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Media mogul Byron Allen is preparing a bid to buy the Denver Broncos, according to reports. If the bid is successful it would make Allen the first Black majority owner of an NFL team. Allen says Roger Goodell and Robert Kraft told him 2019 to look into buying a team and it looks like he’ ready now.
“NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft came to me in November of 2019 and asked me to take a good look at buying an NFL team,” Allen, chairman and chief executive officer at Allen Media Group, said in a statement. And after serious consideration, I strongly believe I can help effectuate positive changes throughout the league. And for that reason, I will be making a bid for the Denver Broncos.”
Allen and his group will be competing with several groups including two led by Broncos’ Super Bowl winning quarterbacks John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Whichever group emerges successful will be paying a hefty price for the franchise. Current projections have the franchise at a purchase price of $4 billion-plus, twice the $2.275 billion sum David Tepper paid for the Carolina Panthers in 2018.
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The NFL is in need of a minority owner for a number of reasons, the bad press around its minority hiring practices being one of the biggest. If Allen’s bid is successful and he’s approved it would be a step in the right direction, but it won’t solve the league’s diversity and inclusion problem overnight.
Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the league’s poor track record on diversity and inclusion in his Super Bowl LVI press conference on Wednesday.
“We look at the same numbers,” Goodell said when asked about the number of franchises in the 102 year history of the league that haven’t had at least one Black head coach. “They are part of the effort in looking at how do we become more effective in our policies and procedures. We work really hard. We believe in diversity, we believe in it as a value…We just have to do a better job. We have to look is there another thing we can do to make sure we’re attracting that best talent and making our league inclusive.”
The NFL says diversity, equity and inclusion are part of its core principles. The numbers say otherwise, so I asked @nflcommish about it. 👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/IJYl7EGdN0
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) February 9, 2022
Allen will have to build consensus among his fellow owner peers, an “old boy network” if ever there was one. Having the backing of Goodell and one of the more influential owners in Kraft is a good start though, and something he can build off.
But we have a long way to go before we get there. The process of securing financing, vetting, and approval is not easy.
As a media titan, Allen’s company owns the Weather Channel and recently invested $1 billion in local television stations. He recently signed a multi-platform partnership with Google, and has bid for the regional television operator Tegna Inc. He is a champion for diversity and inclusion and has gone against the biggest television advertisers for discrimination against Black owned media outlets.
The Bowlen family led by the late Pat Bowlen purchased the Broncos in 1984. Pat was CEO of the Broncos until 2014 when he stepped down after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Bowlen died in 2019 and the team has been run by the Bowlen Trust, which includes team CEO Joe Ellis among two others: Vice President and General Counsel Rich Slivka and lawyer Mary Kelly.
Pat hoped that one of his children would take over and keep the franchise family run. None of the Bowlen children could come to an agreement, and after some in-fighting and court battles, the trust made the decision to put the team up for sale.
Denver billionaire Black entrepreneur Robert F. Smith, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Alec Gores also are going to be bidders.
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Penny Hardaway has struggled mightily as head coach of his alma mater, the University of Memphis, but that was to change this season. With the arrival of five-star talents Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates, plus a lot of talented returning players, the Tigers were ranked as high as No. 12 in the preseason Top 25.
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The team reached a ranking as high as No. 9 early in the season. But currently sitting at 11-8 and in fifth place in the American Athletic Conference, doubts continue to rise. Is Penny the man to lead another Memphis squad that’s loaded with potential, but hasn’t been ranked in the Top 25 since Week 4 of the season?
For the third time this season, Jalen Duren is the @American_MBB Freshman of the Week!#GoTigersGo | #TunnelVision pic.twitter.com/OuN7f9b07F
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) February 7, 2022
Penny has shown some frustration as well, like when he cursed at reporters following a loss to SMU in January. A reporter asked if he’d lost faith in his ability to lead and get it done at Memphis.
“I think the one thing I can say to this media because the media kind of gets (expletive) up sometimes when it comes to me. We don’t have our full roster. Y’all know we don’t have our full roster. Stop asking me stupid (expletive) questions about if I feel like I can do something … I’m coaching really hard. My boys are playing really hard. I’m not embarrassed about nothing. We have four freshmen starting. Y’all need to act like it. Act like we got 17- , 18- and 19-year-olds out here trying to learn how to play against 22- , 23- , and 24-year-old guys, come on, man. Stop disrespecting me, bro. Like don’t do that. I work too (expletive) hard. I work way too hard for that. Y’all write all these (expletive) articles about me and all I do is work. We got young kids on the floor.”
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) February 8, 2022
While he did issue an apology a couple of days later, the cracks in the program and its leader were on full display. Penny hasn’t had a ton of success during his tenure, never making the NCAA Tournament, but this year was supposed to be different. With the nation’s top recruiting class in tow, many expected that to change with Penny finally putting his stamp on the program and making a deep March Madness run.
Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Penny’s problems.
Our guy Coach Brown. #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/oK2SNivxgI
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) February 9, 2022
Emoni Bates May Be Done On Beale Street
Freshman phenom Bates reclassified to the class of 2021, but at the time he was only 17. Bates recently turned 18, so he won’t be eligible for the upcoming NBA Draft in June because he’s not yet 19.
Penny moved mountains to recruit and secure Bates, even bringing Rasheed Wallace into the loop.
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Bates has been dealing with a nagging back injury that has sidelined him at different times this season. When he’s been available, his numbers have been a bit underwhelming — as he’s averaged 10.4 points and 3.6 rebounds on 39% shooting and 33% from three-point range.
Some had called Bates a generational player when he won Mr. Basketball in Michigan as a freshman.
With Bates’ injury and his inability to cash in on the NBA until the 2023 draft, some believe he’ll leave college and go play for an NBA G-League team or take his talents overseas for a season.
No hesitation from WAY downtown💧@BatesEmoni pic.twitter.com/9M1RrnYryI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 17, 2021
Bates’ father disputed the claims, saying in an interview with CBS Sports:
“I have no clue what that’s about. He’s been having pain and we’re going to figure out what’s going on.”
A quick start, then swan dive, followed by a profanity-laced tirade from a head coach who looks in over his head are not what the Tigers coaches, players or brass expected. But what’s even more disturbing is they could also lose a top-five recruit from the 2021 class. Neither situation helps the program now or going forward.
This week, Hardaway lost the commitment of three-star prospect Noah Batchelor, who’s the No. 48 overall recruit. His de-commitment is the third already for the Tigers, and Hardaway with the 2022 class.
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Gary Payton’s Hall of Fame NBA career didn’t come without life lessons.
“The Glove” had two sons with two different women — both named after their father — in the same year.
“They’re five months apart. I was dating Gary Payton II’s mom, who I met in high school,” Payton said to VladTV. “Then, when I got in the NBA, I had a relationship with another lady. It so happened that they had kids in the same year. They both want to name them Gary, so I said, ‘Okay, cool, you can name one Gary, Jr. and one Gary the second.’
“So it was one of them things where it worked out for me. I’m happy for that. I have two sons named after me; we can keep my name going on. It just so happened that my son Gary, Jr., just had a son, so we named him Gavin, so we keep the GP II. It was one of the moments I had during my time; everybody goes through that when you get in the pros and it worked out for the best for me.”
Gary Payton II was injured on a spectacular steal. Here's the slow-mo of the lefty tap/righty save while falling into the first row that led to a Kuminga alley oop, then the alternate angle that shows that has him coming up limping on that left leg. pic.twitter.com/0re3yRr8hs
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 2, 2022
Although Payton is happy to be a father of four children and proud of them all, he came to realize that he didn’t take the feelings of their mothers into account as he was living the high life of an NBA star.
“Very messed up, and that’s why after that I never messed up again with anything like that because it’s not fair to them. I told my ex-wife during the speech in the Hall of Fame that she stuck through a lot of stuff with me, you know that one situation.
“I always think about when you’re in the pros; you get a different mindset. You’re making so much money. You think you’re invincible, then you can do whatever you want to do. A lot of us do it, and it is what it is. So I’ve thought about it, and that’s why I try to teach my kids to be a lot different.”
Gary Payton II was everywhere tonight on the defensive end 😤 pic.twitter.com/6tRBuaHrwk
— Warriors Nation (@WarriorNationCP) February 2, 2022
Gary Payton II followed in his father’s steps into the NBA, and he is indeed a chip off the block, with the Golden State Warriors scoring 7.3 points and 3.6 rebounds on 62.3% from the field.
Gary Payton, Jr., his third son Julian, and his daughter Raquel are also shining examples of how his children absorbed the senior Payton’s growth.
GM Bob Myers says he remembers last season when the Warriors had to cut Gary Payton II, GPII said ““Can I still come in here tomorrow?” Bob couldn’t believe they essentially fired him and he still wanted to work. GPII’s heart, his story is an inspiration. @kron4news #DubNation
— Kylen Mills (@KylenMills) February 4, 2022
“My boys have grown up to do a good job with that. I got four kids; my daughter is 33, my son is 29, and the other one is 29, and then the youngest one is 23. They’re just starting to have kids. My daughter’s married, she just had a baby, and my son is the same way. Gary II, who plays for the [Golden State] Warriors he doesn’t have kids and then my youngest one.”
“So I taught them the right way not to do things that I’ve done. Think about it a different way, and you need to be very ready to do this stuff and think about other people’s feelings.”
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On Monday night, the Washington Wizards took more “L’s” than just the Miami Heat loss.
Wizards assistant coach Mike Batiste was involved in an altercation with a fan at the last minute of the game on Monday night.
With only 13.4 seconds remaining, Batiste jumped over the floor seats and into the stands to confront a fan who was heckling. Reportedly, the fan had said something “out of line,” but it’s unclear precisely what was said or who started it.
6-8, 245 Mike Batiste is the last coach I would want to trash talk https://t.co/6dKTZOMPq9
— Neil Dalal (@NeilDalal96) February 8, 2022
(Photo: Screenshot/NBA Youtube/ Getty Images)
However, before any real action began, Wizards players Montrezl Harrell and Thomas Bryant hurried and interceded before Batiste and the fan got physical.
Batiste was then guided by Wizards center Harrell into the tunnel and locker room.
Batiste went toward a fan who sat behind the team’s bench, apparently after some heckling. However, Wizards center Montrezl Harrell separated him from the fan.
Batiste is a former professional basketball player who is now the Wizards’ player development manager. Batiste is a two-time All-EuroLeague selection, winning three EuroLeague championships in 2007, 2009, and 2011.
Although Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. mentioned that some fans taunted the team, he noted that NBA teams on the bench have to take the high road.
“I was kind of at the scorers’ table, so I turned around after I think it kind of began,” Unseld said to NBC Sports Washington.
“To my understanding, a fan or several fans said something that was out of line. Obviously, we have to take the high road and just can’t indulge in that. I think it was a situation where something was said that was a bit over the line, and I think it got the best of one of our coaches. Either way, you have to take the high road.”
The fan seems to be sitting with people wearing jerseys from Turkish team fenerbace. The coach, Mike Batiste played for them for a season before going back to Panathinaikos in Greece.
I don't know if that means anything, but it could be what the fan was heckling about.
— fofo (@molnpappa) February 8, 2022
The Wizards have lost eight of their last ten games, and now the Wizards has lost one of its star players after the Washington Wizards announced that guard Bradley Beal would have surgery on his left wrist.
Sources: Wizards star Bradley Beal will undergo season-ending surgery for a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2022
However, Beal will miss the rest of the regular season. The Wizards said a specialist in New York re-evaluated Beal on Tuesday. The three-time All-Star was initially diagnosed with a torn scapholunate ligament.
He was then examined again by Dr. Michele Carlson, a hand specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and the Wizards medical team.
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His team and his representation made Beal’s decision to have the procedure.
“Despite the last 10 days of getting intensive treatment and rehab on my wrist, it became clear that I would not be able to compete to my standards or to the level that our team and our fans deserve,” Beal said in a statement released by the Wizards.
“I’m disappointed to have my season end this way, but we all agreed that this was the best decision.”
Before Beal was hurt on Jan. 29 in Memphis, he averaged 23.2 points and a career-high 6.6 assists in 40 games.
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Former NFL star Marshawn Lynch, aka “Beast Mode,” sat down for an interview on the latest episode of “The Pivot Podcast,” joining co-hosts Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor for a lively conversation touching on numerous topics from Lynch’s prolific career both on and off the field.
You know we can’t have Super Bowl week and not hear from one of the most polarizing players of his time.
Lynch is a Super Bowl champion who amassed over 10,000 yards rushing throughout 12 seasons in the NFL. In his playing days he was never a man of many words, just actions. His “I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” Super Bowl week refrain is the stuff of NFL social media lore.
When Lynch does open up, he’s actually chock full of quotables, humor and unfiltered honesty. Unsurprisingly, after 12 Hall of Fame seasons in the NFL, he’s got stories for days.
“The Pivot Podcast” saw Lynch open up about some deeply personal topics.
During the over-an-hour-long conversation, Lynch explained how mending a relationship with his mother was an impetus in boosting his career both on and off the field.
“I had to maximize my opportunity and potential to be the best running back I could be,” said Lynch. “The pivot point for me wasn’t even sports related. There was a point where I wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with my mom. We didn’t talk for three weeks, but I just had this feeling, and stuff wasn’t feeling right to me. When it comes down to it, I was feeling a certain type of way. I hit up my moms, and all of a sudden, I felt complete again.
“I had to look at some sh-t,” said Lynch, explaining the pivot in mindset he went through mid-career. “If I had continued down the path I was going down, I wouldn’t be in the league. We wouldn’t of had ‘Beast Mode’. We all want to win the Super Bowl. I looked around and saw all the talent we had on Seattle. I knew that I had to be on the field. I couldn’t be on the field if I kept doing what I was doing off the field.”
Lynch Mentored Cincinnati Bengals star RB Joe Mixon
The episode includes Lynch’s connection to this Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. During his early days in the league with the Buffalo Bills, Lynch mentored young football players, one of whom was Bengals star running back Joe Mixon.
“That’s little bro,” said Lynch. “We also had Marcus Peters play in the Super Bowl a couple years ago. Being in a position like that, where I’m looking at youngsters who went through the pipeline, and now they’re in the Super Bowl, that’s a good feeling.”
The co-hosts push Lynch to explain how he’s been able to go from a player notoriously media-averse, to one of the most recognizable and marketable stars the league has produced in recent decades. For Lynch, his success has been about just staying true to who he is.
“Everybody is their own person at the end of the day,” said Lynch. “You have to live life for who you are.
“I just get involved with sh-t that I like,” continued Lynch, explaining his many successes off the field, from Skittles partnerships to his recent foray into acting on the Netflix series Murderville. “It got to a point where I was just trying sh-t. Ain’t none of this sh-t planned. I’m a running back. I gotta be able to think on the fly.”
Clark continues to push him on the subject, asking Lynch how he became so comfortable in the many avenues that he’s succeeded in. Lynch brings the point back to football, where his success there would eventually lead to more successes in other walks of life.
“The plan has always been to be able to take care of my family,” said Lynch. “At the end of the day, I had a product that teams wanted. So I used it. To use layman’s terms, this motherf-cker could run that ball.”
Sticking on the theme of family, Taylor asks Lynch about what kind of relationship he had with his father, who was incarcerated throughout Lynch’s life. Lynch then recalls a story of nearly going to visit his father in prison, before ultimately missing out on the opportunity, leading to a surprisingly emotional moment.
“How could I break down for a motherf-cker who was never there for me?” said Lynch. “There was a point where, regardless of all that had happened, this is still the motherf-cker who helped create me. I looked at it from a different angle. I never got the chance to holler at him.”
Near the end of the episode, Lynch and Crowder recall a story from their days facing off twice a year when Lynch played for the Buffalo Bills while Crowder lined up for the Miami Dolphins. Lynch gave Crowder respect for the way he played the game and offered insight for how he views other NFL players.
“It ain’t about what you look like, it’s about you coming with that sh-t,” said Lynch. “There are certain players who I respect because of how they get down that everyone knows about. Then there are players with no accolades, and I respect them even more. Crowder was coming with that sh-t. And it wasn’t just one time. When I played this motherf-cker, I knew I had to be ready for that again and again.”
The podcast crew also touched on a range of topics, from the Brian Flores lawsuit against the NFL to Lynch’s venture into the legalized marijuana business.
NBA legend and basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal says the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t concerned with where they are seeded right now. According to Shaq, he heard from a source within the Lakers that the team would rather play the Phoenix Suns in round one as opposed to the Golden State Warriors.
“I’ve heard from a powerful source inside the [Lakers] organization … they’re right where they want to be. They’d rather play Phoenix in the first round than Golden State”
"I've heard from a powerful source inside the [Lakers] organization…they're right where they want to be. They'd rather play Phoenix in the first round than Golden State"
—Shaq#NBATwitter #LakeShow
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) February 9, 2022
With a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis the Lakers can be confident that they can play with any team in the league. The problem is you can’t guarantee health, and Davis hasn’t been playing at an All-NBA level consistently.
We won’t come at a Hall of Famer like Shaq if he said he has sources within the organization he used to play for, but we wouldn’t put it past him if he was trying to light a fire under the Lakers.
The Lakers shouldn’t be concerned with seeding and avoiding teams in a potential playoff matchup. They need to make the playoffs first.
According to the analytics website FiveThirtyEight, the Lakers are predicted to finish with a 38-44 and only have a 34 percent chance of making the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers (53 percent) and Minnesota Timberwolves (90 percent) are predicted to finish with better records and have much higher odds at playoff berths.
Let’s say the Lakers turn it on post All-Star break and rip off 11 straight or 13 of 15. Not likely, but we’ll go with it. They’re still likely to have the same problems they’ve had all year.
The Lakers are 22nd in aNET rating, 24th in aORTG, and 17th in aDRTG. Not a recipe for success winning best-of-seven series against the best teams in the league.
The Phoenix Suns are second in aNET rating, 3rd in a ORTG, and fourth in aDRTG. The Warriors are first, 11th, and first respectively. The Lakers in their current state don’t want to face either of these teams in a playoff series.
It’s possible the Lakers are feeling frisky and have convinced themselves that since they were up 2-1 on the Suns in last season’s playoffs before injuries took their toll things would be different this time around.
The Lakers rely heavily on elite play from three players over the age of 33 and a fourth that has missed parts of the last four seasons with injuries. The biggest predictor of future injury is previous injury. Starting at age 31, injury rates increase.
LeBron and Davis would have to be the best players in a potential series four times out of seven. Is that possible? Sure. Is it likely? No.
Yes, Chris Paul is key to the Suns attack and he is 36 years old. But the rest of the Suns’ most important players DeAndre Ayton, Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges are 23, 25 and 25 respectively. They’re younger, healthier and hungrier.
The Suns advanced to the Finals last year and had a 2-0 lead on the Milwaukee Bucks before losing four straight. They’ve approached this season like they want to get the bad taste of losing the Finals out of their collective mouths.
It’s unlikely they would let a sub-.500 team like the Lakers stop them from getting back to the big stage.
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When you think about Maryland Terrapins basketball, names like Len Bias, Walt Williams, Len Elmore, Buck Williams, Steve “Franchise” Francis and Juan Dixon come to mind. A school that has built its reputation on playing and challenging the best programs in the country in one of the toughest conferences in the country. It’s something they’ve long taken pride in.
The Five at Ohio State @EA_Glo
Fatts Russell
Donta Scott@keem___3 @bola_dee_baller pic.twitter.com/6diTKG50lJ— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) February 6, 2022
That isn’t the case this year in College Park, with the Terps mired in one of their worst seasons in years. The heralded recruiting pipeline has dried up. The program needs a jolt. Sunday’s embarrassing wire-to-wire loss to Ohio State placed the Terps at 11-12 and under .500 for the first time since 2013.
The resignation of longtime coach Mark Turgeon earlier in the season sent shock waves through the program, and his replacement, interim head coach Danny Manning is in a no-win situation.
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Terps athletics director Damon Evans was interviewed by InsideMarylandSports in regards to the coaching search.
“As everybody says, Go get this person, go to this person. Hey you guys. Don’t you think that those institutions that have those coaches sitting there, their ADs are saying, ‘Let’s get our guy locked up before Louisville comes after them?’ Look at what they just did with Bruce Pearl, you’re gonna start seeing a lot more of that. Look at what they did when USC wanted to drop Andy Enfield’s contract, say he got a contract extension. Institutions are looking to protect themselves. But we’re gonna do our due diligence and go find a great coach.”
Happy New Year #TerpFam!
Here's to a prosperous and exciting year in 2022!#OneMaryland pic.twitter.com/ylAqOmC64C— Damon Evans (@Evans_TerpsAD) January 1, 2022
While Manning is a candidate to land the gig permanently, many believe there are others who stand a much better shot at being the new head coach. The two-most prominent names are Providence head coach Ed Cooley and USC head coach Andy Enfield. Both would be home run hires for the Terps.
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Cooley has shown an innate ability to build and sustain a program. His Providence Friars are currently 20-2 overall (10-1 in the Big East). The Friars have a legitimate shot at a Big East championship, in a season most gave them no shot to compete.
The Dunkin Donuts Center has become a house of horrors for visitors this season. Which makes you wonder, if they were to cut the nets down at MSG, would he leave? The belief is he would leave for the challenge of competing in the Big Ten.
Providence is now 10-0 with @John_Fanta in the building. He was on the call today, more proof that they are the luckiest team in America. https://t.co/2K1W88Bet8
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) January 30, 2022
Via CBS Sports:
“Cooley has the disposition and track record of success in a major conference to validate himself as a candidate. Few people are more wired to handle the pressures of a job like this than Cooley. The Friars are (201-136) since 2011 under Cooley, with five trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Providence native could well be a PC liver, but it would be hard to turn down an opportunity, should Maryland pursue him.”
𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.@PCFriarsmbb and @MarquetteMBB in an absolute #BIGEASThoops WAR.
📺 – FS1 pic.twitter.com/sLrKKq2ES1
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) January 30, 2022
Andy Enfield
Enfield is a name to keep a close eye on. Enfield, a Pennsylvania native, graduated with an MBA from Maryland. His work at Florida Gulf Coast and USC speak to his ability to raise the visibility and exposure of a program. He took “Cinderella” FGCU to the Sweet 16 in 2013.
Upon arrival at USC in 2013 the Trojans were awful, but they’re a Pac-12 contender now. In 2020 Enfield landed prize recruit Evan Mobley, who was drafted No. 3 overall by the Cavs and is currently the NBA Rookie of the Year favorite.
His current Trojans squad is 19-4 and will be a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Under his leadership, the “Men of Troy” are on the cusp of three consecutive 20-plus win seasons and their sixth in the past seven.
One name that is in the mix among other candidates being considered for the Maryland job is USC’s Andy Enfield, sources told @Stadium.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 6, 2022
Enfield has made the second weekend of the tourney with two teams. In fact, last season USC made a surprising run to the Elite Eight. His familiarity with College Park as an alum of the university could be a plus, but would he leave beautiful Southern California? That remains to be seen.
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UMD is located in the center of the DMV, known as a basketball hotbed. KD did a documentary called “Basketball County: In The Water” detailing all the hoopers from the talent-rich area.
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The team as currently constructed will look much different, but with Julian Reese, Donta Scott, Qudus Wahab and Hakim Hart all expected back next year the Terps will have some quality pieces returning. They recruit well, so they’ll have plenty of talent. The Terps just need a leader to guide and harness that talent.
It would be nice to hear folks once again say “FEAR THE TURTLE.”
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Super Bowl LVI will take place this Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. There are plenty of tantalizing matchups all over the field. None more so than Los Angeles Rams All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey against Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. That’s best on best. Ramsey for one, hopes he has the opportunity to line up across from the rookie receiving sensation.
“It’s me now, it’s me, keep it real,” Ramsey said. “Of course, that’s what I’m asking for. That’s what I want. Whoever you think their best man is, put me on him. Let me help the team win this game. That’s what it’s all about.”
The confidence from Ramsey is not surprising. In his six seasons in the NFL he’s been named to the Pro Bowl five times and an All-Pro three. He’s that dude.
But football is such a team game. Eleven as one. All things must be flowing together to achieve ultimate success. It’s highly unlikely that Bengals’ offensive coordinator leaves Chase alone with Ramsey on an island all game long. They will want to create mismatches and look for advantages.
Ramsey understands this and knows there is a larger strategic game plan to work within.
“There are different areas where we might have to do something different because it might put the team in a better position to win. So, wherever the game may take us, it will take us and we are going to do what we’ve got to do from there. But you’re going to get to see that matchup, you’re going to have the opportunity to see it and I’m going to be ready for it.”
There is the flip side that Ramsey is alluding to here. If he shadows Chase all game, that could play into the Bengals’ hands offensively, allowing fellow receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd favorable matchups to exploit.
The Bengals wide receivers know Ramsey is a problem, and they will be looking to gain any kind of edge they can.
“I think he’s definitely probably the best cornerback in the NFL,” Tyler Boyd said. “He’s a great player and he understands his assignments, he understands how to play football and he does a great job of doing that. So, we’ve got to be at our best — any one of us — when we go out there and line up in front of him to figure out ways to win our matchup.”
According to Football Outsiders, the Rams are fifth in defensive DVOA and sixth in weighted defensive DVOA. They are sixth in pass DVOA and fifth in run DVOA. Of course Aaron Donald and Von Miller play huge roles up front, but Ramsey’s shutdown ability is just as important.
Come Sunday, he will have to do what he’s basically done since he’s set foot in the NFL. Be great. He knows it.
“This is normal,” Ramsey said. “I’ve been the best in the game for years now, consistently showing greatness week in and week out. So, it’s another workday at the office for me on Sunday. I don’t really think about what anybody says about what I should do or how I should play, I have consistently been great over the years. So, I have shown that I will show up when I need to show up and that’s what I plan to do again on Sunday.”
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It’s the end of an era in Portland. The Trail Blazers are sending CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Josh Hart, Tomás Satoranský, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Didi Louzada.
New Orleans is also sending a protected first-round pick and two second-round picks to Portland. Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell also will go from Portland to New Orleans. The CJ and Damian Lillard backcourt is no more, and now the question is what’s next for Lillard?
Damian Lillard-CJ McCollum record together
Regular season: 289-226 (.561)
Postseason: 19-38 (.333)(via @bball_ref )
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 8, 2022
The duo was very good during the regular season, but come playoff time their lack of size and defense were hurdles they couldn’t overcome. They had the one run to the conference finals in 2018-19, but that was due to some seeding luck. But they still advanced, so kudos.
It’s clear the Trail Blazers are in rebuild mode and hope that cap space, draft picks and movable contracts are enough to not only convince Lillard to stay but also lure in other free agents.
Portland's plan is to fully reshape roster around Damian Lillard now. Portland created a $21M trade exception today, potentially $60M in salary cap space this summer, multiple draft picks and assets via Pels and Clippers trades. Plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022
Portland isn’t exactly known as an NBA free agent destination, and even with Lillard why should stars want to team up with him? This isn’t a knock on what Dame has accomplished in his career. He’s been excellent and an All-NBA level performer. But he’ll be 32 at the start of next season, coming off an injury, and he’s barely 6’1″, despite what the team guide says.
The Harsh Reality | Trailblazers Must Chart A New Course Or Risk Losing Damian Lillard
When small guards start getting hurt in this league, the dropoff is often seismic.
Now Lillard could get on that Chris Paul plan and lengthen his career, and because so much of his game is predicated on shooting he should be able to still produce at a high level. It’s just that history has shown us remaining elite consistently past age 32 is no easy feat.
But the injury to Lillard, and McCollum before his recent return, allowed for the development of Anfernee Simons. Does interim general manager Joe Cronin envision a Lillard-Simons backcourt? Wouldn’t that be a Lillard-McCollum redo? That backcourt would have the same size and defense issues as well.
Then there is the status of the team as a whole. They are still dealing with the lingering effects of the Neil Olshey fiasco. Team governor Jody Allen might want to sell the franchise; there have been rumors.
This is a murky situation, and if Lillard wants to compete for a title in these latter stages of his career, it doesn’t seem like Portland is the place to do it.
If you’re Lillard betting on Cronin making the right moves, free agents wanting to come to Portland, and hitching your championship hopes on a developing Simons and a young roster are all gambles. Maybe it’s best for both parties to make a trade happen.
That, of course, presents another set of problems. What team has the salary to match the remaining $88 million he’s owed? Will this hypothetical team have players and draft capital the Blazers would want?
Not to mention, he has a player option in 2024-25, his age-34 season, for $48 million. He will most certainly be opting into that. It’s the end of an era, but this situation is far from settled in Portland.
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s defense isn’t the stoutest, but neither is his offensive line. He’s been sacked 12 times this postseason and was the most-sacked QB in the NFL this season, hitting the dirt 51 times in 17 games.
The fact that he was able to overcome these deficiencies and still make it to the Super Bowl is amazing, and the “Get Up” crew was split on whether he can survive being sacked nine times in the Super Bowl and still win.
Could Burrow’s uncanny knack for the dramatic and making clutch plays overcome the Rams’ pass rush, which led the NFL in pass rush win rate this season?
Joe Burrow Leads Bengals To First AFC Championship Game Since 1988 | He’s Got The Juice
Analyst Sam Ocho pointed to the AFC divisional round win over the Tennessee Titans, in which Burrow was sacked nine times. Burrow also had five games during the regular season in which he was sacked on at least five occasions. He keeps winning despite all of this.
Domonique Foxworth responded using a play from his “Power Book”; an interesting analogy to explain why the thought of Burrow winning a Super Bowl game in which he is under constant duress is absurd.
“The idea that Joe Burrow can get sacked nine time and win is outrageous. It reminds me of 50 Cent. 50 Cent got shot nine times… amazing marketing. But no one is out here saying, ‘You know what, I want to launch a rap career, let me go get shot nine times.’
It’s the same thing we’re asking of Joe Burrow. It happened once. That’s called an aberration. You are not 50 Cent. You are not going to have a long and luxurious career as an actor and producer, just because you got shot nine times. Many men have wished death upon him, and they will see it if they can’t block Von Miller and Aaron Donald, trust me. Get out of here with this wish strategy.”
50 Cent has the pulse of Black Hollywood right now, so it’s no surprise that Foxworth, who is known for his pop culture and hip-hop references, threw in a Curtis Jackson reference to describe Joe Burrow’s heroics.
Plus, with Burrow, the hip-hop references are official, because he’s a huge fan of the culture.
The bond between Joey B and Kid Cudi ❤️ @brgridiron
(via @NFL, @CBSSportsHQ) pic.twitter.com/zObd6ypqIE
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 4, 2022
50 Cent overcame the greatest of odds, trudging through the underworld of gangsta rap and the street life and elevating to a Hollywood mogul with multiple hit shows running simultaneously, globally.
Burrow was always the underdog and he had to scrape and scratch his way to becoming a starter in college and then he took a lot of blows last season (season-ending injury) and more this season with an offensive line that often fails to keep him upright. But to Foxworth’s point, whether it’s nine shots to the body or nine sacks, the person withstanding that level of abuse is unlikely to come out on the winning end.
Dancing mascots, Joe Mixon selfies, C.J. Uzomah cameos, Joe Burrow's post-game interview for the @Bengals had it all 🤣
🎤 @Melanie_Collins pic.twitter.com/7leeqwReK7
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 26, 2021
Then again, Burrow’s been shocking the world. So much that they are now comparing him to a young Tom Brady. That’s the ultimate underdog story. Sixth-round draft pick to the GOAT.
Co-host Sam Ocho puts Burrow in that rarified air, reminding everyone that generational talents do once-in-a-lifetime things that the average person only talks and dreams about.
“50 Cent got shot 9 times and we’re still talking about him,” Ocho reasoned. “Joe Burrow got sacked nine times, yet we’re still talking about him.”
If Burrow can withstand the L.A. Rams pass rush on Super Sunday, then he needs to just follow that up with the album. Or an appearance on one of the “Power Book”- series. He could be Tommy’s longlost cousin or something. Sunday will pretty much determine everything.
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Tragedy has struck the world of volleyball.
While traveling by road to a tournament in Texas, a teenage volleyball player from Arizona died and two others were critically hurt when the SUV they were in crashed during their trip to a tournament in Texasl.
According to their GoFundMe page, on Thursday, the team’s flights to the Lone Star National Qualifier in Austin were canceled due to snow and ice, according to Venom Volleyball Club coach and owner Jimmy Gonzalez.
Sending thoughts and prayers to Venom Volleyball Club during such a difficult time.
Please help these families. https://t.co/Ugv6NPxdox
— AVA of TX (@avatxvolleyball) February 5, 2022
During the storm that hit the Lone Star State, schools and colleges in several states canceled classes, and drivers in Texas found themselves stuck in frigid temperatures overnight. According to reports, three families driving from Goodyear, Arizona, crashed near London, Texas.
The three families were traveling in “severe weather conditions,” Gonzalez said. They lost control of their vehicle on black ice and crashed into a large truck.
“Their vehicle swerved into the oncoming traffic, and they were met by a semi-truck,” he told KSAZ. “Six of the people inside that vehicle — two athletes, three parents and one sibling — were injured and rushed to the hospital.”
🙏🏻🏐💔🙏🏻 Our deepest condolences and prayers to the Venom Volleyball Club family from Southern Colorado Precision and Pueblo West High School Volleyball.
— What Goes Here? (@PlaynwfireCP) February 6, 2022
Unfortunately, according to coach Gonzalez, one of the volleyball players “sadly passed away” during the head-on crash.
“Once I heard that, it was a nightmare,” Gonzalez said to KSAZ. “I thought I was asleep, and I needed to wake up.”
In addition, there were more victims as two other players on their way to the tournament were in critical but stable condition. Also, a former player merely traveling with the team was severely injured, according to Gonzalez, who has told reporters he has not been authorized to release the names of the victims.
Medical attention was alerted when a parent driving to the tournament stopped after the crash and called 911.
Venom Volleyball Club (VVC) is a group of athletes, coaches, and parents that uses volleyball as a tool to build good citizens and, in the process, develop extremely skilled athletes and hopefully great future leaders, according to their GoFundMe page.
“We use volleyball as a tool to develop future leaders,” said Gonzalez. “That’s our main objective. Not volleyball.”
In a tweet early Saturday, Lone Star National Qualifier Tournament officials sent their condolences to the victims of the crash.
“We are devastated about the tragic accident these Venom players and families were involved in en route to the Lone Star Classic,” organizers tweeted. “We hope you will join us in supporting their families as they navigate this difficult time.”
Gov. Greg Abbott called this week’s storm “one of the most significant icing events that we’ve had in the State of Texas in at least several decades.”
According to the National Weather Service, three to five inches of snow had fallen on some areas north and west of Fort Worth by Friday.
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On Monday, in what could be looked at as a sign of frustration, star quarterback Kyler Murray deleted all Arizona Cardinals-affiliated from his Instagram. He also unfollowed the team as well. That’s considered the new age 2022 way of voicing one’s displeasure with something.
Murray is entering the final year of his rookie deal and maybe this is a way of getting the attention of Cardinals brass to move towards a long-term franchise QB deal, and not just picking up the fifth-year option on his current deal.
The question lingers: Are the Cardinals committed to Murray and does the franchise QB feel like he’s been put in the best situation to succeed?
Did…did Kyler Murray really scrub all Arizona Cardinals references/photos from his Instagram?!? pic.twitter.com/jATKbU1GJs
— Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable) February 7, 2022
Or could it be something else?
Rumors on social media began swirling following Sunday’s Pro Bowl. He threw a touchdown pass to fellow Lone Star state legend and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, and the thought of him replacing Tom Brady began to ring loud. While other social media rumors had him joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, replacing Ben Roethlisberger. Right now, it’s all speculation, with Murray under contract for next season and possibly the following season as well.
The Arizona Cardinals began the 2021-22 season at (7-0) and looked like Super Bowl contenders. Convincing road wins at Tennessee, Cleveland and the NFC champion Rams had the Cardinals looking like a team that could make a run at Super Sunday. Following that sizzling start the Cards went (4-7) the rest of the way, including a blowout wildcard playoff loss to those same Rams.
Injuries to key players Murray, WR DeAndre Hopkins and defensive standouts JJ Watt and Chandler Jones played a role in their demise. But the coaching and leadership or lack thereof by Kliff Kingsbury and staff didn’t seem to help matters.
Kingsbury’s teams have always done swan dives late in the season, even from his time at Texas Tech where he went an underwhelming (35-40) during his tenure. He might not be the guy to get the most out of the diminutive dynamo and this season has obviously strained their relationship a bit.
Murray Recently Talked About The Team: Plans For Next Season
Murray put up solid numbers last season, passing for 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He did miss a few games and looked hobbled in others due to a nagging ankle injury. He also completed 69.2% of his passes. Using his elite dual-threat abilities he also rushed for 423 yards and five more touchdowns.
In a recent interview with azcardinals.com Murray had this to say about his offseason plans ….
Startin’ 2022 off right w/ my guys! @AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/Soky1TkDzh
— Kyler Murray (@K1) January 3, 2022
“I wouldn’t go into too much into detail, but just get better. I think there are a lot of things we all need to address individually. Team-wise we understand kind of what happened, how we get there. We’ve got to do it together. Obviously everyone has to work hard individually. When we come together we’ve got to be ready, because it doesn’t get any easier. We’ve made strides throughout the three years I’ve been here but haven’t reached that ultimate goal.”
When asked what happened after the team’s (10-2) start, Murray didn’t have any keen insight to offer.
“I wish I could tell you. I wish I could tell you.”
The offseason is always the time for everyone to get things off their chest, reevaluate the past season and determine what needs to be done to accomplish success moving forward. Murray is just getting some things off his chest because he knows that the 2022-23 season is going to be a make-or-break one for the Kyler, Kliff Klingsbury experiment.
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Jackson State Tigers head football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was a part of the NFL Pro Bowl coaching staff. Sanders, the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award given to FCS coach of the year, was a part of the NFC squad.
Sanders an eight-time Pro Bowl player, led the Tigers to an 11-2 record and their first SWAC Championship in 14 seasons. The team also participated in the Celebration Bowl, aka the Black College National Championship.
During this past weekend’s Pro Bowl Sanders worked with Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LeFleur and the NFC squad. Sanders was one of two HBCU Legacy coaches chosen, along with Morgan State associate head coach William Carr (AFC), who worked with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
Sanders Was Rather Critical Of The On-Field Product: Game Just Isn’t The Same
When Sanders played, game participants went out and hustled hard and actually tackled and hit one another. Now it’s turned into a glorified game of two-hand touch. Nothing more than a walkthrough.
Lord help me. I’m watching the @nfl Pro Bowl and I remember when we were so proud and appreciative of that accolade. We went to Hawaii to prove we were more than worthy so we competed at practice and in the game. I wanted u to know that PRIME was PRIME ! What Happened & When ?
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) February 6, 2022
With the game no longer being played like it was in the 2000s, Sanders and other members of the NFL fraternity questioned the current product.
Sanders tweeted his displeasure about the event.
“I’m watching the @nfl Pro Bowl and I remember we were so proud and appreciative of the accolade. We went to Hawaii to prove we were more than worthy, so we competed at practice and in the game. I wanted u to know that PRIME was PRIME! What Happened & When?”
They playing 2-hand touch football in the Pro Bowl. Sean Taylor looking down shaking his head. https://t.co/8jQu9Ok63T
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 6, 2022
Prime’s comments, and the ridicule the game endured from fans on social media conjured memories of Sean Taylor playing the game like it was the playoffs.
Apologies for what we’ve done to the Pro Bowl since you left us, Sean Taylor. pic.twitter.com/sRL3S3R2Nl
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) February 6, 2022
Former NFL player and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe was also a bit perturbed by what he was watching, tweeted the following:
“This was EMBARRASSING. NFL should do away with the game but keep the accolade of being accepted to the game.”
#UNWATCHABLE
Current players like Cardinals defensive lineman JJ Watt and former player Chris Johnson even chimed in on the glorified pregame walkthrough.
Watt, a five-time Pro Bowl player, tweeted:
“I’ve seen walk-thrus more intense than this”
Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl player, tweeted:
“Terrible”
But Deion got a taste of life on the NFL sidelines in a coaching capacity. He also was a highly visible representative for Jackson State University as it continues to try and flip Power 5 recruits and elevate the stature of HBCU football. Sanders is able to show recruits, opposing coaches and anyone else who questions his ability to transform HBCU culture, that he is in the building, rubbing elbows with current NFL stars and executives. He has the ear of people on the next level, which gives him a real advantage when selling his message to potential recruits.
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Russell Wilson has exceeded all expectations. He led the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in his second and third seasons, winning one and losing one.
Wilson has been a durable stalwart for the Seahawks, having passed for at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in every season of his NFL career.
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Similar to Tom Brady, he began his career as a game manager on a veteran team and progressed into a prolific passer and leader. Wilson has always protected the football as well, never tossing more than 13 interceptions in a season.
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But for ESPN personality Ryan Clark, that doesn’t make him one of the all-time greats.
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” Clark said:
“Russell Wilson is not an all-time great QB. He’s never going to be in those conversations. We have to stop putting him in that world … that any team that has Russell Wilson can win a Super Bowl.”
.@Realrclark25 said what he said about Russell Wilson 😳
(via @GetUpESPN) pic.twitter.com/t6FeuTnnSU
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 7, 2022
While Wilson may not currently be an all-time great, his trajectory still points that way. Being great isn’t all about posting hollow statistics. Clark must have forgotten how Wilson has carried an offensively inept Seahawks team with a deteriorating defense for over half a decade.
One of the most consistent QBs in the league since he entered, Wilson has proven he’s a winner at the game’s hardest position. Boasting a career 113-60 record, including the postseason, Wilson has consistently made haters look foolish. RW3 also has nine Pro Bowl selections in ten seasons, and eight playoff appearances.
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) February 7, 2022
Dan Orlovsky Raves About Wilson, Combatting Clark’s Claim
Clark’s co-host Dan Orlovsky wasn’t in agreement with the former NFL safety. Orlovsky defended Wilson and raved about his skill set and leadership.
Russell Wilson put on a clinic last night Ian.
"I'm not saying he's definitely gonna leave Seattle but he wants to look around at his options.. I wouldn't rule out a trade" ~@RapSheet#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/cDARjK9iSq
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 4, 2022
“I think Russell Wilson is a team-changing quarterback, a franchise-changing quarterback. Russell Wilson in his last two years has not played up to his standard, his expectation. He’s thrown 65 touchdowns and 19 interceptions — that’s Russell Wilson’s bad. You know how many organizations would take that from there and say that, that is their good?
I agree that he has not played up to his standard. … The Seattle Seahawks have been a different organization because over the past five or six years not because of Wilson’s play but because they drafted god-awfully — their drafts have been atrocious, and that’s the main reason why.
They haven’t fallen off because they decided to let Russ cook, or decided to let Russ throw the football more. They’ve fallen off because they can’t draft anymore.”
After a tumultuous offseason following the 2020-21 season there were rumors of Wilson being traded. Wilson’s agent even presented the Seahawks with a list of teams he’d accept a trade to. Nothing came to fruition from it, and it seems as if he and the franchise are in a much better place.
If You Love Him, Let Him Go | Russell Wilson Trade To The New Orleans Saints Is A Real Possibility
As for Clark’s comments, Wilson is a durable 33-year-old with plenty of time to add to his already lengthy résumé. If he continues to win at the same rate, then without question he’ll be mentioned amongst the best to ever play the position.
At 5-foot-11 and flashing all-time great dual-threat abilities and a prolific cannon for an arm, Wilson has already helped revolutionize the position. If not for the worst call in Super Bowl history by Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Wilson would have two Super Bowl rings instead of one (same as Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes).
His legacy is already solidified, so now it’s about him ending his career in a place where he has the support of other great players, like Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford have been fortunate enough to do after long tenures with the same team.
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The NBA trade deadline is this Thursday, Feb. 10, and the conversation dujour is where will disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers player Ben Simmons wind up. Will he be traded for now seemingly unhappy Brooklyn Nets All-Star James Harden? FS1 talking head Nick Wright thinks a trade must happen if the Nets have any hope of winning a title. But the whole conversation is what’s wrong with the NBA.
“A James Harden-Ben Simmons trade is the only chance Brooklyn has at winning the east this year.”
"A James Harden-Ben Simmons trade is the only chance Brooklyn has at winning the East this year. At some point, the Nets have to stop being an NFT & they have to start being a basketball team. It's a move they absolutely should make." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/fl9w4uSJAs
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 7, 2022
The Philadelphia 76ers are 32-21, only two games out of first place in the East. Joel Embiid is playing like the MVP. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month in January. He averaged 34 points, 10.8 rebounds and five assists per game while leading the Sixers to a 12-3 record. He is fifth in the league in EPM at +6.9 and fifth in WS/48 at .262.
What he and the Sixers are doing is remarkable, but the talk dominating basketball media and the talking head shows is about a player that hasn’t played a single game all season. Everyone at home thinks they’re a general manager and is obsessed with trades.
At some point the play on the court has to matter.
The Memphis Grizzlies are a tremendous story right now. The second-youngest team in the league, has the third-best record and looks poised to make a playoff run. They are led by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., two players they drafted and are developing along with most of their core. Why are people talking about who they should trade for to compete for a title this year?
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The Denver Nuggets are 29-24 and sixth in the West. They are doing this without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., their second- and third-best players. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is keeping them in the playoff race, and his impact is even greater this season. He might be a back-to-back MVP. Yet we’re discussing hypothetical trade scenarios.
Don’t get me wrong, trade talk is a way for fans to stay engaged. I enjoy thinking about potential basketball fits. But it can’t be more important than the games themselves. You tune in to see competition, not back-and-forth over salary caps, pick swaps, and cash considerations.
As to the reality of a Simmons-Harden deal, since we’re already here, a deal before the deadline seems unlikely. Nets general manager Sean Marks isn’t going to just take Simmons back in a deal. He’ll likely want Tyrese Maxey and picks or Seth Curry and Matisse Thybulle as well. Sixers President Daryl Morey may not want to give up Maxey or Curry in any deal.
If no deal is made by the deadline, the likeliest scenario is the offseason. If the Nets flame out of the playoffs and Harden remains unhappy, a sign-and-trade deal would work so he can make all the money he can under the collective bargaining agreement, and the Nets don’t let him walk for nothing.
There will be a lot of noise between now and Thursday, try to enjoy some of the games as well.
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Mike Tyson is always a lightning rod of controversy.
The youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history has a sordid past, from biting Evander Holyfield’s ear to medicating from toad poison.
However, since taking over stages with his Undisputed tour and book and movie roles, “Iron” Mike has figured out how to keep some of the money he has made over the years.
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Tyson spoke with Valuetainment last year, and he discussed fiscally responsible topics like taxes and more. However, he had a Tyson-level twist to the knowledge.
“You know those executives, certain people, tax people, this lady kept calling, ‘Mike, you don’t got anything to give to us?’ The tax lady, you wouldn’t let me, wouldn’t let me cut my back, and then they died, then next thing you know I didn’t have to pay taxes anymore. So this lady was just busting my balls.”
Tyson added that when he’s asked every few years if he’s able to pay down his tax debt, the amount due is reduced each time he declines.
“So when it’s down to like what, 3 million … 2 million, I might be able to pay you now.”
Even when the anchor asked Tyson perplexed, “You just gotta be patient?” he came with the Tyson facts that have seemingly helped him get back on the right financial track.
“Oh, you know it came from 60 (million) to like 3 (million),” he responded.
Tyson earned millions of dollars back in his boxing prime.
He could purchase things that he could only dream of growing up in the roughest parts of Brooklyn, New York. However, he spent lavishly on his lifestyle, and as a result, ‘Iron’ Mike lost millions on liabilities like exotic animal purchases, cars, and mansions.
MIKE TYSON THE GOAT! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/eptgsO57AJ
— Spicy Canela (@BoxingwithSpicy) February 1, 2022
Additionally, the former heavyweight champ has claimed that his excessive partying plummeted his net worth.
It forced Mike Tyson to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2003. According to past reports, Tyson earned about $400 million in the last 20 years; however, it didn’t last. According to reports, Tyson had $23 million in debts, and at the time, he reportedly owed $13.4 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
Ouch!
By definition, Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a reorganization bankruptcy where debts can be repaid over some time to keep a business organization or entity afloat.
Mike Tyson doubts he ever fights again. pic.twitter.com/TdSZy8yOXT
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) January 30, 2022
After filing for bankruptcy, Tyson fought twice more and then retired. His fights in 2004 and 2005 were for the money and not the legacy; he lost both matches.
Now Tyson is a man of multiple revenue streams. His Tyson Ranch cannabis business changed the game for athletes in the cannabis space, while his podcast opened the door for conversations around healing.
Tyson has also been offered a cannabis ambassadorship from the African country of Malawi, and his work with psychedelics is gaining international acclaim.
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Mike Tyson has lived the life of a superstar, and the more he provides glimpses, the more we learn.
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The current Brian Flores lawsuit situation with the NFL places the league in a precarious position when it comes to the issue of race. In a memo to teams Saturday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged the league’s diversity programs and policies … “haven’t done enough to ensure equality.”
“We must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coaches the results have been unacceptable,” Goodell said in the memo.
However, in order for NFL hiring practices to diversify, the commissioner has to be more active in the implementation of policy that is in place to make sure that qualified candidates of all colors can have a real opportunity at leading one of the NFL’s 32 teams.
In 2003, the league, working with Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, put a provision in place entitled “the Rooney rule,” which provided a guideline for teams to make sure they interviewed a Black candidate before making a final selection.
20 years later and the NFL has just one Black head coach and owners are circumventing the spirit of the rule at every turn.
After years of covering these injustices and illuminating the practices that hinder Black advancement at the leadership and executive levels, The Shadow League has come up with some key modifications to the Rooney rule that might lead to more accountability and clarity about the hiring process.
These additions to the current Rooney Rule also give the commissioner a broader range of influence and a more active role in the process to ensure compliance.
Shadow League Modification Of Rooney Rule
1. The owners must agree to allow the commissioner to be more active in the head coach selection process.
The commissioner serves at the behest of the owners to run and operate the business of the league. With that said, they should support the practice of him having more involvement in the head coach selection process. This issue around head coach hiring and its good faith practices is one of the most pressing concerns for the NFL right now. The responsibility for the enforcement of compliance must be his to enforce, right now it is too easy to move blame around to the owners and then continue business as usual.
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
If the owners can’t answer legitimate questions as to why they chose one candidate over the other, the commissioner should have broader powers to investigate the hiring and even summon the owner and/or hiring GM for a conference to discuss the hiring process with full transparency. Hunches and cultural comfortability aren’t going to cut it anymore.
The NFL is one of the most data-rich sports leagues in the world. Everything is measured, managed and adjusted. This current situation with diversity among head coaches and team management should fall under the same purview.
2. All head coach candidates must be registered with the NFL commissioner once they are interviewed.
In order to ensure compliance by NFL owners in regard to respecting the Rooney Rule, an organized system for the commissioner’s office to keep track of all interviews conducted by NFL teams with head coaching vacancies should be implemented. Again, the commissioner is the leader of the league and should have broad powers and influence over the most crucial issues and decisions. Over the past decade, race has been at the forefront, with little change in how the owners are functioning in regard to hiring Black people to leadership position.
3. Before a head coach can be named for any team in the league, the commissioner must confirm compliance to league guidelines (like the Rooney Rule and others to be developed)
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
We propose an amended set of guidelines to ensure compliance with the Rooney Rule. The NFL commissioner must confirm that they were met by the hiring team before a head coach can be officially named. The commissioner should also create and maintain a compliance committee of owners that support the ongoing development in the mission of the Rooney Rule.
4. Key amendment to the existing Rooney Rule, If a Black head coach is NOT hired, the team must hire either a Black OC or Black DC with the new coach that is hired.
The pipeline to NFL head coach has traditionally run through the coordinator position. In recent years, the offensive coordinator position, which is composed mostly of white coaches, has been the springboard to a head coaching position.
(Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator/passing game coordinator are the positions that get first dibs on head coaching positions, then the NFL has to ensure that there’s also a pipeline to cultivate and hire qualified Black offensive coordinators to give Black candidates a better opportunity to be hired.
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Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant clapped back at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith over talk about his legacy. Smith said that if the Nets don’t win a championship and the Warriors do, KD will be remembered more for leaving Steph Curry and the Warriors to team up with the unreliable Kyrie Irving. KD saw the clip on Twitter and responded as only he does.
Steve, since u decided to use ESPN to push your personal agendas, I’m sure your minions will run with this story for you, but if u believe this is what my career is defined by then you just a flat out hater. It’s gonna be hard to box the god in.
Steve, since u decided to use ESPN to push your personal agendas, im sure your minions will run with this story for you, but if u believe this is what my career is defined by then you just a flat out hater. It’s gonna be hard to box the god in https://t.co/AUMkP8P59g
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 6, 2022
Smith saw what KD tweeted and responded with his usual performative bluster and metaphorical “you know where to find me to talk” spiel.
Okay. Stop the b.s. Religiously I’ve been on the record calling you the best in the WORLD. This is not about your game and you know it. We all know you’re great and you’re a champion. We will celebrate that forever when you’re DONE playing… https://t.co/pM8ztxuTRf
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 6, 2022
KD hasn’t played basketball since Jan. 15, when he sprained his MCL. Rehabbing for four to six weeks is boring. He’s not on the road with his teammates. It gets lonely. When you’re bored and you’re KD you tend to hop on the interwebs and search your mentions on social media.
That’s all this is. Filler for the talking head shows. Smith and his fellow opiners feed off this stuff. It drives ratings, it’s all a game and a form of entertainment for the sports fan masses. Smith has something to talk about now on his show for days.
Frankly, none of it is terribly interesting. But what is interesting is the idea of narratives, and why fans believe what they believe.
It’s kind of like a chicken-and-egg question.
Do fans actually believe overwhelmingly that KD will be remembered more for leaving the Warriors and teaming up with Kyrie, than winning in Golden State? Or,do Smith and his fellow talking heads yell about it on various platforms and again on Twitter repeatedly so that is what fans think?
It’s a fascinating question I don’t quite have the answer to. But I suspect it’s a little of both.
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Some fans certainly believe in that narrative, and there are likely many others who have no opinion on it at all. But the more the latter group hears it said, maybe they adopt that line of thinking too. Narratives can cause a type of myopia and groupthink.
KD is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In terms of pure talent and ability he’s likely one of the 10 greatest ever, and that’s not hyperbole. If there was a hypothetical game for the fate of the planet and we had to take on the monstars for survival, it’s hard to imagine nine players you’d select before KD.
Winning two titles and two Finals MVPs with the Warriors, enhance his legacy. Leaving the Bay to head to Brooklyn and team up with Irving doesn’t diminish anything about his basketball-playing ability.
Getting to the Finals is hard, winning is even harder. You need to be excellent and also lucky. KD and the Nets have had terrible injury luck since 2020. But when he, Irving and James Harden have been healthy they’ve been incredible.
It just hasn’t happened a lot. Players over the age of 31 tend to get injured more, that’s just a fact. That fact and a teammate’s unwillingness to take a vaccine have nothing to do with his ability to play the game. KD’s legacy is still being written, but this shouldn’t be the defining moment.
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According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara was taken into custody following Sunday’s Pro Bowl on a charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. Kamara was taken in without incident, and booked at the Clark County Detention Center. He was later released from custody after posting bond.
Please click on the document below for more information on the arrest of Alvin Kamara. This investigation is still ongoing, anyone with any information about this incident is urged to call 702-828-3204 or contact @CrimeStoppersNV pic.twitter.com/QoUY9tEQT1
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) February 7, 2022
Police say they were dispatched around 5:50 p.m. local time Saturday (the eve of the Pro Bowl) to a hospital where a person had reported a battery at a nightclub. According to the authorities, detectives determined the victim was battered by Kamara.
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Details surrounding the alleged incident are scarce. The investigation is ongoing and Kamara has a preliminary court date to enter his plea. What is known is someone ended up in the hospital as a result of battery and Kamara was identified as the person that allegedly committed the battery.
The validity of the statement from the person identifying Kamara is not yet known. Nor is the context to which the alleged incident took place.
Kamara had 1,337 yards from scrimmage and nine TDs this season and was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl in five seasons as a pro. He had four catches for 23 yards for the NFC in Sunday’s loss to the AFC before being arrested.
Kamara has been an excellent player since he stepped into the league in 2017, and he’s been one of the more interesting players as well. Marching to the beat of his own drum and being authentically himself.
“Niggas put on capes in the league,” Kamara said to Bleacher Report in 2018. “They got a character. They got a persona they fulfill, a brand. I don’t see a problem with it. Maximize your pockets. But what I put on, I ain’t gotta put on no cape. I just do what I feel. That’s what draws people. This isn’t an act.”
This is Kamara’s first serious incident involving police. He was charged with a few petty crimes during college, including driving with a suspended permit and not wearing a seatbelt. He also set off fireworks inside his dorm building. Smoke filled the building, setting off fire alarms and bringing the fire department.
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While at the University of Alabama Kamara and his teammates purchased BB guns and fired them off randomly around campus, shooting up a pizza driver at a traffic light and a Waffle House window. They also cracked a large panel of the school’s engineering building.
These are very poor lapses in judgment you could chalk up to youthful indiscretions if you take a measured approach. If you choose to be harsher in your review of the situation, you could point to these incidents as signs of things to come.
If Kamara –who according to Field Yates on ESPN, allegedly punched a man eight times in the face before Kamara’s friends pounced on the man sending him to the hospital — actually committed battery then he should face whatever punishment a judge deems appropriate should he be convicted by a jury of his peers.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Kamara allegedly put his hand on a man in the elevator, who shoved it off — and then a fight ensued. Kamara punched the man repeatedly, fracturing his orbital bone. The man was then knocked unconscious by Kamara and his friends, who allegedly proceeded to kick the man before they left.
This doesn’t look good for Kamara or his friends. Now we wait and see what additional charges, if any are filed.
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The Baltimore Ravens hired Sashi Brown as the new team president. Dick Cass is stepping down after 17 years in the position, so the Ravens nabbed the one-time Browns general manager as his replacement. Brown will leave his current position with the Washington Wizards and Monumental Sports. The move will take place on April 1, when Cass officially steps down.
Ravens President Dick Cass will retire after 18 years with the team and Sashi Brown has been named his successor, Owner Steve Bisciotti has announced. pic.twitter.com/msrKvEmoLk
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 4, 2022
Brown will oversee every area of the organization, including player personnel, staff personnel, coaching, corporate sales, operations and communications and business ventures.
Brown is more than qualified for the position as he’s one of a few executives to have experience on both sides of the business, executive and personnel. With the Ravens being one of the most respected franchises in the league for how the franchise handles business throughout the entire organization, adding someone with Brown’s experience is a huge plus. His strong background in analytics is something that the Ravens embrace, especially with head coach John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta being into it pretty heavily.
Sashi Brown is leaving Monumental Sports and the Washington Wizards to return to the NFL as an executive with the Baltimore Ravens, sources tell me and @AdamSchefter. Brown had previously been the Cleveland Browns GM.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022
While Brown’s track record in Cleveland may not look great with the team, as he posted a 1-31 record during his time as GM, he did oversee a franchise that was in clear tank mode. The team was looking to acquire as many high draft picks as possible, clear cap space, and basically execute a complete teardown and rebuild from the ground up. Brown was fired well before he completed his second season, so he wasn’t around for the bulk of the rebuild.
At the time of the firing, a TSL article on the matter said:
“Brown was named the team’s top executive by owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam as part of an outside-the-box and ambitious overhaul following the 2015 season. Cleveland, a franchise who has been stuck in a muck of losing seasons, shaky talent evaluations and a merry-go-round of coaches, decided to totally go against the grain when they hired Brown, a former lawyer for the Jacksonville Jaguars with no prior football experience of any kind. They also hired Hue Jackson as head coach, giving them the only all-black GM and HC combination in the NFL.
In Brown, they had an Ivy League guy in the mold of a Brian Cashman with the Yankees or Theo Epstein with the Red Sox. He lacked direct knowledge and experience about football, but was a master negotiator, businessman and would bring fresh analytics, a trailer load of draft picks and some stability to the Cleveland Browns.
It was a long shot that didn’t get much time to materialize or grow.”
Now Brown gets a second shot with an organization that is trying to win and has a rich tradition of winning and minority excellence in the front office. He follows in the footsteps of legendary NFL tight end Ozzie Newsome, who became the first Black GM in NFL history and led the Ravens to two Super Bowl rings.
Sashi Brown is leaving the Wizards to return to the NFL with the Ravens https://t.co/zsd5yY9RNy
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 5, 2022
Brown is a 1998 graduate of Hampton University with a bachelor’s degree, and a doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2002. A successful attorney in D.C., Brown became the general counsel and senior VP for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2005-12.
From 2013 -2017, Brown served as executive vice president of the Cleveland Browns, effectively becoming team GM in 2016, and part of the 2017 season. In 2019, he became chief planning and operations officer for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which includes the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics and Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G-League.
Sashi Brown leaves Washington Wizards for Baltimore Ravens https://t.co/Wd9NC5d4B8
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) February 5, 2022
Brown to the Ravens is a bit of NFL history. He joins Washington Commanders team president Jason Wright as the only Black professionals to hold that title in league history.
Brown now has his work cut out for him as the Ravens will look to lock up franchise signal caller Lamar Jackson to a long-term extension. Brown is coming into a totally different situation than he did in Jacksonville or Cleveland. He should thrive with a forward and progressive thinking franchise like the Ravens, who do things the correct way and are led by a great owner in Steve Bisciotti.
With the Brian Flores situation, and seven of the nine head coach openings going to non-Blacks thus far, it’s nice to see a qualified black land a solid job.
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