Members phkrause Posted December 5, 2024 Author Members Posted December 5, 2024 In today's edition: The 11-1 Lions have no breathing room, Caitlin Clark joins highest-paid female athletes list, upsets galore in college hoops, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Maryland proposes a trade for fighter jets, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Loyd wants out: Perennial WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd has requested a trade from the Seattle Storm. The two-time champion was reportedly at the center of complaints about bullying and harassment by the Storm coaching staff. ? National Signing Day: College football's early signing period began Wednesday, and there was no shortage of activity among 2025 recruits. Oregon currently has the No. 1 class, per Rivals, followed by Georgia, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama. ⚾️ Korean star to MLB: Hyeseong Kim has been posted by the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO (South Korea's top league). MLB teams have until Jan. 3 to work out a deal for the 25-year-old second baseman, who hit .326 last year with 41 extra-base hits and 30 steals. ? Irving lawsuit: Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is being sued for allegedly declining to pay a $390k bill for a 150-person family retreat this summer, which ended early due to a "tragic death of a participant." ⚽️ Back in the win column: Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest, 3-0, to snap a seven-game winless streak across all competitions. The four-time reigning champs hadn't won a Premier league match since October. ? POWER RANKINGS NO BREATHING ROOM FOR THE 11-1 LIONS (Yahoo Sports) The Lions are 11-1, haven't lost since mid-September and sit atop our NFL power rankings for the sixth consecutive week. Usually, a team in that position has some breathing room. But for Detroit, there's little room for error as the schedule flips to Week 14. From Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab: In 1999, the Titans went 13-3 but finished second in their division to the 14-2 Jaguars, giving Tennessee the distinction of having the most wins for a wild-card team in NFL history. The 1986 Bears, 1998 Falcons and 2004 Patriots are the only teams ever to win 14 games and not get a No. 1 seed. This season could end up being a historical anomaly in the NFC. Usually when a team like the Detroit Lions is 11-1 and seemingly headed toward 15 or 16 wins, it doesn't have to worry much about winning its division or getting a No. 1 seed. But the Eagles and Vikings, both at 10-2, might keep the pressure on all season. The Lions have the NFL's third-hardest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon, which doesn't help. The Vikings are fourth, and part of the problem for each team is they play each other in Week 18 at Detroit. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has the 23rd toughest remaining schedule. And don't forget about Green Bay… The 9-3 Packers visit the Lions tonight in a high-stakes NFC North clash. If Green Bay wins, Detroit will have yet another 10-win team on its tail, further crowding the race for the division crown and No. 1 seed. ? CHART OF THE DAY CLARKONOMICS (Sportico) Caitlin Clark only earned $100,000 playing basketball this year ($76,535 WNBA base salary plus bonuses), but she was still the 10th highest-paid female athlete in the world, per Sportico's 2024 calculations. How is that possible? Endorsement deals, of course. Thanks to her lucrative partnerships with brands like Nike, Gatorade and State Farm, Clark's overall earnings in 2024 were $11.1 million. That puts her on par with Simone Biles, who had a similar salary/endorsement mix. The Caitlin Effect: Clark was responsible for 26.5% of WNBA economic activity during the 2024 season (attendance, merch sales, TV viewership), one expert told the Indianapolis Star. That's crazy. Even crazier? One of every six tickets sold at a WNBA arena this past year can be attributed to Clark. ⚽️ COMING SOON CLUB WORLD CUP 2025: WHAT TO KNOW (FIFA) The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is still months away, but the buzz is building ahead of today's draw, where the 32 participating teams will be sorted into groups ahead of the first-of-its-kind event hosted by the U.S. Who's in the field? The Club World Cup is modeled after soccer's actual World Cup, with one key difference: top professional clubs (like Real Madrid), rather than national teams (like Spain), are the contestants. Europe (12): Manchester City (England), Chelsea (England), Real Madrid (Spain), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Juventus (Italy), Inter Milan (Italy), PSG (France), Benfica (Portugal), Porto (Portugal), RB Salzburg (Austria) North America (5): Inter Miami (U.S.), Seattle Sounders (U.S.), Monterrey (Mexico), Pachuca (Mexico), León (Mexico) South America (6): Flamengo (Brazil), Palmeiras (Brazil), Fluminense (Brazil), Botafogo (Brazil), River Plate (Argentina), Boca Juniors (Argentina) Asia (4): Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Ulsan (South Korea), Urawa Reds (Japan), Al Ain (UAE) Africa (4): Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad (Morocco), Espérance (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) Oceania (1): Auckland City (New Zealand) Where will games be played? The tournament begins June 15 at Hard Rock Stadium (Miami) and concludes July 13 at MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ), with 10 other venues hosting matches along the way. The full schedule should be released soon after today's draw. ? DIVISION RIVALS WATCHLIST: NFC NORTH SHOWDOWN Amon-Ra St. Brown celebrates with fans in the stands after Detroit's Week 9 win over Green Bay. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) The Lions host the Packers tonight (8:15pm ET, Prime) as Detroit (11-1) looks to extend its 10-game win streak and Green Bay (9-3) looks to tighten the NFC North race, Jeff writes. Wild stat: If the Lions win tonight, they will have more 12-win seasons in the last two years (2) than they did in their first 93 seasons (1). More to watch: ? NBA: Nuggets at Cavaliers (7pm, NBA); Rockets at Warriors (10pm, NBA) ? NCAAW: No. 14 Kentucky at No. 16 North Carolina (5pm, ESPN2); No. 4 Texas at No. 10 Notre Dame (7pm, ESPN); No. 8 Duke at No. 3 South Carolina (9pm, ESPN) ? NCAAM: No. 8 Purdue at Penn State (6:30pm, FS1) ⚽️ Premier League: Fulham vs. Brighton (2:30pm, Peacock); Bournemouth vs. Tottenham (3:15pm, USA) ⛳️ PGA: Hero World Challenge (10:45am, ESPN+; 1:30pm, Golf) … Scottie Scheffler headlines the 20-man event in the Bahamas, hosted by Tiger Woods. ? NCAA Volleyball Tournament*: First round (3:30-9:30pm, ESPN+) … The first 18 games in the 64-team bracket. *Top seeds: Pitt, which has made the Final Four three years in a row but never won, is the No. 1 overall seed. The other No. 1 seeds are Nebraska, Penn State and Louisville. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 6, 2024 Author Members Posted December 6, 2024 How football players cope Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Many of the stars of America's most popular sport have a secret weapon: They journal. The big picture: There's a "large if hidden population" of NFL players who deal with the stress of the game by writing their thoughts down in journals, Washington Post national sports reporter Adam Kilgore reports (gift link — no paywall). Why it matters: The rise in journaling comes amid increasing awareness of elite athletes' mental health struggles. In recent years, the NFL — pushed by players — has boosted mental health resources, including adding a behavioral health clinician to each team's staff, AP reports. ? Zoom in: Kilgore talked to many players who journal, either with pen and paper or through phone apps. "Being football players, it reinforces toughness and strength and not showing any kind of weakness. Journaling is a really positive outlet to show strength and weakness," Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin told Kilgore. "If a lot of guys are similar to me, you have hundreds of thoughts going through your mind every single day. A space where you can unapologetically be free is very beneficial," ? Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir told Kilgore he uses journaling to fight insomnia: "f I put it on paper — everything that I'm thinking, how my day went, what went right, what went wrong, put it all out there — by the time I lay my head on that pillow, it's all out. I'm not thinking much of anything at all." ? Zoom out: You don't need to be an NFL star to reap the benefits of journaling. Working through stress by writing down thoughts can help all of us find clarity — or at least mentally move on for a bit. And it doesn't just have to be the hard stuff! Several NFL players said they wrote down positive affirmations and lessons too. Our tip: Keep a compliments journal full of the nice things friends, family or colleagues have said about you, and look back on it when you're feeling glum. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 6, 2024 Author Members Posted December 6, 2024 ⚾ A's clear last major Vegas hurdle Rendering of planned A's stadium in Las Vegas. Image: Negativ via AP The Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved lease, non-relocation and development documents yesterday for the A's to build a $1.75 billion stadium on the Strip, and bring Major League Baseball to a growing sports mecca. The stadium exterior — shaped like a "spherical armadillo" — will have five overlapping layers, with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House, AP reports. Amenities include an under-seat cooling system, and a split lower bowl to bring fans closer to the action. The stadium will feature the "world's largest cable-net glass window." Zoom in: After 57 years, the Athletics played their last game in Oakland in September. The club will open the 2025 season in West Sacramento, Calif., and play there until their Vegas home is ready — projected for Opening Day 2028. ? Zoom out: The A's will add another prof team to a Vegas market that includes the NFL's Raiders, NHL's Golden Knights and WNBA's Aces. The Golden Knights and Aces have combined to win three championships in recent seasons. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 6, 2024 Author Members Posted December 6, 2024 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! Bill Belichick reportedly interviewed for the UNC head coaching job. Can you imagine this dude coaching teenagers and being forced to engage with Chapel Hill academics and administrators? High comedy. In today's edition: Another NHL head coach bites the dust, water polo's unlikely powerhouse, conference championship weekend, the baseball world's annual convention, WNBA expansion draft, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Lions 34, Packers 31: Detroit won its 11th straight game and clinched a playoff spot for the second straight season thanks to a gutsy 4th-down call and a walk-off field goal. ? Toronto Tempo: The WNBA's 14th franchise has revealed its name and logo. The Toronto Tempo will begin play in 2026 as the league's first non-U.S. expansion team. ⚾️ Sevy to the A's: The Athletics signed RHP Luis Severino, 30, to a three-year, $67 million deal, the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history. He was ranked No. 13 on our Top 50 free agents list. ⚽️ Club World Cup draw: The 32 participants in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup learned their group stage opponents on Thursday. Notable matchups: Manchester City will play Juventus, and the Seattle Sounders will face PSG and Atlético Madrid. ? Remember LaVar Ball? Lonzo Ball thinks his dad's Big Baller Brand shoes, which he wore during his rookie season, are possibly to blame for his injury woes. "They were like kickball shoes," he said. "I wasn't really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them." ? COACHING CAROUSEL HIRED TO GET FIRED Data: The Athletic (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) We're barely two months into the NHL season, and three head coaches have already been fired. The latest: Luke Richardson is out in Chicago* after an 8-16-2 start. Another one bites the dust: The Blackhawks fired Richardson 11 days after the Blues fired Drew Bannister to hire Jim Montgomery, who had been fired by the Bruins five days earlier. And all of this comes on the heels of an offseason that saw eight teams make a change behind the bench. By the numbers: Short leashes and firing sprees are, of course, a reality across all major sports. But the coaching carousel does spin fastest in hockey. The average tenure of an NHL head coach is 2.3 years, by far the shortest of the "Big Four" leagues, notes The Athletic's Shayna Goldman ($). Coaches like Jon Cooper, Mike Sullivan and Jared Bednar, who have been with their respective clubs for eight or more years, are the exception and not the rule. Few make it past the five-year mark in today's environment. Consider this: André Tourigny, who has been with Arizona and Utah for 3.4 years, is now the fifth-longest tenured coach in the NHL. Head coaches who have been in their current position for at least two years: 20 in the NBA, 19 in MLB, 17 in the NFL… and 11 in the NHL. *Richardson is the third head coach of a Chicago sports team to be fired midseason in 2024, joining Pedro Grifol (White Sox) and Matt Eberflus (Bears). Teresa Weatherspoon (Sky) didn't fare much better, losing her job in September after just one season. ?♂️ NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP WATER POLO'S UNLIKELY POWERHOUSE Head coach Brian Bacharach surrounded by his team. (Fordham University) The Bronx is famous for a lot of things. Hip-hop. The Yankees. Jennifer Lopez. Now, thanks to Fordham University, the New York City borough has a new claim to fame: Water polo! Crashing the party: California schools have won all 55 NCAA water polo national titles*, and The Golden State will be well-represented at this weekend's championship with UCLA, USC, Stanford, Long Beach State and California Baptist in the eight-team field, Jeff and I write. But the story of the tournament is the Fordham Rams, who are the nation's only undefeated program (31-0) and tied with UCLA and USC atop the rankings, making them Fordham's first-ever No. 1 ranked team in any sport. Fordham's run of success began four years ago when Brian Bacharach, a former All-American and national champion at Cal (2006), took over as head coach. After failing to make the NCAA championship for 51 years, this will be the Rams' fourth straight trip. Building a powerhouse: Bacharach's secret weapon has been recruiting European teenagers to "The Big Apple," notes WSJ's Jason Gay ($). Fordham went from three international players in 2020 to 13 this year, over half their roster. Alongside some Californians, Connecticuters and a Brooklynite is an international assembly of talent from water polo hives like Hungary, Italy, Malta, Greece, Spain and France. Multiple languages are spoken in the pool, and competition is fierce. Bacharach says the Rams' international recruiting is often word-of-mouth — a player comes to Fordham and has a good experience, then tells his friends overseas. When asked about a California school's geographic recruiting advantages — sunshine, the beach — he smiles. "When you talk to a European kid, it's cooler to be in New York City than it is in California," he says. What to watch: The championship starts today with four quarterfinals on ESPN+, followed by the semifinals tomorrow and the final on Sunday, all at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center. *Championships by school: Cal (17), UCLA (12), Stanford (11), USC (10), UC Irvine (3), Pepperdine (1), UC Santa Barbara (1) ⚾️ MLB OFFSEASON THE BASEBALL WORLD'S ANNUAL CONVENTION Giancarlo Stanton was introduced as a Yankee at the 2017 Winter Meetings. (Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images) The MLB Winter Meetings kick off on Sunday in Dallas. Here's Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz on what fans should expect from the annual baseball gathering: Every year in the early winter, a swarm of dri-fit quarter-zips descends upon some mammoth, labyrinthian hotel to whisper, whine, schmooze and booze. These are MLB's winter meetings, an annual jamboree of hand-shaking, deal-making and general industry jibber-jabber. If you're a casual baseball fan, you've probably heard mention of the meetings as a place where offseason business gets done. That's somewhat true. The event is both a lot more and a lot less than that. It's best to think of it as the baseball world's annual convention. Besides the All-Star Game and the World Series, this event is probably the stretch on the calendar that draws the highest number of baseball people to a single place. Those folks include the biggest of bigwigs: team owners, executives, agents, the occasional ballplayer. However, rarely, if ever, do highly sought after players attend. It's usually lower-level free agents or established veterans with offseason homes in the area swinging by to say hello. The winter meetings is also a place to ask about a job, interview for a job or take a job. An army of energetic, wide-eyed youngsters, eager to work in baseball, will dot the lobby handing out résumés by the dozen. Keep reading. ? ON THIS DAY DEC. 6, 1961: DAVIS WINS THE HEISMAN (Bettmann Archives/Getty Images) 63 years ago today, Syracuse running back Ernie Davis became the 27th player — and first Black player — to win the Heisman Trophy. Breaking the barrier: 37 of the last 62 Heisman Trophy winners (59.7%) have been Black players, and Colorado's Travis Hunter (or possibly Boise State's Ashton Jeanty) will soon make that 38 of the last 63. Gone too soon… A few weeks later, Davis signed with the Cleveland Browns, where he joined his Syracuse predecessor Jim Brown, whom he greatly admired. Sadly, they never got to take the field together. Davis was diagnosed with leukemia, never played a snap, and died the following year at age 23. ? Worth a watch: "The Express: The Ernie Davis Story" (Available on Max) ? CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND WATCHLIST: CONFERENCE TITLE GAMES (Kevin D. Liles/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) Conference championship weekend is upon us, with all nine FBS leagues playing their title games today or tomorrow, Jeff writes. ACC: No. 8 SMU vs. No. 17 Clemson (Sat. 8pm ET, ABC) … In Charlotte. Big 12: No. 15 Arizona State vs. No. 16 Iowa State (Sat. 12pm, ABC) … In Arlington, Texas. Big Ten: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State (Sat. 8pm, CBS) … In Indianapolis. SEC: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia (Sat. 4pm, ABC) … In Atlanta MWC: No. 20 UNLV at No. 10 Boise State (Fri. 8pm, Fox) Elsewhere: AAC: Tulane at No. 24 Army (Fri. 8pm, ABC); C-USA: Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State (Fri. 7pm ET, CBSSN); Sun Belt: Marshall at Louisiana (Sat. 7:30pm, ESPN); MAC: Ohio vs. Miami-Ohio (Sat. 12pm, ESPN) More to watch: ⚽️ MLS Cup Final: LA Galaxy vs. NY Red Bulls (Sat. 4pm, Fox) ? NFL Sunday: Falcons at Vikings (1pm, Fox); Seahawks at Cardinals (4:05pm, CBS); Bills at Rams (4:25pm, Fox); Chargers at Chiefs (8:20pm, NBC) … Week 14. ? NCAAM: No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 5 Marquette (Sat. 1:30pm, Fox); No. 4 Kentucky at No. 7 Gonzaga (Sat. 10pm, ESPN2) ? NCAAW: No. 22 Louisville at No. 2 UConn (Sat. 9pm, Fox); No. 21 Illinois at No. 12 Ohio State (Sun. 4pm, BTN); No. 3 South Carolina at No. 9 TCU (Sun. 7pm, ESPN2) ? NBA: Bucks at Celtics (Fri. 7:30pm, ESPN); Timberwolves at Warriors (Fri. 10pm, ESPN) ? NHL: Flyers at Bruins (Sat. 1pm, NHL); Maple Leafs at Penguins (Sat. 7pm, NHL); Avalanche at Devils (Sun. 7pm, NHL) ? F1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sun. 8am, ESPN2) … Season finale. ⚽️ Premier League: Tottenham vs. Chelsea (Sun. 11:30am, USA) ⛳️ PGA: Hero World Challenge (Fri-Sun, ESPN+/Golf/NBC) Plus: UFC 310 (Sat. 10pm, ESPN+ PPV); NCAA Women's Soccer Final Four (Fri. 5pm, ESPNU); NCAA Men's Soccer Elite Eight (Sat. 3pm, ESPN+); NCAA Women's Volleyball First and Second Rounds (Fri-Sat, ESPN+); NCAA Men's Water Polo Tournament (Fri-Sun, NCAA.com/ESPNU); FCS Playoffs Sweet 16 (Sat. 2pm, ESPN+) Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 9, 2024 Author Members Posted December 9, 2024 ⚾ Biggest contract in sports history Today's New York Post covers Superstar outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Mets have agreed to a 15-year deal worth $765 million — the largest contract in professional sports history. Why it matters: The slugger — whose massive contract was driven by the deep pockets of Mets owner Steve Cohen — was one of the most sought-after free agents this century. The deal tops the $700 million, 10-year contract that Shohei Ohtani signed with the L.A. Dodgers last December. At age 26, Soto is the most accomplished young free agent since shortstop Alex Rodriguez agreed to a then-record $252 million with the Texas Rangers in 2000 when he was 25. Between the lines: Soto has spent time with three teams in his career, playing last year on the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees. He was 19 when he made his major league debut with the Washington Nationals. Go deeper. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 9, 2024 Author Members Posted December 9, 2024 ? College Football Playoff bracket Via X The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State locked up first-round byes as the four highest-seeded conference champions. Between the lines: Alabama and Miami were the first teams left out of the playoffs after suffering ugly losses toward the end of the season. Round 1 of the CFP will take place Dec. 20-21. The National Championship is Jan. 20 (yes, Inauguration Night!) in Atlanta. How to watch. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 10, 2024 Author Members Posted December 10, 2024 ? ICYMI heADLINES ⛳️ Scottie wins again: Scottie Scheffler capped his unbelievable year with a ninth victory, dominating the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas by six strokes over Tom Kim. ? Paul passes Kidd: Chris Paul passed Jason Kidd for second on the NBA's all-time assist leaderboard (12,099) on Sunday. Only John Stockton (15,806) has more. ⚾️ Welcome to Cooperstown: Dick Allen and Dave Parker were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday by the 16-member Classic Era committee. ? Back on top: Lando Norris won Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the F1 season finale to clinch McLaren's first constructors' title (team championship) since 1998. ⚽️ Messi wins MVP: Lionel Messi was named MLS MVP despite missing half the season. He received 38.4% of the vote, edging out Columbus forward Cucho Hernández (33.7%). ⚾️ $765 MILLION MAN SOTO TO THE METS (Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports) After one season in the Bronx, Juan Soto is headed to Queens. Record-breaking contract: Soto, 26, agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets on Sunday, the richest contract in the history of sports. For context: Soto will earn… $51 million a year $980K a week $140K a day $6,000 an hour $100 a minute … Until the year 2040. And he may end up making even more than that. A changing of the guard: Soto is a Met because their owner Steve Cohen (~$21.3 billion net worth) is a much, much richer man than Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner (~$1.5 billion net worth), whose best offer was reportedly 16 years, $760 million — around $4 million less per year than the final deal. From Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz: For decades the Yankees have operated as a behemoth, an unimpeachable, untouchable financial juggernaut atop the baseball world. It's a track record of economic superiority that stretches all the way back to Babe Ruth. Now they aren't even the top dogs in their own city. Suddenly, the Mets, long a baseball punch line for their frugality under old ownership and their propensity for wonky controversy, are all grown up. They're not just sitting at the adult table but commanding it with ungodly gobs of money. Cohen once spent $244 million on a pair of statues; Soto is pocket change for him. Steinbrenner, whose fortune comes directly from the success of the Yankees, simply cannot operate in that hemisphere. And if he had outbid Cohen's offer, surely Cohen would have re-upped the ante. That dynamic signifies a significant changing of the guard, both in the Big Apple and across MLB. The Mets and Dodgers are in a financial league of their own. The Yankees are a level below. Such a statement would've sounded preposterous 15 years ago, when the Mets were run by the stingy Wilpon family and the Dodgers were bankrupt by a clueless owner. But times have most certainly changed, and the Yankees, now Soto-less, must find a way to adapt to this new, unforgiving reality. The last word: "This is a seminal moment in the history of New York baseball," said SNY's Andy Martino. "Last night, the Mets were a joke on 'Saturday Night Live.' They were joking, 'Oh, Soto will go to the Mets to help out a charitable cause.' Well this is no joke." ? DECEMBER MADNESS THE INAUGURAL 12-TEAM BRACKET IS SET (Yahoo Sports) Nearly seven years in the making, the 12-team College Football Playoff made its debut on Sunday with the reveal of the final rankings. Four teams got byes: Oregon Georgia Boise State Arizona State First-round matchups: We kick things off on Friday, Dec. 20, with an in-state duel between the Fighting Irish and Hoosiers. Three more games follow on Saturday, Dec. 21. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame (-8.5) No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas (-10.5) No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State (-9.5) No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State (-7) No clear favorite: Oregon (13-0) is the only undefeated team in college football and opens with the best odds to win it all (+325 at BetMGM). But Georgia (+350), Texas (+375) and Ohio State (+450) aren't far behind. Story coming tomorrow… Is the 12-team playoff already broken? One easy way to fix it. The Los Angeles Galaxy beat the New York Red Bulls, 2-1, on Saturday to win their record sixth MLS Cup and lift the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy, named after their owner. A return to glory: The Galaxy spent nearly two decades at the top of MLS, reaching nine of the first 19 MLS Cup Finals. Then came the dark years. From 2015-23, they did not advance past the MLS quarterfinals, missed the playoffs five times in seven years and bottomed out in 2023 with their worst season ever. In 2024, their turnaround was instant. And they end the campaign with a win at their longtime fortress, Dignity Health Sports Park, where they didn't lose all season. That was then, this is now… The Galaxy and Red Bulls (then called the MetroStars) were two of MLS' 10 founding clubs when the league debuted in 1996. Now there are 29 teams, and San Diego FC will debut as the 30th next season. (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) Consider how much has changed: In 1996, all 10 MLS teams played in football stadiums. This season, 21 of 29 teams played in soccer-specific stadiums, including six that have opened since 2020. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 11, 2024 Author Members Posted December 11, 2024 ? Heisman finalists: Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and Miami QB Cam Ward were named Heisman Trophy finalists. The winner will be announced on Saturday. ⚾️ Sasaki officially posted: Japanese phenom Rōki Sasaki, 23, was posted on Monday, kicking off a 45-day race for MLB teams to sign the right-handed flamethrower. ? Bengals 27, Cowboys 20: Joe Burrow (369 yards, 3 TD, INT) and Ja'Marr Chase (14 catches, 177 yards, 2 TD) dominated for Cincinnati, who took advantage of a late Cowboys blunder to win on "MNF." ? KAT stays hot: Karl-Anthony Towns (24-15) had his 13th straight double-double (longest active streak in the league) in the Knicks' 113-108 win over the Raptors in Monday's only NBA action. ⚽️ Angel City sacks coach: Angel City FC fired Becki Tweed a year after she was a finalist for NWSL Coach of the Year. Houston and San Diego also have coaching vacancies. ? WEEK 6 THE MOST IMPORTANT AP POLL OF THE SEASON (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) It's only December, but history tells us one of the top 12 teams in this week's men's AP poll will win the national championship. Early congratulations, Tennessee,* Auburn, Iowa State and Duke! Start mapping out the parade route, Kentucky, Marquette, Alabama and Gonzaga! Make room for a banner in the rafters, Florida, Kansas, Purdue and Oregon! — Jeff Eisenberg, Yahoo Sports The streak: The past 20 national champions were all ranked in the top 12 of their respective season's Week 6 AP poll. 2023-24: UConn (Week 6 rank: 5) 2022-23: UConn (3) 2021-22: Kansas (7) 2020-21: Baylor (2) 2019-20: COVID 2018-19: Virginia (6) 2017-18: Villanova (1) 2016-17: UNC (7) 2015-16: Villanova (12) 2014-15: Duke (2) 2013-14: UConn (9) 2012-13: Louisville (6) 2011-12: Kentucky (3) 2010-11: UConn (4) 2009-10: Duke (7) 2008-09: UNC (1) 2007-08: Kansas (3) 2006-07: Florida (5) 2005-06: Florida (7) 2004-05: UNC (5) 2003-04: UConn (1) By the numbers: During this time, the average Week 6 ranking of the eventual champion was 4.8. No other week was a better barometer; not even the final AP poll before the NCAA tournament, where the soon-to-be champs had an average ranking of 5.6. The most recent outliers: The last national champion that didn't crack the Week 6 AP top 12 was the 2002-03 Syracuse squad, which wasn't ranked until mid-January but caught fire thanks to the heroics of Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara. Before that, you have to go all the way back to Danny Manning's 1987-88 Kansas team (aka. "Danny and the Miracles"). The 11-loss Jayhawks earned that nickname because of their improbable tournament run as a No. 6 seed. Looking ahead… Who's the most likely team to defy 20-plus years of polling history and go from outside the Top 12 this week to cutting down the nets in April? The betting odds say it's No. 18 UConn, which has steadied itself (beat Baylor and Texas) after imploding in Maui last month (three losses to unranked teams). *Big week for the Vols: Tennessee took the No. 1 spot in the men's AP poll and returned to the women's AP Top 25 after the longest drought in program history. ⚾️ HIGHEST-PAID PLAYERS SOTO MAKES OHTANI LOOK LIKE A BARGAIN (Yahoo Sports) In the wake of Juan Soto's 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets, Shohei Ohtani's uniquely structured 10-year, $700 million pact with the Dodgers looks like an epic bargain. As a reminder: Ohtani will take home just $2 million per year during his playing tenure with the Dodgers ($20 million total). The other $680 million will be doled out from 2034 to 2043, in $68 million annual increments. That lowers the present-day value of Ohtani's contract from $700 million to somewhere in the $460 million range, depending on the rate of inflation. Soto's deal features no deferred money and a $75 million signing bonus. The value really is $765 million, more than $300 million beyond Ohtani's estimated figure. Between the lines: The advertising windfall that accompanies Ohtani essentially pays for the contract, which is not something that can be said for Soto. From Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz: A recent report from Jack Harris of the L.A. Times estimated that the Dodgers earned nine figures worth of revenue from their new star in 2024. … As many experts predicted, the advertising windfall that accompanies Ohtani essentially pays for the contract. Soto, an extremely popular player, doesn't have nearly that level of influence. His arrival in Queens will sell tickets and invigorate the fan base, yes. But it will not put hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue per year back into the Mets' pockets. Such things matter little to Mets owner Steve Cohen, who is one of the richest people on Earth. But the dynamic provides a magnificent reminder that one year after the initial sticker shock, Ohtani's "$700 million" deal already looks like a bargain. ? QUARTERFINALS WATCHLIST: NBA CUP KNOCKOUTS (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) The NBA Cup knockout round* begins tonight on TNT, as four teams battle for spots in Saturday's semifinals in Las Vegas, Jeff writes. Magic at Bucks (7pm ET): Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the league in scoring (32.5 ppg), while Orlando has now lost both of their leading scorers (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner) to torn obliques. Mavericks at Thunder (9:30pm): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (29.8 ppg) is the NBA's fourth-leading scorer and Luka Dončić (28.7 ppg) ranks fifth. More to watch: ? NCAAM: No. 1 Tennessee vs. Miami (6:30pm ET, ESPN); No. 14 Michigan vs. Arkansas (9pm, ESPN) … The 30th Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. ⚽️ Champions League: Matchday 6 (12:45-3pm, Paramount+) … Nine games. *Pregame reading: Let's break down the juicy quarterfinal matchups (Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports) Yanks add ace Max Fried on record 8-year, $218M deal (source) DALLAS – The Yankees are open for business with money to spend, pivoting from their pursuit of Juan Soto to land Max Fried on Tuesday evening on an eight-year, $218 million contract, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The team has not confirmed the agreement. https://www.mlb.com/news/max-fried-yankees-contract? Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 12, 2024 Author Members Posted December 12, 2024 ? Good morning! Happy Hump Day. Three weeks left in 2024. In today's edition: Allen leads MVP race, Clark named Time's Athlete of the Year, Bucks and Thunder advance, another World Cup of scandals, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? BYU lands No. 1 recruit: A.J. Dybantsa, the top college basketball recruit in the Class of 2025, has committed to BYU. His rumored NIL package: $7 million. ⚾️ MLB moves: The Yankees signed LHP Max Fried for eight years and $218 million; RHP Nathan Eovaldi is returning to the Rangers on a three-year, $75 million deal; the Blue Jays landed three-time Gold Glove winning 2B Andrés Giménez in a trade with the Guardians. ? Another break-in: Joe Burrow's house was broken into while he was playing on "Monday Night Football," the latest in a string of high-profile burglaries targeting pro athletes. ⛳️ Scottie matches Tiger: Scottie Scheffler won his third straight PGA Tour Player of the Year award, joining Tiger Woods as the only golfers to do so. ⚾️ Nats win draft lottery: The No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft went to the Nationals, who had a 10.2% chance of securing the top spot. The Angels, Mariners, Rockies and Cardinals round out the top five. ? MVP RACE CAN ANYONE CATCH ALLEN FOR MVP? (Yahoo Sports) Josh Allen's Bills may have lost on Sunday, but his grip on the MVP award only strengthened in the process, Jeff writes. Heavy favorite: Allen's odds to win his first MVP increased from -225 to -400 at BetMGM after a historic performance that saw him become the first player in NFL history to throw and rush for 3 scores in the same game. Top four candidates: Allen (-400): Though Buffalo (10-3) is unlikely to catch the Chiefs (12-1) for the No. 1 seed — and 13 of the past 15 MVPs have been QBs from a No. 1 seed — Allen's statistical case should be strong enough to overcome that trend (3,033 yards, 23 TD, 5 INT; 416 rush yards, 9 TD). Saquon Barkley (+400): He's on pace for 2,122 rushing yards, which would break Eric Dickerson's 40-year old record of 2,105 in a season. If he gets there and the Eagles get the No. 1 seed, he could become just the fifth RB to win MVP this century (and first since 2012). Lamar Jackson (+1200): The reigning MVP is one of two QBs (along with Joe Burrow) on par with Allen statistically (3,290 yards, 29 TD, 3 INT; 678 rush yards, 3 TD). But his Ravens are just 8-5 and don't even lead their own division. Jared Goff (+1400): If Detroit finishes with a record like 16-1, there could be some default votes for Goff, whose numbers are solid (3,265 yards, 25 TD, 10 INT). He also has a chance to outplay Allen on Sunday when the Lions host the Bills. Bottom line: There's still nearly a quarter of the season left, plenty of time for the MVP race to get shaken up. But at the moment, it's Allen's award to lose. ? 2024 CAITLIN CLARK IS TIME'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (Time) Caitlin Clark has been named Time's Athlete of the Year for 2024, adding yet another honor to her ever-expanding résumé. From Time's Sean Gregory: Few jobs require less physical exertion than rebounding for Caitlin Clark. On an early-November morning in downtown Indianapolis, Clark sprints to different spots along the three-point line at the Fever practice gym, trying to bang as many shots as possible over a six-minute span. A Fever coach has tasked me with standing under the basket to retrieve her misses. But as Clark runs all over the court to launch long-range bombs, I barely have to move. Swish, swish, swish. She hits 14 shots in a row. A dozen in a row. 11 in a row. Swish, swish, swish. Nine in a row. Another nine. Sure, she's putting on this display in practice. But her ability is still mesmerizing. Clark, 22, takes shots with a degree of difficulty never before witnessed in the women's game; her signature 30-ft. launches from near half-court are akin to home-run balls, hanging high in the air. After her workout I fill Clark in on the statistics from her shooting session: 93 three-pointers in six minutes, good for an 85% success rate. "Wow," she responds from the driver's seat of her gray Lexus GX. "That's pretty good." Nice to know that after wowing so many around the world throughout her record-breaking year, Clark can still impress herself. Keep reading. ⚽️ SAUDI ARABIA 2034 ANOTHER WORLD CUP OF SCANDALS IS COMING FIFA president Gianni Infantino has faced growing criticism over his failure to address human rights concerns in World Cup host countries. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The 2022 Qatar World Cup was stained by human rights abuses and "sham" processes. The 2034 Saudi Arabia World Cup, set to be approved today, is plagued by similar ills. From Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell: At an extraordinary virtual congress today, FIFA will approve a Saudi bid decried by human rights organizations, via processes that rights advocates call "an elaborate fix" and "a sham from start to finish." Behind closed doors last fall, FIFA officials hashed out a logic-defying deal to spread the 2030 World Cup across six countries and three continents; they then fast-tracked the race for 2034, for which Saudi Arabia was, suddenly, the only eligible and realistic bidder. Then, for 14 months, FIFA staged its once-democratic host selection process — even though FIFA president Gianni Infantino had already celebrated Saudi Arabia's selection. Saudi officials submitted extensive plans, including for the construction of 11 new stadiums. Among the documents they submitted were a "Human Rights Strategy" and an "independent context assessment" — which Amnesty International described as a "whitewash." Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 13, 2024 Author Members Posted December 13, 2024 ? ICYMI heADLINES ⚾️ Crochet to Boston: The Red Sox landed LHP Garrett Crochet, who led all starters with 12.9 strikeouts-per-nine innings last season, in a deal with the White Sox. ? NFL in Berlin: The NFL will play its first regular season game in Berlin next season as part of the league's continued international expansion. ⚽️ Saudi Arabia 2034: FIFA officially confirmed Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup on Wednesday. The next question: Will it be in the winter, summer or neither? ? Rich Rod's return: West Virginia is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Jacksonville State's Rich Rodriguez, who coached the Mountaineers from 2001 to 2007. ? New MMA league: The Global Fight League, a new team-based MMA competition, will kick off in April with a roster of athletes that includes eight former UFC champs. ? NFL TO COLLEGE BELICHICK TO UNC (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) It's really happening. In one of the most shocking coaching moves in sports history, six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick is headed to North Carolina. Old man on campus: Belichick (72 years old) is now the oldest head coach in the FBS. The previous oldest was Mack Brown (73), whom he is succeeding at UNC. Big picture: While jarring for many, the hire is understandable and timely given the state of college football, which looks more like pro football with each passing year. From Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger: Belichick knows pro ball. College isn't so different any longer. In seven months, in fact, college athletics takes another giant leap into the professional world: Schools are permitted to begin directly paying players under a salary cap-type system related to the NCAA's settlement of three antitrust lawsuits. Already, ahead of the implementation date of July 1, programs are offering guaranteed financial packages to players, some of them even sending school-issued revenue-sharing documents to recruits. Most of these contracts are centered around purchasing an athlete's commercial and endorsement rights, and some of them are even multi-year term deals featuring buyout language. Schools must stay within a cap, projected for now at $20.5 million in Year 1. Contracts. A salary cap. Scouting departments and capologists. Sound familiar? Soon, the only things separating major college football from the NFL is the tether to higher education (they must still go to class!) and absence of employment (they have not, yet, been deemed employees). Even college recruiting is changing. Players and their parents aren't necessarily courted through in-home visits or campus trips. These are, often, transactional relationships with guaranteed cash. What he's saying: "A lot of colleges are looking at NFL-type models to structure personnel and coaching," Belichick told Pat McAfee during an interview last week. "You need a general manager, a coach and salary cap manager." Bottom line: The transfer portal is basically free agency. NIL deals are basically contracts. Heck, there are even two main conferences (SEC and Big Ten) with around 16 teams each. Kiss goodbye to the college football you once knew. These are now the minor leagues. Further reading: Belichick's pivot from the NFL to college is rare; here's how others have fared ? BRAIN INJURIES STUDY: LONGER HOCKEY CAREERS YIELD HIGHER CTE RATE (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) The largest study ever conducted on the brains of hockey players suggests that the odds of developing a neurodegenerative disease like CTE increase with every year played, Jeff writes. Methodology and findings: The Boston University study looked at the brains of 77 deceased male hockey players from youth through the professional ranks and found the likelihood of having CTE increased by 34% per year played. CTE rates: Youth and high school: 10% (2 of 21) College, junior, semi-pro: 46% (13 of 28) Pro: 96% (27 of 28) Enforcers at higher risk: 18 of the 22 players (82%) who identified as enforcers had CTE, nearly twice the rate of those who didn't (44%). That's in line with a previous study suggesting enforcers die younger. Big picture: CTE has long been connected to concussions, but this study — much like a similar football study conducted last year — suggests that cumulative force to the head, not diagnosed concussions, is the best predictor of future brain disease. What to watch: As of right now, CTE can only be diagnosed postmortem, vastly complicating treatment options for the disease. But scientists are getting closer to being able to diagnose CTE in living patients. ? WEEK 15 NFL POWER RANKINGS (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) The top five teams in this week's NFL power rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab: Lions (12-1): The defensive injuries are getting concerning. We can talk and joke about Dan Campbell going for it on fourth-and-1 instead of taking the field goal last Thursday, but in doing so he indicated he didn't trust his defense to hold Green Bay out of field goal range with only about 40 seconds left. Eagles (11-2): There's some panic over Philly getting just 108 passing yards in a win on Sunday vs. the Panthers. Jalen Hurts is averaging barely over 200 yards per game. Apparently, when the Eagles are on a nine-game winning streak, you have to find something to worry about. Chiefs (12-1): The Chiefs' +56 point differential is not only the worst of any team 12-1 or better in NFL history, it's the worst by 33 points. Bills (10-3): Josh Allen's odds to win MVP got a lot better even in a loss. The Bills' hopes of avoiding Arrowhead Stadium in January didn't. Giving up 44 points to the Rams and losing Sunday might define the AFC playoffs. Vikings (11-2): The Vikings still have hard games left against the Lions, Packers and Seahawks, and the Bears might not be a pushover. Still, they keep winning. A Week 18 game between a 14-2 Vikings team and 14-2 Lions team for the NFC North title isn't a stretch. Full rankings. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 13, 2024 Author Members Posted December 13, 2024 How the NFL turned it around Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Just a few years ago, the NFL was mired in scandals and controversy — over players' health and safety, domestic violence, race relations, players' right to protest, and the rise of sports gambling. Now the league is enjoying record ratings, embracing new fans and expanding into international markets. ? The big picture: A clear, concerted effort around one key message — football is for everyone — helped the league escape its polarization, Axios Communicators author Eleanor Hawkins writes. "If [we] say something, it makes news. If [we] don't say something, it makes news," Katie Hill, the league's senior vice president of communications, said at an Axios Communicators Live event. ? Zoom in: The NFL made moves to address some criticisms, including providing better equipment and increasing funding for groups focused on domestic violence. And the league tailored its messaging to different constituencies — fans, players, owners, sponsors, critics — rather than trying to address them all at once. ? Oh, and the most famous person in the world didn't hurt. "Taylor (Swift) has been incredible for the NFL," Hill said. "There is no question that she has led to an influx of female fans and new people watching our game." Go deeper. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 13, 2024 Author Members Posted December 13, 2024 ? Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. In today's edition: Hunter vs. Jeanty for the Heisman, Jokić is on fire, Justin Tucker is ice cold, Rams win ugly game on "TNF," the 125th edition of Army-Navy, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? College Football Awards: Colorado's Travis Hunter (best WR, best defensive player, AP POY), Boise State's Ashton Jeanty (best RB, college POY) and Miami's Cam Ward (best QB) headlined Thursday's end of season awards. ⚾️ Expensive drop: The ball that bounced off Aaron Judge's glove in Game 5 of the World Series sold for $43,510 to an unidentified buyer. The proceeds for the auction, run by the Dodgers, will go to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. ? Butler on the block: The Heat are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Jimmy Butler, who can become a free agent this summer. Butler's wish list is said to include the Mavericks, Rockets, Warriors and Suns. ? Mullen to Vegas: Dan Mullen is set to take over at UNLV. The former Florida and Mississippi State coach has been working as an ESPN analyst for the past three seasons. ? Nine goals for Pittsburgh: The Penguins had the highest scoring output of any NHL team this season in a 9-2 win over the Canadiens. Sidney Crosby had three assists and now has 30 points (8 goals, 22 assists) in 31 games. ? HEISMAN TROPHY HUNTER VS. JEANTY: WHO YA GOT? (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) The Heisman Trophy will be awarded tomorrow night in New York City, and for just the fifth time this century, the winner won't be a quarterback, Jeff writes. The contenders: With all due respect to Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and Miami QB Cam Ward, it's a two-man race between Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, who is the heavy favorite (-2500 at BetMGM), and Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, who has put up historic numbers for the playoff-bound Broncos. Hunter's résumé: The two-way star played 92% of snaps for the Buffaloes this season and dominated on both sides of the ball, becoming the first player to win both the Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and Biletnikoff Award (best WR). Hunter ranks fifth in FBS in catches (92), sixth in receiving yards (1,152) and second in receiving TDs (14), rating as the nation's fifth-best receiver, per PFF. He also added one rushing TD. He also has four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and a forced fumble, rating as the third-best corner in FBS. Wild stat… He's the only player this century with 10 catches and an interception in the same game, and he's done it twice this season. Jeanty's résumé: Boise State's workhorse may do only one thing, but he does it significantly better than anyone else. With 2,497 rushing yards, he's on pace to break Barry Sanders' single-season FBS record of 2,628 in his next game (albeit in three more games than Barry had). And his 7.3 yards per carry aren't that far off Barry's 7.6 from that year. Jeanty's 29 rushing TDs are tied for first in the nation (Army QB Bryson Daily), and he's added 116 receiving yards and one score through the air. Wild stat… He has more rushing yards after contact this season (1,882) than any other player has, period. ? MVP FRONTRUNNER MAN ON FIRE: JOKIĆ CAN'T BE STOPPED (Patrick Smith/Getty Images) The Nuggets return to the court tonight after a rare four-day break for NBA Cup action. They'll be hoping that lengthy hiatus didn't cool down their red-hot star, Jeff writes. By the numbers: Nikola Jokić is averaging 43.7 points, 16.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists on 55% shooting across his last three games. No other player (since at least 1975-76) has ever reached those numbers in any three-game span. Dec. 8: 48 points (17-29 FG), 14 rebounds, 8 assists Dec. 7: 56 points (22-39 FG), 16 rebounds, 8 assists Dec. 5: 27 points (13-26 FG), 20 rebounds, 11 assists Zoom out: The craziest thing about those numbers is that they're sort of in line with what Jokić has done all season. The three-time MVP is averaging a triple-double while ranking at or near the top of the league in most statistical categories. He leads the NBA in rebounding (13.6 per game), and he's second in both scoring (32.3, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo's 32.7) and assists (10.2, behind Trae Young's 12.2). Most impressively, he's shooting 50% from behind the arc on more than four attempts per game, the second-best mark in the league. MVP trajectory: The season is still young, but Jokić is currently favored to win his fourth MVP award, which would put him in elite company. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6x), Michael Jordan (5x), Bill Russell (5x), Wilt Chamberlain (4x) and LeBron James (4x) have won that many. ? KICKING WOES WHAT'S WRONG WITH JUSTIN TUCKER? (Greg Fiume/Getty Images) Justin Tucker is arguably, and perhaps unequivocally, the best kicker in NFL history. But right now, there's only one way to describe the Ravens' all-time great: He stinks, Jeff writes. The nightmare continues: Tucker missed three kicks for the first time in his career in Baltimore's last game — a 24-19 loss to the Eagles that represented the latest low point in a shockingly bad season for the 35-year-old Texas native. By the numbers: Tucker has hit just 19 of 27 field goals this season, a career-worst rate of 70.4% that ranks second-to-last among the 28 kickers with at least 20 attempts. After entering the year as the most accurate kicker in NFL history, he's now fallen to second on the all-time field goal percentage leaderboard behind the Chiefs' Harrison Butker. He's even missed two extra points, both in his last four games. That's after missing six total in his first 204 career games. His misses have been costly, too: Baltimore's five losses this season have come by 22 combined points, and Tucker has missed 22 points worth of kicks in those losses. Did this come out of nowhere? Not exactly. Tucker has shown signs of slipping for a few years. After missing more than five kicks just once in his first 10 seasons, he's done so in each of the last three. And after making 73% of his kicks from 50+ yards in his first 10 seasons, he's made just 50% of them in his last three. Still, that doesn't quite explain why he's been this bad this year. Sure, he's aging, but 35 isn't that old for a kicker. One special teams coach thinks it could be attributed to Tucker's timing being off by just a hair. "The harder you swing, the more active your left side has to be. If your left side is late, the ball is going to track left," the coach told SB Nation. "He swings as hard as any player that's ever kicked. When you swing that hard, it's easy to pull one." Looking ahead: Head coach John Harbaugh says Tucker will remain Baltimore's kicker despite his slump, and it's hard to blame him. Serviceable kickers don't grow on trees, and Tucker has something most legs-for-hire don't: postseason experience. He hasn't missed a kick in the playoffs in the last two years. What they're saying: Tucker said he feels "very good" ahead of Sunday's game against the Giants after getting work in during the bye week, and his teammates are fully behind him. "He's the GOAT, still," said Lamar Jackson last week. "Hell yeah, I've got confidence [in him]." ? 125TH EDITION WATCHLIST: ARMY VS. NAVY (David Seelig/Allsport/Getty Images) Army and Navy face off on Saturday (3pm ET, CBS) in Landover, Maryland, in the 125th Battle for the Secretary's Trophy. Navy leads the all-time series, 62-55-7. Two great teams: The Black Knights (11-1) and Midshipmen (8-3) have combined for 19 wins this season, their highest total ever entering this game. Both have spent time in the AP Top 25, and Army is currently ranked No. 19 after winning the AAC championship. More to watch: ? NFL Sunday: Bills at Lions (4:25pm, CBS); Steelers at Eagles (4:25pm, Fox); Buccaneers at Chargers (4:25pm, Fox); Packers at Seahawks (8:20pm, NBC) … Week 15. ? Celebration Bowl: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State (Sat. 12pm, ABC) … The de facto HBCU national championship game in Atlanta. ? FCS: Quarterfinals ((Fri-Sat, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+) … No. 1 Montana State and No. 2 North Dakota State headline the field. ? NBA Cup: Hawks vs. Bucks (Sat. 4:30pm, TNT); Rockets vs. Thunder (Sat. 8:30pm, ABC) … Semifinals in Las Vegas. ? NCAAM: No. 17 Texas A&M at No. 11 Purdue (Sat. 12pm, CBS); Louisville at No. 5 Kentucky (Sat. 5:15pm, ESPN); No. 8 Gonzaga at No. 18 UConn (Sat. 8pm, Fox) ? NCAAW: No. 21 Iowa at No. 17 Michigan State (Sun. 12pm, BTN); No. 25 Georgia Tech at No. 14 UNC (Sun. 2pm, ACC) ⚽️ Premier League: Manchester City vs. Manchester United (Sun. 11:30am, USA) … The 195th Manchester Derby. ⚽️ Men's Final Four*: No. 3 Denver vs. Vermont (Fri. 5pm, ESPNU); No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Marshall (Fri. 7:30pm, ESPNU) … In Cary, North Carolina. ? NHL: Maple Leafs at Red Wings (Sat. 7pm, NHL); Golden Knights at Wild (Sun. 6pm, NHL) ? NCAA Women's Volleyball: Regionals (Fri-Sun, ESPN/ESPN2/ABC) … The Final Four will be set by Sunday night. ⛳️ PGA/LPGA: Grant Thornton Invitational (Fri-Sun, Golf/NBC/Peacock) … The second annual mixed-team tournament features 32 PGA and LPGA players. *New champion crowned? Marshall, which won its lone title in 2020, is the only semifinalist that has won a national championship. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 15, 2024 Author Members Posted December 15, 2024 ? 1 for the road: Heisman winner Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes plays at home on Nov. 29 in Boulder, Colo. Photo: Andrew Wevers/Getty Images The "HE12MAN" nickname started as a playful nod to Travis Hunter's potential. But it might as well be his official title now, Axios Denver's Esteban L. Hernandez writes. The University of Colorado wide receiver and cornerback received the Heisman Trophy yesterday, crowning him college football's most outstanding player. Zoom in: Hunter dazzled all season for the Buffaloes, providing a singular offensive force with the backing of quarterback Shedeur Sanders. When he switched on defense, Hunter was equally remarkable — hounding opposing players and making key defensive stops. Hunter is the first defensive player to win the Heisman since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. What's next: The Colorado star said he'll skip his senior season to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, where he's projected to be a top pick. More on Hunter ... Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 17, 2024 Author Members Posted December 17, 2024 In today's edition: NFL playoff picture, Hunter wins the Heisman, Navy tops Army, Walsh sets 11 world records, Baker's Dozen, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? 3-point barrage: The Lady Vols set the NCAA record for most threes in a game (30), while the Warriors and Mavericks set the NBA record for most combined threes (48). ⚾️ MLB moves: The Astros traded All-Star RF Kyle Tucker to the Cubs; the Yankees acquired closer Devin Williams from the Brewers; the Cardinals intend to trade Nolan Arenado. ? Bowl season begins: Jackson State beat South Carolina State, 28-7, to win the Celebration Bowl; South Alabama beat Western Michigan, 30-23, to win the Salute to Veterans Bowl. ? Dubs add Dennis: The Warriors acquired guard Dennis Schröder from the Nets in exchange for a package headlined by De'Anthony Melton (out for season) and three future second-round picks. ? Final Four: All four No. 1 seeds advanced to the NCAA Volleyball Final Four, where Penn State will play Nebraska and Pitt will play Louisville. ? WEEK 15 NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE: HALF THE FIELD IS SET The Bills beat the Lions in a potential Super Bowl preview. Are they the best team in the league? (Nic Antaya/Getty Images) For the first time in NFL history, half the playoff field is set with three weeks left to play in the regular season. Playoff picture: 7 of 14 spots have been secured entering the final night of Week 15. AFC: The Chiefs (13-1), Bills (11-3), and Texans (9-5) have clinched division titles, while the Steelers (10-4) have clinched a playoff berth. NFC: The Lions (12-2), Eagles (12-2) and Vikings (11-2) have all clinched playoff berths. Headlines from Sunday: Josh Allen starred in Buffalo's 48-42 win over Detroit, Philly topped Pittsburgh in the battle of Pennsylvania, Patrick Mahomes injured his ankle, Lamar Jackson torched the Giants, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams finally clicked, Jonathan Taylor made a brutal mistake, and more. Quick links: Scoreboard | Winners and losers | Fantasy wrap ?♀️ HISTORY IN HUNGARY GRETCHEN WALSH: ONE MEET, 11 WORLD RECORDS All hail, Gretchen the Great. (David Balogh/Getty Images) American swimmer Gretchen Walsh just had one of the best weeks in her sport's history, setting 11 world records (nine individual) and winning seven gold medals (four individual) at the Short Course World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Her final stat sheet: 50m freestyle: Gold (two WRs) 100m freestyle: Gold 50m butterfly: Gold (two WRs) 100m butterfly: Gold (three WRs) 100m IM: Gold (two WRs) 4x100m freestyle relay: Gold (one WR) 4x100m medley relay: Gold (one WR) Best meet ever? Mark Spitz set seven world records at the 1972 Olympics and Michael Phelps set eight at the 2008 Olympics. Those are widely considered the two greatest performances in major international swimming history — and Walsh bested them both. Yes, but: It's not exactly apples to apples. Short Course Worlds, which debuted in 1993, are held in 25-meter pools rather than the 50-meter pools used for the Olympics and Worlds, and there's usually less talent in the field (Katie Ledecky, for example, has never competed). Two of Walsh's individual titles came in events that aren't on the Olympic program (50m butterfly, 100m IM), and she won the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly in the absence of the Paris gold medalists. Walsh, 21, may have also benefitted from a "fast" pool: More than 25 world records fell in Budapest, the most ever at Short Course Worlds, and Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands became the first swimmer to break 20 seconds in the 50m freestyle. American royalty: Short course or not, Walsh was simply incredible, joining Phelps and Ryan Lochte as the only Americans to win five individual golds at a single championship meet. "I am in a little bit of disbelief of myself honestly," said the Nashville native, who's in the middle of her senior season at Virginia. The next big thing? Walsh made her Olympics debut in Paris, where she took home four medals (100m butterfly silver, plus three relay medals) while competing alongside her older sister, Alex. All signs point to her being one of Team USA's brightest stars at LA 2028. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 17, 2024 Author Members Posted December 17, 2024 ? 1 hoops thing Data: AP. Chart: Axios Visuals The SEC is college basketball's power conference, with five of the top 10 spots in the AP's latest rankings. Undefeated Tennessee holds the No. 1 spot this week, followed by Auburn. ? Kentucky has rocketed up the rankings since the season began and is now No. 4. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 17, 2024 Author Members Posted December 17, 2024 ? Good morning! Imagine winning your program's first-ever national championship. Now imagine doing it on a walk-off goal. Now stop imagining — and watch. In today's edition: The SEC might be the best league ever, golden goal lifts Vermont to first national title, why college football coaches are giving money back, fútbol at low tide, ranking every bowl game, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? MNF doubleheader: The Vikings improved to 12-2 with a 30-12 win over the Bears, who have lost eight straight games; the Falcons limped past the two-win Raiders, 15-9, to snap a four-game losing streak and get back to .500 (7-7). ⛳️ Paid to play: For the first time ever, American golfers will be paid for participating in the Ryder Cup. Each member of the U.S. team will receive a $200,000 "stipend" from the PGA of America starting with next year's event at Bethpage Black. ? Clemson's first transfer: Dabo Swinney, who has been publicly averse to the transfer portal, finally added his first transfer. 6-foot-5 WR Tristan Smith will join the Tigers after a standout season at Southeast Missouri State (FCS). ? Caps streak falls short: The Capitals' 3-1 loss to the Stars in Dallas snapped their 10-game road winning streak, two shy of the NHL record. ? Pop thanks fans: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who's still recovering from the stroke he suffered six weeks ago, issued a statement thanking fans for their support. "My family and I are forever grateful." Get well soon, Pop. ? COLLEGE HOOPS THE SEC IS IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) A decade ago, the SEC was a football-first conference. Today, it is by far the strongest basketball league in the country — and might just be the best we've ever seen, Jeff writes. A league of its own: Every major conference has a strong record so far, but the SEC — with its mind-boggling .878 winning percentage — is in another stratosphere. SEC: 144-20 (.878) Big 12: 115-39 (.747) Big Ten: 140-50 (.737) Big East: 82-37 (.689) ACC: 122-70 (.635) By the numbers: The SEC is 55-17 against major conferences, 42-6 against the ACC and Big 12, and 17-8 against ranked opponents — already the most non-conference top 25 wins any league has ever amassed in a single regular season. The SEC has five of the top seven teams in this week's AP poll and eight ranked teams overall, which is three more than any other league. They also have more undefeated teams (Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma) than the rest of Division I combined (Utah State, Drake). What they're saying: ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi didn't have to think long when asked for one word to describe the SEC's start to the season. "Outrageous," he said. "I've been doing this a long time, and what they're doing as a collective is unprecedented." Looking ahead: All this early success could result in a record number of NCAA bids on Selection Sunday, notes Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg. Lunardi's most recent "Bracketology" projection has 12 SEC schools in the field. That would break the 2011 Big East's record if it holds. ⚽️ GOLDEN GOAL UVM WINS FIRST NATTY ON WALK-OFF Kissel beats goalie Aleksa Janjic for the championship-winning goal. (Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) Vermont junior Max Kissel scored a golden goal in overtime on Monday night to lift UVM past Marshall, 2-1, and win the program's first men's soccer national championship. "Don't call them Cinderella! You can call them National Champs!" — ESPN's Dalen Cuff on the call What a ride: The Catamounts went from unseeded to national champions thanks in large part to Kissel, who had four postseason game-winners. This was Vermont's first-ever national title game appearance* in any team sport, and it couldn't have ended in more epic fashion. What they're saying: "I'm just so proud to be the coach of this team. To be able to represent our state," said head coach Rob Dow, who was then interrupted by a celebratory Gatorade bath from his players. "The best." Love this guy… (ESPN) *Of note: While this was the first national title game appearance for the University of Vermont, the school's skiing program has won six NCAA championships (1980, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2012). Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 18, 2024 Author Members Posted December 18, 2024 In today's edition: Michael Vick to Norfolk State, Bucks win NBA Cup, Memphis wins Frisco Bowl, PGA dominates LIV in "The Showdown," Mamba forever, and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Cousins benched: The Falcons are benching Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., who will make his debut as a starter on Sunday against the Giants. ⚾️ Bellinger to the Bronx: The Yankees landed former MVP Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Cubs, marking their first step in rebuilding their offense post-Juan Soto. ? New All-Star Game format: The NBA is officially replacing the traditional All-Star Game format with a four-team, pickup-style tournament, which will debut this February in San Francisco. ? Costly blunder: A whopping 7.9% of Yahoo Fantasy public league teams rostering Jonathan Taylor lost their respective matchups because he dropped the ball short of the goal line on Sunday. Ouch. ⚽️ Farewell, Becky: Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn, 39, announced her retirement on Tuesday. The center back made 219 national team appearances, 10th-most in USWNT history. ? BACK TO SCHOOL COACH VICK: THE NEXT CHAPTER OF A REDEMPTION STORY (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) 17 years after hitting rock bottom, Michael Vick has been hired as the head coach at Norfolk State (FCS), continuing his comeback story, a prolonged atonement for all to see. From Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel: On Dec. 10, 2007, Michael Vick walked into a federal courthouse in Richmond, Virginia, chomping gum and rocking bright-white Nike Air Force 1 Mids, which happened to match the stripes on his jailhouse garb. He was there to be sentenced for his role in a brutal dog-fighting ring, which had cost him his $100 million NFL contract, his record-breaking Nike deal and, most importantly, his freedom. He came across with at least a measure of defiance — if not disbelief — when he should have been, at least for practical purposes, trying to project remorse and responsibility. Federal prosecutors would soon lay out not just Vick's crimes in running Bad Newz Kennels, but a list of mindless violations even after he had pleaded guilty and knew all eyes were on him. While awaiting sentencing, the government argued that Vick had failed to fully admit to some of his actions, engaged in deceptive practices to cover up others and even smoked marijuana just one night before a scheduled test assuredly would, and did, bust him. Even his own friends and family in attendance, who saw any incarceration as unnecessary, could only shake their heads. Disappointment hung in the air. This was self-inflicted stuff. All that potential was about to be hailed away to Leavenworth. Vick had arrived that day facing a sentence of 12-18 months, with speculation he'd get the minimum due to his lack of prior record. If so, he could have been out in a little over 10 months, back in the NFL soon after. Instead, his actions and attitude caused the sentencing guideline to jump to 18-24 months. Vick wound up getting 23, more than any of his co-defendants, many of whom did have priors. Officers soon led him out, cuffed, en route to being caged. His family simply wept. This, they swore, wasn't him, it wasn't Mike. "I'm willing to say that should Michael Vick get another chance either in society or the NFL," his attorney, Billy Martin, said that day, "he will take full advantage of it." Seventeen Decembers later, in the same Virginia where he had grown up, where he electrified ball fields from Newport News to Blacksburg and where he was sentenced, Michael Vick lived up to his lawyer's promise with a new title: Coach. Norfolk State has reportedly hired Vick, now 44, to run its football program, which is located just a half-hour drive from his hometown. It is the latest chapter of a powerful redemption story that had already seen Vick come to terms with his actions, serve his debt to society, triumphantly return to the NFL and carry himself as a powerful spokesman for animal rights. He went from vilified villain to role model and leader. And it isn't done. The Vick who stood in that courtroom, who seemingly thought he was as untouchable off the field as he was on it, is long gone. The new man is here to prove himself once again. Read the full story. ? FEAR THE DEER BUCKS TOP THUNDER TO WIN NBA CUP (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The Bucks dominated both sides of the ball en route to a 97-81 victory over the Thunder in the NBA Cup championship game. Player of the night: Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double (26-19-10) and added three blocks and two steals. In a season where "teams are taking too many threes" has become a talking point, he attempted zero. From Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill: Antetokounmpo went through years where he attempted to become a 3-point shooter, taking nearly five a game during his second MVP campaign (2019-20), but never got over the 30% hump. He's much better attacking the basket, and he's found a home in the 18-foot range, making him a much more dangerous scorer now. He hasn't shot below 50% in any game this season. It's contributed to his career-high 61.4% accuracy, as he's taking fewer than one triple a game — the lowest mark since his third season, the year before his first All-Star appearance. The Bucks are back: After starting the season 2-8, Milwaukee has been on a tear. They went 7-0 in NBA Cup play and this was their 13th win in their last 16 games, even though it won't be part of the official record. Shoutout to OKC… The Thunder couldn't finish the job, but it's been an incredible season so far for America's Team. ? WEEK 16 NFL POWER RANKINGS: EAGLES ON TOP (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) The Bills are the talk of the NFL after beating the 12-1 Lions behind another standout performance from MVP favorite Josh Allen. But they're not yet the NFL's best team. From Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab: For as great as Josh Allen and the Bills were Sunday, they still gave up 42 points, including 494 yards and five TDs to Jared Goff. A week earlier they gave up 44 points to the Rams and lost. There's another team out there that hasn't lost since September. Another team with a stellar defense that has allowed 48 points in its past three games combined, while having an offense that is top 10 in points scored and yards gained. The Eagles might not have a highlight win like Buffalo's victory in Detroit, but their overall dominance and consistency is why Philly is No. 1 right now. They started 2-2 but they were without star receiver A.J. Brown in both losses. They're a perfect 10-0 since their bye. Full rankings: Analysis for all 32 teams ? DOUBLEHEADER WATCHLIST: BACK-TO-BACK BOWL GAMES SoFi Stadium. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Bowl Season continues tonight with back-to-back games on ESPN. Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. JMU (5:30pm ET) … At FAU Stadium. LA Bowl: No. 24 UNLV* vs. Cal (9pm) … At SoFi Stadium. More to watch: ? NHL: Flyers at Red Wings (7pm, TNT); Panthers at Wild (9:30pm, TNT) ? NCAAM: Xavier at No. 11 UConn (7pm, FS1); No. 21 Memphis at Virginia (7pm, ESPN); No. 14 Oklahoma at No. 24 Michigan (9pm, ESPN2) ? NCAAW: No. 19 UNC vs. Florida (6:30pm, ESPNU); No. 18 Tennessee at Memphis (8:30pm, ESPNews) *The Rebels had never been ranked in the AP poll before this season. They'll need to win tonight to end the season in the Top 25. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 19, 2024 Author Members Posted December 19, 2024 ? Good morning! This will be our penultimate newsletter of 2024. We'll be back tomorrow with a special "Year in Review" edition. In today's edition: College football in chaos, first look at TGL's indoor golf facility, NCAA fall champs, "The Blizzard Bowl," and more. ? ICYMI heADLINES ? Bowl games: UNLV beat Cal, 24-13, in the LA Bowl with the help of the most perfectly executed fake punt you'll ever see; James Madison beat Western Kentucky, 27-17, in the Boca Raton Bowl for their first-ever Bowl win. ? Wild finish: The SEC's hot start reached a new high when undefeated Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears completed a four-point play in the final seconds to beat Michigan, 87-86. ? Lifetime deal: Damian Lillard agreed to a lifetime contract extension with Adidas, joining LeBron James (Nike), Kevin Durant (Nike) and Steph Curry (Under Armour) as the only NBA players with such deals. ⚽️ Trinity talks Dennis: Soccer star Trinity Rodman opened up about her relationship with her father, Dennis. "He's not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else." ? Ivy League in the playoffs: Ivy League teams will be eligible for the FCS playoffs starting next year, ending a self-imposed decades-long ban on its schools competing in postseason football. ? NCAA VOLLEYBALL WATCHLIST: FINAL FOUR (Rebecca S. Gratz/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) The NCAA Volleyball Final Four is tonight in Louisville, where all four No. 1 seeds are playing in the semifinals, Jeff writes. Louisville vs. Pittsburgh (6:30pm ET, ESPN): This ACC rematch (Pitt won both meetings this season) is between two schools who've never won the title but have recently come very close: Pitt has made four straight Final Fours, and Louisville has made three of the last four. Penn State vs. Nebraska (9pm): This Big Ten rematch (Penn State won their only meeting this season) is between two of the sport's winningest programs: Penn State (7 titles) and Nebraska (5) trail only Stanford for the most titles all time (9). More to watch: ? NFL: Broncos at Chargers (8:15pm, Prime) ? NBA: Thunder at Magic (7pm, TNT); Knicks at Timberwolves* (9:30pm, TNT) ? NCAAF: Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston (7pm, ESPN2) … New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome. ⚽️ EFL Cup: Tottenham vs. Man United (3pm, Paramount+) … Winner joins Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle in the semifinals. *KAT's homecoming: Karl-Anthony Towns returns to Minnesota for his first game against the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2015. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 20, 2024 Author Members Posted December 20, 2024 ? D.C.'s arena upgrade Rendering courtesy of Monumental Sports & Entertainment Work is set to begin this summer on $800 million worth of renovations to Capital One Arena, the home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals. The 27-year-old arena is set to get a major exterior face-lift as well as updated concourses, concessions areas and VIP lounges. Locker rooms and other amenities for players are also getting a refresh, Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil reports. ? Work is expected to last through mid-2027. The city agreed to finance the renovations in exchange for keeping the arena in Washington. Rendering courtesy of Monumental Sports & Entertainment Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 20, 2024 Author Members Posted December 20, 2024 Taking advantage of an obscure rule, Chargers’ Dicker makes NFL’s first fair-catch kick in 48 years INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Of all the rules in football, Jim Harbaugh considers the obscure fair-catch kick to be his favorite. https://apnews.com/article/chargers-fair-catch-kick-e7b404c91144d64b5dba4a4003fbbee0? Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 23, 2024 Author Members Posted December 23, 2024 ? 1 fun thing: Tiger's son hits ace Tiger Woods celebrates after his son Charlie (right) shot a hole-in-one yesterday during the PNC Championship in Orlando. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of golf great Tiger Woods, hit his first hole-in-one yesterday during the final round of the PNC Championship in Orlando. The tournament — which the Woods duo narrowly lost in a playoff — features 20 champions competing alongside a family member. ⛳ Zoom in: "It was a perfect seven-iron," Charlie Woods told the Golf Channel. "It was awesome. I didn't think it went in ... until I go up there and see it." It was 48-year-old Tiger Woods' first competitive event since the British Open in July. Go deeper ... Watch the hole-in-one. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted December 30, 2024 Author Members Posted December 30, 2024 ? LeBron @ 40 LeBron James, then of the Cleveland Cavaliers, stands in the back of a Rolls-Royce during the team's championship parade in 2016. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/AP LeBron James — who helped his Lakers win on Christmas, and turns 40 today — is the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. When James broke another NBA record earlier this month — for most regular-season minutes played in a career (57,471 minutes in 1,517 games, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) — he quipped that his teammates "told me I'm old as hell," AP reports. The Ohio native, dubbed "The Kid from Akron" when he entered the league with a limitless future nearly 22 years ago, now has wisps of gray in his beard. "In some ways, he's a freak of nature," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: "I've been around a lot of great players and he's one of the hardest-working players I've been around. I mean, he doesn't take a day off. He seems to not take an afternoon off. He's always working on some part of his body. You meet with him and he's always soaking something or eating something with some contraption attached to him." Keep reading. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted January 1, 2025 Author Members Posted January 1, 2025 ? New NFL economics Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios The NFL's biggest rule change in 2024 was about ownership, not kickoffs, as it allowed private equity into the ranks, Axios Pro Rata author Dan Primack writes. Why it matters: Football teams have become too valuable for most billionaires to buy solo. Adding private equity could expand the pool of potential buyers — and prompt some owners to sell. ? By the numbers: The average NFL franchise is worth $5.7 billion, according to Forbes. Fewer than 200 Americans have a net worth of at least that amount. Around a dozen are already NFL owners. Now subtract those whose wealth is mostly illiquid or who have no interest in football. The universe of viable owners gets very small, very fast. ?Enter private equity, which now can own up to 10% of each club. That's a significant chunk on top of other financing alternatives, such as bank loans and ownership groups. Go deeper. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted January 2, 2025 Author Members Posted January 2, 2025 ? 1 sports thing: GOAT honored Photo: Shaniqwa Jarvis/Sports Illustrated Simone Biles, named today as Sports Illustrated's 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, told Axios' Maxwell Millington that she sees her fellow honorees as people who "transcend sports" and help build communities. Biles, a 27-year-old "global icon," has been "fearless in speaking out about issues that transcend the sports world," SI Editor-in-Chief Steve Cannella said in a statement. Off the mat, Biles has become a mental health advocate. ? The 11-time Olympic medalist mounted a comeback at last summer's Paris Games after the "twisties" caused her to withdraw early from the 2020 games. She told Axios she's most proud of "being able to compete on a world stage again and to just go out there with my girls and win team gold." "But I'm more proud of the work that we put in behind the scenes — a lot of us put mental and physical work in so that we could each be the best versions of ourselves." Read the full interview. Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted January 6, 2025 Author Members Posted January 6, 2025 ? ICYMI heADLINES ⛳️ Hideki makes history: The PGA Tour season officially kicked off in Hawaii, where Hideki Matsuyama (-35) won The Sentry and set the Tour's 72-hole scoring record. He had 33 birdies, 2 eagles and 2 bogeys. Ridiculous. ? Pats fire Mayo: Bill Belichick's replacement lasted just one season in New England. The Patriots fired Jerod Mayo on Sunday after a 4-13 season. Could they have their eyes on Mike Vrabel? ? USA wins it all: Teddy Stiga scored on a breakaway in OT to lift the U.S. past Finland, 4-3, in the world junior hockey championship game and give the Americans their second straight title. "Pure joy for the guys," said coach David Carle. "I'm really proud. They'll walk together forever." ? Raised to the rafters: The Bulls will retire Derrick Rose's number next season, raising his No. 1 jersey to the rafters alongside Michael Jordan (No. 23), Scottie Pippen (No. 33), Jerry Sloan (No. 4) and Bob Love (No. 10). ? Chasing Gretzky: With nine goals in his last six games, Alex Ovechkin is now 23 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time record of 894. What was once thought impossible is now inevitable. ? SEASON FINALE BRING ON THE PLAYOFFS (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) Sunday concluded the 2024 NFL regular season, which featured one of the closest MVP races in recent memory, a host of rare statistical milestones and a historic finish last night in Detroit, Jeff writes. The playoffs are set: The final two postseason spots were decided on Sunday, as the Buccaneers clinched the NFC South and the Broncos finally snapped their eight-year playoff drought. NFC: The Lions clinched the NFC's top seed for the first time ever with a 31-9 blowout win over the Vikings — the first season finale since 1993 in which the winner earned the No. 1 seed, and the first regular-season game in NFL history between 14-win teams. AFC: The path to the Super Bowl still runs through Kansas City. The Chiefs are seeking their third straight title after earning the No. 1 seed for the fourth time in seven seasons with Patrick Mahomes under center. Title odds: The Lions are the favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy (+280 at BetMGM), followed by the Chiefs (+350), Ravens (+600), Bills (+600), Eagles (+700), Vikings (+1600), Packers (+1800), Buccaneers (+3000), Chargers (+3500), Rams (+3500), Commanders (+3500), Broncos (+8000), Texans (+8000) and Steelers (+10000). Did Lamar Jackson do enough in the past month to wrest the MVP away from Josh Allen? (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) An MVP race for the ages: For weeks, it looked like Josh Allen would run away with the award, but Lamar Jackson has not so quietly made a bid for his third MVP after leading the Ravens (12-5) to just one fewer win than Allen's Bills (13-4). Jackson: Baltimore's dual threat QB is not only the first player with at least 4,000 passing (4,172) and 900 rushing yards (915) in a season, but also the first with 40+ TD (41) and fewer than five INT (4). He added four rushing TDs and posted a career-high 119.6 passer rating. Allen: Buffalo's signal-caller sat Sunday's game, ending the year with 3,731 yards, 28 TD and 6 INT, plus 531 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground. While Jackson has better numbers, it's important to note that Allen sat roughly 11 quarters this season with the game (or playoff spot) already in hand. Honorable mention: Saquon Barkley, who also rested on Sunday, became the ninth member of the 2,000 yard club; Joe Burrow led the league in passing yards (4,918) and TD (43). Season in review: Rodgers' last stand? Aaron Rodgers' future, as both a Jet and in the NFL, is up in the air. If Sunday was his swan song it was quite a coda: He posted his first 4 TD game since 2021 and became the fifth QB in NFL history with 500 career TD passes. Rookie standouts: Jayden Daniels became the third rookie QB to win 12 games; Brock Bowers (112 catches) and Malik Nabers (109) both broke the previous record for receptions by a rookie; Jared Verse is the DROY favorite after earning the Rams' only Pro Bowl spot. Fantasy football awards: Ja'Marr Chase's Triple Crown (127 catches, 1,708 yards, 17 TD) earned him Yahoo Sports Fantasy MVP. Other superlatives include Bucs RB Bucky Irving as the best waiver add and Jets RB Breece Hall as the biggest bust. Playoff droughts: While the Broncos are finally back in the playoffs, the same can't be said for the Jets (14 years), Falcons (seven) or Panthers (seven), who now own the NFL's longest active droughts. Race to the bottom: The Titans (3-13) clinched the No. 1 draft pick with their worst season since 2015. The Browns, Giants, Patriots and Jaguars round out of the top five. Plus… Plenty of players earned some extra cash this weekend after hitting their contract incentives, including Mike Evans ($3M for 1,000 yards), Geno Smith ($6M for reaching career highs in passing yards and completion rate, and winning 10 games) and Zach Ertz ($750,000 for getting to 60 catches, 600 yards and 6 TD, all of which he reached on Sunday). ? THE ALIEN WEMBY AT 100 GAMES: WHAT ARE WE WITNESSING? (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports) Victor Wembanyama played his 100th NBA game on Friday and turned 21 on Saturday, providing a perfect opportunity for our NBA experts to take stock of the young phenom's career and explore his ultimate ceiling. 1. Score from 0 to 100: What grade would you give Wembanyama at the 100-game mark? 99. Like the greats, he's exceeded great expectations. At 7-foot-5 — don't give me that 7-foot-3 nonsense — Wemby warps the game in ways we've never seen at his age. If he's this good at 21, I shudder to think what he'll be at 31. A playoff visit with this roster will bump this up to a 100. — Tom Haberstroh 2. What has been his most impressive feat so far? It is not just that Wembanyama is the leading candidate for DPOY. He is the best defensive player in the league by a wide margin. The numbers back it up. His length changes the shape of the floor. We can reasonably assume he will submit the greatest defensive season ever at some point in the near future, and then keep topping it for the remainder of the decade. — Ben Rohrbach 3. True or false: He's already a top-10 player in the NBA. True. We're no longer in a world where we can assume Steph, KD and LeBron are automatically installed in the top 10. Perhaps they live on the back end, but the transition is here. Big Slim might be a top-five player, knocking on the Jokić/SGA/Luka door because he affects the game in so many profound ways. — Vincent Goodwill 4. What is Wemby's ultimate ceiling in the NBA? The Kareem comparison is one I've liked for a while, even if their playing styles differ significantly. The overall imprint on a game is similar, only with Wembanyama being able to stretch the floor, and thus incorporate himself into the new age NBA. The greats are always evaluated on winning, and we're seeing a player here who could win multiple championships, multiple MVPs and lock down DPOY for a decade. We can't shy away from it: His ultimate ceiling is GOAT territory. — Morten Stig Jensen ? Consider this… Wembanyama had more points in his first 100 NBA games than LeBron James, more threes than Steph Curry, more rebounds than Anthony Davis and more blocks than Shaquille O'Neal. ? RIDING GIANTS IS THIS THE BIGGEST WAVE EVER SURFED? The wave in question. (Frank Quirarte) On Christmas Eve, American surfer Alessandro Slebir rode a wave at Mavericks Beach in Half Moon Bay, California, that was estimated to be 108 feet tall, which would be a world record. Biggest wave ever? If confirmed, Slebir would break the current Guinness World Record of 86 feet, set by German surfer Sebastian Steudtner in Nazaré, Portugal, in 2020. But officially verifying the wave's height is no easy task. From the Los Angeles Times: For all of their ferocity, big waves are among the most ephemeral phenomena in all of sports — they're almost impossible to precisely rank. Once a year, a "conclave of [experts]" get together in a closed room and study photos and videos submitted by surfers from around the world in an effort to determine who rode the biggest wave captured on film. Submissions can come from anywhere, but the most common spots are Half Moon Bay, home to the mighty break known as Mavericks; the North Shore of Maui, home to a crushing wave known as Jaws; and Nazaré, where an underwater canyon funnels huge winter swells directly onto shore in an otherwise nondescript fishing village. How do you reliably measure a wave? It took 18 months to finalize Steudtner's wave height, and Slebir's ride will undergo a similarly meticulous process that includes a detailed measurement of both Slebir (height when crouched down, etc) and the wave itself. Where, exactly, does the flat water in front of the wave end and the upward slope begin? The last word: Slebir doesn't seem too concerned with records or fame. "For me, I'm happy to have ridden the biggest wave of my life," said the 23-year-old, who grew up about an hour south of Mavericks. "I'll let other people decide what size it was." ✍️ ROUNDUP EXTRA POINTS (Lev Akabas/Sportico) ?? America loves football: The NFL accounted for 72 of the 100 most-watched U.S. TV broadcasts of 2024, per Sportico. That's down from 93 last year, but is right in line with the 71 spots the league claimed during the last presidential election year (2020). ? Pickleball pays: The average pay of the ~60 women in the top two pickleball leagues (which have since merged) was $260,000 in 2024, per CNBC. That's more than double the average NWSL salary and would be the highest salary in the WNBA. ? Realignment ridiculousness: Northern Illinois is set to move to the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member in 2026. That's right: A school outside Chicago will soon be in the same league as a school in Hawaii. 10-hour flight! (Giphy) ? GIF of the weekend: Bryce "Steph Curry" Young was feeling himself on Sunday. I believe this is what the youths call "aura." ? Miss you, Stu: Saturday marked 10 years since Stuart Scott passed away. His voice will forever be synonymous with peak ESPN, when we often learned outcomes of games via "SportsCenter" highlights. Here's his call of Kobe's 81-point night. Both gone way too soon… ? Mystery link: Watch this (just trust me) Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
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