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WAR IN UKRAINE

US rebuffs jet deal

Americans have seen record-setting
despite Ukraine plea
gas prices across the country in the
past week. SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES

A ‘hard
political
sell’ for
Biden
Betting on patience over
gas prices holds risks
Joey Garrison
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – As he has done

many times since Russia invaded
Ukraine, President Joe Biden on Tues-
day said Americans will feel the pain of
higher gas prices.
In announcing a ban on Russian oil,
coal and natural gas imports, he
warned that “defending freedom is
going to cost us as well” – a nod to the
fact the ban could propel record-set-
ting fuel prices even higher.
“It’s going to go up,” Biden told re-
porters hours later from a tarmac in
Fort Worth, Texas, gesturing upward
with his left thumb. “We can’t do much
now. Russia’s responsible.”
With his latest round of sanctions
targeting Russia’s energy sector, Biden
is betting that Americans will be will-
ing to stomach higher gas prices as a
sacrifice to support Ukraine. Polls
show most Americans may be on
board with him, but observers ac-
See BIDEN, Page 8A
Skyrocketing gas prices
may put some jobs at risk
Those who drive for a living debate
whether profession is worth it. 1B
Opinion: Russian oil ban
may end up hurting Biden
Democrats could see a backlash from
voters in midterm elections. 7A
Ukrainian emergency employees and volunteers carry an injured pregnant woman from a maternity hospital hit by
Russian shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Wednesday. Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting civilians. EVGENIY MALOLETKA/AP
Bombarded by Russia, Airstrike hits
Kyiv asks for air support maternity
Josh Meyer and Maureen Groppe USA TODAY
hospital;
17 wounded
Amid Russia’s aerial bombardment of Ukrainian
cities, the Biden administration and its allies have
been scrambling to provide the Kyiv government
with more fighter jets to give it a fighting chance to
stop the casualties. Rick Rouan, Joey Garrison
Poland or possibly other eastern European coun- and Maureen Groppe
tries such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania would AP USA TODAY
transfer Soviet-era jets to Ukraine to bolster its air
defense against a bigger and more sophisticated “We repeat A Russian airstrike on a maternity
Russian air force.
every day:
hospital in Mariupol left 17 people
The United States has been considering “backfill- wounded on Wednesday, the latest at-
ing” those fighter planes with more modern Amer- tack against civilians as the Kremlin
‘Close the sky
ican-made F-16s, plus additional security enhance- continues its assault on Ukraine.
ments or protections to ease allies’ concerns about over Ukraine!’ ” Ukrainian President Volodomyr
Kremlin retaliation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zelenskyy tweeted that Russian
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, however, told Ukraine’s president troops had made a “direct strike” on
Polish leaders Wednesday morning that the United the maternity hospital. He called it an
States does not support the transfer of additional “atrocity” and said, “People, children
fighter aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force, Pentagon Group probes are under the wreckage.”
press secretary John Kirby said during a news brief- “How much longer will the world be
ing. Chernihiv blast an accomplice ignoring terror,” Zelen-

QIJFAF-04005w(L)a
“We believe the best way to support Ukrainian
defense is by providing them the weapons and the
©COPYRIGHT 2022
systems that they need most to defeat Russian ag-
USA TODAY, gression, in particular, anti-armor
A division of
Gannett Co., Inc. and air defense,” Kirby said.
HOME DELIVERY Others, including influential law-
1-800-872-0001, USATODAYSERVICE.COM makers in Congress, are still pushing
the Biden administration to find a
way to approve such a transfer of
planes.
Tretler Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked the
United States and NATO to establish no-fly zones
over large parts of Ukraine to stop Russian planes
from attacking.
“We repeat every day: ‘Close the sky over Uk-
Who has it tougher? raine!’ ” Zelenskyy implored in a video Sunday.
Americans on how aspects of life for In practice, a no-fly zone like the ones Washing-
today’s young adults compare with ton established in Libya, Iraq and Bosnia and Her-
those of their parents’ generation: zegovina, would inevitably lead to American or al-
lied aircraft attacking Russian fighter planes and air
Harder About the same Easier
defenses in Ukraine, said retired Air Force Lt. Col.
Saving for the future
David Tretler, former dean of the U.S. military’s Na-
72% 17% 11%
tional War College in Washington. Such an escala-
Paying for college tion could draw the United States into a larger battle
71% 15% 14%
with Russia.
Buying a home “And we don’t want to do that,” Tretler said.
70% 14% 16%
“There is nothing about Ukraine that is important
Staying in touch with others enough to us to risk being in a war with a country
14% 12% 74%
that has as many nuclear weapons as we do.”
SOURCE Pew Research Center
AMY BARNETTE, TRACIE KEETON/USA TODAY See JETS, Page 3A
Airstrike that skyy tweeted. “Close the sky right
reportedly killed 47 now! Stop the killings! You have power
civilians last week may but you seem to be losing humanity.”
constitute a war crime, The U.S. and NATO have resisted
Amnesty International Zelenskyy’s pleas to establish a no-fly
says. 2A zone. Secretary of State Antony Blin-
ken said Wednesday that U.S. interfer-
ence could escalate the war.
A series of blasts on the complex in
Mariupol destroyed the front of one
building, shaking the ground in the
port city, which has come under heavy
Russian attack, according to The Asso-
ciated Press. At least 17 people were
wounded in the blast, AP reported.
USA TODAY “We have certainly seen those re-
ports,” White House press secretary
‘Everybody Jen Psaki said. “It is horrifying to see
cares’ the type of barbaric use of military
force to go after innocent civilians in a
As thousands flee, sovereign country.”
there are some who
About 2 million people have fled
are going into Ukraine
Ukraine as part of a growing refugee
to join the fight. 2A
crisis. Cease-fires around several
Ukrainian cities were announced to try
Cyberthreats to give civilians a chance to escape
before fighting restarted.
a concern In Mariupol, the City Council post-
As war enters third ed a video on social media showing the
week, U.S. officials battered buildings.
fear impact on cyber
networks. 3A See HOSPITAL, Page 2A
2A ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
WAR IN UKRAINE
Viktor and Vladyslaw are among the Ukrainians returning to the country to fight. KATELYN FERRAL/USA TODAY NETWORK
Some are moving against tide of
exodus, trying to get into Ukraine
They are coming to
offer support, help
people escape war
Katelyn Ferral
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY NETWORK
MEDYKA BORDER CROSS-
ING, Poland – Hundreds of
thousands of people have been
fleeing Ukraine. But some are
actually trying to get in.
Interviews at this Ukrai-
nian-Polish border crossing
show why.
Dovlet Ylyasov, 38, of Turk-
menistan says he is going to
fight the Russians. He’s wor-
ried that his country, also a for-
mer Soviet republic, will be
next to be invaded.
Valeriia Nahornova, an ac-
countant from Ukraine, wants
to bring her grandmother out.
Luc, a German who drove
here from Berlin and would not
give his surname, is dropping
off a car just over the border
filled with food and other sup-
plies for Ukrainian fighters.
The surge of people trying to
get out of Ukraine – and those
trying to get in – has drastically
increased over the past few
days and is poised to grow even
more as the war intensifies.
An estimated 500,000 peo-
ple poured into Poland from
Ukraine last week, among the
Hospital
Continued from Page 1A
“The destruction is enor-
mous,” the City Council posted
on Telegram. “The building of
the medical institution where
the children were treated re-
cently was completely de-
stroyed. Information about the
affected children is being clari-
fied.”
Those injured in the strike on
the maternity hospital are the
latest civilian casualties in a
war that already has injured or
killed more than 1,000 civilians.
As of March 8, the United
Nations high commissioner for
human rights reported 1,424
civilian casualties, including
516 civilians killed and 908 in-
jured since Russia began its in-
vasion Feb. 24.
The true civilian toll of the
war, though, is still unclear. The
U.N. said its totals probably are
an undercount of civilian casu-
alties, and they have not been
updated to reflect Wednesday’s
blast in Mariupol.
K1
more than 1 million who have
fled the country overall. But as
the war escalates, more are re-
turning, especially to fight. A
line of 100 vehicles stretched a
half mile at this border crossing
in eastern Poland on Friday to
get into Ukraine.
More than 60,000 Ukrainian
men have returned from abroad
to fight Russia, Ukrainian De-
fense Minister Oleksii Reznikov
said in a tweet Saturday. He
added that the returned troops
would create 12 additional
“combat and motivated” bri-
gades.
Viktor, a 34-year-old truck
driver, and Vladyslaw are two
such Ukrainians. Smoking a
cigarette out his car window, a
teal Astra, Viktor declined to
give their surnames out of con-
cerns for their security. But
they said they were going to
Ukraine because more fighters
were needed.
“If many boys and men come
back, we will have a victory,” he
said. “The Ukrainian Army is
strong and has much motiva-
tion.”
Hundreds of others are com-
ing from 22 countries around
the world, according to the Uk-
rainian army, including 200
from Belarus, 400 from Swe-
den and 200 from Croatia.
Hundreds of Americans also
have volunteered to fight.
Ylyasov, the man from Turk-
Most of those civilian casu-
alties have been the product of
explosive weapons with the
ability to inflict damage across a
wide area and in different re-
gions of Ukraine, according to
the U.N., “including shelling
from heavy artillery and multi-
launch rocket systems, and
missile and air strikes.”
At least 37 children have
been killed and 50 have been in-
jured in the assault.
“There are very credible re-
ports of civilians coming under
fire as they try to evacuate.
Targeting civilians is a war
crime, and it’s totally unaccept-
able. We need real humanitar-
ian corridors that are fully re-
spected,” NATO Secretary-
General Jens Stoltenberg has
said. “We made clear for
months that President (Vladi-
mir) Putin would pay a high
price for renewed aggression
against Ukraine, and that price
is exactly what he’s paying
now.”
International Rescue Com-
mittee CEO David Miliband
called out the strike and similar
attacks on evacuation corridors
“Whoever you are –
Turk, German, Kazakh,
Uzbek, Ukrainian –
this trouble, this war,
is for all of us now.
Here we can show
our solidarity.”
Dovlet Ylyasov
Man from Turkmenistan coming to
Ukraine to fight
menistan, had been in Ukraine
studying before the war. He
briefly left to go to Poland to
collect a donated car to drive
back to Ukraine, where friends
will outfit him and help him join
the army.
He said that if Russia wins
the war, other countries in the
region will be forced to fight for
their freedom.
“Whoever we are, this is our
common misfortune,” he said.
“It’s not someone else’s. Who-
ever you are – Turk, German,
Kazakh, Uzbek, Ukrainian –
this trouble, this war, is for all of
us now. Here we can show our
solidarity.”
Also on the Polish side of the
border crossing Friday were
four American men, milling
about a refugee camp. They
meant to provide civilians safe
passage out of the war zone.
“The targeting and bombing
of a children’s hospital in Mari-
upol, Ukraine is a horrifying
testament to illegality and im-
punity as well as inhumanity,”
he said in a prepared statement.
UNICEF executive director
Catherine Russell called attacks
against civilian and civilian in-
frastructure “unconscionable”
and urged an immediate halt
to such strikes and for a cease-
fire that allows humanitarian
groups to reach children.
Robert McConnell, co-foun-
der of the U.S.-Ukraine Founda-
tion, called evacuation corri-
dors for refugees “killing zones.”
He has urged a “limited no-fly
zone” and said the U.S. and
NATO must act to stop Putin.
A “humanitarian no-fly
zone” could be patrolled to en-
sure safe passage for civilians,
he said, without engaging in
open conflict.
“There is a war going on, and
it’s much bigger than Ukraine,
and to pretend otherwise is
foolhardy.”
Contributing: Rebecca Morin
NEWS
NEWS BRIEFING
Chernihiv
attack called
a possible
war crime
Across much of Ukraine on
Wednesday, efforts to rescue
civilians from grim conditions
were once again underway. In
the Ukraine capital of Kyiv, air
raid sirens blared as officials
bolstered defenses in key cit-
ies where Russian troops have
laid siege, trapping civilians
inside with little or no food,
water or medicine.
In the southern city of Ma-
riupol, the artillery attack that
devastated a hospital com-
plex was just the latest trage-
dy. Days of shelling have
largely cut residents of off
from the outside world and
forced them to scavenge for
food and water.
In the northern city of
Chernihiv, a Russian airstrike
that reportedly killed 47 civil-
ians last week may constitute
a war crime, Amnesty Inter-
national said Wednesday fol-
lowing an investigation into
the attack.
“This was a merciless, in-
discriminate attack on people
as they went about their daily
business in their homes,
streets and shops,” said Jo-
anne Mariner, Amnesty Inter-
national’s Crisis Response Di-
rector.
were dressed in fatigues and
standing near their large duf- Chernobyl loses power;
fel bags. Ukraine says leak possible
They declined to give their
names or say why they were The Chernobyl Nuclear
there. Plant, occupied by Russian
Luc, the German, was wait- troops for several days, has
ing in a long line of vehicles in been disconnected from the
an old SUV stuffed with power grid and is a threat to
clothes, food and military leak radioactive substances,
supplies. He said he plans to Ukraine’s Ukrenergo National
drop the SUV off just over the Power Company said. Repairs
border for a friend’s family are impossible because of en-
and then return to Germany. emy fire and the military pres-
One Ukrainian man, a taxi ence, the utility said.
driver who has been living in The state-run nuclear com-
Poland the past seven years, pany Energoatom said radioac-
waited in line in a maroon car tive substances could be re-
he bought last week in Ger- leased from the plant because
many. He declined to give his it cannot properly cool spent
name, saying he feared retri- nuclear fuel. The International
bution from the Russians. Atomic Energy Agency, howev-
He said he was bringing er, said the spent fuel storage
donated cars across the bor- pool and the volume of cooling
der and transferring the pa- water are “sufficient for effec-
perwork to a contact on the tive heat removal” without ac-
other side. He said the cars cess to electricity.
eventually will be used by the The plant, the site of one of
military. He said he does this the world’s worst nuclear di-
every day and is far from sasters in 1986, has not pro-
alone. Many Ukrainians and duced power in several years.
Poles coordinate car trans- Decommissioning has not been
fers, some late at night. completed, however, and au-
He said it is not important thorities say there are about
where you live, whether in Po- 20,000 spent fuel assemblies
land or Atlanta, where his sis- at Chernobyl that cannot be
ter resides, because Ukrai- kept cool amid a power outage.
nians are united. Contributing: John Bacon,
“Everybody cares,” he said. Celina Tebor and Christal
“I will always be fighting for Hayes, USA TODAY; The Asso-
them.” ciated Press
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NEWS
WAR IN UKRAINE
Americans warned of Russian cyberattacks
Critical infrastructure is
potential target, feds say
Tami Abdollah
USA TODAY
U.S. officials are concerned about the
impact on American cyber networks as
the war in Ukraine enters its third week
and Russian President Vladimir Putin
grows more isolated.
“While there are not any specific,
credible, cyber threats to the U.S., we
encourage all organizations – regardless
of size – to take steps now to improve
their cybersecurity and safeguard their
critical assets,” the Cybersecurity & In-
frastructure Security Agency told USA
TODAY in a statement Tuesday.
The Biden administration sought
$10 billion last week in emergency
funding from Congress for defense aid,
including to support Ukraine’s cyber
defenses, as well as $28 million to bol-
ster the FBI’s “investigative and opera-
tional response to cyber threats stem-
ming from the Russia threat and war on
Ukraine,” according to the supplemental
funding request.
U.S. intelligence officials told Con-
gress in an annual threat assessment
Tuesday that Russia’s cyber operations
attack those the government sees as
working to undermine its interests or
threaten its stability.
“Russia views cyber disruptions as a
foreign policy lever to shape other coun-
tries’ decisions, as well as a deterrence
and military tool,” said the report, which
noted that Russia is focused on target-
ing critical U.S. infrastructure.
Jets
Continued from Page 1A
Secretary of State Antony Blinken re-
iterated Monday that a no-fly zone “runs
the considerable risk of creating a direct
conflict between our countries and Rus-
sia, and thus a wider war, which is in no
one’s interest, including in the interest of
the Ukrainian people.”
If other nations won’t use their planes
to patrol Ukraine’s airspace, Zelenskyy
said, they should give jets to Ukraine.
“If you do not do that, if you at least do
not give us aircraft for us to be able to
protect ourselves, there, there can only
be one conclusion: You want us to be
slowly killed,” Zelenskyy said in the
video.
Ukraine closely guards the number of
working fighter jets it has, but it is likely
a relatively small number – “somewhere
in the tens to dozens,” according to Kurt
Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO
who served as the U.S. special repre-
sentative for Ukraine until September
2019.
A sudden influx of fighter jets would
make a huge difference, he said, espe-
cially because the outnumbered Ukrai-
nian air force has already been holding
its own.
“Putin has an enormous amount of
military personnel and equipment that
he is throwing at this, and they are not
doing so well,” Volker said. “The Ukrai-
nians have less, and they are doing very
well. So anything additional would help.
The more the better.”
Ukrainian pilots had shot down at
least 37 Russian fixed-wing aircraft and
37 helicopters before
Monday, including some
in direct dogfight-style
combat, “and the num-
bers are probably higher
today,” Volker said.
Given Russia’s nu-
Volker merical advantage, Uk-
raine will not have a fight-
ing chance without more planes, said
Claire Finkelstein, a national security
law expert at the University of Pennsyl-
vania Carey Law School.
Finkelstein said Ukraine has held an
advantage in ground forces, an apparent
combination of the determination of the
Ukrainian army and the ineptitude of the
Russian army. But Russia has the advan-
tage in terms of air superiority and has
displayed a willingness to target civil-
ians.
How much would additional
fighter jets help?
It depends on how many planes, and
what kind they are. The discussions un-
derway focus most on Poland contribut-
ing Soviet-era MiG-29s that could be 40
years old, Volker said.
Those planes, Volker told USA TO-
Because cyber networks
connected, attacks can easily spread to
are
other nations. In 2017, Russian
“NotPetya” ransomware attacks against
Ukraine took down the world’s largest
container shipping company, banks,
power plants and more, costing about
$10 billion in global damage.
Because there are no generally
accepted international cyber warfare
norms, it’s unclear whether a cyber-
attack against Ukraine that spread to a
NATO ally, such as Poland or France,
would trigger the alliance’s Article 5,
which states that an attack against one
NATO nation is an attack against all.
Putin likened sanctions against Rus-
sia to a “declaration of war” and implied
a reciprocal response in other domains
to actions by Western nations. It’s un-
clear how Putin might respond to Presi-
dent Joe Biden’s announcement Tues-
day that the United States will ban all
imports of Russian oil, gas and energy.
Although Russia might have the ca-
pabilities to disrupt Western finances,
businesses expected the blowback to
the Russian economy would be so great
that Putin would never really do any-
thing. But over the past two weeks, U.S.
companies across nearly all economic
sectors have effectively self-sanctioned
themselves from operating in Russian
markets.
“The more that Russia is cut off from
the global finance sector, from the ener-
gy markets, from even the internet it-
self, it no longer has anything to fear
from blowback,” said Jason Healey, a
former White House cyber protection
director. “If we deal him out of the game,
why not just flip the table?”
Fighters fly over Red Square during a military parade in Moscow on May 9, 2018.
Ukraine has called for no-fly zones. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
DAY, use the same technological plat-
forms as Russian MiG fighters. “Russia
may have upgraded versions,” he said,
but they are “fundamentally the same.”
One Ukrainian pilot, dubbed “The
Ghost of Kyiv,” personally has shot down
as many as 20 Russian aircraft, accord-
ing to the country’s air force, which cir-
culated a poster of him. There has been
speculation that the “Ukrainian Air Ace,”
as the poster describes him, was made
up as part of an anti-Russian propagan-
da effort, but Volker said it appears he is
real.
“I’ve heard it in more than one place,”
Volker said. “But how do you know when
everybody is putting out their own spin
on the war?”
Whether or not “The Ghost of Kyiv” is
real, the Ukrainian air force has well-
trained fighter pilots who could easily
jump into the cockpits of donated planes
and immediately head off in search of
Russian fighters and mobile air de-
fenses.
How soon does Ukraine
need the planes?
“It is absolutely urgent. Like, today
would be good, because Putin is shelling
the cities and population centers, killing
thousands of civilians and creating mil-
lions of refugees,” Volker said.
Tretler, a decorated fighter jet pilot
who flew 250 combat missions in Viet-
nam, said supplying Ukraine with more
fighter jets could help tip the balance.
“If the Ukrainians are able to gain
enough control of the air, then they can
slow Russian ground forces,” Tretler
said.
He warned the converse is true as
well: “If the Russians have control of the
air, they are able to bring in more ground
attack fighters or even heavier bombers,
and then they’ll be able to have their way
with whatever is on the ground.”
E3 USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 3A
On Monday, three U.S. cybersecurity
firms – Cloudflare, CrowdStrike Hold-
ings and Ping Identity – announced
they would join forces to provide free
defense services to sectors of critical
U.S. infrastructure, including hospitals
and water and power utilities.
Since 2014, Russia has engaged in
repeated cyberattacks against Ukraine,
even shutting off its electrical grid.
Unlike shooting a missile or rolling a
tank into a village, cyber capabilities
can take years to develop, and opera-
tions take time to map out.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who co-
chairs the Senate Cybersecurity Cau-
cus, said that just because Russia has
been “inept with their military doesn’t
mean they’re inept in cyber” and not a
threat. “We don’t know whether Russia
will use their really exquisite tools from
their government (cyber) entities, their
spy services, or whether they will sim-
ply say to all their ransomware crimi-
nals, ‘Have at it,’ ” Warner said.
He said Americans need to under-
stand that no matter how good the
United States is at cyber protection, any
well-trained attacker will eventually get
through defenses. That’s why it’s im-
portant to be prepared and ensure sys-
tems are resilient with proper security
protocols and for companies to share in-
formation with the government to pre-
vent the same attack techniques from
being utilized again and again.
Robert M. Lee, founder and CEO of
industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos,
said he worries that Biden’s announce-
ment blocking Russian oil imports may
lead Putin to attack U.S. pipelines and
liquefied natural gas sites. In 2014, after
“In the end, you have to control the
ground,” Tretler said. “And you can’t con-
trol the ground from the air, plain and
simple. There have to be sufficient num-
bers of ground forces there, and that all
depends on the level and the compe-
tence of Ukrainian ground opposition,
whether it’s military or paramilitary or
whatever it might be.”
Would there be a threat
of greater escalation?
Poland’s – or another country’s – con-
tribution of planes to Ukraine would be
less risky than a more direct U.S. in-
volvement because Poland lacks a nu-
clear arsenal.
“It is substantially different from sup-
plying Ukraine directly with that equip-
ment, though Putin may not draw a dis-
tinction,” Finkelstein said.
Poland has a very strong interest in
neighboring Ukraine remaining inde-
pendent as it would be directly threat-
ened as Russian troops push west.
Putin has an equally strong interest in
other countries staying out of the fight,
and he is unpredictable, said John Tier-
ney, executive director of the Center for
Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
“Everybody is very concerned about
where the threshold of sending Mr. Putin
over the limit and into the use of tactical
nuclear weapons may be,” Tierney said.
Is Poland supportive?
After Polish officials said they had no
plans to transfer jets to Ukraine, the Pol-
ish government announced Tuesday it’s
ready to send all its MiG-29 fighter
planes to a U.S. air base in Germany,
which could have allowed the United
States to give the planes to Ukraine and
lessen Poland’s risk of angering Russia
by directly sending its planes.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said
Western financial institutions sanc-
tioned Russia over the Crimean inva-
sion, Russian cybercriminals increas-
ingly targeted the U.S. financial sector,
as well as Western banks, including
JPMorgan Chase.
On Monday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand,
D-N.Y., said New Yorkers face an
increased risk of cyberattacks in re-
sponse to the sanctions because New
York is considered the economic engine
and financial center of the U.S.
A potential cyberattack by Russia
“has a symbolic signaling mechanism
built into it, ‘an eye for an eye,’ ” said
John Hultquist, vice president of intelli-
gence analysis for Virginia-based
cybersecurity firm Mandiant.
U.S. intelligence agencies shared
information back and forth with private
industry partners, including Dragos,
and noted that Russian-based groups
have been trying to target more U.S.
infrastructure, Lee said.
The company has long investigated
Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine,
including against its power grid in 2015
and 2016. The attack in 2015 resulted in
power outages for more than 225,000
people by hitting three regional elec-
tronic power distribution companies.
In the U.S., it’s most likely Russia
would make smaller disruptions and
use its misinformation and influence
operations to scare the American pub-
lic, Lee said. “You could have a power
outage for an hour in a local town or
something,” Lee said. “But remember,
we get through that kind of stuff all the
time with hurricanes, tornadoes or any-
thing else, so don’t freak out. That’s
what they want you to do.”
the prospect of fighter jets controlled by
the United States flying from a U.S.-
NATO base into airspace contested with
Russia over Ukraine “raises serious con-
cerns for the entire NATO alliance.”
“We will continue to consult with Po-
land and our other NATO allies about
this issue, and the difficult logistical
challenges it presents,” Kirby said in a
statement, “but we do not believe Po-
land’s proposal is a tenable one.”
Is Congress supportive?
Many members of Congress have
pushed for the jet transfer, including
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.,
and Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and
Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
The two senators, both members of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
sent a letter imploring Biden to quickly
negotiate a deal to send American fight-
ers to any eastern European country that
sends older planes from its fleet to Uk-
raine.
On Monday, Foreign Relations Com-
mittee Chairman Bob Menendez, D-N.J.,
called on the Biden administration to
make such a transfer happen immedi-
ately, saying, “It is vital to the security of
Europe and the United States that Ukrai-
nians have every possible means of mil-
itary assistance that we collectively can
provide.”
“I understand this is not an easy deci-
sion for these countries to make. Asking
them to provide their own aircraft, espe-
cially as Russia’s military aggression
edges closer to their own borders, would
be unthinkable except in the direst cir-
cumstances,” Menendez said in a letter
to Blinken and Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin. “Unfortunately, that is the
situation the world faces. Extraordinary
times require extraordinary measures
and sacrifices.”
Menendez called for the United States
to commit to replace any donated jets
with upgraded Western aircraft.
Where does the Biden
administration stand?
Blinken said Biden is in regular con-
tact with Zelenskyy on the subject and is
working with Poland on how to backfill
Poland’s aircraft if it gives planes to Uk-
raine.
“I can’t speak to a timeline,” Blinken
said Sunday, “but I can just tell you we’re
looking at it very actively.”
Monday, White House press secretary
Jen Psaki said there are “challenging
practical questions” about the swap to be
considered – both in getting Poland’s
planes into Ukraine and getting new
planes to Poland.
One challenge is figuring out how to
transfer the planes, including where
they would take off from and land, Psaki
said.
Contributing: Deirdre Shesgreen and
Tom Vanden Brook
4A ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
Genetically modified
mosquitoes generating buzz
Insects will descend on
Fla., Calif. in EPA test
Ryan W. Miller
USA TODAY
Millions of genetically altered mos-
quitoes that seek to ward off their natu-
ral, disease-causing counterparts may
soon be released in Florida and Califor-
nia after the Environmental Protection
Agency approved a plan to further test
the modified insects.
Developed by the biotechnology
company Oxitec, the Aedes aegypti
mosquitoes are genetically modified so
that males, which do not bite, are re-
leased into the wild and mate with
females, which do bite. Their offspring
are either male or females that never
survive to reach maturity, the company
says.
Millions of the mosquitoes were re-
leased in the Florida Keys in a pilot pro-
ject last year, and the EPA has autho-
rized the extension of the project in Flor-
ida as well as the expansion into four
counties in California, pending approval
from the states’ regulators.
Meredith Fensom, head of global
public affairs at Oxitec, said that while
the EPA approval covers one Florida
county and four in California and the re-
lease of more than 2 billion genetically
altered male mosquitoes across the
states, the launch is planned to be much
more limited – covering only the Florida
Keys and expanding to Visalia in Tulare
County, California.
Oxitec says the goal is to reduce the
transmission of harmful diseases, such
as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chi-
kungunya. Though the Aedes aegypti,
an invasive species, make up a small
fraction of the total mosquito popula-
tion in Florida, they account for a large
number of the cases of human diseases,
Fensom said.
Pig heart transplant recipient dies
Cause of death unclear
for medical pioneer
Karen Weintraub
USA TODAY
David Bennett, 57, who received a pig
heart in January in place of his own fail-
ing one, died Tuesday.
It’s not yet clear precisely what
caused Bennett’s death, according to
the University of Maryland Medical
Center, where he received the trans-
plant Jan. 7 and had been recovering
since. He began deteriorating in recent
days and the hospital announced his
death Wednesday.
Bennett was the first patient ever to
receive an animal organ genetically
modified to prevent rejection in a per-
son.
There was no obvious cause identi-
fied at the time of his death, hospital
spokeswoman Deborah Kotz said, and
researchers plan to conduct a thorough
review of his death and publish the re-
sults in a peer-reviewed journal.
“We are devastated by the loss of Mr.
Bennett. He proved to be a brave and no-
ble patient who fought all the way to the
end. We extend our sincerest condo-
lences to his family,” Dr. Bartley Griffith,
surgeon who led Bennett’s transplant
said in a statement. “Mr. Bennett be-
came known by millions of people
around the world for his courage and
steadfast will to live.”
The investigative surgery, although it
only added two months to Bennett’s life,
informed the field of xenotransplanta-
tion, which hopes to help solve the hu-
man organ shortage.
“We have gained invaluable insights
learning that the genetically modified
pig heart can function well within the
human body while the immune system
is adequately suppressed,” Dr. Muham-
mad Mohiuddin, an expert in interspe-
cies transplants who was involved in
Bennett’s care and at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, said in a
statement. “We remain optimistic and
plan on continuing our work in future
clinical trials.”
The history of medicine is filled with
examples of experimental procedures
that did not make a substantial differ-
ence in the first few patients but eventu-
ally transformed medicine. Organ
transplantation itself remained largely
experimental from the 1950s until the
mid-1980s and now about 40,000 are
performed annually in the United
An aedes aegypti mosquito can
transmit the Zika virus and dengue
fever. PROVIDED BY DREAMSTIME
The mosquitoes are
males with a “self-limiting
gene.” The modified
insects produce similar
male offspring and
female offspring that
cannot survive.
Meredith Fensom
Head of global public affairs at Oxitec
In Florida, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
are well-known, she added, and the
state has seen dengue outbreaks as re-
cently as 2020. In California, the spe-
cies is growing, but there have not been
confirmed cases of dengue, chikungu-
nya, Zika or yellow fever spread through
the insect, according to health officials.
Part of the goal with the EPA approval
is to study the altered mosquitoes in two
environments, Fensom said.
The mosquitoes Oxitec produces are
males with a “self-limiting gene,” she
said. The difference isn’t visible to the
naked eye, but the modified insects pro-
duce similar male offspring and female
offspring that cannot survive, Fensom
said. In theory, as the female population
declines, so will the population, accord-
The family in 2019: From left, David Bennett Jr., Preston Bennett, Dave Bennett
Sr., Gillian Bennett, Nicole (Bennett) McCray, Sawyer Bennett and Kristi
Bennett. PROVIDED BY BYRON DILLARD
States.
The transplant raised ethical con-
cerns among animal rights activists,
who believe animals should not be sac-
rificed for human benefit, and among
some who objected to Bennett, who had
served time in prison for attacking a
man with a knife, receiving a life-ex-
tending procedure.
Bennett was bedridden and on a
heart-lung bypass machine at the Uni-
versity of Maryland Medical Center
from October 2021 until the transplant
surgery.
He was not eligible for a human heart
transplant because he had not been
compliant with earlier medical recom-
mendations. Studies have shown that
patients who do not follow doctors’ or-
ders do not do well with an organ trans-
plant and only a very limited number of
human hearts are available for trans-
plant.
Bennett was also not a good candi-
date for an artificial heart pump be-
cause of an erratic heart beat.
When he learned he had no other op-
tions, he agreed to be the first person to
receive a gene-edited pig heart, which
he hoped would be a bridge until he
could prove himself worthy of a human
heart.
His new heart performed well for
weeks, without any signs of rejection.
Extremely weak from so much time in
bed, Bennett was receiving rehabilita-
ing to Oxitec.
The program has drawn pushback
from some groups that are concerned
about the possible consequences of
releasing genetically altered insects.
“This is a destructive move that is
dangerous for public health,” said Da-
na Perls, food and technology program
manager with Friends of the Earth.
She said one of her major concerns
with the expansion of the Florida pro-
ject is the lack of widespread, peer-re-
viewed scientific data from the past
year. Fensom said peer-reviewed data
is expected to be released, but Perls
said she was worried about the poten-
tial risk without a more rigorous and
public review.
The EPA did not immediately re-
spond to USA TODAY’s request for
comment.
The lack of confirmed transmission
of diseases from Aedes aegypti in Cali-
fornia also was of concern to Perls:
“There’s no immediate problem, and
there are a lot of unknowns,” she said.
Perls said that without the data, it’s
unclear whether the mosquitoes and
their offspring will function how Oxi-
tec says they will. A concern would be
if a hybrid species could be produced
and difficult to eradicate or whether
other species will simply fill the hole
Aedes aegypti may leave, she said.
Fensom, however, said the compa-
ny produces the mosquitoes with the
environment in mind. The insects are
designed so that over time, the mos-
quito population dies out and is no
longer circulating in the environment,
she said.
But for Perls, a new framework to
regulate living, genetically altered or-
ganisms is needed before approving
widespread testing of such insects.
“Once you release these mosquitoes
into the environment, you cannot re-
call them,” she said. “This could create
problems that we don’t have already.”
tion and was able to sit up and watch
the Super Bowl, with his physical ther-
apist, even singing along with a perfor-
mance of “America the Beautiful.”
He often told his caregivers how
much he wanted to get home to his dog
Lucky.
Bennett’s son, David Bennett, Jr.,
speaking for the family, thanked the
hospital and doctors for his care.
“Their exhaustive efforts and ener-
gy, paired with my dad’s insatiable will
to live, created a hopeful environment
during an uphill climb,” he said in a
statement. “We were able to spend
some precious weeks together while
he recovered from the transplant sur-
gery, weeks we would not have had
without this miraculous effort.”
His son also said he hopes his fa-
ther’s experience will eventually help
many others live far longer with trans-
planted pig organs.
“We hope this story can be the be-
ginning of hope and not the end,” he
said. “We pray that those looking for
hope will continue to fight for the fu-
ture, fight for new ideas, fight for an-
swers, fight for life. Fight like Dave.”
Health and patient safety coverage
at USA TODAY is made possible in part
by a grant from the Masimo Founda-
tion for Ethics, Innovation and Com-
petition in Healthcare. The Masimo
Foundation does not provide editorial
input.
NEWS
Global carbon
emissions at
highest level
in history
Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
Worldwide emissions of carbon di-
oxide – the greenhouse gas most re-
sponsible for global warming – have
rebounded to their highest level in his-
tory, experts reported Tuesday, as the
world economy rebounded strongly
from the COVID-19 crisis and relied
heavily on coal to power that growth.
The report, which was prepared by
the International Energy Agency,
found that emissions of carbon diox-
ide rose by 6% in 2021 to 36.3 billion
metric tons.
"The numbers make clear that the
global economic recovery from the CO-
VID-19 crisis has not been the sustain-
able recovery that IEA executive direc-
tor Fatih Birol called for during the
early stages of the pandemic in 2020,"
the IEA said.
"The world must now ensure that
the global rebound in emissions in
2021 was a one-off – and that an accel-
erated energy transition contributes to
global energy security and lower ener-
gy prices for consumers," the IEA said
Tuesday.
A factory in Chengde, China, in 2018.
Carbon dioxide is near pre-pandemic
levels. PROVIDED BY SHUTTERSTOCK
COVID-19 restrictions in 2020
caused a plunge in fossil fuel use, and
Birol predicted at that time that "the
energy industry that emerges from
this crisis will be significantly different
from the one that came before." But
that prediction didn't come true.
The burning of fossil fuels such as
coal, oil and gas releases "greenhouse"
gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2)
and methane into Earth's atmosphere
and oceans. The emissions have
caused the planet's temperatures to
rise to levels that cannot be explained
by natural factors, scientists say.
In the past 20 years, the world's
temperature has risen about two-
thirds of a degree Fahrenheit, the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration said.
Coal accounted for more than 40%
of the growth in global CO2 emissions
in 2021, reaching an all-time high of
15.3 billion metric tons, according to
the IEA. CO2 emissions from natural
gas rebounded above their 2019 levels
to 7.5 billion metric tons.
In China, emissions rose by 750
million metric tons from 2019 to 2021.
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NEWS USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 5A

Police officer who fatally

shot 12-year-old to be fired
Use of force policy was
violated, probe finds
Christine Fernando
USA TODAY
The Philadelphia officer who shot
and killed a 12-year-old boy as he fled
from police this month will be fired for
the use of “excessive force,” the city’s
police commissioner announced
Tuesday.
Police said the plainclothes officer,
David DuRall leads community members in prayer Tuesday at a vigil who has not been identified, fatally
at Cunningham Park in Joplin, Mo. ROGER NOMER/THE JOPLIN GLOBE VIA AP shot 12-year-old Thomas Siderio in the
back on March 1, moments after a bul-
let was fired into an unmarked police
age from the area.
Conor Corcoran, the attorney repre-
senting Siderio’s father, told USA TO-
DAY he was pleased that “the Philadel-
phia Police Department is beginning to
accept responsibility for the murder of
TJ Siderio.” But he decried speculation
over whether the boy had a gun, adding
that no gunpowder residue was found
on his hands.
“Therefore, it’s egregious of the po-
lice department to claim that TJ fired
any weapon at all,” he said.
Four officers wearing plainclothes
were in an unmarked car around 7:30
p.m. March 1 as part of a firearms vio-
lation investigation when they saw two
boys at a corner, according to a police

Joplin, Mo., mayor car.

A police investigation determined
the officer violated the department’s
statement. The officers recognized one
of them, a 17-year-old, as someone
wanted for questioning.

calls for unity after use of force directives, Philadelphia

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw
said at a Tuesday news
The officers activated the car’s red
and blue lights and drove toward the
boys before they heard a gunshot and

shootings of officers
‘Pull together in love’ for
slain and wounded cops
ASSOCIATED PRESS
JOPLIN, Mo. – In the wake of shoot-
ings that left one police officer dead and
two others severely wounded, the may-
or of Joplin urged residents Wednesday
to pull together, just as they did 11 years
ago when a massive tornado devastated
the southwestern Missouri city.
The officer who was killed Tuesday
was Cpl. Benjamin Cooper, a husband
and father of two, Joplin Police Chief
Sloan Rowland said at a news confer-
ence. He had been with the department
since 2003.
Another officer was hospitalized in
critical condition and a third was in seri-
ous condition. Their names have not
been released.
The suspected shooter, who died in
the exchange of gunfire with police, was
identified as Anthony Felix, 40. No fur-
ther information about Felix was re-
leased.
An emotional Mayor Ryan Stanley
urged Joplin’s 50,000 residents to come
together behind the officers and their
families.
“Please be present, show up, engage,
came together to recover and rebuild.
Authorities said more information
about the shooting was expected to be
released later Wednesday, but Stanley
said it began as a “routine” case.
“It makes you really try to appreci-
ate, try to respect, try to understand
what our brave men and women have
to do every day as they respond to the
normal, and then not knowing what
will happen,” Stanley said.
The officers responded to a disturb-
ance about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday outside a
store at the Northpark Crossing shop-
ping center. Shots were exchanged
and two officers were wounded.
The suspect stole a police car and
fled, police said, before wrecking the
car and fleeing on foot. Officers chased
him to a street near an apartment com-
plex and residential area in central
Joplin, where another officer and the
suspect were shot. Police have not
specified which officer shot Felix.
Assistant Police Chief Brian Lewis
said another scene was involved in the
investigation, but he did not provide
additional details.
Kim Jenkins, who lives near where
the third officer and the suspect were
shot, said she saw a man with a gun
behind a fence across the street from
her home, The Joplin Globe reported.
conference. The officer
has been suspended
with the intent to fire
him after 30 days, she
said.
“Without going into
details, I will just say Outlaw
that based off of the evi-
dence that I reviewed, it was clear that
the use of force policy was violated,”
Outlaw said. “... Our policy clearly
states that excessive force will not be
tolerated.”
She added, “It’s tragic that we had
one of our own again go against every-
thing who we say we are.”
Outlaw said evidence suggests Si-
derio was the one who fired the bullet
into the police car – a detail disputed
by an attorney representing Siderio’s
father. Outlaw had previously said “a
young child with a gun in their hand
purposely fired a weapon at our offi-
cers,” but Deputy Commissioner Ben
Naish said at a news conference last
week that he could not definitively say
if it was Siderio who shot the gun.
There is no available body camera
footage of the incident because plain-
clothes officers are not required to
wear them, Naish said. Police say they
are trying to gather surveillance foot-
glass shattered from the rear passen-
ger’s window, according to the state-
ment. Shards of glass struck one officer
in his face and eyes, police said.
Two other officers exited the car and
fired at Siderio, who police claim was
running away while holding a gun, Out-
law said. One of the officers continued
to chase Siderio and fired two more
times, striking him in the upper right
side of his back, she added. The bullet
exited through Siderio’s chest and he
was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Naish said last week that he could
not say whether officers told Siderio to
stop or to drop the gun.
All four officers involved in the inci-
dent were placed on administrative
leave during the investigation, Outlaw
said. Police have not released their
names, citing safety concerns.
Corcoran said he filed a civil lawsuit
last Thursday against the officers in-
volved in the shooting.
“Justice will be served by the civil liti-
gation process running its due course,”
he said.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s
office told NBC News it expects develop-
ments in the case this week but did not
say whether charges would be filed
against any of the officers.

and let the nation and world see, just
like after our tornado, how we respond
to tragedy as a community. We know
how to pull together in love,” Stanley
said.
An EF-5 tornado tore through Joplin
on May 22, 2011, destroying hundreds of
homes, leveling a hospital and killing
about 160 people, and the community
The perfect
She said the officer drove down the
street and stopped in front of a van the
suspect was hiding behind. That’s
when the suspect fired at the officer,
apparently shooting him through the
windshield of his patrol car.
“I don’t think he even had time to
finishing touch
get out when the guy started shooting,”
Jenkins said.
A SIMPLE YET ELEGANT
STERLING SILVER STYLE FROM ITALY

Cawthorn charged with

driving on a revoked license
GOP lawmaker also faces
charges for speeding
Joel Burgess
Asheville Citizen Times
USA TODAY NETWORK
Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., has
been charged for the second time in the
past five years with driving on a revoked
license, a misdemeanor that carries up
to 20 days in jail.
The 26-year-old Republican was
pulled over March 3 in Cleveland Coun-
ty, about 11⁄2 hours southeast of Ashe-
ville, by the highway patrol, according to
court records and a highway patrol
spokesperson.
Along with the misdemeanor, Caw-
thorn is facing two pending citations for
speeding: driving 89 mph in a 65 mph
zone in Buncombe County on Oct. 18
and 87 mph in a 70 mph zone in Polk
County on Jan. 8.
Highway patrol spokesperson Sgt.
Marcus Bethea said March 9 he could
“confirm that the three citation num-
bers” are pending matters in Buncombe,
Polk and Cleveland counties.
Bethea gave the dates of the alleged
offenses but said he would need time to
collect more information on the inci-
dents, including locations, by talking
with the charging officers.
The Citizen Times, part of the USA
TODAY Network, has reached out to
Cawthorn spokesperson Luke Ball.
The court date for the misdemeanor
is May 6.
The Polk County speeding citation is
set to be heard April 18 and the Bun-
combe citation on May 3.
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6A ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
‘Bomb cyclone’ is forecast to batter the Northeast
‘Winter hurricane’ will
bring snow, wind, rain
Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
Old Man Winter may have at least
one more trick up his sleeve: A potential
“bomb cyclone” storm could batter por-
tions of the central and eastern U.S. into
the weekend, forecasters warn.
“Confidence is growing for a signifi-
cant storm that will bring wide-reach-
ing impacts,” AccuWeather meteorolo-
gist Alex DaSilva said. That would in-
clude everything from rain and severe
thunderstorms to high winds, snow and
a rapid freeze-up across the eastern
third of the nation, AccuWeather said.
A bomb cyclone, which occurs
through the process known as bombo-
genesis, is basically a winter hurricane.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Biden’s aim: People of color need boosters
Churches, local groups
can help close gaps
Deborah Barfield Berry
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Many young people
of color are not getting the COVID-19
booster shot at the same rate as young
white Americans. The Biden admini-
stration said it is determined to close
that gap by tapping churches, commu-
nity health centers and medical profes-
sionals in communities of color to get
more people vaccinated and boosted.
“We need to do better and we all rec-
ognize that with equity in boosters,’’
said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infec-
tious Diseases and chief medical advis-
er to President Joe Biden. “Equity re-
mains an important part of any of our
plans.”
The White House last week released
its latest plan to address the COVID-19
pandemic, including efforts to tackle in-
equity concerns about access to vac-
cines, testing and oral antiviral pills.
One key effort, officials said, will be to
try to close the gap between rates of
vaccinated white young adults and
young adults of color who received
boosters.
The percent of fully vaccinated peo-
ple older than 65 who received a booster
was 68.8% for Black seniors, 67.6% for
Hispanic seniors and 77% for white sen-
iors by the end of January, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention.
The gap widened by nearly 20% be-
tween white adults and Black adults 18
years old to 49 years old. About 49.5% of
whites in that age group were fully vac-
cinated and boosted, compared with
30.4% of Blacks and 37.7% of Hispanics.
“That’s the backbone of the protec-
tion that communities need against this
pandemic,” said Cameron Webb, a sen-
ior policy adviser for equity on the
White House COVID-19 Response Team.
“We have to replicate that kind of suc-
cess in terms of equity in the booster ef-
fort and in the pediatric vaccination ef-
fort.”
Webb pointed to factors in hesitancy
among young people, including the lack
of convenience and confidence, which
includes concerns about effectiveness
and safety, and complacency.
‘‘I think for younger individuals hav-
ing seen so much COVID around their
peers and in their community, that no-
tion of the risk of hospitalization and of
death in the younger age range, it’s not
rising to the same level,” Webb said.
With the recent omicron wave, many
young people, particularly those in
communities of color, saw others get
COVID-19 and were infected them-
selves, Webb said.
“They’re asking that question of,
‘Well, if I just got infected do I need a
booster?’’’ he said. “And as Dr. Fauci will
tell you, as I’ll tell you, the answer is
yes.”
Fauci said that while it hasn’t been
easy to get vaccination rates up, there
must be concerted efforts to increase
the number of people of color getting
boosters.
“We don’t want the community … to
think that when we talk about going in
the right direction, that it’s over,’’ he
said. “We are getting back to normal.
The president made that very clear in
his State of the Union address. And
we’ve been saying that, but we still need
to be prepared if we do get a variance, to
respond quickly and appropriately
without shutting down the country,
It “occurs when a mid-latitude cyclone
rapidly intensifies,” or quickly drops in
atmospheric pressure, marking the
strengthening of the storm, according to
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
Areas from eastern Oklahoma to
western portions of Ohio, Kentucky and
Tennessee, and even northern parts of
Mississippi and Alabama, have a shot at
up to a few inches of snow. Much heavi-
er snow is likely farther to the east, ac-
cording to AccuWeather senior meteo-
rologist Alex Sosnowski.
Heavy snow is forecast across interi-
or portions of the Northeast; as much as
a foot is possible in some areas.
“Not only is the Northeast looking at
snow with this, but it could also be look-
ing at some strong, gusty winds,”
Weather.com meteorologist Domenica
Davis said.
This threat for high winds is highest
Mississippi Department of Health pharmacist Anna Kathryn Ward, left, speaks
to Marion Mackabee about her vaccine shot. BARBARA GAUNTT/USA TODAY NETWORK
without shutting down the schools.”
Long before the pandemic, people of
color experienced health disparities, in-
cluding lack of access to quality care
and health insurance, factors that made
these communities more vulnerable to
COVID-19, experts say. The pandemic
has had a disproportionate impact on
communities of color, which often suf-
fer from higher rates of chronic diseases
such as diabetes.
Despite the White House’s ongoing
outreach to communities of color, the
vaccination rate for Black adults lags
white adults, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. By
March 4, 46.9% of Black adults had had
a single dose of the vaccine, compared
with nearly 53% of white adults. Nearly
41% of Black adults were fully vaccinat-
ed, compared with nearly 49% of white
adults.
White House officials said the ad-
ministration will continue targeted ef-
forts to distribute COVID-19 tests and
masks to communities of color.
And Webb said 15% of oral antiviral
pills will go to federally qualified health
centers that disproportionately serve
communities of color.
“We’re going to continue to make
sure that we’re getting treatments to the
communities that have been the hard-
est hit, that face the highest risk.’’
But experts said the administration
still faces challenges in building trust,
particularly in Black communities.
”It’s still hard for a lot of Black people
to grasp that there’s something that
could come out of the government that
is good, that is not meant to harm them,’’
said Dr. Melissa Clarke, CEO of the BHE
Group, a health literacy company fo-
cused on achieving health equity, and
former assistant dean in the Howard
University College of Medicine in Wash-
ington. “That’s a huge leap.”
Clarke said the lack of trust in the
government is made worse by a flood of
misinformation on social media. She
praised the administration’s efforts to
counter that, including training barbers
and hairstylists to share information
and even set up vaccine sites in shops.
“It’s, unfortunately, going to take
more of that out-of-the-box thinking to
reach younger Black people in places
where they’ll get the message,’’ Clarke
said.
And while turning to churches is
good for a certain demographic, Clarke
said officials will have to adopt another
approach for young adults and even
younger populations, including working
along the immediate coast Saturday, as
well as over the higher terrain of the
Northeast, Weather.com said. At least
some downed tree limbs and power out-
ages are possible in these areas.
Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph are fore-
cast from northern Florida to Atlantic
Canada on Saturday. The corridor of
strongest winds is expected in North
Carolina, along the coast or in the
mountains, and in southern New Eng-
land, where wind gusts could reach 70
to 90 mph, according to Accuweather.
Power outages may be extensive.
Most of the I-95 corridor, including
the big cities of the mid-Atlantic and
Northeast, should see wind-driven rain
Saturday before temperatures dip be-
low freezing later after the rainfall ends,
the National Weather Service said.
Severe thunderstorms could also rat-
tle portions of the Southeast on Friday
and Saturday, the Storm Prediction
with schools and organizations such as
Boys and Girls Clubs.
Webb said the administration is al-
ready thinking ahead, and will push to
boost vaccinations among children un-
der 5 years old, most of whom are of col-
or, when that becomes an option.
“That’s an important dynamic for us
to keep track of and make sure that
when those become approved by the
FDA, when those become available,
we’re ready to run to get those to the
communities who are really hungry for
them,’’ he said.
Experts have raised concerns about
the lack of racial data for vaccinations of
children. They say children of color dis-
proportionately suffer severe illness
from COVID-19, but may lack access to
the shot.
“It’s still hard for a lot
of Black people to grasp
that there’s something
that could come out of the
government that ... is not
meant to harm them.’’
Dr. Melissa Clarke
CEO, BHE Group, a health literacy company
Without that data and others, offi-
cials may not know how to target re-
sources, experts say.
Clarke said only about 70% of the da-
ta is broken down by race and ethnicity.
She said the lack of data is a problem in
efforts to close health equity gaps.
“How do you know how wide they are
and where and how to target them if
you’re not uniformly collecting the data
and then there’s not a uniform stan-
dard?” Clarke said.
Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., chair of the
Congressional Black Caucus Health
Braintrust, said she and other lawmak-
ers from caucuses representing Black,
Asian Pacific American and Hispanic
constituents, have met with officials
from the CDC and the administration to
discuss health inequities, including col-
lecting more racial data.
Kelly applauded the administration
for spending billions to expand access
to vaccines, particularly in rural com-
munities and low-income areas, and
targeting federal funds to community
health centers in communities of color
to administer vaccines.
NEWS
Center said. “Damaging wind and a few
tornadoes are possible late Friday night
into early Saturday morning across
parts of the Southeast and coastal Caro-
linas,” the Storm Prediction Center said.
“This will mark the final wave of
stormy weather of the week for this part
of the country, following rounds of dis-
ruptive but beneficial downpours,” Ac-
cuWeather said.
Strong, damaging winds also are
possible this weekend in parts of east-
ern Canada, including Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labra-
dor, Weather.com said.
Weather.com said the strength of the
bomb cyclone could flirt with all-time
low-pressure records in eastern Cana-
da, according to data compiled by NOAA
meteorologist David Roth.
This weather system has been
named Winter Storm Quinlan by The
Weather Channel.
“I think he’s doing a great job,’’ Kelly
said of Biden.
Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., praised the
administration for turning to faith-
based organizations for help, but said it
could do better, including by making
sure those groups have enough re-
sources.
“Many of our communities may not
have trust in us, may not have trust in
institutions, but they trust their places
of worship,’’ he said, adding that faith
leaders “have access to thousands of
people every Sunday and that is a re-
source that we should continue to tap.”
White House officials said they will
rely on strategies that helped during the
height of the pandemic: turning to med-
ical providers of colors, grassroots
groups and faith-based organizations.
“The churches raised their hand
again, and they said, ‘Send us back.
We’ll get the job done,’’’ Webb said. “It’s
recognizing that we don’t just do that
last year and say that the job is done. We
say this becomes a model for how we
engage authentically and effectively in
communities of color.”
In Georgia, faith leader Shavonne
Williams led efforts last year to partner
with churches in rural counties to pro-
vide COVID-19 information to mostly
Black congregations.
Williams’ group launched “Keep the
Faith, Get Vaccinated,” showing up at
church services and at Bible study
classes. It also set up health fairs and
back-to-school events, and invited
county health officials to come to pro-
vide vaccines.
“We’re actually meeting people
where they’re at; everybody isn’t on-
line,” said Williams, a minister and the
Georgia organizing ambassador for
Faith in Public Life, a national coalition
of faith leaders addressing social justice
causes. “Everybody isn’t watching the
Dr. Fauci interviews.”
Williams said faith leaders, who are
considered trusted messengers, will be
key to helping address equity COVID-19
concerns, but said the administration
must provide more resources.
“Don’t just lean on us and ask us to
talk to the folks, but also arm the com-
munities with information,’’ she said.
“When you go down to some of our com-
munities and there is no chain pharma-
cy, and there is no high-speed internet,
but you tell them that they can order
tests if they go online, you tell them that
you’re going to have these numbers they
can call, but in order to get the numbers
to call they have to have had access to
social media…You have to make sure
that we can close the gap for everything
that creates the disparity in health
care.”
The administration, meanwhile, is
also increasing efforts to provide vac-
cines to other countries, which Fauci
said will be important to prevent the
spread of another variant.
Fauci said the United States has dis-
tributed more vaccines than the rest of
the world combined, noting the coun-
tryhas given 475 million doses to 112 low
and middle-income countries. He said
the United States has also given or
pledged 1.2 billion doses.
“We are leading the pack when it
comes to the developing world and
making vaccines available to them,’’
Fauci said when asked by USA TODAY.
He said it’s important in the effort to
address inequities to track new vari-
ants, monitor hot spots and be better
prepared to respond earlier and faster.
“We want to make sure that no one is
left behind, if and when we get a new
variant,” he said.
Contributing: Nada Hassanein
NEWS
OPINION
Russian oil ban may burn Biden, Democrats
Voters might not back it
when prices soar higher
Jill Lawrence
Columnist
USA TODAY
Americans are gung-ho on punishing
Russia, I’ll say that for us. We are over-
whelmingly in favor of military force if
Russia attacks a NATO country, and we
want to bring Russia to its knees by ban-
ning its oil exports.
Call me skeptical. An equally likely
outcome is that a ban brings President
Joe Biden and Democrats to their knees
in the midterm elections.
We’re all one big, unhappy pro-Uk-
raine family now. The helplessness as
Russia inflicts horrors on Ukraine is
crippling. What can we do? Biden decid-
ed Tuesday to go with prevailing opi-
nion in both parties and ban Russian
energy imports – “the main artery of
Russia’s economy,” he said.
But what happens when U.S. gas
prices start soaring and don’t stop?
They’re already north of $6 a gallon in
parts of California, and on Tuesday the
national average for a gallon of gas hit
an all-time high of $4.17.
Democratic lawmakers
have no good choices
And that’s just the beginning of the
spike. Can Americans sustain their mil-
itancy when the ban hits their wallets
for real and Republicans hit the air-
waves?
I wouldn’t put it past Republicans to
support the ban now, which they do,
then use it against Biden and Democrats
in the midterm campaign. Even if
they’re on record praising the idea, and
voting for it. I mean, how many of them
are taking credit for projects funded by
the infrastructure bill they voted
against? That’s on record, too.
And there will be a bill.
The House of Representatives is
moving forward with a package that
‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill calls for ‘Don’t Say Florida’ response
State is an inappropriate
topic for young students
Rex Huppke
Columnist
USA TODAY
Folks, it’s time we stop America’s
children from learning about Florida in
public schools.
On Tuesday, the Florida Senate
passed the controversial “Don’t Say
Gay” bill, which restricts discussion of
sexuality and gender identity in class-
rooms. The legislation now goes to the
desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is ex-
pected to sign it into law, highlighting
once again that Florida is an inappropri-
ate topic for young children.
The bill states that classroom in-
struction “on sexual orientation or gen-
der identity may not occur in kindergar-
ten through grade 3 or in a manner that
is not age-appropriate or developmen-
tally appropriate for students in accord-
ance with state standards.”
The “or in a manner that is not age-
appropriate” is doing a lot of work in
that sentence.
And people in Florida and across the
country have protested the chilling ef-
fect the legislation is likely to have on
LGBTQ students at all grade levels who
don’t want their existence treated like a
problem that needs solving.
On Monday, DeSantis said of the bill:
“We’re going to make sure that parents
are able to send their kid to kindergarten
without having some of this stuff inject-
ed into their school curriculum.”
The idea of treating another human’s
identity as “this stuff ” is one of the main
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Chairman and CEO USA TODAY Publisher
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REED PEREZ WADSWORTH
WANT TO COMMENT? Have Your Say at letters@usatoday.com, @usatodayopinion on Twitter and facebook.com/usatodayopinion.
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include name, address and phone number.
Gas prices were over $4 a gallon in Mount Lebanon, Pa., on Monday.
Prices topped $6 a gallon in parts of California. GENE J. PUSKAR/AP
would ban all energy imports from Rus-
sia, require a review of its membership
in the World Trade Organization, and
expand the range of sanctions that
could be imposed.
At least two polls have shown mas-
sive support for an energy ban:
h In a Quinnipiac Poll released Mon-
day, asked whether they supported a
Russian oil ban if it meant higher gas
prices in the United States, 71% (includ-
ing 66% of Republicans) said yes.
h In an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist
National Poll released Friday, 83% of
Americans (including 79% of Republi-
cans) said they supported economic
sanctions against Russia. About 7 in 10
said they’d back the sanctions even if
they drove up energy prices, but Repub-
lican support for sanctions dropped
nearly 20 points to 58%.
It’s a terrible thing not to trust, but
I’m not the only one who has little confi-
dence in GOP good faith. “I have no
doubt that Republicans will cheerlead
this ban and then spend the rest of the
year castigating the Biden White House
reasons I’m proposing federal legisla-
tion that will prohibit discussion of Flor-
ida in all grade levels nationwide.
I call it the “Don’t Say Florida” bill,
and I hope you’ll join me in this right-
eous crusade. (I am, in fact, a native Flo-
ridian, but any suggestion this crusade
is motivated by self-loathing is an out-
rageous lie.)
We don’t need our tax dollars going to
teachers who are injecting this stuff –
i.e., the fact that Florida exists – into
school curriculum.
The existence of Florida is something
parents are best suited to explain and
discuss with their children. If those dis-
cussions occur in a class setting, kids
could be wrongly influenced into be-
coming Sunshine-State-curious or,
worse yet, questioning their own geo-
graphic identity.
Imagine if your child came home
from school one day and said this: “We
just learned about this state called Flori-
da, where they passed a bill to keep
teachers from talking to young students
about gender identity, and a Republican
sponsoring the bill, Sen. Dennis Baxley,
was asked during debate to define ‘sex-
ual orientation’ and he said, ‘Sexual ori-
entation to me is male and female,’
which makes no sense. What is this
strange land, and why have you never
talked to me about it? I’m confused.”
Just a lifestyle choice
No parent wants to be faced with a
situation like that, which is why the leg-
islation I’m proposing is so crucial. If
teachers are allowed to openly discuss
Florida, children might start to think it’s
real and not just a lifestyle choice.
Groups opposing Florida’s “Don’t Say
Gay” bill include the American Medical
Association, the Florida Parent Teacher
USA TODAY Chief Revenue Officer,
Editor in Chief sales and service: Kevin Gentzel
NICOLE Vice President/Local News and
CARROLL Audience Development: Amalie Nash
USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 7A
“I have no doubt that
Republicans will cheerlead
this ban and then spend the
rest of the year castigating
the Biden White House for
an increase in gas prices.”
Sen. Chris Murphy
D-Conn.
for an increase in gas prices,” said Sen.
Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
Added Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the
second highest ranking Senate Demo-
crat: “Of course they’ll use any tool in
their toolbox, and one of them is to hold
us accountable for any increase in cost
of living.”
Yet, Biden and Democrats have little
to lose. Republican leaders are already
blaming them for rising prices: Biden
canceled the Keystone XL pipeline from
Protest in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday
against “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.
ANDREW WEST/USA TODAY NETWORK
Association and the Mental Health As-
sociation of Central Florida, and stu-
dents across Florida have been holding
walkouts in protest and letting their
voices be heard at the state capitol.
Last week, DeSantis’ spokeswoman
Christina Pushaw suggested that any-
one opposed to the Parental Rights in
Education bill is likely a pedophile.
“The bill that liberals inaccurately
call ‘Don’t Say Gay’ would be more accu-
rately described as an Anti-Grooming
Bill,” Pushaw tweeted. “If you’re against
the Anti-Grooming Bill, you are proba-
bly a groomer or at least you don’t de-
nounce the grooming of 4-8 year old
Vice President & Executive
Editor/Investigations: Chris Davis
Executive Editor/Audience: Patty Michalski
Opinion Editor: Kristen DelGuzzi
Canada! Biden greenlit Russia’s Nord
Stream 2 pipeline in Germany! Biden
stopped issuing oil and gas permits on
federal land! Biden’s Green New Deal is
ruining us!
Let’s take these in order. For many
reasons, including unknowns like when
it would be completed, how much gas
Canada would sell to us and whether
it would be gas we already get trans-
ported another way, Keystone was no
sure bet to offset a loss of Russian oil. In
May, Biden waived sanctions on Nord
Stream as he tried to mend relations
with Germany, but he imposed them
last month as Russia prepared to invade
Ukraine.
As for oil and gas drilling, Biden said
he would halt leases, not permits. He’s
issuing permits on land already under
lease at a faster pace than President
Donald Trump did. And the Green New
Deal never passed.
COVID-19 is part
of the gas price problem
Given some of the countries that pro-
duce oil and gas, energy policy is always
fraught. It is disturbing to see Biden ad-
ministration overtures to Saudi Arabia,
Venezuela and Iran in anticipation of
cutting off Russian oil. The conservative
Wall Street Journal editorial board calls
it bizarre.
It’s a Catch-22 made even trickier by
the coronavirus pandemic. Demand for
gas plunged during lockdowns, so com-
panies and nations cut production and
workers. When demand eventually
rose, so did prices.
There’s no escaping inflation, and
there’s no escaping the West’s determi-
nation to make Russia pay for its horrific
criminal rampage through Ukraine.
Biden and Democrats could try to
pass gas tax rebates or other relief for
low-income drivers, but their main task
is to prepare Americans for sticker
shock in the name of defending Ukraine
and democracy.
Jill Lawrence is a columnist for USA
TODAY and author of “The Art of the Po-
litical Deal: How Congress Beat the Odds
and Broke Through Gridlock.” Follow her
on Twitter: @JillDLawrence
children. Silence is complicity. This is
how it works, Democrats, and I didn’t
make the rules.”
The profoundly despicable nature of
that comment and its strong undercur-
rent of bigotry should be red flags to par-
ents across the country.
That’s where the modest legislation
I’m proposing comes in.
Clearly, discussions of Florida should
not occur in kindergarten through
third grade, or in a manner that is not
age-appropriate or developmentally ap-
propriate for students.
And anyone who opposes “Don’t Say
Florida” is probably grooming children
to become Floridians.
That’s how it works, I don’t make the
rules.
Culture war on LGBTQ community
Democratic Florida Sen. Randolph
Bracy said Republicans supporting the
bill are waging a “culture war against the
LGBTQ community.”
“Is it worth it if one child is affected
by this legislation?” Bracy asked. “Is it
worth a child being outed or bullied or
potentially becoming suicidal?”
Following the Tuesday vote in which
only two Senate Republicans opposed
the bill, it’s clear the answer from most
GOP lawmakers is a resounding “Yes!”
Which is why we must enact the
“Don’t Say Florida” bill before more chil-
dren are forced to confront the reality of
a state that is wholly unwilling to con-
front reality.
Let’s teach kids that Georgia is the
southeastern-most corner of the United
States. Our students are just not ready
to know the truth.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex
Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and
Facebook: facebook.com/RexIsAJerk/
Executive Editor/News and
Network Enterprise: Jeff Taylor
Executive Editor/News
and Initiatives: Kristen Go
8A ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

Biden Yet polling for months has found

Continued from Page 1A
knowledge the ask has its challenges,
and Biden’s opponents are working to
pin rising gas prices on the president.
“It’s a hard political sell,” said Julian
Zelizer, professor of history and public
affairs at Princeton University. “But
there’s a way to do it, and it’s to really
connect these small sacrifices to end a
real security threat for the country, for
Europe. That’s the challenge. ... It’s
about patriotism at the pump.”
The White House set out to blame
Russia for what Americans will see at
the gas pump, labeling it “Putin’s spike,”
in a bid to tie the gas prices to Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s brutal war on
Ukraine, not the president’s policies at
home.
Whether Americans buy that ratio-
nale could make or break the president’s
second year in office as Democrats work
to maintain control of Congress in No-
vember’s midterm elections.
Gas prices remained high even before
the invasion amid supply and demand
problems stemming from the coronavi-
rus pandemic. Republicans have ham-
mered Biden for months about inflation
that has reached a 40-year high, seizing
on perhaps the president’s biggest
vulnerability in his approval ratings.
A promise to ‘level’ with people
Gas prices on Tuesday soared to the
most expensive in U.S. history, not ac-
counting for inflation, as they reached a
national average of $4.17 a gallon. That
milestone followed days of dramatically
increasing gas prices in the wake of Pu-
tin’s invasion of Ukraine. Gas prices in-
creased 50 cents in just the past week,
according to AAA. Economists forecast
the price could spike to $4.50 a gallon
and climb into the summer after Biden’s
move to sanction Russia’s energy sector.
The White House, which had resisted
a Russian oil ban until recent days,
faced a dilemma: growing bipartisan
calls in Congress for him to punish
Russia where it hurts most versus the
reality that gas prices are expected to
rise further under a ban. A bill backed by
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to ban
Russian oil imports gained momentum
before Biden’s decision.
For weeks, the president promised to
“Defending freedom is going to cost
us,” President Joe Biden has warned
Americans. WIN MCNAMEE/GETTY IMAGES
“Even though Republicans
urged him to take this
action, they will not hesitate
to criticize him. ... They
will try to take advantage
of this politically.”
David Cohen
University of Akron
“level with the American people” about
the toll the crisis in Ukraine could have
on U.S. consumers, vowing that his ad-
ministration is taking steps to ease the
pain. On Tuesday, Biden acknowledged
gas prices will increase further as a re-
sult of the Russian oil ban but said
Americans have made it clear “we will
not be part of subsidizing Putin’s war.”
“The decision today is not without
cost here at home. Putin’s war is already
hurting American families at the gas
pump,” Biden said. “And with this ac-
tion, it’s going to go up further.”
A Quinnipiac University poll released
Monday – and taken before Biden’s an-
nouncement – found an overwhelming
majority of Americans, 71%-22%, sup-
port a ban on Russian oil even if it meant
higher gasoline prices in the United
States. A poll from YouGov found 3 out
of every 5 U.S. adults support the deci-
sion, compared with just 17% who don’t.
“Americans are all in on this,” said
Tim Malloy, polling analyst for Quinni-
piac. “At the moment – we haven’t seen
the gas prices kick in at its worst – it
appears Americans are turning to the
administration and accepting what
they’re doing.”
Americans believe Biden is not doing
enough to curb inflation. Amy Walter,
publisher and editor-and-chief with the
Cook Political Report, predicted “there’s
sure to be a limit to this altruism.”
“Will Americans feel as positive (and
generous) if Russia succeeds in over-
throwing the Zelenskyy government?
Or, if this war drags on for weeks on
end,” Walter wrote in an analysis.
“Moreover, short-term pain at the pump
might be easier to overcome than if
Americans weren’t already dealing with
the sky-high cost of living.”
Tom Seng, director of the University
of Tulsa’s School of Energy Economics,
Policy and Commerce, said how Amer-
icans respond to rising gas prices will
largely fall along party lines as Repub-
licans blame Biden and Democrats tie
the increase to the conflict overseas.
Strong supporters of former Presi-
dent Donald Trump Americans will be
less forgiving about the gas price hikes,
he said, while others who view the war
in Ukraine as a humanitarian crisis are
more likely to say, “I’m not enjoying this,
but I understand why it’s $4 or poten-
tially even moving higher.”
Biden’s allies are betting on the latter.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of
the Senate Intelligence Committee, said
he believes Americans are ready to pay a
price to defend Western values.
“If we are not willing to stand up and
take some hurt along the way and sacri-
fice along the way, then I don’t think we
do credit to this incredible struggle,”
Warner said in an interview on MSNBC.
“And I think the American people will
rise to the occasion.”
$4.50 coming down the pike?
The U.S. imports about 700,000 bar-
rels of oil from Russia a year, accounting
for just 3% of all U.S. crude oil imports
and 1% of the total crude oil produced by
American refineries. Conversely, Euro-
pean countries import about 4.5 million
barrels of Russian oil a day, supplying
about 30% of Europe’s oil and 40% of its
natural gas
“I think we’re headed to $4.50” a gal-
lon, said Patrick De Haan, head of petro-
leum analysis at GasBuddy, which mon-
itors fuel supply and prices. “By the sum-
mer driving season, by the Memorial Day
weekend, it’s really going to pinch Amer-
icans who are living check to check.”
Republicans pushed back Wednes-
day at Biden for blaming gas price in-
creases on Russia. “These aren’t Putin
prices,” House Minority Leader Kevin
McCarthy said. “They’re President Bi-
den prices.”
But some observers see ways Biden
can salvage a political win.
By ratcheting up U.S. sanctions on
Russia, said William Howell, a political
scientist and professor at the University
of Chicago Harris School of Public Pol-
icy, Biden can “reclaim some legitimacy
and strength” he lost when his Build
Back Better domestic agenda stalled in
Congress this winter. He said Biden’s
ban on Russian oil also gives the presi-
dent a way to explain rising gas prices
that predated the Ukraine crisis.
“He can say, yes, they went up be-
cause we were fighting an authoritarian
threat and a humanitarian crisis. And
that becomes the signature reason,”
Howell said.
Biden’s move came after Republicans
lawmakers – and increasingly more
Democrats – pressed Biden to cut off
Russian oil. as Putin ramped up his
brutal assault on Ukraine. Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskky urged
senators to ban Russian oil during a
video call with U.S. senators over the
weekend.
And yet Republican members of Con-
gress aren’t expected to ease off Biden
for rising gas prices.
“Even though Republicans urged him
to take this action, they will not hesitate
to criticize him when, inevitably, gas
prices will rise, and it will exacerbate the
issue with inflation,” said David Cohen,
a political science professor at the Uni-
versity of Akron. “They will try to take
advantage of this politically.”
Republicans have demanded Biden
expand U.S. production of oil to bring
down rising gas costs, a call that prob-
ably will grow louder if gas prices con-
tinue to rise.
Thomas O’Guinn, a professor at the
University of Wisconsin School of Busi-
ness who specializes in political brand-
ing, said it isn’t enough for Biden to sim-
ply blame the price increases on Putin;
he must connect it to the conflict in Uk-
raine in a way that resonates.
“If you’re going to make this stick,
you’re going to have to say it a lot, and
you’re going to have to remind people
that they’re paying more at the pump in
order to save women, children and free-
dom in Ukraine. And every time you pay
more, you’re hurting Putin.”

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MONEY
USA TODAY | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SECTION B
MONEYLINE
UKRAINE BANS EXPORTS OF
GRAINS, MEAT AND SUGAR
Ukraine’s government has banned the
export of wheat, oats and other sta-
ples that are crucial for global food
supplies as authorities try to ensure
they can feed people during Russia’s
intensifying war. New rules on agricul-
tural exports introduced this week
also prohibit the export of millet,
buckwheat, sugar, live cattle, and
meat and other “byproducts” from
cattle, according to a government
announcement. The export ban is
needed to prevent a “humanitarian
crisis in Ukraine,” stabilize the market
and “meet the needs of the popula-
tion in critical food products,” Roman
Leshchenko, Ukraine’s minister of
agrarian and food policy, said in a
statement.
JOB OPENINGS IN U.S. ARE
NEAR RECORD IN JANUARY
U.S. businesses posted a near-record
level of open jobs in January, a trend
that has helped push up worker’s pay
and added to inflationary pressures in
the U.S. economy. Employers posted
11.3 million jobs at the end of January,
down slightly from a record of 11.4
million in December, the Labor De-
partment said Wednesday.
MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP
BMW RECALLS 917,000 CARS
OVER ENGINE FIRE RISK
BMW is recalling more than 917,000
older cars and SUVs in the U.S. – most
for a third time – to fix a problem that
can cause engine compartment fires.
The recall covers many 3 Series, 5
Series, 1 Series, X5, X3, and Z4 vehi-
cles from the 2006 through 2013 mod-
el years. Documents posted Wednes-
day by the U.S. National Highway Traf-
fic Safety Administration say there
could be an electrical short in the
positive crankcase ventilation valve
heater. Owners will be notified by
letter starting April 25.
Dow Jones Industrial Avg.
38,000
36,000
34,000
32,000 653.61
30,000
SEPT.
AP
WEDNESDAY MARKETS
INDEX CLOSE
Dow Jones Industrial Avg. 33,286.25
S&P 500 4,277.88
Nasdaq composite 13,255.55
T-note, 10-year yield
SOURCES USA TODAY RESEARCH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
USA TODAY SNAPSHOTS ©
CD yields
National averages on deposits as of
March 9.
This Last
week week
6-month 0.12% 0.12%
1-year 0.19% 0.19%
21⁄2-year 0.25% 0.25%
5-year 0.36% 0.36%
BANKRATE.COM
New Apple models a boost,
but lack full 5G experience
Updated iPhone SE, iPod Air do not support
mmWave; users are unlikely to notice. Page 2B
Jerry and Christine Otto in their newly remodeled home in Boise,
Idaho. PHOTOS PROVIDED
Trend is building,
owners are doing
their home work
Renovation spending may peak in 2022
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
USA TODAY
When Jerry Otto and his wife,
Christine, bought a craftsman-style
home in the hills of Boise, Idaho, in
2019, they saw potential.
Unlike many homes they’d
toured in the established neighbor-
hood of Highlands, the 1984-built
home wasn’t a “total gut job.”
“It wasn’t terrible, and it had a
good layout,” says Jerry, an engi-
neering consultant.
The couple purchased the 3,500
square-foot home for $700,000.
A few months later, when the
pandemic forced the couple to work
from home, it jump-started their
renovation plans.
In the last two years, the couple
has spent $140,000 renovating
33,286 about 2,000 square feet of their
MARCH home, including putting in a new
kitchen, a mudroom, renovating
two bedrooms, and sprucing up the
basement and living room. And
CHG they fashioned two separate work-
x 653.61 spaces – one out of a bedroom and
x 107.18
x 459.99 another out of a large nook on the
1.955 x 0.107 second floor.
“We needed that separation,”
says Jerry. “Christine is on the
Year
ago
0.14%
0.19%
0.19%
0.33% Danielle Garlinger with her son, Brady, in Conroe, Texas, sit in Brady’s
playroom where she created an accent wall.
You can check the headlines
from your home state or city
We survey and compile the top news stories
from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Page 4B
Abbe Will, associate project
director of the Remodeling
Futures Program, said low housing
inventory levels contribute to the
renovation trend.
phone or video conference all day
long.”
As homeowners, like the Ottos,
have started spending more time at
home aided by the ability to work
remotely, the desire to improve their
living environment has grown. And
with record-breaking home price
appreciation over the last two
years, that desire is increasingly
backed by an ability to make the
renovations a reality.
The average homeowner gained
about $57,000 in home equity be-
See RENOVATION, Page 2B
High gas
prices
might
cost jobs
Those who rely on fuel
may be pushed out
Chris Woodyard
USA TODAY
From gardeners to blacksmiths, the
shocking rise in gasoline prices raises
concern among workers whose liveli-
hoods depend on fuel to serve their
customers.
Just as the sudden increase in gas
prices has hit unevenly among regions
– an average $5.44 a gallon in Califor-
nia vs. $3.73 in Missouri on Tuesday,
according to AAA – they have socked
some professions harder than others.
Some are obvious. Drivers for ride-
hailing services such as Uber and Lyft
who drive their own vehicles and have
to pay for their own gas debate wheth-
er their gigs are worth it. The same
goes for food deliverers.
The trucking industry, already reel-
ing from driver shortages amid the
coronavirus pandemic, is especially
vulnerable. Many truckers are owner-
operators who must buy their own
fuel.
Those who drive for a living – as
well as workers with long commutes –
aren’t the only ones who will feel the
most pain from gas prices that aver-
aged a record $4.17 a gallon Tuesday,
up $1.40 from a year ago.
Many small or family-owned busi-
nesses that depend on reasonable fuel
prices to make a profit are caught in
the economic crossfire from Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine:
Shrimp boat operators may decide
the business is no longer worth the
expense. MATT CLAIBORNE/GETTY IMAGES
Shrimp boat operators
The number of shrimp boat opera-
tors and processors was already dwin-
dling. They took a bashing from Hurri-
cane Ida, and there’s fear the fuel price
surge could push some off the edge.
“A fisherman has to have more mon-
ey just to break even on a trip,” said Da-
vid Veal, executive director of the
American Shrimp Processors Associa-
tion in Biloxi, Mississippi. “The cost
goes beyond what a customer is will-
ing to pay for it.”
Some boat owners are late in their
careers, having seen their profits dry
up over the years from foreign fishing,
and they may decide shrimping is no
longer worth it in the face of high fuel
prices.
“If you think of a Gulf boat that
might hold 20,000 gallons of fuel,
imagine what it costs to fuel that ves-
sel (at) $4 a gallon not knowing wheth-
er you are going to catch a pound” of
shrimp, Veal said. Gulf states are see-
ing diesel fuel prices upward of $4.50 a
gallon, AAA said.
Blacksmiths
Darren Greer, a blacksmith or, as he
calls himself, a “horseshoer” based in
Casper, Wyoming, said he is bearing
up under the higher gas prices.
It isn’t easy: He drives about 40,000
miles a year. He tries to consolidate
jobs in particular areas, so he doesn’t
have to drive as much.
“There’s no way we can’t work be-
cause we have rent and food,” Greer
said.
There’s a lot of pride that goes into
the job.
“I try not to be the reason my cus-
tomers can’t own horses,” he said.
See JOBS, Page 2B
2B ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
Limited 5G support still a big step up
Apple users unlikely to
notice lack of mmWave
Bob O’Donnell
Special to USA TODAY
For Apple fans and gadget aficiona-
dos in general, there’s nothing quite like
the rush of an Apple product launch
event. The company continues to set
the standard for generating a level of ex-
citement and interest around its prod-
ucts that I’ve never seen matched by
any company in any industry.
Such was the case with Tuesday’s
live-streamed affair where the tech in-
dustry giant unveiled a next-generation
iPhone SE, an updated iPad Air powered
by their M1 chip, and the powerful but
pricey Mac Studio and Studio Display
desktop system, a version of which is
equipped with Apple’s latest silicon of-
fering, the M1 Ultra.
Most people’s interest will likely fall
to the mainstream-priced iPhone SE
(starting at $429, a $30 bump over its
predecessor) and the iPad Air (starting
at $599). What’s particularly notable
about these two is that they now both
support 5G (though it’s optional on the
iPad Air and raises the starting price to
$749).
This is an important step in the evo-
lution of the next-generation cellular
standard because, particularly with the
Renovation
Continued from Page 1B
tween the third quarter of 2020 and the
third quarter of 2021, according to Core-
Logic.
Home renovation
expenditure to peak
At the same time, growth in spending
on home improvements and repairs is
expected to peak in 2022 with expendi-
tures reaching $427 billion in the third
quarter, up 20% year-over-year, accord-
ing to a report by the Remodeling Fu-
tures Program at the Joint Center for
Housing Studies of Harvard University.
Annual owner improvement and re-
pair spending rose 9.4% in 2021 com-
pared with the previous year.
Before the pandemic, the historical
long-term average growth in spending,
going back to the mid-’90s, was about
5%, says Abbe Will, associate project di-
rector of the Remodeling Futures Pro-
gram.
Another factor fueling the demand
for renovations is the historically low
housing inventory levels which makes it
difficult for current homeowners to up-
grade to newer homes.
“When homeowners are feeling kind
of stuck or feel they’ll be there for longer
than they had anticipated, it definitely
changes the calculus for what types of
work you might want to do or need to do
to make that current home fit your
needs,” says Will.
The largest gains in home improve-
ment spending this year are projected to
occur in Tucson, Arizona (23%); River-
side, California (22%); Phoenix (20%);
Austin, Texas (19%); San Antonio (19%
percent); and Las Vegas (17.5%).
A ‘dark kitchen’
Earlier this year, Janet Long, an ad-
junct professor at San Bernardino Valley
College who lives near Riverside, Cali-
fornia, finally decided to redo her “dark
kitchen” after 20 years.
“I started baking and cooking a lot
Jobs
Continued from Page 1B
Mobile pet groomers
Toyre Moore of Pet Utopia in Phoenix
said he goes through two tanks of gas a
week on his truck and a fill-up costs
about $100.
Moore said he doesn’t want to im-
pose a surcharge, like his competitors.
He already had to raise his grooming fee
for dogs by $5 in January. He’s doing his
best to be efficient.
“I am limiting my areas, making my
routes shorter, and if they cancel for any
reason, I can’t take them,” he said.
Limousine operators
When it comes to higher gas prices,
John Rodriguez said, “I will just eat the
cost,” which has increased from $8,000
iPhone SE, Apple is bringing 5G technol-
ogy to lower price points and broaden-
ing its appeal. Part of the reason 5G
adoption is still in the minority is that
phones that incorporate the technology
tend to be at the high end of the price
range.
In order to get to those lower prices,
Apple had to make some adjustments to
how it implemented 5G in the iPhone
SE. Based on the tech specs, it appears
to have used the same approach for the
5G version of the new iPad Air. Specifi-
cally, both devices support only what
are called the midband and low-band
frequencies used by 5G. They don’t sup-
port millimeter wave frequencies.
The reason this matters is that some
of the fastest potential download
speeds offered via 5G use mmWave, and
you can’t achieve them unless your
phone supports them. As concerning as
that might sound in theory, in real-
world experience, the impact may not
be as bad as some fear.
First, Verizon is the only major U.S.
carrier that’s significantly supporting
mmWave signals in its 5G networks. So
if you use T-Mobile, AT&T or other
smaller carriers, it is generally not much
of an issue. Even if you are on Verizon,
the practical truth is that mmWave cov-
erage is primarily in a limited set of ur-
ban areas right now, and unless you’re
in them or are visiting them, you don’t
have access to those signals anyway. (To
Janet Long in her renovated kitchen in
Riverside, Calif. PROVIDED
more over the pandemic,” she says.
The problem was, she had to get
down on her knees to dig through her
pots and pans in the lower cabinets.
“Sometimes, I’d have to put a pillow
on the floor because it was uncomfort-
able on my knees,” she says. “It was just
a pain.”
She got in touch with Corbin DeLapp,
a local contractor, who promised to do
her work for a little more than $19,000. It
included prefab cabinets, Lazy Susan
rotating trays, pull-out spice cabinets,
granite countertops, new lighting, and
more counter space. The work was com-
pleted in less than three weeks.
“I love how everything is accessible
and the antique white look of the cab-
inets,” she says.
Long says she was able to save up
$16,000 for the makeover during the
pandemic as she and her husband were
not traveling or eating out as much.
“It was a little more than I had expect-
ed for my small kitchen, but it was worth
it,” she says.
Business has been never better for
DeLapp, who has been working in the
a month to $12,000.
Over a decade, he built Angel Limou-
sines in Anaheim, California, into a 16-
vehicle operation, from stretch limos to
party buses. He did it, he said, through
customer loyalty.
As a result, he said, he is going to do
all he can to avoid raising prices.
He’s frustrated, not knowing where
fuel prices are headed.
“The biggest challenge is when does
it stop?” he said. “When do we hit the
ceiling on gas prices? That’s the scary
thing. We make enough money to cover
the fuel costs now, but we will have
to have a fuel surcharge if it stays like
this.”
Where is the price of gas headed?
“Will it be $7? $8? I don’t know.”
Hotel and casino workers
Las Vegas’ resort industry was just
starting to rebound from COVID-19 re-
strictions and shutdowns. Now comes
be fair, the company recently an-
nounced plans to expand its mmWave
network over the course of the next year
or so, but it’s still not as widespread as
the coverage provided by other frequen-
cies.)
Plus, the physical characteristics of
mmWave signals mean they don’t travel
very far, can’t penetrate walls or win-
dows, and are easily subject to interfer-
ence. In other words, even if you can
find them, you need to essentially stand
still outside away from a lot of people to
really enjoy the speed benefits.
More importantly, in the past two
months, both AT&T and Verizon have
launched significant support for mid-
band-based 5G signals, using frequen-
cies called C-Band, that the new iPhone
SE and 5G-equipped iPad Air do sup-
port. While these can’t match the poten-
tial speed of mmWave, the signals travel
much farther, pass through walls and
are much less subject to interference. In
other words, practically speaking,
they’re going to give you performance
that’s about 10x faster than 4G LTE on a
more regular basis, but not the 100x po-
tential boost from mmWave.
T-Mobile has been ahead of the game
as most of its 5G network has been us-
ing a different type of midband frequen-
cy (also supported on the new Apple
products) with similar overall perfor-
mance characteristics to C-Band for
nearly two years now.
construction industry for more than 40
years.
“So you had a lot of people at home
hating their kitchen, hating their house,
you know?” DeLapp says with a laugh.
What distinguishes his small compa-
ny, which specializes in bathrooms and
kitchens, is that he only takes one job at
a time, he says. So even as the larger
companies were dealing with worker
shortages, his company, which consists
of four employees, was doing well.
DeLapp uses prefab countertops and
prefab cabinets, which also insulated
him against issues with worker short-
ages that other companies using cus-
tom cabinetry were encountering.
“I’m not the McDonald’s,” he says. “I
am like the Starbucks or the Panera
Bread,” of kitchen remodeling. “I supply
a service that’s rapid and quick but has
really high quality too.”
The average home improvement
spending per owner in 2019 was $11,800
for those who undertook a project, ac-
cording to an analysis by the Joint Cen-
ter for Housing Studies.
DIY home renovations
From 2010 to 2019, homeowners
largely relied on professional contrac-
tors for projects, but in 2020, with many
owners required to work from home,
and amid health concerns about having
contractors on-site, do-it-yourself pro-
jects gained new popularity, the report
found.
In late March 2020, 60% of respon-
dents of a survey by The Farnsworth
Group and the Home Improvement Re-
search Institute had started at least one
DIY maintenance or improvement pro-
ject within the previous two to three
weeks. By early May, that share had
jumped to almost 80%.
A major motivation for owners to
tackle projects themselves was the de-
sire to avoid having workers in their
homes.
That was the case with Danielle Gar-
linger, who bought a house in early 2020
in Conroe, just north of Houston. She
paid $300,000 for the house built in
1976.
“I think we were in our house for
the war, and the resulting high airfares
and gas costs could dissuade visitors.
Fifty-two percent of visitors arrived
by car last year, a 280-mile trek across
the desert from Los Angeles, the gam-
bling mecca’s convention and visitor
authority reported. The other 48% came
by air. The hotel-casino industry in Ne-
vada employs thousands.
Other casinos around the nation that
are often destinations far from city cen-
ters could suffer. The industry’s Amer-
ican Gaming Association isn’t sure what
the ultimate effect will be.
Gardeners
Residential and commercial garden-
ers not only have to drive fuel-thirsty
pickups loaded with lawn equipment,
they have to fuel their mowers and
blowers as well.
Miguel Diaz of Brothers Landscaping
in Los Angeles said he’s feeling the ef-
fects. Every day, he has to shell out at
MONEY
The bottom line is, though you won’t
get what some would call the “full” 5G
experience on the updated iPhone SE
and iPad Air, you will get the benefits
that most people with 5G phones cur-
rently experience.
Also, there is more to 5G than just
faster download speeds, and those ca-
pabilities are incorporated into Apple’s
latest devices. Most notably, 5G net-
works are supposed to give us impor-
tant reductions in what’s called latency,
or the delay that can occur between
when you do something on your screen
– like pummel a bad guy inside a game –
and when the cloud-based server run-
ning the game responds.
The truth is, we’ve yet to see many
noticeable real-world examples of this
phenomena just yet – in part because of
ongoing upgrades to 5G networks that
are still occurring, and applications and
cloud-based services that need to be
updated to take advantage of these la-
tency improvements. Owners of 5G-ca-
pable smartphones of all types will
eventually benefit from these enhance-
ments.
The march to 5G proliferation and
impact has certainly been slower than
many predicted, but steps like the avail-
ability of lower-cost phones and tab-
lets, in conjunction with better 5G net-
work coverage, are certainly key to mak-
ing the technology as impactful as it can
be.
maybe a month, and we took a hammer
to my son’s bathroom and we tore it out,”
she says. “Since it was built in the ’70s, it
had soffits in the ceiling and it was really
dark. A few months later we did the tile
in his bathroom too.”
Then last month, she installed a
board and batten accent wall in her
son’s playroom with the help of her hus-
band.
Over the next year, she hopes to re-
place her kitchen. The fact that her
Spanish-style house is now being ap-
praised for $400,000 gives her addi-
tional comfort to dip her toe into new
projects, she says.
“We want to do one room at a time,”
she says.
Financing the
home remodeling project
About 20% of home improvement
projects costing $50,000 or more are fi-
nanced with home equity compared to
less than 5% of projects costing $10,000
or less, according to the Harvard report.
Otto, the Boise homeowner, financed
about $60,000 of his $140,000 con-
struction project with a home equity
loan.
The house he bought in 2019 for
$700,000 is now valued at more than $1
million even without all the work he has
put in. With the improvements he’s
made, he estimates it’s worth close to
$1.2 million.
Having been able to oversee the con-
tractors while he worked from home
helped with the timely completion of
the project in about three months, he
says.
“Being able to be there to monitor
that and to update the general contrac-
tor on what was done helped to speed
the process up,” he says. “He was work-
ing on several other projects.”
At one point, Otto fired a subcontrac-
tor who was tiling his backsplash.
Somewhat of a perfectionist, he ended
up doing the job himself.
“I even cut back on my own hours to
do some of the work,” he says. “Being at
home certainly motivated us to get it
done and live in the place that we want-
ed to live in, you know? It’s fantastic.”
least $40 on gas.
“It’s expensive,” he said.
Real estate brokers
Albert Saenz, who sells homes
through his Cadenza Realty in Austin,
Texas, has a double concern.
Not only is he affected by higher gas
prices – he puts in 20,000 to 25,000 miles
on the road a year – but fuel issues might
change the patterns of the real estate
market. Some buyers may not want to live
so far from a fast-growing city’s center.
“When gas becomes an issue, the
commuters can’t afford going further
out,” he said. “It is going to affect the
buyer pool for those far-out buyers.”
He said he may rely more on a service
that offers a modest fee to another bro-
ker who can show homes far from
Saenz’s office.
“In our market, we have ‘showing ser-
vices’ available, and I have been using
them through the pandemic,” Saenz said.
MONEY USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 3B

TRAVEL

Heavenly and Kirkwood draw crowds

Slopes busier than ever;
arrive early for parking
David McKay Wilson
USA TODAY
Back in the day, getting an “alpine
start” for a day of skiing meant you left
home early in time for the lifts to open.
In 2022, with skiing and riding so
popular among pandemic-weary winter
sports enthusiasts, it means getting
there before the lift opens to find a park-
ing spot and avoid traffic backups that
can routinely exceed an hour on week-
days and holidays.
It’s especially true at resorts owned
by Vail Resorts, whose Epic pass hit the
sweet spot this year among 2.1 million
skiers and snowboarders who bought
passes discounted by 20% in the 2021-
22 season.
My son, his three friends and I heed-
ed the warnings in late February on our
three-day visit to Lake Tahoe by the
California-Nevada line to ski at Heaven-
ly and Kirkwood.
At 8:10 a.m. one Sunday morning,
Robert Hart of South Lake Tahoe, found
parking 20 minutes before the lifts
opened. He said 2022 was like no other
in his 20-plus years in town. Extreme
weather had added to the crush, with
regulars from the nearby Sierra-at-Ta-
hoe ski area now frequenting Heavenly
after the Caldor wildfire in September
engulfed a significant part of its terrain,
with the area still closed because its
damaged ski lifts still under repair.
“It’s way busier than it’s ever been,”
said Hart, a handyman who plans on
skiing at least 50 days this winter. “You
either get there early to get a parking
spot, or you come super late after people
have left.”
Vail Resorts spokesperson Dennis
Baggett said the popularity of skiing and
snowboarding during COVID-19 times
has ski operators across the nation
scrambling to expand parking options
while encouraging visitors to get there
early or carpool with friends. In South
Lake Tahoe, there’s a shuttle bus that
takes you up Ski Run Boulevard while
others park downtown for $25 days in
Heavenly Village and take the gondola
up the mountain.
A decidedly dry December ended
with a superstorm over the Christmas
holiday that dumped over 10 feet of
snow to provide ample snow, once the
resorts dug out and revved up the lifts.
Then came another snow drought for six
weeks that ended in late February, a
couple of days before my arrival.
Luke Wilson, of Mahopac, N.Y., descends a bowl at Kirkwood ski resort in
Kirkwood, Calif. PHOTOS BY DAVID MCKAY WILSON/USA TODAY
I’d come to Lake Tahoe to visit my 25-
year-old son, Luke, and three of his bud-
dies staying at a two-bedroom condo off
Ski Run Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe
the summit. There we found immacu-
lately groomed trails by the Skylift, laid
out in what’s called fresh corduroy –
with the snow set up in inch-high
grooves that’s the next best thing to
fresh powder. The boys led me down in
wide, swooping turns, with Lake Tahoe
spread out in all its glory below.
By day’s end, we’d logged 25,000
vertical feet of descent. The sprawling
Heavenly resort straddles the Califor-
nia-Nevada line, making our day on the
mountain an interstate affair.
Afternoons at the East Peak Lodge
portended party time this spring, with a
DJ spinning tunes from an elevated
stand by the lifts, with skiers in shirt
sleeves – or no shirt – dancing in the
snow sleeves to the throbbing beat.
At Kirkwood, we found parking be-
hind the Red Cliffs Lodge at 9:15 a.m., af-
ter inching forward for 25 minutes to get
there. We sampled some of the extreme
terrains in Eagle Bowl, where qualifying
competitions for the World Freeride
tour took place this year. We found
pockets of fresh snow that topped our
ski boots on harrowing descents be-
tween rock outcroppings.
Waiting wasn’t limited
to the slopes
Visiting South Lake Tahoe during ski
season takes planning. The waits
weren’t only for parking at the slopes.
Our favorite nighttime destination was
Heavenly Village, and collection of
shops, restaurants, outdoor music, and
a skating rink by the California-Nevada
line on Route 50, not far from the termi-
nal for the Heavenly gondola.
Robert Hart, Restaurants had both indoor and
left, of South outdoor dining, but getting a table at
Lake Tahoe, dinner time takes patience. You need to
said the show up to put your name on a list, and
parking that could take up to 90 minutes for a
situation at table.
Heavenly is the Parking can be scarce downtown, so
worst he has we paid $5 after 5 p.m. to park in the
experienced, city-owned parking structure. It’s by
so he arrives the Heavenly gondola, so you can park
about a there for $25 a day. But these rates dou-
half-hour ble during holidays.
before lifts My final day at Heavenly ended late
open or late in in the afternoon as we stood atop a
the afternoon. steep mogul-filled trail called Gunbar-
rel, where competitors on March 26 will
see who can ski 25 runs the fastest.
As it neared 4 p.m., the snow had
softened, and the bumps were forgiving
as I descended, with the young lads
he’d found on Airbnb. scooting down far ahead. I took my
Getting up the mountain can pay div- time, savoring my days at Heavenly. We
idends. At Heavenly, our early morning arrived early, so it was a quick walk to
start on Sunday morning brought us to the car.

Nonbinary travelers can find their community in Japan

Lex Byrd
Special to USA TODAY
I struggled for a long time to find my
place. As a mixed BIPOC, nonbinary,
lesbian woman growing up in Arizona, it
was exhausting trying to navigate my
intersectionality.
Even the smallest things – like get-
ting a haircut, picking which section of
stores to shop in, or needing to use a
restroom in a public place
– were drenched in un-
necessary politics.
The invalidation had
me desperately longing
for acceptance. It was
hard being an outsider in
Byrd the place you’re sup-
posed to call home.
So I decided that if I was going to
keep feeling like an outsider, I would at
least do it in a place where it made
sense.
I did a few teaching interviews, got
my papers in order, packed all I could
into two suitcases, and booked my flight
to Osaka, Japan.
Japan is a place with many faces. In
the 31⁄2 years I’ve lived here, I have been
lucky enough to find myself in both
worlds. The cities, with their fast-paced
days and boisterous nights. The coun-
tryside, with slow, picturesque magic.
That doesn’t mean I suddenly found
my place here. Living and traveling Ja-
pan has been a journey of self-realiza-
tion and an exercise in creating my own
community.
Japan tends to have relatively con-
servative political leanings, especially
among older generations, and does still
have a long way to go with accepting and
giving political rights to members of the
LGBTQ+ community.
Japan’s national government does
As long as you’re respectful, most people in Japan won’t bat an eye at any
self-expression – visual or verbal. Acceptance is easy to find, people are friendly,
and, even as an outsider, it’s hard to feel alone. JAE C. HONG/AP
not recognize same-sex unions, and has
no laws giving protection from
discrimination based on sexual orienta-
tion or gender identity.
Some places, like Tokyo, have made
recent efforts to provide orientation and
identity-based protections in local law,
and over 100 Japanese municipalities
have begun offering “proof of partner-
ship” certificates to same-sex couples,
though these carry no weight on a feder-
al level.
But there is a level of acceptance
when it comes to self-expression. Ex-
pectations in fashion, specifically, have
become malleable in the country. Allow-
ing yourself to experiment with how you
present yourself is easy in large cities
like Osaka and Tokyo, and nobody will
openly question your choices.
An additional issue is that the Japa-
nese language itself doesn’t really have
terminology that could equate to gender
nonconforming pronouns. People who
use they/them or other genderqueer
pronouns may have a hard time with
this. However, in Japanese conversa-
tion, emphasis is put less on “she,” “he,”
or “they,” and more on “I.”
There are a staggering number of
first-person pronouns, and each has its
own feel. Some are more professional,
some very casual, some exceptionally
masculine or feminine, and some are
kind of a catch-all.
Exploring this form of self-expres-
sion can be incredibly validating. There
is something wonderful about both the
simple self-recognition and making
yourself known to others without hav-
ing to explain it any further.
And, in most cases, you truly don’t
need to explain it. The overall mindset
in Japan is largely, “live and let live.”
Most adults will take what you say and
go with it. If there are any questions,
they generally come from a place of gen-
uine curiosity, since nonbinary identity
and gender nonconformity aren’t com-
monly spoken about in Japan.
If you teach young kids, do prepare to
get questions from them. They have no
filter and endless curiosity. (Some
things are universal.)
You also may experience “foreigner
privilege.” Japanese culture tends to be
far harder on native Japanese people
than on foreigners.
As long as you’re respectful, most
people won’t bat an eye at any self-ex-
pression – visual or verbal – that might
be deemed unusual for somebody born
and raised in Japan. While it certainly
isn’t fair and deserves reflection and
analysis of its own, this is a cultural
phenomenon that affords a nonbinary
traveler a level of acceptance they may
not find elsewhere.
All of these things make it a lot easier
to feel comfortable and create your own
community here.
Acceptance is easy to find, people are
friendly, and, even as an outsider, it’s
hard to feel alone. In my case, I’ve made
my place here among other foreign
teachers and expats, people within the
LGBTQ+, Japanese co-workers and
friends, and even some of my students
and their families. I have my communi-
ty. And for that and all it taught me along
the way, I will always be thankful to Ja-
pan.
Lex Byrd is a queer writer of color cur-
rently based in Kyoto, Japan, and fre-
quently travels the country.
4B ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
AMERICA’S MARKETS
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE
Closing: 33,286.25
+653.61 Change: +2.0%
YTD % Chg: -8.4%
MARKET PERFORMANCE BY SECTOR
Sector Close Chg.
Energy 75.17 -2.37
Utilities 70.20 -0.50
Financials 36.97 +1.31
Consumer staples 72.97 +0.49
Industrials 98.86 +1.76
Health care 129.96 +2.41
Materials 82.24 +2.47
Telecom 71.48 +2.20
Technology 149.25 +5.68
Consumer discret. 168.79 +5.26
S&P 500’S BIGGEST GAINERS
Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg.
Match Group Inc (MTCH) 98.93 +11.23 +12.8
Tapestry Inc (TPR) 35.88 +3.45 +10.6
Caesars Entertainm (CZR) 77.59 +7.35 +10.5
Moderna Inc (MRNA) 142.49 +13.21 +10.2
Carnival Corp (CCL) 17.27 +1.39
ALABAMA Montgomery: A legisla-
tive panel swiftly advanced lottery
and casino legislation Wednesday,
after a hearing dominated by oppo-
nents who said the plan would hand
licenses to a few powerful operators.
ALASKA Juneau: Authorities are
investigating a natural gas leak de-
tected last week at a ConocoPhillips
oil drilling site on the North Slope.
ARIZONA Tucson: First lady Jill Bi-
den touted her husband’s push to end
cancer and administration efforts to
improve health care for Native Amer-
icans during a stop Tuesday at the
Tohono O’odham Nation.
ARKANSAS Little Rock: Gov. Asa
Hutchinson on Tuesday signed a bill
giving bonuses to law enforcement
officers and raising state trooper pay.
CALIFORNIA Sacramento: Gov. Ga-
vin Newsom proposed sending mon-
ey back to taxpayers to offset record-
high gas prices but rejected calls to
increase oil drilling, saying he wants
to free the state “once and for all from
the grasp of petro-dictators.”
COLORADO Denver: Dozens of coun-
ties and cities are opposing a railroad
project that would bring as many as
10 trains, each 2 miles long, carrying
oil through Denver each day.
CONNECTICUT Hartford: Gov. Ned
Lamont’s administration and nearly
three dozen state employee bargain-
ing units have reached tentative
agreements on new labor contracts.
DELAWARE Clayton: A volunteer fire
chief and town manager has died a
day after he was injured in a 25-foot
fall at the firehouse, officials said.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washing-
ton: Dreams of a Washington Com-
manders return to the city are fading,
and now the district’s delegate to
Congress is calling plans to build a
new stadium on the old RFK site a
“Hail Mary,” WUSA-TV reports.
FLORIDA Plant City: Strawberry
shortcake is the state dessert after
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Mon-
day at a festival celebrating the fruit.
Key lime remains the state pie.
GEORGIA Atlanta: A plan to cut state
income taxes by more than $1 billion
passed the House on Wednesday,
with some Democrats backing the
plan despite findings that it would
raise taxes on more than 500,000
residents, with overall benefits tilted
toward the most wealthy taxpayers.
HAWAII Honolulu: The nation’s last
statewide mask mandate will be lift-
ed by March 26, Gov. David Ige said.
IDAHO Boise: The state House on
Tuesday voted to prohibit gender
reassignment surgeries and gender-
affirming health care such as puberty
blockers and hormone therapy for
minors. Violations would be a felony
punishable by up to life in prison.
ILLINOIS Springfield: A $4 million
federal grant program is available to
pay for bilingual teachers to earn a
state license to teach English.
INDIANA Indianapolis: The state will
soon have its first Literary Landmark:
the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Li-
brary, which will celebrate the honor
and the 100th anniversary of the
Indiana native’s birth April 10, The
(Northwest Indiana) Times reports.
IOWA Des Moines: A company that
plans to build a $450 million beef
processing plant is asking Gov. Kim
Reynolds to sink $150 million in fed-
eral pandemic relief into the project.
MONEY
ALL THE MARKET ACTION IN REAL TIME
MARKETS.USATODAY.COM
S&P 500 • STANDARD & POOR’S NASDAQ COMPOSITE RUSSELL 2000
Closing: 4,277.88 Closing: 13,255.55 Closing: 2,016.29
+107.18 Change: +2.6%
YTD % Chg: -10.3% +459.99 Change: +3.6%
YTD % Chg: -15.3% +53.28 Change: +2.7%
YTD % Chg: -10.2%
MARKET NOTEBOOK TOP 10 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS COMMODITIES
4wk 1 YTD 1 Issues NYSE NASDAQ ETF, ranked by volume Ticker Close Chg. % Chg %YTD Commodities Close Prev. Chg. % Chg. % YTD
+9.2% +35.4% Advancing 1,942 2,911 SPDR S&P500 ETF Tr SPY 427.41 +11.16 +2.7% -10.0% Cattle (lb.) 1.38 1.39 -0.01 -1.1% -1.0%
Declining 545 612 ProShs UltraPro QQQ TQQQ 46.64 +4.51 +10.7% -43.9% Corn (bushel) 7.35 7.55 -0.20 -2.6% +23.9%
+2.1% -1.9%
Unchanged 34 233 SPDR Financial XLF 36.97 +1.31 +3.7% -5.3% Gold (troy oz.) 1,985.90 2,040.10 -54.20 -2.7% +8.7%
-9.9% -5.3%
Total 2,521 3,756 ProShs UltPro ShtQQQ SQQQ 44.36 -5.31 -10.7% +49.4% Hogs, lean (lb.) 1.01 1.03 -0.02 -1.7% +24.2%
-4.4% -5.4% Natural Gas (Btu.) 4.53 4.53 unch. -0.0% +21.3%
Issues at SPDR Energy XLE 75.17 -2.37 -3.1% +35.4%
-3.6% -6.6% Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ 334.99 +11.64 +3.6% -15.8% Oil, heating (gal.) 3.46 4.44 -0.98 -21.9% +48.8%
New 52 Week High 13 66
-3.1% -7.8% iPath Sh Term Fut VXX 27.03 -1.12 -4.0% +45.9% Oil, lt. swt. crude (bar.) 108.70 123.70 -15.00 -12.1% +44.5%
New 52 Week Low 33 28
-4.2% -9.2% iShs Emerg Mkts EEM 44.31 +1.22 +2.8% -9.3% Silver (troy oz.) 25.76 26.89 -1.13 -4.2% +10.4%
Share Volume
-8.4% -13.1% Total 5,252,666,522 4,892,665,620 iShares Silver Trust SLV 23.80 -0.65 -2.7% +10.6% Soybeans (bushel) 16.86 17.05 -0.19 -1.1% +26.9%
3,881,972,032 iShares EAFE ETF EFA 70.24 +2.82 +4.2% -10.7% Wheat (bushel) 12.00 12.73 -0.73 -5.8% +55.6%
-9.0% -14.2% Advancing 3,886,135,650
Declining 1,357,366,411 979,094,526
-10.7% -17.4%
Unchanged 9,164,461 31,599,062
FOREIGN CURRENCIES FOREIGN MARKETS
S&P 500’S BIGGEST LOSERS Currency per dollar
British pound
Close
.7587
Prev.
.7629
6 mo. ago
.7226
Yr. ago
.7196
Country Close Prev. Change %Chg. %YTD
Frankfurt 13,847.93 12,831.51 +1016.42 +7.9% -12.8%
YTD Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg. YTD Canadian dollar 1.2830 1.2890 1.2648 1.2633 Hong Kong 20,627.71 20,765.87 -138.16 -0.7% -11.8%
-25.2 Phillips 66 (PSX) 79.35 -4.96 -5.9 +9.5 Japan (Nikkei) 24,717.53 24,790.95 -73.42 -0.3% -14.2%
Chinese yuan 6.3177 6.3187 6.4554 6.5066
-11.6 Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) 82.79 -4.99 -5.7 +35.3 London 7,190.72 6,964.11 +226.61 +3.3% -2.6%
Schlumberger Ltd (SLB) 42.56 -2.52 -5.6 +42.1 Euro .9028 .9168 .8453 .8403
-17.0 Mexico City 53,911.77 53,288.23 +623.53 +1.2% +1.2%
-43.9 Halliburton (HAL) 34.84 -1.92 -5.2 +52.3 Japanese yen 115.85 115.74 109.70 108.47
+8.8 -14.2 Valero Energy (VLO) 87.14 -3.40 -3.8 +16.0 Mexican peso 20.8816 21.3272 19.9406 21.1743 SOURCE Morningstar, Dow Jones Indexes, The Associated Press
News from across the USA
HIGHLIGHT: NEW HAMPSHIRE OHIO Toledo: In the year since a
fraternity pledge died from alcohol
poisoning, Bowling Green State Uni-
versity has hired a hazing prevention
coordinator and made it easier for
students to tell the school about haz-
ing, resulting in more reports.
OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City: Dr.
Lance Frye, the former state health
commissioner, has been appointed
the Muscogee Nation’s first-ever sur-
geon general, the tribe said Tuesday.
OREGON Salem: The chair of the
Oregon Republican Party is stepping
down, citing “wickedness” and “com-
munist psychological warfare tactics.”
PENNSYLVANIA Harrisburg: All sev-
en state Supreme Court justices is-
sued opinions Wednesday on their
4-3 vote last month to pick a new
map of congressional districts, dis-
closing the majority relied partially
on fairness to the two major parties.
RHODE ISLAND Warwick: Breeze
Airways has added five new nonstop
flights out of the state’s airport, in-
cluding its first to the West Coast.
Victoria the bear in her habitat at Clark’s Trading Post in the White Mountains
SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: The
town of Lincoln, N.H., in 2015. CAROLYN GRANT/CLARK’S TRADING POST VIA AP
state’s health agency is again asking
people to bring dead crows, blue jays,
house finches and house sparrows to
Lincoln: A 32-year-old trained black bear who was a featured performer at a
their offices for West Nile virus tests.
theme park has died. Victoria the bear, who died Monday, was part of a show at
Clark’s Trading Post and was described by the park on Facebook as “a true pro- SOUTH DAKOTA Pierre: GOP propos-
fessional with an admirable work ethic” who enjoyed dancing. “When she als to allow exemptions from employ-
danced her pirouettes, she would toss her head in the air with exuberance,” the ers’ COVID-19 vaccine requirements
post said. She also was an accomplished paw painter. The park said Victoria were derailed Tuesday after legisla-
would stand on a scale for W. Murray Clark, and he would read her weight, then tors couldn’t find agreement on com-
say in a deadpan voice: “But that is Victoria’s secret.” “She was my best friend,” peting proposals by Gov. Kristi Noem
said Clark’s daughter, Maureen Clark, who helped to train her. and House Speaker Spencer Gosch.
TENNESSEE Nashville: Republicans
in the state House advanced a bill
Tuesday that would bar K-12 schools
KANSAS Topeka: Lawmakers are MISSISSIPPI Jackson: The state
from using textbooks or materials
considering changes to so-called House honored the stars of HGTV’s
that “promote, normalize, support or
merit selection of state Supreme “Home Town” on Tuesday, and Ben
address LGBT issues or lifestyles.”
Court justices, at a time when the and Erin Napier used the visit to
court is likely to hear a challenge to lobby for a local tourism tax hike. TEXAS Houston: Harris County’s
a GOP-authored U.S. House maps. election administrator submitted her
MISSOURI Jefferson City: Repub-
resignation Tuesday after issues with
KENTUCKY Frankfort: State and lican state lawmakers on Tuesday
last week’s primary, including about
local governments and public col- sought to require photo ID to vote.
10,000 ballots not counted that day.
leges would be barred from requir-
MONTANA Helena: Federal judges
ing disclosure of COVID-19 vaccine UTAH Salt Lake City: An antique
adopted a new map Tuesday under
status under a bill that cleared a coin salesman who pleaded guilty to
which the state will elect members
House panel on party lines Tuesday. money laundering and fraud charges
of the Public Service Commission
stemming from a $200 million silver
LOUISIANA New Orleans: City offi- this year, barring legislative action.
trading scheme was sentenced to 19
cials, facing a shortage of police
NEBRASKA Omaha: The University years in prison Tuesday in what a
officers, can increase the number of
of Nebraska is asking three GOP federal judge called one of the largest
hours a week officers are allowed to
candidates for governor to stop Ponzi schemes in Utah history.
work private security details, a fed-
using its logos in campaign ads.
eral judge ruled Wednesday. VERMONT Underhill: The state’s
NEVADA Las Vegas: The school maple tree season has kicked off with
MAINE Portland: The pesky brown-
district no longer requires masks on a ceremonial tap by Gov. Rick Scott at
tail moth appears to be spreading
buses or weekly staff virus testing. the Proctor Maple Research Center.
due to warming temperatures, a
group of scientists has found. NEW JERSEY Ocean City: Over 200 VIRGINIA Leesburg: A first group of
people upset about an offshore wind Afghan refugees has arrived at a new
MARYLAND Annapolis: A measure
turbine project attended a virtual temporary housing facility in North-
to help address climate change by
public hearing on a plan to bring a ern Virginia, the Department of
boosting the state’s emissions re-
power line ashore on the island. Homeland Security said Wednesday.
ductions goals moved forward in the
Senate on Tuesday. NEW MEXICO Santa Fe: The state’s WASHINGTON Seattle: Unlicensed
K-12 students will see a greater fo- teachers taught at charter schools in
MASSACHUSETTS Boston: A retired
cus on race and ethnicity, including Seattle and Tacoma, in violation of
doctor with terminal cancer is the
Native American history, in their state rules, a state audit has found.
focus of a case before the state’s
curriculum over the next two years.
highest court over whether medical- WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: State
ly assisted death should be legal. NEW YORK New York: Authorities senators passed a bill Wednesday
suspect arson after multiple small that would reinstate a film tax credit
MICHIGAN Ann Arbor: The Univer-
brush fires Tuesday in Central Park. after one GOP lawmaker complained
sity of Michigan said it has removed
that it only benefits Hollywood.
a camper, tent, signs and other NORTH CAROLINA Scaly Moun-
items that represented a former tain: Allegations ex-White House WISCONSIN Madison: The Assembly
football player’s protest over the chief of staff Mark Meadows lied to speaker has signed a new contract
school’s handling of sex abuse alle- elections officials about living in a with an ex-state Supreme Court jus-
gations involving a campus doctor. Macon County mobile home have tice hired to look into the 2020 vote.
led to calls for an investigation.
MINNESOTA Minneapolis: A risk WYOMING Cheyenne: The state
management firm’s report on how NORTH DAKOTA Fargo: The U.S. House won’t be taking up a bill that
local police, fire and other agencies Attorney’s Office in North Dakota would bar voters from declaring their
responded to protests that erupted says it has reached a settlement party affiliation on Election Day, the
following the killing of George Floyd with a bus transit service over a Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports.
paints a picture of miscommunica- federal complaint about failure to From USA TODAY Network and
tion and a lack of planning. accommodate disabilities. wire reports
SPORTS
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Franchise quarterbacks, franchise tagged (re- Check out who won last night in the NBA and NHL
USA TODAY | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SECTION C ceivers) and untagged among winners. Page 7C and college basketball conference tournaments
E3

Commanders to land Wentz from Colts

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
and Mike Jones
USA TODAY
The NFL’s quarterback carousel con-
tinued to spin for a second straight day.
The Indianapolis Colts are trading
quarterback Carson Wentz to the Wash-
ington Commanders for a package of
picks, a person with knowledge of the
move told USA TODAY Sports. The per-
son spoke on condition of anonymity
because the decision was not yet offi-
cial. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to
report the news.
Indianapolis will receive a third-
round pick in 2022 and 2023, with the
latter potentially becoming a second-
round pick if Wentz plays 70% of the
team’s snaps, Schefter reported. The
teams also will swap 2022 second-
round picks, per Schefter.
The Colts are moving on from Wentz
just one year after acquiring him from
the Philadelphia Eagles for what be-
came a first-round draft pick as well as a
third-round selection.
Wentz, 29, threw for 3,563 yards with
27 touchdowns and seven intercep-
tions. But his struggles in the Week 18
loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars led to
Indianapolis being eliminated from
playoff contention.
At the NFL scouting combine, Colts
general manager Chris Ballard was non-
committal about Wentz’s future with
the team.
“I know I’m going to get a lot of ques-
tions about Carson right now. I don’t
have a direct answer for you,” Ballard
said last Tuesday. “(Jim) Irsay, Frank
and I will sit down over the next 10 days
and figure out where it’s going.”
The Colts will now have their fifth dif-
ferent starting quarterback in five years.
The only remaining signal-callers on the
roster are second-year
passer Sam Ehlinger and
James Morgan, who
landed on the practice
squad last December.
Said Colts linebacker
Wentz Darius Leonard on Twit-
ter: “Here we go again!
About to be 5 years with the Colts and
5 different QBs! Thank you Carson for
everything this year my guy! Wish you
nothing but the best!”
Commanders coach Ron Rivera said
at the combine that the team was “try-
ing to truly cover every base” in taking
stock of its options at quarterback in
free agency, trades and the draft.
Ryan Fitzpatrick began last season as
the team’s starter, with Taylor Heinicke
taking over after the veteran was side-
lined by a hip injury.
Washington has started 10 quarter-
backs at least one game since 2018.
“There’s an old saying: ‘What are you
willing to pay for that Major League
Baseball card? Whatever you pay, that’s
what you think the value is,” Rivera said.
“So, when you get in these negotiations
with another team, it’s whatever they’re
asking for, is it what you’re willing to pay
for? Then that’s what it is.
“Does anybody really care what was
traded for Matthew Stafford last year?
No.”
Wentz has three years remaining on
his contract. He is due $28 million in
2022, including a $5 million roster bo-
nus next week.
The move comes one day after the
Denver Broncos agreed to acquire quar-
terback Russell Wilson in a trade with
the Seattle Seahawks. The Command-
ers offered a significant package of
picks to the Seahawks in an effort to
land Wilson but were rebuffed, accord-
ing to multiple reports.

MLB

No deal:
Two more
’22 series
canceled
No. 1 No. 3 Gabe Lacques
No. 2 No. 4
Viktor Hovland (24) USA TODAY
Jon Rahm (27) Collin Morikawa (25) Patrick Cantlay (29)
Major League Baseball canceled

GENERATION
two more regular-season series
Wednesday as its lockout neared
Day 100, and players, teams and fans

NEXT
were left to ponder a 2022 season mi-
nus at least a dozen games on their
schedules.
Although significant progress was
made in four days of bargaining in New
York between MLB teams and the
players union, the two sides couldn’t
reach a deal after MLB’s insistence
that an international draft be included
in the collective bargaining agreement
– or that the CBA be reopened after the
2024 season.
That brought to a halt negotiations

World Top 5 all younger than 30 for first time
Adam Schupak
No. 5 Scottie Scheffler (25) Golfweek
USA TODAY Network
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – As a
junior golfer, Scottie Scheffler used to
wear long pants because that’s what
the pros wear. Even from a young age,
he seemed destined to walk inside the
fairways.
“I remember when I was a kid at Roy-
al Oaks I used to wear long pants when I
would practice when I was 7 or 8 years
old, and everybody used to make fun of
me, but that’s what I did,” he said.
“That’s what the pros did, so I wore
pants.”
When Scheffler won the Arnold
Palmer Invitational on Sunday, his sec-
ond PGA Tour title in his last three
starts, he improved to No. 5 in the Offi-
cial World Golf Ranking. It marked the
first time that the top 5 in the world –
No. 1 Jon Rahm (27), Collin Morikawa
(25), Viktor Hovland (24), Patrick Cant-
lay (29) and Scheffler (25) – all were un-
See GOLF, Page 2C
The Players Championship
When: Thursday-Sunday.
Where: TPC Sawgrass.
Notes: A total of 46 of the world’s top
50 players will be playing this week at
the event outside Jacksonville . ... The
PGA Tour’s flagship event remains the
richest stop on the Tour schedule with
a whopping $20 million purse, up from
DESIGN: DAVID D. $15 million at last year’s event. Justin
ROBBINS JR./USA Thomas took home $2.7 million in 2021,
TODAY NETWORK; AND and this year’s champion will pocket a
USA TODAY IMAGES cool $3.6 million.
that saw the sides pull maddeningly
close on key issues such as the luxury
tax ceiling and minimum salary. MLB
insisted that the international draft
was included in every previous pro-
posal, while the MLBPA noted it had
been rejected every time.
“In a last-ditch effort to preserve a
162-game season, this week we have
made good-faith proposals that ad-
dress the specific concerns voiced by
the MLBPA and would have allowed
the players to return to the field imme-
diately,” MLB Commissioner Rob
Manfred said in a statement. “The
Clubs went to extraordinary lengths to
meet the substantial demands of the
MLBPA. On the key economic issues
that have posed stumbling blocks, the
Clubs proposed ways to bridge gaps to
preserve a full schedule. Regrettably,
after our second late-night bargaining
session in a week, we remain without a
deal.
“Because of the logistical realities of
the calendar, another two series are
being removed from the schedule,
meaning that Opening Day is post-
poned until April 14th. We have the ut-
most respect for our players and hope
they will ultimately choose to accept
the fair agreement they have been of-
fered.”
The MLBPA, in its own statement,
called the canceling of additional
games “completely unnecessary” and
that players still had not heard back
from the league after making what it
termed “a set of comprehensive pro-
posals to the league” earlier Wednes-
day.
For now, the nearly 200 total games
wiped off the slate represent the third-
largest number of games lost to a work
stoppage, surpassed only by the 713
cancellations in the 1981 strike and the
948 lost in the 1994-95 strike/lockout.
Now, just two years after the pan-
demic kicked season openers from
March to July, MLB faces a delay of its
own making: Opening Day, barring a
quick settlement and rescheduling,
will likely be pushed back to April 14.
Contributing: Bob Nightengale
2C ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
Justin Thomas plans to heed Nick Saban’s advice on title defenses: You don’t defend a title, so go out, have fun and just try
to win again. PGA TOUR
Saban offers up sage advice
on defending titles to Thomas
Steve DiMeglio
Golfweek | USA TODAY Network
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Ala-
bama head football coach Nick Saban
knows a thing or two about defending a
title, having won seven national cham-
pionships.
So when he spoke recently about
making a successful defense, Justin
Thomas listened. What Thomas heard
may come as a surprise to many, but the
world No. 8 and devoted member of the
Roll Tide family loved the message.
Saban said you don’t defend a title, so
go out, have fun and just try to win
again.
“It’s so true,” Thomas said Tuesday at
TPC Sawgrass as he began preparations
to defend his 2021 Players Champion-
ship title. “I don’t have to defend any-
thing. The PGA Tour isn’t going to come
to my living room and take my Players
Championship trophy from 2021 from
me after this week. That’s mine forever.
“I’m just going to go try to win it
again. Have fun. That’s all I’m going to
try to do. I am very glad that he said that,
because it definitely resonated well with
me.”
Heading into last year’s Players,
Thomas wasn’t having much fun.
He was caught up in a vortex of tur-
moil at this time last year. He had ut-
tered a homophobic slur in the third
round of the Sentry Tournament of
Golf
Continued from Page 1C
der the age of 30 since the ranking de-
buted in 1986.
“I think it’s a reflection just on the
system at work,” PGA Tour Commis-
sioner Jay Monahan said. “I mean, these
young players are coming from all over
the world at a young age, having success
on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour
at a very early age, and that depth of tal-
ent, you talk about the top 5, you extend
it past the top 5 into the top 30 and the
top 50, the athleticism, the youth, the
preparedness, the system is working,
and it’s arguably the most exciting time
in the history of the PGA Tour for that
reason.”
Today’s kids arrive on the PGA Tour
fearless. “Generation Next” tend to be
obscenely long, lack the deer-in-the-
headlights look, and lack the scar tissue
from being whipped by Tiger Woods
and Phil Mickelson.
“I think guys are coming out more
prepared,” Scheffler said.
Part of that comfort level he attribut-
ed to having played college golf against
the likes of Morikawa and Hovland, and
having held his own.
As ESPN’s Dick Vitale would put it,
this Scheffler kid, winner of the U.S. Ju-
nior Amateur before matriculating to
Texas, is a diaper dandy, baby.
“College golf is I think a lot different
than it used to be, especially when you
Champions in January, immediately
apologized and did so on many occa-
sions, but lost one sponsor and had an-
other publicly scold him.
Then his grandfather died.
Then Tiger Woods, a friend and men-
tor, was in a serous car accident.
“It’s been a crappy two months,”
Thomas said last year. “It took a lot out
of me mentally. It tested me mentally,
physically, emotionally, and I’m very
proud of myself for getting it done.”
What Thomas did to get it done was
stay patient through two so-so rounds
and shoot 64-68 on the weekend to top-
ple the best field in golf by one shot.
Although he hasn’t won since, he’s
feeling much better than last year at this
time as he comes into this week off a
sixth-place finish in the Genesis Invita-
tional, a tie for eighth in the WM Phoe-
nix Open, a tie for 20th in the Farmers
Insurance Open and a tie for fifth in the
Sentry Tournament of Champions.
“My game is in a lot better place. I’m a
lot more confident. I’m in a better place
mentally. I just feel a lot better about ev-
erything,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t nec-
essarily mean anything great is going to
happen, but that’s the fun and miser-
able thing about this game that I’ve de-
cided to play.
“I feel a lot better about things at this
time this year than last year.”
That feeling extends outside the gal-
lery ropes. The 2017 FedExCup champi-
Scottie Scheffler has risen to No. 5 in
the world after posting his first two
PGA Tour wins (WM Phoenix Open and
Arnold Palmer Invitational) in the past
month. GARY A. VASQUEZ/USA TODAY SPORTS
kind of play at one of the bigger schools.
I think the schedule that we played in
college kind of really prepared us to be
able to come out here and play good golf
just because we’re playing similar golf
courses, similar conditions,” Scheffler
explained.
All of these young stars have been
competing against each other since the
on and winner of 14 PGA Tour titles, in-
cluding the 2017 PGA, announced Mon-
day his new relationship as an ambas-
sador for Greyson Clothiers. Ralph
Lauren ended its relationship with
Thomas in January 2021.
And Thomas is engaged to longtime
girlfriend, Jillian Wisniewski.
He also has a new locker in the club-
house. Thomas joked that he has the
muscle memory to make sure he takes a
left to the Champions Locker Room in-
stead of going right to the regular locker
room.
“A nice adjustment that I’ll be able to
make going forward,” he said.
Thomas knows he has his hands full
this week. Only four of the top-50 play-
ers in the world aren’t in the tourna-
ment. And The Players hasn’t had a
back-to-back winner heading into the
40th anniversary this year.
“I’ve been playing really well. I’ve
been working really hard and feel like
some really good things are coming but
just need to stay patient,” he said. “I just
kind of haven’t gone on any of those
runs the last three tournaments that I
feel like I usually do in tournaments,
and I think that was the difference of
honestly not winning the tournaments
and finishing where I did.
“Just got to keep staying patient,
keep working hard and letting good
things happen.”
Worked last year.
junior ranks and are benefiting from
improved equipment, technology such
as TrackMan, fitness regimens and
coaching.
“We also have that belief now,”
Scheffler said. “I think for me, Jordan
really kind of changed a lot of that
when he came out here and he won
when he was 19, and it was one of those
deals where I had a personal connec-
tion with him. And so he kind of gave a
lot of the guys from Texas like me and
Will that belief that we can come out
here and play well at a young age. You
don’t have to wait until you’re 25 and
30 to get some experience under your
belt. You can come out here and play
well.”
Morikawa echoed that sentiment.
“We just truly believed in ourselves,
and that’s the No. 1 thing is that you ab-
solutely have to trust yourself that you
can do it, not just make it to the PGA
Tour, not just make it to the top 100, top
50 in the world but to be No. 1,” Morika-
wa said.
“I think that just shows how good
the young guys are coming out, how
good this kinda young pile is.”
Scheffler, Morikawa and Hovland
all have a chance to dethrone Spain’s
Jon Rahm as world No. 1 this week.
Scheffler, for one, had no idea.
Neither did Rahm, who said he’s not
going to just hand over the title.
“Even if you’re No. 1, you’ve still got
to perform every week,” Rahm said.
“I’m chasing people myself, as well, so
no, I don’t feel like I’m being chased.”
SPORTS
Stats
0 No one has successfully de-
fended his title in The Players
Championship. Coming closest
were Jack Nicklaus in 1977, Hal
Sutton in 2001 and Tom Kite in
1990; all three players tied for fifth
place defending their titles.
868 Balls in the water at the
par-3 17th since Shot-
Link began recording statistics in
2003. The par-4 18th ranks second
with 815 water balls and the par-5
16th is third with 593.
3 Players who have won the week
before and then won The Play-
ers – Raymond Floyd in 1981, Tom
Kite in ’89, Tiger Woods in 2001.
6 Players who have won multiple
Players Championships. Jack
Nicklaus (1974, 1976, 1978) is the
only three-time winner. Two-time
winners are Fred Couples (1984,
1996), Steve Elkington (1991,
1997), Hal Sutton (1983, 2000),
Davis Love III (1992, 2003) and
Tiger Woods (2001, 2013).
Tee times
Golf Channel coverage on Thurs-
day features defending champion
Justin Thomas out with Collin Mo-
rikawa and 2019 Players champion
Rory McIlroy (12:56 p.m. ET). Jor-
dan Spieth will be alongside Dustin
Johnson and Daniel Berger (12:34).
Scottie Scheffler, who has won two
of his last three starts, is playing
with Brooks Koepka and Xander
Schauffele. Friday’s coverage will
feature Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland,
Patrick Cantlay, 2004 Players
champion Adam Scott and 2008
Players champion Sergio Garcia.
FedExCup leaders
Scottie Scheffler has been on a
heater, winning two of his past
three starts. His wins at the WM
Phoenix Open and last week’s Ar-
nold Palmer Invitational, as well as
a tie for seventh in the Genesis
Invitational, have shot him to the
top of the standings. The FedEx-
Cup consists of 48 events – 45 in
the regular season and three in the
FedExCup playoffs, which culmi-
nates Aug. 25-28 at the Tour
Championship at East Lake Golf
Club in Atlanta.
1. Scottie Scheffler ................. 1,614
2. Hideki Matsuyama ............. 1,321
3. Tom Hoge ............................. 1,141
4. Talor Gooch ......................... 1,093
5. Sungjae Im .............................. 940
6. Viktor Hovland ....................... 927
7. Sam Burns ............................... 856
8. Luke List .................................. 803
9. Joaquin Niemann .................. 792
10. Cameron Smith ...................... 754
The Players Championship
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Players
Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, Flor-
ida. Yardage: 7, 256. Par: 72.
Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s
share: $3.6 million.
TV (ET): Thursday-Friday, noon-
6 p.m. (Golf); Saturday-Sunday, 1-
6 p.m. (NBC).
EUROPEAN TOUR
AND SUNSHINE TOUR
MyGolfLife Open
Course: Pecanwood Golf & CC in Hart-
beespoort, South Africa.
Yardage: 7,697. Par: 72.
Prize money: $1.5 million.
Winner’s share: $250,000.
TV: None.
Notes: This is the second of three
consecutive tournaments in Africa.
The European Tour will not return to
Africa until the Nedbank Challenge in
early November. … The Qatar Masters,
which was postponed because of
travel restrictions, has been resched-
uled to March 24-27, the same week
as the World Golf Championships-Dell
Match Play. … Richard Bland of Eng-
land at No. 56 in the world is the high-
est-ranked player in the field. Also
playing is Bernd Wiesberger of Aus-
tralia, who is No. 68 in the world. After
this week, the top 64 players available
from the world ranking are eligible for
the WGC-Match Play in Texas with a
$12 million purse. … The Sunshine Tour
in South Africa is co-sanctioning the
tournament. … Bland is No. 3 on the
DP World Tour points list, trailing Vik-
tor Hovland and Thomas Pieters.
– The Associated Press
SPORTS
INSIGHT NASCAR CUP SERIES
Trackhouse has been early surprise
Kelly Crandall
RACER magazine | USA TODAY Network
Justin Marks was bullish about
NASCAR’s future long before starting
his own Cup Series team. Marks could
see the writing on the wall with NASCAR
beginning to understand there was a
need for cost-cutting measures and a
new race car, which ultimately led to the
decision for him to jump into team own-
ership being an easy one.
Trackhouse Racing had flashes of
brilliance in its debut season with Dan-
iel Suarez. Of its four top-10 finishes
in 2021, one was an impressive and
somewhat surprising performance at
the Bristol dirt race, where Suarez led
58 laps and finished fourth.
Three races into the new 2022 sea-
son, there is no denying Trackhouse has
been one of the teams shining the
brightest. Both of its drivers, Suarez and
Ross Chastain, who was hired to drive
this year’s newly added second car, have
had chances to win: Suarez was briefly
out front with three laps to go at Fon-
tana and Chastain, having a career day
by leading 83 laps at Las Vegas, gave
Trackhouse its most laps led in a single
race.
“It’s just proof of concept for every-
body,” Marks tells RACER. “It’s proof
that if we work hard and bring well-pre-
pared race cars to the racetrack, we’ve
got the talent and the teams to get great
finishes.”
From the first moment of knowing
Next Gen was going to be the car teams
went to battle with, the mantra at Track-
house has been about having an open
mind and ditching preconceived no-
tions. Marks believes that having a new
car that is so different from the previous
one has played a part in the team’s early
season success and speed.
Yet Marks also admitted the last two
weeks were a little tough on the compa-
ny. While it’s easy to see the positives,
don’t forget that while Suarez was shin-
ing in Fontana, Chastain, who had
wrecked his primary car in practice,
spun in the race and struggled to a 29th-
place finish. In Vegas, as Chastain
racked up the most laps led, Suarez had
an early exit when he was tagged in the
right rear by Chase Briscoe and sent
crashing off Turn 4.
“It’s been a management of mood
and managing motivations, and it’s
been a lot of hard work on the guys,”
Marks says.
Chastain needed a day like Vegas to
get some of his confidence back. In the
first two races, he finished 29th or
worse, including the hard crash in prac-
tice at Fontana.
Part of what makes Marks a great
leader is recognizing Chastain needed a
pick-me-up. Before the Vegas race, he
BNP PARIBAS OPEN MEN’S STORYLINES
Keep an eye on unbeatable Nadal, Alcaraz
Shad Powers
The Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – After a re-
markable run of dominance in which
tennis’ Big Three – Roger Federer, Rafael
Nadal and Novak Djokovic – won 13 of 14
titles in Indian Wells, it’s now been an
equally surprising five years since any
of them have won the BNP Paribas
Open.
Federer won in 2017, but since then,
Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem
and Cam Norrie have hoisted the trophy
(there was no tournament in 2020).
We’ll find out soon if the 2022 ver-
sion, with the men’s main draw begin-
ning play Thursday, will produce anoth-
er surprise winner or return to domi-
nance for the big names. Here are five
storylines we’re keeping an eye on:
Can Nadal stay unbeaten?
The ageless wonder has had a spot-
less 2022 so far, arriving at Indian Wells
with a 15-0 record this year. He has
played in three tournaments and won
them all, including the Australian Open
that gave him a record 21 Grand Slam ti-
tles. He’s won this event three times,
but not since 2013. Federer is out with an
injury and Djokovic’s status remains
unclear, so it is likely up to Nadal to
strike a blow for The Big Three this year.
New No. 1 in the mix
Daniil Medvedev will play in his first
competition as the No. 1 ranked player in
Ross Chastain, who drives the No. 1 car for Trackhouse Racing, is 20th in the Cup
Series standings after finishing third Sunday. GARY A. VASQUEZ/USA TODAY SPORTS
sat down with Chastain at lunch and ex-
plained there was no need to try so hard.
“For Ross, you have to understand
this is a guy who’s been knocked down a
bunch. Almost (through) his entire ca-
reer, he’s been racing for his job next
week,” says Marks. “So he’s felt like he’s
under this tremendous amount of pres-
sure to deliver something magical right
now in this moment. My message to him
was, you don’t have to do that anymore.
You’re the guy. This is your race team
and you’re on a multi-year deal, and
you’re here because you can win, so let’s
figure out a long-term strategy about
our mental approach.
“And I also said, if you don’t win a
race for us in the next six months, your
job is not in jeopardy because these
races are hard to win. What we have to
do is improve each week and eliminate
repeated mistakes. Even if that means
slowing down 3% for the next month.
And I think he took a deep breath in the
race last weekend and slowed down a
little bit, and tried to focus on not getting
everything right now in this moment
the world. The Russian star will be con-
sidered “neutral” at this year’s event as
the BNP Paribas Open follows the deci-
sion made by tennis’ three governing
bodies (the ATP, WTA and ITF) to not ac-
knowledge players from Russia or Bela-
rus with the name of the country or their
flag. Medvedev is a deserving No. 1 as he
has played fantastic tennis in the last
year. Another big win on his ledger at
the BNP Paribas Open would solidify his
claim to the top spot.
American breakthrough
In 2001 Andre Agassi and Serena Wil-
liams won singles titles here in Indian
Wells, and since then no American has
accomplished the feat. That’s 21 long
years without an American singles win-
ner at the second-biggest American
event. Taylor Fritz made a run in Octo-
ber to the semifinal, which stoked ex-
citement that that drought could end.
Reilly Opelka at No. 17 in the world rank-
ings and Fritz at 20 would be the best
bets for an American breakthrough this
year, with the rising young trio of Sebas-
tian Korda, Tommy Paul and Jenson
Brooksby in position to surprise as well.
A Canadian champion
We mentioned the 21-year-long
American drought, but no one from
Canada has ever won the men’s singles
title here. Bianca Andreescu broke
through in 2019 to become the first Ca-
nadian woman to win this event, but
might this be the year a man joins her?
Canada has two great candidates with
USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 3C
and making calculated moves. The re-
sult was he led more laps than he’s ever
led in his career, and won the first stage
for the company and had a real shot a
winning the race.”
As for Suarez, Marks continues to say
the best version of Suarez is showing it-
self at Trackhouse.
“He’s happy,” said Marks. “He’s in a
good mood and he sees the opportunity,
and he’s just trying to do everything in
his power to take advantage of it.”
The company, meanwhile, is taking
advantage of the opportunity Marks
created by buying out Chip Ganassi Rac-
ing. Two charters led to expanding to
two teams. The organization went from
having its cars prepared on the Richard
Childress Racing campus last season to
being self-sufficient in Concord, North
Carolina, in a race shop by itself.
“That’s a pretty heavy lift, but it’s
very manageable when everybody is
lifting in the same direction,” says
Marks. “There has been a lot to learn.
Obviously, now I’ve got a seat at the ta-
ble among the team owners’ group, and
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Andy Murray of Great Britain
during their match at last year’s BNP Paribas Open. ANDY ABEYTA/THE DESERT SUN
No. 9-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime and
No. 13-ranked Denis Shapovalov. Auger-
Aliassime, in particular, is playing his
best tennis. In fact, outside of Nadal,
he’s probably had the best 2022 of any-
one so far. He made the quarterfinals at
the Australian Open and then won the
tournament at Rotterdam, and followed
that up by losing in the finals in Mar-
seilles, France. In the win at Rotterdam,
he beat Andy Murray, Cam Norrie, An-
drey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in
succession.
with Chevrolet as a key partner along-
side Hendrick and RCR, there is a lot
more work and a lot more to pay atten-
tion to. But I think when you’ve got ev-
erybody pulling in the same direction
and motivated by the same thing –
we’ve got 128 people there, and they are
real professionals at their job. So when
everybody digs in and does their job well
for the same goal, then you get to do
what we’re doing right now, and that’s
bringing fast race cars and good moods
to the racetrack.”
Despite the fast start, expectations
haven’t changed at Trackhouse. The
company expects to prepare well, exe-
cute well and with that, know results
will present themselves. That mindset
comes from Marks understanding the
need to managing the mentality shift
from “we can win” to “we will win.” It’s
dangerous, he says, getting comfortable
running at the front, because there will
be times when the team struggles.
The hope is the foundation and cul-
ture Trackhouse builds ensure those
weekends don’t have a negative impact.
Instead of being results-oriented,
Trackhouse is more about winning the
day and the moment.
“We talk about this in our competi-
tion meeting – we know the Fords are
struggling a little bit right now, and
there are a lot of unknowns around this
car, and we know there are threats com-
ing,” says Marks. “So we can’t lose focus.
We can’t all of a sudden think, ‘Well,
we’ve arrived. We should be winning
these races.’ This sport will humble you
quickly. But I think if anything, we’ve
proven to ourselves that we can win if
we continue to do the hard work. We
have to still be a work-oriented and exe-
cution-oriented enterprise.”
A great advantage for Trackhouse is
there is no legacy of winning and from a
mindset standpoint, the organization is
not expected to win. But given how
strongly Trackhouse has come on lately,
there is a balance for Marks between
still being looked at as the little guys ver-
sus just another organization.
“There is a balance between expect-
ing to win, feeling entitled and like you
deserve it, and making sure people in
the company understand that if we go to
the racetrack and have a shot to win the
race, it’s not a fluke either,” Marks says.
“It’s because we’ve got talented people,
really good equipment, good engines,
good Chevy partner. All of that stuff. So
we have to walk that balance between
knowing you can win but not just ex-
pecting to win and feeling like it’s owed
to you.
“The underdog mentality is the fact
that we’re racing against teams that
have 350 to 400 people with a winning
legacy. But we also don’t feel like we
can’t beat them if we do our jobs.”
The next Nadal?
One young player in men’s tennis
who has drawn a lot of attention recent-
ly is 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain.
He’s the only player under 20 ranked
among the top 85 players in the world,
and he broke through with a win at the
Rio Open earlier this year. Much like a
young Nadal, he plays with a flair and a
swashbuckling style that has made him
a must-see man this year at Indian
Wells.
4C ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY E3 SPORTS

Simmons returns to Philly on Nets bench

Tom Moore
Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times | USA TODAY Network
Doc Rivers quickly acknowledged it was a loaded
question.
A reporter asked Rivers after Monday’s 121-106 vic-
tory over the Chicago Bulls if the longtime coach
thought the Philadelphia 76ers should present a video
tribute for embattled Ben Simmons during Thursday’s
game against the Brooklyn Nets at a sold-out Wells
Fargo Center. Simmons is expected to sit on the Brook-
lyn bench but has yet to play since the Feb. 10 James
Harden trade due to “return to competition recondi-
tioning/back soreness.”
“Yeah, I do, actually,” Rivers replied. “Ben did a lot of
good things here, you know? It didn’t end well, just like
marriages and all kinds of other things don’t end well.
... It’s funny – I don’t know if we are or not, but I’d have
no issues with it.”
The reaction from some Sixers fans on Twitter was
swift.
One suggested running Simmons passing up an un-
contested dunk late in the top-seeded Sixers’ June
2021 Game 7 home playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks on
a repeating loop.
Another said they might “repurpose one of the off-
season videos of him making jump shots against
5’2” electricians at the local YMCA.” Yet another sug-
gested “a montage of free throws to ‘I Missed Again’ by
Phil Collins.”
The national media is weighing in, too, with ESPN’s
Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson recommend-
ing skipping the video.
The Philly faithful is upset because it overwhelm-
ingly supported Simmons (much as it did fellow for-
mer No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz) through his
offensive regression in last year’s postseason, when he
hit .333 of his free throws (15 of 45) in the Atlanta se-
ries.
Had he converted a little over half of the foul shots,
the Sixers would’ve advanced to the Eastern Confer-
ence finals for the first time since 2001. He also didn’t
attempt a field goal in the fourth quarters of Games 4-7,
three of which the Sixers lost, despite playing more
er of the Year, but the fans viewed it as a player who
took the easy way out by leaving rather than putting in
the necessary work to address his shooting shortcom-
ings.
While Rivers jokingly said “our fans are so silent, so
I can’t imagine anything (negative being directed at
Simmons),” Brooklyn coach Steve Nash and Simmons,
25, understand what’s coming.
“I don’t think he’s naive to think he’s not going to get
some boos,” Nash told reporters Tuesday. “I hope he
enjoys it – it’s part of the game. ... He needs to be with
his teammates and get the whole Philly thing out of the
way a little bit.”
The Simmons wrath in Philadelphia will likely con-
tinue throughout his career, but especially when he
plays against the Sixers for the first time. That could
happen as soon as in the playoffs or during the 2022-
23 regular season.
The Sixers reportedly plan increased security for
the game, including by the Nets bench.
PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck wrote Tuesday that
“league sources (are) anticipating that Simmons and
his representation will file a formal grievance against
the Sixers” in an effort to recoup the $20 million in
fines that the team collected during the four months he
didn’t play for them this season. That drew critical re-
sponses.
Philly fans overwhelmingly booed native son Kobe
Bryant every time he touched the ball when he played
Ben Simmons, shown last season with the 76ers, here once he said the Los Angeles Lakers were “going
returns to Philadelphia today as a member of the to cut your hearts out” after a 2001 Game 3 NBA Finals
Nets. MATT SLOCUM/AP win on the way to a 4-1 series victory. That didn’t
change until Bryant’s final game at the Wells Fargo
Center on Dec. 1, 2015, when repeated ovations caused
than 40 minutes. a smiling Kobe to remark “they got me.”
Choosing not to pass instead of dunking the ball As for Simmons, Harden and star center Joel Em-
with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in a two-point biid downplayed the significance of facing Brooklyn
Game 7 versus the Hawks started turning fans against with Simmons on the bench in a nationally broadcast
him. game on TNT (7:30 ET). Embiid said “it’s a regular
Once word got out that Simmons and agent Rich matchup for me” and noted the Sixers need to win to
Paul asked the Sixers to trade him and he didn’t plan even the season series at 2-2.
on playing for Philadelphia again, the fan base became While the last part may be true, Thursday could end
incensed. Yes, Simmons was a three-time All-Star se- up being a memorable evening for reasons other than
lection and the runner-up for 2020-21 Defensive Play- the result.

MEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Times EST (through March 12) Bellarmine Knights 77, Jacksonville 72 At Dollar Loan Center Iona-Rider-winner vs. Monmouth (NJ)-Niag- Semifinals Southwest Athletic Confer-
Times EDT (March 13) Big 12 Conference Henderson, Nev. ara-winner, 6 p.m. Friday, March 4 ence
At T-Mobile Center St. Peter's-Fairfield-winner vs. Siena-Quinni- Murray St. 88, SE Missouri 74
America East Conference First Round piac-winner, 8:30 p.m. At Bartow Arena
Kansas City, Mo. Morehead St. 53, Belmont 51
At Higher-Seeded Schools Tuesday, March 8 Championship Birmingham, Ala.
First Round CS Bakersfield 58, CS Northridge 45 Championship First Round
First Round UC Davis 63, Cal Poly 53 Saturday, March 12 Saturday, March 5
Wednesday, March 9 Semifinal winners, 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 9
Sunday, March 6 Kansas St. vs. West Virginia, 7 p.m. Quarterfinals Murray St. 71, Morehead St. 67 Texas Southern 54, Jackson St. 50
Binghamton 72, New Hampshire 69 Mid-American Conference Pac-12 Conference
UMBC 93, Mass.-Lowell 85 Quarterfinals Thursday, March 10 At Rocket Mortgage Field- Alcorn St. vs. Prairie View, 9:30 p.m.
Hartford 61, Albany (NY) 49 Thursday, March 10 Long Beach St. vs. CS Bakersfield, 3 p.m. At T-Mobile Arena Thursday, March 10
Texas vs. TCU, 12:30 p.m. UC Irvine vs. UC Santa Barbara, 5:30 p.m. house Paradise, Nev. Southern U. vs. Grambling St., 3 p.m.
Vermont 98, NJIT 59
Kansas vs. Kansas St.-West Virginia-winner, 3 Cal St.-Fullerton vs. UC Davis, 9 p.m. Cleveland, Ohio First Round Florida A&M vs. Alabama A&M, 9:30 p.m.
Semifinals Hawaii vs. UC Riverside, 11:30 p.m. First Round
Wednesday, March 9
p.m. Wednesday, March 9 Semifinals
Baylor vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Semifinals Thursday, March 10 Stanford 71, Arizona St. 70 Friday, March 11
Vermont vs. Binghamton, 7 p.m.
UMBC vs. Hartford, 7 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Iowa St., 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 11 Toledo vs. Cent. Michigan, 11 a.m. Oregon 86, Oregon St. 72 Texas Southern vs. Southern U.-Grambling
Semifinals Long Beach St.-CS Bakersfield-winner vs. UC Akron vs. Buffalo, 1:30 p.m. Washington St. vs. California, 9 p.m. St.-winner, 3 p.m.
Championship Friday, March 11 Irvine-UC Santa Barbara-winner, 9 p.m. Kent St. vs. Miami (Ohio), 4 p.m. Washington vs. Utah, 11:30 p.m. Alcorn St.-Prairie View-winner vs. Florida
Saturday, March 12 TBD vs. Texas-TCU-winner, 7 p.m. Cal St.-Fullerton-UC Davis-winner vs. Hawaii- Ohio vs. Ball St., 6:30 p.m. Quarterfinals A&M-Alabama A&M-winner, 9:30 p.m.
UMBC-Hartford-winner vs. Vermont-Bing- UC Riverside-winner, 11:30 p.m. Semifinals
hamton-winner, 11 a.m.
Baylor-Oklahoma-winner vs. Texas Tech-Iowa Thursday, March 10 Championship
St.-winner, 9:30 p.m. Championship Friday, March 11 Arizona vs. Stanford, 3 p.m. Saturday, March 12
American Athletic Conference Championship Saturday, March 12 Toledo-Cent. Michigan-winner vs. Akron-Buf- Colorado vs. Oregon, 5:30 p.m. Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
At Dickies Arena Saturday, March 12 Semifinal winners, 11:30 p.m. falo-winner, 5 p.m. UCLA vs. Washington St.-California-winner, 9 Summit League Conference
Fort Worth, Texas Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Colonial Athletic Conference Kent St.-Miami (Ohio)-winner vs. Ohio-Ball p.m. At Denny Sanford Premier
First Round Big East Conference At St. Elizabeths East Enter- St.-winner, 8:30 p.m. Southern Cal vs. Washington-Utah-winner,
Championship 11:30 p.m. Center
Thursday, March 10 At Madison Square Garden tainment and Sports Arena Sioux Falls, S.D.
Cincinnati vs. East Carolina, 1 p.m. New York, N.Y. Washington, D.C. Saturday, March 12 Semifinals
Wichita St. vs. Tulsa, 3:30 p.m. Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11 First Round
UCF vs. South Florida, 7 p.m. First Round First Round Mid-Eastern Athletic Confer- Arizona-Stanford-winner vs. Colorado-Ore- Saturday, March 5
Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 9 Saturday, March 5 ence gon-winner, 9 p.m. S. Dakota St. 87, Omaha 79
Butler 89, Xavier 82 Northeastern 68, William & Mary 63 TBD vs. TBD, 11:30 p.m. N. Dakota St. 82, Denver 62
Friday, March 11 St. John's vs. DePaul, 7:40 p.m. Quarterfinals At Norfolk Scope
Houston vs. Cincinnati-East Carolina-winner, Seton Hall vs. Georgetown, 9:30 p.m. Norfolk, Va. Championship Sunday, March 6
1 p.m. Sunday, March 6 Saturday, March 12 South Dakota 74, UMKC 61
Temple vs. Tulane, 3:30 p.m. Quarterfinals Towson 68, Northeastern 61 First Round Semifinal winners, 9 p.m. Oral Roberts 80, W. Illinois 68
SMU vs. Wichita St.-Tulsa-winner, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10 Delaware 66, Drexel 56 Wednesday, March 9 Patriot League Conference Semifinals
Memphis vs. UCF-South Florida-winner, 9:30 Providence vs. Butler, Noon UNC-Wilmington 75, Elon 58 Norfolk St. 74, Delaware St. 66 Monday, March 7
p.m. Creighton vs. Marquette, 2:30 p.m. Coll. of Charleston 92, Hofstra 76 Howard vs. Coppin St., 8:30 p.m. At Higher-Seeded Schools
S. Dakota St. 83, South Dakota 60
Semifinals Villanova vs. St. John's-DePaul-winner, 7 p.m. Semifinals Thursday, March 10 First Round N. Dakota St. 92, Oral Roberts 72
Saturday, March 12
UConn vs. Seton Hall-Georgetown-winner, Monday, March 7 Morgan St. vs. SC State, 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1 Championship
9:30 p.m. Delaware 69, Towson 56 NC Central vs. Md.-Eastern Shore, 8:30 p.m. American 69, Holy Cross 63
TBD vs. Temple-Tulane-winner, 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 8
TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m. Semifinals UNC-Wilmington 60, Coll. of Charleston 57 Semifinals Bucknell 82, Lafayette 81
S. Dakota St. 75, N. Dakota St. 69
Championship Friday, March 11 Championship Friday, March 11 Quarterfinals
Providence-Butler-winner vs. Creighton-Mar- Thursday, March 3 Sun Belt Conference
Sunday, March 13 quette-winner, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8 Norfolk St. vs. Morgan St.-SC State-winner, 6
At Pensacola Bay Center
Semifinal winners, 3:15 p.m. Delaware 59, UNC-Wilmington 55 p.m. Navy 71, American 64
TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m.
Conference USA Conference Howard-Coppin St.-winner vs. NC Central- Lehigh 91, Army 77 Pensacola, Fla.
Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Md.-Eastern Shore-winner, 8:30 p.m. Colgate 96, Bucknell 68 First Round
At Capital One Arena Saturday, March 12 At Ford Center at The Star Championship Boston U. 76, Loyola (Md.) 64
Frisco, Texas Thursday, March 3
Washington, D.C. Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12 Semifinals Louisiana-Lafayette 67, Texas-Arlington 64
First Round Big Sky Conference First Round Semifinal winners, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 6 UALR 75, South Alabama 71
Wednesday, March 9 At Idaho Central Arena Tuesday, March 8 Missouri Valley Conference Colgate 81, Lehigh 61 Arkansas St. 81, Louisiana-Monroe 77
La Salle 63, Saint Joseph's 56 Marshall 74, FIU 62 Navy 85, Boston U. 80 Georgia Southern 70, Coastal Carolina 64
Boise, Idaho Southern Miss. 67, UTSA 64 At Enterprise Center
Rhode Island 79, Duquesne 77
First Round St. Louis, Mo. Championship Quarterfinals
Second Round Second Round Wednesday, March 9 Saturday, March 5
Wednesday, March 9 Wednesday, March 9 First Round Colgate vs. Navy, 7:30 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette 79, Texas St. 72
Thursday, March 10 Sacramento St. 57, Idaho 54 Thursday, March 3
Fordham vs. George Mason, Noon Charlotte vs. Rice, 6:30 p.m. Southeastern Conference Troy 69, UALR 62
Portland St. 66, Idaho St. 52 Louisiana Tech vs. Marshall, 7 p.m. Illinois St. 58, Indiana St. 53 Georgia St. 65, Arkansas St. 62
Saint Louis vs. La Salle, 2:30 p.m. E. Washington 78, N. Arizona 75 At Amalie Arena
George Washington vs. UMass, 6 p.m. UTEP vs. Old Dominion, 9 p.m. Valparaiso 81, Evanvilee 59 Appalachian St. 73, Georgia Southern 60
Richmond vs. Rhode Island, 8:30 p.m. Quarterfinals FAU vs. Southern Miss., 9:30 p.m. Quarterfinals Tampa, Fla. Semifinals
Quarterfinals Thursday, March 10 Quarterfinals Friday, March 4 First Round Sunday, March 6
Friday, March 11
Montana St. vs. Sacramento St., 2 p.m. Thursday, March 10 N. Iowa 78, Illinois St. 65 Wednesday, March 9 Louisiana-Lafayette 66, Troy 57
Weber St. vs. Montana, 4:30 p.m. North Texas vs. Charlotte-Rice-winner, 6:30 Loyola Chicago 66, Bradley 50 Missouri 72, Mississippi 60 Georgia St. 71, Appalachian St. 66
Davidson vs. Fordham-George Mason-win- S. Utah vs. Portland St., 7:30 p.m.
ner, Noon p.m. Missouri St. 67, Valparaiso 58 Vanderbilt vs. Georgia, 8:30 p.m. Championship
N. Colorado vs. E. Washington, 10 p.m. W. Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech-Marshall-win- Drake 65, S. Illinois 52 Second Round
St. Bonaventure vs. Saint Louis-La Salle-win- Monday, March 7
ner, 2:30 p.m. Semifinals ner, 7 p.m. Semifinals Thursday, March 10 Georgia St. 80, Louisiana-Lafayette 71
Dayton vs. George Washington-UMass-win- Friday, March 11 Middle Tennessee vs. UTEP-Old Dominion- Saturday, March 5 Texas A&M vs. Florida, Noon
ner, 6 p.m. Montana St.-Sacramento St.-winner vs. We- winner, 9 p.m. Loyola Chicago 66, N. Iowa 43 LSU vs. Missouri, 2:30 p.m.
West Coast Conference
VCU vs. Richmond-Rhode Island-winner, 8:30 ber St.-Montana-winner, 7:30 p.m. UAB vs. FAU-Southern Miss.-winner, 9:30 p.m. Drake 79, Missouri St. 78 South Carolina vs. Mississippi St., 6 p.m. At Orleans Arena
p.m. S. Utah-Portland St.-winner vs. N. Colorado-E. Semifinals Championship Alabama vs. Vanderbilt-Georgia-winner, 8:30 Las Vegas, Nev.
Semifinals Washington-winner, 10 p.m. Friday, March 11 p.m. First Round
Championship Sunday, March 6
Saturday, March 12 TBD vs. TBD, 12:30 p.m. Loyola Chicago 64, Drake 58 Quarterfinals Thursday, March 3
TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12 TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m.
Mountain West Conference Friday, March 11 Loyola Marymount 86, Pacific 66
TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m. Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. Championship At Thomas & Mack Center Auburn vs. Texas A&M-Florida-winner, Noon San Diego 74, Pepperdine 67
Championship Big South Conference Saturday, March 12 Arkansas vs. LSU-Missouri-winner, 2:30 p.m. Second Round
At Bojangles' Coliseum Semifinal winners, 8:30 p.m. Paradise, Nev. Tennessee vs. South Carolina-Mississippi St.-
Sunday, March 13 First Round winner, 6 p.m.
Friday, March 4
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m. Charlotte, N.C. Horizon League Conference Kentucky vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m.
BYU 85, Loyola Marymount 60
Atlantic Coast Conference First Round At Higher-Seeded Schools Wednesday, March 9 Portland 73, San Diego 55
Nevada 79, New Mexico 72 Semifinals Quarterfinals
At Barclays Center Wednesday, March 2 First Round Utah St. 83, Air Force 56 Saturday, March 12
Brooklyn, N.Y. NC A&T 78, Radford 71 Tuesday, March 1 Fresno St. vs. San Jose St., 7 p.m. TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m.
Saturday, March 5
First Round Charleston Southern 79, UNC-Asheville 78 Detroit 79, Green Bay 62 San Francisco 75, BYU 63
Quarterfinals TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8
High Point 84, Hampton 77 Robert Morris 77, Youngstown St. 73
Thursday, March 10 Championship Sunday, March 6
Campbell 75, Presbyterian 72 UIC 80, Milwaukee 69 Santa Clara 91, Portland 67
Boston College 66, Pittsburgh 46 Boise St. vs. Nevada, 3 p.m. Sunday, March 13
Clemson 70, NC State 64 Quarterfinals Oakland 70, IUPUI 58
Wyoming vs. UNLV, 5:30 p.m. Semifinals
Quarterfinals Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
Louisville 84, Georgia Tech 74 Friday, March 4 Colorado St. vs. Utah St., 9 p.m. Monday, March 7
Longwood 79, NC A&T 65 Thursday, March 3 Southern Conference Gonzaga 81, San Francisco 71
Second Round SC-Upstate 72, Charleston Southern 62
San Diego St. vs. Fresno St.-San Jose St.-win-
At Harrah’s Cherokee Center
Wednesday, March 9 Wright St. 75, Oakland 63 ner, 11:30 p.m. Saint Mary's (Cal.) 75, Santa Clara 72
Syracuse 96, Florida St. 57
Winthrop 68, High Point 51 Fort Wayne 78, UIC 72 Semifinals Asheville Championship
Gardner-Webb 54, Campbell 53 N. Kentucky 77, Detroit 59 Asheville, N.C.
Boston College 82, Wake Forest 77
Semifinals Cleveland St. 83, Robert Morris 67 Friday, March 11 Tuesday, March 8
Virginia Tech vs. Clemson, 7 p.m. Boise St.-Nevada-winner vs. Wyoming-UNLV- First Round Gonzaga 82, Saint Mary's (Cal.) 69
Virginia vs. Louisville, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5 Semifinals winner, 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 4 Western Athletic Conference
Quarterfinals Longwood 79, SC-Upstate 70 Monday, March 7 Saturday, March 12 The Citadel 84, ETSU 76 At Higher-Seeded Schools
Winthrop 76, Gardner-Webb 67 Wright St. 82, Cleveland St. 67 Mercer 81, W. Carolina 53
Thursday, March 10 Championship N. Kentucky 57, Fort Wayne 43
Colorado St.-Utah St.-winner vs. TBD, 12 a.m. First Round
Duke vs. Syracuse, Noon Championship Quarterfinals Tuesday, March 8
Miami vs. Boston College, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 6 Championship Saturday, March 12 Saturday, March 5
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech-Clemson-win- Longwood 79, Winthrop 58 Tuesday, March 8 Cal Baptist 81, Texas Rio Grande Valley 80
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Chattanooga 71, The Citadel 66 Utah Valley St. 69, Chicago St. 47
ner, 7 p.m. Big Ten Conference Wright St. 72, N. Kentucky 71
Northeast Conference Wofford 68, VMI 66
North Carolina vs. Virginia-Louisville-winner, At Gainbridge Fieldhouse Ivy League Conference Furman 80, Mercer 66
Second Round
9:30 p.m. At Higher-Seeded Schools Samford 66, UNC-Greensboro 64 Wednesday, March 9
Indianapolis, Ind. At Lavietes Pavilion First Round Sam Houston St. vs. Cal Baptist, 9 p.m.
Semifinals First Round Allston, Mass. Semifinals
Friday, March 11 Monday, February 28 Abilene Christian vs. Utah Valley St., 11:30
Wednesday, March 9 Semifinals CCSU 67, Fairleigh Dickinson 66
Sunday, March 6 p.m.
Duke-Syracuse-winner vs. Miami-Boston Col- Chattanooga 79, Wofford 56
lege-winner, 7 p.m. Northwestern vs. Nebraska, 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12 Quarterfinals Furman 71, Samford 68
Quarterfinals
TBD vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m. Penn St. vs. Minnesota, 8:25 p.m. Princeton vs. Cornell, 11 a.m. Thursday, March 10
Second Round Yale vs. Penn, 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 Championship
Championship Wagner 82, St. Francis (Pa.) 53 Grand Canyon vs. Sam Houston St.-Cal Bap-
Thursday, March 10 Championship Monday, March 7 tist-winner, 9 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 Bryant 73, CCSU 59 Chattanooga 64, Furman 63 Stephen F. Austin vs. Abilene Christian-Utah
Semifinal winners, 8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. Indiana, 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 13 LIU Sharks 82, Sacred Heart 75
Iowa vs. Northwestern-Nebraska-winner, 1:55 Princeton-Cornell-winner vs. Yale-Penn-win- Mount St. Mary's 78, St. Francis (NY) 48 Southland Conference Valley St.-winner, 11:30 p.m.
Atlantic Sun Conference p.m. ner, Noon At Leonard E. Merrell Center Semifinals
At Higher-Seeded Schools Michigan St. vs. Maryland, 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Metro Atlantic Athletic Con- Saturday, March 5 Katy, Texas Friday, March 11
First Round Ohio St. vs. Penn St.-Minnesota-winner, 8:55
ference Bryant 70, Mount St. Mary's 69 First Round New Mexico St. vs. TBD, 9 p.m.
Tuesday, March 1 p.m. Seattle vs. TBD, 11:30 p.m.
Kennesaw St. 82, E. Kentucky 73 Quarterfinals At Boardwalk Hall Wagner 82, LIU Sharks 62 Wednesday, March 9
Atlantic City, N.J. Championship Houston Baptist 74, Incarnate Word 64 Championship
Cent. Arkansas 74, Stetson 73 Friday, March 11 Northwestern St. vs. McNeese St., 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12
Florida Gulf Coast 81, North Alabama 72 Illinois vs. Michigan-Indiana-winner, 11:30 First Round Tuesday, March 8
Lipscomb 74, North Florida 65 Bryant 70, Wagner 43 Quarterfinals Semifinal winners, 10 p.m.
a.m. Tuesday, March 8
Quarterfinals Rutgers vs. TBD, 1:55 p.m. Rider 79, Manhattan 67 Ohio Valley Conference Thursday, March 10 NCAA Automatic Bids
Thursday, March 3 Wisconsin vs. Michigan St.-Maryland-winner, Fairfield 72, Canisius 50 At Ford Center Texas A&M-CC Islanders vs. Houston Baptist,
6:30 p.m. 6 p.m. Murray St., Ohio Valley Conference
Jacksonville St. 78, Kennesaw St. 67 Quinnipiac 77, Marist 52 Evansville, Ind. Longwood, Big South Conference
Jacksonville 79, Cent. Arkansas 69 Purdue vs. TBD, 8:55 p.m. Quarterfinals New Orleans vs. Northwestern St.-McNeese
First Round St.-winner, 8:30 p.m. Loyola Chicago, Missouri Valley Conference
Liberty 52, Lipscomb 47 Semifinals Wednesday, March 9 Chattanooga, Southern Conference
Bellarmine Knights 81, Florida Gulf Coast 68 Saturday, March 12 Wednesday, March 2 Semifinals Georgia St., Sun Belt Conference
Iona vs. Rider, 7 p.m. Tennessee St. 77, SIU-Edwardsville 62
Semifinals TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m. St. Peter's vs. Fairfield, 9:30 p.m. Tennessee Tech 78, Austin Peay 51
Friday, March 11 Jacksonville St., Atlantic Sun Conference
Saturday, March 5 TBD vs. TBD, 3:25 p.m. Thursday, March 10 Nicholls vs. Texas A&M-CC Islanders-Houston Delaware, Colonial Athletic Conference
Championship Quarterfinals Baptist-winner, 6 p.m. Wright St., Horizon League Conference
Bellarmine Knights 53, Liberty 50 Siena vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.
Jacksonville 54, Jacksonville St. 51 Sunday, March 13 Monmouth (NJ) vs. Niagara, 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3 SE Louisiana vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m. Bryant, Northeast Conference
Championship Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m. Semifinals
SE Missouri 79, Tennessee St. 55 Championship South Dakota St., Summit League Conference
Morehead St. 73, Tennessee Tech 56 Saturday, March 12 Gonzaga, West Coast Conference
Tuesday, March 8 Big West Conference Friday, March 11 Semifinal winners, 9:30 p.m.
SPORTS E3 USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 5C

NWSL names former NLL, NHL

executive as next commissioner
Scooby Axson
USA TODAY
The National Women’s Soccer League named Jessi-
ca Berman its next commissioner, the league an-
nounced Wednesday.
Berman will oversee all operations of the league and
begin her four-year term on April 20. She spent the
past two years as deputy commissioner and executive
vice president of business affairs of the National La-
crosse League and prior to that spent more than a dec-
ade at the NHL in various roles.
“I’m honored to be the next commissioner of the
NWSL and grateful to the owners for their confidence
in me,” said Berman. “Working on behalf of, and in
partnership with, our players is my No. 1 priority. Hav-
ing been involved in professional sports for many
years, I know how critically important a genuine part-
nership with players is for us all to be successful and
continue to grow. The successful conclusion of the
league’s first-ever CBA with our players is the perfect
foundation from which to build that partnership, and I
am grateful for Marla Messing’s leadership in getting
that done.”
The league started its search in October when Lisa
Baird and general counsel Lisa Levine resigned amid
reports that several players accused former North Car-
olina Courage coach Paul Riley of sexual coercion and
Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke was fired after
allegations of verbal and emotional abuse.
The league agreed to eight demands from the play-
ers association, including a mandate that all personnel
take part in the union investigation of sexual miscon-
duct, with total transparency when it comes to other Jessica Berman was the National Lacrosse League
investigations. The agreement included the union’s deputy commissioner and executive vice president
participation in selecting the next commissioner. of business affairs. ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY IMAGES

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Times EST (through March 12) First Round Quarterfinals Championship Semifinals First Round
Times EDT (March 13) Thursday, March 10 Wednesday, March 9 Saturday, March 12 Friday, March 4 Wednesday, March 9
Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma St., 6:30 p.m. Hawaii 48, CS Bakersfield 47 Semifinal winners, 11 a.m. Belmont 63, Austin Peay 51 Grambling St. 62, Alabama A&M 54
America East Conference West Virginia vs. TCU, 9 p.m. UC Riverside 46, UC Santa Barbara 42 Mid-American Conference Tennessee Tech 68, Murray St. 62 Jackson St. vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff, 6:30 p.m.
At Higher-Seeded Schools Quarterfinals UC Irvine vs. Cal St.-Fullerton, 9 p.m. At Rocket Mortgage Field- Championship Thursday, March 10
First Round Friday, March 11 Long Beach St. vs. UC Davis, 11:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5 Alabama St. vs. Prairie View, Noon
Semifinals house Southern U. vs. Texas Southern, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 5 Oklahoma vs. Kansas, Noon Cleveland, Ohio Belmont 51, Tennessee Tech 29
Maine 63, Hartford 49 Baylor vs. Texas Tech-Oklahoma St.-winner, Friday, March 11 Pac-12 Conference Semifinals
Albany (NY) 49, New Hampshire 44 2:30 p.m. Hawaii vs. UC Riverside, 3 p.m. First Round Friday, March 11
Vermont 71, Binghamton 63 Iowa St. vs. West Virginia-TCU-winner, 6 p.m. UC Irvine-Cal St.-Fullerton-winner vs. Long Wednesday, March 9 At Michelob ULTRA Arena
Las Vegas, Nev. Grambling St. vs. Alabama St.-Prairie View-
NJIT 47, Mass.-Lowell 33 Texas vs. Kansas St., 8:30 p.m. Beach St.-UC Davis-winner, 5:30 p.m. Toledo 80, Ohio 67 winner, Noon
Semifinals Semifinals Championship Ball St. 60, N. Illinois 54 First Round Jackson St.-Ark.-Pine Bluff-winner vs. South-
Tuesday, March 8 Saturday, March 12 Saturday, March 12 Buffalo 63, W. Michigan 49 Wednesday, March 2 ern U.-Texas Southern-winner, 6:30 p.m.
Albany (NY) 67, Vermont 54 TBD vs. Oklahoma-Kansas-winner, 1 p.m. Hawaii-UC Riverside-winner vs. TBD, 8 p.m. Akron vs. Bowling Green, 6:30 p.m. Colorado 64, Washington 52 Championship
Maine 72, NJIT 48 TBD vs. Texas-Kansas St.-winner, 3:30 p.m. Colonial Athletic Conference Semifinals Oregon St. 59, Arizona St. 54 Saturday, March 12
Championship Championship Friday, March 11 UCLA 73, Southern Cal 60 Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
At Daskalakis Athletic Center Toledo vs. Ball St., 10 a.m. Utah 66, California 60
Friday, March 11 Sunday, March 13 Philadelphia, Pa. Buffalo vs. Akron-Bowling Green-winner, Quarterfinals Summit League Conference
Maine vs. Albany (NY), 5 p.m. Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. At Denny Sanford Premier
First Round 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3
American Athletic Conference Big East Conference Thursday, March 10 Championship Colorado 45, Arizona 43 Center
At Dickies Arena At Mohegan Sun Arena Hofstra vs. UNC-Wilmington, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12 Stanford 57, Oregon St. 44 Sioux Falls, S.D.
Fort Worth, Texas Uncasville, Conn. Quarterfinals Toledo-Ball St.-winner vs. TBD, 11 a.m. Oregon 63, UCLA 60 First Round
First Round First Round Friday, March 11 Mid-Eastern Athletic Confer- Utah 70, Washington St. 59 Saturday, March 5
Monday, March 7 Friday, March 4 Drexel vs. Hofstra-UNC-Wilmington-winner, ence Semifinals S. Dakota St. 86, Denver 59
Tulsa 88, Wichita St. 86 Georgetown 68, Providence 55 Noon At Norfolk Scope Friday, March 4 South Dakota 75, W. Illinois 49
Memphis 59, East Carolina 48 St. John’s 76, Xavier 69 Elon vs. Coll. of Charleston, 2:30 p.m. Stanford 71, Colorado 45 Sunday, March 6
Houston 67, Cincinnati 45 Seton Hall 58, Butler 39 Delaware vs. William & Mary, 5 p.m. Norfolk, Va. Utah 80, Oregon 73 Oral Roberts 61, North Dakota 54
Quarterfinals Quarterfinals Towson vs. Northeastern, 7:30 p.m. First Round Championship UMKC 81, N. Dakota St. 74
Tuesday, March 8 Saturday, March 5 Semifinals Wednesday, March 9 Sunday, March 6 Semifinals
UCF 69, Tulsa 54 UConn 84, Georgetown 38 Saturday, March 12 Howard 87, Delaware St. 51 Stanford 73, Utah 48 Monday, March 7
SMU 63, Temple 55 Marquette 105, DePaul 85 TBD vs. Elon-Coll. of Charleston-winner, 1 p.m. Norfolk St. 58, NC Central 52 Patriot League Conference S. Dakota St. 72, Oral Roberts 53
South Florida 63, Memphis 53 Villanova 76, St. John’s 52 Elon-Coll. of Charleston-winner vs. Towson- Thursday, March 10 At Higher-Seeded Schools South Dakota 81, UMKC 67
Houston 65, Tulane 57 Seton Hall 66, Creighton 65 Northeastern-winner, 3:30 p.m. Coppin St. vs. Md.-Eastern Shore, Noon
Morgan St. vs. SC State, 2:30 p.m. First Round Championship
Semifinals Semifinals Championship Tuesday, March 8
Wednesday, March 9 Sunday, March 6 Sunday, March 13 Semifinals Saturday, March 5
Navy 60, Colgate 55 South Dakota 56, S. Dakota St. 45
UCF 61, SMU 28 UConn 71, Marquette 51 Semifinal winners, 1 p.m. Friday, March 11 Lafayette 58, Loyola (Md.) 49 Sun Belt Conference
South Florida vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m. Villanova 64, Seton Hall 55 Conference USA Conference Howard vs. Coppin St.-Md.-Eastern Shore-
Championship Championship winner, Noon Quarterfinals At Pensacola Bay Center
At Ford Center at The Star Norfolk St. vs. Morgan St.-SC State-winner, Monday, March 7 Pensacola, Fla.
Thursday, March 10 Monday, March 7 Frisco, Texas 2:30 p.m. Bucknell 56, Lehigh 53
UCF vs. South Florida-Houston-winner, 9 p.m. UConn 70, Villanova 40 First Round
First Round Championship Boston U. 80, Army 74 Wednesday, March 2
Atlantic 10 Conference Big Sky Conference Tuesday, March 8 Navy 50, Holy Cross 49
At Chase Fieldhouse At Idaho Central Arena Saturday, March 12 American 54, Lafayette 48
Coastal Carolina 91, Arkansas St. 76
UTSA 58, UTEP 57 Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m. UALR 61, Louisiana-Monroe 56
Wilmington, Del. Boise, Idaho FIU 68, FAU 60 Missouri Valley Conference Semifinals Texas St. 80, South Alabama 66
First Round First Round Second Round At TaxSlayer Center Thursday, March 10 Georgia Southern 88, Georgia St. 79
Wednesday, March 2 Monday, March 7 Wednesday, March 9 Bucknell vs. Navy, 6 p.m. Quarterfinals
George Washington 54, St. Bonaventure 49 N. Colorado 64, E. Washington 45 Rice 80, Marshall 62
Moline, Ill. American vs. Boston U., 6 p.m.
First Round Friday, March 4
George Mason 65, Saint Louis 50 Weber St. 74, Sacramento St. 64 Old Dominion 65, UTSA 45 Championship Troy 99, Coastal Carolina 77
Second Round Idaho 75, Portland St. 52 UAB 74, W. Kentucky 62 Thursday, March 10 Sunday, March 13 UALR 70, Appalachian St. 58
Thursday, March 3 Quarterfinals Southern Miss. 78, FIU 60 Indiana St. vs. Evanvilee, 5 p.m. American-Boston U.-winner vs. Bucknell-Na- Louisiana-Lafayette 71, Texas St. 46
Quarterfinals Drake vs. Bradley, 8 p.m. vy-winner, Noon Texas-Arlington 85, Georgia Southern 76
Davidson 66, Richmond 62 Tuesday, March 8
George Washington 64, La Salle 54 N. Colorado 72, Idaho St. 54 Thursday, March 10 Quarterfinals Southeastern Conference Semifinals
Saint Joseph’s 65, Duquesne 49 N. Arizona 75, Montana 57 Charlotte vs. Rice, Noon Friday, March 11 At Bridgestone Arena Sunday, March 6
Fordham 66, George Mason 50 Montana St. 81, Weber St. 60 North Texas vs. Old Dominion, 12:30 p.m. S. Illinois vs. Indiana St.-Evanvilee-winner, 1 Troy 62, UALR 59
Idaho 77, S. Utah 64 Louisiana Tech vs. UAB, 2:30 p.m. p.m. Nashville, Tenn.
Quarterfinals First Round Texas-Arlington 75, Louisiana-Lafayette 65
Friday, March 4 Semifinals Middle Tennessee vs. Southern Miss., 3 p.m. Illinois St. vs. Loyola Chicago, 3:30 p.m.
Championship
Dayton 60, Davidson 55 Wednesday, March 9 Semifinals Missouri St. vs. Drake-Bradley-winner, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2
N. Iowa vs. Valparaiso, 9:30 p.m. Vanderbilt 85, Texas A&M 69 Monday, March 7
VCU 55, George Washington 47 N. Arizona vs. N. Colorado, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11 Alabama 75, Auburn 68 Texas-Arlington 76, Troy 61
Saint Joseph’s 51, Rhode Island 48 Montana St. vs. Idaho, 10 p.m. Charlotte-Rice-winner vs. North Texas-Old Semifinals
UMass 66, Fordham 63 Dominion-winner, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12 Second Round West Coast Conference
Championship At Orleans Arena
Semifinals Friday, March 11 Louisiana Tech-UAB-winner vs. Middle Ten- TBD vs. Illinois St.-Loyola Chicago-winner, Thursday, March 3
Saturday, March 5 Montana St.-Idaho-winner vs. N. Arizona-N. nessee-Southern Miss.-winner, 8 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Arkansas 61, Missouri 52 Las Vegas, Nev.
Dayton 59, VCU 48 Colorado-winner, 3 p.m. Championship TBD vs. N. Iowa-Valparaiso-winner, 5 p.m. Florida 53, Vanderbilt 52 First Round
UMass 76, Saint Joseph’s 58 Saturday, March 12 Championship Kentucky 83, Mississippi St. 67 Thursday, March 3
Big South Conference Alabama 74, Georgia 62
Championship At Bojangles’ Coliseum Semifinal winners, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13 Loyola Marymount 64, Pepperdine 54
Horizon League Conference Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. Quarterfinals Santa Clara 93, Pacific 69
Sunday, March 6 Charlotte, N.C. Friday, March 4
UMass 62, Dayton 56 At Higher-Seeded Schools Mountain West Conference Second Round
First Round At Thomas & Mack Center South Carolina 76, Arkansas 54 Friday, March 4
Atlantic Coast Conference Tuesday, March 1 First Round Mississippi 70, Florida 60
At Greensboro Coliseum Tuesday, March 1 Paradise, Nev. Loyola Marymount 71, Saint Mary’s (Cal.) 64
Presbyterian 65, Winthrop 60 Kentucky 78, LSU 63 Santa Clara 86, San Diego 79
Greensboro, N.C. High Point 54, Charleston Southern 34 Oakland 54, Wright St. 45 First Round Tennessee 74, Alabama 59
Hampton 55, Radford 49 N. Kentucky 73, Detroit 50 Sunday, March 6 Semifinals Quarterfinals
First Round Robert Morris 70, Fort Wayne 56 Saturday, March 5
Wednesday, March 2 UNC-Asheville 68, NC A&T 59 Utah St. 80, Fresno St. 75 Saturday, March 5
Quarterfinals Milwaukee 55, UIC 46 San Diego St. 65, Boise St. 56 South Carolina 61, Mississippi 51 Portland 69, Loyola Marymount 44
Clemson 88, Syracuse 69 San Francisco 72, Santa Clara 63
Duke 55, Pittsburgh 52 Thursday, March 3 Quarterfinals Colorado St. 82, San Jose St. 43 Kentucky 83, Tennessee 74
Wake Forest 61, Virginia 53 Campbell 59, Presbyterian 56 Thursday, March 3 Quarterfinals Championship Semifinals
Second Round Gardner-Webb 55, High Point 53 Cleveland St. 59, N. Kentucky 51 Monday, March 7 Sunday, March 6 Monday, March 7
Longwood 70, Hampton 61 IUPUI 72, Robert Morris 41 UNLV 82, Utah St. 69 Kentucky 64, South Carolina 62 BYU 59, Portland 52
Thursday, March 3 UNC-Asheville 62, SC-Upstate 57 Oakland 63, Youngstown St. 52 Air Force 75, Nevada 60 Gonzaga 69, San Francisco 55
Virginia Tech 82, Clemson 60 Green Bay 57, Milwaukee 42 New Mexico 63, San Diego St. 60
Southern Conference Championship
Florida St. 63, Boston College 58 Semifinals At Harrah’s Cherokee Center
Miami 61, Duke 55 Saturday, March 5 Semifinals Colorado St. 51, Wyoming 38 Tuesday, March 8
Georgia Tech 45, Wake Forest 40 Campbell 51, Gardner-Webb 50 Monday, March 7 Semifinals Asheville Gonzaga 71, BYU 59
Quarterfinals Longwood 81, UNC-Asheville 56 IUPUI 86, Oakland 63 Tuesday, March 8 Asheville, N.C. Western Athletic Conference
Championship Cleveland St. 69, Green Bay 42 UNLV 61, Air Force 50 First Round At Higher-Seeded Schools
Friday, March 4 Championship Colorado St. 82, New Mexico 71
Virginia Tech 87, North Carolina 80 Sunday, March 6 Thursday, March 3 First Round
NC State 84, Florida St. 54 Longwood 86, Campbell 47 Tuesday, March 8 Championship Mercer 85, W. Carolina 46 Tuesday, March 8
Miami 61, Louisville 59 Big Ten Conference IUPUI 61, Cleveland St. 54 Wednesday, March 9 Samford 59, UNC-Greensboro 40 Texas Rio Grande Valley 71, Seattle 61
Notre Dame 71, Georgia Tech 53 Ivy League Conference UNLV vs. Colorado St., 10 p.m. Wofford 66, ETSU 54 Lamar 65, New Mexico St. 54
At Higher-Seeded Schools Furman 70, Chattanooga 63
Semifinals First Round At Higher-Seeded Schools Northeast Conference Second Round
Saturday, March 5 Semifinals At Higher-Seeded Schools Semifinals
Wednesday, March 2 Friday, March 4 Wednesday, March 9
NC State 70, Virginia Tech 55 Friday, March 11 First Round Texas Rio Grande Valley 73, Abilene Christian
Miami 57, Notre Dame 54 Rutgers 75, Penn St. 50 Mercer 65, Samford 35
Illinois 75, Wisconsin 66 Princeton vs. Harvard, 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5 70
Championship Columbia vs. Yale, 7:30 p.m. Furman 64, Wofford 59
Second Round Sacred Heart 62, CCSU 58 Sam Houston St. 73, Lamar 69
Sunday, March 6 Championship Championship Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 3 Quarterfinals Sunday, March 6
NC State 60, Miami 47 Saturday, March 12 Thursday, March 10
Michigan St. 73, Purdue 69 Monday, March 7 Mercer 73, Furman 54
Atlantic Sun Conference Indiana 66, Rutgers 54 Columbia-Yale-winner vs. Princeton-Harvard- Wagner 66, LIU Sharks 55 Utah Valley St. vs. Texas Rio Grande Valley, 3
At Higher-Seeded Schools Northwestern 65, Minnesota 60 winner, 5 p.m. Mount St. Mary’s 69, St. Francis (Pa.) 53
Southland Conference p.m.
First Round Nebraska 92, Illinois 74 Metro Atlantic Athletic Con- Bryant 65, St. Francis (NY) 63 At Leonard E. Merrell Center Cal Baptist vs. Sam Houston St., 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2 Quarterfinals ference Fairleigh Dickinson 66, Sacred Heart 58 Katy, Texas Semifinals
Stetson 81, Bellarmine Knights 53 Friday, March 4 At Boardwalk Hall Semifinals First Round Friday, March 11
E. Kentucky 71, Kennesaw St. 57 Ohio St. 74, Michigan St. 58 Atlantic City, N.J. Thursday, March 10 Thursday, March 10 Stephen F. Austin vs. Utah Valley St.-Texas Rio
Jacksonville 65, Cent. Arkansas 55 Indiana 62, Maryland 51 Mount St. Mary’s vs. Wagner, 7 p.m. Incarnate Word vs. Nicholls, Noon Grande Valley-winner, 3 p.m.
North Florida 60, Lipscomb 42 Iowa 72, Northwestern 59
First Round Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Bryant, 7 p.m. Northwestern St. vs. New Orleans, 2:30 p.m. Grand Canyon vs. Cal Baptist-Sam Houston
Quarterfinals Nebraska 76, Michigan 73 Tuesday, March 8 Championship Quarterfinals St.-winner, 5:30 p.m.
Semifinals Iona 74, Rider 58 Championship
Sunday, March 6 St. Peter’s 49, Marist 29 Sunday, March 13 Friday, March 11
Liberty 77, E. Kentucky 57 Saturday, March 5 Canisius 71, Monmouth (NJ) 65 Fairleigh Dickinson-Bryant-winner vs. Mount McNeese St. vs. Incarnate Word-Nicholls- Saturday, March 12
Florida Gulf Coast 71, North Florida 60 Indiana 70, Ohio St. 62 St. Mary’s-Wagner-winner, 1 p.m. winner, Noon Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Jacksonville St. 70, Jacksonville 56 Iowa 83, Nebraska 66
Quarterfinals SE Louisiana vs. Northwestern St.-New Or-
Wednesday, March 9 Ohio Valley Conference NCAA Automatic Bids
Stetson 64, North Alabama 53 Championship leans-winner, 2:30 p.m.
Fairfield 69, Iona 56 At Ford Center Belmont, Ohio Valley Conference
Semifinals Sunday, March 6 Quinnipiac 63, St. Peter’s 42 Evansville, Ind. Semifinals Mercer, Southern Conference
Wednesday, March 9 Iowa 74, Indiana 67 Thursday, March 10 First Round Saturday, March 12 NC State, Atlantic Coast Conference
Florida Gulf Coast vs. Stetson, 7 p.m. Big West Conference Houston Baptist vs. TBD, 2 p.m. Kentucky, Southeastern Conference
Jacksonville St. vs. Liberty, 7 p.m. Manhattan vs. Canisius, Noon Wednesday, March 2
At Dollar Loan Center Niagara vs. Siena, 2:30 p.m. Texas A&M-CC Islanders vs. TBD, 4:30 p.m. UMass, Atlantic 10 Conference
Championship Tennessee St. 72, E. Illinois 61 Championship
Henderson, Nev. Semifinals SIU-Edwardsville 86, UT Martin 84 Iowa, Big Ten Conference
Saturday, March 12 First Round Friday, March 11 Quarterfinals Sunday, March 13 Stanford, Pac-12 Conference
Florida Gulf Coast-Stetson-winner vs. Jack- Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. Longwood, Big South Conference
sonville St.-Liberty-winner, 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 Fairfield vs. Niagara-Siena-winner, 11 a.m. Thursday, March 3 Texas-Arlington, Sun Belt Conference
CS Bakersfield 63, CS Northridge 62 Quinnipiac vs. Manhattan-Canisius-winner, Austin Peay 67, Tennessee St. 53 Southwest Athletic Confer- UConn, Big East Conference
Big 12 Conference Cal St.-Fullerton 70, Cal Poly 64 1:30 p.m. Murray St. 84, SIU-Edwardsville 76 ence IUPUI, Horizon League Conference
At Municipal Auditorium At Bartow Arena South Dakota, Summit League Conference
Kansas City, Mo. Birmingham, Ala. Gonzaga, West Coast Conference

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FOR THE RECORD TENNIS ODDS PROVIDED BY

All times ET Southeast Division Thursday’s Games BNP Paribas Open
W L Pct GB Norwich vs. Chelsea, 2:30 p.m. Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Calif.
Miami 44 22 .667 — Wolverhampton vs. Watford, 2:30 p.m.
NHL Charlotte 32 34 .485 12 Southampton vs. Newcastle, 2:30 p.m.
Purse: $8,709,128
Atlanta 31 33 .484 12 Leeds vs. Aston Villa, 2:45 p.m. Surface: Hardcourt outdoor
Washington 29 34 .460 13½ Men’s Singles - Qualification
EASTERN CONFERENCE Orlando 16 50 .242 28
Saturday’s Games
Brighton vs. Liverpool, 7:30 a.m. Juncheng Shang, China, def. Mats Moraing (19), Germany, 6-3, 0-0,
Atlantic Division Central Division Brentford vs. Burnley, 10 a.m. ret; Mikhail Kukushkin, Kazakhstan, def. Yoshihito Nishioka (6), Ja-
GP W L OT Pts GF GA W L Pct GB pan, 6-2, 7-6; Jaume Munar (8), Spain, def. Aleksandar Vukic (18),
Florida 57 39 13 5 83 237 167 Man United vs. Tottenham, 12:30 p.m.
Milwaukee 41 25 .621 — Australia, 6-3, 6-2; Tomas Machac, Czech Republic, def. Illya Mar- Odds available as of print deadline
Tampa Bay 56 37 13 6 80 196 162 Chicago 39 26 .600 1½ Sunday’s Games chenko, Ukraine, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3; Taro Daniel (12), Japan, def. Daniel
Toronto 57 37 16 4 78 213 171 Cleveland 38 27 .585 2½ Chelsea vs. Newcastle, 10 a.m.
Everton vs. Wolverhampton, 10 a.m. Masur, Germany, 6-4, 6-2; Philipp Kohlschreiber (22), Germany, def.
Boston 57 34 18 5 73 173 155 Indiana 22 45 .328 19½ Denis Kudla (10), United States, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3; Thanasi Kokkinakis (7),
Detroit 57 24 27 6 54 165 212 Detroit 18 47 .277 22½ Leeds vs. Norwich, 10 a.m. NBA
Southampton vs. Watford, 10 a.m. Australia, def. Vasek Pospisil (20), Canada, 7-6, 7-5; Jeffrey John
Ottawa 56 20 31 5 45 147 180 Wolf, United States, def. Daniel Elahi Galan (11), Colombia, 7-6, 6-2;
Buffalo 58 18 32 8 44 154 209 WESTERN CONFERENCE West Ham vs. Aston Villa, 10 a.m. Thursday
Christopher Eubanks, United States, def. Joao Sousa (2), Portugal, Favorite Spread O/U ML Underdog
Montreal 56 15 34 7 37 137 212 Southwest Division Arsenal vs. Leicester, 12:30 p.m. 7-6, 7-6.
Metropolitan Division W L Pct GB Monday’s Game 76ERS 4.5 222.5 -190 Nets
GP W L OT Pts GF GA Memphis 45 22 .672 — Crystal Palace vs. Man City, 4 p.m.
Women’s Singles - Round of 128 Warriors 3.5 220.5 -170 NUGGETS
Carolina 56 39 12 5 83 191 134 Dallas 40 25 .615 4 Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, def. Robin Montgomery, United States, 6-3,
N.Y. Rangers 57 36 16 5 77 171 144 New Orleans 27 38 .415 17 Champions League 6-3; Petra Martic, Croatia, def. Anna Bondar, Hungary, 7-5, 6-3; Eka- NCAAB
San Antonio 25 40 .385 19 (Home teams listed first) terina Alexandrova, Russia, def. Elvina Kalieva, United States, 4-6,
Pittsburgh 58 34 15 9 77 188 156
Houston 16 49 .246 28 6-2, 7-6 (7); Alison Riske, United States, def. Caty McNally, United Thursday
Washington 58 31 18 9 71 190 162 SECOND ROUND Favorite Spread O/U ML Underdog
Columbus 57 28 26 3 59 190 210 Northwest Division States, 6-0, 6-3; Misaki Doi, Japan, def. Anastasia Potapova, Russia,
First leg 0-6, 6-4, 6-3; Claire Liu, United States, def. Viktoriya Tomova, Bulgar- TOLEDO 16.5 147.5 -1800 C. Michigan
N.Y. Islanders 53 21 24 8 50 137 152 W L Pct GB MICHIGAN 1.5 136.5 -135 Indiana
New Jersey 57 21 31 5 47 176 205 Utah 40 24 .625 — Tuesday, Feb. 15 ia, 7-6 (2), 6-4; Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, def. Hailey Baptiste, Unit-
Philadelphia 56 18 28 10 46 141 193 Denver 39 26 .600 1½ Paris Saint-Germain 1, Real Madrid (Spain) 0 ed States, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. George Mason 4.5 128.5 -230 FORDHAM
Minnesota 37 29 .561 4 Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) 0, Man. City 5 Florida 1.5 133.5 -135 TEXAS A&M
WESTERN CONFERENCE Portland 25 39 .391 15
ATP Schedule-Winners TEXAS 4.5 125.5 -220 tcu
Central Division Wednesday, Feb. 16 H-hard, C-clay, G-grass
Oklahoma City 20 45 .308 20½ Inter Milan (Italy) 0, Liverpool 2 CINCINNATI 5.5 136.5 -240 East Carolina
GP W L OT Pts GF GA Feb. 18-26 2022 — Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, HO (An- Buffalo 1.5 141.5 -135 AKRON
Colorado 58 41 12 5 87 230 168 Pacific Division RB Salzburg (Austria) 1, Bayern Munich 1 drey Rublev)
St. Louis 56 32 17 7 71 195 155 W L Pct GB Tuesday, Feb. 22 Marquette 2.5 141.5 -160 CREIGHTON
Phoenix 52 13 .800 — Feb. 18-27 2022 — Chile Open, CO (Pedro Martinez) WICHITA ST. 5.5 132.5 -270 Tulsa
Minnesota 55 33 19 3 69 208 179 Chelsea 2, Lille (France) 0 March 7-20 2022 — BNP Paribas Open, HO
Nashville 56 32 20 4 68 176 156 Golden State 44 22 .667 8½ Villarreal (Spain) 1, Juventus (Italy) 1 March 20-April 2 — Miami Open, HO SOUTHERN U. 5.5 136.5 -280 Grambling St.
Dallas 56 32 21 3 67 166 162 L.A. Clippers 34 33 .507 19 KENT STATE 5.5 140.5 -260 Miami (OH)
L.A. Lakers 28 36 .438 23½ Wednesday, Feb. 23 April 2-10 2022 — Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men’s Clay Court Champi-
Winnipeg 57 25 22 10 60 174 178 Atletico Madrid 1, Manchester United 1 onship, CO WEBER ST. 3.5 141.5 -190 Montana
Chicago 58 21 29 8 50 152 201 Sacramento 24 43 .358 29 UC IRVINE 1.5 126.5 -115 UC Snta Brbra
Benfica (Portugal) 2, Ajax (Netherlands) 2 April 2-10 2022 — Grand Prix Hassan II, CO
Arizona 56 17 35 4 38 141 203 Tuesday’s Games Second leg ATP Money Leaders unlv 1.5 135.5 -120 WYOMING
Pacific Division Brooklyn 132, Charlotte 121 Mississippi St. 4.5 135.5 -200 S. CAROLINA
GP W L OT Pts GF GA Cleveland 127, Indiana 124 Tuesday’s Games 1 Rafael Nadal .................................................................. $2,474,245
MORGAN ST. 1.5 143.5 -120 South Carolina St.
Calgary 56 34 15 7 75 197 139 Phoenix 102, Orlando 99 Bayern Munich 7, RB Salzburg 1, Bayern Mu- 2 Daniil Medvedev ............................................................. $1,739,115
nich wins on 8-2 aggregate 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime .................................................... $1,214,760 Massachusetts 2.5 147.5 -155 GEORGE WASH.
Los Angeles 58 32 19 7 71 172 162 Memphis 132, New Orleans 111 MICHIGAN ST. 2.5 141.5 -155 Maryland
Vegas 58 32 22 4 68 185 169 Milwaukee 142, Oklahoma City 115 Liverpool 0, Inter Milan 1, Liverpool wins on 4 Denis Shapovalov .......................................................... $1,176,544
Golden State 112, L.A. Clippers 97 2-1 aggregate 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas .......................................................... $1,133,870 OHIO 7.5 145.5 -380 Ball State
Edmonton 57 30 23 4 64 185 183
Wednesday’s Games 6 Matteo Berrettini .............................................................. $967,918 C. FLORIDA 8.5 125.5 -475 South Florida
Anaheim 59 27 23 9 63 175 187 Wednesday’s Games 7 Roberto Bautista Agut ................................................... $834,266 BAYLOR 8.5 134.5 -420 Oklahoma
Vancouver 57 28 23 6 62 164 165 Boston at Charlotte Manchester City 0, Sporting Lisbon 0, Man-
San Jose 56 24 25 7 55 145 179 chester City wins on 5-0 aggregate 8 Andrey Rublev ................................................................. $831,872 FLA. A&M 2.5 122.5 -145 Alabama A&M
Chicago at Detroit 9 Jannik Sinner ................................................................... $738,865
Seattle 59 17 37 5 39 152 213 Phoenix at Miami Real Madrid 3, Paris Saint-Germain 1, Real Ma- MONMOUTH 1.5 129.5 -140 Niagara
drid wins on 3-2 aggregate 10 Pablo Carreno Busta ........................................................ $680,211 TEXAS TECH 7.5 123.5 -340 Iowa State
Tuesday’s Games Atlanta at Milwaukee 11 Diego Schwartzman ......................................................... $628,251
Florida 4, Pittsburgh 3 L.A. Lakers at Houston Tuesday’s Games 12 Hubert Hurkacz ............................................................... $626,597
UC Riverside 1.5 127.5 -135 HAWAII
New Jersey 5, Colorado 3 Oklahoma City at Minnesota Ajax vs. Benfica, 4 p.m. 13 Alexander Zverev ............................................................ $592,714
Philadelphia 2, Vegas 1 Orlando at New Orleans Manchester United vs. Atletico Madrid, 4 p.m. 14 Cameron Norrie ............................................................... $558,546
Arizona 9, Detroit 2 New York at Dallas Wednesday, March 16 15 Alex de Minaur ............................................................... $546,606
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Seattle at Ottawa, 7 p.m. Toronto at Phoenix, 9 p.m. CF Montréal 0 2 0 0 1 4 2 Danielle Collins ............................................................... $1,215,816
Vegas at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Washington at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. Charlotte FC 0 2 0 0 0 4 3 Iga Swiatek ..................................................................... $1,101,920
Winnipeg at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Saturday’s Games For the latest picks and expert analysis, go to
Cincinnati 0 2 0 0 0 6 4 Barbora Krejcikova ........................................................... $772,539
Columbus at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Cleveland at Chicago, 8 p.m. 5 Madison Keys ................................................................... $713,445 sportsbookwire.com
Anaheim at Nashville, 8 p.m. Indiana at San Antonio, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W L T Pts GF GA 6 Jessica Pegula .................................................................. $534,165
N.Y. Rangers at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Minnesota at Miami, 8 p.m. Austin FC 2 0 0 6 10 1 7 Anett Kontaveit ............................................................... $486,873
Tampa Bay at Calgary, 9 p.m.
San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.
Milwaukee at Golden State, 8:30 p.m.
Sacramento at Utah, 10 p.m.
LA Galaxy
Los Angeles FC
2 0 0 6 2 0
1 0 1 4 4 1
8
9
Jelena Ostapenko ............................................................. $467,957
Alize Cornet ...................................................................... $445,791
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Friday’s Games Toronto at Denver, 10 p.m. Nashville 1 0 1 4 2 1 10 Maria Sakkari ................................................................... $438,884
Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m. Washington at Portland, 10 p.m. 11 Elise Mertens ................................................................... $434,619
Vegas at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Real Salt Lake
Colorado
1 0
1
1 4
1 0 3 3 3
1 0
12 Kaia Kanepi ...................................................................... $408,856 See up-to-the-minute
Winnipeg at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Sporting KC 1 1 0 3 2 3 13 Paula Badosa Gibert ........................................................ $400,510
Washington at Vancouver, 10 p.m. SOCCER Portland 0 0 2 2 3 3 14 Veronika Kudermetova ................................................... $392,567 lines and compete in
Saturday’s Games Minnesota United 0 0 2 2 2 2 15 Katerina Siniakova ........................................................... $370,290
St. Louis at Nashville, 12:30 p.m. FC Dallas 0 1 1 1 1 2 16 Simona Halep .................................................................. $338,295 Daily Ticket free-to-play
Philadelphia at Carolina, 3 p.m. English Premier League Houston 0 1 1 1 0 1 17 Aryna Sabalenka ............................................................... $321,970
San Jose 0 1 1 1 4 6 18 Beatriz Haddad Maia ....................................................... $305,530
Anaheim at New Jersey, 7 p.m. GP W D L GF GA Pts
Vancouver 0 1 1 1 0 4 19 Amanda Anisimova .......................................................... $294,375 games
Arizona at Boston, 7 p.m. Man City 28 22 3 3 68 18 69
Liverpool 27 19 6 2 71 20 63 Seattle 0 2 0 0 0 2 20 Victoria Azarenka ............................................................ $293,010
Chicago at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Calgary, 7 p.m. Chelsea 26 15 8 3 53 18 53 NOTE: Three points for win, one point for tie.
Seattle at Montreal, 7 p.m. Arsenal 25 15 3 7 41 29 48 Saturday’s Games
N.Y. Rangers at Dallas, 8 p.m. Man United 28 13 8 7 45 38 47 CF Montréal at New York City FC, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles at San Jose, 9:30 p.m. West Ham 28 13 6 9 46 35 45 Toronto FC at Columbus, 1:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Edmonton, 10 p.m. Tottenham 26 14 3 9 40 32 45 Los Angeles FC at Miami, 1:30 p.m. DEALS zalez to a two-year contract extension. from loan.
Wolverhampton 27 12 4 11 24 23 40 LA Galaxy at Seattle, 3:30 p.m. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Traded QB Carson LOS ANGELES KINGS — Recalled D Jordan
Southampton 27 8 11 8 34 41 35 Vancouver at Houston, 6:30 p.m. Wentz to Washington in exchange for a pack- Spence from Ontario (AHL) from loan.
NBA Crystal Palace 28 7 12 9 39 38 33 Chicago at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. BASEBALL age of draft picks. NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Signed F Navrin
Aston Villa 26 10 3 13 37 37 33 Real Salt Lake at New England, 7:30 p.m. NEW YORK GIANTS — Signed OT Matt Gono to Mutter to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Leicester 25 9 6 10 40 43 33 Cincinnati at Orlando City, 7:30 p.m. Major League Baseball a one-year contract. NEW YORK ISLANDERS — Reassigned G Ken
EASTERN CONFERENCE Brighton 27 7 12 8 26 32 33 San Jose at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. National League TENNESSEE TITANS — Re-signed DT Teair Tart, Appleby from Bridgeport (AHL) to Worcester
Newcastle 26 6 10 10 30 46 28 Nashville at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. NEW YORK METS — Named Andy Goldberg ex- WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and QB Logan (ECHL).
Atlantic Division Brentford 28 7 6 15 30 45 27 ecutive vice president and chief marketing
W L Pct GB Sporting Kansas City at Colorado, 9 p.m. Woodside. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Recalled D Cam York
Leeds 27 5 8 14 29 61 23 officer. from Lehigh Valley from loan.
Philadelphia 40 24 .625 —
Everton 25 6 4 15 28 46 22
Austin FC at Portland, 10 p.m. HOCKEY
Boston 39 27 .591 2
Burnley 26 3 12 11 22 36 21 Sunday’s Games FOOTBALL National Hockey League PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Reassigned RW
Toronto 34 30 .531 6 Charlotte FC at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m. National Football League BOSTON BRUINS — Recalled D Jack Ahcan and Kasper Bjorkqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Brooklyn 33 33 .500 8 Watford 27 5 4 18 27 50 19 (AHL) from loan.
Norwich 27 4 5 18 16 58 17 Minnesota at New York, 7 p.m. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Signed K Zane Gon- RW Jesper Froden from Providence (AHL)
New York 27 38 .415 13½

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T-storms Rain Snow Ice/mix

As severe weather eases over Seattle
the Southeast, areas of rain and Olympia
48 Bangor
49 Spokane
45
thunderstorms will persist and Portland 38 Miles City
Bismarck Duluth Marquette

extend from northern and central Salem 50

Helena
28 30 18 17
51 29 Burlington Augusta

Florida to North Carolina today. Boise Fargo Mpls-St. Paul 44 Montpelier

48
Bend
41 Billings 20 26 Boston
While localized downpours can 53 28
Rapid City Grand Buffalo 44 49
Burns
27 Milwaukee Rapids 40 Albany
raise the risk of flash flooding, 43 Pierre Sioux Falls
29 33 42
Detroit
45
Hartford
Eureka Idaho Falls Jackson
31 29 Cleveland 51
the soaking nature of the rain can 58 21 Hole Casper
Des Moines Madison
Lansing 39 Pittsburgh New York
help ease the threat of springtime Sacramento
Reno
Elko 19 18 North Platte
26 27 37 48 51 TODAY
68 45 33 Salt Lake City 25 Chicago
Harrisburg Philadelphia
wildfires. 33
Cheyenne Omaha
31 Columbus
Carson City
18 30 49 51 54
In the wake of rain and snow 40 Kansas City Springfield Washington Annapolis
San Francisco
28 38 Indianapolis Cincinnati
52 49
in the Northeast, temperatures 65 St. George Aspen
Denver
48 51
Las Vegas
49 24 22 Topeka
Charleston Richmond
are forecast to moderate a bit, Fresno
56 28 Jefferson City St. Louis Louisville 54 53
68 Wichita 40 45
Knoxville
55
while Arctic air expands its reach Dodge City 60 Raleigh
25 32 Memphis
52
over the interior West and North Los Angeles Santa Fe Charlotte
69
Palm Springs Flagstaff
45 Oklahoma 63 Nashville
54 Columbia
Central states. A storm will cause 73 36 City
Tulsa
61
Albuquerque 55 58
an area of snow to expand from San Diego
53 54 Little Rock Birmingham Atlanta Charleston
Phoenix FRIDAY
62 Lubbock Dallas/Ft. Worth 63 67 64 63
Colorado to parts of Nevada, Alaska 73 54 69 Montgomery
EXTREMES
Savannah
as well as farther to the east in El Paso Midland- Shreveport Jackson 69 67 Note: For contiguous
48 states through
Kansas, southern Nebraska, 70 Odessa Austin
68 67 Jacksonville 3 p.m. ET yesterday
Fairbanks Hawaii 71 74 Mobile
Tallahassee
74
northern Missouri, southern Iowa 20 Juneau
Honolulu San Antonio
Baton Rouge 71 74 HOTTEST:
and central Illinois. Anchorage 37 84 76 Houston 74 New 90°
37 73
Orleans Brooksville, Fla.
Snow and a wintry mix are 71 Tampa

forecast to extend to the southern Puerto Rico

83
Miami
Plains and the Tennessee Valley San Juan COLDEST:
Brownsville 83 85 -24°
by the end of the week. SATURDAY
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather Inc. ©2022
72 West
Yellowstone,
Below 10 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110+ Mont.

TOP TRAVEL CITIES Air quality index (AQI)

ATLANTA BALTIMORE BOSTON CHARLOTTE CHICAGO DALLAS/FT. WORTH DENVER DETROIT HONOLULU HOUSTON LAS VEGAS LOS ANGELES
Low Cloudy, Low Incr. Mostly A bit of Partly Partly Turning
THU THU milder THU Milder THU THU THU THU THU THU THU Warmer THU Windy THU
clouds clouds clouds sunny snow sunny sunny sunny
54/32 49/34 73/50 56/39
64/48 54/40 31/23 69/41 22/7 42/27 84/71 69/47
Still Partly Partly A.M. Wintry Sunny, A bit of Sunny,
FRI FRI sunny FRI FRI Milder FRI FRI FRI FRI FRI Breezy FRI P.M. rain FRI FRI Sunny
cloudy sunny flurries mix cold snow warmer
59/45 65/51 83/70 64/33 72/47
67/40 47/38 34/11 42/28 33/20 38/21 64/43
Breezy, Rain Morning Very Sunny, Some Sunny, Mostly Mostly
SAT SAT SAT Rain SAT SAT SAT SAT Milder SAT Windy SAT SAT SAT SAT
cold 49/22 rain cold cool sun, nice cool sunny sunny
54/24 55/32 28/18
42/26 54/22 27/20 55/35 83/69 56/33 69/47 78/48
AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Moderate AQI Moderate
MIAMI MPLS-ST. PAUL NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK ORLANDO PHILADELPHIA PHOENIX SALT LAKE CITY SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE WASHINGTON
Cloudy, A P.M. Sunny, An A.M. Partly
THU Shower THU cold THU Warmer THU Milder THU THU Milder THU Breezy THU THU THU Breezy THU THU Cloudy
t-storm cold shower sunny
85/73 26/13 71/58 51/37 54/35 73/52 65/44 52/37
85/69 33/18 62/44 48/36
Partly Cloudy, Partly Mostly Some Sunny, Sunny, Mostly Partly Partly
FRI FRI colder FRI T-storm FRI FRI FRI FRI FRI Cold FRI FRI FRI FRI
sunny sunny cloudy sun cool milder sunny sunny sunny
17/-1 72/41 39/24
86/74 52/46 85/70 59/46 70/48 69/45 66/44 52/41 60/44
Stray Cold Heavy Mostly Mostly Mostly Clouds, P.M.
SAT SAT SAT Windy SAT Rain SAT SAT Rain SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT Rain
t-storm 26/25 t-storm sunny sunny sunny sun showers
53/36 51/23 53/23 50/23
90/56 77/39 75/50 47/35 71/47 62/48 48/43
AQI Good AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Moderate AQI Good AQI Good AQI Good
c Cloudy f Fog i Ice r Rain sf Snowflurries sn Snow w Windy dr Drizzle h Haze pc Partly cloudy s Sunny sh Showers t Thunderstorms

U.S. CITIES TODAY FRI

Cincinnati
TODAY
51/33pc
FRI
52/21c Hartford, Conn.
TODAY
51/29pc
FRI
51/34pc Nags Head, N.C.
TODAY
51/47r
FRI
56/51c Sarasota, Fla.
TODAY
81/69t
FRI
83/71pc
WORLD CITIES
Akron, Ohio 46/28pc 48/25r Cleveland 39/26pc 44/24r Indianapolis 48/31pc 38/16c Nashville, Tenn. 61/39pc 67/25pc Savannah, Ga. 67/54r 66/61r TODAY FRI
Albany, N.Y. 45/26pc 47/36pc Colorado Springs 17/9sn 31/15s Islip, N.Y. 47/30pc 50/40pc Newark, N.J. 51/34pc 53/41pc Scottsdale, Ariz. 70/49s 70/45s Beijing 71/38s 61/40pc
Albuquerque 53/28pc 46/24pc Columbia, S.C. 58/44r 68/57r Jackson, Miss. 67/41c 72/29c New Haven, Conn. 47/30pc 47/38pc Shreveport, La. 68/42s 64/28r Buenos Aires 75/59pc 74/60s
Allentown, Pa. 49/26pc 54/37pc Columbus, Ohio 49/31pc 51/23c Jacksonville, Fla. 74/61t 70/62r Norfolk, Va. 47/41c 56/47pc Sioux Falls, S.D. 29/9pc 18/2pc Cancun, Mexico 87/74s 87/72pc
Amarillo, Texas 39/15pc 37/16sn Corpus Christi, Texas 72/59pc 71/35c Jefferson City, Mo. 40/25sn 35/10sn Oakland, Calif. 65/42s 66/42s South Bend, Ind. 35/23pc 35/18sn Dubai, UAE 94/79s 97/79pc
Anaheim, Calif. 69/46pc 77/45s Dayton, Ohio 48/32pc 48/22r Kansas City 28/18sn 33/6pc Oklahoma City 54/24s 36/18sn Spokane, Wash. 38/26pc 44/35c Frankfurt 57/32s 54/34pc
Anchorage, Alaska 37/33sn 36/31c Daytona Beach, Fla. 81/65t 80/65t Key West, Fla. 83/76pc 83/74s Omaha, Neb. 30/16sn 31/6w Springfield, Mo. 50/29c 32/10sn Hong Kong 73/64s 74/66pc
Aspen, Colo. 24/-2sn 26/8pc Des Moines, Iowa 26/15sn 28/5pc Knoxville, Tenn. 60/41pc 66/32c Palm Springs, Calif. 73/53pc 77/51s Springfield, Ill. 38/26pc 35/11sn Istanbul 41/31c 36/28sf
Atlantic City, N.J. 46/35pc 50/46pc Duluth, Minn. 18/10c 14/-8c Laredo, Texas 79/60s 75/38w Pensacola, Fla. 72/58r 73/44t St. Louis 45/30pc 37/16sn Jerusalem 51/37sh 42/36sh
Augusta, Ga. 63/44r 68/56r Durham, N.C. 51/37c 61/52c Lexington, Ky. 52/34pc 58/22c Pierre, S.D. 31/8s 21/4s St. Petersburg, Fla. 82/69t 83/70pc Johannesburg 78/62t 76/59t
Austin, Texas 74/48s 53/31r El Paso, Texas 70/45w 52/30pc Lincoln, Neb. 30/14sn 33/3w Pittsburgh 48/26c 52/28c Syracuse, N.Y. 43/27pc 47/35c London 56/48pc 53/44r
Bakersfield, Calif. 65/42s 71/44s Fairbanks, Alaska 20/-2sn 19/-6pc Little Rock, Ark. 63/41s 56/23r Portland, Maine 47/28s 43/35pc Tallahassee, Fla. 74/60r 73/59r Mexico City 80/50s 81/47pc
Baton Rouge, La. 74/49pc 75/36t Flagstaff, Ariz. 36/12sf 40/14w Long Beach, Calif. 66/45pc 73/47s Portland, Ore. 50/35pc 58/38pc Tampa, Fla. 83/72t 82/73pc Montreal 35/21pc 32/27c
Billings, Mont. 28/9pc 33/26c Fargo, N.D. 20/2pc 6/-12c Louisville, Ky. 55/37pc 55/23c Providence, R.I. 51/31pc 51/38pc Toledo, Ohio 44/28pc 40/21c Moscow 25/7s 32/18s
Birmingham, Ala. 67/45c 72/31c Fort Myers, Fla. 87/70pc 89/71s Lubbock, Texas 54/21s 36/16sn Raleigh, N.C. 52/39c 65/54c Topeka, Kan. 28/16sn 36/1pc Mumbai, India 94/79h 96/79h
Bismarck, N.D. 30/0pc 15/2pc Fort Smith, Ark. 62/37s 38/19c Madison, Wis. 27/15c 32/6c Rapid City, S.D. 27/8s 22/9c Tucson, Ariz. 73/45s 67/39s Paris 61/45pc 57/45r
Boise, Idaho 41/22s 51/30s Fort Wayne, Ind. 42/28pc 36/19c Manchester, N.H. 52/29s 51/34pc Reno, Nev. 45/20s 62/29s Tupelo, Miss. 66/40s 70/27c Rio de Janeiro 87/76s 92/78s
Buffalo, N.Y. 40/26pc 44/28c Fresno, Calif. 68/42s 70/44s Memphis, Tenn. 63/42s 65/25pc Richmond, Va. 53/36c 62/46pc Tulsa, Okla. 55/28pc 36/19sn Rome 58/36s 56/38s
Burlington, Vt. 44/27pc 42/33pc Grand Rapids, Mich. 33/19c 36/15sn Milwaukee 29/19c 36/11sf Rochester, N.Y. 40/25pc 44/28c Virginia Beach, Va. 49/45c 53/50pc Seoul 56/34pc 61/37h
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 24/13c 27/2h Green Bay, Wis. 25/13c 32/7c Mobile, Ala. 71/51c 73/40t Sacramento, Calif. 68/36w 71/37s Wichita, Kan. 32/20sn 36/11pc Singapore 88/77t 90/76c
Charleston, S.C. 63/50r 67/61r Greensboro, N.C. 50/36c 62/50c Modesto, Calif. 67/36w 69/37s San Antonio 76/52s 54/30r Wilmington, Del. 53/32pc 56/42pc Sydney 71/64s 72/64c
Charleston, W.Va. 54/33c 61/30pc Greenville, S.C. 55/41c 65/49c Montgomery, Ala. 69/48c 75/38t San Jose, Calif. 67/40s 72/41s Winston-Salem, N.C. 52/37c 64/48c Toronto 39/23c 37/24sn
Cheyenne, Wyo. 18/1pc 28/20pc Harrisburg, Pa. 51/31pc 58/42pc Myrtle Beach, S.C. 57/47r 61/57r Santa Fe, N.M. 45/20c 37/15sn Worcester, Mass. 48/29pc 48/35pc Tokyo 56/46pc 62/49s
SPORTS
NFL WINNERS AND LOSERS
Huge ripples on QB moves, franchise tags
Nate Davis
USA TODAY
The NFL’s 2022 league year – and free
agency – commences March 16, a date
that once loomed as the meaningful
kickoff to the offseason.
Then March 8 happened ... and ev-
erything changed.
First, diplomacy worked for Aaron
Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers –
here’s hoping the rest of the world can
learn from this, albeit comparatively tri-
vial, example – the parties reaching a
long-awaited, long-term accord.
Shortly thereafter, unable to pry
Rodgers out of Wisconsin, the Denver
Broncos pulled off what’s likely to stand
as the blockbuster trade of the year, ac-
quiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle
Seahawks in a package that sends a
slew of high draft picks and several
players to the Pacific Northwest.
One of the most eventful four-hour
windows in league history came to a
close at 4 p.m. ET, this year’s deadline
for teams to use the franchise tag – and
both notable and surprising pending
free agents were tagged. Several high-
profile players were also essentially
granted their freedom Tuesday.
Such a major cascade of events obvi-
ously means the fallout will be exten-
sive.
Winners
Aaron Rodgers: Duh. He’s reset the
market – again. Rodgers and the Pack
reached a four-year contract extension
worth $200 million – $153 million of it
guaranteed – making the four-time
MVP the highest-paid player in NFL his-
tory ... though he’d have us believe
there’s more to come on this front. De-
tails of the financial structure are still
emerging, but the ramifications promise
to be significant. For all those superstars
who feel fortunate to land a second ma-
jor contract in their careers, it’s crazy to
think this is Rodgers’ fifth. His first ex-
tension, which took effect in 2009, aver-
aged a team-friendly $10.6 million per
year, followed by deals that averaged
$22 million, then $33.5 million. This
new $50 million per year pact overtakes
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Ma-
homes’ $45 million average annual
compensation, while the $153 million
guarantee surpasses Buffalo Bills QB
Josh Allen’s previous mark by $3 mil-
lion. Rodgers can rest easy knowing that
he’ll continue to enjoy personal and or-
ganizational stability – and it seems his
influence within club headquarters has
definitely grown, per his wishes – while
avoiding any rebuild the 38-year-old al-
ready stated he wanted no part of. Now
it appears he’ll be in green and gold until
his mid-40s – if he wants.
Russell Wilson: He’s joining a rela-
tively loaded Broncos roster – his situa-
tion not far removed from Tom Brady’s
transfer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
two years ago – and, in a vacuum, would
seem to stand a better chance of win-
ning his second Lombardi Trophy than
he did with the Seahawks, a team show-
ing serious signs of decline. Wilson, 33,
is again surrounded by weapons – WRs
Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim
Patrick and RB Javonte Williams – but
should enjoy far superior blocking than
he had with Seattle, which allowed
nearly 43 sacks per season during his
10-year tenure. And getting in on the
ground floor with new Denver head
coach Nathaniel Hackett should give
Wilson more latitude to influence the
offense’s direction than he might have
had otherwise. But, boy, that AFC West
is going to be a mother in 2022. (Just
wondering, but do you think we’ll have
to now hear Wilson punctuate all of his
interviews with “Go Broncs”? Seems
more than likely.)
Lamar Jackson: The 2019 MVP and
Baltimore Ravens superstar continues
to drag his feet – he serves as his own
agent – on a contract extension. Looks
pretty cagey all things considered now
that Rodgers has upped that compensa-
tion bar significantly.
Los Angeles Rams: Pretty good
month when you win the Super Bowl,
watch Wilson leave your division and
see the Arizona Cardinals dealing with
QB Kyler Murray’s virtual tantrums.
LAR, NFC West champs 2022?
Brian Gutekunst: The Pack’s general
manager apparently built a bridge to
Rodgers rather than burning it. Being
aligned with your best player is much
better than being at odds – especially
now that it’s time to get on with the
business of retooling a team 11 years re-
moved from its last Super Bowl berth.
Reaching an accord that allows Gute-
kunst to reduce Rodgers’ previous
$46.7 million salary cap hit for 2022 is a
great place to start, especially since the
With the Browns tagging tight end David Njoku, his salary for 2022 will increase
to nearly $11 million. SCOTT GALVIN/USA TODAY SPORTS
team began Tuesday more than $26 mil-
lion overspent for the upcoming season,
per Over The Cap. After months of un-
certainty, the franchise can finally move
forward with a plan knowing its All-Pro
quarterback is in place for the next half-
decade.
George Paton: Denver’s second-year
GM seems to have successfully ad-
dressed the quarterback position – fi-
nally – given it’s been a revolving door
since Peyton Manning retired following
Super Bowl 50, which also happens to
be the last time the Broncos made the
playoffs. Paton’s acquisition of Wilson –
Denver is sending two first-round picks,
two second-rounders and a handful of
players, including QB Drew Lock, to Se-
attle as part of the deal – was made easi-
er when he effectively rented OLB Von
Miller to the Rams for the second half of
last season and got second- and third-
round choices in return. (Miller is al-
ready telegraphing a desire to return to
Denver.)
Mike Williams: Coming off a season
in which he posted career bests with
76 receptions and 1,146 yards, the Los
Angeles Chargers’ plus-sized wideout
landed a plus-sized contract – three
years and $60 million ($40 million guar-
anteed) – while avoiding the franchise
tag players typically loathe.
Davante Adams: He was franchised
by the Packers, his one-year, guaran-
teed tender worth $20.1 million. Adams,
29, would naturally prefer more money
and long-term security, yet Tuesday
may well have been a step toward those
goals. Rodgers’ return means Adams
should remain one of the league’s most
productive receivers. And the deal for
Williams, a far less accomplished player
than Adams (a perennial Pro Bowler
since 2017 and All-Pro the past two sea-
sons), means the latter has more lever-
age to seek a package from Gutekunst
that will make him the league’s best-
paid wideout.
Chris Godwin: Pretty good show of
faith for the Bucs to franchise their
wideout a second straight year (for
$19.2 million) given he tore his ACL in
mid-December.
The untagged: Reminds you of the
Unsullied from “Game of Thrones,” but
we digress. And yet the soon-to-be free
agents who avoided the franchise tag
Tuesday have to feel rather unsullied
and must be pretty pumped. A week
hence, New England Patriots CB J.C.
Jackson, Cardinals RB James Conner
and New Orleans Saints LT Terron Arm-
stead and FS Marcus Williams will be
among those who stand to cash in hand-
somely as each team’s salary cap ex-
pands to $208.2 million.
Harold Landry: The blossoming Pro
Bowl pass rusher also sidestepped a tag
... then landed a five-year, $87.5 million
extension from the Tennessee Titans on
Tuesday night. Money. Literally.
Aidan Hutchinson: Considered by
many as the top prospect of the 2022
draft, the University of Michigan’s star
pass rusher should be more firmly part
of the conversation as the No. 1 pick of
the draft after the Jacksonville Jaguars
surprisingly franchised middling LT
Cam Robinson for the second year in a
row.
USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 7C
Tight ends: The Cleveland Browns’
David Njoku, Miami Dolphins’ Mike
Gesicki and Dallas Cowboys’ Dalton
Schultz, all franchised, will see their sal-
aries balloon to nearly $11 million in
2022 – exponential increases for the lat-
ter two, who weren’t first-round picks
like Njoku. And with that trio off the
market, the free agency prospects for
veterans like Evan Engram, Zach Ertz,
Rob Gronkowski, Hayden Hurst, Robert
Tonyan and C.J. Uzomah should im-
prove as the supply side dwindles.
Cowboys: QB Dak Prescott and G
Zack Martin agreed to contract restruc-
tures to free up $22 million in cap space.
Toss in the expected release of WR
Amari Cooper, and the NFC East
champs might actually have the oppor-
tunity to lure a significant free agent or
two.
Matt LaFleur: He’s off to a historical-
ly good start as a head coach, winning 13
regular-season games in each of his
three years, reaching the NFC champi-
onship game twice and earning two No. 1
playoff seeds. Rodgers is obviously the
predominant factor in LaFleur’s suc-
cess, and they’ve clearly established a
deep rapport – one Rodgers has spoken
glowingly of in recent months. Now La-
Fleur can rest easy knowing he’s still got
the most important piece to completing
a Lombardi puzzle.
2022 draft quarterbacks: Going into
last week’s combine, it wouldn’t have
been a surprise if none of this year’s in-
coming passers cracked the draft’s top
10 picks. But Malik Willis and Co. might
have already altered that perception –
and Seattle’s sudden take away of the
No. 9 overall pick could very much
change that calculus.
Losers
2022 draft left tackles: In recent
weeks, North Carolina State’s Ikem
“Ickey” Ekwonu and Alabama’s Evan
Neal had seemingly emerged as front-
runners to be the prospective first pick
of April’s draft. It could still play out that
way, but Jacksonville’s tag of Robinson
likely reduces the probability ... even if
the best move would be shifting him to
right tackle and opening up QB Trevor
Lawrence’s blind side for one of the
kids.
Pete Carroll: He’s suddenly got a
bunch of high-end draft picks – great,
except for the fact Seattle has grossly
mismanaged such assets in recent years
– no proven quarterback and was al-
ready looking up at the rest of the NFC
West. Word even emerged Tuesday eve-
ning that six-time All-Pro MLB Bobby
Wagner, who was drafted in 2012 with
Wilson, was also being released. But,
hey, maybe a rebuild is just what a soon-
to-be-71-year-old needs to put a little
spring in his step.
Patrick Mahomes: The AFC West
was brutal enough without the Broncos
becoming relevant.
Justin Herbert: The AFC West was
brutal enough without the Broncos be-
coming relevant ... though at least Her-
bert gets to stick with Mike Williams.
Derek Carr: The AFC West was bru-
tal enough without the Broncos becom-
ing relevant ... and it’s now apparent
Fresno State BFF Adams won’t be join-
ing Carr’s Las Vegas Raiders any time
soon.
Asking price for Deshaun Watson:
By numerous accounts, the Houston
Texans have been seeking a compensa-
tory package for their franchise quarter-
back, who still faces a rash of legal is-
sues, that includes three first-round
picks and additional assets, whether
players or mid-round selections. But
with Wilson on the move for a bundle
headlined by two first-rounders – and
the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year
recipient is in a whole different off-field
class than Watson now occupies – prob-
ably time for Houston GM Nick Caserio
to lower his demands given the imper-
ative to remove the Watson albatross.
Jordan Love: Like so many recent
Packers QB2s – Matt Hasselbeck, Mark
Brunell, Matt Flynn, Ty Detmer, Aaron
Brooks, Scott Tolzien, Brett Hundley –
the 2020 first-round pick should be
seeking employment elsewhere. (And to
think Gutekunst could have taken WR
Tee Higgins instead ...)
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Noah
Fant: That gravy train of Seattle passing
yards is almost certainly on a one-way
ticket to the Rockies. Maybe Fant can re-
main a 60-catch, 600-yard guy as he
moves west from Denver, but you have
to wonder if Lockett or (more likely)
Metcalf might be the next Seahawk
traded from an organization that seems
more likely to return to its smash-
mouth, “Legion of Boom” roots.
Smith “brothers”: Rodgers’ new deal
may free up cap space in Green Bay, but
Gutekunst still has work to do. In addi-
tion to making room for Adams’ hefty
tag and perhaps doing an extension for
Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander, the GM
must also consider his No. 2 receiver
spot and what to do about free agents
like All-Pro LB De’Vondre Campbell, CB
Rasul Douglas, Tonyan and others.
OLBs Za’Darius Smith and Preston
Smith – they’re not actually related –
could be collateral damage given Gute-
kunst could recoup roughly $28 million
by releasing the duo, which is less pro-
hibitive given the emergence of Rashan
Gary.
Browns: Their ongoing infatuation
with Njoku remains baffling given his
five-year career numbers (148 catches
for 1,754 yards and 15 TDs) are only
slightly better than a typical Travis
Kelce season – not to mention a pair of
capable tight ends, Harrison Bryant and
Austin Hooper, remain on Cleveland’s
roster. GM Andrew Berry has said all
along that the team plans to move for-
ward with QB Baker Mayfield in 2022,
and tagging Njoku further depletes the
cap and any notion the Browns might be
absorbing the contract of a better veter-
an passer.
Washington Commanders: They
struck out on Matthew Stafford last
year. They struck out on Wilson last
week and backpedaled into a deal for
Carson Wentz on Wednesday. Wentz
cost a lot less than Stafford or Wilson ...
but you probably get what you pay for.
NFC: With Wilson leaving Seattle,
Brady retiring – allegedly – and former
Saints coach Sean Payton on a sabbat-
ical at minimum, the league’s senior
conference feels significantly dimin-
ished in comparison to an increasingly
deep AFC.
Brett Favre: Rodgers surpassed his
Packers record for career TD passes
(442) last season and is now virtually
assured to take Favre’s club standards
for passing yards (61,655) and wins
(160), among others.
Aaron Rodgers: It’s been a fascinat-
ing 10-plus months for Rodgers, whose
previous grievances with the Pack came
to light hours before the 2021 draft. He’s
largely remained atop the league’s
headlines ever since – whether it was
speculation about his future; his belated
return to Green Bay for last year’s train-
ing camp, when he elaborated at length
about his misgivings with management;
his contraction of the novel coronavirus,
which cost him a start in Kansas City,
and subsequent admission that he mis-
led the public about his vaccination sta-
tus; or his latest stellar season between
the lines, one that ended with his sec-
ond MVP trophy in two seasons ... and
second playoff collapse at Lambeau
Field in two seasons for a team boasting
the NFC’s No. 1 postseason seed. Rodg-
ers has forfeited quite a bit of goodwill
over that time and, fairly or not, will
doubtless lose more from those who
view his latest windfall as being finan-
cially driven when, by comparison, Bra-
dy – the guy who owns fewer league
MVP awards than Rodgers but has six
more Super Bowl rings – didn’t seek top-
of-market contracts while trying to
leave bread on the table for his team-
mates. Sorry, Aaron.
8C ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY
Broncos bet big on QB trade formula
Mike Jones
Columnist
USA TODAY
Land a star quarterback, land a
championship?
That plan certainly worked to perfec-
tion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and
Los Angeles Rams in each of the last two
offseasons. Tom Brady helped deliver
the former the Lombardi Trophy after
bolting from the New England Patriots
in free agency two years ago. Then Mat-
thew Stafford helped the Rams reach
the summit after last year’s trade from
the Detroit Lions.
Now the Denver Broncos are about to
find out if the same can apply to them as
well.
After pulling off a blockbuster trade
that entailed shipping two first-round
picks, two second-round picks and
three players (including quarterback
Drew Lock) to the Seattle Seahawks, the
Broncos landed Russell Wilson, one of
the most highly coveted quarterbacks of
the offseason.
After Aaron Rodgers, who opted to
remain in Green Bay after months of
speculation, Wilson boasts a resume
like none other:
h A Super Bowl ring (from when he
and the Seahawks defeated Denver in
Super Bowl 48).
h Nine Pro Bowl selections.
h The highest passer rating in 2015
and a passing touchdown crown (2017).
h A Walter Payton NFL Man of the
Year honor (2020).
Now, the Broncos are betting that the
33-year-old Wilson can use his talents
to rack up even more individual acco-
lades while turning them into a legiti-
mate Super Bowl contender.
Ever since Peyton Manning’s retire-
ment after his Super Bowl-winning 2015
season, the Broncos have found them-
selves in search of the man who will lead
them back to prominence.
Rodgers needs second title to cement legacy
Safid Deen
Columnist
USA TODAY Sports+
Aaron Rodgers became the highest
paid quarterback in NFL history Tues-
day, according to multiple reports. But
one Super Bowl title isn’t enough to keep
him among the game’s greats.
Despite three consecutive failed
postseason appearances, the Green Bay
Packers’ window of opportunity is still
very much open. The time is now for
Rodgers to win his elusive second Super
Bowl title.
Rodgers will not see many of the
NFL’s most talented signal callers until
he reaches the Super Bowl because
they’re no longer in the NFC.
On the same day the MVP quarter-
back agreed to a new four-year deal,
which will pay him $50 million annually
to remain with the Packers, the Denver
Broncos agreed to acquire star quarter-
back Russell Wilson from the Seattle
Seahawks.
Roughly a month after Tom Brady an-
nounced his retirement from the NFL,
leaving the NFC Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
the AFC has become the richest confer-
ence in football, stacked with quarter-
back talent.
In AFC West – the new best division
in football – Wilson joins Kansas City
Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, rising Los
Angeles Chargers starter Justin Herbert
and Las Vegas Raiders starter Derek
Carr.
Also among AFC quarterbacks Rodg-
ers gets to avoid: Cincinnati Bengals Su-
per Bowl runner-up Joe Burrow, Buffalo
Bills fan favorite Josh Allen and former
MVP and Baltimore Ravens star Lamar
Jackson.
So next season will be prime for
Rodgers to return to the Super Bowl,
which he last played and won in 2011.
The only quarterbacks standing in
Rodgers’ way in the NFC are Los Angeles
Rams Super Bowl starter Matt Stafford,
Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray and
Dallas Cowboys starter Dak Prescott –
all worthy opponents.
That is, of course, if Brady does not
have a change of heart after spending
time with his family this offseason, con-
templating whether he truly wants to
end his Hall of Fame career.
Mahomes, Stafford and Wilson are
also chasing their second titles, but
Russell Wilson, shown during a Seahawks game on Oct. 7, will try to lead the
Broncos to the Super Bowl, where he once beat Denver. ELAINE THOMPSON/AP
Ten different quarterbacks have
started games for them since Manning
left.
Count ’em up: Brock Osweiler, Trevor
Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum,
Joe Flacco, Lock, Brandon Allen, Jeff
Driskel, Brett Rypien and Teddy Bridge-
water. The figure is actually 11 if you
count Phillip Lindsay lining up under
center with the quarterback room wiped
out by COVID-19 protocols in a contest
two seasons ago.
But none of those options managed
to deliver. In the six seasons since, the
Broncos haven’t even made it to the
playoffs, giving them the second-long-
est active postseason drought of any
team, and their offense has ranked in
the bottom third of the league in most
major statistical categories.
However, Broncos brass has long
looked at the roster – featuring a talent-
ed young defense and a burgeoning col-
lection of explosive offensive weapons –
and held the belief that all they needed
Despite the Packers making the playoffs 12 times beginning with the 2008 season, Aaron Rodgers has led Green Bay to the
Super Bowl once, winning the title in the 2010 season. LON HORWEDEL/AP
Rodgers needs to win his second Super
Bowl first.
The Packers finished 13-3 in each of
the last three seasons under coach Matt
LaFleur, with Rodgers and star receiver
Davante Adams leading the way.
But they have embarrassingly fallen
short when it matters most.
It’s one thing for Rodgers and the
Packers to lose in Green Bay during the
2020 NFC title game to Brady, the great-
est quarterback of all time, and the Buc-
caneers.
It’s another excuse altogether for the
Packers to fall to Jimmy Garoppolo and
the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 and
2021 postseasons.
Rodgers is arguably one of the great-
est regular-season quarterbacks in NFL
history.
was a game-changing quarterback.
The only thing holding them back, in
their minds, was the average-to-awful
level of quarterback play. So they sniffed
around at Houston Texans quarterback
Deshaun Watson and closely monitored
the Aaron Rodgers situation. Now they
have their man after giving up a king’s
ransom.
But does Wilson, as talented as he is,
actually give them a chance?
Is this well-founded confidence, or
pipe dream?
Many within the NFL believe the for-
mer. The Broncos definitely have pieces
to work with. That defense is only going
to continue to get better as the young
pieces continue to develop. There’s real
talent on offense, both at receiver and
running back.
And many around the league view
new coach Nathaniel Hackett, a long-
time offensive coordinator who has had
a good deal of success at multiple stops,
as the right kind of leader and innova-
His four league MVPs, including two
in the last two seasons after Mahomes
and Jackson won the award, is proof of
that.
Rodgers trails only Peyton Manning,
who won five MVPs, for most in league
history.
Behind Brady’s seven Super Bowl ti-
tles, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw
each won four. Troy Aikman won three
Super Bowls during his career. John El-
way, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning
highlight an extensive group of two-
time Super Bowl winners.
History shows quarterbacks can
achieve Super Bowl success late in their
careers.
Brady won four of his Super Bowls af-
ter age 37. Johnny Unitas won his only
Super Bowl at 37. Elway won back-to-
SPORTS
tive mind that Denver has needed.
But there is the matter of the division.
Denver finds itself in a very competitive
AFC West ruled by Patrick Mahomes
and the Kansas City Chiefs, who have
held the division crown for the last six
seasons. Justin Herbert and the Los An-
geles Chargers aren’t far behind. And
despite all of their recent turmoil, the
Las Vegas Raiders did make the playoffs
last season.
Rising to the top of the division will
prove challenging, especially given the
franchise’s 13-game losing streak in the
rivalry to Kansas City. But now the
Broncos have that key piece – the piece
– that all championship teams have: an
All-Pro-caliber quarterback with plenty
left in the tank.
Now, the Broncos have a quarterback
capable of masking deficiencies and el-
evating those around him.
Now, they have the arm to engage
Mahomes and Herbert in a shootout.
It’s just up to Hackett to blend the el-
ements of his offense with the strengths
Wilson offers. Giving him input in the
system like the Buccaneers and Rams
did with Brady and Stafford, respective-
ly, will help the Broncos maximize their
chances for success.
It’s hard to catapult into the elite
ranks in the matter of a season. But it’s a
quarterback-driven league, and Wilson
ranks among the smartest, most gifted
signal-callers. And after years of frus-
trations as the Seahawks failed to sur-
round him with adequate support, he’ll
be highly motivated to deliver.
The Broncos have endured the wil-
derness before while struggling to re-
place John Elway. Then, along came
Manning, who provided the hope the
fan base longed for, and he delivered the
ultimate prize.
Now the Broncos are counting on the
same from Wilson.
They’ve believed for some time now
that they’re a quarterback away. Now
that they finally have their guy, Denver
brass and their fans are about to find out
if they were right.
back titles at 37 and 38, and Peyton
Manning won his second at 39 years old.
Luckily for Rodgers, 38, time is still
on his side.
And he is still very much performing
like he’s in the prime of his career.
No player had more touchdowns (111),
a better quarterback rating (109.2), a
better touchdowns percentage (6.8%)
or more wins (39) in the last three sea-
sons than Rodgers, who has also thrown
the fifth-most yards in the league during
the same time span.
You don’t win two straight MVPs
without being the best player in the
league.
But Rodgers can no longer come up
short in the postseason if he wants his
legacy to remain among the all-time
greats.
LIFE
USA TODAY | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SECTION D
LIFELINE
JAMAAL ELLIS/HOUSTON CHRONICLE VIA AP
MAKING WAVES
TRAVIS SCOTT
Four months after the Astroworld
tragedy that killed 10 concertgoers,
rapper Travis Scott announced a $5
million initiative dubbed “Project
HEAL.” Scott, 30, said the project will
include academic scholarships to
Historically Black Colleges and Uni-
versities, free mental health re-
sources, a creative design education
program and a new tech-driven solu-
tion for event safety. “I’ve been tak-
ing the time and space to grieve,
reflect and do my part to heal my
community,” he wrote in an Instagram
post. “Most importantly, I want to use
my resources and platform moving
forward towards actionable change.
This will be a lifelong journey for me
and my family.”
CAMILLA AND FENNELL VIA GETTY IMAGES
ROYALS REPORT
CAMILLA MEETS EMERALD
Hollywood is fascinated with de-
picting the British royal family, from
“The Crown” to “Spencer” to Life-
time’s adaptations of Prince Harry,
Duchess Meghan, Prince William and
Duchess Kate’s lives. Rarely have the
royals acknowledged their on-screen
depictions, but Duchess Camilla, next
in line to become the Queen Consort,
met Emerald Fennell, the actress who
portrayed the Duchess of Cornwall in
Netflix’s “The Crown,” Tuesday during
an International Women’s Day recep-
tion at Clarence House in London.
IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY
WHO’S CELEBRATING TODAY
Carrie Underwood is 39. Jon Hamm is
51. Sharon Stone is 64.
USA TODAY SNAPSHOTS ©
USA TODAY Top 40
From the March 4 Airplay Charts
abcdefu, Gayle
Ghost, Justin Bieber
Thats What I Want, Lil Nas X
Heat Waves, Glass Animals
Need to Know, Doja Cat
USA TODAY/MEDIABASE
Would you combine music Therapist follows a trail
with a thriller? Dolly would. to define ‘breadcrumbing’
The country icon has teamed with James Sara Kuburic offers tips to avoid being strung
Patterson for her first novel. Page 3D along in a relationship. Page 4D
K1
K1
STREAMING MOVIES
‘Red’ urges
you to free
your ‘inner
panda’
Jenna Ryu
USA TODAY
When we think of puberty, we typi-
cally imagine raging hormones and
teenage angst. But Pixar’s latest movie
is proving that isn’t something to de-
monize.
“Turning Red” (streaming on Dis-
ney+ Friday) offers a refreshing take
on a traditionally uncomfortable topic
by telling the story of Mei Lee (Rosalie
Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese Cana-
dian honors student with adorably
dorky confidence. Like any awkward
eighth grader, she enjoys hanging out
with her friends and obsessing over
boy bands, but often hides her true self
in order to appease her protective,
slightly overbearing mother Ming
(Sandra Oh).
This all changes when Mei marks
her womanhood by “poofing” into a gi-
ant, 8-foot red panda whenever she
gets excited, angry, or overly emotion-
al – a metaphor for adolescence.
Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) has blackouts and sees visions of another “You kind of see the panda’s meta-
man’s life in Marvel’s new Disney+ series “Moon Knight.” phor evolve along with Mei,” explains
director Domee Shi, who headed Pix-
ar’s short film “Bao” in 2018. “It starts
Oscar Isaac’s with puberty, but by the end, it’s clear
the panda represents messiness: The
messiness of growing up. The messi-
ness of life. The messiness of all the
‘Moon Knight’
emotions inside of us that we’re taught
at a young age to put away because it
causes a stir (and) grabs attention.”
wrestles with
mental illness
Brian Truitt USA TODAY
In “Turning Red,” everything is going
Many A-list actors, from Robert Downey Jr. to Chris Evans to the great for 13-year-old Mei – until she
turns into a giant panda when she
late Chadwick Boseman, broke into the expanding Marvel Cine- gets too excited. PROVIDED BY PIXAR
matic Universe by playing an iconic character. In “Moon Knight,”
Oscar Isaac embodies a whole bunch of them. h The new six- For years, young girls have been
episode Disney+ series (streaming weekly, starting March 30) in- taught “to be small, to control their
emotions,” says Shi, who also co-wrote
troduces Isaac as a supernatural vigilante – and two-fisted avatar the screenplay. So instead of banish-
of the Egyptian deity Khonshu – with several other sides surfac- ing the “beast,” she and co-writer Julia
Cho wanted teens such as Mei to em-
ing due to dissociative identity disorder. There’s American mer- brace their “inner panda” in a society
cenary Marc Spector, British gift-shop employee Steven Grant, that often shames women for being too
emotional.
caped crusader Moon Knight and the mysterious, suit-clad Mr. “We’re living in this moment where
Knight. And those are just the personalities we can mention be- it’s so much about authenticity and
being our true selves, but it’s impossi-
fore the show starts. ble if you don’t actually embrace every
part of yourself,” says Cho.
Isaac loves every one of them, al- and “Ghostbusters.” But just as criti- In Mei’s family, which frames her
though he allows that it all sounds cal as the derring-do is the series’ mom as strong-willed and her dad as
bonkers. “He’s this Jewish Chicago emphasis on one man’s struggle steady and reserved, “there’s some-
guy who is enslaved to an Egyptian with his mental health issues. thing so empowering and cool about
god. And one of his alters is English,” “It’s a story about identity and how Mei is the first to embrace the
Isaac says. “It’s already like, finding one’s true self,” executive messiness of herself. To be loud, to
‘What?!’ ” producer Grant Curtis says. “The take up space and to be this unapolo-
While the Disney+ Marvel series journey that Marc Spector is on dur- getic, large, goofy creature,” Shi adds.
– including “WandaVision,” “Loki” ing our whole show is: Who am I? “Turning Red” already has garnered
and “Hawkeye” – until now have And how do I reconcile portions of praise from critics for its empowering
been continuations of personalities my past, present and potential fu- and humorous take on a familiar com-
from the feature films, “Moon ture that I don’t necessarily agree ing-of-age story. As a mom, film critic
Knight” adds a new character to the with? Coming to terms with our bag- Tessa Smith said the ending moved
MCU. The show has its own style: a gage and learning to live with our- her to tears. “I related so hard to ‘Turn-
globetrotting action-adventure with selves is what we all deal with on a ing Red.’ I get Mei, but I also get Ming.”
mystery and horror elements remi- Critic Kevin Lee said Mei “reminded
niscent of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” See MOON KNIGHT, Page 3D me of myself and how difficult 13-year-
old me must’ve been for my mom.”
The film is based on Shi’s own child-
hood experiences: Like Mei, she recalls
frequently butting heads with her pro-
tective mother while navigating
changes in her body and relationships
– a common experience for many
Asian immigrant kids torn between
being dutiful kids and the chaos of ad-
olescence.
Those behind “Turning Red” made
sure to evoke that nostalgia and repre-
sentation for Asian viewers while
avoiding crude stereotypes. For in-
stance, the filmmakers initially hesi-
tated on making Mei a straight-A stu-
dent, out of concern that it could per-
petuate Asians’ nerdy stereotype. But
Ethan Hawke stars as the antagonistic zealot Arthur Harrow in “Moon
Knight.” PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS See TURNING RED, Page 3D
2D ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY LIFE

USA TODAY BEST-SELLING BOOKS BOOKLIST.USATODAY.COM WHAT

AMERICA’S
READING®

n Rank this week n Rank last week (F) Fiction (NF) Nonfiction (P) Paperback (H)Hardcover (E) E-book Publisher in italics The book list appears
THE TOP 10 every Thursday.
For each title, the format
1 — Hook, Line, and Fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree 6 — The Whole Body Subtitle: “Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum and publisher listed are for
Sinker flirt until he meets Hannah Bellinger (NF) (E) Avon Reset/S. Perrine Health & a Body You’ll Love at Midlife and Beyond” (NF) (H) the best-selling version of
Tessa Bailey with H. Skolnik Simon & Schuster that title this week.
Reporting outlets include
Amazon.com, Amazon
2 2 It Ends With Us Ryle Kincaid’s relationship with Lily becomes complicated 7 9 Green Eggs and Children: Turns out green eggs and ham aren’t so bad in this Kindle, Apple Books,
Colleen Hoover when a man from her past shows up (F) (P) Atria Books Ham Seuss classic (F) (H) Random House Barnes & Noble.com,
Barnes & Noble Inc., Barnes
Dr. Seuss & Noble e-books,
BooksAMillion.com,
3 8 Books-A-Million, Costco,
4 Atomic Habits Subtitle: “An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & — Phantom Game Jonas “Smoke” Harper finds his perfect mate; 18th in series Hudson Booksellers,
James Clear Break Bad Ones” (NF) (H) Avery Christine Feehan (F) (E) Berkley Joseph-Beth Booksellers
(Lexington, Ky.; Cincinnati,
Charlotte, Cleveland,
Pittsburgh), Kobo, Inc.,
4 3 Verity A struggling writer is hired to complete the works of a 9 13 One Fish Two Fish Children: A collection of rhymes that includes old fish and Powell's Books (Portland,
Colleen Hoover permanently injured author (F) (P) Grand Central Publishing Red Fish Blue Fish new fish (F) (H) Random House Ore.), Powells.com, R.J.
Dr. Seuss Julia Booksellers, Schuler
Books & Music (Grand
Rapids, Okemos, Eastwood,
5 — My Hero Academia, Midoriya and Tomura finally come to blows while Dabi has a 10 6 The Seven Hus- A legendary film actress discusses her rise to fame with a Alpine, Mich.), Target,
Vol. 30 shocking revelation; 30th in series (F) (P) Viz Media bands of Evelyn journalist (F) (P) Washington Square Press Tattered Cover Book Store
(Denver).
Kohei Horikoshi Hugo/T. J. Reid

THE REST
11 1 The Paris Apartment/Lucy Foley A locked room mystery set in a Paris apartment building where everyone’s a suspect (F) (H) William Morrow
12 16 The Cat in the Hat/Dr. Seuss Children: Much happens when Mom is away and the cat turns up (F) (H) Random House
13 41 How to Catch a Leprechaun /Adam Wallace; art by Andy Children: Is this the year you will finally catch a leprechaun? (F) (H) Sourcebooks
Elkerton
14 25 Fox in Socks/Dr. Seuss Children: A book of increasingly difficult tongue-twisters (F) (H) Random House Books for Young Readers
15 20 It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny/Marilyn Sadler Children: P.J. tries to decide if it’s better being another animal instead of a bunny (F) (H) Random House Books for Young Readers
16 35 Dr. Seuss’s ABC/Dr. Seuss Children: Book teaches the alphabet in a fun way (F) (H) Random House Books for Young Readers
17 40 Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale/Art Spiegelman A Pulitzer Prize-winning account of a Jewish family’s experience of the Holocaust (F) (P) Pantheon
18 47 Oh, the Places You’ll Go!/Dr. Seuss Children: Dr. Seuss’ advice on life is a favorite for graduations (F) (H) Random House
19 7 Reminders of Him/Colleen Hoover Kenna Brown leaves prison after serving five years and tries to connect with her 4-year-old daughter (F) (P) Montlake
20 — The Eyes of the Dragon/Stephen King Two brothers born into royalty battle an evil man’s dark magic (F) (E) Scribner
21 24 The Very Hungry Caterpillar Board Book/Eric Carle Classic children’s story of a caterpillar that eats all the time and turns into a butterfly (F) (H) Philomel
22 5 House of Sky and Breath/Sarah J. Maas Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar have a choice to make: stay silent or fight; second in series (F) (E) Bloomsbury
23 26 Little Blue Truck’s Springtime/Alice Schertle; art by Jill McEl- Children: Little Blue Truck learns about baby animals (F) (H) HMH Books for Young Readers
murry
24 — Gallant/V. E. Schwab Youth: Olivia Prior leaves boarding school for manor Gallant and uncovers ominous secrets (F) (H) Greenwillow Books
25 — One Italian Summer/Rebecca Serle After losing her mom, Katy embarks on what would have been their mother-daughter trip (F) (H) Atria Books
26 — The Club/Ellery Lloyd Things begin to fall apart at an exclusive club for celebrities (F) (H) Harper
27 17 The Love Hypothesis/Ali Hazelwood A faux romance gets real between two scientists (F) (P) Berkley
28 54 Go Dog Go!/P.D. Eastman Children: Classic featuring red dogs, blue dogs, big dogs and little dogs (F) (H) Random House Books for Young Readers
29 19 Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives/Dav Pilkey Children: Flippy, Molly and Li’l Petey have new lessons planned for Melvin, Naomi and their 19 siblings (F) (H) Scholastic
30 58 Are You My Mother?/P.D. Eastman Children: A bird who falls out of a nest goes around asking everyone – dog, cat, plane – “Are you my mother?” (F) (H) Random House
Children’s Books
31 23 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot/Jeff Kinney Children: Greg is ready to give up sports but reluctantly signs up for basketball; 16th in series (F) (H) Amulet Books
32 — Undistracted/Bob Goff Subtitle: “Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy.” (NF) (H) Thomas Nelson
33 18 The Maid/Nita Prose When Regency Grand Hotel maid Molly Gray discovers a dead body, she becomes a suspect (F) (E) Ballantine
34 — Black Ops/Ric Prado Subtitle: “The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior” (NF) (H) St. Martin’s Press
35 22 The Lincoln Highway/Amor Towles Emmett Watson, newly released from a juvenile work farm, hits the road on a tour through 1950s America (F) (E) Viking
36 — Project Hail Mary/Andy Weir The clock is ticking, and a lone astronaut must save humanity from an extinction-level threat (F) (E) Ballantine
37 48 Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?/Bill Martin Jr., Children: Animals take turns catching glimpses of each other (F) (H) Henry Holt and Co.
Eric Carle
38 49 I Love You to the Moon and Back/Amelia Hepworth; art by Children: A mama bear and her cub spend the day together (F) (H) Tiger Tales
Tim Warnes
39 29 Where the Crawdads Sing/Delia Owens The reclusive Kya Clark is suspected in the death of Chase Andrews (F) (P) Putnam
40 37 The Body Keeps the Score/Bessel van der Kolk Subtitle: “Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” (NF) (P) Penguin
41 32 People We Meet on Vacation/Emily Henry Years after a falling out, two best friends reunite for one last road trip (F) (P) Berkley
42 27 Ugly Love/Colleen Hoover Tate Collins and Miles Archer have nothing in common but their attraction for each other (F) (P) Atria Books
43 — The Atlas Six/Olivie Blake Six uniquely talented magicians make up the Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge (F) (H) Tor
44 33 The Midnight Library/Matt Haig Nora Seed has the opportunity to change her current life to one that could have been (F) (H) Viking
45 — A Will and a Way/Nora Roberts Pandora must spend time with her hated relative Michael in order to fulfill her uncle’s last wishes (F) (E) St. Martin’s Paperbacks
46 36 Atlas of the Heart/Brené Brown Subtitle: “Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience” (NF) (H) Random House
47 42 The Four Agreements/Don Miguel Ruiz Subtitle: “A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom” (NF) (P) Amber-Allen
48 83 Hop on Pop/Dr. Seuss Children: Subtitle: “The Simplest Seuss for Youngest Use” (F) (H) Random House Children’s Books
49 14 Red-Handed/Peter Schweizer Subtitle: “How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” (NF) (H) Harper
50 61 Goodnight Moon/Margaret Wise Brown; art by Clement Hurd Children: The old lady is still whispering hush in this 1947 children’s book (F) (H) HarperCollins

PUZZLES
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EDITED Amanda Rafkin By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek 3/10 B E Z E E V D U T H Y R
BY Neville Fogarty Find and Circle: S A N L N U E R M N Z Y
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... SOMETHING Four weather-related words ending with Y ☐☐☐☐
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Four Italian cities ☐☐☐☐ Q A N L L N L A I N Q O

NEW Three four-letter felines ☐☐☐
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1 Addition results Wednesday’s answer: GRIMACE FROWN SMIRK SMILE GRIN / M I L A N Z C S O H E T
5 Attorneys study HONDURAS HUNGARY HAITI / TANGO SAMBA WALTZ / CANARY
them CRANE CROW / ECHELON L E N D X R O M E N D H
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13 Iran’s continent QUICKCROSS UP & DOWN WORDS
14 Place where By John Wilmes 3/10 By David L. Hoyt and Russell L. Hoyt 3/10
travelers stay
15 Sneaky plan Precipitation type 1. STUART
16 “The Queen’s 2.
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19 Kettle’s output 3.
20 Pascal of “The Precipitation type 4.
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21 Name hidden in Athletics award
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to LA
25 London museum Gershwin and Levin
Clues: Wednesday’s Answer
that opened in 2000 1. Fictional mouse of literature THE DEEP
30 Saweetie genre Wednesday’s Answer
Skid
2. Capital of Arkansas DEEP SOUTH
33 Language that gave 3. Lowest possible level SOUTH PACIFIC
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F A I R 4. Basement PACIFIC TIME
Theater award 5. Appliance on display, e.g. TIME TRAVEL
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35 Publisher and 62 Sorcerer 17 Dormant 50 Garment
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37 Abbr. in company 25 Strategic move SUDOKU
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names DOWN 26 Include, like a PDF 55 Many a “Euphoria”
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39 Hollywood Walk of character box contains the numbers 1 through 9 (no repeats). box contains the numbers 1 through 6 (no repeats).
2 A versatile object 27 Cake layer 56 Hit with a laser
Fame shape has many 28 Tightly packed
40 Too 3 Catcher’s glove 29 Accompany
57 The “A” of IPA 4 8 2 7 1 2 3
41 Grade-A 58 “___ ok to not be ok”
4 Box in many heist 31 Ariana DeBose’s
42 [that wasn’t my error] films “West Side
59 Tiny criticism 1 4 8 2
43 Stable molecule 5 Fish on a bagel Story” role Wednesday’s Answer
with an unpaired 6 Resting on 32 Group of 8 9 2 5 1
valence electron 7 Used to be judges
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e.g. 9 Threesomes words
47 Place to soak 10 Michael Scott’s 35 Corned beef 4 3 4
48 Sommelier’s Dunder Mifflin seller
offerings Scranton Meredith 38 Nighttime biter 4 9 2 5 3
51 Lump of gold Palmer Memorial 40 Rock concert DIFFICULTY RATING ✮✮✮✮✩
56 Guinness World Celebrity Rabies venue 9 5 Wednesday’s Answers
Record holder who Awareness Pro-Am 43 Members of 5 3 9 4 7 8 2 1 6 3 2 1 5 4 6
won the 2021 Scripps Fun ___ Race for the some religious 1 9 7 7 8 1 6 2 9 4 5 3 5 4 6 2 1 3
National Spelling Cure orders 4 6 2 3 5 1 9 8 7
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6 5 7 1 8 4 3 9 2
60 Tweak 12 Long, wriggly fish 46 Hooting baby 3/9 3/10 DIFFICULTY RATING ✮✮✮✮✩ 1 9 8 2 3 6 5 7 4
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1 2 © WIGGLES 3D GAMES
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Wednesday’s Answer: “Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves

© USA TODAY and Rich Coulter Yesterday’s solution off talking to those who do not wish to hear it.” - Samuel Butler
LIFE
BOOKS
Parton’s thriller novel strikes many chords
Matthew Leimkuehler
Nashville Tennessean
USA TODAY NETWORK
Dolly Parton can add a new title to
her résumé: Novelist.
Parton teamed this week with best-
selling author James Patterson to re-
lease “Run, Rose, Run,” the beloved Ten-
nessee storyteller’s first work of hard-
bound fiction in a career in which her
entertainment accolades and philan-
thropic achievements could be stacked
as tall as the Smoky Mountains where
she was raised.
A soul-searching tale of country star-
dom with a twist of backroad mystery,
“Run, Rose, Run” hit shelves and elec-
tronic platforms Monday, coinciding
with Parton co-hosting the 57th annual
ACM Awards in Las Vegas. Last week,
Parton released an accompanying
soundtrack – because, of course, she
did – that features a dozen new songs.
And, sure, “thriller novelist” might
not be the first thing most think of with
Parton. But for her, co-authoring with
Patterson struck a creative chord she
long thought about strumming.
“I always thought I’d write a novel, or
a mystery, at some point in my life, be-
cause I do love to tell stories,” Parton
told The Tennessean, part of the USA
TODAY Network. “I thought, ‘This
would be a wonderful opportunity to do
that.’ I wouldn’t have to do it but once –
not to say that I won’t – but this is some-
thing else that I can add to the wonder-
ful things I’ve been involved in (during)
my life.”
While a Parton-Patterson billing may
cause some to double-take at first, the
latter said they share a background of
against-all-odds success needed to
write a dream-chasin’ country music
story.
“We’re both million-to-one-against-
us shots,” Patterson said. “For her to
come from the hills of Tennessee – with
all the talent she had – but still to make
it, the odds were huge that she wouldn’t.
When I first came from upstate New
York to New York (City), same thing: No
way am I going to get to be a best-selling
author. No way is Dolly Parton gonna get
to be Dolly Parton. That was a similarity
we had.”
Nashville’s new (literary) duo
Patterson – a 1970 master’s graduate
from Vanderbilt University considered
to be this century’s best-selling author –
began chewing on an idea for a Nash-
ville, Tennessee, story before calling
Parton’s management to ask to meet
with the Country Music Hall of Famer.
Parton’s initial thought? “Why would
he need me? He’s doing OK,” she said.
But the two soon sat down in Nash-
ville – without lawyers or agents crowd-
ing the table, Patterson said – to hash
out a partnership.
“When he told me he wanted to write
something about Nashville, I thought,
‘Well, how hard can that be?’ ” Parton
said. “I know a lot about that.”
Moon Knight
Continued from Page 1D
day-to-day basis.”
Viewers first meet Steven, whom
Isaac calls an “English bloke who is a bit
confused and doesn’t have great social
skills and says the wrong things at all
the wrong times and is completely sin-
cere.” He’s also “someone longing for
connection, and in a way, could be a
counterpoint to the classic, tortured,
dark vigilante guy we’ve seen a lot.”
Steven suffers from random black-
outs, voices in his head and trouble dis-
tinguishing between his waking and
dream lives, with flashing visions of
Egyptian relics and memories that
aren’t his own. He stumbles into some
dangerous, otherworldly dealings and
“meets” Marc, creating an initial tension
between the two personalities with dif-
ferent goals and objectives.
With Spector, “I leaned into this Chi-
cago guy who’s pushing people away,”
adds Isaac, also a “Moon Knight” exec-
utive producer. “You feel the way that
Steven feels: ‘Why is he such a (jerk)? I
don’t really want to be around him.’ As
the story progresses, you see that thaw
happen.”
It was important to Isaac that the se-
ries feels “experiential” for audience
members and “quite true to the psycho-
logical horror of not knowing what’s
happening and the slow revelations of
the truth,” so that they have a better un-
derstanding of what having dissociative
identity disorder is like.
Dolly Parton and James Patterson will appear at South by Southwest on March
18 to promote their novel “Run, Rose, Run.” PROVIDED BY SEBASTIAN SMITH/FOX
During the collaboration, a budding
friendship bloomed between the story-
tellers and literacy advocates.
Parton, an occasional Patterson
reader before “Run, Rose, Run,” caught
on to his “warped” sense of humor. In
turn, Patterson – who before Parton
worked on a pair of books with former
President Bill Clinton – enlisted a co-au-
thor he described as fair, funny and
down-to-earth.
A Music City mystery
In “Run, Rose, Run,” Patterson and
Parton introduce readers to AnnieLee
Keyes, an aspiring singer-songwriter
who pulls herself – literally – out of
Nashville’s gutters with a golden voice
and heart-piercing pen.
Her singing fills back-alley bars and
turns heads inside neon-soaked honky-
tonks, but offstage, AnnieLee remains
tight-lipped on a checkered past even
when catching the eyes and ears of
Ruthanna Ryder, country music’s re-
tired matriarch.
AnnieLee keeps her head on a swivel
as she juggles threats from her past in-
side a modern country music industry
littered with corrupt radio DJs and
shadowed by inequities for women in
the aftermath of the 2015 Country Radio
Seminar dust-up “Tomatogate” –a
linchpin for ongoing calls for parity on
Mr. Knight is one of Marc Spector’s more mysterious personas in “Moon
Knight.” PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS
“It’s amazing that the brain has this
survival mechanism, this way to cope,”
Isaac explains. “At a very young age, if
you’re going through sustained horrible
trauma and abuse, something that can
happen in order for one to survive is the
brain splits into an alternate personality
that has no idea of what’s happening.
And that is its own incredible, kind of
beautiful superpower.”
Says writer/executive producer Jere-
my Slater: “A lot of superheroes are de-
fined by their villains (but) Moon Knight
is his own greatest enemy.”
Producers say they did their home-
work and took seriously the responsibil-
ity of tackling mental illness. “Whatever
we’re putting out there in the universe
has to be ultimately good and uplifting
and have a positive message about
mental health,” Slater says.
Voiced by F. Murray Abraham, Khon-
shu appears as an “imperious and sort
of snotty and vengeful” deity, Slater
USA TODAY ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ 3D
country radio.
Readers familiar with Parton’s rags-
to-riches history may connect with
pieces of AnnieLee and Ruthanna. Par-
ton said she relates to both.
“I wanted it to be true to the real sto-
ries and things that do happen,” Parton
said. “I wanted it to be true to Nashville
and some of the things that have hap-
pened not only in my life but in Nash-
ville in general.”
Parton continued, “The young one? I
was so much her, in so many ways. I
didn’t have the past she had. But I had
the dreams and the desires to have my
music taken serious and myself taken
serious. Ruthanna had been a big star
years before, so I relate to how she men-
tors the young girl.”
But neither author wanted to intro-
duce issues in Nashville from a soapbox,
Patterson said.
“Dolly or I, I don’t think we’re soap-
box people,” Patterson said, adding:
“Never one of us wanted to preach at
people ... you can come to your own con-
clusions.”
And a book may not be the only way
to experience AnnieLee’s story. Both
confirmed talks with Hollywood on a
silver-screen adaptation.
“About 70” studios, production com-
panies, or individuals inquired about
the adaptation, Patterson said, and he
hopes an announcement comes soon.
says. “He’s this incredibly powerful
and immortal God (with) his own inse-
curities and throws temper tantrums.”
The show’s primary antagonist is Ar-
thur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), a zealot
associated with the god Ammit.
“It was like putting Jimmy Swag-
gart, Leo Tolstoy, (Fidel) Castro, the
Dalai Lama and Josef Mengele into a
blender,” Hawke says. “That was the
fun of it: What if Steve Jobs was a bad
guy?”
Hawke enjoys that there wasn’t “a
tremendous amount of iconography
already attached” to Moon Knight, a
cult figure in comic book circles. “We
were able to create something free of
too much expectation.”
Isaac promises that multiple view-
ings will be helpful to piece together
what’s real and what’s in the charac-
ters’ imaginations. “And the one thing
that’s absolutely real is his emotional
journey.”
“I said Dolly and I (met) with no law-
yers, no agents,” Patterson said, “but
when you get out to Hollywood, there’s a
lot of lawyers and a lot of agents.
They’re wading through it.”
Parton wants to play Ruthanna, she
said. Who fits AnnieLee?
“I don’t really know yet,” Parton said.
“There’s a lot of young girls out there
that may be great at that.”
Run, music, run
Now, it wouldn’t be a Parton project
without a little music, right? The Smoky
Mountain Songbird cut a dozen songs
for her “Run, Rose, Run” album, which
channels the trials of AnnieLee, Ruth-
anna and others from the novel.
For the novel, Parton wrote lyrics to
songs that appear on page (the book
features a songbook crediting charac-
ters with accompanying tunes). In real-
life Nashville, Parton brought her words
to the studio. With songs such as “Big
Dreams and Faded Jeans,” “Woman Up
(And Take It Like a Man)” and “Driven,”
listeners hear the result in an album
capturing her timeless take on country
and bluegrass music.
But an album wasn’t part of the initial
plan. Knee-deep into writing the book,
Patterson sent Parton a line that turned
on a lightbulb for the singer, she said.
“All of a sudden, I thought, ‘You know
what? This is all about Nashville,’” Par-
ton said. “I know all about that. I know
all about country music. I know about
all these characters and what they’re
suffering and what they’re feeling. Why
don’t I just write a soundtrack?”
And no, buying a book with a sound-
track isn’t commonplace for book lov-
ers. Patterson said it’s the first time he’s
heard of it.
“We talked about it and we set out to
write a mystery and we made some mu-
sic history,” he said.
The “Run, Rose, Run” experience
doesn’t stop at book and album, either.
In a campaign that seems only pos-
sible for an ever-busy Parton, she co-
stars alongside Kelsea Ballerini in an au-
diobook adaptation and teamed with a
Spotify for a “bookcast,” a podcast that
blends excerpts with music. Parton will
promote the book at marquee cultural
festival SXSW, where she’ll launch the
“Dollyverse” NFT collection. NFTs, or
non-fungible tokens, are pieces of data
verifying ownership of a digital collect-
ible, such as artwork.
How does she balance it all?
“It’s a lot of work, especially doing a
major project like this,” Parton said. “It’ll
wear your (butt) out. But you have to
know that you’re doing something good
and you hope for the best. That’s how
you get things done ... I balance it be-
cause I love what I do.”
And unlike Ruthanna, who hung up
her heels after a music career, Parton
doesn’t plan to slow down.
“I don’t ever plan to retire,” Parton
said. “I may have to quit one day if I’m
sick, or something. But I never plan to
retire.”
Turning Red
Continued from Page 1D
while reflecting on their own experi-
ences and whether they were allowed
to be B or C students growing up, Shi
and Cho agreed to keep the narrative.
“We always approach the writing of
these characters from their goals and
motivations,” says Shi. “Mei really
wants to be a good daughter to her
mom and she truly loves her mom and
family… but also she’s being inexplica-
bly drawn to this new world, to boys,
her friends, to everything that the red
panda represents.”
The same precautions were made to
humanize Ming as more than just a
stereotypical, emotionless “tiger
mom.”
“What I tried to do was to make sure
Ming was just as well balanced (as)
Mei,” says Cho. “Ming is fully real and
human as a mom, so you’re not only
seeing her through Mei’s perspective
but also having a larger perspective on
who (Ming) is and why she’s protec-
tive.”
Though the cute family-friendly
film is all about the complexity of pu-
berty, the beauty of “Turning Red” is
that it hits home for viewers of all ages.
“Whether we’re 13, 33, or 53, we’re
all constantly evolving to a version of
ourselves that isn’t really our best ver-
sion, but it’s our more true version,”
Cho says. “It’s not about being the best
you can be. It’s about being as much
you as you can be.”
4D ❚ THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2022 ❚ USA TODAY LIFE

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Don’t settle for daters who are ‘breadcrumbing’

Sara Kuburic
USA TODAY
As a society, we’ve become very cre-
ative with the terms we use to describe
various relationship dynamics – ghost-
ing, gaslighting, love bombing, situa-
tionships. But, have you heard of bread-
crumbing?
Breadcrumbing is an act of giving
someone just enough attention to keep
them interested without much effort or
committing. Simply, it’s an act of lead-
ing someone on or stringing them along.
Practically, this can look like some-
one sending you sporadic flirty texts,
social media interactions, or hints at
meeting up (without specifics or follow-
ing through). When we are about to call
it quits or when our interest wanes, this
is usually when they offer more
“crumbs.” The crumbs are timed to sus-
tain our interest – to lure us in – even
though the person has no intention of
engaging with us in any other capacity.
Although this term is associated with
the world of online dating, the princi-
ples behind breadcrumbing always hae
existed. Have you ever been in a rela-
tionship where the person does just
enough to keep you in their life but never
gives you what you need or want? Or
have you noticed how right when you
decide to end things they show up with
flowers or book a weekend trip? This is
the same thing, but modern-day bread-
crumbing happens before the relation-
ship has even started.
Why someone may leave
breadcrumbs
h They are seeking attention or vali-
dation.
h They already are in a relationship
but want to have a backup plan.
h They like you, but they don’t want
to commit.
h They are not ready to let you go.
h They are feeling lonely.
h They are insecure.
h They don’t know what they want.
The person is often less concerned
about exploring the relationship if there
is a connection or if they are interested
and more concerned about making sure
you are. For some, this process is con-
scious and for others, it is not.
How to handle breadcrumbing
Set a specific time. Some people are
shy or poor communicators. Offering
them the benefit of the doubt and set-
ting specific plans can help you deter-
mine if what is happening is truly
breadcrumbing or bad planning.
Have an honest conversation. It
may be uncomfortable to have a candid
conversation, but sometimes calling
them out can help you clarify the situa-
tion. Explaining what you’ve noticed
can bring to their attention what they
are doing, but it can also signal a need
for them to change their behavior if they
want to continue having a relationship
with you.
Talk about goals. If there are a lot of
“plans” or “promises” and little or no fol-
low-through, it is worth asking what
their goal is. This question is not a de-
mand – it’s a clarification.
Stand up for how you want to be
treated. If your ideal process of getting
to know people does not entail putting
your life on hold for someone who
doesn’t seem to be reciprocating the
commitment or enthusiasm, it may be
time to move on. It’s important to have a
realistic expectation, and not accepting
any less is imperative.
Work on your self-esteem. If we be-
lieve that we are not worthy of anyone’s
time or commitment, we are likely to be-
lieve we deserve the crumbs.
I remind you that you don’t deserve
anything less than a whole damn cake!
Sara Kuburic is a therapist who spe-
cializes in identity, relationships and
moral trauma.

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MOVIES Eastern Time may vary in some cities

(N) New episode.
 NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 1NN

Inside: Judge
approves boost of
settlement in
Purdue Pharma
opioids lawsuit. 6NN

INVASION IN UKRAINE Calls to

suspend
Hospital attack gas taxes
called ‘huge crime’ in US grow
Proposals gain steam;
average gallon at $4.25
David A. Lieb
ASSOCIATED PRESS

With gas prices at record highs

across the U.S., an increasing number
of governors and state lawmakers are
calling for the suspension of gas taxes
to provide relief to motorists who are
facing the prospect of even higher
pump prices as the country cuts off
Russian oil imports.
Proposals for a “gas tax holiday” to
counter inflation had been moving
slowly in Congress and state capitols
before Russia invaded Ukraine, but
they have gained momentum this
week amid surging prices that aver-
aged $4.25 a gallon on Wednesday, ac-
cording to AAA.
Republican legislative leaders in
Michigan and Pennsylvania an-
nounced proposals Wednesday to sus-
pend or reduce state gas taxes. That
came after the Republican governor of
Georgia and Democratic governor of
California both called for relief from
state gas taxes Tuesday, when Presi-
dent Joe Biden ordered a ban on Rus-
sian oil imports.
Meanwhile, the Democratic gover-
nors of Colorado, Michigan, Minneso-
ta, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin sent a joint letter to con-
A Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces member hugs a resident who leaves his hometown after Russian artillery shelling in
gressional leaders urging them to sup-
Irpin on Wednesday. OLEKSANDR RATUSHNIAK/AP
port legislation suspending the federal
government’s 18.4-cent-a-gallon gas

Russian airstrike White House says tax through 2022.

Critics of the proposals say there is

heightens worries Russia might use no guarantee the savings would get
passed on to consumers and worry

of rising brutality chemical weapons that suspending gas taxes could hurt
funding for road projects. Even so, the
eye-popping prices at the pump are
Evgeniy Maloletka Zeke Miller prompting lawmakers to act.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ASSOCIATED PRESS “In the past several days, we have
seen gas prices skyrocket to historic
MARIUPOL, Ukraine – A Russian air- WASHINGTON – The Biden ad- levels,” Pennsylvania Senate President
strike devastated a maternity hospital ministration publicly warned Pro Tempore Jake Corman, a Republi-
Wednesday in the besieged port city of Wednesday that Russia might seek to can running for governor, said in a me-
Mariupol amid growing warnings from use chemical or biological weapons in mo seeking co-sponsors for the legis-
A child looks out a steamy bus window lation. “We must do all that we can to
the West that Moscow’s invasion is Ukraine as the White House rejected
as civilians are evacuated from Irpin on address this now at the state govern-
about to take a more brutal and indis- Russian claims of illegal chemical
the outskirts of Kyiv on Wednesday. ment level and offer our support to
criminate turn. Ukrainian officials said weapons development in the country
VADIM GHIRDA/AP
the attack wounded at least 17 people. it has invaded. hard-working families.”
The ground shook more than a mile This week, Russian Foreign Minis- Pennsylvania’s gas tax of 57.6 cents
away when the Mariupol complex was try spokeswoman Maria Zakharova – per gallon is the highest in the nation,
hit by a series of blasts that blew out Inside without evidence – accused Ukraine of just ahead of California’s. Corman said
windows and ripped away much of the running chemical and biological he is introducing legislation for a
front of one building. Police and soldiers h The Pentagon on Wednesday weapons labs with U.S. support. White roughly one-third reduction through
rushed to the scene to evacuate victims, slammed the door on a Polish House press secretary Jen Psaki called the rest of the year. The lost gas tax
carrying out a heavily pregnant and proposal for providing Ukraine with Russia’s claim “preposterous” and said revenue would be offset by directing
bleeding woman on a stretcher as light MiG fighter jets. 3NN it could be part of an attempt by Russia $500 million of federal COVID-19 relief
snow drifted down on burning and h Twitter launched a to lay the groundwork for its own use aid to state police and issuing
mangled cars and trees shattered by the privacy-protected version of its site of such weapons of mass destruction $650 million in bonds to ensure infra-
blast. to bypass surveillance and against Ukraine. structure projects remain funded.
Another woman wailed as she censorship after Russia restricted “This is all an obvious ploy by Rus- Legislation pending in both the U.S.
clutched her child. In the courtyard, a access. 3NN sia to try to justify its further premed- House and U.S. Senate also would off-
blast crater extended at least two stories itated, unprovoked, and unjustified at- set lost revenue from a gas tax suspen-
deep. h House moves toward approval of tack on Ukraine,” Psaki tweeted sion by transferring an equal amount
“Today Russia committed a huge spending bill with $13.6 billion Wednesday. “Now that Russia has of general fund dollars to the accounts
crime,” said Volodymir Nikulin, a top re- earmarked for battered Ukraine and made these false claims, and China that fund state highway and public
its European allies. 5NN
See AIRSTRIKE, Page 5NN See WEAPONS, Page 3NN See GAS TAXES, Page 2NN

Trump a pariah? $100M Donald

Trump’s
company

bank loan suggests not has

secured a
loan for its
Trump
Bernard Condon time accountants had disavowed a dec- Tower in
ASSOCIATED PRESS ade’s worth of his financial statements New York
amid allegations by New York’s attorney despite
NEW YORK – A bank’s decision to general that they had exaggerated his banks
loan Donald Trump’s company $100 wealth. cutting
million is the latest evidence the former The Axos loan is being used to pay ties with it
president might survive fraud investi- back an old loan backed by commercial a year ago,
gations and a business-world backlash space at Trump Tower that was coming the latest
over his efforts to stay in office after los- due in September. of several
ing the 2020 election. A year ago, it looked possible that financial
San Diego-based Axos Bank finalized Trump might become a pariah after his wins for
the loan with the Trump Organization supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in the former
on Feb. 17, according to documents filed an attempt to stop a vote certifying president.
with the city Tuesday. President Joe Biden’s election win. JOHN
That’s just three days after public MINCHILLO/
revelations that the Republican’s long- See TRUMP, Page 2NN AP FILE

SUBSCRIBER-EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL EDITION

2NN | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
Florida Representatives Daniel Perez, left, and Blaise Ingoglia celebrate after
the passage of a bill during a legislative session at the Florida State Capitol.
WILFREDO LEE/AP
Election police unit
clears Florida House
DeSantis expected to
sign measure into law
Anthony Izaguirre
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida law-
makers on Wednesday passed a voting
law package that would create a police
force dedicated to pursuing election
crimes, a proposal pushed by Repub-
lican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The GOP-controlled House ap-
proved the measure on a party-line
vote with Republicans in support. The
bill now heads to the governor’s office,
where it is expected to be signed into
law.
DeSantis, a potential 2024 presi-
dential candidate, called for an elec-
tion police unit in a speech last year,
where he referenced unspecified cases
of fraud. Such allegations have be-
come popular in parts of the GOP that
have embraced former President Don-
ald Trump’s false claims that his re-
election was stolen due to widespread
fraud.
Voter fraud is rare and generally de-
tected. An Associated Press investiga-
tion of every potential case of voter
fraud in the six battleground states
disputed by Trump – Arizona, Georgia,
Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin – found fewer than 475
cases out of 25.5 million ballots cast.
There is also consensus among
election officials and experts that
there was no fraud that could have im-
pacted results in the last presidential
election.
The bill would create an Office of
Election Crimes and Security under
the Florida Department of State that
would review fraud allegations and
conduct preliminary investigations.
DeSantis would be required to appoint
a group of special officers from the
Florida Department of Law Enforce-
ment who would be tasked with pur-
suing the election law violations.
State law currently allows the gov-
Trump
Continued from Page 1NN
Banks, insurers and other business
partners all cut ties following the riot.
Last year, the Trump Organization
was indicted in New York on charges it
helped executives evade taxes. And for
two years, the company has been the
subject of civil and criminal investiga-
tions by New York Attorney General Le-
titia James and the Manhattan district
attorney.
But in the fall, Trump struck a deal to
sell his Washington hotel for far more
than expected. And a partnership he’s
involved with that owns two office tow-
ers recently took out new loans for far
more than needed to pay off old ones
coming due.
“He bounces back,” says Barbara Res,
a former Trump Organization executive
who is not a fan and even urged people
not to vote for him.
“If a guy brings me a property with
good cash flow, a good location and good
tenants, why do I care what his politics
are?” says Mike Offit, a former Deutsche
Bank lender to Trump who now con-
sults on real estate finance. “Trump has
good buildings and manages them well.”
The Trump Organization declined to
disclose the interest rate on the new
loan and other terms. Axos, citing cus-
tomer privacy rules, would not com-
ment.
Asked for comment for this story, one
of Trump’s sons lashed out at journal-
ists for depicting the family company as
ernor to appoint officers to investigate
violations of election law but does not
require him to do so.
“You’re not going to maintain the
gold standard of election integrity if
you don’t constantly address the dif-
ferent ways that criminals will look to
exploit loopholes in the system,” said
Rep. Tommy Gregory, a Republican.
Over about two hours of debate
Wednesday, Democrats argued that
the measure would weaken confi-
dence in the electoral system, given
the rare occurrence of voter fraud.
“What bills like this do is say there’s
a problem with our elections system
that we’re trying to solve,” said Rep.
Fentrice Driskell, a Democrat. “It per-
petuates this concept that they
shouldn’t be able to trust what hap-
pens in government. This is a monster
that will eat us alive if we let it.”
The proposal also would increase
penalties for the collection of complet-
ed ballots by a third party, often re-
ferred to as ballot harvesting, to a felo-
ny. It would raise fines for certain elec-
tion law violations and election super-
visors would need to more frequently
conduct maintenance of their voter
lists, under the measure.
Critics have said the bill is intended
as a way for DeSantis to appease Re-
publicans who believe the 2020 Elec-
tion results were fraudulent and that it
is unnecessary, noting that local pros-
ecutors can handle fraud cases.
“It is very clearly an attempt to sa-
tiate a certain sector of the base that
has been bombarded with misinfor-
mation about the 2020 Election and
the Big Lie,” said Brad Ashwell, Florida
state director of the advocacy group All
Voting is Local.
Trump’s false claims of fraud have
led to a wave of voting restrictions in
Republican-controlled states.
Last year, DeSantis signed a bill
that put new rules on ballot drop boxes
and required a driver’s license number,
state ID number or last four digits of a
Social Security number to request a
mail ballot, among other things.
struggling.
“We should have never been under-
estimated,” Eric Trump said in an
emailed statement, adding, “We have
very low debt, are sitting on tremendous
amount of cash and have extremely
profitable properties.”
Assessing the Trump Organization’s
overall financial health is challenging,
given that it is a private company that
releases few figures publicly.
During his presidency, Trump’s
name was stripped off hotels and resi-
dential towers in several cities. His
Scottish golf course lost millions, and
condos in his apartment buildings have
been selling at deep discounts.
Coronavirus shutdowns added to the
trouble. Revenue at the company’s big-
gest golf property, the Doral outside of
Miami, plunged $33 million in the two
years through 2021, down 44%, accord-
ing to financial records obtained by a
government ethics agency.
Then came the Capitol riots and a
rush to exits as Trump’s longtime com-
mercial office broker, his two biggest
lenders, the PGA of America and others
cut ties.
The company helping him shop
around his Washington hotel severed its
relationship, too, after removing it from
the market for a lack of demand. New
York City announced it was canceling all
city contracts with Trump, including the
rights to operate a public golf course in
the Bronx. Eric Trump branded the
city’s move a product of “cancel culture”
and vowed to fight it.
The city’s decision to kick Trump off
the course has been tied up in court and
Gas taxes
Continued from Page 1NN
transit programs. The legislation is op-
posed by groups that advocate for road
and bridge funding. They fear a tax sus-
pension would set a poor precedent and
become politically difficult to restore, if
politicians are cast as supporting a tax
hike when it kicks back in.
The potential for lost infrastructure
funding has been one of the biggest ob-
stacles to those seeking to suspend or
reduce gas taxes, but some state offi-
cials say they can afford the financial
hit. Many states ended their 2021 fiscal
years with record cash balances due to
an influx of federal pandemic aid and a
resurgent economy that yielded greater
income and sales tax revenue than ex-
pected.
Suspending Michigan’s fuel tax of
27.2 cents per gallon for the remaining
six months of the state fiscal year would
cost about $750 million, Republican
legislative leaders said.
“Michigan has billions of dollars in
surplus revenue available,” House
Speaker Jason Wentworth said in state-
ment Wednesday. “The solution here
isn’t complicated. Republicans are go-
ing to take action today and put a real
plan on the governor’s desk to actually
lower the cost at the pump.”
Though average gas prices are at rec-
ord levels, they are not yet the highest
that Americans have paid when adjust-
ed for inflation. The previous record
high of $4.10 a gallon in July 2008 would
be equal to about $5.24 in today’s dol-
lars.
Proposals to suspend gas taxes are
based on an assumption that the sav-
ings would be passed on to consumers.
“Money saved at the pump translates
into dollars back in consumers’ pockets
for groceries, childcare, rent, and more,”
the six Democratic governors wrote in
their letter Tuesday to Democratic and
Republican congressional leaders.
But transportation advocates say
that because of other factors affecting
gas prices, the full amount of tax cuts
may not be reflected at the pump.
On average, only about one-third of
the value of previous gas tax cuts or tax
increases were passed on to consumers,
according to a 2020 report from the
American Road & Transportation Build-
ers Association that analyzed 113 state
gas tax changes enacted over several
years. That’s because retail gas prices
are influenced by complex factors, in-
cluding the price of crude oil and sup-
ply-and-demand pressures.
“The real problem with this approach
at both the federal and the state level is
that there’s no way to ensure that the
people will see this savings when they
go to the gas pump to fill up their cars,
their SUVs and trucks,” said Jim Tymon,
executive director of the American As-
sociation of State Highway and Trans-
portation Officials.
Last year, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
suspended state motor fuel taxes for
several days to offset increasing prices
after a computer hack led to the shut-
down of a key pipeline that carries fuel
to much of Georgia.
Kemp on Tuesday said he again
wants to suspend the state’s 29.1-cent-
a-gallon gas tax because of rising prices,
“If a guy brings me a
property with good cash
flow, a good location and
good tenants, why do I care
what his politics are?”
Mike Offit
Former Deutsche Bank lender to Donald Trump
now, several months after Trump was
supposed to leave, he is still running it,
his name spelled out on a hillside in gi-
ant paving stones seen from miles away.
The Trump Organization says that it will
go but that the city has to pay it $30 mil-
lion first.
But Trump’s biggest office buildings,
though suffering, have not seen a wides-
cale exodus of tenants.
One of its biggest commercial ten-
ants, Gucci, decided last year to extend
its Trump Tower lease for another 16
years, according to financial documents
from commercial lending research firm
Trepp.
That building pulled in $19 million in
revenue in the first nine months of last
year, down from previous years, but
enough to pay expenses and interest.
Axos previously made loans backed
by at least two properties owned by the
Kushner Cos., the family real estate firm
once run by Trump son-in-law and
White House adviser Jared Kushner.
The bank also benefited from a policy
change in the Trump administration al-
lowing high interest loans.
The Trump Tower loan follows other
deals to refinance mortgages on a Bank
Gas prices are advertised at over $6 a
gallon Monday in Los Angeles.
Governors and state lawmakers across
the U.S. are scrambling to provide
relief from soaring prices at the gas
pump. MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ/AP
though details remain to be worked out
in legislation introduced in the General
Assembly.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also
renewed a call to provide relief from ris-
ing gas prices during his State of the
State address Tuesday, after a previous
proposal gained little traction in the
Democratic-led legislature. The average
price for a gallon of gas in California
reached $5.57 on Wednesday, the high-
est nationally, according to AAA.
After Newsom’s speech, California
Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins
and Assembly Speaker Anthony Ren-
don issued a joint statement saying they
plan to pursue tax relief from the gener-
al fund instead of “a small cut to the gas
tax that might not get passed on to con-
sumers.”
Virginia lawmakers also were negoti-
ating this week whether to suspend a
recent gas-tax hike for one year. The
proposal was a key campaign pledge of
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican
elected last November. The Republican-
controlled House included the tempor-
ary 5-cent gasoline tax cut in its budget
proposal, but the Democrat-controlled
Senate did not.
Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida
had proposed a five-month pause on the
state’s gas tax this summer as part of a
broader package of tax relief. Democrat-
ic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois also had
proposed to halt an automatic 2.2-cent
increase in the state’s motor fuel tax as
part of a broader tax-cut plan.
Lawmakers in other states – includ-
ing Maryland, Minnesota, New York
and Ohio – also have proposed to sus-
pend or roll back gas taxes. A day after
Russia invaded Ukraine, Missouri state
Rep. Andrew Schwadron, a Republican,
filed legislation to suspend the state’s
motor fuel taxes for six months, citing
an emergency to protect consumers
from rising prices.
“The quickest way that we could pro-
vide that relief would be by temporarily
suspending that gas tax,” he said.
of America building in San Francisco
and for a Sixth Avenue tower in New
York, both 30% owned by the Trump Or-
ganization and 70% owned by publicly
traded real estate giant Vornado.
Trump’s company still has plenty of
other loans to refinance, including a
$125 million one involving Doral, due
next year.
More than a dozen hotel brokers and
experts who talked to The Associated
Press in recent months had estimated
Trump was unlikely to make money off a
sale of his long-term lease of the Old
Post Office building, a federal property
he started turning into a hotel nearly a
decade ago.
But then a Miami firm joined with
former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez to
offer $375 million for the money-losing
property. The deal still needs to be ap-
proved by a federal agency overseeing
the building.
Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s property in
Palm Beach, Florida, is doing brisk busi-
ness, too, with initiation fees rising as
GOP groups and politicians regularly
hold events there in hopes of a visit from
the president, and possibly a coveted
imprimatur.
Trump’s social media company, aim-
ing to take on Twitter, had a botched
launch full of glitches and freezes as
people who had signed up were locked
out and left fuming.
Still, investors have kept the stock of
the company tied to the Truth Social
app aloft in the belief that he will prevail
against the naysayers. At current prices,
Trump’s personal stake could be worth
billions.

INVASION IN UKRAINE
Firm Pentagon ‘no’ to Polish jet plan
US says move could be
viewed as ‘escalatory’
Robert Burns and Vanessa Gera
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon on
Wednesday slammed the door on a Pol-
ish proposal for providing Ukraine with
MiG fighter jets, saying allied efforts
against the Russian invasion should be
focused on more useful weaponry and
the MiG transfer with a U.S. and NATO
connection would run a “high risk” of
escalating the war.
By rebuffing the proposal involving
the Polish jets, the Pentagon appeared
anxious to move beyond what had be-
come an awkward disconnect with a
NATO ally at a time when President Joe
Biden has stressed the need for a unified
and coordinated response to Russia’s
war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Ze-
lenskyy has pleaded repeatedly for the
U.S. to provide his military with more
aircraft – presented as an apparent al-
ternative to establishing a “no-fly zone”
over Ukraine to suppress Russian air
power.
The “no-fly” idea was rejected earlier
by Washington and NATO as an unnec-
essary risk of escalation.
Last week, Secretary of State Antony
Blinken had said Washington was look-
ing at a proposal under which Poland
would supply Kyiv with the Soviet-era
fighters, which Ukrainian pilots are
trained to fly, and in turn receive Amer-
ican F-16s to make up for the loss.
But Poland wanted no part of that,
concerned about involving itself too di-
rectly in conflict with Russia. Poland
then said it was prepared to hand over
all 28 of its MiG-29 planes – but to NATO
by flying them to the U.S. air base in
Ramstein, Germany, from where they
would somehow be flown to Ukraine.
That was the arrangement the Penta-
gon turned aside.
Marek Magierowski, Poland’s am-
bassador to the United States, indicated
the Polish government had gotten the
message.
“Our American partners rejected this
proposal, because they have come to the
conclusion that it was too escalatory,”
Magierowski told CNN. He said Poland
Crews
try to
extinguish
a fire after
a chemical
warehouse
was hit by
Russian
shelling
on the
eastern
frontline
Tuesday
in Kyiv,
Ukraine.
CHRIS
MCGRATH/
GETTY
IMAGES
Weapons
Continued from Page 1NN
has seemingly endorsed this propagan-
da, we should all be on the lookout for
Russia to possibly use chemical or bio-
logical weapons in Ukraine, or to create
a false flag operation using them.”
The U.S. for months has warned
about Russian “false flag” operations to
create a pretext for the invasion.
Wednesday’s warning suggested Rus-
sia might seek to create a pretense for
further escalating the conflict that has
seen the Russian offensive slowed by
stronger-than-expected Ukrainian de-
fenders, but not stopped.
Dmitry Chumakov, a Russian deputy
U.N. ambassador, repeated the accusa-
tion Wednesday, urging Western media
to cover “the news about secret biologi-
cal laboratories in Ukraine.”
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby
on Wednesday called the Russian claim
NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 3NN
In a private video call with U.S. lawmakers over the weekend, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a “desperate” plea to the United States to help Kyiv
get more warplanes to fight Russia’s invasion and retain control of its airspace.
MIKHAIL PALINCHAK/AP
understands and “this is what we need
now to emphasize again – the unity and
cohesion of NATO. So, let’s move on.”
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
said that in a phone call, Zelenskyy on
Wednesday again asked urgently for the
United States to provide warplanes, an-
ti-aircraft missiles and other weaponry.
However, Pentagon press secretary
John Kirby told reporters that Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed the
MiG transfer proposal with his Polish
counterpart and explained why Wash-
ington found it untenable.
Kirby said the Biden administration
is talking with other countries about “al-
ternative options” for supporting
Ukraine’s most pressing defense needs
two weeks into its war, especially more
ground-based weapons to counter Rus-
sian tanks and aircraft in what has been
largely a ground war. Kirby said those
could include surface-to-air missile bat-
teries and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft
missiles.
“Secretary Austin thanked the minis-
ter for Poland’s willingness to continue
to look for ways to assist Ukraine,” Kirby
said. “He stressed that we do not sup-
“a bunch of malarkey.”
The international community for
years has assessed that Russia has
used chemical weapons before in carry-
ing out assassination attempts against
President Vladimir Putin’s enemies like
Alexey Navalny and former spy Sergei
Skripal. Russia also supports the Assad
government in Syria, which has used
chemical weapons against its people in
a decade-long civil war.
Asked by a Russian journalist about
the claims, United Nations spokesman
Stephane Dujarric said. “At this point
we have no information to confirm
these reports or these allegations about
these kinds of labs.”
“Our colleagues at the World Health
Organization, who have been working
with the Ukrainian government, said
they are unaware of any activity on the
part of the Ukrainian government
which is inconsistent with its interna-
tional treaty obligations, including on
chemical weapons or biological weap-
ons,” Dujarric added.
port the transfer of additional fighter
aircraft to the Ukrainian air force at this
time and therefore have no desire to see
them in our custody, either.”
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris ar-
rived in Warsaw Wednesday night for
consultations, but the White House said
she was not directly involved with the
matter of the planes.
Kirby cited three main reasons Aus-
tin rejected the Polish offer, starting
with the U.S. view that it would be wiser
to provide Ukraine with weaponry that
would more directly strengthen its de-
fenses, including anti-armor and air de-
fense systems. Kirby said the Russian
air force, while much larger than
Ukraine’s, has not played a lead role in
the Russian offensive and has been of
limited effectiveness due to Ukraine’s
use of ground-based air defenses,
which include Stinger missiles.
Kirby said Ukraine still has a signifi-
cant number of its own aircraft, and the
U.S. believes that adding aircraft from
other nations “is not likely to signifi-
cantly change the effectiveness of the
Ukrainian air force relative to Russian
capabilities.”
Russia has a long history of spread-
ing disinformation about U.S. biological
weapons research. In the 1980s, Rus-
sian intelligence spread the conspiracy
theory that the U.S. created HIV in a lab.
More recently, Russian state media out-
lets have spread theories about danger-
ous research at labs in Ukraine and
Georgia. The conspiracy theory about
U.S.-run labs in Ukraine has been
picked up by Chinese state-controlled
media and is now circulating in online
message boards popular with COVID-19
conspiracy theorists and far-right
groups in the U.S.
Filippa Lentzos, a senior lecturer in
science and international security at
King’s College London, said there are no
“U.S. labs” in Ukraine. Instead, she said
in an email, there are labs in the country
that have received money through a
U.S. Defense Department threat reduc-
tion program.
“These are public and animal health
facilities that are owned and operated
by Ukraine,” she said.
Also, the U.S. intelligence communi-
ty has assessed that transferring MiG
fighters to Ukraine “may be mistaken as
escalatory and could result in signifi-
cant Russian reaction that might in-
crease the prospects of a military esca-
lation with NATO,” Kirby said. Ukraine is
not a NATO member, but some of its
neighbors are, and the alliance is trying
to avoid a spillover of the war.
While Kirby’s statement appeared to
bring an end to the Polish proposal, the
appearance of a public disagreement
among allies could have more lasting
impact. Last week, the U.S. government
threw Poland a hot potato with the re-
quest to send the Soviet-made fighter
jets.
That plan took the U.S. off guard. By
late Tuesday, the Pentagon called it “un-
tenable.” On Wednesday, Blinken said
that ultimately each country would
have to decide for itself how to help Uk-
raine.
Poland is a crucial ally in the Ukraine
crisis. It is hosting thousands of Amer-
ican troops and is taking in more people
fleeing the war in Ukraine than any oth-
er nation in the midst of the largest Eu-
ropean refugee crisis in decades.
It has suffered invasions and occupa-
tions by Russia for centuries and still
fears Russia despite being a member of
NATO. It already had to contend with
the Russian territory of Kaliningrad on
its northeastern border and is uncom-
fortably aware of Russian troops across
another border, with Belarus.
In a visit Wednesday to Vienna, Pol-
ish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
insisted that Poland is not a party to the
Ukraine war and that any decision on
whether to send the fighter jets could
not be one for Warsaw alone.
It carries the risk of “very dramatic
scenarios, even worse than those we are
dealing with today,” Morawiecki argued.
Michal Baranowski, director of the
Warsaw office of the German Marshall
Fund think tank, told The Associated
Press the Warsaw government “was
blindsided and surprised” by Blinken’s
public statement last week. “This was
seen as pressure from the U.S. on War-
saw. And therefore the reaction was to
put the ball back in the U.S. govern-
ment’s court,” Baranowski said.
It all “should have been dealt with be-
hind the scenes,” he said.
Twitter
launches
service aimed
at bypassing
Russia’s block
Barbara Ortutay
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Twitter has launched a privacy-pro-
tected version of its site to bypass sur-
veillance and censorship after Russia
restricted access to its service in the
country.
Russia has blocked access to Face-
book and has limited Twitter in an at-
tempt to try to restrict the flow of in-
formation about its war in Ukraine.
Both companies have said they are
working on restoring access to people
inside Russia even as they restrict the
country’s state media from their ser-
vices.
Known as an “onion” service, users
can access this version of Twitter if
they download the Tor browser, which
allows people to access sites on what is
also referred to as the “dark web.” In-
stead of .com, onion sites have a .onion
suffix.
While the term “dark web” connotes
illegal sites such as the now-defunct
Silk Road drug market, it is also often
used by people seeking to remain
anonymous for their safety and also to
access sites censored by repressive
governments.
Facebook and other sites such as
the BBC also have versions accessible
on Tor.
Software engineer and internet se-
curity expert Alec Muffett, who has
worked with other companies to set up
onion sites, announced Twitter’s new
service on his own Twitter account.
“This is possibly the most impor-
tant and long-awaited tweet that I’ve
ever composed,” he wrote on Tuesday.
4NN | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
A look inside country’s 1st
official ‘safe injection sites’
Jennifer Peltz
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK – Jose Collado settled in
at a clean white table in a sunlit room,
sang a few bars and injected himself
with heroin.
After years of shooting up on streets
and rooftops, he was in one of the first
two facilities in the country where local
officials are allowing illegal drug use in
order to make it less deadly.
Equipped and staffed to reverse over-
doses, New York City’s new, privately
run “overdose prevention centers” are a
bold and contested response to a tide of
opioid overdose deaths nationwide.
Supporters say the sites – also
known as safe injection sites or super-
vised consumption spaces – are hu-
mane, realistic responses to the deadli-
est drug crisis in U.S. history. Critics see
them as illegal and defeatist answers to
the harm that drugs wreak on users and
communities.
To Collado, 53, the room he uses reg-
ularly is simply “a blessing.”
“They always worry about you, and
they’re always taking care of you,” he
says.
“They make sure that you don’t die,”
adds his friend Steve Baez. At 45, he’s
come close a couple of times.
In their first three months, the sites in
upper Manhattan’s East Harlem and
Washington Heights neighborhoods
halted more than 150 overdoses during
about 9,500 visits – many of them re-
peat visits from some 800 people in all.
The sites are planning to expand to
round-the-clock service later this year.
“It’s a loving environment where
people can use safely and stay alive,”
says Sam Rivera, the executive director
of OnPoint NYC, a nonprofit that runs
the centers. “We’re showing up for peo-
ple who too many people view as dis-
posable.”
Supervised drug-consumption sites
go back decades in Europe, Australia
and Canada. Several U.S. cities and the
state of Rhode Island have approved the
concept, but no authorized sites were
actually operating until New York’s
opened in November (researchers have
documented an underground site in an
undisclosed U.S. location for several
years).
New York’s announcement came six
weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court let
stand a lower court ruling that a
planned Philadelphia site was illegal
under a 1986 federal law against running
a venue for illicit drug use.
Despite winning the Philadelphia
case, the U.S. Justice Department indi-
cated last month it might stop fighting
such sites, saying it was evaluating
them and discussing “appropriate
guardrails.”
New York City’s only Republican in
Congress, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, has
pressed the Justice Department to shut-
ter what she sees as “heroin shooting
galleries that only encourage drug use
and deteriorate our quality of life.”
She has proposed to strip federal
money from any private group, state or
local government that “operates or con-
trols” a safe injection site. (Her efforts
spurred a protest in lower Manhattan
Wednesday by VOCAL-NY, a social ser-
vice group interested in eventually
opening a consumption site.)
Madigan pleads not
guilty in Illinois
racketeering case
John O’Connor
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Former Illinois
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan,
who held a virtual lock on Statehouse
power for most of the past four decades,
pleaded not guilty Wednesday to multi-
ple counts of racketeering and bribery in
what prosecutors say was a long-run-
ning enterprise to amass riches and
clout.
Madigan was present by telephone
with his attorneys before U.S. District
Judge John Robert Blakey in Chicago.
In a 22-count indictment issued last
week, prosecutors charge the 79-year-
old Democrat with racketeering con-
spiracy, using interstate facilities in aid
of bribery, wire fraud and attempted ex-
tortion.
In describing the charges and poten-
tial penalties on Wednesday, assistant
U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Singh Bhachu
identified seven counts alone that each
carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in
prison and a $250,000 fine.
Supporters say safe injection sites, such as this one operated by OnPoint NYC in
New York, are humane, realistic responses to the deadliest drug crisis in U.S.
history. Several U.S. cities and the state of Rhode Island have approved the
concept. SETH WENIG/AP
Another New Yorker in Congress,
Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, is a
leading sponsor of an addiction-fight-
ing proposal that could make money
available for such facilities. Organizers
say the New York sites currently run on
private donations, though their parent
group gets city and state money for sy-
ringe exchange, counseling and many
other services offered alongside the
consumption rooms.
Several state and city officials have
embraced them. But they also fueled a
December protest that drew over 100
people, including U.S. Rep. Adriano Es-
paillat, a New York Democrat, to com-
plain that drug programs in general are
unfairly concentrated in the injection
sites’ neighborhoods and kept out of
whiter, wealthier areas.
“The safe consumption site is doing
God’s work, but they’re doing it in the
wrong place,” says Shawn Hill, who co-
founded a neighborhood group called
the Greater Harlem Coalition.
People bring their own drugs – of
whatever type – to the consumption
rooms, but they’re stocked with sy-
ringes, alcohol wipes, straws for snort-
ing, other paraphernalia and, crucially,
oxygen and the opioid-overdose-re-
versing drug naloxone.
Staffers, some of whom have used il-
legal drugs themselves, watch for sig-
nals of overconsumption or other needs,
from advice on injection technique to
more complicated help.
Resting a supportive hand on the
shoulder of a slumping, dejected man,
Adrian Feliciano encouraged him to talk
with a mental health counselor – and
brought one in – on a recent afternoon.
“For a lot of our folks, just providing a
safe space is an introduction to ser-
vices,” Feliciano, the center’s clinical
and holistic care director, said after-
ward.
For all the services it offers and the
overdoses it has turned around, On-
Point has also come up against its lim-
its. During a 10-day span in February,
two regulars died and a third was in a
coma for a time after apparent overdos-
es elsewhere when the sites were closed
at night, according to senior program di-
rector Kailin See, who believes longer
hours would have saved those who died
1st NY pot permits to go to those with convictions
Marina Villeneuve
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALBANY, N.Y. – The first licenses to
sell recreational marijuana in New York
will go to people who were casualties of
the war on drugs, state officials said
Wednesday.
People with marijuana-related con-
victions will get dibs on the first 100 to
200 retail cannabis licenses awarded
by the state in an effort to redress the
inequities of a justice system that
locked up a disproportionate number
of people of color for drug crimes.
Some licenses will go to nonprofits
or businesses who have a leader linked
to a marijuana conviction. Priority also
will be given to people with a parent,
legal guardian, child or spouse convict-
ed of a marijuana-related offense.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is
set to announce the planned regula-
tions for “social equity” applicants
Thursday.
The regulations will get the green
light from the state cannabis control
board later that day, said Office of Can-
nabis Management spokesperson
Freeman Klopott.
(the third person recovered).
There have been no recorded deaths
in supervised injection facilities in
countries that permit them, and there’s
some evidence linking them to fewer
overdose deaths and ambulance calls in
their neighborhoods, according to a
2021 report that compiled existing stud-
ies.
The report, by the Boston-based In-
stitute for Clinical and Economic Re-
view, found no link between safe injec-
tion sites and the rates of various
crimes, though public drug use dropped
off in some places.
“If you believe in harm reduction,
here’s harm reduction that saves you
money” in ambulance runs, said Dr. Da-
vid Rind, the think tank’s chief medical
officer.
But to Jim Crotty, a former Drug En-
forcement Administration official dur-
ing the Obama and Trump administra-
tions, the sites’ lifesaving purpose
comes at steep social cost.
“The goal can’t simply be to keep peo-
ple alive,” said Crotty, who argues that
policymakers should concentrate in-
stead on expanding drug treatment. “If
you believe, like me, that doing drugs is
very destructive, then the goal has to be
to stop doing drugs.”
Rivera, for his part, stresses the need
to stanch the flow of drugs into the U.S.,
rather than what he sees as blaming
people in poor communities “for using
the drugs that were let in.” OnPoint says
staffers regularly foster, but don’t force,
conversations about treatment, which
many clients have already tried.
“You need to be alive to try again,” See
says.
Collado has tried to quit drugs, stop-
ping at times during his four decades of
using, he said. Like many of people who
use the consumption rooms, he lives on
the streets.
He and Baez look out for each other.
They’ve helped one another solve prob-
lems, shared money when one was
broke, and tried to make sure that nei-
ther would overdose and die alone.
The room, and everything offered
along with it, fill that last role now, and
more.
“This is my home right here,” Collado
said. “This is my family.”
Convictions must have occurred be-
fore March 31, 2021, when the state’s
legalization bill was signed by former
Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The plans were first reported by The
New York Times. The regulations were
posted on the state’s website Wednes-
day.
It’s unclear how many retail licenses
will be issued in New York, the second-
most populous state after California to
legalize possession and use of marijua-
na for adults over age 21.
Social equity emerged as a key
theme in marijuana legalization in re-
cent years.
States where marijuana is legal have
increasingly tried in recent years to en-
sure there’s a place in the market for
people who were prosecuted because
of a now-allowed drug. But the efforts
have been slow-moving in many
states.
New York “is taking a big swing,”
said Kassandra Frederique, the execu-
tive director of the pro-legalization
Drug Policy Alliance.
“We don’t know what’s going to
work,” she said, but “the thing that New
York is showing here is that they’re
Starbucks
workers at
3 more NY
stores vote
to unionize
Carolyn Thompson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Employees at
three more Starbucks stores in sub-
urban Buffalo have voted to form
unions, a count of ballots revealed
Wednesday, bringing to six the num-
ber of unionized Starbucks shops
and further advancing organizing ef-
forts underway in at least two dozen
states.
Workers at stores in Cheektowaga,
Amherst and Depew voted by narrow
margins in favor of unionizing, ac-
cording to the National Labor Rela-
tions Board’s tally. The count was 8-7
in Cheektowaga, 15-12 in Amherst
and 15-12 in Depew.
Union supporters said the close
results likely reflected what they de-
scribed as efforts by Starbucks to in-
timidate workers as they weighed
their choice, including flooding
stores with out-of-town managers.
“Starbucks has not made this
about whether or not you want to
vote for a union, they’ve made it
about whether you want to keep your
job, whether you want to keep your
hours, whether or not you want to be
bullied at work,” Casey Moore, one of
the leaders of the efforts, said after
the vote.
Starbucks has denied using in-
timidation tactics but has fought
unionization efforts, saying its more
than 8,000 company-owned U.S.
stores function best when Starbucks
works directly with employees,
which the company calls “partners.”
“As we have said throughout, we
will respect the process and will bar-
gain in good faith guided by our prin-
ciples,” Starbucks said in a statement
acknowledging Wednesday’s results.
The vote count was delayed for
two weeks after Starbucks filed a re-
quest for review with the labor board.
The Seattle-based coffee giant ar-
gued that its Buffalo-area stores
should vote as a group on the issue of
unionization, rather than individual-
ly, to avoid labor instability across
stores that may share employees.
The NLRB on Monday ruled against
the request, saying it saw no issues.
This was the second round of
union votes involving Starbucks
stores in Buffalo, where the spread-
ing efforts to unionize first took hold.
Two stores voted in favor of unioniz-
ing in December. A suburban Phoe-
nix location last month became the
first store outside New York to orga-
nize. They are the first Starbucks-
owned stores in the U.S. to be repre-
sented by a union since the 1980s
when the United Food and Commer-
cial Workers union represented
workers at six stores in the Seattle
area for several years.
Employees who favor unionizing
say they want more input, through
collective bargaining, on pay, work-
ing conditions and store operations.
Workers at more than 100 stores in
26 states have now petitioned the
NLRB to hold their own union elec-
tions, according to Workers United,
the union that’s organizing the effort.
willing to try and they’re willing to do
things differently. … This is a real try to-
ward achieving equity.”
The licensing plan follows other
New York initiatives, such as a pro-
posed $200 million startup grants and
loans fund for marijuana entrepre-
neurs who are women or minorities,
struggling farmers, disabled veterans
and people from communities that en-
dured heavy pot policing.
New York aims to provide 50% of li-
censes to such applicants.
“It’s really encouraging to see that
New York is taking the lessons learned
from other states,” said Melissa Moore,
another Drug Policy Alliance leader.
New York’s regulations also will lay
out rules for other retail license appli-
cants. Individual applicants must
prove their presence in New York and
that they have at least a 10% ownership
interest in a business that ran a net
profit for two years.
Hochul’s administration has vowed
to create “the most diverse and inclu-
sive” marijuana industry in the nation,
and provide opportunities for people
who bore the brunt of the decades-long
U.S. war on drugs.

INVASION IN UKRAINE
House set to OK $13B for Ukraine
Democrats drop demand
for COVID-19 funds in bill
Alan Fram
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – The House moved
Wednesday toward approving a mas-
sive spending bill anchored by $13.6 bil-
lion for battered Ukraine and its Euro-
pean allies after top Democrats abruptly
dropped their plan to also include fresh
funds to battle COVID-19.
The House was sure to approve the
Ukraine aid and the $1.5 trillion govern-
ment-wide legislation containing it,
which leaders were trying to push to
passage Wednesday night. Senate ap-
proval, also assured, would be next, by
week’s end or perhaps longer.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-
Calif., said it was “heartbreaking” to
abandon the $15.6 billion for combating
the pandemic, a top priority for Presi-
dent Joe Biden and party leaders. The
money was mostly to bolster U.S. sup-
plies of vaccines, treatments and tests
and battle the disease around the world,
but a Democratic revolt over Republi-
can-demanded state aid cuts to cover
the new initiatives’ costs forced her to
abandon that spending.
“We’ve got a war going on in Uk-
raine,” Pelosi told reporters, explaining
the urgency Democrats felt in making
concessions in bargaining with Repub-
licans. “We have important work that
we’re doing here.” She said with her par-
ty in the 50-50 Senate needing at least
10 GOP votes to pass legislation, Demo-
crats “are going to have to know there
has to be compromise.”
The Ukraine aid included $6.5 billion
for the U.S. costs of sending troops and
weapons to Eastern Europe and equip-
ping allied forces there in response to
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s in-
vasion and repeated, bellicose threats.
There was another $6.8 billion to care
for refugees and provide economic aid
to allies, and more to help federal agen-
cies enforce economic sanctions
against Russia and protect against cy-
ber threats at home.
Biden had requested $10 billion to re-
spond to Russia’s invasion.
Pelosi said she talked to Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for 45
minutes Wednesday. She said they dis-
cussed the weapons and other assis-
Airstrike
Continued from Page 1NN
gional police official, standing in the ru-
ins. “It is a war crime without any justi-
fication.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said
the strike trapped children and others
under the rubble.
“A children’s hospital. A maternity
hospital. How did they threaten the
Russian Federation?” Zelenskyy said in
his nightly video address, switching to
Russian to express his horror at the air-
strike. “What kind of country is this, the
Russian Federation, which is afraid of
hospitals, afraid of maternity hospitals,
and destroys them?”
He urged the West to impose even
tougher sanctions, so Russia “no longer
has any possibility to continue this
genocide.”
Video shared by Zelenskyy showed
cheerfully painted hallways strewn
with twisted metal.
“There are few things more depraved
than targeting the vulnerable and de-
fenseless,” British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson tweeted, adding that Russian
President Vladimir Putin will be held “to
account for his terrible crimes.”
The World Health Organization said
it has confirmed 18 attacks on health fa-
cilities and ambulances since the fight-
ing began, killing 10 people. It was not
clear if that number included the as-
sault on the maternity hospital.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J.
Blinken condemned Russia’s “uncon-
scionable attacks” in a call with his Uk-
rainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba,
that also covered diplomatic attempts
to roll back the invasion, the State De-
partment said.
Two weeks into Russia’s assault on
Ukraine, its military is struggling more
than expected, but Putin’s invading
force of more than 150,000 troops re-
tains possibly insurmountable advan-
tages in firepower as it bears down on
key cities.
Despite often heavy shelling on pop-
NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 5NN
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said she talked to Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy about weapons and other assistance. JACQUELYN MARTIN/AP
tance his country needs and “the crimes
against humanity that Putin is commit-
ting,” including a Russian airstrike that
destroyed a maternity hospital. “This is
the beast that Putin is,” Pelosi said.
While enmity toward Putin and a de-
sire to send assistance to the region is
virtually universal in Congress, law-
makers have had a hard time finding
unity on other steps. In one area of
agreement, the House was also plan-
ning to vote on a bill banning Russian oil
imports – Biden imposed such a ban
this week – and levying other sanctions,
underscoring lawmakers’ eagerness to
demonstrate they’re taking action.
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., called the
$1.5 trillion measure a “reasonable com-
promise” and said its extra defense
spending was “clearly necessary in the
wake of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked
aggression against Ukraine.”
In a remarkable and widespread
rank-and-file rebellion, Democratic
lawmakers froze the House into inac-
tivity for most of Wednesday. Their de-
mand: a refusal to accept Republicans’
insistence that the new COVID-19
spending be paid for with cuts in previ-
ously enacted pandemic aid to 30
states.
Pelosi eventually relented and decid-
ed to remove all pandemic spending
from the government-wide, $1.5 trillion
package. That underscored the pressure
Congress feels to help Ukraine resist the
Russian invasion before it’s too late and
to help nearby nations bolster their mili-
ulated areas, American military officials
reported little change on the ground
over the past 24 hours, other than Rus-
sian progress on the cities of Kharkiv
and Mykolaiv. The officials spoke on
condition of anonymity to assess the
larger military situation.
Authorities announced new cease-
fires Wednesday to allow thousands of
civilians to escape bombarded towns
around Kyiv as well as the cities of Mari-
upol, Enerhodar and Volnovakha in the
south, Izyum in the east and Sumy in
the northeast.
It was not immediately clear whether
anyone was able to leave other cities,
but people streamed out of Kyiv’s sub-
urbs, many headed for the city center, as
explosions were heard in the capital and
air raid sirens sounded repeatedly.
From there, the evacuees planned to
board trains bound for western Ukrai-
nian regions not under attack.
Civilians leaving the Kyiv suburb of
Irpin were forced to make their way
across the slippery wooden planks of a
makeshift bridge, because the Ukrai-
nians blew up the concrete span leading
to Kyiv days ago to slow the Russian ad-
vance.
With sporadic gunfire echoing be-
hind them, firefighters dragged an el-
derly man to safety in a wheelbarrow, a
child gripped the hand of a helping sol-
dier, and a woman inched her way
along, cradling a fluffy cat inside her
winter coat. They trudged past a
crashed van with the words “Our Uk-
raine” written in the dust coating its
windows.
“We have a short window of time at
the moment,’’ said Yevhen Nyshchuk, a
member of Ukraine’s territorial defense
forces. “Even if there is a cease-fire right
now, there is a high risk of shells falling
at any moment.”
Previous attempts to establish safe
evacuation corridors over the past few
days largely failed because of what the
Ukrainians said were Russian attacks.
But Putin, in a telephone call with Ger-
many’s chancellor, accused militant Uk-
rainian nationalists of hampering the
evacuations.
taries and absorb over 2 million refu-
gees fleeing the fighting.
After dropping the COVID-19 money
from the huge bill, the House planned to
vote next week on a separate measure
providing the full $15.6 billion, without
cutting state aid. It was expected to pass
but faces an uphill fight in the Senate,
where GOP opposition seemed likely.
The $1.5 trillion measure and its 2,741
pages were designed to keep agencies
functioning through Sept. 30, the end of
the fiscal year. Since it began Oct. 1, the
government has functioned on short-
term measures that prevented federal
shutdowns but held programs to levels
agreed to under President Donald
Trump.
The new bill is infused with election-
year victories for both parties. Demo-
crats won a 6.7% increase over last year
in domestic programs, to a total of $730
billion. Republicans were able to boost
defense programs to $782 billion, a
5.6% increase.
Last spring, Biden proposed in-
creases of 16% for domestic and just 2%
for defense programs for this year. Nei-
ther was ever realistic because of Demo-
crats’ tiny congressional majorities.
Since then, Russia’s pummeling of
Ukraine made it impossible for Demo-
crats to resist defense increases. And
the relentless pandemic, families’ grow-
ing costs from inflation and collapse of
Biden’s huge social and environment
bill made it harder to stop Democrats
from winning domestic boosts.
In Mariupol, a strategic city of
430,000 people on the Sea of Azov, local
authorities hurried to bury the dead
from the past two weeks of fighting in a
mass grave.
City workers dug a trench some 25
yards long at one of the city’s old ceme-
teries and made the sign of the cross as
they pushed bodies wrapped in carpets
or bags over the edge.
About 1,200 people have died in the
nine-day siege of the city, Zelenskyy’s
office said.
Nationwide, thousands are thought
to have been killed, civilians and sol-
diers, since Putin’s forces invaded. The
U.N. estimates more than 2 million peo-
ple have fled the country, the biggest ex-
odus of refugees in Europe since the end
of World War II.
The fighting knocked out power to
the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear
plant, raising fears about the spent ra-
dioactive fuel that is stored at the site
and must be kept cool. But the U.N. nu-
clear watchdog agency said it saw “no
critical impact on safety” from the loss
of power.
The crisis is likely to get worse as
Moscow’s forces step up their bombard-
ment of cities in response to what ap-
pear to be stronger Ukrainian resistance
and heavier Russian losses than antici-
pated.
Echoing remarks from the director of
the CIA a day earlier, British Defense
Secretary Ben Wallace said Russia’s as-
sault will get “more brutal and more in-
discriminate” as Putin tries to regain
momentum.
Britain’s Defense Ministry said fight-
ing continued northwest of Kyiv. Khar-
kiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mariupol were
being heavily shelled and remained en-
circled by Russian forces.
Russian forces are placing military
equipment on farms and amid residen-
tial buildings in the northern city of
Chernihiv, Ukraine’s military said. In
the south, Russians in civilian clothes
are advancing on the city of Mykolaiv, a
Black Sea shipbuilding center of a half-
million people, it said.
The Ukrainian military, meanwhile,
The bill would increase spending for
child nutrition and child care, local law
enforcement, improving broadband in
rural areas, and education aid for dis-
abled students and historically black
colleges and universities.
The IRS would get an infusion to
whittle down a big backlog of tax re-
turns, and there would be boosts for vet-
erans’ medical care, biomedical re-
search and processing migrants enter-
ing the U.S. at the southwestern border.
The measure retains strict decades-
old curbs against using federal money
for nearly all abortions. It has $300 mil-
lion in military assistance for Ukraine
and $300 million to help nearby coun-
tries like the Baltic nations and Poland.
Service members would get 2.7% pay
raises, and Navy shipbuilding would get
a boost in a counter to China.
More money would be spent for a
program aimed at preventing and re-
sponding to sexual assaults in the mil-
itary. There was $1 million to change the
names of bases and roads in installa-
tions named after Confederate leaders.
There was also language saying a
plaque should be installed outside the
Capitol listing all police officers who
battled Trump supporters who attacked
the building on Jan. 6, 2021.
Also helping propel the bill to certain
approval were thousands of hometown
projects for both parties’ lawmakers. In
the House alone, there were 2,021 such
projects for Democrats worth $2.5 bil-
lion, and 706 worth $1.7 billion for Re-
publicans, according to figures from
that chamber. Totals for Senate projects
were not immediately available.
These expenditures, once called ear-
marks but now dubbed community pro-
jects, were ubiquitous until Congress
banned them in 2011, but they were re-
vived in more limited form this year.
This legislation includes money for an
agricultural education program in Ver-
mont, a water project in central Califor-
nia and money for the Ulysses S. Grant
Presidential Library in Starkville, Mis-
sissippi.
As a backstop against delays in the
Senate, the House by voice vote passed
a bill keeping government agencies
afloat through Tuesday. Agencies would
have to start shutting down on Saturday
if the Senate doesn’t complete the $1.5
trillion package.
AP Congressional Correspondent Li-
sa Mascaro contributed to this report.
is building up defenses in cities in the
north, south and east, and forces
around Kyiv are “holding the line”
against the Russian offensive, authori-
ties said.
On Wednesday, some of Ukraine’s
volunteer fighters trained in a Kyiv park
with rocket-propelled grenade launch-
ers.
“I have only one son,” said Mykola
Matulevskiy, a 64-year-old retired mar-
tial arts coach, who was with his son,
Kostyantin. “Everything is my son.”
But now they will fight together: “It’s
not possible to have it in another way
because it’s our motherland. We must
defend our motherland first of all.”
In Irpin, a town of 60,000, police offi-
cers and soldiers helped elderly resi-
dents from their homes. One man was
hoisted out of a damaged structure on a
makeshift stretcher, while another was
pushed toward Kyiv in a shopping cart.
Fleeing residents said they had been
without power and water for the past
four days.
Regional administration head Olek-
siy Kuleba said the crisis for civilians is
deepening in and around Kyiv, with the
situation particularly dire in the sub-
urbs.
“Russia is artificially creating a hu-
manitarian crisis in the Kyiv region,
frustrating the evacuation of people and
continuing shelling and bombing small
communities,” he said.
The situation is even worse in Mariu-
pol, where efforts to evacuate residents
and deliver badly needed food, water
and medicine failed Tuesday because of
what the Ukrainians said were con-
tinued Russian attacks.
The city took advantage of a lull in
the shelling Wednesday to hurriedly bu-
ry 70 people. Some were soldiers, but
most were civilians.
The work was conducted efficiently
and without ceremony. No mourners
were present, no families to say their
goodbyes.
One woman stood at the gates of the
cemetery to ask whether her mother
was among those being buried. She
was.
6NN | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

BUSINESS
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE S&P 500 • STANDARD & POOR’S NASDAQ COMPOSITE RUSSELL 2000
Closing: 33,286.25 Closing: 4,277.88 Closing: 13,255.55 Closing: 2,016.29
+653.61 Change: +2.0%
YTD % Chg: -8.4% +107.18 Change: +2.6%
YTD % Chg: -10.3% +459.99 Change: +3.6%
YTD % Chg: -15.3% +53.28 Change: +2.7%
YTD % Chg: -10.2%

MARKET PERFORMANCE BY SECTOR MARKET NOTEBOOK TOP 10 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS COMMODITIES
Sector Close Chg. 4wk 1 YTD 1 Issues NYSE NASDAQ ETF, ranked by volume Ticker Close Chg. % Chg %YTD Commodities Close Prev. Chg. % Chg. % YTD
Energy 75.17 -2.37 +9.2% +35.4% Advancing 1,942 2,911 SPDR S&P500 ETF Tr SPY 427.41 +11.16 +2.7% -10.0% Cattle (lb.) 1.38 1.39 -0.01 -1.1% -1.0%
Declining 545 612 ProShs UltraPro QQQ TQQQ 46.64 +4.51 +10.7% -43.9% Corn (bushel) 7.35 7.55 -0.20 -2.6% +23.9%
Utilities 70.20 -0.50 +2.1% -1.9%
Unchanged 34 233 SPDR Financial XLF 36.97 +1.31 +3.7% -5.3% Gold (troy oz.) 1,985.90 2,040.10 -54.20 -2.7% +8.7%
Financials 36.97 +1.31 -9.9% -5.3%
Total 2,521 3,756 ProShs UltPro ShtQQQ SQQQ 44.36 -5.31 -10.7% +49.4% Hogs, lean (lb.) 1.01 1.03 -0.02 -1.7% +24.2%
Consumer staples 72.97 +0.49 -4.4% -5.4% Natural Gas (Btu.) 4.53 4.53 unch. -0.0% +21.3%
Issues at SPDR Energy XLE 75.17 -2.37 -3.1% +35.4%
Industrials 98.86 +1.76 -3.6% -6.6% Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ 334.99 +11.64 +3.6% -15.8% Oil, heating (gal.) 3.46 4.44 -0.98 -21.9% +48.8%
New 52 Week High 13 66
Health care 129.96 +2.41 -3.1% -7.8% iPath Sh Term Fut VXX 27.03 -1.12 -4.0% +45.9% Oil, lt. swt. crude (bar.) 108.70 123.70 -15.00 -12.1% +44.5%
New 52 Week Low 33 28
Materials 82.24 +2.47 -4.2% -9.2% iShs Emerg Mkts EEM 44.31 +1.22 +2.8% -9.3% Silver (troy oz.) 25.76 26.89 -1.13 -4.2% +10.4%
Share Volume
Telecom 71.48 +2.20 -8.4% -13.1% Total 5,252,666,522 4,892,665,620 iShares Silver Trust SLV 23.80 -0.65 -2.7% +10.6% Soybeans (bushel) 16.86 17.05 -0.19 -1.1% +26.9%
3,881,972,032 iShares EAFE ETF EFA 70.24 +2.82 +4.2% -10.7% Wheat (bushel) 12.00 12.73 -0.73 -5.8% +55.6%
Technology 149.25 +5.68 -9.0% -14.2% Advancing 3,886,135,650
Declining 1,357,366,411 979,094,526
Consumer discret. 168.79 +5.26 -10.7% -17.4%
Unchanged 9,164,461 31,599,062
FOREIGN CURRENCIES FOREIGN MARKETS
S&P 500’S BIGGEST GAINERS S&P 500’S BIGGEST LOSERS Currency per dollar
British pound
Close
.7587
Prev.
.7629
6 mo. ago
.7226
Yr. ago
.7196
Country Close Prev. Change %Chg. %YTD
Frankfurt 13,847.93 12,831.51 +1016.42 +7.9% -12.8%
Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg. YTD Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg. YTD Canadian dollar 1.2830 1.2890 1.2648 1.2633 Hong Kong 20,627.71 20,765.87 -138.16 -0.7% -11.8%
Match Group Inc (MTCH) 98.93 +11.23 +12.8 -25.2 Phillips 66 (PSX) 79.35 -4.96 -5.9 +9.5 Japan (Nikkei) 24,717.53 24,790.95 -73.42 -0.3% -14.2%
Chinese yuan 6.3177 6.3187 6.4554 6.5066
Tapestry Inc (TPR) 35.88 +3.45 +10.6 -11.6 Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) 82.79 -4.99 -5.7 +35.3 London 7,190.72 6,964.11 +226.61 +3.3% -2.6%
Schlumberger Ltd (SLB) 42.56 -2.52 -5.6 +42.1 Euro .9028 .9168 .8453 .8403
Caesars Entertainm (CZR) 77.59 +7.35 +10.5 -17.0 Mexico City 53,911.77 53,288.23 +623.53 +1.2% +1.2%
Moderna Inc (MRNA) 142.49 +13.21 +10.2 -43.9 Halliburton (HAL) 34.84 -1.92 -5.2 +52.3 Japanese yen 115.85 115.74 109.70 108.47
Carnival Corp (CCL) 17.27 +1.39 +8.8 -14.2 Valero Energy (VLO) 87.14 -3.40 -3.8 +16.0 Mexican peso 20.8816 21.3272 19.9406 21.1743 SOURCE Morningstar, Dow Jones Indexes, The Associated Press

IN BRIEF
Stocks jump most since June
2020 as oil prices fall sharply

Stocks rallied for their biggest gain

in nearly two years Wednesday as a
sharp drop in oil prices eased fears
that inflation was about to get worse
around the globe.
The S&P 500 climbed 2.6%, its big-
gest increase since June 2020. The
Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2%,
and the Nasdaq composite jumped
3.6%. The gains snapped a four-day
losing streak for the major indexes,
though they remained on pace for
weekly losses.
The market turnaround came as the
price of U.S. crude oil dropped 12%, the
most since November, bringing relief
after a sharp runup in crude prices
since Russia invaded Ukraine. Brent,
the international oil standard, fell
13.2%, its biggest fall in almost two
years.
The benchmark S&P 500 rose 107.18
to 4,277.88. The Dow added 653.61 to
33,286.25, and the Nasdaq gained
459.99 to 13,255.55. The Russell 2000
index of smaller company stocks rose
53.28, or 2.7%, to 2,016.29.
Even if the settlement terms set forth by a judge Wednesday are approved, several legal hurdles remain before Purdue
BMW recalling more than 917,000 Pharma’s entire bankruptcy reorganization plan is final. MARK LENNIHAN/AP
cars, SUVs due to engine fire risk

BMW is recalling more than 917,000

older cars and SUVs in the U.S. – most
for a third time – to fix a problem that
can cause engine compartment fires.
The recall covers many 3 Series, 5
Series, 1 Series, X5, X3, and Z4 vehicles
from the 2006 through 2013 model
years.
Documents posted Wednesday by
the U.S. National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration say there could
be an electrical short in the positive
crankcase ventilation valve heater.
Owners will be notified by letter
starting April 25.
Chevron Phillips agrees to cut
pollution at three Texas plants
Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. will
pay $118 million for upgrades and com-
pliance measures at three Texas petro-
chemical plants and pay a $3.4 million
civil penalty over allegations that it vi-
olated the Clean Air Act, according to a
proposed settlement announced
Wednesday.
The changes are expected to reduce
greenhouse gases by more than
75,000 tons per year, the Justice De-
partment and Environmental Protec-
tion Agency said.
At issue are three plants in Cedar
Bayou, Port Arthur and Sweeny, all
near the Texas Gulf Coast and its busy
petrochemical corridor. Chevron Phil-
lips was accused of failing to properly
operate and maintain its industrial
flares, causing excess air pollution in
the area.
Nestle plans Arizona factory for
plant-based coffee creamers
Nestle USA will build a $675 million
plant in metro Phoenix to produce bev-
erages including oat milk coffee
creamers as consumer demand soars
for plant-based products.
Nestle, which makes the Coffee
mate brand of creamers, said the fac-
tory will eventually employ more than
350 people in Glendale. It’s slated to
open in 2024.
Nestle USA, a division of the Swiss
firm Nestle S.A., is based in Arlington,
Virginia, and said it has spent nearly
$3 billion since 2020 to expand its ex-
isting factories and build new ones.
From wire reports
Judge approves boosting
of Purdue suit settlement
Stage set for emotional
virtual hearing Thursday
Geoff Mulvihill
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A judge said Wednesday that he will
approve a plan that locks members of
the Sackler family who own OxyCon-
tin maker Purdue Pharma into pump-
ing at least another $1.2 billion into a
nationwide lawsuit settlement that, if
ultimately confirmed, would trans-
form the company into a public trust.
The initial approval from U.S. Bank-
ruptcy Judge Robert Drain set the
stage for an emotional virtual hearing
Thursday that will allow people recov-
ering from addiction and those who
have lost loved ones to the crisis to di-
rectly address some of the Sacklers.
Wednesday’s hearing with Drain,
whose courtroom is in White Plains,
New York, was more conventional. But
in a topsy-turvy legal saga, even the
routine matter had a twist.
States that were among the first to
support earlier versions of the Purdue
settlement objected to one key provi-
sion. Joined by some local govern-
ments, unions and individuals, they
contended it’s unfair that the states
that held out and then negotiated a
larger payment from the Sacklers will
receive an outsize share of the addi-
tional money to use to address the epi-
demic.
John Guard, the chief deputy attor-
ney general in Florida, told Drain in the
hearing, conducted Wednesday by
videoconference, that allowing extra
money for the holdout states could
complicate negotiations for future na-
tionwide opioid settlements involving
other companies.
Aaron Cahn, a lawyer representing
West Virginia, called the extra
$277 million for the subset of states “a
cash grab.”
Still, Drain, who approved an earlier
settlement last year, approved the new
settlement terms, pointing out that all
states would receive more money to ad-
dress the opioid crisis under the deal
than they would have before. The origi-
nal deal was later rejected by an appel-
late court judge largely because of the
opposition of the attorneys general for
eight states and the District of Colum-
bia.
After the initial deal was thrown out,
the Stamford, Connecticut-based drug-
maker went through two months of me-
diation to reach a new one, announced
last week.
Even if Drain approves the settle-
ment terms Wednesday, several legal
hurdles remain before the company’s
entire bankruptcy reorganization plan
is final, including having the 2nd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals rule that Pur-
due’s overall reorganization plan is even
legal. If that happens, company’s over-
all reorganization plan would still need
to be confirmed by a bankruptcy court.
Like the original settlement, the new
one would require members of the Sack-
ler family who own Purdue to give up
their ownership.
It would be turned into a new compa-
ny known as Knoa Pharma, with profits
being used to fight an opioid crisis that
has been linked to the deaths of more
than 500,000 Americans over the past
two decades.
Also like the original deal, the new
one calls for the Sacklers to contribute
cash to fight the epidemic in exchange
for protection from civil lawsuits. The
key difference is that the Sackler contri-
bution would now be $5.5 billion to
$6 billion in cash, rather than just over
$4.3 billion and $175 million in charita-
ble assets. The exact amount would de-
pend on how much they bring in by sell-
ing their international drug companies.
In all, the settlement could be worth
$10 billion or more over time.
Most of the money is to be used by
state and local governments to counter
the crisis, although $750 million is to be
distributed to victims of the crisis and
their survivors. More than $100 million
is being set aside for medical monitoring
and payments for children born in with-
drawal from opioids, and Native Amer-
ican tribes are in line for more than
$150 million.
Advocates say the money is essential
to stemming the crisis. Overdose deaths
have been on the rise in the U.S., exacer-
bated by the isolation of the COVID-19
pandemic and the widespread availabil-
ity of illicit versions of the synthetic
opioid fentanyl.
While Sackler family members would
be shielded from civil lawsuits, they
would not have immunity from criminal
charges. There’s no indication any are in
the works, but seven Democratic U.S.
senators called upon the U.S. Depart-
ment of Justice last month to consider
charges.
Also under the new plan, a longer list
of company documents would now be
made public. Family members also
agreed not to resist if educational and
cultural institutions to which they’ve
donated want to remove their name.
Another part of the new deal recom-
mended by the mediator is Thursday’s
airing of statements from people whose
lives were devastated by the crisis, ei-
ther by losing loved ones or years of
their own lives to addiction. The names
of the speakers, who will represent mil-
lions of people affected by the crisis,
have not been announced.
It will be the first opportunity for
them to address Sackler family mem-
bers directly in a public setting. It’s not
clear which of the Sacklers will attend,
but there are to be at least two of them –
and they are not to speak.
“No one can possibly underestimate
how historic tomorrow’s session will
be,” Arik Preis, a lawyer representing
Purdue’s creditors, told Drain on
Wednesday.
Purdue and the Sacklers have long
been cast as prime villains in the opioid
crisis.

Residents queue up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center for COVID-19 in Hong Kong on Feb. 24. The fast-spreading omicron variant is
overwhelming Hong Kong, prompting mass testing, quarantines, supermarket panic-buying and a shortage of hospital beds. Even the morgues are overflowing,
forcing authorities to store bodies in refrigerated shipping containers. VINCENT YU/AP FILE
HONG KONG’S COVID
CRISIS DEEPENS
The fast-spreading omicron variant is overwhelm-
ing Hong Kong, prompting mass testing, quarantines,
supermarket panic-buying and a shortage of hospital
beds. Even the morgues are overflowing, forcing au-
thorities to store bodies in refrigerated shipping con-
tainers.
As the global death toll from the coronavirus topped
6 million this week, the semi-autonomous Chinese
city has been recording about 150 deaths per day, giv-
ing it the world’s highest death rate per 1 million peo-
ple, according to the Our World in Data website.
More than 2,000 people have died in less than three
months in Hong Kong since Dec. 31. By comparison,
the city of 7.4 million people had lost just 213 people to
COVID-19 previously.
A low vaccination rate, particularly among the el-
derly, is one of the key factors in the latest surge. An
analysis of the first 1,153 fatal cases in the current wave
showed just 8% had received two doses of a vaccine.
A woman and children wearing face masks and
shields walk on a street in Hong Kong on March 4.
An aerial view shows the isolation units at the
Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre on Lantau Island, in
Hong Kong, on Feb. 24.
NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 7NN
About 78% of the population has received two dos-
es, compared to 92% in Singapore, and more than 80%
in Japan, Canada and mainland China. The vaccina-
tion rates for children and those 70 years old and above
are much lower.
While not quite as rigid, Hong Kong’s approach
largely mirrors the strict “zero-COVID” policy in the
mainland. The central government in mainland China
has sent in experts and is helping build both tempor-
ary isolation facilities and testing areas.
An advisory group led by Liang Wannian, the head
of a mainland China COVID-19 task force, has been
visiting community vaccination centers and the fire
and ambulance service training academy to exchange
views.
China has also sent mobile labs to handle the vol- A boy receives a dose of China’s Sinovac COVID-19
ume of tests anticipated in a planned citywide testing coronavirus vaccine at a community vaccination
of the population this month. center in Hong Kong on Feb. 25.
Associated Press PHOTOS BY KIN CHEUNG/AP
Patients in hospital beds wait in a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on
March 2. Some people have been forced to wait outside the hospital because it has been overloaded with
possible COVID-infected patients.
A woman
exercises
next to
facilities
being
cordoned off
for the social
distancing
law at a park
in Hong Kong
on Feb. 27.
VINCENT YU/
AP FILE
8NN | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
27,000 mail ballots flagged
for rejection in Texas primary
Paul J. Weber and Acacia Coronado
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN, Texas – More than 27,000
mail ballots in Texas were flagged for re-
jection in the first test of new voting re-
strictions enacted across the U.S., jeop-
ardizing votes cast by Democrats and
Republicans in counties big and small,
according to an analysis by The Associ-
ated Press.
It puts the rate of rejected mail bal-
lots in Texas on track to significantly
surpass previous elections. The prelimi-
nary figures – reported by Texas coun-
ties after votes were counted in the
state’s March 1 primary – is the fullest
picture to date of how new election rules
rushed into place by Republicans fol-
lowing the 2020 election made it harder
for thousands of voters in both parties.
Some will not have their ballots count at
all.
Rejected mail ballots are relatively
uncommon in a typical election. But the
initial rejection rate among mail voters
in the Texas primary was roughly 17%
across 120 counties, according to coun-
ty-by-county figures. Those counties
accounted for the vast majority of the
nearly 3 million voters in Texas’ first-in-
the-nation primary.
Although the final number of dis-
counted ballots will be lower, the early
numbers suggest Texas’ rejection rate
will far exceed the 2020 general elec-
tion, when federal data showed that less
than 1% of mail ballots statewide were
rejected.
“It took me three tries and 28 days
but I got my ballot and I voted,” said Pa-
miel Gaskin, 75, of Houston. Like many
rejected mail voters, she did not list a
matching identification number that
Texas’ new law requires.
For now, the numbers do not repre-
sent how many Texas ballots were effec-
tively thrown out. Voters had until Mon-
day to “fix” rejected mail ballots, which
in most cases meant providing identifi-
cation that is now required under a
sweeping law signed last fall by Repub-
lican Gov. Greg Abbott. County election
officers say they worked feverishly to
contact those voters in time, in many
cases successfully, and a full and final
tally of rejected ballots in Texas is ex-
pected to come into focus in the coming
days.
But already, scores of mail ballots
have been disqualified for good.
Along the Texas border, El Paso
County reported that 725 mail ballots
were officially rejected and not counted
after a final canvass Monday – about
16% of all such ballots cast. In the boom-
ing suburbs of Austin, Williamson
County had a final number of 521 reject-
ed ballots, nearly evenly split evenly be-
tween Republican and Democratic pri-
mary voters.
Roughly 8,300 mail ballots in Texas
were rejected in the 2020 election, ac-
cording to the U.S. Election Assistance
Commission.
Some rejected mail voters could have
cast a ballot in person later. Antonio Ri-
veria, El Paso County’s assistant elec-
tions administrator, said Wednesday
that number is unknown in his office.
IN BRIEF
Engine fails, plane carrying
Trump makes emergency landing
A plane carrying former President
Donald Trump was forced to make an
emergency landing in New Orleans last
weekend after suffering engine failure
over the Gulf of Mexico.
The details of the emergency land-
ing, first reported by Politico, were con-
firmed Wednesday by a person familiar
with the incident who was not autho-
rized to speak publicly about it and
spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The engine failure occurred shortly
before 11 p.m. Saturday as the former
president was traveling on a donor’s
private plane from a Republican Na-
tional Committee donor retreat in New
Orleans back to his Florida estate. One
of the plane’s engines failed roughly 75
miles after leaving New Orleans Lake-
front Airport, according to an incident
report. Trump was traveling with ad-
visers, a Secret Service detail and sup-
port staff. A Trump spokesperson con-
firmed there was an emergency landing
but declined to comment further.
Trump was in New Orleans to speak
to top Republican donors at a private
gathering at the Four Seasons hotel.
After the landing, Trump’s team se-
cured another donor’s private plane,
and the former president ultimately
made it to Mar-a-Lago the next morn-
ing.
Early numbers suggest Texas’ rejection rate will far exceed the 2020 general
election, when federal data showed that less than 1% of mail ballots statewide
were rejected. ERIC GAY/AP
But they typically reject significantly
fewer mail ballots.
“It’s a lot less. Maybe 10,” he said.
The numbers underline how voters
across Texas – in big cities and rural
outposts, red and blue – were tripped up
by the new law that Abbott and other
Republicans assured would make it
“easier to vote and harder to cheat.”
At least 17 other states will also vote
this year under new voting laws, many
pushed by Republican lawmakers who
especially took aim at mail ballots after
states expanded options to make voting
safer during the coronavirus outbreak.
Some of the restrictions were fueled by
the continued false claims in the GOP
about widespread fraud in President
Joe Biden’s victory.
Abbott’s office did not return re-
quests for comment about the number
of rejected ballots.
Texas Secretary of State John Scott,
who Abbott appointed as the state’s
chief election officer, has called the high
rate of rejections a matter of voters not
being familiar with the new rules and
expressed confidence that the numbers
will drop in future elections.
Texas’ new mail voting rules require
voters to return ballots with a personal
identification number – such as a driv-
er’s license number – which then must
match the number in voter registration
files. Other new rules in Texas ban
drive-thru voting and 24-hour polling
centers and make it a felony for a gov-
ernment official to solicit mail ballots. In
Texas, mail ballots are generally limited
to people who are over the age of 65,
have a disability or are out of the county.
The law also requires counties to
publicly post a one-page “reconciliation
report” of voters and ballots after each
election as an extra measure of trans-
parency. The report instructs counties
to include the number of mail ballots
and how many were flagged for rejec-
tion.
The AP obtained reports from 120
counties – nearly half of the 254 in Tex-
as – through county websites and con-
tacting all counties that had not posted
a report publicly.
In Texas’ largest county, around
Former Trump chief Meadows’
voter registration in question
RALEIGH, N.C. – Mark Meadows,
who as chief of staff to President Don-
ald Trump promoted claims of mass
voter fraud, is facing increasing scruti-
ny about his own voter registration sta-
tus.
Public records show that he is regis-
tered to vote in two states, including
North Carolina, where
he listed a mobile home
he did not own, and may
never have visited, as his
legal residence weeks
before casting a ballot in
the 2020 presidential
Meadows election.
Critics contend that
Meadows’ voter registration status, re-
ported by The New Yorker, suggest the
former North Carolina congressman
may have committed voter fraud.
Meadows listed a mobile home in
Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, as his
address on Sept. 19, 2020, while serv-
ing as Trump’s chief of staff in Wash-
ington. Meadows later cast an absentee
ballot for the general election by mail.
Public records show that Meadows
registered to vote in Alexandria, Vir-
ginia, about one year after he registered
in North Carolina and weeks before Vir-
ginia’s governor’s election last fall.
Associated Press
Houston, Harris County officials said
more than 11,000 mail ballots had been
flagged for rejection as of March 2. But
in the county’s preliminary report that
is dated a day later, the number of re-
jected mail ballots was listed at 3,277.
On Tuesday, Harris County Elections
Administrator Isabel Longoria said she
was stepping down following a bungled
vote count.
Houston Democrats have been
among the most outspoken over Texas’
new voting laws, which they say are de-
signed to weaken minority turnout. But
Republican-leaning counties struggled
with the new rules as well.
In Parker County, which former
President Donald Trump carried by a 4-
to-1 margin in 2020, the county reported
250 mail ballots as rejected or pending
out of 1,100 mail votes – about 23%.
Along the Texas coast in Nueces County,
which Trump narrowly won, the rejec-
tion rate was 8%.
According to the county reports, in
the five counties won by Trump that had
the most mail-in voters, a combined
4,216 mailed ballots were rejected or still
pending after the day of the election, a
rate of 21% of the total. In the counties
won by Biden with the most mail-in vot-
ers, which include most of Texas’ big-
gest cities, a combined 11,190 votes were
similarly rejected or pending, which
amounted to 13%.
Kara Sands, the election administra-
tor in Nueces County, said her office
pressed voters to include more than one
identification number as a guardrail
against having their ballot rejected. But
she said her office wasn’t inundated
with voter frustration.
“We really didn’t get a lot of folks
complaining about that,” she said.
Texas holds primary runoffs in May,
and elections officials say their goal now
is to educate voters to avoid a repeat
next time. Christopher Davis, the elec-
tions administrator in Williamson
County, said the final rejection rate of
11.5% was “by far the highest we have
ever seen” in the county of more than
600,000 people.
“The hope is we knock down that re-
jection rate,” he said.
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano
unleashes lava, hundreds evacuate
Slamet Riyadi
ASSOCIATED PRESS
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia – Indone-
sia’s Mount Merapi volcano spewed av-
alanches of hot clouds in eruptions
overnight Thursday that forced about
250 residents to flee to temporary shel-
ters and left ash blanketing nearby vil-
lages and towns. No casualties were re-
ported.
The volcano on the densely populat-
ed island of Java unleashed clouds of
hot ash at least seven times just before
and after midnight and fast-moving
pyroclastic flows, a mixture of rock, la-
va and gas, traveled up to 3.1 miles
down its slopes, said National Disaster
Mitigation Agency spokesperson Ab-
dul Muhari in a statement. The rum-
bling sound could be heard several
miles away.
He said 253 people were evacuated
to temporary shelters in Glagaharjo and
Umbulharjo villages in Yogyakarta spe-
cial province and in Central Java’s Kla-
ten district because of the dangers on
Merapi.
Ash from the eruption blanketed
several nearby villages and towns and
no casualties were reported, Muhari
said.
Residents living on Merapi’s fertile
Human
trafficking
case sparks
Chinese
response
Huizhong Wu
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Sustained, pal-
pable anger in China over the case of
a mother of eight found chained in-
side a shed has prompted an unusu-
ally strong government response to
human trafficking at the annual ses-
sion of China’s rubber-stamp legisla-
ture.
The issue even merited a brief
mention by China’s premier Li Ke-
qiang in his annual report on govern-
ment performance delivered Satur-
day.
That marked part of a direct at-
tempt by a government not often giv-
en to responding to public pressure to
address the widespread outrage.
Local governments have an-
nounced crackdowns on the practice
of trafficking vulnerable women in
the vast country, while the Public Se-
curity Ministry is pursuing a nation-
wide anti-trafficking campaign
aimed at solving a backlog of cases,
to be carried out by all levels. On
Tuesday, China’s top prosecutor,
Zhang Jun, announced his depart-
ment would “strictly enforce” laws
against abduction and trafficking.
The woman found on the outskirts
of the eastern city of Xuzhou had
been trafficked multiple times and
had eight children by the man who
ultimately purchased her.
State media reported that at least
half a dozen proposed legal reforms
on the issue were brought by mem-
bers of the National People’s Con-
gress and its consultative body,
which are holding their annual ses-
sions this week in Beijing.
A proposal from delegate Jiang
Shengnan would raise criminal pen-
alties in trafficking cases so that the
buyer would face the same penalties
as the seller, according to state news-
paper Beijing Youth Daily.
“Appropriately increasing the
penalty and increasing the criminal
penalty for buying will play a certain
deterrent effect,” Jiang was quoted as
saying by the paper.
Activists have welcomed the re-
sponse, though some question
whether the focus on heavy criminal
penalties is the best approach to
take.
“I personally think all of these pro-
posals are positive, and they are
meaningful,” said Feng Yuan, co-
founder of Beijing Equality, a group
that focuses on gender-based vio-
lence.
“But I think they are missing some
important angles,” Feng said, be-
cause the proposals she saw have
been too focused on the buyers’ crim-
inal penalties.
Authorities did not respond to a
request to interview NPC delegates,
including Jiang.
slopes were advised to stay more than 4
miles away from the crater’s mouth and
should be aware of the danger posed by
lava, Indonesia’s Geology and Volca-
nology Research Agency said.
Mount Merapi is the most active of
more than 120 active volcanoes in Indo-
nesia and has repeatedly erupted with
lava and gas clouds recently. The Volca-
nology and Geological Hazard Mitiga-
tion Center did not raise Merapi’s alert
status, which already was at the sec-
ond-highest of four levels since it be-
gan erupting last November.
The 9,737-foot peak is near Yogya-
karta, an ancient city of several hun-
dred thousand people embedded in a
large metro area. The city is also a cen-
ter of Javanese culture and a seat of
royal dynasties going back centuries.
Merapi’s last major eruption in 2010
killed 347 people and caused the evac-
uation of 20,000 villagers.
Indonesia, an archipelago of
270 million people, is prone to earth-
quakes and volcanic activity because it
sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horse-
shoe-shaped series of seismic fault
lines around the Pacific Ocean. The last
major eruption was in December, when
Mount Semeru, the highest volcano on
Java island erupted with fury and left
48 dead and 36 missing.
 SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 1NS

SPORTS EXTRA

MLB cancels 93 additional games

Gap narrows in bargaining between owners, union
Ronald Blum As the sides narrowed many eco-
ASSOCIATED PRESS nomic differences to a small margin,
they became bogged down over man-
agement’s attempt to gain an interna-
NEW YORK – Baseball Commissioner tional amateur draft. Talks on that nar-
Rob Manfred canceled 93 more games row topic continued Wednesday night.
Wednesday, appearing to cut off the In the meantime, at 6:30 p.m. on the
chance to play a full 162-game schedule 98th day of the lockout, Manfred an-
and threatening locked out players with nounced two additional series had been
loss of salary and service time. canceled through April 13. That raised
the total to 184 games wiped out from
the 2,430-game regular season, or 7.6%.
“Because of the logistical realities of
the calendar, another two series are be-
ing removed from the schedule, mean-
ing that opening day is postponed until
April 14,” Manfred said.
Given how close the sides are on eco-
nomic issues, a breakdown over an in-
ternational draft was both puzzling and
stunning. But following years of sim-
mering distrust that have heated to a
boil, it also was predictable.
“There’s a lot going on in the world
right now where you can certainly look
out of touch,” Arizona Diamondbacks
president CEO Derrick Hall said during
a news conference. “I’m saddened by all
this, saddened by everything.”
The union’s latest counteroffer was
hand delivered by chief negotiator
Bruce Meyer to MLB’s office shortly be-
See MLB, Page 4NS

PGA TOUR THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Johnson ready to get on track

Dustin Johnson, right, putts on the 17th green during a practice round ahead of the Players Championship on Wednesday. PHOTOS BY LYNNE SLADKY/AP

Saudi distraction behind him, The Players Championship

Johnson ready for the challenge Site: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

of the Players Championship Course: TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium). Yardage:

7, 256. Par: 72.

Doug Ferguson Television: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. ET (Golf

ASSOCIATED PRESS
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Dustin Johnson’s
commentary on his shots was more revealing than
where they landed.
He reached the 18th hole Wednesday on the TPC
Sawgrass, water all the way down the left side of one of
the more daunting closing holes in golf, and opted for a
3-wood with a strong breeze coming off the left. It was
perfect for his cut.
“That’s not cutting,” Johnson said with a laugh, the
words not long out of his mouth when he could see the
ball splash in the distance.
He asked for the 7-wood, the club he thought about
hitting in the first place, and tried a draw. This one
started down the right side with a fade, finishing in
Dustin Johnson prepares to hit from the 18th fairway
on Wednesday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (NBC).
Of note: The PGA Tour's premier tournament has
the richest purse in golf at $20 million, with $3.6
million going to the winner.
deep rough near the cart path.
“Yeah, that’s more like it,” Johnson deadpanned.
Another smile and he was on his way.
The Players Championship is a mystery to him. He
enjoys the Stadium Course and feels it suits his game.
Trouble is, he has only one top-10 finish in his 12 ap-
pearances, a peculiar record for a player who has spent
more time at No. 1 than any other since Tiger Woods.
See PLAYERS, Page 2NS

NFL

Colts agree to trade QB Wentz to Commanders

Colts quarterback Carson Wentz
scrambles against the Jaguars last
season. The Commanders have traded
for the 29-year-old QB. AP
Stephen Whyno and Michael Marot
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Indianapolis Colts are moving on
from Carson Wentz after one season,
sending him to a team he’s familiar with
from his days in the NFC East.
The Colts agreed to trade Wentz to
the Washington Commanders, accord-
ing to a person with direct knowledge of
the situation. The person spoke to The
Associated Press on condition of ano-
nymity Wednesday because the deal
cannot be finalized until the start of the
new league year next week.
Washington is getting the 47th pick
in the draft along with Wentz and send-
ing Indianapolis Nos. 42 and 73 this year
and a 2023 conditional third-rounder
that can become a second based on
Wentz’s playing time, according to a dif-
ferent person with direct knowledge of
the move. The person spoke to the AP on
condition of anonymity because the
trade had not been announced.
Wentz, 29, has three years remaining
on his contract with salary cap hits of
$28.3, $26.2 and $27.2 million consec-
utively. The 2016 second overall pick of
the Philadelphia Eagles spent just the
2021 season with Indianapolis, with the
team going 9-8 and missing the playoffs.
This will be the sixth consecutive
year the Colts will have a different open-
ing day starter, though Jacoby Brissett
took over when Andrew Luck missed
the entire season in 2017 and again in
2019 when Luck abruptly announced
his retirement in August.
While coach Frank Reich urged the
Colts to acquire his former Eagles pupil
13 months ago and continued to support
Wentz throughout the season and off-
season.
“Stability is ideal, continuity is ideal,
you long for that,” Reich said last week
See WENTZ, Page 2NS

SUBSCRIBER-EXCLUSIVE SECTION
2NS | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
Woods
inducted
into Hall
Doug Ferguson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The
greatest of his generation, Tiger
Woods took his place among the best
of all time Wednesday night when he
was inducted into the World Golf Hall
of Fame and shared a life story of a
passion to play and a work ethic that
made him feel like he earned it.
Woods didn’t touch on any of his
82 victories on the PGA Tour or his 15
majors, or the eight surgeries he en-
dured along the way.
He spoke of his parents taking out
a second mortgage that allowed him
to play the junior circuit in California,
choking up when he mentioned his
late father who told him he would
have to earn everything he wanted.
“If you don’t go out there and put
in the work, you don’t go out and put
in the effort, one, you’re not going to
get the results,” Woods said. “But
two, and more importantly, you don’t
deserve it. You need to earn it. So that
defined my upbringing. That defined
my career.”
He was introduced by Sam, his 14-
year-old daughter who said her fa-
ther preaches to her and 13-year-old
brother Charlie the same message he
learned from his late later.
“Train hard, fight easy.”
Woods was the headliner in an in-
duction class that included retired
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Fin-
chem, three-time U.S. Women’s
Open champion Susie Maxwell Bern-
ing and the late Marion Hollins, a vi-
sionary who became the first woman
to develop prominent golf courses.
There was little doubt Woods be-
longed in the Hall of Fame.
He was on a slate of candidates
two years ago, all of them introduced
one at a time with a list of their ac-
complishment – except for Woods.
There was no need to bring up what
he achieved, who he influenced and
the enormous impact he had on his
sport in attracting new fans, spiking
television ratings and increasing
prize money.
Woods, the first player of Black
and Asian heritage to win a major at
the 1997 Masters when he was 21, also
spoke of the discrimination he felt as
a youth.
He told one story about going to a
country club to play a tournament,
and he wasn’t allowed in the club-
house like the other juniors because
of the color of his skin.
“So I was denied access into the
clubhouses. That’s fine. Put my shoes
on here in the parking lot,” he said. “I
asked two questions only, that was it.
Where was the first tee, and what
was the course record? Not compli-
cated.”
The room burst into applause.
Tiger Woods becomes emotional
during his induction into the World
Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday in
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
GERALD HERBERT/AP
Wentz
Continued from Page 1NS
at the NFL’s annual scouting combine. “I
believe in Carson. I stuck my neck out
for him last year. I was a big part of that
decision to get him here and I believe
he’s going to have a lot of success as a
quarterback whether that’s here or
somewhere else.”
General manager Chris Ballard was
not convinced.
In January, after Indy lost its final
two games to miss the playoffs, Ballard
said he wanted to have a quarterback
who could play 10 to 12 years, while ac-
NHL
Oilers forward Zack Kassian (44) checks Capitals defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk during the first period on Wednesday at
Rogers Place in Edmonton. PERRY NELSON/USA TODAY SPORTS
McDavid scores in OT, Oilers
beat Capitals to snap skid
Stephen Whyno
ASSOCIATED PRESS
EDMONTON, Alberta – When the op-
portunity to beat the Washington Cap-
itals in regulation and end their skid
evaporated with less than two seconds
left, Connor McDavid and the Edmon-
ton Oilers felt the pain that has been all
too familiar lately.
Then McDavid made that all go away
by scoring the overtime winner to give
the Oilers a 4-3 victory Wednesday
night and two valuable points in their
playoff pursuit. Edmonton won for just
the third time in nine games, snapping a
three-game losing streak and moving
one point back of the final playoff spot in
the Western Conference.
“These are big points,” McDavid said.
“They all are from here on out. We need
to start piling them up.”
The reigning NHL MVP scored on a 2-
on-1 with Leon Draisaitl 3:27 into the 3-
on-3 OT with a shot goaltender Ilya
Samsonov stood little chance of stop-
ping. He also assisted on Kailer Yamo-
moto’s goal – Edmonton’s first on the
Players
Continued from Page 1NS
Whether that changes this week is ir-
relevant.
Johnson looked more at peace than
he has in months, even as he endures
the longest stretch of his career without
a win. His last victory was the Saudi In-
ternational 13 months ago. His last PGA
Tour title was the Masters in November
2020.
The simple explanation – “Not a very
simple answer,” he said – is he hasn’t
played well. Digging a little deeper, he
mentioned the relentless testing of driv-
ers last year that kept him from working
on the whole of his game.
“Just kind of a frustrating year,” he
said.
There was more in play, which John-
son conceded only when pressed.
knowledging it doesn’t always work that
way.
On the same day Reich spoke at the
combine, Ballard told reporters he
wanted a quarterback he believed could
be a long-term solution – before quickly
explaining his words were not intended
to suggest he didn’t believe in Wentz.
“As a long-term answer for us, I’m
just not there yet,” Ballard said. “You’ve
got to be right (at quarterback) and even
if you’re not right, you’ve got to keep fir-
ing away until you get it right. We’ve got
to get it right.”
It’s unclear where Ballard and Reich
will turn next, though there are a plenty
of names being bandied about for trades
and in free agency, which begins next
power play in three games.
With all eyes on Alex Ovechkin’s
chance to pass Jaromir Jagr for third on
the NHL career goals list, the spotlight
instead fell on longtime running mate
Nicklas Backstrom, McDavid and an
unlikely hero for the Oilers. Journeyman
Brad Malone had a goal and an assist for
his first NHL points in more than six
years.
Malone picked up his first assist
since Feb. 28, 2016, when he assisted on
Cody Ceci’s goal in the second period.
When he scored to put Edmonton ahead
midway through the third period, it was
the 32-year-old’s first goal since Dec. 3,
2015.
Backstrom assisted on T.J. Oshie’s
first goal to reach the 1,000-point mile-
stone. Oshie scoring his second of the
game with 1.8 left in the third gave the
Capitals an important point in the
standings.
“It means a lot,” Backstrom said of his
milestone. “I’m very happy about it. Ob-
viously, we would’ve liked two points,
but we tied it up there, Osh tied up there
at the end, which gave us at least one
While he never indicated which way
he was leaning on the Saudi-funded ri-
val league, the amount of money was
such that he had to listen. Johnson
would have been the prime catch for the
new league Greg Norman is trying to as-
semble.
Two days after he missed the cut at
Riviera, a course Johnson has played
better than anyone in the last decade, he
released a short statement that his loy-
alty lies with the PGA Tour. It was a big
blow to the Saudi league, and it might
have freed Johnson of a major distrac-
tion.
“Any time you have something that’s
not what you’re doing it’s going to dis-
tract you,” Johnson said. “But for me, I
don’t think it was too much of a distrac-
tion. Maybe it was, I don’t know. I can’t
really answer that.”
A “maybe” from Johnson typically is
a “yes.”
“I’m happy playing golf right where
week.
Washington coach Ron Rivera evi-
dently does believe in Wentz.
The move to acquire a former face of a
division rival is the once-storied fran-
chise’s latest attempt to shore up a
quarterback situation that has been in
flux for decades.
Washington has started 12 different
QBs since acquiring veteran Alex Smith
from Kansas City in 2018. That includes
Smith, who broke his right leg 10 games
into his tenure there.
Adding Wentz likely relegates previ-
ous starter Taylor Heinicke to a compe-
tition with Rivera favorite Kyle Allen for
the backup job.
Wentz has played against Washing-
point, so we’ll take that and move on.”
Despite Backstrom’s big night and a
stellar 37-save performance by Ilya
Samsonov, Washington’s winning
streak ended at three.
Ovechkin was kept off the board, so
the 767th goal of his illustrious career
will have to wait until at least Friday
when the Capitals visit former coach
Bruce Boudreau and the Canucks.
WEDNESDAY’S SUMMARIES
Edmonton 4, Washington 3 (OT)
Washington 0 1 2 0 — 3
Edmonton 0 2 1 1 — 4
First Period—None.
Second Period—1, Washington, Backstrom 5 (Mantha, Oshie), 2:17.
2, Edmonton, Yamamoto 12 (Bouchard, McDavid), 12:01 (pp). 3,
Edmonton, Ceci 3 (Ryan, Malone), 18:12.
Third Period—4, Washington, Oshie 7 (Carlson, Backstrom), 6:13
(pp). 5, Edmonton, Malone 1 (Bouchard, Kassian), 10:31. 6,
Washington, Oshie 8 (Carlson, Kuznetsov), 19:58.
Overtime—7, Edmonton, McDavid 30, 3:27.
Shots on Goal—Washington 9-15-7-1—32. Edmonton
20-9-10-1—40.
Power-play opportunities—Washington 1 of 4; Edmonton 1 of 4.
Goalies—Washington, Samsonov 17-9-4 (40 shots-36 saves).
Edmonton, Koskinen 20-9-3 (32-29).
A—16,368 (18,641). T—2:41.
Referees—Trevor Hanson, Chris Rooney. Linesmen_Jonathan
Deschamps, Jesse Marquis.
I’m at,” Johnson said. “I just wanted to
have my complete focus on golf and
playing on the PGA Tour. That was the
main reason for the statement.”
Johnson is approaching an impor-
tant stretch of the year, starting with
Augusta National a month away and in-
cluding his marriage to longtime part-
ner Paulina Gretzky two weeks after the
Masters.
At stake this week is a chance to
show his game his turning in the right
direction. The Players Championship is
the next thing to a major without being
one, now offering a $20 million purse
and $3.6 million for the winner.
The field is the strongest and deepest
in golf, even missing four players from
the top 50 in the world, a list that in-
cludes Phil Mickelson, who has been on
a self-imposed hiatus since his pub-
lished remarks in which he disparaged
the Saudis, the rival league and the PGA
Tour.
ton eight times, going 5-3 with 2,223
yards passing, 17 touchdowns and six
interceptions. In six NFL seasons, he
has thrown for 3,008 yards, 140 TDs and
57 INTs.
The North Dakota State product has
been dogged by injuries most of his ca-
reer. Most notably, Wentz tore the ACL
in his left knee in 2017, paving the way
for Nick Foles to take over and lead the
Eagles to the first Super Bowl title in
franchise history.
The injuries followed him to Indy, too.
He missed almost the entire preseason
after having foot surgery, sprained both
ankles in Week 2 and then struggled late
following testing positive for COVID-19
after failing to get vaccinated.
 SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 3NS

WEDNESDAY’S TOP PERFORMERS

h Jayson Tatum, Celtics v — 44 points w Jalen Green, Rockets — 32 points
(16-of-24 FG, 6-of-9 3PT, 6-of-6 FT) (career high, including 10 in overtime)

h DeMar DeRozan, Bulls — 36 points, h LeBron James, Lakers — 23 points,

8 rebounds 14 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 blocks

h Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks — h Bojan Bogdanovic, Jazz — 27 points

43 points (15-of-22 FG), 12 rebounds (6-of-9 3PT), +43 in 24 minutes of play.

h Malik Beasley, Timberwolves — h Nikola Jokic, Nuggets — 38 points,

33 points (11-of-17 3 PT) 18 rebounds, 7 assists

PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

NBA

Beasley heats up behind the arc

Sets Minnesota franchise
mark with 11 3-pointers
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MINNEAPOLIS – Malik Beasley

made 11 3-pointers to set a Timber-
wolves franchise-record and finished
with 33 points to help lift Minnesota to
its sixth win in a row with a 132-102 vic-
tory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on
Wednesday night.
After Beasley hit his final 3, his Tim-
berwolves teammates on the bench cel-
ebrated the mark by dumping water and
Gatorade on Beasley. The home crowd
at Target Center chanted “Beasley!” as
he exited the game following the record-
setting basket.
“It was a great moment,” said Beas-
ley, whose 17 shots from the field all
came from 3-point range. “We have a
great team, and teammates who care
about each other. It was huge to be a part
of that.”
Aaron Wiggins led Oklahoma City
with 25 points and nine rebounds. Isa-
iah Roby added 15 points.
Beasley hit his 10th 3-pointer with a
step-back bucket midway through the
fourth quarter to tie Anthony Edwards’
team record. Beasley needed three
shots to set the new mark with his 11th
coming with the shot clock winding
down as he buried a shot over the out-
stretched arm of Thunder guard Vít
Krejčí.

Rockets 139, Lakers 130 (OT)

HOUSTON – Rookie Jalen Green

scored a career-high 32 points, includ-
ing 10 in overtime, and the Rockets out-
lasted the slumping Lakers.
The Rockets withstood a triple-dou-
ble from LeBron James and 30 points
from Russell Westbrook to get just their
second win in 15 games.
Green, the second overall pick in the
draft, opened overtime with a layup be-
fore adding a 3-pointer and then swish-
ing a hook shot soon after that to make it
127-120.
James had 23 points, 14 rebounds
and a season-high 12 assists for his fifth
triple-double of the season. But his ca-
reer-long streak of consecutive games
with 25 points ended at 23 games on a
night he was 9 of 26 overall.
Clippers 115, Wizards 109
LOS ANGELES – Nicolas Batum hit
the go-ahead 3-pointer with 31.2 sec-
onds remaining, Reggie Jackson scored
31 points and the Clippers scored the fi-
nal 11 points in a victory over the Wiz-
ards.
Los Angeles held Washington score-
less over the last 2:37, and Jackson’s two
free throws with 12.3 seconds left to put
the Clippers up by four.
The Wizards have blown leads to lose
both of their meetings against Los An-
geles this year, although this hole wasn’t
as deep as the previous meeting. The
Clippers pulled off the second-biggest
comeback in NBA history in the first
showdown, rallying from a 35-point,
first-half deficit to defeat the Wizards
116-115 on Jan. 25.
Marcus Morris Sr. added 27 points
and Luke Kennard 19 for the Clippers,
who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Nuggets 106, Kings 100
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Nikola Jokic
had 38 points, 18 rebounds and seven
assists, and the Nuggets held on after
blowing an 18-point lead and beat the
Kings.
Monte Morris added 20 points and
made a critical three-point play late to
help preserve the Nuggets’ fourth con-
secutive win and 12th in the last 14
games. Bryn Forbes and Aaron Gordon
each scored 11 points.
The Nuggets trailed 92-91 after
De’Aaron Fox’s dunk. Austin Rivers fol-
Minnesota guard Malik Beasley shoots a 3-pointer as Thunder forward Lindy Waters III defends during the first half on
Wednesday in Minneapolis. ANDY CLAYTON-KING/AP
lowed with a 3-pointer and Morris made
an 18-foot jumper for Denver. Harrison
Barnes’ 3-pointer got the Kings within
96-95 before Jokic and Morris scored on
consecutive three-point plays.
Fox had 32 points and 10 assists for
Sacramento. Barnes added 17 points and
five rebounds.
The Kings have lost six of eight since
the All-Star break.
Jazz 123, Trail Blazers 85
SALT LAKE CITY – Bojan Bogdanovic
scored 27 points, hitting six 3-pointers,
to lead the Jazz to a victory over the Trail
Blazers.
Donovan Mitchell added 16 points
while Royce O’Neale chipped in 11 points
and 10 rebounds for the Jazz, who won
their eighth straight home game. The
Jazz enjoyed their largest margin of vic-
tory since beating Sacramento 154-105
on April 28 last season.
Trendon Watford scored a career-
high 22 points to lead the Blazers. Keon
Johnson tallied a career-high 15 points
and a career-high five assists. CJ Elleby
chipped in 10.
Portland has lost six straight games
since the NBA All-Star break. The Blaz-
ers matched season lows for first quar-
ter points (15) and third quarter points
(14).
Raptors 119, Spurs 104
SAN ANTONIO – Fred VanVleet had
26 points and the Raptors beat the
Spurs, delaying Gregg Popovich’s coro-
nation as the winningest coach in NBA
history.
Popovich is tied with his friend and
mentor, Don Nelson, with 1,335 regular-
season victories.
San Antonio’s next opportunity to
get the record for its 73-year-old coach
is Friday night at home against Utah.
VanVleet was 7 for 15 from the field in
his return from a five-game absence be-
cause of knee soreness.
Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam
added 20 points to help Toronto snap a
three-game skid.
Bucks 124, Hawks 115
MILWAUKEE – Giannis Anteto-
kounmpo had 43 points and 12 rebounds
and the Bucks beat the Hawks for their
sixth straight victory.
Defending champion Milwaukee
edged a half-game ahead of idle Phila-
delphia for second place in the Eastern
Conference and moved within two
games of first-place Miami, which lost
at home to NBA-leading Phoenix.
Bobby Portis added 23 points and 15
rebounds, and Khris Middleton had 23
points and eight assists to help Milwau-
kee beat Atlanta for the first time in
three tries this season.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 27 points
and 11 assists.
Magic 108, Pelicans 102
NEW ORLEANS – Cole Anthony
scored 19 points, Gary Harris added 16 in
a reserve role, and the Magic beat the
Pelicans.
Terrence Ross scored 12 of his 14
points in the fourth quarter, highlighted
by a pair of 3s and a 360-degree, right-
handed dunk that helped Orlando stunt
a New Orleans comeback bid that had
briefly cut the Pelicans’ deficit to six. He
capped his night with a pair of clutch
free throws with 10 seconds left.
Franz Wagner had 15 points for Or-
lando, which snapped a two-game skid
by leading for nearly the entire game.
Suns 111, Heat 90
MIAMI – Devin Booker scored 23
points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and the
Suns shook off a slow start to beat the
Heat in a matchup of the NBA’s confer-
ence leaders.
Booker, returning from a four-game
absence for virus-related issues, flirted
with a triple-double, finishing with nine
assists and eight rebounds. Phoenix im-
proved the NBA’s best record to 53-13,
and the reigning Western Conference
champion Suns have now beaten all
other 29 teams this season – the first
time they’ve done that since 2006-07.
Deandre Ayton had 19 points on 9-
for-10 shooting and 10 rebounds for the
Suns.
Celtics 115, Hornets 101
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jayson Tatum
scored 16 of his 44 points in the fourth
quarter, and the Celtics defeated the
Hornets for their fourth straight win.
Tatum, coming off a 54-point perfor-
mance against the Brooklyn Nets on
Sunday, made 16 of 24 shots from the
field and 6 of 9 from beyond the 3-point
arc. He also made all six free throws.
Tatum was also effective on defense,
limiting the red hot Terry Rozier to just
14 points on 5-of-17 shooting.
Bulls 114, Pistons 108
DETROIT – DeMar DeRozan scored 16
of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and
the Bulls beat the Pistons to snap a five-
game losing streak.
Zach LeVine added 25 points for the
Bulls, and Nikola Vucevic had 21 points.
They won despite only hitting three 3-
pointers.
Cade Cunningham had 22 points for
the Pistons, but no one else scored more
than 12. Detroit had won three straight.
The Pistons led 99-92 with 8:59 left
before DeRozan and Zach LeVine took
over.
Knicks 107, Mavericks 77
DALLAS – Julius Randle scored 26
points against his hometown team and
the New York Knicks won for the fifth
consecutive time in Dallas, blowing out
the Mavericks.
RJ Barrett added 18 points for the
Knicks, who won their third straight fol-
lowing a seven-game losing streak and
improved to 3-2 on a season-long sev-
en-game road trip.
The Mavericks missed their first 19 3-
point shots while falling behind by 28 in
their lowest-scoring first half of the sea-
son. Dallas trailed 61-34 at the break as a
five-game winning streak ended.
Luka Doncic scored 17 of his 31 points
in the third quarter, when the Mavericks
got within 14.
4NS | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

WEDNESDAY’S NBA BOXES

Utah 123, Portland 85
PORTLAND (85)
Elleby 3-6 2-2 10, Hughes 0-4 0-0 0, Eubanks 2-7
0-0 4, Hart 2-11 1-2 5, Williams 3-13 3-5 9, Brown III
1-5 1-2 4, Watford 6-14 9-9 22, Blevins 2-5 2-2 7,
Johnson 6-13 0-0 15, McLemore 4-11 0-0 9. Totals
29-89 18-22 85.
UTAH (123)
Bogdanovic 9-14 3-4 27, O'Neale 4-6 1-1 11, Gobert
4-4 1-4 9, Conley 1-5 2-2 5, Mitchell 6-12 0-0 16, Gay
3-7 2-2 9, Hernangomez 2-2 0-0 5, Paschall 1-2 2-2
5, House Jr. 0-4 3-4 3, Azubuike 3-3 0-0 6,
Whiteside 3-3 0-0 6, Alexander-Walker 0-4 0-0 0,
Butler 2-5 0-0 5, Clarkson 2-7 4-4 8, Forrest 2-3 4-4
8. Totals 42-81 22-27 123.
Portland 15 20 14 36 — 85
Utah 33 30 33 27 — 123
3-Point Goals—Portland 9-36 (Johnson 3-6, Elleby
2-2, Brown III 1-1, Blevins 1-4, Watford 1-4,
McLemore 1-8, Hughes 0-2, Williams 0-3, Hart
0-6), Utah 17-46 (Bogdanovic 6-9, Mitchell 4-10,
O'Neale 2-4, Hernangomez 1-1, Paschall 1-2, Butler
1-3, Conley 1-3, Gay 1-4, Forrest 0-1, Clarkson 0-2,
House Jr. 0-3, Alexander-Walker 0-4). Fouled
Out_None. Rebounds_Portland 36 (Eubanks 7),
Utah 50 (Gobert, O'Neale 10). Assists_Portland 19
(Johnson 5), Utah 31 (Mitchell 6). Total
Fouls_Portland 23, Utah 23. A_18,306 (18,306)
L.A. Clippers 115, Washington 109
WASHINGTON (109)
Caldwell-Pope 4-10 6-6 16, Kuzma 8-16 0-0 17,
Porzingis 8-14 1-1 19, Kispert 3-8 0-0 9, Neto 3-6
5-6 12, Avdija 0-5 0-0 0, Hachimura 7-10 3-4 18,
Gafford 7-11 0-1 14, Satoransky 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 1-5
2-2 4. Totals 41-87 17-20 109.
L.A. CLIPPERS (115)
Batum 3-8 0-0 8, Morris Sr. 10-15 4-4 27, Zubac 5-13
0-0 10, Coffey 2-8 2-2 7, Jackson 12-21 2-2 31,
Hartenstein 1-3 2-2 4, Mann 3-6 2-2 9, Kennard 7-12
1-1 19. Totals 43-86 13-13 115.
Washington 29 26 30 24 — 109
L.A. Clippers 28 29 26 32 — 115
3-Point Goals—Washington 10-27 (Kispert 3-5,
Porzingis 2-5, Caldwell-Pope 2-7, Neto 1-1,
Hachimura 1-4, Kuzma 1-4, Avdija 0-1), L.A. Clippers
16-32 (Jackson 5-9, Kennard 4-7, Morris Sr. 3-4,
Batum 2-6, Mann 1-1, Coffey 1-5). Fouled Out_None.
Rebounds_Washington 41 (Gafford 10), L.A.
Clippers 41 (Mann, Zubac 9). Assists_Washington
26 (Smith 8), L.A. Clippers 21 (Jackson 7). Total
Fouls_Washington 13, L.A. Clippers 15. A_15,282
(18,997)
Denver 106, Sacramento 100
DENVER (106)
Gordon 4-10 3-3 11, Reed 3-6 0-0 7, Jokic 15-24 8-9
38, Morris 8-11 2-3 20, Rivers 2-8 0-0 6, Ja.Green
1-3 4-4 6, Nnaji 0-1 0-0 0, Cousins 2-3 0-0 5,
Campazzo 1-5 0-0 2, Forbes 4-11 0-0 11. Totals
40-82 17-19 106.
SACRAMENTO (100)
Barnes 5-11 4-6 17, Lyles 6-12 1-2 14, Len 2-5 0-0 4,
Fox 12-23 4-4 32, Holiday 3-8 1-1 8, Jones 3-9 2-5 8,
Metu 4-6 0-0 9, DiVincenzo 0-5 0-0 0, Mitchell 3-6
0-0 8. Totals 38-85 12-18 100.
Denver 32 31 17 26 — 106
Sacramento 29 22 26 23 — 100
3-Point Goals—Denver 9-35 (Forbes 3-8, Morris 2-3,
Rivers 2-8, Cousins 1-2, Reed 1-3, Ja.Green 0-1,
Jokic 0-2, Campazzo 0-3, Gordon 0-5), Sacramento
12-34 (Fox 4-6, Barnes 3-7, Mitchell 2-5, Metu 1-2,
Holiday 1-4, Lyles 1-5, Jones 0-1, Len 0-1,
DiVincenzo 0-3). Fouled Out_None.
Rebounds_Denver 51 (Jokic 18), Sacramento 38
(Lyles 9). Assists_Denver 26 (Jokic 7), Sacramento
24 (Fox 10). Total Fouls_Denver 20, Sacramento 22.
A_14,697 (17,608)
Orlando 108, New Orleans 102
ORLANDO (108)
Carter Jr. 6-11 1-2 13, F.Wagner 6-13 2-2 15, Bamba
3-5 0-0 9, Anthony 6-9 4-4 19, Suggs 0-3 2-2 2,
Okeke 2-6 4-5 9, M.Wagner 3-4 3-5 9, Ross 5-13 2-2
14, Hampton 0-2 2-2 2, Harris 5-10 2-2 16. Totals
36-76 22-26 108.
NEW ORLEANS (102)
Hayes 3-4 1-3 7, Snell 0-4 0-0 0, Valanciunas 11-20
8-8 30, Jones 6-10 1-2 15, McCollum 14-27 1-3 32,
Marshall 0-5 0-0 0, Murphy III 1-3 2-2 4,
Hernangomez 0-1 0-0 0, Alvarado 3-8 0-0 7,
Graham 3-11 0-0 7. Totals 41-93 13-18 102.
Orlando 30 26 25 27 — 108
New Orleans 17 24 32 29 — 102
3-Point Goals—Orlando 14-37 (Harris 4-6, Bamba
3-4, Anthony 3-6, Ross 2-9, F.Wagner 1-4, Okeke
1-5, Carter Jr. 0-1, Suggs 0-2), New Orleans 7-31
(McCollum 3-11, Jones 2-2, Alvarado 1-3, Graham
1-6, Marshall 0-2, Murphy III 0-2, Valanciunas 0-2,
Snell 0-3). Fouled Out_Orlando None, New Orleans
1 (Jones). Rebounds_Orlando 45 (M.Wagner 9),
New Orleans 41 (Valanciunas 15). Assists_Orlando
25 (Anthony, Carter Jr. 5), New Orleans 23
(McCollum 8). Total Fouls_Orlando 20, New Orleans
22. A_15,633 (16,867)
Milwaukee 124, Atlanta 115
ATLANTA (115)
Collins 0-9 2-2 2, Hunter 7-11 2-2 17, Capela 5-5 1-5
11, Huerter 6-11 0-0 16, Young 8-15 8-8 27, Gallinari
5-11 2-2 14, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Okongwu 5-7 3-3 13,
Bogdanovic 4-13 0-0 9, Williams 3-3 0-0 6, Wright
0-1 0-0 0. Totals 43-86 18-22 115.
MILWAUKEE (124)
G.Antetokounmpo 15-22 12-17 43, Middleton 9-17
3-3 23, Portis 9-17 1-1 23, Allen 4-9 0-0 11, Holiday
5-17 0-0 11, Bembry 0-0 0-0 0, Ibaka 0-1 2-2 2,
Nwora 2-2 0-0 4, Carter 1-3 0-0 3, Matthews 2-6
0-0 4. Totals 47-94 18-23 124.
Atlanta 26 28 32 29 — 115
Milwaukee 37 31 25 31 — 124
3-Point Goals—Atlanta 11-38 (Huerter 4-7, Young
3-9, Gallinari 2-5, Hunter 1-3, Bogdanovic 1-8,
Wright 0-1, Collins 0-5), Milwaukee 12-35 (Portis
4-8, Allen 3-7, Middleton 2-6, Carter 1-2, Holiday
1-4, G.Antetokounmpo 1-5, Matthews 0-3). Fouled
Out—None. Rebounds—Atlanta 44 (Capela 9),
Milwaukee 50 (Portis 15). Assists—Atlanta 26
(Young 11), Milwaukee 24 (Holiday, Middleton 8).
Total Fouls—Atlanta 20, Milwaukee 19. A—17,341
(17,500)
Minnesota 132, Oklahoma City 102
OKLAHOMA CITY (102)
Bazley 5-9 2-2 14, Wiggins 9-19 2-3 25, Roby 5-9
4-8 15, Gilgeous-Alexander 2-15 4-4 8, Waters III
3-12 0-0 8, Pokusevski 5-8 0-0 11, Sarr 0-1 0-0 0,
Krejci 3-6 2-2 9, Maledon 4-8 2-5 12. Totals 36-87
16-24 102.
MINNESOTA (132)
Edwards 7-15 0-0 16, McDaniels 5-8 0-0 12, Towns
4-5 5-6 13, Beasley 11-17 0-0 33, Russell 2-7 0-0 6,
Knight 1-3 3-4 5, Layman 2-2 0-0 4, Prince 5-10 5-8
17, Reid 3-3 5-6 12, Bolmaro 0-2 0-0 0, McLaughlin
1-3 0-0 3, Nowell 2-6 2-2 6, Okogie 2-5 0-0 5. Totals
45-86 20-26 132.
Oklahoma City 21 26 32 23 — 102
Minnesota 32 42 27 31 — 132
3-Point Goals—Oklahoma City 14-43 (Wiggins 5-8,
Bazley 2-5, Maledon 2-5, Waters III 2-10, Pokusevski
1-3, Krejci 1-4, Roby 1-4, Gilgeous-Alexander 0-4),
Minnesota 22-52 (Beasley 11-17, McDaniels 2-4,
Prince 2-5, Russell 2-7, Edwards 2-8, Reid 1-1,
McLaughlin 1-3, Okogie 1-3, Bolmaro 0-1, Nowell
0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Oklahoma City
42 (Wiggins 9), Minnesota 48 (Towns 11).
Assists—Oklahoma City 26 (Gilgeous-Alexander 8),
Minnesota 34 (Russell 12). Total Fouls—Oklahoma
City 18, Minnesota 18. A—16,191 (19,356)
Phoenix 111, Miami 90
PHOENIX (111)
Bridges 9-13 3-3 21, Crowder 5-16 0-0 11, Ayton
9-10 1-1 19, Booker 7-12 5-5 23, Payne 4-13 0-0 11,
Craig 0-3 0-0 0, Wainright 0-1 0-0 0, McGee 5-13 1-1
11, Biyombo 1-1 0-0 2, Holiday 2-7 0-0 5, Payton 0-1
0-0 0, Shamet 3-9 0-0 8. Totals 45-99 10-10 111.
MIAMI (90)
Robinson 7-15 2-3 22, Tucker 4-10 1-2 9, Adebayo
7-11 3-3 17, Lowry 1-3 2-2 5, Vincent 2-10 0-0 5,
Highsmith 0-0 0-0 0, Martin 1-5 0-0 2, Strus 0-1
0-0 0, Dedmon 1-5 0-0 2, Yurtseven 3-3 1-2 7, Herro
7-20 1-1 17, Oladipo 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 35-88 10-13 90.
Phoenix 29 28 34 20 — 111
Miami 27 28 19 16 — 90
3-Point Goals—Phoenix 11-37 (Booker 4-7, Payne
3-8, Shamet 2-6, Holiday 1-3, Crowder 1-7,
Wainright 0-1, Craig 0-2, Bridges 0-3), Miami 10-33
(Robinson 6-11, Herro 2-9, Lowry 1-2, Vincent 1-5,
Dedmon 0-1, Strus 0-1, Oladipo 0-2, Tucker 0-2).
Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Phoenix 55 (McGee
15), Miami 38 (Adebayo, Tucker 6).
Assists—Phoenix 26 (Payne 10), Miami 27 (Lowry
10). Total Fouls—Phoenix 18, Miami 9. A—19,600
(19,600)
Boston 115, Charlotte 101
BOSTON (115)
Horford 4-8 0-0 10, Tatum 16-24 6-6 44, Williams III
5-7 1-1 11, Brown 6-16 2-5 15, Smart 6-12 0-0 12,
Hauser 0-0 0-0 0, K.Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 3-8
0-0 7, Kornet 0-0 0-0 0, Theis 0-1 2-2 2, Pritchard
1-5 0-0 3, Stauskas 0-1 0-0 0, White 5-11 0-0 11.
Totals 46-93 11-14 115.
CHARLOTTE (101)
Bridges 5-14 6-7 17, Washington 7-12 0-0 17,
Plumlee 3-3 1-4 7, Ball 6-12 3-3 15, Rozier 5-17 2-2 14,
C.Martin 2-6 3-5 7, Thor 0-0 0-0 0, Harrell 4-7 2-2
10, Oubre Jr. 3-8 1-2 9, Richards 0-1 0-0 0, I.Thomas
1-4 3-3 5. Totals 36-84 21-28 101.
Boston 29 23 35 28 — 115
Charlotte 22 26 30 23 — 101
3-Point Goals—Boston 12-37 (Tatum 6-9, Horford
2-4, Pritchard 1-4, White 1-5, Williams 1-5, Brown
1-8, Smart 0-1, Stauskas 0-1), Charlotte 8-32
(Washington 3-8, Oubre Jr. 2-5, Rozier 2-9, Bridges
1-3, I.Thomas 0-1, C.Martin 0-2, Ball 0-4). Fouled
Out—None. Rebounds—Boston 47 (Williams III 11),
Charlotte 46 (Plumlee 15). Assists—Boston 30
(Smart 9), Charlotte 18 (Plumlee 6). Total
Fouls—Boston 20, Charlotte 15. A—18,086 (19,077)
Chicago 114, Detroit 108
CHICAGO (114)
DeRozan 12-25 12-13 36, Green 2-3 0-0 4, Vucevic
8-11 5-5 21, Dosunmu 4-6 1-2 9, LaVine 7-14 10-11 25,
Brown Jr. 0-1 0-0 0, Jones Jr. 3-3 0-0 6, Thompson
1-4 3-4 5, White 3-9 0-0 8. Totals 40-76 31-35 114.
DETROIT (108)
Bey 4-12 2-3 12, Grant 4-10 3-5 12, Bagley III 4-8 1-2
10, Cunningham 9-15 2-2 22, Joseph 4-5 0-0 9,
Livers 1-2 0-0 2, Olynyk 4-9 3-3 12, Diallo 5-8 0-0 10,
Lee 4-8 2-2 10, McGruder 3-5 0-0 9. Totals 42-82
13-17 108.
Chicago 25 28 31 30 — 114
Detroit 26 30 35 17 — 108
3-Point Goals—Chicago 3-15 (White 2-3, LaVine 1-7,
Brown Jr. 0-1, DeRozan 0-1, Dosunmu 0-1, Green
0-1, Vucevic 0-1), Detroit 11-31 (McGruder 3-5,
Cunningham 2-3, Bey 2-8, Bagley III 1-2, Joseph 1-2,
Grant 1-5, Olynyk 1-5, Livers 0-1). Fouled Out—None.
Rebounds—Chicago 33 (DeRozan 8), Detroit 32
(Bagley III 6). Assists—Chicago 19 (Dosunmu 7),
Detroit 25 (Bey, Cunningham 6). Total
Fouls—Chicago 15, Detroit 25. A—18,022 (20,491)
Houston 139, L.A. Lakers 130
L.A. LAKERS (130)
Johnson 2-3 0-2 5, Reaves 4-7 6-6 17, James 9-26
4-6 23, Monk 8-13 0-0 20, Westbrook 11-21 7-8 30,
Anthony 5-13 0-0 13, Gabriel 0-1 1-4 1, Bazemore
0-2 0-0 0, Augustin 6-9 0-0 16, Bradley 2-6 0-0 5.
Totals 47-101 18-26 130.
HOUSTON (139)
Gordon 5-9 3-3 15, Martin Jr. 7-12 0-0 17, Sengun
9-20 2-2 21, Green 13-21 2-2 32, Porter Jr. 4-13 1-1
10, Nwaba 0-2 4-4 4, Christopher 8-13 2-2 21,
Mathews 2-4 1-1 7, Schroder 4-8 3-4 12. Totals
52-102 18-19 139.
L.A. Lakers 38 25 35 22 10 — 130
Houston 32 36 29 23 19 — 139
3-Point Goals—L.A. Lakers 18-47 (Augustin 4-7,
Monk 4-8, Reaves 3-6, Anthony 3-7, Johnson 1-1,
Westbrook 1-3, Bradley 1-5, James 1-9, Gabriel 0-1),
Houston 17-40 (Green 4-7, Christopher 3-5, Martin
Jr. 3-6, Mathews 2-4, Gordon 2-5, Schroder 1-3,
Sengun 1-3, Porter Jr. 1-6, Nwaba 0-1). Fouled
Out_None. Rebounds_L.A. Lakers 48 (James 14),
Houston 50 (Sengun 14). Assists_L.A. Lakers 25
(James 12), Houston 25 (Porter Jr. 10). Total
Fouls_L.A. Lakers 21, Houston 21. A_18,055 (18,500)
Toronto 119, San Antonio 104
TORONTO (119)
Barnes 8-12 4-4 20, Siakam 7-15 4-4 20, Birch 1-2
2-2 4, Trent Jr. 5-13 5-5 17, VanVleet 7-15 9-10 26,
Achiuwa 5-11 0-0 13, Banton 3-6 0-0 6, Young 3-6
0-0 7, Boucher 1-3 1-1 3, Mykhailiuk 0-1 0-0 0,
Watanabe 1-1 0-0 2, Bonga 0-0 1-2 1, Brooks 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 41-85 26-28 119.
SAN ANTONIO (104)
K.Johnson 10-19 4-4 27, McDermott 2-7 2-2 7, Poeltl
5-8 1-1 11, Murray 9-17 6-6 25, Vassell 3-9 1-1 8,
Collins 0-0 4-4 4, Wieskamp 0-1 0-0 0, Landale 1-1
0-0 2, Jones 2-8 0-0 4, Richardson 1-2 0-0 3,
Walker IV 5-12 1-2 13. Totals 38-84 19-20 104.
Toronto 34 24 33 28 — 119
San Antonio 29 32 23 20 — 104
3-Point Goals—Toronto 11-30 (Achiuwa 3-5,
VanVleet 3-8, Siakam 2-5, Trent Jr. 2-8, Young 1-1,
Banton 0-1, Boucher 0-1, Mykhailiuk 0-1), San
Antonio 9-32 (K.Johnson 3-9, Walker IV 2-6,
Richardson 1-1, Murray 1-3, Vassell 1-5, McDermott
1-6, Jones 0-2). Fouled Out_None.
Rebounds_Toronto 47 (Barnes, Siakam 8), San
Antonio 36 (Poeltl 12). Assists_Toronto 12 (Banton
4), San Antonio 24 (Murray 12). Total Fouls_Toronto
23, San Antonio 18. A_15,121 (18,581)
N.Y. Knicks 107, Dallas 77
NEW YORK (107)
Barrett 7-16 4-5 18, Randle 8-19 7-10 26, Robinson
4-4 3-4 11, Burks 4-13 4-4 15, Fournier 4-9 0-0 10,
Gibson 4-6 2-2 11, Sims 2-2 1-2 5, Arcidiacono 0-1
0-0 0, McBride 1-6 0-0 2, Quickley 2-8 5-6 9. Totals
36-84 26-33 107.
DALLAS (77)
Bullock 0-8 0-2 0, Finney-Smith 4-9 0-0 9, Powell
3-4 2-2 8, Brunson 3-12 2-2 8, Doncic 12-25 4-7 31,
Bertans 0-6 0-0 0, Kleber 0-7 2-2 2, Brown 0-2 0-0
0, Burke 1-3 2-2 4, Dinwiddie 3-8 5-8 13, Green 1-2
0-0 2. Totals 27-86 17-25 77.
New York 31 30 22 24 — 107
Dallas 17 17 31 12 — 77
3-Point Goals—New York 9-34 (Randle 3-7, Burks
3-10, Fournier 2-6, Gibson 1-1, Barrett 0-3, McBride
0-3, Quickley 0-4), Dallas 6-44 (Doncic 3-11,
Dinwiddie 2-4, Finney-Smith 1-4, Brown 0-1, Burke
0-1, Green 0-1, Kleber 0-4, Bertans 0-5, Brunson
0-5, Bullock 0-8). Fouled Out_None.
Rebounds_New York 55 (Burks, Robinson 11), Dallas
37 (Bullock 7). Assists_New York 20 (Quickley 6),
Dallas 11 (Doncic 4). Total Fouls_New York 25, Dallas
24. A_20,182 (19,200)

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

No. 25 UCF clamps down on SMU

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FORT WORTH, Texas – Brittney

Smith led a balanced offense with 13
points and No. 25 UCF’s nation-best de-
fense had its best game of the season
with a 61-28 win over SMU in the semi-
finals of the American Athletic Confer-
ence tournament on Wednesday.
Going into the game, the top-seeded
Knights were allowing 48.1 points per
game and held 16 teams under 50 points
and seven under 40.
Now they have held one under 30.
Diamond Battles scored 11 points for
UCF (24-3), which has won 12 straight.
Masseny Kaba and Shania Meertens
added 10 each.
Kayla White had a team-high eight
points for the Mustangs (14-14), who had
their lowest scoring game of the season
by shooting a season-low 24.5% (12 of
49) with 22 turnovers.
SMU is the seventh team UCF held
under 30% shooting, the lowest being
Temple at 23.1%.
The Knights scored the first 11 points
of the game, led 15-3 after the first quar-
ter and 28-15 at the half. SMU shot 27%,
missed all five of its 3-pointers and had
11 turnovers.
SMU shot 21% in the second half and
UCF settled the game with a dominating
20-6 third-quarter advantage. Central Florida forward Destiny Thomas (33) shoots while SMU forward Danielle Sanderlin defends in the second half at the
American Athletic Conference tournament on Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas. AP
No. 23 Florida Gulf Coast 82,
Stetson 67
for the 11th straight year and plays host Mountain West Outstanding Player. Desi-Rae Young
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kierstan Bell to Jacksonville State in the finale on added 14 points for the Rebels.
had a double-double and Kendall Spray Saturday night. LAS VEGAS – Essence Booker scored McKenna Hofschild scored 27 points
and Kerstie Phills combined for all 21 of Alyssa Hargrove scored 18 points for 25 points and top-seeded UNLV collect- for Colorado State (21-11). Karly Murphy
their points in the second half as Florida the Hatters (20-12), who won at FGCS ed its first Mountain West Conference added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Upe
Gulf Coast pulled away from Stetson in 58-55 last month after losing 78-41 at tournament title with a 75-65 victory Atosu had 10 points.
the Atlantic Sun Conference tourna- home. over No. 6 seed Colorado State. UNLV closed the first quarter on a
ment semifinals. Jamiya Turner added 17 points, Ta- UNLV (26-6), which also played in its 12-7 surge, capped by Nneka Obiazor’s
The top-seeded Eagles (28-2) were tiana Streun had 12 points with seven first conference title game since 2002, 3-pointer, for a 24-19 advantage and led
down 34-28 at the half but hit 11 of 17 3- rebounds and Ayanna Dublin scored 10. ended this one on a 13-3 run with Booker 38-31 at the break. The Rebels extended
pointers in the second half, four by Hargrove had the first basket of the scoring six points. The Rebels will enter their lead to 13 points with 3:18 left in the
Spray and two by Phils. Bell had 19 game, added two free throws to cap a the NCAA Tournament for the first time third quarter.
points and 11 rebounds, Emma List add- 7-0 run and scored the Hatters’ last sev- in 20 years. The Rams answered with a 20-8 run
ed 14 points with four 3-pointers and en points of the first quarter to help put Booker made four 3-pointers, fin- to pull within 62-61 with 4:28 remain-
Karlie Seay had 13 points. Stetson on top 21-13. She had 11 at the ished 10-of-25 shooting from the floor ing. Hofschild scored nine points during
FGCU is in the championship game quarter and 13 in the half. and was named the tournament’s Most the stretch.

MLB going to offer anything for it. At that

point, we informed all players & agreed
to no draft.”
Continued from Page 1NS The union reacted angrily to Man-
fred’s announcement. “The owners’ de-
fore 2 p.m. after he walked from union cision to cancel additional games is
headquarters. completely unnecessary,” it said in a
While the gaps shrunk on the luxury statement. “After making a set of com-
tax, pre-arbitration bonus pool and prehensive proposals to the league ear-
minimum salary, management con- lier this afternoon and being told sub-
tinued to press for its long-held goal of stantive responses were forthcoming,
an international amateur draft. Players players have yet to hear back.”
have repeatedly rejected the proposal Manfred had set a Tuesday deadline
since it was made on July 28. for a deal to preserve a 162-game sched-
“We never offered the Int’l Draft” ule, and staff had started planning for
tweeted Mets pitcher Max Scherzer, opening day on April 6/7, back from the
among the eight players on the union’s original March 31. The deadline was ex-
executive subcommittee. “We did dis- tended it to 2 p.m. Wednesday and then
cuss it, but MLB told us they were NOT to 6 p.m.
MLB said it would not make a new
counteroffer to players unless the union
first chose one of three options:
h Agree to the international draft in
exchange for the elimination of direct
amateur draft pick compensation for
qualified free agents.
h Keep compensation in exchange
for MLB dropping the international
draft proposal.
h Drop compensation while giving
players until Nov. 15 to accept an inter-
national draft starting in 2024 and giv-
ing MLB the right to re-open the labor
contract after the 2024 season if players
fail to accept the draft.
Players rejected all three options and
instead proposed to drop compensation
for this year, have the sides agree to a
draft by Nov. 15 or then revert to com-
pensation for the 2022-23 offseason.
MLB said it did not receive that until af-
ter the 6 p.m. deadline.
“In a last-ditch effort to preserve a
162-game season, this week we have
made good-faith proposals that address
the specific concerns voiced by the
MLBPA and would have allowed the
players to return to the field immediate-
ly,” Manfred said. “The clubs went to ex-
traordinary lengths to meet the sub-
stantial demands of the MLBPA. On the
key economic issues that have posed
stumbling blocks, the clubs proposed
ways to bridge gaps to preserve a full
schedule. Regrettably, after our second
late-night bargaining session in a week,
we remain without a deal.”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEN PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
Keefe completes late comeback
with buzzer-beater for Stanford
Cardinal erase 14-point
deficit in final 3 minutes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS – James Keefe capped a
double-double by banking in a short
jumper at the buzzer as ninth-seeded
Stanford closed the game on a 16-1 run to
shock eight-seeded Arizona State 71-70
in the Pac-12 Conference tournament
opener on Thursday.
Stanford faces top-seeded and sec-
ond-ranked Arizona on Thursday in the
quarterfinals.
Spencer Jones made a 3-pointer with
37 seconds left to pull Stanford within
70-69 and the Cardinal elected not to
foul. Stanford freshman star Harrison
Ingram rebounded Jalen Graham’s
missed 10 footer with nine seconds left
and weaved his way up court but had
the ball stripped as the spun in the lane.
Keefe picked up the loose ball , elevated
and his floater, released with a half-sec-
ond remaining, went off the backboard,
the front of the rim and the backboard
again before dropping through, giving
Stanford an improbable win.
Jones hit six 3-pointers and scored a
career-high 26 points for the Cardinals
(16-15), who had lost five straight and
seven of eight. Keefe had 16 points on 7-
of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds and
Brandon Angel added 15 points.
Arizona State (14-17), which had won
four straight and seven of eight, includ-
ing a 65-56 win over the Cardinal to
close the regular season, lost despite
matching the tournament record of 15 3-
pointers.
DJ Horne led the way with five 3s and
21 points, Marreon Jackson added 14
points with three 3s and Jay Heath had
four 3s for 12 points.
A 3-pointer by Alonza Gaffney had
the Sun Devils up 50-33 with 13:35 to
play. Angel had nine points in a 13-3 run
to pull the Cardinal within seven at the
7:47 mark.
But the final two 3’s and a d unk by
Kimani Lawrence had the Sun Devils
back on top 69-55 with three minutes to
play.
Keefe started an 11-0 run that fea-
tured three missed free throws, two be-
ing the front end of one-and-ones, two
turnovers, one missed shot by ASU.
MEN ACC TOURNAMENT
Boston College gets overtime win over Wake Forest
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK – DeMarr Langford
scored 19 points, Quinten Post added 17
and 13th-seeded Boston College upset
fifth-seeded Wake Forest 82-77 in over-
time in the second round of the Atlantic
Coast Conference tournament on
Wednesday.
The Eagles (7-14) rallied from a 10-
point deficit with six minutes left in reg-
ulation before scoring the first six points
in overtime and going on to win.
It’s the first time BC has won two
tournament games since 2018 but not
without some adversity, including the
double-digit deficit that came after they
had led most of the way.
“We have a lot of endurance,” BC
coach Earl Grant said. “We talked about,
hey look, if you’re going to a climb up to
the top of the hill at some point a giant is
going to get in your way and you have to
try and slay him. We knew it was going
to be hard … but we executed and played
together.”
BC’s Brevin Galloway hit a 3-pointer
to break a tie and cap a 14-1 run with 2:35
left in regulation. He missed a tough lay-
MEN PATRIOT LEAGUE
Colgate returns to NCAAs with victory over Navy in Patriot League final
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAMILTON, N.Y. – Tournament MVP
Jack Ferguson scored 17 points, Nelly
Cummings added 15 and Colgate turned
away a late Navy push to win the Patriot
League championship game 74-58 on
Wednesday and return to the NCAA
Stanford forward James Keefe (22) celebrates with forward Spencer Jones (14) after defeating Arizona State on
Wednesday at the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. STEPHEN R. SYLVANIE/USA TODAY SPORTS
Oregon 86, Oregon State 72
Jacob Young had a season-high-ty-
ing 23 points with a career-high 11 as-
sists and fifth-seeded Oregon beat No.
12 seed Oregon State.
Oregon (19-13) beat Oregon State for a
third time this season to advance to play
No. 4 seed Colorado on Thursday. Ore-
gon State (3-28) ended the season on an
18-game losing streak – without a win
since Dec. 30 against Utah.
Oregon was without its leader in
points (14.1), rebounds (3.7) and assists
(3.6) as Will Richardson was dealing
with a non-COVID illness. Young filled
the void, coming four rebounds shy of a
triple-double.
Quincy Guerrier added 20 points and
N’Faly Dante had 15 points, seven re-
bounds and five blocks for Oregon.
Eric Williams Jr. had 14 points and
up against two defenders as he drove to
the hoop at the end of regulation.
Jaeden Zachery hit a 3-pointer to
open overtime for BC. Damari Monsanto
hit a 40-foot 3-pointer for Wake Forest
but after a Zachery free throw with 7.5
seconds remaining, the Deacons’ court-
length inbounds pass went out of
bounds.
Jake LaRavia scored 21 points for the
Deacons (23-9).
Syracuse 96, Florida State 57
Cole Swider had 28 points and 13 re-
bounds in 28 minutes, Joe Girard added
16 points and No. 9 seed Syracuse beat
eighth-seeded Florida State.
It was Syracuse’s second largest
margin of victory in a conference tour-
nament game in program history.
Syracuse advances to play top-seed-
ed and No. 7 Duke in the quarterfinals.
Buddy Boeheim appeared to punch
Florida State’s Wyatt Wilkes in the
stomach during the first half and was
not called for a foul. Boeheim was sus-
pended by the ACC for the game against
Duke.
Tournament for the second straight
year.
Tucker Richardson scored 12 points
as did Jeff Woodward, who grabbed
eight rebounds. Oliver Lynch-Daniels
added 10 points, all in the first half, for
the Raiders (23-11), who won their 15th
straight game, the third-longest active
SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 5NS
Thursday at the Pac-12
Quarterfinals (All Times Eastern)
Arizona vs. Stanford, 3 p.m.
Colorado vs. Oregon, 5:30 p.m.
UCLA vs. Washington St., 9 p.m.
So. Cal vs. Washington, 11:30 p.m.
eight rebounds.
Jarod Lucas led Oregon State with 22
points and three 3-pointers.
Washington State 66, California 59
Efe Abogidi scored 11 of his 19 points
in the first half and No. 7 seed Washing-
ton State never trailed in its victory over
tenth-seeded California.
Washington State (19-13) will look for
Thursday at the ACC
Quarterfinals (All Times Eastern)
Duke vs. Syracuse, Noon
Miami vs. Boston College, 2:30 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.
North Carolina vs. Virginia, 9:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech 76, Clemson 75
Darius Maddox buried a 3-pointer at
the buzzer in overtime and Virginia Tech
held off a furious rally by Clemson.
Clemson, the 10th seed, trailed 43-32
at halftime and 57-45 with 9:15 remain-
ing in regulation after a 3-pointer by Vir-
ginia Tech’s Keve Aluma. The Tigers bat-
tled back to grab a 62-61 lead on Nick
Honor’s 3-pointer with 1:13 left. After
trading baskets, Storm Murphy hit a 3-
pointer to put the Hokies (20-12) up 66-
64, but PJ Hall pulled Clemson (17-16)
even on a hook shot with seven seconds
to go. Murphy missed a 3 to send the
game to OT.
win streak in the nation.
Greg Summers had 18 points and
eight rebounds, Tyler Nelson added 11
points and John Carter Jr. 10 for the Mid-
shipmen (21-11), who were playing in
their first league championship game
since 2001.
Colgate led 40-22 at halftime and
its fifth straight win when it faces No. 2
seed UCLA in a Thursday quarterfinal.
UCLA beat the Cougars 76-56 about
three weeks ago.
Abogidi was 7 of 17 from the field. Ty-
rell Roberts added 14 points for the Cou-
gars, which also swept the regular-sea-
son series against Cal.
Michael Flowers and TJ Bamba had
12 points apiece. Dishon Jackson
matched a career high with five blocked
shots to go with four points.
Jordan Shepherd scored 19 points to
lead Cal (12-20), which has lost five of its
last six games. Jalen Celestine had 11
points.
Washington State opened the game
on a 9-2 surge on its way to a 32-20 half-
time advantage.
Cal cut the deficit to four early in the
second half but didn’t get closer the rest
of the way.
Neither team scored in overtime until
Aluma hit a 3-pointer with 2:58 left and
– following a 3-pointer by Clemson’s Al-
Amir Dawes – added a three-point play
to put the Hokies up 72-69 at the 2:19
mark. Hunter Tyson had a layup, Hall
added two free throws and the Tigers
led 73-72 with 1:19 remaining.
Virginia 51, Louisville 50
Jayden Gardner tossed in 17 points
and Kihei Clark scored 15 to help Vir-
ginia hold off Louisville.
Gardner’s layup gave Virginia (19-12)
a 45-42 lead with 2:57 remaining, but
Noah Locke answered with a 3-pointer
63 seconds later to knot the score.
Gardner hit a go-ahead jumper at the
1:28 mark and Reece Beekman made a
layup following a missed 3-pointer by
Jarrod West to put the Cavaliers up 49-
45 with 40 seconds left. West missed
another 3, but the Cardinals (13-19)
grabbed three offensive rebounds be-
fore Malik Williams scored to make it
49-47 with 5 seconds to go.
Beekman had nine assists to go with
eight points for the Cavaliers.
seemed to have the game well in hand,
leading by 22 midway through the sec-
ond half when Navy went on a 16-0 run
led by seven points from Sean Yoder to
get within six with six minutes remain-
ing. While the Midshipmen were shoot-
ing 5 of 7 the Raiders missed five
straight shots and had three turnovers.
6NS | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEN SEC TOURNAMENT
Vanderbilt forward Jordan Wright secures a rebound against Georgia during the SEC tournament on Wednesday at
Amelie Arena. NATHAN RAY SEEBECK/USA TODAY SPORTS
Vanderbilt routs Georgia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAMPA, Fla. – Scotty Pippen Jr.
scored 13 of his 14 points in the first half
as 11th-seeded Vanderbilt built a big
lead and routed No. 14 seed Georgia 86-
51 in the first round of the Southeastern
Conference tournament on Wednes-
day night.
Vanderbilt (16-15) will look for its
third win in a row when it faces sixth-
seeded Alabama in the second round
on Thursday. The Commodores lost at
home to the then-24th ranked Crimson
Tide 74-72 about two weeks ago.
Pippen was 6 of 12 from the field, yet
ended his program-record of seven
straight games with 20-plus points. He
played just five minutes in the second
half.
Vanderbilt shot 16 of 41 (39%) from
3-point range, spread among 10 play-
ers. Jordan Wright and Myles Stute
each made three from long range and
finished with 11 points apiece. Shane
Dezonie had 10 points with a pair of 3s.
The Commodores used a 19-5 run,
capped by Pippen’s 3, for a 23-9 lead on
their way to a 35-14 halftime advan-
tage. Back-to-back 3s from Stute and
Wright stretched the lead to 31 points
early in the second half.
Braelen Bridges scored 15 points and
Kario Oquendo had 11 for Georgia (6-
26). The pair combined for 12 points, on
3-of-10 shooting from the field, with six
free throws in the first half. The rest of
the Bulldogs shot 1 of 12 from the floor.
Georgia has lost its last 12 games and
20 of the past 21. Vanderbilt has beaten
the Bulldogs three times this season,
though the first two were within 10
points.
Missouri 72, Mississippi 60
Kobe Brown scored 12 of his 16 points
in the second half when 12th-seeded
Missouri pulled away from 13th-seeded
MEN BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
Seton Hall edges Georgetown
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK – Jared Rhoden posted
17 points as Seton Hall slipped past
Georgetown 57-53 in Big East Confer-
ence tournament first-round action on
Wednesday night.
Myles Cale had 14 points for the
sixth-seeded Pirates (21-9). Alexis Yet-
na added 11 rebounds, while Ike Obiagu
blocked seven shots.
Aminu Mohammed had 12 points
and 10 rebounds for the 11th-seeded
Hoyas (6-25). Donald Carey and Collin
Holloway both scored 11.
Seton Hall advances to play No. 3
seed Connecticut in Thursday’s quar-
terfinals.
Butler 89, Xavier 82 (OT)
Simas Lukosius hit a jumper on the
Missouri guard Jarron Coleman (5) looks to keep the ball away from Mississippi
defender Jaemyn Brakefield (4) on Wednesday. KIM KLEMENT/USA TODAY SPORTS
Mississippi.
Ronnie DeGray III had three 3-point-
ers and 14 points, all in the first half, to
help the Tigers (12-20) keep pace.
Missouri will take on fifth-seeded
LSU in Thursday’s second round. LSU
won the regular-season matchup 75-
55.
Matthew Murrell scored 16 points
and Jarkel Joiner had 13 for the Rebels
(13-19), who lost their fifth straight.
Missouri defeated Ole Miss twice
during the regular season. The last
time the Tigers beat the same team
three times in a season was 2012 (Bay-
lor and Texas).
After a first half that ended 32-all –
Ole Miss had the largest lead of five
points – Missouri opened the second
half outscoring the Rebels 13-2. The
lead reached 14 with 111⁄2 minutes re-
maining and stayed in double figures.
first possession in overtime to give
ninth-seeded Butler a lead it would not
relinquish en route to an win over
eighth-seeded Xavier.
He followed with a 3-pointer for a
73-68 and after four free throws pulled
the Shockers within one, Lukosius hit a
three point and went on to score 12
points in the overtime.
Capping a second half that featured
eight lead changes and four ties, Luko-
sius made a pair of free throws to even
the score at 68 with four seconds re-
maining in regulation and send the
game to overtime.
Chuck Harris scored a season-high
29 points, tying his career high, to lead
the Bulldogs (14-18).
Jack Nunge had 26 points and nine
rebounds for the Musketeers (18-13).
Thursday at the SEC
Second round (All Times Eastern)
Texas A&M vs. Florida, Noon
LSU vs. Missouri, 2:30 p.m.
South Carolina vs. Mississippi St., 6
p.m.
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt, 8:30 p.m.
DeGray entered about four minutes
into the game and hit three straight 3-
pointers and added a 2-pointer in run-
ning off 11 consecutive points for Mis-
souri. But it took two buckets by Amari
Davis, who also came off the bench, to
get the Tigers even at halftime.
Missouri shot over 50% in both
halves, finishing at 54% to the Rebels’
41%, and was plus-12 on the boards.
Thursday at the Big East
Quarterfinals (All Times Eastern)
Providence vs. Butler, Noon
Creighton vs. Marquette, 2:30 p.m.
Villanova vs. St. John’s, 7 p.m.
UConn vs. Seton Hall, 9:30 p.m.
St. John’s 92, DePaul 73
Julian Champagnie had 26 points as
St. John’s beat DePaul.
Stef Smith had 13 points for St.
John’s (17-14). Esahia Nyiwe added 10
points and nine rebounds.
Javon Freeman-Liberty had 17
points and six rebounds for the Blue
Demons (15-16).
MEN BIG 12 TOURNAMENT
W. Virginia
defeats
Kansas St.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sean McNeil
scored 21 points, Malik Curry added 17
points and No. 9 seed West Virginia beat
eighth-seeded Kansas State 73-67 on
Wednesday in the opener of the Big 12
Conference tournament.
West Virginia advances to play top-
seeded Kansas on Thursday. The Moun-
taineers lost at Kansas 85-59 in January
and again at home 71-58 about a month
later.
Neither team led by more than nine
points in this one.
McNeil scored four points during a
10-2 run that gave West Virginia a 69-60
lead with 3:29 left. Curry and Taz Sher-
man made 3-pointers on consecutive
possessions during the run.
Kansas State only made two of its fi-
nal 10 field goals. West Virginia shot
52.8% for the game.
McNeil reached 20-plus points for
the third time this season, going 7 of 10
from the field against the Wildcats.
Thursday at the Big 12
Quarterfinals (All Times Eastern)
Texas vs. TCU, 12:30 p.m.
Kansas vs. West Virginia, 3 p.m.
Baylor vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Iowa St., 9:30 p.m.
MEN BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Pickett leads
Penn St. past
Minnesota
ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS – Jalen Pickett hit
three 3-pointers on his way to 22 points
and Penn State defeated Minnesota 60-
51 in the first round of the Big Ten Con-
ference tournament on Wednesday
night.
Jamison Battle scored eight points to
help 14th-seeded Minnesota take a 28-
24 lead at halftime.
Penn State (13-16), the 11th seed, took
its first lead of the second half at 33-32
on a 3-pointer by Seth Lundy with 16:32
remaining. Battle sank two free throws
to get the Golden Gophers within 51-47
with 6:39 left, but Pickett answered with
a 3-pointer.
Eric Curry had a rebound basket to
cut Minnesota’s deficit to five with 4:13
to go, but John Harrar had a layup, Pick-
ett hit a jumper and Sam Sessoms made
two foul shots in a 6-0 run to wrap up
the win for the Nittany Lions.
Sessoms finished with 14 points for
PSU, while Lundy scored 11. Harrar had
12 rebounds to go with six points.
Battle topped the Golden Gophers
(13-17) with 19 points. Curry, Sean Suth-
erlin and Payton Willis all scored 10.
Penn State led the Big Ten in scoring
defense, yielding 66.2 points per game,
and beat Minnesota for the first time in
five tries in the conference tourney.
Northwestern 71, Nebraska 69
Boo Buie scored 14 of his 16 points in
the second half and drew a critical
charge with 10.5 seconds left as North-
western erased a 15-point second-half
deficit to upend Nebraska.
After forcing the Nebraska turnover,
Buie was fouled with 7.4 seconds re-
maining and made the first of two free
throws. The Cornhuskers used their last
timeout and when Buie missed the sec-
ond free throw Trey McGowens pushed
the ball up court only to have his con-
tested floater in the lane deflected.
Thursday at the Big Ten
Second round (All Times Eastern)
Michigan vs. Indiana, 11:30 a.m.
Iowa vs. Northwestern, 1:55 p.m.
Michigan St. vs. Maryland, 6:30 p.m.
Ohio St. vs. Penn St., 8:55 p.m.
 SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 | 7NS

SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Benzema’s hat trick leads Real Madrid

ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID – Real Madrid fans started
the evening by applauding Kylian
Mbappé and ended it by cheering Karim
Benzema and celebrating another epic
Champions League night the Santiago
Bernabéu Stadium.
Benzema responded to another goal
by Mbappé by scoring a hat trick in less
than 20 minutes in the second half
Wednesday as Madrid came from be-
hind to defeat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1
and advance to the quarterfinals of the
Champions League.
It was yet another frustrating result
in Europe for PSG, which won the first
leg 1-0 and doubled its advantage
through Mbappé in the first half but
again failed to live up to the massive ex-
pectations after adding Lionel Messi to
its star-studded team this season.
“It turned out to be a spectacular
night for us,” Madrid coach Carlo Ance-
lotti said. “It was a difficult match and it
got even more complicated after their
first goal. We suffered a lot. But after we
scored the atmosphere in the stadium
changed and the fans began to push us
again and the players began to believe
that they could finish the comeback.”
Mbappé opened the scoring in the
39th minute to increase PSG’s aggregate
lead after the France striker also netted
in stoppage time to secure the first-leg
win in Paris.
Mbappé has been widely linked with
a move to Madrid after his contract ex-
pires at the end of the season and was
cheered by part of the Madrid fans when
his name was announced in the PSG
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring a goal against Paris
Saint-Germain on Wednesday in Madrid. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
lineup before the match. His family was
also at the Bernabéu.
But when it was all over the ovation
was for Madrid and Benzema, who at 34
years, 80 days became the oldest player
to score a Champions League hat trick.
He surpassed Olivier Giroud, who was
34 years, 63 days when he hit a treble for
Chelsea at Sevilla in 2020.
Benzema also reached 309 goals with
Madrid to surpass Alfredo Di Stéfano for
third place on the club’s all-time scoring
list, and 67 in the Champions League to
surpass Raúl González’s 66 with the
club and become second-best to Cristia-
no Ronaldo.
“We needed the fans and they were
behind us until the end,” Benzema said.
“This victory is for them.”
More than 60,000 were on hand for
the biggest crowd at the Bernabéu since
the coronavirus pandemic started. The
stadium, which remains under renova-
tion, remained packed several minutes
after the final whistle as players stayed
on the field celebrating with the fans.
Benzema’s third Champions League
hat trick started in the 61st after a blun-
der by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donna-
rumma. He then scored again in the
76th and 78th minutes to give the 13-
time European champions a 3-2 aggre-
gate win. Madrid reached the last eight
for the second straight season after con-
secutive eliminations in the round of 16.
PSG, seeking its first Champions
League title, had advanced past the
round of 16 the last two seasons, losing
the final to Bayern Munich in 2020 and
being eliminated by Manchester City in
the semifinals in 2021.
Manchester City 0,
Sporting Lisbon 0
MANCHESTER, England – With
Manchester City’s progress to the
Champions League quarterfinals never
in doubt, even backup goalkeeper Scott
Carson could be brought off the bench
for his first appearance in the competi-
tion in 17 years.
The 36-year-old third-choice goal-
keeper replaced Ederson in the 73rd
minute and maintained a clean sheet as
City drew with Sporting, having won
5-0 in the first leg in Lisbon last month.
It was Carson’s first Champions
League appearance since featuring for
Liverpool in a 2-1 victory over Juventus
in April 2005.
Carson hasn’t played for City since
May at Newcastle in the closing weeks
of the Premier League season when the
title had already been won.
This season, City is hoping to make
the Champions League final for a sec-
ond straight time as it looks to win the
European Cup for the first time.

SCOREBOARD

Indiana 22 45 .328 20 NYIslndrs 53 21 24 8 50 137 152 Rhode Island 79, Duquesne 77 Nashville at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Detroit 18 48 .273 23½ New Jersey 57 21 31 5 47 176 205 Atlantic Coast Wednesday’s Women’s Games Sporting Kansas City at Colorado, 9 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE Phildlphia 56 18 28 10 46 141 193 Austin FC at Portland, 10 p.m.
Second Round TOURNAMENT
Southwest Division WESTERN CONFERENCE Syracuse 96, Florida St. 57 Sunday, March 13
American Athletic
W L Pct GB Central Division Boston College 82, Wake Forest 77, OT Charlotte FC at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m.
Memphis 45 22 .672 — GP W L OT Pts GF GA Semifinal Minnesota at New York, 7 p.m.
Virginia Tech 76, Clemson 75, OT
Dallas 40 26 .606 4½ Colorado 58 41 12 5 87 230 168 UCF 61, SMU 28
Odds available as of print deadline Virginia 51, Louisville 50
New Orleans 27 39 .409 17½ St. Louis 56 32 17 7 71 195 155 South Florida 58, Houston 50
Big 12 Champions League
San Antonio 25 41 .379 19½ Minnesota 55 33 19 3 69 208 179 Atlantic Sun
Houston 17 49 .258 27½ Nashville 56 32 20 4 68 176 156 First Round (Home teams listed first)
MLS Semifinal
Northwest Division Dallas 56 32 21 3 67 166 162 West Virginia 73, Kansas St. 67 SECOND ROUND
Saturday Winnipeg 57 25 22 10 60 174 178 Florida Gulf Coast 82, Stetson 67
Favorite ML Underdog W L Pct GB Big East Jacksonville St. 59, Liberty 57 First leg
Utah 41 24 .631 — Chicago 58 21 29 8 50 152 201
COLUMBUS -160 Toronto FC Arizona 56 17 35 4 38 141 203 First Round Big Sky Tuesday, Feb. 15
LA FC -109 INTER MIA Denver 40 26 .606 1½ Butler 89, Xavier 82, OT Paris Saint-Germain (France) 1, Real
LA Galaxy - SEATTLE Minnesota 38 29 .567 4 Pacific Division Semifinal
St. John’s 92, DePaul 73 Madrid (Spain) 0
HOUSTON -130 Vancouver Portland 25 40 .385 16 GP W L OT Pts GF GA N. Arizona 72, N. Colorado 67
Oklahoma City 20 46 .303 21½ Calgary 56 34 15 7 75 197 139 Seton Hall 57, Georgetown 53 Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) 0, Manchester
ORL CITY -205 FC Cincinnati Montana St. 73, Idaho 67
LA 58 32 19 7 71 172 162 Big Sky City (England) 5
PHILADELPHIA -170 San Jose Pacific Division Big West
NEW ENGLAND -175 Real SL W L Pct GB Vegas 58 32 22 4 68 185 169 First Round Wednesday, Feb. 16
Edmonton 58 31 23 4 66 189 186 Quarterfinal Inter Milan (Italy) 0, Liverpool (England)
Chicago - DC UNITED x-Phoenix 53 13 .803 — Sacramento St. 57, Idaho 54
Vancouver 58 29 23 6 64 169 168 Hawaii 48, CS Bakersfield 47 2.
Nashville - FC DALLAS Golden State 44 22 .667 9 Portland St. 66, Idaho St. 52
L.A. Clippers 35 33 .515 19 Anaheim 59 27 23 9 63 175 187 UC Riverside 46, UC Santa Barbara 42 RB Salzburg (Austria) 1, Bayern Munich
COLORADO -102 Sporting KC E. Washington 78, N. Arizona 75
PORTLAND -125 Austin FC L.A. Lakers 28 37 .431 24½ San Jose 56 24 25 7 55 145 179 UC Irvine 80, Cal St.-Fullerton 68 (Germany) 1
Seattle 59 17 37 5 39 152 213 Big Ten
Sacramento 24 44 .353 30 Conference USA Tuesday, Feb. 22
NHL NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for First Round
x-clinched playoff spot Second Round Chelsea (England) 2, Lille (France) 0
Thursday overtime loss. Top three teams in each Northwestern 71, Nebraska 69
Tuesday's Games Rice 80, Marshall 62 Villarreal (Spain) 1, Juventus (Italy) 1
Favorite ML Underdog division and two wild cards per Penn St. 60, Minnesota 51
Brooklyn 132, Charlotte 121 Old Dominion 65, UTSA 45 Wednesday, Feb. 23
Wild -125 RED WINGS conference advance to playoffs. Conference USA UAB 74, W. Kentucky 62
PANTHERS -210 Flyers Cleveland 127, Indiana 124 Atletico Madrid (Spain) 1, Manchester
Phoenix 102, Orlando 99 Tuesday’s Games Second Round Southern Miss. 78, FIU 60 United (England) 1
BRUINS -175 Blackhawks
MAPLE LEAFS -290 Coyotes Memphis 132, New Orleans 111 Florida 4, Pittsburgh 3 Rice 73, Charlotte 61 Metro Atlantic Athletic Benfica (Portugal) 2, Ajax (Netherlands) 2
Golden Knights -140 SABRES Milwaukee 142, Oklahoma City 115 New Jersey 5, Colorado 3 Louisiana Tech 77, Marshall 67
Philadelphia 2, Vegas 1 Quarterfinal Second leg
ISLANDERS -103 Blue Jackets Golden State 112, L.A. Clippers 97 UTEP 74, Old Dominion 64
Arizona 9, Detroit 2 Fairfield 69, Iona 56 Tuesday, March 8
PREDATORS -125 Ducks FAU 86, Southern Miss. 59
Wednesday's Games Toronto 6, Seattle 4 Quinnipiac 63, St. Peter’s 42 Bayern Munich 7, RB Salzburg 1, Bayern
KINGS -140 Sharks Boston 115, Charlotte 101 Metro Atlantic Athletic
Ottawa 4, St. Louis 1 Mid American Munich wins on 8-2 aggregate
Chicago 114, Detroit 108 Minnesota 5, N.Y. Rangers 2 Quarterfinal Liverpool 0, Inter Milan 1, Liverpool wins
Odds are subject to change. Tipico Quarterfinal
Sportsbook does not offer lines for New
Phoenix 111, Miami 90 Winnipeg 7, Tampa Bay 4 Rider 71, Iona 70 on 2-1 aggregate
Toledo 80, Ohio 67
Jersey-based college sports teams. Milwaukee 124, Atlanta 115 Nashville 2, Dallas 1 St. Peter’s 77, Fairfield 63
Ball St. 60, N. Illinois 54 Wednesday, March 9
Gannett may earn revenue from audience Minnesota 132, Oklahoma City 102 Chicago 8, Anaheim 3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Buffalo 63, W. Michigan 49 Manchester City 0, Sporting Lisbon 0,
referrals to betting services. Newsrooms Orlando 108, New Orleans 102 Washington 5, Calgary 4 Quarterfinal Akron 81, Bowling Green 67 Manchester City wins on 5-0 aggregate
are independent of any such relationships Houston 139, L.A. Lakers 130, OT
Wednesday’s Games Norfolk St. 74, Delaware St. 66 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Real Madrid 3, Paris Saint-Germain 1, Real
and there is no influence on news coverage. Toronto 119, San Antonio 104
Edmonton 4, Washington 3, OT Coppin St. 59, Howard 57 Madrid wins on 3-2 aggregate
Terms and conditions apply, see site for New York 107, Dallas 77 Quarterfinal
Utah 123, Portland 85 Vancouver 5, Montreal 3 Mountain-West Conference Howard 87, Delaware St. 51 Tuesday, March 15
details. 21+ only. Gambling Problem? Call: Ajax vs. Benfica, 4 p.m.
1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, IL, VA), Denver 106, Sacramento 100 Thursday’s Games First Round Norfolk St. 58, NC Central 52
L.A. Clippers 115, Washington 109 Arizona at Toronto, 7 p.m. Nevada 79, New Mexico 72 Mountain-West Conference Manchester United vs. Atletico Madrid, 4
1-800-522-4700 (CO, NV, KS), p.m.
1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), Thursday's Games Chicago at Boston, 7 p.m. Utah St. 83, Air Force 56 UNLV 75, Colorado St. 65
1-800-589-9966 (OH), 1-877-770-7867 (LA), Brooklyn at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Colorado at Carolina, 7 p.m. Fresno St. 69, San Jose St. 67, OT Wednesday, March 16
Minnesota at Detroit, 7 p.m. Southwestern Athletic
1-888-238-7633 (MO), 1-888-777-9696 Golden State at Denver, 10 p.m. Pacific-12 Conference Juventus vs. Villarreal, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Florida, 7 p.m. Quarterfinal Lille vs. Chelsea, 4 p.m.
(MS). Call or text: 1-800-889-9789 (TN). Friday's Games First Round Grambling St. 62, Alabama A&M 54
Seattle at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Orlando, 7 p.m. Vegas at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Stanford 71, Arizona St. 70 Jackson St. 78, Ark.-Pine Bluff 67
For the latest picks and expert analysis, go Detroit at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Winnipeg at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Oregon 86, Oregon St. 72
Western Athletic
to sportsbookwire.com L.A. Clippers at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Columbus at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Washington 82, Utah 70
Washington St. 66, California 59 Second Round TENNIS
Anaheim at Nashville, 8 p.m. Texas Rio Grande Valley 73, Abilene
Cleveland at Miami, 8 p.m. Patriot League BNP Paribas Open
Scan for latest odds Dallas at Houston, 8 p.m.
N.Y. Rangers at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Christian 70 At Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Indian
Tampa Bay at Calgary, 9 p.m. Championship Sam Houston St. 73, Lamar 69
New York at Memphis, 8 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Colgate 74, Navy 58 Wells, Calif.
See up-to-the- Utah at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday’s results (seedings in
Toronto at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Friday’s Games Southeastern Women’s NCAA Automatic Bids
minute lines and parentheses):
Washington at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m. First Round Belmont, Ohio Valley Conference
compete in Vegas at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Missouri 72, Mississippi 60 Mercer, Southern Conference Women’s Singles
Saturday's Games Winnipeg at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Round of 128
Daily Ticket Cleveland at Chicago, 8 p.m. Vanderbilt 86, Georgia 51 NC State, Atlantic Coast Conference
Washington at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Kentucky, Southeastern Conference Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, def. Robin
free-to-play games Indiana at San Antonio, 8 p.m. Southland Montgomery, United States, 6-3, 6-3.
Minnesota at Miami, 8 p.m. Saturday’s Games UMass, Atlantic 10 Conference
First Round Petra Martic, Croatia, def. Anna Bondar,
Milwaukee at Golden State, 8:30 p.m. St. Louis at Nashville, 12:30 p.m. Iowa, Big Ten Conference
Houston Baptist 74, Incarnate Word 64 Hungary, 7-5, 6-3.
Sacramento at Utah, 10 p.m. Philadelphia at Carolina, 3 p.m. Stanford, Pac-12 Conference
McNeese St. 80, Northwestern St. 67 Ekaterina Alexandrova, Russia, def. Elvina
Toronto at Denver, 10 p.m. Anaheim at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Longwood, Big South Conference
Arizona at Boston, 7 p.m. Southwestern Athletic Texas-Arlington, Sun Belt Conference Kalieva, United States, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7).
All Times Eastern Washington at Portland, 10 p.m. Alison Riske, United States, def. Caty
Chicago at Ottawa, 7 p.m. Quarterfinal UConn, Big East Conference
Detroit at Calgary, 7 p.m. Texas Southern 54, Jackson St. 50 IUPUI, Horizon League Conference McNally, United States, 6-0, 6-3.
NBA Seattle at Montreal, 7 p.m. Alcorn St. 64, Prairie View 63, OT South Dakota, Summit League Misaki Doi, Japan, def. Anastasia
EASTERN CONFERENCE NHL N.Y. Rangers at Dallas, 8 p.m. Western Athletic Conference Potapova, Russia, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Claire Liu, United States, def. Viktoriya
Los Angeles at San Jose, 9:30 p.m. Gonzaga, West Coast Conference
Atlantic Division EASTERN CONFERENCE Second Round Tomova, Bulgaria, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
W L Pct GB Tampa Bay at Edmonton, 10 p.m. UNLV, Mountain West Conference
Sam Houston St. 65, Cal Baptist 35 Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, def. Hailey
Philadelphia 40 24 .625 — Atlantic Division
Boston 40 27 .597 1½ GP W L OT Pts GF GA Baptiste, United States, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
Toronto 35 30 .538 5½ Florida 57 39 13 5 83 237 167 Men’s NCAA Automatic Bids Zheng Qinwen, China, def. Vera
Tampa Bay 56 37 13 6 80 196 162 Murray St., Ohio Valley Conference Zvonareva, Russia, 6-3, 6-2.
Brooklyn
New York
33 33 .500
28 38 .424
8
13 Toronto 57 37 16 4 78 213 171 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Longwood, Big South Conference SOCCER Anhelina Kalinina, Ukraine, def. Clara
Boston 57 34 18 5 73 173 155 Loyola Chicago, Missouri Valley Burel, France, 6-3, 6-2.
Southeast Division Detroit 57 24 27 6 54 165 212 MLS
W L Pct GB Wednesday’s Men’s Games Conference Harriet Dart, Britain, def. Ana Konjuh,
Ottawa 56 20 31 5 45 147 180 Chattanooga, Southern Conference Saturday, March 12 Croatia, 6-1, 3-1, ret.
Miami 44 23 .657 — Buffalo 58 18 32 8 44 154 209 TOURNAMENT CF Montréal at New York City FC, 1 p.m.
Charlotte 32 35 .478 12 Georgia St., Sun Belt Conference Katie Volynets, United States, def.
Montreal 57 15 35 7 37 140 217 America East Jacksonville St., Atlantic Sun Conference Toronto FC at Columbus, 1:30 p.m. Arantxa Rus, Netherlands, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Atlanta 31 34 .477 12 Los Angeles FC at Miami, 1:30 p.m.
Washington 29 35 .453 13½ Metropolitan Division Semifinal Delaware, Colonial Athletic Conference Danka Kovinic, Montenegro, def. Jil
GP W L OT Pts GF GA Wright St., Horizon League Conference LA Galaxy at Seattle, 3:30 p.m. Teichmann, Switzerland, 7-5, 7-5.
Orlando 17 50 .254 27 UMBC 80, Hartford 60
Carolina 56 39 12 5 83 191 134 Bryant, Northeast Conference Vancouver at Houston, 6:30 p.m. Caroline Garcia, France, def. Dayana
Central Division Vermont 74, Binghamton 42
NYRangrs 57 36 16 5 77 171 144 South Dakota St., Summit League Chicago at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. Yastremska, Ukraine, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-5.
W L Pct GB Pittsburgh 58 34 15 9 77 188 156 Atlantic 10 Real Salt Lake at New England, 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee 42 25 .627 — Conference
Washington 59 31 18 10 72 193 166 First Round Gonzaga, West Coast Conference Cincinnati at Orlando City, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago 40 26 .606 1½ Columbus 57 28 26 3 59 190 210 La Salle 63, Saint Joseph’s 56 San Jose at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland 38 27 .585 3 Colgate, Patriot League Conference

TENNIS
Tomljanovic wins in 3 sets came American Elvina Kaliera 4-6, 6-2,
7-6 (7) despite 18 double faults as the
to open Indian Wells combined men’s and women’s event
tournament returned to its usual March place on the
calendar after being disrupted by CO-
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Ajla Tomljanovic VID-19.
of Croatia beat American Hailey Bap- The tournament was one of the first
tiste 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in opening-round major sporting events to be canceled in
play at the BNP Paribas Open on March 2020 when the pandemic shut
Wednesday. down the world. It was moved to Octo-
Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia over- ber last year and played with few spec-
tators in the stands.
Alison Riske routed Caty McNally 6-0,
6-3 in an all-American matchup.
Kaia Kanepi defeated 17-year-old Amer-
ican Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-3. Mont-
gomery, winner of the junior girls’ sin-
gles and doubles titles at the 2021 U.S.
Open, connected on 57% of her first
serves but had nine double faults.
Other first-round winners were Claire
Liu, Petra Martic and Misaki Doi.
The women’s draw is missing the
world’s top two players – Ash Barty and
Barbora Krejcikova. Barty said she
hasn’t sufficiently recovered after win-
ning the Australian Open and Krejcikova
has an elbow injury.
Novak Djokovic said he will not be able
to compete at Indian Wells or Miami
because he is unvaccinated and can’t
travel to the United States.
— Associated Press