Y’all must’ve forgot is what 38-year-old Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is saying after his second consecutive strong performance for the QB-needy Browns. With the Browns quarterback situation in flux following a season-ending shoulder injury to star quarterback Deshaun Watson in Week 10, the savvy vet Flacco has stabilized the position after inconsistent play from backups Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the now-waived P.J. Walker.
Adding “Joe Cool” to one of the league’s best defenses gives the Browns the belief they likely didn’t have a couple weeks ago. But Flacco is a former Super Bowl MVP who knows what it takes to get to the mountaintop. In essence, this Browns team looks a lot like the Baltimore Ravens team that he led to a Super Bowl victory during the 2012 season: dominant defense, strong running game and now a competent and accurate passer who’s capable of keeping defenses honest with his big arm.
In Sunday’s 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Flacco was dynamite, passing for 311 yards, three touchdowns and just one interception. That performance came on the heels of his 250-yard and two-touchdown performance in his first start in a road loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Flacco Named Starter For Remainder Of Season
In the aftermath of Sunday’s huge home win, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski wasted no time in giving the keys to his offense to the vet.
When asked if Flacco would be the guy going forward, Stefanski told reporters this in his postgame interview:
“Yes.”
“Joe’s been in big games,” Stefanski said. “So we feel comfortable with him leading the football team.”
Can you imagine how good it felt for Stefanski to say that with his $230 million signal-caller sidelined for the season. To not have to wonder who’s the starter from week to week has to feel good not only for Stefasnki, but also for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and his nasty defense, whose efforts now likely won’t be in vain.
Flacco Makes Browns Dangerous Football Team
In Sunday’s win Flacco became the team’s first 300-yard passer since Week 11 of last season, and that’s something they’re going to need going forward. Flacco is the fourth starting quarterback for the Browns this season, and in two outings he’s actually looked the best.
In his postgame interview Flacco mentioned he was just grateful for the opportunity.
“Obviously, it feels good when it looks like people have confidence in you.”
Not bad for a guy who was sitting at home after being the Jets third-string quarterback last season.
In his career Flacco boasts a very solid 10-5 playoff record.
There has been a lot going on in very public NFL relationships, and there has also been some backlash in people’s lives. Enter Jackson Mahomes, the brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a polarizing figure. Recently, Mahomes has been showing much love to the ex-girlfriend of his brother’s teammate Travis Kelce, fitness influencer Kayla Nicole.
Over the last few weeks, Mahomes has dropped a flirtatious comment on Kayla Nicole’s posts and let it known he feels a little more than supportive and straight flirtatious. Nicole posted a photo in a backless mini-dress a few weeks ago. Mahomes commented, “THAT GIRL,” with a fire emoji. Additionally, when Nicole posted a series of photos on Saturday, Mahomes commented enthusiastically, “So pretty!”
The public comments are an interesting move. When you factor in that her ex-boyfriend is the bestie of his brother, the energy is giving messy. However, when you factor in Mahomes’ previous side-eye activities, it is par for the course with one of the most enigmatic figures around the NFL orbit.
Known for his on-field TikTok dances, Mahomes got into hot water when he mistakenly danced on a memorial tribute to fallen player Sean Taylor at FedEx Field in 2021. He wound up issuing an apology after the outrage at his inconsiderate move.
“I want to sincerely apologize for accidentally being on the Sean Taylor #21 at FedEx Field,” Mahomes tweeted in response to the angry fans.
Fast-forward to this year, and Jackson Mahomes was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of misdemeanor battery in May 2023 after allegedly shoving a waiter and forcibly kissing the female owner of the restaurant.
“He forcibly kissed me out of nowhere,” Aspen Vaughn said to The Kansas City Star at the time, “and I’m telling him, pushing him off saying, ‘What are you doing?’ And then he proceeded to do it two more times, where the last time I was pushing him off. And I can see on the cameras that somebody was outside the office door. And I was yelling for them to come help because he’s big and massive.”
Personal transgressions aside, Nicole is still reeling from her admission that Travis Kelce’s new romance with pop star Taylor Swift caused damage to her life. She revealed that fans were mean to her and that she had to heal from the online cruelty.
With Kelce still Patrick Mahomes’ closest teammate and Nicole living in the aftermath of the Swiftie online shade, Jackson Mahomes looks like a dirty mack playing the middle between sides.
In the world of Black achievement, it is polarization when the culture celebrates another first-time accomplishment by a Black person. The bitter and the sweet stem from how long it takes to break glass ceilings based on the politics of business and society and the lack of ubiquity for Black professionals in too many areas.
Enter Wilfried Nancy, the newly minted first Black Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup-winning coach. On Saturday, Nancy’s Columbus Crew defeated Los Angeles FC 2-1 to capture the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy. However, he took the time to lament his status as the first black coach to win the honor. Additionally, he is the only Black coach to lead an MLS club, which evoked a moment of reflection.
“Obviously I’m happy,” Nancy said at the postgame press conference. “I’m so proud of that. Because there is a lot of work behind that. There is a lot of courage also behind that. But I’m not happy at the same time. Because this is not normal. Simple as that. So I’m proud to represent, yes, to be the only Black. But I’m not happy with that. So this is something that has to change. I know that MLS tries to do that, but this is not only in MLS.”
Nancy joined the Columbus team a year ago in Montreal and won his first major title at the end of his first campaign. The 46-year-old is a former French lower-division player who is one of a handful of Black coaches who have coached in the MLS.
While there have been several Black coaches in recent years in MLS, including his famous peers Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, Nancy’s achievement shines a light on a deficit in the MLS coaching ranks and beyond.
“This is everywhere,” he said.
In February, MLS officially launched its MLS ADVANCE initiative. The invitation-only program is focused on identifying and developing underrepresented candidates for various sporting roles within the league and across the MLS ecosystem, including its development league and academy. Candidates participating in the program will have unique opportunities to meet with team officials and front office executives, mentorship, and access to skill-building resources.
Revamped in December 2021, the MLS Diversity Hiring Policy emphasized accountability and inclusion in hiring Black coaching and front-office candidates in the league. The new “MLS Advance” program acts as the talent pool, providing teams with overlooked candidates who are ready for their opportunity.
Now with the win, Nancy understands the pressure to repeat and maintain his winning ways.
“The way I see things in my life is, we want to compete all the time. So I’m going to compete next year,” Nancy said. “I don’t know if we’re going to win or not. But what I know is, with my staff, we’re going to try to put everything to help the player to be better. And after that, we’ll see if we’re going to be able to win or not.”
Sunday’s huge NFC East clash between the Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) and Dallas Cowboys (9-3) will go a long way in determining who not only wins the division, but also who could have the the inside track to home field throughout the NFC playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers (9-3), who bullied both teams this season are also right in the mix. With the Eagles coming off an ugly 42-19 drubbing at the hands of the Niners last week, they’ll be looking to get back to their winning ways.
They’ll have to do so at Cowboys Stadium, which has become a house of horrors for visiting teams over the past 14 games. Dallas is riding a league-high 14-game home winning streak, their longest as a franchise since an 18-game streak from 1979-1981. Two key components in Sunday’s matchup that’ll go a long way in determining the outcome are Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Cowboys Star edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Ahead of their second matchup, Hurts and Parsons did their best to not poke the bear, and it’s safe to say both did a good job of it.
Parsons, the back-to-back runner-up for DPOY, is only 1.5 sacks from becoming just the second player in league history (joining the late Reggie White) to have three consecutive 13 sack seasons to begin an NFL career. Hurts, who’s been lauded for his leadership and smarts, is very aware of just how good Parsons is, having already faced him in the past and a few weeks ago in the Eagles’ 28-23 win. The former Alabama and Oklahoma signal-caller has plenty of respect for him.
Speaking with the media on Thursday, Hurts had this to say about Parsons.
“He’s a really good player,” Hurts said. “These guys have a different type of edge rusher, with him being a big-time player. There are a lot of other guys who are big-time players on that team, and you have to account for all of them.”
The Eagles haven’t suffered back-to-back losses since the 2021 season. Following their first loss this season, which was to the Jets, Hurts and the Eagles responded with a 31-17 win over the AFC-East leading Miami Dolphins. In that game Hurts was great, passing for 279 yards and three total touchdowns. That game was in the friendly confines of Lincoln Financial Field. This one is in Arlington, Texas.
The thing that sets Parsons apart from other edge rushers in the league is just how relentless he is. The 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year knows he needs to be a force if the Cowboys wanna be victorious in this crucial matchup. When asked how he plans to approach the matchup, Parsons told reporters, “For me, it’s all about the progression of the mentality. Sometimes you’re not going to get sacks. Sometimes they’re going to get it out. It just may not fall into your lap. But just the effort, the motor, can you keep going? Can you not let this faze you?”
“For me, that was one of the biggest things,” Parsons continued. :Can I keep going? Can I not be fazed? Can I be unstoppable — un-bleep-with-able — throughout the whole four quarters?”
Things will be testy and extremely chippy down in Arlington on Sunday afternoon. An Eagles win essentially wraps up the division, and a Cowboys win means it’s a race to the finish line.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off an ugly three-game sweep at the hands of the now National League Champion Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Divisional Series, went out and made a huge splash on Saturday. That’s when they signed reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani to a record ten-year, $700 million deal.
The deal is believed to he the largest in worldwide sports, surpassing Lionel Messi’s ($674 million with FC Barcelona) and in terms of North American sports it surpasses the $450 million deal that Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed in 2020.
It also surpasses the deal that Ohtani’s now former teammate Mike Trout has in place with the Los Angeles Angels. The three-time All-Star and two MVP is easily the biggest free agent signing in the history of MLB, just on salary alone. Ohtani who was very coy about his meetings with prospective teams told anyone he met with not to disclose anything discussed from the meeting or it could affect him signing. From the looks of it all teams followed that rule, but the guys in Tinseltown land the generational talent.
After meetings over the last week or so, Ohtani made his choice known via Instagram. There he made a promise to Dodger fans and his teammates.
“To all Dodgers fans, I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself,” Ohtani wrote. “Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.”
Not only is Ohtani getting the bag, he’s also joining a franchise that’s been perennial championship contenders for the better part of the last 10-12 years winning the World Series in the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020. They’ve won the NL West nine of the past ten seasons, making it to the World Series in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
During his six years with the Angels, Ohtani never played in a postseason series. That should change quickly with the Dodgers. He’s joining a lineup with former MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Just last week the Dodgers announced Betts would make the move to second base permanently, that’s a definite with Ohtani capable of playing in the outfield.
Following Ohtani’s announcement, it was once again confirmed that Ohtani, the two-way sensation won’t pitch in 2024 as he recovers from elbow surgery, but should be back on the mound as well in 2025.
In the last three seasons, Ohtani has made the midsummer classic (All-Star Game) as both a pitcher and designated hitter.
Unreal Numbers On Ohtani’s Bag
$700 million is a ton of money, and here’s some of the astonishing numbers for this record-breaking deal.
Per Year: $70M
Per Month: $5.8M
Per Week: $1.3M
Per Day: $191K
Per Hour: $8K
Per Minute: $133
Per Game: $432K
That’s that paper cuts and Brinks truck moolah.
Devin “The Dream” Haney is living his boxing moniker in real life as he became a two-weight-class world champion on Saturday night. Haney dished out a master class with a new record in his first fight at light welterweight.
The win is a shot in the heart at that hyper-critical of Haney’s ascension in boxing. With the jury still out over his close win over Vasiliy Lomachenko in May, stepping up in weight and winning a title in his first fight was nothing short of spectacular. His polarization is reminiscent of another young champion, Floyd Mayweather, who grew to become the most successful boxer-businessman ever.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) won Prograis’ WBC junior welterweight title. The fight was his first in the 140-pound division. Haney also was the undisputed lightweight champion before vacating all four of his belts in late November after defeating Lomachenko.
The judges scored the fight overwhelmingly for Haney with unanimous scores of 120-107, with him knocking Prograis down in the third round en route to the unanimous decision win. The fight capped a trash-talking pre-fight lead-up that turned the fight personal.
“I did everything that I said I was gonna do,” said Haney during the post-fight in-ring interview. “Went in there and I handicapped him. We knew that he was gonna come in with a big left hand. We capitalized on his habit of leaning in. I hit him with big shots. I knew that I was hurting him.
“I knew I was levels above him,” Haney continued. “I was killing myself to make 135 so much; I would go into a fight and be depleted. I wouldn’t be my best self. Now I’m able to go in there and be the real Devin Haney.”
Prograis, who went into this fight to prove that he is someone the casual boxing fan should know about as much as the die-hards do, failed in that endeavor. Prograis set a new record, landing only 38 punches, breaking the record for the fewest punches landed in a 12-round championship fight per CompuBox.
“It was real hard to get to him,” said Prograis, who entered ranked No. 3 by ESPN at junior welterweight. His previous defeat came against Josh Taylor via a majority decision in October 2019. “His jab was good and quick. … His footwork was definitely better.”
Devin Haney is on a new mission for domination, and knowing that he wants to go even higher to welterweight, where all the monsters are, shows the grit of a rapidly evolving champion.
The romance between Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen is getting serious, but are they smart for telegraphing all of their moves for the world? Many have questioned the genuineness of their relationship in addition to the awkwardness that the former wife of Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan’s old teammate, is hooked up with his son.
The relationship looks even more serious as the two shop for a ring.
“It’s in the works,” Marcus Jordan said to People about his plans to make it official with Pippen.
“I feel like we’ve been looking at rings,” Larsa Pippen added during the interview. Marcus Jordan replied, “We’ve definitely been shopping. That’s for sure.”
“I’m excited,” Larsa continued. “I feel like Marcus has got great taste, and I feel like I know that he’s not going to disappoint us.”
Typically, those words would evoke pressure from anyone else, coming from the ex-wife of a legendary basketball player. However, Marcus, aside from being the son of the man many consider the GOAT of basketball, is also a successful entrepreneur who owns a lifestyle clothing and sneaker store and brand.
The two also host the “Separation Anxiety with Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan” podcast and market their love.
“I think it’s the best,” Jordan said about working with Pippen. “I’m working every day with my best friend, and I feel like separation anxiety is a real thing for us. So the more time we spend together, the better.”
“I feel like we really have fun together and we work well together, and we both motivate each other,” Pippen added. “And I feel like that’s really hard to do because I’ve never had that before. We are glued at the hip, and we’re just really enjoying ourselves, and I feel like people should just embrace love,” she continued. “If you’re in a good place, and you’re happy, people should embrace that and cheer for people that are in love.”
For many, the fact that Larsa reportedly dated Malik Beasley while her son, Scotty Jr., and Beasley both played for the Los Angeles Lakers at one time was messy. Pippen is also mom to daughter Sophia, 15, and sons Justin, 18, and Preston, 21.
As Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen decide to give the world a play-by-play of their love, is the public curious about the oversharing of a couple in love and business? The jury is still out, but the “Lar-cus” show continues.
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has been catching hell in the family department, and this latest situation doesn’t help dispel any negative narratives. The latest woman purporting to have his child is feeling some way about Howard not supporting his child, she alleges.
In an odd act by usual parenting standards, Denisha Owens, the woman, had their purported child in a onesie that shamed Howard for her claim that he is lacking on the support side.
The 36-year-old put the player on blast with pictures of their child wearing the outfit with choice words on the front and back that turn the child into a billboard for dad shaming.
On the front:
“Xavien Howard is my (NFL logo) deadbeat Dad
He tells people I’m not his child, but the DNA proved that was a LIE”
A printed DNA Diagnostic Center result was displayed on the back of the onesie, seemingly showing her as the child’s mother and Howard as the father. The move drew the ire of many who felt she included her child very demonstrably in the spat between her and Howard.
In September, an Instagram model claimed that Howard had four women pregnant simultaneously. Adult content creator Tai The Five Footer revealed the news on Instagram to call out Howard and added receipts with screenshots of their text conversations and DMs. She also added correspondence between her and one of the mothers of his other children.
“iamxavienhoward Let’s clear the air, because this man obviously has a fetish in getting women pregnant,” she posted on her Tappedinwithtai IG page. And now I have his other baby mothers reaching out to me. I ended up getting pregnant after being with X a few times. He told me he wanted to have a baby with me and regardless of what he said I still took a plan B. It clearly failed because I was around ovulation.
“Whatever, I own up to my actions and I accept the fact I’m having a baby. He was mad at first and then we ended up meeting at his house during the first week of September. It was until he asked me how much should he give me monthly during my pregnancy and I responded, that he caught an attitude and ghosted me. I had an ultrasound and sent him the pics as you can see in the screenshot. And from there all this has unraveled.”
Add to the mix that Howard was served a lawsuit by a former purported romantic partner who claims he secretly filmed them having sex and alleges he distributed it to others without her permission. You have a dumpster fire of relationship management.
When the 2020 NBA draft came around the Golden State Warriors were gung-ho on drafting size with their first-round pick. This despite being thoroughly impressed with guards LaMelo Ball (No. 3 Charlotte Hornets) and Tyrese Haliburton (No. 12 Sacramento Kings). The Warriors selected center James Wiseman, who, because of injury and not grasping team concepts, never panned out in the Bay. Wise was dealt to the Detroit Pistons during last season’s trade deadline.
As the Pacers embarked on Las Vegas in the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament, former Warriors GM Bob Myers reminisced over the 2020 draft when he had the opportunity to draft the former Iowa State star. Myers, now an ESPN NBA analyst, spoke candidly about how he regrets not taking Haliburton with the No. 2 pick in 2020.
“What bothers me more than anything was his workout was good. When we met him after, I should have known then … because of who he is as a person, and as a leader,” Myers admitted. “Because you meet with people, you talk to them, but the conversation left a mark because of how smart he is and how confident. It’s not fake, it’s not arrogant, it’s confidence.”
“So when you talk about players wanting to play with him, that’s real because he’s a great player. He’s showing us now he’s a great player and this is a fantastic stage for him,” Myers added.
Haliburton, who was traded to the Indiana Pacers just before the February 2022 trade deadline, has been electric this season, including Thursday night’s semifinal win over the Milwaukee Bucks in which the dynamic floor leader poured in 27 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds and zero turnovers. That performance followed a 26-point, 13-assist and 10-rebound triple-double in a quarterfinals win over the Boston Celtics. This season Haliburton is an averaging 27 points, 12 assists and four rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the field, 44 percent from three and 89 percent from the free throw line.
For years small markets like Indiana were frowned upon by top free agents, but Haliburton is hoping that his play and leadership will lead a change with that. Having displayed that he’s definitely Batman, Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard can now begin his search for Robin, in the form of a dynamic two-way wing.
Could that possibly come from up north, where the Toronto Raptors are reportedly gonna shop forwards Pascal Siakim or O.G. Anunoby or both.
With the Pacers looking to add that kind of player they’ll definitely be willing to give up future draft picks.
On Saturday night in New York for the 87th time a college football player will be crowned the Heisman Trophy winner. This year’s finalists feature betting favorite Jayden Daniels, the star quarterback of the LSU Tigers, Michael Penix Jr., the left-handed gunslinger of the Washington Huskies, Bo Nix, the super senior of the Oregon Ducks, and “Maserati” Marvin Harrison of the Ohio State Buckeyes the top wide receiver in college football.
One name that was thought to possibly be in the mix was Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe, who after a slow start to the season turned up his play and led the Tide to the College Football Playoff. Milroe, the redshirt sophomore who finished sixth behind the four aforementioned finalists and injured Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, isn’t at all fazed by not being a finalist. In fact, he’s got bigger goals ahead of him.
With many Alabama fans up in arms that Milroe wasn’t invited to New York, the dynamic dual-threat took it all in stride. During an interview with “The Next Round” podcast, the Katy, Texas, native let it be known that he’s only focused on team accomplishments and recognition. When asked if he felt he was snubbed as a possible Heisman finalist, Milroe said this.
“Not at all, I don’t mind that,” said Milroe. “I’d rather win a national championship, that means more to me. Any team accolade, anything for the team that we can all gain success on …. that means more to me.”
That’s the type of leadership that Milroe displayed when he was benched in Week 3 following a tough loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 2.
Following last Saturday’s upset win over the then-No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship, which also ended their 29-game winning streak, Milroe was named MVP of the game. The speedy and powerful-but-nimble signal-caller passed for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He also used his legs to rush for 30 yards, including two designed runs late in the game to put the game away.
Milroe received plenty of praise for his play and the way he’s responded to the early season benching. One of those who sent praise his way is former Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts, also a former Texas product who led the Tide to multiple CFP appearances. Speaking with reporters prior to Eagles practice, Hurts, who’s also a dual threat in the mold of Milroe, had this to say this week about the Crimson Tide QB:
“He’s had a great year. He’s always been a very special player, being a Texas kid. He’s just continued to grow and grow and grow, and it’s been really nice to watch. I’ve been supporting him from a distance and just happy to see him get into the final four and happy to see him have an opportunity to lead his team and hopefully get a national title. All my support goes to him.”
Nice words from an Alabama legend who knows the pressure of being the quarterback of a team who’s expected to not just win, but compete for SEC and national titles every year.
Milroe leads the 2024 Heisman odds, which is also a reason why he’s unbothered by the perceived snub this time around. This season Milroe has accounted for nearly 3,200 total yards and 35 total touchdowns.
Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is the universally recognized as the GOAT of the position.
A winner of a league-record seven Super Bowls while appearing in ten Super Sunday games, Brady’s desire to win and be the best was second-to-none.
The former Michigan Wolverines standout lived for the game so much that in 2022 he even retired before returning a mere 44 days later, much to the chagrin of his now ex-wife Gisele Bündchen.
It’s highly unlikely that Brady’s record seven Super Bowls wins will ever be matched, but if there’s one player in the league who could rival some of “Tom Terrific’s” numbers it’s two-time MVP and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.
The superstar signal-caller of the Kansas City Chiefs is the best quarterback in the NFL, and through six years in the league, Mahomes has played in five AFC Championship games and three Super Bowls, winning two. It’s safe to say Mahomes has never had to leave Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs except for the Super Bowl.
No one will ever question Brady’s desire to win, but for some strange reason Jason Whitlock is doing so with Mahomes.
During a recent episode of his “Fearless” podcast, the controversial host Jason Whitlock questioned if Mahomes wants it as badly as Brady did. While he gave Mahomes utmost respect for being a great QB, he just couldn’t say his want to is like Brady’s.
“I wanted to say this about Patrick Mahomes – what we’re finding out. Talented, Hall of Fame quarterback, going to go down in history as one of the top 10 quarterbacks, maybe top 5 of all time… But he does not have Tom Brady’s drive,” Whitlock said. “Winning isn’t as important to him as it was for Tom Brady. Some of that has to do with Mahomes was a first-round pick, the [Kansas City] Chiefs went up to get him I think in the top 10 of the draft, Tom Brady — chip on his shoulder, sixth-round pick — always had that chip on his shoulder.
“The Chiefs and Mahomes are a bit satisfied. Pat Mahomes is in any commercial he wants to be in, he’s got two MVPs, two Super Bowls — he doesn’t have a peer. Take Brady, he was always competing with Peyton Manning. Who is Patrick Mahomes competing with? Nobody. Patrick Mahomes isn’t Tom Brady, he’s not Tiger Woods, he’s not Michael Jordan.
“He’s just a super-talented guy. When I look at how their offense is backed up and he’s having a mediocre season, he’s a bit satisfied right now, his tight end is a bit distracted right now, he doesn’t have Tyreek Hill, and so he’s got some excuses and going through the motions.”
Whitlock Is Buggin’ Right?
Some of what Whitlock is saying is true, mainly about the offense and Travis Kelce’s attention waning since he started dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. But Mahomes has plenty drive, and that’s something you can never question.
After the team traded speedster Tyreek Hill following the 2022 season, many wrote the Chiefs off.
All Mahomes did was lead that team to its second Super Bowl win in five seasons. As far as drive goes, Whitlock must’ve missed Mahomes hobbling around on one leg for the better part of all three playoff games after suffering a high ankle sprain against the Jaguars in the divisional round.
Each week, he gutted and gritted out key runs and scrambles to lead his team despite being in excruciating pain.
Now that’s drive if there ever was any, and while this year hasn’t been Mahomes’ best offensively, they’re still 8-4 with a two-game division lead in the AFC West, and just one game behind the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens for the overall top seed in the AFC.
Drive and Mahomes go together. Whitlock needs to find another tree to bark up.
Amit Patel, who, according to records, worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars for five years starting in 2018, is accused of stealing more than $22 million from the team.
He used the money to fund an opulent lifestyle where he purchased a condominium, two vehicles, and a luxury watch worth $95,000. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, Florida, he also used the money to buy cryptocurrency and for online gambling.
“We can confirm that in February 2023, the team terminated the employment of the individual named in the filing,” the Jaguars said in a statement. “Over the past several months we have cooperated fully with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida during their investigation and thank them for their efforts in this case. As was made clear in the charges, this individual was a former manager of financial planning and analysis who took advantage of his trusted position to covertly and intentionally commit significant fraudulent financial activity at the team’s expense for personal benefit. This individual had no access to confidential football strategy, personnel or other football information. The team engaged experienced law and accounting firms to conduct a comprehensive independent review, which concluded that no other team employees were involved in or aware of his criminal activity.”
During Patel’s five years with the team he served as the coordinator for financial planning and analysis, and then the manager for financial planning and analysis.
In his position he had oversight on the team’s monthly financial statements and department budgets and served as the team’s administrator of its virtual credit card (VCC) program, which allowed certain authorized employees to “request VCC’s for business-related purchases or expenses.”
It’s the VCC program where Patel is alleged to have committed his crime by submitting fraudulent transactions.
According to the court documents Patel hid his transactions inside “reoccurring VCC transactions” such as catering, air travel, hotel charges. He duplicated those charges and then inflated the amounts of these reoccurring transactions. Initially if anyone were to take a cursory look nothing would seem out of the ordinary, it’s just that those charges weren’t real.
Authorities say in addition to the condo he purchased in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and the new Tesla Model 3 sedan and Nissan pickup truck, Patel also used the funds to pay for personal travel for himself and friends (including chartering private jets and booking luxury hotels and private rental residences).
He must’ve known he would eventually get caught because the court filings allege he used the funds to lodge a retainer with a criminal defense law firm.
Patel has been charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of illegal monetary transaction. If convicted he could face prison time as well as be required to forfeit property and assets equal to the amount of the money stolen.
Patel’s attorney filed a waiver of indictment in which Patel waived prosecution by indictment and consented that “the proceeding may be by Information rather than Indictment.”
Mixed martial arts has often been considered the red light district of sports, and specific segments of its fan base, namely the weird ones, do nothing to change that perception.
Enter UFC strawweight Diana Belbita, who, amid her fan mail, recently received a disturbing correspondence that came with a request for her to torture and inflict severe pain on him. Instead, she posted the letter on social media, which can also be a punishment in the shaming variety.
There are fantasies, and then there is just plain old inappropriate. The fan “Dan” is on the latter side of the spectrum.
“Hi there!
“I am 52 years old, live in Florida, and am an admirer of women who are physically strong and who can fight. I seek a unique experience…
I am looking for a female fighter who is willing to lock me in a room and overpower me in a fight while torturing me and inflicting some serious pain. I’m not looking to get hurt or hospitalized but I am looking to experience some very severe pain delivered by a woman who knows how to fight.
“You must be willing to:
“If you are qualified and interested in doing this with me, I can offer you $1000 for you to torture me for 90 minutes (split into two 45-minute sessions) as well as cover your round trip air travel to Florida and hotel expense (1 night), if needed.
“This is not a joke and I hope it’s not insulting – I have tremendous admiration for female fighters and it’s something I could never do it myself. Some guys like to receive pain with whips and chains. I am kind of like that but prefer kicks, punches, chokes and armbars so I am hoping we can have a mutually beneficial arrangement:
“Please email me back and let me know if you might be interested in doing this with me. At least maybe talk to me on the phone for 10 minutes before you say “no” – I’m happy to answer any questions you might have… I am looking to do this in December or January. If we are a good fit for this, we can possibly do this multiple times a year!
“Thank you in advance!
“Dan”
Wow! All that brutality for $1000. The 27-year-old Romanian fighter nicknamed “Warrior Princess” will not be providing the requested services and will save her talents for the much higher-paying and less creepy Octagon.
The life of a cage fighter is definitely a nontraditional experience.
LSU’s Angel Reese is back with the team and seemingly focused on basketball again. But the reigning NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player now has a potential WNBA Draft snub to deal with. In a WNBA mock draft on ESPN, the “Bayou Barbie” was projected to be selected eighth overall. A snub to some, certainly to Reese. The last nine months have been a whirlwind and possibly gives a glimpse into the other side of fame and fortune.
“That was an insult to her. We talked about the things she needs to work on. Whether she gets picked higher than that or not, it still motivates her. She gets motivated in practice with someone going head to head with her or talking trash back at her. She’s a competitor,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said when the mock draft debuted.
Reese, along with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, are the faces of women’s college basketball. They’re arguably the best two players in the country and have accolades and awards to back that up.
In Reese’s case she’s also popular outside of the sport in mainstream pop culture. She ranks No. 7 nationally in NIL ranking valuation, according to On3. That’s across all sports, men and women. She is the No. 1 women’s college basketball player by NIL ranking valuation.
She’s friends with world famous rapper Lil’ Wayne and has deals with Amazon, Bose, Coach, Discord, Outback Steakhouse, Sonic, TurboTax, Wingstop and Xfinity. Reese also has a deal with Reebok and counts new company president of basketball Shaquille O’Neal as a mentor and close friend.
In July she launched the Angel C. Reese Foundation, which aims to empower girls through sports, education and financial literacy. Reese is a 21-year-old college senior.
What were you doing at 21? This seems like a lot for a young woman who is still learning who she is as a person and working to improve on the court as a player.
Reese was benched in the second half of LSU’s fourth game of the season and in the following game she was a healthy scratch and remained “away from the team” for four games in what Mulkey described as an “internal matter.” All sorts of speculation ran rampant. Was Reese sporting a less than stellar GPA, which kept her ineligible? Was she suspended for violating team rules?
Mulkey did not help the situation by refusing to shed light on the matter. Only saying she will always “protect her players.”
Upon Reese’s return she did not address specifically what kept her away but made some illuminating comments.
“My mental health is the most important thing before anything, and I’m gonna make sure I’m OK before anything because I don’t wanna cause any harm or any cancer within the locker room, so being able to take a reset to myself — like I said before, I am human,” Reese said following her first game back on Nov. 30. “I’m not just an athlete, and that’s OK to do. Pros do it all the time.”
“I talked to Shaq every day, Reese continued. “We FaceTime every day. He checked on me, called me every single day to make sure I was good. He told me every day, ‘This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.’ He’s been here before. He knows what it takes. Just being able to have somebody like that was something that was good for me.
“He told me when I was right, told me what I was wrong, told me what I needed to do to get back to where I am. I know he’s probably going to call me after the game if he hasn’t already,” she added.
Reading between the lines of Reese’s comments, maybe fame and fortune came too fast for her. Her NIL valuation is $1.7 million. That’s a lot of money for most people, let alone a 21-year-old.
She didn’t want to “cause any harm or cancer in the locker room.” That’s a strong statement. Was that already happening and she stepped away? Was she told to step away? In what areas did Shaq say she was “wrong”?
In a multibillion collegiate sports enterprise as currently constructed, players should get paid based on their value and worth to the program. ESPN pays the NCAA top dollar to broadcast the women’s college basketball tournament.
An independent NCAA study showed that the rights for the women’s tournament could be worth up to $112 million alone by 2025.
The players are the draw, they should be compensated based on their contribution to that value.
But balancing brand responsibilities that come with NIL deals, fame, money, and D1 basketball is a lot. Not to mention that pesky thing called academics the NCAA loves to shove down our throats with its farcical “student athlete” description.
If this was indeed too much for Reese and it possibly went to her head or she had a negative moment, this is a warning. The introduction of NIL deals was the right thing to do but there will be unintended and possibly adverse consequences.
Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams is now three seasons removed from being named an All-Pro. In fact the former LSU Tigers standout was named an All-Pro from 2018-2020, one first-team selection and two second-team selections.
Over the past two seasons Adams has been either injured or seen a major decline in his play. Back in 2023 and finally healthy, Adams hasn’t had his best season, and that was highlighted last Thursday when he gave up the game-winning touchdown pass in a heartbreaking 41-35 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Following the loss, Jets reporter Connor Hughes posted a picture of Adams being beaten for the touchdown with the caption “Yikes.”
This became a story because of the negative history between Adams and Hughes during his time with “Gang Green.” Adams quickly responded with “Yikes,” but he also included a photo of Hughes’ wife, which received a ton of backlash via social media.
Despite the backlash from social media and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Adams isn’t walking back or apologizing for any of his actions.
Adams Stands On His Actions, Carroll Condemns Them
During Wednesday’s media session at the Seahawks practice facility, Adams let it be known that he and Hughes have a longstanding beef. He then proceeded to pretty much say he isn’t taking anything he said or did back.
“It’s always the athlete that crossed the line when he responds. But, at the end of the day, disrespect is disrespect, however you want to take it. So, I responded. I knew when I did hit that tweet, I wasn’t in it to win it. At the end of the day it was to get him to understand ‘Leave me the hell alone.’”
“When others go low, I go lower.”
“I hate that I had to bring her into the situation, but at the end of the day, the ultimate goal was to get at him.”
That’s one way to get at someone attack their significant other, but it didn’t sit well with team brass.
Adams’ actions drew the ire of the aforementioned Carroll, who had this to say about the incident.
“We’ve already addressed it with him,” Carroll said during a press conference Wednesday. “I don’t know if it was a great decision at the time. I’m not sure about the details of it but I know that he realized he needed to take it down.”
Adams’ Focus Should Be On Helping Hawks Stop Losing Streak
This is Adams’ third incident this season. In Week 4 he had a blowup with a doctor on the sidelines when he was ruled out with a concussion. It was his first game back since missing just about all of last season with a quadriceps injury. In Week 6 another incident with a doctor occurred. This time he was fined $50,000.
Adams needs to channel all that energy into helping the struggling Seahawks stop their three-game losing streak. Overall, they’ve lost four of five, and the team’s once promising 5-2 start has slipped to 6-6 with their playoff lives hanging in the balance.
When you watched the Colorado Buffaloes in their first season under Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, there were plenty of glaring weaknesses. The defense was bad, but that was to be expected.
The bigger issue in Coach Prime’s first season was protecting the quarterback (team allowed 56 sacks) during the season. They also struggled to run the football as the team rushed for just 1,382 yards this season, an average of just 115 yards per game.
How do you address such paltry offensive line play?
You add as much talent as you can via signing recruits and the hot-as-fish-grease transfer portal. That’s exactly what Coach Prime did just this week, and on Thursday the legendary defensive back got the commitment of Jordan Seaton, a five-star recruit and the top-ranked offensive tackle in the 2024 class and the 15th-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, per 247Sports.
Seaton, an IMG product who began his high school career in Washington, D.C., at St. John’s College High School, is just what the Buffaloes need to hopefully begin a trend of adding quality lineman to protect talented quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who despite taking a beating, still had 3,230 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
Appearing on FS1’s “Undisputed” Thursday, the 6-foot-5 and 287-pound Seaton unveiled his choice to the panel featuring Skip Bayless and others. Seaton then gave his reasoning for choosing Colorado.
“You gotta believe in Coach Prime,” Seaton told the “Undisputed” hosts. “Having the opportunity to play with somebody who has done it at the highest level, gold jacket level, very few can say they did that. I’ve got two Heisman candidates — Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. They’re amazing. You know how they go.”
“If you ain’t rocking with us, and you say you’re a dog, claim you’re a dog, why are you not coming to Colorado?” Seaton added. “Why are you not helping somebody that looks like you?”
Seaton then said the 52 sacks that Shedeur suffered “will never happen again.”
Buffs Won Out Over Some Heavy Hitters
Seaton holds as many as 33 offers, and just two weeks ago the freakishly talented bookend lineman narrowed his choices down to Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and Maryland.
Although they’d offered, Colorado was thought to have no shot to land Seaton. That changed Thursday morning. He will make things official on Wednesday, Dec. 20, as the early signing period gets underway in a three-day window from the 20th to the 22nd.
Adding a player like Seaton should only enhance the Buffaloes’ chances of adding some other top talent to their 2024 roster.
Coach Prime is no stranger to adding elite ballers.
He did flip Travis Hunter, who was the 2022 top-ranked prospect, from Sanders’ alma mater Florida State to Jackson State.
It takes guts to do what 26-year-old Anriel Howard is doing in the WWE, and even more strength to do what she recently did when picking up someone twice her size.
The former WNBA player left fans in awe after she seamlessly made the transition from WNBA player to WWE star, going by the moniker “Lash Legend”.
She left fans with their jaws on the floor after she took her wrestling star status even further and lifted up Raw wrestler Otis at a WWE NXT event.
Howard, who is 6 feet tall, and weighs 174 pounds, lifted a man who is 5 feet 10 and 330 pounds, and frankly anybody, man or woman, who can lift another person double their weight is impressive.
But just like many other wrestlers, Howard of course, had a background in athletics, and was a professional basketball player before she became a WWE star.
Howard recently spoke about her journey to professional wrestling in an interview with WWE’s What’s NeXT.
“My fiancée and I were watching highlights on the phone, and we were watching Macho Man [Randy Savage] and all of the above like Stone Cold [Steve Austin] and everybody and their highlights and how they were just larger than life,” she said.
“We were just cracking up and saying little sayings and he was like ‘you know what, I think you’d be really good at this.’ I said ‘really? You think I’d be good at this’ and he said ‘I do. I think you’d be amazing.’ So, honestly I just started looking stuff up and got connections and got a try out and that’s literally how it worked.”
Lash Legend Was A College Basketball Star At Texas A&M
Howard played basketball for Texas A&M after high school and became the first player in the school’s history to record over 1,000 rebounds. In her last year at Texas A&M Howard averaged 12 points and an astounding career-high 12 rebounds per game.
That should give you an idea of her physicality, especially considering the fact that she’s only 6 feet.
After shining at Texas A&M, she would transfer to Mississippi State, and Howard stood out in her only season there. She averaged a career-high 16.4 points per game, along with 8.4 rebounds per game.
After a successful senior year, Howard was selected in the second round with the 12th pick (24th overall) of the 2019 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm.
Her WNBA career, however, wasn’t as storied and eventful as her collegiate career. Howard only appeared in three games with the Seattle Storm, appearing in three games and averaging 1.7 points per game before being waived.
From there, she made her quantum leap to the WWE, leaving the WNBA for good. Now she has appeared in plenty of NXT matches and looks to continue training and boosting her status as a wrestler.
She hasn’t publicly stated why she made the transition to wrestling, or if she plans to make a return to basketball, but considering the impressive feat of lifting a 330-pound man into the air as a wrestler, it’s clear that Howard has a very bright future ahead of her in the WWE.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and is inching closer to a return from a back injury that has kept him out for three weeks. The Suns are 12-9 and playing OK without their big three on the floor together, but we are already past the quarter mark of the season. Will the Suns have enough time to build up to a title run?
The Suns are 11th in aNET rating, eighth in aORTG and 21st in aDRTG. The latter will need to improving to at least middle of the pack if they want to seriously compete for a title. They’re offense is already really good, Beal will make it even better.
A lineup of Beal, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic will have a lot of spacing and allow for good flow and paint attacks.
But it will take time for the three to work out the inevitable kinks. It takes time when you’re working in elite players. Yes, they all have high basketball IQs, but they still need reps to build chemistry and cohesion.
Durant injured his ankle in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers and is out for the Suns’ next game. He’s putting up MVP numbers but he’s logged heavy minutes already this season. At 35 with his lower extremity injury history, the team will need to be careful.
Booker has missed nine of 21 games already this season with various injuries. While it might seem like there is plenty of time, but injury history suggests this team will struggle to have all three on the court together.
Still, head coach Frank Vogel can’t help but be excited about the possibilities after Wednesday’s practice.
“It’s very encouraging,” Vogel said about Beal. “He looked great out there today, a reminder of how dynamic he is as a basketball player.”
The Suns’ roster was created to be top heavy and filled out with veteran minimums. Several players have had to play minutes and roles above what they would normally be asked. That could prove beneficial, as it has given players extended minutes, or it could be detrimental, as those players haven’t had the opportunity to settle into their natural roles.
The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint, as most will attest. But in any marathon you learn lessons with every mile marker you hit. You don’t win the race in the first section, but you could lose it with poor performance early on.
The Suns need to get their team healthy to figure out what they are, so general manager James Jones can make any appropriate deals by the February trade deadline. It would be nice to have a 25-game sample beforehand.
There are 30 games between now and the trade deadline, and Durant is already going to miss one and there is no definitive date on Beal’s return. Time is of the essence if this team wants to compete for a title.
Chris Godwin’s wife is not playing with Todd Bowles.
Recently, the wife of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin wanted to set the record straight on her husband’s limited activity on the field. After last Sunday’s game, she took offense at head coach Todd Bowles’s assertion that he was more injured than other players, which is why he hasn’t received the time he is used to on the field.
“I’m not sure why we are just blatantly lying here,” Mariah Godwin wrote on Instagram. “Regardless of how banged up Chris is, he continues to work his a** off and hasn’t missed a game. Continues to run great routes and get open.”
“I don’t know why things are the way they are, this isn’t my team to coach,” she continued. “But this lying on Chris and implying negativity on his work ethic is infuriating. Let’s not act like he had to be subbed out so much more than usual when, in fact, he’s been playing just the same.”
Bowles said Chris Godwin was “not totally 100 percent,” which was the reason for the lack of production during Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers. Godwin was only targeted three times with no receptions. He did have one rushing attempt on a reverse, which resulted in a 19-yard scamper for a touchdown.
“We were subbing him out a lot,” Bowles said. “Obviously, he’s a little nicked up, so he’s not totally 100 percent. Nobody is, but he is probably banged up more than most. For him to get the run for us was huge for him. I think it helped him out a lot, it helped us out a lot, so it was good to see him get in the end zone.”
Godwin has 85 targets, 53 catches, 606 yards, and one touchdown through 12 games in 2023.
The frustration Mariah Godwin seems a little misguided when, in actuality, Bowles is being protective of his athlete.
According to a Boston University’s CTE Center report in February 2023, “345 former NFL players were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) out of 376 former players studied.” CTE can only be diagnosed after death. However, repetitive head trauma is the chief risk factor for CTE.
Because Godwin was already injured and playing through injuries, Bowles is entitled to protect the investment on the team’s offensive weapon.
Although Godwin’s wife is annoyed by what she feels is a false narrative that Bowles is creating, another could be that he is protecting his player from the many dangers of overuse of a banged-up player in the game. What she views as Bowles throwing Godwin under the bus is more likely protective parenting at best.
Mariah Godwin is a rider for her man, but a cease is in order in this case.
The Buccs are currently 5-7 and go to the ATL to do battle against the Falcons, who are 6-6. The game places the Buccs in a position to generate a three-way tie at the division’s top, bearing the New Orleans Saints beating the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Gainesville High school baseball player Jeremy Medina, 18, has been declared brain-dead according to Georgia Medical Center trauma surgeon Dr. Michael Cormican. The high school athlete was struck in the head by a baseball bat on Nov. 20 at the school’s batting cages. He has been in a coma in critical condition since.
“The initial trauma to his head was significant and caused him to lose consciousness, and as he lost consciousness, he lost his ability to maintain his airway,” said Dr. Cormican, to WAGA-TV FOX5.
According to the school, it was a freak accident and Medina leaned into the batting cage netting during a teammate’s follow-through swing and was hit in the head.
“As the player followed through on his swing, Jeremy leaned into the net and was struck in the head,” Gainesville High School principal Jamie Green said at a press conference on Nov. 29. “There is no horseplay, no misconduct, and no intent.”
The Medina family will honor Jeremy’s wish to be an organ donor, which he made at the time he received his driver’s license, according to reports.
“Not only will lives be saved and improved, but the family members, friends and communities of those who receive his organs and tissues will be forever impacted by the memories made possible thanks to a second chance at life,” pastor Frank Medina, Jeremy’s uncle, said in a statement. “Although his life ended so young, Jeremy’s legacy will continue through his selfless decision to give the gift of life. We encourage others to consider following Jeremy’s example and register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor.”
Cormican and Green shared thoughts on the Medina family’s faith, strength and resilience during what can only be described as a nightmare scenario.
“I’ve got a teenage son myself and honestly can’t imagine the pain that this family has to deal with,” Cormican said. “It’s been inspiring to see how they’ve handled this with grace and prayerful thought.”
“You’ve been a source of great inspiration for us, with your faith and your leadership,” Green said. “It’s helped me lead this school community after this very challenging time.”
Green also said that grief counselors and social workers will be available for Gainesville students whenever they need.
The date and time for the procedure to remove Jeremy’s organs has not been set, but his family said he will be laid to rest after said procedure.
According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, 30 million American children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, and more than 3.5 million injuries occur each year.
Death from sports injury is incredibly rare, but the leading cause of death from a sports-related injury is brain injury. Sports and recreational activities contribute to approximately 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children.
According to reports, Jeremy Medina had received a scholarship offer to play collegiate baseball.
