Search result for Andrew Howard

A path back to the Super Bowl: Eagles remade in Nick Sirianni’s image

PHOENIX — At Super Bowl Opening Night, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and some of his players reflected on the cultural underpinning of their path to the Super Bowl in Sirianni’s second season with the organization.

Swoop, the Eagles' mascot, made quite the landing Monday during Opening Night at Footprint Center. (Photo by Reece Andrews/Cronkite News)

‘Woo!’: Kansas City Chiefs revved up for Super Bowl 57 on Opening Night

PHOENIX – Super Bowl week officially kicked off Monday night at the Footprint Center. The Eagles and Chiefs took center stage in front of thousands of fans to answer questions about the Super Bowl and how they got here.

Kansas City Chiefs (and Philadelphia Eagles) fans arrived in droves Monday at Footprint Center to attend Opening Night. (Photo by Reece Andrews/Cronkite News)

Super Bowl 2023 week kicks off with Opening Night at Footprint Center

PHOENIX – For the first time since 2015, Arizona will play host to the Super Bowl. The privilege comes with plenty of must-see live entertainment; tailgates; festivals; and, of course, football in the lead-up to the big game at State Farm Stadium. Follow along for live updates, featuring news, event highlights and more from the Cronkite News team, before the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs kick off on Super Bowl Sunday.

Footprint Center welcomed the Super Bowl contenders and fans Monday for a night of interviews, entertainment and the flat-out bizarre. (Photo by Reece Andrews/Cronkite News)

Ice breakers: Arizona High School Hockey Association brings new community, awareness to hockey in Valley

TEMPE – The AHSHA was started to allow high school athletes to participate in high level hockey competition across the state. However, the AIA has not sanctioned it due to equipment costs and limitations with how many schools have participated. With the league gaining traction, hockey in the desert is thriving more than ever.

Notre Dame Preparatory School's hockey team defeated Basha High School in the semifinal of the ASHA playoffs to secure a place in Saturday's championship against Desert Vista High School at Mullett Arena. (Photo by Grace Edwards/Cronkite News)

‘The game needs us’: MLB has diversity problem and no easy solution

PHOENIX – With no United States-born Black baseball players featured in the 2022 World Series between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, many felt as though baseball had taken a step away from building a diverse game. The next generation of players are growing within the youth community and the MLB DREAM Series in Tempe proved that the game still has more to learn.

Darrell Miller, right, a former major leaguer and coach at the Dream Series, believes that he was pushed to play in the outfield over playing behind the plate because he was “tall and ran a 6.60.” (Photo by Kelsey Grant/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Suns rising? Phoenix turning a corner after first-half struggles

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns struggled through much of the season with injuries piling up, testing the club’s roster depth. But with the return of forward Cameron Johnson and veteran point guard Chris Paul, and star Devin Booker expected back soon, the Suns may be poised to make a run after the upcoming NBA All-Star break.

The Phoenix Suns look poised to make a run after winning six of their last seven games to climb the Western Conference standings. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Superb Bowl Sundays: Arizona has knack for delivering the goods in big game

PHOENIX – Those who have taken part in three previous Super Bowls played in Arizona remember their historical importance, the big plays and the wild finishes. Will Super Bowl LVI at State Farm Stadium in Glendale deliver again?

Arizona is set to host its fourth Super Bowl on Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium. The Valley will move into sole possession of fifth place on the list of U.S. metropolitan areas that have hosted the NFL's crown jewel. (Photo by Susan Wong/Cronkite News)

Jimmie Johnson test drives NASCAR’s Next Gen car in Phoenix Raceway return

AVONDALE – It was a big week in the world of NASCAR at Phoenix Raceway. Not only was NASCAR testing new modifications to the Next Gen 7 car, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson got behind the wheel of the new race car for the first time before his return to the sport.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson test drove the Next Gen-7 car at Phoenix Raceway and shared his thoughts after the first day of testing. (Photo by Reece Andrews/Cronkite News)

‘We were always sovereign’: Hia-Ced O’odham seek federal recognition as a tribe

PHOENIX – In Arizona, 22 federally recognized tribes inhabit nearly every region of the state, but the Hia-Ced O’odham community isn’t one of them. Some members are working to change that, and others believe it may be too difficult to achieve.

Lourdes “Lulu” Pereira is a student worker at the Labriola Center and the official archivist for the Hia-Ced Hemajkam LLC, which was established in 2015 to work toward federal recognition and reclamation of ancestral lands. Photo taken Dec. 1, 2022, at Hayden Library in Tempe. (Photo by Campbell Wilmot/Cronkite News)

Big shoes to fill: New Saguaro football coach Zak Hill up for the challenge

SCOTTSDALE – New Saguaro football coach Zak Hill will have his hands full with one of the best high school football teams in the state. The former ASU offensive coordinator comes in after former coach Jason Mohn’s extraordinary 11-year run with the program.

Zak Hill is taking over as the head coach at Saguaro High School after serving as offensive coordinator at Arizona State. (Photo by Reece Andrews/Cronkite News)

Derrick Michael Xzavierro’s history-making odyssey lands him at GCU

PHOENIX – Derrick Michael Xzavierro’s journey to GCU has led him across the world from his home of Indonesia. Though he is taking a redshirt year this season, Xzavierro has already made an impact and history as Indonesia’s first Division I basketball scholarship player.

A long way from home, Derrick Michael Xzavierro has represented the country of Indonesia honorably on the basketball court and inside the Grand Canyon University locker room. (Photo courtesy of GCU athletics)

From NFL to high school sidelines, Conrad Hamilton has found success revitalizing Desert Mountain

SCOTTSDALE – In his fourth season at Desert Mountain, former NFL player Conrad Hamilton has reinstituted a winning culture as one of many former pro football players finding success in the high school coaching ranks.

Conrad Hamilton played six seasons for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, equipping him with the tools to turn the Desert Mountain football program into a powerhouse as head coach. (Screen grab via Cronkite News video)