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Greenberg: Can Grady Sizemore rescue the White Sox from infamy?

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Greenberg: Can Grady Sizemore rescue the White Sox from infamy?

CHICAGO — Early in the first dugout news conference of his interim managing career, Grady Sizemore was asked lightheartedly whether he ever envisioned being the Chicago White Sox manager back when he was an All-Star outfielder for a division rival.

Now that certainly would be an oddly specific career goal for a guy from Seattle who was playing in Cleveland, but who knows, maybe he really liked the smell of grilled onions and the taunts of angry, liquored-up fans.

In any event, that’s where his life has taken him: managing the White Sox as they try to escape the throes of baseball infamy.

Sitting next to him was the Sox general manager Chris Getz, who was drafted by and debuted with the White Sox. I don’t think he ever dreamed of taking Kenny Williams’ job back when he was manning second base for the club.

But as the Chicago Cubs and White Sox started the second leg of their crosstown series, the reality is Getz is in charge of the worst team in baseball and Sizemore is in charge of managing it (while Getz looks for someone more experienced to do the job full time).

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It’s not ideal, but hey, it’s not all milkshakes and hot dogs on the South Side.

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Sizemore’s tenure began much like the Pedro Grifol one ended — with a loss. When Sizemore made his first pitching change in the third inning, the Sox were scoreless and down by six runs. The Sox rallied, but the Cubs ended up winning 7-6.

With 44 games left, what is left for the Sox (28-90) to accomplish this season? Well, that’s easy. Win 15 games.

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Some teams strive to make history. The White Sox need to avoid it.

The 1962 New York Mets have the modern baseball record for futility with 120 losses and the Sox need to finish with (at least) one fewer defeat. They don’t want to tie the Mets and they most definitely don’t want to finish with 121 losses. Sure, 119 losses would tie them with the 2003 Detroit Tigers for the AL’s worst mark, but no one uses that Tigers team as shorthand for the “worst ever.” A lot of people outside of Chicago (and Houston) forget the White Sox won a World Series in 2005. No one will forget this team if they lose 121.

The Sox get picked on a lot, both locally and nationally, for their many, many embarrassing failures, but ducking historical mockery should be the goal for the last seven weeks.

They already dodged the all-time record for consecutive losses in a season. Now comes sidestepping the season record.

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They didn’t get off to a good start at silencing their haters Friday, but after this two-game set with the Cubs, they get … uh-oh … the New York Yankees. Yeah, it’s not going to be easy.

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Before Friday’s game against the Cubs, Getz reiterated what he said the day before after he mercifully fired manager Grifol after a slower-than-expected 89-190 start to his managing career — that he’s not overtly focused on the ’62 Mets. However …

“I don’t think anyone in this organization wants to be associated (with) a record we could potentially have,” Getz said.

So though it’s not an organizational mandate to avoid 120, it’s not a goal.

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“There is always something to play for in this game,” Getz said. “Grady and I have talked about that at length. We want our players to play for something greater than themselves.”

In theory, a 15-29 run over the last seven weeks isn’t asking for too much. But for this Sox team, it just might be.

After all, they have only won 28 times in 118 tries. There’s not much to go on to believe they can make even a modest run. After a 3-22 start, they went 12-12. But then they lost a franchise-record 14 straight games.

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Given the state of the team — with Erick Fedde in St. Louis, Garrett Crochet’s remaining innings growing fewer, a lineup that doesn’t score runs and an often-calamitous bullpen — it’s hard to envision them catching a spark, let alone fire.

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But again, 15 wins in 44 games. It’s not like asking them to even have a winning month, something they haven’t sniffed this season.

So can Sizemore, who as a Cleveland player once famously dropped a fly ball in late September 2005 that helped the White Sox clinch a division title, be the spark the team needs? Judging by his career record of talking to reporters, he’s not going to give any Knute Rockne speeches. But the players know Sizemore was a gamer and an All-Star. He’s 41, but he looks 10 years younger. They seem to respect him. Imagine if they knew about his history as a Cleveland sex symbol.

“Great attitude, great energy and we’re excited,” veteran first baseman Andrew Vaughn said.

In reality, it’s not about what Sizemore specifically brings. Change itself, a new voice, a wake-up call, could help this team end the season with a shred of dignity. That’s the idea anyway.

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Greenberg: Pedro Grifol and the White Sox are better off without each other

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Getz fired three coaches along with Grifol, but Sizemore has two bench coaches and incumbent pitching coach Ethan Katz to help him finish the season. This is all new for him. He was a $15 hourly intern for the Arizona Diamondbacks at this point last year and used his connections with Josh Barfield, now Getz’s assistant GM, to land a job on the Sox coaching staff this year.

He went from intern to “major-league coach” in a year. Now he’s a big-league manager. What a year.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in,” Sizemore said before the game. “I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Just too excited, too anxious. Still doesn’t feel real.”

I’m sure it felt a little more real after watching Crochet give up four homers in 2 1/3 innings. That’s the White Sox’s version of a cold shower, and if there’s a counterbalancing Sizemore Effect, maybe it takes a few games.

Neither Sizemore nor the players I talked to would take the bait about trying to avert infamy. And of course, if they knew how to win, we wouldn’t be talking about this streak.

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Do you know how odd it is to ask questions about the 1962 Mets? Losing 100 games is difficult for even the worst teams. Imagine losing 120 in one season.

The trade deadline is over. Grifol is out. There is nothing left but winning those 15 games.

“Just like when you’re playing, all you can really focus on is what you can control,” Sizemore said. “My focus is not on outside factors or records of other teams, it’s on the guys. What can I do to put them in the best possible position to succeed? Focusing or worrying about outside factors is just a waste of time.”

So was this White Sox season. The very least they can do is not end it as the worst team in baseball history.

(Photo: Griffin Quinn / Getty Images)

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Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests

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Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests

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For the second year in a row, the Navy Midshipmen have won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.

The Midshipmen earned a gutsy 17-16 victory over Army in one of the greatest rivalries in sports.

Navy got out to a scorching-hot start, as they scored a touchdown on their first drive, with Blake Horvath rushing for 45 of the 75 yards on the drive and running in for the score. He also had an 11-yard pass.

 

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President Donald Trump greets players after the coin toss and before the start of the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium, Saturday, in Baltimore, Md. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Army, though, answered right back with an identical drive, going 13 plays for 75 yards — this one ended with Cale Hellums punching one in.

Navy’s offense was stalled for a long while after, as their next three drives ended in a punt, fumble, and interception. In the meantime, the Black Knights were able to tack on three more field goals to go up, 16-7. Late in the third, the Midshipmen finally added more points on the scoreboard with a field goal that cut their deficit to three.

Early in the fourth, Navy forced an Army interception. Navy had the ball at the goal line but fumbled on a quarterback sneak, losing seven yards. Horvath hit Eli Heidenrich in the end zone, though, and the ensuing kick gave the Midshipmen their first lead since the first drive of the game. 

Navy promptly forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with less than five minutes to go. Navy lost a fumble when trying for a first down that would have iced the game, but the play was reviewed, and the call was reversed. Thus, Navy had a fourth-and-1 and kept the offense on the field. They got the first down that iced the game.

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US President Donald Trump tosses a coin before the college football game between the US Army and Navy in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 13, 2025.  (Photo by Alex Wroblewski / AFP via Getty Images)

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With the win, Navy earned the Commander-in-Chief trophy by also defeating Air Force earlier in the year.

The game was its usual old-school ground-and-pound style of football, as there were only 24 pass attempts compared to 86 runs.

President Donald Trump attended the game for the seventh time, and his second in as many years since being elected again. Trump participated in the coin flip, but not before protesters wielded lewd signs opposing Trump on the street leading up to the stadium. 

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Protests were expected for the game in the blue city, as Trump has suggested sending the National Guard to Baltimore to help address the city’s rampant crime. Baltimore consistently ranks among U.S. cities with high crime rates, often appearing in the top 5 for violent crimes, especially homicides and robberies. 

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. The teams are competing for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, with President Trump attending the rivalry for the second consecutive year.  (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The protests against Trump also come on the same day that officials said two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed in an ambush attack in Syria. 

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Jarred Vanderbilt hoping for an opportunity to help Lakers on defense

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Jarred Vanderbilt hoping for an opportunity to help Lakers on defense

Perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt and his ability to defend can help the Lakers and their reeling defense.

Perhaps Vanderbilt can return to the rotation to help the Lakers’ defensive woes while guard Austin Reaves is out for approximately a week because of a mild left calf strain.

And perhaps Vanderbilt and the Lakers can get some immediate results for shoring up their defensive shortcomings when they face the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.

The 6-foot-8 Vanderbilt is hopeful that his opportunity will come against the Suns and he turns that into a positive for the Lakers.

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“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after practice Saturday. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”

In the last 10 games, Vanderbilt had only a three-minute stint against the Philadelphia 76ers because Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.

The return of LeBron James and Vanderbilt’s offensive deficiencies left him out of the rotation. During much of that time the Lakers were winning, which meant Vanderbilt spent time on the bench.

In 15 games, Vanderbilt is three for 10 (26.6%) from three-point range. He was asked how he has been handling things.

“Good,” Vanderbilt said. “Controlling what I can control. Keep showing up to work, doing my part, supporting the team.”

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Vanderbilt was asked if coach JJ Redick or any assistants have spoken to him about his role.

“Kind of here and there, I guess,” Vanderbilt said.

Vanderbilt was seen after practice Saturday working with an assistant coach on his shooting, just like he did after practice Friday and like he has done while not playing.

Redick said Reaves, who played against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, wasn’t sure when the calf became an issue, and “we’re obviously gonna be cautious with it.”

“It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said, adding, “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnosis with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”

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The Lakers have looked at the last 10 games during the film sessions as a barometer for their defensive problems. But in reality, the Lakers have not been very good on defense all season while producing a 17-7 record because of their stellar offense.

“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt said. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”

The Lakers are 18th in the NBA in points given up (116.8), 22nd in opponents’ field-goal percentage (48.1%) and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting (38.2%).

They will face a Suns team that defeated them Dec. 1 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were unable to stop Collin Gillesipie, who had 28 points and was eight for 14 from three-point range, and Dillon Brooks, who had 33 points.

It hasn’t gotten better in the ensuing days. The Spurs loss was the Lakers’ third in the last five games.

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“Nobody likes to go watch film after you get your ass kicked,” guard Marcus Smart said. “It’s tough because the film never lies. And it exposed us a lot, which we already knew. We were just winning a lot of games. So it was mitigated that way, but it was straight to it: We have to be able to guard.

“The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard, especially in the West. These guys are no joke, and they’re coming. And especially [if] you got the Lakers across your jersey. They’re definitely coming with everything they have. So you can’t be expecting any surprises. And that’s what it was. It wasn’t no sugarcoating anything. It was, ‘This is what we got to do.’ We’ve been asked. Let’s fix it.”

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Michigan football staffer who had alleged affair with Sherrone Moore still employed by university

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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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