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Ex-Titans star Wycheck had CTE at time of death
Former Tennessee Titans star tight end Frank Wycheck suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, at the time of his death just over a year ago.
Wycheck's family confirmed the CTE diagnosis in a statement released Thursday, 13 months after the three-time Pro Bowler died from an apparent fall inside his home.
A study of Wycheck's brain conducted at Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center concluded that Wycheck had CTE Stage III, according to his family. Stage IV is the most severe diagnosis.
"Our family is grateful to learn of his confirmed CTE diagnosis in hopes to continue our father's desire to bring awareness, increased intervention, education, and support for NFL alumni and their families related to CTE," Wycheck's daughter, Deanna Wycheck Szabo, said in a statement. "Our hope is that NFL alumni, who believe they are suffering from CTE, will be given the much-needed resources and guidance prior to their symptoms reaching a debilitating state. With on-going CTE research and diagnosis', we hope future NFL alumni and families will be explicitly given an outline and plan of action in receiving care and treatment."
Wycheck was found dead at his Chattanooga, Tennessee, home on Dec. 9, 2023. He was 52.
The family's announcement came one day after the 25th anniversary of the "Music City Miracle," a play co-authored by Wycheck that stands as one of the most famous moments in NFL history.
At the end of the Titans' wild-card playoff game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 8, 2000, with Tennessee trailing 16-15 with 16 seconds remaining, Wycheck fielded a kickoff return on what promised to be the game's final series. Wycheck started to return the kickoff before throwing a lateral across the field to Kevin Dyson, who ran 75 yards to score the winning touchdown in the Titans' 22-16 victory.
Wycheck played nine of his 11 NFL seasons with the Titans/Oilers franchise and finished third in team history with 482 career receptions. He was added to the Titans' Ring of Honor in 2008, five years after retiring from the NFL. Wycheck also played two seasons with Washington.
Wycheck started working as a color commentator on the Titans Radio Network in 2005. The Titans announced before the 2017 preseason that he was stepping down from the role because of lingering head issues.
"My father put his body on the line throughout his career," Wycheck Szabo said. "He loved the game and even more so loved his teammates. After retirement, he fought for years to bring light to his post-NFL journey and the fears he had around his struggles and symptoms that he knew whole-heartedly was CTE. He often felt forgotten and ignored, and that his situation was helpless.
"Reflecting back, I wish our family had been educated on the signs and symptoms of CTE. Instead of believing that something was inherently wrong with him, we now know he was doing the best he could as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control."
Cracknell on grief, bird watching and international ambitions
While putting in big hits and getting stuck in at set-pieces helped Cracknell cope that day, he is someone that tends to find calming comforts in more far flung places.
With binoculars in hand, he has escaped to the Isle of Skye off the north west coast of Scotland to watch birds of prey.
"I've gone up to Scotland for a couple of family holidays and we saw eagles up there on one of those and I thought they were really interesting and I wanted to see one in the wild," Cracknell said.
"So a year ago, when we had a random week off in January or February, I got a camper van and went with my dog up to the Isle of Skye and saw a golden eagle and white-tailed eagles in the wild.
"I really like the peace of it, and it's a beautiful part of the UK.
"We have a group of lads, the eagle group we call it, and we did a social last year which was good fun. And I'll try to line it up this year as well."
Talking about Cracknell before Leicester's European Champions Cup against Ulster on Saturday, Cheika spoke of a "stoic" figure on the pitch and "different cat" off it.
Cracknell says stoicism is a trait he inherited from his parents, while the notion of being a "different cat" - Australian slang for curious character - is no surprise.
"The fact I like birds of prey for a start, is a sign," Cracknell laughed.
"Why am I weird? It's hard to answer. I don't know. The eagles, and I studied history and maybe I have slightly different interests from the other boys."
Bird-watching and rugged Scottish getaways are maybe not what is expected of a former Ospreys and London Irish back row who has come into career-best form as he turned 30.
He has impressed so thoroughly at number eight for Cheika's Tigers this season that the player better known as a reliable utility back row has been tipped to get an international call-up for the upcoming Six Nations.
The Leeds-born player has featured for Wales' Under-20 side and was called up to their senior team in 2017, but remains uncapped at that level - which also leaves him eligible to play for England.
Cracknell said there has been no contact over a potential Wales call-up for the Six Nations, but said he is working hard to earn it.
"Every player that goes out there in the Premiership aspires to play international rugby," he said.
"I want to test myself at the highest level I can, but I've got to be patient and play as well as I can.
"I just have to keep pushing to improve my game and level up really."
Gloucester: George Barton; Christian Wade, Chris Harris, Max Llewellyn, Josh Hathaway; Santi Carreras, Caolan Englefield; Mayco Vivas, Jack Singleton, Ciaran Knight, Freddie Thomas, Arthur Clark, Jack Clement, Lewis Ludlow (capt), Ruan Ackermann.
Replacements: Seb Blake, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Kirill Gotovtsev, Cam Jordan, Freddie Clarke, Albert Tuisue, Tomos Williams, Charlie Atkinson.
Scarlets: Ioan Lloyd; Ellis Mee, Macs Page, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Sam Costelow, Archie Hughes; Kemsley Mathias, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Max Douglas, Taine Plumtree, Josh Macleod (capt), Vaea Fifita.
Replacements: Shaun Evans, Alec Hepburn, Gabe Hawley, Sam Lousi, Jarrod Taylor, Gareth Davies, Joe Roberts, Ioan Nicholas.
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (FFR)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Gasnier & Jean Lespes (FFR)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (FFR)
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. A new year brought a new location for the Pitt Motorsports IMCATV Western Nationals when the event moved to Central Arizona Raceway.
Previously Cocopah Speedway was the site for the event but the track is not currently active.
Five IMCA divisions brought 223 teams to the sharp looking three-eighths-mile oval for the first of eight Western Nationals shows.
A windy day made opening day challenging and a rain delay after the heats added to the weather issues. Racing resumed and some packing was all it took to run eight B mains, moving a dozen into the A main to make 28-car fields.
Draw heats used passing/finishing points to add cars to the heat winners to create a top 16 to fill the first eight rows of the A mains.
The modified main was quickly run and dominated by Luke Silber, using his front row starting spot to take the win over Chaz Baca and Dylan Thornton.
Northern sport mods were led by Tyler Johnson for two laps before Jake Smith sped past Johnson on the backstretch. Smith led eight laps until a yellow opened an opportunity for Ryan Perry.
Perry raced into turn one the bottom and drove past Smith and went on to win. Smith was second and Taylor Kuehl finished third.
Stock cars had an excellent battle between Braden Richards and Mike Albertsen highlighting the division often labeled too tough to tame.
A cluster of stock cars chasing the lead didnt get past Richards and the Madrid, Iowa driver took the win over Albertsen and Jason Rogers.
A trio of Nebraska drivers dominated the hobby stock main as Dillon Richards and Dillon Thompson, took the top two finishing spots and Morgan Olmstead was third to complete the sweep.
Sport compact action saw Billy Foultz, Joseph Baker and Gilbert Aldape take the podium finish.
The Western Nationals continue the next three days and can be followed on SPEED SPORT affiliate IMCA.tv.
19-Driver RoC Field Set For Chili Bowl Nationals
TULSA, Okla. The OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions has become a mainstay during Mondays 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night at the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink.
This years roster is comprised of 19 drivers topped by two-time and defending Chili Bowl winner Logan Seavey. Tthe USAC Triple Crown career titlist aboard the Victory Fuel/Swindell SpeedLab No. 39, fielded by Kevin and Jordan Swindell, also won last years Race of Champions.
For the 2025 event, drivers from across the racing spectrum have been invited to participate in the OReilly Auto Parts Race of Champions.
Race Of Champions Field
1 Sammy Swindell: The five-time Chili Bowl National Champion.
1s Spencer Bayston: Winner of Thursdays Hasty Bake Qualifying Night in 2024, this past season saw the Indiana racer on the road with the Kubota High Limit Series.
1k Kyle Larson: A last-minute decision to head to Tulsa in 2024, things are full throttle in 2025 for the 2020 and 2021 Chili Bowl Nationals Champion as he hunts yet another Golden Driller after banking two during the Smileys Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink.
3t Brad Sweet: A tie in Midweek, a title overall, the High Limit Racing co-founder gets the nod to compete as the 2024 Kubota High Limit Champion.
4p Kody Swanson: The 2024 season was uncertain, but it did not stay that way for long and earned Swanson an invite to compete as the 2024, and now eight-time, USAC Silver Crown Champion.
19r Ricky Thornton Jr.: Not afraid to race anything and everything, RTJ gets invited to compete as the 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion.
21h Brady Bacon: Sprint Cars, Midgets, Wing or Non-Wing, the Chili Bowl Nationals invites three-time USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Champion Brady Bacon to compete.
23c Tyler Courtney: Sunshine finished runner-up in the 2024 OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions, plus went on to win the tie and secure the Kubota High Limit Midweek Money Series.
39 Logan Seavey: Winner of the 2024 OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions, along with being the two-time and defending Chili Bowl Nationals Champion and the 2024 USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Champion, Logan Seavey is back for more.
41 Corey Day: Winner of Wednesdays York Plumbing Qualifying Night in 2024, the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix winner turned heads last season with the Kubota High Limit Series, scoring eight victories.
57 Kaylee Bryson: The first woman to win a USAC National event with her Silver Crown triumph at Belleville in 2024, Kaylee Brysons success on the pavement put her atop the points in Trans-Am SGT National competition and earned her an invite to the OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions with Abacus Racing, who was the entrant owner champion with the USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Championship.
67 Ryan Timms: With POWRi and Xtreme each topped by the same driver, the invite goes to Ryan Timms, who placed second in Xtreme standings with multi-time Chili Bowl Champion car owners KKM/Curb-Agajanian.
71 Buddy Kofoid: Winner of Tuesdays Warren CAT Qualifying Night in 2024, this past season was a banner year for the two-time USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget champion as he earned the 2024 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year award with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
71K Cannon McIntosh: The 2024 season was a successful one for McIntosh, who got the invite with both the Xtreme and POWRi titles and nearly captured the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget championship.
71w Christopher Bell: Unleashed by Joe Gibbs Racing to return to the dirt tracks, the three-time Chili Bowl Champion added a second Tulsa Shootout Golden Driller this past weekend in a thrilling victory in Saturdays 55-lap, Hyper Racing Outlaw Non-Wing feature.
86 Daison Pursley: A fight to the finish for the 2024 USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, the title for CB Industries driver Daison Pursley, secure his spot in the OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
87 Justin Grant: Winner of the 2022 OReilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions; Grant saw an up-and-down season in 2024 but will see a new chapter as he joins CB Industries for the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals.
88 Tanner Thorson: Winner of the 2022 Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink, Thorson spent the summer chasing the Kubota High Limit Series before getting Midget laps in California.
98 Tanner Carrick: Winner of Mondays 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night in 2024, Carrick secured several wins in 2024 along the West Coast.
CONCORD, N.C. Hot off a stellar season of open-wheel racing, Corey Day has signed a contract to race stock cars and trucks for Hendrick Motorsports.
Day, a 19-year-old second-generation driver from California, will run events in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Series and Trans-Am Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.
Day won eight High Limit Racing sprint car races last season and also captured the Trophy Cup, Dirt Cup and Turkey Night Grand Prix races.
When Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon say someone is the real deal, it certainly gets your attention, Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said. Corey comes from a great racing family and in a short time has shown a level of talent that sets him apart. What hes already accomplished at this point in his career speaks volumes, and its been impressive to see how quickly hes adapted to pavement. Were excited to welcome him to our team.
Day officially put pen to paper on Dec. 6, just one week clear of his birthday with NASCAR Hall of Famer and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman, Jeff Gordon on hand. It was a bit of a full-circle moment for Day, who like Gordon, hails from California.
I can remember multiple times as a little kid, watching NASCAR races and crying because Jeff Gordon didnt win, Day recalled. So, to be sitting next to him signing a contract is just unbelievable.
Even prior to last year, Day had already registered some big victories. After being named the 2022 Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Ronnie Day, to earn the 2023 King of the West 410 NARC championship. That year, he also won the prestigious World of Outlaws Gold Cup Race of Champions.
Now, hell shift his focus to pavement where he dipped his toes in the water last year, running four races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and three in the ARCA Series. Day fully expects the move and the busy schedule to come with its own challenges but is confident heading into the year.
Its a lot different than what Im used to doing. Theres just so many differences, Day said. Its still a race car of course, and I dont get into it every time and forget how to drive them, but its just way different. Your positioning on the track is different. We turn right going around the corner (on dirt) because were sideways. We turn left on pavement. Just a lot of things but it was really good to get laps (in 2024) and at least not be completely fresh next year with such a big year ahead of me.
Its going to be a lot, of course, and Im trying to be as mentally prepared for it as possible and with the group of people I have around me to be able to ask questions to, really anything I need I dont have too many concerns. I know Im probably going to have a lot of questions. Theres going to be some things come up to where Im confused, but when youve got Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Josh Wise (trainer) all these guys I can ask questions to, I think Im going to be OK.
And as for what series or event Day is most looking forward to?
All of them are circled. Im excited about all of them, he said. Im excited about the road course stuff, I havent gotten to do any of that. And then, excited to run an Xfinity car. To run an Xfinity car this early in my pavement career is something Im going to try my best at, for sure.
Varun's five-for in vain as Tomar's ton takes Rajasthan into quarterfinals
Rajasthan 267 (Tomar 111, Lomror 60, Varun 5-52) beat Tamil Nadu 248 (Jagadeesan 65, Vijay Shankar 49, Shekhawat 3-60) by 19 runs
Rajasthan were on course for 300-plus after losing the toss, cruising at 182 for 1 in the 32nd over when Varun took three wickets in three overs to trigger a slide. He first bowled Mahipal Lomror for 60 with a wrong'un that drifted in, pitched and squared the left-hander to hit the top of off stump.
Having broken the 160-run stand between Tomar and Lomror, Varun then bowled Deepak Hooda with a carrom ball as he attempted a mow towards the leg side. His third wicket was the centurion Tomar, holing out to long-on for 111 off 125 balls. He picked up two more wickets to finish with 5 for 52 in nine overs.
Rajasthan lost nine wickets for 83 and were all out for 267 in 47.3 overs. Left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore and seamer Sandeep Warrier picked up two wickets each.
Tamil Nadu responded with a rapid opening partnership of 60 in 6.5 overs before Khaleel Ahmed bowled the slower opener Tushar Raheja for 11 of 20 balls. N Jagadeesan raced to a half-century, hitting Aman Shekhawat for six fours in an over that included five wides to cost Rajasthan 29 runs. His dismissal for 65 off 52 balls, however, caused panic in Tamil Nadu's chase.
B Indrajith and Vijay Shankar kept the innings going and at the start of the 36th over, Tamil Nadu needed 83 runs with five wickets in hand. The run-out of S Mohammed Ali for a run-a-ball 34, however, swung the game Rajasthan's way.
Shekhawat, the fast bowler who had Indrajith caught behind, bowled Vijay Shankar for 49, and sealed the game by dismissing Varun for 18 in a close finish. He finished with 3 for 60 as Rajasthan, runners-up of the previous Vijay Hazare Trophy, entered the final eight by bowling Tamil Nadu out for 248 in 47.1 overs.
Youngsters Vats and Sindhu lead Haryana into quarterfinals
Haryana 298 for 9 (Sindhu 64, Vats 62, Shami 3-61) beat Bengal 226 (Porel 57, Vats 3-33, Sindhu 2-36) by 72 runs
Vital contributions from the lower order - an unbeaten 32-ball 41 from Sumit Kumar and 29 from Rahul Tewatia - powered Haryana to 298 for 9.
Another player of interest from a national team perspective, Abhimanyu Easwaran, was key to Bengal's chase. With openers Sudip Gharami and Abishek Porel putting on 70 in 12.5 overs for the first wicket, Abhimanyu had the opportunity to steer Bengal's innings, but the rustiness of having spent two months on India's Test bench in Australia showed.
Having survived a close stumping appeal, Abhimanyu attempted to break free with a succession of reverse sweeps. Eventually, the pressure of not being able to score fluently got to him, and he was out attempting a slog sweep against mystery spinner Amit Rana.
Porel kept Bengal alive with a half-century but played conservatively for large parts of his 57 off 78 balls. His dismissal exposed Bengal's brittle middle order in the 28th over and Vats dismissed Anustup Majumdar, Karan Lal and Shami to help Haryana wrap up the chase for 226 in 43.1 overs.
Haryana play their quarterfinal against Gujarat in Vadodara on January 12.
Fraser, Glasgow earn call-ups to West Indies squad for Bangladesh series
Fast bowler Shamilia Connell and middle-order batter Rashada Williams are the two absentees from West Indies' last assignment, tour of India. West Indies will continue to be without veteran allrounder Stafanie Taylor who is still recovering from a knee injury, according to a CWI release.
Fraser has played a total of 12 ODIs and her last appearance in this format was in October 2023 against Australia. Her last international appearance though was against Sri Lanka in a T20I in Hambantota in June last year. Meanwhile, Glasgow has took part in four T20Is, last of these was against Pakistan in Karachi in May 2024. Though she has been travelling with the West Indies ODI squad on and off since 2023, Glasgow never got an opportunity in ODIs. According to the CWI release, both of them "had successful stints in state cricket in Tasmania and have been included."
"We have been focusing on specific areas of improvement in our training and touring, and these matches will help us gauge our progress. The conditions at Warner Park will challenge both teams and make for compelling cricket. I'm looking forward to seeing how some of our younger and less-experienced players respond to the test."
However, West Indies will be aware that they are coming off two consecutive ODI series defeats against India and Sri Lanka and will be keen to end the six-match losing run when they take on Bangladesh.
West Indies ODI and T20I squad
Hayley Matthews (capt), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Cherry Ann Fraser, Jannilea Glasgow
GB's Dart & Harris miss out on Australian Open main draw
Great Britain's Harriet Dart and Billy Harris both missed out on the Australian Open main draw as they lost in the final round of qualifying.
Dart fell to a 6-4 7-5 defeat against Japan's Nao Hibino, despite serving for the second set.
Meanwhile, Harris' efforts to reach the main draw in Melbourne for the first time ended with a 7-5 6-2 loss against Kamil Majchrzak of Poland.
The British number four made his Grand Slam main-draw debut as a wildcard at Wimbledon in 2024, where he lost in the first round to Spain's Jaume Munar.
The defeats mean there will be seven British players in the singles main draw when the tournament starts on Sunday.
Rising star Jacob Fearnley is set to face Nick Kyrgios in the first round as the Australian returns to Grand Slam tennis.
British men's number one Jack Draper will take on Argentina's Mariano Navone, while Katie Boulter - Britain's highest-ranked women's player - is up against Canada's Rebecca Marino.
Elsewhere in qualifying, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca reached the main draw of a major for the first time with a 6-4 6-1 victory against Argentina's 12th seed Thiago Agustin Tirante.
Fonseca, 18, established himself as one of tennis' rising stars by becoming the second-youngest winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals in December.
Hady Habib saved three match points to beat Clement Chidekh of France and become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to appear in a Grand Slam men's singles main draw.
The 26-year-old, who made his Olympic debut in Paris in 2024, became the first player from Lebanon to win a ATP Challenger title last year.
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