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bongaboi · 9 months

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Kansas: 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Champions

PHOENIX – The Kansas Jayhawks defeated the UNLV Rebels, 49-36, in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl inside Chase Field in Phoenix Arizona on Tuesday night, highlighted by six touchdown passes from Jason Bean and three touchdown receptions apiece by Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm.

Bean tied the Kansas football record with six touchdown passes and this was the first time two players have had three touchdown receptions in the same game in school history. Bean was named the Guaranteed Rate Bowl offensive MVP, while Kenny Logan Jr. was named defensive MVP.

The Kansas win gives the Jayhawks its first bowl victory since 2008, while the Jayhawks finish the season at 9-4, Kansas’ first 9-win season since 2007. The victory makes Kansas 7-7 in all-time bowl appearances.

UNLV scored first on their first possession, marching down the field on an eight-play, 65-yard drive, which was capped off by a 3-yard rushing touchdown by running back Vincent Davis.

The Jayhawks evened the score while still in the first quarter on a six-yard passing touchdown from Bean to Grimm. The touchdown came on the heels of a 98-yard drive, which was Kansas’ longest scoring drive since 2019.

KU got possession at its own 30-yard line with 5:03 to play in the half and drove 70 yards in nine plays, including a 44-yard reception from Bean to Quintin Skinner which moved the ball down to the UNLV one-yard line. On the next play, Devin Neal plunged into the end zone, making it 28-7, before UNLV knocked in a 40-yard field goal attempt to cut down KU’s lead to 28-10 heading into the half.

Following the halftime break, UNLV stopped Kansas on its first drive and moved to an 11-point deficit at 28-17 with 12:15 remaining in the third quarter on a 5-yard pass from Maiava to Shelton Zeon III. UNLV would add another passing touchdown on a 37-yard strike to make the score 28-24 with 10:30 left in the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Kansas struck back on a 40-yard throw from Bean to Arnold, which put Kansas back up 11 with 14:52 to play. The 40-yard touchdown reception capped off a 99-yard drive, Kansas’ second drive of 98 or more yards in the game to put the Jayhawks up 35-24.

After the long drive by the Jayhawks, UNLV responded with a seven-play, 88-yard yard drive to bring the score to 35-30. The Rebels failed to convert on the 2-point conversion.

With two receiving touchdowns already between the duo, Bean found Arnold a third time on a 56 yard screen play to put Kansas up further, 42-30 with 11:10 remaining in the game. The three touchdown receptions tied the Kansas bowl record for receiving touchdowns in a game, tying Dezmon Briscoe’s three receiving touchdowns set in the 2008 Insight Bowl vs. Minnesota.

On the ensuing UNLV possession, Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant recorded his fourth interception of the season on a pass by UNLV’s Jayden Maiava. Kansas would take advantage of the Bryant interception, as Grimm scored his second touchdown of the day on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Bean to put Kansas up, 14-7 with 11:37 remaining in the first half.

UNLV missed a 52-yard field goal on their next possession, setting the Jayhawks up with good field position for a five-play touchdown drive that covered 66 yards and was capped with a 15-yard touchdown strike from Bean to Arnold. At that point, Kansas led 21-7 with 7:57 to play in the half.

On the first play of UNLV’s next drive, Maiava was picked off again, this time with KU linebacker Craig Young hauling in his second career interception. The Jayhawks gave the ball right back, however, two plays later as Bean was picked off in the end zone. Kansas then held the Rebels to a three and out on the next drive, setting the stage for another scoring drive.

Grimm added another touchdown reception to his tally on a 43-yard strike from Bean in the fourth quarter to extend KU’s lead to 49-30. This was the first time in Kansas football history that two players recorded three touchdown receptions each.

UNLV answered with a long touchdown of its own, completing a 50-yard touchdown reception before failing a two-point conversion. Kansas maintained a 13-point, 49-36 advantage with 6:25 left in the game.

Kansas entered victory formation as it claimed its first bowl victory since 2008 with its 49-36 win over UNLV.

#2023 #guaranteed rate bowl #kansas jayhawks #bowl season #college football

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mitchbeck · 1 year

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bollywood143114 · 2 years

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#BrettFavreNetWorth

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linkljdf · 2 years

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okpow · 2 years

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NFL Picks vs The Evil Las Vegas Point Spread Week 8 - Cornball Russ Edition

Imagine trying to sleep while this geek does lunges next to you. Also the Lakers are... 0-5?

Cards at Vikings - Vikings favored by 3.5

Smell the fantasy goodness. Justin Jefferson ACTUALLY CATCHES A TOUCHDOWN OR TWO in this one. But so does Rondale Moore. There’s a lot to figure out for both teams in this one - is Minnesota elite-lite if they win here and only have one lose (to Phili)? Does Kyler Murray just need Hopkins back in the lineup to NOT RUN THE 30TH BEST OFFENSE IN FOOTBALL or whatever their deal is. Shootout? Shoutout. Over on 49 points.

Dolphins at Lioins - Dolphins by 3.5

THE FANTASY GAME OF THE WEEK IN WHICH TY-FREAK GOES FOR 2 CATCHES 200 YARDS AND THREE TUDDIES. THIS IS HOW COMMMON CORE MATH WORKS DON’T ASK QUESTIONS. Dan Campbell violently chews a quarter pound of chewing gum as he nervous/angry watches Detroit’s kicker WIN THE GAME AS A HOME DOG with a walk off. LIONS ON THE MONEY LINE.

Bears at Cowboys - Cowboys by a mighty 10 points at home

This line started at 7 and moved to 10 BECAUSE THIS IS OUR YEAR DALLAS. I think the Bears can keep it close in garbage time. Famous last words.

Raiders at Saints - Raiders by 1.5

This started as a pick ‘em game because it’s the definition of a pick ‘em game and now the Raiders are favored. The Raiders are probably the better team here? The Saints still have no WRs outside of Olave and have a wheels off QB situation. Raiders cover.

Panthers at Falcons - Falcons by 4

Two of the juggernaut teams that Tom Brady has to deal with twice a year COLLIDE IN ATLANTA. Said no one ever. No clue what to make of the Falcons. Kicker-fest in this one, I’ll take the Under on 41 points AND THE PANTHERS COVER behind their XFL QB. Abandon all fantasy hope ye who enter here.

Patriots at Jets - 40 point Over Under

I think this shoots out, relatively speaking, because nothing makes sense anymore. The Mormon Milf Hunter throws at least 2 INTs for no reason.

Steelers at Eagles - Eagles Implied Team Total of 27 points

They can’t keep getting away with it. Or can they? The Eagles are just omg sooooo hot right now but there’s some weird “Pride of Pennsylvania” narrative going on here that I don’t care to investigate any further because fuck Pennsylvania. The Iggies WILL NOT SCORE 27 POINTS IN THIS GAME.

Titans at Texans - Over/Under 41 points

This seems extremely low considering it’s on turf and Derrick Henry is involved. Over on points. This game even has some sneaky shootout potential BECAUSE THE TEXANS DON’T GIVE A FUCK.

Giants at Seahawks LIVE FROM THE TERROR DOME - Seahawks by 3

Didn’t have this one as a Game of the Week candidate a few weeks ago but here we are. It’s clear by now that Russ Cornball Wilson is nothing more than a CarrollBaby and NOW PETE CARROLL HAS A NEW BEST FRIEND AND HIS NAME IS GENO AND HE’S ACTUALLY BLACK AND HE’S THROWING DIMES. Speaking of Dimes, Daniel Jones, who looks like a Madden Create a QB template player, will rush for 100 yards. Giants on the money line in a good one.

Packers at Bills - Bills favored by 10 in the elements

A Packers team projected to score under 20 points in a big game environment yikes. MAYBE DRAFTING A BACKUP QB AND A BACK UP KINDA-NOT-EVEN-GOOD RUNNING BACK WHILE THE FACE OF YOUR FRANCHISE IS WINNING MVP AWARDS WASN’T THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? Packers will keep it close though.

#nfl

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racingtoaredlight · 3 years

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THE DEGENERATE’S GUIDE TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL TV WATCH ‘EM UPS 2021: WEEK TWO, A MUDDLED AND MAUDLIN WEEK OF MAYHEM IN HONOR OF THOSE WE LOST

RTARL would like to extend our warmest holiday wishes to those who celebrate and, even if you don’t, happy 9/11. Now who’s ready for some FOOTBALL!!!!?!?!

So after two weeks of games that combine to count as only one official week even though some teams have already played twice we have only one real question answered: is Alabama still good? Yes, they are. Everything else is still liquefying vapor.

I am assuming everybody is waiting with baited breath for an RTARLsman but I don’t have anything yet. I guess the not-Master Teague RBs on Ohio State are the frontrunners for now. Or that one guy from that one team who was good. You know who I mean.

Saturday, September 11

Matchup Time (ET) TV/Mobile

Illinois at Virginia 11:00am ACCN

Jeff George won Citrus Bowl MVP for the Illini against the Hoos in his last game as a student athlete before becoming the #1 overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft. Based on this history it is safe to presume that whoever the QB is for Illinois today will be the #1 pick in 2022.

VMI at Kent State 11:30am ESPN3

I’m not sure on this but maybe this game is cancelled.

WKU at Army 11:30am CBSSN

Army is favored by 6. I bet this game is boring.

Norfolk State at Wake Forest 12:00pm ACCNX

I don’t see a line listed but whatever it is bet against Wake covering.

Indiana State at Northwestern 12:00pm BTN

This game is an act of terrorism.

Alabama State at 25 Auburn 12:00pm SECN

Real body bag season starts today, huh?

Youngstown State at Michigan State 12:00pm BTN

The Michigan State running back is the guy I was trying to think of earlier! He’s pretty good. Not good enough to make me watch this but I will check on his stats every so often.

Tulsa at Oklahoma State 12:00pm FS1

I bet Mike Gundy has some really salient thoughts on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and I can’t wait to hear them.

South Carolina at East Carolina 12:00pm ESPN2

South Carolina is a two point favorite against an East Carolina team that is, per my understanding, not exactly good. So I can only extrapolate that South Carolina is likewise not good.

Pitt at Tennessee 12:00pm ESPN

Look, I’m not going to pretend this is good television but if Pitt rocks their classic yellow helmets and Tennessee wears non-alternates the colors on the screen will at least be pleasing. The thought of the actual football involved hurts my brain but it’s interesting that the points have gone from a consensus pick ‘em to Pitt -3 over the course of the week. Does Tennessee have any players that are good enough that by missing the game they could impact the gambling that much? Or are people just squaring themselves with the fact the the Vols are really and truly a ruined burnt out hole of a football program? Pound the latter.

12 Oregon at 3 Ohio State 12:00pm FOX

Losing Kayvon Thibideaux certainly isn’t going to help Oregon but he’s not usually on the field as a run stopper anyway and if Ohio State learned anything last week it’s that they can just run until they feel like throwing a pass. Oregon actually has some legit talent on the d-line besides Thibideaux but the Ducks are gonna be hard-pressed to keep things within two scores here.

Miami (Ohio) at Minnesota 12:00pm ESPN

If Oregon can’t make a game of it in Columbus look out because this time block is an absolute wasteland. There is scant reason to turn the TV on for the early schedule other than gambling purposes.

Kennesaw State at Georgia Tech 12:00pm RSN/ESPN3

Georgia Tech probably should have closed up shop after Paul Johnson retired. Either that or just absolutely slathered the football program in dollars. The Yellow Jackets being unable to land any big time recruits while playing in Atlanta is a real mindfuck. They aren’t a AA program playing dress up in a “power” conference they’ve got actual history. I don’t mean to give the impression I want them to be good but I don’t understand how they can be such fodder for so long.

13 Florida at USF 1:00pm ABC

Remember that year when USF was the best program in the state? Wild stuff. Weird, wild stuff. I know the deal with UF is that they don’t go out of state for contract games but it’s actually kind of surprising they even bothered to keep this trip to Tampa on the schedule. Like the area recruits would probably be happier to go see a game at The Swamp than to kick around their hometown for a pile of shit like this.

Wyoming at NIU 1:30pm ESPN+

I’m not gonna open the ESPN app for this but if it was on ESPN2 I’d probably check in on it during commercials. Aesthetically pleasing trash with an upside for actual entertainment.

Middle Tennessee at 19 Virginia Tech 2:00pm ACCNX

Virginia Tech’s home crowd scene was the normie story of last week’s games. People that don’t watch college football were either aghast or frantically waving their blue lives matter flags in response. Us in this space just ate the shame and forgot it happened by the time Saturday’s games kicked off. My theory is that VPI is not actually any good but UNC’s 2020 season was a well-timed fluke and the last hurrah of Mack Brown’s storied coaching career. The Hokies are at home, though, and MTSU is almost certainly not on the same athletic level as the Turkey Gobblers so I’d probably take the home team -20 if I were so inclined to wager on this particular game that is being broadcast on the ACC’s new pornography channel.

Rutgers at Syracuse 2:00pm ACCN

Holy fuck does this game suck. Reuniting former Big East, uh, rivals (??? does Rutgers have any natural enemies?) in a cross-conference classic betwixt the B1G and the ACC.

Duquesne at Ohio 2:00pm ESPN3

I don’t think I need to explain to you all the national title implications riding on this game.

Toledo at 8 Notre Dame 2:30pm Peacock

Just remember that if you subscribe to Peacock you are at the very least tacitly supporting Notre Dame. If for some reason you’re watching this please report back on how many of those defensive pick plays Notre Dame runs. They were doing that shit constantly against Florida State last week and it drove me nuts. I think the idea is that you are so flagrantly illegal so often that the refs grow numb to it and just don’t call it at all.

Robert Morris at Central Michigan 3:00pm ESPN3

Not to be outdone by the early games, the 3 o’clock set is equally terrible.

Purdue at UConn 3:00pm CBSSN

I bet Edsall still gets bonuses for stupid shit even now that he’s retired or whatever the official designation was for him no longer coaching.

Boston College at UMass 3:30pm FloFootball/NESN+

I don’t know what FloFootball is but I know it isn’t anything to do with the state of Florida.

Ball State at 11 Penn State 3:30pm FS1

It surprises me to see Penn State as only -22.5 favorites. That seems very kind to Ball State. Hopefully I’m wrong and the Ball State Lettermans take it to the Sanduskys.

Murray State at 7 Cincinnati 3:30pm ESPN+

Practice week continues.

Temple at Akron 3:30pm ESPN+

Pound the under.

Georgia Southern at Florida Atlantic 3:30pm Stadium

There is really nothing going on this week.

Air Force at Navy 3:30pm CBS

Middies vs. Fly Boys in the first leg of the Commander’s Cup on the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. I can’t imagine the amount of emotional manipulation that’s going to make its way onto this broadcast. Normally I watch these games but I don’t think I can do it this year.

UAB at 2 Georgia 3:30pm ESPN2

Georgia may well be absurdly talented on the defensive side of the ball but I’d be surprised to see them make it through the regular season with fewer than two losses.

5 Texas A&M at Colorado 3:30pm FOX

This is only interesting if the Aggies spring a leak.

California at TCU 3:30pm ESPNU

Things most certainly are not looking up.

Buffalo at Nebraska 3:30pm BTN

Nebraska is in an interesting position because if they buck the odds and end up being good after we’ve all been so ready to see a National Championship-winning coach get fired that would be funny but if they end up being really bad it’s even funnier. Go Bulls!

Mercer at 1 Alabama 4:00pm SECN

I’ll cry a little if Saban pulls the starters in the first half and the Tide beats Mercer by less than they beat Miami.

South Alabama at Bowling Green 4:00pm ESPN+

10 Iowa at 9 Iowa State 4:30pmABC

This is not the kind of top 10 matchup I can just sit idly by and let it happen. Your silence is complicity in this monstrous display of modernity.

SC State at 6 Clemson 5:00pm ACCN

Clemson dropped all the way to #6 and they’ll hang around the top of the polls because they don’t have the toughest conference schedule in the world but my confidence in them is not high right now. I think the new QB is just a guy. He’s talented as hell but I don’t see him being great.

Illinois State at Western Michigan 5:00pm ESPN3

This is either MACtion or MACtion adjacent and I have only one word for this midwestern trash: abhorrent.

LIU at West Virginia 5:00pm ESPN+

LIU plays football?

Lamar at UTSA 6:00pm ESPN3

Downside: You’re watching one of the least important games of the year. Upside: You’re really not missing anything.

Portland State at Washington State 6:00pm P12N

Washington State was a perfect spot for the stupid pirate fuckhead and his leaving has ruined the program and, eventually, his reputation. Not relevant to this game necessarily but this game isn’t relevant to anything else, either.

Gardner-Webb at Charlotte 6:00pm ESPN3

Oh, yeah, feel the excitement.

Bethune-Cookman at UCF 6:30pm ESPN+

Go Cats.

NC Central at Marshall 6:30pm ESPN+

The hits keep coming.

Houston at Rice 6:30pm CBSSN

I’ve always had a soft spot for Holgo and for Houston football but somehow I really don’t like seeing him coach the Cougs. This is SWC magic but with no magic. UNLESS! Houston can put up 100. I don’t think they even have the guys to do it but this is Rice we’re talking about here.

Nicholls at Louisiana 7:00pm ESPN3

Keep the energy up.

North Texas at SMU 7:00pm ESPN+

I bet is MS621 were still alive he’d be at this game giving Spencer’s boys hell. Sadly he died doing what he loved, curing his COVID by eating ivermectin paste out of a horse’s butt. R.I.P., friend. Neigh to you wherever you are.

Southeastern La. at Louisiana Tech 7:00pm ESPN3

Even the low tier stuff is geared up for annihilation. This is a bodybag week for all time.

Memphis at Arkansas State 7:00pm ESPN+

Memphis getting less than a touchdown against Arkansas State seems like easy money but I have no real concept of either of these teams just yet. Maybe the end is nigh for the Tigers glory years? I sure hope not but it’s possible.

NC State at Mississippi State 7:00pm ESPN2

This game should be as fun as a parents funeral.

Southern Illinois at Kansas State 7:00pm ESPN+

Over the past week I experienced derision for referring the the guys in purple and silver as “Kansas State” instead of “K State” and that stung because it always surprises me that anybody cares about them enough to have a strong opinion about them.

Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech 7:00pm ESPN+

Shrugs

15 Texas at Arkansas 7:00pm ESPN

Let’s see if Texas is ready to run with the big boys of the SEC! Arkansas is given a decent shot to win this game and that makes the “15″ next to Texas appear extremely suspect in my eyes.

Texas Southern at Baylor 7:00pm ESPN+

This week Texas Southern is the people’s champion.

Texas State at FIU 7:00pm ESPN+

Oh, Butch, why have you done this to yourself?

Western Carolina at 4 Oklahoma 7:00pm PPV

All the Westen Carolina fans are buying this PPV to see their guys score 40.

New Mexico State at New Mexico 7:00pm Stadium

I looked up the historic rivalry last year to figure out why it was played early in the season instead of at the end but I’ve forgotten and don’t feel the need to look it up again. I figured out how to watch Stadium on my TV but I also forgot that and don’t feel the need to look it up again.

Appalachian State at 22 Miami (FL) 7:00pm ESPNU

My gut tells me Miami is probably legitimately about the 14th best team in the country but I still would never advise you to bet actual money on the Hurricanes. Are they 9 points better than App State? Easily. They should win by 20+. Are they liable to fuck around and lose or scrape out a win in the final seconds? Absolutely. Let’s fuckin’ go.

Morgan State at Tulane 7:00pm ESPN+

A lot of people learned to love the Green Wave last week but it’s hard to keep that going with their schedule. Don’t forget them later in the year when the CBSSN glow is really shining.

Liberty at Troy 7:00pm ESPN+

Liberty -4 is maybe my surest advice of the week. If Malik Willis is as good as his press the fake school should have this game on ice early.

Eastern Michigan at 18 Wisconsin 7:00pm FS1

I find Wisconsin’s losing effort against Penn State last week to be a personal affront against me and all of nature.

Eastern Kentucky at Louisville 7:00pm ACCNX

I think this game being broadcast at night on ACCNX means they’re playing naked.

Grambling State at Southern Miss 7:00pm ESPN3

This is the kind of game that belongs on an app.

Hampton at Old Dominion 7:00pm ESPN3

This is the kind of game that belongs on a well-worn high school football field.

Austin Peay at 20 Mississippi 7:30pm ESPN+/SECN+

This is a pretty big OOC game for an SEC team.

Georgia State at 24 North Carolina 7:30pm RSN/ESPN3

One of several GSUs, I think this is the one I most hope emerges victorious this week.

Idaho at Indiana 7:30pm BTN

Wait, wasn’t Indiana like #10 last week? What the hell happened to them? No, don’t tell me. Seriously, don’t.

Missouri at Kentucky 7:30pm SECN

When the SEC hits 24 teams the “S!E!C!” chants are gonna seem really stupid.

Howard at Maryland 7:30pm BTN

There’s no official line for this game but I hope the Bison can pull off the upset in this classic local rivalry game.

Jacksonville State at Florida State 8:00pm ACCN

Still shaking my head at FSU icing their own kicker. Jesus, Norvell. Get your shit together.

McNeese at LSU 8:00pm ESPN+/SECN+

LOLSU was my lock of the week last week if you’re considering taking gambling advice from me.

Washington at Michigan 8:00pm ABC

UDub lost to a 1-AA team last week and now they have to go on the road and beat Michigan. Which seems inevitable, to be honest.

Cal Poly at Fresno State 10:00pm CW59

The murder rate will continue to increase as the day progresses. I always kind of like it when a local broadcast shows up on the sheet. So pretty much none of us have legal access to this game. It makes it more special.

San Diego State at Arizona 10:00pm P12N

Pac-12 Network is similar to CW59 in that almost nobody in the country has legal access to their broadcasts. If you’ve read enough of these posts you are aware that SDSU is my weird very deep backup team. I don’t have a reason to align myself with the school or program, I just tend to enjoy watching their games.

Vanderbilt at Colorado State 10:00pm CBSSN

This is an abomination.

21 Utah at BYU 10:15pm ESPN

This is a lowkey fun rivalry. I’m pretty sure I write the same thing every year but it’s still true. Go Utes.

Stanford at 14 USC 10:30pm FOX

I think USC could win a national championship and I’d still be baffled that Clay Helton is their coach. Of course, they won’t win a national championship as long as Clay Helton is their coach but they apparently won’t ever get embarrassing enough to fire him, either.

Idaho State at Nevada 10:30pm Stadium

This is the lowpoint of the week’s schedule and you have to stay up late to watch it on a network that only exists as an app or as part of a hidden unlockable download-only level of cable subscription. This is the beauty of the college game.

UNLV at 23 Arizona State 10:30pm ESPN2

Herm Edwards figured out the trick to looking good in the Pac-12 without having a particularly great team and I can’t make up my mind if I’m rooting for him to keep sliding on that rail or to fall off it. I think I’ve come around to rooting for him but it’s a very dynamic and fluid situation.

Hawaii at Oregon State 11:00pm FS1

Hawaii gets to play at their normal time for a game against the bottom of the barrel of the Pac-12 but they’re an 11-point underdog. If you’re ever going to take Hawaii, this is the stars lining up for you to do it. It’s still a big “if” but I’m saying there’s a chance.

#college football #football #Tv watch em ups #rtarl watches tv #gambling #9/11 #two decades after 9/11

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super-famicom-star-inactive · 4 years

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Friday Special #13

March 12, 2021

Hello friendos, and welcome back to another Friday Special!

Since this is the infamous number thirteen, why not take a look into what is considered to be one of the most cursed video game franchises of all time?

For today’s topic, we will be focusing our attention to the EA Sports franchise of Madden NFL, perhaps the most famous football franchise of all time and how it spawned the notorious “Madden Curse”.

So let’s start with the franchise’s history.

The very first Madden NFL game was released all the way back in 1988 under its original name John Madden Football. It was named as such as EA’s Trip Hawkins approached John Madden himself in 1984, hoping to use his name and likeness to create a line of football games. Madden agreed only if the game be as realistic as possible to the actual sport, hence why it took four years to produce. Problems arose when hardware limitations would cause the systems to crash and it got so bad that they even hired Bethesda Softworks (yes, that Bethesda) to help with the project at one point, however they later quit after a year and a legal battle ensued between EA and Bethesda Softworks over the failure of producing new versions of the latter’s Gridiron! football game, which added on to the delay and production costs to make the game. The game John Madden Football was finally released on June 1, 1988 for the Apple II, MS-DOS, and Commodore 64 and 128.

All of the pain that the development team went through paid off as John Madden Football (or Madden ‘88 as it’s known today for distinguishing itself) went to be a very popular title for home computers. It was so popular that it was released for the SEGA Genesis two years later. John Madden II was released back on MS-DOS in 1991 before going back to console with the Genesis, starting a trend where the games would be flipped back and forth depending on the market and consoles available. The last time that the games would be called John Madden Football would in 1992 as John Madden Football ‘93 was the last one. The reason for the name change to the famous Madden NFL name that we’re familiar with is because EA bought the rights to use official NFL teams and players.

Every single year since, like clockwork, a new Madden NFL would be released for the current generations of consoles and PC.

This would a rather normal sports franchise had it not been for the “curse” that surrounded the franchise since its very conception.

So when did the “Madden Curse” become a thing?

So in the early 2000s, John Madden retired from football, which left the door open for EA to see about making a few changes to the product design of their Madden NFL games, most notably being the cover art. In 2000, Eddie George of the Tennessee Titans was chosen for the cover of Madden NFL 2001, representing the new change.

Nothing to see here.

It wasn’t until the next year that things started to get a little spooky when Daunte Culpepper of the Minnesota Vikings was put on the cover of Madden NFL 2002. His career started going south when, after achieving 4,000+ yards 33 touchdowns and landing on the cover, suffered bad turnover rates, bad interceptions and lack of touchdowns before a back injury took him out in the 11th game of the 2001 season.

At the time it was seen as a coincidence.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was featured on the cover of Madden NFL 2004. That following season, he fractured his right fibula during the game against the Baltimore Ravens. He then only played in the last 5 games after acquiring the injury which caused the Atlanta Falcons to lose enough games that they missed the playoffs, coming out of the 2004 season with 5-11.

The rumor mill regarding the “Madden Curse” started to gain traction but it wasn’t until the third incident when the media started taking it seriously reporting on it.

Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks was chosen for the 2007 edition of Madden NFL and, before being given that honor, had one of the best seasons as a player during the 2005 season with 28 touchdowns and 1,880 yards. After being on the cover however, his luck ran out when he fractured the 4th metatarsal in his foot causing him to miss six starts (he had only missed one out of 64 starts previously before his cover appearance) and missed the 1,000 mark for yards for the first time since the 2000 season. His stats continued to plumment until his eventual retirement. He has been quoted as saying “Do you want to be hurt and on the cover, or just hurt?"

The “Madden Curse” would kick in again for Troy Polamalu for the 2009 edition, who played for the Pittsburg Steelers at the time during the 2009-2010 season and suffered from a torn ACL, which caused him to miss the majority of the season. His counterpart on the cover, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, fared much better but we’ll get to his side later.

Two years later for the 2012 edition, Peyton Hillis was chosen because of his breakout season with 1,117 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2011. After his appearance however, in the next season, he only played in 10 games and started 9 due to several injuries such as a sprained hip, strep throat, and hamstring injuries. He ended the season with 3 touchdowns and 577 yards.

The latest in negativity surrounding the “Madden Curse” was in the form of Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots for the 2017 edition. Gronkowski first dealt with a hamstring injury that caused him to sit out of the first few games of the season that progressively got worse as the season went on. A blow from Seattle safety Earl Thomas III pulled him out of the game and he never recovered enough to bring him back in to play. There is a positive end to the story in that his team the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl LI that year so he had the honor of being the first cover athlete to win at the Super Bowl.

Despite the mystery and fear surrounding the “Madden Curse”, there were several instances that resulted in counterexamples.

Larry Fitzgerald back in 2009 was picked to be on the cover alongside Troy Polamalu for the 2010 edition. Unlike Polamalu’s bad luck, Fitzgerald played in all 16 games and caught a league high of 13 touchdowns, naming him to the Pro Bowl. The “Madden Curse” did catch up with him a little as he suffered a rib injury that caused him to miss the Pro Bowl.

For the 2013 edition, Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions was picked for the cover because of his stellar record All-Pro Season in 2011 with 1,681 yards, 16 touchdowns and another Pro Selection. Unfortunately, the next season was not as great as he admitted to playing with broken fingers (ouch).

Tom Brady was selected for the 2018 edition representing the New York Patriots after Rob Gronkowski represented the same team the previous year. Brady had the honor of being the oldest MVP on record and 4,577 yards and 32 touchdowns as he led the Patriots to a 13-3, allowing another Super Bowl win.

Patrick Mahomes is the most recent counterexample for the 2020 edition where he first suffered a dislocated knee in Game 7 of the 2020 season, remaining out for three weeks afterward. Despite the setback, he still maintained a decent season with 26 touchdowns and 4,031 yards before guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to winning Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers 31-20, winnning the title of Super Bowl MVP.

When will the “Madden Curse strike again? Only time and fate can tell at this point.

Thoughts From The Head

So I’m gonna be real with all of you, I never cared much for sport-themed video games besides the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series and Wii Sports. Sports is not really my thing. I do get fascinated, however, when stuff like this pops up because how much it impacted both the video game industry as well as the sports entertainment industry. For crying out loud, the media continues to hype it up every time an incident happens despite it being played off as a hoax. This “curse” in question has even made quite a few players weary of it, but there have also been others that have passed it off as a joke. It’s even gotten so serious that even fans have petitioned for their favorite players not to get picked, fearing the worst.

Freaky stuff but that’s sports for ya.

So do y’all think about all of this? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Thank you for reading!

#my voice!#retro gaming #gaming #irl #sports #gif #Friday Special

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andrewuttaro · 4 years

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Two GM’s, Two Trades

Sports history has no shortage of characters. Heroes and Fools and everything in between. Often times they exist in different times, set apart by eras and regimes. But we may have the best compare and contrast one could hope for on our hands in Buffalo. On May 9th, 2017, the Buffalo Bills hired a new general manager in Brandon Beane. Two days later the Buffalo Sabres hired a new general manger in Jason Botterill. Two days apart two men together took hold of the towns only two major pro sports franchises. Then they went in different directions.

To be fair both have had their ups and downs. NHL Hockey and NFL Football are vastly different games with different salary cap structures and different roster construction rules. We’re not comparing apples and apples here. But the comparison is just too tempting. Three years on most Sabres fans are calling for the ouster of Botterill while Bills fans hail Beane as the architect of a franchise renaissance. The Bills are being picked to win their division, twelve games, and be a contender for the AFC title. The Sabres are nine years out of the playoffs and inspiring little hope in anyone wearing blue and gold. How much was each GM responsible for their club’s current predicament?

I’m not smart enough for stats and only became a football fan when Josh Allen leaped that Viking. I won’t be making an analytical argument to you today. Instead let’s look at two trades. One made by each of the Buffalo GMs. Each trade represents more than a simple exchange of players and futures. Each trade is a roster-altering power move executed in the hope of changing the club’s fortunes. The results for one are not looking good. The results for the other are yet to be seen. Each trade is emblematic of the GM who pulled the trigger.

For Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill it was the Ryan O’Reilly Trade. July 1st, 2018: Jason Botterill trades Center Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues for forwards Vladimir Sobotka, Patrik Berglund, Tage Thompson, a 2019 First Round Draft pick and a 2021 second round Draft pick. Make no mistake: the player in this deal is Ryan O’Reilly. A center holding down the top line role in Buffalo as young superstar Jack Eichel came into his own. For St. Louis O’Reilly would be a middle six forward on a much deeper roster. Meanwhile both of Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund were already regressing but they were veteran roster players which were certainly a big demand for a Sabres franchise that had just added franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Everything else in the trade was sight-unseen futures, including Tage Thompson; the least of a three-headed monster of St. Louis prospects.

For the Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane it was the Stefon Diggs trade. March 16th, 2020: Brandon Beane acquires Stefon Diggs and a 2020 seventh round draft pick from the Minnesota Vikings for the Bills 2020 First Round Draft Pick, a 2020 fifth round pick, a 2020 sixth round pick, and a fourth round draft pick in 2021. Minnesota received a haul of draft picks including a first rounder they used to select a replacement receiver for the departed Diggs. They moved out a player management had become impatient with for a haul of futures. Meanwhile the Bills forfeited said haul for a bonafede number one receiver. A known quantity for young QB Josh Allen to gel with.

The Sabres were coming off of what was accidentally one of their worst seasons in franchise history. That desolation earned them a top draft pick and generational talent in Rasmus Dahlin. Centers are crucial pieces in NHL roster construction and even the barely decent ones command a high price. Ryan O’Reilly was an above average center who couldn’t single-handedly revive the Sabres in their endless struggles. No single player can but centers are critical pieces. Evidently Botterill was shopping O’Reilly as early as the 2018 Trade deadline. When the player caught wind of it the awful season was magnified. When O’Reilly claimed he’d lost his love for the game at locker room cleanout day he gave the GM the media cover to move him out, a relationship already ruined by prior devaluation. The July 1st trade apparently went down in some part because Sabres owner Terry Pegula (also the owner of the Buffalo Bills) was not interested in paying a contract bonus. After a rough first half for the Blues the following season they went on an incredible run that ended in a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP) for Ryan O’Reilly.

When the Bills acquired Stefon Diggs they were fresh off Josh Allen’s first full season as the starting quarterback. For many in the national media Buffalo came out of nowhere embarrassing the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, winning ten games, and reaching the playoffs for the second time in three years. For Brandon Beane it was the fruition of a rather quick turnaround that saw him move out the majority of the squad that snuck into the playoffs two years prior. Big gets of the prior regime like Sammy Watkins had been moved out for an even newer battery of Tre White, Tremaine Edmunds, and Ed Oliver among others. With that backdrop the move to get Stefon Diggs added a young high-end receiver to the top of a depth chart that already included Cole Beasley and John Brown. This was giving Allen the weapon he needed to push further on a young team’s potential for a collection of futures Beane already had. The on-field results are yet to be seen but Beane has been roundly praised for the move.

Both of these trade represented their respective Buffalo GMs making a considerably big roster move. Both trades were attempts to fill a need by moving out something in excess. For the two GMs these trades demonstrate how their respective models for organizational overhaul were fundamentally different. Both trades factor in the state of affairs their teams were in differently. While Botterill moved a core piece for futures, Beane moved futures for a core piece. Botterill made his move a year into his roster regime still struggling to build a consistent forward corp. Beane made his move in year three after a strong young base was already in place winning games. Differences there maybe many but it seems clear to see how these two trades show what kind of GM each man tries to be. Hired two days apart, these GM’s strategies are indeed worlds apart.

#buffalo sabres #Buffalo Bills

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lamarmcarter · 4 years

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A WNBA Wishlist for NBA 2K21 & Beyond

The current state of the world has created newfound time for many of us while we wait for sports to resume and, much more importantly, life to return to some semblance of normal.

To pass the time, and to follow the recent buzz created by the 2020 WNBA Draft, I have taken a deep dive into NBA 2K20’s WNBA integration and created a wishlist of features for the next iterations of the game. The first year of WNBA in 2K surpassed EA Sports’ two-year head start with NBA Live 18 and Live 19 on a number of fronts; that said, for 2K to bring the integration up to the standard W fans deserve and their industry-leading NBA simulation has created, I’ve logged these 20 things need to be added as soon as possible:

Fix the In-Game Commentary Audio One of the most glaring issues for 2K20 with the WNBA were the multiple instances of the in-game announcers misgendering player actions (using “he/him/his” instead of “she/her/hers”). I haven’t heard any actions in NBA modes using female wording so hearing it in the W games makes the mode feel a bit unprofessional. There are some times where these mentions could just be unclear pronunciations, but even that happening in a game where there is usually so much polish on the commentary is a problem. I’ve had fellow gamers on Twitter confirm that this has happened to them so it’s definitely not an isolated incident.

Choose more recognizable and more diverse announcers The all-male trio of announcers in the WNBA modes did an admirable job providing commentary in the games. While I generally enjoyed their commentary (sans point No.1) and it seemed to get better after launch, sometimes their insights into players were a bit formulaic (a descriptor, player name, another descriptor). Initially, hearing these anecdotes about the players was refreshing but noticing this recurring template was disheartening after a while. Also, in a game that has a wide mix of recognizable, veteran NBA announcers on the men’s side and sports the great Doris Burke among that mix, it was hard to understand how the WNBA mode only possessed an all-male crew unknown in WNBA circles.

A list of seasoned WNBA/women’s basketball announcers that should be approached for 2K21 and beyond include but are not limited to: LaChina Robinson, Kara Lawson, Rebecca Lobo, Adam Amin, Ryan Ruocco, Christy Winters-Scott, Carolyn Peck, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe (who could also serve in David Aldrige’s sideline role), Cheryl Miller, Debbie Antonelli, Pam Ward, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, Maria Taylor, and Ann Meyers.

Add the pre-game/post-game shows If any of the veteran announcers could be added to 2K21, it would make perfect sense to create a pre-game/post-game panel package for the W. Any grouping of those announcers could easily create analysis for the teams and give the women the same treatment that Shaq, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson give the men.

Extend the season mode past one season Being able to play a full season in 2K20 was one of the game’s best features. However, knowing that you couldn’t go into multiple years like in NBA MyLeague was disappointing. Knowing this, I still grinded through a season with the Las Vegas Aces from launch until a few weeks ago (for the record: 27-7, Liz Cambage as MVP and Finals MVP, and a title!) only to be left with the empty feeling of not being able to have my curated team (with a few late season trades) run it back in future years. Maybe the full 80-year NBA MyLeague treatment can’t be done, but having the auto draft classes, progressions, and offseason items necessary for a 15-25 year run should be doable.

Allow for creation of female players, custom rosters and draft classes As more and more attention is given to women’s basketball in this social media age, devoted fans may want to create draft classes of future college stars like NBA fans already do. Adding the option to create female players - individually or en masse - is necessary to allow for longer engagement with the league in the game. Outside of visualizing future players, being able to save and load custom rosters is also needed. This year’s one-season MyLeague would have been more bearable if I didn’t have to manually alter any fantasy rosters I wanted to experiment with every time I started a season.

Add a MyCareer storyline/path for Female MyPlayers to make the league In past editions of 2K and past versions of the Madden NFL franchise, game creators have worked around the NCAA’s old name, image and likeness restrictions by getting basic licenses from colleges to use their logos with generic rosters in MyCareer-type modes. Madden NFL 20’s Face of the Franchise mode particularly stood out: your QB chose a college to go to, and then as a senior played against two schools in the College Football Playoff semis and final.

A similar setup could be created for a Female MyCareer story: get a team license for 4-8 of the top women’s college basketball teams and have the created player go through the latter stages of the NCAA tourney before getting drafted to the W. Someone could create a player, choose from the licensed schools to commit, play a handful of games versus the other licensed schools (and their auto-generated rosters) in big moments over four years, and end by going through top teams as a senior (either with or without graduated alums in the W; imagine having to face Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Ruthy Hebard and Oregon or Tyasha Harris, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Dawn Staley and South Carolina for the title to set your draft stock). Simulate the draft with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert like it’s done with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and roll right into your season with the same bells and whistles as a male MyPlayer.

Allow Female MyPlayer into the Neighborhood/Park areas I personally don’t play too much of the online Park games in 2K (another story for another day) but just like on basketball courts around the world, if female MyPlayers are available, they should be able to run with the guys. The Neighborhood could be broken up three ways: a portion for guys only runs, a section for girls only runs, and a co-ed section. Give the female MyPlayers the same access to all the perks of the Neighborhood (gear, the Gatorade training center, MyCourt, etc).

Allow for Playoff Only Mode The WNBA Playoffs are probably the most unique in all of the major sports leagues. Adding a Playoff only mode to the season mode would allow for more content to be created and simulations to be run, especially if All-Time and Classic teams are added.

Continue to improve on strong face scan data 2K’s face scans were great out the gate in both quality and quantity. Continuing to improve on that start to gain 100 percent accuracy has to be the goal. Scanning sessions will probably be difficult in the current age of coronavirus, but if fans can scan their faces in the game with an app, I’m sure something can be done with the W’s players remotely.

Scan in and/or properly gender each head coach We heard that some WNBA coaches - if not all - were scanned for 2K20 but none of them are in the game. If correcting this can’t be done in 2K21, at least put in generic stand ins of the correct gender and race. Example: Minnesota (Cheryl Reeve - white woman) and Las Vegas (Bill Laimbeer - white man) both have black male avatars as their head coaches in the game. All 12 coach avatars in the game are men and even though there are more male coaches than female ones in the league, the virtual stand-ins are still incorrect. If the game could get unique scans for cheerleaders and female characters in MyCareer, I’m sure some stand in men and women could be added if the WNBA coaches can’t be added like their NBA counterparts.

Align commentator and arena PA announcer pronunciations A subtle tweak: making sure the game announcers and the in-arena PAs are announcing players’ names correctly. I’ve heard some very off names on both sides

Halftime: show team stats screen for longer than four seconds When I’m in a game and want to look at the halftime stats to figure out how I’m doing, I’ve felt rushed because the team stats graphic that shows in-between halves comes down just as quickly as it goes up.

Allow for online Play Now The NBA and 2K found a way to entertain its fans during our quarantine with online competitions that were aired on TV. If the WNBA season is postponed or cancelled, the league cannot facilitate a similar tournament in 2K20 because the only way for two people to faceoff with W teams is in the offline Play Now mode. Bringing in an online option will expand opportunities for fans to learn about the WNBA players and teams.

The defending champion Washington Mystics recently decided to do streams of their games on 2K but only as CPU vs CPU simulations instead of remote player vs player. Not having the ability to play someone else online limited their options and engagement opportunities.

WNBA Finals: actually put in a celebration sequence As I (proudly) mentioned, I won the title in my LVA season and after the final game, there was a quick CHAMPIONS graphic...and that’s it. No trophy celebrations, no locker room celebrations, nothing. In my semifinals win to get to the Finals, the NBA “conference trophy” cutscenes played postgame at least. Adding that touch would surely be appreciated by the W community.

Double check player cutouts Jordin Canada (SEA) won an award in my LVA season and her player image was Jewell Loyd. It’s the only error I’ve personally seen on the player cutouts but checking those are important.

All-Time Teams and Past Champions Adding Classic WNBA teams and/or legends via All-Time teams would be the ultimate way to honor the league’s history and give old and new fans that pick up 2K a virtual time capsule of the W. My suggestions would be to add:

Champions and Runners-Up from every year (1997-present)

All-Time Teams that go 10-12 deep (I took a crack at suggestions here): https://bit.ly/2xFW2HL. I’m sure some W writers with deeper knowledge than mine could fill in the blanks.

Add a 2K League connection/element Tying back into the online Play Now mode, incorporating the NBA 2K League with WNBA action would be amazing. Either have the 2KL teams do special tourneys using W teams; create events or a full league for the W that has to be at minimum 75% women (because, shoot, I’d want to play too!); or do WNBA player-specific events. Imagine how cool it would be to see Aerial Powers and Allisha Gray going at it as themselves in 2K instead of just picking NBA teams.

Put in some general trade logic Currently, any trades in the MyLeague mode are set to automatically go through, no matter how outrageous. Some basic trade logic (at minimum based on overalls, salary and position) would be nice to give things a realistic feel.

Fix the jerseys screen in season In WNBA Play Now, when you go to adjust jerseys, there’s a graphic with WNBA players in the background. In Season, that graphic is of NBA players.

Honor Gigi Bryant, Payton Chester, and Alyssa Altobelli, and Kobe Bryant Follow Commissioner Engelbert’s lead and find a way to honor Gigi and her Mamba Academy teammates. Maybe permission can be granted to create older versions of the girls to be placed into the game’s free agent pool.

At minimum, having some kind of graphic commemoration would be classy (maybe banners throughout the game or at Staples for Sparks games, since they were California natives). There’s also been the obvious rumblings of putting Kobe and Gigi on the cover. That would be amazing. If that can’t be done, a cover with Kobe and a WNBA player he was close to (Ionescu, Diana Taurasi, Loyd) would be fitting.

I do not want this list to diminish what 2K has excelled at with its first run with the WNBA. The gameplay is fun and true to form, the graphics are high quality, a very large amount of the face scans are on point, being able to play a full season is an excellent touch, and the features that are in the game are strong. However, 2K as a whole has a decades-long reputation for putting out a pace-setting game every year so wanting the WNBA’s section of it to be fully developed is something every true basketball fan can agree on.

I can’t wait to see which of these suggestions or others are implemented. What features would you want added for the WNBA?

#wnba #nba #nba2k #nba2k20 #women's basketball #video games #xbox #playstation #basketball

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lboogie1906 · 2 months

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Jurist Alan Cedric Page (born August 7, 1945) is a retired jurist and former football player.

He was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. His parents stressed the importance of education and of doing his best regardless of what others did. His mother died when he was 13. He graduated from Canton Central Catholic High School, where he starred in several sports and excelled in football. He worked on a construction team that erected the Pro Football Hall of Fame, laying the groundwork for the building in which he would one day be enshrined.

He gained national recognition as a defensive tackle in the NFL during 15 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears and embarked on a legal career. He earned a BA in political science from the University of Notre Dame and a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court until he reached the court’s mandatory retirement age of 70. He was the first defensive player to win the MVP Award. He is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame (1993) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988) and is considered one of the greatest defensive linemen ever to play the game. In 2018, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Alan and Diane Sims Page were married (1973-2018). They had four children. He is a Catholic.

He and his daughter Kamie Page have written four children’s books: Alan and His Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky, The Invisible You, Grandpa Alan’s Sugar Shack, and Bee Love (Can Be Hard). Proceeds from the sales of these books support the Page Education Foundation. He is the subject of the authorized biography All Rise: The Remarkable Journey of Alan Page. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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ugobleno · 5 years

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https://ift.tt/2RVstIn Kobe Bryant: Bio, Carrier, Life and Awards American Basketball Player, one of the best scorers in the history of the NBA. He successfully tested on several teams, including Los Angeles Lakers, who was rebuilding the squad around the figure of Shaquille O'Neal, but Charlotte Hornets surprised at the time by choosing him at number 13 of the first round of the Draft, when The normal thing would have been in the second. In the 2008-2009 season he managed to win his fourth NBA championship and the MVP of the final is chosen. Then in the next season he continues his brilliant career and achieves his fifth championship and obtains his second prize to the MVP of the NBA Finals. Biographical synthesis of Kobe Bryant He was born on 23 of August of 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, her parents Joe Bryant JellyBean remarkable professional player and Pamela Cox, the sister of the baloncestista John Chuby Cox, so basketball breathed in the familiar environment. At six years old his father moved to Italy, so Kobe studied primary school in Italy and more than basketball, at school he played football, although his father bought him a basket to force him to practice his favorite sport. The beginning of Kobe Bryant life In 1991 the family returned to the United States and settled in an elegant urbanization in Philadelphia, where Kobe studied at the Lower Merino Institute. He devoted himself completely to basketball and set out to reach the NBA, as he told his teacher. With the high school team, he scored an average of 30.9 points, 12 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. By that youthful time he already showed that he was a unique player: he broke the Southeastern Pennsylvania scoring record held by the legendary Wilt Chamberlain by more than 500 points; the USA Today named him player of the year in high school, and also won the Naismith Trophy national player of the year. He was a born leader who even had the audacity to date soul singer Brandy Norwoord . In 1995 he was the player who wanted all the universities in the country, but, after having done some tests with the 76ers of San Diego, where his father played, the then coach, John Lucas, confirmed that Kobe was prepared to jump directly to the NBA. Career of Kobe Bryant He successfully tested on several teams, including Los Angeles Lakers, who was rebuilding the squad around the figure of Shaquille O'Neal, but Charlotte Hornets surprised at the time by choosing him at number 13 of the first round of the Draft, when The normal thing would have been in the second. Even so, the father pressed for him to finally enter the Californian team, which for that purpose transferred Vlado Divac to the North Carolina team. Kobe was only seventeen years old, and signed a $ 3.5 million contract per season. On 3rd of November 1996, with 18 years in the NBA debut against Minnesota. Although in his first year of rockie a series of injuries prevented him from showing his worth in a team full of stars, at the end of the season, in the All-Star game of the rockies, he enjoyed a moment of punctual glory: with a performance superb with 31 points and proclaimed winner of the math contest. In Los Angeles Lakers lived under the shadow of the colossal figure of Shaquille O'Neal, with whom he had his frictions on and off the track, until in 2005 O'Neal signed for the Miami Heat, however they were champion of the NBA in three consecutive seasons (2000, 2001 and 2002). After the departure of O'Neal and other figures of the team's squad, Bryant became the true leader of the team, for several years he had good seasons but his team failed to win the championship. It would not be until the 2007 - 2008 season with his entry to the Lakers as unbalanced as himself: Pau Gasol. The Bryant-Gasol couple immediately revealed themselves as a perfectly blended tandem and of lethal effectiveness, they manage to reach the NBA final but fall defeated against the Boston Celtics. In the 2008-2009 season he managed to win his fourth NBA championship and was chosen as the MVP of the final. Then in the next season he continues his brilliant career and achieves his fifth championship and obtains his second prize to the MVP of the NBA Finals. Personal life of Kobe Bryant In November 1999, Bryant, 21, met Vanessa Laine, 17, while she worked as a dancer in the music video for the song "G'd Up" of the rap group Tha Eastsidaz, without prior notice to family and friends, they got married on 18th of April, 2001 in Dana Point, California. Neither the player's parents, nor his sisters, nor his agent Arn Tellem and his teammates attended the wedding. His first daughter, named Natalia Diamante Bryant, was born on January 19, 2003. Natalia's birth helped the player reconcile with his parents. Vanessa suffered an abortion due to an ectopic pregnancy in spring 2005. At the end of the year, Bryant announced that the couple was waiting for their second child. It was another daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, who was born on May 1, 2006. On 16 December 2011, Vanessa Laine filed a divorce lawsuit using "irreconcilable differences." Accusation of sexual assault, Bryant was charged with a crime of sexual assault against Katelyn Faber, an employee of the hotel where he was staying while recovering from an operation on his knee. The investigation concluded when Bryant agreed to apologize to the alleged victim for the incident, who publicly included his mea culpa and assured that he really believed that the meeting between the two was consensual. The prosecution decided to drop the charges against him on September 1, 2004. Awards of Kobe Bryant MVP of the NBA Finals: 2009, 2010 5-time NBA champion: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 2 times top scorer: 2006, 2007 15 times All-Star: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. o 11 consecutive appearances (There was no All-Star Game in 99 and the 2010 All-Star Game was lost due to an injury) Regular season MVP: 2008 4 times MVP of the All-Star Game: 2002 , 2007 , 2009 2011 Top scorer of history in the All Stars (2012) 9 times in the best NBA quintet: 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 2 times in the second best quintet in the NBA: 2000 , 2001 2 times in the third best quintet in the NBA: 1999 , 2005 9 times in the best defensive quintet in the NBA: 2000 , 2003 , 2004 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 2 times second best defensive quintet in the NBA: 2001 , 2002 Second best rookies quintet: 1997 Champion of the All Star Mates Contest: 1997 Leader in regular season: points: 2003 (2461), 2006 (2832, 7th in history), 2007 (2430), 2008 (2323) points per game: 2006 (35.4, 9th in history), 2007 (31.6) Field shots attempted: 2006 (2173), 2007 (1757), 2008 (1690) Converted field shots: 2003 (868), 2006 (978), 2007 (813) Free throws attempted: 2007 (768) Free throws converted: 2006 (696), 2007 (667) Second highest score in a match: 81, January 22, 2006 against Toronto Raptors Youngest player to reach 24,000 points Youngest player to reach 26,000 points Youngest player to reach 28,000 points Youngest player to reach 30,000 points Youngest player to be included in the best defensive quintet (1999-00) Youngest player to win the math contest (18 years, 175 days) in 1997 One of the three players capable of scoring 35 or more points in 13 consecutive games (the others are Allen Iverson and LeBron James). One of the three players capable of scoring 40 or more points in 9 consecutive games (the others are Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain) One of the three players capable of scoring 45 or more points in 4 consecutive games (the others are Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain). One of the two players capable of averaging 40 or more points per game for an entire month on 2 different occasions (40.6 in February 2003 and 43.4 in January 2006; the other is Wilt Chamberlain)

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kansas-moth · 5 years

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Way Too Early NFL Predictions: 2019 Edition

We’ve still got a few months until the season officially kicks off with Chicago taking on Green Bay for the league’s 100th season, but it’s still fun to speculate what team will please and what team will disappoint. So, why don’t we take a look and see our division winners and wild cards? Of course, this is likely gonna be wrong in a couple months.

AFC East: New England (11-5)

The retirement of Rob Gronkowski certainly hurt the team’s offense a bit, but the Patriots are still the Patriots and for as long as the Belichick-Brady tandem remains in New England, they’re going to continue winning. It helps that the New York Jets are really the only threat to New England’s dominance. Buffalo and Miami are still the walking mediocrity that they have been for most of this decade.

Rest of Division:

New York Jets: 9-7

Miami Dolphins: 6-10

Buffalo Bills: 6-10

AFC North: Cleveland (12-4)

It’s amazing that just a few seasons ago, the Browns had joined the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only team in NFL history to go 0-16 and now, they look like Super Bowl contenders. Baker Mayfield is the savior this franchise has been searching for since Modell screwed the city over. Adding OBJ, Kareem Hunt, and Jarvis Landry only helped to make this offense even more terrifying, the defense is looking smooth as well. Pittsburgh is fading away fast, Baltimore is all defense, and as usual, Cincinnati is just bungling around. Cleveland will cruise their way to winning their first division title since 1989, back when they were in the AFC Central.

Rest of Division:

Baltimore Ravens: 10-6

Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7

Cincinnati Bengals: 4-12

AFC West: Kansas City (12-4)

Perhaps this is just bias on my part, since Kansas City is my team, but despite the improvements of Denver and the Chargers, I'm not seeing them dethroning the Chiefs anytime soon. Considering what the reigning NFL MVP did to opposing defenses last season, I fail to see a reason why he won't do that this season. The uncertainty of Tyreek Hill playing has put a damper on the team's ambitions, but Travis Kelce is still an elite tight end, Damien Williams is a strong playmaker, Sammy Watkins is back and ready to play at elite levels, and rookie Mecole Hardman is bound to make an impact. Additions in Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu will make great strides on a struggling defense, though the loss of Justin Houston, Dee Ford, and Eric Berry certainly hurt. The team's offense will do more than enough to keep them on the top of the division.

Rest of Division:

Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5

Denver Broncos: 8-8

Oakland Raiders: 6-10

AFC South: Indianapolis (13-3)

In what could possibly be the toughest division in all of football, it's difficult choosing a favorite for the division crown. Marcus Mariota will do great things in Tennessee, Nick Foles and an amazing defense will help Jacksonville stay relevant, and you really can't count out J.J Watt and the Texans quite yet, though it's hard to vote against Andrew Luck, especially seeing how well he played last season. A strong offense will help Indianapolis cut through opposing defenses, though I'm imagining it'll be a very close race between the four teams. I'm excited to see what these teams will do in the season and I think it's safe to say all four teams are Super Bowl contenders at this point.

Rest of Division:

Jacksonville Jaguars: 11-5

Tennessee Titans: 10-6

Houston Texans: 10-6

AFC Wild Cards:

Los Angeles Chargers:

I don't like putting a division rival here, but the Chargers are too good to ignore. Philip Rivers is a fantastic QB and the Chargers defense will put many opposing QBs through hell, but I don't believe they've got enough in them to dethrone Kansas City quite yet. Though, their defense and strong offense will be enough to get them the fifth seed.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

The Jaguars have an elite defense and a good QB in Nick Foles, an elite running game and a strong passing game. With all of these qualities would make them a Super Bowl contender for sure, I'm just not too sure how Foles will fare with them. He's definitely an improvement over Bortles, but only time to tell how much damage he'll be able to do with them. Andrew Luck is arguably the best QB in the division and I don't believe the Jaguars defense will be able to stop him, but who knows?

NFC East: Dallas (12-4)

The Cowboys are a great team led by a great QB, defense, and elite playmakers in Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott. The only real threat to the team are the Eagles, and that's only if Carson Wentz stays healthy. The Giants will continue to be a sentient derp for as long as Eli Manning is at the helm and the Redskins are probably the most dysfunctional team in all of NFL at the moment. Dallas should have a fairly easy ride to the division crown, though the rest of the NFC is slowly getting stronger, keeping them from having a better record.

Rest of Division:

Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5

New York Giants: 6-10

Washington Redskins: 3-13

NFC North: Chicago (12-4)

Though it's difficult to choose against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, the Bears defense will be more than enough to make opposing QBs shudder in fear, even the more elite QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, or Philip Rivers will have their days turned into living nightmares thanks to elite pass rushers like Khalil Mack. It feels strange saying this, but Chicago will be the kings of the NFC North for years to come thanks to their young QB in Mitch Trubisky and an elite defense, this team will eventually morph into the 1985 Bears that bullied opposing offenses as they cruised to their first Super Bowl victory.

Rest of Division:

Green Bay Packers: 11-5

Minnesota Vikings: 9-7

Detroit Lions: 6-10

NFC West: Los Angeles Rams (14-2)

The defending NFC champions aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Jared Goff is young and has plenty more years as an elite playmaker, as long as Todd Gurley remains healthy, their ground game will be hard to stop and will be fairly unpredictable, their defense is still one of the best in the game, though their division certainly improved. Seattle is still a difficult team to face thanks to Russell Wilson and San Francisco will be a team to watch for as long as Jimmy G. remains healthy. George Kittle will become the NFL's next Rob Gronkowski and will be a key playmaker for the 49ers, and though the Cardinals will likely miss the playoffs, they've improved slightly thanks to their first overall pick and Larry Fitzgerald is still a dangerous player to play against. Regardless, I fail to see any reason why the Rams won't take the division, and perhaps the conference, home again.

Rest of Division:

Seattle Seahawks: 11-5

San Francisco 49ers: 10-6

Arizona Cardinals: 5-11

NFC South: New Orleans (13-3)

Drew Brees is still an elite QB and the Saints still have one of the best offenses in the league, and for as long as the Super Bowl XLIV MVP is at the helm, they'll continue to bully opposing defenses. Their division rivals have done little to improve. If Cam Newton doesn't stay healthy, the Panthers will struggle mightily. Atlanta seems to be back to doing what they do best and as long as they stay mostly healthy, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will cause a few issues for the Saints, but their defense will let them down, and the Buccaneers are still the Buccaneers. The Saints will be the class of the NFC South until Brees retires and that likely won't happen for a long time.

Rest of Division:

Atlanta Falcons: 11-5

Carolina Panthers: 7-9

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-11

NFC Wild Cards

Atlanta Falcons:

Though the Falcons were severely held back by numerous injuries on both sides of the ball, they're back and ready to kick some tail. Matt Ryan is still an elite QB and Julio Jones is still the best receiver in the league, well, maybe alongside Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. Though their defense will likely hold them back from being able to topple New Orleans, they have the blessing of playing in a fairly weak division. Their offense should be enough to win them the fifth seed before they ultimately choke in January.

Green Bay Packers:

Like I said earlier, it's difficult to choose against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but it's unclear how first time head coach Matt LaFleur will do. With Rodgers at the helm, the offense should do some damage, but it's unclear how he'll work with his new head coach. It'll be a hard fight against Philadelphia and Seattle to win the final seed, but in the end, Aaron Rodgers and company will be enough to fight off their opponents for the final seed.

And with all this in mind, this wraps up my way too early NFL predictions. So, do you agree with my predictions or do you have other ideas? Who do you think will surprise and who do you think will disappoint? Let me know your thoughts down below. Thanks for reading the ramblings of a random moth.

#nfl #kansas city chiefs #new england patriots #cleveland browns #indianapolis colts #dallas cowboys #chicago bears #los angeles rams #new orleans saints

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national-football-league-blog · 6 years

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Super Bowl LII

Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) and defending Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots, 41–33, to win their first Super Bowl and their first NFL title since 1960. The game was played on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the second time that a Super Bowl was played in Minneapolis, the northernmost city to ever host the event, after Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome during the 1991 season, and the sixth Super Bowl held in a cold-weather city.

New England finished the regular season with an AFC-best 13–3 record, then extended their record Super Bowl appearances to ten, their third in four years, and their eighth under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Philadelphia also finished the regular season with an NFC-best 13–3 record but entered the playoffs as underdogs after starting quarterbackCarson Wentz suffered a season-ending injury late in the regular season and was replaced by backup quarterback Nick Foles. Still, the Eagles advanced to their third Super Bowl appearance, having previously lost to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV and to thePatriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Several records were set during Super Bowl LII, including most yards gained in an NFL game by both teams combined (1,151), fewest punts from both teams in a Super Bowl (one), and most points scored by a Super Bowl losing team (33). The game was settled after the Eagles converted a fumble recovery deep within Patriots territory to a field goal with 1:05 remaining to extend their lead to eight points, and Brady's Hail Mary pass fell incomplete as time expired. Foles completed 28 of 43 pass attempts for 373 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, caught a one-yard touchdown pass, and was named Super Bowl MVP. Foles's touchdown catch later became known as the Philly Special and joined NFL lore.

The broadcast of the game on NBC had the smallest Super Bowl audience in nine years, with an average of 103.4 million viewers. Average TV viewership for the halftime show, headlined by Justin Timberlake, was 106.6 million American television viewers, 9 percent less than the previous year.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles finished the regular season with a record of 13–3, the same as New England, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh, but the various tie-breaking provisions gave them the NFC's top seed in the 2017–18 NFL playoffs. It was a substantial improvement for the team under second-year head coach Doug Pederson; the Eagles finished the two previous seasons with 7–9 records. In the 2017 season, the team scored 457 points (third in the NFL), while giving up just 295 (fourth) points.

The offense was led by Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Wentz. In just his second season, he recorded a passer rating of 101.9, throwing for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns, with only seven interceptions. His top target was Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz, who caught 74 passes for 824 yards and eight touchdowns. Other contributors were two receivers acquired from off-season free agency: Alshon Jeffery, who caught 57 passes for 789 yards and nine scores; and Torrey Smith, who had 36 receptions for 430 yards. Meanwhile, third-year receiver Nelson Agholor had the best season of his career, hauling in 62 passes for 768 yards and eight touchdowns, a higher total in each category than in his previous two seasons combined. The Eagles rushing attack also benefited from two recently acquired players, LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi. Blount, an off-season signing who won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, gained 776 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Ajayi, picked up by a mid-season trade with the Miami Dolphins, rushed for 873 yards and caught 24 passes for 154 yards combined with the two teams. Philadelphia also had a superb offensive line, led by two Pro Bowl selections: Tackle Lane Johnson and Guard Brandon Brooks.

The Eagles defense allowed the fourth-fewest yards in the league (4,904). Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox made the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career, recording 51⁄2 sacks and two fumble recoveries, and he had plenty of help around him, such as former Patriots defensive end Chris Long, who had five sacks and forced four fumbles, and defensive end Brandon Graham, who led the team with 91⁄2 sacks. Middle linebacker Nigel Bradham led the team in combined tackles with 88. The Eagles secondary featured Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins, who had 76 combined tackles and two interceptions, along with cornerback Patrick Robinson, who led the team with four interceptions.

Philadelphia had stormed to the top of the NFC by winning 10 of their first 12 games, but suffered a major setback on December 10, when Wentz went down with a season-ending ACL tearand was replaced by journeyman backup quarterback Nick Foles, who was playing for his third team in as many years and his second stint with the Eagles. Still, Foles was able to lead the team to victory in that game, as well as the next two. The Eagles lost a meaningless week 17 matchup with the Cowboys led by third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld. Then in their two playoff games, Foles threw for a combined total of 598 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

New England Patriots

The Patriots entered the 2017 NFL season as defending Super Bowl champions. For the 16th time in their 18 seasons under 65-year old coach Bill Belichick, they recorded a double-digit win season, finishing the regular season with a record of 13–3, one of four teams (along with Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh) with that record. By virtue of the tie-breaking procedures, they were granted the AFC's number one overall seed in the 2017–18 NFL playoffs. The previous season's top wide receiver Julian Edelman went down in the preseason with a season-ending injury. Early season defensive struggles left the team with a 2–2 record after four weeks, and the worst overall defense in the league at that point. The defense came together as a unit, and tighten up over the rest of the season however, with the Patriots going 11–1 after week 4. Their sole loss in the latter part of the season came in Week 14 to the Miami Dolphins, adivision rival, though they were without star tight end Rob Gronkowski due to a one-game suspension for an unnecessary roughness call the prior week. The Patriots' defense was improved by several late-season free-agent signings, including Eric Lee, a defensive end, previously from the Buffalo Bills, whom the Patriots signed in Week 12, and James Harrison, a perennial All-Pro for the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom the Patriots picked up off waivers after Christmas. In just six games for New England, Lee recorded 31⁄2 sacks, a safety, and an interception. In his only regular season game with the Patriots, Harrison recorded two sacks.

During the regular season, New England's offense led the league in yards gained (6,307) and ranked second in points scored (458). The 40-year-old Brady finished his 18th season with a league-leading 4,577 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, earning him his 13th selection to the Pro Bowl and his third league MVP award. One change that helped make up for the loss of Edelman was the acquisition of receiver Brandin Cooks, who caught 65 passes for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns. Brady was also aided by the healthy return of Gronkowski, who had played just eight games in the previous season, finishing this year with 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight scores. Receiver Danny Amendola added 61 receptions for 659 yards, as well as another 240 yards returning punts. With the loss of their previous season's rushing leader LeGarrette Blount to free agency, Dion Lewis stepped up to take the lead, rushing for 896 yards and six touchdowns despite starting only eight games. He also caught 32 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns and added 570 yards and another touchdown returning kickoffs. Rex Burkhead chipped in 518 all-purpose yards, 30 receptions, and eight touchdowns. In passing situations, the team relied heavily on running back James White, who caught 56 passes for 429 yards and rushed for 171 on the ground. These backs were aided by the blocking of fullback James Develin, who earned his first Pro Bowl selection. On special teams, kicker Stephen Gostkowski ranked second in the NFL with 156 points and fourth in field goals made with 37, while veteran special team ace Matthew Slater earned his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

The Patriots' defense ranked only 29th in yards allowed (5,856), but ranked fifth in fewest points, giving up only 296. Defensive end Trey Flowers led the team with 61⁄2 sacks while also forcing two fumbles. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy had 73 tackles and 51⁄2 sacks. The Patriots also had a superb secondary, led by cornerbacks Malcolm Butler (two interceptions, three forced fumbles) and Stephon Gilmore (two interceptions, 47 solo tackles), as well as safeties Devin McCourty (97 combined tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery), Patrick Chung (84 tackles, one interception, two fumble recoveries) and Duron Harmon (four interceptions).

#New England Patriots #Philadelphia Eagles #NFL #Super Bowl LII #Super Bowl 52 #National Football League #Sports #American Football #2017 #2018 #Tom Brady #Nick Foles

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