Things which we’re now learning, LeBron James is the best players of his generation in the NBA and he now has to be considered among the top-fifteen players in NBA history , having led led three different franchises to an NBA championship , with James having won his fourth Finals’ MVP Award along the way.
LeBron James is seen here during the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat during which the Los Angeles Lakers went on to win the series by four games to two (4-2) to secure their 17th NBA championship tying them with the Boston Celtics for the most titles.
James’s most recent triumph came by way the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Miami Heat for the Lakers’ seventeenth championship tying them with the Boston Celtics for the most in NBA history . The Los Angeles Lakers could very well surpass that total in making a successful defense during the upcoming NBA season (2020-21). If they keep their current roster in tact or even with their core group of LeBron James , Anthony Davis and Kentavious Cladwell-Pope , the Lakers are certainly going to be odds on favorites for the title next season .
Granted , Caldwell-Pope has already opted out of the final year of his contract , but I’m sure that Rob Pekinka will be looking to convince the player to remain with the franchise and there’s likely to be input from both LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the matter .
With the NBA salary cap likely to ostensibly lower coming at around $115 million in comparison to this past season’s figure of $125 million , it will be interesting to see what type of moves are made with several players likely to be traded or be re-signed by their respective teams. Also with the NBA Draft not far off on the horizon certain franchises might just be looking to make certain deals seeking to position themselves for the drafting of a player that best suits their needs.
Three time champions the Golden State Warriors might we’ll seek to pursue two-time League MVP and current Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo . The Greek player is due to become a free agent this upcoming season , though he seek to opt out and seek to re-sign a max contract over five years equating to $205 million .
For GM Bob Myers , and the front office of the Golden State Warriors this off-season will be unlike any other over the past five seasons at least. For much of last season , the roster was without Steph Curry and Klay Thompson for prolonged spells of the their schedule leading to their poor record over this past season and clearly one of their worst over the last decade.
Say what you will , but after two games of the MLB World Series , everyone is beginning to see why Major League Baseball was in need of a great deal of excitement with the two teams in the postseason finale being the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays . With the first two games having been split at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles California . Game three will revert to Tropicana Field home of the Rays where the starting pitchers for that game will be Walker Buehler of the Dodgers against Charlie Morton of the Rays . The difference between these two teams can be best summed up by the divergence in their respective payrolls . Dodgers’ fans are hoping that the ball-club will be able to secure their first title since 1988 .
Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys with their current 2-4 record currently lead the NFC East division and it’s my humble belief that at least another two losses on their schedule could lead to the firing of Head Coach Mike McCarthy . To say that the Cowboys have under-performed would be putting things mildly. This team has not met expectations at all and that is even with the loss of starting quarterback Dak Prescott for quite possibly the rest of the season. In their next game in week seven the Dallas will meet the Washington Football Team on the road . If the Cowboys should end up with another loss , then their season could very well go up in smoke .
Several other teams within the league are having what one could describe as disastrous seasons given their present predicament. The Seattle Seahawks (5-0) with their unbeaten record are among the best teams in the NFL at this point of the season . Led by Russell Wilson , this team is expected to be as competitive as ever , leading many to believe they’re among the best teams in the NFC and clearly a presumptive favorite for the Superbowl this season . Wilson and the Seahawks will be facing the Arizona Cardinals in their week seven game which is a divisional rivalry .
Week eight of the College Football Season and the games should prove to be very competitive . Top ranked Clemson will be in action as they face Syracuse in what should prove to be a very entertaining match-up between the two teams . Perennial powerhouse Alabama will also be taking to the field when they’re matched up against Tennessee (Volunteers) . There will be several more games of heightened interest to the fans nationwide as the programs are moving headlong in to their respective seasons with their being so much at stake .
There’s a great deal to look forward to over this sporting weekend beginning as of today and it will be interesting to see what will pan out over the next three days commencing today , Friday, 23rd October, 2020. .
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NFL news and week seven schedule
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This should prove to be a very interesting sport’s weekend
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Is there a chance Cowboys’ Head Coach Mike McCarthy will last the entire season if this team continues to play this bad ? Who knew that after six games a 2-4 record would be good enough to lead the NFC East Division . That’s a quartet of teams that really don’t need to be thought of as NFL franchises and that is an undeniable fact.
https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/2020/reg
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The LA Dodgers might have a big disparity in talent, but the Rays have a huge edge in innovative coaching. Roberts’ “quick hook” with pitchers is just short of panic mode. Cash’s moves are pre-design.
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I really do believe that the Dodgers now having taken a 3-l lead in the World Series can end their drought of 32 years and win their first title since 1988. The Rays are a good young team but one has to remember this was a shortened season due to the Coronavirus. They hit the ground running and never looked back . I doubt they could maintain that consistency over 162 regular season games.
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Well with Los Angeles Dodgers (3-2) taking game five of the World Series they’re only one game away from defeating the Tampa Bay Rays and winning their first title in over 30 years. Their last triuimph came in 1988.
The Pittsburgh Steelers looked real good in defeating the Tennessee Titans in a game between two unbeaten NFL teams.
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BTW Tophat,
If you like money, bet Biden to win the White House. Hurry before the odds hit the roof. NO, I will not indulge in any political banter. They are all flawed.
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Yes , Biden for the win , but his campaign strategy to date, it really sucks .
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Ronbets … This election is Trump’s to lose in spite of all of the adverse issues he and his administration now has to face . From my own perspective I’ve not been overly impressed with either Joe Biden or Kamala Harris while they have been on the campaign trail .
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The Los Angeles Dodgers having rebounded to take game five of the World Series , they now find themselves one win away from the defeating the Tampa Bay Rays (2-3) for the 2020 World Series title . On the mound for game six will be opposing pitchers Blake Snell of the Rays against Tony Gonsolin of the Dodgers .
MLB news ….
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College Football provided some great results during week eight of the season with Alabama romping away to an overwhelming victory in their match-up against Tennessee winning that game 48-17 . With Clemson still atop of the rankings , the coming weeks within this season should tell us a great deal about the teams and their ambitions .
NCAA Football FBS …
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There were some great games in the NFL during week seven with Heisman Trophy winner and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow having his best game of the season to date , albeit that the Bengals fell to the high flying Cleveland Browns led by their quarterback Baker Mayfield , himself a former Heiman Trophy winner . This was a high scoring contest which ebbed and flowed . Burrow threw for over 400 yards during this game. Elsewhere around the league , Cam Newton and the New England Patriots fell at home as they faced the San Francisco 49ers , where Jimmy Garropolo would be facing his old team where he as a two-time Superbowl winner as the backup to Tom Brady .
For his part Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be heading in the right right direction as the team got their fifth victory of the season defeating the Las Vegas Raiders , 45-20 . Brady and Rob Gronkowski were back in the saddle with their respective performances on the day .
NFL news ……
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In the UFC this past weekend the sport had another card where one of the sport’s top fighters Khabib Nurmagomodev defended his title successfully in defeating Justin Gaethje convincingly , then announcing his abrupt retirement from MMA . It will be interesting to see if UFC President Dana White can convince the champion to change course and prolong his career in the UFC .
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Justin Herbert is having a sensational season in his rookie season within the NFL , joining Patrick Mahomes as the only rookie quarterback to have thrown for more than 250 yards in each of their first five games to start their professional career within the league . Herbert was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers as the sixth overall pick and among the top quarterbacks taken in 2020 NFL Draft . The Los Angles Chargers are in a tough AFC West division where the dominant team remains the Kansas City Chiefs . Herbert and the Chargers have a scheduled week eight game when the team faces the Denver Broncos on the road .
NFL news …..
NFL week eight schedule
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Game six of the World Series is almost upon us and the Los Angles Dodgers (3-2) remain in search of their first title in over thirty years. They’re now one win away from sealing the deal , needing to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays (2-3) in game six.
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Bruce Arians is either a damn hypocrite or he’s simply playing into the whims of quarterback Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Arians and the Buccaneers have reached a one year deal with troubled wide receiver Antonio Brown , whose career off the field has been troubling and well chronicled by the media . Brown still has pending legal issues in the state of Florida concerning domestic violence charges . I don’t know how this will sit well among the Buccaneers’ coaching staff where there are two females on the staff. In their next game the Tampa Bay Buccaners will be facing the New York Giants as they seek the hold firm within the NFC South .
Courtesy of Yahoo Sports
As to Antonio Brown with his being under current suspension he cannot return to the field until week nine of the NFL regular season .
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have finally triumphed after in recent years coming up short in their pursuit of a World Series’ title . On Tuesday evening the baseball god’s shone the light on the Dodgers’ team in their game six victory over the Tampa Bay Rays . In the aftermath of it all there are likely to be questions why Rays’ manager Kevin Cash decided to remove starting pitcher Blake Snell after his six magnificent innings where he struck out nine Dodgers’ batters . When it was all said and done the Los Angeles Dodgers did enough to justify their victory . World Series’ MVP winner was Corey Seager .
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There’s a great deal of speculation around the NBA that Chris Paul could once be on the move again during this off-season and it could come by way of a blockbuster trade involving Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers and Paul’s team the Oklahoma City Thunder . Yet the realization is the Sixers would be better in retaining Simmons and allowing one of their high priced players to leave in such a deal .
As the Brooklyn Nets look to reshape their future with Steve Nash taking over as Head Coach it is being reported that Amar’e Stoudemire will join Nash’s coaching staff . With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving providing the core of the roster , it will be interesting to see how this team will acclimatize to these two veterans who will be their coaches.
NBA news …..
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Dan Mullen , Head Coach of the Florida Gators has a tough time on his hands with several members of the staff having tested positive for the Coronavirus and what’s said to be several players on the roster . With the team in action with a game this weekend , week nine of the regular season schedule , it will be interesting to see what steps are taken by their opponents Missouri in what is sure to be a very interesting match-up .
Clemson will also be in action as they face Boston College where their starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be seeking to increase the Tigers’ winning ways . Lawrence is also seen as the front-runner for this year’s Heisman Trophy
NCAA Football schedule week 9
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Which team in the NFC should be considered the best within the conference and should be seen as a prohibitive favorite for the Superbowl ? Week eight of the regular season should tell us a great deal about the possibilities at hand . Perhaps the best game on the schedule , pits the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-0) as they face the Baltimore Ravens of the two conference rivals within the AFC. The San Franciso 49ers will face off against the Seattle Seahawks
NFL news …..
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I don’t know that anyone could’ve foreseen that the New York Jets (0-7) would have such a disastrous start to their season with the players failing to perform up to the expectations of the front office and coaching staff . Eight weeks into the season and the Jets sit at the bottom of the AFC East and in all likelihood this team will end up with the worst record in the league at season’s end . It seems highly unlikely that Adamn Gase will be brought back for next season with GM Joe Douglas likely to come to a decision about his Head Coach . This roster with several highly paid players are in need of some new blood and with the trade deadline coming up one or two of the players could be traded by the front office .
Sam Darnold hasn’t met the expectations after the hype surrounding being taken as a first round pick by the Jets during the 2018 NFL Draft . Darnold and his teammates will be in action for week eight when the New York Jets will face the Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) led by Patrick Mahomes .
Three teams are now tied at the top of the NFC East with two wins apiece heading into the weekend schedule . The Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) will meet the Dallas Cowboys (2-5) on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia .
NFL news …..
NFL transactions …
NFL standings division ..
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After a disastrous NBA Playoffs and the departure of Mike D’Antoni as Head Coach of the Houston Rockets , the front office led by Daryl Morey had to do a complete readjustment and seek to find a coach who’d bring something of a defensive backbone to a team that rarely played defense during the regular season let alone during the playoffs . In what can be seen as a surprise move the Rockets have brought in Stephen Silas to be the new Head Coach , succeeding D’Antoni. This is also could be Morey’s final act as an executive of the franchise as he is being tapped to become the President of the Basketball Operations of the Philadelphia 76ers .
NBA news ……
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Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals look to be in the playoff hunt at this stage of the season with the young quarterback seemingly proving himself to be a real leader among his teammates . The Cardinals have shown a resilience about them this season with their having passed their wins’ total of last season .
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Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been diagnosed with the Coronavirus having tested positive. Where this now leaves the team moving forward is anyone’s guess , but now means that Lawrence will have to undergo the mandatory fourteen-day quarantine as mandated by the NCAA . Lawrence was seen as the consensus number one overs pick for the 2021 NFL Draft as well as the leading front runner for this year’s Heisman Trophy Award .
This revelation now puts something of damper on the rest of the schedule for the Clemson Tigers moving forward . Questions will arise as to how Trevor Lawrence contracted the Coronavirus and who else might he have been in contact with .
What we do know with this stunning ness is the very fact that the NCAA will have to remain as vigilant as ever for all of their collegiate athletic pursuits .
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Hall of Fame golfing legend Jack Nicklaus whose eighteen Grand Slam title victories are the benchmark within golf has now come out and openly endorsed Donald Trump to be reelected as President . While the endorsement may not come as a surprise the timing does with their being less than four days to the Presidential elections . While polls have Joe Biden leading President Trump , I can’t help but feel this might be a sign of desperation by the incumbent. The sport of golf has never really been diverse in terms of the competitors in particular on the PGA Tour . It remains a sport played predominantly by white males at exclusive and very expensive clubs which tend to be owned by rich white individuals .
While Jack Nicklaus is a household name and known around the world . Much of the younger generation might not be fully aware as to whom Nicklaus might be . Nicklaus’ support of Donald Trump shouldn’t come as a major surprise , neither should the revelation that both Brett Favre and NHL great Bobby Orr have also come out and openly endorsed Donald Trump to be reelected as President of the United States of America.
As a side note , you’ve got to wonder how Kanye West must feel now that 50 Cent and Lil’ Wayne have replaced him as Trump’s two favorite black men ? đŸ’ªđŸ˜ƒđŸ˜ƒđŸ˜ƒđŸ˜ƒđŸ˜‚
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In what was an eventful weekend in College Football , the fans in attendance no matter how sparse the crowd and those watching on television got to see several great games . Alabama blanked Mississippi State on their way to a 41-0 victory .
Clemson who were without Trevor Lawrence got through their game comfortably taking down Boston College by a narrow six point margin , 34-28 .
Week ten of the regular season will bring on a slew of games as the season begins to really heat up and make more of a reflection of the rankings .
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There were some big winners and losers from Sunday’s NFL schedule of games and nothing could be descirbed as more deplorable than the all NFC East match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles . Let’s just say the game itself was a monumental eyesore from all perspectives .
The New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who both share a 5-2 record now also share the top spot within the NFC South . The Buccaneers will be matched up for a Monday Night Game where they face the New York Giants .
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens might well have put on the best game of the day in their enthralling AFC contest . Week nine of the schedule should provide the fans with some great games and with their being a great deal on the line to play for .
NFL news …..
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There are some notable players hitting the 2021 free agency market within baseball during this off-season and it will be interesting to see which stars will be retained by the newly crowned World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers who won their first title in thirty two years , This much we do know the front office will not be afraid to bolster this roster through off-season acquisitions as they seek to make a successful defense of their title . Money should be of no object giving their spending over the past five years .
MLB news …..
Los Angeles Dodgers news …
MLB free agents
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Cam Newton continues to be more of a liability than an asset to the New England Patriots this season. The team has posted a 2-5 record eight games into the season and one more loss could see the franchise post their first losing season in well over a decade . At that time Drew Bledsoe led the Patriots roster with Tom Brady having not been drafted by the Patriots . Next up for the Patriots will be a game against the New York Jets (0-8) where Cam Newton’s record against the franchise is a winning one (2-0) . New England should get back to winning ways or the Jets will secure their first win of the season.
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With the NFL trade deadline coming up it will be interesting to see which players are likely to be on the move . There are several players who are due to be restricted and unrestricted free agents with their cap value likely to make an impression on the teams for this season and moving ahead .
One team looking to keep it’s core in tact is that of the Kansas City Chiefs ,the defending Superbowl champions led by Patrick Mahomes . With the quarterback already having signed a record breaking deal with the franchise , the front office have seen fit to reward several other players believing that they are capable of winning more championships . Week nine will see the Chiefs face the Carolina Panthers . Their most recent meeting took place during the 2016 NFL season at week ten of the schedule . Kansas City won the game , 20-17 with Alex Smith as the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback .
At this point last season there were several trades which took place .
NFL transactions ….
NFL schedule week nine
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Major League Baseball will soon be announcing their finalists for the singular awards for this abbreviated season.
MLB news ……
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Sorry , but someone will have to convince me that Doc Rivers having taken over as Head Coach of the Philadelphia 76ers will be able to coach both Joel Embiid and his teammate Ben Simmons , given their lack of playing ability when it matters the most . Doc Rivers failed miserably with the Los Angeles Clippers during the NBA Playoffs where the team was expected to go all the way .
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Now might be the time for the front office of the New York Jets to consider firing Adam Game as the Head Coach of the franchise. This team has yet to gain it’s first victory of the season at the halfway point of the regular season schedule of the NFL.
Things have gotten so bad for Jets, that some fans are even questioning the Jets’ draft pick over the last five years at least . Quarterback Sam.Darnold remains among the biggest disappointment for New York Jets failing to show the progress and mental ability many believed he had.
At 0-8 heading into week nine the Jets are now playing for pride and self esteem. This team is barely competitive within the AFC East , the AFC and league overall . It’s becoming increasingly difficult to see where the Jets will gain their first victory. Suffice to say it’s now or never.
During the off season the roster of the New York Jets will have to be assessed on all fronts, as too will the changing staff . . If nothing else the fans deserve a lot better than this. Week nine and the Jets will find themselves up against divisional rivals the New England Patriots who are having troubles of their own this season with the all too inconsistent play of veteran quarterback Cam Newton .. His one year deal with the Patriots is now something of a monumental waste. It will interesting to see how both trams will fare in this match-up.
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It should tell you something when the Dallas Cowboys are now having to look at their third and fourth string quarterbacks on the team’s roster to see who will get the start against an unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers , a team which is chomping at the bit to take down the Cowboys. Dak Prescott the starting quarterback is out for the rest of the season due to a serious leg injury.
Prescott’s immediate backup Andy Dalton will be unable to play having tested positive for the Coronavirus . Team officials are unsure how he contracted the virus but they’re making sure to take all of safety protocols mandated by the NFL hierarchy to safeguard the players and organization in general . That being said, one now has to wonder whether or not the backups on the roster are capable in anyway of leading this team to a victory it any semblance of success over the remainder of this season .
Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert are the two quarterbacks now available to Cowboys’ Head Coach Mike McCarthy . It is believed that DiNucci will get the nod over Gilbert for his first professional start in the NFL. There are rumors that Stephen Jones has consulted his father , Jerry Jones , de-facto General Manager and owner to bring in estranged quarterback Colin Kaepernick , whose last game played in the NFL was almost four years ago. I believe that scenario would be a non starter as Jerry Jones doesn’t care for Kaepernick or his social activism at all. Jones had sided with <a href=https://www.whoi Donald Trump over the player's vocal activism and has denounced Colin Kaepernick several times, publicly .
https://dallascowboys.com/team/depth-chart
https://dallascowboys.com/team/players-roster
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Week Ten within College Football (FBS) and the teams in the hunt are now claiming their positions within their conferences , while looking to the postseason . Suffice to say , it’s not over ’til it’s over . Clemson will be taking on number four ranked Notre Dame in a match-up which could prove to be the best game of the day . In another battle of top ten teams , Georgia will play host to Florida .
Another game , which might catch the fans awe will feature Air Force taking on Army West Point , with two opposing branches facing off against one another . Ohio State as the number three ranked team in the nation will face off against Rutgers .
NCAA Football (FBS) week ten ….
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With Yu Darvish having reestablished himself as one of the best starting pitchers in baseball after a successful year with the Chicago Cubs , it will be interesting to see if the Cubs’ front office might seek to retain the pitcher and sign him to a long term contract. If not there might be several possible suitors for the Japanese star. Darvish could have his pick of several teams but I get the feeling that the Cubs’ management might well seek to resign the player .
MLB news ….
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Another failed seasonon and it looks as if the New York Yankees will be looking to boost their roster by way of acquisitions and contraction. It has several
years since their last triuimph in the World Series . For the Streinbrenner family the owners of the franchise , remains one of sport’s most fitting tributes.
There are a number of stars on the Yankees’ current roster , with several playing at a high standard while also being well paid extremely well. Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton are two of the highest paid players on the team as among the highest in all of baseball .
Aaron Boone , manager of the New York Yankees would nothing better than guide the ball-club to another championship .
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Tom Brady in the space of one week has gone from being an NFL League MVP contender to just aan aging veteran quarterback. Brady and the
Tampa Buccaneers fell to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in a horrendous 38-3 loss to their divisional rivals within the NFC South.
This was meant to be a statement game for the Buccaneers, but instead it turned out to be a rout with Bruce Arians’ Tampa Buccaneers being completely outplayed for four quarters this past Sunday. The performance by Brady might well have been his worst over the last five years. It was certainly among his worst ever against the New Orleans Saints. The 38-3 defeat suffered by the Buccaneers was one of their most humiliating defeats over the past five years. In week ten the Buccaneers are due to face the Carolina Panthers on the road in a divisional contest .
Last night the New England Patriots rebounded to take down the win-less New York Jets whose record now moves to 0-9 at just past the halfway mark of the NFL regular season schedule
NFL news …
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The NBA’s upcoming season will be making it’s return on December 22nd , just in time to cover the Christmas schedule of games .
Elsewhere around the league , former Finals’ MVP and point guard Chauncey Billups will be joining the Los Angeles Clippers’ coaching staff which is headed by Tyron Lue , who succeeds Glen ‘Doc’ Rivers , who is now the Head Coach of the Philadelphia 76ers .
Lue and Billups will have a tough task ahead of them in having to coach a team which failed so miserably during the NBA Playoffs falling in the conference semi finals of the Western Conference falling to the Denver Nuggets in seven games .
There are several free agents hitting the market during this off-season . Yet with the player cap space and that of the teams’ salary cap which is likely to be around $115 million for this season many of the moves will be predicated upon the desires of the teams and that of the top players available in the 2020 NBA Draft .
NBA news ….
NBA transactions …
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The MLB singular awards for the season have yet to be formally announced and with the MLB Draft will be within our midst .
MLB news ….
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NFL testing protocols for Covid seem to be working , but with the revelation that three Steelers’ players have been added to this list , makes this all more hazardous for the players and coaching staffs around the league (NFL) .
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With the PGA Tour schedule having been shaken up due to the Coronavirus , one of the biggest Grand Slam events The Masters is now taking place beginning as of today Thursday 12th November where former world number one golfer Tiger Woods is the defending champion . The culmination of the event which finishes on Sunday will be something of a precursor to the season and playing into the FEDEX title itself .
PGA Tour news ..
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Jeremy Lin whose greatest claim to fame was a brief stint as a Los Angeles Lakers’ player is now seeking a return to the NBA having now making a return to America after playing in China in recent years . Lin is hoping to join the roster of the Golden State Warriors . It remains to be seen if that becomes a reality with the Warriors having a high draft pick from this upcoming NBA Draft as well as their interest in probably acquiring a player in free agency .
Elsewhere around the NBA it is being widely reported that Houston Rockets’ point guard Russell Westbrook wants out from Houston and the Houston Rockets after just one season with the team . It will be interesting to see if there will be any takers for a player who is extremely productive , but whose cap value could prove to be a hindrance for a franchise moving forward .
NBA news …..
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We are almost at the culmination of the College Football season with just a few games to be played. Over this weekend there will be some top-notch match-ups of top ten teams within the rankings . One game that should meet the approval of the fans will see Notre Dame facing Boston College in a very interesting match-up . Also in play the Miami (Hurricanes ) against Virginia Tech .
NCAA Football schedule week 10 …
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Several teams are in for a tough time as week 10 of the regular NFL season comes into focus . One of the best games of the schedule takes place on Thursday night as the Indianapolis Colts face the Tennessee Titans in a conference game . There is also a great NFC match-up between Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers , with the Buccaneers looking to rebound from a horrible 38-3 loss against the New Orleans Saints this past week .
The trade deadline is now in focus and there will be several teams looking to pull the trigger . Cam Newton and the New England Patriots are in for a tough contest when the team faces the Baltimore Ravens this upcoming Sunday .
Over the next six games we might be able to determine who’s likely to be named League MVP with the leading contenders being Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes .
NFL news and team transactions ..
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In what might’ve been the surprise result of the week within the NFL , the Baltimore Ravens were upended by the New England Patriots as Cam Newton and his teammates rebounded from last week’s devastating loss .
NFL news …
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So the Miami Marlins have become the first team in Major League Baseball to have a female head up their front office as a general manager . With the naming of Kim Ng to the position another glass ceiling has been broken within a male dominated sport. After last season’s inglorious play and their postseason foray , where they managed to get the NLCS , losing to the eventual pennant winners the Atlanta Braves . Kim Ng may well need to pull off several trades as well as seeking to pay a number of their free agents if the Marlins are to contend for next season .
MLB news ….
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With all of the cap salary implications and the ongoing rumors of several blockbuster trades, it will be interesting to see what materializes over the coming weeks leading up to the NBA Draft ..
The Los Angeles Lakers could well be seeking to add their roster by adding point guard Dennis Schroder , who currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder . Lakers’ veteran point guard Rajon Rondo might well be on his way out , while seeking to be paid as a free agent . Rondo’s season with the Lakers was productive as the team won their seventeenth NBA title .
NBA news …..
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Dustin Johnson came up big by winning the second Grand Slam tournament of his golf career , taking the US Masters at Augusta . Johnson’s 20 under par (-20) was a tournament record and showed how great his play was during the four rounds of the tournament.
PGA Tour news …
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Last night’s game within the NFL produced another false start among the participants as the Minnesota Vikings took on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field i n Chicago , Illinois . Both of these NFC teams now seem to be out of the postseason hunt , given their respective records at this juncture . Week eleven of the NFL and the Bears will be on their by week along with the San Francisco 49ers , Buffalo Bills and New York Giants . There will be several intriguing match-ups which should catch the attention of the fans and viewers alike on the day’s schedule .
NFL news ……
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Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves won this years NL MVP to beat out some very illustrious name for the award . Freeman joins some list of Braves’ greats to have won the award . He had a great year for the team taking them into the postseason where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers , in the NLCS , with the Dodgers being the eventual World Series’ champions defeating the Tampa Bay Rays .
MLB news ……
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Is it now time to implode the entire roster of the Houston Rockets after another playoff failure this past season ? Neither Russell Westbrook or James Harden didn’t seemed to be in sync in spite of the best intentions of Daryl Morey as the team general manager and their now former Head Coach Mike D’Antoni. Here is what we do know , the players are owed a great deal on the remainder of their respective contracts and any team showing an interest in these All Stars would have to give up a great deal of talent or place them in a nightmare moving forward by way of salary cap obligations .
The career of veteran point guard Chris Paul has been a storied one and it seems in all certainty he will be come a future Hall of Fame bound player . In the latest twist of fate Paul has been traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Phoenix Suns , where he will join a young and exciting roster of players . It will be interesting to see what Paul can add to the roster by way of his veteran experience while leading the Suns to success .
NBA news and team transactions
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It’s going to be week twelve of the College Football season and everything seems to be falling into place by way of the prospective Bowl Games whatever shape they may well take due to the pandemic.
Alabama remains the number one ranked team in the country and they will face Kentucky this upcoming Saturday in a highly anticipated game .
The Florida Gators will be looking to move further up the rankings and belie their play of the number six ranked team in the nation when they face off against Vanderbilt on the road .
NCAA Football news
Week twelve schedule NCAA Football (FBS)
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There are numerous struggles by several teams this season within the NFL and it’s beginning to paint a really sorry story when you look at the banality of the NFC East , certainly the most overrated division in the entire NFL. Three of the four teams within the NFC East will be in action this weekend, with the lone exception being the New York Giants , who will be on their bye-week.
NFL news …..
NFL schedule week eleven
NFL Playoff picture ..
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Charlotte Hornets’ owner and billionaire Michael Jordan went for broke in the NBA Draft as the front office and coaching staff went about bolstering the team’s roster for the upcoming season . The Hornets took LaMelo Ball , younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans’ point guard Lonzo Ball ., It will be interesting to see what Coach James Borrego can make of this team based upon what he’s acquired and the play overall from the Hornets this past season .
Three-time NBA champions the Golden State Warriors having the second overall pick went with James Wisman , consensus belief that he’s the best all round player in the 2020 NBA Draft . Taken number one overall was Anthony Edwards by the Minnesota Timberwolves . Reigning champions the Los Angeles Lakers with three of their stars opting out of their contracts , the team went with the choice of Jaden McDaniels .
NBA Draft news ..
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There’s a growing feel that after last year’s failure , both the New York Yankees , Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels will have to revamp the way they go about doing things by way player acquisitions and the draft playing to bolster their respective rosters.
Given the fact that the pandemic has wreaked havoc upon the revenue streams of the teams around the ML:B , one can only hope that teams will seek to be prudent by way of the salary obligations for this upcoming season . This upcoming season there will be several players (fourteen) earning in excess of $30 million a year whereas last season that figure was eleven players equal to or above that mark .
Mike Trout’s career already speaks for itself with his being a multi-time All Star for the Los Angeles Angels , having won multiple ALMVP’s and yet the one thing missing from his resume’ is a World Series ring and title . It could well be that team owner Arte Moreno and the front office will have to do something if Trout is to full those ambitions .
MLB news …..
2020 MLB Draft order
MLB transactions …
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Week eleven of the NFL produced several unusual results and leaving a number of divisions in disarray . The New England Patriots suffered another loss their sixth of the season putting them in a position where they could end up with a losing record for the regular season for the first time in well over twelve years . The team that year was led by Drew Bledsoe at the quarterback position and Tom Brady hadn’t been drafted by the franchise where he would go on to break a number of team records . Cam Newton has been bedeviled by inconsistent play throughout the season leading to the team’s poor displays in just about every facet of the game . Week twelve will see the Patriots face the Arizona Cardinals at home .
NFL news
NFL schedule week 12 ..
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The silly season has now began within the off season with several trades now actually defying logic in the aftermath of the NBA Draft . Rajon Rondo was on the move as the seasoned veteran point guard left the Los Angeles Lakers for pastures green joining the Atlanta Hawks . Another point guard Gordon Hayward left the Boston Celtics signing a mega deal worth $120 million over four years . Hayward is a ten year veteran of the NBA having been drafted during the 2010 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz .
Center DeMarcus Cousins is now on the move once again as he now signs with the Houston Rockets . With the , franchise said to be in complete disarray with Russell Westbrook wanting out and there are rumblings that team owner Tilman Fertitta is willing to pull the trigger on a mega-deal that would also send James Harden off to another franchise in return for players capable of offering the Rockets real production and it will be interesting which teams are capable of vying for Harden and the remainder of his contract.
NBA news ….
NBA transactions …
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Week twelve of the College Football Season and the teams are looking to position themselves for the College Playoff format for the postseason .
Of the games likely to catch the fans’ eyes there one which might standout for this weekend will feature Auburn taking on Alabama in a match-up likely to produce a lot of fireworks . Number three ranked Ohio State will face off against Illinois , while number two ranked Notre Dame will face off against North Carolina (Tar Heels) .
The Florida Gators’ starting quarterback Kyle Trask is considered to be the best college quarterback at the FBS level and perhaps the leading contender for the Heisman Trophy for this season . Florida will be in action this weekend when the team faces Kentucky at home.
Week thirteen NCAA Football FBS
NCAA Football (FBS) rankings ..
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Klay Thompson is likely to miss a second consecutive season with the Golden State Warriors and there are rumors ever fomenting that joint team owners Peter Guber and Joe Lacob might well be willing to pursue a blockbuster trade which brings James Harden to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for their recent draft pick James Wiseman , Andrew Wiggins , several others on the roster as well as draft picks for the Rockets’ veteran and last season’s scoring champion .
From my own standpoint , while I feel the Golden State Warriors can compete , a bold move in obtaining James Harden would not make the chemistry of this team any better for the Warriors any better , given the issues faced last season for the Rockers , where Harden and Russell Westbrook couldn’t play in sync together when it mattered the most , during the NBA Playoffs . The Rockets’ failure was there for everyone to bear witness to.
NBA news
NBA transactions
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So another weekend schedule,m within the NFL and several teams fell short of what was expected of them . We saw the Kansas City Chiefs storm off to a defiant victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game where Tom Brady may well have had one of his worst performances against that team. Brady’s opposite number at the quarterback position Patrick Mahomes notched up several career firsts , as he sets about smashing franchise records for the Chiefs .
NFL news
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Week thirteen of the College Football Season and once again there delights to be seen around the nation as teams battled their way in match-ups which in some cases were competitive , while in others they were not . Alabama crushed their opponents Auburn in a lopsided contest , 42-13 in one of their most lopsided victories over the Tigers . Michigan in their game against Penn State succumbed to their rivals in another loss which may well send Head Coach , Jim Harbaugh leave the program and possibly make a welcomed return to the NFL .
In week fourteen and there will be several games of vital importance among the conferences and rankings . Alabama will once again be on the field where they will be taking on another fierce rival , Louisiana State (LSU) in a game which will be under a great deal of scrutiny given their respective histories .
NCAA Football (FBS)
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The MLB off-season to date hasn’t triggered any major moves by way of player movement but there have been renewed deals and extended contracts. It remains to be seen how the league hierarchy will deal with the upcoming season and the continued presence of the Coronavirus and whether or not the season itself will be restricted by the number of games to be played . With the awards for this past season having been made public , there will be those will be seeking to vie for next season in earnest among the players and managers .
Heading into the 2021 season the Los Angeles Dodgers will certainly be looking to make a successful defense of the World Series title while also looking to become among a select group of baseball teams to have won back-to-back titles . Dave Roberts as manager will be entering his sixth season as team manager with the roster likely to have changed with the departure and acquisition of players . The core of this team will be led by their World Series MVP Corey Seager . He will be among one of the highest paid players on the team heading into 2021 season . It will be interesting to see how Seager performs as he seeks to seal himself with a long term deal with the franchise as he becomes a free agent in 2022 A six or seven-year deal worth in excess of $245 million is not out of the realms of possibility given the zeal of the front office as they seek to be perennial contenders within baseball .
MLB news …
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