December 31, 2016
McAdoo throws cold water on JPP's quick comeback
LANDOVER, Md. — Despite reports that Jason Pierre-Paul might be ready to return as early as next weekend for the wild-card playoff round, the Giants are not planning to see...
Islanders climb back to .500 with fourth win in five games
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A lot of New York Islanders got into the act — at the Winnipeg Jets' expense. John Tavares and Ryan Strome each had a goal and an...
Chris Kreider's second career hat trick propels Rangers
DENVER — That was some way to say goodbye to 2016. The Rangers ended the calendar year in explosive style, taking 6-2 win over the last-overall Avalanche on Saturday night...
Clemson destroys Ohio State to set up title rematch with Tide
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Bring on ’Bama. The confetti still was falling at University of Phoenix Stadium when Clemson players and fans began calling out last year’s national champion. It continued...
James Harden devastates Knicks and infuriates Jeff Hornacek
HOUSTON — The depleted Knicks were trying to pull off a New Year’s Eve miracle without Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, but instead it was James Harden who pulled off...
Trump advisers want Netanyahu to attend inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump’s advisers want to invite Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu to the inauguration or arrange a meeting of the two leaders before then, a source close to the transition...
49ers will clean house in Chip Kelly stunner
The San Francisco 49ers are strongly considering replacing both head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke, according to multiple reports. The reports come almost a year to the...
Shamorie Ponds is shocking everyone — except those who know him
Lawrence Pollard laughed at the question — “Has Shamorie Ponds’ fast start surprised you?” — because that’s what the Thomas Jefferson High School coach does when he believes there’s an...
'You have to straddle me': Sumner Redstone's weird in-flight demands
Betsy Dwyer Loomis thought she’d seen it all. The former flight attendant had worked corporate jets for years and had flown around the world with demanding billionaires — but nothing,...
Washington's magic vanished in a way Nick Saban's won't
ATLANTA — There is so much buildup to a bowl game, too many days and weeks to analyze and overanalyze every game. The interminable wait for kickoff only makes outcomes...
Why Titans will cover against the AFC South champions
TITANS (-3) over Texans: Houston lives on for one more week as ersatz AFC South champs behind Tom Savage. We’ll take homestanding Titans here (behind Matt Cassel), with their superior...
Where would Jets be without last year's Bills collapse?
The Jets and Bills met a year ago with first-year head coaches, a playoff berth on the line for the Jets and hope at quarterback for both teams. A year...
50 wishes for the sports world and beyond in the new year
Fifty years ago this morning, inside a hospital room in Flushing, this column was born. OK, it took awhile to get there, to reach this column, a splendid path through...
Handing out NFL awards, where the Cowboys can't be stopped
The exhaustive film study is over, so here are the prestigious season-ending Serbys for the 2016 NFL season: MVP: Matt Ryan We can start with 34 touchdowns and seven interceptions....
Win big in Week 17 DFS by pinpointing these 2 games
While this may be the final week of the NFL regular season, it is definitely not the end of the DFS NFL season. Playoff DFS NFL is actually quite fun...
NBC, Charter extend talks to avert midnight blackout
A midnight blackout of NBC on local cable screens has been averted. Charter Communications and NBC-Universal on Saturday night extended the deadline for talks involving the fees the cable company...
The tricky case of what Jets should do with David Harris
The Jets roster is about to undergo massive changes. General manager Mike Maccagnan has a bunch of decisions to make about who should go and who should stay. One of...
Kristaps Porzingis' injury can be trouble for big men
HOUSTON — The year did not end on a good note for the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis missed his first game of the season in Saturday’s 129-122 loss to the Rockets...
Is Terry Bradshaw really this dumb?
It turns out Thomas “Hollywood’’ Henderson, the colorful former Cowboys linebacker, was right all those years ago when he said Terry Bradshaw was so dumb “he couldn’t spell cat if you...
Alabama torments Washington with old-school formula to hit title game
ATLANTA — Washington wanted to prove the world wrong and earn national respect in the College Football Playoff. Instead, Alabama earned the right to defend its national title. Behind the...
Gunman dressed as Santa Claus kills dozens in Istanbul nightclub
ISTANBUL — An assailant believed to have been dressed in a Santa Claus costume opened fire at a crowded nightclub in Istanbul during New Year's celebrations, killing at least 39...
Giants finally to get a clue about their Eli Manning insurance
LANDOVER, Md. — Josh Johnson has not thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2011, back when he was with the Buccaneers. His right arm might get dusted off...
Knicks injuries are revealing Jeff Hornacek's costly weakness
HOUSTON — This is not a Knicks team with any margin for error. It has been proven if one of their top four starters is injured, the Knicks collapse like...
David Branch shows NY what a World Series of Fighting star does
David Branch returned home a champion and left that way. The Bronx native, who trains out of Brooklyn, successfully defended his World Series of Fighting middleweight title on New Year’s...
Tourists brush off terror worries as thousands cram into Times Square
Times Square revelers are ready for the ball to drop as they ring in 2017 — terrorists be damned. “If you let terror events make you decide if you’re going...
Phil Jackson bolts, Greg Bird explodes and more 2017 predictions
This is the best day of the year to be a sports fan (well … unless you are a Jets fan. Then every day since Jan. 12, 1969 has been...
The final-game perfect storm that can get Todd Bowles fired
If you’re wondering whether this forgettable Jets season can get any uglier than it already has through 15 games when they play the Bills in Sunday’s season finale at MetLife...
Social media users have hijacked celebrity deaths for self-glorification
Two Hollywood icons died this week, a mother and daughter, only one day apart. But Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds’ untimely ends have already been pushed aside by — what...
George Michael tops the charts for the first time in years
Nothing boosts an artist’s career more than death. In the week since George Michael’s unexpected passing, the singer has returned to the Top 10 album charts for the first time...
Meet — and say goodbye to — the face of women's UFC
LAS VEGAS — By the time Amanda Nunes arrived at the tent outside T-Mobile Arena for her post-fight press conference late Friday night, Ronda Rousey was long gone. Nunes needed...
Disney could receive $50M for Carrie Fisher's death
It’s set to be the largest single personal accident insurance claim payout ever, according to Insurance Insider.
Electing Selig shouldn't sway voters in Hall full of contradictions
Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance were selected to the Hall of Fame — en masse in 1946 by the Old Timers Committee — almost certainly because a famous...
Ex-boyfriend slashes girl's new beau
A 26-year-old man was slashed by his girlfriend’s former fling in Kew Gardens Saturday morning, cops said. The couple was strolling along in the tree-lined residential neighborhood when the woman’s...
Why NHL star publicly shamed homophobic troll
BOSTON — Bruins winger Brad Marchand is standing up to a Twitter user who attacked him with a homophobic slur. The slur was sent Thursday, and Marchand thought it important...
Who are the 'sick passengers' holding up our subway cars?
We interrupt your celebration of the Second Avenue subway opening for an important announcement: The “sick passenger” who caused trains to back up for miles on Dec. 16 wasn’t sick...
Notorious cop arrested for allegedly choking girlfriend
One of the most corrupt cops in NYPD history was arrested for choking his girlfriend on Long Island, sources said on Saturday. Michael Dowd allegedly attacked his girlfriend in Suffolk...
Devils defenseman stretchered off after terrifying hit
Devils defenseman John Moore was removed from the ice on a stretcher during the Devils' 6-2 blowout loss to the Capitals on Saturdaysin Newark. He was checked into the boards...
UN backs Russian-Turkish Syria efforts, as cease-fire wavers
BEIRUT — The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting efforts by Russia and Turkey to end the nearly six-year conflict in Syria and jump-start peace negotiations. The resolution...
The most misused, overused, and useless English words
DETROIT — You, sir, (or ma'am): Focus, if you will, on a historic, on fleek listicle containing words nominated for bigly banishment. But don't convene a town hall meeting or...
Nunes and 'Cyborg' mercilessly troll Ronda Rousey on Twitter
The saying, “never kick a person while they’re down” must not be very big in Brazil. Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and fellow Brazilian Cris Cyborg took to Twitter immediately...
Superstar breaks down after helplessly watching bowl heartbreak
Jabrill Peppers was a late scratch for the Michigan Wolverines in their Orange Bowl loss to the Florida State Seminoles on Friday night. And he couldn’t hide his disappointment after...
'Digital heroin' is killing your relationship with your kids
Kids are more likely to snuggle when adults are reading real books to them than when they are reading tablets. This is the result of a new, albeit small, study...
Two shot dead outside Meek Mill concert
A Wallingford police spokeswoman said officers responded to reports of shots fired outside the Oakdale Theatre after the rapper performed.
NYPD spots whale in East River
https://twitter.com/NYPDSpecialops/status/815220950459367425 This whale wanted to get a glimpse of the city's big fish. An NYPD Harbor Unit boat spotted the sea mammal at 10:11 a.m. swimming in the East River...
How clueless celebrities convinced America self-punishment is fun
“An action is virtuous,” wrote St. Thomas Aquinas in “Summa Theologiae,” “due to its being directed by reason to a noble good. And this is true of fasting. For we...
NYPD catches burglars using night vision
https://twitter.com/NYPDSpecialops/status/815176745863225344 This night vision footage shows the moment cops closed in on a trio of burglars cowering on a Brooklyn rooftop. The men burgled the home of a 40-year-old man...
Man fatally shot at baby shower
A 39-year-old father was fatally shot at a Brooklyn baby shower Saturday morning by one of the men who beat up his son earlier in the night, police said. Hilario...
Trump tweets a Happy New Year to his 'many enemies'
To my enemies, with love! President-elect Trump kicked off his New Year’s Eve with a tweet that was almost all about good vibes. “Happy New Year to all, including to...
What to watch on New Year's Day
If the holiday season is marked by TV doldrums, then consider New Year’s Day its re-awakening. The networks are debuting plenty of programming on Sunday to help you ring in...
The best ways to avoid Times Square on NYE
Oh, 2016. Has it really been 365 days, already? Seems like only yesterday that we were wondering who Becky with the good hair was. And what ever happened to Bridget...
Mexican man charged with rape had been deported 10 times
WICHITA, Kan. -- A Mexican man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on a Greyhound bus that traveled through Kansas had been deported 10 times and voluntarily removed from the...
Cafe owner backs down after banning 'Nazi' Trump voters
A business owner who posted a sign on the entrance of his eccentric Italian café in downtown Honolulu banning President Elect Donald Trump supporters, has removed the sign one day...
Fantasy football: Why in-depth info is so important in Week 17
Congratulations! Come on, if you’re a regular reader of this column, it’s more likely than not you took home your league’s championship last week. But maybe you also play in...
Firefighters rescue 21 people stranded on ride 100 feet high
BUENA PARK, Calif. -- Firefighters using ropes and harnesses safely lowered 21 people from an amusement park ride stuck 100 feet in the air for more than six hours at...
One 'super positive' discovered after Nets' destruction
WASHINGTON — There weren’t many positives from the Nets’ 118-95 loss to the Wizards. OK, maybe just one. But the play of rookie Caris LeVert was it. “Super positive. I...
Giants' ambitions are everything they should be
A New Year awaits the Giants, a new year that brings the kind of hope and promise and excitement that the past four years did not. And as they wound...
Rangers' siblings get inside look at what life on road is really like
DENVER — They all stood outside the locker room, chatting, some holding drinks, all smiling. It was a joyous occasion for the siblings of the Rangers’ players, who were invited...
Why a special teams swing may be Washington's only hope
A breakdown of the elements that could make a difference in the Peach Bowl and which team has the edge: When Alabama has the ball The Crimson Tide’s top-ranked defense...
Ohio State's defense faces unique test in Deshaun Watson
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The game will be played on Saturday night, but it will have a Sunday afternoon twist. On one side will be Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and his...
Club took my tips for matching clients with strippers: 'VIP host'
A New Jersey man who “matched” rich guys with strippers at an Upper East Side club sued his former employer for stealing 50 percent of his tips. Sapphire “VIP host”...
Ronda Rousey's career shouldn't be defined by this ugly loss
LAS VEGAS — No one can be sure whether Ronda Rousey made her final appearance in the Octagon at UFC 207 Friday at T-Mobile Arena, where her long-awaited return after...
UFC 207: Cody Garbrandt steals title away from Dominick Cruz
LAS VEGAS — Cody Garbrandt danced and raised his hands as the final seconds ticked away, confident he had wrestled the UFC bantamweight championship away from Dominick Cruz at UFC...
Ready or not, Rutgers embarks on brutal Big 10 schedule
Games of the Week Rutgers at Michigan State (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.) The Scarlet Knights’ 11-1 start to the season could be a foggy memory fairly soon. Having lost two straight...
Staten Island hit with eight overdoses in past eight days
Eight drug overdoses were reported on Staten Island over the past eight days as the borough grapples with a heroin and prescription painkiller epidemic. The District Attorney’s office said that...
Russian hacking code detected in Vermont electrical system
In a frightening new development, the Russian hackers believed to have interfered in the 2016 presidential election also reportedly penetrated a Vermont utility. A code used by the hackers, dubbed...
Ronda Rousey's career looks over after brutal first-round KO
LAS VEGAS — Ronda Rousey’s comeback to the Octagon lasted just 48 seconds. That’s all it took for the defending UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes to rock the former...
Dad went undercover to bust school aide hitting on daughter
An angry Brooklyn dad turned the tables on a school aide trying to date his teenage daughter by posing as the girl in texts to catch the creep, authorities say....
Ali, Palmer, Summitt: Cruel year took so many legends from us
The names have come roaring at us in a furious blur, so many of them, too many to count, too many to keep up with. Maybe there have been other...
Is Janoris Jenkins ready? What Ben McAdoo is looking for
Coach Ben McAdoo continues to dangle the dubious possibility of using top cornerback Janoris Jenkins in Sunday’s meaningless regular-season finale against the Redskins. Jenkins missed last week’s loss to the...
Ohio State's biggest Fiesta Bowl edge is this Clemson weakness
A breakdown of the elements that could make a difference in the Fiesta Bowl and which team has the edge: When Clemson has the ball Heisman Trophy runner-up Deshaun Watson...