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SPORTS Tuesday 8 december 2020
AP source: Jets fire Gregg Williams after call costs 1st win

NEW YORK (AP) — Gregg veterans such as corner-
Williams' curious call cost back Pierre Desir and Quin-
the New York Jets their first cy Wilson not playing well.
win -- and the defensive But the Jets' defense had
coordinator his job. mostly done its job Sunday,
A person with direct knowl- including a fourth-down
edge of the decision told stop with 1:37 left. But af-
The Associated Press on ter the offense went three-
Monday that the Jets fired and-out with a chance to
Williams, whose stunning seal it, the defense took the
play call Sunday against field again — and Williams'
the Las Vegas Raiders was call cost New York.
highly criticized by fans, While it was a suspect de-
media and even his own cision by Williams, it wasn't
players. totally out of character. He
The still-winless Jets were has been known for taking
seconds away from their risks on defense, daring of-
first victory until Williams fenses to beat his blitzes
inexplicably called for an in key moments. This time,
all-out blitz against Las Ve- though, it had dire conse-
gas. Derek Carr heaved a quences for a team that
perfectly placed 46-yard In this June 4, 2019, file photo, New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams looks on as his was so close to finally get-
touchdown pass to Hen- players run drills at the team's NFL football training facility in Florham Park, N.J. ting a victory.
ry Ruggs III — who was in Associated Press "We just played the call
man-to-man, or Cover that the coaches called,"
Zero, coverage with rookie It all ended up costing Wil- a year by the league for on defense, but the Jets Maye said after the game.
cornerback Lamar Jackson liams his job. his role in the Saints' bounty have struggled this year "We've got to execute, but
— with 5 seconds left to lift The person spoke to the AP scandal. while ranking 29th in total you've got to help us out at
the Raiders to a 31-28 vic- on condition of anonym- It wasn't immediately clear defense and 30th in scor- the same time and be in a
tory. ity Monday because the who would take over call- ing defense. Williams had better call at that spot."
It left the Jets players, team hadn't announced ing the defense for the to deal with star safety Ja- Williams is the first coach on
who only moments ear- the move. Jets, who are 0-12 and are mal Adams being traded Gase's staff to be fired, but
lier were celebrating what The 62-year-old Williams four losses from joining the to Seattle during the sum- likely won't be the last. The
appeared to be a win, in had been the Jets' defen- 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 mer, linebacker C.J. Mosley Jets are expected to also
shock on the sideline. Team sive coordinator the past Cleveland Browns — where opting out because of CO- fire Gase after this season,
captain Marcus Maye took two seasons under Adam Williams was the defen- VID-19 concerns, and line- setting up what should be
an uncharacteristic swipe Gase. He has had several sive coordinator — as the backer Avery Williamson a busy offseason that will
at Williams after the game, stops through the NFL dur- NFL's only 0-16 teams.The dealt to Pittsburgh in the include a coaching search
saying that the defense ing a 30-year career, in- no-nonsense Williams has middle of the season. and likely having the No. 1
should have been in a bet- cluding with New Orleans, made a career of being There were several injuries overall pick in the NFL draft
ter call in that situation. where he was suspended an aggressive play caller to contend with, and other in April.q

Breakdancing gets Olympic status to debut at Paris in 2024

By GRAHAM DUNBAR tions: The slate of 329 med- les Games, by claiming it
AP Sports Writer al events in Paris is 10 fewer will hit a long-term target of
GENEVA (AP) — Break- than in Tokyo, and the ath- equal participation by men
dancing became an offi- lete quota in 2024 of 10,500 and women athletes, and
cial Olympic sport on Mon- is around 600 less than next more urbanized events.
day. year. With Paris organizers need-
The International Olym- Two sports with troubled ing time to prepare their
pic Committee's pursuit governing bodies — boxing project, the IOC kept to its
of urban events to lure a and weightlifting — saw the pre-pandemic schedule to
younger audience saw biggest cuts to the number confirm the 2024 sports line-
street dance battles offi- of athletes they can have up this month even before
cially added to the medal in Paris. some are tested in Tokyo.
events program at the 2024 Weightlifting should have Breakdancing will be called
Paris Games. 120 athletes in Paris, which breaking at the Olympics,
Also confirmed for Paris by is less than half of its total as it was in the 1970s by hip-
the IOC executive board at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro hop pioneers in the United
were skateboarding, sport Games. States. In this Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020 file photo, Carlos Cruz, a break-
dancer, practices at a kiosk in Alameda park after being closed
climbing, and surfing. The sport could be dropped It was proposed by Paris or- off to the public for nearly five months due to the new coronavi-
Those three sports will make entirely due to its historic ganizers almost two years rus pandemic, in Mexico City.
their Olympic debuts at the doping problems and IOC ago after positive trials at Associated Press
Tokyo Games which were concerns over the pace the 2018 Youth Olympics
postponed because of the and depth of reform at the in Buenos Aires. Break- In Paris, breaking has been than 15,000 kilometers
coronavirus pandemic by International Weightlifting ing passed further stages given a prestige downtown (9,000 miles) away in the
one year to open on July Federation. of approval in 2019 from venue, joining sport climb- Pacific Ocean off the
23, 2021. The IOC stressed its future separate decisions by the ing and 3-on-3 basketball beaches of Tahiti, as the
Alongside the additions, priorities for Paris, and be- IOC board and full mem- at Place de le Concorde. IOC already agreed in
the IOC made subtrac- yond to the 2028 Los Ange- bership. Surfing will be held more March. q