Archive for October, 2018
NFL Trade Deadline, Maryland Reinstates Durkin, Ohio State’s Urban Meyer Headaches
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The NFL trade deadline took place on Tuesday and there were some big moves including wide receiver Golden Tate leaving Detroit for Philadelphia, and the Denver Broncos saying goodbye to their longtime receiver Demaryius Thomas who will now be on the field as a Houston Texan. Keep an eye out for Thomas making his debut on Sunday back in Denver when the Broncos host the Texans….awkward!
In a big story out of the college football world, the University of Maryland reinstated head coach DJ Durkin who was placed on leave in August due to an investigation into his football program after the death on June 13th of offensive lineman Jordan McNair. McNair died of heatstroke after a grueling workout on May 29th. The Maryland Board of Regents defended the reinstatement of Durkin, while Jordan McNair’s father expressed his outrage saying, “I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach, and somebody spit in my face.”
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer explained to a number of media outlets he’s been suffering bad headaches due to a cyst on his brain. Meyer had brain surgery in 2014 and has dealt with pain off and on since then. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Meyer will be able to remain with the team. Meyer, however, said, “I am fully committed to Ohio State and the football program for as long I can.â€
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Klay Breaks Curry’s 3-Point Game Record, Cavs Fire Head Coach, Pats D Steps Up
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The Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson broke teammate Steph Curry’s record for most  3-pointers in a game. Thompson scored 14 3-point field goals in an easy 149-124 win over the Chicago Bulls. After the game, Thompson said, “It’s the best feeling in basketball or one of the best feelings in basketball when you touch the ball and feel like it’s going in every time.â€
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One day after the Cleveland Cavaliers ousted their head coach, the other professional sports team, the Browns, fired their head coach, Hue Jackson, and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. The Browns may have finally gotten a couple of wins this season, but it was too little too late and needed to make a change. Last season the team went 0-16 and the prior season 1-15. The team’s defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, will take over as interim coach.
The New England Patriots couldn’t put together much of an offense on Monday Night Football, but their defense stepped up in a big way and propelled them to a 25-6 win over the Buffalo Bills. Everyone is now anticipating next week’s matchup featuring two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, the Patriots Tom Brady, and the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers.
No commentsRed Sox World Series Champs, Cavs Fire Lue, Kareem Hunt’s Hurdle, Winston Benched
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The Boston Red Sox cruised to victory over the LA Dodgers on Sunday night to win their 4th World Series title in the last 15 years. The Red Sox dominated the series, but game 3 on Friday night added a bit of intrigue as we witnessed a historic 18 inning game where the Dodgers pulled off the win in the early hours Saturday morning. There wasn’t much time for the teams to rest as they had to get back on the field Saturday night for game 4, where the Red Sox dominated. On Sunday night, Boston came out to an early lead and never let go becoming world champions. With 3 home runs and 8 RBI’s, Steve Pearce was named the World Series MVP. Pearce was traded from Toronto to the Red Sox midseason and only played 50 games after the trade. After the game, Pearce said, “I’m in a dream right now,” and went on to say, “This has been the funnest year of my life.” Congratulations Red Sox on winning the Pennant!
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On Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers fired Tyronn Lue. The Cavs started this season 0-6, but many felt the decision to fire Lue was premature given how Lue led the Cavs to three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals winning the championship in 2016. LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers expressed his anger at Lue’s firing saying, “I think it’s awful, I think what it shows you is, you know — go to the Finals, win it. Go to the Finals three years in a row, and then you come back and get fired. You know, it makes no sense. It’s the ugly part of our game.” Assistant coach Larry Drew will take over for Lue.
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One of the top plays in the NFL on Sunday was watching Kansas City Chiefs Kareem Hunt grab a shovel pass from QB Patrick Mahomes and leap over a defensive player for a touchdown. The Chiefs beat the Broncos 30-23.
Unfortunately for the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, their quarterback Jameis Winston had a really bad day throwing 4 interceptions in just three quarters. Winston was benched in the 3rd quarter and Ryan Fitzpatrick filled in and almost brought the team back from a horrible deficit. It was too little too late though, and the Bucs lost 34-37 to the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Texans Win Over Dolphins, Hopkins Catch, Lakers Win With Kobe Courtside, Thunder 0-4
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After a slow start, the Houston Texans revived their season winning the last 5 games. On Thursday night, they looked particularly impressive with a 42-23 win over the Miami Dolphins. The Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson looked solid with a career-high five touchdowns. The most amazing play of the game didn’t count due to a controversial offensive pass interference call, but watching DeAndre Hopkins acrobatically catch a throw from Watson is inspiring. While the Texans are on the rise, the Dolphins started the season 3-0 and have now lost the last 4 of 5 games.
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The LA Lakers got their first win at home on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets. Laker superstar Kobe Bryant sat courtside cheering on his former team while LeBron James thrilled the crowd with a triple-double (28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists). LeBron expressed appreciation for Kobe coming to the game and said, “I absolutely noticed him sitting there on the baseline. An all-time Laker great, (with) what he has done for this franchise in the 20-plus years he was here. It speaks wonders for me to compete against him all those years and for me to be able to share a jersey. For him to take the time to watch us play tonight was pretty cool.” 121-114
The Oklahoma City Thunder lost again on Thursday (to the Boston Celtics) and are now 0-4 for the season. Thunder’s Russell Westbrook said he takes responsibility for the team’s losses. Celtics 101, Thunder 95.
No commentsRed Sox Up 2-0 In World Series, LeBron Gets Win, Curry Puts On A Show
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On Wednesday night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox grabbed game 2 of the World Series leaving the LA Dodgers down two games in the best of seven series. The bad news for the Dodgers is teams that are up 2-0 in the World Series have gone on to win the Championship 80.8% of the time. The Dodgers are heading home for game 3 on Friday.
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LeBron and the LA Lakers finally have a win. After going 0-3 to start the season, the Lakers posted their first win Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns. LeBron added 19 points through three quarters to help the team in a 131-113 rout. After the game, LeBron said, “It feels great. It’s a win, period, but it feels good to know what we have been doing over training camp and these first few games to continue to get better.”
The Warriors’ Steph Curry put on a show Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards scoring 51 points and 11 three-pointers just in the first three quarters. Curry recorded his 6th career 50 plus point game, the 3rd most in franchise history and is now 5th on the NBA’s all-time 3 pointers list. After the game curry was laughing about how two of his teammates (Kevin Durant one of them) yelled at him to shoot 3’s instead of passing. He said, “The last 3 in the first quarter is probably the funniest thing I’ve experienced on the court where two guys on my team are yelling at me from the time I was at the other free throw line like, ‘Don’t pass it, don’t pass it. You better shoot it,’ all that type of stuff. I’m hearing that while I’m dribbling down, and it was kind of all the motivation you need just to launch it, and thankfully it went in.” Warriors 144, Wizards 122.
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Red Sox Grab Game 1, Griffin Puts On Show, Drake And Scooter Braun eSports Owners
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The Boston Red Sox grabbed game one of the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers with an 8-4 win. The teams were counting on the power of their starting pitchers, Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale, but by the fourth inning, neither one could get an out, and both teams needed to count on their full roster of players to finish the game. Game two is Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
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Blake Griffin put on a show in an exciting 50 point night to give his Detroit Pistons the win over the Philadelphia 76ers 133-132. The Pistons are now 3-0 on the season thanks largely to Griffin’s inspired play. With 109 points so far this season, Griffin set a record for most points for a Piston player in three games and is the first Piston player to score 50 points, at least 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
GAMING
Drake and Scooter Braun bought an ownership stake in eSports company, 100 Thieves, the company owned by the former professional gaming legend, Mathew Haag (Nadeshot). 100 Thieves is a gaming company with teams competing in League of Legends, Call of Duty and Fortnite as well as a lifestyle and apparel company. Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert also has an ownership stake in the company.
No commentsLakers 0-3, Giants Offense Not Clicking, Cooper Traded To Cowboys
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The LA Lakers lost in overtime by 6 points and fell to 0-3 the first 0-3 start of LeBron’s career since 2004/5 season. The Lakers were up by 6 in overtime with only a minute to play, but then LeBron missed a couple of free throws, and the team just couldn’t pull it together. After the game, LeBron explained, “I know what I got myself into. It’s a process. I get it. And it will be fine.” He went on to say, “We’re going to continue to get better. I like the direction we’re going in. Obviously, it’s not resulting in the wins right now but it’s such a long process.” Spurs 143, Lakers 142
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The New York Giants can’t seem to get their offense clicking this season. On Monday Night Football, the Giants lost to the Atlanta Falcons, and all eyes were on what Giants QB Eli Manning didn’t do. The Giants had opportunities in the red zone but failed to convert. In fact, the Giants red zone efficiency is at a pathetic 43%. On one particular play, Coach Pat Shurmur was caught on ESPN cameras saying, “What? Throw to Odell” on a play that had receiver Odell Beckham Jr wide open in the end zone with what looked like an easy touchdown. The Giants are now 1-6 on the season. Falcons 23, Giants 20.
The Raiders traded Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2019 1st round pick. Earlier this season, the Raiders traded Khalil Mack for another first round pick in 2019. The question is what message is Raiders coach Jon Gruden giving his team after trading away so many of his star players for future draft picks.
No commentsDodgers Join Red Sox In World Series, Brees Another Milestone, Rams Unbeaten, Browns Overtime, NBA Suspensions
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The LA Dodgers closed out the NLCS with a 4-3 series win over the Milwaukee Brewers. They will now face the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. Game one of this iconic matchup takes place in Boston on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern.
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A few highlights from the NFL this weekend.
New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees made history throwing for 500 career touchdowns. He’s only the 4th player to reach this milestone, joining Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre. Just two weeks ago Brees recorded another milestone when he became the all-time leader in passing yardage, surpassing Favre and Manning. And, if that wasn’t enough, Brees added another record on Sunday. With his team’s win over the Baltimore Ravens, Brees has now beaten all 32 teams in the course of his 18 years in the League. Saints 24, Ravens 23.
LA Rams looked unusual on Sunday with their all yellow throwback uniforms but continued their unbeaten season with a win over the SF 49ers 39-10.
With their fourth overtime game this season, the Cleveland Browns have tied for the most overtime games in NFL history in one season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Browns with Chandler Catanzaro’s 59-yard field goal (the longest field goal in overtime in NFL history). Buccs 26, Browns 23.
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The NBA did not mess around after Saturday’s Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers matchup and quickly suspended three of their star players for an on-court altercation. LA Lakers’ Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo and Houston Rockets’ Chris Paul were ejected from the game on Saturday. Ingram will miss 4 games and forfeit $158, 817 in salary, while Rondo will miss three games and $186,206 in salary and Paul two games and $491,781 in salary. According to reports (and replays), the altercation began after Rondo spit in Chris Paul’s face. Executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe explained the suspensions by stating, “In this incident, the multiple-game suspensions are pretty severe both to their teams and financially to the players. I do think it sends the right message and right tone to protect the safety of our players, which is paramount.â€
No commentsRed Sox Heading To World Series, Broncos Destroy Cardinals In TNF, Tiebreaker At Wimbledon
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The Boston Red Sox won the American League Pennant after a game 5 win over the Houston Astros and are heading to the World Series for the first time since 2013. Red Sox pitcher David Price, who was having a tough post-season, came through throwing for six scoreless innings to help lead his team to victory. Boston had the best record in the regular season, so they will enjoy home-field advantage and hosting the first game of the World Series on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
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The Denver Broncos destroyed the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football 45-10. With a 1-6 record, everyone is now wondering when the Cardinals offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy will be fired.
TENNIS
Wimbledon is known for their traditions but has decided to amend the rules instituting a tie-breaker in the final set if the score is 12-12. The Chair of the New England Club said, “While we know the instances of matches extending deep into the final set are rare, we feel that a tie-break at 12-12 strikes an equitable balance between allowing players ample opportunity to complete the match to advantage, while also providing certainty that the match will reach a conclusion in an acceptable timeframe.” While it’s rare to have marathon matches, there have been occasions where matches have gone on for hours (and in one case over days). In 2010, John Isner and Nicholas Mahut played 11 hours over three days with Isner finally winning 70-68.
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Red Sox Up 3-1 But Astros Upset Over Controversial Call, Dodgers Up 3-2, 6th Grader Offered College Scholarship, Hope Nelson’s Inspirational Story
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The Boston Red Sox are one game away from returning to the World Series. Boston battled Houston to give them a 3-1 lead, but not without some controversy. In the bottom of the second inning, Astros’ Jose Altuve looked like he hit a home run, but a fan in the stands reached out and prevented Mookie Betts from making the catch (although it’s not clear Betts would have caught the ball either way). The umpires ruled Altuve out claiming the fan interfered with the play.
In the NLCS, Clayton Kershaw gave the LA Dodgers a 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers taking a 3-2 in the series. The Brewers took an unusual step in starting pitcher Wade Miley and then pulling him after only 5 pitches and replacing him with Brandon Woodruff. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said it was the best matchup for the team in that situation. Miley will start on Friday and said, “Will be probably the biggest game of my career, so I’m looking forward to going out there and get the chance.” Dodgers could head to the World Series with a win on Friday.
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Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kifflin announced on social media he’s offering a scholarship to sixth-grader Cole Leinart. Eleven-year-old Leinart is the son of former USC quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Matt Leinart.
In an inspiring story out of college football, Hope Nelson is a freshman helping coach her football team at Franklin College. She played defensive back for her high school football team and is a former cheerleader and pole vaulter. She’s also blind in one eye from a freak accident as a 3-year-old. Her resilience and courage propelled her to compete at an elite level, but she’s not satisfied working as an assistant coach. She’s determined to try out next year as a sophomore to play on Franklin College’s football squad. If she makes it, she’ll be the only woman in the school’s 184-year history to make the team.
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