When Detroit Lions third-year GM Brad Holmes took over in January 2021, the team’s owners, along with Holmes, went out and hired Dan Campbell to be the franchise’s head coach.
Next up was solidifying the quarterback position by trading franchise stalwart Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.
It’s a trade that’s worked for both parties, with Goff helping turn around the Lions franchise, and Stafford leading the Rams to a Super Bowl win in his first season in Tinseltown.
On Sunday, that turnaround reached a milestone 30 years in the making as for the first time since 1993 the Lions are division champions. It’s something that seemed unfathomable prior to the arrival of the Holmes, Campbell and Goff trio. But at 11-4, these Lions look like real contenders as we approach the postseason.
“It’s cool. It really is cool,” Goff said in the postgame presser. “Being able to really reflect on it, like, we did something that hadn’t been done by team after team for 30 years. This team did it and broke that streak, and we will guarantee a home playoff game. But, yeah, we’ve got some work to do next week and the following and see where we go.”
Goff, who’s played at an MVP level this season, passed for 257 yards and one touchdown in Sunday’s win. It’s been Goff’s consistent passing along with the running game of running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery behind that dominant offensive line that’s created the Lions identity, one that’s built on grit and toughness and will bode well for the Lions come the playoffs.
Wayne Fontes Elated
The last time the Lions won the division they were coached by Wayne Fontes and led by the dynamic Barry Sanders. Since then, they’ve made the playoffs just seven times, with no playoff wins.
On Sunday, Fontes shouted out Campbell for changing the culture.
“Thirty years is a long time ago,” Fontes added. “Dan Campbell deserves a good attaboy or way to or whatever because he’s done a great job. I really believe that.” Fontes told ESPN.
A big test awaits the Lions next week as they travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys in a huge NFC playoff positioning battle.
One transfer in particular that decided to come to Colorado might have ruined his chance at playing for Colorado before it even started.
Defensive lineman Chidozie Nwankwo transferred from the Houston Cougars to Colorado, and on Dec. 18 he went live to celebrate his transfer and speak to Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders while on live, and as he got up from his seat to walk around while speaking with Deion, viewers could see what looked like a gun and weed on the table behind him.
It also seems apparent that Nwankwo noticed it was visible which may’ve caused him to shift his head and camera position to hide those items on his table as the table is no longer visible for the rest of the video.
Some athletes are ready to throw away all the hard work they’ve put in to develop their careers for one bad decision. We’ve seen players on all levels of sports do it, from high school and college to professional.
But what hurts the most is watching a player possibly hurt his chances of success before he can even cash in on his hard work.
Deion Sanders is a very welcoming guy if you want to work hard and play hard. His coaching philosophy and charisma also make Colorado a very attractive destination for a lot of recruits and potential transfers, which is why business has been booming for him in the transfer portal.
He, nor Deion, nor any representative from Colorado has spoken on this yet, and it is likely that they’re trying to keep it from becoming a big deal. But in the current sports climate it will be hard for this to simply just be a minor issue.
We’ve seen athletes like Ja Morant, Gilbert Arenas, and plenty others get in trouble for activities involving weapons and drugs, and it is a bad look for any organization that gets behind a player who has been exposed with various items like that.
“Love the gun on the table. He’ll fit right in with the #culture there,” one viewer tweeted.
Even though fans are critical of that video, there are plenty of uncertainties, such as if that actually was a gun and weed, or if it was illegal where he was at, or if it was registered, etc.
Regardless of the incident, Sanders will have a baller amongst his ranks if he doesn’t get reprimanded.
Nwankwo tallied up 95 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and five sacks in 41 games in college. He joins a team that has ballers and is looking to bring in more talent through recruits and transfers.
The Cleveland Browns have been led all season by a dominant defense that’s led by edge rusher and DPOY Myles Garrett.
That defense was good enough to lead the team to 7-4. That was only going to last so long, and with star quarterback Deshaun Watson out for the season with a broken shoulder, head coach Kevin Stefanski had to find a QB that could make enough plays to keep opposing defenses honest.
Enter 38-year-old former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, who has been a godsend for a Browns team that looked dead in the water at the QB position once Watson was lost for the season.
The former Delaware Blue Hens standout has gone 3-1 in four starts and seemingly unlocked the Browns’ downfield passing game and star receiver Amari Cooper, who went for a career-high 11 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s huge 36-22 road win over the Houston Texans.
That win makes Thursday’s home game against the hapless New York Jets an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth for the Browns.
Flacco Saves Browns Season
When Browns GM Andrew Berry made the call to Flacco’s agent late last month, it looked like a move of desperation. Flacco’s play has completely shattered any thoughts that it was a move of desperation. In fact, he’s been so good, the team wouldn’t mind having him back next season as Watson’s backup.
Following Sunday’s win, Flacco told reporters:
“Every week I come up here, and then I get on the phone afterward with my family and it’s, Man that was a big win. Every week seems to be like, Man, we needed that.”
“We’re playing well and we’re getting ’em,” Flacco added. “That’s December football, and January and February. They’re all must wins. They all have a ton of importance. Our guys have done a great job so far the last few weeks of keeping that mindset.”
Throughout his career, Flacco’s strengths were always his size (6 feet 6 and 240 pounds), elite arm strength, and his ability in the play action game. Those three things make Flacco a seamless fit for Stefanski’s offense, which is predicated on a strong running game and the QBs ability to make big plays in the passing game off of play action, which is what Flacco, and the aforementioned Cooper did on Sunday.
That formula, along with a defense that’s been great all season suddenly makes the Browns Super Bowl contenders, and a team capable of winning anywhere in the AFC come playoff time.
All that’s been made possible by a 38-year-old who was out of football until late November, and now has the city of “Believeland” thinking this may be their year.
The NBA has “owned” Christmas Day since 1947. The league’s best teams and biggest stars take center stage in a day that has become very important economically.
But the NFL threatens to take over Christmas as it continues to expand its broadcast windows and the NBA needs to be as bold as ever with its innovations.
This year multiple NBA MVPs and champions will take to the court on Christmas Day as it is the biggest ratings day for the league outside of the NBA Finals. Because of all the eyeballs it’s a big part of the league’s media rights deal with the networks as advertisers want to get their products in front of a captive audience.
But the NFL will be broadcasting three games on Christmas, and they will be head-to-head with the NBA’s best matchups.
The New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles will be up against the Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, and the Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers will be up against the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat.
The NFL has traditionally stayed away from Christmas, so long as it didn’t fall on one of their broadcast windows. That used to be just Sunday and Monday. But the league airs games on Thursday and Saturday too. The latter later in the season, which is when Christmas falls.
So the only days of the week the NBA is free to have Christmas to themselves are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. That doesn’t bode well for the NBA.
Last year the NFL averaged 22.9 million viewers across its three Christmas games, dwarfing the NBA’s 4.27 million average viewers. That trend won’t change this year. Why wouldn’t the NFL eventually take Christmas over?
The NFL has all of the inherent advantages: scarcity, the fantasy/gambling element, violence, and its superstars (QBs) don’t change teams often.
But the NBA has advantages too. Its stars are far more popular, recognizable, and marketable. The social media appetite for the NBA outweighs the NFL.
It’s why the NBA needs to continue to innovate and be even bolder with its ideas. The In-Season Tournament was a start, but they need to be bolder.
Adding a four-point line would be interesting, testing the limits and imagination of coaches and players alike. Elam endings in certain designated games, where teams push to a targeted score. Shortening the NBA regular season and expanding the IST to a true world-format like association football’s Champion’s League or FIFA Club World Cup.
Make the game more unpredictable. Data has shown us that single-elimination formats drive viewership. The audience grows when the unpredictable happens. The NBA’s lengthy regular season where half the teams make the playoffs, and best-of-seven four-round playoff system almost always ensures that the best team wins. That’s not a compelling television product.
If you want to get into the nitty0gritty, eliminate the draft but maintain a salary floor and cap. Allow incoming players to negotiate with whatever team they want and if that team can pay, great. If not? Better luck next time.
Contrarians will say, “what about the money?” Some of the smartest people work in sports and sports business. Sell more jersey sponsorships, license player exclusive content for a fee, make the tournament a separate part of any media rights deal and charge a premium. This can be figured out.
All of this will sound extreme to “purists” and old heads. But the world and its sports are changing. If the NBA wants to continue to generate the revenue it does, clinging onto this old model won’t work.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is in the process of negotiating the league’s next media rights deal and he wants to bump the league’s revenue to $75 million. That deal will get done, maybe not to the exact amount he and the 30 governors wants, but close.
But it’s the next deal that should be concerning all interested parties. As the cable television model continues to collapse and streamers consolidate and realize it’s cost-prohibitive to get into sports rights at these exorbitant fees, something will have to give. Particularly if the sport can generate high ratings.
A regular season NFL game has an eight-year average of 17.2 million viewers. The 2022 NBA Finals featuring the Golden State Warriors and superstar Stephen Curry versus the Boston Celtics, a historic franchise, averaged 14.4 million viewers per game over the six-game championship series.
It’s not a direct comparison, as basketball has a best-of-seven format and any single NFL game carries a lot of meaning. But those types of numbers can’t sustain if the NBA is looking to grow revenue and doesn’t want Christmas Day taken away.
Dec. 25 marks the Christmas celebration for all who observe. Often a time for food, drink and merriment. It is also a big day for the NBA, as the games played on this day receive more eyeballs than all the other regular season games.
For casuals, and those primarily focused on football, it marks the start of the season. Truth is by Christmas we are already one-third of the way through the season.
Nevertheless, the NBA has five marquee matchups scheduled featuring players that have won 8 of the last 10 MVP awards, and teams that have won the last four NBA titles.
How should you decide which games to watch amid all the holiday festivities? Have no fear. We’ve ranked the games in order of watchability to help you. We will be locked in on all five games because we’re sickos. But we know everyone isn’t like us.
The NBA’s oldest rivalry and the two franchises with the most NBA titles. A combined 35. This game is also a possible NBA Finals preview.
The Celtics have the league’s best record are No. 1 in aNET rating, No. 1 in aORTG, and No. 2 in aDRTG. They feature a pair of devastating All-NBA two-way wings in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Arguably the best defensive backcourt in Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, who are pretty good on offense too. And an impossible matchup with 7-foot-3 center Kristaps Porzingis. It is the best starting five in the league this season.
The Lakers are the reigning In Season Tournament champions with the ninth ranked defense in the league. Anthony Davis is a top-10 player and a DPOY candidate. And then there is LeBron James …
At 38 years old, he’ll be 39 on Dec. 30, he is redefining what an athlete can do in the end stage of his career. He is fifth in EPM and an MVP candidate.
Nobody has ever played this well this late in their career. EVER. He is still capable of being the best player on the floor in any game or series that he’s in. We saw him dialed up for the IST and there is no doubt he’ll do the same for the Lakers on Christmas.
A matchup of the last two NBA champions.
The Warriors are showing sings of life, winners of five straight heading into Christmas. Draymond Green is suspended indefinitely and it has forced head coach Steve Kerr to play his young guys, purely out of necessity, and they are showing positive signs.
Stephen Curry is still playing MVP level basketball and is still may be the game’s greatest showman. Klay Thompson has found his shot over the last several games, let’s see if it can continue.
The defending champion Nuggets look a little bored with the regular season and have had to play without Jamal Murray for a stretch due to injury. Despite all that they are third in the West, third in aNET rating, third in aORTG, and 11th in aDRTG and that’s because of their constant in Nikola Jokic.
The reigning Finals MVP also looks a bit bored and is still No. 1 in offensive EPM (third in overall EPM), he makes the routine look sublime and he and Murray are a lethal one-two punch.
If the season ended today, this would be a first-round playoff matchup. The regular-season East juggernaut over the past few seasons in Philadelphia versus the Heat who have been to the conference championship three of the last four seasons, winning twice.
The 76ers look like world beaters right now. Reigning MVP Joel Embiid looks like he’s going to win his second straight the way he’s playing. Dominant on both ends of the floor. Then there is Tyrese Maxey who should be the starting guard for the East next to Tyrese Haliburton in February’s All-Star game. The Sixers are second in aNET rating, second in aORTG, and fourth in aDRTG.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is undefeated on Christmas Day, a perfect 8-0. By now everyone knows it’s foolish to bet against him and the Heat because they seemingly always find a way.
As is usually the case, the Heat are just OK in all relevant metrics. Middle of the pack. 15th in aNET rating, 16th in aORTG, and 14th in aDRTG. By the end of the season they’ll likely be better in all. They still have Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, as potent a combination as any in the league. Duncan Robinson has improved and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. is showing signs that he can be the perfect Heat player.
This is the fourth time these teams have played each other already this year and they still have another in April. The IST had these teams in the same group, and they played each other in the quarterfinals.
Despite all the talk of Jalen Brunson being “too small” that has dominated talking head shows and NBA Twitter, the Knicks have the ninth best offense and 13th best defense in the league. This team knows how to grind and win possessions.
Related: Jalen Brunson Is Best Knicks PG Since Mark Jackson (theshadowleague.com)
The Bucks have found their groove offensively with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. They have size all over the floor and are tough team to deal with because of their physicality.
It’s a travesty to have this game ranked last. The only reason it’s here is because it tips at 10:30 pm EST. Even the most sick of the sickos will be running on fumes by the time this game starts. But in terms of star power Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic and Devin Booker don’t take back seats to anyone.
For the Mavericks it has been the Luka show. A one-man homage to heliocentric play that would make peak James Harden blush.
Luka is doing it all for this team that is without Kyrie Irving due to injury. Still, his unstoppable offensive game is a sight to behold and he’s an MVP candidate.
Things have not been going well in Phoenix as the big three of Durant, Booker, and Bradley Beal haven’t played 30 minutes together yet this season. But it’s more than that.
The complementary pieces around Durant and Booker have not played up to their potential, with the exceptions of Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon. That will need to change if this team is to be a threat in the playoffs.
All that being said, there is history between these two teams that goes back to the 2022 playoffs. Booker and Doncic have had some battles and the competitiveness will be on tilt in this one.
Like it or not, Taylor Swift is part of the NFL 2023 season narrative and that of the Kansas City Chiefs. Now that she is a fixture in Travis Kelce’s life and in the team VIP box, one teammate, rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice, revealed his time around the pop superstar during a teammate outing and one of the things he would never attempt with Swift.
“I’ve seen her, but I didn’t go up to her like, ‘Can I get a picture’ or nothing like that,” the 23-year-old rookie said on the “Airing It Out” podcast with former NFL wideout TJ Houshmandzadeh. “Because, you know, those guys like Trav and Pat [Mahomes], they invite us out because they know that we are the only guys that see them every day and see them as who they really are and not ‘Bro, you’re a superstar football player.'”
Since Taylor’s insert into the Chiefs conversation, the polarization of their relationship and the coverage of the singer watching games live, there have been many takes from the NFL. Beyond NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s elation at the business and attention it has brought the league, Kelce bestie Patrick Mahomes recently said that he considers Taylor as part of the team.
Now Rashee Rice takes the awkwardness out of the conversation, reminding people that they are humans at the end of the day.
“No, it’s just Pat. It’s just Trav. And I wouldn’t go up to another dude’s girl and be like, ‘I get a picture with you?’ Rice continued. “If my girl was out I’d be like, ‘Can we get a picture with the girls together,’ but I’ve got nothing to do with that.”
Rice, like Goodell, also knows that Taylor is good business for any organization, especially a professional football franchise. The name of the game is attention and with the playoffs and Super Bowl in the near future, Swift is keeping the Chiefs in the newscycle.
“I’m happy for Trav and she is real good with support for the team,” Rice said. “She has brought a lot more fans to the team too.”
When Wednesday’s early signing day ended the Colorado Buffaloes had signed 21 players, including 16 transfers, giving them the top-ranked transfer class for the second consecutive year. The other five were high school recruits, but none were Jordan Seaton, the top-ranked offensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class.
Seaton, the former IMG Academy standout by way of St.John’s College High School n Washington, D.C., was not one of those signees, as he mentioned on Tuesday night that he was having second thoughts about signing to play in Boulder.
It was obvious that Coach Prime knew what was going on as his confidence in Seaton signing never wavered, and on Friday the Pro Football Hall of Famer and the Buffaloes got their prized recruit. Seaton is expected to lead an offensive that will be looking to protect Coach Prime’s son and Buffaloes starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was sacked 52 times in 2023, the most in college football.
Coach Prime Raves About Prized Signee
Seaton, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound tackle who excels in pass-blocking, announced his commitment to Colorado on Dec. 8 while appearing on FS1s “Undisputed.” Then he mentioned for him it was important to play for someone who looks like him. Now signed, sealed and finally delivered after a couple days of angst amongst the CU Buffs faithful, the fleet-footed offensive lineman is ready to get to work, and his coach is ready for him to do so.
During a recent appearance on the “Stephen A. Smith Show,” Coach Prime sang the praises of Seaton to the popular ESPN “First Take” host.
“I call him Big Time. That’s his new nickname, he Big Time,” Sanders said. “He knows how to articulate himself, he knows what he wants, but he’s willing to work to go get it. This kid is a pro mentally and physically, right now.
“He just has to put it on grass, because I love everything about this kid and who he’s going to become. I promise you this kid is going to be a first-rounder, if not a top-five pick.”
Seaton is the 13th-ranked player in the country, according to 247sports.com.
Shedeur Excited To Have Seaton Protect Him
The happiest person on campus about Seaton officially signing his letter of intent is the talented Shedeur, who, despite the beating he took, still finished with over 3,200 yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions. To get hit as much as he did and have only three picks shows he takes care of the football. That should only get better with the upgrade in talent on the offensive line added this recruiting cycle.
Prior to Seaton actually signing, Shedeur told his new blindside protector, “We could shine together.”
They’ll now have that opportunity, as Seaton decided he wants to be one of the main reasons Sanders has a shot at winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
Second-year Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has had a very tumultuous week. One which stems from him failing to block for a teammate, and then saying it was because he didn’t wanna risk injury. After a week of back and forth between him and the media, and even Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin telling Pickens to “shut his damn mouth,” the talented pass-catcher went out and showed why the Steelers have put up with his antics.
In a must-win game versus the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals, Pickens went for a career-high 195 yards and two touchdowns on just four receptions. It was the type of game the talented but mercurial wideout is capable of, and everybody in the Steelers organization knows such. Both of Pickens’ touchdowns — one an 86-yarder and the other a 66-yarder — made him just the second player this season with two touchdown receptions of 60 yards or more.
Pickens Seized His Opportunity
All season Pickens has been clamoring for more targets, and while he only had six on Saturday, he made good on four of them, averaging a whopping 48.8 yards per reception. In his postgame interview the former Georgia Bulldogs standout said, “I was just hoping he’d give me a chance. You never know where he’ll throw the ball, so I didn’t have a full idea. But anytime he throwing the ball, I’m going to try to make the best play.”
The “he” Pickens is speaking of is quarterback Mason Rudolph, who made his first start of the season, replacing the benched Mitchell Trubisky. Rudolph, the former Oklahoma State standout, gave the Steelers a huge lift at a position that’s been detrimental to their campaign of late.
Rudolph went 17 of 27 for 290 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. With starter Kenny Pickett expected back from injury next week, Rudolph and Pickens’ effort went a long way in keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
What Took So Long?
Watching Pickens make plays like he did Saturday has to make one wonder why the Steelers haven’t gotten him the ball more often weekly. While the quarterback play has been shoddy at best all season, it’s no excuse not to target Pickens at least five to seven times weekly. At 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds and huge catch radius, Pickens deserves opportunities weekly to have an impact on the game.
This season Pickens leads the Steelers receivers with 56 receptions for 1,009 yards and five touchdowns. If the Steelers have any hope of making the playoffs the play of Pickens the final two weeks will go a long way in determining that outcome.
Yeah, that changed the heavyweight spectrum quickly.
In a promotion aptly named Day of Reckoning in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Deontay Wilder lost a one-sided fight against Joseph Parker. Aside from the cautious style where Wilder opted for a gun-shy counterpunching strategy, Parker was the ring general and looked more the puncher than Wilder.
The New Zealander dominated Wilder with scores of 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.
“He did a great job avoiding a lot of my punches,” said Wilder, ESPN’s No. 3 heavyweight. “We make no excuses tonight. It was a good fight, and we’ll move on to the next thing.”
Wilder admitted during the post-fight interview that he was in a happy place now and revealed in so many words that he is considering retirement. Although that sounds like a plot twist, he also said he would fight another day. However, the fire was removed from his brand in this latest defeat, as he sounded exhausted from loss and inactivity.
Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) upset the natural order of things for the heavyweight division. His win over Wilder eliminates the chance of the American boxer fighting Anthony Joshua next and begins what looks like the end of “The Bronze Bomber” era. Add the fact that Anthony Joshua stopped Otto Wallin in their co-main event feature bout, and the game will move on without Deontay Wilder at the top of the conversation.
“Coming into this fight, everyone had other plans, but this is God’s plan,” said Parker during the post-fight interview. “Today, what a win. Merry Christmas to us.”
Parker was quick on his feet to avoid Wilder’s perilous right hand and turned the tables in the fight, forcing Deontay to react and probably show too much respect. Parker’s looping right hand thrown over the top helped Parker avoid Wilder’s limited offense while startling him with an in-your-face attack.
Widler said in the end that his “timing was off a little bit,” but that wasn’t just in the ring. It was also with his future. With a planned March 9 fight on the books with Anthony Joshua, his lack of success eliminates or severely delays that matchup.
If Wilder does decide to call it a career, we still witnessed a fearsome run that stopped at the end of Tyson Fury’s hand but is legendary nonetheless.
For months now we’ve seen pop superstar Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs football games supporting her beau, Travis Kelce. The future Hall of Fame tight end has never looked happier, and now his close friend and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is shedding some light on how Swift fits into the Chiefs Kingdom dynamic.
When Swift attends Chiefs games she’s definitely the center of attention, as the broadcast tends to show the suite she’s in as often as possible. Swift coming to games draws more attention than the wizardry of Mahomes on the field, and that’s hard to do. Now fully entrenched in the Chiefs Kingdom fanatics, Swift, who has her own fanatics called , is being praised by the two-time Super Bowl and NFL MVP.
Mahomes Raves About Swift Just Being One Of Them
In an interview with “CBS Mornings,” the former Texas Tech standout talked about how Swift just fits right in despite her superstardom.
“At first, I feel like everybody kind of stayed away,” Mahomes said. “Just let him do what he was doing. And then he started bringing Taylor around, and you realize how cool of a person she was, and she is.”
“For us, there were a couple of jokes here at the beginning, but she’s just part of the Chiefs Kingdom now,” he enthused. “She’s part of the team. It’s cool that she’s embraced Brittany Mahomes, and they’ve built a friendship as well.”
“For me, it’s Travis, man. And he’s lucky enough to be with a great girl and great woman,” Mahomes continued. “And it’s been kind of cool to interact with her because she’s top tier at her profession and see how she drives, and he becomes that.”
“It’s really cool to hear about and to see. Now, I have a firsthand look at that through Brittany and Travis eyes. It is really cool, and I’m glad she’s the person she is, and that’s why I think her and Travis match so well,” Mahomes explained.
Either Mahomes really likes Swift or he’s taking an unfiltered shot at Kelce’s ex Kayla Nicole, who reportedly unfollowed both Mahomes and wife Brittany when they began hanging out with Swift via Kelce When not engulfed with her Eras Tour, Swift has been seen at both Chiefs home and road games. Kelce even ventured to Argentina to see her in concert during the team’s bye week.
Per reports Mahomes and wife Brittany are set to join Kelce on some of the legs of the tour once the season is over. For K.C., they hope that’s in Las Vegas in the Super Bowl in February.
Chiefs Looking To Clinch Division On Christmas Day
Per reports, Swift will not only be in attendance on Monday at Arrowhead as the Chiefs look capture their eight consecutive AFC West division with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders or a Broncos loss. Mahomes will also be looking to bring his record versus the division to 31-4. He’s only suffered one defeat to the Raiders in his now sixth season as the starter.
A win would also give K.C. its league-leading eighth consecutive playoff berth and keep them in line with a slim shot at securing home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
A lot is at stake on Christmas Day, and with Swift in attendance the team is 5-2.
In wake of the Philadelphia Eagles dropping their third straight game in Monday night’s 20-17 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks, star quarterback Jalen Hurts questioned the team’s commitment to winning and doing the required to win. In his postgame interview, an always cool Hurts sounded a tad different as the frustration in his voice became evident while he attempted to explain what’s gone wrong since the team’s 10-1 start.
While giving his reasoning for what he believed to be what’s ailing the team, Hurts said:
“I’ve been talking about execution all year. Being on the same page, everyone being on the same page. We didn’t execute. I don’t think we’re, we’re all committed enough. Just got to turn it around. You know, it’s a challenge that we have to embrace. Just continue to see it through.”
When asked to elaborate on what he meant, at that time Hurts added, “Commitment. I don’t have a dictionary on me now…. I don’t know how else to say it.”
Those comments drew the ire of many who questioned just exactly who and/or what Hurts was speaking of.
Hurts Clarifies Comments
After a couple days of blowback for the comments, the very mature and always astute Hurts explained what he meant.
And in typical Hurts fashion, he started with making himself accountable for the team’s failures the last three games.
“It all starts with me,” Hurts said Thursday. “And so when I say ‘we’ I mean me, because I’m the point guard out there. In the one that makes everything go, and I’m the guy that everyone trusts in to do, and set the pace for everything. That’s in how I play, that’s in my leadership, that’s in every aspect of the game that comes with the shoes that I walk in.
“And so, this is a challenge to myself. You challenge yourself and you challenge the people around you,” he added.
Strong words from Hurts, who’s become one of the best leaders in the NFL. That’s the accountability and leading by example that should rally the troops and get the Eagles back on the winning track. With three games left to go, and two against the Giants and one against the Cardinals, the Eagles should still finish the season 13-4.
Consistency Has Been A Problem All Season
Coming into the season after losing both coordinators when they were hired as head coaches has been a huge challenge. Both sides of the football have struggled with consistency, and things got so bad on the defensive side that head coach Nick Sirianni demoted coordinator Sean Desai and promoted defensive analyst Matt Patricia to defensive play caller.
Many fans wanna see him do the same with first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, but the likelihood he strips both coordinators of play-calling duties is slim to none. Hurts has taken accountability and challenged his teammates to be better. Let’s see if that helps get things figured out before it’s too late.
There is another NFL romance where the storyline rivals that of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift: the marriage of gymnast Simone Biles and Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens.
Recently, Mr. Simone Biles sat down on “The Pivot” podcast, with Biles dotingly watching on the sideline, explaining how she is the one who pursued him initially or, in her words, “I know what I like and I know what I want.”
“She pulled me, man,” Owens revealed on the podcast. “I just got to Houston; I have probably been there for seven months. I was single at the time, so I’m just living being myself, and COVID had just hit, but I just went to Arizona and one of my boys was like, ‘Yo you got to check out this app.’ It was called Raya at the time. It was a dating app, but you have to go through certain criteria to make sure you are who you are.”
“Literally I had been on the app for a few days, and then she pops up,” Owens continued. “I’m like, ‘Hmmm, gynmastics?’ I never paid attention to gymnastics, so it piqued my curiosity. I’m like, I’ll see what’s up. I swiped her and it said we matched. I go do my workout, and when I come back, I get some likes on my Instagram, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this might be…’
However, a young Owens, just entering his third year in the league, still wanted to play, so he wasn’t pressed, but he was pleasantly surprised at her applying pressure.
“I still waited (to respond) until I took a shower and I picked up my phone and she instant messaged me like, ‘Hey!’ and then I thought this got to be fake. I didn’t know who she was at the time, but I saw she had a whole lot of followers, so she must be good (at gymnastics),” he said.
Biles’ list of accomplishments is unparalleled. She holds numerous World Championship And Olympic medals and has several gymnastic moves named after her, a testament to her innovative and pioneering spirit in the sport. Her relentless pursuit of excellence has redefined women’s gymnastics, setting a new standard for future generations.
Still, he had no idea he had motion with the living GOAT of gymnastics until one day they went out, and people were frozen when they realized Simone Biles was in their presence. Fast-forward to the present day, and the two are married and living every young athlete’s dream.
Two NFL fairytale romances are evolving, and the Biles-Owens story is just as intriguing.
Justin Mitchell, 39, and John Vieira, 59, from Warwick, Rhode Island, have been charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct stemming from a fight at Gillette Stadium in September that led to the death of 53-year-old New England Patriots fan Dale Mooney.
Mitchell and Viera got into a fight with Mooney in the upper deck of the stadium on Sept. 17 during the Patriots’ game against the Miami Dolphins.
“We thank the members of the public who made their private videos of the altercation available for our review, and the investigators at the Foxborough Police Department, for their help in establishing a clear picture of these tragic events,” Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said in a press release.
Foxborough police said Mitchell and Viera got into an altercation with Mooney in the stands and punched Mooney, who collapsed at the game. Mooney later died at a local hospital.
“I just feel numb; I can’t even believe this is for real,” Mooney’s wife Lisa WCVB after the death of her husband. “I don’t understand why people have to go to that extreme. Why can’t it just be fun? That’s all it’s supposed to be, just a fun family event.”
After the autopsy the office of the chief medical examiner ruled Mooney died as a result of homicide but prosecutors said the evidence didn’t support bringing those charges.
“The review of the available evidence, including the autopsy results and multiple angles of video capturing the incident, did not determine that the evidence established a basis for criminal prosecution of charges related to homicide in Mr. Mooney’s death,” the release read.
According to the medical examiner Mooney’s cause of death was “probable cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with severe hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease during a physical altercation.”
Given the language from the district attorney there clearly was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges. So the fight led to the medical incident, which Mooney ultimately died from. But it would be a leap to charge Mitchell and Viera with his death, according to the DA.
Mitchell and Viera will be arraigned separately in January.
The release also mentioned “multiple angles of video capturing the incident.” Perhaps that suggests who instigated the fight and maybe Mooney wasn’t an innocent bystander who got assaulted. Maybe he provoked the fight?
As Mooney’s wife said, it is unfathomable that people take things to these extreme events at a sporting event. For a few hours people should be able to root for whomever they want and go home at the end without incident.
But violence is baked into the fabric of American culture. Not only is it commonplace, it is celebrated. Plus sports creates a tribal, mob mentality in fans.
Mooney is survived by his wife and their two children.
Let’s be honest: Deontay Wilder isn’t getting any younger. At 38 years old, having been the reigning WBC heavyweight champ for five years before two back-to-back losses to current champ Tyson Fury, he has a few options for great matchups before looking at how he wants to start closing out his career.
This Saturday’s earlier bout live from Saudi Arabia features Wilder vs. tough-as-nails Joseph Parker and Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin (DAZN/PPV, 11 a.m. EST). They are already scheduled to fight on March 9 if both are successful and have a reported two-fight agreement.
Wilder is in repair mode after losing to “The Gypsy King” and losing the perception that he is a sore loser after claims that Fury fought dirty. With Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury with all the belts, Wilder can face off nicely against Usyk if he stays a champ. However, the 34-year-old Anthony Joshua is a legacy opponent for Wilder, as it is one of the most requested puncher battles in boxing.
Wilder’s style, characterized by raw power and aggressive tactics, has often overwhelmed his opponents, making his matches must-see events for boxing fans. Wilder’s reign as the WBC heavyweight champion showcased his skill and resilience, solidifying his status as one of the elite fighters in the division.
With other heavyweights in the division like Joe Joyce, Jarrell Miller, Dillian Whyte and more, Wilder still has other great matchups within the heavyweight ecosystem.
“The Joshua fight is closer than it’s ever been, but at the same time Anthony Joshua has got Otto Wallin,” Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott said to the Betway. “Wallin is one of the trickiest southpaws in the game, definitely in the top three, and they’ve chosen to fight him even though Usyk, another tricky southpaw, beat AJ two times. I would have probably preferred Jarrell Miller for AJ, but you have to give the edge to AJ going in against Wallin.”
As Wilder continues his career, the boxing world watches with anticipation. His ability to deliver electrifying performances and knockout victories keeps him at the forefront of the heavyweight conversation. The future holds promise for more high-stakes matchups and memorable moments in a career filled with highlights. Still, if he doesn’t get to Anthony Joshua, his legacy will always be questioned.
New York City basketball is iconic, fractured, and often debated but Cam’ron, set the record straight on one player he thinks was “overhyped” in the New York hoops circuit: Felipe Lopez.
“He’s aight,” Cam’ron deadpanned during the latest episode of “All the Smoke” with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. “First of all, we don’t know how old Felipe is, coming from the Dominican Republic with the birth certificate. Now I’ll tell you this much: New York, especially Manhattan, has a big Dominican community.
“Now, Felipe, I’m not going to say he isn’t good, but I’ll take Steph [Marbury] over Felipe in New York; they were hyping it; it was the hype behind it that it never materialized [for Felipe] in the NBA.”
In basketball, Felipe Lopez’s story is a testament to talent, perseverance, and the transformative power of sports. Once hailed as the Dominican Michael Jordan, Lopez’s journey from a high-profile high school and college basketball player to a commendable community leader echoes with inspiration. This is during a competitive time in NYC for fresh talent, and two names were ringing the loudest, Felipe Lpez and Stephon Marbury, just one school year apart, with Lopez being older.
Felipe Lopez’s journey began in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where his athletic prowess was evident from a young age. His family’s move to the United States opened new doors for Lopez, who quickly made a name for himself in the New York City high school basketball scene. His extraordinary skills on the court at Rice High School led him to become one of the most highly touted recruits in the country, drawing comparisons to basketball legends.
However, Cam’ron felt Lopez’s evolution from a high school phenom to a college basketball player exposed what he felt: that he was overhyped by Dominican proxy.
“Half of the arenas that he is playing at is full of Dominicans so the hype was crazy. To keep it a buck, it showed when he was at St. John’s. They were talking about the Knicks taking him straight from Rice; then when he got to St. John’s you just seen n***as wasn’t with that especially when you’re supposed to be that n***a, they can’t wait to kill you (on the court).”
For Cam’ron, the fact that Lopez stayed all four years in college when Marbury stayed for one year at Georgia Tech before declaring for the NBA draft was a huge indication. He felt that Lopez was exposed in college and never lived up to the hype in the NBA, playing only four years in the league.
Lopez’s basketball journey continued at St. John’s University, where he played with passion and flair. Though his college career didn’t quite meet the stratospheric expectations set for him, his talent was undeniable. He finished his career with 1,927 points, placing him fourth all-time in St. John’s history behind former players Chris Mullin, Malik Sealy, and D’Angelo Harrison and sixth in Big East history with 1,222 conference points, while also ranking seventh all-time in steals 14th in assists, and 20th in rebounds.
Lopez went on to be drafted by the NBA, spending time with teams like the Vancouver Grizzlies, Washington Wizards, and Minnesota Timberwolves. His professional career, marked by both highlights and challenges, showcased his resilience and commitment to the game.
“I thought he was good, but if I had to pick, I would have picked Steph,” Cam’ron continued. “He’s a pure point guard, and he had brothers that played before him; he was really good. Felipe was decent. No disrespect, he had the Dominican culture with him that hype-trained that whole joint.”
Cam’ron also broke down the New York City boroughs by basketball acumen.
“The best basketball players is Brooklyn and Queens in my opinion. Harlem, we’ve got good players that are talented, but we’re too distracted. Ni**as is trying to sell drugs, staying up all night in the gambling spot; there’s too much going on after the game is over.”
When it comes to which boroughs make the best basketball players and who was the better of the NYC legends, for Cam’ron it is what it is.
Philadelphia Eagles receiver AJ Brown is not your typical football player, and with his unique mixture of talent, emotion, and intelligence he is a rare NFL star. But even he has his reservations about the league and its product.
His main issue of late is the NFL’s “Monday Night Football” game, which is a prime time game that captures the attention of all football fans because it is normally the only football game played on Monday. It’s a great selling point for the NFL, the highest-grossing league of the major American sports.
It also is a tradition that dates back to Sept. 21, 1970, for football fans, with a game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. It was clear from that first game that “MNF” would become a staple of the American sports viewing experience, as it captured 33 percent of the viewing audience.
Brown understands that, but what he doesn’t appreciate is how the NFL isn’t taking their ultimate product, the players, into consideration when making these NFL schedules and making teams play on Monday night.
“It most definitely does, honestly,” he said to reporters of the physical toll these short week games can take on the players. “Because it’s a short week and then right after the game you only have a certain amount of time just for your body to recover, and it speeds up the process, and that adds … wear and tear with practice. So it gets difficult. The Monday night games, I think they shoulda took (them) out. I know it’s cool, everybody watching you on Monday night, but the turnaround after that, it’s difficult, especially if you leave the game a little banged up.”
Understandably, these are also words of frustration from Brown, because his Eagles suffered an upset loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night this week, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t sincere.
For professionals who’ve been playing high-level, high-contact football for years, a lot of players share the same sentiment about “Monday Night Football” and “Thursday Night Football” and the toll that these short weeks can have on their body.
Starting from Monday, some teams only have six days to reinvigorate their bodies and prepare for their Sunday slate games, while if you play on Sunday, you might only get 3 days to get ready for your Thursday night game, and in all these games you’re hitting, running, jumping, and colliding with others at game speed.
It’s not a favorable position to be in as a football player.
So why don’t players and coaches make a bigger deal out of this? The answer is because this helps the NFL make a lot of money.
According to CBS Sports, Brown nor any other player should expect any radical decisions regarding short schedule turnovers any time soon.
“The NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NFL Players Association dictates the current schedule and runs through 2030, and this year the league’s new media rights agreement has only expanded the focus on Monday night contests, with ESPN broadcasting a multigame “Monday Night Football” slate.” CBS Sports writes.
Brown understands this, which is why he won’t turn this into a campaign to remove MNF just yet, and instead will use the full week he has to prepare for New York. Especially because every game is a must win for Philadelphia with the Dallas Cowboys sharing the same record as them in the NFC East.
Monday night’s San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens matchup will pit two 11-3 teams who are currently the top seeds in their respective conferences. It will also be a battle between the league’s second-ranked offense (Niners) and the second-ranked defense (Ravens). Something will have to give in this battle, and no matter the outcome it could also be a preview of the Super Bowl in a little over seven weeks.
But for now it’s for bragging rights as to who’s the best team in the league. As reporters looked to bait Ravens do-it-all safety Kyle Hamilton into calling Niners QB and MVP frontrunner Brock Purdy “a system quarterback,” the former Notre Dame standout didn’t fall for it. But teammate and star cornerback Marlon Humphrey inexplicably did. Currently five-point favorites, most believe the Niners are the better team, and playing at home in Santa Clara definitely enhances their chances to win.
Why Would Humph Give Niners Bulletin Board Material?
Speaking on the “Punch Line” podcast, Humph took disrespect a step further.
“I don’t respect them. I don’t respect a single person on their football team.”
“I’m excited for this one, I mean, their defense is crazy. … They just got key playmakers. Christian McCaffrey scored every single freaking game. Deebo, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, I mean, dang … it’ll be a good one. I think this might be the game of the year, honestly. Could definitely be the game of the year.”
Why would Humphrey make such an ignorant statement prior to the matchup, then speak as if he really does respect them. All it does is give a Niners team that’s looked like easily the best team in the league this season bulletin board material. And, while they’ll likely say it doesn’t, it does because of the manner Humphrey spoke about them.
Humphrey And Ravens Will Have Their Hands Full
Humphrey’s take came off as sarcastic as he laughed and joked after saying it. But in a matchup of this magnitude that’s the type of stuff that’s not needed. Even if Humphrey, the former Alabama standout, was kidding, you’d better believe Ravens head coach John Harbaugh didn’t appreciate his star defensive back speaking in that manner. It’s unnecessary and could be used as a rallying cry by a team that needs no extra motivation.
Remember, this Niners team has beaten three probable Super Bowl contenders (Eagles, Cowboys and Jaguars) by a combined score of 118-32, with two of those wins coming away from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Trying to slow down an offense that’s been humming all season will be enough of a challenge, and now it seems as if Humphrey, who even if he was just kidding, made things that a little bit harder.
The Ravens will present some challenges to the Niners as well, but nothing like they’ll present to the Ravens in all three phases on Christmas night’s huge affair.
Michele Campbell, the executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, recently took the opportunity to express her feelings about the way supporters of LeBron’s I Promise School were treated by the Akron Board of Education. In the board’s last meeting of the year on Dec. 18, Campbell directed her comments at outgoing president Derrick Hall over an email she allegedly sent to him in July that received no response, and what she believed was an unfairly conducted examination of the school’s performance.
“My email received no response. We all know what happened next,” Campbell said at the meeting. “At a very painful time, trust was broken. As I watched, countless others speak freely at board meetings without a shot clock closing in on them. Our supporters signed up to speak but were not granted the opportunity to do so … our parents, supporters and team members were cut off and not allowed to have their full voices heard.”
LeBron opened the I Promise School (IPS) in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, in 2018. IPS is a joint effort between Akron Public Schools (APS), the I Promise Network, and the LeBron James Family Foundation. It’s a school under the APS district that receives traditional state funding, but it also receives support from the foundation, and offers a variety of resources that most district schools do not — like free uniforms, tuition to the University of Akron when students graduate high school, and family services like GED classes and job placement assistance.
Like any other school, the progress of its scholars is tracked and reported to determine efficacy.
In the first couple years the results were promising both on internal IPS tests and statewide standardized tests. IPS scholars are overwhelmingly economically disadvantaged, 29 percent were students with disabilities, 15 percent were English language learners, and over 80 percent were minorities. To bring this scholar population up to grade-level proficiency is a herculean task for all the obvious reasons.
Then the pandemic hit and the scholars experienced massive learning loss due to school closure, remote learning, and other pandemic-related issues.
Think of whatever issues were experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and then imagine the impact on the poor and most vulnerable.
Then in July of this year the APS released their findings on an examination into the school’s academic progress and the main takeaway was the current class of eighth graders at IPS hasn’t had a single student pass the state’s math test since the group was in the third grade.
Every media outlet ran with the story and it spread like wildfire. The results are what they are but there was nuance and perspective clearly missing from the headlines.
As any education expert will tell you there are multiple factors at play when looking at a school and its scholars’ academic performance.
IPS is a young school, only 5 years old, and it targets disadvantaged students performing a year or two behind their current grade level.
The work to help these Akron students will take a collective community effort, not adults bickering in the press.
Football is already a dirty sport with the mud, dirt, and weather conditions. But in rare cases the players themselves can be extremely dirty, and in this situation an Alabama football player is accused of doing something that will make you cringe.
Alabama redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett has been charged with knowingly spreading an STD to a woman.
Per the Tuscaloosa Thread, Prichett, a 19-year-old offensive lineman, was arrested, and granted youthful sex offender status on Wednesday, Dec. 20, Stephanie Taylor, a representative from the Tuscaloosa Police Department confirmed.
He was released on a $500 bond that Wednesday as well.
The offense of spreading an STD is a Class C misdemeanor, more specifically the “AL Code § 22-11A-21, which classifies the knowing transmission of a sexually transmitted disease as a Class C misdemeanor” according to Tuscaloosa Thread.
Pritchett was granted youthful sex offender status, so he will have an easier time trying to navigate through the process of moving past this situation. This misdemeanor also carries a sentence of up to three months in jail, and $500 in fines.
Youthful sex offender status is available to 18- to 21-year-olds in Alabama, depending on the severity of the charges and other factors.
Defendants granted that status usually receive lighter punishment, reduced chances of receiving jail time, and the possibility of getting the conviction removed from their record.
While the Tuscaloosa Police Department is being tight-lipped about a lot of details of the case, the details of Pritchett’s journey on the field are clear.
The 6-foot-6, 312-pound offensive tackle played marginally in all 13 games for the Crimson Tide, competing with true freshman Kadyn Proctor for the left tackle position. He was initially a five-star recruit in 2022, coming from Carver High School, in Columbus, Georgia.
But with the amount of talent and depth at Alabama, it’s no cakewalk to come in and get playing time or become a starter.
These limited chances most likely factored in his decision to put his name into the transfer portal on Dec. 15, but the very next day on Dec. 16 he withdrew his name from the transfer portal citing that “transferring is not in my best interest.”
His decision to remove his name from the transfer portal happened before he was arrested, so there’s no indication that this charge had anything to do with him remaining in Alabama.
Alabama will play Michigan in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, the first College Football Playoff semifinal.
Rappers Cam’Ron and Mase have tapped into the sports world with their hit “It Is What It Is” podcast. The two former emcees have found a niche with their variety show of sorts, and earlier this year they even signed an 18-month eight-figure deal with Underdog Fantasy in August. The show recently added Pro Football Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson, whose checkered past has come into question.
In 1995 the former Buffalo Bills legend’s life played out right before our eyes as he was acquitted of double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman. Killa Cam recently opened up on why the duo added Simpson, aka “The Juice,” despite the blowback they received.
Simpson Being Acquitted Is Why He’s Here
In an interview with Complex, Cam’Ron explained why he and Mase chose someone with Simpson’s past to join their hit podcast. The “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma” rapper mentioned that the idea initially came from the “Feel So Good” rapper and partner Mase.
“It was Mase’s idea to get O.J. on the show,” Cam revealed. “We had a bunch of people we wanted get and Mase was like, let’s get O.J., so I started making the calls.”
Hunting down Simpson reportedly wasn’t easy, as the former gridiron star stays out of the limelight since being released from prison in 2017. Legendary Commodores lead singer Lionel Ritchie was the linchpin that connected Simpson with the Harlem based rappers.
“I spoke to one of O.J.’s people, and we worked it out, man,” Cam said. “I didn’t even know O.J. was staying in Vegas. So it worked out. It was like, oh it was really perfect. We spoke and it was a done deal,”
“Look, if he were guilty we wouldn’t have him on the show,” Cam said. “Y’all want to keep convicting an innocent man. He’s innocent. If it was somebody else whiter, y’all would say, “Oh, he’s innocent.’”
Cam standing up for Simpson is expected and what he’s suppose to say, since he did add him as a weekly guest on the podcast.
Simpson Has Strong Takes
One reason Simpson was likely added is his strong takes he gives via social media. The former USC star, who won the 1968 Heisman, uses his social media platform to give some of the strongest takes, and not just sports-related. On this podcast that’s exactly what he does, with most of his appearances beginning talking sports and usually spiraling into his giving his opinion on other realms of the entertainment world.
Seeing Cam, Mase and O.J. together is something that most are still getting used to, but it seems to be working, and the the rappers are definitely quick to defend his guest spot whenever questioned about it.
