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Sports

Joe B. Hall, who won national college basketball titles at Kentucky as player and coach, dies at 93

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Joe B. Hall, who succeeded legendary coach Adolph Rupp at Kentucky and led the Wildcats to an NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died at the age of 93.

Hall is one of only three men to both play on and coach an NCAA championship team (1949, 1978) and is the only one to do so for the same school.

“It is with great sadness we share the passing of the great Joe B. Hall,” the Kentucky men’s basketball team tweeted. “Our hearts are with the Hall family. We love you, Joe B.”

Current Wildcats coach John Calipari tweeted that Hall was “my friend, my mentor, and an icon in our state and in our profession.” He added that he met with Hall on Thursday.

“He understood everything that was said, and as I prayed for him, he squeezed my hand tight,” Calipari wrote.

During his 13 years as Kentucky coach, from 1972 to 1985, Hall led the team to 297 victories. The most memorable was the 1978 NCAA title in which Hall led the Wildcats to their fifth championship. Hall followed in the colossal footsteps of Rupp, who won 876 games over 41 seasons at Kentucky.

The Wildcats went 30-2 in 1977-78 and won their first NCAA title in 20 years, beating Duke 94-88 in St. Louis behind 41 points from Jack “Goose” Givens. It was Kentucky’s fifth championship and first in 20 years. More than 10,000 fans greeted the returning team at Blue Grass Airport.

Hall had coached at Central Missouri State and Regis before Rupp offered him a chance to come to Kentucky. Rupp first offered Hall a job as his recruiter, but Hall turned it down, instead wanting to be a floor coach.

Later, when they were at the same clinic. Rupp invited Hall to his room and offered him an on-the-floor assistant coaching job. This time, Hall accepted.

“To be back here as an assistant was a dream,” Hall had said.

Only one more time did Hall almost leave Kentucky. Rupp’s retirement was approaching, and Hall wasn’t getting the support he wanted to be the next head coach. He took a head-coaching job at Saint Louis, but Rupp begged him to stay, Hall once told the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Hall had played under Rupp and served as his assistant for seven years before being elevated to the top role — though Rupp continued to loom large by maintaining an office in the building and his own TV show in the state.

Near misses in the years after the 1978 title bothered the fan base — blowing a sizable lead to Georgetown in a 1984 national semifinal was a big one — as did the growing share of the regional and national spotlight achieved by Denny Crum at Louisville and Bob Knight at Indiana.

The then-56-year-old Hall resigned as Kentucky coach in March 1985, saying, “I didn’t want to be an old coach.”

Hall was named National Coach of the Year in 1978 and SEC Coach of the Year four times. Hall’s record at Kentucky was 297-100, and he was 373-156 over his career. Seven of his players earned All-American honors 11 times, and he coached 24 players who were drafted into the NBA, including five first-round selections.

After retiring from coaching, Hall remained a beloved figure in the state. As recently as 2018, he attended about three Kentucky practices per week and was a courtside fixture during home games at Rupp Arena. A statue of Hall sits in front of Wildcat Lodge, where the men’s basketball players live.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Sports

Chris Evert, Tennis Hall of Famer, Says She Has Ovarian Cancer

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The former tennis star Chris Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, has an early form of ovarian cancer, she said Friday in a story posted on ESPN.com.

The stage 1C cancer was detected after a preventive hysterectomy, and it has not spread elsewhere in her body, according to the story. Ms. Evert, 67, who began the first of six rounds of chemotherapy this week, is an analyst for ESPN.

The cancer was removed during the hysterectomy, and there is a greater than 90 percent chance it won’t return, according to the story.

“I’ve lived a very charmed life,” Ms. Evert said in the story. “Now I have some challenges ahead of me. But, I have comfort in knowing the chemotherapy is to ensure that cancer does not come back.”

A representative for Ms. Evert did not immediately reply to an email late Friday.

Ms. Evert is one of the most celebrated players in tennis history. She became the first player, male or female, to win 1,000 singles matches and was ranked first or second in the world from 1975 to 1986, according to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Dr. Joel Cardenas, a doctor for Ms. Evert, said in the story that an early diagnosis is more likely if a patient is current on doctor visits, understands her family history and has a good relationship with her gynecologist.

“Women should know the risk factors, too — endometriosis, history of breast cancer and infertility are among them,” he said. “The average age for ovarian cancer diagnosis is 63.”

Genetic testing and counseling are encouraged if a patient has a family history of ovarian cancer, Mr. Cardenas said.

Ms. Evert’s younger sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, also a professional tennis player, died of ovarian cancer in February 2020 at age 62. Ovarian cancer can run in families, and one’s risk is increased if a mother, sister or daughter has had the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

Ms. Dubin was with Ms. Evert as the pair rushed through an airport in October 2017 when the older sister noticed Ms. Dubin was out of breath, according to the ESPN story. Shortly after that, a doctor detected ovarian cancer in Ms. Dubin. It was in a late stage and had spread.

“When I go into chemo, she is my inspiration,” Ms. Evert said. “I’ll be thinking of her. And she’ll get me through it.”

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Sports

At the buzzer: Indiana 67, Ohio State 51 – Inside the Hall

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Quick thoughts on a 67-51 win over Ohio State:

How it happened: Indiana entered Thursday’s game in Bloomington in need of a statement win. After a slow start that led to a 15-7 deficit early, the Hoosiers were the better team over the final 32 minutes in Bloomington. Trayce Jackson-Davis was dominant in the first half as he scored 16 of Indiana’s 33 points to lead the Hoosiers to a 33-30 cushion.

Ohio State kept things close for the first 10 minutes of the second half and got within one at 46-45 on a pair of free throws by Malaki Branham. But Indiana had an answer down the stretch. Unlike some of its close losses where it was unable to finish close games down the stretch, Indiana dominated the final seven minutes. A 9-0 run stretched a 52-48 lead out to 61-48 by the final media timeout with 3:20 to play. Indiana was able to stretch the lead out to as much as 17 down the stretch as the Hoosiers moved to 11-3 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play.

Standout performers: Jackson-Davis recorded his 27th career double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes. Trey Galloway returned from a wrist injury and finished with eight points, four assists and three rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

Statistic that stands out: Indiana held Ohio State, the nation’s No. 8 offense entering the game according to KenPom, to just 51 points and .75 points per possession in the win.

Final IU individual statistics:

Final tempo-free statistics:

Assembly Call postgame show:

Filed to: Ohio State Buckeyes

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Sports

DeMarcus Ware, Andre Johnson, Devin Hester among 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

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Three players in their first year of eligibility, including one of the league’s all-time sack leaders, one of the league’s all-time receiving leaders and one of the league’s all-time special teams greats, are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.

Defensive end/outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, wide receiver Andre Johnson and wide receiver/returner Devin Hester are among the 15 finalists, announced Thursday. It is the third time in the past five years at least three of the finalists are players in their first year of eligibility.

As many as five of the finalists will be selected next month for the Hall’s Class of 2022. The Class of 2022 enshrinement ceremony, in Canton, Ohio, is expected to be in August, but specific dates have not yet been announced.

Late wide receiver Cliff Branch was already chosen as a seniors finalist, Dick Vermeil as the coach finalist and former referee Art McNally as the contributors finalist.

The three first-year-eligible players were selected to a combined 20 Pro Bowls, and Hester retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in special teams touchdowns (20) as well as the record holder for punt return touchdowns in a season (four). They join defensive end Jared Allen, tackle Willie Anderson, cornerback/safety Ronde Barber, tackle Tony Boselli, safety LeRoy Butler, wide receiver Torry Holt, linebacker Sam Mills, defensive end/tackle Richard Seymour, linebacker Zach Thomas, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, linebacker Patrick Willis and defensive tackle/end Bryant Young.

If Ware, Johnson or Hester are chosen for enshrinement, it would be the ninth consecutive year at least one player in the first year of eligibility has been enshrined. The Hall’s Class of 2022 will be revealed Feb. 10 during the NFL Honors show.

Ware was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection in his career with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He is ninth all time in sacks — since it became an official statistic in 1982 — with 138.5 and was a starter on the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 winner.

Johnson, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection for the Houston Texans, led the league twice in receiving yards (back to back in 2008 and 2009) and is 11th all time in both receptions (1,062) and receiving yards (14,185). Hester, who starred for the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons, is a rare finalist whose career was primarily built on special teams excellence. He is a two-time All-Decade player (2000s and the 2010s).

Boselli is a finalist for a sixth time — the most of any player among this year’s group — while Seymour is a finalist for a fourth time. Butler, Mills, Thomas, Holt and Wayne are finalists for the third time. The late Mills, who died in 2005, is in his final year of eligibility as a modern-era candidate and will go into the seniors pool next year if he is not selected for enshrinement.

Butler, who is the only player to have at least 20 sacks and 20 interceptions in his career, is the only first-team selection to the All-Decade team of the 1990s who has not been enshrined. Fellow safety Steve Atwater, who was named to Hall’s Class of 2020, was the only other All-Decade first-teamer who had not been enshrined before last summer’s double ceremony.

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Sports

2022 Hall of Fame finalists include Andre Johnson, DeMarcus Ware, Devin Hester

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The Pro Football Hall of Fame released the 15 modern-era finalists for the Class of 2022.

Three first-year finalists — Andre Johnson, DeMarcus Ware and Devin Hester — made the list as did two players who previously were eligible but are finalists for the first time. Former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis is a finalist for the first time in his third year of eligibility, and former Bengals and Ravens offensive tackle Willie Anderson made the list for the first time in his ninth year of eligibility.

The selection committee will meet virtually Jan. 18 to decide the Class of 2022, with the announcement of the inductees announced Feb. 10. The class can have up to five modern-era players, each of whom must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent for election.

In addition, the ballot also includes Dick Vermeil in the coach category, Art McNally in the contributor category and Cliff Branch in the senior category.

The modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the selection committee from a list of 123 nominees named in September and reduced to 26 semifinalists on Nov. 24.

The modern-era finalists, along with their positions, years and teams are:

• Jared Allen, Defensive End – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers

• Willie Anderson, Offensive Tackle – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

• Ronde Barber, Cornerback/Safety – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Tony Boselli, Offensive Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve)

• LeRoy Butler, Safety – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers

• Devin Hester, Punt Returner/Kick Returner/Wide Receiver – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens

• Torry Holt, Wide Receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

• Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans

• Sam Mills, Linebacker – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers

• Richard Seymour, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders

• Zach Thomas, Linebacker – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys

• DeMarcus Ware, Linebacker/Defensive End – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos

• Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts

• Patrick Willis, Linebacker – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers

• Bryant Young, Defensive Tackle/Defensive End – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers

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Entertainment

Ted Nugent Rails Against Rock Hall for Inducting Patti Smith, Madonna

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One thing that probably all sides of a divided nation can agree on: Ted Nugent, for better or worse, is almost certainly never getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And the right-wing rocker says he’s fine with that , claiming he’d just as soon not be part of a hall that includes members he considers unworthy — a list that stretches to include Madonna, Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash and ABBA.

Who does Nugent think should be in the Hall of Fame, besides himself, if the judges were a little more discriminatory? Styx and Triumph, of course.

The thought of a pioneering hip-hop artist in the Rock Hall of Fame so upsets him that, in the interview published on KNAC.com, Nugent says it’s tantamount to urinating on the graves of rock’s original pioneers. “What a middle finger to the ‘real’ heroes of rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues to put in those other people,” he says. “Grandmaster Flash? Really? Why don’t we go down to Chuck Berry’s grave and piss on it?”

Insisting it’s nothing personal, Nugent says,”I’m not angry that I’m not in there because I’m having so much fun that it’s stupid.” But, he asks, “Why isn’t a band like Triumph in there, but  Grandmaster Flash is? That’s just dishonest! Why are Patti Smith, ABBA and Madonna in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, but not Styx?  Are you kidding me?! You can only explain that is that the people who made those decisions are just plain rotten people! The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame should genuflect to Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters (and) the Funk Brothers… How dare you put Grandmaster Flash, ABBA and Madonna in that?”

Nugent’s disdain for Democratic politicians and entertainers who fail to take as rightward a stance as his inevitably comes up throughout the interview.

He cites KIss’ Gene Simmons as someone ‘I love immensely as one of the true great musical entrepreneurs of all time. … but also my critical thinking responsibility must address that he dropped his independent thinking intellectual ball when he sided with the illegal, unfounded, tyrannical decrees from punks like Fauci and Joe Biden regarding masks and ‘experimental’ shots, when he has always stood up for his mother who survived Auschwitz…. He defied the truth, logic and commons sense of the Nuremberg Trials…. So Gene, I love you’ I can help you because you had a ‘hiccup.’”

Kyle Rittenhouse? A hero, naturally. “Yes, I am sending Kyle Rittenhouse a lifetime supply of proper ammunition. It turns out according to Tucker Carlson, Kyle and his mother are big fans of mine. Kyle, his mother and possibly Tucker are hoping to meet up with me in my ranch in Texas for a little deer-hunting campfire and maybe a little lesson on tactical upgrade, so when evil is attacking you can neutralize it, hopefully forever.”

Nugent also addresses some of the stories that have circulated about him over the years, like the claim that he was a hypocritical draft dodger. He traces that back to an interview with High Times magazine in which he contends that he fooled the “dirtbag” reporter by bringing up details about escaping the draft that were actually true of his drummer at the time, K.J. Knight. “Here’s the big question — how stupid, soulless and dishonest would one have to be to take information from a publication titled High Tims  to condemn someone? One of the worst crimes of mankind is to falsely accuse. It’s a false accusation.”

He also defended accepting a Purple Heart from a veteran, despite not having served in the military. “When a U.S Marine sniper forces you to close your hand around a Purple Heart that they earned by telling me that they believe that I’ve earned it by fighting for the freedom that their buddies died for, I can only humbly bow my head and accept the gesture. I continue to serve for America unofficially every day of my life.”

Nugent has a new album coming out in February, “Detroit Muscle,” via Pavement Music. He claims he sent a copy of the pro-gun single “Come and Get It” “to Beto O’Rourke and Joe Biden with a note if they want to take away our First and Second Amendments that they make a knock at my door first. I’d love to help inform their thought process. That’s a ‘cocky’ statement but you can go ahead and quote me on that… Thank God for the great people at Pavement Music in 2021. They heard the song and said, ‘Whoa. That’s the real McCoy! Nugent is on fire and the band is on fire.’”

 

 

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Entertainment

Radio City Music Hall Cancels Its Remaining Rockettes Christmas Shows

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After canceling all four of Friday’s performances of Radio City Music Hall’s enduring Christmas show starring the Rockettes after there were breakthrough coronavirus cases in the company, the show’s producers announced late Friday that they would end its run entirely because of “increasing challenges from the pandemic.”

The show, “Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes,” had been scheduled to run through Jan. 2 with multiple performances each day. But it did not make it to Christmas, or even to the vacation many city schoolchildren will begin next week.

It became the latest show to be upended by a rash of coronavirus cases among cast and crew members, as the virus has surged in recent days in New York.

Earlier Friday, producers had canceled the four performances scheduled for the day because of what the company described as “breakthrough Covid-19 cases in the production.” By the end of the day, they had canceled the rest of the run.

“We regret that we are unable to continue the ‘Christmas Spectacular’ this season,” the show said in a statement released later in the day. “We had hoped we could make it through the season and are honored to have hosted hundreds of thousands of fans at more than 100 shows over the last seven weeks.”

The decision comes as Broadway has had to endure a raft of cancellations unlike any in its history. Six of the 32 current shows running on Broadway canceled their performances Friday night, including “Moulin Rouge!,” which hopes to resume Saturday afternoon, “Hadestown,” which hopes to resume Saturday night; “Hamilton,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Tina,” which are closed until Tuesday, and “MJ,” a new musical about Michael Jackson, which said it would close until Dec. 27.

The cancellations are affecting a variety of shows elsewhere in New York and around the country. At New York City Center, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater canceled all of its remaining performances this week, citing positive coronavirus tests, while Off Broadway, the Red Bull Theater canceled its remaining performances of “The Alchemist” and Soho Rep canceled the rest of its performances of “While You Were Partying.”

In Los Angeles, the Center Theater Group canceled several performances of its production of “A Christmas Carol,” while in Chicago, several shows canceled performances, including a touring production of “Pretty Woman.”

In a sign of the increasing level of concern over the Omicron variant, the Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday became the first major performing arts institution in New York to unveil a booster mandate: Beginning Jan. 17, all employees and audience members eligible for booster shots will be required to show proof that they have received them in order to enter the opera house.

At Radio City, company members said that at least some of people on site received word of the first set of cancellations over a public-address system shortly before the scheduled 11 a.m. performance.

Some company members have for several weeks expressed concern about the Covid-19 protocols in place for workers. All the employees for the “Christmas Spectacular” must be vaccinated. But the theater had not required employees to be tested for the virus. And under the Music Hall’s policy, masks were recommended but not required for artists, cast and crew members. And not all audience members were required to wear masks, as they are at all Broadway shows.

The Madison Square Garden Entertainment company, which produces the show and owns the theater, has said the protocols it has had in place were completely safe, and that they were developed in conjunction with health and safety experts, and have been used successfully at a roster of shows in the venue since late summer.

Michael Paulson contributed reporting.



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Sports

Pro Football Hall of Famer Claude Humphrey dies at 77

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Humphrey passed away on Friday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced on Saturday.

“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Claude Humphrey,” Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. “His humble spirit guided him on and off the field. Our thoughts and prayers are with Claude’s family during this difficult time. The Hall of Fame will forever guard his legacy. The Hall of Fame flag will be flown at half-staff in Claude’s memory.”

Humphrey was selected third overall in the 1968 AFL-NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons out of Tennessee State and was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year that season.

Humphrey played a total of 13 seasons in the league, including 10 with Atlanta and three with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 1981. During his time in Atlanta, Humphrey earned All-NFL or All-Pro honors eight times. He was named All-NFC seven times and played in six Pro Bowls.

“Known as a hard worker and a reliable teammate, Humphrey was always willing to help the team out wherever needed and knew success was achieved collectively,” Porter said.

Humphrey was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2014 and was credited with 130 sacks, placing him 24th on the NFL’s career leader list, according to the Hall of Fame.

“We are saddened by the passing of Claude Humphrey and send our prayers out for his family and friends in this difficult time,” said Arthur M. Blank, Atlanta Falcons’ owner and chairman.

“Claude made an indelible impression on so many from Memphis to the Falcons and across the NFL with his leadership and tenacious approach on the field. His Falcons legacy was cemented as a forever memory with induction into our Ring of Honor and he will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.”

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US

A Thomas Jefferson statue is removed from New York City Hall after 187 years

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The statue, which is a plaster replica of the original, according to the city, was removed from its pedestal Monday. The process took several hours, and the 7-foot statue was transported in a wooden crate to the New-York Historical Society, where it will be on a long-term loan.
Several cities have made moves to remove controversial statues tied to Confederate symbols and leaders connected to slavery.
Last month, the city’s Public Design Commission voted 8-0 in favor of relocating the statue, due to Jefferson’s history as a slave owner.

“Thomas Jefferson was a slaveholder who owned over 600 human beings,” Councilmember Adrienne Adams, co-chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, said in a presentation last month. “It makes me deeply uncomfortable knowing that we sit in the presence of a statue that pays homage to a slaveholder who fundamentally believed that people who look like me were inherently inferior, lacked intelligence, and were not worthy of freedom or right.”

The original bronze Jefferson statue was crafted by Pierre-Jean David D’Angers in 1833 and the replica was donated to the people of New York in 1834. After moving around in City Hall over the years, it has most recently sat in the City Council chamber since 1915, according to the city.

Councilmember Inez Barron told the commission last month that the statue of Jefferson was inappropriate in a room where New Yorkers gathered to govern.

Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

The original statue still sits on display in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC.

CNN’s Evan Simko-Bednarski contributed to this report.

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Sports

At the buzzer: Indiana 70, Jackson State 35 – Inside the Hall

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Quick thoughts on a 70-35 win over Jackson State:

How it happened: Another overmatched opponent, another easy victory for Indiana. The Hoosiers led by 10 at the 13:46 mark of the first half on a Trayce Jackson-Davis bucket and Jackson State never seriously challenged all evening. By halftime, Indiana led 34-17 after Miller Kopp knocked in three free throws to close the half. It was another stifling defensive performance from Indiana, which held Jackson State to just .51 points per possession in the first half. Indiana scored the first 11 points of the second half for a 47-17 advantage by the 15:26 mark. The Hoosiers led by as many as 44 on their way to another comfortable win and a 5-0 mark heading into a Saturday contest against Marshall.

Standout performers: Xavier Johnson had an efficient evening with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and a 4-of-6 mark from the free throw line. Johnson also had seven rebounds, three assists and just one turnover in 25 minutes. Miller Kopp was one of three Hoosiers in double figures with 12 points. Parker Stewart hit three of his five 3-point attempts and is now 10-of-21 on 3s this season. And Trayce Jackson-Davis had 11 points, three rebounds and four blocked shots in 24 minutes.

Statistics that stand out: After holding Louisiana to 19.2 percent shooting in Sunday night’s win, Indiana held Jackson State to just 20.7 percent shooting in Tuesday’s win. The Tigers scored only .54 points per possession.

Final IU individual statistics:

Final tempo-free statistics:

Assembly Call postgame show:

Filed to: Jackson State Tigers

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