MORNING ROUNDUP
FCA names Gundy its Coach of the Year
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes named Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy as its Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award winner. Gundy led the Cowboys to a 12-2 record and Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame this season. The Cowboys were in contention for a College Football Playoff berth until losing to Baylor in the Big 12 championship game. OSU has made 15 bowl appearances in 16 years under Gundy, a former Midwest City High School and Cowboys quarterback. HALL OF FAME: Former Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams and Oklahoma State running back Terry Miller are officially 2022 inductees for the College Football Hall of Fame.
NFL coaches, GMs fired
Despite an 8-1 finish to the season, Brian Flores is out as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. On Monday, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced the decision, which came on the heels of Miami’s season-ending win over New England, which improved the team’s record to 9-8.
GIANTS: Dave Gettleman is out as the general manager of the New York Giants after a fourth straight double-digit losing season. The Giants finished 4-13 under second-year coach Joe Judge, who retained his job.
VIKINGS: Minnesota fired general manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer after a second straight absence from the playoffs for a 61-year-old franchise still seeking a title.
BEARS: Chicago Bears fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, hoping new leadership will lift a struggling franchise that finished 6-11 this season.
JETS: Don Maynard, a Hall of Fame receiver who made his biggest impact catching passes from Joe Namath in the wide-open AFL, has died. He was 86.
SEAHAWKS: Seattle backup quarterback Geno Smith was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Monday following the team’s season-ending victory in Arizona.
RAIDERS 35, CHARGERS 32 (OT): Daniel Carlson’s 47-yard field goal as time expired in overtime lifted Las Vegas past the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night and into the postseason. The Raiders’ win eliminated Los Angeles from playoff contention and helped Pittsburgh make the field.
Smith sets PGA record during victory
Cameron Smith has a place in the PGA Tour record book for finishing 34-under par, the lowest of anyone in history.
Over the final two days at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, and particularly the final two hours Sunday at Kapalua, Smith had to hold off Jon Rahm, the No. 1 player in the world.
They were never separated by more than two shots over the final 28 holes. Smith had to protect a one-shot lead over the final seven holes, with the Spaniard applying enormous pressure every step of the way.
Malinin not chosen for U.S. team
U.S. Figure Skating announced that Vincent Zhou and Jason Brown will join medals favorite Nathan Chen on the American team for the Beijing Olympics.
Chen was a lock even before flying to a sixth consecutive national championship, but it was the runner-up that raised eyebrows: 17-year-old rising star Ilia Malinin. He nailed just about every jump during his closing free skate, including the difficult quad lutz, quad toe loop and quad salchow, to put his name in the ring for Beijing.
Instead of making the three-man team, though, the selection committee passed over Malinin for third-place finisher Vincent Zhou and Jason Brown, choosing to send two skaters with experience over one with youthful exuberance.
Djokovic returns to tennis court
Novak Djokovic returned to the tennis court Monday for training, having won a legal battle to stay in Australia to play in the Australian Open after his exemption from strict coronavirus vaccine rules was questioned. But the government is still threatening to cancel his visa and deport him.
Wrestling reunion set for UCO
The Central Oklahoma wrestling program will hold a reunion for all former wrestlers, coaches, managers and trainers on Sunday, Jan. 30, in celebration of its 50th season of renewed competition.
UCO will host Central Missouri at 2 p.m. on Jan. 30, with the 1982, ‘92 and ‘02 national championship teams to be recognized during an intermission. A reception will be held after the dual in the Hamilton Field House practice gym.
For more information or to register to attend, please contact Kristen Merritt of the UCO Foundation (kmerritt4@uco.edu/(405) 974-2773 ) or Mike Kirk (mkirk@uco.edu/405-615-2233).
Extra points
AUTO RACING: NASCAR veteran Aric Almirola will retire from competition at the end of the 2022 season to spend more time with his young family.
Staff and wire reports