Sports
The latest Houston Heartbreak? An ‘incomprehensible’ finish in final possession vs. Florida

SAN ANTONIO — How much can one program take? How can Houston stomach another one of these? Another portrait of coming so close, only to see it all recede from view, covered instead by the wrong colored confetti?
On this Monday night in April, it was Emanuel Sharp crouching deep, his hands atop his head, seeing the court around him turn orange and blue. Ja’Vier Francis knelt next to him, refusing to leave his teammate’s side. Kelvin Sampson, the coach, stared from across the floor, hands at his sides. Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. leaned down, offering Sharp a hug from behind.
Houston’s trip to the national championship game was going to end either as the best night in school history or as another chapter in this cruel epic. The antagonist in Jim Valvano’s hero’s quest. The shadow in Fred Brown’s redemption. Even before Monday, the school held a tormenting place in this sport’s history — the record for all-time Final Four appearances without a national championship win.
It was six. Now, after what somehow happened here — a gutting, what-just-happened 65-63 loss to a Florida team that trailed the Cougars by 12 early in the second half — the number is seven.
For a school that plays the part with unenviable periodicity, this one might be the hardest. This ending was supposed to be the one that erased all the others.
“Incomprehensible,” Sampson said later, “in that situation, (that) we couldn’t get a shot, couldn’t get a shot.”
The sequence will live in the depths of the Coogs’ minds for a generation or two.
Down two, 19 seconds left. A timeout called.
How did Houston win 35 games this year? Because in these moments, Sampson talks and the Coogs listen. Then they execute. Then they win. Normal teams don’t go undefeated in road conference games. This one did.
Certain things were made clear in the huddle. The Coogs didn’t need a 3. But they did need to get a shot off with enough time left to have a chance at an offensive rebound. Sampson drew up a play for L.J. Cryer, Houston’s all-everything guard. If the initial action didn’t spring him, Sampson wanted the possession to pivot to an elevator screen for Sharp.
It all developed a little too slowly. Cryer’s look wasn’t there. Now 7.3 seconds remained, and here came Sharp, running from the baseline to the top of the key, rubbing past screener J’Wan Roberts, trying to get free. That screen? Clayton cared not for it. The 6-foot-2 guard darted by and, seeing Sharp rise for what very well could’ve been a game-winning shot and carved a whole damn chapter in the annals of college basketball, leapt into the sky and blocked out the sun.
This, apparently, was when Sharp thought of a potential wrinkle in the play call. If he saw a closeout, he was told to put the ball on the deck and dash to the basket. Go tie the game. Go win in overtime. As associate head coach Kellen Sampson, Kelvin’s son, said later, “Emanuel’s as good a decision maker in closeouts as there is. And he needs little space to get one off.”
Sharp thought the shot was there, but then it wasn’t, and it was all too late. The shooting window closed, and Sharp dropped the ball instead of having it stuffed. There it bounced and bounded. With it, all 75 years of program history. And there stood Sharp, utterly powerless. If he picked up the ball, he would be whistled for traveling.
Under the basket, Roberts turned his back when Sharp rose to shoot, waiting for that possible offensive rebound. It would’ve been the Coogs’ 16th of the night, double what Florida pulled down. But the shot never came.
“I turned back around and it was just bouncing on the floor,” Roberts said.
Florida’s Alex Condon dove to the floor with two seconds on the clock, crashing shoulder-to-shoulder with Francis. The ball squirted away, the final horn sounded and the impossible pain ensued.
Roberts, originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, went to high school in Killeen, Texas, in order to play college basketball. He committed to Houston as a three-star recruit in September 2018. That was six years, seven months, five days ago. Houston, at the time, was coming off that first NCAA Tournament appearance under Sampson. Since then, Roberts has seen every step of a journey that was seemingly all leading to a final destination at the Alamodome this week.
There was a loss to Kentucky in the 2019 Sweet 16. A canceled NCAA Tournament in 2020. A national semifinal loss to Baylor in the 2021 Final Four. A loss to Villanova in the 2022 Elite Eight. A Sweet 16 loss to Miami as a No. 1 seed in 2023. Another Sweet 16 loss as a 1-seed in 2024, this time to Duke.
When this year’s national semifinal ended with Houston roaring back from 14 points down with eight minutes left to beat those same Blue Devils, it sure seemed like this was it. Monday was to be the last of Roberts’ program-record 173 career games. It was going to be Sampson’s 300th win at the school and 800th win of his career.
Instead, Florida, with its 39-year-old coach, won its third national championship. The others came in 2006 and ’07, when Kelvin Sampson, now 69, was in the midst of moving from Oklahoma to Indiana. What all feels like a millennium ago.
Monday night’s final horn sounded just before 10:15 p.m. local time.
“One Shining Moment” played at 10:38.
At 10:54, the Houston locker room opened its doors, revealing the aftermath. Roberts said it had taken awhile for Sampson to collect himself and address the team. The old coach told this team it would never have gone so far without each player. He pointed specifically to Sharp, a junior with 106 games played at Houston. Then Sampson invited each assistant coach to address the room. Then each senior spoke.
Sharp, according to Roberts, got up and apologized to the team. In reality, the night wasn’t lost on any singular possession. This was a 40-minute rock fight, one filled with moments Houston will want back.
“We ain’t finna blame (Sharp) for that,” Roberts said. “He did a lot of great things. We know how special Emanuel is. I’m going to comfort him as much as possible, and I’m gonna defend his name if anybody tries to make it worse than what it is.”
Sharp never emerged in the postgame locker room. A phone was discarded in his locker.
Outside, the Alamodome emptied and midnight approached.
“What’s today’s date?” Roberts asked, slumped in his locker.
It was April 7.
“June to April, man. A long journey,” Roberts said, thinking back to the 2024-25 Coogs’ first practice. “It’s just crushing. You get to this point and you lose by two points. We had a chance to tie it or win the game. I just …”
Robert paused, conjuring all the voices of Houston’s past.
“I just wish we could run that play again.”
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

Sports
Podcast host says Jordon Hudson 'choreographed' portion of Bill Belichick's recent interview

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One of Bill Belichick’s stops among his book tour was on an episode of “The Pivot” podcast with Ryan Clark and Channing Crowder.
Belichick’s first interview promoting the book garnered tons of media attention, when Jordon Hudson was caught on camera butting into the conversation when Belichick was asked how they met.
Belichick has credited Hudson, 24, for being the business brainiac to his brand, but he has remained mum on getting any further than that in public interviews.
Jordon Hudson the girlfriend of Bill Belichick in attendance at Loudermilk Center for Excellence on Dec. 12, 2024. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
But that business side of Hudson was all in on Belichick’s “Pivot” interview, according to Crowder.
“He’s all in if you talk football, but if you start talking personal stuff, he starts doing the mumble and the one-word answers, and his old lady is different. She lurks,” Crowder said on his separate radio show. “It’s weird to know him as Coach Belichick running the entire organization as GM, head coach, talent coordinator, all that stuff, and then to see this tiny little 95-pound girl pretty much telling him what to do.”
Crowder added, but did not elaborate on, that Hudson “choreographed the open,” which included Belichick’s accomplishments as both a coach and author.
“She was there. She kind of coordinates and brand manages. She has her paws on the situation. It’s different . . . it was weird to be around Belichick and Jordon. I don’t see Belichick in that light. But he just smiles and nods,” Crowder continued.

Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Jordon Hudson (Getty Images/IMAGN)
AIRBNB OWNERS SHARE SHOCK OF FINDING SHIRTLESS BILL BELICHICK ON THEIR DOORBELL CAMERA: ‘CREEPY OLD GUY’
Hudson was not at Belichick’s interview with “Good Morning America” last week.
According to reports, Hudson interrupted the CBS interview several times and even stormed off at one point, delaying the interview by around 30 minutes.
Belichick released a statement saying he was “surprised” about getting the questions about his relationship and that when Hudson had stepped in, she had been doing her job. He went on to accuse CBS of creating a “false narrative” with so-called “selectively edited clips.”
CBS responded, disagreeing with Belichick’s version of events.

North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson look on during the first half of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center on March 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
In the interview with The Pivot, Belichick cleared the air on Hudson’s reported involvement with “Hard Knocks,” ultimately saying that the show was not a match with UNC. He also reiterated that Hudson is not involved with UNC football, a statement that the school itself made following reports that Hudson was barred from the facility.
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Sports
Prep talk: City Section takes over Dodger Stadium on Saturday

It’s the greatest gift to baseball players who attend schools in the City Section. Every season since 1969, except for two years during the pandemic of 2020 and 2021, the championship game has been played at Dodger Stadium.
The championships return to Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Marine League rivals Banning and Carson will face off at 10 a.m. for the Division I title, followed by El Camino Real taking on Venice at 1 p.m. for the Open Division championship. There’s free parking and tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students. Gates open at 9 a.m.
Three of the four semifinal games were decided on walk-off hits, showing the parity this season.
In the Open Division, El Camino Real has its top two pitchers ready to go. Devin Gonor will get the start and Luke Howe has four innings left to throw if needed. Venice has its ace, Noel Moreno (12-1) available.
As usual, handling the environment and dimensions of Dodger Stadium will be key, from catchers preventing balls in the dirt from going to the backstop to outfielders making catches in the sun.
Banning has beaten Carson two of three times this season. Carson is coming off a dramatic win in the semifinals over Taft in which Xavier Allen hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the 11th inning.
Canon King of Venice is coming off a five-for-five performance against Birmingham. El Camino Real has won nine City titles.
All the teams involved will be invited to play in the Southern California regionals that begin in two weeks.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Danica Patrick reflects on 'emotionally abusive' relationship with Aaron Rodgers: 'wore me down to nothing'

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Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick shared the agony of her relationship and breakup with NFL star Aaron Rodgers, during an appearance on the Sage Steele Show.
“The breakup with Aaron in 2020, because it was sudden,” Patrick said when asked what was the most painful experience.
“It felt like it was my life. So when you live with somebody, it’s your whole life… And because the nature of the relationship was emotionally abusive, so that wore me down to nothing.”
Danica Patrick and Aaron Rodgers made their red carpet debut at the 2018 ESPY Awards in July. (AP)
Patrick claims that Rogers “leaves a trail of blood.”
“Someone that you know, people could never imagine that I would lack any confidence, or belief in the simple things about who I am. Everything was torn to bits. He leaves a trail of blood. I don’t think I’m saying too much earth-shattering stuff after we — there’s been enough out there,” Patrick said.
“But it gave me the greatest gift, which is myself. It gave me the greatest gift of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself.”
Rodgers and Patrick went public with their relationship in January 2018 after first meeting at the ESPY Awards in 2012.
FORMER NASCAR DRIVER DANICA PATRICK ANNOUNCES PIVOT TO TENNIS

Danica Patrick on the starting grid before the Montreal Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. (David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports)
At the time, a rep for the “Pretty Intense” podcast host and entrepreneur confirmed to Fox News that the pair were an item.
Meanwhile, Patrick told The Associated Press that she and Rodgers first crossed paths in 2012 at The ESPY Awards.
“I told him a long time ago I’d always root for him as a player,” she recalled to the outlet. “Now I am probably going to cheer for the whole team. Take out the word ‘probably.’ Now I’m going to cheer for the whole team.”
In November 2019, the pair appeared to be going strong, with Patrick even joking on “The Jenny McCarthy Show” about a proposal.
When asked when she’d get married, Patrick jokingly responded, “Um, [tomorrow] — wait, no, what?”
Back in August 2017, Rodgers opened up to ESPN, explaining it’s not always easy dating when all eyes are on you.

Aaron Rodgers recently gushed over his girlfriend Danica Patrick. (Getty Images)
“When you are living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely… it’s difficult,” he said. “It has some extra constraints because you have other opinions about your relationship, how it affects your work and, you know, just some inappropriate connections… There’s some horrible media outlets that… you say something or do something, where there’s a story, and they just go with it and run with it.”
The couple then confirmed their breakup in July 2020.
Patrick later opened up on the breakup during an appearance on National Geographic’s “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” and told the survivalist that she learned a ton about herself during the public breakup.
“I think we learn the most about ourselves through relationships, but there’s nothing like heartbreak to really throw you in the deep end of that,” Patrick said, according to Yahoo! Entertainment. “But I’ve learned a lot and as broken open as I was on the sad end, I have felt so much joy in so many more instances and so many more unlikely places than I ever have, so it’s like my heart got broken open to both ends of the spectrum.”
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