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espnW Announces Full Agenda and Speakers for the Annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota

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espnW has announced the remainder of its agenda for the 2021 espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota, taking place October 18-20 at The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. The one-of-a-kind event will once again include keynotes, breakout sessions, panels, presentations and activities focused on advancing women in sports. Programming from this year’s experience will also be live streamed across select espnW and ESPN digital and social platforms – virtual registration is free at https://espnwsummit.com/.

The post espnW Announces Full Agenda and Speakers for the Annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

NOTES & QUOTES FROM WEEK 3 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC AND PEACOCK

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“Defensively, they are playing outstanding. Offensively, I don’t think they have an identity right now.” – Drew Brees on the Saints

“We also saw why the Rams wanted Matthew Stafford. When they weren’t able to run the ball, he won the game for them today.” – Tony Dungy

“He’s the most gifted thrower I’ve ever seen.” – Chris Simms on Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

“He’s the best player on their team. He is just all over the field, he tackles well, and he’s a tremendous leader.” – Rodney Harrison on 49ers LB Fred Warner

NBC Sports’ Post-Game Show Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Continues Tonight Following Sunday Night Football Exclusively on Peacock

FNIA Travels to Gillette Stadium for Tom Brady’s Return to New England Next Sunday

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 26, 2021 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season began tonight from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Packers-49ers on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock.

Mike Tirico hosted FNIA from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He was joined at the desk by Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and Super Bowl XLV MVP Drew Brees. Co-host Maria Taylor was joined in Studio 1 by former NFL quarterback Chris Simms. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provided reports from his home studio.

For the first time ever, Football Night in America and Sunday Night Football are streaming on Peacock Premium every week this season. Viewers can sign up here. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers.

Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game.

NBC Sports’ post-game show Peacock Sunday Night Football Final streams tonight exclusively on Peacock following Sunday Night Football.

Next Sunday, Oct. 3, FNIA will travel to Gillette Stadium to be on site when Tom Brady returns to New England for the first time as the Patriots host the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

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Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:

ON PACKERS

Brees on 49ers’ recent dominance over Packers: “I see this as being a real litmus test tonight for Green Bay and who they really are…Green Bay is in a position with their playmakers all together and really needing to make a statement where I think they can take advantage of this 49ers secondary.”

Harrison on RB Aaron Jones: “I don’t think they use him enough in the passing game. He’s a very talented young man. He can play anywhere on the field. You can line him up as a wide receiver. Trust me, linebackers and safeties don’t want to chase this young man around.”

Brees on QB Aaron Rodgers: “He’s a bio-mechanical freak. He does things that no one else can do. Guys like you (Simms) and me, if we want to throw the ball accurately and with velocity, everything has to be going toward the target…not Aaron Rodgers. He can step over here, step over there and throw it in (the opposite) direction…I’ve never seen anybody do it the way he does it.”

Simms: “It’s unreal. He’s the most gifted thrower I’ve ever seen…and he’s going to have to make some really gifted throws tonight to beat the 49ers.”

ON 49ERS

Brees: “I would expect a shootout tonight and I think Jimmy G (QB Jimmy Garoppolo) is going to do more in this matchup than he did two years ago (when he only threw eight passes).”

Harrison on LB Fred Warner: “I just know that he’s the best player on their team. He is just all over the field, he tackles well, and he’s a tremendous leader.”

Harrison on TE George Kittle: “It’s his mindset. He’s a defensive player playing offense.”

ON BUCCANEERS

Tirico to Brees: “Have you seen enough championship qualities out of them through three weeks?”

Brees: “I haven’t…Defensively, they’re down two of their top five defensive backs. When they made their drastic change last year, it was away from this man coverage, single coverage where they were getting beat on a lot of deep plays, and it was to more of a zone coverage, keep it in front of you, front four get pressure. They weren’t able to do that today and you see all these explosive plays down the field. That’s what time will give you and also these one-on-one matchups that the Rams were able to exploit.”

ON RAMS

Tirico: “Matt Stafford is the new Hollywood attraction.”

Dungy: “We also saw why the Rams wanted Matthew Stafford. When they weren’t able to run the ball, he won the game for them today.”

ON SAINTS

Brees: “Defensively, they are playing outstanding. Offensively, I don’t think they have an identity right now. We know who Alvin Kamara is, and we know that the Saints want to establish the run game with Alvin Kamara, but who are they throwing the ball to? What does the passing game look like? Now there’s a lot of new faces, there’s a lot of young players. Michael Thomas is out, Tre’Quan Smith is out, Jared Cook is no longer there, Emmanuel Sanders is no longer there. So, you’ve got all these young players who don’t have a lot of experience, playing with a new quarterback who doesn’t have a lot of experience with them or in the system. It’s just taking a little bit of time. Now they’re finding ways to win, but today wasn’t pretty just like last week wasn’t pretty.”

Dungy: “This is what we have to understand — this is who the Saints are right now. They’re a great defensive team. They can pressure the passer, they’re very active and physical, and they can run the football…I won a lot of games in Tampa like that…I’d be excited if I were the Saints right now. We’re 2-1 and we haven’t hit our stride on offense yet.”

ON PATRIOTS

Brees: “I was impressed with the way Mac Jones played today. He stood in the pocket, he was poised, he looked in command and under control. You saw his eyes were in the right place, throwing it to the right guy. Those guys just weren’t making plays for him. And give credit to the Saints defense. They got after him with four-man rush, with pressure, and guys just couldn’t get open down the field for him.”

ON RAVENS-LIONS

Tirico on Ravens K Justin Tucker’s NFL record 66-yard game-winning field goal: “Only the Lions find a way to lose a game like that.”

Brees on Tucker: “He went to my high school, so I’ve been watching this guy kick clutch kicks for a very long time. I don’t know if there’s a guy in the league that we have more confidence in when he steps on the field that he’s going to make that type of kick. But 66 yards!”

Brees on Tucker taking a hop prior to the kick: “I’ve never seen this before. He takes this crow hop to come up and kick this ball…That’s the equivalent of a center fielder taking a crow hop to throw a guy out at home. It creates ground-force production and gives you more power and energy in your leg to kick that ball, and that was the difference on that kick.”

Florio: “And that crow hop ended up being very important because Justin Tucker told me that before the game he was short from 65 yards going each way in that stadium, and I asked him are you thinking about that on that final kick? And he said, ‘I’m thinking about a lot of things potentially, I could be feeling excited for the opportunity, I could be feeling grateful, I could be feeling confident, I could be feeling nervous or outright scared.’ I said, so what was it today? And he said, ‘All of the above.’ And he nailed it.”

Tirico on delay of game penalty that was not called against the Ravens on the final drive: “I talked to the league office. It’s a judgment call. The back judge is supposed to look at the game clock and then look at the ball…There’s no way that should not have been delay of game. That’s an egregious error by the back judge in that situation.”

ON CHIEFS

Brees: “I think there’s a formula to hold down the Chiefs offense. We’ve seen it the last two weeks now…Four-man and three-man rushes, keeping their defensive backs over the top, not allowing guys like Tyreek Hill to make these big plays. Instead, keep everything in front of you and force (bad) throws and decisions like this from Patrick Mahomes, which are very uncharacteristic.”

Dungy: “We didn’t see this from the Chiefs last year or the year before. Careless with the football in three straight games. They’re going to have to get out of this mode or they’re not going to win…They’re talented, they’ve got great weapons, but you can’t be loose with the football.”

ON CHARGERS

Simms: “This is Drew Brees’ new favorite quarterback – Justin Herbert. He has been amazing. He just continues to deliver on big downs and big situations every week.”

ON BEARS-BROWNS

Dungy: “I worked for Denny Green and when we played great pass rushers, he’d tell Brian Billick, our offensive coordinator, I never want to see Bruce Smith single blocked or you’re getting fired. I saw way too much of Myles Garrett just running free against one man today.”

Brees on Garrett: “You can’t let the best player on that defense beat you and that’s what they allowed to happen today.”

Florio, who spoke to Garrett: “He told me that the Browns’ defense was surprised by the way that Justin Fields was used, or more accurately, the way he wasn’t used. They didn’t move him around, they didn’t get him out of the pocket, they didn’t roll him out, they didn’t take advantage of his mobility. It made it easier for the defensive lineman to get home, to get him onto the ground, and we saw Garrett do it 4.5 times, a team record.”

Brees: “They need to start building that offense to the rookie’s (QB Justin Fields) strength and put him in a position to succeed. That’s the run game, that’s play action, that’s RPOs (run-pass-option) that’s getting him on the perimeter and allowing him to see throws. That’s where he is at his best. That’s where he’ll make good decisions, and also be able to make plays with his legs…They’re going to have games like this where he’s going to have to drop back at times, but let’s help him out by chipping, nudging these guys, giving him an opportunity to process and find completions.”

ON RAIDERS

Simms on QB Derek Carr: “The way he’s playing is amazing, as good as anybody in football right now.”

Tirico on Raiders playing two OT games at home this year: “That’s why there’s no clocks in Las Vegas, it’s timeless.”

ON BILLS

Dungy: “The Bills are who we thought they were.”

ON CARDINALS

Simms: “This is a different Arizona Cardinals team…I feel like that was kind of a letdown game, but they battled through a rough spot and this Arizona Cardinals team, offensively and defensively, have a lot of guys that can make a lot of game-breaking plays.”

ON BRONCOS

Simms: “They have found their stride and they’re going to be a force in the AFC.”

Brees on QB Teddy Bridgewater: “First off, I’m a big fan of Teddy Bridgewater. I think he’s brought some leadership and some moxie to that offense, and a great skill set too. He fits the style and the profile of what they are trying to accomplish with that team.”

Dungy: “Believe it or not, Teddy has helped that defense out.”

ON JETS

Simms: “The Jets can’t protect the quarterback — that’s the first issue — and they can’t run the football all that well either. So, it’s a double whammy. You’ve got a rookie quarterback against this much pressure; it’s not going to be an easy day.”

ON STEELERS

Harrison on QB Ben Roethlisberger: “He just looked old. I’m worried about Big Ben. The offensive line isn’t very good, and Ben looked extremely old.”

–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE UNITED STATES WINS THE 43RD RYDER CUP ON NBC

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“Brooks and Bryson wanted to play together, that’s how much it came together.” – U.S captain Steve Stricker on Koepka, DeChambeau and team unity

“What a glorious day and glorious weekend for American golf. This is a new generation and a new time.” – Paul Azinger on the U.S. winning the Ryder Cup

“The more and more I play in this event, the more I realize that this is the best event in golf.” – Rory McIlroy to Jimmy Roberts on significance of the Ryder Cup

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 26, 2021 – NBC Sports concluded its exclusive coverage of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis., on NBC, as the United States defeated Europe by a score of 19-9 to win the Ryder Cup and set the record for the most points in the 28-point format. Live From The Ryder Cup provided post-round coverage on GOLF Channel. Following are notes and quotes from today’s coverage.

On U.S. Team

U.S. captain Steve Stricker to Steve Sands after the U.S. clinched the Ryder Cup: “These guys all came together….it says a lot about this group of guys…they had a mission this week, you could tell. Brooks and Bryson wanted to play together, that’s how much it came together. That shows a lot about this whole team…this is a new era for U.S.A golf. They’re young, they come with a lot of passion, a lot of energy, and a lot of game.”

Paul Azinger on the U.S. winning the Ryder Cup: “What a glorious day and glorious weekend for American golf. Down and out for so long in this competition. All the pressure was on them this week, the strongest American team ever on-paper. This is a new generation and a new time…full and total domination…there’s no shortcuts to success. You can’t hope for it, you can’t wish for it. You have to prepare, you have to outprepare, that’s what Stricker wanted to do.”

Azinger on Stricker: “If the PGA of America is serious about winning Ryder Cups, they might want to consider giving Steve Stricker another shot at this.”

Azinger on Dustin Johnson, who went 5-0-0: “He didn’t come in here playing red hot by any means, but he leaves here the most confident guy. He handled everything that they threw at him.”

Azinger on Bryson DeChambeau: “That guy is as American as apple pie. He has brought such an energy to this sport. He got the crowd amped up the second he came through that tunnel and walked onto that tee and he hasn’t let up since. Drove the green 350 yards away on that first hole and made eagle. Unreal.”

Brandel Chamblee: “Golf is an individual sport, but what defines pretty much every human being that’s ever walked this planet is how you work with others. This team was animated from the get-go by a deep sense of purpose. Perhaps it was to prove that this era of players could excel at this event. They hung together and finally played to their prodigious talents.”

Justin Leonard: “The skill and talent of this American team could spell trouble for the Europeans for years to come.”

Dan Hicks on Collin Morikawa: “So many feel that he is the future of American golf. In fact, he’s here now. But at 24 years old, the ceiling is so high.”

On European Team

Rory McIlroy’s emotional post-round interview with Jimmy Roberts following his 3-and-2 singles match win: “I’m extremely disappointed that I haven’t contributed more for the team. I’m glad I got a point on the board…the more and more I play in this event, the more I realize that this is the best event in golf.”

Dan Hicks on Rory McIlroy’s interview with Jimmy Roberts: “If you ever had any idea that these guys don’t care, or that Rory McIlroy with all of his talent just kind of turns it on and off when he wants to,  you hear what this Ryder Cup means to Europe and means to the United States.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE 43RD RYDER CUP ON NBC (DAY 2)

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“They’re in a great spot and they’ve earned it.” – Paul Azinger on 11-5 lead for the U.S. heading into singles play

“We may well be talking about one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Ryder Cup teams ever assembled.” – Brandel Chamblee on the U.S. team

“If that doesn’t go in, Europe’s got no shot tomorrow. Moment of a lifetime for Shane Lowry.” – Paul Azinger on Lowry’s match-winning putt on 18

“Very rarely do you see golfers deal with what we have to deal with – yells from the stands…It gets your juices up. As a competitor, I absolutely love it.” – Michael Jordan on the Ryder Cup

Day 1 Delivers Golf Channel’s Most-Watched Weekday Telecast On Record; Viewership Up 16% vs. 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 25, 2021 – NBC Sports presented exclusive coverage of Day 2 of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis., on NBC, as well as Live From The Ryder Cup post-round coverage on GOLF Channel. The United States leads Europe 11-5 after Day 2 foursomes and four-ball matches.

Day 1 of the 43rd Ryder Cup delivered GOLF Channel’s most-watched weekday telecast on record, averaging a Total Audience Delivery of approximately 1.5 million viewers (8:30 a.m. – 6:56 p.m. ET), up 16% vs. the last domestic Ryder Cup Day 1 in 2016.

Tomorrow’s coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel with Live From The Ryder Cup, leading into Sunday singles matches coverage at noon ET on NBC. Sunday’s coverage will also feature the debut of the commercial-free “Marquee Hour in Partnership with Rolex,” beginning at approximately 2 p.m. ET following the start of the final singles match.

On Day 2

Paul Azinger on the U.S. lead: “This is a huge lead for the American team. They’re in a great spot and they’ve earned it. All of the pressure was on the U.S. squad coming in with the advantage in the World Golf Rankings and they’ve come through.”

Brandel Chamblee: “We may well be talking about this as one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Ryder Cup teams ever assembled.”

Justin Leonard: “American dominance…the only chance they had at the beginning of the week was for Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy to show up. Jon Rahm has, but Rory McIlroy has struggled.”

Rich Lerner: “The U.S. rookies have run roughshod over the Europeans and on a football Saturday, the Americans have a touchdown lead heading into Sunday.”

Day 2 coverage on NBC also included a live interview with Michael Jordan. Click here to watch the interview.

On the afternoon four-ball matches: American Team

Mike Tirico on Dustin Johnson who has gone 4-0-0: “A free-flowing DJ is dangerous DJ.”

Azinger on Jordan Spieth’s lip-out on 12: “That is one of the worst lip-outs you will ever see.”

Azinger on Tony Finau: “I ran into him last night and he was so excited to be here and so excited to get through that first match yesterday. He said the anxiety leading into it was pretty tough, but once the bell rang he was good to go.”

Azinger on Scheffler’s tying putt on the 15th hole: “I’ve never seen Scottie Scheffler react like this, ever. Only in the Ryder Cup.”

On the afternoon four-ball matches: European Team

Azinger on Shane Lowry after his match-winning putt on 18: “What a guttural reaction. That is just pouring his heart out…Padraig Harrington put his faith in Shane Lowry for this moment. He had to have it. If that doesn’t go in, Europe’s got no shot tomorrow. Moment of a lifetime for Shane Lowry.”

Azinger on Jon Rahm: “He has been a hero for the European side.”

Leonard on Rory McIlroy: “It’s hard to imagine a European comeback without Rory McIlroy involved in it. Obviously, (the morning foursomes) was the first session he’s ever sat out in a Ryder Cup. Hopefully it perturbs him a little bit, whether it was his choice or not.”

Dan Hicks following Jon Rahm’s long birdie putt on the 16th hole: “It just continues this great Spanish tradition in the Ryder Cup.”

Gary Koch: “Look at Sergio Garcia’s reaction! He’s going, ‘Are you kidding me? How lucky am I to have Jon Rahm as my partner?’”

John Wood on Shane Lowry taking an unplayable and opting to not hit his 2nd shot on the 17th hole: “I think Shane’s got a better shot of hitting that in Lake Michigan than he does of hitting it on the green.”

On the morning foursomes matches: American Team

Jim “Bones” Mackay on Sergio Garcia standing over Brooks Koepka’s disputed lie on 15th hole: “That’s the first time I’ve seen a player from another team stand over the other team’s golf ball.”

Michael Jordan with Steve Sands

Michael Jordan’s advice to the U.S. team: “I’m a little nervous…The letdown is what you really have to focus on. Keep focusing on each and every match…Hole by hole, shot by shot, and if we skip any shots…next thing you know, the script is flipped…The momentum is on our side, let’s keep it that way.”

Jordan on what makes the Ryder Cup unique: “It’s not about money, it’s about pride and representing your country. Very rarely do you see golfers deal with what we (basketball players) have to deal with – yells from the stands…It gets your juices up. As a competitor, I absolutely love it.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE 43RD RYDER CUP ON GOLF CHANNEL (DAY 1)

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“So far, the Americans have done everything they possibly could have hoped for.” – Paul Azinger

“This is a hungry bunch of first-timers at the Ryder Cup here for the Americans. They are on a mission.” – Azinger

“No question – he is the emotional leader of this team.” – Gary Koch on Justin Thomas

“I don’t even know where it is – but it’s perfect wherever it is.” – Hunter Mahan on Bryson DeChambeau’s 417-Yard Drive on 5th Hole

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 24, 2021 – NBC Sports presented exclusive coverage of Day 1 of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis., on GOLF Channel, as well as Live From The Ryder Cup post-round coverage on GOLF Channel.

Tomorrow’s coverage begins at 8 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel and continues at 9 a.m. ET on NBC. Peacock Premium and RyderCup.com simulstreams all coverage on GOLF Channel and NBC.

The United States leads Europe 6 to 2 after Day 1 foursomes and four-ball matches.

On Day 1

Paul Azinger: “U.S. hasn’t been in this position in a while…It’s been a real rough run for the U.S. team. They are a powerful squad, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th (ranked players in the world)…The Europeans have the best player in the world and he wriggled the hook today, but he needed to…So far, the Americans have done everything they possibly could have hoped for.”

Justin Leonard on European Team: “They’ve got some issues…I don’t see a comeback coming without the help and play of Rory McIlroy.”

Rich Lerner: “We talk about the United States turning the page on the Tiger and Phil Ryder Cup era. They ripped the page out of the book and threw it away.”

On the afternoon four-ball matches: American Team

Azinger: “This is a hungry bunch of first-timers at the Ryder Cup here for the Americans. They are on a mission.”

Gary Koch on Justin Thomas after his eagle on the 16th hole: “No question – he is the emotional leader of this team.”

Azinger on pressure of being the final group on the course at the Ryder Cup: “You’ve got to position players in spots where you think they can handle that kind of heat. It’s possible that every player on both teams could be on the course watching this group finish.”

Azinger on the danger of trailing by multiple points early in the Ryder Cup: “It’s very difficult to come back from being two points down after the first day…It’s only been done a couple of times.”

Dan Hicks on Bryson DeChambeau’s drives: “He’s turning Whistling Straits into Mesquite, Nevada.”

Azinger on Dustin Johnson’s birdie on 11th hole with Michael Jordan greenside: “DJ and MJ play a lot of golf together. No surprise that (Jordan) is out there hanging with his man.”

Notah Begay III on Scottie Scheffler being paired with Bryson DeChambeau: “He’s been the setup man today, done a great job in that role. Hitting a lot of greens, fairways, giving Bryson a chance to be more aggressive, which plays right into his mindset.”

On the afternoon four-ball matches: European Team

Azinger on Tyrrell Hatton’s putt on the 18th hole to halve the match: “That is going to be a huge emotional lift for the European team…What a big putt. If he misses this putt, Europe is in huge trouble.”

Azinger after Tommy Fleetwood’s shot into the water on the 16th hole: “The par 5s continue to be the Achilles Heel of the European team.”

Kay Cockerill on the European pairing of Shane Lowry/Rory McIlroy: “This team just seems deflated, particularly Lowry. His youthful rookie exuberance has left him.”

On Bryson DeChambeau’s 417-yard drive on the 5th hole

Hunter Mahan: “I don’t even know where it is – but it’s perfect wherever it is.”

Begay III: “He certainly isn’t afraid to put the gas down and play aggressively, which is why he’s a great fit in this four-ball format.”

Leonard: “(Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Scotty McGuinness) was telling me about this line Bryson might take at the fifth. It’s just amazing how much he’s cut off this hole.”

On Jordan Spieth’s hill-side chip shot on the 17th hole

Mike Tirico: “One of the shots of this or any Ryder Cup. 24 steps backwards, Jordan Spieth takes, he never sees it. He’s staring at Ludington, Michigan, and we’re staring at one of the great shots we’ve ever seen.”

Tirico: “Nobody made the step back in basketball cooler than Steph (Curry). But Jordan Spieth gave you an all-time golf step-back, even though Europe got the win in their one point.”

On the morning foursome matches: American Team

John Wood on Johnson/Morikawa pairing that defeated Casey/Hovland 3&2 in morning foursome match: “I love this pairing for the rest of the week. Dustin Johnson used to love to play with Matt Kuchar because he was so steady. DJ knew that he could be aggressive. Collin is in that same mold. When you put Johnson with another really aggressive guy, DJ said he can struggle, but when he’s got a partner who’s super steady, he feels really comfortable and he can go for everything.”

Curt Byrum on Collin Morikawa: “Collin Morikawa has started out putting really well today. He’s a rookie on this team…”

Nick Faldo: “A ‘Major’ rookie.”

On Whistling Straits

Azinger on the course design: “It felt like the eighth wonder of the world the first time I walked on the property…What a piece of architecture this is.”

Stephen Curry speaking with Steve Sands

Curry on his first time at the Ryder Cup: “This is amazing. I’ve heard so many people who’ve been here talk about the atmosphere and the team energy, and the part of golf you can’t recreate anywhere. It’s lived up to the expectations for sure.”

Curry on noise in NBA arenas compared to noise at the Ryder Cup: “It’s tough because if I’m at the free throw line, and it’s deathly quiet after 19,000 fans have been going crazy and then it goes to a hush, that would mess with me a little bit. For these guys, the atmosphere at the first tee, and you’re hearing all these fans going crazy, and the sounds as you’re doing your practice swings, and then it goes down. I can’t imagine what that adrenaline rush is like.”

–NBC SPORTS–

College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Live from Soldier Field in Chicago Ahead of Top-20 Matchup Between No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 18 Wisconsin

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College GameDay Built by Home Depot will make its fourth visit to the Windy City this weekend, as the show originates from Soldier Field on Saturday, Sept. 25 

The post College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Live from Soldier Field in Chicago Ahead of Top-20 Matchup Between No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 18 Wisconsin appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown will be Live from Gillette Stadium for Tom Brady’s Return

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In anticipation of Tom Brady’s return to New England, Patriots Hall of Famer Tedy Bruschi, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Patriot Randy Moss, former Boston College quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and former AFC East rival Rex Ryan will join ESPN host Sam Ponder for a special edition of Sunday NFL Countdown on Oct. 3.

The post ESPN’s <em>Sunday NFL Countdown</em> will be Live from Gillette Stadium for Tom Brady’s Return appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Live from Las Vegas Saturday on ESPN+ PPV; Prelims on ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

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UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega will stream exclusively on ESPN+ PPV this Saturday, Sept. 25, at 10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.  The main card features a thrilling pair of world championship bouts when the coaches of the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter — UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and No. 2 ranked-contender Brian Ortega — collide. The co-main will feature UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko facing No.3 ranked contender Lauren Murphy. The third fight of the main event will feature one of UFC’s most highly anticipated returns when Nick Diaz, one of UFC’s perennial fan favorites, returns to the Octagon in a rematch 17 years in the making, against Robbie Lawler.

The post UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Live from Las Vegas Saturday on ESPN+ PPV; Prelims on ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

2021 INDYCAR CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE DECIDED AT ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH THIS SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

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2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion to Be Crowned at Season Finale For 16th Consecutive Season

Snoop Dogg Voices Open for INDYCAR Championship Race on NBCSN

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 Begins From Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Race Coverage Sunday in Primetime at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN; Pre-Race Coverage Begins at 6 p.m. ET

NBC Sports Presents Eight Consecutive Hours of INDYCAR and NASCAR Coverage Sunday on NBCSN & 7.5 Straight Hours of Motorsports Coverage Saturday on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 23, 2021 – The 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship will be decided at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on the California street circuit this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Alex Palou, currently leading the points standings, will aim to earn his first series title and hold off Pato O’Ward and two-time INDYCAR champion Josef Newgarden in the Championship race. This will mark the 16th consecutive season in which the INDYCAR title will be decided at the final race of the season.

Palou will capture the title if he finishes 11th or better at Long Beach, as well as other scenarios. Heading into the season finale, O’Ward trails Palou by 35 points and Newgarden is 48 points back.

Pre-race coverage begins Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, kicking off eight consecutive hours of INDYCAR and NASCAR coverage on NBCSN. The green flag for the Championship race will wave shortly after 3:30 p.m. ET. INDYCAR coverage from Long Beach begins with practice Friday at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock.

NBC Sports’ lead INDYCAR team of Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Townsend Bell (analyst) and Paul Tracy (analyst) will call the season finale. Marty Snider and Kevin Lee will serve as pit reporters, with Rutledge Wood contributing special reports from around the street circuit.

Snoop Dogg, who grew up in Long Beach, will voice the show open of the INDYCAR Championship on NBCSN, which showcases the Championship contenders at the storied track hosting the series season finale for the first time.

As part of 7.5 straight hours of motorsports coverage Saturday on NBCSN, Rutledge Wood will interview Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Rai Benjamin during INDYCAR qualifying coverage Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Benjamin, who was a member of the gold medal-winning 4x400m relay team at the Tokyo Olympics, is serving as grand marshal of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Long Beach, which will be presented Saturday live at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

NBC Sports will present a special free-to-play contest, Checkered Flag Pick ‘Em, featuring the INDYCAR Championship race. Checkered Flag Pick ‘Em is available to play now within the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store).

BROADCAST TEAM

  • Play by Play: Leigh Diffey
  • Analysts: Townsend Bell, Paul Tracy
  • Pit Reporters: Marty Snider, Kevin Lee
  • Specialty Reporter: Rutledge Wood

HOW TO WATCH

  • TV – NBCSN
  • Streaming – Peacock (qualifying and practice), NBCSports.com, and NBC Sports app
Date Coverage Network/Streaming Time (ET)
Fri., Sept. 24 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – Practice Peacock 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 25 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – Practice 2 Peacock Noon
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – Qualifying NBCSN, Peacock 3 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 26 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – Warmup Peacock Noon
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Pre-Race NBCSN 3 p.m.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach NBCSN 3:30 p.m.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Post-Race NBCSN 5:30 p.m.

NASCAR: LAS VEGAS

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 begins in primetime this Sunday, Sept. 26, from Las Vegas Motor Speedway at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. An hour-long edition of Countdown to Green pre-race coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

The Xfinity Series Playoff Round of 12 field is set ahead of this weekend in Las Vegas. Countdown to Green pre-race coverage will begin in primetime Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, leading into race coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ lead NASCAR race announcer Rick Allen will call the Cup Series race this weekend from Las Vegas alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, 21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton, and two-time Daytona 500 Champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame selection Dale Earnhardt Jr. Allen will call the Xfinity Series race with Burton and Brad Daugherty.

Kelli Stavast and Dave Burns will contribute coverage from pit road during the weekend’s pair of Playoff races from Las Vegas.

All studio coverage will take place from the Peacock Pit Box, beginning Saturday which will be anchored by Stavast alongside Earnhardt Jr. and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett.

Sunday’s pre-race coverage will feature Letarte with Jarrett and Daugherty. The 30-minute NASCAR America post-race show will also include analysis from Jarrett and Daugherty.

The Round of 12 is finalized heading into Las Vegas, with Kyle Larson continuing to lead the standings following his thrilling win at Bristol last weekend. AJ Allmendinger won the Xfinity Series race at Bristol in overtime, securing the regular season championship over Austin Cindric.

2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFF STANDINGS ROUND OF 12

Drivers Points
Kyle Larson 3059
Martin Truex Jr. 3029
Denny Hamlin 3024
Ryan Blaney 3024
Kyle Busch 3022
Chase Elliott 3021
Alex Bowman 3015
William Byron 3014
Joey Logano 3013
Brad Keselowski 3008
Christopher Bell 3005
Kevin Harvick 3002

The official home of the NASCAR Championship and Playoffs, NBC Sports will once again present the final 20 NASCAR Cup Series races and 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2021, culminating with the Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 6-7. Click here for more information on NBC Sports’ 2021 NASCAR coverage.

NASCAR Pick ‘Em: NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, NASCAR Pick ‘Em, features a weekly contest for each NASCAR Cup Series race. NASCAR Pick ‘Em is available for download now on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at nbcsports.com/predictor.

BROADCAST TEAM

  • Play by Play: Rick Allen
  • Analysts: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte (Sunday), Brad Daugherty (Saturday)
  • Pit Reporters: Kelli Stavast, Dave Burns

STUDIO COVERAGE TEAM

  • Hosts: Steve Letarte (Sunday), Kelli Stavast (Saturday)
  • Analysts: Dale Jarrett, Brad Daugherty, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Saturday)

HOW TO WATCH

  • TV – NBCSN
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Sat., Sept. 25 Countdown to Green – NASCAR Xfinity Series NBCSN 7 p.m.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Post Race NBCSN 10 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 26 Countdown to Green – NASCAR Cup Series NBCSN 6 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway NBCSN 7 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series Post Race NBCSN 10:30 p.m.

IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP: LONG BEACH

BROADCAST TEAM

  • Play by Play: Leigh Diffey
  • Analyst: Calvin Fish
  • Pit Reporters: Marty Snider, Kevin Lee

Live coverage of the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Long Beach will be presented Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The series will return to the California street circuit for the first time in nearly two and a half years.

Three WeatherTech Championship car classes will race at Long Beach, including Daytona Prototype International (DPi), GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD). Live streaming coverage of all races and qualifying throughout the weekend will also be available on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

DALE JR. DOWNLOAD

Danny Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s uncle and the brother of Dale Earnhardt Sr., is the guest on this week’s episode of the Dale Jr. Download that airs tonight at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Produced on-site at Dirty Mo Media Studios in Mooresville, N.C., the Dale Jr. Download on NBCSN takes viewers couch-side for the taping of the motorsports icon’s weekly podcast, featuring unparalleled perspective, candid commentary, and insight that fans have come to expect from Dale Jr.

–NBC SPORTS–