Feb 28, 2020; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s PED suspension rocked the baseball world. It also led to discussion about a rather weird series of coincidences that involved the San Diego Padres shortstop.
In April, MLB announced a major sponsorship with Dairy Queen that included a series of commercial spots with star players. Four MLB stars were initially included in the run of Dairy Queen commercials: Bryce Harper, Cody Bellinger, Tim Anderson, and Tatis Jr.
Four months later, it’s fair to say DQ did not quite get its money’s worth. A number of Twitter users amusingly pointed out that the four players in the ads have all had brutal seasons due to injury and underperformance, with Tatis’ suspension capping it all off. Bob Nightengale of USA Today laid it out nicely.
Sure, this is all a silly coincidence, but what a coincidence it is. It is inevitable that some stars are going to get hurt or underperform during the season, but the odds would dictate that at least one of the four players involved would turn out fine.
Presumably, the MLB-DQ partnership is a multi-year deal, so there will probably be a new set of ads for 2023. If this narrative catches on, the league might have a tough time finding players willing to partake, though that did not seem to hurt the ManningCast among top NFL figures.
Soldier Field is hosting a preseason NFL game on Saturday, but it certainly does not look ready to do so.
Chicago Sun-Times writer Jason Lieser shared a series of photos of the Soldier Field playing surface ahead of Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The grass was dried up and patchy, and in some places it looked completely torn up.
Bears staffers were trying to fill divots on the field as late as a half hour before kickoff.
Things did not look quite as bad on the TV broadcast during the game, but even there it hardly looked ideal.
Soldier Field hosted an Elton John concert last week, which definitely had some impact on the turf. Whatever the reason, neither coach can feel great about playing any starters on a surface like that. It’s really quite embarrassing for an NFL stadium.
Worst of all for the Bears is that we could have seen this coming. Chicago kicker Cairo Santos said during the week that the turf he had been practicing on in the offseason was actually too nice compared to Soldier Field. That almost seemed like it had to be an exaggeration, but clearly it was not.
The Bears have been openly agitating for a new stadium for some time, and even former players are advocating that they do so. This will not hurt their argument.
May 7, 2021; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson during rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: New York Jets/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports
The initial word on New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson’s injury is positive, at least compared to what initial fears suggested.
Multiple reports suggested that Wilson suffered a bone bruise during Friday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Brian Costello of the New York Post reported that Wilson also suffered a meniscus tear, and is set to miss 2-4 weeks. The meniscus injury will require arthroscopic surgery, but a full repair is not believed to be necessary.
All things considered, this is good news for the Jets. There were initial fears that Wilson had suffered some sort of ACL injury, but that does not appear to be the case right now. If all goes according to plan, he will not miss much time, if any, in the regular season.
Wilson is entering his second NFL season. The former No. 2 overall pick struggled as a rookie, throwing for 9 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 games.
Jan 7, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Hasheem Thabeet (34) warms up prior to a game against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Hasheem Thabeet was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, but his time in the league did not last long. He spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers and Oklahoma City Thunder over his first six seasons, but then found himself out of the league.
Since 2004, Thabeet has bounced around both nationally and internationally. He’s made stops with the Grand Rapids Drive (G League), Yokohama B-Corsairs (Japan), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (G League) and Hsinchu JKO Lioneers (Taiwan). Now, in 2022, he is headed to China, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype.
“Hasheem is the best rim protector on the planet,ā his agent Jerry Dianis said, via Hoops Rumors. āChina has 1.4 billion people and heās excited to play on this stage. His ultimate goal is to return to the NBA, something that could happen as soon as this year.ā
After mulling over the three offers, Thabeet will sign with the Fujian Sturgeons, who had also signed former NBA stars Christian Wood and Amarāe Stoudemire in past years.
In 224 career NBA games, Thabeet averaged 2.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game.
May 16, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) runs to the dugout after the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
10 days removed from a blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres, he was back in Washington on Friday night. Thanks in part to a scheduling quirk, Soto was able to reunite with his former Nationals teammates and express his thanks to the city and the organization.
“Thereās just a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings that I have in this stadium,” Soto said, via the Washington Post. “A lot of memories that Iāve had in the past, so it feels pretty good to be back and see these guys and enjoy the moment. It was some great moments here, but now we just got to keep going on.”
But Soto didn’t return emptyhanded. As he made his way into the park, he carried a pack of envelopes beside him. They were destined for the Nationals’ clubhouse and the team’s many unsung employees.
What was in those envelopes remains unclear, but the gesture was heartfelt. And it was also reciprocated by the fans, who gave Soto a standing ovation prior to the game and each time he came up to bat.
“I love you all, even if I have another teamās uniform. I am still going to love you guys,” Soto told the fans pregame. “Thank you. You guys made me who I am today.”
Soto finished the game 2-of-6 with one run and one RBI. The Padres won, 10-5.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Saban is one of college football’s most legendary coaches. He is arguably the greatest of all-time and regularly finds himself competing for a National title. But at 70 years old and after more than 50 years in the game of football, is Saban nearing retirement?
No. No he is not.
“I donāt really think about retiring,”Saban recently told āThe Dan Patrick Show,ā via On3. “I always think about what the heck am I going to do if I do retire? Thatās a scary thought.
“Thereās nothing that I want to do like some people want to go to Europe or go to Scotland and play golf and all that. I wouldnāt mind doing all that stuff, but I donāt have to quit my job to do it. I worry about what am I going to do if I donāt do this?”
It isn’t so much the need for a replacement hobby that concerns Saban, it’s his love of competition. And more specifically, his love of feeling accomplished after winning.
“When I say, āWhat am I going to do?ā I donāt mean play golf or whatever,” Saban added. “I mean, how are you going to get any kind of positive self-gratification or feeling of accomplishment when youāve done something for so long that you like so much and then all of a sudden itās not there? So thatās a good question. I donāt really have the answer to that one.”
After what Saban called a “rebuilding” year, he’s ready to lead the Crimson Tide back to prominence here in 2022. They are ranked No. 1 in the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll.
Mar 25, 2022; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson talks with the media during a press conference at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Following an extensive investigation, an independent discipline officer recommended a six-game suspension for Deshaun Watson over sexual assault/sexual misconduct allegations. Predictably, the NFL was quick to appeal that recommendation.
In the aftermath of the league’s appeal, Watson and his representation reportedly proposed a counter-offer. Rather than serve a one-year suspension, which is what the NFL is seeking, the Cleveland Browns quarterback said he was willing to accept an eight-game suspension. That would include incurring a fine of $5 million.
There’s a specific reason Watson is looking to avoid a one-year suspension, and it has nothing to do with hurting the Browns in 2022. Rather, it has everything to do with his contract and the potential money being lost. His $1 million base salary scheduled for 2022 would roll over to 2023 if he were suspended a year. That would delay his ability to receive his money immediately.
Despite the ongoing appeals process, the Browns opted to start Watson in their preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night. He completed just one of his five pass attempts for seven yards before being removed from the game.
Prior to the 24-13 victory, Watson apologized to the women he “impacted” for the very first time.
“I want to say that I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation,” Watson said on the team’s in-house pregame show. “The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back. “But I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward.”
Previously, Watson had stated he had “no regrets” regarding any of his actions during massage sessions.
There is no specific deadline for Peter C. Harvey to rule on the league’s appeal, but he must work on an “expedited” basis, according to the collective bargaining agreement. A decision could come at any moment.
Jan 16, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) drops back to pass in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady is currently on leave from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for what the team has called “personal reasons.” Reports suggest the 45-year-old Brady is looking to find a work/life balance.
“It was planned. No one is worried. Heās fine. Itās not, to my knowledge, a medical emergency for him or anyone close to him. I was told everything is OK,” NFL Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show. “The best description I got for this is that it is important to find a work/life balance. Brady has been doing this for 23 years. He knows the scheme as well as anyone. He wasnāt gonna play in those two (preseason) games anyway, so he steps aside to do some actual personal things, family things.”
Brady is a noted family man but his absence comes at an interesting time. Not only is he a sidebar to the Miami Dolphins’ tampering scandal, but Boston Globe reporter Ben Volin suggests Brady has looked “miserable” at Bucs camp this summer.
“I do wonder where his head is at right now,” Volin said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “He was so good at 44, there is no doubt in our minds that if Brady is fully committed he can have a terrific season at 45, but there are definitely signs that his head is not fully into it. I try not to be the body language police, but I was at Bucs practice yesterday and he looked miserable.
“I donāt think he loves the humidity in Tampa; it is very swampy out here every morning. His buddy Gronk has retired, thatās his running mate, thatās his guy, and now he looks all over the field and heās throwing to Kyle Rudolph, Chris Godwin is banged up and weāre not sure when heās going to be himself again. Bradyās center [Ryan Jensen] goes down. There are just a lot of things going on with the team, and we also know playing with the Bucs was not his number one wish this year.”
Volin notes, as we all now know, that if Brady had gotten his way, he’d currently be a member of the Dolphins.
“If he got his way he would be running the Dolphins, and the only reason he went back the Bucs was because he really had no other options,” Volin added. “He had an excused absence last week around his birthday and the local reporters down here were holding their breath, they thought this was it and that Tom Brady had had a change of heart, and that he was going to retire.
“Now Todd Bowles announces that Tom Brady was not at practice, and heās gone through next week, through the second preseason game, and gone another 10 days, so I definitely question where his head is at. It might be related to a health thing, whether itās related to his parents or a family member — if thatās the case then certainly itās going to be a distraction also, so it does seem like Brady is not 100% focused on football.”
The interpretation of Brady’s body language aside, it’s clear to even an outside observer that the seven-time Super Bowl champions has some reservations about playing this season. He announced his retirement in February only to walk that back a few months later. Now he’s suddenly taking a random personal leave in the middle of training camp.
The Bucs have to be concerned that Brady may ultimately decide not to return.
Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; Former NFL player Len Dawson on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Legendary Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson, 87, has entered hospice care.
KMBC-TV, the Kansas City-based station where Dawson broke into broadcasting, revealed the news on Friday via confirmation through his wife, Linda.
Dawson was originally a first-round pick (No. 5 overall) of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1957 NFL draft. After three seasons with the Steelers, he spent two years with the Cleveland Browns before joining the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1962.
The Texans moved to Kansas City in 1963 and were renamed the Chiefs. There, Dawson would continue his stellar play and go on to cement himself as a franchise legend and future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
In 211 career regular season games, Dawson posted a record of 94-57-8. He completed 57.1% of his passes for 28,711 yards, 239 touchdowns and 183 interceptions. He also gained 1,293 yards and scored nine additional touchdowns on 294 rush attempts.
Dawson was named Super Bowl IV MVP — the team’s first NFL title. Additionally, he was a one-time Pro Bowler, six-time AFL All-Star, two-time First-Team All-AFL, three-time AFL champion, one-time AFL Championship MVP and AFL MVP (1962). He was also the NFL’s Man of the Year in 1973 and later named to the AFL All-Time Team.
In 1979, Dawson was enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame followed by his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
“Looking back on my career, I’ve been blessed for what I had the opportunity to do,” Dawson said in 2017.
Following his playing career, Dawson joined the aforementioned KMBC-TV as their first-ever sports anchor. He also became a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs’ radio network, and co-hosted HBO’s groundbreaking “Inside the NFL” show for 24 years.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh pulled absolutely no punches following Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He took aim at his own player, linebacker Quincy Williams, after an “egregiously awful” late hit on quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“Egregiously awful by Quincy,” Saleh said, via the New York Post. “He knows that. He knows better. Those are the plays Quincy has to get out of his game if he wants to become the linebacker that we all think he can be.”
The hit was blatantly late and infuriated Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who stormed onto the field screaming at New York’s sideline.
“I was mad at the situation,” Sirianni said after the game, via The Sporting News. “I was more mad obviously at the player than coach Saleh.”
Although Sirianni appeared to direct most of his anger at Saleh, he praised the Jets head coach after the game. Obviously, the frustration came in the heat of the moment.
“Coach Saleh’s a great guy. I’ve got so much respect for him,” Sirianni added. “I was just sticking up for Jalen. I’ll never apologize for sticking up for my players.”
Hurts was uninjured on the play but that doesn’t mean the NFL won’t come down on Williams. He can likely expect an envelope at his locker later this week complete with a nice hefty fine.
