Author: Shekari Philemon

Jalen Brunson hosted the 52nd season premiere of Saturday Night Live, bringing four New York Knicks teammates into the audience and eventually onto the stage. Who was there? Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart sat in the audience and each asked a question during the monologue. Towns wanted to know whether a person can foul out of the show and seemed pleased to learn they cannot. Bridges asked about arm length and expressed regret about being unable to fly. Anunoby, who drew the loudest reception, brought up his tip in off a Brunson miss that effectively decided…

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has voiced frustration at continued speculation about his position, days after a former rival team boss described the Ferrari role as a dream job. What prompted this? An interview published Thursday in which Christian Horner, removed as Red Bull chief executive and team principal last year, said the Ferrari job would be the dream. Horner had previously said any return to the sport would need to include a shareholding, and indicated he would make an exception for Ferrari. Asked about those comments after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur responded at length. What did he…

Lando Norris has apologized to Franco Colapinto for saying the Alpine driver deserved a race ban following a crash that ended both their races in Baku. What did he originally say? Speaking shortly after retiring from Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lando Norris said a driver causing a crash at a restart should face at least a one race ban, called on the governing body to be stricter, and suggested that drivers responsible for such incidents should not be on the grid. The remarks came minutes after he had been taken out of the race. What happened on track? A three…

Team Europe reclaimed the Laver Cup on Sunday, with Alexander Zverev beating Learner Tien 7 to 6, 6 to 3 to complete a 13 to 5 win at the O2 Arena. How did it end so quickly? Sunday’s weighting did the work. Matches are worth one point on Friday, two on Saturday and three on Sunday, with 13 required to win. Europe entered the final day leading 7 to 5, and two Sunday results were enough. Cobolli and Mensik beat de Minaur and Fritz 7 to 5, 6 to 3 in doubles, then Zverev closed it out. The clinching came…

Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points before closing out a 6 to 3, 4 to 6, 13 to 11 win over Taylor Fritz on Saturday, giving Team Europe a 7 to 5 lead at the O2 Arena. How close was it? As close as the format allows. Fritz held a first match point that Alcaraz answered with an ace, then a second that he saved with a drop shot. On his own third match point Alcaraz went to the drop again, and Fritz reached it but could not return it. Alcaraz said afterward that the shot is a longstanding part…

Green Bay lost 35 to 14 at home on Thursday and was booed off its own field, leaving a coach in his eighth season saying he does not know what his offense currently does well. How bad were the numbers? Historic in the wrong direction. The Packers offense produced 17 rushing yards, 225 fewer than Atlanta. The total ties for the third fewest in franchise history across more than 90 years. They attempted only nine rushes, four from each of two backs and one quarterback scramble. Through three games they have gained 146 rushing yards, the fewest by any team…

Michael Penix Jr played his first game since tearing his left ACL last November, and Atlanta responded with a 35 to 14 win at Lambeau Field that few expected. How did he play? Eighteen completions on 25 attempts for 256 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The interception came on the opening series. What followed was the more instructive part. Across the second and third quarters he completed 13 of 15 passes, converted all five third downs he faced and threw a 5 yard touchdown to Austin Hooper with under a minute left in the half. He said the…

Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka spoke publicly for the first time Thursday about LeBron James leaving the franchise, describing the process as amicable and expressing gratitude for eight seasons that produced a championship. What did he actually say? Little of substance, carefully. Rob Pelinka opened by thanking James for his time in Los Angeles, noted the run included a title and a Western Conference finals appearance, and said the team became a perennial playoff contender during it. Pressed on why James is now in Philadelphia, he returned to gratitude, describing offseason communications as diplomatic, professional and…

Alex Eala’s return to competition ended in the round of 16 at the Singapore Tennis Open on Thursday, losing 6 to 4, 5 to 7, 3 to 6 to Tatiana Prozorova after more than three hours at OCBC Arena. How did the match turn? Slowly, and then all at once. Alex Eala had not played competitively for 18 days and looked it early, unable to pressure her opponent’s serve in the opening games and falling behind 3 to 1 in the first set. She then won four straight games to lead 5 to 3, needed seven set points to close…

Coco Gauff will compete as a player and an owner when World Team Tennis returns in December, joining the Florida franchise in a dual role that is unusual for an active player at her level. What is her involvement? She holds an ownership stake in the Florida Flamingos Racquet Club and is scheduled to play the team’s home matches on Dec. 14 and 15 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. She grew up in Delray Beach and said she is looking forward to playing in front of family and friends in South Florida, describing the team format as a rare…