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Team USA Sweeps Sunday Doubleheader at World Games,https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/team-usa-sweeps-sunday-doubleheader-at-world-games,https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/team-usa-sweeps-sunday-doubleheader-at-world-games,2022-07-11T04:51:38+00:00,"HOOVER, Ala. — It was delayed by a day, but Team USA's opening games at the World Games were more than worth the wait for the 4,500 fans at Hoover Met.
The Eagles swept Sunday evening's doubleheader against Italy and Chinese Taipei with two shutout victories, 6-0 and 7-0.
Because of the pandemic, it's been a while since there have been large crowds at international softball competitions, and Team USA veteran and former Alabama outfielder Haylie McCleney loved the support from the fans in her home state Sunday night.
""It was electric,"" McCleney said. ""It’s been a while since I’ve played in front of people. For me and the veterans on this team, that energy the crowd provided us was really special, something we missed out on in Tokyo last year. So I loved it— the energy, the fans, the USA chants at the end, watching her [Montana Fouts] come in and do her thing, it was pretty surreal. I had a blast.""
McCleney went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and walk in the doubleheader as the starter in centerfield and leadoff batter in both games. One of her RBIs came in the bottom of the sixth inning against Chinese Taipei that set up the game-winning run-rule hit from Amanda Lorenz in the 7-0 win.
The biggest cheers of the night came for Alabama pitcher Montana Fouts when she was announced pregame and came in to pitch in the fifth inning against Italy.
""I was just excited,"" Fouts said. ""It was great to have that big of a crowd, and I think the Rhoads House kind of prepares us for that, so I was excited to get back out there and wear this uniform. Kinzie [Hansen] was great back there, and made me look a lot better than I am.""
In three innings pitched, Fouts struck out eight batters and allowed one hit while giving up no runs.
In the sixth, she faced the highest pressure situation of the game thus far after a walk and error put two runners on base with two outs. But Fouts got out of the jam with another strikeout.
The Italian hitters were having trouble catching up to the speed of Fouts' pitches. McCleney said it looked like Fouts was throwing 90 mph from her vantage point in centerfield.
""I have the best view out there in center,"" McCleney said. ""She was hitting her spots really well. She was mixing it. I think Kinzie did a great job calling for her. They were late, and she just kept pounding the zone. That’s a big key.""
Fouts, McCleney and Team USA will be back in action at the Hoover Met on Monday at 7 p.m. against Canada.","
HOOVER, Ala. — It was delayed by a day, but Team USA's opening games at the World Games were more than worth the wait for the 4,500 fans at Hoover Met.
The Eagles swept Sunday evening's doubleheader against Italy and Chinese Taipei with two shutout victories, 6-0 and 7-0.
Because of the pandemic, it's been a while since there have been large crowds at international softball competitions, and Team USA veteran and former Alabama outfielder Haylie McCleney loved the support from the fans in her home state Sunday night.
""It was electric,"" McCleney said. ""It’s been a while since I’ve played in front of people. For me and the veterans on this team, that energy the crowd provided us was really special, something we missed out on in Tokyo last year. So I loved it— the energy, the fans, the USA chants at the end, watching her [Montana Fouts] come in and do her thing, it was pretty surreal. I had a blast.""
McCleney went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and walk in the doubleheader as the starter in centerfield and leadoff batter in both games. One of her RBIs came in the bottom of the sixth inning against Chinese Taipei that set up the game-winning run-rule hit from Amanda Lorenz in the 7-0 win.
The biggest cheers of the night came for Alabama pitcher Montana Fouts when she was announced pregame and came in to pitch in the fifth inning against Italy.
""I was just excited,"" Fouts said. ""It was great to have that big of a crowd, and I think the Rhoads House kind of prepares us for that, so I was excited to get back out there and wear this uniform. Kinzie [Hansen] was great back there, and made me look a lot better than I am.""
In three innings pitched, Fouts struck out eight batters and allowed one hit while giving up no runs.
In the sixth, she faced the highest pressure situation of the game thus far after a walk and error put two runners on base with two outs. But Fouts got out of the jam with another strikeout.
The Italian hitters were having trouble catching up to the speed of Fouts' pitches. McCleney said it looked like Fouts was throwing 90 mph from her vantage point in centerfield.
""I have the best view out there in center,"" McCleney said. ""She was hitting her spots really well. She was mixing it. I think Kinzie did a great job calling for her. They were late, and she just kept pounding the zone. That’s a big key.""
Fouts, McCleney and Team USA will be back in action at the Hoover Met on Monday at 7 p.m. against Canada.
",en,2022-07-11T04:51:38Z,2022-07-11T17:48:40+00:00,2022-07-11T17:48:40Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkwODEzNDA2MjE3OTA1ODQ2/fxxt8r-xwaivwmt.jpg,"Montana Fouts had eight strikeouts and gave up no runs in three innings pitched in the win over Italy, and Haylie McCleney collected three hits and two RBIs in the doubleheader.","[
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]",0.98414457,2023-01-31T00:00:00Z,
Maye named finalist for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year honor,https://www.si.com/college/unc/football/maye-named-finalist-for-shaun-alexander-freshman-of-the-year-honor,https://www.si.com/college/unc/football/maye-named-finalist-for-shaun-alexander-freshman-of-the-year-honor,2022-12-01T21:25:19+00:00,"It's been a week full of accolades and accomplishments for North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. On Tuesday, he was named to the All-ACC First Team before being tabbed as the ACC Player of the Year and the ACC Rookie of the Year on Wednesday.
One day later and the honors continue to roll in for the Tar Heel signal caller.
Maye was named one of five finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, an honor presented by the Maxwell Football Club after the former Alabama running back.
Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, and Penn State linebackers Abdul Carter join Maye as finalists in the award's fifth year.
In his first season as a starter under center, Maye compiled one of, if not the best season in North Carolina football history.
His 3,847 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns ranked first in the ACC and top five in all of college football.
On the ground, the redshirt freshman was equally as impressive, rushing for 629 yards and six scores. He led the explosive offense in both passing and rushing, becoming of the most valuable players in the country.
Maye helped lead the Tar Heels to a 9-3 regular season and a berth in the ACC Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday.
A victory for the final ACC Coastal Champion would give them their first conference title since 1980 and their first ever win in the Championship Game format.","
It's been a week full of accolades and accomplishments for North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. On Tuesday, he was named to the All-ACC First Team before being tabbed as the ACC Player of the Year and the ACC Rookie of the Year on Wednesday.
One day later and the honors continue to roll in for the Tar Heel signal caller.
Maye was named one of five finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, an honor presented by the Maxwell Football Club after the former Alabama running back.
Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, and Penn State linebackers Abdul Carter join Maye as finalists in the award's fifth year.
In his first season as a starter under center, Maye compiled one of, if not the best season in North Carolina football history.
His 3,847 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns ranked first in the ACC and top five in all of college football.
On the ground, the redshirt freshman was equally as impressive, rushing for 629 yards and six scores. He led the explosive offense in both passing and rushing, becoming of the most valuable players in the country.
Maye helped lead the Tar Heels to a 9-3 regular season and a berth in the ACC Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday.
A victory for the final ACC Coastal Champion would give them their first conference title since 1980 and their first ever win in the Championship Game format.
",en,2022-12-01T21:25:19Z,2022-12-01T21:25:20+00:00,2022-12-01T21:25:20Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MTQ0NTc4MDIwODQ1MDYx/usatsi_19364630-1.jpg,"The first year starter took the ACC by storm and paced the conference in passing yards, passing touchdowns, yards per game, and passing efficiency.","[
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Former Steelers WR Antonio Brown Defends Exposing Himself to Woman in Hotel Pool,https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-antonio-brown-defends-exposing-woman-pool,https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-antonio-brown-defends-exposing-woman-pool,2022-10-02T00:15:00+00:00,"Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown made headlines for exposing himself to a random woman in a Dubai hotel pool, but the once All-Pro has defended himself on social media.
Brown went on a Twitter rant explaining his side of the story.
According to the New York Post, Brown made questionable decisions while nude in a hotel pool with a random woman in Dubih back in May.
The Post reports that Brown was engaging with a female guest in the pool but did not have clothes on. With a crowd of men cheering him on, the former wide receiver proceeded to lift himself out of the water and shove his butt in the woman's face.
The story writes the woman then ""turns away, laughing off the apparent neutral zone infractions, as other men in the pool begin egging on Brown, yelling 'Yeah!' 'Another one!' and 'AB!'""
Afterward, Brown attempted to wrap a scarf around the woman's head. She then snatched the scarf away from her head, which prompted him to lift her out of the water and slam her head first into the pool ""like he was spiking a football"".
Once she came above the water and cleared her eyes, Brown leaned on the side of the pool and raised his penis above the water. According to The Post, he then asked ""you want it?""
According to the report, the woman was upset and complaining after the incident and the hotel asked Brown to leave.
Make sure you bookmark All Steelers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
Steelers vs. Jets: 5 Things to Watch
Sparks Show George Pickens How Special Steelers Offense Will Be
Matt Canada Has a Message for the Steelers Offense","
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown made headlines for exposing himself to a random woman in a Dubai hotel pool, but the once All-Pro has defended himself on social media.
Brown went on a Twitter rant explaining his side of the story.
The Post reports that Brown was engaging with a female guest in the pool but did not have clothes on. With a crowd of men cheering him on, the former wide receiver proceeded to lift himself out of the water and shove his butt in the woman's face.
The story writes the woman then ""turns away, laughing off the apparent neutral zone infractions, as other men in the pool begin egging on Brown, yelling 'Yeah!' 'Another one!' and 'AB!'""
Afterward, Brown attempted to wrap a scarf around the woman's head. She then snatched the scarf away from her head, which prompted him to lift her out of the water and slam her head first into the pool ""like he was spiking a football"".
Once she came above the water and cleared her eyes, Brown leaned on the side of the pool and raised his penis above the water. According to The Post, he then asked ""you want it?""
According to the report, the woman was upset and complaining after the incident and the hotel asked Brown to leave.
Make sure you bookmark All Steelers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
",en,2022-10-02T00:15:00Z,2022-10-02T00:15:02+00:00,2022-10-02T00:15:02Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNzMyNTk1NzExMTI0NTA5/usatsi_17973503_168388034_lowres.jpg,The former Pittsburgh Steelers star tells his side of the story.,"[
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""name"":""Noah Strackbein"",
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]",0.9775474,2022-10-02T00:00:00Z,
How to Watch Syracuse vs St. John's,https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/basketball/how-to-watch-syracuse-vs-st-johns-2022,https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/basketball/how-to-watch-syracuse-vs-st-johns-2022,2022-11-22T17:00:00+00:00,"Matchup: Syracuse (3-1) vs St. John's (5-0)
Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern - Tuesday, November 22nd.
Television: ESPN2
Stream: LIVE STREAM
Broadcast Team: Dave O'Brien, Jon Crispin
Radio: TK99, Cuse.com, TuneIn App
Odds: Syracuse +3.0. Over/Under 152.5.
Series History: Syracuse is 51-40 all-time against St. John's as one of its longest rivals from the Big East days. St. John's is on a three game winning streak against the Orange, winning in 2014, 2015 and 2016 each by double digits. Syracuse's last win against St. John's came in 2013, when the Orange won 68-63 on the road.
Live Stats: LINK
Syracuse enters the 2022-23 season in a situation it has not been in under Jim Boeheim. Coming back from a losing season. The Orange finished the 2021-22 campaign below .500 for the first time in more than 50 years and has completely reshaped the roster in the offseason. While veterans Joe Girard, Jesse Edwards, Benny Williams and Symir Torrence are all back, Syracuse has seven newcomers in freshmen Judah Mintz, Quadir Copeland, Justin Taylor, Chris Bunch, Maliq Brown, Peter Carey and transfer Mounir Hima. Syracuse won both of the two exhibition games for the Orange, against Indiana (PA) and Southern New Hampshire, though neither victory was particularly impressive. The regular season started with a win over Lehigh, loss to Colgate, win over Northeastern and overtime victory over Richmond.
St. John's is 5-0 on the season with its most impressive wins being over Nebraska and Temple. The Red Storm is a very good offensive team with multiple scorers and shooters. St. John's is led by 6-6 wing David ones, who averages 17 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. 6-11, 260 pound center Joel Soriano averages 13 points and 11 boards per game as a force in the middle. Montez Mathis, AJ Storr and Andre Curbelo are all good shooters as well.","
Series History: Syracuse is 51-40 all-time against St. John's as one of its longest rivals from the Big East days. St. John's is on a three game winning streak against the Orange, winning in 2014, 2015 and 2016 each by double digits. Syracuse's last win against St. John's came in 2013, when the Orange won 68-63 on the road.
Syracuse enters the 2022-23 season in a situation it has not been in under Jim Boeheim. Coming back from a losing season. The Orange finished the 2021-22 campaign below .500 for the first time in more than 50 years and has completely reshaped the roster in the offseason. While veterans Joe Girard, Jesse Edwards, Benny Williams and Symir Torrence are all back, Syracuse has seven newcomers in freshmen Judah Mintz, Quadir Copeland, Justin Taylor, Chris Bunch, Maliq Brown, Peter Carey and transfer Mounir Hima. Syracuse won both of the two exhibition games for the Orange, against Indiana (PA) and Southern New Hampshire, though neither victory was particularly impressive. The regular season started with a win over Lehigh, loss to Colgate, win over Northeastern and overtime victory over Richmond.
St. John's is 5-0 on the season with its most impressive wins being over Nebraska and Temple. The Red Storm is a very good offensive team with multiple scorers and shooters. St. John's is led by 6-6 wing David ones, who averages 17 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. 6-11, 260 pound center Joel Soriano averages 13 points and 11 boards per game as a force in the middle. Montez Mathis, AJ Storr and Andre Curbelo are all good shooters as well.
",en,2022-11-22T17:00:00Z,2022-11-22T13:34:38+00:00,2022-11-22T13:34:38Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzOTE2NzU5NTMzNjkyNTkz/mintz-richmond.jpg,"Matchup: Syracuse (3-1) vs St. John's (5-0) Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY) Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern - Tuesday, November 22nd. Television: ESPN2 Stream:","[
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]",0.9630588999999999,2022-11-22T00:00:00Z,
2023 Ohio State Defensive End Target Keon Keeley Commits To Alabama,https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/football/ohio-state-football-recruiting-2023-defensive-end-target-keon-keeley-commits-to-alabama,https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/football/ohio-state-football-recruiting-2023-defensive-end-target-keon-keeley-commits-to-alabama,2022-12-12T19:37:04+00:00,"Although he was one of the top remaining targets on Ohio State’s board, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep five-star defensive end Keon Keeley committed to Alabama on Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-6 and 242-pound Keeley, who is considered the top-rated edge defender and No. 6 prospect overall in the class of 2023, was in Columbus for the season-opening win over Notre Dame and the win over Wisconsin a few weeks later, giving him a chance to spend time with defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
However, the Crimson Tide were the perceived favorite to land his commitment once he reopened his recruitment from the Fighting Irish in August, and his decision to attend their regular-season finale against Auburn rather than Ohio State’s game against Michigan seemingly sealed his fate.
Keely is now one of several Alabama commits that were heavily pursued by the Buckeyes, including Buford, Ga., five-star running back Justice Haynes, Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Senior four-star running back Richard Young, Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee School four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen and Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek five-star safety Caleb Downs.
Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence four-star tight end Ty Lockwood also flipped his pledge from to the Crimson Tide in August after being committed to Ohio State for nearly a year.
That said, the Buckeyes are still looking for their first commitment at defensive end this cycle, though Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic four-star Jason Moore could end up playing anywhere along the defensive line at the next level. Top targets include Venice, Fla., five-star Damon Wilson, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco five-star Matayo Uiagalelei and Indianapolis Lawrence Central four-star Joshua Mickens.
Wilson and Uiagalelei appear to be trending to Georgia and USC, respectively, with just nine days until the Early Signing Period begins on Dec. 21, while Mickens appears to be leaning toward the Buckeyes after backing off his pledge to LSU, though a decision isn’t expected until early January.
-----
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-----
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Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. Named First-Team All-American By AP
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-----
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Although he was one of the top remaining targets on Ohio State’s board, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep five-star defensive end Keon Keeley committed to Alabama on Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-6 and 242-pound Keeley, who is considered the top-rated edge defender and No. 6 prospect overall in the class of 2023, was in Columbus for the season-opening win over Notre Dame and the win over Wisconsin a few weeks later, giving him a chance to spend time with defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
However, the Crimson Tide were the perceived favorite to land his commitment once he reopened his recruitment from the Fighting Irish in August, and his decision to attend their regular-season finale against Auburn rather than Ohio State’s game against Michigan seemingly sealed his fate.
Keely is now one of several Alabama commits that were heavily pursued by the Buckeyes, including Buford, Ga., five-star running back Justice Haynes, Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Senior four-star running back Richard Young, Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee School four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen and Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek five-star safety Caleb Downs.
Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence four-star tight end Ty Lockwood also flipped his pledge from to the Crimson Tide in August after being committed to Ohio State for nearly a year.
That said, the Buckeyes are still looking for their first commitment at defensive end this cycle, though Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic four-star Jason Moore could end up playing anywhere along the defensive line at the next level. Top targets include Venice, Fla., five-star Damon Wilson, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco five-star Matayo Uiagalelei and Indianapolis Lawrence Central four-star Joshua Mickens.
Wilson and Uiagalelei appear to be trending to Georgia and USC, respectively, with just nine days until the Early Signing Period begins on Dec. 21, while Mickens appears to be leaning toward the Buckeyes after backing off his pledge to LSU, though a decision isn’t expected until early January.
-----
Get your Ohio State football and basketball tickets from SI Tickets. Also, be sure to check out our new message boards, Buckeye Forums. We'd love to have you part of the conversation during the season.
Be sure to stay locked into BuckeyesNow all the time!
",en,2022-12-12T19:37:04Z,2022-12-12T19:37:05+00:00,2022-12-12T19:37:05Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNTc4NjgxMjYzMTcxMTA4/22-keon-keeley.png,The top-rated defender becomes the latest priority target to pledge his services to the Crimson Tide instead of the Buckeyes.,"[
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Ed Orgeron to Falcons? The Coach Ryan Nielsen Atlanta Connection: NFL Tracker,https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-hire-coach-ryan-nielsen-fire-3-ed-orgeron-lsu,https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-hire-coach-ryan-nielsen-fire-3-ed-orgeron-lsu,2023-01-28T19:59:13+00:00,"JAN 28 ED O TO ATL?
Ed Orgeron is a Ryan Nielsen guy, and vice versa. So now that Nielsen has been lured from the Saints to be the new defensive coordinator in Atlanta, i t’s not much of a leap to suggest he’d want to hire the former LSU national-champ coach. Orgeron and Nielsen have a deep connection. Nielsen played for Coach O at USC and coached on Orgeron’s staff at Ole Miss. Orgeron once tried to bring Nielsen from the Saints to LSU. And now that Nielsen is here? Logic says the new coordinator might try to return the favor.
JAN 27 FALCONS HIRE DC; PART WAYS WITH 3 ASSISTANTS
The Atlanta Falcons hired defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen Friday evening, officially allowing him to take over for Dean Pees.
With the addition of Nielsen, the Falcons' defensive staff will undergo several changes.
According to ESPN, the team is letting go of defensive line coach Gary Emanuel, outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino and secondary coach Jon Hoke.
The Atlanta Falcons are in the midst of a search process for their next defensive coordinator after Dean Pees retired.
The Falcons completed their interview with former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. After being fired by the Dolphins following the 2021 season, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff as the linebackers coach.
Flores finished 24-25 after two seasons as the head coach of the Dolphins.
JAN 19 INTERNATIONAL GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR 2023
The NFL announced that the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots will each play international games during the 2023 regular season.
The Bills and the Titans will each play a game at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jaguars will also being playing in the UK. And the 2023 season will also see the Chiefs and Patriots both play regular-season games in Germany.
The Falcons are eligible to play the Titans or Jaguars, as Atlanta plays them on the road next season. It would be the Falcons' second trip to London in three years after beating the New York Jets in 2021.
JAN 16 TOM BRADY, BUCCANEERS ELIMINATED BY COWBOYS
The NFC South is no longer represented in the playoffs after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 Monday night at Raymond James Stadium.
With the loss, Tom Brady's season comes to an end as he faces free agency in the spring. The Buccaneers may not re-sign him, which could spell the end of him facing the Atlanta Falcons twice a season.
The Cowboys play the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday in the Divisional Round.
JAN 15 FALCONS ASSISTANT COACH TAKES COLLEGE JOB
Atlanta Falcons offensive assistant Nick Edwards has accepted the job offer to become the Washington State Cougars' receivers coach, according to The Athletic.
Edwards joined the Falcons in March of 2022 after being the offensive coordinator at Cal Poly. Prior to that, he was the receivers coach at Eastern Washington, working with NFL wideouts Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne, among others, before making a stop at the University of California-Berkeley.
Now, Edwards is back to the college ranks - and the Falcons appear to have another job to fill.
JAN 14 WILD CARD SATURDAY BRINGS DRAMA
The beginning of the NFL playoffs kicked off with a bang Saturday.
After the San Francisco 49ers came back from trailing at halftime to win by three scores, the Jacksonville Jaguars managed a 27-point comeback (third-largest in NFL history) to beat the Los Angeles Chargers at home. Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun had a game-high 13 tackles.
The 49ers will host the highest-remaining NFC playoff team, while the Jaguars await their opponent based off tomorrow's results.
JAN 9 FALCONS NAME NEW PRESIDENT
There's a new president in the building!
According to NFL Network, the Falcons have named Greg Beadles their new president after 28 years with the organization.
The previous president, Rich McKay, will remain CEO and oversee football operations.
JAN 7 FOYE OLUOKUN MAKES PLAYOFFS
The Atlanta Falcons may not be in the playoffs this year, but a familiar face will be.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans Saturday night, linebacker Foye Oluokun punched his ticket to the playoffs. He started every game for the Jaguars this season and recorded 184 tackles this season.
Oluokun played for Atlanta from 2018-21, and now makes his first playoff appearance.
JAN 5 HAMLIN AWAKE
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is no longer in a coma, awake and showing more signs of improvement, according to teammate Kaiir Elam.
Hamlin has been in the hospital since Monday night after suffering cardiac arrest in the MNF game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Atlanta Falcons have signed cornerback John Reid to their practice squad ahead of a Week 18 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Reid was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft but was traded to the Seattle Seahawks after his rookie season.
The 26-year-old Reid spent 2021 with Seattle and remained there into 2022 before being waived in October ... eventually being picked up by the Falcons.
Reid was signed off Atlanta's practice squad by the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 6, but now finds himself back in the same spot after being waived by the Titans last Friday.
A former Penn State Nittany Lion, Reid will likely be given a chance to sign a future's contract this offseason and fight for a roster spot during OTAs and training camp.
The NFL released a statement Tuesday afternoon in regards to the continuation of the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game.
All Week 18 games will currently be played as scheduled.
JAN 2 MNF PAUSED AFTER SCARY FALL
The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are currently suspending play after one of the scariest moments in NFL history.
Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
There is no timetable for when the game will return to action.
JAN 2 BUCS VS. FALCONS TIME REVEALED
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Atlanta Falcons in the regular season finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
With a game on the east coast and no playoff implications surrounding the game, it comes as no surprise that the Falcons and Bucs play in the early window.
The Sunday Night Football matchup features the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
JAN 1 BUCCANEERS WIN NFC SOUTH
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will represent the NFC South in this year's playoffs after a 30-21 win against the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.
It's the Bucs' third consecutive NFC South title. But it hasn't come easy with Tampa only 8-8 heading into the final week of the season.
The Bucs now have nothing to play for, except for pride, when they visit the Atlanta Falcons in next week's regular season finale.
The Arizona Cardinals have been plagued with injuries in recent weeks, losing their top two quarterbacks on the depth chart, Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy, and will now also be without top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
A report from ESPN on Saturday confirmed that Hopkins had been downgraded to out for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
In nine games for the Cardinals, Hopkins has recorded 717 yards and three touchdowns on 64 receptions.
The Falcons and Cardinals are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Arizona Cardinals have revealed their starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Veteran signal caller Colt McCoy suffered a setback in his concussion recovery and is out Sunday. Instead, David Blough will lead the Cardinals offense, earning the nod over Trace McSorley, who started Arizona's overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Christmas Night.
Blough is the fourth starting quarterback for the Cardinals this season after Kyler Murray, McCoy and Trace McSorley, who struggled in his first NFL start on Christmas Day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This is Blough's first NFL start since 2019. He started the year in training camp with the Detroit Lions, where he has been since 2019. Then, he signed on with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad in September before the Cardinals signed him to their active roster on Dec. 14.
The Falcons and Cardinals are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt is hanging up his cleats.
The 12-year NFL veteran announced his retirement on social media Tuesday morning as he prepares to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Watt was drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and played 10 seasons with the franchise before his final two years with the Cardinals.
With 111.5 sacks, Watt currently ranks 26th all-time on the all-time list, with two final chances to climb higher on the rankings.
The Arizona Cardinals will travel to face the Atlanta Falcons Sunday without one of its top defensive performers.
Budda Baker fractured his shoulder in their Christmas Day loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will miss the rest of the season, according to NFL Network.
Baker has recorded 111 tackles and two interceptions this season.
DEC 21 CHRIS LINDSTROM NAMED TO PRO BOWL
Chris Lindstrom is going to the Pro Bowl!
The fourth-year Atlanta Falcons guard has been recognized for the first time in his career as a Pro Bowl player.
While this year's Pro Bowl won't feature the traditional AFC vs. NFC game, players will participate in the ""Pro Bowl Games"" as a way to modernize and revamp the all-star format.
The Baltimore Ravens continue to get bit by the injury bug.
According to NFL Network, Duvernay broke his foot in practice Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, including Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
This season, Duvernay has caught 37 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns.
The Baltimore Ravens will likely be without starting cornerback Marcus Peters for Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
According to NFL Network 's Ian Rapoport, Peters sustained a ""mild"" calf strain in Saturday's 13-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns and ""likely misses some time.""
Rapoport added that Peters' absence shouldn't be long, but with a shortened week as a result of the Saturday game, odds certainly don't appear favorable for him to play.
Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees was involved in an on-field collision during warmups against the New Orleans Saints.
Pees was taken to a local hospital out of precaution and will not be with the team for today's game.
Linebackers coach Frank Bush will be the team's defensive play caller for the game.
Pees was released from the hospital and returned in the second half.
New city, same result.
That's the case for former Atlanta Falcons and now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, who watched his team lose a 33-0 halftime lead in Saturday's 39-36 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings closed regulation on a 36-3 run before kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired in overtime, securing the biggest comeback in NFL history and bringing back haunting memories of Ryan and the Falcons' blown 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
One member of that Patriots team, receiver Julian Edelman, compared Atlanta's fall in that game to the one Indianapolis just experienced.
""How about this game? Matt Ryan is haunted,"" Edelman said on a Boston radio station.
Haunted? Perhaps - because this blown lead certainly isn't a Falcons issue.
DEC 14 RUSH TO COWBOYS The Dallas Cowboys are signing defensive tackle Anthony Rush to the practice squad. CowboysSI.com was the first to report the news.
Rush started the first four games for the Falcons this season before being waived. He joined the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad in November, but the team cut him last week.
Now, he joins the Cowboys as the team jockeys for playoff positioning.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota is celebrating the birth of his newborn child. Mariota has been away from the team due to his wife going into labor.
On Monday, head coach Arthur Smith confirmed that rookie signal-caller Desmond Ridder will be the starting quarterback for the Falcons on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
njured Reserve due to a knee injury.
DEC 12 SAINTS NAME DALTON STARTER The New Orleans Saints are sticking to their guns, starting Andy Dalton for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dalton has started the last 10 games for the Saints despite Jameis Winston recovering from injury.
Unlike the Saints, the Falcons are making a quarterback change, naming Desmond Ridder as the starter for his NFL debut.
DEC 11 LAMAR SLATED TO RETURN VS. FALCONS Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is on the sidelines today nursing a knee injury that could keep him out for multiple weeks.
According to ESPN, Jackson's ""most realistic"" date to return is Week 16 on Christmas Eve against the Atlanta Falcons. However, there is also a ""strong chance"" that Jackson won't be 100 percent for that matchup and his return is likely predicated on the fact that the Ravens need to win some games to remain in the AFC playoff picture.
DEC 6 LINDSTROM NAMED WPMOY NOMINEE All 32 teams named one player to be nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. This season, that honor for Atlanta belongs to offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom.
Lindstrom, 25, had his fifth-year rookie option exercised this past offseason, making him a free agent after the 2023 season.
DEC 5 BRADY, BUCS WIN MNF Despite trailing by 13 points with three minutes to go, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 17-16 on Monday Night Football.
The win pushes the Bucs to a 6-6 record, putting them 1.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons at 5-8.
The Falcons are on a bye next week while the Bucs play the San Francisco 49ers.
DEC 5 BAKER CUT BY PANTHERS The Carolina Panthers are saying goodbye to quarterback Baker Mayfield after they anticipate waiving him Monday. NFL Network was the first to report the news.
Mayfield was traded to the Panthers by the Cleveland Browns in the offseason for a fifth-round pick, but struggled as Carolina's starter, going 1-5 before being replaced by P.J. Walker.
After Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers could use a quarterback with Mayfield as a potential fit.
The Colorado Buffaloes have officially hired Deion Sanders as their new head coach.
Sanders has coached Jackson State for the past three seasons and went undefeated in the SWAC this year.
Sanders played for the Falcons from 1989-1993 and was an All-Pro twice in Atlanta.","
JAN 28 ED O TO ATL?
Ed Orgeron is a Ryan Nielsen guy, and vice versa. So now that Nielsen has been lured from the Saints to be the new defensive coordinator in Atlanta, it’s not much of a leap to suggest he’d want to hire the former LSU national-champ coach. Orgeron and Nielsen have a deep connection. Nielsen played for Coach O at USC and coached on Orgeron’s staff at Ole Miss. Orgeron once tried to bring Nielsen from the Saints to LSU. And now that Nielsen is here? Logic says the new coordinator might try to return the favor.
JAN 27 FALCONS HIRE DC; PART WAYS WITH 3 ASSISTANTS
The Atlanta Falcons hired defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen Friday evening, officially allowing him to take over for Dean Pees.
With the addition of Nielsen, the Falcons' defensive staff will undergo several changes.
According to ESPN, the team is letting go of defensive line coach Gary Emanuel, outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino and secondary coach Jon Hoke.
The Atlanta Falcons are in the midst of a search process for their next defensive coordinator after Dean Pees retired.
The Falcons completed their interview with former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. After being fired by the Dolphins following the 2021 season, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff as the linebackers coach.
Flores finished 24-25 after two seasons as the head coach of the Dolphins.
JAN 19 INTERNATIONAL GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR 2023
The NFL announced that the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots will each play international games during the 2023 regular season.
The Bills and the Titans will each play a game at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jaguars will also being playing in the UK. And the 2023 season will also see the Chiefs and Patriots both play regular-season games in Germany.
The Falcons are eligible to play the Titans or Jaguars, as Atlanta plays them on the road next season. It would be the Falcons' second trip to London in three years after beating the New York Jets in 2021.
JAN 16 TOM BRADY, BUCCANEERS ELIMINATED BY COWBOYS
The NFC South is no longer represented in the playoffs after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 Monday night at Raymond James Stadium.
With the loss, Tom Brady's season comes to an end as he faces free agency in the spring. The Buccaneers may not re-sign him, which could spell the end of him facing the Atlanta Falcons twice a season.
The Cowboys play the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday in the Divisional Round.
JAN 15 FALCONS ASSISTANT COACH TAKES COLLEGE JOB
Atlanta Falcons offensive assistant Nick Edwards has accepted the job offer to become the Washington State Cougars' receivers coach, according to The Athletic.
Edwards joined the Falcons in March of 2022 after being the offensive coordinator at Cal Poly. Prior to that, he was the receivers coach at Eastern Washington, working with NFL wideouts Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne, among others, before making a stop at the University of California-Berkeley.
Now, Edwards is back to the college ranks - and the Falcons appear to have another job to fill.
JAN 14 WILD CARD SATURDAY BRINGS DRAMA
The beginning of the NFL playoffs kicked off with a bang Saturday.
After the San Francisco 49ers came back from trailing at halftime to win by three scores, the Jacksonville Jaguars managed a 27-point comeback (third-largest in NFL history) to beat the Los Angeles Chargers at home. Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun had a game-high 13 tackles.
The 49ers will host the highest-remaining NFC playoff team, while the Jaguars await their opponent based off tomorrow's results.
JAN 9 FALCONS NAME NEW PRESIDENT
There's a new president in the building!
According to NFL Network, the Falcons have named Greg Beadles their new president after 28 years with the organization.
The previous president, Rich McKay, will remain CEO and oversee football operations.
JAN 7 FOYE OLUOKUN MAKES PLAYOFFS
The Atlanta Falcons may not be in the playoffs this year, but a familiar face will be.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans Saturday night, linebacker Foye Oluokun punched his ticket to the playoffs. He started every game for the Jaguars this season and recorded 184 tackles this season.
Oluokun played for Atlanta from 2018-21, and now makes his first playoff appearance.
JAN 5 HAMLIN AWAKE
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is no longer in a coma, awake and showing more signs of improvement, according to teammate Kaiir Elam.
Hamlin has been in the hospital since Monday night after suffering cardiac arrest in the MNF game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Atlanta Falcons have signed cornerback John Reid to their practice squad ahead of a Week 18 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Reid was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft but was traded to the Seattle Seahawks after his rookie season.
The 26-year-old Reid spent 2021 with Seattle and remained there into 2022 before being waived in October ... eventually being picked up by the Falcons.
Reid was signed off Atlanta's practice squad by the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 6, but now finds himself back in the same spot after being waived by the Titans last Friday.
A former Penn State Nittany Lion, Reid will likely be given a chance to sign a future's contract this offseason and fight for a roster spot during OTAs and training camp.
The NFL released a statement Tuesday afternoon in regards to the continuation of the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game.
All Week 18 games will currently be played as scheduled.
JAN 2 MNF PAUSED AFTER SCARY FALL
The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are currently suspending play after one of the scariest moments in NFL history.
Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
There is no timetable for when the game will return to action.
JAN 2 BUCS VS. FALCONS TIME REVEALED
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Atlanta Falcons in the regular season finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
With a game on the east coast and no playoff implications surrounding the game, it comes as no surprise that the Falcons and Bucs play in the early window.
The Sunday Night Football matchup features the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
JAN 1 BUCCANEERS WIN NFC SOUTH
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will represent the NFC South in this year's playoffs after a 30-21 win against the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.
It's the Bucs' third consecutive NFC South title. But it hasn't come easy with Tampa only 8-8 heading into the final week of the season.
The Bucs now have nothing to play for, except for pride, when they visit the Atlanta Falcons in next week's regular season finale.
The Arizona Cardinals have been plagued with injuries in recent weeks, losing their top two quarterbacks on the depth chart, Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy, and will now also be without top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
A report from ESPN on Saturday confirmed that Hopkins had been downgraded to out for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
In nine games for the Cardinals, Hopkins has recorded 717 yards and three touchdowns on 64 receptions.
The Falcons and Cardinals are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Arizona Cardinals have revealed their starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Veteran signal caller Colt McCoy suffered a setback in his concussion recovery and is out Sunday. Instead, David Blough will lead the Cardinals offense, earning the nod over Trace McSorley, who started Arizona's overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Christmas Night.
Blough is the fourth starting quarterback for the Cardinals this season after Kyler Murray, McCoy and Trace McSorley, who struggled in his first NFL start on Christmas Day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This is Blough's first NFL start since 2019. He started the year in training camp with the Detroit Lions, where he has been since 2019. Then, he signed on with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad in September before the Cardinals signed him to their active roster on Dec. 14.
The Falcons and Cardinals are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt is hanging up his cleats.
The 12-year NFL veteran announced his retirement on social media Tuesday morning as he prepares to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Watt was drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and played 10 seasons with the franchise before his final two years with the Cardinals.
With 111.5 sacks, Watt currently ranks 26th all-time on the all-time list, with two final chances to climb higher on the rankings.
The Arizona Cardinals will travel to face the Atlanta Falcons Sunday without one of its top defensive performers.
Budda Baker fractured his shoulder in their Christmas Day loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will miss the rest of the season, according to NFL Network.
Baker has recorded 111 tackles and two interceptions this season.
DEC 21 CHRIS LINDSTROM NAMED TO PRO BOWL
Chris Lindstrom is going to the Pro Bowl!
The fourth-year Atlanta Falcons guard has been recognized for the first time in his career as a Pro Bowl player.
While this year's Pro Bowl won't feature the traditional AFC vs. NFC game, players will participate in the ""Pro Bowl Games"" as a way to modernize and revamp the all-star format.
The Baltimore Ravens continue to get bit by the injury bug.
According to NFL Network, Duvernay broke his foot in practice Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, including Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
This season, Duvernay has caught 37 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns.
The Baltimore Ravens will likely be without starting cornerback Marcus Peters for Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Peters sustained a ""mild"" calf strain in Saturday's 13-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns and ""likely misses some time.""
Rapoport added that Peters' absence shouldn't be long, but with a shortened week as a result of the Saturday game, odds certainly don't appear favorable for him to play.
Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees was involved in an on-field collision during warmups against the New Orleans Saints.
Pees was taken to a local hospital out of precaution and will not be with the team for today's game.
Linebackers coach Frank Bush will be the team's defensive play caller for the game.
Pees was released from the hospital and returned in the second half.
New city, same result.
That's the case for former Atlanta Falcons and now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, who watched his team lose a 33-0 halftime lead in Saturday's 39-36 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings closed regulation on a 36-3 run before kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired in overtime, securing the biggest comeback in NFL history and bringing back haunting memories of Ryan and the Falcons' blown 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
One member of that Patriots team, receiver Julian Edelman, compared Atlanta's fall in that game to the one Indianapolis just experienced.
Haunted? Perhaps - because this blown lead certainly isn't a Falcons issue.
DEC 14 RUSH TO COWBOYS The Dallas Cowboys are signing defensive tackle Anthony Rush to the practice squad. CowboysSI.com was the first to report the news.
Rush started the first four games for the Falcons this season before being waived. He joined the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad in November, but the team cut him last week.
Now, he joins the Cowboys as the team jockeys for playoff positioning.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota is celebrating the birth of his newborn child. Mariota has been away from the team due to his wife going into labor.
On Monday, head coach Arthur Smith confirmed that rookie signal-caller Desmond Ridder will be the starting quarterback for the Falcons on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
DEC 12 SAINTS NAME DALTON STARTER The New Orleans Saints are sticking to their guns, starting Andy Dalton for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dalton has started the last 10 games for the Saints despite Jameis Winston recovering from injury.
Unlike the Saints, the Falcons are making a quarterback change, naming Desmond Ridder as the starter for his NFL debut.
DEC 11 LAMAR SLATED TO RETURN VS. FALCONS Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is on the sidelines today nursing a knee injury that could keep him out for multiple weeks.
According to ESPN, Jackson's ""most realistic"" date to return is Week 16 on Christmas Eve against the Atlanta Falcons. However, there is also a ""strong chance"" that Jackson won't be 100 percent for that matchup and his return is likely predicated on the fact that the Ravens need to win some games to remain in the AFC playoff picture.
DEC 6 LINDSTROM NAMED WPMOY NOMINEE All 32 teams named one player to be nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. This season, that honor for Atlanta belongs to offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom.
Lindstrom, 25, had his fifth-year rookie option exercised this past offseason, making him a free agent after the 2023 season.
DEC 5 BRADY, BUCS WIN MNF Despite trailing by 13 points with three minutes to go, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 17-16 on Monday Night Football.
The win pushes the Bucs to a 6-6 record, putting them 1.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons at 5-8.
The Falcons are on a bye next week while the Bucs play the San Francisco 49ers.
DEC 5 BAKER CUT BY PANTHERS The Carolina Panthers are saying goodbye to quarterback Baker Mayfield after they anticipate waiving him Monday. NFL Network was the first to report the news.
Mayfield was traded to the Panthers by the Cleveland Browns in the offseason for a fifth-round pick, but struggled as Carolina's starter, going 1-5 before being replaced by P.J. Walker.
After Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers could use a quarterback with Mayfield as a potential fit.
The Colorado Buffaloes have officially hired Deion Sanders as their new head coach.
Sanders has coached Jackson State for the past three seasons and went undefeated in the SWAC this year.
Sanders played for the Falcons from 1989-1993 and was an All-Pro twice in Atlanta.
",en,2023-01-28T19:59:13Z,2023-01-28T19:59:15+00:00,2023-01-28T19:59:15Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1NDg2OTg0MDA3ODUzMTA3/e1d2757b-41b0-4537-a326-a305095bd732.jpg,"Follow along with Falcon Report as we keep you up to date with all firings, hirings, and breaking news in the NFL",,"[
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]",0.9179904999999999,2023-01-28T00:00:00Z,
"Notebook: Inconsistent Offense, Mistakes Doom Mizzou Upset Bid in 26-22 Loss to Georgia",https://www.si.com/college/missouri/football/missouri-tigers-georgia-bulldogs-week-five-tigers-notebook-three-takeaways-analysis,https://www.si.com/college/missouri/football/missouri-tigers-georgia-bulldogs-week-five-tigers-notebook-three-takeaways-analysis,2022-10-02T03:38:35+00:00,"The Missouri Tigers entered their matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs as massive underdogs. Just how massive, you might ask? Most odds had the Tigers as 32-point underdogs in their game against Georgia.
Safe to say that it is a good thing that games are played on the field and not in the betting odds. Otherwise, Missouri might as well not have bothered showing up against the Bulldogs.
Missouri gave Georgia its toughest test so far of the 2022 season, winning along the line of scrimmage throughout the game and not making life easy in the trenches.
While the Tigers came up just short of their monumental upset bid against the Bulldogs, falling 26-22, there is still plenty to take away from this game and be proud of. Moral victories are never the goal, but if there is ever a game to take some away, it's this one.
Now, here are three key takeaways from Missouri's 26-22 loss to Georgia.
What if's will haunt Missouri
No one in their right mind gave Missouri a chance to win this game. After all, Georgia had looked downright dominant so far this season and like the clear No 1. team. That didn't last long, though, as the Tigers gave the Bulldogs all they could handle, holding a lead late into the fourth quarter.
However, Missouri had one notable ""what if?"" moment that swung the momentum in this game. First, running back Cody Schrader burst through the middle for 63 yards down to the Georgia 1-yard line, but a false start made it 1st and goal at the 6-yard line. The Tigers were forced to settle for a field goal, a four-point swing that would have made the difference in a four-point loss.
Redemption for Harrison Mevis
The Tigers were this close to beating the Auburn Tigers to open SEC play with a 1-0 record. However, with a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, Tigers' kicker Harrison Mevis missed the 26-yard chip shot, and Missouri would go on to lose in overtime 17-14.
Naturally, it wouldn't be all too surprising if Mevis had the yips or nerves entering this week, especially against the No. 1 team in the country. However, that would not be the case as Mevis went 5-for-5 on field goal attempts, including a long of 56 yards. Mevis regaining his mojo could be crucial for the Tigers moving forward, as a good kicker is a huge advantage in college football.
Offense is close, but not quite there
The offense has been a big issue for the Tigers this season, with Missouri struggling to gain an offensive rhythm in their losses. That would be the case once again against Georgia, as Missouri showed flashes of clicking on offense but an overall inconsistent performance was their downfall.
Schrader's 63-yard run appeared to be a dam-breaking moment for the Tigers, who seemed poised to take a 17-point lead. However, they were unable to overcome a false start penalty. Quarterback Brady Cook finished with 20-of-32 passes completed, but only for 192 yards and a touchdown. If the Tigers want any hope of competing this season, the offense has to get it figured out and fast.","
The Missouri Tigers entered their matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs as massive underdogs. Just how massive, you might ask? Most odds had the Tigers as 32-point underdogs in their game against Georgia.
Safe to say that it is a good thing that games are played on the field and not in the betting odds. Otherwise, Missouri might as well not have bothered showing up against the Bulldogs.
Now, here are three key takeaways from Missouri's 26-22 loss to Georgia.
What if's will haunt Missouri
No one in their right mind gave Missouri a chance to win this game. After all, Georgia had looked downright dominant so far this season and like the clear No 1. team. That didn't last long, though, as the Tigers gave the Bulldogs all they could handle, holding a lead late into the fourth quarter.
However, Missouri had one notable ""what if?"" moment that swung the momentum in this game. First, running back Cody Schrader burst through the middle for 63 yards down to the Georgia 1-yard line, but a false start made it 1st and goal at the 6-yard line. The Tigers were forced to settle for a field goal, a four-point swing that would have made the difference in a four-point loss.
Redemption for Harrison Mevis
The Tigers were this close to beating the Auburn Tigers to open SEC play with a 1-0 record. However, with a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, Tigers' kicker Harrison Mevis missed the 26-yard chip shot, and Missouri would go on to lose in overtime 17-14.
Naturally, it wouldn't be all too surprising if Mevis had the yips or nerves entering this week, especially against the No. 1 team in the country. However, that would not be the case as Mevis went 5-for-5 on field goal attempts, including a long of 56 yards. Mevis regaining his mojo could be crucial for the Tigers moving forward, as a good kicker is a huge advantage in college football.
Offense is close, but not quite there
The offense has been a big issue for the Tigers this season, with Missouri struggling to gain an offensive rhythm in their losses. That would be the case once again against Georgia, as Missouri showed flashes of clicking on offense but an overall inconsistent performance was their downfall.
Schrader's 63-yard run appeared to be a dam-breaking moment for the Tigers, who seemed poised to take a 17-point lead. However, they were unable to overcome a false start penalty. Quarterback Brady Cook finished with 20-of-32 passes completed, but only for 192 yards and a touchdown. If the Tigers want any hope of competing this season, the offense has to get it figured out and fast.
",en,2022-10-02T03:38:35Z,2022-10-02T03:39:32+00:00,2022-10-02T03:39:32Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNzMzNDE0NDM5MjY1MzA5/usatsi_19158851.jpg,Three key takeaways from Missouri's near upset over Georgia.,"[
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Klay Thompson's Final Injury Status For Suns-Warriors Game,https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/injuries/klay-thompson-final-injury-status-for-suns-warriors-game-tuesday,https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/injuries/klay-thompson-final-injury-status-for-suns-warriors-game-tuesday,2023-01-11T02:01:12+00:00,"On Tuesday evening, the Golden State Warriors are hosting the Phoenix Suns at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
For the game, they will have five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson in the starting lineup as he has been upgraded to available.
Thompson missed Sunday's 115-101 loss to the Orlando Magic, so he returns to the lineup after a one-game absence.
The four-time NBA Champion into the night averaging 20.6 points per contest on 38.3% shooting from the three-point range.
In each of his last three games, he has scored 30+ points, including 54 against the Atlanta Hawks on January 2.
The Warriors enter the evening in the middle of a two-game losing streak, but they are also 6-4 in their last ten games.
They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Through 40 games, the Warriors are 20-20, and they are an outstanding 17-4 in the 21 games they have played at home in San Francisco at the Chase Center.
In November, the Warriors lost 130-119 to the Suns (on the road in Arizona), and Thompson had 19 points.
The Suns are 20-21 in 41 games, which has them tied for the eighth seed in the west, but they come into the matchup in the middle of a six-game losing streak.
Over the last ten games, the Suns have gone 1-9, and they are 6-14 in 20 games on the road away from Arizona.","
On Tuesday evening, the Golden State Warriors are hosting the Phoenix Suns at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
For the game, they will have five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson in the starting lineup as he has been upgraded to available.
Thompson missed Sunday's 115-101 loss to the Orlando Magic, so he returns to the lineup after a one-game absence.
The four-time NBA Champion into the night averaging 20.6 points per contest on 38.3% shooting from the three-point range.
In each of his last three games, he has scored 30+ points, including 54 against the Atlanta Hawks on January 2.
The Warriors enter the evening in the middle of a two-game losing streak, but they are also 6-4 in their last ten games.
They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Through 40 games, the Warriors are 20-20, and they are an outstanding 17-4 in the 21 games they have played at home in San Francisco at the Chase Center.
In November, the Warriors lost 130-119 to the Suns (on the road in Arizona), and Thompson had 19 points.
The Suns are 20-21 in 41 games, which has them tied for the eighth seed in the west, but they come into the matchup in the middle of a six-game losing streak.
Over the last ten games, the Suns have gone 1-9, and they are 6-14 in 20 games on the road away from Arizona.
",en,2023-01-11T02:01:12Z,2023-01-11T02:04:07+00:00,2023-01-11T02:04:07Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MDc2NzM3MzIxNjczOTI3/usatsi_17966370_168388303_lowres.jpg,Klay Thompson has been upgraded to available for Tuesday’s game.,,"[
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]",0.96672785,2023-01-11T00:00:00Z,
Report: Giants Contacted Saquon Barkley Regarding Contract Exension,https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/news/report-giants-contacted-saquon-barkley-regarding-contract-exension,https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/news/report-giants-contacted-saquon-barkley-regarding-contract-exension,2022-11-13T15:07:09+00:00,"The New York Giants reportedly had discussions with running back Saquon Barkley's representatives over the bye week, per reports by the NFL Network and ESPN.
Barkley is in the option year of his contract, in which he's currently earning a fully guaranteed $7.217 million, which amounts to $400,944 per week. With nine games remaining in the 2022 season, Barkley is still owed $3.608 million on his current contract, already covered in the team's cap.
Had he signed a new deal, it likely would have included new money which, even if modestly paid this year, wouldn't fit under the Giants' cap (they have $2,468,673 in cap space per Over the Cap) unless the Giants were to restructure the contract of receiver Kenny Golladay to gain some additional space.
Giants General Manager Joe Schoen, speaking to reporters during the team's bye week, opened the door bout possibly extending some contracts during the team's mid-year break. During an appearance on Peter Schrager's podcast, Schoen mentioned Barkley as one of the players they'd be interested in extending.
Barkley has made good on his vow to return to his rookie season form after three injury-filled years, including a devastating torn ACL suffered in 2020. He is currently third with 779 rushing yards on 163 carries before Week 9.
According to NFL.com, Barkley is thought to be looking to become the league's highest-paid running back, with a deal surpassing the four-year, $64 million contract ($16 million per year) Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers signed when he was a member of the Panthers.
If the Giants can't get a deal done with Barkley by the time free agency starts, they're likely to use the franchise tag at an estimated cost of $12.632 million to discourage other teams from opening negotiations with the running back.
NFL.com also reported the Giants had preliminary contract extension talks with safety Julian Love.
Join the Giants Country Community","
The New York Giants reportedly had discussions with running back Saquon Barkley's representatives over the bye week, per reports by the NFL Networkand ESPN.
Barkley is in the option year of his contract, in which he's currently earning a fully guaranteed $7.217 million, which amounts to $400,944 per week. With nine games remaining in the 2022 season, Barkley is still owed $3.608 million on his current contract, already covered in the team's cap.
Had he signed a new deal, it likely would have included new money which, even if modestly paid this year, wouldn't fit under the Giants' cap (they have $2,468,673 in cap space per Over the Cap) unless the Giants were to restructure the contract of receiver Kenny Golladay to gain some additional space.
Giants General Manager Joe Schoen, speaking to reporters during the team's bye week, opened the door bout possibly extending some contracts during the team's mid-year break. During an appearance on Peter Schrager's podcast, Schoen mentioned Barkley as one of the players they'd be interested in extending.
Barkley has made good on his vow to return to his rookie season form after three injury-filled years, including a devastating torn ACL suffered in 2020. He is currently third with 779 rushing yards on 163 carries before Week 9.
According to NFL.com, Barkley is thought to be looking to become the league's highest-paid running back, with a deal surpassing the four-year, $64 million contract ($16 million per year) Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers signed when he was a member of the Panthers.
If the Giants can't get a deal done with Barkley by the time free agency starts, they're likely to use the franchise tag at an estimated cost of $12.632 million to discourage other teams from opening negotiations with the running back.
NFL.com also reported the Giants had preliminary contract extension talks with safety Julian Love.
Join the Giants Country Community
",en,2022-11-13T15:07:09Z,2022-11-13T15:07:11+00:00,2022-11-13T15:07:11Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyOTExMTQ1MDE3ODEyMTg5/usatsi_19204458_168397622_lowres.jpg,"With no deal reached, Barkley could be headed for the franchise tag in the off-season.","[
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]",0.9774444,2022-11-13T00:00:00Z,
Jazz And Warriors Injury Reports,https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/injuries/jazz-and-warriors-injury-reports-friday,https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/injuries/jazz-and-warriors-injury-reports-friday,2022-11-25T18:36:09+00:00,"On Friday evening, the Golden State Warriors are hosting the Utah Jazz at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
For the game, the two teams have updated their injury reports as of 1:30 Eastern Time.
Micah Potter, Johnny Juzang, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley have all been ruled out.
Meanwhile, Leandro Bolmaro is listed as questionable.
The only player on the injury report for the Warriors is Andre Iguodala, who has been ruled out (he has yet to play in a game so far this season).
The Jazz come into the night as one of the best surprises in the league.
They had been expected to be among the worst teams in the NBA (after trading away All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell), but they have started out the 2022-23 season with a 12-8 record in their first 20 games.
Currently, they are the fourth seed in the Western Conference and 6-6 in the 12 games they have played on the road away from Salt Lake City.
Over their last ten games, they have cooled off (5-5), but they still look like a team who could make the NBA Playoffs.
As for the Warriors, they have been two different teams this year.
On the road, they are atrocious, with a 1-9 record in ten games.
Yet, at home, they have been elite, with an 8-1 record in nine games.
Currently, the defending NBA Champions are 9-10 in their first 19 games, which has them as the 11th seed in the Western Conference.","
For the game, the two teams have updated their injury reports as of 1:30 Eastern Time.
Micah Potter, Johnny Juzang, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley have all been ruled out.
Meanwhile, Leandro Bolmaro is listed as questionable.
The only player on the injury report for the Warriors is Andre Iguodala, who has been ruled out (he has yet to play in a game so far this season).
The Jazz come into the night as one of the best surprises in the league.
They had been expected to be among the worst teams in the NBA (after trading away All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell), but they have started out the 2022-23 season with a 12-8 record in their first 20 games.
Currently, they are the fourth seed in the Western Conference and 6-6 in the 12 games they have played on the road away from Salt Lake City.
Over their last ten games, they have cooled off (5-5), but they still look like a team who could make the NBA Playoffs.
As for the Warriors, they have been two different teams this year.
On the road, they are atrocious, with a 1-9 record in ten games.
Yet, at home, they have been elite, with an 8-1 record in nine games.
Currently, the defending NBA Champions are 9-10 in their first 19 games, which has them as the 11th seed in the Western Conference.
",en,2022-11-25T18:36:09Z,2022-11-25T18:38:12+00:00,2022-11-25T18:38:12Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MDAyNTc4MDgwNTQwMzM3/usatsi_19482648_168388303_lowres.jpg,The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors have announced their injury reports.,,"[
{
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]",0.96895164,2022-11-25T00:00:00Z,
Penn State-Indiana Prediction: Turning the Page,https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/penn-state-football-indiana-game-preview-prediction,https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/penn-state-football-indiana-game-preview-prediction,2022-11-03T04:00:00+00:00,"James Franklin wants you to know that Penn State made strides last week against Ohio State. In fact, Franklin said, the team improved.
""The thing that was obvious to us as a coaching staff, and whether people agree with this or not, we're better than we were two weeks ago,"" Franklin said this week. ""We played better. We're better than we were a week ago.
""We have gotten better. Not enough to beat that type of team. We totally recognize that. But we got better. When you watch the tape, there was a ton of stuff on that film to feel good about and be proud of.""
Which brings Penn State to Saturday and its visit to Indiana. The Lions are two-touchdown favorites over a team that has lost five straight. If they've improved, they should win easily, right?
Yet there's more to consider.
No. 15 Penn State (6-2) Vs. Indiana (3-5)
When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.
TV: ABC
Streaming: FuboTV (Start your free trial)
Betting Line: Penn State is a 14-point favorite per SI Sportsbook
Series History: Penn State leads 23-2
Last Meeting: Penn State 24-0 in 2021
Streaks: Penn State is 9-1 at Memorial Stadium
The Story Line
After eight weeks, Penn State is feeling the effects of injuries. these seem to be most apparent offensively, which could impact how much (or even if) freshman quarterback Drew Allar plays.
Franklin doesn't discuss injuries but did say Wednesday that offensive lineman Bryce Effner will play more because of ""bumps and bruises"" up front. The Lions played without two starting linemen (guard Landon Tengwall and tackle Caedan Wallace) against the Buckeyes and might be missing left tackle Olu Fashanu against Indiana. Fashanu, who left the Ohio State game on the last offensive series, is the team's best offensive lineman and a huge presence (literally and psychologically) for the quarterback.
If Penn State is missing 60 percent of its starting line, it might have to turn to players it wants to redshirt, notably freshmen Drew Shelton and Vega Ioane and junior college transfer JB Nelson. Further, the Lions haven't have a healthy Keyvone Lee at running back for five weeks, Franklin said. Ultimately, the Lions could bring a short-handed offense to Indiana.
Penn State Players to Watch
Parker Washington: After a breakthrough game against Ohio State (11 catches, 179 yards), Washington has a chance to back it with another. Indiana ranks in the Big Ten's bottom half in pass defense and big plays allowed. Could be a huge day for Washington.
Juice Scruggs: The center has been a model of consistency this season. If the line is confronting change, Scruggs must be the constant.
Coziah Izzard: After missing the first four games, Izzard has made a gradually larger impact at defensive tackle. Indiana's tempo offense, which limits substitutions, will test his stamina.
Indiana Players to Watch
Jaylin Lucas: The freshman running back returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown vs. Rutgers and leads the Big Ten in kickoff-return average (30.89 yards).
Aaron Casey: With linebacker Cam Jones likely out (Franklin said Jones is Indiana's best defensive player), Casey takes center stage. He leads the team in tackles (67) and tackles for loss (9) and has forced two fumbles.
Connor Bazelak: Indiana has quarterback questions of its own. Bazelak, the starter, throws a lot: He leads the Big Ten with 379 attempts and has thrown 12 touchdown passes with nine interceptions. Meanwhile, some in Indiana want to see redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II get some snaps.
The Prediction
Indiana plays a quirky tempo offense (it averages 77 plays per game) that could get an octane boost with a different style that Williams would bring at quarterback. The Hoosiers have been stale offensively throughout their losing streak and might take a big swing to end it.
So Penn State faces kind of a tricky situation, which might make this game closer than expected for a few quarters. But the Lions' talent advantage eventually will take over (sound familiar?) and lead to a relatively comfortable win.
Penn State 31, Indiana 10
Nittany Lions debut at No. 15 in the College Football Playoff rankings
The pros and cons of a quarterback change
James Franklin predicted the Michigan-Michigan State incident
The Penn State-Ohio State report card
For Penn State, this one's a 'heartbreaker'
Ohio State 44, Penn State 31: How it unraveled
Penn State AD calls 2023 Big Ten football schedule 'incredibly frustrating and disappointing'
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.","
James Franklin wants you to know that Penn State made strides last week against Ohio State. In fact, Franklin said, the team improved.
""The thing that was obvious to us as a coaching staff, and whether people agree with this or not, we're better than we were two weeks ago,"" Franklin said this week. ""We played better. We're better than we were a week ago.
""We have gotten better. Not enough to beat that type of team. We totally recognize that. But we got better. When you watch the tape, there was a ton of stuff on that film to feel good about and be proud of.""
Which brings Penn State to Saturday and its visit to Indiana. The Lions are two-touchdown favorites over a team that has lost five straight. If they've improved, they should win easily, right?
Betting Line: Penn State is a 14-point favorite per SI Sportsbook
Series History: Penn State leads 23-2
Last Meeting: Penn State 24-0 in 2021
Streaks: Penn State is 9-1 at Memorial Stadium
The Story Line
After eight weeks, Penn State is feeling the effects of injuries. these seem to be most apparent offensively, which could impact how much (or even if) freshman quarterback Drew Allar plays.
Franklin doesn't discuss injuries but did say Wednesday that offensive lineman Bryce Effner will play more because of ""bumps and bruises"" up front. The Lions played without two starting linemen (guard Landon Tengwall and tackle Caedan Wallace) against the Buckeyes and might be missing left tackle Olu Fashanu against Indiana. Fashanu, who left the Ohio State game on the last offensive series, is the team's best offensive lineman and a huge presence (literally and psychologically) for the quarterback.
If Penn State is missing 60 percent of its starting line, it might have to turn to players it wants to redshirt, notably freshmen Drew Shelton and Vega Ioane and junior college transfer JB Nelson. Further, the Lions haven't have a healthy Keyvone Lee at running back for five weeks, Franklin said. Ultimately, the Lions could bring a short-handed offense to Indiana.
Penn State Players to Watch
Parker Washington: After a breakthrough game against Ohio State (11 catches, 179 yards), Washington has a chance to back it with another. Indiana ranks in the Big Ten's bottom half in pass defense and big plays allowed. Could be a huge day for Washington.
Juice Scruggs: The center has been a model of consistency this season. If the line is confronting change, Scruggs must be the constant.
Coziah Izzard: After missing the first four games, Izzard has made a gradually larger impact at defensive tackle. Indiana's tempo offense, which limits substitutions, will test his stamina.
Indiana Players to Watch
Jaylin Lucas: The freshman running back returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown vs. Rutgers and leads the Big Ten in kickoff-return average (30.89 yards).
Aaron Casey: With linebacker Cam Jones likely out (Franklin said Jones is Indiana's best defensive player), Casey takes center stage. He leads the team in tackles (67) and tackles for loss (9) and has forced two fumbles.
Connor Bazelak: Indiana has quarterback questions of its own. Bazelak, the starter, throws a lot: He leads the Big Ten with 379 attempts and has thrown 12 touchdown passes with nine interceptions. Meanwhile, some in Indiana want to see redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II get some snaps.
The Prediction
Indiana plays a quirky tempo offense (it averages 77 plays per game) that could get an octane boost with a different style that Williams would bring at quarterback. The Hoosiers have been stale offensively throughout their losing streak and might take a big swing to end it.
So Penn State faces kind of a tricky situation, which might make this game closer than expected for a few quarters. But the Lions' talent advantage eventually will take over (sound familiar?) and lead to a relatively comfortable win.
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
",en,2022-11-03T04:00:00Z,2022-11-03T00:06:54+00:00,2022-11-03T00:06:54Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzMzk3MjA0MDUwNzgxNzYz/james-franklin.jpg,The Lions are big road favorites but also confront some challenges against the Hoosiers.,"[
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Monday Musings: Syracuse Basketball Recruiting,https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/recruiting/monday-musings-01-23-23,https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/recruiting/monday-musings-01-23-23,2023-01-23T11:41:25+00:00,"Highlights Syracuse at Georgia Tech (Men's Basketball 2022-23)
Updates on Donnie Freeman, Elijah Moore, Boogie Fland and Marcus Adams.","
Highlights Syracuse at Georgia Tech (Men's Basketball 2022-23)
Updates on Donnie Freeman, Elijah Moore, Boogie Fland and Marcus Adams.
",en,2023-01-23T11:41:25Z,2023-01-23T11:41:27+00:00,2023-01-23T11:41:27Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MzY0MzQ3MzkwNzMxNTc4/fland.jpg,"Are you looking for the inside scoop on Syracuse basketball and football recruiting? Subscribe to All Syracuse, with in-depth and exclusive information brought","[
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]",0.9529814999999999,2023-01-23T00:00:00Z,
Andy Reid After Chiefs’ Complete Game: ‘We Needed That',https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/gameday/andy-reid-after-kc-chiefs-complete-game-against-lv-raiders-we-needed-that,https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/gameday/andy-reid-after-kc-chiefs-complete-game-against-lv-raiders-we-needed-that,2023-01-08T02:00:05+00:00,"All season long, the Kansas City Chiefs have talked about how despite their success, they were still searching for a complete game that allowed all three sides of the ball to shine. In Saturday's regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, they were able to accomplish what they'd been setting out to do in more ways than one.
More important than logging a thorough beginning-to-end victory that got just about everyone involved, Kansas City's Week 18 victory secured a first-round bye and the AFC's one-seed for the upcoming playoffs. A 31-13 blowout didn't necessarily require a quality performance from the offense, defense and special teams, yet managing to piece one of those outings together is still critical. Combining the two together is even better, and head coach Andy Reid tipped his cap to his team after the game.
""Our guys did a good job,"" Reid said. ""We needed to get the three phases working together, and I thought the guys did that. All three phases showed up and did a nice job.""
Offensively, Kansas City gained 349 total net yards and averaged 6.2 yards per play. That figure was 8.4 in the first half, primarily when the game's ultimate outcome was still somewhat in question. All three of the team's active running backs scored on game day, helping pave the way for an average yards-per-drive figure of greater than three. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 14 of his 17 first-half pass attempts and posted a stellar 105.0 quarterback rating for his efforts in his final regular-season outing. Eight different receivers caught passes from Mahomes, including three different tight ends and four wideouts with running back Jerick McKinnon mixed in.
The Chiefs' offensive chemistry has been a work-in-progress effort dating back to the offseason. As soon as general manager Brett Veach made the decision to trade wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, the pressure was on Mahomes to take the next steps in maturing as both a leader and a football player. Part of that included hosting his pass-catchers for workouts early in the offseason program, which was one of a few things Reid credited as reasons why the Chiefs had a 14-win season after being expected to fall off at least a bit.
""It started with Pat taking in the guys in the receiving corps,"" Reid said. ""He had a bunch of new guys that he was going to have to deal with in just a split second and with accuracy, and he was able to do that and get them on the same page. Defensively, with all the young guys that Brett brought in, not only were they tremendous players but they worked like crazy to step up and do the job that they did. Particularly in the secondary, every week they got a little bit better. My hat goes off to the coaches. Coaches worked hard, players worked hard. Good things have happened, and we still have some games left here.""
Getting back to Saturday's win, Steve Spagnuolo's defense played a big role in bringing home the victory. Kansas City's defense held Las Vegas to just 279 total net yards and 4.2 yards per play on the afternoon. Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham was under constant duress and got sacked six times before the game ended. Star running back Josh Jacobs ran the ball 17 times but got just 45 yards (a 2.6 yards-per-carry average). The Chiefs' armor has had its fair share of chinks in 2022-23, but Saturday's showing was promising.
On special teams, kicker Harrison Butker nailed his only field goal attempt and the kickoff teams did well on both sides. Punter Tommy Townsend once again cemented his status as one of the best in the league, assisted by well-timed and well-executed downs by defensive backs Chris Lammons and Nazeeh Johnson. Toub's unit is easily the biggest weakness on the team, yet it was a strength in the final regular-season game. As the playoffs approach, this mix of proficiency on all sides will need to continue being the case. If you ask Reid, he'll say the same thing.
""We needed that,"" Reid said. ""We really hadn't put it all together. I thought this was a good time — if I had to pick a time to do it, this was a good time to do it. We strive for it every week, but it seemed like it all kind of came together today, which is a plus.""","
All season long, the Kansas City Chiefs have talked about how despite their success, they were still searching for a complete game that allowed all three sides of the ball to shine. In Saturday's regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, they were able to accomplish what they'd been setting out to do in more ways than one.
More important than logging a thorough beginning-to-end victory that got just about everyone involved, Kansas City's Week 18 victory secured a first-round bye and the AFC's one-seed for the upcoming playoffs. A 31-13 blowout didn't necessarily require a quality performance from the offense, defense and special teams, yet managing to piece one of those outings together is still critical. Combining the two together is even better, and head coach Andy Reid tipped his cap to his team after the game.
""Our guys did a good job,"" Reid said. ""We needed to get the three phases working together, and I thought the guys did that. All three phases showed up and did a nice job.""
Offensively, Kansas City gained 349 total net yards and averaged 6.2 yards per play. That figure was 8.4 in the first half, primarily when the game's ultimate outcome was still somewhat in question. All three of the team's active running backs scored on game day, helping pave the way for an average yards-per-drive figure of greater than three. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 14 of his 17 first-half pass attempts and posted a stellar 105.0 quarterback rating for his efforts in his final regular-season outing. Eight different receivers caught passes from Mahomes, including three different tight ends and four wideouts with running back Jerick McKinnon mixed in.
The Chiefs' offensive chemistry has been a work-in-progress effort dating back to the offseason. As soon as general manager Brett Veach made the decision to trade wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, the pressure was on Mahomes to take the next steps in maturing as both a leader and a football player. Part of that included hosting his pass-catchers for workouts early in the offseason program, which was one of a few things Reid credited as reasons why the Chiefs had a 14-win season after being expected to fall off at least a bit.
""It started with Pat taking in the guys in the receiving corps,"" Reid said. ""He had a bunch of new guys that he was going to have to deal with in just a split second and with accuracy, and he was able to do that and get them on the same page. Defensively, with all the young guys that Brett brought in, not only were they tremendous players but they worked like crazy to step up and do the job that they did. Particularly in the secondary, every week they got a little bit better. My hat goes off to the coaches. Coaches worked hard, players worked hard. Good things have happened, and we still have some games left here.""
Getting back to Saturday's win, Steve Spagnuolo's defense played a big role in bringing home the victory. Kansas City's defense held Las Vegas to just 279 total net yards and 4.2 yards per play on the afternoon. Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham was under constant duress and got sacked six times before the game ended. Star running back Josh Jacobs ran the ball 17 times but got just 45 yards (a 2.6 yards-per-carry average). The Chiefs' armor has had its fair share of chinks in 2022-23, but Saturday's showing was promising.
On special teams, kicker Harrison Butker nailed his only field goal attempt and the kickoff teams did well on both sides. Punter Tommy Townsend once again cemented his status as one of the best in the league, assisted by well-timed and well-executed downs by defensive backs Chris Lammons and Nazeeh Johnson. Toub's unit is easily the biggest weakness on the team, yet it was a strength in the final regular-season game. As the playoffs approach, this mix of proficiency on all sides will need to continue being the case. If you ask Reid, he'll say the same thing.
""We needed that,"" Reid said. ""We really hadn't put it all together. I thought this was a good time — if I had to pick a time to do it, this was a good time to do it. We strive for it every week, but it seemed like it all kind of came together today, which is a plus.""
",en,2023-01-08T02:00:05Z,2023-01-08T02:00:07+00:00,2023-01-08T02:00:07Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MDA2MjE5ODY0MjUzNjM5/usatsi_19744342.jpg,"Kansas City got all three phases of the game involved on Saturday, much to Reid's satisfaction.",,"[
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]",0.9568801,2023-01-08T00:00:00Z,
The Top 5 Plays from Celtics-Sixers Opening Night Matchup,https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/top-stories/the-top-5-plays-from-celtics-sixers-opening-night-matchup,https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/top-stories/the-top-5-plays-from-celtics-sixers-opening-night-matchup,2022-10-19T03:51:11+00:00,"From Jayson Tatum's emphatic rejection to Jaylen Brown's thunderous throwdowns, Brown challenging Embiid at the rim, and Tatum and Brown combining for a highlight-reel sequence, here are the top-five plays from the Celtics-Sixers game on opening night.
As highlighted in the play above, the Celtics came out with tremendous energy. Marcus Smart stunts at Tyrese Maxey as he drives, which helps keep Jayson Tatum close enough to utilize his length and come from over the top to swat Maxey's shot, firing up an already electric crowd at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown Turns His Hustle into a Rim-Rattling Jam
It starts with the Celtics' effort defensively, resulting in Montrezl Harrell taking a low-percentage shot, fading away from the basket. After Noah Vonleh secures the rebound, he quickly sends the outlet pass ahead to Smart. And while the Sixers are slow to get back, Jaylen Brown is sprinting and turns his hustle into a thunderous one-handed jam.
James Harden's Foul-Baiting Attempt Backfires
James Harden's foul-baiting attempt fails, and he makes it worse by carelessly throwing the ball away. Brown comes up with the theft, wins the foot race against Maxey, and throws down another one-handed dunk.
First, Tatum fakes the pindown on Joel Embiid for Al Horford, then breaks to the mid-post on the opposite side. P.J. Tucker defends him well, but in a quarter where Tatum scored 12 points on 7/9 shooting, that doesn't matter enough to prevent the Celtics' star from swishing this fadeaway jumper.
Then, after Maxey misfires on a three, Embiid is worried about Horford, but he also appears to be recharging his stamina bar as he barely moves. Brown builds momentum coming downhill, and he goes from an in-and-out dribble to a between-the-legs crossover that gets Tobias Harris back pedaling and opening up his hips. That gives Brown a path to the basket, where he doesn't have to deal with Embiid trying to block his shot.
Embiid pays the price for a lazy bounce pass as Brown steps in front, picks it off, then challenges Embiid at the rim and comes away with two of his 35 points.","
From Jayson Tatum's emphatic rejection to Jaylen Brown's thunderous throwdowns, Brown challenging Embiid at the rim, and Tatum and Brown combining for a highlight-reel sequence, here are the top-five plays from the Celtics-Sixers game on opening night.
As highlighted in the play above, the Celtics came out with tremendous energy. Marcus Smart stunts at Tyrese Maxey as he drives, which helps keep Jayson Tatum close enough to utilize his length and come from over the top to swat Maxey's shot, firing up an already electric crowd at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown Turns His Hustle into a Rim-Rattling Jam
It starts with the Celtics' effort defensively, resulting in Montrezl Harrell taking a low-percentage shot, fading away from the basket. After Noah Vonleh secures the rebound, he quickly sends the outlet pass ahead to Smart. And while the Sixers are slow to get back, Jaylen Brown is sprinting and turns his hustle into a thunderous one-handed jam.
James Harden's Foul-Baiting Attempt Backfires
James Harden's foul-baiting attempt fails, and he makes it worse by carelessly throwing the ball away. Brown comes up with the theft, wins the foot race against Maxey, and throws down another one-handed dunk.
First, Tatum fakes the pindown on Joel Embiid for Al Horford, then breaks to the mid-post on the opposite side. P.J. Tucker defends him well, but in a quarter where Tatum scored 12 points on 7/9 shooting, that doesn't matter enough to prevent the Celtics' star from swishing this fadeaway jumper.
Then, after Maxey misfires on a three, Embiid is worried about Horford, but he also appears to be recharging his stamina bar as he barely moves. Brown builds momentum coming downhill, and he goes from an in-and-out dribble to a between-the-legs crossover that gets Tobias Harris back pedaling and opening up his hips. That gives Brown a path to the basket, where he doesn't have to deal with Embiid trying to block his shot.
Embiid pays the price for a lazy bounce pass as Brown steps in front, picks it off, then challenges Embiid at the rim and comes away with two of his 35 points.
",en,2022-10-19T03:51:11Z,2022-10-19T03:51:13+00:00,2022-10-19T03:51:13Z,https://www.si.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_xy_center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620%2Cx_2338%2Cy_959/MTkzMTMwMTEzNDU2NDE2MTAw/usatsi_19256676.jpg,"From Jayson Tatum's emphatic rejection to Jaylen Brown's thunderous throwdowns, Brown challenging Embiid at the rim, and Tatum and Brown combining for a","[
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2023 NFL Draft: Michael Mayer Declares for Draft,https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/2023-nfl-draft-michael-mayer-declares-for-draft,https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/2023-nfl-draft-michael-mayer-declares-for-draft,2022-12-09T02:05:00+00:00,"One of the highest-rated prospects and widely regarded tight end #1, Michael Mayer of Notre Dame, is turning pro.
Mayer is a do it all tight end with Y, H, and F alignment versatility, powerful blocking, and sure hands over the middle of the field. He may not be an elite speed threat, but his overall skillset is likely the best of his position group.
Click here for the full scouting report on Michael Mayer.
Mayer will benefit from the Notre Dame press and production he contributed to the fighting Irish offense. Often devoid of true perimeter threats, Mayer was the main cog in a limited Notre Dame passing attack.
If Mayer can move better than anticipated in his pre-draft evaluations, he will only cement himself as a top 31 pick come April.","
One of the highest-rated prospects and widely regarded tight end #1, Michael Mayer of Notre Dame, is turning pro.
Mayer is a do it all tight end with Y, H, and F alignment versatility, powerful blocking, and sure hands over the middle of the field. He may not be an elite speed threat, but his overall skillset is likely the best of his position group.
Mayer will benefit from the Notre Dame press and production he contributed to the fighting Irish offense. Often devoid of true perimeter threats, Mayer was the main cog in a limited Notre Dame passing attack.
If Mayer can move better than anticipated in his pre-draft evaluations, he will only cement himself as a top 31 pick come April.
",en,2022-12-09T02:05:00Z,2022-12-09T00:56:27+00:00,2022-12-09T00:56:27Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTg5OTE0ODc2Nzc5NTA1NDA2/notre-dame-te-michael-mayer.webp,Read below for insight on potential first round pick Michael Mayer,"[
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"How to Watch LSU at Arkansas in Women's College Gymnastics: Live Stream, TV Channel",https://www.si.com/tv/college-gymnastics/2023/01/27/lsu-arkansas-stream-womens-college-gymnastics,https://www.si.com/tv/college-gymnastics/2023/01/27/lsu-arkansas-stream-womens-college-gymnastics,2023-01-27T23:00:00+00:00,"No. 8 LSU will hit the road on Friday night for an SEC dual meet against No. 23 Arkansas. The Razorbacks have had a tough start to the season with an overall record of 1-2 and a conference record of 0-2. The team is coming off a 196.675-197.500 loss against No. 5 Auburn last week. The Razorbacks made improvements in the dual meet and set new season highs on bars (49.225), vault (49.325), floor (49.300) while also earning a new season-high mark as a team with a 196.675. Despite keeping the score within a tenth of a point through three rotations, the team came up just short.
Game Date: Jan. 27, 2023
Game Time:
The Tigers come into Friday night's meet with an overall record of 1-3 and a conference record of 1-2. The team is coming off of a win against No. 12 Missouri in a 197.150-196.525 victory. The Tigers started off strong on vault with a season-high 49.475 on the event highlighted by a perfect score from Haleigh Bryant. Elena Arenas led off with a strong 9.825 followed by Alyona Shchennikova who earned a 9.875. Chase Brock scored a season-high 9.850 in the third spot as well as KJ Johnson who scored a 9.900. Aleah Finnegan added another 9.850 before Bryant anchored with a 10 to take the title.
Tune in Friday night to see if the Tigers can keep rolling with a win over Arkansas.","
No. 8 LSU will hit the road on Friday night for an SEC dual meet against No. 23 Arkansas. The Razorbacks have had a tough start to the season with an overall record of 1-2 and a conference record of 0-2. The team is coming off a 196.675-197.500 loss against No. 5 Auburn last week. The Razorbacks made improvements in the dual meet and set new season highs on bars (49.225), vault (49.325), floor (49.300) while also earning a new season-high mark as a team with a 196.675. Despite keeping the score within a tenth of a point through three rotations, the team came up just short.
Game Date: Jan. 27, 2023
Game Time:
The Tigers come into Friday night's meet with an overall record of 1-3 and a conference record of 1-2. The team is coming off of a win against No. 12 Missouri in a 197.150-196.525 victory. The Tigers started off strong on vault with a season-high 49.475 on the event highlighted by a perfect score from Haleigh Bryant. Elena Arenas led off with a strong 9.825 followed by Alyona Shchennikova who earned a 9.875. Chase Brock scored a season-high 9.850 in the third spot as well as KJ Johnson who scored a 9.900. Aleah Finnegan added another 9.850 before Bryant anchored with a 10 to take the title.
Tune in Friday night to see if the Tigers can keep rolling with a win over Arkansas.
",en,2023-01-27T23:00:00Z,2023-01-27T17:53:00+00:00,2023-01-27T17:53:00Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTg3MzQzMzg3MjQ5MDkyNDk0/lsu-gymnastics.jpg,Arkansas and LSU will square off Friday night in a women's SEC dual meet as each team looks to improve its position in the national rankings in women's gymnastics action.,,"[
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"How to Watch Virginia vs Louisville: Stream Women's College Field Hockey Live, TV Channel",https://www.si.com/tv/college-field-hockey/2022/11/01/virginia-louisville-stream-college-field-hockey-live,https://www.si.com/tv/college-field-hockey/2022/11/01/virginia-louisville-stream-college-field-hockey-live,2022-11-01T17:15:00+00:00,"The first round of the ACC Field Hockey Tournament wraps up on Tuesday evening when the Virginia Cavaliers take on the Louisville Cardinals. The two teams will battle with a berth in the second round on the line. The winner will take on the winner of the Wake Forest and Duke match earlier in the day. The Cavaliers come into Tuesday fresh off a 2-0 loss to Maryland and have lost two of their last three. They have struggled a bit to finish the season, but Tuesday they will look to get back on track and beat Louisville for a second time this year.
How to Watch Women's College Field Hockey, Virginia at Louisville Today:
Match Date: Nov. 1, 2022
The Cavaliers beat the Cardinals 2-0 back on September 30th and will be looking to repeat that outcome on Tuesday.
The Cardinals, though, will be looking to avenge that loss and snap a three-match losing streak.
The Cardinals are a respectable 12-6 but have really struggled down the stretch. They have dropped matches to Syracuse, Cornell and Boston College to end the year and are needing to find a way to turn it around on Tuesday.","
The first round of the ACC Field Hockey Tournament wraps up on Tuesday evening when the Virginia Cavaliers take on the Louisville Cardinals. The two teams will battle with a berth in the second round on the line. The winner will take on the winner of the Wake Forest and Duke match earlier in the day. The Cavaliers come into Tuesday fresh off a 2-0 loss to Maryland and have lost two of their last three. They have struggled a bit to finish the season, but Tuesday they will look to get back on track and beat Louisville for a second time this year.
How to Watch Women's College Field Hockey, Virginia at Louisville Today:
Match Date: Nov. 1, 2022
The Cavaliers beat the Cardinals 2-0 back on September 30th and will be looking to repeat that outcome on Tuesday.
The Cardinals, though, will be looking to avenge that loss and snap a three-match losing streak.
The Cardinals are a respectable 12-6 but have really struggled down the stretch. They have dropped matches to Syracuse, Cornell and Boston College to end the year and are needing to find a way to turn it around on Tuesday.
",en,2022-11-01T17:15:00Z,2022-11-01T16:13:17+00:00,2022-11-01T16:13:17Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkxOTM2NjY0NzE5ODYxNDEx/field-hockey.jpg,Virginia takes on Louisville in the final first round match of the ACC Field Hockey Tournament on Tuesday,,"[
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Indiana Women's Basketball Heads to Las Vegas Invitational for Auburn and Memphis Matchups,https://www.si.com/college/indiana/basketball/indiana-womens-basketball-las-vegas-invitational-auburn-memphis-matchup,https://www.si.com/college/indiana/basketball/indiana-womens-basketball-las-vegas-invitational-auburn-memphis-matchup,2022-11-25T19:37:15+00:00,"LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Indiana women's basketball is in Las Vegas, Nev. ready to take on Auburn and Memphis as part of the Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Both games are slated for 8:45 p.m. ET.
The Hoosiers are on a five-game winning streak including a huge road win over Tennessee to give Indiana a No. 6 ranking in this week's Associated Press Poll. Indiana head coach Teri Moren said she's not worried about that though, just scouting the two games in Sin City.
""Both Memphis and Auburn are sort of a chuck and chase kind of team,"" Moren said. ""They're going to shoot a lot of probably unsolicited shots inside of that shot clock, and then they're going to try and chase them down and get offensive put backs, so we have to be really good on the boards.""
This season, Indiana totals 198 rebounds to their opponents' 152. Moren always says the team hangs its hat on the defensive side of the ball, but so does the Friday opponent Auburn.
""This is an Auburn team that's going to get after us,"" Moren said. ""There's no question defensively. They can speed you up. They're going to try and take it from you. They're very physical.""
Moren said when you think of physical players, you usually think of post players, but not for the Tigers who have aggressive guard play led by leading scorer Aicha Coulibaly who's averaging 18.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and also earned preseason All-SEC honors.
Junior forward Romi Levy from Israel also adds nine points and 5.5 rebounds per game in two of Auburn's four games this season. The Tigers are currently 3-1 on the season with just one 6-point loss to Georgia Tech on Nov. 16.
Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris is in her second season at the helm with a 12-19 career record but already instilling a defensive mindset into her players, Moren said.
""We're really going to rely on our upperclassmen to settle us in because unlike some teams where they come out of the gates and they're super aggressive, and some of that dies off as the game goes on, Auburn's not like that,"" Moren said.
""She literally has kids come off the bench to not just sustain but also take your defense to a whole other level. I would suspect you're going to see a whole lot of (Indiana) vets in there especially in the first half.""
Moren said if Indiana happens to get up a bit, some of the bench players might step in, but for now, she's comfortable with the rotation the team's been used to in the first five games.
As for Memphis on Saturday, Moren thinks the Hoosiers will see more zone defense from the Tigers — not to be confused with the Auburn Tigers.
Memphis is led by fifth year guard Jamirah Shutes who averages 16.6 points per game followed by senior guard Madison Griggs totaling 15.8 points per game.
The Tigers are on a four-game winning streak and average 85.8 points per game while the Hoosiers average 89.2. Memphis will first face St. John's in their Las Vegas Invitational opener.
The Hoosiers are playing back-to-back games the only time this season unless you include the Big Ten Tournament in March 2023. The staff has been dividing and conquering the scouting for each team and feel ready for neutral court action.
""This isn't unusual for us to have a short turnaround,"" Moren said. ""I think our kids will love it. I feel really good about our preparation.""
How to Watch Auburn vs. Indiana
When: Friday, Nov. 25 2022 — 8:45 p.m. ET
Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM
How to Watch Memphis vs. Indiana
Who: Memphis Tigers (4-1) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (5-0)
When: Saturday, Nov. 26 2022 — 8:45 p.m. ET
Where: The Mirage Resort & Casino — Las Vegas, Nev.
Broadcast: FloHoops
Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM
Related stories on Indiana women's basketball
TERI MOREN AWARDED ESPN COACH OF THE WEEK The Indiana women's basketball program announced head coach Teri Moren was named the ESPN Coach of the Week on Monday after a 5-0 start and a diverse lineup complete with veterans, transfers and freshmen rotations. CLICK HERE
HOOSIERS MOVE TO NO. 6 IN AP POLL The Hoosiers move up six spots in the AP Top 25 Poll this week following wins over Tennessee, Bowling Green and Quinnipiac. The full list is included inside complete with records. CLICK HERE
INDIANA DEFEATS QUINNIPIAC AT HOME To start off a week of thanksgiving, Indiana is thankful for four Hoosiers who scored in double figures to take down Quinnipiac 92-55 inside the Hall. Forward Mackenzie Holmes led the way with 22 points while the team shot 53 percent from the field. CLICK HERE
2022-23 INDIANA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Take a look at the full 2022-23 slate of Indiana women's basketball games complete with times and networks. CLICK HERE","
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Indiana women's basketball is in Las Vegas, Nev. ready to take on Auburn and Memphis as part of the Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Both games are slated for 8:45 p.m. ET.
The Hoosiers are on a five-game winning streak including a huge road win over Tennessee to give Indiana a No. 6 ranking in this week's Associated Press Poll. Indiana head coach Teri Moren said she's not worried about that though, just scouting the two games in Sin City.
""Both Memphis and Auburn are sort of a chuck and chase kind of team,"" Moren said. ""They're going to shoot a lot of probably unsolicited shots inside of that shot clock, and then they're going to try and chase them down and get offensive put backs, so we have to be really good on the boards.""
This season, Indiana totals 198 rebounds to their opponents' 152. Moren always says the team hangs its hat on the defensive side of the ball, but so does the Friday opponent Auburn.
""This is an Auburn team that's going to get after us,"" Moren said. ""There's no question defensively. They can speed you up. They're going to try and take it from you. They're very physical.""
Moren said when you think of physical players, you usually think of post players, but not for the Tigers who have aggressive guard play led by leading scorer Aicha Coulibaly who's averaging 18.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and also earned preseason All-SEC honors.
Junior forward Romi Levy from Israel also adds nine points and 5.5 rebounds per game in two of Auburn's four games this season. The Tigers are currently 3-1 on the season with just one 6-point loss to Georgia Tech on Nov. 16.
Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris is in her second season at the helm with a 12-19 career record but already instilling a defensive mindset into her players, Moren said.
""We're really going to rely on our upperclassmen to settle us in because unlike some teams where they come out of the gates and they're super aggressive, and some of that dies off as the game goes on, Auburn's not like that,"" Moren said.
""She literally has kids come off the bench to not just sustain but also take your defense to a whole other level. I would suspect you're going to see a whole lot of (Indiana) vets in there especially in the first half.""
Moren said if Indiana happens to get up a bit, some of the bench players might step in, but for now, she's comfortable with the rotation the team's been used to in the first five games.
As for Memphis on Saturday, Moren thinks the Hoosiers will see more zone defense from the Tigers — not to be confused with the Auburn Tigers.
Memphis is led by fifth year guard Jamirah Shutes who averages 16.6 points per game followed by senior guard Madison Griggs totaling 15.8 points per game.
The Tigers are on a four-game winning streak and average 85.8 points per game while the Hoosiers average 89.2. Memphis will first face St. John's in their Las Vegas Invitational opener.
The Hoosiers are playing back-to-back games the only time this season unless you include the Big Ten Tournament in March 2023. The staff has been dividing and conquering the scouting for each team and feel ready for neutral court action.
""This isn't unusual for us to have a short turnaround,"" Moren said. ""I think our kids will love it. I feel really good about our preparation.""
How to Watch Auburn vs. Indiana
When: Friday, Nov. 25 2022 — 8:45 p.m. ET
Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM
How to Watch Memphis vs. Indiana
Who: Memphis Tigers (4-1) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (5-0)
When: Saturday, Nov. 26 2022 — 8:45 p.m. ET
Where: The Mirage Resort & Casino — Las Vegas, Nev.
Broadcast: FloHoops
Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM
Related stories on Indiana women's basketball
TERI MOREN AWARDED ESPN COACH OF THE WEEK The Indiana women's basketball program announced head coach Teri Moren was named the ESPN Coach of the Week on Monday after a 5-0 start and a diverse lineup complete with veterans, transfers and freshmen rotations. CLICK HERE
HOOSIERS MOVE TO NO. 6 IN AP POLL The Hoosiers move up six spots in the AP Top 25 Poll this week following wins over Tennessee, Bowling Green and Quinnipiac. The full list is included inside complete with records. CLICK HERE
INDIANA DEFEATS QUINNIPIAC AT HOME To start off a week of thanksgiving, Indiana is thankful for four Hoosiers who scored in double figures to take down Quinnipiac 92-55 inside the Hall. Forward Mackenzie Holmes led the way with 22 points while the team shot 53 percent from the field. CLICK HERE
2022-23 INDIANA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Take a look at the full 2022-23 slate of Indiana women's basketball games complete with times and networks. CLICK HERE
",en,2022-11-25T19:37:15Z,2022-11-25T19:37:18+00:00,2022-11-25T19:37:18Z,https://www.si.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_xy_center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620%2Cx_1048%2Cy_299/MTk0MDAzNTYyNDMzMzU3NDg5/screen-shot-2022-11-25-at-22555-pm.png,The Hoosiers head to Las Vegas to face both Auburn and Memphis as part of the Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday evening. No. 6 Indiana looks to keep its perfect season record while spending Turkey Day in Sin City.,"[
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Zach Randolph Wants to Be the Next Music Mogul,https://www.si.com/nba/2022/12/15/zach-randolph-wants-to-be-the-next-music-mogul-moneybagg-yo,https://www.si.com/nba/2022/12/15/zach-randolph-wants-to-be-the-next-music-mogul-moneybagg-yo,2022-12-15T18:28:06+00:00,"Zach Randolph’s music career began at an East Memphis car dealership in 2015.
Randolph wasn’t exactly eager to get involved in a music side hustle. He was still in the middle of a very successful playing career for the Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies. And he’d seen friends of his in the NBA lose money trying to start endeavors such as record labels with the next hot young artist. But he was being pushed hard by his longtime friend, Marcus “Head” Howell, who at the time worked at the car dealership started by Randolph.
On Thanksgiving Day 2015, at the urging of a DJ who was imploring him to start a record label, Howell went to check out a local rapper who would be opening for Young Jeezy at a Memphis nightclub. The DJ had even brought the local rapper over to Howell’s office before the concert. “This kid is special,” the DJ told Howell. “You gotta check him out.”
“When I went to the concert, everybody was singing his songs word for word,” recalls Howell. “So when I left, I told Z-Bo, ‘We need to sign this kid. I think this kid is special.’”
So the rapper would later go to Randolph’s car dealership to sign with Howell and Randolph and their new venture, NLess Entertainment. The first signee was none other than Moneybagg Yo, who has since gone on to release four albums that debuted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200, including three in the top five and 2021’s A Gangsta’s Pain, which debuted at No. 1.
“It was crazy; the city was on fire, and we had a hot artist coming out the city. We had the buzz,” Randolph says of signing Moneybagg in 2015. “The hottest up-and-coming artist signing with the guy who is all about the city, playing for the city, and giving back to the city. It was the perfect combination.”
“It was a great vibe,” Moneybagg says of his first meeting with Z-Bo. “He really believed in a n---a. He said he always used to play my music in the locker room.”
After signing Moneybagg, Randolph continued playing in Memphis through 2017 before spending one season in Sacramento. He officially announced his retirement in ’19, and in December ’21, the Grizzlies retired his jersey.
Since the end of his basketball career, Randolph has shifted his focus full time to NLess. After signing Bagg, Randolph and Howell have signed a slew of artists, including Big 30, who was featured on the XXL 2022 Freshman Class cover, as well as hitmaking producer Turn Me Up YC.
Randolph has traded watching film for scouting talent. He now spends much of his time listening to new artists in Memphis and on the road. He stays “ingrained in the streets” to find up-and-coming people he could sign to the label. And it’s not only hip-hop, with Randolph mentioning Afrobeats as another genre he’s looking for potential signees in.
“I just always had a love for music,” Randolph says. “I think every athlete and rapper they’re the same. Rappers, their dream was to play basketball. Basketball players like to rap. It’s a hand-in-hand thing.”
There’s a beauty in Randolph’s second career starting in the city of Memphis. After an up-and-down career that included a tumultuous start in Portland, the rugged power forward finally found his footing with the Grizzlies in 2009. From ’11 to ’17, Memphis made the playoffs every season and was frequently a tough out in a loaded conference. The Grizz upset the top-seeded Spurs in ’11 and made the conference finals in ’13. Along the way, Randolph endeared himself to a city he says shared his blue-collar work ethic.
“Zach Randolph is Memphis, man,” says Bagg. “He means everything to this city. The whole city can vouch for him.”
“They love Zach here,” says Howell. “If you pull up and mention Zach, you’ll hear a story like, ‘Oh, he did this for my family. He did this for my school. He paid my light bill.’ He’s always done so much for the city, and the city has always embraced him.”
Randolph still has ties to Memphis. He works for the Grizzlies in an adviser role, and he says Ja Morant is his favorite player in the NBA. (He also says he believes Morant is a top-three player in the NBA.) And he’s mining the city to help turn NLess into the next big thing. Randolph is hoping to expand the business into more than just music. He’s taken meetings about producing movies. He wants to create a sports management division, given his relationship with athletes. As he himself is represented by Roc Nation, Randolph is trying to arrange a meeting with Jay-Z to pick his brain on his business acumen.
In order to grow, Randolph is continuing to build bridges between Memphis and the larger entertainment world. NLess recently hired two senior vice presidents, Kemario Brown and Breon Robinson, who have ties to Memphis. He’s also empowering Bagg, who is now learning the ropes of the record industry in addition to making hits.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to be in this position,” Moneybagg says of teaming with Randolph and Howell.
Wherever NLess ends up going, it will have started in the city that Randolph has made himself synonymous with, even if it’s not his hometown.
“There is a lot of talent in this world,” says Randolph. “But especially in the city of Memphis.”","
Zach Randolph’s music career began at an East Memphis car dealership in 2015.
Randolph wasn’t exactly eager to get involved in a music side hustle. He was still in the middle of a very successful playing career for the Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies. And he’d seen friends of his in the NBA lose money trying to start endeavors such as record labels with the next hot young artist. But he was being pushed hard by his longtime friend, Marcus “Head” Howell, who at the time worked at the car dealership started by Randolph.
On Thanksgiving Day 2015, at the urging of a DJ who was imploring him to start a record label, Howell went to check out a local rapper who would be opening for Young Jeezy at a Memphis nightclub. The DJ had even brought the local rapper over to Howell’s office before the concert. “This kid is special,” the DJ told Howell. “You gotta check him out.”
“When I went to the concert, everybody was singing his songs word for word,” recalls Howell. “So when I left, I told Z-Bo, ‘We need to sign this kid. I think this kid is special.’”
So the rapper would later go to Randolph’s car dealership to sign with Howell and Randolph and their new venture, NLess Entertainment. The first signee was none other than Moneybagg Yo, who has since gone on to release four albums that debuted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200, including three in the top five and 2021’s A Gangsta’s Pain, which debuted at No. 1.
“It was crazy; the city was on fire, and we had a hot artist coming out the city. We had the buzz,” Randolph says of signing Moneybagg in 2015. “The hottest up-and-coming artist signing with the guy who is all about the city, playing for the city, and giving back to the city. It was the perfect combination.”
“It was a great vibe,” Moneybagg says of his first meeting with Z-Bo. “He really believed in a n---a. He said he always used to play my music in the locker room.”
After signing Moneybagg, Randolph continued playing in Memphis through 2017 before spending one season in Sacramento. He officially announced his retirement in ’19, and in December ’21, the Grizzlies retired his jersey.
Since the end of his basketball career, Randolph has shifted his focus full time to NLess. After signing Bagg, Randolph and Howell have signed a slew of artists, including Big 30, who was featured on the XXL 2022 Freshman Class cover, as well as hitmaking producer Turn Me Up YC.
Randolph has traded watching film for scouting talent. He now spends much of his time listening to new artists in Memphis and on the road. He stays “ingrained in the streets” to find up-and-coming people he could sign to the label. And it’s not only hip-hop, with Randolph mentioning Afrobeats as another genre he’s looking for potential signees in.
“I just always had a love for music,” Randolph says. “I think every athlete and rapper they’re the same. Rappers, their dream was to play basketball. Basketball players like to rap. It’s a hand-in-hand thing.”
There’s a beauty in Randolph’s second career starting in the city of Memphis. After an up-and-down career that included a tumultuous start in Portland, the rugged power forward finally found his footing with the Grizzlies in 2009. From ’11 to ’17, Memphis made the playoffs every season and was frequently a tough out in a loaded conference. The Grizz upset the top-seeded Spurs in ’11 and made the conference finals in ’13. Along the way, Randolph endeared himself to a city he says shared his blue-collar work ethic.
“Zach Randolph is Memphis, man,” says Bagg. “He means everything to this city. The whole city can vouch for him.”
“They love Zach here,” says Howell. “If you pull up and mention Zach, you’ll hear a story like, ‘Oh, he did this for my family. He did this for my school. He paid my light bill.’ He’s always done so much for the city, and the city has always embraced him.”
Randolph still has ties to Memphis. He works for the Grizzlies in an adviser role, and he says Ja Morant is his favorite player in the NBA. (He also says he believes Morant is a top-three player in the NBA.) And he’s mining the city to help turn NLess into the next big thing. Randolph is hoping to expand the business into more than just music. He’s taken meetings about producing movies. He wants to create a sports management division, given his relationship with athletes. As he himself is represented by Roc Nation, Randolph is trying to arrange a meeting with Jay-Z to pick his brain on his business acumen.
In order to grow, Randolph is continuing to build bridges between Memphis and the larger entertainment world. NLess recently hired two senior vice presidents, Kemario Brown and Breon Robinson, who have ties to Memphis. He’s also empowering Bagg, who is now learning the ropes of the record industry in addition to making hits.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to be in this position,” Moneybagg says of teaming with Randolph and Howell.
Wherever NLess ends up going, it will have started in the city that Randolph has made himself synonymous with, even if it’s not his hometown.
“There is a lot of talent in this world,” says Randolph. “But especially in the city of Memphis.”
",en,2022-12-15T18:28:06Z,2022-12-15T18:29:47+00:00,2022-12-15T18:29:47Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0NDY2MTI2OTIxNDc1NTg5/zach-randolph.jpg,"From building his own music label to signing Moneybagg Yo, the former NBA star wants to build an empire.",,"[
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What on Earth: How Phony Environmentalism Came to Sports,https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/11/01/sports-greenwashing-daily-cover,https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/11/01/sports-greenwashing-daily-cover,2022-11-01T12:45:00+00:00,"Welcome to SI Climate, our ongoing series about how sports are adapting to—and affecting—our changing world.
Inside the Legends Suite Club at Yankee Stadium, Allen Hershkowitz was sipping cabernet and recounting a video meeting he led for sustainability officials for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. An environmental scientist who also advises the NBA and MLS, Hershkowitz works full-time for the Yankees overseeing their sustainability efforts, the first person to hold that type of role in U.S. professional sports. He’s become a go-to authority for teams, leagues and other organizations looking for direction on green initiatives. So in September 2021, when a colleague working with the World Cup organizers asked him to brief the Qatari group on best climate practices, Hershkowitz was eager to say yes.
This particular World Cup—featuring seven new stadiums, a new metro system and a (literal) small nation’s worth of new air conditioning units, all brought to you by sponsors like QatarEnergy, the state-owned oil and gas giant—has long been a notoriously climate-unfriendly affair. During Hershkowitz’s presentation, one of the Qatar representatives spoke up with a bold claim: “We plan to announce that we’re going to be carbon neutral and plastic neutral.”
Hershkowitz recoiled at the suggestion: “I said, ‘Please do not do that. Do not do that.’”
Alas, he was too late. The day before, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) boasted in a press release that it would “deliver a plastic-neutral tournament,” going on to explain that by “physically removing plastic waste from rivers and oceans . . . the amount recovered will be equivalent to the plastic waste generated from the hosting of the FIFA World Cup.”
While this particular post later disappeared from Qatar 2022’s official website—fishing out old soda bottles does not negate the environmental impact of fabricating massive amounts of new plastic—the World Cup organizer has continued to tout its tournament as carbon neutral. This despite the fact that, by its own conservative calculation, staging the 28-day tournament will generate 3.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, an increase of 67% from Russia 2018.
Qatar 2022 carbon neutral? “There’s no way in the world,” Hershkowitz says, adding, “There’s no such thing as plastic neutral.”
A spokesman for the SC responded, “We committed in our sustainability strategy to deliver the world’s first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup, and we are on track to meet this goal.” The spokesman also listed Qatar 2022’s green initiatives and said it would buy “certified and recognized” carbon credits to offset unavoidable emissions.
To climate experts such as Hershkowitz, though, this playbook represents a classic case of what is known as greenwashing. “Greenwashing is the notion that you’re signaling virtuous behavior with respect to environmental objects, often climate, but in reality it’s just a signal,” says Roger Pielke, professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado.
The corporate world is awash in such behavior—JetBlue, for example, brags about carbon-neutral flights, a literally impossible feat for non-avians—and sports is catching up.
On one hand, the direct environmental impact of sports tends to be more limited than people may think: According to data analyzed by Pielke and his colleagues, the collective annual emissions of the NFL, NBA and NHL account for just about a minute and a half of the U.S.’s annual footprint.
On the other hand, the sports world is rife with teams, leagues and organizations failing to fulfill even the most basic aspects of their environmental commitments. Certainly no scientist expects the World Cup—or any other league, team or tournament—to solve climate change. But several who spoke to Sports Illustrated said sports can play a positive role.
As many of these experts noted, sports organizations possess unparalleled influence over fans, not to mention considerable leverage over sponsors and business partners. What they say and do matters. Especially when they say one thing and do another.
In October 2017, representatives from both the sports and environmental science worlds converged on Bonn, Germany, for a two-day United Nations workshop. The organizers were curious whether the sports groups in attendance—among them FIFA, UEFA and the Philadelphia Eagles —could use their platforms to speak to fans about the urgent need for climate action. But the response was clear: The teams and leagues felt like they couldn’t talk before improving their own efforts.
From those conversations, the U.N.’s Sports for Climate Action Framework was born. Unveiled at the following year’s U.N. climate summit, the initiative lacked concrete targets at its onset by design. Instead, the framework bound signatories to intentionally broad principles, including a pledge to “reduce overall climate impact.” The framework also instructed signatories to calculate a baseline footprint by measuring greenhouse gas emissions as a “starting point.”
In short order, sports organizations raced to put their brand names to the framework: More than 300 of them signed on, ranging from large federations like the IOC to leagues like the NBA and the NFL, to clubs like the Yankees, Warriors and Liverpool FC, to smaller outfits like Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., and the Austrian Ocean Race Project.
“We had five principles that were quite broad, but we knew that all of these different sports organizations are at different levels of maturity,” says Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, the sectors engagement lead on sports and fashion at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the branch that oversees the program. “They will all have different ways to influence those emissions or not. They will have different capacities. We told them, there it is, five principles. Create a plan based on those. ... We have to all start from somewhere. We, in this journey, we need all hands on the deck.”
Many of the signatories were eager to brag about their commitments to the program, soaking up the good publicity. But far fewer actually followed through on their promises. One year after the framework was instituted, in 2019, the UNFCCC conducted a survey asking whether signatories were measuring greenhouse gas emissions. “At that time, there were 249 signatories,” says Hershkowitz, who participated in one of the framework’s working groups. “Over 60% had not begun the measurement process.”
The UNFCCC is starting to crack down. Last year, the body began requiring signatories to file a report that detailed their organization’s emissions and the actions being taken to reduce them. Yet Xhaferi-Salihu says that roughly a third of signatories failed to do that. Those organizations that didn’t report by the end of August lost their accreditation with the framework.
Going forward, she adds, public reporting of emissions will be required to maintain signatory status. In a departure from its more lenient earlier guidelines, late last year the UNFCCC also set hard targets for new signatories, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching net zero by ’40. Soon, all signatories will have to adopt those benchmarks; not doing so could lead to being booted from the program, Xhaferi-Salihu says.
Hershkowitz, for his part, does not currently advise his clients to publicly report their impact data. There is too much disagreement on how indirect impacts should be measured—for instance, how you measure the emissions from fans traveling to games, or from making the plastic cups sold at stadiums, or even from the production of the ball—he says. “You want to make sure that whatever you put out in the public is true and verifiable,” he says. “The NBA, the Yankees and MLS—I have told them we’re not going public with it. . . . Right now, getting that data is a moving target.”
For Xhaferi-Salihu, though, that type of explanation doesn’t wash. For progress, she believes, there must be public accounting, even if imperfect. “If you sign up as a sports organization and then you think that by putting a signature, you’re done, and by maybe using your Twitter now and then, you’re done—I don’t think that does it,” she says. “Sustainability, at the end of the day, unfortunately, it’s not just about storytelling; it is about numbers.”
The truth is, many of the sports organizations that signed onto the U.N. framework are good arguments that more accountability is needed.
Ahead of the last Winter Games, for instance, the IOC issued breathless press releases heralding how every venue in Beijing would be fully powered by renewable energy, but it glossed over how Beijing 2022 diverted groundwater to make the 1.2 million cubic meters of fake snow that carpeted every ski slope or that it bulldozed part of a mountainous nature reserve to build the bobsled, skeleton and luge center. “Sustainability in the Olympics has . . . significantly declined over time,” an academic paper in the spring 2021 edition of the journal Nature concluded.
The sports world is full of similarly performative actions, from one-off composting nights at stadiums to the fleet of battery-powered, hydrogen-fueled trucks that delivered beer to SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl LVI. But the most common move in the greenwashing playbook, according to experts, is to buy carbon offsets.
While some types of offsets purchased by companies are productive, many are viewed by experts as worse than useless. There is what Texas A&M professor of sport management Brian McCullough describes as a cottage industry of “rogue, non-legitimate carbon offset programs” that lure teams and other clients with cheap costs and easy PR but lack transparency as to how that money is actually helping the environment. McCullough adds that offsets based on planting new trees—one of the most common types—are particularly problematic, as a tree takes decades to mature and begin absorbing carbon from the atmosphere yet does nothing to help with the emissions supposedly being offset today. “It’s really the Wild Wild West,” McCullough says.
He argues that buying offsets should be a “last-case scenario” for a sports organization, but he sees many starting their green efforts by cutting a check. “It’s a quick fix,” he says. Furthermore, the fuzzy math often involved in calculating offsets can lead to even more exaggerated claims. “To claim carbon neutrality is quite frankly B.S., but a lot go down that path because it becomes an institutionalized practice,” he says. “One team does it, then others follow.”
McCullough encountered this in 2019, when he was working at Seattle University and the MLS’s Sounders declared themselves the first carbon-neutral soccer team in North America and the first carbon-neutral pro sports team in the U.S. Trying to check their underlying data, though, McCullough hit a roadblock: The team, he says, wouldn’t share numbers. The Sounders declined comment to SI.
Carbon offsets are far from the only issue. Hershkowitz, for his part, casts an especially skeptical eye toward the many teams and leagues getting in bed with cryptocurrency, calling the industry’s carbon footprint an ecological disaster. (Bitcoin alone, according to the University of Cambridge, consumes an estimated 97.93 terawatt hours of electricity per year—outpacing the entire country of Belgium.) Hershkowitz recalls trying to educate one U.S. pro team on crypto’s environmental impacts: He says the club’s head of marketing replied, “I don't believe you, and we're not changing anything.”
At the Aspen Institute’s inaugural climate change conference in May, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated the goal of the league—as one of the signatories of the U.N. framework—is to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by ’40. At the same time, though, Silver positioned the NBA at the front of the industry-wide charge toward cryptocurrencies, with the league signing an estimated four-year, $192 million deal in October ’21 with the exchange platform Coinbase. Also last year, Crypto.com forked over $700 million to rename the Staples Center in Los Angeles while FTX took over as title sponsor for the Heat’s arena in Miami.
An NBA spokesman did not respond directly to questions about how the league’s crypto partnerships square with its sustainability commitments, but touted the work the league has done to promote environmental awareness and “minimize our footprint” over the last 15 years, since it created its NBA Green program. “Through our partnerships, we are exploring ways that we can work together to address and mitigate our respective environmental impact while also raising awareness around sustainability globally, the spokesman said. “We recognize that we, along with society, have much more work to do.”
Of course, plenty of teams and leagues have partnerships with carbon-intensive industries, like oil companies (Aramco is a Formula One global partner) and airlines. Hershkowitz and many experts view those types of sponsor relationships as a critical tool for achieving sustainable solutions that a team can’t accomplish on its own. They see opportunities for teams to push their partners toward a more sustainable path.
Overall, McCullough says, “progress hasn’t been where you’d think it should be” in the sports world. Part of this is a function of a relative lack of resources: Dedicated staff, operational buy-in and potentially cost-prohibitive equipment (a top-of-the-line dashboard can run upward of $5 million, though budget solutions exist) are all required just to track emissions data. “You do see teams really taking it seriously,” he says, “but because of internal limitations, it’s slower than if Amazon comes on the scene and says, ‘This is an important initiative. We have the capacity to hire a 50-person team.’”
Then again, while minor league clubs or small-time college programs might struggle to measure up, it goes without saying that top-level sports leagues are multibillion-dollar operations. “The sports industry is obviously focused on on-field performance and getting butts in seats,” McCullough says. He believes teams will truly act on environmental issues only if fans push them. “It’s been a wait-and-see,” he says. “What are fans going to want?”
So what should fans demand from their favorite teams and leagues? And what role should sports be playing?
McCullough urges teams and venues to increase their commitment to renewable energy while decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, pointing to the entirely wind- and solar-powered Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, home of the top-tier soccer club AFC Ajax, as one shining example. But, as McCullough notes, those types of measures address sports’ direct impact but do little to strike at broader forces. “The sport industry is dependent on other industries,” McCullough says. “Travel is that elephant in the room.”
Seth Wynes, a postdoctoral researcher of climate solutions at Concordia University, observed one potential solution on this front in 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the four major North American men’s leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) all dramatically—if inadvertently—cut their emissions by way of various schedule adjustments (canceling overseas trips, grouping games by region, increasing the number of “baseball-style” series). If these changes were made permanent, Wynes later concluded in a study that ran in the November 2021 issue of Environmental Science & Technology, “air travel emissions reductions of 22% each year could be expected.”
Earlier this summer, at a sports conference in Odense, Denmark, Pielke took the stage and delivered a talk titled, “How Not to Greenwash.” Near the end, below a bullet point describing carbon offsets as “gimmicks,” Pielke listed three broader “alternatives” for sports organizations looking to make an environmental impact: “educate fans about the scale of the issue”; “promote policies that work to decarbonize energy systems”; and “consider other [environmental social governance] objectives beyond climate where action of sports organizations can have a more direct impact.”
Put another way, he was asking sports organizations to use their considerable social and financial capital for good.
“The biggest plus that sports has is the influence over fans,” says Dave Newport, director of the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado. Teams can “empower fans to be more sustainable at home, work and play,” he says.
Since 2008, Newport has also led the charge at Colorado, launching the first dedicated sustainability program inside a Division I athletics department. One result: At CU football games, the university says 90% of waste is now diverted.
Newport believes businesses’ making overly exuberant claims about environmental policies is actually a good sign. “Personally, I love greenwashing,” he says, “because it’s the first step toward real action. You get caught, you take a hit in sales, you have to clean it up.
“I don’t really care what the motives are, so long as it’s real. The atmosphere doesn’t give a s--- about how the carbon got up there. Just how much.”","
Welcome to SI Climate, our ongoing series about how sports are adapting to—and affecting—our changing world.
Inside the Legends Suite Club at Yankee Stadium, Allen Hershkowitz was sipping cabernet and recounting a video meeting he led for sustainability officials for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. An environmental scientist who also advises the NBA and MLS, Hershkowitz works full-time for the Yankees overseeing their sustainability efforts, the first person to hold that type of role in U.S. professional sports. He’s become a go-to authority for teams, leagues and other organizations looking for direction on green initiatives. So in September 2021, when a colleague working with the World Cup organizers asked him to brief the Qatari group on best climate practices, Hershkowitz was eager to say yes.
This particular World Cup—featuring seven new stadiums, a new metro system and a (literal) small nation’s worth of new air conditioning units, all brought to you by sponsors like QatarEnergy, the state-owned oil and gas giant—has long been a notoriously climate-unfriendly affair. During Hershkowitz’s presentation, one of the Qatar representatives spoke up with a bold claim: “We plan to announce that we’re going to be carbon neutral and plastic neutral.”
Hershkowitz recoiled at the suggestion: “I said, ‘Please do not do that. Do not do that.’”
Alas, he was too late. The day before, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) boasted in a press release that it would “deliver a plastic-neutral tournament,” going on to explain that by “physically removing plastic waste from rivers and oceans . . . the amount recovered will be equivalent to the plastic waste generated from the hosting of the FIFA World Cup.”
While this particular post later disappeared from Qatar 2022’s official website—fishing out old soda bottles does not negate the environmental impact of fabricating massive amounts of new plastic—the World Cup organizer has continued to tout its tournament as carbon neutral. This despite the fact that, by its own conservative calculation, staging the 28-day tournament will generate 3.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, an increase of 67% from Russia 2018.
Qatar 2022 carbon neutral? “There’s no way in the world,” Hershkowitz says, adding, “There’s no such thing as plastic neutral.”
A spokesman for the SC responded, “We committed in our sustainability strategy to deliver the world’s first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup, and we are on track to meet this goal.” The spokesman also listed Qatar 2022’s green initiatives and said it would buy “certified and recognized” carbon credits to offset unavoidable emissions.
To climate experts such as Hershkowitz, though, this playbook represents a classic case of what is known as greenwashing. “Greenwashing is the notion that you’re signaling virtuous behavior with respect to environmental objects, often climate, but in reality it’s just a signal,” says Roger Pielke, professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado.
The corporate world is awash in such behavior—JetBlue, for example, brags about carbon-neutral flights, a literally impossible feat for non-avians—and sports is catching up.
On one hand, the direct environmental impact of sports tends to be more limited than people may think: According to data analyzed by Pielke and his colleagues, the collective annual emissions of the NFL, NBA and NHL account for just about a minute and a half of the U.S.’s annual footprint.
On the other hand, the sports world is rife with teams, leagues and organizations failing to fulfill even the most basic aspects of their environmental commitments. Certainly no scientist expects the World Cup—or any other league, team or tournament—to solve climate change. But several who spoke to Sports Illustrated said sports can play a positive role.
As many of these experts noted, sports organizations possess unparalleled influence over fans, not to mention considerable leverage over sponsors and business partners. What they say and do matters. Especially when they say one thing and do another.
In October 2017, representatives from both the sports and environmental science worlds converged on Bonn, Germany, for a two-day United Nations workshop. The organizers were curious whether the sports groups in attendance—among them FIFA, UEFA and the Philadelphia Eagles—could use their platforms to speak to fans about the urgent need for climate action. But the response was clear: The teams and leagues felt like they couldn’t talk before improving their own efforts.
From those conversations, the U.N.’s Sports for Climate Action Framework was born. Unveiled at the following year’s U.N. climate summit, the initiative lacked concrete targets at its onset by design. Instead, the framework bound signatories to intentionally broad principles, including a pledge to “reduce overall climate impact.” The framework also instructed signatories to calculate a baseline footprint by measuring greenhouse gas emissions as a “starting point.”
In short order, sports organizations raced to put their brand names to the framework: More than 300 of them signed on, ranging from large federations like the IOC to leagues like the NBA and the NFL, to clubs like the Yankees, Warriors and Liverpool FC, to smaller outfits like Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., and the Austrian Ocean Race Project.
“We had five principles that were quite broad, but we knew that all of these different sports organizations are at different levels of maturity,” says Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, the sectors engagement lead on sports and fashion at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the branch that oversees the program. “They will all have different ways to influence those emissions or not. They will have different capacities. We told them, there it is, five principles. Create a plan based on those. ... We have to all start from somewhere. We, in this journey, we need all hands on the deck.”
Many of the signatories were eager to brag about their commitments to the program, soaking up the good publicity. But far fewer actually followed through on their promises. One year after the framework was instituted, in 2019, the UNFCCC conducted a survey asking whether signatories were measuring greenhouse gas emissions. “At that time, there were 249 signatories,” says Hershkowitz, who participated in one of the framework’s working groups. “Over 60% had not begun the measurement process.”
The UNFCCC is starting to crack down. Last year, the body began requiring signatories to file a report that detailed their organization’s emissions and the actions being taken to reduce them. Yet Xhaferi-Salihu says that roughly a third of signatories failed to do that. Those organizations that didn’t report by the end of August lost their accreditation with the framework.
Going forward, she adds, public reporting of emissions will be required to maintain signatory status. In a departure from its more lenient earlier guidelines, late last year the UNFCCC also set hard targets for new signatories, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching net zero by ’40. Soon, all signatories will have to adopt those benchmarks; not doing so could lead to being booted from the program, Xhaferi-Salihu says.
Hershkowitz, for his part, does not currently advise his clients to publicly report their impact data. There is too much disagreement on how indirect impacts should be measured—for instance, how you measure the emissions from fans traveling to games, or from making the plastic cups sold at stadiums, or even from the production of the ball—he says. “You want to make sure that whatever you put out in the public is true and verifiable,” he says. “The NBA, the Yankees and MLS—I have told them we’re not going public with it. . . . Right now, getting that data is a moving target.”
For Xhaferi-Salihu, though, that type of explanation doesn’t wash. For progress, she believes, there must be public accounting, even if imperfect. “If you sign up as a sports organization and then you think that by putting a signature, you’re done, and by maybe using your Twitter now and then, you’re done—I don’t think that does it,” she says. “Sustainability, at the end of the day, unfortunately, it’s not just about storytelling; it is about numbers.”
The truth is, many of the sports organizations that signed onto the U.N. framework are good arguments that more accountability is needed.
Ahead of the last Winter Games, for instance, the IOC issued breathless press releases heralding how every venue in Beijing would be fully powered by renewable energy, but it glossed over how Beijing 2022 diverted groundwater to make the 1.2 million cubic meters of fake snow that carpeted every ski slope or that it bulldozed part of a mountainous nature reserve to build the bobsled, skeleton and luge center. “Sustainability in the Olympics has . . . significantly declined over time,” an academic paper in the spring 2021 edition of the journal Nature concluded.
The sports world is full of similarly performative actions, from one-off composting nights at stadiums to the fleet of battery-powered, hydrogen-fueled trucks that delivered beer to SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl LVI. But the most common move in the greenwashing playbook, according to experts, is to buy carbon offsets.
While some types of offsets purchased by companies are productive, many are viewed by experts as worse than useless. There is what Texas A&M professor of sport management Brian McCullough describes as a cottage industry of “rogue, non-legitimate carbon offset programs” that lure teams and other clients with cheap costs and easy PR but lack transparency as to how that money is actually helping the environment. McCullough adds that offsets based on planting new trees—one of the most common types—are particularly problematic, as a tree takes decades to mature and begin absorbing carbon from the atmosphere yet does nothing to help with the emissions supposedly being offset today. “It’s really the Wild Wild West,” McCullough says.
He argues that buying offsets should be a “last-case scenario” for a sports organization, but he sees many starting their green efforts by cutting a check. “It’s a quick fix,” he says. Furthermore, the fuzzy math often involved in calculating offsets can lead to even more exaggerated claims. “To claim carbon neutrality is quite frankly B.S., but a lot go down that path because it becomes an institutionalized practice,” he says. “One team does it, then others follow.”
McCullough encountered this in 2019, when he was working at Seattle University and the MLS’s Sounders declared themselves the first carbon-neutral soccer team in North America and the first carbon-neutral pro sports team in the U.S. Trying to check their underlying data, though, McCullough hit a roadblock: The team, he says, wouldn’t share numbers. The Sounders declined comment to SI.
Carbon offsets are far from the only issue. Hershkowitz, for his part, casts an especially skeptical eye toward the many teams and leagues getting in bed with cryptocurrency, calling the industry’s carbon footprint an ecological disaster. (Bitcoin alone, according to the University of Cambridge, consumes an estimated 97.93 terawatt hours of electricity per year—outpacing the entire country of Belgium.) Hershkowitz recalls trying to educate one U.S. pro team on crypto’s environmental impacts: He says the club’s head of marketing replied, “I don't believe you, and we're not changing anything.”
At the Aspen Institute’s inaugural climate change conference in May, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated the goal of the league—as one of the signatories of the U.N. framework—is to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by ’40. At the same time, though, Silver positioned the NBA at the front of the industry-wide charge toward cryptocurrencies, with the league signing an estimated four-year, $192 million deal in October ’21 with the exchange platform Coinbase. Also last year, Crypto.com forked over $700 million to rename the Staples Center in Los Angeles while FTX took over as title sponsor for the Heat’s arena in Miami.
An NBA spokesman did not respond directly to questions about how the league’s crypto partnerships square with its sustainability commitments, but touted the work the league has done to promote environmental awareness and “minimize our footprint” over the last 15 years, since it created its NBA Green program. “Through our partnerships, we are exploring ways that we can work together to address and mitigate our respective environmental impact while also raising awareness around sustainability globally, the spokesman said. “We recognize that we, along with society, have much more work to do.”
Of course, plenty of teams and leagues have partnerships with carbon-intensive industries, like oil companies (Aramco is a Formula One global partner) and airlines. Hershkowitz and many experts view those types of sponsor relationships as a critical tool for achieving sustainable solutions that a team can’t accomplish on its own. They see opportunities for teams to push their partners toward a more sustainable path.
Overall, McCullough says, “progress hasn’t been where you’d think it should be” in the sports world. Part of this is a function of a relative lack of resources: Dedicated staff, operational buy-in and potentially cost-prohibitive equipment (a top-of-the-line dashboard can run upward of $5 million, though budget solutions exist) are all required just to track emissions data. “You do see teams really taking it seriously,” he says, “but because of internal limitations, it’s slower than if Amazon comes on the scene and says, ‘This is an important initiative. We have the capacity to hire a 50-person team.’”
Then again, while minor league clubs or small-time college programs might struggle to measure up, it goes without saying that top-level sports leagues are multibillion-dollar operations. “The sports industry is obviously focused on on-field performance and getting butts in seats,” McCullough says. He believes teams will truly act on environmental issues only if fans push them. “It’s been a wait-and-see,” he says. “What are fans going to want?”
So what should fans demand from their favorite teams and leagues? And what role should sports be playing?
McCullough urges teams and venues to increase their commitment to renewable energy while decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, pointing to the entirely wind- and solar-powered Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, home of the top-tier soccer club AFC Ajax, as one shining example. But, as McCullough notes, those types of measures address sports’ direct impact but do little to strike at broader forces. “The sport industry is dependent on other industries,” McCullough says. “Travel is that elephant in the room.”
Seth Wynes, a postdoctoral researcher of climate solutions at Concordia University, observed one potential solution on this front in 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the four major North American men’s leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) all dramatically—if inadvertently—cut their emissions by way of various schedule adjustments (canceling overseas trips, grouping games by region, increasing the number of “baseball-style” series). If these changes were made permanent, Wynes later concluded in a study that ran in the November 2021 issue of Environmental Science & Technology, “air travel emissions reductions of 22% each year could be expected.”
Earlier this summer, at a sports conference in Odense, Denmark, Pielke took the stage and delivered a talk titled, “How Not to Greenwash.” Near the end, below a bullet point describing carbon offsets as “gimmicks,” Pielke listed three broader “alternatives” for sports organizations looking to make an environmental impact: “educate fans about the scale of the issue”; “promote policies that work to decarbonize energy systems”; and “consider other [environmental social governance] objectives beyond climate where action of sports organizations can have a more direct impact.”
Put another way, he was asking sports organizations to use their considerable social and financial capital for good.
“The biggest plus that sports has is the influence over fans,” says Dave Newport, director of the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado. Teams can “empower fans to be more sustainable at home, work and play,” he says.
Since 2008, Newport has also led the charge at Colorado, launching the first dedicated sustainability program inside a Division I athletics department. One result: At CU football games, the university says 90% of waste is now diverted.
Newport believes businesses’ making overly exuberant claims about environmental policies is actually a good sign. “Personally, I love greenwashing,” he says, “because it’s the first step toward real action. You get caught, you take a hit in sales, you have to clean it up.
“I don’t really care what the motives are, so long as it’s real. The atmosphere doesn’t give a s--- about how the carbon got up there. Just how much.”
",en,2022-11-01T12:45:00Z,2022-11-01T01:22:33+00:00,2022-11-01T01:22:33Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzNDI3NDYxNTU4NTc3MDU5/dcovgreenwashing_h-no-txt.jpg,Qatar’s World Cup is the latest—and most high-profile—example of greenwashing to hit the industry.,,"[
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Wright scores 24 to lead High Point over Hampton 72-58,https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2308387,https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2308387,2021-02-10T00:12:52+00:00,"HAMPTON, Va. (AP) John-Michael Wright scored 24 points and High Point dominated the boards to defeat Hampton 72-58 on Sunday.
The Panthers pulled down a season-high 60 rebounds, basically outboarding Hampton 2-1. High Point racked up 20 second-chance points to Hampton's four.
Ahmil Flowers had 15 points for High Point (7-9, 5-6 Big South Conference). Lydell Elmore added 14 points and eight rebounds. Bryant Randleman had seven points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Davion Warren had 21 points for the Pirates (7-9, 6-5). He also had eight turnovers. Chris Shelton added 12 points. Dajour Dickens had three blocks and seven points.
---","
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) John-Michael Wright scored 24 points and High Point dominated the boards to defeat Hampton 72-58 on Sunday.
The Panthers pulled down a season-high 60 rebounds, basically outboarding Hampton 2-1. High Point racked up 20 second-chance points to Hampton's four.
Ahmil Flowers had 15 points for High Point (7-9, 5-6 Big South Conference). Lydell Elmore added 14 points and eight rebounds. Bryant Randleman had seven points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Davion Warren had 21 points for the Pirates (7-9, 6-5). He also had eight turnovers. Chris Shelton added 12 points. Dajour Dickens had three blocks and seven points.
---
",en,2021-02-10T00:12:52Z,2022-08-22T18:32:36+00:00,2022-08-22T18:32:36Z,https://www.si.com/.image/ar_1:1%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_1200/MTY3MzMxNzU4ODg1MzE2NDMz/blue-si-favicon.png,"HAMPTON, Va. (AP) John-Michael Wright scored 24 points and High Point dominated the boards to defeat Hampton 72-58 on Sunday. The Panthers pulled down a",,"[
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Will Oregon's Bo Nix play against the Utah Utes?,https://www.si.com/college/utah/football/will-oregons-bo-nix-play-against-the-utah-utes,https://www.si.com/college/utah/football/will-oregons-bo-nix-play-against-the-utah-utes,2022-11-17T00:35:02+00:00,"As the No. 10 Utah Utes finalize their preparations for a matchup with the No. 12 Oregon Ducks, questions have begun to circulate regarding Bo Nix's availability for Saturday's game.
After sustaining an injury against Washington last week, the expectation for Nix to play against Utah is beginning to appear somewhat doubtful following several post-practice interviews.
Beginning with Dan Lanning, Oregon's head coach confirmed that Ty Thompson is currently QB2 on the depth chart, but no matter whose name is called in case Nix can't go, they will be ready.
""Ty has consistently been right there for us. He's been that guy. Jay [Butterfield] has done a really good job too. I think everybody on our team has confidence in Jay. He throws a really good ball and does a good job. Anybody whose number is called, I think will be ready,"" Lanning said.
As for wide receiver Kris Hutson, he may have said more than he intended as he told media members, ""Obviously, Bo is down, so it's the next man up. He's good at decision-making. He has a great arm. He can extend plays. He's learned a lot from Bo, so he's kind of taken his game to the next level also. Ty is a good player, a great quarterback; very smart. I can't wait to see him out there ready to go.""
To this point, nothing has been confirmed but it appears that Nix's availability against Utah is seriously in question.
If his injury from last week does keep him out, this would be a huge blow for the Ducks as Nix is responsible for 2,774 yards, 24 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns.
As for Utah, they'll be prepared for anything as they look to stamp their ticket to Allegiant Stadium with a W in Eugene, which would all but guarantee a trip back to the Pac-12 Championship.
Twitter - @FN_AllUtes
Instagram - @fannation_allutes","
As the No. 10 Utah Utes finalize their preparations for a matchup with the No. 12 Oregon Ducks, questions have begun to circulate regarding Bo Nix's availability for Saturday's game.
After sustaining an injury against Washington last week, the expectation for Nix to play against Utah is beginning to appear somewhat doubtful following several post-practice interviews.
Beginning with Dan Lanning, Oregon's head coach confirmed that Ty Thompson is currently QB2 on the depth chart, but no matter whose name is called in case Nix can't go, they will be ready.
""Ty has consistently been right there for us. He's been that guy. Jay [Butterfield] has done a really good job too. I think everybody on our team has confidence in Jay. He throws a really good ball and does a good job. Anybody whose number is called, I think will be ready,"" Lanning said.
As for wide receiver Kris Hutson, he may have said more than he intended as he told media members, ""Obviously, Bo is down, so it's the next man up. He's good at decision-making. He has a great arm. He can extend plays. He's learned a lot from Bo, so he's kind of taken his game to the next level also. Ty is a good player, a great quarterback; very smart. I can't wait to see him out there ready to go.""
To this point, nothing has been confirmed but it appears that Nix's availability against Utah is seriously in question.
If his injury from last week does keep him out, this would be a huge blow for the Ducks as Nix is responsible for 2,774 yards, 24 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns.
As for Utah, they'll be prepared for anything as they look to stamp their ticket to Allegiant Stadium with a W in Eugene, which would all but guarantee a trip back to the Pac-12 Championship.
",en,2022-11-17T00:35:02Z,2022-11-17T00:35:04+00:00,2022-11-17T00:35:04Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzNzk4OTc2NDk4MDUwNTQ0/usatsi_19431489.jpg,"Following an injury he sustained against Washington, Bo Nix might not be able to go against Utah.","[
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Commanders Name Carson Wentz Starting QB for Week 17 vs. Browns,https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/12/28/commanders-carson-wentz-to-start-taylor-heinicke-week-17-vs-browns-playoff-scenarios,https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/12/28/commanders-carson-wentz-to-start-taylor-heinicke-week-17-vs-browns-playoff-scenarios,2022-12-28T13:26:22+00:00,"Carson Wentz, who last started for the Commanders in their 12–7 win over the Bears back in Week 6, has regained his spot more than two months later. On Wednesday morning, the team announced that he, and not Taylor Heinicke, will lead the way when Washington hosts the Browns on Sunday.
Wentz suffered a broken finger in that game against Chicago and went on injured reserve. In his place, Heinicke led the team to a 5-3-1 record. The team is 0-2-1 over the last three games, however, likely prompting the switch back to Wentz, who had one of his best outings of the year off the bench in a 37–20 loss to the 49ers on Saturday. He went 12-of-16 for 123 yards and a touchdown, posting a season-high 117.4 quarterback rating.
Wentz’s up-and-down career has continued in Washington after a trade brought him to the nation’s capital from Indianapolis. On the season, he has completed 62.9% of his throws for 1,612 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was 2–4 as starting quarterback before going out with an injury.
Washington currently occupies the No. 7 spot in the NFC at 7-7-1, in a strong NFC East that could land all four teams in the playoffs. The Commanders can clinch a playoff spot this weekend if they beat the Browns and the Lions, Seahawks and Packers lose their games.","
Carson Wentz, who last started for the Commanders in their 12–7 win over the Bears back in Week 6, has regained his spot more than two months later. On Wednesday morning, the team announced that he, and not Taylor Heinicke, will lead the way when Washington hosts the Browns on Sunday.
Wentz suffered a broken finger in that game against Chicago and went on injured reserve. In his place, Heinicke led the team to a 5-3-1 record. The team is 0-2-1 over the last three games, however, likely prompting the switch back to Wentz, who had one of his best outings of the year off the bench in a 37–20 loss to the 49ers on Saturday. He went 12-of-16 for 123 yards and a touchdown, posting a season-high 117.4 quarterback rating.
Wentz’s up-and-down career has continued in Washington after a trade brought him to the nation’s capital from Indianapolis. On the season, he has completed 62.9% of his throws for 1,612 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was 2–4 as starting quarterback before going out with an injury.
Washington currently occupies the No. 7 spot in the NFC at 7-7-1, in a strong NFC East that could land all four teams in the playoffs. The Commanders can clinch a playoff spot this weekend if they beat the Browns and the Lions, Seahawks and Packers lose their games.
",en,2022-12-28T13:26:22Z,2022-12-28T13:32:22+00:00,2022-12-28T13:32:22Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0NzYzMDg2NTk3NDY1NjI0/carson-wentz-heinicke.jpg,Washington makes a quarterback change ahead of a crucial game.,,"[
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"Could White Sox Sign Mike Clevinger? Chicago ""Showing Strong Interest""",https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/could-white-sox-sign-mike-clevinger-chicago-showing-strong-interest,https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/could-white-sox-sign-mike-clevinger-chicago-showing-strong-interest,2022-11-26T17:46:24+00:00,"The Chicago White Sox are showing 'strong interest' in free agent pitcher Mike Clevinger, The Athletic 's Ken Rosenthal reported late Friday night.
Clevinger last pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2022, after missing all of 2021, recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Clevinger, who turns 32 next month, experienced his worst big league season in 2022, since his rookie year, going 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 114.1 innings pitched and 22 starts.
Clevinger made his final appearance of the 2022 season in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, when he allowed three runs on three hits, one walk and a home run, before being pulled from the game in the first inning without recording a single out. It was the first time since the 1932 World Series where two pitchers failed to get out of the first inning in a postseason game.
The White Sox currently have four starting pitchers — Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech — on their depth chart. If the Sox sign Clevinger, he could help fill out their pitching rotation.
If Clevinger signs with the White Sox, he will be returning to the American League Central, a division in which he found great success in as a member of the Cleveland Indians.
From 2017 through 2019, Clevinger posted a 38-18 record and 2.96 ERA.
After Clevinger violated COVID-19 safety protocols during the shortened 2020 season, the Indians traded him to the San Diego Padres along with Matt Waldron and Greg Allen on Aug. 31 in exchange for Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Owen Miller, Joey Cantillo and Gabriel Arias. Three months later, the Padres signed Clevinger to a two-year contract extension through 2022. That same day, it was announced that Clevinger would undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him from action in 2021.
For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.","
The Chicago White Sox are showing 'strong interest' in free agent pitcher Mike Clevinger, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported late Friday night.
Clevinger last pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2022, after missing all of 2021, recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Clevinger, who turns 32 next month, experienced his worst big league season in 2022, since his rookie year, going 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 114.1 innings pitched and 22 starts.
The White Sox currently have four starting pitchers — Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech — on their depth chart. If the Sox sign Clevinger, he could help fill out their pitching rotation.
If Clevinger signs with the White Sox, he will be returning to the American League Central, a division in which he found great success in as a member of the Cleveland Indians.
From 2017 through 2019, Clevinger posted a 38-18 record and 2.96 ERA.
After Clevinger violated COVID-19 safety protocols during the shortened 2020 season, the Indians traded him to the San Diego Padres along with Matt Waldron and Greg Allen on Aug. 31 in exchange for Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Owen Miller, Joey Cantillo and Gabriel Arias. Three months later, the Padres signed Clevinger to a two-year contract extension through 2022. That same day, it was announced that Clevinger would undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him from action in 2021.
",en,2022-11-26T17:46:24Z,2022-11-26T17:49:48+00:00,2022-11-26T17:49:48Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MDI0Nzc5NTcxNzk5NTU3/usatsi_19282868_168388303_lowres.jpg,"The Chicago White Sox are showing 'strong interest' in free agent pitcher Mike Clevinger, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported late Friday night. Clevinger, 31, last pitched for the San Diego Padres from 2020 through 2022.","[
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This Answers Whether Broncos QB Russell Wilson is 'Washed',https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/russell-wilson-washed-up-nfl-history-analytics,https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/russell-wilson-washed-up-nfl-history-analytics,2022-10-13T18:29:48+00:00,"Denver Broncos ’ highly-paid quarterback Russell Wilson is struggling to start the season. There's no doubt about that, but is the prevailing sentiment correct?
Talking heads and fans say that Wilson is washed up, and some even claim he was never that good to begin with. These folks love to kick people when they're down, especially if they have a bone to pick or are green with envy.
The truth is, Wilson is an elite quarterback and is not washed up, even with his struggles in the first five games. How do we know this?
First, Wilson has proven he is an elite quarterback. Since 1960, there have been only 36 quarterbacks who have had at least four top-400 seasons (80th percentile) adjusted for era. Let that sink in.
Only 36 QBs ever achieved that feat out of the approximately 1,600 signal-callers who qualified for the analysis. Those 36 quarterbacks are the elite of the elite.
Wilson is one of those players.
One of only 36 since 1960. Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks like Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and John Elway are on that list. In fact, 18 of the 26 eligible players are in Canton, so let’s put to bed the notion that Wilson was never a great quarterback.
Now, is he washed up? Obviously, he isn’t his old self, but it is far too early to answer definitively that he's washed. It would be very unwise to bet on it.
Of the 36 players who had at least four top-400 seasons, 24 have played at least four seasons at 33 years old or greater. I will deep-dive into those players, but first, let's examine the players who retired early or didn’t start at quarterback for at least four seasons.
Aging Elite QBs
Bob Griese called it quits after his top-400 season when he was 35 years old. He suffered significant injuries and decided to retire.
Boomer Esiason was the primary starter in Arizona at age 35, but when he returned for his second stint with the Bengals, he backed up Jeff Blake. Even though Esiason played in a few games that season and was effective, he retired when the season ended.
Brian Sipe had one the strangest reasons for not playing in the NFL after the season he played at 34 years old. He left for a big contract in the USFL. He didn’t play another down in the NFL after the USFL folded.
Although Daryle Lamonica played well in his top-400 season, he was 31 years old, and the starting job was given to Ken Stabler the next season. Lamonica left the game two years later.
John Hadl was a very good quarterback through his years, but his skills declined at age 34, and even though he hung around the league until he was 37, he was done starting at age 35.
Ken Anderson hurt his neck, and Esiason took over the starting duties. He held onto those duties with Anderson as a backup. Anderson last started at 35 years old.
Neil Lomax retired at age 30 due to a severely arthritic hip.
Roman Gabriel stuck around the league until he turned 37, but was not a starter after 35 because of nagging injuries and the fact that Dick Vermeil decided to go with youth at quarterback.
Tony Romo suffered a back injury at 34 years old and lost his job to Dak Prescott.
Trent Green was a starter until he was 35, but suffered from two major head injuries. People begged him to retire, but stuck around as a backup for two more seasons after his last starting stint.
Of these quarterbacks, only Lomax could not continue playing for at least two seasons after turning 33. The most predominant reason for their inability to play past 35 years old was a significant injury.
Elite QBs at 33-Plus
Now, let's dive into the 24 quarterbacks who did play at least four seasons at age 33 or greater. Those quarterbacks are Elway, Roger Staubach, Billy Kilmer, Steve Young, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Fran Tarkenton, Philip Rivers, Sonny Jurgensen, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Montana, Dan Fouts, Warren Moon, Bart Starr, Len Dawson, Jim Kelly, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas, Dan Marino, and Stabler.
13 of these quarterbacks’ seasons were in the top-20 greatest of all time, adjusted for era. Four are in the top-5. That is an elite company.
Elway is the quintessential example of playing incredibly well late in a career. His peak season happened at age 33, and his final six seasons were in the top-400.
Those seasons were only 7% lower on average than Elway's peak campaign. That's incredible play in the twilight of a quarterback’s career. He was also lucky not to suffer significant injuries when he was finishing his career.
Staubach was not far behind. His peak season was at age 31, and his five seasons at 33 plus were all in the top-400 and were only 8% off from his peak. He declined an offer from the Dallas Cowboys to keep playing and retired at 37, still playing at a high level.
Eight of the 24 quarterbacks had their peak season at 33 or older, and all but three had at least one top-400 season at 33 or older. 10 had at least four more seasons in the top-400, and more than half of them had a decline from their peak season of less than 20%.
What this points to is that elite quarterbacks are typically elite for at least four seasons after turning 33 years old.
There are a few on this list whose play declined, at least from their peak season. The average of Manning’s seasons after turning 33 was 23% lower than his peak season. However, that doesn’t tell the entire story.
Manning's peak season at age 28 was the third-greatest of all time. With a peak that good, it is difficult to come close to that performance again.
However, Manning's season at age 37 was the sixth-greatest of all time. Even though he had a severe neck injury, he played at a high level until he was 38.
Brady is another who had such a high peak that it would be difficult to repeat. His peak was second-greatest all time, so it's understandable that his average at age 33 and beyond is 23% less.
Brady has still had a whopping nine seasons in the top-400 after turning 33. That's incredible.
There are a few quarterbacks who found it difficult to repeat their past successes. The most notable is Marino. He is the owner of the greatest season of all time, adjusted for era.
That occurred when Marino was only 23 years old. He had some great seasons after that, but he ruptured his Achilles and had to wear a special shoe while he played when he was 32 years old. Even though he played well for two seasons after, he was mostly a shell of his former self from ages 35 to 38.
Stabler had a similar path to Marino. He had the fifth-greatest QB season all-time at age 31, a good season at age 34, and then a massive decline mostly due to significant injuries that he had sustained.
We can go down the list of the other quarterbacks that declined due to major injuries. Fouts, Dawson, and Unitas all had injuries to their knees, Moon fractured his shoulder, and Favre had a long list of significant injuries that would affect his ability to throw the football.
The interesting part of this analysis is that even though these elite quarterbacks had major injuries that impacted their performance, almost all of them still had great seasons after turning 33 years old.
What it Means for Wilson
Why is all of this important to understand when looking at Wilson and his future? First of all, his elite status is well-established. It's highly unlikely that he is all of a sudden washed up. Most players who called it quits early were doing so due to significant injuries.
Second, Wilson will likely have multiple seasons that could fall into the top-4 00 of all time after coming to Denver. Finally, he has not suffered significant injuries in his career that would hasten his decline.
Last season, Wilson had his first career injury. He missed only three games due to surgery on the finger of his throwing hand. Will this injury begin to bother him as he ages? It's possible, but it does not appear to be the issue in 2022.
Wilson still has significant velocity on his throws, and his accuracy has to do with timing, not a flaw because of the injury. It has been reported that he has a partial tear in his latissimus dorsi of his throwing shoulder, but that happened in the Week 4 game in Las Vegas. This would indicate that his issues prior to the injury were not physical.
Contributing to Wilson's inaccuracy, on paper at least, is the number of drops by his receivers. It's been reported that the Broncos lead the league in dropped passes.
If 75% of those drops were caught, Wilson’s numbers would look significantly better. In fact, his completion percentage would increase from 59% to approximately 64%.
Bottom Line
Wilson is not in decline due to age or injuries at this point in his career. He is struggling, but it isn’t physical.
Wilson is more likely to produce multiple great seasons before he retires than a rapid drop-off. He needs to find his rhythm, and the rest of the Broncos' offense must do its part.
If that happens, we will all witness a large turnaround and a lot of crow being eaten.","
Denver Broncos’ highly-paid quarterback Russell Wilson is struggling to start the season. There's no doubt about that, but is the prevailing sentiment correct?
Talking heads and fans say that Wilson is washed up, and some even claim he was never that good to begin with. These folks love to kick people when they're down, especially if they have a bone to pick or are green with envy.
The truth is, Wilson is an elite quarterback and is not washed up, even with his struggles in the first five games. How do we know this?
First, Wilson has proven he is an elite quarterback. Since 1960, there have been only 36 quarterbacks who have had at least four top-400 seasons (80th percentile) adjusted for era. Let that sink in.
Only 36 QBs ever achieved that feat out of the approximately 1,600 signal-callers who qualified for the analysis. Those 36 quarterbacks are the elite of the elite.
Wilson is one of those players.
One of only 36 since 1960. Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks like Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and John Elway are on that list. In fact, 18 of the 26 eligible players are in Canton, so let’s put to bed the notion that Wilson was never a great quarterback.
Now, is he washed up? Obviously, he isn’t his old self, but it is far too early to answer definitively that he's washed. It would be very unwise to bet on it.
Of the 36 players who had at least four top-400 seasons, 24 have played at least four seasons at 33 years old or greater. I will deep-dive into those players, but first, let's examine the players who retired early or didn’t start at quarterback for at least four seasons.
Aging Elite QBs
Bob Griese called it quits after his top-400 season when he was 35 years old. He suffered significant injuries and decided to retire.
Boomer Esiason was the primary starter in Arizona at age 35, but when he returned for his second stint with the Bengals, he backed up Jeff Blake. Even though Esiason played in a few games that season and was effective, he retired when the season ended.
Brian Sipe had one the strangest reasons for not playing in the NFL after the season he played at 34 years old. He left for a big contract in the USFL. He didn’t play another down in the NFL after the USFL folded.
Although Daryle Lamonica played well in his top-400 season, he was 31 years old, and the starting job was given to Ken Stabler the next season. Lamonica left the game two years later.
John Hadl was a very good quarterback through his years, but his skills declined at age 34, and even though he hung around the league until he was 37, he was done starting at age 35.
Ken Anderson hurt his neck, and Esiason took over the starting duties. He held onto those duties with Anderson as a backup. Anderson last started at 35 years old.
Neil Lomax retired at age 30 due to a severely arthritic hip.
Roman Gabriel stuck around the league until he turned 37, but was not a starter after 35 because of nagging injuries and the fact that Dick Vermeil decided to go with youth at quarterback.
Tony Romo suffered a back injury at 34 years old and lost his job to Dak Prescott.
Trent Green was a starter until he was 35, but suffered from two major head injuries. People begged him to retire, but stuck around as a backup for two more seasons after his last starting stint.
Of these quarterbacks, only Lomax could not continue playing for at least two seasons after turning 33. The most predominant reason for their inability to play past 35 years old was a significant injury.
Elite QBs at 33-Plus
Now, let's dive into the 24 quarterbacks who did play at least four seasons at age 33 or greater. Those quarterbacks are Elway, Roger Staubach, Billy Kilmer, Steve Young, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Fran Tarkenton, Philip Rivers, Sonny Jurgensen, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Montana, Dan Fouts, Warren Moon, Bart Starr, Len Dawson, Jim Kelly, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas, Dan Marino, and Stabler.
13 of these quarterbacks’ seasons were in the top-20 greatest of all time, adjusted for era. Four are in the top-5. That is an elite company.
Elway is the quintessential example of playing incredibly well late in a career. His peak season happened at age 33, and his final six seasons were in the top-400.
Those seasons were only 7% lower on average than Elway's peak campaign. That's incredible play in the twilight of a quarterback’s career. He was also lucky not to suffer significant injuries when he was finishing his career.
Staubach was not far behind. His peak season was at age 31, and his five seasons at 33 plus were all in the top-400 and were only 8% off from his peak. He declined an offer from the Dallas Cowboys to keep playing and retired at 37, still playing at a high level.
Eight of the 24 quarterbacks had their peak season at 33 or older, and all but three had at least one top-400 season at 33 or older. 10 had at least four more seasons in the top-400, and more than half of them had a decline from their peak season of less than 20%.
What this points to is that elite quarterbacks are typically elite for at least four seasons after turning 33 years old.
There are a few on this list whose play declined, at least from their peak season. The average of Manning’s seasons after turning 33 was 23% lower than his peak season. However, that doesn’t tell the entire story.
Manning's peak season at age 28 was the third-greatest of all time. With a peak that good, it is difficult to come close to that performance again.
However, Manning's season at age 37 was the sixth-greatest of all time. Even though he had a severe neck injury, he played at a high level until he was 38.
Brady is another who had such a high peak that it would be difficult to repeat. His peak was second-greatest all time, so it's understandable that his average at age 33 and beyond is 23% less.
Brady has still had a whopping nine seasons in the top-400 after turning 33. That's incredible.
There are a few quarterbacks who found it difficult to repeat their past successes. The most notable is Marino. He is the owner of the greatest season of all time, adjusted for era.
That occurred when Marino was only 23 years old. He had some great seasons after that, but he ruptured his Achilles and had to wear a special shoe while he played when he was 32 years old. Even though he played well for two seasons after, he was mostly a shell of his former self from ages 35 to 38.
Stabler had a similar path to Marino. He had the fifth-greatest QB season all-time at age 31, a good season at age 34, and then a massive decline mostly due to significant injuries that he had sustained.
We can go down the list of the other quarterbacks that declined due to major injuries. Fouts, Dawson, and Unitas all had injuries to their knees, Moon fractured his shoulder, and Favre had a long list of significant injuries that would affect his ability to throw the football.
The interesting part of this analysis is that even though these elite quarterbacks had major injuries that impacted their performance, almost all of them still had great seasons after turning 33 years old.
What it Means for Wilson
Why is all of this important to understand when looking at Wilson and his future? First of all, his elite status is well-established. It's highly unlikely that he is all of a sudden washed up. Most players who called it quits early were doing so due to significant injuries.
Second, Wilson will likely have multiple seasons that could fall into the top-4 00 of all time after coming to Denver. Finally, he has not suffered significant injuries in his career that would hasten his decline.
Last season, Wilson had his first career injury. He missed only three games due to surgery on the finger of his throwing hand. Will this injury begin to bother him as he ages? It's possible, but it does not appear to be the issue in 2022.
Wilson still has significant velocity on his throws, and his accuracy has to do with timing, not a flaw because of the injury. It has been reported that he has a partial tear in his latissimus dorsi of his throwing shoulder, but that happened in the Week 4 game in Las Vegas. This would indicate that his issues prior to the injury were not physical.
Contributing to Wilson's inaccuracy, on paper at least, is the number of drops by his receivers. It's been reported that the Broncos lead the league in dropped passes.
If 75% of those drops were caught, Wilson’s numbers would look significantly better. In fact, his completion percentage would increase from 59% to approximately 64%.
Bottom Line
Wilson is not in decline due to age or injuries at this point in his career. He is struggling, but it isn’t physical.
Wilson is more likely to produce multiple great seasons before he retires than a rapid drop-off. He needs to find his rhythm, and the rest of the Broncos' offense must do its part.
If that happens, we will all witness a large turnaround and a lot of crow being eaten.
",en,2022-10-13T18:29:48Z,2022-10-13T18:29:50+00:00,2022-10-13T18:29:50Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNDQ2NzYxMzQyNjA5MDUz/usatsi_19074667_168388302_lowres.jpg,Is Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson in the process of giving up the ghost?,"[
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"Bills Take Control Before Halftime, Leading Lions 17-14",https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-detroit-lions-halftime-update-game-highlights-josh-allen,https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-detroit-lions-halftime-update-game-highlights-josh-allen,2022-11-24T19:05:16+00:00,"The Buffalo Bills lead the Detroit Lions at halftime 17-14.
After punts from both sides to start the game, the Lions' offense, which has been key to their three-game winning streak, struck first, driving 61 yards on 12 plays as Jamaal Williams punched it into the endzone on a two-yard run.
Josh Allen and the Bills responded with a 75-yard drive spanning 10 plays. Allen completed 3 of 5 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown as he found Isaiah McKenzie to kick off the scoring for Buffalo.
A takeaway was provided by Buffalo's defense, as Ed Oliver knocked the ball out of the grasp of Williams, helping the Bills take control. Even with a mistake like fumbling the snap while knocking on the door of the Lions' goalline, Allen recovered the loose football and scrambled for a touchdown.
Tied at 14-14 after a Jared Goff passing touchdown, the Buffalo offense took the field with 1:52 remaining in the half. Allen led a two-minute offensive drive, beginning with a 27-yard pass to Isaiah McKenzie. After a throwaway on first down, Allen scrambled for five yards before finding Diggs to move the chains.
Allen found McKenzie again for a 16-yard completion, moving the Bills to the Lions' 20-yard line. With 12 seconds remaining, Allen was sacked on third down, bringing on the field goal unit.
The Bills will receive the second half kickoff.
Stat Leaders:
Passing: Josh Allen 10/18, 114 yards, 1 TD
Rushing: Josh Allen 5 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD","
After punts from both sides to start the game, the Lions' offense, which has been key to their three-game winning streak, struck first, driving 61 yards on 12 plays as Jamaal Williams punched it into the endzone on a two-yard run.
A takeaway was provided by Buffalo's defense, as Ed Oliver knocked the ball out of the grasp of Williams, helping the Bills take control. Even with a mistake like fumbling the snap while knocking on the door of the Lions' goalline, Allen recovered the loose football and scrambled for a touchdown.
Tied at 14-14 after a Jared Goff passing touchdown, the Buffalo offense took the field with 1:52 remaining in the half. Allen led a two-minute offensive drive, beginning with a 27-yard pass to Isaiah McKenzie. After a throwaway on first down, Allen scrambled for five yards before finding Diggs to move the chains.
Allen found McKenzie again for a 16-yard completion, moving the Bills to the Lions' 20-yard line. With 12 seconds remaining, Allen was sacked on third down, bringing on the field goal unit.
The Bills will receive the second half kickoff.
Stat Leaders:
Passing: Josh Allen 10/18, 114 yards, 1 TD
Rushing: Josh Allen 5 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD
",en,2022-11-24T19:05:16Z,2022-11-24T19:05:18+00:00,2022-11-24T19:05:18Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzOTc5NDMyMjMzMzQ2NTY1/usatsi_19495664.jpg,The Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions are through the first half of play.,"[
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"Oakland A's Wanted Cardinals' Nootbaar, Donovan in Trade for Sean Murphy",https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/oakland-as-wanted-cardinals-nootbaar-donovan-in-trade-for-sean-murphy,https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/oakland-as-wanted-cardinals-nootbaar-donovan-in-trade-for-sean-murphy,2022-12-09T23:37:27+00:00,"The Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals had engaged in trade talks involving A's catcher Sean Murphy, but the Cardinals found Oakland's asking price to be too high, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reported Thursday.
According to Goold, The Athletics wanted a return of outfielder Lars Nootbaar, utility man Brendan Donovan and top pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo. Graceffo is the no. 79 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com's top 100 prospect rankings.
Instead of trading for Murphy or Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, the Cardinals filled their catching void by signing free agent Willson Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million deal. Contreras played the first seven seasons of his Major League career for the Chicago Cubs. He now joins the Cubs' arch rival.
Murphy continues to draw interest from other clubs. The Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians are among teams that have engaged in trade talks with the A's.
For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.","
The Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals had engaged in trade talks involving A's catcher Sean Murphy, but the Cardinals found Oakland's asking price to be too high, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reported Thursday.
According to Goold, The Athletics wanted a return of outfielder Lars Nootbaar, utility man Brendan Donovan and top pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo. Graceffo is the no. 79 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com's top 100 prospect rankings.
Instead of trading for Murphy or Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, the Cardinals filled their catching void by signing free agent Willson Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million deal. Contreras played the first seven seasons of his Major League career for the Chicago Cubs. He now joins the Cubs' arch rival.
Murphy continues to draw interest from other clubs. The Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians are among teams that have engaged in trade talks with the A's.
",en,2022-12-09T23:37:27Z,2022-12-09T23:37:29+00:00,2022-12-09T23:37:29Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MzMyMTM5NTExMTYyNTQ1/usatsi_19181101_168388303_lowres.jpg,"The Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals engaged in trade talks surrounding catcher Sean Murphy, but the Cardinals found the A's' asking price too high, according to Derrick Goold. The A's reportedly wanted outfielder Lars Nootbaar, utility man Brendan Donovan and top prospect Gordon Graceffo in return for Murphy.","[
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Preview Paw Prints: Houston Cougars Road Matchup,https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/preview-paw-prints-houston-cougars-road-matchup,https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/preview-paw-prints-houston-cougars-road-matchup,2023-01-26T15:08:40+00:00,"CINCINNATI — UC basketball (14-7, 5-3) travels to face No. 3 Houston (19-2, 7-1) this weekend in a game that determines their at-large NCAA tournament fate.
Houston just dropped their first conference game to Temple this past weekend but rebounded to beat a top-60 UCF team 82-71 on the road Wednesday night. The Bearcats enter the contest as massive underdogs in a must-win game.
They are ranked 68th in KenPom, while Houston is first. ESPN's Matchup Predictor has Cincinnati losing 96.8% of the time.
Here's the preview as UC tries to avoid an eighth-straight loss to Houston.
14 months.
That's how long it's been since UC hoops notched a signature win, let alone a top-10 or ranked victory. Wes Miller's crew is beating bad teams like a drum, but through the first season and a half of his tenure—the big wins haven't happened.
Every coach needs time and Miller has shown more than enough to preach patience, but at a program like Cincinnati, going two full seasons without one of those victories is tough to swallow.
""It's going to be hard to win when the two best players on the other team have lines like that,"" Miller said after Sunday's loss to Memphis. ""We didn't do a good enough job preparing, and we didn't do a good enough job executing. I'm disappointed with how we played. I think we've been playing good basketball. That wasn't the case tonight.""
Miller was talking about reigning AAC Player of the Year Kendric Davis and Deandre Williams, the perfect encapsulation of UC's problem: it employs a sound system and coaching staff but doesn't have the talent for that system to withstand great opposition like those two.
That's especially true with this team headed to the Big 12 next season. It's going to be even harder to capture those big wins. Every Big 12 team, except Texas Tech (70th), is rated higher than UC on KenPom, and seven (!!!) of those teams are in the top 26.
Unless some major talent transfers to UC, the Big 12 will be an absolute buzzsaw next season. All while it likely carries a four-year March Madness drought into the new league, their second-longest in the past 30 years.
Team Rankings gives UC a whopping 1% chance to get an at-large bid this season and a 6% chance to win the AAC Tournament. Their at-large odds have dropped 66% over the past three weeks and get kissed goodbye with another loss to the Cougars.
All that before moving from a two-bid league (ninth overall) to an eight-bid league (second behind Big 10).
Rob's Return?
Guard Rob Phinisee looked spry in practice on Tuesday and may be ready to return after breaking his foot at the end of November.
Can he be the boost this backcourt's needs amidst Jeremiah Davenport's rough shooting season? We should start to find out on Saturday.
""He practiced a little bit yesterday,"" Miller said after the loss to Memphis. ""He's been shooting. Trying to get back into that. Yesterday is the first time he participated—did not participate in a full practice but parts of practice. So day-to-day, and hopefully we'll have him back at some point here soon.""
There's no guarantee he plays until we approach tip-off on Saturday, but he'd be a nice boost in what could be Cincinnati's last regular-season chance to beat a ranked team.
How impactful he'll be in this first game back is a big question. Offensively, fans shouldn't expect much. Phinisee was 6-of-24 on FG attempts in his first eight games and had just 8 assists. Yet, his defense could be a factor against the eighth-best team nationally in offensive efficiency.
Phinisee is tied for fourth on the team in defensive box plus/minus and has the best defensive rating of his career this season.
Willing Walker
Cincinnati didn't get dominated in their 72-59 loss to Houston, but it never felt like they were going to win. Freshman Jarace Walker (10.4 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.8 Ast) cooked UC for 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals in a physical outing.
That pure talent echoes what I laid out earlier, and the UC response was typical of this team over the past two years. Inconsistency.
Jeremiah Davenport and David DeJulius combined to go 3-for-19 from the field.
That just cannot happen from two veterans in games as important as these. A similar story this past Sunday, Mika Adams-Woods was great against Houston (19 points, 8-of-11 shooting, three assists), but then goes 1-of-10 for 2 points against Memphis.
UC's entire backcourt has to be on its A-game if they want to even keep this game within single digits, let alone pull the road upset.
Houston has too many options like Walker on its whole roster to ask anything less. Oh, and don't expect them to get sleepy in a conference game again having already suffered a loss in league play.
The Cougars rank top-four nationally in seven traditional defensive metrics, including three-point percentage (26%), FG percentage (34.7%), and points (54.2).
Check out the game on CBS this Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ET. It's available via fuboTV— start your free trial here.
Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.
Weekly NET: Bearcats Move Up Slightly In Rankings
UC Guard Landers Nolley II Cracks Consecutive AAC Honor Rolls
Three Man Weave: UC Stumbles 75-68 Against Memphis
Florida Cornerback Jordan Young Announces Transfer To Cincinnati
2024 Four-Star Tight End Dylan Mesman Places UC In Top-10 Schools
Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Guts Out 54-52 Win Over SMU
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Enrolling Back In School To Finish UC Degree
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Named To AP 2022-23 NFL All-Pro Team
NFL Players Name Kelce Brothers First-Team All-Pros
-----
Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!","
CINCINNATI — UC basketball (14-7, 5-3) travels to face No. 3 Houston (19-2, 7-1) this weekend in a game that determines their at-large NCAA tournament fate.
Houston just dropped their first conference game to Temple this past weekend but rebounded to beat a top-60 UCF team 82-71 on the road Wednesday night. The Bearcats enter the contest as massive underdogs in a must-win game.
They are ranked 68th in KenPom, while Houston is first. ESPN's Matchup Predictor has Cincinnati losing 96.8% of the time.
Here's the preview as UC tries to avoid an eighth-straight loss to Houston.
14 months.
That's how long it's been since UC hoops notched a signature win, let alone a top-10 or ranked victory. Wes Miller's crew is beating bad teams like a drum, but through the first season and a half of his tenure—the big wins haven't happened.
Every coach needs time and Miller has shown more than enough to preach patience, but at a program like Cincinnati, going two full seasons without one of those victories is tough to swallow.
""It's going to be hard to win when the two best players on the other team have lines like that,"" Miller said after Sunday's loss to Memphis. ""We didn't do a good enough job preparing, and we didn't do a good enough job executing. I'm disappointed with how we played. I think we've been playing good basketball. That wasn't the case tonight.""
Miller was talking about reigning AAC Player of the Year Kendric Davis and Deandre Williams, the perfect encapsulation of UC's problem: it employs a sound system and coaching staff but doesn't have the talent for that system to withstand great opposition like those two.
That's especially true with this team headed to the Big 12 next season. It's going to be even harder to capture those big wins. Every Big 12 team, except Texas Tech (70th), is rated higher than UC on KenPom, and seven (!!!) of those teams are in the top 26.
Unless some major talent transfers to UC, the Big 12 will be an absolute buzzsaw next season. All while it likely carries a four-year March Madness drought into the new league, their second-longest in the past 30 years.
Team Rankings gives UC a whopping 1% chance to get an at-large bid this season and a 6% chance to win the AAC Tournament. Their at-large odds have dropped 66% over the past three weeks and get kissed goodbye with another loss to the Cougars.
All that before moving from a two-bid league (ninth overall) to an eight-bid league (second behind Big 10).
Rob's Return?
Guard Rob Phinisee looked spry in practice on Tuesday and may be ready to return after breaking his foot at the end of November.
""He practiced a little bit yesterday,"" Miller said after the loss to Memphis. ""He's been shooting. Trying to get back into that. Yesterday is the first time he participated—did not participate in a full practice but parts of practice. So day-to-day, and hopefully we'll have him back at some point here soon.""
There's no guarantee he plays until we approach tip-off on Saturday, but he'd be a nice boost in what could be Cincinnati's last regular-season chance to beat a ranked team.
How impactful he'll be in this first game back is a big question. Offensively, fans shouldn't expect much. Phinisee was 6-of-24 on FG attempts in his first eight games and had just 8 assists. Yet, his defense could be a factor against the eighth-best team nationally in offensive efficiency.
Phinisee is tied for fourth on the team in defensive box plus/minus and has the best defensive rating of his career this season.
Willing Walker
Cincinnati didn't get dominated in their 72-59 loss to Houston, but it never felt like they were going to win. Freshman Jarace Walker (10.4 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.8 Ast) cooked UC for 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals in a physical outing.
That pure talent echoes what I laid out earlier, and the UC response was typical of this team over the past two years. Inconsistency.
Jeremiah Davenport and David DeJulius combined to go 3-for-19 from the field.
That just cannot happen from two veterans in games as important as these. A similar story this past Sunday, Mika Adams-Woods was great against Houston (19 points, 8-of-11 shooting, three assists), but then goes 1-of-10 for 2 points against Memphis.
UC's entire backcourt has to be on its A-game if they want to even keep this game within single digits, let alone pull the road upset.
Houston has too many options like Walker on its whole roster to ask anything less. Oh, and don't expect them to get sleepy in a conference game again having already suffered a loss in league play.
The Cougars rank top-four nationally in seven traditional defensive metrics, including three-point percentage (26%), FG percentage (34.7%), and points (54.2).
Check out the game on CBS this Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ET. It's available via fuboTV—start your free trial here.
Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.
Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!
",en,2023-01-26T15:08:40Z,2023-01-26T15:08:42+00:00,2023-01-26T15:08:42Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MDI2MzQ3OTYwMDUxNDI2/usatsi_19748954.jpg,"Cincinnati has not won a signature game in over a year, and is running out of time to bag one this season.",,"[
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Greg Olsen doesn't see Tom Brady's career ending until he gets 10 Super Bowls,https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/news/greg-olsen-doesnt-see-tom-bradys-career-ending-until-he-gets-10-super-bowls,https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/news/greg-olsen-doesnt-see-tom-bradys-career-ending-until-he-gets-10-super-bowls,2022-06-22T16:01:44+00:00,"Current FOX analyst and future Hall of Famer, Greg Olsen, made an appearance on Adam Schefter's podcast and had some interesting takes on when Tom Brady might call it a career and retire.
The drama surrounding Tom Brady's future seems to be never ending since he retired and then un-retired earlier this off-season. Rumors about him possibly joining a different team or retiring after this season have run rampant. Media analysts are trying to get an upper-hand on the decision that now will loom heavy over the NFL until it is made.
Greg Olsen's comments that Brady won't retire until he reaches 10 Super Bowls is an extremely hot take all things considered. Brady does currently have 7 Super Bowls to his name, but winning 3 more sounds like a reach considering Brady's age and his want to spend more time with his family and kids before he misses out on their life events.
Brady is also about to turn 45 years old and his body is not getting any younger no matter how well he is able to take care of it. The one for sure in all of this is that Brady is playing in 2022 and that offers him the opportunity to win his staggering 8th Super Bowl putting him just two out of reach from ten.
So if Olsen is to be right in his statements one would have to believe that Brady secures another this upcoming season, further implanting the idea in his own head that reaching ten is within reach before he reaches 50 years of age. If Brady does not win the Super Bowl this year I highly doubt he will look to get to ten championships even if he does decide to continue his career.","
Current FOX analyst and future Hall of Famer, Greg Olsen, made an appearance on Adam Schefter's podcast and had some interesting takes on when Tom Brady might call it a career and retire.
The drama surrounding Tom Brady's future seems to be never ending since he retired and then un-retired earlier this off-season. Rumors about him possibly joining a different team or retiring after this season have run rampant. Media analysts are trying to get an upper-hand on the decision that now will loom heavy over the NFL until it is made.
Greg Olsen's comments that Brady won't retire until he reaches 10 Super Bowls is an extremely hot take all things considered. Brady does currently have 7 Super Bowls to his name, but winning 3 more sounds like a reach considering Brady's age and his want to spend more time with his family and kids before he misses out on their life events.
Brady is also about to turn 45 years old and his body is not getting any younger no matter how well he is able to take care of it. The one for sure in all of this is that Brady is playing in 2022 and that offers him the opportunity to win his staggering 8th Super Bowl putting him just two out of reach from ten.
So if Olsen is to be right in his statements one would have to believe that Brady secures another this upcoming season, further implanting the idea in his own head that reaching ten is within reach before he reaches 50 years of age. If Brady does not win the Super Bowl this year I highly doubt he will look to get to ten championships even if he does decide to continue his career.
",en,2022-06-22T16:01:44Z,2022-06-22T16:01:47+00:00,2022-06-22T16:01:47Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkwMzgyMTM1NjY2ODEyMTY0/usatsi_15556373.jpg,Hall of Fame TE Greg Olsen says he doesn't see Tom Brady's career-ending until he gets 10 Super Bowls on Adam Schefter's podcast.,"[
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Sixers' Doc Rivers Won't 'Lose Sleep' Over Buyout Market,https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/sixers-doc-rivers-wont-lose-sleep-nba-buyout-market,https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/sixers-doc-rivers-wont-lose-sleep-nba-buyout-market,2021-04-08T23:17:54+00:00,"A couple of weeks ago, the NBA closed the doors on the trade market for the remainder of the season. Although the Sixers were linked to a handful of possible trades, they came out with just one deal in place, landing the veteran point guard George Hill and the young forward, Ignas Brazdeikis.
Considering they only added one critical piece to the roster before the eventual playoff run, many expected the 76ers to get busy in the buyout market. So far, there's been nothing but crickets on the Sixers' end.
On Friday, the buyout market closes its doors for the rest of the season, and the Sixers teased a possible move on Thursday. As the team participated in practice ahead of Friday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sixers announced that they had waived Ignas Brazdeikis.
Although they didn't have a follow-up plan in place, getting rid of Brazdeikis opens up the opportunity for Daryl Morey to ink another player from the market. Sixers head coach Doc Rivers surely embraces the idea of bolstering the roster in any way like all coaches would -- but he also made it clear he's not begging for moves to get done.
“It doesn’t matter one way or the other with me,” Rivers said on Thursday when asked about possibly adding a new piece to the roster before the deadline. “I’m happy now, and if we add someone, I’ll be happy, but I’m not gonna lose sleep over it either way. Let me put it that way. So we’ll see.”
Well, that's quite a familiar message from Rivers. As the trade deadline inched closer last month, Rivers made it very clear that he's satisfied with this year's team. And why shouldn't he be? After all, the Sixers have been around the first seed in the Eastern Conference since early on in the year.
If the Sixers' front office does decide to add to the team, they'll likely go big. Before, a stretch-four would've been ideal for the Sixers this year as Tobias Harris' backup Mike Scott has been up and down with his scoring and health.
However, the Sixers could also mix in another big for the nights when Joel Embiid misses time. Before, Tony Bradley gave Philly some quality minutes when the four-time All-Star was out, but he moved the needle for the George Hill trade. Right now, the Sixers have just Dwight Howard behind him.
Regardless of what the Sixers choose to do, Rivers isn't going to be frustrated either way. Adding another body to the roster won't affect the regular rotations much, and not adding anybody else won't affect it at all.","
A couple of weeks ago, the NBA closed the doors on the trade market for the remainder of the season. Although the Sixers were linked to a handful of possible trades, they came out with just one deal in place, landing the veteran point guard George Hill and the young forward, Ignas Brazdeikis.
Considering they only added one critical piece to the roster before the eventual playoff run, many expected the 76ers to get busy in the buyout market. So far, there's been nothing but crickets on the Sixers' end.
On Friday, the buyout market closes its doors for the rest of the season, and the Sixers teased a possible move on Thursday. As the team participated in practice ahead of Friday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sixers announced that they had waived Ignas Brazdeikis.
Although they didn't have a follow-up plan in place, getting rid of Brazdeikis opens up the opportunity for Daryl Morey to ink another player from the market. Sixers head coach Doc Rivers surely embraces the idea of bolstering the roster in any way like all coaches would -- but he also made it clear he's not begging for moves to get done.
“It doesn’t matter one way or the other with me,” Rivers said on Thursday when asked about possibly adding a new piece to the roster before the deadline. “I’m happy now, and if we add someone, I’ll be happy, but I’m not gonna lose sleep over it either way. Let me put it that way. So we’ll see.”
Well, that's quite a familiar message from Rivers. As the trade deadline inched closer last month, Rivers made it very clear that he's satisfied with this year's team. And why shouldn't he be? After all, the Sixers have been around the first seed in the Eastern Conference since early on in the year.
If the Sixers' front office does decide to add to the team, they'll likely go big. Before, a stretch-four would've been ideal for the Sixers this year as Tobias Harris' backup Mike Scott has been up and down with his scoring and health.
However, the Sixers could also mix in another big for the nights when Joel Embiid misses time. Before, Tony Bradley gave Philly some quality minutes when the four-time All-Star was out, but he moved the needle for the George Hill trade. Right now, the Sixers have just Dwight Howard behind him.
Regardless of what the Sixers choose to do, Rivers isn't going to be frustrated either way. Adding another body to the roster won't affect the regular rotations much, and not adding anybody else won't affect it at all.
",en,2021-04-08T23:17:54Z,2021-04-08T23:17:56+00:00,2021-04-08T23:17:56Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTgwMTgyMzc5Njg2NTM2MzE0/usatsi_15856156_168388689_lowres.jpg,Sixers head coach Doc Rivers makes it clear he's not too concerned about what his team does in the buyout market.,"[
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]",0.98646784,2022-09-29T00:00:00Z,
Report: Colts Will Decide On Head Coach Finalists This Week,https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/news/colts-decide-head-coach-finalists-this-week,https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/news/colts-decide-head-coach-finalists-this-week,2023-01-23T20:30:00+00:00,"In the pursuit of due diligence, the Indianapolis Colts have had an abnormally large search for their next head coach, interviewing 12 candidates while a 13th is still to be determined.
The Colts want this to be a thorough search and as such are casting a wide net so that they find the right man to lead their franchise for the foreseeable future.
With the first wave of interviews down, NFL Network 's Tom Pelissero reported that Colts general manager Chris Ballard and the team next will whittle the group down to a collection of finalists.
""This entire first round of interviews has been virtual, and I'm told owner Jim Irsay has not been in any of those interviews,"" Pelissero said. ""The plan is, in the next couple of days, they'll pare down that list of 13 and set up a second round of interviews later this week in person, with Irsay involved.""
A chief concern among Colts fans regarding the coaching search is that, despite such a wide net of qualified candidates, Saturday might be promoted to the full-time head coach, or at least be among the finalists due to Irsay's admiration for the former Pro Bowl center.
""Jeff Saturday remains a candidate for this position,"" Pelissero continued. ""Irsay believes in him and wants him to have a chance despite his 1-7 record as the interim head coach. However, I'm told Irsay will be open-minded in this process.
Saturday, of course, stepped into a tough situation following the firing of former head coach Frank Reich, but by nearly all accounts, the team's performance got even worse. For example, the Colts were outscored by 87 points in his tenure and were on the business end of historic losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. Dallas scored a franchise-record 33 unanswered points in the fourth quarter en route to a 54-19 triumph, and Minnesota erased a 33-point deficit to complete the biggest comeback in NFL history.
Regardless of who has been interviewed to this point, Ballard knows to stay open throughout the entire process.
“So, I’m going to tell you what I have learned. One – don’t start with an end in mind. It’s big. A lot of times what happens is you get a vision of what you want before – you’ve made your mind up and then you might ignore somebody that’s really freaking good right in front of your face,"" Ballard told reporters at his end-of-season press conference.
""We’ve got a very detailed process put together on the traits and attributes we’re looking for in the head coach,"" Ballard continued. ""Don’t care which side of the ball. And then to be patient and take your time and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody. Consistent, thorough – I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach. It’s about getting it right.”
Whenever the Colts make their final decision and the search concludes, one thing is certain; they have an impressive group of candidates to choose from. One such candidate, however, may have to wait or be taken out of consideration altogether, as San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans canceled Sunday's interview to focus on the team's playoff matchup against the Cowboys.
Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Horseshoe Huddle's Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!","
In the pursuit of due diligence, the Indianapolis Colts have had an abnormally large search for their next head coach, interviewing 12 candidates while a 13th is still to be determined.
The Colts want this to be a thorough search and as such are casting a wide net so that they find the right man to lead their franchise for the foreseeable future.
With the first wave of interviews down, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Colts general manager Chris Ballard and the team next will whittle the group down to a collection of finalists.
""This entire first round of interviews has been virtual, and I'm told owner Jim Irsay has not been in any of those interviews,"" Pelissero said. ""The plan is, in the next couple of days, they'll pare down that list of 13 and set up a second round of interviews later this week in person, with Irsay involved.""
A chief concern among Colts fans regarding the coaching search is that, despite such a wide net of qualified candidates, Saturday might be promoted to the full-time head coach, or at least be among the finalists due to Irsay's admiration for the former Pro Bowl center.
""Jeff Saturday remains a candidate for this position,"" Pelissero continued. ""Irsay believes in him and wants him to have a chance despite his 1-7 record as the interim head coach. However, I'm told Irsay will be open-minded in this process.
Saturday, of course, stepped into a tough situation following the firing of former head coach Frank Reich, but by nearly all accounts, the team's performance got even worse. For example, the Colts were outscored by 87 points in his tenure and were on the business end of historic losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. Dallas scored a franchise-record 33 unanswered points in the fourth quarter en route to a 54-19 triumph, and Minnesota erased a 33-point deficit to complete the biggest comeback in NFL history.
Regardless of who has been interviewed to this point, Ballard knows to stay open throughout the entire process.
“So, I’m going to tell you what I have learned. One – don’t start with an end in mind. It’s big. A lot of times what happens is you get a vision of what you want before – you’ve made your mind up and then you might ignore somebody that’s really freaking good right in front of your face,"" Ballard told reporters at his end-of-season press conference.
""We’ve got a very detailed process put together on the traits and attributes we’re looking for in the head coach,"" Ballard continued. ""Don’t care which side of the ball. And then to be patient and take your time and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody. Consistent, thorough – I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach. It’s about getting it right.”
Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Horseshoe Huddle's Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!
",en,2023-01-23T20:30:00Z,2023-01-23T20:24:08+00:00,2023-01-23T20:24:08Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MjM4MDczNDczMTgxNDEw/usatsi_19153650_168388302_lowres.jpg,The Indianapolis Colts will reportedly chop down their robust list of head coaching candidates to a group of finalists this week.,,"[
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]",0.9657804999999999,2023-01-23T00:00:00Z,
Cowboys WATCH: Jerry Jones Compares Wins - Tom Brady vs. Herschel Walker,https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-watch-jerry-jones-tom-brady-vs-herschel-walker,https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-watch-jerry-jones-tom-brady-vs-herschel-walker,2023-02-02T21:01:00+00:00,"FRISCO - How proud is Jerry Jones of finally notching that elusive win over Tom Brady in the Dallas Cowboys' playoff win in Tampa that may have played a role in the 45-year-old QB's decision this week to retire from the NFL?
Jerry is ""Herschel Walker-level'' proud.
""I'm proud of that win,'' said Jones, speaking to reporters this week at the Senior Bowl. ""I'm going to hold that Tampa Bay win up just like I do that Herschel Walker ball ...''
The ""Herschel Walker ball''?
""When we won one game that first year (in 1989), and that was my prize,"" Jones explained.
Ah yes.
Jones is thinking back to his first season as team owner in 1989, when the Cowboys won a single game, 13-3 over Washington. ... in a year much more about the all-time blockbuster trade that sent Walker to Minnesota and brought back to Texas a bonanza of pieces that helped Dallas win three Super Bowls.
Some have sarcastically suggested that the Dallas owner is taking great and excessive pride in the playoff win over Brady and the Buccaneers because Dallas playoff wins have been tough to come by.
That's sort of a shame that we're ignoring a moment of Jerry humility (that 1-15 season was no treat) that is also a moment meant to honor Brady.
America's Team ALERT!","
""I'm proud of that win,'' said Jones, speaking to reporters this week at the Senior Bowl. ""I'm going to hold that Tampa Bay win up just like I do that Herschel Walker ball ...''
The ""Herschel Walker ball''?
""When we won one game that first year (in 1989), and that was my prize,"" Jones explained.
Ah yes.
Jones is thinking back to his first season as team owner in 1989, when the Cowboys won a single game, 13-3 over Washington. ... in a year much more about the all-time blockbuster trade that sent Walker to Minnesota and brought back to Texas a bonanza of pieces that helped Dallas win three Super Bowls.
Some have sarcastically suggested that the Dallas owner is taking great and excessive pride in the playoff win over Brady and the Buccaneers because Dallas playoff wins have been tough to come by.
That's sort of a shame that we're ignoring a moment of Jerry humility (that 1-15 season was no treat) that is also a moment meant to honor Brady.
America's Team ALERT!
",en,2023-02-02T21:01:00Z,2023-02-02T17:12:53+00:00,2023-02-02T17:12:53Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1NjAxNjg0MDYyMjgzMTQ5/jerry-tom-.png,"Jerry Jones is ""Herschel Walker-level'' proud of how his Cowboys finally found a way to beat the retiring Tom Brady.",,"[
{
""name"":""Mike Fisher"",
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]",0.9401223,2023-02-05T00:00:00Z,
Texans TE Brevin Jordan On Back-To-Back Healthy Scratches: 'It Hurts For Sure',https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-texans-tight-end-brevin-jordan-lovie-smith-davis-mills-browns,https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-texans-tight-end-brevin-jordan-lovie-smith-davis-mills-browns,2022-12-03T20:35:46+00:00,"HOUSTON — Quarterback Davis Mills isn't the only second-year prospect who has struggled with the Houston Texans this season.
There were high expectations for Brevin Jordan following an impressive rookie campaign. There was a belief that Jordan would take a significant leap in his second year and would become the Texans' No. 1 tight end.
But if Jordan does not take the field at NRG Stadium Sunday against the 4-7 Cleveland Browns, it will mark the third consecutive game the Miami product would be a healthy scratch.
""It hurts for sure,"" Jordan said. ""You want to be out there making plays. I look at it like a process. I'm 22 years old and still learning. But I got to respect coach's decision.""
Jordan has appeared in five games and has recorded 32 yards on six catches. He notched another 87 yards on 11 catches through his first five games as a rookie.
Jordan has held conversations with coach Lovie Smith and the rest of the staff to get an idea of where his game needs improvement. Outside of his two healthy scratches, an early season ankle injury sidelined Jordan for three games.
""The main thing is to keep getting better,"" he said. ""As a competitor, you want to be out there. When you can't show your abilities, that fire in you grows. The main thing is to keep growing every day.""
Jordan is looking forward to another opportunity to showcase his talents as a member of the Texans. And he is hoping to prove his worth alongside Mills under center.
""We are both young players and are hungry,"" Jordan said. ""Just keep learning. And just keep grinding.""","
HOUSTON — Quarterback Davis Mills isn't the only second-year prospect who has struggled with the Houston Texans this season.
There were high expectations for Brevin Jordan following an impressive rookie campaign. There was a belief that Jordan would take a significant leap in his second year and would become the Texans' No. 1 tight end.
But if Jordan does not take the field at NRG Stadium Sunday against the 4-7 Cleveland Browns, it will mark the third consecutive game the Miami product would be a healthy scratch.
""It hurts for sure,"" Jordan said. ""You want to be out there making plays. I look at it like a process. I'm 22 years old and still learning. But I got to respect coach's decision.""
Jordan has appeared in five games and has recorded 32 yards on six catches. He notched another 87 yards on 11 catches through his first five games as a rookie.
Jordan has held conversations with coach Lovie Smith and the rest of the staff to get an idea of where his game needs improvement. Outside of his two healthy scratches, an early season ankle injury sidelined Jordan for three games.
""The main thing is to keep getting better,"" he said. ""As a competitor, you want to be out there. When you can't show your abilities, that fire in you grows. The main thing is to keep growing every day.""
Jordan is looking forward to another opportunity to showcase his talents as a member of the Texans. And he is hoping to prove his worth alongside Mills under center.
""We are both young players and are hungry,"" Jordan said. ""Just keep learning. And just keep grinding.""
",en,2022-12-03T20:35:46Z,2022-12-03T20:35:48+00:00,2022-12-03T20:35:48Z,https://www.si.com/.image/ar_1.91%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_xy_center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620%2Cx_3977%2Cy_1171/MTk0MTY2OTIwOTc3NTg5OTM3/usatsi_19287827.jpg,"Brevin Jordan's 2022 campaign has not gone as planned with the Houston Texans, but the second-year tight end remains hungry for another opportunity.","[
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]",0.9904563999999999,2022-12-03T00:00:00Z,
"Spurs vs. Rockets Preview: Stream, Lineups, Injury Reports, More",https://www.si.com/nba/spurs/news/san-antonio-spurs-vs-houston-rockets-preview-stream-lineups-injury-reports-more,https://www.si.com/nba/spurs/news/san-antonio-spurs-vs-houston-rockets-preview-stream-lineups-injury-reports-more,2022-10-02T14:27:45+00:00,"The San Antonio Spurs begin their 2022 NBA preseason schedule on Sunday in a matchup against a Southwest Division rival, the Houston Rockets.
Keldon Johnson and Josh Primo both will be sidelined from the Spurs' lineup for the start of the preseason but are expected to be available to play for the start of the regular season.
The Spurs finished 3-1 against the Rockets in 2022-23 and averaged 128.0 points per game. A lot has changed since those outings. Derrick White played in an NBA Finals series with the Boston Celtics. Dejounte Murray is a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Jabari Smith Jr. was drafted by the Houston Rockets. The list goes on...
Jeremy Sochan will play his first organized basketball game in a Spurs uniform that fans can watch. He was sidelined for the entire NBA Summer League when San Antonio participated.
There has been little information available about the projected starting lineup for either team aside from injuries. Potential playing time restrictions remain to be seen, but are something to monitor.
The Spurs and Rockets will not face off in the regular season until Dec. 8 when they face off at AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Spurs vs. Rockets Injury Report
Houston Rockets
Jae'Sean Tate: OUT (sore left ankle)
San Antonio Spurs
Keldon Johnson: OUT (dislocated right shoulder)
Joshua Primo OUT (left knee MCL sprain)
Spurs vs. Rockets Projected Starters
Houston Rockets
Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
Guard: Jalen Green
Forward: Eric Gordon
Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
Center: Alperen Sengun
San Antonio Spurs","
The San Antonio Spurs begin their 2022 NBA preseason schedule on Sunday in a matchup against a Southwest Division rival, the Houston Rockets.
Keldon Johnson and Josh Primo both will be sidelined from the Spurs' lineup for the start of the preseason but are expected to be available to play for the start of the regular season.
The Spurs finished 3-1 against the Rockets in 2022-23 and averaged 128.0 points per game. A lot has changed since those outings. Derrick White played in an NBA Finals series with the Boston Celtics. Dejounte Murray is a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Jabari Smith Jr. was drafted by the Houston Rockets. The list goes on...
Jeremy Sochan will play his first organized basketball game in a Spurs uniform that fans can watch. He was sidelined for the entire NBA Summer League when San Antonio participated.
There has been little information available about the projected starting lineup for either team aside from injuries. Potential playing time restrictions remain to be seen, but are something to monitor.
The Spurs and Rockets will not face off in the regular season until Dec. 8 when they face off at AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Spurs vs. Rockets Injury Report
Houston Rockets
Jae'Sean Tate: OUT (sore left ankle)
San Antonio Spurs
Keldon Johnson: OUT (dislocated right shoulder)
Joshua Primo OUT (left knee MCL sprain)
Spurs vs. Rockets Projected Starters
Houston Rockets
Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
Guard: Jalen Green
Forward: Eric Gordon
Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
Center: Alperen Sengun
San Antonio Spurs
",en,2022-10-02T14:27:45Z,2022-10-02T14:27:47+00:00,2022-10-02T14:27:47Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNzQ1NzY5NDQ5NTYzMzM2/usatsi_17619067_168388359_lowres.jpg,The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets will face off on Sunday to open their 2022 preseason schedules.,"[
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]",0.9833187999999999,2022-10-02T00:00:00Z,
Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Reportedly Signs Lucrative Contract Extension With Rays,https://www.si.com/mlb/red-sox/news/ex-red-sox-pitcher-reportedly-signs-lucrative-contract-extension-with-rays,https://www.si.com/mlb/red-sox/news/ex-red-sox-pitcher-reportedly-signs-lucrative-contract-extension-with-rays,2023-01-26T02:43:58+00:00,"There have been plenty of notable blunders under Chaim Bloom's regime with the Boston Red Sox.
However, one of Bloom's worst trades in his three-season tenure has flown under the radar.
Prior to the 2021 season, Bloom packaged left-hander Jeffrey Springs, right-hander Chris Mazza and cash to the Tampa Bay Rays for catching prospect Ronaldo Hernández and infield prospect Nick Sogard.
At the time, it appeared that Boston ""stole"" Hernández, a once-highly regarded prospect for two pitchers who had yet to prove anything.
Mazza did not catch on in Tampa, but Springs has flourished into an elite arm, and his freshly-minted contract depicts as much.
Springs signed a four-year, $31 million contract extension with the Rays that could pay him up to $65.75 million over the next five seasons according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin.
The 30-year-old posted a 7.08 ERA with a 28-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .333 batting average against in 20 1/3 innings across 16 games as a member of the Red Sox before being traded.
Since then? He's gone on to record a 14-6 record, 2.70 ERA, 207-to-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .221 batting average against in 180 innings.
The southpaw's devastating combination of a high strikeout rate, low walk rate and low batting average against resulted in a career year in 2022, highlighted by a 2.46 ERA.
As for Boston's half of the trade? Hernández has been called up to the big-league club twice but has yet to appear in a game. Sogard got his first taste of Triple-A last season. Both prospects already are 25 years old.
There was no way to know that Springs was going to evolve into a star after a horrid 2020 season but it's still tough to get fleeced in an inter-division trade.","
There have been plenty of notable blunders under Chaim Bloom's regime with the Boston Red Sox.
However, one of Bloom's worst trades in his three-season tenure has flown under the radar.
Prior to the 2021 season, Bloom packaged left-hander Jeffrey Springs, right-hander Chris Mazza and cash to the Tampa Bay Rays for catching prospect Ronaldo Hernández and infield prospect Nick Sogard.
At the time, it appeared that Boston ""stole"" Hernández, a once-highly regarded prospect for two pitchers who had yet to prove anything.
Mazza did not catch on in Tampa, but Springs has flourished into an elite arm, and his freshly-minted contract depicts as much.
Springs signed a four-year, $31 million contract extension with the Rays that could pay him up to $65.75 million over the next five seasons according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin.
The 30-year-old posted a 7.08 ERA with a 28-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .333 batting average against in 20 1/3 innings across 16 games as a member of the Red Sox before being traded.
Since then? He's gone on to record a 14-6 record, 2.70 ERA, 207-to-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .221 batting average against in 180 innings.
The southpaw's devastating combination of a high strikeout rate, low walk rate and low batting average against resulted in a career year in 2022, highlighted by a 2.46 ERA.
As for Boston's half of the trade? Hernández has been called up to the big-league club twice but has yet to appear in a game. Sogard got his first taste of Triple-A last season. Both prospects already are 25 years old.
There was no way to know that Springs was going to evolve into a star after a horrid 2020 season but it's still tough to get fleeced in an inter-division trade.
",en,2023-01-26T02:43:58Z,2023-01-26T02:44:00+00:00,2023-01-26T02:44:00Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1NDI0ODIzMjE0NjEzNTI3/jeffrey-springs.jpg,Former Boston Red Sox reliever Jeffrey Springs reportedly signed a lucrative extension with the Tampa Bay Rays.,,"[
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]",0.9743284999999999,2023-01-26T00:00:00Z,
SF Giants acquire Rockies catcher Dom Núñez off waivers,https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-acquire-rockies-dom-nunez,https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-acquire-rockies-dom-nunez,2022-11-10T19:22:11+00:00,"The SF Giants claimed catcher Dom Núñez off waivers from the Colorado Rockies amidst a slew of roster moves earlier this week. An Elk Grove, California native, Núñez becomes the third catcher on the Giants 40-man roster, joining Joey Bart and Austin Wynns.
Núñez was drafted by the Rockies in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB draft out of Elk Grove High School, where he was teammates with current big leaguers Dylan Carlson, Rowdy Tellez, Derek Hill, and J.D. Davis. The Rockies offered Núñez a well above-slot $800,000 signing bonus, and he decided to forego his commitment to UCLA and turn pro. He quickly climbed the Rockies minor-league ranks with an advanced plate approach and defense behind the plate.
In 2015, Núñez had an excellent season at Single-A, where he .282/.373/.448 with 13 home runs and nearly as many walks (53) as strikeouts (55) as a 20-year-old. While he struggled to replicate those offensive numbers as he progressed through Colorado's farm system, Núñez still showcased an impressive ability to work walks and avoid strikeouts alongside some power.
Núñez made his MLB debut in August of 2019, but struggled against big-league pitching. Serving as Tony Wolters' backup catcher, Núñez struck out in nearly 40% of his plate appearances while hitting .179/.233/.410 with 2 home runs in 43 plate appearances.
His struggles in 2019 led the Rockies to go in a different direction during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when Elias Diaz and Drew Butera were the Rockies backup catchers instead of Núñez.
In 2021, however, Núñez made the Rockies Opening Day roster and appeared in 81 games as Diaz's backup. His strikeout woes continued in his first full MLB season, but his high walk rate and occasional home run power helped him post a more acceptable .692 OPS (.189/.293/.399 triple-slash).
Núñez lost his job this past season, and only appeared in 14 games with the Rockies. In 62 games at Triple-A, Núñez posted a mediocre .223/.319/.360 line despite playing at one of the most hitter-friendly environments in professional baseball.
Still, Núñez has become an average defensive catcher and despite his struggles has maintained above-average walk rates. While his power numbers were likely aided by playing his home games at Coors Field, Núñez is a left-handed hitter who has shown significant platoon splits. With both Bart and Wynns batting right-handed, Núñez could potentially offer manager Gabe Kapler some added flexibility.
The SF Giants will surely keep churning through the edges of their 40-man roster all offseason long. However, given the questions surrounding the catching position heading into next season, it's not out of the question that Dom Núñez is competing for a spot on the Giants Opening Day roster in spring training.","
The SF Giants claimed catcher Dom Núñez off waivers from the Colorado Rockies amidst a slew of roster moves earlier this week. An Elk Grove, California native, Núñez becomes the third catcher on the Giants 40-man roster, joining Joey Bart and Austin Wynns.
Núñez was drafted by the Rockies in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB draft out of Elk Grove High School, where he was teammates with current big leaguers Dylan Carlson, Rowdy Tellez, Derek Hill, and J.D. Davis. The Rockies offered Núñez a well above-slot $800,000 signing bonus, and he decided to forego his commitment to UCLA and turn pro. He quickly climbed the Rockies minor-league ranks with an advanced plate approach and defense behind the plate.
In 2015, Núñez had an excellent season at Single-A, where he .282/.373/.448 with 13 home runs and nearly as many walks (53) as strikeouts (55) as a 20-year-old. While he struggled to replicate those offensive numbers as he progressed through Colorado's farm system, Núñez still showcased an impressive ability to work walks and avoid strikeouts alongside some power.
Núñez made his MLB debut in August of 2019, but struggled against big-league pitching. Serving as Tony Wolters' backup catcher, Núñez struck out in nearly 40% of his plate appearances while hitting .179/.233/.410 with 2 home runs in 43 plate appearances.
His struggles in 2019 led the Rockies to go in a different direction during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when Elias Diaz and Drew Butera were the Rockies backup catchers instead of Núñez.
In 2021, however, Núñez made the Rockies Opening Day roster and appeared in 81 games as Diaz's backup. His strikeout woes continued in his first full MLB season, but his high walk rate and occasional home run power helped him post a more acceptable .692 OPS (.189/.293/.399 triple-slash).
Núñez lost his job this past season, and only appeared in 14 games with the Rockies. In 62 games at Triple-A, Núñez posted a mediocre .223/.319/.360 line despite playing at one of the most hitter-friendly environments in professional baseball.
Still, Núñez has become an average defensive catcher and despite his struggles has maintained above-average walk rates. While his power numbers were likely aided by playing his home games at Coors Field, Núñez is a left-handed hitter who has shown significant platoon splits. With both Bart and Wynns batting right-handed, Núñez could potentially offer manager Gabe Kapler some added flexibility.
The SF Giants will surely keep churning through the edges of their 40-man roster all offseason long. However, given the questions surrounding the catching position heading into next season, it's not out of the question that Dom Núñez is competing for a spot on the Giants Opening Day roster in spring training.
",en,2022-11-10T19:22:11Z,2022-11-10T19:22:14+00:00,2022-11-10T19:22:14Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzNjU1MDQxNjc1MTA5ODI3/usatsi_16679445.jpg,"The SF Giants acquired Elk Grove, California native Dom Núñez off waivers from the Rockies on Wednesday.","[
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]",0.98556954,2022-11-10T00:00:00Z,
"Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty preview – not Nioh 3, perhaps even better",https://videogames.si.com/reviews/wo-long-fallen-dynasty-preview,https://videogames.si.com/reviews/wo-long-fallen-dynasty-preview,2023-01-17T14:00:00+00:00,"Team Ninja is on a roll. Since the release of 2017’s Nioh, the studio has been stealthily producing some of the best and most challenging action RPGs in the industry. The steep challenge of the classic Ninja Gaiden series lives on in Team Ninja’s new wave of action games, the latest being Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
It’s not the Nioh 3 that many fans were hoping for, but Wo Long is every bit as sharp and challenging as what you’d expect from that game. And just to hit that point home, Fallen Dynasty caps off its introductory chapter with a two-phase bossfight tougher than any mandatory battle you’ll find early on in any of FromSoftware ’s “masocore” masterpieces.
What’s interesting about Wo Long is that it really doesn’t want you to dodge. Your B button is a deflect, and you can only perform a lengthy dodge if you double-tap the button – this is by design. Dodge is an extra button press away because you should be staying up close to foes as often as possible.
Like Sekiro, all enemies have a stun (in this game “Spirit”) gauge, and deflecting their moves will actually reduce the overall length of that gauge. So you’ll be building up the stun and shortening the gauge with skillful play, all for a deadly unarmed strike on a stunned foe. This resets the size of the gauge, but inflicts a huge amount of damage, suddenly making bosses with big health bars more obviously surmountable.
While fighting the first bosses’ initial phase, his big hammer swings are telegraphed clearly, so you can deflect each move. Critical Strikes – some of which come with a short delay before impact – are a bit more challenging, however. Critical Strikes are unblockable and devastating, but a well-timed deflect will open enemies up for a swift flurry of attacks. As soon as you get comfortable with deflects, you’ll be forcing yourself into the path of an oncoming attack, just so you can counter and punish it.
It feels remarkably similar to the Soul Shield ability in Team Ninja’s recent Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. In that game, use of the Soul Shield as a counter negated all damage while impacting the foe’s break gauge, while your own could stay on 1HP as long as you used Soul Shield effectively. It’s similar here — you can be on a single point of health and turn things around. Just keep fighting up-close once you’ve gotten a good feel for your enemy’s attack patterns.
It’s interesting, because fighting against lowly mobs is actually a fairly stiff challenge when up against a group. Basic enemies won’t telegraph their attacks as clearly, and you’ll need to deflect attacks coming from all angles. Since your health is low, it’s easy to make the wrong move and get stun-locked by a barrage of enemy spears, arrows, and swords.
Luckily, you’ll quickly learn to assign and cast a variety of spells, which can help thin out the enemy ranks. Upgrading and unlocking new spells feels like a bit of an afterthought in these early stages, as casting a spell takes a little too long when fighting bigger, tougher bosses. Still, we’re yet to see the full scale of spiritual smashing you’re able to unleash in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
It’s still too early to make any kind of judgement call on Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, but the reality is that Team Ninja has managed to craft an incredibly satisfying combat system, and as long as it manages to keep up the tension while ramping up the challenge over the course of the game, this will be an early essential for 2023.","
Team Ninja is on a roll. Since the release of 2017’s Nioh, the studio has been stealthily producing some of the best and most challenging action RPGs in the industry. The steep challenge of the classic Ninja Gaiden series lives on in Team Ninja’s new wave of action games, the latest being Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
It’s not the Nioh 3 that many fans were hoping for, but Wo Long is every bit as sharp and challenging as what you’d expect from that game. And just to hit that point home, Fallen Dynasty caps off its introductory chapter with a two-phase bossfight tougher than any mandatory battle you’ll find early on in any of FromSoftware’s “masocore” masterpieces.
What’s interesting about Wo Long is that it really doesn’t want you to dodge. Your B button is a deflect, and you can only perform a lengthy dodge if you double-tap the button – this is by design. Dodge is an extra button press away because you should be staying up close to foes as often as possible.
Like Sekiro, all enemies have a stun (in this game “Spirit”) gauge, and deflecting their moves will actually reduce the overall length of that gauge. So you’ll be building up the stun and shortening the gauge with skillful play, all for a deadly unarmed strike on a stunned foe. This resets the size of the gauge, but inflicts a huge amount of damage, suddenly making bosses with big health bars more obviously surmountable.
While fighting the first bosses’ initial phase, his big hammer swings are telegraphed clearly, so you can deflect each move. Critical Strikes – some of which come with a short delay before impact – are a bit more challenging, however. Critical Strikes are unblockable and devastating, but a well-timed deflect will open enemies up for a swift flurry of attacks. As soon as you get comfortable with deflects, you’ll be forcing yourself into the path of an oncoming attack, just so you can counter and punish it.
It feels remarkably similar to the Soul Shield ability in Team Ninja’s recent Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. In that game, use of the Soul Shield as a counter negated all damage while impacting the foe’s break gauge, while your own could stay on 1HP as long as you used Soul Shield effectively. It’s similar here — you can be on a single point of health and turn things around. Just keep fighting up-close once you’ve gotten a good feel for your enemy’s attack patterns.
It’s interesting, because fighting against lowly mobs is actually a fairly stiff challenge when up against a group. Basic enemies won’t telegraph their attacks as clearly, and you’ll need to deflect attacks coming from all angles. Since your health is low, it’s easy to make the wrong move and get stun-locked by a barrage of enemy spears, arrows, and swords.
Luckily, you’ll quickly learn to assign and cast a variety of spells, which can help thin out the enemy ranks. Upgrading and unlocking new spells feels like a bit of an afterthought in these early stages, as casting a spell takes a little too long when fighting bigger, tougher bosses. Still, we’re yet to see the full scale of spiritual smashing you’re able to unleash in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
It’s still too early to make any kind of judgement call on Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, but the reality is that Team Ninja has managed to craft an incredibly satisfying combat system, and as long as it manages to keep up the tension while ramping up the challenge over the course of the game, this will be an early essential for 2023.
",en,2023-01-17T14:00:00Z,2023-01-17T13:56:30+00:00,2023-01-17T13:56:30Z,https://videogames.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MjI2NjczNTU2MjM2MDAy/wo-long-fallen-dynasty-glhf-10.jpg,"Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Team Ninja's spiritual successor to Nioh and its masocore games, but will it be as good?","[
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Suns’ Devin Booker Out at Least Four Weeks With Groin Injury,https://www.si.com/nba/2022/12/28/suns-devin-booker-groin-injury-four-weeks,https://www.si.com/nba/2022/12/28/suns-devin-booker-groin-injury-four-weeks,2022-12-28T19:58:36+00:00,"The Suns ‘ bid to emerge from a crowded Western Conference field has been compromised significantly in the near future. Guard Devin Booker suffered a left groin strain and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, according to a Wednesday afternoon announcement from Phoenix.
Booker missed three games from Dec. 19 to 23—a win over the Lakers and losses to the Wizards and Grizzlies —with groin soreness. He tried to return on Christmas Day against the Nuggets but played just four minutes before aggravating the injury, during which he scored two points.
The three-time All-Star is averaging 27.1 points per game in 29 games this season, a career-high. He’s scored 40 points in a game five times this year, including 58 against the Pelicans on Dec. 17 and 51 against the Bulls on Nov. 30.
Despite his successes, Booker has played 70 games just once in the past five seasons. He finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2022, averaging 26.8 points per game in 68 games.","
The Suns‘ bid to emerge from a crowded Western Conference field has been compromised significantly in the near future. Guard Devin Booker suffered a left groin strain and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, according to a Wednesday afternoon announcement from Phoenix.
Booker missed three games from Dec. 19 to 23—a win over the Lakers and losses to the Wizards and Grizzlies—with groin soreness. He tried to return on Christmas Day against the Nuggets but played just four minutes before aggravating the injury, during which he scored two points.
The three-time All-Star is averaging 27.1 points per game in 29 games this season, a career-high. He’s scored 40 points in a game five times this year, including 58 against the Pelicans on Dec. 17 and 51 against the Bulls on Nov. 30.
Despite his successes, Booker has played 70 games just once in the past five seasons. He finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2022, averaging 26.8 points per game in 68 games.
",en,2022-12-28T19:58:36Z,2022-12-28T19:58:39+00:00,2022-12-28T19:58:39Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0NzY5MDg5MDgyNjk2ODY2/usatsi_19645512.jpg,The three-time All-Star aggravated the injury against the Nuggets on Christmas Day.,,"[
{
""name"":""Patrick Andres"",
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]",0.97636414,2022-12-28T00:00:00Z,
"Ilya Samsonov’s ‘Mission’ as Maple Leafs’ Starter Continues vs. Coyotes, Odds, Where to Watch",https://www.si.com/nhl/maple-leafs/news/ilya-samsonovs-mission-as-maple-leafs-starter-continues-vs-coyotes-odds-where-to-watch,https://www.si.com/nhl/maple-leafs/news/ilya-samsonovs-mission-as-maple-leafs-starter-continues-vs-coyotes-odds-where-to-watch,2022-10-17T12:00:00+00:00,"Ilya Samsonov knew there was an opportunity in Toronto.
Days after the Washington Capitals elected not to tender him a qualifying offer to retain his rights, he prioritized a chance to get playing time for a contending team over money or term.
“This was the fit that he wanted,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of the 25-year-old. “If you're coming here you know what it's about in terms of what our team's trying to accomplish and in terms of playing in our market.""
Samsonov signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract just two days after the Maple Leafs acquired oft-injured goaltender Matt Murray from the Ottawa Senators this past summer.
Although the initial plan was for both Murray and Samsonov to alternate in their starts in the early going of the regular season, everything changed with Murray sustained an adductor injury on the day of his scheduled start on Saturday against the team the Leafs acquired him from.
The lone Russian and the first to ever play goal for the Leafs, Samsonov said he wasn’t nervous despite having less notice about his start against the Senators. He made 26 saves on 28 shots in a 3-2 victory to improve to 2-0-0 this season.
His practice on Sunday was his first as the starter. Keefe, who normally stays away from dealing with goaltenders on a day-to-day basis admitting that it’s not his “expertise” and usually delegates that to goalie coach Curtis Sanford, did spend time after practice having a one-on-one conversation with Samsonov.
“He is going to be busy and because of that, it is that much more important that he takes care of himself and is ready for the extra load,” Keefe said. “I wanted to make sure he was still smiling.""
He was certainly in good spirits.
“I didn’t feel pressure, I had a good summer,” Samsonov said I keep working hard.”
Samsonov was drafted by the Capitals with their first-round pick (22nd) overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. His time with club saw his save percentage go on a steady decline.
He posted a save percentage of .913 in 26 games in the 2019-20 season. That number fell to .902 in 19 games in 2021 before falling again last season to .896 last season, despite finishing with a 23-12-5 record.
Samsonov played in five playoff games for the Capitals this spring against the defending Presidents’ Cup champion Florida Panthers, where he went 1-3 in five games and posted a .912 save percentage.
He certainly has some recent experience. For a player who was brought in as an insurance policy to help offset the risk of committing to a goaltender like Murray, the Leafs are happy to pay that deductible.
“He is on a bit of a mission this season,” Keefe said of Samsonov. ”Now the door is really open for him.""
Lineup
The Maple Leafs are expected to run the same lineup as they have done for the last couple of games, although William Nylander’s status may change that.
“He wasn’t feeling well,” Keefe said explaining the winger’s absence as a maintenance day.
Freshly recalled forward Nick Robertson took Nylander’s spot on the left wing with John Tavares and Denis Malgin. If Nylander remains sick, that could spark the season debut for Robertson.
Odds
The Maple Leafs are an overwhelming favorite with the moneyline set at -500. That means you’d have to wager $500 just to win $100 if you selected the Leafs to win outright.
Where to watch/stream
After the game, I’ll have a breakdown from everything that happened as I take you inside Scotiabank Arena for the Rink Wide Toronto post-game show.","
Ilya Samsonov knew there was an opportunity in Toronto.
Days after the Washington Capitals elected not to tender him a qualifying offer to retain his rights, he prioritized a chance to get playing time for a contending team over money or term.
“This was the fit that he wanted,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of the 25-year-old. “If you're coming here you know what it's about in terms of what our team's trying to accomplish and in terms of playing in our market.""
Samsonov signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract just two days after the Maple Leafs acquired oft-injured goaltender Matt Murray from the Ottawa Senators this past summer.
Although the initial plan was for both Murray and Samsonov to alternate in their starts in the early going of the regular season, everything changed with Murray sustained an adductor injury on the day of his scheduled start on Saturday against the team the Leafs acquired him from.
The lone Russian and the first to ever play goal for the Leafs, Samsonov said he wasn’t nervous despite having less notice about his start against the Senators. He made 26 saves on 28 shots in a 3-2 victory to improve to 2-0-0 this season.
His practice on Sunday was his first as the starter. Keefe, who normally stays away from dealing with goaltenders on a day-to-day basis admitting that it’s not his “expertise” and usually delegates that to goalie coach Curtis Sanford, did spend time after practice having a one-on-one conversation with Samsonov.
“He is going to be busy and because of that, it is that much more important that he takes care of himself and is ready for the extra load,” Keefe said. “I wanted to make sure he was still smiling.""
He was certainly in good spirits.
“I didn’t feel pressure, I had a good summer,” Samsonov said I keep working hard.”
Samsonov was drafted by the Capitals with their first-round pick (22nd) overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. His time with club saw his save percentage go on a steady decline.
He posted a save percentage of .913 in 26 games in the 2019-20 season. That number fell to .902 in 19 games in 2021 before falling again last season to .896 last season, despite finishing with a 23-12-5 record.
Samsonov played in five playoff games for the Capitals this spring against the defending Presidents’ Cup champion Florida Panthers, where he went 1-3 in five games and posted a .912 save percentage.
He certainly has some recent experience. For a player who was brought in as an insurance policy to help offset the risk of committing to a goaltender like Murray, the Leafs are happy to pay that deductible.
“He is on a bit of a mission this season,” Keefe said of Samsonov. ”Now the door is really open for him.""
Lineup
The Maple Leafs are expected to run the same lineup as they have done for the last couple of games, although William Nylander’s status may change that.
“He wasn’t feeling well,” Keefe said explaining the winger’s absence as a maintenance day.
Freshly recalled forward Nick Robertson took Nylander’s spot on the left wing with John Tavares and Denis Malgin. If Nylander remains sick, that could spark the season debut for Robertson.
Odds
The Maple Leafs are an overwhelming favorite with the moneyline set at -500. That means you’d have to wager $500 just to win $100 if you selected the Leafs to win outright.
Where to watch/stream
After the game, I’ll have a breakdown from everything that happened as I take you inside Scotiabank Arena for the Rink Wide Toronto post-game show.
",en,2022-10-17T12:00:00Z,2022-10-17T04:26:34+00:00,2022-10-17T04:26:34Z,https://www.si.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_xy_center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620%2Cx_1253%2Cy_553/MTkzMDgzNTM4MDI1ODE3ODA4/1edc2839-9156-49d8-a22f-d0ccfde2d9c0.jpg,"With Matt Murray on the shelf with an adductor injury for at least the next four weeks, the goaltending spotlight shines brightly on the Russian in his quest to become an everyday starter.","[
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Eagles Stock Market Report: Survival in the Desert,https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/news/eagles-stock-market-report-survival-in-the-desert,https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/news/eagles-stock-market-report-survival-in-the-desert,2022-10-10T02:22:39+00:00,"GLENDALE, AZ - The Eagles survived in the desert Sunday when their backup kicker proved more competent than the Cardinals' fill-in.
Rookie Cameron Dicker, filling in for the injured Jake Elliott, was able to cash in on a 23-yard chip shot with 1:45 keft in the game but veteran Matt Ammendola, the replacement for Matt Prater in Arizona, missed a 43-yard attempt badly with 17 seconds remaining as Philadelphia survived for its first win ever at StateFarm Stadium.
The stock market was more stagnant this week overall, but the long-term outlook remains high for an Eagles team that is the only undefeated one (5-0) in the NFL.
A CHALLENGER - The Cards didn't look like much coming in but Jalen Hurts again tried to tell the media they were overlooking a good team. Whether that's true will be determined in the coming weeks but Arizona gave the Eagles their toughest test to date and would have taken things to overtime if Ammendola was competent.
The style points weren't there, but the scoreboard is being pointed at by Nick Sirianni and Co. and that's a compelling argument.
DICKER ENERGY - The Eagles and Arizona both needed kickers this week and the Eagles went with the ""unproven"" guy because they were confident in their scouting and evaluation skills.
From the time Cameron Dicker arrived at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday until he hit what proved to be the game-winner in Glendale, the young kicker said he's been in bigger situations with more high-pressured kicks at the University of Texas and that doesn't seem boastful after Sunday.
""I think I’ve played in bigger games in my life,"" Dicker said. ""I’ve been playing at Texas and it prepared me for this opportunity, so it’s cool.”
OL DEPTH - The Eagles came in without Jordan Mailata (shoulder) and lost both Landon Dickerson (leg) and Jason Kelce (ankle) for a time in-game. While the group struggled with the blitz at times, it's hard to imagine another NFL team having the depth to persevere like Philadelphia did.
""It’s just like, be ready,"" backup center Cam Jurgens said. ""Which I think that’s the same coaching point that you’re going to have all game and if you’re not playing, same thing.”
JALEN HURTS' ZOOLANDER SCOUTING REPORT - The famous movie model brought to life by Ben Stiller was famous for his inability to go left and that was the joke-y scouting report with Hurts last season, but the second-year starter pushed back against it for a second time this season with a strike over the middle of the field against the grain on a 3rd-and-12 play for a 22-yard gain to DeVonta Smith.
It was arguably the best throw of the night by Hurts.
ARRYN SIPOSS - The embattled punter bounced back from one of his worst games with one of his best, dropping three inside the 20-yard line and finishing with a 44.5 net average.
THE EIGHT-MINUTE OFFENSE: After the Cardinals deadlocked the game at 17-17 with 9:43, the Eagles responded with a massive 17-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with the Dicker' kick and, more importantly, drained 7:58 off the clock and cost Arizona all three of its timeouts.
The lack of time also forced Murray to spike the football on a 3rd-and-1, something that forced Ammendola to kick from 43 instead of using another couple of plays to potentially give a bad kicker a better opportunity.
“We knew this was going to be a physical game,"" Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. ""We knew we had a really physical team. We know our identity is to be physical. When we needed to (be physical) the most and we were.
""I know we didn’t punch it in. We made a good play there on third down, but our job as coaches is to lean on our best players and we jumped on our offensive line’s back and rode them down the field. It was pretty special.""
THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD ON DEFENSE - The Cardinals were really struggling on offense early when Kyler Murray found a soft spot in the middle of the field where he was able to do some significant damage with Marquise Brown, Rondale Morre, and Zach Ertz. More consistency in pushing that envelope along with more consistency throwing the football may have even put the Eagles on the wrong half of the win-loss ledger for the first time this season.
THE HORIZONTAL OBSESSION ON OFFENSE - For whatever reason the Eagles' plan for the Arizona rushing scheme was to hit the edges with every kind of bubble or zero screen imaginable and some even worked, usually when Zach Pascal was on the field for his blocking. One, though, almost got DeVonta Smith killed.
“That’s just kind of the pace of the game and how it went,"" Hurts deferred when asked about all the horizontal stuff. ""Y'all didn't ask me any questions about this same football team last weekend.
""I said they were really good so here we are after a close game talking about the looks that they gave us. I think they flew to the ball. They’re very physical. They play very physical defensively.
""Up front they gave us some different exotic looks and they did a good job with their scheme. I think we were just able to kind of find a way.”","
GLENDALE, AZ - The Eagles survived in the desert Sunday when their backup kicker proved more competent than the Cardinals' fill-in.
Rookie Cameron Dicker, filling in for the injured Jake Elliott, was able to cash in on a 23-yard chip shot with 1:45 keft in the game but veteran Matt Ammendola, the replacement for Matt Prater in Arizona, missed a 43-yard attempt badly with 17 seconds remaining as Philadelphia survived for its first win ever at StateFarm Stadium.
The stock market was more stagnant this week overall, but the long-term outlook remains high for an Eagles team that is the only undefeated one (5-0) in the NFL.
A CHALLENGER - The Cards didn't look like much coming in but Jalen Hurts again tried to tell the media they were overlooking a good team. Whether that's true will be determined in the coming weeks but Arizona gave the Eagles their toughest test to date and would have taken things to overtime if Ammendola was competent.
The style points weren't there, but the scoreboard is being pointed at by Nick Sirianni and Co. and that's a compelling argument.
DICKER ENERGY - The Eagles and Arizona both needed kickers this week and the Eagles went with the ""unproven"" guy because they were confident in their scouting and evaluation skills.
From the time Cameron Dicker arrived at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday until he hit what proved to be the game-winner in Glendale, the young kicker said he's been in bigger situations with more high-pressured kicks at the University of Texas and that doesn't seem boastful after Sunday.
""I think I’ve played in bigger games in my life,"" Dicker said. ""I’ve been playing at Texas and it prepared me for this opportunity, so it’s cool.”
OL DEPTH - The Eagles came in without Jordan Mailata (shoulder) and lost both Landon Dickerson (leg) and Jason Kelce (ankle) for a time in-game. While the group struggled with the blitz at times, it's hard to imagine another NFL team having the depth to persevere like Philadelphia did.
""It’s just like, be ready,"" backup center Cam Jurgens said. ""Which I think that’s the same coaching point that you’re going to have all game and if you’re not playing, same thing.”
JALEN HURTS' ZOOLANDER SCOUTING REPORT - The famous movie model brought to life by Ben Stiller was famous for his inability to go left and that was the joke-y scouting report with Hurts last season, but the second-year starter pushed back against it for a second time this season with a strike over the middle of the field against the grain on a 3rd-and-12 play for a 22-yard gain to DeVonta Smith.
It was arguably the best throw of the night by Hurts.
ARRYN SIPOSS - The embattled punter bounced back from one of his worst games with one of his best, dropping three inside the 20-yard line and finishing with a 44.5 net average.
THE EIGHT-MINUTE OFFENSE: After the Cardinals deadlocked the game at 17-17 with 9:43, the Eagles responded with a massive 17-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with the Dicker' kick and, more importantly, drained 7:58 off the clock and cost Arizona all three of its timeouts.
The lack of time also forced Murray to spike the football on a 3rd-and-1, something that forced Ammendola to kick from 43 instead of using another couple of plays to potentially give a bad kicker a better opportunity.
“We knew this was going to be a physical game,"" Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. ""We knew we had a really physical team. We know our identity is to be physical. When we needed to (be physical) the most and we were.
""I know we didn’t punch it in. We made a good play there on third down, but our job as coaches is to lean on our best players and we jumped on our offensive line’s back and rode them down the field. It was pretty special.""
THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD ON DEFENSE - The Cardinals were really struggling on offense early when Kyler Murray found a soft spot in the middle of the field where he was able to do some significant damage with Marquise Brown, Rondale Morre, and Zach Ertz. More consistency in pushing that envelope along with more consistency throwing the football may have even put the Eagles on the wrong half of the win-loss ledger for the first time this season.
THE HORIZONTAL OBSESSION ON OFFENSE - For whatever reason the Eagles' plan for the Arizona rushing scheme was to hit the edges with every kind of bubble or zero screen imaginable and some even worked, usually when Zach Pascal was on the field for his blocking. One, though, almost got DeVonta Smith killed.
“That’s just kind of the pace of the game and how it went,"" Hurts deferred when asked about all the horizontal stuff. ""Y'all didn't ask me any questions about this same football team last weekend.
""I said they were really good so here we are after a close game talking about the looks that they gave us. I think they flew to the ball. They’re very physical. They play very physical defensively.
""Up front they gave us some different exotic looks and they did a good job with their scheme. I think we were just able to kind of find a way.”
",en,2022-10-10T02:22:39Z,2022-10-10T02:22:41+00:00,2022-10-10T02:22:41Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyOTE5OTA1OTQ1NzkwMTYw/eagles.jpg,It wasn't pretty but the Eagles did something they've never done before to stay unbeaten: win in Glendale,"[
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Diamondbacks 2022 Player Reviews: David Peralta,https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/diamondbacks-2022-player-reviews-david-peralta,https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/diamondbacks-2022-player-reviews-david-peralta,2022-11-27T15:50:37+00:00,"2022 Player Reviews Links Page
Status: Final year of three year extension, $7,500,000
Career and 2022 Review
By now almost all Diamondbacks fans probably know David Peralta's origin story. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 as a pitcher, he suffered two shoulder injuries resulting in him washing out and getting released in 2009. He believed he could still make it as a hitter and an outfielder however and pressed on. His determination and perseverance were what kept him going as he journeyed through independent ball. At one point he even needed to work at McDonalds just to earn enough gas money to drive from Florida to Texas to join his team. He tore up those leagues, was scouted and signed by the Diamondbacks in July of 2013. You can read more about his journey to the major leagues at this Sports Illustrated article from 2015
After crushing the ball in Advanced class A+ Visalia in 2013 he was promoted to Double-A Mobile in 2014 and continued to hit. So well in fact that he was promoted to the Diamondbacks to make his major league debut on June 1, 2014.
Making a great first impression, Peralta had a two hit game in his debut, and opened his career with a seven game hitting streak that included four games in a row with two-hits. He immediately became a fan favorite. His infectious smile and unbridled exuberance were just what the team needed to lift spirits during a down season. Spraying the ball all around the yard, his specialty early on was hitting triples, knocking 9 of them his rookie season and leading the league with 10 the following year. The signature freight train whistle that blared through Chase Field's sound system every time he barreled into third base sent fans wild with joy.
When fully healthy Peralta was one of the better hitters in the league. Through 2019 he hit .290 with an .824 OPS and a 116 wRC+, (roughly 16% better than league average). He became an every day fixture in the outfield and the middle of the batting order. He also emerged as a team leader and key clubhouse presence. He had a career year in 2018 belting 30 homers and posting a 127 OPS+, winning the Silver Slugger award. He won a Gold Glove in 2019, testimony to his hard work ethic and efforts to improve.
His 2019 season ended with a shoulder injury however. In what was considered a team friendly deal at the time, he signed a three year, $22 million extension with the Diamondbacks in January of 2020. When discussing the extension Peralta expressed his loyalty towards the organization that believed in him. He didn't want to play anywhere else. The 2020-21 seasons were just average for Peralta however as he hit a combined .271 with a 97 wRC+ that included just 13 homers and a .412 slugging percentage. Heading into the final year of his contract he felt he needed to make an adjustment.
Through 2021 Peralta had only a 28% fly ball rate, well below the league average. When he did elevate the ball he had plenty of power to knock it out of the park. But most of the time his approach resulted in hard ground balls and line drives that frequently found a gap or went down the line for extra base hits. Heading into spring training 2022 Peralta reduced his leg kick and made other changes to increase his launch angle and home run potential.
After a slow start in April where he hit just .206 with two homers, things began to click in May. He hit .277 with six homers and 18 RBI for the month. He hit four more homers in limited playing time over the next two months. His fly ball percentage had jumped all the way to 45%. While his batting average suffered, the added power propelled him back to being an above average major league hitter, as evidenced by his 118 OPS+ and 111 wRC+.
As the team began to promote young left handed hitting outfielders such as Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy, it cut into Peralta's plate appearances. By mid July the talk of him likely being moved at the trade deadline were pervasive and clearly wearing on him. He expressed understanding and awareness of the business side baseball. But the Diamondbacks were the only major league organization he'd ever played for and he knew it would hurt when the day finally came that he'd been traded. A much more subdued and introspective David Peralta was frequently seen quietly at his locker staring into his phone, far less exuberant than he was in years past. It was no longer his locker room.
The day finally came on July 30th, 2022 when Peralta was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for catching prospect Christian Cerda. General Manager Mike Hazen discussed an emotional conversation with Peralta where he walked through the thought process with him. With the obvious glut of left handed hitting outfield prospects the writing was always on the wall. But trading a fan favorite is never easy and it wasn't this time. Showing Peralta's trademark good nature however, Hazen said ""David and I joked that I needed to do a better job of getting more pitching instead of left handed hitting outfielders""
Peralta did have the chance to go play in meaningful games down the stretch with a playoff contender. He never quite hit his stride with Tampa Bay however. While he hit .255, he failed to homer and had just a 94 wRC+. He had just one pinch hit at bat in the wild card round of the playoffs, striking out.
2023 Outlook
Peralta is a free agent and will be looking for a new team in 2023. It's likely that he'll find work on a one year deal to serve as left handed bench bat and veteran presence.
He'll always be remembered as a Diamondback however and fans will surely miss the sounds of the Freight Train whistle echoing around Chase Field.","
Status: Final year of three year extension, $7,500,000
Career and 2022 Review
By now almost all Diamondbacks fans probably know David Peralta's origin story. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 as a pitcher, he suffered two shoulder injuries resulting in him washing out and getting released in 2009. He believed he could still make it as a hitter and an outfielder however and pressed on. His determination and perseverance were what kept him going as he journeyed through independent ball. At one point he even needed to work at McDonalds just to earn enough gas money to drive from Florida to Texas to join his team. He tore up those leagues, was scouted and signed by the Diamondbacks in July of 2013. You can read more about his journey to the major leagues at this Sports Illustrated article from 2015
After crushing the ball in Advanced class A+ Visalia in 2013 he was promoted to Double-A Mobile in 2014 and continued to hit. So well in fact that he was promoted to the Diamondbacks to make his major league debut on June 1, 2014.
Making a great first impression, Peralta had a two hit game in his debut, and opened his career with a seven game hitting streak that included four games in a row with two-hits. He immediately became a fan favorite. His infectious smile and unbridled exuberance were just what the team needed to lift spirits during a down season. Spraying the ball all around the yard, his specialty early on was hitting triples, knocking 9 of them his rookie season and leading the league with 10 the following year. The signature freight train whistle that blared through Chase Field's sound system every time he barreled into third base sent fans wild with joy.
When fully healthy Peralta was one of the better hitters in the league. Through 2019 he hit .290 with an .824 OPS and a 116 wRC+, (roughly 16% better than league average). He became an every day fixture in the outfield and the middle of the batting order. He also emerged as a team leader and key clubhouse presence. He had a career year in 2018 belting 30 homers and posting a 127 OPS+, winning the Silver Slugger award. He won a Gold Glove in 2019, testimony to his hard work ethic and efforts to improve.
His 2019 season ended with a shoulder injury however. In what was considered a team friendly deal at the time, he signed a three year, $22 million extension with the Diamondbacks in January of 2020. When discussing the extension Peralta expressed his loyalty towards the organization that believed in him. He didn't want to play anywhere else. The 2020-21 seasons were just average for Peralta however as he hit a combined .271 with a 97 wRC+ that included just 13 homers and a .412 slugging percentage. Heading into the final year of his contract he felt he needed to make an adjustment.
Through 2021 Peralta had only a 28% fly ball rate, well below the league average. When he did elevate the ball he had plenty of power to knock it out of the park. But most of the time his approach resulted in hard ground balls and line drives that frequently found a gap or went down the line for extra base hits. Heading into spring training 2022 Peralta reduced his leg kick and made other changes to increase his launch angle and home run potential.
After a slow start in April where he hit just .206 with two homers, things began to click in May. He hit .277 with six homers and 18 RBI for the month. He hit four more homers in limited playing time over the next two months. His fly ball percentage had jumped all the way to 45%. While his batting average suffered, the added power propelled him back to being an above average major league hitter, as evidenced by his 118 OPS+ and 111 wRC+.
As the team began to promote young left handed hitting outfielders such as Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy, it cut into Peralta's plate appearances. By mid July the talk of him likely being moved at the trade deadline were pervasive and clearly wearing on him. He expressed understanding and awareness of the business side baseball. But the Diamondbacks were the only major league organization he'd ever played for and he knew it would hurt when the day finally came that he'd been traded. A much more subdued and introspective David Peralta was frequently seen quietly at his locker staring into his phone, far less exuberant than he was in years past. It was no longer his locker room.
The day finally came on July 30th, 2022 when Peralta was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for catching prospect Christian Cerda. General Manager Mike Hazen discussed an emotional conversation with Peralta where he walked through the thought process with him. With the obvious glut of left handed hitting outfield prospects the writing was always on the wall. But trading a fan favorite is never easy and it wasn't this time. Showing Peralta's trademark good nature however, Hazen said ""David and I joked that I needed to do a better job of getting more pitching instead of left handed hitting outfielders""
Peralta did have the chance to go play in meaningful games down the stretch with a playoff contender. He never quite hit his stride with Tampa Bay however. While he hit .255, he failed to homer and had just a 94 wRC+. He had just one pinch hit at bat in the wild card round of the playoffs, striking out.
2023 Outlook
Peralta is a free agent and will be looking for a new team in 2023. It's likely that he'll find work on a one year deal to serve as left handed bench bat and veteran presence.
He'll always be remembered as a Diamondback however and fans will surely miss the sounds of the Freight Train whistle echoing around Chase Field.
",en,2022-11-27T15:50:37Z,2022-11-27T15:50:39+00:00,2022-11-27T15:50:39Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MDQ2NDQyODQ5OTY5NjY5/usatsi_18709521_168399444_lowres.jpg,"The Freight Train has left the station, leaving many good memories behind","[
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]",0.96544015,2022-11-27T00:00:00Z,
Jaguars vs. Chargers: 5 Pressing Questions on Wild Card Matchup,https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/jaguars-vs-chargers-5-pressing-questions-on-wild-card-matchup,https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/jaguars-vs-chargers-5-pressing-questions-on-wild-card-matchup,2023-01-13T18:17:43+00:00,"The Jacksonville Jaguars are just a day away from one of the biggest home games in franchise history: hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at TIAA Bank Field for a Wild Card showdown.
To preview this week's pivotal tilt, we spoke to Charger Report's Nicholas Cothrel to get his insight on the team the Jaguars are faced to do battle with.
1) What is the current state of the Chargers' offense?
Cothrel: Broadly speaking, I’d say the Chargers offense has been underwhelming for the most part. But they have shown signs of improvement across the last two weeks. They’ve also had mounting injuries to their pass-catching group all season, which have limited them in multiple areas. Only DeAndre Carter, who was initially signed as a return specialist, has played all 17 games among their wide receiver core. In games they’ve had Mike Williams and Keenan Allen each available, the offense has looked at or near the expectation of the unit. There’s only been four games this season that Williams and Allen have each been on the field for at least half of the offensive snaps, and in those contests the Chargers are 4-0 and quarterback Justin Herbert carries a completion percentage of 73.7, the highest in the NFL.
2) What kind of improvements has the Chargers' defense made in recent weeks?
Cothrel: The Chargers defense down the final stretch of the season put together a turnaround I don’t think many saw coming. They took a step back in the regular season finale last week, but down the stretch run from weeks 14-17, they ranked No. 1 in points allowed (11), yards per game (238) and third down percentage (23.3%). They’ve gotten healthier which has played a significant part, but a lot of the turnaround has to do with more time in Brandon Staley’s scheme. The Chargers overhauled half their defensive starters from a season ago, so they needed time to get acclimated and it appears they’ve done exactly that over the last month and half.
3) If the Chargers win or lose on Sunday, what do you think is the main reason why?
Cothrel: I think the biggest factor that will ultimately swing the game either for better or worse for the Chargers has to do with Mike Williams being available. He’s truly been their only downfield threat that challenges opposing defenses in the deep part of the field. Without him, I’m not sure the Chargers will hit on too many explosive plays in which they will probably assemble more of a long, methodical approach in moving the offense. The status of Williams, to me, is the key difference maker.
4) Which Jaguar is seen as a player the Chargers must stop to win the game?
Cothrel: The edge rushing duo of Travon Walker and Josh Allen, I think is a matchup that could give the Chargers some problems. Their pass-protection has been spotty across the back-half of the year and the Jaguars did give them issues in Week 3. It is worth noting that their previous meeting was also a game in which center Corey Linlsey didn’t play and left tackle Rashawn Slater left in the second half after tearing his left bicep. However, the Chargers’ offensive line has been hit-and-miss this year, rather than showing signs of consistency. It’s difficult to predict what version of the protection is going to appear this week. Herbert has been sacked 38 times, which ranks seventh in the league.
5) Score prediction?
Cothrel: I truly view this matchup as a coin-flip game. I think a lot hinges on the availability of Williams’ status. Based on his current condition, I tend to think he doesn’t play, which in that case I’m picking the Jaguars to come out on top in a close finish. Jaguars win, 23-20.","
The Jacksonville Jaguars are just a day away from one of the biggest home games in franchise history: hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at TIAA Bank Field for a Wild Card showdown.
To preview this week's pivotal tilt, we spoke to Charger Report's Nicholas Cothrelto get his insight on the team the Jaguars are faced to do battle with.
1) What is the current state of the Chargers' offense?
Cothrel: Broadly speaking, I’d say the Chargers offense has been underwhelming for the most part. But they have shown signs of improvement across the last two weeks. They’ve also had mounting injuries to their pass-catching group all season, which have limited them in multiple areas. Only DeAndre Carter, who was initially signed as a return specialist, has played all 17 games among their wide receiver core. In games they’ve had Mike Williams and Keenan Allen each available, the offense has looked at or near the expectation of the unit. There’s only been four games this season that Williams and Allen have each been on the field for at least half of the offensive snaps, and in those contests the Chargers are 4-0 and quarterback Justin Herbert carries a completion percentage of 73.7, the highest in the NFL.
2) What kind of improvements has the Chargers' defense made in recent weeks?
Cothrel: The Chargers defense down the final stretch of the season put together a turnaround I don’t think many saw coming. They took a step back in the regular season finale last week, but down the stretch run from weeks 14-17, they ranked No. 1 in points allowed (11), yards per game (238) and third down percentage (23.3%). They’ve gotten healthier which has played a significant part, but a lot of the turnaround has to do with more time in Brandon Staley’s scheme. The Chargers overhauled half their defensive starters from a season ago, so they needed time to get acclimated and it appears they’ve done exactly that over the last month and half.
3) If the Chargers win or lose on Sunday, what do you think is the main reason why?
Cothrel: I think the biggest factor that will ultimately swing the game either for better or worse for the Chargers has to do with Mike Williams being available. He’s truly been their only downfield threat that challenges opposing defenses in the deep part of the field. Without him, I’m not sure the Chargers will hit on too many explosive plays in which they will probably assemble more of a long, methodical approach in moving the offense. The status of Williams, to me, is the key difference maker.
4) Which Jaguar is seen as a player the Chargers must stop to win the game?
Cothrel: The edge rushing duo of Travon Walker and Josh Allen, I think is a matchup that could give the Chargers some problems. Their pass-protection has been spotty across the back-half of the year and the Jaguars did give them issues in Week 3. It is worth noting that their previous meeting was also a game in which center Corey Linlsey didn’t play and left tackle Rashawn Slater left in the second half after tearing his left bicep. However, the Chargers’ offensive line has been hit-and-miss this year, rather than showing signs of consistency. It’s difficult to predict what version of the protection is going to appear this week. Herbert has been sacked 38 times, which ranks seventh in the league.
5) Score prediction?
Cothrel: I truly view this matchup as a coin-flip game. I think a lot hinges on the availability of Williams’ status. Based on his current condition, I tend to think he doesn’t play, which in that case I’m picking the Jaguars to come out on top in a close finish. Jaguars win, 23-20.
",en,2023-01-13T18:17:43Z,2023-01-13T18:17:46+00:00,2023-01-13T18:17:46Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MTM4NDkzNTgyNjgxMjg3/usatsi_19118338_168388385_lowres-1.jpg,We spoke with Charger Report's Nicholas Cothrel to get all of the inside information on the Jaguars' Wild Card foe.,,"[
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"Mariners Break 21-Year Playoff Drought, Clinch Wild Card Spot",https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/10/01/seattle-mariners-break-21-year-playoff-drought-clinch-wild-card-spot,https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/10/01/seattle-mariners-break-21-year-playoff-drought-clinch-wild-card-spot,2022-10-01T04:43:20+00:00,"For the first time since 2001, the Mariners are headed to the playoffs. Seattle officially clinched a playoff spot with a dramatic win over the Athletics on Friday night
Cal Raleigh, pinch hitting with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, blasted a walk-off homer to right field to send the Mariners to the postseason in epic fashion.
By clinching, the Seattle has officially snapped its 21-year postseason drought, which was the longest such drought among the four major sports. That record now belongs to the Sacramento Kings, who haven’t made the NBA playoffs since 2007.
Seattle will play in the Wild Card round of the MLB playoffs thanks to its infusion of talent over the last year. Star outfielder Julio Rodríguez has put up a. .844 OPS with 27 home runs in his rookie season, giving the Mariners a franchise cornerstone for the next 12 years.
The Mariners also added ace starter Luis Castillo at the trade deadline, then signed him to a contract extension of up to six years a few months later. Castillo, Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert are all under contract for the next four seasons at the top of Seattle’s rotation.
While the Mariners know they will play in the playoffs, who and where they play is still to be determined. If they finish as the No. 6 seed, they will play the Guardians in Cleveland. If they finish in fifth, they will likely have to go to Toronto to play the Blue Jays. And if they finish as the four seed, they will host either the Blue Jays or Rays for three games.
Currently, Seattle is 1.5 games behind Toronto for the fourth seed and half a game ahead of Tampa Bay for the five seed with six games to play.","
For the first time since 2001, the Mariners are headed to the playoffs. Seattle officially clinched a playoff spot with a dramatic win over the Athletics on Friday night
Cal Raleigh, pinch hitting with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, blasted a walk-off homer to right field to send the Mariners to the postseason in epic fashion.
By clinching, the Seattle has officially snapped its 21-year postseason drought, which was the longest such drought among the four major sports. That record now belongs to the Sacramento Kings, who haven’t made the NBA playoffs since 2007.
Seattle will play in the Wild Card round of the MLB playoffs thanks to its infusion of talent over the last year. Star outfielder Julio Rodríguez has put up a. .844 OPS with 27 home runs in his rookie season, giving the Mariners a franchise cornerstone for the next 12 years.
The Mariners also added ace starter Luis Castillo at the trade deadline, then signed him to a contract extension of up to six years a few months later. Castillo, Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert are all under contract for the next four seasons at the top of Seattle’s rotation.
While the Mariners know they will play in the playoffs, who and where they play is still to be determined. If they finish as the No. 6 seed, they will play the Guardians in Cleveland. If they finish in fifth, they will likely have to go to Toronto to play the Blue Jays. And if they finish as the four seed, they will host either the Blue Jays or Rays for three games.
Currently, Seattle is 1.5 games behind Toronto for the fourth seed and half a game ahead of Tampa Bay for the five seed with six games to play.
",en,2022-10-01T04:43:20Z,2022-10-01T04:43:22+00:00,2022-10-01T04:43:22Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNzEzNzEyMDgyMTAxNDQ4/cal-raleigh.jpg,Seattle punched its ticket back to the postseason in dramatic fashion.,,"[
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"How to Watch Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time",https://www.si.com/tv/nba/2022/10/21/washington-wizards-chicago-bulls-nba-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,https://www.si.com/tv/nba/2022/10/21/washington-wizards-chicago-bulls-nba-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,2022-10-21T21:00:00+00:00,"The Washington Wizards (1-0) face the Chicago Bulls (1-0) on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 4:00 PM ET. The matchup airs on NBCS-CHI and NBCS-DC. Want to stream this matchup? Read on for all the details you need, including how to watch on FuboTV.
How to Watch Wizards vs. Bulls
Key Stats for Wizards vs. Bulls
Last year, the Wizards recorded 108.6 points per game, just 3.4 fewer points than the 112.0 the Bulls allowed.
When Washington put up more than 112.0 points last season, it went 21-7.
When Chicago allowed fewer than 108.6 points last season, it went 26-4.
The Bulls put up an average of 111.6 points per game last year, just 0.4 fewer points than the 112.0 the Wizards allowed to opponents.
Chicago went 29-6 last season when it scored more than 112.0 points.
Washington went 22-10 last season when it gave up fewer than 111.6 points.
The Wizards shot 47.2% from the field last season, 0.2 percentage points lower than the 47.4% the Bulls allowed to opponents.
Washington went 24-15 when it shot higher than 47.4% from the field.
The Bulls shot 48.0% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 46.4% the Wizards' opponents shot last season.
Chicago went 33-14 when it shot higher than 46.4% from the field.
Wizards Players to Watch
Kyle Kuzma scored 17.1 points and grabbed 8.5 boards per game last season.
Monte Morris dispensed 4.4 assists per game while scoring 12.6 PPG.
Will Barton knocked down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.2 per contest a season ago.
Delon Wright averaged 1.2 steals per game, while Daniel Gafford notched 1.4 blocks per contest.
Bulls Players to Watch
DeMar DeRozan scored 27.9 points and distributed 4.9 assists per game last season.
Nikola Vucevic hauled in an average of 11.0 boards in each contest while scoring 17.6 points per game last season.
Zach LaVine knocked down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.8 per contest a season ago.
Wizards Upcoming Schedule
Bulls Upcoming Schedule","
The Washington Wizards (1-0) face the Chicago Bulls (1-0) on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 4:00 PM ET. The matchup airs on NBCS-CHI and NBCS-DC. Want to stream this matchup? Read on for all the details you need, including how to watch on FuboTV.
How to Watch Wizards vs. Bulls
Key Stats for Wizards vs. Bulls
Last year, the Wizards recorded 108.6 points per game, just 3.4 fewer points than the 112.0 the Bulls allowed.
When Washington put up more than 112.0 points last season, it went 21-7.
When Chicago allowed fewer than 108.6 points last season, it went 26-4.
The Bulls put up an average of 111.6 points per game last year, just 0.4 fewer points than the 112.0 the Wizards allowed to opponents.
Chicago went 29-6 last season when it scored more than 112.0 points.
Washington went 22-10 last season when it gave up fewer than 111.6 points.
The Wizards shot 47.2% from the field last season, 0.2 percentage points lower than the 47.4% the Bulls allowed to opponents.
Washington went 24-15 when it shot higher than 47.4% from the field.
The Bulls shot 48.0% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 46.4% the Wizards' opponents shot last season.
Chicago went 33-14 when it shot higher than 46.4% from the field.
Wizards Players to Watch
Kyle Kuzma scored 17.1 points and grabbed 8.5 boards per game last season.
Monte Morris dispensed 4.4 assists per game while scoring 12.6 PPG.
Will Barton knocked down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.2 per contest a season ago.
Delon Wright averaged 1.2 steals per game, while Daniel Gafford notched 1.4 blocks per contest.
Bulls Players to Watch
DeMar DeRozan scored 27.9 points and distributed 4.9 assists per game last season.
Nikola Vucevic hauled in an average of 11.0 boards in each contest while scoring 17.6 points per game last season.
Zach LaVine knocked down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.8 per contest a season ago.
Wizards Upcoming Schedule
Bulls Upcoming Schedule
",en,2022-10-21T21:00:00Z,2022-10-21T21:00:27+00:00,2022-10-21T21:00:27Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkzMTAzNDUxOTEwNTc5ODk3/image-placeholder-title.jpg,"Find out how to watch, live stream or TV channel and game time information for the October 21, 2022 matchup between the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls.",,"[
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"How to Watch Utah State Aggies vs. Memphis Tigers: First Responder Bowl Free Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time",https://www.si.com/tv/college-football/2022/12/27/utah-state-aggies-memphis-tigers-first-responder-bowl-college-football-2022-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,https://www.si.com/tv/college-football/2022/12/27/utah-state-aggies-memphis-tigers-first-responder-bowl-college-football-2022-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,2022-12-27T18:15:00+00:00,"The First Responder Bowl will feature the Memphis Tigers heading into a showdown with the Utah State Aggies on December 27, 2022, starting at 3:15 PM ET. We have more info below, and that includes how to watch this game on FuboTV.
How to Watch Utah State vs. Memphis
Betting Information for Memphis vs. Utah State
Memphis and Utah State Stats
Memphis, on average, is scoring 4.5 more points per game this season (35.1) than Utah State is allowing (30.6).
This season Utah State has forced 16 turnovers, compared to the 15 times Memphis has turned the ball over.
Utah State's average points scored this season, 23.3, is four fewer than the 27.3 Memphis is giving up.
Utah State has turned the ball over 24 times this season, while Memphis has 19 takeaways.
Memphis Players to Watch
Seth Henigan leads Memphis with 3,287 passing yards (273.9 ypg) on 266-of-417 passing with 19 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions this season. He also adds 315 rushing yards (26.3 ypg) on 135 carries while scoring four touchdowns on the ground.
The team's top rusher, Jevyon Ducker, has carried the ball 97 times for 461 yards (38.4 per game), with five touchdowns this year.
This season Asa Martin has racked up 75 carries for 392 yards (32.7 per game) and seven touchdowns, while also catching 35 passes for 302 yards (25.2 per game) and one touchdown.
Caden Prieskorn's team-high 593 receiving yards (49.4 yards per game) have come on 46 receptions with six touchdowns.
Javon Ivory has totaled 586 receiving yards (48.8 yards per game) and two touchdowns, reeling in 46 passes this year.
Eddie Lewis has hauled in 37 receptions for 532 yards (44.3 ypg) and five touchdowns this season.
Utah State Players to Watch
Cooper Legas has 1,465 passing yards (122.1 ypg) to lead Utah State, completing 61% of his passes and collecting 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions this season. He's also helped out on the ground with 278 rushing yards (23.2 ypg) on 96 carries with two rushing touchdowns.
Calvin Tyler Jr. has carried the ball 237 times for a team-high 1,043 yards (86.9 per game), with seven touchdowns this year.
This season Robert Briggs has racked up 74 carries for 353 yards (29.4 per game) and one touchdown.
Brian Cobbs' 814 receiving yards (67.8 yards per game) lead all receivers on the team. He's totaled 69 receptions and four touchdowns.
Terrell Vaughn has reeled in 53 passes for 620 yards (51.7 yards per game) and five touchdowns this year.","
The First Responder Bowl will feature the Memphis Tigers heading into a showdown with the Utah State Aggies on December 27, 2022, starting at 3:15 PM ET. We have more info below, and that includes how to watch this game on FuboTV.
How to Watch Utah State vs. Memphis
Betting Information for Memphis vs. Utah State
Memphis and Utah State Stats
Memphis, on average, is scoring 4.5 more points per game this season (35.1) than Utah State is allowing (30.6).
This season Utah State has forced 16 turnovers, compared to the 15 times Memphis has turned the ball over.
Utah State's average points scored this season, 23.3, is four fewer than the 27.3 Memphis is giving up.
Utah State has turned the ball over 24 times this season, while Memphis has 19 takeaways.
Memphis Players to Watch
Seth Henigan leads Memphis with 3,287 passing yards (273.9 ypg) on 266-of-417 passing with 19 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions this season. He also adds 315 rushing yards (26.3 ypg) on 135 carries while scoring four touchdowns on the ground.
The team's top rusher, Jevyon Ducker, has carried the ball 97 times for 461 yards (38.4 per game), with five touchdowns this year.
This season Asa Martin has racked up 75 carries for 392 yards (32.7 per game) and seven touchdowns, while also catching 35 passes for 302 yards (25.2 per game) and one touchdown.
Caden Prieskorn's team-high 593 receiving yards (49.4 yards per game) have come on 46 receptions with six touchdowns.
Javon Ivory has totaled 586 receiving yards (48.8 yards per game) and two touchdowns, reeling in 46 passes this year.
Eddie Lewis has hauled in 37 receptions for 532 yards (44.3 ypg) and five touchdowns this season.
Utah State Players to Watch
Cooper Legas has 1,465 passing yards (122.1 ypg) to lead Utah State, completing 61% of his passes and collecting 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions this season. He's also helped out on the ground with 278 rushing yards (23.2 ypg) on 96 carries with two rushing touchdowns.
Calvin Tyler Jr. has carried the ball 237 times for a team-high 1,043 yards (86.9 per game), with seven touchdowns this year.
This season Robert Briggs has racked up 74 carries for 353 yards (29.4 per game) and one touchdown.
Brian Cobbs' 814 receiving yards (67.8 yards per game) lead all receivers on the team. He's totaled 69 receptions and four touchdowns.
Terrell Vaughn has reeled in 53 passes for 620 yards (51.7 yards per game) and five touchdowns this year.
",en,2022-12-27T18:15:00Z,2022-12-27T17:01:33+00:00,2022-12-27T17:01:33Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0NjE1ODE3NTM3ODU2Njc0/image-placeholder-title.jpg,"Find out how to watch, live stream or TV channel and game time information for the First Responder Bowl College Football matchup between the Utah State Aggies and the Memphis Tigers on December 27, 2022.",,"[
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"How to Watch Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Texas A&M Aggies: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time",https://www.si.com/tv/college-football/2022/10/01/mississippi-state-bulldogs-texas-a-m-aggies-college-football-2022-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,https://www.si.com/tv/college-football/2022/10/01/mississippi-state-bulldogs-texas-a-m-aggies-college-football-2022-how-to-watch-online-live-stream-free,2022-10-01T18:00:00+00:00,"The Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-1) will face a familiar opponent as they host the No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies (3-1) on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field, in a SEC battle. Check out the story below for all the info you need to know, including how to watch this game on FuboTV.
How to Watch Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M
Mississippi State and Texas A&M Stats
Mississippi State has scored 37.3 points per game this season, 25.5 more than Texas A&M has given up.
This season Texas A&M has forced four turnovers, compared to the seven times Mississippi State has turned the ball over.
Mississippi State's defense has allowed 21.3 points per game this year, the same as Texas A&M has scored.
This season Mississippi State has forced six turnovers, compared to the four times Texas A&M has turned the ball over.
Mississippi State Players to Watch
Will Rogers leads Mississippi State with 1,386 passing yards (346.5 ypg) on 140-of-190 passing with 16 touchdowns compared to three interceptions this season.
Dillon Johnson has carried the ball 36 times for a team-high 234 yards (58.5 per game) this year. He's also tacked on 21 catches for 123 yards (30.8 per game).
This season Jo'Quavious Marks has racked up 139 yards (34.8 per game) on 29 carries with four touchdowns.
Caleb Ducking's 258 receiving yards (64.5 yards per game) lead the team. He has 21 receptions with five touchdowns.
Rara Thomas has put together a 225-yard season so far (56.3 receiving yards per game) with two touchdowns, reeling in 15 passes.
Rufus Harvey has hauled in 19 catches for 188 yards (47 ypg) and one touchdown this season.
Texas A&M Players to Watch
Haynes King has 461 passing yards (115.3 ypg) to lead Texas A&M, completing 64.7% of his passes and recording three touchdown passes and two interceptions this season. He's also chipped in on the ground with 58 rushing yards (14.5 ypg) on 14 carries.
Devon Achane has carried the ball 65 times for a team-high 355 yards (88.8 per game), with three touchdowns this year. He's also tacked on nine catches for 71 yards (17.8 per game) and one touchdown.
This season Max Johnson has racked up 73 yards (18.3 per game) on 21 attempts.
Ainias Smith's 291 receiving yards (72.8 yards per game) lead all receivers on the team. He's totaled 15 receptions and two touchdowns.
Evan Stewart has racked up 141 receiving yards (35.3 yards per game) and one touchdown, hauling in 13 passes this year.
Yulkeith Brown's five receptions have netted him 97 yards (24.3 ypg) and one touchdown.","
The Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-1) will face a familiar opponent as they host the No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies (3-1) on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field, in a SEC battle. Check out the story below for all the info you need to know, including how to watch this game on FuboTV.
How to Watch Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M
Mississippi State and Texas A&M Stats
Mississippi State has scored 37.3 points per game this season, 25.5 more than Texas A&M has given up.
This season Texas A&M has forced four turnovers, compared to the seven times Mississippi State has turned the ball over.
Mississippi State's defense has allowed 21.3 points per game this year, the same as Texas A&M has scored.
This season Mississippi State has forced six turnovers, compared to the four times Texas A&M has turned the ball over.
Mississippi State Players to Watch
Will Rogers leads Mississippi State with 1,386 passing yards (346.5 ypg) on 140-of-190 passing with 16 touchdowns compared to three interceptions this season.
Dillon Johnson has carried the ball 36 times for a team-high 234 yards (58.5 per game) this year. He's also tacked on 21 catches for 123 yards (30.8 per game).
This season Jo'Quavious Marks has racked up 139 yards (34.8 per game) on 29 carries with four touchdowns.
Caleb Ducking's 258 receiving yards (64.5 yards per game) lead the team. He has 21 receptions with five touchdowns.
Rara Thomas has put together a 225-yard season so far (56.3 receiving yards per game) with two touchdowns, reeling in 15 passes.
Rufus Harvey has hauled in 19 catches for 188 yards (47 ypg) and one touchdown this season.
Texas A&M Players to Watch
Haynes King has 461 passing yards (115.3 ypg) to lead Texas A&M, completing 64.7% of his passes and recording three touchdown passes and two interceptions this season. He's also chipped in on the ground with 58 rushing yards (14.5 ypg) on 14 carries.
Devon Achane has carried the ball 65 times for a team-high 355 yards (88.8 per game), with three touchdowns this year. He's also tacked on nine catches for 71 yards (17.8 per game) and one touchdown.
This season Max Johnson has racked up 73 yards (18.3 per game) on 21 attempts.
Ainias Smith's 291 receiving yards (72.8 yards per game) lead all receivers on the team. He's totaled 15 receptions and two touchdowns.
Evan Stewart has racked up 141 receiving yards (35.3 yards per game) and one touchdown, hauling in 13 passes this year.
Yulkeith Brown's five receptions have netted him 97 yards (24.3 ypg) and one touchdown.
",en,2022-10-01T18:00:00Z,2022-10-01T16:01:00+00:00,2022-10-01T16:01:00Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNjI0MTM0NjMzODI1ODI4/image-placeholder-title.jpg,"Find out how to watch, live stream or TV channel and game time information for the College Football matchup between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Texas A&M Aggies on October 1, 2022.",,"[
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GALLERY: Photos from Auburn's 42-10 loss to Georgia,https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/georgia-vs-auburn-photo-gallery,https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/georgia-vs-auburn-photo-gallery,2022-10-09T19:13:53+00:00,"Another weekend, another loss for Auburn and Bryan Harsin.
The Tigers moved to 3-3 on the season after their 32-point drubbing at the hands of No. 2 Georgia. What was a 14-0 lead for the Bulldogs in the third quarter quickly ballooned after Auburn continued to shoot itself in the foot over and over and over again.
Here's a gallery of the blowout loss. Soak it all in before things get worse.
asd
Top stories on the Auburn vs UGA matchup
WATCH: Auburn attempts a fake punt in UGA territory
WATCH: Auburn notches second half sack and fumble
Auburn's Brandon Council thinks the Tigers can 'demolish' Georgia's defensive front
How the last six road debuts have gone for Auburn starting quarterbacks
Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!
Join the Discord","
Another weekend, another loss for Auburn and Bryan Harsin.
The Tigers moved to 3-3 on the season after their 32-point drubbing at the hands of No. 2 Georgia. What was a 14-0 lead for the Bulldogs in the third quarter quickly ballooned after Auburn continued to shoot itself in the foot over and over and over again.
Here's a gallery of the blowout loss. Soak it all in before things get worse.
",en,2022-10-09T19:13:53Z,2022-10-09T19:13:56+00:00,2022-10-09T19:13:56Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyODkyNTAyNzEyMzk0OTcz/usatsi_19199366.jpg,At least the Tigers' uniforms looked clean...,"[
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"How to Watch Auburn at Missouri: Stream Women's College Volleyball Live, TV Channel",https://www.si.com/tv/college-volleyball/2022/10/16/auburn-missouri-stream-college-volleyball-live,https://www.si.com/tv/college-volleyball/2022/10/16/auburn-missouri-stream-college-volleyball-live,2022-10-16T16:00:00+00:00,"The Auburn Tigers look to stay hot on Sunday when they play the Missouri Tigers for the second straight day. Auburn drew first blood on Saturday when they won a tough five-set match. The Tigers dropped the first two sets to Missouri but roared back to win the final three sets 25-17, 25-17 and 15-12. It was a huge comeback for the Tigers that moved them to 17-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC. Their lone loss was a tough five-set defeat to LSU a week and a half ago. They are now tied with Florida and Kentucky for the top spot in the SEC.
How to Watch Women's College Volleyball, Auburn at Missouri:
Match Date: Oct. 16, 2022
Match Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Missouri gave Auburn everything it had on Saturday, but came up short and is now 0-6 in the SEC. They came into conference play 7-3, but have not had the same success inside the SEC.
They have struggled in the SEC, but have been competitive and have just missed getting their first win a couple of times. Sunday they will look to finally get over that hump and upset Auburn.","
The Auburn Tigers look to stay hot on Sunday when they play the Missouri Tigers for the second straight day. Auburn drew first blood on Saturday when they won a tough five-set match. The Tigers dropped the first two sets to Missouri but roared back to win the final three sets 25-17, 25-17 and 15-12. It was a huge comeback for the Tigers that moved them to 17-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC. Their lone loss was a tough five-set defeat to LSU a week and a half ago. They are now tied with Florida and Kentucky for the top spot in the SEC.
How to Watch Women's College Volleyball, Auburn at Missouri:
Match Date: Oct. 16, 2022
Match Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Missouri gave Auburn everything it had on Saturday, but came up short and is now 0-6 in the SEC. They came into conference play 7-3, but have not had the same success inside the SEC.
They have struggled in the SEC, but have been competitive and have just missed getting their first win a couple of times. Sunday they will look to finally get over that hump and upset Auburn.
",en,2022-10-16T16:00:00Z,2022-10-16T15:01:14+00:00,2022-10-16T15:01:14Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTg1NTU5MDU0MzYwMjU3NjE4/usatsi_13388897.jpg,Auburn goes for the two-match sweep of Missouri on Sunday in the finale of their series with the Tigers,,"[
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Three observations from Troy Taylor's first press conference as the Stanford head coach,https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/three-observations-from-troy-taylors-first-press-conference-as-the-stanford-head-coach,https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/three-observations-from-troy-taylors-first-press-conference-as-the-stanford-head-coach,2022-12-12T20:55:58+00:00,"Every Stanford fan, player, and media member around the country waited anxiously for Monday at 11 to come.
It marked the first time that we got to hear from Stanford's new head coach, Troy Taylor. The now former Sacramento State head coach is tasked with guiding Stanford into the modern era of college football. Despite the immense success that David Shaw had as the head coach before Taylor took over, his inability to adjust to the changes around him ultimately led to his downfall as the head coach at Stanford.
Taylor on the other hand is widely viewed as an offensive minded guru, and made it known when speaking to the media that change is imminent. While it is pretty hard to lose the opening interview, I would say that Taylor absolutely crushed his first outing as the Stanford head coach.
Loyalty to the players
Despite knowing the players on the roster and recruits committed to the program for at most, two days, Taylor made sure to welcome that every single player on the roster last year or expected to be next year, has a spot. He emphasized this multiple times, and may have even been taking a shot at Colorado's new head coach Deion Sanders, who essentially told the entire Colorado team to hit the portal. I've yet to hear someone have a negative thing to say about Taylor, and he genuinely seems like he cares about what is in the best interest in the players.
It will be his offense
While some people like myself just assumed he would be calling the offense, there was a thought process by others that he will allow someone else to call plays and transition into a CEO role. That is not the case with Taylor, who said he will be calling the plays and that the offense will be dynamic and extremely aggressive. Taylor's offense is predicated on taking calculated risks to get the ball to the playmakers in open space, which makes for an exciting brand of football. Also, his offense which put up 63 points in his final game at Sac State should be one that entices more recruits to consider Stanford.
Willingness to use the transfer portal
One of the biggest questions about the future of Stanford's football program was how it fits in a world full of players moving everywhere thanks to the transfer portal. Taylor assured that changes in those aspects will happen, explaining that is how people evolve. He did make sure to say that the transfers will need to be good fits for the program, but I definitely took his statements as they will be using the transfer portal the best they can.","
Every Stanford fan, player, and media member around the country waited anxiously for Monday at 11 to come.
It marked the first time that we got to hear from Stanford's new head coach, Troy Taylor. The now former Sacramento State head coach is tasked with guiding Stanford into the modern era of college football. Despite the immense success that David Shaw had as the head coach before Taylor took over, his inability to adjust to the changes around him ultimately led to his downfall as the head coach at Stanford.
Taylor on the other hand is widely viewed as an offensive minded guru, and made it known when speaking to the media that change is imminent. While it is pretty hard to lose the opening interview, I would say that Taylor absolutely crushed his first outing as the Stanford head coach.
Loyalty to the players
Despite knowing the players on the roster and recruits committed to the program for at most, two days, Taylor made sure to welcome that every single player on the roster last year or expected to be next year, has a spot. He emphasized this multiple times, and may have even been taking a shot at Colorado's new head coach Deion Sanders, who essentially told the entire Colorado team to hit the portal. I've yet to hear someone have a negative thing to say about Taylor, and he genuinely seems like he cares about what is in the best interest in the players.
It will be his offense
While some people like myself just assumed he would be calling the offense, there was a thought process by others that he will allow someone else to call plays and transition into a CEO role. That is not the case with Taylor, who said he will be calling the plays and that the offense will be dynamic and extremely aggressive. Taylor's offense is predicated on taking calculated risks to get the ball to the playmakers in open space, which makes for an exciting brand of football. Also, his offense which put up 63 points in his final game at Sac State should be one that entices more recruits to consider Stanford.
Willingness to use the transfer portal
One of the biggest questions about the future of Stanford's football program was how it fits in a world full of players moving everywhere thanks to the transfer portal. Taylor assured that changes in those aspects will happen, explaining that is how people evolve. He did make sure to say that the transfers will need to be good fits for the program, but I definitely took his statements as they will be using the transfer portal the best they can.
",en,2022-12-12T20:55:58Z,2022-12-12T20:56:00+00:00,2022-12-12T20:56:00Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk0MzUxMjUwNTA0OTUxMzAx/usatsi_13349592.jpg,Stanford's new head coach addressed the media for the first time,"[
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Lakers News: De'Aaron Fox Blames Last-Second Loss On Refs,https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/deaaron-fox-blames-last-second-loss-on-refs-ak1987,https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/deaaron-fox-blames-last-second-loss-on-refs-ak1987,2023-01-08T17:00:00+00:00,"Last night, your Los Angeles Lakers won a free throw-heavy (70 free throws total!) nail-biter at Golden 1 Center against the host Sacramento Kings, 136-134, at the very last second. But a win is a win, especially for a team missing two starters (Anthony Davis and Lonnie Walker IV) and two key role playing wings (Austin Reaves and Troy Brown Jr.).
It all came down to a make-or-break final moment, when star Sacramento point guard De'Aaron Fox managed to hip check Los Angeles starting point guard Dennis Schröder. Fox was whistled for a foul on the play, Schroder nailed his two ensuing free throws, and Fox then missed a halfcourt heave as time expired.
That tweet has already been scrubbed from his page as of this writing, but a screen grab caught it before it departed. You can tell the man is salty, but is hoping NBA brass doesn't notice.
Fox, a fringe All-Star candidate, finished with a quite-strong 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting and nine dimes.
But Schröder put in 27 points himself -- plus the win, and it's quite clearly getting under Fox's skin.
Per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register, Schröder is empathetic with Fox's plight. The 6'2"" vet also managed to sprinkle in his belief that Fox deserves to make the All-Star team in his comment.
""He had a hell of a game, was hot, played great,"" Schröder raved. ""If you foul, you foul... End of the day, you can't fall. Especially when you're in the bonus.""
Los Angeles will finally get a brief reprieve today, as the club squares off against the rolling Denver Nuggets on Monday, its third game in five nights.","
Last night, your Los Angeles Lakers won a free throw-heavy (70 free throws total!) nail-biter at Golden 1 Center against the host Sacramento Kings, 136-134, at the very last second. But a win is a win, especially for a team missing two starters (Anthony Davis and Lonnie Walker IV) and two key role playing wings (Austin Reaves and Troy Brown Jr.).
It all came down to a make-or-break final moment, when star Sacramento point guard De'Aaron Fox managed to hip check Los Angeles starting point guard Dennis Schröder. Fox was whistled for a foul on the play, Schroder nailed his two ensuing free throws, and Fox then missed a halfcourt heave as time expired.
That tweet has already been scrubbed from his page as of this writing, but a screen grab caught it before it departed. You can tell the man is salty, but is hoping NBA brass doesn't notice.
Fox, a fringe All-Star candidate, finished with a quite-strong 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting and nine dimes.
But Schröder put in 27 points himself -- plus the win, and it's quite clearly getting under Fox's skin.
Per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register, Schröder is empathetic with Fox's plight. The 6'2"" vet also managed to sprinkle in his belief that Fox deserves to make the All-Star team in his comment.
""He had a hell of a game, was hot, played great,"" Schröder raved. ""If you foul, you foul... End of the day, you can't fall. Especially when you're in the bonus.""
Los Angeles will finally get a brief reprieve today, as the club squares off against the rolling Denver Nuggets on Monday, its third game in five nights.
",en,2023-01-08T17:00:00Z,2023-01-08T10:59:57+00:00,2023-01-08T10:59:57Z,https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTk1MDE1NzA5NTk0NDk0Njkw/dennis-schroder-deaaron-fox-1-7-23.jpg,He seemingly has forgotten he got to shoot 15 free throws.,,"[
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