Page 24 - Florida Sentinel 12-25-18

Sports
Seahawks Coach
LeBron James’ Groin Injury Is Not Serious
Pete Carroll Signs
Multi-Year Extension
LeBron James exited Tuesday’s Los Angeles Lak- ers-Golden State Warriors game with a groin injury, but the injury is not believed to be serious.
According to sources, James only has a slight groin strain and everything is intact.
James is expected to un- dergo an MRI on his groin nonetheless to see the extent of his injury. He is consid- ered day-to-day.
DJ Swearinger Has Interesting Plan For Pro Bowl
DJ SWEARINGER
DJ Swearinger is in an usual position: He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate this season, but he was recently cut by the Washington Red- skins. That has led him to have an interesting plan if he plays in the Pro Bowl.
Swearinger said he may try to wear a South Carolina jersey and helmet if he gets to play in the Pro Bowl.
Swearinger’s reasoning is simple: He played college ball at South Carolina and currently does not have an NFL team.
The former second-round pick was in his second season with Washington — his third team since being drafted in 2013. He had 52 tackles, a sack and four interceptions this season. He was cut by Washington for ignoring in- structions to stop criticizing the coaches.
James tweaked his groin while trying to chase a ball he had lost on an offensive possession in the third quar- ter. He was seen saying he “felt a pop,” which instantly led to concerns that the in- jury was serious.
James’ streak of 156 straight games including the playoffs could be in jeop- ardy.
The Lakers’ next game will be on Thursday night at Sacramento.
Fresh off a defeat of the formidable Chiefs, the Sea- hawks not only secured a playoff berth but also their coach.
The team announced Monday that they came to an agreement with long-time coach Pete Carroll on a contract extension through the 2021 season. The deal will keep Carroll in Seattle until he's 70 years old — at 67, he's already the oldest ac- tive coach in the NFL.
The contract will pay Carroll more than $11 mil- lion per season, which will make him one of the highest
PETE CARROLL
paid coaches in the league, according to a report from NFL Network, which cites unidentified league sources.
LEBRON JAMES
College Playoff This Weekend - Alabama Vs Oklahoma And Clemson Vs Notre Dame
Victor Oladipo Gives Car He Won To Domestic Violence Survivor
The matchups for the Col- lege Football Playoff are fi- nally set. Here's an early preview of what to expect when Alabama faces Okla- homa and Notre Dame squares off against Clemson.
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Dec. 29, 4 p.m. or 8 p.m. (ESPN & ESPN App)
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
Two of college football's most storied programs. A dream quarterback matchup, pitting the two Heisman front-runners against each other. The nation's top two offenses squaring off.
Oklahoma taking on Ala- bama figures to be one of the most compelling semifinal showdowns of the playoff era.
The defending national champion Crimson Tide will be the heavy favorites after winning every game during the regular season by at least 22 points before rallying past Georgia in the SEC champi- onship game in dramatic fashion.
While the Crimson Tide have been dominant on both sides of the ball yet again, they've been a different mon-
ster offensively than past sea- sons because of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. In his first season as the full-time starter, Tagovailoa passed for 37 touchdowns with only four interceptions.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Dec. 29, 4 p.m. or 8 p.m. (ESPN & ESPN App)
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
The last time these two teams met in 2015, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney brought his own guts, Mother Nature brought torrential downpours and the Fighting Irish brought the eventual national runner-up to the brink of an upending home loss before falling just short on a failed two-point conver- sion in the final seconds.
Notre Dame hasn't sniffed a title shot since 2012, when Brian Kelly juggled a pair of quarterbacks through an un- defeated regular season on the path from South Bend to South Beach. That didn't go so well for the Irish, who have upgraded their athleticism since Alabama firmly put them in their place to claim the national championship that year.
Indiana Pacers guard Vic- tor Oladipo, who won a car for being voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season, proved himself to be a Most Inspirational Human Being on Sunday.
The basketball star gave away the Kia SUV to a sur- vivor of domestic violence.
“I think you’re an inspira- tion to so many people and you’re a survivor,” Oladipo told Renita Hills in a score- board video message before the game, in which the Pacers hosted the Washington Wiz- ards.
“Surprise!” Oladipo added. “This car is for you.”
VICTOR OLADIPO
Then the Pacers’ mascot Boomer handed over the keys.
Hills, who now works for an Indianapolis center that assists battered women, was shocked and thrilled.
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