It took a few weeks to adjust to the NFL game, but quarterback Mac Jones is now thriving with the New England Patriots. And that does not come as a surprise to his college coach, Alabama’s Nick Saban.
Appearing on ESPN’s NFL Sunday Countdown, Saban explained why the pairing of Jones and Bill Belichick was a match made in heaven.
“It’s not surprising to me that Mac’s doing well,” Saban said. “I think it’s a really good fit with Bill because Mac has the same kind of mindset. He’s a very intelligent guy, he’s very instinctive, he does a great job of preparing for a game and can go out and execute and do what coaches want him to do. So that’s exactly how Bill likes it.”
Through 10 games, Jones has completed 69% of his passes for 2,333 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Perhaps more importantly, he’s led the Patriots to a 6-4 record. They are now just a half game out of first place in the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills (6-3).
Buying into the “Patriot Way” is difficult for some players, but it’s second nature to Jones. That’s how it was at Alabama and why it works so well in New England.
The New York Mets’ new general manager may be wasting no time in plotting his first move for the team.
Former Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler accepted the GM job with the Mets this week. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports that ex-Angels skipper Brad Ausmus could thus be high on the Mets’ managerial list. Heyman adds that Ausmus was fired by the Angels at the behest of owner Arte Moreno. Eppler is also believed to be an Ausmus supporter.
Ausmus worked with Eppler during Ausmus’ lone season with the Angels in 2019. He went 72-90 (.444) and was fired after the year. Ausmus does have a career record of 386-422 (.478) and a division title thanks to his time as the manager of the Detroit Tigers.
As for Eppler himself, he largely failed as Angels GM. Hiring back a manager who was connected to that failure would be a rather interesting move for him as the new head of the Mets.
Photo: Mar 24, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler at a press conference to announce a 12 year contract extension for center fielder Mike Trout (not pictured) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Carlos Correa is not exactly building bridges with New York Yankees fans amid his free agency.
Correa conducted an interview with former MLB player Carlos Baerga. Correa talked about winning his first Gold Glove last week.
During the interview, Correa and Baerga were talking analytics and some of the new metrics used to evaluate defensive players, such as runs saved. Correa said that legendary Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who won five Gold Gloves, did not deserve any of them if players during that era were judged by today’s defensive stats.
(Note: the interview is conducted in Spanish)
These comments might not sit very well with Yankees fans, who are likely supportive and protective of their former shortstop. However, Jeter’s defensive abilities were long called into question, and Correa is not alone in thinking Jeter was an overrated defender.
Correa meanwhile is a free agent, and the Yankees are believed to be one of the shortstop’s biggest suitors.
Will these comments harm Correa’s chances of signing with the Yankees? They might not sit well with Yankees fans, but that might not matter to Brian Cashman.
H/T Barstool Sports
Photo: Aug 4, 2020; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
A former player has gone from the top of the NBA to the top of the airwaves.
Ex-Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Iman Shumpert qualified for the finale of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” on Monday. Shams Charania of The Athletic notes that Shumpert becomes the first ever former NBA player to do so.
Shumpert, who is still only 31, played just last season for the Brooklyn Nets as a ten-day contract player. He won a championship with the Cavs in 2016. As for his bid on “Dancing With The Stars,” Shumpert went viral in previous rounds for his unique routines with partner Daniella Karagach. One such routine inspired by Jordan Peele’s film “Us” scored a perfect 40/40.
Former NBA players like Charles Oakley, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have appeared on recent seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.” But none have ever come close to making the final round. A few years ago though, a former athlete in a different sport managed to win it all.
Photo: Erik Drost/Flickr via CC-BY 2.0
JaMychal Green and Dorian Finney-Smith were hit with double-technical fouls for an incident that took place during Monday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets.
The Mavs were leading the Nuggets in a close game early in the fourth quarter. Green was under the basket and Frank Ntilikina’s arm got locked in his arms. Green then tossed Ntilikina to the ground.
Finney-Smith stepped in on behalf of his teammate and ended up getting a technical foul, as did Green. Green was also charged with a personal foul for throwing Ntilikina to the ground.
Green finished with two points and eight rebounds in his Nuggets’ 111-101 loss to the Mavs. Ntilikina played 16 minutes, while Finney-Smith had eight points in 24 minutes.
Terrelle Pryor has not played in the NFL since 2018, but he still thinks highly of himself.
The former Ohio State star took a shot at Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff on Sunday. Pryor wrote a note on his Instagram Story about Goff, presumably while watching the Lions and Steelers play to a 16-16 tie in Week 10.
“Jared Goff is terrible (Charles Barkley voice) Myself and Kapernick (sic) can go on field this second and do better,” Pryor wrote.
Pryor came in to the NFL as a quarterback with the Raiders and went 3-7 in 10 career starts. He eventually switched positions to wide receiver and actually had a 1,000-yard season in 2016 with the Browns.
Pryor’s NFL career fizzled out after getting chances in 2019. He has been involved in serious legal matters with his ex-girlfriend.
Pryor is right that Goff is playing poorly. But he’s dreaming if he thinks he and Colin Kaepernick would do better.
Photo: Jul 25, 2019; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (10) enters the field during training camp at Dream Finders Home Practice Complex. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Mets had difficulty finding a new general manager, but they have finally made a hire.
The Mets are hiring former Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler.
Eppler was hired by the Angels after the 2015 season was fired after the 2020 season. The Angels never won more than 80 games in a season during his five seasons as the team’s GM.
Eppler came to the Angels from the Yankees, where he was an assistant to Brian Cashman, and now he will be returning to New York.
During his time as Angels GM, Eppler oversaw the successful recruitment and signing of Shohei Ohtani. He also signed Mike Trout to a massive contract extension.
However, Eppler failed to sign, acquire or develop any pitchers of note. Pitching remained the Angels’ biggest weakness during Eppler’s tenure — an issue that was comically addressed by the new general manager in the Angels’ most recent draft.
Not only did Eppler fail to improve the team’s weak pitching, but he also seemed to do a poor job of prioritizing the team’s needs. For instance, the Angels kept signing/investing in expensive position players like Justin Upton and Anthony Rendon, all while the pitching remained weak.
Some of the Angels’ failings during Eppler’s tenure could be attributed to Angels owner Arte Moreno, who is known to meddle. It’s unclear to what extent Eppler acted based on Moreno’s desires and what were his own decisions. But the bottom line is the team did not do well during his five seasons.
Why would the Mets hire him based on all this? The Mets went through an extensive list of candidates and got turned down by numerous targets before eventually making their way to Eppler, who sought another chance to run a team. He will have his work cut out for him with the Mets, but at least he is getting another chance as a GM.
Photo: Mar 24, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler at a press conference to announce a 12 year contract extension for center fielder Mike Trout (not pictured) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The current coach of the New York Jets is returning fire at a former one.
Rex Ryan, who coached the Jets from 2009 to 2014, appeared this week on ESPN’s “DiPietro and Rothenberg” and made some critical comments about Robert Saleh, who currently coaches the team.
“This guy’s supposed to be a defensive guru,” said Ryan. “I heard everything. And I take it personal on this one. Everything I heard about was, ‘Well this guy’s a lot like myself but without the bad part.’ Yeah? Well some of the bad part you need. This team doesn’t play with any damn heart. That’s the thing that’s disappointing to me.
“Don’t ever compare this guy to me, this Robert Saleh to me,” Ryan added. “Statistically, one time, they were, like, a top defense. Here’s one thing they are gonna be familiar with. Four out of five years, the [San Francisco] 49ers were dead last in their division. So he’s gonna be dead last again. So he’s used to that. So to me, I’m a little pissed off about it when I hear, ‘This guy, his background is a lot like yours.’ No, it isn’t. No, it isn’t.”
Unsurprisingly, Saleh was not pleased to hear what Ryan had to say.
“Obviously, if it’s that personal for him, he knows where to find me,” said Saleh on “The Michael Kay Show,” per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
“I’m not surprised by him,” Saleh added. “He’s always got something to say.”
Saleh also said that does not know Ryan and has never met him.
The Jets are now 2-7 in Saleh’s first season as coach after a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Their defense has been especially awful as well. Saleh was known as a defensive guru during his previous stops at Seattle, Jacksonville, and, most recently, San Francisco.
As for Ryan, he was also a former defensive coordinator known for his chops on that side of the ball. Ryan presided over elite defenses during his first few seasons in New York. But many will argue that then-Jets DC Mike Pettine deserved the credit, as Ryan did not actually call the defensive plays.
Since Ryan last coached in 2016, he has been more than happy to trash today’s head coaches. But Saleh is one who will not take it sitting down.
Photo: Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh during Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Cris Collinsworth can already see the stars aligning in one particular way this NFL season.
The veteran NBC sportscaster, who will be on the call for this year’s Super Bowl, shared an ominous prediction to Twitter on Monday.
“I have called 4 Super Bowls, this one will be my 5th,” wrote Collinsworth. The Patriots have been in every one. Just saying…”
The Super Bowl will be aired on NBC this season for the first time in four years. Collinsworth was previously on the call for New England’s Super Bowl wins in 2005 and 2015 as well as their Super Bowl losses in 2012 and 2018.
This year, the Patriots suddenly look good again as winners of their last four straight games. But it would still be a big surprise for them to make it to the Super Bowl with a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones and a roster of largely lesser-known players. The more likely scenario would be for Tom Brady and the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make it back to the title game this year. Brady was, of course, in all four of Collinsworth’s previous Super Bowls as well.
In any case, many are probably hoping they don’t have to hear Collinsworth on the call for another New England Super Bowl game this year. After all, he has taken heat before for his pro-Patriots commentary.
Photo: Jan 1, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; NBC Sports broadcaster Cris Collinsworth before the game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Enes Kanter seems to think that non-basketball reasons are behind his lack of minutes this season, but his head coach is insisting that is not the case.
The Boston Celtics big man Kanter hinted on Twitter this week at frustration with his low playing time. “Keep limiting me on the court, I will expose you off the court,” Kanter wrote in a tweet.
https://twitter.com/EnesKanter/status/1459932802904903692
In recent months, Kanter has been a vocal critic of the Chinese government and president Xi Jinping. Kanter has expressed his support for Tibetan and Taiwanese independence and has spoken out about China’s alleged human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic groups. He has also called out both the NBA and Nike for what he sees as a failure to stand up to China. As a result, Celtics games have been banned in the country.
On Monday, Celtics coach Ime Udoka responded to Kanter’s tweet about “limiting me on the court.”
“I’ve talked to him and I saw it,” said Udoka, per Jay King of The Athletic. Udoka also said that playing time is strictly based on basketball and that he told Kanter that the lack of minutes is partly because all the switching that the Celtics do is not natural for him.
The former No. 3 overall pick Kanter has played just ten minutes all season. He has been stuck behind veteran Al Horford as well as younger players like Robert Williams and Grant Williams in the Celtics’ frontcourt rotation.
While Kanter had a consistent role off Boston’s bench under former coach Brad Stevens, he has always been known as a weak defender. That means he may not be the best fit under the new scheme of the first-year coach Udoka, who is still trying to figure things out himself for the sub-.500 Celtics.
Photo: Nov 22, 2019; Denver, CO, USA; Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter (11) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
