Back on Tuesday night, Red Raiders Elsie Lazalier, Raden Hiles and Jack Stowe placed first in different events as Coffee County’s swim teams participated in a meet at Tullahoma.
Coffee County Central placed fifth in the women’s 200 yard medley relay, first in the men’s 200 yard medley relay, fourth in the women’s 200 yard freestyle relay and first in the men’s 200 yard freestyle relay.
Individually, the highest finishers in the individual events for the Red Raiders were Elsie Lazalier, who placed first in the women’s 100 yard breaststroke, Raden Hiles, who placed first in the men’s 100 yard butterfly and Jack Stowe, who placed first in the men’s 200 yard individual medley.
The Coffee Middle Red Raiders placed seventh overall (fourth among middle schools) in the women’s 200 yard medley relay, were disqualified in the men’s 200 yard medley relay, eighth overall (fourth among middle schools) in the women’s 200 yard freestyle relay and third overall (first among middle schools) in the men’s 200 yard freestyle relay.
In the individual events, the highest placers were Hayleigh Johnson, who placed sixth overall (fourth among middle schoolers) in the women’s 100 yard butterfly and Kaden Strohm, who placed sixth overall (third among middle schoolers) in the men’s 100 yard breaststroke.
Westwood placed third overall (second among middle schools) in the women’s 200 yard medley relay and sixth overall (second among middle schools) in the women’s 200 yard freestyle relay.
For the Rockets, the best finishers were Avory Gilday, who placed third overall (first among middle schoolers) in the women’s 100 yard butterfly and Alex Dolack, who placed second in the men’s 100 yard breaststroke.
Grace Academy High School placed first in the women’s 400 yard freestyle relay, and individually, Jaci Howlett placed second in the women’s 50 yard freestyle, Bethany Ashburn placed second in the women’s 100 yard butterfly, Addison Yates placed second in the women’s 100 yard backstroke and Isaac Lee placed first in both the men’s 50 yard freestyle and 100 yard freestyle events.
For Grace Middle School, the highest individual event finisher was Abby Shadden, who placed third overall (second among middle schoolers) in the women’s 200 yard freestyle event.
The next swim meet for Coffee County’s swim teams will take place on Friday, Jan. 19 at the Manchester Recreation Center.
UCLA's windfall for moving to the Big Ten Conference during the next academic year just got a little bit smaller, as a University of California board of regents panel approved a plan where Cal will be paid $10 million a year from its athletic rival for at least the next three years. Both schools are members of California's ten-school UC system, with Cal objecting to UCLA's move to the Big Ten, saying it would be hurt financially through the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference. The $10 million payments, which will run through at least the 2026-27 school year, will help Cal offset losses from media rights. The board is expected to review the payment plan after three years. According to reports, UCLA will be paid $60 million per year in the Big Ten. Cal reportedly will be paid $11 million per year over its first seven years in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Not long after UCLA and Southern California elected to move out of the Pac-12, Colorado departed for the Big 12, followed by Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, who also went to the Big 12. Cal and Stanford ultimately left for the ACC. In a separate move, Oregon and Washington also agreed to join the Big Ten. Only two schools remained in the Pac-12 -- Oregon State and Washington State -- when the exodus was complete. The Pac-12 will not be in operation for the foreseeable future, with Oregon State and Washington State to be paid a combined $65 million from the 10 departing schools. --Field Level Media
Healing from a season-ending injury and Achilles surgery, Kirk Cousins has lost interest in the draft night conversation centered around the Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. Cousins participated in non-contact workouts with his teammates on Tuesday and said he's on target to be on the field when it matters most. How the Falcons choose to sort out the depth chart at his position after giving him $100 million guaranteed in free agency isn't an immediate concern for the former Vikings' starter. "Always going to be competition in this league, and you've always got to go out and earn it," Cousins said after team workouts Tuesday. "I'm going to control what I can control and also understand there's a lot that you don't control. I learned a long time ago that you've got to focus on what you can control." Falcons head coach Raheem Morris projected Cousins would be ready for training camp based on assessment made by the Atlanta medical team and training staff. Cousins, who turns 36 in August, had surgery Nov. 1 for a torn Achilles tendon. He shared rehab routines and recovery and healing tips with former NFC North rival Aaron Rodgers, who was weeks ahead of Cousins' timeline working back from the same injury. When Cousins first met with media after signing a four-year deal to leave the Vikings, he intimated discussions with the Falcons' training staff took place before he signed a mere two hours into NFL free agency on March 13. The league launched a tampering investigation that is ongoing, but Cousins dismissed any suggestions of wrongdoing as "innocent" on Tuesday. Cousins, injured in Week 8 last season, was on the field with teammates on Tuesday and said he felt better than expected. "It's coming along really well. Today I felt the best I've felt," he said. "I wasn't sure when I stood here in March -- and I had just gotten here -- how much I'd be able to do at practice, but today I felt I was able to do everything I would have normally done. That's big for that stuff I talked about initially: building continuity, getting shared history together ... excited to see how fast we can heal from here." An interview on the "Bussin' With the Boys" podcast earlier Tuesday framed the Penix draft conundrum a different way, touching on whether he has any animosity for the rookie. "I don't think there can be; I don't think it's helpful," Cousins said in the interview. "We're trying to win a Super Bowl and it's hard enough. Let's all be on the same page and let's try to go win a Super Bowl." Cousins spent six seasons with the Vikings and played for Washington the first six years of his career. The former Michigan State quarterback has some idea what Penix is experiencing. He was drafted to be a backup to No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III, four rounds later in the same draft. He reportedly spurned Minnesota's bid to bring him back in free agency because he learned the Vikings were keen on drafting one of the six quarterbacks selected in the first round last month. The draft surprise came when Atlanta invested its top pick on a quarterback. Cousins replayed his perspective of the draft-day conversation he had with the Falcons, who called when they were on the clock to inform him Penix was their pick. "I think you're reminded again that there are things you control and there's a lot of things you don't control," Cousins told the "Bussin' With the Boys" podcast. "So let's deal in reality and recognize that fact and then be a steward not an owner." --Field Level Media
Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce made his latest roster move official, joining the ESPN family on Tuesday. Kelce, who retired in March after 13 NFL seasons, will be part of the "Monday Night Countdown" crew. "Turns out, it was a short retirement! I'm excited to join ESPN, and particularly the Monday Night Countdown team," said Kelce, 36. "ESPN was a consistent presence in our household growing up and the network helped shape who I am and my love of all sports. To now appear on that same screen is a full circle moment. And, I mean it's freaking Monday Night Football! and I'm ready for some football." Kelce joins Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears, Adam Schefter and Michelle Beisner-Buck on the team. "Jason is a highly respected, Super Bowl Champion with a strong connection to fans," ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said. "Walking off the field and immediately to ESPN, viewers will benefit from his perspective which has been shaped through his years as an established locker room leader and a future Hall of Fame center. Jason's addition to Monday Night Countdown will greatly strengthen our NFL coverage." Kelce's services were also reportedly sought by CBS, NBC and Amazon. Drafted in the sixth round (191st overall) in 2011, Kelce became a Super Bowl LII champion and one of the most durable, decorated and respected centers in NFL history -- and one of the league's most passionate players. The six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection started 205 games for the Eagles, including the postseason. Kelce is the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. The siblings have a popular podcast called "New Heights." --Field Level Media
Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod said he plans to retire following the 2024 NFL season. McLeod, who turns 34 in June, missed the last seven games of the 2023 campaign with a biceps injury. "This is the last lap for me. It's been a long career," he told NFL Network on Tuesday. "I'm looking forward to rocking out with my teammates this year, giving it all and hopefully ending up where we want to be, which is the last dance at the end of the year." McLeod has played in 166 games (143 starts) since signing with the then-St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He has registered 18 career interceptions and 718 tackles with the Rams (2012-15), Philadelphia Eagles (2016-21), Indianapolis Colts (2022) and Browns. He won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles. --Field Level Media
Wisconsin-Green Bay plans to wade into new territory when it comes to college coaches and hot takes. According to several reports Tuesday, Green Bay has hired Fox Sports talk show host Doug Gottlieb as head coach and will allow him to remain in the media. Gottlieb, 48, was born in Wisconsin while his father was head coach at the University of Milwaukee, the team that ended Green Bay's season in the Horizon League tournament in March. Gottlieb was a finalist for the vacancy when Green Bay instead handed its coaching position to Sundance Wicks. But Wicks left to rejoin Wyoming following an 18-14 season as head coach of the Phoenix. Gottlieb played college basketball at Oklahoma State after first attending Notre Dame and Golden West College in Southern California. Gottlieb threw his own name in the ring for the Oklahoma State head-coaching job following the firing of Mike Boynton, and discussed his lack of coaching experience with a national radio audience. "I understand anyone's hesitance when you haven't seen me draw up a play. I get it. It's different," Gottlieb said. "But if you want a different result, you have to try a different path. That's life 101." Gottlieb's late father, Bob Gottlieb, was head coach at Milwaukee from 1975-1980. A prominent name in national sports talk radio, Doug Gottlieb has never been a college coach on any level but held coaching positions in international competitions as part of the U.S. staff in 2009 and as head coach in 2017 at the Maccabiah Games. His national roles in broadcasting include his current job with Fox Sports, and previously with CBS, ESPN and ESPN Radio. He graduated in 2000 with most of the Oklahoma State assist records in his name and ranks 11th all-time in NCAA career assists. He played in the United States Basketball League and in pro leagues in Israel, Russia and France. --Field Level Media
The Washington Commanders pared down the quarterbacks room on Tuesday, releasing Jake Fromm. Fromm signed with the Commanders practice squad in October 2022 and spent most of the past two seasons with that group. Fromm started at Georgia from 2017-19 before the Buffalo Bills selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In college, he threw for 8,224 yards with 78 touchdowns and 18 interceptions but hasn't seen the same success in the NFL. The New York Giants signed him off the practice squad in 2021, and he appeared in three games that season, starting two. Fromm, 25, was 0-2 as a starter and completed 27 of 60 passes (45 percent) for 210 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in his only NFL action. Washington traded starting quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks in March, getting draft picks in return. The Commanders selected Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels of LSU with the No. 2 overall pick in April's draft. They also have veteran quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Jeff Driskel and undrafted free agent rookie Sam Hartman on the roster. --Field Level Media
The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins will square off in an AFC East clash to kick off Amazon Prime Video's Thursday night slate of games. The Amazon schedule opens in Week 2 on Sept. 12. The full NFL 2024 schedule will be released Wednesday night. The Bills-Dolphins game will be played in Miami, with the two meeting on a later date in Orchard Park, N.Y. The teams have met in 35 primetime matchups, most recently in the 2023 season finale when the Bills won 21-14 to capture the division title. The Bills have won the past three regular-season games against the Dolphins and 12 of the past 15. --Field Level Media
The San Francisco 49ers added depth to their offensive line by signing tackle Chris Hubbard to a one-year, $1.375 million contract, NFL Network reported Tuesday morning. Hubbard, 33, started all nine games in which he played with the Tennessee Titans last season. He has played in 94 career games (58 starts) with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Titans. The 49ers feature 11-time Pro Bowl selection Trent Williams, 35, at left tackle and Colton McKivitz, 27, at right tackle. --Field Level Media
