Sports
Notre Dame, Marcus Freeman used everything to beat Penn State — even James Franklin comments
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Before Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal sent Notre Dame to the national championship game, before Christian Gray’s diving interception set it up or before Jeremiyah Love’s mutant performance on a braced right knee, Marcus Freeman stood before his team inside the Diplomat Hotel on Hollywood Beach on Wednesday afternoon.
Notre Dame’s head coach had just returned from a final news conference before kickoff, the kind of throwaway media gathering usually forgotten before the last bowl trophy photo can be snapped. This wasn’t one of those times. Not for Freeman, Notre Dame’s head coach whose youth had cut against the grain of what it takes to succeed in this sport of old guards and vintage attitudes. A head coach panned for not winning enough big games decided to make a point about his counterpart.
Penn State head coach James Franklin playfully asked Freeman how old he was. He complimented his hairline. He might as well have patted the 38-year-old on the head and told him what a good job he was doing. Because that’s how Freeman heard it, gritting his teeth throughout. And now Freeman was going to give that energy to a new source.
His players could hardly believe it.
“He was angry. He was angry with the press conference thing, whatever was going on between that,” safety Xavier Watts said. “He was mad about that. All the anger went toward us and that anger went onto the field.”
In a game where Notre Dame needed everything, from its backup quarterback to two backup offensive linemen, Franklin managed to give the Irish just a little bit more. There was more to this spectacular College Football Playoff semifinal than Franklin’s self-inflicted verbal wounds — the confetti littering Hard Rock Stadium told that story. Notre Dame didn’t win because of something said from the other sideline. It won because this program knows how to catalyze every advantage and how to tackle every challenge.
Franklin just offered a bonus one.
“I’m not gonna speak on their head coach, but we felt like their team didn’t really respect us,” Love said. “We wanted to come into this game and make a statement. Be the aggressors. Dominate them physically. That’s the message. Be physical and play violent. The whole game.”
In the end, Notre Dame’s 27-24 victory over Penn State was all of that and more. The Fighting Irish lost three offensive starters in the first half, with two offensive linemen going down for the game and quarterback Riley Leonard suffering a head injury, which Notre Dame cleared as something other than a concussion. In his absence, backup Steve Angeli saved the first half, if not the day, leading Notre Dame on a field goal drive after the Irish fell behind 10-0, their first double-digit deficit of the season.
There was more fire at the half, Freeman demanding Notre Dame follow its greatest bowl win in a generation against Georgia at the Sugar Bowl with something bigger here. The Irish had been gashed on the ground by Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton in the first half, never mind tight end Tyler Warren. They didn’t set the edges, didn’t make their drops, didn’t get the details right that they’d nailed all year.
And Notre Dame’s offense, a disaster class in the first half, needed Love to play the hero when so few others could. Left tackle Anthonie Knapp had already been lost, replaced by career backup Tosh Baker to face a future top-five pick in Abdul Carter. When guard Rocco Spindler went down, redshirt freshman Charles Jagusah stepped in, a tackle who hadn’t played all season asked to make it work at guard. And inexplicably he did, as Notre Dame built a 17-10 early in the fourth quarter when Love’s 2-yard run through four Penn State tacklers somehow outshined his 98-yard score against Indiana to open the College Football Playoff.
This view of Jeremiyah Love’s touchdown 😳 pic.twitter.com/oSdhKereqU
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 10, 2025
Love aggravated his MCL injury against Georgia, enough that his availability seemed to be in question before Notre Dame arrived in Florida. And even during the week, Love didn’t know if he’d be able to do more than just take snaps, which wouldn’t have been enough for Notre Dame. Not in a game like this.
“I kind of just kind of came out here and said f— it and went out there and played,” Love said. “Whatever happens happens, I trust in God. I trust in his plan for me.”
After two Singleton touchdowns pushed Penn State ahead 24-17, making it seem like Notre Dame might not have a response to these latest questions being asked, Leonard shook off a brutal interception to find Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 to play. It was part of Greathouse’s seven-catch, 105-yard night, the first 100-yard performance of his college career.
“This team has battled adversity all year, challenges and struggles, we’ve been able to face them all,” Greathouse said. “That’s the feeling tonight.”
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman turned 39 on Friday. (Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
And then Notre Dame closed the door on Penn State the way it best knows how, baiting Drew Allar into an interception it believed had been coming all night. One by Gray in the first half got wiped off by penalty. Another in the second half by linebacker Jack Kiser got taken off the board by pass interference. Gray made sure the third would stand, playing a coverage that defensive coordinator Al Golden said he hadn’t called all night.
“He’s gonna throw us one, he’s gonna throw us one,” Watts said. “We knew it was coming at some point and it came at the biggest moment.”
Linebacker Jaylen Sneed got just enough pressure on Allar to leave the quarterback a little less time to throw, which was all Gray needed. Again, fine margins. Some earned in the film room. Some taken on the field. Some gifted, if you know where to listen when the microphones are rolling.
Notre Dame turned Gray’s pick into a seven-play, 19-yard procession into field goal range. By then, Franklin had burned through his timeouts, not even able to ice Jeter’s game-winning try. And maybe it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. The transfer kicker drilled his second 41-yarder of the night to send Notre Dame to Atlanta, hunting its first national championship since 1988.
Inside the Notre Dame locker room, Kiser tried to make sense of all this, his six-year journey to becoming an Irish captain under this up-and-coming head coach, hired to take the program where some felt it might not go again. Kiser didn’t want to get into too much detail about the fire and brimstone Freeman spewed the day before kickoff when the 38-year-old head coach showed that this program has a weapon leading it.
And yet, as Kiser turned back to the locker room, a red digital clock flashed 12:17 a.m. Midnight had passed. It was no longer game night. It just happened to be Marcus Freeman’s birthday, now the early morning minutes of Jan. 10.
“Let’s just say that 17 minutes ago coach Freeman turned 39,” Kiser said. “So he’s not that young guy that a lot of people treat him as. Guys want to play for coach Freeman, and when you put gas on that fire, it can get really explosive in this locker room.”
GO DEEPER
Drew Allar’s late interception in Orange Bowl loss leaves Penn State with familiar gut punch
(Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
Sports
After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too big for him.
“I loved everything,” he said.
He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.
Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?
“I stayed calm,” he said.
Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.
Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.
He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
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