📰🏟️ On thin ice

Good morning. Today’s edition brings you the top news from around the sports world. Let’s rock and roll.

—Kyle

1) NFC wins Pro Bowl Games

The NFC walked out of the Pro Bowl Games with bragging rights this weekend, outlasting the AFC by a score of 66-52 in the NFL’s made-for-TV All-Star showdown.

• The event featured two main components: a skills competition, and a 7-on-7 flag football game where the starting score was determined by the skills competition results.
• Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr. earned Defensive MVP honors with a game-sealing INT, while Cowboys WR George Pickens earned Offensive MVP with the game-winning TD catch.

Get the full play-by-play

2) Olympic hockey arena is on thin ice

The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, set to host hockey matches in the 2026 Winter Olympics, is still an active construction site less than 24 hours before it’s set to open its doors on Thursday.

• The arena has experienced a series of construction delays since Milan, Italy, was announced as the Winter Games host city in 2019.
• As a result, the ice surface at the arena is 3+ feet shorter than in NHL buildings, despite an agreement to conform to NHL standards.
• But NHL players themselves aren’t worried, with the vast majority saying they’re just grateful to participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

The Olympic rink is skating by

3) The CFP is getting even longer

Yesterday, the College Football Playoffs announced the sites and dates for the CFP quarter- and semifinals over the next two years.

• The new schedules call for a two-week break between the quarters and semis, meaning the entire 2026-27 CFP will stretch from Dec. 18 through the national championship on Jan. 25 (38 days).
• For reference: this year’s CFP, which already drew complaints over length, took place over 31 days.

How long is too long for the CFP?

4) NBA trade market heats up ahead of deadline tomorrow

The NBA trade season had been off to a slow start until yesterday, when several teams made high-profile deals with Thursday’s 2 pm CT deadline fast approaching.

• The Utah Jazz finally signaled an end to their tanking ways and acquired Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr., in an eight-player deal that also involved three future Utah first-round picks.
• The Detroit Pistons acquired Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić from the Bulls in exchange for Jaden Ivey in a three-team deal involving the Timberwolves.
• The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly agreed to trade James Harden to the Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick.

Keep track of every official trade

5) NFL players have “no appetite” for 18th game

In comments yesterday, the interim head of the NFL’s Players Association said there’s no desire among its membership to extend the league’s regular season from 17 games to 18, though the issue could be a subject for future negotiation.

• His comments are in stark contrast to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who last week spoke in an interview as if moving to 18 games in the near future is a given.
• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday struck a more measured tone, saying the idea of 18 games is possible but there haven’t been any formal discussions to make a change.

Is 18 the magic number for the NFL?

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