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sports Dialuna 16 november 2020

Mir wins first MotoGP title at Valencia Grand Prix

(AP) — Joan Mir won the Dovizioso also had a math-
MotoGP title for the first ematical chance to win the
time with a seventh-place title.
finish at the Valencia This year’s title race was wide
Grand Prix on Sunday. open after six-time champion
Marc Márquez was sidelined
Pole-sitter Franco Morbidelli because of an injury. There
won the race for this third have been nine different
victory of the season, but it winners this season, with five
was not enough to keep Mir first-time winners.
from securing the title with The MotoGP season was
one race to go. The season- shortened and had its calen-
finale will take place in Por- dar severely altered because
tugal next week. of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I can’t believe this has hap- Mir moved up a place at the
pened,” Mir said. “I’m so start on Sunday and gradually
tired that I don’t have the moved to the front. Quar-
strength to celebrate. I don’t tararo, a three-time winner
have any words for this mo- this year who started 11th on
ment.” the grid, went wide early and
dropped to the back of the
The 23-year-old Spanish pack, then crashed out of the
rider with Suzuki, only in race with less than 20 laps to
his second MotoGP season, go.
started from 12th place on er contenders. 20 years. Mir won his first He entered Sunday’s race Johann Zarco, who started
the grid and needed nothing Morbidelli moved to second MotoGP race last weekend at with a 37-point advantage fourth on the grid, crashed
more than a top-three finish in the standings, with Álex the same Ricardo Tormo cir- over both Suzuki teammate early in the race, while Takaa-
to clinch the title. He also Rins third. cuit near Valencia and earned Álex Rins and Fabio Quar- ki Nakagami fell near the end
could have lifted the trophy Mir's success also gave Su- seven podium finishes in 13 tararo of Yamaha. Morbidelli, while seeking his first podi-
by finishing ahead of the oth- zuki its first MotoGP title in races. Maverick Viñales and Andrea um finish.

Vikings-Bears game stirs college memories for Cousins, Foles

(AP) — Kirk Cousins re- Cousins is a two-time Pro commitment to Arizona State
members signing to play Bowl quarterback who land- following a coaching change,
for Michigan State, then ed what was then the big- seemed to have the early lead
finding out a few weeks gest contract in NFL history over Cousins with his size —
later some prospect from when he left Washington to he was listed at 6-foot-5 and
football-obsessed Texas sign a three-year, fully-guar- arm strength. He played in
was joining the Spartans anteed $84 million contract a game against Alabama-Bir-
as part of Mark Dantonio's with Minnesota in 2018. He mingham. Cousins bulked
first recruiting class. agreed to a two-year, $66 up during a redshirt season
million contract extension in and narrowed the gap.
It wasn't a good feeling. March.
A few weeks after the spring
Nick Foles set all sorts of Foles was the MVP of the game, Keith Nichol trans-
records previously held by Philadelphia Eagles' Super ferred from Oklahoma after
Drew Brees at Westlake High Bowl 52 victory over Tom losing a competition with
School in Austin. Cousins, Brady and the New England Sam Bradford. Foles then an-
lightly recruited out of Hol- Patriots. After an injury-filled nounced he was leaving, and
land, Mich., figured his own season in Jacksonville where went on to excel for three
chances at playing were about he lost his starting job, he seasons at Arizona.
as good as completing a Hail got traded to Chicago in the with coach Matt Nagy hand- spot. A big reason is their star
Mary. offseason and took over for Cousins, meanwhile, started ing those duties to coordina- running back.
Mitchell Trubisky midway for three years at Michigan tor Bill Lazor in an effort to
The former college team- through a victory at Atlanta State, leading the Spartans spark a unit that ranks among Cook has been on quite a
mates will be on opposite in Week 3. to two 11-win seasons and a the NFL's worst. Chicago roll the past two games, with
sides when Cousins and the spot in the inaugural Big Ten will also try to contain anoth- 478 yards and six TDs from
resurgent Minnesota Vi- But in 2007, Cousins and championship game. He fin- er top running back in NFL scrimmage. He ran for a ca-
kings (3-5) visit Foles and the Foles were freshmen com- ished his career as their all- rushing leader Dalvin Cook reer-high 206 yards and two
struggling Chicago Bears (5- peting to back up then-junior time leader in yards passing after holding Tennessee’s touchdowns in a 34-20 vic-
4) on Monday night. Brian Hoyer. (9,131), completions (723) Derrick Henry to 68 yards. tory over the Lions last week.
“I remember looking up on “Kirk’s always been a really and touchdown passes (66).
a website to just learn about talented player, even then at “I’m just so glad it all worked Minnesota has lost four “Just turning it loose," Cook
him, and he had played in the Michigan State,” Foles said. out for me. It all worked out straight games to Chicago. said. "Just trying to do it all
Texas state championship at “Hard worker. Would always for Nick," he said. "He’s got And the Vikings have really for my team to get a win. Ob-
the biggest division,” Cous- do the little extra things — what I’m chasing, which struggled at Soldier Field, viously, we started this thing
ins said. “He had broken all work in the weight room, is a Super Bowl ring, so in losing 14 of 17 since the sta- behind the 8-ball. And like I
of Drew Brees’ records at his film. We had a couple classes that sense on Monday night, dium reopened in 2003 fol- said last week, we lost some
high school, and I thought together. Just a really smart we’re still competing just like lowing renovations. games that we weren’t sup-
to myself, ‘I’m screwed. I’ll guy. We were only there a we were back in 2007.” Minnesota, meanwhile, ap- posed to lose, and we know
never play at Michigan State year together, but not sur- pears to be steadying itself af- that. We’re just trying to play
with a guy like this.’” prised at all with the success It won't be all about the quar- ter a 1-5 start. Victories over catch-up, and I’m just trying
he’s had.” terbacks on Monday night. Green Bay and Detroit fol- to give my team a fighting
Both players wound up doing The Bears will have a dif- lowing a bye have the Vikings chance. You’ve got to com-
just fine for themselves. Foles, who backed out of a ferent play-caller on offense, in contention for a playoff mend the guys up front.”