The New York Times - Sports

1. Final Thoughts From the Last Night of the First 12-Team College Football Playoff

   Ohio State’s $20 million roster did exactly what it intended and kept it interesting along the way, a columnist for The Athletic writes.

2. A 3-by-5 Notecard Explains Everything About Andy Reid’s Leadership

   The card with two words on it sits behind the Kansas City coach’s desk and sums up his extraordinary success.

3. The Dodgers Won the World Series. Then They Spent Nearly Half a Billion Dollars.

   It’s been 25 years since an M.L.B. team won back-to-back titles, but Los Angeles is unfazed.

4. A Way-Too-Early Look at Next Season’s College Football Title Contenders

   A coach who has a reputation for losing big games will have no excuses in 2025, a columnist for The Athletic writes.

5. Novak Djokovic Beats Carlos Alcaraz to Reach Australian Open Semifinals

   Djokovic, a 10-time Australian Open champion, reconfigured his tactics to secure the victory.

6. Why a Pitcher Purposefully Cost Himself $500,000 With an Ejection

   To CC Sabathia, being a great teammate meant everything — even if it meant defying a manager’s orders.

7. ESPN Spent Years Courting Nick Saban, and It All Paid Off

   “Whenever he makes a comment, everybody listens,” the lead producer of “College Gameday” said of the longtime college football coach.

8. A New Women’s Basketball League Is an Instant Hit. Now Comes the Hard Part.

   Unrivaled filled its rosters with W.N.B.A. All-Stars and found deep-pocketed investors. Up next: a bigger audience.

9. When Real Madrid Signed a Soccer Prodigy and It Did Not Work Out

   Ten years ago, the team presented Martin Odegaard to the media after beating Europe’s biggest clubs. But he made little impact.