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USA Today
29-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
CBS Sports ranks Harbaugh-Day feud among top coaching rivalries in the past 25 years
Everyone knows all about the great rivalries in sports -- Yankees-Red Sox, Lakers-Celtics, Texas-Oklahoma. But perhaps the greatest is Michigan football vs. Ohio State. While The Game had been a somewhat respectful affair, dating back to the Bo vs. Woody days, it's become increasingly hostile as of late. And the heat really turned up once Ryan Day took over the Buckeyes program from Urban Meyer -- who had gone 7-0 in his tenure against hte Wolverines. Day followed suit, winning in his first year, 2019. The two teams didn't play in 2020 due to COVID-19 hampering the maize and blue. But in 2021, when OSU considered it to still be its birthright to win The Game, Michigan upset the mighty Buckeyes and took away everything they thought they deserved that year. And the next. And the next. And the next. Well, Ohio State did win the national championship this year, but it cannot boast that it did so while having beaten its rival. CBS Sports put together a list of the greatest rivalries among coaches over the past 25 years, and Jim Harbaugh vs. Ryan Day made the cut -- mostly for obvious reasons. Ohio State beat Michigan 56-27 in Day's first year as coach, which propelled it to a Big Ten title and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. In Aug. 2020, during a private Big Ten coaches teleconference, Harbaugh reportedly interrupted Day while he was speaking to accuse Day of violating NCAA rules against early on-field instruction and drills during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a team meeting later that day, Day told Ohio State's players and coaches that the Big Ten better have a mercy rule because the Buckeyes were going to "hang 100" on Michigan in their next game. Ohio State and Michigan did not meet in 2020 due to COVID-19 complications, and in 2021 Michigan cruised to a 42-27 victory, its first win in the series since 2011. After the game, Harbaugh was asked about Ohio State throwing shots at Michigan during its winning streak. "Let's move on with humble hearts. Take the high road," Harbaugh said. "But there's definitely stuff that people said that spurred us on even more. Sometimes people that are standing on third base think they hit a triple, but they didn't." Ahead of 2022's installment of "The Game," Harbaugh told the Stoney & Jansen with Heather Show that his "third base" comment was in response to Day saying Ohio State was going to "hang 100" on Michigan. The Wolverines won in 2022, and again in 2023, before capping that 2023 season with their first national championship since the BCS era began. Those wins weren't without controversy, though. News broke in Oct. 2023 that the Big Ten was investigating Michigan for an alleged impermissible sign-stealing operation constructed by former staffer Connor Stalions. Initial rumors swirled that Ohio State tipped the NCAA off, and Day had private investigators looking into the issue. Day refuted his involvement. The NCAA later confirmed that neither Ohio State nor anyone associated with the Buckeyes are involved in its investigation. Harbaugh is actually on the list twice, as he also appeared on it for his rivalry with then-USC head coach Pete Carroll during his time at Stanford. Of course, this past win for the maize and blue over the scarlet and gray came under new head coach Sherrone Moore -- who also beat Day and the Buckeyes in 2023 with Harbaugh having been suspended due to the alleged advanced scouting scandal. Will the coaching rivalry carry over between Moore and Day? Moore is a bit more genteel than Harbaugh, but it kind of feels like that will still be the case.
Hamilton Spectator
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Game 7 memories from stars and celebs: Kobe Bryant stands out
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night had a number of sports celebrities — from outside the basketball world, even — thinking of one player. Kobe Bryant. Bryant played in only one Game 7 of a finals, that coming in 2010, but for plenty in the sports world his 23-point, 15-rebound effort that led the Los Angeles Lakers to an 83-79 win over the Boston Celtics for his fifth and final championship still stands out as the quintessential moment from ultimate games. The NBA asked celebrities and star athletes what Game 7 makes them think of, and some of the responses got right to the point. 'Kobe,' soccer legend David Beckham said. 'What do I think?? I think Lakers 2010 — Pau (Gasol) and Kobe,' tennis star Carlos Alcaraz said. Another tennis great, Novak Djokovic, said he thought of Lakers-Celtics in 2010 and the Cleveland-Golden State finale where LeBron James and Kyrie Irving came up big late for the Cavaliers in 2016. 'I'm thinking about electric atmosphere on the stands, no one is seated for the whole game,' Djokovic said. 'I'm thinking about Kobe and Gasol stellar performance in Game 7 of 2010 Lakers-Celtics and I'm thinking about LeBron's block and Irving's 3 pointer to seal the deal for Cavs vs Warriors Game 7 in 2016 thriller.' Cavs-Warriors 2016 another memory Part of the lore of the Cleveland-Golden State finale in 2016 wasn't just James getting a chase-down block against the Warriors' Andre Iguodala in the final moments. It was also ABC announcer Mike Breen's description of the call. Tennis player Ben Shelton and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua both remembered Breen's line perfectly: 'Blocked by James,' they both responded. Other quotes A selection of other responses collected by the NBA: 'Where legends are born.' — tennis' Frances Tiafoe. 'This is basketball, the game that everybody wants to watch. Can't wait !!!!!!!' — soccer star Kylian Mbappé. ''All eyes.' It's my stage.' — Colorado football coach and former NFL and MLB star Deion Sanders. 'GOAT TIME.' — NFL legend Jerry Rice. 'When I hear the words Game 7, I automatically think of the epic and legendary 3-pointer that Ray Allen made in Game 6 to force Game 7, where my Miami Heat team went on to win the NBA Finals championship.' — rapper Flo Rida. 'It's About to Go Down!!! Who will become legend? MJ, Kobe, Bron ... who's next?' — Cedric the Entertainer. 'Control what you can control mentality! I just wanted to make sure I did all the little things for my team.' — Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade. 'Everything you ever worked on and worked for is all in this one moment. Take it play by play ... leave it all on the court.' — former Heat guard Mario Chalmers. 'Play into the emotion. Don't expect fair. Expect the unimaginable.' — Cleveland's Iman Shumpert, part of the 2016 Cavs win. ___ AP NBA:
Fox Sports
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Game 7 memories from stars and celebs: Kobe Bryant stands out
Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night had a number of sports celebrities — from outside the basketball world, even — thinking of one player. Kobe Bryant. Bryant played in only one Game 7 of a finals, that coming in 2010, but for plenty in the sports world his 23-point, 15-rebound effort that led the Los Angeles Lakers to an 83-79 win over the Boston Celtics for his fifth and final championship still stands out as the quintessential moment from ultimate games. The NBA asked celebrities and star athletes what Game 7 makes them think of, and some of the responses got right to the point. 'Kobe,' soccer legend David Beckham said. 'What do I think?? I think Lakers 2010 — Pau (Gasol) and Kobe," tennis star Carlos Alcaraz said. Another tennis great, Novak Djokovic, said he thought of Lakers-Celtics in 2010 and the Cleveland-Golden State finale where LeBron James and Kyrie Irving came up big late for the Cavaliers in 2016. 'I'm thinking about electric atmosphere on the stands, no one is seated for the whole game,' Djokovic said. 'I'm thinking about Kobe and Gasol stellar performance in Game 7 of 2010 Lakers-Celtics and I'm thinking about LeBron's block and Irving's 3 pointer to seal the deal for Cavs vs Warriors Game 7 in 2016 thriller.' Cavs-Warriors 2016 another memory Part of the lore of the Cleveland-Golden State finale in 2016 wasn't just James getting a chase-down block against the Warriors' Andre Iguodala in the final moments. It was also ABC announcer Mike Breen's description of the call. Tennis player Ben Shelton and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua both remembered Breen's line perfectly: 'Blocked by James,' they both responded. Other quotes A selection of other responses collected by the NBA: 'Where legends are born.' — tennis' Frances Tiafoe. 'This is basketball, the game that everybody wants to watch. Can't wait !!!!!!!' — soccer star Kylian Mbappé. ''All eyes.' It's my stage.' — Colorado football coach and former NFL and MLB star Deion Sanders. 'GOAT TIME.' — NFL legend Jerry Rice. 'When I hear the words Game 7, I automatically think of the epic and legendary 3-pointer that Ray Allen made in Game 6 to force Game 7, where my Miami Heat team went on to win the NBA Finals championship.' — rapper Flo Rida. 'It's About to Go Down!!! Who will become legend? MJ, Kobe, Bron ... who's next?' — Cedric the Entertainer. 'Control what you can control mentality! I just wanted to make sure I did all the little things for my team.' — Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade. 'Everything you ever worked on and worked for is all in this one moment. Take it play by play ... leave it all on the court.' — former Heat guard Mario Chalmers. 'Play into the emotion. Don't expect fair. Expect the unimaginable.' — Cleveland's Iman Shumpert, part of the 2016 Cavs win. ___ AP NBA: recommended
Winnipeg Free Press
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Game 7 memories from stars and celebs: Kobe Bryant stands out
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night had a number of sports celebrities — from outside the basketball world, even — thinking of one player. Kobe Bryant. Bryant played in only one Game 7 of a finals, that coming in 2010, but for plenty in the sports world his 23-point, 15-rebound effort that led the Los Angeles Lakers to an 83-79 win over the Boston Celtics for his fifth and final championship still stands out as the quintessential moment from ultimate games. The NBA asked celebrities and star athletes what Game 7 makes them think of, and some of the responses got right to the point. 'Kobe,' soccer legend David Beckham said. 'What do I think?? I think Lakers 2010 — Pau (Gasol) and Kobe,' tennis star Carlos Alcaraz said. Another tennis great, Novak Djokovic, said he thought of Lakers-Celtics in 2010 and the Cleveland-Golden State finale where LeBron James and Kyrie Irving came up big late for the Cavaliers in 2016. 'I'm thinking about electric atmosphere on the stands, no one is seated for the whole game,' Djokovic said. 'I'm thinking about Kobe and Gasol stellar performance in Game 7 of 2010 Lakers-Celtics and I'm thinking about LeBron's block and Irving's 3 pointer to seal the deal for Cavs vs Warriors Game 7 in 2016 thriller.' Cavs-Warriors 2016 another memory Part of the lore of the Cleveland-Golden State finale in 2016 wasn't just James getting a chase-down block against the Warriors' Andre Iguodala in the final moments. It was also ABC announcer Mike Breen's description of the call. Tennis player Ben Shelton and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua both remembered Breen's line perfectly: 'Blocked by James,' they both responded. Other quotes A selection of other responses collected by the NBA: 'Where legends are born.' — tennis' Frances Tiafoe. 'This is basketball, the game that everybody wants to watch. Can't wait !!!!!!!' — soccer star Kylian Mbappé. ''All eyes.' It's my stage.' — Colorado football coach and former NFL and MLB star Deion Sanders. 'GOAT TIME.' — NFL legend Jerry Rice. 'When I hear the words Game 7, I automatically think of the epic and legendary 3-pointer that Ray Allen made in Game 6 to force Game 7, where my Miami Heat team went on to win the NBA Finals championship.' — rapper Flo Rida. 'It's About to Go Down!!! Who will become legend? MJ, Kobe, Bron … who's next?' — Cedric the Entertainer. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Control what you can control mentality! I just wanted to make sure I did all the little things for my team.' — Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade. 'Everything you ever worked on and worked for is all in this one moment. Take it play by play … leave it all on the court.' — former Heat guard Mario Chalmers. 'Play into the emotion. Don't expect fair. Expect the unimaginable.' — Cleveland's Iman Shumpert, part of the 2016 Cavs win. ___ AP NBA:
Los Angeles Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
NBA Game 7 preview: Breaking it down by the numbers
For the 20th time, there will be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Indiana will play at Oklahoma City on Sunday night in the final game of the season, with the winner getting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Home teams are 15-4 in Game 7 of the finals, but a road team — Cleveland, over Golden State — won the most recent of those games in 2016. A look inside some numbers surrounding this matchup: There have been only two 40-point scoring performances in Game 7 of the NBA Finals — and both came in losing efforts. Jerry West scored 42 points in Game 7 of the 1969 series, but the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in Bill Russell's final game. And Elgin Baylor scored 41 points in Game 7 in 1962 — another Lakers-Celtics matchup — but Boston prevailed in that one as well. Bob Pettit had the third-highest scoring total in a Game 7. He had 39 for the St. Louis Hawks against the Celtics in 1957 ... and Boston won that game as well. The highest-scoring Game 7s in a winning effort? Those would be by Boston's Tom Heinsohn in that 1957 game against St. Louis and Miami's LeBron James in the 2013 series against San Antonio. Both had 37; Heinsohn's was a double-overtime game, James got his in regulation. Yes, these are high-scoring teams. Oklahoma City was No. 4 in points per game in the regular season (120.5 per game) and Indiana was No. 7 (117.4). The Thunder are second in that category in the playoffs (115.2), just ahead of No. 3 Indiana (115.1). In Game 7, that might not matter much. No team has reached 100 points in Game 7 of the NBA Finals since 1988. Or even topped 95 points, for that matter. The last five Game 7s: — 2016, Cleveland 93, Golden State 89 — 2013, Miami 95, San Antonio 88 — 2010, Los Angeles Lakers 83, Boston 79 — 2005, San Antonio 81, Detroit 74 — 1994, Houston 90, New York 84 The last finals Game 7 to see someone hit the century mark was when the Lakers beat the Pistons 108-105 in 1988. The average margin of victory in Game 7 of an NBA Finals: 6.9 points. Each of the last eight such games have been decided by single digits. Only four have been double-digit wins: Boston over St. Louis by 19 in 1960, Minneapolis over New York by 17 in 1952, Boston over Milwaukee by 15 in 1974 and New York over the Lakers by 14 in 1970. The closest Game 7 in the finals was Syracuse beating Fort Wayne 92-91 in 1955. That was one of six Game 7s decided by three points or less. The Thunder are the 22nd No. 1 seed to play in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. Their 21 predecessors on that list are 12-9 in the ultimate game; seven of those games have been ones where both teams entered the playoffs as No. 1 seeds. The Pacers are the fourth No. 4 seed to make Game 7 of the title round. Their three predecessors went 1-2 (Boston beat the Lakers in 1969, Seattle lost to Washington in 1978 and the Celtics lost to the Lakers in 2010). It'll be the fourth Game 7 for Indiana forwards Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Siakam's teams have gone 2-1 in Game 7s, Turner's have gone 1-2. Indiana's Aaron Nesmith is 2-0 in the pair of Game 7s in which he has played, with Indiana winning at New York last year and Boston beating Milwaukee in 2022. Both of those wins were in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's reigning MVP, has averaged 27 points in two previous Game 7s. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points in his lone Game 7 to this point. No player on either side has previously been part of a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. The NBA doesn't announce referee assignments until game day, so it won't be known until Sunday morning who the three-person crew is for Game 7. This much is certain: for at least two of the referees, it'll be the first time on the NBA Finals Game 7 stage. Scott Foster — who would seem a likely pick this year — worked Game 7 in 2013 alongside Dan Crawford and Monty McCutchen, and Game 7 of the title series in 2010 with Dan Crawford and Joe Crawford. The most recent Game 7 was in 2016 and the crew for that game was Dan Crawford, McCutchen and Mike Callahan. Outside of Foster, no referee in this year's pool has been on the court for a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
