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On July 11, the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame announced their 2022 class, and it included six former Cornhuskers.
In addition, the class included two state representatives: former Nebraska-Kearney head coach Darrell Morris and former Concordia tight end Ross Wurdeman.
In order to be eligible for selection, players must be ten years removed from the conclusion of their college careers. Active NFL players are not eligible.
On September 9, the 2022 class will be officially inducted at a banquet in Lincoln. On the following day, they will also be recognized during Nebraska’s home game against Georgia Southern.
Let’s take a quick look at the six former Cornhuskers who were selected.
DB Ric Lindquist (1979-1981)
CB Bruce Pickens (1988-1990)
Nebraska Football, Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nov 23, 1990; Norman, OK, USA; FILE PHOTO; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Bruce Pickens (38) in action against the Oklahoma Sooners at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
G Toniu Fonoti (1999-2001)
Nebraska’s Toniu Fonoti (77) is held back by an official during a first-half scuffle Saturday, Oct. 21, 2000, against Baylor in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska beat Baylor 59-0. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)
CB Prince Amukamara (2007-2010)
Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nebraska Football
Nov 20, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers cornerback Prince Amukamara (21) in action against the Texas A&M Aggies in the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Texas A&M defeated Nebraska 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
OT Ron McDole (1958-1960)
Ron McDole of the Washington Redskins is shown in 1975. (AP Photo)
LB Lee Kunz (1976-1978)
North Carolina’s quarterback Matt Kupec (12) outruns Nebraska’s Lee Kunz (38) to score from two yards out in the second quarter of Liberty Bowl game in Memphis, Dec. 20, 1977. Kupec’s efforts went for naught, except for the six points, as the Cornhuskers scored twice in the fourth quarter to win 21-17. Kupec was named the MVP for the game. (AP Photo)
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2022-07-11T20:19:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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6 Huskers Inducted Into Nebraska Football Hall of Fame
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https://sports.yahoo.com/6-huskers-inducted-nebraska-football-195149013.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/6-huskers-inducted-nebraska-football-195149013.html?src=rss
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The Tide’s 2023 recruiting class grew on Monday when four-star quarterback and two-sport athlete Dylan Lonergan announced his commitment to Alabama. He chose the Crimson Tide over South Carolina, Stanford, Florida and Ohio State.
Lonergan is the second quarterback to commit in the 2023 class, with the other being Eli Holstein. Both Alabama quarterback commits rank as top-10 prospects, according to 247Sports’ recruiting rankings.
Lonergan has been a high-profile target for the Tide since receiving an offer from the coaching staff in April of 2021. He is a two-sport athlete at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. The signal-caller and baseball pitcher is arguably one of the best prospects in both sports from Georgia. All signs point to him playing both baseball and football when he arrives in Tuscaloosa.
During his junior season, Lonergan completed 234 of 371 passes for a total of 3,392 yards and 32 touchdowns. Perhaps the most impressive statistic was his interception total: three. While being efficient through the air, he also used his legs quite a bit. He ran 90 times for 645 yards and seven touchdowns.
This commitment gives Alabama’s recruiting class a total of 11 hard commits. The good news could very well continue throughout the week as 2023 four-star linebacker Raul Aguirre is set to commit on Tuesday. His decision is likely down to two teams: Miami and Alabama.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Lonergan and Alabama football as the recruiting trail heats up.
The Tar Heels had just three commitments entering June and six midway through the month. Things picked up dramatically in the last two weeks to boost Carolina’s class, which now has 14 commitments, into the top 25 nationally.
Max Borenstin has extended his overall deal with HBO for a further three years, Variety has learned. Borenstein most recently co-created the HBO series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” He is also the showrunner and an executive producer on the show. It was renewed for a second season back in April. “HBO is […]
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2022-07-11T20:19:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Alabama lands commitment from 2023 4-star QB, two-sport athlete, Dylan Lonergan
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https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-lands-commitment-2023-4-183438144.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-lands-commitment-2023-4-183438144.html?src=rss
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Before Anthony Richardson was the starting quarterback at the University of Florida, he was just another Gainesville kid wearing the same No. 15 as one of the greatest to ever put on the orange and blue — Tim Tebow. It didn’t take long for the “AR-15” nickname to set in considering Richardson’s explosive arm and it quickly turned into his brand.
The problem is that Richardson no longer wishes to share a nickname with the type of semi-automatic rifle that has been used in several mass shootings across the country in recent years, according to the Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi. Richardson’s NIL marketing representative Deiric Jackson spoke with Bianchi on Friday about the potential shift.
“We are in discussions right now about what to do,” Jackson said. “Anthony does not want his name to be associated with gun violence in any way.”
That’s not a new position from Richardson either. Bianchi mentions that Richardson was the public face of the Gainesville Police Department’s gun buy-back program in the fall. Here’s a YouTube video the student-athlete appeared in last year:
Changing the nickname isn’t as simple as it sounds, though. It’s one of the more recognizable brands on the team, and maybe even across the SEC, right now. It’s also plastered across his clothing apparel complete with a scope sight logo on each shoulder. All of that could change, according to Jackson.
“We are thinking about changing the clothing brand,” he said. “We don’t want Anthony’s name associated with assault rifles. In fact, Anthony has been very active in trying to get guns off the streets in Gainesville.”
It’s hard not to think of the weapon when you say the nickname, but it’s also hard to think of Anthony Richardson without the moniker. It’s not the easiest or typical problem most athletes deal with, but it has been done before. Bianchi uses the example of Allen Robinson switching his number from 15 to 12 in 2018 to avoid the same association.
It doesn’t seem like Richardson will drop Tebow’s number just yet, but he will look to distance himself from AR-15 nickname by whatever means necessary.
Here's where Florida stands in On3's latest SEC power rankings
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2022-07-11T20:19:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Anthony Richardson could be dropping his AR-15 nickname
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https://sports.yahoo.com/anthony-richardson-could-dropping-ar-175158959.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/anthony-richardson-could-dropping-ar-175158959.html?src=rss
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The college football world has been turned upside down once again, this time from the heartland’s grab at the two most identifiable west coast universities, USC and UCLA. The Big Ten is all set to move to 16 teams with both the Trojans and Bruins being a part of all the fun beginning in 2024.
Before that though, there are some things that need to be hammered out. There are all kinds of logistical and cultural issues that have been engrained in the Big Ten and Pac-12, not the least of which is a sea-to-shining sea of land between the furthest east and west schools now in the Big Ten’s footprint.
We decided to pick out five things that are some significant hurdles and stumbling blocks that the Big Ten will need to work out prior to bringing the two teams onboard to share with you. We’re sure it’ll all work itself out in some form or another, but here are five major issues that everyone with suits and wallets will have to address prior to the Big Ten getting all the kinks out of the proverbial hose before 2024.
Travel, travel, and more travel
Apr 16, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, USA: The entrance to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) amid the global coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY NETWORK
Going across the country every so often is a novelty in today’s world of college football. With money now running almost everything and conferences going outside of their traditional footprint, that’s going to change. It certainly will when USC and UCLA begin play in the conference for 2024.
How will it all work? There has to be consideration given for the fairness of travel and matchups. You don’t want the same teams always flying out west, and USC and UCLA are going to have to get used to traveling long distances on average every other week.
And while that might be more palatable in a sport like football that is played once per week, what about the other sports? The travel budget and logistical stuff that goes with moving bodies and scheduling events are going to be a lot more to deal with than before.
#USC brings media rights value to the Big Ten, but Oregon and Washington help with logistics. Is the Big Ten really going to have only 2 West Coast teams? https://t.co/Zhw7sOstxN
Similarly, making fair schedules is going to be a big challenge. Instead of conference games now being more regional, this is all going to start to look more and more like professional league travel like the NBA, NFL, or MLB.
We’ve already touched on football, but does it make sense for other sports that play more than one time to do back-to-back games within a few days and rotate the location every other year?
For football, how do you balance the power? Do you stay with divisions or scrap them altogether? Who plays who, and what matchups should be protected?
There’s a lot to iron out. Thankfully, there’s some time to work together and get it done.
Big Ten football bowl lineup, CFP Playoff game schedule for 2022
Jan 6, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; An exterior view of the Rose Bowl stadium prior to the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Auburn Tigers in the 2014 BCS National Championship game at the Rose Bowl. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Grandaddy of Them All has gone through changes before, but this latest move is more than likely going to be the biggest shift in the iconic game we’ve seen to date. Of course, the Pac-12 could survive in some way, shape or form and the same arrangement could be in place, but that might not be able to happen as other teams scramble to find a seat at the table during all of this reshuffling of teams.
USC and UCLA are two of the top five participants in Pasadena, but now they’ll be representing the Big Ten. So, what will happen with the Rose Bowl? It’s still the Bruins home stadium, and you have to figure that the stadium at the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains will factor into the College Football Playoff rotation, but change is afoot and there will have to be new contracts, affiliations, and more worked through.
Might we see some Big Ten championship games among the roses? Hmmm …
How will USC feel about existing alongside Ohio State?
It’s no secret that Ohio State is in the driver’s seat when it comes to shaping the Big Ten. Sorry Michigan, that ship sailed long ago. OSU turns on television sets, has a massive following, churns out NFL players with the best of them, and rakes in the revenue.
USC is the flag-bearer for the Pac-12 and is used to pulling its big boy pants up and being the Alpha dog of the conference. That has waned a bit in recent years with the downturn of the football program and with the rise of Oregon and others, but the Trojan program is still king residing in the L.A. market and all the historical success.
Money-wise, it makes sense for USC to make this move, but culturally and historically, it’ll take a backseat to Ohio State when it comes large shadow that looms on the banks of the Olentangy. Can everyone play nice in the conference expansion sandbox?
I have the same questions about Texas in the SEC too by the way.
The shift in recruiting?
Oregon might still compete with USC for recruits in Southern California, but now Ohio State and Michigan will have a bigger recruiting foothold in SoCal. Uh-oh, Ducks. https://t.co/ZriN40cefl
It’ll be interesting to see how this all impacts recruiting. Not only when it comes to USC and UCLA, but also the Big Ten in general. Schools like Ohio State and Michigan have had some modest success in cherry-picking kids from California, but most other schools have more or less stayed in and around their footprint.
With the ability to go into living rooms out west and sell the fact that a kid could still be potentially traveling back to California every so often, it might sway a kid to try the cold and distance of a team in the Big Ten.
Likewise, UCLA and USC can probably extend their recruiting footprint even more and be knocking on the doors of recruiting hotbed places like Chicago, New York/New Jersey, Ohio, and more.
On the downside, a kid staying home to play in Los Angeles for USC and UCLA now means they will be traveling multiple times across the country to play. Some parents and recruits might not like that as much.
You never know where these things are going to go, but we’ll have to keep an eye on this along with NIL and other things that are changing swiftly in college football to see where kids end up going.
Either way, it’s something various recruiting staff will have to adjust to.
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2022-07-11T20:19:41Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Five issues to address with latest Big Ten expansion
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https://sports.yahoo.com/five-issues-address-latest-big-183843114.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/five-issues-address-latest-big-183843114.html?src=rss
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Long distance running coach
Oregon has announced that it has hired Jerry Schumacher as the Ducks’ head coach of their track and field and cross country programs.
Schumacher has spent the past 15 years at the helm of the Nike Bowerman Track Club and established himself as one of the premier distance coaches in the world. According to Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens, the hire was a virtual no-brainer.
“Jerry Schumacher is a world-class track and field leader with a unique ability to build a dynamic team atmosphere to support a first-class experience for the athletes,” said Mullens in a press release. “He understands the modern athlete, the importance of building connections and developing young people to their fullest potential. His commitment to the athlete through his tireless work ethic is well known and we are excited that his leadership and passion will add to the tremendous legacy of the Oregon track and field and cross country programs.”
This is not Schumacher’s first job in the college ranks. Not even close. He led the University of Wisconsin men’s distance and cross country program between 1998-2008. During his time in Madison, the Badgers won two NCAA team titles—2005 cross country, 2007 indoor—and he was named the 2005 National Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Schumacher replaces Robert Johnson, who coached the Ducks for seven seasons. But Oregon decided to not retain Johnson and decided to go in a different direction.
ASU football digest: Sun Devils get commitment from JuCo product Brandon McElroy
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2022-07-11T20:19:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Oregon names Jerry Schumacher new track and cross country coach
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https://sports.yahoo.com/oregon-names-jerry-schumacher-track-172825681.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/oregon-names-jerry-schumacher-track-172825681.html?src=rss
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"This is a great class and people were kind of underestimating our class," Banchero told Yahoo Sports. "There's a lot of really good players in this class, and I think we're all going to continue to prove that."
This draft class has a lot of talent, but it's nothing compared to what's coming next year with 7-foot-3 French point-forward Victor Wembanyama and G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson. Wembanyama is projected as the next generational-type talent to come out of Europe, and Henderson was dominating the G League at just 17 years old last season.
"I think what separates me from the rest of the players in my draft class is I just played an entire season in the G League," Henderson told Yahoo Sports. "I'm basically a pro. I've been around pro settings and pro development and that's really helped prepare me for next year."
The Spurs had a successful draft, picking up young, talented players. Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley are all just 19 years old. They'll pair with last year's No. 12 pick, Josh Primo, as the up-and-coming talent in the organization. Shortly after the draft, the Spurs traded Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks. In return, they received a 2023 first-round draft pick (via Charlotte from New York, protected), 2025 first-round pick, 2026 pick swap and 2027 first-round pick.
By the end of the season, something had to change within the Jazz organization. The on-court chemistry wasn't working, and the Jazz failed to capitalize on the All-Star talent they had.
Head coach Quin Snyder parted ways with the team, and shortly after that, the Jazz traded Royce O’Neale to the Brooklyn Nets, receiving a 2023 first-round pick in return. The Jazz then traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and received: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (No. 22 pick in 2022 draft), 2023 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 pick swap, 2027 first-round pick and 2029 first-round pick.
The Jazz still have an All-Star in Donovan Mitchell, but he's not going to have much help during the 2022-23 season and might shut it down early to increase the chances for a high draft pick.
The Pacers won only 25 games last season and picked up Benn Mathurin with the sixth pick in the draft. Indiana has good players (Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner), but they're missing that star, franchise-changing player to get them back in the playoffs. Mathurin is a good player who loves to get to the rim and is a high-volume shooter, but he's just a piece of the bigger picture.
Wembanyama running the floor with Haliburton would be a dream, and he would bring much-needed size in the lane with his 7-foot-9 wingspan and elite shot-blocking.
The Rockets traded Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks for Boban Marjanovic, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss and Sterling Brown. They also reached a buyout with John Wall and he's headed to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets have a lot of youth and will be only a little bit better this season after going 20-62 and finishing last in the Western Conference in 2021-22.
It'll be another frustrating season for Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun (along with No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr.), but a tough season will be worth it if the Rockets can land Wembanyama. Houston has been trying to rebuild and make the playoffs since the 2019-20 season.
Even after landing the No. 1 pick in the draft (Banchero), the Magic could still use a final piece with a franchise-changing player. There isn't any pressure to win right away, and this season will be a good benchmark for where Banchero fits into the system and a better feel for the rotation in the backcourt with Markelle Fultz returning alongside Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs.
The Magic have made the playoffs only twice in the past 10 years and fans are itching to see the team make a resurgence, but to add rim protection with Wembanyama at 7-foot-3 and a secondary ball handler off the wing is worth one more year of losses.
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2022-07-11T20:58:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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5 NBA teams that could tank next season for Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson
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https://sports.yahoo.com/5-nba-teams-that-could-tank-next-season-for-victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-175734089.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/5-nba-teams-that-could-tank-next-season-for-victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-175734089.html?src=rss
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REPORT: Oregon will compete in the 2023 Emerald Coast Classic
According to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the Oregon men’s basketball team will join Alabama and Ohio State to play in next year’s Emerald Coast Classic.
The tournament is still looking for a fourth team to complete the field for 2023.
As for this year’s field, TCU, Iowa, Clemson, and Cal will battle it out Nov. 25 and 26 at Raider Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College.
But by the time 2023 rolls around, Oregon might be ready to become conference members alongside the Buckeyes or the Crimson Tide with all of the conference realignment talk going on.
2023 will be the last season for the Pac-12 in its current form as UCLA and USC are scheduled to move on to the Big 10 beginning in 2024. Oregon, and the rest of the conference, are currently looking at their options as to where to land in 2024 and beyond.
NEWS: Oregon, Ohio State, and Alabama will participate in the 2023 Emerald Coast Classic, according to multiple sources.
4th team in event is currently TBD.https://t.co/V3YzxLtIlo
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2022-07-11T21:19:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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REPORT: Oregon will compete in the 2023 Emerald Coast Classic
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-oregon-compete-2023-emerald-180057366.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-oregon-compete-2023-emerald-180057366.html?src=rss
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Four franchise-tagged players face Friday deadline to reach long-term deals originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
Wall Street got back to slumping Monday to kick off a week full of updates about how bad inflation is and how corporate profits are handling it. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% and gave up the majority of its gains from the prior week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 2.3%.
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2022-07-11T21:32:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Four franchise-tagged players face Friday deadline to reach long-term deals
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-franchise-tagged-players-face-194304830.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-franchise-tagged-players-face-194304830.html?src=rss
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4 Phillies prospects make Baseball America's Midseason Top 100 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A fourth Phillies prospect appeared on Baseball America's Midseason Top 100: Griff McGarry.
The 23-year-old right-hander is ranked 99th, below fellow Phillies farmhands Andrew Painter (38), Mick Abel (66) and catcher Logan O'Hoppe (92).
"McGarry is the perfect example of the high-upside, high-risk Class A pitcher," Baseball America's scouting report reads. "If he can improve his control and consistency, he's a potential front-of-the-rotation starter, but McGarry's control has a long way to go."
O'Hoppe has become perhaps the Phillies' best position player prospect. The 22-year-old catcher has hit .276/.393/.525 in 265 plate appearances with Double A Reading this season, homering 14 times and driving in 40 runs. Reading has a notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark, but O'Hoppe has been far more productive on the road, hitting .319/.417/.628 with 16 of his 26 extra-base hits. He isn't yet on the Phillies' 40-man roster. The Phils have Rafael Marchan and Donny Sands behind the two on their active roster, J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs.
Painter, the Phils' first-round pick in 2021, has dominated at Single A this season. In 12 starts -- nine with Low A Clearwater, three with High A Jersey Shore -- he has a 1.74 ERA with 79 K's in 46⅔ innings. He's allowed only one home run. Painter moved up 15 spots from Baseball America's preseason Top 100.
Abel, drafted 15th overall by the Phillies in 2020, has spent the season at Jersey Shore. He's 5-7 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 14 starts, though he's allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts. His ranking dropped 14 spots.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence went through a nightmare of a rookie year with the Jaguars, with former head coach Urban Meyer getting fired 13 games into the season. Things should be significantly better with Doug Pederson taking over for the coming season. But Lawrence’s experiences in 2021 should still benefit him not only as a second-year [more]
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2022-07-11T22:33:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Baseball America's Midseason Top 100 prospects list includes 4 Phillies
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https://sports.yahoo.com/baseball-americas-midseason-top-100-203600148.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/baseball-americas-midseason-top-100-203600148.html?src=rss
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A new Aloha Stadium is expected for the 2026 season
The University of Hawaii’s new home is slowly coming to fruition
Hawaii will continue to play home games at Ching Field until project is complete
The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are getting incrementally closer to a new Aloha Stadium. On July 7, Gov. David Ige signed off on a $400 million dollar New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District Budget (NAESD) budget, effectively green lighting a new stadium in Halawa, a suburb of Honolulu.
“I’m excited—as a graduate of the University of Hawaii and a proud fan,” Ige said to KHON2. “I’m really excited because it is, for the first time, the legislature embracing the full cost of the stadium and it will create a great terrific home for the Rainbow Warriors.”
Sep 23, 2017; Laramie, WY, USA; A general view of the Hawaii Warriors helmet before game against the Wyoming Cowboys at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
$350 million will come directly from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the other $50 million will come from the Stadium Development Special Fund. The budget includes funds for an entertainment district and real estate development at the Halawa site.
With Gov. Ige’s signature, a timeline for the stadium’s completion can begin to take shape. The new stadium, which is tentatively expected to be completed in time for the 2026 season, will be built on the existing Aloha Stadium, which still needs to be demolished. A developer will need to be selected as well. Both are expected to be completed by late 2023 or early 2024, per KHON2. Construction is slated to take approximately two to three years.
“Football is the program that generates most of the revenue that supports all of the other sports and with that money in hand, we can start to make a very specific plan to develop a great new stadium and give the Rainbow Warriors a great place to play,” said University of Hawaii President David Lassner to KHON2.
The current Aloha Stadium ceased operations in December 2020, citing financial difficulties due to the pandemic. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported in 2019 that the stadium need roughly $30 million in repairs.
“The stadium facility has been in dire need of significant repair and maintenance for many years. The stadium authority has considered repairing, upgrading, and replacing the existing facility to optimize the public’s enjoyment and ensure public safety. Redeveloping, renovating, or improving these public lands in a manner that will provide suitable recreational, residential, educational, and commercial areas, where the public can live, congregate, recreate, attend schools, and shop, as part of a thoughtfully integrated experience, is in the best interests of the State and its people,” the Hawaii state legislature reported in 2019.
The 50,000-seat stadium was home to the Rainbow Warriors for over 40 years. It was also the longtime host of the Pro Bowl, various bowl games, state championships and concerts.
A possible barrier to the new Aloha Stadium’s completion is the upcoming governor’s race in Hawaii. During a June candidate forum hosted by the Star-Advertiser, U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, a Democratic candidate for governor, said he would scrap the new Aloha Stadium plan as governor.
“You are not serious about housing and affordable housing on the island of Oahu if you want to build a stadium in Halawa,” Kahele said. “As governor of Hawaii, I oppose building a stadium in Halawa.”
Kahele proposed that 10,000 homes be built on the existing Aloha Stadium site to address the affordable housing issue instead.
Hawaii’s primary is scheduled for August 13.
According to a July 6 Civil Beat/Hawaii News Now poll, Lt. Gov. Josh Green has 48% of the vote compared to Rep. Kahele with 16% and businesswoman Vicky Cayetano with 15%.
In the wake of USC’s and UCLA’s surprise move to the Big Ten, many schools, like the University of Hawaii, have been left with questions regarding the future landscape of college athletics.. Will the Pac-12 merge with the Big-12 or will they look to fill their conference with Mountain West schools?
While there has been no conclusive answers to these questions, some have wondered if Hawaii’s current stadium situation could influence which conference the school ultimately ends up at. Rich Miano, former UH standout and current color analyst for UH home games on Spectrum, explained the importance of getting the ball rolling on a new Aloha Stadium.
“When you look at the college football landscape you would need a crystal ball and then some to figure out if it is going to be the autonomous five, is it going to be two super power conferences,” Miano said. “But one thing that is very important for the UH is to try and position themselves so they do not be left out of this and with a stadium, you would think you would have a much better chance.”
In terms of the remaining Pac-12 schools, the smallest stadium, by capacity, is Oregon St.’s Reser Stadium, which will seat approximately 26,000 during the 2022 season. After renovations are complete, Reser Stadium will seat between 34,000 and 39,000 in 2023. The next smallest is Washington St.’s Martin Stadium which seats approximately 33,000.
Until the new Aloha Stadium is complete, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to play home football games on campus at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, which seats around 9,000. It was reported that the UH had plans to expand capacity to 15,000 but because of a materials shortage, those plans were put on hold.
Capacity for the new Aloha Stadium is listed as a “minimum of 30,000” based upon “historical and projected events and attendances, in conjunction with the availability payment cost projections.”
While seating capacity will not be a deciding factor in conference realignment decisions, it’s hard to imagine the Pac-12 looking favorably on a program with a home football stadium that seats less than many FCS schools.
Still, as State Sen. Glenn Wakai theorized to KHON2, if the Pac-12 were to add teams, Hawaii’s current stadium situation could pose a barrier.
The Rainbow Warriors, led by new head coach Timmy Chang, will welcome Vanderbilt University to the island on August 27 to open the season.
Mountain West Football: First Look At The Michigan Wolverines
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2022-07-11T22:37:13Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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New Aloha Stadium In The Works For Hawaii Football
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https://sports.yahoo.com/aloha-stadium-works-hawaii-football-220425469.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/aloha-stadium-works-hawaii-football-220425469.html?src=rss
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There is an old saying in sports when a team finds consistent success, “keep your foot on the gas.”
The saying is true for Arkansas Football, especially when it comes to the recruiting trail. The Razorbacks have received commitments from 21 prospects from the 2023 cycle, and are in the running to add another on Tuesday.
Brad Spence, a three-star EDGE rusher from Klein Forest High School in Houston, Texas, will announce his commitment on Tuesday, and has included Arkansas in his top 3 choices.
Arkansas offered Spence on February 17, becoming the 15th program to do so. Since receiving an offer from Arkansas, Spence has taken in 17 more. But, Arkansas has stood out to Spence. He took his official visit to Arkansas during the weekend of June 10, and put Arkansas in his top 3 college choices on July 1.
Currently, Arkansas has two commits for the 2023 class at EDGE, Quincy Rhodes and Carson Dean, who both are rated as three-stars by 247sports. Arkansas has also four players from the state of Texas who have committed for the 2023 cycle. Most recently, the Razorbacks earned the commitment of Jaylon Braxton, a four-star CB from Frisco, last Saturday.
Spence will choose between Arkansas, Cal, and Texas on Tuesday. According to 247sports, he will announce his decision at noon CDT.
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2022-07-11T22:37:19Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Arkansas target, three-star EDGE set to commit Tuesday
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https://sports.yahoo.com/arkansas-target-three-star-edge-211553479.html?src=rss
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Dooley’s Dozen: The best offensive linemen in Florida football history
Whenever you start evaluating offensive linemen for anything, it gets complicated.
We don’t watch hours of tape or watch these guys practice. And once a game starts, we tend to watch the ball and not the trenches.
That’s why I’ve always said that some of the all-conference or even all-American teams are built up front with a bunch of guys the media has heard of or players who happen to play for an efficient offense.
At the same time, if you have watched enough Gator football over the years, you know. Or at least you think you know.
What we know is Florida has not had a Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner since Kenyatta Walker in 2000. It is strange the coaches didn’t think anyone from Florida’s 2006 and 2008 national championship teams were worthy.
It’s kind of a weird award anyway. The first winner in the SEC was a quarterback. Alabama has had 25 winners, Florida has had six with four coming during the Steve Spurrierera.
The Jacobs Award is not the only way to measure the best, and a winner from UF was one of the last cuts of the latest Dooley’s Dozen as we take a look at the 12 (plus one) best offensive linemen in UF history.
Lomas Brown
I have been lobbying for years that Brown should be in the Ring of Honor and I am not going to stop now. He was Florida’s first Jacobs winner and an All-American in 1984. His powerful blocking style opened holes for some of the best to ever play for the Gators, and his left side protection was unmatched. He is the only Gator O-lineman in the College Football Hall of Fame.
When Florida landed the Pouncey twins, flipping them from FSU, there was a feeling the Gators might be building something special. They were. Maurkice started at guard as a freshman before moving to center and eventually winning the Rimington Award as the country’s best at that position.
Jason Odom
I used to joke with Jason about the Jacob Award because he was the only two-time winner from Florida, and he never received anything for it. There was no trophy, not even a certificate. Anyway, after struggling as a true freshman (but still helping UF get to the SEC title game), he was a dominant force for the next three seasons of championship football.
David Williams (73). Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Many of the players on this list were not only physical, but they were also durable. Williams never came out of a game and was a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy. He started every game and blocked first for the great 1985 team and then for [autotag]Emmitt Smith[/autotag] on his way to being All-SEC twice.
Cal Dixon
Here is one of your Jacobs winners and the only Gator to win a Jacobs and a Fergie. The Fergie Ferguson Award goes to the Gator senior who displays great leadership and character. That he was the starting center on teams that won the 1990 (according to all sane people) and 1991 SEC championships says a lot.
Mike Pearson (71). AP Photo/John Bazemore
We often think about how the 2001 Florida team was one of the best ever and Pearson was a big reason. The left tackle protected Rex Grossman and plowed the field for a bevy of backs. He was an All-American in 2001 and twice was first team on the All-SEC. squad.
Burton Lawless
Burton Lawless (66). Malcolm Emmons- USA TODAY Sports
One of the highlights of my career was getting to know Burton pretty well when I was in Waco for a baseball regional. He is considered by many to be the best pulling guard in UF history, a three-year starter who was an All-American in 1974.
Maybe I have him too low. He was an All-American twice — the only Gator offensive lineman in history who can say that. He was a big part of “The Great Wall of Florida.” I mean big, with a listed weight of 320 pounds back in the day when guards were going 275. I don’t know this, but I think he might have been Florida’s first 300-pound starter.
Shannon Snell
Now, he is a pitmaster, but in his day, Snell was an All-American. The day was 2003 and he did it while playing for [autotag]Ron Zook[/autotag]. He was another of those guys who was incredibly durable and hard to get out of the lineup with 36 starts during his career.
Guy Dennis
The Enquirer/Fred Straub
My man, Guy Dennis. We have become close friends; he still lives in Gainesville after a long NFL career. In 1968, he was named All-American at guard and was the offensive team captain that year. Just a quick, fierce and agile blocker. And a good man.
Crawford Ker
Crawford Ker (68). RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Boy, it would be some shindig with Snell and Ker supplying the food. But before he started a career as a chicken wings specialist, Ker was another member of the “Great Wall,” the third to make this list. And “Big Daddy” is the only walk-on. He did that at Arizona Western and Florida signed him for two wonderful years at right tackle.
Jeff Mitchell and Donnie Young
Jeff Mitchell (71). USA TODAY Sports
It gets really complicated at the end. Donnie Young was a Jacobs winner and Mitchell was tremendous before the injury in his senior year. They were also go-to interview guys. That was a fun team to cover in 1995 and ’96. Anyway, they both deserve it. So does Larry Gagner. And Val Heckman and Bill Carr. There were All-Americans.
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2022-07-11T22:37:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Dooley’s Dozen: The best offensive linemen in Florida football history
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Penn Quakers
What a way to kick off what could be a major week on the recruiting trail for Penn State. London Montgomery, the top running back in Pennsylvania, started the week on the right foot for Penn State by announcing his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Monday afternoon.
Montgomery, from Scranton, is rated as a four-star recruit by On3 and ESPN, but a three-star player by 247Sports and Rivals. Regardless, he is still the top-rated running back form within the state, giving Penn State the top running back in the state for a second straight season after landing Nick Singleton in the Class of 2022.
#WeAre…Better #107kStrong #PSUnrivaled pic.twitter.com/Sy0NkEbM8V
The 5′-10″ 180-pound running back was not offered by Penn State until early March of this year, although he had taken a handful of visits to Penn State’s campus over the past year with two unofficial visits since November 2021, attending the junior day event, and an official visit in June of this year.
Penn State had been considered a trendy favorite for the in-state target. Montgomery ultimately chose Penn State over offers from Boston College and Virginia Tech, with both joining Penn State in Montgomery’s top three at the time of his announcement.
The addition of Montgomery is a nice rebound after a tough day on the recruiting trail last week that saw Treyaun Webb commit to Florida despite Penn State apparently trending in the right direction according to recruiting analysts leading up to Webb’s announcement. Penn State is now well-situated with the running back position in the coming years.
Missed The Bob's Burgers movie in theaters? Join Bob, Linda and the rest of the Belcher gang at home on Hulu and HBO Max starting tomorrow.
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2022-07-11T22:38:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Penn State lands four-star in-state RB London Montgomery
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It has been a wild week for college sports after word came out that the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins intended to jump ship from the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten. The aftershocks of the announcement reverberated throughout the remainder of the schools across the nation putting perennial contenders like the Southeastern Conference on notice.
In response, the media rushed to takes on how the SEC might respond to the earth-shaking news, with wild suggestions coming from every angle but nothing that actually stuck. As it turns out, the conference brass never intended to make a countermove — or at least, that is the official word.
According to Matt Hayes of Saturday Down South, who first broke the news, the conference that has been home to the Florida Gators and many of its sister schools since 1933 has no intention of expanding past 16 members after the induction of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners in 2025.
“We’re positioned at 16 (teams) for a robust future,” an unnamed SEC athletic director told SDS. They also added that “the need just isn’t there… I don’t see any (expansion) move as threatening to us.”
CBS Sports’ Dennis Dobbs was able to confirm the report.
CBS Sports able to confirm but tremendous reporting by @MattHayesCFB who broke the story. Huge realignment implications. https://t.co/zou9r5iYNA
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2022-07-11T22:38:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Southeastern Conference set on remaining at 16 schools… for now
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Phil Steele has revealed his 2022 preseason top-40 poll with the Gators coming in at No. 32.
Steele is a professional and collegiate football journalist whose college football preview magazine has become a staple of the off-season cycle. In a post to Steele’s digital magazine, Steele slots the Gators in at No. 32, behind programs such as Boise State (No. 31), BYU (No. 26), and UAB (No. 21).
While the ranking could be a bit jarring for Gators fans, the ranking actually makes some sense. The Gators are coming off a 6-7 season that included a Gasparilla Bowl loss to in-state opponent UCF. They also went 2-6 in SEC play and lost their only conference wins coming against Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Florida’s program is also undergoing an overhaul from top to bottom, and it starts with new head coach Billy Napier. Coming off a successful run at Louisiana, athletic director Scott Stricklin has provided Napier the off-field resources he needed when he arrived in Gainesville, hiring a massive staff and injecting the program with a much-needed culture change.
While the teams ahead of Florida in the rankings may not traditionally be in a better position than the Gators, you can understand where Steele was coming from when ranking the Florida Gators. This time next year? It could be a different story.
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2022-07-11T22:38:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where Florida football ranks ahead of 2022 season per Phil Steele
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Just recently, the Cincinnati Bengals announced the team had sold out of season tickets and for the first time in a long time, needed to create a waiting list.
No wonder — Joe Burrow’s one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL already and the Bengals appear to be annual contenders after a successful, lengthy rebuild.
And as it turns out, the proof is right there in the numbers, too. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times looked at the data from 2019 to 2011 and found out the Bengals had one of the three biggest boosts in average home attendance over that span:
Two of the top three, of course, had quite a bit of ground to make up after struggling for so many years.
But onlookers will note that the arrivals of Tom Brady and Burrow happened to encourage those gains. Over the span of just a few years, those Bengals are now a must-have ticket.
Rockets coach Rick Higgins says of Daishen Nix: “His basketball IQ is very, very high. If you pay attention and watch him, he is putting a lot of guys in position to be successful.”
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2022-07-11T23:12:19Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bengals enjoyed one of NFL’s biggest gains in attendance from 2019-2021
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In all regards, there has been nothing like it in recent NFL history.
The chapter in Watson’s book that includes playing for the Cleveland Browns could even get delayed as Judge Sue Robinson weighs his discipline fate.
Despite missing an entire season and possibly missing a chunk of the upcoming one, ESPN’s top 10 list of quarterbacks in the league (subscriber, $) includes Watson at #9:
Since 2018, Watson has the fourth-best QBR (65.3) and third-best completion percentage (68.7%) in the NFL. And he threw for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdown passes and a 70.2% completion percentage in 2020, the last time he played in the NFL.
Watson makes the list over Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr and Kyler Murray while being ranked one spot ahead of Dak Prescott. The list has six AFC quarterbacks including fellow AFC North signal-caller Joe Burrow in the top 10.
If Watson gets a short suspension and has the type of season he had the last time he played, the Browns quarterback could jump into the top five on many lists. For now, the uncertainty of the suspension and a player returning from this amount of time off makes it surprising that he made this list.
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2022-07-11T23:12:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Despite missed season, Watson makes ESPN’s ‘Top 10 QB’ list
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JT Thor was the hero for the Charlotte Hornets in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.
Thor hit a walk-off three-pointer in double overtime to beat the Lakers 89-86 in the Summer League matchup.
The Lakers got the ball first in the second overtime with a chance to end the game but were unable to score. The Hornets then turned to Thor, who was 1-of-5 from 3 and 2-of-12 overall with the game on the line and he delivered. He nailed a corner 3 to give the Hornets the victory.
He finished the night with 12 points and three rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Thor, a 6-foot-9, 203-pound power forward, is looking to establish himself in the NBA after playing in 33 games for the Hornets in his rookie season.
The former No. 37 overall pick averaged 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 7.9 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-9, 203-pound power forward played at Auburn during the 2020 season and averaged 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 27 games.
JT THOR CALLED GAME.@hornets WIN! pic.twitter.com/v4zG84F2ER
Mason Jones with a 3-pointer vs the Charlotte Hornets
Mason Jones (Los Angeles Lakers) with a 3-pointer vs the Charlotte Hornets, 07/10/2022
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2022-07-11T23:24:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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WATCH: JT Thor makes game-winner to beat Lakers
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ST. LOUIS -- The Phillies will be without their starting catcher and starting third baseman for a key, two-game series that starts Tuesday night in Toronto.
All four players will be placed on MLB's restricted list and forfeit two days' pay. Players are paid for 182 days.
The Phillies are allowed to replace Realmuto (catcher Rafael Marchan will come up from the minors) and Bohm (no replacement has been named yet) on the roster. Nola cannot be replaced because he was set to pitch Monday night and would not have been available in the Toronto series. Gibson, who pitched on Saturday in St. Louis, can be replaced for Wednesday's game only.
"No," he said. "It's a situation (COVID-19) we've been through for two years. People have to make individual decisions based on what they think is the best thing for them. I understand that. We deal with issues all the time.
"I'd prefer to have a full club, there's no doubt. But that's the reality of today's world and we need to make the adjustments because we still have a lot of good players and we look forward to taking them there."
"They made a decision based on what they thought was best for their quality of life, so you have to respect that," Thomson said. "It's their right. The Players Association and the league decided that this was the right thing to do so we have to absorb it and move on. We've done it with other player injuries and moves and I have full confidence with what we have in this clubhouse."
Thomson said the Phillies would fill Tuesday night's start with the bullpen. That made it imperative that Nola pitch deep into Monday night's game in St. Louis.
Zack Wheeler will start Wednesday night's game in Toronto. Garrett Stubbs will start behind the plate. Thomson said he was not sure who would start at third in place of Bohm.
"It's their choice to get it or not," he said. "It's nobody's spot to judge what they want to do with their body, with their life, whatever it is. If they don't want to get the vaccine, it's perfectly fine. We have other guys who can step up. That's what baseball teams are all about. That's why we have 26 guys. That's just my view. I'm not here to judge."
Nike announced that the Jackie Robinson Nike Dunk Low will release on July 19, the same day as the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.
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2022-07-11T23:54:54Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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4 Phillies will miss Toronto series because of COVID vaccine requirements
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Ted Gilmore
Michigan State has made Jelani Thurman a priority from day one of this 2023 recruiting cycle. Tight ends coach Ted Gilmore and head coach Mel Tucker have been heavily recruiting the tight end as much as anyone in the cycle. The time to see if all their hard work will have paid off is soon coming.
Via Twitter, Thurman has announced his plans to make a commitment to a school and that he will be deciding on July 17th at noon.
While Thurman did not release a list of finalists, it is assumed the four schools he is deciding between are Alabama, Auburn, Michigan State and Ohio State, all of which Thurman has officially visited.
Thurman is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound tight end from Fairburn, Georgia, but is originally from Jackson, Michigan, and still has a lot of family in the state. He is currently ranked as the No. 68 overall recruit and the No. 3 tight end in the 2023 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Taylor Rabe, a right-handed pitcher for the Red Raiders, announced his commitment Sunday night to play for Ole Miss baseball.
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2022-07-12T00:49:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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4-star TE, top Michigan State football target, set to announce college commitment
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Gary Moeller, who succeeded Bo Schembechler as Michigan's coach and later led the Detroit Lions as interim coach, died Monday. He was 81.
''Gary Moeller was a great family man, great friend, great coach, and a man of integrity and high character,'' Lloyd Carr, who succeeded Moeller as Michigan's coach, said in a statement. ''I admired him, I respected him and I loved him.''
''He also suffered bad breaks, and poor timing in his career,'' former Michigan player and broadcaster Jim Brandstatter said. ''But, you never heard Gary Moeller complain or make excuses. He was a class act. He was a good man.''
''He was one of the giants in modern football history at Michigan,'' Brandstatter said.
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2022-07-12T00:49:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Gary Moeller, former Michigan and Lions coach, dies at 81
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It is fair to ask whether the Angels would entertain the possibility of trading Ohtani — the reigning AL most valuable player who is in the midst of another MVP-caliber season — before Major League Baseball's Aug. 2 trade deadline.
The Angels would not comment on any specific players, but others in the industry shared their thoughts on the two-way star's future.
“I think you have to [consider taking calls on Ohtani],” said Billy Blitzer, a former longtime scout for the Chicago Cubs who pointed to the Angels' losing records despite having Trout and Ohtani. Blitzer said the value of potential offers would impact the decision whether to try to keep Ohtani.
“If I'm them, I got to get a phone call from another team that I've scouted inside and out and I know that team about as well as I'm gonna know a team that I don't work for,” one former National League general manager said. “And they got to make an offer to me on Otani that I cannot hang the phone up. You're gonna have to give me $2 for $1.”
“Perry has one of the greatest players in the game,” said Dan Evans, a former Dodgers GM who now works as the chief operating officer for the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa. “At the trade deadline or in any trade situation, it's almost like obtaining two players.
“We've never seen anything like that at the trade deadline or on the market at any time in the modern era. So there is nowhere to point to in terms of past precedent. In terms of value, nobody really knows.”
“If I'm the team acquiring him, if I'm giving away top prospects or players off my major league club, it would have to be a sign-and-trade deal,” Blitzer said. “I want to make sure that he's going to be part of my future. He's going to be the cornerstone on my team.”
Take the Atlanta Braves' midseason deal for Mark Teixeira from the Texas Rangers in 2007 as an example of why a team would want to make sure a midsummer trade acquisition would be around longer than half a season.
Phillies' Alec Bohm exits game with finger injury
It looks like another Phillies player has suffered a significant hand injury.
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2022-07-12T02:33:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Should the Angels deal Shohei Ohtani at the MLB trade deadline? Experts weigh in
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For a couple of events, Power was struggling with his ball striking. He's cleaned that up though, gaining strokes in four straight events. Now, his problem area is the short game. Power has stayed relatively neutral around the green and has gained strokes putting in four of his last seven events, which contributed to a solo 12th-place finish in the U.S. Open and a solo 9th-place finish in the PGA Championship.
In tournaments where the field is strong, Power has finished T33 or better in his last four, including a solo 27th in the Masters. Power's ball striking is there and he's shown that his short game can be too. His consistency in strong-field tournaments is what has me liking his top-40 odds.
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2022-07-12T02:33:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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British Open odds: Two players to back in the Top 40 market
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“Just because we're headed to Toronto doesn’t mean someone is being a bad teammate because they didn’t get it, right?” he said. “It all comes down to a personal decision. It’s unfortunate that Canada is not letting people in that will be in a controlled environment, but we can’t tell a government what to do.
New USC baseball coach Andy Stankiewicz sees 'opportunity' to turn around program
Rays SS Wander Franco out 5-8 weeks after wrist surgery
Wander Franco was hit by a pitch directly on his wrist on Saturday against the Reds.
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2022-07-12T03:10:19Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Kyle Schwarber says Phillies support unvaccinated teammates
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Alec Bohm escapes serious injury, will be evaluated for possible IL stint originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
ST. LOUIS -- Alec Bohm escaped a serious hand injury Monday night, but will continue to be evaluated for a possible trip to the injured list.
Bohm dislocated the ring finger on his left hand while diving into second base trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning of the Phillies' 6-1 loss to the Cardinals.
Bohm left the game in pain, holding his left hand tight to his body. Television cameras caught him telling first base coach Paco Figueroa, "It's broken."
X-rays showed it was not broken.
Bohm and the Phillies dodged a bullet.
Already, the Phillies have two players on the injured list with broken bones in their hands -- Jean Segura and Bryce Harper.
Manager Rob Thomson said Bohm would continue to be evaluated and the team had not decided if the injury would require a trip to the injured list. The third baseman will already be down for at least Tuesday and Wednesday because he can't travel to Toronto.
Several hours before his injury, Bohm was in the news. He is one of four players, along with catcher J.T. Realmuto and pitchers Aaron Nola and Kyle Gibson, who will go on MLB's restricted list as the team heads to Toronto for a two-game series with the Blue Jays. None of the four players are vaccinated for COVID-19, which Canada requires for entry.
On the subject of not getting the vaccine, Bohm said, "My decision is going to stay my decision. I'm not going to backpedal on that. I've made my choice, and that's kind of what I'm sticking to.
"It's just my choice. My stance never really changed, I guess. It was my personal choice. The consequences of that are what they are."
The consequence may be going on the restricted list, missing two games and two days' pay.
Or the Phils could decide that Bohm's injury, though not as bad as a break, could require time on the IL. Stay tuned.
Royals infielder Whit Merrifield's streak of playing in a franchise-record 553 straight games ended when he missed the opener of a doubleheader due to a toe injury.
Jessie Fleming scored an early goal and Canada beat Costa Rica 2-0 on Monday at the CONCACAF W Championship. Canada won Group B and will face either Jamaica or Haiti in the tournament semifinals. Both Canada and Costa Rica had already qualified for the 2023 Women's World Cup as the top two finishers in their group.
Investors need to pay close attention to Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) stock based on the movements in the options market lately.
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2022-07-12T03:10:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Phillies' Alec Bohm escapes serious finger injury
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Lacob uses Lakers' success to set 'ridiculous' NBA Finals goal originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
“There is one data point that does stick in my memory, and that is [Los Angeles Lakers'] Jerry Bass as an owner,” Lacob said on The Athletic's "The TK Show" with Tim Kawakami. “I’m an owner, he was an owner. Sixteen finals, 33 years of ownership. Now, that’s pretty damn incredible. We’re six out of 12 so we’re on target if you want to have a ridiculous goal. Because that is a ridiculous goal.
Following a 40-year hiatus, the Warriors made their first NBA Finals appearance since 1985 when they took on LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 -- and won. They went on to make four consecutive Finals appearances, winning two more titles.
RELATED: Perk: Reuniting with Dubs would tarnish KD's legacy forever
And then, of course, there's the somewhat unexpected 2022 championship run that silenced anyone saying the Warriors dynasty was over, and in fact, proved they're far from it.
Lacob and the Warriors still have some work to do to catch up to Bass and the Lakers, and regardless of what happens under the Lacob era, all that's already been accomplished is nothing short of impressive.
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2022-07-12T04:42:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Warriors owner Joe Lacob uses Lakers to set 'ridiculous' NBA Finals goal
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WNBA legend Sylvia Fowles.AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King
Fowles (center) celebrates her dunk with All-Star teammates Candace Parker (left) and A'ja Wilson.David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
"I just heard the momentum of the crowd," Fowles said during the post-game press conference. "...I was like 'just go for it,' but it was just in the moment. I didn't really think about it."
Fowles.AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
"I don't even remember who I was standing next to, but they were like, 'Uh-oh, is she gonna do it?' and I'm like, 'No, we're old,'" fellow WNBA legend Candace Parker said. "And then... she threw it down and I was like, well, now her nickname is Sylvia 'Tom Brady' Fowles, because now she's gonna come back for another year."
"You can't dunk and then not come back," she added.
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2022-07-12T07:14:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Basketball legend Sylvia Fowles throws down rare WNBA dunk during final All-Star Game of her career
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https://sports.yahoo.com/basketball-legend-sylvia-fowles-throws-182438791.html?src=rss
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HAMPTON, Ga. — The on-track incidents continued for Ross Chastain in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and one of them involved a familiar face: Denny Hamlin.
Both the No. 1 Chevrolet of Chastain and the No. 11 Toyota of Hamlin were racing toward the front in the closing laps when Chastain clipped Hamlin’s left-rear and sent the No. 11 spinning from fourth place.
At first glance, it was a loose replay of their incident at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway earlier this year, one that sparked a feud between the two racers.
RELATED: Official results | Chastain involved in multi-car crash
But when asked about the routine run-ins with Hamlin and others, Chastain pumped the brakes.
“This one’s so different because I had so much damage,” Chastain said in a post-race interview. “Y’all know that I would take full responsibility if I just ran into him. I had so much damage, I was so much tighter, we had done a lot to free the car up and it was just way too tight. And I just couldn’t carry the throttle I could earlier and I still lifted some but it wasn’t enough.
“But I don’t put this one anywhere near the other incidents.”
The No. 1 Chevrolet saw its front end damaged after a Stage 2 tangle with Martin Truex Jr. According to Chastain, that made the car increasingly tougher to handle down the stretch.
“We had a lot of damage to repair and get it turning again,” said Chastain. “And we had to completely shift the balance of the car. … I should have lifted more and just slid up and was tight. I knew I was gonna be tight, it was just down to the end and I just overestimated the grip level and was sliding. And his left-rear is what caught me.”
After expressing his thoughts after the last incident, Denny Hamlin took a more cryptic approach in his post-race interview with NBC Sports: “It all works out in the end.”
WATCH: Hamlin’s full post-race interview
Hamlin had been hanging around the top five nearly all afternoon. The late spin and a subsequent crash seven laps later relegated the No. 11 team to a 25th-place finish.
“I truly hate it for those guys and him,” Chastain said. “I’ve gotten to know him a lot better the last few weeks. … We’ve got a relationship now where I can talk to him, I’ve got his phone number now. I definitely will [reach out to him] and keep working towards a better relationship there.”
Construction near downtown Atlanta set to become tourist locale by 2026
Brian McGowan says thousands will be living downtown, and World Cup fans will have plenty to do when parking lot transforms into a tourist destination.
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2022-07-12T11:19:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chastain explains why Atlanta's incident with Hamlin is not like the others
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https://sports.yahoo.com/chastain-explains-why-atlantas-incident-201857847.html?src=rss
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Eagles 2022 season: Dallas Goedert on list of most important players
Already a top TE, Goedert lands on list of most important Eagles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
This time last year, Dallas Goedert was still sharing the TE1 role with Eagles great Zach Ertz. Now, there’s no question: Goedert is the top guy.
And we saw that pretty clearly last year after Ertz was traded in October. Goedert assumed the TE1 role in mid-October and never looked back. He had the best season of his NFL career and proved that he’s already an elite tight end in the NFL.
Goedert, 27, finished the 2021 season with 56 catches, 830 yards and 4 touchdowns. But in the 10 games after Ertz was traded (he sat for the regular season finale), Goedert had 41/614/2. That’s a 1,000-yard pace over the course of a 17-game schedule. And even though the Eagles were beaten badly by the Bucs in the playoffs, Goedert still had 6 catches for 92 yards.
All those numbers don’t even account for his ability as a blocker and he’s a really good blocker. That dual-threat ability is what makes Goedert such a special tight end. ProFootballFocus took notice last year. Goedert finished last year graded as the second-best tight end in the NFL behind just Mark Andrews of the Ravens. Here’s a look at PFF’s top five from last season:
1. Mark Andrews: 91.5
2. Dallas Goedert: 90.7
2. George Kittle: 90.7
4. Travis Kelce: 85.0
5. Kyle Pitts: 80.3
There are plenty of questions about whether or not Goedert can become an elite tight end in the NFL, but the evidence says he already is. And the Eagles paid him like it too, handing him a four-year, $57 million contract in November. In terms of APY, Goedert is the third highest-paid tight end in the NFL.
It’s also fair to expect Goedert to put up even better numbers in 2022, despite the addition of A.J. Brown, who will undoubtedly take away some targets. But Goedert’s yards-per-game average has gone up in all four of his NFL seasons: 20.9 in 2018, 40.5 in 2019, 47.6 in 2020 and 55.3 in 2021.
Goedert has never made a Pro Bowl in his career either. That could change in 2022 if he has the type of season many are expecting.
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2022-07-12T11:32:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles 2022 season: Dallas Goedert on list of most important players
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-dallas-goedert-110000078.html?src=rss
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Newcomers at linebacker make for great competition originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
We took a look at the right guard spot to begin the week.
Up today: Linebacker
For years, Eagles fans have wanted their team to invest in the linebacker position and this year, there’s actually some real talent and depth in that position room. But that does make it hard to figure it all out.
While we pretty much know the group of linebackers who will be on the roster in 2022, their roles are not very clearly defined. So the guys in that room will be fighting for playing time this summer. When we talk about linebackers here, we’re just including the off-ball guys, not the SAM position where Haason Reddick will start.
Early in the 2021 season, Edwards was playing minimally on defense but once the Eagles benched Eric Wilson and expanded Edwards’ role, the defense was much better. In the second half of the regular season, Edwards played over 95% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps and really changed the complexion of the team on that side of the ball. Edwards added some much-needed physicality on defense and became the primary signal-caller with the green dot on his helmet. The former UDFA from Wisconsin has really carved out a nice career for himself.
So if Edwards played that well in 2021, why isn’t his role solidified in 2022? Well, the Eagles added a couple of really talented linebackers this offseason and they’re expected to push him in training camp and throughout the season. Edwards will still have a significant role on defense, but it’s hard to imagine him playing 95% of their defensive snaps again.
The former fourth-round pick is coming off a career year for the Chargers. In 2021, he had 144 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups and 7 tackles for loss. Despite all that, White had to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal with the Eagles on the open market as a free agent. With the Eagles, he likely projects as a weakside linebacker in Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
White is a converted safety with coverage skills. That makes him an obvious choice to be on the field for passing downs. His skillset is a requirement in the NFL in 2022. If he plays well this year, he should be able to cash in on a bigger contract next offseason.
The Eagles used their third-round pick (No. 83 overall) to draft Dean. That pick is considered by many to be the steal of the draft for a player some thought would go in the first round. Teams were scared off by the medical report but the Eagles are confident Dean will be on the field for them this season; he did participate in OTAs and is expected to participate in training camp.
There’s no questioning how important Dean was for the national champion Georgia Bulldogs last season. And if you watched Georgia last year, then you’re probably pretty excited to see what Dean can do in the NFL. The Eagles aren’t going easy on the rookie, teaching him both off-ball position. If Dean impresses the Eagles’ coaching staff there’s a chance he could play both the WILL and MIKE positions as a rookie and could potentially even earn the green dot on his helmet.
The former third-round pick has kind of been forgotten but he was getting some first-team snaps at OTAs this spring. When the Eagles drafted Taylor with the 103rd pick in 2020, they knew he wasn’t ready to contribute right away. As a rookie, Taylor played 12 games but just 32 defensive snaps. In 2021, he started 6 games and played 250 defensive snaps before getting hurt and ending his season on IR. He was far from perfect in game action last season but showed some flashes. The problem was that Taylor really needs experience and he was supposed to get it last year before the injury.
In addition to those names, the Eagles still have special teams ace Shaun Bradley, who should return to the team in that role. They also have depth players JaCoby Stevens and Christian Elliss, who will be fighting for roster spots.
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2022-07-12T11:32:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles training camp 2022: How will linebacker battle shake out?
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-linebacker-110000122.html?src=rss
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After “Life In The Fast Lane” star Austin Dillon was involved in a massive wreck over the weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, he had some polite but choice words for the racer who caused it, Ross Chastain.
Fortunately, Dillon is A-OK after the crash despite it looking pretty nasty and doing some serious damage to his No. 3 race car.
“I’m all good. Thank the good Lord above,” Austin said in an interview with NASCAR after the race. “Actually, the hits weren’t that bad at that impact. My belt got me pretty good near the groin there but you know …”
The impact happened during Lap 91 when Chastain’s car hit the back of Martin Truex Jr.’s. This caused Truex to spin out, hitting Chastain and a number of other cars, including those of Joey Logan and Kyle Busch, according to Sporting News. Dillon was hit in the fracas, with most of the damage to his car happening when he hit the wall. The crash knocked Dillon, Chris Buescher, and B.J. McLeod out of the race while Chatain was able to make minimum speed.
“Unfortunately we got our car better right there and it looks like we were just a casualty of Ross Chastain once again,” Dillon said, throwing some clear shade at Chastain, who has been responsible for more than his fair share of wrecks lately.
“We’ve got to keep on keeping on, working each week to get better to hit victory lane,” Dillon continued. “I told myself we were going to race hard all day. It wasn’t one of those things where I want to ride in the back and be there at the end, but when you’ve got guys like him out there wrecking half the field, you might as well actually take a different strategy sometimes.”
Fortunately, in true Austin Dillon fashion, he didn’t get hung up on the negativity. Instead, he just moved on and focused on what he and his team at Richard Childress Racing can do to improve in the future.
“It’s a lot of fun racing, the cars are hard to drive and you’ve got to make them drive better when it’s hot like this, and I thought we did a good job making my car get to the bottom and were making some headway and then got caught up in the wreck,” he concluded.
You can see more of the training and prep work that goes into Dillon’s career on “Austin Dillon's Life In The Fast Lane” every Thursday at 9:30/8:30c on USA Network.
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2022-07-12T12:26:20Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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'Thank The Good Lord Above': Austin Dillon OK After Tense NASCAR Wreck
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https://sports.yahoo.com/thank-good-lord-above-austin-155804047.html?src=rss
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Theo Lawson, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Jul. 12—LAS VEGAS — Basketball fans poured into the Thomas and Mack Center on Monday night hoping to catch one of the most compelling matchups on the NBA Summer League's 2022 program.
Holmgren still managed to dazzle as a solo act, grabbing the crowd's attention on more than a few occasions while helping Oklahoma City secure an 84-81 victory on UNLV's campus.
"It's always great to get a win, no matter the circumstances," Holmgren said. "We got up early tonight, let 'em get away from us at points but it's just more for us to get in the gym and work on. We're a young group so we've got a lot to learn, but we're embracing it for sure."
Holmgren dunked three times, twice on interior passes from second-year point guard Josh Giddey and once more on a high lob from Santa Clara product Jalen Williams that required the big man to use every part of his 7-foot-6 wingspan to collect the ball and guide it into the basket.
Late in the second half, Holmgren overpowered ex-Saint Mary's point guard Tommy Kuhse for another easy bucket that extended OKC's lead to six points and after Orlando missed multiple game-tying 3-pointers, he grabbed the final rebound with 1.4 seconds left to secure a double-double.
"Like I said before, it's easy with him to try and do a lot of things with him or try to do a lot of things for him," Oklahoma City Summer League coach Kameron Woods said. "But I've been impressed with his ability to kind of find his own stuff within our flow. ... You're never like pushing a button for him, you're more giving him an environment where he can grow and be successful and he's so skilled he can find different ways to get his game into whatever it is we're doing. So that's been really impressive."
Holmgren occasionally ran into trouble against Orlando's smaller guards, who repeatedly swiped at the bigger rookie, causing a few of his four turnovers.
As Holmgren encounters more situations in the NBA, Woods said he'll learn how to be stronger with the ball in his hands.
"I think there's a lot of ways he can improve in that area," Woods said. "I think part of it is the situations we're putting him in. I think part of it is he's so skilled he's seeing a lot of different looks, which is important for us.
"As he grows through these experiences, he's played against bigger guys, he's played against smaller guys, he's played against pressure, he's played against drop. Not a lot of people can say that through eight games, so he's learning through that, we're learning through that. The thing I've been impressed with him and the group is how resilient he's been and how he's still continued to find ways to be effective and be aggressive."
Holmgren anticipated a steep learning curve at the next level but the 7-footer's resolve may be an underrated aspect of his game. The Minnesota native had four turnovers in the first half but didn't commit another in the final 20 minutes.
"I came in with an open mindset, open to learning what they want me to learn and being open to what they're coaching me," he said. "That's a lot of things, I don't want to put everything out there, the game plan of what I'm going to work on. But I'm back in the gym as soon as possible."
Generally speaking, the positive moments have overshadowed the occasional miscues.
"His first day in training camp he came out and he was just kind of killing with inside, outside, doing a little bit of everything," teammate Aaron Wiggins said. "He's a great rim protector, does it all."
With four Summer League games now under his belt, it's unclear if Holmgren will be active for OKC's remaining contests, on Wednesday against Sacramento (5 p.m. PT) and on Friday against Golden State (4 p.m. PT).
"Everything is going to be intentional with us," Woods said. "I don't want to get into plans for any of our guys right now. Everybody that plays, there's going to be an intention behind it. I don't want to get into specifics about who's playing and when."
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2022-07-12T13:13:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Fans miss out on Banchero-Holmgren matchup, but Gonzaga star still delivers in 84-81 Summer League win
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: SEC football: Envisioning what a 20-team conference could look like
The Rattlers took down the Vegas Knight Hawks, 49-31, to clinch the No. 1 seed in the IFL Western Conference playoffs.
In 2020, Liam Boyd was a soccer player who had never considered football. Two years later, he's set to join Clemson football.
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2022-07-12T13:26:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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What would a 20-team future look like for SEC football? Here's one idea.
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https://sports.yahoo.com/20-team-future-look-sec-115414708.html?src=rss
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This time we’re looking at the interior defensive line. Historically a strength of the Bears, this year’s position group gives cause for concern. Many current players on the roster either haven’t played in a 4-3 since college or are not 4-3 defensive linemen.
The most significant signing this offseason was Justin Jones at three-technique after the failed physical of Larry Ogunjobi. Jones fits the mold of the linemen previously mentioned. He’s a 3-4 defensive tackle being asked to play in a 4-3.
Most of the defensive linemen on the roster will have low sack totals and low-pressure rates. It’s a combination of playing interior defensive line and playing in a system where linemen are asked to take on blocks, not penetrate and make disruptive plays.
Let’s look at the interior defensive line heading into training camp.
Justin Jones is a 3-4 lineman being asked to play in a 4-3 for the first time since college. Playing in the Los Angeles Chargers 3-4 scheme, Jones had three sacks, five tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries as a starter in 11 games. Playing in Chicago offers him a chance to play an entire season (17 games) for the first time in his career. But, as of now, the three-technique position seems to be his to lose.
Khyiris Tonga is another 3-4 defensive lineman being asked to play in a 4-3. Tonga played well for the Bears in a 3-4 system last year, so it’s hard to know how he will look this year. However, while he’s not a natural one-technique, he’s seemingly the only man for the job.
Angelo Blackson is a prototypical 3-4 nose guard, so it’s odd to see him still on the roster. He hasn’t played in a 4-3 since he was at Auburn more than seven years ago. Blackson became a key player for the Bears in 2021, playing the most snaps he’s played in his seven-year career. Since the defensive line is a platoon-type position, Blackson should get plenty of snaps despite adding Justin Jones.
While a lot has been made about the addition of Justin Jones as the three-tech, Mario Edwards will play a pivotal role as his backup heading into the season. Edwards has the ability to play both inside and out, but he has an opportunity to be disruptive up the middle. Edwards should see plenty of playing time amid Matt Eberflus’ defensive line rotation, but he needs to reign it in when it comes to penalties.
Mike Pennel
Mike Pennel is a journeyman defensive lineman. The 31-year-old has been in the NFL since 2014. Before joining the Bears, he played for the Packers, Jets, Chiefs, and Falcons. Three years ago, Mike Pennel was ranked by PFF as a top-5 interior defensive lineman. He’s not a pass rusher but is stout against the run. If Pennel has any gas left in the tank, he’ll push Tonga and Jones for the one and three-technique position. The eight-year veteran could also become a key reserve in both places.
LaCale London
LaCale London spent the last two years on the practice squad. The former Western Illinois defensive end tackle faces an uphill battle as he’s far down the depth chart. Unless Micah Dew-Treadway unseats him, he seems destined to return to the practice squad.
Micah Dew-Treadway is an Illinois-native and undrafted free agent. Also, he’s 25 years old and didn’t start at either of the colleges he attended. He’s a Chicagoland kid living out every Chicagoland kid’s dream, but he’s a practice squad player if he’s lucky.
Auzoyah Alufohai was a developmental prospect coming out of college, and he’s yet to find a home in the NFL. He began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans and spent 2021 between the Bears and Packers practice squad. It’s hard to see him playing much, and it’s unlikely he makes the final 53-man roster.
Big question: How will this new-look defensive line perform in 2022?
The defensive line has been a strength for the Bears defense for the last several years. But following an offseason that saw the departures of three starters in Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Bilal Nichols, there are plenty of concerns about the state of this defensive interior. Justin Jones and Khyiris Tonga project to start at three-tech and one-tech, respectively, although the depth options will also play a key role. Matt Eberflus employs a defensive line rotation to keep fresh legs. Still, it’s hard to be confident about this defensive line heading into the 2022 season. The good news? Eberflus knows how to get the most out of his players, which is encouraging for a defensive interior with much to prove.
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2022-07-12T13:34:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bears 2022 training camp preview: Interior defensive line
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The New York Giants will host a joint practice with the New York Jets at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford on Thursday, August 25 – three days before the two teams meet in the preseason finale at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants released their training camp dates and times on Monday which will feature 11 practices open to the public at their headquarters at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. The first practice session open to the public will take place on Wednesday, July 27 at 10 a.m.
Some key #Giants dates this summer:
Tuesday, July 26: All players report
Wednesday, July 27: First practice at 10 am
Friday, Aug. 5: Fan Fest at MetLife Stadium
Thursday, Aug. 25: Joint practice with Jets at Quest Diagnostics Training Center
From the Giants:
The Giants will also host their second annual Giants Fan Fest, presented by Wendy’s, at MetLife Stadium on Friday, August 5th at 6:00 p.m. Free and open to the public, the Giants Fan Fest will feature a Blue & White intrasquad scrimmage, autographs by Giants Legends, and a fireworks show.
The Giants will break camp on Tuesday, August 9 with Sunday, August 14 being the last practice open to the public.
For more information on how to attend in person, go to Giants.com/TrainingCamp.
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2022-07-12T13:35:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Giants hosting Jets for joint training camp practice
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At one point of New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley’s career, he was on the NFL’s A-list of superstars. That is when he was a breakout rookie back in 2018 when he led the league in yards from scrimmage and the sky was the limit.
But a lot has happened since then. Barkley has been plagued by injuries, the most serious being an ACL tear early in the 2020 season, which sidelined him for the final 14 games that year.
Barkley has also been nagged by ankle sprains and other ailments that have cost him games and limited him in many others. as he enters the fifth and final year of his rookie contract with the Giants, Barkley is no longer considered a top-tier player.
Dan Hanzus of NFL.com writes that Barkley is now out of the ‘superstar’ club but could still work his way back in with a comeback performance this season.
“Last year, I wrote that Barkley gave me pause because of his injury history and slow recovery from reconstructive knee surgery. And yet, I granted him another year in The Superstar Club because those dominant stretches in his early years with the Giants still felt recent and attainable. It’s hard to say that after a forgettable 2021 season in which the former No. 2 overall pick averaged just 3.7 yards per carry.
Yes, Barkley was trapped in a terrible offense run by [checks notes] Joe Judge and Jason Garrett (oof), but he also lacked the explosiveness he showcased before his knee injury. The version of Barkley who came out of Penn State could turn doomed plays into huge gainers. The guy we watched last fall in the Meadowlands rarely got more than what the defense gave him. Still just 25, Barkley gets a fresh start with a great offensive mind in new head coach Brian Daboll. We’re hopeful, but Barkley needs to prove himself again.”
Hanzus makes some salient points but all reports on Barkley’s physical condition this offseason indicate he’s poised for a resurgence. Daboll’s offense will put him in better position to do what he does best – catch the football out of the backfield.
Barkley has not been a great scrimmage runner in his career but the Giants have a revamped offensive line and he will likely see better blocking as well this season.
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2022-07-12T13:35:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Giants’ Saquon Barkley out of ‘2022 NFL Superstar Club’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-saquon-barkley-2022-nfl-112424477.html?src=rss
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As Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby has developed as a player and gained superstar status in Las Vegas, he’s also learned a thing or two about the rich history of the Raiders franchise.
It’s already compelled him to get a Raiders tattoo — well before he inked his current long-term deal with the team — and now, values the Raiders hold dear are second nature to Crosby, who is entering his fourth season with Las Vegas.
His adoption of the historic Raiders franchise was evident when Crosby commented on new team president Sandra Douglass Morgan, who just made history in her own right.
Crosby was asked about Douglass Morgan, the first Black woman to be named team president of an NFL club, during a recent appearance on IT’S TIME! with Bruce Buffer.
“The Raider family has always gone in a different route than most other organizations. Al Davis started that trend way back in the day … and Mark [Davis] obviously has come in and continued that trend,” Crosby told Buffer. “And we just do it our way. At the end of the day, the most qualified person gets the job. And I feel like we’ve done a great job of doing that.
“And that’s something that I truly appreciate as a player — being in an organization that accepts everybody no matter what background they come from.”
Buffer wanted to know how closely an NFL team president works directly with the players, so Crosby provided some insight there as well, reiterating the Raiders’ philosophy along the way.
“Obviously, the team president role, they’re not as involved with the football side of things, but they’re still part of the family. They’re a big part of the bigger picture … at the end of the day, we’re not with them every single day, but they’re a huge part of what we do. No matter what, we just want the best and [most] qualified person, and she’s definitely the person for that job.”
Al Davis built one of the most successful franchises in sports doing it his own way, as Crosby alluded to, and it’s clear that the tradition continues, thanks to Mark Davis.
And with the Raiders front office making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately, the Raiders were in dire need of a heavy hitter that can take control and provide stability. It appears that’s exactly what Douglass Morgan is.
So once again, the Raiders make history by hiring the most qualified individual. It’s a philosophy as simple as it is groundbreaking.
As for Crosby, he knows about the Raiders’ three historic Super Bowl titles, too, and he’s a major reason for Las Vegas’ renewed championship aspirations.
Altogether, it appears the Raiders are in a good place right now as they stride toward a new season and new goals, with talented players that believe in the franchise, and a history-making, experienced team president at the helm.
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2022-07-12T13:35:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Maxx Crosby on historic hire of Sandra Douglass Morgan: Raiders’ philosophy is to ‘do it our way’
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In a poll of coaches, players, scouts and executives, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry was ranked as the No. 1 running back in the NFL going into 2022.
The poll was done by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It’s the second year in a row that Henry lands in the top spot. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor received the same amount of first-place votes as Henry but finished with a lower composite score.
“I’d still give him one more year at the top,” an NFL coordinator who was part of the poll said of Henry. “He’s the constant for that offense no matter who’s around him. I still trust him to make it happen above anyone else. You can give him the ball 30 times and he won’t disappoint.”
“I go Henry because everyone knows he is running the ball and their offensive line has been injured and it largely doesn’t matter,” an NFC executive told Fowler.
Rounding out the top five were Taylor (No. 2), the Cleveland Browns’ Nick Chubb (No. 3), the Minnesota Vikings’ Dalvin Cook (No. 4) and the New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara (No. 5).
After a season in which Henry suffered a major foot injury that knocked him out for half of the 2021 campaign, some analysts are down on the Alabama product and are ranking Taylor ahead of him, which is very short-sighted.
Henry is well aware of the doubters ahead of his seventh season.
Lest they forget Henry had back-to-back rushing titles, one of which included a 2,000-yard season, and he was on pace to do both of those things once again in 2021 before his injury. In fact, he didn’t fall out of the top five in rushing yards until late December despite getting injured in late October.
As we’ve said all along, Henry, who was easily the most dominant back in the NFL before his foot injury, deserves the benefit of the doubt that he’ll return to that form in 2022.
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2022-07-12T13:36:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ Derrick Henry tops ESPN’s RB rankings for 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-derrick-henry-tops-espn-125954440.html?src=rss
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On Jan. 17, the Cardinals were embarrassed in one of the more toothless playoff performances you'll see. Their 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams was the culmination of a terrible finish to the season. The Cardinals went 4-7 after that 7-0 start.
“It was a massive failure," Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt said after the loss to the Rams, according to the Arizona Republic. “I mean, from what we were capable of doing and what we showed we can do, to what we showed today. There’s no other way to describe it than as a failure.”
That collapse was especially troubling because it was the second straight season Arizona started well and then pulled a disappearing act.
As rough as the end of the season was, the offseason brought even more bad vibes. Kyler Murray did the middle school thing and scrubbed his social media of all things Cardinals. There was speculation he was unhappy with the team as he angles for a new contract, and there was a report the team wasn't thrilled with him, either, after he asked out of the final plays in the Rams loss. He said the social media shenanigans had nothing to do with the Cardinals, and you can make up your own mind on that.
Murray's agent went on the offensive in March, releasing a statement trying to pressure the Cardinals into getting a long-term deal done with his client. Aside from the Murray drama, Arizona did practically nothing in free agency while losing some key players. Then superstar receiver DeAndre Hopkins was suspended six games for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Last October seems like a long, long time ago.
The past few months set up an uncomfortable situation, at least until Murray's deal gets done. It seemed like the Cardinals were trying to appease their quarterback when they overpaid a bit to make a draft-day trade with the Baltimore Ravens for receiver Marquise Brown, Murray's old college teammate at Oklahoma. Murray's next deal is likely going to be worth more than $40 million per season. Murray's talent is worth that kind of commitment, but injuries have caused a drop in his play each of the past two seasons. There's risk involved.
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals had a rough finish to last season. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
All of that is happening as Kliff Kingsbury tries to prove he is the coach who led Arizona to that impressive 7-0 start, and not the one who couldn't adjust as the team lost seven of its last 11. He's on the hot seat coming into this season. And his best path to success revolves around a quarterback who was drafted first overall as a perfect fit for his scheme, but is now apparently unhappy and coming off a mediocre finish to last season.
In a perfect world, the Cardinals recapture their form from that 7-0 start (or even from an impressive win at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17) and finally carry that through the second half of the season, Murray happily signs a mega-deal, Kingsbury has more job security, and the franchise feels good going forward. There's also a chance that the Murray deal doesn't get done, a roster that's slightly depleted has a rough season, Kingsbury and perhaps GM Steve Keim are ousted, and everything about the franchise is reevaluated.
There's a lot on the line for the Cardinals this season. They blew a great start to last season. Instead of good vibes about a playoff berth, it seemed like a "massive failure," to quote one of the team's biggest stars. Now there's just stress and uncertainty over what happens next. Some wins early in the season would calm things down, and it would be even better if those wins aren't followed by a ton of crushing losses late in the season.
The big move of the offseason was the trade of a first-round pick (23rd overall) to the Baltimore Ravens for receiver Marquise Brown and a third-round pick. That's not a huge overpay, but Brown still hasn't looked like a great receiver in the NFL. He has averaged 51.3 yards per game through three seasons. Maybe his skill set will fit better with Kyler Murray and he'll take a huge step. But it seemed a bit desperate, particularly if you believe it was done to keep Murray happy. The Cardinals lost receiver Christian Kirk, pass rusher Chandler Jones, running back Chase Edmonds, linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive lineman Jordan Phillips in free agency. Their two biggest moves in free agency were re-signing receiver A.J. Green to a one-year, $3.5 million deal and signing linebacker Nick Vigil to a one-year, $1.77 million contract. That won't energize a fanbase. The draft was going to be light after trading a first-round pick, and cornerback remains a big need as a result. Colorado State tight end Trey McBride was the team's second-round pick, but he's a bit redundant with Zach Ertz on the roster. I'm not sure the Cardinals made one move this offseason that should excite anyone, aside from those who believe in Brown's talent.
How good is Kyler Murray? His best is electric. He can make all the throws, and is getting better throwing to all levels of the field. His extreme athleticism bails the Cardinals out of some bad situations. Yet, each of the last two seasons have finished in disappointment after a midseason injury, and durability might always be a question given his size. After missing three games due to an ankle injury he suffered in Week 8, Murray had 1,648 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions in Arizona's remaining seven games. That's an 83 passer rating. The downturn coincided with DeAndre Hopkins missing time due to injury, but a franchise quarterback shouldn't be completely dependent on any receiver. If you're investing more than $40 million per season in a quarterback, you need more than great half-seasons. There's plenty to like about Murray, but you'd like more certainty before offering him the contract he'll want.
The Cardinals' win total at BetMGM is 9.5. That's a popular bet, and the odds on the under have shifted to -165. Instead of taking the under at those odds, I'd rather bet the Cardinals to not make the playoffs at -115. Arizona probably should be a playoff-level team in a weak NFC, but there is uncertainty and plenty of red flags. It feels like a situation that could get bad in a hurry, especially if the offense starts slow while DeAndre Hopkins misses six games.
From Yahoo's Scott Pianowski: "DeAndre Hopkins is still a top 100 pick in Yahoo, and I don't really understand it. He has a certain six-game suspension off the top. Hopkins is also coming off a year where his yards per game plummeted, and he's entering an age where receivers often hit the decline part of their careers. And was there anything about Kyler Murray's pocket passing that made you feel good last year?
"When I draft a receiver, I expect something close to a full season. I realize Hopkins comes at a modest discount but I'm not going to play the waiting game; I want a flexible and pliable bench, not one blocked by players I have to wait for. He's all yours."
Chandler Jones departs for the Las Vegas Raiders after posting 10.5 sacks. Markus Golden had a strong 11-sack year, and nobody else on the Cardinals had more than four sacks last season. That puts a lot of pressure on Golden at age 31 to carry the pass rush. The Cardinals probably don't have the cornerbacks to hold up if the pass rush isn't good. It would be great if J.J. Watt has a dominant season, but there are a lot of questions surrounding what he has left at age 33. He had just one sack in seven games last season before a shoulder injury shelved him for the rest of the regular season. Watt has missed at least half of his team's games due to injury in four of the last six seasons. He's an all-time great player, but injuries have piled up and there is no guarantee he'll have another Pro Bowl season. And there aren't many other obvious answers for the Cardinals' pass rush, aside from Golden.
Is the Cardinals' skill-position talent underrated?
After six weeks this season, the Cardinals should be able to field a really good set of offensive weapons. DeAndre Hopkins is suspended six weeks but assuming he comes back and looks like his five-time Pro Bowl self — which isn't a guarantee, given that he's 30 years old, will miss a month and a half and had a tumultuous offseason — the Cardinals will have athletes all over the field. Running back James Conner had 18 touchdowns last season, which was a bit fluky but Conner played well and he was a good player with the Pittsburgh Steelers, too. The trade for tight end Zach Ertz was a winner. Ertz put up a 56-574-3 line in 11 games with Arizona, which wasn't easy after joining the team during the season. Marquise Brown is a former first-round pick coming off a 1,000-yard season and has big-play potential. If Rondale Moore, a second-round pick last year who had a quiet rookie season, lives up to his potential then the Cardinals will be very hard to defend. That might be one of the best groups in the NFL. Most of that depends on Hopkins, and how six weeks off affects him going forward.
The Cardinals were the best team in the NFL for a fairly long stretch last season. Kyler Murray looked like an MVP candidate. Kliff Kingsbury was a reasonable midseason pick for coach of the year. Despite Murray missing three games, the Cardinals were 9-2 going into their bye week. Then Murray returned and it suddenly fell apart. Still, a win at the Dallas Cowboys late in the season was a reminder that when the Cardinals were running well, they looked like a championship contender. While there were some personnel losses in free agency, Arizona isn't far removed from looking like an elite team. If you go back and rewatch Arizona at its absolute best last season — decimating the Tennessee Titans in the opener, winning with Colt McCoy at quarterback vs. the San Francisco 49ers, that win over the Cowboys — it's easy to talk yourself into Arizona being really good, regardless of the offseason drama. One of these years, Murray is going to have a healthy season and he might win an MVP when that happens.
The Cardinals seem like a team that could fracture with a slow start. And we saw what they look like without DeAndre Hopkins in the lineup last season, and it wasn't good. Four of the Cardinals' first six opponents were playoff teams last season. A slow start will bring plenty of speculation about Kliff Kingsbury's job security, particularly after two straight late-season collapses. There's also the issue of Kyler Murray's future, but it seems safe to assume the Cardinals will pay him. The bigger question with Murray is whether he eliminates any buyer's remorse by playing an elite, injury-free season. A third straight season with nagging injuries and a late-season dip would be alarming.
Few teams in the NFL will reveal themselves more quickly than the Cardinals. If they fly out to a great start without DeAndre Hopkins, it will quell a lot of uneasiness within the organization. A slow start without Hopkins would be bad, especially given how the Cardinals can't seem to figure out how to win after Thanksgiving under Kliff Kingsbury. I don't like what we've seen from the Cardinals since that 7-0 start last season, and that includes all the offseason angst. Maybe the late-season issues will be fixed and it will all look good for the Cardinals in September. But I think the offense struggles without Hopkins, the Cardinals drop games against what should be a tough early schedule, doubt creeps in, and they have a challenging season. Then ownership will have some tough decisions to make.
Report: Cowboys RB Marion Barber’s cause of death ruled heat stroke
Marion Barber's shocking passing has been deemed accidental.
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2022-07-12T15:01:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 NFL Preview: Cardinals collapsed, then had a bad offseason
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-cardinals-come-to-a-crossroads-with-kyler-murray-kliff-kingsbury-115027253.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-cardinals-come-to-a-crossroads-with-kyler-murray-kliff-kingsbury-115027253.html?src=rss
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At about this time last year, the Pac-12 and its new commissioner made a decision that transformed the Big 12 from prey to hunter in the world of conference realignment.
Put it another way: Will the Big 12 continue hunting?
That feels like the most important question that new commissioner Brett Yormark must answer as he settles into his new role.
Topics such as scheduling formats, divisions and even the Big 12’s next media rights deal (following the departures of Oklahoma and Texas in 2025) feel secondary at the moment.
Conference realignment was hardly on anyone’s mind when the Big 12 announced Yormark’s hire earlier this month. But things changed quickly when the Big Ten voted to accept UCLA and USC the following day.
The Big 12 has reportedly expressed interest in staying aggressive. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are obvious expansion targets. Some have suggested that the Big 12 has been in “deep discussions” with all four of those schools, plus Oregon and Washington. Others have downplayed that notion.
Whatever happens, at least no Big 12 school has to worry about the future of its conference.
For now, here’s what we know. Iowa athletics director Gary Barta has publicly said that he doesn’t expect the Big Ten to add new teams in the “near future.” School presidents within the SEC have also reportedly decided that they have little interest in expansion for the time being.
The eye of the storm may have arrived, unless the Big 12 is ready to do something bold.
If the Big Ten and SEC truly aren’t accepting new members, that leaves three potential scenarios for the next move in realignment, which could all define Yormark’s early tenure with the Big 12.
1. The Big 12 looks to add Pac-12 schools
This makes sense for both parties. Absorbing more schools with a power-conference background would give the Big 12 strength in numbers. It would also give schools like Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah stable ground in a conference that is a decent geographical fit.
Heck, the Buffaloes used to be in the Big Eight and the Big 12. And BYU and Utah are longtime rivals from the Salt Lake City area.
Arizona men’s basketball would fit perfectly in the Big 12. Arizona State would bring the Phoenix TV market.
If they all came aboard, the Big 12 would have a strong presence in three time zones, with the possibility for four if other Pac-12 schools (Oregon, Stanford, Washington) also expressed interest.
Travel could be an issue at times, but every school would have neighbors. Such a move would unlikely create a financial windfall for the Big 12 like retaining Oklahoma and Texas would, but it wouldn’t hurt the conference’s bottom line, either.
The race is on to see which conference will emerge as No. 3 behind the Big Ten and the SEC. This move could solidify the Big 12 in that slot.
2. The Pac-12 stands pat or expands
Maybe none of the Pac-12 schools are into the idea of joining the Big 12. Perhaps the Big 12 won’t be able to lure any of them to the east. Who knows? Maybe the Big 12 won’t even extend them a formal invitation.
No matter what happens, it’s always possible the remaining Pac-12 schools will remain unified and continue to build a future together.
It’s happened before several times in the Big 12. When Colorado and Nebraska left for greener pastures, the Big 12 carried on with 10 teams. When Missouri and Texas A&M left, the conference expanded with TCU and West Virginia. When Oklahoma and Texas left, the Big 12 found the best four schools available and marched on.
Killing a conference is difficult. History has taught us that much.
It’s conceivable that the Pac-12 will continue as the Pac-10. It’s also possible the conference will look to add nearby schools like Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, SMU or UNLV. The Pac-12 has been notoriously picky about bringing in new members that don’t align with its tradition of excellent academics and success in Olympic sports, not just men’s basketball and football.
But beggars can’t be choosers. Maybe the Pac-12 will consider new options this time around.
The Pac-12 has already announced that it is negotiating a new media rights deal. It is also exploring expansion. Can the conference afford to do nothing for a second straight year?
The biggest problem with this plan: Oregon and Washington would likely leave for the Big Ten in a heartbeat. Of course, the same would probably be true if they were in the Big 12.
3. A new alliance between conferences
OK, so “The Alliance” that was formed between the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 last summer turned out to be moot.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for conferences to partner in a symbiotic way.
The Big 12 would have loved to partner with the Pac-12 at this time a year ago in some form of scheduling pact or TV agreement that created more money for both conferences. Perhaps that idea could be revisited now that both leagues have lost their flagship schools.
Oklahoma State at Oregon would be a fun football matchup. Arizona at Kansas would be must-see basketball.
Together, the two conferences would dominate the western half of the country.
A merger or partnership would also provide a merciful solution for schools like California, Oregon State and Washington State, which might not be desirable targets if the Pac-12 crumbles.
So far, there has only been talk about the ACC and Pac-12 forming a loose partnership in which they would share media rights, schedule juicy crossover football games and potentially play a championship game every year in Las Vegas.
But it’s difficult to see how such an arrangement would significantly help the ACC.
Nevertheless, the ACC and Pac-12 are all that remains in “The Alliance.” It makes sense they would look to help each other, if the Big 12 can’t get involved.
Oklahoma State football: 5 things to watch at Big 12 Media Days
Oklahoma State is one of five Big 12 teams taking the stage on Wednesday at the conference's preseason media event. Here are five key topics
Former UC basketball player Erik Martin is leaving the staff of Bob Huggins at West Virginia to be head coach at South Carolina State
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2022-07-12T15:01:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Big 12 ponders conference realignment from position of strength with new commissioner
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https://sports.yahoo.com/big-12-ponders-conference-realignment-100000695.html?src=rss
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CHICAGO — There were dozens of Brittney Griners who took the Wintrust Arena court on Sunday morning for 2022 WNBA All-Star festivities.
“If it’s one of us, it’s all of us,” WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) president Nneka Ogwumike said Friday night on the orange carpet.
And in the second half of the game, it was all of them. Players from both teams came out of the locker rooms with new jerseys that featured Griner’s name and No. 42 on them. They started the game with warm-up T-shirts featuring the like, but played the first half with their own jerseys.
"That was our way of honoring her," WNBPA vice president Sue Bird said after Team Wilson's victory. "Hopefully, at some point, she sees a picture or something and letting her know that she is always on our minds and on our hearts. But it’s also a way to have other people see her name. Maybe someone turns on the TV and doesn’t know about the story and is like, 'Oh, why are you all wearing the same jersey number?' And in those moments it brings awareness, and what that does is it constantly reminds the Biden administration that we’re supporting them, and whatever they need to do to get Brittney home, we’re behind that."
Griner’s presence and name were spoken throughout the weekend in Chicago, from a news conference with Al Sharpton to players uplifting her name to even Chance the Rapper wearing her Phoenix Mercury jersey during a concert aired publicly on AT&T’s social channels. Her wife, Cherelle Griner, sat courtside for the All-Star Game. It was all hard to miss during one of the handful of nationally televised contests the WNBA has this season.
“This is a perfect time,” Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale said ahead of the competitions on Saturday at a pop-up court at McCormick Place. “ESPN, ABC, we're on prime time, so any time we can say her name, that's what we're going to do.”
Brittney Griner is introduced as a WNBA All-Star prior to the All-Star Game at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on July 10, 2022. (David Banks/USA TODAY Sports)
Griner was named an honorary All-Star starter while she has remained detained in Russia since February. It is her eighth selection and the Wintrust Arena crowd gave a standing ovation when her name was announced. The WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist pleaded guilty to a drug charge on Thursday in Russian court, a move that was expected as part of the strategy to bring her home. It was the day before the festivities, which many players praised as some of the best they've seen, began in Chicago.
"I really want to just start and just reiterate, obviously, we're thinking of Brittney Griner at this time," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in opening remarks to media ahead of the game. "She remains a huge priority for us [and] continues to have our full support. Fully focused on getting her home safely and as soon as possible of course. She's always with us, and our thoughts are with her this weekend."
Her name and the "Bring BG home" design were seen on T-shirts and pins around the arena's neighborhood throughout the weekend. WNBA event staff around the court wore the warm-ups so that Griner's name faced out to the nearly 10,000 in a sold-out arena.
"Obviously [she's] on our minds," Mercury teammate Skylar Diggins-Smith said. "That's our priority in this league. We talk about 'We are BG' and what that means to us, just trying to embody her spirit, carry her legacy on and just stay alert for her as far as what we can do in our efforts to help bring her home and really get that message out there."
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon said she hopes the awareness on a national level will "maybe put some pressure on the Russian government to do the right thing and let her go."
Griner was detained shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in a war that is ongoing, stroking fears the star would become a political prisoner. Her status as a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as being a Black American, is viewed by some as a reason she was arrested and in danger. Russian custom officials said she was detained for vape cartridges containing hashish oil that were allegedly found in her luggage. Her legal team has called it an "insignificant amount" after her guilty plea. She faces 10 years in prison.
The invasion prompted the WNBA and player agents to help the rest of the league's players on Griner's UMMC Ekaterinburg team leave Russia. The team has since been kicked out of EuroLeague play and its stars have already signed elsewhere, mainly in Turkey, for the 2022-23 WNBA offseason. Griner is one of the many who play overseas to offset lower salaries in the W that maxed out at $119,000 as recently as 2019.
Team Wilson All-Stars Kelsey Plum, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, A'ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu wear jersey sporting Brittney Griner's No. 42 and her name on the back during the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on July 10, 2022. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
That group includes Belgian Emma Meesseman, who played with Griner there for a number of years and said the name on the shirt is for others to keep her name top of mind. The players already do and are worried, she said.
"She's a very strong person, but these circumstances, you just hope it doesn't break her," Meesseman said of Griner, who has been public about mental health in recent years. "I was very happy to hear from her in the letter and to read that she's hanging in there.
"I can only hope it's going to be over very fast, that we can see her, we can see she's OK. It means a lot for us to think about her here basically every single day. It's not just now in All-Star, it's every single day."
The WNBPA set up a news conference on Friday ahead of the orange carpet alongside Sharpton and Griner's wife, Cherelle. The union has shown its power over the past few years and knows how to work collectively toward a goal. Updates on the number of days Griner has been detained are constant on players' social profiles and Stewart has done it every day.
Stewart, who played with Griner at Ekaterinburg and has one of the largest individual platforms in the league, said the union has been able to step in, coordinate messaging and "be a major facilitator for us to use our voice."
"We’re all in this fight together to bring her home and I think when you have, like Sue said earlier, those strength in numbers, it makes a bigger splash," Stewart said. "And we get attention and we’re getting people’s attention and we need to continue to ask President Biden and the White House to bring her home."
Outside of awareness, pressure and a cohesive message there isn't much the league, players association or any fan can do. Griner's trial will continue as is customary in Russia, even with a guilty plea. The players will continue to think about her daily, far past All-Star weekend and even a WNBA Finals if she is still not home. And that's a very likely possibility, according to foreign policy experts.
"Not a day goes by that I’m not thinking about Brittney Griner," A'ja Wilson, named team captain for leading the fan vote, said. "And so wearing her jersey and letting the world know that we are not whole without her, I think that that’s a statement in itself. When we’re playing on ABC and ESPN [we're] showing that it’s real and understanding that we’re not going to stop until everyone understands how serious this really is."
Clive Myrie and Victoria Derbyshire get big BBC pay rises
Gary Lineker remains the highest paid presenter at the BBC.
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2022-07-12T15:02:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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WNBA All-Star weekend spotlights Brittney Griner with special jerseys, continued calls for her freedom
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-all-star-weekend-spotlights-brittney-griner-with-special-jerseys-continued-calls-for-her-freedom-211743133.html?src=rss
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5 Eagles who have to stop getting injured originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
One of Buddy Ryan’s favorite quotes was, “Durability is as important as ability.” And probably every NFL coach has said something similar since then.
You can have all the talent in the world, but if you can’t stay on the field, it doesn’t matter.
Obviously, it’s important for everybody to stay healthy, and the Eagles made huge strides last year in terms of injuries. But there are a handful of Eagles who are at crossroads in their careers and probably won’t be here much longer if they keep getting hurt.
There’s definitely an element of luck involved, but there’s a reason some players rarely get hurt — Jason Kelce hasn’t missed a game in eight years, Fletcher Cox has missed four games in 10 seasons, Javon Hargrave has missed two games in six years — and others are finding their way to IR every year.
Those are the guys we’re focusing on today.
Driscoll has shown in his two NFL seasons that he’s a versatile and capable offensive lineman, able to play at a high level at either tackle or guard. He started four games at right tackle as a rookie fourth-round pick in 2020, and eight games at right guard and one more at right tackle last year.
But Driscoll has finished both his NFL seasons on IR, and in both cases he was a starter when he got hurt. He missed two games as a rookie with an ankle injury suffered against the Ravens and then landed on IR with a season-ending knee injury from the Saints game. And then last year he spent the first three weeks of the season on IR with a pectoral strain and the last five weeks with an ankle injury he suffered against the Giants.
That’s four significant injuries, three trips to IR and 14 missed games in just two seasons.
Driscoll has a chance to be a part of this elite offensive line for a long time, and his versatility really makes him valuable. But the injuries are definitely a concern.
Like Driscoll, Taylor has finished his first two seasons on IR. And like Driscoll, Taylor had earned a starting spot and was playing well last year when his season ended.
As a rookie third-round pick in 2020, Taylor played mainly on special teams, and it was there that he suffered a season-ending knee injury during a game against the Packers.
Last year, Taylor had an early setback when he missed a a good chunk of training camp and a couple early-season games with a calf injury. He came back and got a chance to start when the Eagles released Eric Wilson, and he showed a lot of promise in six starts before a knee injury against the Saints ended his second season.
The Eagles have since added Nakobe Dean and Kyzir White, making the linebacker room more competitive. Taylor showed a lot of promise last year, but he needs to stay healthy in Year 3 to get a chance to build on it.
Sanders is the ultimate guy who has to stay healthy, and his financial future depends on it. Sanders is clearly a talented kid — his 5.1 career average is highest in Eagles history by a running back and eighth-highest in NFL history by a RB. He’s one of only six players in NFL history who’s started his career with three straight seasons of 750 rushing yards and at least a 4.6 average.
But then there’s the injuries.
A hamstring strain in 2020 training camp that cost him the opener. A knee sprain against the Ravens that forced him to miss two games. A knee sprain that kept him out of one game, and another knee injury in the playoff loss to the Seahawks. Then last year an ankle injury against the Raiders that sidelined him for three games and hampered him in several others, and then a broken hand that cost him two more games and limited him in the playoffs.
Sanders has missed eight games over the last two years and been less than 100 percent in several others. He’s due to become a free agent after this season, and no matter how talented a ball carrier he is, if he doesn’t demonstrate an ability to stay healthy, he’s not going to get paid like a top NFL back — by the Eagles or anybody else.
Like Sanders, Seumalo goes into a contract year coming off two injury-plagued seasons. Seumalo has proven to be a solid interior linemen when he’s played, but he’s been limited to just 12 games the last two years.
In 2020, Seumalo missed seven games after hurting his knee in Week 2 against the Rams and last year he missed 15 games after suffering the dreaded Lisfranc foot injury in a Week 3 game against the Cowboys.
After Landon Dickerson established himself as an elite left guard in Seumalo’s absence, the Eagles moved Seumalo to right guard this offseason, so he’ll get another shot to start. But with no contract beyond this year, he’s got to prove he can stay healthy as well as play at a high level at a new position.
The Eagles showed how much they believe in Jackson by keeping him on the 53-man roster at final cuts last September even though they knew he was out until mid-season with a broken bone in his back, suffered during a training camp practice. Had they put him on IR before final cuts, he wouldn’t have been able to play all year.
He did play in the final nine games, but in the meaningless regular-season finale against the Cowboys, after catching a touchdown pass in the first quarter, he tore his ACL and then spent the offseason rehabbing. It’s not known yet when he’ll be able to practice, but he didn’t participate in OTAs and watched from the sideline with a brace on his knee.
Jackson is a fun experiment. He was a college quarterback at Buffalo, and at 6-7, 245 pounds he’s an intriguing tight end prospect. But he turns 25 this fall, and the Eagles have blocking specialist Jack Stoll and sure-handed rookie Grant Calcaterra backing up Dallas Goedert. The Eagles need to see something out of Jackson soon, and the only way that can happen is if he gets healthy and stays healthy.
Mexico's president visits White House after snubbing Biden at summit
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2022-07-12T15:29:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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5 Eagles who have to stop getting injured
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https://sports.yahoo.com/5-eagles-stop-getting-injured-134000227.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/5-eagles-stop-getting-injured-134000227.html?src=rss
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Aaron Donald ranked as No. 1 interior D-lineman, Greg Gaines gets honorable mention
When is the last time there was a list of the best defensive linemen in the NFL that Aaron Donald wasn’t at the top of? He’s been at the peak of his position mates for several years now, earning first-team All-Pro selections every year since 2015.
Touchdown Wire is the latest outlet to rank the top interior D-linemen in the league, unsurprisingly putting Donald at the top once again. There are some excellent defensive linemen in the NFL right now, including Jeffery Simmons, Cam Heyward and Chris Jones, but Donald is still a step above all of them.
Donald made some nebulous noise about retirement after he won his first ring, but the Rams wisely put an end to that with a three-year, $95 million contract re-do that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of professional football.
Because we are not quarterbacks, running backs, or offensive linemen, we can say that we’re very happy to see more of Aaron Donald over the next few years. It’s not exaggeration or cliché to say that we won’t see his like again for a very long time.
It’s incredible that he hasn’t had fewer than 11 sacks in a season since 2016, and he’s never had fewer than eight in a single year. In eight seasons, he has 98 sacks and 150 tackles for a loss, mind-blowing numbers for a defensive tackle. Even if he retired today, which he certainly isn’t doing after signing an extension this offseason, Donald would be considered one of the best defensive players of all time and a lock for the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Elsewhere on the list, Greg Gaines earned an honorable mention from Touchdown Wire. He put together a terrific 2021 season in place of the injured Sebastian Joseph-Day, but now that he has a clear path to being a full-time player from the start, Gaines could garner Pro Bowl consideration.
In 17 games (13 starts) last year, Gaines had 4.5 sacks and 13 QB hits, improving substantially as a pass rusher at nose tackle.
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2022-07-12T15:29:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Aaron Donald ranked as No. 1 interior D-lineman, Greg Gaines gets honorable mention
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The most notable signing they made to revamp the unit was signing a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler in Brandon Scherff, who had previously spent seven seasons with the Washington Commanders. Of course, acquiring his services wasn’t cheap, though, as the Jags added him through a three-year deal worth $49.5 million, with $30 million guaranteed.
The deal is one where some wondered if the Jags overpaid as Scherff is over the age of 30. Additionally, he hasn’t played in more than 13 games in the last four seasons.
However, when healthy, the Jags are getting an elite player in Scherff, and ESPN’s latest interior offensive lineman rankings confirm it. They ranked Scherff third on their list, which is where he was ranked last season, too.
3. Brandon Scherff, G, Jacksonville Jaguars
Scherff is elite when he’s healthy and available, as the Jaguars highlighted with a three-year, $49.5 million free-agent deal with $30 million guaranteed. He led all guards with a 76.7% run block win rate last season, winning on 211 of 275 opportunities. The problem is Scherff has averaged 11.4 games played over the past five seasons. He started 11 games in 2021, and the last time he played in every game was 2016.
“Very quick off the ball to engage and stay locked into defenders,” an NFC coordinator said. “In pass protection, [he] has strength to stop power rushes at the line of scrimmage. That’s a good trait [versus] big defensive tackles. Good puller, too.”
Scherff’s pass block win rate dipped from 94.4% in 2020 to 93.0% in 2021, but that’s nitpicky. He still ranked 27th among guards.
The good thing about Scherff is that even if he only plays around 13 games for the Jags, he’s a massive upgrade over the player they had playing there previously in A.J. Cann. According to Pro Football Focus, Cann only registered a grade over 70 once, and that was in 2016. Scherff, on the other hand, has never had a grade lower than 72.5 throughout his entire career.
That’s the type of consistency a quarterback like Trevor Lawrence needs in front of him. Scherff also should offer the Jags a consistent presence as a run blocker, where he has a career figure of 73.7. That would be huge for Travis Etienne and James Robinson, who both figure to be a big part of the Jags’ plans on offense.
As for the rest of ESPN’s rankings, the only two interior linemen who were ranked ahead of Scherff were Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts and Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys.
Justice for all the supporting characters!View Entire Post ›
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2022-07-12T15:30:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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ESPN ranks Jags OG Brandon Scherff third on their top-10 interior OL rankings
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We know the AFC West is stacked from top to bottom at quarterback. But what about those fellas who accompany them in the backfield? How much help will each offense get on the ground and occasionally on a screen or dump-off? Let’s take a look.
Duo: Melvin Gordon, Javonte Williams
Imagine having two running backs both nearly go over 1000 yards rushing in a season. Well, it doesn’t take any imagination because that’s exactly what Gordon and Williams did last season. Gordon had 918 yards rushing while Williams put up 903 while averaging 4.5 and 4.4 yards per attempt respectively.
Each surpassed 1100 yards from scrimmage and they combined for 17 touchdowns. That’s some serious production from your running backs.
Duo: Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake
Drake and Josh could be productive together if utilized properly. Jacobs has established himself as a hard runner who is tough to bring down. That earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2020. That same season Drake was in Arizona where he ran for 955 yards with 10 touchdowns.
But together, they didn’t perform nearly as well. Jacobs because he was banged up much of the season and Drake because he just wasn’t used enough as a runner. He was targeted 40 times out of the backfield while seeing just 63 runs. That ratio should be closer to two-to-one.
Duo: Austin Ekeler, Isaiah Spiller
Ekeler is one of the league’s better backs. If this ranking were about single backs, he would probably take the top spot. He is a true dual-threat back who can hurt you just as much through the air as on the ground. Thus why he had over 1500 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two full seasons.
Spiller is a rookie fourth-round pick. If he can play well immediately, the Chargers will have something here. But that uncertainty has them landing here for now.
Duo: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ronald Jones
CEH was a bit of a surprise as a first-round pick in 2020 and he hasn’t done much to prove he was worthy of that draft position since then. While he averages a decent 4.4 yards per carry, he has missed ten games in two seasons. His averages went down across the board last season as well.
Jones is a former second-round pick who saw his snaps cut in half in Tampa last season while his resulting stats were even worse. The Chiefs are hoping they can get the guy who averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2020 as opposed to the guy who averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 2019 and 2021.
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2022-07-12T15:31:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ranking the AFC West running back duos
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Trevor Lawrence: Doug Pederson has made a lot of needed changes originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Gary Moeller, who succeeded Bo Schembechler as Michigan's coach and later led the Detroit Lions, died Monday. The University of Michigan announced his death, and no cause was provided. Moeller was promoted from offensive coordinator to lead the Wolverines' program in 1990 and was 44-13-3 over five seasons.
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2022-07-12T15:31:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Trevor Lawrence: Doug Pederson has made a lot of needed changes
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Where Miles Sanders landed in an ESPN ranking of the NFL’s top 10 running backs for 2022
Miles Sanders is one of the more talented running backs in the NFL and if Nick Sirianni can properly utilize the former Penn State star, 2022 could be a record-setting season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler just released his rankings for the top-10 running backs in the NFL and despite missing out on a coveted spot, Sanders did receive some votes.
Derrick Henry landed the top spot on the list again, followed by Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Nick Chubb (Browns), Dalvin Cook (Vikings), and Alvin Kamara (Saints) to round out the top five.
Joe Mixon (Bengals), Christian McCaffrey (Panthers), Najee Harris (Steelers), Aaron Jones (Packers), and Javonte Williams (Broncos) rounded out the top 10.
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2022-07-12T15:31:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where Miles Sanders landed in an ESPN ranking of the NFL’s top 10 running backs for 2022
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Tell me if you have heard this song and dance before. There is minimal faith in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ quarterback play as we rapidly approach the 2022 college football season. It seems that tide isn’t going to change any time soon, even as we see some evidence otherwise.
In the most recent rankings from 247Sports regarding projected starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes have come in at No. 11, ahead of just Rutgers, Illinois, and Northwestern. They are trailing Wisconsin and Indiana, two quarterback situations they may be better than due to the inconsistency. The thoughts from 247Sports’ Nick Kosko are below.
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2022-07-12T16:37:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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247Sports plummets Iowa in Big Ten starting quarterback rankings
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Arkansas Volleyball voted to finish fourth in SEC
Following a 20-win season, the Arkansas Razorbacks will begin the 2022 campaign with higher expectations than normal.
The Southeastern Conference released the SEC Coaches Poll, as well as the preseason All-SEC team for volleyball. Arkansas is picked to finish No. 4 in the league, and has a senior representing the Razorbacks on the all-SEC squad.
According to the press release from Arkansas athletics, Arkansas came in fourth in the coaches’ poll with 105 points, its best placement since the poll shifted from East and West Divisions to a ranking of all SEC teams in 2014. It is the fourth time in head coach Jason Watson’s seven seasons that the Razorbacks have been picked to finish in the top five of the conference.
Senior Jillian Gillen was named to the All-SEC team. Gillen enters her final season at Arkansas as a three-time All-SEC honors, and has recorded over 1,000 kills in her Arkansas career.
2022 SEC Preseason Coaches Poll
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2022-07-12T16:37:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Arkansas Volleyball voted to finish fourth in SEC
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Big things are expected from the teams at the top.
Football Outsiders announced the release of its latest annual book this morning which, in addition to its primary focus on providing a perspective of the National Football League rooted in analytics, included a breakdown of the upcoming college football season in terms of F+.
The term F+ refers to the combination of Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings, which are a way of measuring play-by-play efficiency and are adjusted for tempo and opponent, and Brian Fremeau’s FEI metric, which provide a similar perspective but on a drive-by-drive basis. They are not, as Connelly frequently notes, a resume ranking but a reflection of which teams are seen as the likeliest to do things most strongly connected with winning games: create explosive plays, generate a strong havoc rate by getting into the backfield for sacks and tackles for loss, and so on.
As to how that pertains to the Mountain West in particular, the Boise State Broncos and Fresno State Bulldogs are out in front as the two teams projected to be the most efficient in the conference. A disappointing 7-5 campaign in 2021 hasn’t dissuaded the pair of measurements from taking a rosy view of the Broncos, who come in at 35th overall between LSU and Nebraska thanks largely to a defense that projects to be potent: Spencer Danielson’s unit has a defensive F+ projection that puts them at 19th, while the offense lands at 62nd.
The opposite is true of Fresno State, who won ten games last year and look to aim higher now that head coach Jeff Tedford is back on the sidelines after two years away. The Bulldogs check in at #42, wedged between Louisville and UCLA, with a much more balanced projection on both sides of the ball: 47th on offense and 45th on defense.
Lest you think there’s a big gap between those two teams and everyone else, however, the Air Force Falcons also project to be a top 50 team, checking in at 47th between another pair of strong Group of 5 teams, Appalachian State and SMU. The only other team in the top half of the F+ projection is San Diego State, who are 59th overall because of a massive forecasted split between the Aztecs offense (113th) and defense (11th).
One potential surprise? The Nevada Wolf Pack, who underwent a great deal of roster upheaval early in the off-season but have shored up their ranks on both sides of the ball thanks to the transfer portal and sneak into the top 100 just ahead of the San Jose State Spartans, who are themselves a popular pick to rebound from last year’s letdown. At the bottom of the Mountain West’s projections, the New Mexico Lobos must work to have an offense better than the one projected dead last in all of college football for 2022.
You can get a PDF copy of the Football Outsiders Almanac right now with the purchase of a FO+ subscription or you can wait to purchase a hard copy when it becomes available on Amazon at week’s end.
35. Boise State — #62 offense, #19 defense
42. Fresno State — #47 offense, #45 defense
47. Air Force — #40 offense, #60 defense
59. San Diego State — #113 offense, #11 defense
80. Utah State — #71 offense, #91 defense
88. Colorado State — #107 offense, #66 defense
92. Wyoming — #109 offense, #67 defense
96. Nevada — #95 offense, #92 defense
97. San Jose State — #118 offense, #65 defense
112. UNLV — #105 offense, #106 defense
115. Hawaii — #103 offense, #118 defense
125. New Mexico — #131 offense, #90 defense
San Jose State Football: First Look At The Portland State Vikings
San Jose State Football: Ranking 2022's Opposing Quarterbacks
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2022-07-12T16:37:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Mountain West Football: Boise State, Fresno State Lead The Way In Preseason F+ Projections
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American college football player, college football coach, professional football player, professional football coach, quarterback
Could USC be ready to finally snap its quarterback curse? One famed offensive guru and former NFL head coach thinks so. And he says it has nothing to do with USC’s looming move to the Big Ten.
For a program as storied as USC, the program’s difficulty in sending quarterbacks to the next level is puzzling. A move to the Big Ten, may not change that.
June Jones, a former NFL head coach and college coach, is one of the most brilliant minds in football as the creator of the ‘run and shoot offense.’ He says USC is set to start producing top-tier quarterbacks once again.
“The Big Ten move will not help them be better quarterbacks but the hiring of Lincoln Riley will help,” Jones told RutgersWire this week.
“He is a quarterback guy.”
USC has had success in winning games…and bowl games…over the past two decades behind some pretty good collegiate quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer, Matt Leinhart, Mark Sanchez and Sam Darnold. But none of those four – all first round picks – came close to living up to expectations.
Around the Big Ten: Gene Smith weighs in on what's next for Notre Dame football
Palmer came close, but despite being an All-Pro and three times a Pro Bowl pick, was nowhere near the output or success expected of a top overall pick or a former Heisman winner. Darnold is in the league but the former third overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft has had some pretty pedestrian seasons throughout his career.
All that could change now for USC. Just in time for a move to the Big Ten.
Riley has a tremendous track record of not just developing college quarterbacks, but getting them ready for the NFL. The likes of Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts all passed through Norman during Riley’s time as head coach at Oklahoma. Both are entrenched as starters in the league.
And there is Mayfield, who was just traded to the Carolina Panthers where he will compete with the aforementioned Darnold for the starting job. Mayfield will have a clear edge over Darnold, especially if he can show his 2020 form in training camp.
The Big Ten recently announced that USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 and will join the Big Ten in 2024.
“The realignment including USC/UCLA will help them as it is all about money,” Jones said.
“The money will help in improving facilities as they go forward.”
Jones, who was twice an NFL head coach, also spent time as a college head coach with stops at Hawaii and SMU. He is currently offering a coaching course on CoachTube.
The football coaching videos focus on his famed offense, an offense that formed the foundation for much of the modern game.
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2022-07-12T16:38:11Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Will USC moving to the Big Ten break their quarterback curse?
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Where Texas lands in Phil Steele’s preseason top 40 college football rankings
The preseason hype continues to roll in for Texas football.
Steve Sarkisian used the transfer portal and high school recruiting ranks to add an influx of talent to Texas’ roster. The new-look Longhorns are receiving tons of attention from the national media as we approach the upcoming season.
Phil Steele, one of the college football industry’s most respected media members, released his annual top 40 ahead of the 2022 season. Texas checks in at No. 18 on his list after making some major noise in the offseason.
Five Big 12 Conference teams made the cut for Steele’s rankings, led by the Oklahoma Sooners at No. 8. Here complete look at Steele’s preseason top 40 college football teams.
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2022-07-12T16:38:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where Texas lands in Phil Steele’s preseason top 40 college football rankings
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Reddick’s contract with RCR had an out after the 2022 season and included an option for 2023. In March, team owner Richard Childress said that Reddick was "under contract" with the team for next season. Reddick got the first Cup Series win of his career July 3 at Road America when he beat Chase Elliott to the finish line.
In its statement acknowledging Reddick's departure, RCR curiously said that the timing of the announcement "could not be any worse."
Wallace got 23XI its first win in the fall of 2021 at Talladega and Busch won earlier this season at Kansas. Busch is currently 16th in the points standings with the same number of top fives and top 10s as Reddick while Wallace is 24th in the standings thanks to myriad pit crew issues over the course of the season.
CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 28: Tyler Reddick (#8 Richard Childress Racing Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet) looks on during qualifying for the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 28, 2022, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC.(Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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2022-07-12T16:46:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NASCAR: Tyler Reddick joining 23XI Racing in 2024
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The Arizona Cardinals will need to protect quarterback Kyler Murray if they are going to be great in 2022. However, they will have their hands full because they face a number of talented pass rushers off the edge.
Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield gives us the 11 best edge defenders in the NFL entering the 2022 season and the Cardinals will face six of them.
Who are they and when will they face them?
No. 3 Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Bosa comes in at No. 3 behind the Steelers’ T.J. Watt and the Browns’ Myles Garrett. In five career games against the Cardinals, he only has one sack, although he has six QB hits and a pair of forced fumbles. The Cardinals will face him in Mexico in Week 11 and on the road in Week 18.
No. 4 Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
The elder Bosa comes in just behind his younger brother on the 49ers. He has four double-digit sack seasons in six years and four Pro Bowl selections. The Cardinals face Bosa and the Chargers at home in Week 12, so they will get Bosas in consecutive weeks.
No. 6 Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Crosby has 25 career sacks in three seasons. He has not yet faced the Cardinals in the regular season. The Cardinals will face him and the Raiders on the road in Week 2.
No. 7 Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers acquired Mack this offseason from the Chicago Bears. He had six sacks in seven games last season. He and the Chargers come to Glendale in Week 12.
What makes him even more dangerous is the fact that he and Joey Bosa are on the field at the same time at both edges.
No. 9 Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Jordan had another 12.5 sacks last season, giving him 107 for his 11-year career. In four career games against the Cardinals, he has four sacks.
He and the Saints come to Glendale for a Thursday night game in Week 7.
No. 10 Chandler Jones, Las Vegas Raiders
The Cardinals know all about Jones, who left in free agency to join the Raiders. He is the Cardinals’ all-time franchise leader in sacks. He had 10.5 sacks last season, including five in Week 1, but he only had 5.5 over the final 16 games.
He will face the Cardinals in Week 2 in Las Vegas, paired with Crosby.
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2022-07-12T17:16:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Cardinals set to face 6 of the NFL’s best edge defenders in 2022
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The everyday life of football players has its own set of challenges that have little to do with the game’s final score. The relationships formed amongst the players around the league have also carried on past their playing days.
Johnson was a former college football defensive back for the University of Tennessee before his career ended prematurely in 2006 due to injury. He was expected to be an NFL draft pick that year and was left paralyzed in his right arm after a tackle in a game against Air Force. He has since dedicated his life to helping others, including members of the University of Tennessee football program. He was honored to have played the role of a big brother to Berry.
“We all know how EB plays the game, and to be able to watch him every Sunday when he did play, it was special for me and my family,” said Johnson, “Because we know what that number meant, but also the relationship that me and EB cultivated.”
In December of 2014, Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and forced to sit out the rest of that season. He endured an entire offseason of chemotherapy to be declared cancer-free for the following season eventually. Johnson discussed a personal moment between the two that helped motivate Berry’s 2015 Comeback Player of the Year win.
“‘Bro, we going to treat this like camp. Every single day you show up, you gonna do your thing, you handle your business, and you gonna beat it,’” Johnson told Berry. “I remember seeing him. We was at church, and this is when his hair was coming out. I saw him, and I saw his spirit; his spirit was still strong, but his hair was coming out at the time. I was like, ‘How you doing 2-9, you good?’ He’s like ‘Ink, I’m good. I’m getting through it.’”
Berry, of course, did get through it. The friendship of Berry and Johnson is an example of the special bond players build in this game, just by sharing their stories and struggles. It took great strength for Berry to finish his career on his terms and one day his story will help empower others to do the same.
Hop in bestie, we’re going feral for Jeremy Allen White, the swoon-worthy breakout star of FX's summer hit The Bear.
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2022-07-12T17:16:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Chiefs S Eric Berry had support of Inky Johnson during his battle with cancer
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“At LSU, my coach (Nick Saban in 2004, and Les Miles in 2005 and 2006) wanted to coach me,” Russell recalled. “[They] wanted me to do well. Others around me as well. In Oakland, I didn’t feel that. [Quarterbacks coach] John DeFilippo and [Offensive coordinator] Greg Knapp wanted me to succeed, but once we had a coaching change, everything switched.
“I didn’t feel like they were there for me. The guy they have there now, Derek Carr, they’re for him… They just went and got him a receiver [Davante Adams] that will catch anything thrown to him. If you put Tom Brady or Peyton Manning on one of those teams I was on, what do you think would happen?”
Well. The Raiders of that time were not stacked with superstars for Russell to target, but Zach Miller was a pretty fair tight end, and Louis Murphy was an underrated receiver for a while. Regarding Manning and Brady… well, how many times have we seen Brady in particular excel with less than spectacular receivers?
“I wasn’t doing crazy [expletive.] I was trying to chill, relax and win football games. Unfortunately, I wasn’t winning. I was dealt a bullshit hand. I was at practice and these guys couldn’t catch a reverse, much less a 90-yard bomb.”
“Everything that went wrong, I take fault in it. I’m not asking for a pity party from nobody, under any circumstances. What happened, happened. Let’s move on. Football doesn’t last forever. It gave me a great start on life. I’m not mad at nobody. I have no reason to be. Al Davis blessed me.
“I was a young kid. I was learning to be a professional athlete and a grown man. After that ended, I learned quicker because I had more time…I lost two uncles right before my rookie season started. I was [expletive] up. [Expletive] wasn’t going right. and it took a toll on me. Looking back now, I was reaching out for help.”
“My [expletive] didn’t turn out how I wanted it to, or not how they expected it to,” said Russell. “But if you’re going to call me a ‘bust’, put ‘biggest’ on that [expletive] then. That does not bother me. That is not in my world. It doesn’t apply to anything I have going on.
“I regret that I wasn’t about to become the football player that I once wanted to be as a child. Some [expletive] like Dan Marino. I regret that I couldn’t be that guy. Forget who everyone else wanted me to be, it was about who I wanted to be for myself.”
“I’m doing well and I’m living life,” he said. “Keep me in your prayers and I’ll keep you in mine. I don’t want for nothing. I haven’t for a long time and it’s going to stay that way. I might have played three years, but those three years are going to cover a lifetime and more.
The baseball rules committee for the National Federation of State High School Assns. removed the prohibition of jewelry starting next year.
(Bloomberg) -- Nearly half of Republican voters say they would cast a ballot for someone other than former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, a sign of a tough GOP primary contest should he decide to run for his old job following his extraordinary attempt to overturn his loss in 2020.Most Read from BloombergElon’s OutBiden Administration to Again Extend the Covid Public-Health Emergency Thirteen ‘Perfect Storms’ That Are Sweeping the World Right NowTrump Lashes Out at Elon Musk and ‘Ro
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2022-07-12T17:16:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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JaMarcus Russell reflects on his failed NFL career
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Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari’s success extends beyond the gridiron. The two-time first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler is now a graduate of the University of Colorado.
Executive Senior Associate AD Kris Livingston tweeted on Monday that Bakhtiari returned to college for his last class this summer to complete his college degree. It should come as no surprise that Bakhtiari excels off the field too, completing his remaining classes with a 4.0 GPA.
How he started. How he finished. @DavidBakhtiari left @CUBoulder & @CUBuffsFootball early for NFL. He always knew he'd get that diploma & he's been chipping away. This summer he finished what he started & completed his last class! AND since his return, a perfect 4.0!
🖤💛🦬🎓❤️ pic.twitter.com/ipCJHsDKUU
— Kris Livingston☮️ (@KrisLivi) July 11, 2022
After starting 33 games during his college career, Bakhtiari decided to leave school early and declare for the NFL draft. He earned second-team All-PAC 12 honors during his final two seasons and also graded out as Colorado’s top offensive tackle at 89.8 percent. He graded over 80 percent in every game as a redshirt junior.
Green Bay selected Bakhtiari in the fourth round with the 122nd overall pick. He started all 16 games as a rookie and never looked back. Bakhtiari was named an All-Pro in Year 4 and is now widely regarded as one of the best left tackles in the league.
In 2020, he signed a four-year, $105.5 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Ten days later, he tore his ACL in a practice leading up to the final week of the regular season.
Bakhtiari’s injury sidelined him for virtually all of 2021 as he dealt with fluid build-up and eventually required a second surgery. In the regular-season finale against Detroit, Bakhtiari tested his knee in 27 snaps. Even though he played well, Bakhtiari experienced more fluid build-up and could not play in the Packers’ divisional playoff loss against the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay’s premier left tackle continues to rehab his knee in hopes of being ready for the start of training camp on July 27. Bakhtiari appears to have kept busy during his downtime by accomplishing an important milestone he had set out for since leaving campus. Hopefully, this momentous occasion can carry over to the playing field so Bakhtiari can return as one of the Packers’ best overall players.
Minnesota United will have three representatives at the MLS All-Star Game at Allianz Field on Aug. 10. Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and central attacking midfielder Emanuel Reynoso have been selected to the 26-player roster for the showcase event in St. Paul, the club announced Tuesday. MNUFC manager Adrian Heath will coach the MLS players against all-stars from Mexico’s Liga MX. Both ...
Phase 1 of the Ross-Ade Stadium renovation project will comprise three main elements
GREENBELT, Md. (Reuters) -Following a presidential sneak peek of a galaxy-studded image from deep in the cosmos, NASA officials gathered on Tuesday to unveil more of their initial showcase from the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most powerful orbital observatory ever launched. The first batch of full-color, high-resolution pictures, which took weeks to render from raw telescope data, were selected by NASA to provide compelling early images from Webb's major areas of inquiry and a preview of science missions ahead. The $9 billion infrared telescope, built for NASA by aerospace giant Northrop Grumman Corp, is expected to revolutionize astronomy by allowing scientists to peer farther than before and with greater clarity into the cosmos, to the dawn of the known universe.
The House select committee investigating Jan. 6 is focusing Tuesday on extremist groups' alleged coordination with former President Donald Trump and his allies ahead of and during the Capitol attack. Stephen Ayres of Warren, Ohio, who recently admitted to illegally entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, will testify, as well as a former spokesman for the Oath Keepers militia group, Jason Van Tatenhove, according to a source familiar with the matter. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who testified at the first select committee hearing last fall on how he feared for his life and faced racist attacks while defending the Capitol on Jan. 6, told ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott ahead of the hearing today that he's expecting the afternoon to be "triggering" -- and that he is "emotionally, preparing for the worst."
Khloé Kardashian Reveals Why She Feared Blac Chyna Lawsuit in 'The Kardashians' Season 2 Teaser
Khloé Kardashian opens up about Blac Chyna’s lawsuit against her family. In 'The Kardashians' season 2 teaser, the Good American founder reveals why she feared the legal battle against brother Rob Kardashian's ex. Back in April, the family went to trial nearly five years after Chyna sued them for $100 million, in which she claimed the family schemed to have her ‘Rob & Chyna’ reality show on E! canceled after one season as a form of ‘revenge’ for leaving Rob. After two weeks, the jury decided that no monetary damages should be awarded to the model. 'The Kardashians' season 2 premieres Sept. 22 on Hulu.
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2022-07-12T17:16:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Packers LT David Bakhtiari finishes degree from University of Colorado
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The Baltimore Ravens have added plenty of talent to their secondary over the course of the 2022 offseason. With players such as safeties Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton as well as cornerback Kyle Fuller added into a group that already boasted cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters as well as Chuck Clark, the unit is looking extremely stout.
In a “way-too early” 2023 mock draft, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report continued to add to Baltimore’s secondary, selecting cornerback Cam Smith out of the University of South Carolina with the No. 23 overall pick. He first talked about Baltimore’s phenomenal cornerback duo already on the roster in Humphrey and Peters.
“The 25-year-old Humphrey has earned one All-Pro nod (2019), two Pro Bowl appearances (2019 and 2020) and allowed just a 53.6 percent completion rate in 2021. Peters is a three-time All-Pro selection (2015, 2016 and 2019) and one of the best corners in the league when healthy…However, he is coming off a torn ACL that cost him his entire 2021 season. Peters has just one year left on his contract and will be 30 years old by the time he starts a new one.”
He then explained that the team could turn to the draft to add even more at the cornerback position.
“If the Ravens want to continue enjoying the perks of having lockdown corners, they may have to turn to the draft. Cam Smith has certainly looked like one playing for South Carolina…Smith has a similar build to Peters at 6’0″, 185 pounds and he’s similarly annoying to opposing receivers. He uses great technique to shut down opposing receivers and only gave up 184 yards across 11 games, per PFF.”
In three collegiate seasons, Smith has totaled 64 tackles and five interceptions, improving in each year he’s played. With a big fourth season he could boost himself firmly into the first round conversation, and Baltimore hasn’t been shy to select the best player available on their board, even if it comes at a position of strength.
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2022-07-12T17:16:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ravens continue to add to secondary in 2023 NFL mock draft by Bleacher Report
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There’s good reason for that. For one thing, the 2023 NFL draft class is supposed to be much, much deeper than this year’s crop For another, Smith is a much better passer than most analysts have given him credit for this offseason.
In the three games and a quarter that Geno served as Seattle’s QB1, we saw a poised and confident veteran with a strong command of his offense. While his game is not in the same league as Wilson’s, Smith did demonstrate a commendable growth compared with his time as the Jets’ starter in 2013 and 2014. Mark Schofield recently did a break-down of how Smith can win and keep the Seahawks’ QB1 job this season. It shows Smith is well-polished in a number of different areas, including throwing with anticipation
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2022-07-12T17:17:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Seahawks: Ranking their 4 most underrated offensive players in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/seahawks-ranking-4-most-underrated-154336172.html?src=rss
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Offensive lineman Aaron Brewer has been a great find for the Tennessee Titans since the team signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 2020.
Brewer has become a reliable backup for the Titans over his two seasons in the NFL and is now garnering consideration for a starting job in 2022 at left guard in a competition against Jamarco Jones, something he has his sights squarely set on.
“Going into this season, I just want to stay as healthy as possible and do everything I can do to compete and get that job,” he said, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
One of the concerns about Brewer is his size, as the Texas State product is a bit on the smaller side for the position. Brewer is listed at 6-foot-1 and 274 pounds, but says he has gotten his weight up to 290.
Doubts about his size are nothing new for Brewer, who says he has heard them since high school.
“I’ve heard that forever, from high school up to this point now,” Brewer said. “But it didn’t stop me then, and it’s not going to stop me now.”
One thing Brewer does have going for him is his athleticism, which makes him an ideal fit for Tennessee’s zone-blocking scheme.
“Aaron is an unbelievable athlete,” offensive line coach Keith Carter said. “So, he has a really unbelievable way to recover when he gets stuck in some bad positions. For him, it’s getting as big as he can, but not losing that part of his game. And then just being consistent from a technique standpoint. I think he’s come a long way and I am excited to see where he goes.”
“The kind of player I am, I am more smaller, quick twitch, explosive,” Brewer explained. “So, I just work with what I got. I know I am strong for my size, and I’m fast as well.”
In a recent preview of the offensive line, we had Brewer winning the starting job over Jones, but nothing will be determined until the pads come on when training camp practice begins on July 27.
A boat ran over two people, injuring one critically, as they were tubing on the Willamette River in Newberg Monday afternoon, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said.
Jennifer Garner’s Favorite Product for Soft, Shiny, No-Fuss Hair Is on Sale Right Now
Prime Day 2022 includes deals on Virtue hair products, a brand that Jennifer Garner has repeatedly praised over the years.
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2022-07-12T17:17:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ Aaron Brewer talks starting opportunity, doubts about his size
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The next big date on Florida football’s recruiting schedule is the annual Friday Night Lights and team cookout held at the end of July. While these landmark events have been one of the primary focuses of Billy Napier and his staff lately, the new crew is also looking ahead to continue their momentum forward.
Among those planning on attending the festivities at the month’s conclusion is four-star offensive tackle Tyree Adams, who also locked in an official visit to the Swamp on September 3 according to an announcement he made on his personal Twitter account. This also happens to be the same day as the team’s season opener against the Utah Utes.
The 6-foot-5.5-inch, 283-pound lineman has already made a pair of stops in Gainesville this year and his visit at the end of July will mark his third since he was offered a scholarship by the program back in March. Adams previously swung through on April 5 shortly after his offer and spent an unofficial visit on June 6 while at the team’s camp.
The rising senior out of St. Augustine (Louisiana) Marrero currently has Florida, along with the Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels out front in his recruitment.
Adams is currently ranked No. 209 overall and No. 21 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 211 and 19, respectively. He currently holds one crystal ball projection for LSU from 247Sports while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine also has the Tigers out front with an 85.5% chance of landing him; the Gators are second at 5.2%.
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2022-07-12T18:12:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Florida sets official visit date with this 4-star offensive tackle
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“If you don’t handle your shoulder injuries, it will delay it and will actually make it worse for you,” Mayfield said. “ ... the important part was actually resting ... instead of thinking that I could go to sleep one night and wake up and it’ll all be better.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recently led a meeting that highlights his league’s stakes in the Baltimore Orioles family litigation and how MLB could become directly involved. As reported by The Baltimore Sun, Manfred, along with deputy commissioner and chief legal officer Dan Halem, convened with team CEO John Angelos and his mother, Georgia Angelos, on […]
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2022-07-12T18:26:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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What Baker Mayfield said about his trade to the Panthers; GM talks Sam Darnold’s future
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The Kansas City Royals may have acquired the heir apparent as the everyday center fielder, and they still have their top trade chips as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
Minor league outfielder Drew Waters, who went into this season rated by Baseball America as the No. 6 prospect in the Atlanta Braves farm system and who MLB Pipeline most recently ranked as the Braves’ top prospect, served as the centerpiece of a deal Monday that saw the Royals trade the 35th overall pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft.
That deal will have ramifications for the Royals’ future at that center field position in the long run, but it may also affect decisions in the coming weeks as the club’s front office makes decisions about potentially retooling its roster and augmenting its farm system.
“He’s a plus defender. He’s a true center fielder,” Royals manager J.J. Picollo said of Waters. “He can really go get it. He’s a speed player. He’s got some stolen bases in his career. That’s something that we think he can continue to get better with.
“Offensively, he was the Double-A MVP in the Southern League a couple of years ago, one of their top prospects — if not their top prospect. So you know there’s offensive upside. He’s 23 years old. He’s a talented athlete that’s still refining some skills.”
Having overseen the scouting department in previous years, Picollo didn’t take for granted trading a draft pick less than a week out from the MLB Draft.
But Picollo is also as aware as anyone that the Royals covet center fielders who show the ability to cover that position in Kauffman Stadium.
Picollo evoked the name of former center fielder Lorenzo Cain, a crucial figure in the club’s back-to-back World Series championship runs in 2014 and 2015 and the franchise’s first championship in 30 years when the Royals won the crown in 2015.
The discussions between the Royals and Braves started a week to 10 days ago with the Braves initiating talks and targeting the Royals’ compensation pick.
Picollo said the Royals were not actively shopping the pick, and he added they “weren’t real excited” about the prospects of trading the pick, initially. He also indicated that the Braves including a third prospect helped put the deal over the top on Sunday night.
Taking the compensation pick out of the equation also takes a slot value of $2.2 million out of the draft bonus pool for the Royals.
“Being very candid, I didn’t think this deal would come together,” Picollo said. “That what makes this so interesting. But when you have a motivated partner, as Atlanta was, you start to realize this is a real thing.”
More dealing to come?
The Royals have a relatively young core of players in rookies Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez and Vinnie Pasquantino as well as a cadre of pitchers who they’re building around. The thought and popular speculation has been that most of their veterans may be available on the trade market for the right deal as the Royals look to the future.
“I think we just have to, like we’ve been doing, read what’s going on and be aware of what teams may be looking to do and how we match up,” Picollo said. “If it works out, that’s great. We don’t feel the extreme need that we have to move any players. We feel like we’re in a good spot. We know where the interest lies from other teams right now. Now, it’s a matter of them assessing how willing they are.”
Of course, that’s also a posture an executive would likely take if trying to force the hand of potential trade partner to maximize the return.
Royals center field plans
While Waters certainly appears the presumptive center fielder of the future, the Royals don’t seem inclined to rush him to the majors.
“Waters is in Triple-A and he’s having a nice year,” Picollo said. “But there are some things that we think he needs to work on, so we’re going to be patient with him.”
One train of thought might lead to the assumption that Waters’ presence makes the Royals more likely to trade current center fielder Michael A. Taylor.
But with Taylor, 31, still under contract through next season and Waters still needing time in the minors, it could be that the Royals are best served by holding onto Taylor.
“We still have a little ways to go with all these players to finish their development,” Picollo said.
Taylor won a Gold Glove last season and was rated among the best defensive players in the majors, regardless of position or league, in his first year with the Royals.
This season, Taylor has had one of the best years of his career at the plate. He entered Monday’s doubleheader slashing .265/.342/.382 with five home runs and 12 total extra-base hits in 63 games. His walk rate of 10.3 percent is the highest of his career.
In his first 30 games since coming off the IL following a bout with COVID-19, Taylor has slashed .291/.351/.427.
The Royals’ other major-league center fielders, Kyle Isbel and Edward Olivares, are both better suited for corner outfield positions, particularly at Kauffman Stadium.
Olivares has athleticism that profiles well in center field, but he has been prone to poor routes and jumps in the outfield.
Isbel should be an above average defender in either of the corner spots, and can play center field well on a fill-in basis. The difference defensively in having a true center fielder would be more apparent if Isbel were manning that spot on a daily basis, particularly following in Taylor’s footsteps.
Hoffman and Alexander
Picollo also expressed excitement about the other two prospects acquired in Monday’s trade, right-handed pitcher Andrew Hoffman and infielder/outfielder C.J. Alexander.
“With Hoffman, it’s really interesting because he’s was a 12th-rounder last year and now you turn around and he’s having a great year,” Picollo said. “Our scouts liked him last year. He’s added a slider to our repertoire. It’s much better than what we saw as an amateur, and he just got promoted to Double-A a couple days ago and we’re going to start him at the same spot.”
While Abrams is an older player for the Double-A level — he’ll turn 26 in less than a week — the Royals see potential in his metrics.
“He’s put up good offensive numbers,” Picollo said. “He’s got power. We like his hard-hit rates. We think he’s a corner guy, primarily a third baseman, a little bit of first base, and then he’ll play left and right. But we’ll learn that as we go.”
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2022-07-12T18:26:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Here’s what the Kansas City Royals’ trade means for center field and the MLB deadline
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https://sports.yahoo.com/kansas-city-royals-trade-means-023527381.html?src=rss
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With the MLB all-star break now under a week away, we've passed the halfway mark of the season. While there are still 70-plus games for each team to play, at this point we've pretty much figured out which teams are legitimate contenders and which teams aren't.
While the World Series is still three-plus months away, it's never too early to check out the betting market. Let's take a look at which potential World Series matchups are most likely according to the oddsmakers at BetMGM.
The New York Yankees are the current favorites to win the World Series at +375. They're +150 favorites to win the AL pennant. While the Yankees have been more pedestrian the last few weeks, they are still off to a sizzling 61-25 start, which is the best record in baseball by a 4.5-game margin. The Yankees lead baseball in home runs, wOBA and WRC+ on the offensive side. They have the third-best ERA in baseball, with their starting rotation ranking third and their bullpen ranking second.
Will Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers meet the MLB's best team in the World Series? (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
It's no surprise that these two teams are the favorites to meet in the Fall Classic. Currently, a Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup has +600 odds at BetMGM. The Dodgers entered the year as favorites to win it all, and they've done nothing to sour that outlook. However, the Yankees have had a tremendous start. These are two of the more prominent teams in the league and you know they'll make moves to improve their roster at the trade deadline. Nobody would be shocked to see this World Series matchup and it's hard to disagree with the idea that it's the likeliest one.
In 2000, the Yankees defeated the New York Mets in the Subway Series. Baseball hasn't seen a matchup between the two New York teams in the World Series since. Will that change this year?
A Yankees-Mets World Series matchup is currently tied for the second most likely of any potential matchups, according to the betting odds. If you're feeling a Subway Series, you can get +900 odds at BetMGM.
We've already discussed how dominant the Yankees have been to begin the year, but the Mets aren't doing too shabby themselves. They have the fourth-best record in baseball and currently have the fourth-best odds to win the World Series at +400. The Mets have the second-best odds to win the NL pennant at +325.
The Mets rank eighth in team ERA, but it's important to note that Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom have missed large chunks of the season (or in deGrom's case, the entire season). DeGrom is making rehab starts in the minors and is expected to return shortly after the all-star break. Scherzer has made two starts since returning from injury, allowing just five hits and one run over 13 innings while striking out 20.
Here's the rest of the top 10 most likely World Series matchups, according to BetMGM:
Should the Mets call up Francisco Álvarez to be their DH? | SportsNite
On SportsNite, Maria Marino, Anthony McCarron and JJ discuss whether or not the Mets should call up Francisco Alvarez now, leaning more towards utilizing his ability at the plate as a DH.
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2022-07-12T18:26:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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MLB betting: The most likely World Series matchups
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https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-betting-the-most-likely-world-series-matchups-according-to-the-betting-odds-174929178.html?src=rss
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Dubs assistant coach Adams to receive lifetime award originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
It’s conceivable that no player or coach in the NBA has logged more miles than Warriors assistant Ron Adams.
After traveling the league’s skyways and highways for more than 30 years, with eight different franchises, he can glimpse his career horizon.
Adams has spent eight years with the Warriors and is preparing for his ninth and possibly final season as a fixture in a gym.
“This next year might be my last year,” he recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. “But I can’t say that either because that’s not how I live my life. There are no firm dates for things to simply end.”
Adams, 74, has been consistent in saying he and his wife, Leah, can’t imagine leaving the Bay Area or working for another organization. This stop will be his career denouement.
So, it seems timely that the full scope of Adams’ work is recognized by his peers. He will on Tuesday receive the Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association.
“Ron Adams embodies everything that makes a great coach,” Rick Carlisle, Pacers coach and president of the NBCA, said in a statement. “He is passionate about teaching, has a great basketball IQ, a tireless work ethic, fierce loyalty and a deep love for the game.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr credits Adams for much of the success the team has enjoyed.
“He has been amazing from helping shape our defensive identity to giving me ‘head coaching advice,’” Kerr texted to NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday night. “Most of all, he’s a wonderful human being who I love seeing and talking with every day.”
Adams conceded that he was taken by surprised last week when Carlisle phoned him to inform him of the award last week took him by surprise.
“I was rather speechless,” he said. “It’s just really gratifying. It’s great to be recognized and honored. It’s humbling. There are so many great coaches out there. That this is coming from my peers makes it really meaningful.”
Adams began coaching at Fresno Pacific College in 1969. After 22 seasons at the college level, including head-coaching stints at Fresno Pacific and Fresno State University, he entered the NBA when hired by Jerry Tarkanian during his brief stop with the Spurs in 1992.
From there, Adams headed for the 76ers in 1994, enduring two difficult but enlightening seasons. He worked two seasons as a Trail Blazers scout and returned to coaching with the Bucks under George Karl in 1998. After five seasons in Milwaukee – with four playoff appearances – he landed with the rebuilding Bulls in 2003. It was on to Thunder in 2008, during which the team rebuilt behind Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
“It was a young program,” Adams recalled. “The fans there were tremendous, and we had wonderful, wonderful talent; we had three MVPs. That was great experience.”
Adams returned to Chicago in 2010 and spent three seasons there before being lured to Boston by first-time NBA coach Brad Stevens. After one season, and still under contract with the Celtics, Adams was pried away by another first-time NBA coach: Steve Kerr with the Warriors.
“I wanted the best defensive mind I could find,” Kerr texted. “And I needed his experience, since I had none.”
Through it all, Adams’ specialty has been defense.
“From Day 1 when I started coaching – but even as a player – I had a defensive mentality,” he said. “Even as green behind the ears as I was when I started coaching, I held as a premise that you had to play substantially good to great defense to win anything.”
Kerr installed Adams as the team’s defensive coordinator, and the Warriors responded with four consecutive seasons as a top-four defense. For five consecutive seasons (2014-19) he was named the league’s best assistant coach in the annual survey of NBA general managers.
“Coach Adams’ contributions to the success of his teams, most recently with the Golden State Warriors, are well known inside the NBA,” NBCA executive director David Fogel said in a statement. “Off the court, Ron’s sage advice and wisdom has helped many players, coaches and executives excel in their own careers.”
With six postseason appearances and four NBA Finals triumphs in eight seasons, Golden State has been the most fruitful of Adams’ ventures.
“When I look back at it, there’s nothing like winning a championship,” he said. “But it’s the work you put in and then it’s the gratification afterward that makes it so special. It’s nice to have a ring; the ring is meaningful. But this kind of stuff is in your heart. You can’t describe it.”
Adams was selected from a list of 13 candidates and is the sixth assistant to receive the Winter award, which will be presented during the Warriors-Celtics Summer League game in Las Vegas.
Halo Infinite’s campaign co-op beta is missing in action, but should release this week
343 Industries is still targeting a release for sometime this week.
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2022-07-12T18:27:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Warriors assistant coach Ron Adams 'speechless' to receive lifetime award
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The Kansas City Chiefs will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Arrowhead Stadium in 2022, and with that celebration comes a new logo.
The iconic home of the Chiefs opened its gates for the first time on August 12, 1972, with the team officially transferring from Municipal Stadium. Kansas City faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the preseason that day, defeating their neighbors in Missouri 24 – 14.
The Chiefs have since won hundreds of regular-season games in the stadium that they’ve called home for the last 50 seasons. The stadium has undergone numerous renovations and now is known as GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City will celebrate this particular anniversary of their home field as the team’s (distant) future at Arrowhead remains up in the air. Their current lease with the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority expires in January of 2031.
The new logo has a pretty sleek design, with the iconic stadium and the No. 50 appearing in a football-shaped outline. It’s unclear whether the team will wear this newly unveiled logo as a patch on player uniforms or helmets, but fans can recall the throwback endzone look that the team brought back to commemorate the NFL’s 100th season and the team’s 60th season. Those endzones featured the team’s 60th season logo on one side and the Chiefs’ Arrowhead logo on the other. It’s reasonable to expect that they could do something similar with the team’s endzone designs throughout the 2022 NFL season.
What do you think of the new logo design? Let us know your thoughts with us in the comment section down below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Mizzou Tigers pick up first 2023 top-100 recruit in four-star forward Trent Pierce
Trent Pierce committed to Missouri and head coach Dennis Gates on Tuesday afternoon as the second Tigers men’s basketball recruit in the Class of 2023.
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2022-07-12T19:00:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chiefs reveal logo celebrating 50th anniversary of Arrowhead Stadium
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The Indianapolis Colts are just a few weeks away from returning to Westfield where fans will get to watch a tight end group compete for roles during training camp and the preseason.
This offseason featured the retirement of veteran Jack Doyle, who was one of the longest-tenured players on the roster in 2021. Despite still having one more year left on his contract, Doyle decided it was time to ride off into the sunset.
This expedited the process of the Colts needing to find his replacement. They re-signed Mo Alie-Cox to a three-year deal and picked up two more intriguing options during the 2022 NFL draft.
With training camp set to begin July 26, here’s a look at our preview of the position:
The aforementioned Alie-Cox will be stepping into the role as the starting “Y” tight end in the offense. This bigger role comes with the most responsibility Alie-Cox has seen during his career. It’s why the Colts gave him a three-year deal worth roughly $18 million.
Alie-Cox has already proven himself to be a strong run blocker. It’s not always pretty, but he gets the job done. Now, the 28-year-old has to make more of an impact as a receiver. He’s coming off of a career-high 45 targets, and we should expect a slight bump there now that he’s in a bigger role.
Over the last two seasons combined, Alie-Cox has recorded 12.9 yards per reception and six touchdowns. He should be a mainstay in the red zone offense while working over the middle of the field both stretching the seam vertically and finding holes in the zone as a safety net.
This is a big year for Alie-Cox, who is looking to prove his worth as a starter.
Granson, a fourth-round pick in 2021, enters his second season likely in a bigger role than his rookie campaign. Working as the “F” tight end in the offense, Granson’s role is focused more on the receiving aspect of his game.
The SMU product saw 15 targets during his rookie season, which was right around expectation for a fourth-round rookie tight end. The Colts did invest in a third-round tight end this year (more on him below), but the TE2 role is Granson’s to lose.
Granson is an athletic weapon the Colts can use in the passing game. His athleticism should help make plays after the catch and now that he’s in a bigger role, we should expect his opportunities to expand in 2022.
One of the prized selections of the Colts’ 2022 draft class. The sky is the limit for Woods, who is arguably the most athletic tight end to ever declare for the NFL draft. That’s not hyperbole.
It takes time for tight ends to develop into regular contributors. Not all rookie tight ends put up a Kyle Pitts-like campaign in their first season. Woods very well may be more of a long-term play than an immediate impact option simply because it takes longer for the position to develop.
Woods will be competing likely both as a traditional “Y” tight end and as an “F” tight end. The upside is clearly there, but some development must take place before we project a massive role for the Virginia product.
The Colts have apparently been wanting to draft Ogletree for years. They got their chance in April, and they took it, selecting Ogletree in the sixth round. What will be interesting here is whether he forces the Colts to keep four tight ends on the active roster.
The Colts could probably get away with just having three tight ends, but they love them some Ogletree. If they don’t want to keep him on the practice squad—or risk another team scooping him up off waivers—they might make room for the explosive rookie.
He’s certainly a sleeper to watch during training camp and the preseason games.
A product of York University and the Canadian Football League, Kalinic spent the 2021 season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He signed a futures contract with the Colts this offseason and has been working with the team since January.
Kalinic doesn’t have much of a profile, and he fits more of the H-back role. Think in the mold of Trey Burton or Ryan Hewitt. It’s unlikely he makes the roster, and the Colts probably view him as a project to develop on the practice squad.
At 6-foot-7 and 244 pounds, Jacobson is pretty new to the game of football. He spent his collegiate years at Nebraska (2015-2017) and Iowa State (2018-2020) playing basketball. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in August 2021, spending just under two months with the team before he was released from the practice squad.
The Colts signed him to the practice squad a week later during the 2021 season where he spent the remainder of the campaign. He then signed a futures deal with the team in January.
Like Kalinic, Jacobson is a project for the Colts. He needs a lot of development, and the Colts clearly see something in him. He’s unlikely to make the roster but could wind up on the practice squad.
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2022-07-12T19:01:04Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts’ 2022 training camp preview: Tight Ends
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https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-2022-training-camp-preview-181845446.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-2022-training-camp-preview-181845446.html?src=rss
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Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement again this offseason, leaving the NFL after 11 spectacular seasons with the Patriots and Buccaneers. Shortly after Gronkowski made the news official, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, left the door open for the future Hall of Famer to return to the field.
He said he wouldn’t be surprised if Gronk came out of retirement during the season or in 2023, and he could see where “Rob answers the call” if Tom Brady came ringing.
On Tuesday, Gronkowski closed the door on any possible return. He told Mike Reiss that he’s done with football
“I’m done with football,” Gronkowski told Reiss. “Love the game and definitely blessed with all the opportunities the game of football has given me. … But done with football and stepping my feet into the business world, the business ventures and seeing what’s out there.”
But what if Brady calls?
“I would answer obviously,” Gronkowski said. “I would obviously answer the greatest quarterback of all time and ask him how he’s doing and tell him I’m doing good., but I wouldn’t go back to football.”
That sounds pretty definitive from the 33-year-old, who’s now exploring the business world in his post-playing days.
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2022-07-12T19:01:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rob Gronkowski says he’s ‘done with football’ – even if Tom Brady calls
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rob-gronkowski-says-done-football-174714078.html?src=rss
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Michigan football head coach, Jim Harbaugh, the reigning 2021 Associated Press Coach of the Year, made the preseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy.
The watch list includes 20 different coaches from the Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, and an independent.
Harbaugh is entering his eighth season as the Michigan football head coach. He led Michigan to a Big Ten title in 2021, which was the program’s first since 2004, and to the College Football Playoff. Harbaugh has compiled an impressive 61-24 record while coaching the Wolverines, and he is 43-17 during Big Ten conference games.
Coach Harbaugh has had 15 players earn All-American honors during his seven complete seasons at Michigan. He has had 284 players earn academic All-Big Ten honors as well.
Last season, Harbaugh was a finalist for the Dodd Trophy, but Luke Fickel from Cincinnati ultimately took home the honors.
The Dodd Trophy is a coveted Coach of the Year trophy which not only takes account of team success, but also stresses the importance of scholarship, leadership, and integrity.
The Dodd Trophy was first established in 1976 to honor the head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The award is named after coach Bobby Dodd who coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for 22 years. Coach Dodd embodied not only a great football program, but he believed in the importance of having a strong academic football team, along with having excellent character.
The following 20 coaches made the preseason watch list:
To see more about the Dodd Trophy you can visit: www.TheDoddTrophy.com
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2022-07-12T19:47:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jim Harbaugh added to Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch list
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jim-harbaugh-added-dodd-trophy-185437375.html?src=rss
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Michigan State’s Mel Tucker has made the preseason watch list for the 2022 Dodd Trophy for Coach of the Year.
Tucker is one of 20 coaches to make the preseason list for the upcoming season. Other Big Ten coaches on this list include Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst, Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh.
Mel Tucker will be entering his third season as the Spartans’ head coach. Last season, he led Michigan State to an 11-2 record that included notable wins over Michigan, Miami (FL) and Pitt in the Peach Bowl.
Check out the complete list of coaches that preseason watch list below:
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2022-07-12T19:47:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Mel Tucker makes preseason watch list for 2022 Dodd Trophy for Coach of the Year
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https://sports.yahoo.com/mel-tucker-makes-preseason-watch-181102286.html?src=rss
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Alabama football head coach Nick Saban was named to the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award watchlist. He joins 19 other head coaches of programs from all across the nation on the list.
Saban won the award in 2014 and is one of two Crimson Tide coaches to win the award, joining the 1989 recipient Bill Curry.
Six of the coaches named to the watchlist sit at the helm of SEC programs. Saban was the last SEC coach to earn the award.
Last season, Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell was the recipient. He led the Bearcats to its first College Football Playoff appearance. A historical run that was cut short in the Cotton Bowl with a loss to the Crimson Tide.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Saban and the Dodd Trophy watchlist as the 2022 college football season approaches.
Miami beats out Alabama, Ohio State to get commitment from 4-star linebacker Raul Aguirre
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2022-07-12T19:48:04Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Nick Saban named to Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award watchlist
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-named-bobby-dodd-182726483.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-named-bobby-dodd-182726483.html?src=rss
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Much of the NBA's summer business is done, save for the whole Kevin Durant thing. One of the 15 greatest players in the history of basketball requesting a trade as free agency opens has a tendency to muck up the process, but everyone else still plunged forward with billions of dollars worth of contracts.
All-Stars Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Darius Garland, Nikola Jokic, Zach LaVine, Ja Morant, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson signed deals that could net them a combined $2 billion by 2028. All stayed put. We covered each signing in great detail. Just click on their names if you are so inclined. You can also follow early winners and losers of free agency and details of every transaction in our tracker and from our experts.
Jalen Brunson has been the biggest name to change teams in free agency, accepting a $104 million offer from the New York Knicks. Rudy Gobert, Dejounte Murray and Malcolm Brogdon also headlined a trio of potentially seismic trades to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics, respectively.
So, what's left? Well, you have come to the right place because here is your 2022 NBA free-agency reset.
SALARY CAP SPACE
Only three teams still have — or could create — significant salary cap space. The San Antonio Spurs, with $32.1 million, have just enough to offer the only possible maximum contract player still available a starting salary of 25% of the $123.655 million salary cap ($30.9 million). And we will get to that player in a moment.
The Indiana Pacers, with $26.4 million, could get there, too.
The Detroit Pistons entered free agency with more cap space than any other team, but they used much of it to help the New York Knicks create room to sign Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein in exchange for draft picks. As dust settled on trades that sent Kemba Walker, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel from New York to Detroit, the Pistons have a little more than the non-taxpayer midlevel exception ($10.5 million) to offer in free agency. The Knicks have a little less than a taxpayer midlevel exception ($6.5 million) still available.
The recent No. 1 overall pick's value was at an all-time high last summer, when his two-way performance at the center position helped the Phoenix Suns reach the 2021 NBA Finals. He was bound for a max deal, but myriad factors over several months — a reported quarrel with Suns head coach Monty Williams, Phoenix's Game 7 collapse against the Dallas Mavericks and Kevin Durant's trade request — complicated his status.
The Suns are among the favorites to land Durant, and Ayton would be a centerpiece of any sign-and-trade offer to the Brooklyn Nets (all of them complicated). Ayton could remove himself from that conversation by signing an offer sheet with the Spurs or Pacers, all but eliminating Phoenix from the Durant sweepstakes.
Multiple reports have indicated Indiana is the biggest threat to sign Ayton. The Suns will still have 48 hours to match any deal he receives, but once ink hits an offer sheet, he cannot be traded for at least six months.
Former No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton could be on the move this offseason. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Sexton and the Cavaliers have expressed interest in keeping him in Cleveland. With few suitors left to make a significant offer, the market has been kind to the Cavaliers, who can match any offer he receives or negotiate a sign-and-trade deal. Sexton is unlikely to secure the $20 million starting salary he is reportedly seeking, and Cleveland is almost surely offering less than the $15 million they have left under the luxury tax.
Sexton, who missed all but 11 games this past season with a left knee injury, could also rebuild his value on a $7.2 million qualifying offer and re-enter free agency as an unrestricted player next summer. Keep in mind, he is still only 23 years old and averaged 24.3 points on 48/37/82 shooting splits in his last healthy season.
Bridges was supposed to command a sizable offer from a team with cap space, and then he was arrested on a felony charge on the eve of free agency. His wife subsequently shared disturbing images of an alleged domestic assault. Bridges is due in a Los Angeles court July 20. His status is pending criminal and NBA investigations.
The Charlotte Hornets have until Friday to rescind Bridges' $7.9 million qualifying offer for next season.
Harden has not technically re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but all signs point to him soon taking a $15 million pay cut for this coming season, signing a two-year deal with a player option for the 2023-24 campaign and reentering free agency next summer, when he can attempt to recoup some of his lost value.
Harden's deal has allowed the Sixers to maintain flexibility under the $159 million hard cap that comes with signing PJ Tucker to the non-taxpayer midlevel exception. It also might draw attention from the league office, where eyebrows should raise when a player turns down a massive extension from one team, forces his way to another and "forgets" to pick up a $47 million option, which happens to benefit the executive with whom said player has a familial relationship and is not supposed to be discussing such matters.
Harrell is also facing legal issues in his pursuit of a new contract. He was arrested in Kentucky in May for allegedly possessing 3 pounds of marijuana and is due for an arraignment Wednesday.
The 28-year-old has played for the Hornets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers since winning Sixth Man of the Year honors with the L.A. Clippers in 2020. Harrell averaged 11.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench over 25 post-trade deadline appearances for Charlotte this past season.
Could-be retirees
LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Iguodala, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo and Lou Williams remain unsigned. They are facing the choice between chasing a $2.9 million veteran minimum contract or entering retirement. Williams' career earnings of $87.5 million are the lowest of those aged stars.
Track-record veterans
Other veterans with established careers who are still available at league minimum for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health: D.J. Augustin, Kent Bazemore, Avery Bradley, Eric Bledsoe, Wayne Ellington, Blake Griffin, Rodney Hood, Dwight Howard, Jeremy Lamb, Ben McLemore, Markieff Morris, Eric Paschall, Elfrid Payton, Austin Rivers, Tomas Satoransky, Dennis Schroder, Tony Snell and Hassan Whiteside.
If none of them strike your fancy, how about Facu Campazzo, Tristan Thompson or Jake Layman?
Now, you are starting to understand where we are in free agency during an NBA era of increased young talent. There will be players whose names you recognize entering next season without a guaranteed roster spot.
The Utah Jazz waived Juancho Hernangomez, breakout star of Netflix's "Hustle," in June. Fans of the movie are clamoring for him to reunite with co-star Anthony Edwards on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Recent lottery picks
Josh Jackson and Jarrett Culver, respectively drafted fourth overall in 2017 and sixth overall in 2019, are both unrestricted free agents. Neither has come close to meeting his potential, but youth is on their side, and a team that believes in its player development might see what upside remains untapped.
ROOKIE EXTENSIONS
R.J. Barrett
The All-Stars from the 2019 draft class — Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and Darius Garland — all received designated player contract extensions worth either $193 million or $231 million, depending on their All-NBA status in 2023. Barrett would sure like to see the same kind of money as his classmates, and he averaged 20 points per game this past season, but his performance has not matched their peaks and/or consistency.
The Knicks have infamously failed to reach a longterm contract extension with a first-round draft pick since Charlie Ward in 1999, but offering the max just to end that streak is not prudent business practice, either. It could be wise for both sides to let this coming season play out before reaching an agreement next summer.
The Atlanta Hawks issued massive extensions to Trae Young, John Collins, Clint Capela and Kevin Huerter in 2021. They just traded Huerter and have been trying to deal Collins for what seems like his entire career. Capela might also be available. How all that impacts Hunter's next contract remains a mystery. His size and versatility are quietly incredibly important assets on a roster now built around Young and Dejounte Murray.
Hunter's agent surely understands that, which means they are operating from a negotiating position of power, but Atlanta also does not want to hand out another contract it will have to unload for less value in the near future. Not reaching middle ground also runs the risk of disgruntlement in a locker room that has big goals for the 2022-23 campaign. Ask the Suns how that worked with DeAndre Ayton this past season, when they signed all of their best players to extensions but the rising star center who tied them together.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley made clear his negotiating stance on Herro's next contract when he told reporters at his exit interview last month, "If you want to win a championship, and you want to be a starter, you really have to become a two-way player." The league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year is not a max player at this point in his career, even if he carries the confidence of one, but he could play his way into the discussion. We will know more about how much he believes in his ability if he enters the season unsigned.
Poole's breakout season with the Golden State Warriors ensured he will receive a hefty raise. His team sounds willing to wait until next summer to strike that deal. As Warriors executive Bob Myers insisted to Yahoo Sports regarding Poole's extension, "We’ve kept all the players we want to keep, so I don’t see that changing." Golden State owner Joe Lacob cautioned The Athletic, "There’s no rush on all that," and, "Next summer, we’re going to be faced with more issues with respect to the cap and luxury tax and all that."
EXTENSION-ELIGIBLE VETERANS
Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins
Three more members of Golden State's championship team are also up for extensions this summer. Giving them all nine-figure deals would send Lacob's luxury tax bill into another stratosphere for the foreseeable future, and even a billionaire will not pay that if his team falls out of contention for any number of reasons.
The Warriors let Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. walk this summer for more money elsewhere. With no more major decisions pressing this offseason, it would not be surprising to see them wait until next summer to see if Poole, Thompson, Green and Wiggins are still all worth as much as they want in the wake of a title.
The 37-year-old legend is eligible for a two-year extension from the Lakers worth close to $100 million on Aug. 4. He will otherwise be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Trying to decipher what each side wants from the relationship beyond then is a conversation that neither James nor the Lakers may want to broach just yet. Committing to two more years of what we just saw from the Lakers feels like a mistake right now.
That could change under a new head coach, and the Lakers could have more roster-building flexibility next summer, when Russell Westbrook's massive contract will presumably come off their books. Signing now would cede some of James' influence over the team's direction next offseason, and that is not something he has often done in his career. The Lakers might benefit from forcing James to reaffirm his value, too.
The 30-year-old three-time All-Star can become a free agent next summer, when he holds a $40.4 million player option to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks. Middleton is tied to the team by a career-long working relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the two produced a title together in 2021, so there is less of a threat of him leaving. His injury absence from a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Boston Celtics also reinforced his value to the franchise, so an extension should still be mutually beneficial.
A three- or four-year deal annually worth roughly $50 million would extend Middleton's commitment to the Bucks beyond the end of Antetokounmpo's current deal. Tying them together for at least the next three seasons might be a scary proposition anywhere else but Milwaukee, where finding and keeping players of Middleton's caliber — who want to and can be Antetokounmpo's No. 2 — is harder than in larger markets.
During a short window in October, the Celtics can offer Brown a three-year extension starting at 120% of his salary for the 2023-24 season, or $34.2 million. That is far below the maximum salary he will command on the open market in 2024 — or even the extension for which he will be eligible next summer. Such a deal is not financially prudent for Brown, and declining it indicates nothing more than a bet against serious injury.
Surely, Boston sports talking heads will take that into account when discussing his commitment to a team he and Jayson Tatum just led to the Finals — and not act as though this is his first step to spurn the Celtics.
The Detroit Pistons traded Grant in anticipation of his desired extension, which could reach $113 million over the four years after this coming season. He is not eligible to sign that with the Portland Trail Blazers until six months after this month's trade was officially completed. He is currently restricted to a two-year, $45 million extension, so you can expect to hear some more news on this front in January, barring disaster.
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2022-07-12T20:09:15Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 NBA free agency: Resetting the market 10 days later, starting with Deandre Ayton
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nba-free-agency-resetting-the-market-10-days-later-starting-with-deandre-ayton-173529977.html?src=rss
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The Boston Celtics have a very deep, versatile rotation after adding point guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Danilo Gallinari. But there's still one item on Brad Stevens' offseason to-do list.
During a press conference to introduce Brogdon and Gallinari on Tuesday, the Celtics' president of basketball operations said the team hopes to add another big man to provide depth in a frontcourt currently featuring Robert Williams, Al Horford and Grant Williams.
"We're still looking, and we'll still add at least one more body at whatever we call the five position nowadays," Stevens told reporters.
The Celtics are down a big man after sending Daniel Theis to the Indiana Pacers in the trade that brought Brogdon to Boston. But Stevens suggested the team doesn't need to add a traditional center, noting that the C's are well-equipped to play more "small ball" with lineups featuring Gallinari, a 6-foot-10 floor-stretcher who made 38.6 percent of his 3-pointers last season.
"We'll continue to look at what adds to our team," Stevens said. "I think ultimately, though we started big most of last year with Al and Rob, we oftentimes we would play one of them. We're better set up to play 'smaller' than we were just because of the size of these two guys sitting next to us (Gallinari and Brogdon). We've got a lot of options there."
Stevens also added the Celtics are "really high" on 7-foot-2 big man Luke Kornet, who appeared in just 12 games for Boston last season but is a permanent member of the roster after landing a two-year, $4.5 million contract this offseason.
"We'll probably add one more person who can play in that area, but we really believe in Luke as not only depth to fill out the roster, but also be ready to help us win," Stevens said. "I think he's at that stage where he can do that."
With due respect to Kornet, the Celtics could use a more talented backup big man who can give them 10-15 minutes per night or take on a bigger role in the event of an injury. Unfortunately for Boston, the options on the free-agent market aren't great, and the team reportedly doesn't plan to sign big man Aron Baynes despite showing initial interest.
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2022-07-12T20:09:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brad Stevens shares Celtics' top remaining priority this offseason
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https://sports.yahoo.com/brad-stevens-shares-celtics-top-185000080.html?src=rss
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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy during a practice round at the British Open golf championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, on Tuesday. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
“Let me just sum this up with a couple of words,” said Jack Nicklaus, pressed to comment after first saying he didn’t know much about the situation. “First of all, Greg Norman is an icon in the game of golf. He's a great player. We've been friends for a long time, and regardless of what happens, he's going to remain a friend. Unfortunately, he and I just don't see eye to eye in what's going on. I'll basically leave it at that.”
“What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?” he said. “What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You're just getting paid a lot of money up front and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They're playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different.
“I can understand 54 holes is almost like a mandate when you get to the Senior Tour. The guys are a little bit older and a little more banged up. But when you're at this young age and some of these kids — they really are kids who have gone from amateur golf into that organization — 72-hole tests are part of it.”
Rory McIroy said he agreed with the decision to disinvite Norman, but “if things change in the future, or whatever happens, who knows, but I could see a day where he's certainly welcome back.”
Asked whether it would be good for the game this week if someone other than a LIV golfer wins, McIlroy said: “Selfishly, for me, yes, I think it would be better for the game. But at the end of the day, everyone that's here has the same opportunity to go out there and try to win a Claret Jug, regardless of what Tour they play on or whatever that is. It doesn't — whoever wins here at the end of the week should be commended for one of the greatest achievements this game has to offer.
“I'm not going to begrudge anyone if they win the Claret Jug and they play on a different Tour than I play. That's still a wonderful achievement, and they're still playing the same sport. But I selfishly want that person to be me, and I'm going to try my best to make that happen.”
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2022-07-12T20:09:28Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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British Open players sound off on Greg Norman and LIV Golf
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https://sports.yahoo.com/british-open-players-sound-off-175807412.html?src=rss
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Patriots training camp preview: Full schedule, key storylines to watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
New England Patriots training camp begins in two weeks, and fans will be able to catch their first glimpse of the 2022 Patriots in action. Here's everything you need to know about this year's training camp in Foxboro.
Patriots training camp schedule
In June, the team announced six dates for training camp practices that will be open to the public.
Tuesday, August 16 (joint practice with the Carolina Panthers)
Wednesday, August 17 (joint practice with the Panthers)
Times for the practices have yet to be announced.
New England's rookies will report to Gillette Stadium on July 19 prior to training camp. The veterans will join the rookies on Tuesday, July 26 before training camp officially starts on Wednesday, July 27.
Fans can find schedule updates here or can call the training camp information hotline at 508-549-0001.
How fans can watch training camp
Training camp will take place on the practice fields outside of Gillette Stadium. Admittance and parking are both free. Tickets are not required. The gates to training camp will open one hour before the practice begins and will close one hour after the end of the practice.
Unlike last year's training camp, which was restricted due to the NFL/NFLPA COVID-19 protocols, fans will be able to get photos with and autographs from players, Pat the Patriot, Patriots alumni, and cheerleaders. Fans will also have the opportunity to participate in other games and activities for all ages.
Three storylines to watch
Composition of the offensive line:
At minicamp, Isaiah Wynn switched positions with Trent Brown for some reps. Wynn has been the Patriots starting left tackle for the last three years. Brown re-joined the team last year as a right tackle.
Bill Belichick defended the switch this spring, claiming that the purpose was to build depth. Training camp will help clarify whether the move is as temporary as Belichick previously stated or whether it is a more permanent change to the offensive line.
Fans should also keep an eye out for Michael Onwenu and Cole Strange. Onwenu is projected to earn the right guard spot. Strange, the 29th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, looks to become a starter at left guard during his rookie season.
Offensive philosophy:
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left the Patriots and is now the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Following his departure, the Patriots have yet to confirm who will be the new offensive coordinator.
Fans will want to notice what roles Matt Patricia and Joe Judge hold at training camp, and how they work with second-year quarterback Mac Jones. New coaches could also mean a new offensive system for 2022.
Cornerbacks and the defensive line:
The Patriots lost Pro-Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. It is unclear who will replace Jackson as starting cornerback. Jack Jones, a fourth-round pick rookie from Arizona State, played opposite of Jalen Mills, who started during the 2021 season, during a mandatory minicamp practice this spring.
Jack Jones will be competing at training camp for the starting spot against veterans Malcolm Butler, Terrance Mitchell, Shuan Wade, Myles Bryant and Jonathan Jones along with rookie Marcus Jones.
After last season ended in a 47-17 blowout against the Buffalo Bills, there has been concern over the team's defensive abilities. Fans should expect Davon Godchaux to step up as a consistent leader on defense. Christian Barmore also deserves fans' attention as a young defensive tackle who had a successful rookie season in 2021.
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2022-07-12T20:45:23Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 Patriots training camp preview: Full schedule, storylines to watch
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-patriots-training-camp-preview-201500396.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-patriots-training-camp-preview-201500396.html?src=rss
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ESPN has revealed the games its “B” team of announcers will call in the upcoming NFL season.
This team, Steve Levy, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, and Laura Rutledge will be heard on a series of NFL contests. Levy and Riddick were on the prime-time team with Brian Griese that has been replaced by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
The games:
And some more info from the ESPN press room:
For the third consecutive summer, Purdue basketball alum Ryne Smith will coach Men of Mackey in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). Basketball remains a vital part of Smith's day-to-day life, but coaching in TBT presents obstacles unlike what he's faced in any of his past and present roles in the game. Smith, the Director of Basketball Operations at Mercer, faces the challenge of blending players with different basketball backgrounds and currently playing a wide variety of basketball.
A man with outstanding warrants in 3 counties has been arrested for burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle and theft over 10K.
Stop obsessing over Pinterest bathrooms and create your own this Prime Day
Julia Garner, Bill Hader, Sydney Sweeney, Rhea Seehorn and Harriet Walter all landed two acting nominations each for the 2022 Emmy Awards. Garner was nominated as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her portrayal of Anna Delvey in Netflix’s Inventing Anna, as well as Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Netflix’s Ozark. […]
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2022-07-12T20:45:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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ESPN reveals games to be called by secondary NFL team
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STRIVING FOR GREATNESS: Inside the partnership plotting Michigan State's push for national title
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker watches his team go through drills during the spring practice on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates a play against Iowa during the first half of the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, MSU's Mel Tucker: Dodd Trophy watch list
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2022-07-12T21:20:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Michigan State's Mel Tucker, Michigan's Jim Harbaugh: National coach of the year watch list
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https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-states-mel-tucker-michigans-204115897.html?src=rss
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Kirby Hocutt
American football player and coach, college athletics administrator
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) Texas Tech is planning a $200 million project consisting of a new four-story building in the south end zone that will include locker rooms, offices for coaches and a field-level club area that the Red Raiders will go through before games.
''It'll be as great of a layout as you will see in college football, with the practice field location, the adjacency of the indoor practice facility and then the connection to the stadium,'' Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said.
''We couldn't be more excited for the future of our football program and what this facility will do in terms of player development and recruiting,'' coach Joey McGuire said.
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2022-07-12T21:20:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Texas Tech plans $200M football stadium, facilities project
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First, Hall of Famer Greg Norman was not in attendance on Tuesday night — but that shouldn't be surprising to anybody.
“The 150th Open is an extremely important milestone for golf and we want to ensure that the focus remains on celebrating the Championship and its heritage,” the R&A said in a statement, in part. "Unfortunately, we do not believe that would be the case if Greg were to attend. We hope that when circumstances allow Greg will be able to attend again in the future.”
The R&A has allowed LIV Golfers to still compete this week, though it’s unclear if it or the other major championships will allow them to do so moving forward. Clearly, at least for now, the R&A's biggest issue with the league is with Norman.
It's unclear why Mickelson backed out of the dinner, but the decision was reportedly his.
John Daly arrives in style for #TheOpen Champions Dinner. 🔥@PGA_JohnDaly pic.twitter.com/kpJD7zogQJ
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2022-07-12T21:41:54Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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British Open: Who was, wasn't, invited to the champions dinner
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The New England Patriots have traded wide receiver N’Keal Harry to the Chicago Bears. The move brings to an end Harry’s time in New England, after failing to live up to expectations after being a first-round selection in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Patriots are receiving a seventh-round selection in the trade, as reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport:
Despite the early selection, Harry struggled to get on the same page with quarterback Tom Brady during the 2019 campaign. When the Patriots signed Cam Newton as their starting quarterback for the 2020 season, there was hope that he and Harry would be on the same page, and that failed to materialize.
Last season, Harry performed well as a blocking wide receiver, but again was not a focal point of New England’s passing game. During his time with the Patriots, he caught 57 passes — on 103 targets — for 598 yards and four touchdowns.
As Patriots fans are quick to point out, D.K. Metcalf, selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, has caught 216 passes for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns over the same three-year stretch.
In Chicago, Harry might find an opportunity to be a core part of the receiving room. This off-season, the Bears have slowly added receiving options around second-year passer Justin Fields, including veterans Byron Pringle, Tajae Sharp and Dante Pettis. They also drafted Velus Jones Jr. in the third round, who could be a dynamic playmaker for Chicago in the passing game.
Hoosiers who provided their banking information on their 2021 tax return by the deadline should have already received their money.
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2022-07-12T21:42:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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New England Patriots trade N’Keal Harry to the Chicago Bears
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https://sports.yahoo.com/england-patriots-trade-n-keal-210447264.html?src=rss
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JaMarcus Russell knows his career didn't turn out the way he or anyone else wanted it to. The former No. 1 overall pick by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2007 lasted just three seasons in the NFL before he was released in 2010 and never played another NFL snap.
But he also believes he was never truly given a chance to succeed on the Raiders and that helped fuel his status as one of the worst draft picks of all time.
Russell talked about what went wrong on The Pivot Podcast with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder this week:
“I wasn’t doing crazy [expletive]," Russell said. "I was trying to chill, relax ... and trying to win some football games. Unfortunately, I wasn’t winning. But I was dealt a [expletive] hand. I'm at practice, bro, and these folks couldn’t catch a reverse, bro. Six plays straight, but you want to go downfield and catch a 90-yard pass."
"No, I didn't feel that [the Raiders wanted me] at all. Going into that building was like, 'What's going to happen today?' I was getting fined for crazy [expletive]. ... They was trying to find ways to get paper back, I thought. Then they said I owed them money. Why would I owe them money? I signed a contract."
Russell felt constantly undermined by the Raiders
Russell mentioned his dislike of the Raiders' 2009 coaching staff, specifically head coach Tom Cable who took over for Lane Kiffin midway through Russell's second season in Oakland. Russell's disdain for Cable is well-documented and Russell didn't shy away from doubling down on his old coach. He talked about how the Raiders brought in two quarterbacks (Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye) with connections to the new staff who were waiting in the wings to start over Russell, which they both eventually did that season.
"He was already jiving me from the get-go. That's how I feel," Russell said. "... I don't know what's going on in this building. I don't know who's with me and who's against me. That [expletive] was lonely, bro."
When asked about the infamous DVD story (where the Raiders reportedly gave Russell a blank game tape to see if he actually watched the film), Russell didn't confirm or deny the story but admitted he might not watch the film but still say he was ready to play. What frustrated Russell more than anything was the tactic used to undermine him.
"Why would you play a [expletive] game with my life. Why would you [expletive] me over? You're supposed to be teaching me so we can get better, man. I never got that. LSU wouldn't have done no [expletive] like that."
This past June, Russell wrote at length about his time in Oakland for The Players' Tribune, too. He mentioned the hardships of losing family members and his dependence on codeine during his childhood in Mobile, Alabama. But in his conversations with Clark, Taylor and Crowder, Russell seemed at peace with where his life ended up.
"Everything that went wrong, if I could have done better ... I take fault in that. Let's get this straight: I ain't asking for no pity from nobody under no circumstances. What happened, happened. Let's move on. Football don't last forever. It gave me a great start on life. I ain't mad at nothing or nobody."
And if you want to call Russell a bust, the one-time NFL quarterback asks that you include a qualifier in front of the word.
"If you’re going to call me a ‘bust’, put ‘biggest’ on that [expletive] then," Russell said. "That does not bother me. That is not in my world. It doesn’t apply to anything I have going on."
JaMarcus Russell lasted just three years in the NFL after going No. 1 in 2007. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
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2022-07-12T21:43:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL: JaMarcus Russell said he was 'dealt a [expletive] hand' by Raiders
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We’re just two days away from the start of NHL free agency and the rumors are flying at a fast and furious pace.
There’s no need for further preamble, here’s what you need to know from the latest news cycle:
Jake Allen’s market is beginning to heat up
Goalies are far and away the most difficult position to evaluate and are certainly the most essential component to a deep playoff run, which must be music to Jake Allen and his agent’s ears. The 31-year-old is generating interest from the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals among other clubs, according to Sportsnet betting analyst Nick Alberga.
Hearing Washington, Toronto & Edmonton, among others, have checked in on #GoHabsGo G Jake Allen.
Montreal likes him a lot, so unsurprisingly, the price tag is high.
Allen is coming off a self-described season from hell, ended prematurely by a groin injury. He posted a 3.30 goals-against average with a .905 save percentage to go along with a 9-20-4 record in 35 appearances last season, as the Canadiens plummeted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings one year removed from an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final.
A veteran of 353 NHL games with a Stanley Cup ring in tow, Allen provides the necessary experience that would give several teams some comfort — at least on paper — in goal. However, Allen is coming off a season where he struggled as Montreal’s de facto starter, and teams have to be sure his groin injury won’t flare up again. This isn’t meant to be an indictment of Allen, but teams badly need NHL-caliber goaltenders, and it appears he will have his choice of suitors.
John Gibson wants to return to Ducks, no interest in Maple Leafs
Allen isn’t the only goaltender drawing interest. John Gibson, considered by some to be one of the most sought-after netminders on the trade market, has every intention of returning to the Anaheim Ducks. The Maple Leafs are transparently in need of a starting-caliber goalie next year and feature a roster in contention for a Stanley Cup, but Gibson wants no part of joining the Buds, his agent told Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos.
Gibson has faced a truly alarming volume of shots throughout his career and his workload may be catching up to him, as the 28-year-old has posted three consecutive seasons with a sub-.905 save percentage. The three-time All-Star is still on the books through 2026-27 for $6.4 million each season, with a 10-team modified no-trade clause, thereby invalidating any potential interest from the Maple Leafs.
The argument is Gibson would be better supported on a team that would protect him from the barrage of shots he faced with the Ducks. Perhaps the comfort of playing for one team throughout your career trumps all.
John Gibson is reportedly not interested in a trade to the Maple Leafs. (NHL photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Puljujarvi isn’t drawing interest, much to Oilers’ chagrin
In theory, Jesse Puljujarvi is the type of player many teams would covet: he’s 24 years old, he’s a former top-five draft pick who is finally rounding into form as a productive NHL player and could be used in top-nine scenarios. Puljujarvi was extended a qualifying offer from the Oilers on Sunday worth $1.175M but it appears both parties want to move on.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Oilers are growing frustrated that Puljujarvi isn’t generating interest from other teams in trade talks.
“I know Edmonton is frustrated by how little interest there is in Jesse Puljujarvi," Dreger said. "You know, they’ve got three or four teams that I would describe as ‘nibbling’. And I think that Edmonton is a bit worried that they’re potentially going to take it between the eyes, that this trade is going to go down and they’re going to sell low, and the market isn’t going to be happy."
It’s definitely worth a laugh if you’re a neutral observer, at least at the notion that the Oilers are paranoid about Puljujarvi developing into a star, while having little interest in retaining him long-term. Pulujarvi posted 14 goals and 38 points last season, with three points in 16 playoff games.
Oilers general manager Ken Holland openly fuelled speculation about Puljujarvi’s future with the club during his year-end press conference.
"The second half of the year, it was a real struggle. ... I think (Puljujarvi) lost his confidence," Holland said on June 8. "Then when he lost his confidence, he obviously was in the top six, and then he worked his way down to the bottom six. ... I've gotta sort out Jesse."
Evander Kane granted permission to speak to other clubs.
Evander Kane’s free agency has effectively begun.
Kane, who faced several domestic violence allegations levied by his ex-wife, Anna, was signed by the Oilers in January to a one-year deal. Edmonton believed his on-ice play outweighed the severity of the allegations levied, and that has to be disclosed first and foremost in any story surrounding the 30-year-old forward.
“We were granted permission to speak with other clubs. While we are still hopeful to have a deal in place with Edmonton, we are starting the interview process with other clubs,” Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Kane was a productive forward for the Oilers during their playoff run, but that is perhaps immaterial to why he hasn’t been signed, as he’s been known to be a destructive teammate as well. He can provide an immediate boost to a top-six forward corps, but there’s good reason as to why teams aren’t rushing to sign him.
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2022-07-12T21:43:53Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NHL rumor roundup: Gibson has 'no interest' in playing for Leafs
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J.D. Martinez added to MLB All-Star Game roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
J.D. Martinez will join teammates Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers at the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.
The Red Sox designated hitter was selected to the American League All-Star roster as an injury replacement, MLB announced on Tuesday. He'll replace Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, who recently was placed on the injury list with a hand issue.
Also heading to Los Angeles for the Midsummer Classic are San Francisco Giants ace Carlos Rodon and Miami Marlins first baseman Garrett Cooper, who will replace Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper and Milwaukee Brewers reliever Josh Hader.
This marks the fifth All-Star nod of Martinez's career. The 34-year-old also was named an All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 2015 and three times with Boston in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Martinez has slashed .313/.380/.500 with nine homers and 38 RBI through 76 games played this season. He currently has an AL-leading 29 doubles.
The 2022 MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium is scheduled for Tuesday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Miles Mikolas pitched effectively into the eighth inning and Albert Pujols passed Stan Musial on the career extra-base hits list as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1.
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2022-07-12T21:44:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez added to 2022 MLB All-Star Game roster
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In the past 10 years, the NBA’s salary cap – the amount of money a team can pay players on its roster not including certain exceptions – has more than doubled with annual average cap increases of 8.2%.
As the league generates more revenue and the salary cap rises, especially with a new TV deal on the horizon, by the end of this decade or in the early 2030s, a player – perhaps Memphis’ Ja Morant, New Orleans’ Zion Williamson, Dallas’ Luka Doncic or Atlanta’s Trae Young – will be paid $70 million for a season.
The league has just about doubled the salary cap every decade, starting in 1990 to 2000, and the salary cap could be nearly $200 million in 2029-30 or 2030-31 if those 8% year over year cap increases continue. A player receiving a max 35% of the cap at a $200 million salary cap will start at $70 million for a season.
It’s a long way from the $14.5 million LeBron James made in his first season with the Miami Heat in 2010.
Before anyone starts complaining about out of control salaries, what players are paid is negotiated between the league and the National Basketball Players Association (union) with both sides sharing a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. The players are making that because the league is generating that much revenue.
BROOKLYN BIND: How Rudy Gobert trade puts the squeeze on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Brooklyn Nets | Opinion
WINNERS, LOSERS: NBA free agency early winners and losers: Warriors (losers), T'Wolves (winners), Lakers (who knows)
Damian Lillard, who will earn $63.2 million for the 2026-27 season, was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Here’s a look at some of the massive contracts signed or agreed to this offseason:
With Lillard’s two-year, $121.77 million extension through 2026-27, he is due to earn $258.69 million in the next five seasons with $63.2 million coming in the final season.
The final three seasons of Beal’s deal will each be more than $50 million per season, including $57.1 million in 2026-27.
When the Denver Nuggets' two-time MVP's extension kicks in starting in 2023-24, it will surpass Beal’s deal. Jokic’s five-year extension is worth $269.9 million and over the next six seasons, he will make $301.4 million.
Chicago’s Zach LaVine, Doncic and Young all have similar deals that will pay them $215.15 million over the next five seasons.
Morant, Williamson and Cleveland’s Darius Garland agreed to designated max rookie extensions worth at least $193 million and by making one of the All-NBA teams in 2022-23, that amount will grow to $231 million.
After earning All-NBA first team honors this past season, Suns guard Devin Booker became eligible for a max contract extension.
Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Phoenix’s Devin Booker agreed to four-year, $224 million extensions that start at $50 million in 2024-25.
The deals don’t have to be in the $200 million range to be impressive.
Jalen Brunson will join New York on a four-year, $104 million deal, and Mitchell Robinson re-signed with Knicks on a four-year, $80 million deal.
Portland’s Anfernee Simons re-signed for four years, $100 million, and teammate Jusuf Nurkic received a four-year, $70 million deal.
Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort came to terms on a four-year, $87 million deal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA salaries: Players could soon be heading toward $70M per year
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2022-07-12T21:44:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Taking a look at lucrative NBA offseason deals. Are we heading for a $70 million-a-year NBA player?
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https://sports.yahoo.com/taking-look-lucrative-nba-offseason-194154983.html?src=rss
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Corey Abbott
Welcome to What Went Wrong where we’ll look at each team that failed to make the playoffs. We’ll also end each article by highlighting some players of particular interest on the squad. Those are players who either left something to be desired during the 2021-22 campaign, have significant untapped upside, or have some big underlining questions surrounding them going into the offseason.
We’ve already covered the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks. Today we finish off the series with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Vegas Golden Knights failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history after posting a 43-31-8 record, Vegas finished three points behind Nashville for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Vegas stared out with a mark of 22-12-0, which was the fourth-best record in the league, but slipped to 21-19-8 once the calendar changed to 2022. The Golden Knights sat 22nd in goals for per game played (2.96) during that span despite ranking sixth in shots for per game played (35.1).
The offensive difficulties extended to the power play. The Golden Knights ranked 25th in the league on the man advantage and placed 26th with 39 power-play goals. It is probably worth mentioning that Vegas was 22nd on the man advantage during the 2020-21 campaign. During the 2021 postseason, Vegas finished in the basement with a success rate of 9.3% by way of four goals on 43 opportunities.
There were several key players missing from the lineup for the Golden Knights during the 2021-22 season. They missed big chunks of the year and it doesn’t come as a surprise that Vegas’ offensive struggles, especially when it came to finishing plays, were evident during the club's second-half downfall. Max Pacioretty was limited to just 39 games, while Mark Stone played in 37 matches. Those are two chasm-sized holes on the top line that would be difficult for any team to overcome. Pacioretty and Stone were the top-two scorers on the team in each of the previous two years. Reilly Smith, who provides secondary scoring, suited up in 56 contests, while blueliner Alec Martinez only played in 26 games and number one netminder Robin Lehner made 44 appearances. Additionally, Jack Eichel dressed in 34 games after he recovered from disk replacement surgery.
Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out NBC Sports EDGE's Player News, and follow @NBCSEdgeHK and @CoreAbbott on Twitter.
It typically feels like a cop out to blame injuries, but it certainly played a significant factor and the long list of Golden Knights on the sidelines brought on issues with the salary cap. Vegas has played it fairly fast and loose with the cap since coming into the league, while frequently going after high-profile players via trade and free agency. The team has been largely successful, while maintaining a win-now mindset, but it was bound to catch up to them eventually. Vegas may have to get creative this offseason in order to be cap compliant and getting some space for some additional flexibility should be an essential part of the game plan to avoid the problems that arose in 2021-22. Vegas was finally able to move Evgenii Dadonov with a trade to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Shea Weber’s contract. Weber isn’t expected to play again due to injuries. A deal that sent Dadonov to Anaheim prior to the trade deadline was invalidated by the NHL because the forward’s limited no-trade clause was not complied with by the Golden Knights. It was an embarrassing turn of events for the organization. The trade for Weber, who will end up on LTIR, is a start, but more moves will need to be made over the course of the offseason.
The penalty kill experienced a far more dramatic drop off than the power play after going from first overall in 2020-21 to 21st in the NHL this past season. Only 12 teams gave up fewer power-play goals against than Vegas, but the Golden Knights were shorthanded a league-low 208 times.
The organization decided to move on from head coach Peter DeBoer in the offseason and Vegas was able to scoop up former Boston Bruins bench boss Bruce Cassidy after he was surprisingly let go. DeBoer managed to land on his feet as well with a head coaching job for the Dallas Stars. Cassidy is expected to improve the special teams play of the Golden Knights. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon said that was a major point of emphasis behind the decision to hire Cassidy.
Vegas emerged on the NHL scene in 2017-18 and flourished in their inaugural year en route to a playoff run that ended in the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights lost in first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2019 before bowing out at the Conference Final in 2020 and losing in the Semifinal round in 2021. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Vegas was back in the playoff picture next season. The team still has all the pieces in place to be a top contender and the Pacific Division isn’t particularly imposing. The Golden Knights were just five points behind Los Angeles for the third spot despite their inconsistencies. With a new, and motivated coach, as well as the return to health of several key players, Vegas stands a great chance of avoiding the dubious distinction of being featured in the What Went Wrong series again next year.
Robin Lehner - Lehner was in and out of the lineup in 2021-22 due to injury. He posted a 23-17-2 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. Obviously, those aren’t the type of numbers you want to see from your starting goaltender, especially after Vegas traded away 2021 Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury and Lehner combined to win the the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals scored against. His backup to start the 2021-22 campaign was Laurent Brossoit, who dealt with his own injury problems, and then Logan Thompson became the team’s favored option between the pipes. It came during a strange time when reports swirled that Lehner would need season-ending surgery. DeBoer denied them and the Vegas goalie was on the bench for the team’s next game before it was announced a day later that Lehner would have a season-ending procedure on his shoulder. The situation was a complete mess, especially since reports of his injuries, which included a knee issue, began in February and he wasn’t shut down until late in the year. Assuming the relationship between the two sides hasn’t been damaged too much and he recovers from his ailments, Lehner has plenty of bounce-back appeal in 2022-23.
Jack Eichel - Eichel made his Vegas debut on Feb. 16 after he was acquired from Buffalo and recovered from his neck procedure. He accounted for 14 goals and 25 points in 34 appearances. Eichel was also credited with 133 shots, 35 blocks and 45 hits. Eichel was acquired to center the top line between Stone and Pacioretty, but because of their injuries his most frequent linemates were Dadonov and Chandler Stephenson. It’s reasonable to expect more from Eichel in 2022-23 and he should improve with Stone and/or Pacioretty as his wingers. Cassidy’s arrival could also give the power play a much-needed boost and having a full training camp under his belt will also be beneficial for the talented forward.
Mark Stone - Stone attempted to play through a back issue for most of the 2021-22 season. He had been bothered by the problem since the end of last year’s postseason. Stone suited up in 37 games and compiled 30 points, including 21 assists. His absence probably hurt Vegas the most because of his superb play at both ends of the ice. The Golden Knights went 12-13-1 without him during a 26-game span from early February to early April. Stone underwent a lumbar discectomy in mid-May and he is projected to be ready for training camp. If he is healthy then he has plenty of rebound upside.
Max Pacioretty - Pacioretty was limited to 39 games during the 2021-22 season due to injuries. When he was in the lineup, he accounted for 19 goals and 18 assists. Pacioretty led the Golden Knights in points per game (0.95) and tied for the fourth-most power-play points (12) on the team despite missing more than half of the year. He piled up seven points, including three goals and 27 shots, in the final six games of the season. Pacioretty’s health will be a question mark going into 2022-23, but he is worth the risk because of his scoring ability and his knack for racking up shots on target.
Vince Mercogliano talks Rangers Development Camp and start of NHL Free Agency | Rangers News
USA Today's Vince Mercogliano reports from Rangers Development Camp where the team's top prospects are on hand for a week of instruction and scrimmaging. Vince also touched on a busy week for Rangers GM Chris Drury regarding NHL Free Agency, with unrestricted centers Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp set to hit the market on Wednesday.
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2022-07-12T21:44:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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What Went Wrong: Vegas Golden Knights
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DiVincenzo looks to be Warriors' latest health success story originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
LAS VEGAS -- When Donte DiVincenzo spoke over the phone with Steph Curry and Draymond Green before agreeing to a two-year contract with the Warriors in free agency, the emphasis was on culture and environment. But his conversation with Curry contained a different element.
If anyone knows what it's like to bounce back from an ankle injury, or in Curry's case multiple ankle injuries, it's the Warriors superstar. DiVincenzo believes being a part of the Warriors is the best place for him to do exactly that.
During the 2020-21 season, the former first-round pick out of Villanova was enjoying his breakout season in Year 3 as the Milwaukee Bucks' starting shooting guard. In 66 regular-season games, all starts, DiVincenzo put up multiple career highs, including points (10.4), rebounds (5.8), assists (3.1) and 3-point percentage (37.9 percent) while playing strong perimeter defense. In the first two games of the playoffs, he totaled 17 rebounds, eight assists and three steals but then was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left ankle that he sustained in the second quarter against the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Bucks' first-round series.
After undergoing offseason surgery, DiVincenzo simply wasn't the same player upon his return at the start of last season. He missed the first 30 games of the season and tweaked his ankle during warmups after playing only three games. The stats didn't do him any favors either. He knows it, but also knows the player he is and what he can provide to a championship team.
"That's something that Steph and I talked about, just the injury thing," DiVincenzo said Saturday. "He's like, 'We know you can play. You know you can play. You just have to show everybody for a year that you can play.'
"Coming off the injury, it's not hidden -- I got off to a slow start. Percentages weren't there, everything wasn't there. I was still trying to get traction and everything. Then getting traded, it just weighs on you.
"Now I have a full complete offseason to start developing more and get acclimated to this system. I think once I get acclimated to the system and everything that they do, everything will take off from there."
More than anything, he felt like he ran out of time in Sacramento and was hitting his stride as the Kings' season was coming to an end.
DiVincenzo's surgery now is 15 months behind him. He says he feels great, is moving like he never even had surgery and already is working with the Warriors' training staff.
"You can't do anything on the court unless you're healthy," DiVincenzo said. "That's a huge focus for me. I've already been out there with the performance staff trying to get acclimated with them to just take my body and take everything to the next level."
The Warriors have a long history of finding success with previously injured players. That's true for new names to the organization and those who have been in the building for years.
Now healthy, DiVincenzo also can join a long line of players whose careers have taken a turn for the best after becoming a Warrior. He talked with former Warrior Eric Paschall about that, as well as Jordan Poole. Just look at this past season's squad, and it's clear how the 25-year-old DiVincenzo, who has a player option for the second year of his contract, can set himself up for the future.
Everything is lined up in DiVincenzo's favor to be a strong role player, one who will be needed for the Warriors to try and repeat. He has spoken with coach Steve Kerr and said he's ready to do whatever's asked of him, on either side of the ball. DiVincenzo believes he's another perfect piece to the puzzle, and so do all the right voices within the Warriors.
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2022-07-12T21:45:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Donte DiVincenzo looks to be Warriors' latest health success story
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https://sports.yahoo.com/donte-divincenzo-looks-warriors-latest-183021496.html?src=rss
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Jeff Cain
YouTube creator turned professional boxer Jake Paul is scheduled to face Hasim Rahman Jr. on August 6 at Madison Square Garden, but it won't be the first time he's been in the ring with him.
Before Paul's second professional boxing match against former NBA player Nate Robinson in November 2020, he had a sparring session with Rahman Jr. At the end of the session, the two engaged in a heated exchange.
Paul recently posted a video of a clearly upset Rahman following their sparring to his Instagram account. In the post, Paul said that he's been waiting to cross paths with Rahman again.
On Monday, Paul admitted that Rahman got the better of him in the ring that day, but believes that his improvements over the past two years will be more than enough to deal with Rahman now.
"It was intense. I'm not going to lie. I think over the past two years we'll see who became the better fighter," Paul said during an appearance on The MMA Hour. "I've been waiting for this moment to come back and get revenge on him."
"It was close. It was a war. That was right when I started fighting. That was before the Nate Robinson fight. He was way more experienced than I was at the time. If anything, yeah, he got the better of me. It doesn't matter to admit that because I know what I'm capable of now, and I know I'm going to be able to come in and beat him two years later because I guarantee that I've worked harder over the past two years than he has," Paul said.
Charlie Munger says buying crypto is investing in nothing - and he avoids it like a dirty sewer
Warren Buffett's business partner slammed crypto sellers as "delusional or evil," and warned against buying or trading the digital coins.
At this time last year, Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II was preparing for his first NFL training camp. Newsome got a lot of advice from older teammates once he got to camp and that helped him move directly into a starting role during his rookie season. Newsome missed some time with injuries, but finished the [more]
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2022-07-12T21:46:01Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jake Paul admits Hasim Rahman Jr. got the better of him in lone sparring session
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The 2021 edition of the Miami Dolphins got one of the worst offensive line performances among all of the teams in the NFL.
Between inexperienced coaches and poor effort, the line wasn’t able to protect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or get any push for the team’s running game. As a result, the offense struggled to string drives together, keeping them from a postseason birth for the fifth straight season.
With the Dolphins ready to hit the field for training camp near the end of the month, it’s as good of a time as any to assess the roster. We’ve touched on quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, so, today, we’re focusing on the big men up front.
Armstead received a massive contract this offseason to help solidify Miami’s offensive line. In his career, he’s been an outstanding leader and provided the New Orleans Saints with great performances whenever he was on the field.
Heading into 2022, in a new location, and coming off of another injury, Armstead still has something to prove. However, he knows what he needs to do and what he needs to see from the other guys around him if they want to achieve anything this year.
Eichenberg struggled mightily in 2021. He finished the year with a 50.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, good for No. 83 out of 84 qualified tackles. Part of the problem may have been that he was asked to move around a lot, playing multiple positions on the line by year’s end.
This year, Eichenberg is rumored to be placed next to Armstead at left guard. There are a ton of questions surrounding his play entering this season, with his fit into this new blocking scheme being chief among them.
The Dolphins gave Dallas Cowboys left guard Connor Williams a decent chunk of change to come to Miami, and in one of the more surprising moves of the offseason, they seem to have moved him to center.
Williams has yet to play the position in a regular season game, but he has a skill set that should allow him to transition successfully. If he can make that move seamlessly, as well as eliminate the penalties, he will be another veteran next to Eichenberg to help guide him.
Hunt is the only returning member of the starting offensive line that the Dolphins appear to have enough faith in to leave him alone. Last season, he provided some solid reps in both pass and run-blocking, and his athleticism and strength should help him with adjusting to the new scheme.
Jackson, like most of the line, was also poor last season, as he got opportunities at both left tackle and left guard. In 2022, the Dolphins are rumored to be flipping him to the right side to play tackle and protect Tagovailoa’s backside.
This may be the biggest gamble of the offseason. If it works, the coaching staff and front office could look like geniuses, but if it doesn’t, they will have a lot of questions.
Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
With Williams moving to center, Deiter is out of a spot at this point. Having him as a backup is a luxury, as he was a decent starter, but he missed time last year with an injury. He has positional versatility to play guard and center, so he could provide some much-needed depth for the interior.
Jones made the roster in 2021 as an undrafted free agent and got an opportunity to start over Jesse Davis in the final week of the season before going out with an injury.
It would make sense to see Jones stick around again this year with the flexibility to play guard and tackle.
Coleman was selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft and was placed on injured reserve before the start of the season. With a new coaching staff, he has a fresh slate to earn a spot on the active roster or practice squad.
At 24 years old, Little hasn’t exactly lived up to his second-round draft status in 2019. Just two years after the Carolina Panthers took him 37th overall they shipped him to Miami for a seventh-round pick.
If he wasn’t good enough to get an opportunity to start last season, it seems unlikely that he’ll be around on the active roster.
Pankey has been with Miami since late 2019. In 2021, he spent nearly the entire season on the practice squad, elevating one time to the active roster as a COVID-19 replacement. After two full years with the Dolphins, it doesn’t seem like he’s progressed to pushing for a roster spot, so he’ll have to fight hard for the practice squad.
Smith was also undrafted last season, originally signing with Atlanta. He joined Miami’s practice squad right around Week 1 and made it through the full season. With an actual offseason under his belt in Miami, there’s a chance that he shows he’s deserving a depth spot.
Blaise Andries
Andries was undrafted this year after a collegiate career at Minnesota where he played multiple spots along the line. He has the size of a prototypical lineman (6-foot-6, 308 lbs), but he left a lot to be desired in terms of strength and athleticism. He may be able to catch on with the practice squad.
Banwart was signed this offseason after UDFA center Ty Clary failed his physical and left a spot open in the middle of the line. He jumped around between Tennessee, Minnesota and the New York Giants in 2021, but with the depth that Miami has at his position, he would need an injury or trade to make the team.
Diesch was one of the undrafted prospects that got some attention this offseason. After a collegiate career at Arizona State, he was expected to be a mid-round pick. We actually projected him as a fit for Miami in the sixth round.
Draft analysts had him pinned as a good fit for zone blocking, so the Dolphins may be interested in keeping him around. It would probably take some impressive tape to see Diesch make the roster, but with some NFL strength and conditioning, he could be a decent piece in the future.
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2022-07-12T22:30:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 Dolphins positional preview: The offensive line is improved, but there are still questions
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Per Rapoport, Chicago sent a 2024 seventh-round selection to New England in terms of compensation.
After all, the Patriots now have a strong receiving group and Harry hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing. In three seasons with New England, Harry has totaled 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns. But perhaps a change of scenery is what Harry needs.
Harry joins a wide receiver group that’s rather unproven behind Darnell Mooney, who’s the team’s top wideout heading into the 2022 season. The Bears added plenty of new names to the roster, including notably veterans Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown in free agency and rookie Velus Jones Jr. in the NFL draft.
Shane Bieber goes the distance in seven-K performance
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2022-07-12T22:30:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bears trade for Patriots WR N’Keal Harry
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It’s going to be a bit of a balancing act, but Buffalo Bills pass rusher Von Miller is going to try and do it anyway.
Miller signed a big contract in Buffalo this offseason. He finished up the end of the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams and a Super Bowl victory, but prior to that since 2011 he was with the Denver Broncos.
That’s a long time, and Miller said at a charity event in Denver that he’s still going to pull for his former club.
“This team is going to be great,” Miller said via the Denver Post. “It’s bittersweet that I won’t be here to be a part of it, because I’ve still got orange and blue in my heart and it will stay that way forever.”
It was also noted how Miller continued to refer to the Broncos as “we” when discussing the team, solidifying his true feelings.
“We’ve been close in the AFC West for a very long time, and now we’ve got Russell Wilson, Jerry Jeudy’s going to be insane this year, Courtland Sutton’s going to be insane this year. I want those guys to win as many games as possible,” he added.
The awkwardness in the situation comes from the fact that both the Bills and Broncos are AFC teams, even if their divisions are different. But if Buffalo does take home another AFC East title, their playoff spot will be locked up in 2022 regardless of what happens in Denver.
Not to mention, Miller revealed just last week that the Broncos did not offer him a contract this offseason. So he never really had a chance to go back there this summer, anyway.
And the Bills have been nothing but impressed with Miller so far.
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said it was “great” to see Miller attend the team’s voluntary spring workouts. He did not have to do that, especially with his Hall of Fame resume.
No harm, no foul–but if/when the Bills do face the Broncos again while Miller is on the team, we’ll have some excellent headlines heading into that one.
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2022-07-12T22:30:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Bills’ Von Miller will still root for the Broncos from afar
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A split between the New England Patriots and wide receiver N’Keal Harry seemed to be inevitable after the former first-round pick failed to catch on in three seasons. And ahead of training camp, the Patriots have finally found a suitor for the wideout.
According to NFL Network, the Patriots traded Harry to the Bears for a seventh-round pick in 2024. Essentially, it’s the lowest return the Patriots could have gotten for Harry. His chances of making the 53-man roster were slim anyway, so Bill Belichick is probably happy to get anything in exchange for him at this point in the offseason.
In three years, Harry caught 57 passes for 598 yards and scored just four touchdowns – two each in 2019 and 2020. He only started 18 games and never had a catch rate above 58% in a single season.
His best game came in 2020 when he caught eight passes for 72 yards, but he never topped that yardage total and that was his only game with at least six catches.
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2022-07-12T22:31:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Patriots trade WR N’Keal Harry to Bears for 7th-round pick
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Trevor Lawrence during the Gatorade Beat the Heat campaign, Monday, July 11, 2022 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Photo credit: Gatorade]
Before the Jacksonville Jaguars even drafted him, it was clear that Trevor Lawrence wanted to do his part to help the community. Just last year prior to the NFL Draft, Lawrence and his wife, Marissa, donated $20,000 to various charities around Jacksonville after fans raised more than $30,000 in Lawrence’s name in charitable giving. With his first year as an NFL quarterback in the books, Lawrence has partnered with one of his sponsors, Gatorade, for more community outreach.
With the Jags on their pre-camp break, the Jaguars Wire sat down with Lawrence for a Q&A session to learn more about his partnership with Gatorade, his latest community work with the T.R.U.E. Youth organization of Jacksonville and how he’s feeling heading into the 2022 regular season after an offseason full of changes.
Read on to hear what the second-year quarterback had to say.
Lawrence on the Gatorade Fuel tomorrow program
Jaguars Wire: So first off, congratulations on your collaboration with Gatorade for the Fuel Tomorrow Gx bottle Collection. Can you tell us a little about the work you’re doing with Gatorade and the Beat the Heat program?
Trevor Lawrence: Yeah, the Beat the Heat program is just about really trying to encourage and remind everyone to stay hydrated, especially in the summer in Florida. It gets hot here, and obviously, that’s important.
Today, we’re out here as part of the Fuel Tomorrow campaign. Myself, alongside Gatorade, partnered to make a donation to the T.R.U.E. Youth organization here in Jacksonville. It’s a youth sports organization. We were able to make a donation to pay for equipment and participation fees for the next two years. So as many kids as possible can come out and have access to sports, and they don’t have to worry about getting equipment, paying fees, whatever it is to go play. They have a place they can go that’s taken care of.
That collaboration with Gatorade was just to be able to give back to the community here locally in Jacksonville. And it was a lot of fun being out there with the kids today. We got to throw the ball around and have fun.
This was [something] we’ve been planning for a while. We were able to come out today and do this with T.R.U.E. Youth. But moving forward, Gatorade is a company that’s passionate about giving back to the community, similar to me and my wife…To be able to do this right before camp and right before everything gets busy [was a great way] to kind of end the offseason and then just dial in on the season. And Gatorade has been a great partner.
Lawrence on what he was able to achieve in OTAs with Doug Pederson
Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson gives instructions during the Jacksonville Jaguars Organized Team Activity session at TIAA Bank Field Monday, May 23, 2022. [Florida Times-Union]
JW: You guys wrapped up organized team activities last month and you got your first bit of work in with your new coach Doug Pederson, who said he wanted to start “from the ground up” with you on the “Rich Eisen Show.” Can you talk about how that process was with Coach Pederson and whether you feel like you achieved what you needed in that phase of the offseason?
TL: I think with any new staff, when they come in, you have to start from the ground up. That’s what we did. They started with the basics, you know, kind of the general info from Day 1, and then build it every day as we go on. That started the installment of the offense, and we added more and more each day. So we started it slow and were able to build up through the whole offseason program.
When we finished in June, really we were in a good spot to where we had pretty much everything in. We felt like we were moving and we were crisp and we stayed healthy, for the most part, so that was big.
Now going into camp, we’re just trying to pick back up where we left off. Personally, I think I got a lot better this offseason working on my mechanics. Along with that, [we worked on] my footwork and just how I process defenses. I think our new defensive coordinator [Mike Caldwell] has been awesome, he’s shown us a lot of different looks. Our defense looks great.
So everything is coming together, but it takes time. I think we’ve approached it the right way. With Coach Pederson, I think he had a really good plan going into the offseason of what he wanted to accomplish and what he wanted us to do in that short time period. I think he did a great job and I think we’re in a great spot going into camp. So I think we did everything that we wanted to do in OTAs.
Lawrence on the Jags' offensive assistant coaches
Jan 1, 2017; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers head coach Mike McCoy looks on during the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
JW: We just talked about Coach Pederson a little and have heard about how you two worked together, but now I want to talk about the Jags’ under-the-radar hiring of Quarterbacks Coach Mike McCoy, who worked with Phillip Rivers for many years. Could you talk about your relationship with him, as well as with your passing-game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter?
TL: I think when you look at our staff, we got Coach Peterson, Coach McCoy, Coach Press Taylor [the offensive coordinator], and Coach Cooter. All of those guys offer so much experience. When you look at it, all of them have been coordinators at some point, and a couple of them have been head coaches, and just being able to pull from all those different guys and just soak everything up…I think that’s been huge for me.
Lawrence on building chemistry with the receivers group
Jaguars WR (10) Laviska Shenault Jr. pulls in a pass during drills at Tuesday’s minicamp session. The Jacksonville Jaguars held their Tuesday morning session of the team’s mandatory minicamp at the practice fields outside TIAA Bank Field, June 15, 2021. [Florida Times-Union]
JW: We recently saw that Laviska Shenault Jr. worked out with you at the University of North Florida. Could you talk about your workout routine during your pre-camp break in terms of linking up with any of the other receivers? In free-agency, you guys added Christian Kirk and Zay Jones — I’m curious about whether you’ve set up anything with them this offseason?
TL: That’s a good question. Really, in my workout schedule, I took probably about a week off when we finished OTAs and then got right back into working out and throwing shortly after that. So I’ve really been just trying to get my body right for the season.
I was able to put on a little bit of weight, which is something I wanted to do, and get stronger. I feel great throwing the ball. I think this is the best I’ve thrown in a while. So I feel really confident from that standpoint.
I’ve been able to work with Laviska. We’re both pretty much in Jacksonville full-time, so he’s been a guy that’s been around and we’ve got in some work. Jamal Agnew came out for the last workout, too. He’s back healthy, so it’s been nice to see him running around. Then with the other guys, we’re actually set up to all meet for a couple of days this coming week. We’re going to get together and work out and just kind of hang out for a couple of days and try to build that chemistry a little bit before camp starts.
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2022-07-12T22:31:55Z
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Trevor Lawrence discusses community work, OTAs, and more with Jags Wire
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The Chicago Bears have traded for wide receiver N’Keal Harry, sending a 2024 seventh-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange. It’s a low-risk, high-reward trade for first-year general manager Ryan Poles.
Harry, a former first-round pick by the Patriots in the 2019 NFL draft, hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing. Harry has totaled 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons with New England. But perhaps a fresh start is what he needs.
The Bears have been criticized for their unproven wide receiver room, especially with quarterback Justin Fields entering a pivotal second season. Darnell Mooney is the only proven wideout in the group. Now, Harry joins the group with a chance to carve out a role for himself in Luke Getsy’s offense.
Following the Harry trade, here’s a look at the Bears’ wide receiver depth:
Darnell Mooney is Chicago’s top wide receiver heading into 2022. Mooney is coming off his first 1,000-yard receiving season, where he cemented himself as a playmaker for the Bears. Things are looking up for Mooney entering Year 3, where he’ll look to build on his chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields and continue to grow as a downfield threat.
Byron Pringle projects to be a starting wideout for the Bears this season. Pringle was buried on the depth chart in Kansas City, and he has the chance to establish himself as a playmaker in Chicago. Poles knows what Pringle brings to the table from their time with the Chiefs, and Pringle is a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Bears.
Velus Jones Jr. is expected to play a significant role as a rookie. Jones isn’t the most polished receiver, but he’s an absolute speedster (just look at his 4.31 40-yard time). Not to mention, Jones is one of the best run-and-catch receivers in this year’s draft class. Jones is on the older side as a rookie (he’ll be 25 years old when the season starts), but he’s got the potential to develop into a playmaker in this offense.
N’Keal Harry joins the Bears with a chance for a fresh start following a disappointing three seasons with the Patriots. Harry is a former first-round pick who didn’t live up to his billing, totaling 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons with New England. But he’s a big-bodied receiver who has a chance to reinvent himself with the Bears.
Equanimeous St. Brown will serve as a solid depth option for the Bears, which is similar to his role with the Packers. He’s dealt with injuries, which found him slipping down the depth chart in favor of guys like Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. St. Brown worked with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in Green Bay, so he has a good understanding of Getsy’s scheme.
The Bears added a veteran wideout in Dante Pettis this offseason, where he figures to compete for one of those final receiver spots on the roster. Pettis, a former second-round pick by the 49ers in 2018, impressed during his rookie season. But he failed to catch on in San Francisco and was traded to the Giants. Perhaps a change of scenery is what Pettis needs.
The Bears added another veteran receiver in Tajae Sharpe, who will look to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. Sharpe, a former fifth-round pick by the Titans in 2016, saw significant action with Tennessee in his first four seasons, with the exception of the 2017 season when he landed on injured reserve. Last season, he saw action in 15 games with the Falcons, logging 25 catches for 230 yards and no touchdowns.
David Moore is another solid depth option at wide receiver. In his first three years with the Seahawks, Moore had 1,163 yards and 13 touchdowns. Moore, who appears to have impressed during his tryout at voluntary minicamp, will compete for the WR5/WR6 spot. Moore is also a solid special teams contributor, where he played exclusively during stints with the Broncos and Packers last season.
Dazz Newsome didn’t contribute much during his rookie season after spending most of the year on the practice squad. He’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot, where a full offseason should help him. But he projects to be a WR5 or WR6. But with the Bears in need of a punt returner, perhaps Newsome can carve himself a key special teams role.
Nsimba Webster was claimed off waivers last September, where he was a depth receiver and primary punt returner. He was waived on Oct. 5 and re-signed to the practice squad, where he spent the remainder of the season. Webster signed a reserve/future contract with the Bears earlier this offseason. He projects to be a depth piece on the practice squad.
The Bears claimed Chris Finke off waivers from the Chiefs following the NFL draft. Finke, a former undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, has yet to see action in the NFL after a five-year career at Notre Dame. He signed with Kansas City in May 2021, which is when GM Ryan Poles served as the Chiefs executive director of player personnel. Finke faces an uphill battle for a roster spot.
Isaiah Coulter spent most of the 2021 season on the practice squad. He appeared in just two games for the Bears last season in a depth role. Coulter signed a reserve/future deal earlier this offseason. He isn’t expected to land on the active roster but is a candidate for the practice squad.
Kevin Shaa signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent following a solid college career at Liberty. Shaa logged 82 catches for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years. While he’s not likely to earn a roster spot, he’s a prime candidate for the practice squad.
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2022-07-12T22:32:01Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Updated look at Bears wide receiver depth after N’Keal Harry trade
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Following the commitment of four-star quarterback Markus Stokes and four-star running back Treyaun Webb, Florida jumped five spots in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting rankings
Coming in at No. 17, the Gators are quietly building a solid recruiting class in Billy Napier’s first full cycle as Florida coach. The new head coach’s strategy of keeping talent inside the state seems to be working, with 10 of the Gators’ 12 commitments hailing from the Sunshine State.
Florida’s 2023 class is highlighted by Eugene Wilson III. The 5-foot-11-inch, 165-pound athlete is considered to be a top-30 player in the state of Florida according to 247Sports. The Gaither (Tampa, Florida) standout is the latest in a group of players to commit to the program, announcing his commitment on July 8.
The Gators will almost certainly continue to rise in the recruiting rankings. They are in the running to land Cormani McLain, a consensus top-five player in the country (No. 2, On3; No. 3, ESPN & 247Sports). After a visit to Gainesville in April, the Lakeland cornerback said his decision is down to Alabama and Florida.
McLain’s decision, along with Derrick LeBlanc’s, Will Norman’s and Daquayvious Sorey’s, among others, will go a long way towards showing players and fans alike that the future of Florida football is bright.
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2022-07-12T22:52:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Florida football jumps up in ESPN’s latest recruiting rankings
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Even though head coach Jimbo Fisher finally defeated the all-mighty Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2021, they are coming off of what is seen as a somewhat disappointing 8-4 season, and Texas A&M is hoping to rectify its issues on both sides of the ball, and take full advantage of their 2022 recruiting class, their most talented haul in school history.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), Texas A&M is favored in nine of their 12 matchups going into the 2022 season, with one of the tougher schedules in their first three games this season, coming against Sam Houston State, Appalachian State, and the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes, all played at Kyle Field.
The Football Power Index is ESPN’s flagship ratings and prediction scale, described as “designed to measure team strength and predict game and season outcomes.” Overall, it has been hailed for its accuracy over the years while using various data points and statistics to rank teams throughout the season, and predict weekly matchups based on each team’s starters’ skill level, past season performances, home-field success rate, and success rate on the road.
The expectations for the Aggies may be higher than ever due to the recruiting success in the past two seasons, paired with the returning players on both sides of the ball. However, the Quarterback situation, which will be heavily analyzed going all the way into the fall, may squarely determine just how successful Texas A&M will be this season, especially during the first 6 games.
Here is the Aggies game to game predictions according to ESPN’s FPI:
September 3rd: Sam Houston State at Texas A&M
Sam Houston’s Noah Smith, left, makes a catch as ACUs Triston Anderson defends. The play went for a 28-yard TD pass from Eric Schmid. It gave the Bearkats a 21-0 lead with 12:38 left in the second quarter.
Acu Shsu 2
ESPN’s FPI win percentage for Texas A&M: 98.4%
September 10th: Appalachian State at Texas A&M
Dec 18, 2021; Boca Raton, Florida, USA; Appalachian State Mountaineers quarterback Chase Brice (7) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the first half in the 2021 Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
September 17th: Miami Hurricanes at Texas A&M
Nov 20, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (9) attempts a pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
September 24th: Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Game at AT&T Statdium)
Jan 1, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks players hold the trophies after the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2022 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
October 1st: Texas A&M at Mississippi State
October 8th: Texas A&M at Alabama
Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher and Alabama coach Nick Saban chat at midfield before the Aggies-Tide game on Sept. 22, 2018, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
ESPN’s FPI win percentage for Texas A&M: 9.1%
October 22nd: Texas A&M at South Carolina
South Carolina tight end Jaheim Bell (0) celebrates with teammate Xavier Legette (17) after scoring against North Carolina during the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
October 29th: Ole Miss at Texas A&M
Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffen stands on the sideline during the first half against the Baylor Bears in the 2022 Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
November 5th: Florida at Texas A&M
November 12th: Texas A&M at Auburn
November 19th: UMass at Texas A&M
Bridgewater State University running back Adam Couch scores a touchdown during a game against UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.
November 26th: LSU at Texas A&M
Nov 27, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) runs the ball against Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Andre White Jr. (32) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s FPI win percentage for Texas A&M: 55.5 %
Running back Markese Stepp has entered his name in the transfer portal, a Nebraska spokesperson confirmed with Inside Nebraska. Stepp’s transfer puts Nebraska at 87 scholarship players. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Stepp, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, spent last season and this past spring at Nebraska following three years at USC.
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2022-07-12T22:52:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Game-by-game predictions for Texas A&M’s 2022 schedule via ESPN’s FPI
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https://sports.yahoo.com/game-game-predictions-texas-m-202652113.html?src=rss
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The CEO stopped by the latest episode of The Athletic’s “The TK Show,” where he told host Tim Kawakami the defending champions can be even better during the 2022-23 season -- all they have to do is stay healthy.
“A lot of it’s dependent on health,” Lacob said. “What people don’t often realize -- it’s funny how they forget -- this last year, we only had 11 minutes, I think it was, where our core group played together during the course of the year.
"But whether I was a player or now as a coach, you win that first one, there's a freedom that comes with it,” Kerr told reporters in late June. “There's an excitement, and that carries over into the second year."
“Klay certainly coming off the injury should be, in his second year out, more fully recovered,” Lacob told Kawakami. “I think that’s definitely a truth, and hopefully Draymond’s back -- it’s held up well during the playoffs, hopefully that continues to hold up well and he has a strong year.”
Ever the planner, it’s evident that Lacob has his sights set on another Finals appearance next season -- or, at the very least, a deep postseason run.
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2022-07-12T23:26:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Joe Lacob believes Warriors will be better in 2022-23 under one condition
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Tyler Reddick has entered the chat. Quite literally.
Moments after unexpectedly joining a Toyota Racing Development media teleconference, 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin announced Reddick as the newest addition to 23XI, where Reddick will compete in 2024.
RELATED: Silly Season’s key players | Cup Series standings
Reddick currently drives the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, which has reportedly picked up its 2023 option on the two-time Xfinity Series champion who just won his first Cup race on July 3 at Road America.
“Surprised?” asked Hamlin.
The deal links Reddick to a multiyear contract starting in 2024, 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta confirmed on the conference. Reddick remains with RCR through 2023.
Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was blunt in describing his pursuit of Reddick, who has already notched a career-high five top fives in 2022.
“I watched him, I raced against him. I wanted him and I got him,” Hamlin said. “And I didn’t know anything else that goes along with that. And honestly, there’s no hidden secrets here. We do not know who the sponsor will be. We do not know what car it is. All we know is we wanted him. And we made sure we planted our feet deep in the ground to make sure that Tyler had an opportunity with this race team and we made it happen.”
Reddick‘s 2023 return to RCR was important from his perspective, closing out what he started after joining the team‘s Xfinity program in 2018, winning a title and advancing to the Cup Series full-time starting in 2020.
But the 26-year-old is focusing on his future and knew where he wanted to go.
“I feel like it’s just the way my mind works. I’m always thinking about what lies ahead,” Reddick said. “I just think it’s important to always be thinking about everything, short-term and long-term. So for me, just those gears never really stopped turning, you know, I’m always thinking about what, what is the smartest move with the lies ahead in the years to come.”
Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin look on
Hamlin, a 48-time Cup Series winner, noted Reddick‘s interest in 23XI Racing ahead of its maiden season in 2021, praising the team‘s outlook as the No. 23 Toyota hit the track starting last year with driver Bubba Wallace.
“(He said), ‘I love what you’re doing. It looks like you guys are really pushing the limits and doing things a little differently. And it’s good to see,‘” Hamlin recalled. “And from that point, you just start some conversations. And obviously, I‘ve looked at his talents for a very long time. And after a while, I realized that I started asking those kind of important questions about his future. And then I asked obviously, permission from (Toyota) that can I pursue this individual, and they wholeheartedly agreed that this is a good direction for us.”
The signing comes a full 19 months ahead of the anticipated start of the 2024 season. Hamlin saw no reason to wait to sign someone of Reddick‘s caliber.
“Franchise drivers don’t come around that often,” Hamlin said. “And so if there’s ever one that you feel like you can grab, you go after it. And you do whatever it takes to make that happen. And then you work on the details later.”
MORE: Drivers of the No. 8 through the years
Reddick admitted he “definitely” believed other programs were interested in hiring him whenever he became available. But the opportunity ahead at 23XI Racing — a team which has placed both cars in Victory Lane within the company‘s inaugural 18 months — was too appealing to pass up.
“Just seeing where 23XI has started and where they’re going, it’s been very obvious to me that the ramp that they’re on and how they’re improving, it was very exciting for me. And I wanted to be a part of that,” Reddick said. “Also … just talking to Denny and getting to watch and see the direction the team was going, where Toyota is and their commitment to the sport, to NASCAR, to this team, they’re all very exciting things, and I really wanted to be a part of it. And that heavily influenced my decision.”
Currently at 23XI are Wallace and 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch, who won at Kansas Speedway in May. Busch is in the midst of his 23rd year as a Cup competitor and turns 44 years old in August. Hamlin noted no plans to expand to three teams at this time, but also backs Busch‘s future — as a driver or otherwise.
“As long as Kurt wants to be a race car driver, we want to have him. So that’s pretty much the end of that,” Hamlin said. “And then once he’s done driving, he’s going to have a nice cushy office job at 23XI. So he’s going to be part of our future well beyond his driving days.
“We constantly are in dialogue with him on what his plans are. But ultimately, you never know. Things could change, and Kurt could want to race until he‘s 48 years old. If he does, then we’re going to build a car for him.”
In the meantime, one aspect of 23XI Racing‘s future is certain: Tyler Reddick will drive for the team in 2024.
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2022-07-12T23:27:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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23XI Racing signs Tyler Reddick for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season
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https://sports.yahoo.com/23xi-racing-signs-tyler-reddick-122124043.html?src=rss
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NEW YORK and DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 12th, 2022) — NASCAR and SeatGeek, the high-growth technology platform that is transforming the live event experience for fans, teams, and venues, Tuesday announced a multiyear partnership. After entering into a relationship that allowed fans to buy and sell tickets to the sold-out Daytona 500 earlier this year, NASCAR and its owned and operated tracks have expanded SeatGeek‘s role within the sport as its Official Ticket Marketplace Partner.
Whether fans like to sit close to the track, take in the view from the top of the stands, or camp in the infield, SeatGeek‘s easy-to-navigate app and website help find the perfect ticket to help customize their race-day experience at the track. SeatGeek’s client-first approach will help NASCAR target and convert new customers through customized messaging across SeatGeek’s deep database of event-goers.
“Our partnership with NASCAR helps us engage with one of the most passionate fan bases in sports. To us, this isn‘t just a ticketing deal, it‘s a true partnership,” said Jeff Ianello, EVP of Client Partnerships at SeatGeek. “After a hugely successful Daytona 500, it was apparent to us that we are two like-minded brands that prioritize putting the fan experience at the forefront of everything we do. Together, we will create only the best experiences for the NASCAR fans of today and tomorrow.”
As an Official Partner of NASCAR, SeatGeek will have a presence across all NASCAR-owned tracks and Digital Properties, linking fans directly to SeatGeek‘s NASCAR Racing HQ to buy tickets for an upcoming race. SeatGeek will also become a member of the NASCAR Fuel For Business Council, allowing them to connect with NASCAR’s broad base of Official Partners on business-to-business opportunities and co-promotions.
Like new tires after a pit stop, SeatGeek continues to roll, adding new partners across all sports. In the first half of 2022 alone, the company announced new partnerships with the NHL‘s Florida Panthers, Citi Open Tennis Tournament, Fiesta Bowl, Kansas City Current of the NWSL, and Leeds United of the English Premier League.
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2022-07-12T23:27:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NASCAR, SeatGeek enter multiyear official partnership
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nascar-seatgeek-enter-multiyear-official-100048678.html?src=rss
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Parker Kligerman admitted he hadn’t heard the MRN Radio call of his victory in last weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race until Tuesday morning. Upon listening to it during his introduction for an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he said it gave him chills.
The NBC Sports reporter and part-time Truck Series competitor was still savoring the spoils of his victory in Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where he held off series points leader Zane Smith in a spirited contest during the final laps. Kligerman won by a scant 0.119 seconds, notching his third Truck Series win and his first in nearly five years.
RELATED: Kligerman wins Mid-Ohio | Truck Series standings
Kligerman estimated he had 650 text messages of congratulations that took him approximately five hours to sort through, but he also said the victory had special meaning for the small Henderson Motorsports team that fields his No. 75 Chevrolet. The organization is based in Abington, Virginia — a small mountain town in the southwestern part of the state — and Kligerman said the community had rallied around the group’s Mid-Ohio triumph.
“Whenever I’m there at the shop in Abington, it’s like we’re the high school football team,” Kligerman told SiriusXM, adding the team noticed storefronts and businesses had made signs heralding the victory. “We get people coming from all over Virginia, they come by the shop, they’re so supportive. We’ll do a signing at (local sponsor) Food Country USA, and so many people will come out there from the local area and just be like, we love that this local team is out there racing at the national level and having the success that we do, they’re so supportive of it.”
Kligerman has started in just eight of the 15 races so far on the Camping World Trucks schedule but performed admirably with top-five results in five of those eight appearances. The 31-year-old driver’s return to Victory Lane prompted questions about how many races remain for the rest of this year (Kansas Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway are current targets), but also the team’s hopes for a full-time campaign in 2023.
“We’ve been trying,” Kligerman said with a laugh. “There hasn’t been a year over the last eight years, I haven’t felt like that I was in a conversation for something full-time. And whether that’s here in the 75 and trying to find ways that we could go full-time, which we’ve tried every year I’d say for at least the last three or four years, and in terms of other opportunities that have come along that have been so close. I’ve told people I’ve had to go and have conversations with my family and my TV duties and say, like, ‘Hey, this is really real, this is happening,’ so on and so forth. Of course, it’s all true, but it’s been very close. I’ve been trying. I would love the opportunity to be full-time. I’d love to be full-time with the Hendersons in the 75 group and go race for a championship. I absolutely think that would be an awesome time, I think something that we could really go and surprise a lot of people in doing. But you know, most of all, I also just I’d love the shot to be full-time right now and race more often.”
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2022-07-12T23:27:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Parker Kligerman still buzzing over Mid-Ohio victory, eyes full-time plans for 2023
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One of the most popular venues on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour takes center stage this Saturday, July 16. For the 74th time in Tour history, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will welcome the series for the running of the Whelen Manufactured in America 100.
Saturday’s race is the ninth event of the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season as the series officially surpasses the halfway point of the schedule.
In the previous 73 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire, 23 drivers have earned trips to Victory Lane. Mike Stefanik leads all drivers with eight victories at the 1.058-mile, while Bobby Santos III leads the active win list with six triumphs.
Among the other winners at New Hampshire are Tony Hirschman, Reggie Ruggiero, Ted Christopher, John Blewett III, Steve Park, Jeff Fuller, Donny Lia, Ryan Newman and the most recent winner, Ryan Preece.
Below is everything you need to know about Saturday’s Whelen Manufactured in America 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Whelen Manufactured in America 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Whelen America 2022
Bobby Santos III doesn’t make many NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts these days, but when the Tour travels to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, you can bet he’ll be on the entry list.
Santos is a six-time Tour winner at New Hampshire, and he’ll attempt to become a seven-time winner during Saturday’s Whelen Manufactured in America 100 aboard the No. 44 fielded by the Tinio family.
The native of Franklin, Massachusetts, is one of six drivers entered in Saturday’s event who have visited Victory Lane at The Magic Mile since the Tour made its debut at the track in 1990.
Doug Coby, a four-time New Hampshire victor, is back in Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 7NY in search of his third victory of the season. Team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. earned his fourth victory of the year in the Tour’s last event at New Jersey’s Wall Stadium Speedway, where Jimmy Blewett piloted the No. 7NY to victory.
Ron Silk enters the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 at the top of the Tour standings despite remaining winless this season. He’s a three-time Tour winner at the Loudon, New Hampshire, oval, and is the only competitor this season to earn top-10 finishes in every race thus far.
Another notable entry comes from Ryan Preece, who happens to be the defending Tour winner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He’ll be aboard his own No. 40 Modified after last competing with the Tour during the season opener at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway in the Boehler Racing Enterprises Ole Blue No. 3.
The Whelen 100 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire on July 17, 2021. (Paul Rutherford/NASCAR)
RELATED: Watch the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 on FloRacing
NASCAR Cup Series competitor Corey LaJoie, who got within a lap of earning his first Cup Series victory last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this weekend for the first time since 2015. LaJoie will pilot the No. 17 for car owner Michele Davini.
Donny Lia returns to the seat of the Ole Blue No. 3 for his first start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway since 2017. He is a two-time Tour winner at the track, with his last victory coming in 2009.
Justin Bonsignore, who has one victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 23 attempts, is the only driver in the top 10 in Tour standings to have a victory this season. He’ll look for his third triumph of the year Saturday afternoon.
Other notable entries for Saturday’s race include Andy Seuss, Kyle Ebersole, Tommy Catalano, Eric Goodale, Anthony Nocella and Tyler Rypkema.
The complete entry list for the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 is available here.
Whelen Manufactured in America 100
1.038-mile paved oval
USA (Delayed: Friday, July 24, 9 a.m. ET)
Schedule: Friday, July 15: Garage opens at 11:45 a.m. ET … Final practice from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. … Single-car qualifying (two laps) at 6:45 p.m. ET; Saturday, July 16: Race at 6 p.m. ET
Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Fastest lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 is limited to 32 starters including Provisional Positions.
Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is twelve (12) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position.
Pete Alonso's RBI double
Pete Alonso drills a double to left field and brings home Brandon Nimmo to open the scoring at 1-0 in the top of the 3rd inning
A magazine advertisement by Doyle Dane Bernback for the 1962 Volkswagen Beetle, touting its similarities to the 1961 Beetle.
Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell has been living the dream for years as an NFL player. He has another dream to pursue when his playing career ends. As explained by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, Campbell hopes to thrive as a professional poker player. “I want to win the WSOP main event,” Campbell said. “It’s a [more]
NASCAR's Case For Adding A Street Course In 2023
First came the whispers. “Unbelievable,” some said. “Blasphemous,” pundits declared. With each utterance, good or bad, those tepid whispers beat the odds and grew into a robust and unflinching rallying cry that resonated through the great people of Race Land USA: NASCAR needs a street course! OK, so it probably didn’t shake out exactly like that, but as executives battle for the attention of global viewership out on center stage in the corporate octagon, audiences continue to leverage their eyeb
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2022-07-12T23:27:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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PIT BOX: Modified Tour stars descend on The Magic Mile for Whelen Manufactured in America 100
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https://sports.yahoo.com/pit-box-modified-tour-stars-104050937.html?src=rss
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