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Kedon Slovis was largely projected to be one of the top-five quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2021 season, but that quickly fell apart as things went awry at USC and never truly got much better as the season progressed.
After just the second game of the season -- a 42-28 loss to Stanford -- head coach Clay Helton had been fired as the Trojans opened the season with a 1-1 record that culminated in a dismal 4-8 overall record at the end of the season.
"Last year was pretty rough, to be honest," Slovis said.
In his own right, Slovis says he felt good coming into the season but some of the issues going on at USC made it difficult for him to be consistently successful.
"Personally, coming off of an injury, I felt like I got a lot of my confidence back in my arm. But a lot of the off-the-field stuff was frustrating," Slovis said. "Having a coach get fired in the season and dealing with that the whole year and losing some games and having a lot of insecurity around the building. I just tried to stay confident in my ability and really just get through it to get to this year and just building on that confidence during the spring."
Slovis shouldered a lot of the blame for USC's shortcomings, though it certainly wasn't all his fault with other issues on offense and an abundance of negative external factors.
"There was a lot of stuff going on outside of my control last year and some of that does fall on the quarterback," Slovis said. "The quarterback has a lot of responsibility and you're in the spotlight, you're in a position where the blame is getting put on you and it's understandable because you're probably getting too much of the recognition as well sometimes. It comes with the process."
Slovis finished out the year with a 65% completion rate, 2,153 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions, ultimately making the decision to enter the transfer portal in mid-December. He committed to Pitt on Dec. 21 and has two years of eligibility remaining.
He says he feels he's transitioning well both on and off the field, though there are a lot of differences in the environment he came from and the one he's in now under head coach Pat Narduzzi.
"It's been great really. Transferring, you go in and meet an entirely new group of people that you didn't know before," Slovis said. "It can be a lot, it can kind of be intimidating. But for the most part, it's been a pretty smooth transition. Very different mentality, different place, different culture, different everything. But for the most part, I feel like this place fits me pretty well and it's been a pretty good transition."
He enters a pro-style offense after playing in a scheme with a lot of Air Raid concepts under Helton. There are some key differences between the two systems, including a more complicated run game element that exists within the Pitt offense. In the end, switching schemes could serve Slovis well and it's easy to argue that he may have a more smooth transition to the NFL with some time in a pro-style system.
"I think we understand protections more in the offense I'm in this year," Slovis said. "The O-line and the center are really smart and are really good at picking things up, so they'll still have a lot of responsibility on their plate but I think for me, just understanding what we're doing and being able to make adjustments, changing flipper protections and understanding where we're going with each run. And that's the other thing, there's so many nuances in the run game this year."
Slovis enters an interesting situation, taking over the same program that first-round draft selection Kenny Pickett experienced his meteoric rise in the season after his departure. The transfer signal-caller says he has respect for the standard set by Pickett and the type of expectations there are, but his motivation to take another step this year is more internal than anything else.
"There's a standard you'd like to live up to and a standard you pride yourself on, but again, to me, I feel like that's more intrinsically motivated than just because Kenny was here last year," Slovis said. "Guys know what it looks like, they've had a good quarterback and I go in and try to respect the standard and don't miss a beat. But in some respects, I think even if Kenny didn't go here last year, I think I'd have the same standards for myself."
After the struggles of the 2021 season, Slovis does have his doubters. While he doesn't read too much into that or pay a lot of attention to the outside noise, this is nothing new to the signal-caller.
"I think I've always had kind of a chip on my shoulder a little bit being under-recruited out of high school for a lot of different reasons so I think I've always kind of had that there. Especially after last year, just not having the season that we wanted as a team," Slovis said.
Several seem to have forgotten how much success Slovis has shown he can have in a season -- he took college football by storm in 2019 when he set the NCAA record for highest completion percentage by a true freshman with 71.9% completion rate, also setting a number of program records despite being unable to finish the final game of the season -- the Holiday Bowl -- with an elbow injury.
He ended the season with 3,502 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 392 passing attempts, very much in the conversation as one of the country's top quarterbacks ahead of his second season with the Trojans.
He has an opportunity to return to that same status in Pittsburgh and is confident in his abilities as a quarterback to do so, saying he prides himself in his decision-making, accuracy, timing and ability to play a leadership role.
"I feel like I can run this offense pretty well and do it pretty perfectly... I try not to let other people dictate where I'm at or how good I am because I know how good I am, my coaches know how good I am and my teammates know how good I am. At the end of the day, that's going to come to fruition and show up on the field."
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2022-07-03T20:18:56Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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QB Slovis looking to re-establish in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/qb-slovis-looking-establish-2022-193848046.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/qb-slovis-looking-establish-2022-193848046.html?src=rss
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The University of Florida was one of four stops made by four-star edge rusher TJ Searcy in the month of June as the Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Georgia) recruit took all but one of his official visits.
That fifth visit might not come as Searcy is preparing to make a decision in the coming weeks, according to a report from 247Sports. Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee are the other teams in consideration. The Gators and Volunteers are the two teams pursuing him most aggressively
“Florida, things are really good with them,” Searcy said. “I keep in touch with them a few times a week at least.”
Billy Napier and outside linebacker coach Mike Peterson are his main points of contact with the team and both are pushing hard for him to land with the Orange and Blue. During his June 10 official visit, Searcy got a chance to see where he’d fit in with the team, and he left town with the impression that he could end up in a similar role to Brenton Cox Jr.
Searcy plans to return to the Swamp one more time in late July for the team cookout. Getting back around the staff and some of the other recruits will give him another look at the program before deciding. There’s no set date, but he wants to get things over with by the end of summer.
“I am probably going to try and make my decision sometime in the summer,” he said. “I don’t really have no date, but sometime in the summer.”
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2022-07-03T20:19:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Things ‘really good’ between Florida and this 4-star DL, next visit planned
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https://sports.yahoo.com/things-really-good-between-florida-185550330.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/things-really-good-between-florida-185550330.html?src=rss
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FILE - Former Dallas Cowboys standout and longtime NFL on FOX game analyst Daryl Johnston stands on the field prior to an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins, on Dec. 30, 2018, in Landover, Md. Johnson is executive vice president of football operations of the USFL. As the league prepares for Sunday night’s championship game between the Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where it goes from here is the bigger question.(AP Photo/Mark Tenally, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
American football player, NFL analyst, Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Renegades
New USFL exhibit at Pro Football Hall of Fame showcases the current version of the league and its 1980s legacy with stars such as Jim Kelly.
avid Peralta, Alek Thomas and Carson Kelly homered, and Merrill Kelly pitched seven strong innings Friday night to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies
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2022-07-03T20:27:44Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Despite title game, USFL already focusing on next season
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https://sports.yahoo.com/despite-title-game-usfl-already-222841767.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/despite-title-game-usfl-already-222841767.html?src=rss
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Tatjana Maria pulled off another upset at Wimbledon to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the age of 34 after beating Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday. Heading into the second week at Wimbledon, only two of the top 15 seeds remain in the women’s draw, which has just one Grand Slam champion — Simona Halep — left. Maria eliminated 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 on No. 1 Court in the fourth round after saving two match points in the second set against her 12th-seeded opponent.
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2022-07-03T20:27:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jelena Ostapenko fumes after Wimbledon defeat and brands Tatjana Maria ‘lucky’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jelena-ostapenko-fumes-wimbledon-defeat-183344461.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jelena-ostapenko-fumes-wimbledon-defeat-183344461.html?src=rss
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Russia claimed control Sunday over the last Ukrainian stronghold in an eastern province that is key to achieving a major goal of Moscow's grinding war. The General Staff of Ukraine's military reported that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk in Luhansk province, but the president said the fight for the city was still raging on its outskirts. If confirmed, Russia's complete seizure of Luhansk would provide its troops with a stronger base from which to press their advance in the Donbas, a region of mines and factories that President Vladimir Putin is bent on capturing in a campaign that could determine the course of the entire war.
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2022-07-03T20:28:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Make no mistake, Kyrie Irving is entirely to blame for the Nets’ implosion
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https://sports.yahoo.com/no-mistake-kyrie-irving-entirely-185753888.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/no-mistake-kyrie-irving-entirely-185753888.html?src=rss
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The Niners made moves this offseason to ensure their corner depth is much stronger and, while their secondary might not be in the running for the league’s elite, it is difficult to see how San Francisco’s corner play won’t be better in 2022.
Though camp is still a few weeks off, let’s look at how the cornerback depth chart could shake out.
San Francisco’s big-ticket free-agent signing’s two biggest selling points are the flexibility he gives them and his on-ball skills.
The flexibility comes in the ability to play more man coverage, which is the strength of Ward’s game, and his comfort in the slot, which will potentially allow the Niners to move either him or Emmanuel Moseley inside on nickel downs and deploy Ambry Thomas at one of the outside corner spots.
Ward has four interceptions in his NFL career but has registered 10 pass breakups twice in the past three seasons. With the pressure the Niners can generate with their front four, Ward should get opportunities to add to his career interceptions tally, while his skill set gives DeMeco Ryans – who has already emerged as one of the more inventive defensive coordinators in the league – more avenues through which to stymie opposing quarterbacks.
Moseley may not receive the same level of attention as some of his teammates on defense, but his value was illustrated as the Niners often floundered in the secondary during the six games he was out through injury last season. Despite his time on the sidelines, Moseley registered a career-high 11 pass breakups and his passer rating when targeted of 65.6 was also the best of his NFL career. In other words, Moseley is a corner who continues to improve year on year. With the versatility to play on the outside as well as in the slot, Moseley will again be a starter in 2022 and one the Niners need on the field for the defense to perform at its best.
Between his initial failure to get on the field at the start of the season and then his struggles when Moseley’s injury pressed him into a starting role, it at many points looked as if Thomas would have little chance of being a long-term factor for the 49er defense. However, the Niners stuck with their 2021 third-round pick and saw a crucial improvement, the high point of his season his playoff berth-clinching overtime interception against the Los Angeles Rams. Coverage was rarely the issue for Thomas, who instead had to shake off poor play at the catch point to make strides down the stretch. Should that development continue and the extra weight he has added in the offseason pay dividends, the 49ers will have an intriguing top-three at the position on their hands.
Lenoir looked as if he would be the pick of San Francisco’s rookie corners early last season following an impressive game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. Yet, after some struggles in Week 3 in a loss to the Green Bay Packers, the fifth-round pick was never quite able to win back the faith of the coaching staff. Lenoir brings inside-out versatility but, with the Niners adding two more rookies to the mix in this draft, including a nickel in the form of Samuel Womack, there is significant competition for places at the bottom of the depth chart. Lenoir’s spot is far from secure.
The 49ers can’t quit Jason Verrett, and it’s easy to understand why. When Verrett was healthy for 13 games in 2020, he was outstanding, recording seven pass breakups and two interceptions and providing San Francisco with a superb man coverage corner capable of holding up against an offense’s top receiver. Then he tore his ACL in Week 1 of 2021 and it was back to square one for a player whose career has been consistently blighted by injuries. The Niners have stuck by him, though, albeit at the low-risk cost of another one-year deal. Crucially, the 49ers are no longer reliant on Verrett staying healthy due to the depth they have added at corner. However, if he were to stay healthy and show signs of returning to his 2020 form, the Niners would have another strong cover corner with the ability to play inside and out. Verrett could still catapult himself into the conversation to start for a 49ers team that has mitigated the risk but is still hoping to reap the rewards of its faith in a Pro Bowl talent.
The Niners waited longer than perhaps some would have liked to address corner in the draft, but Womack is an interesting developmental option at nickel. With 37 pass breakups in his final three seasons, Womack’s on-ball production is a huge part of his appeal. The jump from playing in the MAC with Toledo to the pros is obviously massive, however, given the importance of slot defenders in today’s NFL, Womack will have a solid claim for a roster spot if he flashes the same knack for finding the ball in camp and preseason.
Castro-Fields’ hopes of making the roster may appear to be slightly lower due to his status as a sixth-round pick, but the Penn State product has the skill set to prove he deserved to go higher. He is a fluid-hipped corner who uses his hands well and made a series of impressive plays in man coverage against Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in the game with Ohio State last season. Castro-Fields tracks the ball well, and competes at the catch point, registering no fewer than six pass breakups in each of the three seasons in which he played all 12 games. Having also demonstrated impressive awareness in zone coverage in his time with the Nittany Lions, Castro-Fields is a strong fit for the San Francisco defense and the Niners will likely look to sneak him on the practice squad should he fail to make the 53.
There is a good reason why the man jokingly referred to as ‘the barnacle’ continues to stick on the 49ers’ roster. It is because the Niners know they can rely on him for solid play in multiple positions. San Francisco was forced to call on Johnson at several junctures down the stretch and in the postseason in 2021 and he proved up to the task. Johnson is not a player to lean on consistently as part of a starting defense. However, he is a valuable backup with the versatility to play outside and inside corner and safety, and it would be no surprise to see him earn a place on the 53-man roster in 2022.
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Former first-round pick Dennard was a late-season add by the Niners and credited the franchise with helping him fall in love with football again. Dennard only featured in two games for the Niners across the regular season and postseason but played 21 key snaps on defense in the Week 18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The first-team nickel throughout spring practices, Dennard now has the chance to not only prove he is worthy of a roster spot, but also deserving of significant snaps with a greater sample size of strong play in training camp.
An undrafted rookie out of UCLA, Knight was the third-team nickel during minicamp, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Perhaps the importance of the slot corner spot helps him earn a practice squad place, but the number of players in front of him indicates it would take something remarkable for Knight to make the 53.
The former sixth-round pick of the Packers has NFL experience on his side, but it is difficult to foresee an early offseason signing getting himself in the mix for a roster spot ahead of players in which the Niners have invested a lot more time and capital.
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2022-07-03T21:48:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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49ers offseason roster: Cornerback group in much stronger position
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https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-offseason-roster-cornerback-group-200029393.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-offseason-roster-cornerback-group-200029393.html?src=rss
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Athletics starter Frankie Montas exited Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park early, but not due to a trade.
He didn't return to the mound for the bottom of the second and was replaced by Austin Pruitt, who retired the Mariners' next nine batters.
The early exit came as trade rumors involving Montas persist, with ESPN's Buster Olney reporting on Saturday that the St. Louis Cardinals are favorites to land the right-hander.
Montas was not pulled from the game due to a trade, however, the team confirmed to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, and the A's will provide an update after Sunday's matchup with the Mariners.
RELATED: Report: Cardinals viewed as 'favorite' to land Montas in trade
While it's not clear why Montas left the game yet, speculation about a trade will have to continue to be just rumors.
Tyler Wells took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning for the second straight start and won his sixth consecutive decision in leading the Baltimore Orioles over the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Sunday. The 27-year-old right-hander, taken by Baltimore from Minnesota in the 2020 winter meeting draft, has allowed one run or none in each of his last four starts. Rougned Odor put Baltimore ahead when he led off the fifth inning with his eighth home run.
Julio Rodríguez's leadoff HR
Julio Rodríguez hammers a leadoff home run to left field, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning
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2022-07-03T22:33:38Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Frankie Montas exits Athletics-Mariners after one inning for non-trade reason
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https://sports.yahoo.com/frankie-montas-exits-athletics-mariners-210037505.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/frankie-montas-exits-athletics-mariners-210037505.html?src=rss
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APTOPIX Angels Astros Baseball
China wrapped up a clean sweep of diving gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday as Yang Jian successfully defended his 10m platform title in Budapest.
Liev Schreiber wouldn’t be opposed to revisiting “Ray Donovan,” he told the audience at Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival on Sunday. The beloved Showtime series, created by Ann Biderman, was canceled in 2020 after seven seasons. Following the fans’ outcry, “Ray Donovan: The Movie” premiered in 2022. “I would consider it,” he said during a […]
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2022-07-03T23:29:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Trout's slump worsens, Astros strike out 20 to sweep Angels
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https://sports.yahoo.com/trouts-slump-worsens-astros-strike-221356832.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/trouts-slump-worsens-astros-strike-221356832.html?src=rss
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The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t won a lot lately, which is why their run in 2017 took may by surprise. But even if they were an established winner like in the late 90s, they were still underdogs.
That’s exactly why they made CBS Sports’ list of unlikely playoff teams twice. The 2017 Jags were the first team on the list after coming in at the No. 8 spot.
Here is what analyst Jeff Kerr had to say about the group that became known as “Sacksonville.”
The Jaguars earned the reputation of “Sack-sonville” after finishing second in the NFL with 55 sacks on the year. Jalen Ramsey and Calais Campbell were first-team All-Pros and Malik Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue, Telvin Smith, and A.J. Bouye earned Pro Bowl berths. The defense allowed the second-fewest points (16.8) and the fewest passing yards (169.9) — ranking in the top-five in every major pass defense category.
Then there was Blake Bortles, who threw for 3,687 yards and 21 touchdowns (84.7 rating) in his best season. Jacksonville’s leading receiver was Keelan Cole (748 yards, three touchdowns), while Leonard Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards and nine scores in his rookie season. The offense finished fifth (26.1) in points per game and sixth in total yards (365.9).
The 2017 season was unforgettable as the front office put it all together in the offseason. With Tom Coughlin joining the mix, general manager Dave Caldwell then put together a fantastic free agency class that included Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye. He added that with notables who were already on the team like Jalen Ramsey, Malik Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue, and Paul Posluszny, to name a few.
All of those moves led to the construction of one of the best defenses ever created within the past decade. The team also had some players on the offensive side who were talented, too, like Leonard Fournette and Allen Robinson (although he missed the season with an ACL tear).
Unfortunately, the Jags mixed a lot of the wrong people both on the front office and player levels, and it all imploded. As a result, the success was short-lived, and the 2017 Jags were a one-hit-wonder.
As for the second team to make the list, the 1996 Jags were slotted at the No. 2 spot.
A second-year football team made its conference championship game? How in the world did that happen? The Jaguars and Carolina Panthers both made their respective conference championship games in 1996, but the Jaguars’ run was more improbable.
Handed the reins as the franchise quarterback, Mark Brunell made the Pro Bowl — throwing for 4,367 yards with 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions (84.0 rating). Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell were the best kept secrets in football, as Smith had 1,244 receiving yards while McCardell finished with 1,129 (and a Pro Bowl appearance). Tony Boselli was excellent on the offensive line, making the first of five straight Pro Bowls.
The 1996 Jags were a team full of underrated talent, and they were able to put it all together after a 4-7 start, which eventually turned into a 9-7 regular- season record. Now looking at it in hindsight, it’s easy to see why they had the talent to do so as Tony Boselli is now the first Jaguar to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and people have made cases for Jimmy Smith and Coughlin, who coached the 1996 Jags to be in there, too.
When the Jags made the postseason, they were able to knock off two teams who were better than them, starting with the Buffalo Bills, then the Denver Broncos in the following round. All of the aforementioned names in the article played a huge role in those victories and solidified themselves in Jags’ history that postseason.
The current Jags are projected to win six games by many in the football community. However, with a coach like Doug Pederson, they have a chance to shock some and potentially take identical paths to the postseason as the 201 and 1999 Jags did.
The U.S. Open social media account had quite the retort for a Seattle Seahawks fan.
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2022-07-03T23:29:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jags make CBS Sports’ list of 10 most unlikely playoff teams twice
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jags-cbs-sports-list-10-214942572.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jags-cbs-sports-list-10-214942572.html?src=rss
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The construction of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last two seasons hasn’t been great, and that has been reflected through their win total. In 2020, they only won one game, then in 2021 they only won three, bringing them to a total of four.
However, with the changes made this offseason after the team spent a record amount of money in free agency and named a new coach, many expect the Jags to double their win total. Then, on the other hand, some feel the roster needs a lot more.
When utilizing Pro Football Focus’ database, the Jags’ need for more talent is especially reflected when looking at the grades of their projected starters. There aren’t too many returning starters on the team who registered a 70 or higher in the database, which is why the roster ended up being ranked 28th by ESPN recently.
Despite the lackluster grades, though, PFF’s Ben Linsey says he believes the biggest strength for the team is quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who flashed despite registering a grade of 59.6 as a rookie.
Biggest strength: Not many numbers will reflect it, but there were promising takeaways from Trevor Lawrence’s rookie performance in about as bad a situation as he could have been thrown into. One such takeaway was the way that Lawrence avoided sacks when under pressure. He took a sack on just 14% of his pressured dropbacks last season, sixth among 32 qualifying quarterbacks. His supporting cast still leaves a lot to be desired, but the Urban Meyer subtraction and Doug Pederson addition as head
As Linsey points out, Lawrence’s season wasn’t statically impressive, but there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Lawrence. He didn’t have the best supporting cast on the field, and the issues caused by Urban Meyer on and off the field certainly didn’t help.
However, the Jags now have a coach and offensive mind in Doug Pederson who knows how the NFL works, and he’s already built a solid bond with Lawrence. That said, the Jags could double their win total and at least hit six as the subtraction of Meyer should bolster the team’s ability to perform.
As for what Linsey viewed as the Jags’ biggest weakness, it was the offensive line.
Biggest weakness: Left tackle Cam Robinson is coming off a career-best 67.4 PFF grade in 2021 (31st among 39 qualifying left tackles), and that was enough for Jacksonville to give him a three-year extension worth over $50 million. That speaks to where Jacksonville’s offensive line is as a unit. Brandon Scherff was a quality free-agent addition, but that is balanced by Brandon Linder’s retirement at center. On paper, Jacksonville’s offensive line remains one of the weaker units in the league, unless Robinson, Jawaan Taylor and Ben Bartch take a step forward.
This isn’t all that shocking. Most fans would say that the receivers group is the Jags’ weakness, but when looking at the PFF grades of the group individually, they are the strongest group on offense. Christian Kirk’s grade was 72.1, and Zay Jones wasn’t far behind with a 70.6. Additionally, Marvin Jones Jr. registered a grade just below both free-agent signings with a 68.3.
However, when it comes to the offensive line, there is only one starter with a grade over 70, and that’s Brandon Scherff (73.6). Cam Robinson registered the second-highest grade on the unit, which was 67.4.
There will be changes to the offensive line when they take the field for the first regular-season game, though. Both of the team’s starting guards from 2021 (A.J. Cann and Andrew Norwell) are gone. Of course, Scherff is replacing Cann and Ben Bartch, who played right guard last season, seems to be the front-runner to be the starter in Norwell’s place at left guard. The Jags could also have a new starting right tackle if Walker Little can beat out Jawaan Taylor in camp.
As for the overall roster ranking 28th, they should be able to make a notable jump by the end of the season, though they likely won’t be near the elite rosters just yet. They especially should improve on defense after revamping the linebacking group and spending the top pick in the draft on Travon Walker, who has tremendous upside.
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2022-07-03T23:29:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jags roster ranked near the bottom of the league by ESPN
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jags-roster-ranked-near-bottom-110024662.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jags-roster-ranked-near-bottom-110024662.html?src=rss
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All-American college football player, professional football player, cornerback
American football player, defensive back, safety
The Baltimore Ravens have had great talent in their secondary over the course of their franchise history. From all of the players they’ve had such as Ed Reed, Chris McAlister and so many others, the team has been known to find quality playmakers at both the cornerback and safety positions.
In an article published by Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, he named one player each NFL team should consider trading before the 2022 season. When it came to Baltimore, Sobleski believed the team should consider trading away safety Chuck Clark. When explaining why, Sobleski said the team’s No. 14 overall draft pick in 2022, safety Kyle Hamilton, will get quite a few snaps on multiple different coverage packages in the secondary.
“But the team did draft Kyle Hamilton when he unexpectedly fell to this year’s 14th overall pick. Hamilton is a defensive chesspiece who’s capable of playing all over the field. The Ravens’ defensive staff will find ways to get him snaps. He may receive multiple big nickel looks with Clark and Marcus Williams also on the field.”
While Hamilton can’t guard the secondary alone from the safety position, Baltimore signed former New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams in free agency, who is expected to receive a lot of playing time. With younger players like safeties Brandon Stephens and Geno Stone looking to find a way in the rotation, it may not be out of question for the team to trade away Clark, even though head coach John Harbaugh told reporters he expected Clark to be on the team during the 2022 season.
Whatever the Ravens decide to do with Clark this season, he has been a key contributor in the secondary for years. If the safety finds himself on another club in 2022, he will be missed by many in the Baltimore organization both on and off of the field.
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2022-07-04T01:11:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bleacher Report names one player Ravens should consider trading ahead of 2022 season
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bleacher-report-names-one-player-005202492.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bleacher-report-names-one-player-005202492.html?src=rss
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Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick became the fifth driver to visit a Cup Series victory lane for the first time by winning Sunday at Road America.
The Rays rally in the 5th for 7-5 victory
The Wild won't look the same next season, not after trading away its second-best scorer. But the loss of Kevin Fiala could end up being the only significant change for the team. If so, that means the Wild returns the bulk of the lineup that finished top-five in the NHL with its most productive performance in franchise history. "Right now, I'm pretty happy with where we are," General Manager ...
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2022-07-04T01:34:15Z
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Reddick wins at Road America for 1st NASCAR Cup victory
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PLYMOUTH, Wis. — The fact Sunday‘s race at Road America marked Tyler Reddick‘s first career win in the NASCAR Cup Series seemed unfathomable.
“He‘s not got a win yet?” Chris Buescher said. “Really?”
“I honestly thought he did,” said Buescher, who finished sixth. “That’s actually surprising because they’ve been really good. That’s definitely nice to finally break through that one.”
RELATED: Official results | Reddick rolls to first win
Indeed, prior to the Kwik Trip 250, Reddick did not possess a checkered flag from NASCAR‘s top level. It was his only goose egg in the national ranks. He owns three from the Camping World Truck Series and 10 from the Xfinity Series.
The 26-year-old California native is in the midst of his third full-time Cup Series season, and he has come close — so close. Reddick had five runner-up finishes, two alone this season, prior to this Victory Lane debut.
“Yup,” Reddick said, “I did.”
0.149 seconds
Charlotte Roval
Bristol Dirt
Those marks haven‘t gone unnoticed in the garage.
“I know they’ve been searching for that first win for some time, and that‘s a special thing to do,” 2020 champion Chase Elliott said. “I’m happy for him. He deserves it. He‘s been really close.”
Reddick had to fend off Elliott of all people, too. Elliott won at Road America in 2021. He also holds the most road-course wins (seven) among active drivers.
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With 17 laps remaining, Reddick took three turns — from Turns 5-7 — to complete a pass on Elliott for the lead. Reddick‘s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet then beat Elliott‘s No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy by 3.304 seconds.
“At one point, I was on (Reddick‘s) bumper behind the 5 (Kyle Larson) and then we were third and fourth,” fourth-place finisher Ross Chastain said. “And he had enough grip and speed to pass the 5, and then there was the last cycle of pit stops and he was able to go past the 9 (Elliott). I just kind of stayed back there behind them; I couldn’t quite do it.
“Just the confidence that he was able to do that. He’ll look back and see that he was able to leave me behind. But then knowing you won a Cup race, it’s indescribable, and for me, it was everything I’d ever dreamed of.”
Chastain captured his first career win earlier this season at another road course, Circuit of The Americas. His teammate, Daniel Suárez, won the other road event at Sonoma Raceway to earn his first, too. Three first-time winners on road courses are the most ever in a single NASCAR season.
In addition to those two and Reddick, Austin Cindric (Daytona International Speedway) and Chase Briscoe (Phoenix Raceway) inked their names in the Cup Series win book.
“I’m very happy for him,” said Suárez, who rounded out Sunday‘s top five. “Obviously he deserved it. He’s been knocking on the door for a few months now, just like we were in the No. 99 team, so very happy for him. I think it’s gonna be more fun now to race him now that he’s a little more relieved.”
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Reddick‘s relief also comes in the form of a provisional playoff ticket. He made the 16-driver field last year on points. This year — unless there are more than 16 different winners; there are 13 now — he won‘t have to worry about that.
Speaking of last season‘s playoffs, behind Reddick and Elliott was reigning champion Kyle Larson in third. Larson won three of the seven road events in 2021. There are four more on the 2022 schedule.
“(Reddick‘s) always strong on the road courses,” Larson said. “He outruns his teammate by a lot every time we come to road courses. He’s just really aggressive, really aggressive on the braking, and obviously just executed a great race.
“So, yeah, I’m proud of him. And I know the rest of Northern California is, too.”
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2022-07-04T01:34:21Z
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Top Road America finishers applaud Tyler Reddick's first Cup Series victory
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Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks may have fallen short of reaching the NBA Finals this year. However, the star power forward still found a way to come out on top by answering the Memphis rap legend Gangsta Boo’s iconic question, “Where Dem Dollas At?”
Antetokounmpo once held the league’s largest contract for a player in league history. Known as the “Greek Freak,” he signed a $228 million supermax extension deal over five years.
Extension Deals Make The Difference
According to salary data from Sportstrac, the Greece native earned a $39 million salary during the most recent season. Per his contract, he is set to make $42 million in season 2022-2023 and $52 million in the final season of his current contract.
His current salary is far more extensive than his initial entry into the NBA. Antetokounmpo’s contract out of the 2013 NBA draft at No. 15 only paid him $8.6 million over three years as a rookie.
Although his contract is one to admire, Denver Nuggets two-time MVP Nikola Jokic agreed to the now largest deal in NBA history during the recent free agency flurry.
His current contract is for $270 over five years.
A post shared by Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
Salary Competition At The Top
While Antetokounmpo held the biggest contract in the NBA prior to Jokic’s contract extension, Steph Curry is still the highest-paid player in the league.
The Golden State Warriors point guard made about $45.7 million in the 2021-2022 season. Recently, the top-ranked three-point shooter signed a contract extension with the Warriors for $215 million over four years. By the end of his contract, he will earn an average salary of nearly $60 million.
Finding His Way To The Top
Curry’s salary numbers have not hindered Antetokounmpo’s earning potential. In addition to his massive basketball contract, Antetokounmpo continues to expand his earnings. Recently, the superstar unveiled the design for his latest shoe, the Nike Zoom Freak 4.
According to a 2019 Forbes report, Antetokounmpo earned $10 million per year from his sneaker deal with Nike. In 2022, Forbes ranked the Buck’s forward No. 10 on their list of highest-paid athletes, noting on and off-court total income of around $80.9 million.
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2022-07-04T02:32:07Z
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Giannis Antetokounmpo No Longer Has The Biggest NBA Contract In History — But Here's Who Does
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Except a new report Sunday morning suggests the Warriors "have interest" in a trade for Durant.
“This one culminated in three years,” team president and general manager Bob Myers said recently. “It wasn't just one year; it was like a three-year attempt to win it again. So, it wasn't just like we started the year, and we were good the last year and the year before. It was like a three-year journey out of the ashes to get to the top, which there's a lot of stories in there.”
RELATED: Like Warriors, Nets learn all about KD's restless soul
Who are the top basketball players within the Class of 2025? PaPreps resolves that question now!SUBSCRIBERS: Click to the see the full article here now!------------------- What other coverage ...
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2022-07-04T02:32:45Z
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Why Warriors-Kevin Durant trade reunion would be irrational, delusional
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Brett Favre: Davante Adams is going to miss Aaron Rodgers originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
Mark Murphy has served as the Packers president/CEO for 14 years. He will remain in that position for three more years, but the team already is putting together a plan to find his successor. Murphy confirmed in his monthly Q&A that he will retire July 13, 2025, when he turns 70. Team board members are [more]
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2022-07-04T02:48:44Z
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Brett Favre: Davante Adams is going to miss Aaron Rodgers
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Chelsea Gray with a 2-pointer vs. Minnesota Lynx
Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces) with a 2-pointer vs. Minnesota Lynx, 07/03/2022
Phoenix will play their five Summer League from July 7-17 at UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion In Las Vegas.
Adele is addressing the backlash over her last-minute decision to postpone her Las Vegas residency earlier this year. The 34-year-old British singer opened up to BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs about the guilt she felt after abruptly halting the January through April run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, but says she has no […]
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2022-07-04T03:42:18Z
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Chelsea Gray with a 2-pointer vs. Minnesota Lynx
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On July 2, 1946, director-star Orson Welles unveiled noir film The Stranger in Los Angeles. The film went on to earn a nomination in the writing category at the 19th Academy Awards. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “‘The Stranger’ Will Know High Boxoffice Returns,” is below: In The Stranger, International Pictures delivers the sixth […]
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2022-07-04T03:43:21Z
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Marine Johannes with a 3-pointer vs. Los Angeles Sparks
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Georgia football lost a pair of commitments to start the month of July. The Bulldogs lost one commitment from RyQueze McElderry.
McElderry, a three-star offensive line recruit, is a member of the class of 2023. Georgia football now has 12 commitments in the class of 2023. The Bulldogs have secured commitments from two 2023 offensive linemen.
McElderry committed to Georgia in December 2021. McElderry plays high school football and basketball for Anniston High School in Anniston, Alabama. The three-star offensive line prospect holds scholarship offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida State, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia.
McElderry is 6-foot-3 and 340 pounds. He primarily plays offensive guard.
On film, McElderry is very powerful. The three-star offensive guard frequently locks opposing defensive linemen and controls them for the rest of the play. The Anniston High School star played a lot of right tackle in his impressive highlights, but he could convert to offensive guard at the college level.
Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are a team to watch with McElderry. The Anniston standout also recently visited Tennessee.
Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks is working with Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman to find a trade for the 12-time All-Star.
The Crew’s acquisition of forward Cucho Hernandez, a 23-year-old Colombian who spent the past half decade in Europe, stands on its own in MLS.
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2022-07-04T03:46:42Z
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2023 OL RyQueze McElderry decommits from Georgia football
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The Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks are among the top six schools for four-star defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod, a key in-state recruit for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are hoping to land a commitment from the Camden High School star. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive lineman is the No. 162 recruit in the class of 2023 and the No. 24 player at his position. McLeod is the third ranked recruit in South Carolina.
The four-star puts Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Michigan, LSU and Texas A&M in his list of top schools. McLeod is a solid student and is considered a South Carolina lean per 247Sports.
The elite defensive line prospect has taken recent visits to Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M. The rising Camden senior plans to play in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game.
Oregon, Penn State, Texas and Florida are among the long list of schools that have offered a scholarship to McLeod.
The Camden standout named his top schools via Instagram:
UGA football in 5-star DB's final four
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2022-07-04T03:46:54Z
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4-star DL Xzavier McLeod names top six schools
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Will the Pac-12 look at San Diego State
Could Aztecs join the Pac-12?
The Pac-12 is in a big pickle with UCLA and USC heading to the Big Ten and now the league is looking at a lot of options. San Diego State could be a school that fits right in, especially so if the Pac-12 wants to keep some sort of Southern California presence.
San Diego State fits perfectly on the football field with five of its past seven years — one of those includes the shortened COVID-19 season — with double-digit wins and a 7-2 record against the Pac-12 since 2016.
The main issue probably lies within the academic side as the Pac-12 would want to keep up that standard with any new teams. However, they can’t be all that picky when it is survival of the fittest.
Jon Wilner of the Wilner Hotline is not sure of San Diego State. However, he acknowledges that the Pac-12 needs to be more flexible if the Pac-12 wants to exist.
The Aztecs winning and bringing them into the Pac-12 would help keep some of that Southern California market they are losing with USC and UCLA going to the Big Ten.
San Diego State is not going to be the Pac-12’s first choice because their biggest issue is keeping Oregon and Washington from going to the Big Ten, and also the Arizona and Rocky Mountain schools from going to the Big 12.
Another Air Force Player Heads to the Transfer Portal The PAC-12 Wasn't the Only Ones to Have a Rough Start to the Weekend Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire As most of America headed into a holiday weekend ahead of various Independence Day ...
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2022-07-04T03:47:13Z
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Is San Diego State A Prime Candidate For The Pac-12?
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San Diego Padres right fielder José Azocar is tagged out by Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes on a fielder's choice grounder hit by Manny Machado in the third inning on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
In the next at-bat, Voit launched a moonshot to left that landed on the top of the wall in front of the Dodgers' bullpen, bounced away from outfielder Gavin Lux with an unusual sideways carom, and allowed Cronenworth to race home and tie the score.
"I thought it played out pretty good today,” said Turner, who went three for four with an RBI.
“Just didn't get the win,” Turner said, adding: “We let one slip away today, but we took care of business for the most part. It is what it is. It's a good team over there too. It's not like we're just giving games away. They kept competing and clawed back into it."
The show was a nod to the the 1996 Olympics that were held in Atlanta, which is big reason why they used Centennial Olympic Park.
The move that gives the slumping outfielder a chance to get back on track in the minors while allowing the D-Backs to add another RH bat to the roster.
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2022-07-04T04:09:26Z
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Craig Kimbrel's blown save costs Dodgers four-game sweep of Padres
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Stars running back Darnell Holland picks up yards during his team's win in a USFL semifinal at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Saturday, June 25, 2022.
The Nashville Predators traded for Ryan McDonagh on Sunday, adding the defenseman to an already strong unit. McDonagh won two Stanley Cups with Tampa.
Haynes: 'Elvis' has entered the building, evoking memories
Director Baz Luhrmann’s take on the life of Elvis Presley – simply called “Elvis” – presents the music superstar in a way that touched us deeply.
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2022-07-04T04:09:39Z
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Live updates: USFL championship game - Philadelphia Stars vs. Birmingham Stallions
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Moody fights off cut eye in Warriors' California Classic loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- Not even five minutes into his 2022 California Classic debut Sunday at Chase Center, it looked like Moses Moody's night was going to be cut short. Literally.
Moody suffered a cut to his left eye at the 7:22 mark in the first quarter of the Warriors' Summer League contest with the Los Angeles Lakers, a 100-77 blowout loss. With blood coming down, Moody was forced to the locker room. He received two stitches and made his way back to the floor with slightly over eight minutes remaining in the first half, sporting a tan bandage over his left eye.
good angle of Moses Moody's cut to his left eye here at Chase Center https://t.co/I5xDEA0kwv
What was the most frustrating for Moody came as a bit of a surprise. It wasn't his vision being affected. It was the return of the loathsome nicknames.
When Moody sustained a black eye from an elbow early into his start against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 1, the rookie didn't stop hearing the jokes from his older teammates. Now, they're back.
"It sucks, because I just got rid of my nicknames after it happened earlier in the year, but they all came back," Moody said to reporters. "Calling me 'Bar Fight,' 'Captain Jack.' They're all coming back."
The 20-year-old, who is expected to make a big leap in Year 2 and see a larger role next season, started off as the Warriors' facilitator and was feeling out the game. He got going in the second quarter upon his return and finished the first half with a game-high nine points and one turnover.
Eleven seconds after his first bucket, Moody took a charge on the other side of the floor. That's part of makes the Warriors so intrigued by the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He already is a pro's pro.
Moody doesn't play like someone who was a teenager two months ago, and he doesn't present himself like one either.
The Warriors' starting lineup consisted of Moody, Lester Quiñones, Justinian Jessup, Gui Santos and Selom Mawugbe. Outside of Moody, that's two second-round draft picks, two undrafted players and none with any NBA experience. Unlike what he's used to at Chase Center, Moody was a victim of his surroundings.
He went scoreless in the second half, missed all five of his shot attempts and turned the ball over four times. Moody shot 3-for-11 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep. His minus-24 was a game-worst for both sides and lower than any plus-minus he produced as a rookie -- in the regular season and the playoffs.
"For Moses specifically, I'd say a little bit of that, for sure," Warriors California Classic coach Seth Cooper said when asked if Moody's turnovers were more a result of not being used to his teammates more than anything else. "His ballhandling, his decision-making, his reads, his comfort level, everything -- the more he's in those situations where now other teams are trying to take him out and get him to not be able to catch the ball, that's something he didn't face really all year being the focal point of the team for us offensively. I think it was a little bit of everything, but the more he does it, the more comfortable he'll be.
"We've all seen him be able to make all the plays. We wouldn't put him in those situations if we hadn't seen him do it in practices and know he's full capable and confident doing them."
That's a name to watch going forward, but Moody's development to his overall game will continue to be near the top of the Warriors' Summer League to-do list.
Kings Top Warriors In California Classic
Keegan Murray, the no. 4 pick in this year's NBA draft, had 26 points and eight rebounds, leading the Sacramento Kings past the Golden State Warriors 86-68 in the second game of the California Classic on Saturday.
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2022-07-04T04:09:45Z
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Moses Moody fights off cut eye in Warriors' California Classic loss
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Immediately following the USC and UCLA news, the focus in the conference for many turned to Oregon and Washington, two schools many feel could easily follow the Trojans and Bruins to the Big Ten if the Big Ten extended an invitation. But sticking in the Pac-12 South, it appears there are some rumblings about the Arizona Wildcats.
According to a report from Jason Scheer of 247Sports, Arizona may be meeting with officials from the Big 12 as early as this week to explore a possible move to the Big 12. And that’s not all. Three other Pac-12 schools could contemplate a move to the Big 12.
Four schools that would make sense in the Big 12 from the Pac-12 would include Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado, a school that left the Big 12 for the Pac-10 when the conference expanded to 12 members. One might call that a bit of an awkward situation for Colorado, but it would seem to make the most sense as long as the Big Ten doesn’t happen to come calling first. It would also be a full twist on conference realignment storylines as it once was reported that the Pac-12 may have been on the verge of adding four Big 12 teams in the last monster round of conference realignment changes.
Conference realignment news and reports rarely pan out, so it can sometimes be best to wait and see how things play out before getting too carried away. But if those four schools do muscle their way out of a crumbling Pac-12 and join the Big 12, then the path to the Big Ten cherry-picking Oregon and Washington could be even more likely to happen relatively quickly.
It still feels unlikely the big Ten really is done with its expansion efforts at this point with just USC and UCLA. Perhaps the conference is waiting for Notre Dame to make a phone call, or perhaps the Big Ten wants to allow for a little more time to pass before kicking up realignment dust on its boots. Either way, Big Ten fans will be paying close attention to the stories coming out of the Pac-12 and Big 12 as those two conferences may end up needing each other now more than ever before.
After the announcement that USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12, Action News spoke with Jeremy Mauss from Mountain West Wire.
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2022-07-04T05:45:39Z
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Conference realignment rumor mill: More Pac-12 teams preparing to leave?
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247Sports released its ACC basketball power rankings on Sunday, and Clemson is in the bottom half of the mix.
With the Tigers coming off a 17-16 season and an offseason filled with roster turnover, 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter ranked the Tigers at No. 9. Meanwhile, unsurprisingly, North Carolina and Duke took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, while Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech rounded out the list.
Here’s Trotter’s reasoning behind Clemson’s ranking and his prediction of the team’s starting five.
Projected starting lineup: G Brevin Galloway, G Chase Hunter, G Dillon Hunter, F Hunter Tyson, F PJ Hall
Hall and Tyson are two dependable, reliable pieces for Clemson. Hall averaged 15.5 points per game this past season, but even bigger things could be in store. The junior big man has everything it takes to be a superstar and a potential ACC Player of the Year contender. Clemson’s guard play will be the thing to really watch. They’ll play defense. They’ll get great production from hall and Tyson. But if Clemson’s unproven guards do not step up, the Tigers can’t compete with the ACC big dogs.
Clemson finished 10th in the ACC standings last season, so Trotter’s ranking can’t be judged. However, if the Tigers can remain healthy, the team has the talent to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Hall was in-and-out of the lineup with a foot injury that later required surgery, while Tyson suffered a broken collarbone that sidelined him for eight games.
Hall is the unquestioned offensive leader of the program and, as Trotter points out, has the potential to be one of the most productive players in the ACC. If Hall can stay on the court and carry the load for the Tigers, there’s a real chance of the team finishing in the top half of the ACC standings.
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2022-07-04T07:04:16Z
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Clemson basketball ranked in bottom half of 247Sports’ ACC power rankings
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New England Patriots quarterback and former Alabama Crimson Tide star, Mac Jones, has been putting in the work this off-season and is ready to improve upon his impressive rookie season. Despite making the Pro Bowl in 2021, Jones is ready to take an even larger leap of growth.
Coming out of Alabama, one of the few knocks on Jones was that he did not appear very athletic and may have been a bit out of shape. However, he has completely eliminated that notion and looks to be in great shape ahead of the Patriots’ 2022 season in a photo shared on social media that has since gone viral.
Jones has spent a lot of time working with the Patriot’s strength and conditioning staff as well as a nutritionist in preparation for this season. Jones and company have their work cut out for them with a loaded AFC East headed into the year.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to share updates regarding Mac Jones and other former Alabama players in the NFL.
CFB Analyst claims Alabama's most important game of 2022 is Texas A&M
Whether glamorizing or jaded, these films convey a taste of war and military service that most Americans might otherwise never imagine.
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2022-07-04T08:43:16Z
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LOOK: Mac Jones looks shredded ahead of 2022 NFL season
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Birmingham Stallions win USFL championship, 33-30 originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
J.T. Poston became the first wire-to-wire winner at the John Deere Classic in 30 years on Sunday to capture his second career US PGA Tour title and book his British Open debut.
A fourth crew member has been rescued Monday after a storm sunk an engineering vessel two days earlier, according to Chinese authorities. The crew member was rescued by a navy ship Monday morning and is in stable condition, according to a statement by Guangdong maritime authorities. The vessel snapped into two and sank on Saturday during the tropical storm Chaba, which had maximum sustained wind speeds of 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour and was upgraded to a typhoon before making landfall in China's southeastern Guangdong province.
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2022-07-04T10:14:20Z
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Birmingham Stallions win USFL championship, 33-30
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Brogdon reveals the 'one goal' he has with Celtics after trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Malcolm Brogdon has played six NBA seasons between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, and he's never advanced past the first round in four career trips to the playoffs.
For that reason, and likely several others, he has one simple goal with the Boston Celtics after they acquired him via trade from the Pacers on Friday.
Brogdon is determined to help the Celtics win Banner 18, and he made that clear with an Instagram post Friday night. The photo he used was no accident, given what's in the background.
Instagram/malcolmbrogdon
The Celtics were just two wins short of an NBA championship last season. They were eliminated in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors.
After the reported additions of Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari, the Celtics are much better equipped to win a title next season because of their improved bench depth, scoring depth and playmaking ability.
DJ Steward with a deep 3 vs the Golden State Warriors
DJ Steward (Sacramento Kings) with a deep 3 vs the Golden State Warriors, 07/02/2022
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2022-07-04T10:46:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Malcolm Brogdon reveals the 'one goal' he has with Celtics after trade
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https://sports.yahoo.com/malcolm-brogdon-reveals-one-goal-154630071.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/malcolm-brogdon-reveals-one-goal-154630071.html?src=rss
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Dan Fouts
12. Chargers (15): Justin Herbert's 35 TD passes are a single-season record for an organization that has featured John Hadl, Dan Fouts, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers under center.
Jan 16, 1983; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts (14) in action against the Miami Dolphins during the 1982 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at the Orange Bowl. The Dolphins defeated the Chargers 34-13. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 1980; Cleveland, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Sipe (17) in action against the New York Jets at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY NETWORK
Cleveland Browns: Browns 75th anniversary all-time team: Brian Sipe, Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Mike Pruitt, Doug Dieken among latest additions
Brian Sipe of the Cleveland Browns stands next to his award Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1981 in New York after he was named the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 1980 season by the Professional Football Writers of America. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
Ozzie Newsome (left) and Dan Fouts were presented their RIngs of Honor during the halftime celebration of the Professional Football Hall of Fame Game Thursday, August 2, 2018.
NFL Public Relations associate Joe Browne ,left, is awarded the Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Excellence from master of ceremonies Hall of Famer Dan Fouts at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Thursday, June 30, 2022.
Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch, right, catches a pass from quarterback Jim Plunkett for a 64-yard gain during the first quarter of a playoff win over the Cleveland Browns in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 1983. (AP Photo, File)
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch (21) hugs quarterback Jim Plunkett (16) as the Raiders lined up for a team picture before a workout in the Superdome in New Orleans., Jan. 21, 1981. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
Former San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts poses with his Hall of Fame ring during the Hall of Fame Game.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hall of Fame QB Dan Fouts talks Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Browns
Franmil Reyes drove in both runs of the game and Triston McKenzie tossed seven scoreless innings in the Guardians' 2-0 win over the Yankees
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2022-07-04T11:49:54Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Hall of Famer Dan Fouts talks old Cleveland rival Brian Sipe, favorite current quarterback
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hall-famer-dan-fouts-talks-100013256.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hall-famer-dan-fouts-talks-100013256.html?src=rss
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Having a star running back like Jonathan Taylor on a rookie contract is something special the Indianapolis Colts will cherish as long as they can.
As teams try to shy away from paying running backs big money on their second contracts, it’s the players like Taylor who wind up bringing the most value to the offense when it comes to production cost.
Because he’s still on his rookie deal with a salary-cap hit of just $2.13 million in 2022, Taylor was featured as the starting running back on the “best NFL team money can buy,” an experiment done by NFL.com to fill the best roster possible under the league’s $208.2 million salary cap.
Quenton Nelson, Darius Leonard and Kenny Moore II were all considered for their respective positions but were not chosen.
Here’s what they had to say about Taylor being the lead back while still on his rookie deal:
Fresh off capturing a rushing triple crown and becoming the youngest player (22) with 2,000-plus scrimmage yards and 20-plus touchdowns in NFL history, Jonathan Taylor and his second-round rookie contract were easy to slot in as RB1. Through his first two seasons, Taylor has 32 scrimmage touchdowns, putting him on pace to set the NFL record for a player’s first three seasons. The four names currently atop that list each have a bronze bust in Canton, Ohio: Barry Sanders (47), Eric Dickerson (46), Gale Sayers (46) and Earl Campbell (45). My favorite Taylor statistic from the 2021 season? He had more rushing yards after contact (1,272) than any other player had total rushing yards (Nick Chubb finished second with 1,259), per Pro Football Focus.
What Taylor has done throughout his first two seasons in the NFL has been incredible. While the running back position has become more replaceable in recent seasons, there is no replacing Taylor’s impact on the Colts offense.
Though Taylor still has two more years left on his rookie deal, it wouldn’t be surprising if both sides start working on a new contract following the 2022 season. Taylor isn’t eligible for a new contract until after his third season in the NFL, but the Colts might not want to wait.
It will be interesting to see how that all works out in the future, but Taylor is one of the biggest values in the NFL when it comes to cost of production.
Is it safe to call animal control in Charlotte if you see a dog in distress? “It’s turned into a model of re-homing, re-socializing dogs and getting them fostered or adopted.”
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2022-07-04T13:02:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts’ Jonathan Taylor featured on ‘best NFL team money can buy’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-jonathan-taylor-featured-best-115924135.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-jonathan-taylor-featured-best-115924135.html?src=rss
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Mark Faller, Arizona Republic
Adding UCLA and USC will give the Big Ten a presence in six of the top seven TV markets – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose and Washington, D.C.
The famous sign that Notre Dame football players tap on their way to the field at Notre Dame Stadium on game days.
Sep 18, 2021; Provo, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Daniyel Ngata (4) is defended by BYU Cougars defensive back D'Angelo Mandell (5) on a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: From Arizona State to Notre Dame, speculation on next moves rampant
"I definitely felt everyone's disappointment and I was devastated and I was frightened about letting them down," singer says
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2022-07-04T13:24:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Arizona schools to Big 12? Notre Dame joining Big Ten? Let's play College Football Bingo
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https://sports.yahoo.com/arizona-schools-big-12-notre-191104837.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/arizona-schools-big-12-notre-191104837.html?src=rss
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The NBA world felt shockwaves when the Jazz sent Rudy Gobert to Minnesota in a blockbuster trade for a historic return. When the Jazz got eliminated from the playoffs in April, speculation began on whether the Jazz would break up their All-Star duo and enter a rebuild. In our offseason preview for the Jazz, we concluded that they were in good hands for a rebuild under newly hired Danny Ainge because of his history of extracting optimal value in trades.
The former Boston Celtics executive managed to outdo his previous haul from the 2013 trade with the Brooklyn Nets by not only getting three unprotected first-round picks again (2023, 2025, 2027), but also an additional Top 5 protected first in 2029. If you include this year’s 22nd overall pick, Walker Kessler, the Jazz got five first-round picks for Gobert, all without taking on any long-term money. They also traded Royce O’Neale to the Nets for a first-round pick on the eve of free agency.
Now the big question is, what happens next? And what that really is asking is if the Jazz will also trade Donovan Mitchell now that the roster has taken a major competitive hit in the short term. As hard as it is to move an all-time generational defender, who by all accounts was fully bought-in to the organization and the city of Utah, the return they got was too good to pass.
Where the Jazz stand now
top seven 7 pick and roll duos nba giannis gobert mitchell chris paul ayton
The Jazz likely were at the end of the road with this core with little to no flexibility to reshape the roster. The recent maximum extensions for Gobert and Mitchell, which kicked in last season, immediately accelerated their timeline. They established the core around the two All-Stars in the 2019 offseason when they used cap space to sign Bojan Bogdanovic and traded for Mike Conley.
From then on, they were capped out and relied on trades and exceptions to add talent. Eventually, they had to pay all their core players and the money added up fast. While the high luxury tax payments weren’t necessarily going to be an issue going forward, it was the lack of tradeable assets that pushed their window closer to the end.
Throughout last season, they were reportedly interested in pursuing a defensive-minded forward. One such player available was Jerami Grant, who was ultimately dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers for one future first-round pick. The Jazz were still able to trade enough first-round picks to make a stronger offer at the time for such a player-type. However, such a deal would’ve emptied their already low amount of tradeable assets. They already owe a 2024 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder that is mostly lottery protected through 2026.
In the end, the Jazz felt that they were more likely to get come into contention through a retool/rebuild than maintaining the status quo. In less than 24 hours, they went from being one of the most constrained teams from a salary cap perspective to one of the most flexible going forward. They are in a position to generate $40M+ in 2023 cap space, but that could change if they expand this trade, such as one that involves sending Kevin Durant to Phoenix, for example.
The five first-round picks they added also make them one of the most asset-rich teams in the league. If the Jazz go all-in on a rebuild, there’s a good chance they make selections with some of the upcoming ones. If at any point they want to accelerate such a rebuild, they’d also have that option.
Donovan Mitchell's future
It’s possible more trades continue around their other role players. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz plan on retooling the roster around Mitchell, suggesting he is off the table for now. Tony Jones of the Athletic confirmed those sentiments and added that the Jazz are active on the trade market, likely in deals involving their other role players.
Talks would likely start with their glut of guards, including Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. They could also discuss trades for newly acquired Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, and Leandro Bolmaro. It’s possible the Jazz could extract a couple more first-round picks for these players and later convert them into better veteran pieces around Mitchell.
However, the door may not be completely closed on a Mitchell trade. According to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz could be keeping their options open, which could include trading Mitchell for a massive haul. After setting the market at four unprotected first-round picks for Gobert, who is older and on a bigger contract, Utah will likely command at least a similar package to consider moving Mitchell.
There are few teams that have at least four tradeable first-round picks, and even fewer in that group that are in a position to accelerate their rebuild and acquire Mitchell. This could rule out teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, and Houston Rockets, especially since most of those teams have franchise guards they’re committed to. The Golden State Warriors could also make a strong offer for Mitchell, but they seem unlikely to rehaul their roster in such a trade.
The Knicks have been linked to Mitchell recently given his ties to New York and the CAA connection. According to Ian Begley, the Knicks might feel that the number of assets needed to acquire Mitchell may leave them with little to improve the team afterward.
With that said, they do have the necessary draft equity to acquire Mitchell, including four of their own, and four additional ones owed to them by other teams. They also have several young players they could include such as Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Miles McBride. The matching salary could come in the form of a combination of Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, and Cam Reddish.
The Pelicans are another team who could make an aggressive offer for Mitchell. One framework could include CJ McCollum for salary matching, and young players such as Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Jose Alvarado, and Dyson Daniels. They also could include up to four of their own first-round picks, and two additional ones owed to them. The idea of cashing out some of their remaining chips and trading McCollum for a younger All-Star guard in Mitchell could make sense.
After the Knicks and Pelicans, there is a noticeable dropoff in the quality of trade packages from a draft equity perspective. The Kings could offer a package involving De’Aaron Fox and recent first-round picks Davion Mitchell and Keegan Murray. Unfortunately, they are now limited to trading one first-round pick in 2028 or 2029 after trading a 2024 first-round pick to Altlanta for Kevin Huerter since it is protected through 2026.
The Miami Heat are another team that has been linked to Mitchell but they are also limited in the quality of their best offer. A package including Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, and Gabe Vincent would probably be involved, but they are limited in trading a 2023 first-round pick and another one in 2028 or 2029.
The Mavericks have a multitude of mid-sized tradable salaries but lack any recent first-round picks other than Josh Green. They could trade two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 and potentially their one in 2025 since it could be their first-available draft pick to trade if the Jazz believe the Mavericks’ obligation owed to the Knicks will convey before then.
The Nets could also make some sense since their situation is so fluid, but a trade would certainly have to include Ben Simmons due to rules prohibiting teams from fielding two designated rookies they traded for on the same team. Simmons doesn’t necessarily need to go to Utah, but perhaps another team could be willing to send draft assets to them for Simmons since the Nets lack all but two tradeable first-round picks.
If the Jazz do trade Mitchell as well, that would officially spell the end to an extremely short-lived era of incredible basketball in Utah. But if Ainge’s history in Boston means anything, additional shrewd deals for their role player and a focus on the draft should make for a promising future in Utah.
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2022-07-04T13:24:20Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Donovan Mitchell: His potential trade destinations
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https://sports.yahoo.com/donovan-mitchell-potential-trade-destinations-094324722.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/donovan-mitchell-potential-trade-destinations-094324722.html?src=rss
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2023 offensive line prospect Francis Mauigoa is set to make his college commitment Monday.
Alabama, Florida, Miami, Tennessee, USC and Hawaii are finalists for Mauigoa. Mauigoa is slated to make his commitment announcement at 3 p.m. EDT Monday.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound prospect is from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Joe Jackson talks his final five schools.
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2022-07-04T14:51:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Francis Mauigoa’s commitment time announced
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https://sports.yahoo.com/francis-mauigoa-commitment-time-announced-133147997.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/francis-mauigoa-commitment-time-announced-133147997.html?src=rss
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Three-star running back Joe Jackson is set for a decision on Monday, the Florida athlete intending to get the fireworks rolling with an early announcement.
The No. 19 running back in the nation according to Rivals, Jackson plans to announce on social media at 2 P.M. local time. He is coming off a standout season at Ridge Community (Davenport, FL).
Last season, Jackson had 1,011 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns for Ridge. He also had five receiving touchdowns for a program that went 5-5.
Jackson said that Duke, Kansas State, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Rutgers are his final five programs ahead of his decision on Monday.
Duke, he said, is a “high school for me” in terms of his interest.
Of the three, he took official visits to Duke two weeks ago followed by Rutgers and then Kansas State. He has visited Louisville (twice) and also visited Pittsburgh.
Check out what Joe Jackson had to say about his Monday announcement!
Joe Jackson on breaking down his decision
“It is really all five of the schools. I feel like some of the schools could be the best fit for me but obviously, you know, there’s only at the end of the day it’s only one school that’d be the best for me and we’ll all find out what that is on Monday. But that’s my final five.”
Joe Jackson on his official visit to Kansas State
“Really what I liked about it was hanging around campus and with Deuce Vaughn. I was with him most of the time.”
Joe Jackson on what stood out about Kansas State
“Like if I do get there, they’d try to get me in early, get me playing early. For my playing style, they say I’m highly comparable to Deuce Vaughn. I read the same thing out of the backfield, I’m a receiver. They see me like him.”
Joe Jackson on his Rutgers football official visit
“It was good. It was good. Rutgers is a great program, it stood out a lot. It exceeded my expectations. And then like how they plan how to use me – like like all the final five -all of them I really liked and life after football. That’s the biggest. That’s the biggest one that really stands out about all of them. Rutgers and really the other four, that stood out.”
Joe Jackson on the message from the Rutgers football staff
“Really, it was just getting in and learn the playbook – get in and just compete.”
Joe Jackson on finally announcing on Monday
“It’s been a long process, since February, a long stressful process. It’s been a long process, a great process, but a long process.”
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2022-07-04T14:51:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rutgers football: Joe Jackson breaks down final five with Monday decision nearing
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-football-joe-jackson-breaks-102557604.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-football-joe-jackson-breaks-102557604.html?src=rss
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J.T. Poston is now a two-time winner on the PGA Tour.
Poston went wire-to-wire to claim the 2022 John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. His reward: a $1,278,000 first-place check.
Poston opened his week with a 62, closed with a 2-under 69 at TPC Deere Run, and joined Scott Hoch (1980) and David Frost (1992) as just the third player in tournament history to lead from start to finish.
The win also locked up a spot in the 150th British Open at St. Andrews. Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Emiliano Grillo, who tied for second, locked up the other two available spots. For tying for second, they each earned $631,900.
John Deere Classic: Scores | PGA Tour all-time money list
John Deere Classic 2022 prize money
Cheng-Tsung Pan
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2022-07-04T14:53:13Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 John Deere Classic prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player at TPC Deere Run
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-john-deere-classic-prize-231938312.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-john-deere-classic-prize-231938312.html?src=rss
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One of the more surprising picks the Tennessee Titans made during the 2022 NFL draft was the fourth-round selection of Michigan running back Hassan Haskins.
Now, that’s not to say we didn’t think the Titans could take a running back at all, just not that early and not before what we perceived were bigger needs, like tight end, which Tennessee would later address.
But the pick definitely makes sense. Derrick Henry is approaching the age of 30, and the Titans are likely hoping to take some of the load off his shoulders in the years to come.
When asked about his new teammate, Henry called Haskins “a beast” and was impressed with the 6-foot-2, 228-pound back’s size.
The game Henry is talking about saw Haskins go for 169 rushing yards and five scores — both career-highs — in a 42-27 victory over the Buckeyes in 2021.
Speaking of beasts, Henry is the definition of one with his massive 6-foot-3, 247-pound frame, powerful running style and underrated speed, all things Haskins raved about upon meeting Henry.
“He’s big. I thought I was pretty big but he’s a large guy, I’m not going to lie,” Haskins said, via Mickey Ryan of 104.5 The Zone. “It’s crazy. I’ve never seen anything like that. He’s so big and so fast, it’s ridiculous.”
The Michigan product says he feels “way more confident” from where he was when the offseason program began, and he’s been wisely watching Henry for any knowledge he can soak up.
“I definitely watch him, all his moves,” Haskins said of Henry. “Just seeing how he is, how he handles himself. He’s a super-cool dude… I just want to keep picking his brain and keep getting better.”
Looking ahead to his rookie season, Haskins will be one of the backs who spells Henry, and the hope is that the rookie can thrive in that role and allow Henry to lessen his workload a bit, which could help extend his career.
However, the ultimate goal for Haskins is, of course, to become a starter. He isn’t sure when he’ll get his opportunity to do that, but having to work his way up the depth chart is nothing new for the 22-year-old.
“In college, I wasn’t starting right away — I had to work my way,” Haskins said. “Now, I have to do the same thing — I have to keep working each day. It may not be tomorrow, it may not be a couple of years, but I am going to keep working and get better to have a role on this team.”
Titans' Robert Woods pegged as potential first-time Pro Bowler in 2022
Titans land No. 14 pick, select WR in ESPN's 2023 mock draft
Get $350 off a Solo Stove fire pit for 4th of July—shop deals on shields, accessories and more
Solo Stove is offering incredible fire pit deals at its 4th of July sale—including $180 off its fan-favorite Bonfire fire pit. Shop the sale today.
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2022-07-04T14:53:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ Derrick Henry calls Hassan Haskins ‘a beast’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-derrick-henry-calls-hassan-140837512.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-derrick-henry-calls-hassan-140837512.html?src=rss
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In the past, fans have only looked forward to Joe Thomas, Joe Haden or free agents from other teams making big money in Cleveland. In 2022, and beyond, the Browns are full of well-paid talent.
With that comes a limit with the salary cap. While many will say ‘the salary cap is fake’ because it can be manipulated, the salary cap is a reality that, at times, can cause the middle of the roster to move on to other teams leaving some highly paid players and players on rookie contracts to make up most of the roster.
Going into 2022, almost $19 million of the team’s salary cap space is taken up with dead money paid out to nine players. Of those nine players, two are still on the team’s roster, two were traded and the other five were released:
TE Austin Hooper - $3.75 million
Perhaps Andrew Berry’s worst decision so far, Hooper flopped as a top-level free agent addition and was released this offseason. His $3.75 million cap hit is the 15th highest on this year’s Browns roster.
His dead cap jumps to $7.5 million in 2023.
DE Jadeveon Clowney - $3.6 million
One of the recent salary cap techniques used recently is void years. The void years allow teams to spread out salary cap hits. Clowney returned on another one-year contract for 2022 that also includes another 4 void years.
His 2021 contract had a similar structure which, when he didn’t sign an extension before the new league year, voided creating the $3.6 million in dead cap for 2022 despite him being back on the team.
Combined, his two cap hits are around $7 million for 2022 but is set to be over $6 million in dead cap hit in 2023.
CB Troy Hill - $2.6 million
Another free agent addition that didn’t pan out, Berry traded Hill back to Los Angeles during the NFL draft. Cleveland still has $2.6 million on their cap for Hill in 2022.
QB Case Keenum - $2.3 million
The other traded player, Cleveland moved Keenum to Buffalo this offseason and replaced him with Jacoby Brissett for the 2022 season. Keenum played well at times for the Browns but was limited.
DT Malik Jackson - $1.9 million
Cleveland used the void years to add veteran Malik Jackson as well. Jackson was a stopgap measure who showed his age throughout the season. Due to the void years, Jackson (who is still a free agent) will cost almost $2 million against the salary cap and the Browns defensive tackle room is still full of questions.
OL J.C. Tretter - $1.6 million
The NFLPA President is still a free agent but the Browns will be moving forward with Nick Harris as their center. Tretter played well in Cleveland and played despite a lot of injury issues.
The dead cap on his extension is just a little under $2 million.
WR Jarvis Landry - $1.5 million
Jarvis Landry was the heart and soul of the Cleveland revival since coming over in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. While there were some reports that he could return after being released, Landry instead signed for an incentive-laden contract with his home state New Orleans Saints.
Landry’s release saved the team significant cap space but still costs $1.5 million against the salary cap.
LB Anthony Walker Jr. - $1.2 million
The other player still on the roster for 2022 is Walker. Like Clowney, Walker signed a one-year deal with the team in 2021 and again in 2022. Like Clowney, Walker’s new deal also had void years which will create over $2 million in dead hit in 2023.
S Sheldrick Redwine - $180K
The least of the dead cap hit, some fans may not remember much about Redwine’s time with the team. Since being released, the former Miami University product signed with three teams and is set to start training camp with the Miami Dolphins. The minimal dead cap space comes from his rookie contract with the Browns after being a fourth-round pick.
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2022-07-04T15:13:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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9 players count for over $18 million dead cap space for Browns
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https://sports.yahoo.com/9-players-count-over-18-134209581.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/9-players-count-over-18-134209581.html?src=rss
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Dexter Williams
Former Green Bay Packers running back Dexter Williams was one of the standouts of the USFL title game between the Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars on Sunday night.
Williams, a sixth-round pick of the Packers in 2019, joined Philadelphia as an injury replacement last week and immediately stepped into a featured role for the Stars, who fell 33-30 at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Williams rushed eight times for 29 yards and caught four passes for a team-high 73 yards, including a 34-yard catch. He finished with 102 total yards on 12 touches.
“I thought he played really well for not having much time to learn the offense,” Stars coach Bart Andrus said, via Eric D. Williams of FOX Sports. “We had to find stuff that he could learn quickly, but he played well. I would have liked to have seen him for a few more weeks.”
Williams played for four other NFL teams after being released by the Packers at final cuts before the 2021 season. He signed with the Stars on June 29.
While an explosive runner, Williams was unable to carve out a role as a backup in Green Bay behind Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon.
But the former Notre Dame star made the most of his opportunity in the USFL on Sunday night.
Williams’ 34-yard catch came on a screen play. He made several would-be tacklers miss in the open field.
Here’s the play:
WE LOVE SCREEN PASSES!@DexterW_22 with a long gain.
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/NYIrMRrR2d
Here was one of Williams’ runs from Sunday night:
Williams replaced Matt Colburn II, who was out with an injury.
Over two seasons and seven regular-season games in Green Bay, Williams carried seven times for 19 yards.
Packers releasing running back Dexter Williams
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2022-07-04T15:13:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Packers RB Dexter Williams shines in USFL title game
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-packers-rb-dexter-williams-143212410.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-packers-rb-dexter-williams-143212410.html?src=rss
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The Cleveland Browns have some big uncertainties at the quarterback position but no uncertainty at the running back position for 2022. With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt leading the way, the Browns have the best group in the NFL.
In a passing league, there may be some questions about how important good running backs are but it is clear that Chubb and Hunt are great at what they do. Kevin Stefanski has built his offense around the pair and a great offensive line.
When Chubb and/or Hunt are not available, D’Ernest Johnson has come in and played well while Demetric Felton showed ability as a pass-catching back as a rookie. Jerome Ford was drafted this year to add to the group.
Hunt and Johnson are set for free agency at the end of this season with Hunt publicly stating his desire to stay with his hometown team.
A Hunt extension, which would be his third contract with the team since signing in free agency, would bring a lot of excitement. Hunt is a vocal, passionate supporter of the team and the area. When healthy, he’s a great option to keep Chubb fresh.
Unfortunately for both Hunt and the fanbase, an extension seems illogical.
Chubb’s salary cap hit jumps from just over $5 million in ’22 to just under $15 million in ’23. If Deshaun Watson isn’t suspended for the entire ’22 season, his cap hit jumps $44 million.
With Jadeveon Clowney, Greedy Williams, Anthony Walker Jr. and others hitting free agency at the end of the year, Cleveland may need to put resources to other positions following this season.
Hunt currently is the highest-paid backup running back and a top 15 paid back annually. An extension would likely be as expensive or more moving forward.
Instead, the Browns may choose to offer Johnson a smaller extension or rely on Felton and Ford behind Chubb to minimize the cost of the running back room.
In the end, a Hunt extension would be exciting and fun but seems unrealistic given the state of the team’s salary cap and other talents on the team. Thankfully, that is a decision for the next offseason and not one that has to be made now.
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2022-07-04T15:13:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Kareem Hunt extension would be fun but unlikely
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Kendrick Bourne was arguably the New England Patriots’ most important acquisition during the team’s spending frenzy in 2021.
Bourne, 26, was brought in on a three-year deal worth $15 million and he was alongside Jakobi Meyers as the Patriots’ best receiver. He grabbed 55 receptions with 800 yards and five touchdowns — adding on 12 rushes for 125 yards. In comparison, Nelson Agholor was brought in on a $22 million deal and he only had 37 catches for 473 yards.
Along with bringing productivity on the field, Bourne was one of the most energetic personalities in all situations. Football Outsiders’ Scott Spratt recognized the impact Bourne made and he named him the most underrated player on the Patriots in an ESPN column.
The Patriots have a competitive receiver room with Meyers, Bourne, DeVante Parker, Agholor, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon and N’Keal Harry all fighting for a starting role.
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2022-07-04T15:13:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL analyst says WR Kendrick Bourne is Patriots’ most underrated player
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-analyst-says-wr-kendrick-140043300.html?src=rss
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In a recent article ranking the helmet logos of all 32 teams in the National Football League, the Tennessee Titans’ decal is getting no love.
According to Christian D’Andrea of USA TODAY’s For The Win, the Titans’ helmet logo is the worst in the NFL. Here’s D’Andrea’s explanation for the ranking.
Extreme create-a-team vibes remain for a team created in 1999. Only the three small stars in the logo connect any of this to the Titans’ actual identity.
The helmet logo does a great job of paying homage to the state in which the Titans play, as it mirrors Tennessee’s state flag, but I’ve never been a fan of the flames that are included.
Still, to say the Titans’ helmet logo is the worst in the league is definitely a stretch.
The five teams to rank just ahead of the Titans were the New England Patriots (No. 31), Denver Broncos (No. 30), New York Jets (No. 29), Washington Commanders (No. 28) and Houston Texans (No. 27).
As far as the rest of the AFC South goes, the Jacksonville Jaguars were ranked No. 24, and the Indianapolis Colts No. 11.
Rounding out the top five were the Dallas Cowboys (No. 5), Atlanta Falcons (No. 4), New Orleans Saints (No. 3), Los Angeles Chargers (No. 2) and Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 1).
Chigoziem Okonkwo named Titans' surprise offseason standout
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Marlin Briscoe, the modern era's first Black quarterback, left an important legacy
Rep. Ro Khanna reacts to newly released body cam video of a deadly police shooting in Akron, and the January 6th Committee testimony.
Iowa's schedule features Big Ten giant Ohio State. Who are the Buckeyes to worry about in Iowa's pursuit to pull off the upset?
When commemorating the United States’ birth, we may revel too much in a patriotic, School House Rock tale of good and evil.
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2022-07-04T15:14:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ helmet logo ranked as NFL’s worst by For The Win
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-helmet-logo-ranked-nfl-133332524.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-helmet-logo-ranked-nfl-133332524.html?src=rss
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With the full knowledge of the 2021 NFL draft in tow, things would have played out much differently.
At least that’s the case in PFF’s recent 2021 NFL redraft scenario. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after trading it away to acquire Orlando Brown Jr. from the Baltimore Ravens. The team still masterfully managed to grab some key pieces during the course of the draft — pieces that would now be selected much higher than they were.
PFF’s Sam Monson believes that a trio of Chiefs players taken would now have landed in the first round. Those three players were selected by Kansas City between the second round and the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Here is a look at each of those three players and the new teams they end up with in PFF’s redraft scenario:
Pick No. 14: NEW YORK JETS (VIA SEA) - C CREED HUMPHREY
The Jets originally selected Alijah Vera-Tucker with this pick. Humphrey was the top-performing interior offensive lineman to come out of the 2021 NFL draft. He played at an All-Pro level as a rookie, grading out as PFF’s top-graded center. He would be a mainstay on any offensive line in the league. Vera-Tucker on the other hand, he goes three picks later to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The Jets would be happy enough with the rookie season they got from Vera-Tucker, but Humphrey played at an All-Pro level for the Chiefs in his first season. He allowed 10 pressures in 17 games and had a run-blocking grade of 92.5. The Jets would need a reshuffle along the offensive line but may well be better off for it long-term.” – PFF’s Sam Monson
Humphrey was selected by the Chiefs at Pick No. 63 overall in the second round of the draft.
Pick No. 16: ARIZONA CARDINALS - OG TREY SMITH
The Cardinals originally selected Zaven Collins with this pick, but they pivot to the offensive side of the ball, grabbing a 17-game starter in Smith. Had NFL teams known what they now know about his performance and health, Smith would have been a surefire first-round pick, even as an interior offensive lineman. It might not be long before he’s recognized as the best right guard in the league.
“Collins may well end up a fine player, but the Cardinals just didn’t play him much as a rookie, leaving him behind Jordan Hicks. Collins played just 220 snaps all season, and Arizona’s offensive line was still a major problem. Trey Smith slid to the sixth round over concerns about a medical condition, but he was arguably the best rookie guard all season. He would be a significant upgrade for Arizona, particularly in the run game.” – PFF’s Sam Monson
Smith was selected by the Chiefs at Pick No. 226 overall in the sixth round of the draft.
Pick No. 29: GREEN BAY PACKERS - LB NICK BOLTON
The Packers originally selected CB Eric Stokes at this pick, but he was taken by the Tennessee Titans about seven picks earlier. As a result, the Packers pivot in the draft and grab Nick Bolton, who was a pleasant surprise in Kansas City as a rookie.
“A season ago, the idea of De’Vondre Campbell embarking upon an All-Pro season would have seemed insane. He was coming off back-to back seasons with an overall PFF grade around 50.0 for two different teams and had never graded above 68.3 for a season. The Packers could easily have grabbed a linebacker like Bolton — a tackling machine — and even with the improvement from Campbell would have had a very dynamic duo at that level of the defense. Bolton missed only eight of his 102 tackle attempts including the playoffs and was particularly effective against the run.” – PFF’s Sam Monson
Bolton was selected by the Chiefs at Pick No. 58 overall in the second round of the draft.
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2022-07-04T15:14:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Trio of Chiefs’ 2021 NFL draft picks selected in first round of PFF redraft
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https://sports.yahoo.com/trio-chiefs-2021-nfl-draft-144732546.html?src=rss
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Wiseman still on track for summer league debut after big step originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- Moses Moody's 2022 California Classic debut was set to steal the show Sunday night at Chase Center for the Warriors' summer league showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers. Behind closed doors, there was a development just as important taking place earlier in the day.
Some Warriors summer league players, and even coaches, started shuffling in late before tipoff on their home court. Why? James Wiseman and a handful of others were going through a 5-on-5 scrimmage, which served as a bit of a warmup for some players.
"James was able to do that, looked really good," Warriors California Classic coach Seth Cooper said to reporters. "For James, that was a pretty live day. I was on the court for some of that, but everything I heard was that that went really well and he looked really good."
Sunday marked the first time that Wiseman played a true 5-on-5 game up and down the court in this Ramping Up 2.0.
Wiseman still won't play in the Warriors' final California Classic game Tuesday, but his latest positive step continues to have him on track to play in the Las Vegas Summer League, which would be his summer league debut despite him going into Year 3.
"Yeah, I think that's the plan," Cooper said. " I haven't heard anything one way or the other, but I know today was a good step and that he looked really good playing."
Whether that's at the start, middle or end of the Warriors' time in Las Vegas still is to be determined. Patrick Baldwin Jr., the Warriors' top pick in last month's draft, went through shooting drills Sunday and still could play in Vegas, too. The same goes with Jonathan Kuminga, who is scheduled to meet his teammates in Vegas.
A smiley Wiseman was full of good spirits last Wednesday when he met with reporters. And why wouldn't he be?
After missing his entire second season in the NBA, the 21-year-old is on track to soon be back in game action and show why he was the No. 2 pick in the draft two years ago.
"Today felt great," Wiseman said on June 29. "I feel good out there with the guys and just everything about it. I'm speechless. I feel good just playing again."
Wiseman last played in an NBA game on April 10, 2021, when his rookie season ended abruptly to a torn meniscus. Complications delayed his return this past season, and after playing three G League games, the Warriors held Wiseman out for the rest of the season as he dealt with knee swelling.
They re-signed center Kevon Looney to a three-year, $25.5 million contract in free agency this offseason. The Athletic's Anthony Slater also reported Looney's third year on his contract is only a partial guarantee of $3 million. Wiseman is seen as the future of the position for the Warriors if he can stay healthy. The two also have much different skill sets and can complement each other.
It's no secret that this is a big summer for Wiseman. The Warriors must decide by Oct. 31 to pick up his $12.1 million team option for the 2023-24 season. If not, the big man becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Golden State has invested too much to move on from Wiseman that quick, and a lot would have to continue to go wrong for the team to get to that point.
He needs luck to go his way right now. Sunday was another reason for Wiseman and the Warriors to smile.
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2022-07-04T16:26:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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James Wiseman still on track for summer league debut after 5-on-5
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The Minnesota Vikings need an attitude adjustment in 2022, and five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is just the player to help get them there.
Nearly two weeks ago, USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon reported that the Vikings were one of two teams that have had multiple conversations with the 35-year-old linemen over a possible signing.
As of right now, nothing has come to fruition, and things have once again gone eerily quiet on the Suh front. Of course, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could change all of that, along with the defensive perception in Minnesota, if he finds a way to pull off a deal.
Imagine the look on Aaron Rodgers’ face when he sees the man that has bedeviled him for years now suddenly lining up across from him in a Vikings jersey in Week 1.
That moment alone might be worth the signing.
But there’s also the fact that Suh brings a nastiness to a defense that can’t be replicated. He’s unapologetically brash on the football field, and he consistently plays with a physical edge to his game.
Yes, the ability to serve as the seemingly impenetrable run-stuffer at times is still there. But don’t sleep on his tendency to turn back the clock every so often, toss an offensive linemen aside like an action figure and blow up plays in the backfield.
Even though 2021 brought an end to his run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he still finished the season with 27 tackles, six sacks and seven tackles for a loss.
An interesting part from a Vikings perspective, however, is his versatility in playing in multiple fronts. If defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is installing a chameleon-style defense, he could use a smart veteran playmaker with experience in 3-4 and 4-3 defenses.
More importantly, he could use a player with a long track record of simply being available. Injuries have been a common theme for the Vikings defense over the last couple of seasons. You’d have to go all the way back to 2011 just to find a year where Suh didn’t play in 16 games.
Availability counts for something, and the Vikings are going to need an all-hands-on-deck effort to get back to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
If the money is right, the Suh sweepstakes ending in Minnesota should be a no-brainer.
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2022-07-04T16:27:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Signing Ndamukong Suh could help take Vikings defense over the top
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https://sports.yahoo.com/signing-ndamukong-suh-could-help-151208884.html?src=rss
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PLYMOUTH, Wis. — There was never any doubt.
Tyler Reddick officially joined Richard Childress Racing’s Cup Series operation in 2020, taking control of its second full-time entry in NASCAR’s top tour alongside veteran Austin Dillon. It took 90 starts in the car, but on Sunday, Reddick personally returned the No. 8 Chevrolet to Victory Lane for the first time since 2006. The checkered flag marked career win No. 1 for Reddick and No. 110 for team owner Richard Childress.
“It‘s great to see Tyler Reddick in the winner‘s circle,” Childress said. “It wasn‘t a matter of if he was going to do it, it was a matter of when they were going to win.”
RELATED: Official race results | How Reddick won Road America
ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN - JULY 03: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Kwik Trip 250 at Road America on July 03, 2022 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Especially in 2022.
Prior to Sunday, Reddick had finished runner-up twice this season alone — Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt) and Darlington Raceway. He had led laps in seven of the 17 races.
Then, with 17 laps remaining in the Kwik Trip 250 at Road America, Reddick passed 2020 champion and notorious road-course expert Chase Elliott for the lead. He held it for the rest of the 62-lap event and captured the checkered flag by 3.304 seconds.
“Tyler doesn’t need a whole lot of cheerleading a lot of times,” crew chief Randall Burnett said. “Sometimes he gets down on himself a little bit and beats himself up if he makes a mistake. I think that’s the biggest thing with him is you’ve just got to keep him pumped up and let him know we can’t dwell on it, we’ve got to get on with it and go about our day.”
And Reddick, a 26-year-old from California, is maturing in that way.
Reddick entered the Cup Series after back-to-back Xfinity Series championships. He won eight races and two titles at the second-tier level between 2018-19. He then moved up to the top ranks and went winless in his rookie season.
“We got slapped in the face with the reality of what Cup racing is like,” Reddick said. “And just, I‘ve had to learn a lot over the course of these last three years in the Cup Series as a driver. But I‘ve had some really great people behind me to help me do that.”
RELATED: Top Road America finishers applaud Reddick
ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN - JULY 03: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, and crew celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Kwik Trip 250 at Road America on July 03, 2022 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Each year, Reddick has shown overall improvement.
In his introductory season, Reddick averaged a 17.5 finish. He did not make the playoffs, placing 19th at the end. As a sophomore, he posted a 15.4 average. He qualified for the playoffs on points, checking out 13th. His highest result in both seasons was second.
As a junior, 18 races into the 36-race schedule of 2022, Reddick may hold a lower 17.3 average finish, but he boasts a career-high five top fives and punched a provisional playoff ticket thanks to his win with eight races left until the postseason even begins.
“I‘ve watched Tyler since was running the Trucks. He struggled a bit there, but he was always driving the trucks to their limit,” Childress said. “Then when he got in the Xfinity (cars) at JR Motorsports, he was the same. He drove. He‘s got so much talent. He just pushes that limit every week.”
In 63 career starts from 2013-16, Reddick won three Camping World Truck Series races; he broke through in start No. 18. He has tallied 10 Xfinity Series wins from 2017-22, winning in his 15th start. Road America was technically his 92nd Cup Series start.
That makes Reddick one of 41 NASCAR drivers all-time to find success in all three of the sport‘s national series.
And those who know him knew it was bound to happen.
“I told him (Sunday) morning,” Childress said, “‘You‘re going to win this race.‘”
Said Reddick: “He‘s always had a lot of confidence in me.”
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2022-07-04T17:04:41Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why Tyler Reddick? Team owner Richard Childress explains faith in No. 8
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The Green Bay Packers didn’t have a first-time Pro Bowler during the 2021 season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kenny Clark were all repeat Pro Bowlers and several worthy candidates on the Packers roster didn’t get selected.
Given how many good candidates are still available, there’s a strong chance the Packers will have at least one first-time Pro Bowler in 2022.
Here’s the top candidates for Matt LaFleur’s team:
He was a first-team All-Pro selection after a standout first season in Green Bay, but as if often the case, Campbell’s comeback campaign fell through the cracks of the Pro Bowl voting process. The good news? Pro Bowl voting lags behind, so Campbell should be on everyone’s radar going into the 2022 season. If he’s elite at linebacker for a second straight season, a Pro Bowl nod should follow. Playing behind a deep and talented defensive line in Joe Barry’s scheme should mean a lot of tackles and a lot of playmaking opportunities for Campbell once again this season.
Gary enjoyed a breakout season worthy of Pro Bowl recognition in 2021, but he suffered from some of the same issues as Campbell. The voting process often needs a year to catch up, especially for young players. Gary, one of the most talented young edge rushers in football, will no longer be hiding in the shadows as a fourth-year player. If he can get to double-digit sacks and headline the Packers ascending defense, he’ll have a terrific opportunity to be one of the three NFC edge rushers in 2022. Given his career trajectory so far, another step in performance and production for Gary could be highly likely.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas (29)
He was an alternate after playing in only 11 games last season. Can the Packers’ interception leader from 2021 make even more plays while starting opposite Jaire Alexander and earn a Pro Bowl nod in 2022? With Alexander back in the lineup, one thing is certain: A lot of targets are coming Douglas’ way. If he can prevent big plays, create more game-changing interceptions and help the Packers produce one of the NFL’s best passing defenses, Douglas should be in consideration for a Pro Bowl spot, even if only four cornerbacks get picked from each conference. He’ll certainly have momentum after his breakout 2021 season.
At some point, Amos will shed the “underrated” label and finally receive enough overdue national respect. It would be difficult to find a more reliable safety in the NFC over the last three seasons. Amos covers, tackles, plays deep and in the box, makes plenty of big plays and is always on the field. Maybe this is the year he’s always in the right place at the right time and creates 7-8 turnover plays, providing the highlight plays often required to get the Pro Bowl nod at safety. His contract voids after this season, so he’ll have plenty of financial motivation to have a career year on the stat sheet.
Stokes was terrific as a rookie and has the athletic profile of a star player at the cornerback position. The Packers think he’s going to have a big season in Year 2. Now, he just needs to convert more opportunities to make big plays. He was in position often as a rookie but didn’t always finish. And because he’ll be sharing the field with Jaire Alexander, Stokes should get plenty of chances to make plays on the ball. With a legitimate second-year jump and more big plays, there’s no reason why Stokes can’t be in the Pro Bowl discussion by the end of 2022.
C Josh Myers: He’s entering Year 2 as the anchor of the Packers offensive line. Can he take a big jump and stay healthy as a second-year player?
OLB Preston Smith: The veteran bounced back with 9.0 sacks in 2021. He’d need to get to 12.0 or more to have a realistic shot at the Pro Bowl in 2022.
RB A.J. Dillon: It would likely take an injury to Aaron Jones to make a Pro Bowl happen, but Dillon could be a touchdown machine if he gets enough touches in 2022.
S Darnell Savage: Despite a notable step back in 2021, Savage still has all the tools and experience necessary for being a Pro Bowl safety. Maybe going into his second year in Joe Barry’s defense will provide the boost.
K Mason Crosby: Can a new holder and special teams coordinator help turn Crosby back into the automatic kicker he was during the 2020 season? He has a long history of bouncing back from bad seasons.
WR Allen Lazard: His target share should sky rocket, and someone has to catch touchdown passes from Aaron Rodgers. There’s a chance he could hit double-digit scores in 2022.
G Jon Runyan Jr: He was terrific as a first-year starter at left guard. Having Runyan as a last name doesn’t hurt his Pro Bowl potential, either.
P Pat O’Donnell: The veteran punter has a chance to stop the revolving door at the position in Green Bay.
TE Robert Tonyan: If he returns from injury in time, Tonyan could catch a bunch of passes and score a bunch of touchdowns in the passing game. He deserved the Pro Bowl nod in 2020.
Who has the best chance of being a first-time Pro Bowler for the Packers in 2022?
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2022-07-04T17:17:44Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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5 Packers who could be first-time Pro Bowlers in 2022
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Former Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith became the latest Penn State draft pick to officially sign his rookie contract last week. Smith, a fourth-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers, signed his contract to officially begin his professional career.
Smith signed a four-year contract valued at $4.4 million and will be an unrestricted free agent beginning in 2026. Smith will be paid a base salary of $705,000 in the 2022 season. That annual base salary will increase to &870,000 in 2023, to $985,000 in 2024, and up to $1.1 million in 2025.
The Panthers have also given Smith a signing bonus of $756,548 that will be paid in even distributions of $189,137 annually over the course of his four-year contract. The signing bonus is guaranteed in full as well.
.@brand0n_smith12 is in 🖊️https://t.co/Jtn76pWR28
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) June 30, 2022
There are now just two Penn State players drafted in the 2022 NFL draft still to be signed by their teams. Defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (Atlanta Falcons) and safety Jaquan Brisker (Chicago Bears) are still unsigned.
The catcher's two-run homer in the fifth provided all the offense, while the right-hander threw six solid innings to win for the second time on the trip.
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2022-07-04T17:18:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brandon Smith signs rookie contract with Carolina Panthers
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There have been multiple possible impact players for the Minnesota Vikings that haven’t been in the limelight in discussions related to the upcoming 2022 season.
One of those players is a newcomer to the team slated to be the first line of defense up front. It’s a person ESPN.com has picked as the most underrated player on the Vikings roster.
That man is Harrison Phillips.
He’s as fun-loving and philanthropic as they come off the football field. But make no mistake, when the helmet and pads come on, the veteran defensive tackle is a problem for opposing offenses. And that’s good news for the Vikings.
So much is being made about the additions to the defensive backfield, along with the blockbuster pairing of Pro Bowlers Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith, that Phillips has sort of flown under the radar.
The staff from Football Outsiders, via ESPN.com, wrote:
Phillips, 26, is entering the prime years of his career on a Vikings team that finally appears to be headed in the right direction defensively.
And to think, he could be the best-kept secret for an improved defense with plenty to uncover this season.
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2022-07-04T17:18:15Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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ESPN.com picks most underrated player for 2022 Vikings
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https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-com-picks-most-underrated-164025244.html?src=rss
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Jonathan Taylor predicted to be Colts’ 2022 MVP
You may want to sit down for this shocking prediction.
Running back Jonathan Taylor was predicted to be the MVP of the Indianapolis Colts for the 2022 season. We’ll give you a minute to catch your breath.
In all seriousness, Taylor is the most logical option for this kind of exercise done by Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports. There are some other sleepers who could emerge, but Taylor is the layup choice.
Here’s what Dajani had to say about Taylor being the team’s MVP in 2022:
With Derrick Henry sidelined by injury, Taylor took over as the best running back in the NFL last year. The Wisconsin product led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, but couldn’t carry the Colts to the playoffs. Indy is again trying a new quarterback with Matt Ryan, but this team won’t go anywhere if Taylor isn’t the star he was in 2021. Michael Pittman Jr. is another candidate for this team MVP award, and Indy is certainly hoping he has a career year in 2022, but Taylor is the player the Colts need to carry them this season.
Taylor’s incredible 2021 season comes with higher expectations for his third campaign. As he led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards, his impact was felt nearly every week.
Pittman Jr. is an interesting option as well depending on what kind of jump he makes with Matt Ryan. The emergence of second-year defensive end Kwity Paye also could be a sleeper choice.
We’ll see what 2022 has in store for Taylor, but the expectations are extremely high.
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2022-07-04T17:18:21Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jonathan Taylor predicted to be Colts’ 2022 MVP
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jonathan-taylor-predicted-colts-2022-165008657.html?src=rss
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NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund picked the Colts as her Super Bowl sleeper team entering the 2022 season thanks to the many new additions made to the roster this offseason.
“They’ve got that o-line, they’ve got that run game. They’ve got Matt Ryan who creates a passing offense for them where last year was a bit shakier,” said Frelund. “So you’re surrounding a really good team with a really good quarterback that can execute play-action extremely well. I think this kind of a nice, longer shot Super Bowl pick.”
The Colts have to get into the playoffs first and that starts with winning the division. They could find themselves in the wild-card race but ensuring one of the top four seeds would go a long way during the playoffs.
The AFC is stacked with strong teams. The entire AFC West might be the best division in football while the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills lead the way as favorites for the conference. Then, the AFC North boasts several strong teams while the New England Patriots also are expected to be in the mix.
The Colts are certainly an interesting team going into the season, and if they get hot at the right time, anything can happen.
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2022-07-04T17:18:28Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL analysts dubs Colts ‘Super Bowl Sleeper’
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The Rams went from 22nd in points scored in 2020 to seventh last season, seemingly getting better as the season went on. However, there’s always room for improvement – something Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and everyone else on offense will tell you.
According to Warren Sharp, the Rams were only tied for 15th in goal-to-go efficiency. In other words, they were just average when getting inside the 10-yard line on the door step of the end zone.
most productive teams in goal-to-go:
4. SEA
5. CLE
8. TB, BUF, PIT (tie)
11. GB
13. SF
14. CAR
15. LAR, BAL, DET
20. IND
21. NYG
23. LAC
24. PHI
26. WAS
28. NYJ
31. ATL
32. CHI
It wasn’t due to a high number of turnovers, either. Inside the 10, Stafford completed 50% of his passes with 22 touchdowns and only one interception. What hurt the Rams was poor production running the ball in the red zone. Sony Michel led the team with 24 rushes inside the 10, but he gained just 42 yards and only scored four touchdowns on those plays. Darrell Henderson Jr. had five touchdowns on only 13 rushes inside the 10.
The hope is that Cam Akers, with his physical running style, can help the Rams improve in goal-to-go situations. However, in 2020, he converted just two of his 21 rushes inside the 10-yard line into touchdowns. That’s not a great rate.
If the running game continues to struggle near the goal line, McVay won’t hesitate to put the ball in Stafford’s hands, especially knowing he has Kupp and Allen Robinson on the outside. Kupp was awesome inside the red zone, and Robinson is a big, physical receiver who can make difficult catches in traffic.
The Rams should get better in this area next season, and they’ll need to if they want to stop stalling out in the red zone.
Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who hasn't played since jamming a finger May 26, could return from the injured list Monday in Milwaukee, David Ross said.
Turin, 4th July 2022. Iveco Group N.V. (IVG) announces the beginning of the merger procedure (pursuant to Sections 2:309 of the Dutch Civil Code) with and into IVG of its fully owned subsidiary New Business Netherlands Holding B.V., a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid), having its official seat in Andelst, the Netherlands, and its office address at Wanraaij 9, 6673DM Andelst, the Netherlands, and registered with the trade register of the
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2022-07-04T17:18:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rams must improve in goal-to-go situations
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-must-improve-goal-situations-155558936.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-must-improve-goal-situations-155558936.html?src=rss
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Report: Bucks re-sign fan favorite Bobby Portis for four years, $49 million NBA Free Agency Tracker: All the deals, rumors, reports in one place Report: P.J. Tucker to sign with 76ers on three-year, $30M contract
Bucks re-signing Serge Ibaka originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Here's a list of Fourth of July fireworks displays and times in and around Milwaukee taking place throughout Independence Day weekend in 2022.
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2022-07-04T18:02:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bucks re-signing Serge Ibaka
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bucks-signing-serge-ibaka-171510092.html?src=rss
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Zion Williamson’s lost season to injury and unusual absence from the New Orleans Pelicans during his recovery didn’t stop the club from betting big on their long-term future together. The star forward agreed Saturday to a five-year, $193 million extension with New Orleans that has the potential to be worth as much as $231 million, Williamson's agent, Austin Brown, told The Associated Press. Classified as a maximum rookie extension under the NBA's labor agreement, the deal sets the stage for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound, high-scoring power forward to give an All-Star caliber boost to a squad that recently proved it could make the playoffs without him.
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2022-07-04T18:02:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Report: Rockets open to joining Kevin Durant, Nets trade as third-team facilitator
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hideki-matsuyama-disqualification-memorial-tournament-220418082.html?src=rss
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The Nets are not expected to be rushed into a deal and will continue conversing the complex specifics with the Lakers on an Irving-Westbrook swap. Brooklyn is also listening to proposals from nearly half of the league attempting to make a play on Kevin Durant, who requested a trade at the start of free agency.
Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, at the 2018 All-Star Game, are the main pieces in a trade package between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo Sports. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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2022-07-04T18:03:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Sources: Lakers, Nets discussing Kyrie Irving-Russell Westbrook trade
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https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-lakers-nets-discussing-kyrie-irving-russell-westbrook-trade-233348495.html?src=rss
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Up next is four-star safety Avery Stuart. Stuart included Auburn in his top three schools and is set to announce his commitment on July 6.
He is one of the best players in Alabama but Auburn may be hard-pressed to keep him in-state. Florida State is seen as the favorite for him but the Tigers have not given up yet.
Avery Stuart’s Recruiting Profile
Auburn offered on Aug. 2, 2021.
Unofficially visited Auburn on Jan. 29, 2022.
Auburn makes his top three schools on July 2, 2021.
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2022-07-04T18:37:13Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2023 Prospects: Avery Stuart’s Recruiting Profile
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-prospects-avery-stuart-recruiting-145305867.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-prospects-avery-stuart-recruiting-145305867.html?src=rss
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Alabama made the cut for 2024 defensive tackle Omar White’s top-ten programs. The other teams that made White’s list were Oregon, Michigan State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Florida State, Cincinnati, Clemson and Jackson State.
White is a rising junior at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia. He is rated as a three-star by 247Sports’ recruiting rankings. White is listed at 6-foot-3 and 307 pounds.
He has taken several unofficial visits to schools like Florida, Florida State, and Texas A&M. According to On3’s RPM, he is favored to commit to Texas A&M at 47.2%.
The Alabama coaching staff has made it clear that a realistic goal is to sign five or six defensive linemen every year. His lead recruiter, Charles Kelly, would love to add a player of his stature to the class. He can be physically imposing at any level of football and certainly has time to develop his physique prior to arriving at college.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football and Omar White.
The east wing was so badly damaged because of time and exposure to the elements that it had become structurally unsound and had to be torn down.
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2022-07-04T18:37:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Alabama football lands in top ten for 2024 DT prospect Omar White
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https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-football-lands-top-ten-171403458.html?src=rss
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The 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pound prospect out of Osceola High clocks in near the end of the most recent update to 247Sports’ list of the top 100 recruits in the nation. The other teams at the front of the pack for Walker are Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and UCF.
Mario Cristobal and the ‘Canes continue to be a thorn in the Gators’ side, but I find it much more interesting that the Big Ten is mixing it up in the Sunshine State. The SEC’s northern rival is known more so for a grinding, physical brand of football than the modern style that Walker brings to the table. However, the Buckeyes and Wolverines are just as much a name brand as the Gators, and they don’t maintain that status without an eye for talent. In sports, it’s adapt or die.
“[Walker] exhibits good foot and body quickness for his size, nimble athlete at 300-pounds plus. Shows the ability to bend and react at the point of attack. Displays heavy hands and plays with power, showing the ability to consistently penetrate behind the line of scrimmage. Can anchor the run, disrupt passing lanes and offer pass-rushing upside as an interior defender. Violent defender that plays with read and react recognition and consistently impacts the game,” reads recruiting expert Cooper Petagna’s scouting report.
Defensive line coach Sean Spencer is listed as the primary recruiter working on Walker, but he mentioned defensive assistant Jamar Chaney first in his quote to 247Sports. One of the youngest members of this coaching staff, Chaney is a holdover from the previous regime and is constantly praised by recruits. He’s one of head coach Billy Napier’s secret weapons and it’s rewarding to see him get a shout-out.
Walker has re-set his commitment date for July 28 after initially setting October 22 as his target. That’s around the same time as a number of other major prospects. As the dominoes fall, the sense of how well or poorly this recruiting class turned out has the potential to change quickly and solidify for good.
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2022-07-04T18:37:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Coveted 4-star defensive lineman names Florida among top schools
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https://sports.yahoo.com/coveted-4-star-defensive-lineman-191355564.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/coveted-4-star-defensive-lineman-191355564.html?src=rss
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The Tigers’ 2023 receiving corps just got a little deeper.
Wideout Karmello English, who hails from Phenix City, Alabama, committed to Auburn on Monday. English was projected to commit to the Tigers on 247Sports, but he has officially made his announcement and is currently locked in to head to the Plains next season.
English was a highly sought-after recruit, receiving offers from multiple big offers from major schools such as Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Texas A&M. In the end, though, English chose Auburn, a decision that seemed forecasted when he took two unofficial visits back-to-back in March and April. In the end, English not only chooses an in-state school to call home for his college tenure, but he also spurns Auburn’s hated rival and usual recruiting siphon in the Alabama Crimson Tide.
His commitment is a significant win for Bryan Harsin and his staff. Auburn has offered 28 different wide receivers for the 2023 class, but English is now the only one so far to commit to the Tigers. Having a four-star talent that can play well in the slot could do wonders for Auburn’s relatively shaky wideout corps, and should Harsin survive until 2023, he’s sure to appreciate the services of English when he arrives on campus.
Every wide receiver that Auburn has offered in the 2023 class
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2022-07-04T18:37:38Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Four-star 2023 wide receiver commits to Auburn
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-star-2023-wide-receiver-182006158.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-star-2023-wide-receiver-182006158.html?src=rss
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Auburn is looking to build on the momentum of landing four-star running back Jeremiah Cobb on Monday.
They got more good news on the recruiting trail Monday when four-star defensive lineman Jordan Hall included Auburn in his top 10 schools.
Hall, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, included Auburn, Oregon, LSU, Miami, South Carolina, Ohio State, Florida State, Georgia, USC, and Florida.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Hall has a massive frame but still possesses a great first step and can quickly get into the backfield to blow up a play. Due to his size and speed, he can play multiple positions along the line depending on what the play calls for.
He is ranked as the No. 156 overall recruit and No. 21 defensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 32 player from Florida.
In the 2021 high school season, he made 30 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks in just nine games for Westside High School, per 247Sports. He also competes in track and field, primarily as a thrower.
The Tigers currently have three recruits in their 2023 recruiting class and are still looking for their first defensive lineman.
Happy 4th 1️⃣0️⃣🔥 pic.twitter.com/UmOcCdIgXH
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2022-07-04T18:37:44Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Four-star defensive lineman includes Auburn in top 10 schools
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-star-defensive-lineman-includes-173033197.html?src=rss
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The landscape of college football is changing again with conference expansion.
UCLA and USC are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. The Bruins and Trojans will begin Big Ten competition in 2024.
Oklahoma and Texas are leaving the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference with 2025 as a potential start date.
A list from Forbes in 2019 shows which college football teams have the most monetary value.
“So much for amateur athletics—the sport’s 25 most valuable programs combine to earn an average of $1.5 billion in profit on annual revenues of $2.7 billion,” Forbes noted when detailing college football’s most valuable teams.
Forbes’ three-year average revenue and profit data can be viewed here.
Below is Forbes’ top-25 most valuable college football teams.
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2022-07-04T18:37:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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A look at college football’s most valuable teams as conference expansion unfolds
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https://sports.yahoo.com/look-college-football-most-valuable-144039724.html?src=rss
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Lloyd was a star at the University of Utah and was able to register 256 total tackles while there, including 43 for loss. After proving he can do a little of everything in terms of tackling, coverage, and pass-rushing, he earned a 90.2 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. As a result of his versatile skill set, some thought he’d be a top-15 pick, but he ended up sliding a bit, giving the Jags a chance to pounce on a grand opportunity.
Many not only felt he was a top linebacker for the 2022 class but felt he was also one of the best in the country and expect his versatile skill set to translate well in the NFL. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter is among those who were high on the PAC-12 standout, and as a result, he listed him in his All-Rookie team projections for the 2022 season.
Lloyd’s a versatile linebacker who can handle coverage duties whether it’s playing man-to-man against a tight end or dropping into zones. Also, his power between the tackles will free up veteran tackle machine Foye Oluokon to chase the ball outside. Add in his ability to blitz through the A or B gaps, and Lloyd should make an immediate impact on the Jaguars’ defense.
Lloyd is coming into a system where fans have seen linebackers thrive. The Jags named Mike Caldwell their new defensive coordinator who is coming from a Tampa Bay Bucs squad that received fantastic linebacker play out of Lavonte David and Devin White. Now, the hope is that Caldwell can mold Lloyd and Oluokun into a similar duo, as he was the Bucs’ linebackers coach for several years.
Lloyd will not only have the luxury of learning from Caldwell, but also Oluokun, who was 2021’s leading tackler. That said, the pieces certainly are in place for Lloyd to make an immediate impact and continue to give the Jags something their history is filled with, which is solid linebacker play.
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2022-07-04T19:08:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jags’ Devin Lloyd projected to make 2022 All-Rookie team
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jags-devin-lloyd-projected-2022-182348169.html?src=rss
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For Heyward it was the season opener of his rookie season against the Baltimore Ravens.
“It happened my rookie year, game one, we were playing the Baltimore Ravens after just coming off of the Super Bowl,” Heyward said. “We get out there. They smoked us. They laid the law down.”
This was when Heyward realized the NFL plays a different brand of football and as Heyward put it, he had to “get his game together.”
I’d say five Pro Bowl bids and four times an All-Pro is all the proof you need to show how Heyward too the lessons of his rookie season and great from them.
Playing in the league is different.
These NFL veterans reveal their "Welcome to the NFL" moments. pic.twitter.com/lk9k913MM3
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2022-07-04T19:09:06Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Steelers DL Cam Heyward shares his ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment
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https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-dl-cam-heyward-shares-175618335.html?src=rss
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Giants call up versatile slugger Villar ahead of D-backs series originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
PHOENIX -- At a time when they desperately need one, the Giants will try and get a jolt from a young player who has demolished Triple-A pitching this season.
Infielder David Villar will join the team in Phoenix to try and provide a bit more thump to a lineup that has been in a rut, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area. Villar has a team-high 21 homers in Triple-A and will provide another right-handed bat as the Giants work through some issues on their infield.
Villar, 25, primarily plays third base, but the Giants have moved him around the infield a bit in recent months to prepare for a possible promotion. He has limited experience at second and first, but it's the bat that was the key factor in finally getting him to the big leagues.
Taken in the 11th round of the 2018 draft, Villar hit 20 homers in Double-A last year to get on the map, and he has been Triple-A Sacramento's best player this season. Through 66 games, he has 37 extra-base hits and a .284/.409/.633 slash line with 62 RBI.
RELATED: Belt reveals which milestone he wants to reach most with Giants
The strikeouts have been high, but the Giants right now are not a team that can stick to their usual plan. They're coming off a 2-6 homestand where the offense completely dried up, and Villar gives them another option against old friend Madison Bumgarner on Monday. The Giants also have some roster flexibility at the moment, with Thairo Estrada battling cold-like symptoms and Anthony DeSclafani set to go on the 60-day IL whenever the Giants need another open spot on the 40-man roster.
Here's how to watch on TV and stream the three-game series between the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium, starting Monday.
Miguel Cabrera's two-run single
Miguel Cabrera smacks a two-run single, the 3,060th hit of his career, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning
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2022-07-04T19:32:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Giants call up slugging infielder David Villar ahead of Diamondbacks series
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https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-call-slugging-infielder-david-172027532.html?src=rss
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Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner sent a handwritten letter to U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday asking for her release from Russia. Her agency released excerpts from the letter to the public:
“… as I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever," Griner wrote.
Griner, 31, has been detained in a Moscow jail since being arrested on February 17, 2022, after officials found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She will be detained for at least six more months while her trial resumes and faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison if convicted of drug smuggling charges. While she did not enter a plea on the first day of her trial – July 1 – her trial will resume on Thursday.
In another letter to her wife, Cherelle, Griner admitted she's trying to stay strong mentally throughout her detainment until she returns to home.
“She’s like, ‘I’m okay, babe. I’m hardened. I’m not me right now. When I come home, it’s going to take a minute to get back to myself, but I’m holding on,'” Cherelle said on Al Sharpton’s Keepin’ It Real. “‘I won’t break until I come home. I won’t let them break me. I know they are trying to, but I’m going to do my best to just hold on until I can come home.'”
After the U.S. declared her "wrongfully detained" by the Russian government and has reportedly been seeking her released. Though, the means by which that release could occur have not been disclosed. Russian state-run media once thought Griner could be released if the U.S. released convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Others believe Griner former Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on espionage charges in 2018, could be exchanged together for Bout.
U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Rood, who attended Griner's trial on July 1, said Griner told her to tell the American public she is "in good spirits and is keeping up the faith."
Many have called for Griner's release recently. Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard spoke passionately about their friend and teammate after the first photos of Griner were released last week, and players around the WNBA and NBA have been adamant about getting Griner safely back to the U.S.
Brittney Griner asked President Joe Biden for her release. (REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina)
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2022-07-04T21:00:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brittney Griner sends letter to Joe Biden asking for release
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https://sports.yahoo.com/brittney-griner-sends-letter-to-president-joe-biden-asking-for-release-from-russian-detainment-203727318.html?src=rss
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The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of trying to put the right pieces around Joel Embiid and James Harden as they move forward with contending in the Eastern Conference. They have made moves to bolster their bench, but they also need to bolster their overall talent.
They certainly need another shooter next to Harden and Embiid in order to properly space the floor and one guy they have their eyes on is Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon.
The 14-year veteran averaged 13.4 points and he shot 41.2% from deep during the 2021-22 season, and he did a lot of good things for the Rockets that he can bring to a contending team like the Sixers. However, Houston values the veteran and they did not like Philadelphia’s trade offer for him.
However, there are some obstacles that the Sixers will have to overcome in order to acquire Gordon and our friends at Rockets Wire helped out with how a trade can go down.
Rockets GM Rafael Stone would like a draft pick for Gordon in any deal that isn’t too late in the draft order. However, because of the NBA’s Stepien rule, the Sixers are not allowed to trade a first-round pick until 2029. Therefore, making a trade involving just the two of these teams would be a tough challenge.
The biggest asset the Sixers can offer a young team like the Rockets is Matisse Thybulle. The 3-year wing player out of Washington is one of the league’s elite defenders, but he has not yet been able to consistently contribute on the offensive end of the floor. He also doesn’t have the salary that Gordon does so Philadelphia would have to give up more to absorb Gordon’s salary.
Rockets Wire on how a trade can go down
Looking at possible third teams
When it comes to Thybulle, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that the Portland Trail Blazers and the Dallas Mavericks are two teams that have an interest in Thybulle. Those are the two teams at the moment that can possibly make a 3-team deal work in order to send Gordon to Philadelphia. At this point, he seems like the player that president Daryl Morey is trying to add to his current core.
Will Eric Gordon be with the Rockets to begin the 2022-23 season?
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2022-07-04T21:09:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rockets Wire explains how Sixers can acquire Eric Gordon in a deal
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-wire-explains-sixers-acquire-113006701.html?src=rss
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Mac Cerullo, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
Jul. 4—CHICAGO — Nobody's ever had a career like Jon Lester's.
Lester's experience truly was one of a kind.
This weekend the Red Sox and Cubs are facing off at Wrigley Field for a rare three-game series, and if anyone can appreciate what this matchup means, it's Lester. Having started his career in Boston before becoming arguably the greatest free agent signing in Chicago history, he carries a unique understanding of the two historic franchises, their legendary home ballparks and passionate fanbases.
"Any time you get historic franchises playing each other it's a pretty cool deal, I was spoiled to come up and play the Yankees with the Red Sox so many times," Lester said on Friday evening. "Any time you develop that much history it kind of adds to the whole game and the whole series."
'You can't rank them'
Then three years later he delivered on the promise he made by signing with Chicago, helping the Cubs finally break their century-old curse and win the 2016 World Series. Any one of those accomplishments would be a crowning achievement for most players, yet for Lester, trying to compare the three titles is impossible because each came at such different times in his life and career.
"In '07 coming back from cancer and being part of that was a very unique and different experience for me and getting the opportunity to pitch, being a young guy, being around the older guys and seeing how it's done," Lester said. "And '13 being the guy that's relied upon in Game 1 and Game 5 and give good starts and give our team a chance to win and kind set the tone. Kind of being relied upon.
"And then signing with a team that hadn't won in 108 years and you're supposed to be the person that signs there to break that," he continued. "Different feelings in different circumstances and different responsibilities. I don't know if you can really rank them or put one ahead of the other just based on different points of my career and personal points of my career."
While difficult at the time, Lester said that's not the case and he has nothing but love for the organization.
"I love the Red Sox. I think as you grow and you mature and you understand the game and understand the business of the game, you understand decisions have to be made whether they're hard or easy," Lester said. "You have to separate, and it's hard to do sometimes, but you have to separate your heart from your brain and understand that the game is a business and they have to do what's best for the organization.
"At the time it was tough, but like I said, as you get older you understand things and you understand that's part of what goes on," he continued. "I'll always love the Red Sox, they gave me the opportunity to be a big leaguer, not only be a big leaguer but be a pro and then a big leaguer, and then gave me an opportunity to pitch for a substantial amount of time and I was able to take it from there. Not only that but just how they treated my family and me when I went through all my stuff in '06 and '07. There were a lot of positives in there more so than just getting traded away."
Eventually Lester hopes to make it back to Boston, noting his kids weren't old enough to remember watching him pitch there. At some point he'll likely fly up with his family for a weekend getaway, though fans probably won't hear about it when they do.
"We've talked about taking them up and doing the whole Boston tour and going to see a game or two," Lester said. "There will come a time, it'll probably be a sneaky visit, I probably won't tell anybody, and we'll come up there and watch some games. I just want to come in there and enjoy being a fan and being at Fenway with my kids as a family. But we'll be around."
Enjoying retirement, satisfied with career
Not every professional athlete enjoys a smooth transition to retirement. It can be hard to move on and many struggle to fill the void left behind.
But since announcing his retirement this January after 16 big league seasons, Lester said he's had no such trouble adjusting to his new life.
"It's been good. I thought I'd go through a time where I'd miss it but I haven't done that yet," Lester said. "I've had a couple of times where I've gotten together with some guys I played with, guys I played against in different circumstances. That kind of filled the void of that camaraderie that guys say you miss more than the game. I think I've done a good job at that, I've got my kids that are running me around and staying busy, so it's been good so far."
Lester finished his career as one of the 21st century's most accomplished pitchers. He went 200-117 with a 3.66 ERA and 2,488 strikeouts for his career while playing an integral part in three World Series championships. He threw a no-hitter, earned five All-Star nods, finished top-5 in Cy Young voting three times and ranks near the top of effectively every major postseason pitching leaderboard. He also beat cancer.
That's quite a resume, one that will likely earn Lester consideration for the Hall of Fame once he's eligible five years from now.
Whether or not that happens, Lester says he's satisfied with his career. Being in the Hall of Fame conversation is nice, he said, but at the end of the day he accomplished everything he set out to do.
"If you have that brought up then you must have done something well along the way," Lester said. "I've said it and I stay consistent with it, I didn't play the game for that, I played the game to win championships and be a good teammate and pitch for a long time and I was able to do that.
"In five years if they make that call and I get the opportunity, if it's five years or ever, obviously I'd be one of the happiest people in the world," he continued. "But if it doesn't happen then it doesn't take anything away from the effort, the results or the satisfaction I got from my career. Either way I'm happy and more than satisfied with what I was able to do throughout my years."
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2022-07-04T21:09:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Two cities, one legend: Jon Lester reflects on one of a kind career with Sox, Cubs
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The Alabama football team received a bit of good news on Independence Day. 2023 offensive lineman RyQueze McElderry announced that he was committing to Alabama via Twitter.
He was formerly committed to Georgia before backing off of his commitment just a few days ago. McElderry has been a priority offensive line target for the Tide even though he was committed to Georgia.
He is regarded as a three-star according to 247Sports’ recruiting rankings. McElderry is listed at 6-foot-3 and 340 pounds. He plays for Anniston High School in Anniston, Alabama. Interestingly enough, he will be reuniting with a high school teammate, Antonio Kite. Since he received an offer in November, he has taken one unofficial visit and attended a junior day.
Alabama fans have high hopes that things will begin to heat up for the recruiting class in the months ahead. Several of the Tide’s key targets like Malik Benson, Peter Woods, Raul Aguirre, and Malik Bryant are all making their commitments in the next few weeks. All are expected to commit to Alabama at this time. Nonetheless, the recruiting class just got a huge boost in landing McElderry. He has sky-rocketed up the Tide’s recruiting board as well as recruiting rankings in the past few months. This is a huge win for the Tide.
ROMAN PETRENKO - MONDAY, 4 JULY 2022, 18:05 Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, will sign a decree awarding the title of Hero of the Russian Federation to Alexander Lapin, commander of the Central Military District, as well as to Esedulla Abachev, commander of the 2nd Army Corps of the Luhansk People's Militia.
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2022-07-04T21:52:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Alabama lands former Georgia commit, RyQueze McElderry
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Holiday weekend? In basketball recruiting, there is no such thing as a break.
Except of course for the dark period.
On Sunday, Rutgers men’s basketball sent out an offer to James Brown, a four-star recruit from St. Rita (Chicago, IL). The 6-foot-9 center is a class of 2024 recruit.
In the past eight days, Brown has gotten offers from Nebraska, Michigan, North Carolina, Indiana and then Rutgers. He also holds offers from DePaul, Georgia, Harvard, Illinois, Iowa, LSU, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue and Texas A&M among others.
In the 247Sports Composite, he is the No. 27 recruit in the nation and the top-ranked player in Illinois in the class of 2024. He averaged 11.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
Last week, Rutgers offered Latrell Allmond, a class of 2026 recruit who recently talked with RutgersWire about his relationship with the Big Ten program as well as Texas A&M.
Rutgers has one commit already in the class of 2024, top 40 recruit Gavin Griffiths. The power forward is a four-star and the highest-ranked recruit of head coach Steve Pikiell’s tenure with Rutgers basketball.
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2022-07-04T21:52:33Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rutgers offers the hardest working recruit in basketball, four-star James Brown
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-offers-hardest-working-recruit-180430977.html?src=rss
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FILE - Atlanta Braves' Eddie Rosario bats against the Cincinnati Reds during a baseball game April 8, 2022, in Atlanta. Rosario has been activated from the injured list and is starting in left field against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Atlanta unites for hot, humid Peachtree Road Race
Runners collected their t-shirts for the 53rd running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Almost 50,000 runners and walkers participated in the Atlanta tradition.
“I’ve been dreaming about this day for a long time.”
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2022-07-04T22:41:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Braves' Rosario returns from IL, starting against Cardinals
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Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter takes legal action against DP World Tour to play Scottish Open - GETTY IMAGES
Despite being known as Mr Ryder Cup, Poulter instructed his legal team to challenge the European circuit’s suspension from the Renaissance event, saying he felt “offended” considering his long service and his contributions to the blue and gold cause.
South African Justin Harding and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui are also now free to tee it up at The Renaissance Club in the $8 million [£6.61 million] event starting on Thursday.
The presence of the LIV trio is sure to create tension, although the Tour has indicated it will expand the 156-man field to ensure that no golfer who was in the tournament will suddenly find himself kicked out.
Telegraph Sport revealed exclusively on Sunday that LIV pros were seeking an injunction against the DP World Tour to reinstate them in the Renaissance Club field for the event that starts on Thursday.
Speed was obviously of the essence with the field already gathered at the North Berwick links. Both sides had to agree to the decision being binding, with the judge Phillip Sycamore granting a stay of suspension with a major ruling still to come.
The Tour also fined the LIV rebels £100,000 each and have vowed to impose further punishments
“I will simply say we are disappointed by the outcome of today’s hearing, but will abide by the decision,” Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour chief executive, said. “It is important to remember, however, this is only a stay of the sanctions imposed, pending the hearing of the players’ appeal as to whether those sanctions were appropriate.”
Unlike Ryder Cup teammates Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell, who earlier revealed that he had not been willing to put his home circuit in the dock, Poulter declared that he was “fighting for my right to play golf”.
Pouilter, 46, was a member of the “Sour 16” - as they have since been coined - who put their names to a collective sent to Wentworth HQ last week demanding the sanctions be lifted by last Friday or else they would take legal action.
And when the deadline came and passed - Pelley called the punishments “fair” and “proportionate” at the same time as ridiculing the Sour 16’s claim that they “cared deeply for the Tour” - Poulter decided to carry through on the warning.
“I feel disappointed, I feel offended, that I'm suspended from playing on a tour I've been a member of for 24 years,” he said.
Poulter maintains he has no regrets in joining a series that also features the likes of Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and new capture Paul Casey and US Ryder Cup players such as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson.
It is believed Poulter received a $30m [£24.78m] signing-on fee and is adamant he has done nothing wrong, regardless of accusations that he has been disloyal to his Tour and tainted his Ryder Cup legacy.
“I will always be super proud of my commitment to the European Tour,” he said. “I have gone 24 years without ever giving up membership unlike a number of players. I won’t name names, but we know [European] players who have taken the opportunity to play the PGA Tour and earn more money. I haven't done that and always wanted to support the Tour because the Ryder Cup means so much to me.”
The PGA Tour issued lifetime bans to its mutineers - Poulter included, as a dual member - and as the Scottish Open is the first jointly-sanctioned event between the US circuit at the DP World Tour their route to the Renaissance would obviously be blocked.
How Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner, will feel seeing pros he has banished from his ranks a month ago competing for his circuit’s prize money can only be imagined.
Pelley and his board have yet to decide on future sanctions and Ryder Cup eligibility but Poulter evidently feels they had already gone too far. “We didn’t know what the consequences of playing for LIV would be,” Poulter said. “We knew there would be some form of action, but it was never spelled out to us, and I feel the action they have taken is too severe.”
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2022-07-04T22:41:55Z
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Ian Poulter wins battle to play Scottish Open after taking legal action against DP World Tour
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ryder-cup-hero-ian-poulter-195852102.html?src=rss
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Why JTA wearing Lakers jersey courtside didn't bother Moody originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
There was nothing but love between Moses Moody and Juan Toscano-Anderson on Sunday when the former Warrior showed up to the California Classic repping his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
And it’s because Moody was OK with the name on the back of his old teammate’s jersey, he joked, when asked if Toscano-Anderson showing up to Chase Center in a No. 8 Lakers jersey bothered him.
“I mean, it was Kobe,” Moody told reporters with a smile after the Warriors’ 100-77 Summer League loss to the Lakers. “So it’s good.”
Toscano-Anderson sat courtside for Moody’s summer debut just days after reaching an agreement to play for the Lakers this upcoming season.
“It was good to see him over there. I didn’t know he was coming today,” Moody said. “I saw him over there courtside. It felt good to see him showing love … He was talking to me every time I was on that side of the floor.”
Heading into his second NBA season, Moody described the departures of his former Golden State teammates Toscano-Anderson, Gary Payton II and Otto Porter in free agency as “the biggest welcome to the NBA moment” of his young career.
“... I’m seeing all these guys that [we’ve] been through all this together, and that quick, they gone, they’re going to be on another team,” Moody said. “Might not see them again until we play.”
Moody was of course able to see his fellow NBA champion Toscano-Anderson on Sunday, but the suddenness of his first offseason reminded him of the league’s volatility when it comes to free agency.
“It’s different. That’s part of the game, I see that,” he said. “I didn’t really pay attention to it much before, how the NBA, how much the teams switch, but being a part of it, that’s something that’s really eye opening.”
RELATED: Steph sends heartfelt goodbye to JTA after Lakers deal
It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially to someone you won a championship ring with.
But Toscano-Anderson will always eat free in the Bay no matter what team he plays for, and it’s clear he has a special place in Moody’s heart, too.
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2022-07-04T22:42:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why Juan Toscano-Anderson's courtside Lakers jersey didn't bother Moses Moody
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Three star OL from Illinois commits to Arkansas
It was a happy Independence Day for head coach sam pittman and Arkansas Football, as they landed their third commit in the month of July on Monday.
Paris Patterson Jr., a 2023 three-star interior offensive lineman from East St. Louis, Missouri, announced on Twitter Monday that he will continue his athletic career post-high school at Arkansas.
In order to land Patterson’s commitment, the Razorbacks’ coaching staff moved quickly. Arkansas extended an offer to Patterson less than two weeks ago, on June 22. Two days after receiving an offer, Patterson took his official visit to Arkansas, then committed just over a week later.
Patterson becomes the fourth offensive lineman to commit to the 2023 class, joining Joey Su'a, Ian Geffrard, and Luke Brown.
Paris Patterson Jr. is a 6-6, 345-pound interior lineman from East St. Louis, Mo. He is ranked as the No. 33 overall interior lineman in the nation, and the No. 8 overall prospect from the state of Illinois. He chose Arkansas over Iowa State, Tennessee, and LSU.
NOT DONE YET: Arkansas Keeps the Holiday Cheer Alive with 2nd Top Commit
Tease, who chose Arkansas over a top ten of Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas A&M and USC, becomes the second Rivals250 recruit to Call the Hogs this Independence Day. Out of Booker T. Washington (Okla.), Tease's decision to make a last-minute trip to Fayetteville for an official visit seemingly paid off as he's found his home for the next three-to-five years. Now the 20th to join Arkansas' top-ten 2023 class, Tease will have the opportunity to play with fellow Oklahoman Luke Hasz, who played a massive role in receivers coach Kenny Guiton earning his commitment.
After landing 12 commitments in June, Clemson has one of the highest-ranked 2023 recruiting classes, but there is still a glaring need for the Tigers.
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2022-07-05T00:51:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Three star OL from Illinois commits to Arkansas
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https://sports.yahoo.com/three-star-ol-illinois-commits-230230533.html?src=rss
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"As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote.
A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. The suspect remained on the loose hours later as authorities scoured the […]
UPDATED with arrest, 4:55 PM: Police have arrested a person of interest in the horrific Fourth shooting at a Fourth of July Parade near Chicago. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said in a news conference that officers initiated a traffic stop of the subject and “that subject did flee. A brief pursuit went on. […]
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2022-07-05T01:13:17Z
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Brittney Griner's letter to Biden: Don't forget about me and other detainees
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Local record-setting paralympic athlete nominated for two ESPY Awards
A local Paralympian track athlete has announced he is now up for two ESPY Awards.
Hurricane Bonnie strengthened and moved roughly parallel to Mexico’s Pacific coast Monday, after crossing over Central America from the Caribbean and dropping heavy rain and contributing to two deaths. Forecasters said they expected the hurricane to stay well out to sea and pose no threat to land as it moved generally westward off the coast of southern Mexico. Bonnie had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph) Monday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
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2022-07-05T01:13:30Z
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WNBA star Brittney Griner urges Biden to help in letter from prison
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The Atlanta Braves paid tribute to their longtime public address announcer, Casey Motter, on Monday night in a ceremony before the team’s first home game since his death last week. Following a video tribute to Motter, a moment of silence was observed in his memory before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Motter, 53, died last Wednesday.
Giants' David Villar rips double off wall for first MLB hit
David Villar wasted no time in making an impact with the Giants after being called up Sunday night.
Kyle Tucker drove in three runs and Yordan Alvarez hit a walk-off home run in the 9th to give the Astros a 7-6 win over the Royals
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2022-07-05T01:41:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, Brewers make MLB history with 147-year first
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Sometimes, you go to the ballpark and see something that has never been seen before. Like the Minnesota Twins turning a kind of triple play that has never been recorded in MLB history.
Facing the Chicago White Sox with no outs and men on first and second in the seventh inning, Twins pitcher Griffin Jax gave up what looked like a tiebreaking three-run homer, or at least an extra-base hit, to A.J. Pollock. Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers seemed to think so, immediately sinking forward when he saw the contact.
And then, well, Buxton made a very good play, while the White Sox baserunners made a very bad play.
Adam Engel had started the play on second while Yoan Moncada was on first. Buxton made a highlight-reel while neither baserunner tagged up, then got the ball in quick enough for Twins third baseman Gio Urshela to tag Moncada between second and third and tag second to get Engel out.
It was the first 8-5 triple play on record in MLB history, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs.
To be fair to the White Sox, Statcast had Pollock's fly ball as a 389-foot knock with an .820 xBA, basically an 82 percent chance of being a hit. Then again, that still leaves an 18 percent chance of a very embarrassing mistake, a historic one at that.
The face of White Sox manager Tony La Russa really says it all.
Tony La Russa's reaction to that triple play pic.twitter.com/ix0eq9qw70
That it was Buxton who started a first-of-its-kind triple play shouldn't be a surprise. The 28-year-old has long been one of the best outfielders in the game when healthy, both in arm and in range. He was also responsible for the Twins' only runs up to that point, hitting a two-run homer in the fifth inning.
Buxton's 22 homers tie him for fourth in the American League, with a .227/.302/.576 slash line on the season. Between his power and his fielding, he remains a candidate for a first career All-Star nod this month.
Byron Buxton and the Twins did something unprecedented against the White Sox. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Eric Haase hits a solo homer in the Tigers' 5-3 win
Prized rookie Julio Rodriguez hit a monster two-run homer, Cal Raleigh drove in four runs and Chris Flexen pitched the Seattle Mariners past the San Diego Padres 8-2 on Monday. The Mariners won their third straight and for the sixth time in seven games. The Padres gave their home fans little to cheer about on the holiday afternoon as they lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Yankees rookie reliever Ron Marinaccio was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with shoulder inflammation, leaving New York's solid bullpen without a key piece nearing the season's halfway point. Marinaccio felt discomfort in his shoulder after pitching in Saturday's 13-4 win over the Guardians in the first game of a doubleheader. The right-hander came in after Aroldis Chapman walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
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2022-07-05T03:16:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Twins OF Byron Buxton's highlight catch starts first 8-5 triple play in recorded MLB history
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Gene Conley
On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team landed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in 2017 after the Indiana native penned a letter in The Player’s Tribune announcing his decision to leave the Utah Jazz to sign with the Celtics.
Earlier in the day, his agent had denied reports by ESPN NBA insider Chris Haynes that the unrestricted free agent would sign with Boston, but the former Butler player opted for a largely ill-fated reunion with his college coach, Brad Stevens, who had left the collegiate ranks to join the Celtics in the same role in 2013.
“There were so many great things pulling me in that direction,” Hayward explained. “There was the winning culture of Boston, as a city — from the (Red) Sox to the (New England) Pats to the (Boston) Bruins.
“There was the special history of the Celtics, as a franchise — from (Bill) Russell to (Larry) Bird, to (Paul) Pierce, and it goes on,” he added.
“And of course, there was coach Stevens: Not just for the relationship that we’ve built off the court — but also for the one that we started building on the court, all of those years ago, in Indiana.”
It is also the birthday of former Celtic wing Adrian Griffin, born this day in 1974 in Wichita, Kansas.
After playing in college at Seton Hall, he went undrafted in 1996. He eventually signed with Boston as a free agent in 1999. He played two seasons with the Celtics, averaging 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists with the team.
Happy birthday in heaven Al Lucas. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/Djfe7J8VnY
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 4, 2021
Ex-Boston guard and forward Al Lucas was born on this date in 1922.
A graduate of Fordham, the 6-foot-3 wing played just two games for the Celtics in the 1948-49 season, putting up 1 point per game in his very short stint with the team.
Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Gene Conley on April 25, 1959. AP Photo/SM
Finally, it is also the day we lost forward Gene Conley in 2017. One of a handful of people to win a title in Major League Baseball as well as the NBA, Conley also played for the Boston Red Sox, Boston (then Milwaukee) Braves,and Philadelphia Phillies in MBL.
He also played for the New York Knicks and the Hartford Capitals of the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Washington Tapers of the American Basketball League as well as the Celtics.
Gene Conley (17) of the Celtics. (AP Photo)
Conley played four seasons for Boston, his rookie campaign of 1952-53, and three more after five seasons away to play baseball.
He won titles with the Celtics between 1959 and 1961 and averaged 5.3 points and 6.8 boards per game off of the bench — rest in peace.
The Kevin Durant trade talks between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns and other NBA teams aren't an impasse, but are reportedly moving slower then expected
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2022-07-05T03:16:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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On this day: Gordon Hayward agrees to sign; Griffin, Lucas born; Gene Conley passes
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DQ’d?
From a pro-am?
That appears to be the case for Jordan Spieth at the 2022 JP McManus Pro-Am in Limerick, Ireland.
The event is a two-day, 36-hole charitable event that has raised more than $145 million in its previous five stagings.
Spieth is one of a plethora of stars playing. Tiger Woods is also there, as is Rory McIlroy. A handful of LIV Golf Series guys are there as well, including Bryson DeChambeau and Graeme McDowell.
According to the Twitter handle SpiethLegion, the trouble began when Spieth picked up too soon on the 14th hole. That eliminated him from the individual competition, but he can continue play and help his team. He reportedly did just that with a birdie at 16.
Jordan scooped up a gimme when his score didn’t count for a hole, forgetting that there was a solo portion. He continues to play with his Amateurs and just made a birdie on 16.
— Spieth Legion (@SpiethLegion) July 4, 2022
It’s also noted on the DP World Tour official leaderboard. Spieth was 3 over through 13 holes at the time.
Disqualified from a pro-am – that’s gotta be a first for Spieth.
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2022-07-05T03:16:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jordan Spieth DQ’d from the 2022 JP McManus Pro-Am
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The Georgia Bulldogs are among the top 10 schools for elite class of 2024 defensive tackle Omar White, a four-star recruit.
The talented defensive lineman ranks Georgia, Jackson State, Florida State, Michigan State, Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Texas A&M and Oregon as his 10 favorites.
White is 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 305 pounds. He is a rising junior at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia. White is the No. 157 recruit in the class of 2024 and the No. 27 recruit in Georgia.
The Lee County standout has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Michigan, Penn State, Purdue and Notre Dame among others.
White already benches 405 pounds and is quick off the snap. White is powerful and is good at getting off of blockers.
The four-star prospect named his top ten schools via Twitter:
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2022-07-05T03:32:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Elite DL Omar White names top schools
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Michigan State is trending in the right direction for a major five-star recruit from Texas.
David Hicks Jr. of Katy, Texas announced his top seven schools last week, and Michigan State was on the list. Joining the Spartans was Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama and Miami (FL).
Hicks is ranked as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the country for the 2023 class. He’s also the No. 5 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the class.
Hicks holds offers from nearly 40 programs so it’s great to see the Spartans remaining in the hunt for his commitment. He took an official visit to Michigan State last month and that could potentially help sway him towards the Spartans.
Hicks is currently projected to commit to Texas A&M, according to 247Sports. We will see if the Spartans can land this major recruit to truly bolster their 2023 class.
At his current Rivals ranking, Gray is the top 2023 recruit to commit to ND since Marcus Freeman became head coach.
The Oklahoma City council could approve a request for proposals today for a non-police response to some 911 calls involving homeless individuals.
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2022-07-05T03:32:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Michigan State football makes 5-star DL David Hicks Jr.’s top 7 schools list
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The Georgia Bulldogs have an interesting schedule for the 2022 college football season, but the Dawgs don’t have the best home slate. Why is Georgia’s 2022 home schedule not as enticing as it could be?
Two of Georgia’s most interesting games are scheduled for neutral sites. The Dawgs open the season against Oregon on Sept. 3 in Atlanta and play Florida on Oct. 29 in Jacksonville. These two neutral site games will both be fun, but if one of them were a home game, Georgia’s home schedule would be better.
Still, Georgia’s strength of schedule should not be questioned. The Bulldogs face a pair of Power Five nonconference foes again in 2022.
What are Georgia’s best home games for the 2022 season? We rank all six of Georgia’s games that are set to be played in Athens:
Samford at Georgia (Sept. 10)
Georgia football last played Samford in 2017. Georgia won 42-14. The 2022 edition of Samford will try to improve off last season’s eighth-place finish in the Southern Conference.
Florida fans can give 52 reasons Samford can be entertaining to watch, but Georgia should win its home opener handily. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. EDT, so it will likely be a hot one. The Samford game will be Georgia’s first home game since winning the national championship, so that will add some intrigue.
Kent State at Georgia (Sept. 24)
Kent State finished the 2021 college football season with a 7-7 record. The Golden Flashes lost to Northern Illinois in the MAC championship game and fell to Wyoming in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum is in the NFL now, so the team will have to find a replacement for him.
Georgia will be heavily favored against Kent State. The game is set to kick off at noon EDT, so it may be a hot one.
Vanderbilt at Georgia (Oct. 15)
Vanderbilt has to improve in 2022 right? The Commodores will not strike fear into Georgia, but they are an SEC opponent and will be highly motivated after Vanderbilt’s last game against Georgia (a 62-0 blowout). Georgia has not hosted Vanderbilt since 2018.
Georgia Tech at Georgia (Nov. 26)
Georgia Tech is a rivalry game and the weather should be decent. The Yellow Jackets have not played in Athens since 2018. Georgia Tech has been outscored 97-7 in its last two games against Georgia.
Will current Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins be able to turn around the program? Collins is 9-25 and could be on the hot seat entering Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.
Auburn at Georgia (Oct. 8)
Georgia and Auburn have had some incredible games over the years, but the Bulldogs have been in control of the series recently. The Dawgs have won eight of the last nine games.
Auburn has plenty of talent and usually keeps the Georgia offense in check. This should be a fun game to attend and will be one of the hottest tickets of the home slate.
Tennessee at Georgia (Nov. 5)
The Georgia-Tennessee game in 2021 was close before the Dawgs pulled away in the fourth quarter. Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is coming off a great season and could be in the Heisman conversation when the two SEC East rivals meet in Athens.
The Volunteers have the talent to compete with Georgia. This game could decide who represents the SEC East in Atlanta.
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2022-07-05T03:32:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ranking Georgia football’s best 2022 home games
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ranking-georgia-football-best-2022-171917664.html?src=rss
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In an article published by Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report, he named the best eight candidates to make their first Pro Bowl in 2022. One of the eight players he chose was Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh. When explaining why Oweh was a favorite, Wharton credited the outside linebacker with his ability to get pressure on quarterbacks, as he generated 33 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles in 15 games during his rookie season.
Oweh had no sacks during his final season in college at Penn State, causing many to question why the Ravens chose him at No. 31 overall in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. However, he had a very solid rookie season, and has the potential to be one of the better outside linebackers in the NFL as he continues to build on an already impressive resumé. Oweh is now the No. 1 outside linebacker on the Baltimore defense, and with that comes added responsibility. He seems up to the task, and he’ll hopefully have a breakout second year as a professional.
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2022-07-05T03:49:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bleacher Report believes this Ravens OLB is a candidate to make first Pro Bowl in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bleacher-report-believes-ravens-olb-032734058.html?src=rss
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quite the history with the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly when it comes to the postseason.
In their first-ever playoff game, the Bucs beat the Eagles 24-17 to advance to the NFC title game in 1979. Tampa Bay lost back-to-back road games in the wild-card round in 2000 and 2001 against Philly, but would avenge them with an iconic win in 2002 on their way to their first Super Bowl win.
The rivalry was renewed last year when the Bucs hosted the Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs, and they picked up right where they left off, building a 31-0 lead in the third quarterback before taking home a 31-15 victory.
Relive the blowout win with this awesome highlight reel:
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2022-07-05T03:49:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bucs Rewind: Tampa Bay dominates Eagles in wild-card playoff win
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bucs-rewind-tampa-bay-dominates-025847055.html?src=rss
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A month before the 2021 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins made their second bold move in the first round.
After trading down from No. 3 to No. 12 with the San Francisco 49ers, the Dolphins then struck a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, jumping back up to the No. 6 spot.
With that No. 6 pick, the Dolphins landed one of the most explosive playmakers in the draft, Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Waddle made an immediate impact for the Dolphins, catching 104 passes for over 1,000 yards, with six touchdown receptions.
Before his highly anticipated sophomore season in the NFL, relive all the best plays from his impressive rookie campaign:
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2022-07-05T03:50:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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WATCH: Top plays from Jaylen Waddle’s rookie season
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https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-top-plays-jaylen-waddle-032444495.html?src=rss
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Brandon Belt reveals which Giants milestone he'd like to achieve most
Belt reveals which milestone he wants to reach most with Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Brandon Belt has accomplished plenty with the Giants as a two-time World Series champion, but there are some milestones he still hopes to reach during his time in San Francisco.
The team’s longtime first baseman sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Carmen Kiew for the latest edition of “Summer Sunday,” where he shared which achievements he’d like to realize in a Giants uniform -- and cracked some classic Belt jokes along the way.
It was a hard question, he said, because he doesn’t really know his stats off the top of his head. Of course, his teammate Brandon Crawford recently reached his own milestone of 1,500 games played with the Giants.
When Kiew asked if reaching 2,000 total career bases was a milestone he aims to cross off his list -- he’s just 29 bases shy -- Belt gave an amusing answer.
“Yeah, that’s pretty cool. Although I didn’t have any idea I was close to that until you just told me,” Belt told Kiew. “That’s the hard part. I don’t know anything that I’m close to right now.”
Still, Belt was able to think of a few landmark accomplishments he’s on the cusp of: He’s getting “closer” to 200 home runs, he noted, and tallying 1,500 hits would be “pretty cool.”
Belt has 1,122 hits in his career so far and needs 28 more home runs to reach 200. He signed a one-year, $18.4 million contract with the Giants prior to the 2022 season after accepting the team's qualifying offer and is due to become a free agent next year, so it remains to be seen if and when he'll be able to do so in San Francisco.
But there’s one definite milestone Belt would like to achieve as a Giant, and that’s consistent health.
“I think, honestly, the biggest milestone for me would just be [to] stay healthy and stay on the field,” he told Kiew. “If I can do that, I’ll be happy with whatever comes next.”
Belt appeared in 156 games in both 2016 and 2019 but has dealt with a variety of injuries and ailments in seasons otherwise throughout his career. He missed 23 games this season due to right knee inflammation and returned from his IL stint in the middle of June.
While it’s clear that staying healthy is at the top of Belt’s list, Kiew had to ask: What about a Willie Mac Award?
Belt has provided plenty of inspiration for both Giants fans and players alike over the years, most notably his recent Captain title, but his mischievous nature might not do him any favors when it comes to earning his teammates’ votes for the award, he joked.
RELATED: Belt thrilled to be back on field after quick Giants return
“I think that’s something that every Giants ball player works towards, so I’m working on it,” he said. “Who knows if I’ll get there. I think I wear out my teammates too much for them to want to give me that, so. But we all have a lot of fun anyway.”
With the Giants almost halfway through the season, there are still plenty of games left for Belt to work toward those milestones.
And if he’s able to achieve the No. 1 priority on his list, he’ll certainly have a better chance at eventually accomplishing the others.
You can catch Belt's full interview with Kiew during "Summer Sunday," airing at 12:30 p.m. PT Sunday on NBC Sports Bay Area.
He joins a full and talented Bulls backcourt.
It might be of some concern to shareholders to see the Hammond Power Solutions Inc. ( TSE:HPS.A ) share price down 11...
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2022-07-05T06:15:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brandon Belt reveals which Giants milestone he'd like to achieve most
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https://sports.yahoo.com/brandon-belt-reveals-giants-milestone-171913090.html?src=rss
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For the right deal, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports that Rockets general manager Rafael Stone is open to such an arrangement. He writes:
Ayton, a restricted free agent, would have to be given a new contract as part of any transaction. In turn, that could eat into some of Houston’s potential salary cap flexibility in 2023. However, if Ayton is viewed by the Rockets as a better player than many of the realistic options for that space a year from now, it may be worth moving up the timetable a bit.
In such an arrangement, Houston would have to compensate at least Brooklyn (and perhaps Phoenix, as well) with draft capital.
There are no guarantees, of course. Perhaps Stone and the Rockets see free agent or trade targets in 2023 that are preferable to Ayton (or any other plausible 2022 options, like Mikal Bridges). In addition, Houston may feel that acquiring a player like Ayton in the 2022 offseason could worsen the outlook for its own first-round draft pick in 2023, which features a loaded class led by super prospect Victor Wembanyama.
It’s also possible that even with a clear incentive to avoid losing big (barring a trade with Houston returning their draft capital), the Nets may still find a way to do it, anyway. After all, it’s not as if Simmons — who hasn’t played in over a year — is a lock to return to his old form and stay available. If the Rockets are skeptical on Simmons, that could prompt them to stand pat with Brooklyn’s picks and allow the chaos to play out.
In the end, it’s not going to be easy to pull off a trade of such magnitude. The Nets will want to be compensated at an extremely high level in any trade sending out a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate like Durant, and the Rockets won’t want to empty their asset cupboard unless they are getting Durant, themselves (which is quite unlikely).
Crosby, Stills and Nash apparently aren’t giving us just a song before they go. That’s because they’ve decided to return to Spotify, ending a boycott of the streamer that began in February in protest of podcaster Joe Rogan’s content. Billboard reported.the return of the group’s music as of Saturday. David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham […]
Carlos Sainz Jr. won from the F1 pole position in the British Grand Prix as the Ferrari driver earned his first career victory in Formula One.
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2022-07-05T07:49:54Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Report: Rockets open to joining Kevin Durant, Nets trade as third-team facilitator
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-rockets-open-joining-kevin-154144737.html?src=rss
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All Hail the hot dog king.
Joey Chestnut won his seventh consecutive Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest title and 15th overall with a ridiculous 63 hot dogs and buns eaten in 10 minutes. The next-closest competitor consumed just 43 hot dogs.
The 38-year-old Chestnut's feat was even more impressive after he arrived at Coney Island on crutches. He said he suffered a ruptured tendon earlier in the year but claimed it wouldn't affected his ability to defend his title.
Chestnut's 15th title surpassed Rafael Nadal's 14 French Open title for the most championships in a single event, per ESPN.
Chestnut didn't just down hot dogs during the event. Chestnut immediately subdued and threw down a protestor after they ran on stage wearing a Darth Vader mask and bumped into Chestnut.
Miki Sudo returns to win the women's title
Sudo, who skipped last year's contest because she was pregnant, reclaimed her title Monday by eating 40 hot dogs and buns. She gave birth to her son, Max, a few days after last year's competition. It's Sudo's eighth championship since 2014. Sudo, 36, beat 2021 winner Michelle Lesco by 14.
Miki Sodo wins by eating 40 hot dogs! 🌭 pic.twitter.com/joYyd1e0rX
Joey Chestnut won his 15th hot dog eating contest title. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)
Competitive Eater Grabs Protester at Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest
Competitive eater Joey Chestnut placed an animal rights protester in a brief chokehold during an annual Independence Day hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, New York, on July 4.Video recorded by Sifat Razwan shows Chestnut, who’s ranked first in the world at competitive eating by Major League Eating, getting shoved mid-bite by a masked protestor during the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.Chestnut promptly resumes eating as two other masked protesters appear in the background.An animal rights collective, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), posted a clip of the incident to social media, stating that it was their protestors who disrupted the event.Chestnut went on to win the contest, clinching his 15th Mustard Belt.The New York Police Department confirmed to Storyful that three people were taken into custody in relation to the incident and charges were pending. Credit: Sifat Razwan via Storyful
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2022-07-05T08:21:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Joey Chestnut wins 15th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Miki Sudo reclaims women's title
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https://sports.yahoo.com/joey-chesnut-wins-15th-nathans-famous-hot-dog-eating-contest-miki-sudo-reclaims-womens-title-170303484.html?src=rss
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Here we are on the middle Sunday of Wimbledon 2022, and unlike the past, there's play happening all day. Starting in 2022, the typical day of rest on middle Sunday is no more. On Day 7, the first day of Round 4 (also known as the Round of 16), we'll see Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, as well as Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, two of the four American men left in the tournament.
To find out what happened on Day 6 — a major gut punch of a day that featured the eliminations of Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Iga Swiatek, and Stefanos Tsitsipas — click here.
Check below to catch up with the biggest news from Day 7.
Djokovic tops van Rijthoven to reach quarterfinals
Novak Djokovic is one step closer to winning his first Grand Slam since last year's Wimbledon. He defeated 25-year-old Tim van Rijthoven 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Initially, it looked like Djokovic would quickly breeze to a win, but van Rijthoven showed a lot of fire in the first set, especially with his huge serve, and that fire turned into a roaring blaze in the second set. He started to go bigger, keeping up with Djokovic in long rallies. With the score tied 3-3, van Rijthoven broke Djokovic's serve to get his first lead of the match, and widened it to 5-3 with another win. They battled in a very lengthy 10th game, but van Rijthoven finally nailed down the set.
Tied 1-1, Djokovic really turned it on in the third set. He won the first three games with little resistance from van Rijthoven, who just couldn't keep up the pace he set in the second set. He showed some fight in the fourth game, but Djokovic ended up rolling on through the rest of the way to take a 6-1 win.
While van Rijthoven kept things close for a second in the fourth set, Djokovic quickly closed things out to win 6-2 and make it into the quarterfinals, where he'll take on 10th seed Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz loses to Sinner in battle of future stars
Carlos Alcaraz’s dream of winning his first Grand Slam won’t come true at Wimbledon. Jannik Sinner, seeded 10th, pretty much dismantled Alcaraz 6-1, 6-4, 6(7)-7, 6-3. It was clear almost immediately that Alcaraz, the No. 5 seed, was outmatched by Sinner. They spit the first two games, but then Sinner went on a tear, winning the next five games to close out the first set in just 31 minutes.
Sinner created distance between him and Alcaraz in the second set, going up 3-1, and would eventually win the set 6-4. The third set is where it got interesting. This time, Alcaraz was able to stay with Sinner, matching him game for game. He even got his first lead of the entire match, but Sinner came back and tied it twice. So it went to a tiebreak. Alcaraz briefly had a lead, but Sinner came storming back. Tied at 8-8 and facing elimination, Alcaraz was finally able to string two points together to win the set and keep the match going.
The only way Alcaraz could prevail was to win the next two sets, and he just wasn't up to the task. He made a valiant effort, fighting off several match points to force Sinner to serve for the match, but Alcaraz couldn't break him to keep it going. In fact, Alcaraz didn't break Sinner once during the entire match. With Alcaraz being only 19 and Sinner just 20, it was a battle between the future stars of the sport. Sinner came out on top — this time. Here's hoping we get to see them battle it out for years to come.
Jabeur moves to quarterfinals with win over Mertens
Ons Jabeur, who at No. 3 is the highest remaining seed in the women's draw, won a tough match over Elise Mertens on Sunday, 7-6(9), 6-4. Jabeur seemed as confident as ever, but Mertens, seeded 25th, was always hot on her heels. Down 4-2 in the first set, Mertens came back to win two straight games and tie it up. She took the lead at 5-4, but Jabeur is the WTA's No. 2 player for a reason. She tied it at 5-5, and then at 6-6. In the tiebreak, Jabeur quickly found herself down 6-3 and facing set point. But she climbed out of that hole to tie it, and she went on to win the set. Mertens didn't make it easy for Jabeur in the second set, but Jabeur finally took control after they tied at 4-4, winning the next two games to move onto her second Wimbledon quarterfinal
Williams, Murray lose mixed doubles heartbreaker
Venus Williams, back on Wimbledon grass for the first time since 2021, and Jamie Murray, the brother of two-time Wimbledon champ Andy Murray, lost their mixed doubles match on Sunday to Alicia Barnett and Jonny O'Mara. It was a true heartbreaker for Williams and Murray, who won the first set and dropped the second to force a tiebreak. And what a tiebreak it was. Each pair stayed with each other point-for-point, shot for shot. At 10-10, it was already a long tiebreak. At 16-16, it felt like it might go on forever. But then Barnett and O'Mara took a 17-16 lead, and sealed their win on the next point.
After Williams and Murray won their previous match, a BBC reporter asked them if they were in it to win it, or if they're just taking it one match at a time. Williams gave the best and only answer she possibly could: "What kind of question is that?"
That reporter might feel even more embarrassed now, since there was no question that Williams was in it to win it on Sunday. She was intense and emphatic, even challenging a point late in the match, something she rarely does. It was amazing seeing her so fired up after a year away from competition, and hopefully it won't be the last time fans get to watch her. If she plans to retire, she deserves a proper send-off.
Tiafoe eliminated after Goffin comeback
This looked like it could be the year for 24-year-old American Frances Tiafoe to make it to the later rounds, but he lost a heartbreaker of a match to Belgium's David Goffin, who made a comeback to win 7-6(3), 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 in a battle that lasted four hours and 35 minutes.
The match was an entertaining and close battle, and it began with a first set tiebreak. Goffin emerged the winner, but Tiafoe then clawed his way to a 2-1 lead. After the third set, Tiafoe called the trainer out due to what the broadcast said were stomach problems, took a pill, and then proceeded to drop seven straight points. He went on to lose the fourth set, and after going down 2-1 in the fifth set, he broke a chair on the sideline with his racket. Tiafoe managed a comeback, tying the set at 5-5, but couldn't close, losing the final two games to end his run short of the quarterfinals.
At Wimbledon, American Frances Tiafoe lost an epic fourth round match to Belgium's David Goffin. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Norrie defeats Paul
The day started with two American men having a shot to make it to the quarterfinals, and it ended with both of them going home. Not only did Tiafoe go down to Goffin, but Tommy Paul fell to Cameron Norrie of the UK. Norrie, who is now the only UK player left in the men's and women's singles draws, won 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. Paul had plenty of opportunities to turn the match around, pretty much in every single set. But he couldn't capitalize on any of them. Norrie is the UK's only hope for a home country singles winner, while the USA's hopes now rest on Taylor Fritz and Brandon Nakashima, who both play on Monday.
Ostapenko upset by Maria
Jelena Ostapenko, the No. 12 seed, was upset by the unseeded Tatjana Maria, 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. As the score indicates, this was a very close match from beginning to end. At one point, Maria had to save two set points to keep the match going. Maria, who is from Germany, has taken two breaks from tennis to have children, and she returned from her second maternity leave less than a year ago. Now, at 34 years old, she's into her very first Grand Slam quarterfinal, and is now the oldest woman in the Open Era to make her Wimbledon quarterfinal debut. A tennis crowd loves an underdog, and Maria was energized by their support, thanking the spectators after the match for being there to cheer her on at every point. Ostapenko, who became frustrated with the lack of support from the spectators, didn't acknowledge the crowd as she left.
Roger Federer returns to Wimbledon for center court ceremony
It doesn't feel like Wimbledon without eight-time champion Roger Federer. And even though he's not competing this year due to a knee injury, he made a surprise appearance on Sunday, appearing on Wimbledon's biggest stage to celebrate 100 years of center court, the anniversary Wimbledon's move to Church Road.
Many Wimbledon champions were in attendance, including Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Billie Jean King. Many one-time winners were there as well, starting with 90-year-old Angela Mortimer, who won Wimbledon in 1961.
But the biggest moment came when Federer was introduced. The crowd went positively wild when his name was announced and he walked through the doors and onto center court.
Federer didn't quite announce his retirement, but he knows the end is near. He'll hold off at least one more year, telling the crowd that he'd like to play at Wimbledon again before he calls it a career.
"I hope I can come back one more time," Federer said. "I've missed it here."
Marie Bouzkova of Czechia continued her breakthrough run at Wimbledon, defeating France's Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-2. Bouzkova lost one set to Danielle Collins in Round 1, and since then has won eight straight sets. When she plays on Tuesday, it'll be her first appearance at a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Jule Niemeier also made her first Grand Slam quarterfinal on Sunday, defeating the Heather Watson 6-2, 6-4. Fans at Wimbledon have waited 77 years for a UK player to win the women's singles championship, and since Watson was the final UK player in the women's draw, they'll have to wait at least one more year.
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Ons Jabeur, who at No. 3 is the highest-remaining women's seed, advanced to her second straight Wimbledon quarterfinal with a 7-6 (9), 6-4 victory over Elise Mertens on No. 1 Court on Sunday.
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2022-07-05T08:21:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Wimbledon 2022 Day 7: Djokovic survives, reaches quarterfinals
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wimbledon-2022-day-7-novak-djokovic-carlos-alcaraz-roger-federer-venus-williams-142719560.html?src=rss
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Charlie Sitton
Michael Jordan’s iconic shot against Georgetown 40 years ago that gave North Carolina coach Dean Smith his first NCAA title wasn’t the only championship performance he had that year.
Far less known, but at the time equally as important, Jordan helped the United State restore its claim as the world’s best basketball nation in the summer of 1982.
Newton was, at the time, the head coach at Vanderbilt, so the five days of practice before the team headed to Europe were in Nashville.
UNC’s Michael Jordan reaches for a loose ball in action against NC State.
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2022-07-05T09:17:46Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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During ‘other’ 1982 championship run, Michael Jordan led USA Basketball past Yugoslavia
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Back on 1-year deal, Cox still makes list of most important Eagles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
After six straight trips to the Pro Bowl, Fletcher Cox’s streak was snapped in 2021 as the all-time Eagles great began to show some real signs of decline.
Cox, 31, isn’t the player he once was. But he’s still pretty good and it’ll be fascinating to see what kind of season he has in his second year in Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
During last season, Cox publicly aired his grievances about Gannon’s defense and the two clearly had a rocky relationship. But Gannon listened to Cox and the two found some common ground. And then Cox began to play at a higher level in the second half of the season. In all, he played in 16 games with 3 1/2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 7 TFLs and 12 QB hits.
Not bad, but not what we’re used to from 91.
“It was up and down. That was the biggest thing,” Cox said in the spring. “But you’re going into Year 2 of a defense, you know what to expect.”
Last season, Cox was ranked as the 29th-best interior defensive lineman by ProFootballFocus. That’s much lower than we’re used to as well. But in some ways, Cox has become a victim of his own success. It reminds me of Jason Peters a little bit at the end of his time in Philly. Cox played at such a high level for so long that it set the bar too high. And when he didn’t come close to that level last year, people thought he played poorly. He didn’t by NFL standards. But he did by the standard he set the previous six years.
Entering 2022, Cox can’t be considered an elite defensive tackle anymore. But he’s still a good player, well above league average. And he still figures to be a starter for the Eagles this season along with Javon Hargrave. Jordan Davis and Milton Williams will likely rotate in.
In March, the Eagles were forced to release Cox for a couple days to avoid guaranteeing him $18 million. Eventually, they re-signed him to a one-year, $14 million contract. You can certainly argue that’s too much money for Cox. That contract makes him the 10th highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL in APY, according to OverTheCap.
But this isn’t about what’s already done. The Eagles could have used that money elsewhere but they used it on Cox, who will still be an important part of the team in 2022, possibly his final season in Philly.
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2022-07-05T12:16:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles 2022 season: Fletcher Cox on list of most important players
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-fletcher-cox-110000190.html?src=rss
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Mac Jones may have already demonstrated impressive poise and work ethic for a young NFL player, but the New England Patriots quarterback still needs oversight and advice from his veteran teammates.
Center David Andrews has consistently praised Jones, who won the Patriots’ starting quarterback job over the course of training camp last offseason in a position battle with Cam Newton. In Jones’ second offseason, Andrews has found himself sharing wisdom with Jones.
“The kid’s a hard worker,” Andrews said during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak and Bertrand” on July 1. “He works his butt off, day in and day out. Sometimes I try to get him to take a deep breath, but that’s what you want out of your quarterback. He works really hard. He’s a tough kid. It’s been fun, for the past year, for me to get to know him and got a lot of respect for how he does things and how he carries himself.”
Andrews’ comments are notable, in part because of how quiet July can be within the NFL. Players are preparing for training camp, but the league’s news cycle is extremely quiet. It’s an easy time for players enjoy the final weeks away from football. It doesn’t sound or look like Jones is doing that. He has been on Instagram to show he is conducting workouts with receivers Nelson Agholor and Tre Nixon, among others.
The quarterback is putting in work — and encouraging others to do the same.
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2022-07-05T12:17:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Mac Jones is such a hard worker that David Andrews can’t help but tell the QB to relax
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https://sports.yahoo.com/mac-jones-hard-worker-david-114844329.html?src=rss
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NIGHTENGALE'S NOTEBOOK: Where Freddie Freeman's free agency went wrong
At the midpoint of the season, manager Brian Snitker says the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves have made an impressive recovery from a slow start. Perhaps the most impressive resurgence belongs to Dansby Swanson. Swanson hit a three-run double in a five-run second inning and the Braves held off the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 early Tuesday in a game delayed more than 2 1/2 hours by rain.
Gary Apple and Jim Duquette talk Taijuan Walker improvement, Brandon Nimmo aggressiveness, return of Max Scherzer | SportsNite
On SportsNite, Gary Apple & Jim Duquette react to the Mets win over the Reds, including Taijuan Walker's outing Monday night and overall improvements he's made in the first half.
Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons had a spectacular rookie season in 2021 and he has set his sights even higher for his second year in the NFL. Parsons shared that he’s set a goal of 23 sacks, which would make him the single-season record holder in that category. Parsons isn’t solely focused on individual accomplishments, however. [more]
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2022-07-05T12:22:25Z
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MLB power rankings: Astros primed to push Yankees atop American League
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Things could have gone a lot worse for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ben Roethlisberger's final season.
Roethlisberger was a shell of himself. The offense as a whole wasn't good. The defense, despite having NFL defensive player of the year T.J. Watt, wasn't great either. It was a Steelers team that had a very fortunate record in close games and caught a couple huge breaks in Week 18, which led to a playoff berth at 9-7-1. The Steelers got blasted in the playoffs by the Kansas City Chiefs, but Mike Tomlin kept his streak of non-losing seasons alive and Roethlisberger ended his career on a semi-high note. All in all, it wasn't that bad.
Usually when a future Hall of Fame quarterback retires, there's fear of a big drop. The truth about the 2022 Steelers is they shouldn't miss their quarterback much. For the last part of 2020 and all of 2021, Roethlisberger was not very good. He was so worried about getting hit behind a bad offensive line that his top priority was getting rid of the ball fast. It bogged down the offense. His average depth of target was 7.1, second-lowest among all regular quarterbacks (Jared Goff was 6.8). Roethlisberger also had the lowest Pro Football Focus grade of all 37 qualified QBs. He had a great career, but he struggled badly at the end. The Steelers won in spite of him.
Now they're hoping to have a Joe Montana/Steve Young, Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning/Andrew Luck transition. They were happy to draft Kenny Pickett, who played for the University of Pittsburgh. He was the only quarterback drafted in the first round, and no other quarterback went in the second round. It was a bad quarterback class, but Pickett was the top option in the Steelers' minds.
“We probably spent about 15 seconds on the clock after New Orleans made that pick,” Tomlin said, according to Steelers Now. “It was an easy decision for us.”
Mitchell Trubisky, signed in March, might begin the season ahead of Pickett. He'll have to play well to hold off a first-round pick. It should be Pickett's job before too long.
The quarterback situation is what gets headlines. It overshadows that the entire Steelers roster is in flux.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt won NFL defensive player of the year after posting 22.5 sacks. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pointed out that only two players remain from the team's last playoff win in January of 2017, and one is kicker Chris Boswell. The other is defensive lineman Cam Heyward, who is 33 years old. A third player from that last team to win in the postseason, defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, retired.
We expect the Steelers to be good because of a remarkable track record, but it's a team that was not as good as its record last season, got very lucky to make the playoffs, has one of the most uncertain quarterback situations in the NFL and has significant questions at many key spots like offensive line, inside linebacker and in the secondary. If the Steelers drop off it won't be because they don't have Roethlisberger. It will be because they started to slip last season and that went largely unnoticed because they caught an inordinate amount of key breaks.
The Steelers aren't devoid of talent. There are just more pressing issues than we're used to seeing from a franchise that isn't used to having a downturn.
The Steelers usually aren't too active in free agency, but they spent $80.535 million to acquire guard James Daniels, linebacker Myles Jack, center Mason Cole, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and cornerback Levi Wallace. They also resigned cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, coming off a fine season, to a two-year, $8 million deal. None of those signings are earth-shaking, but they're smart additions and will help across the roster. The biggest loss in free agency was receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, whose career stalled after a great start. The draft was solid, with quarterback Kenny Pickett, receiver George Pickens and defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal filling needs. The offseason momentum was set back by the retirement of defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, a fantastic part of Pittsburgh's front. Pittsburgh did well to replace him with Larry Ogunjobi on a one-year deal, which was signed in June. The coaching staff had a shakeup too, when defensive coordinator Keith Butler retired. The team promoted Teryl Austin to that spot and also added former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores as senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach. They also saw longtime GM Kevin Colbert retire, and he was replaced by Omar Khan.
Kenny Pickett staying in Pittsburgh isn't just a neat narrative. The Steelers felt comfortable with what they're getting because they'd been in the same building as Pickett when he was quarterback at Pitt.
“You can just tell that he’s a guy that’s really comfortable with that responsibility that comes with being a quarterback," Tomlin said via Steelers Now. "That intangible quality. That thing that we’re all trying to measure, he has. And we were close enough together that we were able to confirm it. It wasn’t speculative.”
There are questions about whether Pickett can be a top-end starter or just average at best. Here's what Yahoo Sports draft expert Eric Edholm said about Pickett in his scouting report: "Pickett has the moxie and experience to step right in as a starter immediately if needed. However, even with what looks like a good floor as a prospect, the question is whether he can be special in the NFL. Although he saw a huge uptick in his game in 2021, it would be unwise to assume he can make a similar jump at some point in the league. Still, Pickett's variety of respectable traits figure to make him a solid to very good quarterback at some stage in his career."
We'll get to see if the Steelers are right about Pickett or he's just another EJ Manuel, overdrafted because he was the best quarterback in a weak class.
The Steelers' win total at BetMGM is a modest 7.5. The last time the Steelers didn't finish .500 was 2003. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record in his 15 seasons. It's hard to look at that history and bet the under on the Steelers. Yet, statistically they had the profile of a seven-win team last season (via point differential and Football Outsiders' estimated wins) and while they're the rare team that might not suffer from losing a Hall of Fame quarterback, the QB situation might not be better this season. Take the under, though you might regret fading Tomlin and his rock-solid organization.
From Yahoo's Scott Pianowski: "You’ll have to spend a draft pick around 40-45 overall to land Diontae Johnson, and I won’t dismiss that out of hand. He’s the type of receiver who commands targets, and although the Steelers have a spotty quarterback situation, it’s not like Ben Roethlisberger played well last year.
"That said, I’m more likely to play the waiting game and take the discount on Johnson’s running mate, Chase Claypool. You’ll land Claypool about 70-80 picks cheaper in most draft rooms. Let’s get in on that discount before the market corrects.
"Claypool enters his third season, which once upon a time was the breakout period we’d focus on with young receivers (recent rookie seasons have spoiled us somewhat). Most of Claypool’s efficiency metrics were similar in 2020 and 2021, except for a notable drop in touchdowns. That’s partly on Roethlisberger, and partly a stone fluke. If Claypool merely repeats what he’s shown the last two years and has ordinary luck with the six-point plays, he’s set up to be a fantasy bargain in 2022."
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Last season the Steelers were fourth in the NFL in passing attempts and 28th in rushing attempts. Part of that is related to game scripts, but it wasn't an ideal mix given how hard Ben Roethlisberger hit the wall. This season, we should see more of 2021 first-round pick Najee Harris. Harris was solid as a rookie, rushing for exactly 1,200 yards on 3.9 yards per carry. The Steelers don't want to overexpose their quarterbacks — even with a great mix of pass catchers in Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, exciting rookie George Pickens and potential breakout tight end Pat Freiermuth — so expect a heavy dose of Harris and a much more balanced offense. Harris could lead the NFL in touches.
What can T.J. Watt do this season?
Watt was tremendous last season, tying the single-season sack record with 22.5. He did it with an extra game in a 17-game season, though he missed two games due to injury. Watt won NFL defensive player of the year. It's a little troubling that Watt had a season for the ages and the Steelers still were just decent on defense. They were 20th in points allowed and 24th in yards allowed. For those who like advanced stats, Pittsburgh's defense was 14th in Football Outsiders' DVOA. The defense added some talent in linebacker Myles Jack and cornerback Levi Wallace, but won't have Stephon Tuitt back. They're hoping Larry Ogunjobi replaces him adequately, which he should. There are some questions at inside linebacker, where former first-round pick Devin Bush hasn't progressed, as well as cornerback and the safety spot alongside new $72.6 million man Minkah Fitzpatrick. Watt will have a tough time reaching 20 sacks again, though he should be good for the mid-teens at least. The question is, would that be good enough for the Steelers to have a resurgence on defense?
The Steelers are one of the most bankable assets in the NFL for a reason. The last time the Steelers had a new rookie first-round pick at quarterback, they went 13-0 in Ben Roethlisberger's regular season starts and made the AFC championship game. That probably isn't on the table for Kenny Pickett and this year's Steelers, but the defense could be much better, there's a lot of talent at the skill positions on offense and Mike Tomlin has a Hall of Fame resume as a coach. If Pickett takes the job early and looks good, while the Steelers battle to a winning record and another playoff berth, the transition between eras won't seem so bad.
Last season the Steelers were an unsustainable 7-1-1 in games decided by seven points or less, and 4-0-1 in games decided by three or less. We remember them as a playoff team, but they needed an inexplicable loss by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18 and a last-second non-tie in the final game of the season between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers to get there. Nobody likes hearing their team was lucky, but the 2021 Steelers were lucky. That probably won't carry over. If there's regression back to normal records in close games and the Steelers' Mitchell Trubisky/Kenny Pickett quarterback combination struggles, Pittsburgh will be nowhere close to a playoff berth in a tough AFC. There will be unjustified talk about Mike Tomlin's job security and the Steelers will have to answer unfamiliar questions about a potential rebuild.
The Steelers' early-season schedule is at Cincinnati, vs. New England, at Cleveland. It's possible they could enter October at 0-3, and by that point Kenny Pickett will likely the starting quarterback regardless of whether he or Mitchell Trubisky wins the job coming out of preseason. I anticipate this being Mike Tomlin's worst season. Pittsburgh has a tough schedule, a tricky quarterback situation with two potentially bad subpar options and imminent regression. I don't think the Steelers will be down for long, because the franchise's infrastructure is too good for that, but the only reason to project them to finish above .500 is a blind faith in Tomlin and their history.
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2022-07-05T14:51:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 NFL Preview: Steelers start the post-Big Ben era
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-steelers-move-on-from-big-ben-and-there-are-reasons-for-concern-121740519.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-steelers-move-on-from-big-ben-and-there-are-reasons-for-concern-121740519.html?src=rss
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This past Friday, Former Wisconsin Badgers defensive lineman Beau Allen announced he is officially retiring from the NFL after seven seasons.
The seven-year NFL veteran played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New England Patriots, appearing in 90 career games.
Allen, a former seventh-round draft pick of the Eagles, registered 117 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks across three NFL teams.
He was a multi-year contributor for the Badgers from 2010-2013, appearing in 50 games and totaling 94 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and eight sacks.
You can read Allen’s NFL retirement post below:
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2022-07-05T14:52:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Badgers defensive lineman announces retirement from NFL
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-badgers-defensive-lineman-announces-120026237.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-badgers-defensive-lineman-announces-120026237.html?src=rss
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Thomas played in the NFL for 10 seasons, with time spent on the Denver Broncos (2010–2018), Houston Texans (2018), New England Patriots (2019) and New York Jets (2019). He won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos and made four Pro Bowls. But that impressive NFL career took its toll on Thomas’ well-being.
From The Times’ Ken Belson:
Those closest to him said his behavior became increasingly erratic in the last year of his life, which was marked by the memory loss, paranoia and isolation that are hallmarks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head hits.
Thomas is one of many former NFL players to suffer from CTE, with his story serving as yet another sobering reminder of the costs of playing in the NFL.
Jorge Mateo limped to first base when Matt Moore hit him near the left knee with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, and the Baltimore Orioles reached the season's halfway point by coming from behind late to beat the Texas Rangers 7-6 Monday. Rookie Adley Rutschman, who began the day in an 0-for-18 skid, tied the score against Joe Barlow with a two-out RBI double in the ninth that hit off the right-field wall. Rougned Odor led off the 10th with a bunt single off Moore that advanced automatic runner Austin Hays to third, and Moore intentionally walked Ramón Urías to load the bases.
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2022-07-05T14:52:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Patriots, Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas posthumously diagnosed with CTE
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-patriots-broncos-wr-demaryius-135638529.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-patriots-broncos-wr-demaryius-135638529.html?src=rss
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Kevin Patullo
The hidden value of Sirianni returning the same staff in 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Change is inevitable, as the famous saying goes.
For the Eagles, change will have to wait a year.
Sometimes it makes sense just to keep things exactly the way they are, and for Nick Sirianni it made sense to keep his coaching staff together for a second straight season.
And that’s a rarity in the NFL.
This is the first time in 17 years the Eagles have had no significant changes on their coaching staff. Andy Reid didn’t make any changes from 2004 to 2005, and every offseason since, at least one position coach or coordinator has changed.
For a while, it seemed like Sirianni would have to replace at least one or two assistants.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was up for head coaching jobs with the Texans, Broncos and Vikings; quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson interviewed for the Packers’ offensive coordinator position; and passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo was reportedly on the Bears’ radar for their offensive coordinator position, although he’s not believed to have interviewed.
But they’re all back.
There’s a lot to be said for continuity, and a head coach bringing back his entire coaching staff for a second season is huge for returning players who don’t have to start out from square one with a new position coach or coordinator. They don’t have to figure out what their coach is looking for in meetings and at practice. They don’t have to learn new ways of communicating or adjust to whatever methods of teaching any new coach is going to have.
The entire group can just pick up where it left off.
And it’s big for the coaches, too. As much time as they spend together studying film, crafting game plans and teaching players, a second year together will only make that process smoother and more advanced.
“I think it's huge because the coaching points that you want to get across are across, there's already that familiarity with the players,” Sirianni said last month after the Eagles’ last OTA practice.
“Now, the rookies have to get to know everybody, but you'd be surprised, too, that when you bring in a new coach, that's a big step for myself and (offensive coordinator Shane Steichen) to teach the guy the offense or vice versa on the defensive side — Gannon to teach the defense.
“That's a big portion of time because you're not just teaching plays, you're teaching techniques within the plays, what's the responsibilities, you're teaching situations. To have the entire staff back is huge.”
It was clear by the end of last year that Sirianni had assembled a solid teaching staff and a group whose positivity and energy matched his.
To go from 2-5 in late October to the postseason speaks volumes not just about Sirianni but his staff as well. The Eagles became only the ninth team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after a 2-5 start and only the sixth to reach the playoffs with a winning record from that position. That’s a direct reflection of what the coaching staff was able to build.
Now, it is fair to question the work of some of the assistants.
Aaron Moorehead has actually been here since Doug Pederson’s last season, and the performance of the wide receivers hasn’t been great, DeVonta Smith’s rookie year not withstanding. But that could be more of a talent issue than a coaching issue. We’ll get a better feel for him this year now that he has a deep and talented cast to work with.
Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker’s unit seemed to underachieve much of the year, although Javon Hargrave and Josh Sweat did ultimately make the Pro Bowl as alternates.
And Michael Clay’s special teams group struggled in just about every area last year — in the return game, covering kicks and punts and obviously punting. But he’s back for a second season as well.
But for the most part, this appears to be a very good staff, and if the Eagles have another successful year, it’s going to be very hard for Sirianni to continue keeping them together.
Gannon is a lock for a head coaching job in the next year or two if the defense plays well; Johnson and Patullo are highly regarded offensive coaches who will likely have coordinator opportunities; linebackers coach Nick Rallis, who’s just 27, will be in the conversation for defensive coordinator jobs in the next few years if his group plays up to expectations; and if Steichen continues having success as a play caller, his name will also start to come up as a head coaching candidate.
But for now, Sirianni is running it back with the same group, and that’s usually a formula for success.
Sirianni did note that he promoted Alex Tanney and Tyler Scudder from coaches assistant roles to quality control positions with the idea that they will eventually be ready to become position coaches.
“My vision here is to be able to keep the staff intact (and) win games, obviously,” Sirianni said. “Guys will obviously get promoted from that, and then be able to have a good young group of nucleus guys that are in support roles to be able to promote.
“You look around the NFL, that's what some of the great teams do, is they promote from within. So it's just accumulating talent and trying to promote from within.”
Most players projected to go in the first three rounds get selected, while it’s more of a roll of the dice for the rest over the final four rounds
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2022-07-05T14:52:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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The hidden value of Eagles coach Nick Sirianni returning the same staff in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hidden-value-eagles-coach-nick-134400350.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hidden-value-eagles-coach-nick-134400350.html?src=rss
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The Raiders are hopeful that Leatherwood will lock down the right tackle spot and that Parham can eventually win one of the guard jobs. However, they could use another starter if Denzelle Good or Andre James struggles this season.
In a recent article by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, he named one college player that every team should keep an eye on during this season. For the Raiders, that was offensive tackle Cooper Beebe from Kansas State. Here is what he had to say about the potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft:
“The offensive line overhaul isn’t done yet. They have a nice young core, but could still use another guard across from Dylan Parham. Beebe can be that as he adds a little nastiness to their run game. He has experience at both guard and tackle positions and earned an 85.4 overall grade as a redshirt sophomore last season.”
Beebe appears to be the favorite to start at left tackle this season for Kansas State, but he likely projects as a guard in the NFL. However, that works for the Raiders as they might have their long-term tackles already on the roster.
Beebe is one of several offensive linemen to keep an eye on during the upcoming season as he certainly has the talent and size to be a first-round pick. Make sure to tune in on Saturdays to see the future NFL offensive lineman play in the Big 12.
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2022-07-05T14:53:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Raiders could look to draft again for offensive line help in 2023
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https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-could-look-draft-again-132040241.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-could-look-draft-again-132040241.html?src=rss
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While the Tennessee Titans will sport one of the most expensive offenses in the NFL in 2022, their defense is on the other side of the spectrum.
According to Over the Cap, the Titans are spending $84.2 million on their defense in 2022, the seventh-lowest total in the NFL.
The teams spending less than the Titans are the Cleveland Browns ($69.5 million), Dallas Cowboys ($78 million), Carolina Panthers ($79.4 million), Atlanta Falcons ($79.8 million), Las Vegas Raiders ($80.6 million) and New Orleans Saints ($81.5 million).
Five of Tennessee’s projected starters (Jeffery Simmons, David Long, Caleb Farley, Amani Hooker and Kristian Fulton) for 2022 are on rookie deals, while another (Teair Tart) is on an undrafted free agent deal.
Three of those players in Long, Hooker and Tart have one more year left on their current deals, and Simmons is set for a massive extension at some point between now and the final year of his deal in 2023.
Tennessee’s biggest cap hits on defense are outside linebacker Bud Dupree ($19.2 million), defensive lineman Denico Autry ($8.65 million), and safety Kevin Byard ($7 million).
The Titans’ defense as a whole was one of the league’s better units in 2021, especially when it came to run defense and the pass-rush. And, despite the cheap price tag, it figures to be as good, if not better in 2022.
List of Titans heading into final year of their contracts in 2022
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2022-07-05T14:54:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ defense among least expensive in NFL going into 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-defense-among-least-expensive-134128707.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-defense-among-least-expensive-134128707.html?src=rss
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Recently, the Big Ten accepted two new schools into the conference: USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins. The move becomes official in time for the 2024 college football season.
A prestigious football program like USC joining the Big Ten will allow some annual matchups that we haven’t seen up to this point. However, this move will also see some premium matchups on a yearly basis. For instance, Ohio State and Southern California. Two teams that are familiar with each other. These two teams have met a total of 24 times. USC has the edge but Ohio State got the last laugh in 2017.
On3 Sports broke down the most anticipated matchups featuring the Big Ten’s newest teams. Where does Ohio State rank in this top five?
The Buckeyes-Trojans matchup checks in at No. 1 on the list for the new-look Big Ten.
What On3 Says…
USC leads the all-time series 13-10-1
Ohio State won the last matchup in 2017, 24-7 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl
This one doesn’t take a whole lot of explanation. Simply put, this is two of college football’s most storied programs squaring off. A meeting between Ohio State and USC will also pit two of the game’s hottest young coaches, with both also known as terrific recruiters. That’s a setup for a fantastic college football game with star talent all over the field.
Then you layer on the history? Wow. These two behemoths have met in the Rose Bowl seven times previously, with USC holding a slim 4-3 edge in those prestigious games. The last three of those games were all decided by a field goal or less. The last meeting between the two programs came in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, with Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes topping Clay Helton’s Trojans 24-7. That was the Buckeyes’ first win in the series in 44 years.
Top three NFL draft-eligible Big Ten wide receivers in 2022
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2022-07-05T15:25:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ohio State featured among the anticipated Big Ten matchups with USC, UCLA
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-featured-among-anticipated-145058137.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-featured-among-anticipated-145058137.html?src=rss
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