The Los Angeles Lakers lost their fourth straight game on Wednesday night and are 2-9 this season. To make matters worse superstar LeBron James left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent groin injury. He had 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the loss. FS1’s Shannon Sharpe believes, despite his numbers, LeBron doesn’t have the same impact as a player. But Sharpe is wrong.
“He’s in Year 20 and no player looks the same as they did in Year 5, 8 or 10,” said Sharpe. “LeBron used to be a wave, but now it’s a pebble in the ocean…LeBron is a big man and an impact player…[but] it’s taken its toll.”
.@ShannonSharpe on whether LeBron is showing his age in Year 20:
"He's in Year 20 and no one looks the same as they did in Year 5, 8 or 10. LeBron's a big man and an impact player, it's taken its toll." pic.twitter.com/zQ1sT8e3kw
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) November 10, 2022
James is averaging 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists per game this season on 49.5 eFG% and 51.8 TS% efficiency splits. Only rookie LeBron has been worse.
It’s true that LeBron’s single game plus minus from Wednesday was the worst on the team. But he is still contributing above the rate of a league average player.
The reality is, it is year 20. There is only so much he can do physically, so Sharpe is right in that sense.
But James still has influence and impact that is still the huge tidal wave in the ocean.
LeBron is still the biggest star in the game and arguably the biggest athlete in the world. He is the sun inside the Lakers organization that all the other people must revolve around.
This has not been a very good leadership season for him. He and Anthony Davis seem checked out and disconnected from their teammates. You don’t see players picking each other up, supporting or playing with any level of joy.
Losing obviously makes it hard to have a joyful environment, but team chemistry is a fragile thing in the NBA. As the Lakers leader it’s on LeBron to take the direction from head coach Darvin Ham and breathe spirit into the hearts and minds of the players on the floor.
The roster has issues, but this is the roster LeBron put together. Kendrick Nunn hasn’t played basketball in over a year. He needs to time to get his rhythm and confidence back. Thomas Bryant and Dennis Schröder are out. Patrick Beverley is adjusting to a role, as is Russell Westbrook.
New and disparate parts need time to coalesce. That is where leadership comes in.
“It’s easy to be great when things are going great,” James said. “But being able to keep your head above water when things don’t look so great or the sun don’t seem like it’s shining much upon you … you know, how you can stay into the fight, stay into the fray. I’ve always said, leadership is not … you don’t get to pick if it’s going to be a Tuesday and Thursday that I want to lead. No, it’s every single day. You might have your moments; I mean, we’re human. But for the majority of time, you’ve got to be able to first take accountability of yourself, and then hopefully, it trickles down onto everybody else.”
This sounds like leadership from LeBron in speech, but for the Lakers it hasn’t been there in practice.
Brooklyn Nets All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is in the midst of a suspension from the team for promoting an anti-Semitic film and refusing to apologize for several days. Many suspected his days with the Nets were done and now it’s official. Some wonder if he’ll ever play in the league again.
During an interview with CNBC, Nike co-founder Phil Knight said it’s unlikely the company and Nets star Kyrie Irving will resume their business relationship, despite Kyrie meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday to begin clearing a path for his return.
“I would doubt that we go back, but I don’t know for sure,” Knight said.
Nike announced Friday that it was suspending its relationship with Irving and would not launch his new shoe line. Despite the whirlwind of grief Irving has brought upon himself, putting his entire career in limbo, Hall of Fame legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving says Kyrie will play again because he’s too talented for owners to pass on.
“The owners are greedy,” Dr. J said out at LAX this weekend. “He’s going to end up in the league playing for somebody, no matter how toxic he is.”
There is a lot of truth to what Dr. J said. People that are immensely talented, like Kyrie, are given numerous opportunities despite their toxicity. Make no mistake about it, Irving is toxic.
Since day one as a member of the Nets, Kyrie has some kind of issue that takes the focus away from the thing he is best at, playing basketball.
In 2019 during training camp in Santa Barbara the team’s performance staff, as it has always done, wanted the players to use wearables to track metrics. Irving balked. On the trip to China later that summer Irving refused to remove his hat for a team photo.
That season he played in only 20 games as he dealt with an injury and disagreed with the team on how to manage it. Depending on what reports you believe, he was instrumental in having coach Neil Atkinson fired that same season.
The following season he took an unexcused 10-day absence from the team. During that absence he was seen at a birthday party violating the league’s COVID-19 safety guidelines and on a Zoom session for Tahanie Aboushi, a former Democratic candidate for Manhattan district attorney.
Last season he refused to comply with the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate like the rest of his teammates and was ineligible for home games. His refusal brought media and public backlash upon his organization and his limited availability negatively impacted team chemistry, as he only played in 29 games.
But if you’re a general manager or an owner, how could you in good faith give Irving a multi-year maximum contract? His skills say he’s worth that. But his availability and baggage suggest otherwise.
Nike is drawing a line in the sand. The loss of that affiliation might be liberating to Kyrie, but it does nothing for his bag or his brand.
Kyrie stepped over the line,” Knight said. “It’s that simple. He made some statements that we just can’t abide by, and that’s when we ended the relationship.”
It’s no coincidence that the mood in and around the Nets facility and team has been lighter and happier since Irving was suspended last Thursday. The team’s played better too. There is such a thing as addition by subtraction.
“I always thought it was a privilege, an honor, and a blessing to be able to be an NBA player,” Dr. J said. “So, if he could respect that a little bit more, I’d be happy with him sharing my name.”
Irving originally had a series of steps he was told he had to complete to the Nets’ satisfaction in order to return to the team.
Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:
– Apologize/condemn movie
– $500K donation to anti-hate causes
– Sensitivity training
– Antisemitic training
– Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
– Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022
Not sure Kyrie what Kyrie is willing to do but he’s working towards a return. Either way, Irving went down the wrong road, and his continued defiance in the name of faulty history and logic might be the final straw.
That infamous January 2006 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors where the late great Kobe Bryant scored 81 points, could have been even more special according to John Salley. The former Lakers center was a guest on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcats, where he claimed that then-Lakers head coach Phil Jackson benched Kobe so he wouldn’t break Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 points in a game.
“I didn’t agree with something Phil Jackson said to me,” Salley began. “I said, ‘Phil, Kobe had 81. No matter what you do, he was about to get 104.’ They would’ve kept feeding him the ball. The other side would’ve been like, ‘Don’t hurt him.’ But, there would’ve been clearouts, and Kobe would’ve got 104. He goes, ‘Well, some records need to stand.’ And I was like, ‘Wow.’ He goes, ‘He’s No. 2. He doesn’t need to be No. 1.'”
.@thejohnsalley says LeBron won’t pass Kareem as the All-Time Leading Scorer 👀
“You’re going to be really mad…Phil Jackson once told me: ‘Some records need to stand.’” pic.twitter.com/jYGvVRimGg
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) November 7, 2022
Looking back at the box score from that game, Bryant played 41 of a possible 48 minutes and all but four seconds of the fourth quarter, during which he scored 28 points. Only Lamar Odom played more minutes that game (42). It’s possible Jackson did pull Bryant early while he was cooking to play mind games. Jackson was always doing that sort of thing, especially with Bryant.
This was the 2005-06 season. Bryant had run Shaquille O’Neal out of town the season prior and was scoring a ton of points on low efficiency and the Lakers weren’t contenders. Jackson and Bryant would butt heads about the latter’s leadership.
“One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael’s superior skills as a leader,” Jackson said. “Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence. Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he’d yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had.”
Bryant eventually learned the art of leadership, and he and Jackson led the Lakers to back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.
If what Salley alleges is true, Lakers fans and particularly “Kobe stans” will likely be irate. As they love nothing more than proving to anyone who will listen that their guy is the GOAT. Ultimately, does it really matter?
No.
Bryant is one of the greatest players ever, likely in the 12-14 range. In a league that has been around since 1946 and the plethora of talent that has come through, being 12th best all-time is not disrespect.
Adding the single game scoring record wouldn’t have done anything to change that. An excellent accomplishment to add to a collection of many, but it wouldn’t have changed the overall arc of his career.
At his apex, Bryant was a scoring dynamo capable of taking and making the most wildly difficult shots. An inefficient volume scorer however, with a career 48.2 eFG% and 55 TS%. A wildly competitive alpha male who would do anything to win, whose impact metrics are just below the all-time greats.
Again, no shame in that. Legendary career.
But for Bryant and his fans getting that record would have been a special moment.
Green Bay Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell wants the NFL to rethink its decision to use artificial turf versus natural grass on the fields at stadiums across the country after injuries have affected his beleaguered team. Campbell posted his thoughts on the issue to Twitter after his teammate Rashan Gary suffered a season-ending injury.
“This is two weeks in a row we’ve had players get injured on turf fields,” Campbell posted. “I think it’s time y’all take some of the money y’all make off us and invest in grass fields for every team around the league. The turf is literally like concrete it has no give when you plant @NFL”
De'Vondre Campbell with a message to the NFL 🗣 pic.twitter.com/8vl0Uxt8yZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 7, 2022
There is no set rule for real grass versus artificial turf in the NFL, and it is up to each stadium to decide. Sixteen NFL stadiums have real grass. Nine of them have Bermuda grass, four have Kentucky bluegrass, two have Desso Grassmaster, and one has a combination of different grasses, per reports.
The Detroit Lions’ home turf of Ford Field has FieldTurf Classic HD. In contrast, the Packers Lambeau Field uses Desso GrassMaster, real grass.
Following the team’s 15-9 Sunday loss to the Detroit Lions, the team confirmed on Monday that Gary sustained a torn ACL in his right knee during the third quarter of the game. Replays showed that the injury was not the result of contact but came as Gary pivoted to reverse his field on a pass to the right flat. Gary ranked 13th in the NFL in sacks with six and was second in pressures per pass-rushing snap.
“It’s a tremendous loss,” Packer coach Matt LaFleur said. “Not only just from obviously a production standpoint, (but) he is a guy that just competes at the highest level. He is one of the grittiest guys that’s on this team. Just the effort that he brings on a daily basis is definitely going to be missed. The other guys around on that defense and on our team are going to have to pick it up because it’s hard to replace a guy like that.”
BREAKING: Patriots traded 2 2024 first-round picks to the Packers for LB De’Vondre Campbell and a 2024 second-round pick.
Welcome to New England, De’Vondre! pic.twitter.com/IFlXAaOwGB
— New England Patriots (@NewEngIandPat) November 9, 2022
Additionally, Packers cornerback Eric Stokes suffered an apparent ankle injury during the first quarter of the same game, leading to Campbell’s frustration.
Stokes suffered knee and ankle injuries, and LaFleur stressed that he was the player the team medical staff was most concerned about being lost for the remainder of the season. Stokes was the Packers’ 2021 first-round draft pick.
#Packers Rashan Gary, torn ACL, out for the season. We've had numerous former NFL players tell us turf, like the surface inside Ford Field, is like playing football on your living room carpet. ILB De'Vondre Campbell is frustrated by the long list of his teammates injured Sunday. https://t.co/5WNUtBiRCa
— Mike Clemens (@MikeClemensNFL) November 8, 2022
“I can’t rule that out yet,” LaFleur said. “We’re still doing some further tests, getting some more information.”
Packers rookie wide receiver Romeo Doubs also sustained a high-ankle sprain on his 18-yard catch on the opening drive of the same game. Although the injury will sideline him probably for four to six weeks, it isn’t season-ending.
Campbell wants real grass to be ubiquitous across the NFL, but with little to practically no maintenance required for the artificial turf, it will be a hard sell across the league.
Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has only played in two of the Los Angeles Clippers’ 11 games this season as he deals with his troublesome right knee. Leonard missed all of last season recovering from an ACL tear in that same knee. Questions about his long term viability in the league have been brought up, leaving many to wonder just how good Leonard is and how does he stack up historically among the greats of his era?
Leonard was drafted 15th overall in 2011 by the San Antonio Spurs. In 11 seasons on the floor, Leonard has been a seven-time All-Defensive selection, five-time All-NBA, five-time All-Star, two-time DPOY, and won two titles to go with those two Finals MVPs.
Do you know how many players in NBA history have won at least two titles, been All-NBA at least five times, All-Defense at least five times, and an All-Star at least five times?
11.
Wilt Chamberlain, Walt Frazier, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, and Leonard.
That’s a who’s who of NBA royalty. Say what you want about the length of Leonard’s career, at worst case he’s a Pro Basketball Hall of Famer.
He is the best player from that 2011 draft class, which includes Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. If you say Leonard is part of the LeBron era, then he is right there with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in terms of the greats in the era.
Since 2014 Leonard has been top 10 in EPM in every season he’s played. EPM measures your effectiveness on your team’s play relative to the competition when you are on the floor. He ranked in the 95th percentile or higher in EPM during that time period, often in the 98th or 99th percentiles.
At his peak Leonard was arguably the best two-way player in the entire NBA. He was the best player in two NBA Finals and had outstanding playoff runs in 2019 and 2020.
He likely won’t have 20,000 points, 5,000 rebounds or 3,000 assists at the end of his career which are sort of benchmarks that people note for longevity. The injuries have taken their toll and caused him to miss a lot of time.
So when you discuss best careers, Leonard would be hard pressed to make the top 10, because he hasn’t played long enough. But when you’re talking best peaks, you see the company he’s in.
Leonard missed the 2021-22 season, he played 60 games in 2018-19 with the Toronto Raptors, and only nine games with the San Antonio Spurs in 2017-18.
We all would like to “turn injuries off” when it comes to sports and athletes, but it’s an unfortunate part of the game.
There is still optimism in Los Angeles that Leonard will play more games than less this season.
“He is progressing well,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Leonard last weekend. “We knew coming off an ACL, it wasn’t going to be a straight line. We talked about it before the season. The biggest thing is he’s progressing well. We are going to follow the lead of our medical staff. We got to be smart about the situation, but he is progressing.”
That’s encouraging. A healthy Leonard means the Clippers are a title contender, and if he somehow is able to lead his third team to a title, his legacy and place in history will be unassailable.
Kirshnik Khari Ball better known as the rapper Takeoff, who was murdered last week, will have his funeral service held at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Music by the group that he helped make world famous, Migos, was often played throughout NBA arenas. Their rap hits also blazed the pop charts and became the soundtrack for venues throughout the sports world.
The late rapper was murdered on November 1st in Houston, Texas over an alleged argument involving a dice game gone wrong. He was with his uncle and fellow Migos rapper Quavo at the time he was shot and killed.
The world is mourning Takeoff’s passing, and while many celebrities were tweeting and posting about his death, the state of Georgia is going to new heights to celebrate his life.
They are picking the home arena of the Atlanta Hawks to host his funeral, and are reportedly sold out of tickets, according to 11 Alive. He will get a sendoff befitting a king, and few will argue that we are losing a cultivator of one of hip-hop’s truly transcending collectives.
#Takeoff Will Be Laid to Rest This Friday
Nearly a week after his untimelyg passing, #Migos star Takeoff will be laid to rest this Friday, with his funeral taking place at the #StateFarmArena in Atlanta.
The stadium is home to the #AtlantaHawks and holds 21,000 people🙏🏾
•
• pic.twitter.com/n2BHILjzNg— TheCakeDishPodcast (@TheCakeDish) November 7, 2022
“According to the arena in downtown Atlanta, tickets were made available at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday at noon, the arena said tickets were sold out and that capacity for the event was reached. Those who bought a ticket must be Georgia residents, and they were free of charge. Organizers said you could only get two tickets. Those who wish to pay their respects could get tickets at Ticketmaster.”
The rapper meant a lot to hip-hop, especially in Atlanta’s hip-hop community, which is very rich and popular with the amount of talent they produce. Jermaine Dupree put Atlanta R & B and Hip-Hop on the map. OutKast took it to next levels delivering a lyrical swagger comparable to Northeast rappers. As the 2000s dawned upon us an explosion of rappers from Atlanta shot to the top of the charts, one after the other, from T.I to Ludacris. Atlanta slowly became the new mecca of rap and besides for iconic artists like Gucci Mane, and Jeezy, the Migos were the new and innovative group that took over the city. They are the most prominent group in rap right now and hold a lot of influence on hip-hop.
Not only was he special to the community of Atlanta, but he and the Migos had a very special bond with the Atlanta Hawks, the residing team of State Farm Arena. It was Quavo in fact, who had given Trae Young the name “Ice Trae” upon the Hawks drafting the Oklahoma guard.
The Atlanta Hawks on the other hand are having a good start to the season, clocking in at 7-3 so far. The duo of Young and newly acquired guard Dejounte Murray has been bearing fruit in the season’s early stages. The Hawks may have finally found the system that works for them under head coach Nate McMillan.
More importantly, the Atlanta Hawks will be playing their best basketball in order to try and bring a championship back to Atlanta for Takeoff. The relationship between the Migos and Atlanta is strong, and it runs deep. The city’s love for the group and their reciprocation of that love can’t be understated. Takeoff and his bandmates have inspired a generation of young children of color to dream big. This is why it makes absolute sense that the late Takeoff’s funeral is held at the State Farm Arena to honor his legacy.
Atlanta Falcons honor Takeoff during their game today. 🕊 pic.twitter.com/FFr9mcoW3u
— The4thQuarterTV (@4thQuarterTV_) November 6, 2022
It isn’t just the Atlanta Hawks showing love to Takeoff either, the Atlanta Falcons also held a miniature tribute to the fallen Migos member. Hopefully, the sendoff for Takeoff will be peaceful and showcase all that he’s done for the community and hip-hop.
Hip-hop mogul and billionaire Jay-Z ($1.3B) and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($113.5B) met at trendy Los Angeles restaurant Horses on Monday, according to reports. Hov and Bezos are reportedly interested in purchasing the NFL’s Washington Commanders, with a bid due in January. The Commanders are up for sale as their embattled owner Dan Snyder is involved in numerous controversies. There are allegations of sexual misconduct, a toxic workplace and his relationship with other owners.
Hov and Bezos are friends, with the former spending time on the latter’s yacht in September. If we’ve learned anything about Hov, is that he is an apex capitalist predator. He’ll do just about anything to amass more wealth and have his hands at the levers of power.
Remember when he partnered with the NFL and said “we’re past kneeling” in regards to blackballed quarterback Colin Kaepernick? Shortly thereafter his entertainment agency, Roc Nation, entered into a long-term partnership with the league to be the “official live music entertainment strategists”?
Cash rules everything around me…
It’s no shade. Hov has told us who he is from the jump. It would make sense that franchise ownership would be his next move.
Now, reported figures for the Commanders suggest somewhere in the neighborhood of $7B. Hov don’t got that kind of bread. That’s why he needs the wealthier than Croesus Bezos as a partner. The two of them would make a formidable ownership group.
Perhaps the plan is for the two of them to be the majority owners and bring in other A-listers to be minority owners. Actor Matthew McConaughey is set to join the group as well.
Whatever their plan is, this isn’t just some nostalgia or “this would be cool” play. These dudes want this to be a profit making endeavor.
As the “U Don’t Know” rapper says:
Put me anywhere on God’s green earth, I’ll triple my worth, motherf**ker
I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in Hell
I am a hustler, baby, I’ll sell water to a whale
I was born to get cake, move on and switch states
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant, a lifelong fan of the Washington franchise, is also someone that would be a target of the Bezos/Hov group.
“In a perfect world, I would be a part of it,” Durant said. “I would love to do it. I would love to give a little bit of my money to be a part of the Commanders, but we’ll see. Hopefully, it’s somebody nice. I heard [Amazon CEO Jeff] Bezos and Jay-Z, but you never know.”
Fox’s Jay Glazer and the NFL Network report that the timeline on this sale will be quick and the new ownership group could be in place before next season.
“It’s to sell the entire team,” Glazer said. “What I’m being told is, the asking price is going to go for about $7 billion. The other interesting part is the timeline. This is not going to be a long, drawn-out process. I’m told the hope is to have this done within the next six months and actually have it finalized by the NFL owners meeting next March.”
What's the latest on Dan Snyder, Odell Beckham Jr. and more? Here's the Week 9 edition of #askglazer with @jayglazer ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FWOveowL8b
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 7, 2022
And the winner is … Hov.
The Jackson State Tigers under the leadership of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders are currently 9-0 and have been downright dominant this season. With star quarterback Shedeur Sanders under center and a ballhawking defense that leads the country in yards allowed per play, the belief is it’s a foregone conclusion that they’ll represent the SWAC in this year’s Celebration Bowl.
But for Coach Prime, that may not be enough. In fact his recent comments show he wants more for his team. It’s always been his mission since taking the job at the HBCU and raising it to new heights and visibility within the college football landscape.
The outspoken NFL legend and reigning Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, wants his team to participate in a pre-New Year’s Day bowl game.
During his weekly SWAC zoom conference Sanders had this to say about his comments.
“Why can’t that be us? I’m just saying, why can’t it be us? You’ve got teams that are virtually 6-5 going to a bowl game. Ain’t nobody going to see them play. Ain’t nobody turning the channel to witness the foolishness. But you have us that travels deep, travels heavy.
“Not only that, you have us as a people that when — not if — when one of our schools get selected by one of these wonderful Fortune 500 companies that are title sponsor to a bowl game. We will support collectively.”
There are several reasons why this is a long shot.
While Sanders is correct to suggest that JSU can attract a large crowd worthy of sponsorship, he can’t just disregard the teams he referenced as unworthy of Bowl appearances without any context such as schedule strength or strength of conference. Those 6-5 mid-major and Power 5 teams Sanders disparaged, likely play much stiffer competition. A level of comp that JSU doesn’t face in the SWAC.
Secondly, by playing in the Celebration Bowl, by rule, JSU forgoes any other postseason bowl opportunities. But when did the status quo ever stop Coach Prime? He’s been all about change and elevating HBCUs. His ego is always at the forefront, but that’s just the driving force that steers attention to his kids. He’s not beyond campaigning for his school in order to position his players to be seen by a wider audience.
All College Bowl SPONSORS I see there’s a myriad of Bowl cancellations this year due to various reason mainly COVID. We @GoJSUTigersFB would love the opportunity to participate in your bowl games in 2021/2022 Help us change the narrative and invite us! We’re ready. #COACHPRIME
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) December 22, 2020
Sanders Says He’d Play In Celebration Bowl Over FCS Playoffs: Bowl Game After?
Last season the Tigers won their first SWAC title since 2007 and accepted the automatic bid to the Celebration Bowl. In its place, the FCS took FAMU for the playoffs. The Rattlers finished second in the conference behind JSU, by virtue of their 7-6 opening game loss.
Earlier this season Sanders stated that he had no desire to play in the FCS playoffs, but he wouldn’t mind participating in a FBS bowl game. He reaffirmed that during his zoom.
“This is after the the Celebration Bowl. That’s the goal. Let’s get that out of the way. This is after that. This is a pre-New Year’s Day Bowl game that we would love to have an opportunity to play in.”
Matchup With NCCU In Celebration Bowl?
With two games left in the regular season against Alabama A&M and archrival Alcorn State, things are looking good for the Tigers to run the table and complete an undefeated regular season. While both are road games, the Tigers will be heavy favorites, and with those wins they should host the SWAC championship.
Our Players of the Week from week 4:
Davius Richard help keep NC Central undefeated and at the top of the MEAC
Jarveon Howard career high 299 yards help lead Alcorn State comeback victory
Shedeur Sanders career day help keep the Tigers undefeated and at the top of the SWAC pic.twitter.com/eNUqqc2Zpx
— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl) September 27, 2022
As we look ahead, things are aligning for a Jackson State vs North Carolina Central Celebration Bowl, which would pit the SWAC’s top defense against the MEAC’s top offense.
Week 9 was a good one for the melanated signal-callers. From Patrick Mahomes to Geno Smith to Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson. They all played well for their respective teams, but once again, Mahomes stood out above the rest.
On a night where the gritty Tennessee Titans threw everything but the kitchen sink at Mahomes and the Chiefs, “Mr Ketchup On Errthang” stood tall and proved why he’s the best QB in the NFL.
It might have taken a career-high 68 pass attempts, but Mahomes accounted for 509 total yards, which included 446 through the air and 63 on the ground. For the Chiefs, the Titans exhausted every bit of mental fortitude they had in a 20-17 overtime win. It was also the first time Mahomes has had back-to-back 400-yard passing days. He’s different, and the Chiefs are blessed to have him.
Yes, you read that right 🔥 @PatrickMahomes pic.twitter.com/7gshyvfZiE
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 7, 2022
The Eagles played down to the competition in the first half of a Week 9 win over the Texans. Led by Hurts, the MVP-candidate, Philly (9-0) had their way. Hurts was accurate all night going 21-for-27 for 243 yards and two touchdowns.
It takes everybody.@JalenHurts | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/pgQUzsHHUv
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 5, 2022
Wide receiver A.J. Brown says the entire team trusts Hurts and his mental preparation is second to none.
“That’s who he is. That’s the person he is, and I admire him from afar and he’s teaching me something.”
Another week and another strong performance for the Comeback Player of the Year candidate as he led the surprising Hawks to another win. Seattle is 6-3 and in first place in the NFC West. Geno passed for 275 yards and two more touchdowns. When the team traded Russell Wilson, the belief was they’d be in rebuild mode and searching for a franchise QB. They’re actually competitive with the best teams and have their signal-caller of the immediate future in Smith.
"The resiliency of this team, how we fought back … we're a tight-knit bunch and we stay together!"
Pam Oliver is with @GenoSmith3 after the @Seahawks 4th-straight W 👏 pic.twitter.com/raNiyT53Zx
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 7, 2022
The dynamic Fields is starting to look like the guy that tormented Big Ten defenses at Ohio State. A true dual threat with breakaway speed and a rocket for an arm, Fields is beginning to learn how to play the QB position.
In a 35-32 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday, Fields was a one-man wrecking crew. The second-year signal-caller rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown. The 178 yards are the most ever by a QB in a regular season game, surpassing the 173 by the electric Michael Vick. Fields also made plays with his arm, passing for three more touchdowns.
Mike McDaniel shared with reporters an exchange he and Fields had following one of his incredible first half scrambles. Here’s what he told the Bears QB.
“Stop it.”
“I just wanted him to stop scrambling, and it was pretty irritating because he didn’t listen at all. He didn’t take the coaching.”
Jackson was efficient in the Ravens’ 27-13 road win over the Saints in the Big Easy. The 2019 unanimous MVP tallied 133 yards passing with one touchdown. He also carried it for 82 yards, putting his full arsenal of talents on display, as he does weekly.
The Ravens led by Jackson could easily be 8-1 or 9-0 if not for three blown leads in games this season. They’re beginning to play some great all-around football
In an interesting turn of events, the NBA’s Miles Bridges has filed a restraining order against Mychelle Johnson, the mother of his kids and the woman who accused him of domestic assault, according to reports.
Bridges alleges on three separate occasions since his arrest in June, that Johnson showed up at his home or places he’s rented and harassed him. Her continued alleged harassment has caused him emotional distress and anxiety according to court documents.
The first incident allegedly happened on Oct. 12. Bridges says he had been renting an Airbnb in Los Angeles when Johnson unexpectedly tried to gain entry with their two kids, Bridges did not engage.
He alleges she tried to gain entry to the home but was unsuccessful and ultimately stole his dog and left with their children.
Then, on Oct. 31, Bridges said Johnson followed him and his friends home from an L.A. hookah lounge at around 2:30 a.m., and sat in his driveway with their two kids demanding he speak with her. Again he says he did not engage. But attempts were made by his friends and bodyguards to get her to leave but she remained in the driveway for several hours.
Finally, on Nov. 5, just two days after Bridges pleaded no contest to one count of felony domestic violence stemming from their June 27 incident to close out his criminal case, Bridges said he was forced to call the LAPD after Johnson showed up to his Airbnb and antagonized him and refused to leave. Officers arrived on the scene and Johnson left without incident.
It’s important to note what pleading no contest means in a criminal case.
“When you plead no contest to charges, you are essentially doing the same thing as admitting guilt in the case. As a criminal defendant, you have the right to a trial in front of a jury, and you are innocent until proven guilty. When you plead not guilty in a case, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are, in fact, guilty. Unless they can do that, you would be acquitted of the charges. Pleading not guilty means that there must be a trial as a prerequisite to any conviction,” according to criminal defense attorney Timothy Hogan. “When you plead no contest, you are not explicitly admitting guilt. However, by not choosing to contest the charges, you are largely doing the same thing. Pleading no contest means that you will be convicted of the crime. However, you get to avoid a lengthy trial.”
This is a wild turn of events in this bizarre and sad situation.
Bridges essentially admitted guilt to physically abusing Johnson on June 27, and if his claims are to be believed, she is harassing him and subjecting their children to all sorts of trauma.
Bridges clearly needs help, given the seriousness of what went down on June 27 and if Johnson is indeed doing the things he claims, she too needs help. If not for their own sake, but for the well-being of their kids, who didn’t ask for this.
Is this a fall from grace? Or is this a reality check for Dwight Howard? While he was planning to make a return to an NBA team this season, no one bit the bait, and now he’s playing overseas for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan.
The eight-time All-Star announced on Monday that he would be signing with the Taiwanese team. This comes on the heels of Howard not receiving any traction on his potential reunion with the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Basketball Network, Howard tried to rejoin the Lakers and they wouldn’t give him a multi-year contract because of his age.
“I’ve been willing to go back,” Howard said. “They told me every time, ‘We’re not get nobody over 30 a contract, a multiple-year contract.’ So, I’m like, ‘Dang, I just helped y’all win the NBA championship. Y’all could get your boy a mil or two, or give me a mil. I don’t want a whole bunch of minutes. Give me 20 minutes, and let me ball out.’“
Howard was once one of the greatest players in the 2000s and 2010s before a trade to the Lakers in 2012 became the beginning of his regression in his basketball career. Though he had a few solid years in Houston with James Harden, he was never the dominant “Superman” we knew him as before.
Howard since Houston has spent his years with teams that didn’t exactly look to tank for generational prospects but didn’t nearly have the amount of talent and resolve it took to win a championship either. Teams such as the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards.
That was until he signed with the Lakers in 2020 and helped them secure their championship in the bubble. Dwight Howard was a huge asset to that Lakers team, providing solid center play for this Lakers team when Anthony Davis had to sit.
The ring was what most considered the icing on the cake to a Hall of Fame career, but when Howard was snubbed by the NBA for the Top 75 Anniversary Team, he began questioning his entire legacy, although he personally doesn’t see himself as anything but one of the best to ever do it at his position.
Dwight Howard says he felt disrespected after getting snubbed from the #NBA TOP 75 list with Shannon Sharpe pic.twitter.com/rB29bLjPx4
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2BlogTV) October 31, 2022
Though Howard, 36, is definitely past his heyday, he’s proved in the past few years with the Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers that he is more than capable of keeping up. He’s still in shape, can still defend the rim down low, and run a good pick-and-roll with capable point guards. Frankly, it’s surprising that more teams haven’t shown interest in signing him. But honestly, if there was going to be any team to sign a 36-year-old veteran, it would’ve been the Lakers, who just last year had the oldest team in the league based on average age.
Howard has been contemplating his future for a minute now as the calls from NBA teams have gone dry. He was initially contemplating a pro wrestling career.
This might be the end for Dwight Howard in the NBA, but the start of a legendary career overseas.
Players like Jimmer Fredette and Shane Larkin have made illustrious careers overseas after their NBA days were over, and they didn’t have half the résumé or star power as the man formerly known as “D-12.”
In the meantime, clearly signing to play with the Taoyuan Leopards is a steppingstone for Howard, and he still loves the game, which is why he would rather play in Taiwan than close the curtains on a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.
Howard is also ready to get straight to the grind with his new team.
“I am so so excited, and I can’t wait to touch down in Taiwan and start playing,” Howard said.
The other thing about those overseas careers is that they’re always on the radar for NBA teams looking to sign someone back into the league for bench depth. Howard’s career isn’t over just yet, and he should have the right to choose when he hangs up his jersey. The Orlando Magic surely will retire his number when he’s done playing.
The Washington Commanders franchise is going to be sold within the next six months, and growing sentiments around the league are Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos is the projected front-runner to become the franchise’s new owner.
Bezos along with rap mogul Jay-Z could be the ticket to hopefully right the wrongs the once proud franchise has had since current ownership purchased the team in 1999. The team is slated to sell for at least $6 billion and could fetch as much as $7 billion.
But there’s one caveat with the Bezos bid for ownership. Reportedly, Bezos and Daniel Snyder don’t have the greatest relationship because of the way the Washington Post, a national paper that Bezos owns, has covered stories of alleged sexual harassment and verbal abuse within the franchise that Snyder reportedly turned a blind eye to.
NFL analyst Peter King believes Snyder is looking to sell the entire franchise, despite reports that he may look to hold onto some control.
“What wingnut would be dumb enough to invest, say, $1 billion or more to go into business as a minority partner with the worst owner in NFL history? Not so fast, I heard over the weekend. I kept hearing, if anyone buys a minority stake, there has to be a clear path to buy out Snyder — in a defined number of years. And re: the hot candidate to buy the team, billionaire Jeff Bezos, I also heard this from a reliable executive well-versed on ownership matters: ‘It’ll never happen. Dan Snyder detests The Washington Post. No way he’d sell to the owner of that paper.’”
Jeff Bezos-Jay-Z bid to buy Commanders to get celebrity firepower: report https://t.co/VHgJAFZc4W
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 8, 2022
Would Snyder Turn Down The Amount Of Money Bezos Could Afford To Pay For Team?
The question that lingers is would Snyder’s disdain for Bezos cause him to turn down upwards of $7 billion to purchase the team? That amount would be nine times the $800 million the embattled owner paid in 1999 to become the majority owner.
If it were up to the other NFL owners, they’d love to have someone of Bezos’ stature amongst the ownership fraternity.
Source: Jeff Bezos Is 'Looking Into Buying' Washington Commandershttps://t.co/LMlkmSjVDR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 3, 2022
Can Amazon Still Air Games With Bezos As An Owner?
With Amazon buying the rights to air NFL games on Thursday, that creates a possible conflict of interest that will have to be sorted out if Bezos becomes an NFL owner.
During an appearance on “Toucher & Rich” on WBZ The Sports Hub, Albert Breer of MMQB had this to say about that:
Bezos and Jay-Z to make an official offer to purchase the Commanders in January 👀 #HTTC https://t.co/3OL1he4ddy pic.twitter.com/EtAflDYUhk
— DC Sports 💯 (@_mattschoen_) November 5, 2022
But again, it comes down to Snyder’s willingness to sell his prized keepsake to Bezos, a man whose national and well-respected newspaper has continuously condemned Snyder in print.
Dr. Umar Ifatunde, more popularly known as Dr. Umar Johnson has added his two cents to the Kyrie Irving conversation. The “Prince of Pan-Afrikanism” made a video giving virtual lashes to a bevy of prominent sports commentators for what he perceives as their lack of support for Irving since his suspension for posting a link to a reported anti-Semitic documentary.
“Richard Jefferson, I sentence you to 500 lashes for conduct unbecoming a Black man. Stephen A. Smith, I sentence you to 4,000 lashes for conduct unbecoming a Black man. Chris Broussard, Rob Parker, I sentence you both to 2500 lashes for conduct unbecoming a Black man.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCIwRE9BtnA
Ifatunde mimicked a whipping after each name and sentence was mentioned and went extra hard when discussing ESPN’s Michael Wilbon and FOX Sports’ Shannon Sharpe, who he felt extra spicy about.
“Michael Wilbon, you fat baldhead no neck midget, I sentence you to 3000 lashes for conduct unbecoming a Black man,” Ifatunde continued. “Snow bunny Shannon Sharpe, you’re the biggest and strongest of everybody on the list, so I’m going to have to sentence you for 10,000 lashes for conduct unbecoming a Black man and saying that no Black woman can make you happy; 10,000 lashes for Shannon Sharpe. Who else we got on this list.”
Dr. Umar is now the most vocal in a growing congregation of people who feel that Irving is the victim of a false narrative by people who look like him. Irving shared a link to the documentary “Hebrew to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” The 2018 film claims that Jewish people are lying about their origins and asserts that the Holocaust never happened.
Dr. Umar Johnson is a doctor of clinical psychology and certified school psychologist who considers himself an expert on the education and mental health of “Afrikan and Afrikan-American children,” according to his website. Umar claims to be a “paternal kinsman” to both Frederick Douglass and the late Bishop Alexander Wayman (1821-1895), the 7th Bishop of the AME Church.
MUST WATCH: Dr. Umar Johnson Speaking On Kyrie Irving & Kanye West 💯 pic.twitter.com/feV2CSyEFy
— First Class 🏁 (@1DJFirstClass) November 6, 2022
Umar became a popularized trope of the Hotep man, a subculture of African-Americans who use Ancient Egypt as a source of Black pride and are incredibly Afrocentrist. Umar gained many skeptics after launching a popular fundraising campaign for his school, The Frederick Douglass & Marcus Garvey RBG International Leadership Academy for Boys. The school has never been opened, and Umar has kept quiet about where the school is actually located.
Still, Umar joins a growing contingent of famous Black athletes and entertainers who are opposed to the way the Brooklyn Nets and the NBA have handled the Kyrie Irving situation.
“There is an interesting distinction between what somebody says verbally and what somebody posts as a link on a platform with no description behind it,” said Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, who is also a vice president of the National Basketball Players Association.
“Some people will argue there’s no difference and some people will argue there is a difference. There’s no language in our CBA. There’s no rules against it. This is uncharted territory for everybody, and everybody is trying to figure out the difference between the two.”
The culture has also been analyzing its top sports commentators, and now Dr. Umar is the most vocal in an ever-growing room of culture critics.
How the mighty have fallen. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was on top of the world a few months ago. He was coming off two consecutive MVP awards, was blessed with a three-year, $150M deal despite his age and the media covered him like the Pope. With Rodgers at the helm, even without his top target Davante Adams, people were picking the Cheeseheads to be title contenders.
They didn’t count on Rodgers falling off of a cliff statistically. Didn’t count on the QB who used to throw crisp, accurate missiles, now struggling to hit wide-open receivers over the middle.
I’ve never seen Aaron Rodgers playing this bad https://t.co/A2KR62nY3B
— Alex (@tfralex) November 6, 2022
Aaron Rodgers has gone 13 straight games with less than 300 yards passing, the longest streak of his illustrious career. Keep in mind that we are now in a league where they pass 70 percent of the time and a 300-yard passing performance is no longer the standard for elite passing efforts.
We are entering Week 10 and Aaron Rodgers has already thrown more interceptions (7) than he’s had in an entire season dating back to 2016.
Some have reported this as Rodgers being in some sort of a funk that he has to work through. Others believe a more dire truth, one that involves the deterioration of the 38-year-old quarterback’s skills.
With Green Bay at 3-6 in the NFC North division and struggling to find some consistency, ESPN’s Marcus Spears believes that switching to Jordan Love at this point isn’t in the best interests of the Green Bay Packers. He thinks the big money man should step up and solve the problem. That’s why he’s considered one of the faces of the NFL and is paid handsomely for it.
“Aaron Rodgers got a three-year, $150M contract,” Spears said on ESPN. “He’s going to have to continue to usher and groom and become a part of this unit he has with these young wide receivers. He’s going to have to overcome some adversity because there’s not been a lot since he’s been at Green Bay with Matt LeFleur. He’s going to have to lead. That’s what Aaron Rodgers is going to have to do.
“Not leading on the McAfee show when he’s talking about guys and how they need to step up. Or we need to cut reps. No leading in the offseason when he talks about what moves or adjustments need to be made. Or go get Randall Cobb. He’s going to have to lead a team that is much maligned right now. A defense that hasn’t come through. When you are recently the two-time MVP of the league, you’re supposed to overcome some things that’s happening with the Green Bay Packer right now.”
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum totally disagreed with Spears and says now is the perfect time to bench Rodgers and find out if Jordan Love can handle the whole weight.
“They have to find out what they have in Jordan Love,” Mr. T said. “If they move on from Jordan Love and he plays well someplace else, that is catastrophic for them. So, they have to play Jordan Love to know exactly what they have. They don’t know what they have in Jordan Love. I’m sorry, [ARod] has to sit down and they have to play the new guy.”
Easier said than done when a large majority of your team’s finances are tied up in Rodgers. Green Bay is in a tough position where saving face is more important than winning games right now. Rodgers has the luxury of his past cachet as the supreme NFL signal-caller to deflect criticism and blame the young guys and offensive play-calling.
Time for Jordan Love to get some snaps then. https://t.co/yh3Rez6ejZ
— Jacob (@NotionsOfJacob) October 25, 2022
Grooming Love For This Moment
In a move that surprised some people, the Green Bay Packers, who had Aaron Rodgers coming off another 4,000-yard season and a 13-3 record, gave up the 30th overall pick and a fourth-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft to move up and land Utah State product Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick.
In a strikingly similar move to when Rodgers was selected by the Packers in 2005 to be Brett Favre’s backup and the future, Green Bay saw something in Jordan that was too good to pass up and selected him as the 36-year-old Rodgers’ eventual replacement.
Rodgers, who was taken 24th overall out of Cal and spent three years as Favre’s backup before winning a Super Bowl and a pair of MVPs, is one year older than Favre was in 2005.
Naturally, the move rubbed the egotistical Rodgers in the wrong way, and the relationship between he and Green Bay has been weird ever since.
Love was considered a project out of unheralded Utah State, and despite his dynamic athletic ability, his scouting report was littered with traditional red flag words commonly used when referencing inexperienced quarterbacks; “calculation errors,” “decision-making,” “inconsistent accuracy and mechanics.”
Jordan Love made a lot of tremendous throws tonight, but this one may be my favorite.
Coming out of play-action he drops a dime over two DBs on the other side of the field! That is an unbelievably difficult throw and he made it look easy. pic.twitter.com/26sSC7ic4n
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) August 20, 2022
But because of Love’s comparisons to Patrick Mahomes (10th pick 2017 draft), NFL scouts were willing to ignore all of the negative reports and the Packers were obviously salivating at the opportunity to snag him and see if he can do some of the things Magic Pat can do.
If the losses continue to mount up, the chants for The Love Movement will grow in Green Bay. From his brief body of work in the NFL since being drafted in 2020, the 24-year-old Love appears to still be very raw and in need of more live reps. He’s started just one game in his NFL career. Wins and losses will determine how long Rodgers remains the top guy in Green Bay, but they are going to give him every chance possible to keep earning his money.
Lamar Jackson knew that the 2022 NFL season was a bet on himself when the star quarterback turned down a five-year extension offer worth over $250 million with $133 million guaranteed at signing with the Baltimore Ravens. Last night’s 27-13 win against the New Orleans Saints in the Caesar’s Superdome also gave Jackson a milestone: his 24-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Isaiah Likely on Monday night was the 100th of Jackson’s five-year career.
Jackson also became just the sixth quarterback to achieve the feat of rushing for more than 4,000 yards while simultaneously also having 100 touchdown passes. He now joins a list that includes Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Michael Vick, who leads the pack.
That's 💯 for @Lj_era8 ❗️ pic.twitter.com/DRoEB8RJNa
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 8, 2022
During last night’s game, Jackson went 5-for-5 for 67 yards and a touchdown on the team’s second possession, directing an 11-play, 76-yard drive. With the addition of veteran wide receiver DeSean Jackson, his completions successfully went to five different targets. In his Ravens debut, DeSean Jackson caught a 16-yarder and at the age of 35 still looked very capable of being the stretch-the-field weapon Jackson desperately needs.
Many believed Jackson was frustrated last night with offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley when a delay of game was called as he was trying to snap the ball. However, the QB rebutted the notion.
“I wasn’t frustrated with my guys, not at all,” Jackson said on ESPN after the win. “I just wanted the ball to be snapped. It is what it is, you know, we’re competitors. Ronnie got on me, but we’re brothers. We’re gonna do that sometimes.”
Baltimore has improved to 6-3 with the win in the Big Easy, with Jackson delivering 133 passing yards and a touchdown pass to go with 82 yards on the ground.
LJ8 Spreading The Wealth
Additionally, 10 different Baltimore players had catches in the game, with no one having more than two receptions. The QB knows this season is pivotal to getting what he wants from the Ravens or any other team. He also represents himself in negotiations, which can be difficult when assessing your own worth.
Lamar Jackson is now 14-1 in career vs the NFC pic.twitter.com/IoLikFir2I
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 8, 2022
The extension that Jackson turned down ran through the 2027 season and would have reportedly increased the total value of Jackson’s deal to just under $274 million over six years. Jackson would have played out the $23 million fifth-year option on his rookie deal before the extension started in 2023.
The extension years the Ravens offered would have paid Jackson a higher average salary than the well-publicized deals signed over the summer by Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. It also included more money guaranteed at signing.
Lamar Jackson is one of one 👏 pic.twitter.com/vrHG96xfak
— PFF (@PFF) November 8, 2022
However, when the Ravens bucked Jackson’s wish for a fully guaranteed deal at signing, similar to Deshaun Watson’s, it prompted the sides to table their contract talks until after the 2022 season.
The Monday night victory keeps the Ravens first in the AFC North and makes the team feel like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Not bad for a guy who many said should play running back and couldn’t pass.
An assistant coach on the Vanderbilt football team is in hot water over a social media post supporting Kanye West, according to reports. Dan Jackson posted a message on Facebook in support of West amid the hip-hop mogul’s anti-Semitic rants the past several weeks, calling Ye “two steps ahead of everyone.” Jackson later apologized and coached in the team’s game against South Carolina, but athletics director Candice Lee in a statement Monday said Jackson will “step back” from his duties while an investigation continues.
“It is important the university follow its standard process and conduct a thorough review of the complexities of this incident,” Lee said in a statement. “Coach Jackson and I have agreed that he will step back from his responsibilities with the team during the Equal Opportunity and Access office’s review.”
In his Facebook comment supporting Ye, Jackson said, “more people need to wake up and speak their mind.”
“Kanye is two steps ahead of everyone. He’s not crazy. People try to silence him because he thinks for himself. People don’t want that. Rappers and athletes are taught they need to think the same as the media/politicians. If they have an opinion that is opposite the mainstream, they’re called crazy. More people need to wake up and speak their mind,” Jackson wrote on Facebook.
We are extremely concerned to see Vanderbilt University's Assistant Football Coach – Dan Jackson – defend Kanye West's antisemitism on a Facebook thread, stating people need to wake up.
Wake up to what exactly? Kanye's ongoing peddling that Jews control the world?! pic.twitter.com/473Dr6p8Ww
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 4, 2022
Calling Ye’s anti-Semitic rhetoric an opinion “opposite the mainstream” or saying the rap mogul “thinks for himself” is dangerous.
As a society we have devolved into a posture of anti-intellectualism, and certain political actors have used this to their own nefarious advantages.
In many instances the government and people in position of authority have misled the general public. Now those same people are pushing the idea of disputing actual facts simply because it is something they are opposed to.
Calling something you happen to agree with “enlightenment” or “free thinking” in contrast to works of academic scholarship is bad.
It’s OK to challenge certain ideas and to continuously study and learn, but we must all operate from a certain standard of accepted facts. The earth is round. Planes take off and land due to the laws of physics, etc.
Jackson did issue an apology before Lee announced his de facto suspension.
“I want to sincerely apologize for recent comments that I made on social media. While it was certainly not my intent to offend, my wording was careless. and it was in poor judgment to wade into such a discussion without the full context. My comments were in no way reflective of our program or university and I accept full responsibility for my words and will learn from this experience going forward.
“To be clear, antisemitism has no place in our society. and I reject all forms of hate. I’m embarrassed by my mistake but proud to work at a diverse institution where we can learn from each other’s cultures. I promise to be better moving forward for myself, our program and our institution.”
Even in his apology Jackson mentions it was “poor judgment to wade into such a discussion without full context.” What context is he referring to? His own understanding? Ye’s understanding?
Again, to be a functioning society there are certain things we must all adhere to. Hate speech of any kind is wrong. Period. There is no context or framework that should allow it.
Social media sensation Mikey Williams announced his commitment to the Memphis Tigers over the weekend. The class of 2023 combo guard who took Instagram, Twitter and TikTok by storm early in his high school career has seen his stock fall pretty drastically since his junior year of high school.
Known for his acrobatic dunks and deep shooting range, Williams wowed crowds everywhere, and he even had stars pulling up to his game. But since a transfer from San Ysidro High School in San Diego, California, to Lake Norman Christian High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Williams dropped in the class rankings and even had one of his stars removed, making him a four-star now.
As Mikey Williams’ Popularity Grows & NIL Deals Pile, The Spotlight On The Prep Star Gets Brighter
Now Williams has returned to San Ysidro for his senior season. He’ll be looking to recapture the magic of his first two high school seasons.
DJ Dunson of Deadspin gave a pretty telling analysis of Williams…
“He’s a social media hoops heavyweight, but his one-dimensional game and only one-inch of growth since middle school have submarined his value as a undersized combo guard. Williams social media fame outpaced his game. He’s never been a part of USA Basketball, passed up opportunities to participate in FIBA events that could give a better idea of how he stacks up compared to his peers.”
BREAKING: Memphis has landed 2023 5-star CG Mikey Williams and 4-star SF JJ Taylor, per their IG pages.
*Huge* additions to Penny Hardaway’s next recruiting class. pic.twitter.com/CEtLqTRaPB
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) November 6, 2022
That breakdown of Williams is totally different than the one he received at the time of his transfer in 2020. At the time of the transfer Josh Gershon of 247 Sports gave this scouting report on Williams.
“Extremely productive with good size and length. Strong kid for age but not maxed out physically. High level athlete who is an explosive finisher. Has range to perimeter with jumper and is pretty consistent three-point shooter. Has handle and vision to facilitate and play on ball full time. Physical tools to be a good defender. Level of fame at age is current biggest obstacle to overcome.”
Mikey Williams is TRANSFERRING from San Ysidro 🚨 @619PRESIDENTIAL pic.twitter.com/lpccsUOlGN
— Overtime (@overtime) September 21, 2020
Williams Is A Tweener: That Use To Be A Death Sentence
In this era of positionless basketball a player can be undersized and still have an effective career. That’s probably what Williams will bank on as he continues his basketball journey. In three years of high school basketball, Williams’ skills haven’t improved or diversified much and that’s a cause for concern. He still plays the same way, ball dominant and looking to score at will. While he’s shown he’s capable of running a team as a scoring point guard, he needs to realize he’ll need to become more willing to make others better as he continues to develop.
Can Penny Develop Him Further?
Since his arrival at Memphis in 2018, Hardaway hasn’t had the best of luck with his prized four and five-star recruits. Warriors center James Wiseman played just three games after it was revealed Penny paid moving expenses for his family. The Emoni Bates experiment was a complete failure, as the former phenom has now transferred to Eastern Michigan. The Bates situation was so wild it nearly had Penny in the unemployment line.
So, for him to land Williams and his San Ysidro teammate J.J. Taylor tells observers that Memphis is still a hotbed for young, booming talent. It’ll be interesting to see Williams play against high-level competition nightly on the collegiate level, something we haven’t seen him do much in his high school career.
It seems there are people urging Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai to reconsider hiring suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka to become the next head coach in Brooklyn. Marc Stein is reporting that “strong voices” have been in Tsai’s ear. It was widely reported that Udoka was going to replace the fired Steve Nash in just a matter of days. But that stalled amid the Kyrie Irving drama.
“League sources say there have been some ‘strong voices’ urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets’ intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash’s successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season.”
League sources say there have been some "strong voices" urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets' intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash's successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season.
More to come: https://t.co/LGN9cVpMwn
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 7, 2022
Udoka was suspended by the Celtics for the season for violating team rules when he had an improper intimate consensual relationship with a female subordinate. Instead of firing Udoka for cause immediately, which they could have done, the Celtics opted to suspend him for the season.
With all the drama caused by Irving, bringing in Udoka would be its own set of issues. He hasn’t spoken publicly since he was suspended by the Celtics. At his presumed introductory press conference he would have to answer questions, if not specifically about the incident, then generally about what he’s learned in the interim.
Then there are all of the female employees of the Nets who might feel some type of way about Udoka being hired. They’d be well within their right to have negative feelings about the organization they work for.
All that and a struggling basketball team on the court, though they’d won their last two games before Monday night’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
This team is radioactive right now. The focus is on everything but basketball and its by their own doing. There’s no need to court more controversy by bringing in Udoka.
Interim head coach Jacque Vaughn has steadied the ship over the last week amid the chaos, and his presence means continuity without disruption. Something this franchise desperately needs.
Also, Vaughn deserves a shot to have the interim tag taken off and become the legitimate head coach. If Tsai and general manager Sean Marks decide to reset and waive Irving, and trade superstar Kevin Durant, they will be a young team. Udoka just led the Celtics to the Finals. It’s unlikely he wants to helm a rebuild, even with the stain of the incident on his résumé.
But Vaughn would be happy to have a shot to be a head coach again, and with a young team without superstar egos in the mix he could build the program in his image. He could instill the culture that’s been missing since Irving and Durant swallowed the original culture whole.
After Monday’s game in Dallas, the Nets return home for a game against their cross-borough rival New York Knicks. Then they embark on a four game West Coast road trip, where Irving would be eligible to return against the Los Angeles Lakers, provided he meets the criteria established by the team.
Depending on how the team looks at the end of that road trip and where things stand with Irving will likely determine next steps on a possible Udoka hiring.
The Indianapolis Colts have had a forgettable couple of weeks. From benching quarterback Matt Ryan prior to last week’s loss to the Commanders to firing offensive coordinator Marcus Brady last Tuesday and head coach Frank Reich on Monday.
The firing was somewhat of a shock but understandable. The team hasn’t elevated to elite levels under Reich. It’s who owner Jim Irsay decided to bring in to replace Reich that has everyone like, huh?
Irsay hired Colts legend Jeff Saturday to be the interim coach for the remainder of the season. That’s strange, because usually when a coach is relieved of his duties, an assistant is put into the interim role. It’s rarely someone who’s not associated with the team on a daily basis placed in that role. And it’s certainly not a guy who has spent most of his time as a talking head on debate shows cutting up with Stephen A. Smith.
But that’s exactly what Irsay did. His move further proved that cronyism is still alive and well. The old boy network that makes the journey to head coaching jobs much tougher for qualified Black candidates.
In Monday’s presser Irsay said this:
Jim Irsay on his interim coach Jeff Saturday:
"Yes, he is fully experienced enough. Yes, he is fully capable."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) November 8, 2022
Irsay’s move is exactly why the NFL needs black ownership. Too many times minorities are overlooked, and this is a prime example of that time.
Saturday Only Has HS Coaching Experience: But Louis Riddick Can’t Get A Job?
The aforementioned Saturday is best known for being the center for Peyton Manning during his years with the Colts. And now he’s known for his segments on ESPN’s “NFL Live.” His only coaching experience has come in high school in Georgia, from 2017-2019. But come Sunday he’ll be stalking an NFL sideline as the interim coach of the Colts. Life comes at you fast if you’re in with the right crowd.
Saturday is doing something he has no real experience in. He jumped the line past plenty of qualified coaching candidates who have been putting in the work and developing relationships with the players. Sagacious ESPN analyst Louis Riddick can’t seem to get a gig in an NFL front office. Something is truly wrong with that, and it goes back to lack of black ownership and white owners being most comfortable hiring leaders who look like them.
Jim Irsay is out there man. Wow. Jeff Saturday named interim head coach of the Colts. They just might want to win that race to the first-overall pick more than anyone else.
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 7, 2022
Following the move, two prominent sports figures had this to say about the move.
FS1’s Rob Parker was heated on Monday’s airing of “The Odd Couple” on Fox Sports Radio
“It’s just a blatant slap in the face to every minority coach in the NFL that’s put in their due, became coordinators, and put in the grunt work. He’s unqualified and does not deserve this job.”
Jemele Hill, Saturday’s former colleague at ESPN also spoke on the move.
“I like Jeff Saturday and enjoyed working with him at ESPN. This is not a critique of him, but rather an NFL system that constantly moves the goalposts for white coaches, but holds Black coaches to tighter standards. A Black coach would likely never be in Jeff’s position.”
Colts Are An Unmitigated Dumpster Fire Right Now
With an owner like Irsay things aren’t looking up for the Colts franchise. He’s the same guy who called for Commanders owner Daniel Snyder to sell his team. When in all actuality, Irsay’s also got a bit of a checkered past and done some things that make you raise your brow. The difference is he’s in a small market, so it’s not frowned upon as much or thrown into the national spotlight.
.@Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay on moving on from Frank Reich and hiring Jeff Saturday: "It was time. I am very excited to have, as Chris (Ballard) is, to have Jeff here and next to me as the interim head coach. Couldn’t be more thrilled about having him here."
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) November 8, 2022
There are people who support the move, such as MNF analyst Booger McFarland, who lauded Saturday’s knowledge of the game and championship pedigree. But there’s levels to this. Irsay is making a complete mockery of the NFL hiring system and is once again telling the league “To hell with your Rooney Rule. I do what I want.”
Come on, Houston Astros fans, y’all are better than this! We know you haven’t won a World Series since 2017, and we know how people feel about that title. Well, this 2022 championship left no doubt they are the best team in baseball. In their exuberance, a few fans went overboard during the victory parade on Monday. Two women got into a serious fight, and someone threw a beer at Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
@mlbfights pic.twitter.com/0wI3vOTrPi
— Andy (@ballinandy24) November 7, 2022
The fight was pretty intense. There were serious punches and blows thrown. One woman, wearing an Alex Bregman jersey, was tossed to the floor like a rag doll by a woman with orange-red hair. The crazy thing was for 15 seconds or so people just stood and watched and filmed it on their cellphones. Eventually some people stepped in attempting to break it up.
These women look like adults (over the age of 18), so what happened that was so egregious it led to this display of violence? Ostensibly, they were both there to celebrate their team winning the World Series. This should’ve been a joyous occasion.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
According to the Houston Police, a man was arrested for throwing a beer can at Cruz while he was on a float. The can struck the senator in the chest and neck area. He did not require any medical attention.
The man was taken into custody and faces assault charges.
HPD made one arrest during today’s victory parade. A male, 33, threw a beer can at U.S. Senator Ted Cruz as the Senator was on a float in the 2400 block of Smith St. The beer can struck the Senator in the chest/neck area. The Senator did not require medical attention.
1/2— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 7, 2022
Nearby HPD officers arrested the male without further incident. He was taken to jail and faces assault charges. We will release the suspect's name and booking photo here when formal charges are filed. 2/2
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 7, 2022
“As always I’m thankful for the Houston Police and Capitol Police for their quick action,” Cruz tweeted. “I’m also thankful that the clown who threw his White Claw had a noodle for an arm.”
We’ll leave that one alone …
Even at an event that should be a celebration we are seeing the realities of life in America in 2022. Tensions are high. People are feeling the weight of an increased cost of living and wages not meeting those needs.
It’s also a fraught time politically. People are dug into their side and in some cases exercising violence to defend their side, which they see as a part of their identity.
Division, strife, extreme racial animus, this nation has been set on a powder keg ready to explode seemingly for centuries.
With Election Day on Tuesday and the potential for a congressional majority to shift from Democrats to Republicans, we could see an increase in civil unrest. There is already a faction that will contest every election result that does not go in their favor.
According to a survey, one in five adults in the United States would be willing to tolerate acts of political violence.
Garen J. Wintemute, the director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Program and an emergency room physician, led the survey and said while there is a step between condoning and committing political violence, we might see some this cycle.
“I expect to see sporadic acts of violence around the midterm election,” he said.
Given all of that, it’s a shame that the celebration of a sports team winning the championship can’t be the one thing we all agree to enjoy.
