The Olympic champion gymnast and wife of Packers safety Jonathan Owens weighed in on a cold and snowy Halloween with a tweet on Monday that said simply, “I’m NOT built for cold weather.”

Plenty of Wisconsinites were grumbling about the area’s ill-timed first snowfall of the season (in October!), but for Biles, who grew up, trains and lives in Texas, it no doubt was a shock, especially for someone who just two days earlier was spotted wearing a sweatshirt at the Minnesota Vikings-Packers game at Lambeau Field to cheer on her husband.

But cold-hardy folks were quick to step up and offer some tips for the far chillier weather still to come. Heaven Daniels, the wife of former Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels, had some of the best advice: Tap your friendly local deer hunter for the tricks of the trade.

“The hunters are the ones who had me game ready girlfriend!’ Daniels wrote. ‘Heated insoles (well everything), snow pants/suit, down coat, stand on styrofoam or cardboard, baileys (Irish cream liqueur) & hot chocolate — or eventually move inside at them games girl cuz whewww!! You’ll make it!”

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Other suggestions that were tossed out on X and might be handy for any cold-season Packers game newbie:

Check into a battery-powered heated jacket.“Stocking caps are essential.”Electric socks.“Stock up on wool.”Don’t discount the warming powers of a hot toddy or brandy Old-Fashioned.

At least one person pointed out she’s missing something many Wisconsinites carry a little extra of to help insulate: body fat.

A few glass-half-empty types reminded her it’s only going to get worse.

“Green Bay hasn’t seen ‘Green Bay cold’ weather yet. Just letting you know,” wrote one person. But from the glass-half-full camp: “It builds character and makes vacation more meaningful, Simone!”

“The hospitality in Green Bay is unmatched,” she wrote in a separate post on X on Wednesday. She didn’t provide any details, but it prompted a flurry of comments about “Wisconsin nice” and “Midwest nice.”

“We are a pretty nice bunch. Unless you’re from Illinois,” one person joked.

Sunday was the second regular-season Packers game Biles could attend. She was at a couple of preseason games in August as well as the Packers’ season opener against the Chicago Bears in September before departing for the world championships.

BEREA — Deshaun Watson is going to try again to make a comeback.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback is going to start Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday afternoon. It will be his second start in three weeks after missing two games with a rotator cuff stain in his right shoulder, although he didn’t make it out of the first quarter the last time he started against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 22.

Watson was on the practice field for the third consecutive day on Friday, which marks the most he’s practiced in a week since the days leading up to the Browns’ Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the week the rotator cuff strain in his right shoulder first became public. After being limited on Wednesday and Thursday, although he did participate in all of the individual throwing drills those days, Watson was a full participant on Friday.

Watson took all of the first-team reps during the roughly 20 minutes of practice open to the media. That involved some warmup tosses before the rest of the time was spent working in the short red zone.

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Watson did have a few passes which were either short or low. However, he also mixed in a few good ones as well.

That Watson practiced three straight days was a change from what has been the norm over the last month-plus, even from the week leading up to the Ravens game. That week, he didn’t throw on Wednesday and barely threw on Friday, yet the message throughout that week was that he was going to play, right up until he was ruled out nearly three hours prior to kickoff.

Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson was thrown into the mix for that game, and his first NFL start did not go well in a 28-3 loss. That led the Browns to come out of the subsequent bye week by naming fourth-year pro P.J. Walker, who had been on the practice squad, as Watson’s backup.

Walker started two of the next three games — a Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers and this past Sunday’s loss at the Seattle Seahawks — while coming in for essentially the final three quarters of the Week 7 win at the Indianapolis Colts. He helped guide the Browns on go-ahead scoring drives late in the fourth quarter of both the 49ers and Colts games.

Watson tried to come back and play against the Colts after having practiced on the Thursday and Friday prior to the game. He went through a normal pregame warmup routine, but struggled going 1-of-5 passing for 5 yards with an interceptions before being knocked down by Indianapolis defensive Dayo Odeyingbo with 3:13 remaining in the first quarter.

While Watson was cleared of a concussion by the independent neurologist on the sideline, he never returned to the game. After the game, Stefanski said the decision to hold him out was to ‘protect him.’

Watson has completed 66-of-107 passes (61.7%) for 683 yards with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in four games. He was 27-of-33 for 289 yards with 2 touchdowns in the Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans, the game in which he suffered the injury on a third-quarter hit by Amani Hooker.

Inter Miami will celebrate Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or award with a friendly against a fellow MLS side next Friday.

The event, dubbed Noche d’Or, will see Messi celebrated at 6 p.m. before Inter Miami plays New York City FC at 8 p.m. inside DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Messi will address the fans, while Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas and MLS commissioner Don Garber will also speak during the pregame festivities, the team announced in a press release on Friday.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 2 p.m. ET on Friday. Fans can watch the event on Apple TV through MLS Season Pass.

While celebrating Messi’s achievement, Inter Miami’s friendly will serve as a replacement for the club’s China tour, which was canceled this week. Inter Miami was slated to face two Chinese super teams in China on Nov. 5 and Nov. 8, but the friendlies were canceled by the promoter.

Messi wins eighth Ballon d’Or

Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or, which is translated to Golden Ball in French and considered the most prestigious individual award in soccer, during a ceremony in France this week.

Messi beat out Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe for the award.

Messi has won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2023 – more than any other player in the award’s 67-year history.

Inter Miami’s China tour canceled

Inter Miami confirmed Wednesday its China tour, to capitalize on Messi’s presence and promote the club’s brand in Asia, was canceled.

The event’s promoter, Never Say Never, announced the cancellation ‘due to the death of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the country’s No. 2 for the past decade.’

‘Last Friday, October 27, former Chinese Premier Li Kequiang, one of the main leaders in Chinese politics and a reformist figure admired throughout the country, passed away suddenly in Shanghai. As a mark of respect for the news that has shocked Chinese society, the tour organizers decided to suspend the two matches that the team was to play in China,’ NSN said in a release.

Inter Miami said it will continue to explore opportunities for international friendlies.

What’s next for Messi?

Inter Miami’s friendly will also serve as a tune up for Messi, who will rejoin the Argentine national team later this month for two more 2026 World Cup qualifying games.

Argentina will play Uruguay in Buenos Aires on Nov. 16, and Brazil at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 21.

Messi was held scoreless but played the entire match in his last outing with Inter Miami, a 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC to end the MLS season on Oct. 21.

Messi returned to form in his most recent match with Argentina, during which he scored two goals and played all 93 minutes in a match against Peru on Oct. 17.

Messi was sidelined with a right leg injury that caused him to miss six Inter Miami matches in the final month of the MLS season.

FRANKFURT, Germany — It was six years and six Pro Bowls for Tyreek Hill with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he was trying to downplay that uber-obvious storyline this week.

‘No emotions,’ Hill said of facing his former team as a member of the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Hill said he’s going to try to treat this week like any other. He said it’s just another opportunity to play the game he loves. He said both teams will just try to win the game.

Oddly for Hill, the opportunity for a homecoming at Arrowhead Stadium did not come to fruition.

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‘It doesn’t really matter where we play at,’ Hill said. ‘I mean, obviously, it would have been great to play in KC. But it really doesn’t matter where we play at. You feel me?’

Then Hill, the uber-confident MVP candidate, slipped in one bold remark.

‘They gon’ get this work, wherever, though,’ Hill said, smiling. ‘Y’all use that. Bulletin board material.’

Tyreek Hill’s revenge game against the Chiefs

Dolphins players and coaches suggested Hill has been his typical self this week.

On track to break a record with more than 2,000 receiving yards, Hill is focused on playing well and helping the team play well, they say.

‘I think his teammates are going to take it more personal for him then ultimately he will take it,’ Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. ‘One of the reasons he is able to have the production that he has, which is at a historic rate through eight games, is because of how fiercely competitive he approaches each week.’

Hill is one of the best players in the NFL. He wanted to be paid as such, which is a large reason why he requested the Chiefs allow him to explore alternative trade and contract options.

‘I’m kind of glad that it happened now and, like, I don’t even think about it now,’ Hill said of the trade. ‘Obviously, the situation is great. Great teammates. My family’s from Miami. So also, I accomplished one of my goals as being one of the highest paid in the league. So everything is great. Life is great,man.’

Tua Tagovailoa impressed by Tyreek Hill’s work ethic, leadership

Players describe Hill’s impact, on and off the field.

‘You think you’re a baller and a good player, then you meet someone like Tyreek who comes in,’ wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. ‘He’s legendary, historic – y’all see that throughout the week. He just brings the team along, got high energy, brings it each and every week.’

‘I would say I didn’t know what to expect,’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. ‘I think as we all look at Tyreek’s film, we know one thing is for sure, is that he might be the fastest man alive as far as stepping foot on a football field and playing in pads. Outside of that, I think what really surprised me was who he was as a leader, his work ethic, and then how he takes ownership of what is asked of him.’

‘His confidence, his charisma, I think it’s just that ability to be mentally tough,’ fullback Alec Ingold said. ‘Like, I think that’s a skill in itself, too.’

Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith notes that he marvels at Hill’s commitment to maximizing his time. McDaniel adds Hill is a fierce competitor.

Hill didn’t let his guard down in a news conference that included German media this week. The one moment he did came when he said Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid didn’t call him back about the trade. Processing what had happened took a minute, Hill said.

‘It took some time, man,’ Hill said, in a reflective tone. ‘Yeah, it definitely took some time.’

Dolphins glad Tyreek Hill’s on their side now

Sunday represents an enormous opportunity for the Dolphins, who could use a landmark win against a Super Bowl contender.

The Dolphins will need to slow down Mahomes, the Chiefs’ star quarterback. But Mahomes no longer has Hill in his huddle.

‘I’m just happy he’s on my team now,’ said Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, who faced Hill as a member of the Chiefs.

Sunday’s international clash between two AFC powers could come down to a big play.

Hill is likely to be the best player on the field, for either team.

‘I mean he’s as Miami as it comes now,’ McDaniel said. ‘He’s on a new chapter and worried about being a captain for this team.”

AVONDALE, Ariz. — As one Fall Classic comes to a close in Arizona, another is set to take place in this weekend when Phoenix Raceway hosts what’s sure to be a memorable NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.

In what’s been considered a wild and unpredictable season by most, it’s reasonable to expect the same as the 2023 season comes to an end. These notions are heavily reflected in the make-up of the Championship 4 drivers who will be vying for the 2023 Bill France Cup on Sunday.

Composed of a youthful quartet that exudes all of the qualities it takes to cement their name in the history books, this title fight is truly as wide open as it’s been since the one-race-take-all format was introduced in 2014.

The drivers for all three NASCAR series were at Phoenix Raceway on Thursday to get championship activities under way. Here’s a closer look at the four drivers vying for the Cup title:

Kyle Larson: the favorite

The veteran of the group, Larson, 31, enters as one of two drivers making a second Championship 4 appearance. In his first, he dominated at Phoenix, en route to the 2021 title and his maiden victory at the one-mile track.

For this reason, among many others, Larson is considered the favorite to become the 18th different driver to have multiple Cup championships.

Larson and crew chief Cliff Daniels have a chance to replicate what they did in 2021 after winning the first Round of 8 race at Las Vegas and having another three-week head start on the competition for Phoenix, which should be scary for the rest.

Due to the fact he didn’t win in the spring, many are quick to forget the performance Larson put on. While he wound up fourth, the driver of the No. 5 led the most laps and won a stage, but got burned on an overtime restart.

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has four top-10s in five starts with 81% of his laps led at Phoenix coming in this span. He’s also the only contender with a title and win at Phoenix.

Even with the success and accolades, Larson has his eye on another contender: the “underdog” Christopher Bell.

“I definitely have a ton of respect for him,” Larson said. “In my opinion, he’s one of the best race car drivers in the world. “(He’s) just a guy that you can never count out. Him and his team have been able to capitalize on things and execute the ends of the races really well. It’s cool to see another dirt guy run as good as him and have another dirt guy in the final (round).”

Christopher Bell: Shifting into high gear

Many aren’t favoring Bell as high as the other drivers, but maybe they should. The resilient 28-year-old is making his second-straight Championship 4 appearance and comes from the same dirt-racing background as Larson, who gave him a glowing endorsement.

The most striking thing about Bell’s Cup career has been his ability to shift into a different competitive gear when it counts. This postseason, he’s combined for an 8.6 average with only one finish outside of the top-15 through nine races.

Where apprehensions about Bell’s quest for a Cup title come into question is his history at Phoenix. With a 14.4 average and no laps led in seven starts, he will have to be better in an event where the champion has always perennially been the race winner as well.

The silver lining is Bell has four top-10s at Phoenix, all of which have come in his last five attempts. Additionally, he finished a career-best sixth there in the spring.

What does he think about going through Larson for the title?

“He’s got to be the favorite,” Bell said. “I mean, he’s won the (four) races. He locked himself in earliest. He’s going to be tough to beat, but I beat him plenty of times and Phoenix is 312 laps, so it’s a long time.

“Kyle’s strength is his raw talent. His 90-percent is everyone else’s 100-percent, so he’s able to run the car at the ragged edge a lot easier than other people can.”

William Byron: Opportunistic winner

Byron enters his first Championship 4 as the driver who realistically should be favored. With series-best marks in wins (six), top-10s (20) and average finish (11.2), why shouldn’t he be?

In addition to the statistical success, Byron and his team have made a case as the most opportunistic in the sport in the way they’ve been able to capitalize off late-race adversity for others. This was prominently on display when he won at Phoenix in the spring over Larson in overtime.

At Phoenix, Byron hasn’t quite lit up the stat sheets with six top-10s and an 11.9 average through 11 starts, but he’s had impeccable postseason prowess. Through nine races, he only has two finishes outside of the top-10 with a lowest finish of 15th and an average of 6.3.

Entering his first Championship 4 as the youngest driver at 25 years old, but the most going for him in 2023, does he consider himself the favorite?

“I think (Ryan Blaney) is really fast,” Byron said. “He does a good job managing his car and his race. I’d say, in the summertime, it didn’t look like Penske had a lot of speed … but once the playoffs started, they’ve been on kill. It’s been pretty impressive how fast they were in the last round.”

Ryan Blaney: Knocking on the door

The driver entering with the most momentum and seemingly the world on his side is fan favorite Ryan Blaney, who completed a walk-off victory at Martinsville Speedway last weekend to qualify for his first Championship 4.

In what’s been statistically a down year (again) for Team Penske and Ford, Blaney is hoping for more of the same result from last year, when his teammate Joey Logano shocked the racing world by winning his second championship in almost an identical position.

While Blaney might have inexperience in this phase of the postseason, he boasts probably the best stats at Phoenix of all the Championship 4 drivers.

Riding a six-race top-10 streak at the one-mile track, Blaney also has finished top-four in his last four starts, including runner-up in his most recent two attempts with 321-of-429 career laps led at Phoenix during this stretch.

Additionally, going back to the 2020 Championship Race, Blaney has a 4.7 average — the same average he’s posted over the last five races this season with two wins and one runner-up in this time.

He might be winless at Phoenix, but he’s been knocking on the door — eerily similar to his arc at Martinsville prior to last week. Could this be the weekend he finds victory lane in the desert?

“I think the biggest obstacle is you have three other teams going for it,” Blaney said. “I mean, those are the toughest obstacles — beating everyone else. That’s what makes racing so hard. I’ve always said driving race cars is really easy, but when you’re trying to beat everybody else, that’s what makes it really hard to do.”