My, how the mighty in football have fallen. The Chiefs really couldn’t be having a worse season — just ask sad Travis. This embarrassingly loud field goal doink from their latest matchup also captured the mood. They’re not alone: The Eagles aren’t exactly flying high either, though I’m still sending love to QB Jalen Hurts, who I know will make the right kind of history soon. At least my Packers pulled out a win over the Bears. Sorry, Simone Biles — but hey, your road trip to Green Bay was fun, right? To wrap this NFL roundup, you have to watch this Bengals player’s hilarious hot-mic moment on the sideline — as a Wisconsin girl, I share the same thoughts. Now, let’s get to the rest of the sports headlines…
— Maria Corpus / Editor / Madison, WI
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Milan's Olympic Sprint to the Finish
What's going on: The Olympic flame is officially on the move, winding its way through Italy before the Milan Cortina Winter Games kick off on February 4. On paper, the Games have everything you’d want: 16 sports across multiple picturesque regions. But in reality, organizers are currently midslalom and racing to beat the clock. Construction on the main hockey arena still isn’t finished. And the rink? According to The Athletic, it’s smaller than NHL regulation, which initially raised concerns NHL players could miss the games. Oh puck. With around two-thirds of the roughly 1.5 million tickets sold, organizers still have seats — and buzz — to sell. Thankfully, Ralph Lauren hit his deadline and delivered Team USA ceremony fits worthy of the podium.
Our take: The Milan Games will be a far cry from the last pandemic-era Winter Olympics, with fans back in full force. And there are plenty of US athletes to cheer on (from the couch), starting with snowboarder Chloe Kim, who’s already made Olympic history. Skier Mikaela Shiffrin’s chasing more records. And Lindsey Vonn? She’s aiming for a comeback at 41. The sidelines are stacked too, with hype men like Flavor Flav and Jon Hamm — plus Stanley Tucci promises to bring some culinary flair. If Italy musters even half the energy it did in Turin 2006, we’re in for a show. Now, here’s hoping we all get the hockey action we deserve.
