Before the Rose Bowl, Michigan’s Sherrone Moore needed to qualify his undefined stance on race. From the offensive coordinator who took over for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh during his suspension, a question about Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who revealed his former offensive coordinator attempted to discourage him from becoming a collegiate quarterback.
“Really, I don’t see color,” Moore said during a media day for their bowl game against Alabama. “My wife is Caucasian. My kids are mixed. I deal with Black, white. I’ve lived in Kansas where you can be in the house with the door open at 12, and in New Jersey where you have to be in the house by 6 o’clock. I’ve seen all cards of the spectrum.”
Thanks for the family breakdown and regional safety knowledge, but that doesn’t answer the question, Sherrone. It only opens the door to further inquiry, like, are you a believer in a post-racial America?
Ahead of the Rose Bowl, Milroe told the world that his path to becoming QB1 was far from a straight line, with nonbelievers even on his team.
“All my life, even when I was in college,” Milroe said of people discouraging him from playing the position. “Shoot, my own offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien told me I shouldn’t play quarterback.”
Milroe explained that O’Brien advised him that “there’s a bunch of positions” he could have switched to from quarterback, to Milroe’s dismay.
Milroe went even further after he was asked for a follow-up.
“How would you feel if I told you you suck?” Milroe continued. “OK, then. That’s exactly how I felt. Biggest thing for me, be true to myself and stay the same. Nothing changed about me. Only thing that changed was that I had opportunity, and I seized it. … But look where I am right now. Who gets the last laugh?”
A stigma hovers over the Black quarterbacks that they do not prepare or have the real time mental acuity as their white counterparts as gunslingers. Although Milroe didn’t specify, he alluded to an extreme disbelief by O’Brien in his ability. The same can be said for the coaching ranks on both the NFL and collegiate level.
That’s what makes Moore’s reaction to the questions raised by Milroe even more troubling because he is scrutinized as a coach in ways similar to Milroe’s as a quarterback.
When 2024 five-star recruit Jordan Seaton announced his commitment to the Colorado Buffaloes and head coach Deion Sanders, other top programs that were heavily recruiting the nation’s top offensive tackle didn’t stop attempting to sway him their way.
Things looked shaky on the Tuesday before early national signing day and then on the actual day as Seaton didn’t submit his national letter of intent.
In an attempt to quell the chatter before the big day, Seaton, who seems to like the public eye, even spoke with On3 Sports.
“I’m still a Buff,” Seaton said. “Kind of just thinking and praying on it. Just thinking and praying on it. Right now I really don’t have a step-for-step.”
“There has been a lot of coaches calling,” he added. “Recently, Dylan Raiola and Nebraska has been my most recent DM.”
Two days later the elite blue chip prospect arrived in Boulder, signed, sealed and delivered.
Seaton Says Coaches Tried To Everything To Flip Him
In an effort to get the former IMG Academy standout to flip his commitment, coaches from other prominent Power Five schools a tried a little bit of any and everything. While obviously none of it worked, one particular coach’s effort still has Seaton in shock.
During a recent interview session for the Under Armour All-American Game, Seaton talked about the lengths other coaches went to in an attempt to negatively recruit against Sanders.
“This was the most famous one I got,” Seaton said. “It was like ‘What do you want to be, a rapper or something?’ … I’m like … ‘Hey’ … Laughing … ‘I get what you’re saying, but … bro.’ There was a lot of negative recruiting at Coach Prime. I feel like some people don’t understand that he’s only had … He’s only been here for … what? Has it been a year yet? It’s been a year. The turnaround that program has from 1–11 to 4-8. … To see that is cool.”
For a coach to ask Seaton that type of question is unacceptable and makes you think they only believe the Buffaloes have the most lit game sidelines in all of college football, which they do. But, that’s also real shot at Coach Prime and what type of program they believe he’s running.
Seaton’s Arrival Is Huge
Adding a player like Seaton to an offensive line unit that allowed 58 sacks should help immensely. He’s not the top-rated offensive tackle for nothing, and he excels in both run and pass protection. Those two areas are what slowed the Buffaloes’ still pretty solid attack under the leadership of quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Seaton will anchor a unit that’s projected to have five new starters, which also includes four highly coveted transfers. Sanders has raved about Seaton, even calling him a pro already.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders just completed his first season as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, and while the team finished just 4-8 after a 3-0 start, the confidence of Sanders hasn’t been shaken.
In fact, Coach Prime, as he’s affectionately known, believes he and his staff have done enough in the transfer portal and with a few signed class of 2024 recruits that they’ll compete for a CFP spot next year when the field widens to 12 teams.
Sanders, like many others has talked publicly about the Florida State Seminoles being left out of the playoff despite being undefeated (13-0) and winning the ACC. He even mentioned how he empathized with them over being left out, but he also believes Alabama was the correct choice for a bevy of reasons. The main one being FSU not having the services of star quarterback Jordan Travis who was lost for the year late in the season.
Sanders also put himself in his alma mater’s shoes and let it be known that the committee wouldn’t have made that decision if it were his Buffaloes dealing with the same circumstances.
Sanders Tells Stephen A Ratings Matter
During a recent appearance on the “Stephen A. Smith Show,” Sanders told the legendary sports analyst that if his Buffaloes were 13-0 there’s no way they would have gotten left out of the CFP no matter what other mitigating circumstances hovered over their team.
“Coach Mike Norvell coached his butt off, and we can’t take nothing away from him,” Sanders said. “But the real question that you have is would you have left me out of the college playoffs? Ain’t no way in the world. We’re box office. You got to see this unless you’re crazy. I wish I had the problems that coach Norvell has.”
Sanders is correct his Colorado team doesn’t get left out if they have the same credentials that FSU had. That’s solely because of him and popularity that is him. This season alone the Buffs had six of the 50 most-watched games of the season, four of the top 20 and two of the top ten. That’s definitely box office and because of Sanders, so for that reason alone they’d be in.
Move To Big 12 Should Net Buffs Even More Exposure
With the conference losing traditional powers Texas and Oklahoma next season, the arrival of Coach Prime and Colorado is right on time. They also added UCF, Cincinnati, BYU and Houston, but the key get was adding Colorado. With that the conference as a whole is expected to a see a 1-3 percent increase in value. It will also help the conference with local viewership, which is something that could’ve faltered pretty heavily with Texas and Oklahoma departing for the SEC.
Also, with the additions to the Buffaloes roster, moving to the Big 12 should really bode well for their chances to possibly win the conference in year one. That’s something that was extremely far-fetched in the now-defunct but much tougher Pac-12 conference.
The Detroit Pistons finally did it: defeated the Toronto Raptors 129-127 at Little Caesars Arena last night. However, with Thursday’s 128-122 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons made history in a way no team ever wants to. That loss was the now 3-29 Pistons’ NBA single season record 28th consecutive loss.
As the team battled to get on the right side of things, star guard Cade Cunningham is taking a different approach to the losing, and from the outside looking in it sounded a bit delusional.
Following Thursday’s hard-fought road loss to the NBA-best 24-2 Boston Celtics in which the Pistons led by as many as 19 points, Cunningham, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick, sounded like someone who believes his cellar-dwelling team is on par with the rest of the league.
During his postgame presser, Cunningham didn’t hold back on how he feels about his team in comparison to the rest of the league.
“I think it shows like we’re on the same level as all these teams we’re playing against,” Cunningham said, per ESPN which despite the win still slounds off. “There’s no team that I’ve ever come across in the NBA where I felt like a was going into a slaughterhouse.”
Cunningham’s confidence in his team is definitely commendable and perplexing at the same time. With Detroit just one loss away from setting the league’s all-time losing streak at 29, Cunningham is staying positive and showing the leadership the Pistons expected when they took him No.1 overall.
Cunningham’s optimism is great, but he’s definitely over-selling his team’s potential at this point. A losing streak of that magnitude can’t mean anything else other than the team is horrible, regardless of the latest win. However, Cunningham’s competitive nature won’t let him admit that — at least publicly. He’s been producing some great individual performances, but his buckets haven’t come at the times his team needs to secure a win.
As a player, yes, Cunningham can say that because he’s playing at an All-Star level, but unfortunately his team’s record being so bad will likely keep him from being selected.
Monty Williams Was Brought In To Right Ship
In the offseason the Pistons moved on from head coach Dwayne Casey who’s still the only coach to be fired in a season when he won NBA Coach of the Year while with the Raptors. They hired former Pelicans and Suns head coach Monty Williams making him the second-highest paid coach in the league behind Spurs five-time NBA champion coach Gregg Popovich. Williams is being paid $13 million per season over six years, and thus far the Pistons aren’t getting any return on the investment.
Since last March, the team has won four games, while losing an astounding 53. That can’t bode well for a team’s psyche, and that’s what Williams was hired to change.
Even with the latest win, his current roster doesn’t seem likely to get much better this season.
The Shadow League looked at the state of boxing in 2023 and selected the best and the worst of the year. Judging boxers’ performances over 12 months is no easy feat, and this year, there is a tie for best boxer of the year and a runner-up.
Two of the fighters that made the list most people know, and one is a staple for diehard fans but a relative unknown to casual fans.
At the top of the list this year is Devin Haney because not only did he become the lightweight undisputed champion in 2022 in another country where he fought and defeated George Kambosos twice, but he also defended it against Vasiliy Lomachenko and won a belt in his first fight at super lightweight in 2023.
Although many felt that Haney’s unanimous decision to win over Lomachenko in May 2023 was questionable, there were no doubts when he demolished Regis Prograis to become the WBC super lightweight champion.
Haney is trained by his father, Bill Haney, and raised in boxing by all the greats: Floyd Mayweather, Senior and Junior, Zab Judah, and many more. Haney’s amateur career was nothing short of stellar. He transitioned to professional boxing at 17, amassing an impressive record and showcasing his potential as the sports star he is becoming.
The Japanese star known as “The Monster” started and ended his 2023 the same way, in knockout fashion. Many believed he would meet his match when he fought Philadelphia’s Stephen Fulton Jr., aka “Cool Boy Stef,” in July, but quite the opposite happened. Fulton learned that Inoue was the boss in Japan and suffered a brutal eighth-round knockout at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. It was his first fight at super-bantamweight, and he took home the WBC and WBO titles.
He topped that with a TKO win this week over Marlon Tapales in the 10th round on December 26th, so all the belts will become undisputed at Super Bantamweight. Inoue’s professional career has been nothing short of phenomenal. He has claimed multiple world titles across several weight classes, a testament to his versatility and adaptability as a fighter. His remarkable ability to move up in weight while retaining his power and speed is a rare feat in the sport.
In the bantamweight division, Inoue has been particularly dominant and solidified his reign when he became undisputed after a second-round knockout of Nonito Donaire in 2022.
Inoue has only fought in the Unied States three times in his career, so he is a relative unknown to American casual boxing fans; however, the real know that in the Land of the Rising Sun Inoue is boxing royalty.
There is nothing bad you can say about Terence Crawford. He is two-time undisputed world-champion in two weight classes and he eliminated any doubt about who is better at welterweight between Errol Spence Jr. and himself. Crawford is a throwback fighter who is a chip off the Marvin Hagler block of workmanship and aggression. He is a sniper that understands the fundamentals of boxing and how to outthink his opponents.
Had he fought more than once this year, he would undoubtedly have been the top boxer with another major win. However, you cannot forget that his fight against Spence was thought by many that it wouldn’t happen, but he campaigned and got the bout and demolished “The Truth.”
Since 2020, Deontay Wilder has fought only once a year and, in that time, amassed a disappointing 1-3 record. He dropped two fights to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 and lost to Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia last weekend.
Many thought that his thunderous first-round knockout win over Robert Helenius in 2022 signaled the return of “The Bronze Bomber.” He already signed a two-fight deal to face Anthony Joshua, per multiple reports ahead of the Joseph Parker fight. But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and that is what Joesph Parker did, derail the Wilder rebound.
Wilder allowed the boxing world to question him after he blamed his losses to Fury on a disloyal former trainer and the heaviness of his ring walk costume. The man who used to inspire fear with his right hand looked tamed in the wake of Fury, a Parker training partner, and now looks to pick up the pieces yet again.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is happy for former teammate Udonis Haslem getting his jersey retired by the Miami Heat. But Shaq doesn’t like that the franchise retired the jersey numbers of legendary champions Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, because they didn’t play for the Heat or help build their championship culture. Is Shaq hating?
“I hate the fact that they hang up other people’s jerseys. I hope I’m not disrespecting anybody by this term,” Shaq said on the latest episode of his “The BIG Podcast.” “This thing is ours. This is what we built. Michael Jordan ain’t never play for the Heat. Bill Russell ain’t never play for the Heat. You did your own thing with your little Celtics family and Chicago family. But this Miami thing? I was one of the original championship families. … This is our thing. So, I don’t like that personally.”
As a franchise the Heat have retired the jerseys of former team players: Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Shaq. Haslem will be the seventh former Heat player to have his jersey retired.
The team also, as a sign of respect for the greatness and careers of Russell and Jordan, retired nos. 6 and 23.
First, there is no uniform standard that franchises share on which jerseys to retire. It’s up to an individual team and their ownership and management. They can honor whomever they choose and for whatever reason.
Shaq did win a title with the Heat, but only played three and a half seasons with the Heat. If the Heat didn’t retire his jersey, nobody would have seen it as some kind of travesty.
Just as the team’s decision to honor Russell and Jordan is a nice gesture, but not a travesty because they didn’t play for the team.
In the NHL, the No. 99 is retired league-wide for the legendary contributions of the GOAT Wayne Gretzky to the sport.
This is much ado about nothing.
Shaq is entitled to feel the way he feels, being a part of the team’s first-ever championship. But does anyone think of him as a Heat? Or is he more associated with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers?
In today’s era of player movement, it’s likely that more players could have their jerseys retired with multiple franchises.
2023 No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama is more than one-third of the way through his rookie season. The most talked-about and hyped prospect to enter the NBA since LeBron James has shown a lot of good things so far and areas that need improvement.
How is it going so far?
On a team that is 4-25, Wemby is averaging just over 18 points and 10.5 rebounds as a net positive player. That’s not an easy thing to do. It’s because of his defense.
At 7 feet 4 he is the ultimate rim protector and shot alterer and leads the league with three blocks per game. His wingspan allows him to deflect passes while remaining attached to his man and disrupt offensive flow. He also ends defensive possessions by securing the rebound. He is a +3.0 in defensive EPM, which places him in the 98th percentile.
He still needs more reps in the subtleties of the pick and roll, and that will come with time. He also needs to maintain his tall posture when switched onto smaller, quicker players so that scoring over him remains a challenge.
Offensively he is much more of a work in progress, but it’s a twofold situation.
He needs to develop into a better shooter. He is shooting 27 percent from three with nearly five attempts per game. He needs to be in the mid-30s and eventually high 30s in terms of percentage. As big as he is, he doesn’t draw enough fouls. Only four free throw attempts per game. The great scorers find easy ways to get buckets.
The Spurs don’t run many plays for him, intentionally. That is the other part of his offensive struggles. But that was always the plan. The organization wants to bring him along slowly. The more glaring issue is that he plays with very low basketball IQ players.
Jeremy Sochan is not an intuitive basketball player and he plays point guard. His inability to deliver entry passes and get the ball to Wemby in advantageous positions is a big part of the offensive struggle for the rookie.
Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are score-first players that often get tunnel vision.
When backup point guard Tre Jones is on the floor is usually the only time competent offense is run. He’s an organizer and connector.
The Spurs are a bad team and are not trying to win games. This season was about getting Wemby acclimated to the NBA, living in America and potentially figuring out who the Spurs want on this roster long term with the French phenom.
Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren is the runaway winner for Rookie of the Year currently. He shoots better than Wemby and plays on the No. 2 team in the Western Conference with an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
If you switch Wemby and Holmgren, Wemby’s offensive numbers would look much better. Not as good as Holmgren’s because he doesn’t shoot as well, but better because of the competence alone. Holmgren’s numbers on the Spurs would be down and the team would still be near the bottom of the standings because they are not competent.
Overall, Wemby is a good rookie and will be All-Rookie first team at the end of the season. He has shown flashes and has a lot of room for improvement.
During the broadcast of the Alamo Bowl between the Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona Wildcats, OU legend Brian Bosworth was asked his thoughts on NIL deals.
Bosworth expressed his dislike that a few players on the team could earn the majority of the deals and wanted a more equitable distribution. Then he alleged that “dark money” will be entering the NIL landscape next season. What is he talking about?
“There’s whispers of dark money coming in after the season’s over with,” said Bosworth. “Moms and dads getting phone calls and uncles and aunts getting calls. That’s got to stop. We got to get that under control.”
For those unfamiliar, “dark money” is a term that refers to spending to influence elections, public policy, and political discourse, where the source of the money is not made public. In common vernacular its often used synonymously with “dirty money” which is money derived from criminal and illegal activities.
But what is Bosworth talking about?
In an NIL deal the source of the money must be disclosed. If a player enters into a partnership with a local car dealership, or heating and refrigeration company, those companies are the sources of the money. So it wouldn’t be “dark.” It would be very public. Colleges and universities have offices that track these sorts of things as well.
Is it possible Bosworth meant “dirty money”?
That would be a serious allegation but one that wouldn’t be new in big time college athletics.
Before NIL deals, if boosters supplied athletes with cash there would be no way of knowing exactly where that money was generated from. It’s possible the money could be “dirty.”
Bosworth then went on to talk about moms, dads, aunts and uncles receiving phone calls. This is a tale as old as time.
Agents, boosters, “friends” of a program since time immemorial have reached out to the families of athletes with the hopes that they could influence said athlete to attend a specific school.
Is this the “dark money” he’s referring to?
Money changes hands all the time behind the scenes in a multibillion dollar enterprise like college football. Is it possible that some of that money has been generated through illegal activity? Absolutely.
But the connection to NIL is not clear and Bosworth doesn’t make it clear. He just references “whispers.”
He sounds like someone that is out of touch with the current landscape of NIL deals in college athletics and just wanted to say something provocative. Or just hating because he would have definitely gone to the highest bidder in his heyday.
Mission accomplished.
On Wednesday Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that the team was benching starting quarterback Russell Wilson for the remainder of the season.
Payton tried to convince everyone that the move to sit the future Hall of Famer was performance-based, while also mentioning that there were some economic issues that played a part as well.
But he ultimately wanted us to believe that he made the move to provide the team with an “offensive spark.”
The lies you tell. Sean Payton knows this was all about Wilson’s $37 million injury kicker that is fully guaranteed for 2025 if he’s injured and can’t pass a physical in March 2024. Wilson is scheduled to rake in $39 million for the 2024 season, and by benching him the Broncos are sending a message that they intend to pay him his bread and move on at season’s end.
After days of hearing rumors swirl about the Broncos threatening to sit Wilson if he didn’t agree to change his contract, the 13-year veteran and future Hall of Famer told reporters on Friday that it was definitely true.
“They came up to me during the bye week and the beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, they told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched for the rest of the season,” Wilson said.
“I was definitely disappointed about it,” Wilson said. “It was a process for the whole bye week. We had just come off beating the Chiefs, I was excited for us fighting for the playoffs and getting on a hot streak. The NFLPA and NFL got involved or whatever at some point.”
Wilson wasn’t done as the quarterback admitted that the team coming to him was something that surprised him.
“It definitely hurt. It was a low blow for a bit,” Wilson said of the team asking him to do such a thing. “At the end of the day, I just wanna keep my head down and try to do what I can do each play, each game, each moment.”
Classless Move By Denver Broncos Organization
It’s a business for sure, but you’d think a player of Wilson’s stature and accomplishments in the league wouldn’t be subjected to something like this. And for Payton to stand up there and twist the truth into a pretzel says a lot about his character as a head coach.
It’s a lot like what the Raiders did to New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr last season, and just like the Broncos, they also used Jarrett Stidham as the replacement.
Wilson Still Hopes To Stay In Denver?
On Friday, Payton told reporters that while the decision wasn’t easy, he’s only focused on winning the next game. That should tell you everything you need to know about how the situation was handled.
As for Wilson, he knows he could be released at season’s end, but being the consummate pro that he is, that’s not going to stop him from helping Stidham prepare and holding out hope that things in Denver could somehow be rectified.
Don’t hold your breath, Russ, Payton doesn’t want you.
The Detroit Pistons blew a 21-point lead to the Boston Celtics and tied the Philadelphia 76ers for the longest overall losing streak in NBA history with 28 consecutive losses. The Pistons can set a new record for inefficacy on Saturday when they play the Toronto Raptors. Who will be the team the Pistons beat to finally end their horrendous streak?
The Pistons next three games are against the Raptors on Saturday, at the Houston Rockets, and at the Utah Jazz.
It is likely that the Pistons’ losing streak ends sometime over these next three games. Mainly because it’s really hard to lose 31 straight. Despite their record the Pistons are professional basketball players, and there are other bad teams in the league.
The Raptors are 12-18 and seemingly on the verge of trading away Pascal Siakam and/or OG Anunoby. But they are a good defensive team, ranked 14th in aDRTG.
The Pistons struggle on both ends of the floor, as their 2-29 record suggests. But they are really bad offensively, 29th in the league. When it’s difficult to score, a team tends to lack the energy and connectedness needed on the defensive end of the floor.
The Rockets are 15-14 and boast the league’s sixth-best defense. Head coach Ime Udoka has brought a level of accountability and defensive focus that suggests the Pistons are not a team they will lose to.
That brings us to the Jazz. They have the league’s 26th-ranked defense, and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge is not trying to win games right now. He seems to be in the draft capital-acquiring business, and the rumors are swirling that All-Star Lauri Markkanen is on the trade block.
The game against the Jazz is the exact type of game that you can see the Pistons winning. They know they are not a good basketball team, but they desperately want a win to feel good about themselves. A team like the Jazz, who may or may not be tanking and who plays terrible defense, is an opportunity for a win.
“I just told them that it takes a lot of character and integrity to do what they’re doing,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said after Thursday’s loss. “I’ve been in the league for a while, and I’ve seen teams give into circumstances that are less than what we’re dealing with. That was admirable. Obviously, we had a tough third quarter, and the ability to fight back and have it even in the fourth was tremendous.
“I hurt for them. We feel like we’re just getting so close to not just winning one game but winning a lot of games if we play that way.”
Williams might be overstating how “close” the team is to winning a lot of games. This team just needs to win one, and they need to break it down to its simplest components. Start by winning possessions one at a time, one quarter at a time, and eventually win one game.
As the Alabama Crimson Tide prepares to face the Michigan Wolverines in the Collehge Football Playoffs, all eyes will be on Crimson Tide first-year starting quarterback Jalen Milroe.
The Katy, Texas, redshirt sophomore overcame a slow start to the season to lead the Tide to the College Football Playoff. He’s done it with both his arm and legs, showing that dynamic dual-threat ability that made him a highly-touted four-star recruit.
Coming into the season there was no doubt Milroe could run and use his legs, but it’s been his passing that’s elevated the Alabama offense. In 13 games this season he’s passed for over 2,700 yards and 23 touchdowns, against six interceptions, plus another 468 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. On deep passes (over 25 yards) he’s got 16 touchdowns and just one interception.
That’s the best ratio in all of college football. Because of Milroe’s play the Tide are in position to win head coach Nick Saban his seventh national title in Tuscaloosa.
Jim Harbaugh Gives Milroe Backhanded Compliment
Known for putting his foot in his mouth at times, Harbaugh seemingly took a shot at Milroe during his first Rose Bowl media session, comparing the Bama star to Michigan’s backup quarterback.
“He’s like a real polished Alex Orji. The athletic skill set, the playmaking ability, just the ability to extend plays — make plays — is really … the volume of the work and how it’s progressed is really impressive.”
To compare Milroe to a Michigan quarterback that has a grand total of zero passing touchdowns and just 69 rushing yards in his Michigan career is wild. It’s also Harbaugh’s way of taking a subtle shot at the Alabama signal caller, even if it was an attempted compliment.
Harbaugh made that much harder than it had to be by comparing Milroe, a rising star, to a guy who doesn’t see the field beyond practice scout team.
Bulletin Board Material?
Harbaugh’s comments were disrespectful and could be viewed as bulletin board material for the Crimson Tide. While they’re usually not a team that feeds off of that, this is sure to raise a few eyebrows on the Alabama side. That could spell trouble for a Wolverines defense that will have its hands full with Milroe and the now explosive Crimson Tide offense.
Nick Saban is 26-5 when given at least 26 days to prepare for a bowl game. That’s an 83 percent winning percentage.
With a 37-20 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night, the Cleveland Browns clinched a playoff berth for just the third time since their franchise rejoined the NFL in 1999.
Even more remarkable is two of those three postseason appearances have come in the past four seasons under head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Adding another layer of drama to that improbable mark is the fact that the Browns are being led by Joe Flacco, a 38-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, who prior to joining the Browns couldn’t even get a workout for a team.
Flacco has been a lifesaver for the Browns, who lost starter Deshaun Watson for the season to a broken shoulder following a huge AFC North division road win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Sitting at 7-5 and teetering in the AFC playoff race, Browns brass reached out to Flacco, who’s led the team to four consecutive wins and a playoff berth.
Stefanski told reporters in his postgame interview, that the accomplishment was a “Pretty special night for this organization. Pretty special night for the fans out there. They were ready to roll from the jump. They were huge tonight,” the leading candidate for NFL Coach of the Year, said. “Huge all season. So appreciate that from our crowd. With us through it all.”
In qualifying for the postseason the Browns became the first team in NFL history to do so while using four different starting quarterbacks. We’ve seen a backup win a Super Bowl, as the Giants’ Jeff Hostetler did in 1990, and even more recently when Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. The unheralded backup won MVP honors.
But to have four different guys start under center in a single season and still have 11 wins and a playoff berth is a real credit to Stefanksi and his leadership in the midst of adversity.
The 2020 NFL Coach of the Year, who’s got a real shot at a second award, has shown some real stones with some of his decisions this season, none bigger than turning the keys of the offense over to Flacco.
Stefanski Turning Browns Into Consistent Contenders
Not only has Stefanski turned a one dormant franchise into a Super Bowl contender, but he’s also given the fans in Cleveland the most hope they’ve had since the late Marty Schottenheimer and Bernie Kosar were losing heartbreak playoff games from 1985-88.
That’s when the team made four consecutive playoff appearances and came literally one drive away from Super Bowl appearances in 1986 and 1988, each time losing to the Broncos on infamous plays known as “The Drive” and “The Fumble,” plays that cemented Denver Broncos legend John Elway as one of the most clutch performers of his era.
Not since then has this franchise looked anything like a real Super Sunday contender. That is until now, with Stefanski leading a good offense and first-year defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leading the top defensive unit in the league.
Brooklyn Nets’ forward Mikal Bridges says Chipotle is one of the 10 things he can’t live without in a video interview with “GQ Sports.” Bridges said he’s had the food from the Mexican grill every day for the last 10 years. But what about the 2024 All-Star Game? Could he live with not making the Eastern Conference All-Stars?
“Chipotle, I eat this every day,” said Bridges. “Still been on it heavy to this day. I have friends and family that [tease] me a little bit. It’s too fire to not have every single time, so it don’t disappoint.”
According to Front Office Sports, Bridges has eaten over $50,000 worth of Chipotle if he has had it every day for the past 10 years. That’s a lot of cash on one type of food, but Bridges is a multimillionaire, so no big deal.
Reminds us of former NFL player Chad Johnson’s obsession with McDonald’s. Though Chipotle’s marketing team would tell you there food is much healthier.
“White rice, double chicken, medium and mild salsa, no beans, corn and lettuce. I used to get the hot salsa,” Bridges said. “But I don’t know if y’all know, that hot salsa I don’t know what they did to it these past couple years, but I just take one bite and I just be like chugging water. It still ain’t helping. It just be painful eating a bowl. I felt soft because I love spicy food, and I’m just like, bruh, I’ve been eating this hot sauce for all these years. Rest in peace to the hot sauce.”
Meanwhile on the floor the Nets are 15-16 and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Bridges is averaging 21 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on 46/36/83 shooting splits. He’s +1.7 in EPM which places him in the 83rd percentile.
A solid season, but likely not All-Star worthy.
The 12-man All-Star rosters are made up of five starters and seven reserves. The three front court starters in the East are probably Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jayson Tatum.
Let’s say they choose four more frontcourt players out of the seven reserves. That’s four spots for Kristaps Porzingis, Scottie Barnes, Khris Middleton, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam, and Bridges.
You see the problem.
Bridges has had a good year so far but not quite All-Star level. He would’ve needed to produce like he did when he was just traded to Brooklyn from Phoenix and was averaging 26 points per game on 47/37/89 shooting splits and was a +2.2 in EPM.
There are levels in this league, and the jump from above-average starter to All-Star is a big one.
In wake of the San Francisco 49ers’ 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens the talk following the game was all about Niners quarterback Brock Purdy and his four interceptions.
Media pundits everywhere questioned whether is Purdy capable of leading the Niners to the Super Bowl. His play also brought into question former NFL MVP Cam Newton’s comments that he’s just a game manager and not a game changer.
Newton’s comments pertaining to Purdy seem to rub Niners star Deebo Samuel the wrong way. Following Monday’s loss Samuel went into full defense mode of his quarterback, so much to the point he called out Cam Newton for speaking in that manner about his signal-caller.
During an appearance on “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams on Wednesday, Samuel had some words for Newton.
“First of all Cam Newton, stop texting my phone, bro. You was a fan Iike two weeks ago,” he told Kay Adams. “That’s mad crazy. You wanted me on your podcast after talking about my quarterback, which is funny to me.”
Sounds like Newton has been texting Deebo since he made those comments, or has he?
Newton Says He Doesn’t Have Samuel’s Number
In response to Deebo’s claim, Newton took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to tell Samuel he’s never reached out to him.
“Whoever calling you, that ain’t my phone calling you,” Newton said.
So who was texting Samuel acting like they were Newton?
It seems as if Samuel was catfished by some children who were in the mood to play a prank on the talented do-it-all playmaker for the Niners.
A user posted a screenshot from Snapchat that said, “My friend’s pledge brother knows a guy from South Carolina who was older and had Debo’s number from when he was there. And he texted Deebo pretending to be Cam Newton.”
What’s Next For Deebo And Cam ?
When Deebo realized he was catfished, he deleted the exchange. Now he can get focused on helping the Niners return to their winning ways against the hapless Washington Commanders.
As for Cam, he’ll be waiting for the next opportunity to further prove his point about Purdy and others as we inch closer to the postseason.
Hopefully the two can make amends and maybe we’ll see Samuel pay a visit to Newton’s “4th and 1” podcast.
Sports fans don’t always have a horse in the race when it comes to competition. Sometimes fans root for a specific player or a team other than their usual favorite. Or they can root based on a certain narrative.
The same theory applies to hip-hop, where during rap beefs fans don’t necessarily have to pick a side, but rather enjoy the hard-hitting and creative punchlines and verbal images that both sides produce.
But if you’re Atlanta-born tennis star Christian Eubanks, you’ve got to pick a side between two Atlanta legends in the rap game.
The 27-year-old went on “Black Spin Global: The Podcast” to discuss how he feels about rap and his favorite rappers, and when the question of his ranking between Young Thug and Gunna came about, he had to remain loyal to the Atlanta roots and go with the person who arguably birthed a new generation of rappers, including Gunna.
“Man, that’s tough.” Eubanks said. “If I say, like more, I mean the thing is, Thug is like, he’s like gold in Atlanta. Like, if I say Gunna, people gonna kill me. So, I just say Thug just to keep stay safe walking around. Because, uh, you know, saying anything bad about Thug in Atlanta is problems.”
Considering Eubanks is a rising star in the tennis world, and one of the many people to come out of the city of Atlanta to rise to stardom, he doesn’t want to get on the bad side of someone as influential as Young Thug. And doesn’t want to lose fans by saying anything that might belittle Young Thug while he is still very much in the public eye, albeit from a prison cell or courtroom.
Now anyone who has been paying attention to hip-hop knows why that question and answer by Eubanks is very controversial.
Young Thug was notoriously arrested back in May 2022 on Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges because authorities suspected his music label YSL was a front for a crime syndicate and gang.
His former prodigy and “fellow” Atlanta rapper Gunna had gotten arrested as a part of this RICO case, and accepted a plea deal, testified that YSL was a criminal organization, which allowed him to be released from jail. Meanwhile, Young Thug is still incarcerated.
Following Gunna’s plea deal, many artists from Lil Durk, to Lil Baby labeled Gunna as a snitch, accusing Gunna of telling authorities crucial information to help bolster their case against Young Thug in exchange for his own freedom.
But many fans are divided on whether they support him or don’t like him anymore, and he receives mixed reviews from social media and fans for everything he does now.
But in Atlanta, Thug is still king, which is why Eubanks doesn’t want to go against the grain on this one.
Eubanks, who was a two-time ACC Player of the Year when he played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, is currently No.32 on the singles world rankings.
Two-time MVP and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic sat down with teammate Michael Porter Jr. for an episode of the latter’s podcast “Curious Mike.” During the conversation Jokic revealed what keeps him motivated despite the tremendous success, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that obsession is at the heart of it.
“The motivation becomes your lifestyle of being obsessed with the success,” Jokic said to Porter Jr. “I think winning is a lifestyle. You get obsessed with winning and that lifestyle.”
Honestly, did you expect anything different from a man who in just eight seasons is a five-time All-NBA, five-time All-Star, two-time MVP, Finals MVP and champion?
That is a nice stretch of dominance and you don’t get to the top of the best basketball league in the world without a level of obsession. This game and league is too hard.
What makes Jokic seem different to a casual fan is he doesn’t fit the archetype that has traditionally been at the top of the league, particularly off the court. He shuns the spotlight, would rather be back home in Serbia with his horses, doesn’t do a lot of interviews and isn’t a ubiquitous product pitchman.
While I have my issues with athlete-driven media, this format is exactly the type of media that would allow Jokic to open up and reveal what makes him tick. He is a team-first guy and sitting down with Porter Jr. is easy and relaxing. His guard isn’t up and athlete to athlete there is a special language.
The interview revealed that Jokic has the same mindset as many of the all-time greats. It’s all about the work and preparation and you have to love the process in order to experience consistent greatness.
“My game starts (the night before the game) and ends after I stretch or after we are lifting together after,” Jokic continued. “My game doesn’t end when there are zeroes on the clock.”
Jokic is also starting to accept the larger responsibility he has as being the best player in the game with being an ambassador and more visible. The recent Hotels.com commercial spot he did with teammate Peyton Watson is an example of this and it combines elements that allow him to be comfortable. Working with his teammates and horses.
The Denver Nuggets’ big man is never going to be a LeBron James type pitchman, it’s not his comfort zone and fame is still the part about being in the NBA he likes the least. But he has a burning hunger to maintain a winning lifestyle. That makes him similar to LeBron and all the other NBA greats.
Heartwarming stories of athletes overcoming physical and mental challenges in their lives will never get old in sports.
We’ve already seen countless stories of players overcoming disabilities, defects, and scathing injuries in their careers, but Ty Kelley’s story is one of the more inspirational journeys that you’ll find as we move into 2024.
Kelley, 17, was born with just seven fingers, but that hasn’t stopped this talented athlete from excelling in high school football as the star quarterback for Bourne High School in Bourne, Massachusetts.
He’s not only a dynamic two-way player terrorizing defenses at quarterback, but he’s also a nightmare on defense as a safety as well.
As a quarterback, Kelley rushed for 11 touchdowns while tossing 7 touchdowns. As a safety he picked off the opposing quarterbacks multiple times, coming away with 6 interceptions. Kelley also served as the team’s punter and kicker, while returning kicks as well.
It makes sense that a member of the National Honors Society, who excels in the classroom can intelligently read and pick apart a defense and then know exactly how an offense operates when he’s on the other side of the ball.
Kelley’s excellence on the field however, was rewarded with the Otto Graham award. This award is given to the most outstanding senior in the area of South Coast Massachusetts. On top of the prestigious Otto Graham Award, Kelley also led Bourne Canalmen to the playoffs.
“It’s a great honor,” Kelley said. “I never thought that would happen. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m grateful for it.” according to South Coast Today.
But Kelley’s journey only makes his accomplishments even sweeter when you look at the adversity that he had to go through to be successful so far.
Kelley was born with a condition known as symbrachydactyly. He was born with only a thumb and one other finger on his right hand, and while at first his mother was worried that he would have tremendous amounts of adversity and pressure to overcome, that fear quickly disappeared once he began to star in plenty of sports.
“I’m not sure if I was a righty when I was born, but I definitely could have been. So I had to learn how to do everything lefty,” Kelley said. “Everything to the right side is a little bit more difficult, I would say, but you really don’t notice it because I’m so used to it.”
Besides football, he also took a liking to baseball and hockey.
WCVB 5 quoted Tammy Kelley, Ty’s mother as saying, “There really isn’t anything he can’t do because if it’s hard for him, he’ll work at it,”.
There are plenty of athletes with conditions and disabilities that still exceed expectations in sports, and another example is Austin Peay State University’s Hansel Emmanuel, who is a basketball star with just one arm that is playing competitively on the collegiate level.
Kelley looks to do something similar as he has collegiate football aspirations with offers already on the table from Framingham State University and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Allen Iverson holds a unique place in the sport of basketball. Known for his indestructible spirit, distinctive style, and phenomenal skills, Iverson left an indelible mark on the NBA and the sport at large. However, in retirement, Iverson would like more of a role for the organization that gave him the platform to become “The Answer.”
But is that how Philly feels?
“My role there is nowhere near where I think it should be,” Iverson said on “Headliners with Rachel Nichols.” “I love Philadelphia so much and I love that organization for everything they did for me. They made me a household name.”
Iverson doesn’t necessarily have a vision for his role, but he is willing to be a Swiss Army knife for the team.
“Just anything I have as a basketball savant, just use me,” Iverson continued.
For Iverson, the Sixers are a lifetime deal, which he is used to based on his famous relationship with Reebok. In October of 2023, Reebok announced it was advancing its relationship with Iverson by naming him vice president of basketball. The president: Shaquille O’Neal.
Reebok has blazed the art of the long-term deal with Iverson. Iverson signed an endorsement contract in 2001 that was heavily loaded on the back vend. It was also the same year he led the Sixers to his only NBA Finals appearance and was also named the NBA’s MVP.
The future Hall of Famer had an exceptional two-year college career at Georgetown, setting the stage for his entry into the NBA.
Drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, Iverson immediately made an impact. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and soon became known for his aggressive playing style, lightning-quick crossovers, and scoring ability. Iverson, often the smallest player on the court, played with a fearlessness and tenacity that belied his size.
Iverson’s impact on the game was profound. He was instrumental in ushering in a new era of guard play. Prior to Iverson, the NBA was dominated by taller, bigger players. Iverson challenged this norm, proving that a smaller, quick guard could not only survive but thrive and dominate in the league. His crossover dribble, most famously used to score over Michael Jordan, became a staple in every aspiring player’s arsenal.
Off the court, Iverson was just as influential. He brought hip-hop culture into the mainstream of the NBA. With his cornrows, tattoos, and distinctive style, Iverson resonated with a younger generation of fans. He was unapologetically himself, and this authenticity endeared him to many while also drawing controversy in a league still grappling with its identity and image.
Iverson spent 12 seasons with the 76ers, earning eight All-Star nominations and is second all-time in franchise history in points and leads numerous other categories. Iverson’s career was not without its challenges. Although his attitude and style sometimes clashed with NBA management and media, he is the epitome of a Sixer and deserves a larger opportunity within the franchise.
Now two months into the NBA season, here’s how the NBA rookies stack up after about 30 games.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat
Jaquez Jr. has been a real find for the Heat who’ve been dealing with injuries to star Jimmy Butler and others. JJJ, the former four-year starter at UCLA has shown the maturity that team president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra crave. The Swiss Army knife small forward has done it in all phases of the game.
Thrust into the starting lineup on Christmas Day, for the aforementioned Butler, Jaquez Jr. went for a career-high 31 points and ten rebounds on 11 of 15 shooting and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line in a 119-113 win. Teammate Tyler Herro raved about the rookie following the win.
“What really stands out as a rookie is he’s able to come in here and do all the intangibles,” Herro.
This season Jaquez is averaging 13.7 points. 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Chet Holmgren, Thunder
It was another great week for the “Unicorn,” who’s currently the leader to take home Rookie of the Year honors. With Holmgren and star wing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the catalysts the Thunder are 5-1 in their last six games, and 20-9 overall which is second in the West.
Holmgren poured in 22 points five rebounds and four blocks in a 129-120 win over the Knicks on Wednesday. In his last six games he’s averaging 20.7 points on nearly 60 percent shooting and 8-of-20 from three (40 %).
Holmgren has also provided OKC with the rim protection they sorely lacked last season. The former Gonzaga standout currently ranks fourth in the league with 2.7 blocks per game. Holmgren’s season averages of 17.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game rank second for all rookies.
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
It was a solid week for the Frechman, and despite the Spurs having just four wins this season, he’s been a bright spot. Wemby continues to fill the stat sheet on both ends, as he’s the rookie leader in points (18.3), rebounds (10.6) and blocks (3.0) per game.
This past week there was a lot of talk about Wemby’s teammates ignoring him often on the offensive end, and while it looks to be true, it hasn’t seemed to bother the 19-year-old star, who just goes out and gives maximum effort on both ends.
Dereck Lively II, Mavericks
The twitchy former Duke standout has been a huge difference-maker for the new look Mavericks this season. The former No. 1-ranked high school recruit has shown an ability to protect the rim, run the floor and be the lob threat that players like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving need with their ability to get into the paint.
In a huge Christmas Day win over the Phoenix Suns, Lively went for 20 points and 10 rebounds, while going 8 of 9 from the field. Lively’s biggest effect is in the win-loss column, with the team 17-7 when he plays and 1-5 when he doesn’t.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic raved about Lively after the win over the Suns.
“He’s been playing like he has been in the league for 10 years already,” said the NBA’s early MVP Award leader.
Brandin Podziemski, Warriors
The Warriors have drafted well as of late, and Podziemski looks like the latest find. The talented floor general who’s also capable of playing off the ball has been the perfect complement to stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. With Draymond Green out (suspension) and the team wanting to limit the minutes for Chris Paul during the regular season, having Podziemski has been a godsend.
During Monday’s tough 120-114 Christmas Day loss to the Denver Nuggets, Podziemski made history, becoming the first rookie to have at least nine rebounds, six assists, five steals and three three-pointers in a game.
He’s been a pleasant surprise and someone Steve Kerr and the Warriors vets already trust.
Children are still being robbed of their youth and their chance to do things that they love, because in many parts of the country they still have to work well before they become adults. Yes in 2024, children still work in mills and risk catastrophic injury.
Some of the kids that you find working instead of engaging in age-appropriate activities could be promising athletes or possibly develop a passion for sports if given the chance. But because of the demanding life that they live as minor workers, they don’t have the opportunity to indulge in these activities or nurture certain relationships.
This was the case for 16-year-old Michael Schuls, who died from an injury he sustained while working at a Florence, Wisconsin, sawmill this summer. Schuls, who died two days after sustaining his workplace injury on June 29, was loved by many, and, by all accounts, was a hard-working boy who loved sports and played many.
According to CBS News, Schuls is just one of many minors who had to deal with horrible working conditions at jobs that failed to properly train them.
“This is a 21st-century problem in the United States — this isn’t a third-world country. In the United States, this is happening now. We have very young minors doing serious, hazardous jobs, using dangerous equipment,” a spokesperson for the Labor Department told CBS MoneyWatch.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 57 children 15 years and younger died from injuries sustained at work between 2018 and 2022; 68 teens ages 16-17 died on the job during the same five-year period.
In Schuls’ case, he died of traumatic asphyxiation according to Florence County Sheriff’s Office reports obtained by The Associated Press. He was attempting to straighten out some wood that was hampering the conveyor belt but forgot to turn the safety button on before he got trapped in it. He was trapped for 17 minutes before a supervisor found him unconscious.
Florence Hardwoods ended up reaching an agreement to pay about $191,000 after the Labor Department looked into the child labor violations after Schuls’ death.
“There is no excuse for allowing underage workers to operate this type of machinery,” Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su said in a statement earlier this month after the Florence Hardwoods agreement was announced. “Federal child labor and safety regulations exist to prevent employers from putting children at risk.”
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) on Tuesday announced a nearly $1.4 million fine for Florence Hardwoods LLC, following the fatal incident as well, according to the Daily Reporter.
Schulz played basketball, football, soccer, and baseball according to his obituary. But because he was subjected to working without proper training, something he shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, Schuls will never be able to put his skills to use, nor will he ever be able to capitalize on his potential in sports, or in any other portion of life.
Hopefully with more child labor laws coming into place, and people fighting for better protection for kids in these jobs as the world becomes more expensive for families to survive on just one or two incomes, incidents like this don’t continue to plague our country and rob the youth of their childhoods.
There’s nothing wrong with teenagers developing work habits and learning about responsibility in preparation for their adult lives, but the companies have to do a better job of making sure children of a certain age are not operating potentially deadly machinery.
