Cutter Gauthier received death threats for not wanting to play for Flyers, says he wouldn’t wish them on ‘worst enemy’

From the moment he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, Cutter Gauthier has been pilloried in some circles, with social media-fueled attacks on his character after the Philadelphia Flyers effectively said good riddance to their former prize prospect. Gauthier answered questions Wednesday about the stunning deal, which saw the Flyers trade the 19-year-old …

Elina Svitolina: Ukraine’s unbreakable spirit is a big motivation for me

By now, nearly two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is a familiar rhythm to Elina Svitolina’s days. The missile attacks from Russia generally happen overnight, so in the morning, just after she opens her eyes, she grabs her phone to see where the bombs have fallen. There is a call to her …

Alabama hires Washington’s Kalen DeBoer to replace Nick Saban as coach

By Christopher Kamrani, Bruce Feldman, Kennington Smith III and Chris Vannini The man chosen to succeed the greatest college football coach in the history of the sport is from rural South Dakota, who certainly some Crimson Tide fanatics have never heard of. At least until the last 72 hours. Kalen DeBoer, known within the industry …

Australian Open: Ben Shelton, the American With the Blinding Serve, Returns

It all started with a simple text message that, if Bryan Shelton’s memory serves him, went something like this: “That coulda got really interesting,” wrote his then-20-year-old son, Ben, moments after he won a fifth-set tiebreaker against Zhizhen Zhang at last year’s Australian Open, clinching that first-round match. Had it not been for that win, …

Special report: Maddy Cusack – why her family want a new investigation into her death

It is the heartbreaking story of a talented and popular footballer, her tragic death and the investigation into a family’s complaints about what they believe caused her emotional anguish. Maddy Cusack’s death in September sent shockwaves throughout the sport and plunged Sheffield United into a state of mourning for their longest-serving player. As her parents, …

Brian Flores isn’t afraid and isn’t looking back — how about the rest of the NFL?

Brian Flores swiveled in a chair and repeated the question. “Is there anything else I want to say? … Is there anything … Hmm … ” It was a chilled December afternoon in Eagan, Minn., and the Minnesota Vikings’ defense coordinator was seated inside his dimly lit office. His eyes, shielded by a purple flatbill …

Rafael Nadal is focused on clay – and other things we learned from the first Australian Open warm-up week

For months, Rafael Nadal has been trying to temper expectations for his comeback, telling the world that he had little sense of whether he would ever return to his championship form or anything approaching it. On Sunday, Nadal showed the world why he was so cautious. At 37 years old, he knows how brittle he …

NCAA signs lucrative TV deal for championships, but keeps women’s basketball in bundle

The NCAA on Thursday said it had reached an eight-year agreement with ESPN worth $115 million annually to televise 40 college sports championships each year, including the marquee Division I women’s basketball tournament that many people within college sports had hoped would be primed for even bigger returns given a wave of recent popularity. The …