Since July 2021, when the NIL (name, image and likeness) deal became official, it has changed the landscape of college sports, especially from a recruiting and eligibility standpoint, as student-athletes can earn revenue from their own name, image and likeness, without NCAA penalty.
For years universities made billions off the backs of young student-athletes who faced losing their scholarship and eligibility if they even accepted as much as a $10 sandwich from the wrong individual.
With something of this magnitude coming into play and shifting the economic landscape of “amateur” sports, it was only a matter of time before the shoe giants capitalized on the new ballgame.
Adidas Raises NIL Stakes, Spreads The Wealth
The first to do so is Adidas, which announced a deal with its 109 Division I-affiliated schools.
NCAA program lead, Jim Murphy had this to say about the landmark announcement:
“The Adidas NIL network embodies our belief that sport has the power to change lives by upskilling athletes and giving them the ability to begin to experience an entrepreneurial path that will carry them beyond their college years. This is not just a first-of-it’s-kind program for the brand and industry, it goes much wider by unlocking opportunities in business and life that will enable them as student-athletes to maximize the NIL, opening doors to future possibilities.”
The NIL network will be available to over 50,000 student-athletes of the 109 Adidas sponsored institutions. A whopping 23 different varsity sports will also be eligible to participate. This is beyond groundbreaking as it now moves NIL deals into the business and partnership realm with one of the global shoe giants.
BREAKING: Adidas is opening its NIL network to every college athlete at an Adidas-partnered NCAA DI university.
The wide-sweeping NIL network is the first among major sports brands.
More than 50,000 athletes across 23 sports and 109 schools can become paid Adidas ambassadors. pic.twitter.com/T48jIeWteV
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 23, 2022
Everybody Eats
This is a further expansion of the ever-evolving NIL. Up until now, the majority of NIL deals have been secured by marquee athletes with large social media followings or a pro future.
Student-athletes with a strong social media presence (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok) made up 88.5 percent of the first deals given in July.
“Licensing NIL rights (3.9%), content creators (2.7 %), personal appearances (2.0%), sports camps (1.7%), selling products (0.7%) and signing autographs (0.4%)” rounded out the list of NIL recipients.
HBCUs Will Be Included: No Separatism
For ages, it seems Division I HBCUs have always be left out of major deals afforded other universities. Not this time, as the shoe giant made it clear that HBCU athletes will get a piece of the pie as early as the fall of 2022. What’s unique is it’ll be the same time Power Five schools will be given the opportunity.
An Adidas spokesman was very clear when explaining the program and it’s mission.
“We also want to open doors to a more equitable future outside of just unlocking monetary rewards … to help them grow as student-athletes and set them up for a future beyond college sports. The possibilities of how this grows and how we as a brand bring elevated opportunities to them are endless.”
That’s got to be music to someone like Deion Sanders’ ears. Since his arrival at Jackson State Coach Prime has stressed the need for HBCUs to receive the same opportunities as the Power Five programs. This is another step in the right direction.
Brands Are On Pace To Spend $600 Million On NIL Deals In First Year
In a sign of things to come for the future, NIL deals are on pace to reach $600 million in revenue by July. That is the one-year anniversary of the NCAA’s landmark decision. While Adidas hasn’t announced how much an athlete can make with their deal, the fact that the cultural shoe giant is this entrenched is monumental within itself.
“Our groundbreaking NIL program advances our commitments toward building inclusivity in sport and inspires athletes to realize a more equitable world. I can’t wait to see it come to life,” said Rupert Campbell, head of the North American division.
The NIL has changed how we view college sports and how athletes empower themselves financially forever.
The college football landscape needed a major shakeup, the sport became too regional with the past three national champions coming from the Southeastern Conference and it did not help that some of the top brands in the sport — particularly on the West Coast — have been mediocre.
The coaching carousel led to blue-blood schools like Miami, Oklahoma, LSU, and Notre Dame getting new coaches.
However, the University of Southern California (USC) had the biggest splash by hiring quarterback guru Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma, where he helped produce two Heisman winners (Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray) and Eagles starting QB Jalen Hurts, who spent his senior season in Norman.
Riley has an opportunity to revive West Coast football at a blue blood that has the resources to scare Alabama and the almighty SEC.
USC football reached rock bottom under former head coach Clay Helton. Despite a respectable 46-24 record, their recruiting classes lacked top lineman, players were not developing, and they couldn’t keep homegrown talent in the state, all a recipe for inconsistency and eventual disaster. Or at the very least a fall from relevance.
Throughout his tenure, Helton only won 10 or more games twice, in 2016 when USC went 10-3, and then in 2017 when the Trojans went 11-3. USC fell off after that, going a disappointing 5-7 in 2018 and 14-7 with him at the helm from 2019 onward.
California kids like Heisman winner Bryce Young and highly touted Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei chose to leave the state and go to a Southern region. Helton’s era led to the softest football seen in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Coaching Search: Hunting Star Power
After a humiliating 2021 season, USC’s athletics director Mike Bohn and chief of staff Brandon Sosna took it upon themselves to conduct a coaching search that would entice not just any coach, but a top-tier coach to restore the greatness of USC football.
USC’s aggressive search ended with the shocking hiring of one of the top head coaches in the country in Lincoln Riley, who’s also considered a top-five offensive mind. Riley’s arrival in Los Angeles sent a message that USC is going to put forth the effort and resources to be one of the best football programs in the country.
Reports say Riley will make $7.6 million annually through the 31st of January 2026.
In due time, USC will be in conversations for national championships, but what is a successful first season for Lincoln Riley?
After USC’s first spring practice Riley fielded questions from the media and discussed first-year expectations.
“For us it’s about just getting as good as we can right now,” Riley said. “We understand that’s a journey, but I will say this: I’m not gonna take any goal off the table. I said it Day One, that’s not why we came here, so we expect to compete for [and] win championships every single year.”
A national championship would be a surprise Year One, but after flipping a few players on national signing day and attacking the transfer portal, the USC roster seems to be in a better position to compete.
The biggest boost was signing the No. 1 transfer available, former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams. As a true freshman Williams took over as starting quarterback for struggling preseason Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler. Williams came in and immediately thrived under Riley’s system, displaying explosive dual-threat and big play capabilities.
There was little doubt that Williams would hop in the portal and follow his head coach to USC. Williams’ dad was adamant about staying with the coach that gave his son the best chance to take his game to the next level.
For USC to not only land a quarterback, but also Oklahoma receiver Mario Williams from the portal, puts the passing game chemistry ahead of schedule. How far USC goes in its first year under Riley will largely on depend on Caleb’s arm. The main doubts concern the strength of an offensive line that will determine USC’s ability to run the ball effectively.
With the roster vastly improved, USC should be competing for the Pac-12 championship. Brad Crawford ranked USC’s 2022 schedule as the fourth-most favorable schedule for contenders.
Before their bye week USC has two tough road matchups. The first is traveling to Reser Stadium to take on the physical Oregon State Beavers, who ran for over 300 yards on the Trojans in a blowout victory in 2021.
Then, the week before their bye, the Trojans are traveling to Salt Lake City to take on the reigning Pac-12 champions, the Utah Utes, a team that is physical and well-coached. These two matchups are gut-check games to see if USC has changed its mentality after adding what they feel is some much-needed toughness to the defensive front seven.
Closing out the Trojans’ regular season schedule is about pride. The last month of the season USC does not leave Los Angeles, and their last two games are against in-state rival UCLA Bruins and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Everyone knows the historic significance of these rivalries, and if the Trojans sweep these games, they will end their regular season on a high note.
The Pac-12 Championship is scheduled for December 2. USC should be representing the South division. The key will be continuing to focus on the details, develop their running game and play physical defense.
In life there are usually short- and long-term goals. The Trojans are trying to rebuild a national brand and to do so the first couple years is about establishing a winning culture.
Long term, the Lincoln Riley era at USC could be remembered for winning national championships, kind of like the Pete Carroll multiple national championship era — but without the drama.
Kyrie Irving will be able to play in the Barclays Center again now that New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate has been lifted.
On Thursday, the change went into effect, ending a saga in New York City that kept Irving off the hardwood in Brooklyn. The move is debatable for many reasons, many of which tie to Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season, which happens on April 7.
According to reports, many New York Mets and Yankees players are unvaccinated. Due to the MLB lockout, the original Opening Day planned for March 31 also had to be rolled back to April 7.
The lockout potentially compromised the MLB’s intended regular-season calendar games, and coupled with the vaccination challenges; the league needed the mandate lifted more than any other sports organization.
According to reports, lobbyists were utilized by the Nets, specifically The Parkside Group, “a campaign management firm in New York.” Additionally, Mets owner Steve Cohen was a reported donor to a political action group that backed current NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
“Hometown players had an unfair disadvantage to those who were coming to visit,” said Adams on Thursday when he formally announced the executive order exempting New York City-based professional athletes and performers from the private sector COVID vaccine mandate.
“It’s unimaginable — treating our performers differently because they lived and played for home teams. Unacceptable. It’s a self-imposed competitive disadvantage.”
However, with Kyrie practically on a media island of his own as the biggest story in unvaccinated professional athletes, the timing and the quasi-lobbying have opened the door for Irving’s return to home court.
Back in October, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks announced Irving’s lack of compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate under out-going Mayor Bill DiBlasio gave the team “no choice” but to stop him from playing and practicing.
“I understood their decision and respected it,” Irving said back in October 2021. “I really had to sit back and think and try not to become too emotionally attached to what they were deciding to do. I had to really evaluate things and see it from their perspective, meaning the organization, my teammates.
“I really empathized and I understood their choice to say if you are not going to be fully vaccinated, then you can’t be a full [participant].”
The media denounced him for his decision not to vaccinate and made Irving the poster child of an anti-vaxx movement. However, he never wavered from his stance.
Even as Aaron Rodgers felt a similar reception when his unvaccinated status was discovered, Irving still took the brunt of the hate.
Now that Irving will be able to play while standing on his principles, the question arises of was the decision more of a return to normalcy for the city or a bend to lobbying efforts and political favors of baseball?
Irving has missed 35 home games this season and, since his return for road games, is averaging 27.7 points in 19 games. The Nets roster has changed considerably, and although Irving was always a critical piece, the team has lost Harden and gained Ben Simmons and Seth Curry.
The politics of one of the largest markets in America had bled into professional sports; however, Irving was a stand-alone target for his stance, and now his reintegration into the Barclays playing roster signals a win for the much-maligned player.
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The last two years have been a nightmare for Karl-Anthony Towns. In 2020 he lost his mother, Jackie, and seven other family members to COVID-19 and had his own bout with the virus that left him hospitalized.
The Minnesota Timberwolves lost 94 games over that same time span and dealt with a scandal involving former general manager, Gersson Rosas. In 2022 Towns is having a personal and professional resurgence and the Wolves are having their best season in four years.
“My mom was the purpose of me even playing basketball,” Towns said. “So when she passed away, I had to repurpose myself. I had to find what was going to be the reason that I want to go in every day and put my body and my mind and my spirit through all this stress. Why would I do this? It took time and a lot of self-reflection.”
Losing a parent is something that never leaves you, as those who’ve lost a parent can attest. What happens over time is how you cope and process their death. How you deal with moments that you would’ve shared if they were still alive.
On March 14 in a win over the San Antonio Spurs, Towns scored a franchise-record and career-high 60 points. In the moments following his historic night, his mother was so present in his thoughts he went to text her, forgetting she was not alive to respond.
“I was so in the moment that I pulled my mom’s number up to text her,” Towns says. Halfway through the text, he caught himself and started crying. “This was a moment for us. She would’ve loved it.”
Towns credits his girlfriend, model and actress Jordyn Woods, with helping him process Jackie’s death. Woods lost her father to pancreatic cancer in 2017, so she could empathize and sympathize with what Towns was going through. That support and understanding was key in Towns’ grieving process and Woods helped him find the joy in the game again.
“She doesn’t even really know how to play, but she comes in and tells me, ‘Hey, I saw this clip on Twitter. I think you should look at it. This man did this move,'” Towns says. “It’s crazy now how my girl loves basketball just as much as my mom did. She filled those shoes in so wonderfully and made basketball fun again.”
No matter who you are or what you do, you need to find joy in life. It’s way too hard to maneuver without it.
Now that the joy is back within his game and he has joy off the floor in his personal life, the sky’s the limit. Towns is one of the most gifted players to ever set foot in the NBA. What he can do in terms of shooting and playmaking at his size and athleticism is incredible.
He’s top 10 in EPM, estimated wins, and WS/48.
In February prior to the All-Star break Towns said he was the best shooting big man of all-time. A bold claim. But he backed it up, sort of, winning the NBA Three-Point Contest at All-Star weekend in Cleveland.
Still, despite the success on the floor and the joy that’s returned, basketball now has proper context in his life.
“I think my mom passing away was the first time I realized basketball can’t fix something,” Towns says. “Think about that. All the connections, all the people I knew, all the resources I had that people didn’t have with COVID, and I still lost. I still watched her life fade away in my hands, literally in my hands, with a hazmat suit on. I couldn’t fix it. It was the first time I realized basketball was not going to save me this time. I really had to do the work.”
What often gets missed by fans when they watch their favorite athletes is the work they’ve put in to get where they are. Yes, you need talent to become a professional athlete.
But to make it to the best league in the world requires a maniacal, single-minded obsession that we couldn’t possibly understand. To succeed in a league that only has 450 players requires that an athlete really love and enjoy the process.
For most of Towns’ life the basketball court is where everything made sense. When life and its trials and tribulations come, retreat to the comfort and familiarity of what you know.
The day after his career night on the court, he shared his feelings on Twitter.
Two years later, I walked into AT&T Center with the greatest guardian angel that I could ever ask for and dropped 60 against the winningest coach of all time.
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) March 15, 2022
I say this to say…no matter what life throws at you, you can come out of it stronger. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Miss you Momma. This game….my life…is for you ❤️🕊
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) March 15, 2022
When that place can’t provide you with what you need in the wake of tragedy, that has to be extremely difficult and unsettling. Where do you go from there?
You lean on family, friends, loved ones and in Towns’ case you share the grief and your feelings as a form of catharsis.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is doing what he’s been doing for over a decade in the NBA. Providing a potent all-around game (21.3 ppg, 6 rpg , 5.6 apg) to go along with hard-nosed defense, energy and veteran leadership, for a team that went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago and currently sits atop the Eastern Conference at 47-25.
On the court, Butler is a hothead at times, but off the court he’s been all smiles as he proves to be quite the businessman who enjoys a good cup of joe.
Butler’s Big Face Coffee is the official coffee for tennis players at the Miami Open, happening now through April 3 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler makes his signature oatmeal latte for ’20 US Open Champion Emma Raducanu using his Big Face Coffee, which is the official coffee for tennis players at the Miami Open. (Courtesy Miami Open)
On Tuesday Jimmy was on-site in the players café serving up fresh coffee drinks to elite tennis players such as Madison Keys and Francis Tiafoe. Jimmy even taught 2020 U.S. Open Champion Emma Raducanu how to make an oat milk latte using his Big Face Coffee. Raducanu reportedly gave Butler’s instruction a 9 out of 10 in the art of coffee brewing.
“I’m so happy to be at the Miami Open! It was so fun learning how to make a latte with Jimmy and I know he’s a huge tennis fan and is going to catch some matches,” Raducanu told People magazine.
BIG FACE COFFEE
As the story goes, Butler, 32, first came up with the concept of Big Face Coffee, during the Heat’s improbable championship run in the NBA bubble in the 2019-20 pandemic season.
“I’m excited to be here at the Miami Open this week,” Butler also told People. “Our Big Face Coffee brand is here all tournament and just getting the chance to watch some of the best players like Emma compete is what it’s all about.”
So first it was a pop-up NBA bubble coffee shop, with Butler selling $20 cups out of his Disney World hotel room. According to people, “Butler… made fresh brews from his own French press out of necessity because he couldn’t find anything to his liking.”
In October of 2021, he introduced his specialty coffee to the consumer market.
(Courtesy Miami Open)
‘The reasoning behind [the name Big Face Coffee] was when we first got into the Bubble during the pandemic, I remember opening up our per diem and it was like $2,080 in there. Basically 20 $100 bills and four $20 bills,” Butler recalls.
Never one to be cheated on the court or on an opportunity to increase his net worth, Butler came up with a scheme that was influenced by his entrepreneurial spirit, a street hustler’s mentality and his ability to draw on the creative wizardry of a Dr. J or Dominique Wilkins when brewing some coffee.
“So I’m thinking, OK, if I charge $20 for a cup, all I got to do is get somebody for a good cup of coffee,” Butler said. “You’re going to run out of $20 and they’re going to come back with these $100 bills, aka big faces,” he explains of his brand’s name, which started as an inside joke. “Whenever they hand me the hundred, I’m going to be like, ‘Whoops, sorry. I don’t have change. Thank you for paying a hundred dollars for a cup of coffee.’ Never really worked that way, but the idea was genius.”
(Courtesy Miami Open)
Butler is hands on with his coffee business, same as his defensive approach, but he represents the new NBA player. The days of wild parties and endless champagne is over. The age of the renaissance coffee connoisseur is here, and Jimmy B seems all for it.
In news that made sneakerheads and Kobe stans around the world rejoice; Nike and the Kobe Bryant estate, led by his widow Vanessa, have entered into a new partnership that will make the late basketball legend’s sneakers available again, and honor his commitment to encouraging the next generation of young athletes and fans.
The first new shoe from the partnership, the Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” will honor Gigi Bryant. All net proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Vanessa Bryant released a statement on social media announcing the agreement:
“We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world. With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike product for years to come and with Nike donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation (M&MSF). I am also grateful that Nike and I will work together to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California that will share the Mamba Mentality with youth athletes for generations to come. I know this is an inspiring moment for my husband and daughter’s global fans, and I am very appreciative of each and every one of you! With Gratitude for every fan around the world supporting Kobe and Gigis Legacy,
Vanessa Bryant”
When the partnership between Nike and the Kobe Bryant estate ended in 2021, fans and sneakerheads were unsure if sneaker giant would ever release Kobe’s iconic shoes again. No doubt it would be a tremendous profit generator, but for Vanessa it’s clear that she wanted her daughter Gigi’s legacy to be a part of the deal.
The 1st shoe to release in the new Kobe & Nike partnership will honor his daughter Gianna, who would have turned 16 on May 1, 2022
“The Kobe 6 Protro ‘Mambacita Sweet 16’ will honor Gigi Bryant. All proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.” pic.twitter.com/pgT4Ab4s5g
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) March 24, 2022
Kobe Bryant was an international sports icon and meant so much to millions of people around the world. But for Vanessa, the loss of her daughter was just as brutal as the loss of her husband. Gigi’s legacy is just as important to her. She wasn’t going to allow Nike to profit off selling her husbands sneaker line and not have her daughter honored as well.
“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just NBA fans but globally beyond the game,” said John Donahoe, president & CEO of Nike, Inc. said in statement. “His impact in growing the sport, particularly encouraging women and young people to pick it up, endures as one of his deepest, lasting legacies. Together with Vanessa, we hope to honor Kobe and Gigi by championing a new generation for many years to come.”
As part of the new partnership, Vanessa and Nike will work together to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California and Nike and the Bryant family will continue to outfit the NBA and WNBA athletes who carry the legacy of the Mamba Mentality.
The Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation was founded on the belief that a positive impact can be made on underserved boys and girls through sports. Something Kobe was committed to in his post playing career.
Kobe and Gigi Bryant died on January 26, 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, but their memory and legacy will endure.
Steph Curry is Golden State’s “Golden Boy,” but Draymond Green is undoubtedly the heart and soul of this Warriors dynasty. He is the locker room voice and presence, he is tough as nails, and serves sort of an enforcer role on the court as well.
He is an elite defender, and an outstanding playmaker, boasting one of the highest basketball IQs in the game right now. But on Tuesday night, after an upsetting loss to the Orlando Magic, he didn’t require much thinking to say what he said about his team and the Magic.
“I think we’re playing soft, we’re playing stupid,” Draymond said after that 94-90 loss to the Magic. “We’re just not playing good basketball, and we’re getting punked, it’s hard to win a game getting punked.” Draymond went on. He then specifies what he feels is the reason for the recent losses they’ve taken, saying, “We’re losing a lot of fourth quarters, we’re not really losing the game, just the fourth quarter.”
He was very vocal about that part, but nothing struck ears as hard as when Draymond said, “No disrespect to the Orlando Magic, but that’s one of the worst teams in the league.” He felt that if the Warriors as a team cannot match up with Orlando they shouldn’t expect to match up with one of the better teams in the league.
The Magic have the worst record in the NBA (20-54), so the loss was definitely embarrassing, even without Stephen Curry, who is out indefinitely nursing a left foot injury after being rolled on by Celtics guard Marcus Smart.
The NBA season is an 82-game marathon and not a race. Draymond has been a part of three championships, and as the emotional leader he knows what buttons to push, no matter how harsh it may sound.
The night after Green’s evisceration of his team’s effort, the role players, who needed to step up with the Splash Brothers and Draymond on the sidelines, defeated the best team in the Eastern Conference 118-104. The win over the Heat was a signature win for Steve Kerr’s “supporting cast”.
Jordan Poole, who has been pushed to the bench since the return of Klay Thompson, scored 30 points and hit seven threes. Youngsters Jonathan Kuminga, Damion Lee and vet Andrew Wiggins all chipped in 22 points. Kevon Looney continues to develop, grabbing 16 rebounds.
Team in blue had a night down in Miami. You love to see it!!! #DubNation
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) March 24, 2022
The Warriors have a bright future, that much is evident. Whatever reaction Green was searching for, his tactics seem to have worked. Young ballers don’t like hearing somebody say they got punked. It’s offensive to their developing manhood. It was a direct challenge to the team and the young core responded.
Now what seems like misdirected anger and insults toward the rebuilding Magic turns out to have been motivation for Dub Nation as GS tries to scrape together wins without Curry and position itself with good seeding in the playoff bracket.
The Warriors are currently 48-25 and are the third seed in the West and will be looking to compete for another title come playoff time. Maybe Draymond hit the right nerve in his unique way, and that’s why his value goes beyond the stats.
The Baker Mayfield era in Cleveland came to a screeching halt on Friday as the Browns traded for Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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This despite having Mayfield still in the fold but nowhere to go as of yet. With all the QB moves we’ve seen this offseason, it’s highly unlikely the team will get the first-round pick it’s seeking for the 2018 No. 1 overall pick.
Which in turn, has caused many, including FS1 personality Shannon Sharpe to believe that releasing him is the best decision. Sharpe is of the mindset that if Mayfield were cut it wouldn’t be for long, as division rival Pittsburgh would quickly swoop in and grab him.
“It looks like he’s going to get cut,” Sharpe said on “Undisputed.” “I don’t see anyone offering a first-round pick for him. If teams know you have to get rid of him, they aren’t going to give you what you want.”
Sharpe then went on to talk about why no teams are willing to trade for a former No. 1 overall pick just four years after he started his NFL career. In a league where QBs are commanding between $40 million to $50 million per season, Mayfield is set to play under the price tag of $19 million, which is the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.
.@ShannonSharpe on how much of a market there is for Baker Mayfield:
"It looks like he's going to get cut. I don't see anyone offering a 1st Round pick for him. If teams know you have to get rid of him, they aren't going to give you what you want." pic.twitter.com/pWGgATaVPu
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 23, 2022
Why would the Steelers offer a first-round pick when they know you have to come up off him anyway? To keep him in Cleveland would make for a disastrous situation, although having Mayfield to navigate the offense next season until Watson serves what will probably be an 8-game suspension or so, is probably something the franchise has considered.
Mayfield would almost certainly politely decline.
Steelers Could Pounce If Mayfield Is Indeed Cut
Every day that Mayfield isn’t dealt brings the realization that he may indeed be released. Reports out of Cleveland — although nothing etched in stone — say the Steelers could bring in the talented Mayfield over the three unproven signal callers already in house (Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins). Trubisky has won some games (29-21 career record), but he’s another No. 1 overall who fell short, and most believe Baker has more upside.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and the Cleveland Plain-Dealer had this to say about the Mayfield ordeal:
“I had somebody tell me today that … the Steelers would pounce on Baker Mayfield if he becomes available. Like, if they cut him, and he’s just out there as a street free agent, they would take him in a minute.”
Going to the Steelers would benefit Mayfield and head coach Mike Tomlin, whose current crop of mediocre signal callers leaves him at high risk of suffering the first losing season of in his 15-year career. Baker is still only 26, and Tomlin is a great, proven head coach. And if Baker needs any more motivation or reality-checking after the $230M they gave Watson, in Pittsburgh he will get an opportunity to exact revenge on his former team while facing them twice a season.
"I'll start with the New York Giants: Baker Mayfield or Daniel Jones? Baker would light up New York City. He would eat up with that team in that division." — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/Avv4rXpRUh
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 22, 2022
With not much traction on the trade front, it’s very possible the Browns will just let Mayfield walk away. The Browns aren’t paying him $19 million to be a backup with Watson set to rake in $46 million. That’s $65 million on QBs spent in one season, not exactly a recipe for success.
Mayfield Was Good In 2020: Not So Much In 2021
In 2020, Mayfield led the Browns to the playoffs for the first time in 19 seasons. They then upset division-rival Pittsburgh on the road before losing at eventual AFC champion Kansas City in a hard-fought game with some very questionable officiating.
That season Baker passed for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. His 95.1 passer rating in 2020 ranked in the NFL’s top 10. Many believed he turned that proverbial corner of being the franchise QB the Browns drafted him to be.
Then came 2021, and from the jump it wasn’t pretty. That passer rating plummeted to 83.1, which is a sign of a quarterback pressing and the game not slowing down for him as it did the prior season. While he did play hurt, the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. And most will say if he was hurt or injured he shouldn’t have been on the field.
Mayfield is in his prime. He’s still mobile, can make all the throws (when healthy), and he’s tough as nails, as evidenced by playing the season with the bum shoulder.
The one area he needs to get better in is his maturity, as well as handling being the face of a franchise.
For instance, the letter he and his agent wrote basically removing himself from Cleveland prior to Watson choosing to be traded there was a bit much. Even if the writing was on the wall, you have to handle that better.
There are 31 other teams in the NFL, and if it didn’t work in Cleveland, that’s not the end of the road. Especially for a QB in his prime, just one season removed from his breakout season.
Boxing lightweight challenger Rolando “Rolly” Romero is ready to reclaim his opportunity to fight for the WBA lightweight world title against his Mayweather Promotions nemesis in Gervonta “Tank” Davis on May 28 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The undefeated fighter was originally slated to face Davis last December. However, in October 2021, after the fight announcement, replete with an incredibly ignorant press conference in Los Angeles, Romero was the subject of numerous allegations of sexual assault.
At the time, president of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza, called the allegations disturbing, and Romero was removed from the event.
However, no charges were actually filed, and eventually the allegations were proved illegitimate. For Romero, the allegations came down to a money grab for his accusers, and the timing came during the biggest fight of his career.
“Simple as that, just that,” said Romero on The Last Stand podcast. “It makes sense for one thing. Because if it was for something else, it would have happened, you know, sooner. Correct? It happened literally in the biggest moment of my entire life, the moment in my life where I’m supposed to not only make an abundance of money, but you know, create a legacy for myself, you know?
“And I think it’s sad that I had to go through that and, you know, other celebrities and athletes go through it all the time, even though, a lot of this stuff, you know, I’m not saying that it doesn’t happen, I’m not saying that every f**king motherf***er’s a saint. But when it comes to money, 99 percent of the time, I think it’s bulls**t.”
Romero looked at the saga of newly baptized Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who’s facing 22 women accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. It stopped his playing career for the Houston Texans while the investigation was underway.
“I knew that I was innocent,” said Romero on the “Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.” “I knew I had a good team behind me. So, it was just like it was just a matter of time. It’s just like the only thing I didn’t want to end up like, let’s say, for instance, Deshaun Watson or something, just being there for two years, without being there to do something.
“You know, that’s the only thing that really worried me. You know? But as far as like everything else, like, you know, I knew I was gonna be good.”
“It’s just like let’s say, for instance, right, let’s say ‘Tank’ lost to Isaac Cruz. That’s a fight that I wasn’t going to get then. Let’s say he would of got in a car accident and broke his hand or some sh*t. That’s a fight that wouldn’t (happen).
“So, it’s like it just f***ed up the entire opportunity for me, you know? And that’s what worried me. It’s like it was an opportunity that could have just disappeared completely. Or it did disappear, you know? Now, you know, we’re back at it, you know, and I just hope that both of us could make it to fight night. You know?”
Gervonta “Tank” Davis is a five-time, three-division world champion and the star of the Mayweather Promotions stable.
In the Mayweather roster, Romero knows that the infighting also positions him to become the next face or, at minimum, a competitive face within the organization.
Now that the two will finally do battle, for the first time, the battle of Mayweather fighters is underway after an ordeal that Romero will never forget to get back to a fight at the top of the division.
More news:
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The Golden State Warriors went on a 19-0 run to start the third quarter against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night which prompted a Heat timeout. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and guard Jimmy Butler were seen yelling at one another, and team OG Udonis Haslem also joined the animated discussion. All three men had to be restrained, and Haslem was heard yelling “I’ll beat your ass” to Butler. This is the one of the many ways the famed #HeatCulture can manifest.
Jimmy Butler and Coach Spoelstra get heated on the sidelines 😳
(via @NBCSWarriors)
https://t.co/cOpSTjcuS3— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2022
The Heat suffered a bad loss to the Warriors. A Warriors team on the second night of a back-to-back without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. That the Warriors were on a run wasn’t the reason for the timeout. Spoelstra felt his team wasn’t playing well and giving the requisite energy and multiple efforts. Butler clearly felt otherwise and the two men voiced their positions.
“We got to play more consistently, and that’s really all the discussions were”, said Spoelstra. “I know how it could look on the outside, but as I mentioned before, that is more our language than playing without passion or without toughness or without multiple efforts.”
To be fair, these types of animated discussions, blowups, arguments or whatever you want to call it, happen all the time in sports. These are hyper-competitive environments with an excess of testosterone. That we don’t see it often doesn’t mean this case is special or unique. Most of the time they happen during practice, film session, or in the locker room where there is no media or fans taking videos on cellphones.
What is unique to the Heat is their “culture.” Haslem described it as “discipline, accountability, work ethic and enjoying somebody else’s success.”
As the OG and captain of the team, the 19-year veteran is given the authority by Spoelstra and the organization to police the locker room and uphold the culture standards. He can check any player at any time.
“I hold that standard. I’m the OG. I control the locker room”, Haslem told GQ. “Pretty much, [Erik Spoelstra] gives me the reins to run [the team]. He trusts me, it’s a trust we’ve built over the years. He leads and I bring up the rear.”
That type of accountability can breed ultimate success and forge a bond among a team. But at what point does Haslem’s role become superfluous?
Butler is as accountable a player as there is in the NBA. He holds nothing back, gives multiple efforts and basks in his teammates’ success. Does he need to hear “I’ll beat your ass” from Haslem?
Maybe Haslem wanted to check Butler bucking back at Spoelstra. If this were a younger player that would make sense.
But Butler is an 11-year veteran, six-time All-Star, and four-time All-NBA. Maybe the point is, nobody is above getting checked?
“You gotta be held accountable for the sh-t you do. Other people, they don’t like that. But Jimmy gonna hold you accountable for the sh-t you say, and the sh-t you do. Everybody don’t like that,” said Haslem. “But, we encourage that here. You put a dog in the kennel then he gonna fit right in. He came right where he needed to be. You put a cat in this kennel, and it won’t work out the same way. Jimmy is right where he needed to be, everybody aint’ for Jimmy, but he’s perfect here. We encourage the dog in him, we encourage confrontation, but being respectful with it.”
When you encourage this type of accountability and confrontation and you have hyper-aggressive individuals like Butler, Haslem, and Spoelstra this type of incident is inevitable.
However, we don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill. This is the third season within the last two calendar years, and there’s about two weeks left until the playoffs. Everyone is on edge, a little cranky, and ready to start playing for the big prize.
But this could be a moment the Heat look back on at the end of the season, win or lose, as a key factor in the season’s ultimate outcome.
The Miami Dolphins have traded for Kansas City Chiefs four-time All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
(Facebook/NFL on ESPN)
In addition, the Dolphins will be giving Hill a four-year, $120 million extension, including $72.2 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Was this a good move by the Dolphins? Are they playoff contenders? Where do the Chiefs go from here?
Chiefs are trading six-time Pro-Bowl WR Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for five draft picks: a 2022 1st-round pick (No. 29), a 2nd-round pick (No. 50) and a 4th-round pick, as well as 4th- and 6th-round picks in the 2023 draft, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 23, 2022
Let’s get the particulars out of the way.
The Dolphins sent five draft picks to the Chiefs in exchange for Hill, including a first, second, and fourth in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft.
The Chiefs are in a bit of salary cap purgatory after they franchise tagged offensive lineman Orlando Brown. MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes is due a roster bonus, and they have slots for 2022 draft picks accounted for. The money Hill was looking for wouldn’t have worked, so now they’ve got to replace him with younger talents on team-friendlier deals.
The Dolphins acquired a game-changer in Hill, but giving up three of their first four picks in the upcoming draft was a steep price, considering their needs. This team was 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs. They finished 24th in total offensive DVOA. 23rd in pass DVOA and 29th in rush DVOA. Hill will help. But not that much …
They still need offensive line help, graded out as the 30th-best line last season and defensive line help, graded put 16th. And their quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is only entering his third season.
Hill is a big splash and a name to excite the fan base, but it doesn’t mean the Dolphins are now a playoff team.
The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are still better within their own division, and throughout the rest of the AFC there are at least four additional teams that are better. That would place the Dolphins at seventh-best, and that’s optimistic.
Hill does highlight a nice group of weapons for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, including Chase Edmonds, DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle, and Mike Gesicki. But the team’s success will be determined by how good Tagovailoa can be.
As for the Chiefs, they are much more assured at quarterback with Mahomes, but replacing Hill won’t be easy. He had 111 receptions for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns last season. According to Football Outsiders DYAR measurement, Hill was the seventh-most valuable receiver in the league last year.
That’s going to put more pressure on Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and the newly acquired Juju Smith-Schuster. But the acquisition of the first-round pick by the Chiefs was big. This is a receiver-rich draft, with at least six wide receivers earning first-round grades. Maybe the Chiefs grab a receiver in the first.
Ultimately, the Chiefs weren’t willing to go to highest-paid receiver level to retain Hill. Having already won a Super Bowl and having an MVP quarterback affords them that luxury.
The Dolphins rolled the dice and are going all in to try and make the playoffs. Over the long haul it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Every year quarterbacks shine at their NFL Pro Day, but let’s be honest how can they fail when it’s set up to make them look as good as possible in front of as many eyes as possible. Liberty quarterback Malik Willis’ pro day was no different on Tuesday.
The strong-armed athletic specimen put his talents on display in front of a pro-day record 60 coaches, executives and player personnel officials from around the league. And in typical pro day fashion, the former Auburn Tiger shined.
Of the 60 various NFL personnel members who made the trek to Lynchburg, Virginia, reportedly only two were head coaches: Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, who both are entering the 2022 season with quarterbacks considered in the lower rung of NFL signal callers.
— Malik Willis (@malikwillis) March 23, 2022
Panthers Insider Joe Person said:
“Matt Rhule and Mike Tomlin were the only head coaches at Malik Willis’ pro day. Four teams had their GMs/senior execs (Carolina, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Washington). Three offensive coordinators that I saw, (Pittsburgh, Carolina and Washington).”
Willis made some great throws and flexed his elite arm talent on a throw that traveled 70 yards through the air after he faked as if evading a pass rush and launched it across his body.
The throw received a ton of “oohs and ahhs.”
In a scripted, glorified seven-on-seven session, reportedly only one ball hit the ground. That’s not unusual at a pro day.
Tomlin Searching For A Successor To Ben Roethlisberger
Mike Tomlin arrived in southern Virginia on Monday after watching Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett put on a good show in his pro day. He had dinner with Willis on Monday night, and The Athletic reporter Joe Person described how the young signal caller seemed to be bemused by Tomlin’s down-to-earth nature during their meeting:
“He was eating chicken wings. He’s like a normal dude.”
Willis Projected To Steelers: 20th Pick
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Willis going 20th to the Steelers. Kiper also said the order in which Willis, Kenny Pickett and Matt Corral will be chosen is still up in the air. Kiper gives Pickett the nod for his experience (49 starts and 24 years old), but admits that Willis has the highest ceiling.
“Trubisky could only be a bridge to Willis, who is raw but supremely talented … he is the most talented quarterback in the class,” Kiper said.
Willis’ Rise To Visibility Came After He Transferred And Matured
Willis arrived at Liberty after being told by Auburn coach Gus Malzahn that he was no longer in the QB competition in 2019. Malzahn cited laziness and entitlement as factors for his decision. Willis knew he was right and decided a fresh start would help with that.
“Malzahn didn’t have to tell me,” Willis tells NFL.com. “I knew. I was so immature. I had just played really well in the spring game, but I learned the hard way that the spring games doesn’t matter. I decided after that that I had to be better, but I needed to find somewhere else to play and find someone to help me get where I needed to go.”
Enter Hugh Freeze, a reclamation project himself after a scandal involving calls to escort services led to his departure from Ole Miss.
Willis’ rise to prominence began during the 2020 season and continued into 2021. His play in head coach Hugh Freeze’s up-tempo spread offense was dynamic. Willis was allowed to express his dual-threat creativity and newfound focus, combining for 40 total touchdowns (27 passing and 13 rushing) in 2021. He’ll need some real NFL coaching to tighten up his mechanics and footwork at the pro level. But he’s got a lot of folks who like his upside.
The Saint Peter’s Peacocks and head coach Shaheen Holloway have taken the 2022 NCAA Tournament by storm. The lightly regarded 2,600 student institution in Jersey City, New Jersey, was given no shot as a No. 15 seed to beat No. 2-seeded Kentucky with its intimidating tradition of excellence in March.
Behind the inspirational leadership of head coach Shaheen Holloway, “Peacock Power” proved everyone wrong. The Peacocks didn’t have the traditional letdown that often occurs after an unheralded program pulls off an upset for the ages. Holloway’s gritty group followed that unprecedented win with another Dub over seventh-seeded Murray State.
Legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has taken notice of the Peacocks’ Cinderella run. He discussed it at length on his weekly SiriusXM show “Basketball and Beyond with Coach K.”
“I just want to mention St. Peter’s, what Shaheen Holloway has done, and his team, is worth tens of millions, maybe a hundred million dollars over the course of time for Saint Peter’s. It will transform an already outstanding university. It will give it more resources, more attention, more visibility. People do not understand completely what sports does for a school. It not only provides the spirit within the school, togetherness, but if you do really well it translates into visibility for everything in that university, and money.”
The Come-Up
Saint Peter’s won the MAAC Tournament, punching its ticket to the dance. The Jersey City school has been the darlings of March Madness, following their first two tourney wins ever. Holloway is the NY-bred leader who ran the point from 1996-2000 at nearby Seton Hall, and the team exudes his gritty character and underdog mentality.
This guy is 𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚@CoachSha10 has been selected as a finalist for 3️⃣ national coaching awards!!
📰: https://t.co/IFGhe3miVK#StrutUp🦚 pic.twitter.com/eBjvdomevA
— Saint Peter's Men's Basketball (@PeacocksMBB) March 23, 2022
Small schools that make significant runs in March provide a newfound visibility, exposure and revenue for their respective programs. When March Madness pops off it captivates the sports world and even the casual sports fan. Careers are made in a month.
Butler Used The Same Platform In 2010 And 2011 To Jump Start It’s Program
In 2010, the Butler Bulldogs coached by former Celtics head coach Brad Stevens made a surprising run to the title, losing to Duke and Coach K in a close contest.
That game thrusted Butler onto the national stage as they went toe-to-toe with a powerhouse program in a way we hadn’t seen during March Madness. Star forward Gordon Hayward became a household name and a lottery pick of the Utah Jazz. Hayward would go onto become an NBA All-Star. Butler’s back-to-back Finals losses created a revenue stream and attraction Butler hadn’t experienced. The Bulldogs returned to the 2011 title game again without Hayward. That’s when Butler became a program, not just a Cinderella story in March.
“I remember when we played Butler in 2010, Brad Stevens is a good friend, I said, ‘Your life has changed, but your university’s life has changed also with what you’ve done,’” Coach K reflected.
The all-time winningest coach in college basketball history would know. When he arrived at Duke in 1980, the basketball program was middling around average-at-best. The epitome of a mid-major.
In five years, he had them playing for a national championship, losing to Louisville in the 1986 title game. Four years later, they were in another Final Four, losing again. Eventually the Cameron Crazies broke through, winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992, and three more in 2001, 2010 and 2015. Those athletic achievements elevated the stature and revenue-generating abilities of the entire university.
Saint Peter’s Is Playing With House Money: Holloway Has Changed The Culture
As the lowest seed left in the tourney. the Peacocks are playing with house money. No matter what they do the rest of the way, they’ve put the basketball program on the national map.
Holloway always talks about the kind of players he has and how they don’t fear anyone or anything. They embody who he is as a coach. When he arrived the program was in bad shape. All he could sell was himself and they’ve seemingly bought in.
“You got to sell what you know, and that’s me,” Holloway said. “I was selling myself. Who I am and what I’m about and what I think I can do for them.”
That type of attitude along with some efficient and tough play has the Peacocks just two wins from an unthinkable Final Four.
The Los Angeles Lakers are having a poor season, but their superstar LeBron James is not. In his 19th NBA season at 37 years of age, he is leading the league in scoring, is sixth in EPM, and will have a shot at making his 14th All-NBA first team.
We’ve never seen anyone this excellent at this stage of their career. ESPN’s Matt Barnes coined what we’re seeing as “Bron-gevity.”
“Bron-gevity,” said Barnes. “I think the fact that he’s been able to come into the league and be in his prime since Day One. He’s 37 years old and is leading the league in scoring.”
Basketball Reference has a metric called similarity score. The metric uses win shares to find players whose careers were similar in terms of quality and arc. How many years did a player play? How good were his best years compared to his worst years, etc.? The metric also compares players by positions, so there is no Michael Jordan vs. LeBron similarity score.
The forwards that are comparable include: Karl Malone, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Julius Erving, Kevin Garnett, Charles Barkley, Kevin Durant, and Larry Bird. All current or future Hall of Famers.
LeBron’s second-best season in win shares is better than all of the aforementioned players’ best season. His third-best season in terms of win shares is better than all the aforementioned players’ best, except KD.
LeBron’s fifth-best season in terms of win shares is better than Larry Bird’s best season.
What he’s doing in Year 19 in terms of raw production, and the advanced metrics has never been done in the history of the NBA.
The great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his 19th season was a very respectable .111 in WS/48. League average is .100. LeBron is at .188. Abdul-Jabbar averaged 14.6 points per game and six rebounds per game. LeBron is at 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game.
Kobe Bryant was .006 in WS/48 in his 19th season, averaging 22 points, five rebounds and five assists per game on horrendous efficiency. 41 eFG% and 47 TS%.
LeBron is having one of his most efficient seasons ever at 59 eFG% and 62 TS%.
It isn’t enough to say we are witnessing something we’ve never seen before. This level of elite production at this stage of his career, still has LeBron as a top 5-7 player in the league.
The longevity and the accolades he will amass are the best case he has in claiming the GOAT crown from Michael Jordan.
LeBron will never have a 6-0 NBA Finals record like MJ. But he made the Finals 13 times in his 19 seasons, winning four times. In the 15 seasons his teams have made the playoffs, he’s advanced past the first round 14 times.
He is the only player in NBA history to have amassed at least 35,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.
At his size, strength, athleticism and IQ he has redefined what can be done on the basketball court by one player. For 19 seasons he has bent the game to his will, there is nothing on the floor he can’t do.
We’ve run out of superlatives to describe perhaps the greatest player of all-time.
Over the course of his professional life, former NFL star Charles Tillman has been able to pursue two of the most coveted dream jobs.
Tillman is a former pro cornerback who spent most of his career in the Windy City and spent his last year in the NFL on the 2015 Carolina Panthers team that went to the Super Bowl. He retired from the NFL after 13 seasons, and then started working his way up the law enforcement chain and became an FBI agent shortly after.
In the NFL, he has a portfolio as big as the ones that are now landing on his desks. He is one of the most physical cornerbacks to ever play the game, and he had a knack for forcing fumbles at the same rate as some of the greatest defensive linemen in history.
Tillman is a two-times Pro-Bowler, a first-team all-pro, and one of the best Chicago Bears of all time. He is top-10 all-time for most career forced fumbles in NFL history with 44, a stat that puts him alongside Hall of Famers Jason Taylor, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas and Ricky Jackson, as well as future Hall of Famers Julius Peppers and Terrell Suggs.
The only other defensive back to even rank in the top 20 in NFL history for career forced fumbles is Brian Dawkins with 37. For his career, Tillman had 38 interceptions, 9 total touchdowns, and 930 combined tackles. The term “nose for the ball” was invented to describe elite defensive stalwarts like Peanut Tillman.
He was a menace on the field and his stats will back that up as well, despite lining up every Sunday against some of the most prolific receivers in NFL history including Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson, who he met twice a season while playing in the NFC North.
Tillman was very skilled, and he developed a technique of punching the ball out of the ball carrier’s arms to cause forced fumbles, which is now used by players all around the world on every level.
This became widely known as the “peanut punch” iconized by Tillman. Of course, Tillman’s nickname was “Peanut,” which derived from his aunt calling him peanut when he was younger due to the shape of his head.
The peanut punch is a technique used by football players everywhere now and it’s the main reason why Tillman was able to get all of those forced fumbles in his career. But to be strong enough to punch the ball out of the grip of some of the strongest athletes in the world says a lot about him and the dedication he put into the game.
Tillman was always a helper and a public servant, which is why many can understand why he became an FBI agent. He’s helped out with countless charities, including his own foundation to help with children and families in need. This was recognized by him receiving the NFL’s 2013 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his philanthropic efforts.
There hasn’t been much spoken about Tillman and his joining of the FBI, and that’s for many reasons. FBI agents aren’t usually former celebrity sports stars partaking in a second career. An easily recognizable FBI agent can be problematic, depending on the mission.
Former United States marshal Kim Widup told Clay there wouldn’t be an announcement from the FBI that Tillman has become an agent in order to “get him to fade to anonymity as much as they can.”
They understandably do not want to put him or his family at any additional risk. But whether on the field, or off the field ‘Peanut’ Tillman is an inspiration, and an icon for his service as a player and a federal agent.
His story is one that definitely reflects well on the NFL and is an example of the many respected and lauded roles that athletes serve beyond entertaining people in a stadium.
Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal and Colby “Chaos” Covington genuinely do not like each other, and unfortunately, that bad blood spilled into the streets of South Florida this week.
The two got into a scuffle outside of Papi Steak restaurant in Miami Beach on March 21.
According to reports, Miami Beach Police allege that Masvidal brought the “Chaos” to Covington outside the restaurant on Monday night.
Multiple media outlets published a police report detailing Covington leaving Papi Steak when Masvidal blindsided him, “ran up to him from his left and without notice punched him with a closed fist two times in the face.”
However, Covington reportedly suffered a fractured tooth in the attack, and Masvidal was charged with felony battery.
“He’s over here swinging, trying to come at me, and I ran,” Covington is heard saying on a video released by TMZ. “How would he know I’m here?”
Covington appears surrounded by police after the attack, with Masvidal nowhere to be seen.
The two UFC fighters were once friends, teammates, and roommates. The former American Top Team fighters used to train together in Coconut Creek, Florida, until interpersonal issues took them on an adversarial path.
“It first started out with this piece of sh*t not paying my coach $12,500 for a fight that my coach coached him his whole f**king career,” said Masvidal on an episode of “Stephen A’s World.”
“Then, when he had the chance to finally pay back the $12,500, he didn’t. So, I went out there and paid my coach out of my own pocket, so since then, it was like I’m going to f**k him up at some point.”
The two went at each other on the show ahead of their UFC 272 fight on March 5; showing how much they dislike one another.
“Look at him smiling; he can’t even keep a straight face, yet everyone at American Top Team knows that’s why he got kicked out, soon to be kicked out of this gym because you don’t pay your bills and you’re drowning in debt from all the loan sharks that you owe money in South Florida from poker,” Masvidal continued.
“You know what is going to happen to you if you don’t pay that money. Keep smiling, little b**ch. I can’t wait to break those fake teeth. He ain’t got sh*t to say; he’s a broke b***h.”
However, Covington got the last laugh when his superior wrestling neutralized the striking ability of Masvidal, effectively handing Covington the win.
With the two both in the hotbed of mixed martial arts in South Florida, they were bound to run into each other. With Covington saying any and everything about Masvidal, his words caught up with him after dinner in So Flo.
Now Masvidal could be facing felony charges, and Covington requires some dentistry. Although. Masvidal kept his word to “break those fake teeth,” he now has more problems than solutions for losing against Covington in the Octagon and catching cases from Covington in the streets.
More news:
A video of New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward Zion Williamson doing a windmill dunk was posted via his official Instagram account on Monday. Williamson hasn’t played all season as he has been recovering from a fracture in his foot. Fans, pundits, and the internet sleuths went crazy trying to decipher what it meant for the season. ESPN’s Jalen Rose doesn’t think people should overreact. But what should we do with this video?
“Don’t overreact, everyone,” said Rose this week on “Get Up.” “Your favorite player doesn’t take pride in playing 82 games anymore. There’s something called load management. If I’m Zion and I haven’t played all year, he has to create a level of confidence for himself. A level of enthusiasm for the team, and show progress with his injury.”
The Pelicans have made it clear that Williamson will not be playing basketball this season. He has been cleared for one-on-one work and was seen doing a little work on Tuesday. The team is clearly taking the long view with their franchise talent.
“We still have to be careful with how much he does. Just because he’s still going through the healing process,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “But we’re happy that he’s getting better … I know it feels good for him to finally be able to get on the floor and doing some of the things he’s doing.”
Back to Rose’s comments. He brought up the 82-game season and used a familiar line that former players use when discussing the current state of the league and it’s players. This is a tired refrain and needs to end.
An 82-game season is too long. An 82-game season, the third in two calendar years, is borderline cruel.
Would you rather see an NBA star push to play 75-80 games and then be at his least fresh during the highest stakes games? Or would you rather see a 58-game regular season stretched out over the same length of time and the best players fresher and healthier come playoffs?
In Zion’s case, he suffered a Jones fracture last summer, the team did not reveal the injury until the start of training camp and since then it has been a long and slow recovery with weird moments.
That injury is notoriously slow to heal because of the lack of blood flow to that area of the foot. Then Zion chose to rehab in Portland instead of with the team in New Orleans. It was weird.
But he’s back in New Orleans now and he looks good in the limited video we have seen. To Rose’s point Zion, needs to start ramping himself back up and gaining confidence in his body and movements. The windmill dunk shows the explosiveness is there.
Now we will wait and see. Zion is extension-eligible at the end of this season and the Pelicans will undoubtedly offer him a rookie maximum extension. Whether or not Zion accepts the deal is a whole other story. The talk about him wanting to be in NYC has been going on since before he was drafted, so if for some reason he doesn’t accept the offer right away it will get noisy in New Orleans.
Until then at least Zion is back on the court and participating in basketball activities again.
Jackson State head football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is doing all he can to help HBCU football players realize their dream of playing professional football.
On Monday, Coach Prime hosted a joint pro day with other Mississippi HBCU schools including SWAC foes Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State. The event was put together to get student-athletes in front of as many pro eyes as possible.
The trigger for the event came in 2021, when, egregiously, no HBCU players were drafted by NFL teams. And overall, the exposure and visibility HBCUs receive is pretty embarrassing. Before Sanders arrived, and ESPN, Bar Stool and other media outlets hopped on the HBCU train, it was even worse.
Sanders talked to prospects and even used his catchphrase from his time on the NFL Network.
“You ball, you get the call,” Sanders said. “I’m … expecting a few of y’all to get the call. There’s no way we’re going another year without a player from HBCU getting drafted. That’s a lie.”
In all, 36 student-athletes participated in a variety of combine and pro day-type drills, in front of 22 NFL scouts.
“We’re just trying to get the best kids regardless of where they come from. This is unbelievable. I’m sitting here watching with Coach Dancy to my right, Coach McNair an HBCU coaching legend, and a plethora of other HBCU coaches. This is a beautiful thing.”
NFL scouts attending Jackson State Pro Day @JacksonStateU @DeionSanders #NFLDraft
Bears
Jaguars Washington
Saints
Steelers
Titans
Cardinals
Chargers
Packers
Jets
Pats
Seahawks
Raiders
Niners
Chiefs
Cowboys
Lions
Colts— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 21, 2022
Sanders Was Happy With The Turnout But Wants More
While 22 scouts from different NFL teams showed up, Sanders was quick to call out the 10 who didn’t. He sent them a warning about attending the Power Five pro days.
“It should be bigger. Trust me that I’m going to reach out to the ones that aren’t here. And I promise you that but I’m happy. I’m thankful. I’m elated. But I’m not satisfied because if you’re going to have 32 tomorrow or something at Mississippi State or the next day at Ole Miss, we need the same out for it. But we’re going to get better and better and command more scouts to go watch out kids participate.”
Sanders wasn’t done calling out the 10 NFL teams who didn’t show up.
“Ten of them are missing,” Deion lamented. “Don’t think I’m not going to call you. You 10 that’s missing if I catch you in Mississippi State or Ole Miss, it’ll be a problem, that’s all I’m going to say. All I’m saying is, it’s going to be a problem. Our kids are that good, you should have shown up, too.”
Although Sanders wanted all 32 teams to send representatives, having 22 show up to an HBCU for pro day is an amazing feat.
It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and considering HBCU pro days of the past attracted just five to seven scouts on the average in the past, Monday was a success.
That’s if the school even had a pro day, as most would attend the pro day of the nearest Power Five program to be seen by pro scouts. Sanders has used his platform and connections to move HBCU football into realms they only dreamed of prior to his arrival at Jackson State in 2020.
Sanders Says No Way HBCUs Won’t Have Players Drafted In 2022
The sticking point for Sanders since his arrival has been getting players drafted. After no HBCU player was drafted in 2021, he vowed that would never happen again.
“That’s not going to happen,” Sanders told the Clarion Ledger newspaper this week. “It’ll never happen again. I know during the pandemic year we had an excuse, but that’s never going to happen again. My desire is 7, 10 players this year. Then we’re going to try to double that.”
While JSU linebacker James Houston, wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine he posted some great numbers on Monday.
Houston showed a “4.6-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical jump and 10.6-foot broad jump,” according to reports. The elite pass rusher tallied 16.5 sacks in his one season under Sanders.
The NFL salivates for pass rushers of that caliber.
JSU edge rusher James Houston is nicknamed “The Problem”
Houston raved about the work Deion has put into bringing exposure and visibility to HBCUs.
“That’s the Coach Prime effect, “ Houston said. “He’s going to get guys here and get looks.”
Mike Tyson has never been one to bite his tongue, and on a recent episode of his popular “HOTBOXIN” podcast, he revealed that a fight with Jake Paul isn’t out of the question, but it better be highly lucrative.
Tyson was joined by guests two-weight class boxing world champion Jermall “The Hitman” Charlo and NBA legend Paul Pierce. They discussed the difference between Tyson’s heyday of the ’80s and ’90s versus boxing today.
The conversation turned to the YouTube stars turned fighters, and the trio had plenty to say.
“It’s what everything is turning into, you know, NFTs, the Metaverse and stuff like that,” said Charlo. “That’s just what the world is starting to turning into but I haven’t really seen one of those YouTubers get in there with a real boxer like go fight for the WBC.”
Then Paul Pierce brought the agitation to the conversation when he interjected with, “Mike is supposed to fight Jake Paul.”
Immediately, Tyson got excited and began to set the facts straight.
“You told me that, ain’t nobody told me that. Hey, I don’t have no f–king money, where’s the f–king contract?” Tyson said.
When Charlo and Pierce challenged him about claiming not to hear the rumor that the fight was being strategized, Tyson revealed that he’s “been smoking with him forever” and “I did some ‘shrooms with him as well but I’ve never heard this.”
Not too long ago, the two were in St. Barths, ringing in the New Year on the opulent island with stars like Drake, Jeff Bezos and more celebrities.
Charlo floated the idea that the fight has a price that any boxer would take.
“But guess what it did? It gained a whole lot of attention that could possibly get a whole lot of money,” Charlo said. “49 million? Come on, Mike.”
But Mike wasn’t having it.
“We got to get some more man s–t, blue-eyed, blonde hair, that s–t is very expensive, man, we got to get some more money, man,” Tyson said.
Jake Paul is on a sports entertainment run like no other. After demolishing former NBA great Nate Robinson, former MMA champion Ben Askren, and most recently former MMA champion Tyron Woodley twice.
Paul has been a vocal advocate of fighter’s rights and has been a pain in the side of UFC President Dana White. He has advocated for better pay for fighters, even paying Tyron Woodley a matching $2 million for their rematch.
In addition, Paul signed Amanda Serrano, a women’s boxing GOAT who has been the co-main event of his last events and is the co-promoter of her upcoming epic match-up against Katie Taylor.
Pierce, a fight fan who said he’s been going to Tyson’s fights since his heyday, asked the inevitable question: Will Tyson fight again.
“I don’t know…a billion bucks,” Tyson said while all three laughed simultaneously.
Tyson remains one of the most polarizing figures in combat sports history. Even after his prime, he still elicits the same level of intrigue as a fighter and personality.
Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey and his mother, Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey, have both advanced to the Sweet 16 of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments, respectively. Throughout the tourney, Niele has watched her son’s games in between her team’s own and both have their eyes on national titles.
“It’s so special. But I was so excited last night. First of all, my stress is as a mom. Today I was relaxed. Last night I was stressed,” Niele Ivey told reporters after her Fighting Irish beat Ohio State 108-64 Monday night in Norman, Oklahoma. “I was just so happy that he’s living out his dreams, I’m living out my dreams, and to watch him help his team get to the Sweet 16 was just so special for me. It was hard not being there, but he knows that I have a job to do, as well. I had a FaceTime with him earlier just before the game, so we’re there for each other in spirit. But yeah, it’s just a special bond. It’s a special, unique situation. We’re both living out our dreams. I’m super blessed. I feel blessed to be in this position, and I just feel that God has his favor on both Jaden and I.”
Jaden Ivey scored 18 points, grabbed three rebounds, and dished out three assists against the Texas Longhorns in the second round. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds with a reported 6-foot-9 wingspan, the second-team All-American is an intriguing prospect at the next level.
He is a downhill attacker with a score-first mentality. He projects as a combo guard but could develop into a secondary playmaker. Jaden will need to be drafted by the right franchise if he chooses to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the upcoming NBA draft.
“We just have to come out with the same intensity that we had today and just listen to what the coaches say and what we talk about pre-game. It all comes into play in the game, so we just have to stay focused,” Ivey said in Purdue’s press conference after defeating Texas on Sunday. “Obviously we’re happy to be in the Sweet 16, but we gotta win the game.”
Niele was named Notre Dame’s first Black woman head coach in April 2020, returning to her alma mater where she was an All-America guard for the Fighting Irish and an assistant coach for 12 seasons. She was the 19th pick in the 2001 WNBA draft, and was the first woman assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
It’s been an exciting few days for the Iveys but now their attentions turn to the regional semifinals.
Jaden’s Purdue squad will square off against the darlings of this year’s tournament, Shaheen Holloway’s No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s Peacocks.
“We’re just super blessed to just be in this position,” Jaden said before Purdue’s first-round victory against Yale. “I just think it’s just what God’s done for us to put us in this position. You know, both of us are in March Madness right now. We’re doing what we love to do. It’s just a blessing.”
Niele and the Fighting Irish will face a tough test against No. 1 seed North Carolina State Wolfpack.
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