Seahawks, Bad Bunny win Super Bowl LX
Get caught up on everything you missed during Sunday's Super Bowl (and Super Bowl halftime performance) and the Winter Olympics.
I know I usually write some stuff up here before I get into the newsletter, but I am going to ask that you use whatever time you were going to use to read that and instead read this wonderful Bluesky thread from someone that spotted everything going on during Bad Bunny’s incredible Super Bowl halftime performance.
Now, onto the links!
Super Bowl LX
Seahawks’ title underscores how to win in the modern NFL. There’s no going back: Pick Six - The Athletic
Schneider and Roseman epitomize the new breed of GMs who, rather than fearing a player might leave in free agency, relish the opportunity to get better — and are usually one step ahead. Both have won Super Bowls with different coaches and different quarterbacks. Schneider did it with all new players and a quarterback, Sam Darnold, signed in free agency.
Super Bowl LX Was The Beatdown That Will Leave No Trace - Defector
Such was the comprehensive beatdown that was LX, a 29-13 Seattle triumph over the New England Patriots whose final score actually flattered the Pats. No matter what statistic you could pull from the game, if it did not lead directly to a tale of the Seahawks’ utter dominance, it was a lie. Drake Maye threw for 295 yards that didn’t matter. Kenneth Walker The Third ran for 135 yards, which was about 100 less than it looked. The bad part of that is, because almost everyone expected the game to be a rout for the Seahawks, there is nobody to mock today. Everyone was right, from your grandfather who’s been saying “defense wins championships” since you were crib-bait, to the lowliest pundit who ran out of ideas four days too soon, to the mugs in Las Vegas who took all the New England money they could get and nearly got a group hernia from the stifled laughter. You couldn’t find anyone outside of Bill Simmons who saw a happy ending for New England, and now you know why.
The Winners and Losers of Super Bowl LX - The Ringer
We don’t often see a quarterback’s reputation get damaged by a run to the Super Bowl, but the perception of where Maye stands in the league’s QB hierarchy was a hell of a lot different about a month ago. Even if we give Maye some grace for struggling in miserable weather against the Texans and Broncos defenses, his performance in the Super Bowl will be enough to cast some doubt over what we saw from him during the regular season. Whether that’s fair or not, the young quarterback deserves scrutiny for his performance in the biggest game of his career.
Super Bowl MVP: Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker III becomes first RB to win award in 28 years - Yahoo Sports
The only drama left at the end of the Seattle Seahawks’ overwhelming win in Super Bowl LX was the question of MVP. There were plenty of candidates, including kicker Jason Myers and linebacker Derick Hall. It ended up going to the player who had half of Seattle’s offensive yards when the game reached garbage time.
Running back Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP after posting 131 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards in the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the New England Patriots. He is the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since the Denver Broncos’ Terrell Davis in 1997-98.
Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn went for it. Who are we to second-guess? - Yahoo Sports
For a nation that had become enraptured in Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story and the norm-defying attempt to win an Olympic medal without an ACL in her left knee, the helpless cries of pain as she lay on her back and as the mountain fell silent will be hard to erase from memory.
Downhill skiing is often breathtaking. It is sometimes gruesome. And for the second time in nine days, the images of an American sports heroine being strapped to a board and lifted into a helicopter churned the stomach.
Olympics Day 3: How 4th place sealed gold for Team USA - Sports!
I’ve seen posts the past few days joking about the difference between the Winter and the Summer Olympics. The summer games are about pleasant activities — swimming! running! playing games with your friends! — and the winter games have 11 separate terrifying ways to almost die hurling your body at maximum speed down an icy mountain.
Sunday, those jokes were proven a little bit more true than you’d hope. Lindsey Vonn’s attempt at competing just a week after tearing her ACL ended with another injury. Just a few seconds into the women’s downhill, Vonn violently crashed after flying through the air at top speed. She stayed down on the course for about 20 minutes, her screams of pain audible on the broadcast, and eventually needed to be air-lifted off the course via helicopter. Later on Sunday, she received surgery on a fracture in her left leg.
Winter Olympics 2026: Breezy Johnson breaks gold medal after winning Alpine downhill - Yahoo Sports
Alpine skier Breezy Johnson earned the USA’s second gold medal in women’s downhill on Sunday. With a time of 1:36.10, she beat out Germany’s Emma Aicher by just four hundredths of a second.
Johnson’s medal was also the first won by the U.S. in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, her coveted prize was damaged by the time she left the medal stand. While celebrating, the ribbon attached to the medal broke away. Johnson’s medal fell and was broken into three pieces.
Olympic bosses investigate why medals are breaking - BBC
Andrea Francisi, Milan-Cortina 2026 chief games operations officer, said the organisers are investigating the issue.
“We are fully aware of the situation,” Francisi said. “We are looking into exactly what the problem is.
“We are going to pay maximum attention to the medals, and obviously this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is handed over because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes.”
A United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee spokesperson told BBC Sport they are waiting for organisers to resolve the issue.
It has not yet been confirmed whether athletes will receive replacement medals.
Odds & Ends
Aztecs lift off, rout struggling Air Force on Space Force Night - San Diego Union-Tribune
The 88-54 win was a welcome change from a year ago, when the Falcons weren’t much better (1-19 in conference) and the Aztecs needed a Wayne McKinney III layup at the overtime buzzer to escape what would have been maybe the worst loss in program history — and almost certainly would have kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.
“The veterans know, they know how hard it was in here last year,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “Also, I’ve tried to tell them we need a greater sense of urgency in February. I’m trying to pick up their urgency in everything we do. If we can stay urgent and play more consecutive possessions, we’ll have a better chance to win.”
Padres begin spring with a familiar roster — and a new set of uncertainties - San Diego Union-Tribune
It has been apparent for a couple of weeks that action was picking up in the sale process. Three potential buyers have been identified — Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors; Dan Friedkin, owner of European soccer clubs Roma and Everton; and Jose Feliciano, owner of the Premier League club Chelsea. However, sources familiar with the situation say more suitors have been involved and could make bids. People around the league have offered what can best be termed educated speculation that the Padres could have a new owner by sometime around opening day.
Klint Kubiak ‘fired up’ about taking Raiders’ coaching job - ESPN
Klint Kubiak’s final game with the Seattle Seahawks was a Super Bowl win.
The Seahawks’ offensive coordinator confirmed on NFL Network following the team’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night that he indeed will be leaving Seattle to take over as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
“You guys know I’m going to Las Vegas,” Kubiak said from the Levi’s Stadium field in Santa Clara, California. “I’m fired up about it.”
Asked again if he was going, Kubiak added: “Hell yeah, I’m going.”
Hideki Matsuyama controversy erupts in WM Phoenix Open playoff - The Mirror US
Standing over a 25-foot par save that would have won him the tournament, there was audible crowd noise, Matsuyama took a moment to compose himself, before eventually missing right. There was another disturbance in the playoff, which caused the star to momentarily halt his swing, and when he swung again, the ball landed in the lake.
Eventually, Chris Gotterup came away with the win, sinking a walk-off birdie to end the Japanese star’s chances to win his third Phoenix Open. After the Phoenix Open, Matsuyama spoke about the situation he found himself in during the playoff, which led to a popular streamer being removed from the tournament.
Hawai‘i Holds On to Top Tritons in Big West Battle - UCSD Tritons
UC San Diego erased a 12-point deficit but host Hawai’i was red hot down the stretch in a 72-67 Rainbow Warriors’ victory over the Tritons Saturday night at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Making his third career start, Triton freshman Hudson Mayes posted a double-double – his third – with 12 points and ten rebounds. Tom Beattie finished with 14 points, and Bol Dengdit and Alex Chaikin each added 11 for UC San Diego (16-9 overall, 6-7 Big West).