CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Eager spectators walked past window shops of internationally renowned fashion houses such as Fendi, Dior and Valentino along Corso Italia in Cortina Friday evening. The bass boomed from bars and restaurants teeming with locals and those in town from all over the world for the 2026 Winter Olympics. They passed the time with an assortment of wines and beers and reflected on the day minutes before a historic opening ceremony began.

These Games are the first ever with two Olympic cauldrons – one in Milan, one in Cortina – and multiple opening ceremony sites. Athletes walked proudly behind their countries’ flags in Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Predazzo.

Those competing in biathlon, women’s Alpine skiing, bobsled, luge, skeleton and curling started their leg in Cortina. They passed through an illuminated circle meant to function as “a portal and a point of orientation,” according to the ceremony media guide, while offering a contrast to verticality’s dominance on the surrounding landscape. The event culminated in the lighting of both cauldrons, designed as an homage to Leonardo Di Vinci’s knots. They will glow for the entirety of these Games.

No site was as grandiose as the ceremony in Milano, where famous singer Mariah Carey performed, giant set pieces ruled the evening, and complex choreography dazzled those in San Siro Stadium. But the parade along Coso Italia in Cortina was still special. Because it allowed athletes hundreds of miles away to enjoy the experience.

‘I feel like there’s been a lot of different, like, ‘You made it’ moments along the way,’ USA luger Ansel Haugsjaa said Friday. ‘The teams first get announced, but then you’re waiting a while. Then you go to welcome week, you know, ‘Oh man, this is crazy! It’s actually real.’ And then you get to the village… (The opening ceremony) just feels like one of those Olympic experiences that you’re always hearing about.’

In 2022, USA Skeleton athlete Kelly Curtis said their village was a two-hour trip from the opening ceremony site. Many of her veteran teammates stayed behind and had their own personal walk rather than spending so much time on the road. Especially because they had training the next day.

So Curtis, who currently lives in Italy and works on the Aviano Air Base, was really looking forward to Friday night’s festivities being so close.

‘It’s just incredible,’ she said Thursday. ‘I’ll have my family and some friends come up, and they’ll be watching from balconies.’

‘We all train with the bobsled and skeleton athletes, so to have Frankie as our flag bearer is something special,’ USA luger Zachary DiGregorio said, ‘and we’re all super excited for him with that. He’s a great guy.’

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Just outside the Olympic fan village in Cortina, young children planted the Italian flag into a mound of hard, muddy snow that had been cleared from the brick walkway for foot traffic. Fans crowded temporary metal barricades along the parade’s path. Some with their countries’ flag tied around their necks and draped thoughtfully over winter coats.

Cigarette smoke and steamy exhales filled the air. Half empty packs, beer glasses, and cocktail cups crowded small tables, tree stumps and front stoops. All as fans bounced between watching the Milan ceremony on large television screens and the on-site athlete parade.

Cortina has a rich Winter Olympic history. The city was chosen to host the Games in 1944, which did not take place because of World War II. In 1956, the opportunity came back around.

Competition included 923 athletes (only 132 women) from 32 countries, spanning 24 medal events, 11 days and eight disciplines (bobsled, ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing and ski jumping). This year’s Games feature 2,900 athletes, 92 countries, 16 sports and 116 medal events. Italian cross country skier Bruno Colli, now 93, carried the torch through his hometown 70 years ago. He remembers it was -24 degrees celsius or -11.2 degrees fahrenheit. (It was about 2 degrees celsius or 36 degrees fahrenheit Friday night.)

The 1956 Games were the first broadcast live in a small handful of European countries in glorious black and white footage, as television began to take off after millions used it to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Venues built for the 1956 Olympics are still in use. Olympia delle Tofane, home to women’s Alpine skiing this year, also hosted races back then. The Olympic Ice Stadium hosted 1956’s opening and closing ceremonies, men’s hockey and figure skating. Now it’s enclosed and committed to curling.

The town once cut off from the rest of the world by the mighty Dolomites used those Games to become a fixture of international winter sport and tourism. Cortina regularly hosts FIS World Cups and skiing and curling World Championship events.

Between TV exposure and the staging of the Games accelerating pre-planned road upgrades (to the tune of 2 billion Italian lire, about $59 million today), access to Cortina improved at the perfect time. The city’s population hovers around 6,000 in the low season and explodes to 50,000 during winter months. Cortina has also been filmed for iconic movies like James Bond’s ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981) and ‘Spider Man: Far From Home’ (2019).

Hotels, restaurants and bars are sprinkled all across the mountainside, peaking through heaps of snow. Olympic paraphernalia – flags and banners and temporary structures – jump out against the Italian Alpine architecture that defines the region. Wood paneling on wood paneling on wood paneling.

Street lamps are few and far between up here. But twinkly lights – likely remnants of Christmastime left up in anticipation of the Games – glowing white line drawings of winter sport logos and spotlight projections of the Italian flag are a physical manifestation of a city beaming with pride. Proud of its storied connection with the Olympics. And proud of making history on the world’s biggest stage.

Reach USA TODAY Network sports reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com, and follow her on X @petitus25.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen has passed away at the age of 91, the Washington Commanders announced.

Jurgensen was selected in the fourth round of the 1957 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and spent eight seasons there. He was a backup on the 1960 team that won the NFL Championship. In his first season as a starter, he threw 32 touchdown passes, a mark that remains the franchise’s single-season record, and earned first-time All-Pro honors.

He was traded to Washington before the 1964 season, and played with the franchise for the next 11 seasons, finishing his career with 32,224 passing yards, 255 touchdowns, and 189 interceptions. He led the NFL in passing yards five times during his career.

‘Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football. He was a brilliant leader, Hall of Fame quarterback, and had one of the best arms the game has ever seen. After his career on the field, Sonny’s voice became a fixture of Washington Sundays for decades, shaping the way generations of fans experienced the game,’ Josh Harris, the Commanders’ managing partner, said in a statement.

‘For me, Sonny was the embodiment of what it means to don the Burgundy and Gold: tough, smart, and endlessly devoted to this franchise and its fans. He was a giant of the game and a beloved part of our team’s identity. Our hearts and prayers are with Sonny’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him.’

After retirement, Jurgensen spent nearly four decades as an analyst on various Washington football broadcasts.

Jurgensen, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Commanders retired his No. 9 jersey in 2022.

The felony aggravated assault charge against Penn State’s star hockey player Gavin McKenna will be dropped, prosecutors said Friday, Feb. 6.

McKenna was arraigned on Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, following an alleged altercation in State College on Saturday, Jan. 31. The incident occurred hours after Penn State lost 5-4 to Michigan State in overtime in a game at Beaver Stadium.

According to a copy of the criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY Sports, McKenna allegedly punched another male on the right side of his face after words were exchanged between them and the group of people McKenna was with.

After further review of video evidence from prosecutors, they believe McKenna ‘did not act with the intent to cause serious bodily harm nor did he recklessly act with extreme indifference to the value of human life.’

McKenna has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 8:30 a.m. ET at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, for the remaining charges of a misdemeanor charge of simple assault, as well as summary offenses for harassment and disorderly conduct.

The freshman, who is 18-years-old, is one of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft and is rated by NHL.com as the No. 1 prospect in the draft.

The Nittany Lions’ next game is scheduled for Feb. 12 at No. 1 Michigan.

The Madden NFL video game simulation has correctly predicted 13 of the last 22 Super Bowls.
This year’s simulation picked the Seattle Seahawks to defeat the New England Patriots 23-20.
Madden’s prediction accuracy has varied by console generation, with a recent return to form after a rough patch.

As part of the run up to the Super Bowl, Electronic Arts generates a simulation of the big game using its latest Madden NFL video game. This year, the pixels that be picked the Seattle Seahawks to defeat the New England Patriots 23-20, with quarterback Sam Darnold earning the MVP honors.

But can you trust a video game’s prediction?

Per a USA TODAY analysis of Madden picks dating back to 2004 — the first year EA ran predictions — the simulation generally beats the odds. Madden has correctly predicted 13 of 22 Super Bowls for a 59% success rate, far eclipsing the 48% pick rate of the Vegas line during the same span, per Pro Football Reference. However, that success hasn’t come without its share of rough patches.

A rocky start to the current generation

When USA TODAY analyzed Madden’s predictions by console generation, it found evidence that recent picks have been shaky — although the last couple of years might be bucking that trend.

During the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox era, Madden went 3-for-3, correctly picking the Patriots twice and the Pittsburgh Steelers once. In the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era, it maintained the strong performance and went 4-for-6 (67%).

The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One generation dipped by seeing a 4-for-8 clip (50%), although it was highlighted by a perfect prediction in Super Bowl 49 when the simulation nailed the precise final score: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24.

However, things got bumpy at the start of the current generation. Madden whiffed on the first three predictions of the PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X|S era, leading to a run of one correct pick out of six when combined with last three games of PS4/XBO generation.

In the face of that rough run, the latest picks may have righted the ship. Madden has the correctly picked two straight, and if the Seahawks beat the Patriots this year, it will be the game’s first prediction three-peat since the very first run of simulations in the mid-2000s.  

Madden’s favorite Super Bowl teams

The data also reveals which franchises Madden’s simulation favors — and which it doesn’t believe in.

No team has appeared in more Super Bowls during Madden’s prediction run than the New England Patriots. The video game has picked them to win the title six times and lose three times, including this year’s matchup against Seattle.

The Kansas City Chiefs hold a similar favorite rate in their five appearances, with three picks to win and two to lose. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the lone franchise with multiple appearances that Madden has never picked to lose — the western Pennsylvania franchise is a perfect 3-for-3 in Madden Super Bowl predictions (although 2-1 in the actual Super Bowl games).

On the flip side, the San Francisco 49ers have also made three appearances in Madden predictions, but have been tabbed as the loser in all three. It was a similar story for the Seattle Seahawks until this year, when Madden picked them to win for the first time ever. Previously, the club was 0-for-3 in Madden Super Bowl predictions, including when the team lifted the Lombardi Trophy in 2014.

What it means for Super Bowl 60

This year’s prediction carries with it some historical baggage. As mentioned, the Seahawks have never been Madden’s pick to win a Super Bowl until now. And it’s worth keeping in mind that in the previous Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl, Madden got the score exactly right.

With back-to-back correct picks, the Oracle of Madden appears to have found its footing after a rough start to the latest console generation. A Seahawks win on Sunday would extend that streak to three — and give Seattle its first-ever Madden-blessed championship.

Of course, it’s just a single simulation, and Madden’s year-to-year accuracy has always been streaky. But with a 59% historical success rate, the simulation still beats the Vegas line. Just maybe don’t bet the house on it.

Kliff Kingsbury is finally linking up with Sean McVay.

The former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator is joining the Los Angeles Rams’ coaching staff, according to multiple reports Friday.

Kingsbury is a close friend of McVay’s, with the Arizona Cardinals famously having referenced their relationship upon hiring the former as head coach in 2019. Now, the two will work together in 2026.

It was not immediately clear in what capacity Kingsbury would serve on the offensive staff. The Rams have an opening at offensive coordinator after Mike LaFleur was hired as the Cardinals’ head coach. Passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, however, was expected to be the leading candidate for the role, with McVay continuing to retain play-calling responsibilities.

Kingsbury parted ways with the Commanders in January after two seasons, with reports indicating lingering ideological differences with general manager Adam Peters on the direction of the offense.

In 2024, Kingsbury helped quarterback Jayden Daniels become the nearly unanimous NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for a team that made a surprise run to the NFC championship game. With Daniels and several other key figures suffering injuries last season, however, Washington stumbled to a 5-12 record.

In Los Angeles, Kingsbury joins an offense that led the NFL in total yards and scoring. After winning NFL MVP on Thursday, quarterback Matthew Stafford announced he would return for next season.

Kingsbury also interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans for both their head-coaching vacancies as well their offensive coordinator openings.

All those trades only to end up back where he started.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley is reportedly expected to reunite with the Minnesota Timberwolves after he was dealt twice before the NBA trading deadline expired Thursday, Feb. 5, according to ESPN.

It’s a peculiar situation, but because Conley was technically two teams removed from Minnesota, he’s able to return to the Timberwolves. It started Wednesday, Feb. 4, when the Timberwolves packaged Conley in a three-team trade between the Bulls and Pistons. In that deal, Conley ‘went’ to Chicago, which then rerouted him to Charlotte in a separate deal Thursday that also sent Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets for Collin Sexton and three second-round selections.

Conley, though, was used in those deals mostly as a vehicle to move around his $10.7 million salary that he was owed this season. The Hornets had no intention of keeping Conley, so they waived him, which made him a free agent and allows him to explore the open market.

‘Mike’s my guy,’ Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards told reporters Wednesday. ‘He’s like a OG to me. Just a great dude overall. Hopefully we can get him back. I keep hearing he can come back, so hopefully he will and I hope he see this. We want you back, Mike.’

Conley has seen his role reduced significantly and is averaging career lows in minutes (18.5), points (4.4), rebounds (1.8) and assists per game (2.9). Known more for his leadership and command within the locker room, Conley, 38, is seen as a steadying veteran presence in Minnesota.

Conley’s role with the Timberwolves could be further reduced once he returns; Minnesota also made a trade for speedy Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, who just turned 26 and who is averaging 15.0 points and 3.6 assists per game.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn never wavered.

Almost from the moment the crash that wrecked her left knee happened, she insisted she could still compete at the Milano Cortina Olympics. It didn’t matter if those around her weren’t as certain. Or thought it better to take it day by day before committing to anything.

Vonn is a grown-ass woman who has weathered more than her share of challenges and heartbreaks. She knows herself and she knows her body, and she knew she could do this.

Now everyone else knows, too.

‘We’re all positive, but she’s awesome,’ Aksel Lund Svindal, the two-time Olympic champion who is now Vonn’s coach, said – the respect in his voice obvious. ‘She was the first one to say that this is happening, I’m racing.’

It was only a training run that Vonn did Friday, Feb. 6. She wasn’t skiing at full speed, and the course is likely to be faster during the actual downhill competition Sunday, Feb. 8.

But it wasn’t as if she was snowplowing her way down a bunny hill. Vonn was aggressive into every turn and took every jump, landing hard on the last one before the finish line, no less. Her time of 1:40.33 was 11th-fastest out of the field of 44.

Best of all, Svindal said Vonn looked ‘symmetrical’ during the run. There was nothing in her skiing that gave a hint she has a torn ACL, bone bruising and meniscus damage in her left knee from that crash that was only a week ago.

‘She made a mistake on the bottom, but the rest looked like just good skiing. No big risk,’ Svindal said. ‘And to me it looked symmetrical. I didn’t see any differences right and left. And I think that’s kind of what we’re looking for today.

‘So I thought it was good.’

It’s better than good. It’s mind-bogglingly amazing.

Vonn has been a source of inspiration and fascination since she announced her comeback in the fall of 2024. People her age – she’s 41 now – just don’t hurtle themselves down mountains at speeds that would get her a ticket if she was on the road.

She also has a block of titanium in her right knee, which was partially replaced in April 2024 because of the toll from years of injuries and crashes. Yet, she has dominated the World Cup circuit, leading the downhill standings after winning two of the season’s first five races and making the podium in the other three.

Now add skiing at an Olympics on a torn ACL, and there aren’t enough superlatives to adequately capture Vonn or what she’s doing.

But that’s what everyone gets wrong. Or doesn’t fully appreciate. This is who Vonn is. This herculean effort, this going all-out for a run that will last less than two minutes, this is her at her very core.

‘Obviously no one wins a lot of races without being mentally very, very strong,’ Svindal said. ‘But I think that’s maybe where she surprised me the most. How intense she gets.’

Vonn is not taking needless risks. Well, needless risks for a ski racer. She has been doing intensive physical therapy and pool workouts since the crash. She posted a video of herself Thursday, Feb. 5, doing squats, weight lifting and jumping off boxes. She is wearing a knee brace.

In everything she’s done, including free skiing sessions earlier this week, her knee has felt stable and strong. That confirmed for her what she already knew: She could do this.

‘When she’s that committed, and she knows her body really well from multiple injuries, there is a chance,’ Svindal said. ‘It’s not like every physio and doctor in the room raised their hand right away and said, ‘There’s a 100% chance of this being good on Sunday!’ Everyone did the right thing. Everyone’s worked really hard.

‘Everyone’s been like, ‘We make decisions as we get more info.’ Which means, we can go on Sunday until eventually something tells us we couldn’t,’ he added. ‘But it’s been going really well.’

And don’t be surprised if Sunday goes well, too.

Vonn has had more success in Cortina than anywhere besides Lake Louise, Alberta. She’s won 12 races here, six of them downhills, and made the podium another eight times. She understands this track and what she has to do to have success on it.

Now that she’s had a run to confirm her knee is up to it, Vonn can step on the gas.

‘There were reserves today,’ Svindal said. ‘She looks symmetrical and — you’ve seen earlier this season, when she skis well, she can win. And from what I saw today, I think she can. It’s going to be hard, but I think she could possibly win a medal.’

Vonn believes in herself. It’s about time everyone else does, too.

Jim Schwartz won’t be back with the Cleveland Browns after losing out on the team’s head-coaching position.

The defensive coordinator resigned from the team on Thursday, with the team announcing the move a day later.

‘We’d like to thank Jim for his contributions to our organization over the last three seasons,’ the Browns said in a statement. ‘Our search for a new defensive coordinator will begin immediately.’

Schwartz had been a finalist for the top job that went to former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Though owner Jimmy Haslam stated prior to the head-coaching hire that he ‘absolutely’ wanted Schwartz on staff in some form, multiple reports indicated that the coordinator was upset at being passed over and did not wish to remain with the organization despite remaining under contract.

Monken was noncommittal on Schwartz’ future at his introductory news conference, saying it would be ‘a little inappropriate for me to comment about that at this time.’

He added: ‘I didn’t take this job because of Jim Schwartz. I have a lot of respect for Jim Schwartz, as I would hope he has for me. But I took it because of the players that are here, the ownership, (general manager) Andrew Berry, and the ability to build this roster from the ground up on the offensive side. … When I was preparing for the Cleveland Browns, I wasn’t trying to chip Jim Schwartz. I was chipping Myles Garrett.’

Schwartz, 59, had been the Browns’ defensive coordinator since 2023. Garrett won two NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards in that span, including this season, when the defensive end set a league record with 23 sacks. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger was also named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and the team ranked fourth in yards allowed.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Schwartz was likely to sit out the upcoming season. As of Friday, the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders were the only other teams with defensive coordinator vacancies.