| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Feb 07, 2022 | | π Good morning! Welcome back. Today's word count: 1,637 words (6 minutes). Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: π The NFL always wins |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | America is obsessed with football — a love affair that has allowed the NFL to tighten its already-firm grip on our culture despite mounting scandals. The big picture: From brain injuries to toxic workplaces to racism allegations, the NFL is no stranger to outrage. Then Sunday arrives, and all is seemingly forgiven. - That will be the case once again this week, as the same networks currently reporting on the Brian Flores lawsuit and Commanders harassment allegations will begin promoting the Super Bowl.
- NFL fans, much like those networks, have shown a willingness to separate the product from the business, which has made the league impervious to gaffes that would doom most organizations.
State of play: The NFL has arguably never been more entertaining than it was this season, delivering unrivaled parity, a record number of close games and thrilling playoff drama. - The league accounted for 41 of the 50 most-watched U.S. broadcasts in 2021, which explains why its media partners are willing to pay more than $100 billion over the next decade-plus to broadcast games.
- The Broncos' sale price could exceed $4 billion, which would smash the record for richest sports team sale. Sunday's Super Bowl will be played in the most expensive sports venue ever built (~$5.5 billion).
The other side: The NFL has reached these heights despite spending the past decade mired in controversy. A few demons that aren't going away: - Brain injuries: In 2013, the NFL agreed to a $765 million settlement after retired players alleged the league concealed what it knew about concussions. A few years later, a neuropathologist examined the brains of 111 deceased NFL players, and all but one had CTE, a brain disease linked with repeated blows to the head.
- Racism concerns: Roughly 70% of NFL players are Black, but Mike Tomlin is the only active Black head coach. There's also the "race norming" practice used in the concussion settlement, Jon Gruden's emails and the Kaepernick saga and collusion lawsuit.
- Lack of accountability: The NFL's investigation into misconduct allegations in Washington hasn't been transparent, and owner Dan Snyder may have control over whether the results are made public — a reminder that Roger Goodell works for the owners, not with them.
By the numbers: NFL fans may be divided when it comes to issues like kneeling during the national anthem, but in general, most feel the same way about the league: They love it. - 51% of Americans are professional football fans, according to a 2021 Axios-Ipsos poll. No other sport cracked 40%.
- That includes 51% of Democrats, 50% of Republicans and 55% of independents. The NFL is also equally favored by Black and white Americans.
The last word: "The NFL doesn't care about your concerns, because the NFL doesn't have to," as NYT's Kurt Streeter put it — not as long as viewership, revenue and franchise values continue to outpace every other sports league on Earth. |     | | | | | | 2. π₯ Olympics: Opening weekend |  | | | Fireworks above the Beijing National Stadium during the Opening Ceremony. Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images | | | | The Winter Olympics kicked off Friday with an Opening Ceremony that drew just 16 million viewers, down a whopping 43% from the 2018 Games, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. ICYMI: Here's what's happening in Beijing... - Medal count: The Russian Olympic Committee has the most medals (six), and the Netherlands, Norway, Canada, Japan, Italy and Austria each have four. The U.S. has three. Full medal tracker.
- A fall and a crash: Nina O'Brien, the top U.S. woman in the giant slalom after Mikaela Shiffrin's shocking fall, crashed near the finish line and had to be stretchered off.
- Make it five: Dutch speedskater Ireen WΓΌst won gold in the women's 1,500-meter race, becoming the first person to win individual gold at five Olympics.
- Brutal weather: Heavy winds delayed men's downhill skiing, and temperatures have dropped lower than most athletes expected. "They're life-changing," one snowboarder said of her toe warmers.
- Figure skating stars: American Nathan Chen recorded the second-highest short program score ever, while Russia's Kamila Valieva, 15, became the first woman to land a quad axel at the Olympics.
Go deeper: May the best gear win (WashPost) | | | | | | | | 3. π♂️ Kelly Slater: Back on top |  | | | Photo: Tony Heff/World Surf League via Getty Images | | | | Kelly Slater defeated a rider less than half his age on Saturday to win the Billabong Pro Pipeline, one of surfing's most iconic events. Why it matters: Slater turns 50 this week. Like his friend, Tom Brady, he's become the GOAT in part by defying Father Time. "I kind of think of [surfing] like a martial art. You don't get worse as you get older, you get more experienced." — Slater, via AP What's next: Now that he's on top again, Slater — who was the youngest world champion when he captured the title at 20 and the oldest when he won it at 39 — is considering retirement. - "I'm contemplating whether I stop now or really go full bore this whole year, which would be, in my eyes, really for the fans," he told AP.
- Should he step away, he already has his retirement plans: surfing. "Everyone who retires from surfing just goes surfing more," said Slater.
Go deeper: Well, that was something (Surfline) | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Local news from Axios, delivered to your inbox | | |  | | | | Get a daily digest of what's happening in your hometown with Axios Local newsletters. Local reporters will deliver the latest news and insights on politics, business, sports and more. Subscribe for free. | | | | | | 4. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Michael Zagaris/Getty Images | | | | π Coaching carousel: The Dolphins have hired former 49ers OC Mike McDaniel, who identifies as multiracial and becomes the NFL's fourth active minority head coach. Three jobs left: Saints, Texans, Vikings. πΎ Shuai speaks: In an interview with French news outlet L'Γquipe, Peng Shuai said she's retiring from tennis and that the sexual abuse allegations she'd made were a "huge misunderstanding." ⛳️ Hoge wins Pro-Am: Tom Hoge, one of seven players who had at least a share of the lead headed into the final round, surged past Jordan Spieth to a win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his first PGA Tour title. π Good read: 55 Super Bowl rings, 55 stories (ESPN) "Big and small, lost and found, each ring has a unique tale to tell." | | | | | | | | 5. π Sin City is officially a sports town |  | | | Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios | | | | Las Vegas made history this weekend, becoming the first city to ever host two All-Star Games at the same time. - NFL Pro Bowl: The AFC beat the NFC, 41-35, in a turnover-marred exhibition before a crowd of 56,206 at Allegiant Stadium that more closely resembled a youth football practice than an All-Star Game.
- NHL All-Star: The Metropolitan Division captured the championship for the third time in six years, beating the Central Division, 5-3, in the final round of the 3-on-3 tournament.
The big picture: For decades, Vegas was as attractive to gamblers as it was unattractive to sports leagues. But as sports betting becomes legal state by state, leagues are embracing the city they once shunned. - The NFL will be back in Vegas for this year's draft, plus the 2024 Super Bowl — an event the city used to be banned from advertising during, let alone hosting.
- Vegas has also emerged as the most likely landing spot for the 30th MLS franchise, and could get an NBA team if the league expands. The A's relocating from Oakland is also still on the table.
The bottom line: Las Vegas may never escape its Sin City moniker, but a new description is quickly becoming equally apt: sports town. | | | | | | | | 6. πΊπΈ Photos across America | | Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Duke crushed North Carolina, 87-67, in Mike Krzyzewski's 36th and final trip to Chapel Hill. It was the Blue Devils' second-biggest road win against UNC under Coach K. Photo: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images LOS ANGELES — NASCAR's Next Gen car made its competitive debut at the preseason exhibition Clash, held at the L.A. Coliseum on a quarter-mile track built just for the event. Joey Logano got the win. - What's next: The Daytona 500, the first official race of the season, is in two weeks.
Photo: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images DENVER — Nikola JokiΔ (27-12-10 on 12/15 FG) lifted the Nuggets past the Nets on Sunday, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in history with multiple 25-point triple-doubles on 80% shooting. - In other news: The Nets have lost eight straight.
| | | | | | | | 7. π Photos around the world | | Olympians compete during the Mixed Biathlon relay. Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images ZHANGJIAKOU, China — The venues for the Winter Olympics have been divided into three zones: Beijing, Yanqing (56 miles from the city center) and Zhangjiakou (140 miles). Photo: Charly Triballeua/AFP via Getty Images YAOUNDΓ, Cameroon — Senegal beat seven-time champion Egypt in penalties to win its first Africa Cup of Nations title. Liverpool's Sadio ManΓ© buried the winner and was named Player of the Tournament. Photo: Luke Walker/WME IMG via Getty Images AL MUROOJ, Saudi Arabia — American Harold Varner III needed a two-putt birdie to send the Saudi International to a playoff. Instead, he sank a 90-foot eagle for a walk-off win. | | | | | | | | 8. πΊ Watchlist: USA-Canada showdown |  | | | The U.S. Women's Hockey Team after winning gold at the 2018 Olympics. Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images | | | | Tonight's Olympics coverage features a clash of hockey titans, a Chinese-American skiing star and the world's best men's figure skater. Full schedule. - Hockey: The U.S. and Canada have won all six women's hockey gold medals and are a combined 6-0 with a 50-5 goal differential so far in Beijing. Tonight, they go head-to-head (11:10pm ET, USA).
- Freestyle skiing: Eileen Gu grew up in San Francisco, but decided to compete for her mother's native China. Tonight's big air final is her first shot at a medal (9pm, NBC).
- Figure skating: Nathan Chen begins his quest for singles gold in the men's short program (11pm, NBC).
More to watch: | | | | | | | | 9. π NBA trivia |  | | | Photo: G. Fiume/Getty Images | | | | DeMar DeRozan on Friday became the 10th active NBA player to surpass 19,000 career points. - Question: Name the other nine.
- Hint: Seven are teammates (four on one team, three on another).
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. π₯ Top plays: Weekend edition |  | | | Trevor Zegras, you legend. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images | | | - π Blindfolded magic
- ⛳️ 90-foot eagle
- π Goal of the year?
- ⚽️ Gorgeous bicycle
- ⛸ Quad axel!
- π Grizzlies, per usual
- π Auburn alley oop
- π Thunderous jam
- ⛳️ No putter needed
- π Caitlin Clark is unreal
Watch all 10. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Local news from Axios, delivered to your inbox | | | | | | | | Get a daily digest of what's happening in your hometown with Axios Local newsletters. Local reporters will deliver the latest news and insights on politics, business, sports and more. Subscribe for free. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Speaking of blindfolds..." Baker Trivia answer: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge, Stephen Curry, Dwight Howard π Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter: @kendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. Tell your friends to sign up. |  | Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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