On a night that spiraled almost from the opening tip, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin made sure the strangest moments came after the outcome was no longer in doubt. With just under five minutes remaining in UCLA’s eventual 82-59 loss to No. 15 Michigan State on Tuesday night, Bruins backup center Steven Jamerson — a former Michigan State student — was whistled for a flagrant foul after taking down Spartans senior Carson Cooper from behind on a dunk attempt. The two went face-to-face, jawing briefly before teammates separated them. Officials headed to the monitor to review the play. But Cronin took matters into his own hands. Before the referees could determine whether the foul warranted a flagrant 1 or flagrant 2, the UCLA coach made the call himself, ejecting Jamerson and sending him to the locker room. It was a stunning sight in a game already well decided. Even Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had to chuckle afterward. “I guess he upgraded that to a flagrant 2,” Izzo joked. “First time I saw a coach do that.” It turns out that was just a prelude to what would come next. In a postgame gathering with reporters, Cronin was asked about Michigan State’s student section chanting the name of former Spartans forward Xavier Booker, who transferred to UCLA this past offseason. “I could give a rat’s ass about the other team’s student section,” Cronin said. “I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked.” When the exchange grew tense, Cronin accused the reporter of raising his voice, a claim the reporter denied. “I coach UCLA. I don’t care about Michigan State’s students. Who cares?” The optics were alarming, particularly for a program reeling from consecutive 20-plus point losses for the first time since the 1944-45 season. On a night when UCLA needed to make a statement, its head coach delivered the statement instead.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
Will Kane Brown be the next artist to open a bar on Nashville’s Lower Broadway?
Speculation is swirling among fans that Kane Brown may be the latest country star to put his name on a Nashville Broadway venue. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice Brown’s distinct tattoos in a new video teaser posted by The Valentine Nashville on Instagram.
Kane Brown; Photo by Dennis Leupold
The clip shows a man driving a sports car down Broadway, pulling up to the venue, and being greeted by a flurry of flashing lights as he steps out of the car. When the video cuts to a close-up of his hands, Brown’s iconic tattoos are unmistakable, sending social media buzzing with speculation about the superstar’s involvement. The clip concludes with the text “Powered By Elia”, hinting at a collaboration with the hospitality group behind the project.
According to a 2024 report from The Tennessean, Elia Group announced plans to acquire and open 10 restaurants and bars in the Nashville area by 2027, starting with The Valentine, located at 312 Broadway.
Further fueling the rumors, WhatNow.com reported that The Valentine had closed for “major renovations” last fall, with plans to reopen in Spring 2026 alongside a “celebrity partner.”
At the time, an employee revealed that the bar’s temporary closure followed a buyout by Elia Group and that renovations were expected to last four to six months. She also confirmed that there was an artist involved, however, did not mention his/her name.
“Nashville is a city with soul, and Elia Group is honored to continue becoming a part of its story,” Zaid Elia, founder and CEO of the Elia Group, said in an official release. “Through the renovation of The Valentine, we’re not just revitalizing a space — we’re investing in the local culture, the people, and the energy that make this city unique. Our vision is to create welcoming destinations that serve as a reflection of the community and contribute meaningfully to its continued growth.”
If Kane Brown does plant roots on Broadway, he will join a growing roster of celebrity-owned or celebrity-themed bars in the area. This includes Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Good Time Bar, Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk, Jon Bon Jovi’s JBJ’s Nashville, Luke Bryan’s Luke’s 32 Bridge, Post Malone’s Posty’s Nashville, Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock ‘N’ Steakhouse, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, and Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, among others.
Lower Broadway is already packed with celebrity bars, and now fans can’t stop wondering if Kane Brown will be next. Everyone’s on the edge of their seats waiting for an official announcement.
Wooden gavel with books in background. Law and justice concept
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Wooden gavel with books in background.
Alaska’s legally required campaign ad disclaimers do not violate the First Amendment, the state supreme court ruled Friday, deciding a six-year-old dispute between the Alaska Policy Forum and state campaign regulators.
Justice Dario Borghesan wrote the 61-page decision on behalf of the court, which ruled unanimously and upheld minor fines against APF that were issued by the Alaska Public Offices Commission five years ago.
At issue were a series of news releases, opinion pieces and a video embedded in the group’s website, all opposing ranked-choice voting.
“We uphold the agency’s decision, concluding that the cited publications had to be reported and required a ‘paid for by’ disclosure,” Borghesan wrote. “We also hold that the statutory standards are not unconstitutionally vague because they give fair notice of what kind of speech must be reported and must contain a disclosure. And we conclude that the First Amendment challenges to these laws are unavailing.”
APF organized with a variety of groups across the country to produce the video embedded in its website, the opinion notes.
“APF did not just happen to find a video on the internet and share it on social media. APF engaged in discussions with organizations around the country to create a national coalition that developed or gathered content on ranked-choice voting and allowed APF to republish that content. Such efforts required significant time, and someone paid for that time. Alaskans have a genuine interest in knowing who,” the opinion states.
The case dates from 2020, when Alaskans voted to approve Ballot Measure 2.
That measure installed open primary elections, required disclosure of some political donations and installed ranked-choice voting in general elections.
That system remains in place today but has been challenged by a new repeal initiative. A prior repeal effort failed in 2024.
In September 2020, Alaskans for Better Elections, a group that supports the current voting system, filed a complaint with the commission, stating that APF was violating state law because its statements on ranked-choice voting did not list their three top contributors, something required for campaign communications.
APF contended that its statements were about ranked-choice voting in general, not about Ballot Measure 2 in particular, because they didn’t specifically name the Alaska measure.
APOC commissioners disagreed and cited APF, requiring it to file disclosure forms but waiving fines. APF appealed to Superior Court Judge Frank Pfiffner, who ruled in the commission’s favor, finding that the commission “reasonably concluded that APF’s activities amounted to an express communication that was an exhortation to vote against (Ballot Measure 2).”
Pfiffner rejected technical arguments against the commission’s actions, the argument that state laws were improperly vague, the idea that the First Amendment gave APF a right to publish its material without a disclosure, and APF’s challenge to a state law that requires political groups to disclose contributions starting with the “first dollar” they spend.
Individuals are not subject to the same disclosure requirement.
APF appealed to the Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in September 2023 and ruled more than two years later.
In Friday’s order, Borghesan repeatedly refers to past rulings by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which holds jurisdiction over Alaska.
Relying on that precedent, the court concluded that given the context and language of APF’s communications, there was no other way to view them than as urging a particular vote in the 2020 campaign.
“In the context of an upcoming election in which ranked-choice voting is on the ballot,” Friday’s order states, a “video’s reference to a ‘push’ by ‘interest groups’ for ranked-choice voting and its call to ‘SAY NO TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING’ is a clear, albeit indirect, reference to voting against the Initiative.”
The Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“APF is disappointed by the decision,” said attorney Stacey Stone, who represented the group in court. “The ruling allows the state to treat protected educational speech about public policy as regulated campaign activity. That approach threatens to chill core First Amendment expression. We are reviewing the opinion carefully and evaluating our options.”
Attorney Scott Kendall represented Alaskans for Better Elections.
“Alaskans for Better Elections has been focused on campaign finance transparency since its founding. This victory affirms those values,” he said, explaining that the group is “very pleased with this outcome.”
Kendall noted that Alaskans have an interest in knowing who is funding ads in their elections.
“Hopefully, the Policy Forum will now comply with the law and disclose its donors, as it should have done years ago,” he said.
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Erin Jackson-Hill outside the Capitol, speaking to a group of protestors
Protesters gathered outside the Alaska State Capitol this morning, calling on U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan to oppose what organizers described as growing authoritarianism at the federal level.
“Juneau for Democracy is a group of Juneau residents who get together in care and resistance.” Said Volunteer Anjali Grantham, “We really are a network of people trying to live our democracy and protect our democracy.”
The rally’s theme was “We the People Do Not Consent.” Participants held signs and delivered speeches criticizing Sullivan’s positions on immigration enforcement, federal spending and voting requirements.
“We are finished with the silence, we are finished with complicity, we demand a leader who will fight for us, we demand courage.” Said Erin Jackson-Hill of Stand up Alaska.
Grantham said protesters were urging Sullivan to support additional congressional oversight of immigration enforcement agencies and to oppose policies they believe undermine constitutional rights, such as the deployment of federal officers in U.S. cities, and increased funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
“We’re going to make sure that Sullivan knows it’s despicable that he has voiced support for the SAVE act.” Grantham said, this is federal legislation that would require voters to provide proof of citizenship, like a passport or birth certificate, to cast a ballot.
“Can you imagine what that would mean for Rural Alaskans? In addition to many women who have changed their name after getting married.” She said.
Voting by noncitizens has been found to be exceedingly rare nationwide and in Alaska.
“He’s an attorney, and he has not only watched but actually facilitated the erosion of our First Amendment rights, our Fourth Amendment rights, our Fifth Amendment rights and our Eighth Amendment rights. He’s a military officer, but he’s also justified the deployment of troops to U.S. cities. He’s a senator, and he’s totally abandoned the role of the legislative branch. He’s had the audacity to tell Alaskans that we should be grateful to the regime, meanwhile, the federal government has become predatory on its own people.” Grantham said.
The rally was held before Dan Sullivan delivered his annual speech to the Alaska Legislature.
“We want him to be someone who is standing against authoritarianism and not paving the way for authoritarianism.” she said.
Megan Moroney is approaching the release of her third studio album, Cloud 9, with zero fear. There’s no denying that her fanbase is loyal to the core, and thanks to their unwavering support, the country star says she isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve and allow them to hear all of the vulnerable stories on the upcoming project.
Megan Moroney; Cloud 9
Serving as a co-writer on each of the 15 tracks, Moroney dives into experiences and emotions that were all pulled from real moments. Whether the Georgia native opening about love or heartbreak or the realities of life, she offers raw authenticity, something she knows her fans appreciate.
“I said this whole album with my chest,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I’m just like, it is what it is. I feel like I know I’ve got the best fans in the world, and they make me confident enough to where they’re going to get behind my songs, and they know that it’s coming from an honest, authentic place. And that just has given me more confidence as a songwriter to not give a crap what people are going to say about it.”
Prior to its February 20 release, listeners have gotten a few glimpses into the 15-track collection through songs like “Wish I Didn’t,” the GOLD-certified Country radio No. 1 smash “6 Months Later,” the Billboard Hot 100-charting Country radio hit “Beautiful Things,” and the title track.
Between these songs and the unreleased tracks Moroney has previewed across social media, it’s safe to say that fans are already getting eager to start singing them back to her on the upcoming Cloud 9 Tour.
Megan Moroney THE CLOUD 9 TOUR
The massive international headline trek will take Megan Moroney to some of the biggest arenas across North America, Europe, and the UK. She expressed a lot of excitement surround the run, teasing that the production will be on a completely new level.
“I can say that the thrust is in the shape of a nine. So that’s really fun. It’s so fun to, I’m like, what do you mean that I get to just ask for stuff and it gets done? I’m like, ‘how crazy would a nine thrust be?’ And they’re like, ‘oh, we could do that, easy.’ I’m like, ‘okay, period.’”
She went on to say that the atmosphere at every show will be best described as “dreamy” and “whimsical,” with plenty of exciting outfit changes to match. While there are still a few details to finalize, like the setlist, she promises fans it will be her “biggest and best tour yet.”
Moroney also recognizes the fact that the energy of her shows wouldn’t be the same without the room full of fans screaming back at her every night.
“My fans are just the best,” the “6 Months Later” singer gushed. “So getting to sing these songs every single night with them, even when I write the songs, one of my first thoughts is, ‘my fans are going to love this.’ And I think it’s an amazing connection that we have. I feel like my fans target audience is reached, you know what I mean? I have found my people.”
She continued, “I’m so excited. I love touring, and they make it really amazing. If they weren’t like they are, I don’t know if I could enjoy it as much as I do, just because touring is exhausting, mentally draining and you’re never home and you miss things, but they make it worth it. A hundred percent.”
Megan Moroney; Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Megan Moroney’s Am I Okay? Tour 2025
Cloud 9, Megan Moroney’s third studio album, will arrive on Friday, February 20. To celebrate she has announced the Meet Me on Cloud 9 limited run, which will find her performing in nine cities in nine days, bringing the brand-new collection of songs to life each night surrounded by her biggest supporters.
She will kick things off with an album release show in New York City and continue with stops in Richmond, Nashville, Athens, Newport, Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City and Scottsdale with tickets at just $9 a piece.
Earlier this month, Olympic athlete Lindsey Vonn suffered a terrible crash during an event.
Medics airlifted her off of Cortina d’Ampezzo. She has undergone multiple surgeries since then.
Unfortunately, things were even worse for her than the medical side of things.
Within hours of her crash, her beloved dog died.
Lindsey Vonn of Team United States crashes during the Women’s Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 08, 2026. (Photo Credit: Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images)
Two tragedies within hours of each other
On Wednesday, February 18, Olympic athlete Lindsey Vonn took to her Instagram page to share her heartbreak.
“Leo Vonn,” she began her caption. “2013-2/9/2026.”
Vonn wrote: “Leo has passed away and joined Lucy and Bear up in heaven.”
She expressed: “This has been an incredibly hard few days. Probably the hardest of my life.”
Vonn then admitted: “I still have not come to terms that he is gone.”
“The day I crashed, so did Leo,” Vonn pointed out, referring to her crash during the downhill at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Her complex tibial fracture required multiple surgeries before she even returned to the US.
“He had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer,” she shared, adding: “(He survived lymphoma a year and a half ago) but now his heart was failing him.”
Vonn acknowledged: “He was in pain and his body could no longer keep up with his strong mind.”
She recalled: “As I [lay] in my hospital bed the day after my crash, we said goodbye to my big boy.”
Vonn lamented: “I had lost so much that meant something to me in such a short amount of time. I can’t believe it.”
In a lengthy and mournful caption, Lindsey Vonn revealed the tragic passing of her beloved dog, Leo. (Image Credit: Instagram)
Leo will always be part of her story
“My boy has been with me since my second ACL injury, when I needed him most,” Vonn detailed.
“He held me on the sofa as I watched the Sochi Olympics,” she wrote. “He lifted me up when I was down.”
Vonn gushed: “He [lay] by me, and cuddle me, always making me feel safe and loved..”
She acknowledged: “We have been through so much together in 13 years.”
Vonn admitted: “It’s going to be a while before I emotionally process things but I know he will always be with me.”
“I know he’s up there with Lucy and Bear and my mom and grandparents and so many people I have lost in the past few years,” Vonn affirmed.
“And I takes solace knowing he’s not in pain anymore,” she added.
“There will never be another Leo,” Vonn mourned. “He will always be my first love.”
She then shared an update, that she would be: “Heading in for more surgery today.”
Vonn concluded: “Will be thinking of him when I close my eyes I will love you forever my big boy.”
Our hearts go out to her at this time. Though she will always feel this loss, we wish her a rapid and full physical recovery so that she can continue to process her grief.
The Daytona weekend had plenty of decisions — by both drivers and officials — that led to debate across the garage. So let’s dive in and get to the bottom of it. Here are my thoughts on six pressing decisions (including one which directly impacted the finish of the Daytona 500) across all three series: 6. Justin Allgaier move causing big wreck This one isn’t all that debatable, as Allgaier took full blame for the incident where he went for a lane that closed up with Denny Hamlin getting a fast run. The 2024 O’Reilly Series champion said there is a difference between how the runs come in that series (his full-time job) and the Cup Series. “I hate it for everybody else, but I’ll stand here and take the blame square on my shoulders,” Allgaier said. “The runs are just different [in Cup]. The willingness for guys to be aggressive in those moments are probably a little bit different on the Cup side. “Denny wins a lot of these races for a reason, and he’s great at what he does. I’m not upset he went there because he did what he thought he needed to do to put himself in the best position. I just wish I would have done it a little bit differently.” There is rarely a superspeedway race where no driver has a block or move gone bad. This one was on Allgaier’s shoulders. 5. NASCAR decision not to throw the caution NASCAR didn’t throw the caution on the final laps, despite wrecks in both the trucks and Cup races, allowing the races to end under green. Michael McDowell was involved in both. After the truck race, he told me he had no problem with the call as far as his car, since he never stopped moving. In the Cup race, more cars were involved in the wreck early in the final lap but cars either continued to move or were well on the apron. NASCAR didn’t throw the caution until the wreck at the front of the field was coming to the finish. The biggest question for NASCAR is how to remain consistent. With another drafting race coming up at Atlanta, that could be more difficult. A 1.5-mile track (laps are much shorter) with less runoff area means less time to allow the track to clear and less time to potentially start moving safety equipment before the pack returns to that spot. This will also bring up the debate on what warrants a caution on the final lap. I still believe that the final lap should be treated differently because fans come to see a race to the finish. As long as that can be done safely (and, of course, those parameters can be viewed differently). NASCAR needs to continue what it did this past weekend. 4. Cleetus McFarland truck approval NASCAR approved Cleetus McFarland to run the truck race at Daytona. He had run two superspeedway events in ARCA, including finishing the race at Talladega. But it was his first race in a truck. Mini Tyrrell had never raced ARCA or a truck but was approved as the Ram “Race for the Sea” winner. He just had to do the ARCA test and practice (and race, but the race was after the truck race). Tyrrell has several years of stock-car racing experience. McFarland had a handful of stock-car starts but is also a popular personality, especially on YouTube. Additionally, he owns a racetrack where he has events. Both drivers did make laps at Rockingham the week before Daytona in trying to learn more about the truck. And both of them were involved in wrecks in the truck race, but McFarland’s was viewed more for a lack of experience. NASCAR is in a tough spot with these decisions, as the marketing factors are difficult to ignore. It wouldn’t want to anger McFarland and his fans — the fans that NASCAR desperately wants and needs to grow the sport. And it wants to be open to new ideas from incoming manufacturers. I was OK with both. Significant stock-car experience, no matter the level, or at least some superspeedway experience, should be required for approval. And let’s face it, there are drivers out there who have raced for years who still have similar issues and questions about whether they are competent. 3. Fuel-mileage racing Only the diehard race fan who loves strategy enjoys fuel-mileage racing. Most fans want their driver to be all out. So watching Daytona and Talladega can be frustrating. The key is how to get the handling bad enough that drivers can make moves and pass but yet not so bad that it creates an unsafe situation. More horsepower? Less downforce? The fact that the end of the stages and the race are exciting makes this one of those situations where it would be great to fix. But it can’t come with major consequences of even more wrecks and more devastating wrecks at higher speeds. 2. Natalie Decker gets into Sam Mayer This one is the most perplexing. The wreck happened in the O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then, it was more than 10 seconds after Sam Mayer was involved in the accident before he slid up the track. Natalie Decker, in the high lane, ran into him. It certainly looked bad for Decker and it looked like she could have slowed more to potentially avoid hitting Mayer as he slid up the track, which would be unexpected. But Mayer didn’t blame her at all. And Mayer isn’t one to typically shy away from blaming someone. “The hood was up so I didn’t know which direction I was facing and my steering was gone,” Mayer said. “I couldn’t turn and I was trying to brake up the hill. I just couldn’t. … I hate it for her because she was clear of the wreck.” Decker’s struggles (she has seven lead-lap finishes in 46 national series starts) don’t encourage giving her the benefit of the doubt, but this one might look worse than it actually was. 1. Riley Herbst move at the finish line Brad Keselowski and his team were critical of Riley Herbst. Riley Herbst and his team were matter of fact that a driver makes moves to win the Daytona 500 and Keselowski has made moves in the past with that philosophy that caused wrecks. This is one where the optics look like “how in the world was that going to work,” but those type of moves are also the ones that we celebrate when they do work. Herbst told me he was trying to win the Daytona 500 (and it also appeared he didn’t want to push Chase Elliott by his teammate). Keselowski thought it was a stupid move. The worst part about it for Herbst is that it overshadowed a little bit of his contribution to his teammate’s Tyler Reddick’s win for 23XI Racing. The stupid moves are the ones that don’t work. The incredible moves are the ones that do. Which leads me to this question that is tough to answer: Is it possible to have a stupid move be acceptable when trying to make an incredible one? In Second Thoughts, Bob Pockrass offers his opinion on a burning motorsports topic.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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The defending Super Bowl champions are up for sale. After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Seattle Seahawks will be sold, the team announced on Wednesday. “The Estate of Paul G. Allen today announced it has commenced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all Estate proceeds to philanthropy,” the team announced. “The Estate has selected investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sale process, which is estimated to continue through the 2026 off-season. NFL owners must then ratify a final purchase agreement.” The Seahawks have been in the Allen family since 1997, when Paul Allen bought the Seahawks for $194 million from then-owner Ken Behring. Since Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, died in 2018 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 65, the Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers have been owned by his sister, Jody. The estate agreed in September to sell the Trail Blazers to an investment group led by Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. In the week leading up to Super Bowl LX, ESPN reported that it was anticipated that the Seahawks would go up for sale. They wound up defeating the New England Patriots, 29-13, to capture their second Super Bowl win in franchise history. With the Seahawks fresh off a Super Bowl title and becoming the latest team to hit the market, there’s been some speculation that this sale could be the richest in professional sports history. The sale of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025 broke the record for the richest sale in sports history at $10 billion. As for the richest sale in NFL history, the Washington Commanders were sold for $6.05 billion in 2024. The 2022 sale of the Denver Broncos is the second-richest sale in NFL history at $4.65 billion. The Seahawks were valued at $6.7 billion by Forbes in August, making them the 14th-highest valued NFL team. The Associated Press contributed to this report.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
