). As Venus Michael B. Jordan, left, and Andy
and Mars connect, you can situate Cohen are both alive and well.
yourself for success without upsetting
the workplace hierarchy! GETTY IMAGES; KENA BETANCUR/AFP
Libra (Sept.23-Oct. 23). Venus and
Mars’ connection is heart-opening. h Andy Cohen, 54, is over the trend,
Plan a date to woo your love interest! too. “I have no desire to experience
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Venus and people’s reactions to me dying,” Cohen
Mars link up today, improving rapport said on “Watch What Happens Live,”
with loved ones and (chosen) family. asking people to stop making, sharing
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Venus and tagging him in these videos.
and Mars’ cosmic connection is the
ideal time to express your feelings! ‘Real emotional trauma’
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). As Venus
and Mars connect, treat yourself! You Kids are more hyperconnected than
know how to love yourself best. ever on social platforms and assign
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Venus’ value based on likes and popularity.
connection to Mars makes the day “This constant approval seeking on-
romantic. Your magnetic energy draws line is connected to these attempts to
in admirers! post something that goes viral,” Mos-
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Love ley says.
sneaks up when you’re least looking
for it! As Venus and Mars connect, Don’t let the laughter in the back-
passion catches you off guard. ground of these videos fool you – real
sensitivities linger.

“It’s easy to see how some may dis-
miss this kind of prank by a child as
harmless fun,” says New York psychol-
ogist Joseph Cilona. “However, for
some fans, the death of a celebrity can
be an emotionally significant and trau-
matic event. This arguably innocent
prank can result in real emotional
trauma.”

People can thank parasocial rela-
tionships for that, that is, developing
one-sided relationships with celebri-
ties that can rival real connections.

“In many cases, the amount of time
someone ‘interacts’ as fan of a beloved
celebrity can actually supersede the
amount of time they spend with some
of their real life relationships,” Cilona
says.

Plus, “unexpected death is traumat-
ic, whether it’s with someone that you
know, or someone that you revere, the
fact that that person is there one day
and gone the next second ... that in and
of itself is traumatic,” Mosley says.

Benjamin Goldman, a mental
health therapist, suggests this type of
prank could make a parent even con-
front their own mortality: “Maybe a

See PRANK DEATHS, Page 4D

2D ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY LIFE

BOOKS

Pick up Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’
or travel to ‘Upper Country’

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
All books are on sale Tuesday.

‘Spare’ ‘Hell Bent’ ‘Bloodbath Nation’ ‘In the Upper Country’ ‘Small World’
By Prince Harry (Random By Leigh Bardugo By Paul Auster; By Kai Thomas By Laura Zigman
House, nonfiction) (Flatiron, fiction) photographs by Spencer (Viking, fiction) (Ecco, fiction)
Ostrander (Grove,
What it’s about: Rarely does a What it’s about: The second nonfiction) What it’s about: The fates of What it’s about: Newly di-
book have us hooked with just book in the author’s Alex Stern two women intertwine in 1800s vorced sisters Joyce and Lydia
its title, but Prince Harry’s series and sequel to “Ninth What it’s about: Auster ex- Canada, at the terminus of the move in together for the first
evocatively titled memoir, an House” finds Stern determined plores the history of American Underground Railroad populat- time as adults. But instead of
apparent reference to his being to break Darlington out of pur- gun use and abuse, from vio- ed by people fleeing enslave- bringing them together, their
the royal family’s “spare” heir, gatory even as she uncovers se- lent Native American displace- ment, their stories revealing cohabitation starts to pull them
promises to be a scintillating crets about Yale’s secret magi- ment through modern-day the interwoven histories of apart, forcing them to acknowl-
personal account. cal societies that could cost her mass shootings, with the Black and Indigenous peoples edge and heal painful old fam-
The buzz: The book has been dearly. book’s text interspersed with in North America. ily wounds.
kept under lock and key, but in The buzz: “Well-drawn charac- photographs of the sites of The buzz: “At once intimate The buzz: Kirkus Reviews calls
an interview last week with ters introduce the criminal un- those mass shootings. and majestic, Thomas’s ambi- it “a compassionate, often fun-
Anderson Cooper on “60 Min- derworld to the occult kind in a The buzz: A starred review tious work heralds a bright new ny examination of shared fam-
utes,” Prince Harry said, “When breathless and compelling from Kirkus Reviews calls it “a voice,” says a starred review for ily grief and love.”
we’re being told for the last six plot,” says a starred review from harrowing, haunting reflection Publishers Weekly.
years, ‘We can’t put a state- Kirkus Reviews. on the routine slaughter
ment out to protect you.’ But wrought by guns.”
you do it for other members of
the family … There becomes a
point when silence is betrayal.”

CELEBRITIES

Furry influencers will make you hit paws

Sara Moniuszko

Special to USA TODAY

They have millions of followers. They Lauren and Harrison Makofsky with their cat Maya, a pet influencer. PROVIDED Courtney Budzyn says she was
have the cutest faces. And they’re four- surprised her “goofy Golden
legged and furry? “When you’re looking at other peo- tually can have a similar effect. Retriever,” Tucker, now has more
ple’s stuff, you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m not good A 2020 study conducted by the Uni- than 3 million followers. PROVIDED
That’s right, we’re talking about pet enough.’ With a dog, you don’t feel that
influencers. way. You just watch them living life roll- versity of Leeds in the United Kingdom page (which now includes doggy broth-
ing in the grass, feeling free and just be- found that watching cute animals may er Mordecai, who’s deaf, and cat sibling
From Grumpy Cat to Noodle the Pug ing a happy dog.” contribute to positive mental health by Dragon, who’s paralyzed) is a communi-
(rest in peace), social media famous fe- reducing stress and anxiety. ty of 527,000 followers and counting.
lines and other furry friends have a hold Chris Equali, human and voice be-
on audiences online. hind the corgi duo Hamilton and Olivia The study examined how watching Money they earn through social
of @hammyandolivia, also nominees, images and videos of cute animals (kit- media goes to their nonprofit AllWorthy,
Why are they some of our favorite in- started his fluffs’ account in 2020 when tens, puppies and even quokkas and ba- which teaches children (and adults) to
fluencers to follow? We spoke to the hu- the onset of the pandemic kept him at by gorillas) for 30 minutes affected embrace each others’ differences.
man companions of some famous pets home. Now with 706,000 followers, he blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety.
to get the scoop on why these unexpect- has heard fans love the pups’ account so “It’s been really cool to see just how
ed celebs pull in so many followers – much because it provided emotional In 2021, researchers from the Depart- many people’s perspectives are chang-
and it’s not just about their boop-able support during a dark time, especially ment of Psychology at Ryerson Univer- ing or the conversations that happened
snouts and hilarious personalities. for those who don’t have pets. sity in Toronto focused specifically on in the comments. One person will now
dog videos’ impact on stress. The re- say, ‘oh, what’s wrong with her?’ and
Why follow cats and dogs? Can pet videos make you happier? sults? Dog videos can decrease anxiety someone else will be like, ‘Hey, that’s ac-
and increase happiness. tually super ableist. Here’s why.’
h They don’t judge and don’t draw “It allows people to escape. We can be
comparisons to the curated, perfect that north star for a lot of viewers (who) Pets can connect, raise “And it’s cool to see that we’ve been
lives on many Instagram accounts. need to disconnect from reality for a bit awareness and even advocate able to help make that happen,” Lauren
and just have a feel-good moment,” says.
h We are spending more time with Equali says. “Whether they’re in front of For Equali and Budzyn’s fans, the im-
our pets than in the past two decades. you or you’re looking at them through a pact goes beyond laughs, both sharing Nominated for the pet influencer of
The American Time Use Survey shows phone, pets are great emotional support stories they’ve heard from followers the year category, the couple is looking
that 20% of Americans reported spend- catalysts for a reason - they are very about how their posts helped save lives. forward to expanding their impact with
ing time with pets in 2021. good at calming individuals down.” the help of their furry family, which has
Not only are some pet influencers the inspired others to adopt disabled ani-
h Studies have shown watching pets Science agrees. Just as the way pets “goodest boy,” but their humans are do- mals and learn about disability through
virtually can have positive impacts. and emotional support animals can ing good too. Maya’s children’s book.
help/positively affect people in person,
Pet parents explain popularity studies have shown watching pets vir- Lauren and Harrison Makofsky start- “It’s been really cool to see that we
ed sharing photos of their cute cat Maya can have a positive impact on the dis-
Courtney Budzyn, mom to Tucker of who has a genetic abnormality in 2017 ability community,” Lauren says. “Peo-
the Instagram account @TuckerBud- via the account @meetmayacat. Their ple around the world are using her chil-
zyn, says she never expected her goofy dren’s book to teach kids about their
golden retriever to have such an impact. disabled siblings or to teach kids with
disabilities about how being different is
Since starting her Instagram in 2018, awesome.”
Tucker’s followers have exploded to
more than 3.3 million and he’s nominat-
ed for pet influencer of the year at this
year’s American Influencer Awards af-
ter winning the category last year.

What’s the appeal of her pups (Tuck-
er’s son Todd also has his own page) and
others online? Budzyn describes them
as “therapy dogs on the go.”

“It really soothes people’s anxiety
and depression. I’ve had a few people
say that when they’re having a panic at-
tack they’ll go and watch Tucker’s
videos and it really helps them.”

Social media is full of toxic consump-
tion and comparisons, especially to hu-
man influencers’ perfect posts. But with
pets, there’s no pressure.

LLIIFFEE USA TODAY ❚■ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚I 3D

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4D ❚ MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY LIFE

MOVIE REVIEW Prank deaths

Sinister, satirical doll ‘M3GAN’ Continued from Page 1D
will toy with your emotions
prank about a parent’s favorite celebri-
Brian Truitt ty dying is cruel because it really preys
on the parent’s anxiety about their
Columnist death, their loss of youth, their loss of
USA TODAY culture, their loss of cultural signifi-
cance.”
Creepy doll movies get a needed up- M3GAN reads to Cady (Violet McGraw) in “M3GAN.” PROVIDED BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES
grade with the sassy and sinister Not all pranks are the same
“M3GAN.” lives of her sister and brother-in-law, matic murder-toy cohorts such as
Gemma becomes guardian for her 9- Chucky and Annabelle and owns the Of course, there’s plenty of room for
Cinema’s newest “friend till the end” year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), screen as an unholy cross between pranks to go around – even this one,
is a cutting-edge robot with blond hair, though she’s unprepared to be a mom. Teddy Ruxpin, Regina George and where some parents seem to be more
caustic attitude and a killer protective Freddy Krueger. M3GAN talks back, in on the joke.
streak who’s equally hilarious and un- Gemma “pairs” her new project – goes feral when hunting her prey (such
nerving. Produced by horror masters Ja- M3GAN, short for Model 3 Generative as mean bullies) and busts out TikTok- “We don’t want to call all forms of
son Blum and James Wan (“The Conjur- Android – with Cady and their connec- ready dance moves before wreaking pranking, or all forms of comedy cruel
ing”), “M3GAN” (eeeE; rated PG-13; tion is immediate. They get along swim- violent havoc. And don’t worry if you or dark or ill-intentioned because
now in theaters) satisfies with slasher mingly, Gemma’s annoying boss (Ronny love every bonkers minute of it. there’s a lot to be gained from comedy
gusto, “Black Mirror”-esque satire and Chieng) fast-tracks M3GAN into pro- as a form of connection,” Goldman
social media savvy. It’s also just plain duction (for $10,000 a pop!) though red Don’t let a toy parent your kid says.
fun to watch a film that packs a healthy flags start appearing: M3GAN has some
amount of absurdity alongside an in- serious protect-Cady-at-all-costs pro- Writer Akela Cooper carries over a It’s more about the intention.
sightful exploration of 21st-century par- gramming, and when Gemma says in similarly enjoyable and bizarrely “We see that as maybe a way of un-
enting, though you might never trust passing “Everybody dies,” you know campy vibe from “Malignant” to this dermining the relationship or poking
Alexa ever again afterward. things are going to get bloody. (Spoiler film, which operates more as black at the power dynamics between a ca-
alert: They do.) comedy than scary movie. It’s plenty regiver and the person who’s given
A rare January film that works vicious, though the action leans car- care to,” Goldman says.
M3GAN is the real star toonish as the camera pulls back from “Pranks in general can be cruel if
Movies in the first week of January anything too gnarly. you take them too far,” says Regine Ga-
are almost never any good, but Williams, who first strutted her hor- lanti, a psychologist. “But it doesn’t
“M3GAN” is an unsuspected surprise: ror-movie stuff in “Get Out,” is impres- “M3GAN” rocks plenty of style and necessarily mean that there is an em-
sive as a suddenly single parent who has offers some crafty needle drops: A bit pathy deficit or something wrong.”
h The plot centers on a roboticist to care for Cady’s needs and also deal of “Toy Soldiers” is especially clever.
aunt, her orphaned niece and the high- with the violent chaos M3GAN inevita- The smartest parts, however, dig into How to talk to kids about the
tech dynamo who comes into their lives. bly brings. McGraw holds her own, too, the themes of being a mom or dad in TikTok celebrity death prank
since Cady’s tumultuous emotions run the age of screen time. “M3GAN” is a
h A mélange of Hollywood magic, deep and she begins to use M3GAN as a cautionary tale of what happens when h Think about why you had such a
M3GAN sings, dances and murders – snarky role model. something that’s supposed to help visceral reaction. Did a joke about La-
not necessarily in that order. parents instead replaces them and the dy Gaga’s death, for example, hit you
But M3GAN herself is the movie’s consequences of an overreliance on because she means a lot to you?
h If you liked the over-the-top cult marvel. Created via puppetry, anima- technology, with that lesson coming in
slasher flick “Malignant,” you’ll dig this. tronics, special effects and a real girl the form of a highly entertaining h Don’t be afraid to let your emo-
(actress Amie Donald), the title force of mean-girl machine. tions show. If your child hurt you, let
AI is cool until it runs amok synthetic nature surpasses her cine- them know.

Toy designer Gemma (Allison Wil- h Consider the intent. Was this
liams) toils on a cheap new version of just a silly prank, or is your child seek-
her company’s popular Purrrpetual ing attention you haven’t given?
Pets, little fuzzballs that poop pellets if
kids “feed” them too much via their h Ask for an explanation – but
iPads, but she’d rather be perfecting her don’t ask why. Mosley suggests “ask-
new robot with state-of-the-art artifi- ing” it like this: “Tell me what you were
cial intelligence that, in theory, would thinking when you posted that. Tell me
help parents take care of their young- what was happening. Give me some
sters. When a car accident takes the insight into your decision to post this
because I’m curious.”

h Give the prankster the benefit of
the doubt. “Intention is really critical.
I am absolutely open to the idea that
someone had a helpful and even
healthy intention when doing one of
these pranks,” Goldman says.

Pale Blue

Continued from Page 1D The point is
finding
this film with an idea of this very dark, Christian Bale is a detective wellness for
moody, somber character. What I quite investigating a series of murders in every body
enjoyed is that he’s actually quite a “The Pale Blue Eye.” PROVIDED BY NETFLIX and every
chipper and eccentric character who is mind.
constantly trying to dazzle people.” Look for Easter eggs
about Bale’s character
Poe’s parents died when he was very
young and he had a contentious rela- Watching the movie again after
tionship with his foster father, who learning the culprit’s identity, viewers
moved the family between Virginia and may pick up hints that it was Landor all
the U.K. Melling used the writer’s “very along.
nomadic, lonely existence” to help in-
form his relationship with the fictional “That very opening scene where you
Landor. see Landor’s character washing his
hands in the stream – it turns out later
“It made sense to me why he would that he’s washing a bloody implement,”
attach himself in such a strong way to Bayard says. “And the scene he has with
this detective,” Melling says. “Maybe in Thayer and Hitchcock about (West
Landor that sense of having a father is Point) and how it warps cadets by forc-
fulfilled in some way.” ing them to follow all these rules – I
think Landor is very much thinking in
That ‘very shocking’ twist pays that moment about the cadets who as-
homage to Agatha Christie saulted his daughter.

Landor and Poe’s investigation leads “When you look back, you can see
them to Julia Marquis (Gillian Ander- that Landor’s attitude toward the whole
son), whose daughter Lea (Lucy Boyn- military establishment is pretty hostile,
ton) suffers seizures and practices black and it has to come from his own experi-
magic as a cure. Poe believes Lea might ence and his daughter’s experience.”
have killed the cadets as part of an oc-
cult ritual until he discovers that Lan- Poe’s ‘fearless’ work has inspired
dor’s handwriting matches a note on other detective stories
one of the dead bodies.
Melling considers Poe the “godfa-
In the end, it’s revealed that Landor ther” of the mystery genre. His finger-
murdered the young men after his prints can even be seen on recent who-
daughter was raped by cadets two years dunits “See How They Run” and “Glass
earlier. The assault drove her to suicide Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.”
and Landor wanted revenge.
“You see his influence everywhere,”
“We’re all capable of anything under Melling says. “He’s one of those writers
the right circumstances,” Bayard says. who’s such a part of our storytelling lan-
“This is a character who has dedicated guage now.”
his career to apprehending criminals
and enforcing justice. And yet when his Bayard believes Poe’s writing reso-
own daughter is taken from him, the nates because of his keen observations
usual institutions are no longer suffi- about human behavior and obsessions.
cient. He has to take matters into his
own hands.” “He was fearless,” Bayard says. “He
plunged into areas that most of us are
The twist is borrowed from Agatha afraid to go in and found these unpleas-
Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ack- ant truths about us. He knew what we’re
royd,” in which the narrator turns out to capable of doing and didn’t hide from
be the murderer. that in his work. He explored it. And I
think that’s why his work affects us on a
“That was very shocking back in really subconscious level: It gets at the
1926, and I think it’s still surprising to- stuff of nightmares.”
day,” Bayard says. “We bring certain as-
sumptions to stories: We don’t think a
detective is going to be investigating his
own crime. He’s our surrogate, so the
fact that he knows all along he’s done it
is a surprise.”

NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 1NN

INSIDE

Alabama woman
who joined IS hopes
to return from Syria
camp. 8NN

Pro-Bolsonaro rioters
storm Brazil’s top
government offices

Protesters clash with police after storming the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday. PHOTOS BY ERALDO PERES/AP

More than 200 arrested
in incident familiar to US

Diane Jeantet and David Biller | ASSOCIATED PRESS rested. In a news conference from Sao Paulo state, Lula accused Bolsona-
ro of encouraging the uprising by those he termed “fascist fanatics,” and
RIO DE JANEIRO – Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bol- he read a freshly signed decree for the federal government to take control
sonaro who refuse to accept his election defeat stormed Congress, the of security in the federal district.
Supreme Court and presidential palace Sunday, a week after the inaugu-
ration of his leftist rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “There is no precedent for what they did and these people need to be
punished,” Lula said.
Thousands of demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed
on roofs, smashed windows and invaded all three buildings, which were TV channel Globo News showed protesters wearing the green and yel-
believed to be largely vacant on the weekend. Some of the demonstrators low colors of the national flag that have come to symbolize the nation’s
called for a military intervention to either restore the far-right Bolsonaro conservative movement and were adopted by Bolsonaro’s supporters.
to power or oust Lula from the presidency. The former president has repeatedly sparred with Supreme Court jus-
tices, and the room where they convene was trashed by the rioters.
Hours went by before control of the buildings on Brasilia’s vast Three
Powers Square was reestablished, with hundreds of the participants ar- See RIOTERS, Page 10NN

A rioter empties a fire extinguisher Sunday at the site of the Brazilian Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro kneel to pray.
president’s official workplace. Officers fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

McCarthy’s next big task:
Win GOP over on rules

Routine process could be To become speaker and win over Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, talks with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, left, and
contentious for speaker skeptics, McCarthy had to make con- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, in the House chamber Wednesday. ALEX BRANDON, AP
cessions to a small group of hard-liners
Hope Yen and Lisa Mascaro who refused to support his ascension
until he yielded to their demands.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Now those promises – or at least
WASHINGTON – After an epic 15-bal- some of them – are being put into writ-
lot election to become House speaker, ing to be voted on when lawmakers re-
Republican Kevin McCarthy faces his turn this week for their first votes as the
next big test in governing a fractious, majority party.
slim majority: passing a rules package
to govern the House. On Sunday, at least two moderate Re-
publicans expressed their reservations
The drafting and approval of a set of about supporting the rules package, cit-
rules is normally a fairly routine legisla- ing what they described as secret deals
tive affair, but in these times, it’s the and the disproportionate power poten-
next showdown for the embattled Mc- tially being handed out to a group of 20
Carthy.
See MCCARTHY , Page 9NN

SUBSCRIBER-EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL EDITION

2NN | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

NATIONAL SUMMARY In the digital e-edition, you can click anywhere on the US map to get up-to-date forecasts, radar, MinuteCast® and more.

A storm off the Northeast Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation for Monday. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
coast today will allow
for some rain and snow Seattle Winnipeg Montreal
showers along the coast in 52/42 20/13 33/19
the morning, making some
spots slippery. Meanwhile, San Francisco Billings Minneapolis Toronto
a potent storm hitting the 59/52 46/30 32/22 38/30
West Coast will move some
heavy rain and gusty winds Los Angeles Denver Detroit New York
into much of California, 59/55 47/34 43/30 47/33
while higher elevations will
have accumulating snow. Chicago Washington
42/33 50/34
Fairbanks
-10/-14 Kansas City
55/32
Anchorage
21/17 Juneau El Paso Houston Atlanta
69/40 68/51 57/35
34/22
Chihuahua Monterrey Miami
Honolulu 69/40 69/51 80/63
81/64 Hilo

85/62

-10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Cold front Warm front Stationary front

SUNDAY EXTREMES TODAY IN HISTORY WEATHER TRIVIA™

NATIONAL (for the 48 contiguous states) INTERNATIONAL (excludes Antarctica) A deadly tornado ripped through Reading, Q: How intense can snowfall be?
Pa., on Jan. 9, 1889, killing dozens and injur-
High: 82 at Immokalee, FL High: 111 at Paraburdoo, Australia ing hundreds of people. It was the first of two
Low: -15 at Tower, MN Low: -74 at Oymyakon, Russia twisters to hit Reading in 1889.
Precip: Precip:
3.46” at Victoria, TX 5.87” at Surigao, Philippines

A: During the strongest storms, accumula-
tions may reach 7-8 inches an hour

NATIONAL CITIES MONDAY O Denotes possible travel delays

Aberdeen, SD High/low/W Air Evansville, IN High/low/W Air Levittown, PA High/low/W Air Rochester, NY High/low/W Air
Abilene, TX Quality Fall River, MA Quality Lincoln, IL Quality Rockford, IL Quality
Accomac, VA 27/9/c Farmington, NM 49/36/s Louisville, KY 48/30/sn Ruidoso, NM 38/30/pc
Adrian, MI 73/48/s 37 Fayetteville, NC 42/30/sn 25 Lubbock, TX 47/34/pc 50 Salem, OR 43/30/pc 21
Akron, OH 44/34/pc 44 Fond du Lac, WI 51/32/c 25 Manitowoc, WI 48/36/s 75 Salina, KS 55/38/s 75
Alamogordo, NM 42/29/c 20 Fort Myers, FL 58/31/pc 41 Mansfield, OH 71/39/s 25 52/32/r 37
Alexandria, VA 42/31/pc 75 Fort Smith, AR 38/30/pc 30 Marshall, NC 31/28/pc 25 O Salinas, CA 56/26/pc 50
Alliance, OH 64/36/s 25 Framingham, MA 80/57/s 75 Marshfield, WI 41/31/pc 75 59/51/r 28
Amarillo, TX 51/30/pc 39 Freeport, IL 62/36/pc 42 Massillon, OH 44/27/c 36 Salisbury, MD 50/29/r 25
Ames, IA 41/31/pc 33 Fremont, OH 45/28/pc 46 McLean, VA 27/23/c 30 San Angelo, TX 75/44/s 29
Anderson, SC 64/43/s 25 Fort Collins, CO 41/27/pc 25 Melbourne, FL 43/31/pc 75 Sarasota, FL 74/56/s 43
Appleton, WI 46/25/s 25 Gadsden, AL 42/31/c 75 Memphis, TN 49/30/pc 25 Savannah, GA 67/41/pc 41
Asheville, NC 58/36/s 25 Gainesville, FL 44/29/s 43 Middletown, NY 76/53/s 33 Sheboygan, WI 37/33/pc 33
Ashland, OH 34/29/pc 30 Galesburg, IL 55/30/pc 75 Milford, MA 57/42/pc 43 Shelby, NC 56/31/pc 75
Athens, GA 47/30/pc 75 Gastonia, NC 73/43/pc 33 Milwaukee, WI 43/30/sf 38 Sherman, TX 66/46/pc 30
Augusta, GA 41/31/pc 30 Glen Rose, TX 44/29/pc 37 Monroe, MI 44/28/pc 43 Shreveport, LA 65/45/pc 42
Austin, TX 60/34/pc 75 Gonzales, LA 57/32/pc 75 Monroe, LA 43/35/pc 25 Silver City, NM 64/33/s 38
Bartlesville, OK 63/36/pc 34 Great Falls, MT 69/47/s 30 Montgomery, AL 42/30/c 75 Sioux Falls, SD 32/16/c 42
Battle Creek, MI 71/50/s 34 Green Bay, WI 65/44/c 45 Muncie, IN 61/42/pc 75 Somerset, PA 35/27/c 58
Bedford, IN 63/26/pc 25 Greenville, SC 44/29/c 53 Murfreesboro, TN 62/36/pc 33 Somerville, NJ 48/26/c 25
Binghamton, NY 41/32/c 40 Hackensack, NJ 33/26/pc 27 Naples, FL 44/35/pc 25 South Bend, IN 42/34/pc 45
Bluffton, SC 46/34/s 25 Hagerstown, MD 57/33/pc 75 Nashville, TN 51/32/pc 41 Spartanburg, SC 57/32/pc 25
36/28/pc 43 Hattiesburg, MS 48/33/c 30 Neptune, NJ 78/57/s 50 Springfield, IL 48/34/pc 30
O Bremerton, WA 63/44/pc 46 Henderson, KY 46/30/pc 56 New Bedford, MA 52/34/pc 42 Springfield, MO 58/37/pc 75
48/36/r 43 Hendersonville, NC 63/36/c 25 New Bern, NC 46/32/sn 50 St. Augustine, FL 70/48/pc 40
Brockton, MA 44/29/pc 29 Herkimer, NY 49/36/s 32 New Philadelphia, OH 43/29/r 45 25/21/c 25
Brownwood, TX 74/39/s 25 Hillsdale, MI 48/30/pc 25 Newark, OH 58/31/c 25 O St. Cloud, MN 51/43/c 75
Burlington, IA 47/29/pc 48 Holland, MI 38/30/pc 30 Newton, NJ 41/29/pc 30 51/21/c 25
Burlington, NC 55/27/pc 35 Hornell, NY 41/30/c 24 New York, NY 43/28/pc 25 St. George, UT 28/24/pc 24
Burlington, VT 37/26/s 30 Houma, LA 39/35/c 41 Norwich, CT 45/27/c 50 Staunton, VA 59/50/r 75
Cambridge, OH 42/28/pc 40 Howell, MI 41/30/pc 25 Ocala, FL 47/33/c 40 Stevens Point, WI 43/29/pc 35
Camdenton, MO 58/36/pc 32 Hutchinson, KS 64/47/c 23 Oklahoma City, OK 43/27/sn 56 76/58/s 40
Canandaigua, NY 40/30/pc 36 Hyannis, MA 42/29/c 42 Opelousas, LA 74/47/pc 59 O Stockton, CA 41/32/c 43
Canton, OH 42/31/pc 46 Indianapolis, IN 56/27/s 75 Oshkosh, WI 64/35/pc 38 69/40/pc 25
Carlsbad, NM 71/44/s 25 Iowa City, IA 40/30/r 33 Palm Beach, FL 66/43/c 40 Stroudsburg, PA 64/46/c 36
Chambersburg, PA 44/27/pc 38 Ithaca, NY 44/34/pc 25 Palm Springs, CA 36/29/pc 53 Stuart, FL 55/28/pc 42
Cherry Hill, NJ 48/31/c 25 Jackson, MS 46/26/c 25 Panama City, FL 77/63/s 75 Sturgis, MI 58/35/pc 27
Cincinnati, OH 43/31/pc 50 Jackson, TN 39/30/pc 41 Pekin, IL 68/52/pc 25 Tallahassee, FL 32/31/pc 33
Clarksville, TN 52/34/s 50 Jacksonville, FL 60/37/c 46 Pensacola, FL 68/45/c 59 Thibodaux, LA 60/58/r 23
Coldwater, MI 41/31/c 50 Jacksonville, NC 52/36/pc 37 Peoria, IL 47/32/pc 37 Topeka, KS 57/50/r 36
Columbus, OH 42/29/pc 25 Kent, OH 72/42/pc 28 Petersburg, VA 66/43/pc 75 Tuscaloosa, AL 45/29/r 42
Corning, NY 43/31/pc 50 Kewanee, IL 59/31/c 25 Phoenix, AZ 46/30/pc 36 Utica, NY 60/51/r 40
Corpus Christi, TX 72/53/t 26 Keyser, WV 43/32/pc 30 Port Huron, MI 54/26/c 75 50/34/pc 42
Daytona Beach, FL 74/51/pc 75 Kinston, NC 43/29/pc 75 Portsmouth, NH 70/50/c 25 O Ventura, CA 21/12/c 33
Deming, NM 67/33/s 39 Knoxville, TN 36/31/pc 75 Poughkeepsie, NY 42/27/c 55 O Victorville, CA 30/26/pc 34
DeRidder, LA 65/45/pc 37 Lafayette, IN 56/30/pc 25 Providence, RI 42/27/s 42 43/27/pc 75
Des Moines, IA 47/27/c 42 Lafayette, LA 46/30/pc 30 Pueblo, CO 45/29/c 25 Vineland, NJ 45/31/c 25
Detroit, MI 43/30/c 25 Lakeland, FL 45/35/pc 41 Quincy, MA 44/29/pc 43 71/37/s 63
Devils Lake, ND 22/8/c 75 Lansing, MI 67/47/c 38 Redding, CA 59/29/s 55 O Visalia, CA 47/28/r 40
Dover, NH 42/27/s 29 Las Cruces, NM 77/51/s 53 46/35/pc 25 63/34/pc 29
El Paso, TX 69/40/s 25 Lebanon, PA 41/30/c 41 O Reno, NV 58/45/r 25 Washington, DC 30/26/pc 30
Elmira, NY 42/31/pc 75 Leesburg, FL 66/37/s 25 44/29/r 41 Watertown, SD 40/28/pc 75
Erie, PA 38/30/pc 26 45/29/pc 41 Ravenna, OH 42/31/pc 25 Wausau, WI 40/26/pc 25
Eugene, OR 54/33/r 32 76/52/pc 42 Richmond, IN 41/31/pc 75 Waynesboro, PA 44/28/pc 25
25 39 50 White Plains, NY 42
Wichita Falls, TX
Wilmington, DE
Wilmington, NC
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Wooster, OH
Worcester, MA
York, PA

Air Quality Index: 0-50, Good; 51-100, Moderate; 101-150, Unhealthy for sensitive groups; 151-200, Unhealthy; 201-300, Very unhealthy; 301-500, Hazardous

INTERNATIONAL CITIES

Monday Tuesday Monday Tuesday Monday Tuesday Monday Tuesday

High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W

Acapulco 85/70/s 85/70/s Cape Town 81/60/s 81/61/pc La Paz 58/39/r 60/38/pc San Jose 80/65/sh 81/65/r
Addis Ababa 76/46/c 76/46/pc 88/75/sh Lagos 86/75/pc 86/75/c San Salvador 86/65/sh 88/66/pc
70/49/sh Caracas 87/75/r 70/49/pc Lima Santiago 83/58/pc
O Algiers 56/42/pc 67/47/c 87/71/pc Lisbon 78/68/c 77/69/pc 84/56/s
48/42/sh 56/40/c Casablanca 69/48/pc 45/40/sh London 64/50/pc 62/56/c O Sao Paulo 72/65/r 75/65/t
Amman 43/23/s 49/46/c 58/37/pc Madrid 48/39/pc 56/44/r O Sarajevo 51/35/r 39/33/r
86/69/pc 48/30/c Colombo 88/72/t Manila 57/32/pc 66/38/pc 56/39/pc
O Amsterdam 61/53/s 95/71/s 57/40/r Mexico City 87/74/pc 53/40/pc Shanghai 88/76/t 89/76/t
77/66/t 59/46/sh Copenhagen 43/38/sh 44/39/c Milan 70/50/pc 86/75/pc Singapore 38/34/sn 37/36/c
Ankara 59/46/c 69/65/sh 75/57/sh Mombasa 53/38/pc 78/64/s 78/66/s
Asuncion 90/75/pc 59/38/s O Damascus 56/40/c 71/63/c 69/50/s O Stockholm 75/64/sh 68/63/sh
Athens 46/18/pc 89/74/r 74/60/t O Montevideo 89/77/t 55/32/c 79/61/sh 80/62/sh
66/57/s 42/19/pc O Dublin 46/39/pc 80/58/s O Montreal 81/64/s 90/77/sh Sydney 48/32/pc 44/32/c
O Auckland 54/41/r 66/54/s 36/34/sn 33/19/sn 83/65/s 55/41/s 51/37/s
O Baghdad 47/40/pc 45/38/r O Geneva 44/38/r 66/61/r Moscow 29/14/s O Taipei 38/30/pc 33/29/c
67/48/sh 46/38/c 89/75/t Nairobi 6/1/c 70/55/c 64/56/pc
Bangkok 47/38/sh 65/46/sh O Guatemala City 75/57/sh 55/42/pc New Delhi 78/58/t 13/5/c Tegucigalpa 46/41/r 47/37/r
Beijing 52/37/pc 49/46/r Hanoi 73/64/c 85/58/s Panama City 67/47/pc 77/60/t Tehran 46/41/r 46/30/c
Beirut 44/39/r 49/43/r 40/30/c 85/73/r 69/49/pc Tokyo 46/39/r 43/35/c
82/72/s 45/32/sh O Harare 73/61/t 83/55/pc O Paris 49/39/pc 87/72/t 36/19/s 33/20/s
O Belgrade 65/52/pc 83/72/s 30/19/c 88/68/pc 53/49/r O Toronto 55/41/r 53/32/c
68/53/s Havana 81/67/s 87/74/pc Port-au-Prince 78/73/r 86/67/t O Tunis 46/37/r 46/38/c
Berlin 66/58/pc 81/74/t O Vancouver
O Helsinki 27/25/c O Rio de Janeiro 61/45/r 64/42/pc O Vienna
O Bogota 58/37/s
O Brussels O Hong Kong 65/61/r Riyadh Warsaw
Yerevan
Bucharest Jakarta 85/75/sh O Rome Zagreb

O Budapest Jerusalem 53/45/sh O Zurich
O Buenos Aires
Johannesburg 79/58/s
Cairo
Kabul 42/23/pc

Khartoum 84/54/pc

O Kyiv 30/23/sf

Kingston 87/75/pc

O Denotes possible travel delays Monday Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

©2023; forecasts and graphics provided by | Go to AccuWeather.com

NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 3NN

BOX OFFICE

‘M3gan’ dolls up with $30.2M while ‘Avatar’ stays No. 1

Jake Coyle

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK – The Blumhouse evil- A little girl’s robot companion goes to murderous ends in the campy horror film “M3gan.” GEOFFREY SHORT/UNIVERSAL PICTURES
doll horror film “M3gan” got off to a killer
start, debuting with $30.2 million in of the Swedish film “A Man Called Ove,” Estimated ticket sales
ticket sales, according to studio esti- managed a solid $4.2 million ahead of
mates, while “Avatar: The Way of Water” its nationwide release on Friday. Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.
continued its box-office reign in the top Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
spot. Third place went to “Puss in Boots: 1. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” $45 million.
The Last Wish,” with $13.1 million in its 2. “M3gan,” $30.2 million.
Universal Pictures’ “M3gan,” about a third week of release. The animated 3. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” $13.1 million.
robot companion built for a young girl Universal Pictures sequel has tallied 4. “A Man Called Otto,” $4.2 million.
after her parents are killed in a car acci- $87.7 million in three weeks, plus $109.7 5. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” $4 million.
dent, rode strong buzz and viral dancing million internationally. 6. “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” $2.4 million.
memes to an above-expectations debut. 7. “The Whale,” $1.5 million.
In the low-budget slasher, starring Alli- While many awards contenders have 8. “Babylon,” $1.4 million.
son Williams, Blumhouse and producer struggled in recent months at the box 9. “Violent Night,” $740,000.
James Wan crafted Hollywood’s first hit office, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” 10. “The Menu,” $713,000.
of the new year, likely spawning a new is proving a modest exception. The A24
high-concept horror franchise. indie starring Brendan Fraser ranked
seventh in its fifth week of release with
Audiences gave the PG-13 film a “B” $1.5 million and a cumulative total of
CinemaScore – though reviews (94% $8.6 million – a good return for a film
fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) were strong- that cost an estimated $3 million to
er for the modern, techy twist on a make.
“Child’s Play”-like thriller. It added $10
million internationally.

But while “M3gan” drew audiences
largely in 2D showings, large-format
screens continued to be soaked up by
James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of
Water.” The 3-D three-hour sequel re-
mained No. 1 for the fourth straight week
in U.S. and Canadian theaters with $45
million in sales.

Cameron’s sci-fi spectacle has now
surpassed $500 million domestically
and $1.7 billion globally. After dominat-
ing the otherwise lackluster holiday cor-
ridor, the “Avatar” sequel is nearly
matching the original’s pace; the 2009
“Avatar” scored $50.3 million in its
fourth weekend.

“The Way of Water” already ranks as
the seventh highest grossing film ever,
not accounting for inflation – a total
particularly owed to its strong overseas
performance. The film’s $1.2 billion in
international ticket sales exceeds that
of any film released since the start of the
pandemic.

“M3gan” was the only new film in
wide release, though Sony Pictures’ “A
Man Called Otto,” starring Tom Hanks,
played in 637 theaters after first launch-
ing in four theaters. The film, a remake

Adam Rich, former ‘Eight Is Enough’ child star, dies at 54

Brian Melley they couldn’t reach him. lished about the actor getting killed in a Former “Eight is Enough” child actor
“He was just a very kind, generous, robbery outside a Los Angeles nightclub Adam Rich in 1991. NICK UT/AP FILE
ASSOCIATED PRESS in 1996. The article in the little-known
loving soul,” Deraney told The Associat- magazine was intended as a satire of
LOS ANGELES – Adam Rich, the ed Press. “Being a famous actor is not America’s celebrity obsession but fiz-
child actor with a pageboy mop-top who necessarily what he wanted to be. … He zled when the spoof was revealed.
charmed TV audiences as “America’s lit- had no ego, not an ounce of it.”
tle brother” on “Eight is Enough,” has “I think we were a little too subtle.
died. He was 54. Rich discussed his mental health on People were not getting the joke,” Rich
Twitter and noted in October that he’d later told the Chicago Tribune. “I don’t
Rich died Saturday at his home in the been sober for seven years. He said he want to be dead.”
Brentwood section of Los Angeles, said wasn’t perfect – referring to arrests,
Lt. Aimee Earl of the Los Angeles Coun- many stints in rehab, several overdoses Rich was the little brother to a gener-
ty Medical-Examiner Coroner’s office. and “countless detoxes (and) relapses” ation of TV viewers as the mop-top son
The cause of death was under investiga- – and urged his nearly 19,000 followers of a newspaper columnist played by
tion but was not considered to be suspi- to never give up. Dick Van Patten, who has to raise eight
cious. children alone after his wife in the show
“Human beings weren’t built to en- – and the actress who played her – died
Rich had a limited acting career after dure mental illness,” Rich tweeted in during filming of the first season.
starring at age 8 as Nicholas Bradford, September. “The mere fact that some
the youngest of eight children, on the people consider those to be weak, or Rich starred in the series “Code Red”
ABC hit dramedy that ran from from have a lack of will is totally laughable … from 1981-82 and voiced the character of
1977 to 1981. because it’s the total opposite! It’s takes Presto the Magician on “Dungeons &
a very, very strong person … a warrior if Dragons” from 1983-85, according to the
He had several run-ins with police re- you will … to battle such illnesses.” IMDB.com. He reprised his best-known
lated to drugs and alcohol – and sought role in two “Eight is Enough” TV movie
treatment at the Betty Ford Center in Rich posted a picture of himself from reunions.
Rancho Mirage. his heyday with one-time child star
Mickey Rooney. But the balance of his acting career
Rich suffered from a type of depres- was in single-episode appearances on
sion that defied treatment and he had “Everyone used to say to me, ‘You are some of the most popular TV shows of
tried to erase the stigma of talking about the modern day Mickey Rooney,’” he the time: “The Love Boat,” “The Six Mil-
mental illness, said publicist Danny De- tweeted. “But when Mickey Rooney told lion Dollar Man,” “Silver Spoons,” and
raney. He unsuccessfully tried experi- me that himself, it meant a helluva a lot “Baywatch.” His most recent credit list-
mental cures over the years. more to me!” ed on IMDB was playing Crocodile Dun-
dee on “Reel Comedy” in 2003.
Deraney said he and others close to Nearly 27 years ago, Rich participat-
Rich were worried in recent weeks when ed in a hoax that Might magazine pub-

Harry’s new memoir draws anger and protests in Afghanistan

ASSOCIATED PRESS “The cruelties which have been com- eliminated before they could kill Good- Prince Harry says he killed 25 Taliban
mitted by Prince Harry, his friends or by ies,” the prince writes. fighters while serving as an Apache
KABUL, Afghanistan – Protesters in anyone else in Helmand or anywhere in helicopter pilot in Afghanistan – a
southern Afghanistan on Sunday gath- Afghanistan is unacceptable, cruel. Harry’s decision to put a number on claim criticized by both the Taliban and
ered following Prince Harry’s claim in These acts will be remembered by histo- those he killed, and the book’s compari- British military veterans.
his new memoir that he killed 25 people ry,” Sayed said at the protest. son of those to chess pieces, drew out-
he described as Taliban fighters while rage from Taliban officials, and concern JANE BARLOW/PA VIA AP
posted with British forces there. NATO and U.S. troops withdrew in from British veterans.
August, 2021 from the country after 20 memoirs “exposed the real face of the
Around 20 faculty and students years of warfare there and running air “We ask the international communi- Western world.”
demonstrated at a local university in operations in support of the Western- ty to put this person (Prince Harry) on
Helmand, the province where British backed Afghan government’s fight trial, and we should get compensation “It is a clear indication of their cruel
forces were largely concentrated during against a Taliban insurgency. Their for our losses,” said Mullah Abdullah, and horrific actions,” he said.
the NATO and U.S.-led coalition opera- withdrawal set the stage for the Tali- who lost four family members in what
tions in Afghanistan. ban’s rapid return to power that month. he described as a U.K. airstrike in 2011
that hit his family home in the Nahr-e-
“We condemn his (Prince Harry’s) In his memoir, “Spare,” Harry says he Saraj area of Helmand.
action which is against all norms of hu- killed more than two dozen Taliban mil-
manity,” one demonstrator said. Others itants while serving as an Apache heli- “We lost our house, life, and family
carried posters showing Harry’s portrait copter copilot gunner in Afghanistan in members. We lost our livelihood and
with a red ‘x’ across it. 2012-2013. He writes that he feels nei- also our loved ones,” said Abdullah,
ther satisfaction nor shame about his while visiting the graves of the family
Sayed Ahmad Sayed, a teacher at the actions, and in the heat of battle regard- members he lost in the strike.
university, condemned Harry for his ed enemy combatants as pieces being
role in UK military operations in Af- removed from a chessboard, “Baddies The media director for the Taliban
ghanistan. governor of Helmand, Mawlavi Moham-
mad Qasim, said Harry’s claims in his

4NN | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

California hit by more severe storms

State braces for
potential floods

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO – California was hit Tree branches block a road in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday. KATHLEEN RONAYNE/AP
with more turbulent weather Sunday as
thunderstorms, snow and damaging downed trees and difficult driving con- storm has passed,” the department said to 8 inches of rain in foothill areas. High
winds swept into the northern part the ditions will be possible,” the office said in a statement. surf was expected through Tuesday,
state, preceding another series of in- on Twitter. with large waves on west-facing beach-
coming storms and raising the potential The wet weather comes after days of es.
for road flooding, rising rivers and mud- Evacuation warnings were in place rain in California from Pacific storms
slides on soils already saturated after for about 13,000 residents of a flood- that last week knocked out power to Since Dec. 26, San Francisco received
days of rain. prone area of Sonoma County north of thousands, flooded streets, battered the more than 10 inches of rain, while Mam-
San Francisco, where the swollen Rus- coastline and caused at least six deaths. moth Mountain, a popular ski area in
The National Weather Service sian River was expected to overspill its the Eastern Sierra, received nearly 10
warned of a “relentless parade of at- banks in the coming days. The first of the newest, heavier feet of snow, the National Weather Ser-
mospheric rivers” – storms that are long storms prompted the weather service to vice reported.
plumes of moisture stretching out into The state Department of Transporta- issue a flood watch for a large swath of
the Pacific capable of dropping stagger- tion warned motorists to stay off moun- Northern and Central California with 6 The storms won’t be enough to offi-
ing amounts of rain and snow. tain roads after closing a stretch of U.S. to 12 inches of rain expected through cially end California’s ongoing drought
395 in Mono County due to heavy snow, Wednesday in the already saturated – but they have helped.
In the state capital, more than ice and whiteout conditions along the Sacramento-area foothills.
60,000 customers were still without Eastern Sierra. State climatologist Michael Ander-
electricity Sunday evening – down from In the Los Angeles area, scattered son told a news briefing late Saturday
more than 350,000 – after gusts of 60 “With the severe nature of this storm, rain fell during the weekend while that officials were closely monitoring
mph knocked trees into power lines, ac- Caltrans is asking all drivers to limit stormy conditions were expected to re- Monday’s incoming storm and another
cording to the Sacramento Municipal nonessential travel until the peak of the turn Monday, with the potential for up behind it.
Utility District.

Joey Kleemann was listening to the
winds howling shortly after midnight,
wondering whether she should move
her car, when she heard a “gigantic,
thumping, crashing sound” as a massive
tree fell onto the Sacramento home
where she’s lived for 25 years.

The gusts were strong enough to rip
the tree from its roots, pulling the con-
crete sidewalk up with it.

Cracks in Kleemann’s roof meant rain
streamed into her dining area through-
out the night. She planned to place a
tarp over the damaged area in anticipa-
tion of another deluge.

“I just had a feeling with the winds.
They were scary winds,” she said.
“Mostly I focused on: it could be so
much worse.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said 12 people
lost their lives as a result of violent
weather during the past 10 days, and he
warned that this week’s storms could be
even more dangerous. He urged people
to stay home.

“Just be cautious over the course of
the next week, particularly the next day
or two or so,” Newsom said during a
briefing with California officials outlin-
ing the state’s storm preparations.

The weather service’s Sacramento
office said the region should brace for
the latest atmospheric river to roar
ashore late Sunday and early Monday.

“Widespread power outages,

Woman shot by 6-year-old loved teaching

Came from family said she was excited about doing the Police Chief Steve Drew said the boy teacher.
of educators job,” said Eley, who was recently elected shot and wounded the teacher with a “It’s very rare and it’s not something
to the Newport News City Council. handgun in a first-grade classroom. He
Denise Lavoie was later taken into police custody. the legal system is really designed or po-
“The custodians and other teachers Drew said the shooting was not acci- sitioned to deal with,” said researcher
ASSOCIATED PRESS spoke about how she’s a good team- dental and was part of an altercation. David Riedman, founder of a database
mate, she’s a team player, she loves her No students were injured. that tracks U.S. school shootings dating
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia children, she’s just an all-around good back to 1970.
teacher who authorities say was shot by teacher.” Police have declined to describe what
a 6-year-old student is known as a hard- led to the altercation or any other details He said Saturday that he’s only aware
working educator who is devoted to her Cindy Hurst said her granddaughter, about what happened in the classroom, of three other shootings caused by 6-
students and enthusiastic about the 8, is still rattled by the shooting. She was citing the ongoing investigation. They year-old students in the time period
profession that runs in her family, ac- in Zwerner’s class last year, and told her have also declined to say how the boy he’s studied. Those include the fatal
cording to fellow teachers and city offi- grandmother she is a great teacher. got access to the gun or who owns the shooting of a fellow student in 2000 in
cials. weapon. Michigan and shootings that injured
“I just hate that this happened,” other students in 2011 in Texas and 2021
John Eley III, a former member of the Hurst told The Virginian-Pilot. “But life Virginia law does not allow 6-year- in Mississippi.
Newport News School Board, identified as we know it may not ever be the same olds to be tried as adults. In addition, a
the first-grade teacher as Abby Zwerner, – I don’t know.” 6-year-old is too young to be committed Riedman said he only knows of one
25. Zwerner was shot Friday at Richneck to the custody of the Department of Ju- other instance of a student younger
Elementary School, authorities said. Zwerner attended James Madison venile Justice if found guilty. than that causing gunfire at a school, in
University, graduating in 2019 with a which a 5-year-old student brought a
Shortly after the shooting, police said bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary A juvenile judge would have author- gun to a Tennessee school in 2013 and
Zwerner had life-threatening injuries, Liberal Studies and minors in Elemen- ity, though, to revoke a parent’s custody accidentally discharged it. No one was
but she has improved and was listed in tary Education and Music. She graduat- and place a child under the purview of injured in that case.
stable condition at a local hospital. ed from JMU’s College of Education in the Department of Social Services.
2020 with a master’s degree in Educa- Newport News is a city of about
Eley and other city officials met with tion. Mayor Phillip Jones would not say 185,000 people in southeastern Virginia
teachers and the principal at the school where the boy is being held. known for its shipyard, which builds the
Friday and later went to the hospital, JMU President Jonathan Alger of- nation’s aircraft carriers and other U.S.
where they met with members of Zwer- fered a message of support for Zwerner, “We are ensuring he has all the ser- Navy vessels. Richneck has about 550
ner’s family, including several aunts her family, friends and fellow teachers, vices that he currently needs right now,” students in kindergarten through fifth
who also are teachers. students and their families. Jones said Saturday. grade, according to the Virginia Depart-
ment of Education’s website. Jones said
“The family was all educators and “JMU is prepared to support those Experts who study gun violence said there will be no classes at the school
impacted by this incident now and in the shooting represents an extremely Monday and Tuesday.
the weeks to come,” Alger tweeted Sat- rare occurrence of a young child bring-
urday. ing a gun into school and wounding a

NYC hospital talks continue to avoid nurse strike

2 remain after others Nurses at a third hospital reached a the union said. Tentative agreements at Sinai nurses will go on strike at 6 a.m.
reach tentative deals tentative agreement on Sunday. several other city hospitals were an- Monday, Hagans said.
nounced earlier.
ASSOCIATED PRESS Talks were under way with Mount Si- The hospitals have taken steps to
nai Hospital in Manhattan and Monte- “We have said always our number prepare for a strike through patient
NEW YORK – With a strike deadline fiore Medical Center in the Bronx, which one issue is the crisis of staffing, chronic transfers, directing ambulances else-
looming, contract negotiations con- both have more than 1,000 beds, New understaffing that harms patient care,” where and postponing elective surger-
tinued Sunday between two large New York State Nurses Association Presi- Hagans said. ies. In a statement, Mount Sinai said the
York City hospitals and the union repre- dent Nancy Hagans said on a confer- union’s focus on staffing-to-patient ra-
senting more than 7,000 nurses pre- ence call with reporters. She said negotiations resumed for tios “ignores the progress we have made
pared to walk out on Monday, union offi- the first time since Thursday with to attract and hire more new nurses, de-
cials said. NYSNA nurses at Mount Sinai Mor- Mount Sinai management. Talks with spite a global shortage of healthcare
ningside and West tentatively agreed other hospitals have been ongoing. workers that is impacting hospitals
Sunday to a contract that increases sal- across the country.”
aries and improves staffing standards, Absent an agreement, about 3,500
nurses at Montefiore and 3,625 Mount

NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 5NN

Ex-Trump official takes office in Ark.

How former press
secretary will
govern a mystery

Andrew DeMillo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – After running a After running a campaign focused heavily on national politics and her time as Donald Trump’s spokeswoman, Sarah
campaign heavily focused on national Huckabee Sanders says she wants to keep her attention on Arkansas as she prepares to be sworn in as the state’s 47th
politics and her time as President Donald governor on Tuesday. PHELAN M. EBENHACK/AP FILE
Trump’s spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee
Sanders says she wants to keep her at- “We know the rhetoric, we Oliva, is one of the top Florida school offi- Her inauguration marks the first time
tention on Arkansas as she takes charge cials. in 42 years Arkansas will have a governor
as the state’s 47th governor. know the Trump without any experience in elected office.
Sanders said she would support legis- Hutchinson, a former congressman, has
Sanders will be sworn in Tuesday, be- administration we’ve seen. lation similar to a Florida law that forbids been a fixture in Arkansas politics since
coming the first woman governor of Ar- instruction on sexual orientation and the 1980s.
kansas, her home state. She also is as- ... But we don’t now how gender identity in kindergarten through
cending to the post her father, Mike third grade. Critics, who have dubbed the That’s created uncertainty in the Leg-
Huckabee, held for more than a decade. she’s going to govern.” ban the “Don’t Say Gay” law, have said islature. Democrats, whose ranks have
that type of restriction marginalizes shrunk in the Legislature, said they’re
Sanders, who served nearly two years Democratic Rep. Tippi McCullough LGBTQ people. wary but keeping an open mind.
as White House press secretary, is the
best-known former Trump official to as- pay hike amount though House and Sen- Sanders said she also hopes to begin “We know the rhetoric, we know the
sume elected office. Since winning elec- ate committees have recommended fulfilling her promise to phase out the Trump administration we’ve seen,” said
tion, the 40-year-old Republican has $4,000 teacher raises. state income tax, though she did not have Democratic Rep. Tippi McCullough, the
largely avoided weighing in on the former a specific amount of a cut she’d push for House minority leader.
president who endorsed her bid and ap- In his lame duck budget proposal last this year. Hutchinson has signed several
peared prominently in her campaign ma- year, Hutchinson recommended educa- income tax cuts into law the past eight “We know all of that. But we don’t now
terials. tion funding be increased by $550 million years. how she’s going to govern.”
over the next two years to accommodate
“Right now, my focus is strictly on Ar- teacher raises. The incoming governor’s agenda also Republicans, some of whom clashed
kansas, getting sworn in here on Jan. 10 includes public safety measures, with with Hutchinson in his final years in of-
and hitting the ground running for my Sanders also supports some form of Sanders supporting a new prison and a fice, said they view the lack of elected ex-
first legislative session,” Sanders told The school choice – parental empowerment “truth in sentencing” law. perience as a plus.
Associated Press in an interview last as she puts it – to allow state money to be
week when asked if she will support used for private schools or homeschool- And she wants to look at work require- “The main difference is just the fresh-
Trump’s 2024 presidential bid. ing. “Parents should be able to decide ments for the state’s Medicaid expan- ness of perspective,” said Republican
how and where their kids can best be sion, despite a federal judge blocking Sen. Bart Hester, the chamber’s incoming
Keeping the focus on Arkansas will be educated,” she said. such a requirement. president pro tem. “I feel like Gov. Sand-
tested as she embraces legislative priori- ers is coming in with no strings attached.”
ties that include overhauling the state’s Sanders has indicated she will follow Sanders stopped short of saying
education system, cutting income taxes the lead of another high-profile GOP gov- whether she will continue Medicaid ex- Sanders sought advice from her father
and adopting new public safety mea- ernor, Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, an- pansion, but wants to examine its costs and others, and said she plans to be
sures. other potential presidential contender. and sustainability. “My job and my goal is hands-on while dealing with the Legisla-
Her pick for education secretary, Jacob not to take assistance away from the peo- ture.
“She clearly has some national aspira- ple who need it, but we also can’t bank-
tions,” University of Arkansas political rupt the state,” she said. “I don’t know how to be anything other
science professor Janine Parry said. “In than involved and hands-on in whatever
order to fulfill those, it’s likely she’ll have I’m doing,” Sanders said.
to show some capacity for governance.”

Sanders takes office as Trump’s influ-
ence in the GOP appears to be waning.
Sanders’ predecessor, Republican Gov.
Asa Hutchinson, is considering a run for
president and has said Trump winning
the Republican nomination would be the
“worst scenario” for the party.

Sanders, however, has said she thinks
the country would be better off right now
if Trump were in office.

She faces an environment most gover-
nors would dream of. Arkansas sits atop
more than $2 billion in reserve funds and
Republicans expanded their supermajor-
ity in the state Legislature in November.

Sanders said the first bill on her agen-
da she wants the Legislature to pass is an
education reform measure containing a
pay raise for teachers, a focus on improv-
ing literacy rates and more school safety
measures.

Sanders has not proposed a specific

Idea of Ill. pay hike began with governor

Pritzker wanted increase A day after Illinois House Democrats approved pay raises for top government those officers are sworn in to four-year
for officials in cabinet officials in late-night budget legislation, Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters that he terms Monday afternoon in the capital.
only asked lawmakers to approve increases for his department heads in order to
John O'Connor attract top talent. NAM Y. HUH/AP FILE The raises for most are in the 10%
range. The lieutenant governor, comp-
ASSOCIATED PRESS can run for office, serve their community, ing salaries of key staff members out of troller and treasurer, for example, would
but also be able to pay for their family his own checking account. see 10% increases to $160,900. The attor-
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The idea for rais- and kids.” ney general and secretary of state will
ing salaries of top Illinois state govern- “People are willing to take a discount- see 9% more in their paychecks, to
ment officials, which culminated this The last raise for legislators came in ed salary off of what they might get in the $183,300. The governor earns $205,700,
weekend with the House voting lawmak- 2008, and concerned about the optics, private sector to come to public service, although Pritzker does not take it.
ers an 18% pay hike, began with Gov. J.B. lawmakers voted against any increase but you really have to be somewhat com-
Pritzker. each year until 2019, when the House petitive. People are putting their kids For agency heads, the legislation sets
surprised the Senate by backing out of through college or they’re paying their a salary minimum but allows the gover-
But the Democratic governor said he an agreed-to freeze on cost-of-living in- home mortgage or their rent. …,” Pritzker nor to go above that. And each would re-
originally requested that the General As- creases. A locked-in COLA increase has said. “We just want to be competitive ceive an annual cost of living adjust-
sembly increase pay for his administra- since been adopted. and bring great people and then retain ment. The top salary set in the bill is
tion’s agency directors to recruit and re- great people in state government.” $200,000, which would go to chiefs at
tain top talent. Pritzker said he wouldn’t Pritzker originally commissioned a eight agencies: the departments of Chil-
presume to tell the General Assembly national salary study of jobs comparable From there, negotiators added in pay dren and Family Services, Corrections,
what its members should be paid. to those of his cabinet. That led to pay raises for six statewide constitutional of- Human Services, Innovation and Tech-
raises for 21 agency directors who an- ficers. The proposal awaits action by the nology, Public Health, State Police,
“The Legislature is a coequal branch swer to the governor. Senate, which was planning to meet Transportation and Veterans Affairs.
of government,” Pritzker said Saturday at Sunday night. For the constitutional offi-
a preinaugural community service event Pritzker, a multibillionaire equity in- cers’ raises to take effect immediately, Senate consideration of the matter
at Central Illinois Foodbank. “They vestor and philanthropist, began his ten- they must be signed into law before leaves less time for the session’s other
haven’t had a raise since before the Great ure as governor in 2019 by supplement- two major issues: House-approved bans
Recession and so I can see why there’s an on certain semiautomatic weapons and
interest in doing that.” on legal action from outside of Illinois
targeting people who travel here for
Lame-duck lawmakers are scram- abortions or gender-affirming medical
bling to act on last-minute – and mostly treatment.
critical and contentious – issues before
the 103rd General Assembly is sworn in The gun ban, rising from the July 4th
on Wednesday. parade in Highland Park where a gun-
man killed seven and injured 30, is spon-
Friday night, the House endorsed a sored by Rep. Bob Morgan, a Deerfield
plan to increase spending halfway Democrat who attended the parade. It
through the budget year, including $850 would prohibit nearly seven dozen spe-
million for the state’s “rainy day” fund, cific types of fast-firing pistols and rifles
$400 million for attracting business, and and likely faces a competing bill from the
a $12,904 annual increase in base pay for Senate body.
members of the House and Senate. On
top of that $85,000 salary, most mem- Likewise there is work in the Senate
bers get at least $12,000 or more as sti- on a separate proposal that woud protect
pends for extra duties. people receiving abortions or gender-af-
firming treatment – or those providing it
“We don’t want a Legislature that’s – from legal action arising in states that
only made up of the wealthy,” said House have restricted access to those proce-
Majority Leader Greg Harris, the legisla- dures, particularly abortions, since the
tion’s Chicago Democratic sponsor who Supreme Court last summer overturned
retires Tuesday. “We want people who Roe v. Wade.

6NN | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

Alpine peaks which would normally be covered by snow are seen above the village of Naklo, Slovenia, Jan. 4. Sparse snowfall and unseasonably warm weather in
much of Europe is allowing green grass to blanket many mountaintops across the region where snow might normally be. DARKO BANDIC/AP FILE

Snow is a no-show as Europe
feels the winter heat

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mild weather has left many regions of Europe that would normally be blanketed in snow at this time
of year bare, and winter sports resorts are fearing for the future. h Many are using snow machines
to make artificial pistes, leaving thin white lines snaking through otherwise green and brown
landscapes. h In the Swiss village of Adelboden, organizers of Saturday’s ski World Cup race
grappled with above-freezing temperatures to ensure athletes could compete in the popular event while specta-
tors basked in the blazing sunshine. h Experts say this season’s lack of snow offers a glimpse of winters to come,
as global temperatures keep rising due to human-caused climate change. h The impact is likely to be felt far
beyond the regional tourist industry. Winter snow in European mountains such as the Alps is an important
natural water store for parts of a continent that’s already suffering regular droughts the rest of the year.

Continued on next page

A view of a closed ski slope at a ski resort near Liberec, Czech Republic, People walk across a slope in Filzmoos, Austria, Friday. MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP FILE
Thursday. PETR DAVID JOSEK/AP FILE

People ride the chair lift above the ski track without any snow on Bjelasnica People ski up the slope on the Draxlhang in the Brauneck ski area using a T-bar
Mountain near Sarajevo, Bosnia, Wednesday. ARMIN DURGUT/AP FILE lift in Lenggries, Germany, Dec. 28. SVEN HOPPE/DPA VIA AP FILE

NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 7NN
Continued from previous page

People ski on a slope near Schladming, Austria, Friday. MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP FILE People ski on a slope of artificial snow in Wildhaus, Switzerland, Wednesday. GIAN

EHRENZELLER/KEYSTONE VIA AP FILE

An artificial snow slope created for skiers in Wildhaus, Switzerland, Wednesday. GIAN EHRENZELLER/KEYSTONE VIA AP FILE

People ski on a cross country slope in Ramsau, Austria, Friday. MATTHIAS A general view of the ski track with only a few patches of snow on Bjelasnica
Mountain near Sarajevo, Bosnia, Wednesday. ARMIN DURGUT/AP FILE
SCHRADER/AP FILE

People ski on a cross country slope in Ramsau, Austria, Friday. MATTHIAS Michael Hayboeck of Austria soars through the air during the fourth stage of the
71st Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Bischofshofen, Austria, Friday. MATTHIAS
SCHRADER/AP FILE
SCHRADER/AP FILE

8NN | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

American who joined IS has hope

Woman seeks to Hoda Muthana, who ran away from ans and foreign citizens – are held in Canada, France, Germany, the Nether-
go home, advocate home in Alabama at the age of 20, camps and prisons in northeastern Syr- lands, Russia and the United Kingdom.
against the group joined the Islamic State group and had ia run by U.S.-allied Kurdish groups, ac-
a child with one of its fighters, but now cording to a Human Rights Watch report The U.S. has repatriated a total of 39
ASSOCIATED PRESS advocates against the extremists. THE released last month. American nationals. It’s unclear how
many other Americans remain in the
ROJ CAMP, Syria – A woman who ran NEWS MOVEMENT/AP Women accused of affiliation with IS camps.
away from home in Alabama at the age and their minor children are largely
of 20, joined the Islamic State group and tive Muslim household in Hoover, Ala- housed in the al-Hol and Roj camps, un- These days, Muthana portrays her-
had a child with one of its fighters says bama, just outside Birmingham. In der what the rights group described as self as a victim of the Islamic State.
she still hopes to return to the United 2014, she told her family she was going “life threatening conditions.” The camp
States, serve prison time if necessary, on a school trip but flew to Turkey and inmates include more than 37,400 for- Speaking with TNM, she describes
and advocate against the extremists. crossed into Syria instead, funding the eigners, among them Europeans and how, after arriving in Syria in 2014, she
travel with tuition checks that she had North Americans. was detained in a guest house reserved
In a rare interview from the Roj de- secretly cashed. for unmarried women and children.
tention camp in Syria where she is being Human Rights Watch and other mon- “I’ve never seen that kind of filthiness in
held by U.S.-allied Kurdish forces, Hoda The Obama administration canceled itors have cited dire living conditions in my life, like there was 100 women and
Muthana said she was brainwashed by her citizenship in 2016, saying her father the camps, including inadequate food, twice as much kids, running around, too
online traffickers into joining the group was an accredited Yemeni diplomat at water and medical care, as well as the much noise, filthy beds,” she said.
in 2014 and regrets everything except the time she was born – a rare revoca- physical and sexual abuse of inmates by
her young son, now of pre-school age. tion of birthright citizenship. Her law- guards and fellow detainees. The only way to escape was to marry
yers have disputed that move, arguing a fighter. She eventually married and re-
“If I need to sit in prison, and do my that the father’s diplomatic accredita- Kurdish-led authorities and activists married three times.
time, I will do it. … I won’t fight against tion ended before she was born. have blamed IS sleeper cells for surging
it,” the 28-year-old told The News violence within the facilities, including Her first two husbands, including the
Movement. “I’m hoping my government The Trump administration main- the beheading of two Egyptian girls, father of her son, were killed in battle.
looks at me as someone young at the tained that she was not a citizen and aged 11 and 13, in al-Hol camp in Novem- She reportedly divorced her third hus-
time and naive.” barred her from returning, even as it ber. Turkish airstrikes targeting the band.
pressed European allies to repatriate Kurdish groups launched that month
It’s a line she’s repeated in various their own detained nationals to reduce also hit close to al-Hol. Camp officials The extremist group, which is also
media interviews since fleeing from one pressure on the detention camps. alleged that the Turkish strikes were known as ISIS, no longer controls any
of the extremist group’s last enclaves in targeting security forces guarding the territory in Syria or Iraq but continues to
Syria in early 2019. U.S. courts have sided with the gov- camp. carry out sporadic attacks and has sup-
ernment on the question of Muthana’s porters in the camps themselves. Muth-
But four years earlier, at the height of citizenship, and last January the Su- “None of the foreigners have been ana says she still has to be careful about
the extremists’ power, she had voiced preme Court declined to consider her brought before a judicial authority … to what she says because of fear of repri-
enthusiastic support for them on social lawsuit seeking re-entry. determine the necessity and legality of sal.
media and in an interview with Buzz- their detention, making their captivity
Feed News. IS then ruled a self-declared That has left her and her son lan- arbitrary and unlawful,” Human Rights “Even here, right now, I can’t fully say
Islamic caliphate stretching across guishing in a detention camp in north- Watch wrote. “Detention based solely everything I want to say. But once I do
roughly a third of both Syria and Iraq. In ern Syria housing thousands of widows on family ties amounts to collective leave, I will. I will be an advocate against
posts sent from her Twitter account in of Islamic State fighters and their chil- punishment, a war crime.” this,” she said. “I wish I can help the vic-
2015 she called on Americans to join the dren. tims of ISIS in the West understand that
group and carry out attacks in the U.S., Calls to repatriate the detainees were someone like me is not part of it, that I
suggesting drive-by shootings or vehi- Some 65,600 suspected Islamic State largely ignored in the immediate after- as well am a victim of ISIS.”
cle rammings targeting gatherings for members and their families – both Syri- math of IS’ bloody reign, which was
national holidays. marked by massacres, beheadings and Hassan Shibly, an attorney who has
other atrocities, many of which were assisted Muthana’s family, said it is “ab-
In her interview with TNM, Muthana broadcast to the world in graphic films solutely clear that she was brainwashed
now says her phone was taken from her circulated on social media. and taken advantage of.”
and that the tweets were sent by IS sup-
porters. But with the passage of time, the He said her family wishes she could
pace of repatriations has started to pick come back, pay her debt to society and
Muthana was born in New Jersey to up. Human Rights Watch said some then help others from “falling into the
Yemeni immigrants and once had a U.S. 3,100 foreigners – mostly women and dark path that she was led down.”
passport. She was raised in a conserva- children – have been sent home over the
past year. Most were Iraqis, who com- “She was absolutely misguided, and
prise the majority of detainees, but citi- no one is denying that. But again, she
zens were also repatriated to Australia, was a teenager who was the victim of a
very sophisticated recruitment opera-
tion that focuses on taking advantage of
the young, the vulnerable, the disen-
franchised,” he said.

Bosnian Serbs Ukrainians honor dead fighter
to give medal at outdoor funeral in capital
of honor to
Russia’s Putin 200 mourners came to
pay respects to ‘Happy’
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Andrew Meldrum
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina –
The Bosnian Serb separatist leader on ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday awarded Russian President
Vladimir Putin with the highest medal KYIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian servicemen guard the coffin of their comrade Oleh Yurchenko, who
of honor for his “patriotic concern and family and mourners gathered in frigid was killed in a battle with Russian forces in Donetsk region.
love” for the Serb-controlled half of weather in Kyiv on Sunday to pay trib-
Bosnia. ute to a soldier killed fighting against People pay their last respect at the coffin of Ukrainian soldier Oleh Yurchenko,
Russian forces in Bakhmut, the strate- who was killed in a battle with Russian forces in the Donetsk region, during a
“Putin is responsible for developing gic city under siege on the eastern front. commemoration ceremony in Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday.
and strengthening cooperation and
political and friendly relations be- An open casket, outdoor service was PHOTOS BY EFREM LUKATSKY/AP
tween RS (Republika Srpska) and Rus- held in Kyiv’s Independence Square for
sia,” the Bosnian Serb president, Mil- Maj. Oleh Yurchenko who was killed in trying to live by his principles. ther taught me. Not to give up, not to re-
orad Dodik, said at the awards cere- Bakhmut on Jan. 2. Fellow soldiers car- “It is about everyone cherishing their treat.”
mony in the Bosnian Serb stronghold ried the coffin while others knelt on the
of Banja Luka. ground. A bugle played and later a male virtues: hard work, kindness, honesty, She said that her father “always said
quartet sang solemn hymns as an Or- loyalty to their country, their family,” that we still have to build the country …
Dodik, who visited Putin in Sep- thodox priest conducted the service at- she said. “Because this is what my fa- build Ukraine.”
tember in Moscow, has maintained tended by about 200 people.
close ties with the Russian president
despite Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Yurchenko, 45, nicknamed “Happy,”
medal will be presented to Putin dur- volunteered for the army after Russia’s
ing the next meeting between the two, full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on
Russian Ambassador Igor Kalbukhov Feb. 24. He had been head of security
said. for TIU Canada, an energy company op-
erating in Ukraine, according to a Face-
“We believe that this award is an af- book post.
firmation of the strategic determina-
tion of our relations aimed at strength- Yurchenko was well-known as a Uk-
ening the friendship of our brotherly rainian patriot as he had been a partici-
people,” he said at the ceremony. pant in pro-democracy demonstrations
in 2004-2005 and later in 2014 which
Moscow has often been accused by ousted Viktor Yanukovych as presi-
the West of seeking to destabilize Bos- dent. Kyiv’s Independence Square was
nia and the rest of the Balkans through the center of both demonstrations so it
its proxies in Serbia and Bosnia. Dodik was fitting as the site for the religious
has openly advocated tearing away the ceremony for Yurchenko.
Serb-controlled half of Bosnia from a
Bosniak-Croat federation to join it up “He was the best Ukrainian, a kind
with neighboring Serbia. father, a very responsible person,” said
Yurii Zhukovskyi, a Ukrainian soldier.
A U.S.-brokered peace deal in 1995 “It is a very heavy loss, because these
ended a war in Bosnia that left at least are the best people in Ukraine, and they
100,000 people dead and millions are dying. It is a great pity. And no mat-
homeless, but left the country deeply ter how many enemies are killed, we are
divided between its three main ethnic sorry for (the death of) one such per-
groups. Moscow has been exploiting son.”
the divisions by tacitly supporting Do-
dik’s separatist policies. Another fellow soldier, Ruslan Boy-
ko, praised Yurchenko’s positive out-
Dodik awarded Putin on the occa- look.
sion of “the day of Republika Srpska,”
which has been deemed illegal by Bos- “He was a very brave, very cheerful
nia’s constitutional court. It marks the person who always tried to help every-
day when Bosnian Serbs proclaimed one, to be ahead in any situation,” Boiko
they were splitting from Bosnia in 1992 said. He said that Yurchenko was al-
with the aim of separating the Serb- ways ready “to take on more responsi-
populated regions of the Balkan state bility, more tasks and protect everyone
and join them up with Serbia. as much as possible.”

Tensions were running high in Bos- Olesia Yurchenko, the fallen soldier’s
nia as the Serbs planned to hold their 22-year-old daughter and eldest child,
main celebrations on Monday. said the family is grieving his death but

NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 9NN

Miss. agency denies discrimination claim

Official claims
probe is political

Michael Goldberg

ASSOCIATED PRESS/REPORT FOR AMERICA

JACKSON, Miss. – A Mississippi en- EPA Administrator Michael Regan, right, speaks to reporters at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, a Ridgeland,
vironmental regulator has denied Miss.-based facility near Jackson, Miss., on Nov. 15, 2021. A Mississippi environmental regulator has denied claims that the
claims that the state agency he leads state agency he leads discriminated against the capital city of Jackson in allocating federal funds. ROGELIO V. SOLIS/AP FILE
discriminated against the capital city of
Jackson in its distribution of federal The EPA announced on Oct. 20 that it Wells wrote that the EPA investiga- own track record of fiscal conservatism
funds for wastewater treatment. was investigating whether Mississippi tion is “part and parcel of a political ef- by citing his opposition to spending
state agencies discriminated against fort to divert attention away from the state money for water and sewer pro-
In a recently unearthed letter to the the state’s majority-Black capital city by city of Jackson’s own failures.” He con- jects in Jackson. The EPA is not investi-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, refusing to fund improvements to the tends that Jackson’s water woes are re- gating Reeves.
Mississippi Department of Environ- water system. EPA Administrator Mi- sults of city mismanagement rather
mental Quality Executive Director chael Regan has visited Jackson multi- than discrimination by the state. Ahead of the water crisis last sum-
Christopher Wells wrote that the ple times and has said “longstanding mer, people in Jackson had been ad-
NAACP has “failed to allege a single fact discrimination” has contributed to the The EPA had been aware of Jackson’s vised to boil water before consuming it
to support” its argument that the agency decline of the city’s water system. water problems for years, including because health officials obtained sam-
discriminated against Jackson. He said when the city entered into a consent de- ples that showed the water could be
he believed the ongoing civil rights in- The federal agency could withhold cree with the agency in 2012 after it was dangerous to consume.
vestigation into the matter was politi- money from Mississippi if it finds cited for violating the Clean Water Act,
cally motivated. wrongdoing – potentially millions. If the Wells wrote. The problems returned again during
state agencies don’t cooperate with the Christmas weekend when frigid weath-
“Jackson received a loan for every investigation, the EPA could refer the Competing claims over the cause of er caused water lines to break and the
completed application it submitted,” case to the Department of Justice. the capital city’s water trouble has ignit- city’s water distribution system failed to
Wells wrote. “And, because the amount ed tension between local officials in produce adequate pressure. Boil water
of the loan is based on the cost of the In his letter, Wells wrote that alleged Jackson, a Democratic stronghold, and notices in some city neighborhoods re-
project, no loans were reduced for any Title VI violations are “based on unar- Mississippi’s Republican state leaders. mained in place until Jan. 7.
reason that could be considered dis- ticulated and evolving standards” and
criminatory.” would run “counter to this nation’s sys- The AP reported in September that Jackson is set to receive nearly $800
tem of federalism,” WLBT-TV reported. when Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves was million in federal funds for its water sys-
Disruptions to Jackson’s water ser- the state treasurer in 2011, he touted his tem.
vices have ailed the city for years, and
its system nearly collapsed in late Au-
gust after heavy rainfall exacerbated
problems at the city’s main water treat-
ment plant. Most of Jackson lost run-
ning water for several days, and people
had to wait in lines for water to drink,
cook, bathe and flush toilets.

Wells’ Dec. 16 letter was sent almost
three months after the NAACP filed a
federal complaint under Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids
federal fund recipients from discrimi-
nating on the basis of race or national
origin. The complaint said that Missis-
sippi officials “all but assured” a drink-
ing water calamity by depriving Jack-
son of badly needed funds to upgrade its
infrastructure.

Over 25 years, Jackson received
funds from an important federal pro-
gram only three times, the NAACP said.
When Jackson tried to fund improve-
ments itself, those efforts were repeat-
edly blocked by state political leaders,
according to the complaint.

McCarthy

Continued from Page 1NN

conservatives. To become speaker and win over skeptics, House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy had to make concessions to a small group of
The concessions included limits on hard-liners who refused to support his ascension until he yielded to their demands. JACK GRUBER/USA TODAY

McCarthy’s power, such as by allowing a In the coming months, Congress will “Congress is going to need to raise the money we send to Ukraine as well and
single lawmaker to initiate a vote to re- have to work to raise the debt limit be- debt limit without – without – condi- say, how can we best spend the money
move him as speaker and curtailing gov- fore the government reaches its borrow- tions and it’s just that simple,” Jean- to protect America?” he said.
ernment spending, which could include ing cap or face a devastating default on Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force
defense cuts. They also give the conser- payments, including those for Social One as President Joe Biden flew to Tex- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of the 20
vative Freedom Caucus more seats on Security, military troops and federal as. “Attempts to exploit the debt ceiling who initially voted against McCarthy
the committee that decides which legis- benefits such as food assistance. Law- as leverage will not work. There will be before throwing his support behind the
lation reaches the House floor. makers will also have to fund federal no hostage taking.” Californian, said he and other conserva-
agencies and programs for the next bud- tives will be holding their position that
They also raise questions about get year, which begins Oct. 1. Yet the White House also said it had there should be spending cuts in a debt
whether McCarthy can garner enough no plans to sidestep the needed con- ceiling bill. Asked whether he would ex-
support from Republicans, who hold a “Our general concern is that the dys- gressional approval through possible ercise members’ new authority and uni-
222-212 edge, on a critical vote in the function – that was historic – that we budget gimmicks such as the minting of laterally initiate a vote to remove the
coming months to raise the debt limit, saw this week is not at an end, it’s just a coin to help cover a deficit that could speaker if McCarthy doesn’t ultimately
given conservatives’ demand that there the beginning,” said House Democratic be roughly $1 trillion this fiscal year. agree, Roy offered a warning.
also be significant spending cuts, over leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
opposition from the White House and a “We’re not considering any measures “I’m not going to play the ‘what if ’
Democratic-controlled Senate. The White House has rejected Re- that would go around Congress,” Jean- games on how we’re going to use the
publican calls to slash spending in re- Pierre said. “That’s not what we’re do- tools of the House to make sure that we
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a strong turn for an increase in the federal gov- ing. This is a fundamental congression- enforce the terms of the agreement, but
McCarthy supporter, said she currently ernment’s borrowing authority. White al responsibility, and Congress must we will use the tools of the House,” Roy
is “on the fence” about the proposed House press secretary Karine Jean- act.” said.
rules. Pierre went so far on Sunday as to call
House Republicans’ likely demands Jordan argued that “everything has Mace and Gonzales appeared on CBS’
“I like the rules package,” Mace said, “hostage taking” that would risk de- to be on the table” when it comes to “Face the Nation,” Jordan spoke on “Fox
in reference to what has been released fault, an event that could trigger an eco- spending cuts, including in defense, in News Sunday,” Jeffries was on NBC’s
publicly. “What I don’t support is a small nomic crisis. light of the government’s $32 trillion “Meet the Press,” and Roy was on CNN’s
number of people trying to get a deal debt. “Frankly we better look at the “State of the Union.”
done or deals done for themselves in
private, in secret.”

She said it will be hard to get any-
thing done in the House if a small band
is given a stronger hand compared with
the larger number of moderates. “I am
concerned that commonsense legisla-
tion will not get through to get a vote on
the floor,” she said.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, was an
outright “no” against the rules package,
decrying an “insurgency caucus” that he
said would cut defense spending and
push extremist legislation, such as on
immigration.

Democrats are expected to be united
against the package.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a member
of the Freedom Caucus who is expected
to lead the House Judiciary Committee,
defended the concessions McCarthy
made and said he believes the rules
package will get enough Republican
support to pass. He insisted that the
agreements will help ensure broader
representation on committees and will
curtail unfettered government spend-
ing.

“We’ll see tomorrow,” he said Sunday,
but “I think we’ll get the 218 votes need-
ed to pass the rules package.”

10NN | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

Cyprus’ Orthodox archbishop enthroned

No Russian clerics Archbishop Georgios formally assumed his new duties following an is all the more important that Christians
attend ceremony enthronement ceremony evoking the splendor of centuries of Byzantine give an authentic witness of unity so
tradition before an audience of Orthodox clergy from around the world, with the that the world they believe in the Lord’s
Menelaos Hadjicostis notable exception of the Russian church. PETROS KARADJIAS/AP message of love, reconciliation and
peace.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS Patriarch Bartholomew I after he grant- reach out to Moscow to dispel any no-
ed independence to Ukraine’s Orthodox tions of enmity and help restore Ortho- Georgios’ enthronement became offi-
NICOSIA, Cyprus – The head of Cy- church in 2019. dox unity. cial after he signed the Church’s consti-
prus’ Orthodox Church Archbishop Ge- tution with red ink – a privilege granted
orgios formally assumed his new duties In an interview with the Greek week- Christian unity was the central mes- to the head of the Cyprus Church by the
Sunday following an enthronement cer- ly newspaper To Vima, Archbishop Ge- sage of greetings by Pope Francis con- fifth-century Byzantine Emperor Zeno
emony evoking the splendor of centu- orgios said the Cypriot church’s backing veyed by the papal nuncio to Cyprus after he was gifted a gospel found in the
ries of Byzantine tradition before an au- for Bartholomew’s decision flowed out Adolfo Tito Yllana. tomb of the Cyprus Church’s founder
dience of clergy from around the world of orthodoxy’s own laws that put the Ec- and apostle of Christ, Barnabas.
with the notable exception of the Rus- umenical Patriarchate’s primacy over “I know that your Beatitude will con-
sian church. all other Orthodox churches. tinue in this commitment to fostering In his own address, the Archbishop
the unity of all Christ’s disciples,” said said his prime goal will be to reinvigo-
Russian Patriarch Kirill sent no rep- But he also offered an olive branch to the Nuncio. “In these difficult times rate the Christian message in modern
resentatives at the St. Barnabas Cathe- the Russian church, saying he would marked by injustice, violence and war, it spiritual discourse, carry on with the
dral ceremony following the Cyprus Church’s outreach to the poor and to
Church’s decision to support the Ukrai- convey that scientific thought isn’t in
nian Orthodox Church’s independence, conflict with the precepts of Christian-
in line with the position of the Ecumeni- ity.
cal Patriarchate in Istanbul.
He also said the Church would con-
Conversely, the Ukrainian Church’s tinue to have a voice in matters of edu-
Metropolitan Symeon and Archbishop cation and would oppose any political
Efstratios were in attendance as Arch- negotiations aimed at resolving Cyprus’
bishop Georgios, bedecked in crimson ethnic cleave that would embolden Tur-
and gold-trimmed liturgical vestments, key’s “expansionism” and facilitate An-
trailed a procession of senior clerics into kara’s full control of the country.
the cathedral.
Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in
Although some pro-Russia bishops 1974 when Turkey invaded following a
dissented against the 2020 decision by coup aimed at union with Greece.
the 16-member Holy Synod, the Cyprus
Church’s highest decision-making Georgios was elected archbishop last
body, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Uk- month following the death of his prede-
raine that began on Feb. 24 consolidated cessor Archibshop Chrysostomos II af-
that support. ter a long battle with cancer. The new
Archbishop studied chemistry and the-
The Russian Orthodox Church cut ology in Greece and later in the U.K. be-
ties with Istanbul-based Ecumenical fore rising through the ranks within the
church to be elected Paphos bishop in
2006.

Forty killed, dozens injured in Senegal bus crash

Accidents common an inter-ministerial council to discuss A damaged bus is pictured on a road in Gniby, Senegal, Sunday. ELIMANE FALL VIA AP
in West African nation road safety measures.

Babacar Dione Public prosecutor Cheikh Dieng said
the crash happened on National Road
ASSOCIATED PRESS No. 1 when a public bus punctured a tire
and veered across the road, colliding
DAKAR, Senegal – At least 40 people with another bus coming from the op-
were killed and dozens injured in a bus posite direction.
crash in central Senegal, the country’s
president said Sunday. At least 78 people are injured, some
of them seriously, he said.
President Macky Sall tweeted that
the collision happened in Gnivy village, Images of the crash on social media
in the Kaffrine region, at about 3:30 a.m. show the damaged buses rammed into
each other and a trail of debris along the
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic road.
road accident today in Gniby causing 40
deaths and many serious injuries. I ex- Traffic crashes happen regularly in
tend my heartfelt condolences to the the West African nation because of poor
families of the victims and wish a roads, bad cars and drivers not adhering
speedy recovery to the injured,” said to the rules, locals say.
Sall.
In 2017, at least 25 people were killed
He declared three days of mourning when two buses also crashed. Many of
starting Monday and said he will hold those people were heading toward the
central town of Touba for the annual
Muslim pilgrimage.

Rioters

Continued from Page 1NN

They sprayed fire hoses inside the Protesters sit in front of police inside Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday. ERALDO PERES/AP
Congress building and ransacked offices
at the presidential palace. Windows officials were likely to have been work- sault on Brazil’s democratic institutions vasion and to prepare themselves for
were broken in all of the buildings. ing in the Brazilian Congress and Su- but was confident “the will of the Brazil- something similar in Brazil,” said Maurí-
preme Court on a Sunday. ian people and the country’s institu- cio Santoro, political science professor
Bolsonaro, who flew to Florida ahead tions” would be respected. at the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
of Lula’s inauguration, repudiated the U.S. President Joe Biden told report- “Local security forces in Brasilia failed
president’s accusation late Sunday. He ers that the riots were “outrageous.” His Earlier videos on social media in a systematic way to prevent and to re-
wrote on Twitter that peaceful protest is national security adviser Jake Sullivan showed a limited presence of the capi- spond to extremist actions in the city.”
part of democracy but vandalism and went a step further on Twitter and said tal’s military police; one showed officers
invasion of public buildings are “excep- the U.S. “condemns any effort to under- standing by as people flooded into Con- Federal District Gov. Ibaneis Rocha
tions to the rule.” mine democracy in Brazil.” gress, with one using his phone to rec- confirmed on Twitter he had fired the
ord images. The capital’s security secre- capital city’s head of public security,
Police fired tear gas in their efforts to Biden later tweeted he looked for- tariat didn’t respond to a request from Anderson Torres. Local media reported
recover the buildings, and were shown ward to to working with Lula, calling the The Associated Press for comment that Torres is currently in the U.S.
on television in the late afternoon riots an “assault on democracy and on about the relative absence of the police.
marching protesters down a ramp from the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil.” The office of Lula’s attorney general
the presidential palace with their hands “Brazilian authorities had two years asked the Supreme Court to order Tor-
secured behind their backs. By early U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gu- to learn the lessons from the Capitol in- res’ imprisonment.
evening, with authorities’ control of the terres on Twitter condemned the as-
buildings restored, Justice Minister Fla-
vio Dino said in a news conference that
roughly 200 people had been arrested
and officers were firing more tear gas to
drive away lingering protesters.

But with the damage already done,
many in Brazil were questioning how
the police had ignored abundant warn-
ings, were unprepared or were some-
how complicit.

Lula said at his news conference
there was “incompetence or bad faith”
on the part of police, and that they had
been likewise complacent when Bolso-
naro supporters rioted in the capital
weeks ago. He promised those officers
would be punished and expelled from
the corps.

The incident recalled the Jan. 6, 2021,
assault on the U.S. Capitol by sup-
porters of then-President Donald
Trump. Political analysts have warned
for months that a similar storming was a
possibility in Brazil, given that Bolsona-
ro has sown doubt about the reliability
of the nation’s electronic voting system
– without any evidence.

Unlike the 2021 attack in the U.S., few

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 1NS

NFLEXTRA

Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) scores scores on a touchdown run during the second half against the Packers on Sunday,in Green Bay, Wis. MATT LUDTKE/AP

Packers eliminated

Lions stun Packers with late INT
to send Seahawks to postseason

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers threw a late interception and the Green Bay Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) embraces wide receiver
Packers lost 20-16 to the Detroit Lions on Sunday night to fall short of the playoffs. Tyler Lockett (16) following a touchdown pass against the Rams.

After winning four straight games and receiving plenty of help from other JOE NICHOLSON/USA TODAY SPORTS
teams, the Packers had control of their postseason fate heading into the final game
of the NFL regular season. But they fell short against the Lions, who had been
eliminated from the playoffs earlier Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks beat the
Los Angeles Rams 19-16 in overtime.

Seattle (9-8) instead earned the NFC’s final playoff spot and will play at San
Francisco (13-4) in the opening round. The Packers (8-9) missed the playoffs for
the first time in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as coach.

Rodgers went 17 of 27 for 205 yards with one touchdown and the crucial pick on
the final pass of what was perhaps the four-time MVP’s final game at Lambeau
Field. The 39-year-old Rodgers has said he doesn’t know whether he plans to con-
tinue playing next season. During the game, Rodgers became the eighth NFL play-
er to have at least 5,000 career completions.

— Associated Press

SUNDAY’S SCOREBOARD

Buccaneers ............ 17 Vikings .................... 29 Texans .................... 32 Panthers ................. 10 Cardinals ................. 13 Cowboys ................... 6 Rams ........................ 16
Falcons ................... 30 Bears ........................ 13 Colts ......................... 31 Saints ......................... 7 49ers ....................... 38 Commanders ........ 26 Seahawks ...... 19 (OT)

PAGE 2NS PAGE 4NS PAGE 6NS PAGE 8NS PAGE 10NS PAGE 12NS PAGE 14NS

Patriots ................... 23 Ravens ..................... 16 Jets ............................ 6 Browns .................... 14 Chargers ................. 28 Giants ...................... 16 Lions ........................ 20
Bills .......................... 35 Bengals ................... 27 Dolphins .................. 11 Steelers .................. 28 Broncos ................... 31 Eagles ..................... 22 Packers .................... 16

PAGE 3NS PAGE 5NS PAGE 7NS PAGE 9NS PAGE 11NS PAGE 13NS PAGE 15NS

MORE COVERAGE FROM THE DAY IN SPORTS IN SPORTS EXTRA, PAGE 17NS

2NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

FALCONS 30, BUCCANEERS 17

Falcons tight end MyCole Pruitt (85) scores a touchdown during the first half against Tampa Bay on Sunday in Atlanta. PHOTOS BY JOHN BAZEMORE/AP

Ridder throws 2 TDs
as Falcons beat Bucs

Charles Odum er, early in the second quarter.
“These are all team records in my opi-
ASSOCIATED PRESS
nion,” Brady said. “I’ve always said
ATLANTA – Desmond Ridder had al- that.”
most a full season to plan how he would
celebrate his first touchdown pass. Brady already holds many NFL career
passing records, including for yards,
After finally throwing the long-await- completions and touchdowns.
ed TD in the final game of the regular
season, Ridder forgot all those plans. Brady completed 13 of 17 passes for 84
Luckily, veteran running back Cordar- yards with a touchdown, giving him 490
relle Patterson had Ridder’s back and re- completions for the season. Brady
membered to grab the ball for the Atlan- capped Tampa Bay’s opening drive with
ta Falcons’ rookie. an 8-yard scoring pass to tight end Kyle
Rudolph.
Ridder’s first two touchdown passes
powered the Falcons to a 30-17 win over Ridder threw a 3-yard scoring pass to
the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Bucca- Olamide Zaccheaus late in the third
neers on Sunday after Tom Brady added quarter for a 20-17 lead. Patterson added
to his imposing list of records. a 2-yard scoring run.

Ridder completed a four-game audi- Gabbert’s 3-yard scoring pass to
tion to close the season. Before Sunday, Gage gave the Bucs a 17-10 halftime lead.
he had impressed coach Arthur Smith
with his poise but had no TD passes in Allgeier finished his season with
his first three starts. 1,035 rushing yards, a team record for
rookies. Drake London passed the Fal-
Ridder ended the drought by rolling cons’ record for receptions in a season
to his right and lobbing a 2-yard scoring for a rookie. Kyle Pitts had 68 receptions
pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt in the in 2021. London had six catches for 120
first quarter. When asked if he remem- yards and finished the season with 72
bered the plan he had made to celebrate receptions.
his first TD pass, Ridder smiled and
shook his head. Tampa Bay Atlanta 30, Tampa Bay 17 — 17
Atlanta 7 10 0 0 — 30
“No, it was just pure emotion,” Ridder 10 0 10 10
said. “Me and Pruitt were just screaming
in each other’s face and I was looking for First Quarter
the ball and I saw CP run over and go TB—Rudolph 8 pass from Brady (Succop kick), 9:53.
grab it for me. He knew I was waiting on Atl—Pruitt 2 pass from Ridder (Koo kick), 3:22.
that, too.” Atl—FG Koo 49, :54.

On a day the Buccaneers had little to Second Quarter
play for other than staying sharp for the TB—FG Succop 41, 8:15.
playoffs, Brady left the game in the sec- TB—Gage 3 pass from Gabbert (Succop kick), 1:46.
ond quarter and had to watch the re-
mainder of his first career loss to the Fal- Third Quarter
cons from the sideline. Atl—FG Koo 24, 10:27.
Atl—Zaccheaus 3 pass from Ridder (Koo kick), :51.
Brady was in the game long enough to
break his own NFL record for most com- Fourth Quarter
pletions in a season. Atl—Patterson 2 run (Koo kick), 8:07.
Atl—FG Koo 51, 4:00.
Brady had been 11-0 in his career A—69,276.
against Atlanta, including New Eng-
land’s 34-28 win over the Falcons in the First downs TB Atl
Super Bowl following the 2016 season. 12 22
Led by Brady, the Patriots rallied from a 382
28-3 deficit. Total Net Yards 222 35-174
208
The Falcons haven’t been allowed to Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson scores a touchdown against the Rushes-yards 20-86 0-0
forget the epic Super Bowl collapse, but Buccaneers on Sunday. 1-17
they can now claim to be responsible for Passing 136 0-0
Brady’s first losing final record in a reg- 19-30-0
ular season. Punt Returns 1-12 2-16
3-51.333
Brady and Tampa Bay’s other healthy Kickoff Returns 1-24 1-1
regulars started even though the Bucca- 2-18
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 34:49

Comp-Att-Int 22-34-0

neers (8-9) clinched the NFC South title Brady had winning records in 21 con- Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0
by beating Carolina 30-24 last week and secutive regular seasons with New Eng-
were locked in as the NFC’s No. 4 seed in land and Tampa Bay before this season. Punts 5-50.6
the playoffs.
Rookie Tyler Allgeier rushed for 135 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
Brady said “It’s a big challenge” to yards on 24 carries to end the fifth con-
take a losing record into the playoffs. secutive losing season for Atlanta (7-10) Penalties-Yards 3-30
under second-year coach Arthur Smith.
“It’s going to be hard, but we’re battle Time of Possession 25:11
tested,” Brady said. “We’ve had some Brady began the day needing nine
tough games. Some we came back from. completions to top his 2021 single-sea- INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Some we haven’t. But like I said, close son record of 485. RUSHING—Tampa Bay, Bernard 7-28, Vaughn 8-26, Thompkins
won’t be good enough for going forward 1-17, R.White 4-15. Atlanta, Allgeier 24-135, Patterson 5-18,
for anybody.” He set the mark on a 5-yard pass to Williams 4-12, Ridder 2-9.
Russell Gage, the former Falcons receiv- PASSING—Tampa Bay, Brady 13-17-0-84, Gabbert 6-8-0-29, Trask
3-9-0-23. Atlanta, Ridder 19-30-0-224.
RECEIVING—Tampa Bay, Godwin 6-55, Thompkins 4-25, Gage
3-15, Vaughn 2-8, Bernard 2-(minus 1), Perriman 1-9, Miller 1-8,
Rudolph 1-8, Otton 1-5, Fournette 1-4. Atlanta, London 6-120,
Zaccheaus 4-37, Pruitt 3-34, Patterson 2-1, Darby 1-15, Firkser
1-11, Hesse 1-6, Byrd 1-0.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 3NS

BILLS 35, PATRIOTS 23

Bills tight end Dawson Knox makes a catch for a touchdown against the Patriots on Sunday. GREGORY FISHER/USA TODAY SPORTS

Bills keep Patriots out
of playoffs with win

John Wawrow Jones’ final two interceptions came
on consecutive drives in the final six
ASSOCIATED PRESS minutes.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Nyheim Facing third-and-19 at the Buffalo 22,
Hines ignited an emotionally charged Jones’ deep pass over the middle went
atmosphere celebrating injured Bills off the hand of tight end Hunter Henry,
safety Damar Hamlin by returning two and was picked off by linebacker Matt
kickoffs for touchdowns, and Buffalo Milano.
clinched the AFC’s second playoff seed
with a 35-23 win over the New England On New England’s next possession,
Patriots on Sunday. Jones’ pass went off the hands of Da-
mien Harris, and into the hands of line-
The loss, coupled with Miami beating backer Tremaine Edmunds.
the New York Jets, eliminated the Patri-
ots (8-9) from the playoffs for the sec- Patriots defensive back Devin
ond time in three years, and just the McCourty had an interception and re-
fourth time in 23 seasons during Bill covered Devin Singletary’s fumble. The
Belichick’s coaching tenure. Buffalo will interception was the 35th of McCourty’s
now host their division rival Dolphins in 13-year career, moving him one behind
the wild-card round next weekend. Ty Law and Raymond Clayborn, who are
tied for first on the franchise list.
With the game in hand, Bills players
held up three fingers in honor of Ham- Buffalo 35, New England 23
lin’s number with the crowd chanting
“Hamlin! Hamlin!” New England 7 7 3 6 — 23
Buffalo 7 7 14 7 — 35
The Bills (13-3) closed their season by
winning their final seven games and First Quarter
overcame an emotional week in which Buf—N.Hines 96 kickoff return (Bass kick), 14:46.
the team was left devastated in watch- NE—Meyers 2 pass from Mac.Jones (Folk kick), 5:45.
ing Hamlin collapse after going into car-
diac arrest and having to be resuscitated Second Quarter
on the field in Cincinnati on Monday Buf—Knox 4 pass from Allen (Bass kick), 14:15.
night. NE—Parker 2 pass from Mac.Jones (Folk kick), 3:45.

What followed was progressive good Bills wide receiver John Brown (16) celebrates his touchdown during the second Third Quarter
news of Hamlin’s remarkable recovery half on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. ADRIAN KRAUS/AP NE—FG Folk 24, 7:06.
in which he was not only able to breathe Buf—N.Hines 101 kickoff return (Bass kick), 6:53.
on his own, but also managed to address Buf—J.Brown 42 pass from Allen (Bass kick), 1:35.
his teammates while saying “Love you
boys” on Friday. On the ensuing kickoff, which went good, coming 13 seconds after Nick Folk Fourth Quarter
for a touchback, the Bills special teams hit a 24-yard field goal to put New Eng- NE—Parker 26 pass from Mac.Jones (pass failed), 11:37.
And leave it to receiver Stefon Diggs, players all raced into the end zone and land up 17-14 midway through the third Buf—Diggs 49 pass from Allen (Bass kick), 8:51.
who made a point to visit Hamlin in the motioned to the crowd. The fans, as one, quarter. A—70,753.
University of Cincinnati Medical Center stood up and let out a massive roar.
immediately following the game, to seal Acquired by Buffalo in a trade with First downs NE Buf
the victory with a 49-yard touchdown Allen finished 19 of 31 for 254 yards Indianapolis two months ago, Hines be- Total Net Yards 20 18
catch from Josh Allen to put Buffalo with three touchdowns and an intercep- came the NFL’s 11th player to return two Rushes-yards 341 327
ahead 35-23 with 8:51 remaining. tion. kickoffs for scores in a game, and first Passing 23-107 25-90
since Seattle’s Leon Washington in Punt Returns 234 237
The sold-out crowd – many of them On a day the Bills celebrated No. 3, 2010. Kickoff Returns 3-25 2-6
wearing No. 3 Hamlin shirts and jerseys, and with Hamlin watching and live- Interceptions Ret. 4-82 4-235
and holding up red hearts in the player’s tweeting from his hospital bed in Cin- The Patriots needed only a win to Comp-Att-Int 1-30 3-45
honor – erupted as one as Allen walked cinnati, two touchdowns by Hines clinch a playoff berth, but wound up Sacked-Yards Lost 26-40-3 19-31-1
off the field with his hands raised. proved key. stumbling in closing the season by los- Punts 1-9 2-17
ing five of their last seven. Fumbles-Lost 4-40.25 3-41.667
The crowd had barely settled into its Penalties-Yards 1-0 2-2
seats following a pregame ceremony Mac Jones finished 26 of 40 for 243 Time of Possession 2-20 2-20
honoring Hamlin when Hines returned yards and three touchdowns, including 32:37 27:23
the opening kickoff 96 yards for a score. two to DeVante Parker, and three inter-
ceptions – all coming in the second half. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
His second put the Bills ahead for RUSHING—New England, Stevenson 6-54, D.Harris 13-48,
Mac.Jones 4-5. Buffalo, Cook 9-45, Singletary 7-29, Allen 9-16.
PASSING—New England, Mac.Jones 26-40-3-243. Buffalo, Allen
19-31-1-254.
RECEIVING—New England, Parker 6-79, Henry 6-42, Stevenson
5-28, Bourne 4-45, Meyers 3-32, Thornton 1-13, D.Harris 1-4.
Buffalo, Diggs 7-104, Davis 3-39, McKenzie 2-19, Knox 2-13, Cook
2-6, J.Brown 1-42, Shakir 1-28, Singletary 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

4NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

VIKINGS 29, BEARS 13

Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson runs after a catch against the Bears on Sunday in Chicago. DANIEL BARTEL/USA TODAY SPORTS

Cousins, Vikings roll
to victory over Bears

Andrew Seligman scored from the 1 to cap a 12-play drive.
Boyle, who played for Green Bay
ASSOCIATED PRESS
when Bears offensive coordinator Luke
CHICAGO – The Minnesota Vikings Getsy was the Packers’ quarterbacks
wanted nothing more than to wash coach, took over on Chicago’s fourth
away the bitter taste from a blowout loss possession. He threw a long pass on
and head into the postseason on a third down that Patrick Peterson picked
sweeter note. off with no receivers near him and re-
turned 28 yards to the 35. Joseph kicked
This was more like it. a field goal to make it 16-0.
Kirk Cousins threw for 225 yards and
a touchdown in the first half and INJURIES
watched the rest of the way as the NFC
North champion Vikings tuned up for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) passes the ball against the Bears during the Vikings: O’Connell said LB Za’Darius
the playoffs by beating the Chicago first half at Soldier Field on Sunday. MATT MARTON/USA TODAY SPORTS Smith (personal matter) and S Harrison
Bears 29-13 on Sunday. Smith (sore knee) to be available next
Cousins led three scoring drives as week. Za’Darius Smith traveled sepa-
the Vikings (13-4) grabbed a 16-6 half- rately from the team to Chicago. O’Con-
time lead. They remained in control the nell wasn’t sure if Garrett Bradbury
rest of the way after getting blown out at (back) would be. … CB Chandon Sullivan
Green Bay the previous week. (knee contusion) and RB Dalvin Cook
“You don’t feel good all week and (cleat to the leg) got banged up, but
you’re disappointed and it kind of car- should be ready for next week.
ries with you,” Cousins said. “And to be
able to come back out on the field and Bears: DB Elijah Hicks (concussion)
compete and play a cleaner game and be left in the third quarter. … WR Equani-
sharp, I think it does help. But I don’t meous St. Brown (knee) was also hurt.
think you ever forget what happened
last Sunday or what happened in Week Minnesota 29, Chicago 13
2 against the Eagles.”
The Bears (3-14), who held out star Minnesota 6 10 7 6 — 29
Justin Fields, set a franchise record with Chicago 06 7 0 — 13
their 14th loss and extended one by
dropping their 10th game in a row. Only five catches. Justin Jefferson added four fourth. He threw two interceptions and First Quarter
the 1969 team that went 1-13 had a worse receptions for 38 yards, boosting his completed just 2 of 8 passes. Min—Thielen 4 pass from Cousins (kick failed), 10:12.
record. team-record totals to 128 and 1,809 on
Chicago also got a big win by landing the season. Velus Jones Jr. had a 42-yard touch- Second Quarter
the No. 1 pick in the draft. The loss com- down run in the second quarter. The Min—Mattison 1 run (Joseph kick), 9:20.
bined with Houston prevailing 32-31 at Alexander Mattison ran for a career- Bears finished with 118 yards rushing, Min—FG Joseph 28, 4:57.
Indianapolis put Chicago in the top spot high two touchdowns, scoring from the 1 giving them a franchise-record 3,014 on Chi—V.Jones 42 run (pass failed), 3:31.
for the first time since 1947. in both the second and third quarters. the season and surpassing the previous
“Whoever comes in, we’re going to mark of 2,974 in 1984. Third Quarter
change things around,” safety Jaquan “Offensively, I thought we stacked Min—Mattison 1 run (Joseph kick), 9:25.
Brisker said. “So have his mentality good plays,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We didn’t have the season we want- Chi—Kmet 11 pass from Peterman (Santos kick), 4:07.
right. Whoever we get, hopefully it’s “Even when there were some exotic ed to, but it’s about everybody coming
somebody great. It’s time to turn it kind of (defensive back) pressures to try back to work and putting their all into Fourth Quarter Min Chi
around.” to stop some of our run game, we were this organization for the Bears,” Jones Min—FG Joseph 50, 14:55. 28 13
Cousins bounced back from a rough able to overcome those things.” said. “Everybody take a mental break Min—FG Joseph 41, 3:39. 482 259
outing, completing 17 of 20 passes while this offseason, but get back to work and A—60,007. 38-141 22-118
posting a sparkling 130.2 rating. NO FIELDS better yourself.” 341 141
He hit K.J. Osborn for a 66-yard com- First downs 1-4 1--2
pletion on Minnesota’s first possession, Fields’ pursuit of the NFL single-sea- BIG START Total Net Yards 0-0 4-82
setting up a 4-yard touchdown to Adam son rushing record for a quarterback Rushes-yards 2-28 1-10
Thielen, and led two more scoring ended when the Bears announced dur- The Vikings, plagued by slow starts, Passing 28-33-1 13-27-2
drives. ing the week he would miss the game needed just four plays on their first pos- Punt Returns 0-0 1-6
Nick Mullens came on in the third because of a strained hip and Nathan session of the game to grab a 6-0 lead. Kickoff Returns 1-35.0 3-37.0
quarter and was 11 of 13 for 116 yards and Peterman would start in his place. Interceptions Ret. 2-1 0-0
an interception. Osborn had 117 yards on Cousins hit a wide open Osborn for a Comp-Att-Int 8-41 2-20
Peterman completed 11 of 19 passes 66-yard pass to the 4, then connected Sacked-Yards Lost 36:36 23:24
for 114 yards and a touchdown in his fifth with Thielen for a TD. Greg Joseph’s ex- Punts
career start and first since 2018 with tra point sailed wide right – his sixth Fumbles-Lost
Buffalo. miss in 44 attempts. Penalties-Yards
Time of Possession
Tim Boyle played the second quarter Minnesota added to the lead early in
and came back into the game late in the the second quarter when Mattison INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Minnesota, Mattison 10-54, Cook 11-37, Chandler 6-20,
Nwangwu 5-13, Mullens 4-8, Reagor 1-5, Thielen 1-4. Chicago,
Herbert 10-50, V.Jones 1-42, Montgomery 7-21, Peterman 2-7,
Boyle 2-(minus 2).
PASSING—Minnesota, Cousins 17-20-0-225, Mullens 11-13-1-116.
Chicago, Peterman 11-19-0-114, Boyle 2-8-2-33.
RECEIVING—Minnesota, Osborn 5-117, Nailor 4-62, Ham 4-47,
Jefferson 4-38, I.Smith 3-14, Reagor 2-17, Thielen 2-8, Hockenson
1-16, Nwangwu 1-16, Mattison 1-6, Cook 1-0. Chicago, Kmet 4-57,
Claypool 2-29, Pettis 2-19, V.Jones 1-28, Harry 1-7, Pringle 1-5, St.
Brown 1-3, Herbert 1-(minus 1).
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 5NS

BENGALS 27, RAVENS 16

Bengals running back Joe Mixon is tackled by Ravens safety Chuck Clark on Sunday in Cincinnati. PHOTOS BY JEFF DEAN/AP

Bengals beat Ravens,
set up home rematch

Mitch Stacy FINISHING FLAT

ASSOCIATED PRESS The Bengals are hoping their listless
second half doesn’t spill over into next
CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Ben- week. The Bengals managed only 90 to-
gals built a big lead and came out flat in tal yards and field goal in the second half
the second half, but held off the division while punting five times and turning the
rival Baltimore Ravens to close the sea- ball over on downs and via a Burrow
son on an eight-game winning streak. fumble.

Their reward? Hosting the Ravens “I was just missing throws I usually
again in the first round of the playoffs hit, that I usually always hit, so I got to
next week. be better,” Burrow said.

Joe Burrow threw for a touchdown The Bengals were outgained by the
and Joe Mixon ran for another as the Ravens 386 yards to 257. Cincinnati had
Bengals took advantage of four Ravens just 55 yards rushing.
turnovers to win 27-16 on Sunday.
WHAT A WEEK
The two-time AFC North champion
and defending AFC champion Bengals Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) celebrates a defensive stop against the The week started with the Bengals
(12-4) returned to the field where, six Ravens in the second half on Sunday. praying that Hamlin would survive.
days earlier, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Devastation turned to relief later in the
Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. The week as the Bills safety showed positive
frightening episode led to their game signs of recovery.
against the Bills being suspended and
later canceled. “This was a strange game, strange
week,” Taylor said. “Our players did ev-
On Sunday, the Bengals beat a Rav- erything they could to handle it the right
ens team that rested some key players way, so now we get a chance to put this
ahead of the postseason and avoided a one behind us.”
coin flip to determine the site of their
playoff game against Baltimore. Cincinnati 27, Baltimore 16

NFL owners approved the coin-flip getting a home playoff game, Ravens Kenyan Drake scored for Ravens on a Baltimore 0 7 6 3 — 16
scenario because the cancellation de- coach John Harbaugh ensured the Ben- 4-yard run in the first half. Justin Tucker Cincinnati 10 14 3 0 — 27
prived the Ravens of an opportunity to gals will see a somewhat different team kicked three field goals.
win the division. Baltimore needed to when sixth-seeded Baltimore returns to First Quarter
win and have Denver beat the Los Ange- Paycor Stadium next weekend. On the Ravens’ first play from scrim- Cin—FG McPherson 34, 5:01.
les Chargers later Sunday to prompt the mage after the Bengals opened with a Cin—Mixon 1 run (McPherson kick), 1:11.
coin toss. The Bengals were unhappy Baltimore was without its two top field goal, Brown lofted a long pass into
about it and mocked the rule change quarterbacks. Lamar Jackson hasn’t the arms of Cincinnati safety Jessie Second Quarter
with a coin-flip celebration after Mix- practiced since his knee injury in a Dec. Bates III. Burrow then went 7 for 11 on a Cin—Chase 26 pass from Burrow (McPherson kick), 14:12.
on’s TD. 4 game against the Broncos, and it’s un- drive capped by Mixon’s 1-yard plunge. Bal—Drake 4 run (Tucker kick), 1:57.
clear whether he will be available for the Cin—Ossai 0 fumble return (McPherson kick), :30.
Cincinnati’s chances at the No. 2 playoffs. Backup Tyler Huntley has also Cornerback Mike Hilton picked off
seed in the AFC ended when Buffalo been banged up and was inactive on Brown on Baltimore’s next possession, Third Quarter
beat New England. Burrow finished 25 Sunday. giving the ball to the Bengals at the Rav- Bal—FG Tucker 26, 10:34.
of 42 for 215 yards and a touchdown, al- ens 30. Three plays later, Burrow Cin—FG McPherson 26, 6:27.
though he struggled after halftime. The Ravens also rested two of their hooked up with Ja’Marr Chase for a 26- Bal—FG Tucker 51, 1:59.
biggest offensive weapons, Mark An- yard TD.
“Certainly, some things that we can drews and J.K. Dobbins. Fourth Quarter
clean up, that we can do better, partic- Then, with Ravens operating in the Bal—FG Tucker 27, 12:17.
ularly on offense, but I’m just proud of “I’m looking forward to next week shadow of the goal line after a Cincin- A—65,849.
the way that these guys found a way to and seeing these guys again,” Ravens nati punt, Bengals defensive end Trey
win in January – that’s all that matters,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “It will Hendrickson sacked Brown in the end First downs Bal Cin
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “(We) be for all the marbles. I don’t look at it zone. The ball squirted out and Joseph Total Net Yards 20 15
finished the second half of season 8-0, any differently. Just excited to get back Ossai fell on it for a touchdown 30 sec- Rushes-yards 386 257
the right way, and so these guys got a lot out next week.” onds left in the half, pushing the Cincin- Passing 27-110 20-55
of confidence right now headed into the nati lead to 24-7 at halftime. Punt Returns 276 202
playoffs.” Cincinnati scored two first-half Kickoff Returns 1-8 2-12
touchdowns after intercepting Brown Brown completed a 47-yard catch- Interceptions Ret. 2-51 2-48
The Ravens (10-7) fought gamely be- and got another when he fumbled while and-run to Sammy Watkins late in the Comp-Att-Int 0-0 2-9
hind rookie third-stringer Anthony being sacked in his own end zone. game, but Bates ripped it free while Sacked-Yards Lost 19-44-2 25-42-0
Brown, who got the start after throwing making the tackle and safety Vonn Bell Punts 4-10 2-13
just five passes all season. But rather Brown went 19 of 44 for 286 yards in recovered the fumble. Fumbles-Lost 3-45.667 7-51.714
than go all-out for the slim chance of his first NFL start. Penalties-Yards 2-2 1-1
Time of Possession 5-22 3-35
28:41 31:19

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Baltimore, Drake 16-60, Hill 7-34, Edwards 4-16.
Cincinnati, Mixon 11-27, Perine 6-18, Burrow 3-10.
PASSING—Baltimore, Brown 19-44-2-286. Cincinnati, Burrow
25-42-0-215.
RECEIVING—Baltimore, Likely 8-103, Kolar 4-49, Watkins 2-79,
Robinson 2-24, Drake 2-19, Wallace 1-12. Cincinnati, Chase 8-86,
Boyd 5-51, Mixon 5-41, Hurst 4-14, Irwin 1-12, Higgins 1-7, Perine
1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

6NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

TEXANS 32, COLTS 31

Texans quarterback Davis Mills throws a pass under pressure from Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on Sunday. PHOTOS BY AJ MAST/AP at

Texans rally for win
Indy, lose top draft pick

Michael Marot game but eventually returned.

ASSOCIATED PRESS STAT PACK

INDIANAPOLIS – Houston coach Lo- Texans: Cooks caught five passes for
vie Smith kept insisting his team would 106 yards and a touchdown. … Jonathan
play for the win Sunday. Greenard returned an interception 39
yards for a score, the third defensive TD
When he got the chance in the final allowed by the Colts in their past five
minute, Smith delivered on that prom- games. … Teagan Quitoriano had three
ise. catches for 83 yards. … All three of
Houston’s win this season came on the
After Davis Mills threw a 28-yard road.
touchdown pass to Jordan Akins with
50 seconds left, Smith dialed up the Colts: Ehlinger, the former Texas star,
same combination on a 2-point conver- was 23 of 35 with 209 yards, two touch-
sion play to give Houston a rare and im- downs and two interceptions as he fell
probable 32-31 victory at Indianapolis, to 0-3 as an NFL starter. … Zack Moss
costing the Texans the No. 1 pick in had 18 carries and 114 yards and one TD.
April’s draft. … Michael Pittman Jr. caught three
passes for 30 yards and one TD but fin-
Not surprisingly, Smith cared more ished the season with 99 receptions and
about the celebration than the conse- 925 yards. … Linebacker Zaire Franklin
quences. overcame an ankle injury to make seven
tackles, breaking the franchise’s single
“Whenever you play, you play to win season record with 166. Shaquille Leon-
the game,” he said, rekindling the words ard set the previous mark (163) in 2018.
of an old coaching friend, Herman Ed-
wards. “We wanted to finish the right Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) is tackled by Texans cornerback Houston Houston 32, Indianapolis 31 — 32
way and we were able to do that.” Tavierre Thomas (2) during the first half Sunday in Indianapolis. Indianapolis 10 7 7 8 — 31
7 0 14 10
Just barely.
Mills first converted on fourth-and-12 The Colts lost their final seven games Alie-Cox to give Indy a 28-24 lead with First Quarter
with a 30-yard completion to Brandin after winning Saturday’s coaching de- 10:30 to go. Hou—Cooks 11 pass from Mills (Fairbairn kick), 11:17.
Cooks at the Colts 18-yard line. Then af- but in early November. Hou—FG Fairbairn 37, 9:40.
ter throwing two incompletions and Indy thought it had sealed the victory Ind—Pittman 1 pass from Ehlinger (McLaughlin kick), 3:56.
taking a 10-yard sack, Mills somehow But for a game few followed because when Chase McLaughlin made a 54-
threaded the pass through the hands of it had no impact on the playoff picture, it yard field goal with 3:33 to go. Second Quarter
Colts safety Rodney Thomas II and into certainly finished with a flair. Hou—Greenard 39 interception return (Fairbairn kick), 10:30.
the hands of Akins, giving Houston its But Mills’ late-game magic allowed
second win in three weeks and its Ehlinger threw two touchdown Houston to pull it out. Third Quarter
fourth-ever win in Indy as the Chicago passes in the final 19 minutes and led In- Ind—Moss 15 run (McLaughlin kick), 6:40.
Bears moved into the top draft spot. dy on three successive scoring drives to “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Mills Hou—Akins 19 pass from Mills (Fairbairn kick), 3:51.
Indy (4-12-1), meanwhile, lost its sev- erase a 10-point deficit and give the said after finishing 22 of 38 with 298 Ind—McLeod 27 interception return (McLaughlin kick), :52.
enth straight under interim coach Jeff Colts a 31-24 lead with 3:33 to play. yards and three TDs. “The guys found a
Saturday, assuring itself of a top-five way to fight, and we got the result we Fourth Quarter
draft selection. Mills finally answered with the com- wanted in the end.” Ind—Alie-Cox 4 pass from Ehlinger (McLaughlin kick), 10:30.
Like Smith, Saturday wasn’t thinking pletion to Cooks with 1:26 to go and the Ind—FG McLaughlin 54, 3:33.
about the future after finishing this sea- passes to Akins. INJURY REPORT Hou—Akins 28 pass from Mills (Akins pass from Mills), :50.
son. A—63,655.
“I’ve never seen a lot of what I’ve seen Initially, it looked as if it might be a Texans: Tight end Brevin Jordan left
the past eight weeks, I guess baptism by rout when Houston took a 10-0 lead be- in the first half with a knee injury and First downs Hou Ind
fire or whatever you want to call it,” he fore Indy even ran an offensive play. did not return. Safety Jalen Pitre left af- 18 25
said. “Rod just mistimes it or whatever, ter the first play of the fourth quarter
just some crazy plays happened and un- But Mills’ miscues fueled Indy’s and was diagnosed with a concussion. Total Net Yards 360 398
fortunately they happened for them and comeback.
not us.” Colts: Right tackle Braden Smith in- Rushes-yards 23-59 33-196
Indy got one last shot, but couldn’t Rodney McLeod Jr. returned the first jured his left ankle late in the fourth
move the ball into scoring position and of Mills’ two interceptions for a 26-yard quarter and did not return. Passing 301 202
Sam Ehlinger’s final heave was knocked touchdown score to make it 24-21. Three
down short of the goal line to cap yet an- plays later, Thomas II, a high school Safety-return specialist Dallis Flow- Punt Returns 1-16 2-13
other ugly chapter in this miserable sea- teammate of Bills safety Damar Hamlin, ers went into the blue tent after fum-
son. picked off Mills and Ehlinger capitalized bling on his first kickoff return of the Kickoff Returns 1-19 4-88
by throwing a 4-yard TD pass to Mo
Interceptions Ret. 2-57 2-38

Comp-Att-Int 24-40-2 23-35-2

Sacked-Yards Lost 1-10 2-7

Punts 4-42.5 2-58.5

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 4-1

Penalties-Yards 7-53 2-10

Time of Possession 26:07 33:53

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Houston, Ogunbowale 11-33, Freeman 7-15, Driskel 3-7,
Mills 1-6, Moore 1-(minus 2). Indianapolis, Moss 18-114, Jackson
8-35, Campbell 1-26, Ehlinger 5-21, Pittman 1-0.
PASSING—Houston, Mills 22-38-2-298, Driskel 2-2-0-13.
Indianapolis, Ehlinger 23-35-2-209.
RECEIVING—Houston, Cooks 5-106, Ogunbowale 5-5, Akins 4-70,
Quitoriano 3-83, Rodgers 3-22, Moore 2-22, Freeman 1-2,
Burkhead 1-1. Indianapolis, Jackson 6-75, Campbell 6-42, Pierce
3-42, Pittman 3-30, Moss 3-7, Woods 1-9, Alie-Cox 1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 7NS

DOLPHINS 11, JETS 6

Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (23) runs a play during the first half against the Jets on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. REBECCA BLACKWELL/AP

Dolphins defeat Jets
to clinch playoff berth

Alanis Thames Stadium, the matchup between the Bills
and Patriots was noticeably absent.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
After Miami’s game went final, the
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Jason Sand- video board immediately switched to
ers kicked a go-ahead 50-yard field goal the Bill-Patriots game.
with 18 seconds left, helping the Miami
Dolphins to their first playoff berth since When asked this week if he’d be
2016 after squeaking by the New York watching the outcome of that game,
Jets 11-6 on Sunday. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel an-
swered “absolutely not.”
The Dolphins (9-8) snapped a five-
game losing streak and then had to wait “Any focus on something that you
a few minutes for Buffalo to defeat New can’t control I don’t think helps render
England 35-23 to make their postseason the desired result,” he added.
appearance official. “We’re In” was dis-
played on the videoboard at Hard Rock INJURIES
Stadium.
Jets: S Tony Adams was shaken up
Miami will play at Buffalo in the first after taking a big hit that knocked his
round of the playoffs next weekend. The helmet off in the third quarter. He was
AFC East rivals split the season series later ruled out with a concussion.
with each winning at home.
Dolphins: Hill was in and out of the
Sanders’ kick came after the Dol- game with his ankle injury. … OL Liam
phins were helped by a 15-yard horse- Eichenberg left in the third quarter with
collar tackle penalty on Quincy Wil- an arm injury. … Mostert left in the
liams. fourth quarter with a thumb injury and
did not return. … DL Brandon Shell left
The Jets (7-10) ended the season with in the fourth quarter with ankle and
six straight losses, finishing a disap- knee injuries.
pointing collapse for Robert Saleh’s
squad. New York failed to score a touch- N.Y. Jets Miami 11, N.Y. Jets 6
down in its final three games. Miami 0 30 3— 6
0 3 3 5 — 11
On the Jets’ last-ditch effort with
time running out, they lateraled the ball Second Quarter
a few times before Elijah Moore fum- Mia—FG J.Sanders 37, 5:17.
bled, the ball was recovered by Garrett NYJ—FG Zuerlein 32, 1:35.
Wilson and he was ruled to be tackled in
the end zone for a safety. Third Quarter
Mia—FG J.Sanders 37, 5:18.
The Jets reached midfield with 7:28
left on a 27-yard penalty after a defen- Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson carries against the Jets on Sunday. Fourth Quarter
sive pass interference call on Dolphins NYJ—FG Zuerlein 35, 11:59.
cornerback Kader Kohou. That drive LYNNE SLADKY/AP Mia—FG J.Sanders 50, :18.
ended in a punt by an offense that had Mia—safety, :00.
fewer than 200 total yards. A—66,429.

The Jets had tied it with about 12 team practice reps after replacing the phins settled for a field goal. First downs NYJ Mia
minutes left on a 35-yard field goal by injured Teddy Bridgewater in last Sun- Hill was limited by an ankle injury Total Net Yards 11 17
Greg Zuerlein. Joe Flacco led the team day’s loss at New England. He complet- Rushes-yards
down the field on a 14-play, 75-yard ed 20 of 31 passes for 152 yards. sustained in the first half, but he only Passing 187 302
drive. briefly left the game. He caught two Punt Returns 20-38 32-162
Miami punted on two of its first four passes on five targets for 23 yards, his Kickoff Returns
Flacco completed 17 of 32 passes with drives. The other two ended in a turn- fewest in a game this season. Interceptions Ret. 149 140
169 yards for the Jets in the place of Mike over on downs and a 37-yarder by Sand- Comp-Att-Int 2-29 0-0
White, who is dealing with broken ribs. ers. Mostert and Jeff Wilson combined Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 0-0
for 143 yards rushing for the Dolphins. Punts 0-0 0-0
In their most important game of the Miami got close to the end zone mid- Fumbles-Lost 18-33-0 20-31-0
season, the Dolphins’ offense was lim- way through the third quarter, set up by Tight end Mike Gesicki led the Dol- Penalties-Yards 0-0 1-12
ited with veteran left tackle Terron Arm- tough runs of 14, 11 and 21 yards by Ra- phins with 46 yards, including a 32-yard Time of Possession 5-48.2 4-45.25
stead inactive and rookie Skylar heem Mostert. catch in the fourth quarter. 2-0 1-0
Thompson at quarterback. 6-54 5-47
The Dolphins lost 11 yards on first SCOREBOARD WATCH 24:35 35:25
Thompson had a full week of first- down at the Jets 13, however, Thompson
couldn’t connect with Tyreek Hill in the When the day’s out-of-town games INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
end zone on third-and 16, and the Dol- flashed on the scoreboard at Hard Rock RUSHING—N.Y. Jets, Knight 12-22, T.Johnson 5-12, Carter 3-4.
Miami, J.Wilson 16-72, Mostert 11-71, Waddle 1-9, Ahmed 1-7,
Thompson 3-3.
PASSING—N.Y. Jets, Flacco 18-33-0-149. Miami, Thompson
20-31-0-152.
RECEIVING—N.Y. Jets, G.Wilson 9-89, Conklin 2-13, T.Johnson 2-13,
Carter 2-1, C.Davis 1-17, Moore 1-11, Ruckert 1-8. Miami, Waddle
5-44, Gesicki 4-46, Smythe 3-39, Hill 2-23, J.Wilson 2-2, Mostert
2-(minus 10), Cracraft 1-5, Ezukanma 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—N.Y. Jets, Zuerlein 55.

8NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

PANTHERS 10, SAINTS 7

Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro celebrates his game-winning field goal against the Saints on Sunday. PHOTOS BY GERALD HERBERT/AP

Pineiro’s kick sends
Panthers past Saints

Brett Martel 2005 – the year before his predecessor,
Sean Payton, was hired. (The Saints did
ASSOCIATED PRESS have five 7-9 seasons between 2007 and
2016.)
NEW ORLEANS – If Steve Wilks has
coached his last game for the Panthers, “We’re going to evaluate everything,”
he can walk away knowing his players Allen said. “Nobody’s making any deci-
didn’t quit on him. sions on anything 30 minutes after we
walked off the field.”
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 42-yard field
goal as time expired, and Carolina EJECTED
closed out its season with an opportu-
nistic 10-7 victory over the New Orleans Panthers running back D’Onta Fore-
Saints on Sunday. man and Saints defensive end Marcus
Davenport each were ejected in the third
“The guys showed up today,” said quarter for throwing punches after the
Wilks, who went 6-6 as an interim coach whistle, moments after Davenport had
after Matt Rhule’s firing. “We’ve dealt tackled Foreman for no gain. Foreman
with so much adversity through the had 12 carries for 67 yards. Davenport
course of the year, and for those guys to was in on three tackles.
circle the wagons once again and find a
way to come together and win the foot- INJURIES
ball game is extremely impressive.”
Panthers: Marquis Haynes appeared
The Saints finished with some wide to hurt his ankle in the first half. Left
statistical advantages, outgaining Caro- tackle Brady Christensen was taken to
lina 304 yards to 203, but the game re- the locker room on a cart in the first half.
mained tight until the end because of
New Orleans’ inability to score on four Saints: Rookie offensive tackle Tre-
possessions inside the Panthers 40- vor Penning, getting his first career
yard line. start, limped off with an apparent leg in-
jury with 1:33 to go.
“We should have beat the brakes off
somebody and didn’t,” Saints defensive Carolina Carolina 10, New Orleans 7 — 10
end Cameron Jordan said after New Or- New Orleans 00 73 —7
leans saw its three-game winning 7000
streak snapped. “Not to finish the way
we wanted is going to be irksome for a Saints wide receiver Chris Olave scores ahead of Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn First Quarter
while.” during the first half in New Orlean on Sunday. NO—Olave 25 pass from Dalton (Lutz kick), 11:01.

The Saints (7-10) were in position to Third Quarter
win when safety Daniel Sorensen inter- Car—M.Jordan 0 run (Pineiro kick), 6:45.
cepted Sam Darnold near midfield and
returned it to the Carolina 35 with 1:36 to nold said. “I’m just really proud of our points in the game, too, and didn’t take Fourth Quarter
go. But New Orleans failed to move the resiliency.” advantage of them, didn’t make the play Car—FG Pineiro 42, :00.
ball on three plays and Wil Lutz missed when we needed to. … The score should A—70,118.
a 55-yard field goal attempt – his second Carolina scored its only TD on a fum- have looked a lot different.”
miss of the game. ble by Darnold that was recovered in the First downs Car NO
end zone by Panthers lineman Michael Lutz missed a 44-yard field goal at- 14 16
Darnold moved Carolina (7-10) into Jordan. tempt. Kamara’s run was stuffed on 304
field goal range in the closing minute fourth and 1. And after Saints safety Ty- Total Net Yards 203 32-143
with a first-down scramble, followed by New Orleans’ Andy Dalton was 15 of rann Mathieu intercepted Darnold near 161
just his fifth completion of the game – a 25 for 171 yards and one touchdown to the goal line, New Orleans turned it back Rushes-yards 41-171 0-0
21 yarder to former LSU receiver Terrace Chris Olave. Alvin Kamara rushed for over when Olave fumbled inside the 0-0
Marshall Jr. 107 yards. Carolina 25-yard line. Passing 32 2-55
15-25-0
Darnold finished 5 of 15 for 43 yards The Saints took a 7-0 lead on Olave’s The Panthers, who’d been outgained Punt Returns 1-2 1-10
and was intercepted twice, winning de- 25-yard TD catch on the game’s opening 234 yards to 60 in the first half, opened 5-44.8
spite having a quarterback rating of 2.8. drive, but New Orleans squandered the second half with a 14-play, 82-yard Kickoff Returns 1-18 1-1
But the Panthers rushed for 171 yards, three subsequent scoring chances in the drive to tie it at 7 on Jordan’s recovery. 2-15
led by Chuba Hubbard’s 69 yards on 21 opening half. Interceptions Ret. 0-0 29:05
carries. Under first-year coach Dennis Allen,
“The way we started this game, it’s the Saints ended a season with a 10 in Comp-Att-Int 5-15-2
“It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done at exactly how you want to start,” Dalton the loss column for the first time since
the end and that’s what matters,” Dar- said. “We had opportunities at other Sacked-Yards Lost 2-11

Punts 6-46.833

Fumbles-Lost 3-0

Penalties-Yards 2-20

Time of Possession 30:55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Carolina, Hubbard 21-69, Foreman 12-68, Darnold
6-32, Blackshear 1-1, Shenault 1-1. New Orleans, Kamara 23-107,
Hill 5-24, Shaheed 1-7, Benjamin 2-3, Dalton 1-2.
PASSING—Carolina, Darnold 5-15-2-43. New Orleans, Dalton
15-25-0-171.
RECEIVING—Carolina, Marshall 2-23, Moore 1-10, Shenault 1-8,
Tremble 1-2. New Orleans, Olave 5-60, Shaheed 3-34, D.Johnson
2-28, J.Johnson 1-21, Trautman 1-18, Smith 1-6, Kamara 1-3, Hill
1-1.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—New Orleans, Lutz 55, Lutz 44.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 9NS

STEELERS 28, BROWNS 14

Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is shoved out of bounds after making a catch against Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. DON WRIGHT/AP

Steelers top Browns,
miss out on playoffs

Will Graves Steelers to glance at the scoreboard.
“We wanted a shot at the playoffs,
ASSOCIATED PRESS
but didn’t work out that way,” Pickett
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steel- said. “So, a little bit of mixed feelings.”
ers spent the second half of the season
digging their way out of a deep hole, but INJURIES
they finally encountered one obstacle
they couldn’t overcome. Browns: LB Reggie Ragland left in the
first half with a shoulder injury. … CB
The out-of-town scoreboard at Acri- Denzel Ward did not play in the second
sure Stadium. half due to a shoulder injury. Ward was
questionable during the week. … T Je-
Just as the clock hit zero to finish off a drick Wills went to the sideline in the fi-
28-14 victory over Cleveland on Sunday, nal minute with a leg injury.
Pittsburgh’s slim but for weeks seem-
ingly zombielike playoff chances van- Steelers: WR Gunnar Olszewski in-
ished when the Miami Dolphins kicked jured his left leg on a jet sweep in the
a late field goal and tacked on a safety to third quarter. … TE Pat Freiermuth left
beat the New York Jets and earn the with a left leg injury in the fourth quar-
AFC’s seventh and final postseason ter.
spot.
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) passes against the Browns during the KOSAR FIRED
The Steelers wanted a chance at car- first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. CHARLES LECLAIRE/USA TODAY SPORTS
rying the momentum they’ve built over Former Browns quarterback and
the last two months into next week’s Ohio native Bernie Kosar said he was
wild-card round. Instead, they’ll spend fired from the team’s radio broadcast
Monday cleaning out their lockers and team on Sunday. Kosar said earlier in
pointing toward 2023. the week he placed a bet on the Browns
to win the game. Ohio made sports bet-
“I think it will take a little bit of time ting legal on Jan. 1.
to kind of understand and come to
terms with it because I feel like we were lead they would not relinquish. the two interceptions. Nick Chubb ran Pittsburgh 28, Cleveland 14
starting to play some really (darn) good Cleveland was hoping to sweep the for 77 yards and caught a touchdown
football,” Pittsburgh outside linebacker pass to join Jim Brown as the only play- Cleveland 0 70 7 — 14
T.J. Watt said. “But that’s the business. Steelers for the first time since 1988 and ers in Browns history to exceed 1,500 Pittsburgh 0 10 10 8 — 28
We didn’t get it done this year.” finish ahead of them in the standings for yards rushing in a season.
the first time since 1989. Instead, the Second Quarter
Not after a 2-6 start that included Browns (7-10) couldn’t protect Watson “That locker room fought like crazy,” Cle—Njoku 10 pass from Watson (York kick), 6:27.
Watt tearing his left pectoral in Week 1 and wound up at the bottom of the AFC Stefanski said. “We got guys that want- Pit—Pickens 31 pass from Pickett (Boswell kick), 1:47.
and missing seven games and rookie North while losing at least 10 games for ed to put everything into this one.” Pit—FG Boswell 49, :38.
quarterback Kenny Pickett enduring a the 17th time since the franchise re-en-
rocky indoctrination into the NFL. tered the league in 1999. Maybe, but it didn’t look like it at Third Quarter
times. Pit—FG Boswell 34, 9:04.
Pittsburgh put together a solid sec- “It’s tough to win seven games and Pit—Na.Harris 4 run (Boswell kick), 3:12.
ond half as Pickett learned on the job, finish the season like that,” said Watson, The Steelers ran for 148 yards – in-
going 7-2 after its bye week to assure who went 3-3 as a starter after serving cluding 84 yards and a touchdown by Fourth Quarter
coach Mike Tomlin of a record 16th an 11-game suspension for violating the Najee Harris – and Pickett overcame a Cle—Chubb 2 pass from Watson (York kick), 10:11.
straight non-losing season. league’s personal conduct policy. bumpy start to complete 13 of 29 for 195 Pit—D.Watt 1 run (Di.Johnson pass from Pickett), 4:37.
“We’ve got to reflect on the season, yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh ran A—65,019.
Tomlin has coached 258 regular sea- watch the tape. There might be off 20 straight points – 10 of them di-
son games with the Steelers. changes.” rectly after interceptions of Watson – First downs Cle Pit
after spotting Cleveland an early touch- 18 23
His teams have been mathematically While Browns coach Kevin Stefanski down. 337
alive for the playoffs in 257 of them, in- is expected to return, he might have to Total Net Yards 307 37-148
cluding a rousing finale against the shake up his staff. Defensive coordina- The Browns drew within 20-14 on a 189
Browns in which they sacked Deshaun tor Joe Woods’ job could be in jeopardy 2-yard flip from Watson to Chubb with Rushes-yards 22-134 3-20
Watson seven times and picked him off as the unit was inconsistent overall and 10:20 to go. The Steelers responded with 0-0
twice. awful against the run, even with Myles a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Passing 173 2-15
Garrett – whose 16 sacks tied his own a 1-yard plunge by fullback Derek Watt 13-29-0
The help Pittsburgh needed to sneak club record – having another spectacu- with 4:39 to play. Punt Returns 1-5 1-6
into the postseason, however, didn’t lar season. 3-48.0
materialize. Cleveland’s last two plays of the sea- Kickoff Returns 5-93 3-1
Watson connected on 19 of 29 passes son ended with Watson on his back. 4-20
“When you leave it to other teams, for 230 yards with two touchdowns and Interceptions Ret. 0-0 30:56
anything can happen,” said cornerback Yet Pittsburgh’s postgame celebra-
Levi Wallace, who picked off Watson tion lasted as long as it took for the Comp-Att-Int 19-29-2
late in the first half to set up a field goal
by Chris Boswell that gave the Steelers a Sacked-Yards Lost 7-57

Punts 4-48.5

Fumbles-Lost 1-0

Penalties-Yards 9-65

Time of Possession 29:04

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Cleveland, Chubb 12-77, Watson 6-44, Hunt 4-13.
Pittsburgh, Harris 23-84, Warren 6-36, Sims 1-16, Co.Heyward 1-6,
Olszewski 2-4, D.Watt 1-1, Pickett 3-1.
PASSING—Cleveland, Watson 19-29-2-230. Pittsburgh, Pickett
13-29-0-195.
RECEIVING—Cleveland, Chubb 5-45, Njoku 4-42, Hunt 3-15,
Cooper 2-51, Peoples-Jones 2-42, Bryant 2-20, Woods 1-15.
Pittsburgh, Pickens 3-72, Co.Heyward 3-45, Warren 3-7, Johnson
2-38, Gentry 1-23, Harris 1-10.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

10NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

49ERS 38, CARDINALS 13

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) carries against the Cardinals on Sunday. PHOTOS BY DARREN YAMASHITA/USA TODAY SPORTS

Purdy, 49ers rout Cards,
pick up 10th straight win

ASSOCIATED PRESS son.
The two connected again late in the
Brock Purdy and the San Francisco
49ers are peaking at just the right time third quarter, giving Kittle seven TD
and now know they won’t have to go on catches from Purdy in the last four
the road for at least a few more weeks. games.

Purdy threw three touchdown passes Purdy finished 15 for 20 for 178 yards.
for his sixth straight game with multiple Watt took a ceremonial bow in the
TDs and the 49ers clinched the No. 2 first quarter after bringing down Purdy
seed in the NFC playoffs with a 38-13 – the 50th QB he has sacked in the reg-
victory over the Arizona Cardinals on ular season or playoffs.
Sunday. Watt announced his decision to retire
late last month and responded with
Purdy overcame two sacks by J.J. three sacks in his final two games to
Watt in the final game of the star defen- reach 12 1⁄2 on the season.
sive end’s stellar career and connected The Niners allowed a long TD pass for
with George Kittle twice and Christian a second straight game and that has
McCaffrey once on TD passes to lead the been one of the few issues that has
Niners (13-4) to their 10th straight win to plagued one of the stingiest defenses in
end the regular season. the NFL this season.
The TD pass to Green was the sixth
“I feel great. I feel like everyone else is pass play of at least 50 yards this season
feeling great,” Purdy said. “When you’re allowed by San Francisco, tied with
on a roll, you’re on a win streak, you feel Green Bay for the most in the NFL and
like the groove and how we’re playing one more than the Niners allowed in the
together, it feels really good when we’re last two years combined.
on it. I think a lot of us are real with our-
selves, too, and feel like we still haven’t San Francisco 38, Arizona 13
played to our full potential yet.”
Arizona 6 70 0 — 13
San Francisco beat out Minnesota on San Francisco 7 14 17 0 — 38
a tiebreaker for the second seed, assur-
ing the 49ers won’t have to go on the First Quarter
road before the NFC title game. The Nin- Ari—Green 77 pass from Blough (kick failed), 14:18.
ers weren’t able to secure a first-round SF—McCaffrey 21 pass from Purdy (Gould kick), 10:40.
bye because Philadelphia beat the New
York Giants. Second Quarter
SF—Mitchell 5 run (Gould kick), 12:07.
“I felt real good about our team when Ari—Clement 1 run (Prater kick), 4:41.
we won the division there about a SF—Kittle 4 pass from Purdy (Gould kick), :19.
month ago,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
“I feel better about them now because 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Third Quarter
we’ve gotten better since that point. Cardinals during the second quarter. SF—Mitchell 6 run (Gould kick), 11:32.
We’ll be ready to go.” SF—FG Gould 27, 5:47.
SF—Kittle 1 pass from Purdy (Gould kick), 1:01.
The play of Purdy is a big reason why A—71,638.
as he has become the second rookie QB
in NFL history with at least six straight First downs Ari SF
games with multiple TD passes and the 11 21
Niners have scored at least 33 points in 311
five of six games since he replaced an in- Total Net Yards 255 37-169
jured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13. 142
seven straight losses to tie a franchise McCaffrey answered Arizona’s quick Rushes-yards 20-61 2-22
“That’s awesome,” Kittle said. “It’s record for losses in a season. score when he caught a short pass from 1-33
fun. More touchdowns for everybody. Purdy and turned it into a 21-yard score Passing 194 3-60
It’s been really fun. It has to do with our The game started well for Arizona to extend his touchdown streak to six 15-20-0
run (game) has been great. It opens up when fourth-string quarterback David straight games. Punt Returns 2-17 4-36
our pass game. But Brock’s been fantas- Blough connected on a 77-yard TD pass 5-43.6
tic in the passing game.” to A.J. Green off a trick play on the sec- The first of two interceptions by Kickoff Returns 4-93 0-0
ond play from scrimmage. Tashaun Gipson Sr. set up the 49ers’ 2-10
The Cardinals (4-13) ended the sea- second touchdown when Elijah Mitchell Interceptions Ret. 0-0 34:14
son going in the opposite direction with About the only other highlight for the ran it in from 5 yards out in his first
Cardinals was the two sacks by Watt, game back from injured reserve. Comp-Att-Int 20-27-3
giving the three-time Defensive Player
of the Year 120 1⁄2 in the regular season Mitchell added another TD run in the Sacked-Yards Lost 3-15
and playoffs in his 12-year career. third quarter as he tunes up for the play-
offs. Punts 3-51.333
“I said I wanted to go out playing good
ball, and I’m playing good ball,” Watt Purdy found Kittle from 4 yards out Fumbles-Lost 1-1
said. “I know I still can. I just choose not with 19 seconds left in the half to make it
to, that’s all.” 21-13 on Kittle’s 10th TD catch of the sea- Penalties-Yards 7-50

Time of Possession 25:46

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Arizona, Clement 8-23, Dortch 2-15, McSorley 3-13,
Cooper 2-7, Ingram 3-5, Blough 2-(minus 2). San Francisco,
Mitchell 5-55, McCaffrey 10-45, Mason 8-28, Davis-Price 8-27,
Purdy 4-7, Samuel 1-4, Juszczyk 1-3.
PASSING—Arizona, Blough 14-18-2-180, McSorley 6-9-1-29. San
Francisco, Purdy 15-20-0-178.
RECEIVING—Arizona, Dortch 4-30, Green 3-91, McBride 3-41,
Clement 3-25, Cooper 2-6, Ingram 2-(minus 2), Brown 1-7,
Baccellia 1-6, T.Williams 1-5. San Francisco, Aiyuk 4-59, Kittle 4-29,
McCaffrey 3-34, Samuel 2-20, Juszczyk 1-26, Jennings 1-10.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 11NS

BRONCOS 31, CHARGERS 28

Broncos running back Latavius Murray (28) scores a touchdown past Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) on Sunday. RON CHENOY/USA TODAY SPORTS

Wilson, Broncos beat
playoff-bound Chargers

Arnie Stapleton search for their fifth head coach since
they won Super Bowl 50 seven years
ASSOCIATED PRESS ago. On deck are interviews with Jim
Harbaugh and Sean Payton and the
DENVER – If this was a sign of what’s process is expected to take three weeks.
to come in 2023 in Denver, Russell Wil-
son and the Broncos faithful can Better Days
breathe easier this offseason.
After struggling all season under
Wilson rediscovered some of his Hackett, Wilson had his best two games
magic Sunday, throwing for three touch- of the season with Rosburg in charge,
downs and a trio of bull’s-eye deep balls including last week’s 27-24 loss at Kan-
that each covered more than 50 yards in sas City.
the Broncos’ 31-28 win over the playoff-
bound Los Angeles Chargers. Wilson found running back Tyler Ba-
die from 24 yards out to give Denver a
“Today he looked like he was having 24-17 lead on the opening drive after
more fun,” Chargers leading tackler halftime and added a 24-yard TD throw
Drue Trainquill said. “He hit a few deep to Courtland Sutton that made it 31-20.
shots outside of the pocket, which is
vintage Russ. That’s what he’s known Wilson promised that whoever the
for. I thought he did a good job, put the new coach is, he’ll find a different Wil-
ball where it needed to be put and his son in Denver, one who started to find
receivers got open for him.” his way at the end of a lost season.

Especially Jerry Jeudy, the man who “I fell short in of my own standards
stood up for Wilson last week when the and my own level of expectations and I
online vitriol was seemingly running at just wanted to recapture that,” Wilson
its peak. On Sunday, Jeudy gained 193 said. “… And over the last few weeks, I
yards from scrimmage with five catches feel like we found that again.”
for 154 yards and three runs for 39 more.
The highlight was a 57-yard catch dur- L.A. Chargers Denver 31, L.A. Chargers 28 — 28
ing a three-play, 75-yard drive that took Denver — 31
20 seconds and sent the teams into half- 7 10 3 8
time tied at 17. 7 10 7 7

Again, he had high praise for Wilson. First Quarter
“I saw the same Russ that didn’t give LAC—K.Allen 14 pass from Herbert (Dicker kick), 11:25.
up even though we didn’t have the sea- Den—L.Murray 2 run (McManus kick), 4:00.
son that we wanted,” Jeudy said after
the Broncos (5-12) dodged the fran- Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) runs for a touchdown in the first Second Quarter
chise’s first 13-loss season and its first quarter against the Broncos. ISAIAH J. DOWNING/USA TODAY SPORTS LAC—Everett 3 pass from Herbert (Dicker kick), 11:01.
winless run in the AFC West in a non- Den—FG McManus 33, 2:43.
strike year since divisional play began LAC—FG Dicker 48, :26.
in 1970. Den—Tomlinson 3 pass from Wilson (McManus kick), :10.
The Chargers (10-7) played most of
their starters for most of the game, even Third Quarter
though they knew before kickoff they Den—Badie 24 pass from Wilson (McManus kick), 11:54.
were locked into the fifth seed in the LAC—FG Dicker 36, 6:42.
AFC playoffs with a first-round game at
Jacksonville on Saturday night. many of his stars on the bench by the sack. Fourth Quarter
“I know everyone on this team want- time the Broncos salted away the win by “Joey was taken out like the rest of Den—Sutton 20 pass from Wilson (McManus kick), 11:21.
ed to go out and compete today,” said driving from inside their own 5-yard line LAC—K.Allen 3 pass from Daniel (Palmer pass from Daniel), 6:02.
Justin Herbert, who threw for 273 yards to midfield in the final 3:14. the guys that we were trying to phase A—74,035.
and two touchdowns in his 27th consec- out in the game,” Staley responded
utive start with 20 or more completions, “These aren’t easy decisions,” Staley when asked if Bosa was hurt again. First downs LAC Den
the third-longest streak since the merg- said. “And hindsight is perfect for every- 21 22
er. body on the outside. But these games Justin Simmons capped his best sea-
Herbert played three quarters and are not easy to manage. They’re not. Be- son yet with a pair of forced fumbles and Total Net Yards 352 471
left with the Chargers trailing 31-20. cause you don’t have that many players. the Broncos handed interim head coach
Backup Chase Daniel threw a touch- We did it to the best of our ability.” Jerry Rosburg his first win after four Rushes-yards 22-59 36-205
down pass and passed for a 2-point con- decades as an assistant.
version after a muffed punt at midfield. Staley’s decision to keep his players Passing 293 266
Chargers coach Brandon Staley had sharp in an otherwise meaningless Rosburg, 67, took over two weeks ago
game might prove costly, however. when Nathaniel Hackett was fired. Al- Punt Returns 2-37 2-0
though he hedged a bit after the game,
Chargers wide receiver Mike Wil- he hinted all last week that he’ll return Kickoff Returns 0-0 0-0
liams was carted off the field with a back to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy ven-
injury and linebacker Kenneth Murray ture he was involved with before GM Interceptions Ret. 1-4 0-0
Jr. suffered a stinger. Also, Joey Bosa, George Paton lured him out of retire-
who just returned from a groin injury ment this season to serve as a senior as- Comp-Att-Int 30-44-0 13-24-1
last month, was limping along the side- sistant to Hackett.
line following his cameo that featured a Sacked-Yards Lost 1-5 2-17
And the Broncos will continue their
Punts 5-55.8 5-47.6

Fumbles-Lost 3-2 3-1

Penalties-Yards 5-34 3-36

Time of Possession 28:57 31:03

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—L.A. Chargers, Ekeler 11-34, Kelley 5-18, Daniel 1-4,
Rountree 3-4, Herbert 2-(minus 1). Denver, Murray 15-103,
Edmonds 9-45, Jeudy 3-39, Wilson 8-18, Badie 1-0.
PASSING—L.A. Chargers, Herbert 25-37-0-273, Daniel 5-7-0-25.
Denver, Wilson 13-24-1-283.
RECEIVING—L.A. Chargers, Allen 8-102, Palmer 4-39, Ekeler 4-36,
Williams 4-32, Carter 3-43, Everett 3-8, Parham 2-31, Kelley 1-6,
Rountree 1-1. Denver, Jeudy 5-154, Sutton 3-33, Swain 2-54,
Badie 1-24, Murray 1-15, Tomlinson 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

12NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

COMMANDERS 26, COWBOYS 6

Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller (29) returns an interception for a touchdown during the second quarter. GEOFF BURKE/USA TODAY SPORTS

Cowboys fall flat in
loss to Commanders

Stephen Whyno Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) attempts a pass against the Cowboys HONORING SONNY
on Sunday. BRAD MILLS/USA TODAY SPORTS
ASSOCIATED PRESS The Commanders retired Hall of
Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen’s
LANDOVER, Md. – Dak Prescott in- No. 9 during a halftime ceremony, the
sisted the Dallas Cowboys were worried fourth player in franchise history to get
solely about their game against Wash- that honor. Jurgensen played the final 11
ington and had no idea what was going seasons of his 18-year career with
on in Philadelphia with the other result Washington and went on to spend
they would need to win the division. roughly another four decades on the
team’s radio broadcast.
“Zero awareness of what was going
on over there,” he said. “Couldn’t get off INJURIES
on the right foot.”
Cowboys: CB DaRon Bland left early
That’s an understatement. Prescott in the fourth quarter with a chest injury,
completed just 14 of his 37 passes for 128 and a team spokesperson said he’d be
yards, threw another interception that re-evaluated. … LB Leighton Vander
was returned for a touchdown and the Esch was out with a neck injury and C
Cowboys laid an egg in their final regu- Tyler Biadasz with an ankle injury.
lar-season game, losing 26-6 to the
Washington Commanders on Sunday. Commanders: DT John Ridgeway left
in the second quarter with a shoulder
Despite playing their starters with injury. … RB Brian Robinson Jr. (knee),
coach Mike McCarthy pledging they OT Cornelius Lucas (ankle) and DT Jon-
were playing to win, the Cowboys athan Allen (knee) were all inactive. CB
limped into the playoffs and a wild-card Benjamin St-Juste and S Kam Curl (an-
showdown at Tom Brady and the Tampa kle) and RB Antonio Gibson (knee/foot)
Bay Buccaneers next weekend with went on injured reserve.
Prescott on a career-long seven-game
interception streak. earn the conference’s top seed and a direction,” Rivera said. Dallas Washington 26, Dallas 6 0 —6
first-round bye, Dallas lost to Washing- Washington 6 — 26
“That wasn’t us,” guard Zack Martin ton’s third QB to start a game the sea- NOT-SO SPECIAL TEAMS 060
said. “Do this again, we’ll be sitting at son: a rookie making his NFL debut. 767
home next week.” Prescott and the Cowboys offense
Sam Howell threw a touchdown pass weren’t solely to blame. Punter Bryan First Quarter
Beyond getting picked off by Kendall to Terry McLaurin among his 11 of 19 Anger dropped a snap early that set up Was—McLaurin 16 pass from Howell (Slye kick), 11:08.
Fuller on the pick-6, Prescott was wildly passing for 169 yards and ran for another the first Commanders touchdown, Ka-
inaccurate and the Dallas offense had among his 35 yards rushing. The fifth- Vonte Turpin fumbled a punt return and Second Quarter
just 169 total yards and went 4 of 17 on round pick out of North Carolina be- kicker Brett Maher missed an extra Was—Fuller 29 interception return (kick failed), 12:38.
third down before he was replaced by came the first Washington rookie QB to point. Dal—Lamb 15 pass from Prescott (kick failed), :06.
Cooper Rush in garbage time. throw and run for a TD in a game since
Robert Griffin III in 2012. RUNNING STRUGGLES Third Quarter
“This is not about one guy,” McCarthy Was—Howell 9 run (Slye kick), 1:49.
said. “You can’t look at our offensive “It is about the QB making plays The Cowboys’ struggles on the
performance and blame it on one guy. they’re supposed to make, and every ground since losing offensive tackle Fourth Quarter Dal Was
Plenty to go around.” now and then when you need a big play, Terence Steele continued. They rushed Was—FG Slye 29, 14:19. 10 16
make a big play,” coach Ron Rivera said. for just 64 yards and put Prescott in Was—FG Slye 22, 5:19. 182
Prescott used choice words to de- “That’s what we need to get to.” some obvious throwing situations. A—62,814. 27-64 309
scribe perhaps his worst game of the 118 41-151
season and was at a loss to explain what Howell also connected on a 52-yard Tony Pollard returned after missing First downs 4-13
went wrong. He finished the season tied completion with McLaurin, who set a Dallas’ previous game against Tennes- Total Net Yards 2-51 158
with Houston’s Davis Mills for the most career high for receiving yards in a sea- see with a thigh injury and rushed for 19 Rushes-yards 1-0 7-55
interceptions in the league with 15. son. Eliminated from playoff contention yards to surpass 1,000 for the season. Passing 14-38-1 1-27
last week after Carson Wentz threw Pollard finished the regular season as Punt Returns 1-10 1-29
“That stinks,” Prescott said. “Four- three interceptions in a loss to Cleve- the Cowboys’ leading rusher, the first Kickoff Returns 10-47.8 11-19-1
teen completions, yeah, not good land, the Commanders (8-8-1) ended a time anyone other than Ezekiel Elliott Interceptions Ret. 2-1 3-11
enough. Period.” four-game winless stretch and avoided has had that distinction since the three- Comp-Att-Int 6-74 7-45.571
a third consecutive losing season in as time Pro Bowl back was picked fourth in Sacked-Yards Lost 23:48 1-0
This was not exactly how the Cow- many years with Rivera in charge of the 2016 draft. Punts 2-10
boys (12-5) figured things would go with football operations. Fumbles-Lost 36:12
a chance, albeit small, to win the NFC Penalties-Yards
East if Philadelphia lost at home to the “We feel like we’re headed in the right Time of Possession
also playoff-bound New York Giants,
who were resting several regulars and INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
starting a third-string quarterback. RUSHING—Dallas, Davis 5-19, Pollard 7-19, Prescott 6-16, Elliott
8-10, Anger 1-0. Washington, Patterson 17-78, Howell 5-35,
While the Eagles took care of their Williams 14-32, Bonnafon 3-8, Rogers 1-2, Samuel 1-(minus 4).
business to lock up the division title and PASSING—Dallas, Prescott 14-37-1-128, C.Rush 0-1-0-0.
Washington, Howell 11-19-1-169.
RECEIVING—Dallas, Lamb 5-52, Schultz 4-33, Hilton 2-19, N.Brown
1-10, Gallup 1-10, Ferguson 1-4. Washington, McLaurin 3-74,
Dotson 3-72, Thomas 2-16, Williams 2-9, Samuel 1-(minus 2).
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Washington, Slye 52, Slye 31.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 13NS

EAGLES 22, GIANTS 16

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) avoids the rush of Giants linebacker Tomon Fox (49) during the second quarter Sunday. BILL STREICHER/USA TODAY SPORTS

Hurts leads Eagles
to No. 1 seed in NFC

Dan Gelston yards in the second half. Graham Gano
kicked a 24-yarder in the third for the
ASSOCIATED PRESS Giants.

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts RECORD DAY
walked into the Linc wearing a Michael
Jordan “I’m Back” T-shirt from the for- Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins (16) is tackled by Giants cornerback Nick Brown had four catches for 95 yards
mer Chicago Bulls’ star’s first unretire- McCloud (44) during the first quarter. ERIC HARTLINE/USA TODAY SPORTS and finished with 1,496 for the team’s
ment. season record. Mike Quick held the
yards receiving mark of 1,409 in 1983 in
Yeah, Hurts is back – and now, so are the 16-game season.
the Eagles as a Super Bowl threat.
“It means a lot to leave my footprint
Hurts returned from a sprained right on this organization,” Brown said.
shoulder and threw for 229 yards under “There were a lot of great receivers be-
a conservative game plan, and the Phil- fore me. For me to do it the first year, it
adelphia Eagles clinched the No. 1 seed means the world. I told Mike thank you
in the NFC with a 22-16 win over the New for everything he has done for the
York Giants on Sunday night. game.”

“It’s really tough being out,’ Hurts Quick is a radio analyst for the Ea-
said. ”I was pushing myself to be avail- gles. “Just as he told me before the
able and it wasn’t an easy thing.” game, he said the first pass is going to
come to me and I’m going to break your
Hurts wasn’t asked to do much record,” he said.
against New York’s B-team – with the
Giants’ No. 6 seed already secured, they DeVonta Smith set the Eagles’ season
rested the bulk of their starting lineup – record for receptions with 95 (and 1,196
and he won without the explosive plays, yards receiving). He had seven recep-
the head-first rushes on fourth down, tions against the Giants. Irving Fryar
the scrambles that turn into 20-yard had 88 catches in 1996.
gains, the type of breakout plays that
had defined his season. They weren’t sprained right shoulder suffered three this season tied the franchise record set Philadelphia 22, N.Y. Giants 16
needed. weeks ago. The Eagles played at half- by Randall Cunningham in 1990, had a
speed against the Giants backups and TD pass in the third quarter wiped out N.Y. Giants 0 0 3 13 — 16
His mere presence was the emotional refused to risk Hurts’ health – they did because of a penalty and then threw his Philadelphia 10 6 3 3 — 22
boost the Eagles needed after the stum- not have a called rushing play for him. sixth interception of the season on the
bles each of the last two weeks. The dynamic QB that ran for 747 yards next play. First Quarter
and 13 touchdowns entering the game Phi—FG Elliott 32, 11:39.
The Eagles rebounded from two mostly stayed in the pocket, the Eagles This game for the Eagles was all Phi—B.Scott 8 run (Elliott kick), 4:14.
straight losses behind backup QB Gard- clearly wary Hurts could take another about stabilizing themselves and re-
ner Minshew to clinch the NFC East, the hard hit on his shoulder. claiming the swagger and confidence Second Quarter
top spot in the conference and home they had earlier this season as they Phi—FG Elliott 52, 10:22.
field throughout the playoffs. The team “I know he was hurting,” Eagles steamrolled behind Hurts to a 13-1 rec- Phi—FG Elliott 39, :45.
also gets a bye, one more pivotal week of coach Nick Sirianni said. “He was hurt- ord. Hurts likely wouldn’t have played
rest for Hurts. ing bad.” had the Eagles beaten either Dallas or Third Quarter
New Orleans in each of the last games Phi—FG Elliott 54, 6:17.
Hurts received a roaring ovation and The Eagles didn’t get much offensive- and clinched the No. 1 seed. Instead, it NYG—FG Gano 24, :50.
“MVP!” chants as he ran out of the tun- ly but really didn’t have to against a Gi- was the Eagles playing with everything
nel during pregame introductions. The ants (9-7-1) team that had already se- to lose while the nine-win Giants were Fourth Quarter
Eagles had clearly missed their QB, who cured the No. 6 seed in the NFC and rest- secure in their spot. NYG—Webb 14 run (pass failed), 10:04.
had grown into an MVP front-runner ed the bulk of their starters. Saquon Phi—FG Elliott 22, 3:21.
until he was hurt on a hard tackle Barkley and his 1,312 yards rushing took “It’s the NFL, so the guys you have on NYG—Golladay 25 pass from Webb (Gano kick), 1:38.
against Chicago. a seat. So did starting QB Daniel Jones. the team, you have confidence in,” Gi- A—69,879.
ants rookie coach Brian Daboll said. “I
Hurts was 20-of-35 passing in a The Giants instead passed over No. 2 thought our guys competed all the way First downs NYG Phi
game that had a preseason feel – the Ea- QB Tyrod Taylor and started practice to the end.” Total Net Yards 18 23
gles were only 1 of 5 in the red zone – and squad regular Davis Webb. Rushes-yards 342
played the entire game. The Eagles also Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 32, 52 Passing 284 34-135
earned the No. 1 seed in the 2017 season Webb, in his first career start, rushed and 39 yards in the first half. Boston Punt Returns 21-129 207
and won the Super Bowl. They have 5-1 for a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth Scott ran for an 8-yard touchdown – a Kickoff Returns 2-30
odds to win it this year, per FanDuel that made it 19-9. He tossed a 25-yard whopping 10 of his 17 career TDs are Interceptions Ret. 155 0-0
Sportsbook, trailing only Kansas City TD pass to Kenny Golladay late in the against the Giants – and the Eagles took Comp-Att-Int 0-0 0-0
and Buffalo. fourth that made it 22-16. He threw for a 16-0 lead into halftime. Sacked-Yards Lost 2-64 20-35-1
168 yards on 23-of-40 passing Punts 1-0 3-22
Hurts completed a 35-yard pass to Elliott added field goals of 54 and 22 Fumbles-Lost 23-40-0 2-33.5
A.J. Brown on the Eagles’ first play of the Hurts, whose 35 total touchdowns Penalties-Yards 2-13 0-0
game and showed no ill-effects from the Time of Possession 6-44.0 4-30
0-0 31:26
8-66
28:34

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—N.Y. Giants, Brightwell 11-60, Webb 6-41, Breida 4-28.
Philadelphia, B.Scott 9-54, Gainwell 5-35, Sanders 11-33, Hurts
9-13.
PASSING—N.Y. Giants, Webb 23-40-0-168. Philadelphia, Hurts
20-35-1-229.
RECEIVING—N.Y. Giants, Cager 8-69, Breida 7-12, M.Johnson 3-36,
Golladay 2-30, Vannett 2-18, Brightwell 1-3. Philadelphia, Smith
7-67, Goedert 6-46, Brown 4-95, Watkins 2-14, Gainwell 1-7.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

14NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

SEAHAWKS 19, RAMS 16 (OT)

Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas (31) rushes against the Rams during the first quarter at Lumen Field. PHOTOS BY JOE NICHOLSON/USA TODAY SPORTS

Seahawks top Rams in OT,
in playoffs after Lions win

Tim Booth mance in a must-win game by the Sea-
hawks, especially in the first half. Smith
ASSOCIATED PRESS was intercepted by Ramsey on the first
play of the game and Seattle didn’t reach
SEATTLE – Within minutes of the the end zone until his TD toss to Lockett
Seattle Seahawks winning to maintain after halftime.
their playoff hopes, the video boards in-
side Lumen Field flashed a message: Cam Akers rushed for 104 yards for
the Rams to conclude the season with
“Go Lions.” three straight 100-plus-yard games.
For the Seahawks, that became
“thank you Lions” several hours later af- Rams coach Sean McVay avoided all
ter Detroit helped send Seattle back to questions after the game that centered
the postseason. on his future in Los Angeles. He said on
Seattle will be the No. 7 seed in the Friday he’s interested in a future broad-
NFC playoffs after beating the Los An- casting career but remains focused on
geles Rams 19-16 in overtime on Sunday the Rams.
and getting the help it needed with De-
troit beating Green Bay later Sunday “I’m not thinking about that right
night in the final game of the NFL reg- now. Nothing’s changed from kind of
ular season. where we left things off on Friday,”
“As the game went on, you could just McVay said.
feel Detroit was playing really well and
they had a legitimate chance. You could INJURIES
just tell,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said
after learning he’d be in the playoffs for Rams safety Russ Yeast suffered a
the 10th time in 13 seasons in Seattle. “It pulmonary contusion and was taken to
was so much fun for everybody. I was a hospital for further examination.
hoping there could be a party tonight.” McVay said Yeast was stable and ex-
The Seahawks will face division foe pected to spend the night in Seattle.
San Francisco on Saturday in the wild-
card round of the playoffs, but only after Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) returns an interception against the Seahawks L.A. Rams Seattle 19, L.A. Rams 16, OT 0 — 16
several hours of stress that started with during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Seattle 3 10 3 0 3 — 19
their own nail bitter against the Rams. 60 73
Jason Myers kicked a 32-yard field
goal midway through overtime to give the Seahawks should not have been in nightmarish, injury-riddled title de- First Quarter
Seattle (9-8) the victory after he hit the the position of needing help to make the fense mercifully came to an end. LAR—FG Gay 22, 13:28.
upright from 46 yards on the final play postseason. Sea—FG Myers 37, 7:09.
of regulation. Seattle went three-and-out to start Sea—FG Myers 36, :15.
But given another shot in overtime, “Where you all thought we did all the extra session, but the Rams failed to
the Pro Bowler connected on his fourth these cool things and all these things, I capitalize. Second Quarter
field goal of the game and the Seahawks’ didn’t feel like that. I feel like we missed LAR—FG Gay 45, 11:58.
playoff chances stayed alive long our chance,” Carroll said. “We had five, On Los Angeles’ second play, May- LAR—Atwell 11 run (Gay kick), :39.
enough for Detroit to help. six games there that could have gone field had Van Jefferson wide open deep
“You just do your part. That’s what one way or another and then we but underthrew him slightly, allowing Third Quarter
I’ve been preaching to the guys the last wouldn’t be here talking about what’s Diggs to sprint across the field for the Sea—Lockett 36 pass from G.Smith (Myers kick), 9:09.
couple of weeks,” Seattle safety going on with Detroit right now.” pick. It was the first turnover of the LAR—FG Gay 38, 4:13.
Quandre Diggs said. “We do our part game for the Rams.
and let the rest handle itself. … If we’re Geno Smith had a shaky perfor- Fourth Quarter
in or we’re not, I think we can hold our mance, throwing two interceptions to “That dude was wide open. In my Sea—FG Myers 22, 2:19.
head up high and understand we did Jalen Ramsey. But he threw a 36-yard mind I was thinking the worst,” Diggs
some great work and we did what a lot touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett early said. “I felt like I was 25 again running First Overtime LAR Sea
of people didn’t expect us to do.” in the third quarter and made several and jumping in the air. It was one of Sea—FG Myers 32, 4:34. 14 22
Seattle (9-8) concluded an over- key lays late to put Seattle in position to those plays they drew it up perfect, got A—68,660. 402
achieving regular season with two win. us in the coverage they wanted and I 269 36-197
straight victories and a winning record, was going to go out and make a play.” First downs 28-146 205
defying preseason prognosticators who Smith finished 19 of 31 for 214 yards Total Net Yards 2-24
thought the Seahawks could be among and rookie Kenneth Walker III rushed Smith immediately hit Lockett for a Rushes-yards 123 1-29
the worst teams in the league. for 114 yards for Seattle. 17-yard completion and Walker had a Passing 3-22 1-4
Carroll had a different perspective 20-yard run to move Seattle into field Punt Returns 1-17 19-31-2
immediately after the win. In his view, Baker Mayfield was 13 of 26 for 147 goal range. Given a second chance at a Kickoff Returns 2-28 3-8
yards and was intercepted on the only game-winner, Myers came through with Interceptions Ret. 13-26-1 5-46.6
possession of overtime for the Super his 34th field goal in 37 tries this season. Comp-Att-Int 5-24 0-0
Bowl champion Rams (5-12), whose Sacked-Yards Lost 6-47.667 4-20
It was an underwhelming perfor- Punts 0-0 35:31
Fumbles-Lost 3-35
Penalties-Yards 29:55
Time of Possession

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—L.A. Rams, Akers 21-104, Mayfield 5-16, Powell 1-15,
Atwell 1-11. Seattle, Walker 29-114, G.Smith 4-51, Dallas 2-29,
Bellore 1-3.
PASSING—L.A. Rams, Mayfield 13-26-1-147. Seattle, G.Smith
19-31-2-213.
RECEIVING—L.A. Rams, Higbee 4-33, Jefferson 3-61, Akers 3-24,
Atwell 2-27, Powell 1-2. Seattle, Lockett 4-54, Fant 4-20, Metcalf
3-40, Parkinson 2-47, Young 2-24, C.Johnson 2-21, Walker 1-10,
Dallas 1-(minus 3).
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Seattle, Myers 46.

SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | 15NS

LIONS 20, PACKERS 16

Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) celebrates after scoring as teammate Taylor Decker (68) watches during the second half. MORRY GASH/AP

Rodgers, Packers lose
to Lions, miss playoffs

Steve Megargee to set up Williams’ TD from 1 yard out.
The Packers answered on their next
ASSOCIATED PRESS
series. Rodgers connected with Chris-
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers tian Watson for a 45-yard completion
will have the entire postseason to pon- that set up his 13-yard touchdown pass
der his future. to Allen Lazard.

The four-time MVP and the Green On the Packers’ final possession,
Bay Packers won’t be participating in Rodgers threw two incompletions be-
the playoffs. fore Joseph intercepted him for the third
time this season. Joseph had two of the
Rodgers was intercepted by Kerby Jo- Lions’ three picks in a 15-9 victory on
seph on what might have been the final Nov. 6 and had another potential inter-
pass of the future Hall of Famer’s career, ception on Sunday that was nullified by
and Green Bay lost 20-16 to the Detroit a penalty.
Lions on Sunday night in a game the
Packers needed to win to reach the play- This marks the third straight season
offs. the Packers have ended their season by
losing at Lambeau Field. They had the
Although he is under contract for NFC’s top regular-season record each of
next season, the 39-year-old Rodgers the last two years but fell to San Francis-
has said he doesn’t know whether he co in the divisional playoffs last season
will continue playing. and to Tampa Bay in the conference
championship game a year earlier.
“It’s a little raw right now. It’s just a
little bit after the game, so I want to take This season there won’t be any play-
the emotion out of it and have the con- off games involving the Packers, at
versation and see where the organiza- Lambeau Field or anywhere else.
tion’s at and see how I feel after some
time has passed,” Rodgers said. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws against the Lions on Sunday in Injuries
Green Bay, Wis. JEFFREY PHELPS/AP
After winning four straight games
and receiving plenty of help from other you kind of know when that is,” Rodgers Playing to extend their season, the The Lions played without cornerback
teams, the Packers had control of their said. “And that’s what needs to be con- Packers frequently lost their compo- Jeff Okudah (elbow) and defensive
postseason fate heading into the final templated. Is it time? Also, what’s the sure. tackle Michael Brockers (ankle). Pack-
game of the NFL regular season. But organization doing? That’s part of it as ers CB/KR Keisean Nixon left in the
they fell short against the Lions, who well. But the competitive fire is always Linebacker Quay Walker was ejected fourth quarter to get evaluated for a con-
had been eliminated from the playoffs going to be there. I don’t think that ever during the Lions’ go-ahead drive after cussion.
earlier Sunday when the Seattle Sea- goes away.” pushing Lions team physician Sean
hawks beat the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 Lynch, who was attending to an injured Detroit 20, Green Bay 16
in overtime. Jamaal Williams’ second 1-yard Detroit player. That was the second
touchdown run of the night against his ejection of the season for the rookie Detroit 3 3 7 7 — 20
“Basically we found out in pregame former team put the Lions (9-8) ahead first-round pick, who also got tossed Green Bay 6 3 7 0 — 16
warmup or coming off, and I’m telling with 5:55 remaining. Williams had 17 from a loss at Buffalo for shoving Bills
you, we were unfazed,” Lions coach Dan touchdown runs to break the Lions’ sin- practice-squad tight end Zach David- First Quarter
Campbell said. “We knew what we were gle-season record that Barry Sanders son. GB—FG Crosby 22, 11:21.
coming in here for, and it was to gain had set in 1991. Det—FG Badgley 37, 7:00.
some respect and show what we’re ca- Detroit’s Michael Badgley made a GB—FG Crosby 49, 1:54.
pable of no matter what happened. We Green Bay only got as far as its own 33 field goal to close the first half after a
knew the only way to do that is to win. on its next series before Joseph picked personal foul on Green Bay’s Rasul Second Quarter
So our guys were locked in, they were off Rodgers’ deep throw on third-and-10 Douglas turned what would have been a GB—FG Crosby 48, 12:56.
unaffected by that, because we knew with 31 / 2minutes left. 48-yard attempt into a 33-yarder. Det—FG Badgley 33, :00.
what the objective was.”
Detroit held onto the ball for the re- “I’ve got a much higher standard for Third Quarter
Seattle (9-8) instead earned the mainder of the game. Facing fourth- our players than to do silly things like Det—Jama.Williams 1 run (Badgley kick), 8:05.
NFC’s last playoff spot and will play Sat- and-1 from the Green Bay 15, the Lions that,” LaFleur said. “I mean, we’ve had a GB—Lazard 13 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 3:17.
urday at San Francisco (13-4). The Pack- passed up a field-goal attempt and got a guy get ejected twice. I don’t think I’ve
ers (8-9) missed the playoffs for the first clinching first down on Jared Goff ’s 9- ever seen that in my career. And we’ve Fourth Quarter
time in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as yard pass to DJ Chark. Goff also had got to be much more mentally tough.” Det—Jama.Williams 1 run (Badgley kick), 5:55.
coach. connected with Chark for a first down A—78,191.
on fourth-and-2 during the Lions’ go- Green Bay led 9-6 after a first half
Rodgers went 17 of 27 for 205 yards ahead drive. that featured five field goals and numer- First downs Det GB
with one touchdown and became the ous wasted chances. Then, on the Pack- Total Net Yards 21 17
eighth NFL player to have at least 5,000 The Lions rebounded from a 1-6 start ers’ first possession of the second half, Rushes-yards 291
career completions. by winning eight of their last 10 games. Mason Crosby’s 53-yard field-goal at- Passing 323 28-103
tempt hit the crossbar and bounced Punt Returns 25-104 188
After the final seconds ticked off the “The hard part of this is that it’s over backward. Crosby had gone 3 of 3 on Kickoff Returns 4-38
clock, Rodgers walked off the field, gaz- for this season, because it is a special field-goal attempts in the first half. Interceptions Ret. 219 4-79
ing into the stands, side by side with group,” Campbell said. “But, hey, if Comp-Att-Int 0-0 0-0
Randall Cobb, perhaps soaking up the you’ve got to go down on that one, if it’s The Lions took over and moved Sacked-Yards Lost 4-94 17-27-1
sights and sounds. the last one of for the season, man, what ahead for the first time in the game. Goff Punts 1-23 2-17
better way to go out than that for 2022.” threw a 43-yard pass to Kalif Raymond Fumbles-Lost 23-34-0 1-37.0
“At some point the carousel comes to Penalties-Yards 1-5 1-1
a stop and it’s time to get off, and I think Time of Possession 4-47.0 4-35
1-0 32:15
5-75
27:45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Detroit, Jama.Williams 16-72, Swift 6-25, Goff 2-5,
Ju.Jackson 1-2. Green Bay, A.Jones 12-48, Dillon 9-33, Watson
2-12, Rodgers 3-10, Lazard 2-0.
PASSING—Detroit, Goff 23-34-0-224. Green Bay, Rodgers
17-27-1-205.
RECEIVING—Detroit, Swift 7-61, St. Brown 6-49, Raymond 4-66,
Chark 3-14, J.Reynolds 1-16, Ju.Jackson 1-11, Mitchell 1-7. Green
Bay, Watson 5-104, Lazard 4-41, Tonyan 3-29, A.Jones 3-20, Cobb
2-11.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Detroit, Badgley 46. Green Bay, Crosby 53.

16NS | MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL

PLAYOFF PICTURE

Seahawks are in field after Lions win

David Brandt Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (6) celebrates with teammates after Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 12 in Glen-
intercepting the ball against the Rams on Sunday. BEN VANHOUTEN/AP dale, Arizona.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
gals game after Hamlin’s injury. The cludes the top seven teams from both What Changed With The Bills-ben-
The NFL’s Week 18 saved its best dra- Bengals avoided a coin flip for home the AFC and the NFC. gals Cancellation?
ma for the final game of the weekend. field after beating the Ravens 27-16, but
there still could be a neutral field AFC The four division winners in both It’s been an eventful week for players
The Detroit Lions – eliminated from championship game if the Bills line up conferences automatically get the top and fans, who watched in horror Mon-
playoff contention earlier Sunday when against the Chiefs. four seeds, regardless of record, and day night as Buffalo Bills safety Damar
the Seahawks beat the Rams – pushed then the top three teams with the best Hamlin collapsed on the field and had to
past their disappointment and played Here’s a look at some other develop- record that didn’t win their division are be given CPR before leaving the field in
the role of a spoiler, rallying to beat ments as the postseason approaches: the wild-card selections. That’s why it’s an ambulance. A few days later, those
Green Bay 20-16 on Sunday night. The fairly common for a wild-card selection same players and fans have watched
win denied quarterback Aaron Rodgers What’s The Wild-Card Schedule? to have a better record – but worse play- with joy as Hamlin recovers.
and the Packers a spot in the postsea- SATURDAY off seeding – than a team that finished
son. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco as a division winner. That made it much easier to focus on
49ers, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX Week 18 and now the playoffs.
Instead of Green Bay, it’s the Sea- Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville The No. 1-seeded team in each con-
hawks who will be the No. 7 seed in the Jaguars, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC ference gets a bye into the second round The Bills-Bengals game had major
NFC. They’ll travel to face division rival SUNDAY – that’s the Chiefs and Eagles – while playoff implications in the AFC, so the
San Francisco in next weekend’s wild- Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, 1 No. 2 hosts No. 7, No. 3 hosts No. 6 and cancellation of the game due to Ham-
card round. p.m. ET, CBS No. 4 hosts No. 5 during wild-card week- lin’s injury could force some changes
New York Giants at Minnesota Vik- end. depending on playoff results.
The rest of next weekend’s schedule ings, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX
is also set: In the AFC, it’ll be the Miami Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Ben- The NFL has a re-seeding policy after The AFC championship game will be
Dolphins at the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore gals, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC each playoff round. That means that no played on a neutral site if the Chiefs and
Ravens at the Cincinnati Bengals and MONDAY matter how the bracket started, the low- Bills reach that point.
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Bucca- est-seeded team will always travel to the
Jaguars. In the NFC, the Minnesota Vik- neers, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC higher-seeded team. Buffalo’s 35-23 win over New Eng-
ings will host the New York Giants and What’s The Format For The Play- land on Sunday coupled with Kansas
the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Bucs host offs? There are four rounds to the playoffs: City’s 31-13 victory at Las Vegas on Sat-
the Dallas Cowboys. This is the third straight year of the The wild-card round is during the up- urday means the No. 1 seed Chiefs (14-3)
current NFL playoff format, which in- coming weekend, the divisional round can’t host the conference title game
The Lions’ upset win capped a week- is Jan. 21-22, the conference champion- against the Bills (13-3) because the
end that saw the Dolphins make it back ship games are on Jan. 29 and the Super teams played an unequal number of
to the playoffs for the first time since games. NFL owners approved a resolu-
2016. The surprising Jaguars also return tion Friday that implemented new rules
to the postseason for just the second for this postseason in response to the
time since 2007. cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game.

Seven of the 14 teams that qualified What Else Happened This Week-
for the playoffs didn’t make the field last end?
season, including the Seahawks, Rav-
ens, Jaguars, Chargers, Dolphins, Vik- In fairly straightforward playoff dra-
ings and Giants. ma, the Jaguars beat the Tennessee Ti-
tans 20-16 on Saturday night to win the
Among those headed home: The New AFC South for the first time in five sea-
England Patriots and six-time Super sons. The Titans needed a win to ad-
Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick, vance to the postseason.
eliminated after a loss to the Bills.
The Dolphins and third-string quar-
The Lions didn’t have much to play terback Skylar Thompson squeezed
for against the Packers other than pride, past the Jets 11-6, snapping a five-game
but that was enough. They were losing streak. Miami then had to wait a
knocked out of playoff contention when few minutes for Buffalo to finish off New
Seattle’s Jason Myers kicked a 32-yard England to make the Dolphins’ playoff
field goal to beat the Los Angeles Rams appearance official.
19-16 in overtime.
“We’re In” was displayed on the
The No. 1 overall seed in the AFC was videoboard at Hard Rock Stadium.
claimed by Kansas City with its 31-13
win over Las Vegas on Saturday. The The Pittsburgh Steelers nearly found
NFC’s top spot was taken by Philadel- a way to sneak into the postseason but
phia, which beat the New York Giants couldn’t quite make it. They did their
22-16 on Sunday. part by beating the Browns 28-14 but
needed the Patriots and Dolphins to
The AFC bracket could still be affect- lose.
ed by the cancellation of the Bills-Ben-
The Patriots obliged. The Dolphins
did not.

Texans fire Smith Bears get No. 1 pick
after just 1 season after Texans rally

Kristie Rieken Jay Cohen

ASSOCIATED PRESS ASSOCIATED PRESS

HOUSTON – Lovie Smith was fired Texans head coach Lovie Smith CHICAGO – Thanks to an old friend, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus walks
as coach of the Houston Texans on watches from the sidelines against the Chicago Bears are on the clock for off the field after a game against the
Sunday night after just one season in the Colts on Sunday in Indianapolis. the NFL draft. Vikings on Sunday in Chicago. The
which the team went 3-13-1. Vikings won 29-13. NAM Y. HUH/AP
ZACH BOLINGER/AP Chicago will pick No. 1 for the first
It’s the second straight season in time since 1947 after it lost 29-13 to the the first round of the draft on April 27.
which the Texans have fired a coach af- for the 2-point conversion to put the Minnesota Vikings in its season finale “That’s something we’ll talk about in
ter just one year. They parted ways with Texans on top for good. on Sunday.
David Culley last January after he went the future,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus
4-13 in his only season. The 64-year-old Smith was one of It was the 10th straight loss for the said. “I don’t really have a reaction one
the few Black coaches in the NFL along Bears (3-14), extending a franchise rec- way or the other right now. Just that I’m
“I’m constantly evaluating our foot- with Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Tampa ord, and the 14 losses overall also focused on our guys and doing the exit
ball operation and believe this is the Bay’s Todd Bowles and Miami’s Mike marked the most in team history. interviews for tomorrow.”
best decision for us at this time,” gener- McDaniel, who is biracial. The league
al manager Nick Caserio said in a state- requires teams to interview at least one Even with all that misery, the Bears Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J.
ment announcing the team parting minority candidate for head coaching were headed for the No. 2 selection be- Stroud and Will Levis are among the
ways with Smith. “It is my responsibil- positions, but has long fallen short of fore Lovie Smith coached Houston to a top prospects, but the Bears traded up
ity to build a comprehensive and com- its goal to increase the number of Black wild 32-31 victory at Indianapolis. Da- to take Justin Fields at No. 11 overall in
petitive program that can sustain suc- coaches in a league where the majority vis Mills passed for three touchdowns 2021.
cess over a long period of time. We of players are Black. as the Texans (3-13-1) rallied for their
aren’t there right now, however, with second win in three games. Fields made great strides in his sec-
the support of the (team owner) Culley, who is also Black, spent more ond season, throwing for 2,242 yards
McNair family and the resources avail- than 40 years as a college and NFL as- It was Smith’s last game with Hous- and 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,143
able to us, I’m confident in the direction sistant before being hired to coach the ton. He was fired by the Texans on Sun- yards and eight more TDs.
of our football program moving for- Texans. day night.
ward.” But Fields’ passing ability remains a
It is the third time since the merger “We wanted to leave the season with concern.
Smith was asked about his future af- that a team has fired its head coach in a good taste in our mouth and to do it
ter Sunday’s game at Indianapolis and consecutive years after just one sea- that way where you have to scratch and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson
seemed confident that he’d return next son. The 49ers fired Monte Clark, Ken claw, we’ve lost a few games right at the Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Ja-
season. Meyer and Pete McCulley in consecu- end, overtime and all of that,” Smith len Carter also could be in the mix for
tive seasons from 1976-78 before the said right after the win. “So it was good the defensively challenged Bears if
“We understand the totality of the team fired Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly to see those guys kind of finish this they stay at No. 1.
season,” he said. “Do I expect to be in 2015 and 2016. one.”
back? Yeah, I expect to be back, abso-
lutely.” The 64-year-old Smith coached the
Bears from 2004-12, going 81-63 and
Hours later, he was out of a job. making the playoffs three times, in-
The Texans had the league’s worst cluding a loss in the Super Bowl. It was
record for most of the season, but won Smith’s first stint as a head coach in the
two of their last three games, capped by NFL.
Sunday’s win over the Colts that cost
the team the No. 1 overall pick in next Smith and Houston lost 23-20 at
year’s draft. The 32-31 victory over Indi- Chicago on Sept. 25. That was the
anapolis gave Chicago the top pick and Bears’ last home win of the season.
left Houston to choose second in April’s
draft. “You get down to the last game, of
Davis Mills connected with Jordan course, and I understand the outside
Akins on a 28-yard touchdown pass things that were out there as far as our
with 50 seconds left Sunday against football team,” Smith said. “You prac-
the Colts. Mills then found Akins again tice hard this week to win and as you
see, it’s one thing to give it lip service.”

Chicago’s No. 1 overall selection
should make for an intriguing runup to