Month: February 2022

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took to Instagram on Wednesday to provide an update on his successful knee surgery, and share photos with his newborn son, Zydn. Beckham tore the ACL in his left knee in the second quarter of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13 in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams wide receiver underwent surgery Tuesday.

Beckham and girlfriend Lauren Wood welcomed Zyden at 6:05 a.m. Thursday, just four days after the Super Bowl. Beckham wrote for the caption on the photos:  “Where do I even begin? This is as real as it gets. This last week has been one that I truly could never forget. I had never been more prepared and focused for a game in my life. I was ready to go nuclear and perform at the highest level that I ever had in my career. … Safe to say those were my plans and not God’s. I know there’s purpose in all of this and it may seem that this journey has come to an end, but it’s really just a door opening to a new beginning. Starting it off, as a World Champion. The biggest blessing I’ve ever had in my life arrived here on earth. The words, I can’t even put together for the overwhelming emotions that ran through me. A moment I will never forget and cherish forever. Zydn was born and at that moment I knew my life changed for the better.”

Beckham, who caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl, is set to become a free agent this off-season. Beckham wrote on Instagram: “I know y’all are probably tired of hearing me say every year now that ‘this is my year,’ but I’m going to be back. You better believe imma be back, and imma be back better than ever before.”

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According to a report from The Associated Press, two-time major champion Zach Johnson will be the captain for the United States’ Ryder Cup team in 2023 in Italy.  Johnson has played on Team USA five times and served as an assistant captain in the last two matches.

The Americans are coming off a historic win over Team Europe, winning 19-9 at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis., led by captain Steve Stricker.  According to The Associated Press, Stricker was part of the Ryder Cup committee that picked the next captain.

The 2023 Ryder Cup is scheduled to be held at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.   The United States will be seeking a win on European soil for the first time since 1993.

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USWNT players reached a landmark agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation’s governing body to end a six-year legal battle over equal pay.  The deal promises $24 million, plus bonuses that match those of their male counterparts. On Tuesday, the U.S. Soccer Federation and the women announced a deal that will have players split $22 million, about one-third of what they had sought in damages. The USSF also agreed to establish a fund with $2 million to benefit the players in their post-soccer careers and charitable efforts aimed at growing the sport for women. The USSF committed to providing an equal rate of pay for the women’s and men’s national teams – including World Cup bonuses – subject to collective bargaining agreements with the unions that separately represent the women and men.

Five American stars led by Morgan and Rapinoe began the challenge with a complaint to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April 2016. The USWNT players sued three years later, seeking damages under the federal Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.  36-year-old midfielder Rapinoe said in an interview with The Associated Press: “For our generation, knowing that we’re going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything. That’s what it’s all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don’t make sure it never happens again.”

The settlement was a victory for the USWNT players, who sparked fans to chant “Equal Pay!” when they won their second straight title in France in 2019.  The USWNT have won four World Cups since the program’s start in 1985, while the men haven’t reached a semifinal since 1930. The union for the women’s team said in a statement: “The settlement announced today is an important step in righting the many wrongs of the past.”

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday they are releasing veteran linebacker Anthony Hitchens, in a move that will save the Chiefs $8.4 million in salary cap space. Hitchens came to the Chiefs as a free agent in 2018 after four seasons as a starter with the Cowboys; the 29 year old has been the Chiefs starting inside linebacker for the past four seasons.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in a statement: “When I first became general manager, one of the first moves I wanted to make was to bring in Anthony Hitchens from Dallas. We knew how intelligent, hard-working and consistent he was as a player, and we knew he’d become a selfless leader. He was that and more. He has all the intangibles and was an integral piece in our franchise winning a Super Bowl title. We appreciate everything he’s done for the organization and wish him the best as he continues his career.”

Coach Andy Reid added in a statement: “I really enjoyed the opportunity to coach Anthony over the last four years. He’s as tough as they come in this league and is a team-first player. I appreciate the way he came to work, ready to do his part, but also his willingness to teach the younger guys around him.”

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