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Well, it’s been a long time coming, after a season of thrills, spills and in some cases utter despair. Now the NFL Postseason is upon us and the wildcard round began in earnest with some thrilling games. None more so perhaps, than the game between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts , two divisional rivals who split their season series in 2018. With so much at stake both quarterbacks , Andrew Luck of the Colts and DeShaun Watson of the Texans had to be at their very best. This was clearly the case as both players sought to exhibit their very best during this AFC Wildcard Round contest.
Slide show.
Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts steamrolled through a Houston Texans’ defense which appeared non-existent on their way to a 21-7 victory . The Colts will now look forward to meeting the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round of this postseason .
Far be it for me to suggest , but Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys must have known that it had to be now or never to prove himself as the Head Coach of this franchise. Garrett’s record in the postseason has not been an enviable one in comparison to many of his predecessors. In Saturday’s home game against the Seattle Seahawks , the Dallas Cowboys were up against a team looking to make their mark once again. Opposing quarterbacks Dak Prescott of the Cowboys and Russell Wilson entered into this game needing to prove that they were among the best within the league and most certainly among the best within the NFC over the course of the season. Dallas would get the better of the Seahawks in the contest , moving on to the next round where they will meet the Los Angeles Rams on the road , in a game which should prove to be very exciting.
OK , so with the NFL now moving on to the Divisional Round , it will be interesting to see who these match-ups will play out and what the teams will bring to the table by way of their play. Defending Superbowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles were lucky to get by the Chicago Bears , whose defense simply didn’t do enough to allow the team to get any type traction in the game. Mitch Trubisky played well , but his counterpart Nick Foles played with a lot more poise and showed leadership when needed. Of the Divisional Round contests set to take place this upcoming weekend , the most appealing might well be the contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts . Yet I do believe the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots , could provide a major upset as Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers takes this franchise to their furthest appearance in the postseason of the past fifteen years.
The past three days within the NBA and the results seen should be a real indicator of what not actually to expect given the inconsistency seen from the teams. The Los Angeles Lakers have been without LeBron James for the past couple of games during which the team has not fared that well. A blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves , just proved that their victory over the Golden State Warriors should be seen for what it was , merely an aberration . Next up for the Los Angeles Lakers will be a match-up against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday evening , a game where the Lakers will have to be at their very best against a Mavericks’ team looking to play their way into playoff contention . With aging veteran Dirk Nowitzki now playing a slightly less competitive role for the team , it will be interesting to see how Dirk performs against the Lakers in this contest .
Of late both the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs have been on impressive win streaks , with notching a mark of 8-2 . San Antonio’s most impressive victory would have to be the one over the Toronto Raptors , the team with the best record in the league at this juncture , with the Raptors being the first to notch thirty victories this season within the NBA . Since that victory the Spurs have played with consistency , with production coming from all of their players. Next up for the Spurs will be a game against the Detroit Pistons on the road against a very good Eastern Conference team.
The firing of Tom Thibodeau as the Head Coach and as a
front office executive within the Minnesota Timberwolves’ franchise, sent shock waves around the NBA. After the death of Flip Saunders , there was enough tumult within the organization . Ryan Saunders has since assumed the interim coaching position for the Timberwolves , with Scott Layden assuming the General Manager’s position . Glenn Taylor remains team owner , but his advanced age has seen him relinquish certain roles to subordinates within the Timberwolves’ hierarchy . The upheaval and the constant bickering with Thibodeau unable to corral his players led to the dismissal of the coach for the second time during his professional career , with his first firing coming as the former Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls , who this year fired Fred Hoiberg , after that team’s abysmal start to the season .
It is becoming extremely difficult to see where the Minnesota Timberwolves no go from here. With an extremely young roster , and winning having become extremely difficult for the team. It will be interesting to see if Ryan Saunders can show the pedigree of his late father, Flip Saunders , as he seeks to lead the franchise back to prosperity and success. Over their last fifteen games the Timberwolves are 6-0 , though not among the worst in the league, but their last ten games have shown the team to be in a truly dire situation . In their next game the Timberwolves will be facing the Oklahoma City on the road on the 8th January ,2019 , one of the slew of games being played on Tuesday evening . . With Minnesota having built their roster around the Karl-Anthony Townes , Andrew Wiggins and the veteran presence of former League MVP point guard Derrick Rose . A rebuilding process cannot be allowed to ensue within a franchise which is in such dire straits
If the Minnesota Timberwolves are said to be floundering, then the woes of the New York Knicks continue unabated . This franchise remains in a quagmire even after the three moribund and unproductive years under Phil Jackson’s tenure as a front office executive within this franchise. The fact of the matter is , even with Dave Fizdale coaching this roster , this team is simply not good enough to win on a consistent basis . The longest win-streak put together by this team lasted no more than three games. A sad state of affairs for a franchise considered to be one of the most renowned in the NBA. . Fizdale and the team are in action for their next game which pits the New York Knicks against the Golden State Warriors . This is not a game I believe the Knicks are capable of winning at all and it is likely to end in a rout of the Eastern Conference franchise .
So what was heralded as a memorable slug-fest turned out to be a complete rout as Clemson annihilated Alabama to win their third BCS National Title in the last five years . Alabama long revered as the best program in College Football now sees itself as having been surpassed by this Dabo Swinney coached team . Swinney’s opposite number Nick Saban must now think hard as to what needs to be done in order for Alabama to remain relevant and at the top of the food chain.
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Picture gallery. By clicking on an individual frame you can view that picture in a reformatted size along with accompanying narrative.
With the sporting events you have witnessed over the past week or so , what do you believe were the biggest failings of the teams or athletes who failed to deliver ?
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Not long before the beginning of March Madness and the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament . The rankings at present with Villanova seated atop of the pile among those teams. This roster of Villanova players will be in action for their next game when they take on Marquette .
NCAA Men’s Basketball ….
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Over the weekend there several games played within the NBA which some fans felt were indicative of the teams and their play. In a recent game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors , it was the Eatern Conference team coming away with the victory. Both teams have been playing at an optimum level and clearly effective within their respective divisions . Both of these teams will be in action this week with the Golden State Warriors facing off against the Utah Jazz on the 12th February , while the Philadelphia 76ers will be taking on the Boston Celtics .
There seems to be trouble in paradise , as there are rumors awash that LeBron James is not entirely happy with the current direction of the Los Angeles Lakers (28-28) and the coaching abilities of Luke Walton . Over their last ten games the Lakers are a combined 3-7 . Not a very enticing prospect for a team with playoff ambitions . Front office executives Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka do bear a certain amount of blame in how this roster was constructed , but that in of-itself is the only reason to apportion blame . Team owner Jeanie Buss has simply not laid out a long-term strategic plan for the franchise’s future beyond the immediacy of now. In their most recent contest they defeated the Boston Celtics in a game , where Celtics’ point guard Kyrie Irving , met his former teammate LeBron James.
With the trade deadline having passed , it will be interesting to see how the Los Angels Lakers will fare over the remainder of their regular season schedule. Next up for the Lakers will be a game against the Atlanta Hawks . It will be interesting to also see if LeBron James can maintain his season average against an Eastern Conference opponent.
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If the rumors are to be believed , then the front office of the San Francisco Giants might be willing to offer slugger Bryce Harper to what would be the largest contract ever in the game of baseball. Harper remains the most coveted free agent on the market and it’s widely known that his agent Scott Boras seeks to make the player the highest paid in the game. What will the Giants get for that ? Well a former NL MVP for one and a player with a batting average above .275 , someone capable of being productive as well as a good defensive stalwart. With that being said. I am not so sure that GM Brian Sabean should be putting all of his eggs in one basket as he seeks to improve the playing roster . One thing is for sure , the issues which caused the Giants to miss the postseason remain prevalent.
If the San Francisco Giants are to have a successful season in 2019 then their play against divisional rivals within the NL West will have to be top rate . This team heading into 2019 will have seen changes to the roster , but one of the remaining assets will be manager Bruce Bochy along with his managerial staff. San Francisco’s Spring Training schedule will see them play several games . Their regular season opener will see them up against the San Diego Padres on the road as part of their regular season series .
I believe that this season within the NL in particular the St Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , the Los Angeles Dodgers , alongside the San Francisco Giants, are the teams worth watching this season.
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2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray has will make himself available for the upcoming NFL Draft and it’s my belief the player while considered consensus first round pick is likely to go in the second round . That being said , there is also the fact that the Denver Broncos are in need of a quarterback and John Elway would like nothing better than to have Murray on the team’s roster for the upcoming season. Productivity for the Broncos last season was anemic . Broncos’ starting quarterback Case Keenum took the bulk of the snaps for the team as they parlayed their season to a 6-10 record . It has become abundantly clear that the failure of the Broncos rests squarely on the shoulders of John Elway and the lack of foresight made with regard to the franchise’s draft choices made since 2012 . With several impending free agents likely to be on the move , it will be very interesting to see what choices are likely to be made by the Broncos during this off-season .
Denver Broncos news
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I’m still of the belief that the New York Mets remain the poor sisters in comparison to their crosstown neighbors the New York Yankees . Granted , the Subway Series between the two ball clubs remains as interesting as ever . Yet in recent years with the Mets falling on hard times , it has always been the Yankees taking center stage. This off-season with their being a shakeup with the Mets’ front office with new GM Brodie Van Wagenen assuming the role from Sandy Alderson it has been left to Van Wagenn to restructure the playing roster for this upcoming season and placing them in a position to win. With the arrival of Robinson Cano to bolster what’s believed to be an already potent offense . It will be interesting to see what the New York Mets are capable of doing with the addition of Cano to the playing staff.
If the New York Mets are to improve this season, then their pitching will once again have to be at the very top of it’s game . The New York Mets under team manager Micky Callaway will be hoping that the team gets off to a vibrant start during their Spring Training schedule . The team’s regular season opener will see them face off against the Washington Nationals in what will be the first of their nineteen games played throughout the regular season between these two NL East ball-clubs.
Brodie Van Wanegen has yet to sign pitching ace Jacob deGrom , who’s seeking a contract extension with the New York Mets. It is imperative that he be re-signed to a new deal , rather than being allowed to leave as a free agent.
Courtesy of ESPN
I believe the biggest test for the New York Mets will come from the Philadelphia Phillies . a team , I believe that could be taken as a serious contender , not just within the NL but also the league this upcoming season .
New York Mets news
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James Harden , the guard , with the Houston Rockets has been on a tear this season for the team . For thirty straight games , Harden has scored thirty points or more in each contest . James Harden remains a phenomena not seen in the league in almost two decades over three decades . Harden for his part during that time has been the team’s top scorer . In their next game the Houston Rockets are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road , on 13th February , 2019 .
At this point last season the standings being what they were , the teams were playing with a great deal of heart. There will be several thrilling games being played on Tuesday evening with teams from both conferences participating . Possibly the best game of the night will feature the Boston Celtics taking on the Philadelphia 76ers in what could be a very high-scoring game based on the respective teams’ offense.
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So former Boston Celtics’ player Antoine Walker doesn’t believe the team’s point guard Kyrie Iriving , is a true Celtic at heart , even though Irving has missed several games due to injury but over his time with the franchise’s he’s been able to provide a solid contribution while on court for the Boston Celtics. By my own recollection , Walker as a player for the Celtics wasn’t always productive and often had issues with his coaches as well as the front office . His criticisms are not warranted or have any basis in fact.
Courtesy of Yahoo Sports
Antoine Walker may well believe that Kyrie Irving wants out of Boston in order that the player can join his former Cleveland Cavaliers’ teammate LeBron James in Los Angeles and play alongside him on the Lakers’ roster. Irving isn’t due to become a free agent until 2020 . Bird Rights would also come into play and being that Irving has become his own man and is seen as the leader on of this current roster,m, I seriously doubt that GM Danny Ainge would allow the point guard to leave without his being offered a very lucrative contract at this stage of his career.
Over their next six games as the month of February is rounded out , the Boston Celtics will have several interesting games on their schedule . Next up for the Boston Celtics will be a game against Eastern Conference rivals the Detroit Pistons and that match-up will take place on Wednesday evening . It will be interesting to see how Kyrie Irving fares in that match-up against the Pistons’ Blake Griffin .
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It looks as if the Baltimore Ravens might well be willing to pull the trigger on trade that sends sends former Superbowl winning MVP quarterback Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos . As to why the Ravens would wish to send the player to a conference rival is hard to fathom. The one thing we do know is that Broncos’ GM John Elway has been looking for a quarterback who can move the chains. Not since Peyton Manning led the franchise to their last Superbowl triumph, have they seen a productive passer within their midst. Joe Flacco given his age , I truly believe is past his prime , but I do believe within the right environment he’d be the right tool to make the Denver Broncos better as they look to groom a a young quarterback to assume the starting position long-term.
Steve Bisciotti , owner of the Baltimore Ravens as well as the front office and coaching staff must feel reassured that Lamar Jackson has shown them enough to place their faith in the young player , moving forward , if Joe Flacco does depart. GM Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh will be entrusted in bolstering the current roster by way of the NFL Draft as well as through free agency acquisitions . Last season’s draft class for the Ravens was among the best for the franchise in recent years.
Courtesy of ESPN
If nothing else, what we learned from last season for the Baltimore Ravens was that , this was a team that simply didn’t play up to it’s potential .
NFL news ……..
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C C Sabathia , starting pitcher of the New York Yankees has formerly made it known this this will his last year with the ball-club. In 2018 , Sabathia had a season which was very inconsistent . The veteran pitcher and former AL Cy Young winner in 2007 while playing for the Cleveland Indians . The pitcher would go on to notch up nineteen victories . A great deal will be expected of CC Sabathia in 2019 as the New York Yankees embark on their season. Sabathia will not be among the highest paid players on the roster , with that privilege going to slugger Giancarlo Stanton .
The New York Yankees will be expected to contend within the AL East where their toughest challenge will be in facing current World Series’ champions the Boston Red Sox . Their first such meeting during the 2019 regular season will take place on April 16th , 2019 , when the Yankees will play hosts to the Red Sox at Yankees Stadium , in New York . Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka will spearhead the Yankees’ pitching staff in 2019 .
New York Yankees news ….
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The bow will break but Floyd Mayweather continues to show disdain on a social issue concerning his ethnicity of his race . Mayweather has seen fit to look the other way concerning the controversy of Gucci and Prada . The boxer has no upcoming fight scheduled but it seems that he’s intent on a big money fight against Manny Pacquiao .
USA Today Sports
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Results from last night’s games within the NBA . The Brooklyn Nets are beginning to look like the real deal as they make their presence felt within the Eastern Conference and league overall . In their most recent game the Brooklyn Nets took down conference rivals the Cleveland Cavaliers . Brooklyn’s a coaching staff led by Kenny Atkinson will be looking to have this team playing at a higher level during the second half of the regular season . Next up for the Brooklyn Nets will be a game against the Portland Trailblazers on the 21st February , . This will be when several of the teams will have resumed their schedule after the All Star Weekend Break .
If things get much worse for the New York Knicks , I am beginning to think that team owner James L Dolan and the front office GM Steve Mills are in way over their head. It’s hard to see how the New York Knicks can compete , given their lack of offense and not having racked up wins to date. Up next for this David Fizdale coached team will be a game against the Atlanta Hawks .
NBA news ……..
NBA schedule 14th February
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So Kareem Hunt now finds himself on a Cleveland Browns’ team that will need all the help that it can get to compete in the AFC North for the upcoming season. Yet the real issue remains is why Hunt remains in the league , with a pending case still under investigation by the league hierarchy after it was revealed that the running back attacked an individual during a melee , unprovoked. From my own perspective , while his being traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Cleveland Browns makes sense , it does provide the NFL (league) with something of a PR nightmare . Continuously , NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has failed to show any type of real consistency when it comes to the misdeeds of players within the NFL . At the same time there seems to be no code of conduct that has been put in place by the players themselves when it comes to the Players’ Union (NFLPA) .
Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns might well have a new offensive weapon to his arsenal , but I truly believe this a team that will struggle within their division as well as conference and league overall , once the 2019-20 season comes into being. Mayfield I believe is a good quarterback and certainly one of the best young players at the position currently in the league. It will be interesting to see how the NFL hierarchy treats the current impending case against Kareem Hunt , once the full results are known and their investigation is complete and comes to a close .
NFL news ………
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The NBA schedule will take a break as it cuts into the NBA All Star Weekend . The regular season schedule will resume on Thursday, 21st February , 2019.
NBA news ………
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With just over two weeks before the start of Spring Training within Major League Baseball and still both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have yet to be signed by a team , with both being among the most highly prized free agents on the market .
MLB news
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Last season within the NBA , the first few games after the All Star Game proved to be very interesting .
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Great games in College Basketball are on tap for today and over the weekend . Saturday in particular will be an eventful day on the schedule . Number one ranked Tennessee will face Kentucky in one of the more eventful games on Saturday afternoon . Also in play are number three-ranked , Gonzaga facing off against San Diego in another terrific match-up tomorrow afternoon . Duke (Blue Devils) led by Zion Williamson will also be in action when they face North Carolina State .
On Sunday , there will also be a bevy of games taking place .
NCAA Men’s Basketball
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Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid were able to score an overwhelming victory in their suit in their settlement won against the NFL , without a full admittance of any wrongdoing on the league’s part concerning collusion. However , it has left the league hierarchy and team owners in a conundrum, as it could open up the NFL to further lawsuits concerning their conduct with regard to not only their business dealings but also power handed to Roger Goodell and how he seeks run with the league concerning issues and that of player conduct. The NFLPA (Players’ Union) after this success, will likely look into the other avenues where they can now challenge Goodell’s authority and I believe this might well be something that the owners themselves will also be looking at.
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Results within the NBA over the past four days and the standings within the league has changed since Friday . There were no games played other than the league breaking for All Star Break and the festivities which took place. Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors took home his second All Star MVP Award , as he led his team to victory in the NBA’s showcase event during their interval.
Teams will now prepare for the resumption of the second half of the season when play gets underway on the 21st February , 2019 with their being six games on the day’s schedule . One of the more intriguing games will see the struggling Los Angeles Lakers face off and take on the Houston Rockets with both of teams having aspirations of making the NBA Playoffs . That match-up will provide the fans to see LeBron James of the Lakers and James Harden of the Rockets really go at it during the contest.
Another of the games taking place during Thursday’s schedule will feature the Golden State Warriors facing a a vastly improved Sacramento Kings’ team . with the Kings being the road team in this contest.
NBA news …..
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