What to expect in Tiger Woods’ return at Genesis Invitational; Season-ending NFL Power Rankings

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🐅 Good morning to everyone but especially …

TIGER WOODS AND THE PGA TOUR

He’s back.

Sporting a new clothing line and walking alongside a new caddie, Tiger Woods makes his return to the PGA Tour today at the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he hosts at Riviera Country Club outside of Los Angeles. It’s his first PGA Tour event since the 2023 Masters.

The 15-time major winner will join Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland for a 12:25 p.m. ET tee time, and here’s how you can watch. As for what you should expect, Patrick McDonald has answers.

• McDonald: “Woods returned from an extended layoff at Riviera last season with rounds of 69-74-67-73. Expect something similar this time around as Woods showed at the Hero World Challenge he is still battling consistency. The birdie-making abilities are there, but without getting as many competitive reps as his peers entering the tournament, the bogeys and mental mistakes will be present as well.”

Woods and Josh Allen played golf together Wednesday.

😊 Honorable mentions

• Caitlin Clark is set to break the NCAA D-I career scoring record tonight. Here’s how to watch.
• Clark will also take on Jimmer Fredette in a shooting competition.
• LeBron James is “committed to the Lakers,” per agent Rich Paul.
• Stephen Curry establishes another 3-point record.
• Dennis Dodd has grades for the second wave of college football coaching hires.
• The Chiefs signed defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to an extension.
• There is no offseason for Derrick Henry.
• The Commanders hired Anthony Lynn to their offensive staff.
• The new 18-team ACC will have a 15-team conference tournament.

🏀 And not such a good morning for …

THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES AND CHRIS HOLTMANN

Ohio State is making a big change amid what looks to be a second consecutive NCAA Tournament-less year … and getting a jumpstart on finding its next coach in the process. The struggling Buckeyes fired Chris Holtmann on Wednesday, midway through his seventh season in Columbus.

• Ohio State is 14-11 overall and 4-10 in the Big Ten this season, one year after going 16-19 — their first losing season since 2003-04.
• Overall, Holtmann went 137-86 with the Buckeyes. After a 25-9, Big Ten Coach of the Year-winning first season, he never surpassed 21 wins.
• Holtmann also never got Ohio State past the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The most disappointing exit came in 2021, when the Buckeyes made a run to the Big Ten Tournament title game, earned a No. 2 seed and promptly lost to Oral Roberts in the first round.
• It’s worth noting that Holtmann’s firing comes as the Buckeyes undergo a transition at the top. Athletic director Gene Smith is retiring and will be replaced by Ross Bjork.

Holtmann was regarded as an elite coach a few years ago. He had guided Gardner-Webb and Butler to impressive turnarounds before being hired in Columbus. But after his strong start with the Buckeyes, unexpected departures and underwhelming additions led to his downfall, Kyle Boone writes.

• Boone: “Holtmann recruited and developed E.J. Liddell into a star and caught lightning in a bottle in four-star recruit turned one-and-done Malaki Branham, both of whom left early for the NBA after the 2021-22 season. Former four-star guard D.J. Carton also left the program after a strong freshman season in 2019-20 to deal with mental health issues before transferring to Marquette. And last year, Brice Sensabaugh — who entered college as a four-star recruit ranked just barely inside the top-100 — was a surprise one-and-done after leading the team in scoring.”

The good news for Ohio State is that there should be plenty of replacement targets. Kyle has a list full of notable names.

😣 Not so honorable mentions

• Isaiah Stewart punched Drew Eubanks in the face Wednesday ahead of the Pistons-Suns game in Phoenix.
• The 49ers fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
• Trae Young was fined $35,000 for a gesture made toward an official.
• The Clippers sent P.J. Tucker and Bones Hyland home from the team’s road trip.
• Justin Verlander said he’s “a little bit behind schedule” due to a shoulder issue.
• Morgan Rielly was suspended five games for cross-checking Ridly Greig.
• Ty Berry (torn meniscus) is out for the season.

⚽ UEFA Champions League: Lazio stun Bayern Munich; PSG cruise

Combine some historically bad shooting with a red card, and for the first time since 2012, Bayern Munich have lost a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg match. The Bavarians head back to Germany with work to do after a 1-0 loss to Lazio.

• Ciro Immobile converted a 69th-minute penalty kick, the result of Dayot Upamecano‘s rash challenge which put Bayern down to 10 men.
• If that wasn’t bad enough, Bayern failed to put any of their 17 shots on target, the worst rate on record (since 2003-04) for the Champions League.
• Thomas Tuchel‘s vision just isn’t clicking right now, James Benge says. Bayern has lost consecutive games for the first time since 2019.
• Just about the only good news for Bayern? They get the second leg at home. Tomas Müller sees that as a reason for confidence.

Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, got goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola to beat Real Sociedad, 2-0, but Les Parisiens’ search for a consistent lineup remains, Jonathan Johnson writes.

You can see all of our takeaways here.

🏈 Final NFL Power Rankings; teams that will rise, fall in 2024

The confetti had barely finished falling after their Super Bowl LVIII triumph, and the Chiefs were already looking forward to a three-peat. It might sound crazy — no one has ever done it — but it shouldn’t, Pete Prisco writes in his season-ending Power Rankings.

• Prisco: “Considering this Chiefs team was loaded with flaws, had to win two road playoff games to get to the Super Bowl and looked lifeless for much of the first half Sunday night, who are we to doubt them? They have Patrick Mahomes after all. He once again proved why he is on his way to being the best ever. … This Chiefs team was certainly beatable this season, yet here they are again as champions. They need to do some offseason work … But with Mahomes they will be right back in the thick of it again.”

Kansas City finished atop Pete’s rankings, and the 49ers were No. 2 — a painfully familiar spot for them. After that? You’ll have to read for yourself.

Looking to next season, Jeff Kerr examined five teams poised to take a leap in 2024, and my favorite is …

• Kerr: “Packers — Green Bay had 302 catches for 3,642 yards and 31 touchdowns from first- or second-year players, the most in a season in NFL history. Jordan Love has plenty of young pass catchers to grow with … Green Bay’s defense will need to be retooled under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, but having five top 100 picks in the draft should help.”

However, it will all come down to Love, who took a leap from complete unknown to stud in 2023. The Packers not only demolished the Cowboys in Dallas but had the 49ers on the ropes in the divisional round. Matt LaFleur is a terrific coach. All I’m saying is watch out for Green Bay in 2024, not just as a good team, but as a Super Bowl contender.

Jeff also has five teams that will take a step back in 2024.

🙏 One dead, at least 21 injured in mass shooting after Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally

A day meant for joy in Kansas City turned to a horrifying scene Wednesday after a mass shooting at the end of the rally for the Chiefs near the Super Bowl parade route. One person is dead and at least 21 were injured, according to Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves. Three individuals were taken into custody.

 Here are more details:

• The shooting occurred shortly after the Chiefs’ parade concluded, with shots fired at the west side of Union Station.
• Of the 21 injured persons, eight had “immediately” life-threatening injuries, seven had life-threatening injuries, and six had minor injuries, per Kansas City Fire Department Chief Ross Grundyson.
• Officials at Children’s Mercy Hospital said 12 children — ranging from 6 to 15 years old — were being treated, and all were expected to recover.

Several Chiefs players took to social media to express condolences.

📺 What we’re watching Thursday

🏀 No. 6 NC State at No. 16 Notre Dame (W), 6 p.m. on ACC Network
🏀 No. 1 South Carolina at Tennessee (W), 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Michigan at No. 4 Iowa (W), 8 p.m. on Peacock
🏀 Duke at No. 12 Virginia Tech (W), 8 p.m. on ACC Network
🏀 Bucks at Grizzlies, 8:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Colorado at UCLA (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN