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Winter Olympics live updates: US scores two medals in men's freeski halfpipe, Mikaela Shiffrin's final race postponed
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The Americans missed the podium Friday at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, but there are plenty of chances for medals and redemption Saturday.
(Miss something? Get caught up on all of Friday’s action right here.)
The men’s freeski halfpipe final gave the U.S. its best chance for a medal Saturday, and the Americans capitalized as David Wise and Alex Ferreira claimed the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
If there’s anyone in need of redemption it’s Mikaela Shiffrin, who has struggled mightily in Beijing. But her final chance for a medal will have to wait, as the mixed team parallel Alpine skiing event was postponed due to high winds.
Kaillie Humphries, who earlier won gold in the monobob, will attempt to win her fourth gold medal of her career. She won two while competing for Canada. But she’ll have to make up ground in runs three and four of the two-woman event. American teammate Elana Meyers Taylor, who won silver in the monobob, is third after runs one and two.
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High winds postpone skiing, final event for Mikaela Shiffrin
BEIJING — Mikaela Shiffrin won’t be skiing in the team event Saturday. Nobody will.
High winds forced the postponement of the team event, which features men and women skiers going head-to-head in a single-elimination bracket. Organizers were working to see if rescheduling was an option, but time is running out – the Beijing Olympics end Sunday – and some athletes are already booked on flights home.
The team event was Shiffrin’s last chance for a medal in Beijing. The two-time Olympic champion didn’t make the podium in any of her individual events, recording Did Not Finishes in the giant slalom and slalom and in the slalom portion of the Alpine combined. She finished ninth in the super-G and 18th in downhill.
“I have literally no idea why we keep coming back and doing it, especially after today,” Shiffrin said Thursday after the combined. “But I’m going to come back out (Friday) and ski some parallel GS because I’m that much of an idiot. I don’t know why we keep doing it, but making good turns feels amazing.”
— Nancy Armour
What’s next for three-time Olympic medal winner Eileen Gu?
ZHANGJIAKOU, China – Eileen Gu knows she’s going to Stanford in the fall.
Between now and then, well, that’s a lot less clear. Fresh of claiming her third Olympic medal on Friday – a halfpipe gold that wasn’t really in question – Gu didn’t know what her immediate future held.
“I have a lot of big goals coming up in the future, but I don’t really know what I’m going to be doing,” she said. “You guys will have to stay tuned on that one.”
The 18-year-old freeskier has become the biggest star of these Games, winning a gold medal in big air and silver in slopestyle in addition to her halfpipe medal. Not a bad haul for the young Olympian with a bright future.
— Rachel Axon
Americans take silver, bronze in men’s freeski halfpipe
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — The Olympic freeski halfpipe was kind to the Americans again, even if the weather wasn’t.
David Wise and Alex Ferreira are again going home with medals from the Games, finishing second and third. Four years ago, they took the top two spots, respectively, as Wise won his second Olympic gold in the event.
New Zealand’s Nico Porteous, who won the bronze in 2018, upgraded to gold this time around.
The skiers battled windy and cold conditions in the pipe, but Wise and Ferreira found themselves back on the podium after landing difficult tricks, even if the conditions prevented them from doing more.
American Aaron Blunck, the top qualifier into the finals, suffered a huge crash on his final run in attempt to reach the podium. He was eventually able to ski out of the pipe under his own power.
— Rachel Axon
Allergic to cold? Canadian freeskier conquers rare allergy
BEIJING — Canadian freeskier Noah Bowman was the top Canadian after two runs in the men’s freeski halfpipe. The 29-year-old’s success in the sport might be surprising to some who learn that he was actually allergic to the cold.
Yes, you read that right. Bowman had a rare condition called cold urticarial when he was 17, according to Freestyle Canada. He grew out of it a year later, which seems amazing considering he practically grew up on skis, taking up the sport at age 3 with his family.
He took up halfpipe skiing at 14 and in 2012 he won an X Games silver medal. He wasn’t even supposed to compete in the event after being invited as an alternate.
Bowman finished fifth in the halfpipe at the 2014 Sochi Games and four years later in Pyeongchang.
— Roxanna Scott
Winds delay final Alpine skiing event
The Alpine skiing mixed team parallel event has been delayed for at least an hour because of strong winds.
The event features 15 countries with mixed teams of both men and women competing in a bracket style format. Austria has the top seed and has a bye in the first round. The U.S. is the No. 6 seed and faces No. 11 Slovakia in its head-to-head matchup in the first round. Team USA would face the winner of No. 3 Italy vs. No. 14 ROC in the quarterfinals, if it advances. Switzerland is the No. 2 seed and faces host nation China, the No. 15 seed.
The American team features Mikaela Shiffrin, Paula Moltzan and AJ Hurt as the female competitors and Tommy Ford, River Radamus and Luke Winters as the male competitors.
Elana Meyers Taylor selected as closing ceremony flagbearer
BEIJING – A frustrating but rewarding Olympics will have a cherry on top for U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor.
The four-time medalist will carry the Red, White and Blue at the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday. She was selected to be a flagbearer with curler John Schuster during the opening ceremony, but tested positive for COVID-19 upon her arrival in China and missed the event.
“I was so honored to be named the opening ceremony flagbearer, but after not being able to carry the flag, it’s even more humbling to lead the United States at the Closing Ceremony,” Meyers Taylor said in the announcement. “Congratulations to my fellow Team USA athletes on all their success in Beijing – I’m looking forward to carrying the flag with my teammates by my side and closing out these Games.”
Meyers Taylor is now the second athlete to be selected as the opening and closing flagbearer for an Olympics. Bobsled and skeleton athlete Jack Heaton carried the flag in both ceremonies at the 1948 Games in St. Moritz.
Team USA posted a video of her husband, bobsled alternate Nic Taylor, informing her of the news in their hotel lobby Friday before she competed in the two-woman bobsled heats.
“This is your moment!” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirschland wrote on Twitter. “We are so proud of you!”
Meyers Taylor and her family were isolated for nearly a week. She was open about the mental and physical challenges that presented, but refused to let the deter her training. Meyers Taylor posted videos of her working out in a hotel room. Then she won a silver medal behind teammate Kaillie Humphries in the women’s debut of the monobob and is currently competing in the two-woman bobsled.
— Chris Bumbaca
What we know about Kamila Valieva’s coach
BEIJING — If all eyes weren’t on Eteri Tutberidze in the aftermath of the Kamila Valieva’s disastrous free skate program, they are now.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called out Valieva’s “entourage” at a news conference Friday, saying “I was very, very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV.”
Bach did not name a specific individual, but said it was “chilling” to see how she was received by her camp.
On Thursday, Tutberidze was seen on the broadcast admonishing Valieva as she sat in the kiss-and-cry after her long program.
“Why did you let it go? Explain it to me, why? Why did you stop fighting completely?” Tutberidze said. “Somewhere after the axel you let it go.”
Read all about Tutberidze’s path to becoming a coach.
— Chris Bumbaca
Joey Mantia seeks to skate to speedskating medal
American speedskater Joey Mantia has already checked one item off his Beijing bucket list: capture a medal in the 2022 Olympics. Mantia did that in men’s team pursuit when he teamed with Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman for the bronze earlier this week.
But in his third Olympics, Mantia is seeking one other prize — his first individual speedskating medal.
Mantia will compete Saturday in the men’s mass start, where he is the reigning world champion in the event. He was also the mass start world champ in 2019 and 2017.
A former inline skating world champion, Mantia turned his attention to speedskating in 2010 and in less than three years was competing at a World Cup level on the ice. Now 36, he hopes his third time at the Olympic Games will be the charm.
More medals on tap for Team USA?
The U.S. has captured 21 total medals heading into the penultimate day of competition in Beijing to rank fifth in the overall medals table. But Team USA has a good chance to add to their tally with strong medal opportunities in men’s freeski halfpipe and two-man women’s bobsled. Another possible medal could be gained in the mass start in men’s speedskating, where Joey Mantia can become the first American man to win an individual speed skating medal since 2010.
Norway continues to dominate in both overall medals with 34 and golds with 15. The ROC ranks second in total medals with 27, while Canada sits in third with 24. Germany, in fourth with 22 medals, ranks second in the gold tally with 10. The U.S. is fifth in overall medals and tied for third in golds with eight.
American pairs figure skater makes Winter Olympics history
BEIJING — Medals will be awarded in pairs figure skating following Saturday’s free skate, and while the U.S. is unlikely to earn its first medal in the event since the 1988 Calgary Games, it did make history in another way.
American Timothy LeDuc, skating with partner Ashley Cain-Gribble, became the first openly nonbinary athlete to compete at the Winter Olympics – a historic step for LGBTQ representation and visibility at the Games.
LeDuc, whose pronouns are they/them, said they wanted it to be the beginning of a shift, a way of showing queer people that they have the opportunity “to be open and be authentic to themselves and everything that makes them unique, and still achieve success in sport.”
LeDuc found a perfect match in 2016 with Cain-Gribble, a former singles skater who has been open about facing body shaming earlier in a career that almost forced her into retirement. LeDuc and Cain-Gribble, who have won two national championships, sit in seventh place heading into the free skate.
— Tom Schad
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Travel
Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
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In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
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Business
As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
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CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
MORE:Legendary Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson: Coach K’s farewell tour ends Saturday
OPINION:Houston is leaving Phi Slama Jama in the 1980s for good
While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
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