
I Dig Sports
Final decision on Bumrah's availability for Champions Trophy on February 11

Chiefs' three-peat talk 'definitely' fired up Eagles

NEW ORLEANS -- Multiple Eagles defensive players said they used the Kansas City Chiefs' talk of a three-peat as incentive in Philadelphia's dominant Super Bowl LIX performance on Sunday night.
"That was motivation because it was kind of a slap to us," Eagles veteran defensive end Brandon Graham said. "It was like, they ain't seen us yet. So, we heard that all week. And when the game came, execution was on point and together."
The Chiefs were trying to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. News came out last week that the Chiefs and Miami Heat president Pat Riley came to an agreement allowing the Chiefs to use the trademarked "Three-Peat" phrase without issue if they did win.
"Definitely," said Philadelphia defensive tackle Milton Williams, when asked if he was fueled by that chatter. "They were talking about getting the copyright and all that B.S. Throw that s--- in the trash."
The Eagles' defensive front dominated the game, sacking Patrick Mahomes six times while registering 11 quarterback hits in a 40-22 win.
Philadelphia did not send a single blitz against Mahomes yet still managed to get pressure on 16 of his 42 dropbacks (38%).
Mahomes appeared to feel the effects. He threw a pair of interceptions -- including a pick-six to rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean -- and finished with a QBR of 11.4, the second lowest in a Super Bowl since the rating began being used in 2006.
Josh Sweat (2.5) and Williams (2) had multiple sacks in the game, becoming just the third Super Bowl tandem to post two-plus sacks.
"We didn't change the game plan or anything," said Sweat, who was among those Eagles players who said they shut out the three-peat talk and other distractions to stay focused. "We just rush and cover together, and whoever made the play made it.
"[Defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] just made the calls, and we executed. He always puts us in the right position to make the plays, and it worked out."
Europes Table Tennis Finest Converge: World Cup Qualification Showdown in Montreux

The picturesque Swiss town of Montreux will become the epicentre of European table tennis for the seventh consecutive time from 20-23 February, as the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup promises an electrifying tournament where semifinalists will secure ITTF Singles World Cup Macao 2025 spots.
Representing the incredible depth and diversity of European table tennis, the tournament will showcase players from across the continent from the traditional powerhouses of Sweden, Germany, and France to emerging talents from all corners of the region. With no limit on players per country, the field promises an unprecedented level of competition, making the title truly up for grabs. Player list can be found here.
Defending champions Darko Jorgić and Jia Nan Yuan return with remarkable stories to continue. Jorgić, who achieved a historic hat-trick in 2024, and Yuan, the first French woman to claim the title, will headline a tournament featuring some of Europes most dynamic and skilled players.
The 2025 edition introduces an innovative format that amplifies the competitive drama. Qualification rounds will feature players ranked 15-21, with a special spot reserved for a Swiss player. The tournament will unfold over four days, with matches progressing from qualification rounds to the ultimate showdown of semi-finals and finals.
A significant change this year removes the previous two-player-per-nation limitation, ensuring that Europes absolute best players will compete. All matches will be played in a best-of-5 format, adding to the tournaments intensity and unpredictability.
The Salle Omnisport du Pierrier has been meticulously prepared, featuring a newly homologated floor colour exclusive to this event. Enhanced spectator experiences include an additional grandstand, private company boxes, and VIP seating directly alongside the playing field.
Semifinalists will secure direct qualification spots for the ITTF Singles World Cup in Macao, raising the stakes of every single point and rally.
Event Essentials:
- Date: 20-23 February 2025
- Venue: Salle Omnisport du Pierrier, Montreux, Switzerland
'Every week he's looking better and better' - Ashton on Prendergast

Watch as former England international and Six Nations winner Chris Ashton analyses Sam Prendergast's "confident" performance for Ireland in their Six Nations victory against Scotland.
WATCH MORE: Dominant Ireland beat disappointing Scotland at Murrayfield
Watch Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC iPlayer.
Available to UK users only.
Hoy reception & England's dramatic finish in Six Nations best moments

Watch the best moments from week two of the Six Nations including Elliot Daly's winning try for England against France at the Allianz Stadium.
WATCH MORE: Late Daly try secures dramatic England victory against France
Watch highlights on Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC iPlayer.
Available to UK users only.

Wales' 22-15 defeat by Italy in Rome made it a record-extending 14 losses in a row for a team that has now fallen below Georgia to 12th in the world rankings.
Former Wales international James Hook said on the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast: "The scoreline definitely flattered Wales. Italy were completely dominant and Wales were second in pretty much every facet of the game.
"The frustration from Welsh supporters is that we've not seen any progression either. If you see some sort of development and something to be optimistic about, you think 'OK, we are actually developing'. But we haven't really improved."
Warren Gatland wants to fight on as head coach but, with another Wooden Spoon potentially looming, what positives can Wales take from their final three games against Ireland, Scotland and England?
Ex-captain Sam Warburton said on BBC One: "All I want to see is some players - there won't be 10 of them - but we need three, four or five, on top of people like Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams, to say: 'I'm an international-class player and this is going to be my shirt for the next five to 10 years'.
"We need guys to step up and own that shirt."
Questions, of course, are being asked about what can be done to arrest the national team's decline and Jones, like many other pundits and journalists, believes the problems are deep-rooted.
"It goes back 10-15 years," he said. "It's about management, finances, pathways - there is so much to fix and it's a depressing situation when you think what a great rugby nation this is."
'Complete team' Ireland in driving seat for hat-trick

When Ireland emerged from a chaotic, injury-filled game at Murrayfield with a win two years ago, it put them on the verge of the Grand Slam.
There may be three rounds of fixtures left this year, but Sunday's 32-18 success in Edinburgh coupled with France's defeat by England on Saturday means they are the only team still capable of securing the clean sweep.
And given the manner in which they battered Scotland, having put England to the sword in the second half last week, the evidence suggests it will take an almighty effort from Wales, France or Italy to derail Ireland's hopes of a third successive Six Nations title.
All that is to come. For Ireland and interim boss Simon Easterby, though, Murrayfield was about laying down a marker. They achieved that emphatically to ensure a maximum return of 10 points from the first two weekends.
Ireland were clearly irked by how they bookended last week's win over England. They were slow out of the blocks, trailed at half-time and switched off in the closing stages after storming into a big lead in the second half, handing England two late tries and a losing bonus point.
As a result, the motivation from the Irish coaches and players in the build-up to Sunday's game was clear: silence Murrayfield quickly and shatter their hosts' dreams of a first green scalp since 2017.
That part of the gameplan was nailed, and it laid the groundwork for one of the most convincing triumphs of their 11-game winning streak against Scotland.
Shawn Reed Over The Moon Following First Top Fuel Win

Following a four-year absence from competition, Shawn Reed rejoined the NHRA Top Fuel field last season to embark on his first full-time season.
While he was unable to make the 10-driver Countdown to the Championship, growth was visible during the latter part of the year with resetting his career-best speed three times in the final handful of races (331.69 mph at NHRA finals in Pomona, Calif.).
With a springboard to lean on, this year may be drastically different.
In Saturdays PRO Superstar Shootout at Floridas Bradenton Motorsports Park, Reed made the eight-driver eliminations, where he flexed his muscles.
Reed knocked out No. 1 qualifier and reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown in the first round before sending Brittany Force packing via a holeshot in round two.
Hed complete his first winning weekend of his Top Fuel career after topping Josh Hart in the finals with a 3.699 second run at 330.39 mph.
I hope theres more to come because this is pretty cool stuff right here, a smiling Reed said. I almost said the other word This is cool s right here, Ill tell you what.
Im just over the moon happy right now. Its not even gonna sink in for a while. We got a trip planned to the Bahamas tomorrow, so what a great week coming up. Going to be in the Bahamas for like five or six days oh my gosh, I couldnt even of wrote this script any better than this, Reed continued.
To be here with FloRacing and all the best drivers in the world, and to come out on top, what a dream come true. Takes a little bit of luck, but, well take it.
While the 59-year-olds road to his first professional victory was a long, grueling road, his optimism never wavered.
Ive been to 20 races last year in NHRA and I wake up every morning and Im like, Yeah, todays my day, todays my day. You know what? I didnt think anything about it, I just wanted to have fun, Reed beamed.
If you push too hard in this game, it just goes the other way. You just gotta let things happen. Things come to you and you think about things, but you push them out.
All of a sudden, Im sitting here. Howd I do that? Whatever, Ill take it. were good.

Chiefs, Ravens favored to win in '26, Eagles near

The Philadelphia Eagles won their second Super Bowl in franchise history with a thunderous 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, a win so momentous that it might have shifted odds for next year's Super Bowl at sportsbooks across the nation.
Going into Sunday's contest, sportsbooks had lines up -- some for several weeks -- for the Super Bowl champion in 2026, with the Chiefs the consensus favorites at +600, per ESPN BET. However, when the final whistle blew on 2025's game, Kansas City was knocked down to +650 and got as long as +750 at some books.
Meanwhile, the Eagles flew up the odds board, jumping from a fifth-place +800 to a third-place +700 at ESPN BET. Caesars (+625) and DraftKings (+550) now have Philadelphia as the standalone favorite.
The Baltimore Ravens are tied at the top of ESPN BET's board with the Chiefs at +650, while the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions share the third slot with Philly at +700. Despite their having 2024's best regular-season record, there is more uncertainty surrounding the Lions next season that extends to sports betting, as some books have them as long as +1100 for next year's title.
There had already been significant action on the market in the weeks leading up to this year's big game.
One of the more compelling teams to see bets is the Washington Commanders, who made an unexpected run to the NFC Championship Game this postseason. ESPN BET lists the Commanders at +2000 and reports that the second-most tickets (7.4%) and handle (9.7%) are backing them, trailing only the Chiefs (10.8% of bets and 13.3% of handle). DraftKings and FanDuel also report Washington in their top five most-bet teams in the 2026 Super Bowl market.
Another team getting considerable attention is the Cincinnati Bengals, listed at +1600 on ESPN BET and taking the fourth-most bets (7.2%) there. DraftKings says it took a $5,000 wager at +2000 odds for Cincinnati to win next year's Super Bowl that would net $100,000 if successful.
Additionally, Caesars Sportsbook reports taking a $1,000 bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers at +7000 odds to win $70,000.
At the bottom of ESPN BET's Super Bowl 2026 odds board are the New York Giants at 250-1, which is actually longer than their opener of 200-1; FanDuel lists the Giants at an astounding 400-1 to win next year's big game.