Good morning fellow sports fans!
Grab your coffee and settle in, because, the Milano Cortina Olympics are serving up drama, dominance, and a few jaw-dropping upsets that nobody saw coming. From heated curling accusations to figure skating shockers, here’s what went down while you were sleeping.
Top Story
Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov Stuns the World with Olympic Figure Skating Gold
For nearly two years, Ilia Malinin made men’s figure skating feel predictable in the most spectacular of ways. The 21-year-old American was the overwhelming favorite heading into Friday night’s free skate on the outskirts of Milan—until the Olympic stage reminded everyone that nothing is guaranteed under the brightest lights.
In one of the biggest shocks in figure skating history, Malinin fell twice during an error-strewn performance, watching the gold medal slip away to Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov. It’s the kind of moment that defines Olympic lore: the favorite stumbles, the underdog seizes immortality, and the rest of us are left wondering what just happened. Malinin’s dominance suggested a coronation was coming. Instead, Shaidorov delivered a masterclass in capitalizing on someone else’s worst night and etched his name into Olympic history.
Quick Hits
Matt Weston Makes British Winter Sports History
Great Britain finally broke through at Milano Cortina, and they did it in style. Matt Weston—nicknamed “Captain 110%” by his teammates—became the first British man to win individual winter gold since 1980, dominating the men’s skeleton with a performance that broke the Cortina Sliding Centre track record four consecutive times. His combined time of 3:43.33 was nearly a full second ahead of Germany’s Axel Jungk. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win world championships, and European championships and other things, and this blows them all out the water,” Weston said. Touch that medal, Captain. You earned it.
Lindsey Vonn to Undergo Fourth Surgery After Olympic Crash
American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn will undergo another surgery on her broken left leg Saturday following her horrific crash in the Olympic downhill at Milano Cortina. The veteran posted a video message Friday saying she hopes to head home after the procedure. It’s a devastating end to what was already a courageous comeback attempt and a reminder that even the greatest champions are still human.
Finland Beats Sweden 4-1 Despite Internal Turmoil
Finland bounced back from an opening loss to Slovakia by defeating their biggest rival Sweden 4-1 on Day 3 of Olympic men’s hockey—but the victory came with some serious behind-the-scenes drama. Reports surfaced that Finnish players had approached GM Jere Lehtinen suggesting the team hire Canadian coach Paul Maurice (yes, the Stanley Cup-winning Panthers coach) to replace current head coach Antti Pennanen. Despite the turmoil, Finland decided to play hard anyway, with Mikko Rantanen scoring an empty-netter and praising Pennanen’s structure postgame. Sometimes the best response is just winning.
French Ice Dance Duo Wins Gold Amid Judging Controversy
The International Skating Union is defending Olympic ice dance judging after France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron narrowly defeated Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates in one of the closest, and most disputed, finishes at Milano Cortina. A single judge’s scoring gap has become the flashpoint in one of the closest finishes of the Games, and a petition calling for an investigation is closing in on 15,000 signatures.
The ISU insists its safeguards prevent bias, but with fans, skaters, and analysts all dissecting the score sheets, this story is clearly far from over.
North of the Border
Canada’s Power Play Is Basically Cheating (and Totally Legal)
Imagine trying to kill a penalty against Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, and Sam Reinhart. Now imagine doing it while down a skater. That’s the nightmare facing every team Canada faces at Milano Cortina, and it’s going exactly as you’d expect. The all-star power play struck early in Canada’s Olympic debut and again in Friday’s 5-1 victory over Switzerland. Veteran penalty killer Brad Marchand put it bluntly: “Physically, you can’t keep up. You’re just kinda hoping they try to make one too many plays.” Teenage wingman Macklin Celebrini continues to shine with his second goal of the tournament. This Canadian squad isn’t just good, they’re unfair.
Heated Curling Clash: Canada Beats Sweden 8-6 Amid Cheating Allegations
Brad Jacobs’ Canada defeated Sweden 8-6 in what might have been the tensiest curling match of the Olympics so far. Niklas Edin’s Swedish team alleged Canadian curlers were double-touching stones during delivery, halting the game early and asking officials to watch for violations. Canada fired back by requesting the same scrutiny on Sweden’s throws, creating an atmosphere so frosty it could freeze the ice twice over. Drama on the ice? We’re here for it.
CFL Moves: Roughriders Add Super Bowl Champ, Lions Sign Alouettes Starter
The Saskatchewan Roughriders—fresh off their first Grey Cup championship in 12 years—added former Los Angeles Rams running back and Super Bowl LVI champion Darrell Henderson Jr. The 28-year-old rushed for 1,852 yards and 19 touchdowns over 54 NFL games and earned $4.7 million in the league. Meanwhile, the B.C. Lions signed defensive back Dionte Ruffin, who started 29 games over two seasons with Montreal and brings 129 defensive tackles and six interceptions to the West Division runners-up.
Elks Release All-CFL Tackle After Fifth Straight Playoff Miss
The Edmonton Elks released offensive lineman Martez Ivey after four years with the team, capping a difficult 2025 season that saw Edmonton miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year with a 7-11 record. The 30-year-old was an All-CFL West Division selection in 2024 and started all 66 games during his tenure. The move follows the signing of former Hamilton tackles in free agency as the Elks try to turn things around.
Ravens Hire CFL Legend Marcus Brady as Passing Game Coordinator
The Baltimore Ravens brought in Marcus Brady—a three-time Grey Cup-winning assistant coach in the CFL—as their new passing game coordinator. Brady spent the past two seasons in the same role with the Los Angeles Chargers and reunites with new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter. The 46-year-old played seven CFL seasons at quarterback and coached both Montreal and Toronto before heading to the NFL. Now he’ll help form a passing attack led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson.
Blue Jays’ Ricky Tiedemann Eyes Late-Season Bullpen Role
The Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training might not feature many roster battles, but keep an eye on top lefty prospect Ricky Tiedemann. The 23-year-old missed all of 2025 with Tommy John surgery but is being positioned as a potential late-season high-leverage reliever—think Aaron Sanchez’s 2014 path. Tiedemann has electric stuff that touches the upper 90s, and the Jays are walking a tightrope between giving him development innings in the minors and keeping him ready as a potential playoff weapon.
Hustle & Heart Highlight
Matt Weston didn’t just win gold, he broke the track record four times in a row. That’s not talent meeting opportunity. That’s relentless preparation meeting the biggest moment of your life and refusing to blink. Captain 110%, indeed.
Until tomorrow, stay hungry and keep grinding.
EXCERPT:
In one of the biggest shocks in figure skating history, Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov claimed Olympic gold after heavy favorite Ilia Malinin fell twice during his free skate performance on Friday night. The 21-year-old American, who had dominated men’s figure skating for nearly two years, saw the title slip away in an error-strewn performance that will be remembered as one of the sport’s most stunning upsets.
