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From Gary Klein: The NFL knows and desires drama.
Last season’s NFC wild-card playoff game between the Rams and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit was a spectacle that featured one of the most pulsating atmospheres in recent league history.
The Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford will get a chance to avenge the defeat when they open the season against the Lions and quarterback Jared Goff at Ford Field on Sept. 8 on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”
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The Rams, who play three of their first four games on the road, once again are a prime-time attraction.
After making only two prime-time appearances in 2023, the Rams are once again scheduled for five.
In addition to the opener, they also will play the Philadelphia Eagles on “Sunday Night Football,” the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football” and the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers on “Thursday Night Football.”
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Rams schedule
All times Pacific
Sept. 8, at Detroit, 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sept. 15, at Arizona, 1:05 p.m. (Fox)
Sept. 22, SAN FRANCISCO, 1:25 p.m. (Fox)
Sept. 29, at Chicago, 10 a.m. (Fox)
Oct. 6, GREEN BAY, 1:25 p.m. (CBS)
Oct. 13, off week.
Oct. 20, LAS VEGAS, 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
Oct. 24, MINNESOTA, 5:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
Nov. 3, at Seattle, 1:25 p.m. (Fox)
Nov. 11, MIAMI, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 17, at New England, 10 a.m. (Fox)
Nov. 24, PHILADELPHIA, 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Dec. 1, at New Orleans, 1:05 p.m. (Fox)
Dec. 8, BUFFALO, 1:25 p.m. (Fox)
Dec. 12, at San Francisco, 5:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
Dec. 22, at New York Jets, 10 a.m. (CBS)
Dec. 28/29, ARIZONA, TBD, (TBD)
Date TBD, SEATTLE, TBD, (TBD)
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CHARGERS
From Jeff Miller: The Jim Harbaugh era of Chargers football will begin at SoFi Stadium against the rival Las Vegas Raiders, the franchise with which Harbaugh was an assistant in 2002-03.
He coached quarterbacks during those two seasons, when the Raiders were still playing in Oakland.
The Chargers will face Las Vegas at 1:05 p.m. Sept. 8, the NFL announced Wednesday with its full schedule release.
Their prime-time games will include Monday night appearances at Arizona in Week 7 and against Baltimore in Week 12. The Chargers also will play at Kansas City on Sunday night Dec. 8.
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Chargers schedule
All time Pacific
Sept. 8, LAS VEGAS, 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
Sept. 15, at Carolina, 10 a.m. (CBS)
Sept. 22, at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. (CBS)
Sept. 29, KANSAS CITY, 1:25 p.m. (CBS)
Oct. 6, off week.
Oct. 13, at Denver, 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
Oct. 21, at Arizona, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Oct. 27, NEW ORLEANS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox)
Nov. 3, at Cleveland, 10 a.m. (CBS)
Nov. 10, TENNESSEE, 1:05 p.m. (Fox)
Nov. 17, CINCINNATI, 1:25 p.m. (CBS)
Nov. 25, BALTIMORE, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Dec. 1, at Atlanta, 10 a.m. (CBS)
Dec. 8, at Kansas City, 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Dec. 15, TAMPA BAY, 1:25 p.m. (Fox)
Dec. 22, DENVER, 1:05 p.m. (Fox)
Dec. 28 or 29, at New England, TBD (TBD)
Jan. 4 or 5, at Las Vegas, TBD (TBD)
NFL
From Sam Farmer: It’s not just coming up with a schedule that works for all 32 teams, the NFL also has the challenge of pleasing its broadcast partners by evenly doling out the premier games.
To that end, the league ranks the matchups in terms of quality from 1 to 272.
That’s entirely subjective, of course, but people can generally agree on top-tier matchups, and the NFL is always careful when distributing those.
“This puzzle gets harder and harder to solve every year,” Michael North, the NFL’s vice president of broadcast planning, told the Los Angeles Times. “There are 272 assets, and they belong to our fans not to us. We’ve got to dole out these assets across an ever-increasing number of media partners. The line we always use for ourselves is, “Everybody gets something, nobody gets everything.”
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DODGERS
From Jack Harris: Wednesday was expected to be a bullpen game for the Dodgers.
But then, in their series finale against the San Francisco Giants, an unexpected pitchers’ duel broke out at Oracle Park instead.
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The Giants prevailed in a 4-1 win, avoiding a three-game sweep behind a scoreless six-inning gem from right-handed ace Logan Webb.
But, in what was originally planned to be yet another bullpen game for the Dodgers — who have adopted the routine at the end of each turn through their rotation, to give their starting pitchers an extra day of rest — the team instead received a pleasant surprise in the form of Elieser Hernández, a 29-year-old former Miami Marlins pitcher who was making his first MLB appearance since 2022.
Hernández didn’t match Webb’s brilliance, giving up three runs in the Dodgers’ first loss to the Giants (20-25) this season (the team was previously 5-0 in the rivalry).
But, on the kind of day the Dodgers (29-16) have typically taxed their undermanned relief corps this year, Hernández navigated through six full innings, filling up the bottom of the strike zone with low-90s mph fastballs, late-biting changeups and swing-and-miss cutters in a solid, bullpen-saving start.
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ANGELS
Griffin Canning pitched six innings of one-run ball, Nolan Schanuel hit his first career leadoff homer, and the Angels ended their three-game skid with a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Willie Calhoun had three hits, including an RBI double during the Angels’ four-run first, while Zach Neto and Taylor Ward homered later in the Angels’ seventh win in 26 games. Kevin Pillar had his fourth consecutive multihit game for the Angels, who pounded out 14 hits while salvaging the finale of a 2-5 homestand against Missouri’s two major league teams.
Canning (2-4) had another sharp start for the Angels, finishing the homestand with 11-2/3 innings of one-run ball over two outings. St. Louis managed five hits and three walks off Canning, but the right-hander stranded six runners and held the Cardinals scoreless for his first five innings.
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SPARKS
From Andrés Soto: Nobody would budge through the first three quarters. The Sparks would go on a run, the Atlanta Dream would respond with one of their own, and vice versa. They were deadlocked at 66 going into the fourth quarter, neither giving the other any breathing room. Then, the fourth quarter happened.
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Crystal Dangerfield hit back-to-back layups to open the fourth. Then Rhyne Howard got some free throws and followed them with a three. All of a sudden, the Dream were up double digits before the Sparks scored in the final period.
There were moments of life, a huge three-pointer from rookie Cameron Brink to bring the Sparks within six with a minute to go, but that was as close as they would get. The Dream held on to earn a 92-81 win over the Sparks during the season opener played at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach. The venue seats 5,000 people, and the Sparks announced the contest was a sellout.
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NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
All times Pacific
Second round
Western Conference
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No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 5 Dallas
at Oklahoma City 117, Dallas 95 (box score)
Dallas 119, at Oklahoma City 110 (box score)
at Dallas 105, Oklahoma City 101 (box score)
Oklahoma City 100, at Dallas 96 (box score)
Dallas 104, at Oklahoma City 92 (box score)
Saturday at Dallas, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Monday at Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m., TNT
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Minnesota
Minnesota 106, at Denver 99 (box score)
Minnesota 106, at Denver 80 (box score)
Denver 117, at Minnesota 90 (box score)
Denver 115, at Minnesota 107 (box score)
at Denver 112, Minnesota 97 (box score)
Thursday at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday at Denver, TBD, TNT
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Boston vs. No. 4 Cleveland
at Boston 120, Cleveland 95 (box score)
Cleveland 118, at Boston 94 (box score)
Boston 106, at Cleveland 93 (box score)
Boston 109, at Cleveland 102 (box score)
at Boston 113, Cleveland 98 (box score)
No. 2 New York vs. No. 6 Indiana
at New York 121, Indiana 117 (box score)
at New York 130, Indiana 121 (box score)
at Indiana 111, New York 106 (box score)
at Indiana 121, New York 89 (box score)
at New York 121, Indiana 91 (box score)
Friday at Indiana, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday at New York, 12:30 p.m., ABC
*-if necessary
From Ryan Kartje: His hire, in late November 2021, was heralded as a monumental moment for USC and its struggling football program. But actually landing Lincoln Riley, one of the brightest young minds in college football, did not come cheap.
USC shelled out $19.7 million in reportable compensation to Riley between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, according to a federal tax return filed by the university and obtained by The Times. Of that nearly $20 million, USC paid its new coach $10.042 million in base pay and benefits for the 2022 season.
At the time, that number made Riley one of just four coaches in all of college football earning eight figures in salary and benefits. The other three — Alabama’s Nick Saban, Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney — had all won at least two national championships. Three other coaches — Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer — have since crossed the $10-million threshold.
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PREAKNESS
From John Cherwa: A Triple Crown became much more of a possibility Wednesday when Preakness Stakes favorite Muth was scratched from Saturday’s race, leaving Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan as the favorite.
The Santa Anita-based 3-year-old had a long travel day on Tuesday, along with stablemates Imagination and Mirahmadi, starting with a delayed departure from LAX to Newark Airport, and from there a long van ride in heavy traffic down to Pimlico Race Course.
The horses arrived late Tuesday night.
“He looked fine when he got there,” said trainer Bob Baffert from Santa Anita. “This morning he didn’t eat his grain, so that’s not a good sign. His temperature elevated to 103. So, we went ahead and treated him and he’s already looking much better.”
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GALAXY
Kervin Arriaga scored in the 80th minute for his second goal in two games, and Minnesota United tied the Galaxy 2-2 on Wednesday night.
Minnesota (6-2-3) had won three consecutive matches, with three game-winning goals from 23-year-old Tani Oluwaseyi. Only five players in MLS history have scored a game-winning goal in four straight.
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The Galaxy (5-2-6) are winless in their last four games.
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LAFC
Denis Bouanga scored two goals and Hugo Lloris made seven saves for his third clean sheet of the season to help LAFC beat St. Louis 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Bouanga joined Carlos Vela as the only players in club history to score at least 10 game-winning goals.
Bouanga ran past the defense to get to a nice, lofted pass from Mateusz Bogusz and took one touch before smashing a shot inside the near post in the 59th minute.
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NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
All times Pacific
Second round
Western Conference
C1 Dallas vs. C3 Colorado
Colorado 4, at Dallas 3 (OT) (box score)
at Dallas 5, Colorado 3 (box score)
Dallas 4, at Colorado 1 (box score)
Dallas 5, at Colorado 1 (box score)
Colorado 5, at Dallas 3 (box score)
Friday at Colorado, 7 p.m., TNT
*Sunday at Dallas, TBD
P1 Vancouver vs. P2 Edmonton
at Vancouver 5, Edmonton 4 (box score)
Edmonton 4, at Vancouver 3 (OT) (box score)
Vancouver 4, at Edmonton 3 (box score)
at Edmonton 3, Vancouver 2 (box score)
Thursday at Vancouver, 7 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Edmonton, TBD
*Monday at Vancouver, TBD
Eastern Conference
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M1 New York Rangers vs. M2 Carolina
at New York 4, Carolina 3 (box score)
at New York 4, Carolina 3 (2 OT) (box score)
New York 3, at Carolina 2 (OT) (box score)
at Carolina 4, New York 3 (box score)
Carolina 4, at New York 1 (box score)
Thursday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
*Saturday at New York, TBD
A1 Florida vs. A2 Boston
Boston 5, at Florida 1 (box score)
at Florida 6, Boston 1 (box score)
Florida 6, at Boston 2 (box score)
Florida 3, at Boston 2 (box score)
Boston 2, at Florida 1 (box score)
Friday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
*Sunday at Florida, TBD
*-if necessary
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1884 — Isaac Murphy, a Black jockey and one of the greatest American riders, wins the Kentucky Derby aboard Buchanan. He will win the showcase race two more times.
1955 — Rocky Marciano beats Don co*ckell by TKO in the 9th round at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco to retain his world heavyweight boxing title.
1975 — Muhammad Ali TKOs Ron Lyle in 11 for heavyweight boxing title.
1976 — The Montreal Canadiens win their 19th Stanley Cup with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, capping a four-game sweep.
1977 — Muhammad Ali beats Alfredo Evangelist in 15 for heavyweight boxing title.
1980 — The Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-107 to win the NBA title in six games. In the absence of an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, rookie guard Magic Johnson comes up with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and is named the Finals MVP. The 42 points are the most scored by a rookie in an NBA Finals game.
1982 — Stanley Cup Final, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC: 3-peat for NY Islanders; sweep Vancouver Canucks in 4 games with a 3-1 Game 4 win.
1985 — Michael Jordan named NBA Rookie of Year.
Compiled by the Associated Press
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Until next time...
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
