Latest news with #FinalFours
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longtime Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay dies at 65
Longtime Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay died on Wednesday, the franchise announced. He was 65. Specifics of his death are not yet known, though Irsay has dealt with various health issues in recent years. The Colts said that Irsay 'passed away peacefully in his sleep' on Wednesday afternoon. — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 21, 2025 "Jim's dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed," the team said in a statement, in part. "Some of Jim's fondest memories came from his youth working training camps in Baltimore and growing relationships with players, coaches and staff whom he considered his extended family ... Simply put, he wanted to make the world a better place and that philosophy never wavered. Jim will be deeply missed by his family, the Colts organization and fans everywhere, but we remain inspired by his caring and unique spirit." Irsay took over the Colts officially in 1997, when he inherited them from his father. He was 37 at the time, though he first started as an executive with the franchise in 1984 when his dad, Robert Irsay, still owned the team. Robert first acquired the franchise in 1972 for about $12 million in a deal that essentially swapped his ownership of the Los Angeles Rams. He relocated the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis the same year that Jim started working there. The Colts had several great runs under Irsay's watch, most notably during the 2006 campaign when quarterback Peyton Manning and head coach Tony Dungy led them to a Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears. That was the team's first Super Bowl win since 1970. The Colts made it back to the Super Bowl three seasons later before falling to the New Orleans Saints in that contest. Irsay also oversaw the transition into Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts moved in 2008. That stadium has become a staple in sports, holding events like the Super Bowl, the Big Ten football championship game, Final Fours and the NFL scouting combine. Irsay struggled with drugs and alcohol throughout his life, and he was very open about it. He checked into a rehab center in 2014 after an arrest on driving under the influence and possession charges, which was one of 15 times in his life he had been to rehab. He revealed in 2023 that a past overdose stopped his breathing and almost killed him. He was found unresponsive in his home in December 2023 of a suspected overdose. Irsay's public appearances dwindled after that. The Colts revealed in January 2024 that he was battling a 'severe respiratory illness' after he wasn't seen publicly in weeks. Amid his struggles, the Irsay family has donated more than $25 million in recent years to organizations dedicated to mental health and addiction work. Irsay was also an avid collector. He purchased plenty of rare items for his collection, like an Elton John piano to classic guitars to a Muhammad Ali championship belt. His collection of more than 500 items even drew an offer from a bidder in the Middle East for more than $1 billion, he told ESPN last year, though he declined. Irsay also had his own band, the "Jim Irsay Band," and played frequently. Irsay's love for the Colts and sports throughout Indianapolis as a whole never wavered. He even posted about the Indiana Pacers — who opened their Eastern Conference finals series with the New York Knicks on Wednesday night — on social media a few hours before his death. Go PACERS. Good luck to Herb, the entire @Pacers organization, and our city! 💪❤️ — Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) May 21, 2025 Irsay is survived by his three daughters, his ex-wife and mother of his children, Meg Coyle, and 10 grandchildren. Irsay said he planned to pass the team onto his children after his death, and all three of them were given an ownership title in 2012. They have held active roles in the organization, though Irsay's specific succession plan is not publicly known. "We are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay's passing today," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement, in part. "Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts and the Indianapolis community. He spent his life and career in the National Football League ... On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim's daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL." Several former Colts players — including Manning, Reggie Wayne and TY Hilton — and others in the team's orbit spoke out and paid tribute to Irsay after his death on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Peyton Manning (@peytonmanning) RIP MR. IRSAY🙏🏾 — Marvin Harrison Jr. (@MarvHarrisonJr) May 22, 2025 This hurts my soul.... — Reggie Wayne (@ReggieWayne_17) May 21, 2025 🙏🏾🕊️ — DeForest Buckner (@DeForestBuckner) May 21, 2025 A generous man that LOVED his Family, Community and Football team. Jim Irsay will truly be missed. 🖤🕊️ — Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) May 21, 2025 Please don't ask me if I'm ok. Cuz I'm not. Thank You Sooo Much I will forever hold our talks close to my heart. Love You! RIP 🥹🥹🥹🥹😢😢 — TY Hilton (@TYHilton13) May 22, 2025
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago Bears shifting their stadium focus to Arlington Heights
The Chicago Bears are shifting focus to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, a project that would depend on state legislation allowing for negotiated financing of large-scale development projects. 'Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality,' the team said in a statement to the Tribune on Friday. The Bears said they will not seek state funding for the stadium. The stadium would be part of a 326-acre mixed use development that would include an entertainment district that would help fund the deal. It would be dependent on reaching agreement with local taxing bodies over property taxes, infrastructure funding and other financial aspects. The Bears' decision to turn its attention back on building a stadium complex in Arlington Heights opens the latest, but likely not the final, chapter in a stadium saga that has percolated across the region for years. The Bears have played in Chicago ever since the signature NFL franchise moved from Decatur in the early 1920s, but the team's two main homes in the city — Wrigley Field and Soldier Field — have always been owned by others, and neither has been a perfect fit for the team. Should the team move forward with relocating to the former Arlington International Racecourse site, the Bears would have significantly more control not only over the stadium that would be built but the surrounding acres. The move would also mean the team is turning its back on officially hosting its home games in the city of Chicago, which would bruise the city's ego and be a political hit for Mayor Brandon Johnson. On Friday, Johnson's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While it would be a hit to the mayor, the relocation wouldn't come as a total surprise. The Bears two years ago purchased the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse property and cleared the area, demolishing its grandstand and several other buildings. The franchise's plan — included in a 'preliminary master plan vision' — included a domed stadium surrounded by a hall of fame, a store and a tailgating green, with an expansive entertainment district nearby. The team declared the site would be a year-round destination that could host Super Bowls, Final Fours, big college football games, concerts and more. Arlington Heights' new mayor, Jim Tinaglia, recently told the Tribune he embraced the master plan and envisioned 'a place for people to visit, enjoy, experience, spend money and then leave. And then the next people would come, enjoy, spend money and then leave.' While the Bears owned the land in Arlington Heights, they also continued to work on trying to stay in the city, last spring unveiling a roughly $5 billion plan with Johnson to build a domed stadium just south of Soldier Field. But those plans quickly hit a wall because it required state funding and support from lawmakers in Springfield. Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders in the legislature greeted the proposal with skepticism. Even before Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren joined the team in early 2023 and pivoted focus back to building a new stadium on the lakefront, Pritzker had repeatedly made it clear he was wary of providing public funds to help a professional sports franchise build a new stadium. Nevertheless, the Bears maintained their pitch for a stadium in the shadow of the current Soldier Field, asking the state to take on $900 million in new debt and spend $1.5 billion on infrastructure improvements to help make the team's vision of a domed stadium on a revamped lakefront a reality. The proposal included additional refinancing and borrowing through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority that the agency's CEO estimated could cost $4.8 billion over 40 years. The shift of focus back to Arlington Heights became more apparent this spring when Warren told the Tribune at the NFL owners meeting in Florida that the team's 'focus now is both downtown and Arlington Heights.' While losing the Bears would be a major political loss for Johnson after he gave his full-throated endorsement for the team's lakefront plan, many observers long expected the team ultimately would decamp for Arlington Heights after spending $197 million to purchase the racetrack property. But the team will likely still look to state lawmakers for help with the project, even if it's in the northwest suburbs. One of the holdups with the move to Arlington Heights was a dispute with the village and local school districts over property taxes on the property. The Bears agreed late last year to pay a reduced property tax bill of $3.6 million to settle the issue, but the team and the local taxing bodies also agreed to lobby state lawmakers for legislation that would deliver more certainty on real estate taxes for decades into the future. Such proposals have been introduced in Springfield multiple times in recent years but have stalled. With state lawmakers grappling with the most difficult budget situation they've faced since at least the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's unclear whether there will be any movement on a proposal that would smooth the Bears' path to Arlington Heights before the legislature's scheduled adjournment at the end of the month. But one pending measure from state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, an Arlington Heights Democrat and former village trustee, would freeze property tax assessments for designated 'mega projects' and allow governments to negotiate with property owners over what the tax bills would be. 'This is not a bill about the Chicago Bears,' Canty said Tuesday. 'This bill actually doesn't speak at all to any particular development, developmental location.' Still, the deal could be beneficial for a massive Bears stadium project in Arlington Heights. The legislation calls for creating a new tool to help local governments across the state pursue a 'game-changing type of development that will spur something new in their community.' 'It's not for (the Bears) in one location,' Canty said. 'It is relevant to any community across the state of Illinois, as it should be as a state statute, right? So, yes, would they be able to try and take advantage of it with local municipalities? Sure, but that could happen in Rockford. It could happen in Arlington Heights. It could happen in the city of Chicago.'
Chicago Tribune
16-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Bears shifting their stadium focus to Arlington Heights
The Chicago Bears are shifting focus to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, a project that would depend on state legislation allowing for negotiated financing of large-scale development projects. 'Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality,' the team said in a statement to the Tribune on Friday. The stadium would be part of a 326-acre mixed use development that would include an entertainment district that would help fund the deal. It would be dependent on reaching agreement with local taxing bodies over property taxes, infrastructure funding and other financial aspects. The Bears' decision to turn its attention back on building a stadium complex in Arlington Heights opens the latest, but likely not the final, chapter in a stadium saga that has percolated across the region for years. The Bears have played in Chicago ever since the signature NFL franchise moved from Decatur in the early 1920s, but the team's two main homes in the city — Wrigley Field and Soldier Field — have always been owned by others, and neither has been a perfect fit for the team. Should the team move forward with relocating to the former Arlington International Racecourse site, the Bears would have significantly more control not only over the stadium that would be built but the surrounding acres. The move would also mean the team is turning its back on officially hosting its home games in the city of Chicago, which would bruise the city's ego and be a political hit for Mayor Brandon Johnson. On Friday, Johnson's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While it would be a hit to the mayor, the relocation wouldn't come as a total surprise. The Bears two years ago purchased the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse property and cleared the area, demolishing its grandstand and several other buildings. The franchise's plan – included in a 'preliminary master plan vision' – included a domed stadium surrounded by a hall of fame, a store and a tailgating green, with an expansive entertainment district nearby. The team declared the site would be a year-round destination that could host Super Bowls, Final Fours, big college football games, concerts and more. Arlington Heights' new mayor, Jim Tinaglia, recently told the Tribune he embraced the master plan and envisioned 'a place for people to visit, enjoy, experience, spend money and then leave. And then the next people would come, enjoy, spend money and then leave.' While the Bears owned the land in Arlington Heights, they also continued to work on trying to stay in the city, last spring unveiling a roughly $5 billion plan with Johnson to build a domed stadium just south of Soldier Field. But those plans quickly hit a wall because it required state funding and support from lawmakers in Springfield. Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders in the legislature greeted the proposal with skepticism. Even before Warren joined the team in early 2023 and pivoted focus back to building a new stadium on the lakefront, Pritzker had repeatedly made it clear he was wary of providing public funds to help a professional sports franchise build a new stadium. Nevertheless, the Bears maintained their pitch for a stadium in the shadow of the current Soldier Field, asking the state to take on $900 million in new debt and spend $1.5 billion on infrastructure improvements to help make the team's vision of a domed stadium on a revamped lakefront a reality. The proposal included additional refinancing and borrowing through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority that the agency's CEO estimated could cost $4.8 billion over 40 years. The shift of focus back to Arlington Heights became more apparent this spring when Warren told the Tribune at the NFL owners meeting in Florida that the team's 'focus now is both downtown and Arlington Heights.' While losing the Bears would be a major political loss for Johnson after he gave his full-throated endorsement for the team's lakefront plan, many observers long expected the team ultimately would decamp for Arlington Heights after spending $197 million to purchase the racetrack property. But the team will likely still look to state lawmakers for help with the project, even if it's in the northwest suburbs. One of the holdups with the move to Arlington Heights was a dispute with the village and local school districts over property taxes on the property. The Bears agreed late last year to pay a reduced property tax bill of $3.6 million to settle the issue, but the team and the local taxing bodies also agreed to lobby state lawmakers for legislation that would deliver more certainty on real estate taxes for decades into the future. Such proposals have been introduced in Springfield multiple times in recent years but have stalled. With state lawmakers grappling with the most difficult budget situation they've faced since at least the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's unclear whether there will be any movement on a proposal that would smooth the Bears' path to Arlington Heights before the legislature's scheduled adjournment at the end of the month. But one pending measure from state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, an Arlington Heights Democrat and former village trustee, would freeze property tax assessments for designated 'mega projects' and allow governments to negotiate with property owners over what the tax bills would be. 'This is not a bill about the Chicago Bears,' Canty said Tuesday. 'This bill actually doesn't speak at all to any particular development, developmental location.' Still, the deal could be beneficial for a massive Bears stadium project in Arlington Heights. The legislation calls for creating a new tool to help local governments across the state pursue a 'game-changing type of development that will spur something new in their community.' 'It's not for (the Bears) in one location,' Canty said. 'It is relevant to any community across the state of Illinois, as it should be as a state statute, right? So, yes, would they be able to try and take advantage of it with local municipalities? Sure, but that could happen in Rockford. It could happen in Arlington Heights. It could happen in the city of Chicago.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pros and cons of Los Angeles Sparks taking South Carolina's Sania Feagin in 2025 WNBA Draft
South Carolina women's basketball forward Sania Feagin was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 21st overall pick in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft on April 14. Feagin was there live in the audience at The Shed at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New York, sitting at a table with her mother, Sherri, her younger brother and her aunt and uncle. Advertisement Coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina coaching staff were there as well to support Feagin. Feagin was the third South Carolina player to be taken in the draft, joining Te-Hina Paopao (No. 18, Atlanta Dream) and Bree Hall (No. 20, Indiana Fever). Feagin started every game this season for the Gamecocks, who lost to UConn in the national championship game on April 6. She averaged 8.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and shot a team-high 60% from the field this season. The positives for South Carolina's Sania Feagin Feagin is a proven winner. She spent four years under Staley, one of the most accomplished coaches, and she came out of the program as one of the most successful players. Advertisement She made four Final Fours, is a four-time SEC regular-season champion, a two-time national champion and finished with a 144-7 overall record. That experience will be a huge asset when she joins her new teammates and in a new program. Her crisp short jumper separates her as a versatile shooter and she can hit 3-pointers, which expands her usage as a forward. Feagin runs the floor well and has good court vision, joining quick guards in a pick-and-roll game, and sees taller players for dump-off passes. She can play on-ball defense and keep up with faster guards. She averaged 1.5 blocks per game this season. She grew into a leader and more confident player, so if that carries into the next level, she will flourish at the right time. She's coachable, and Staley praised her work ethic and passion all season. The concerns for South Carolina's Sania Feagin Feagin is a bit undersized at 6-foot-3, and her rebounding sometimes suffers against taller players. Advertisement Coaches and scouts might look at her scoring average of 8.1 points a game this season and wonder if she can produce at a higher clip. As a rookie, she likely will have fewer minutes on the court than what she had as a senior at South Carolina. Final thoughts Staley said that Feagin has always been one of her most talented post players, with skill, drive and heart, which translate to dominance on the court. She has the offensive talent and defensive effort to compete in the WNBA, and if she can build on the success she had at South Carolina, she could have a long professional career. Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@ and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin This article originally appeared on Greenville News: LA Sparks pick South Carolina's Sania Feagin in 2025 WNBA Draft
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn basketball assistant Chad Prewett announces departure to pursue ministry
AUBURN — After nearly 11 years with the Auburn basketball program, and two seasons as an assistant coach, Chad Prewett announced his departure from Bruce Pearl's staff on Wednesday, May 14. Prewett, who has coached at multiple levels, is leaving the profession altogether, he said. He's turning to ministry after three decades in basketball. "This decision comes with deep reflection, prayer, and peace, knowing it's time to follow where God is leading me next," Prewett said in a statement he posted to social media. Advertisement Prewett's decade-plus on the Plains spanned all but three months of Pearl's Auburn tenure, giving him a front-row seat to the program's overhaul. That includes 244 victories, six NCAA Tournament appearances, five conference championships, and two Final Fours. "I may be stepping away from the court, but I will always bleed orange and blue," Prewett said in his statement. "Once an Auburn Tiger, always an Auburn Tiger." Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball assistant coach announces departure from program
