CARABAO CUP FINAL - NEWCASTLE 2-1 LIVERPOOL - MATCH REPORT: SEE IT TO BELIEVE

Generational win to truly get a new era started.

Newcastle United ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, defeating Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup final.

Read that again.

Newcastle United ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, defeating Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup final.

How does that feel?

And because you cannot write a better story, goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak were the ones securing the victory, giving Eddie Howe’s team their first major silverware since the 1955 FA Cup.

Liverpool entered the match as favorites, but Newcastle started with intensity, pressing high and dictating the early tempo, putting the Reds’ backs against a wall they’d never find a way to clear.

Sandro Tonali sent an early warning shot past the post, while Newcastle’s midfield trio of Tonali, Joelinton, and Bruno Guimarães controlled the first half.

Liverpool struggled to create, managing only one shot and two touches in Newcastle’s box before halftime. Just imagine!

The breakthrough came in stoppage time. Kieran Trippier delivered a corner to the back post, where Burn, unmarked by the much smaller Alexis Mac Allister, powered a header across goal and past Caoimhin Kelleher.

The Newcastle end of Wembley erupted as Burn, a boyhood fan of the club and legitimate Magpie, celebrated a goal that put Newcastle on the verge of history.

Seven minutes into the second half, Isak doubled Newcastle’s lead.

After having a close-range finish ruled out for offside moments earlier, the Swedish striker capitalized on Jacob Murphy’s header across goal, sweeping his shot into the bottom left corner.

Newcastle were in control, while Liverpool, still dealing with the fatigue of their midweek Champions League elimination at the hands of PSG—who Newcastle trounced not long ago—struggled to respond.

Substitute Curtis Jones forced Nick Pope into a sharp save just before the hour mark, but Newcastle continued to look the more dangerous side and, hey, it’s not that Pope didn’t deserve his own moment to laugh at the Scousers.

Arne Slot adjusted Liverpool’s shape late on, pushing more attackers forward, yet Newcastle’s defensive organization held firm.

Deep into stoppage time, Federico Chiesa broke through and slid a finish past Pope. Initially flagged offside, VAR confirmed the goal, setting up a tense final minute.

But Newcastle held out, sealing a victory that ended decades of near misses and disappointments and also that, hopefully, kickstart an era of true and absolute dominance.

After the match, Howe praised his team’s effort and all of the now-legendary Geordie boys.

“I’m so pleased for the players, for the supporters, for everyone connected with the club,” Howe said. “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight we showed what this team is capable of.”

Newcastle will return to Premier League action on April 2 against Brentford, now as Carabao Cup champions, and with sculptors taking Howe’s measures for the inevitable statue that will soon grace the new Newcastle stadium.

Howay!

- Chapulana

BILL BELICHICK REACHES 5-YEAR DEAL TO COACH NORTH CAROLINA

In one of the most stunning and compelling moves in college football history, six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was named the new head coach at North Carolina on Wednesday night.

UNC officials said the sides agreed to a five-year deal pending approval by the board of trustees, which is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Thursday.

Belichick, 72, worked in the NFL in some capacity from 1975 until his divorce from the New England Patriots after the 2023 season. This will be his first college coaching job.

Belichick's father, Steve, served as an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.

"I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times," Belichick said as part of a release announcing the move. "I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."

Belichick's hiring at North Carolina, which hasn't won an ACC football title since 1980, was spearheaded by board chair John P. Preyer, who had homed in on Belichick in recent weeks. Sources told ESPN that the sides met multiple times at length, including for five hours Sunday, and those talks culminated with Belichick finalizing the deal Wednesday.

For a program awash in apathy and mediocrity, this marks a distinct and compelling shift from Mack Brown, as Belichick gives the Tar Heels an unprecedented jolt of star power for 2025 and beyond.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said hiring Belichick positions the program well amid the changing landscape of college sports.

"Bill Belichick is a football legend and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina Football can evolve, compete and win -- today and in the future," Cunningham said in the school's news release. "At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and Coach Belichick shares that commitment."

Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive who also was an assistant under Belichick with the Patriots from 2014 to 2016, said Wednesday night he would serve as the general manager of the Tar Heels' program.

The Patriots' six Super Bowls under Belichick are an NFL record. (He won two more as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.) He enters college football with 333 NFL wins, behind only Don Shula's record of 347.

North Carolina fired Brown, 73, on Nov. 26 after a 6-6 season, ending his second stint at the school with a 44-33 record over six years. He coached the Tar Heels' regular-season finale, a 35-30 loss to NC State, then said it was a "great time for me to get out."

The hiring of the famously aloof Belichick, who joked Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show" about his news conference aura, represents a significant shift from Brown's syrupy Southern charm.

Belichick has spent his year away from the sideline doing multiple media jobs while making it clear he wanted to return to coaching. After exploring multiple NFL positions last year following his departure from New England, it was expected Belichick would explore the NFL market again.

But sources told ESPN that a return to coaching in general had been paramount for Belichick. He spent a lot of time around his former assistant, Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch, and talking to friends and former assistant coaches around college football. Belichick's son Stephen is the Huskies' defensive coordinator and is expected to be involved with the North Carolina staff in some way.

At 72 years old, Bill Belichick is now the oldest head coach in the FBS. The previous oldest entering this season was Mack Brown (73), whom Belichick is succeeding at North Carolina:

Through the NFL draft every year, Belichick has built up a reserve of college coach confidants, and he has popped up at places such as Washington, Rutgers and LSU this year for college games.

Belichick also spent recent days familiarizing himself with the transfer portal and NIL, and he spent a lot of time on how the organizational chart of a college system would work.

He made it clear in his interview with McAfee on Monday that he would create an incubator for NFL talent if he were a college coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," Belichick said. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

He concluded a lengthy portrait of what the program would look like by saying: "It would be an NFL program, but not at the NFL level."

If talks between Belichick and North Carolina had broken down, Cleveland Browns passing game specialist and tight ends coach Tommy Rees was considered the favorite to land the Tar Heels job, league sources told ESPN. Rees interviewed for the job twice, and he had Nick Saban as an advocate.

Other names that had emerged in the search included veteran NFL coach Steve Wilks, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, Army coach Jeff Monken and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Smith indicated he would stay with the Steelers, and Tulane reached an agreement in principle with Sumrall on a contract extension.

- Pete Thamel, Adam Schefter, Chris Low

DAVIS CUP: HISTORY & FORMAT

What is The Davis Cup?

The Davis Cup is the foremost international team competition in men’s tennis, governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). It’s an annual showdown that brings together teams representing over 140 competing countries from around the world. The Davis Cup is not just any tennis tournament; it is a celebration of national pride, fierce competition, and the camaraderie that transcends borders. It is where individual tennis stars unite to form national teams, vying for the coveted title of World Champions.

Davis Cup History: A Journey Through Time

The history of the Davis Cup is a captivating tale that begins in the late 19th century, rooted in the vision of James Dwight, the first president of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association. Dwight aspired to pit the best American and British players against each other in a sanctioned match. While his initial attempts didn’t bear fruit, the idea of international competition took root.

International Competitions Pre-Davis Cup

Before the Davis Cup’s inception in 1900, international tennis competitions were already underway. England and Ireland, for example, engaged in annual national team competitions, laying the groundwork for the Davis Cup’s format. In 1896, American player William Larned toured the British Isles, and this tour planted the seed for international team competition.

The Birth of Davis Cup

In the summer of 1899, four members of the Harvard University tennis team embarked on a journey across the United States to challenge west-coast talent. Upon their return, Dwight Davis, one of the Harvard players, conceived the idea of a tennis event that would pit national teams against each other. He ordered the iconic sterling silver punchbowl trophy, now known as the Davis Cup, to be crafted. Contrary to the myth, Davis did not solely devise the idea but played a crucial role in its realization.

First Davis Cup Match

The inaugural Davis Cup match took place in 1900 between the United States and the “British Isles” team. The Americans, captained by Dwight Davis himself, won the first three matches, setting the stage for a long and storied history.

Evolution of Format

The Davis Cup format evolved over time. Initially, it was a challenge cup, with teams competing to face the previous year’s champion. In 1923, the competition introduced the concept of zones, including the “America Zone” and the “Europe Zone,” to determine the challenger for the cup. In 1955, the “Eastern Zone” joined the fray. In 1966, the “Europe Zone” split into “Europe Zone A” and “Europe Zone B,” further expanding the competition.

Australia’s Dominance

From 1950 to 1967, Australia dominated the Davis Cup, winning an astounding 15 times in 18 years, cementing its place as a tennis powerhouse.

Open Era and Professional Players

Before 1973, only amateurs and national registered professional players were allowed to compete in the Davis Cup. The Open Era, which began in 1968, gradually led to a more inclusive policy. Australian legends Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, who had turned professional prior to the Open Era, were allowed to compete in the Davis Cup for the first time in years.

Tiered System

In 1981, a tiered system was introduced, distinguishing the top 16 national teams in the World Group from others competing in regional zones. This system created a more balanced and competitive landscape.

Knockout Tournament

Starting in 1972, the Davis Cup adopted a knockout tournament format, ensuring that the defending champion had to compete in all rounds. This change injected more excitement and unpredictability into the competition.

Diversity of Champions

While the early years of the Davis Cup were marked by the dominance of a few nations, the tournament’s history saw the rise of “outsider” nations, such as Sweden and others, who captured the coveted trophy. 

The Davis Cup Structure

The Davis Cup is not just a tennis tournament; it’s an intricate competition with a unique structure that sets it apart. Here’s a breakdown of the structure:

World Group: The top 18 national teams in the world compete in the World Group, the elite level of the Davis Cup. These teams play a four-round elimination tournament, with seeding based on ITF rankings.

World Group Playoff: The losers of the first-round matches in the World Group face winners from Group I of the regional zones in the World Group playoff. The winners secure their spots in the World Group for the following year.

Regional Zones: Davis Cup features three regional zones – Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe/Africa. Teams in these zones compete in groups, with promotion and relegation at stake.

Group I and II: Teams in Groups I and II of the regional zones play elimination rounds, and the losing teams face relegation to lower groups.

Groups III and IV: Teams in Group III and IV of the regional zones play round-robin tournaments with promotion and relegation.

FAQ – The Davis Cup

What is the Davis Cup?

The Davis Cup is the premier international men’s tennis team competition, featuring teams from over 140 countries.

How did the Davis Cup begin?

The Davis Cup started in 1900 as a challenge between the United States and Great Britain.

Who are the most successful nations in Davis Cup history?

The United States and Australia have historically dominated, with numerous titles.

How has the Davis Cup format evolved?

The format has changed over time, including the introduction of zones and a knockout tournament.

- Luke L