Fortune Favors The Brave ……
With a little over three weeks before the start of the NFL regular season for 2019 , the league’s teams will embrace their preseason schedule with added interest. Newly acquired rookies will be out to prove themselves while seasoned veterans will still be looking to show the fans , that they’re still able to perform at the highest levels possible. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will seek to win an unprecedented seventh Superbowl , all under the helm of their Head Coach Bill Belichick , whose coaching resume’ remains unparalleled .
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With the retirement of Rob Gronkowski from the New England Patriots , there is the common belief that this franchise could very well suffer without the tight end’s presence on the roster. Yet repeatedly , we have seen that the Patriots have always been able to overcome real adversity by simply going about things in their very own way. I have no doubt in mind that Bill Belichick and his
coaching staff will make all of the right moves necessary to make this team truly competitive during the regular season. With a fresh group of rookies , drafted during the 2019 NFL Draft along with their customary upgrades by way of acquisitions , this should prove to be the team to beat not just in the AFC , but also within the league as a whole.
The New England Patriots will open their preseason schedule with a game against the Detroit Lions on the road. This will be part of a four game preseason schedule for the team as well as the rest of the NFL franchises. For Tom Brady and his further pursuit of NFL excellence speaks volumes as to the determination of this franchise and the success attained over the past decade and a half. A seventh Superbowl victory would be an unprecedented feat for the Patriots as an organization . Brady and his teammates will enter the regular season looking to win the AFC East for a record twentieth time . New England will enter their regular season looking to separate themselves from their divisional rivals , of whom their biggest opponent for this season could very well be the New York Jets , if their quarterback Sam Darnold lives up to expectations. The New England Patriots will open their regular season schedule with a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home , with their two regular season meetings against Darnold and the New York Jets taking place in week’s three and seven of their sixteen-game regular season schedule .
Within the NFC , I would like to think that the New York Giants can rise to the expectations where Eli Manning led the franchise to two Superbowl victories during Manning’s reign with the Giants. In recent years the veteran quarterback has failed to lead the team to once lofty heights. With New York having drafted a quarterback among their crop of rookies , it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff believe that Daniel Jones can be the heir-apparent to Eli Manning. Jones is likely to get some playing time as the Giants begin their preseason , with their opener being against the New York Jets . The New York Giants will begin their regular season with a match-up against the Dallas Cowboys on the road.
Jerry Jones the de-facto GM and owner of the Dallas Cowboys enters the preseason without the team’s running back Ezekiel Elliot , as the player sits out what could be a frustrating preseason , seeking to have his contract renegotiated. Jones for his part seems to be playing coy concerning the current problems with the player, as well as the possible difficulties this team is likely to have within their midst. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott fell off the map last year and the team in it’s current guise is far from impressive. While Prescott looks to regain his form of old , Jerry Jones will be looking to parlay a contract for a player in Ezekiel Elliot that he knows will be vital to the team’s success for this upcoming season. Jason Garrett the Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys , has been the entrusted protege of Jerry Jones , but there appears to be a growing belief that if Garrett cannot take this team into a long postseason run, with the ambition of a Superbowl appearance, then his days could be numbered in his present role.
The NFC East has always been viewed as one of the most competitive divisions within the NFL, because of the class of the divisional occupants , but in recent years other than the success of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 , there has been little to justify the status of the division as being among the elite. Jason Witten whose retirement from the Dallas Cowboys was short-lived has returned to the franchise , where he will likely add to his already well-chronicled accomplishments as being one of the Cowboys’ best receivers in franchise history. He will undoubtedly add to the team’s offensive potential and presence if Dak Prescott also has a very good season. With four customary preseason games on their schedule before embarking on their regular season opener against the New York Giants, it will be interesting to see how this contest will turn out .
MLB’s season is fast approaching the end of the regular season foray, with the Los Angeles Angels having once again under-performed . The team’s best player as well as being whom many consider to be the best player in all of baseball ; Mike Trout is again putting up spectacular numbers, to justify his status as a Hall of Fame bound player once his career comes to a close. The only personal and team accomplishment missing from Trout’s resume’ is that of a World Series’ ring and World Series’ MVP Award . With the Angels not remotely in contention for the AL West divisional title or that of an AL Wildcard Berth , it has to be said this has been another season of missed opportunities. Mike Trout’s teammate Albert Pujols is winding down another on what one might consider to be an illustrious career . Unfortunately, for Pujols , since joining the Angels, he has not been able to lead the ball-club to a postseason appearance. For GM Billy Eppler and team owner Arturo ‘Arte’ Moreno , the justification in having signed Albert Pujols to his contract now seems somewhat perplexing to say the very least. Many may well feel that money could have been better spent elsewhere , but from my own perspective. Albert Pujols has proven to be the consummate leader and a player whose presence has been an invaluable asset in seeing the growth Mike Trout as a player , a two-time ALMVP..
With barely six weeks left in the regular season , it will be interesting to see if the Los Angeles Angels can possibly play themselves into contention for a possible postseason berth within the AL. The team has a plethora of games against divisional opponent and league opponents to round out their regular season schedule, which comes to a culmination at the end of September. Mike Trout is not due to become a free agent until 2031 and it is highly unlikely that the front office will seek to trade the player , while not seeking to gain optimum pieces to build for the ball-club’s long-term future. The farm system of the Angels is highly thought of but the potential for a player to provide immediate impact with the potential of Mike Trout is not likely . The Houston Astros have a healthy lead within the AL West and they are poised to win the division outright while having the best record in the AL, while making another postseason appearance. One of the team’s strengths remains it’s pitching which is among the best within all of baseball , but one should not discount their offense or defensive prowess at all. Those very facets have played a part in the Astros’ success , whereas , we have seen those traits to be among the problems for the Los Angeles Angels over the course of this season. These two teams will face each other as the season winds down, encompassing their regular season schedule of games. The next scheduled meeting between these two teams will take place on the 20th September , 2019
Rich Paul just happens to be one of the most powerful agents in all of professional sports , but it is in the area of the NBA , where his power can be really felt. Paul is the current agent of NBA stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis , the newly acquired teammate of James , who’s currently with the Los Angeles Lakers . The agent’s tentacles are now coming under the microscope of the NCAA , who believe that he might be a threat to the body which encompasses collegiate athletics. It has been the league
itself which played it’s part in the muddying of the waters, as it sought to dictate the terms under which a collegiate basketball player could seek to make himself eligible for the NBA and the NBA Draft .
The triumph of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals , set about a chain of events leading to trades , new contracts being afforded to players, with their salaries escalating to unprecedented levels , not seen in the NBA , never-mind the cap implications for the NBA’s teams . It would be remiss to suggest that because of the acquisition of Anthony Davis , this now makes the Los Angeles Lakers the best team in the NBA . The Lakers’ divisional rivals the Los Angeles Clippers managed to pull off a coup-de-gras with their pair of signings by inking Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to big deals. Not to be left out of the equation were the Houston Rockets who traded for point guard Russell Westbrook , but the biggest surprise of all was the departure of Kevin Durant from the Golden State Warriors, as he joined the Brooklyn Nets , where he will also play alongside Kyrie Irving . Durant is likely to miss a large portion of the 2019 regular season , as he continues his recuperation process from injury. The team led by Kyrie Irving should be competitive enough to be a legitimate contender within the Eastern Conference for this upcoming season.
This season within the NBA should be one of the more eventful in recent years , with the teams all vying for that title of being called NBA champions .
Within the world of sports there will be some interesting stories coming into focus within the coming weeks and months . What if anything are you most looking forward to seeing as things begin to unfold ?
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MLB standings (division) and by league
MLB schedule three days at a glance
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This upcoming NFL preseason could be very interesting one if the players are up to the task at hand . Officially the preseason will kick-off with a slew of games starting on Thursday night 8th August , heading into the weekend , fulfilling the week one preseason schedule .
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Things have become increasingly crucial for a number of MLB teams over the past few days. Reigning World Series’ champions the Boston Red Sox , seem all but out of contention having lost their recent series to the New York Yankees . The only chance for the Red Sox to be in with a chance of a wildcard berth within the AL , would be for all of their closest rivals to implode over the remainder of the regular season schedule , with Boston playing .750 ball or better down their home stretch . Boston will be next in action when they face the Los Angeles Angels for a four-game home series at Fenway Park in Boston , beginning today , Thursday , 8th August .
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TV talking heads insist the Red Sox woes are a result of a World Series victory hangover. I don’t believe that but you know what they say about opinions. Cora may have achieved success too fast. He might try clearing his head with his political views. The real bad guy in Puerto Rico is the resigning Governor Rossello not the White House.
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Injuries have definitely played a part in the failure of the Boston Red Sox this season , with their pitching , offense and defense languishing through much of the season. I also believe that Alex Cora and his managerial staff failed to look at many of the team’s underlying issues as they began to manifest themselves during the season.
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I don’t buy the injury excuse. The team’s core has been healthy for the majority of the year. Pedroia was doubtful prior to Spring Training. Pitching coach LeVangie ain’t getting the job done as a former catcher. The bullpen is in shambles and former Cy Young recipient Rick Porcello’s mechanics need fixing. Solution? A pitching coach, not a bullpen catcher is needed.
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There’s depth on the roster but what they’ve lacked has been consistency and real leadership. Those intangible assets cannot be overlooked .
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With all of the player upheavals which have taken place in the NBA over the last eight weeks . One would be foolish to suggest there is an outright and distinct favorite for the NBA title .
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It now looks as if Gabe Kapler could become a managerial casualty along with members of his managerial staff of the Philadelphia Phillies. This team has truly under-performed so badly that the front office might well consider his dismissal before the regular season has ended . All Star Bryce Harper was brought in to provide impact on this Phillies’ roster and being paid handsomely to do so. Instead , the trade has turned out to be a monumental mistake on the part of the Phillies’ organization.
In order for the Philadelphia Phillies to actually have a remote chance of winning the NL East , much less vying for an NL wildcard berth they would have to be playing .825 baseball or better over the remainder of their schedule . The next ten games will be of vital importance for the Phillies as they move through the month of August .
In their next game , today , the Philadelphia Phillies will be playing the San Francisco Giants on the road in an NL contest that will be very important for both teams at this juncture .
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MLB schedule three days at a glance 5th-7th August …
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The last eight games of the regular season within the NBA were extraordinary . The upcoming NBA season won’t tip off until 22nd October , 2019 . The first month of the regular season should prove to be interesting if last season is anything to go by .
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Will it be possible for Dave Roberts and his managerial staff to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to their first World Series’ title in over three decades ? The team in it’s current guise has the best record in all of baseball while also having a double-digit lead over their closest rival within the NL West and NL overall.
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Will it be possible for Dave Roberts and his managerial staff to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to their first World Series’ title in over three decades ? The team in it’s current guise has the best record in all of baseball while also having a double-digit lead over their closest rival within the NL West and NL overall. They will be in action as of Saturday as part of a home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks . On the mound for the Dodgers will be Kenta Maeda as he faces the Diamondbacks’ Alex Young .
Other notable games taking place this weekend will feature the New York Yankees taking on the Toronto Blue Jays on the road . The Yankees have all but sealed the deal concerning another divisional title within the AL East .
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So as we begin the NFL preseason , last night one of the rookie quarterbacks took to the field as Daniel Jones of the New York Giants got his chance to parade his skills for his team when they faced the New York Jets in a preseason non conference match-up . All four quarterbacks were actually on display for the Giants in this game . Another game which took place last night , pitted the Washington Redskins against the Cleveland Browns . Cleveland came away with a thoroughly lopsided victory, winning the game 30-10 .
The team cap for 2019 is among the highest that it has been in over a decade .
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NFL preseason week one
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It should be interesting to see what takes place over the remainder of the NFL schedule among the teams . For both the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots their preseason schedule should be an interesting one as i was last season .
NFL transactions
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This season within baseball has seen it’s share of feats attained within the game. It will be interesting to see which player can hit the feat of attaining more than 200 hits for 2019. Whit Merrifield of the Kansas City Royals leads the league with the number of hits while averaging above .300 for the team . The franchise has come a long way from their impoverished era , to collecting a World Series’ title just over four years ago. This season has proven to be one, where the Royals have failed their fans and the ball-club miserably . The Kansas City Royals will be in action throughout this weekend with games against the Detroit Tigers on the road .
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In 2010 the NFL Draft proved to be an effective one , but when it was all said and done, it was a Draft which not among the best in recent history.
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Week one of the NFL Preseason brought about some not quite unexpected results with a number of teams getting off to a rousing start . The New England Patriots (1-0) got off to a much welcomed start defeating the Detroit Lions (0-1) in a thoroughly convincing 31-3 rout , with Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham leading the way with team’s pass offsense in their preseason opener . Week two will see the Patriots face off against the Tennessee Titans on the road .
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Week one NFL preseason results …
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In what can only be explained as the Arizona Diamondbacks giving up on their season , with the front office made the decision to trade Zack Greinke to the Houston Astros , bolstering what is an already very good starting rotation and one with great depth to the team’s bullpen. The Astros’ pitching over the past two years has been sensational and the addition of Greinke simply makes the team a great deal better.
Zack Greinke will be back on the mound next for the Arizona Diamondbacks when then the team faces the Chicago White Sox on Monday evening in an all AL match-up as part of the team’s regular season schedule against the White Sox. Houston has a resounding lead within the AL West and the second-best record in all of baseball . Greinke’s teammate Justin Verlander , a future Hall of Fame bound player , he’s also having a great season for Houston is one of the primary reasons why the team has been excelling.
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Pete Carroll and the players of the Seattle Seahawks will have a great deal to prove this season , especially with the resurgence of the Los Angeles Rams , led by Todd Gurley and Jared Goff , two of their most recent picks from their most recent draft classes of the last five years. The tecent meetings between these two NFC West teams have proven to be exhilarating either at home or on the road. The first meeting between the two teams during the regular season will take place during week five at Century Link Field in Seattle, Washington and then week fourteen at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , in Los Angeles , California ,.
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Udonis Haslem will be returning to the Miami Heat for what will be his seventeenth season for the only franchise he’s ever played for over the course of his career. Haslem has been resigned to provide something of a veteran leadership for a roster lacking real depth of experience . Erik Spoelstra , his coaching staff and the front office led by EVP Pat Riley will be seeking to have the Heat back on an even keel playing up to their full potential. It has been several years since the Miami Heat last made the NBA Playoffs let alone having won their last NBA title with both Dwyane Wade , LeBron James and Chris Bosh being part of the team that brought Miami the last of their three NBA titles .
Courtesy of NBA.com
When the regular season begins on 22nd October, it will be interesting to see how the Miami Heat will fare . The Heat against their divisional rivals this past season were sub par . From my own perspective if the Miami Heat are to do well this season then they will have to go at least 48-34 to be sure of making the NBA Playoffs and be considered a remote contender for the NBA title .
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I’ve said it all along, Lonzo Ball was never good enough to be seen as a legitimate stand alone star in the NBA and his puerile and lackluster year with the Los Angeles Lakers proved that to be the case. With his having joined the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the trade which brought Anthony Davis to the Lakers. Ball joins a Pelicans’ franchise which has to make the NBA Playoffs over the last sight years. I very much doubt that this New Orleans’ roster in its’ present guise will be competitive enough this upcoming season to make a real difference in the NBA .
The New Orleans Pelicans’ coaching staff headed by Alvin Gentry will be hard pressed to get this team playing with any type of real resolve during this upcoming season . They will open up their regular season with a game against the reigning NBA champions the Toronto Raptors .
For Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers, their opening night contest for the regular season will pit them against the Los Angeles Clippers .
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Opening Night regular season
23rd October … 11 games scheduled
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I’d like to think that the first month of this upcoming NBA season could be something to be enthralled by. It will be interesting to see if the Golden State Warriors can reinvent themselves as there have been roster changes made during the off-season . Head Coach Steve Kerr and his coaching staff along with Bob Meyers as the General Manager of the franchise will be looking to see if they can regain the dominance which brought the Warriors three NBA titles during a four-year span .
The Golden State Warriors will begin their preseason schedule with the customary set of games before embarking on their regular season opener with a match-up against Los Angeles Clippers at home. Games between these two teams last season were very entertaining , with the Warriors taking the series 3-1 . A great deal will be expected of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry as both players are seen at the main offensive forces on the roster with the departure of Kevin Durant .
During the NBA Draft the Golden Warriors were prudent with their draft picks . Rookie Jordan Poole is seen as the best of the rookies taken by the Warriors.
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Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs are now in for the fight of their lives as they seek to win the NL Central and make the postseason for the second consecutive year. Having fallen apart at the first hurdle last season with their loss to the Colorado Rockies in the wildcard round of the MLB Postseason .
The Chicago Cubs have seen their lead within the division ebbed and flowed over the course of the season . The front office has made few moves by way of bolstering the roster . Chicago has several upcoming games which could determine their season .. Today the team will be in action when they face the Philadelphia Phillies on the road as part of their regular season series . For the remainder of the month of August it will interesting to see how the Cubs fare against their opponents and perhaps that can be gauged by their performances of last season in such a case.
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Stephen Ross the billionaire real estate mogul and principal owner of the Miami Dolphins , now sees a major fallout with his admitting that he believes that the fans and public alike will be critical of his fundraising and donor efforts for Donald Trump .
Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross (left) is seen here with President Donald Trump.
Courtesy of Miami Herald
For all intense and purpose while this becomes a major story headline within South Florida, the real issue for the Miami Dolphins will be their getting their fans to believe that this team in it’s current guise is good enough to play with the New England Patriots , the AFC as well as the rest of the NFL . The real issue for the Dolphins remains that their offense continues to be mediocre and has been through a succession of head coaches over the past decade. There have been several upheavals concerning the team’s roster and with the NFL Draft having taken place there’s hope that the incoming rookies can contribute to the Dolphins this season. Miami’s coaching staff headed by Brian Flores will lead a team of well paid veterans and rookies as they begin their 2019 sojourn with their preseason schedule . In week one the Dolphins were on the field for their preseason schedule against the Atlanta Falcons whom they defeated 34-27 . Week two of the preseason will see the Miami Dolphins take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
The regular season for the Miami Dolphins will be an exceedingly tough one with their regular season opener will be against the Baltimore Ravens . From my own perspective my feeling that this season the Miami Dolphins will have their struggles and unless quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick proves that hen can lead a franchise such as the Dolphins to where they need to be. For Fitzpatrick it will be about his gravitas in seeking to beat the New England Patriots.
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Brian Snitker and the Atlanta Braves (71-50) seem to be on the cusp of winning an NL East divisional title. Something that the franchise became accustomed to throughout much of the nineties with their dominance of the division as well as being a perennial powerhouse for the NLCS . In spite of having only having won one World Series title during the managerial tenure of Bobby Cox , the ball-club will forever be seen as one of the dominant franchises during that era.
Granted, it has been six years since their last appearance in the MLB Postseason with their appearance coming during the 2013 MLB Playoffs where the Atlanta Braves made it to the NLDS for the year. They would succumb to the Los Angeles Dodgers in that series .
With a sizable lead over their closest rivals the Atlanta Braves are in a very good position with the team actually playing some very good baseball . With the month of August now in full swing , the Braves are currently in action against the New York Mets , as part of a three-games series . Yesterday’s game against the Mets saw the Braves take the contest in a 5-3 home victory . These two teams will be back in action today with the opposing pitchers being Steven Matz of the Mets against the Braves’ Dallas Keuchel . Keuchel was a recent acquisition by Atlanta .
One of the stars on the Braves roster this season has been Ronald Acuna Jr , whose exploits with the bat have been something to behold . Acuna and his teammate Freddie Freeman have been one of the primary reasons why team has been playing so well .
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Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will have a great deal to prove this season after something of a lackluster of year of uneven performances in 2018 . In what is likely to be a competitive and highly contested NFC South division , it will be very interesting to see how Newton and his teammates will fare not only against their divisional rivals but also the rest of the NFL . In their preseason opener the Carolina Panthers got by the Chicago Bears winning that contest 23-13 over their conference rivals .
The Carolina Panthers’ week two preseason contest will see the team take on the Buffalo Bills . Then to round out their preseason schedule the Panthers will have games against the New England Patriots and then the Pittsburgh Steelers . During the off-season the Panthers made use of their draft picks along with some customary free agency acquisitions . Ron Rivera and his coaching staff will be seeking to get the best out the team over the course of the season .
The regular season for the Carolina Panthers could prove to be very eventful for the franchise . Their week one regular season opener will see Cam Newton and his teammates kick off against the Los Angeles Rams . Newton’s record against the NFC since he entered the league has been impressive to say the very least since he entered the NFL Draft as the number one overall pick from the 2011 NFL Draft . Newton headed up a truly impressive group of picks for the Panthers from that year .
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Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving might not well make history , but the duo as players could bring about real significance to the Brooklyn Nets . Irving and Durant were signed to major deals which seeks to bring about an NBA title for this franchise and specifically for the team’s billionaire Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov . The front office with GM Sean Marks will be asked to reinvent this franchise with Kenny Atkinson as the Head Coach .
Courtesy of TMZ.com
The preseason for the Brooklyn Nets will have four games . However, their regular season schedule begins with an eighty-two game foray . Kevin Durant will likely miss much of the regular season , but his teammates and fans might possibly see him suit up in a Nets’ uniform before the NBA All Star Game , should he fully recuperate from his injury,. However, with Kyrie Irving looking to lead the roster and set the tone for the season , will be interesting to see how the Nets perform through their first ten games . Their regular season opener will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves . It will be interesting to see how the Nets go through their first ten games of the regular season .
From my own perspective Kyrie Irving will have to prove to the fans and league in general that he can lead a team, rather than being the de-facto second role player on a team .
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Hy-Jin Ryu of the Los Angeles Dodgers is on his way having a sensational season for the team , setting what could very well turn out to be a franchise record and possibly a league record for the lowest ERA posted in league history (MLB) seen over the last thirty years. Ryu has been such a dominant pitcher for the Dodgers that it would be fair to suggest he might well be among the best of the team’s starting pitchers . In his last start for the team when they faced Mike Leake and the Arizona Diamondbacks at home , Hy-Jin Ryu got his twelfth victory for the Dodgers , as they overcame their divisional rivals in that contest.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers riding high , dominating the NL West and the NL as a whole . It will be interesting to see what the team might well be able to achieve over the final six weeks of their regular season. Next up for the Dodgers will be a game against the Miami Marlins on the road with Walker Buehler on the mound for the visiting team as they face Caleb Smith of the Marlins. Hy Jin-Ryu’s next projected start should take place on the 16th August when the Dodgers are due to face the Atlanta Braves and their starting pitcher Mike Siroka , Hy Jin-Ryu is being paid a mere bauble in comparison to many of his teammates on the Dodgers’ roster . Ryu is not due to become a free agent until 2020 and it will be interesting to see what lengths Head of Baseball Operations &SVP , Andrew Friedman will be prepared to go to , in order to re-sign the player to a long-term contract.
If Hy-Jin Ryu can maintain his current pace , he could very well end up being seen as a prohibitive favorite for the NL Cy Young Award for 2019 .
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I’ve made it clear from the years of having Isiah Thomas and then Phil Jackson heading up the front office to now where it’s Steve Mills heading up all of the Player Personnel decisions to be made for the New York Knicks . It has to be said that team owner James L Dolan has made the franchise a complete laughing stock across the panacea of sports. New York’s last title win came over four decades ago and the last NBA Playoff appearance came in their series’ loss to the Indiana Pacers .
This past season showed the complete incompetency of the New York Knicks as they failed miserably over the course of the season . The roster led by Tim Hardaway Jr and with their being several off-season transactions this roster will have to step up their game this season . Hardaway Jr has now been sent to the Dallas Mavericks .
With the upcoming schedule for the Knicks about to test the mettle of this David Fitzdale coached team roster , New York’s regular season opener will pit the New York Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs . Last season the Knicks and the Spurs faced each other twice , splitting the series at one game apiece (1-1). The NBA Draft proved to be fruitful for the Knicks with their having taken RJ Barrett and Kyle Guy .
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Geno Smith proved to be a monumental bust having been drafted by the New York Jets . During his tenure with the Jets , Smith still failed to meet expectations and the Jets for their part spent money on a player who just wasn’t good enough. Smith now finds himself as a back-up on the depth chart of the Seattle Seahawks’ roster . With four quarterbacks on that depth chart it will be about which of those players , Pete Carroll believes will be right as the backup to the incumbent starting quarterback Russell Wilson . The Seahawks for their part will be tested over the course of the regular season , especially in games which will pit them against divisional rivals the Los Angeles Rams .
Seattle opened up their preseason schedule with a game against the Denver Broncos , which ended with a convincing win for the Seahawks, In week two of their schedule the Seattle Seahawks are scheduled to meet the Minnesota Vikings in a conference (NFC) match-up . It will be interesting to see how much playing time will be given to Russell Wilson in this particular contest by the Seahawks’ coaching staff . In week three and then week four of their preseason schedule the Seahawks will face the Los Angeles Chargers , rounding out with their final game of the preseason being against the Oakland Raiders .
Pete Carroll and his team will begin their regular season schedule with a contest against the Cincinnati Bengals .
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Surprising as it may seem may seem the recent play of the Washington Nationals has been very impressive and placing the team , among the forefront of the teams vying for an NL wildcard berth. With the NL Central continually a conundrum as to which of the teams is vying to win the division . It could be said that the Nationals just need to be consistent over the remainder of their schedule . The front office and managerial staff will have to be looking at what might now be needed to get the team playing at a much higher level .
Max Scherzer and the Nationals’ pitching staff have proven themselves this season , as too have the offense and defense . With Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg coming into their own this season for the Nationals , it will be interesting to see how the team will fare over their next ten games , starting as of tomorrow , which will pit them against the Milwaukee Brewers for a three-game series as part of their regular season series .
With the Atlanta Braves likely having sewn up the NL East , it should be very interesting see how the remaining games are played out between the Washington Nationals and the division’s leaders. The next game between the two will take place on the 5th September , as the beginning of a four-game home series.
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MLB probable pitchers 15th August …
MLB schedule three days at a glance (16th-18th August) …
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Kyler Murray has struggled as he embarks upon his NFL career as a rookie within the league. Drafted number one overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the AFC West’s Arizona Cardinals . Murray has found his introduction into the league a troubling one . If as predicted he is to be the team’s starter for their opening regular season game , then the player will certainly have to raise the level of his play if he is to impress the coaching staff and front office that their faith in him can be justified . Kliff Kingsbury and GM Steve Keim believed that the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner was their man . In the Cardinals’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers , Kyler Murrary stumbled out of the gate , even though the team came away with a 17-13 victory over their conference and divisional rivals.
In week two of the Arizona Cardinals’ preseason schedule the team played the Oakland Raiders and again Kyler Murray was found wanting . If the rookie has problems in game three , which in all likelihood could very well happen , then it is my belief Kliff Kingsbury may well believe that Brett Hundley is in a better position to best serve the Cardinals for their regular season opener against the Detroit Lions . With just two more games to go on their preseason schedule it will be interesting to see how the Arizona Cardinals will fare in those games.
Last season the rookie quarterbacks who got their playing time still had a quandary of issues . Murray having signed his rookie deal with the Cardinals has the initial four-year contract .
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Over their last ten games the San Francisco Giants have fallen foul , with their continued lack of consistency . The team is still in the NL wildcard hunt for the postseason , 3 1/2 games out. Over the course of this weekend it is imperative for the San Francisco Giants to win this series against the Arizona Diamondbacks . Game one of this series will begin on Friday with the opposing pitchers being Jeff Samardzija of the Giants against Mike Leake of the Diamondbacks .
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When the sale has been finalized and with the approval of the NBA’s Board of Governors and that of the team owners ; the $2,35 billion sale of the Brooklyn Nets will have become the largest sale of a North American sports’ team franchise and most certainly the largest in NBA history. Current Nets’ owner , Mikhail Prokhorov will sell his remaining 49% sale in the franchise along with the Barclays Center for an additional $1 billion to Hong Kong born Canadian citizen Joseph Tsai , co-founder of Chinese based e-commerce company Ali Baba .
With Mikhail Prokhorov having relinquished control of the Brooklyn Nets , a franchise he purchased for just over $200 million in 2009 . He is now likely to pursue other goals outside the realm of sports while seeking amass even more to his already considerable fortune . The future of the Nets now seem to be in good hands , with the franchise having acquired two All Stars in guards , Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving . It bodes well for the future of this franchise long-term.
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The co-main events for the UFC 241 showcase , headlined Nate Diaz in his bout against Anthony Pettis , while Daniel Cormier defended his UFC Heavyweight Title against Stipe Miocic . Nate Diaz would come away with a convincing victory over Anthony Pettis. For Daniel Cormier it was an inglorious night as he was overwhelmed by Stipe Miocic , who regained the title he lost to Cormier from a previous bout.
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Well the weekend within Major League Baseball provided the fans with something new as well as some rather surprising series’ results . A number of divisions still appear to be up for grabs , while the wildcard berth races are now tighter than ever .
The Chicago Cubs just can’t seem to find the consistency needed to dominate within the NL Central division. Dare I say it , but they will be hard-pressed to actually be victorious and show the form needed to make in back to the MLB Postseason . In their weekend series, the Cubs played the Pittsburgh Pirates , winning two of their three games against their NL rivals on the road . Next up for the Cubs will be a game against the San Francisco Giants with the opposing pitchers being Tyler Beede of the Giants against Cole Hamels of the Cubs.
I’ve long maintained that while the New York Yankees are back on track , having a great season , they might not be the best all-round team within the AL . I believe the Houston Astros to be their equal if not better as a team overall . Both teams will be in action over the coming days with the Astros being in action against the Detroit Tigers at home , while the Yankees will face the Oakland A’s on Tuesday evening , in an AL match-up .
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Week two of the NFL preseason took place over the weekend with some very interesting results having come to the fore . There is one game on the week two schedule taking place tonight with the Denver Broncos facing the San Francisco 49ers in a non-conference match-up .
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No real major news within the NBA at present .
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Clemson as the returning NCAA FBS Champions within College Football will be looking to make a successful defense of their title when they begin the defense of their crown with their regular season schedule . Head Coach Dabo Swinney , his coaching staff and the new team will be looking to make the season a truly championship caliber one. Their season will begin with a game against Georgia Tech on the 29th August , 2019 , week one of the FBS schedule .
Two in-state rivals within the state of M Florida (Gators) and the University of Miami (Miami Hurricanes) will renew a rivalry that once had some meaning at the national level within College Football when the two teams meet on Saturday , 24th August .
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The twenty-year career of Dirk Nowitzki as a player with the Dallas Mavericks has seen the player win just about every major individual and team title the NBA has to offer. His retirement will bring about significant change to a franchise , which will ultimately see one of it’s greatest players ride off into the sunset. With their draft choices and acquisitions by way of free agency should make the roster a very good one for the upcoming regular season schedule .
The Dallas Mavericks will have a number of preseason games before embarking on their regular season schedule . Their season opener will see the Mavericks take on the Denver Nuggets on the road . Coached by Rick Carlisle , it will be intriguing to see what will be provided by the lineup which has Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis heading up their front-court of forwards leading the offense.
The usual take within , the NBA is that the Christmas schedule within the league , tends to point to how good a teams’ season might well be.
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There’s going to be a fine line as to what we could see happen during the first two months of the NBA season and what was evidenced last year within the league .
With DeMarcus Cousins having suffered an injury , it clearly affects the Los Angeles Lakers’ potential for this upcoming season. The Lakers’ coaching staff led by Frank Vogel and one of his primary assistants , Jason Kidd will be looking to try out several free agent centers who are still unsigned free agents . Among the players the coaching staff will be trying out are , Dwight Howard , former Lakers’ player , Joakim Noah and Marresse Speights . The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of a very quick fix , because beyond the offensive weaponry provided by LeBron James , Kyle Kuzma and Anthony Davis , there is little of note that can be found from the remainder of the current roster .
The Los Angeles Lakers will begin their regular season schedule with a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at home during the first week of the regular season.
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There are some very good games being played today on the MLB schedule .
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Over the past eight days the results within Major League Baseball have been interesting . Justin Verlander was able to pitch the third no-hitter of his career as the Houston Astros prevailed in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays . Verlander pitched a gem of game as he got his seventeenth win of the season. His ERA of 2.56 is among the lowest of the starting pitchers with at least twelve wins or more.
Next up for the Astros will be a game against the Seattle Mariners at home between these two AL West rivals.
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The NFL preseason has now come to a close and while many believe some of the teams have played well , there are conflicts as to which teams have benefited the most from the preseason schedule. Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys may not have had the last laugh as he and Ezekiel Elliott ended their truce, with the Cowboys’ running back having signed a lucrative deal , making him one of the highest paid rushers in the league . With Elliott having sat out the entire preseason schedule , it was left to back-up running backs Darius Jackson and Tony Pollard to prove their worth to the coaching staff .
Dallas ended their preseason with a 2-2 record behind the unbeaten 4-0 stand by divisional rivals the New York Giants . Both teams will head into the regular season knowing that their respective teams performed adequately . In week one of the regular season the Dallas Cowboys will face New York Giants at home in a divisional contest .
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NFL week one regular season schedule
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Say what you will, but there’s growing evidence that the NBA hierarchy has lost complete control of it’s senses and that of the collective bargaining agreement. The team salaries have continually spiraled out of control , first under David Stern and now his successor Adam Silver. Consider the fact that among the league’s players there will be at least thirty of them earning in excess of $20 million for this upcoming year. Now while the league itself has become a multi-billion dollar a year industry , it should be noted that unlike Major League Baseball with their luxury tax , which benefits small market teams in terms of sharing their slice of the pie , Within the NBA , that pie is split evenly among the teams in terms of the salary cap.
Houston Rockets’ guard Eric Gordon has joined the gravy train in terms of his contract extension signed with the Rockets. Gordon will likely be a backup to Russell Westbrook who joined the team by way of a trade during this off-season . The departure of Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder ensured that trade , with GM Daryl Morey completely satisfied with the outcome.
Houston with it’s lineup and the coaching staff led by Mike D’Antoni should prove to be more than a handful for the teams they will meet over the course of the regular season . The team’s preseason will consist of six preseason games before embarking on their regular season with an opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks at home on the 24th October , 2019 .
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The NFL regular season will officially kick-off with the opening game of the 2019 schedule as the Chicago Bears will meet the Green Bay Packers , in what is in actuality the longest running rivalry in league history as football commemorates it’s century mark as a sport. There will be some fascinating match-ups involving conference games , divisional games and non-conference games. It will be interesting to see how those match-ups play out during the first weekend of the league (NFL) schedule .
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There doesn’t seem to be great deal left to play for within Major League Baseball with several divisions all but sewn up and merely the wildcard races still to be decided among the teams still in with a chance. Several games of interest will be taking place today as well over this entire weekend .
In something of a rarity within the game as the Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen did what no other pitcher has done in recent history other than Babe Ruth , who hit his first home run in his first at-bat with his team winning their game against their opponent. Lorenzen and the Reds triumphed in their contest against the Philadelphia Phillies . For the Phillies this was a game that they could ill afford to lose, given their standing within the NL East as well as the wildcard-standings . These two teams will be back in action again today , 5th September as part of their regular season series’ schedule .
Throughout the weekend all of the teams within baseball will be in action as the season begins to wind down .
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So with week two of the College Football (FBS) now upon us , it will be interesting to see which of the teams will rise to the occasion . Reigning national champions Clemson will be seeking to prove themselves still the best program in all of College Football as they take on Texas A&M . This contest should prove to be an interesting one .
Nick Saban and his Alabama team will be in action next as they face off against South Carolina in week three . That specific contest should tell us a great deal about these two teams at this stage of the season.
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The opening game of the NFL season for 2019 . pitted the Green Bay Packers playing the Chicago Bears in a conference and divisional game within the NFC . What should have been a great spectacle for the fans in attendance and those watching on cable as as well national television , turned out to be truly monstrous bore. Both teams failed miserably by way of their collective production and the players themselves were equally as bad in just about every facet of the game . Far be it for me to suggest but this might well have been one of the worst games played by these two teams over the past decade.
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So here we are almost at the midpoint for the final month of the regular season within Major League Baseball . The New York Yankees will be looking to win out on their weekend series against the Boston Red Sox . The first of those games will have the opposing pitchers will be Domingo Germain of the Yankees against Jhoulys Chacin of the Red Sox .
It is going to become hard to see how the Miami Marlins can truly justify their standing as a ball club within baseball. Coming off a fifteen game losing streak , this team , it’s front office and managerial staff seems to be at a loss as to where the Marlins now go from here. The Marlins are on their way to another losing season. Don Mattingly has been unable to take the Marlins to winning season since he became the ball-club’s manager.
Derek Jeter as one of the primary owners of the Miami Marlins will be looking to make some tough decisions concerning the future of this team and several of their players. Martin Prado and Starlin Castro are the biggest names on the roster , who Jeter might well seek to move during the off-season. For the moment however , before any such decision can be made . In the meantime the team will be in action for a weekend series of games against the Kansas City Royals . The opening game of the series will have Pablo Lopez of the Marlins against Jorge Lopez of the Royals .
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So week one of the NFL season opened to a great crescendo with several surprising results and a great deal of controversy and already some questions being asked of several teams on the wrong side of some truly embarrassing defeats. No one could have been surprised by the truly embarrassing performance of the Miami Dolphins in their lopsided 59-10 defeat , suffered at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in an all AFC clash at Dolphins’ Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami , Florida . Dolphins’ Head Coach Brian Flores and his coaching staff had to be embarrassed by the lack of commitment shown by the players . This was Miami’s most embarrassing loss in a game since they suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars when Mark Brunell was the quarterback of the Jaguars at the time , with Jimmy Johnson coaching the Miami Dolphins.
If there’s one thing that has become abundantly clear and it is that Jameis Winston is not a leader , nor can he be seen as a quarterback capable of leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to any semblance of success. This was once again evident in the player’s performance as the Buccaneers took on the San Francisco 49ers in their regular season opener. Winston’s performance can best be described as mediocre by all standards imaginable.
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Baseball’s weekend of games provided the fans with several interesting results and no overall major changes in the divisional standings . Suffice to say with roughly eighteen games left in the regular season , it will be interesting to see if any of the top-teams with over ninety victories will be able to gain triple-digit wins (100).
Last season’s reigning World Series’ champions the Boston Red Sox have fallen out of contention for a wildcard berth . The managerial staff and players have failed miserably over the course of the season . The team will be in action on Monday when they face the New York Yankees at home , Fenway Park in Boston , Massachusetts . James Paxton of the Yankees will face off against Eduardo Rodriguez of the Red Sox in this match-up of AL starting pitchers .
Within the NL it looks as if the Los Angeles Dodgers will be romping away with the NL West , by way of their having the best record within the division and league itself . Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts and his highly paid playing staff will be in action this week with a game against the Baltimore Orioles on the road at Camden Yards in Baltimore , Maryland.
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We’re six weeks away from the beginning of the NBA season , but there will be the preseason exhibition schedule to get us underway . It will be interesting to see which of the teams will rise to the occasion as the preseason gets underway .
Heading into the season the team with the highest payroll will be the Golden State Warriors where the highest paid player on the roster will be Steph Curry whose salary will top $40 million for the upcoming season . Warriors’ Head Coach Steve Kerr will head into this season with some changes having been made to the roster of last season. The team will begin a five game preseason schedule with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on October , 5th , 2019. With their regular season opener set to take place on 24th October against the Los Angeles Clippers .
Teams were making moves much as in the same way with last season as a precursor . For the Brooklyn Nets with their major acquisitions of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant , it could lead to their best season over the last decade . With Kevin Durant likely to miss much of the Nets’ regular season schedule, it will be left to Kyrie Irving to lead the team . Month one of their schedule should prove to be very interesting for the Nets. First up for the Brooklyn Nets will be their tipping off against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home .
Having billionaire Joseph Tsai assuming control of the Nets for an almost $3 billion price tag , it will be interesting to see what the new owner has in store for this franchise .
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There were two games that provided a result and end to week one of the regular season of the NFL . The Oakland Raiders took to the field where they defeated their AFC West rivals the Denver Broncos . In the other Monday Night game the New Orleans Saints overcame the Houston Texans in a non-conference match-up of AFC and NFC teams .
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There were several games of note played yesterday , 9th August , 2019. At this point last season , the standings and results didn’t give us a a full glimpse into how the season would end . It seems all but conclusive that the Chicago Cubs will end their season with another abysmal performance by the team . Manager Joe Maddon is unlikely to return to the ball-club that he’s managed since 2015 . Chicago has no chance of winning the NL Central or their making the postseason likely having missed their chance there as well. Yet given the complexities of the NL over the past month , just about anything is possible. Chicago will be in action throughout much of this week as the final month of their schedule plays out. Maddon will see his team on the field against the San Diego Padres on the road .
Dave Dombrowski was fired from his role as President of Operations for the Boston Red Sox . His firing came in recognition of the team’s failures this season . Whether or not Dombrowski makes a return to the game in a similar capacity remains to be seen . If so , there would be a number of teams around the league interested in his services. Zack Scott could very well be promoted to succeed Dombrowski in the role. Alex Cora , who having won a World Series’ title for the Red Sox in 2018 will likely keep his job as the team manager along with his coaching staff .
Courtesy of Boston.com
The remaining games on the Red Sox’s schedule could very well determine how well the team could fare . Boston will be in action today as they face the Toronto Blue Jays on the road . One clear issue that the Red Sox will have to deal with will be the resigning of their AL MVP star Mookie Betts . His return will be vital to the long-term future of the organization and their ambitions .
MLB schedule 10th September
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