Luka Doncic Posts 40-10-11 Triple Double Passes Larry Bird And Ties Wilt Chamberlain | The 24-Year-Old Is The Real MVP
The Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz on Wednesday 147-97 and Luka Doncic posted 40 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the win. It was his 60th career triple double, moving him past Larry Bird into ninth place all time, and Doncic is now tied with Wilt Chamberlain for the fourth-most 40-10-10 games ever with seven. Is Doncic being overlooked for MVP?
Doncic Is Racking Up Crazy Stats
“Pretty amazing,” said Doncic, after the game. “I don’t know what to say, honestly. We all know who Larry Bird was, so it’s pretty special.”
It was a special accomplishment, and Doncic did it in way fewer games. It took Bird 897 career games to amass 59 triple doubles. Doncic passed him in 349 games. Of course different eras and Doncic is a heliocentric star, unlike Bird.
This is Doncic’s sixth NBA season. So far he’s been rookie of the year, four time first-team All-NBA, and a four-time All-Star. He’s averaging 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game on 49/39/76 shooting splits. He’s sixth in EPM at +5.9 and fifth in BPM at +9.3.
Those are MVP-type numbers and he’s only 24 years old. He finished sixth in MVP voting in 2021, and fifth in 2022.
Mavericks Need More Team Success
Despite his brilliant offensive play he and the Mavericks have not enjoyed a lot of team success outside of a run to the conference finals in 2022. When you examine that run closer they beat a Phoenix Suns team in the conference semifinals that despite having the best regular season record, was breaking down internally.
The main reason for the Mavericks’ lack of postseason success despite Doncic’s offensive brilliance is their poor defensive play. They are the 24th-ranked defense in the league this season, and Doncic is among the worst defenders in the league.
Along with Domantas Sabonis and Tyrese Haliburton, Doncic is one of the highest-ranked players in usage, and offensive EPM that is also in the 23rd percentile or worse in defensive EPM.
That’s not a recipe for team success, which you need to win MVPs, at least in the regular season. The Mavericks have won 50 games once in the Doncic era. That’s not good enough to get it done.
General manager Nico Harrison has some work to do to build out the roster around Doncic. He and head coach Jason Kidd, for as long as he has the job, need to find a way to get Doncic to buy in defensively.
Doncic is never going to be an All-Defensive player. But he can’t be a turnstile. At 6 feet 7 and 230 pounds-plus, his size alone should offer a level of resistance.
He’s a brilliant offensive player, a virtuoso. But until that brilliance translates into more regular season success, he’ll be in the MVP discussion but won’t have a shot at winning one.
Taylor Swift Has No Time For The Speculation | Time 2023 Person of the Year Sets Record Straight on Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift knows you are interested in her love life and that the world thinks they have the timeline of her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce all figured out.
Not. We only know what we have seen, but the recently named Time Person of The Year recently told Time Magazine the facts about the romance that has taken pop culture and football culture by storm.
“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” Swift told Time Magazine. Apparently, “metal as hell” is a new way to say that something is cool in Swiftie Land.
Travis For The Win
However, although people knew Kelce attempted to meet the singer and give her a friendship bracelet to show interest but failed, the news of his overture reached the singer through his podcast, and he inadvertently made his connection to the singer anyway.
“We started hanging out right after that,” Swift continued. “So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
The reality that Kelce and Swift actually found a place and time to get to know one another without the public’s gaze is refreshing in a world where they not only live in a fishbowl but become more marketable for their relationship. The NFL, Kelce, and Swift have all made money and gained increased visibility from the mania surrounding their romance.
A Very Public Love
Putting the genie back in the bottle to return to when the world didn’t treat them as a talking point is impossible, but in the game of popularity, to keep your peace is all about perspective.
“When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” Swift continued. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone … and we’re just proud of each other.”
The Kelce-Swift romance narrative now has more context and rolls on.
NFL Analyst David Carr Sounds Punch-Drunk Saying Marcus Mariota Is Better Suited To Run Eagles Over ‘Injured’ Jalen Hurts
Despite Sunday’s 42-19 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles still have the best record in the league at 10-2.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts is the catalyst of the dynamic Eagles attack, one that came within seconds of winning last season’s Super Bowl. In Sunday’s loss Hurts, who went 26-for-45 for 298 yards and one touchdown, exited the game with what was thought to be a concussion.
The fourth-year pro returned later in the game after clearing health protocols. He even led a quick touchdown drive. So, for someone to say he was or is injured is a stretch, but that’s exactly what former No. 1 overall pick David Carr did on a recent episode NFL Total Access on the NFL Network.
Carr was obviously going for shock jock of the day when he came up with a wild theory that certain parts of the Eagles would look better with former No. 2 overall pick and Eagles backup Marcus Mariota under center.
Huh?
Carr Says Hurts Should Sit Until Fully Healthy
“Clearly, Jalen isn’t comfortable reading through a defense in a drop-back pass scenario,” Carr said. “Some would even say he’s not even good at it. And I think that when you look at this team, you have to have a serious conversation if you’re Philly. And you really have to say, Is it better for us to play Marcus Mariota right now and let Jalen get fully healthy? Because I would argue that it does not matter if they’re the No. 1 seed. Because if the 49ers come into Philly again, they do not care.”
“If you’re Nick Sirianni, this is the type of decision and conversation you have to have, if you have a big-picture mentality,” Carr said. “And I think you can have that conversation, honestly, with Jalen and you can sit him down. That’s all Jalen talks about is the end result. and getting to the Super Bowl and winning that thing.”
Carr Sounds Punch Drunk
For Carr to say Hurts should sit until fully healthy is a definite head-scratcher because he hasn’t shown up on any injury report. Yes he has a sore knee, but that hasn’t slowed him much at all.
Secondly, to hear him say Mariota is better at certain things in the Eagles offense is even more dumbfounding. Mariota fizzled out in Tennessee because he never developed as a passer.
His best skill has always been using his legs in the zone-read game, so Carr’s argument is dead right there.
At this stage of his career Mariota is a backup at best, some would even say journeyman. He’s on his third team in four seasons, after spending his first five in Tennessee.
Eagles Offense Not Same Without Hurts
No way Hurts sits with the division and home field advantage still hanging in the balance.
The Eagles offense does a lot for their bend-but-don’t-break defense and not having Hurts will definitely hurt the defense as well.
For Carr to say having home field wouldn’t matter if they were to play the Niners again is a questionable statement.
Home field advantage is a real thing in the NFL and the numbers would support that.
Carr suggesting that Jalen Hurts be benched makes no sense. Why would Eagles coach Nick Sirianni replace a guy that’s won 33 of his 46 NFL starts, an NFC Championship and NFC East title if he’s not injured?
This is one of the strangest takes by any analyst in a while.
The Eagles might decide to rest Hurts if he needs the off time to heal up for the playoffs, but as of now he’s given no indication that he plans on taking any days off.
Eagles travel to Dallas for a huge NFC East tilt on Sunday with division control at stake.
Phone Tag? | Alabama Coach Nick Saban Received 250 Anonymous Hate Calls After Alabama Chosen For CFP Over FSU
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban has been the public enemy No. 1 of many college football programs. That happens when you’ve won as much as he has during his now 17 seasons on the Alabama sidelines. With the Georgia Bulldogs and their head coach Kirby Smart who was Saban’s defensive coordinator for the first four of his six national championships in Tuscaloosa riding a 29-game winning streak and back-to-back national titles, it was up to the mentor to do something about it.
That’s exactly what Saban and his Crimson Tide did for the first time since 2021, when Saban and his guys were the last team to defeat the Bulldogs. Now 5-1 head-to-head versus Smart and 31-3 versus former assistants following Saturday’s 27-24 SEC Championship game win, Saban and the Tide will participate in the College Football Playoff. The committee’s decision to include the Crimson Tide over the undefeated ACC champion Florida State seemingly brought the ire of Seminoles fans across the Sunshine State.
Saban’s Number Leaked, ’Noles Fans Call Repeatedly
Following Sunday’s announcement of the playoff teams, the team had a banquet to commemorate the regular season and ninth SEC championship in the Saban era. There Saban revealed what he’d experienced since the not-so-popular announcement earlier in the day.
“I’ve probably had over 250 anonymous callers today, calling me every name in the book, talking about how we shouldn’t be in the playoff. So we still have naysayers out there. We still have players who don’t believe in us.
“Most of the calls are from Florida,” Saban added. “I don’t know how in the hell they got my number, but it is out there.”
Things like this only motivate a team like Alabama who’s lived by the “LANK” (Let All Naysayers Know) motto since a Week 2 home to loss the Texas Longhorns.
Saban And The Tide More Than Belong
There has never been a CFP without an SEC team, with Alabama participating in now eight of the ten. Georgia and LSU are the other two SEC programs to have embarked on the postseason journey. So, to think the committee would’ve had the guts to completely shut out the best football conference as a whole wasn’t gonna happen.
The main reason why it wouldn’t is because of last season’s national championship game which saw the aforementioned Bulldogs dismantle the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7.
If the whole idea is to get the four best teams in the tournament, the committee got it right. On a neutral field Alabama would beat FSU pretty handily, especially with their star quarterback Jordan Travis out for the season.
‘You Always Wish You Had A Little More Privacy’: Deion Says He Hoped For More Seclusion During The Season. Is Coach Prime Serious?
The Colorado Buffaloes just completed their first season under Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
After a blazing hot 3-0 start, things quickly unraveled as the Buffs went 1-8 the rest of the way, with that lone win coming against a rebuilding Arizona State squad.
The season was full of hype and plenty of sizzle which began with Sanders completely revamping his roster as 52 players entered from the time Sanders was hired in December 2022 to the team’s annual spring game in late April.
Sanders’ infamous line from his very first team meeting was that he was “bringing luggage, and it happened to be Louis Vuitton” still resonates. Then there was Sanders constantly telling recruits “I ain’t hard to find,” and he made sure the masses knew the Buffs “were coming.”
The sidelines were littered with celebrities weekly and Coach Prime never failed to offer a proclamation, a wise word, a prediction or a challenge.
Too Much Prime Time?
In an interesting turn of events, now Coach Prime is saying he wishes year one in Boulder had more seclusion.
Is he serious? After all the lobbying he did for his program to be in the spotlight, he’s now saying it was too much.
The legendary defensive back told People:
“You always wish you had a little more privacy. “But the same thing that makes you shine will show your blemishes. So, you’ve got to take the good with the bad. You can’t just want everyone there when the hype machine is rolling, you have to understand there’s another side to this.”
After getting off to a surprisingly fast start, things went south pretty quickly. In September the team looked like a sure-fire bowl team, only to finish 4-8 with a myriad of issues on offense and defense. Sanders addressed that in his exclusive interview.
“It was a whirlwind early on,” Sanders said. “Then it calmed down to a halt. We’re going to show you how we dealt with that adversity. iIt was tough, because I’ve never lost pretty much in life, and in the last several years of my life, 10 years, decade, I’m a darn winner, so dealing with losses was tough.”
Deion And Privacy Don’t Seem To Mix As It Pertains To Sports
Throughout his illustrious NFL career Sanders was always in the spotlight from his play, his swag and his showboating. It hasn’t been much different with him as the coach at Jackson State and now at Colorado, with the only difference being the Buffaloes didn’t win much in year one.
Wishing for privacy doesn’t even sound like something Sanders would spew, but maybe after a 4-8 season, Sanders is going to implement some changes in strategy and culture.
The Coach Prime brand is all about being the loudest and proudest in the room, so we will have to wait and see what Deion has up his sleeve.
“That’s Our Fault” | Rasheed Wallace Says He And The Pistons Are To Blame For Draymond Green’s Behavior
Former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace was a recent guest on “Gil’s Arena,” where he told tales of his time in the league and opined on the current state of the game. Wallace told hosts Gilbert Arenas and Josiah Johnson that his 2004 Detroit Pistons and the culture around the team is to blame for Draymond Green‘s bully behavior because he was around the team at the time.
Image Credit: Loren Elliott / Getty
“That’s our fault. And when I say ‘our,’ that’s my fault, that’s Ben Wallace’s fault, that’s Chauncey [Billups’] fault, that’s Rip Hamilton’s fault, that’s Tayshaun [Prince’s] fault…,” Wallace said. “Everybody in that locker room because he grew up in our locker room. One of his best friends was the son of the GM, so he was around us… That’s why he doing the bully s–t he doing now, in my opinion.”
Draymond Spent A Lot Of Time Around 2004 Pistons
The general manager of the 2003-04 Pistons was Joe Dumars. His son Jordan would come to the arena and bring Draymond along.
That was a veteran squad with players who policed each other. No doubt Draymond saw a ton of incidents most would deem not suitable for youngsters. But it is what is. When you bring kids around adult environments, they’re going to witness things and potentially internalize what they see.
That team won a championship so Draymond also saw that the behavior at worst didn’t stop a team from winning at the highest level, and it may have been a factor in winning.
Of course we have no idea what a young teenage-aged Draymond thought about it at the time. All we can do is assume and speculate, which is what Wallace is doing.
But we have seen other areas that give us further insight into why Draymond behaves the way he does.
Draymond is an excellent player, a Hall of Famer and maybe the best defender of this generation. He has a brilliant basketball mind and he plays with an edge. He’s not the most athletic guy in the league, and what he lacks in physical gifts he makes up with intellect and his attitude. He plays up to and often over the line because his emotions drive him.
He argues with officials constantly, and if you pay attention to Golden State Warriors games, he is given a lot of latitude by the officials. Some would argue more latitude than other players are given for behaving similarly. That latitude reinforces the behavior he exhibits. If Draymond knows he can say a little extra and go a bit further, he will continue to do so.
The Warriors are also complicit in Draymond’s behavior. They’ve understood who Draymond is from the moment they drafted him. That stellar play has helped the franchise enjoy its greatest success, but it’s also caused issues.
Draymond famously blew up at then teammate Kevin Durant during a game in 2018 and it was one of the factors that caused KD to leave the team in free agency.
In 2016 Draymond had to be restrained by teammates and arena police from going after head coach Steve Kerr in the locker room during halftime of a game.
Of course there was the punch seen around the world last season, when he knocked out then teammate Jordan Poole in practice. The Warriors traded Poole and signed Draymond to an extension this summer.
Draymond is a problematic high performer, to borrow from management parlance. But he is rewarded at every turn for being just that.
Earlier this season he was suspended five games for performing a rear naked chokehold on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert and upon his return felt no remorse and said he wasn’t going to change a thing.
“The consensus amongst all of us is that I’m going to be me no matter what. That’s not going to change,” Green said following his suspension.
Hanging around the Pistons as an impressionable kid might have had an impact on why Draymond is the way he is as Wallace suggests. But there are plenty of other factors at play as well that reinforce it.
Joe Budden Thinks NBA YoungBoy’s Music Is ‘Trash’ | But A Generation Of NFL Players Is Channeling The Rapper’s Energy During Super Bowl Run
The 49ers treated Sunday’s massacre of the Philadelphia Eagles like a heavyweight title fight. So just like in boxing when the fighters walk out with their favorite rapper, the Niners walked through the tunnel and onto Lincoln Financial Field to a particular rapper’s hype song blaring from the speakers.
The entire team was turned up, especially multi-skilled star Deebo Samuel.
While the Niners meant business entering the biggest game of the NFL season against a one-loss Eagles team, they surely got an extra energy boost from the artist NBA YoungBoy.
Now YoungBoy is an artist who is heavily associated with the sports world and pop culture. He’s also one of the most streamed artists yearly. He and Drake combined for 22 billion streams in 2022 to lead all artists in music.
There are people who actually blame NBA Youngboy and his violent music for influencing NBA superstar Ja Morant‘s behavior, which led to the Memphis Grizzles most important player brandishing guns on camera and being suspended for 25 games to start the basketball season.
But YoungBoy’s character and the subject of most of his discography of music capsulated the attitude of this 49ers team. They are gritty, talented, youthful and very popular. They’re the same Niners that wore all black ahead of the Eagles game, signaling that they planned to bury the defending NFC champions, which is exactly what they did, winning 42-19 on the road in Philadelphia, one of the harshest environments for a football team.
Joe Budden Hates on NBA Youngboys Music’s Music
Who knew NBA YoungBoy, just 24, was delivering this type of energy through his music?
Podcast star Joe Budden went viral after giving his personal opinion on “The Joe Budden Podcast” that NBA Youngboy’s music was “trash” and “horrible.”
“That n***a’s trash. He’s horrible. He is horrible,” Joe said in disgust. “He is horrible. He is really, really, really, really, really bad.”
NBA YoungBoy Has 8 Children: One With Floyd Mayweather’s Daughter
One of NBA YoungBoy’s 8 kids have the strong DNA ties of Floyd Mayweather. The rap star had a child with Floyd’s daughter Yaya. The relationship ended badly, with Yaya catching criminal charges for stabbing another mother of one of the rapper’s children.
NBA YoungBoy never backed down.
If the rapper stood on business when addressing the world’s greatest boxer, then you knew he would respond to Joe Budden.
Over the weekend, Young responded via his label’s Instagram account, with a flurry of disrespect and animosity toward Joe Budden.
“The last thing I dropped was Decided 2, and my album is still in the top 10 pu**y a** n***a,” YoungBoy said. “Don’t speak on me, I don’t play that s**t. Don’t rat on me either, you pu**y a** b***h.”
YoungBoy continued with his fiery rant, verbally disrespecting the former rapper-turned-podcaster with way more profanity. When it comes to influence with the young generation, YoungBoy is not one to be messed with in the streets, or in the booth. He is arguably the most successful rapper of this era.
GOAT Of His Era?
The rapper has over 80-million units sold and has achieved four number-one albums on the Billboard 200 and one top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
He is always in the mix pop-culturally speaking, and the sports world is in tune with him because of his music, his connections to famous athletes, and how he has the music world in a chokehold.
Given some more time, YoungBoy will be the go-to artist for all types of sports, and teams. But right now, having the NFL team favored to win the Super Bowl as loyal fans promoting your music for free is working for YB, regardless of the problems in his personal life.
Coco Gauff Is Highest-Paid Female Athlete | Gauff Follows Naomi Osaka In Continuing Popularity and Marketability Of Black Tennis Players
For the eight consecutive year, a black female tennis player is the world’s highest-paid female athlete. In 2023, US Open champion Coco Gauff earned the top spot with $22.7 million in total earnings, and she’s only 19. Fellow tennis player Naomi Osaka was the top earner the last three years. Osaka is due back on the WTA tour in January; will Gauff eclipse her on the court as well?
Best Year Of Gauff’s Career
First, let’s start with Gauff’s incredible year on and off the court.
At 19, this was her most successful year on tour. She won four titles, including her first WTA 500 singles title in Washington D.C., her first WTA 1000 singles title in Cincinnati and her first grand slam singles title at the US Open. She had a record of 51-16 and finished the year with her highest ranking, No. 3. She also collected $6.7 million in prize money.
Off the court, Gauff earned $16 million in endorsements from her brand partners New Balance, Barilla, Microsof, and Bose.
Osaka has not played a match on tour since September 2022 and gave birth to her first child this past July. But she’s already announced she will play the Brisbane International in early January as a warmup for the year’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open.
Despite not playing a match in over a year, Osaka finished 2023 as the fifth highest-paid female athlete with $15 million in endorsement earnings.
Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion and when she played was the best hardcourt women’s player. Her two Australian Open and two US Open titles say so. She also has WTA 500 and WTA 1000 titles on her resumé.
In the past, Osaka has talked about her mental health struggles and dealing with the pressure of being the world’s no. 1. It has caused many to doubt her abilities to return to top form.
We’ll find out next month at the start of the season, but she’ll enter a very different tour with women at the top of their games, including world no. 1 Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula, to name a few.
As far as Gauff, she’s uniquely positioned to handle her success and rise perhaps more so than Osaka. For starters, Gauff’s rise has been steady. This includes beating five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in 2019 as a 15-year-old, during the first round and Venus was nowhere near her prime. It was a big moment to be sure, but nothing like what Osaka experienced.
In 2018, Osaka won her first US Open title against the GOAT Serena Williams, who returned from maternity leave that year and made the Wimbledon Final in July. When you beat the GOAT in a Grand Slam final, the expectations and attention skyrocket. We all remember the trophy presentation where Osaka was booed by the crowd and both women cried.
That win may have been the best and worst thing for Osaka. The expectation that she would advance deep at every Grand Slam was overwhelming.m, especially considering she didn’t build up a run of singles titles leading up to that 2018 US Open.
Gauff has been heralded as next for a while now, but doesn’t appear to be on anyone’s timetable but her own. She suffered a low point at Wimbledon this past summer and rebounded with the best stretch of her young career.
Time will ultimately tell where these two tennis champions end up.
NCAA Proposes New D1 Subdivision With Direct Pay To Athletes | We Have A Better Solution
NCAA president Charlie Baker proposed the creation of a new subdivision within Division I that would allow the big-monied schools the ability to compensate athletes through a trust fund and direct name, image and likeness (NIL) licensing agreements. It may seem like the NCAA catching up with the times and being more proactive, but it isn’t. There’s a better solution to all of this. Eliminate the intercollegiate athletic system entirely.
“It kick-starts a long-overdue conversation among the membership that focuses on the differences that exist between schools, conferences and divisions and how to create more permissive and flexible rules across the NCAA that put student-athletes first,” Baker wrote in the letter. “Colleges and universities need to be more flexible, and the NCAA needs to be more flexible, too.”
Stop The Sham Of Amateurism
Why are we continuing this sham that athletics needs to be connected to academics as a way of keeping it “amateur,” thus differentiating it from the professional levels?
Baker presenting this new subdivision as something unique and revolutionary is silly. They’re trying to level the playing field on something that can’t be leveled, while suppressing or controlling wages.
“The ‘putting money in a trust’ thing is exactly how American Olympic sports step-stoned their way out of ‘amateurism’”, posted Arizona State University professor and NCAA historian Victoria Jackson on X. “For a hot minute USA T&F (then The Athletics Congress) held monies in a trust…until everyone realized it was silly, paternalistic, & unnecessary to do so.”
Football and basketball at the Division I level in the Power Five conferences are multibillion dollar enterprises. This is where the bulk of NFL and NBA talent is harvested. There is nothing amateur about anything these players do.
Take a look at the weekly football schedule for a player at the University of Michigan and see if you can identify where the time is to actually focus on academics.
The NFL and NBA clubs should be responsible for developing their own talent and leave colleges and universities to education.
In European football, the big clubs (Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG, etc.) all have youth academies. They have robust staffs that scour the earth for the best young soccer talent. Kids as young as eight or nine are identified and with consultation with families are brought into their academies. The goal is simple, becoming professional footballers.
No need to waste time pretending you’re doing something else when the goal is to be a professional sportsman.
Let the Kansas City Chiefs set up their own academy and let the billionaire Hunt family foot the bill for developing their QB for 2050. If you follow the academy model it also becomes lucrative for the parent club if they know how to run their academy and business right.
U.S. Senators and fans won’t have to complain about “rooting for kids that are millionaires” anymore. If the best talent goes to academies, you’ll have exactly what you want. Amateurism.
If the NCAA and alumni still want to watch “amateur sports” they can move all sports to the club level. You can still have access to post-secondary education for student athletes but it will not be run like a professional or semi professional league. No cross country travel for events three time zones away, no coaches making multi million dollar salaries. Education first, athletics second. Student-athlete.
Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy Would Make Justin Fields First 4,000-Yard Passer In Chicago Bears History
The Chicago Bears are 4-8, and, despite showing some promise since an 0-4 start, rumors are Matt Eberflus could be coaching his final five games as the team’s head coach.
Per CBS Sports NFL Insider Josina Anderson, team president Kevin Warren and GM Ryan Poles may look no further than Washington Commanders assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who’s in his first season as the team’s play-caller after years in K.C. helping build that juggernaut.
Anderson took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to say:
“I’m told the Bears are expected to have interest in Commanders assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, among others, with general knowledge that current HC Matt Eberflus is under evaluation with the team at (4-8), per source.”
It’s nothing new for Bieniemy’s name to be surfacing amongst possible coaching candidates. It’s been that way for years, but the 54-year-old has never been able to land that elusive head coach position.
Why The Bears?
For a Bears offense that features dynamic dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields, Bieniemy might be what he needs to unlock all that potential.
It also doesn’t hurt that the aforementioned Poles and Bieniemy worked together with the Chiefs, so that could play a factor as well.
With team president Kevin Warren having a huge say in what happens going forward, the belief is he could have Poles move on from Eberflus, which could open the door for Bieniemy.
But let’s get back to Bieniemy’s fit with Fields. This season Fields has shown some improvement when healthy.
In eight starts this season Fields has passed for 1,587 yards, 12 touchdowns, against six interceptions.
In 2021 and 2022 he passed for 24 touchdowns while throwing a whopping 21 interceptions. It’s his 7-26 record as a starter that’s cause for concern.
Chicago Bears Still Rebuilding
But that’s not all his fault, with the Bears roster being in rebuild and devoid of talent at many positions.
How Could BieniemyHelp Justin FieldsThrow For 4,000 Yards
For starters, he’d help improve upon Fields’ career 61 percent completion percentage. There would also be more focus on playing the quarterback position from the pocket.
The Bears offense currently ranks 20th, which is an improvement over last season when they were 29th out of 32 NFL clubs.
Bieniemy has helped the Commanders go from 24th to 16th this season, and he’s also helped develop second-year quarterback San Howell with a heavy dose of the passing game.
In fact, Howell is second in the league in passing yards at 3,466 yards with an inconsistent 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Barring injury, he’ll easily eclipse the 4,000 yards passing mark.
The Bears are the lone NFL franchise to never have a 4000-yard passer in a season.
Bears Currently Have First And Fifth Overall Pick
The offensive cupboard isn’t bare in Chicago with Fields, wide receiver D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet.
With the first pick that they received from the Panthers from last year’s trade, the Bears don’t need to take a quarterback, they need to draft wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Sr. Harrison Jr. Junior is considered a generational talent at the position.
On Monday, the Ohio State Buckeyes star was named a Heisman finalist. In the history of the award only four pass-catchers have won the award, and only seven have ever been invited to the ceremony.
Harrison won’t win the award, but to be recognized is an accomplishment. For that reason alone the Bears should be all in on drafting him and putting him opposite the explosive and proven Moore.
Next they should take either Olu Fashanu or Joe Alt at left tackle to protect Fields’ blind side and get an anchor on their offensive line.
If those guys are gone then there’s Alabama’s J.C. Latham, who ranks behind those two.
Washington Commanders Might Promote EB To HC
Who knows what the Bears will do, but they may have a fight on their hands to get EB, with the Commanders likely to move on from lame duck coach Ron Rivera.
Bieniemy’s relationship with Howell is definitely a factor.
Guess Who’s Hot? Hoop Star Darryn Peterson Gets Adidas’ First High School NIL Bag and Fanatics Trading Card Deal A Week Later
The world of athletics has changed dramatically since 2021, when it became legal for college athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness (NIL).
In many ways it’s now become a pay-for-play era as pertains to the top-ranked players in each class. Just like in football, where landing a top QB recruit reportedly cost schools in the neighborhood of $million to $2 million dollars, landing a prized guard on the hardwood is no cheap feat either.
Darryl Peterson Makes History With Adidas
Just last week, 2025 No. 3 overall recruit in the ESPN 60, Darryn Peterson of Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia, became the first high school athlete to sign a name, image and likeness deal with shoe and apparel giant Adidas.
That’s no coincidence, as it’s well-documented that Adidas will do their due diligence to get Peterson — who’s highly sought after — to sign with an Adidas school.
The dynamic 6-foot-5 bucket-getter said, “I’m extremely proud to join an elite group of athletes with Adidas. I look forward to working with the team as I embark on this pivotal moment in my life.”
Peterson Adds Fanatics To NIL Bag
Adding to his already impressive NIL bag, Peterson recently signed a multimillion-dollar NIL with the former sports apparel giant Fanatics. The deal makes him the youngest athlete to have a deal with a trading card company.
Not bad for a 16-year-old with two years of high school left, who is also excited for his family.
In a statement release, an elated Peterson is thinking about what it means for those in his village.
“This is great, not only for me, but for my family,” Peterson said. “I’m excited that Fanatics believed in me enough to make me the first junior to sign. I’m even more excited to be a part of the Fanatics family.”
Fanatics Expands Empire
In 2022 Fanatics added the trading card giant Topps to its arsenal in a deal that was somewhere in the $500 million range.
Since then they’ve added some huge brands to the roster, landing Carolina Panthers rookie QB Bryce Young and WNBA star Aliyah Boston while both were still in college.
Why Peterson?
USC freshman basketball star Bronny James has the highest NIL valuation of any college athlete at $6.1 million.
Internet sensation Mikey Williams, who recently reached a plea deal on a firearm charge, still hasn’t been cleared to join his teammates at Memphis but nevertheless holds a $3.3 million NIL valuation.
Peterson, averaged nearly 32 points and ten rebounds per game for Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy last season.
Peterson Was A Star For Team USA Under-16
Last summer he helped the Team USA under-16 win the gold medal in the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico, averaging 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Peterson’s flair for the dramatic likely played a role in the hefty NIL deals. In August he transferred to Huntington Prep for his junior season.
It also doesn’t hurt to have 19 offers, including some of the biggest programs in the sport like Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana and UCLA to name a few.
Stephen A. Smith Wants To Be Paid Like The Top White Talent At ESPN | Says $12 Million Per Year Ain’t Cutting It Anymore
Stephen A. Smith who’s widely recognized as the face of the Entertainment Sports Network, has turned the network’s hit show into the top morning sports show since he arrived nearly 12 years ago.
He’s also guest spotted on many others, helping ratings and bringing his on-air swag and loquacious vibes to every set. The Winston-Salem State alumnus reportedly rakes in $12 million per year, but, to let him tell it, that ain’t cutting it.
The ever-confident Smith is letting it be known that his pay doesn’t match his value to the network. In a recent interview with Outkick he was asked if he felt he should be the highest-paid per personality at ESPN, which gave an emphatic answer to.
“Yes. I’m not stuttering. Hell yes, that’s absolutely true.”
Smith Gives His Reasons Why He Feels This Way
Many might believe Smith feels this way because of the money ESPN spent to bring in former NFL player Pat McAfee and his show at a reported $18 million. Plus the additions to the Monday Night Football booth of Joe Buck ($15 million) and Troy Aikman ($18 million) who make a combined $33 million between them. Now SAS wants some new money, and during the interview he expounded on why he’s deserving of a bigger bag.
“I’ve been No. 1 for 12 years. April 1st will mark 12 consecutive years I’ve been No. 1. Not only have I been No. 1 every year, I’ve been No. 1 every week and every month of every year for the last 12 years.”
Smith wasn’t done, as he then heaped plenty of praise upon himself:
“I’m just not a talent. I’m a business. I’ve got my own production company. I’ve got my own YouTube channel. I’ve got my own show. It’s not even just a podcast. it’s a show with a fully loaded television studio. That’s what I built for myself, that could linear or digital. The list goes on and on.
“I’m doing all of these things. I’m not doing all of that to be in second place. I’m not doing all of that to look up at somebody else and see that they’re making more than me when I’m producing serious ratings and revenue. No, I’m not doing that. And I’m not apologizing for anybody for it.”
Is Smith Underpaid? He Believes So
In October 2022 while on the air Smith mentioned that he felt he was underpaid. With him sharing the same sentiments recently, maybe he’s correct. ESPN did bring in the aforementioned McAfee along with Aikman and Buck at higher salaries than Smith, who’s laid the groundwork for some of the network’s biggest shows. So, in essence, he has a point, but he thought he was underpaid before McAfee arrived and soon after the “MNF” duo arrived as well. For him to keep saying means it’s festering a bit, and with that only time will tell what his next move will be.
Could it be his way of trying to get more money, or is he beginning his exit strategy from the network with Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe now in tow. No matter what it is, Smith is always an interesting storyline.
Get your popcorn ready, folks, this could be growing legs.
Lowkey: C.J. Stroud Not Only Deserves ROY But Stands On Business As A Role Model Of The Year
The Houston Texans quarterback jokingly referenced a one-liner of content creator and comedian Druski on Sunday, Dec. 3 after stepping helmet-to-helmet against Denver Broncos LB Alex Singleton. But it’s safe to say the reference is fitting.
Since entering the NFL this season as QB1 for the Texans, Stroud has had a lot on his shoulders, both on and off the field.
If some of the amazing details of resilience and triumph through tremendous adversities have gone unnoticed, allow us to reintroduce C.J. Stroud.
After breaking the single-game rookie record with 470 passing yards and five touchdowns in the Texans’ 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, many see Stroud as Rookie of the Year.
Standing On Business
Since entering the NFL as the second overall pick in the first round by the Houston Texans, the two-time First-team All-Big Ten quarterback from Ohio State University walked hand-in-hand with controversy.
He came in only two seasons removed from Deshaun Watson’s polarizing departure from the Texans and under a first-time head coach in DeMeco Ryans. Oh yeah, and they both are Black. Although they are currently tied for fourth in their division with the Indianapolis Colts, his gutsy performances already have begun his legend as a professional.
However, Stroud has kept his composure off the field and excelled despite life-changing circumstances like his father, a former pastor, incarcerated for 38 years. A recipient of California’s three-strikes rule, the Stroud family has endured the trauma of losing their patriarch, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, since C.J. was 13 years old.
His mother, Kimberly Stroud, raised him and his siblings as a single mother in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and after overcoming his initial anger toward his father, is now a prison reform advocate. He also began using platforms like postgame press conferences to highlight the issues behind the wall to bring more attention to the humanity of inmates.
Family And Community Man
“People slip up. People make mistakes. As I’m getting older, I’m realizing how tough it is to be a man — not only a man, but a Black man in our communities,” C.J. told The Columbus Dispatch in September 2022.
“I think I thrive now at this age, just understanding that doing the right thing is the right way and letting God lead your life is the best way. That’s what I learned from my father.”
He and his mother started the CJ Stroud Foundation, which has hosted events for single mothers and established itself as a force in the Houston community. His mother is also the president of the organization.
Stroud is showing that you can be larger than your family circumstances, and he has not shied away from shedding light on subjects that might not be sports entertainment friendly. Stroud’s brilliance on the field and his advocacy and leadership make him someone to watch and an example for young people.
Rex Ryan Calls Mike Tomlin’s Steelers ‘Frauds’ After Team’s Ugly Loss To Arizona Cardinals, But Is He One To Talk?
Just a few short weeks ago the 7-5 Pittsburgh Steelers seemed like a lock to make the playoffs. But after Sunday’s ugly home loss to the Arizona Cardinals (3-10) questions about the Steelers as a legitimate playoff contender have begun to surface.
In wake of that surprising loss, former NFL coach Rex Ryan called them “frauds” during Monday’s episode of “Get Up” on ESPN.
NFL analyst Rex Ryan called Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers “frauds” after loss to lowly Arizona Cardinals.
Ryan, whose fiery personality has never helped his tongue, did say the Steelers, who are currently the fifth seed in the AFC, would make still likely make the playoffs. But he also sounded the alarm on their play, and that’s mainly a shot at their offense, which is ranked 28th out of 32 teams in scoring offense.
Ryan also said that Steelers struggled in all three phases of the game, which is another concern.
https://youtu.be/lm8XtmBrXEU?si=_XZQlLCXdLHi0DOM
Steelers FRAUDS?
In a home game against a Cardinals team who’s playing hard, but mainly for draft position, the Steelers struggled to score double figures, and Ryan let them know about it.
“They’re frauds. How do you score 10 points at home against the 30th-ranked defense? That’s ridiculous. Here’s the funny thing, we’re going to watch them in the playoffs,” Ryan said.
Offensive struggles have been a theme all season in Pittsburgh, and it cost former offensive coordinator Matt Canada his job a couple weeks back.
It didn’t help matters that second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett left the game with a high-ankle sprain. In an effort to expedite his return the former Pittsburgh Panthers star underwent successful tightrope surgery on Monday, and his prognosis as of now is a couple of weeks.
Mike Tomlin Has Some Work To Do
Head coach Mike Tomlin turned to former No. 2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky on Sunday, and while he wasn’t bad, passing for 117 yards and the team’s only touchdown, he isn’t the answer. He’ll have to be for a few weeks with Pickett on the mend. The rookie is still the best option for the Steelers under center.
Tomlin knows it and that’s why he never pulled the kid even though his play may have warranted it at times.
Ryan Should Watch His Mouth Speaking On Tomlin’s Team
In his coaching career Ryan is 65-68, including playoffs. The loudmouth defensive savant fizzled out in coaching stops with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Calling Tomlin’s team a fraud is a joke. This is the same coach who’s never had a losing season in 16 seasons as a head coach. Tomlin’s career record (170-97-2, including playoffs) includes a Super Bowl win.
Ryan should know fraud. Most of his tenure as a head coach his teams were frauds, minus the back-to-back AFC championship losses in 2009 and 2010.
NBA In-Season Tournament Suns Versus Lakers | One Of The Last Times We’ll See LeBron And KD Go Head To Head With Stakes
Tuesday night’s final In-Season Tournament quarterfinal matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers is not only for a spot in the semifinals in Las Vegas, but it’s also likely the last time we will see Kevin Durant and LeBron James go head to head in a game with stakes.
These two players, along with Stephen Curry, defined this generation of the NBA and have helped usher it into its new future.
Bron and the Lakers have gotten the best of Durant and the Suns the first two games of the season. One being a tournament group play matchup.
The two have played against each other 37 times, regular season and playoffs, with Bron leading 22-15. Bron has the edge in the regular season 17-6, while Durant holds the edge in the playoffs 9-5.
They’ve only faced off in three playoff series in their storied careers. While it’s possible it could happen again this season as both are in the Western Conference, predicting what will happen in April is a fool’s errand.
2012 NBA Finals
This was Bron’s “super friends” Miami Heat vs. Durant and the “baby Thunder.” It was Bron’s third Finals appearance, having yet to claim a title. The 27-year old three-time league MVP and his friends were too tough for the young Thunder. Heat won in five, and all but the deciding game were close.
Bron averaged 28 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists that series. A 23-year-old Durant was virtually unstoppable, averaging 30 points and 6 rebounds on 54/39/83 shooting splits.
The third consecutive matchup between Bron’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Only this time, the Warriors had Durant.
In a far more competitive series than the final count represents, Durant was at his apex on both sides of the floor. He needed to be because Bron averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists per game that series while playing 42 minutes per game.
Durant took home his first title and his first Finals MVP. We all remember the iconic three over LeBron in Game 3.
2018 NBA Finals
The fourth straight matchup between the Cavaliers and Warriors for the top prize and the last time Bron and KD played in a game or series with stakes.
Once again KD and the Warriors proved too tough, but Bron had another great series.
KD took home his second title and Finals MVP.
2023 In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals
We don’t yet know how this one will turn out, but we know both players will compete hard and will go at each other as the game dictates. Game recognizes game, as the saying goes, and both men have the utmost respect for what the other has done and still can do.
It’s not for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but it is for a spot in the semifinals and a chance at the first ever NBA Cup.
Both teams want to win this and both players want to beat the other in the process.
Bron is 39 and KD is 35. They have more years behind them than ahead on an NBA court. We should appreciate these two greats going at it one more time in a game with stakes, because it might be the last.
We Know The Miami Dolphins Are Dominant But What We Don’t Know Is What Race Head Coach Mike McDaniels Claims
The Miami Dolphins are on a three-game win streak and on fire as the most exciting team in the AFC East. With the tandem of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, respectively, a surefire touchdown machine and Hill on track to have 2,000 or more receiving yards this season, the Dolphins are setting South Florida ablaze with hope again.
With all that the world knows about the Dolphins, what is obscure is head coach Mike McDaniel’s racial designation. According to the NFL, McDaniel is classified as a minority, which is vital in the wake of the departure of former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who is Black, and suing the NFL for alleged hiring discrimination; hiring another minority head coach after Flores is a diversity feather in the team’s cap.
Additionally, there are benefits to developing minorities for coaching positions in the NFL. However, the confusion stems from McDaniel, who initially claimed to be “human.”
“It’s been very odd, to tell you the truth, this idea of ‘identifying’ as something,” McDaniel said back in February 2022, per ProFootballTalk. “I think people identify me as something, but I identity as a human being and my dad is Black. So whatever you want to call it, I know there’s a lot of people with a shared experience.”
The statement felt telling as McDaniel didn’t denote his mother as being white but honed in on his father being Black, which affirms he understands that his father’s ethnicity checks a box for the team and the league. However, his reluctance to confirm his Blackness gives Tiger Woods “Cablinasian” vibes, which feel more avoidant than inclusive.
“It’s weird that it comes up because I’ve just tried to be a good person. And I think my background opens my eyes a little bit. I don’t have any real experience with racism because I think you identify me as something close to — I don’t know. I know my mom experienced it when she married my dad. I know my dad experienced it, that’s in my family. But I guess that makes me a human being that can identify with other people’s problems.”
He later clarified his position in a sit-down interview with ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, where he said, “First and foremost, I’m biracial … I’ve been extremely proud of that my whole life.”
McDaniel’s entire perspective must fit more neatly in a box for a league troubled with racial diversity problems in the coaching ranks. Although biracial is an identity, in the game of metrics, Black is Black when discussing diversity in corporate hiring practices, and McDaniel’s straddling of a line that America defines clearly makes his tenure as racially ambiguous as he claims also to be.
NBA Cup Predictions: Who Will Join Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans In Las Vegas With A Chance To Win Inaugural In-Season Tournament?
The NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament has been a success. Ratings are up, and the games have been compelling and competitive. The players care and want to win the NBA Cup and the $500,000 cash prize paid out to each member of the winning team.
Two of the final four teams already are headed to Las Vegas. Who will join them?
The Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans are the first two teams to qualify for the semifinals.
The Pacers were led by Tyrese Haliburton’s 26-point triple double in a big-time win over the Boston Celtics. It was Haliburton and the Pacers that were the more poised team down the stretch.
The Pelicans were led by Brandon Ingram who scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists in the win over the Sacramento Kings.
Both teams ratcheted up their defense to playoff-level intensity during the game to secure wins.
Knicks vs. Bucks
Both teams have been playing good basketball of late. The Knicks are 7-3 in their last 10 and the Bucks 8-2 over the same period.
They get to their desired result differently. The Knicks are a rugged throwback basketball team. They’re fifth in aDRTG and 13th in aORTG. They are the slowest-paced team in the league and grind out their offensive possessions.
The Bucks are eighth in aORTG and 17th in aDRTG; they rank fifth in pace. The Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo pick and roll is a deadly combination. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez are playing well to start the season.
In a single elimination, anything is possible. The Knicks will make the Bucks work for everything and the Bucks’ poor defense might make scoring a little easier for the Knicks. But outside of Jalen Brunson, who is going to consistently generate offense?
The Lakers are 2-0 against the Suns this season. But the Suns had leads in the fourth quarter of both games and made costly turnovers down the stretch to give the games away.
The Suns’ point guard Devin Booker did not play in either game. When Booker and Kevin Durant both play this season the Suns are 8-1 with a +5.6 point differential.
The Lakers are 10th in pace and want to get out and run in transition because their half-court offense is bad. They rank 19th in aORTG and 12th in aDRTG. LeBron James is still playing elite basketball and when Anthony Davis is locked in, he’s a two-way terror.
It’s hard to beat a good team three times in a season. But LeBron loves having his name in the history books.
Winner: The Suns pull away late.
Eastern Conference
The Pacers will win over the Bucks; it’s their time and Haliburton is continuing his ascent.
Western Conference
The Suns will take the Pelicans, as Book and KD out duel Ingram and Zion Williamson.
NBA Cup Champion
The Pacers will win over the Suns in an overtime classic.
‘If Deion Was The Coach They Wouldn’t Have Been Left Out’ | The Coach Prime Effect Would’ve Been Enough To Get Florida State Into CFP
The dust continues to settle on the College Football Playoff committee leaving out Florida State, an undefeated (13-0) Power Five conference champion. While it isn’t the most popular decision, based on the criteria that teams must meet to be selected for the playoffs it was the right choice.
With star quarterback Jordan Travis, a preseason Heisman candidate, injured and absent for the remainder of the season, the committee decided that the Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1), Texas Longhorns (12-1), Michigan Wolverines (13-0) and Washington Huskies (13-0) are the four best teams in the country.
Not most deserving, but the eye test is what the committee prides itself on, and in their eyes the Seminoles weren’t one of them. At the end of the day that type of decision isn’t entirely football-based, there’s also a business aspect to the decision. These games have to be marketed with the biggest brands in college football.
In this instance the brands of Alabama and Texas loomed larger than that of Florida State.
Would Deion Sanders Have Made A Difference?
During Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith mentioned that he agrees with the committee’s decision, but also says that if a certain former Seminoles legend was stalking those sidelines in Tallahassee things would’ve turned out differently on Sunday.
That would be none other than Deion Sanders, the current head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.
“I bet if Primetime Deion Sanders was the coach, they wouldn’t have gotten left out,” Smith said. “Norvell is a sensational coach and has done a sensational job, and I’m not taking anything away from him.”
“Why do I bring him up? Because if Primetime has an undefeated team, the sizzle he brings to the sport matters. We want to act like it doesn’t matter, but it matters because it is a business,” Smith added.
Valid point by SAS. The Coach Prime Effect is contagious, and Sanders is a huge brand. It’s not a stretch to think that his presence alone would’ve likely helped the ’Noles’ chances immensely.
The fact that Sanders is currently the most polarizing college football figure and played at FSU wouldn’t have hurt. The storyline of former FSU star leading alma mater to the College Football Playoffs would’ve been a narrative the committee very likely would’ve run with.
As Smith stated, Norvell is a great coach, but he just doesn’t bring the same cachet as one Deion Luwynn Sanders.
Sanders Could’ve Been FSU Head Coach
Sanders is a former two-time All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back in 1988 at FSU, who, following his illustrious NFL career, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A longtime NFL analyst, Sanders jumped into the collegiate coaching realm in 2020 at Jackson State. He enjoyed immediate success, and many believed he could have become the next coach at FSU if things had gone awry with Norvell, who was hired in 2019 and struggled early on in his time as coach.
That hasn’t been the case with Norvell, who’s done a whirlwind job cleaning up the mess former coach Jimbo Fisher left when he departed for Texas A&M in 2018.
But you have to believe if Sanders had been stalking those sidelines inside Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee the ’Noles would be preparing for a CFP game and not for a trip to the Orange Bowl against Georgia.
Bronx High School Defies Odds | Cardinal Hayes Becomes First City School To Win Catholic League’s Prestigious AAA State Title
When you talk about a story of perseverance, overcoming great deals of adversity, and achieving greatness against all odds, this story of a local Bronx high school winning their state championship with little to no support from their city fits the bill.
Most high school teams tasked with trying to win football games without a suitable place to practice and prepare and being forced to utilize unconventional methods of training usually struggle to win games.
Especially when other teams are well suited and equipped with the facilities and space to practice and hone their skills.
Cardinal Hayes became the first New York City school to win the Catholic League’s prestigious AAA division state championship, despite financial challenges and lack of resources. (Photo: Cardinal Hayes)
Cardinal Hayes Defies The Odds
That is what Cardinal Hayes High School football had to endure before they secured their state championship, crushing Buffalo’s St. Francis Red Raiders 40-22 on Saturday in New York’s Catholic League title game.
According to The New York Post, after winning the state championship game, Cardinal Hayes became the first New York City school to win the Catholic League’s prestigious AAA division state championship, which is considered one of the top championships in Northeast high school sports. Usually, well-funded Catholic schools in upscale neighborhoods win these championships.
“We teach resilience here – that’s our biggest thing,” Cardinal Hayes coach C.J. O’Neill told The New York Post after the game.
“Obviously the tougher the road, the greater the achievement. We just kept moving forward and chopping way, and I’m so proud of these kids.”
The Cardinal Hayes’ lack of resources included a long list of neglected issues with their home field of Macombs Dam Park, and the circumstances regarding the state of their field were so poor, they had to host the championship game at Columbia University’s field.
New York does one of the worst jobs in the country when it comes to supporting high school sports programs, providing resources and maintaining playable fields. It’s the same in every sport. Many city schools don’t even have a practice field or locker rooms to change.
Local Bronx Residents Rally Around Cardinal Hayes Football Team
Many of the local residents, who also are pitching in to help Cardinal Hayes reach their highest level of success, also blame the city for their lack of support for Cardinal Hayes, especially after The Bronx relocated Yankee Stadium beginning in 2006, eliminating the park that Cardinal Hayes played and practiced at in the process.
“It been devastating for our kids,” said O’Neill, who has coached at Cardinal Hayes for the past 26 years. “We don’t have a fancy stadium like a lot of the other schools we play, but playing across the street from Yankee Stadium was a great source of pride for them.”
Cardinal Hayes Overcame A Lack Of Resources
Unfortunately, the school had to endure inconveniences and mishaps, such as a fire that broke out in the coaches office, destroying equipment and forcing football meetings into the gym hallway.
A poorly outfitted weight room led to players being forced to lift weights and exercise outside regardless of the weather conditions.
Dangerous Travel Conditions For Students
Also, the team had to haul themselves and their equipment to Mott Haven Community College’s football field each day. The trip is about a mile walk, and the young athletes usually traveled unsupervised and after Daylight Saving Time ended.
The boys were clearly put through hell and back in order to play, but the reward was surely worth the journey.
NYC Must Provide Better Facilities, Support For High Schools
Now that the city has seen what Cardinal Hayes can do facing a little adversity with a chip on their shoulder, maybe this will motivate the department in charge of maintaining the park to provide some resources for their football field, with the hopes of more successful seasons such as this one. Maybe more fundraising efforts by parents will help improve the facilities.
Cardinal Hayes is a symbol of pride for a community and families struggling to survive the harsh demands of New York and provide a future for their kids.
The Rise Of Jordan Love | Former Utah State QB Took Time To Develop, But Has Officially Moved Packers Fans Past Aaron Rodgers Era
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is playing the best football of his career. The strong-armed gunslinger who was a surprise first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft is beginning to show why the Packers made him their choice to succeed former four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
After getting off to a great start to begin the season, Love hit a bit of a rough patch, but in the last two games (wins over the Lions and Chiefs) he’s been magnificent.
In those two games, which also got the Packers back into the thick of the NFC playoff race, Love went 47-for-68 for 535 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. It’s a real tribute to the work he and head coach Matt LaFleur have put into getting the talented, but at times erratic, signal-caller playing at a high level.
Remember when the Packers drafted Love in 2020? Rodgers wasn’t happy about it and Packers fans and media questioned the move because Rodgers was still playing at an All-Pro. Fast forward four years later and the 40-year-old Rodgers is on the New York Jets sidelined with a torn Achilles.
Meanwhile, Love’s arrival comes at the perfect time, as the Packers schedule will now open up with four very winnable games in the last five weeks.
Love Matured Sitting Three Years Behind Rodgers
Love’s play has caught the attention of many, one being ESPN NFL analyst Dominique Foxworth, who had this to say about him during Monday’s episode of “Get Up”:
“We don’t see this type of improvement and accuracy very often in quarterbacks, his ability to put the ball where he wants it. Previously one of his real issues was he would read it right and throw it wrong.”
That’s a byproduct of being able to develop at his pace while Rodgers was the starter. You can never discount the invaluable experience he gained watching Rodgers daily. It means something for any player to have a mentor, but especially at the quarterback position.
Rodgers himself sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons. That seems to be the norm in Green Bay, but most franchises haven’t been afforded 31 consecutive years of Hall of Fame quarterback play.
When you look at the Packers’ roster, they have talented skill players talent at the running back and wide receiver positions. Their offensive line is getting better every week, and they have a steadily growing and rising defense. The key to all that rounding into a real contender in the NFC is the play of Love. If he continues to grow the Packers will have a chance to be really, really good for a long time. Love has the most games (4) this season with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
