The Dallas Cowboys enjoyed a pretty successful season, going 12-5 and winning a wild card playoff game before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. But one glaring weakness with the Cowboys this season was its lack of playmakers.
Minus breakout star receiver CeeDee Lamb and explosive running back Tony Pollard, they just didn’t have many other players capable of making game-changing plays. Lamb had 107 receptions for nearly 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The former Oklahoma star is in Arizona for the Super Bowl, and he stopped by the “Around The NFL” show on the NFL Network set to talk about what he feels is prohibiting the Cowboys from taking the next step.
“You gotta surround the quarterback,” Lamb said. “You go look at the Eagles, and they’ve got three receivers, a great tight end group, run the ball well, their O-line is very phenomenal. You look at San Fran, they surrounded their quarterback and you get success ultimately. I mean we’ve got just as many weapons, but that extra player, all it takes is one. You can be so close to the Super Bowl and it can be a deciding factor.”
Sounds like Lamb was throwing his teammates under the bus at first, then he came back saying Dallas needs to add that one missing piece. They had that piece, and his name was Amari Cooper, and they traded him away last offseason.
A disappointed Lamb also touched on how coming up short year after year isn’t good enough.
“Unfortunately, here we are again,” he said. I hate being close, I’m sure everyone on the team does, and we owe a win to all of our fans. It’s been quite some time we had a Lombardi come back to Dallas.”
Joining @DanHanzus, @greggrosenthal and @MarcSessler on the ATN pod, Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb says Dallas needs to surround QB Dak Prescott with weapons to take next step in playoffshttps://t.co/tEi4eGR5NY pic.twitter.com/m2ArvbrpXR
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) February 9, 2023
With any football team, injuries will always play a role, and the Cowboys were no different. Key playmakers like tight end Dalton Schultz and wide receiver Michael Gallup were in and out of the lineup or just not themselves this season. Schultz battled the injury bug all season, and Gallup still hasn’t recovered from his torn ACL. Even though he was on the field, it’s still a process.
And then there’s the five games star quarterback Dak Prescott missed that in some ways affected his play. This season Prescott, known for taking care of football, tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions. Running back Ezekiel Ellliott also looked as if his best days are behind him, so what Lamb is saying has some validity to it. But no one is gonna feel sorry for the Cowboys, who need to upgrade their weaponry via the draft or free agency.
CeeDee Lamb on the hate Dak Prescott receives pic.twitter.com/pwCDLDa2LW
— PFF (@PFF) February 10, 2023
Earlier this month Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy decided not to bring back offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, instead opting to call plays himself. He’ll be the first Cowboys coach to call plays since Jason Garrett did it in 2012. McCarthy will run a version of his West Coast offense he ran in Green Bay from 2006-2018 with quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center.
During an interview with Yahoo Sports at Radio Row at the Super Bowl, an excited Lamb talked about how he can’t wait to learn the new offense.
“I don’t know what to expect, but I’m very excited. You look at what he’s done. He was calling plays out in Green Bay. So it’s nothing new to him. He’s been in this position, and he knows what he’s doing.”
"We're about big plays." @DallasCowboys WR CeeDee Lamb on his 2022 season and QB Dak Prescott. #DallasCowboys | #Cowboys | @_CeeDeeThree pic.twitter.com/56cS2HOSwA
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) February 9, 2023
McCarthy experienced a lot of success as the play-caller in Green Bay, leading the Packers to a Super Bowl win 2010. Now he’ll look to do the same thing with Dallas. But to do so, Lamb says they’ll need an upgrade in talent.
Nets Guard Cam Thomas is the budding star of this newly refreshed Brooklyn Nets team. While in the midst of a historic run for himself, he let a common though offensive phrase out that cost him $40,000.
During a postgame interview with TNT after a 116-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 9, the former LSU Tiger said, “We already had good-looking guys, no homo.”
Nets guard Cam Thomas got fined $40,000 for saying “no homo” during an interview. 😂
The NBA is not a serious league. pic.twitter.com/XXNjFBCq7J
— Patriot J (@PatriotJ) February 11, 2023
This comment stemmed from the acquisition of guard Spencer Dinwiddie from the Mavericks in the Kyrie Irving trade. When the media asked the former-and-now-reunited Nets guard how he felt about the trade, Dinwiddie did admit that the Nets did not receive the most talented player in the trade — Kyrie. But what he did allude to was that the Nets got the “best looking” fella from the deal, him.
While this was just an attempt at comedy from an angle widely utilized by the culture, Dinwiddie was lighthearted about the whole situation that went down. After the Bulls game, Cam Thomas was then asked about Dinwiddie’s comments, which led him to say the aforementioned “no homo” statement.
What resulted was the NBA bringing another hammer down on a player for saying something that could hurt their reputation and leave them in hot water from other groups and spectators.
He was hit with a $40,000 fine from the NBA for his quip.
“We already got good looking dudes, no homo.”
– Cam Thomas 😂 pic.twitter.com/V2G6uENzmx
— Leb 🦋 (@PlayboiLeb) February 10, 2023
After the news broke that he was fined, Cam Thomas took to social media later to apologize for his comments.
ESPN quoted him as saying “I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the postgame interview,” he tweeted. “I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn’t intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love.”
I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the post-game interview. I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn't intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love 🫶🏽❤️
— Cam Thomas (@24_camthomas) February 10, 2023
While this is understandably something the NBA does not want, Thomas most likely wasn’t trying to be offensive, and most likely was just utilizing the slang of the culture he grew up around.
But regardless of his intentions with the words, there are just certain things you cannot say, especially something as insensitive as anti-gay slang.
Cam Thomas, who has had 40-plus point games in his last three games has absolutely been on fire, and after the Nets traded Kyrie, and Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, he is the jolt they need if they’re looking to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
While they acquired standout players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, as well as Dorian Finney-Smith in those traded, Cam Thomas is showing the world why he is next up. He is a natural-born scorer whose handles can rival that of Kyrie Irving himself, and as they try to rebuild around him and that core of wing players, he’ll definitely be the focal point on offense.
They’ll need him for the rest of the season, and he’ll most likely begin his campaign to be a future all-star now and the face of this team. The last thing they need is him getting suspended, or worst, canceled for words with a deeper impact that he didn’t mean.
Floyd Mayweather has been letting unconventional boxing names get a crack at him on his exhibition world tour, and one former UFC champion might have his shot coming soon. Former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo believes he will get a shot against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. shortly. The former dominant UFC featherweight champion said he is talking to Floyd Mayweather for an exhibition boxing match later this year.
“His side has already agreed, my side too,” Aldo said to MMA Fighting on Friday. “We’re now waiting for [the promoters] to get the deal done.”
Aldo made his professional boxing debut Friday night in Rio de Janeiro. Though he couldn’t get the knockout, he dominated Argentine boxer Emmanuel Zambrano (0-4) in a 140-pound match in the main event of Shooto Boxing.
Jose Aldo vs. Floyd Mayweather? 😳 pic.twitter.com/tLqHOezaEC
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 11, 2023
It was reported by MMA Fighting that the possible pugilistic bout is targeted for June or July in Saudi Arabia. Mayweather has been on a world tour of exhibitions since retiring from professional boxing and has maximized income potential against social media influencers-turned-boxers.
“It might be exhibition on [Mayweather’s] side, but not for me,” Aldo continued. “It’s punch to the face like always. He knows that.”
The former WEC and UFC featherweight champion will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the Class of 2023. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place during the 11th Annual UFC International Fight Week this summer in Las Vegas.
Jose Aldo’s return to boxing:pic.twitter.com/IlKJFTPt6N
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) February 11, 2023
A veteran of 39 fights during his 18-year professional MMA career, Aldo compiled a record of 31-8 across worldwide promotions like the UFC, World Extreme Cagefighting, Japan’s PRIDE, and Shooto Brazil. He secured victories over tough-as-nails UFC Hall of Famers Urijah Faber and Cub Swanson.
He also scored wins over former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, former Pancrase Korea lightweight tournament winner Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and former Shooto lightweight champion Alexandre Nogueira.
“Jose Aldo is the greatest featherweight of all time,” UFC President Dana White said in a statement. “From WEC to UFC, Jose helped us build the sport of MMA and UFC as a brand, as well as change the perception of the smaller weight classes and what they could accomplish inside the Octagon.”
My team! 🥊 pic.twitter.com/g6p3MXZkID
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) February 11, 2023
Mayweather has been on an exhibition tour that has touched the United Arab Emirates and Japan. Now he will make his long-awaited in-ring debut in the U.K. on Saturday, Feb. 25, as he faces pro-MMA fighter Aaron “The Joker” Chalmers in an exhibition bout live from the O2 Arena in London.
It is the first time in his career that Mayweather will perform his unique brand of fisticuffs in the United Kingdom.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Aaron Chalmershttps://t.co/kUDXFftl9z#filme #serie #euassisti #ação #floydmayweatherjrvsaaronchalmers pic.twitter.com/anJZvM3HAV
— Eu Assisti (@eu_assisti) February 3, 2023
“I was originally supposed to face a different opponent, but injuries happen and I’m glad that Aaron Chalmers could step up so that we could give the fans what they want,” said Mayweather in a statement.
He famously stopped British superstar Ricky Hatton in a 2007 welterweight title in Las Vegas.
“The fans in the U.K. have always been great to me and supported me throughout my career, so an event like this has been a long time coming. I’m excited to add more history to the O2 Arena in London.”
Aldo is hoping after Mayweather’s U.K. jaunt that he will be up next for an epic match of arguably the greatest defensive fighter ever and one of mixed martial arts’ most effective strikers.
With the anticipation of today’s Super Bowl clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs brewing, you’d expect some major trash talk between the two fan bases. Both fan bases happen to have some celebrity fans who are very vocal about their allegiance to the team and their is usually a hometown connection of some sort.
Philly has comedian and actor Kevin Hart, South Carolina State women’s head basketball coach Dawn Staley and actor, rapper mogul Will Smith. Wearing that K.C. red you have the likes of comedians Eddie Griffin and Rob Riggle, plus actor Brad Pitt.
But there’s one Chiefs fan who may surprise all of us. That fan is none other than former NBA legend Rasheed Wallace, a native of Philadelphia. Wallace, who grew up in the city, say’s he’s been a Chiefs fan since his youth.
In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Wallace explained how this came about.
“When I got interested in football, nobody was cheering for Kansas City,” Wallace said. “Kansas City was trash. I said, ‘That’s my team.’ Then what happens? We get Joe Montana and Marcus Allen …”
That’s hard to hear for Philly natives. One of their most recognizable athletes isn’t a fan of the city’s sports teams. Making this betrayal harder to digest, the former Simon Gratz High School legend is also a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
Rasheed Wallace giving zero fuks rocking Kansas City Chiefs gear at the 76ers game 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Gz4LpuX0cr
— Above The Rim Podcast (@jusblaze_513) February 11, 2023
When the Chiefs won Super Bowl 54 over the Niners, Wallace, who was coaching high school basketball in North Carolina at the time wore Chiefs gear for two straight days. He wanted to let folks know he was no bandwagon fan, and he ain’t one now. Earlier this week Wallace strongly reaffirmed his love for the Chiefs in a tweet.
“1000% CHIEFS on this one!!”
Wallace says his Instagram has blown up with folks who can’t believe he’s a Chiefs fan, but the former NBA champion and All-Star is sticking with K.C. no matter what. He even explained his rationale on IG.
After a fan asked him, “How you from Philly and a Chiefs fan? Another technical foul on you.
Wallace responded the only way he knows how.
“So this is what it boils down to Mean Gene: We’ve got these pretenders over here called Philadelphia Pigeons, and we’ve got these bona-fide champions over here called the Kansas City CHIEEEEEFs.”
Sheed ain’t flinching win it comes to his love for K.C.
Rasheed Wallace has a message for all Eagles fans before the Superbowl takes place against the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/ZPCc8KQeGk
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) January 30, 2023
No one wears the city’s colors like the legendary Dawn Staley, who has been seen wearing different Eagles outfits on the sidelines over the past couple of weeks. As her Lady Gamecocks prepare to face the Lady Tigers of LSU in a matchup of the last two unbeatens in all of college basketball, men’s or women’s, the two-time national championship-winning coach had this to say.
“Sheed’s not welcome in Philly until after March,” Staley texted. “Put that in writing.”
Sheed enjoys the back-and-forth banter and parting shots and even said by next season he’ll be back with his other Philly professional sports teams.
Rasheed Wallace was born & raised in Philly and is a Chiefs fan. I love it so much🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/Savs2qpXnq
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) February 11, 2023
“It’s all in fun as fans. So by Valentine’s Day I’ll be cheering for my Broad St. Bullies and the Sixers.”
The Atlanta Braves were hesitant at first to let their star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. play in the World Baseball Classic because of the knee injury he suffered in 2021. The team felt he should get a full offseason to rest and get better for the long grind of the MLB season. Doctors and team personnel had a change of heart after their evaluation concluded he has had no knee issues.
Acuña joins Astros second baseman Jose Altuvé, Royals catcher Salvador Pérez, Marlins infielder and 2023 batting champion Luiz Arraez, Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, and Tigers future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera.
Ronald Acuña Jr. will indeed play for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. The decision was made today. The Braves feel comfortable because they’ll monitor Acuña for a few weeks in camp before he joins his country. And at this point, he’s had no knee issues.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) February 8, 2023
Pérez had a rough 2022 season after having his best season in 2021, when he led all catchers in hits (121) and home runs (48).
Altuvé had one his typical All-Star caliber seasons in 2022. He had a batting average of .300, had 158 hits, hit 28 home runs, and had 57 RBI.
Acuña missed the first month and half recovering from his knee injury but showed flashes of his old self. He had 124 hits, 15 home runs, a .266 batting average, and stole 29 bases in 119 games.
Venezuela finished third in 2009, which was their best finish. They are looking to be even better with a mix of young and older talent as well as a roster loaded with 19 MLB players. The tournament starts on March 8, and official rosters were announced on Feb. 9.
Said one MLB Network analyst during the roster announcement show:
“This is the deepest roster and pitching staff I have seen Venezuela have. Do not be surprised if the team makes the semi-finals.”
Team USA looks to repeat as World Baseball Classic champions after capturing the first WBC title in 2017. America is co-favorite with a loaded Dominican Republic squad at +225 odds. Japan represents the next team with the shortest odds to win with +300 odds.
Team USA is headlined by Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Bryce Harper will not be playing due to offseason elbow surgery.
DR has a slew of established MLB stars: Padres right fielder Juan Soto and third baseman Manny Machado, Phillies pitcher Luis Castillo and center fielder Julio Rodriguez, Marlins 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, and 2022 World Series MVP Jeremy Peña.
Japan boasts multiple WBC titles in 2006 and 2009. They have the third best odds (+450) to win but might have the biggest star. Shohei Ohtani will headline the Japanese squad along with Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki.
Why The LA Angels’ Shohei Ohtani Is Baseball’s Alpha And Omega
Puerto Rico returns with the fourth best odds (+800) to win it. They will also look to avenge their 2017 loss in the WBC title game to Team USA. Marcus Stroman was a star for the American team in 2017, but he will cleat up for Puerto Rico this time around.
His mother is a native of the island. The most notable player to do this in the tournament’s history is Alex Rodriguez in 2009 when he switched from the Dominican Republic team to the American team but couldn’t play because of injury.
Super Bowl LVII is shaping up as a historic Black moment during the annual historical reminiscence Black History Month. With the matchup of Patrick Mahomes vs. Jalen Hurts at the gunslinger position being a significant focus of this weekend’s festivities, it is essential to remember the Black quarterbacks that came before laying the foundation for a matchup of epic proportions.
There have been seven Black quarterbacks in Super Bowl history. Doug Williams, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Patrick Mahomes, and now Jalen Hurts will make eight. Each has a unique tale, and whether they won or lost the big game, their appearance on the biggest stage of football solidified their place in the annals of the sport.
The first two Black quarterbacks to make it to the Super Bowl were both Black college graduates. The first Black quarterback to ever start and play in a Super Bowl, Doug Williams’ career began as a freshman at Grambling State University. He played under legendary head coach Eddie Robinson, who for 56 years was the head coach at the Louisiana school and sent 200 players to various professional football leagues, including the NFL.
34 years ago today, Doug Williams made NFL history as he became the first Black QB to win the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP. pic.twitter.com/Pzx0AjWXeb
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2022
Williams was the first Black quarterback drafted in the first round when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him 17th overall in 1978. It would take ten years and change from the now-defunct USFL back to the NFL and then Washington Redskins, now Commanders, for Williams to make it to the big show, Super Bowl XXII.
After being down 10-0 to John Elway’s Denver Broncos, Williams scored four TDs in the second quarter. It tied the then-Super Bowl record for most touchdowns thrown in an entire game. Williams and the Commanders went on to win 42-10, with Williams becoming the first Black quarterback to take home Super Bowl MVP honors.
Steve McNair, a product of HBCU Alcorn State, is the second Black QB to play in a Super Bowl. He went 9-2 as a starter in 1999 for the then-Tennessee Oilers — now renamed the Titans — leading the team to Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams led by Kurt Warner. The Titans lost 23-16, but McNair will forever be remembered for advancing the game for Black quarterbacks.
Steve McNair comes to Eddie George in his dreams
Episode 72 with @EddieGeorge2727 is out now. Watch on @ClubShayShay’s YouTube or listen on Apple and Spotify. pic.twitter.com/2PkC3D0GZK
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) February 6, 2023
Drafted No. 2 overall, replacing Steve McNair as the highest drafted Black quarterback, is Donovan McNabb, who, in 2004, took the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX after a 13-3 season. Although he lost 24-21 to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, McNabb is still considered the most successful quarterback in Eagles history.
Colin Kaepernick steered the San Francisco 49ers in 2012 to Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens. He led the team to an 11-4-1 record before losing to the Ray Lewis-inspired Ravens. Even though the Niners lost 34-31, he erased a 21-3 deficit. Kaepernick would become better known for shocking America’s conscience into a discussion.
Shannon Sharpe powerfully speaks on Michael Bennett, Colin Kaepernick and more.pic.twitter.com/GRPq71mECJ
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) September 6, 2017
Russell Wilson became the quarterback the world began to love after the 2013 Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII campaign against the Denver Broncos. Wilson and the Legion of Boom defeated Peyton Manning in a convincing 43-8 rout, bringing the Seahawks their first championship in franchise history. Wilson is the second Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Renowned for his Superman chest rips on the field, Cam Newton led the Carolina Panthers in 2015 to an impressive 15-1 record and became the first Black quarterback to be named league MVP. Newton would come up short in Super Bowl 50 to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, losing 24-10, but his phenomenal season made him one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history.
Patrick Mahomes is the definition of what any general manager wants in a quarterback. He makes unconventional passes in difficult pressurized situations and has no problem going playground rules for the win. Mahomes took the Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl LIV vs. the San Francisco 49ers in 2019, winning 31-20 and becoming the youngest Super Bowl MVP. He returned to the Super Bowl the following year but took a loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Super Bowl LV.
Mahomes returns at Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles and will welcome Jalen Hurts into the small club of Black Super Bowl quarterbacks.
The NFL Honors ceremony took place Thursday night, and the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was introduced. Darrelle Revis, Ronde Barber, and Demarcus Ware were among the most recognizable inductees. They were also a few names that didn’t get the Hall of Fame nod that left NFL fans puzzled.
Darrelle Revis, CB (2007-17): He is most noted for the nickname “Revis Island” that caught fire after his 2009 Defensive Player of the Year season. He gave up no 100-yard games with the New York Jets that season and locked up some of the best receivers to ever play in his era, like: Chad Johnson (twice), Randy Moss (twice), Terrell Owens, Andre Johnson, and Steve Smith.
Joe Thomas, OL (2007-17): Thomas is considered as one of the greatest left tackles in NFL history. He went to ten consecutive Pro Bowls, is part of the 2010s All-Decade team, and played in 167 games with 10,363 consecutive snaps, all with the Cleveland Browns.
Zach Thomas, LB (1996-08): He racked up over 1,734 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 17 interceptions, four pick-six touchdowns, 16 forced fumbles, and eight fumble recoveries in his career. Thomas played 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins before moving to the Dallas Cowboys for his 13th and final season in 2008.
Demarcus Ware, LB (2005-16): Ware has helped pave the way for linebackers like Micah Parsons to rush the passer and be a hybrid linebacker that rushes the passer more than playing a traditional linebacker role. He racked up over 138.5 sacks in his 12-year career with the Cowboys and Broncos. He also helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 before he retired.
Never forget how nasty DeMarcus Ware’s fake spin was 🤧
Hall of Fame bound tonight?
pic.twitter.com/l2eu95VGdn— PFF (@PFF) February 9, 2023
Ronde Barber, CB (1997-12): Barber’s pick-six in the NFC title game win over the Eagles in 2002 is arguably one of the greatest plays in Buccaneers franchise history. He helped them win the Super Bowl in 2002 and is inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.
Joe Klecko, DL (1977-88): Klecko is considered one of the most versatile defensive linemen in NFL history. He earned Pro-Bowl selections at defensive tackle, nose tackle, and defensive end over 11 seasons with the Jets before closing his career by playing the 1988 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
Chuck Howley, LB (1958-73): He is the only Super Bowl MVP in NFL history from a losing team. He lost to the Colts 16-13 as a member of the Cowboys in Super Bowl V and picked off two passes in that game. He helped avenge that loss in Super Bowl VI as they defeated the Dolphins to win the franchise’s first title.
Ken Riley, CB (1970-83): Riley has 65 career interceptions as a member of the Bengals. He joins Anthony Munoz as the only other Hall of Fame member of the organization.
Don Coryell: He is the architect of the “Air Coryell” offense that helped modernize the modern passing game. He guided the Cardinals to three consecutive 10-win seasons and Chargers to four straight playoff appearances.
Devin Hester is the only player in NFL history to return the opening kickoff back for a touchdown. He has the most non-offensive touchdowns in NFL history (20), most kickoff and punt returns touchdowns (19), most returns in NFL history (14), and most punt returns in a NFL season (4).
Torry Holt is 100% a Hall of Fame wide receiver. pic.twitter.com/9c887qM3oA
— Daniel Leu (@Leuzer6) February 10, 2023
Tory Holt caught 920 passes for 13,382 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns in his 11-year career, the first 10 with the St. Louis Rams and the final one with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is a member of the 2000s All-Decade team and a Super Bowl Champion. He is also ranked 17th of the all-time receiving list.
Patrick Willis didn’t have a long career, but made an impact over his eight seasons in the NFL, all with the San Francisco 49ers. He was the 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year, member of 2010s All-Decade team, and led the NFL twice in total tackles.
Other notable snubs are: Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, defensive end Dwight Freeney, and longtime Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
“Iron” Mike Tyson was known as “the baddest man on the planet,” in the late ’80s through the ’90s, and on Feb. 11, 1990, his nickname was tested when James “Buster” Douglas knocked him out. It was a moment that will live in infamy forever, not only in boxing and in sports but in Black history.
There had never been a fighter like Mike Tyson, ever. Young. Street. Undefeated and athletically violent.
You can point back to Charles “Sonny” Liston, the feared heavyweight that went on a nine-year tear, or George Foreman, who threw wide-winged punches that landed like bricks to compare Tyson’s aura. Still, both were usurped by the “good guy” in Muhammad Ali at different ends of “The Greatest’s” storied career.
Mike Tyson was a new-era bad guy, a menacingly charismatic anti-hero that you wanted to win explosively. Unlike his predecessors in Liston and Foreman, his defeat wouldn’t come at the hands of the hero for a storybook ending. It came at the gloved fists of a man with four losses before he stepped foot in the ring in Tokyo to face “Iron Mike.”
That man was James “Buster” Douglas.
In his autobiography, “Undisputed Truth,” Tyson gave a peek behind the veil of the life of a young superstar in turmoil.
“On Jan. 8, 1990, I got aboard a plane to fly to Tokyo,” Tyson wrote in the book. “Kicking and screaming. I didn’t want to fight; all I was interested in then was partying and f***ing women. I didn’t consider Buster Douglas much of a challenge. I didn’t even bother watching any of his fights on video. I had easily beaten everybody who had knocked him out.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfwe3UbyDmE
Tyson defeated two opponents of Douglas that gave him past losses, Jesse Ferguson, who Tyson beat via TKO in 1986, and Tony Tucker, who Tyson defeated via unanimous decision to retain his WBA and WBC heavyweight titles and win the IBF heavyweight title to unify in 1987. Almost three years later, he would meet the man that would humble him and make him reassess his life choices.
Tyson admittedly was rife with vices like sleeping with hotel maids in Japan and was utterly unfocused coming into the fight. He was heading towards a nasty divorce from actress Robin Givens and his longtime trainer, and familial figure in Cus D’Amato was gone, as he passed away. In his stead was promoter Don King, whose less-than-savory business practices have always veered towards self-preservation above a fighter’s first mentality.
Still, Tyson was the betting favorite at 42-1.
Buster Douglas, a 6-foot-4 agile Ohio heavyweight that was birthed into boxing by his father, Bill Douglas, who went 42-16-1. The son would accomplish the impossible and defeat Mike Tyson.
After Tyson’s cornermen tried to nurse a bad left eye, the proof of the consistent right jabs a determined Douglas gave that wobbled Tyson in the fifth round, the end was near. In the last 10 seconds of the eighth round, Tyson landed a big right uppercut from the ropes that sent Douglas to the canvas. The Tyson everyone expected would arise even amid the difficulties Douglas presented was not in the cards as the tenth round revealed the truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7QuAYlHT8E
Douglas’ jab was spot on, and he launched a vicious uppercut that knocked the mettle out of Iron Mike. He followed up with a few more blows, and eventually, a stumbling Tyson could not beat the referee’s count. Tyson would lose the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles.
It is just one portion of a larger and amazingly true life story of Michael Gerard Tyson, the baddest man on the planet who showed the world that even at your height you could take a fall.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in their third Super Bowl in five seasons. The Andy Reid, Eric Bieniemy and Patrick Mahomes trio has pushed all the right buttons since Mahomes took the reins as QB in 2018 and Bieniemy was promoted to the team’s offensive coordinator.
But there’s growing sentiment that Bieniemy would like to have full offensive play-calling autonomy, something he’ll never have with Andy Reid in KC.
While Bieniemy is involved in the play calls, Reid is the team’s primary play-caller, and the belief is Bieniemy would need to call plays by himself in order to land a head coach position.
Last week during an appearance of “The Pat McAfee Show,” NFL reporter Ian Rappaport mentioned that he believed Bieniemy could bolt K.C. for either Washington or Baltimore.
“I think Bieniemy is really in-play for a play-calling OC job, a couple of different ways places. Baltimore, and I think the Commanders is really one to consider. So you’d be like, he’s already an OC; why would he leave Mahomes? He shares play-calling with Andy Reid, he does a lot of it, but he shares it.“
On Wednesday ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted out the same two teams who may figure into Bieniemy’s future.
Would EB really leave K.C. and the game’s best QB to take a job in Chocolate City or Charm City?
After not landing a head coach position during last season’s hiring cycle, Bieniemy signed a one-year deal to return to the Chiefs. After Sunday’s Super Bowl, he pretty much becomes a free agent, and the likelihood of him landing a head coaching gig this cycle looks very faint.
With just two head coach positions needing to be filled in Arizona and Indianapolis, it’s not looking good for Bieniemy, who tweeted that he’s only focused on Sunday’s game and his feet are currently planted where he is. In essence, saying he’s not thinking about his next destination.
Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy: pic.twitter.com/mRpbkoIhyt
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 7, 2023
Regardless of what happens on Sunday, it could be the last time we see the offensive guru stalk the sidelines at Arrowhead Stadium working his magic with Patrick Mahomes. Bieniemy could possibly decide to return to Kansas City if all else fails.
Bieniemy would be a great fit in Baltimore because he’d have the opportunity to coach Lamar Jackson once he works out a deal with Baltimore. If Jackson leaves or holds out for a trade, then the job becomes less desirable. The allure is Jackson, and that’s the only way they’ll land someone of Bieniemy’s caliber, if rumors are true.
The Commanders have more offensive playmakers but lack the signal-caller, which is something they are still desperately hoping to address via free agency. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson are all explosive. Running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson are also talented and would give Bieniemy plenty of talent in D.C. to work with.
Eric Bienemy has been the Chiefs OC and play caller for 5 seasons. Their rank in total offense:
2018: 1st
2019: 5th
2020: 1st
2021: 3rd
2022: 1st https://t.co/TzrhdcQUaB— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 8, 2023
While all that sounds good, Bieniemy would be crazy to leave K.C. for either of those teams if it doesn’t lead to a head coaching position, which he’s earned 100 times over by now. So, until a team gives him a shot to be the top dog, the grass is greener in K.C. by miles.
The NCAA is making another big change that will come into effect immediately starting in 2023. They have voted to remove standardized testing requirements for incoming freshman at the Division I and Division II level. The decision came during the NCAA Convention that took place last month in San Antonio, Texas.
Division I schools have waived the standardized test requirements since 2020 due to COVID-19 and the impact it has had on students not being able to take the test. This started as a temporary waiver but now it has turned permanent.
Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships and have their own rules to govern academic eligibility. International student-athletes that plan to attend a Division III school will now have to register with NCAA Eligibility Center for an amateurism certification.
The NCAA Standardized Test Task Force is a specialized group that was tasked with reviewing initial eligibility requirements as part of the NCAA eight point plan to advance racial equality.
“As some NCAA member schools shift away from requiring standardized test scores for general student admissions, the Council felt it was appropriate to reflect those admission standards in eligibility requirements for incoming freshman student-athletes,” Lynda Tealer, executive associate athletics director at Florida and chair of the Division I Council, said at a January meeting of the council.
Standardized tests will remain optional for NCAA student-athletes who initially enroll during the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years.
More ➡️ https://t.co/u9dXDvkxiZ pic.twitter.com/G8HtLoViCQ
— NABC (@NABC1927) April 14, 2021
The other academic policies are still in place. Students will still need to have at least a 2.3 GPA for Division I schools, 2.2 GPA for Division II schools, have at least 16 NCAA approved course that they have taken, and provide proof of high school graduation.
Students that are going to universities that plan on coupling their athletic scholarship with an academic scholarship still may need to take the SAT. MIT issued a statement in March 2022 that it would require standardized testing for all future applicants. California has completely done away with the standardized testing. Harvard and Princeton have temporarily suspended it until 2026.
The NCAA has extended coaching limits by eliminating voluntary coach across Division I and instead include those coaches in a new limit for countable coaches in the following sports: Baseball, softball, ice hockey, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball.
Baseball, softball, and ice hockey have their coaching staffs increased by four in each sport. Men’s and women’s basketball have their coaching staffs increased by two.
The NCAA council also voted to have Football Bowl Division and Football Championship Subdivision graduate assistant positions redefined to graduate student coaches that can only serve three years maximum in that role.
These rules will take effect on July 1.
Students transferring for a second time in their collegiate career will now be required to meet certain criteria before being granted a waiver.
The student must meet one of the following: demonstrated a physical injury or illness or mental health issue and exigent circumstances that clearly necessitate a student-athlete’s immediate departure such as physical abuse, assault, or sexual abuse. Anything falling outside of these guidelines will be directed to the Transfer Advisory Group.
The council agreed that athletic reasons such as lack of playing time and academic preferences would not be valid reasons for a second transfer. They also noted that if a student-athlete is a part of a college program that has ended, then they could enter the transfer portal at any time instead of being required to only transfer during the allotted window.
Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox has somehow convinced his wife to stick by his side after committing the ultimate marriage sin. Not only did he cheat on his beautiful wife Bria Anderson, but he got the side chick pregnant.
Last year, the star baseball player became a major topic of conversation after multiple women claimed he was cheating on his wife. Now one of the women recently had a baby and the DNA test confirmed that he is the father.
The couple has been married since 2017, and they share two beautiful daughters together, Peyton and Paxton.
Dejah Lanee made waves when she posted a picture of her baby bump on Instagram and tagged Anderson’s Instagram profile with the caption “baby father,” according to multiple reports.
Tim Anderson staring right into the eye of the side chicks camera?! Audacity has never audacitied harder 😲 #whitesox pic.twitter.com/xvBw6kCKay
— Kenzie K • TV / Radio Host 🎙️ (@kenziekonair) June 14, 2022
Lanee is a social media influencer with over 700,000 followers on Instagram, and she also is a hairstylist. She, like Anderson, had two kids prior to her son who was born late last year.
Bria hasn’t been vocal about the situation, but it is reported that she was initially mad, like any married woman would be in this situation. She has become more accepting of the child and has not filed for divorce or separation from her husband.
Many fans on social media are suggesting the wife is staying with him for his money. He is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season. He is scheduled to make $12.5 million in 2023 and $14 million in 2024 with his club option being picked up.
The two-time All-star and former batting champion has finished in the top three in batting percentage the last three seasons in the American League. He is the only White Sox player in history to achieve that.
Anderson’s wife is a school teacher and runs a nonprofit organization titled Anderson’s League of Leaders Foundation that works with the youth of southside Chicago. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and her master’s degree from West Alabama. It is also reported that she is currently working on her doctorate.
Anderson recently took to Instagram to post a picture of his firstborn son on his Story. The next post on his story said, “Everybody ain’t gotta know everything. Nobody ain’t gotta know ****, really.”
Married Chicago White Sox player Tim Anderson confirms son with side chick DeJah Lanee pic.twitter.com/Ua9vtJXqur
— IG @whisperswithbella (@Bellawhispers_) February 5, 2023
Anderson’s wife is seemingly to be fine with the new addition to the family and has been accepting of the child. She and Lanee had problems earlier after the reports first surfaced of the cheating scandal.
Anderson, his wife, and two daughters were seen spotted on a red carpet two days after Lanee’s ‘Baby father’ Instagram post on her story. Lanee responded to the red carpet video, “Not too much……Anything for the image.”
Hopefully, Anderson is able to keep everyone happy moving forward.
Nina Westbrook, the wife of Utah Jazz guard Russell Westbrook, clapped back at ESPN on Thursday following the NBA trade deadline. Nina Westbrook took umbrage with ESPN’s Dave McMeniman for saying a Los Angeles Lakers source told him trading Russell Westbrook was like “you remove a vampire from the locker room.”
Nina Westbrook commented on ESPN’s IG account where a graphic with the comment from the Lakers source was posted.
“This is just sick ESPN…Russell is no vampire,” wrote Nina Westbrook. “I have school aged children who have to listen to their peers repeat the nasty things that you guys say on television about their father. I guess I will prepare myself to explain to my 5 year old that his dad is not actually a vampire.”
"I have school aged children who have to listen to their peers repeat the nasty things that you guys say on television about their father. I guess I will prepare myself to explain to my 5 year old that his dad is not actually a vampire."
Russell Westbrook's wife, Nina on IG 😳 pic.twitter.com/U9X3uW4WW9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 10, 2023
NBA teams leak information about players all the time
It is a known fact that teams will leak negative information about a player after he’s traded. It’s a sick trend that has been going on for decades. People within the Lakers organization and Klutch Sports Agency, for whatever reason, didn’t like Russel’s time with the Lakers. Ironic, considering LeBron James pushed for this trade to happen.
"As one source told me, 'You remove a vampire from the locker room.' That meaning a vampire sucks the blood out of the locker room."
How ESPN's Dave McMenamin described the Lakers moving on from Russell Westbrook, per his source.pic.twitter.com/bDWqbxvQbP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 10, 2023
Now, it’s fair to say Russell Westbrook was not good on the court while he was a member of the Lakers. Everyone saw that. But he was a declining player before he got to Los Angeles. Why would anyone within or associated with the Lakers think that would change?
Westbrook did make adjustments to his game this season and came off the bench and was good through most of the game with his play. However he’s unplayable in the fourth quarter because he still makes bad decisions, he doesn’t defend, and after a decade plus in the league still hasn’t learned to shoot.
Again, all of this was known before he became a member of the Lakers.
The Russell Westbrook acquisition was never going to work
If your goal is to win a title and you decide to be a top heavy roster with three max contract level players. All three must play at All-NBA and/or MVP levels for it to work. The salary cap makes it next to impossible for you to pivot otherwise. Westbrook simply wasn’t that level player.
Calling Westbrook a vampire and leaking stories about he and Lakers head coach Darvin Ham getting into it in the locker room is poor form. It’s even worse for ESPN to carry the Lakers’ water here and do this for them.
That’s not journalism. That’s an organization being petty.
You traded a player you no longer wanted. Move on.
It will be interesting to see how the new-look Lakers perform going forward. No longer held back by Westbrook. Let’s see if LeBron, Anthony Davis, new additions D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt can change the tide.
At the conclusion of Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors the Lakers have 25 games left in the season. They are in 13th place, two and a half games back of the last play-in spot with three teams ahead of them. They are four and a half games back of the last playoff spot, with seven teams ahead.
Let’s see if these reinforcements change the Lakers’ fortunes this season.
The Russell Wilson Foundation, doing business as the Why Not You Foundation, is facing questions for seemingly raising millions but only giving about a quarter of total funds raised to people in need.
A USA Today investigation found that the Denver Broncos QB’s organization reported it spent just 24.3 cents of every dollar on charitable activities in 2020 and 2021 combined and nearly twice as much, $1.1 million, on salaries and benefits during that time, according to IRS record.
Report: Investigation has found that #Broncos QB Russell Wilson’s foundation has spent just 24.3 cents of every dollar on charitable activities in 2020 and 2021 combined.
The foundation has raised millions, but only a quarter of it goes to charity.https://t.co/147pKFu5C2 pic.twitter.com/xMm2I7uaET
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 9, 2023
Wilson and his R&B singer wife, Ciara, are known to be extremely charitable and have used their celebrity to battle food insecurity, expand educational opportunities and promote social justice and racial equality.
“Doing good deeds and showing care and compassion for other people is something we should all do,” said Laurie Styron, the executive director of CharityWatch, the only independent charity watchdog group in the U.S. “It doesn’t require founding a charity. An important part of how a nonprofit justifies its existence is by quantifying what it is accomplishing relative to the resources it receives.”
All nonprofit 501(c)(3) entities must file 990 forms with the IRS that detail the organization’s entire annual financial situation. The USA Today report described what its review of years of Wilson’s charity’s 990 returns showed:
Form 990 federal tax returns from the nonprofit’s inception through 2021 show it reported $7.5 million in revenue and $7 million in expenses during its first eight years of existence.
Less than half of the money — $2.8 million, or 39.6 cents of every dollar spent — has gone to charitable activities, all as grants to other nonprofits.
The remaining $4.2 million has paid for fundraising, administrative and management expenses, including the salaries of three employees, who have received $1.9 million combined.
In 2020 Wilson was named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award that recognizes an NFL player who has had a significant positive impact on his community.
“Russell Wilson has always prioritized serving his community, but this year, he met the challenge and more when it was needed most,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said when Wilson was given the award. “He has shown continued excellence on the field for nine seasons, but the work he has done to help youth and fight food insecurity through his Why Not You Foundation bolsters his lasting legacy.”
Regardless of Wilson’s reputation as someone that does well in his community and for others. This situation with his nonprofit entity is not a good look.
In 2020, the Why Not You Foundation reported $838,000 in revenue and $1.2 million in expenses, including $257,000 on program services, meaning just 21.3 cents of every dollar spent went to charitable activities.
The nonprofit spent more than twice as much — $548,000 — on salaries and employee benefits. Three of its employees were paid $441,000 combined. Ryan Tarpley was paid $209,000 to serve as chief strategy officer and Carly Young earned $166,000 as executive director, both full-time positions. Scott Pickett received $66,000 for 15 hours of work per week, according to the nonprofit’s 2020 federal tax return.
Making matters even murkier, Tarpley was paid more than double the median for a CEO the size of the Why Not You Foundation.
“The nonprofit space is governed by fair market value,” Morton said to USA Today. “You can say, ‘Oh, they’re super talented.’ That’s fine. In the for-profit space, the sky is the limit. Pay them whatever you want. But in the nonprofit space, no matter how talented you are, no matter how qualified you are, you are subject to those limits for comparable compensation.”
Tarpley also served as chief strategy officer for the Wilson family office which is a relationship that needed to be disclosed and wasn’t.
This is a bad look for Wilson as it is his foundation. Whether or not he was aware of what was going on is irrelevant. He’s the figurehead and the famous athlete attached to this. If anything untoward occurred he will have to answer for it.
Tom Brady has retired with almost every quarterback record in the book, but the debate about who the greatest QB of all time is still rages on.
When GOAT talk at the QB position begins, most start with Brady, who enjoyed an unprecedented 23-year career with seven Super Bowl wins. His abundance of hardware is why most football fans refer to him as the GOAT.
But Lawrence Taylor, a former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, isn’t drinking any of that Kool-Aid.
The outspoken Pro Football Hall of Famer has never shied away from speaking his mind, and he did just that during a recent appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast.
When asked who the greatest quarterback was in his opinion, Taylor didn’t say Brady.
“Joe Montana is still my man. Still my man. You say greatest quarterbacks ever, I’m still with Joe Montana. I’m not going with Tom Brady. … Listen, Tom Brady got all the rules on his side. You can’t touch him. You can’t touch him. If you hit him, if you breathe on him, they’re gonna throw a flag.”
Despite all of Brady’s success, the dominating former New York Giants edge rusher isn’t buying it and he’s standing on “Joe Cool” being the best.
‘I don’t understand how he drops back eight yards and sits in his little cocoon, and they’re not sending people at him,” he said. “Why is the defense not sending people? Man, let me tell you something. … If I’m playing, I’m hitting him every play. Even if I had to just pat him on the ass, I was right there beside you, brother.”
Taylor is saying what many football fans have been saying for years, and not just as it pertains to Brady. The game has changed to the point where there’s a halo around the quarterbacks, essentially making the game even harder for defenses to dominate. Nowadays when a defense is considered dominant it’s nothing like during Taylor’s era, when defenses completely shut down opposing offenses and players like Taylor feasted on quarterbacks.
Joe Montana > Tom Brady
‘the greatest quarterback ever? i’m still with Joe Montana. Tom Brady got all the rules on his side.’ — Lawrence Taylor (@LT_56) pic.twitter.com/F4dSCdUjo8
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) February 7, 2023
In an effort to protect the quarterback and increase scoring, the game has changed — and it’s not for the better.
Taylor had many battles against Montana, who went 4-0 in Super Bowls and never backed down from the physical style of football that Taylor and his Giants played. Montana appeared to thrive under pressure against defenders with malicious intent.
Gone are the days of the bell cow running back carrying the football 25-30 per game. With the league now passing nearly 57 percent of the time and running the other 43, that right there automatically changes the physicality of the game. It takes linebackers and safeties off the field and puts more defensive backs out there.
That in turn helps protect quarterbacks as well, with less people coming after them in the pocket. When Taylor terrorized teams, it was so bad that former three-time Super Bowl-winning Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs created a position called the “H-back” to help his tackles block “LT.”
Happy birthday Lawrence Taylor. Greatest linebacker I ever saw.
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) February 4, 2023
Being a former defensive player, you know that eats away at Taylor, whose whole game was built on speed, power, physicality and intimidation.
Widely considered the greatest defensive player the game has ever seen, Taylor gave his list of top five defenders. He put himself at No. 1, then went with the “Minister of Defense,” Reggie White, Deacon Jones (who’d be the all-time sacks leader if they kept that stat during his entire career) Deion Sanders, the greatest cornerback, and Ronnie Lott, arguably the greatest safety to ever suit up.
Of course, there are others, but this is a very strong list, although Coach Prime feels he should be in the top spot. His lack of physicality definitely cost him some points with LT.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. First of all I'm 1, let's just get that straight."
Deion Sanders does not agree at all with Lawrence Taylor’s Top 5 defensive players of all-time list 😂 pic.twitter.com/00edgx5Fip
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) February 9, 2023
While Sanders laughed about it, you know deep down he wasn’t feeling the exclusion. LT said what he said, and there’s not too many folks who would challenge him on it.
Super Bowl LVII has plenty of storylines, and once you get past the most obvious you’ll find this gem involving the two head coaches.
The future Hall of Famer Andy Reid and the neophyte Nick Sirianni have history that begins with Reid being named the Chiefs head coach in 2013 and subsequently firing a young, up-and-coming Sirianni.
During Wednesday’s Super Bowl media session, Sirianni discussed that ordeal and how it motivated him. And although he’s grateful for how Reid pulled him in and talked with him before making the decision, that moment was a driving force behind the coach you see today.
“Do you have this little chip on your shoulder? Sure, yeah you do,” Sirianni said. “But that’s who I am as a coach and as a person — I want to make sure I’m working my butt off. … And, sure, you hold on to some of those things.”
Based on his success in year two at the helm, it’s safe to say Sirianni has made the most of his opportunities elsewhere. And now he’ll look to beat the guy who decided against keeping him ten years earlier.
#Chiefs Andy Reid is 64 years old, #Eagles Nick Sirianni is 41-years old. Their 22-season coaching gap is the largest in Super Bowl history.
Patrick Mahomes is 27-years old, Jalen Hurts is 24-years old, their combined age makes this the youngest QB matchup in SB history. pic.twitter.com/BfLga8bbGY
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 6, 2023
Coming off a 2-14 season, Reid replaced head coach Romeo Crennel, and cleaned house in K.C., bringing in his own coaches.
At the time, Sirianni was a young offensive quality control coach, but Reid opted for trusted, longtime friend and assistant David Culley to fill that position. Sirianni says the Chiefs’ record played a big role in coaches being replaced, and he did understand it.
“Andy came in because we weren’t good enough in Kansas City. And he stepped in and did an unbelievable job,” Sirianni said. “What I appreciated is that he brought everyone in and talked to them.”
“I didn’t coach with Andy, but he gave me a good example of what to do with a hard part of the job of: ‘Hey, I got a guy here. ‘He was complimentary. He knew I would be down, so he gave me strength when I was down. I appreciated that, and it sounds like that’s how he is as a person and coach.”
That’s Reid displaying the class that has made him one of the most-successful and respected coaches to ever grace the sidelines.
Sirianni also talked about how he met his wife in Kansas City and the two got engaged, further complicating his move. But Sirianni landed on his feet and now he’s four quarters from beating the guy who let him go ten years ago.
Nick Sirianni was let go by Andy Reid in 2013 in KC
"getting let go [with Chiefs] you're down, right? I gotta move my future wife… But I remember him lifting me up in that moment, telling me good things knowing I would get back on my feet. He gave me strength when I was down” pic.twitter.com/zNmgI9IUL0
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) February 7, 2023
Reid spent 14 seasons as the Eagles head coach, leading the team to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance. In fact, current Eagles GM Howie Roseman began his executive career under Reid, who also served as the team’s Executive VP of Footall Operations from 2001-12. Roseman, who was recently named Executive of the Year by Pro Football Writers of America, raved about Andy when asked about his former boss.
“I would not be in this position if it weren’t for Coach Reid,” Roseman said. “I think about the fact that I was this 34-year-old guy and untraditional, and he was willing to give me a job as the GM and take the time to talk to me and teach me and be patient with this passionate, persistent person. It just means the world to me. I always root for him.”
Reid hired Roseman, and he in turn hired Sirianni, and that’s the unbreakable tie to this game between the two head coaches.
What a way to kickoff #SuperBowl week on @NFLonFOX ! Had a little quality time with Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni up on stage here at Opening Night. Man sometimes my life feels like a dream!! Blue skies ahead pic.twitter.com/GSDS40aD48
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) February 7, 2023
For Sirianni, winning this game would do wonders for his résumé and legacy, but a win for Reid would boost him into the conversation of top five coaches of all time. But until he wins that second Super Bowl, it’s hard to put him in there.
Reid will become the fifth head coach to face his former team in the Super Bowl. He joins the likes of Weeb Ewbank, Dan Reeves, Jon Gruden and Pete Carroll.
There comes a time in a person’s life when they need a reality check. Sometimes when you’re worth $200 million-plus you can avoid that reality check, but for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, he still got it, and it came from some unlikely sources.
After a week of getting into fights with other players and incidents with fans, including one with Shannon Sharpe, Ja Morant apparently had “a postgame situation,” according to the Athletic. Which also initially was said to have featured an incident where a car Morant was riding in started pointing laser beams at the opposing team’s staff. A security guard identified it as a gun, and social media ran wild.
These recent turn of events and Memphis’ recent fall from grace led to Ja Morant getting a “talking to” from everyone’s favorite Uncle, Uncle Shay, aka Shannon Sharpe, and the talking head didn’t hold back.
Sharpe used his show “Undisputed” with co-host Skip Bayless to address the recent events and turmoil that Morant has been engulfed in.
Sharpe started the segment by saying, “Ja is a really good basketball player. … Ja did everything he could to lift himself and his family out of this type of environment and to get away from this and, for some reason, he wants to surround himself with these types of people. Why? Bruh, you’re not hard. That’s not your life. People in that life would give anything to be in your life,” Sharpe finished.
Basically, Sharpe told Ja and the Memphis Grizzlies to stop faking out here and get focused on the task at hand, which is winning basketball games.
Morant took to social media to debunk those claims, as he doubled down on his critics saying they are trying to create a false narrative about him.
“did a investigation seen they were cappin,” Morant said at the time. “[S]till let a article come out to paint this negative image on me & my fam & banned my brother from home games or a year. unbelievable,” Morant tweeted.
did a investigation seen they were cappin . still let a article come out to paint this negative image on me & my fam . & banned my brother from home games for a year . unbelievable 😂 https://t.co/08p4E8xhJJ
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 5, 2023
Regardless of what really went down, Sharpe was still holding Morant accountable, and apparently so are some other athletes.
New York Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner — fresh off winning Defensive Rookie of the Year at NFL Honors 2023 — sent out a tweet that featured some words of wisdom which everyone understood were directed at Ja Morant.
“Pro Athletes, if you really from the trenches, you ain’t gotta prove it every time you know eyes on you. A lot of y’all ain’t even like that for real and THATS FINE! All your life, you grind to go pro, make it pro & start making millions, and then turn gangsta? That’s backwards,” Gardner tweeted.
Pro Athletes, if you really from the trenches, you ain’t gotta prove it everytime you know eyes on you. Alot of y’all ain’t even like that forreal and THATS FINE!💯All your life, you grind to go pro, make it pro & start making millions, and then turn gangsta? That’s backwards❕
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) February 6, 2023
Sauce Gardner and Shannon Sharpe are not wrong either. Ja Morant is achieving a dream that he’s worked his entire life for. Besides, he doesn’t come from the worse conditions. He had a present father who bent over backward to support his dream and those of other kids in the community. The streets were never an option for Ja Morant, so to bring that element into an NBA setting or present yourself as some kind of gangster is regressive behavior.
Gardner felt the need to point that out.
Gardner definitely seems to know what he’s talking about, and he’s only been in the NFL for a year. He said what needed to be said and is showing concern for a fellow athlete who has the world at his fingertips and thousands of impressionable kids watching him. Morant can move mountains with positive actions. No need to act like a reality TV star with the platform and potential he has.
Sauce Gardner Is Making History | Defensive Back Is First Rookie First-Team All-Pro DB In 41 Years
Maybe the four-year NBA superstar should take some advice from the sagacious NFL rookie.
The NBA’s trade deadline has officially passed, and we need a “Who He Play For?” segment to figure out where everyone has landed. Parity, especially in the Western Conference, during this NBA season has convinced so many contenders to go all-in and grab as many offensive weapons as possible. Two games separate the fourth and 12th seed in the West. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have moved over to the conference and shifted the balance of power.
Checkmate, Kyrie | Kevin Durant Traded To Phoenix, And Suns’ Championship Window Just Reopened
Durant is a top 10-12 player all-time. This season before he went down with an MCL injury he was an MVP candidate. He’s sixth in the NBA in EPM with his usual stellar efficiency at 61 eFG% and 68 TS%. He’s shooting an absurd 59 percent in the midrange.
A top four rotation of Durant, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul will be really difficult to guard with the Suns’ multiple sets and pick and rolls. But losing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in the Durant deal will hurt the team defensively.
Ayton is a plus defender, though he hasn’t shown it all season. Durant is having an excellent defensive season, and his length will be a welcome addition. Paul is old and Booker has never been very good on that side, but he competes.
The Suns are hoping to outscore you and get just enough stops.
This was a desperate move by the Mavs. Governor Mark Cuban is worried superstar Luka Doncic will grow unhappy and wield his power in a way that makes things difficult. Doncic has a proven playoff performer in Irving as a co-star who can play both on and off ball. It will be interesting to see how Doncic and the team blends with Irving’s mercurial tendencies.
The Mavs were already playing poor defense, and in this trade they sent Dorian Finney-Smith, their best defender, to the Nets. But Doncic and Irving are supernovas on offense.
In a series against the Sacramento Kings, the Mavs would like their chances. They’d also like their chances against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Russell Westbrook, Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson are out the door in L.A. In comes old friend D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
DLo is having the most efficient offensive season of his career at 57 eFG% and 61 TS%. He’s also shooting a career-high 39 percent from three.
Beasley is a career 38 percent shooter and he puts up volume. From the start of the 2021-22 season to now, just two players (Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield) have made more threes than Beasley’s 409.
Both are welcome additions to a Lakers team that ranks 26th in three-point field goal percentage and 27th in three-point field goal percentage on wide-open attempts.
Can LeBron James, Anthony Davis and this new lineup produce elite offense?
There’s a saying in sports. Offense sells tickets. Defense wins championships. That’s by and large proved to be true over the course of history. Yes, dynamic offenses are important, but you have to be able to string together stops.
Of the past nine NBA champions, eight had defenses ranked in the top 10. The outlier was 11th, and that was the juggernaut Golden State Warriors with Durant in 2018.
None of these offenses is as good as that team, and none of the defenses is remotely close to top 10 in their current constructions.
Eastern Conference teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers will have decided defensive advantages in a potential Finals matchup.
But that’s why we watch sports. To see the unimaginable happen. Perhaps there will be a season where a team built solely to outscore the opponent wins it all.
Doubtful. But some of this year’s contenders are hopeful.
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz and reacquire point guard D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team, eight-player trade. Bryce James, youngest son of Lakers’ superstar LeBron James, is not happy with the move and called it an “L” on his Instagram Story. But Bryce has his daddy to blame for that.
LeBron’s youngest son, Bryce, just posted this on IG 👀
Calling the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook to Jazz trade a: “L” pic.twitter.com/AvHnnb3uO6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 9, 2023
It has been widely reported that LeBron pushed for the Lakers to trade for Russell Westbrook in the summer of 2021. The then-32-year-old Westbrook had two years and $91 million left on his deal. Westbrook had an OK year in Washington, but he was clearly on the decline. But LeBron thought joining forces with himself and Anthony Davis would resurrect the former MVP.
He was wrong.
To make matters worse, the Lakers gave up Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the deal. Key players in their title run the season prior.
LeBron, as he is known to do, grew increasingly frustrated with Westbrook last season and it became an untenable this season.
Westbrook was OK for the Lakers this season. But at a salary of $47 million, he needs to produce like a top-five player in the league. He is not top-five in any positive metric. He’s ranked in the 66th percentile in EPM and is having his second-worst shooting season.
The Jazz will likely buy out the rest of Westbrook’s contract, and he’ll be a buyout minimum deal waiver guy for the rest of his career.
Westbrook’s time with the Lakers was an “L,” but that’s LeBron’s fault for pushing the team to trade for him in the first place.
The Lakers have retooled their roster in the wake of a very active NBA trade deadline. The acquisitions of D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba have the Lakers poised to go on a run, or so they hope.
These acquisitions bring more shooting to a team that ranks 26th in three-point field goal percentage and 27th in three-point field goal percentage on wide-open attempts, according to Second Spectrum.
The Lakers are in 13th place in the Western Conference and two games back of the last play-in spot. They’re three games back of the last playoff spot. But six teams stand between the Lakers and the sixth seed.
The Jazz will likely bottom out to increase their lottery odds, but that still leaves five teams the Lakers have to jump. Not only do the Lakers have to play well, those five teams all have to play bad and lose games for the Lakers to gain ground. All of those teams have made upgrades to their rosters with a goal of pushing to make the playoffs as well.
The parity in the NBA this season has convinced more teams than ever that they have a shot at the playoffs and contending. That will make for an exciting end to the regular season and the play-in and playoff scenarios.
Michael Irvin was looking forward to his media duties in Glendale, Arizona, during this year’s Super Bowl LVII until it was abruptly cut before the game even began. The Playmaker was out, and he allegedly interacted with a woman on his way to his hotel room on Sunday night. That encounter led to his dismissal from scheduled activities with the NFL Network after a complaint was made with the hotel.
According to TMZ, Irving has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the woman who accused the NFL legend of misconduct, alleging he’s being “railroaded” with false accusations that are ruining his career.
The lawsuit was reportedly filed Thursday afternoon, after Irvin says the hotel where he was staying devised a wicked plan to turn him into the next victim of “cancel culture” by fabricating a story.
“Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences. Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League,” the lawsuit reads.
“Michael Irvin will not be part of NFL Network’s Super Bowl LVII week coverage,” NFL Network Vice President of Communications Alex Riethmiller said to the media.
How did the reasons behind Irvin’s media ban actually make its way to the public arena? Michael Irvin himself.
A video of him dropping numerous F-bombs while talking to people in what appears to be a bar is on Twitter. The people listening at some point all laugh.
https://twitter.com/bryndavis/status/1622690096351940608?s=20&t=7PXFTYCkNImY5-kyjo67Ig
Now Irving needs clarification as to why he was dropped from his broadcast opportunities during the biggest week of the NFL year for a conversation. Irving told various media outlets that the interaction with the woman lasted seconds, 45 to 60, but he didn’t remember even meeting her.
“Honestly, I’m a bit baffled with it all,” Irvin said to the Dallas Morning News. “This all happened in a 45-second conversation in the lobby. When I got back after going out, I came into the lobby, and I talked to somebody. I talked to this girl. I don’t know her, and I talked to her for about 45 seconds.
“We shook hands. Then, I left. … That’s all I know. I don’t really recall that conversation, to tell you the truth,” Irvin said. “We were out drinking. It was just a friendly conversation. ‘What’s up?’ I don’t even know. … I am totally perplexed. That’s honestly all that happened. Nobody was in my room. It was a 45-second conversation in the lobby, a handshake and we left. … I don’t know. I don’t know what this is, and it’s running me crazy.”
Irving elaborated more on his confusion and how he was unceremoniously dismissed.
Michael Irvin is openly Christian. NFL is not with that. I bet the Super Bowl is sponsored by PFizer pic.twitter.com/Iz2hNwHsIH
— Common Cent$ (@Common_Cent1) February 9, 2023
“Sunday night, when I came into the hotel, they asked what I did, and I said, ‘I just went straight to the room,'” Irvin said during 105.3 The FAN’s “Shan & RJ” show. “But I guess I had met somebody in the lobby. Talked to somebody in the lobby for about a minute, and then I went to my room. And then, after I got up there, they said they had to move me in the hotel.
“I said, ‘I didn’t talk to anybody. I went straight to the room.’ And then they showed it on camera that I did talk to somebody. I talked to this girl for about a minute. I don’t know what — they didn’t show it to me. They told it to me. I didn’t see it. I guess the girl said I said something to her within that minute that we talked, and so they moved me.”
Irving appeared during the NFL Network’s Monday Super Bowl opening night coverage. Glendale, Arizona, police did not receive any reports about any incident involving Irvin, per The Associated Press. The three-time Super Bowl champion has been with the NFL Network since 2009 and is a staple on ESPN programs like “First Take.”
There is no update on who the accuser is or what she claims Irvin did, but the NFL Network did not want any smoke.
Larsa Pippen is slowly becoming the definition of “messy much,” as her ex-boo and her son are now teammates. During the NBA trade deadline, Malik Beasley of the Utah Jazz was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night for Russell Westbrook in a major three-team trade. The Lakers also landed Minnesota Timberwolves’ D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz.
Ironically, Scotty Pippen Jr. is also a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and his mother, Larsa Pippen, and Beasley have a history. The 48-year-old dated the 26-year-old Beasley in the past, to the chagrin of her ex-husband. That might make things a little weird in the locker room. With all the enthusiasm in the L.A. Lakers franchise surrounding LeBron James shattering Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record, the new energy might be how to manage a Pippen Jr. and Beasley interaction.
Larsa Pippen’s ex-fling Malik Beasley is now teammates with her son Scotty Pippen Jr. after Lakers trade 🤦♂️👀 pic.twitter.com/wWU70i3qp8
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 9, 2023
In 2020, Larsa was seen in locked arms with Beasley at the end of the year; however, he was married to Montana Yao, who filed for divorce. Larsa claimed the pair were separated before she began dating Beasley.
Malik Beasley and Larsa Pippen 👀
(Via @egotastic ) pic.twitter.com/UuuKJfZ3z0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 1, 2020
“We had spoken about it. It wasn’t a secret,” Pippen said to Daily Star in 2021. “I know a lot of people that are married and exiting. I’ve played that part. So for me, if you’re not being shady and you’re telling me all your stuff, I’m going to believe you.
“A lot of people are not happy in their situations, and they don’t want to jump ship until they see someone they like. You don’t want to just shake your kids up because you might never meet someone that you actually like.”
Scottie Pippen reportedly called Beasley a “loser” after he was sentenced to 120 days in jail in February 2021. Then playing on the Minnesota Timberwolves, the guard got the time behind bars after pleading guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence for pointing a rifle at a family outside his home. Larsa revealed the slight on an episode of the “Real Housewives of Miami.”
“When Malik got 90 days or something in jail [Scottie] sent it to me,” Pippen told her “RHOM” co-star Lisa Hochstein. “He’s like, ‘Go ahead, keep talking to these losers.'”
The relationship ended when Beasley went back to Yao, who is also the mother of his children. In 2022, Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, confirmed Yao and Beasley got back together following their 2020 split.
Image Credit: Instagram @larsapippen
“Malik and Montana have reconciled and are working on improving their relationship and building their future together,” Steve Haney told Us Magazine.
Many believe that digs like that have made Larsa clap back at Scottie by dating the son of his one-time teammate with whom he has bad blood, Michael Jordan. Pippen kept it the most real in his book “Unguarded,” where he revealed the toxic nuances in his relationship with “23” and his disgust with the portrayal of himself and their Chicago Bulls teammates in “The Last Dance” documentary.
Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen are finally Instagram official, as the two, seen in various hot spots, graced Pippen’s Instagram as a couple.https://t.co/u9q7eAo65M
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) January 25, 2023
The 22-year-old Pippen Jr. is relatively new to the league, drafted in 2022 from Vanderbilt. It will be interesting to see how his father, mother, and her boyfriend all mix in an arena to support the young Pip.
