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Stock Market Indexes Keep Setting New Highs: How Much Higher?

In the first week of 2024, investors seemed uncertain that the stock market would continue the tail end of 2023 rally. But here we are, three weeks later, and the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) notches new record highs five trading sessions in a row. The last time this happened? November 2021.

It would have been nice to see the S&P 500 hit a record close to finish the trading week. It came so close. 

Investors don’t seem to be worried about anything right now. The CBOE Volatility Index ($VIX) remains relatively low at 13.29. This week, we received insight into some key economic data, which indicated, overall, that the US economy is slowing. This was good news for the stock market, which keeps going and going.

The Fed’s most trusted inflation data point, the Personal-Consumption Expenditures (PCE) increased by 2.9%, below the 3.0% estimate. But consumer spending went up 0.7% in December, higher than expected. Consumers continued to shop, even though personal income was flat. Where’s the money coming from?

Earlier in the week, the Q4 GDP was released, indicating the US economy grew at a 3.3% annual rate in the fourth quarter. It’s higher than economists estimated, but it’s also slower than Q3’s growth, which was 4.9%.

So, overall, the data leading up to this week suggests that inflation has softened while the US economy is still strong. However, the growth is decelerating. Does that mean the US will see a soft landing? It’s probably too early to tell, but it’s something to listen for when Chairman Powell takes the podium next week after the Federal Reserve decision on interest rates.

The Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady in their next meeting, but investors will be listening for any clues hinting when rate cuts will start. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there’s about a 50% probability of the Fed cutting rates by 25 basis points in their March meeting.

Equities Still Rising

The stock market seems to be content with how the economy is performing. The S&P 500 ($SPX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) have been notching new highs this week. Technology stocks are back in favor, with many Tech and Communication Services reporting earnings next week. Intel’s disappointing guidance may have dampened the enthusiasm in Tech, but overall, the sector has been rallying. The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) has been rising since late October 2023 (see chart below).

CHART 1. DAILY CHART OF QQQ. QQQ has been moving in an upward-sloping channel. A break above or below this channel can be an indication to which direction the QQQ will move.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Next week, some key tech players will be reporting earnings. Chip stocks are under pressure after Intel’s and KLA Corp’s weaker guidance. Investors will be closely listening to AMD’s earnings next week. Will AMD provide guidance similar to Intel’s? If it does, it will send a negative sentiment rippling through the sector. Watch the upward-sloping channel in the QQQ; a break above or below the channel will be an indication of which direction the QQQ will move.

This is why investors should always look at the broad picture when analyzing the stock market.

One useful indicator to follow is the Bullish Percent Index (BPI). It’s helpful to have a ChartList of the BPI for the different sectors and major indexes. Looking through the BPI for the 11 S&P sectors, as of now, Consumer Staples, Utilities, and Energy are the only three sectors favoring the bears. But that could change.

Fed Week On the Radar

Interestingly, despite the rise in equities, the benchmark US 10-year Treasury yield ($TNX) has stabilized at around the 4.0–4.2% range. Is the bond market telling us something we may not know?

CHART 2. 10-YEAR US TREASURY YIELD STABILIZING. Watch the 10-year Treasury yields as we head into Fed week. They could be telling you something you may have missed.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Next week could bring some volatility, with several of the Magnificent Seven reporting next week and the FOMC meeting. 

End-of-Week Wrap-Up

S&P 500 down 0.07% at 38109.43, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.16% ; Nasdaq Composite down 0.36% at 15455.36$VIX down 1.41% at 13.26Best performing sector for the week: EnergyWorst performing sector for the week: Consumer DiscretionaryTop 5 Large Cap SCTR stocks: Affirm Holdings (AFRM), Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI); Veritiv Holdings, LLC (VRT); Nutanix Inc. (NTNX); CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD)

On the Radar Next Week

Earnings week continues, with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Apple Inc. (AAPL), Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), and Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) reporting. Federal Reserve Interest Rate decisionJan Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP)November S&P/Case-Shiller Home PricesFed Interest Rate Decision

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Is This a Breakout or a Pullback?

On this week’s edition of Moxie Indicator Minutes, TG points out that the IWM is right in the middle of a range and he wants to hear from you as to which way you think it will go first. Beyond that, the overall picture of the market is good, and we just need to let over bought conditions get absorbed however the market wants it to be. Even the worst areas of the market are starting to look better.

This video originally premiered on January 26, 2024. Click this link to watch on StockCharts TV.

New episodes of Moxie Indicator Minutes premiere weekly. Archived episodes of the show are available at this link.

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MEM TV: Market Uptrend Endures Ahead of BIG Earnings Next Week!

In this episode of StockCharts TV‘s The MEM Edge, Mary Ellen reviews where the markets stand as we head into earnings from MSFT, GOOGL, AAPL and META. She also discusses how ETFs can help you refine your trading strategies and stock selection, then shares base breakouts and downtrend reversal candidates in Tech and Retail.

This video originally premiered January 26, 2024. Click here or on the above image to watch on our dedicated MEM Edge page on StockCharts TV.

New episodes of The MEM Edge premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks for the upcoming year, so you can make informed investment decisions.

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Magnificent 7 Stocks: Overheated or Just Getting Started?

One of the key themes, if not THE theme, of 2023 was the dominance of the mega-cap growth trade. The Magnificent 7 stocks handily outperformed our equity benchmarks through the course of 2023, and, so far in 2024, it’s been more of the same.

With Netflix (NFLX) gapping higher on earnings this week, the stock has certainly appeared to earn a place among the leading stocks of the day. But how do we handle names that have already had incredible runs and now appear overextended?

Today, we’ll break down eight leading growth names, which I have loosely called “Magnificent 7 and Friends”, and use the technical analysis toolkit to gauge the strength of trends and prospects for continued uptrends. We’ll also see what an outlier Tesla (TSLA) has become after disappointing earnings and a price breakdown of epic portions.

The Best of the Best Continuing Higher

Over the last 12 months, the NYSE Fang Plus Index (NYSE+) has gained 76%, dwarfing the QQQ’s +45% and SPY’s +22%. While this index includes some other names outside the Magnificent 7, it remains a decent proxy for the strength of the mega-cap growth trade.

The first five charts in this group are similar in that they have broken out of clear basing patterns, and also have shown a clear pattern of higher highs and higher lows. Note how many of these names broke out above resistance, then pulled back to the previous resistance level before accelerating to a new swing high in January.

Strength tends to beget further strength, and Charles Dow clarified the importance of this concept by declaring that an uptrend consisted of a pattern of higher highs and higher lows. As long as these charts make a higher swing low on subsequent pullbacks, the primary trend remains bullish.

Netflix is a bit of an outlier, in that it was rangebound (similar to Apple, below) until gapping higher this week on earnings.

This week’s upside gap pushed NFLX above key resistance around $500, and also created a new area of expected support between $500-530. As long as NFLX holds this range on a pullback, I’d consider the overarching sentiment to remain bullish.

One Name Still With Something to Prove

Here’s where the charts will start to look a little different than the others we’ve shared thus far. While the first six names have already broken to new highs, Apple (AAPL) continues to languish below an well-established resistance level.

Apple hit a new 52-week high around $197 in July 2023. This level was briefly broken in December, but was unable to sustain those gains as the stock pushed lower to test its 200-day moving average. This week, AAPL once again tested the $197 level but couldn’t power above this upside threshold. If and when AAPL gets above $197, and especially if it’s able to power above the “big round number” of $200, I would consider this a bullish breakout in line with the previous charts we’ve presented here.

The Worst of the Worst Has Broken Down

And now we’ve reached the name which I would consider no longer worthy of membership in the elite Magnificent 7 club. After reviewing the chart below, and comparing it to all other charts we’ve shared, you’ll see what an outlier Tesla has become.

A first glance at the chart shows a similar structure to AAPL through summer 2023, as TSLA was able to reach the $300 market in July. From that point on, however, you’ll notice a clear pattern of lower highs and lower lows. This is a Dow Theory downtrend, indicating a primary bearish trend and a general risk-off sentiment.

This week, TSLA gapped lower on an earnings miss, dropping the stock almost 14% for the week and pushing the price below the October 2023 low around $190. Unless TSLA is able to reclaim this level on a swing higher, and then establish a higher low, the primary trend remains down and I’d be very happy looking for better opportunities elsewhere!

Which of the Magnificent 7 (or 8?) stocks do you see as the best opportunity here, and why? By using a simple trend analysis of these names, it can be fairly easy to trim the outliers, focus on actionable moves, and better define potential reward vs. risk.

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

Chief Market Strategist

StockCharts.com

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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Tesla recalls 200,000 vehicles over backup camera glitch

Tesla is recalling approximately 200,000 vehicles over a software glitch that can prevent rearview cameras from displaying properly.

According to a document posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, affected models include 2023 versions of Tesla’s Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles.

Tesla says it has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update free of charge, and that owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 22, 2024. 

The latest recall represents the 15th for Tesla in the past year. In December, the company recalled more than 2 million vehicles — effectively its entire U.S. fleet — for issues related to its Autopilot driver-assist feature.

This week, Tesla warned it expects slower sales this year as well as increased competition from China electric vehicle maker BYD. CEO Elon Musk said the company remains focused on a cheaper, next-generation electric vehicle, but that may not be released until the second half of 2025.

Tesla’s overall market valuation has fallen by $210 billion in January.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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The U.S. economy grew at a 3.3% pace in the fourth quarter, much better than expected

The economy grew at a much more rapid pace than expected in the final three months of 2023, as the U.S. easily skirted a recession that many forecasters had thought was inevitable, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Gross domestic product, a measure of all the goods and services produced, increased at a 3.3% annualized rate in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to data adjusted seasonally and for inflation.

That compared with the Wall Street consensus estimate for a gain of 2% in the final three months of the year. The third quarter grew at a 4.9% pace.

In addition to the better than expected GDP move, there also was some progress on inflation.

Core prices for personal consumption expenditures, which the Federal Reserve prefers as a longer-term inflation measure, rose 2% for the period, while the headline rate was 1.7%.

On an annual basis, the PCE price index rose 2.7%, down from 5.9% a year ago, while the core figure excluding food and energy posted a 3.2% increase annually, compared with 5.1%.

The two components together added up to “supersonic Goldilocks, because it’s really a strong number yet inflation hasn’t shown up,” said Beth Ann Bovino, chief economist at U.S. Bank. “Everybody wanted to have fun. People bought new cars, a lot of recreation spending as well as taking trips. We’ve been expecting a soft landing for some time. This is just one step in that direction.”

The U.S. economy for all of 2023 accelerated at a 2.5% annualized pace, well ahead of the Wall Street outlook at the beginning of the year for few if any gains and better than the 1.9% increase in 2022.

As had been the case through the year, a strong pace of consumer spending helped drive the expansion. Personal consumption expenditures increased 2.8% for the quarter, down just slightly from the previous period.

State and local government spending also contributed, up 3.7%, as did a 2.5% increase in federal government expenditures. Gross private domestic investment rose 2.1%, another significant factor for the robust quarter.

The chain-weighted price index, which accounts for prices as well as changes in consumer behavior, increased 1.5% for the quarter, down sharply from 3.3% in the previous period and below the Wall Street estimate for a 2.5% acceleration.

“This year has been like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, and the economy is knocking the blocks off the economists, always outperforming,” said Dan North, senior economist with Allianz Trade Americas. Fed Chair Jerome Powell “has got to have a smirk on his face this morning. Again, he’s defying the economists’ predictions with strong growth and inflation clearly coming under control.”

Markets showed only a modest reaction to the report. Stock futures gained slightly while Treasury yields moved lower. Futures markets continued to reflect the likelihood that the Fed will enact its first rate cut in May.

“It was a great report, but you didn’t see the market move much because GDP is backward-looking. It told us what happened in October and November and December,” North said. “It’s great for historical patterns, but it doesn’t really tell us much about where we’re headed.”

In other economic news Thursday, initial jobless claims totaled 214,000, an increase of 25,000 from the previous week and ahead of the estimate for 199,000, according to the Labor Department.

The GDP report wraps up a year in which most economists were almost certain the U.S. would enter at least a shallow recession. Even the Fed had predicted a mild contraction due to banking industry stress last March.

However, a resilient consumer and a powerful labor market helped propel the economy through the year, which also featured an ongoing pullback in manufacturing and a Fed that kept raising interest rates in its battle to bring down inflation.

As the calendar turns a page to a new year, hopes have shifted away from a recession as markets anticipate the Fed will start cutting rates while inflation continues to drift back to its 2% goal.

Concerns remain, however, that the economy faces more challenges ahead.

Some of the worries center around the lagged effects of monetary policy, specifically the 11 interest rate hikes totaling 5.25 percentage points that the Fed approved between March 2022 and July 2023. Conventional economic wisdom is that it can take as long as two years for such policy tightening to make its way through the system, so that could contribute to slowness ahead.

Other angst centers around how long consumers can keep spending as savings dwindle and high-interest debt loads accrue. Finally, there’s the nature of what is driving the boom beyond the consumer: Government deficit spending has been a significant contributor to growth, with the total federal IOU at $34 trillion and counting. The budget deficit has totaled more than half a trillion dollars for the first three months of fiscal 2024.

There also are political worries as the U.S. enters the heart of the presidential election campaign, and geopolitical fears with violence in the Middle East and the continuing bloody Ukraine war.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Kobe Bryant: How his legacy continues to grow four years after death

Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, four years ago on Jan. 26, 2020.

It seems like just a short time ago and forever ago all at once.

Tragedy skews the passing of time.

Bryant, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame posthumously, was 41 when he died, and Gianna was 13. They were traveling to a basketball game. Also on board: John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan. Bryant’s legacy lives on with the Los Angeles Lakers, with the NBA and WNBA (both leagues have awards in honor of him), with Nike and with the Mamba and Mambacita Foundation.

Kobe Bryant statue close to unveiling

On Feb. 8, the Lakers will pay tribute to Bryant with a bronze statue at Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena.

“Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels,” Vanessa Bryant said in a statement. “On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.” 

He will join six other Lakers who have a statue outside of the arena: Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn.

“Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time, and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said. “There is no better place for Kobe to be honored with a statue than here, at the center of our city, where everyone can celebrate him and be inspired by his incredible achievements.”

The date 2/8/24 includes the Nos. 8 and 24 that Bryant wore during his Lakers career.

Who has won the Kobe Bryant Trophy for All-Star MVP?

Just weeks after Bryant’s death, the NBA announced at All-Star Weekend in 2020 that the All-Star MVP trophy would be named in Bryant’s honor: The Kobe Bryant Trophy.

Bryant won the award a record-tying four times.

Since the trophy was named for Bryant, the winners were: Kawhi Leonard (2020), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2021), Steph Curry (2022) and Jayson Tatum (2023). Tatum developed a close relationship with Bryant as he entered the league and had star potential.

“It’s extremely special for me,” Tatum said after scoring an All-Star record 55 points last season in Salt Lake City. “My first All-Star Game was in Chicago in 2020 when they renamed the MVP after him. I remember telling myself that day that I’ve got to get one of those before I get done.

“To be able to wear my signature shoe today and break the record and take home this award of somebody that I idolized, it’s a hell of a day.”

It’s an award players want to win because of the influence Bryant had on them – directly and indirectly.

Settlement over helicopter crash photos reached nearly a year ago

Last February, Vanessa Bryant agreed to accept a $28.85 million settlement from Los Angeles County  in exchange for ending her fight against those she accused of improperly taking and sharing gruesome photos of her dead husband and daughter after a helicopter crash in January 2020.

The settlement includes the $15 million judgment she won against the county after a two-week civil jury trial last year in Los Angeles.

Vanessa Bryant continues to run sports foundation

On Oct. 2-3, Vanessa Bryant hosted the first Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation basketball camp for 11- to 13-year-olds, partnering with the Boys and Girls Club.

WNBA players Sabrina Ionescu and Jewell Loyd, and Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka were featured speakers.

“You don’t have to be the best player on the court for this experience to be valuable,” MMSF chairman and president, Vanessa Bryant, told campers, according to a news release. “We want you to be the best versions of yourselves. It’s okay to make mistakes and ask questions. Just be open to learning how to make those mistakes better. Everyone is here to support you.”

Pau Gasol honored with Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award

In 2022, the WNBA announced the Kobe and Gigi Bryant Advocacy Award, which “aims to honor advocates and influencers who use their time, talent, and platform to raise awareness for the WNBA, and women’s and girls’ basketball in various ways, like Kobe was so committed to doing.”

Chris Paul earned the honor in 2022, and Pau Gasol, Bryant’s Lakers teammate, was honored in 2023.

Gasol has invested financially in the WNBA, is an advocate for giving women opportunities in sports and has pushed for inclusivity of women’s coaches in the NBA.

Nike continues partnership with Vanessa Bryant

Vanessa Bryant announced nearly two years ago that she reached a deal with Nike to continue a partnership with the sports apparel company, a deal that includes Nike donating 100% of proceeds from Gianna’s shoes to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Nike has continued to release Bryant’s shoes, including the Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch just before Christmas, and Nike is scheduled to release the Kobe 8 Protro Radiant Emerald and Kobe 8 Protro Color Purple on Feb. 8.

More releases of Bryant’s signature shoe are planned throughout the year, including the Kobe 4 Protro Philly and Kobe 4 Protro Gold Medal.

Six college programs wear Kobe and Gigi shoes

UConn, Southern California, Kentucky, Oregon, Duke and LSU are the programs who have partnered with the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and are wearing Kobe and Gigi sneakers this season.

““We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation – to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi! So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season!!!,” Vanessa said on Instagram in September.

Kobe Bryant inducted into Orange County Hall of Fame

On Jan. 12, Bryant was inducted into the Orange County Hall of Fame inaugural class alongside Southern California luminaries that included Walt Disney, Gwen Stefani, Amanda Beard, Greg Louganis and Tiger Woods.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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See the lengths devoted fans are going to see hoops star Caitlin Clark

No matter how you measure it, University Iowa basketball player Caitlin Clark is a big draw.

Fans are driving hundreds of miles and digging deep in their pockets to pay hundreds for Iowa women’s basketball tickets and watch the Hawkeye phenom. With each game, Clark narrows the gap on the men’s and women’s career scoring records.

Both fandom metrics will converge Saturday afternoon in Iowa City, Iowa, where the No. 5 Hawkeyes play the Cornhuskers at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Vivid Seats analyzed tickets purchased through their site. They found basketball fans, on average, will be traveling 302 miles—about the distance from Lincoln, Nebraska to Iowa City—to see the game. The average ticket price: $251. More on ticket prices later.

How far women’s basketball fans are traveling to see Clark this year

How close Caitlin Clark is to men’s and women’s NCAA scoring records

Average ticket prices jump this season

Seats are still available for Saturday afternoon’s game as of Friday afternoon, but you can expect to pay well over $100 on the secondary market for any seat in the building.

Seat Geek’s algorithm considers one, sixth-row seat at center court to be an ‘amazing deal’ at $305. A seller on Vivid Seats is offering set of two sideline seats for $497 each.

Previous Iowa-Nebraska games no match for these prices

Vivid Seats looked at the average cost of tickets for every Big Ten women’s basketball game. Unsurprisingly, prices are up across the conference—especially when Clark is in town.

Priciest home games this season to see Iowa and Caitlin Clark

We’re still five weeks away from the Ohio State-Iowa rematch in Iowa City. The No. 12 Buckeyes upset the Hawkeyes last weekend in a 100-92 shootout. That dropped Iowa three spots in the women’s basketball rankings.

If avenging their second loss of the season wasn’t enough, it could also be the last regular season game Clark plays on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena court. Prices already range from $312 to $1,153 on Seat Geek and $330 to $3,175 on Vivid Seats.

Remaining 2023-24 Iowa Hawkeye women’s basketball regular season schedule

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Detroit’s title drought could end with Lions: Last time city’s teams won

Detroit earned the nickname ‘City of Champions’ in 1936 after the city’s NFL, MLB and NHL teams all won titles in the same calendar year. The Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1935, the same year the Detroit Lions won the NFL championship, followed by the Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup win in 1936.

The Motor City has since experienced a fall from grace.

Detroit’s major professional sports teams haven’t won a championship since 2008 — when the Red Wings hoisted the Stanley Cup and the Detroit Shock reigned supreme over the WNBA – marking 16 years since a championship parade has been hosted in the city. But there appears to be a possible end in sight.

After winning their first playoff game in 31-years, the Lions are now one win away from their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Head coach Dan Campbell said the Lions are surely going to give the people of Detroit ‘something the city can be proud of’ when they face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘Here (in Detroit), man, it’s harsh winters, auto industry, blue-collar. Things aren’t always easy, and I think that’s what we’re about,’ Campbell said Monday. “I think these guys, they have a kinship with this city, this area. And they love it.’

Here’s the last time each of Detroit’s major professional sports teams won a title:

NFL’s Detroit Lions: 1957

The Lions are one of 12 NFL clubs that have never won a Super Bowl and they are one of four teams that have never made a Super Bowl appearance (Lions, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars). However, the Lions have the opportunity to erase their name off that list.

Sunday will make their first NFC championship game appearance since January 1992, when Detroit suffered a 31-point loss to Washington, the eventual champions. The Lions went 31 seasons without ever reaching the championship round or winning another playoff game after that loss. But with wild card and divisional round wins, Detroit is back to being one win away from the Super Bowl.

Although the Lions have never hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the franchise did win four NFL championship games (1935, 1952, 1953, 1957) prior to the Super-Bowl era. The first Super Bowl game was played during the 1966 season.

NHL’s Detroit Red Wings: 2008

The Detroit Red Wings won the 2008 Stanley Cup title, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. It was their fourth championship in 11 years. 

The team, coached by Mike Babcock, featured skilled forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, and future Hall of Fame defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios. 

That core got back to the Final the following season, but lost to the Penguins in Game 7 at home. 

The Red Wings’ 25-season playoff streak ended in 2016-17 and they haven’t been back to the postseason since, though they’re in the mix this season. 

Stanley Cup championships: 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008

WNBA’s Detroit Shock: 2008

Arguably, the best professional sports team in the Motor City in the first decade of the 2000s was the WNBA’s Detroit Shock. Coached by Bill Laimbeer, who was beloved in Detroit for his long playing career with the NBA’s Pistons, the Shock won three WNBA championships in six years: the first in 2003, the second in 2006 and the third in 2008 – almost four months to the day after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.

The 2008 title team swept the San Antonio Silver Stars (now the Las Vegas Aces) in three games (Game 1: 77-69, Game 2: 69-61, Game 3: 76-60). The Shock was led by three-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time WNBA All-Star Katie Smith, who was inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018; five-time All-Star Deanna Nolan, a Flint, Michigan native; six-time All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin, a late-season acquisition; four-time All-Star Cheryl Ford; and Plenette Pierson, who won the WNBA’s first ever Sixth Woman of the Year award the previous year.

Despite the dynasty – the Shock made the WNBA playoffs in 8 of 12 years – the team only played one more season in Detroit. The Shock then relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the 2010 season before changing their name to the Wings in 2016 and moving to Dallas, where they remain today.

WNBA championships: 2003, 2006, 2008

NBA’s Detroit Pistons: 2004

In a David vs. Goliath matchup, the underdog Pistons defeated the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in the 2004 NBA Finals to win the franchise’s first title since 1990. The Pistons, led by Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, dominated the Lakers, made up of four future Hall of Famers — Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal and Gary Payton — and outscored them 454-403 across the five-game series.

“They may have had better individual players, but we always felt we were a better team,” said Billups, who was coached by Hall of Famer Larry Brown.

The Pistons returned to the 2005 NBA Finals the next season, but were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. In the past 15 seasons, the Pistons have only made it to the playoffs two times (2016, 2019), both first-round exits. And the Pistons are nowhere near the postseason this season — they set an NBA record after losing 28-straight games.

NBA titles: 1989, 1990, 2004

MLB’s Detroit Tigers: 1984

The Tigers ended Detroit’s 16-year championship drought by defeating the San Diego Padres in five gamest in the 1984 World Series to win their first title since 1968. The World Series win capped the Tigers’ franchise-high 104-win season, which remains a record for the Tigers.

The Tigers took Game 1 in San Diego, before dropping Game 2 to the Padres. Detroit, however, responded by winning the next three games at home in Tiger Stadium to win the title. Shortstop Alan Trammell was named World Series MVP after registering a nine hits in the five-game series, while closing pitcher Willie Hernández was named the regular-season American League MVP.

The Tigers returned to the World Series in 2006 and 2012, but the baseball team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals (4-1) and the San Francisco Giants (4-0), respectively. The Tigers have not been to the playoffs since 2014.

World Series titles: 1935, 1945, 1968, 1984

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Jannik Sinner ends Novak Djokovic’s epic Australian Open run in semis

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner has upset Novak Djokovic to reach the Australian Open men’s final, ending the 10-time champion’s career unbeaten streak in semifinals at Melbourne Park.

The 22-year-old Italian broke Djokovic’s serve twice in each of the first two sets but missed a match point in the third set of a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 victory Friday that earned him a place in a Grand Slam final for the first time.

He’ll play either third-seeded Daniil Medvedev or No. 6 Alexander Zverev for the championship on Sunday.

Djokovic’s bid for a record-extending 11th Australian and 25th major title overall will have to wait.

He hadn’t lost a match at Melbourne Park since 2018 and was on a 33-match winning streak at the season’s first major. Every previous time he’d won a quarterfinal in Australia, Djokovic had gone on to win the hardcourt title.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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