An emotional Boca Raton Bowl between Louisville and Toledo finally boiled over in the waning moments.

As the Cardinals tried to kill the clock within the last two minutes of the game up 27-22, Isaac Brown was seemingly hit late out of bounds by linebacker K’Von Sherman.

The Louisville bench took issue with the hit, and a dust-up ensued, with multiple players getting involved in a scrum.

Several minutes and innumerable shoves later, offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were called. Notably absent was a call for a late hit, implying Sherman’s hit was within the field of play in the eyes of the officials.

Earlier in the quarter, Louisville linebacker Clev Lubin was ejected for targeting, adding a punctuation mark to what had been a physical game. The scrum to end the game ultimately amounted to nothing, with Louisville successfully killing the clock to win 27-22. In the final moments, Toledo was flagged for a delay of game for interrupting a snap on a kneeldown by Louisville, but the final moments of the game were otherwise without incident.

Western Kentucky football offensive lineman Elijah Williams was carted off the field during the first quarter of the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Williams appeared to have sustained a lower left leg injury at the end of a run on second down where he got rolled up on by Hilltoppers running back La’Vell Wright. He immediately went down on the field at Caesars’ Superdome in New Orleans and was tended to by members of Western Kentucky’s medical staff. Williams had an air cast put on his left leg.

He was then carted off, where he was seen giving a thumbs-up to those inside the stadium. ESPN’s Ian Fitzsimmons mentioned on the broadcast during a second-quarter hit that Williams underwent X-rays in the stadium and sustained a lower-leg injury.

The 6-foot-2 redshirt freshman offensive lineman was moved into the starting center position on Western Kentucky’s offensive line for the New Orleans Bowl against Southern Miss, according to ESPN’s broadcast.

Here’s the latest on Williams:

Elijah Williams injury update

Williams sustained an apparent leg injury in the first quarter of the New Orleans Bowl after getting rolled up on during a run play. ESPN’s broadcast mentioned that he was talking to members of Western Kentucky’s staff as he was being tended to on the field.

Fitzsimmons mentioned on the ESPN broadcast that after speaking with Williams’ parents at the stadium, Williams was seen with both hands over his face coming out of the X-ray room and was in ‘a lot of pain.’

‘It’s a lower leg injury, meaning his left ankle, left foot are in an air cast. If they do take him to a hospital, it’ll be to University Medical Hospital, which is a Level 1 Trauma Facility that’s only 0.7 miles away here from the Superdome,’ Fitzsimmons said on the broadcast.

This story will be updated

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk has seemingly fell out of the rotation after playing less than five minutes in the team’s 125-124 win against the Houston Rockets.

Before that in back-to-back losses versus the Portland Trail Blazers, Monk did not play as part of a coach’s decision on Dec. 18 and 20.

Kings head coach Doug Christie told reporters following the Houston game, where he logged 4 minutes and 50 seconds, that he told Monk he appreciates him for ‘being a pro’ regarding his frustration about not playing.

‘That’s part of what it is to be a part of a team and a good teammate. It was big time for him,’ Christie said. ‘It was five minutes, but they were a really good five minutes that we needed and he supplied it.’

Monk, an eight-year NBA veteran who’s in his fourth season with Sacramento, is averaging 12.5 points in 23 minutes per game, the lowest scoring output in his Kings tenure. In five minutes against the Rockets, he scored two points.

He told The Sacramento Bee in an interview that he is ‘1,000% confused’ at the recent change in his playing time.

‘It’s not my job to try to figure out why I’m not playing because I deem myself more than the whole,’ he said. ‘So I’ll just be ready when my name is called. I’ve been in the league long enough where I don’t let this stuff get to me. Everybody knows I want to be out there, especially playing in front of this crowd in Sac, but there ain’t (expletive) I can do about it.”

Given the recent turn of events, combined with the Kings 7-22 record, there could be signs that Monk is out the door.

Sacramento Kings: news, stats, trade rumors and more

Malik Monk rumors: Could Malik Monk be traded?

Monk could be in some of his final days suiting up as a Sacramento King.

According to senior NBA insider Chris Haynes, Monk has been available for trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.

Kings trade rumors

With their lackluster start to the season and a boatload of veteran contracts, the Kings plan to offload many contracts via trades. Monk, who is owed $18 million this year and $41.7 million through 2028, isn’t the only one.

So far, rumors have swirled that Sacramento could also be looking to depart from veteran players such as Zach LaVine. DeMar DeRozan, a Compton-native, has drawn interest from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to The Athletic. And although teams have expressed interest in Kings forward-center Domantas Sabonis, he remains committed and plans to stay in Sacramento.

Another player whose name has been thrown into trade talks is fourth-year guard Keon Ellis. Ellis is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent looking for a big payday in the summer of 2026.

Paul has been the forefront of several of the biggest boxing events in the world, and there are more to come. Despite the severe injuries he suffered during the fight with Joshua, including a broken jaw, Paul has vowed to return to the ring, and has even hinted at taking on Canelo Alvarez in his next fight.

Was this the most-streamed boxing event ever?

No. The most-streamed sporting event of all-time remains Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson in 2024. That fight drew in 108 million viewers according to Netflix, causing major technical issues for many viewers.

In fact, this fight wasn’t even the biggest Netflix fight of the year, with Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford drawing in 41.5 million viewers on Netflix.

What is Jake Paul’s boxing record?

With the loss to Joshua, Paul now owns a 12-2 record with seven knockouts.

Joshua, meanwhile, boasts a stellar 29-4 record with 26 wins coming via KO/TKO.

Attorneys for Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier are asking a federal judge to dismiss the two felony charges he’s facing for his alleged role in the NBA’s wide-ranging gambling scandal, according to a new motion filed on Rozier’s behalf.

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, wrote in court documents provided to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, Dec. 23, that federal prosecutors in the case are overreaching and going against recent Supreme Court precedent by charging Rozier with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in the alleged scheme. Trusty instead argued the federal government is attempting to ‘enforce its view of integrity in sports wagering’ and that the allegations are a violation of the wagering rules set by state-licensed betting companies.

Rozier’s side wants the charges thrown out by the U.S. District Court for Eastern New York since this is conduct traditionally regulated at the state level. Rozier was arraigned on Dec. 9 and pleaded not guilty to both charges in federal court in Brooklyn.

‘The government has billed this case as involving ‘insider betting’ and ‘rigging’ professional basketball games,’ Trusty wrote. ‘But the indictment alleges something less headline-worthy: that some bettors broke certain sportsbooks’ terms of use against wagering based on non-public information and ‘straw betting,” Trusty wrote, in reference to the practice of one person placing bets on another’s behalf.

The 2025-26 NBA season began with the startling revelation that Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones had been arrested in connection with two federal indictments related to illegal gambling on games and rigged poker games that had Mafia ties.

Federal authorities allege the extensive scheme spanned years, and there are more than 30 co-defendants accused in the case along with these prominent NBA figures. Rozier has only been charged in the indictment involving illegal gambling on games, though authorities said in October that the investigation is still ongoing. Rozier was placed on immediate and indefinite leave from the Heat until the situation is resolved and NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters last week the league will look into the possibility of giving Miami some sort of ‘satisfactory relief’ since Rozier can’t play and he’s earning $26.6 million against the salary cap this season.

The 31-year-old is accused of being part of an illegal betting scheme by alerting gamblers he intended to fake an injury in order to make money off a prop bet related to his performance in a game when he played for the Charlotte Hornets.

Prior to a March 23, 2023, game between the Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, according to the federal indictment, Rozier told co-defendant Deniro Laster that he planned to prematurely remove himself from the game in the first quarter due to injury and not return to play. Rozier had not been listed on the injury report.

Federal authorities allege Laster then sold the information to co-defendant Marves Fairley, and more than $200,000 in prop bets were subsequently placed on Rozier’s ‘unders’ for the game. Rozier played 9 minutes, 34 seconds for the Hornets in the game before leaving with an injury and finished ‘under’ his prop bet totals for points, assists and 3-pointers.

The indictment also states that once Laster collected his cut of the winnings from Fairley in Philadelphia, he drove from Philadelphia to Rozier’s home in Charlotte and counted the money with Rozier during the early morning hours of April 1, 2023. Rozier did not appear in another game that season for the Hornets.

Rozier’s motion countered, however, the federal government’s money laundering case is predicated on the alleged wire fraud that it believes should also be dismissed. ‘Moreover,’ according to the motion, ‘the indictment fails to allege an essential element of money laundering conspiracy: that Mr. Rozier agreed to commit the offense.’

‘The indictment does not allege that Mr. Rozier ever placed a bet, whether himself or through a proxy, on any NBA game,’ Trusty wrote in the motion to dismiss. ‘Nor does it allege that he knew that Laster intended to sell this information to others, or that using it to place wagers would violate the betting companies’ rules.’

Rozier, Jones and former NBA player Jontay Porter were each accused of providing inside information for the illegal gambling scheme as part of the investigation. Porter was banned for life from playing in the NBA in April 2024 and pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in July 2024.

Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, called it ‘one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States’ during an Oct. 23 news conference announcing the indictments in the two cases.

Rozier’s motion filed Tuesday included reference to that moment, and noted ‘countless instances of speakers blurring Mr. Rozier’s case with a 31-defendant indictment that alleges Mafia involvement and several examples of condemning Mr. Rozier’s morality, rather than describing criminal allegations.’

‘Charging the alleged wagering scheme as a federal wire fraud conspiracy runs counter to the Supreme Court’s repeated warnings against using the federal fraud statutes to federalize state matters and criminalize civil matters,’ Trusty wrote. ‘Contrary to the theory underlying the indictment here, the federal wire fraud statute does not vest the government with the general power to enforce its view of integrity in sports wagering.’

There are 306 miles that separate the University of Louisville and the University of Toledo from each other.

However, when the Cardinals and the Rockets meet on the day before Christmas Eve in the Boca Raton Bowl, both programs will have traveled over 1,000 miles for their first meeting since 1981.

Watch Louisville vs Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

At 8-4 on the season, Louisville is looking for its second consecutive bowl win under Jeff Brohm. The Cardinals finished tied for seventh in the ACC this season with a 4-4 conference record, and are led by USC transfer Miller Moss on offense. Louisville’s defense ranks in the top 20 in the nation for total defense (300.3 yards per game allowed) and in the top 25 for rushing defense.

Toledo is making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance after finishing 8-4 overall in the regular season. The Rockets will be led by interim head coach Robert Weiner after Jason Candle was poached by UConn for its opening.

Leading the way for the Rockets on offense is quarterback Tucker Gleason, while K’Von Sherman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are two players to watch out for on defense, which ranks third in total defense (247.8 yards per game allowed) and fourth in scoring defense (12.2 points per game allowed).

USA TODAY Sports is bringing live updates from the game. Follow along:

Louisville vs Toledo score

Louisville vs Toledo live updates

This section has been updated with new information

Fourth quarter: Louisville 21, Toledo 11

Toledo cuts deficit with TD

Toledo has some life! Jacob Peterson muscles his way through a pair of Louisville defenders into the end zone to give Toledo its first touchdown score of the game on a 26-yard pass from Kalieb Osborne on fourth-and-11.

It’s a big-time throw by Osborne and a big-time score by the Rockets, who now trail Louisville by 10 points after a successful 2-point conversion. The scoring drive was 11 plays for 75 yards and took 4:11 off the game clock.

Isaac Brown extends Louisville lead with TD

Isaac Brown bounces out to the right and takes it into the end zone for an 11-yard rushing touchdown to extend Louisville’s lead to 21-3. It’s the first touchdown for Brown in weeks, as he had been out since early November with an injury.

That’s now two quick touchdown scores by the Cardinals.

End of third quarter: Louisville 14, Toledo 3

Miller Moss picks up first down

Miller Moss is awarded the first down on fourth-and-1 with a 2-yard carry. Louisville is 15 minutes away from winning the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Cardinals will start the fourth quarter with a first-and-10 at the Toledo 11-yard line.

Louisville extends lead with TD

Louisville breaks its scoring drought with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Miller Moss to Antonio Meeks on the slant route. It’s the first points scored by the Cardinals since their opening drive in the first half.

The score was set up by a 28-yard pass from Moss to Caullin Lacey and a 19-yard carry up the middle of the field from Isaac Brown. The scoring drive itself for Louisville was nine plays for 77 yards and took 4:55 off the game clock.

Toledo misses FG attempt

The Rockets come up short on a promising drive as Robert Hammond misses a 41-yard field goal attempt. A 15-yard pass from Kalieb Osborne to Bryson Hammer on the 1-yard line is wiped out by a hold on a Toledo offensive lineman, another self-inflicted penalty for the Rockets on the afternoon.

Louisville takes over at its own 23-yard line, still holding on to a 7-3 lead with 8:35 remaining in the third quarter.

Toledo starts with ball

After deferring the opening kickoff to the second half, Toledo’s offense will be out on the field first in the third quarter. The Rockets’ defense did a nice job of changing the script and momentum of the game in the first half after Louisville scored a touchdown on its opening drive.

End of first half: Louisville 7, Toledo 3

Louisville leads Toledo at halftime

The Cardinals take a 7-3 lead into halftime at the Boca Raton Bowl. Louisville was near the 50-yard line with 45 seconds remaining with a third-and-1, but Isaac Brown drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after pulling the helmet of a Toledo player off. Brown’s penalty pushed the Cardinals back.

Both teams combined for 11 penalties in the first half. Toledo will start the second half with the ball.

Toledo recovers fumble

Louisville tries a trick play, and it backfires into a fumble recovery by Toledo. Miller Moss throws a backwards pass, and it falls off the tip of the hands of Cardinals’ wide receiver Antonio Weeks and is recovered by Rockets’ linebacker Hudson Miller.

Toledo catches a break after it had its punt blocked by the Cardinals.

Louisville blocks Toledo punt

Louisville will get the ball back in great field position after Micah Carter blocks a punt. The Rockets were called for their second equipment violation of the game after the block, but the Cardinals elected to decline the penalty and take over at Toledo’s 37-yard line.

Louisville punts

After driving down the field for an opening drive touchdown to begin the game, Louisville’s offense has gone cold. The Cardinals send out the punt unit for the first time.

The Cardinals have created just 49 yards across 12 plays on their last drives.

End of first quarter: Louisville 7, Toledo 3

Toledo cuts deficit with field goal

Toledo is unable to recover from back-to-back penalties on third-down and sends out the field goal unit looking to get on the board. Robert Hammond hits the 43-yard field goal attempt to put the Rockets on the board. It’s the first career field goal made for Hammond.

The scoring drive was 10 plays for 34 yards and took 4:55 off the game clock. Louisville leads 7-3 going into the second quarter.

Toledo sacks Miller Moss, Louisville misses FG attempt

Martez Poynter sacks Miller Moss for a loss of 6 yards, and Louisville sends out the special teams unit for the first time on the afternoon. It’s the second sack of the drive for the Rockets defense, with the first one coming from Avery Dunn on first-and-15 for a loss of 10 yards.

Louisville was set to punt the ball away, but a 5-yard penalty against Toledo for an equipment violation moved the Cardinals into field goal range. However, Cooper Raniver’s 53-yard attempt is blocked.

It’s a missed opportunity for the Cardinals to extend their lead after starting the drive at the Toledo 49-yard line.

Louisville recovers fumble

Louisville comes up with the game’s first takeaway as DJ Kelly recovers the fumble from Toledo quarterback Kalieb Osborne on the quarterback keeper. The Cardinals take over in great field position at the Rockets’ 49-yard line.

Miller Moss gives Louisville lead with TD

Miller Moss connects with Treyshun Hurry for a 17-yard touchdown pass to give Louisville an opening drive score. It’s a well-placed ball thrown by Moss and a well-constructed drive by the Cardinals to open up the Boca Raton Bowl.

The scoring drive is eight plays for 75 yards and took 4:34 off the game clock.

Keyjuan Brown starts game with 31-yard carry

Louisville is already in push territory after just one play thanks to a 31-yard carry up the middle from running back Keyjuan Brown. Nice run by Brown and a nice block and lane created by the Cardinals’ offensive line.

Toledo wins coin toss, Louisville offense up first

Toledo wins the coin toss and defers the kickoff to the second half. That means Miller Moss and Louisville will be out on the field first. Just about underway down in Boca Raton at FAU!

Pregame

Isaac Brown warming up for Louisville

Louisville running back Isaac Brown is warming up on the field in Boca Raton. Brown has missed the last four games with an injury.

Report: Kalieb Osborne to start for Toledo in Boca Raton Bowl

According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, Tucker Gleason will not start for Toledo at quarterback in the Boca Raton Bowl due to injury. Starting in Gleason’s place will be freshman quarterback Kalieb Osborne. It will be the seventh game this season that Osborne has appeared in.

In six games this season, Osborne has completed 15-of-24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns with two additional rushing touchdowns.

Louisville arrives for Boca Raton Bowl

The Cardinals are on site for the Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo. Louisville is looking for its second consecutive bowl win and its third in the last four years.

Toledo arrives for Boca Raton Bowl

The Rockets have arrived at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida for the 2025 Boca Raton Bowl against Louisville. Toledo is looking for its third bowl win in the last five years.

Louisville running back update in Boca Raton Bowl

As noted by the Louisville Courier-Journal’s Alexis Cubit, Louisville coach Jeff Brohm told reporters on Tuesday that Braxton Jennings is expected to take most of the snaps at running back ‘as of now’ in the Boca Raton Bowl. Brohm went on to mention there is a chance for fellow backs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown to ‘give it a go, but we’ll see.’

‘It’s still a game time decision,’ Brohm said. ‘Can we have one or two play? Yes. Can we have one or two play and not finish? Maybe yes. But I do think we might get a couple to try.’

What channel is Toledo vs Louisville on today?

TV Channel: ESPN
Livestream: ESPN app Fubo (free trial)

Toledo vs Louisville will broadcast nationally on ESPN for the Boca Raton Bowl. Jay Alter and Rocky Boiman will call the game from the booth at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, with Ashley Stroehlein reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Toledo vs Louisville time today

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 23
Start time: 2 p.m. ET

The Toledo vs Louisville game starts at 2 p.m. ET from Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.

Stream Toledo vs Louisville with Fubo (free trial)

Toledo vs Louisville predictions, picks, odds

Spread: Louisville -7
Over/under: 44.5 points
Moneyline: Louisville (-250) | Toledo (+200)

Prediction, Craig Meyer (USA TODAY Network): Louisville 27, Toledo 16

The Cardinals are a bare-bones operation offensively, with many of their top pieces out for the bowl game, but they showed against Kentucky that they can run the ball even with fourth- and fifth-stringers. Pair that with a top-20 total defense and Louisville should be able to come away with a comfortable-enough victory.

Stream Toledo vs Louisville with Fubo (free trial)

Toledo football schedule 2025

Here’s a look at Toledo’s schedule in 2025:

Saturday, Aug. 30: Kentucky 24, Toledo 16
Saturday, Sept. 6: Toledo 45, Western Kentucky 21
Saturday, Sept. 13: Toledo 60, Morgan State 0
Saturday, Sept. 20: Western Michigan 14, Toledo 13 *
Saturday, Sept. 27: Toledo 45, Akron 3
Saturday, Oct. 4: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 11: Bowling Green 28, Toledo 23 *
Saturday, Oct. 18: Toledo 45, Kent State 10 *
Saturday, Oct. 25: Washington State 28, Toledo 7
Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
Wednesday, Nov. 5: Toledo 42, NIU 3 *
Wednesday, Nov. 12: Toledo 24, Miami (OH) 3 *
Saturday, Nov. 22: Toledo 38, Ball State 9 *
Saturday, Nov. 29: Toledo 21, Central Michigan 3 *
Tuesday, Dec. 23: vs. Louisville ** | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN (Fubo)

* Denotes MAC game

** Denotes Boca Raton Bowl

Louisville football schedule 2025

Here’s a look at Louisville’s schedule in 2025:

Saturday, Aug. 30: Louisville 51, Eastern Kentucky 17
Friday, Sept. 5: Louisville 28, James Madison 14
Saturday, Sept. 13: BYE
Saturday, Sept. 20: Louisville 40, Bowling Green 17
Saturday, Sept. 27: Louisville 34, Pitt 27 *
Saturday, Oct. 4: No. 24 Virginia 30, Louisville 27 (OT)
Saturday, Oct. 11: BYE
Friday, Oct. 17: Louisville 24, No. 2 Miami 21 *
Saturday, Oct. 25: Louisville 38, Boston College 24 *
Saturday, Nov. 1: Louisville 28, Virginia Tech 16 *
Saturday, Nov. 8: Cal 29, Louisville 26 (OT)
Friday, Nov. 14: Clemson 20, Louisville 19 *
Saturday, Nov. 22: SMU 38, Louisville 6 *
Saturday, Nov. 29: Louisville 41, Kentucky 0 *
Tuesday, Dec. 23: vs. Toledo | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN (Fubo) **

* Denotes ACC game

** Denotes Boca Raton Bowl

Lindsey Vonn has achieved another milestone in her comeback. And it’s a big one.

Vonn has officially qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics, U.S. Ski and Snowboard announced Tuesday. Vonn met the results-based criteria after being on the podium in four of her first five races this season, including a win in the downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland, that was her first World Cup victory since 2018.

It will be the fifth Olympics for the 41-year-old, who won gold in the downhill at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

‘I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!’ Vonn said in a post on Instagram.

‘When I made the decision to return to ski racing, I always had one eye on Cortina because it’s a place that is very, very special to me,’ Vonn wrote. ‘Although I can’t guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time l kick out of the starting gate. No matter how these games end up, I feel like I’ve already won.’

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist – she also has a bronze from the downhill at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018 and a bronze in super-G in Vancouver – and a four-time overall World Cup winner. But a series of injuries took their toll, and she was forced to retire in 2019.

After a partial knee replacement in the spring of 2024, however, Vonn felt so good she decided to try skiing again. When she felt good doing that, she decided to try ski racing again, wanting to end her career on her own terms.

The Olympics being in Cortina was also a draw. She made her first World Cup podium in Cortina. She’s gotten 12 of her 83 World Cup wins there, including a January 2015 victory in super-G that gave her what was then the women’s record.

‘Cortina has always been a place that’s been so special to me,’ Vonn said. ‘I just have a lot of amazing memories, so it wasn’t really a leap for me to say I want to come back and compete in these Olympics.’

And she will certainly be a medal contender, likely gold, in both downhill and super-G.

Vonn’s first season was one of mixed results, though it ended with her winning silver in the super-G at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho. But with a full offseason to train and fine-tune her equipment, she’s been nothing short of spectacular this year.

She won the downhill in St. Moritz, the first speed race of the season, and followed it with a bronze in the downhill the following day. She won bronzes in the downhill and super-G this past weekend in Val d’Isere, France.

The only time Vonn hasn’t been on the podium was the super-G in St. Moritz, and she was fourth there, missing the podium by just 0.08 seconds.

She leads the season downhill standings, and is fifth in the overall.

‘In general, I’m really happy with my skiing. I have another podium and I still have the red (leader’s) bib, so there’s a lot to be happy about,’ Vonn said after the downhill in Val d’Isere. ‘I’m just looking to improve myself every day, every race. I know I can be better.’

A letter allegedly from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar was included in a recent Justice Department document release.
The letter’s authenticity is questionable as it was postmarked in Virginia three days after Epstein’s death in New York.
Both Epstein and Nassar were convicted of sex crimes involving young women and girls.

(This story has been updated to include new information.)

A letter alleged to be from Jeffrey Epstein to disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar is among the more than 29,000 documents released by the Justice Department on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Nassar was sentenced in 2018 to 40 to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting the young athletes he treated while working for both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.

The Department of Justice said it was investigating the authenticity of the handwritten letter, which appears to make reference to President Donald Trump. The DOJ said the authenticity is in question because it was postmarked three days after Epstein’s death in prison by reported suicide in August 2019. Additionally, the postmark on its envelope is Virginia, but Epstein was jailed in New York, and the return address on the envelope incorrectly identifies the jail where Epstein was being held. 

‘Dear L. N.,’ the letter began. ‘As you know by now, I have taken the ‘short route’ home. Good luck! We shared one thing … our love & caring for young ladies at the hope they’d reach their full potential. Our president shares our love of young, nubile girls.’

The note was signed, ‘Yours J. Epstein.’

The latest batch of material from the Justice Department’s Epstein investigation included dozens of video clips and other documents with many redactions. The Justice Department said on social media that documents include ‘untrue and sensationalist claims’ against Trump before the 2020 election.

‘To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,’ the Department of Justice added in a statement about Tuesday’s document release. ‘Nevertheless, out of our commitment to the law and transparency, the DOJ is releasing these documents with the legally required protections for Epstein’s victims.’

Trump is one among many famous names that have appeared in the Epstein files. The president has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier who was charged with sex trafficking.

More than 150 women shared their experiences of abuse as part of an award-winning Indy Star/USA TODAY Network investigation series related to how Nassar assaulted the athletes he treated for both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Nassar was convicted of abusing gymnasts under the premise of giving them medical exams. Nassar’s accusers included Olympic gold medal winners such as Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman.

Epstein was charged by federal authorities with operating a sex-trafficking ring that preyed on young women and underage girls before he died in 2019.

Let’s face it: On fantasy football championship week, no player pickup off the waiver wire is going to lead you to a title.

If you haven’t constructed a strong roster, starting on draft day and continuing throughout the season, you have no business playing for a title in the first place.

There’s really no need to even read this column, because your starting lineup from last week’s win should certainly be strong enough to carry you over that final hurdle.

But. just in case some twist of fate has somehow kept your season from reaching its rightful end weeks ago and you find yourself with no idea who you’re starting … help is on the way.

Fantasy football players to add for Week 17

Due to the wide variance in types of leagues and individual team needs, the players listed here include their availability rates in Yahoo leagues, which may or may not match rates on other platforms.

QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (13% rostered)

So many quarterbacks have been injured over the past few weeks that it’s totally possible you could be scrambling for a starter this week, despite riding the coattails of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jordan Love, Daniel Jones or even Tua Tagovailoa for most of the season.

That’s where Shough comes in. He’s put up at least 20 fantasy points each of the past four weeks and is coming off a career-high 308 passing yards last week against the Jets. He has developed great chemistry with wideout Chris Olave and has another favorable matchup for championship week against the Tennessee Titans.

QB Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers (0% rostered)

If Love doesn’t clear concussion protocol and is unable to play, Willis could put up decent numbers in his place. The Packers face a Ravens defense that just gave up 380 passing yards to New England’s Drake Maye. While Willis is dealing with a bit of a shoulder injury himself, he still completed 9-of-11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown after he replaced Love on Saturday. He’s also been effective throughout his career as a runner, which helps raise his fantasy floor.

RB Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (41% rostered)

We’re going to put Corum’s name out there one last time, even though he keeps producing week-in, week-out. Corum rushed for a touchdown for the fourth consecutive game (five total) last Thursday in Seattle and he remains a consistent fantasy scorer, despite being the backup to Kyren Williams.

RB Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers (38% rostered)

With starter Josh Jacobs playing through a knee injury, Wilson actually played more snaps (33-28) against the Bears. He only produced 48 total yards on 14 touches, but if Jacobs’ injury gets worse during practice this week, Wilson’s workload could increase dramatically. And he’s already shown what he can do as the lead back, totaling 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns just two weeks ago vs. Denver

Other possible running back additions: Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (29% rostered); Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (42%); Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (11% rostered).

WR Adam Thielen, Pittsburgh Steelers (3% rostered)

With DK Metcalf sitting out this week due to a suspension, there’s an unexpected wealth of targets now up for grabs. After seeing only one pass his way in his first two games with the team, Thielen caught all four of his targets for 49 yards against the Lions this past week. The only problem: the Steelers travel to face the Browns, who just held Buffalo QB Josh Allen to a season-low 130 yards and no touchdowns last week.

WR Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (15% rostered)

Coker saw his streak of back-to-back games with a touchdown catch end on Sunday against the Bucs. Yet he was on the field for 44 snaps, his second-highest total of the season. The Panthers have plenty to play for at home this week against Seattle.

Other possible wide receiver additions: Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (51%); Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders (41%); Mack Hollins, New England Patriots (3%).

TE Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (1% rostered)

It’s a Saints-fest on the waiver wire! With so many injuries to Saints running backs, Hill actually led the team in rushing on Sunday with 12 carries for 42 yards and caught four passes for another 36. Plus, in typical Taysom Hill fashion, he also took a few snaps at quarterback and threw a 38-yard touchdown pass.

Following a heated discussion with coach Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green left the bench and spent part of Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic alone in the locker room.

The exchange took place midway through the third quarter when Kerr called a timeout after Green had committed a turnover.

‘We had it out a little bit. He made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off,’ Kerr told ESPN afterward. ‘That’s all I’m going to say about it. Everything is private.’

Trailing by five points at the time, the Warriors went on to a 120-97 win over the Magic.

‘Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there,’ Green said. ‘I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself.’

Green returned to the Golden State bench before the start of the fourth quarter, but never took off his warmups.

Kerr said he never considered putting Green back in the game.

‘He wasn’t going back in. No. He left. He went back to the locker room. We moved forward, and the guys played great,’ Kerr said.

It marked the second consecutive game Green exited early. He was ejected from a home game against Phoenix on Saturday, Dec. 20, after playing only eight minutes.

He tallied nine points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes of action against Orlando.