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Despite many of the veterans on the roster absent from voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Tennessee Titans wide receiver Robert Woods felt that it was important to connect with his teammates while also getting up to speed.
“Just getting acclimated. If I’m going to be here, I might as well be out here. It’s my first year with the team, being able to pick up this offense as fast as I can so that when I’m ready to go I can go,” Woods said after Wednesday’s open session.
The 30-year-old continues to work his way back from ACL surgery, and he’s looked impressive in practice thus far.
Of course, when Tennessee acquired Woods from the Los Angeles Rams, he was expected to be the No. 2 receiver, replacing veteran wide receiver Julio Jones. Instead, Woods is looking at filling the No. 1 receiver void after A.J. Brown was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 NFL draft.
Woods was asked if his role with the team has changed since Brown was traded.
“I’m trying to be the most dominant receiver. Obviously, I’m always competing, as every player should. We have to compete and be at a high level. A.J. (Brown), he got traded, now my competition is Treylon (Burks) and all these other receivers,” Woods said of the situation. “We need to compete — I know I’m a veteran and he’s a rookie — but I need him to compete with me so I can better myself. That’s how you really become good is the competition all around and that’s how you keep guys playing at an elite level.”
Prior to his injury-shortened year, Woods put up 1,000-yard campaigns in 2018 and 2019 before falling just short of the mark in 2020.
He’s entering a similar situation to when he first arrived in Los Angeles, when. Woods was acquired by the Rams to reshape the wide receiver corps. The same year, Los Angeles drafted a promising young receiver in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft in Cooper Kupp.
The duo developed into one of the better wide receiver pairs in the National Football League as a result of both Woods and Kupp pushing each other to play at a higher level.
Woods will look to develop the same connection with Titans first-round pick Treylon Burks. The Arkansas wideout has gotten off to a rough start in Nashville laboring through parts of rookie mini-camp and OTAs.
That said, he’s continued to look better each and every time he’s stepped on the field.
Despite the team limiting what he can do in OTAs, Woods has taken Burks under his wing while offering advice on how he can prepare for his rookie campaign.
“It’s the NFL, it’s the highest level of football,” Woods said. “It’s not going to be easy for any rookie to just pick up, especially this offense that we run. It’s a lot of learning, a lot of studying; that’s what I tell him, ‘Make sure to stay in your playbook. Play fast. You’re going to make mistakes, as long as you make them full speed, we just need you going.’ … Great player, great athlete, we’re going need a lot from [Treylon Burks] this season.”
The veteran wideout understands that while Burks is a rookie, his development and success on the field is critical to the Titans’ success in 2022 as well.
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2022-06-03T14:28:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Robert Woods embracing competition in Titans’ WR group
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https://sports.yahoo.com/robert-woods-embracing-competition-titans-120208900.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/robert-woods-embracing-competition-titans-120208900.html?src=rss
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Dustin Johnson plays his shot from the sixth tee during the third round of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Photo by Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
The game of golf has told us forever that it is built on the pillars of honor and dignity, sportsmanship and fair play. Sadly, that façade has crumbled. Today’s game of golf, personified by Johnson and his pals, is about selfishness, combined with a stunning lack of moral judgment.
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2022-06-03T15:22:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brennan: Will the USGA go morally bankrupt and allow Dustin Johnson to play the U.S. Open? Mum’s the word
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https://sports.yahoo.com/brennan-usga-morally-bankrupt-allow-140321899.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/brennan-usga-morally-bankrupt-allow-140321899.html?src=rss
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Eric Bieniemy is standing at a wooden lectern for the first time since January, and although it takes a few minutes on this particular occasion, the familiar topic eventually arrives.
His candidacy to be an NFL head coach.
Bieniemy, the fifth-year Chiefs offensive coordinator, has become the face of the NFL’s most glaring race problem — its lack of diversity in leadership positions — a role he never has really fully embraced, nor appeared particularly comfortable in occupying.
Really, though, who would sign up for this?
Here we go, yet another year. He cannot avoid a storyline that has persisted so long that he’s participated in two separate New York Jets coaching cycles. So long that the man he replaced in his current job with the Chiefs, Matt Nagy, left to be a head coach for the Bears, made the postseason twice, missed it twice, got fired, returned to Kansas City and is now working under Bieniemy.
For years now, in interview after interview, Bieniemy has shrugged his shoulders at it all, providing mostly stock answers, insisting his concentration rests fully with his current team and not the potential of a new one.
That tone changed Thursday. Even if just a bit.
“I’m gonna keep knocking on that damn door,” he said, “and I’m going to keep working my ass off to make sure that it happens.”
A hint of frustration.
We’ve yet to see much of it. In fact, in the back half of just an eight-minute news conference Thursday, Bieniemy did something he rarely does. He let us in. He let us feel what he’s apparently long felt as he has churned through 15 interviews without a job offer.
Some advice? This Eric Bieniemy should stick around. This Eric Bieniemy is a man who future teams should think twice about overlooking.
Many of Bieniemy’s in-season news conferences can be guarded, to say the least, whether he’s talking about an individual player, the offense as a whole or himself. He’s careful. He bypasses the opportunity to take control of the narrative. And it makes you wonder if his interviews unfold similarly.
On Thursday, he was candid instead.
At one point, I asked if the rejections — more than a dozen of them — have made it difficult to stay himself. If they’ve made it difficult to not feel as though he needs to make a massive change.
That reply, too, began with an admission he wouldn’t typically make.
“In reality, yes, it is tough,” he said. “But I don’t let that keep me from doing what I do. I’m still alive. I’m still breathing. And I have an opportunity to work with a championship team. So that’s the beauty of it.
“I don’t seek any comfort. I don’t want any pity. This is who I am. I’m gonna keep pushing, keep knocking, because when it’s all said and done with, I know who I am, and I am comfortable with the person I’m striving to be.”
Sure, he does. Can he be confident the right people know him well enough?
There are side conversations in which some catch a glimpse of it. He typically starts and finishes those with a handshake. He’s engaging. Calls you by name. By the conclusion, he will remind you that he appreciates you, even if you’ve started a conversation around an uncomfortable topic.
But those chats have an audience of just a few, sometimes even of just one, while critical comments from a former player like LeSean McCoy can reach the masses.
This might not be the problem.
But it’s not been the solution.
Bieniemy has the appearance of being confident in who he is, and showing the world more of that would be a good start. And it has started. As the NFL incentivized teams to hire minority head coaches, front office personnel and assistants, a week ago it held what it termed an accelerator program in Atlanta that brought together coaching and front office candidates for networking opportunities.
The biggest takeaway for Bieniemy? The chance to have more intimate, outside-the-facility conversations with owners and general managers.
“Everybody don’t know Eric Bieniemy,” he said. “I don’t know all those owners. I think the benefit of the league did was huge — it gave everyone a voice and a view to see, exactly from that window, what it’s like to interact with those people. To have that opportunity to say, hey, this is who I am.”
It’s embarrassing this needs to be done at all, but I guess we can credit the league for doing something, if for no other reason than to put the minority candidates in front of the right people, an opportunity they encounter too infrequently.
The Chiefs, and particularly Andy Reid, have dug into finding out why Bieniemy has not yet been hired. That process has provided few answers and plenty of angst. There is no shortage of theories inside NFL circles. He has not yet coached the quarterback position; there’s an arrest record from his playing days at Colorado; he doesn’t call the plays in Kansas City.
And he’s Black.
We cannot definitively say Bieniemy’s race is the crux of the reasons he’s still available, but the statistics definitively say his race does not help him get hired in this league.
We cannot definitively say some of his coach-speak in news conferences — which may or may not translate to the interview room — has hurt his chances to be hired, but the recent history definitively says it has not helped.
On Thursday, he struck a different chord, a more candid chord, in his first news conference of the year.
Hope it’s not the last time.
Kyler Murray ‘continuing to get better, continuing to mature’
Cardinals right tackle Kelvin Beachum spoke positively of the development of Murray as a leader.
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2022-06-03T15:23:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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KC Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy has now struck a different tone in his quest for an NFL job
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https://sports.yahoo.com/kc-chiefs-eric-bieniemy-now-100000837.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/kc-chiefs-eric-bieniemy-now-100000837.html?src=rss
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The team got off to a 22-29 start this season after spending past the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history. The Phillies are 12 games back already of the first-place Mets.
"It has been a frustrating season for us up until this point, as we feel that our club has not played up to its capabilities," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in a statement.
"While all of us share the responsibility for the shortcomings, I felt that a change was needed and that a new voice in the clubhouse would give us the best chance to turn things around. I believe we have a talented group that can get back on track, and I am confident that Rob, with his experience and familiarity with our club, is the right man to lead us going forward."
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2022-06-03T15:23:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Phillies fire Joe Girardi as manager
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https://sports.yahoo.com/phillies-fire-joe-girardi-manager-141800341.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/phillies-fire-joe-girardi-manager-141800341.html?src=rss
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We’ve talked several times now about how Name, Image, and Likeness has changed the power dynamics in college football. Some players have already started receiving compensation through NIL, but the real impact has been through recruiting and the transfer portal. Each day, teams learn just how expensive it’s becoming to keep talent on their roster.
Ohio State Football Coach Ryan Day discussed specifics when speaking to the Ohio business community members earlier this week. Day said he believes it will cost $13 million for the Buckeyes to keep their current roster intact. He went on to say that the Ohio State staff has been crunching the numbers and analyzing the data. They believe it will cost $2 million for a premier quarterback and upwards of $1 million for an offensive tackle or pass rusher.
Schools are not supposed to use NIL for recruitment purposes, but the NCAA has yet to show they are willing to enforce the rule, and with a growing call among coaches for a change, it’s only a matter of time before adjustments take place.
More than a dozen recruits scheduled to visit Lincoln this weekend
Ohio State needs $13 million in NIL money to maintain its football roster, coach Ryan Day told businesspeople at an event Thursday.
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2022-06-03T16:58:50Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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A Big Ten coach said it will cost how much to keep their roster intact
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https://sports.yahoo.com/big-ten-coach-said-cost-142425706.html?src=rss
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Tennessee and Georgia Tech have tradition-rich athletic programs.
Bobby Dodd had an impact on both schools’ athletic history.
Dodd, a four-sport athlete at Tennessee, played football (1928-30), basketball (1928-30), track and field and baseball (1930).
Dodd was a two-time All-Southern Conference performer in football. He played quarterback, tailback and punter under head coach Robert Neyland.
After his playing career, Dodd became an assistant football coach at Georgia Tech in 1931. He served as an assistant until 1945 when he became the Yellow Jackets’ head coach.
As head coach, Dodd compiled a record of 165-64-8. He guided Georgia Tech to consecutive SEC championships in 1951-52 and a national title in 1952.
He was SEC Coach of the Year in 1951-52.
Dodd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He is also a member of the Helms Hall of Fame, the University of Tennessee Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
In 57 years at Georgia Tech, he also served as athletics director and head baseball coach.
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2022-06-03T16:58:56Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bobby Dodd’s impact on Tennessee, Georgia Tech’s athletic programs
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bobby-dodd-impact-tennessee-georgia-125502535.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bobby-dodd-impact-tennessee-georgia-125502535.html?src=rss
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Usually, as we make our way through talking season (also known as the summer in some places), we look at the teams in the Power Five conferences and identify the teams we like to call X-Factors.
That’s a fancy way of saying we have no idea what a team here or there is going to do this season.
But in the SEC, it feels like the league has turned into the X-Men. There are so many teams that we are clueless about that we can make an argument for 12 X-Factors.
Now, that is assuming Alabama and Georgia are going to dominate the league again even though Alabama has a lot of holes to fill on the offensive line and Georgia lost 15 players to the NFL draft.
Seriously, unless someone is just trying to get clicks or podcast listeners or just wants to be different, it’s difficult to make the case for any of the other 12 teams winning either division.
But they all can make a case for being X-Factors. Dooley’s Dozen looks at the reasons we really are perplexed with everything but the top of the SEC.
Texas A&M Aggies – X-Factor 8.5
This is a baffling one because the Aggies brought (or is it bought?) in the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, but you can’t count on freshmen feeling the major voids on a team, especially on the defensive line. Critics will also point to Jimbo Fisher’s record in the last six years as a head coach – 29-20 in conference games. The easy answer for A&M is that the Aggies are a year away. So, what about this year? Don’t know.
Tennessee Volunteers – X-Factor 8.1
The Vols have a lot of momentum going with Josh Heupel and Neyland Stadium is again a rough place to play. But let’s not forget that Tennessee was 7-6 last year and lost the Music City Bowl. The Vols are going to be picked by most to finish second in the East and the schedule is not that tough. This could be a big year for Tennessee, but remember that the seven teams UT beat last year were a combined 37-49.
LSU Tigers – X-Factor 8.0
Go ahead and try to figure out what the Tigers are going to do. LSU has underachieved massively since the national championship season and brought in a carpetbagger to solve the problem. Brian Kelly’s culture change seems to have affected him more than his team, but that’s another story. It seems like LSU is the No. 1 X-Factor team every year in the SEC.
Auburn Tigers – X-Factor 7.5
Bryan Harsin survived a coup attempt, but he lost a lot of players. Still, he has enough talent to have a winning season and one would hope that he has changed and the people around him have changed. But there are no guarantees. And, oh yeah, you have to go to Alabama and Georgia this season.
Kentucky Wildcats – X-Factor 7.2
This love for Will Levis is getting a little out of hand. Remember that he threw the same number of interceptions as [autotag]Emory Jones[/autotag]. And Kentucky has a lot to replace on the offensive line. At the same time, Mark Stoops has had two 10-win seasons in the last four years to get his Kentucky record over .500. He also has never lost fewer than three conference games in his nine seasons. I don’t know what to think.
Ole Miss Rebels – X-Factor 6.9
Lane Kiffin has declared himself the King of the Transfer Portal and is coming off a Sugar Bowl. But you don’t hear a lot of love for the Rebels because they are such an unknown. The early part of the schedule will have Ole Miss in the top 15 in the country, but the back end could be a rude awakening (at A&M, LSU and Arkansas; Alabama and Egg Bowl at home).
Mississippi State Bulldogs – X-Factor 6.5
Hey, we like coupling these two together because they don’t like each other. If Will Rogers continues to improve at quarterback, the Bulldogs may have something despite a brutal schedule. But if they don’t get the running game going, meh. Mississippi State got better last year, but can it show another step forward? Only if a bunch of redshirt freshmen come through.
Florida Gators – X-Factor 6.2
We know about the schedule, and we know that [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] is working hard on changing the culture. We also know he has admitted he doesn’t have enough players to be a contender. But can he find lightning in [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], the guy who must be great for Florida to be great? The sample size is not large enough to say.
Missouri Tigers – X-Factor 6.0
Last year, there were a lot of people who thought Mizzou was the team who could give Georgia a race in the East. They were wrong. The Tigers went 3-5 in the SEC and the jury is still out on Eli Drinkwitz. Maybe Missouri thrives without the high expectations. We’ll see.
Arkansas Razorbacks – X-Factor 5.9
We know that Sam Pittman is going to have his guys ready to play. We know he has a talented quarterback. We also know he has the toughest schedule in the country again. It’s difficult to jump on the bandwagon and buckle up when the first seven games include bookends Cincinnati and BYU, and Alabama and Texas A&M in the middle.
South Carolina Gamecocks– X-Factor 5.5
Remember, I’m not ranking the teams in order of how I think they will finish. I’m talking about expectations and how difficult this league is going to be this year except at the top. South Carolina thinks Spencer Rattler is going to be great, even if he lost his last job. They might be. But there is a tradition in Columbia (other than those three [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag] years) to play up and down and we saw that last year.
Vanderbilt Commodores – X-Factor 3.1
You pretty much know what you are going to get here, but the one caveat is that most coaches do better in their second years. Clark Lea won zero conference games in his first year and the Commodores probably won’t let that happen again. Then again, who are they going to beat?
Walmart to build Chicago-area fulfillment center, hire more than 1,000
Walmart Inc. said it plans to build a 1.1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Joliet, Illinois, and hire more than 1,000 people to work there. The Arkansas retailing giant (NYSE: WMT) said Joliet was one of four U.S. cities where it will build new fulfillment centers that it said are expected to help Walmart speed up one-and two-day deliveries to customers around the country. The Joliet center will be located at 3501 Brandon Road and is expected to open this summer.
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2022-06-03T16:59:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Dooley’s Dozen: Breaking down the X-Factor teams in the SEC
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https://sports.yahoo.com/dooley-dozen-breaking-down-x-120052543.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/dooley-dozen-breaking-down-x-120052543.html?src=rss
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Alabama coach Nick Saban talks with the media as the team arrives for the 2022 college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Gary Cosby Jr., USA TODAY Sports)
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football coach Nick Saban unmoved by $5,000 retirement offer
The baseball, softball and boys and girls soccer rosters for the AHSAA's All-Star Week were released. The games take place in Montgomery July 18-22.
The Oregon Ducks have reportedly scheduled a home-and-home series with the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks starting this year.
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2022-06-03T16:59:28Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Nick Saban unmoved by $5,000 'offer' to 'retire or come back to LSU'
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-unmoved-5-000-110155348.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-unmoved-5-000-110155348.html?src=rss
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The Ohio State quarterback room is stacked, to say the least. Three five-star QBs led by Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud have the Buckeyes sitting pretty for the foreseeable future. Plus Ryan Day already has a commitment from another five-star gun slinger in Dylan Raiola headlining the 2024 class.
However… can you really have too much talent in the quarterback room? Injuries and the transfer portal say no, no you can’t. And while the coaching staff is racking up commitment after commitment and currently has the No. 4 ranked class in the country, they have yet to land a commitment at the quarterback position for 2023.
After seeing a talented crop of campers on Wednesday, the Buckeyes have extended an offer to 2023 quarterback and four-star recruit, Austin Novosad. The interesting thing about Novosad is that he has already given a verbal commitment to the Baylor Bears.
Novosad is the No. 17 ranked QB in the nation according to 247Sports composite rankings and hails from Dripping Springs, Texas.
In the world of big-time college athletics, verbal commitments don’t mean much until pen hits paper. Could there be a chance that the Buckeyes could flip a player who’s been committed since December of 2021? Even with all the talent that resides in Columbus? Don’t count Ohio State out. At the very least, the young man will have to seriously consider his options.
Hoover looked to be on its way to the state championship game after a fast start but Lakota West's powerful lineup helped the Firebirds rally to win.
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2022-06-03T16:59:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ohio State offers 2023 Baylor quarterback commit
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-offers-2023-baylor-142953910.html?src=rss
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As has been pointed out over and over again in this space, while Dallas could still sign someone this offseason, it appears they are preparing to make a push in the 2023 offseason. For the first time in several years, the Cowboys don’t have a sizeable percentage of their roster set to hit free agency. It’s a rare window that might actually convince Stephen Jones to open up the purse to outsiders. Or, it will could be used on more in-house guys.
Dallas has a number of players who have the opportunity to earn themselves a big payday in 2023. Some are pending free agents, others are players eligible and worthy of early re-ups. Here’s a look at the Magnificent Seven for 2023.
Proud papa time.
CB Trevon Diggs
Drafted in 2020, Diggs will be eligible for an extension for the first time following this season. After 11 interceptions in just his fourth season playing the corner position (two at Alabama, two in the pros), the sky appears to be the limit.
The Black card likely won’t have one.
Corner is one of the Money 5, as I coined the five most expensive positions in the NFL, so top guys get beaucoup duckets when the contracts are up. While some weirdos try to diminish Diggs’ accomplishments because he gave up almost 1,000 yards in coverage, his adjusted net yards per coverage snap (ANY/CS) had him ranked as the fourth-best corner in the league. A follow up performance, even without the gaudy totals, will get this man a new tax bracket and then some.
Six corners (Jaire Alexander, Denzel Ward, Jalen Ramsey, Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore and Xavien Howard) all make over $18 million per season. It would be foolish for Diggs to accept anything less without his performance nose diving.
Anything close to resembling last year would likely put him at the top of the list. The question is where Dallas looks to get out in front or play the waiting game like they did with QB Dak Prescott and DE DeMarcus Lawrence. Utilize the franchise tag to avoid the top deal at the position for as long as possible.
No, Elliott isn’t in line for a new deal, but he has plenty on the line when it comes to his financials. Elliott put in the work, on the field and as the de facto face of the franchise while Prescott was developing into one of the league’s best QBs and Elliott was handsomely rewarded for those efforts.
[Read more about the Cowboys’ philosophy to paying players here]
The Cowboys are now at a point where they wouldn’t suffer a financial hit if they were to move on from Elliott following 2022. He’s on the books for a $10.9 million base salary in 2023 and would bring the club $4.9 million in cap savings if released after accounting for bonus acceleration.
But a dynamic, healthy campaign may convince the Cowboys to keep him in the fold for at least one more season. Despite the squeaky wheel complaints on social media, Elliott remains a fan favorite for much of Cowboys Nation. Those complaints are annoying especially considering Dallas is hoarding cap space and Elliott’s (nor Prescott’s) contract is keeping them from making any moves, but we digress.
Elliott’s 2023 salary, and possible home city, will likely be determined by how well he performs this year. This despite being signed for three more seasons.
On the open market in 2023, Elliott may be in line for a reduction to a deal worth between $6 million and $7 million.
WR CeeDee Lamb
Like Diggs, Lamb will be eligible for a new deal after the 2022 season, but as a former first-round pick, the Cowboys have a fifth-year option to consider.
Lamb has one Pro Bowl under his belt, and as the new No. 1 receiver in the league’s top offense, one has to consider a second one a formality based on health. For 2019 first rounders, the fifth-year option for a wideout with two Pro Bowl berths was $18.4 million, and that will go up next year.
That’s the starting point for negotiating a long-term deal for the sides. There are currently 12 receivers who make $19 million or more with Davante Adams at a $28 million average for the Raiders and Tyreke Hill at $30 million per.
Lamb doesn’t have the storied production of those guys, so Dallas may look to slow roll a new deal for their top wideout until 2024.
The Cowboys could theoretically go through the entirety of Prescott’s contract without awarding another WR deal if they option Lamb and don’t extend before being able to franchise him.
Joined at the hip with the Elliott convo is what happens to Pollard. The 11th back taken in the 2019 draft, Pollard has become more and more impressive every season. The question is whether Dallas or another team sees him as a lead back. He’s not a bell cow back, but he could be utilized more by a team that also doesn’t have an Ezekiel Elliott to lean on.
He’s never played over 400 snaps in a single season, but with no firm slot option in the fold, perhaps he could see himself get an Austin-Ekeler-in-2019 role where the Chargers back had a whopping 92 receptions (up from 39) and still had over 500 yards on the ground.
Ekeler turned that into a four-year, $24.5 million deal and the way Pollard is revered in so many circles, that’s hardly out of the question as a baseline.
OG Connor McGovern
Unlike the others on this list, McGovern is going to have to wait to make the most of his opportunity. More than likely he is going to be a backup as he enters his fourth and final season of his rookie deal. McGovern got a shot to replace Connor Williams at left guard in 2021, but failed to secure the long-term job much less the immediate one, going back to the bench.
Now he’ll back up future Hall of Famer Zack Martin and 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith. He’ll have to wait for an opportunity to prove his worth, but if he gets in and fills in like he did for Martin in 2020, another team could think the former Nittany Lion with third-round pedigree could be their guy.
In his fourth year, McGovern is on the books for a $2.5 million salary, which could actually lead to his release should someone outplay him, or equal his play for lesser dollars, in training camp. If he gets in the lineup and thrives, though, at 25 this year he could see a $4 million or $5 million a year deal in his future with a team who liked him coming out of Penn State.
LB Leighton Vander Esch
Vander Esch finally had a healthy season again. After a breakout rookie campaign in 2018 with 140 tackles, Vander Esch became a has been relatively quickly. But in 2021, he proved capable of staying on the field for a full season. Can he do it again?
If he can, perhaps he can get somewhere close to the riches that were once seemingly promised when FOX was doing profiles on his family RV they brought to Texas from Idaho. The Cowboys balked at a fifth-year option which would’ve paid him $9 million in 2022. He signed this offseason on a one-year deal for $2 million. If he lasts a full season, he has a chance to earn a multi-year contract somewhere around the league, even if the jobs next to Micah Parsons are clearly being held for Jabril Cox and Damone Clark.
The U.S. Women's Open in Southern Pines this week is about more than just golf. It's also an opportunity to showcase some of the region's small businesses.
As a pastor who holds Southern Baptist Convention school degrees and has served on boards for SBC entities, I am mortified by what report disclosed.
The ROCORI softball team punched its ticket to the state tournament on Thursday after winning 25-6 over Little Falls in the Seciton 8-3A title game.
Jimmy Kimmel has sadly been here before. Many times, as a matter of fact. As he approaches his 20th anniversary in late night, the late night host has been at the helm of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” long enough to address several national tragedies over the year. In some ways, it only gets harder, particularly after […]
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2022-06-03T17:11:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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7 Cowboys with major money on the line in 2022
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Brent Musburger out as Raiders’ radio voice originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
Tickets sales for this week’s U.S. Women’s Open are up more than 50% over the three-year, pre-COVID average, according to the USGA. Ko collected $4 million from endorsements deals with LG Electronics, Jeju SamDaSoo mineral water, Korean Air and Rejuran skincare products. Korda, who returned to action this week after surgery to repair a blood clot in her arm, earned $3.5 million in endorsements with more than 10 sponsors, per Forbes.
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2022-06-03T17:12:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brent Musburger out as Raiders’ radio voice
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“This one’s for John!” former Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen declared at the end of Super Bowl XXXII.
Twenty-five years ago, the Broncos won their first Super Bowl, a 31-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers. In 2022, Denver will honor those who made this seemingly impossible dream a reality.
“The 25th anniversary of the Broncos’ first Super Bowl championship is a special occasion deserving of a tribute that celebrates how much the 1997 team means to our organization and fans,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement.
This “special occasion” will happen on October 23 at halftime of their matchup against the New York Jets in Week 7. Throughout the year, Denver will also share programs and other media content from that historic season.
The 1997 season was unforgettable for any true Broncos fan. Denver’s roster featured five Pro Football Hall of Famers and three additional Ring of Famers. They won two road playoff games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs before going into Super Bowl XXXII as 11-point underdogs.
During the fourth quarter of the game, quarterback John Elway’s signature “Helicopter” play became the defining moment the game and the season. During the league’s 100-year celebration, Super Bowl XXXII was named 27 out of 100 greatest games in NFL history. It is also listed as the fourth out of top 10 Super Bowls of all time, according to NFL Films. Its significance is not lost on Denver today.
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2022-06-03T17:12:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Broncos to honor Super Bowl XXXII team in Week 7
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The Indianapolis Colts have a crucial battle on their hands at the left tackle position likely coming down between the versatile Matt Pryor and the rookie Bernhard Raimann.
While the pads aren’t on yet, the Colts have been running more team drills with OTAs getting underway these last two weeks. Over that span, the third-round pick in Raimann has made a strong first impression in the eyes of head coach Frank Reich.
“Yeah, Bernhard’s done a really, really nice job. Really smart, really engaged, really athletic for the position,” Reich said Wednesday. “It’s only obviously been a short time so far, but he’s made a very good first impression.”
Raimann is still a work in progress. He shifted over from tight end to left tackle just before the start of the 2020 season at Central Michigan. He’s picked up the position quickly, but there is still a long learning curve for the 25-year-old.
Having the background of a tight end certainly helps, though. His movement skills and athleticism already make him an asset in the run game. Pairing him next to Quenton Nelson should do wonders in that regard.
Now, he needs to continue development in learning the nuances of pass protection and technique in the NFL. Not to mention, he will see a pretty big jump in competition coming from Central Michigan.
But the mindset Raimann has brought to his first NFL offseason has been noticed by his head coach.
“You can tell he’s got that right mindset of an offensive lineman. It’s about the unit, it’s about the team. Willing to do whatever it takes, all the things that we saw on film from him in college – his athleticism, his bend, his power,” Reich said. “Those are things that, now it’s just a question of putting that to the test at this level against a higher level of competition and doing it down in and down out.”
As it currently stands, Pryor has been taking the first-team reps at left tackle during OTAs. That’s not much of a shock. But Raimann can certainly work his way into a starting role when the preseason rolls around if he’s made enough strides in pass protection.
We’ll see what his rookie year has in store, but it’s a good sign that the third-round pick is already making a positive impression on his head coach.
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2022-06-03T17:12:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts’ Bernhard Raimann making strong first impression
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There was some encouraging news on the injury front during OTAs this week as Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon was seen on the practice field for the first time since tearing his Achilles in 2021.
The devastating injury took place during an October practice and quickly ended Blackmon’s second season. As the Colts got on the field for their second week of OTAs on Wednesday, Blackmon was seen running position drills for the first time.
Head coach Frank Reich told the media that the hope is the versatile safety will be a full-go for training camp.
“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that,” Reich said of Blackmon being ready for training camp.
It’s certainly best to take a cautiously optimistic view of the situation. It’s very encouraging to see Blackmon back on the field, but until training camp arrives, assumptions shouldn’t be fully made that he’ll be a full-go.
With that said, Blackmon himself feels he’s mastered the art of rehab. He entered the league as a third-round pick after tearing his ACL the December before he was drafted and was contributing as a starter by Week 3 of his rookie season in 2020.
He’s no stranger to making a quick recovery.
The Year 3 safety will be a huge part of Gus Bradley’s defense as the Colts install a new scheme in 2022. The quicker Blackmon can get on the field the better, but Reich knows it’s best to not rush anything with this kind of injury.
“Then he’s full-speed but you maybe just monitor him. That would be the hope.”
The Colts won’t return to training camp until late July, but there is plenty of buzz that Blackmon could be a full-go by then.
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2022-06-03T17:12:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts hope Julian Blackmon will be full-go for training camp
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John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan say retiring center Alex Mack provided “heartbeat of an offense” originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
Trust me, there will not be a repeat in 2022 of the Yankees-Tigers classic pennant race of 1961, staged in a ten-team league. The gift of the wild card was generations away. For the 1961 season, the American League expanded from eight teams with the additions of the Washington Senators (replacing the Senators team that
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2022-06-03T17:13:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan say retiring center Alex Mack provided “heartbeat of an offense”
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The Oklahoma Sooners have some talented players playing in the NFL. On the offensive side of the ball, OU has been well-represented over the last several years. With youth being the name of the game in the National Football League, CBS Sports took a look at the top 25 players under 25 and two former Sooners greats makes the list; CeeDee Lamb and Kyler Murray.
Lamb came in at No. 24 and was the sixth wide receiver on the list behind A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase.
Lamb’s been a productive player for the Dallas Cowboys and someone America’s Team feels great about. This offseason they traded Amari Cooper to the Browns and Lamb will take on the role of the No. 1 WR for Dallas.
He’s coming off of an 1,100-yard season and is still an ascending player. His 2021 could have been even better but had some drops that took away from big plays.
Playing in a stacked receivers room alongside Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, he’s still produced like a star-in-the-making, totaling 2,037 yards and 11 scores in two years. With Cooper gone, he’s poised to see an even bigger share of Dak Prescott’sthrows as the explosive counterpart to Gallup and Dalton Schultz. – Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
Lamb will get plenty of opportunities in 2022 to have a big season in the Dallas Cowboys high-scoring offense.
Coming in at No. 8 is Kyler Murray, who’s been the talk of the town this offseason as he and the Cardinals have been involved in contract negotiations.
Murray’s a bit of a difficult code to crack. On one hand, he’s ended all three NFL seasons either hurt or in a slump, has overseen a combined Cardinals record of 22-23-1 and is all but demanding a new deal before a single promising playoff game in Arizona. On the other, he’s easily a top-10 dual threat when at the height of his game, with a fiery arm and unending elusiveness. Odds are, whether in Arizona or elsewhere, his talent will keep him in the big-game conversation for longer than most QBs. – Benjamin, CBS Sports
Murray’s NFL career has had some great moments. He’s been an electrifying player with his arm and his legs and has helped turn the Cardinals into a playoff contender. It hasn’t always been smooth for the former Heisman winner, but a playoff appearance has Murray’s trajectory heading upward.
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2022-06-03T17:13:15Z
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Kyler Murray, CeeDee Lamb among CBS Sports best players under 25
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The New York Giants are in the midst of another restructure/rebuild this offseason and have parted ways with many veterans, some due to salary cap constraints while others sonly didn’t fit the new narrative or direction.
Safety Logan Ryan, one of the team’s most productive and outspoken leaders, was abruptly released in mid-March even though the team was already thin in the secondary.
The rumors were the new coaching staff wanted new voices in the locker room and decided to take Ryan out. It was clearly part of a culture purge as the team did not realize much salary cap relief (less than $1 million) from the move.
That did not get past Ryan, who told CBS Sports’ Jim Rome in a recent interview that he felt the release was personal.
“I took it personal, a little bit of a chip. I felt like I gave it all I had in New York, but I think new management,” Ryan said. “A coach being fired, as well as the GM so obviously a whole new regime over there looking to in a different direction.
“Honestly, I don’t know what me, (James) Bradberry and these other guys could have done. They’re looking in a different direction, that’s okay. I think we landed on our feet and you have to keep moving forward because this is a business.”
Ryan was scooped up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers less than a week after his release.
Bradberry was cut in May, which was a salary cap-reducing exercise, and he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Former New York Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett may replace Drew Brees at NBC in 2022.
Time to queue up some Kate Bush and get controversial.View Entire Post ›
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2022-06-03T17:13:28Z
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Logan Ryan says he took his Giants release personally
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The Houston Texans are favorites to finish as the worst team in the NFL. Just ask oddsmakers, who have the Texans at -120 to win under 4.5 games compared to -105 to win more than 4.5 games. Even mock drafts are forecasting Houston will pick No. 1 overall with their proprietary selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
However, there are other inferences that indicate analysts and commentators don’t believe Houston will be the worst team in the NFL.
According to Adam Schein from NFL.com, who released his nine bold predictions for 2022, he has the New York Jets finishing as the 16th team in the AFC. Furthermore Schein has the Chicago Bears finishing as the worst team in the NFL, and he mentioned the Atlanta Falcons as another logical choice.
The Texans would avoid being the worst team in the NFL if these scenarios occurred, but they would still be one of the bottom tier teams in the league. Perhaps the first season under coach Lovie Smith won’t be as ugly as it seems.
If Houston finished as one of the bottom-7 teams in the NFL, it would give them decent draft positioning to put the final touches on the roster. If general manager Nick Caserio felt that quarterback was the answer, they would need to build a package to move up in the top-5 to take their guy. That is where the benefit of having two first-round picks through the 2024 draft comes in handy.
Ranking Titans 2022 NFL draft picks based on projected impact in Year 1.
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2022-06-03T17:13:41Z
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NFL.com infers Texans won’t be the worst team in 2022
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John Stiegelmeier
Former South Dakota State and current New England Patriots running back Pierre Strong requested a meeting with his coach John Stiegelmeier following the 2021 season. They talked about a number of things, including the obvious goal for Strong: He wanted, desperately, to make it in the NFL. That was no surprise. Stiegelmeier had witnessed Strong changing his body and working long and tireless hours in the summer before his senior season with the plan of making the pros.
But then he confided something else in Stiegelmeier.
“Honestly, he was real about money issues and maybe having more money than he dreamt about having and how to act — how to deal with that,” Stiegelmeier told Patriots Wire by phone. “I thought for a young man that has a lot of pride and a lot of confidence for him to open up like that, it really showed a neat side of him.”
Strong’s journey at South Dakota State was a story of significant growth as a young man and as a football player. The Little Rock, Arkansas product went from being one of the quietest players on the team to a two-time captain.
“He became more of a vocal leader,” Stiegelmeier said. “Pierre was not afraid and didn’t hold back on the sideline, in the weight room, in the locker room. Guys respected him. And so when he talked, it was well thought out and guys honored that and followed him. He became a really good leader for us.”
As a high school player, his prospects were grim. It took a call from Strong’s high school coach for Stiegelmeier even to give the running back a look. And then Strong turned into the team’s most outstanding offensive weapon. Just when he began to hit his peak as a runner, the team asked him to share the glory with a freshman. The divided carries in the backfield. He embraced that role, too.
“For a guy that is the guy to cheer for the other guy — to cheer for Isaiah Davis. I really think that, in a time where everybody is ‘it’s all about me’ and him cheering for his competition, that’s a picture that tells a thousand words,” Stiegelmeier said.
It’s not like Strong’s stats were suffering. Despite playing two seasons and 20 games over the course of 11 months (due to cancellations from the COVID-19 pandemic), he finished his final college season with 240 carries for 1,673 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. He added 22 catches for 150 yards.
Oh yeah, and he was 4 of 4 as a passer for 62 yards and four touchdowns.
Is this guy beginning to sound like a Patriot or what?
The thing about a South Dakota State product, however, is that the competition in the FCS isn’t likely to warrant a high draft status at the running back position, a spot that NFL seems to value less and less. It’s also rare for a Jackrabbit to go in the fourth round. He did not receive an invite to the Senior Bowl, instead accepting an invite to the East-West Shrine Game. His draft prospects weren’t looking similar to his college prospects. Every NFL team came for South Dakota State’s fall camp, after all. That’s when it was pretty clear he’d go in the NFL draft. But the question was how high Strong could push him up draft boards.
Strong’s performance at the NFL combine solidified his standing in the draft. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, the best time among running backs. He also logged a vertical leap of 36 inches and a broad jump of 124 inches. For those of you who don’t speak in terms of the NFL combine, those numbers scream explosiveness. He followed that performance with an equally impressive Pro Day, which included a 6.95-second 3-cone drill, which tests agility and places him in good company with shifty receivers like Danny Amendola. His athletic profile ended up being as impressive as any running back in this year’s draft.
“I did not see that (40-yard dash time) coming,” Stiegelmeier said. “It’s not that I didn’t believe in him or that he couldn’t do it. It’s just that an FCS program — you don’t really think like that at a program like ours.”
The biggest problem with Strong’s profile on paper is that he had five fumbles in 2021 along with a few drops. Steigelmeyer chalked that up to “not being on edge. … It was a lack of focus at times.” So that’s where the Patriots will work with him. And that’s probably the biggest uncertainty about getting him on the field and keeping him there.
Once he does get playing time, however, he should make a big impact. He will likely spend time behind the deep group in 2022. His position-mates include Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, James White, J.J. Taylor and fellow rookie Kevin Harris. It will be hard for him to make on-field contributions this season if everyone stays healthy.
And though many think Strong projects nicely as a third-down back that can replace White when he retires, Stiegelmeier isn’t ready to limit his former pupil to one gig in the NFL.
“I think Pierre can do everything in the NFL,” Stiegelmeier said. “There are running backs that don’t have good hands. Pierre’s got good hands. There’s running backs that can’t run between the tackles and they’re more outside. Pierre can do both. And I think Pierre can block. He’s an adequate blocker. … He will not waste a second getting better in every phase of his game, no matter how good he is right now.”
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2022-06-03T17:13:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Pierre Strong’s college coach says he can be an every-down back in the NFL
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One of the most surprising developments from the 2021 season for the Raiders was the play of Nate Hobbs. The fifth-round pick from Illinois won the starting slot job for the Raiders by Week 1 and never looked back.
Going into Year 2, there has been some speculation that the Raiders would move Hobbs to the outside as Casey Hayward Jr. left in free agency. However, that hasn’t been the case so far in OTAs.
According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Hobbs has worked exclusively inside at slot corner during OTAs. Here is what he had to say about the second-year cornerback:
“Nate Hobbs is still at nickelback while Anthony Averett and Rock Ya-Sin are the starters at outside corner as Mullen recovers from an undisclosed surgery that he had last month.
Hobbs played well as a rookie last season, but off the field he was arrested on DUI charges in January — the charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to careless driving — and was cited for speeding the following month. He’s focused on improving as a player, obviously, but he also indicated that he’s grown as a young man.”
The Raiders have more outside cornerback options than slot corners on the roster, but it’s interesting nonetheless that Hobbs is still playing on the inside. We’ll see if this remains consistent through minicamp and training camp, but it appears that Hobbs will be the team’s primarily slot cornerback again in 2022.
Hobbs was recently ranked as one of the top ten slot cornerbacks in the league by Pro Football Focus, so it’s understandable why the Raiders might be hesitant to move him. With so many teams putting their best receiver in the slot, it might be a good idea to keep your best cornerback inside in today’s NFL.
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2022-06-03T17:13:53Z
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Raiders CB Nate Hobbs still practicing in the slot during OTAs
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The NFL broadcasting landscape has changed significantly in recent months and will look very different in 2022. It may also feature the addition of a former New York Giants player and assistant coach.
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that NBC is considering Jason Garrett as a replacement for Drew Brees during Notre Dame football games this coming season. And possibly more.
Brees is expected to part ways with NBC after just a single season. He has confirmed there is some uncertainty about his future, even hinting that he could return to the field. There are also reports that FOX Sports may make a run at him.
Garrett, meanwhile, is currently serving as an on-air analyst for NBC covering USFL games. He has teamed with Jac Collinsworth, who could also be brought over to cover Notre Dame games, The Post added.
The 56-year-old Garrett was fired by the Giants mid-season after a disastrous year and a half as their offensive coordinator. His unit was among the league’s worst and barely resembled anything else at the NFL level. Remarkably, things actually got worse once he was terminated.
Whether or not Garrett’s time in the NFL is over is unclear, but he’ll obviously have some fallback options in the event another coaching job does not materialize.
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2022-06-03T17:14:19Z
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Report: Ex-Giant Jason Garrett could replace Drew Brees at NBC
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The goal of the Houston Texans’ 2021 draft, which featured a small, five-man draft class with the first selection coming in Round 3, was to foment as much competition as possible.
The selection of TCU linebacker Garret Wallow with the No. 170 overall pick in Round 5 was to provide youth and competition to the linebacking corps.
According to linebacker Christian Kirksey, Wallow has been developing slowly throughout the offseason and has demonstrated a veteran understanding about the game.
“I mean, he’s only a year two, but he seems like he’s been in the league for five, six years,” Kirksey told reporters June 1 after organized team activities at Houston Methodist Training Center. “He’s very smart. He picks up the game fast. He plays fast. He can play any linebacker position on the field, whether it’s Mike, Will or Sam. He can plug himself in and be of impact on this defense, so I’m very proud to see where he’s came.”
Wallow started in two of his 17 games played for Houston as a rookie, collecting 23 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, and 1.0 sack. The 6-2, 230-pound linebacker predominantly saw his snaps on special teams with 286 compared to 180 on defense.
Kirksey, who played in 13 games for Houston in 2021, believes that Wallow will be able to capitalize on his rookie season.
“I thought he had an extremely good rookie year, came in there and made plays when his number was called, and this year he’s definitely taking those strides,” said Kirksey. “He’s definitely working. He showed me some of his off-season routines and workouts that he was doing, and just say that he was working his butt off, so, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for him this season.”
The Texans have another young linebacker joining the ranks in third-round pick Christian Harris from Alabama.
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2022-06-03T17:14:57Z
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Texans LB Garret Wallow displaying veteran maturity entering second season
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Keels was among the six players who worked out for the Hornets on Wednesday leading up to the NBA draft on June 23.
Malaki Branham's game has shades of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's, which could give the Wizards options in the future.
Juan Hernangomez: I can’t picture myself returning to Europe
For the first time, stars of multiple reality shows on numerous networks are coming together for a new competition series. “All Star Shore,” produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, is set to premiere on Paramount+ on June 29. The show includes cast members from ABC’s Bachelor Nation, Netflix’s “Love Is Blind,” MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” “Geordie Shore,” […]
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2022-06-03T18:25:34Z
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Kenny Atkinson emerges as frontrunner for Hornets job
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Kepler shared his thoughts with Pioneer Press reporter Betsy Helfand about not travelling with the team to Toronto, saying it's “sad” he won’t be able to make the trip. The 29-year-old will be forced to remain at home in Minnesota while his club attempts to snap its current three-game losing streak.
Max Kepler on being unable to join the team in Toronto:
"In my opinion, it's sad that I can't join the team, especially now where we've lost a couple of games. Everyone needs to be together. It's sad."
Emilio Pagán said he made a decision he feels is best for himself and his family and understands that people might be upset at him for it. pic.twitter.com/GIk67pRmEm
Caleb Thielbar had COVID before vaccines were available. Said an adverse reaction to a flu vaccine formed his decision to not vax. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/TRY286l5cm
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) June 3, 2022
Louis C.K. is readying the release of “Fourth of July,” a new comedy-drama that marks the controversial comedian’s first feature directorial effort since admitting to sexual misconduct in 2017. The film, which C.K. also co-wrote with Joe List, centers on a recovering alcoholic from New York City who clashes with family on their annual July […]
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2022-06-03T18:43:24Z
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Unvaccinated Twins players upset they can't play vs. Blue Jays
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Panthers’ Brunette misses out on Jack Adams Award after record-setting season as interim
Andrew Brunette took over as the Florida Panthers’ interim coach amid turmoil and guided them to the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time. It earned him a spot as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, but, for the second straight season, a Panther just missed out on being named the NHL’s coach of the year.
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2022-06-03T18:43:30Z
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Brent Musberger announces he is out as Raiders’ play-by-play announcer
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Paul McGinley - Paul McGinley: Saudi-backed breakaway could 'turn golf upside down' - GETTY IMAGES
Johnson, the former world No 1, stunned golf this week after Greg Norman handed him the huge signing-on paycheck for the first rebel event next week.
McGinley, a stalwart of the game and board member on the DP World Tour, said the addition of a player "in the prime of his career" was a major shock for the sport.
"There's no doubt that this will go down as a historic moment in the game," he said in an interview with Sky Sports. "If this Saudi league does gather a head of steam and it does challenge the current established two tours in the world, considering the background and who's involved and the whole ideas of team events, it could turn golf upside down and on its head."
As Telegraph Sport revealed on Wednesday, Johnson, the former world No 1, was paid £119million by Norman to secure his shock sign-up at the 11th hour. Three months after declaring he was “fully committed” to the PGA, the 37-year-old was named among a 42-man field for next week's LIV Golf Invitational, which offers $25m in prize money.
The top five in an Asian Tour International Series event at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf resort over the weekend will also qualify for the event. There will also be a sixth name added, prompting speculation that Phil Mickelson will be handed a late entry.
When asked whether the signing of Johnson had opened the floodgates, McGinley added: "We have to just wait and see what happens and how these events evolve and how this Saudi league is going to evolve and if the players are going to decide that this is a better option than the security of what they've had in the last 50-odd years between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour.
"Bearing in mind, it's not like they're doing bad on those tours either - we put the biggest prize monies in the history of the European tour on the table this year. And the PGA Tour got something similar. These guys are making a lot of money."
Johnson was previously billed to play in the RBC Canadian Open next week, and he appeared on their posters as part of an endorsement deal with the Canadian bank.
Dustin Johnson who will play in the opening event of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series - PA
The American is by some way the biggest drawcard ahead of the inaugural tournament from June 9 at the Centurion Club outside London. Englishmen Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Richard Bland plus Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland are also in the 12-team field for the three-day event. Like Johnson, McDowell also has a lucrative sponsorship deal with RBC.
Explaining his reasoning, Jones told the Golf Channel: “A lot to do with my family, being able to provide for them. Purely a business decision for me. I’m very happy with the decision I made.”
Repeated warnings of sports-washing raised by Amnesty and other human-rights campaigners have failed to stop football, F1 and now golf entering into long-term lucrative commitments.
Claims that Aston Martin could become a sponsor for LIV have been denied by both organisers and sources close to the carmarker, however.
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2022-06-03T18:43:49Z
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Paul McGinley: Saudi-backed breakaway could 'turn golf upside down'
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The number 2 player in the world. What a game. pic.twitter.com/fEG0lBysd9
Live updates: Who's making the cut at the 2022 Memorial Tournament?
The first field for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series includes World No. 13 Dustin Johnson of Jupiter. He is one of 16 golfers ranked in the top 100.
President Joe Biden said Friday he hasn’t changed his views on human rights despite his administration’s praise of Saudi Arabia — which he’d pledged to make a “pariah” over its abuses — for getting key oil producers to step up production. Biden said he wasn’t sure whether he was going to Saudi Arabia and has “no direct plans at the moment” to visit the kingdom. The comments come as the White House has sounded more definitive about the trip.
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2022-06-03T18:44:01Z
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Jon Rahm nearly hits mic operator with flung club, later shanks shot at Memorial
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SAN FRANCISCO — What began as a Chase Center revival ended with its patrons feeling like money was taken from their pockets to a nonexistent building fund.
It’s an unfamiliar feeling to these Golden State Warriors, be it in this brand-spanking-new building or even the old heavenly one, to be victims of thievery in plain sight and apparently powerless to prevent being ransacked.
Usually Stephen Curry blitzes end up sending even the most determined squads cowering to their corners, but the Warriors haven’t encountered these Boston Celtics, who seemed determined not to repeatedly inflict wounds on themselves to begin the NBA Finals.
The Celtics stole Game 1 Thursday with a 120-108 win, delivering a powerful message to the team riding waves of good vibes and revisionist history since qualifying for its sixth Finals in eight years.
The inscription “no margin for error here” was the only evidence the Celtics left behind. The Celtics caught up to the Warriors, stared them down on their home court, then ran past them and flexed on the way out.
There was either too much made of the so-called inexperience gap, or the Celtics were fast learners over this playoff run. These Warriors historically set the tone in the Steve Kerr era (27-2 in Game 1s before Thursday) with notable exceptions — in 2016 against Oklahoma City and the 2019 Finals against Toronto.
The commonality: A bigger, more physically imposing team dictating the terms of engagement, and the Warriors fell behind 3-1 in both series.
Sounds a lot like these Celtics.
“They went on like a little 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter, and look up and it’s only five points, and none of those guys have been in the Finals before,” Curry said. “Those are little momentum swings that you can step on the gas and take a team’s confidence away. You have to capitalize on that. We didn’t do that in the third quarter, that last minute or so, and then to start the fourth quarter.”
Golden State Warriors players Otto Porter Jr., Kevon Looney, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole look on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on June 2, 2022. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Golden State often plays dangerously — it’s been a hallmark through this glorious run — but often its talent overcomes such lapses. But being doubled up and then some in the fourth quarter (40-16) has to produce at least some cause for concern, after the Celtics took the Warriors’ dare in letting Marcus Smart, Al Horford and Derrick White shoot to their hearts’ content.
“My gut reaction, what I just witnessed, they came in and played a hell of a fourth quarter, and you have to give them credit. It’s pretty much as simple as that,” Kerr said. “They put a lot of pressure on you. But I thought we had some really good moments. We had 38 in the third quarter. We had a good run there. It was mainly the fourth quarter that got us.”
It’s easy to decipher the postgame sermon, either from Kerr to the players or the players among themselves. They believe they controlled the contest for 42 minutes, then suffered through an opponent catching fire in the last six.
If that’s their diagnosis, one built from hubris and not true evaluation between now and Sunday, they’ll find themselves shocked and bewildered headed to Boston down two games and staring at dire circumstances.
“I think they stayed within striking distance, and they made shots late. So we’ll be fine,” Draymond Green said. “We pretty much dominated the game for the first 41, 42 minutes. So we’ll be fine.”
Curry hit a record six triples in the first quarter (and scored 21 of his game-high 34 points), but the Celtics weren’t budging, methodically chopping away and taking a halftime lead before the Warriors hit them again, and hit them harder in the third.
The Warriors seemed to tip their hats to the Celtics for their resilience, with the trio shooting 15 of 23 from 3-point range. It’s a compromise they feel they must make to defend the explosive scoring tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, even though the Warriors themselves are as potent a defensive unit as the Celtics are.
Tatum had a stinker of a night, but his 13 assists was the highest output of the season, and one wonders how the Warriors will handle things once he inevitably makes those contested shots. They’re not playing against Maxi Kleber and Davis Bertans now; this is prime filet, not dog food.
“Al was spaced most of the game,” Curry said. “When he’s making shots like that and you’re slow to rotate, it’s another threat you have to worry about. Those two guys [Horford and White] are key. You hope they don’t stay hot, but also you’ve got to do something about it.”
Horford ran wild in the fourth, a man invigorated with new life after being reacquired by the Celtics after a year in Oklahoma City purgatory and having played the most playoff games without reaching the Finals.
After Brown got things going following the Warriors taking a decisive third-quarter lead, Horford took over to score 11 in the fourth. The home team aided in things, with turnovers and disjointed play that couldn’t be overcome — the deficiencies that were covered by the ills and inexperience of the last two opponents, Memphis and Dallas.
There’s something to be said about the road traveled to the championship round. History often marks it as a demerit but in real time, a path too easy can soften up a bunch. The street fights the Celtics emerged from left them battered but bold, and wholly unbothered by a Curry early flurry.
The Warriors traditionally run away and hide — starting from their death lineup days or now, jumping on an opponent after halftime. The patrons of Chase Center had seen this movie so many times, they sat on the edge of boredom, waiting for a challenge.
And they found it, a tidal wave that felt like an earthquake.
They aren’t shaken to their core; the leaders are far too experienced to have this affect their confidence, and the rest of the roster will follow suit. But the Warriors not named Curry, Green and Klay Thompson haven’t been here before, and no one can pretend their importance lessens at this stage. One could make the argument it’s magnified considering how relentless the Celtics have been the past two months. With no true challenger in the West to make life hard for the Warriors, there was an inflated sense of how good this team is.
Boston Celtics forward Al Horford defends a shot attempt by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on June 2, 2022. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Jordan Poole struggled, and so did the decorated Green, who was issued a strategic challenge by the Celtics in leaving him open. Unlike Horford, he couldn’t make them pay, going 2 for 12.
“I don’t think in any NBA Finals you’re going to have a margin of error,” Green said. “That’s what this team has to understand. When you get to this — when you get to this point in the season, this level, there is no margin for error. It’s two great teams, and the team that makes the less mistakes is going to win the game, and they did that.”
It’s supposed to be hard, and the Warriors have made the impossible often look easy. But this ain’t easy.
“We’ve always embraced challenges. It’s no different,” Green said. “We’ll embrace this one.”
They’d better.
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2022-06-03T18:44:08Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NBA Finals: Warriors have no margin for error vs. tested Celtics
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Milwaukee's Bobby Portis can become a free agent this offseason if he bypasses a $4.6 million player option for 2022-23, but there is already tangible resignation from some interested teams that they won't have any shot at luring Portis away from ...
Cam Heyward knew it wasn't his place to try to convince Stephon Tuitt to return to the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl defensive lineman's hope, however, was that if his longtime running mate could find his way into the locker room at some point this spring, the sense of brotherhood that is an intrinsic part of being a part of a team would re-ignite Tuitt's spark. It's a decision Heyward and the others closest to Tuitt understand, even if the abruptness of it all came as a bit of a surprise.
3-time NBA champion and former Chicago Bulls point guard B.J. Armstrong joined Sports Seriously to discuss the similarities between his Bulls teams and the current Warriors dynasty.
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2022-06-03T18:44:20Z
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Report: Bulls ‘more likely’ to trade Coby White than offer extension
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The 2021-22 Premier League season in review
Joe Prince-Wright tells the story of the 2021-22 Premier League campaign, as full stadiums returned to witness a season for the ages.
Jamal Crawford impressed with ‘franchise cornerstone’ Paolo Banchero
Banchero established himself as a potential No. 1 pick, and recently earned high praise from NBA legend Jamal Crawford.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee is a celebration of her 70-year reign over the United Kingdom.
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2022-06-03T18:44:58Z
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USMNT vs Uruguay: How to watch live, stream, preview, lineups
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Matt Nagy likes to describe his current situation as “back in the weeds.”
“There’s a little bit of humility that you have to have to do this,” Nagy said of accepting the position coach job with the Chiefs after the Bears firing, “but I really cherish it, because you’re doing it with good people.”
That part will be important as Nagy works to re-establish himself with the Chiefs after a few years away.
Nagy was previously with Reid in KC from 2013-17, starting as QBs coach before eventually getting promoted to co-offensive coordinator and then coordinator.
During that time, he worked on the offensive side with both Reid and current Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was running backs coach.
“We’ve built a bond,” Nagy said of Bieniemy. “And I think the beauty between the relationships that we’ve had is that neither one of us have that ego where you feel like you know more than the other.”
That collaboration aspect should be important again in 2022 as their ideas mesh together in an attempt to help the Chiefs’ offense.
Bieniemy, when speaking to reporters Thursday, said that he kept in contact with Nagy during his tenure in Chicago. He went on to say that Nagy was “my guy,” and said he’d been a “great ear” for offensive ideas since his return to the team this winter.
“Every day, we talk about something different, whether was his experience as a head coach, or our families interacting, doing things together,” Bieniemy said. “So it’s been good. It’s a homecoming.”
Reid said Nagy’s relationship with Bieniemy and the other Chiefs coaches was a main reason it made sense to bring him back following Mike Kafka’s departure; Kafka was hired in February as the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator.
There had to be interest on Nagy’s side too, though. Nagy said Thursday he’d considered sitting out the year after getting fired by the Bears in January to recharge, but eventually realized that wasn’t the best option for him.
“Football’s in my heart. It’s in my blood, and it’s in my wife’s heart and my wife’s blood too. And my kids, they love it,” Nagy said. “And so why not come back to a great place — a special place — and get it going again?”
The talent Nagy gets to oversee likely played a part too.
Nagy was in KC for quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ rookie season in 2017 when he was the backup behind Alex Smith. He also went against Mahomes in 2019 when Chicago fell to KC, 26-3, at Soldier Field.
“Now to come back, four or five years later, and see in that room how much Patrick has grown, it’s amazing. It gives me chills to talk about it, because I also know his ceiling is even higher,” Nagy said. “And that’s exciting for all of us.”
Nagy also has been impressed with Mahomes’ humility thus far.
“He has a great balance of how to be a great quarterback, but yet be a great leader. He’s still coachable,” Nagy said. “You think a guy like this, like you’ve done everything. You won a Super Bowl. You’ve been to four straight AFC Championships. He’s so coachable, and he wants that.
“There’s a hunger there, and to me, that’s exciting.”
Nagy said, most of all, he was back in KC to continue to grow as a coach.
He says, in life, he’s tried to use any failures he’s had to become better and learn — with this Chiefs setup providing the next opportunity to follow through on that worldview.
“You want to use those experiences to make you better in the long run,” Nagy said. “And I feel like I’m still young in this profession.”
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2022-06-03T18:45:05Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why Matt Nagy returned to KC Chiefs — and his first thoughts on Patrick Mahomes reunion
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Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. looked like one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL late last season, particularly in the playoffs. The Rams have a chance to keep that tandem intact simply by re-signing Beckham as a free agent.
Beckham is arguably the best player still on the market and Kupp hopes the Rams find a way to bring him back to Los Angeles. He said on “First Take” Friday that he speaks to Beckham daily and it “would just be the coolest thing” if OBJ returns to the Rams.
“What he was able to do coming into this offense, learning it and then being able to go out and execute the way he did was absolutely incredible. But just as a person, as a teammate, how he was in our building, I would absolutely love nothing more than to just be able to have him come back and be a part of what we’re building here,” Kupp said. “I talk to him daily, being able to keep up with him. Would love to have him back. There’s a lot of stuff that has to be worked through because of how terrible the unfortunate situation where he was gonna have an unbelievable game that Super Bowl, the way things were trending and the way the Bengals were playing us, the game plan we had in for him to be able to go off that game, it just kills me the whole way that thing worked out. But would absolutely love to have him back and I know our receiver room, I know the guys across the board would love to have him back in our building.”
Stephen A. Smith said he believes Beckham would’ve given Kupp a run for his money for Super Bowl MVP, which Kupp agreed with. And it’s the truth. They both played incredibly well in that game and the Bengals had no answer for either of them.
Even though the Rams signed Allen Robinson, they remain interested in bringing Beckham back to be their No. 3 receiver. He may not be ready until the middle of the regular season, but we saw what a spark he provided for the Rams after he joined them mid-season, so it won’t be much different in 2022.
Cooper Kupp appeared on ESPN's First Take and he shared that he's unsure if Aaron Donald will return to the Rams in 2022.
Valley State’s Prison Educational Partnership Program is part of a growing number of colleges providing classes in prison for incarcerated people.
Former Alabama basketball star Herb Jones quickly found his stride as an NBA rookie with the New Orleans Pelicans.
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2022-06-03T19:39:39Z
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Cooper Kupp talks to Odell Beckham Jr. daily, would love if he re-signed with Rams
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Content warning: This post contains depictions of alleged sexual misconduct.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is still being investigated by the NFL after being accused of sexual misconduct by 23 women. With that investigation ongoing, Watson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, did a radio interview with Sports Radio 610, and explained why he believes Watson did not commit any crimes.
Hardin signed off during the interview by attempting to explain why a "happy ending" was not a crime. His explanation was baffling.
The term "happy ending" describes either oral sex or manual stimulation of the penis during or after a massage. Watson is accused of touching some of the massage therapists with his penis or exposing himself to them. Other women in the lawsuit have accused Watson of ejaculating on them or forcing them to put their mouths on his penis. One accuser said Watson deliberately moved his erect penis to the woman's hand. Watson reportedly told the woman to "just grab it" if his penis got in the way.
Hardin's argument — that a "happy ending" is not a crime unless extra money is paid for the service — does not apply here. The issue revolves around whether Watson forced these women into unwanted sexual encounters. If that happened, it could qualify as sexual misconduct or sexual assault.
Deshaun Watson faces 23 civil suits from women alleging sexual misconduct. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Deshaun Watson traded to Browns despite allegations
Those civil suits did not prevent the Browns from acquiring Watson in March. The team promptly gave Watson $230 million, the most guaranteed money in NFL history. The Browns also structured Watson's contract so he wouldn't lose out on that much money if he got suspended in 2022. Two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges in March. Watson was traded to the Browns after the first grand jury declined the indict him.
Watson will not face criminal charges, but he is still subject to punishment from the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell said in May that the league's investigation into Watson was nearly complete. Since then, a 23rd accuser filed a civil suit against Watson.
Watson reportedly offered $100,000 to each of the 22 initial accusers last spring in an attempt to settle each case.
Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins spoke to the Times-Union about his recovery from season-ending ankle injury, new coaches and more.
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2022-06-03T19:39:40Z
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Deshaun Watson lawyer says 'happy ending' isn't criminal
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BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Sometimes Jim Harbaugh will share information about injuries, sometimes he’s reticent.
On Thursday, he was more the latter until coaxed a little.
Speaking after the Michigan Football Showcase at Ferris State University, Harbaugh was asked about sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s injury status, being that the former five-star was unable to throw during spring ball. He’s reportedly back to being able to throw and close to full-strength, but Harbaugh wouldn’t confirm nor deny the progress he’s made to this point.
”I think he talked about that the other day,” Harbaugh said. “Probably the best thing — probably the best to ask somebody about someone’s pain or lack of it would be to ask J.J. about that.”
Since McCarthy wasn’t present at the football camp, Harbaugh was asked more about his progress and if the phenom signal caller feels like he’s improving. As far as what Harbaugh is hearing from him directly, he appears to be progressing and is on track to be a full participant in summer conditioning (which started on Friday) and fall camp come August.
“Every time I ask, that’s what he’s saying,” Harbaugh said. “He’s feeling good about it. He’s — beautiful thing about J.J. McCarthy is that he is like a kid in the candy store. That’s his mentality, his attitude, and that hasn’t changed one bit. If that’s any indication I would say he’s right on schedule.”
Of course, McCarthy isn’t the only one who’s recovering from an injury.
Ronnie Bell tore his ACL in the season opener in 2021, and was extremely limited in spring ball. Now Bell is starting to run and get reacclimated to the game, and while Harbaugh is still reluctant to give a full update on his status, he feels like what he’s seen recently looks like the Bell of old.
“Same with J.J., talk to Ronnie and find out exactly where he is. But from my eye looks like Ronnie Bell, before he injured the ACL,” Harbaugh said. “The way he’s moving, the way he’s — seeing him jump, run, and cut. Definitely on track and looks about the same as he did before, or may a little better — he has two more months to get stronger and faster, and get ready for the season. I think from my eyes he’s an A-plus.”
Going back to the quarterback situation, should McCarthy be at full-strength come fall, it creates a quality problem for the Wolverines. They have an incumbent starter in Cade McNamara who beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten, and led the team in their first-ever College Football Playoff semifinal.
Despite those accolades, McNamara won’t just be handed the job. Sure, he has a leg-up with starting experience as well as being the No. 1 QB throughout spring. But once fall camp arrives, his accolades mean nothing, as Harbaugh insists that whoever gives Michigan the best chance to win games will end up being the starter.
“Yeah, it’ll be competitive. The dynamic would be competitive,” Harbaugh said. “I’ll tell you the same thing I tell Cade and J.J., or any other player on our team that is competing for a position: who’s going to play is the best player. We’re going to figure out who the best player is, who plays the best.”
But what if McNamara and McCarthy are relatively even?
Last year, while McNamara started, McCarthy was inserted regularly as the season went on, almost like a change of pace running back would be. While the ideal would be to have one bona fide starter, Harbaugh can envision several different scenarios, from a rotation like last year, a more balanced rotation, or one starter and the other as a backup.
“Yeah, those are the options. One guy full-time, or a combination of two guys playing like last year,” Harbaugh said. “That’s possible — the possibilities could be one starter and one backup, or two guys that contribute and play well. Excited to throw the balls out there and let the guys compete.
“The cool thing about it is J.J. and Cade — it’s competitive, but not combative. Two guys that play the same position and are on the same team, everything I have noticed is they have each other’s back, and they have the team’s back.”
There’s still a lot of time for these things to be figured out, from the health component to the playing time competition. As noted, summer conditioning is officially underway with eyes on fall camp beginning in August.
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2022-06-03T19:39:49Z
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What Jim Harbaugh said about various Michigan football player injury rehabs
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When the Pittsburgh Steelers offense takes the field in 2022, there will be no shortage of talented skill-position players. This is especially good news considering the team is going to be breaking in a new quarterback into an entirely new offense.
But when it comes to the passing offense, whether it is Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph, who will be the go-to target in the passing game?
Last season, Diontae Johnson led the team in both receptions and receiving yards but Chase Claypool averaged almost four more yards per catch. This season, in Matt Canada’s offense it’s hard to say which guy will step up. But with a new quarterback in place, tight end and running back will be those safety valves so a guy like Pat Freiermuth or Najee Harris could surprise.
Cast your vote and let us know who you think will lead the Steelers in receiving yards in 2022.
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2022-06-03T19:40:02Z
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Who will lead the Steelers in receiving yards in 2022?
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Entering the 2021 season, the Chicago Bears knew they were facing a formidable foe in Week 1 when they traveled out west to face the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bears predictably came out with a loss, losing 34-14 as quarterback Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp were masterful for the Rams. Stafford completed 20-of-26 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, with Kupp receiving seven of those passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.
The game was the beginning of a special season for Stafford, Kupp, and the Rams. With a top-five passing offense and Kupp leading the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, the Rams went the distance to win Super Bowl LVI. But during his historic season, Kupp admits he was impressed by a few cornerbacks he faced along the way, including a young Bears defender way back in Week 1.
Speaking with Dan Patrick on the Dan Patrick Show, Kupp was asked who was the best defensive back he faced during the season. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year named two players who were not only great, but perhaps aren’t getting the respect they deserve. One of those players was Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
“I thought he was a guy that would come up and challenge you, and we had to have a plan for him,” Kupp said.
The other player he listed was Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore, who flourished under Johnson’s new head coach Matt Eberflus when he was defensive coordinator prior to taking the Bears coaching job.
“Those two off the top of my head stick out as guys that I knew were challenging play in and play out,” Kupp told Patrick.
Johnson, by most accounts, had an improved second season compared to his rookie year, while being tasked with becoming the team’s top cornerback after the departure of Kyle Fuller. Though his passes defended decreased from 15 to nine, he snagged his first interception of his career and improved in areas such as targeted quarterback rating (107.5 to 101.9), lowering yards after completion (270 to 214), and reducing his missed tackle percentage (17% to 13.2%.
Against Kupp and the Rams in Week 1, Johnson had five total tackles and one pass defended. He was targeted three times, allowing just one catch for 13 yards.
Entering his third season, Johnson will have more help in the secondary as general manager Ryan Poles bolstered the defense in the draft with rookies Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker. Johnson will continue to play a key role on defense in Eberflus’ system and is still looking to take that next step towards becoming an elite cornerback. But he has a fan in Kupp and may not be slept on for much longer.
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2022-06-03T19:40:29Z
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Rams WR Cooper Kupp heaps praise on Bears CB Jaylon Johnson
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Just a few months into his TV broadcasting career, Jason Garrett could already be in line for a promotion.
The former Cowboys coach has been working with NBC on USFL coverage, which began in April. Now it appears he may be taking over for Drew Brees in the booth for Notre Dame football games this fall and possibly in the studio for Football Night in America, the network’s Sunday night NFL pre-game show.
The report comes from the New York Post. NBC declined to comment, according to the paper.
Garrett, 56, has been teamed with Jac Collinsworth (son of Cris Collinsworth) for the relaunched USFL’s first season and done well, by all accounts. Collinsworth- a Notre Dame grad- is apparently being eyed to take over the Fighting Irish play-by-play duties on Saturdays from Mike Tirico, who is replacing Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football.
That shuffle suggests that Garrett could stay partnered with Collinsworth and replace Brees after just one year on the job. The former Saints quarterback was said to be out at NBC back in May. Fox is rumored to be interested in bringing Brees aboard as their No. 2 analyst.
If Garrett takes Brees’s seat on Saturdays, it stands to reason the network could also have him assume Brees’s studio duties on Sunday nights.
NBC has already revealed that Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will join Tirico for Sunday night game coverage.
It should be noted, however, that neither Brees nor NBC have said whether the 13-time Pro Bowler would return to the network in some other capacity for the 2022 season.
But social media posts from Brees confirmed that some sort of change was in the offing for him, as he toyed with the notion of everything from an NFL comeback or the senior golf tour to coaching kids or concentrating on business and philanthropic work.
After 17 seasons on coaching staffs in Miami, Dallas, and New York, Garrett admitted to a similar level of uncertainty as he took a noncommitted approach into his first TV gig just a few months ago.
“I love coaching. I love players, I love building teams, all of that. This was just an opportunity that came up this offseason,” Garrett said at the time. “It just sounded like something that was going to be interesting and fun to do. So I’m diving in right now, but all doors are open in the future.”
With the USFL season scheduled to culminate as a champion is crowned on July 3, that next door may be opening for Garrett. And it may be just down the hall from his current post.
The Cowboys are currently slated to be featured in NBC’s Sunday night coverage in their season opener hosting Tampa Bay on Sept. 11, in Week 6 at Philadelphia, and in Week 13 versus Indianapolis.
2022 NBA Finals: Celtics make history with Game 1 comeback win over Warriors
The Celtics made NBA Finals history with their comeback win over the Warriors in Game 1 on Thursday night.
Will someone bump Diontae Johnson as the top receiving threat this season?
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2022-06-03T19:40:36Z
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Report: Former Cowboys HC Jason Garrett could replace Drew Brees on NBC’s Sunday nights
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Tom Izzo has pegged Thomas Kelley to assume the third assistant coach spot that was vacated when Dwayne Stephens took the head coaching position at Western Michigan. Kelley will join Mark Montgomery and Dan Wojcik on Tom Izzo’s staff.
Kelley was one of the first players Izzo recruited as the head coach of the Spartans. Kelley spent 1995-1999 as a member of Michigan State’s basketball program. After his college career, Kelley went to Europe to play professional basketball for the next 15 years.
Upon returning home after his pro basketball career, Kelley joined Michigan State’s staff as a graduate assistant for two seasons before being hired at Western Michigan as an assistant coach, where he spent the last four seasons.
Mel Tucker and MSU football have a number of high-profile recruits in town this weekend
At Purdue, Weekend 1 will kick off a big month of visits. Here's a look at the prospects Purdue's expected to host this weekend for official visits. The four-star NOLA quarterback has been committed to the Boilermakers since the fall, but the Boilermaker coaches have a real fight on their hands, as his long-standing pledge hasn't deterred would-be poachers.
Kansas State quarterback target Avery Johnson discusses his upcoming decision and contenders.
Landing the popular former Cardinal as head coach "prepared me for this role" as permanent athletic director, Heird said.
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2022-06-03T21:10:54Z
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Thomas Kelley named as new Michigan State basketball assistant coach
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WNBA: Connecticut Sun snap Las Vegas Aces win streak at 7 Women’s golf is on the rise, led by young stars Nelly Korda and Jin... In U.S. Women’s Open debut, Allison Emrey is right at home at Pine...
How Arizona put the pieces together during run to Women's College World Series
Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe and student-athletes Sharlize Palacios, Hanah Bowen and Allie Skaggs explain how the Wildcats turned their season around to reach the 2022 Women's College World Series.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Graham has emerged as the Oklahoma baseball team's best power hitter despite having a thin frame.
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2022-06-03T21:32:38Z
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2022 Women’s College World Series: Schedule, results, scores, how to watch
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Denny McCarthy's name was mentioned prominently even before the Memorial began, and then he lived up to the praise over two days at Muirfield Village. McCarthy took only 25 putts Friday — he only had 24 putts the day before — for a 3-under 69 that gave him a one-shot lead and set the target for the rest of the afternoon. McCarthy was at 7-under 137, one shot ahead of PGA Tour rookie Davis Riley (71) and two clear of Rory McIlroy (69) among the early starters.
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2022-06-03T21:32:57Z
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Danielle Kang playing U.S. Women's Open with tumor on spine
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Hideki Matsuyama disqualified from PGA event for Tipp-Ex-style substance on club - AP/Instagram
Amazon has slashed prices on Champion athleisure for men and women, and you can find hoodies, t-shirts, leggings and joggers for insanely low prices.
“Top Gun: Maverick” reunites filmmaker Joseph Kosinski with Tom Cruise after their work together on “Oblivion,” but that’s not the director’s only reunion in the film. Kosinski also re-teamed with Miles Teller, who earned acclaim for the director’s under-seen “Only the Brave” and has a role in his upcoming Netflix movie “Spiderhead.” Teller stars in […]
The unveiling of the inaugural field for the LIV Golf series lit the fuse for a potentially explosive confrontation between the players and golf’s governing bodies.
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2022-06-03T21:33:03Z
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Hideki Matsuyama disqualified from Memorial for Tipp-Ex-style substance on club
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SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors had just tacked on a blistering 38 points in the third frame of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics on Thursday evening.
For a Celtics squad that prides itself on the defensive end, it was a punch to the gut. The Warriors were up a comfortable 12. The crowd was deafening inside Chase Center, with two fans strolling through the 126-section concourse shouting, “We’re about to be up 2-0 after Sunday.”
Sensing the contest slipping away, and before the fourth quarter commenced, an impassioned Celtics head coach Ime Udoka took his seat, looked his team in the eyes and issued a fiery challenge that consisted of a descriptor that not many first-year head coaches could vocalize.
“You’re getting punked out there,” Udoka told Yahoo Sports of his pre-fourth-quarter challenge. “They’re punking us right now. Is this the way you want to go out? This is not us. Let’s at least give ourselves a chance.”
From there, challenge accepted and message received.
The Warriors’ high-octane offense was held to 16 fourth-quarter points while giving up a 40-piece that led to a colossal collapse that sealed their fate.
Boston stole Game 1 with some inspiring play on both ends of the court, winning 120-108.
Players insisted their coach’s challenge hit home.
“For anyone, I feel like that challenges us to step up and stop being so soft, you would say,” forward Grant Williams told Yahoo Sports of Udoka’s message. “He’s not afraid to say that to anybody. He was yelling at me, [Jaylen Brown] and whoever was in the game while we were running down the court, telling us to toughen the hell up. That’s what you love about Ime. He tells it like it is.”
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka speaks to his team during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on June 2, 2022. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Stephen Curry exploded for 30 points in the first three quarters, but was limited to four points on 2-of-6 shooting in the final period.
“If we’re going to go out, let’s go out playing the way we play. That’s all I was asking,” Udoka told Yahoo Sports. “I’m happy the guys responded.”
The win on the road was even more impressive considering Jayson Tatum scored 12 points on 3-of-17 from the field. Other players stepped up.
Al Horford produced a team-high 26 points and was 6-for-8 from downtown, Brown supplied 24 points as a steady weapon and reserve guard White tallied 21 points and was 5-of-8 from long distance.
Overall, the Celtics converted 21 triples on 41 attempts.
The crowd went from blaring to speechless in a matter of minutes. The fans' faces were in shock as they watched their team crumble.
With the extra day of rest inserted in the Finals, Golden State will have to wait until Sunday for some get-back.
“It’s a tough feeling for sure,” Curry said after the game. “Nobody wants to sit on that for the next two days and just sit and wait knowing how big Game 2 is going to be for us. But [we have to] stay locked in, stay focused and stay confident in who we are and what we can do, and the fact that this series is just getting started.”
Udoka has earned the respect of his team, being that he was a former player who had to scrape and claw for every opportunity to stay in the league.
This team is taking on the identity of its head coach, and it paid off at the right time on Thursday.
“It was a clear challenge of, ‘Are we going to sit here and let them get to where they want, or are we going to make things difficult?’” Payton Pritchard told Yahoo Sports of Udoka’s message. “‘Are we going to stand up, make things tough and be physical or are we going to lay down?’ was his message. It worked.”
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2022-06-03T21:33:16Z
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NBA Finals: What Ime Udoka said to spark Celtics' rally in Game 1
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Steph Curry seems mystified by Game 1 performances of Horford, White originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Like teammate Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry didn't appear to be in an overly congratulatory mood following Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
After Green insisted the Warriors dominated for roughly 42 minutes before faltering, Curry at least seemed to acknowledge that Golden State will need to make some adjustments against the Boston Celtics rather than Green's "we'll be fine" mentality.
"Twenty-six points, 6 for 8 [from 3 for Horford], that's tough. And even Derrick [White], scoring 20-plus and five 3s, those two guys were key," Curry said. "You hope they don't stay that hot, but you've got to do something about it."
It will be fascinating to see how the Celtics respond to apparent slights on Horford and White in Game 2 on Sunday as Boston looks to go up 2-0 before traveling to TD Garden on Wednesday.
Jayson Tatum broke this NBA Finals record in Celtics' Game 1 win vs. Warriors
Jayson Tatum had a rough shooting night in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, but he still found ways to help the Celtics defeat the Warriors on the road.
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2022-06-03T21:33:41Z
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Stephen Curry responds to Al Horford, Derrick White's massive performances in Game 1
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Before Mike McDaniel was hired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, it was reported that the team wanted the person replacing Brian Flores to be someone who believed in Tua Tagovailoa as a potential franchise quarterback.
McDaniel ended up as their choice, and since that day, he’s done nothing but support his quarterback both publicly and privately.
This week, Tagovailoa didn’t have the best day during the team’s first minicamp session, but McDaniel loved what he saw from the quarterback when he took the field the next day.
“I’m really excited about the reps that Tua (Tagovailoa) is getting in this offense,” McDaniel said. “I’m excited about where he’s at. Today was – I talked to the team and I talked to him today specifically about – I’ve just been waiting for those moments where you have a slight obstacle. Tua is very, very critical on his ball placement and he’s a very accurate quarterback as a result. Yesterday, he had some throws that he demands better of himself… You’re going to have things that you don’t execute to perfection. You’re going to have people talking about how you’re not performing and guess what? No one cares.
“It’s about leading. He had a ton of energy and I was very, very happy with his effort today because it was one of the million reps you need at that position to handle the scrutiny, the pressure and all that stuff.”
Tagovailoa has been forced to handle a lot of criticism since stepping on the field at Hard Rock Stadium, despite leading his team to a 13-8 record in his 21 starts. Those who have been around the former Crimson Tide quarterback have seen a change this offseason.
“I think his teammates have really noticed a difference in him,” McDaniel said. “He’s opening up. He’s coming into his own in that regard and he’s been unbelievably coachable. He’s let his guard down and we’ve been able to keep his confidence high, which it should be right now for sure, while correcting and getting his game better, which is the ultimate goal for everyone.
“I’ve noticed since he’s been in the building a difference from then and now. Since we first got here, since April 4th started, I’ve noticed that directly and then a lot of people have spoke on it, that we are seeing a different side of him and he’s coming into his own as a young man in terms of his personality.”
With an expectation to be at the top of the game at the highest professional level that a quarterback can play, Tagovailoa is under a lot of pressure. McDaniel understands that, and the way the quarterback is taking it head-on is something he’s proud of.
“Again, I can’t state it enough, I don’t think people give that position its due for how hard it is,” the coach said. “That’s why I’m so pumped. I know he’s gained all the new players on our offense – new to the Miami Dolphins organization that are new to Tua like me – I know he’s gained their respect, that you can feel it. Players know when they’re around good players and it’s been very cool to watch him and the rest of the team really grow together because we’ve gotten a lot closer in these six OTAs, two minicamps and two voluntary minicamps, that it feels like lightyears ago when we first started.”
Miami has added a ton of talent and may have amended a number of the problems that Tagovailoa was dealing with in 2021, but there’s going to be a point where they have to prove their past these issues on the field in live competition. Until then, McDaniel will continue to work with the 24-year-old and help him improve every step of the way.
The Bills made a veteran addition to their wide receiver corps this week and they made room for Tavon Austin by cutting a player with much less experience. In the team’s official announcement of Austin’s signing, they also shared word that they have waived wide receiver Malik Williams. Williams signed with the Bills after going [more]
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2022-06-03T21:59:01Z
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Mike McDaniel is ‘pumped’ about Tua Tagovailoa’s work this offseason
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The Houston Texans have waived Texas A&M offensive lineman Carson Green.
Houston re-signed Green on March 11. The former Southlake Carroll Dragon has been part of the Texans’ bottom part of the roster since they signed him as a priority free agent following the 2021 NFL draft.
Green played his high school ball for Southlake Carroll in north Texas. At Texas A&M, Green started 40 of his 48 games played for the Aggies as a tackle with most of those starts as a right tackle.
Green was signed after the 2021 NFL draft alongside fellow Aggie Ryan McCollum. The Texans have a former Texas A&M teammate of Green’s on the roster in first-round pick Kenyon Green.
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2022-06-03T21:59:20Z
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Texans waive Texas A&M OL Carson Green
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The season might not start for a couple more months, but why not start thinking about the postseason?! Much like Roman Bellic from Grand Theft Auto IV, bowling is always on our minds, but which bowl should Iowa Hawkeye fans set their sights on? The good folks at College Football News recently gave their predictions for every Big Ten team’s bowl game for the 2022 season.
The Hawkeyes indeed were selected to go bowling this upcoming year, an honor that unfortunately will elude fellow Big Ten rivals Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana, and Rutgers. However, they are not on course to make the Rose Bowl like Michigan or contend for the national title like Ohio State. Instead, Hawkeye Nation should start to center their New Year’s Eve plans around Nashville, Tenn.
Currently, College Football News has Iowa facing off against Ole Miss in the Transperfect Music City Bowl against Ole Miss. It’s an intriguing matchup on the surface. Ole Miss has been one of the best offenses in college football over the past several seasons, while the Hawkeyes bring back plenty of key pieces to one of college football’s stingiest defenses in 2021. The Rebels are breaking in USC transfer quarterback Jaxson Dart in 2022.
While it doesn’t have the prestige of a College Football Playoff game or the Rose Bowl, the Music City Bowl does have one of the higher payouts amongst the bowl games… so there’s something at least. It’s also without the novelty of the Cheez-It Bowl or the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, but that just means you’re safe from a mayo bath this time Kirk Ferentz.
The Music City Bowl, played between SEC and Big Ten teams, has a history of upsets. That upset history is mostly from the early 2000s, but in recent years it has become one of the most exciting and tightly contested games in the postseason slate. Last year’s iteration between Purdue and Tennessee, a 48-45 overtime thriller, has an argument for the best postseason game last season even with a very controversial ending. Jaylen Wright 100% was in.
Iowa was supposed to be in the 2020 Music City Bowl, but the game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Missouri program. Last year, Iowa lost to Kentucky 20-17 in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. They hold a 20-17-1 overall bowl record and have gone 9-9 in bowl games under Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz.
New dean Castro-Lacouture returns to West Lafayette, where he earned his PhD in civil engineering in 2003.
Lewis Jackson is back for a second run with the Men of Mackey. That and more in today's University Book Store Headlines
ESPN’s Mel Kiper places Iowa Hawkeyes’ Sam LaPorta as the No. 2 tight end on latest big board
ESPN's Mel Kiper placed Iowa Hawkeyes star Sam LaPorta No. 2 on his top ten list of tight ends in the nation.
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2022-06-03T22:46:32Z
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Which bowl game does College Football News project the Iowa Hawkeyes to in 2022?
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We're just over 12 weeks away from Week 0 of the college football season on Aug. 27. While we still have almost an entire summer to get through before our Saturdays return to being filled with college football, BetMGM has already posted its season win totals and conference odds for the upcoming season.
Right off the bat, you'll notice that the highest projected win total for any team this season is just 10.5 wins. This is in stark contrast to last season, when Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma all had win totals listed at 11 or higher. This year, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson are tied for the highest win total in the country at 10.5.
Things you need to know about betting win totals
In case this is your first year betting on college football win totals, there is some important information you need to be aware of.
First and foremost, you must place your bets before the season starts and your money will be held until the regular season is over in late November. Your bet is locked in at the odds you get when you place your bet, for better or worse.
Also, only regular-season games count. Almost every team plays 12 games. Out of conference games do count toward the win total, but conference championship games, bowl games and the college football playoff do not.
The third thing to be aware about is the juice required on some of these bets. Unlike a normal football game where the spread is set and both sides are juiced at -110, the juice varies greatly on win totals. Due to the fact each win means so much, oddsmakers will adjust the juice rather than moving a team's win total up or down.
A good example of this is in the SEC. Florida, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee all have win totals of 7.5. However, Ole Miss and Tennessee's over side is juiced at -175, while LSU and Florida's juice is much lower at -105 and -110 respectively. While the win total might be the same, the oddsmakers are telling you that they think it's much more likely Ole Miss and Tennessee reach eight wins than the two other schools.
Clemson favored in the ACC
Most would view Clemson's 2021 season as a disaster, but even in a disastrous season, the Tigers went 9-3 and won a bowl game. Dabo Swinney lost both coordinators this offseason and there's still plenty of questions about D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback, but Clemson is back in the favorite role in the ACC. The Tigers are -140 to win the conference and their projected win total is set at 10.5, tied for highest in the country.
Miami and North Carolina State are viewed as the biggest threats to Clemson to win the conference, as both schools sit at +700 to win the ACC. Those two schools, along with Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, have projected win totals of 8.5. Syracuse (4.5 wins), Georgia Tech and Duke (3.5 wins) are projected to finish at the bottom of the conference.
Alabama favored over Georgia in SEC
Alabama and Georgia met in the national championship game last season, and they're the two current favorites to win it all in 2022. Georgia took home the hardware this past January, but Alabama is the slight favorite ahead of the Bulldogs in both the national championship odds and odds to win the SEC.
Bryce Young and Alabama are projected to be near the top of college football once again. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
It's a two-horse race in the SEC, as the Crimson Tide are -125 to win the SEC while Georgia is +150. Both teams are eye-popping -200 favorites to go over 10.5 wins in the regular season as oddsmakers view it rather unlikely that either team drops two games before the SEC championship game.
Outside of the two powerhouses, the rest of the SEC is pretty compacted in terms of projected win totals:
8.5 wins: Texas A&M, Kentucky
7.5 wins: Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida, LSU
6.5 wins: Arkansas, Mississippi State
5.5 wins: South Carolina, Auburn, Missouri
Of course, Vanderbilt is projected to finish at the very bottom of the conference and their projected win total is just 2.5 wins.
USC is Pac-12 favorite in first year under Lincoln Riley
USC made a big splash when it lured Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma, and oddsmakers are expecting that move to potentially pay immediate dividends. Joining Riley in Southern California will be former Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams, along with a swarm of other transfers, including Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison. USC is a +200 favorite to win the conference, and it has the highest win total in the conference at 9.5.
However, the Trojans will face some serious competition. Utah is +250 to win the conference, and Oregon is +300. Both teams have projected win totals of 8.5. UCLA (8 wins, 10-to-1) and Washington (7.5 wins, 12-to-1) are also in the picture. It's worth noting that the Pac-12 is taking a page out of the Big 12's book and will now send the two best teams in the conference to the championship game, regardless of which division they're in.
Ohio State a heavy favorite in Big Ten
In 2021, Michigan put an end to a run of four straight Big Ten championships for Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes are right back in the favorite role for 2022. Ohio State is a prohibitive -250 favorite to win the conference this upcoming season, and it is a -200 favorite to go over 10.5 wins during the regular season. CJ Stroud, the quarterback for Ohio State, is the current Heisman favorite at +200.
Coming off a college football playoff appearance and Big Ten championship, Michigan is +900 to repeat as conference champion this upcoming season. It has the second-highest win total in the conference at 9.5. Wisconsin and Penn State are both 14-to-1 to win the Big Ten, and both teams have projected win totals of 8.5.
Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska all have their preseason win totals set at 7.5. Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers, Indiana and Northwestern are all projected to be at best fighting for bowl eligibility, as their win totals range from 3.5 to 5.5 wins.
Oklahoma is the Big 12 favorite
Despite losing their coach and starting quarterback during the offseason, the Oklahoma Sooners have opened as the favorites to win the Big 12. Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams have been replaced by Brent Venables and Dillon Gabriel, and Oklahoma looks to return to the top of the conference. Baylor won the conference in 2021, marking the first time since 2014 that the Sooners didn't end the year calling themselves Big 12 champions.
Oklahoma is +175 to win the conference, and its 9.5 projected wins are the highest in the Big 12. Texas is right on its heels, as the Longhorns look to rebound from an embarrassing season. Texas is +230 to win the Big 12 and -200 favorites to go over 8.5 wins.
Behind those two, Oklahoma State is +700 to win the conference. Last year's champion, the Baylor Bears, are +900 to repeat the feat. TCU, West Virginia and Iowa State are all between 10-to-1 and 18-to-1 to win the conference. As usual, Kansas brings up the rear with a projected win total of 2.5 wins and 100-to-1 odds to win the conference.
Columbus-area education graduates join current teachers in thinking about the possibility of an active shooter situation in their schools.
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2022-06-03T22:46:38Z
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College football betting: Conference odds and win totals posted
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North Carolina hits five home runs, two of them blasted by Mac Horvath, and hammers Hofstra in the opening game of the Chapel Hill Regional
Dallas Clark announced as inductee into the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 2022 Hall of Fame Class
Former Iowa and NFL great Dallas Clark has officially been announced as one of the Hawkeyes' inductees in its 2022 Hall of Fame Class.
What’s the Chicago White Sox’s preferred lineup? ‘This is the best sport for first- or second-guessing.’
Manager Tony La Russa didn’t have the opportunity to include Luis Robert in the Chicago White Sox lineup last week with the center fielder on the COVID-19 related injured list. The Sox on Tuesday reinstated Robert and he returned to action Wednesday batting fourth as the designated hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. While Robert was back, La Russa has had to juggle the top ...
Here's how you can watch the NCAA Auburn Regional game between Auburn baseball and Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, June 3, 2022, on live stream.
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2022-06-03T22:46:45Z
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Diamond Heels take down Hofstra in opener
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First up is quarterback. It’s a position that has become perhaps the face of the program over the last few years, so you’ll see a pretty recent slate of names nominated on this one. Take a look at the four we’ve highlighted and then move on to vote in our Twitter poll at the end. We can only fit four players on the poll, so feel free to write in a candidate in the comments to vote for another player, and we’ll tabulate it accordingly.
We’ll keep voting up for five days, and at the end of it, we’ll have an article revealing who the face of the quarterback position is historically at Ohio State.
J.T. Barrett (2014-2017)
Ohio State Football alternate uniforms: Ranking the five best all-time
Oct 28, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) signals to his team prior to a play against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Reason for the Nomination
No list of great OSU quarterbacks would be complete without Urban Meyer’s first QB recruit in Columbus. The ironic twist is that the Texas native may have never gotten an opportunity had the incumbent and electrifying Braxton Miller not gone down with an injury just prior to the start of the 2014 year.
In fact, just before the injury to Miller, Barrett had been named as the backup after an extremely close competition with Cardale Jones. If we’d only known the gravity of that moment at the time.
In his time as the Ohio State quarterback, not only has Barrett re-written the OSU career QB record-books, but he has also re-set many of the Big Ten QB career statistics. There are almost too many records to count, but he did finish his career as the Buckeyes’ leader in total yards, passing yards, TDs, single-game TDs, single-season TDs, rushing TDs by a QB, rushing yards by a QB, and more.
Despite walking off into the sunset in 2017, many expected more from him because of some inconsistent performances. At the end of his storybook career, however, he was an exceptional leader on and off the field, and a masterful general on it.
He never won a Heisman, but orchestrated a lot of wins and had his fingerprints all over one a memorable 2014 season that resulted in Ohio State winning the first-ever College Football Playoff national championship.
Justin Fields (2019-2020)
Ohio State football 2021 pro day: reflecting on what we saw
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) gets ready to throw the ball against Indiana Hoosiers during the third quarter in their NCAA Division I football game on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
A true dual-threat quarterback, Fields burst on the scene when he transferred to Ohio State from Georgia after his freshman season, and immediately became one of the most dynamic gunslingers in all of college football in 2019.
Fields was a perfect fit for a Ryan Day offense that looked to sling the ball all over the field, but he also had the athleticism and speed to escape and make defenses pay for soft coverage. He had a big arm, precision passing, an unquestioned work ethic, and an ability to process the field at a high rate.
He was a Heisman finalist in 2019 and nearly took Ohio State to a national championship if not for some bad breaks (and questionable calls) in the Fiesta Bowl against Clemson.
We were a bit robbed of watching Fields’ development in a COVID-19 shortened 2022 when he took the Buckeyes to the national championship game, but his memory and feats on the field will live on forever.
NEXT … Honorable Mention (others to consider)
Dwayne Haskins (2016-2018)
Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins celebrated the Buckeyes’ 28-23 victory against the Washington Huskies in the 2019 Rose Bowl. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Haskins may have only been a starter for one year, but it was a magical one. The 6-4, 230 lb. redshirt sophomore took the keys to the program and set a slew of single-season Ohio State and Big Ten records in 2018.
The numbers are remarkable and blow away any passing statistics that exited in Columbus prior to his assault on opposing secondaries. All told, Haskins completed 70 percent of his passes for 4,831 yards, fifty touchdowns, to just eight interceptions.
The yards and touchdowns are both Buckeye and Big Ten records. For his reward, Haskins got an invite to New York where he somehow finished a distant third in the voting.
Troy Smith (2004-2006)
Ohio State football's history of Heisman Trophy winners
Nov 18, 2006; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith (10) throws a pass in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines 42-39. Credit: Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2006 Joe Robbins
Smith’s college career at Ohio State got off to a puzzling and underwhelming start. Recruited as an athlete, he split time his freshman year on special teams and as a backup running back.
Smith also had a rules violation he had to work through, but he finally took his spot as the unquestioned, full-time starter in 2005. That year set the table for a special 2006 campaign that saw him win the Heisman trophy in a landslide.
Truth be known, had he been able to get off to a better start in Columbus, Smith would be much higher on the list of stats for an Ohio State quarterback. That, by no means, takes away from what the often-improvising Smith brought to the table.
In that Heisman year of 2006, Smith threw for 2,542 yards and 44 TDs, while completing 65.3% of his passes. Maybe most impressive was his career TD/INT ratio of 54-13.
November 24, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) looks for an open receiver against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 26-21. Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Braxton Miller (2011-2015)
Art Schlicter (1978-1981)
Kirk Herbstreit (1989-1992)
Craig Krenzel (2000-2003)
Cardale Jones (2013-2015)
Rex Kern (1968-1970)
Cornelius Greene (1972-1975)
C.J. Stroud (2020-current)
Twitter Poll (Vote)
New series on Buckeyes Wire: Face of the position. When you think of quarterback at Ohio State historically, which player do you think of? Vote below, or write in another candidate. Is it @JT_theQB4th, @yn_TroySmith, Dwayne Haskins, @justnfields, or another? #GoBucks
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) June 3, 2022
The poll will be open for four days. Vote and help us determine what historical Ohio State player is the face of the quarterback position at Ohio State.
Greater Cincinnati typically has a fair share of track and field state champions each year. Here are the athletes who won state titles this spring.
Ohio State launched a new NIL program on Thursday to provide opportunities for athletes to serve as brand ambassadors for companies.
Deion Sanders turned heads at Jackson State when he landed Travis Hunter, the 2022 No. 1 recruit in the nation, to come to the school instead of keeping his commitment to Florida State. Alabama coach Nick Saban accused Jackson State of paying Hunter $1 million, and Sanders turned the heat up some more in calling Saban's statement a "lie." And now things only figure to get hotter. Sanders has ...
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2022-06-03T22:46:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Face of the position at Ohio State: What Quarterback do you think of?
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FromDerrick Henry to Bo Jackson to Herschel Walker and so many more, the Southeastern Conference has been graced with some of the greatest running backs the collegiate ranks have ever seen.
Despite a collegiate game that is evolving more into a pass happy game, the best ball carriers in the country still remain down South. There are plenty of guys ready to make their mark and stamp their legacy as an all-time great such as Auburn returning star Tank Bigsby, or Alabama phenom transfer Jahmyr Gibbs.
But who are the best in class headed into the 2022 season?
Marshawn Llyod, South Carolina
After a slow 2021 campaign due to a torn ACL in 2020, Lloyd looks to have a massive bounce back year as he is further along in his recovery process now. Replacing Kevin Harris who is off to the NFL will be no easy task for the Gamecocks. In 2021, Lloyd carried the ball 64 times for 228 yards and a score. He also caught three balls for 44 yards.
Re'mahn Davis, Vanderbilt
Davis was the Commodores lead back last season after transferring from Temple, before ultimately suffering a toe injury in week three against Stanford that ended his season early. While some believe Rocko Griffin may start, when Davis was on the field he was Vanderbilt’s best player. Through just those three weeks Davis had 44 carries for 211 yards and a score. Also tacking on five catches for 27 yards.
Nathaniel Peat, Missouri (Stanford transfer)
Peat will be making his first appearance in the Southeastern conference after competing with Stanford in the PAC-12 the past three seasons. Missouri will also have their fair share of struggles trying to replace All-American running back Tyler Badie, but it appears Peat is the answer. With the Cardinal in 2021, Peat had 79 carries 404 yards and three touchdowns on the ground while also accumulating 11 receptions for 63 yards.
John Emory, LSU
After missing the 2021 season due to academic ineligibility, Emory is back as the feature back for the Tigers. Under the new regime of Brian Kelly and transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels, we can expect a heavy dose of Emory – especially early in the season. In Emory’s 2020 campaign, he had 75 carries 378 yards and three touchdowns. While also having 14 receptions for 73 yards.
Dominique Johnson, Arkansas
With KJ Jefferson under center who carried the ball for 664 yards last season, it is safe to expect that the Razorbacks will once again be attacking on the ground. Head coach Sam Pittman was previously the offensive line coach at Georgia, so he knows the value of having a good line and the importance of being able to establish a ground game. Johnson was very efficient in 2021 and that is why he has earned the starting role. He was good for 97 carries 575 yards and seven touchdowns as well as seven receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Jo'quavious Marks, Mississippi State
While Mike Leach will always remain in a pass heavy offense, Marks was very productive despite limited opportunities in 2021. With Will Rogers returning at quarterback teams will have to respect the pass which should leave plenty of room for Marks to make his impact. On the ground, Marks went for 106 carries, 416 yards, six touchdowns while also posting a whopping 83 receptions for 502 yards, three scores.
Montrell Johnson, Florida (Louisiana transfer)
Despite Nay’quan Wright returning as the starter to Gainsville and the Gators, incoming transfer Montrell Johnson had been highly productive with Louisiana before entering the portal. The Gators have one of the deepest running back rooms in the country with four-star prospect Trevor Etienne, brother of Travis, waiting his turn. Johnson is a guy to keep your eye on headed into the season as last year he posted 162 carries for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, he isn’t much of a receiving threat with only six receptions for 53 yards.
Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
The Bulldogs need to replace their power duo of Zamir White and James Cook who are both off to play on Sundays, and McIntosh is the next guy in line. Georgia doesn’t rebuild at the running back position, they reload, so whoever ends up as the feature guy will be a prominent name to remember. In limited 2021 action, McIntosh was good for 58 carries, 328 yards, three scores. he complemented that well with 22 receptions for 242 yards and two scores.
Jabari Small, Tennessee
Henry Taylor/The Leaf-Chronicle
Small is one of the most proven backs in the conference, and has his eyes set on being a 1,000 yard guy this fall. The Volunteers lost backup Tiyon Evans to Louisville in the portal which is only going to put more responsibility on Small’s shoulders. Last year Small posted, 792 yards on 140 carries and nine touchdowns. While not a massive receiving threat, he still had nine receptions and 77 yards.
Zach Evans, Ole Miss (TCU transfer)
Evans may be the most interesting player on this list after transferring from TCU as a former five-star back. While Lane Kiffin hasn’t had a ton of success using running backs in the past, Evans is far and away the most talented he’s ever gotten to work with. In 2021 Evans ran for 648 yards on 92 carries and five touchdowns. He will also likely be strongly utilized in the passing game as he’s an efficient receiver with 10 receptions 130 yards and a score.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama (Georgia Tech transfer)
Gibbs isn’t your typical work horse running back that the Crimson Tide have had over the years, he is much shiftier and will be used heavily int he passing game. After finding wild success with Georgia Tech, Gibbs entered the portla in attempt for more exposure at a bigger program. With the Yellow Jackets Gibbs had 143 carries for 746 yards and four touchdowns. He also posted 36 receptions for 470 yards, and two scores, however, with the Heisman winner on his sideline we can expect to see these numbers jump.
Devon Achane, Texas A&M
The Aggies lost one of the best backs in the country in Isaiah Spiller to the NFL draft, however, they have the most efficent back in the SEC filling his role. Last season, Achane averaged seven yards a carry which lead the conference. Achane had 130 carries 910 yards and nine scores. He was also a valuable receiver with 24 receptions, 261 yards, and one touchdown.
Tank Bigsby, Auburn
To the surprise of many, Bigsby returned to Auburn after lofting his name into the transfer portal this off-season. Keeping Bigsby in Auburn was a massive win for Harsin and company that can not be understated as he is likely their best player regardless of position. Bigsby was a monster in 2021 with 223 carries for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averages nearly eight yards a reception with 21 grabs for 184 yards.
Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky
With potentially the best running back in the conference as well as a quarterback who’s generating a lot of draft buzz, Kentucky’s offense might be one to watch out for in 2022. Kentucky is coming off of a ten win season and looks to continue to build on that success and compete for an SEC East title. Rodriguez had an outstanding 2021 with 225 carries for 1,379 yards, and nine touchdowns. He also caught 13 balls for 61 yards and three scores.
Alabama State baseball plays Tennessee in the Knoxville regional, follow the score with live updates.
The time has come today for the Rolling Stones to introduce the 1966 song “Out of Time” into their setlist. Improbable as it may seem, given how often the song has been covered by others or licensed for the movies, the band had never performed the tune live until it showed up at the Stones’ […]
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2022-06-03T22:47:29Z
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Ranking the SEC’s running backs heading into the 2022 season
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“They can fire me whenever they get good and ready to, but I can’t leave if that makes sense. Don’t want to, anyway.”
Following the announcement of contract extensions to coordinators kendal briles and Barry Odom in April, it was revealed that Arkansas head football coach sam pittman would be receiving an extension as well. Although, at the time, the details had not emerged.
Now, the details of the extension have been revealed.
Pittman, who will enter his third season as the head coach in 2022, has signed an extension that will last through December 2026, where he will earn at least $6 million per season, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reports.
As far as the “but I can’t leave” portion of his quote, the new contract is very flexible. Pittman will make at least $6 million annually, with a $100,000 increase every year through the end of the contract.
In addition to receiving a bonus every year, Pittman also has the option of extending the length of the contract. Over the next five seasons, Pittman will receive a one-year extension to 2027 if Arkansas wins at least seven games.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek says that things are “just getting started” under Pittman.
There is no doubt Coach Pittman has proven to be the right man to lead our football team,” athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “He has earned this opportunity with the success he and his staff have had on the field and on the recruiting trail
Pittman is grateful for the opportunity to continue leading the program that he calls his “dream job.”
I am so grateful for our University and Hunter for believing in me, our coaches and staff and the program we’re building. We are all excited to continue to build on what we’ve done and continue to make our fans and the whole state of Arkansas proud of our football team
In 2021, Arkansas won nine games, which is the most since 2011. They won the Outback Bowl over Penn State to claim their first bowl win since the 2015 season. Not only have the Razorbacks seen success on the field under Pittman, but they are building for the future. Pittman’s first recruiting class ranked no. 22 for the 2022 cycle. So far, Arkansas’ 2023 class ranks no. 6 in the nation according to 247sports.
👀 pic.twitter.com/shYxw3AyP2
— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) June 2, 2022
Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman's new five-year contract was announced as a $5 million deal, but its details show he could earn much more.
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2022-06-03T22:47:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Sam Pittman receives success-friendly contract extension through 2026
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Joey Logano claimed the honor of posting the fastest lap in the first NASCAR Cup Series practice session at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
Logano wheeled his No. 22 Ford around the 1.25-mile oval with the quickest lap speed of 136.753 mph while his Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney (136.260 mph) and Austin Cindric (136.104 mph) followed in hot pursuit. At 136.096 mph, Kurt Busch was fourth and the fastest Toyota. Erik Jones was the fastest Chevrolet in fifth with a best lap of 136.001 mph.
RELATED: Weekend schedule | Practice results
Some teams battled left-rear tire issues during the 50-minute practice session, the longest afforded to teams since Daytona International Speedway in February. Hendrick Motorsports drivers William Byron and Alex Bowman each suffered flats, as did Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace.
Ben Rhodes, practicing the No. 16 Chevrolet for AJ Allmendinger who was busy practicing his Xfinity Series at Portland International Raceway, was the first to find serious trouble Friday evening. The defending Camping World Truck Series champion had an issue entering Turn 3 just 10 minutes into the session, sending him sliding hard into the outside wall and collecting right-side damage.
Parker Kligerman, making his first Cup start of the season, had his practice end early when his No. 15 Ford for Rick Ware Racing caught fire. Kligerman, who has competed in five Truck Series races this year, exited the car under his own power and was unharmed.
Completing the top 10 in practice were Tyler Reddick, Almirola, Larson, Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch in order.
Zane Smith, making his Cup debut in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford as Chris Buescher sits out due to COVID protocol, was 26th-fastest at 134.332 mph.
NBA Finals 2022: Glaring stat shows Game 2 'must win' for Warriors vs. Celtics
After watching a double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter of the 2022 NBA Finals opener Thursday night, Warriors fans might feel like Game 2 is a must win.
STORY: Four days of pomp, parties and parades kicked off on Thursday (June 2)…in honor of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s record-breaking 70 years on the British throne.The beaming 96-year-old monarch appeared briefly on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, alongside senior royals, from where she waved at the crowds and watched a fly-past by modern and historic Royal Air Force planes.Tens of thousands of royal supporters waving flags lined the streets of London to watch a military parade that marked the start of the Platinum Jubilee events. Also known as the Queen's Birthday Parade, "Trooping the Colour" has more than 1,200 soldiers taking part along with military bands. It has been held for more than 260 years.''We've come from Manchester, Devon, Birmingham, all over. One girl from Paris all to be together. We arrived here just after 6 AM (0500GMT) to get front row, best view. So we're here to have a good day.''Well the chance of getting another 70 year reign is well pretty much non-existent, certainly in the near future, certainly we're not going to see another one.'''Prince Charles, and his eldest son William, 39, were spotted riding down the Mall on horseback..while the Duchess of Cambridge was seen alongside her three children and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in a horse-drawn carriage as they left Buckingham Palace.Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were not present on the balcony. There were artillery gun salutes in London, across Britain and from Royal Navy ships at sea.In the evening, beacons will be lit across the country and the Commonwealth,with the queen leading the lighting of the Principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon at her Windsor Castle home.Elizabeth has been on the throne for longer than any of her predecessors, and is the third-longest reigning monarch ever of a sovereign state.
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2022-06-03T23:25:33Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Joey Logano fastest in inaugural Cup practice at Gateway
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After being waived on Thursday, Kenny Willekes is now reportedly going on injured reserve for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson reported on Friday that the third-year defensive end cleared waivers and was reverted to injured reserve. Per Tomasson, Willekes could miss the entire season with the injury, which has yet to be disclosed by the team.
Staying on the field has been equally as challenging as getting on the field for the former seventh-round pick out of Michigan State. He missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, and he only appeared in six games last season.
But there were a few flashes in those brief appearances that showed at least some promise. He racked up seven total tackles in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, and in the season finale, he helped wreck the Chicago Bears’ offensive backfield with two sacks and three quarterback hits.
The potential is there for Willekes to contribute along the defensive front, but it’s also clear that the best ability is availability. And he just hasn’t been available.
The Vikings announced the signing of Jonathan Bullard on Thursday to fill the vacant roster spot. If anything, it’s another veteran player that gives them depth up front.
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2022-06-04T00:00:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Kenny Willekes clears waivers, reverted to injured reserve for Vikings
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Too swole for y’all
Don’t you dare talk about Najee Harris’ weight. Let Harris’ reported 244-pound frame affect fantasy decisions at your own risk. In 2021, Harris scored a PPR fantasy point for every pound plus some while finishing as RB3. As a rookie, he led all NFL players with 381 total touches. That number was the highest for a rookie since 2001 when LaDainian Tomlinson accomplished the feat. With that, he totaled 1,667 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. What really makes Harris a stud is his ability to catch the football out of the backfield. Harris led all running backs with 74 receptions last season. Harris looks to handle another big workload in 2022 as there are currently no backs on the roster to pose a threat. Perhaps, if it’s even possible, he could be depended upon more even given their quarterback situation. The Steelers signed former Bears and Bills QB Mitchell Trubisky and drafted Kenny Pickett, so nothing great is guaranteed.
Harris will need every single pound he’s gained (or already had) in 2022. He was clearly annoyed with the report enough to tweet about it. It was reported that he gained 14lbs to get up to 244-pounds. Harris chimed in and let people know that he already “weighed 240 last year”. Whether he is 230, 240 or 250, Harris is set to dominate the touches again in the Steelers backfield. Until a photo surfaces of him sporting an Eddie Lacy-type gut, he should be treated as an elite fantasy option.
Fitzmagic rests his case
Ryan Fitzpatrick is calling it a career. The fan-favorite and journeyman quarterback spent 17 seasons in the NFL while playing for nine different teams. The former seventh-round pick carved out a nice career and name for himself. Though never viewed as a franchise quarterback, Fitzpatrick played a lot of quality football throughout his years. Fitzmagic’s best season came in 2011 when he went 3,905/31/15 and led the Jets to a 10-6 record. In that season, he also had his best fantasy finish as QB11. Fitzpatrick was beloved by fans for his beard and “yolo” style of play. He could be the reason you won or lost a game. The beauty of Fitzpatrick was that his personality was perfect for the way he played the game. In 2021 as a member of the Washington Commanders, the veteran injured his hip in Week 1 and eventually missed the rest of the season. During the Bills 2022 AFC Wildcard matchup against the Patriots, Fitzpatrick was seen randomly in the stands without his shirt on cheering for the home team. This event went viral and showed why Fitzpatrick is loved so much. He finishes his career with 34,990 passing yards, 223 touchdowns and 169 interceptions…Not bad for a seventh-rounder out of Harvard.
“Will they use him like Deebo Samuel?”
The phrase and idea has been mentioned so much this offseason it’s making it sound like an easy task. One player (to my knowledge) has actually come out and said he can and will be used in such a way. Jaguars second-year running back Travis Etienne is ready to be the man. The former first-round draft pick is looking to come back from a Lisfranc injury that wiped out his entire rookie season. With James Robinson trying to battle back from a torn Achilles', Etienne will need to step up fast. He has been lining up all over the field, most notably catching passes at receiver. While Etienne is not up for an outright positional change, he wants to use his skill set to exploit every possible mismatch. The young running back said, “…If I could be like Deebo Samuel, I would love that”. Should that be the case, Etienne could turn into one of the better bargains in fantasy this season. He is currently a back you can scoop in the fifth or sixth round of your fantasy drafts. The Jags are hungry for playmakers and Etienne can fill that role nicely.
He’s not done yet!
Parris Campbell is finally 100% healthy and says he’s ready to show he can still play. Here’s how I think of it, what proof does anyone have that Campbell can’t play well in the NFL? Sure, there’s no proof that he can, but let’s give the young man a shot. He’s lighting fast (ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the Combine) and has experience of being an offense's focal point. The Colts' wide receiver group is not deep nor proven. The Colts drafted Alec Pierce to compete for playing time, but one thing is for certain, Campbell will be on the field (if healthy). Michael Pittman is solidified as Matt Ryan’s top target. After that it’s up for grabs. The Colts offense figures to once again be a solid unit with Jonathan Taylor leading it out of the backfield. Campbell will have every opportunity to show why the Colts selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. While he’s only appeared in 15 games in his three-year career, Campbell will still only be 25-years old when he plays in 2022. Coach Frank Reich says he’s a complete receiver if he can stay healthy. It’s a big if, but on that can pay off.
Variety has named its 10 Comics to Watch for 2022. This year’s honorees will be profiled in the July 20 issue of Variety and be honored at this year’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, held in Montreal July 13-31. There will be a panel and cocktail reception held on July 29, followed by a performance showcase July 30. Variety has been […]
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2022-06-04T00:00:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Weekly Wrap Up: Najee Too Swole for Y'all
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What 49ers' Wilson thinks of being in middle of 'crazy' Joc-Pham feud originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SANTA CLARA — Jeff Wilson shared what it was like to be at the center of Joc Pederson's now-infamous fantasy football feud with Tommy Pham.
The 49ers running back was surprised and yet honored to be “involved” in a high-stakes game that incited a physical altercation between the two MLB players. Subsequently, Pham was suspended for three games for slapping Pederson prior to last Friday's game between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds.
Wilson weighed in on the incident on Wednesday in speaking to the media after the 49ers' OTAs practice.
Pham actually was the owner of Wilson in fantasy, not Pederson. Regardless, the 49ers running back appreciated Pederson's stance and players of that caliber dueling it out over his fantasy services.
“I really don’t get too much into it,” Wilson said of fantasy football. “I just know all we do on the field helps them win,” Wilson said. “So I try to do my part and I let them do theirs.”
The conflict was centered around Wilson’s 2020 season, where he carried the ball 126 times for 600 yards and seven touchdowns. Wilson also caught three of his seven targets for 12 yards and an additional score.
Appearing in 12 games that season, Wilson spent Week 9-11 on injured reserve, which ended up being the root of the issue between Pham and Pederson.
Unfortunately for the two MLB stars and fantasy players alike, the 49ers' depth chart at running back doesn't appear to be very clear heading into OTAs, with Wilson potentially buried behind second-year back Elijah Mitchell and potentially Trey Sermon and rookie Tyrion Davis-Price.
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2022-06-04T01:10:11Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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How 49ers' Jeff Wilson Jr. felt in middle of Joc Pederson-Tommy Pham feud
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It took courage for them to go on the record with the Washington Post and New York Times to detail the personal trauma they experienced, and for some to sit in front of members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and share stories of near-daily sexual harassment during their time of employment, the landmines they had to constantly work to avoid to stay out of harm's way, which some said included unwanted advances from team owner Daniel Snyder on down.
One of their lawyers is challenging Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to show a similar level of courage, as the pair has now been summoned to Capitol Hill later this month for a hearing on what happened in the team's offices.
"All we’ve been after is transparency and accountability," former Washington employee Megan Imbert told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, after news of the Oversight Committee summoning Goodell and Snyder. "Even that $10 million fine [the NFL leveled against Washington last July], we still don’t know where it went, or did it go anywhere? We’re getting no clarity around any of it.”
The only thing Goodell has shown is an ardent desire to protect Snyder, which is strange considering Snyder has the charm of a soggy piece of toast and seemingly considers intimidation and litigation of "little people" to be self-care.
You expect Washington Commanders team owner Daniel Snyder to face accountability in Congress when he's not required to? Good luck with that. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Goodell's more recent years as commissioner have shown that any morality previously ascribed to him as the son of a former U.S. Senator who lost his job because he changed his stance on the Vietnam War is completely gone, and that he has become little more than a highly compensated rubber stamp for franchise owners' basest behaviors and worst ideas.
Yes, he works at the pleasure of the owner class, but once upon a time he repeated that "protecting the Shield" was of the utmost importance and that team owners weren't immune from personal conduct policy penalties. Like much of what Goodell says publicly, it was all bluster.
As for Snyder, well, there's a book to be written on his time as Commanders owner and what he has shown himself to be during that 20-year span. The corporate office cesspool he oversaw that the league publicly reprimanded him for is just the tip of the iceberg.
Neither man is a profile in courage.
True courage is found in Imbert and Melanie Coburn, who will not be silenced. And Tiffani Johnston, who said on Capitol Hill in February that Snyder had twice touched her inappropriately at a work dinner. And Jason Friedman, a longtime team employee who alleges Washington kept two sets of books when it came to money it was supposed to share with other NFL teams and promptly saw Washington try to smear his character.
Every time something like Wednesday's release from the House Oversight Committee comes up, the Commanders cook up some new publicity stunt to distract their dwindling fan base. (Did you see that their current proposed new stadium is over 30 miles from D.C. and has just 55,000 seats?) The day before former team employees took part in the Capitol Hill roundtable in February, they announced their long-debated name change. Last October, they announced on a Thursday that Sean Taylor's jersey would be retired that coming Sunday, an event looked hastily put together, to put it kindly.
Since it would be stunning if Snyder and Goodell show their faces on June 22 before Congress — at the moment, their presence is a request from the committee, not subpoenaed — there won't be a need for a shiny object to keep everyone's attention off of the happenings, no need for a heaping bowl of popcorn to watch the proceedings.
"At the end of the day, they are complicit," Imbert said. "They should show up and they should be truthful.
“I think it’s going to be very telling if they don’t show up. I hope at that point Congress uses subpoena power or shares stuff that they know."
It will be telling. Two men telling us again that they care only about protecting themselves and their interests.
Seven of D.C.'s professional teams announced the collaboration on Friday.
Colorado's Micaela DeGenero, Abby Nichols and India Johnson, all with Central Ohio ties, are heading to the NCAA Track and Field Championships
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2022-06-04T01:10:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL: Congress' Roger Goodell, Daniel Snyder request will fall flat
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https://sports.yahoo.com/doubtful-congress-can-compel-roger-goodell-daniel-snyder-to-show-courage-similar-to-alleged-victims-230904656.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/doubtful-congress-can-compel-roger-goodell-daniel-snyder-to-show-courage-similar-to-alleged-victims-230904656.html?src=rss
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"I don't know how many men out there now that have had a massage that perhaps occasionally there was a happy ending. Alright?" Hardin began. "Maybe there's nobody in your listening audience that ever happened to.
"I want to point out: if it has happened, it's not a crime. OK? Unless you are paying somebody extra or so to give you some type of sexual activity, it's not a crime. ... Doing something or saying something or being a way that makes you uncomfortable is not a crime."
Hardin is trying to win his client points in the court of public opinion, but at this point, whether or not what Watson did was criminal doesn't matter. Two grand juries declined to indict him on charges, which means he's free of criminal inquiry but his innocence is still up for scrutiny in civil court.
Hardin saying "making someone uncomfortable is not a crime" is callous, untrue, and also not the discussion at this point. What matters now is whether Watson engaged in behavior that he can be held liable for in civil court. There's a far different standard in civil court than criminal court. The NFL's personal conduct policy also has different standards.
As Deshaun Watson faces civil lawsuits from 23 women, the NFL is investigating if the Browns quarterback violated the league's personal conduct policy. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Thinking you're funny by mentioning a "happy ending" during a radio interview and minimizing, yet again, the women who are making accusations is why rape culture persists.
It is why a culture like the one in the Washington Commanders' front offices festered for years.
It's why, despite Watson facing these numerous allegations, the Cleveland Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans, signed him to the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history, and gave flimsy and wholly unsatisfying answers when pressed on why they did so given Watson's considerable baggage.
It's why women in all walks of life, from all backgrounds, keep their stories of sexual harassment and assault quiet. Select family and friends might know them, but as women we've been shown again and again over decades that work supervisors or human resources officers or the police and the legal system that delivers "justice" for a very narrow population of citizens, will do nothing of consequence.
Hours after the interview, Hardin scrambled to clarify his comments via a statement. It read in part, "On a Houston radio show interview today, I mentioned that a massage that has a 'happy ending' is not illegal, meaning it is not illegal for someone to have consensual sex with a therapist after a massage unless the sex is for pay. Deshaun did not pay anyone for sex. I was using the term hypothetically and not describing Deshaun's case.
"I have reiterated to others it's not ok to do anything that a woman does not agree to do. These women have alleged assault in their pleadings. I was speaking in a hypothetical situation. If there is a consensual sexual encounter after a massage, that is not a crime nor the basis for a civil lawsuit. I was not talking about what Deshaun did or did not do or expected or did not expect."
A yikes interview followed by a yikes statement. Watson may be a creep, but whatever he's paying Hardin in billable hours is too much.
Hardin has now done quite the about-face over the past year. Initially he implied all of the accusers were liars. Now he's saying there was sexual contact between Watson and at least some of the therapists, but it was consensual, even though nearly two dozen lawsuits indicate not all of them were, not in the women's eyes.
His statement and clarification are still smearing the women, implying all of them are sex workers and propagating a trope. What's become clear is that Watson was at minimum hoping for a sexual encounter with many if not all of the women he made appointments with and had little to no interest in therapeutic massage; if he wanted sex workers he surely could find them, and pay for the anonymity and discretion that would have kept him out of the situation he's in now.
Some of the women who have accused Watson of wrongdoing worked with him more than once; some accusers said his behavior escalated with each visit until it became unbearable. These women were by and large running their own micro-business, and having a client like Watson could have been a boon, so they tried to tolerate it until they couldn't anymore.
It's a familiar predicament for a lot of women.
It's understandable that a woman excited about potentially having an NFL quarterback as a regular client would give him a second chance even after an initial meeting left her feeling distressed. Maybe she'd misinterpreted his actions the first time and he'd be better the second time. Or maybe she could internalize a little bit of discomfort if it meant she got a deep-pocketed client with numerous teammates who might also need a massage therapist.
Deshaun Watson clearly doesn't care how he made some of those women feel. Rusty Hardin clearly doesn't care how Watson made some of those women feel. The Cleveland Browns clearly don't care.
Trying to wave off incidents like the ones Watson has been accused of are why they continue to happen. Ignoring the concept of consent and a person's right to say yes or no is why they continue to happen.
It's why women still are so often afraid of what else will happen to them if they speak their truth. People like Dan Snyder will be protected, lawyers like Rusty Hardin will smear accusers, quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson will get guaranteed contracts.
It's long past time for it to stop.
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2022-06-04T02:02:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL: Browns and Watson show little regard to women
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https://sports.yahoo.com/in-one-bizarre-radio-interview-deshaun-watsons-lawyer-voiced-a-callousness-familiar-to-many-women-004026062.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/in-one-bizarre-radio-interview-deshaun-watsons-lawyer-voiced-a-callousness-familiar-to-many-women-004026062.html?src=rss
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Dutch road cyclist
Known as a proficient time-trialist and mountain climber, Dumoulin last month dropped out of the Giro -- Italy's most iconic race -- saying then he felt "empty and finished."
"I decided that 2022 will be my last year as a professional cyclist," Dumoulin wrote on social media, after experiencing a "difficult year" in 2020 in which he "got overtrained and burned out."
"The effort in training did often not lead to the desired performances.
Since competing professionally in 2010, the Maastricht-born Dumoulin put together a string of successes including winning the Giro d'Italia in 2017 -- an achievement for which he received a knighthood in the Netherlands.
That same year Dumoulin also won gold in the UCI Road World Championships men's time trial and team time trial in Bergen.
The year before he won a silver medal in the individual time trial at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
One of his best performances came in 2018, when he finished runner-up to Geraint Thomas in the Tour de France two months after finishing second in the Giro.
But the rider suffered a disastrous crash in the fourth stage of the 2019 Giro and eventually finished it four minutes in arrears of many of the other favourites.
Saying the pain, including an injured knee, was too severe to continue he then withdrew shortly after the start of the fifth stage.
- 'Shadow of myself' -
Dumoulin said a difficult year followed in 2020 and "at the end of 2020, beginning of 2021 I was only a shadow of myself and thus had the time to take a break from cycling and think about my future."
Dumoulin said after a while he decided to continue with his cycling career, mainly because the Tokyo Olympic Games was approaching "and I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity."
"Since that autumn in 2020 I occasionally was still able to show my abilities on the bike, last year's silver medal being the absolute highlight," Dumoulin said.
Dumoulin said he will continue with the Jumbo-Visma team for the next few months and "especially look forward to the World Championships in Australia where I hope to get the best out of myself and the time trial one last time."
He added that he has not yet made any decision about his future.
"But I do know my love for the bike will always keep me connected to the world of cycling, one way or another," Dumoulin said.
jhe/dk/pi
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2022-06-04T02:19:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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'Tired' former Giro winner Dumoulin to retire at end of season
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tired-former-giro-winner-dumoulin-120031128.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tired-former-giro-winner-dumoulin-120031128.html?src=rss
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Malachi Smith, one of nation’s top transfers, joins Gonzaga originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Will There Be a Third "Top Gun" Movie?
It may have taken 36 years, but the "Top Gun" sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick," finally landed in theaters in May, bringing Tom Cruise's iconic character back to the big screen. According to Deadline, the movie's already made about $200 million at the box office in just its first week, so needless to say, it's been a financial success.
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2022-06-04T02:28:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Malachi Smith, one of nation’s top transfers, joins Gonzaga
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https://sports.yahoo.com/malachi-smith-one-nation-top-005815179.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/malachi-smith-one-nation-top-005815179.html?src=rss
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Denny Hamlin said Friday at World Wide Technology Raceway that he was not aware he had clipped a member of Joey Logano’s pit crew last weekend during the Coca-Cola 600. Logano, meanwhile, called Hamlin’s pitting a “dirty move.”
The two drivers clearly had differing views of the mid-race contact, in which Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota clipped tire changer, Tanner Andrews, during a pit stop. Andrews finished pitting the race and is expected to pit this weekend, despite having a sprained MCL according to Ryan Flores, a Team Penske crew member and co-host of the “Stacking Pennies” podcast (watch Flores’ take on the incident).
“I was not aware,” Hamlin said Friday when asked.
“(Logano) chose to pit behind me,” he added when told Logano called it a dirty move. “He shouldn’t have picked the No. 2 stall. You have to know if you run well, you’re going to have the guys going around you. … I always try to be respectful when I’m coming around someone. Certainly, I try to give room, but again, he was running a little better than I was at the time and I had to keep going around him. Again, he chose the second stall. When you choose to put yourself around cars you think are going to go fast, you open yourself up to that stuff happening.”
MORE GATEWAY: Full weekend schedule
Hamlin kept improving throughout the endurance race and went on to claim his second victory of the season after starting from the Busch Light Pole position. Winning the pole gave his Joe Gibbs Racing crew the first pit-stall selection, and they chose the first stall.
Logano would finish 20th following a seven-car wreck in NASCAR Overtime out of Turn 4, one in which the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford was part of following a charge to the front of the field. After qualifying 23rd, Logano’s team chose the No. 2 pit stall, so Logano and Hamlin were pitting around each other all night.
“We changed the way we do our pit stops to try to allow (Hamlin) to not clip our guys,” Logano told reporters. “The changer’s down on the ground with his back to the car and gets his heels run over. I don’t think there’s any reason for it, because he had an opening out. So I think that’s just a dirty move.
“I think there needs to be a penalty for it and a rule made for it to protect our pit crew. If you’re outside your box, you’re on your own. I get that. But I think if you’re inside your box, you’re in your house, you should be protected in your home. I think we should just explore it. … We shouldn’t be grazing people like that to gain a competitive advantage.”
Hamlin and Logano did agree on one thing, however — that gamesmanship comes from both sides. Pit-crew members often swing out onto pit road and go wider than absolutely necessary as a way to impact the angle of the incoming, opposing cars attempting to pit around them.
Logano said he thinks that should be considered for a potential penalty as well.
“It goes both ways,” Logano said. “Don’t get me wrong, pit crews go out extra wide to try to screw up other (teams) and things like that. The game is played on both sides. We need to eliminate that.”
Said Hamlin: “I think the thing is, these guys try to swing out super wide. I’m sure (Logano has) hit crew guys before, but I never want to swipe at a guy. They swing so wide now to get in position, and this is a product of it.”
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2022-06-04T03:15:56Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano react to last week's pit-road incident
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https://sports.yahoo.com/denny-hamlin-joey-logano-react-212317351.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/denny-hamlin-joey-logano-react-212317351.html?src=rss
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Over the past ten years, few programs across the college football landscape have had as much success as head coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson have had.
Winning two national championships in the last six seasons, Swinney has helped build the program up to a standard it has never seen before. A program with a rich history of success has added a lot more over just the past ten years.
Winning is something Clemson has become accustomed to.
Recently, Clint Buckley, over at 247Sports, released an article on the top 25 winningest teams of the last ten years. While the Tigers may not be the team with the best winning percentage over the past ten years, they’ve tallied the country’s second-most wins and a top three-win percentage.
The only team Clemson trails in wins and win percentage is Nick Saban and Alabama, with Ohio State holding the second-best win percentage.
Here’s what Buckley had to say about Clemson:
3. CLEMSON (121-17, .877)
Speaking of Dabo Swinney, it is certainly no surprise to see Clemson among the nation’s three winningest programs over the last decade. After all, the Tigers reached the College Football Playoff six consecutive seasons before missing out last year. Swinney also has a pair of national championship game wins over Nick Saban and Alabama on his resume. Who else can say that? For the first time in a while, however, Swinney is dealing with a mass overhaul of his coaching staff after Venables departed for Oklahoma and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott was hired to lead the Virginia program this offseason.
To no surprise, Clemson has had one of the best winning percentages in the country over these past ten years. A now Brent Venables led Oklahoma and Georgia rounded out the top five.
South Carolina football wide receiver Jalen Brooks has been away from the team for months but is set to rejoin Shane Beamer's squad.
Russian recon squad thwarted in Kherson oblast
A Russian combat reconnaissance squad attempted to infiltrate the rear of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from Kherson, unsuccessfully, head of the Kryvyi Rih administration Oleksandr Vilkul said in a video on June 1.
Kim Kardashian on How She and Pete Davidson First Got Together: ‘I Was Just Basically DTF’
A new episode of 'The Kardashians' sees Kim Kardashian providing the most insight yet on the early days of her and Pete Davidson's relationship.
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2022-06-04T03:42:20Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where Clemson ranks among the top 25 winningest teams of the last ten years
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-clemson-ranks-among-top-223232610.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-clemson-ranks-among-top-223232610.html?src=rss
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Matt Barrows of the Athletic detailed Davis-Price’s rise from Louisiana youth football to the third round of the draft. It’s a fascinating story, but one piece jumps out where Barrows, with the help of assistant general manager Adam Peters, details a play that put Davis-Price on the map for the 49ers. Via the Athletic:
In that game against the Crimson Tide, Davis-Price rushed for 104 yards on 23 carries in a 20-14 loss for the Tigers. It was his third 100-yard game in a stretch where he topped 100 yards in four out of five contests. Going into the 2021 season he’d only eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice in 23 games.
One of the other things the 49ers liked, per Barrows, was how strong Davis-Price ran late in games. A good fourth quarter is a microcosm of his college career.
Davis-Price in his first two years rushed for 741 yards and nine touchdowns on 168 carries in 23 games.
Over his final seven games at LSU he wrecked defenses to the tune of 863 yards and six touchdowns on 166 rushes. He got significantly more productive as his career progressed.
The 49ers are now hoping Davis-Price can continue the trajectory he set for himself during his late-season flurry last year. San Francisco had gone with a running back by committee approach under Shanahan up until last year when Mitchell burst on the scene and took on the lion’s share of the work.
Injuries stacked up in the backfield though and the team struggled to find consistency outside of Mitchell. Davis-Price could be the answer to their question marks behind Mitchell on the depth chart. He’s known for finishing games strong and finished his college career the same way. Now the task will be less about how he finishes, and more about how fast he can start his NFL career.
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2022-06-04T03:55:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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One play that sold 49ers on RB Tyrion Davis-Price
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https://sports.yahoo.com/one-play-sold-49ers-rb-021037425.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/one-play-sold-49ers-rb-021037425.html?src=rss
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NEW YORK — The Lightning won two straight Stanley Cups by perfecting the art of self-correction. They couldn’t be beaten two games in a row because you could trust that they would take a hard look at their own errors and ensure they wouldn’t make them again the next time out. Because of that, Tampa Bay was unbeatable in the postseason. With Friday night’s 3-2 Eastern Conference final Game 2 ...
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2022-06-04T04:47:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie West among notable names to miss the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open
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https://sports.yahoo.com/annika-sorenstam-michelle-wie-west-234924109.html?src=rss
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Players share the blame in Girardi’s firing: 'We haven't played to best of our ability' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
"The players are playing," Rhys Hoskins said. "The coaches aren't playing. The players are playing.
"At the end of the day, it's about results and the results need to get better."
"The way I look at it is it always comes down to the players because we're the ones that have to play," Nick Castellanos said. "If the players were playing better, we'd have more wins and Joe would still have a job. Joe would still have a job because we'd have more wins. We haven't played up to our potential as a group and a unit.
"At the end of the day, winning fixes everything and we haven't won that much so things start to get shaken up looking for different results and, unfortunately, a man lost his job."
It's that way in any walk of life.
The manager takes the heat when the group does not perform. That reality was reflected in some of Bryce Harper's comments.
"I think it definitely falls partly on the players," Harper said. "In all sports, any sport, the coach gets the dagger. It's usually partly on the players and partly on the staff, as well. As much as it's on us, it's on him, as well. It's on both of us and at this point he took it.
At the very least, Girardi's firing could be a kick in the butt for a sleepwalking team that has plenty of time remaining to chase a wild-card playoff spot even if the deficit in the division will be difficult to overcome.
"It better be," Castellanos said of the kick-in-the-butt possibility. "Because everybody in the clubhouse now knows that sh--'s not going well so changes were made. It's a sad day when somebody loses their job because we're not performing and I take that hard.
"Unfortunately, it's what happens when teams that are supposed to win don't win -- sad things like people losing their jobs happens."
"He's the type of person I hope I cross paths with in the future just because of the person he is," Hoskins said.
"He's put a lot of effort, time into this game and organization trying to make it great and get us to where we need to be," Harper said. "I just wanted to let him know I was thankful for that because of the time he spends away from his family. I put blame on guys in this clubhouse, myself included."
"He said he believes in us, he has our back and we're a talented group," Castellanos said. "He's ready and he's excited for this opportunity and we all can genuinely feel that."
"He's been in this organization for five years now," Harper said. "He knows the ins and outs. He brings that new voice, maybe he's more open now since he is the manager and not the bench coach. I think we'll see more out of him.
"We're going to come in here, play the game the right way, play it hard. He's got our back when we need it. He just wants us to play the game we need to play and understand we're a really good team. We just have to go out there and play our game. Part of this decision (is because) we didn't play to the best of our ability. Sometimes it happens. Joe is unfortunately the guy who got sent home."
Seth Trachtman looks at next week's top pitching matchups and two-start pitchers, including the emergence of Reds rookie Graham Ashcraft.
Bills officially sign former first-round pick Tavon Austin to one-year deal
#Bills officially sign former first-round pick Tavon Austin to one-year deal:
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2022-06-04T04:47:33Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Phillies fire Joe Girardi: Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Rhys Hoskins react
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The Miami Dolphins are experiencing a completely different style of coaching with Mike McDaniel taking over as head coach this offseason after Brian Flores’ firing.
Flores was reportedly extremely strict with his players and some may have felt that they weren’t allowed to be themselves. That’s something that a number of players say after playing for the fallen apples off of the Bill Belichick coaching tree.
No one may be undergoing more of a culture shock than quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. With McDaniel leading the team, things are a bit more relaxed for him.
Saban, due to his success and demanding nature, is often compared to Belichick, so having Flores in Miami probably wasn’t far off from those days. Having McDaniel on the field, in the locker room and in the meetings probably makes for lighter days for the quarterback.
Since his arrival, McDaniel has continued to praise Tagovailoa, and that’s something he’s not totally used to. That’s probably why the quarterback is opening up more than he had during his first two seasons in Miami.
While Flores and Saban may have been seen as overbearing, they’ve achieved varying levels of success. One is a seven-time national champion at the college level, and the other led the Dolphins to back-to-bk winning seasons for the first time in over 15 years.
McDaniel has yet to reach the heights that either has as a head coach. However, that could begin to change when the team hits the field in the regular season.
Tua Tagovailoa has heard the noise, and he's ready to respond
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa acknowledged the criticism he’s received on social media in his Thursday press conference, saying the Twitter warriors aren’t practicing with the team. It was one example of Tagovailoa’s increased confidence, which head coach Mike McDaniel said he’s noticed as the offseason program has gone on over the last couple of months. [more]
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2022-06-04T04:47:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tua Tagovailoa explains how Mike McDaniel is different than any coach he’s had
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tua-tagovailoa-explains-mike-mcdaniel-201748426.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tua-tagovailoa-explains-mike-mcdaniel-201748426.html?src=rss
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“I heard them chanting my name, which was pretty magical," Cole said.
“Got to the corner, but not quite as much break as we would've liked,” Cole said of the pitch.
“He was in complete control of virtually every at-bat," Detroit manager A.J. Hinch told reporters.
“I think anytime you're a close-knit group like those guys are and you're challenging each other and learning from one another, I think that environment is one that you have a better chance to thrive in,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “So I think that's happening.”
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2022-06-04T04:47:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Yanks' Cole loses perfect game night after Taillon's bid
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https://sports.yahoo.com/yanks-cole-loses-perfect-game-020040780.html?src=rss
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The Queen decided to not attend on Friday the 'blue riband' that is named in honour of Piggott, who as a jockey won a record nine Derbies and died last Sunday aged 86, and whose favourite Desert Crown is trained by five-time winner Stoute.
Aside from the Covid-19 affected Derbies of 2020 and 2021 she has only previously missed the race in 1956 and 1984 in her 70-year reign.
However, she will tune in to watch a race she has always yearned to win but came closest when Aureole was a four-lengths second to Pinza in 1953.
"It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom Downs but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television," said Jockey Club director Phil White.
Five of her former racehorses will parade and 40 jockeys who have ridden for her during her reign will line up as a 'guard of honour' wearing her colours, a purple and scarlet jacket with gold braiding, with black cap.
The jockeys will wear black armbands and there will be a minute's applause on Saturday at 1500GMT, half an hour before the race is due off.
"Running The Derby in his memory, which we believe has not been done in the 242 previous editions of the race, is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest jockeys of the modern era," said White.
The ultimately ill-fated Shergar, who the Barbados-born trainer calls a "freak", destroyed his rivals in a 10-length romp -- John Matthias the jockey of runner-up Glint of Gold was so far behind he thought momentarily he had won.
Whilst he may not have the firepower when he was younger, his close friend West Indies cricket legend Michael Holding says there is plenty of top wins in the old fellow yet.
"Desert Crown could possibly win the Derby and that would show people, yes, he is no longer a spring chicken, but he has not lost his talent," Holding told AFP.
pi/nr/mw
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2022-06-04T05:52:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Stoute bids for another crowning moment in 'Piggott's' Derby
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(Original Caption) "I'm the champ!" screams Cassius Clay as his handlers hug him joyfully after he defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing title. Clay was credited with a 7th round TKO when Liston was unable to answer the bell because of a shoulder injury suffered in the first round. (Photo via Getty Images)
As a young boy who grew up wanting nothing more than to be a famous sportswriter, I read everything I could get my hands on that had to do about sports: Books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters. If it had to do with sports, I read it.
I always awakened a half-hour early when I was in school. I’d get up, run to the driveway and grab the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the morning newspaper, and read the sports section before heading off to school. In the afternoon, I’d get the Pittsburgh Press, the city’s afternoon paper, and do the same before heading out to do whatever a kid does in the best days of his life.
As I moved into my teenage years, I found myself seeking out reading material more often on one subject: Muhammad Ali.
Ring Magazine. KO Magazine. Boxing Illustrated. Sports Illustrated. Sport. Inside Sports. Life. Look. Time. Newsweek.
If it had an article about Ali, I would buy it and read it. Some of them would still refer to him as “Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali,” even though he’d legally changed his name to Ali years earlier. He was a regular on the late night talk shows hosted by Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett and others. Sometimes, he appeared on the daytime talk shows like the one hosted by Mike Douglas. If I knew Ali was on, I would watch. I’d have to beg my mother to awaken me if Ali was on "The Tonight Show" or Cavett’s show because it was long after bedtime.
I learned to love a man I’d never met, whom I’d vigorously defend against the many I knew who never hesitated to take shots at him.
And so, six years ago on Friday when he died in a Phoenix, Arizona, hospital at 74, I paused for about 10 minutes before finalizing the obituary I’d written about him and wept unabashedly. In many ways, my life is what it is because of Muhammad Ali.
Because of my love of reading, and of the voluminous amounts written about this unique man, I, in fact, did become a sportswriter.
He taught me to stand up for what I believe in, to treat people with kindness, to ignore the color of their skin and the God they worshipped and take the true measure of a man.
He taught me to have fun, to enjoy the many curiosities I’d find in the world, to love talking with others and sharing a good time. Ali was at his best when there were people around.
He attended, as did I, the 2000 welterweight bout in Los Angeles between Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley. Ali entered the Staples Center during the undercard, when the late Diego Corrales was fighting Justin Juuko.
In the media section, I became aware of a commotion behind me. I turned around and saw people in the upper deck of then-Staples Center standing, looking down at something going on. I figured there was a fight in the stands they were watching.
I soon found out how wrong I was, as the familiar chant picked up.
“Ali!” the crowd screamed. “Ali! Ali! Ali!”
Muhammad Ali meets actor Sidney Poitier (L) as they arrive to watch the WBC welterweight championship between Shane "Sugar Shane" Mosley and Oscar de la Hoya at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, 17 June 2000. (Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)
It was thunderous as the nearly 20,000 fans recognized him, surrounded as ever by a massive entourage, and chanted his name repeatedly for what was only about a couple of minutes but seemed like it was hours.
That was a scene that happened everywhere he went. When he was picked to light the Olympic Cauldron to start the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, it was a tightly guarded secret and few knew he’d be there.
Swimmer Janet Evans raced up the ramp with the lit torch to hand it to the person who would light the cauldron. From behind a curtain, out walked Ali, his Parkinson’s making his arms noticeably shake. Evan reached her torch to Ali’s and she lit it. There was a gasp from the crowd as the surprise was real, before, of course, the place erupted to celebrate this unique man’s life and what he meant not only to our country but to the world.
“Look at him!” NBC’s Bob Costas said. “Still a great, great presence. Still exuding nobility and stature. The response he evokes is part affection, part excitement and especially respect.”
He was at one point the most famous man on Earth, as recognizable in the middle of Africa or on an island in the South Pacific as he was walking down the middle of a busy street in Manhattan.
He was a man with flaws, many of them, in fact. But he grew and he learned and he evolved. He made statements that were racist in his early years, but in his later years, he risked his life to fly to Iran to meet with the Ayatollah Khomeini to rescue a group of hostages and bring them home.
He was an iconic athlete, at his peak the absolute best to do it in his sport. But he was more a man of the world whose impact went far beyond his ability to beat up another man.
At his funeral in Louisville, Kentucky, President Obama delivered a powerful eulogy that always stuck with me. In particular, a couple of sentences Obama said put Ali in the proper context for those who may not have been alive when he first burst onto the national scene.
“I actually think the world flocked to him in wonder precisely because, as he once put it, Muhammad Ali was America,” Obama said. “Brash, defiant, pioneering, joyful, never tired, always game to test the odds. He was our most basic freedoms — religion, speech, spirit. He embodied our ability to invent ourselves. His life spoke to our original sin of slavery and discrimination, and the journey he traveled helped to shock our conscience and lead us on a roundabout path toward salvation. And, like America, he was always very much a work in progress.
“We’d do him a disservice to gauze up his story, to sand down his rough edges, to talk only of floating butterflies and stinging bees. Ali was a radical even in a radical’s time; a loud, proud, unabashedly Black voice in a Jim Crow world. His jabs knocked some sense into us, pushing us to expand our imaginations and bring others into our understanding. There were times he swung a bit wildly, wounding the wrong opponent, as he was the first to admit. But through all his triumphs and failures, Ali seemed to achieve the sort of enlightenment, an inner peace, that we’re all striving toward.”
I miss him with all of my being. As long as I draw a breath, he will always be in my heart.
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2022-06-04T06:53:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Boxing: There's never been anyone like Muhammad Ali
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https://sports.yahoo.com/remembering-muhammad-alis-massive-impact-on-the-sixth-anniversary-of-his-death-130013547.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/remembering-muhammad-alis-massive-impact-on-the-sixth-anniversary-of-his-death-130013547.html?src=rss
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Nick Sardis, Oklahoman
Arizona found itself in another nail-biter in its second game at the Women’s College World Series.
Fresh off a heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma State, the Wildcats were on the brink of elimination as they played Oregon State on Friday night.
It was another close one for the Wildcats.
But this time, they had enough firepower to get the win.
Arizona extended its season with a 3-1 victory against Oregon State at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. The Wildcats scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning to break a tie before reliever Hanah Bowen held off an Oregon State rally in the seventh.
Arizona (39-21) will play the Oklahoma State-Florida loser in its next elimination game at 6 p.m. Sunday.
“It feels awesome,” said Caitlin Lowe, who is in her first season as Arizona’s head coach. “I told them after the game that they were meant for this stage, and I truly believe they were going to chip away and make it happen. Nothing really got too big. They were amped at the beginning of the game, but they knew they were going to win that game on this stage.”
Arizona outfielder Paige Dimler (22) makes a diving catch for an out against Oregon State during the third inning of an NCAA softball Women's College World Series game Friday, June 3, 2022, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
Friday night’s matchup featured a pair of great starting pitching performances.
Arizona’s Devyn Netz went five innings and allowed just one earned run and three hits before Bowen came in and earned the win.
Netz struggled a little bit early but never got rattled.
“At this level everyone is going to score at least one run, two runs,” the sophomore said. “This is postseason, so this is going to be a tight game no matter what. I knew if I just trusted in my team, they were going to have my back.”
Oregon State ace Mariah Mazon, who missed the team’s WCWS opener against Florida because of an undisclosed issue, pitched all six innings for the Beavers (39-22). The senior gave up six hits and three earned runs.
Arizona’s victory came down to some clutch offense in the sixth.
Carlie Scupin gave the Wildcats their first lead with a double that scored pinch runner Amber Toven. Blaise Biringer extended the lead on a single that scored pinch runner Giulia Koutsoyanopu.
Those were the first runs in the game since the second inning, when Oregon State’s Madison Simon hit a sacrifice fly and Arizona’s Sophia Carroll belted an RBI double.
“I think as a team we really had all good at-bats at the game,” Scupin said. “We had to execute at some point. It could have been any of us. We just all had to come through.”
While Arizona extended its stay in Oklahoma City, Oregon State will head back to Corvallis following a breakout season.
The Beavers were in the WCWS for the second time overall and first since 2006.
They had some special players, most notably Mazon, who certainly left her mark at Oregon State.
“She has created a name for our program,” Oregon State sophomore left fielder Madison Simon said. “She has done a lot, carried our team through a lot of situations. She's just a great teammate overall in general, too.
“We all wanted to do this for her, too. It's her last time. That was just mainly our goal.”
Mazon was emotional after the game.
“I don't want to start crying,” she said. “This is like one of the best years I've had, like all the relationships with the girls on the team. Oregon State in general just gave me a great five years. I don't really have any words. It's just been amazing, and I'm so glad that I came to Oregon State, chose to play under Coach (Laura) Berg.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Arizona Wildcats beats Oregon State Beavers in WCWS NCAA softball
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2022-06-04T08:47:08Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NCAA softball: Arizona Wildcats hold off Oregon State Beavers in WCWS elimination game
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Rafael Nadal checks on Alexander Zverev after he fell to the court in their French Open semifinal. Playing on his 36th birthday, Nadal won the first set 7-6 (8). The second set also was headed to a tiebreaker when Zverev went down. (Michel Euler / Associated Press)
"Only thing that I can say is I hope he’s not too bad. Hopefully, it’s just the normal thing when you turn your ankle, and hopefully nothing [is broken]. That’s what everybody hopes," Nadal said. "Even if for me it’s a dream to be in the final of Roland Garros, of course that way is not the way that we want it to be. If you are human, you should feel very sorry for a colleague."
"The conditions were not the ideal for me this afternoon — or the way that I like to play, normally, here," Nadal said. "That’s why I was not able to create the damage that I wanted."
Casper Ruud celebrates after defeating Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the French Open semifinals. (Christophe Ena / Associated Press)
"He’s a perfect example of how you should behave on court: Never give up and never complain. He’s been my idol for all my life," said Ruud, who his coached by his father, Christian, a pro player from 1991 to 2001. "I guess this is perfect timing and worth the wait to finally play him in a Grand Slam final."
A climate activist protests at the net during Casper Ruud's semifinal against Marin Cilic. (Michel Euler / Associated Press)
"All the sacrifices, and all the things that I need to go through to try to keep playing," Nadal said, "really make sense when you enjoy moments like I’m enjoying in this tournament."
Morning Roundup: Del City's Garrison selected for Team USA; Stillwater's Holliday wins award
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2022-06-04T10:44:05Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rafael Nadal reaches French Open final after injured Alexander Zverev bows out
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rafael-nadal-reaches-french-open-005656574.html?src=rss
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Steichen to call offensive plays again in 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Jalen Hurts has talked about how much he’ll benefit from having the same offensive system and play caller for the second straight season in 2022.
On Friday, we got clarification that those jobs fall on two different people.
While we knew that Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen was the guy calling plays into Hurts last year and we knew Steichen gained more play calling responsibilities as the year went on, head coach Nick Sirianni as recently as late December said they had been calling plays “together” in 2021.
Turns out, Steichen was really the offensive play caller for the second half of the season. And he’ll be the offensive play caller going forward.
“I think last year we were a new staff, and we were evolving as an offense,” Steichen said at OTAs on Friday. “So as the season got going on, I ended up taking over more of the play calling mid-season. Then again, Nick has a stamp on every single thing we do. So, in the meeting rooms he has a stamp on everything we do, every play that's on that call sheet, he makes sure it's justified, boom, and we're good to go.
“So going forward, I'll be calling the plays next year, and we'll go from there.”
Of course, the Eagles are correct in saying that this is a collaboration. And it’s important to note that it’s still Sirianni’s offense. But having Steichen call plays last year not only streamlined the Eagles’ process but it also allowed Sirianni to focus on the other aspects of his job on Sundays from a game management standpoint.
And Steichen seemed to have a knack for calling plays, especially for his young second-year quarterback.
“I think he tries to put guys in positions to make plays,” Hurts said. “I think there’s a lot of consulting going on throughout the week. You have Nick Sirianni, [passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo], Coach Brian Johnson and myself, we’re all getting together, talking about what do we want to do? How do we want to attack this? Put guys in these situations. It’s a collaborative thing, but I think [Steichen] does a great job and I’m excited to have him back again.”
Steichen, 37, explained that he and Sirianni think very similarly about offense. That likely dates back to their days together with the Chargers and has continued now that Steichen is on Sirianni’s staff in Philly.
The collaboration process Steichen and Hurts spoke of begins during the week of preparation, when the Eagles go through plays for situational football. While Steichen is the guy choosing the play and calling it into Hurts, these scenarios have been talked about all week.
“We have a system,” Steichen said. “We have an opener. We go through the 3rd downs. We go through everything we do, week in and week out, so we're prepared for the game. So once the game starts, we're kind of on the same page.
“Then in between series just like every team probably does around the league, you talk through the next series of plays, ‘Hey, here's what we're going to go with, boom, boom, boom, be ready for this in this situation,’ just so all the coaches are on the same page.”
While we don’t exactly know when Steichen took over play calling duties during last season, it is notable that around the middle of the season, when Steichen said the change took place, the Eagles began to run the ball an awful lot. And they really made their playoff push behind the strength of that rushing attack.
Of course, the Eagles only became a running team out of necessity. They realized that’s what needed to happen for their team to be successful. But they finished as the 25th-ranked passing offense in the league. That’s not good enough.
With the addition of A.J. Brown, the Eagles are expected to have a better passing offense. Sirianni has said the Eagles need to get better in that area; and after all, he’s still in charge.
“On game day, he's the head coach,” Steichen said, “and if he wants something called, he'll tell me and I'll get it called.”
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2022-06-04T11:44:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles’ Shane Steichen to call plays again in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-shane-steichen-call-plays-110000010.html?src=rss
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“We have to clean some things up on offense on that one. We messed that up and we have to keep running on that one,” head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos’ offensive playcaller, said afterward. “But I thought it was a great reactionary play for (Surtain). That was the first pick of the OTAs, of the offseason, so we’re going to be hearing about that. But that was a helluva job across the board.”
Later in the week, wide receiver Tim Patrick, who ran the route Hackett took issue with, said Surtain made “a helluva play.”
Making head-turning plays, though, is nothing new for the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, despite the fact he's just entering his second year in the NFL.
In fact, the 22-year-old Surtain is a core piece of an otherwise veteran secondary that insists it has the chops to be one of the league’s best.
Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II takes part in drills Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at the NFL football team's headquarters in Centennial, Colo.
It might still remain a stretch to call him the centerpiece of the Broncos’ back end – sixth-year safety Justin Simmons has been named second-team All-Pro two of the past three years – but Surtain is a fascinating figure in the organization nonetheless. Denver selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft when many around the league expected the organization to take a quarterback. Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance were already off the board, but Justin Fields and Mac Jones were still there and went to Chicago and New England, respectively, in the next six picks.
Fast forward a year and Denver has Wilson as its quarterback and Surtain ascending as a player who’s quickly gained the respect of his older teammates.
Take Kareem Jackson, for example. When Jackson was selected – just like Surtain, as a first-round cornerback out of Alabama – in 2010, Surtain had just turned 10 years old.
Now Jackson is entering his 13th professional season and fourth in Denver, and he knows what he sees in Surtain.
“I say this all the time about Pat: A guy with that size, speed and to still have the technique that he has is rare. To be that young (and have those traits), anyway,” Jackson said. “For him, I know he wants to get better in every aspect. He comes out every day and puts the work in.”
The other likely member of a starting quartet is eighth-year corner Ronald Darby, who in 2015 finished runner up for the Associated Press’ defensive rookie of the year award.
“For sure Pro Bowl, for sure,” Darby said of Surtain’s Year 2 prospects earlier in the offseason. “He’s more comfortable as well with the defense. You know what he can do on the field, we’ve all seen it. I know he’s going to be great this year. … Not a lot of guys can come out of college, especially at corner, and get thrown into a starting role and play as good as he did.
“Like, to me, he had a Pro Bowl year last year, and I know he’s going to continue to build on to that.”
More than offseason compliments, though, the veteran trio provide a sounding board and something like a high-end finishing school for Surtain as he tries to make the leap into the NFL’s elite class of cover men.
“He’s been honing in on the small details. I sit next to him in the meetings, so, just the little stuff that I see, I just try to help him,” Jackson said. "It’s been night and day difference from his rookie year, and he had a helluva rookie year. Seeing him now, he’s so much more patient in everything that he does. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what he does on Sundays.”
Teams will know more about Surtain this fall and perhaps tilt their passing attacks to account for him more than they did as a rookie. Within the division, the Las Vegas Raiders added All-Pro Davante Adams to their receiving corps. The Kansas City Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill but added a pair of veterans in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Jackson is trying to help Surtain get ready for the different looks offenses will present him as he becomes more of a focal point.
“I’ve seen a lot of things that I can kind of relay to him,” Jackson said. “Me and Pat have been talking a lot about, we see a lot of cut splits in practice, so we’ve been talking a lot about that, trying to get him more patient in his (backpedal) when he’s not out wide. Guys, obviously, are going to get in cut splits so he can’t get his hands on them, so trying to get him to be patient but still be aggressive in his mindset and his technique.
“He’s been doing a great job. Being able to see it for nine years (as a corner), I just try to give him any info that I have.”
Surtain said he’ll really dive into tendencies and scouting the receivers Denver will face in the first part of the season, particularly within the division, in the time between OTAs and training camp. For now, he’s focused on his own game.
“I think the next step is just to keep on building on it, keep on growing and keep on learning every day,” Surtain said. “In the league, you learn from experience. That’s the best thing about it, is growing and utilizing your time wisely so you can understand what it takes to be a pro in this league.
“That’s what I’m doing.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pat Surtain II has Broncos thinking 'Pro Bowl, for sure' in Year 2
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2022-06-04T11:44:33Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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'Pro Bowl, for sure': Broncos placing great expectations on Pat Surtain II ahead of Year 2
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New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium.
Malcolm Butler, who has played seven NFL seasons and made the game-saving interception in the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX win, is in his first season with the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Malcolm Butler starts from scratch in NFL comeback with Patriots
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2022-06-04T11:44:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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An underdog once more, Malcolm Butler looks to prove himself with the Patriots — again
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We don’t yet know who will be the primary offensive play-caller for the Detroit Lions in 2022. Head coach Dan Campbell declared at OTAs this week that he’s not ready to make the decision “until the season’s almost here”.
But if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson gets the playcalling nod, the rookie OC will be ready. Johnson, who stepped into a more prominent role late in the 2021 season, talked up his confidence and his experience at calling plays.
“I’m confident I’m ready, I am,” Johnson said this week. “Once again, you got to be put in those situations to truly know, but our game planning process is so detailed that I think on game day it takes care of itself. Because you know exactly what you want and where you want.”
Johnson also cited his time with the Miami Dolphins, where he served in several offensive coaching capacities — including a stint as the TE coach under then-interim head coach Dan Campbell in 2015.
“The five percent that gets hard is the end of the game, end of the half situations where the clock is running, you got to think quickly,” Johnson stated. “And those are the situations I actually have experience with from my time in Miami, doing that in practice with some of our guys. So I know what pitfalls there potentially are. It’s a learning experience, no doubt about it, but it’s one I certainly feel confident about.”
New Lions OC Ben Johnson breaks down what the team wants in a wide receiver this offseason
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2022-06-04T14:03:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ben Johnson ready to call the Lions offensive plays if asked
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-johnson-ready-call-lions-130911287.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-johnson-ready-call-lions-130911287.html?src=rss
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Lecitus Smith
American football offensive tackle
He spoke with reporters on Wednesday after his first day of practice.
Since he is one of the veteran leaders on the team, he was asked about two of the Cardinals’ draft picks, offensive linemen Lecitus Smith and Marquis Hayes. Smith was drafted in the sixth round and Hayes in the seventh.
“I have no idea who they are,” he said. “I’m just being frank.”
It makes sense, as he has not been in the building during the voluntary part of the offseason, opting to spend more of the offseason with his family and working out on his own.
Being that he spoke to reporters right after practice, it is quite possible he has not even had a chance to meet them and even say hello. Beachum runs with the starters, while both Smith and Hayes are at the back of the line for practice and drill reps.
He said he would be able to give more information later.
“The pads will come on at State Farm Stadium,” he said. “When that process takes place, I’ll be able to give you a better assessment.
“Right now, we just got back, I’m making new friends.”
Now it is the end of the week, he likely knows who Smith and Hayes are. But because in OTAs and minicamp, practices are without pads, there is no way to know whether the rookies at the line of scrimmage look good or not.
How the Cardinals have fared vs. their 2022 opponents
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2022-06-04T14:03:43Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Don’t ask Cardinals OL Kelvin Beachum about the rookies yet
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Baltimore ended up signing Kyle Fuller to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million. He provides a very solid veteran option at the position that has positional versatility, something that the Ravens value quite a bit out of their players. Fuller can play both inside and outside, which is very valuable considering that both Humphrey and Peters are coming off of season-ending injuries in 2021.
Fuller was selected at No. 14 overall out of Virginia Tech by the Chicago Bears in 2014. He’s been extremely durable over the course of his eight-year career, although he did miss the entirety of the 2016 season after undergoing a knee scope before the year began. Outside of that he’s missed just one game in seven seasons.
During his time in the NFL, Fuller has accumulated 441 total tackles, 19 interceptions and four forced fumbles. He’s also made two Pro Bowls and has one First-Team All-Pro selection to his name. He’s a very accomplished player, one that should be able to teach what he’s learned from his years as a professional with his new teammates.
All in all, Fuller gives the Ravens a reliable cornerback who can fill in at multiple positions. While he admittedly struggled in Denver during the 2021 season with the Broncos, he has the potential to bounce back in first-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s system. He’s a low-risk, high-reward signing that feels like it could pay off in a big way.
Both Titans starting linebackers received solid rankings from Pro Football Focus.
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2022-06-04T14:03:56Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Grading the Ravens’ signing of CB Kyle Fuller
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(Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
Mills was the eighth quarterback taken in the 2021 draft; the Texans selected him with the 67th overall pick in the third round out of Stanford. Mills’ injury history, relative lack of mobility, and at times inconsistent play made him backup material in the eyes of many, but the backup quickly became a starter in Houston’s highly undefined quarterback situation — he took that title in Week 3 and never really looked back. Only Mac Jones had more touchdown passes (24) than Mills’ 16 among rookies, only Trevor Lawrence (97.3) and Trey Lance had higher passer ratings than Mills’ 88.8, and only Jones (67.3%) Had a higher completion rate than Mills’ 66.8%.
Where Mills showed the most skill in his rookie campaign was as a deep passer — in his rookie season, he completed 20 of 42 passes of 20 or more air yards for 643 yards, six touchdowns, one interception, and an NFL-high passer rating of 123.5. That NFL-high deep passer rating is among all quarterbacks, not just rookies.
Whether from the slot or outside, Lockett has become one of the game’s most proficient and technically practiced targets in the NFL. No matter who his quarterback may be.
They’re back. Don’t tell your parents. Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe is making its way to Paramount+ later this month, MTV Entertainment Studios announced on Thursday. The movie is a sequel to Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996). Along with the news that the film from creator Mike Judge will drop exclusively on the […]
Yordan Álvarez, Aledmys Díaz and Martín Maldonado each homered and the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 10-3 Friday night for their fifth straight win. Álvarez, who reportedly reached agreement on a $115 million, six-year contract, also had a pair of singles for his fifth straight multi-hit game. “It’s always great when I get a chance to be in the lineup and contribute to the team,” Díaz said.
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2022-06-04T14:04:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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The NFL’s most underrated offensive players
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Tennessee Titans linebacker David Long has been trending up the past few seasons and is set to enter the 2022 campaign as the starter once again alongside fellow linebacker Zach Cunningham.
Long’s rise up the depth chart and his stellar play overall has gone unnoticed outside of Nashville, so it’s good to see Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson showing him some love.
Monson ranked Long, who has been an absolute steal since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft, as the No. 17 linebacker in the NFL going into 2022, placing him in the “young ascending” tier in the rankings.
Long wasn’t the only Titans linebacker to make the list, though. Cunningham landed even higher than Long, coming in at No. 11 in the “best of the rest” tier.
Cunningham is one of the most run-focused linebackers in the game, but his PFF coverage grade has declined throughout his career, dripping from average at best to outright poor over the last two seasons.
In 2021, Long appeared in 10 games (nine starts) and was his usual solid self against the run. Long also improved in pass coverage, tallying career-bests in completion percentage (70.7%) allowed, passer rating allowed (61.0), passes defended (six) and interceptions (two).
“His ability to be here, to work and compete, David is a passionate player. I really appreciate that about him,” head coach Mike Vrabel said of Long recently. “I feel like our relationship has gotten better each and every year. We’re trying to harness some of that passion that he has. It’s just been good to see him grow in our scheme and understand what’s going on.”
The 2022 campaign will be a very important one for Long, as he’s set to hit free agency in 2023. If he can stay healthy and put together another season like he has in the past two, he should get himself a nice payday, whether it comes from the Titans or another team on the open market.
Arkansas baseball only needed two pitchers to beat Grand Canyon at the Stillwater regional, and the Razorback bats got a much-needed boost.
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2022-06-04T14:04:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ David Long called a ‘young ascending’ LB in PFF’s rankings
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IRVING, Texas (AP) There are representatives from the Big 12's four future members attending the conference's spring meetings, along with the lingering presence of Texas and Oklahoma, the league's only football national champions who still are three years away from their scheduled departures to the SEC.
''This meeting has got some weirdness to it,'' Bowlsby said. ''It would be less than forthright to not admit that there's some strangeness to it, and perhaps even some periods when there's a little bit of tension. But, you know, people are working together in good faith. And we get along and work together because we have to.''
''I don't know that the change in membership is causing us any particular scrambling,'' Bowlsby said. ''The members going out, the continuing members, we all share the same challenges. ... It's not like they're coming in to a uniquely different environment with a different set of challenges.''
''I think the tenor's good. I mean, honestly, you move on from some of the decisions. We know the two schools, Oklahoma and Texas, are leaving. But at the same time, they're league members for the next two years,'' West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons said. ''And with the four new schools coming in ... they start having a voice in the process. You're looking at the league as a whole to say what's best for the league.''
Texas AD Chris Del Conte said there is ''nothing that's contentious.'' He described the meetings business as usual while including discussions about the reshaping of the league.
''It's a little different, but we're all participating and making decisions that are going to best serve the institutions, for us for a shorter period of time than the others,'' Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione said.
Bowlsby said the agenda for the annual meetings that began Wednesday maybe should have been color-coded. There were some items for the current 10 members, some for all 14 schools, others for the future schools that are observing and interacting without a vote on issues, and even some for only the eight remaining schools - Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU and West Virginia.
There will be no final decisions this week on future schedules - for football or other sports - and if the league would return to divisions.
''We're still considering whether divisions are the right thing for us, or whether one group together is the right thing,'' said Bowlsby, adding that could differ among sports.
''So where do we end up somewhere in between, where our student-athletes can capitalize of name, image and likeness, but we're not using them for pay-for-play, and we're not using it for inducements,'' Lyons said. ''That's the bad part right now ... some institutions are using it as recruiting inducements and making promises on the front end. And that was really never anticipated. It was a matter of once a student-athlete becomes a student-athlete, how he or she can capitalize off their name, image and likeness.''
By this time next year, the university leaders who oversee the College Football Playoff want the next format for determining a champion settled. Mississippi State President Mark Keenum, the chairman of the CFP Board of Managers, said Thursday the conference commissioners in charge of building the postseason system for the 2026 season and beyond will restart the task in the coming weeks. The CFP management committee, comprised of 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, spent the final six months of 2021 trying to come to unanimous agreement on a 12-team plan — but never got there.
Texas hosted top defender DJ Hicks for the third time in the last 12 months, and it was another productive visit.
Florida Medicaid regulator sides against including gender-affirming care
Florida was one of at least 17 states in the country that had not taken a position in addressing Medicaid coverage for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg's rehab stint in Rochester continued to go well after another shining performance against Buffalo.
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2022-06-04T14:17:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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'Some weirdness' at Big 12 with future and soon former teams
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https://sports.yahoo.com/weirdness-big-12-future-soon-214142001.html?src=rss
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We’ve already covered the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils. Today we examine the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Chicago Blackhawks have qualified for the postseason only once in the past five years. The team acquired Marc-Andre Fleury and Seth Jones in big offseason trades in an attempt to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Both players managed to perform admirably, but the Blackhawks finished worse than they did during the 2020-21 campaign’s 56-game schedule.
Chicago posted a mark of 28-42-12 to place 27th overall in the league standings. The team got off a slow start, with only one win in 12 games (1-9-2), and fired head coach Jeremy Colliton in early November. Derek King, who had been coaching in the AHL for Rockford, took over behind the bench and won his first four contests at the NHL level. Unfortunately, that momentum wasn’t maintained and the early hole prove to be difficult to dig out of in a deep Central Division that sent five teams to the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Blackhawks have struggled mightily defensively in recent years, but it was the offense that was much more of problematic in 2021-22. Chicago averaged just 2.60 goals for per game played, which tied them with Seattle and was better than just three other teams. Generating shots and scoring opportunities was a major problem. The Blackhawks placed 31st overall in shots for per game played (28.8), while ranking 31st in scoring chances and 32nd in high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5. Chicago also ranked dead last in high-danger chances per 60 in all situations. Additionally, the Blackhawks tied for third in the NHL with 30 losses when outshot by their opponents.
Patrick Kane led the team with 92 points in 78 outings, while piling up 66 assists. Alex DeBrincat was also a bright spot for the Blackhawks offensively, while topping the team with 41 goals and producing 78 points in 82 matches. Seth Jones provided 46 helpers and 51 points across 78 contests, while Dylan Strome had 22 goals and 48 points in 69 appearances.
Brandon Hagel had 21 goals and 37 points in 55 matches prior to being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blackhawks acquired first-round picks in 2023 and 2024 in the deal, which are top-10 protected, along with Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk. Chicago also dealt Fleury to Minnesota in exchange for a 2022 second rounder. He was leaned on heavily before he was moved, while being started in 45 of 63 games. He faced 28.2 shots per game and managed to post a .908 save percentage, which was pretty good given the circumstances. Chicago had a save percentage of .890 when Fleury wasn’t between the pipes. The Blackhawks will need to sort out their goaltending situation this summer. Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia are both pending unrestricted free agents and Arvid Soderblom had some rough showings during his first taste of NHL action.
Chicago gave up their first-round pick for the 2022 NHL Draft, which would have been sixth overall, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Jones trade. The team will need more from young players like Lukas Reichel, Philipp Kurashev, Kirby Dach, Raddysh, Alex Vlasic, Caleb Jones and others next season to provide some much-needed secondary scoring. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise if other trades or big-ticket signings were made to delay the start of a rebuild for at least one more season. It will be the final years of the Kane and Jonathan Toews contracts in 2022-23. DeBrincat will also become a restricted free agent next summer and he will have arbitration rights.
Chicago could miss the playoffs for a third straight year next season. It won’t be easy for the team to get back on track, as the Central Division offers plenty of competition.
Dylan Strome - Strome went from being rarely utilized in the lineup to the team’s top-line center between Kane and DeBrincat. He certainly benefited from the increased opportunity, while racking up 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games from Jan. 4 until the end of the season. Strome is a pending restricted free agent this summer and he will have arbitration rights. There has been some speculation about him not receiving a qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent if that happened. However, his play in the second half of the 2021-22 season suggests that he could be part of the team’s core group moving forward. Chicago also currently lacks center depth and allowing Strome to walk for nothing would be a waste of a potential trade chip if he continues to produce at the start of the 2022-23 campaign. It will be interesting to see what the team decides to do because he would likely have plenty of suitors on the trade front or as a potential free agent.
Kirby Dach - Dach generated a mere nine goals and 26 points in 70 games during the 2021-22 season. He was also credited with 116 shots, 44 blocks and 49 hits. Coach Derek King talked about Dach’s “untapped” offensive upside late in the year. The 21-year-old forward has displayed flashes of promise during his first three NHL seasons, while seeing time as a top-six forward, but he ended up being pushed further down the depth chart in 2021-22 and never seemed to be able to find a rhythm offensively. Dach, who was the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has plenty of potential and he needs to display much more progression in 2022-23. He is also a restricted free agent this summer, but he doesn’t have arbitration rights following his entry-level deal, and will probably get a “show-me” type contract from the Blackhawks.
Tyler Johnson - Johnson was acquired from Tampa Bay with the hope that an increased role would provide Chicago with some secondary scoring. Unfortunately, Johnson spent most of the season on the injury list and he was limited to just 26 appearances during the 2021-22 campaign. That included sitting out 46 games because of a neck injury that required surgery. Johnson also spent time on the sidelines due to a concussion and COVID-19 protocol. Johnson produced only three goals, seven points, 30 shots and 37 hits when he was in the lineup. It was a year he would probably like to forget. He should get a chance to bounce back in 2022-23 as a top-six forward for the Blackhawks.
Dominik Kubalik - Kubalik took a step backwards in 2021-22, while generating 15 goals and 32 points in 78 games. He had 17 markers and 38 points over 56 matches the previous campaign after he produced 30 goals and 46 points during his rookie year. The good news for Kubalik and the Blackhawks was that he started to heat up down the stretch. He had four goals, 11 points and 30 shots in his final 16 outings of the season. Kubalik picked up points in bunches before that. He is also set to become a restricted free agent this summer and he will have arbitration rights.
Vince Velasquez was in line to start Friday for the Chicago White Sox in the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Instead, the right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list with with a left groin strain. The move is retroactive to Tuesday. Sox manager Tony La Russa said the injury occurred while Velasquez was shagging baseballs during a recent batting practice ...
The Arizona Cardinals expect big things out of second-year wide receiver Rondale Moore following his transition to being a primary slot receiver
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2022-06-04T14:17:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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What Went Wrong: Chicago Blackhawks
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Before you know it, Penn State football will be back. Fans of the Nittany Lions won’t have to wait quite as long as they typically do every offseason as Penn State’s season opener at Purdue has been moved up to a Thursday night to help lead into the first full weekend of college football action in 2022. And it appears the Nittany Lions will be starting an interesting 2022 season as a slight favorite on the road against the potentially dangerous Boilermakers.
The first batch of game odds from Tipico for the opening weeks of the college football season have officially been released, including Penn State’s road game at Purdue on Thursday, Sept. 1. Penn State is a slight favorite on the road, with Tipico giving the home team just over a field goal on the point spread. There hasn’t been a point total assigned to the game by Tipico at this point in time.
This will mark the third consecutive season Penn State will open a new year on the road and against a Big Ten opponent. Penn State lost ay Indiana to start a modified 2020 schedule in Big Ten-only play, and the Nittany Lions won a defensive battle in Madison against Wisconsin to open the 2021 season.
Penn State is 15-3-1 all-time against Purdue, and the Nittany Lions currently own a nine-game winning streak in the series dating back to 2005. Penn State is 7-2 all-time in games played on Purdue’s campus. The most recent trip to Ross-Ade Stadium resulted in a 62-24 victory by Penn State. Purdue held a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter but Trace McSorley passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns, two of which were thrown to Chris Godwin, and Saquon Barkley went off for 207 yards and two touchdowns as Penn State dominated the second half after being tied at 17-17 at halftime.
This year’s matchup should be considerably closer than that lopsided result. Penn State’s last loss at Purdue came in 2003, with No. 18 Purdue coming on top by a score of 28-14 with Kyle Orton playing quarterback for the Boilermakers. Penn State’s Micahel Robinson had a rough day throwing the football, completing just 10 of his 32 pass attempts with two interceptions and 98 total passing yards.
Purdue will have some questions at the wide receiver position after losing its leading receiver to the NFL draft and losing its returning leading receiver to an injury. Given that Penn State is a bit of a mystery heading into the 2022 season with a lack of general consensus on just where the team stands, this small point spread seems to make sense this far out from kickoff.
Point spread: Penn State -3.5 (-114)
Money line: Penn State -170 / Purdue +133
Over-under: N/A
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2022-06-04T14:55:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tipico releases odds for Penn State’s road season opener at Purdue
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tipico-releases-odds-penn-state-141527011.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tipico-releases-odds-penn-state-141527011.html?src=rss
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Chris Cwik and Liz Roscher
The No. 1 women's tennis player in the world wouldn't be denied at the 2022 French Open. Iga Swiatek extended her incredible win streak to 35 matches Saturday, cruising to a win over Coco Gauff in the French Open final.
With the win, Swiatek has won the French Open two of the last three years. The win also extends Swiatek's streak to 35 matches. That ties Venus Williams for the longest win streak since 2000.
PARIS (Reuters) -World number one Iga Swiatek confirmed her dominance of women's tennis by sweeping aside American teenager Coco Gauff 6-1 6-3 to claim her second French Open title in three years on Saturday. The 21-year-old Pole's blend of power, poise and precision on the clay was too much to handle for the 18-year-old Gauff, who never recovered from a shaky start in her maiden Grand Slam final. Swiatek, who took over as world number one when Australian Ash Barty announced her shock retirement in March, has now won 35 consecutive matches - matching the longest unbeaten streak since Venus Williams in 2000.
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2022-06-04T16:00:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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French Open final: Iga Swiatek cruises to win over Coco Gauff
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Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.
For the first seven innings of Friday night’s NCAA Tournament opener, LSU was definitely the bug as it was manhandled by the Kennesaw State Owls 11-4 — that is until an incredible comeback happened.
The Tigers scored 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come back and win 14-11 in Game 1 of the Hattiesburg Regional.
Ma'Khail Hilliard got the start on the mound, and he had his shortest start of the year, going only 2.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts. The Owls drew first blood as they scored on an RBI single in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Jordan Thompson tied the game with an RBI double that scored Josh Pearson. In the bottom of the second, Dylan Crews hit an RBI single to give the Tigers their only lead of the ball game as they led 2-1 heading into the third inning.
In the top of the third, the Owls would rally for four runs of their own and take a 5-2 lead over LSU. In the bottom of the third, Brayden Jobert got two of those runs back with a two-run homer to right field to cut the lead to 5-4.
Kennesaw State added two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to build a lead of 11-4 and that score held until the bottom of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Jacob Berry hit an RBI single up the middle to score Josh Stevenson and give the Tigers some hope as they had runners on the corners with zero outs.
Pearson followed that with an RBI single of his own to make it 11-6 Owls. There were still no outs and runners on first and second as Thompson stepped into the box and he proceeded to hit an RBI double to score Berry and put two runners in scoring position with no one out. The Owls opted to bring in a new pitcher before facing Tre Morgan.
It was a golden opportunity for the Tigers to possibly make a miraculous comeback: two runners in scoring position, no outs, Morgan at the plate, and an 11-7 ball game. What would the talented sophomore do?
Morgan hit a two-RBI single to center field and brought both Pearson and Thompson home, and just like that, it was a two-run game.
At this point, it was a battle at the bat rack as everyone wanted a turn. Cade Doughty stepped in and hit a single before Tyler McManus stepped up to the plate. McManus drew a walk and loaded the bases with no one out.
Jobert grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a run scored in the process to make it 11-10 Owls. Stevenson stepped into the box with runners on the corners and one out. The tying run was only 90 feet away at third base.
Stevenson walked, and the bases were loaded once again. This time, Crews was the man stepping into the batter’s box with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. Crews hit a two-RBI double to left-center field, and the Tigers have the lead.
Pearson stepped in and hit a two-RBI single of his own to extend LSU’s lead to 14-11. Thompson grounded into a double play to end the inning, but not before the Tigers plated 10 runs and took a three-run lead heading into the ninth.
Paul Gervase came in to close the game out in the top of the ninth inning. He got the first batter to line out and the second one to strike out before the Owls got a runner on base with a single. Gervase got the next batter to fly out, and the Tigers secured the win. LSU moves on in the winner’s bracket to face regional host Southern Miss on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.
LSU Wire Roundtable: Predictions for Tigers baseball in Hattiesburg Regional
How to watch, preview for LSU baseball’s NCAA Tournament opener against Kennesaw State
The Tigers begin their postseason against the No. 3-seeded Owls at the Hattiesburg Regional on Friday night.
God was there for the Texas shootings. But they aren’t on Him
Evan Russell has started 50 games at catcher for Tennessee baseball this season. He is not starting against Alabama State on Friday.
Game Preview: Florida baseball looking to down Oklahoma, advance to regional championship game
The last time Brandon Neely was on the mound for the Gators, Florida was mercy ruled. Here's hoping things go differently this time around against Oklahoma.
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2022-06-04T16:00:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tigers stun Kennesaw State with 10-run rally in eighth inning to open NCAA Tournament
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tigers-stun-kennesaw-state-10-032639690.html?src=rss
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AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: AGNC) had a solid month in May as its share price climbed 11.4%, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The real estate investment trust (REIT) outperformed both the S&P 500, which was essentially flat in May, up 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite, which was down 1.9% in May. AGNC remains down 19% year to date, trading at about $12 per share. AGNC Investment is a mortgage REIT with almost its entire portfolio invested in government agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), like those offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
STORY: The Pope greeted the children from a wheelchair during the gathering in the Vatican's San Damaso courtyard.The children, many of them with physical, visual, and cognitive disabilities attend the Sant'Alessio - Margherita di Savoia institute in Rome. They were joined by some refugee children from Ukraine who have been received in Rome by the Church of St. Sophia.The 'Children's Courtyard' initiative, an annual meeting between Pope Francis and minors living in vulnerable and socially fragile conditions, had been suspended for two years due to the pandemic.
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2022-06-04T16:00:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers announce Saturday starting lineups; Stanton returns
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https://sports.yahoo.com/york-yankees-detroit-tigers-announce-141856964.html?src=rss
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Agreeing to take a pay cut was helpful to the team for this season and some will say the team could and possibly should upgrade the position, but he actually was very good in pass protection last season.
According to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, Pugh was one of only three NFL guards last season who played at least 50% of their team’s offensive snaps and did not allow a single snap.
Pugh played in 14 games last season and 802 total offensive snaps, which was 82% of the Cardinals’s total snaps on offense.
To not give up a single sack in more than 800 snaps is impressive.
You can’t upgrade from no sacks allowed.
Pewaukee native and former Wisconsin Badgers football star J.J. Watt and his wife, Kealia Ohai Watt, announced that they are expecting their first child.
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2022-06-04T16:14:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Cardinals’ Justin Pugh 1 of only 3 guards to accomplish this in 2021
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Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce has a prime opportunity to earn a starting role early on during his first NFL season, and the team is certainly pushing him to compete for it with the other players in the room.
While Pierce won’t be handed the starting role opposite Michael Pittman Jr., his skill set fits well with what the Colts want to do. His vertical abilities and versatility bode well for his chances of grabbing a starting role early on.
Head coach Frank Reich told reporters Wednesday that Pierce is already showing off his intelligence by quickly picking up the offense.
“I think we have high expectations for him but have a lot of confidence in that whole room as you guys know. Alec (Pierce), one of the things we like about him is he’s a very smart guy. He really has learned the offense quickly,” Reich said.
Pierce won’t be without his share of competition for the starting role. Ashton Dulin appears to be climbing the depth chart while the team is still hoping that Parris Campbell can put together a fully healthy season.
The second-round pick will have to earn that starting role, but having him work as the No. 2 would open up the offense in a big way. The Colts offense could be extremely multiple with Pierce working both outside and in the slot while Pittman Jr. reprises his role as the X.
“He’s done a good job so he’s going to have to compete for every snap, right? It’s a very competitive group,” Reich said. “But yeah, we’re definitely pushing him. We’re definitely pushing him and want him to compete to get in the mix and get on the field.”
Pierce was one of the blue-chip prospects the Colts had their eyes on throughout the pre-draft process. They see an extremely high ceiling for the Cincinnati product, and it wouldn’t be a shock if he finished second or third on the team in targets when his rookie season is all said and done.
We’ll see just how much progress needs to be made when training camp rolls around, but the rookie will certainly be vying for a starting role sooner rater than later.
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2022-06-04T16:14:21Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts are ‘definitely pushing’ Alec Pierce to compete for starting role
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The Philadelphia Eagles were big winners of the 2022 NFL Draft, landing Jordan Davis, and Nakobe Dean, and also acquiring star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Titans.
Philadelphia sent a first and third-round pick to Tennessee for Brown and immediately inked the former Ole Miss star to a four-year, $100 million extension.
Brown has brought a presence along with him to Philadelphia and as the physical wide receiver gets accustomed to his new home, he can’t stop raving about his newest running mate, DeVonta Smith.
While addressing the media during OTAs on Friday, Brown called Smith a true “No. 1 wide receiver” that should dominate the opposing team’s opposite cornerback each Sunday.
In his first season with the Eagles, Smith set an Eagles rookie record with 916 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 64 catches, and he’ll immediately form a dynamic duo with Brown on the outside, allowing for Jalen Hurts to flourish even more at quarterback.
Hint: a lot of us are usually wrong.
FIVE dingers in one night???
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2022-06-04T16:14:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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A.J. Brown expects DeVonta Smith to dominate; Says Eagles have two No. 1 wide receivers
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49ers DC Ryans reveals how Verrett's return is helping newcomers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SANTA CLARA -- 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is excited to have Jason Verrett back at 49ers headquarters.
The veteran cornerback has had incredibly bad luck with injuries but when healthy has been one of the best in the game. Verrett has already been seen on the practice field watching and coaching up the secondary at OTA practices during the offseason.
“First and foremost, his presence, just being out there I think it lifts us all up,” Ryans said. “Just seeing J.V., just the energy that he brings. I'm excited just to see him around the building, just to see him talking with the guys. It's great having J.V. and his presence felt in that room.”
After considering retirement following an ACL injury that kept him off the field in 2019, Verrett came back to start 13 games for the 49ers in 2020. Then, in Week 1 of the 2021 season, suffered a second ACL injury that quickly ended his eighth season in the league.
“Everybody is pulling for J.V,” Ryans said. “He had a tough injury last year and we missed him a ton, so he's fighting to get back and he's doing everything in his power to knock out his rehab and be in the best shape possible for when he's able to come back.”
Defensive backs coach Cory Undlin has the same level of appreciation for the veteran cornerback and is thankful for Verrett’s involvement with the younger players in the room. The veteran might not be practicing yet but is involved as much as possible when he isn't rehabbing his knee.
Undlin shared that even when the group is watching film in the classroom, the clips used to show proper technique often are of Verrett.
Verrett is a valuable resource for younger defensive backs Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir as they enter their second year in the league. The nine-year vet has also quickly bonded with the team’s free agent signee Charvarius Ward, helping him get acclimated to Ryans' scheme.
“Like everything we're asking these young guys to do, he's done it and he's done it at the highest level,” Ryans said. “If there's anybody those guys can learn from, it's J.V. So with him, how smart of a player he is, also with the talent, his ability is just off the charts.
“So if I'm one of those young guys, I'm definitely sitting by him, talking to him as much as I possibly can.”
Red Wings pitcher Logan Verrett gave up a memorable homer to Aaron Judge
The last time Red Wings pitcher Logan Verrett was in the majors, he gave up a 495-foot home run to Aaron Judge at Yankee Stadium.
Rising golf star Rose Zhang becomes first student athlete to sign NIL deal with Adidas
World No. 1 amateur golfer Rose Zhang has become the first student athlete to land an NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with sports apparel brand Adidas. The endorsement was announced on Tuesday, just days after the 19-year-old Stanford University first-year student won the NCAA women's individual championship in Scottsdale, Arizona, by three shots. As part of her contract, the Stanford Cardinal golfer must wear Adidas gear on the course and during training – except when she is representing Stanford due to the university’s separate deal with Nike.
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2022-06-04T16:14:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jason Verrett's return bodes well for 49ers newcomers, DeMeco Ryans says
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jason-verretts-return-bodes-well-133711432.html?src=rss
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Last season, the Miami Dolphins had enough talent on their roster to secure a winning season, however, they were unable to make the postseason once again.
After the season the team moved on from head coach Brian Flores and brought in a number of players who could potentially take Miami to the next level.
While the start of the regular season is still months away, analysts and pundits alike are assessing rosters across the league.
Earlier in the week, Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey took it upon himself to come up with the top-three players on each NFL team’s roster, and, for the Dolphins, he listed Tyreek Hill, Xavien Howard and Terron Armstead.
Here’s what Linsey wrote about the trio:
“The Dolphins have been one of the more aggressive teams in the NFL this offseason in adding talent for their young quarterback who is looking to prove himself.
Hill changes how defenses have to prepare for this Miami offense, and he’s capable of turning the mundane into the extraordinary on any given snap with his speed and twitchiness in the open field. Alongside Hill’s addition, Armstead should provide some much-needed stability in pass protection for Tua Tagovailoa. Armstead’s 3.8% pressure rate allowed over the last five years ranks second among qualifying left tackles, behind only David Bakhtiari. Both should provide significant boosts offensively for the Dolphins in 2022, just as Howard does on the other side of the ball.”
Howard has been a franchise cornerstone since arriving in Miami Gardens in 2016. Since entering the league nobody has had more interceptions than the former Baylor Bear. Even though Flores had a big hand in what the defense did over the last three years, Howard can still be just as effective with Josh Boyer being the top defensive mind in the organization.
Hill and Armstead are both entering their first season with the Dolphins after being acquired this offseason.
Hill is expected to have a bit of a drop-off statistically considering he’s going from Patrick Mahomes to Tagovailoa, but he’s still an extremely talented wide receiver. That’s not going to change.
Armstead is arriving as one of the top left tackles in the league when he’s healthy, so there’s a lot of pressure on him to help bring consistency to a group that was terrible in 2021. He’s recovering from offseason surgery right now, but he should be ready to go by training camp.
Linsey also listed Jevon Holland, Christian Wilkins and Jaylen Waddle as considerations for the top three. That trio of young players is extremely talented, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see any of them make the leap into this list before 2023.
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2022-06-04T16:14:46Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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PFF lists top-three players on Dolphins roster entering 2022
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Chase Briscoe reacts to first Cup pole: ‘Glad I got the best seat’
Chase Briscoe earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis.
Anthony Alfredo will start on the pole and be joined on the front row by Austin Hill for Saturday's Xfinity race.
Bring this dream car Chevy II home now!A small automobile built by General Motors, the Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova was produced through five different generations from 1962 through 1979, and again with model years 1985 through 1988. The Chevy II/Nova was built on the X-body platform before it
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2022-06-04T17:36:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chase Briscoe tops field at Gateway to win first career Cup pole
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“Recent developments in the professional golf world have given me a chance to reconsider my options. I would like the freedom to play wherever I want and exercising my right as a free agent gives me that opportunity,” Na said in posts on Twitter and Instagram. “However to remain a PGA Tour player, I must give up my right to make choices about my career. If I exercise my right to choose where and when I play golf, then I cannot remain a PGA Tour player without facing disciplinary proceedings and legal action from the PGA Tour.
Jason Day kept the putter in the bag early in his third round at the Memorial.
It was nearly unbearable until Nicklaus and his team began a major renovation in 2020.
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2022-06-04T17:37:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Longtime member Kevin Na resigns from PGA Tour to pursue other playing opportunities, including the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series
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Birmingham Stallions defensive back JoJo Tillery (27) celebrates a defensive stop against the Tampa Bay Bandits during the first half at Protective Stadium.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USFL Week 8 games: Live stream and TV info
The 2022 United States Football League action continues this weekend with four games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. First, on Friday, June 3 the Pittsburgh Maulers (1-6) take on the New Jersey Generals (6-1) at 8:00 p.m. ET on USA Network. On Saturday, June 4 it’s the New Orleans Breakers (5-2) vs. the undefeated
LA County has reported its first suspected case of monkeypox.
The NFL has the Steelers. The USFL may soon have the Steelworkers union. Tbe USFL’s players will vote on Monday, June 6 regarding whether to be represented by the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial & Service Workers International Union. Otherwise known as the United Steelworkers or simply Steelworkers. Late last [more]
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2022-06-04T17:37:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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USFL 2022 Week 8 games: How to watch on live stream and TV as final playoff spots could be clinched
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Former professional American football quarterback
Young details 'awesomely raw' Lance's area of improvement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
If anyone knows what it takes to succeed as a dual-threat quarterback, it's Hall of Famer Steve Young.
Young joined former 49ers teammates Bryant Young, Terrell Owens and Charles Haley on stage for the Dwight Clark Legacy Series on Wednesday night in Walnut Creek, where he discussed Trey Lance's future at quarterback and identified an area in which the 22-year-old needs to improve.
Many around the NFL already have identified Lance's lack of experience as the biggest factor in his development. Young is confident in Lance from the neck up, but he needs to see improvements in his throws.
"More than anything, it's just him delivering the ball to that open guy over and over and over again and gaining that confidence because that's the spot he needs to work on," Young said. "His is more of a throwing thing than a mind thing. Some guys have mind things; some guys have both. But Trey has a really sharp processing mind, and I think that's going to take him a long way."
"He's awesomely raw, and we're going to watch the development. There's not going to be a part of his development as a player that happens somewhere else. North Dakota State, it happened a little bit, but it's all going to happen as a 49er. A lot of guys have it happen in college a lot more. ... We're going to get to watch it all. We're all invested, and we're in for the long haul."
"Awesomely raw" certainly sounds pretty exciting coming from a Hall of Famer.
Expected to be the 49ers' starter come Week 1, Lance should have the runway to prove himself out of the gate.
The writing was kind of on the wall at the end of March. S&P 500 Index was near the 4600 level whereas inflation rate was close to 8% and the 10-year Treasury yield jumped to 2.7%. The probability of further increases in interest rates and sharp declines in the stock market was much larger than […]
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2022-06-04T17:37:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where Steve Young wants 'awesomely raw' 49ers QB Trey Lance to improve
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-steve-young-wants-awesomely-045414036.html?src=rss
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Many Oregon fans are focused on the high-profile list of future stars who will be making a visit to the Ducks’ campus near the end of June, but Dan Lanning and Co. just added another talented visit for a month later.
5-star Colin Simmons, the No. 1 ranked EDGE in the 2024 class, announced on Friday that he would be taking an unofficial visit to Oregon on July 29-30. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Simmons is the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Texas and is the No. 18 player in the 2024 class, per 247Sports.
It is too early in his recruitment for Simmons to have a list of top schools, but he has some high profile offers from the usual heavy-hitters — Alabama, Georgia, USC, Miami, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and many more.
Colin Simmons’ Recruiting Profile
Will visit Oregon from July 29-30, 2022
Unofficial Visit To Oregon University July 29-30th📍
— Colin Simmons ✍🏾 Call Me D1🚶🏾♂️ (@ColinSimmons__) June 3, 2022
Whereas the S&P 500 has gained close to 89% in a little over 26 months, the aggregate value of all digital currencies has skyrocketed 830%, or about $1.17 trillion. There are three highly popular digital currencies that have been pummeled of late, which is undoubtedly drawing the attention of crypto enthusiasts: meme coin Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB), Terra Classic (CRYPTO: LUNC), and Terra (CRYPTO: LUNA). Arguably, no cryptocurrency did more to lure in new investors last year than Shiba Inu (SHIB).
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2022-06-04T17:49:38Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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No. 1 EDGE in 2024, Colin Simmons, schedules visit to Oregon for this summer
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https://sports.yahoo.com/no-1-edge-2024-colin-164836131.html?src=rss
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Wisconsin football fell short of expectations last season, finishing with a 9-4 record, and a Las Vegas Bowl victory over Arizona State.
More importantly, Wisconsin failed to win the Big Ten West for the second consecutive year, forcing UW to make some significant changes this offseason.
Coach Chyrst brought in a new offensive coordinator, running backs coach, and shifted Bob Bostad and Chris Haering into new roles as the offensive line and tight ends coach respectively.
In addition to the changes on the coaching staff, UW will be tasked with replacing six offensive starters, and eight from the nation’s top rated defense.
For the Badgers to reclaim a Big Ten West title, it’ll need several young players to step up and make a meaningful impact this upcoming season.
Here are, in no particular order, three players from the 2021 recruiting class that are ready to make a splash in 2022-23:
Safety, Hunter Wohler
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Wohler is a former four-star safety from Muskego (Wisc.) that committed to UW despite an extensive offer list that included the likes of Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Largely regulated to special teams duty last season, the true freshman registered 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass deflection in just 70 defensive snaps.
An injury to Travian Blaylock earlier this spring thrust Wohler into a starting spot next to John Torchio, allowing him to earn some valuable reps alongside the top unit.
What makes Wohler’s skill-set so intriguing, is his versatility to come down and help in run support, while also having the ability to play deep due to his speed and outstanding ball skills for the position.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound S is a prime candidate to break out entering his sophomore season, and is a lock for a significant role in Jim Leonhard’s defense in 2022.
Outside Linebacker, Darryl Peterson
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Jayden Daniels #5 of the Arizona State Sun Devils reaches for the end zone pylon against linebacker Darryl Peterson #17 of the Wisconsin Badgers during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Daniels stepped out of bounds before reaching the end zone. The Badgers defeated the Sun Devils 20-13. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Darryl Peterson is one of the most prized outside linebacker prospects in Bobby April’s impressive stable of edge rushers.
Per 247Sports, Peterson was a four-star recruit who chose Wisconsin over scholarship offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, and several others.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound OLB quickly made the transition from defensive end in high school where he totaled an impressive 39.5 sacks over his final two varsity seasons, to edge rusher in his first season with the Badgers.
Peterson played just 38 snaps as a true freshman, registering two tackles. However, the talented pass-rusher came on late in the year, and earned his way onto the field during Wisconsin’s Las Vegas Bowl victory over ASU. Which is obviously indicative of what the coaching staff thinks of his immense upside, and how far he’s come.
This is a physical, violent pass-rusher with the upside to become the Badgers next star OLB once Nick Herbig is gone. Look for Peterson to earn significant snaps as in his second year.
Wide Receiver, Skyler Bell
Dec 30, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Skyler Bell (11) makes a catch in front of Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Timarcus Davis (7) during the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
After playing just nine snaps as a true freshman, It’s hard to imagine a player that boosted his stock this spring more than second year wide receiver Skyler Bell.
Now, after an impressive showing throughout the spring, Bell may have put himself in position to begin fall camp as the Badgers WR2.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound WR is an explosive athlete who could really add an interesting element to Wisconsin’s offense if they can find ways to get the ball in his hands.
Don’t be surprised to see the jet-sweep make a re-appearance on Saturday’s because of Bell’s skill-set.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said on June 3 that the gunman might be implicated in other government officials "hot list" cases.
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2022-06-04T17:49:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Three players from the 2021 recruiting class ready to make an impact
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https://sports.yahoo.com/three-players-2021-recruiting-class-150925016.html?src=rss
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Although AJ Brown has not been in Philadelphia for very long, he can already tell that the future is bright.
Brown, who was recently traded from Tennessee to Philadelphia on the opening night of the NFL Draft, says that fellow Eagles wideout, and former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, has a high ceiling.
“He’s a really good route runner. Guys early on in their career — first year, Year Two – they’re still developing. And he can run every route in the route tree. I think the sky is the limit for (Smith),” says Brown. “I’m excited for him in Year Two, I’m excited for the step he takes.”
While Brown thinks highly of Smith’s talent, he says that working with Smith will create an advantage for the Eagles’ offense.
“It takes the pressure off the other guy. Say we’re playing (the Eagles’ defense), I’d probably take (Darius) Slay, because he’s cornerback No. 1 and I’d go against him,” Brown says. “That gives another really talented receiver to go against a cornerback No. 2. So it takes pressure off. In my opinion, Smitty is a wide receiver 1, and he’s going against a cornerback No. 2.
In his rookie season in Philadelphia, Smith reeled in 64 catches for 916 yards and five touchdowns. The Eagles finished 9-8 with a loss to Tampa Bay in the wildcard round of the NFL Playoffs.
Draymond Green not hitting 'panic button' ahead of Warriors-Celtics Game 2
Draymond Green is staying calm, cool and collected in the face of NBA Finals pressure.
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2022-06-04T18:20:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles WR AJ Brown has high praise for DeVonta Smith
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-wr-aj-brown-high-163749186.html?src=rss
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Over the last few months, national media pundits, analysts, and seemingly anyone with a platform is predicting a less-than stellar season from the 2022 Chicago Bears.
Many believe the team under first-year general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus will take a step back before moving forward due to the perceived lack of talent on the roster. It’s a common prediction that has riled up Bears fans across the world, but one NFL columnist is taking things a step further by saying they will be the worst of the worst.
Adam Schein of NFL.com recently posted his yearly nine bold predictions for the upcoming NFL season and has the Bears finishing the year with the worst record in the league, locking them into the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Schein explains his rationale for the prediction:
Some of you might think Atlanta’s the obvious choice. But the Falcons potentially have a stud rookie receiver in Drake London. Team him up with Kyle Pitts, and Marcus Mariota has some nice weaponry to work with, especially in the red zone. Also, Arthur Smith has a year of head-coaching experience, unlike Matt Eberflus, who faces a serious uphill battle in Chicago. It’s not his fault. Eberflus and new GM Ryan Poles inherited a Matt Nagy/Ryan Pace mess.
I feel for Justin Fields, whose rookie year was largely torpedoed by Nagy’s ineptitude. And the 23-year-old QB’s supporting cast heading into Year 2 isn’t exactly star-studded. I like Darnell Mooney as much as the next guy, but he’s far from a proven WR1. And the rest of the receiving corps is akin to a witness protection program. The O-line? Yeah, a lot to be desired there, too. And the defense is decimated, with Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks among a bunch of departures.
I get what Poles and Co. are doing here. Pace’s poor roster management induced a complete teardown. It makes sense for the long haul. But it’s going to be a long, long season in the Windy City.
Schein isn’t saying the new Bears regime is going to be a failure, but he sees this season as a wash given the retooling the team is going through. While it’s true they jettisoned talented, yet overpaid veteran players during the offseason, the improved coaching should help mitigate some of those losses by putting current players in better positions to succeed, unlike the last coaching staff led by Nagy.
Still, even if the Bears do take a step back, it’s hard to imagine them being the worst team in the league. Eberflus and his staff lean heavily into effort-based practicing performances and could very well get the most out of many of their players. If players buy into the system, this is a team that won’t be at the bottom of the standings.
It’s also rare that the Bears have the worst record in the league. It hasn’t happened since they went 1-13 in 1969, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I wouldn’t bet that it’s happening again in 2022.
As for Schein’s other bold predictions, where has Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers taking home another MVP trophy and the Cardinals missing the playoffs, he’s had a relatively low hit rate since 2019.
About two of his nine predictions usually come true, his most notable one last year being that the Cincinnati Bengals would win more games than the Pittsburgh Steelers. But for every hit, there are three misses like the Carolina Panthers having a top-five offense or the Falcons winning 10 games.
Workers at a family planning clinic watch an abortion rights march in Chicago on May 14, 2022. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesIndividual states and some cities are taking legal steps to either limit or allow abortions, gearing up for what will likely be a fierce national battle if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the constitutional right to abortion. The Supreme Court is set to soon release a final verdict on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, one month after a leaked Supreme Court draft maj
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2022-06-04T18:20:23Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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One NFL analyst believes the Bears will finish dead last in NFL in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/one-nfl-analyst-believes-bears-163631872.html?src=rss
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On its face, that $33.3 million in dead money (let’s be precise — the team at Over The Cap has the Saints with a cumulative charge of $33,336,318) is daunting. It’s a total that ranks sixth-highest in the NFL. Compare it to the rest of the league, though, and you’ll see that’s it’s closer to the $25.7 million NFL-average than the $52.7 million average that the top-five teams (the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks) are accounting for. The gap between sixth-ranked New Orleans and fifth-worst Seattle ($12.6 million) is almost as wide as that between Seattle and second-place Chicago ($10.1 million).
Terron Armstead: $12,981,324
AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman, File
Drew Brees: $11,500,000
Malcolm Jenkins: $3,950,000
Jameis Winston: $3,000,000
Tre'Quan Smith: $954,267
Latavius Murray: $850,000
“Jurassic World: Dominion” is off to a roaring start at the international box office. The blockbuster hopeful opened in 15 major markets this week, including the likes of Italy, Mexico and Brazil, and has already sunk its teeth into $16.7 million through Thursday. “Jurassic World: Dominion” is expected to bring in more than $45 million […]
What to know to watch Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns vs. Texas A&M Aggies baseball in the NCAA Tournament College Station Regional on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
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2022-06-04T18:20:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Saints trail NFL ‘dead money’ leaders even after Malcolm Jenkins’ retirement
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The Houston Texans needed to add a spark to their run game in 2022.
Houston finished with 1,422 rushing yards and 3.4 yards per carry, both the worst in the NFL in 2021. Part of the problem was due to the lack of young runners in the backfield. Pro Bowlers David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, and Mark Ingram didn’t pan out, and the club started Rex Burkhead as their feature back in five of the last six games of the season.
The Texans addressed running back in the 2022 NFL draft with the fourth-round selection of Florida’s Dameon Pierce.
According to Burkhead, who spoke with reporters after organized team activities at Houston Methodist Training Center on June 1, what Pierce brings to the backfield is energy.
“Yeah, a lot of energy, a lot of energy,” Pierce said. “You know, rookie coming in. He finishes plays. He’s trying to learn as much as he can as quickly as possible, and that’s what you’ve got to do as a rookie. You’ve got to learn it quick but also don’t let it get all jumbled in your mind when you get out there on the field.”
When Burkhead arrived in the NFL as the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2013 sixth-round pick, the challenge was learning the various pass protections at the NFL level.
“College you have one or two pass protections and that’s really it,” said Burkhead. “You get to the NFL level and you’ve got multiple, you’ve got a ton.”
However, pass protection appears to be a less difficult concept for Pierce to grasp.
Said Burkhead: “He’s doing a good job picking that up, picking off myself and some of the other veterans in the backfield to learn as quick as possible.”
Pierce was an underutilized talent at Florida in his final season. Pierce generated a 5.7 yards per carry, but only had 100 carries on the season. The Gators benefited from his nose for the end zone as he scored 13 rushing touchdowns.
Houston Texans linebacker Garret Wallow is showing signs of a mature veteran as he enters his second season in the NFL.
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2022-06-04T18:20:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Texans RB Rex Burkhead says Dameon Pierce brings ‘a lot of energy’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/texans-rb-rex-burkhead-says-164815026.html?src=rss
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Tennessee freshman Kennedy Chandler on Saturday was among the prospects that participated in a pre-draft workout with the Charlotte Hornets, the team announced.
Chandler was named to the All-SEC second team after averaging 13.9 points, 4.7 assists and 2.2 assists on 46.4% shooting from the field in 34 games. He set the Tennessee single-season freshman record for steals and finished eighth in the country with 74.
The 6-foot guard posted a 41.5-inch vertical leap at the combine and is highly touted as an athletic point guard that can create for himself and others. He is widely considered to be a mid-to-late first-round pick given his ability as an initiator on offense and playmaker.
In addition to Chandler, the Hornets also worked out Miami guard Kameron McGusty, Providence forward Justin Minaya, Memphis forward Josh Minott, Marquette guard Darryl Morsell and Arkansas forward JD Notae on Saturday.
Charlotte enters the draft with the 13th and 15th picks in the first round and the 45th pick in the second round, respectively. They are also still on the hunt for their head coach after firing James Borrego but appear to be zeroing in on Kenny Atkinson.
Jamal Crawford impressed with franchise cornerstone Paolo Banchero
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2022-06-04T19:12:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tennessee freshman Kennedy Chandler works out for Hornets
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tennessee-freshman-kennedy-chandler-works-164619243.html?src=rss
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