World – Olympics
An estimated 2,500 athletes from 88 different countries are participating in 2014 Winter Olympics; 230 of those athletes are from America alone. The games are being held in Sochi, Russia. American officials and athletes are concerned with the security in Sochi, and many athletes have told their parents not to come due to the risk of a terrorist attack during the games. The security and safety of the athletes have been questioned due to recent suicide bombings near Sochi, but Prime Minster Valdamir Putin has assured American officials that security is tight and there will be no problems at the games. The Opening Ceremony will be on February 8th and the games will end on the 23. With 98 events from seven core different sports, this will be largest Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee added twelve more events this year.
National – Super Bowl
The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks played for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVIII at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, on Sunday, February 2nd. Both teams had a record of 13-3 this year and both were number one seeds. The Broncos beat the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game with a score of 26-16. The Seahawks had a much closer game against the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship, winning 23-17. Multiple computer simulations, including the video game Madden 25, wrongly predicted that the Broncos would beat the Seahawks in overtime with a score of 31-28. If the Broncos had won, Manning would be the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl with two different franchises. Instead, he now has 12 playoff losses, the most in NFL history. The Broncos had the number one offense this year and the Seahawks had the number one defense. Seattle won the match 43-8. Malcolm Smith won the MVP for the Seahawks, becoming the third linebacker ever to win the award. Smith had a Pick 6 and forced a fumble for the Seahawks. Wilson finished the game 18-25 for 206 yards and two interceptions. Wilson is the fourth quarterback to win a Super Bowl in his second year, at the tender age of 25.
Local – Blackhawks
The Blackhawks have won three games out of their last eight. The Hawks beat the Boston Bruins in a Stanley Cup rematch on January 19, but after that game they can’t seem win. They lost to the Detroit Red Wings, the Minnesota Wild, the Winnipeg Jets, and the Calgary Flames in subsequent games. Head coach Joel Quenville said to the Chicago Tribune, “It’s just not happening. We have enough assets in there in overtime. We have to find a way to make it happen.” The Blackhawks have an overall record of 34-10-14. On January 29, the Blackhawks played the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver took a 2-0 lead quickly in the second period; however, the Blackhawks scored five unanswered goals to win 5-2. On February 3, the Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings, 5-3, and Patrick Kane led the team with 2 goals and 1 assist. The Blackhawks have 2 more games until their Pre-Olympic Break. The Hawks have 10 players who are going to Sochi for the Olympics.