Football is still king in America, but almost nobody wants to insure it. NPR’s Audie Cornish talks with ESPN’s Steve Fainaru about the growing crisis that could topple the U.S.’s most popular sport.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay celebrates with Greg Zuerlein after a game-winning field goal during overtime of the NFL’s NFC championship game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
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David J. Phillip/AP
The Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots will face off in this year’s Super Bowl after winning the NFC and AFC conference championships, respectively, on Sunday.
The Rams, who overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Saints, last played in the Super Bowl in 2002 — against none other than the Patriots. The St. Louis Rams won the NFL title two years before that.
The Patriots defeated the Chiefs to return to the Super Bowl for a third consecutive year.
Los Angeles Rams beat New Orleans Saints
Two field goals, a crucial interception and a widely contested pass interference call from officials, helped the Rams oust the Saints.
What the team lacked offensively, Greg Zuerlein made up for with timely kicking. In the final 15 seconds of regulation, the placekicker booted a tying 48-yard kick, sending the game into overtime. In the extra period, Zuerlein nailed a 57-yard field goal to seal a 26-23 victory.
On the first drive of overtime, the Saints lost possession after safety John Johnson III picked off Drew Brees’ lofty pass meant for wide receiver Michael Thomas.
“It’s unbelievable, man. I can’t put it into words,” Rams quarterback Jared Goff told The Associated Press. “The defense played the way they did to force it to overtime. The defense gets a pick and Greg makes a 57-yarder to win it. That was good from about 70. Unbelievable.”
One call cast a long shadow over the game. Referees failed to call what both Saints supporters and sports analysts overwhelmingly perceived as a pass interference penalty against the Rams. With the score at 20-20 in the fourth quarter, Drew Brees’ pass to Tommylee Lewis fell to the ground after he was hit by Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman.
“I don’t know if there was ever [a] more obvious pass interference,” New Orleans coach Sean Payton told reporters after the game.
After the game the NFL confirmed in a call to Payton that referees made the wrong call, according to USA Today.
As the AP reports, “It was the first home playoff loss for the Saints with Brees and coach Sean Payton, who had been 6-0 in those games since their pairing began in 2006.”
The Rams will now play against the Patriots for the NFL title.
New England Patriots beat Kansas City Chiefs
In another playoff game settled in overtime, the Patriots held off the Chiefs to grab a spot in the Super Bowl for the third straight season.
After New England dominated the first half in a frigid Kansas City, the Chiefs took the lead thanks to Damien Williams’ third touchdown run of the game, forcing a frantic fourth quarter.
With 39 seconds left, running back Rex Burkhead was able to lift the Patriots ahead 31-28 — the fourth lead change of the fourth quarter.
Down to 8 seconds, Harrison Butker wrestled back the points for the Chiefs with a 39-yard field goal, taking the rally into overtime at 31-31.
The Patriots then won the coin toss to start overtime. It was the final boost New England needed for a shot at defending their NFL title. Quarterback Tom Brady kicked off a game-winning drive as Rex Burkhead took the ball for a touchdown, sealing a 37-31 victory over the Chiefs.
“Overtime, on the road against a great team,” Brady told the AP. “They had no quit. Neither did we. We played our best football at the end. I don’t know, man, I’m tired. That was a hell of a game.”
The Big Game
The Rams and the Patriots will contend for the title of Super Bowl LIII champs at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Feb. 3, airing on CBS.
Gladys Knight is scheduled to sing the national anthem. As for the intermission from nail-biting plays, pop band Maroon 5, rapper Travis Scott and Atlanta’s own Big Boi will perform at halftime.
Scott Simon speaks with sports correspondent Tom Goldman about the NFL conference championship games on Sunday, and how concussions are limiting insurance options in the league.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Time now for sports.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SIMON: We are so close to the Super Bowl now that we can smell the nachos. The NFL’s conference championship games are tomorrow. We’re joined now by NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Tom, thanks so much for being with us.
TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Not eating nachos this early but hello, Scott.
SIMON: Let’s start with the early game – Rams-Saints. They met earlier this season. The Saints handed the Rams their first loss of the season. It was a high-scoring game – 45-35. But I gather tomorrow’s match, as so often happens in the playoffs, comes down to defense.
GOLDMAN: Yes, it may. And I’m going to throw out a couple of names of defensive players who could have significant impact. May and could, Scott. I’m feeling bold today.
SIMON: Yeah.
GOLDMAN: Aqib Talib – a veteran defensive back for the Rams who was missing from that earlier game you talked about, and the Saints had a field day throwing and catching the ball in his half since he’s back for this game. And then Sheldon Rankins for the Saints – he’s an excellent run-stopping defensive lineman. He’s out with an injury. The Rams have a great running attack that can only benefit from his absence. So I’m not going to say these situations the Rams win because of him, but they do help LA.
SIMON: Drew Brees, the Saints quarterback, is 40, and he has been so accurate this year. Tom, he could split an apple in two off of your head with the point of his football if he wanted to.
GOLDMAN: (Laughter) You know, that’s about the only thing he didn’t do this season. He set an NFL record, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes. Now, The Wall Street Journal studied all of his incomplete passes, and there weren’t many. And it found…
SIMON: Two.
GOLDMAN: Yeah, exactly. And they found most were not his fault, meaning receivers dropped them or caught them and then defenders jarred the ball loose. Only about 9 percent of Brees’ total passes were bad throws. So if the Rams want to beat New Orleans, put an apple on someone’s head. No, I’m sorry. They can’t rely on Brees beating himself.
SIMON: And then, of course, there’s Tom Brady. I’m not going to call him old. He’s 41. He’s a vet. Kansas City quarterback, a great one, is young – Patrick Mahomes. And last time they met, the Pats stole the game in the final seconds. You think tomorrow’s game going to be as close?
GOLDMAN: Absolutely, unless it’s not. Can you tell I’m hedging my bets this time, Scott?
SIMON: Time will tell. Time will tell, yeah.
GOLDMAN: Right, right. But both quarterbacks can create offense so well, so whoever falls behind, there’s a good chance of catching up. Mahomes is great at eluding pass rushers. He does amazing things when he’s forced to run for his life. Brady needs solid protection to do his thing because he’s not as mobile, and he’ll need that protection against a very good Kansas City pass rush. Scott, Kansas City is a slight favorite, and I think they win this one.
SIMON: All right, a prediction. I – news I have to ask you about this week around the NFL actually might be more important long term. We’ve actually got a film clip from the film “Concussion.”
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “CONCUSSION”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As actor) If just 10 percent of the mothers in America decide that football is too dangerous for their sons to play, that is it. It is the end of football. Kids, colleges and eventually, it’s just a matter of time, the professional game.
SIMON: May not be the mothers, though, right, Tom?
GOLDMAN: That’s right. Turns out, in this age of concussion awareness, it may be insurance companies that decide the fate of football. This week, a report by ESPN’s “Outside The Lines,” a comprehensive report, said insurance companies are getting out of the business of insuring football because they’re afraid, you know, they’re going to have to pay out billions in legal and medical costs. Already some programs at community colleges and city rec departments have been eliminated because of the lack of insurance or rising insurance costs. The head of Pop Warner’s youth football program is quoted as saying “people say football will never go away, but if we can’t get insurance, it will.” Scott, it’s a fascinating read and a scary scenario for those who love the game, which is still this country’s most popular sport. But the question is, for how long?
SIMON: And of course – but for those who love the players, it’s also important to read.
GOLDMAN: Absolutely.
SIMON: NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Tom, thanks so much for being with us.
GOLDMAN: You’re welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOE.’S “SILVER SUN”)
Copyright © 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
Two-time Olympic gold medal speed skater Shim Suk-hee revealed earlier this month she was repeatedly raped by her coach. Now, South Korea’s governing sports body has promised a crackdown on coaches.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
From tae kawan do and baseball to skating and golf, South Korea has established itself in recent years as a sports powerhouse. Its medal counts have been in the Top 10 in recent Summer and Winter Olympics. But that glory and prestige has been eclipsed by the shadow of violence and sexual abuse against female athletes. NPR’s Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul.
ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE: With just weeks to go before last year’s Pyongyang Winter Olympics, short-track speed skater Shim Suk-hee went missing from the national team’s training camp. A sports ministry investigation found that Shim, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was beaten by her coach, Cho Jae-bom, the day she went missing. Cho was sacked and convicted of abusing four athletes, including Shim. He was sentenced to 10 months in jail last September. Cho has denied the charges through his lawyer. Shim testified at Cho’s appeal hearing last month and spoke to reporters outside the courthouse.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
SHIM SUK-HEE: (Through interpreter) I mustered my courage to come here today because I hope there will be no more victims like myself in the sports world and because I want to do what I can, not just for myself, but for the future.
KUHN: This month, Shim went further, accusing Cho of repeatedly raping her since she was 17. She’s now 21. As the scandal grabbed headlines, a petition on the presidential office’s website calling for harsher sentencing of Cho got over a quarter of a million signatures. Government ministries and lawmakers promised to get tough on sexual abuse in sports. In a meeting with his aides this week, President Moon Jae-in called for thorough investigations and stiff punishment.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN: (Speaking Korean).
KUHN: Recent allegations of physical and sexual violence in sports, he said, reveal a shameful side hidden beneath the shiny facade of South Korea as a sports powerhouse. Also this week, a former judo athlete and a tae kwan do trainee stepped up to accuse their coaches of physical and sexual violence, but some observers say it’s just a drop in the bucket.
CHUNG YONGCHUL: Still, the numbers are low, and we all know why – because of all the threat they have. They’re afraid to talk about it.
KUHN: Chung Yongchul is a professor of sport psychology at Seoul’s so gone University and an activist against abuse in sports. He says the government’s been promising to crack down on cases of abuse for the past decade, but thanks to a stubborn culture of impunity, very little has changed. Some of that, he notes, has roots in South Korea’s Confucian traditions in which a teacher’s authority is just like a father’s. It must be obeyed and not challenged.
CHUNG: That’s part of the reason why this is so hard for the athlete to speak up because you’re actually accusing, like, a father-like figure – accusing him as an aggressor.
KUHN: That’s also why sports authorities who have the power to punish abusers often shield them, Chung says. And help centers and hotlines set up for the athletes often side against them. But Chung adds that the strength of public outrage in South Korea at the abuse of skater Shim Suk-hee could mean this time is different.
CHUNG: So I think this could be the last chance for the Korean sport to actually eradicate all the problems.
KUHN: And if South Korea comes home from next year’s Tokyo Olympics with a reduced haul of medals but an increase in athletes’ human rights, Chung says that’s definitely something Koreans can live with. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.
Copyright © 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly talks with Robert Mays of The Ringer to break down the quarterback matchups in NFL Conference Championship games this weekend.
Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Approaching With Kindness.
About Mike Robbins’ TED Talk
After a career-ending baseball injury, Mike Robbins had to learn how to appreciate his time on the mound. He’s found that making the effort to appreciate others has a real impact on their well-being.
About Mike Robbins
Mike Robbins is a former professional baseball player and author. His work focuses on appreciation, teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence.
Robbins has been featured on ABC News, Forbes, Fast Company, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
His most recent book, Bring Your Whole Self to Work, was published in 2018. He is the creator and host of a podcast by the same name.
Travis Scott performs in Austin, Tx. in October 2018. Scott is set to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime show.
Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images
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Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images
Normally, the bookers of the Super Bowl Halftime performance don’t have a lot of trouble finding talent for the big show. Superstars like Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Beyoncé have all performed. But for this year’s upcoming game, nailing down a halftime act hasn’t been so easy.
In the months leading up to the February game, one high profile act after another — Jay-Z, Rihanna, Cardi B — rejected the NFL’s offer to perform. Each artist rejected the gig to stand in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who knelt during the National Anthem in 2016 in protest of racial injustice in America and subsequently filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017 alleging that they colluded to keep him out of the league because of his protests. The NFL confirmed on Jan. 13 that pop band Maroon 5 would be the halftime performers and would be joined by rappers Travis Scott and Big Boi.
NPR Music hip-hop journalist Rodney Carmichael points out that with the NFL is holding the Super Bowl in Atlanta this year, organizers lost out on a great opportunity to make the halftime performance an Atlanta-themed show because of the amount of hip-hop artists who stand in solidarity with Kaepernick.
“In a lot of ways, it says what we already know, which is that hip-hop is cooler than the Super Bowl,” Carmichael says. “Jay-Z made this point. He said now that rap is the most consumed genre in America, artists don’t really need the halftime show to play stadiums.”
Certain artists making the decision not to perform also shows that they know their core audience is rooting for Kaepernick as well.
“It’s not just a political play if you think about it,” Carmichael continues. “Playing that stage, it really has the potential to hit black artists in the pocket, especially if they lose cool points with their fans.”
A Change.org petition that started in November 2018 asked Maroon 5 to back out of the performance. That same petition has now been updated to ask the members of Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi to take a knee during the halftime show. To date, the petition has over 80,000 signatures.
Super Bowl LIII takes place Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Ga.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar face off during the AFC Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday.
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Hassan Ammar/AP
Qatar beat Saudi Arabia on the field Thursday, in a resounding victory overshadowed by the significance of the meeting itself.
Surging off momentum built in the early rounds of the AFC Asian Cup, Qatar defeated the Saudis 2-0 . Almoez Ali, a 22-year-old forward, scored both goals for Qatar, holding his spot as top scorer in the tournament after a four-goal run against North Korea last weekend.
While Ali’s heroics captivated onlookers at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, geopolitics dominated the discourse around the game. It was the countries’ first match-up since Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Qatar more than 18 months ago. Just weeks ago, Qatar officially pulled out of OPEC.
22-year-old Qatar striker Almoez Ali has scored seven goals in three games at this year’s AFC Asian Cup.
It’s the first time a player has reached that total in a single tournament since Ali Daei’s record of eight goals in 1996.
— Scouted Football (@ScoutedFtbl) January 17, 2019
The tiny, oil- and gas-producing nation had announced last month that it would leave the cartel, digging its heels deeper into a dispute with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Qatar in June 2017, alleging that it funds terrorist organizations, and the Saudis have maintained a boycott since then. Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates joined the boycott, which has unfolded against a backdrop of longstanding tensions between Qatar and surrounding states.
In addition to its role as a key player in the blockade, the U.A.E. is also playing host to the Asian Cup, which has caused inconveniences for Qatari nationals travelling to the games, including officials, journalists and just a trickle of fans, The New York Times reports. On social media, some people called the Qatar-Saudi Arabia match-up the “Blockade Derby.”
Qatar win the Blockade Derby and secure top spot in Group E, while in the other group game, Lebanon beat North Korea 4-1 but miss out on a place in the knockout stages on disciplinary points… https://t.co/58Iso0oHiO
— Reginaldo Rosario ?? (@Regi1700) January 17, 2019
But representatives from both countries said before the match that the two sides would separate politics and soccer. “Football is a message of peace,” Qatar spokesperson Ali Hassan al-Salat told The Guardian.
Other countries locked in well-established political tensions have met in the tournament. Last week, Iran faced off against Iraq in a stadium in Dubai, in a match that ended with an anticlimactic 0-0 draw.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia will both advance to the final 16 teams. Qatar, which has maintained a perfect score in the tournament, is set to play Iraq on Tuesday.
The Chiefs play New England for a ticket to the Super Bowl. A Kansas City amusement park has altered the name of its roller coaster The Patriot to The Patrick in honor of Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Good morning. I’m David Greene. Maybe don’t even use the word patriot in conversation this week in Kansas City. The Chiefs are playing New England for a ticket to the Super Bowl. And Worlds of Fun, a Kansas City amusement park, has gone so far as to alter the name of its roller coaster The Patriot. The Patriot is now The Patrick to honor Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs fans, I hope Sunday’s game for you is less roller coaster and more world of fun.
Copyright © 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
A video of UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi’s “perfect 10” floor routine went viral. Head coach Valerie Kondos Field remarks on the character, skill, and comeback of the her now-famous athlete.
