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When the powers that be looked to replace the Bowl Championship Series with the College Football Playoff, the unofficial formation of the New Year’s Six came into being. The bowl games consisted of the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton, Peach, and Fiesta, with the semifinal games of the College Football Playoff rotating between the six top-tier games.
In the history of the College Football Playoff and the New Year’s Six, 22 FBS programs have participated in multiple games in the eight-year history of the format.
The Alabama Crimson Tide have led the way in New Year’s Six games because of their incredible run in the College Football Playoff. Since its inception, Alabama has played 13 games in the CFP, compiling a 9-4 record, with three national championships. While they’ve played in the most games, the Ohio State Buckeyes have the most consecutive years in the New Year’s Six at eight. Alabama missed out in 2019 when LSU had their dominant run, and the Crimson Tide also lost to Auburn, giving them the rare two-loss regular season.
Like Alabama, the Clemson Tigers have been all or nothing, appearing in the College Football Playoff six times but not in a non-playoff New Year’s Six bowl game since the playoff was instituted back in 2014.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish hold the distinction of the most New Year’s Six appearances without a win, going 0-4.
Below are each of the 22 schools who have participated in a New Year’s Six bowl game since 2014, ranked by games played with ties going to schools with the better record and the more recent win in one of the upper-tier bowl games.
College Football Playoff: 9-4
College Football Playoff National Championship: 3-3
Non Playoff New Year’s Six Bowls: 0-0
Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) runs the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Christian Harris (8) and defensive back DeMarcco Hellams (29) during the third quarter in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
College Football Playoff Championship: 1-1
Non-playoff New Year’s Six Bowls: 4-0
Jan 1, 2021; New Orleans, LA, USA; at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) warms up prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) looks for running room against the Auburn Tigers in the third quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Clemson defensive tackle Kevin Dodd (98) tries to bring down Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise (20) during the 2nd quarter Saturday, October 3, 2015 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.
Football 2015 Clemson Notre Dame
Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs against Oklahoma defensive lineman Neville Gallimore (90) during the first half of the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates after sacking the Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan (not pictured) in the second half at TCF Bank Stadium. Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2019; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk (97) celebrates after tackling Michigan State Spartans quarterback Brian Lewerke (14) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2020; Arlington, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims (17) makes a touchdown catch past Florida Gators defensive back Donovan Stiner (13) during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (20) returns an interception against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2020; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Anthony Schwartz (1) makes a touchdown catch against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (75) during the Pac-12 Championship against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Oregon defeated USC 31-24. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights defensive lineman Kenny Turnier (0) pushes through the Tulsa Golden Hurricane offensive line during the fourth quarter of a game at Spectrum Stadium. Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) scrambles with the ball against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks in the first half at Nippert Stadium. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
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2022-07-14T02:39:03Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Where do the Sooners rank among schools with multiple New Year’s Six Bowl games played?
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-sooners-rank-among-schools-015515006.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-sooners-rank-among-schools-015515006.html?src=rss
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Sources: The Los Angeles Lakers signed rookie Max Christie to a two-year, $2.74 million deal, @hoopshype has learned. Both years are fully guaranteed. Christie was selected 35th overall by the Lakers in the draft.
Willie McGee is set to step down as St. Vincent-St. Mary Athletic Director in July to take a job with the LeBron James Family Foundation.
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2022-07-14T03:03:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Max Christie signs deal with Los Angeles Lakers
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https://sports.yahoo.com/max-christie-signs-deal-los-014226687.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/max-christie-signs-deal-los-014226687.html?src=rss
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Considered lead candidates for Johnny Gaudreau in the event he left Calgary, it seems the Flyers haven't left themselves enough flexibility to even be involved in the negotiations. There are apparently no takers on the $7-million James van Riemsdyk (though we probably shouldn't be surprised), leaving Chuck Fletcher stuck with the very flawed roster he's assembled in only a few short summers.
STORY: Just hours before he was due to step down, Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country early on Wednesday and is now in the capital of the Maldives, according to two sources.Protesters were still gathered in and around Gotabaya’s office on Wednesday. An immigration official told Reuters that Rajapaksa left with his wife and two bodyguards aboard a Sri Lankan Air Force plane.The source added that Rajapaksa will likely head to another Asian country from Male.Rajapaksa's impending resignation comes after thousands stormed his and the prime minister's official residences over the weekend, demanding their ousters over their handling of a devastating economic crisis.The mood at both residences was festive on Tuesday as families and friends settled into the premises, including Duncan Ratnayake."The Prime Minister and the President must listen to the request of the innocent people and hand it over to the country's youth."The president has not been seen in public since Friday.Parliament will elect his replacement on July 20.The immigration official said authorities could not under law prevent a sitting president from leaving the country.But on Tuesday, officials stopped the president's brother and former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa from flying out of Sri Lanka.It was not immediately clear where he was trying to go.The Rajapaksa dynasty had dominated local politics for years, despite most Sri Lankans blaming them for current problems.Another of the president's brothers, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister in May after protests against the family turned violent.His replacement, Ranil Wickremesinghe, did not move into the official residences, and was not present when protesters broke in and set the place on fire.President Rajapaksa's sudden departure Wednesday marks a historic turning point for the country.Now, no one from his family remains in a position of power.
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2022-07-14T03:03:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NHL free agency: winners and losers after Day 1
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https://sports.yahoo.com/winners-and-losers-from-day-1-of-nhl-free-agency-221938755.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/winners-and-losers-from-day-1-of-nhl-free-agency-221938755.html?src=rss
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The College basketball season is still nearly four months away and March Madness is eight months away but that hasn’t stopped the predictions for what the NCAA Tournament bracket will look like.
In the updated ESPN Bracketology, the UNC basketball program sits as a one-seed following a lot of movement from other teams. The Tar Heels sit as the top seed in the East Region.
The other No. 1 seeds include Gonzaga, the top seed, Kentucky and Houston.
Some notable programs in the East Region include No. 8 Michigan State in a potential second round matchup, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 4 Villanova. The Tar Heels are matched up against Northern Kentucky in the first round.
The Tar Heels return four starters and all of its rotation pieces from last season when they made a deep run all the way to the National Championship game, falling to Kansas by three.
UNC also dipped into the transfer portal and replaced star forward Brady Manek with Northwestern transfer forward Pete Nance. Nance comes to UNC after 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He also shot 45.2 percent from three a season ago.
Other notable ACC programs are No. 3 Duke and No. 5 Virginia. In total, there are six ACC teams projected in this field, with Florida State listed in the First Four Out.
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2022-07-14T05:48:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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ESPN Bracketology: UNC basketball keeps one-seed in updated bracket
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https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-bracketology-unc-basketball-keeps-192148936.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-bracketology-unc-basketball-keeps-192148936.html?src=rss
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It’s never too early to come out with an NCAA basketball tournament bracket prediction, at least not for ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
Lunardi is known as ESPN’s chief college basketball tournament analyst, coining the term “bracketology” to describe the process in which the NCAA decides the 68 teams that will participate in the NCAA tournament. He is back with his latest predictions for the 2023 basketball tournament, with the Florida Gators projected to make the tournament as a No. 10 seed taking on the No. 7 seed Michigan Wolverines in the South regional.
This is an improvement from their previous projection, which had Florida listed in the First Four Out group missing the tournament altogether. If this projection holds, the Gators would make the NCAA tournament in head coach Todd Golden’s first year at the helm and would be a quick return to March Madness after playing in the NIT last year.
Lunardi’s current bracket features seven schools from the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, and Big East, along with six schools from the ACC, four schools from the Pac-12, and two schools each from the Mountain West, WCC, American, and Atlantic 10.
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2022-07-14T05:48:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Florida basketball back in business according to ESPN’s bracketology update
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https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-basketball-back-business-according-205916499.html?src=rss
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"When we played a game on the deck of an aircraft carrier just over 10 years ago to help honor Veteran's Day, we thought it might be a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience," Izzo said in a statement. "I know our team, our players, our coaches and staff and Michigan State Athletics is very excited about getting the opportunity to play a tremendous program like Gonzaga on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and honoring all of those who serve in our military. …
"This opportunity to play on an aircraft carrier in front of men and women who serve in the military and are willing to put their lives on the line is an experience that is going to mean something to the young men who will play in the game for a long, long time.
Covid vaccine: India to give free booster doses to adults for 75 days
A federal minister said the move was to mark the country's upcoming 75th anniversary of independence.
Best Amazon Prime Day deals in Canada: Everything you need to know
The Monroe County Democratic Party organized a panel discussing the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the upcoming special session on July 25 and next steps.
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2022-07-14T05:48:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Gonzaga, Michigan State to play on USS Abraham Lincoln deck in first aircraft carrier game since 2012
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https://sports.yahoo.com/gonzaga-michigan-state-to-play-on-uss-abraham-lincoln-deck-in-first-aircraft-carrier-game-since-2012-011258205.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/gonzaga-michigan-state-to-play-on-uss-abraham-lincoln-deck-in-first-aircraft-carrier-game-since-2012-011258205.html?src=rss
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Michigan State basketball is reportedly headed back to an aircraft carrier for the first time since 2012. It was reported by Matt Norlander of CBS Sports that MSU’s plans with Gonzaga to play on the USS San Diego, an aircraft carrier in San Diego, have now been finalized.
The game will be aired on ESPN.
The Michigan State basketball team has been there before. Spartans last played on an aircraft carrier in 2011, losing to North Carolina, 67-55.
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2022-07-14T05:49:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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REPORT: Michigan State basketball, Gonzaga finalize Veteran’s Day game on USS Abraham Lincoln
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-michigan-state-basketball-gonzaga-170402850.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-michigan-state-basketball-gonzaga-170402850.html?src=rss
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Former lightweight title challenger and winner of the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter Nate Diaz has one fight left on his UFC contract and wants to get it in as soon as possible. He has things to do once he's a free agent.
Diaz has regularly calling out fighters and pleaded with the fight promotion to book his last fight. He last fought in June 2021. In a recent meeting with UFC executives, including UFC President Dana White, Diaz informed them that he wanted to get his last fight in and part ways with the organization.
In an interview with The MMA Hour on Tuesday, Diaz detailed what was discussed in that meeting.
"In our last meeting, he (White) goes, 'alright. I guess let's talk in a few' and then him and Hunter (Campbell) ran out of the building, and then I went in the back and took a piss on the building," Diaz said.
The meeting took place in Las Vegas on May 12. Diaz posted a photo of himself urinating outside of the UFC Performance Institute to social media.
"Taking a piss on the UFC PI. I could do this cause I get paid more than all u guys and they won’t cut me," Diaz wrote on the social media post.
Nate Diaz: ‘Khabib Nurmagomedov is ‘a little b**ch’
Taking a piss on the ufc pi
I could do this cause I get paid more than all uguys and they won’t cut me pic.twitter.com/doiOxUOh4y
Diaz is willing to fight anyone to fulfill his contract
In the meeting, Diaz emphasized that he just wanted to fulfill his contractual obligation and go on his way. After all, it's been 13 months since Diaz last fought.
"I said, look, I don't want anything. I don't want no more money. I want to move on. I want to go do my own thing," Diaz said. "With all due respect, can I get the f**k going? And then they're talking about matchups. I was like, listen, there's nobody in your organization that I want to fight."
"I said I don't want to fight no new guys that has been knocked out and slept all over the place, for one. For two, the only worthy opponents they have here for me is f**king Francis Ngannou, or (Israel) Adesanya," Diaz said.
"I don't want to fight those guys. I like those guys a lot. But if I'm going to fight anybody, it's going to somebody that's done something great like those f**kers. And that's when they wrapped up the meeting. They were like, 'we've got to go.' They jetted out. They left me in their office. I was about to steal some sh*t but I couldn't find anything that cool."
Getting out of his contract is Diaz' goal. He believes that he can make more money outside of the organization than under the restrictions of being in it.
"UFC, can I please have my last fight and be on my way," Diaz said. "Give me anybody. I want to fight next month at the latest and I want to be on my way... I'll fight tonight."
Jake Paul goes off the rails on Conor McGregor
Tiger Woods has played just two tournaments this year, shooting +13 and finishing 47th at the Masters, and withdrawing from the PGA Championship after three rounds that left him 12 over par. Woods hasn’t finished in the top 30 of a PGA Tour event since before the pandemic, and yet, every online sportsbook has him […]
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2022-07-14T06:04:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Nate Diaz details his last meeting with UFC President Dana White
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nate-diaz-details-last-meeting-184807752.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/nate-diaz-details-last-meeting-184807752.html?src=rss
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Steph throws support behind Klay calling out 'hurt' NBA experts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
"Anyone who has the 'expert' under the TV analysis of their respective sport. but never really did the damn thing, you can't trust them, you can't trust their opinion, you can't trust their expertise because they literally said we were dead in the water," Thompson said. "And what do we do? Win the championship. So how did it feel? I know it hurt them, I know it hurt them bad."
From the beginning of the season, nobody really picked Golden State to win it all and as the season progressed and the Warriors established themselves as a major threat in the Western Conference, there still wasn't much love.
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2022-07-14T06:05:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Warriors' Steph Curry backs Klay Thompson hilariously calling out NBA experts
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https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-steph-curry-backs-klay-032848303.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-steph-curry-backs-klay-032848303.html?src=rss
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Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the season with what you need to know and keys to the season.
Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022
Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Offense
The Wisconsin offense is going to start airing it out a bit more? That might be a tad extreme – this isn’t going to be Air Bucky – but new offensive coordinator Bobby Engram wants to open it up a bit. He sure knows how to get a running game going – he was working with the Baltimore Ravens before this – but the passing attack needs more pop, too.
More than anything else, the offense has to move like it did over the second half of last year. The overall stats don’t quite tell the whole story – for this team, being eighth in the nation in time of possession is a bit bigger than averaging a mere 371 yards per game – but the passing game wasn’t consistent, the third down conversions weren’t there, and the line wasn’t quite as dominant as it should’ve been. However …
The offensive line should be stronger. It wasn’t bad at all – on the contrary, it was fantastic in pass protection and plowed for over 211 rushing yards per game. It’s Wisconsin, though. It’s the gold standard for offensive lines. It’s needs to own the good teams, too.
It loses OT Logan Bruss and OG Josh Seltzner, but all-star parts are back with Joe Tippmann a potentially dominant center once he’s 100% healthy, and with Jack Nelson likely to grow into a next-level talent at left tackle.
The good and the bad with the Badger front is the versatility – great when injuries strike, but rough on the consistency. This year the idea is to come up with the right five, stay with it – with a little luck – and let the issues work themselves out.
The backs are there to make this thing hum. Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi are right there with the best duos in college football, combining for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Allen was a breakout star, and Mellusi was fantastic before getting knocked out for the year in November.
Okay, okay, it’s been avoided long enough … can Graham Mertz become the quarterback who can take the passing game up a few notches like he’s supposed to?
The former super-recruit has been way too rocky over his two seasons – throwing ten touchdown passes and 11 picks last season – but the talent and arm are there. Two years in, the decision-making process has to speed up. Chase Wolf is a decent veteran who can step in and produce if Mertz is struggling.
The talent in the receiving corps was terrific last season, but it wasn’t able to show it often enough. It’s not starting over this year, but most of the key parts are gone – Chimere Dike is the leading returning receiver with 19 catches for 272 yards and a score.
Keontez Lewis is coming in from UCLA, Skyler Bell is a promising young deep threat, and it’s Wisconsin – there will be a decent tight ends who can catch the ball in the middle of the field. Replacing Jake Ferguson, though, is a problem.
Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Defense
The defense put up a national championship-caliber season. For a time it was working at a historic level – finishing No. 1 in total defense, No. 1 against the run, No. 3 in third downs allowed – buuuuuuut …
There weren’t that many killer offenses on the slate. Even so, if it was so easy to be amazing everyone would do it – the D that allowed a ridiculously low, and nation’s best – 4.1 yards per play wasn’t the problem.
A whole lot of starters have to be replaced, but the program has been able to keep defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. He’s destined to be a top head coach somewhere, but for now, all the work he did to get the players working in a rotation should pay off.
The back eight is a slight concern, but …
The defensive front three will be a brick wall. Keeanu Benton on the nose and Isaiah Mullens as a 3-4 end can’t be moved. There are plenty of big parts ready to fill in when needed – forget running inside on this bunch.
The pass rush comes from the linebacking corps, but leading tackler Leo Chenal is off being a Kansas City Chief and inside presence Jack Sanborn is trying to be a Chicago Bear. Nick Herbig is back after coming up with 64 tackles and a team-high nine sacks, but the other three sports are a wee bit green. However, like on the line, the rotation should be strong.
The Badgers were fourth in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense, but they lose three good starters including both corners. John Torchio is back at one safety spot, and Jay Shaw is coming in from UCLA to take over one of the corner gigs.
Overall this group should be fine in time, but it would be a huge help if Justin Clark (Toledo), Cedrick Dort (Kentucky), and Bryce Carey (Northern Illinois) can play big roles early on.
Wisconsin 2022 Preview | Keys To The Season
Wisconsin Badgers: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT
Wisconsin Badgers: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Wisconsin Badgers: Key To The 2022 Offense
DO NOT TURN THE BALL OVER.
It seems like this is the umpteenth year in a row when this has been the key for the team, but it remains true.
The Badgers – last in the Big Ten in giveaways – can be inexplicably bad on third downs like they were last year and be okay, and they can even get away without having a big downfield passing game. They almost never get away with a big day full of turnovers.
The D helped the cause in the win over Northwestern with four takeaways to offset the three errors from the O, and it dominated Illinois to overcome the two giveaways, but that’s not the norm.
Wisconsin was 1-3 last year and 2-11 in the last 13 games with a negative turnover margin.
Wisconsin Badgers: Key To The 2022 Defense
Tighten back up on third downs.
The Badgers were third in the nation in third down stops – allowing teams to convert just 29% of their chances – but that all got a tad loose late in the season.
Army is Army, so the midseason problems putting the team away – the Black Knights were great on third downs converting 43% – was forgivable. That was the only time in the first ten games Wisconsin allowed a team to convert more than 32% of its tries.
Nebraska moved the ball way too easily, Minnesota was able to control the game in the key win by keeping the chains rolling, and Arizona State was able to keep it sort of interesting thanks to the third down chances.
Wisconsin’s defense hadn’t allowed a team to convert 44% or better on third downs since a win over Nebraska in 2019. The Huskers, Minnesota, and Arizona State all pushed past that mark.
Wisconsin Badgers: Key Player To The 2022 Season
QB Graham Mertz. Jr.
The offensive line is loaded with potential All-Big Ten blockers. The combination of running backs is among the best in the conference, if not the nation, and the defense will be among the best in college football again.
The receiving corps has talent, but it’s relatively inexperienced. It needs a quarterback who can make everyone better and keep the offense moving.
Mertz has certainly had his moments, but he’s WAY too hot-and-cold. All he has to do is hit over 60% of his passes every week, make the third down throws, and keep the interceptions to a minimum. If he does that, the Badgers will be terrific.
Wisconsin Badgers: Key Transfer
PK Vito Calvaruso, Jr.
It’s really UCLA corner Jay Shaw, but the secondary will work itself out.
Collin Larsh hit 17-of-22 field goals last season – the misses weren’t that bad or costly – and none of the games were decided by fewer than six points. That’s probably not happening again.
The 6-3, 198-pound transfer from Arkansas was the team’s kickoff man and has yet to attempt a field goal. He’s got the leg, but he needs to be a weapon for a team with a defense that doesn’t need a whole lot of points to get the job done.
Wisconsin Key Game To The 2022 Season
at Iowa, Nov. 12
Minnesota has become a thorn in the Badgers’ side, and the road date at Nebraska is dangerous, but those two come after the trip to Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes came up with a dominant 28-7 victory in 2020, but that’s been about it. Wisconsin has won five of the last six and eight of the last ten in the series.
With road dates at Ohio State and Michigan State earlier in the year, there’s a shot Wisconsin can’t lose this and stay in the Big Ten title chase. Lose, and the pressure is on against the Huskers and Gophers.
Wisconsin Badgers: 2021 Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: Wisconsin 62 – Opponents 23
– Time of Possession: Wisconsin 33:27 – Opponents 26:17
– Rushing Yards Per Game: Wisconsin 211 – Opponents 65
Wisconsin Badgers Season Prediction, What Will Happen NEXT
Wisconsin Badgers Season Prediction, What Will Happen
It’s sort of hard to get too down on a program for being disappointing after a 9-4 season with a bowl victory, but it’s time to get back to owning the Big Ten West again before 1) the divisions go away, or 2) change, and 3) USC and UCLA join the party.
There will be a great ground game, the defense will be a rock, and the passing attack will be just fine for what the offense needs it to do. The team has to win the home games and it’s got be rolling in November.
Set The Wisconsin Badgers Regular Season Win Total At … 8.5
The Badgers get three nice tune-up games in Illinois State, Washington State, and New Mexico State before the Big Ten opener at Ohio State. Win that, and it’s Game On, but that’s obviously a tough way to start. It also kicks off a run of three road games in the first four conference weeks.
Throw into the mix a road date at Michigan State followed up by a home game against a dangerous Purdue squad, and there are landmines to sidestep.
Getting an extra week off before the Maryland game is big, especially with at Iowa, at Nebraska, and Minnesota to close.
Budget in a loss to the Buckeyes, and at least one loss among the road games at Michigan State, Iowa, and Nebraska.
There’s a shot at ten wins, and nothing less than a spot in the Big Ten Championship is okay. It’ll all come down to those final three games.
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2022-07-14T06:16:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-badgers-preview-2022-season-041722981.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-badgers-preview-2022-season-041722981.html?src=rss
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The silver claret jug was first awarded 150 years ago to the British Open champion. There it was Thursday morning on the first tee at St. Andrews as golf's oldest championship began. Paul Lawrie of Scotland, the Open champion from 1999, was selected to hit the first shot of this historic week that is all about the 150th edition at the home of golf.
An ambitious new personal eVTOL is one step closer to production. The Israeli aviation startup Air announced this week that a full-scale version prototype of its first vehicle, called the Air One, had successfully completed a hover test. The company hopes to start delivering the crafts, which it unveiled last fall, to customers in 2024, […]
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2022-07-14T07:40:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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The Open 2022 live: Score and latest updates from the first round in St Andrews
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https://sports.yahoo.com/british-open-2022-championship-first-061203213.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/british-open-2022-championship-first-061203213.html?src=rss
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Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of sexually assaulting three men a decade or more ago, and was told he would face trial next year. Spacey, 62, stood in the dock and spoke clearly as he replied “not guilty” to each of the five charges during a hearing at London’s Central Criminal Court, commonly known as the Old Bailey. Judge Mark Wall set a date of June 6, 2023, for the trial to start and said it would last three to four weeks.
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2022-07-14T13:41:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 NFL Preview: Deshaun Watson mess hangs over Browns
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-the-browns-signed-up-for-this-deshaun-watson-mess-131910785.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-the-browns-signed-up-for-this-deshaun-watson-mess-131910785.html?src=rss
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As long as college football is a beauty contest and evaluated by a crew of biased Olympic judges, schools like Baylor will continue to get the shaft.
It’s not right.
And it’s not OK.
(The rest of this Whitney Houston song no longer fits here).
Baylor, not Texas nor Oklahoma, is the class of the Big 12 Conference, which is new commissioner Brett Yormark’s biggest problem.
As Yormark presents a Big 12 without Texas and Oklahoma to ESPN, Fox, Apple TV, Hulu and any other potential media rights broadcast partners, one of his biggest challenges is convincing these networks a league can be powerful with the likes of Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, Kansas State and the rest as its annual “power.”
No sport like college football is more rooted and plagued by a myopic vision that says the best teams are only Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame and precious few others.
There is a reason Texas remains a top 10 team without the résumé.
Don’t expect this to change any time ... ever.
The system is the system.
Any system that makes as much money as college football but is anchored around a model built on prejudice is a successful failure. It won’t change much until it starts losing money.
The best Baylor or any team in the Big 12 not named Oklahoma or Texas can do is to win every game and pray it changes the hearts and minds of the old people who cannot fathom that a Baylor, Oklahoma State or Cincinnati is a top four program.
Since the formation of the BCS Championship in 1998, and then the creation of the BCS Plus 2 (aka the CFP) in 2014, the teams in these annual invitationals has become the Member-Member at Augusta National.
Only Oklahoma from the Big 12 has received an invite to this fake playoff.
Third-year coach Dave Aranda’s Baylor team is picked to win the 2022 Big 12 regular season title, one year after it won the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma State.
TCU’s 30-28 win over Baylor one week after Gary Patterson “resigned” last season is the only reason Baylor was not a bigger part of the College Football Playoff discussion.
“We want to build a program that can be the best program in the Big 12,” Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle said on Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days. “For a long time Oklahoma was the standard.”
Some might say for too long.
Oklahoma is the only team to reach the College Football Playoff from the Big 12; the Sooners were 0-3 in the playoffs.
That Baylor was close again to a playoff berth for a third time is a wonderful development for Baylor, and the long-term health of the conference.
Baylor’s road to first place in the Big 12 in football and a national title in men’s basketball has not been particularly smooth or pretty.
It is also here for a reason.
Baylor has spent a small fortune, and has hired competent coaches.
Aranda not leaving Waco during last fall’s crash of high profile job openings is the single best development for the university since the Southwest Conference and Big 8’s merger into the Big 12 included Baylor.
That Aranda showed no interest in the openings at LSU, USC or Oklahoma is more proof the Lord works in mysterious ways.
All of this is a plus for Baylor and the Big 12, and it’s still not enough.
The problem is it’s Baylor.
When it comes to college football, unless you are Ohio State, or Texas, USC, or any of those established names from 1970, it’s never enough.
When Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12 for the SEC, likely in 2025, the Big 12 will feature one team that has won a national title since 1939: BYU won the national title in 1984. TCU won the national title in 1938.
The league will feature one team that has reached the playoff: Cincinnati last season.
When Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12 for the SEC, new commissioner Kevin Yormark will not have a celebrity power to sell.
From Baylor to Oklahoma State to Cincinnati, he will have a plate good teams, not one of which has been accepted in the modern era as a power.
It’s just college football.
The couple accused of trafficking Sir Mo Farah into the UK is facing a potential police investigation after Scotland Yard confirmed it was “assessing” the allegations made by the four-time Olympic champion.
SDSU football will travel to Stillwater to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys for first time in 2024.
The Sun Belt Conference for Louisiana-Monroe women's basketball was released Wednesday. The Warhawks will start conference play at Fant-Ewing Coliseum
Members received an update on the district’s ongoing capital projects from George Link of VPS Architecture, who has assisted MCS in planning.
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2022-07-14T13:41:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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The Big 12’s biggest issue isn’t realignment. It’s Baylor and college football’s bias
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https://sports.yahoo.com/big-12-biggest-issue-isn-203551448.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/big-12-biggest-issue-isn-203551448.html?src=rss
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Deandre Ayton warms up as the Pacers host the Suns at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Jan. 14, 2022.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA free agency: How the Pacers can create cap space for Deandre Ayton
Anthony Anderson was experiencing mixed emotions while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the day that the 2022 Emmy Awards nominations were announced. Anderson, who filled in for host Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday, opened his monologue by congratulating the late-night show’s team on its nomination for variety talk series. However, Anderson went on to point out […]
"And he eats meat like every half hour. That was so thoughtful." Chris Hemsworth Skipped Eating Meat So He Could Give Natalie Portman a Vegan Kiss Wren Graves
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2022-07-14T13:41:43Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Insider: Pacers don't have cap space to offer Deandre Ayton max deal; how they can get there
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https://sports.yahoo.com/insider-pacers-dont-cap-space-090108344.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/insider-pacers-dont-cap-space-090108344.html?src=rss
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The price of energy increased 7.5% in June alone, and went up 41.6% for the 12-month period ending in June.
American basketball star Brittney Griner is due back in a Russian court Thursday to resume a trial that was jolted last week when she abruptly pleaded guilty to drug possession charges. In Russia, a guilty plea doesn't mean that the trial is automatically over. Griner's defense may put forward arguments during the hearing to mitigate the punishment, or a verdict could be announced.
Coming off of a six-game layoff, the Fever couldn't handle the Sun's size down low or on the perimeter.
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2022-07-14T13:50:21Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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LeBron James had a point. It's America's fault Brittney Griner went to Russia | Opinion
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https://sports.yahoo.com/lebron-james-had-point-americas-132325095.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/lebron-james-had-point-americas-132325095.html?src=rss
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Mailata takes his place on list of most important Eagles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Yes, Jordan Mailata has a great backstory. But he proved in 2021 that he’s a lot more than that.
Not only is he the Eagles’ long-term left tackle. He’s already one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL and at just 25 years old, he’s still getting better.
When the Eagles drafted the Australian rugby player in the seventh round back in 2018, he knew almost nothing about football and the Eagles knew it was going to be a long journey. He didn’t play in a single game his first two NFL seasons but in 2020 he ended up starting 10 games and played well enough to warrant a position battle against former first-round pick Andre Dillard last summer.
That was a short-lived competition. Mailata ran away with the left tackle job, signed a four-year, $64 million contract the day before the opener and went on to play at a Pro Bowl level in 2021.
Last year, Mailata started 14 games at left tackle and gave up just 3 sacks and 25 total pressures all season. He finished the year rated as the third-best overall tackle in the NFL, according to ProFootballFocus, behind just Trent Williams and Tyron Smith, who have 17 Pro Bowls among them.
Mailata finished one spot ahead of Andrew Whitworth, whose NFL career began in 2006, 12 years before Mailata had ever even attempted to play football.
It’s incredible that in a few short years Mailata went from this shot-in-the-dark project to a starter to being one of the best tackles in the NFL. And in 2022, he’ll have the incredibly important job of protecting Jalen Hurts’ blindside. That’s obviously a pretty important role for a team with serious playoff aspirations.
The cool thing about Mailata is that despite his standing and despite his contract, which pays him $16 million annually, he’s still striving to get better just like he did when he arrived in the United States back in 2018.
“To be honest, the contract has provided that sense of stability where I’m financially set,” Mailata said this spring. “But when I walk in this building, I have this attitude of, ‘I have no contract,’ and that my goal is to get better every day. That’s how I see it.
“It doesn’t matter what I placed on PFF last year if I’m not hitting the right assignments and plays. Which I know, because we watch it here with Stout (offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland), and Stout would never let me forget, even plays from my rookie year. So that’s the one thing that I love walking into this building, the sense of accountability.
“It doesn’t matter how much you get paid, someone’s going to hold you accountable, and I feel like I’ve adapted this attitude where I do hold myself to that high standard that the coaches set and I’m able to be accountable and look at the film and be honest with myself.
“I can tell when it’s a bad technique and be honest, and Stout will let you know when it’s a bad technique because he won’t let you forget it for the next week.”
Phillies call up Will Toffey, Bubby Rossman for final game in Toronto
The Phillies added two new players to the roster for Wednesdays series finale in Toronto.
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2022-07-14T14:39:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles 2022 season: Jordan Mailata on list of most important players
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-jordan-mailata-110000483.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-jordan-mailata-110000483.html?src=rss
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Battle for Eagles’ final receiver spots will be intriguing originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
We already looked at right guard, linebacker and cornerback.
Up today: The final WR spot(s):
We know the top four receivers on the roster are A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins and Zach Pascal. That leaves either one or possibly two roster spots up for grabs and it’ll be an intriguing competition for those positions.
This might be unpopular, but Reagor is a clear frontrunner to make the 53-man roster for several reasons. One of them is financial. Because of the structure of his rookie contract, the Eagles would actually take on a bigger cap hit in 2022 if they decided to cut ties with Reagor. The other reason is a pretty obvious one: It’s rare to give up on first-round picks this soon. Reagor’s NFL career has obviously been extremely disappointing, but the Eagles still think there’s some talent inside him. And this year he’ll go into the season as the No. 5 receiver, not the No. 2 he was at the start of 2021. Maybe that will take some of the pressure off Reagor and let him focus on a smaller role as a backup receiver and perhaps still a primary return man.
As much as the Eagles like and respect Ward, he saw his role in the offense take a big hit in 2021. In the final year under Doug Pederson, Ward was the Eagles’ primary slot receiver, catching 53 passes for 419 yards and 6 touchdowns. In 2021, he caught 7 for 95 yards, but 3 of those catches were for touchdowns. Still, it’s fair to wonder if Ward has already maximized his potential, whereas some of the other guys on this list might still be ascending players in the NFL.
The Eagles drafted Hightower a round before Watkins in the 2020 draft and even gave him a bigger role first. In 2020, Hightower played an awful lot early in the season, catching 10 passes for 167 yards. But since that stretch early in his rookie season, Hightower saw his role decrease and he failed to make the roster in 2021. Hightower stuck on the practice squad and played in one game last year, but the Eagles kept him around for a reason.
Covey was a dynamic return man at Utah and that ability gives him a shot to make this team. During his college career, Covey returned four punts and one kickoff for touchdowns He averaged 11.9 yards per punt return and 25.4 yards per kick return. The Eagles didn’t have great success in the return game in 2021 and keeping a player like Covey could really help that.
All eyes are going to be on the Eagles’ resident Olympian once training camp starts. It’s a fascinating story. Allen is one of the greatest hurdlers in the world but he hasn’t played organized football since 2016. And his last really productive season came in 2014 at Oregon. So the odds are stacked against him in this competition, but you can’t teach world-class speed and he has it. If it doesn’t work out, the Eagles haven’t lost anything. If it works and he makes the roster, they’ll look like geniuses.
The other receivers on the roster are Deon Cain, Keric Wheatfall and Josh Hammond. Of those three, Cain has the most NFL experience and spent most of last season on the Eagles’ practice squad. Cain was a Colts draft pick (sixth round) back in 2018 when Nick Sirianni was their offensive coordinator. Cain has nine catches for 124 yards in his career.
The Ms. Marvel Season 1 finale just aired. Here's everything we know about a potential Season 2, and when The Marvels will release in theaters.
Tiger Woods has started this British Open at St. Andrews the same way he did the last time. Woods received a cheer so loud it could be heard hundreds of yards away. Woods hit into the burn in 2015 and only made bogey.
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2022-07-14T14:39:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles training camp 2022: Final receiver spots will be intriguing
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-final-110000565.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-final-110000565.html?src=rss
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Ickey Ekwonu: I’ll do everything I can to keep any QB safe originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
A's vs. Rangers Highlights
Leody Taveras drove in two runs on a base hit and Jon Gray fanned nine in seven stellar innings in the Rangers' 5-2 win over the A's
Southern Miss football begins the 2022 season against Liberty in 52 days. How does Vegas think the Golden Eagles will fare in 2022?
Rashard Anderson, a first-round draft pick of the Panthers in 2000, has died at the age of 45. After a stellar college career at Jackson State, Anderson played in 27 games in two seasons for the Panthers before he was suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He never played again after that, with [more]
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2022-07-14T14:40:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ickey Ekwonu: I’ll do everything I can to keep any QB safe
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ickey-ekwonu-ll-everything-keep-111856991.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ickey-ekwonu-ll-everything-keep-111856991.html?src=rss
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A look at Eagles GM Howie Roseman's most unconventional roster acquisitions
A look at Howie Roseman's most unconventional roster acquisitions originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
It doesn’t always work. Sometimes it fails. And sometimes it fails spectacularly. Other times you just may get a Pro Bowler out of the deal.
Since Howie Roseman first became Eagles general manager more than 12 years ago, he’s demonstrated a penchant for unconventional moves. Off-the-wall moves might be a better phrase for it.
That means trying guys at new positions. Or luring guys out of retirement. Or acquiring guys who haven’t played football in a few years. Or just maybe signing a giant rugby player who’s never played a snap of football.
This year’s experiment is two-time Olympic hurdler Devon Allen, who hasn’t played football since he was at Oregon in 2016.
Let’s take a look at a handful of Roseman’s most offbeat acquisitions, listed chronologically.
Chad Hall [Signed March 11, 2010]
Hall played at Air Force, finishing his senior year in 2007 with 2002 scrimmage yards, third-most in the BCS. At 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, he went undrafted, so he gave up football and served two years in the Air Force, repairing jets at Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, Utah. Despite the layoff, Roseman signed him in the spring of 2010, just six weeks after he became GM. Hall was on and off the Eagles’ practice squad and active roster the next two years. He played in 15 games, caught 16 passes for 155 yards and two TDs and rushed 12 times for 42 yards. He finished his career with the 49ers in 2012 and back with Andy Reid with the Chiefs in 2013 before embarking on a coaching career. He’s currently Bills wide receivers coach under former Eagles assistant Sean McDermott.
Fireman Danny [Drafted in first round with 23rd pick, April 28, 2011]
Why was this such an off-the-wall pick? Because Fireman Danny never played football until he was 22 and had turned 26 six months before the draft, making him the oldest first-round pick in 40 years — since the Chargers drafted 28-year-old running back Leon Burns out of Long Beach State with the 13th pick in the 1971 draft. Burns only rushed for 292 yards in his brief two-year NFL career, and Fireman Danny wasn’t much better. Danny Watkins, as he’s also known, grew up in Canada playing hockey. He went to a JUCO in California to study firefighting but found himself on the football team. After a year of JUCO and two years at Baylor, Roseman snagged him. Didn’t work out. To put it mildly. Watkins played 23 games for the Eagles and one for the Dolphins before retiring and pursuing his true love — fighting fires.
Alejandro Villaneuva [Signed May 5, 2014]
Villaneuva played a variety of positions during his career at Army — defensive end, left tackle, wide receiver, tight end — before embarking on a military career. He spent two years with the Army Rangers before giving football another shot. He worked out for the Bears but didn’t get a contract offer, so he spent two more years in the Army. In March 2014, four years after he last played organized football, Villaneuva worked out at a regional combine, and the Eagles took notice. Two months later they signed him as a defensive end. That didn’t work out, and they released him after training camp. He resurfaced with the Steelers, who converted him to offensive tackle, and he spent seven years in the NFL, six with Pittsburgh, and made two Pro Bowls. He retired in March having never missed a game.
Greg Ward [Signed as undrafted rookie, May 11, 2017]
Ward played quarterback at Houston, and he was pretty good. He threw 52 touchdowns and 26 interceptions for the Cougars, rushed for 39 more TDs and completed 68 percent of his passes. In 2015, he was the only BCS player to throw at least 16 TDs and rush for at least 16 TDs. The Eagles signed him and converted him to wide receiver. He spent most of his first two seasons on the practice squad learning a new position before finally getting a chance to play in 2019. He caught 28 passes for 254 yards in seven late-season games and led the team in 2020 with 53 catches and six TDs. He remains on the roster, although he played sparingly last year and caught just two passes. His 88 career catches are sixth-most in franchise history by an undrafted wide receiver.
Jordan Mailata [Drafted in seventh round, April 28, 2018]
It doesn’t get more unconventional than drafting a 21-year-old rugby player who had never played football at any level. But it turned out to be a stroke of genius. Mailata spent his first two seasons learning the game and dealing with back injuries before taking over left tackle in 2020 for injured Andre Dillard, and in two seasons he's become one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the NFL’s second-best left tackle last year, and he’s now signed through 2025 at $16 million per year. He’s already started more games than any Eagles offensive lineman drafted in the seventh round or later since Reggie Singletary — himself a converted defensive lineman — in the late 1980s.
Josh McCown [Signed Aug. 17, 2019]
McCown had announced his retirement after 17 NFL seasons with 10 teams and was hired as an NFL analyst by ESPN when the Eagles, hit by training camp injuries to Cody Kessler and Nate Sudfeld, convinced him to come out of retirement to back up Carson Wentz. At 40 years old, McCown replaced Jeff Garcia as the oldest quarterback in Eagles history. McCown only threw five passes during the regular season, but when Wentz suffered a concussion in the second series of the Eagles’ home wild-card game against the Seahawks, McCown became the seventh player in NFL history to play in a postseason game in his 40s (joining Sonny Jurgensen, Brett Favre, Charlie Conerly, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and George Blanda). Playing most of the game with a torn hamstring, McCown completed 18 of 24 passes but the Eagles lost 17-9. Although he spent parts of the 2020 season on the Eagles’ and Texans’ practice squads, McCown never played again.
Tyree Jackson [Signed to futures contract Jan. 7, 2021]
Jackson threw 49 touchdowns and 24 interceptions and passed for nearly 7,000 yards in three years quarterbacking the Buffalo Bulls. Like he did with Ward four years earlier, Roseman signed Jackson and converted him, in this case to tight end. At 6-7, 250 pounds, Jackson sure looks the part. His rookie training camp was impressive before he was sidelined with a back injury that kept him out until the middle of the season. In the meaningless season finale against the Cowboys, he caught his first three passes for 22 yards, including a TD from Gardner Minshew. He tore his ACL later in the game and remains on the roster rehabbing.
Devon Allen [Signed as undrafted rookie, April 8, 2022]
Allen hasn’t played football since the 2016 season with Oregon, and he hasn’t played regularly since 2014, when he caught 41 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns. But he hasn’t exactly been sitting around doing nothing. Allen is one of the top hurdlers in history. He’s a two-time Olympian and last month in New York ran 12.84 at the New York Granx Prix at Randall’s Island, the No. 3 time in world history. Allen has said he’ll put track on the back burner once he races at the World Athletics Championships next week at Hayward Field, his old home track in Eugene.
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2022-07-14T14:40:06Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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A look at Eagles GM Howie Roseman's most unconventional roster acquisitions
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https://sports.yahoo.com/look-eagles-gm-howie-rosemans-135700088.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/look-eagles-gm-howie-rosemans-135700088.html?src=rss
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It’s not exactly fair to rank the AFC West as a simple 1-4 at tight end. Mainly because there are two of the top tight ends in the entire NFL sharing the division and a sizable gap after that. But that’s just the reality of things.
Starter: Travis Kelce
Kelce has been the best tight end in football over the past six seasons now and has shown no signs of slowing down. It’s been seven years since he even had less than 1000 yards in a season. And a season ago, he was a unanimous All-Pro with over 1400 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.
In most divisions in football, Waller would stand atop the tight end rankings. But sharing a division with Kelce unfortunately keeps him in the backseat. Not that the Raiders are complaining at all. Waller is one of the top weapons at any position in the league.
A year ago, Waller set a new single-season franchise record with 107 catches. He is a mismatch for any linebacker and gives safeties all they can handle. This opens things up for everyone else even when he doesn’t get the ball.
Starter: Gerald Everett
On the plus side, Everett has seen his numbers improve each of his five seasons in the NFL. On the negative side, he that has brought him to a career-high 478 yards. At 27 years old, he should be still in his prime, so he could very well put up very good numbers for the Chargers. I would have said a change of scenery, but he came over from the Rams so he’ll be calling the same stadium home.
Starter: Albert Okwuegbunam
A fourth-round pick a couple of years ago, he will have a shot to be the full-time starter this season after six starts in 2021. The team also added Greg Dulcich who they selected in the third round of this year’s draft to compete for reps.
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2022-07-14T14:40:44Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ranking the AFC West tight ends
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ranking-afc-west-tight-ends-124938725.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ranking-afc-west-tight-ends-124938725.html?src=rss
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Report: Sean Payton preferred break over taking Dolphins job in 2022
Earlier in the offseason, there were numerous reports about the Miami Dolphins’ interest in former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton to take over the same role in South Florida. Some had even gone so far as to claim that Miami offered him a five-year contract worth $100 million.
However, according to a source close to the situation that spoke to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, there wasn’t a ton of traction for the move to be made this offseason.
“He was flattered by Miami’s interest in him to become their coach this season but also preferred to take a break from coaching in 2022,” the source said.
Regarding the contract offer, Jackson also wrote that a team source insisted that the “offer was never made because the Dolphins were never granted permission by the Saints to speak with him after they requested permission, and because the Dolphins did not want to do anything that could result in tampering charges and loss of draft picks.”
If Brian Flores’ accusations regarding the alleged recruiting of Tom Brady back in 2020 are to be believed, the Dolphins may be willing to risk the tampering charges in some instances.
However, if Miami did follow the rules and didn’t speak to Payton because he was under contract, would Miami have pulled the trigger and brought him in with permission?
The logical mind seems would probably lean towards yes. He was an experienced coach who helped bring New Orleans to the postseason most years, winning a Super Bowl during his tenure. He’s also an offensive-minded leader who isn’t old enough that there would be major questions about retirement in the near future.
That’s just not how it happened. Miami ended up hiring Mike McDaniel, and it does seem like they’re happy with their decision. However, if things don’t go right in 2022, there are going to be people asking if the Dolphins should bring in Payton after his year off.
According to Jackson’s source, “The Dolphins will have at least a chance next spring if they make a coaching change and again pursue Payton.”
What is Payton looking for in his next gig?
“Warm weather, a roster good enough to compete and most importantly, control over personnel decisions,” the source said. “Having a good quarterback would be helpful but that isn’t the No. 1 or No. 2 factor… On a much lower scale, he also would prefer to work in a market where he could golf some, though his work ethic and long hours largely limit those opportunities to the offseason.”
Those all seem like things that could happen in Miami, but again, for the team to fire a coach after one season, things would have to be a disaster in 2022. Considering what the Dolphins are dealing with from their last firing, they probably don’t want to become a story like that in back-to-back offseasons.
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2022-07-14T14:40:50Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Report: Sean Payton preferred break over taking Dolphins job in 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-sean-payton-preferred-break-140422700.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/report-sean-payton-preferred-break-140422700.html?src=rss
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After PFF ranked Blake Corum third overall — the best in the Big Ten — now Pro Football Focus has moved on to ranking the top 25 wide receivers and tight ends.
The Wolverines have a plethora of weapons for whoever takes the reign at quarterback, whether it’s Cade McNamara or JJ McCarthy, the maize and blue have the capabilities of having an elite offense for the 2022 season.
On the wide receiver end of things, Anthony Treash has Ronnie Bell ranked 19th in his top 25 rankings.
Like Demus (Maryland), Bell is also coming off a major knee injury. He missed nearly the entire 2021 season after going down in Week 1. When healthy in his four years at Michigan, the 6-foot, 192-pound receiver has been a productive after-the-catch threat, breaking 22 tackles and averaging 9.7 yards after the catch from 81 receptions.
The former three-star product out of Kansas City, and former high school basketball star, only played in the first game of the season last year after suffering a terrible knee injury, but Bell has shown that he has the ability to be a No. 1 wideout when healthy.
During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Bell caught 74 passes for 1,159 yards (15.6 yards-per-catch). The only thing Bell hasn’t been is a touchdown threat, he has only had five touchdowns in his four seasons in Ann Arbor. That should change this season when Bell suits back up for the maize and blue when he gains control of being a top receiver for Michigan.
When it comes to the tight end position, it has been a staple in the Michigan offense since Jim Harbaugh became head coach back in 2015. The Wolverines have had some really good playmakers at that position that can catch and block, and this upcoming season shouldn’t be any different. The maize and blue have two top tight ends at the position that will see valuable playing time: Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker.
Anthony Treash lists All as the No. 6 tight end in the country. He categorizes him as one of the biggest sleepers.
After an underwhelming first two years on campus, All is starting to finally develop into the player Michigan was expecting. The 2019 four-star recruit earned a 75.4 receiving grade last year, more than 30 grading points higher than his 2020 mark.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end looks to impose his will in the running game, recording five big-time run-blocks en route to a 76.4 run-block grade this past season. The latter ranked eighth among Power Five tight ends with at least 200 such snaps.
The former four-star Ohio product had a ton of preseason hype back in 2020, and was projected as being a top pass catcher going into the Fall, but drops really haunted the tight end who could only haul in 12 total catches.
But things turned around for the physical specimen in 2021 when All reeled in 38 catches for 437 yards and two touchdowns. He is expected to become an even bigger focal point in the offense in 2022 and if everything comes together, All could be looking at a career season.
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2022-07-14T14:41:09Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Two Michigan football pass catchers ranked in top 25
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https://sports.yahoo.com/two-michigan-football-pass-catchers-140503925.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/two-michigan-football-pass-catchers-140503925.html?src=rss
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J. R. Richard
Rick Honeycutt
American baseball player (born 1950)
American professional baseball player, first baseman
Major League Baseball pitching coach
Balimore Orioles' Steve Stone pitches against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 6, 1980. (Associated Press)
Houston Astros' J.R. Richard pitches against the Chicago Cubs on June 12, 1980 in Houston. (Anonymous/AP)
National League manager Chuck Tanner, center, jokes around with Houston pitcher J.R. Richard, left, and New York Mets' John Stearns during warm-ups for the 1980 MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. (Lennox McLendon / Associated Press)
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2022-07-14T15:08:42Z
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Their shining moment quickly faded. The story of the 1980 All-Star Game starting pitchers
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Perry: Why Stevenson will soon be considered a top-10 NFL running back originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
When ESPN revealed its list of top-10 running backs in the NFL, ranked by league execs, coaches, scouts and players who spoke with Jeremy Fowler, there were no Patriots named.
But by this time next year, when the running back rankings come out, New England should see its team represented.
Yes, Rhamondre Stevenson was that good as a rookie.
Thanks to his rare physical skill set and greater opportunity in his second season -- we'll soon explain why he'll see more touches -- Stevenson will have a chance to show he's among the league's most talented backs.
Where's the evidence, you ask?
According to Pro Football Reference, Stevenson ranked fourth in the league in yards after contact per attempt (2.7 yards), behind only Seattle's Rashaad Penny (3.1), Cleveland's Nick Chubb (3.0) and Indy's Jonathan Taylor (2.8). He broke 16 tackles on just 133 regular-season carries, a rate of one broken tackle for every 8.3 carries -- the second-best such rate in football behind only Denver's Javonte Williams (6.5).
It's not all that difficult to see how he does it.
At 6-feet and 230 pounds, Stevenson has the size and athleticism to provide headaches for would-be tacklers at the second and third levels of opposing defenses. But the effort with which he finishes his runs and his balance to be able to keep his legs churning after contact made him a consistent big-play threat with the ball in his hands as a rookie.
His explosiveness to get runs started -- especially for a man his size -- was impressive, too. His burst stood out to his college running backs coach DeMarco Murray when Murray saw him run special teams reps. It wasn't long before the Sooners staff steered Stevenson's focus away from being one of their best players in the kicking game and toward helping them offensively.
When you drill down on Stevenson's production -- particularly in the second half of last season -- is when you realize he has a shot to soon be considered among the cream at his position.
From Weeks 9-18, Stevenson graded out as Pro Football Focus' fourth-best running back with at least 100 carries. He was third in yards per carry (4.8), and he produced PFF's third-best "elusive rating," which is the site's attempt to quantify what a runner does independent of his blocking by looking at broken-tackle numbers, tackles avoided and yards gained after first contact.
During the second half of the season, Stevenson's elusive rating (90.8) placed him ahead of Taylor (74.0) -- the No. 2 back on ESPN's list behind Derrick Henry -- as well as Austin Ekeler (46.9), Dalvin Cook (45.4) and Ezekiel Elliott (18.2). Williams and Chubb were the only players who were better in that regard.
Stevenson had just 24 carries in the first eight weeks of his rookie season, and his massive bump in work down the stretch would suggest that Bill Belichick has warmed to using his multi-talented back more often in Year 2.
During Patriots OTAs, Stevenson was open in his desire to contribute more on third down in his sophomore season, and it looks like he'll have an opportunity to do exactly that. James White is slowly returning to action after missing most of last season with a hip injury. And rookie Pierre Strong Jr., who looks like a fit as a "sub" back, will in all likelihood be given some time to find his footing as a pass-protector and route-runner before he's trusted on that all-important down. (White, a fourth-round pick like Strong, didn't play as a rookie in 2014. He took a backseat to Shane Vereen in order to get adjusted to his eventual role.)
Based on Stevenson's work in the second half of last season, based on the passing-game opportunities that should be available to him in 2022, he's on track to find himself considered in the top-10 at his position sooner rather than later.
Phil Perry on Stevenson's outlook for 2022
That should open up the door for Stevenson to do more as a pass-catcher this coming season. He caught 14 passes for 123 yards last year, and proved he was a bear to tackle in the open field. Per PFF he averaged 1.54 yards per route run. That efficiency figure ranked eighth among backs last season and placed him just behind some of the best pass-catching backs in football like Ekeler (1.55) and Kamara (1.62).
Because the Patriots like to use a rotation in their backfield, because Damien Harris still will get his fair share of carries, Stevenson may not amass the counting stats of some other workhorse backs.
But based on his work in the second half of last season, based on the passing-game opportunities that should be available to him in 2022, he's on track to find himself considered in the top-10 at his position sooner rather than later.
The attorney for Dan Snyder told the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday there is no reason for the owner of the Washington Commanders to testify under subpoena for the congressional investigation into the NFL team's workplace culture. Snyder's attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, sent a letter to committee chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney confirming her client would participate virtually in the July 28 session from Israel while on a planned family trip. Patton Seymour, however, declined to accept the conditions of the subpoena.
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2022-07-14T15:08:48Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why Rhamondre Stevenson will soon be considered a top-10 NFL running back
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Jay Hart
LeBron James has influence. A lot of influence. He knows this, and relishes it. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it does come with responsibility.
What he said in a preview clip for the latest episode of “The Shop,” his HBO sit-around-and-talk show, is irresponsible.
Talking about Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia, where she’s been imprisoned since February, James wondered aloud, “[She’s been there] over 110 days. Now how can she feel like America has her back? I would be feeling like, do I even want to go back to America?”
Here is why this so egregiously irresponsible: Griner has now been jailed more than 145 days. Based on the 110-day number LeBron throws out, that means the discussion on “The Shop” took place more than a month ago.
In the last month, Griner’s wife has received a phone call from both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that members of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow attended Griner’s latest court hearing and "delivered to her a letter from President Biden." White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Griner's release "is a priority for this president."
Earlier this week, ABC News reported that former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will head to Moscow to participate in talks to discuss the release of Griner along with fellow American Paul Whelan.
But maybe most importantly, in May the U.S. government classified Griner as "wrongfully detained," a classification without which the government does not get involved in negotiating a release. What's more, Blinken did so before Griner's case was decided in a Russian court, a move that Russian law experts Yahoo Sports spoke to called notable and unusual.
This all took place in the first four to five months of Griner’s detainment.
Meanwhile, Whelan, one of the more than 40 Americans classified as "wrongfully detained," has been in a Russian prison since December 2018. His family had not received a call from the White House until July 8, and only then after pressure mounted that Griner’s case was receiving more attention.
LeBron may not have known all of this at the taping of “The Shop," but he and his team should know it now, and yet they still released the preview of the upcoming episode as is. This cannot just be ignorance. It’s deliberate to stir a pot.
And so when LeBron tweeted out a quasi-explanation late Tuesday, after his words blew up, there were plenty of people there defending a false reality he created.
The reality is because of Griner’s high profile, her detainment has received a tremendous amount of attention that has led to calls for her release being pushed to the front of the line. If anyone should be wondering if America has their back, it’s Whelan, who was recently passed over in a prisoner swap that brought home another American, Trevor Reed, despite him being jailed for a shorter time than Whelan.
The other reality is that Griner is most certainly being used as a Russian pawn, a valuable asset for the Kremlin to gain something in return. This undoubtedly complicates her release and absolutely must be considered in any discussion of her continued imprisonment.
But LeBron doesn’t do that. Instead, he dumbs it down to “America not having her back” — a narrative that only further foments division in this country — and follows it up with a lame tweet that doesn't explain anything.
It’s irresponsible, more so because he and his team had time to get it right but chose not to. And now the episode will air Friday night and people will listen to LeBron saying America does not have Brittney Griner's back, when nothing could be further from the truth.
This article originally appeared in Read & Read, Yahoo Sports' daily newsletter. Click here to subscribe.
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2022-07-14T15:55:38Z
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LeBron James shoots airball when discussing Brittney Griner
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New Hampshire 101: Story lines, TV times, Goodyear tires and more
The NASCAR Cup Series ships up to New England this weekend in a return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Get set for racing around the 1-mile oval before Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with plenty of storylines ahead.
MAKING HOT LAPS
Teams will be allotted 15-minute practice sessions on Saturday (11:30 a.m. ET, NBC Sports App; TV coverage starting at noon ET on USA Network) with the 36 entries divided into Groups A and B.
That precedes single-car, single-lap qualifying (12:20 p.m. ET, USA Network), which will set the starting lineup for Sunday‘s Ambetter 301. The fastest five drivers from each group will advance to the final round of qualifying, where those 10 drivers will compete for the pole. The fastest lap earns the Busch Light Pole Award.
NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORY
— New Hampshire Motor Speedway was built at the site of the former Bryar Motorsports Park. It is the largest sporting venue in New England at more than 1,100 acres and seating for more than 92,000. It is 75 miles north of Boston, 42 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean and 250 miles from Montreal.
— Bryar opened as a kart track in 1960. A 0.2-mile dirt oval ran near the later paved tracks from 1961-63; it was also referred to as Route 106 Midway Raceway. The 1.6-mile road course ran cars from 1964-88 and motorcycles only in 1989. A paved 0.2-mile oval ran from 1965-88, and a 0.625-mile paved oval from 1968-88. A 0.25-mile paved drag strip operated in the 1970s.
— Bob Bahre purchased Bryar in 1989. The existing complex was dismantled, and the 1-mile paved oval and 1.6-mile paved road course were built with much of the work done by Bob Bahre and his brother, Dick. After just nine months of construction the oval successfully opened on July 15, 1990, with an Xfinity Series race won by Tommy Ellis over Harry Gant.
— The first NASCAR Winston Cup race was on July 11, 1993, won by Team Penske driver Rusty Wallace over pole winner Mark Martin.
Although Cup teams haven‘t visited New Hampshire to race with the Next Gen car yet, there will be some familiarity this weekend.
Goodyear is providing the same tire setup at the Loudon, New Hampshire, oval that has been used at Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway and Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
“Loudon falls into a significant group of tracks, so Cup teams have been on this tire set-up three times already this season,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear‘s director of racing. “Having that experience, and now having raced this Next Gen car for five months, teams have had time to work through which settings work for their cars. In looking for grip, air pressure has always been a prime tuning tool for teams at Loudon. Combined with a team‘s shock and camber settings, that will be the case again this weekend.”
Scott Miller, NASCAR‘s senior vice president of competition, said Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that PJ1 traction compound is “a thing of the past” in lieu of what resin has provided instead. Whether we see resin in the outside lanes of New Hampshire this weekend, however, remained undetermined.
“There is actually some discussion going on right now amongst the drivers and ourselves about what we need to do this weekend,” Miller said. “Last year, we didn‘t spray the track up there. We had planned on it, but the way the rain was around the weekend, there was never an opportune time to do so and the track raced pretty good last year.”
NEW HAMPSHIRE STORY LINES
— Seven races remain in the Cup Series’ regular season.
— The longest top-10 finish streak by a driver this year is five races, four times: Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain. Chastain’s streak is active.
— Kevin Harvick is on a 62-race winless streak, the second longest of his career. 21 drivers have won since Harvick‘s last win.
— Kyle Larson is on a 17-race winless streak, the longest of his career at Hendrick Motorsports.
— Hendrick Motorsports has not won at New Hampshire since Kasey Kahne’s victory in July 2012. Since then, HMS has won four championships and 83 races at 25 different venues. Larson is the only active Hendrick driver who had made a NASCAR National Series start (Kentucky, Camping World Truck Series) when Kahne won.
TAKING THE FAVORITES FOR ‘GRANITE?’
Chase Elliott is the man to beat these days, scoring his series-leading third victory a week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The 2020 Cup Series champion is listed as the 10-1 favorite Sunday, courtesy of BetMGM’s odds. However, this might be a week to stay away from the No. 9 Chevrolet. In eight starts at the “Magic Mile”, Elliott has one top five (2018) and one other top-10 finish (ninth, 2020). Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t won in Loudon in a decade, so avoiding Elliott seems to be the safer choice here.
On the other hand, Ford has been stellar on flat, mile-long ovals — both historically and this season. The Blue Ovals have won the last four races in New Hampshire, including three victories for Stewart-Haas Racing. Chase Briscoe, another SHR driver, took the victory in Phoenix this spring and Joey Logano was victorious at Gateway. Harvick scored his season-best finish (second) at Richmond earlier this year. Those results all came on this tire compound.
All that said, Harvick opens at 16-1 odds on BetMGM as the third-best bet in the field. Is this the week his 62-race winning streak comes to a close? Certainly seems plausible.
The 2022 Fantasy Live points leaders are Chase Elliott (618), Ryan Blaney (583) and Ross Chastain (578).
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2022-07-14T16:19:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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New Hampshire 101: Story lines, TV times, Goodyear tires and more
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Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet start new sprint car series Drivers to watch in NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire NASCAR viewer’s guide: New Hampshire
NASCAR weekend schedule: New Hampshire originally appeared on NBCSports.com
'AGT' contestant's tragic story strikes a nerve with Sofia Vergara, moving her to tears
On America’s Got Talent Tuesday, Sofia Vergara was moved to tears during a powerful performance dedicated to the singer’s deceased twin brother. Wyn Starks, a Minneapolis native now living in Nashville, performed an original song called “Who I Am,” which is about his journey. “It was one of my brother’s favorite songs,” Starks said. “And I — I’m a twin, and recently actually lost my twin brother.” Vergara reacted, sadly saying, “Oh, no.” “It’s been really hard,” Starks continued. “And, you know, he was one of my biggest supporters. So to be here means everything to me, and I’m doing this for him.” During the performance, Vergara was seen wiping tears from her eyes, as she understands the pain of losing a sibling. Her older brother was killed in their native Colombia in 1997. “That was amazing,” Vergara said following the performance, her voice shaking. “Um, I’m so sorry for your loss. I know what that means. I lost my brother too, and I cannot even imagine what it is to lose a twin because that bond has to be something unexplainable.” “I’m sorry for your loss,” Starks responded. “I love all the feeling that you gave to your song,” Vergara continued. “I love your song, and I love that it was your song.”
'Barmageddon' Star Blake Shelton's TikTok Gets Flagged For 'Sensitive Content'
Blake Shelton’s recent post on TikTok perplexed fans when it was slapped with a sensitive content warning. Last week, the country singer and star of the upcoming USA Network series “Barmageddon” posted a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the music video for his 2021 song “Come Back As A Country Boy,” showing how some of the special effects for the video came to be. The screen was split into two parts. On top is the music video as it appears for the world to see. On the bottom in black and
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2022-07-14T16:19:21Z
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NASCAR weekend schedule: New Hampshire
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Andy Seuss is a busy man.
The New Hampshire native and North Carolina resident works as the car chief on the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series that will be piloted this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway by A.J. Allmendinger.
In addition to that, he and his wife are currently in the process of moving. So you might say Seuss’ life is currently complicated.
That makes this the perfect time for Seuss to dust off his driving suit and climb back into a Modified to race in Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Manufactured in America 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET on FloRacing).
RELATED: New Hampshire entry list | Race preview
The two-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion doesn’t race often these days due to his work schedule, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to race on the big stage at New Hampshire.
“At a young age I fell in love with Modified racing,” Seuss said. “It was always a dream, even racing go karts not far from there, to one day run the Modified at Loudon. I guess that excitement has never really left me. It’s still important to me. It’s huge. It’s a big deal.”
Seuss has gotten to do that 24 times during his racing career, with a best finish of fourth at the 1.058-mile speedway. He earned his lone NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole at New Hampshire in 2020 and he led 30 laps during that event before finishing sixth.
Andy Seuss, driver of the #70 Rockingham Boat/TDS Chevrolet, had the fasting qualifying time during the Musket 200 Presented by Whelen for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire on September 11, 2020. (Maddie Malhotra/NASCAR)
His attempts at New Hampshire make up nearly half of Seuss’ career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts. Why is New Hampshire so important to Seuss?
“It’s always still been our Daytona 500, personally, and I feel like a lot of people feel that way about the Modifieds,” Seuss said of racing at New Hampshire.
The car the 35-year-old will be driving Saturday is owned by his father, Steve Seuss, and will have sponsorship from Rockingham Boat and Acacia Energy. The father-son duo have worked together to race at New Hampshire since 2006 and have built a notebook the younger Seuss thinks is good enough to make them contenders.
However, Seuss will be at a unique deficit before he even takes the green flag Saturday afternoon.
Because of his responsibilities with Kaulig Racing, Seuss says he doesn’t expect to practice in his No. 70 Modified on Friday afternoon. In fact, he may not even get to qualify.
“I won’t be able to practice the car. I’ll be doing my day job in the Cup Series garage,” Seuss said. “Hopefully if we pass tech in time maybe I’ll get to qualify it, but if not, we’ll be starting in the back.”
So can Seuss win the race starting from the back? It’s not impossible.
Four times a winner at New Hampshire has started 29th or worse, with Mike Stefanik winning one of his record eight races at New Hampshire from the 40th position in 1998.
With 26 cars entered Saturday, Seuss won’t need to pass nearly as many cars as Stefanik did in 1998 if he hopes to win his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race.
Regardless of where he finishes, Seuss said the goal will be to have fun and enjoy a weekend back in his home state with many of the crew members who have helped him race through the years.
“We know that it’s an uphill battle,” Seuss said. “Maybe we’re not as likely to have the success that we’ve had in the past by putting ourselves behind, but it’s really about going and having fun this year. We’re just looking forward to having a weekend together. Racing a Modified just happens to be one of the things we all enjoy the most.”
Preece back to battle Mod Squad in Loudon
Ryan Preece loves his Modified racing roots, and he loves New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
These are big reasons why Preece is entered in Saturday’s Manufactured in America 100 at the 1.058-mile asphalt oval, where he happens to be the defending race winner.
Preece scored his first New Hampshire Motor Speedway victory last fall in a thrilling finish that saw him go from third to first in the final two corners.
As Ron Silk and Justin Bonsignore were battling for the lead, Preece made a hard left in Turns 3-4 to go underneath both competitors to take the lead and steal the victory in thrilling fashion.
Unlike last year, when Preece was driving the No. 6 Modified for the Partridge family, this time around he’ll be in his own No. 40 Modified that he recently began campaigning.
Saturday’s race will be Preece’s 26th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In his previous 25 starts, he has earned the aforementioned victory as well as eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. He’s also fourth in laps led at the track among active drivers.
Veterans Coby, Silk look for another Magic Mile trophy
Among those entered in Saturday’s Manufactured in America 100, no one has made more NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway than Doug Coby and Ron Silk.
Coby has competed in 35 races at the track, and Silk has competed in 34. The two have combined for seven victories, with Coby owning four New Hampshire trophies and Silk having collected three.
Silk enters Saturday’s race on top of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship standings. He’s the only driver to finish inside the top 10 in every race so far this year, but he’s failed to visit Victory Lane thus far.
A trip to New Hampshire, where he has 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, could be exactly what the doctor ordered as he continues his quest for his second series championship and first since 2011.
Coby, on the other hand, has already made two visits to Victory Lane this season. He earned wins at New York’s Riverhead Raceway and New Hampshire’s Lee USA Speedway aboard Tommy Baldwin Jr.’s No. 7NY, the same car he’ll be wheeling this weekend at New Hampshire.
While Coby may have more victories at New Hampshire than Silk, he hasn’t been as consistent. He has 13 top-five and 20 top-1o finishes, just a little shy of the numbers Silk has put together in one fewer start.
Baldwin’s team has earned four victories this year, two with Coby as well as wins with Mike Christopher Jr. and Jimmy Blewett. New Hampshire Motor Speedway would be an ideal place for victory No. 5.
Anthony Nocella returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for his second attempt of the season this weekend. He had planned to race at Richmond Raceway in April, but a mechanical failure during practice forced him to withdraw from the event.
Six previous New Hampshire Motor Speedway winners are entered in Saturday’s race. They include the aforementioned Ryan Preece, Ron Silk and Doug Coby, as well as Donny Lia, Bobby Santos III and Justin Bonsignore.
Kyle Ebersole returns to the Tour for his fourth start of the year Saturday at New Hampshire. He’s made two previous starts at the track known as “The Magic Mile,” earning a best finish of 14th in 2017.
Corey LaJoie is no stranger to Modified racing. The driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series honed his skills racing a Modified in the early 2010s, competing on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. However, the 30-year-old hasn‘t raced a Modified in NASCAR-sanctioned […]
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2022-07-14T16:19:27Z
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NOTEBOOK: Andy Seuss looking forward to 'having fun' in New Hampshire Modified race
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Coming at No. 13 is running back David Montgomery, one of the team leaders who will be counted on to move the ball in a new offensive scheme.
Through four weeks of the 2021 season, Montgomery was statistically one of the best running backs in the league. He tallied two 100-yard rushing games and had 309 total rushing yards, even with the abysmal offensive performance against the Cleveland Browns included. But a knee injury knocked him out for four weeks and Montgomery never got back up to his production from earlier in the year.
Montgomery returned in week nine but his effectiveness had dipped. He didn’t have another 100-yard performance after his injury and finished the season with 849 rushing yards, a career low. He also averaged just 3.77 yards per carry, though he did score seven rushing touchdowns. Much like the Bears offense as a whole, Montgomery’s 2021 season felt incomplete but now he has a chance to prove this last year was a fluke and he can be a top-15 running back in the league.
If anyone has any reason to lick their chops over this new offense, it’s Montgomery. New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will be establishing an offense that heavily features the running game in an outside zone scheme, which should tailor to Montgomery’s strengths. The bruising back is effective at bouncing off tacklers and earning a few extra yards after contact and it will only help the Bears move the ball down the field.
Montgomery also won’t have to shoulder the load on his own. Second-year back Khalil Herbert should steal a few touches each game, potentially becoming the 1B back to Montgomery’s 1A and splitting carries. Either way, Herbert’s presence should extend Montgomery’s availability in games throughout the entire season and it’s entirely possible he’s the team’s MVP on offense.
Big question: Will this be Montgomery's final season as a Bear?
The Bears and David Montgomery are on the verge of a crossroads. The veteran running back is entering the final year of his rookie contract and, while he’s been productive after being drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, do the Bears really want to commit a significant amount of money to a running back?
Normally, the chances of Montgomery being re-signed would be extremely low. But there are factors to consider that could mean the Bears are interested in locking him into a new deal. For starters, general manager Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus both have sung the back’s praises and have called him a leader in the locker room. While it would be an understandable business decision, it would also be a tough look if they allowed Montgomery to walk next offseason after leaning on him to set the tone. Keep in mind also that the Bears have an exorbitant amount of open cap space next year. Perhaps he can be brought back on a cost-effective deal and remain with the Bears.
Poles also already seemingly has a new suitable RB1 waiting in the wings with Herbert, who still has two years of control on his deal after this season. The Bears could say goodbye and move Herbert into the starting spot after this season, but Montgomery isn’t going to let that happen without a fight.
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2022-07-14T17:41:34Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 13 David Montgomery
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Cincinnati Bengals announce alternate “White Bengal” helmet
You might have missed something this morning while Twitter was down. The Cincinnati Bengals announced an alternate “White Bengal” helmet for the 2022 season.
Bengals fans have been clamoring for the alternate design for years, to go along with their all-white uniforms.
The team posted a video to social media announcing the “White Bengal,” but with Twitter’s problems on Thursday morning, the video struggled to load. In a subsequent tweet, the team’s social media account teased the white helmets:
The Bengals are the latest team to take advantage of the NFL’s new stance on alternate helmets. The Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots are other teams that announced alternate helmets for the upcoming season.
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2022-07-14T17:42:05Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Cincinnati Bengals announce alternate “White Bengal” helmet
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Colts’ Ryan Kelly misses the cut in Touchdown Wire’s rankings
Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly wasn’t ranked among the top-12 centers by our friends over at Touchdown Wire but was instead listed as an honorable mention.
Here’s what they said about Kelly and just missing the cut in the rankings:
A few different centers just missed out on the cut this year. Ryan Kelly continues to handle business on the inside for the Indianapolis Colts, and while he allowed three sacks and 29 pressures last season — second-most among qualified centers according to charting data from Pro Football Focus — he remains a solid option on the inside.
Kelly, despite being a Pro Bowler, did suffer with inconsistent play during the 2021 season. It wasn’t to the point where he was a liability, but it certainly wasn’t his best season when it came to pass protection.
He also dealt with the unfortunate tragedy of losing his unborn daughter during the regular season.
The Colts are hoping to see a bounce-back campaign from Kelly, who has been the anchor of the offensive line since being selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft.
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2022-07-14T17:42:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts’ Ryan Kelly misses the cut in Touchdown Wire’s rankings
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Here's where Patriots' Hunter Henry ranks on ESPN's top NFL tight ends list
Here's where Hunter Henry ranks on ESPN's top NFL tight ends list originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
ESPN has been rolling out its top 10 NFL players at every position rankings over the last few weeks, and the New England Patriots have been among the least-represented teams on these lists.
The ranking of the top 10 tight ends was revealed Thursday, and two New England Patriots players are mentioned.
The first is Hunter Henry, who comes in at No. 10 on the list.
"Henry won a tiebreaker with Miami's Mike Gesicki to land the final spot in the top 10, with voters preferring Henry's traditional tight end presence over Gesicki's vertical-threat ability," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote.
"Really reliable player," an NFL scouting director told Fowler about Henry. "Great hands. Quick and savvy."
The Patriots signed Henry as part of their free agency spending spree in 2021, and he was among the best additions to the roster. The 27-year-old veteran caught 50 passes for 603 yards and nine touchdowns. He also played a full season for the first time in his career.
Another Patriots tight end who received votes, but not enough to rank inside the top 10 was Jonnu Smith. The Patriots signed Smith in 2021, too, and he had a disappointing debut season in New England with just 28 receptions for 294 yards and one touchdown.
If the Patriots offense is going to show meaningful improvement in 2022, the team needs Smith to have a bounce-back season. Having a strong tight end duo of Henry and Smith would be great for young quarterback Mac Jones and put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. Two effective tight ends running down the field also would create more favorable matchups for Patriots wide receivers such as DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne.
Many of the best Patriots offenses over the last 20 years have featured one or two excellent tight ends. They have the ability to create a similarly successful offense next season if Henry and Smith play to their potential. Henry has shown he's capable of doing it here, now it's Smith's turn.
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2022-07-14T17:43:01Z
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Here's where Patriots' Hunter Henry ranks on ESPN's top NFL tight ends list
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Justin Jefferson could very well be the best receiver in football, but the Minnesota Vikings’ star wideout failed to crack the top-three at his position in the 2022 ESPN rankings.
It’s a bit of a head-scratcher considering the only player to beat him in receiving yardage last season was Cooper Kupp. And yet, Davante Adams, Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase all ranked ahead of Jefferson on the list.
It’s important to note the rankings were taken from more than 50 voters, including NFL executives, coaches, players and scouts. So this isn’t just one person’s opinion on the matter.
“He’s not a burner, but he’s got everything else,” said an NFL offensive coach, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Instincts, competitive, great route-runner, can win at all levels of the field.”
Kupp was obviously going to make the top-three after the historically great season he had in 2021, which ended with him winning a Super Bowl MVP. And Davante Adams, who will be paired with Derek Carr as a Las Vegas Raider this season, has long been considered one of the best receivers in the game, if not the best.
The debate really gets fun when it comes to the former LSU teammates, Chase and Jefferson. Chase hauled in 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, while Jefferson caught 108 passes for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Being on a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs, much less a Super Bowl, in back-to-back seasons doesn’t help Jefferson’s case.
Meanwhile, Chase exploded onto the scene and helped the Cincinnati Bengals shed their hapless label and win an AFC Championship, before going on and losing to the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LVI.
It’ll be interesting to see how the landscape at receiver looks by the end of the 2022 season. Former Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell taking the mantle as Vikings head coach and offensive play-caller could take Jefferson’s game to an even higher level, which is pretty scary when you really think about it.
If Jefferson 1.0 was this good, what will the 2.0 version look like?
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2022-07-14T17:43:20Z
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NFL executives, coaches and players snub Justin Jefferson as top-three receiver
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Pro Football Focus updated their way-too-early 2022 NFL offseason power rankings ahead of training camp. In the latest look, the New York Jets slot in at No. 25 overall.
Credit is given to New York general manager Joe Douglas in the breakdown. While 25th isn’t the best slot, that’s a lot better placement than Gang Green saw for much of last season.
But the early 2022 power ranking now comes down almost solely to Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.
Here’s how PFF explains:
The Jets have done a fantastic job of building around Zach Wilson, but now, they need to see some signs of life from last year’s No. 2 overall pick. Additions such as Laken Tomlinson continued to add strength to an offensive line than finished last year ranked 11th in the NFL. Adding Garrett Wilson in the draft should improve the entire receiving corps, allowing Corey Davis to avoid the attention of a true No. 1 receiver. The defense also saw some reinforcement with cornerback additions in both free agency (D.J. Reed) and the draft (Ahmad Sauce Gardner).
Unfortunately, PFF’s look at the Jets does put them in the AFC East’s basement. The Buffalo Bills are their top dog, slotting in at No. 1. The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are named at No. 18 and 19, respectively.
If you are in dire need of some bragging rights, at least there’s the crosstown edge. The New York Giants are right behind the Jets at 26.
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2022-07-14T17:43:27Z
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Power rankings: PFF slots New York Jets in at 25th
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Seahawks’ John Schneider lands at No. 22 in these GM rankings from NBC
Some folks get it. A new ranking of the league’s 32 GMs by Patrick Daugherty at NBC places John Schneider low – he’s just No. 22 on the list.
“The Seahawks’ front office has made two signature moves the past three years: Trading two first-round picks for a safety and acquiring two first-round picks for the quarterback who oversaw at least one playoff victory six of his 10 years in town. I’m not sure which, but that seems like a cardinal sin. It’s definitely a team-building sin. The one thing you do not do in the modern NFL is give away a franchise quarterback.”
Nothing is more difficult to comprehend than an inconvenient truth. If you’re a Seahawks fan who gets flustered by that take odds are you know deep down that it’s true. Russell Wilson may be 33 years old, corny as hell and not worth the $50 million a year the Broncos will be forced to pay him. That doesn’t change the fact this team deliberately took a bigger step backwards at quarterback than any NFL team has in years.
Schneider definitely shouldn’t take all the blame, though. Daugherty also rightfully ripped head coach Pete Carroll for doubling down on a ball-control approach despite having one of the game’s greatest WR groups. They don’t have an elite defense to justify it anymore, either.
All will be forgiven if the Seahawks find their next franchise QB in the 2023 NFL draft. Unfortunately, it would also let Schneider and Carroll off the hook for their mistakes and ultimately set the organization up for more missed opportunities.
All is not lost, though. Seattle went into the 2022 draft with a radically different approach than they had over the previous 10 years. If that trend continues there is hope.
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2022-07-14T17:43:46Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Seahawks’ John Schneider lands at No. 22 in these GM rankings from NBC
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Tom Brady’s “retirement” lasted all of 41 days this offseason, as the GOAT is back for his 23rd NFL season, and his third as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team back in 2020, Brady is now hoping to avenge last year’s heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Will this be Brady’s last ride, though, regardless of how the season ends?
He was recently asked by Variety how many more years he plans to play in the NFL, and his answer was vintage Brady:
“I’m saying one, but I reserve the right to change my mind,” Brady said with a smile.
He’s clearly willing to change his mind, as Brady proved by announcing his retirement back in February, then announcing his return for another season just before free agency kicked off in March.
While he won’t have Rob Gronkowski back for his potential last run, Brady still has a loaded roster in Tampa Bay, and they’re once again among the favorites to take home the Lombardi Trophy.
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2022-07-14T17:43:52Z
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Tom Brady reveals how many more years he plans to play in the NFL
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Dallas Goedert will enter 2022 as the unquestioned No. 1 tight end for the Eagles, one of the highest paid at the position and looking to earn his first Pro Bowl birth.
A 2018 second-round pick, Goedert is now primed for a breakout season after Philadelphia traded the great Zach Ertz to the Cardinals in 2021. Experts and analysts are high on Goedert’s potential to produce at a high level, and he’s teetering on reaching top four or top five status with another solid season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently ranked the top 10 tight ends in the NFL, and Goedert landed outside the top 5, at No. 6 on the list.
Goedert was the most consistent vote-getter in the next tier of tight ends, appearing on nearly 80% of the ballots. He is considered versatile for his ability to run routes with nuance and burst; flex into different positions, such as slot tight end or backside receiver; and hold up as a blocker in the running game.
“He’s kind of a sleeper to me,” an AFC personnel evaluator said. “Never gets huge media praise, but he’s a big, smooth athlete who’s good in both phases of the game — can stretch the seams and also has enough athletic ability to run the route tree.”
Goedert had 56 receptions for 830 yards and four touchdowns, and quarterback Jalen Hurts saw his QBR skyrocket when targeting the tight end across the middle.
Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Darren Waller (Raiders), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), and George Kittle (49ers) rounded out the top five.
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2022-07-14T17:44:04Z
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Where Dallas Goedert landed in an ESPN ranking of the NFL’s top 10 tight ends for 2022
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Junior Tigers receiver Kayshon Boutte will carry on one of the program’s proudest traditions as it was announced on Thursday that he will wear the No. 7 jersey on offense for LSU this fall.
The No. 7 jersey is a relatively recent, and it’s given every year to a dynamic playmaker who also demonstrates leadership qualities. Recent players to don the jersey include Tyrann Mathieu, Derek Stingley Jr., D.J. Chark Jr. and Leonard Fournette.
“I am excited to get back on the field with my brothers and work all season,” Boutte said in LSU’s press release. “To do it in the No. 7, and follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest players in LSU history, is an honor.”
Here’s a first look at Boutte in his new threads.
There aren’t many players in the SEC that enter the 2022 season with higher expectations than Boutte. An injury ended what was shaping up to be a stellar sophomore season after six games, but he still managed to lead the team in receiving touchdowns on the year with nine. It’s truly scary to imagine how productive he would have been if he had played in all 13 games.
LSU certainly has some holes to fill in Year 1 under coach Brian Kelly, but it also returns some potential superstars, and Boutte headlines that group. Many see him as a first-round pick in 2023, and he should be a leader on and off the field for the Tigers this fall.
The SEC's top returning WRs ranked by scoring production
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2022-07-14T17:44:42Z
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Star LSU receiver Kayshon Boutte to wear coveted No. 7 jersey in 2022
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After USC and UCLA dashed for the Big Ten, you’d think that the remaining Pac-12 schools would be left with some trust issues. Colorado athletic director Rick George, however, sees mostly transparency during recent discussions with his now-nine other counterparts.
George spoke with the media on Wednesday and said the Pac-12’s current loyalists are aiming to stay aligned, though it’s not yet clear if that means committing to the Pac-12 or joining another conference. While George said “everything is on the table,” keeping the band together seems to be the prevailing focus.
“We trust the people in the room and we have to,” George said. “We look each other in the eye — we’re not in person, but we’re on Zoom — we see each other and we talk through it. I think when this initially happened, there was some concern and there was a reaction to the news that went out there just like you all had a reaction. But again, I always think that cooler heads prevail. Once we had an opportunity as a group to sit down and talk through where we were, to make sure that we were aligned in where we wanted to go, I think it’s been really helpful for us.”
Colorado’s nine-year AD also commended Pac-12 Commissioner George Kilavkoff on his handling of the situation.
To add another layer to the conference’s alignment, George was asked if CU has had a closer relationship with Utah throughout this process, which was at least the thought from outsiders. Despite joining the Pac-12 together and sharing a geographical connection, he confirmed that wasn’t the case; rather, he reiterated a 10-team commitment.
That’s how it is with collegiate athletics. It doesn’t make sense anymore.
The key for Tennessee football to finish in the top five or even top 10 in recruiting rankings? Add more four-star prospects.
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2022-07-14T19:13:03Z
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Rick George believes trust is present among remaining Pac-12 schools
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Three Aggies set to join coach Fisher at the 2022 SEC media days
The SEC has announced their slate of player participants in next week’s 2022 SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. This four-day event is an opportunity for high-profile SEC players, from all fourteen member schools, to answer questions regarding the 2022 season.
Coach Fisher and his Aggies are set to take the podium on Thursday, July 21. Accompanying coach Fisher will be A&M’s senior defensive back, Demani Richardson, junior offensive lineman, Layden Robinson, and senior wide receiver, Ainias Smith.
It’ll be great to hear from these young men and get a glimpse into the mindset of a few Aggies’ leaders as they set their sights on bringing a National Championship to College Station in 2022.
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2022-07-14T19:13:28Z
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Three Aggies set to join coach Fisher at the 2022 SEC media days
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North Carolina guard Caleb Love, right, reacts to a loss as Kansas' Jalen Wilson (10) celebrates after a college basketball game in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. Kansas won 72-69. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Charles McClelland will become the first representative from a historically Black college, university or league to chair the Division I men's basketball committee when he takes over next year.
''It is a tremendous honor to be selected by my colleagues,'' said McClelland, who previously served as athletic director at Prairie View A&M and vice president of athletics at Texas Southern. ''The NCAA Tournament is the greatest sporting event in the world and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the future success of this great enterprise.''
Adrian Martinez addresses the media at Big 12 Media Days in Arlington
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2022-07-14T19:31:01Z
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McClelland to become NCAA men's basketball committee chair
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Dodgers fans walk through the stadium during the team's home opener against the Cincinnati Reds in April. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
“People walking everywhere, between cars, in front of cars, totally disorganized, chaotic, no flow," he said. "They could fix it if they put in walkways. I just don’t understand why they won’t fix it.”
“I was exhausted, I was frustrated and I said to my wife, ‘I don’t think this is worth it anymore,’” he said.
"I haven’t made a decision for next year,” Pomerance said. “Every game for me this year has had some kind of hassle, some kind of parking, traffic or food disaster ... or the perfect storm of all of them.”
“You have to think at some point people are going to throw up their hands and say it's easier to sit at home and watch on TV, they’re still just as great,” said Pomerance.
Tracy McGrady believes Russell Westbrook's play style doesn't mesh with LeBron James in LA.
It's never been harder to get a hit in MLB. On Sports Seriously, former NL MVP and current Dodger Cody Bellinger told Mackenzie Salmon defensive shifts are a major reason for that.
The Nets and Kevin Durant may be in a summer standstill. Andy Nesbitt looks at how the Nets and the disgruntled star can fix this mess.
Freddy Freeman’s former agent and his company sued a radio host for libel on Thursday, alleging Doug Gottlieb falsely claimed Casey Close never informed the first baseman of the Atlanta Braves’ last contract offer. Close and Excel Sports Management filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, alleging defamation by libel. Gottlieb, 46, is affiliated with Fox Sports, the Pac-12 Network and CBS Sports, according to the suit.
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2022-07-14T19:56:13Z
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Plaschke: Attending a game at marvelous Dodger Stadium is a maddening experience
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Mickelson’s no-show wasn’t entirely unexpected after he was part of the growing group that has left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, a controversial move that has fractured the top level of the sport. That defection has drawn the ire of some of the game’s biggest names, none larger than Woods, who said this week that he didn’t “understand” the upstart league’s appeal and believed that those players had “turned their back” on the tour that has made them famous.
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2022-07-14T19:56:20Z
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Pressed more on LIV, Phil Mickelson snaps back: 'Let it go, dude ... I couldn’t be happier'
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Phoenix Suns center DeAndre Ayton has averaged a double-double in each of his first four NBA seasons. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Restricted free agent DeAndre Ayton, the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018, has agreed to a four-year, $133 million maximum contract with the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Phoenix Suns have two days to match the deal and retain Ayton or lose him for nothing.
The contract effectively removes Ayton, and likely Phoenix, from this summer's trade sweepstakes for Kevin Durant, as the 23-year-old cannot be dealt until Jan. 15 once he signs the offer sheet. Durant listed the Suns as a preferred trade destination, league sources told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. It is unlikely Phoenix has enough to offer the Brooklyn Nets now — without including All-NBA guard Devin Booker.
Ayton has been an integral member of the Suns' success for the last two seasons, helping Booker and Chris Paul lead Phoenix to the 2021 Finals and the league's best regular-season record over the past year. He averaged 17.2 points (on 63/37/75 shooting splits), 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.5 minutes over 58 games last season, the 7-footer's fourth straight averaging a double-double since he entered the NBA.
The Suns were 18.5 points per 100 possessions better whenever Ayton was on the court against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 Finals, a testament to his offensive production and defensive improvement.
Phoenix opted not to meet Ayton's asking price of a max contract last summer, when Class of 2018 peers Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr. received max deals. The decision not to extend Ayton before the end of his rookie contract had the potential to derail the Suns' season.
And it might have.
After Ayton played just 17 minutes in a 33-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, Suns coach Monty Williams said his center's limited minutes were an "internal" matter. Williams and Ayton engaged in a frosty exchange on the bench during the embarrassing loss, and Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported that "Ayton is not particularly a favorite of Phoenix's head coach."
Conversely, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted, "Ayton did not feel valued by this Phoenix organization."
"We're disappointed," Ayton's agent, Bill Duffy, told SiriusXM NBA Radio's Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson last month, reiterating what his client said prior to last season. "We wanted a max contract."
The Suns reportedly feared offering Ayton more than $30 million annually. The question is whether those fears are more analytically or financially driven. Phoenix owes Paul, Booker and Mikal Bridges a combined $83.2 million next season, and traditional centers no longer have the on-court value of ball-handlers and wings. Still, losing Ayton would be a blow to a team that legitimately believes it can win a championship.
Suns owner Robert Sarver has the money to pay Ayton. His status as a franchise governor, though, is uncertain, as he remains under investigation by the NBA for alleged workplace misconduct. Failing to retain a core member of a 64-win team, just because of money, will further the divide between owner and fans.
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2022-07-14T19:56:32Z
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NBA free agency 2022: Pacers sign Deandre Ayton to max offer sheet
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Countless hordes of fans were ram-packed on the verges as this Alpe d'Huez mountain above all other climbs on the Tour de France has a repuation for partying bordering on lunacy.
"He's the second British winner here," he said after his own triumph here on his way to the 2018 title. "It's great for the team."
"You have to expect the worst and hope for the best," he said. "It's not just the two of them, anything can happen."
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2022-07-14T20:09:10Z
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Pidcock wins Alpine Tour de France stage as Vingegaard retains lead
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On the other hand, the Cleveland roster is stacked at so many positions. The running backs and offensive line, including two of the best guards in the league, make up a great foundation for an offense. The tandem of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, buttressed by Chase Winovich, is one of the best edge rusher tandems in the league.
The defense also has studs in the secondary and a young, up-and-coming linebacker in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
With Baker Mayfield traded away to the Carolina Panthers, the Browns now just need resolution around Deshaun Watson to clear the unknown going into training camp. If Watson is suspended for the entire season, perhaps Jimmy Garoppolo would become an option for the team.
Despite Watson’s situation and a few concerns on the roster, many would have guessed that CBS Sports roster ranking would still have Cleveland in the top 10 or higher. Instead, the Browns roster is down at #15:
Cleveland has been hailed as one of the best, deepest rosters in the NFL, and it’s true there’s no shortage of weapons on both sides of the ball: RB Nick Chubb, WR Amari Cooper, DE Myles Garrett, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, CB Denzel Ward are all proven or rising stars. But the receiving room is thin beyond Cooper, the line lost center J.C. Tretter, the secondary is still banged up, and most of all, the biggest asset of them all, new QB Deshaun Watson, looks like a lock to miss significant time thanks to a suspension for his extensive legal disputes involving 24 different accusations of sexual assault or misconduct.
Only the Steelers, two spots behind, are ranked lower in the AFC North.
Time will tell how much time, if any, Watson will miss and whether the concerns at receiver and defensive tackle come back to haunt them. Despite those concerns, the Browns roster deserves more respect than the 15th best in the league.
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2022-07-14T20:21:44Z
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Browns roster surprisingly ranked middle of the pack
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Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s mentor Mike Holmgren named semifinalist for Hall of Fame
LaVell Edwards
The man who gave Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid his first job in the NFL is up for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Mike Holmgren spent 16 seasons as an NFL head coach spending time with both the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. Holmgren was recently named one of 29 coaching semifinalists for the Hall of Fame class of 2023. His path first crossed with Reid at BYU when he was a quarterbacks coach under LaVell Edwards. When Reid made the decision to end his playing career and get into coaching, it was Holmgren who helped him get his first job as the offensive line coach at San Francisco State.
In 1992, Holmgren’s first season in Green Bay, he hired Reid to coach the team’s tight ends. After coaching the tight ends for five seasons and helping Green Bay to a Super Bowl title (XXXI), Holmgren promoted Reid to coach the quarterbacks in 1997. Reid would coach Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre for two seasons before he was hired as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the rest is history.
Reid has long been a proponent of Holmgren’s candidacy for the Hall of Fame, even pitching the selection committee on it during Favre’s induction back in 2016.
“They just need to get one more guy in, and that’s Mike Holmgren,” Reid said, via Chiefs.com. “Then they’ll have the whole Godhead of the Green Bay Packers there and set up in the Hall of Fame.”
Not only did Holmgren help kick off Reid’s professional coaching career, but he taught him everything he knows about being a head coach in the NFL.
“I felt this way when I worked for him, so I felt he was the best,” Reid said in October of 2020. “I didn’t think anybody could do it better than he did it. He just had control of everything and was smooth with the players, and at the same time, he could get on them, and likewise with all the people in the organization. So, I had a great teacher there and somebody that deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, obviously.”
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2022-07-14T20:21:51Z
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Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s mentor Mike Holmgren named semifinalist for Hall of Fame
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One year after signing Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80-million-dollar contract, the Kansas City Chiefs’ left guard is still regarded as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league.
In two recent rankings — Touchdown Wire’s top-11 offensive guards and ESPN’s top-10 interior offensive linemen — Thuney was ranked as the fourth-best in the league. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar’s method involves a blend of film study and statistical analysis. He found that Thuney made a near-flawless adjustment to Kansas City’s offense compared to the system he came from in New England.
Thuney isn’t a pure power blocker at 6-foot-5 and 308 pounds, but he’s always been a sound technician, and that’s how he deals with bigger, more aggressive disruptors.”
A number of film examples prove Thuney’s technical excellence throughout a variety of different circumstances, from pass-blocking to working as a cutback blocker in the run game.
ESPN’s methodology is a bit different. In addition to film and statistical analysis, it surveys 50 NFL executives, coaches, scouts and players asking them to reveal a top-10 list of players at a particular position. An anonymous NFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler what they believe makes Thuney great.
“Great technique, awareness, uses his intelligence to stay in control of the game,” They said of Thuney. “He’s just really dependable.”
Dependability was certainly the name of Thuney’s game in 2021. In Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, Thuney played through the entire game with a broken hand without even telling his teammates. He’d play with that hand injury the rest of the season and start all 17 regular season games. He also started a game at left tackle when a pregame calf injury forced Orlando Brown Jr. out of the game. He allowed no sacks and just two pressures during that game.
Two different methods and they both came to the same conclusion — Thuney is one of the best of the best at his position in the NFL.
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2022-07-14T20:21:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chiefs LG Joe Thuney named fourth-best guard and fourth-best interior offensive lineman
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https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-lg-joe-thuney-named-194659726.html?src=rss
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Former Alabama running backs Derrick Henry and Najee Harris had significant impacts on the Crimson Tide during their respective collegiate careers. Both known for their agility, strength and ability to land a solid stiff arm, they didn’t seem to have any trouble assimilating to their new professional environment.
Henry, who won the 2015 Heisman Trophy, was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.
Harris just recently left for the NFL, as he was a first-round selection for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. He just completed his rookie season.
Both running backs have been voted as top-10 players at their position by NFL analysts at ESPN.
Henry was voted the best running back in the league, a title he held heading into last season as well.
Though he may not be No. 1 like Henry, Harris being ranked No. 8 on this list just after his rookie season shows that his career could ultimately be just as strong and impactful as Henry’s.
“He had 1,200 yards when everyone knew he was going to run it,” said one NFL defensive coach. “They knew the Steelers weren’t throwing deep and their offensive line was terrible.”
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Henry, Harris and other former Alabama players now in the NFL.
NFL analysts: 'Mac Jones emerging as New England Patriots leader'
'Uncoupled' Trailer: Neil Patrick Harris And Tisha Campbell In New Netflix Comedy
Netflix has dropped the trailer for the Neil Patrick Harris comedy Uncoupled, which also stars Tisha Campbell.
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2022-07-14T20:22:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Derrick Henry, Najee Harris considered top-10 RBs in the NFL, according to analysts
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https://sports.yahoo.com/derrick-henry-najee-harris-considered-194402898.html?src=rss
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The Tennessee Titans will have their first of four primetime games in 2022 when they hit the road to take on the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football” in Week 2.
The game is scheduled for a 6:15 p.m. CT kickoff on Monday, September 19, and will be the first of two Monday night games that evening, with the other being a matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles on ABC at 7:30 p.m. CT.
On Tuesday, ESPN announced that their No. 2 crew will call the game. Steve Levy will handle play-by-play duties, while Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky will handle analyst roles. Laura Rutledge will be the sideline reporter.
After sporting a lackluster No. 1 crew of Levy, Riddick and Brian Griese for “Monday Night Football” the past two years, ESPN made big changes to the crew in March, hiring former FOX duo Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Griese has since taken a role as the quarterbacks coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
After their Week 2 matchup with the Bills, the Titans will have three more primetime games. They are as follows:
Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, Nov. 6)
Week 11: at Green Bay Packers (Thursday, Nov. 17)
Week 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys (Thursday, Dec. 29)
You can check out Tennessee’s full 2022 schedule right here.
Titans' 2022 schedule: Ridiculously early win/loss predictions for each game
Titans training camp is fast approaching. Here are 5 position groups to keep an eye on
Your destination for insight, analysis and informed opinions on the Tennessee Titans.
The Pacers' offer sheet included a record-setting four-year, $133 million deal for the center
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said again this week, "We don’t like to see players requesting trades." But there's not much the league can do about it.
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2022-07-14T20:22:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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ESPN announces broadcast crew for Titans-Bills MNF game
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https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-announces-broadcast-crew-titans-180046633.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-announces-broadcast-crew-titans-180046633.html?src=rss
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Former Kansas City Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz is hanging up his cleats for good and officially calling it a career after nine seasons in the league.
You can read his full announcement below:
A former second-round draft pick by the Cleveland Brown out of Cal in 2012, Schwartz played four seasons in Cleveland before opting for free agency. He signed a multi-year contract with the Chiefs in 2016, proving some new protection for then-Chiefs QB Alex Smith on the right side of the offensive line. Schwartz started 70 games in five seasons in Kansas City, protecting both Smith and Patrick Mahomes.
Schwartz was a big part of the Super Bowl LIV team, blocking against a stout San Francisco 49ers pass-rush. His five years with the Chiefs set a new standard for excellence on the offensive line that has impacted the trajectory of the current players on the team and will be felt long after his retirement.
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2022-07-14T20:22:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz officially retires from NFL
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-chiefs-rt-mitchell-schwartz-183733055.html?src=rss
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The Miami Dolphins are preparing for the start of training camp with rookies reporting to the facility in less than a week, and veterans will follow a week after that.
This offseason, general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins organization have done an impressive job putting together a coaching staff and roster that has a real chance to be an upgrade from what they did last year, as they look to make the postseason for the first time since 2016.
Everybody has been giving their predictions on just how Miami will perform this season, and the most recent personality to do so is former Green Bay Packers (and one-time Dolphin) wideout-turned-analyst Greg Jennings. Jennings recently appeared on Colin Cowherd’s show and was asked to share his thoughts on the team in South Florida.
“I actually think they’re gonna be a really good team,” Jennings said. “And, if we think about Miami, even last year, they were a good team. Defensively, we know they’re gonna be stout, and when you look in that division, you have to be able to be stout defensively because everybody else is gonna pretty much be stout… That means your offense, your quarterback, has to be able to either manage the game successfully, not turn the ball over, or just be a flat-out Josh Allen-type guy. We know Tua [Tagovailoa]’s not that guy. What he has to do is just manage the game. Be smart. Understand when to take chances, when to make plays with his arm and when to allow his offense to be what it is… He has a coach that’s on the offensive side of the ball now in his ear, at the helm, and he’s going to thrive simply because, just like Kyle Shanahan, they’re gonna try to run the ball. They’re gonna try to support him with the running game, not just those [receiver] that they got… You can’t just solely rely on a young guy like Tua who hasn’t proven that he can hold or carry the team on his back. You gotta rely on more than him, and that’s the running game, and I think that’s what they’re gonna do. If they can do that, they’ll be successful this year.”
Jennings’ opinion on the Dolphins is one that seems to be shared among a lot of pundits and fans, as many believe they have enough weapons offensively and defensively, but there are still questions about whether or not Tagovailoa can put it all together.
Until the aqua and orange step on the field in a competitive setting, we’re not going to know if he’s up to the task.
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2022-07-14T20:22:41Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former Packers WR Greg Jennings talks expectations for Dolphins
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-packers-wr-greg-jennings-165543668.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-packers-wr-greg-jennings-165543668.html?src=rss
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As we near closer to NFL preseason, there are several Penn State rookies to keep an eye on. One of them is wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Dotson was selected by the Washington Commanders with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has already turned heads in camp and is in a perfect situation to succeed.
This has been mentioned multiple times but Dotson will be so much better in a WR2 position and he’ll get to play next to Terry McLaurin, who recently signed a three-year extension worth $71 million, and Curtis Samuel.
Dotson put himself on the map in the 2020 season at Penn State, after KJ Hamler departed for the NFL. As mentioned in his draft profile, one trait separating him from several rookie wide receivers in this class is his route running. In his past two seasons with the Nittany Lions, Dotson really developed into a more complex route runner with an expanded route tree. Dotson’s speed will also help Washington to really open up that offense. He can be a deep threat, but where Dotson really excelled at was his short routes and his elusiveness. Dotson’s speed after the catch is another trait that will help Washington’s offense.
Outside of McLaurin, there really isn’t anyone that can be as consistent with their hands as Dotson can be.
Washington’s receiver room has plenty to prove, with Curtis Samuel playing in just five games in 2021. In 2021, Dotson earned a PFF grade of 87.5 after just two dropped passes out of his 138 targets.
McLaurin finished with over 1,000 receiving yards. Their second best behind him was J.D. McKissic with 397 yards. Let me repeat that. 397 yards. Yes, Samuel was hurt for much of the season, playing in just five games. Before last year, he has been fairly reliable and has been healthy much of his career thus far. However, his best season came in 2020, but he caught just three touchdowns passes.
Samuel also has a catch radius that ranks him 54th in the NFL. With Samuel playing the slot in 2022 and Dotson moving into that WR2 spot, Washington’s wide receiver core is promising.
They have the depth, but much of it is unproven. As mentioned, Washington’s wide receiver room has plenty to prove this season. Not that it’s a red flag, but Dotson isn’t overly physical after the catch. He does rely a bit too much on his speed. People will knock players for being too light, but a good number of them have played their way around it. DeVonta Smith is a perfect example.
Washington has the speed and the talent in their wide receiver room. They just need players that can be more consistent like McLaurin.
Dotson is certainly capable of being a number one option. He did it at Penn State with a struggling quarterback and an offense that saw it’s ups and downs in 2021. However, him being in Washington and playing alongside McLaurin will help his game immensely because he won’t be under as much pressure to flourish as the “leading guy” in their wide receiver room.
Washington was in desperate help of building their wide receiver room, and Dotson is set up in a nice position to succeed. McLaurin did nothing but improve his game every year since he has entered the league. Dotson now has a good chance to do the same.
Jahan Dotson is already impressing Ron Rivera
Jahan Dotson signs rookie contract with Washington Commanders
Jahan Dotson's NFL offensive rookie of the year odds
What number is Jahan Dotson wearing with the Washington Commanders?
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2022-07-14T20:22:47Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jahan Dotson brings immediate impact to Washington’s offense
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jahan-dotson-brings-immediate-impact-195605635.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jahan-dotson-brings-immediate-impact-195605635.html?src=rss
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Les Snead-Sean McVay tandem ranks 1st among all GMs in NFL
By title, Les Snead is the general manager of the Los Angeles Rams. He’s held that role since 2012 after working in the Falcons’ front office, and he’s been a huge part of the Rams’ resurgence in the last five years.
But he’s not the only one making roster decisions. He works closely with Sean McVay to build the Rams’ roster, and the two of them have had very few missteps in their time together so far.
So when NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty ranked every general manager in the NFL, he lumped Snead and McVay together – and he put them at the top of the list. He ranked the Snead-McVay pairing as the best general manager in the league, ahead of Bill Belichick, Brandon Beane, Andy Reid/Brett Veach and John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan. So Snead and McVay weren’t the only GM-coach tandem on the list.
Some of the best moves made by Snead and McVay since they joined forces in 2017 include the selection of Cooper Kupp in 2017, the signings of Andrew Whitworth and Robert Woods that same year, and the trades to acquire Matthew Stafford and Jalen Ramsey. There have been countless other, too, like the underrated moves to land Austin Corbett, Leonard Floyd and Darious Williams.
The moves that look bad in hindsight are the extensions given out to Todd Gurley, Jared Goff and Brandin Cooks, which didn’t work out as they hoped. But at the time, the contracts given to Goff and Cooks were easy to get behind – even if Gurley’s wasn’t.
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2022-07-14T20:23:06Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Les Snead-Sean McVay tandem ranks 1st among all GMs in NFL
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https://sports.yahoo.com/les-snead-sean-mcvay-tandem-170431475.html?src=rss
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Offensive Plays: 1,051 (23rd)
Pass Attempts + Sacks: 541 (T-30th)
New Saints’ head coach Dennis Allen will get his second opportunity as the lead-man. His last HC gig was from 2012-2014 with the Raiders when he compiled an 8-28 record before being fired four games into the 2014 season. Not long after, he became the Saints’ defensive coordinator late in the 2015 season. He’s held that position since and, with legendary offensive guru Sean Payton retiring (for now), Allen was promoted to head coach. He will inherit a team with talented players. Despite players’ injuries that included Jameis Winston and Michael Thomas, the team managed to finish with a 9-8 record in a down season. A defensive mind as we know, Allen will mainly have his hands on that side of the ball. On offense, he chose to retain offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, who’s held the position since 2009.
Although the Saints held several interviews for the OC role, the decision was made to keep the long-time coordinator. The move might prove to be the best they’ve made this offseason. If you can’t have Payton or Drew Brees, it’s best to have the guy who was attached to them in the offense. Carmichael came onto the staff in 2006 as the quarterbacks coach (the same year the Saints acquired Brees). With a roster in win-now mode, it was probably best for the offensive players to have some type of continuity. Now that Carmichael has the offense to himself, the question is, what will the offense look like? For starters, Carmichael has actually had a season in which he was the sole play-caller for the Saints. In 2012 when Payton served a season-long suspension, Carmichael engineered the second-ranked offense in football. Mind you, they also were very pass heavy (671 passing attempts) and fielded the worst defense in the league that year. Positional finishes for fantasy were as follows:
Drew Brees, QB1
Darren Sproles, RB12
Pierre Thomas, RB30
Mark Ingram, RB39
Marques Colston, WR14
Lance Moore, WR21
Jimmy Graham, TE1
With play-makers all over the Saints’ defense, don’t look for them to be playing catch up often. The Saints defense ranked as the seventh-best overall and fourth-best fantasy wise in 2021. What they have, however, is capable players on offense, and Carmichael will use them to their strengths. While there are some questions about how the Saints offense will look, Carmichael is a long-tenured and trusted member within the Saints’ organization.
QB: Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton
WR: Michael Thomas, Marquez Callaway
WR: Jarvis Landry, Deonte Harty
WR: Chris Olave, Tre’Quan Smith
TE: Adam Trautman, Taysom Hill
The passing game will more than likely be the Saints bread and butter in 2022. With the additions of Jarvis Landry and first-round pick Chris Olave and the projected return of Michael Thomas, it’s the Saints’ best receiving group in a while. With Jameis Winston now throwing without a knee brace and looking healthier by the day, this offense could sneak up on people. Out of the gate, it’ll be hard to determine how the targets will be distributed. When you consider the top-three leading wideouts from 2021 (Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harty and Tre’Quan Smith) will all be backups now, it makes things more confusing. Alvin Kamara, who totaled at least 95 targets and 81 receptions in each of his first four seasons, saw a huge dip in receiving production after the departure of Drew Brees. In 2021, he had a career-low 67 targets and 47 receptions. On the flip side, Kamara gathered a career-high in carries with 240. These numbers bode well for the receiving corps.
In the five seasons where Winston has played in at least 11 games, running backs have only been targeted more than 46 times in a season once (Charles Sims in 2015, 70). In the seven games Winston started in 2021, Kamara saw 5.3 targets/game in the passing game. To put that in perspective, he saw 6.8 targets/game in his first four seasons. Receivers will get more love in this (sort of) new-look Saints’ offense. With Winston’s penchant for deep-ball passing, Olave is the receiver of the group you will look towards for the bigger plays. He may not lead the team in receptions in year one, but he could be the most effective and efficient. In four seasons at Ohio State, Olave averaged 15.4 yards per reception. In 2021, 354 of his 936 yards and seven of his 13 touchdowns came on deep routes (20 yards or more). With both Landry and Thomas having career averages of under 12 yards per catch, Olave and his 4.39 40-yard dash speed will fill the big-play receiver role.
Thomas remains a big question mark as he has not played any good football since 2019 due to lingering ankle issues. Entering his age-29 season, it could be a “do or die” type campaign. It’s been reported that he’s making good progress. Recently, videos hit the mean streets of social media of Thomas running routes and doing sprints. Whether or not he can return to All-Pro form remains to be seen, but a healthy Thomas is undoubtedly the best option in the passing game for the Saints at this point. Landry is coming off two very uninspiring seasons in Cleveland. A volume catcher in his own right, Landry will be able to line up in the slot or on the outside. Thomas’ health early on in the season will dictate the usage of Landry. With all three of the Saints receivers on the field together though, the biggest fantasy winner will be Winston.
RB: Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Tony Jones, Devine Ozigbo, Dwayne Washington, Abram Smith
OL (L-R): Trevor Penning, Andrus Peat, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Ryan Ramczyk
The Saints’ backfield wouldn’t be a question at all if Kamara didn’t have legal issues looming. While reports are he’s “bracing” for a six-game suspension, that’s all we know and it is hearsay. Where to even draft him is a question mark. The hope is we get some real clarity before fantasy-draft season is in full swing come August. With no suspension, Kamara should still be considered an RB1 with top 3-5 upside. A six-game suspension would knock Kamara into the middle rounds of fantasy drafts. If he does serve a suspension, who will fill the role and how will the Saints deploy their backs?
In 2021, Kamara missed four games between Weeks 10 and 13 due to a knee sprain. In those games, Mark Ingram assumed the role of lead back averaging 13.3 carries, 54.3 yards and 3.7 receptions per game. Taysom Hill chipped in as well with 14 carries for 124 yards while he tried to play quarterback. Tony Jones started Week 12 and was ineffective, gaining 27 yards on 16 totes. The Saints did not draft a running back and will pretty much bring back the same group. If Kamara does serve a suspension, expect some sort of committee with 32-year-old Mark Ingram leading the way. Jones, Devine Ozigbo, and Dwayne Washington could compete for touches behind Ingram. Undrafted rookie Abram Smith could also push for a roster spot.
On a brighter note the offensive line should be improved. Ryan Ramczyk will return as the only lineman for the team who graded out over 80 according to PFF. While the Saints lost Terron Armstead in free agency, they wasted no time in finding his replacement Trevor Penning in the first round. Andrus Peat will return to the lineup to help the interior line after only playing in six games in 2021.
The Saints went through a hell of a lot for a team that was still able to finish 9-8 in 2021. When you have to play quarterback musical chairs between Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill for more than half of a season, you’re lucky just to get out alive. This team found a way on the back of their defense. That side of the ball is even more loaded with the additions of Marcus Maye and Tyrann Mathieu to go along with Cam Jordan and the front seven. Given their new offensive weapons, 8.5 wins seems like a keeper and I’m taking the bait. Give me the over and look for the Saints to give the Bucs everything they can handle in the NFC South title race.
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2022-07-14T20:23:28Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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New Orleans Saints Fantasy Preview
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https://sports.yahoo.com/orleans-saints-fantasy-preview-170515780.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/orleans-saints-fantasy-preview-170515780.html?src=rss
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Tom Brady talks retirement, comeback, and what the future holds
It’s been a wild offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but no story was bigger than the retirement and subsequent comeback of legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady announced his retirement in February, but then returned just 41 days later, and now continues to prepare for his 23rd NFL season.
The GOAT recently sat down with Variety for a wide-ranging interview that covered topics both on and off the field, from his decision to retire (and then return), to his many business ventures, as well as his upcoming performance on the big screen with some Hollywood legends.
Here’s some of what Brady had to say about his past, present and future:
On if he knows 2022 will be his last season
On if he came back to win one more Super Bowl
On why he decided to retire in February
“I know, I know (a 40-day retirement is rare). I would have preferred to un-retire in July if I wanted to play. But I couldn’t. If I said I’m not playing, they’d make plans. So I felt there was a lot of pressure to make a decision quickly. And then ultimately, I just decided, “Yes, let’s do it.” And once I said that, it was like — OK, here we go.”
On how he started building businesses outside of football
On his relationship with Bill Belichick and the Patriots
On how his broadcasting deal with Fox came about
On what kind of football broadcaster he'll be
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2022-07-14T20:24:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tom Brady talks retirement, comeback, and what the future holds
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tom-brady-talks-retirement-comeback-164859597.html?src=rss
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Video: TE David Njoku shows off balance, focus during workout
The Cleveland Browns doubled down on their initial investment in TE David Njoku this offseason. After making the Miami product a first-round pick in 2017, the team placed the franchise tag on him at the start of the league year.
Later, the Browns and Njoku agreed upon a long-term deal that will keep him with the team for years at over $13 million in annual salary.
For some fans, Njoku’s career so far doesn’t make him worth that price. In five seasons, he’s never had more than 639 yards (2018) or four touchdowns (’17, ’18, ’21). His career high in receptions also came in 2018 with 56.
Moving forward, Cleveland is depending on Deshaun Watson’s use of tight ends and Njoku’s continual development. In 2022, it is possible he could be the team’s second-leading receiver.
Njoku’s work ethic has never been questioned, one of the reasons the team’s front office is bought into him. In this video, shared by the NFL’s official account, we see the tight end working on both his balance and concentration:
Not only is he standing on one foot on a balance board but his hands are strapped to bands that provide resistance as he tries to catch the balls thrown randomly at him.
Balance, focus and concentration drills should help him catch as many balls thrown his way as well as help his core strength as a blocker or when running after the catch. An impressive, short video of the highly paid tight end putting in work to get better.
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2022-07-14T20:24:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Video: TE David Njoku shows off balance, focus during workout
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https://sports.yahoo.com/video-te-david-njoku-shows-171048097.html?src=rss
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The Arkansas Razorbacks are set to play one of the toughest schedules again this season, beginning with a College Football Playoff participant from last season in the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The Bearcats have yet to lose a regular season game this decade and hope to keep that streak alive when they visit Fayetteville on Sept. 3. It will be a challenge, as they begin life without quarterback Desmond Ridder and cornerback Sauce Gardner, two of the key pieces of their recent success.
On the other side, Arkansas is entering this season with more confidence that they have had in years. The Razorbacks won nine games last season, and have a solid roster that can propel them to new heights.
How much does each story weigh in to the result of the season opener? 247sports breaks it down.
Brad Crawford of 247sports recently predicted the results of College Football’s key season opening games, including Arkansas-Cincinnati, where he projected the Razorbacks to win the game, 34-24.
The hype meter is increasing for the Razorbacks this offseason thanks to a roster many believe Sam Pittman could lead to a potential No. 2 spot in the SEC West behind Alabama next season. With quarterback KJ Jefferson returning along with several key transfer portal additions, Arkansas looks to build on 2021’s success with noticeable confidence. This isn’t the same Cincinnati team that has run off consecutive unbeaten regular seasons under Luke Fickell, but you can bet the Bearcats are using the naysayers as fuel heading into the opener with a national spotlight chance against an SEC opponent.
The Razorbacks open the season with Cincinnati on Sept. 3 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CDT, and can be seen on ESPN.
Keanu Reeves is working on a documentary about Formula One for Disney+, Variety has learned. The as-yet-untitled four-part docuseries will reportedly focus on Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn, who in 2009 bought the Honda team, renamed it Brawn GP and took it to two unprecedented championship victories. Reeves will host the doc and has already […]
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2022-07-14T20:49:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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247sports predicts the winner of Arkansas’ season opener
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https://sports.yahoo.com/247sports-predicts-winner-arkansas-season-191354716.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/247sports-predicts-winner-arkansas-season-191354716.html?src=rss
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The Longhorns continue to keep their momentum rolling on the recruiting trail for the 2023 class.
Following the commitment of five-star quarterback Arch Manning, Texas added nearly a dozen recruits to their 2023 class. The group is currently rated the No. 4 class in the country, and there’s a realistic chance the Horns could finish within the top three when it’s all said and done.
Although Texas hasn’t landed a commitment over the last week, they’ve emerged on over a handful of top schools list. Derion Gullette, Braylan Shelby, Jalen Hale and Vysen Lang are a few prospects to include the Longhorns in their top schools recently.
That trend continued on Wednesday evening with four-star edge Damon Wilson announcing his top five schools. Wilson is rated the No. 5 edge in the country for the 2023 recruiting class and the No. 5 overall prospect in the state of Florida, according to On3.
As a junior in 2021, Wilson recorded 90 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 15 sacks.
Here’s a look at the final five schools in Wilson’s recruitment.
From Mama Cozzi's convenient pizzas to Giambellino's ready-made peach Bellini, I tested the products loyal customers voted as the chain's best finds.
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2022-07-14T20:49:51Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Four-star EDGE Damon Wilson announces top five schools
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-star-edge-damon-wilson-200408609.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/four-star-edge-damon-wilson-200408609.html?src=rss
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The 22-year-old who was expected to play his fifth football season at the University of Oregon this fall was found about 100 yards down a steep trail at Triangle Lake. He was unresponsive and could not be revived by paramedics or bystanders, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said in statement.
Oregon tight end, Spencer Webb, dies of head injury originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Loved Ones Remember Sacramento, Oregon Ducks Star Spencer Webb
The star football player during his time in Sacramento died after an accident at a popular recreation area in Oregon.
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2022-07-14T20:50:04Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Oregon tight end, Spencer Webb, dies of head injury
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https://sports.yahoo.com/oregon-tight-end-spencer-webb-191754368.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/oregon-tight-end-spencer-webb-191754368.html?src=rss
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The Longhorns continue to trend as the favorite for one of the top pass rushers in the country.
Four-star edge Derion Gullette announced the top three schools left in his recruitment on Thursday. The Marlin native is rated the No. 8 edge prospect in the nation for the 2023 recruiting class and the No. 9 overall prospect in the state of Texas, according to On3.
Texas A&M and Ohio State also made the cut. As a junior in 2021, Gullette recorded 125 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Both On3 and 247Sports heavily favor the Longhorns in his recruitment, with the Aggies a distant second.
Tiger Woods made his return to the Old Course, where he has won twice, but he struggled to a 6-over-par finish in the opening round of the British Open.
After taking over as the Big 12 Commissioner in 2012, Bob Bowlsby exits Big 12 media day for the final time.
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2022-07-14T20:50:10Z
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Texas among top three schools for four-star EDGE Derion Gullette
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The voices echoed across the dwindling reaches of St. Andrews, the accents different but the sentiments the same as in America: "COME ON TOY-GAH!"
As the sun set on a long, slow day in Scotland, Tiger Woods plodded his way through the last few holes of the Old Course, frustration evident on his face, in his shoulders, in his slow walk. He ended the day at 6-over, a rugged 78 that left him buried near the bottom of the leaderboard.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go for Woods, not how he expected his return to St. Andrews to unfold. He'd spent his rehab from a devastating 2021 single-car wreck planning for this week. Even more so than the Masters, more so than any other major, he wanted to be back at St. Andrews, at the course he calls his favorite. He'd won twice at St. Andrews, and he knew the course would be far less stressful on his surgically repaired body than any other on the major rotation.
And yet with all that preparation, all that expectation, all that anticipation, all it took was a handful of sand to derail Woods' entire day.
Woods' first tee shot of the day found a sand-filled divot. When he tried to carve his way out of it, the ball trickled into the burn running right across the front of the first green. And just like that, Woods began the day with a double bogey.
It literally never got any better than that.
Woods immediately bogeyed the third and fourth holes, and doubled the seventh, and just like that he was as close to the bottom of the leaderboard as he once had been to the top.
He couldn't make up any ground, because any time he made some magic happen — like back-to-back birdies at the turn — he immediately gave it right back again. He ended the day with three birdies, five bogeys and two double-bogeys, as ugly a round as he's ever carded.
The frustration for Woods surely has to be that he possesses some elements of an elite-level game — he's as long off the tee as almost anyone in the field, for instance — and his knowledge of the game is second to none. But that knowledge now functions as a curse; he knows exactly what he needs to do, he's just not capable of doing it.
Woods won't have much time to dwell on Thursday, and that's probably for the best. He tees off at 9:58 a.m. local time on Friday, less than 13 hours after finishing out Thursday's round. He'll need to work hard to make the cut, and if he can't, he'll have to take comfort in all the memories of better days at St. Andrews.
Tiger Woods struggled at the British Open. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
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2022-07-14T21:25:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 British Open: Tiger Woods struggles at St. Andrews
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The men's Open was first played there in 1873, but it would be another 134 years before LPGA pros were given the same opportunity.
The Indiana Pacers have agreed to sign restricted free agent Deandre Ayton to a four-year, $133 million offer sheet, giving the Phoenix Suns two days to match the offer — or lose the center it selected with the top overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Bill Duffy, one of Ayton's agents, confirmed the deal with The Associated Press. If the Suns match the offer sheet, Ayton would not be eligible for a trade until Jan. 15 and he couldn't be dealt to the Pacers for a year.
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2022-07-14T21:25:20Z
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Derrick Rose plays photographer at Joakim Noah's wedding in Brazil
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Freddie Freeman's ex-agent Casey Close threatened legal action after radio host Doug Gottlieb accused him of failing in his duties representing the now-Los Angeles Dodgers slugger.
Now it appears that he has followed through. According to court documents obtained by ESPN's Jeff Passan on Thursday, Close has filed a libel suit against Gottlieb, alleging that he defamed him and his agency Excel Sports in a June tweet.
Gottlieb, a radio host who covers college basketball and does not report on baseball, tweeted on June 29 that Close declined to tell Freeman about an offer from the Braves before Freeman eventually left the franchise for the Dodgers via free agency.
Freeman has been visibly upset about his departure from the team he won a World Series and MVP with. He was in tears prior to his first game in Atlanta as a visiting player in June. Four days later, he reportedly fired Close. ESPN's Buster Olney reported that Freeman was "angry with how his free-agent negotiations played out."
Gottlieb tweeted his claim in the aftermath of Close's dismissal, prompting Close to issue a statement accusing him of publishing a "wholly inaccurate characterization of our negotiations."
"Doug Gottlieb tweeted a wholly inaccurate characterization of our negotiations with the Atlanta Braves on behalf of Freddie Freeman," Close's June 29 statement reads. "We are immediately evaluating all legal options to address the reckless publication of inaccurate information."
The next day, Close issued a statement through Excel Sports accusing the Braves of fomenting a "false narrative" around Freeman's departure from Atlanta.
Freeman has remained mostly silent about the ordeal and declined to comment on Gottlieb's tweet the day it was published.
Freddie Freeman's departure from the Braves to the Dodgers continues to stir up drama. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The Braves drafted Freeman in the first round of the 2007 MLB draft, and he played in Atlanta for 12 seasons after his 2010 MLB debut. He became the face of the franchise during his tenure, earning five All-Star bids and the 2020 NL MVP award. He helped lead the Braves to their first World Series victory since 1995 in 2021.
Freeman played last season on an expiring contract and entered the offseason as a free agent. Per Olney, the Braves offered Freeman $135 million over five years shortly after the end of the offseason lockout. Close responded with a "significantly higher" counteroffer, leading Atlanta to bump up its offer up to $140 million, according to the report.
Olney reported that a deadline set by Excel passed before the Braves moved on by trading for Oakland A's first baseman Matt Olson and signing him to an eight-year, $168 million extension. Freeman eventually signed a six-year, $162 million deal with the Dodgers that includes $57 million in deferred salary.
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2022-07-14T21:25:26Z
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Freddie Freeman's ex-agent reportedly sues Doug Gottlieb for libel over tweet about Braves negotiations
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Under two months from the Oklahoma Sooners season opener against the UTEP Miners and the time for predictions and prognostications has arrived.
Eager to bounce back from their disappointing 2021 season and open a new chapter of Oklahoma football, Brent Venables will be looking to build upon the foundation set by Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley.
The folks over at College Football News predicted every game in the Big 12 and who would make the conference championship game. How did the Sooners fare in their 2022 predictions? Let’s take a walk through their schedule and see how College Football News predicted each game this season.
Result: Win
When the Oklahoma Sooners come out of the tunnel for the first game of the Brent Venables era, the faithful at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is going to absolutely erupt.
The months of anticipation to kickstart the next era of Oklahoma football will create an absolutely electric atmosphere. If the spring game was able to draw 75,000 fans with the energy it had, imagine what the season opener will do.
Result: W
No matter how the week one game goes against UTEP, per Brent Venables’ philosophy, it probably won’t be good enough, because it’s never good enough. That means, the evaluation of week one will lead to a preparation for week two that will put the Golden Flashes of Kent State right in the crosshairs of a Sooners team looking to build off the game against UTEP and make a statement before heading to Lincoln.
On the road to Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers constitutes the first real test for the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2022 season. The Sooners won last year’s matchup 23-16, and both teams have turned over a fair amount of their roster since then.
Brent Venables’ first road game, first Power Five opponent, and first rivalry as a head coach. This game will have a ton of hype in the build-up.
MANHATTAN, KS – OCTOBER 02: Linebacker DaShaun White #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners tackles running back Deuce Vaughn #22 of the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on October 2, 2021 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
No rest for the weary after a nonconference road trip to Lincoln, the Sooners return home to face the Kansas State Wildcats. Head Coach Chris Kleiman has gone 2-1 against the Sooners in his tenure, and the Wildcats bring back arguably the most dangerous player in the conference in Deuce Vaughn.
Result: L
Going on the road is never easy and the Oklahoma Sooners have made it a habit of dropping a game they probably shouldn’t for quite some time. New TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes and his offense that features wide receiver Quentin Johnston will provide a stiff test for the defense.
Coming out of the Nebraska game and a week ahead of the Red River Showdown, there’s certainly the potential for a letdown, though the closer we get to the start of the season, this doesn’t feel like a game the Sooners will lose.
Oct 9, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Brian Asamoah (24) pressures Texas Longhorns quarterback Casey Thompson (11) during the first half at the Cotton Bowl. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
If they drop the TCU game, you know this team will bounce back with an inspired performance against Texas. The Longhorns will boast a strong offense that will have been tested with an early-season matchup against Alabama. This will be the biggest test the defense may see all year with what the Longhorns will roll out on that Saturday in the Cotton Bowl. If they can make enough stops, the Sooners will pull this one out.
Nov 7, 2020; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive end Marcus Stripling (33) reacts after a sack during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
After struggling for a half last year against Kansas, I don’t think this year’s squad goes into their matchup with the Jayhawks overlooking the steadily improving program.
The Oklahoma Sooners’ bye week comes pretty much right in the middle of the season. Though they had some tough matchups early in the season with Nebraska, Texas, and TCU, it’s only going to get tougher as they still have Baylor and Oklahoma State at home and road trips to face Iowa State and West Virginia.
Nov 20, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy (15) fumbles the ball in front of Oklahoma Sooners linebacker David Ugwoegbu (2) during the game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Originally scheduled for a Thursday night, this game got pushed to Saturday but will still more than likely be a night game. Though Iowa State has given them trouble the last few years, this is a different Cyclones team with Breece Hall, Charlie Kolar, Brock Purdy, and Mike Rose all off to the NFL.
Nov 13, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears running back Trestan Ebner (1) is tackled by Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Jalen Redmond (31) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma will be looking for revenge against the Baylor Bears, who handed the Sooners their first loss of the season last year. The prevailing thought is that Blake Shapen provides a better passing game option than Gerry Bohanon, but Baylor will be without their two running backs, Abram Smith and Tristan Ebner, as well as wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
What they do have going for them is arguably the best offensive and defensive lines in the conference heading into 2022.
Oklahoma’s Shane Whitter (13) brings down West Virginia’s Leddie Brown (4) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Oklahoma won 16-13. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
While I think the West Virginia Mountaineers could be a darkhorse to make it to the Big 12 title game, Oklahoma taking a loss in Morgantown would be a bit surprising. J.T. Daniels was a great addition at quarterback and Graham Harrell’s had a lot of success as an offensive coordinator. We know the defense will be good, but the biggest question is, do they have the skill players to threaten the Sooners’ defense?
Nov 27, 2021; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Justin Broiles (25) picks up a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the third quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Oklahoma State won 37-33. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
This is the one that got away from the Oklahoma Sooners last season. After scoring 24 points in the first half, the Sooners’ offense failed to score in the second half despite being gifted a nine-point lead by the defense and special teams.
With everything that transpired after, you know Oklahoma fans will be itching to get this one back and the players that participated in last year’s Bedlam matchup will be extra motivated to hand Oklahoma State a late-season loss.
Oct 30, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Marcus Major (24) knocks the helmet off of Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Eric Monroe (11) during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Despite the excitement about the future of the Texas Tech Red Raiders with new head coach Jerry McGuire and some promising talent at quarterback, this looks like a team that’s still a couple of years away from being a contender.
Oklahoma wins this one, and they clinch a spot in the Big 12 championship.
Big 12 Standings per College Football News
Dec 19, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Rhamondre Stevenson (29) reacts during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
T6. Kansas State
Dec 2, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates after the Big 12 Championship game against the TCU Horned Frogs at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
If the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns were able to negotiate a buyout of their media rights deal after this season, this could be the last in a long line of Bedlam matchups. And if the Big 12 plays out like College Football News predicts, then we could get two Bedlam matchups in the same year.
It would be a fitting end to the Sooners reign in the Big 12 if they were to play their in-state rival for one last Big 12 title on their way out the door. That is, if they leave in 2023.
With each team carrying multiple losses into the Big 12 championship game, it’s unlikely either would be playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, however it would still provide New Year’s Six bowl implications.
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2022-07-14T22:17:59Z
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How does College Football News see Oklahoma’s 2022 season playing out?
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Fifteen teams have qualified for 247Sports’ Blue Chip Ratio for the 2022 season.
Since its inception in 2013, Bud Elliot of 247Sports has preached the importance of the Blue Chip Ratio in determining who can realistically compete for a national championship. The term “blue chip” is specifically used to describe four-star and five-star recruits.
The philosophy is simple: in order to win a national championship, a team must have more four- and five-star recruits than two- and three-star recruits over the course of the previous four recruiting cycles. Basically, the more highly-rated players you sign, the better chance you have at competing for a national championship.
It’s important to note that the only players included in the ratio are high school and JUCO scholarship players. Walk-on players are not included and the impact of transfer players is still being evaluated by Elliot, leaving them out of the ratio for now.
Here are the 2022 Blue Chip Ratio teams.
Florida has a ratio of 60%, meaning that 60% of its signees over the past four recruiting cycles have been either four- or five-star recruits. Despite being one of the fifteen teams to qualify for this ration, however, the Gators probably won’t compete for a national championship this season. First-year head coach Billy Napier has continuously preached patience as he overhauls the Florida football program.
The Gators are on track to continue to be a team that qualifies for the ratio. They currently sit at No. 21 in the 247Sports recruiting rankings with 75% of their 2023 recruits listed as 4-star prospects.
Alden Ehrenreich to Join Marvel Cinematic Universe in Disney+ Series 'Ironheart'
'Solo' star Alden Ehrenreich is the latest actor to join the star-studded cast for Marvel's forthcoming Disney+ series 'Ironheart,' 'Variety' reports.
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2022-07-14T22:18:06Z
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Florida football cracks 247Sports’ Blue Chip Ratio recruiting list
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American football player, running back
A high-profile recruit will make another visit to Gainesville at the end of the month.
Myles Graham, the son of former Florida running back Earnest Graham, will be attending the Gators’ recruiting cookout being held on July 30 according to On3’s Corey Bender. The cookout comes one day after Florida’s annual Friday Night Lights recruiting event, where recruits get one-on-one work with Florida coaches and staff underneath the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The visit will be the fourth time the 2024 four-star linebacker has set foot on campus in 2022. While a fourth visit is a good thing for Florida, Graham’s decision is far from being made. Considered the No. 3 linebacker and No. 39 overall player in his class according to the On3 consensus, Graham has fielded offers from a variety of programs in addition to Florida. These include the typical heavy hitters such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas, and many more.
First-year head coach Billy Napier himself has made Graham a priority, building a personal relationship with the Under Armour All-American and his family. Landing Graham would not only be a boost in the recruiting rankings but in morale as well. Landing a legacy player who just so happens to be one of the best at his position would signal to programs and fans alike that Napier’s long game just might be worth waiting for.
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2022-07-14T22:18:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Legacy Gators recruit schedules another visit for end of July events
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Arguably Billy Napier's biggest target in the 2024 class will be in Gainesville at the end of the month for a massive recruiting weekend.
Jerrick Gibson, the No. 1 running back in the 2024 class, is scheduled to be a part of Florida’s Friday Night Lights recruiting event on July 29. Friday Night Lights is an annual recruiting event where recruits get one-on-one work with Florida coaches and staff underneath the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Gibson, a Gainesville native, should also be in attendance at the Gators’ cookout scheduled for July 30. He is expected to be joined by IMG Academy teammates Desmond Ricks, Knijeah Harris, and Will Norman. IMG Academy, a private boarding school and training facility in Bradenton, has become a priority for Napier and his staff, landing only Florida’s second ever player from the academy in Napier’s transition cycle when five-star safety Kamari Wilson early-enrolled in January.
Gibson previously committed to the Gators at last year’s Friday Night Lights under Dan Mullen’s staff but reopened his commitment in February of this year. The 5-foot-10.5-inch, 190-pound back made his first visit with Napier on March 5, making this his second trip back to his hometown to meet with the new head ball coach.
According to the On3 consensus ranking, Gibson is listed as the No. 9 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class and holds offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC, Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon, Miami, Tennessee, and many others.
It’s safe to say that this top-10 overall player, IMG Academy standout and Gainesville native is near the top, if not at the top, of Billy Napier’s 2024 recruiting board.
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2022-07-14T22:18:25Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Top-ranked 2024 running back to attend Gators’ recruiting weekend
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Recruiting is the backbone of any college football program. Sure, you can find a diamond in the rough every once in a while and develop him into something special, but by and large, the teams that attract the top talent continue to win the most.
Ohio State is routinely among the top in the nation when it comes to luring the best high school football prospects to the banks of the Olentangy to dance with the rest of the Big Ten and nation every year, and that doesn’t appear to be slowing up anytime soon.
We like to keep an eye on how things are shaping up with the balance of power in the Big Ten and it looks like Ohio State is once again in fantastic shape, while teams like Michigan are just trying to build momentum.
Here’s a look at the Big Ten football team recruiting rankings according to the 247Sports Composite scores as we tick closer to the season in mid-July.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen watches from the sideline during the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. Ohio State won 54-7. Credit: USA TODAY Sports Network
Total Score | 80.85
National Ranking | 74
Total Commits | 6
Wisconsin head coach quarter Paul Chryst talks to his offensive unit during the fourth of their game against Penn State Saturday, September 4, 2021, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Total Score | 159.36
Total Commits | 13
Sep 4, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema enters the field with his team before the start of Saturday’s game with the UTSA Roadrunners at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2021; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Michael Locksley looks on during the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights placeholder Adam Korsak (94) pats teammate and placekicker Valentino Ambrosio (1) on the helmet after a field Goal in the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Gophers head coach P.J Fleck and his players enter the field prior to the game against the Minnesota Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost (right) walks off the field after a loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
WATCH: What Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald said about Ohio State Sunday
Sep 28, 2019; Madison, WI, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald shouts at an official during the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking | 5
Ohio State coach Ryan Day speaks to players during a game against Michigan State at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 20, 2021. (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network)
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2022-07-14T22:18:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Updated Big Ten football 247Sports Team Composite Rankings for mid-July
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Entering the first training camp under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins don’t have Brian Flores to rely on for their defense.
Flores, with his defensive background, was given a ton of credit for the team’s success defensively, but without him, they’ll turn to defensive coordinator Josh Boyer, who is returning despite the change at head coach. Most of the same players on defense are also returning for 2022 and are ready to compete for their roles.
We’ve talked about quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and the offensive line, but now, we’re jumping over to the other side of the ball and breaking down the defensive lineman.
Roster locks: Christian Wilkins, Emmanuel Ogbah, Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis
These five players are some of the keys to this defense in the front seven. They each bring their own skill set that allows them to be one of the league’s top units.
Davis is the run-stuffer of the group, and he’s pretty good at his job despite his abysmal 36.1 grade against the run from Pro Football Focus. Ogbah provides a ton of pressure in his opportunities, recording 45 quarterback hits and 18 sacks in the last two years.
Wilkins and Sieler are the two big bodies who do a bit of everything. They can line up inside or outside and can be solid against both the run and the pass.
If all of these players are at their best, they can strike fear into opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.
On the bubble: Adam Butler, John Jenkins
The two interior defensive linemen are going to be battling for roster spots. It may be with each other, or it could be with players at other positions, as the Dolphins try to make the numbers game work.
Jenkins played in just seven games last season, playing just 36% of the snaps. However, after Davis came back from injury in Week 5, Jenkins only saw the field for 17 snaps the rest of the season. He was mainly a healthy scratch.
Butler, on the other hand, played the most defensive snaps of his career (591 – 53%). He also tied his career lows in both tackles (17) and sacks (two). Releasing Butler could save Miami $4.15 million in 2022 which they can carry over to next year. Is it worth keeping him around if he’s not putting up the numbers that he did in New England? That’s the question.
By the end of the preseason, it wouldn’t be surprising to see both players, only one or neither make the team.
Unlikely to make the team: Owen Carney, Ben Stille, Jordan Williams, Benito Jones
Carney, Stille and Williams are all undrafted rookies, while Jones spent 2021 on the team’s practice squad. They’ll all attempt to earn a spot on the roster, but with the veteran competition that they have at the position, it’s more likely that they’re fighting for practice squad spots.
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2022-07-14T22:50:14Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 Dolphins position preview: Breaking down DLs ahead of camp
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When camp officially begins later this month, the EDGE position is one that will look much different than last year. Khalil Mack was dealt earlier in the offseason and their other star veteran Robert Quinn will likely be absent as he’s reportedly looking to be traded as well.
That leaves young players Trevis Gipson and Al-Quadin Muhammad as the likely starters, with others such as rookie Dominique Robinson potentially making it into the rotation. Let’s take a look at the pass rushers and what we can expect going into camp.
Whether Quinn is around or not, Gipson is poised for a huge 2022 season after he shined last year. The former Tulsa standout notched seven sacks and a staggering five forced fumbles in 2021, receiving significantly more playing time in part due to a season-ending injury to Mack.
Had it not been for Quinn’s record-breaking season, Gipson would have received even more praise for his accomplishments in just his second season in the league. But now projected as a starter, he’s a popular breakout candidate and should be on the radar of offensive lines across the league.
Chicago Bears outside linebacker Robert Quinn plays during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
What a long, strange journey it’s been for Quinn in a Bears uniform. He signed a large contract in free agency in 2020, only to be labeled as one of the biggest busts in Bears history after one season. Then, he turns things around in 2021 by breaking Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent’s single-season sack record with 18.5 in one of the most unexpected comeback seasons of all time. Now, he’s reportedly on the outs after missing mini camp with an unexcused absence and looking to be dealt with the Bears looking at a rebuild in 2022.
At this point in time, it would be a surprise if Quinn arrived at the start of training camp. His desire to be moved seems clear to fans, but one has to wonder if the Bears wind up dealing him or keeping him on the roster through the start of the regular season. Either way, it’s difficult to count on Quinn to be a contributor this year, even though he’s proven he still has plenty left in the tank at 32-years old.
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (97) celebrates a fumble recovery by the team during the second half of the game Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Indianapolis Colts Visit The San Francisco 49ers For Nfl Week 7 At Levi S Stadium In Santa Clara Calif Sunday Oct 24 2021
Al-Quadin Muhammad is a new, yet familiar face on the Bears defense. Muhammad signed as a free agent earlier this spring, following head coach Matt Eberflus over from the Indianapolis Colts to continue playing in his defense. The veteran defensive end had a career year in 2021, posting six sacks and 48 tackles while starting all 17 games for the Colts.
At worst, Muhammad will be a rotational player at the defensive end position but he’s a projected starter entering camp and will be heavily relied upon, especially if Quinn is away from the team. He’ll help be a trend setter on defense under both Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
May 7, 2022; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson speaks at a news conference during team’s rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Bears drafted one defensive end in the 2022 NFL Draft, adding Miami (Ohio) EDGE Dominique Robinson in the fifth round. Robinson entered college as a wide receiver, but transitioned to the other side of the ball halfway through his collegiate career and showed a knack for the position. He totaled 4.5 sacks in his final season with 28 total tackles, including 8.5 for loss.
Robinson has a huge opportunity in front of him. With Quinn likely out, he’ll see extensive playing time both in practices and in preseason games. He’s more of a raw prospect, but one that could see himself playing meaningful snaps in the regular season.
Sam Kamara came to the Bears last season as an undrafted free agent. He stood out enough in the preseason to warrant a spot on the practice squad, but was called up to the active roster for a number of weeks. Kamara played in eight games, totaling 10 tackles, including one for a loss, and had one pass defensed. Now heading into 2022 with a new regime in place, he’s someone firmly on the bubble who might have the edge thanks to his experience last year.
Aug 14, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Charles Snowden (49) celebrates after sacking Miami Dolphins quarterback Reid Sinnett (not pictured) during the third quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Last year, Charles Snowden was considered one of the gems that went undrafted following the 2021 NFL Draft. After lighting it up at Virginia, he signed with the Bears and played sparingly, appearing in just two games and playing a handful of snaps. Snowden didn’t record a statistic and is considered a longshot to make the team this summer. He’ll get his shot to show Eberflus what he can do as a defensive end, but he likely would be better suited as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
Jun 8, 2022; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Carson Taylor (59) warms up during organized team activities at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Speaking of undrafted free agents, the Bears signed just one rookie after the 2022 NFL Draft and that’s Carson Taylor out of Northern Arizona University. Taylor had 30 total tackles, including nine for a loss and notched six sacks in his final season with the Lumberjacks. He’s not projected to make the final roster at this point, but with just Kamara and Snowden standing in his way, he has a shot to surprise with a strong camp.
Big question: Will Robert Quinn remain with the Bears?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 02: Robert Quinn #94 of the Chicago Bears interviews after defeating the New York Giants 29-3 at Soldier Field on January 02, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Asking if Quinn will remain with the Bears isn’t just a big question for this position group, it’s one of the biggest questions for the team, period. Quinn not only had a record-breaking season, but he’s someone who has earned the respect of his teammates. Earlier in the offseason, he was voted as the team’s veteran recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award, an honor that is voted on by teammates for players who “best exemplify the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication, and sense of humor of Brian Piccolo.” Quinn is clearly liked in the locker room and his loss would go further than just the production we see on the field.
The Bears’ plans for Quinn are still unknown, however. Eberflus was visibly agitated that his veteran pass rusher missed minicamp and if general manager Ryan Poles had any intention of dealing him, it likely would have happened by the draft. There’s a good chance Quinn is still on the roster come week one, but he very well may be away from the team for the entire time. His status will be a major storyline when camp opens.
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Bears 2022 training camp preview: Edge rushers
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The New England Patriots had an eventful 2021 offseason, with one of their biggest acquisitions being tight end Hunter Henry. Henry would prove his worth on the field over the course of the season, catching 50 passes for 603 yards and nine touchdowns.
He was a major boost to a position that needed upgrades following the departure of Rob Gronkowski. He stayed healthy for the entire season, in addition to being productive.
While Jonnu Smith struggled to find his footing over the course of last season, Henry was able to become a reliable target for quarterback Mac Jones. He also had a stretch of four straight games with a touchdown.
His stellar performance was enough for him to make ESPN’s list of the top tight ends in the NFL, which was voted on by players, coaches and executives. He checked in at No.10 on the list.
Henry won a tiebreaker with Miami’s Mike Gesicki to land the final spot in the top 10, with voters preferring Henry’s traditional tight end presence over Gesicki’s vertical-threat ability.
His good health and playmaking ability will be the focus once again. New England will need to rely on the position heavily, as the organization looks to keep pace with the rest of the talent in the AFC East.
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2022-07-14T22:51:10Z
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Patriots’ Hunter Henry finishes in top 10 of ESPN’s TE rankings
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Once Mathieu makes that decision final, jerseys will head to the printers and rush out to waiting fans. Choosing NO. 32 instead was a nice compromise with the NFL’s restrictive jersey number rules limiting who could rep single digits, but now that this is behind us Mathieu can finally wear the No. 5 jersey he’s wanted all along (as opposed to the No. 7 he starred in at LSU, which Taysom Hill won’t be eager to give up, having chosen it back in 2016 at BYU to honor his late brother). Well, that would be the case, if Andy Dalton hadn’t taken it sooner.
Now, you’d think it would be easy to tell Dalton to come off that No. 5 so Mathieu’s new jersey can soar to the top of NFL sales charts. But it’s not that easy. Right now there isn’t another number that Dalton, a quarterback, would be eligible for. Everything from Nos. 1 to 19 has already been claimed, with two exceptions that won’t ever be issued again in New Orleans: Archie Manning’s No. 8 and Drew Brees’ No. 9. The Saints haven’t officially retired either jersey, but they’re not in circulation, either. They certainly won’t dust off one of them for circumstances like these.
So what’s to be done? This thing will play out one way or another, possibly by way of Mathieu sticking with No. 32, but let’s go down the rabbit hole and see where it takes us.
It helps that Dalton probably doesn’t want No. 5, himself. He’s worn No. 14 throughout his NFL career and in college at TCU, and it’s a safe bet that he’d like to pick it back up in New Orleans. The problem is that Mark Ingram ended up with it after his return to the Saints in a midseason trade last year. He and fan-favorite defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson were open to him getting No. 22 (which he wore with the Saints previously), but the NFL spiked those plans by determining Gardner-Johnson couldn’t change his number in the middle of the season. Back to the drawing-board.
Maybe Ingram could be convinced to take No. 28 (his first Saints jersey number) — if it weren’t already taken by backup running back Devine Ozigbo. If Ozigbo doesn’t make it through roster cuts later this year, that’s a possibility, but you’d think that Ingram would have already made a move if he were going to, whether that means buying it from his younger teammate or simply doing the same with Gardner-Johnson for No. 22. Ingram could also go with one of the few remaining running back-eligible numbers (Nos. 40, 43, and 47), but that isn’t likely given his preference for the lower digits.
So, yeah, there’s kind of a domino effect in play here if the end goal is to get Mathieu into No. 5. Dalton would have to switch (preferably to his old No. 14), as would Ingram (either to Nos. 22 or 28, likely), which would push yet another player out of their chosen jersey. That’s a lot of work for something as simple as a jersey number. But as we’ve just explored, players don’t pick their number carelessly. There’s real sentimental value in them as a bond between these people and their families, and it’s important to be respectful of that.
Where does that leave us — and the large segment of fans waiting to see which jersey they’ll be wearing on Sundays in the fall? We’re in stasis. Things could change in a hurry if Mathieu is able to cut a deal with a teammate or if that startlingly precise series of events takes off to get him in No. 5 and keep (almost) everyone else happy. We’ll keep an eye out in case of movement, but my guess is that Mathieu will hang onto No. 32, given all the hurdles in front of him. Honestly, it’s pretty low-stakes as far as offseason drama goes in the NFL, but that’s July for you.
Shane McClanahan earned his 10th win and regained the major league lead in strikeouts during his final outing before the All-Star Game, pitching the Tampa Bay Rays past the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Wednesday night. Taylor Walls homered for the Rays, who have won five straight against the rival Red Sox. McClanahan (10-3) struck out six and allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings of three-hit ball.
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When will Tyrann Mathieu officially pick his Saints jersey number?
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The former North Carolina star notched 16 points, including eight in the first quarter, while dishing five assists. It wasn't as efficient of a night for Jackson (6-15 FG), but he helped to set the tone for the C's as they look to earn a spot in the 2022 Summer League Final game.
Justin Tillman with a 2-pointer vs the San Antonio Spurs
Justin Tillman (Atlanta Hawks) with a 2-pointer vs the San Antonio Spurs, 07/14/2022
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Celtics Summer League takeaways: JD Davison puts on a show vs. Grizzlies
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Aric Almirola spent Thursday morning surrounded by the serenity of Lake Champlain in Vermont, visiting longtime friends in New England.
The timing was perfect before this weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
MORE: Weekend schedule | New Hampshire odds
This midweek visit isn’t something Almirola made time for in previous years on the circuit. But after 11 years of racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, Almirola deemed in January that 2022 would be his last. Now, Almirola is making time to savor his time on the tour with his family before hanging up his helmet.
“In the past, I would just be head down, so focused on racing and sponsors and doing all the things that I needed to do — or that I felt like I needed to do — to make sure that I was continuing my career and giving 110%,” Almirola told NASCAR.com in a Thursday teleconference. “And this year, it’s been more about relish it, enjoy it, take it all in, enjoy the moment.”
Almirola has done exactly that this season, pointing to additional time spent with his family than ever before as members join him at the track far more regularly. On the track, his two top fives equal last year’s total, while his six top-10 finishes already better his 2021 compilation.
While Almirola, a three-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series, made his impending retirement known six months ago, chatter looms that he has pondered a Cup Series return in 2023. Almirola admitted uncertainty about what his future holds.
“For me, personally, I’ve been business as usual going to the race track and focused on winning races and continuing to do what we need to do to make the playoffs,” Almirola said. “But all the stuff behind the scenes, yeah, I’ve been involved in a part of trying to help Smithfield and help Stewart-Haas Racing figure out what their plan is going forward, and I think there’s still just a lot of question marks just in general about what that’s going to look like from Smithfield’s side, from the race team’s side.
“And so I’ve had some discussions with them. And it’s been a very small part of (me) having an opinion and kind of weighing in. And I appreciate the fact that they’ve valued my opinion enough to be involved in it. I don’t know what will happen going forward, to be honest. I think the race team is still trying to figure out that and the sponsor is still trying to figure that out.
“Ultimately, I feel like I’ve made the decision to step away from the sport full-time just because it’s a grind. It really is. There’s no doubt about it. And it’s hard with my kids. They’re starting to gain a lot of momentum and seeking their own personal interests and playing sports and doing a lot of different things. And here, dad is still chasing his childhood dreams.”
Almirola is still navigating those challenges and in communication with all parties to determine those plans. Perhaps complicating matters is that Almirola is enjoying his time behind the wheel of his No. 10 Smithfield Ford.
“I will say that this year has been one of the most fun years I’ve ever had, and we’ve really embraced it,” Almirola said. “And as a family, we’ve gone to the race track more as a family this year than we ever have in the past. And it’s been really enjoyable. And as much as I’d like to continue to race, I also know that I’ve got a short gap in time to where my kids are going to have car keys and probably not going to want to hang out with dad. So I want to make sure that make the most of that as well.”
Almirola returns to New Hampshire this weekend as the defending winner, scoring a surprising yet strong victory at the 1.058-mile oval in 2021 after leading 25 laps for his first Cup triumph away from the superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega. The No. 10 team entered the event 27th in points and catapulted into the playoffs with the victory.
MORE: Memorable moments at New Hampshire | Silly season’s heating up
“For me, that win was huge,” Almirola said. “We had gone through such a stretch of just bad finishes, bad luck and just seemed like nothing would go right for us. And then we went to Loudon, it was like, boom. Finally. Everything went right, right? We had a fast race car; we executed on pit road; I did my part. Just everything went perfectly and we were able to win.
“And it showed us what we were capable of, even when we felt like we were capable of it but none of the results were showing that. Loudon was a game changer for us and it really changed the outlook of our entire season.”
Almirola is certainly in a better position entering this year’s race, sitting 12th in the regular-season standings but 42 points out of a playoff spot.
“If I had to grade our season, I’d say it’s a B to B-plus. It’s been a good year, just hasn’t been great,” Almirola said. “We’ve missed getting the Victory Lane a few times. But overall, we’ve had a lot of consistency and we’ve run well, and I feel like we’re starting to figure out this new car. Every track is different. And we’re learning that last year’s success doesn’t guarantee success this year with this car.
“We’ve had to really re-evaluate and adapt the way we attack the weekend and the setups, and everything is so unique and so new with this car that it’s still a learning process. And I feel like we’ve been doing a good job through that learning process. And we just haven’t quite got it dialed in to figure out what we need for speed and the race car to go win each weekend.”
Another season-changing victory would be quite the send-off for Almirola in what seems to be his final year as a full-time Cup racer.
Will Almirola win New Hampshire race again? - Powered By PickUp
Joel Ayayi with an assist vs the San Antonio Spurs
Joel Ayayi (Atlanta Hawks) with an assist vs the San Antonio Spurs, 07/14/2022
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Aric Almirola assesses future, relishing what could be final year in Cup
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New 'Magic Mile' winner guaranteed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
Judging by recent precedent, there is one important key to earning a victory in Saturday‘s Crayon 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Beat Christopher Bell.
The now third-year NASCAR Cup Series driver Bell has won the last three New Hampshire Xfinity races and been so dominant that his combined margin of victory in the last two races is more than 10 seconds. He led 151 of the 200 laps in 2021 and 186 laps in his 2019 win (there was no race in 2020 because of COVID-19).
The good news for the rest of the field is that Bell is not entered this year and it certainly presents an interesting competitive situation. There are no former New Hampshire winners among the full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers. Current championship leader AJ Allmendinger has only a single start at New Hampshire (12th place last year) and Ty Gibbs, who is second place in the standings, has never previously competed in an Xfinity Series race at the one-mile New England oval.
RELATED: Weekend schedule | Entry list for Saturday
Both Allmendinger and Gibbs are looking to regain championship form after a challenging race in Atlanta Motor Speedway last Saturday. Allmendinger, went down two laps early at Atlanta but came back to salvage a 10th-place finish in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Gibbs, driver of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was involved in an accident and finished 35th at Atlanta — which equaled his worst showing of the season (at Talladega Superspeedway).
Veteran Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, has the most New Hampshire starts among the championship contenders. In 10 starts, he‘s earned a pair of top fives and seven top-10 finishes. And he is coming off his career-best finish of runner-up last year.
Allgaier‘s JR Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson is certainly aiming to turn in a good showing this week. The driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was penalized 30 driver points (and fined $35,000) for aggressive driving at Road America two weeks ago. The penalty and a sixth-place finish at Atlanta has put him fifth in the standings, 67 points behind Allmendinger.
Practice for the race is Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET televised on USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.
Top finisher for JRM at New Hampshire? - Powered By PickUp
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New 'Magic Mile' winner guaranteed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
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Media days are in full swing for the Big 12
Big 12 wants to go big
Big 12 media days are underway and this is the first gathering of leagues since the bombshell that UCLA and USC were leaving to the Big Ten. Brett Yorkman is not even the official commissioner of the Big 12 and he came out hot and says everything is an option for the Big 12.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝟏𝟐 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 💥
📺 https://t.co/CvDUrgVUUr pic.twitter.com/APhm1hDhs4
“We are exploring all options and we’re open for business, and optionality is good, and we’re vetting through all of them,” said Yormark. “I think it’s fair to say I’ve received a lot of phone calls; a lot of interest. People understand the direction of the Big 12 and we’re exploring those levels of interest. Nothing is imminent, but we’re working hard to ensure that we position the Big 12 in the best possible way on a go-forward basis.”
These deals are more along the lines of the Big 12 looking West as there have been multiple reports saying they have interest in Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah to join the Big 12.
The Pac-12 and Big 12 are going to be in a tug-of-war to see who will be next in line after the SEC and Big Ten. A lot of this hinges on Washington and Oregon stayin in the Pac-Whatever, but the new Big 12 is adding teams and losing Oklahoma and Texas sometime over the next few years.
As for the Mountain West, they probably are a backup plan for either league. The Big 12 may want to get another team out West to pair with BYU to not only have a travel partner but also another team in the Mountain or Pacific time zone.
If Yormark looks to the Mountain West as it is the same teams as usual from the past with Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Air Force as teams to consider.
The Big 12 likely would want to steal from the Pac-12 than rather settle for teams from the Mountain West. So, this is a good thing for the conference to stick together.
Mountain West Football: Which Players Are The Strongest Contenders For Major Awards?
Expecting her first child with husband Tarek, Heather Rae El Moussa shared her love for their ever-growing family, as well as her excitement for Selling Sunset's recent Emmy nomination.
Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell says it's all right to be under the Big 12 radar.
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Big 12 Is Open For Business… What Does It Mean For The Mountain West?
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Of course, the Big Ten recently made waves by announcing the future additions of USC and UCLA in 2024. As someone that grew up in San Rafael, Calif., Petras is naturally familiar with both and excited about what each will bring to the conference in the future.
One of his only hangups is the fact that he won’t get the chance to play against either during his time in Iowa City. At least as a conference foe anyways.
“I know. It sucks, but, no, I wish they had joined five years ago. It would be cool, but I think it’s good for the conference, I think it’s good for certainly the Big Ten like I said. I think it’s good for California. I’m excited to see how it all plays out,” Petras said.
In what has been a common remark from longtime Big Ten fans, Petras took a little jab at USC and UCLA’s oftentimes underwhelming fan support.
“I think the best part is, I mean, you’ve got to if you’re a Big Ten Midwest team, you’ve got to pray for a couple road games in L.A. in November. I mean, you can’t ask for better, because they don’t have any fans, so it’s not like it’s going to be too loud, tough environment. That’s rude. They have fans, but it’s not the same as it is here and 60, 70 degree weather in November would be pretty cool. Yeah, better than 40 mile per hour winds, you can’t feel your hands. Ball is like soaking wet,” Petras said.
Even as Petras fired a couple of shots at Trojans and Bruins fans, he backtracked it to some degree pretty quickly. Really, it’s all in good fun and part of what makes the additions of USC and UCLA so great.
There is a culture clash at play here between Big Ten lifers and the fans of these programs that the league is adding. That’s in addition to regionality being thrown out the window.
For now, Petras doesn’t have to worry about any upcoming games against either USC or UCLA. Make no mistake about it, though. This won’t be the last time USC or UCLA fans hear a current Big Ten player, coach, analyst or fan point out some of the perceived differences in fan support or ask how these two new additions will handle a cold November day in Big Ten country.
Big Ten over/unders for the 2022 season per Tipico Sportsbook
‘I was more decisive than I’ve ever been’: Iowa’s Spencer Petras reflects on spring ball growth
Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras said he was more decisive than he's ever been throughout the spring and he's ready to showcase that in 2022.
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2022-07-15T00:27:34Z
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‘They don’t have any fans’: Iowa Hawkeyes’ QB Spencer Petras jabs new Big Ten additions USC, UCLA
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How Zaidi, Giants are viewing upcoming trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
With three weeks until this year's deadline, it's unclear how the market will shape up, but Zaidi expects a similar dynamic. He's just not fully sure if the Giants will be in the middle of it this time.
During a lengthy session with reporters on Tuesday, Zaidi said he hopes to add to this current Giants group before the Aug. 2 deadline, but the front office also needs to see a bit more from a team that played pretty bad baseball for a few weeks before running off four wins in the last five days.
What Zaidi does not expect, however, is for the Giants to become sellers.
"We just haven't even had those conversations yet," he said. "We really haven't had that many conversations with other teams. We're starting to field some calls and I think we're willing to listen, but I think until we get to the last week of July it's a little bit of wheel-spinning because so much of it is the context and the situation."
That can change over nine innings, as the Giants showed in the hours following Zaidi's media session. They demolished the Arizona Diamondbacks in one of their better all-around performances of the year, capping a strong day at Oracle Park that started with the news that Carlos Rodón will be an All-Star.
Rodón represents one of the Giants' best moves in recent offseasons, but also potentially an opportunity. Were the Giants to make him available, he likely would be the best pitcher on the market. There has been speculation from national reporters that Rodón could be moved if the Giants keep losing and Zaidi has seen it.
But he also knows that the Giants are just one game out of the third Wild Card spot and that Rodón might start the first game of any playoff series.
"I take that personally. Hopefully other guys take that personally," he said of Giants being included on trade target lists. "You don't want to be viewed as a seller when you're trying to compete. That's our perspective. We know that's going to be out there but our focus is going to be to get to July 31 (and) August 1 in a playoff position, where we're looking to see if we can make our team better."
Zaidi is in his fourth season in charge, but he has had just two true trade deadlines because of the pandemic. In 2019, an Alex Dickerson-fueled hot streak led Zaidi to keep the team together rather than trade Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith. Two years later, he made a Bryant trade that he has since referred to as an "all-in" move.
This deadline is shaping up -- at least right now -- to be less dramatic. Zaidi said he would like to add if the Giants get going, but at the moment this is also not a team that would motivate executives to give up good prospects for rentals. Even with the last five days, the Giants are just 45-42.
The most obvious roster hole is in the rotation after Anthony DeSclafani's season-ending ankle surgery, but the Giants expect Jakob Junis back at full strength at the start of the second half. Junis, who has a 2.63 ERA, said his hamstring feels great and his arm got a break, which could prove helpful. Assuming Junis returns next week, Zaidi said he "wouldn't anticipate us being in the starting pitching market."
The Giants could certainly use another late-innings arm, but the bidding for the best relievers tends to get a little insane at the deadline. Zaidi did deal several of his bullpen arms in 2019 and noted that the more newsworthy bullpen trades often don't work out.
As for the struggling lineup, Zaidi expressed faith in his veterans and said a lot of what the Giants do will be determined by their health.
"We go around the diamond and we still have position players we believe in that were part of our success last year that we think can continue to be part of our success," he said.
RELATED: The Brandons give Giants much-needed momentum after series win
Zaidi also is somewhat eager to get a look at some of the newer Giants. Tuesday's lineup included Yermin Mercedes and Austin Wynns, who were acquired during the season, as well as David Villar and Luis Gonzalez, who started the year in the minors. Zaidi said it's natural to accelerate some internal evaluations as the deadline approaches.
"You want to see them in an expanded role and see if they can handle it," he said. "That's part of the thought process."
The Giants still like the roster they put together, but as they have shown in recent days, they are at the point where big changes can happen quickly. Jake McGee, last year's closer, was DFA'd over the weekend, and the youth movement on Tuesday was certainly a different look. Several veterans have lost playing time in recent weeks as slumps have deepened.
Just three games above .500, the Giants have been a disappointment, a team that's right in the middle of the pack. That has made it difficult to truly commit to a path before the deadline, but they have three more weeks to figure it out.
"There's a lot that can happen in three weeks," Zaidi said.
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2022-07-15T00:27:40Z
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How Farhan Zaidi, Giants are viewing upcoming MLB trade deadline
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https://sports.yahoo.com/farhan-zaidi-giants-viewing-upcoming-150502375.html?src=rss
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Zaluzhnyi confirmed reliable defence of Kyiv: battles near the capital are impossible
"UKRAINSKA PRAVDA" - THURSDAY, 14 JULY 2022, 19:13 Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at a meeting with Bridget Brink, US Ambassador to Ukraine that was also attended by Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, assured those present that appropriate groups of troops have been created to protect Kyiv and that renewed fighting near the capital city is impossible.
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2022-07-15T00:50:54Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Brittney Griner attends 3rd Russian court hearing
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The Arizona Cardinals acquired tight end Zach Ertz last season in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles after Maxx Williams went down with a season-ending knee injury. Ertz had been one of the league’s better tight ends but had his production decline and had reached his 30s.
After a productive 11 games with the Cardinals and re-signing to a three-year deal worth more than $31 million, he is still one of the league’s better players.
In ESPN’s rankings of the top 10 tight ends in the NFL, based on voting from players, coaches and executives, Ertz didn’t make the list but did get honorable mention.
Ertz went to the desert to spark his career after a frustrating end to his time in Philly, and he produced 574 yards and three TDs on 56 catches over 11 games with the Cardinals, who acquired him via trade. Ertz turns 32 in November. “He looked refreshed in Arizona. Showed what he can do with capable quarterback play,” an NFC personnel evaluator said. “I thought he had lost a step, but he kept getting open.”
He tied the Cardinals’ franchise single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 56 in only 11 games. If he plays a full season, he is a lock to have perhaps the greatest season for a tight end in franchise history.
He has great chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have a number of pass-catching weapons. He should find himself open a lot in 2022.
Rodney Hudson makes Touchdown Wire’s list of top centers
Hudson ranks No. 6 in the NFL at his position.
Some people living near Mount Holly are fighting efforts to open a funeral home in their rural community.
The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) closed at $60.57 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.59% move from the prior day.
Diamondbacks vs. Padres pitching matchups and series preview
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2022-07-15T01:06:35Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Zach Ertz not voted a top-10 TE but playing ‘refreshed’ with Cardinals
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Texas A&M has made yet another final list for one of the most athletic and versatile defensive prospects in the 2023 recruiting class, Linebacker Derion Gullette. according to 247Sports, he is positioned as the 24th-ranked player in Texas, and the 16th-ranked EDGE prospect in the country. Gullette’s top three teams that he will focus on at the final stages of his recruitment are Ohio State, Texas, and Texas A&M.
Going into his senior season at Marlin High School in Marlin, Texas, Gullette played wide receiver on offense, tallying 64 receptions for 1,458 yards and 14 touchdowns, while rushing for 13 carries for 74 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. As an outside linebacker on defense, he recorded 125 total tackles, 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 4 pass deflections on the year. Gullette was also a contributor on special teams as the starting punter and kickoff specialist, punting 30 times for 1343 yards with a long of 62 yards.
So far, Derion Gullette has made official visits to Ohio State on June 10th, and Texas on June 24th, while making 7 total unofficial visits to College Station since last June which on the surface looks to give the Aggies an edge, although Texas is the current favorite according to multiple recruiting sites.
In a scouting report I wrote for Derrion Gullette, I described his ability on the field:
As a prospect, Gullette’s film is just plain fun to watch; catching the ball, intercepting the ball, kicking the ball, and tackling, so yes, the man can literally do it all. As an outside linebacker, he is patient in coverage, shows adequate lateral quickness, and has great ball skills paired with a nice closing burst after reading the route. He is a high-level tackler and an instant threat to outside run concepts due to his speed and athleticism, mostly coming from his snaps at wide receiver. Overall, Derion Gullette has the makeup to become an instant contributor to whatever school he chooses.
All the Texas A&M staff can do now is keep communicating with Derion Gullette and stay patient, and while making the final list doesn’t guarantee a commitment, it does entail that the recruiting process has done its job, and the Aggies continue to make lasting impressions on some top prospects in the 2023 class.
Preseason Profile: Texas A&M WR Chris Marshall
Can freshman wideout Chris Marshall crack the starting lineup in his first season?
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2022-07-15T01:17:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Aggies make top 3 for 2023 linebacker Derion Gullette
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https://sports.yahoo.com/aggies-top-3-2023-linebacker-231911428.html?src=rss
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The 2022 season is coming, but not fast enough. We know you want to see the field at Notre Dame Stadium sooner rather than later, either in person or on TV. Well, when the season does arrive, the field might look a little different than it has recently. If this tweet from Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily is to be believed, new turf has been put down:
Notre Dame football has new field turf. pic.twitter.com/oppvQyKDEw
If there is anyone out there who somehow believed that Notre Dame Stadium has had the exact same playing surface since Knute Rockne coached there, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
All joking aside, it’s nice to see this happen and also appropriate given that Marcus Freeman is about to coach his first full season. There’s just something about symbolism in sports that makes all of it more romantic. If you can’t find the beauty in that, maybe it’s time to find a new hobby.
In the weeks leading up to the start of fall camp, BeaversEdge.com will be counting down the Top 25 Oregon State football players on the 2022 roster. After appearing in four games as a true freshman in 2020, Fuaga saw his most extended action as a Beaver in 2021 as he appeared in 10 contests. In those three contests where he was at RT, Fuaga recorded the highest pass PFF blocking score of any offensive lineman on the roster (82.4).
Brave Berlin and Blink Cincinnati have ended their partnership, but the event's goal of celebrating art in Cincinnati has not changed.
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2022-07-15T01:18:05Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Sneak peak of new turf at Notre Dame Stadium tweeted
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Two of the three new head coaches in the Big 12 aren't really new at all when it comes to the state of Texas, the conference and the traditional Dallas-area home of the league's football media days.
''Look, I love this league,'' Dykes said Thursday, the last of two media days on the field at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys and site of the Big 12 championship game.
''I'm familiar with a lot of these coaches,'' Dykes said. ''A lot of these guys, I've known them most of my life and most of their lives. I've been to games in these stadiums when I was a kid. That felt like home.''
''The one thing I always say, and I believe this, it's not just a little slogan, but I'm a high school coach that gets to coach college football,'' McGuire said. ''My DNA is a high school coach.''
''I think the Texas high school coaches understand, what we say, we're going to do, that they can trust us to take care of their players,'' McGuire said. ''Whenever you can walk into a high coach and the head coach knows, 'Hey, this guy is what he's all about, what he says, what he's going to do,' it makes a huge impact on those guys.''
''It's a little bittersweet,'' Sonny Dykes said. ''I think he would have gotten a kick out of me being at SMU. I know he's looking down and excited about this opportunity and certainly gets a kick out of it.''
''I think I said this a year ago, if we would have ever listened to what people said about Iowa State in the preseason hype, we would have never got our program off the ground,'' said coach Matt Campbell, who is going into his seventh season after consistent chatter over several years about him taking a higher-profile job.
''The ability to find greatness is the ability to overcome yourself,'' Campbell said. ''We've really tried to find out where we need to continue to grow, why we've either taken steps back or taken steps forward, and how do we continue to push forward as a program.''
''When everybody on the team is successful and we start winning games, then it's not just about me,'' Robinson said. ''It's about everybody that's around me that's getting their awards, too. When we win games, everybody eats on the team. It is a distraction, but when we all eat, then we'll all succeed together.''
Once again, Big 12 coordinator of officials Greg Burks got a question about the ''Horns Down'' signal, this time on whether it was a dead issue. Burks didn't really say, except to try to lump the gesture in with all taunting situations by labeling it a judgment call.
''Let me be very clear with `Horns Down.' I have no ownership on this symbol,'' Burks said as he flashed both the ''up'' and ''down'' version. ''This symbol is the same as all other signals. It's when you do it, who you do it to and which manner you do it.''
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2022-07-15T01:18:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ties to Texas, Big 12 bind coaching newcomers Dykes, McGuire
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In the nearly 50-year history of free agency in professional sports, fans and even team executives have become accustomed to star athletes — the ones for whom playing time is assured — making their decision based on a few considerations.
The most money.
Playing for a contender.
Returning to their hometown/state.
Market size/weather/historical success of franchise.
Baseball, basketball, football … it doesn’t matter. It’s why the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Lakers always seem to do well. And while it may frustrate fans of non-traditional or small-market teams, all of it makes sense.
If you can choose among many suitors, why not take the richest/best option?
Well, then along came NHL star Johnny Gaudreau on Wednesday, delivering one of the most stunning, and unconventional free agent decisions ever, in any sport.
Gaudreau scored 40 goals and recorded 115 points last season in Calgary. The Flames won 50 games and reached the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. At 28 years old — nicknamed “Johnny Hockey” — Gaudreau was not just one of the best players in the league, he was the best free agent on the NHL market.
“Johnny Gaudreau is a superstar,” Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.
Calgary desperately wanted to keep Gaudreau and tried to sell him on continuing as a centerpiece of a Cup contending team in a hockey-mad market. The Flames offered him an eight-year contract at $10.5 million annually, confident that no other team could match it due to salary-cap restrictions.
On Tuesday Gaudreau turned them down.
“We did everything possible to keep John here,” Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said, noting that Gaudreau and his wife Meredith are expecting a child in September. “It’s my strong belief that this is a family decision and I respect that fully.”
Everyone thought it was a family decision, which is why every club near Gaudreau’s native New Jersey thought they had a chance.
Johnny Gaudreau scored 40 goals for the Calgary Flames last season, but opted for less money to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. (Derek Leung/Getty Images)
Philadelphia tried to work trades to clear the cap space but couldn’t pull it off. The New York Islanders were expected to offer seven years and over $9 million per year while pushing a playoff roster and a big-city market.
Then there were the New Jersey Devils, who also offered seven years and more than $9 million per year, according to ESPN. The pull wasn’t just financial either. There was the chance to join a young and incredibly talented roster, and play in front of family for a team that Gaudreau saw win multiple Stanley Cup championships when he was a kid. Devils fans peppered his social media accounts. Local media wrote about his potential return. A brewery in Jersey City offered drinks for life if he signed with the Devils.
This was happening … until it wasn’t.
Gaudreau stunned — absolutely stunned — the NHL by choosing to sign with … the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets? This was a smaller market without a generations-deep fan base. They just posted consecutive losing seasons and have won just a single playoff series in franchise history. They are the only professional team in Columbus, but sit far behind Ohio State athletics for attention.
It’s the kind of team that generally loses its own top players — such as Artemi Panarin — in free agency.
The Blue Jackets sure don’t lure them in.
Kekalainen said the team dutifully made an offer Wednesday but wasn’t very confident until Gaudreau’s agent called a few hours later and said the Blue Jackets were actually in the running.
Kekalainen’s response: “Like, ‘Are you serious about this?’ ”
They were. The Columbus offer was for seven years at $9.75 million per year. That was less money and fewer years than Calgary (a whopping $15.25 million less) and essentially in line with what New Jersey reportedly offered.
“We always do our list and at the appropriate time we contact the people on the top of our list, but to hear back that, ‘Yeah, [you’re] one of the teams …’” Kekalainen said.
A couple hours later, Columbus was the team.
To say this was a top-five moment in franchise history isn’t an understatement. A star free agent chose a team with little history, no recent success, from a smaller, non-traditional market that isn’t in his hometown and wasn’t offering the most money …
Not even the fans and people of Columbus could believe it at first. It’s why Gaudreau’s introductory news conference began this way:
“The first question is obvious,” Gaudreau was asked. “Why?”
“[It was] not so much the offer,” Gaudreau said.
Instead he began detailing how much he liked the city of Columbus, even though he’d never been there until he started playing road games in the NHL. And because Calgary is in the Western Conference and Columbus is in the East, he has appeared just five times at Nationwide Arena. Yet it made a lasting impression.
“It's a lot of fun to play here,” Gaudreau said. “The fans are into it. There is a lot of buzz in the arena.”
Fair enough, but there is a lot of buzz in Calgary, too. Same with in Jersey or on Long Island. No matter. Gaudreau said he asked some former Blue Jackets and they all raved about the city and the franchise.
Basically Columbus felt like home, even if it wasn’t technically “home.”
“Talking to my family, talking to Meredith, it was the right move for us,” Gaudreau said. “That is really all I can tell you guys.”
As for the fainting across the NHL — or anywhere in pro sports — that a free agency played out almost exactly opposite of how free agencies always play out, Gaudreau just shrugged.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “I wanted to come here. This was always a place circled on my list.”
A half century after Curt Flood sued Major League Baseball for a player to determine his destiny, here came this one — Johnny Hockey agreeing to less money to head not to New York or Miami or Los Angeles, but to Columbus, of all places.
Consider it a victory for every small-market fan in sports.
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2022-07-15T01:58:41Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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The most stunning free agency move ever?
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Packers WR Sammy Watkins primed for bigger role in 2022
The Green Bay Packers aren’t the only ones excited about Sammy Watkins’ potential this season. Pro Football Focus recently highlighted Watkins as a receiver primed for a bigger role in 2022. After signing a one-year deal, Watkins has been working out this offseason with Buffalo Bills receiver Gabriel Davis and his trainer Bert Whigham.
Unprompted, Whigham spoke highly of Watkins in a recent interview.
If Watkins can return to his college form, that would provide a huge boost to Green Bay’s offense. In three seasons at Clemson, Watkins totaled 240 receptions for 3,391 yards (14.1 YPC) and 27 receiving touchdowns. He would eventually be the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to the Bills.
Watkins immediately became the number one receiver in Buffalo, finishing his first two seasons with a combined 125 receptions for 2,029 yards and 15 touchdowns. Unfortunately, a perpetual run of injuries has prevented Watkins from having WR1 production since.
The 29-year-old receiver has not played a full slate of games since his rookie season. Last season was perhaps his worst as a pro as a member of the Baltimore Ravens after posting career-lows in targets, receptions, and yards.
Now set to play for his fifth team, Watkins knows his back is against the wall.
“That’s been the knock on my career, staying on the field,” Watkins said in June.
“Just do everything in my might and power to stay on the field. When I’m on the field, I can ball, I can catch the ball, I can score. I’m a dominant player. But the key is staying on the field.”
Of course, catching passes from Aaron Rodgers will also help. Watkins did play alongside Patrick Mahomes for three seasons in Kansas City but was usually the third option behind Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
In Green Bay, Watkins has a chance to be a first or second option. During minicamp, head coach Matt LaFleur stated that Watkins would be a “big part of our offense.” The Packers do not have a clear-cut number one after trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The team is high on Allen Lazard and second-rounder Christian Watson, but no one is ruling out Watkins from being a big part of this year’s offense if he can stay healthy.
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2022-07-15T03:13:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Packers WR Sammy Watkins primed for bigger role in 2022
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FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) controls a puck during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche on June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press on Thursday, July 14, 2022, that the New Jersey Devils agreed to terms with Palat on a $30 million, five-year contract. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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2022-07-15T03:34:57Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NHL free agency: Devils sign Palat, Capitals add Strome
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It was Curry's rookie year when the Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena.
RELATED: Broussard: 'Rumblings' that KD would want Warriors return
“Then he went on to talk about that silent killer instinct," Curry recalled. "That it doesn't have to be ‘rah-rah’ talking trash in your face but it’s something you see in your eyes and the way that you move that came out and he respected that and recognized that. And that to me was the ultimate gas in the tank. I always had it, but when you get to the league, it’s a different experience, a different level when you’re playing against the best of the best of the best."
Now a four-time NBA champion, Curry continues to not just remember Bryant's words, but he continues to live by them.
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2022-07-15T03:35:09Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Steph Curry remembers moment Kobe Bryant showed respect in early NBA career
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Several recent NWSL developments will impact the league's future, including doubling its NWSL Shield bonus pool, implementing VAR, expansion and more.
Baltimore will host the top soccer league in the world Saturday. Arsenal and Everton, both of England’s storied Premier League, will play at 7 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium in front of thousands of fans, and local supporters are organizing a slew of events: a podcast watch party, a pickup game of soccer, a block party, a march to the stadium — and Sunday brunch following the match. It’ll be a ...
To borrow from native son Bob Marley, Jamaica is jammin'. Jamaica has qualified for the 2023 Women's World Cup as one of the top four finishers at the CONCACAF W Championship. Next summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will mark Jamaica's second appearance in soccer's premier tournament.
Biden awarded medal of honor by Herzog as he reaffirms commitment to Israel's security
President Herzog honored President Biden for his "uncompromising decades-long commitment to Israel security" with Israel's medal of honor.
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2022-07-15T03:35:22Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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US down Costa Rica to reach CONCACAF final
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t have Rob Gronkowski back this season, and it looks like they’re on the prowl for a veteran replacement at tight end.
Free agent Kyle Rudolph is apparently on their radar, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Cameron Brate is the only tight end on Tampa Bay’s current roster with any meaningful experience at the pro level, though they did just spend multiple picks in the 2022 NFL draft at the position (Cade Otton, Ko Kieft).
Lockheed Martin elects retired Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart to board
Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) has added a retired Marine lieutenant general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency to its board of directors. The Bethesda-based defense giant said this week that retired Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent R. Stewart, who most recently served as deputy commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, will join its board on July 15. Stewart retired from the U.S. Marines Corps in 2019 after more than 38 years of active duty.
The clip comes from episode six, which debuts Friday, July 15 on Apple TV+.
I’ve joked in the past that one of the hidden benefits of having a superyacht comes from the ability of the owner to hide out on the boat indefinitely, in order to avoid service of process. It may not be a joke. The Wall Street Journal recently delved into the question of whether Snyder is [more]
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2022-07-15T05:13:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Report: Bucs showing interest in veteran TE Kyle Rudolph
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As state governments restrict trans rights, families of trans children face the painful decision of whether to stay or move away from their home states.
Pat Connaughton signs contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks through the 2025-26 season
Pat Connaughton is coming off a season in which he set career highs in minutes and points per game while shooting a career, full-season best 39.5% from behind the three-point line.
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2022-07-15T06:42:11Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Kings, Mavericks show some interest in Shabazz Muhammad
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https://sports.yahoo.com/kings-mavericks-show-interest-shabazz-200609431.html?src=rss
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Jesse Winker hit his second solo homer of the day and the Seattle Mariners won their 10th straight game, edging the Washington Nationals 2-1 on Wednesday night to sweep a doubleheader. The Mariners have 10 consecutive wins for the first time since April 8-17, 2002. Seattle is second in the AL West, well behind Houston but squarely in wild-card contention.
Tennessee baseball could have multiple first-round selections and threaten the program-record eight total picks in the 2022 MLB Draft.
With key players back, the Seattle Mariners are ready to enter a four-game series against the Rangers.
Police and family members are asking for help to find an Ole Miss student from Jackson who went missing about a week ago.
Sam Haggerty's inside-the-parker
Sam Haggerty records an inside-the-park home run, putting the Mariners on the board, 1-0, in the top of the 4th inning
Marco Gonzales grinds through six innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits and two walks with four strikeouts in his start
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2022-07-15T06:42:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Mariners rally past Rangers 6-5 for 11th consecutive victory
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Charles McClelland to become NCAA men’s basketball committee chair originally appeared on NBCSports.com
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Charles McClelland will become the first representative from a historically Black college, university or league to chair the Division I men's basketball committee when he takes over next year. The NCAA announced Thursday that McClelland, who has been with the SWAC since 2018, would be vice chair this season under Bradley athletic director Chris Reynold before taking on the role himself for the 2023-24 basketball season.
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2022-07-15T06:42:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Charles McClelland to become NCAA men’s basketball committee chair
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Hearing continued to August for NBA player arrested in Madison County
NBA player Montrezl Harrell, a starting forward for the Charlotte Hornets, had his preliminary hearing in Madison County District Court for marijuana trafficking charges continued to August 10 at 9:30 a.m.
He was initially set to appear in court on July 13 before the hearing was continued.
According to police documents, on May 12 in Richmond, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police pulled over a 2020 Honda Pilot for following the vehicle in front of it too closely. After making the traffic stop, the trooper could allegedly smell marijuana.
Text in an arrest citations stated Harrell was a passenger of the vehicle and admitted to being in possession of the marijuana and allegedly revealed a small amount of the substance that was in his sweatpants.
A search of the vehicle produced three pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana, according to an arrest citation.
Harrell was charged with trafficking in marijuana (less than five pounds), which is a felony charge. He is being represented by attorney Mark Dean.
Harrell started his career playing for the University of Louisville. He has been in the NBA for seven seasons — playing for teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets before joining the Charlotte Hornets.
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2022-07-15T09:19:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Hearing continued to August for NBA player arrested in Madison County
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Au revoir, Joel Embiid.
The Philadelphia 76ers big man officially became a French citizen this week, according to French outlet BeBasket after beginning the naturalization process this past May. This sets him up to potentially join the 2021 silver medal squad led by Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert for the 2023 FIBA World Cup or the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Embiid was born in Cameroon and moved to the United States when he was 16 years old, but was able to gain citizenship because of a clause in the French civil code that allows naturalization to "a foreigner [...] whose naturalization is of exceptional interest," per BeBasket. Embiid speaks fluent French but has never lived in the country. He does have family there, though.
Would Embiid actually play for France?
There are a lot of bread crumbs that suggest Embiid will join Les Blues.
Back in 2018, Embiid said he would pick between Cameroon, France and the United States if he decided to play international basketball.
“I have never said that I will play for France, I said that it was just an option. I must play for many years (without injuries) before I think of joining a national team," he told the French newspaper, L'Équipe. "After that, it is complicated. I am from Cameroon but, there are many problems. They have to tend to them. I like my country, I am a patriot and I want to play it. If I have to choose, Cameroon will be my prime choice, if there is a good environment, because I am from there. But, I won’t be the only one to decide on a point in time. My current team which has invested $150 million on me will also have its say. It is a lot of money to let their player go in an environment without a good medical care. So, my native country, France, and the United States are my current options. I just want a good management."
So when Embiid officially began the naturalization process this past May, French national team general manager and former NBA forward Boris Diaw stated Embiid planned to play for France when he became a citizen.
Embiid also tweeted in celebration when France broke the United States' 25-game Olympic winning streak in an upset win in the Toyko Olympics in 2021.
Allez les Bleus!!!!
FIBA allows each team to roster one naturalized player – and France currently doesn't have a player that fits under that category. Enter the seven-foot, 280-pound Embiid.
It would make sense to join France now, too, after the team earned a silver medal in Toyko and will likely add likely 2023 first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama. The team already fields NBA players like Gobert, New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier, Atlanta Hawks guard Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina and former Boston Celtics forward Guerschon Yabusele.
French players have opposed allowing naturalized citizens to play
Some French players have stated their displeasure with Embiid to joining the team in the past, though, because of his lack of connection to the country. This includes current national team member Fournier as well as former national team players Tony Parker and Nicolas Batum, who all opposed the idea back when the rumor surfaced in 2018.
"Let's stop with the articles on Joel in Edf [French national team] please, it's getting ridiculous seriously. For me, playing for a country you have no ties with is disturbing. The selection is not just a sporting challenge. It's not at all against Joel. It bothers me when the other selections do it and it is therefore valid for the French team." Fournier said in a series of tweets. "Then where is the respect for Rudy? And the others who make sacrifices every summer for the [team]? And to finish these tweets were sponsored by my sure guy [Jeremy Nzeulie, a French-born basketball player plays for the Cameroon] who needs help in Cameroon team."
“It lacks a bit of authenticity when you do stuff like that," Parker said. "... In selection, it would be necessary to play with the players of the country, who grew up there. »
“I am against naturalized people," Batum said in 2018 about Embiid possibly joining. "But here, we are perhaps talking about the best player in his position. On the basketball level, without the ethical side, it must be done. Afterwards, on the ethical side, there is a problem…"
Current French national team point guard Andrew Albicy added this past May that "many people in the team" still don't want Embiid on the roster.
“I speak on my behalf but I think there are many people in the team who think the same: we would not like Embiid to come to the team because he does not represent France," Albicy said. "He was not trained in France, he has nothing French except for the family and the fact that he speaks French. He never played in France and, I may be exaggerating, but he may never have set foot in France."
Embiid's presence would bring create an imposing frontcourt for France, though. He averaged a league-leading 30.6 points per game, as well as 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this past season for the 76ers. Embiid led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals before losing to the Miami Heat in six games despite suffering a thumb injury he played through during the playoffs. He came in second place in MVP voting for the second consecutive year, losing – again – to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
Embiid had surgery to repair his right thumb and his left index finger this spring and expects to be ready for the 2022 season later this year.
Joel Embiid could become a dominant force on the French national basketball team. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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2022-07-15T09:46:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NBA: Joel Embiid could play for France after becoming citizen
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https://sports.yahoo.com/joel-embiid-officially-becomes-a-french-citizen-could-play-for-france-in-2024-olympics-151027277.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/joel-embiid-officially-becomes-a-french-citizen-could-play-for-france-in-2024-olympics-151027277.html?src=rss
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Hundreds more people were evacuated from their homes as wildfires blistered land in France, Spain and Portugal on Friday, and officials in Europe issued health warnings for the heatwave in coming days. More than 1,000 firefighters, supported by water-bomber aircraft, have battled since Tuesday to control two blazes in southwestern France that have been fanned by scorching heat, tinder-box conditions and strong winds. While temperatures dipped a little in Portugal, they were still expected to top 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in some places, with five districts on red alert for extreme weather and more than 1,000 firefighters tackling 13 wildfires, authorities said.
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2022-07-15T11:17:36Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Tour de France 2022 route, stage 13, teams and how to watch on TV
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tour-france-2022-route-stage-080848338.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/tour-france-2022-route-stage-080848338.html?src=rss
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Former UC Bearcat Joey Wiemer, an outfielder for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, is hitting .244 with 15 homers, 45 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
Blue Jackets analysis: How does Johnny Gaudreau fit into GM's 'reset' plan and will his deal affect extension talks with Patrik Laine?
In 2010, Commissioner Roger Goodell set a total revenue goal of $25 billion by 2027. Five years from that deadline, how is the league doing? Via Sportico.com, the NFL’s national revenue for 2021 came in at $11 billion. That’s the portion of the money generated by the NFL that is shared by the 32 franchises. [more]
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2022-07-15T11:17:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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HR Derby matchups set: Top-seeded Schwarber vs Pujols
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hr-derby-matchups-set-top-013547370.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/hr-derby-matchups-set-top-013547370.html?src=rss
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Eagles 2022 season: Darius Slay on list of most important players
Slay claims prime position on list of most important Eagles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
In his second season with the Eagles, Darius Slay reminded everyone why his nickname is Big Play Slay.
The veteran in his ninth NFL season had a tremendous 2021 season for the Eagles. He started 16 games, had 3 interceptions, scored three total touchdowns and had nine pass breakups. And he did it all as a true CB1 who often flipped sides of the field to follow the opposition’s best receiver. (He even played a couple snaps on offense.)
Slay, who turned 31 in January, made his fourth Pro Bowl team in 2021. He shockingly received just one All-Pro vote, which means he didn’t even make the second team. Slay thought that was a snub and he has a strong case.
During last season, Slay talked about his opinion that he was still an underrated cornerback in the NFL.
“Yeah, that’s for sure,” Slay said in late October. “I feel like a lot of stuff comes with popularity, who the media likes the most, who the media talks about the most. But if you look at my film, I’ve been doing in and out, I’ve been doing everything I need to do. I’ve been in a defense where man was every play, no help, doing what I had to do, locking up guys. Being in a zone defense and man defense, getting all the picks.
“I’ve done everything that a corner needs to do and I’ve been doing it at a long time. A lot of coaches pay attention to it. I get a lot of respect after the games when I go to coaches, talk to them. It’s the outworld, the fans, the media that just don’t know what’s going on because I’m not on TV a lot.”
According to ProFootballFocus, Slay was the fourth-best cornerback in the NFL last season behind Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Terrell and Kendall Fuller. Heck, PFF had Slay graded higher last year than his eight-INT All-Pro season back in 2017.
Slay is entering his 10th NFL season in 2022 and it’s fair to wonder if and when we might see a drop-off in his level of play. But he was so strong last season, after somewhat of a down year in 2020, that the Eagles have to be expecting him to play very well again this season.
And they’re going to need it. Sure, the Eagles added James Bradberry as their CB2 and that’s a nice upgrade over Steven Nelson, who himself was solid last season. But Slay is still the top dog and he’ll probably still be expected to line up against the best receivers in the NFL and shut them down.
It’ll be fascinating to see if Slay travels as much as he did before Bradberry, though. In any case, Slay is the top cornerback on a really good trio that also includes Bradberry and nickel cornerback Avonte Maddox. Maddox came in at No. 16 on this list and Bradberry No. 13.
Aside from providing the Eagles with nonstop comic relief, Slay has also been giving them the best cornerback play the Eagles have had in a decade since Asante Samuel was still at his peak.
The Eagles need that from him again in 2022.
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2022-07-15T11:37:55Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles 2022 season: Darius Slay on list of most important players
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-darius-slay-110000633.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-2022-season-darius-slay-110000633.html?src=rss
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Eagles training camp 2022: Anthony Harris vs. Marcus Epps vs. Jaquiski Tartt
A fun competition at safety coming in Eagles training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
We already looked at right guard, linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver.
Up today, we’ll look at the safety position.
The Eagles went after some big-name free agents this offseason but weren’t able to sign Marcus Williams, Justin Reid or Tyrann Mathieu. They let Rodney McLeod walk. And then they didn’t draft one in April, leaving them with a starting duo of Anthony Harris and Marcus Epps and some questionable depth after that.
Eventually, the Eagles signed former 49ers Jaquiski Tartt, which sets up an interesting battle during training camp for starting jobs and playing time in the 2022 season. The Eagles used a three-man rotation at safety in 2021, so they could do it again this year. But all those questions will be answered this summer.
Experience: Year 8
Harris was OK in 2021. He started 14 games and dealt with a couple injuries along the way. He finished the year with 72 tackles, 2 interceptions and 3 pass breakups. The Eagles brought him back on a one-year deal that’s actually cheaper than the deal he signed to join the team in 2021. That tells you that he isn’t coming off a great season. But of these three, Harris has the longest history with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Gannon feels like he can trust Harris.
A big part of the reason why the Eagles used a three-man rotation last season at safety was the play of Epps. Last year, Epps was the Eagles’ best safety for much of the year. According to ProFootballFocus, Epps graded out as the 18th-best safety in the NFL in 2021. The question about Epps is whether or not he can play at that high of a level if his role increases like it’s expected to in 2022. His teammates and coaches think an awful lot of Epps.
The seven-year veteran has played at a high level before and there’s a reason to think he can really help the Eagles in 2022. Tartt is bigger than his counterparts at the position in Philly and played with a physical style that is fun to watch. The problem is that Tartt has also had his history of injuries. He started 14 games in 2021 but started 7 in 2020, 12 in 2019, 8 in 2018 and 9 in 2017. Still, if he can stay on the field, he might be able to help. If nothing else, his arrival gave the Eagles some much-needed depth at the position.
The Eagles' next safeties on the roster are K'Von Wallace, Andre Chachere, Jared Mayden and Reed Blankenship. So there will be a battle for a roster spot. Wallace was a fourth-round pick a few years ago but has struggled to stay healthy. Chachere is a special teams ace but will that be enough to keep him around?
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2022-07-15T11:38:01Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles training camp 2022: Anthony Harris vs. Marcus Epps vs. Jaquiski Tartt
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-anthony-110000316.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-anthony-110000316.html?src=rss
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Gremlins director Joe Dante is not mincing words when it comes to what he sees as similarities between his franchise’s cuddly Gizmo and the Baby Yoda character that’s at the heart of Disney+’s series The Mandalorian. Dante told the San Francisco Chronicle during a recent interview that he attributes fans’ continued fondness for his 1984 […]
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2022-07-15T12:48:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Celtics Lab 129: Assessing the Summer Celtics and remaining offseason moves with Mark Murphy
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https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-lab-129-assessing-summer-204454307.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-lab-129-assessing-summer-204454307.html?src=rss
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