Sports
Auerbach: Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese providing fuel for a long-standing WNBA rivalry
INDIANAPOLIS — Even if one or both sides won’t officially acknowledge the existence of a new rivalry, there are always signs — and sounds.
For example, the very loud boos from Indiana Fever fans whenever Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese went to the free-throw line. Or the very loud cheers from those same fans when Reese (and Kamilla Cardoso) picked up fouls.
The only noise louder than the crowd’s swell when Reese picked up her fifth foul early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game was for the T-shirt cannon.
That’s what burgeoning rivalries are supposed to sound like. They’re marked by good, old-fashioned hate; you root against your rival just as fervently as you root for your favorite team. And the Sky versus the Fever is giving us exactly that.
“I think it just shows when given an opportunity women’s sports are certainly an amazing thing, and fun to watch.”
Caitlin Clark on the rise of women’s sports 👏 pic.twitter.com/ulcOw1cQns
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 16, 2024
These teams have played twice so far this season, with Indiana victorious twice in tight games. The first matchup needs few reminders, as the Chennedy Carter hip-check on Caitlin Clark made that game rather memorable (and controversial). Sunday’s game featured Reese swatting for the ball but inadvertently smacking Clark in the head as she attempted a layup, a foul that was correctly upgraded to a Flagrant 1 after a brief officials’ review.
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Angel Reese foul on Caitlin Clark upgraded to flagrant
Those interactions might lead the sports debate shows, but they’re such a minor part of what could very well become one of the best rivalries in the WNBA. This is about Reese and Clark, who have faced off in two of the most memorable NCAA Tournament games in recent history and are now household names. This is about Cardoso, who has already established herself as a force in the paint as a pro despite dealing with an early-season injury. This is about Aliyah Boston, last year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year who is playing her best basketball now. This is about Carter, a game-changer for Chicago when she’s on the court.
This is about a treasure trove of elite young talent, who play in cities located just three hours apart. The teams boast six players combined who were top-four picks in the past four WNBA drafts. These are organizations starved for some success, now with the pieces that can help them build it.
After the Fever’s 91-83 win over the Sky on Sunday, Chicago guard Marina Mabrey said she doesn’t see the matchup as a rivalry, adding that it’s probably only something like that for “new fans.”
But even if it’s fueled by new-to-the-W fans, that’s the point. It’s an obvious entry point for fans of Clark or Reese, or anyone who was part of the record-setting audiences that tuned in for women’s college basketball over the past couple of seasons. The public has already been drawn to these players and their personalities, and they want to see what happens when they continue to clash, even with different names on the front of their jerseys. Fever coach Christie Sides, who spent the first six years of her WNBA coaching career in Chicago, said it is a rivalry that has existed before, but what’s different about now is that it features two “really good, young teams that are trying to figure it out with great players just getting better every game.”
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Fever outlast Sky: 3 takeaways
Clark, for her part, also understands why fans are drawn to this specific matchup. It’s because of her and because of Reese.
“It’s just the emotion and passion that we play with — I think people love to see that,” Clark said. “That’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports, and it should be. I think that’s what makes it fun. We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s gonna get a little feisty. It’s gonna get a little physical, but at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win.
“Obviously, I’ve played her for a very long time, and she’s been a tremendous player. It’s been fun getting to compete against (Reese). I think it’s been really good for the game. People just love seeing great matchups, but also, at the same time, the people tune in for these matchups (between us), but then they get to see how amazing these teams are, and then they find new players to support and continue to come back for them, too.”
Or maybe they’ll watch an incredible back-and-forth game and find new players they want to root against. Which is also fine, because that’s sports. Everything means a little bit more if there’s just more fuel added to the fire.
(Photo of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
Sports
Michigan football staffer who had alleged affair with Sherrone Moore still employed by university
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The football staffer who allegedly had a romantic relationship with fired head coach Sherrone Moore is still employed by the University of Michigan.
The woman has served as Moore’s executive assistant.
“There is no change in her employment status,” a Michigan spokesperson told Fox News.
The woman received a massive pay bump between 2024 and 2025.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears via video in court in Ann Arbor, Mich., Dec. 12, 2025. (Ryan Sun/AP Photo)
The individual allegedly linked to Moore, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an executive assistant to the head football coach at the University of Michigan, made just over $58,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to public payroll information. In the 2025 fiscal year, though, her salary jumped to $99,000, according to a salary disclosure report from the University of Michigan.
During Moore’s arraignment Friday, prosecutors alleged he and the staffer had been in an “intimate relationship for a number of years,” which they say the woman ended on Monday. Prosecutors further claim Moore sent multiple text messages and made phone calls that prompted the woman to report the situation to the university and cooperate with its investigation.
Moore was released from jail Friday on $25,000 bond, according to police records obtained by Fox News Digital.
However, it’s unclear whether Moore will be returning home to his family.
Moore’s attorney, Joseph Simon, declined to say whether the coach will be going home to his wife and three children while speaking to reporters at an Ann Arbor courthouse Friday.
FIRED MICHIGAN COACH SHERRONE MOORE ACCUSED OF STALKING VICTIM ‘FOR MONTHS’ IN POLICE DISPATCH AUDIO
“I’m just going to not answer that question,” Simon said when asked if Moore was “going to be able to go home.”
Moore has been married to wife Kelli since 2015, and they have three daughters together — Shiloh, Solei and Sadie. Simon also declined to comment on the “mood” of his client after Moore was charged.
The conditions of Moore’s release require him to wear a GPS tether and continue mental health treatment and forbid him from communicating with the victim.
Moore was fired Wednesday, and the University of Michigan quickly announced it found credible evidence he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was then detained by police Wednesday after news of his dismissal broke.
Moore was arraigned in court Friday on stalking and home invasion charges. According to prosecutors, he faces a felony charge of home invasion in the third degree and two misdemeanor charges of stalking and breaking and entering without the owner’s permission.
Both misdemeanor charges are related to a “domestic relationship.”
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Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore during warmups before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago Nov. 15, 2025. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
When Moore was fired from his position as head coach, prosecutors said, it prompted him to visit the woman’s home.
Moore then allegedly “barged” his way into the residence, grabbed a butter knife and a pair of kitchen scissors and began threatening his own life. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly told the staffer, “My blood is on your hands” and “You ruined my life.”
Prosecutors claimed Moore “terrorized” the staffer and that they believed him to be a “risk to public safety.”
Fox News’ Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
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As if Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert doesn’t have enough things to do, he’s taken on the task of putting on the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame high school all-star games Dec. 20 at Simi Valley High.
At 4 p.m. there will be a flag football game featuring players from the San Gabriel Chapter against the Coastal Valley Chapter. At 7, players from Ventura County will take on Los Angeles County in an 11-man game.
Agoura’s Dustin Croick is coaching the West team that includes his outstanding quarterback, Gavin Gray. Taft’s Thomas Randolph is coaching the East team that has a strong group of quarterbacks, including Michael Wynn Jr. of St. Genevieve.
Simi Valley High will be the site for all-star football games on Dec. 20.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Tickets are $10 and will help pay for the growing costs of all-star games, from uniforms to insurance.
Benkert, one of the winningest coaches in state history with more than 300 victories, said he’s determined to make it work.
“We’re trying to keep all-star games alive,” he said. “If we don’t do it, there’s nothing.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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The Utah Utes will be ending an era when they play against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 31.
It will be head coach Kyle Whittingham’s last game as head coach after the 66-year-old announced Friday he is stepping down. Whittingham is the winningest coach in program history, going 117-88 over 22 seasons.
“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a statement Friday.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham on the sideline during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, Nov. 15, 2025. (Chris Jones/Imagn Images)
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years, and I’m very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here.”
Whittingham co-coached the Fiesta Bowl with Utah in 2004 and then took over as the permanent head coach the following season. Whittingham led Utah to a winning record in 18 of his 21 seasons.
This season, Utah is 10-2 and at one point ranked No. 13 in the AP poll, just missing out on the College Football Playoff (CFB).
BILL BELICHICK BREAKS UP WITH MEMBERS OF UNC COACHING STAFF AFTER TUMULTUOUS SEASON
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan., Nov. 28, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Whittingham was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1981 in his senior year.
Before becoming a coach, Whittingham played in the USFL and the CFL from 1982 to 1984. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at BYU.
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Whittingham joined the Utah staff in 1994 and rose through the ranks. He began as the defensive line coach and eventually became the defensive coordinator before becoming the team’s head coach.
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His final game on the sideline will be the team’s bowl game against Nebraska. Whittingham, who is 11-6 in bowl games as a head coach, will look to end his tenure with a win on Dec. 31.
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